Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

EVERYONE THOUGHT Lilyan was a strange kid since she was admitted in school, or perhaps they found her strange even before then. She had a very good memory and was very kind to people around her.

She was very matured at ten and strong at twelve.

All mentally.

Lilyan's life was beautifully planned by the time she got ready to graduate in high school. She would go and study medicine, maybe find love in the process while she plan on building a family while balancing her career path. Everything was well planned as perfect as a romantic novel. She was happy when she finished high school and was ready to graduate.

Then her novel life would definitely come to life. That was a dream, however it was crushed into pieces before she could even graduate. Those eyes, she still remembered those eyes very well.

Lilyan laughed, "I don't really understand the laws of this country, everything is new to me."

"You will come to learn about everything, today the High Priestess choose you to accompany her to the palace and she came back satisfied." Rose sighed with a small smile.

"How do you know she was satisfied?" Lilyan didn't understand. The High Priestess's expression was still the same, unreadable and unapproachable woman.

"She didn't go and meditate, she usually does that when she comes back with one of us." Rose told the Lilyan. Her eyes at her. "Which means she's not satisfied at all and she needs to calm down. She usually understands our mistakes though because that would have been out first time feeling like true priestesses."

With a nod, Lilyan understood what was being said. "The palace looked quiet. I didn't see any royal family apart from the princess."

"The royal palace is huge, each royal own a manor which is under the castle. I mean, managed by. It isn't weird if you didn't go around the whole castle." Rose sighed.

"Uhm, well, do you know someone named Edmund in the palace?" Lilyan's curiosity was difficult to discard. She would simply ask if sne wanted to know, it didn't matter whom she was asking about.

"The crown prince! You called the crown prince by his name, do you know, you can be beheaded because of that!"

Rose was terrified. No one dared to call one of the royal families by their name.

"It's that bad?" Lilyan really didn't take it serious but the imagine of her head rolling on the floor seemed terrifying.

She should keep in mind and be more careful in future so not to lose her head.

"The royal family is on top of the chain, the noble family after them then the Ministers. These three rank deserves respect or you might be beheaded if you do not respect them." Rose warned. But it only applied to the royalty.

Lilyan sighed pitiful at how these rules are strict, "Alright."

"Oh, and the crown prince is not someone you'd want to talk about. There are always rumors about him, different rumors each day and each month. Last week was about him sleeping at the Beauty & Desires, sparking rumors across the country." Rose shook her head.

"What is Beauty & Desires? Is it bad?" Lilyan asked.

Rose looked at Lilyan and chuckled, "You're so innocent but you're new here so I understand. Beauty & Desires, that place is well known for beauties and pleasures.

There are prostitutes in there, they usually please the higher ranked individuals in the royal council to fulfill their desires. Most Ministers have mistresses there as well, but their wives wouldn't dare do anything about it."

"Wow! So he went there?" Lilyan didn't realize that she somehow felt a bit disappointed at the news.

"Then this week he spent the week at the brothel drinking alcohol. T ell me, is this crown prince sick in the head or what?" Rose was not asking anyone in particular.

Everyone knew how much of a playboy the crown prince was. He has been worse since the King has fallen sick.

"He must be insane." Lilyan was really taken aback. The crown prince was a playboy who wasted his time with alcohol and ladies. The Edmund Lilyan met in her dream was different from the Edmund described here. The Edmund in her dream had a different aura, a powerful atmosphere around him. He looked too commanding to be called a playboy.

"It's late, I should go and do my prayers." Rose stood up.

"Alright." Lilyan nodded, watching as Rose walked out of the room.

Lilyan lit the candles around the room, placing the holy book on the small table next to the window. She sat down on the cushion and folded her legs, hands up on her lap and she started meditating while she whispered a 'Maha shatia' mantra to tap into the universal energy and inner strength.

She continued meditating for an hour then she sat up, reading a book. When she was done, she went to the bed to sleep.

Waking up early was very usual for Lilyan and other priestess. The temple was built near the mountains so it was very easier for Lilyan to wake up very early in the morning to meditate peacefully at the mountains.

So she was heading there.

Lilyan breathed deeply as she she climbed higher, the trees grew taller and the wind picked up, whipping her hair into a frenzy. She stopped for a second and sighed, closing her eyes and tilting her face upwards.

The air felt light all over her face, giving her a sense of peace within her. She continued to walk, the silence broken only by the sound of her feet crunching on the gravel path and the occasional bird call.

Finally, she reached a clearing and in the center of it, a stunning waterfall cascaded down the rocky face.

"Wow," she breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.

"You are beautiful." Lilyan approached the water's edge, feeling the mist on her skin and the coolness of the water. She cupped her hands and took a drink, feeling the refreshing liquid slide down her throat. "Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

She found a place to seat and sat there. The mountains towered above her, their peaks still capped water droplets and the trees swayed gently in the breeze. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply "I am one with you," she whispered, her voice carried away by the wind. "I am one with the earth, the air, the water, and the fire. I am one with the universe."

Her heart was peaceful and her thought clear, it felt like she was walking on water without even sinking. The air was very cool, hitting her face very gently. That was what she really needed. Peace.

"Thank you," she said again and continued to sit there until the sun began to rise, casting a golden glow over the clearing.

Lilyan smiled, feeling the warmth on her skin and the peace in her heart. She stood up, walking down the path to descend the mountain. She walked down picking different herbs until she finally walked back to the temple.