PHOENIX
Tap tap tap
Phoenix had been walking around the house for a while. The dining room wasn’t an open area, so she decided to check through the doors. She’d go into one room, out the other. Some doors were locked. When a few of the workers glanced in her direction, Phoenix pursed her lips.
The next space she entered looked different from the rest. The musky scent of morning dew lingered in the air. It was more of a garden. The windows were huge, reaching up to cover half the ceiling. The potted plants stood upright, and the vines scaled orderly around the room. It climbed all the way down to the piano, giving color to what would have been a lonely piece.
“Hmm~ hmm~”
Her eyes snapped to the source of the sound. Phoenix relaxed when she realized it was coming from a sunflower. Like the others, it proudly stood in its pot, swaying to the nonexistent breeze as if it was breathing. As it hummed a gentle tune, the outline around its shape shimmered.
Phoenix inhaled a large amount of that fresh air.
Definitely not this room.
She exited the area and walked further into the hallway.
After a soft swish of the door opening, the smell of fresh baked bread and eggs filled her nostrils. She could feel her stomach grumbling. This had to be it.
Phoenix walked into the dining room.
Lily Bianca’s father sat on one edge of the table, his plate still covered. To his side was a floating bonsai tree with a see-through dome-shaped pot. Strands of its translucent roots peeked through, taking on a soft purple hue.
His gaze shifted to Phoenix, and his mouth instantly formed a smile, as glaring as the earlier morning sun.
“My sunshine, good morning!” The corner of Phoenix’s mouth moved upwards. She wanted to respond back with a gentle “good morning father,” but her words got stuck in her throat, unable to release. She smiled at him instead, hoping that he wouldn’t notice anything off.
“Are you alright? What took you so long to get here?” Of course he instantly noticed there was something amiss.
Phoenix let out a stiffened laugh. “I’m okay, father. Shall we eat?” She sat on the other edge of the table. Thankfully, Lily Bianca’s dad did not pry further, and possibly just marked her attitude as waking up on the wrong side of the bed.
“Certainly. I find myself rather famished!”
As he laughed, his hand brushed the lush head of the tree, examining his work. Once satisfied, he asked someone to collect his trimming scissors and other tools, and he washed his hand with a warm cloth.
He noticed Phoenix staring at the floating thing. He carefully placed his hand on the glass and rotated it. “I’m preparing this piece for tonight’s gathering. Doesn’t it resemble the Chamillet Tree? Look here, even the roots are able to move!”
His forefinger curled upwards towards the roots, almost touching it. The wispy tendrils stretched out as if reacting to his movements.
“Great!” Phoenix exclaimed, taking up all of her energy to appear enthusiastic. The room came to a standstill. It wasn’t very convincing.
Utensils clattered against the plate placed in front of her. With a thud, a porcelain cup was set to her right. In that mug was a silver strainer with dried rose and leaves. Nothing else.
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Phoenix stared down the teacup, cold sweat forming on her back. Her eyes darted around the room, a few gazes fixated on her. Including Lily Bianca’s father. He laid his utensils down and flashed her a smile.
Phoenix’s throat dried up as her eyes returned to the empty cup. They expected her to fill it herself. Great.
Phoenix felt like her eyeballs would pop out from glaring at the cup, almost unblinking. She remembered the subtle heat pouring through Lily Bianca’s arms, to her hand and fingertips, into the cup.
If she wasn’t able to show her abilities right now, Phoenix didn’t know how she could explain herself.
She didn’t dare look up again. She could already feel the intensity of scrutiny on her, waiting for a chance to catch her in this charade. Phoenix shifted in her seat and focused more on producing water from her fingers. A part of her felt like a silly child unsuccessfully trying to convince her parents of a nonexistent magical creature.
The air felt stuffy, and it seemed to slowly tighten its hold around Phoenix’s neck, making it harder and harder for her to breathe. Now, everyone in the room paused what they were doing to look at her. The silence was deafening, maddening, as Phoenix knew she was the only one who could break it. Everyone waited for her to shatter the nothingness.
Drip.
Water droplets dripped from her fingers. Then, liquid rushed out uncontrollably, causing some of the rose petals to spill out with it. Phoenix let out a breath and scanned the room again. The workers continued what they were doing. Steady footsteps flowed in the room again. No one had a strong reaction.
A woman walked over and wiped the spilled water. Her face didn’t show any expression. They didn’t seem suspicious.
“Did something happen at the ball? Did Prince Alastair say anything?” Lily Bianca’s father asked as he picked up his utensils and started cutting the meat on his plate. He didn’t look at Phoenix and stared at his meat as if he was trying to act casual.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” Phoenix said. Lily Bianca’s father lifted his gaze.
“You sound a tad different too, honey. What is the matter?” Phoenix didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t know what to say at all. This world is vastly different from what she was used to. Even the language was slightly different.
Phoenix found herself at a loss, struggling to accustom to her surroundings. She had difficulties interacting with others from her world, much less this place with different sets of rules.
She wished she was able to speak with Lilianna. At least, if she was here, Phoenix would have someone tell her what to do and how to talk. Lilianna had all the knowledge she didn’t have about this world.
If she was going to find a way to fix the time-loop, she needed Lilianna’s help. Phoenix had always acknowledged that. She admired Lilianna for being able to do things she wasn’t able to do. From the very beginning, Lilianna had always been someone who can influence people around her.
No matter how hard Phoenix tried, she had never been able to do it. Whenever she attempted being friendly with others, her mind raced, and the right words would never leave her mouth. She grew up seeing people around her as untrustworthy, and so it showed in the way she interacted with the world.
“Are you angry about Prince Alastair? I have informed his father you would be able to help their Kingdom, and he proposed a marriage between you two.” Phoenix frowned, remembering what happened at the ball.
“It’s only verbal talk, nothing official. You have a say on this matter.” Lily Bianca’s father assumed her silence was due to repressed anger. He had the last bite of his egg and set down the cutlery on his plate.
“My dear, are you unwell? Shall we summon a priest for you?” When Phoenix didn’t respond, the man jumped into a different conclusion.
Phoenix thought about how foolish this man was. Wasn’t it more reasonable to think that someone had been impersonating his daughter? What kind of sickness makes someone’s personality do a 180 degree turn? It was also strange to call a priest for a sickness.
“I just… lost my ring.” Phoenix murmured. Her energy to come up with lies had already been exhausted, so she decided to tell the truth.
“You lost your ring?” the father changed his tone of voice, and now he looked like he was about to cry. “But you really liked that ring. You wouldn’t even let me touch it. What should we do?” Phoenix’s eyebrows furrowed. This man was quite unusual.
“I was planning on asking you where I can possibly find a similar one.”
“I see. That ring must be found!” He exclaimed. “I will set up the carriage for you. Do you need a companion?”
“No.“
After breakfast, the twins Jade and Anne assisted her in changing her attire to what was more appropriate for walking outdoors. Phoenix couldn’t ignore her suspicion that something was amiss. When she walked into the carriage, she sensed a pair of eyes observing her every move.