Lady Celeste sat at her table, gently sipping her soothing flower tea as she waited patiently for Levi. She was changing clothes behind a privacy water painted folded wall. Celeste could hear Levi struggling on the other side with softly grunting and sighing in frustration.

“Are you alright darling?” Celeste asked.

“Yes, I am just having trouble with putting this on. Our sizes are very different,” Levi explained through the wall. She kept struggling to tighten the corset as tight as possible but it was no use, the dress was still too loose on her.

“Different how? I am a lot taller than you but we can just trim the bottom of my dresses,” Celeste teased.

“It's not that,” Levi mumbled. Her cheeks were turning pink.

“Then what is it dear? Do you need help?”

“It is just,” Levi groaned. “Your chest is a lot bigger than mine. I can’t wear any of your dresses. They just hang off me.”

Celeste nearly coughed up her tea, trying to hold in her laughter. She settled herself and thought of a solution. “I have a lovely black dress that doesn’t need a corset to wear. It is in my closet, so give it a try.”

Levi turned around and scanned through the large amount of dresses hanging in the closet. Every dress was just as lovely as the last, mostly all blue or white colored. Then she noticed the black dress Celeste was talking about. It was a very form fitting black dress with a mermaid design. The neck was a deep V line that showed the chest and the sleeves were transparent and went up to the knuckles. Levi easily fit into the dress and walked out so Celeste could see. Her eyes were so bright it was though they were glowing!

“You look extraordinary!” she smiled. Levi politely nodded and tried to hide her embarrassment by wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. “What is wrong?”

“I am just not used to wearing clothes this…thin,” she said.

Celeste softly chuckled. “You have a beautiful body, you should show it off more! C’mon and have some tea with me until our dinner comes.”

Levi sat down at the empty chair across from Celeste. She noticed that Celeste's hands were trembling and almost having trouble holding up her tea. Still, she didn’t say anything to make Celeste uncomfortable.

“I hope you don’t mind tea,” she said. “It is the only thing my son will let me drink.”

“I don’t mind,” Levi reassured.

Levi started to pour her own tea and quietly began stirring. She noticed the scent was a very rich flavor that actually smelled like raw honey.

“I wish my son wasn’t so paranoid about everything about me,” Celeste pouted. “It is as though he doesn’t think I can take care of myself.”

“I am so sorry to hear that,” said Levi. “I can relate.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Not at all. I have wanted to meet you since you came. We are here, so we should get to know one another,” said Celeste. “I hope you don’t mind me asking you a few questions.”

“Of course my lady,” said Levi.

Celeste kept her eyes on Levi, as though she was examining every part of her. Levi had a confused expression on her face and was worried what Celeste would ask her. Worried she will ask her about her past.

“Would you like to be a suitor for my son?” she asked.

Levi's face immediately turned as red as one of the moons! She tried to steady herself but hid it terribly. Celeste found it adorable how flustered she was getting.

“Is that a no?” she teased.

“I am just a little surprised. Surely, there are plenty of suitors for your son,” said Levi.

Celeste groaned. “I’ve met over a dozen suitors for my son and all of them were the same. They were either obnoxious people pleasers who do anything we’d say. I don’t want my son to be with such a pushover. Then there were others who are so blinded, sighted, confused by mixing love for lust and some who were just shallow and wanted the title.”

“I know people like that,” said Levi. Her face changed into an emotionless tired expression. Celeste could see Levi staring at her tea and was able to tell that Levi was bottling up so much emotion.

“Like who?” Celeste asked. “Someone from your home?”

Levi nodded sadly.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. A chambermaid came inside and rolled in a small dolly with two plates of food on it. It was a simple soup with round potatoes and chunks of freshly cooked red meat. Also a couple of bread rolls next to the bowls of soup. 

“Have a wonderful meal my lady,” The chambermaid politely bowed to Celeste and ignored Levi. As she walked away, Celeste tapped her cup, making the chambermaid come back.“Yes, my lady?”

“You didn’t bow to my guest,” Celeste gestured to Levi.

The maid was hesitant to look over to Levi and still avoided her. “I am sorry my lady, but my Lord said no special treatment to the Baellon.”

Levi didn’t bother to argue with this harsh attitude, instead she remained silent. Still, that did not stop Celeste from giving the chambermaid a scowling look.

“Is my son here?” Celeste asked coldly. Her sweet voice suddenly turned harsh and horrifying.

“No my lady,”

“Then I am your superior and as long as Lady Levi is my guest, you will treat her with respect,” ordered Celeste.

The chambermaid looked over to Levi with disgust; but she couldn’t argue against the Lord's mother. She politely bowed to Levi. “I am sorry my lady.”

“You may go now,” ordered Celeste.

The chambermaid shamefully left the room in a hurry, not to upset Celeste any longer. Once she left, Celeste began quietly sipping her soup with a blank expression on her face. Just when Levi was about to, Celeste reached out and held her wrist. The two looked at one another with the same look on their faces.

“I am sorry how you are treated here,” said Celeste. “Just know that I am very happy you are here.”

Levi bit her tongue but gained the courage to ask. “Lady Celeste, why are you being so kind to me? You don’t even know me.”

“So, because I don’t know you well, you think I should be strict with you?” she asked. “Or do you think you should be treated that way because you are a Baellon?”

“Both my lady,” Levi answered.

Celeste gave her a heartwarming smile and held onto her hand. “I don’t judge you because of your bloodline. If that was the case, the world would see me as a monster because of my eyes and my horns. Do you see me as one?”

“No, I do not.”

“I know,” she smiled. “Otherwise, you would have killed me and everyone in this whole kingdom the moment you’ve recovered. I can tell you have such a powerful presence about you. So much so, you survived getting here on your own.”

Celeste let go of her wrist and gestured her hand to reassure Levi to start eating. The two started sipping their soup. Levi was licking her lips, enjoying the taste so much. Celeste noticed how pleased Levi looked.

“Is there no meat and potato soup in the Baellon kingdom?” Celeste asked.

Levi softly chuckled. “Not really. There were mainly small portion meals that were filled with spices and not really with such thick flavors.”

“That sounds horrible. Why eat in small portions? Wouldn’t you just get even more hungry?” Celeste asked.

“I would always get hungry after eating. Thankfully, my father always snuck some extra food after my meal,” Levi said sweetly. Celeste noticed that she looked much calmer after speaking.

“Is your father back in Baellon?”

“No. He passed away a while ago. Maybe five or six years by now,” said Levi.

“And your mother?”

Levi's face froze in shock. She felt her body begin to boil. The faint sound of her mothers screeching voice, her vile face, her ugly presence haunted her. Levi clenched the edge of her bowl tightly, so much so she was struggling not to make it break. Slowly, Celeste noticed the table starting to shake. Quickly, she reached out and held Levi’s wrist once again.

“It is alright,” said Celeste. “We do not have to talk about her.”

“No. You asked me a question and I will answer,” Levi exhaled. She slowly calmed down and took a final sip of tea before beginning to speak. “My mother, her name is Haiba. She was an awful mother and a horrible wife to my father. They never loved one another, it was an arranged marriage just to have me. She was a bloodsucking leech that only cared to have a privileged life. She never wanted children and only had me to make sure my father didn't leave. Afterwards, my father refused to touch her and she had so many suitors over the years. My father and I found out about it easily because she didn’t bother to hide it.”

“That is awful,” Celeste gasped. “Then why stay together?”

“Because leaving your spouse is illegal in Baellon. You can only do that if one dies. In Baellon, you have to stay married until you die. No matter if there is adultery, bastard children, physical, mental or emotional abuse,” Levi explained.

“Your mother, she was abusive towards you?” Celeste asked.

“Yes,” Levi answered coldly. Thoughts of her mothers condescending words and glimpses of her raising her hand obsessively lingered in her mind.

“Here in Xyiiux that kind of behavior, my son wouldn’t tolerate it,” said Celeste. “My son sees marriage and children as a privilege, not a duty. Such infidelity is looked down upon here.”

“That is nice to hear,” said Levi. “I wish Baellon was the same.”

Celeste noticed that Levi's face looked a little broken, so she decided to stop digging into her past. “So, what is the Baellon kingdom like? Is it as beautiful as I’ve heard?”

“It is beautiful there but here is much better. There are almost never any clouds in the sky, so you can feel the sun. The kingdom feels like it is painted entirely out of gold. We are known for our beautiful views of the ocean that lets you see the sun rise and set, the open green valleys and the parties.”

“That sounds lovely,” said Celeste. “What do you miss most about your home?”

Levi pounded for a moment. As she stared down at her now empty bowl of soup she felt her stomach actually feeling full, which was a luxury she wasn’t used to. “Actually, I don’t miss anything.”

Celeste wondered more about Levi.

“You don’t have anyone you miss back at your home?”

“No,” said Levi. Celeste didn’t have Casitas abilities but she could easily tell that Levi was telling the truth.

“Then I guess that means you are able to find a suitor too,” Celeste teased.

Before Levi could reply back, Celeste started coughing uncontrollably. She quickly covered her mouth with a cloth. Levi saw that she was coughing up blood and it wouldn’t stop. Immediately, she stood up and hurried to Celeste's side.

“My lady! Are you alright? Can I get someone for you?” Levi panicked.

Celeste struggled to speak between coughing. She clutched her chest and her vision started to become blurry. As Levi held her hand, she felt her pulse fading fast. Knowing getting a healer wouldn’t be fast enough.

Without wasting time, Levi pulled up her eyepatch and exposed her one golden eye. It began to glow intensely and she carefully turned Celeste to her. She carefully cupped her hand around Celestes neck.The glow from her eye flowed down her body, traveling down her veins. Looked as though golden tree vines rooted from her eye and down her hand. The moment it reached her fingertips, the glow went to Celeste's neck and flowed rapidly through her body. Her entire body glimmered a beautiful shade of gold. As it went all over Celeste's body, it disappeared immediately. Celeste breathed heavily.

“Are you alright, my lady?” asked Levi.

Celeste carefully opened her eyes and noticed her focus was better than it has been in years. She placed her hand on her chest and noticed her congestion was gone! Her body didn’t feel too weak to move, it felt like she had never been sick before. Slowly, Celeste stood up and realized she did it without needing help.

“What did you do?” asked Celeste. She placed her hands on her lips and still felt amazing. “I feel like I am a teenager again!”

“I am sorry, I shouldn't have done this,” said Levi.

Celeste held onto Levi’s wrist and smiled cheek to cheek. “Is this the power of a Baellon!? Is this how you feel all the time!? This is incredible! I don’t feel sick anymore!”

“Please, don’t tell Lord Casitas I did this,” Levi begged.

“Why? He would be so happy seeing me doing so well.”

“But if he found out I was the one who made you better, he would just think I poisoned you or something worse.”

“But you didn’t, you healed me. So much better than the medicine Avan prepares for me.”

“With Baellon, it is quite rare for us to get sick. It only happens when we exhaust our bodies to the point of near death. Healing you, didn’t take much out of me, but I wanted to help you.”

“See? I knew you had a kind heart,” said Celeste. “I won’t say anything to my son, only if you do the same thing to my grandson. He has the same sickness as me and we are all worried about his health as well.”

Levi remembered young Conall and how sweet he was to her. Levi didn’t hesitate to nod in agreement. That moment, Lord Casitas entered the room without even knocking. He noticed that his mother was standing and holding onto Levi’s hands.

“Mother!? You shouldn’t be standing around like that,” said Casitas as he hurried by her side. Levi backed away immediately and Casitas held onto his mothers hands. Celeste noticed how docile Levi had become and immediately hated it. She jerked her hands away from her son and started to stare at him angrily.

“I am fine Casitas. I was enjoying my dinner with Lady Levi before you interrupted,” she pouted. “Why are you here?”

“I am here to escort her back to her room,” said Casitas. He turned to Levi and froze for a moment. He noticed the clothes she was wearing and didn’t know what to say. Levi moved her hands behind her back and avoided eye contact with the two.

“She looks beautiful, doesn’t she?” asked Celeste.

“You should go back to your room,” ordered Casitas. Levi politely bowed to Casitas and Celeste.

“Thank you for dinner Lady Celeste. I had a wonderful time,” said Levi. She and Casitas walked to the door.

“I will be back to check on your mother.”

Before she could object, the two left her room.

When returning, Celeste was wearing her nightgown and sitting comfortably in her bed. Casitas approached his mother and saw how upset she looked.

“Are you alright mother? Do I need to get Avan here?” he asked.

“I am fine,” said Celeste. She was still amazed that she didn’t cough or feel weak in hours, all thanks to Levi.

“Mother, how was your dinner with the Baellon?”