Chapter 31: You should pamper me

"Lilith, thank you for the tea. I enjoyed it with my heart," Apollyon expressed his happiness as he

leaned back on the couch.

"I can make it for you every day if you want," Lilith said.

"I will be happy if you do," Apollyon stated. "I have a lot of work today. I may not be in the palace

for lunch, so make sure to have your meals," he informed Lilith.

"Won't you have lunch?" Lilith asked.

"I will do it outside. It's the month's end and I must meet the head of the council in the capital.

There is a feast organized for lunch," Apollyon said. "I would have taken you with me, but you

might get bored there," he asserted.

"I would love to accompany you. I hardly used to go to the capital after Father died," Lilith

expressed her desire to join him.

Apollyon realized Lilith used to live on the hill alone. She hardly used to go to crowded places.

"Since you want this, I will fulfill this wish of yours," Apollyon said as he agreed to let her

accompany him to the council hall.

"Thank you," Lilith said.

"You don't need to be," Apollyon stated. "You were crying in the middle of the night," suddenly

he brought up a matter related to her nightmare during their conversation.

"What?" Lilith exclaimed as she had no remembrance of any nightmare.

"You called my name. I wonder if you are alright," Apollyon stated, a deep concern evident on

her face.

"I don't remember if I had any dreams," Lilith said.

"Did you have a nightmare before? Be truthful. I cannot access your thoughts anymore, else I

would have seen by now," Apollyon said, waiting patiently for her reply.

"I saw a woman... A peculiar one two days ago and then I saw her again on the second day,"

Lilith finally told him.

"Describe the dream to me," Apollyon urged her.

"I found myself in a house full of mirrors. Then, suddenly I saw a woman of a dusky complexion

and she was weeping. That's it. Two days I saw the same woman," Lilith said as she reminisced

about her dream.

Apollyon's brows creased as he began thinking about the house of mirrors. He had heard about

such a place, but he wasn't sure.

"What happened?" Lilith's voice brought him out of the contemplation. "I think it was a random

dream," she muttered.

"Perhaps. However, I fear when you cry in your sleep," Apollyon stated.

"Maybe I saw my father in the dream," Lilith opined and lowered her eyes. In the past, she had

such dreams where she could weep and scream in her sleep.

Apollyon couldn't utter a single word. He felt the pain those words carried when Lilith started

telling him what happened that day. He keenly listened to every detail, picturizing everything in

his mind.

"I thought my Father was poisoned. I tried waking him up; I crushed the herbs the way Father

had taught me. But he was no more," Lilith said, her eyes turned misty as she narrated the

terrible incident of her father's demise to Apollyon.

Apollyon left his seat and got on his knees in front of her. His hands gently grasped her hands,

which were on her lap. "I will find out what happened to your father. You said he went to the

palace with the soldiers as he was urgently called. I remember no one was sick in the royal

family. That means, your father wasn't called to treat anyone," he explained to her while clearing

Lilith's confusion.

Lilith nodded her head. "Thank you for listening to me," she said, not pulling her hands back.

She felt the warmth and assurance in that touch and in his gaze.

Apollyon then stood up while Lilith lifted her head to meet his gaze. He extended his hand out to

her, "I would like to show you something," he said, gesturing for her to hold his hand.

Lilith gently placed her hand above his and stood up. "What do you want to show me? I do not

desire any present," she muttered as Apollyon took her to a room in the chamber.

"It's not a present," Apollyon assured her.

As they stepped into the room, Lilith was astonished for a moment. "Is this your study room? Do

you also study?" A sense of doubt lingered in her eyes.

Apollyon ended up smiling while Lilith went ahead to check the books on the shelves. All were

about medicine, specifically herbal ones. Her eyes landed on the five books which she brought

from the royal library yesterday evening.

"This is—" Lilith began to turn around, but before she could finish, Apollyon interjected,

"It's for you. I don't study. Whenever I won't be around, you can stay here."

Lilith couldn't help but smile a little, surprised by the unexpected gesture. "I didn't expect this

kind of surprise," she said.

"Your smile says you like my surprise to you," Apollyon confidently asserted.

Lilith admitted by nodding her head. "Thank you," a smile graced her lips.

"I believe your heart has softened towards me. I appreciate that," Apollyon remarked, noting the

positive change in Lilith's demeanor.

"There is no point in staying angry with you anymore," Lilith stated and asked him if he wished

to have breakfast with her.

"Are you hungry?" Apollyon queried.

"I am," Lilith admitted. "Let your half-siblings join us for breakfast. You shouldn't neglect their

presence," she added.

"I don't want to see Jareth in the morning, especially after what happened last night," Apollyon

declared, his anger resurfacing.

"Jareth has that kind of nature. You cannot stay angry with him. He cares for you," Lilith opined.

"You are praising him," Apollyon arched his eyebrow at her.

"I never praised him. I stated the fact," Lilith said. "You should be grateful for having your own

family around you. Not everyone is this fortunate," she advised him.

"Indeed, I am grateful to have you in my life," Apollyon stated and approached her. As he leaned

in, Lilith instinctively leaned back.

"You should pamper me. I need that," Apollyon whispered against her lips, his desires evident in

his eyes.