Lily waited and looked at her mother in law to state what she wanted from her. Royal mother placed her hands on Lily's shoulders and said:
"Promise me that you'll always wear this pendant for me" She requested, looking very solemn.
Just that? Lily thought. She would be more than happy to wear it. If that's the simple request that the royal mother was going to make, gladly she would give the promise.
"I promise mum. I will always wear it wherever and whenever" Lily promised. She saw the brightened look on the Royal mother and wondered if that pendant holds so much significance to her heart.
"Thank you. That pendant used to belong to my daughter Xena. It was gifted to her on her last birthday by Kay. But she didn't get to wear it before her death, "the royal mother explained as the memory of Xena flashed through her mind.
"Mum!See what my brother gifted me. Oh! It's so beautiful, mum! This is the best gift I've ever received in my entire life" that was Xena's voice traveling in her memory. Three days later Xena died. She couldn't live to wear it. Royal mother's eyes became teary as the thoughts of her daughter's death seemed just like yesterday.
Lily saw her mother inlaw's teary eyes and knew the memory of her daughter's death still hurts her. Putting the pendant away, Lily held her hands ``Mother I don't want you to be heartbroken anymore. I may not be able to take the place of my sister in-law in your heart but I promise to be a filial daughter" Lily consoled and used her index finger to clean away her tears.
When Lily returned to her bedroom, she couldn't be still but he was curious about Kayden, Diego's sister. What led to her death?, when did she die?. She can't bear to see her mother-in-law's saddened countenance when she talked about her late daughter.
She wants to know, wants answers and the best person to ask is Kayden. If he truly bought her the pendant, then she will have it on so that when Kayden sees it he would have a reaction then she'll pick it up from there.
And just like she predicted, So it happened. Lily wore the pendant and allowed it to be glaringly visible. She went to meet Kayden in his study and met him sorting out files."You're always busy Kayden whether in the human world or in this werewolf clan" Lily said and strolled towards him.
Kayden raised his head from the files and looked at Lily with a smile. He saw that she had changed her dress from the one she wore earlier. She looked so glamorous. "Does her majesty miss me, already?"
"On the contrary, I didn't, not a bit" Lily replied and came over to him. Pulling her he made her sit on his thighs "Are you sure you didn't miss me?" Kayden inquired, circling his hands around her waist.
"Not when I've been with my mother all day" Lily replied and ran her fingers through his long thick hair. He's just too hairy. He should have been a woman, so that he could style it to whatever style he wants.
"Oh I see!"Kayden feigned surprise as his eyes suddenly fell on the pendant Lily wore. He was shocked. This pendant can not have been produced two. His eyes fastened on it as if he was looking at a gold mine.
This is really Xena's. He had asked a special designer to make it and it cost him millions of dollars. In the whole world, there's none that is like it. It can only be it.
"How did you get this pendant?"kayden asked as his countenance turned frosty. He made this pendant for Xena on her birthday as a present. But he's not sure if she ever wore it before her death. She died three days after her birthday.
"Mum gave it to me as a present, '' Lily answered. Looks like her plans are falling into place gradually. She's succeeded in the first phase, she will proceed to the next:
Kayden inhaled audibly. He didn't know mum was still in possession of it. He thought she gave it out like other items of Xena's. She doesn't want to keep anything that would remind her of her death. But it was all a false attempt to forget her.
Mum had gifted it to Lily? He can imagine how precious she had taken Lily in her heart to have been able to give her such a precious jewel.
"Kayden, why do you look surprised? Do you think mum was wrong to have gifted me?"Lily asked carefully observing his facial expression.
" I don't have a problem with mum giving it to you. You're my Luna and deserves the best"Kayden answered casually. He doesn't want to appear hurt again. Not for the second time in a day.
" The sight of it makes you.." She deliberately trailed off. She wants Kayden to fill in the gap. If he does, she will proceed to the next step.
Rather than fill in the gap, Kayden Diego lifted her off his thighs and stood up. He looked Lily in the eyes and asked "what do you want to know?"
Lily was caught off guard. Looks like he had seen through her thoughts. She had soon forgotten that Kayden was super different than the others. He could easily understand her thoughts when they were not even married. Not to say now that they have become closer to each other.
Before Lily could think of an appropriate response, she heard him say:
"Never make the mistake of thinking I can't understand your thoughts" Kayden revealed, standing with his back to Lily and looking out of the window. He knows Lily wants to know more about Xena and that she's only pretending.
"Since you already know, Why don't you tell me what I need to know"Lily stated simply. She wants to know what happened to his sister that led to her death. And since he had already seen through her thoughts. What's stopping him from telling her straight away?
Kayden ignored her. He was not interested in talking about his sister. When it's time, she will know. After a long time waiting for Kayden to answer her, she saw him turn slowly and thought he was ready to tell her.
"When I don't feel like talking, I don't like being forced to. Don't try asking me anything about my sister again. Is that clear?" Kayden scowled at her.
"I know the feelings of losing your sister still hurts. But Why don't you want to talk about it? What are you afraid of? You think talking about it will make you hurt more, no it won't. What you feel is like a burden, an injury that refused to heal up" Lily paused and took some few steps towards him.
She stood side by side with him and looked through the window exactly as he's doing. "You wish you could see her again, gazing out of the window and wish you see her running towards you like those years when you both were kids. Yet you don't want to talk about her. That's why you still feel very hurt like it was yesterday she left you. But if I were you, I would share my burdens with the one I love, with someone who will readily offer me a shoulder to lean on and hold my hands telling me he's there for me, he'll wipe my tears away and ease my pain. If I were you Kayden, only if I were you" Lily concluded and turned to go.
But Kayden Diego held her wrist and stared at her. Never had anyone spoken so meaningfully to him about his grief for his sister. What Lily said works like a medicine and he found some reasons in them.
He pulled her to him and enveloped her in a warm embrace. This woman kept impressing him with her charm. He didn't say anything but kept holding her as she placed her head on his torso.
"Will tell you everything tonight, everything you need to know about Xena" he let her go but that's after he whispered "I love you Lily".
"I love you too,"Lily replied and walked out.
That evening, Kayden went for warrior training with his pack members. Lily went in the company of Linda and watched the warriors contest amongst themselves.
But when Envy saw her, she was eager to humiliate her before her subjects. He went to her and demanded that she contend with her in swordsmanship.
Lily knew at once, what Envy was aiming at. She wants to humiliate her publicly. Whereas, everyone knows her to be the best female warrior in the entire clan.
Lily was quiet. She doesn't know how to respond to Envy. If she said yes and lost to her, (she definitely knew she would lose) wouldn't that make Kayden Diego lose face?. If she openly declines, then she will be laughed at and that still counts down to Kayden losing face.
Seeing that Lily didn't answer, Envy chuckled and kicked "The so-called lordess of our clan doesn't even know how to hold a sword. In the face of danger, how can she protect herself and other clan members? Tik,tik, tik! So unfortunate"
"I accept your challenge!"Lily spoke and Envy was shocked but excited within. Looks like her teasing worked. Looks like this bloody human doesn't know who she's messing around with.
"Oh listen everybody. Our dear lordess and I are going into a contest. But I have a request to make your highness, whoever loses will be sent to the Ravens cage to be molested" Envy spoke so loud and attracted the whole warriors present.
Kayden Diego squinted. Envy must have mocked or said horrible words at Lily to have forced her into agreeing to fight with her. He trusted Lily's present gifts but couldn't help being a little skeptical. What if she couldn't win over Envy, what face will he and Lily ever have left before the entire clan again.
The request that Envy was asking from him was merely a way to disgrace and humiliate Lily. The Ravens cage is a place where prisoners are kept and blood thirsty Vampires. No female had ever been taken there because there's no guarantee of coming out intact anymore.
All the warriors had stopped and waited to see or hear Kayden's verdict. Envy has grown thick skin and she's very arrogant. Everyone knows how inhumane she can be.
But contesting with the lordess was what they all least expected of her not to say what her request is. What if she won, she'll want the lordess to be taken to the Ravens cage? She's already crossing every limit with her actions today.
Kayden walked over and stood between Lily and Envy. He treated the latter like air and stared at Lily. Telepathically he asked "Why did you agree to a contest with her?".
"She teased and taunted me about it," Lily answered. "I will cancel it" Kayden Diego told her and turned to Envy.
But Envy suspected that the duo had spoken to each other telepathically and guessed that Kayden Diego would want to cancel it to keep face .
Hence she quickly said "lord, please can you for once prove to us that your mate is a worthy one and the one truly fit to be our lordess. This is how to gain trust from us your dear subjects' ' she was deliberately putting Kayden Diego between the rock and a hard place.
Kayden Diego gave a smirk. This girl Envy had really prepared to put him in a hard place. Others would be waiting to hear his decision. "Fine, so let it be. Envy your request will be granted and whoever loses will spend a whole night in the Ravens cage"Kayden declared.
Linda frowned. How can his highness allow her majesty to go into a contest with Envy?. Everyone knows Envy is on par with the head warrior. Only Kayden was capable of making her bow.
Lily stood up and went into the changing room. She can't possibly fight in a royal gown. As she emerged again, she was dressed in a knight attire and her hair made into a ponytail: