Ten

Lilian and Adora went into the Royal Quarter and entered the Prince's.

Lilian knocked on the door of the Prince's favourite room several times but there was no response nor were there signs of anyone being inside.

She knocked on the other doors in his Chamber but there still was no response.

"Has he left this early? Where has he been going lately?" Lilian muttered to herself.

"He is hardly ever in the Palace these days," Adora said.

"What do you mean?" Lilian asked as she continued knocking on all the doors again, one after another.

"I barely see him in the Palace anymore. Rumours are going around the human world saying he is planning a big surprise for you for your wedding gift." Adora confessed.

"I hope so," Lilian said, as she was still knocking on all the doors.

"Don't worry. I think it's true." Adora said with a smile.

Lilian kicked the door to the Prince's favourite room in despair.

"Ugh!"

"Let's go say hello to the Queen," Lilian said and started walking towards the Queen's Chamber but she noticed that Adora was not following her.

Lilian stopped walking and asked,

"What now?"

"Remember that you are the only one allowed to enter any of the Queen's rooms. I can't enter without the permission badge you gave to me this morning." Adora explained.

"I have a permission badge with me. Come on, let's go." Lilian said as she walked towards Adora and tried to pull her along but Adora still refused to move.

"What now?" Lilian asked again.

"Of what use will it be if I follow you to the Queen? Don't you think it's awkward?" Adora asked with a frown.

It's true.

Adora is right and intelligent too.

It will be awkward if Adora follows her with a permission badge while they are together.

Without knowing what to say, she sighed and asked,

"How about you wait for me in my room?"

"How, but you locked it. I don't know your technique." Adora said.

"Are you looking for an excuse to go away?" Lilian asked with raised eyebrows.

"No," Adora said, shaking her head at the same time.

"So, what is it?" Lilian asked.

"I can't enter your room because I don't know your technique," Adora said.

That's true, every being has a technique for keeping their properties safe.

It's very confidential and can also be revealed to a person you trust in your life.

Lilian isn't sure if she could trust Adora with a secret technique since she has only one technique.

You are allowed to have as many techniques as you wish but you must not forget them because opening it with the help of others involves a huge ransom.

And the only people that can open a forgotten technique are the heavenly Ruler and sorcerers.

Lilian just let out a heavy sigh without knowing what else to say or do.

There was silence between the two of them for about fifteen minutes and it was beginning to get awkward before Adora broke the silence by saying,

"Don't worry, just go." She shrugged.

"I will just wait here. I will just look for a chore or two to do to keep myself busy while waiting for you." An awkward laugh.

"How about that?" Adora asked.

Lilian shrugged, cleared her throat and said,

"Okay." And left for the Queen's Chamber without even looking back for once.

Lilian got to the Queen's Chamber and stood in front of the room she normally sleeps in.

She knocked and quickly went on her knees in front of the door.

She sighed very calmly before talking at the top of her voice.

"Good morning, Queen mother. Long live my Queen mother."

She had to keep kneeling until the Queen responded and instructed her to stand up.

"Lilian?" The Queen called out at the top of her voice.

"Queen mother," Lilian called out back.

"Stand up. I know you must be kneeling there like a child that has committed a murderous crime this morning." The Queen said and coughed.

"Thank you, Queen mother," Lilian said and got to her feet.

"Come in, my child." The Queen instructed.

"Yes, Queen mother," Lilian said, as she slightly pushed the door she had been kneeling in front of and entered the room.

She walked towards the Queen and was about to kneel in front of her again but the Queen quickly stopped her by saying,

"Stop that, naughty child. Come help your mother up." The Queen said and coughed severally.

"Queen mother," Lilian called out as she quickly rushed to her side and helped the sick Queen to sit up.

Something about the Queen doesn't seem right.

She was hearty yesterday.

Adora said the Queen doesn't remember seeing her yesterday.

What's going on?

"Queen mother, you don't look too well," Lilian commented.

"Not too well. Do I look good to you?" The Queen asked and Lilian just shook her head in response.

"You are not yet married and you have started to abandon your sick Queen mother." The Queen said and coughed again.

Lilian quickly rushed to the earthen pot where the Queen's water is stored and scooped some into her white jade cup.

"No." The Queen obliged.

"Why, Queen mother. I will never abandon you." Lilian said.

"I know, you must have been busy yesterday and forgotten about me." The Queen said and coughed again.

Adora is right, the Queen doesn't seem to remember that she saw her and even had a conversation with her yesterday.

She didn't know what to reply to the Queen and didn't want the Queen to start thinking and getting worried, so she decided to change the topic.

She shall discuss it with her after she has gotten better in the future.

"Queen mother, why don't you want the water?" Curious Lilian asked.

"I think the water was poisoned." The Queen replied.

"What?"

"How come?"

"But... I am the only maiden allowed into your chamber." Lilian said, confusedly.

"I know my daughter." The Queen said.

" Queen mother, do you know how it got poisoned and who did it?" Lilian asked.

The Queen pointed to the wooden invisible table beside her bed and said,

"Give me that leaf. It's an antidote to any kind of poison." The Queen instructed.