A World Without Lillia

Part 7

So it was a long ride for such a short story. I know that I dropped the ball, but I hope that a nice sweet happy ending will be enough to make up for it. I love you all! I am actually working on something else, so I may be adding a new story in the coming months. But we'll see! 

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"Wha' in th' name of all that's natural are ya doin' here?" Scarlette screeched, sprinting down the stairs like a banshee chasing her own worst nightmares. Her fiery hair was tangled in a nest around her head that belied her recent state abed just as clearly as the thin nightgown that kissed her ankles as she moved barefoot toward her sister. "Why do ya look like ye'v been walkin' fer the last week?"

Lillia smiled "We have been."

Scarlett noticed Felix then and glared at him, "Wha'd ya do ta me sister?" She barked, squaring her shoulders as if she would attack him. Suddenly Felix understood why his sweet soft Lilli felt her sister always outshined her. She certainly out-volumed her.

"No! Scarlette, no, he saved me! I could not go home to mother and father just to be married off to someone exactly like Lozen, I just could not bear it. Please understand!"

Scarlette relaxed her stance but did not take her suspicious eyes off of the Wildman. "Who are ya?" She demanded.

"My name is Felix."

She scowled at him, "Yer leavin' out all the good stuff, speak!"

"Scarlette, stop, please trust me, we will explain everything."

She jerked her head towards her sister with an incredulous look, "Please forgive me, Lillia, fer not feelin' comfortable with yer choices in men after Lozen. And now ya show up, lookin' like hell, with jus' the type o' man who would sweep ya right off yer feet. Where. Are. The. Guards." She stressed her last words individually as she stared Lillia down. It only served to ignite Lillia's temper and she gritted her teeth in anger at her sister.

"You listen to me! See here, Scarlette, I have been through two weeks of trekking to reach you because you are who I wanted to come to in this time of need! You do not have the right to speak to me as such, I will not have it!"

Scarlette's eyes widened and a ruful smile broke out on her lips, "Well then, why dinna ya' say so in the first place?" She laughed, her chest swelling in pride at her typically meek sister's defences, "Come, I'll make it so ya can both get clean." Her eyes shot over the Felix, "In separate rooms."

Scarlette made all of the arrangements and went to find her husband while the couple bathed. He was as concerned as Scarlette and set off to find the Wildman so he may have a conversation with him. Scarlette made her own way to her sister and tapped on her door before stepping in.

"So are ya' gonna tell me what's goin' on or do I have'ta squeeze it out o' ya?"

Lillia smiled and delved into her story. She told her everything, about all of her wretched thoughts of jealousy, her uncertainty about going home. She told her about Felix and how he picked her up when she felt like she would never get up again. She told her about Art being a tosspot, and how she stood up for herself and told him to carry her message home.

By the end of it Scarlette was all but crying, "Lillia, ya' ran into the forest at night? Alone?" She shook her head, "Ya' beautiful fool, I am so proud o' ya." She wrapped the young woman in her arms and rocked her as she cried, letting out all of the extra emotion that telling her story brought out in her.

"Felix is amazing, Scarlette. He really is. He is so patient and understanding, and he lets me speak my mind. He takes my feelings into account and he even asks me my opinion on all kinds of subjects." She shook her head and leaned away from her sister with a sheepish smile, "No one has ever treated me like he does before. And..." She blushed, "He is very handsome."