The Princess’ Return to Lillerie Tawn

At Lillerie Tawn Kingdom, the young princess Lillie had found herself sunk deep in the journal she had found before.  She had found a secret page torn in the beefy journal, the tinted yellow page before it had a carefully turned slit bent into a slim triangle. That page with the slit had a code, and the code was written with deep care in ink from a quill, so Lillie made sure the page had not touched water, not even the slightest amount.
The coded page was a riddle. The riddle was written in deep thought, with expression. The ink written riddle started at the cooks’ quarters then ended–

“Pound, Pound, Pound!” Lillie had almost forgotten she was in her night gown.

“Going to get a glass of water.”

“Lillie, Darling, are you down there? What are you doing?” Chimed Mrs. Glidden, Lillie’s maid.

Lillie jumped up, slipping the riddle back into the journal and tying the fat velvet cord.  “I’m down here!” Lillie cupped her hands around here mouth and yelled, tucking the diary under the bed sheets of the cook’s springy bed.

“Lillie, that’s not lady-like to yell like that” Mrs. Glidden stopped pounding on the oak door to say.

“Sorry…”  Lillie shrinked her voice to a tiny mouse whimper.

“That’s mighty fine, but you mustn’t speak in such a sailors’ tone.  Anyhow, what are you doing in the cook’s quarters?” Mrs. Glidden questioned. “More like an eerie shaft that smells of rat drool…” Pondered Mrs. Glidden.

Lillie was so far down in the dim miniature basement that she hadn’t heard the quite rude little comment.  “Lillie, darling, let’s come on up for a mini wash with a wet towelette and a bed time story to send you off into sweet dreams.”

Lillie was a bit to old for bed stories now… Mrs. Glidden was probably child-sick from Annia, her daughter. She read stories to Annia ’till the girl was 18 and well out of the house at the time. Annia is now a mother of 1 and a public (and private) house maid.

“Coming…” She grumbled as she used her pale pink night gown to wipe her weary “tire tears.”

She sleepily walked (nearly floated in drowsiness) to the oak door hiding Mrs. Glidden behind. Lillie extended her arm softly toward the brass handle and turned it, with a soft-to-ear click, the door opened.

Mrs. Glidden had a warm smile on her face. “There’s the castle’s little breath of sunshine.” Mrs. Glidden warmly whispered in the tone of a mother singing a lullaby to a tender infant.

Mrs. Glidden looked very busy; her black velvet shoe echoing little notes that sounded like a mouse’s heartbeat on the castle’s wood floors.  One arm was hidden under a fresh pink towel, the other was gripped on a bucket of suds, and her dress had dirt streaks ambushing everywhere, it almost looked as if
she had wrestled a pig in a mud barn.

“Come now, I’ve got a bustle of stuff to do.” Mrs. Glidden impatiently said. Mrs. Glidden gripped Lillie’s arm sleeve and pulled the girl up the fancy heirloom hall. Lillie’s slippers made a “Rat-a-tat-tat” sound as they lightly swept across the hall floor.
Mrs. Glidden sponged Lillie and put her to bed on the story “Good Night Moon”Annia’s personal favorite.

“Good night sweet pea…” Mrs. Glidden’s voice lingered as she switched the bedside lamp off and left the room.

Lillie quickly switched the lamp on as she pulled a picture of Ernest the Giant out of her pillow. Ernest was a mythical beast that was a threat to Lillie’s family, they did not trust the “Flesh-eating” beast only because they claimed he took Cheret Gauthar 11, Lillie’s uncle from her mother’s side, and “ate him.”  Lillie slowly drifted off in a sound sleep.

The next morning when Lillie woke she sat up bluntly and rose her arms high up in the air.  Lillie yawned  and, without opening her eyes, felt her bed sheets for the picture.  If the maid found the picture she would show it to Lillie’s mother and her mother would give Lillie a royal spanking on her hiny for keeping such a picture of an enemy.  Lillie held her breath until she came upon the rippled, creased picture.

She opened her bedroom door and got struck with a burst of energy and a sweet, sweet smell coming from the tea-time hall room. The lively energy was many maids and chefs running around like frantic mice. Lillie entered the tea-time hall room, she disturbed her parents from having a discussion because of a light snickering sound her slippers produced on the shiny hard-wood-floors.

“Child, where is your dazzling event clothing! Are you trying to mock the shame I already own! I deeply suggest you get dressed before I order a servant to give you a spanking!” Her father snapped, sitting on a petite, etiquette sofa, with dazzling wood carvings on the legs of it.

“What’s his problem?” Lillie mused as she poured a porcelain cup of tea.

“Lillie! That’s our good china! Don’t waste it!” Lillie’s mother bitterly whined, snapping her fan against her lower lip.

Lillie took a short gulp of the sweet tea and placed it on a marble tea-dish,

“But mother, I’m starved!” Lillie, amused, shot back.

“Well then, go get a maid to make you something,” Lillie’s mother whisped as she motioned to “Shoo.” Lillie reached out for the sweet smelling scones and croissants. “Ahh-ah-ah” Lillie’s mom slapped Lillie’s arm briskly with her fan.

Lillie started to the hall entrance where Mrs. Glidden was fiercely stirring wet batter in a wooden mixing bowl. “What’s the matter, dear child?” Mrs. Glidden piped as she caught Lillie’s glum in the swirl of tears being held into her eyes.

“What’s wrong with mother and father? Don’t they love me anymore?” Lillie sought as she caught a tear streaming off her soft pink cheek.

“Auhh, Lillie, it’s not you, they’re just a bit grumpy and selfish be-

“Just a little?!” Lillie interrupted.

“Anyway,” Mrs. Glidden re-started. “They’re waiting for the arrival of the Queen of England, that’s why everyone’s such busy-bodies.  So, if you get dressed, I’ll have Miss Daily make you some steaming cornbread!”

“That’d be great!” Lillie excitedly stated. “I’ll be right out!”

Mrs. Glidden traced her wondrous courage over to the Queen and King.  “Where’s those stupid scones I ordered you to make!? Where!” The Queen growled.

“They’re right here.” Mrs. Glidden gestured to the mixing bowl resting on her hip.

“Why are you here!?” The King erupted in shear anger.

“He’s a nervous man.  Don’t be fearful, he’s just a little scared of THE Queen’s arrival.” A rainbow colored parrot sailed into the conversation. It was true; the King was a very generous, kind man. “Sir, I’m sorry to parade on in here–”

“You should be!” The King interrupted.

“-but you should not treat your most loyal servants in such a way! That includes your daughter!”

“Is she sad, Oh my, did I come on too strong? Perhaps I should speak to her. Where is she?” The Queen softened as she got up to go.

“She’s in the kitchen now, I believe.”

“Thank you, Marie.” The Queen’s voice vanished into the distance.

“I’m so sorry; I am a teensy bit nervous. Welp, better get my good crown on, you should probably get back to work now…” The King excused her.

“Sweetie? You in here?” The Queen glanced into the kitchen; there was a heap of steaming cornbread on the dinner table, just no Lillie.

The Queen ran into Lillie’s room, no Lillie there.

The Queen passed a window overpowering a wall, then backed up.  Lillie was in her good dress, chasing butterflies in the distance.  The Queen had an urge to stop her, but just stood and watched in awe.

Lillie started dancing into the sunset, which was the deep disturbance that stopped the awe in the Queen’s mind, Lillie was headed to the woods, the last to enter the woods was Cheret! The girl was headed towards Ernest!

“Bum-bum-bum” Lillie hummed loudly in the woods, plated and carpeted with great pines.  “I wonder why the castle never let me outside their walls.” Lillie thought as she sat on a beefy log. Lillie had brought a knap-sack filled with the Cook’s diary, the picture, pretzels, and a jug of water.

“Boy am I hungry, I feel like an apple.” Lillie longingly stared into the piney woods. As Lillie got up to search the woods, her dress snagged. “Uh-Oh! Mom’s going to kill me!”

Lillie dramatically feared into the future while tugging at the now useless piece of fabric stuck in the layered log. She stuffed her bag with the ripped fabric and started following the pine-needle path.

Lillie’s eye’s caught on an oversized footprint, She stumbled on a rock; she fell straight on the footprint.  Fresh.

“My daughter! My daughter!”   The Queen gushed in tears, her makeup sprawled and runny on her cheeks.

“What’s that, Honey? She’s missing!? We gotta’ cancel the Queen of England.” The King came along in a flurry.

“Ding-Dong-Dinng-Dongg” The door burst out in symphony. “It’s the Queen! It’s the Queen!” Everybody shouted.

“Calm down! Calm down!” The Door master hushed the crowd, “You bunch of amateurs!”  “Why, hello Mrs-Mrs.England.” He professionally bowed.

“Hello, Darling! Kiss. Kiss,” said the English Queen.

“Elizabeth, I can’t have brunch now, my daughter’s missing!” Lillie’s mom flinged the words out so crisply the Queen of England understood at the very first second.

“I’m highly insulted.” The Queen of England crossed her arms.  “I come all this way–”  Lillie’s mom looked at the floor, ashamed.  “– And not get to be in the goose chase!” The Queen of England smiled.

“Well, what are we waiting for, let’s find her!” The Queen of England rooted her hand in the air.

“This footprint is fresh!”  Lillie thought aloud.  “Who’s it belong to though…?”  Lillie curiously followed each whopping-large foot print until she arrived at the entrance of a stone cave.

“Hello?” Her voice sharply echoed against the pitch-black walls of the cave.

“Anyone home?” Her voice again echoed.  She held a strap of her pack in her mouth. “Where is it?” Her voice caught on the knap-sack strap and appeared to fall out in a hasty muffling grunt.  She shuffled through her bag until she found a metal, lead light, a flashlight.

Lillie swung her pack onto her shoulder. As it hit her hip, she heard a low moan; a skimpy man in faded clothes fit for royalty came bustling out of the cave. He pulled a blood-curdled sword 3 inches away from Lillie’s face.

“Aach!”  She yelled in terror. “I didn’t mean to disturb you! I just was curious, please accept my apology and don’t kill me!” Lillie begged.  “I am only a prin–, uh, a fair maiden.” Lillie didn’t want this strange man knowing her identity, for if she dies, he might torment her family.

“Ah, I thought you were a wild animal or a guard. I am sorry.”  The man said apologetically. “Say, young maiden, are you hungry? Join me for supper; are you in the mood for porcupine?”

“Ick!” Thought Lillie, “How nasty!” Lillie agreed it would be a fine Wednesday dinner even thought she was lying. She bitterly picked the porcupine clean, licking the “dish” that was actually thin rock.

“So, maiden, what is your story?” The man said as he licked the sauce and chunks of meat off his fingers as though the stuff were creme Brule on a snowy winter night.

“Whaa-?” Lillie asked quizzically.

“Your story, you know, why you got dumped in the woods.”

“I didn’t get dumped! I – I ran away, I ran away from meanness and royalty–”

“Ah, Same here, I ran away from royalty too, I always got bossed around.”  The skinny man concluded.

“What is your name?” Lillie asked.

“I don’t give out my name, so just call me…Cherry  — Yeah –  Cherry.”

“O.K — Cherry, I’m tired…Uh — where do you sleep?” Lillie stretched and yawned.

“Over there.” Cherry pointed toward a blanket sprawled on the ground and a musty sleeping bag.  “You take the bag, I’ll get the sheet.”  Cherry directed.

As Lillie lay in the sleeping bag, she turned her head toward Cherry and the campfire, “Don’t you go to sleep?” She asked.

“Later, gotta’ clean up. Probably gonna’ burn out the fire and take a rest when ya’ already sleepin’.”

“O.K,” Lillie yawned once more and drifted off to sleep.

Cherry looked in Lillie’s bag in case she had some goodies.  His eyes met the sheet of crumpled, yellow paper with the code on it.  “Where’d she get this?” He thought aloud.

“Whaa–?” Lillie squinted at him and the paper. Now she was wide awake, “What are you doing?! Why are you in my stuff?!”

“Same question here…where’d you get this?!” The man turned as cold as ice, no longer the nice man she met the day before.

“Why? Do you understand it?” Lillie squeaked sheepishly, afraid of his future actions.

“Yes I understand it! Where’d you get it?” He repeated impatiently.

“Uh, I found it in that diary there, the diary I found was in the castle.”

“The castle!?” Cherry’s eyes popped out at the thought.

“Yeah, don’t you remember our talk last night, You know, about me escaping from Royalty?”

“I simply thought that was a play on words.” Cherry whipped the words with his tongue.

“Was yours?” Lillie asked.

“Absolutely not!”

“Oh…”  Lillie pondered like a tiny, beatable mouse.

“What’s the code say?” Lillie questioned heavily.

“I’ll be honest, see, there’s this creature I met on my last castle day, the final day when I escaped, his name is Ernest.  Before Ernest and I escaped, we accidentally left a code, the code simply told:

“No. Ernest is a vegetarian.  Anyhow, how’d you know my name?”  He asked suspiciously.

“Because you are my uncle!”  Lillie fled to hug him.

“Wait a minute, you are not royal, did my sister marry a poor man?”

“No. I’m the Princess. Princess Lillie, many folk around the castle think Ernest ate you!” Lillie laughed.

“Lillie? Lillie? Where are you?” Voices echoed in the piney woods.

“I’m right here!” Lillie danced for joy and pranced to her mother and father.

“Why, you little devil!”  The English Queen was introduced to Lillie, and Lillie told everyone of Lillerie Tawn that Ernest was a good beast and was a vegetarian, and that Cheret was alive and well.

So that Thursday, everyone of the castle, including Lillie, Cheret, and the Queen and King ate scones, croissants, and drank delicious tea with the Queen of England.

THE END!