Siblings

"You look lovely, Lillian," Lucy said, braiding Lillian's hair with the flowers May picked.

Staring into the mirror, she believed their words, but it all felt empty.

Her long ash brown hair is braided and decorated with flowers, the soft pink dress fits nicely with her pale skin. She looked brighter without all the dirt always sticking to her.

Lucy did a really good job of making her look presentable enough to appear before the princess, and maybe the King as well.

But Lillian only felt a pang in her heart. That person in the mirror isn't her and she's been living a lie the entire time. It wasn't out of bad intentions that this lie started out, but that doesn't mean that she isn't tricking the people.

If they found out, will they still treat me the same gentle way? Or … will I be an outcast again?

Well, if that happens, I am getting what I deserve for lying and tricking them.

"What's wrong Lillian, is the dress not to your liking?"

Oh, no. I made Lucy worried again.

"No, it's nothing like that, Lucy." Lillian tried to reassure her but she couldn't hide what she actually felt as well as she wanted to.

"Is it … because of May?"

The moment Lucy presented the dress to Lillian, before she could even refuse the offer, May shouted "No!" with tears in her eyes.

"May. What's wrong?" Lucy asked, concerned.

"You promised to give me that dress when I grew older. You promised!" She shouted.

Great, just keep adding more to my guilt why don't ya?

"Lucy, it is nice of you to do this for me but, it's aright. I'm fine." Lillian tried to protest but Lucy was having none of it.

"May, what did I say about being kind?" Lucy scolded.

"I don't care! That dress was supposed to be mine! Why can't her mama she get from her own mama?!"

"May! Apologise now." Lucy frowned at her then slowly turned to look at Lillian, whose face was screwed up with a whirl of emotions.

"Why should I?! Why?" May ran out of the room, ignoring her mother's calls. Hal quickly ran after her, followed by the two boys.

"Lillian, are you ok? I am so sorry. I didn't bring her up to be like this." Lillian stared at Lucy who was on the verge of tears, hands over her heart.

She couldn't help the sad smile that came over her face as she watched her.

"Ok, let's get you into the dress." Lucy declared after releasing a deep breath and wiping her eyes.

"Lucy, you don't have to."

"I want to. Please allow me to do this. Please." She begged, looking down at her.

If you say it like this then how can I refuse?

"Sure. I would be honoured to wear your dress." She felt guilty about May but seeing Lucy's eyes light up warmed her up a little.

She changed in their bathroom, removing her dress with bated breath.

Nothing happened. So she took a quick bath, to remove the dirt that caked onto her throughout the day. She snapped her fingers and the dress became clean, now if only she could do the same with her body.

As long as I keep this dress with me, it'll be fine. But how do I do that? Let me try the dress on first. Fortunately, they don't have complicated undergarments.

The dress she wore fitted her little body like a glove, unlike the other one which she has to constantly keep adjusting.

What to do about this dress now?

While Lillian was thinking, she fiddled around with the pink dress, feeling it's fabric, the little bit of lace and frills that decorated it. Then her hands came across something wonderful.

It has pockets?!

Putting her hands in and out of the pockets, Lillian smiled with glee.

This was fantastic. Wait, I could put this to use.

She took the dress and with her magic, shrunk it to the size of a doll's dress. It fitted snugly in her pocket.

One problem down!

The instant Lillian came out with the dress on, Lucy showered her with compliments and began doing her hair.

"You are extremely talented in this, Lucy." Lillian marvelled at the intricate braids don't to her hair.

"It nothing special. But if you think so highly of it, then why not come here whenever you need your hair done? I will gladly do it for you."

"Really? Then I'll always come here."

"Sure. Oh, Hal. Look at how beautiful Lillian is." Lucy beamed with pride as Hal came through the door. His gloomy countenance brightening when he saw how happy his wife looked.

"Yes. She looks beautiful. Just like you."

He only ever sees her and it's filling me with jealousy. They're even younger than me.

Says the twenty-five-year-old in a fifteen-year-old's body, feeling envy towards two happy twenty-two-year-olds.

When have I stunk this low?

"So, how's May?" Lucy whispered to Hal.

"She's in the roof, I can't follow her there because of the size of the window, so I left it to the boys."

"I should talk to her too. She acted a little too much tonight. We'll have to wait until she comes down. Oh, Lillian, you can go ahead. We wouldn't want to keep you."

They looked at the grandfather clock on the wall, it is a quarter to seven.

I have fifteen minutes. If I run I can reach there right on time. But … is it ok to leave it like this?

________________

"Hi, Everyone."

"Lillian!" The two boys cried, running to her. "You look so pretty!"

Lillian crawled from the window to the rooftop and sat beside May. "Thank you. Wow, it's so nice up here."

"Right? This is our hiding spot." Caden boasted, "It has the best view. Look, you can see the castle very clearly from here."

"We don't mind Lillian here though," Brook added.

They overlooked the town decorated with lanterns and the beautiful starry sky above them. Even the enormous castle behind them looks pretty.

How nostalgic, for a memory I don't have.

"What are you doing here?" May asked, burying her face in her hands. The two boys just watched silently.

"Nothing really. I was just thinking of how lucky May is. You see, I never had a mother or father that cared as much as yours do. When you ran away from Lucy, I saw the expression she had on her face and thought 'so, this is what a mother that loves her children is like'." Lillian chuckled, "I am jealous of you, May."

Truthfully, I want to hit you upside the head for acting so spoiled even if I understand what you're feeling.

"What about your mama?" May asked, wiping her nose with her sleeves.

"She isn't here anymore but even if she was, it wouldn't change anything," Lillian added, bitterly.

"What do you mean?"

"What? You don't have a mama?"

"How?"

Ah, how could I have let down my guard just because they are children? I have to be careful.

"I'm sorry I took the dress your mother promise to give you, can I borrow this just for one night? When I have the money, I promise to buy you a ton more, ok?"

"How many more?" May asked, sniffling.

"As much as you want. But then, May you could learn sewing too and start making your own dresses, in whatever colour and design you want."

"Really?"

"Yes, you can make clothes for your brothers and parents too. Doesn't that sound great?"

"Yes! I can make pretty long dresses even for the princess!"

"Yes!" Lillian clapped her hands. "I will do whatever I can to help you too. I promise you."

"Us also!" The two boys piped in.

"We're going to be vets so we will be able to help you too."

"Yes, rely on your big brothers and your parents too," Lillian said, smiling.

She can trust them, they aren't going to betray each other that is the one thing I am confident of.

"Ok!" May finally smiled again.

"Good. Now, let's go down and say sorry to mama. You don't want her to stay sad right?"

"No."

"Then, let's go!" Lillian took the girl in her arms and they entered the room again through the window. The boys were already in the living room by the time May and she arrived.

"May." Lucy stood up from the chair.

"Mama! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."

May bawled running to her. She almost got buried in Lucy's skirt.

"It's not me who you are supposed to say sorry to," Lucy said, raising her eyebrows.

"Lucy, it's not a problem. I don't mind."

"No, Lillian. She needs to apologise if she's done something wrong. What do you say, May?"

"I'm sorry, Lillian."

"What are you sorry for?"

"F-for shouting at you and for running away."

This is so awkward!

"Good girl."

"It's ok, May. I'm glad I was able to talk to you." She bent down and patted her head.

"Oh, Lillian. Aren't you going to be late?" Lucy asked, just as the clock chimed the new hour.