by the psycho pixie, Megan
Lily Graham was a lovely girl of seventeen, and one of the beauties of Wellshire, England. She was english and lived with her uncle, Jonathan. He was her father's brother who cared for her after her parent's death, and had masses of religious books that Lily could bury herself in for hours...they dealt with evil spirits, demons, Hell, and items of such like. She never wondered why Jonathan would keep books like that, though.
Lily fit well into the small town of Wellshire. She was short and freckled with long, cascading brown hair and deep, enchanting green eyes. Wellshire itself was in the English moors, so it was lush and often damp. Lily sometimes wished it wasn't so small and isolated- it made the townspeople very nosy adn gossipy, and her carefree spirit and easygoing ways were often the subject of ridicule by her peers and disdain from her elders.
But her enchanting beauty made her subject to suitors and the prospect of choosing one for a husband. This all came to her uncle's attention at some point, and it also came to his attention that she had been declining all offers. So he saw fit one day to sit her down and discuss her future.
"Now Lily," he began, "you know you're growing up, and that most girls your age are engaged- or married, even..."
She burst out laughing. "You mean to say I need to hurry up and get married?"
"Not so much get married yet," he reprimanded. "But promise me that you'll at least consider it. I am getting on in my years, so I need your future secured."
Lily glanced out the window at the dreary day outside. "I'll think about it," she sighed, distracted.
"And just try to be polite to the poor lads- it takes alot of courage just to approach you."
She fixed her intense gaze on him. "It's not my fault if they don't know how to treat a lady," she replied haughtily.
"Oh, this is exactly what I mean," groaned John. "Don't be so caustic with them. It's intimidating. Chastity was polite to William, and they're doing just fine..."
"That," she answered acutely, "is because Chastity and William were in love before they were married. And I don't believe I'm in love with a single one of those fellows you've met- the priest's son, the magisrate's cousin, the banker's nephew, and every other stuck-up rich man's son, nephew, or cousin who thinks he has a chance at winning me!"
"There's nothing wrong with being rich. Personally I'd prefer to see you financially well-off than middle class."
"Well," she returned, "then you won't have to worry if I fall in love with one of the richer fellows." Lily stood up, then. "I have to run- I promised lunch with Chastity and William," she declared, ending the conversation by walking out the door.
*********
Chastity and Lily were first cousins and good friends, sharing advice and food every so often. Chastity was a good few years older than Lily, and William two years more. It was only about a twenty minute walk to their flat, and it gave her time to think about anything that troubled or worried her. Today, it was her uncle's words.
William greeted her at the door cheerfully. "Hello, Lily. Chastity set out the table- she's in the parlour." They walked in to eat, and the meal ended up being cheese crumpets, scones, and strawberry preserves with peach tea.
They finished eating and sat down in the living room, a habit that Chastity and Lily had passed to William.
Chastity grinned at Lily. "So. Has Uncle John told you anything fascinating about demons?"
Lily snorted. "Only the ones in town. You know, the ones who call themselves gentlemen."
"Ah. He thinks you need to be nicer to the fellows you come in contact with."
"I'm nice to William," put in Lily mildly.
"She's nice to me," defended William.
"That's wonderful," replied Chastity. "But you don't count. Come on, Lily, he's trying to compliment you."
She looked at her cousin sourly. "Can't he just tell me I look pretty? Marriage isn't too flattering."
"Well, you know you're pretty," cut in William. "That's like telling me my name is William- it's common knowledge." Lily blushed and studied her shoes. "Come on- at least he's worried about your future."
"Exactly!" agreed Chastity. "He could let you go about this whole marriage thing your own way, then just die and leave you to fend off life's attacks on your own."
"What's wrong with my methods?" demanded Lily.
"Aside from the fact that it will land you as an old maid," said Chastity drily, "absolutely nothing."
Lily began to reply, then said, "William, what time is it?"
He checked his pocketwatch. "Some ten minutes past six," he replied.
She leapt out of her chair. "It can't be!" exclaimed Lily. "I have to be home in fifteen minutes!"
"Well, then hurry," urged Chastity. "Oh, and here's the teapot I borrowed from Uncle John."
"I thought he told you to keep it."
"I have two. Don't let him ask questions."
Lily smiled, took the teapot, and started home.
*********
The walk home was quieter and less crowded than before, so Lily had a more pleasant time. She considered all of the things Chastity and William had told her, wondering if she was going about men all wrong.
Lily rounded a corner and, as usual, looked at the manor high on a hill and dreamed about it. Hmmm, she wondered, let's see...a prince lives there, exiled from his home country, all alone. He's handsome and very princely, and courteous, charming, and chivalrous. He'll come down from his castle some day and sweep me away, because we've been destined to be together- a dark, mysterious prince and a young peasant in love. And we'll leave all this behind to travel....we'll know it the moment we meet....like lightening....CRACK!
The moment she came up with the thought, just as she could almost see the prince's face, she walked right into someone. The teapot flew from her hands and cracked clean in half, just like her stomach when she realized she would have to replace it.
Lily looked up simply by refles, and got her first good look at the stranger. She inhaled sharply before speaking.
"Excuse me," she muttered, embarassed. "I'm sorry- should have been watching-" she knelt down to gather up the pieces of the teapot. Somehow the lid remained intact.
The stranger bent down beside her and picked up half the teapot, studying it closely. "It's a beautiful design," he murmured. "Eighteenth century Greek, I believe."
His voice made her drop the other half, cracking it into two pieces. "Imitation, I'd imagine," she quavered. What on earth was wrong with her? He was probably very stuck up, just like the others...but he was so handsome...
"I don't believe so. Worth quite a bit- I can repair it, if you'd like," he offered.
He could-repair- if it was really Greek, then Uncle John would certainly want it fixed.
She smiled at him, if just barely. "If you would be so kind," she replied. "And-" she screwed up her nerve. "I don't believe I caught your name."
He fixed his gaze on her. "Reed." He kept his intense gaze on her a moment longer before speaking. "Who would you be?"
"Lily. Where ought I come and when?"
Reed seemed to consider this for a moment, but his eyes never left her own. "Tomorrow, around lunch," He pointed to the house she'd been admiring, up on the hill.
"You- you live there!" she exclaimed.
He nodded, his eyes still on her. "My father is a duke. The house has been with for over two hundred years." His gaze made her feel just a little unsettled and special at the same time, but she wished he would look elsewhere.
"So I- just show up at your house at lunch tomorrow?" Lily was having a hard time taking the whole situation in. Not only was she going to see the palace she'd dreamed about, but the prince was as wonderful as she'd ever imagined.
Reed nodded. "Yes. And your teapot will be ready by then, too."
Lily nodded shortly, then looked down as he picked up the ceramic pieces. She stood up to thank him, but he had disappeared as mysteriously as he'd appeared. She finished the walk home in deeper thought than when she started.
Of course, she was in no shape to talk when she reached her house. It was an all too quiet end to an all too perfect day, and Lily was all too ready for the next day.
*********
The next morning, Lily found that she had overslept- it was ten o'clock and she was assuming she had to be there at noon.
She dressed hurriedly, putting on a soft lavender gown and hat. She was just about to slip out unnoticed when Jonathan called her back.
"I don't have a clue where you're going," he said, still reading an extremely large book, "but I need you home by at least two, all right?"
"Whyever so?" Lily was impatient to be on her way. In the few minutes she'd known her prince, she found herself completely infatuated with him. Of course, maybe that was just short-term, but she ached to see Reed again either way.
In response to her question, Jonathan replied,"I have and old schooling friend moving down from Norway, and he's dropping by around two for a few days. It would be nice if you were here to greet him," he added, raising his eyebrows meaningfully.
Lily smiled innocently. "Until then, my business schedule is busy."
"Where are you going?"
She offered a lopsided smile. "Um...well, I'm going to get a teapot."
"A teapot."
"Mm-hmm."
"We have a teapot."
"Well- Chastity had given me a teapot I was supposed to give you, and while I was headed home...I'm really quite clumsy, you know...I ran...rather, bumped into a fellow...must have been in thought, I suppose...and...it...well...broke."
"Bravo. I applaud you. So you're going to buy a teapot, I suppose?"
"No. The chap- Reed- he offered to fix it for me, and I'm going to get it. And don't worry about how I'll get there- Mr. Morris said once that I could borrow his horse anytime, so long as I returned it."
Jonathan shook his head in wonder. "You have a solution for everything, don't you? Well, be quick. Don't take advantage of this man's kindness too much, mind you."
"Wouldn't dream of it. Perish the thought," called Lily as she walked out the door. Jonathan went back to his book, shaking his head in wonderment.
"That girl never ceases to amaze me," he sighed.
*********
As Lily approached the mansion riding Khan (Mr. Morris' horse), she started thinking that it was more of a castle than a mansion.
Leaving Khan tied out front, Lily climbed the many steps that led to the door. The doorknocker reminded her eerily of a wolf's skull, but she banged it against the door nonetheless.Or started to, at least. One knock and the door opened gracefully, almost seeming to say the old castle liked her. She walked in hesitantly, looking around as though something were lurking in the shadows- which were seemingly many. A few times, Lily could swear she'd seen a pair of glittering red eyes looking out at her, and she very nearly resolved to forget the teapot and walk out. But the thought mysteriously flew from her mind when the dashing heir to the castle strode in and gave a low, sweeping bow. She, in turn, curtsied.
"Welcome to my home," he greeted, gesturing to the sparse yet elegantly (and expensively, most likely) decorated hall.
"It's beautiful," exclaimed Lily, taking it in slowly. She didn't want to mention how eerie she found the house, though.
"The furniture you see is all the original, chosen by my father's ancestors hundreds of years ago. It has remembered much," said Reed, sighing.
"I can imagine," replied Lily, glancing back at the shadow heistantly. She tried to relax by breathing deeply, but she all of the sudden wasn't breathing air. Instead, Lily was inhaling and exhaling every jumbled emotion the house had ever seen. There was a spark of happiness every so often, but all she could really feel was dark, swirling, conflicting emotions. More than that, she felt as though she were submerged in shadows. It was only for a second, though. The shadows, above all else, intrigued and frightened her.
"Has anyone ever- relived- what this castle had seen?" whispered Lily. "These shadows- they hold the secrets of time...they haven't changed in hundreds of years. Always moving but always the same. They are nothing, but they hold everything." Lily stopped talking, and a blush spread across her cheeks. "I'm sorry- sometimes I just ramble. You can always tell me," she admonished quickly.
Reed looked at her wisely. "It's all right. You have realized in a minute what a fool learns in death. People seldom venture into the shadows because they fear, above all, what they do not see. The wise warrior fights what he can see and learns to see what he does not. Thus he may someday venture where a shadow once did loom.
"The fool, to prove he is wise, plunges into the shadow of the unknown and is destroyed by that which he fears most...
"Himself."
If she'd had the nerve, Lily would have whistled in amazement. Scant before had she ever partaken in such a deep conversation, and rarer yet with an almost total stranger.
Reed smiled mysteriously. "Come. Now that I am overshadowed with fear of my own home, let us away to the matter of your teapot. It is nearly as good as new.
Lily rose to the cheap, but nonetheless fun, banter. "I am sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that it is nearly perfect," she replied, amused.
The mystery on his face turned to mischief. "Alas; I can't even look at a dark corner anymore without seeing a great fear of mine looking back out at me."
"And what do you see in those shadows?" asked Lily bravely. He did not reply, but simply kept walking, eyes not meeting her own. She immediately regretted the question and nibbled her lower lip nervously.
"I have offended you," she said in a small voice. "Forgive my ignorance."
Reed gave a minute sigh. "No need. I am not really used to talking at length to anyone. I fear these old walls do not talk, and are rather lonely at times."
"Where is your father?" inquired Lily.
"Abroad in Norway. He has been for nearly a year, and will be for another."
"I must get awful lonely, being here by yourself all the time," sighed Lily sadly. Oh, if Uncle John were to go abroad for two years, she'd go right insane.
Reed reached up, barely even looking, and pulled down her teapot. "I'm not alone now, am I?"
She took the teapot hastily. "Thank you. You live in a beautiful house, and I regret that I must leave now."
"Ah. Well, you are welcome in my home any time you wish to stop by," he told her.
"I hope you mean that," warned Lily. "I might take you up on that offer."
Reed lowered his gaze to meet hers. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," he replied, escorting her to the door. She was silent as she followed him, but she examined the teapot closely. As far as she could tell- and she could tell alot- there wasn't a single crack on the teapot. Lily wondered, even if briefly, if it was the same teapot. It had to be, she decided. It had the same design.
She walked out the door and mounted Kahn, then turned and waved at Reed as she rode away. She wouldn't come tomorrow- that would sort of be intruding. Maybe later on in the week. But for now, she had to be home soon. Wonder what this friend is like....
(When I get off my lazy arse and finish typing it...)
