Castle of Lilies

Chapter 4

Lillia's PoV

Sat at the breakfast table I drink a lot of water to try and keep my eyes open and I also pile my plate high with carbohydrates to keep me going for the day. Half way through picking up some toast the Queen says to me in a knowing tone "Lillia honey, you look tired."
"My Queen I am tired. I haven't slept much these past few nights." As I say this Genevieve beside me spits her drink back into her cup as she laughs at my understatement of the year.
Looking pointedly at her I continue, "Princess Genevieve wished for me to stay awake all night for the last three nights."
Genevieve looks to me, mischief in her eyes, as if to say "me! How could you possibly blame me?" Smirking I continue again, "Princess Genevieve has asked me to request that one of her spare rooms in her chambers be turned into a bedroom for me, Your majesties."
The King speaks for the first time in all of the breakfasts I've attended in a surprisingly low voice, "Of Course. I'd be happy to do it by the end of today."
Nodding I thank them and then carry on eating this delicious food.
Fifteen minutes later as the doors close on the dining hall I say laughing, "That was rude, Ginger."
"What'd you call me?"
"Ginger. It's my nickname for you. Genevieve takes forever to say so I shortened it to Ginger. Do you not like it? I can change it if you want." Lillia rambles obviously nervous she's offended me.
"No I like it."
Ginger's smile returns and this time it reaches her eyes. And her eyes sparkle, they have a gleam like the sun shining on a lake at sunset. We lay around in her bedroom all day as we watched builders come and go with furniture and paint tins and ladders. We laugh and we joke about how it won't be done by the end of the day and I'll be sleeping on the floor. But by the end of the day all the builders are gone and my new room is ready. And it's beautiful. With white walls and a ceiling painted to look like the sky. A double bed with an ornate headboard stands in the middle, a duck egg blue bedspread with white frills around the edges laid carefully over it. In one corner there's a dressing table that matches Ginger's and then there's a small window with a window seat adorned with pillows that match the bedspread.
Squeaking I turn to Ginger and hug her tightly before immediately letting go and apologising before squealing again as I look around the room. From behind me Ginger says in a teasing tone, "You can hug me you know. Just not in public. But if we're in here even if we have guests you can hug me and call me Ginger."
Nodding I stare in awe at my new room before turning and hugging Ginger once again. This time she hugs me back and it's the safest I've ever felt. By the time we've changed into pyjamas it's ten o'clock and we're sitting on Ginger's bed with her reading to me when there's a knock on the door. We look at each other confused but I slide off the bed and open the door to see the Butler stood in his tail coat and squeaky shoes, his hair still gelled back. He says in his stupid nasal voice "The King and Queen wish to see the Princess. Immediately. In the throne room. She can come in whatever she's wearing." And then he turns in his heels, squeaking away down the corridor. I turn to Ginger to see an equally confused look on her face to what I imagine I look like. Shrugging my shoulders I say tiredly, "Well, Ginger. We'd better go. If they want you this late at night it must be important." She rolls her eyes before putting her slippers on and we set off to the throne room. When we get there the guards open the doors for us and Ginger goes in but they suddenly grab my arms and pull me back. "Hey!" I say struggling against them. Ginger turns around and says "Let her go. She's with me you idiots!" But they simply say in a monotone voice that frankly creeps me out, "Their Majesties ordered just the Princess." Shrugging them off I say to Ginger, "Go. I'll be right out here. Promise."

Genevieve's PoV

With a last view of Lillia as the doors close with a bang I turn to see Mum and Dad sat on their thrones looking far too happy for this time of night. Crossing my arms I stare at them expectantly, waiting for one of them to announce whatever it is they're announcing. They stare back at me just as expectant before my mother says in a jovial tone "So, we heard that you're talking. And apparently it's all because of Lillia. The builders told us you were chatting away and laughing all day. So is it true?"
Nodding my head my mother squeals which is something I've never ever heard her do before. Raising my eyebrows I roll my eyes before turning around to leave. But my mother says "Oh wait, wait, wait! I actually do have a proper reason for asking you to come. I have a proposal. About Lillia."
Hearing her name gets me interested so I turn back to face them and gesture for them to go on. My mother continues by picking up a black box with a white ribbon around that I didn't see before. She holds it out for me to take so I do. I unravel the ribbon and open the box to see a delicate silver tiara that's made out of intertwining flowers. I look up at my mother wondering what her plan could be. She continues by saying "She could become your Lady-in-waiting. Meaning she would have authority over visiting royals and court members. It would also mean that no one can say that she has to leave your side because she's your lady-in-waiting and that means she has to be less than ten metres away at all times..." she stops talking but I can tell there was something else she was going to say but for now I ignore it, contemplating the idea of lady-in-waiting Lillia. It would be fantastic. She'd be able to speak her mind to all the royals who I can't speak to and she wouldn't get in trouble. I nod my head and my mother starts talking again "Obviously not yet. But in the future she could be crowned. And we'd have to run it by her as well nearer the time. For now it's just an idea but you like the idea?"
I nod enthusiastically before handing back the tiara and leaving the hall. The doors open and I see Lillia pacing but when the doors open she runs to me and says "So...what happened Ginger? What did they want?"
"Just some stupid mistake I made in one of my classes a while back, they were drilling me on it because the teacher only just got back. Let's just go back to my room, I'm shattered."
She nods as we head back to our rooms.