Caldwell manor main door, Saturday morning. A few weeks afterwards. Lily just stepped down and walked to the front doors. Rose opens the doors just as Lily arrives.
"Hi Cotton Candy…!" Lily says happily.
"Hey Lili... it's been a while since you were here the last time," Rose says and motions Lily inside.
"Oh yeah, those boxes and your gourmet food!"
"Stop, you're embarrassing me... anyway, come in."
"Thanks. You're still alone here?" Lily asks and looks at Rose with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, mostly. Our gardener is somewhere and the maids are sweeping the left wing today, so there're some people around. Would you.. uh, would you like to see my room?"
"Eh? Didn't you already show—" Lily says, slightly confused.
"Ah well, you see... yeah, that's technically my rooms that were set up for me, but... As you could probably see, I don't live there, mostly. Come, I'll show you, just... please don't laugh at me."
"I can't promise that because you're so cute when you're flustered."
"Lili!"
"Okay, Sorry Cotton Candy! Okay, lead the way."
:: So I was wrong the last time, she doesn’t live in her bedroom… oh goddess, no I can’t start thinking about bedrooms now! Too soon! Though I really want to… no! Not now! Naughty Lilia! Okay, so, this is a new place where we didn’t go last time… That looks like any other room— ::
"Please, Lili, come in. Mind the stuff, I’m not the most clean person…"
:: Oh..wow… This.. this is unexpected. I.. I don't what I expected, maybe extra tidy small ascetic space, or a super-fluffy pink room with five thousand plush toys, but... not this. ::
Rose steps through the door, into... well, "Sky" would be the most appropriate word to use. It's essentially a place that appears to have no walls, no ceiling, no windows, nothing. Just a cloud-like substance as the floor with occasional holes where you can see down to the world. It's dark and the stars are out. There is a small table, a couple of chairs and a big bed at one spot in the area. Also, a desk and a cabinet-looking thing. Lily steps in the room, Rose closes the door behind them and it disappears.
"Don't be alarmed, Lili, you can leave anytime you want. I've.. I've made it so. Just use your hand to open the door and it will."
"This.. this is all you? You've made this?"
"Ye—yeah... " Rose looks embarrassed and looks downwards, "Do you think it's too.. something? Do you think I'm too weird for doing something like this?"
"No, I—Cotton Candy, it's awesome! It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life! It's really wonderful! It's just... I kinda forget sometimes that Magic is for you like air to me - you don't even think about using it, you just do."
"Yeah.. I mean, I'm really happy you like it... Lili... can I—uhh..." Rose blushes and looks downwards.
"Yes?"
"Can I... kiss you...?" Rose blushes furiously and looks down.
Lily walks to her and takes her hands in hers. "Cotton Candy... you.. you don't need to ask that. I—I want to kiss you too, and to hold you. I want to hold you close so bad I think my heart's gonna pop." Lily reaches towards Rose with her hand.
Rose takes Lily's hand and pulls herself close to her, touches Lily's face with her other hand and reaches on tiptoes and kisses her softly on her lips. The star shines brightly in the sky. "Lili... I'm... happy."
"So am I, Cotton Candy, so am I.." Lily whispers into Rose’s ear.
:: She smells so good… Her lips are so soft and warm! It’s like nothing I’ve ever known…! ::
They hold each other for a while and then Rose turns away and faces the lake.
"Lili…" she says and sounds nervous. Lily goes to stand right behind her and wraps her arms around Rose.
"Cotton Candy…" she whispers gently. "You’re tense… there’s something bothering you, isn’t there? I’m here, dearest. Tell me." She whispers and presses a very soft kiss to Rose’s ear.
"Lili…" Rose says and turns around. Her face is filled with swirling design not like any others Lily has ever seen and there’s something about her expression that sets Lily on edge. "I haven’t told you about my parents… I… I don’t even know my mother. I’ve never seen her since I turned 3. She’s always on the move, doing anything and everything ‘for the family’. She’s a workaholic that cannot let anything be if she can improve it. She’s not a bad person, per se, just really not suited to be a mother. I was born only because that solidified her status as the First Lady of the family and head of the manor." Rose explains and there’s sadness in her eyes. Lily takes Rose’s hands into hers and squeezes them gently.
"But my father…" Rose continues, "my father… the Head of the Caldwell Family. He’s.. like me.. a Natural, as we’re called. He’s really powerful too…"
"Cotton Candy… Rose," Lily says with a tender voice, "Would you tell me about your father? It's clearly a difficult subject for you, and you don't have to, just... Rose, I'm here for you," she says and grabs Rose into a tight hug.
"Yeah… well, He’s the Head of Family Caldwell and he rules over it with an iron fist.," Rose says with her head buried into Lily's chest, "Nobody in the family - no matter how insignificant or distant you are - does anything without his approval. Going against him means trouble. From the time anyone is born, he chooses everything for them - where they go to school, what food us given to them, what their profession will be and where they will work. That, of course, is always a Family-owned company. Before my magic awakened he used to make me do everything for him, and declining it meant solitary cell for days, or corporeal punishment. I did not have a happy childhood. Even when my magic awoke and I was given some respect and leeway on what I wanted, he still ruled over my life." Rose continues and her voice is soft and frail, she sounds much younger, like she was a child again.
"You remember Aoi and the Teacher telling us that the school administration knows about one other A-level Natural?" Rose asks. "Well, that’s my father. He uses his status and power as absolute tools for making anybody do what he wants. There are not many people in the world that could stand up to him. He’s a cruel and demanding master. When it became apparent that I might have matched him and perhaps even be another A, I was given the Queen treatment. I was given anything and everything I wanted. I finally was what my father had wanted - a suitable successor to continue his rule over "lesser beings"- his words, not mine - with the power that we held." She continues with almost a whimper. She's slightly shaking and Lily holds her close, not saying anything, just holding her and pressing a soft kiss on her head.
Rose draws a deep breath and then continues, "When I turned 16, came here and accidentally broke their toy.. Lili, when my Father learned that I surpassed him in magical power, he disappeared. He hasn’t spoken to me since then more than a couple of sentences. I’ve seen him once or twice a year after that. I know I could probably hold my own against him, but I’m scared, Lili. I’m scared of him so much."
"And, Lili… he just messaged me yesterday that he’s probably coming to stay at the manor next fall…" Rose shakes slightly involuntarily. "Lili, he’s strict and abhors anything that goes against his beliefs. Lily... I'm afraid what he'll say about.. about us."
"Shh… Cotton Candy…" Lily says and hugs Rose tightly. "We’ll deal with that when the time comes. We’re not even sure if he is coming, you said ‘probably’ yourself. Don’t worry about it now, love."
Rose buries her face into Lily’s chest and whimpers quietly. The hold each other for a while, just standing there, absorbed into themselves, silently.
ns 18.68.41.175da2
