The Knight of the Forest Series

Chapter 6

Lillia groaned with exertion as she pushed herself up by her legs which were hanging on the tiny twins in the stone walls of the building. It was a miracle that the girl had not covered her bare soiled feet in puncture wounds and scratches from the way she was sliding her feet over the course stone. Gripping the windowsill above her head, Lillia felt around for the small potted begonias in the corner to make sure that it was her windowsill since her eyes were presently otherwise occupied trying to rid themselves of stray stubborn strands of blonde curls. Bracing herself like an infant preparing to stand from a crawling hunch, she pulled up and made a clean somersault into her room but not so gracefully she landed on her bum. The girl sighed both in relief at having not been caught scaling the walls of the keep and also in agitation since she knew her mud covered feet and dress had now discarded their soil companions onto her clean floor. Oh well. the maid would come in early tomorrow morning to help Lillia a dress for the wedding ceremony. She could wait till then .

The girl could try to clean it herself but the last time she even looked at a bucket of water, it ended up all over her and she had water in places she did not know even existed. That incident was partially because of the girl's natural clumsiness but mostly because Maya had something against water being used to clean up soil. Lillia often wondered how the girls room remained so clean until she saw Maya sweeping her room five times a day. That was one way to do it. The girl flipped her curls out of her eyes with a bright smile but froze when she realized that there were three sets of eyes staring at her . The first belonged to the kind and rather amused smile of Jaime Lannister who was trying to contain a smile. The other was Cersei of all people with a deadly scowl on her face and the way she tapped her foot and crossed her arms made Lillia feel like a naughty puppy. When Lillia saw who the third person was she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear out of embarrassment.

Loras had his mouth open in shock and Lillia could tell by his lack of amusement or anger that he did not know what to think in this situation.

" I am guessing that I do not want to know?" Jaime asked, smirking at the girl .

Lillia scrambled to her feet when she spied Cersei glaring at her exposed legs and Loras furrowed his brow even though he did not even blink. The truth was he could not tear his eyes away from the sudden view of a pair of long strong freckled limbs.

" probably not considering some of my destinations." the little girl replied.

Loras furrowed his brow in confusion while Jaime snorted to disguise his laughter.

" you, young lady, are a disgrace. You will get yourself cleaned up at once and you will meet me in my study within the hour! You will be punished for this unseemly behavior ." Cersei growled in a tone that could scrape the edges of a sword until it was blunt .

Lillia met the woman's glare with her own and planted her hands on her hips. Both men present knew that the look in her eyes meant that this subject would not end well.

" the last time I checked I was under Sir Jaime's guardianship not yours so I will be answering to whatever punishment ser Jaime sees fit ."

The woman's jaw dropped at the girl's defiance and she was about to strike the blonde when Jaime grabbed her his sister's hand and held her back with a sharp scowl upon his face.

" enough Cersei," he warned in a dark, low voice.

Cersei snatched her arm from his grip and scoffed," I might have known you would side against your own sister with this piece of trash. Oh, but I forgot that she is practically attached at the hip with that whore wife of yours. "

Lillia had been calmly silent the whole time Cersei had been badmouthing her but upon hearing Cersei talk ill of Evelyn , Lillia crossed the room before Jaime could even scowl at his sister and she threw her hands forward as if about to push the woman back .