Chapter 30 : Wonderland Tea Party part four

Today started out as wonderful.

So bright and sunny. warm but with enough wind to make the sting of the heat nice. Like suntanning. It's was nice.

And then Dahlia burst into my life like a just birthed succubus.

Seriously, I bet if I checked (which would NEVER happen) she probably has a certain...substance gifted to her by the second prince in a certain lady party. It's like wafts of a teenage boy's bedroom, coming strong waves that just grow more potent the longer you are in her presence.

Disgusting.

I'm very tempted to plug my nose and run away.

She's talking to me, but I can't hear any of her ramblings, searching the eyes of the other girls for help as I was. Traitorous hussies.

If I had a vibe, it would certainly be "Help me, you cowardice witches!"

So much for having friends.

She's now looking at me expectantly, as if we've been having a conversation this whole time, and she's just asked me a question.

"...Excuse me, but...who are you?" I asked her hesitantly.

Yes, you and I know who she is, but we've technically never met. So, I suppose introductions are in order.

No, I'm not shivering and covered in goosebumps. That would be rude.

Oh, save me.

"--Dahlia! I'm Dahlia Vermont! It's nice to meet you, Antonio!" She hollers into my ear. I hear the others gasp in shock. You don't call the pope by his first name. Not even with his permission.

"...Miss Dahlia, as you are my...brother's...harlot, I feel that I treat you fairly well considering your standing in society and with this family, however, you trekking somewhere even my brother cannot protect you. If I, the high pope Antonio's oldest and best friend, can't call him, pardon me, Antonio, what makes you think that you, who has never met him, nor has the social standing to even remotely speak to the pope, calling him by his first name?"

(A/N: I kinda wanted to end it here since, DAMN, Lillian is pissed, and rightly so. I mean, Dahlia stole her second fiance, but since this is the last part we must continue on.)

Dahlia made this indignant bird squawk and I slowly crept away from the crazed woman.

"Antonio, you're just going to let her talk to me like that?!"

Uhm. Yes. Duh.

I don't know you, lady.

Stranger danger and all that.

I stop moving once I am successfully behild the pillar of womanly-protection known as Lillian. The older girl shielding me with her body. It helps when you meet your bestie/past betrothed when you're a cute little kid because that's all she'll think of you as without the pressures of forced romance.

"I think he will, seeing as, pardon me, 'Antonio' as you stubbornly continue to call him, doesn't know you, miss Dahlia. And, you'll find that the disrespect you're showing the High Pope is a capital offense, meaning you could spend up to eight weeks in house arrest for your transgression." I didn't know that.

Is that why people always looked at Drake strangely when he called me by my name?

And even stranger at me, when I condoned his behavior?

Huh. Learn something new every day, I suppose.

Dahlia huffed in anger and stormed over to us before...slapping Lillian across the face! "How dare you!?" Dayan screeched, coming to the rescue as she grabbed Dahlia's offending hand while I looked over Lillian's cheek.

"Oh dear, it looks like her ring knicked you, dearie. Hold still for a moment, please." I tell her before activating my power, my forehead rune lighting up and my eyes glowing. It was silent until I was finished healing Lillian, the girls having never seen me healing someone.

"...thank you, 'Toni," Lillian says in an awed tone.

I waved off her thanks and smiled at her, "What's a little holy power between best friends?" Her eyes get red for a moment (strange) and she hugs me, making this unemotional scene emotional. Geez. This drama queen.

Dahlia is kicking up a fuss from where Dayan is trying to restrain her.

Dahlia was sobbing in Dayans hold, as though she was the victim and not the princess.

"I'm tempted to unheal you're wound so she spends the night in jail, princess," I murmured in Lillian's ear, causing her to giggle. From the way Dahlia struggled more, she clearly didn't like how close Lillan and I were. Physically. And emotionally too, I suppose.

"Antonio! You're supposed to love me! To be unmistakably, irrevocably, inevitably in love with Dahlia!" She screeched.

I exchanged a disbelieving look with a slightly disheveled Lillian.

"I think--"

"That she need help?"

"Yes. She's absolutely--"

"--Mental."

"Exactly."

"Welcome to what has been my world for the last eight months." She said mournfully. I grabbed her hand in support which I suppose enraged Dahlia to the point of no return because she then broke free of Dayan's restraints and attacked Lillian, who then screamed as they rolled around the grass near the lake, Lillian trying to get Dahlia off her, and Dahlia trying to hurt Lillian.

I quickly interfere, throwing Dahlia off Lillian and into...The black lake.

Oh, dear.

"Run," I whispered to Lillian after helping her get up and we all ran; Dayan, Rose, Lillian, Gertrude, Marilyn, and I, escaping for the princess' castle.

See, I know their names!