I felt the sun’s rays hit my face as I stretched my arms. Hmm, why is it so cramped on this bed? Aren’t the beds inside the palace huge? I turned around and hit something with my elbow.
“Ugh.”
Huh? Where am I? Did I hit one of the twins?
I immediately opened my eyes and saw a red-haired boy beside me, but he was not one of the twins. We are sleeping on the sofa and although it’s big enough for the both of us, we’re still cramped together.
Then Blue screamed.
“NO! The sun is rising! We must hurry back.”
She immediately stood up.
“Ugh.” The boy rubbed his eyes and sat down.
“The mistress is going to kill me if they found out you’re not inside the palace!”
Blue quickly picked me up, ran, and jumped over the balcony while carrying me.
I can hear myself screaming with Blue’s sudden movements. Everything happened too fast, and I’m still half-awake to comprehend anything until Blue jumped. The remaining drowsiness I felt disappeared in an instant as the wind hit my face as we are falling down towards the ocean!
Blue changed into her dragon form before hitting the ocean’s surface. This time she’s carrying me using her claws instead of letting me ride on her back.
“Don’t worry I will not let go of you. This is also safer, I guess? Since I’m the one holding you.”
It’s still after the first break of dawn, some areas are still dark. Some of the towns we passed by are still quiet, others are already filled with people opening their shops and windows.
Blue’s speed last night was nothing compared to her speed right now. She’s not holding anything back.
“This is bad. This is bad. My mistress is truly going to kill me. Even the emperor might kill me. There was even an attack yesterday, what would they think if they wake up and see that the princess is missing?”
Blue kept on mumbling to herself as we sped through towns and forests.
Are we going to make it in time? Will Blue be punished? I’ll feel bad if that would happen. Since I was the one who told her to go.
The imperial palace can be now seen from a distance. Sunlight has already reached the whole capital. Smokes can be seen from the capital, people are already preparing for the day.
“I think we are going to make it.”
Suddenly I felt Blue’s tail wrapped around me.
“Just to be safe, ride on my back and lean closer, so that the people below might not see you.”
She suddenly placed me on her back while still flying.
“Are you now okay?”
I grabbed hold of her hair and pulled it that she may know that I’m fine.
“Okay, I will let go of you now. Don’t forget to lean over my back. Lay down!”
I did what she told me to do then we entered the capital. A lot of the knights are guarding the gates of the capital. They had tightened the security after what happened yesterday. All of them saw Blue as I lay flat, hoping they did not see me.
The people also looked up I guess, since I can hear their awe and admiration for Blue. We passed by the lake and had entered the forest inside the palace.
“Okay, we’re almost there. Let’s just hope the three of them are still fast asleep.”
We now entered the palace gates, here the palace guards are thrice as many as the ones at the gates of the capital. While outside was filled with journalists wanting to know what happened last night.
We had a view of the balcony from where we left last night.
“Let’s just hope none of them woke up in the middle of the night. Well, I’m betting they didn’t because if they did, the whole capital would have been in chaos looking for you.”
I can feel Blue shrinking under me as we went nearer and nearer to the balcony.
Blue then changed into her human form and caught me mid-air before landing on the balcony.
“Are you okay? I hope you’re still okay after what you experienced.”
She inspected me if there was something wrong with me.
“Good, you’re still whole. I thought you would’ve hit a tree or something while hanging below me.”
She then moved her face closer to mine.
“Good, I can see you’re still sane. How come you’re not crying? Or maybe that means you’re insane since you’re not-“
Then we heard someone scream from the inside.
“Flizeria is gone!”
Blue and I looked at each other one more time then she returned to her composed and calm expression before entering the room.
“Don’t worry my mistress, she’s with me outside, on the balcony. We were watching the sunrise.”
Lucil clutched her chest while exhaling.
The twins stirred beside her.
“What’s going on?” Ashnor woke up as he rubbed her eyes.
“Oh, nothing baby. Continue sleeping.”
Lucil patted his head as Ashnor continued sleeping.
Someone hurriedly opened the door.
“Your grace what is-“
“Shhhh. The children are still sleeping.”
A group of knights entered the room but stopped.
“What happened your grace?” One of the knights asked in a hushed voice.
“Nothing, I just thought the princess went missing. After what happened yesterday, I thought something bad had happened to her. I’m sorry for startling you all, you may go back to your posts now.”
The knights bowed down before leaving the room.
Lucil looked at me as Blue carried me comfortably in her arms.
“Where did you get that coat? And why are you even wearing one?”
I looked down and saw that I was wearing a different coat that I had worn yesterday. They are a child’s coat, and what’s more suspicious is that it’s a male’s coat. Did Finnian replace my coat while I was sleeping? He did say they were too big for me. I haven’t even noticed I was wearing a different one because of the rush earlier this morning.
“I made her wear one, your grace, in case she might get a cold,” Blue answered formally, her playful self had disappeared without a trace.
“Where did you get that coat? It’s a child’s coat. Caelum Palace is the only place where children’s stuff is found. That place was burned to ashes.”
Blue was about to answer when Ashwin mumbled something.
“It’s mine.” Ashwin blinked slowly as he looked at his mom.
“Oh, okay. I thought-“ Lucil yawned. “Okay, never mind I still feel sleepy. Please watch over her while I continue sleeping.”
Lucil was about to close her eyes again when someone knocked on the door.
“Hmmm?” She only waved her hand at Blue, so Blue put me down as she opened the door.
“Woah! Fifi is already standing!” Ashwin’s eyes became lively as he jumped out of bed and ran towards me.
“Fifi, can you already walk?”
“What? She can already walk?” Lucil hurriedly stood up and walked towards me with excitement on her face.
“Blue! Call a maid over here, right now!”
Blue closed the door and handed a paper to Lucil.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a declaration from the emperor, your grace.”
Lucil read the contents of the paper, while Ashwin accompanied me as I took one step at a time.
I wondered what the content of the letter is, I bet it’s not something to celebrate about. After what happened yesterday, it must be about security.
Lucil sighed and looked at me, her excitement earlier was now completely replaced with disappointment.
“Father ordered that no one can go in and out of the imperial grounds. And here, I was planning on calling an artist to paint a portrait of Flizeria, standing up.”
“Can’t we just paint her on our own?” Ashwin asked his mother.
Lucil’s eyes lit up, “That’s a great idea baby!” She then picked Ashwin up and kissed him.
“Ugh, what’s going on?” Ashnor woke up the second time.
“Look at Flizeria! She’s already standing.” Lucil pointed at me as Ashnor smiled brightly after seeing me.
He got out of the bed and kneeled down as he stretched his hands out.
“Come here, Ria.”
I sighed to myself. Okay, since I’m a baby I will act like a baby.
I walked towards him slowly.
“We are planning to paint a portrait of Fifi.”
“Do you even know how to paint?”
“Of course not! Mommy will be the one painting her, right mommy?”
“Your grace, breakfast is here.”
A group of maids entered the room with a food cart. Some of them started to prepare the table.
Lucil held up her hand, “We’ll eat at the dining table. Bring someone to help the children get ready. I assume the children’s clothes are now available?”
“Yes, your grace.” One of the maids answered. “We’ll prepare a bath for them and for you, your grace.”
“Oh! And prepare a stylish dress for the princess. She just learned to walk and stand on her own, we’re going to have a mini celebration.”
The maids bowed their heads.
“Oh, and prepare snacks and tea. Add some little decorations in the garden, we’ll be celebrating there. Match her clothes with my children’s.”
With that, everyone started to work.