บท 33: Kristen's Visit

The next day, Lillian was sitting in the great hall listening to reports again. Liana was sitting next to her again, as they had no training and had nothing better to do. Another perk was that she found it interesting to observe Lillian work and that's what she was doing while Lillian listened to what seemed like the hundredth report to Liana, though it was actually only the eleventh. When the man left, Lillian turned to Liana with a smile on her face.

(Lillian) "Do you have a question or do you just find it fun to stare at people?"

Liana blushed lightly as she replied in a soft voice, but with Lillian's enhanced hearing she still heard it,

(Liana) "Not people, just you."

Lillian blushed slightly as she asked,

(Lillian) "Is it that interesting to watch me listen to someone else talk?"

Liana chuckled lightly before replying,

(Liana) "You look so serious when you're listening to them since you have to be a dependable chief and all that. I'm wondering whether I'll be like that when I have to take the throne."

Lillian raised an eyebrow.

(Lillian) "That won't be for a while yet, right?"

Liana nodded.

(Liana) "Normally the crown princess or prince is supposed to take the throne on the day of their seventeenth birthday but my parents said that I could wait until they retired before taking over. My parents were relatively young when they had me, so it'll be some time before they retire."

She then frowned slightly and Lillian said softly,

(Lillian) "I told you not to pity us."

Liana gave her a sad look and replied softly,

(Liana) "I told you you didn't need to worry about that. I was just thinking what would have happened if…"

Lillian smiled slightly, but there was more sadness than happiness in it.

(Lillian) "If I never became Chief?"

Liana nodded. Lillian looked up for a moment before letting her gaze connect with Liana's again.

(Lillian) "We'd probably not have met until much later. A lot of things would have been different, but I have no doubt we'd still have met."

She paused.

(Lillian) "Why?"

Liana didn't say anything out loud, but Lillian heard her words anyway.

(Lillian) "I don't regret anything. Yes, I miss them, but I also know I wouldn't have met you when I did if things hadn't turned out this way."

Liana was about to respond when there was a commotion outside and they both turned their heads to the door, knowing exactly what was going on. John entered the room and bowed to Lillian before greeting Liana as well. He walked towards Lillian and handed her a letter. Lillian snapped her fingers and the doors of the great hall shut and locked, preventing anyone from disturbing them or listening in. She gestured for John to continue.

(John) "As per your instruction, I went to the Tribe closest to the border of the Sunlight Warriors and delivered your letter. He passed this to me to deliver to you."

Lillian nodded and opened the letter. She read it and Liana felt her emotions swing drastically multiple times as she read through it. Lillian put down the letter with a strange emotion currently at the surface. The next thing Lillian did confused Liana greatly. To Liana, it felt like Lillian took that emotion, packed it away neatly, then let a neutral feeling take over.

(Lillian) "And the report from the Sunlight Warriors?"

John nodded as he replied,

(John) "We have completely stopped the uprising in the Sunlight Warrior Tribe. As for the spies, I have completely eliminated any spies from different tribes and clans but captured the ones from the other kingdoms."

Lillian raised an eyebrow but nodded.

(Lillian) "If you have something to ask or something more to say, go ahead."

John seemed to hesitate before saying slowly,

(John) "Out of all the spies, there was not one from the Vayithen Empire."

Lillian nodded, waiting for the inevitable question.

(John) "May I ask if you know anything as for why this is the case? I'm afraid that there were spies from them but I just didn't find them."

He lowered his head as he spoke the last part. Lillian stood up abruptly, making John tense up and Liana raise her eyebrows. Lillian walked over to John and placed a hand on his shoulder.

(Lillian) "Do not doubt your own ability. Even if you missed one or two, I'm pleased with your work."

She did not address the lack of spies from the Vayithen Empire, but John did not think to point that out, instead distracted by his chief's close presence to him and her hand on his shoulder. He was also comforted by her words, as he had been mildly beating himself up for what he thought was a mission failure.

(John) "Yes, Chief."

Lillian released his shoulder and returned to her chair, ignoring Liana's raised eyebrow and quizzical face as she sat back down.

(Lillian) "You need not be worried of spies from the Vayithen Empire. There aren't any. If you find any, I want them brought straight to me."

John nodded and acknowledged the order. He understood the meaning behind Lillian's words and knew she wanted to deal with any stray spies. He didn't question anything but just replied with a:

(John) "Yes, Chief!"

Lillian nodded and was about to dismiss him when she realised that he hadn't fully finished his report.

(Lillian) "Continue."

John nodded again before speaking.

(John) "I have left a few men there in case any new spies turn up, and also to give Chief Brent some help."

(Lillian) "Very good. You may go, thank you."

John saluted her and bowed before leaving the room.

When the door was closed again, Liana stood up and walked the few steps over to Lillian.

(Liana) "Are you okay?"

Lillian gave her a confused look, which was quickly replaced with a resigned look. She handed Liana the letter which Liana took with a raised eyebrow.

(Liana) "Are you sure?"

Lillian nodded.

(Lillian) "There's not much, but the information in there isn't something I'd keep from you."

Liana hesitantly opened and read through the letter.

(Writing) "Alex, it is so good to hear from you, even though I am not sure why you decided to go by means of messenger. I'm so glad you've finally found her. When can I meet her? I want to talk to you again and will use the link to contact you in about three days, after you receive this letter. I hope all is well there, but as for the rest of the things we should discuss it over the link. It is not safe to write things like these down. I have no doubt that you already know through the bond, but I have gotten injured from an enemy attack recently. The attacks have only gotten worse, I am afraid. I have gone out myself but now my guards say it is too dangerous for me to go out since I got injured the last time."

(Lillian) "The attacks are from the Sunstone Kingdom. The Empire is powerful, but they aren't as powerful as they used to be. The Sunstone Kingdom is gaining power and has been attacking them constantly for the past couple of years."

Liana gave Lillian the letter back and said softly,

(Liana) "I'm sure she's okay."

Lillian gave her a strange look before standing up and grabbing Liana's hand lightly. Liana paled drastically the moment Lillian's hand came into contact with hers. Lillian was using their bond to show Liana the results of her bond with Kristen.

(Lillian) "If I had not been bonded with her, I'm not sure she would have survived that injury."

Something a soul-bonded pair can do is share their injuries. One of them can choose to take a certain portion of the others' injuries onto themselves. That is what Lillian did the moment she detected Kristen in danger. Had Lillian not done so, Kristen would have been bedridden until she recovered, if she was able to survive it.

(Liana) "When was this?"

(Lillian) "About four days ago."

Liana winced internally. The size of the wound on Lillian's side was huge, and Liana could only imagine what it would have been like when it was first there.

(Lillian) "It'll be gone within the next day."

Liana gave her an incredulous look but Lillian just shrugged.

(Lillian) "I'm a fast healer. Now come, we should go somewhere before Kristen connects."

Liana lets Lillian lead her back to Lillian's bedroom, their hands still interlocked but Liana no longer able to see the wound. When Lillian reached her bedroom, she realised she was dragging Liana along with her the whole time and blushed lightly before sitting on her bed, gesturing for Liana to do the same.

A few minutes later, a figure appeared in the middle of Lillian's bedroom. Liana's eyes widened as she took the figure in. She had light golden blonde hair, matching her dark blue eyes. She looked about Robyn's age, but possibly younger.

(Lillian) "Kristen."

Kristen grinned at Lillian as she stood up and hugged her.

(Kristen) "Alex it's been too long."

She released Lillian, then caught sight of Liana and her eyes widened. Liana was watching them with a curiosity written clearly on her face.

(Liana's thoughts) 'What's the difference between using the bond and just teleporting then?'

(Lillian) "Kris, this is Liana… you probably can figure the rest out yourself. Liana, this is Kristen, well Kristen Laurel, but you'd probably already figured that out."

(Kristen) "You can call me Kris. It's not like our positions are very different, anyway."

(Liana) "It's nice to meet you. I don't really have a nickname but you can call me what you like."

Liana smiled slightly as she stood up and took Kristen's hand only to be pulled into a hug.

(Lillian) "Right. Kris is a hugger. She's very very big on hugs."

Kris released Liana and gave Lillian a hurt look.

(Kris) "I thought you liked my hugs!"

Lillian just rolled her eyes at Kris.

(Lillian) "The bond is the strongest when we visit, so that kind of thing wouldn't even affect me in the slightest if it's not real."

Kris gave Liana a look before giving Lillian a fake angry look.

(Kris) "You're no fun."

Lillian laughed lightly.

(Lillian) "So you've said."

Liana giggled softly at their display of nonchalance around each other. She'd never seen Lillian so relaxed, so at peace and calm as she was now.

(Liana's thoughts) 'I wonder just how big of an effect Kristen has on Lillian?'

(Kris) "Anyway… We should probably get on with what I came here to discuss."

There was a knock on the door and Liz's voice rang out.

(Liz) "Sis? I know Kris is in there, so hi Kris, and Robyn said to find her once you're done."

Lillian was about to respond but Liz had already walked off, wanting to return to Ruby's side as quick as possible.

(Lillian) "I agree."

Liana raised an eyebrow.

(Liana) "Do you want me to give you two some privacy?"

Lillian shook her head.

(Lillian) "You can stay here if you like."

Liana grinned and nodded. They all sat down on Lillian's bed, facing the middle this time.

(Kris) "Firstly, I'd like to thank you, Lex. I… know I might not have made it if you didn't take so much of the damage."

Lillian shrugged.

(Lillian) "Of course. If not, the bond is basically useless."

(Kris) "Still… it was a lot. Has it fully healed?"

Her eyes widened in surprise when not one, but two heads shook in a negative response to her question. Still, she didn't ask, merely giving Lillian a look. Lillian groaned and said,

(Lillian) "I used the bond to show her."

Liana was confused as to what was going on but just judging from Lillian's and Kristen's emotions she could guess. Her guess, although she wasn't sure if it was accurate, still made her blush.

(Lillian) "Alright. Moving on. Why didn't you tell me it was so bad? You could've asked me to help."

Kris looked down at Lillian's bed.

(Kris) "I didn't want to put you in danger… but I guess that didn't quite work, did it?"

She laughed a little as she said the last part but there was no humour in her laugh. Lillian frowned as she reached over to place a hand over top of Kristen's.

(Lillian) "You don't need to be worried about me. How many times have I said to ask for help when you need it? If you don't ask for help and you end up more severely injured the next time, what's the point of the bond?"

Kris avoided her gaze. She knew Lillian was right but she really just didn't want to put her in danger. She was only just starting to come to terms with the fact that Lillian was stronger than her and really didn't need any protection. In fact, it seemed that she was the one in need of protection at this point.

(Kris) "Alright. But please don't get too badly injured."

Liana's eyes widened.

(Liana) "Wait. What exactly are you going to do?"