Castle of Lilies

Chapter 19

Genevieve's PoV

I'm reading a book left in the parlour on botanical plants when Zachary comes running in and plants a sloppy kiss on my lips, making me shiver in disgust before exclaiming "I got redemption, but on the condition that once we're married I have to live in Loutocia. Which I'm sure is fine by you?"
I nod my head, still reeling from the horrible kiss. Then he carries on by saying "Also Lillia's been crowned. She's crown princess as of I'd say about a few hours ago."
I nod again. Not knowing what to say even if I wanted to say something. He takes a seat next to me and reads over my shoulder, looking at the page I'm on. Lilies. Roses. Two of the most important flowers in my life. And they're both gone. Both of them. One dead and the other might as well be.
"This book looks boring. Why on Earth are you reading it?"
I shrug, following my one condition of not speaking. He seems to remember this as he falls silent, again reading over my shoulder.
Just as I'm about to get annoyed at him, Dalia walks in and says to Zachary "Can I speak to Genevieve alone please."
He nods looking hurt that he's not allowed to listen to the conversation before leaving the parlour, a sulky look on his face.
Dalia sighs before saying "Gen, what happened? Come on. You can tell me. I won't tell Lillia. Promise, but you've got to be joking if you actually dated her just as an experiment. She was broken when she got here and she's still healing. So tell me what happened and we can sort it out."
I shake my head, embarrassed at why I broke Lillia's heart. But Dalia pushes on "You know, you are stupid. You lost Rose, and that took a massive toll on your mental well-being, and now you've pushed away Lillia who made you happy and that can't have been good for you either so you'd better tell me right now why on Earth you broke up with her so I can blooming well fix it."
Again I shake my head. Still embarrassed at the fact that I broke up with her over my mother.
She sighs dramatically before just shrugging her shoulders and walking out, her heels clicking on the floor.
Knowing I should have told her, I go to call her back but then Zachary walks back in and I shut my mouth. Eventually he leaves too and I sit on my own, with plants and books as company. Just like when Rose died.

Flashback start.
The serious looking man (now I know he was the coroner) had just walked into the great hall, his face sad.
I smiled at him to see if I could make him happier. No success. He just looks at me even more sad. Then he says to my parents, "My King, my Queen, I'm so very sorry, but Princess Rose has unfortunately died in an accident. It was confirmed."
Mum bursts into tears, my dad saying gently "Thank you for telling us. If you could please leave."
And then the sad man left, but I was confused, not understanding what's just been said.
"Mum, Dad? What happened? Where's Rosy?"
Mum bursts into tears all over again, Dad sighing and saying "Gen my love, Rosy is gone. She's not coming back."
Then I had tears flowing down my face too. A week later we had the funeral. Then I understood what had happened. Rosy has gone to the sky.
For weeks on end I sat in the gardens reading anything and everything I could find.
Flashback end.

The memory fades and tears prick my eyes but I wipe them away before anyone can see. I take the book on the table and throw it at the floor angrily. It crashes with a thud and I sigh picking it up again, collapsing my head into my arms.

Lillia's PoV

The day of the party had finally arrived and I was so excited for Miles and Dalia. The castle was going crazy, maids and servants rushing around trying to prepare the great hall and all the food, the heaps and heaps of food that keeps going back and forth to the kitchen being tweaked and perfected. I spend the entire day getting ready, wanting to look my best for my first appearance as Crown Princess. I spend hours choosing a dress, unable to choose between a multitude of choices. I decide to ditch dress choosing and instead do my hair and makeup.
I twist my hair up into a delicate braided bun, twisting some curls to frame my face. I do some simple makeup but make sure my eyes stand out and apply some red lipstick, just because it's my favourite shade.
The dress I choose, after hours of deliberating, is a deep blue ballgown. It has satin off the shoulder sleeves with embroidered tulle over the top. The tulle is embroidered with cherry blossom branches and petals. I pick out some blue heels to wear and slip them on.
Finishing off my makeup with a dash of eyeshadow I walk to the crown room and spending hours, again, choosing one.
Eventually I choose a gold tiara with a delicate rising of golden leaves and blue sapphires dotted throughout.
Then I walk through the castle to the main hall and entering I see Dalia and Miles stood in the middle of a crowd of five people, Lola and Leon stood to one side. Walking up to the group Dalia spots me and gasps, "Lillia you look fabulous."
I smile spinning around, my dress flaring around me as I do. She beckons me over and points to a tall boy in a deep green velvet suit, with jet black hair slicked back, his face looks like it's been carved out of granite but there's a hint of a smile as Dalia says, "This is Owen, my older brother. Bro this is Lillia." He nods to me, looking me up and down, "Princess." He says in a deep voice
I nod back as Dalia points to a slightly smaller boy in a black tuxedo. He has blonde hair that's left loose, a few curls falling onto his forehead. His face is chiselled yet welcoming.
"This is Xavier. Xav this is Lillia."
"Princess." He says in a softer tone than I imagined.
Then Dalia turns to a small woman with curly blonde hair, who has bright blue eyes, she's wearing a simple ocean blue dress that's floor length. Her hair she simply has down with a clip holding a piece of hair out of her face that's welcoming and warm. "Lillia this is my mum, Queen Paulina."
"Your majesty." I say.
"Oh please! It's just Paulina seen as your soon to be family." She says in a light tone that makes me smile. Then Dalia says indicating to a tall man with straight black hair that reaches his shoulders, a matching velvet suit to his wife, "This is my dad, Rhys."
I smile at him and to my surprise he smiles back, saying in a firm but kind tone "Princess."
"Lillia. You can all just call me Lillia please."
They all nod their heads and then Dalia goes "Hey mum where's Soraya?"
"She's stood over on the balcony love." Paulina replies. Dalia takes my hand and drags me over to the balcony, a laugh escaping my mouth as we nearly fall to the ground as we skid to a stop.

Soraya's PoV

Her laugh caught my attention. The joyous sound filling my ears and making me smile. Which doesn't happen very often. I turn around to see where the sound came from and I see Dalia and another girl stood laughing and gripping each other's arms.
"D, you're crazy. If someone has their back turned it normally means they don't want to have a conversation." This other girl says in a honey sweet tone that makes me smile, again. I look at the girl and see she's wearing a deep blue tulle ball gown that shows off her figure beautifully. Wisps of hair are delicately framing her face, the rest in a braided bun. Her makeup makes her hazel eyes shine, and her lips look kissable. Intrigued by her I walk over and say to my sister "Dalia, who is this beautiful young lady?"
The girl blushed at my compliment and I smile at my achievement.
"Soraya meet Lillia. Lillia this is my younger sister Soraya."
Lillia smiles at me saying "Lovely to meet you Soraya."
I smile at her again and I can feel pretty much my entire family eying me suspiciously from across the room.
"Lillia dear, can I borrow you?" Queen Lola says from across the room. Lillia excuses herself before walking off towards her.
Owen comes over a smug look on his face and says playfully to me "Sis, I see you've met the Crown Princess over here?"
I nod my head, still watching her.
Then my mum comes over and says "I have never seen you smile so much at a complete stranger before Soraya."
I sigh ignoring all their comments and jibes, all their attempts to get me to open up that never work. I follow Lillia's movements, her gracefulness as she walks around in her dress pointing to things and directing them to different places.
Miles asks if anyone wants a tour and my entire family are eager to look around but I decline, opting instead to stand on the balcony, watching Lillia. Which some might say is creepy I know but I find her so intriguing, the way she holds herself, the way she treats the maids and servants as though they're family. Most royals treat them horribly but she, she's kind to them, talks to them like they're people not objects.
Miles comes back in holding Dalia close to him, my family following closely behind. Behind them is a family I've never met, so I look at them curiously. Ones pretty but looks like a snob, the older lady looks like a snob too, but the older man looks warm. The middle aged man next to the pretty young one has a horrible sense of fashion and looks smug. Lillia turns around and runs to the man, hugging him tightly. She glares at the others before looking to Dalia who smile sympathetically at her. So there's some sort of drama or tension between them then. I walk up to the new people and introduce myself, "Hello. I'm Princess Soraya Of Bamberall."
The woman looks at me and replies in a fake tone "Hello. I'm Queen Penelope Of Loutocia. This is my husband King Alexander, my daughter Princess Genevieve and her fiancée Prince Zachary."
I nod before walking up to Lillia and saying "You okay?"
She sighs saying "Not really. I'm already nervous, them being here doesn't help."
Before I can say anything else Princess Genevieve appears and says to Lillia "Can I talk to you?"
"No" she replies firmly.
"Please Love?"
"You can't call me that anymore."
"Please?"
"I said no." She says firmly again.
"Lillia please?" Genevieve insists.
"Look if she says no, accept it and leave." I say annoyed at her.
She seems to take me seriously and leaves us. Then Lillia takes a breath before turning to me and saying softly "Thank you Soraya."
Then she walks off, going back to directing the directions. I resume my place on the balcony wondering why I decided to stick up for her when I never get involved in things like that.
As the start of the party nears more and more people arrive, filling the hall with chatter and blocking my view of Lillia until I spot her sat on a silver throne, smiling down at all the people looking slightly nervous. I stand at the edge of the room, finding myself nervous for her, even though I don't know why she's nervous in the first place.
Then Leon stands up and clears his throat before announcing "Good people, nobles and royals. Today we have many celebrations. One of them being the union of two kingdoms through marriage. My son Miles and Princess Dalia Of Bamberall are engaged."
At this the hall erupted into cheers, everyone excited for the now upcoming wedding.
Leon signals for everyone to quieten down and they do. Then he carries on "And the Quartz family have a new addition. As many of you know, years ago Crown Princess at the time Hannah, ran away and we now know where and why. She ran away to Loutocia and she was pregnant. She had the child and raised her. And now she's come back to us. I present to you Crown Princess Lillia June Lola Quartz."
Lillia stands and walks to Leon's side, smiling widely at the crowd. The hall is silent for a few seconds before erupting into cheers again.