Once the uneventful meal was over (although Phil had still been confused about the disappearance of his crab from his plate), everyone left the table, without so much as tidying up after themselves like putting the dishes away, which Melinda had to do, but she didn't seem to mind at all as she did it without complaint.
Phil went to finish packing for Auckland while Ben and his friends went to the media room to watch a movie and Melinda was busy in the kitchen, putting plates in the dishwasher and the leftover food in the fridge, so that Ben and Lily could have it for dinner tomorrow when they came back from their tour.
Lily was still sitting at the table, watching the housekeeper and was unsure about what to do but she felt that she should at least help the woman who had been so kind to her since she seemed to be doing all the work while Lily just sat there.
She didn't want to disgrace herself by being a bad houseguest and not helping out as laziness back at the palace was not tolerated at all, although it was redundant since she had never done so much as prepare a snack before in her life and was not expected to as the servants back in the palace did everything.
But she wanted to earn her keep and seeing the empty glasses still sitting on the table, Lily hid Senna, who was still on her lap, in a safe place and carefully picked up as many as she could and walked over to the kitchen but was clearly struggling to do so.
She wobbled around to avoid dropping them which made her grimace and this caught Melinda's attention as she saw the mute girl carrying a large amount of glasses and was certain to drop one at any moment while she hurriedly walked over to Lily.
'Oh no, no, love, let me carry those for you,' she said, taking them from Lily, who shook her head in protest and held the glasses close to her but Melinda was persistent, not wanting to see the girl cut by broken glass if any of them were to fall onto the floor, yet she smiled at her attempts to be helpful.
'I know that you want to help me and I really appreciate it, but that's what I'm here for and it's what I do, I don't mind at all, so don't feel guilty about not lifting a finger around here, you're the guest.
Besides you'll drop those glasses if you're not careful and I don't want you to hurt yourself.' Melinda said.
Lily nodded and let Melinda take the glasses from her that she placed in the shiny silver machine that humans used to wash dishes, glasses and cutlery automatically instead of using their hands and she looked at it in amazement while hearing the strange noises it made while it was washing the dishes.
What a peculiar girl! Melinda thought to herself as she watched Lily stare at the dishwasher, a very lovely, polite and well-mannered girl, yes but what odd habits she has! It's like she has no idea of how the human world works, if the fork and Mr Steele's pipe is anything to go by.
But Ben is very fond of her and it's so nice to see him smile and be happy again. I can see why he likes her so much as she is bringing out the best in him, which we haven't seen since his mother died..
'Oh, love, if you want to watch something entertaining, you should go to the media room where Ben is and watch a movie with him and the others.' Melinda then said, as Lily looked at her and nodded, wanting to join him and the others, who were probably wondering where she had gotten to.
'Ben's a nice boy, isn't he?' Melinda then said and Lily nodded enthusiastically.
'I agree, he's such a lovely and caring boy, considering the life he's had and the terrible loss he suffered but since he's met you, his spirits have lifted and he's become the Ben we all know and love.
I think that you two were meant to be even though you've only known each other for a day and he's still hung up about that mystery girl but he's really looking forward to taking you on the tour around town tomorrow as there's plenty to see and do.' Melinda said.
Lily then patted Melinda's hand as her way of saying thank you to the kind woman for everything she had done and who was starting to love Lily like a daughter in the short time they had known each other.
'You're very welcome, love, we love having you around and you've seemed to have settled in well here, making new friends and all. They're a nice bunch aren't they?' Melinda said.
Lily nodded, although she screwed up her face when she thought of Anna, which Melinda chuckled at as she knew very well about the girl and what was really like and she had always wondered why Ben and the others were friends with her.
'Yes, I see what you mean about Anna. That girl is nothing more than a spoiled little miss and I don't understand why Ben and the others put up with her, but Mia, Grace and the boys have certainly taken a liking to you.' Melinda said and Lily nodded again.
She then pointed towards the foyer, wanting to find the media room but didn't know where it was and she didn't want to get lost and Melinda helpfully walked her across the foyer so that she wouldn't get lost and soon found the room, which Lily entered, found Ben and she sat next to him.
The movie that they were watching, which was set in an enchanted castle full of walking and talking household objects and the story was about a boy and a princess who was turned into a beast and fell in love in spite of her being a hideous monster, was playing on the huge screen.
Although Lily had no idea what a movie was or understood that it was only make-believe as she wondered if such a thing existed in real life, she watched eagerly at the thing that humans found entertaining, once Ben explained it to her and she enjoyed it very much, particularly the scene when Rose, the beast and Leon, the boy, sang together in the sitting room.
'I like that scene too, Lily,' Ben whispered to her, 'that's when they realise that they are truly in love with each other, even though Leon doesn't know it yet until much later. I won't give too much away, but I promise you it'll end happily.'
Lily smiled as she kept watching the movie, wondering what was going to happen next as Melinda watched her from outside the room.
'Such a lovely girl,' Melinda said as she walked back to the kitchen, 'even if she can't say a word, the poor thing, but I know that she makes Ben happy and vice versa. I wouldn't be surprised if they fall in love soon!'
Later that night, when the movie ended and Ben's friends had gone home, Lily was in her room, sitting near the window, which gave her a view of the beach and the yard where Ben was playing with Ruby and she smiled at him as he threw a ball to her and she ran over and caught it in her mouth before giving it back to Ben.
'Good girl, Ruby! Go and get the ball again, girl!' Ben said and growled playfully at her as she barked and panted happily; jumping up and down before Ben threw the ball again and she ran after it, picking it up in her mouth again.
He then looked up and smiled when he saw Lily watching him and waved to her and she waved back at him before retreating back into her room.
Ben's eyes sparkled as his smile widened as he watched the blonde girl he had found on the beach that morning, who had now become his new best friend and had strong feelings for. What had started out as a bad day had ended well for both of them and he was actually really looking forward to taking her around the Gold Coast tomorrow.
He could only hope that she would feel the same way, as Ruby came back, dropped the ball on the grass and nudged his leg, whining and whimpering which meant that..
'Oh, sorry, Ruby, do you want to do your business?' Ben said, patting Ruby again who panted in response.
'Okay, girl, I'll be waiting,' he said as Ruby ran off again and he looked at the window where Lily was, with the light still on, smiling again as he thought about her. Although he had only known her for a few hours he was fast falling for her yet he thought that..
'If only she was the one who saved my life,' he whispered to himself as Ruby finished her business and followed her owner back inside the house.
In the ensuite of her room, Lily smiled to herself as she stood in front of the mirror and brushed her hair with her fork in lieu of the brush that was sitting on the vanity, along with the toiletries that Melinda had provided for her, thinking about the day she had, the new friends she had made, what tomorrow had in store for her and the chance to explore the human world and to kiss Ben.
She couldn't wait for tomorrow to come and to spend time with Ben, as she finished brushing her hair and placed the fork on the vanity before walking out on the bathroom to be met by Senna, who was sitting on the bedside table with a grumpy expression on her face.
The crab didn't seem to share Lily's enthusiasm about this suicide mission which had so far seen her subjected to many horrors and misfortunes, proving that the human world was no fun for small sea creatures like herself while Lily had breezed through the day without any problems, as the former mermaid walked over to her bed and flopped down on it.
'I don't see why you have to be so happy, Lily, after the day I've had,' Senna grumbled, 'I only hope that you appreciate what I go through for you, young lady because this has got to be, without a doubt, the single, most humiliating day of my life!
And that doesn't include the concert fiasco, oh no, that was a swim in the coral compared to this!' she then said and told Lily her tale of woe about the mishaps she had suffered since she had been in the house.
She told about tasting foul water in the basin of the laundry room, being spun around in a washing machine, being kicked around, thrown into an ice bucket and pool, seeing the torture room that was the kitchen, being stuffed with breadcrumbs and nearly being eaten.
Not to mention meeting some humans that seem to have no respect for distinguished crabs such as that snobby girl who flung her around when Senna had grabbed her finger and had made her feel dizzy yet she felt that the girl had gotten what she deserved.
'And what about those humans that the boy calls his friends?' she said, 'sure, you may think that they are nice and most of them are, even if they did kick me around with their feet but that one called Anna, whose finger I grabbed in the ice bucket and flung me around?
She's a smart madam and a real snob who thinks she's all that but let's be honest, she deserved every misfortune that I gave her!' Senna said, sounding haughty.
Lily raised her eyebrow at the crab as if to say, 'Is that all?' before crawling into her covers and nuzzled her head into the pillow and gave Senna a look that she knew meant 'thank you for sticking by me and I'm sorry that I'm putting you through all this.'
'Don't mention it,' Senna said, 'now, we've only got three days left and we have to come up with a brilliant plan to get that boy to kiss you and that shouldn't be too much of a problem since it'll be just the two of you and you won't have his bothersome friends hanging around like a bad smell.
Tomorrow, when he takes you on that tour, you got to look your best and be on your best behaviour as good Aquarian royal etiquette applies to the human world as well.
You've got to bat your eyes in a cute and adorable manner to grab his interest and pucker up your lips like this..'
Senna battered her eyes and puckered up her lips, hoping that Lily would take notice but instead she was fast asleep, worn out by the big day she had. Senna shook her head and gently stroked Lily's hair with her claw, like Daisy had always done and gave her a soft kiss.
'You are hopeless, child, you know that? Completely hopeless…' Senna said, as she yawned and scurried over to turn off the lamp on the bedside table. She then hopped on Lily's pillow and then fell into a deep sleep herself.
Back in Aquaria, in the throne room of the palace, Daisy looked anxiously out the window, waiting for any news of Lily's whereabouts and was extremely worried about her daughter's well-being and safety, not to mention that Senna had also disappeared with her as well.
She had ordered the entire kingdom to search for the missing princess, with her other daughters leading the parties but their attempts so far had been fruitless.
The queen looked like she had aged five years with worry lines on her face, her hair was limp and unwashed from lack of care and her eyes were bloodshot from crying herself to sleep since Lily had disappeared.
Although the girls and the kingdom wanted to blame Daisy's actions at the grotto for Lily's disappearance, they were wise not to say so, as it was clear that the queen blamed herself and it was tearing her apart inside and Daisy knew they were right as she swam back to the throne and slumped in defeat and sadness.
'What kind of mother am I?' she whispered to herself.
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she saw the basket of pink lilies that Lily was supposed to have tossed at the concert and she picked one up and held it close to her chest as a tear fell on it.
'My darling Lily,' she whispered sadly, as more tears fell down her face and onto the flower.
She gently kissed the lily, just as Nadine swam into the throne room and Daisy quickly wiped her tears, trying to act like her calm and queenly self, but the seahorse could see the pain and sadness in the queen's eyes.
'Any sign of them, Nadine?' Daisy asked desperately. Seeing the queen in such a state, Nadine wished that she had good news to tell her, but she took a deep breath and regretfully said,
'I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, but despite our best efforts, we've found no trace of your daughter or Senna anywhere.'
'Then keep looking, Nadine,' Daisy ordered, tears welling up in her eyes, 'even if it takes all night, leave no shell unturned and no coral unexplored. Let no one in Aquaria sleep until she is safe at home.'
'Yes, Your Majesty,' Nadine said, bowing and swam off, leaving the distraught queen in her slumped state on the throne, just as her other daughters swam in with grave looks on their faces, even Daffodil, who knew that this was not the appropriate time to be daft and act the fool.
'We didn't find her, Mother,' Rose said, sadly, 'we searched all around the kingdom and the places she likes to go but no luck.'
'It's hopeless,' Fern said, 'We'll never find Lily and everyone is exhausted from all the searching. We may as well give up now.'
'Fern, don't you dare say that!' Rose said, 'We have to think positive and keep searching. It's what Mother has ordered the entire kingdom to do. This is our baby sister we're talking about and she could be in serious danger if we don't find her!'
'You think positive, Rose, I'll think realistic,' said Fern and Rose stared crossly at her.
'As much as I hate to say it, it seems that she's disappeared for good,' said Bluebell, pinching the bridge of her nose, 'but who knows what could have happened to her? She could be lost, hurt, frightened and alone.'
'Can you blame her?' Daffodil said, unusually sombre, 'if someone destroyed your favourite place and your treasures, would you want to come home again? I know I wouldn't!'
'Daffodil, that's not helpful,' Marigold said, giving her sister a firm stare, 'we can't give up now, we have to keep searching for her. No matter what she has done, she's our baby sister and she needs us.'
'Exactly,' Violet said, 'and for Mother's sake as well. Can't you see how sad she is and how awful she looks?' while she looked at her mother and she was shocked at her haggard appearance.
'All those worry lines have made her age five years! And she's normally so beautiful and glowing but the light has been switched off…' Violet said again.
'Thank you, girls,' Daisy said, sadly, 'now please keep searching for your sister, I want her home with us again.'
'Yes, Mother,' all six girls chorused and swam out the room to resume their search for their lost sister while Daisy remained slumped in her throne and held the lily close to her chest again as fresh tears fell and she didn't bother to wipe them away.
'Oh, what have I done? What have I done?' she cried, 'my darling Lily, I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you. Please come home to me, I miss you so much.'
Daisy kissed the lily before putting it on her lap and then cried her heart out until she was exhausted, wanting nothing more than to have her beloved Lily home with her again.
Oh, poor Daisy.
So sorry for not updating for awhile, but I've been on holiday for two weeks and this chapter, the first for 2016, is a little short but I hope this makes up for my tardiness!
Read and review and Happy New Year! :) And another Easter egg, my first fanfic, 'A Beastly Rose', makes a cameo as the movie everyone watches!