The Haunting Tale

Chapter 9: The One

Noah and Lilly walked across the corridor. Noah looked around the place while listening to Lilly telling stories about the time before she and everyone else died.

"It was a golden time," said Lilly. "Diana was such a happy girl. Despite being a princess and having servants everywhere, she liked cleaning and cooking. But we always insisted her not to since that was our job. So Noah, what do you think about Diana. If you have one word to describe her, what would it be?"

"Oh how can I even describe her with just one word?" Noah said dreamily. "She's everything." He stared at the portrait of her, then moved on.

Lilly thought that he would say cliche things, such as "beautiful" or "lovely" or something cheesy. Those had become lies, Lilly thought so. She had heard of those words too much, they became meaningless. Noah's answer intrigued her. But her test was just beginning.

"She has lovely voice ," said Noah.

"Yes, she's a great singer," Lilly said. "She also plays a lot of instruments."

"Such as..."

Lilly saw his eyes glinting with excitement and curiosity. She recalled that she and Diana had a girl talk. Diana once told her she liked adventurous and curious guys , not some sort of muscular, idiotic and selfish. Lilly joked that she liked muscular guys. Recalling the talk made her smile.

Lilly answered Noah's question, "Well, she played flute, piano, violin, and cello."

"Talented," he said, looking at the ceiling then he looked back down to the floor. There was nothing around there, what was he looking for?

"I've never gone inside a castle that is so enchanted," said Noah.

"Because it's the only castle that's enchanted."

Noah chuckled, "I mean that... Everything I've read in the fairy tales is real. All real! Carrie would like this."

"Who's Carrie?"

"My adopted daughter. She's a lovely kid..." his voice trailed away.

"What's wrong, dear?" Lilly asked with concern.

"I promised her not to leave her alone..." Noah said sadly. "I didn't drink, smoke, and do drugs because of her. I exercised everyday, ate healthy, and fought diseases for her. I don't want to die because I love Carrie."

Lilly liked the way he talked. It sounded like a child saying but it's also mature. Could that even possible?

They walked around the castle, Noah constantly asked about the "golden time" and Lilly couldn't resist telling everything from the day Diana found the castle and the first time Lilly saw her, to the time it was the end. Noah wasn't tired of listening. He also wasn't tired of saying hello to the objects walking pass by.

"Figar and Ward, do they always fight?" asked Noah.

"Pretty much," said Lilly. "It's actually funny to watch them yelling and wrestling."

"Where is Diana?" he asked, his blue eyes glinted again.

"Oh, she's inside her room. She needs some privacy," Lilly replied with a smile.

"Does she love me?" Noah leaned against a wall, daydreaming. "I mean, I love her. But, does she accept who I am?"

Before Lilly could answer, loud thumping sounds was heard, and it startled Noah, who was daydreaming. The sounds came from Ward and Figar fighting while falling downstairs. They wrestled on the ground, not knowing that Lilly was furrowing at them.

"You played dirty! No fair!" said Ward.

"Well let me tell you something: there are no rules in wrestling!" said Figar, fighting with Ward like a girl.

"Hey you two," Noah said softly, knelt down and broke them out. "Tell me, what's going on?"

Lilly smirked, she had another test for Noah. "Ignore them, they always have fights. All stupid little things."

"No, I would listen -" Noah insisted but Lilly interrupted him again.

"They are bunch of fools!" Lilly pretended to be careless.

"Lilly, interrupting doesn't tolerate me," Noah gave her a stern, then looked at the two other, who was still fighting, "Break it out! Tell me what happened."

"Figar stole my girl" said Ward.

"No, I do not!" argued Figar.

"That broomstick, Ellie Monroe, is mine!"

"No no no, she is MINE!"

"Who's Ellie Monroe?" asked Noah.

"The precious beautiful girl!" said Figar, daydreaming while looking up.

"Oh... how beautiful?" Noah's curiosity rose.

"Indescribably beautiful!" said Ward, daydreaming with Figar. "She always makes me smile..."

"Um... I've never met Ellie," said Lilly.

"She lives and breathes here with us!" said Ward.

"Um... no. Never heard of her."

"You're kidding," Figar gasped.

"I've been working in this castle before you, so never have I ever think wrong," Lilly said with deadpan tone. "Who. Is. She?"

"The dog! Ellie Monroe! Who do you think she is? Some kind of a human that we would ask on a date? No!" Ward raised his hands.

"A dog? You have a dog?" Noah's eyes lit up. "How does she like? Is she cursed like you, too?"

"Yeah, she is a footstool," said Ward.

Lilly raised her eyebrows. "Wait a minute, footstool! That's Diana's dog! What are you two up to?"

"Diana has told me that today is the day that I have to take care of her!" said Ward.

"No, it me!" said Figar.

"No no, it's me!" said Lilly.

"Maybe all three of you? Like, you know, handling a dog is hard, especially when you're objects..." After Noah's sentence was finished, the three objects stared at him then to each other. "I should go somewhere and explore without you guys." Noah walked away and he was out of sights. The castle began quiet after the argument.

"Ward, Figar. He's the one," Lilly smiled at them.

"No no no, we still need to look out for him. Maybe he has a scheme," said Ward. "Figar, we will go after him."