Amaryllis: Shy

Once dinner ended, Chen insisted on washing the dishes, while Lily cleaned the table.

Afterwards, he proceeded to check the other rooms in his house and chose the best one for her to stay in.

"The guest room is ready; you can rest anytime you want." Chen voiced with a hint prowess.

It was too shameful last time that he hadn't had much time to prepare and only finished when she left. He was still slightly salty at his highness for wanting him to change homes at such a time.

"Ok," Lily said, a little disappointed. She had insomnia, so when she slept next to him before, his presence gave her assurance and safety despite a thick pillow in between.

"I'll be resting early since I have to inspect the area before the actual festival begins next week,"

Hm? A festival? It piqued her interest.

"Then can I tag along? I promise I won't hinder your work." Lily asked with her eyes sparkling. It had a hint of expectation in them.

"Okay." He agreed immediately. He had already plan to ask her anyway. "Then...Good Night."

"Good Night!" Lily waved at him leave.

Her room is the first one when entering the hallway upstairs while his bedroom was on the furthest left.

When Lily entered her room, she took a bath and laid on the bed with a 'plop' and arms spreading wideout. Staying in the same position, she shifted her head to her right where the balcony was opened.

The pure white, sheer curtains swayed in the wind in front of the starry sky. It was a dreamy view as Lily was in deep thought, slowly spacing out.

'I made it out alive. Even if it was for a brief moment, I thank the heavens for saving me, and I promise I will repay it in the next life.' She expressed deep gratitude in her heart.

What should be her next move here on out? As of now, everything was on impulse. There was no turning back. Is it finally time? Lily pondered.

She stayed like that, on the bed, thinking for a couple of hours.

Gradually, the soft, quiet breeze cooling the summer air eased her. Her eyes wore her out and finally fell asleep.

The bed was comfortable and soft. Not like there, where it was cold and grim or windows nor light that peaked through the curtains like now. It was peaceful.

__________________

Somewhere below the floating country.

Two tall figures can be seen on the open grass looking up at it. "You know what to do right?" one of them said.

"Of course." The other one replied seemingly. "He said we also need to track her down because there are negotiations with that couple. But how do we know if there's just a description and not any form of visual?"

"It can't be helped, but we don't need to worry about it for now. It's a side mission anyway. We need to gather intel first." He replied back to the person in a severe tone.

"Got it."

After confirming that they were both on the same page. They ran towards the trees nearby and climbed up to sit on its branches to wait for the coming day.

_____________

The next morning, Chen woke up earlier than scheduled and exercised.

After finishing his morning routine, the servants had started to arrive one by one and began doing their duties. Breakfast was placed on the table in the blink of an eye.

Noticing that Lily was still nowhere to be found, he went back upstairs.

When they previously shared his room, she woke up earlier than he did every day and annoyed him to go outside as soon as possible. This was the first time he had to go wake her up.

Should I tell one of the servants to do it instead? He thought, but he never let anyone up to the second floor before.

Though he had only a couple of rooms, its circumference was still vast, as enormous as the rooms in the palace. His work and private information were also stored all up on the second floor. As a result, he tries to clean the upper floor personally at the end of every week.

He debated over the thought for a while longer and eventually knocked on her door.

There was no sound.

"Lily?' He asked loudly, yet gentleness was inexplicably visible, "it's morning."

There was still no sound.

"Then I'm coming in." He notified before opening a tiny crack of the door to peek.

All he saw on the bed was a blanket and a big lump in the center.

As he slowly opened the door wider, Lily's figure can be seen clearly. Her back was facing him, and the sheets that covered her laying under her arms outlined her alluring, curvy structure. Dark hair that was usually straight was wavily spread out on the sheets. It nearly threatened to flow down off the bed.

A very seductive view filled his eyes, and he could not stop watching. He slowly and quietly made his way to the other side where her face was slowly appearing in his sight.

The serene expression on Lily's face with both of her hands tightly clasped together and the slow breathing made the room feel so calming.

It was a captivating scene that not a single word can be uttered out of his mouth, fearing it would wake up the sleeping beauty.

He bent down and reached out one arm to brush aside the stray strands of hair to the back of her ear.

He didn't have the heart to wake her up. She was sleeping so soundly.

Chen sat on the chair next to the bed and stared at the window.

The inspection doesn't have to be that early. It can be pushed back. He convinced himself and waited for her to wake up.

Eventually, the warm, pleasant ambiance coaxed him to sleep.

Thirty minutes later, Chen heard a slight movement next to him. He opened his eyes and turned to his left, unhurried.

Her lashes slightly tremble and finally opened. She blinked a couple of times blurrily.

The first thing she saw was him staring at her dazedly on the chair as if he had also just woke up.

"Good Morning," Lily said in a slightly cracked, soothing voice and gave him a sleepy smile.

He stared at her.

Something was not right. Lily thought.

Realizing this was not a dream, she abruptly sat up and exclaimed, "C-Chen, what are you doing here?!"

"Rise and shine sleepyhead," Chen replied, expecting that question. "Hurry up and get ready we're a little behind schedule."

He stood up quickly and headed towards the door before closing it behind him.

Lily sat on her bed, stupified. After a couple of minutes, she slightly slapped both of her cheeks, shifted her head, staring straight in front at the wall.

Her face was abnormally red. He had basically seen her in such an unsightly state!

Chen, on the other hand, had the back of his hand covering his face as he sped up his pace in the hallway.

He was blushing madly.

This is not good. Not good. I need to tell one of the servants to come up!

His plans of steering clear in the attraction department strayed into a completely different path.