Seventh: Testing the Waters

She cradled a cup in her hands, staring thoughtfully down at the liquid inside. A small curl of steam drifted upward. The progress of this curl of steam seemed to be taking up the woman's entire focus. She hardly noticed the beautiful day around her, or her friend sitting just across from her at the table. Her eyes continued to bore into the liquid, as if her stare was what made it steam. It was only when she felt a hand lightly touch her arm that she broke her gaze.

"Lilly? Are you all right?" She stared at her friend's concerned face in surprise before nodding. "Are you sure?" prodded Chris with a dubious look. "You seem really out of it lately."

"I'm fine," Lilly snapped impatiently. "Why does everyone keep assuming there's something wrong?" Chris gaped at her. She had no idea, of course, what was really going on in the redhead's mind. Lilly had been thinking about the last several days; more specifically, she had been thinking about Percival.

At first she thought the dark-haired knight was annoying and cocky. Even before he showed an interest in her, she thought this. The feeling only heightened once he started his ridiculous campaign to win her over. Of course then she thought the whole thing was some kind of trick, that he had a bet or was just playing with her. That really got her steamed. How dare he be so cocky that he thought he could make a bet on her!

But he kept at it, and insisted that he was being sincere. She didn't want to believe it. After all, she was the fire-breathing Dragon. Lilly pushed him away as hard as she could, but he would not be budged. And though she tried as hard as she could to stop it, she found herself starting to love him. He did this to me, she thought grudgingly. I was doing fine before he barged in on my life. She found she couldn't stir up any anger toward Percival; there was still an uneasy feeling brewing, a fear that this was going to crumble under her.

"Chris, you know how Percival used to pine over you all the time?" she asked casually. Chris smiled a little, shaking her head as the memories came back to her.

"Yeah. He certainly wasn't ashamed of his feelings for me." She pursed her lips, taking a sip of her drink. "Come to think of it, he hasn't been doing that lately. I guess he's given up."

"But he did have a thing for you for a long time," pursued Lilly, leaning forward in her chair. She knew she was being a little too interested in this subject, but she just had to know.

"Ever since we met, I would say," confirmed Chris. So he's loved her for years, and all of a sudden he starts liking me. Why? "But you know," the lady knight continued, "I think he only kept flirting with me because he liked the challenge."

"The challenge?" Lilly repeated, her eyebrows going up in surprise. Chris nodded, taking another sip of her drink.

"Yeah. You know he has that club in Brass Castle that hangs on his every word. I mean, he likes it and everything, but those girls practically fall on themselves to get near him. I, on the other hand, rejected his advances. I think he liked that." Lilly could feel disappointment sinking down into her. So that was why he was pursuing her: he enjoyed the challenge.

"So, um… if you suddenly gave in to him, do you think he would've stopped liking you?"

"Who knows?" shrugged Chris. "Knowing him, he probably would've been disappointed. No fun chasing girls that won't run, you know?"

"Um, right," she agreed dully. Trying her best to appear as if nothing was wrong, she held her head a little higher and forced a small smile. "Well, thanks for the talk, Chris. I have to go… check up on Reed and Samus." Leaving her untasted drink on the table, Lilly made a hasty retreat.

I knew it! she thought as she stormed across the grass. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! She had suspected there was something odd about Percival's sudden interest in her, and know she knew what it was. He only liked her because she ignored his affections! He didn't really care about her. But he had sounded so sincere when he spoke those soft words to her.

 she thought as she stormed across the grass. She had suspected there was something odd about Percival's sudden interest in her, and know she knew what it was. He only liked her because she ignored his affections! He didn't really care about her. But he had sounded so sincere when he spoke those soft words to her.

"I have to make sure," she said aloud. "I have to know for sure how he feels about me."

-

He had his legs resting on another chair, a content smile playing on his lips. The bar was in a quiet lull at the moment. There were only a few patrons, along with the usual presence of Anne and the three minstrels. He liked it better this way; he could think of the girl he loved for as long as he wanted without distraction. The door leading outside swung open, and to his great surprise the very person he had been thinking of came in.

"Lilly!" he exulted, turning to greet her. He prepared himself for whatever spiteful words would come, but instead she smiled sweetly and plopped herself down on his lap.

"Oh, Percival!" she gushed. "I've missed you so much!" Poor Percival turned red. He had good reason to: this was the most contact he and Lilly ever had.

"Er…" He honestly couldn't think of anything to say. What had gotten into her? Was she drunk?

"Didn't you miss me, Percy?" she asked sweetly. She put her head on his shoulder and gazed up at him with an adoring expression. The dark-haired man began to grow uncomfortable. She certainly looked like Lilly Pendragon, but she wasn't acting like her. What's wrong with her?

"Um, are you… okay, Lilly?" he questioned warily.

"Of course I'm okay," she answered, still in that sweet lilt that was so different from her normal tone. "I'm here with you, aren't I?" She nuzzled against his neck. His blush traveled so his whole face glowed red. Alarm bells were sounding in his head. Lilly was definitely drunk.

"Get off!" he cried, forcing her out of his lap. He got to his feet and scrambled to the other side of the table, watching her carefully.

"Percy, what's wrong? Don't you like me anymore?" she pouted.

"Well… of course I like you," he said helplessly. "But you're drunk now; you don't know what you're doing." She emitted a silvery laugh. Even that sounded strange, like it didn't quite belong with her.

"I'm not drunk, silly. You know better than that!" He did know better, and that was why he was starting to get really worried. Was she under some kind of spell? She closed in on him and he quickly backed away from her. "Oh, Percy, please don't run from me!" she whined.

"Lilly, stop this. You're not yourself." She gave him a puzzled frown. Percival slowly made his way to the door. "Please… just stay away from me until whatever's wrong with you wears off." With that he quickly hurried out of the bar, pressing his back against the door.

There was something seriously wrong with Lilly. She never acted like this before. Even if she had finally fallen in love with him- his heart gave a leap of hope at this thought- she wouldn't hang on him like that. It had to be a spell or something that made her this way. It had happened so suddenly that he couldn't think of any other explanation. He ran his fingers through his dark hair, sighing heavily.

"Oh, goddess… I miss her." He thought that he would like it if Lilly wasn't so mean, but now that he faced with such a girl, he realized he really did love Lilly just as she was. He didn't like this new Lilly one bit. She was so… unnatural. So much like those other girls. "Like those other girls," he repeated aloud. It was beginning to dawn on him. "Oh, my god, she was faking!" He got to his feet, setting his jaw. "Well, two can play at that game."

-

After Percival exited the bar, Lilly let out a soft laugh. His actions were very amusing, though a little puzzling at the same time. He seemed almost frightened of her. Her experiment at least proved that he didn't like girls all over him. Or perhaps he acted that way because this was erratically different than her usual behavior. As she pondered this, he came in through the door again.

"Oh, Percy, I'm so glad you came back!" she cried breathily. And that wasn't too far from the truth. She put on the sweetest smile she could muster and fluttered her eyelashes. It inwardly sickened her to act this way, but she had no other choice if she was going to test Percival's feelings for her.

Percival quirked his eyebrow and gave her a look that read very clearly, 'How dare you talk to me?' Lilly knew the expression well, as she had used it quite often herself. Taken aback by this drastic change in his behavior, it took her a moment to get over the shock.

"Dear Percy, is there anything wrong?" she cooed. He gave her a nasty sneer as response, lifting his head and breezing right by her. She was stunned. This was very odd. She approached him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Percival, is something wrong?" she asked in genuine concern.

"No," he snapped, pushing off her hand as if she had a deadly disease. "Keep your hands off me and leave me alone!" Lilly wasn't the only one in the room that gawked at him. Anne and the minstrels witnessed this exchange with wide eyes, barely daring to breathe.

"Percival, what is wrong with you?" she demanded, forgetting she was supposed to act lovey-dovey. He turned to glare at her.

"Are you deaf or something? I already said there wasn't anything wrong!" Her mouth dropped. Anger boiled up in her and she glared right back at him.

"How dare you speak to me that way?"

"I'll speak to you in any way I want!" he retorted, lifting his nose snobbishly. Lilly trembled in anger and frustration. A part of her was also helplessly confused. This wasn't the Percival she knew. What was going on here?

"You are not Percival!" she accused. "I don't know who you are, but you are not him! I want him back, you hear me?" His lips twitched slightly. She stared at him, her anger rising dangerously. "You're faking!"

"Turnabout is fair play, Lillian," he said, allowing a grin to spread. She had to admit to herself that she did deserve it. "At least now we know how we stand with each other, hm?"

"And what's that mean?"

"It means," he answered, reaching over and lightly playing with her hair, "that you know I feel about you. And I know how you feel about me." Lilly couldn't breathe correctly, just like earlier when she sat on his lap.

"Is that so?" She felt a blush cross her face. "So how do I feel about you?" He smiled gently, brushing his thumb over her flushed cheek.

"When you're ready, I think you'll be able to tell me." He drew his hand from her, and stepped out of the bar. Lilly shakily sank down into a chair. She kept a hand on her chest to keep her beating heart from bursting out.

When she was ready, she would tell him. But she didn't think she would ever be ready.