Visiting Zilla

"Now that everyone's here. We shall have the food brought in." Wyatt announced likely to the servants. Lilith recognised what he was doing. She had read enough books and studied enough people to know exactly the trick he was pulling. The problem was that she couldn't stop him. Not that she really cared.

There were a number of feet rustling on the floor as servants presumably prepared the table for them. Lilith couldn't see them. She had to guess that the maid from the door was among them and a number of the staff likely didn't like her. Despite being nearly blind, Lilith could still feel the condescension from them.

A small clack in front of her alerted Lilith to her plate's arrival. Two much quieter clacks also signalled the appearance of the utensils she was supposed to use. Lilith had to practice a lot for that. She still didn't know when everyone started eating however. Another thing she had to watch for cues on.

"Shall we dig in then? What is today's appetiser?" Called Wyatt. Was he trying to be considerate? He was never considerate. This could mean he wants something from Lilith. He could also be attempting to butter Nadia up. Unlikely.

He had already attempted to offer Nadia surrender yesterday. She was not going to give in and he could see that. Had he tempered his expectations? Or was Lilith the next person on his list to offer surrender? If so what should she actually say?

"Yeah! Is our mint part of the meal today?" Called Cally who was apparently seated to Lilith's left. Felis was likely next to her. They usually didn't talk much during meal times and when they did it was mostly for reasons like this.

The fact that the twins were there exacerbated a point most of them had long gotten used to. Their father wasn't there. Lilith had only ever 'seen' the man on his throne so she didn't know what he looked like in a casual setting. Mostly because she'd never met him in one. He was all business.

"Today's appetiser is freshly baked bread. Inside you will find a number of small fillings. Pork and yes we have your highness' mint. Perhaps I should leave the rest so that you may find out for yourselves." Announced the head servant. Lilith barely recognised the voice. She'd never seen him though so he was just the head servant to her.

Lilith was thankful the food was large. It would be easier to find on the plate. On the other hand it also had various fillings that could spill out if Lilith didn't handle it properly. She gingerly tapped around the plate with her utensils. Finding something different from just plate, she dug her fork into it and cut with her knife. She was used to that routine. So long as nothing spilled she'd be fine now.

She brought the bite size amounts of food to her mouth. The bread was slightly chewy and the meat made it even harder to chew. The vegetables and the mint however helped refresh her mouth with every bite. It was as though the mint was congratulating her. Each bite she would get a congratulations and it made Lilith want more each time.

Utensils clacked from directly in front of her. She could hear some sort of cloth rustling before Wyatt began to speak. "Lilith I'm curious. You have often mentioned your lack of interest in the throne. Why then do you continue to reside in the capital?" His question didn't give Lilith pause. He was curious and Lilith always wanted to sate every one's curiousity. Most importantly her own.

"Primarily because my family resides here and it is easy for me to do my research here. I would not say I have absolutely nowhere else to go but the palace has been my home since I was a child. I cannot deny a form of attachment to it." Lilith explained. If she expected her own curiosity to be sated, she should sate others as well. So long as it was a question not a demand and does not endanger her, Lilith promised herself she'd answer it in the way she would want herself.

"You are here because of your family? Are you referring to myself or Nadia? Perhaps the twins? You also claim the palace is an area prime for research but I have heard Neptune and Pluto would be willing to create facilities for you. Would that not be far more beneficial from a research standpoint?" Wyatt asked.

His question was veering dangerously close to manipulation for Lilith's liking. It was still a question however. Lilith had to answer it. "Perhaps from a purely theoretical perspective, residing in one of the duchys would be best. In practice however, nobles gather here rather than there. Nobles are my client base. If I was entirely focussed on research I may have already left truth be told. I am certain I could visit Nadia and the twins on occasion."

"I see." Wyatt replied in turn. Everyone had finished the appetiser and they were moving on to the main course.

"The main course is a roasted pig. You will be served portions according to nutritional requirements. Accompanying the meat are potatoes we have been assured by the Uranus family are the best in the empire." Explained the head servant. He then seemingly moved, though Lilith once again couldn't see anything.

"On the side we have a number of vegetables grown in the palace gardens. St john's wort extract has been added to your tea from the gardens as well. These have all been provided by her highness Calytrix and his highness Felis." Lilith could see the two smiling smugly in her mind and her etiquette training stopped her from changing her own smile.

She couldn't focus on that right now however. Wyatt's questions were clearly leading and she didn't know what he wanted. As the food was delivered, Lilith thought about what he might want from her. The way he was asking seemed as though he wanted her gone. Would he kill her though?

Assuming he would then she needed to take the offer immediately and live out her life regardless of the consequences. It would likely cause some problems with her client base if she were to move but her life was more important than money. She could likely negotiate a stipend if she needed one.

Would he take her life though? Because if he would not then this is the time to show she cares for her family. Supporting Nadia in this trying time would not only be the moral move but it would also likely get her a number of benefits in the future. 'I suppose that is the question then. Is my life in danger?' Lilith mused.

Wyatt once again clunked his cutlery. He had placed them down once more and Lilith could guess what's coming. She had to decide quickly. "Continuing our earlier discussion." Wyatt started and Lilith's mind was frantically weighing the risks. Analysis of Wyatt's character ran through her mind at blitzing speed. She quickly noticed something.

"if given a stipend to sustain you in lieu of your clients you would be capable of living in the duchy then?" Wyatt asked. It was the most indirect way to ask it but Lilith knew what he was asking. One thought gave her pause. Wyatt was being far too kind.

Nadia seemed to react to the question. A clacking came from her direction as she likely dropped her utensils. Lilith didn't pay attention to this however. A hypothesis was forming in her mind and she was laser focussed on it.

He was capable of simply eliminating her. Lilith wasn't strong. She couldn't detect poison in the food. There were a multitude of means to kill her and he hadn't used any of them. 'Is Wyatt reluctant to kill his siblings?' The thought was perhaps harsh.

The offer to Nadia and then her. It was giving them a way out. He did care for them. He was going to do something drastic. He just wanted them away from it. In which case he wouldn't intentionally harm them. "I'm afraid that would not work. I do not work for the money. It is my debt to society so-to-speak. I work for the sake of people and without those people I cannot work for them." Lilith replied. What really mattered was the information though.

There was tense silence for a moment. Lilith could feel Wyatt's glare. He was trying to coerce her into changing her mind. Yet she stood firm. The chance he retaliated was low. He cared for his family too much. He wouldn't make the offer otherwise.

With a reluctant sigh he stopped glaring. "I see." His court acknowledgement encompassed all that was said from that moment forward. The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence. Once it was over, Nadia and Wyatt said they had faction business to attend to. They both left at staggered times with Wyatt going first.

Lilith left soon after, leaving the twins to eat together with the servants. The room immediately sprang back to life after she left. Giggles from the twins echoed out the hallway as Lilith walked away.

Now that breakfast was over, Lilith was going to go and see Zilla. Once the twins finished they were going to ask their father for magic. He would likely grant their request but not until evening. Lilith decided it was research time until then. She had a number of projects that needed Zilla's physical presence that they could get through.

She'd also like to talk about the jellyfish but there was unfortunately little to talk about. Without a specimen to dissect or observe, they didn't know how it worked. If they couldn't even witness the process, how were they going to replicate it.

Not to mention that Lilith had to understand the process of replicating animals abilities first regardless. She had slowed research on the topic. She wasn't making much progress on the subject and needed a break. She was back now though. She would surely crack the code.

She headed for the gates they left yesterday, ignoring the contemptuous glances from everyone she passed. More whispers of her old nickname. Frankly, she found the name to simply be an accurate descriptor of her actions. It wasn't terribly offensive. Yet everyone treated it as though saying that in front of her was like a combustion mage pressurising air in the middle of the room.

She soon reached the gate and this time the guards were different. She didn't bother to remember their names as they let her through. Aaron was a special case. Lilith remembered him because he annoyed her sister to the point of punishment. Normally however guards were just guards.

Lilith ran into more at the front gate and she ordered one of them to fetch a carriage for her. This should really be a servant's job. Unfortunately it ended up becoming the job of whomever was on guard duty because the servants were too busy. It wasn't even as if they couldn't afford more.

The empire was wealthy and the family that ruled it obviously got a portion of that wealth. Yet they had a reputation to uphold. They were known for not employing many servants and the public praised them for the decision. Touting them as 'independent' and 'down and dirty'.

Lilith thought it was just annoying. She wasn't going to complain about the free boost in public perception however. While thinking about this, Eobard came around with the carriage. He was apparently Lilith's driver today. He wasn't the only coachman they had but there were precious few who could act in the role of both coachman and guard.

Lilith stepped into the carriage and told him to take them to the Neptune mansion in the capital. All of the planet families had a mansion here. Most of them only ever used it during parties but they existed and were very easy to spot.

They were all outside the respective family's gate into the palace. In the case of Neptune, this would be the gate Lilith was currently leaving from. By design of course. Lilith thought taking a carriage such a short distance was a waste of the horse's feed and time. Regardless she went through procedure.

She was rocking in the carriage all the way to her destination. She didn't need to go far and she still felt as if her spine had crumpled slightly in the last few minutes. When she exited the carriage, her steps were slow and slightly wobbly. Her balance was never great and this made it worse.

Thankfully Zilla had come with her trusty butler to greet her. "Whoa there Lil'. You alright?" He asked as he wrapped his arm around Lilith and helped her off the carriage. Touching solid ground once more was amazing.

"Thank you Darren." Lilith replied as she attempted to regain her footing. This wasn't the first time Darren had caught Lilith or otherwise helped her with normal activities. He always helped her when she was here.

"No problem. I'll walk you inside. We can see if you're able to stand on your own by then." He probably smiled at her as he replied. Lilith couldn't see it of course. She had heard that many were charmed by the smile. She herself had never seen it however and likely never would.