Chapter 58 - December Snow

It was a bit weird for the both of them to get back into the swing of things, but the awkwardness in their relationship could not stay for long. Raymond cared about Lilith too much to let something like her being from the future stop him and Lilith. Though Lilith was struggling with the guilt of lying to him and now, the remembrance of her life in the future, she still needed to have Raymond around for comfort.

Raymond would be lying if he denied that what Lilith told him was not far-fetched, but with the evidence that she presented to him, it was hard for him to not believe her. Sure, he had thought about wanting to change comments in his life but he never thought it actually possible.

“Do you know when I will die?” Raymond asked Lilith out of the blue one day.

Lilith, who was sitting off to the side in his office, looked up from the book she was reading with an understandably shocked expression. “Why would you ask me that?”

The King shrugged, resting his arm on the desk and turning to look at her. “You know all of what happened in the past- or now- so tell me, when do I die? What year?

“I don’t know. And even if I did, I would not tell you.”

“How do you not know? It should have been recorded, I'm sure.”

“I was recorded, but that was before I changed the past.” Lilith thought for a few seconds about whether she should tell him how he actually died. “I’m not telling you how it happened, or when it happened, but all I’m saying is that in the original timeline, you and your other brothers were killed by Landon to prevent one of you from trying to take the throne from him.”

Raymond was silent for a few seconds. “Oh really.”

“I feel like I should not have said that. I’m not even supposed to reveal too much about the future or it could have really bad consequences.” Lilith huffed in frustration.

He set down his pen. “What consequences?”

Lilith sighed. “That’s another thing that I am too lazy to explain to you. If I could show you, then it would be better, but alas, the movie has not been created yet. And now that I think about movies, I’m shocked that I was able to survive in the era without so much as a digital watch. No phone or TV. I’m proud of myself. All I do is read and eat all day.”

Lilith had explained some futuristic inventions to Raymond but she did not go into too much detail, fearing that she would reveal too much and accidentally create a rip in the space-time continuum or something.

“I imagine that it must have been hard to adjust to life outside of what you are normally used to.” Raymond looked at her with sympathy on his face. “You were taken out of your time to fix another one. If I had known all of this I would have done something to change the progression of things here and spare you such a trip.”

Lilith smiled and rested her book on the table. She took in Raymond’s expression as she got up and walked over to him. When she got to his desk, she placed her hands on his jaw and angled his head up to face her.

“You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I came here because I was supposed to. And because of what I did, I was able to save so many lives. Yours included.” She kissed his forehead. “Meeting you was worth it. And I know that it could have been worse. I could have ended up all alone, hungry, and homeless. Me coming here was no coincidence. I was supposed to be here. And because of what I did, the sacrifices made, and what I lost, I met you. You definitely are my gift for fulfilling what I was supposed to fulfill, so I have no complaints.”

Raymond's cheeks grew hot and he could not help the smile that spread across his face.

“I like it when you smile,” she murmured as she kissed the corner of his mouth.

“I like it when you kiss me,” he said to her.

“Then as long as you smile at me, I will kiss you.” Lilith finally placed her lips on his and kissed him. Raymond placed his hands on her hips and drew her closer to him.

This was the first time they had kissed since Lilith did it when he came back. Raymond wished that that day was the one where he had properly proposed to her but now he was given another chance to do it. Maybe not now, but he definitely would in the near future. He wanted Lilith to be his Queen.

As time passed, Lilith helped Raymond with a couple more problems around Creona. All had to do with the economy or society. She didn't do all the work for him so that he does not become too reliant on her, but she would push him in the right direction. Lilith was sure that there would be a time when all the problems in Creona would change to something that was never in the history books, and then, she would not be able to help Raymond that much, so she could not have him become dependent on her.

And because of the guards of the castle who never know how to keep their mouths shut, it became news that Lilith was helping Raymond with his work. It was revealed that she was the one who came up with the forty-hour workweek and it began to change people's view of her. A lot more people began to anticipate her marrying Raymond so they could see what she would do with the power of a Queen. And some were just downright disgusted that a mere servant caused a change like that.

It had been some months since everything happened and the end of the year was once again rolling around. The last time Lilith was celebrating Christmas, was in Raymond’s manor, but now she was doing it in the castle. Lilith was not sure if anything would be done in the castle, but all she knew was that she wanted to spend time with Raymond and she wanted to eat cake.

It was also around Christmas time that Raymond decided to bring up the topic of marriage again. But this time, he did not want to ask her as if it were a casual thing.

It was the first week of December and it was snowing lightly outside, so Lilith suggested that the two of them go for a walk so that Raymond could get a break. Usually, he would have said no but still given in after she persuaded him, but he had been looking for opportunities to ask her, and taking a nice walk in the snow seemed like the perfect time.

They walked by the back of the castle, where he was able to see his office if he looked to the right and where the trees were to the left. Their hands were linked and a peaceful silence walked with them. Guards and servants were busy doing their duties, going in and out of the castle, or patrolling around the perimeter, and they all took their chance to look at the couple, knowing fully well that they could talk about it to others.

“The trees look pretty with the light dusting of snow on top.” Lilith pointed to them. “Almost edible.”

Raymond raised an eyebrow. “Edible.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s something about them that just makes me want to take a bite. It could be because snow looks like icing sugar.”

“When we get back inside I could have someone make you a dessert. What would you like to eat?” Raymond offered to her.

Lilith smiled. “It’s alright. If anything I would want to try and make it myself. And actually learn how to use things of this time.”

“I’m guessing that cooking is a lot easier in the future.”

“If only you know.” Lilith sighed. “I would kill to get my hands on an electric oven. But based on the time it should not be too long now. Maybe another five or ten years.”

The couple continued to walk alongside the castle. Raymond was planning to walk her to the garden and then ask the question there. If she thought that the forest looked pretty with snow dusting it, then she would surely be taken back by the flowers.