Adam had decided to collect two of the ruby red dragons scales as proof of their adventure, one for each of them.
Together they took the ride home, Adam stunned expressing his surprise over Lilliana's ability to ride and Lilliana teasingly informing him there was a lot of things about her he didn't know.
That made Adam curious and he started to ask, even started to guess, but Lilliana wisely shook her head saying her past no longer mattered only where she was right now.
Finally they came back to the castle and was greeted by the king whom had seen them from the castle window and came to meet them. His eyes were only at Adam as he ran for them. "My son!" he gasped. "Thank heavens you are alive!" he stated.
"Barely." Adam smirked. "Thanks to Frog, she saved my life."
That made the king stop as he stunned turned to Lilliana. "Is this true?" he asked.
Lilliana blushed as she looked down. "It wasn't that much." she said.
"Not that much?!" Adam asked. "That Dragon was just about to swallow me whole when she came and distracted it! She gave me the opening to shoot it in the eye and even told me how to finish it!" he said. "If not for her I would have been dead and the dragon still alive. How ever, it is now gone!" he stated as he lifted up one of the ruby red dragon scales. "The dragon is dead!"
Wide-eyed the king looked at the scale. Then up up at Adam. "I barely even believe it." he breathed.
"Believe, anyone can go up and check the dragons lair for themselves." Adam smiled. "It's dead al right." he said.
"Well." The king then frowned and looked towards Lilliana. "Frog. You did take one of my horses without permission, you neglected your duties for three whole days, and you interfered with something that you shouldn't have." he said. "Yet, I cannot deny your bravery or the fact that you saved my son. So I shall overlook these transgressions this time." he stated. "Do not let it happen again though!"
"I understand. Thank you your majesty." Lilliana bowed her head for him.
"Hey hold on!" Adam stopped. "Frog helped slaying the dragon. Didn't you promise whoever slayed the dragon title and estate?" he asked.
"What?" The king asked as suddenly he turned pall. "Adam. You can't possible mean!" he shivered.
"Father." Adam lectured in a stern tone. "That was your own decree! What would people think if you went back on your promise now?" he asked.
"Son!" The king hissed. "I appreciate what she has done, but you can't expect me to make a creature like that a lady and part of my court?" he asked. "She took one of my beloved horses without asking and I am letting her go. Surely that must be enough."
"Are you serious?" Adam asked now getting angry. "She saved this kingdom from the dragon!" he exclaimed. "You can't just-"
"If I may." Lilliana then injected. "The decree his majesty announced was that who ever slayed the dragon would get the title and estate." she said. "I did in fact not slay the dragon, all I did was distracting it allowing you the shot." she said then turned to Adam. "You slayed that dragon not I. The king owes me nothing."
Defeated Adam looked at Lilliana. "But I want to thank you somehow, surely there is some kind of reward I can give you?" he asked.
Lilliana smiled at him. "Your company is reward enough to me. You saved my life, you gave me a chance. Because of you I neither have to go hungry or be cold at night. I need no reward." she said.
"Please." Adam then suddenly begged. "Just something. Anything!" he asked. "There must be something you want."
Lilliana smiled amused. "I'm afraid the one thing I want is not something you can give me." she admitted as she shook her head. "All though, now that I think about it."
"What is it? Anything." Adam said, the king clearly looked nervous hoping Lilliana wouldn't ask something insane.
"The next time you have a dance at the castle, may I come?" Lilliana asked. "I do so like dancing, I would like to part of it just one time." she looked at the king and realized he had gone pale by the mere suggestion.
"Wi-with the court?" The king asked. "Among the nobles and any visiting princess?" he practically looked like he was going to faint.
"Of course you can!" Adam smiled making the king nearly faint. "And you can sit next to me at the banquet!"
"No!" The king stated cutting in. "She cannot! That place will be reserved for a princess! I'll allow her at the banquet and the dance but she will be seated with the lady's in waiting. Not with any nobles!" he stated.
"Oh come on father!" Adam exclaimed annoyed.
Lilliana however bowed her head. "Thank you for the invitation your majesty. I shall very much look forward to a real royal banquet and even a dance." she said. "If you'll please excuse me, I must go find Jack. He must be worried." she said as she finally got to jump off the horse and pull it into the stable where she could remove the saddle and brims and then give the exhausted horse some well deserved food.
Soon she did make her way back to old Jack whom was waiting for her in the door smoking his pipe. He did not look happy.
"Look who we have here." Jack muttered. "So you just steal one of the kings precious horses and skip work for three days to go slay some dragon?" he asked. "Typical!"
"I know, I did wrong. Please forgive me." Lilliana asked as she bowed. "I promise I will work hard tomorrow if you will let me stay. I'm sorry Jack." she said.
For a moment Jack looked at her then rolled his eyes. "Just get inside and get some sleep, you need to get up early tomorrow so we can get some damn work done!"
And Lilliana smiled. "Yes sir." she said as she followed him inside.
Thankfully things was mostly back to normal the next day, Adam came to check on Lilliana quite early and had brought her a piece of cake. Happily they talked together as Lilliana was mucking the stables.
Apparently that dance Lilliana had been promised would not be to far off as the king intended to celebrate the slaying of the dragon in Adams honor and of course, he would be inviting princess's.
"It's so annoying!" Adam exclaimed. "That party should have been yours as much as mine!" he said.
"I'm just glad I get to anticipate." Lilliana smiled amused.
"Frog, I wouldn't blame you one bit if you got really angry at my father!" Adam stated. "You deserve better than this!"
"I don't mind, I quite like my current position." Lilliana smiled amused.
Adam exhaled deeply defeated then he sat up. "So Frog." he adressed her. "You said the one thing you truly want isn't something I can give you, what is it?" he asked. "Maybe I know someone else whom can get it for you!"
Lilliana amused shook her head. "It cannot so easily be given." she said.
"Oh come on!" Adam exclaimed. "I just want to give you something to make you happy! You're way to nice you know that?" he asked.
Lilliana chuckled. "Jacks says that to." she admitted. "He's say i'm so innocent it hurts his guts."
"You are pretty darn innocent." Adam commented. "But I really like that about you!" he smiled warmly. "Please stay that way."
Lilliana blushed slightly as she looked up. "I'll do my best sir." she said.
In the evening, Lilliana was just about ready to go to bed. Jack was sitting at the table in their shared living room drinking tea and working on carpentry as suddenly it knocked on the door.
Confused Lilliana looked up, Jack didn't look like he was going to move an inch so Lilliana walked to the door and opened to be met with a middle aged woman.
The woman jumped in shock by the sight of her. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed.
Lilliana however blinked. "Can I help you mam?" she asked.
The woman swallowed then finally collected herself. "Erh yes. I'm the royal tailor, Madame Edelweiss." she introduced herself. "I was asked to me a dress for some Lady Frog who lives here, the prince himself requested it. It's for the upcoming ball celebrating the princes defeat of the dragon. I will need to take some measurements and ask the lady what she would want, is she here?" she asked.
"Oh, yes. That's me. I'm Frog." Lilliana said and Madame Edelweiss's eyes widened.
"I… I see." She swallowed. "May I come in?" she asked.
"Yes of course." Lilliana stepped aside and allowed Madame Edelweiss inside.
Jack only shortly looked up from his carpentry as he just continued.
"Right." Madame Edelweiss stated. "I shall start taking some measurements." she said finding her measuring band then hesitated as she looked at Lilliana. "Oh dear that's… Quite an unusual body shape." she commented. "Please stand still." she asked as she started measuring from Lillianas shoulder to the floor, then from her shoulder to her hip, and her hip to the floor. "Do you have any wishes for this dress?" she asked.
"Well." Lilliana looked down. "I always quite liked blue. Light blue, like a summer sky." she said.
"I'm not quite sure how that would go with your complexion but i'll take a note of it." Madame Edelweiss said. "Oh dear those hands!" she stated holding up Lilliana's chubby hands filled with wards over the back. "You are going to need gloves for sure! All though with that webbing between your fingers. This is no easy challenge at all." she frowned as she looked at Lilliana. "I suppose a dress with a tall neck would be best." she stated. "I could make a veil in silk, those are very fashionable in some kingdoms."
"Sounds to me like you are intending to cover up every inch of her body." Jack suddenly huffed and Madame Edelweiss turned to him. "A veil? Seriously? What will be the point of her going to that stupid ball if she can't see any of it?" he asked.
Lilliana smiled amused and Madame Edelweiss turned to her. "You don't want a veil?" she asked.
"I rather not." Lilliana smiled amused. "Though perhaps a hat, i'm afraid I have no hair to arrange." she commented gesturing at her indeed bald frog head. "Oh I know! It can be one of those white broad brimmed hats with a blue bow!" she said. "Like what the nobles wear at royal summer parties!"
"Hmm." Madam Edelweiss frowned critically. "That may not actually be a bad idea." she admitted. "And then a dress in the same colors to match, oh I see it now!" she stated. "A loose design, it would cover up your… erhm." she cleared her throat. "And then perhaps, a coat." she said. "Ah yes a coat designed to be open in front. Ah yes, that will do nicely."
"She's still trying to cover you up frog." Jack commented from his corner.
"I'm sure whatever you come up with will be wonderful." Lilliana smiled at madame Edelweiss.
The seamstress nodded. "I will certainly do my best!" she said.
Not long after that, the measuring was done and madame Edelweiss was on her way with the promise to return to fit the dress.
Smiling Lilliana bid her goodbye and closed the door then turned to the room to meet old Jacks eyes.
"You're seriously going to that ball?" Jack asked.
"I like dancing." Lilliana replied.
Jack rolled his eyes. "All those upper class nobles, they are way to full of themselves." he stated. "People like us, we have no place up there in their fancy rooms. Lets just be happy with what we have!"
Lilliana smiled. "I am very happy with what I have." she assured. "It was the prince whom insisted I should have some sort of reward and well… I would like to go." she admitted as she turned to the window glancing towards the castle. "I really do like dancing."
"Fine." Jack rolled his eyes. "Just don't come crying to me when you figure all their pretty behavior and words are actually hollow and their world is not very nice at all."
Lilliana did hear him, but she didn't mind. She only smiled as she glanced towards the palace, her old fantasy ones again playing in her mind. Of her being beautiful again and dancing with the prince across the ballroom.
Even if such a thing would never become reality, it still warmed her heart.