Lilian’s Point of View Chapter 1

                     A blade of adrigate steel and blue fire cut through the air in a perfect arch as she felt the leather straps that made its hilt shift in her hand, the intricate surface of the leather annoying her as it rubbed her skin. She saw the flames licking the edges of her sight as it destroyed her night vision, but its light shown the face of her assailant, the woman she was about to kill, the bitch that tried to take her throne. Lillian flicked the sword back to her body and then plunged it forward with all the strength she could muster and all the energy and power she could pull. She let out a loud “BITCH!” as she lurched forward into the attack and was smiling as the blade hit home. It buried itself deep in the chest of her opponent, and the woman’s blue eyes starred at her as her mouth gaped. Lillian looked deep into those eyes as the woman fought for life, trying desperately to cling to anything, bringing up her arms and grabbing the sword by its blade, letting the gown she wore tear away and expose her skin, as if she would soon plead for the very thing she forfeit the moment this fight began. The woman’s hands sliced as they touched the blade and Lillian was disgusted by the smell of burnt skin and hair. Blood began to trickle from the wound and the woman screamed, and Lillian felt exuberant.

The slender blade turned in Lillian’s hand, her mouth curling into a smile as she watched the woman grab at the metal and gasp for air, her hands sputtering with blood, her heart now spilling buckets at a time. The hands were turning black from the flames but the woman refused to release the blade. Then the girl seemed to smile as she allowed her live to flee her body and Lillian felt ashamed for the girl. She was giving up, even at this moment. Lillian was ashamed that she had ever feared such a retched and vile creature that would be so prone to defeat. She shook the sword slightly and then heaved it out of the woman’s chest, as the corpse, exposed to the probe on one half and bloodied on the other, fell back in death. She looked down at the body and started to expose the other half of her to the probe as a way of shaming the dead girl, when she realized she was being watched. She looked up and saw a great winged beast with open jaws. It watched her with disdain and hatred in its eyes as it smiled and bowed. The beast had two great horns on its head and eyes that would make a Rattle quiver with fear. The power, strength and ferocity in those eyes was matched with the hatred that filled them. Its great neck was as long as her entire body and its body was larger than the Great Hall of Brindakrie. She had seen such beasts in her life, but only in the fairy tales of her childhood. She knew that if she tamed this beast, she could rule the probe. She would tame it. 

The beast raised it’s head, its great wings slapping the air and causing her hair and clothes to whip back from her body. It rose from the ground in one mighty leap and she watched as it took flight. The claws were such that the longest spears would not match them and its hide was armored nearly everywhere. the thing breathed and fire rose from its nostrils as manna covered its entire body showing the amount of magic this thing could use. She looked on in impatience and annoyance, as she wanted this thing to be her slave as quickly as possible. She knew that she would rule it, one way or another. “Fulfill your destiny!” A voice said and…

Lillian awoke with as start as she bounded up in bed. Her long black hair bounced back and forth over her shoulders as she came to a stop. She looked around for a moment and found that she was in the dark with no one in the room. She was hoping that the dream had finally come true, but it was still just beyond her grasp. 

“That witch still lives!” Lillian was annoyed for a number of reasons, but mostly because her plans could not go forward until she knew for certain that the imposter was gone from the probe, or at least out of the way. She had to find her and destroy her as quickly as possible. Three years she had known of her sister and three years she had tried to take the little witch out by one means or another, but had been thwarted at every turn. Three bounty hunters had reported back close to finding her, only to be killed or simply vanish around Bugsby Hall. She would not have that happen again. “You will die! This is my throne and no one will take it from me.”

She sat there a moment, thinking of anything else she may be able to do to try and take care of this annoyance, but there was nothing but to have patience. She was not particularly good at that virtue. 

The darkness around her was nearly a void, as she felt that even the light of the hall had been snuffed out. She sniffed the air to detect any spells active in the area, but found nothing. She then checked her traps with his telepathy and found that all of them were still in place. No one had entered her room, but she could not shake the feeling that she wasn’t alone. Someone was watching. Someone was very close. Whoever it was, was making the very light of the room devoid. She decided that she would continue as usual and see if anyone makes themselves known. She waved her hand at the mirror that stood only a couple feet from the end of her bed.
“REPORT!” She barked, hoping for good news.

“I have found where she is, but haven’t yet found the actual location.” The voice on the other side of the mirror answered. He was just coming into focus and his golden skin gleamed in the moonlight. “It has been slow moving due to the fact that they have hidden their location so well. I found a few places that do business with them and have ascertained a basic location from them, through my own means. Now I just have to comb that area until they turn up. I am certain I will have them within two or three days at most. Maybe today, if any of them are outside of the shields.”

“No excuses. I want them found!” She snapped. “She must be dead before I can move forward. If you still want your prize, then get me mine!”

“It will be done, my queen.” He answered. “Give me two days and I will have her, or at least a place for us to attack. The other hunters are looking as well, but if I find them, I will send word and they can all converge on that location. But if I find her location, I still get the prize, correct.”

“Bring her to me, by any means. I prefer her alive. But if she is dead, just the same. Now find her!” Lillian spat and waved her hand. 

A loud, metallic knock came from the door as the mirror went blank and had only her reflection once more. She hated this entire situation. If she did not finish this in time, all of her plans were for nothing.

“Who is it?” She said, in her sweetest voice. 

“Verger, ma’am.” Verger replied with his deep vibrato. He could sing like no other when it came to base lines, but speaking was not his strong suite so he usually kept to short sentences or single word answers. He was also a very large Dalim with a crooked left foot that dragged when he walked. It was insanely annoying to hear him move about the castle during the moonlight hours or at night. He would be one of the first that she removed, if not for his insane abilities with tactics and sniffing out magic. If she can sway him to work for her when her father was removed, she will, but if not then she will have to find some way to take out the behemoth. “Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine.” She said, keeping her voice as sweet as possible, while looking at the door with an evil stare.

“I thought I heard voices?” He asked.

“No, just me telling myself what a wonderful day it is going to be.” She stated as she got out of bed and began dressing. “I will be out in a few minutes. Have to get dressed.”

She had three maidens that always helped her get dressed, but she couldn’t have them discover her extra curricular activities. Lillian decided the best way to keep them out, was to find dirty little secrets on each of them and then separately advise them of their predicament. So far, that had worked perfectly. That is, until miss perfect got assigned to her detail. Her mother thought she needed better friends and decided to “help” her out by bringing her together with the daughter of one of her good friends. The girl was peppy, always smiling, grateful to be wherever she was at that particular time, and cheery at all times. Lillian hated her with her entire soul.

Verger knocked again, but this time with just his finger, more than likely he was simply talking with the girls and rested his massive hand on the door and doesn’t realize that he is tapping it. She knew that he would not go away, and the three girls that were waiting on her would be there the entire day if she so inclined to keep them there. She just wanted to stay in bed and ignore them all, but if she did, her peppy character would be broken and someone would have to come in and find out what was “wrong” with her. “How about I hate you all and want you all to die? How is that for what is “wrong”?” “Be out in a sec. just getting ready.” 

“Now what do I have to get done today?” She asked herself, going through her mental notes of the days events. “They are going to have a meeting of the Elder Council of Zerror today. While that is going on, I have to meet with Daniel for my last lesson. Today, I become a full-fledge witch and the power that I possess will be completely mine. And today, I will have the chance to finally put an end to all this stupidity.”

She wrapped the bow around the clump of hair she had on the back of her head and made that annoying pony tail that her father loved so much and which she hated. She pulled it tight so that it would not come lose as she tied the knot. Her head hurt every time she wore this, but as long as Charles thought it was wonderful, then she would endure. She had to stay on his good side, and keep him as wrapped as Verger. The two of them will never see what is coming.

The door opened and Lillian nearly slapped the girl as she entered, but thought better of it. Instead she simply smiled and finished pulling her hair tight behind her head. She was fully dressed now and ready for the day. To be honest, she was fully dressed before, because she had been up twice last night and the second time she decided that she would get dressed before that girl made her way into the room and tried to help.

“My Lady.” The girl said, Lillian thought her name was Gretchen or Ginger, or something like that. She was a lowly human and had nothing to speak of for a home life. No money, no father and her mother was a prostitute back at one of the brothels in town before she met Alyssa, the queen of Zerror. Lillian guessed that the girl didn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps, not that she could blame her. To have men slobber over you all day and have to touch them at all, it was unthinkable to her. She resolved that she would die before doing anything like that. “Can I help in some way?”

“No, dear.” Lillian said with a smirk. “Thanks for the offer, but I am already dressed. Got up a bit earlier and thought I would get my day started right.”

“Well, if you need anything at all, let me know.” Gretchen or Ginger stated as she stood completely in the door way and opened the door wide. 

Lillian stared at the child. Alyssa, Lillian’s mother, had brought the two of them into the castle after she had seen the mother crying on the steps of the cathedral. The mother had protested wildly at the idea of a prostitute being brought to the castle, but Alyssa wouldn’t hear of it. They were given a fine room and the mother had become one of Alyssa’s private maidens. “Only fitting the vile wretch would pawn her daughter off on me. Can’t believe that I have to put up with such crap all the time. When I am in charge, I am sending both of them back to the slave pits and ensuring that they are bought back into servitude in the worst brothel we have.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Lillian agreed and popped up on her toes for a second and then hopped over to the girl, grabbing her by the hand. “Lets get going. Breakfast is waiting.” 

They strolled down the hall together, Lillian holding the hand of the girl so tightly that she could not pull free and keeping her pool of magic at a low hum so as not to alert anyone around them to the sounds of magic being drawn. She thought of simply killing the child, but that would alert everyone to an issue and she could not have anything drawing unwanted attention over the next few days. Instead she figured a simple spell to make the girl sick for a short while would do best. She would have the girl throw up a few times and then be sick enough to stay away from Lillian for at least three days. That would keep her ever cheery nose out of Lillian’s business for the duration, and it would give her a reason to be chastised when she got sick so quickly after joining the royal house. “I’ll make you so sick that you won’t intrude on my space again, and hopefully that sunny disposition will be lost as well. Even if only for a short time.”

“Lets see what the chefs have for us to eat. Sit with me. You know you are one of my favorite girls here.” Lillian lied as she bounced down the hall with exuberance. The guise that she used for everyone here was exhausting, but kept anyone from realizing what she truly was about and allowed her to move freely through the castle without an escort. Getting off the castle grounds was something more of an achievement, but she had her ways for that as well. The trick to keeping everyone in the dark was to ensure that everyone thought she was stupid. At least not very bright overall, because no one thinks anything nefarious of an idiot. 

The four of them walked down the winding hall that took them past her mother’s quarters and then her father’s, the king and queen of Zerror. King Charles had stations a set of soldiers at the end of the hall in a room with no doors. Anyone coming up the stairs would have no choice but to pass the soldiers before entering the winding halls of the king’s family rooms. These rooms and halls were setup in such a way to be like keeps if needed so that the king and queen could barricade themselves in their rooms. Each room had a bathroom attached that had store houses  attached to keep enough food for a month for three people. 

The soldiers room was open and they would sleep looking directly at the hall leading to the royal suites. There were three guards that were always awake at this post and three guards that would rotate out so that all six were at the ready during the afternoons and three would get sleep each morning and three each night. Each of these guards was wearing the finest of adrigate steel armor and carrying adrigate steel swords. This detail was part of the royal detachment and were the select few that could carry these expensive weapons. Lillian loved these guards because they were trained not to be loyal to the king, so much as loyal to the crown. Whoever wore that crown was king and therefore was the person they were to defend. They were trained from birth to be impartial as to politics and to keep their minds only on the welfare of the royal family. It was a tradition that spanned fifteen generations and would be crucial for her coming plans.

“Verger, how did you sleep?” Lillian asked as they made it to the stairs. 

“Find.” He answered in his usual hollowed voice and matter of fact tone. They started down the stairs, Lillian holding Rachel’s wrist and still drawing manna as slowly as possible. The two behind them were following closely, but far enough back to give Lillian her space. They had each had their times with Lillian’s need for space and learned to keep their distance. Lillian believed that their names were Rosa and Stephanie, but she couldn’t be sure. She didn’t truly care as it didn’t matter. They would do what she said at the snap of her fingers and their names were easily worked around with cheery disposition. She would usually just go, “Oh, hey I was wondering if you could….”  and then give her orders without having to pull their names out of the air.

They continued down the stairs of the keep which were the only stairs that the royal family were supposed to use, just in case something happened, they would already be in the keep for security. It was actually great in theory, but sometimes made a long walk around the building to get to these stairs when there were others that were much  closer. Lillian often used the others. But these were the only ones that made it into the royal suites so if the keep were sealed, the royal suites would be as well. 

They passed the windows that overlooked the garden on the first floor. The grand garden was gorgeous and well kept. Lillian would spend hours in that garden, mostly because she was using it as a get away, and partly because she wanted everyone to believe that she really liked gardening. The outdoor gardens were much larger than this one and she would go out there to do a lot of her “work” there. Instead of admiring the garden, however, she was using the secret portal to get to Achellios and study her magic with Daniel. This view, however, was marvelous and she had to stop for just a second to admire it. “When I am in charge, I believe I may knock out  a wall in my quarters to be able to see the gardens.”

She then hurried on, pulling the young girl with her, wrist in tow, as she continued to the first floor. The keep let out into the garden where the smells were amazing and the colors brilliant. Lillian actually loved the smell, though the colors were a bit much and she hated getting her hands dirty. She strolled across the grounds, taking in the sites and pulling manna from each plant she came across. Rachel tried to pull her hand back twice, but Lillian was insistent on keeping it, as if holding hands would bring them closer. Rachel relented and left her wrist in Lillian’s grasp as they both walked down the main path of the garden, Lillian stopping every so often to “smell” the flowers. 

They came to the turn in the path that would take them to the secondary kitchen and Lillian turned slowly as she whispered something inaudible. Rachel turned to her as if to find out what she had said, but Lillian looked away instantly to ensure that she could finish the incantation. After she was done, she released the girls wrist. The flow of power was completed and happened so quickly that none should have heard a thing. 

“Did you hear that?” Verger asked as he clanked up behind them. Lillian had been so focused on the task of getting back at Rachel, she had forgotten Verger, but his bum leg and the thump-shhhhhe of his crippled walk became evident once her mind was clear. He was only a few feet behind them and she had let loose a spell, no matter how small, in front of one of the greatest magic trackers of their age. “Damn it. I totally got engrossed and forgot he was even there. How stupid, Lillian!”

“No, what was it?” Lillian lied, hoping that he would just let it go, but she knew she wouldn’t be that lucky. 

“Someone is using magic here. I have to excuse myself. This warrants investigation.” Verger announced, he had stopped moving and was sniffing the air just behind Rachel. “Someone used magic here, that pain in the ass can smell it? That spell shouldn’t give off much of a scent at all and should have all but vanished by now, but if he is as good as they say, he may be able to detect it. Either way, him checking this area out will double the guards and that will cause me much more grief. I can’t let him check this out and be discovered.”

“Verger, no one would be stupid enough to use magic in your presence. Besides, you are probably smelling the Dandelions, which are in season now. They send out their seed and fill the air with a fragrance that is similar to manna. I know that has happened to some of the hunters in the area a few times because they thought they were tracking the manna of this or that animal, but truly they were brought to a field of those damn things.” Lillian lied, hoping that someone would back her up on it, or at least that it sounded good enough for Verger to simply let it go.

“She’s right. The dandelion often is mistaken for the smell of certain mannas, but only when they are first blown from their stem. I bet we walked past it and the seeds took flight and you smelled them.” Sara explained from behind Verger. “My brother complains of them all the time. He is a witch hunter.” 

“Interesting.” Verger took one of the little flowers in his hand and sniffed it deeply, pulling all the seeds into his nose and causing him to snort and cough wildly. Everyone laughed and Lillian, though laughing, was trying not to look frightened. 

“Thanks Rosa.” Lillian said after she calmed down a tad. “And thank you Verger for such a great laugh. Haven’t done that in a while.”

“I am so glad to amuse you.” Verger responded, not amused.

They continued on to the kitchen, apparently Verger was no longer investigating the garden, which was a relief to Lillian. As they entered there were five tables setup with beautiful place settings and the smells that came from the kitchen was divine. The two ushers saw the princess and immediately opened the dining hall doors for her and her party to enter. They were unaccustomed to see the princess on this level as she normally would eat in the main dinning hall, and never had they seen her come into the secondary kitchen. 

Alysia, however, had always come down for breakfast because it had a perfect view of the garden. She would eat in the kitchen, rather than the dinning room and would actually help cook from time to time. Lillian wasn’t going to follow her mother on that and thought she might have this kitchen remodeled into a sitting room when she took over so as to make all of the petty servants eat outside rather than with royalty. For now, though, she had to keep up appearances and hope that she would run into her mother. 

“How about eggs, toast, bacon and grits this morning?” Lillian asked as she was seated at the head of the dinning table. “Everyone alright with that?” 

“Sounds good.” Sara stated as she sat down across from Verger, who had seated himself to Lillian’s right side. The large chairs nearly swallowed Sara, but Verger was falling out of it on either side. 

Rachel and Stephanie both sat on either side of them and Stephanie looked over at Sara.

“Did you get in late last night?” Stephanie asked.

“Kind of.” Sara explained. “We were trying to get back here before dark and barely made it into the city before Luna set. We managed to close the city gates just before its setting and could hear banging on the doors behind us when we drove through. We made it back to the castle shortly there after and I went straight inside. It is scary out side the walls at night.”

“At night?” Lillian was lost on their conversation.

“Yes, ma’am. Sara here went to the marina of Zerror to ensure that everything was ready for some big arrival that the king has setup.” Stephanie stated, emphasizing Sara’s name. Stephanie did that when Lillian said someone’s name wrong to let her know that she had said it wrong. It was annoying, but also very helpful. She would punish her for it one day, but then reward her after the punishment. That is if the girl survived the punishment.

“Right, the arrival. Strange that we would invite anyone here while the council is still in session. Sara, who is it that is coming?” Lillian asked, using the girls name to ensure that everyone knew she ha already known.

“Not sure. I only know that they are to be given an imperial seal and two flags to get into Brindakrie. We took them down there and prepared a coach for the diplomat’s arrival, but were told that the coach wouldn’t be necessary because the diplomat had their own.” Sara explained.

“Oooooo. This diplomat must be very wealthy.” Rachel chimed in. 

“Right. Wealthy and secretive. A good combination. Does anyone have any clue where this person is coming from?” Lillian was now very curious since she had not been privy to the arrival of anyone. She had gone out of her way to ensure that Jofus would not be in the castle for the coming events and was trying to find a way to get rid of Verger for a couple nights as well. If she could do that, then she would have everything working perfectly. This “new arrival” could destroy her plans, or make her have to act in haste and as such mess up her time table. It was a nightmare, no matter whom this might be.

“No ma’am. We only know that they are coming from a long distance and that we are to protect them with the royal crests and we are not to ask any questions before they arrive.” Rachel explained before Sara could. Rachel was not on the mission last night, but she had been part of the detail getting things cleaned and ready for today and as such was privy to much of the information. Lillian was now annoyed even further since she had no knowledge of this and the whore’s daughter knew it all. “Little whore, just die.”

“Well, that sounds intriguing. Here comes the breakfast.” Lillian stated as the plates were brought in with large silver pans full of amazing smelling foods. Lillian was antsy and wanted to leave right then, but that would have called attention she did not need. After breakfast, Verger would check the grounds and Lillian would send the three into town to get supplies while she worked in the garden. He would take nearly two hours looking over everything and they would be gone for at least two hours before returning. All of which would give her the hour that she needed to slip out into the garden out back and slip through the portal there. She would take her test and return with plenty of time to compose herself before these idiots returned. It was a perfect plan and, as long as everyone did their parts, it would work without any issues.

“What are you all doing today?” Verger was biting into a large slab of bacon that looked a perfect brown and was so large that it would have covered most of Lillian’s face in width and probably wrapped her head in length. It looked tiny in his massive hands. 

“Well, I have some spices that I am going to send the girls out to grab while I work in the garden. I finally got those bell peppers to grow up without snapping at me. When they are large enough I should start getting some bells off of them. Right now, though, they nip at me every time I go near, but I have been training them with small bits of bacon so that they learn that I bring food.” She lied as she tore into a piece of toast. In truth, she had barely seen the little snapping pains in the ass and had been using magic to coax them not to bite her. They have learned well that every snap at her was a bite back at them with a sharp fang of pure magic. That keeps them from snapping but they don’t show affection at all, which would be a problem if she were going to keep up the ruse for much longer, but since she was nearly done with all the training, she could simply become disinterested in the garden once she was done. “Not that any of this matters. In a matter of a few days, possibly a couple weeks, I will be taking my throne and then I can feed some of these people to those stupid plants. I hate bell peppers anyway.”

“Your father will be proud.” He stated and then ripped off another piece of the bacon. His metallic arms and large hands seemed odd sitting at a table of this grace.

“I am certain that he would love what you have done. You should show him.” Rachel stated in her usual chipper tones. “I wonder if you will still be chipper in an hour or so when that spell starts to take effect. As for my father, how about you go and be his daughter. I know he doesn’t love me. Maybe you can sway him. He seems to like red-heads.” 

“Well, rather he would or not, I don’t want to show anyone them until they are fully grown. That way I can know that I was the one that brought them up and no one else can claim that I got help.” She stated, as boisterous as she could muster. Being this persona was so exhausting that she sometimes thought it would be easier to simply go on a rampage and kill everyone than just trying to walk through a day. She wondered if everyone felt like she did. “Maybe little miss flippy hair here is actually melancholy and always thinking of suicide. That would be awesome. Too bad I can’t read minds. Then I could out her for a fraud and watch while everyone tore her apart.”

“Oh, that is awesome. Waiting until they are full grown before showing them off will also give you all that time with them so that you can train them to do tricks for your audience. That is, if that’s what you were thinking.” Sara reached across and stuffed a piece of toast in Rachel’s mouth, reminding her that they were supposed to be seen and not heard. Their roll was only to be there for the princess and do as she commanded, and not to be friends with her. Rachel, however, couldn’t help herself. “Meybe yoo man had…”

“Rachel, don’t speak with your mouth full.” Sara chided and then nodded her head toward the girl to emphasis her point.

“Dowey.” Rachel lowered her head and eyes as she closed her mouth. “She sounds like Verger. What the hell is Dowey! If you are going to say Sorry, at least get part of the articulation out. I hate idiots.”

“No problem, Gretchen. We all have been there.” Lillian giggled and took another bite. She just wanted to get up and leave. Possibly stab Rachel in the eye first, and then leave. 

“What spices do you need?” Sara asked, trying to cover for Rachel.

“I will be needing…” Lillian began and started spouting off as many, hard to find, ingredients as she could remember. She figured it would keep them away longer if they had to go looking for them in different places. The market was a great place to get anything you wanted, but you had to know where it all was. There wasn’t always a sign pointing you in the right direction and it could be daunting. Should give her plenty of time to get done what she needs before they return. “…and a bag of sugar.”

“Sugar?” Rachel asked, ensuring there was nothing in her mouth. “What are you making?”

“It’s a secret.” Lillian giggled imagining the fork just sticking out of the girls green eyes as she looked around the room and it bobbed from time to time. “I will let you all taste some of it when I am done. If I do it correctly, it should be fantastic.”

“Oh, can I…” Rachel started, but Sara slapped her hand on the table. 

“We can get everything within about two hours.” Sara stated as she pushed her plate to the center of the table. One of the wait staff instantly walked over and grabbed the plate from in front of her and started back to the kitchen. 

“The sugar will be expensive, though. We will need more than the usual stipend to get a full bag.” Stephanie chimed in. Lillian didn’t have an issue with Stephanie so much as she did with the other two. She knew her place, kept her head down and rarely annoyed Lillian, though she still did from time to time. 

“Not an issue. Daddy gave me some extra money yesterday.” Lillian lied again as she took a coin purse from her gown and laid it on the table. She pushed it across to Sara and then finished her eggs.

Verger was finished with his meal and was cleaning his face and hands with the napkin as he looked across at the bag. His eyes locked on it for a second and Lillian realized her mistake. It was the bag that Daniel had given her and it was marked with the royal seal of Achellios. If Verger put that together, she would have a hard time explaining it away.

“So what all are you doing today, Verger?” She asked, grabbing his attention as quickly as she could. He did not get a good look at the seal, but she could tell that he had seen a portion of it. As long as he did not recognize it directly, though, he may not put it together and as such would simply figure it was the seal of whomever made the bag. “Stupid mistake. You know better than that. I can grab it back from them before they leave and find some reason to change the money out. Sara won’t ask any questions and I can easily use a different bag. Damn, Lillian, you know better than that!”

“Oh, not much.” He answered and looked back at her. Dalim thought it impolite not to look a woman in the eyes when they spoke with them. At least once they grew wise and learned manners. Before that, they simply spoke to walls and carried on entire conversations with the wind. Once they reached one hundred years, though, they all seemed to learn manners over night. She had only spoken with three that were over one hundred, but she had read about them extensively. Verger was far older than that. She thought he might be in the thousands of years, but she couldn’t be certain. So many of the probes beings had extremely long lives that she could not always tell who was “old” and who was ancient and with the Dalim it was extremely hard to tell because their faces didn’t wrinkle with age, or at all. A Dalim at fifty will look the same as one at one hundred, but then the alter their look to go from stupid to smart. Then they don’t change again until they die, usually of old age. “I will ensure the grounds are safe for our guests.”

“Who is it that is coming from the docs?” Lillian asked, hoping that he would give her any hint at all. “Whoever it is may spoil my plans and I can’t have that. I will have to leave in just a few minutes to make my meeting with Daniel, but if I can glean who it may be, I may be able to adjust my plans to accommodate.” 

“You know I can’t tell you that. She shouldn’t have said anything at all.” Verger looked at Stephanie with his gleaming red eyes. She shied away from his glare and then looked at the table. 

“No matter. I will find out when they get her. I have to get to work before the light of Gamora reaches mid-moon. If I don’t the heat may harm the plants. You guys get going and get back here as soon as you can. Verger, sorry to eat and run, but I hope that your day is well.” She stated and everyone stood in anticipation of her getting up. She waited but a heart beat, savoring the power she already wielded. She then stood and strode out of the room. “Oh, Stephanie, I almost forgot, come with me real quick.”

Lillian stepped out of the room and waited on Stephanie. She had to get the bag back from her before she left so that no one else would see the emblem and recognize it. She was trying to come up with a lie to explain why she was exchanging the bags, but then Stephanie all but did the job for her.

“My lady, I have placed the coins in my hidden compartment, which will not accommodate the leather pouch you gave me.” She explained as she handed the pouch back to Lillian. “The gods are watching, and helpful. I must be on the right track.”

“Oh, yes, well I will put that with the others that are in my room. Never know when you can use a good pouch.” Lillian stated and turned to walk away.

“Was there something else?” Stephanie asked, confused as to why she was called out into the hall.

“Something else…oh, right.” Lillian had forgotten since she already accomplished her goal. “Do me a favor and keep a close eye on Gretchen there. She seems like she is feeling bad and trying to hide it. I don’t want her to get sick and hide it from us just to keep this position. It may be threatening to her life.” 

“Rachel? She doesn’t seem. Yes ma’am.” Stephanie began but then saw the steel in Lillian’s eyes. She stood and turned to take her place with the other girls as they all strode out of the room. “That had better be your answer. Once I am in power, Stephanie, you will treat me with proper respect at all times. No more of this stupid girly friendship crap.”