CHAPTER 7:
PHOENIX
Lily Bianca’s eyes fluttered open. Gentle rays of sunlight brushed across her face, waking her up for another exciting day. She stretched beneath the soft quilts, rubbing her eyes to shake off the drowsiness from sleep.
Out of habit, she rolled off her bed and twirled her finger. The silver-handled toothbrush swayed into her hand right when she entered her bathing room.
Strange. She obviously slept for hours, but her mind still remained cloudy.
She inspected her face in the water mirror, but nothing seemed to have changed. Her eyes remained the same shade of blue as they always had, yet she felt so dissonant.
Lily Bianca tapped the floating mirror at a certain spot. Her reflection rippled and warm rainwater trickled into the wash basin attached to it. The sound of liquid dripping against the basin muddled her senses.
When she reoriented her mind, she was already patting her face dry.
As she walked out of the bathing room and made another gesture, a delicate white cup floated to her, accompanied by a porcelain tea caddy.
Lily Bianca set the tea blend in her cup, the spoon occasionally grazing its patterned rim. Her forefinger danced above the teacup, and in an instant, it was filled with pure boiling water. A light aroma of roses slowly filled the room.
Soon after, her lady’s maids, the twins Anne and Jade came knocking at her door, holding a tray of fruits and light breakfast.
“Would you two like to join me?” As Lily Bianca posed the question, two cups emerged from the cabinet and spun around the maids.
The two politely declined and Lily Bianca sighed, already anticipating the rejection. The teacups disappeared and returned to their original position.
They used to drink tea with her, but once they discovered that she was brewing Timeless Rose for them, Chamillet’s staple tea blend among the nobles, they claimed that they were too ashamed to drink with Lily Bianca anymore.
She found it regrettable; this tea had an ability to store and recall memories from when a person was drinking it. It was best consumed with others.
“I’ve never set foot on a royal ball before. What do you suppose everyone would be like?” Lily Bianca asked.
Anne puffed her chest out proudly, “I am sure everyone would be in awe of the lady’s beauty and abilities!”
Lily Bianca chuckled. The room filled with chatter, their excitement about the ball palpable.
As Anne stepped away to prepare her bath, a distant fog engulfed Lily Bianca’s senses, the world blurry and muffled.
“Your bath is ready, miss.”
The voice cut through the haze, pulling her back to the present. It took her a moment to recognize Anne who just returned from the bathing room.
Nearby, Jade was clearing away the meal tray. She tried to muster a response, but Lily Bianca's smile formed naturally, as if she was a performer following a predetermined script.
“Thank you, Jade. Anne.”
~~
Hours later, they were almost finished getting Lily Bianca ready for the Chamillet’s Winter ball. She was wearing a blue dress with a velvet top, adorned with white rose embroidery, finished by an airy white skirt and warm sleeves.
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Her maids coexisted peacefully at first, but soon disagreed about which hairstyle she needed to wear. Anne wanted to make Lily Bianca look more extravagant since she was a special guest at the ball, but Jade insisted on a modest and classic look.
“A simple style will do. I don’t want to appear flashy,” Lily Bianca voiced and Jade happily started doing her hair.
Minutes later, they two were arguing again, this time about which accessory to put on her.
“Lady Bianca, what do you think?” Jade asked for her approval. To be honest, she just wanted both of them to stop talking.
However, unlike her inner thoughts, her body language suggested she found the maid’s quarrel endearing. She was sitting in front of her dressing mirror, her hands below her chin, with a smile so pure it melted people’s hearts.
“I’d like to wear the dainty necklace. I believe it suits my dress the best today.” Upon hearing her, Anne grumbled.
Thankfully, her lady’s maid was quick to recover. Merely seconds later, she exclaimed, “I was wrong, miss! You don't need any dashing accessories or extravagant clothes, your presence is enough to stun everyone around you!”
“No need to flatter me, Anne.” Lily Bianca looked at herself in the mirror, pleased with the results.
If they had actually gone for Anne’s suggestion and made her wear that big sparkly necklace, she would have been incredibly uncomfortable.
A playful series of soft and hard knocks resounded on her door, and everyone in the room knew it was Lily Bianca’s father. Her features softened with delight. His presence made her realize she wasn’t dreaming.
She had finally been invited to the grandest ball of the Four Kingdoms, where royals and nobles gathered from all around Galathia. She’d make the most out of it and get acquainted with as many people as she could!
Lily Bianca’s heart hammered against her chest. Her anticipation of how her night would unfold both excited and terrified her.
Her maids mirrored her mood, beaming at her as they rushed to help her open the door and ensure her dress did not get stuck at any odd cranny of the room.
Outside was her middle aged father wearing his freshly tailored black tailcoat, his hair curly and blond like hers, and his beard well-groomed.
“Father…” Lily Bianca moved gracefully to greet her father. He gently patted her head, careful not to ruin hours of work.
“Are you ready, my sunshine?” Lily Bianca’s eyes twinkled, but on the inside, she cringed so much it made her stomach churn. Who in the world says that?
“I admit I’m a tad unsettled, but having you with me brings me comfort, father.” She felt her warm cheeks form a cavity-inducing sugary smile. Meanwhile, her dad offered his arm to her while pretending to wipe his tears with his other hand.
“Oh my sweet daughter!” he cried.
Hours later, the carriage stopped and they were finally at the root of Chamillet Castle. Lily Bianca glanced up at the majestic architecture, feeling slightly light-headed. The castle seemed to float in the sky, uplifted by a colossal tree behind it; its translucent roots protruded from below the structure. It was grander than she’d thought.
Like a refined gentleman he was, her father helped her descend from the carriage. She was grateful for his attentiveness.
Otherwise, she might have inadvertently stumbled and been the joke of town just prior to stepping foot into the castle. Her mind seemed like it failed to work for a moment; she had forgotten how to move in her dress.
As Lily Bianca and her father approached the base of the castle, the ground before them began to shift. One of the translucent roots of the majestic tree emerged, glowing with a soft, ethereal light. It moved with a fluid grace, its tip expanding until a thin, yet sturdy, spherical bubble formed in front of them.
Lily Bianca knew what to do. She glanced about and watched numerous bubbles floating in the air, transporting people to the castle. Her fingers brushed against their own sphere; It felt solid, yet malleable, much like the surface tension of water. Her father, ever the adventurer, took a step forward, his figure distorting slightly as he entered the bubble. Lily Bianca followed suit.
Inside, the atmosphere was serene. The bubble's walls dampened the sounds from outside, as if being submerged underwater. The bubble ascended, carrying them smoothly upwards. The landscape below appeared further and smaller, allowing them to take in the breathtaking beauty of the kingdom as a whole.
Before they knew it, the bubble had seamlessly melded with the castle ground, allowing them to step out onto solid ground once more. Their senses integrated with their surroundings, hearing murmurs and laughter of other guests and faint melodies of a live orchestra.
Lily Bianca gazed to her right and noticed a person that had landed at the same time they did. He wore a pristine white tailcoat with a teardrop-shaped pin that resembled frozen crystal. His back stood tall and his movements precise. When her eyes met his, his striking amber eyes were unwavering.
Lily Bianca’s heart pounded against her chest, unable to look away. Meanwhile, her thoughts spiraled into a tangled mess as she was taking in that eerily familiar face.