The Prince, the Thief & the Artifact

Chapter 20: Lily

Summer had never dreamed of experiencing such luxury.

The bed was as soft and fluffy, just what she imagined a cloud would feel like. The sheets and covers warm and velvety, sliding over her skin like water.

The room itself was impersonal. Normal, as it was a guest room. The enormous bed stood on a dais, its wood carved and stained with lines of gold. The gauzy drapes covering the bed danced in the breeze. A thick rug the color of sunset covered the floor around the bed, and it was the most luxurious thing Summer had ever put her feet on.

A fireplace across the bed kept the room warm, on either side of it a painting of a beautiful scenery decorated the wall. Two cushioned seats and a dark wood table were placed near the fireplace. Sheer curtains of palest orange covered the wide window.

For the past three days, the very instant Summer woke up she pinched herself to make sure it wasn't a dream. She was afraid she would suddenly wake up to realize she was still in the forest with a dying Leon sleeping nearby.

Summer sat up, her feet sank into rug. She padded to the adjoining washroom. Her very own washroom. The cream colored tiles chilled her feet. The washroom was equipped with seamless modern plumbing, the likes of which she'd never seen before. Everything looked good and served its purpose perfectly. The tub was already filled with steaming water for her use.

The door linking the washroom to the dressing room opened and Lily, a maid who was assigned to her, stepped inside.

She and Lily had come to an agreement the very first day when the young maid tried helping Summer undress.

Lily insisted she was doing her job by seeing to every need, spoken or not, Summer had. And Summer had drawn the limit at washing her back or brushing her hair or dressing herself. Lily could bring her food, prepare the water for washing and bathing, lay out her clothes, and Summer would take care of the rest.

It was an agreement that kept the two women happy and at ease with each other.

Though Lily, Summer discovered over the past three days, had taken a personal interest in making sure Summer was impeccable at all times. She was also quite chatty.

"My lady! You're up early!" Lily glided into the room.

The girl couldn't be older than seventeen. With brown hair always gathered in a bun at the nape of her neck, pale skin with freckles across her nose and cheeks and large brown eyes framed with thick lashes, Lily was always dressed in a clean dark blue dress with a crisp white apron. Summer had noticed other girls with the same attire on her way to her room three days ago. It was a maid's uniform in the castle, Lily had explained.

"It's Summer, Lily." Summer groaned. "I'm not a lady."

Lily giggled. A light, merry sound. "Nonsense, my lady! Any friend of Lady Ida is a perfect lady herself."

Lily put the change of clothes she brought on the marble counter and turned her back to give Summer privacy.

"How did you sleep, My Lady? You look much better already. The swelling had gone down considerably."

Summer touched her face. She could finally do it without wincing. Seeing her reflection in the mirror had made her wonder how Lily hadn't run the other way at the first sight of her. "I feel sore, but much better than before, that's for sure."

Summer climbed into the tub after discarding her clothes. Not in her wildest dreams had she thought she'd have a daily bath with hot water and heavenly smelling soap. Her skin, though still discolored and scarred, felt impossibly smooth. Even the usually wild waves of her hair were more tame.