The Tale of Princess Lillianna by Robi Crusoe (inspirational books for women TXT) 📖

each corner of large screen on the far left wall. Soon, videos started rolling of Damien and Herome’s lives. Halfway through, Emerelda became puzzled.
“Where are Herome’s childhood memories?” she asked herself. Then suddenly she knew.
“I must be ready for the events soon to come!” she gasped. Then she unchained the captives, gathered her things, put on her special cloak that shimmered like the night sky, and left. Hours after Emerelda left, Herome and Damien awoke dazed. Then they left, traveling the rest of the way to Germany.
When they crossed the border they arrived in the small, peaceful town of Arrington. The people surprised them though. Wherever they went people just stared at them and whisper to one another. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an old woman grabbed Herome’s arm.
“Please, Prince Herome, go and see Queen Fiona at once!” urged Vienna, for that was her name. “She has been waiting all these years for you to come!”
“Wait a minute, how do you know my name and why did you call me a prince?” asked Herome.
“The Queen will explain everything.” answered Vienna. “Now come, my prince.” She then walked down the street, Herome and Damien following close behind. She led them up several flights of stairs, soon coming to a door covered in strange markings. “Vienna looked behind her, and then rapped three times sharply on the door.
“Come in!” said a tired voice from the other side. Vienna then opened the door. Sitting on a bed in the far corner was a girl of 29, with jet black hair and a crystal tiara on her head. When she saw Herome she smiled. Then she gestured at the chair by her side.
“Sit Herome,” she then said. “For I am your sister, Fiona St. Marshal.”
“What?” Damien screamed. “Herome, I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“I don’t.” replied Herome sourly. “This must be a hoax.”
“It is no hoax, brother!” contradicted Fiona. “You and I were separated!”
“How would you know?” asked Herome accusingly. “I don’t even remember half of my childhood!”
“Well I do!” said Fiona as calmly as she could. “You were only one year old at the time. I was two so I remember it more clearly.”
“If you really are my sister you are going to have to prove it!” challenged Herome.
“There’s only one way I know of.” replied Fiona. Then she walked hastily over to Herome, grabbed his right sleeve, and pulled down very hard. The sleeve came off with a satisfying rip. On the inside of Herome’s arm was a weird crest. Underneath it was an inscription. It read: Herome St. Marshal, Prince of Arrington.

“Mine reads almost the same thing, except it has my name and calls me a princess.” Fiona replied.
“Wow, I have a sister!” cried Herome. Then he hugged Fiona.
“Hey Fiona, do you happen to know Lillianna St. Clair?” asked Damien.
“Yes, what about her?” answered Fiona.
“Tell her Herome!” urged Damien. Then Herome told Fiona everything that had happened over the last fourteen years, starting with the kidnapping. At the end, he blushed, and then said something that surprised Fiona.
“I also was planning of proposing to her, I mean, after all we’ve been through, and it just seems like the right thing to do.” he said.
“No, no, you can’t do that!” Fiona exclaimed.
“Why can’t I?” Herome asked suspiciously.
“Because, you were engaged at birth to Princess Victoria Charleston!” said Fiona. “I should have told you sooner. Now, let’s start preparing!”
Preparing for what?” asked Herome.
“Why your wedding of course!” said Fiona excitedly.
“But I don’t want to get married to Victoria!” exclaimed Herome. “I want to get married to Lillianna!”
“If you refuse, we will have no choice but to throw you into jail!” said Fiona coldly.
“You know I’ve already experienced that, Fiona” replied Herome. Fiona then remembered Herome’s stories. “Wow, you have gone through a lot with Lillianna, haven’t you.” she said. “I can see why you want to find her and propose to her!”
“So can we forget about Victoria now, please?” pleaded Herome.
“I’m sorry Herome, but I abide by our laws and customs.” answered Fiona. “You are entitled to marry Victoria.”
“Can’t you overrule that or something.” replied Herome. “Come on sis, show me some sisterly love!”
“I’m sorry Herome, but that won’t work on me.” replied Fiona. “By the way, if you try to escape, my guards will get you. I will have them escort you to your room. Guards, come in here please!” Instantly, seven armed guards marched into the room.
“Take these gentlemen to room 106, and make sure that they don’t leave.” she instructed. Then she waved them away and lied back down on her bed. Soon, Herome and Damien were led to a large room that was very finely decorated. The walls were deep red, covered in pictures of people Herome barely recognized. His parents, Aunt Henrietta and Uncle Jerome. He had forgotten a lot over the past few years. Soon he let sleep overtake him. and he fell asleep on a feather stuffed mattress.
When he woke two hours later, he saw Damien whittling at something on the wall. Then Herome noticed the screws on the floor.
“Damien, you are a genius!” he whispered. Then he walked silently over and started helping his friend. They finished soon after, leaping out the window onto the soft earth below. When Fiona awoke to them gone she was furious.
“I knew I couldn’t trust him!” she yelled. Then she had an idea. “Guards, get in here!” she called. Then she started scheming and told the guards her plan. The next morning, there were wanted posters of Herome and Damien all over the country.


Chapter 8: Vengeance


Soon after their escape from Emerelda, Lillianna and Bianca began traveling to Italy, hoping that Herome and Damien would be there. They traveled for many days, hiding at the merest sound, whether it was horses clopping down the path or the sound of metal boots marching across the ground. Once the guards almost caught them, but they had fled just in time. Lillianna began to see a pattern. She looked strangely at Bianca.
“Bianca,” she asked. “Why is the Italian Armada following us and trying to get us captured?” Bianca looked up with a slightly mortified expression on her face.
“Damien and I didn’t exactly escape from the castle legally.” she replied. “We broke a couple of rules.”
“What kind of rules, exactly?” asked Lillianna suspiciously.
“Oh, the normal stuff, like do not disobey the queen, and don’t try to steal a chariot from the stables as a means of escape.” said Bianca, almost sarcastically. Lillianna knew she was telling the truth though.
“Wow, in Italy, rules must be very specific.” she exclaimed.
“Actually, most of the rules apply to things that Damien and I would try to do.” Bianca exclaimed. Then suddenly a large group of armed soldiers came up behind them and tried to capture them. Lillianna sensed this and immediately scurried towards the woods. Bianca quickly followed her, and soon they lost the guards, leaving them stumbling around in chaos. Lillianna laughed softly in triumph, and then gasped as she saw the signs hanging around her. Lillianna quickly tapped Bianca on the shoulder.
“Bianca, look.” she told her friend hastily. Bianca turned around and came face to face with a picture of her. As she realized what it was she gasped.
“See Bianca, Queen Libra has put up a reward for your capture.” said Lillianna.
“This time she has gone way too far!” yelled Bianca angrily.
“Bianca calm down, you’ll alert the guards!” warned Lillianna.
“Your right, I shouldn’t have yelled.” said Bianca. Then the two girls ran off, leaving the posters there, branding them as outcasts.
The girls soon found a place of shelter and decided to settle down for the night. The guards however, not having given up in their search, found where the two were camping and set up a stakeout. In the morning when Lillianna and Bianca got up, ready to start a new day, the guards were ready for them. They sprung at the two and, catching them by surprise, soon overpowered them and took them to the castle dungeons. They were each put into separate cells. Both only held ratty cots and termite filled drawers.
“Oh Lillianna, what do we do now?” moaned Bianca. But surprisingly, the answer came not from Lillianna, but from a person walking down the stairs, a person that Bianca recognized.
“On the contrary Bianca, you and Lillianna will be properly interrogated.” said Queen Libra. “You will also stay in your cells for the rest of the day.” Then she walked back up the stairs and left the girls to their own devices. They soon fell asleep, and though they slept well, their dreams differed greatly.
Lillianna stirred in her sleep, her mind elsewhere. She was in a long hallway, lined with pictures of past German Queens and Kings. Lillianna found herself walking down the hallway, though not knowing why.
“Am I dreaming or is this a weird nightmare.” she asked aloud.
“Oh you’re dreaming alright,” said a familiar voice.
“Annabel, is that you?” Lillianna questioned.
“Yes, I’ve come to warn you!” answered Annabel in haste.
“Warn me about what?” asked Lillianna, slightly intrigued by her sister’s appearance.
“You must find Herome fast and never take your eyes off him.” she said. “If you don’t evil shall prevail and all you love will be lost!” Then Annabel took out a small necklace, on which was a sapphire raindrop. She quickly slipped it over Lillianna’s head. When the raindrop touched the snowflake, the two shimmered for a second, then slowly faded, becoming just a snowflake once more. The charm glowed blue in the low light of the hall.
“Wow Annabel, thanks!” Lillianna exclaimed as she looked down at her necklace.
“Anything for my favorite cousin.” Annabel replied, and then she melded into the mist. Then Lillianna woke up.
Meanwhile, Bianca was having a dream that, like Lillianna’s, was very realistic. She was walking down a dark hallway that she immediately realized was one of the castle corridors. She soon found herself walking into a room with a plaque that said laboratory on the door. As she scurried in, she could see containers and vials that laid on dusty shelves. Her mother was also in there, muttering to herself while stirring a big bubbling cauldron filled with a musky substance.
“I will soon have my dear child in my power!” she cackled, seemingly not noticing that Bianca was watching. She then threw some leaves and herbs into the brew and started chanting again. Bianca tried to walk out of the room, but when she reached the door Queen Libra said something that sent a chill down her spine.
“I’ll get you Bianca, I know you can here me, you’re standing right by the door.” she said maliciously. Then she took out a mahogany wand and shot a green bolt of magic straight at Bianca. Just before it hit her though, she awoke with a jolt.
The next morning the two girls relayed their dreams to each other. Later on a guard came in and opened the cell door.
“Princess Bianca, you are to come with me.” he commanded, his voice low and gravely. “Lillianna, you are to stay here until my mistress calls for you.” Then Bianca was led away and Lillianna was left alone.
The guard and Bianca walked down several halls until they came to the door that Bianca had seen in her dream. The inside looked exactly the same, possibly even more evil than it had before. Queen Libra was sitting in a corner, holding a heavily gilded pocket watch. Her eyes were dark and cold, boring straight into Bianca’s heart.
“Come here daughter!” commanded