Chapter 32 - Waking Up
After a long night of dreaming and training, Lilly finally opened her eyes. She was resting peacefully in a white fluffy bed, in what seemed to be a hospital room. The sun had barely started to rise outside the windows, giving the room a nice warm glow.
The bed was a bit small for two people, which was a problem since Mia was laying right next to her, still sleeping. Her arm was holding around Lilly, and she was still fully dressed.
Gramps was there too, dozing off in a chair nearby. It was unusual for him to be asleep at this hour, so he probably stayed up late last night, worrying about her.
She felt really grateful, seeing them both like this. But she needed answers about what had happened since she fainted. Gently, she began to stroke Mia’s hair, coaxing her awake.
“Mia,” Lilly whispered softly. “Honeybun, time to wake up.”
Mia stirred, murmuring sleepily, “No honeybun…” But then she jolted awake, her eyes snapping open. “Lilly! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine, really. Just exhausted myself, that’s all,” Lilly reassured her, offering a comforting smile.
Gramps, roused by their conversation, stretched and approached the bed. “You gave us quite the scare, Lilly. When I saw the flame, I rushed over, but by the time I got there you’d already fainted,” he said, his voice tinged with concern and relief.
Mia got out of the bed as well, giving Lilly some space. She still seemed a bit worried, but seeing Lilly awake and talking had probably given her some relief.
“I’m sorry for making you worry. I didn't have time to hesitate back then.” Lilly thought back again to everything that had happened. It all happened so fast, leaving her little time to consider how Gramps and Mia would feel.
Gramps studied her face for a moment, before his face softened into a resigned smile. “I guess there's no point in telling you to be careful anymore. But, putting aside the danger, I’m incredibly proud of you, Lilly.” His voice wavered slightly, betraying his emotional state.
Lilly felt warm inside. It really had been an incredible feat, stopping the invading fleet like that. But she felt like almost anyone would do the same in her shoes, so the only thing she had done was being in possession of the flame. People might call her a hero for saving the city, but the one they should be thanking was Myndia. She’s the one who did everything, and even though she used Lilly’s flame she deserved most of the recognition.
“I think anyone would do the same in my shoes, I just happened to have the power to do something.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lilly! Letting everyone in the city know about the flame is not something everyone would do,” Gramps said, looking even prouder. His expression changed to one of worry again though. “Unfortunately, you’re almost certainly a high priority target for Dortfell now. There are guards outside the door to your room, and even more guarding the hospital.”
Lilly hadn’t thought too much about Dortfells response, but it made sense for them to outright hate her now. Even if it was a defensive attack, she had burned and killed hundreds, maybe even thousands of soldiers. She had come to terms with her role, but the grief and anger of those soldiers' families, and the significant military blow to Dortfell, inevitably marked her as a prime target.
“I realize that I’m a target now. And I’m not in a position to protect myself very well at the moment. The flame has become totally in my control now, and I can’t give it orders anymore. Except for in emergencies.” Lilly thought back to her dream, where Myndia had told her the amulet could serve as a connection to her. As long as she inserted the flame into the amulet, Myndia should be able to hear her messages again. But she would only respond if it was an actual emergency, at least life threatening.
“Really? What has changed?” Mia asked, looking worried for Lilly’s safety.
“I had a dream while I was unconscious, and talked to the first person to have the flame. Her name is Myndia Vermilion, and she has been inside my mind somehow since I got the flame. She’s the one that has been commanding the flame when I gave it orders.”
Both Mia and Grams had wide eyes after hearing that. “She’s the one who made the phoenix then? The first holder of the flame?” Gramps pondered, his gaze drifting to the ceiling, lost in thought.
“That’s… But, how much of your life did she see?” Mia asked, slightly blushing. The presence of Gramps probably prevented her from asking directly, but it was clear to Lilly what she really wanted to know. She had asked the same question, pretty much.
Lilly gave Mia a knowing look. “Everything I think… But she said she avoided her gaze when she felt it was necessary.” She really didn’t know how much Myndia had seen. But the flame had entered both Mia and Lady Selene, so she probably saw way more than Lilly felt comfortable with.
She dismissed those thoughts for now, and instead thought back to the issue of staying safe. “Has Elly showed up after the attack?” If anyone could be trusted to protect Lilly, it would be her.
Gramps hesitated before answering, a shadow of concern crossing his face. “No one’s seen her since she pursued the assailant. But I'm sure she's all right,” he quickly added, noticing Lilly's growing worry.
“Oh…” Lilly tried to push away the uneasy thoughts about what might have happened during Eolande's chase. It was hard to imagine her losing to anyone, but if Dortfell had sent someone capable of assassinating one of Eldoria’s strongest, the threat was not to be underestimated.
“Is Lady Selene fine then? I didn’t have the chance to check on her after I removed the poison.”
“She’s resting as well, right here in the next room. Her arm is going to take at least a few weeks to be back to full strength, but other than that she’s fine. She said she owed you a whole lot, and will probably want to talk after you get out of here,” Gramps responded.
Lilly breathed a small sigh of relief, hearing that she was fine. She briefly wondered if she would have been able to purify the poison with the flame by herself, but felt it would be way too risky. “I wonder what will happen to the contract…”
Mia laughed a bit at that. “That’s not something to worry about right now. Either way you need time to learn how to control the flame again, right?”
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“Well, it’s pretty similar to controlling mana actually. I don’t think enchanting will be a big problem with some practice,” Lilly said, smiling. She was really looking forward to starting her training again. “When can I leave this place?” She asked, hoping they wouldn’t keep her too long.
“Oh, the doctor said you could leave as soon as you get a check up,” Gramps responded. He glanced at Mia briefly, and continued; “I’ll go get him. You two just stay here.” Then he put his coat on and left the room.
Left alone, Lilly and Mia shared a quiet, understanding smile. Lilly extended her hand, and Mia intertwined their fingers, offering a comforting squeeze.
“Things are going to get interesting in the future, and not necessarily in a good way. I’m sorry,” Lilly said. She felt apologetic for making their lives so different suddenly. Now she would be the savior of the city, the holder of the vermilion flame. Living a quiet and simple life together would no longer be a realistic goal.
“Don’t apologize, Lilly. You saved the city from a disaster. We might both have lost people we care about if you hadn’t done so. Just like Gramps, I’m also very proud of you,” Mia smiled, and squeezed Lilly’s hand gently. “I’m with you through whatever life throws at us, don’t you worry.”
Lilly felt a tear forming in her eyes. She was honestly a bit scared of the future now, but knowing she had Mia’s unconditional support helped a lot. She pulled her feet under herself to get higher up in the bed, before leaning over and giving Mia a kiss.
Mia's smile broadened. “You could have just asked me for one you know.”
Lilly laughed softly. “I know, but I felt like you deserved the effort there.”
“I’m kind of liking this hospital gown look on you actually,” Mia teased, glancing over Lilly’s body now.
Lilly had barely taken notice of how she was dressed, but it was just a thin gown and some underwear. Her own underwear, luckily. “Oh yeah? Maybe I’ll ask if I can take it home? I think it’d fit you as well.”
Just then the door opened again, putting a sudden stop to their flirting. It was a lightly bandaged Lady Selene, looking a lot better than the last time Lilly had seen her.
“I apologize for interrupting. I heard a lot of voices from your room so I assumed you were awake,” Lady Selene said, a hint of nervousness in her tone.
“It’s totally fine, Lady Selene. I’m glad to see you’re back on your feet again,” Lilly replied, her voice filled with genuine concern and respect.
Lady Selene approached Lilly's bed with a soft smile, then knelt before her, an act of deep gratitude. “I owe you my life Lilly, and I am extremely grateful you took my place as the protector of the city when I failed. Please, just call me Selene. You’ve earned that right, and more.”
Lilly was surprised, and very clearly uncomfortable with Lady Selene kneeling in front of her. “Please, La- I mean, Selene, don’t kneel in front of me. I only did what anyone in my situation would.”
But Selene remained on her knees, and shook her head. “I sincerely doubt that, and in any case, you sacrificed your own safety and secrets for this city. You are a hero, no matter how you think others might have acted in your place. If there’s anything you want, feel free to ask. Or rather, I would appreciate it if you ask me a favor.”
“A favor?” Lilly pondered for a moment, considering her needs. ‘If I want to learn how to master enchanting properly now, I might need an expert to teach me. Eldrin was great, but he was no enchanter. And I can’t really think of anything else, other than materials for enchanting…’
“Could you introduce me to an enchanting expert? Someone to teach me the more advanced parts of enchanting?” Lilly asked, hoping there was someone available.
“Oh, certainly. One of the royal enchanters, Master Keldorn, should be more than willing to teach you. I’ll ask him to join the princess from the Capital.”
“The princess is coming here?” Lilly asked, surprised.
“Oh, you don’t know yet? Apologies, I assumed they would have told you by now.” She looked at Mia briefly, seemingly hesitating about which one of them should tell her.
Mia looked back at Selene, explaining the situation. “We wanted her to relax before the doctor let her leave, so we didn’t tell her right away. But please go ahead.”
“Well then, Lilly, your bravery and heroics have been recognized by the king, and so he decided to grant you a title and a medal. The princess herself wanted to come here and meet you, and will be holding a ceremony in the city square to make it official.”
“Oh,” Lilly replied, sounding a lot calmer than she was. ‘A title? Will people have to call me Lady from now on? Lady Baker? Lady Lilly? Both sound weird…’
Selene continued, a hint of reluctance in her voice. “And, there’s one more thing I have to ask of you, Lilly. Until I can resume my duties, would you act as the city’s protector?”
“Yeah, sure,” Lilly said, closing her eyes in slight frustration. She was getting used to surprises, clearly. “I’ll only be able to act as protector though, my flame won’t be able to stop another fleet anytime soon. But as long as Dortfell doesn’t know that it’s fine, right?”
Lady Selene's voice held a note of concern. “Did using the flame in the attack deplete it?”
Lilly shook her head. “It’s not exhaustion; it’s about control. I need to learn how to wield the flame directly before I can think of using it like that again. And even then, replicating the phoenix's power might be beyond my reach.”
Selene nodded in understanding. “Well, with Eolande’s eventual return, we should be able to handle most threats, especially those by land.”
“Then I accept the responsibility, Selene,” Lilly affirmed, her voice steady but filled with a newfound weight.
Selene rose, her expression softening. “Your humility is admirable, Lilly. If only more people shared your spirit of selflessness. The world would be a far better place.” She headed for the door. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements and see you tomorrow. Rest well, you’ve more than earned it.”
With a final nod, Selene left the room, leaving Lilly and Mia alone.
Lilly turned to Mia, a half-smile playing on her lips. “Life’s about to get a lot busier, it seems.”
Mia responded with a playful bow. “Seems like it, my Lady”
Lilly's smile widened, though tinged with a hint of unease. “Oh please, call me Lady Heroine. Maybe it's time I looked for a partner befitting my new status?” She felt bad even joking about it, and couldn’t help but add, “Just kidding, please don’t leave me.”
Mia’s laughter filled the room. “You’d have to chain me up to keep me away, Lilly. If you become queen, I’ll be your… well, queen, I guess. The point is, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
“I’ll remember that,” Lilly quipped, “though I’m not opposed to a little chaining.”
They suddenly heard the door opening again, interrupting their flirting once more. This time it was Gramps and the doctor coming in. “Sorry to interrupt,” Gramps apologized, a knowing twinkle in his eye. “The doctor's here for your final checkup.”
Lilly’s cheeks turned a shade of pink after that, and she wished the doors of this room had been a bit more sound proof.
The checkup was brief and efficient, with the doctor giving Lilly the green light to leave. Once she was dressed, Lilly, Mia, and Gramps set off for home.
Walking through the unusually quiet streets, Lilly felt a sense of calm. The city was basking in the relief of the averted disaster, its inhabitants likely cherishing a day of peace and normalcy.
Lilly relished the anonymity of their walk. No one recognized her, allowing her a moment of peace. She knew this anonymity would soon be a memory, especially after the upcoming ceremony.
As they walked, Lilly's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She had stepped into a role far larger than she had ever imagined, becoming a protector, a hero, and a target all at once. Yet, amidst the uncertainty and the weight of her new responsibilities, Lilly found strength in the people close to her.
Their quiet journey home symbolized a brief respite, a momentary pause before the whirlwind of recognition and new challenges. But for Lilly, it was more than that – it was a reminder of the life she was fighting to protect, the simple joys of walking home with loved ones, and the promise of a future she was ready to embrace, whatever it might bring.