The Destiny Detour

Message

"I'll miss you," Lillya whispered with one more hug.

After the grand doors shut, the entryway was a tense quiet, like it could explode with activity at any moment. Or maybe today the entryway to the palace was the center of the activity going on in every corner, holding everything together like a multi-armed elephant on a tightrope. Probably not that last one.

She watched a few Baysellians rush across the floor and into a closed room, late for a meeting. A cook's assistant ducked into the room next door, balancing a tray of drinks. Avia Kalilya looked down from her portrait on the wall. She was Lillya's namesake, even though Tansy was Avia's spitting image. Her mama's portrait was supposed to be on that wall, but no one could paint one that would please her papa, and Mama had such little patience for portraits. After the baby, they could have one painted of the whole family, Mama had recently promised in an attempt to appease everyone. Lillya seemed to remember that was what she had said before Tansy and Taurin. Maybe there would be time if this baby did not set things on fire when it cried like Tansy had.

The man from last night exited a room and pushed the door closed silently behind him, leaning his head back against the marble hallway. He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath. A good hostess would ask him if he needed something. She looked left and right. The entry was oddly empty except for the guard at the door who was busy guarding the door.

She cleared her throat to announce her presence, and the man jumped. Whoops.

"Hello," she greeted him. She couldn't remember his name. In her defense, last night was a blur all around. "Do you need anything?"

His eyebrows rose, and he hesitated. He was thinking of something impolite to say in front of a child. He would be very interesting if she could get a chance to know him, she decided, but, sadly, he would be leaving tomorrow with the rest of the Baysellians. One of her favorite books was about a Baysellian pirate named Marcos and his dog on a search for buried treasure. She had never met a Baysellian who had ever been on a search for real buried treasure, but there was always a first time. If books were to be believed, half of Bayselle was packed full of buried treasure.

"No," he decided to say. "Thank you. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," she said politely. It was the right answer. She was not sure how she was doing, really. She had not stopped to think about it. She was still on a mission. "Do you know where Grandmama Daniella is?" It was worth a try.

"I think she and Princess Tansy were going to practice carriage-making again," he said.

Carriage...making? She shot him a befuddled look.

"Outside," he clarified.

That was not at all what she was questioning, but it was useful information.

"Thank you," she called, and she hurried to the door.

Nobody opened it for her.

"You're not to leave the palace unescorted, Princess," explained Brelin, the guard at the door.

It made sense, but it was an annoying problem to have when she needed to be outside and everyone was busy.

"I'm just going to find Grandmama," she pointed out. "Then she would be escorting me."

"Sorry, Princess," Brelin apologized. "Orders are pretty specific. I'd take you, but I can't leave my post with all the visitors coming and going. Daniella will be back in soon."

This problem needed an immediate solution. "That man can take me."

Brelin eyeballed her new friend, who had either not noticed he was a part of this conversation or was pretending not to notice he was a part of this conversation. This was not within the scope of Brelin's orders, but the guard was not enthused by the idea of arguing with Lillya.