Chapter 7

They awake overjoyed to be together again. As they are eating breakfast they are laughing and joking with each other. The big and powerful knight and the sweet, petite, pretty and smart princess are friends, and believe what the other one tells them. That is because they know they don't lie. They care about each other very much, and they remember how to listen, even if words are not being spoken.

They ride together all that morning and into the afternoon. All the while the golden grasses are swaying and dancing in the breeze. Before long they see the outer walls of the royal city of Canter. Liliana smiles because she knows things are about to be made right.

"Before we go to your mother and father, who seems to of forgotten how to listen beyond the words, we will seek out evidence of your forced ugliness, and then we will make things right. You ready, babygirl?"

"Oh yes, my great warrior, Uncle Whiteknight, I am most assuredly ready for this." Kyle smiles, because Liliana's beautiful and brave heart is shining through again. As they are riding through the front gates they are both smiling with expectation.

Of course there is no way the kingdom's Princess can go unnoticed, especially since they have been looking for her day and night. As the smart and pretty princess and the mighty warrior ride through the streets, the people are cheering for Liliana's safe return. The whole kingdom adores and admires her, and is glad to have her safely home.

As the Whiteknight and the Princess come riding into the courtyard of the Royal Castle, the king and queen of Precious are waiting. Of course the king and queen are Liliana's dad and mom. The queen Maria is Kyle, the Whiteknight's, sister.

The mighty Whiteknight gets off of the gray horse first and lifts Liliana down. Her mom runs to her crying, happy to have her daughter home at last. "Liliana, you had us worried. Why did you run away?"

Liliana looks to her uncle and he nods his head. "Because the painter Heddar from Franceena was making me unhappy by making me wear ugly outfits and pose in stupid poses for a little girl."

"What do you mean, sweetheart?"

"This is nonsense!" says the king stepping forward. "You are grounded for a month and you will finish your duty and the paintings."

Liliana looks up at her dad sadly, and steps closer to the Whiteknight and takes his hand. When they hold hands she feels safer. As the king reaches for his daughter the Whiteknight says, "Wait a minute."

"How dare you! I am the king and her daddy."

"Being the king and her daddy does not give you the right to take some of her natural beauty away from the world. As much as we belong to no one, we belong to everyone. Before we get into this any further, I would like to meet this Heddar from Franceena."

"He is right this way." says Queen Maria.

With one hand Liliana is holding onto her mom's hand, and with her other she is holding onto Uncle Whiteknight's. They make their way through the castle, up the stone stairs and into the work area of the artist.

As soon as they walk in he says, "Ah, there you are, naughty girl. We have a masterpiece to finish."

Liliana hides behind Whiteknight. Uncle Kyle kneels down beside Liliana and says, "Show me some of these paintings, sweetheart."

Liliana walks over to a stack of paintings that are leaning against the wall covered by a black blanket. As she is reaching for them the artist starts going towards her saying, "Do not touch them, little girl."

The Whiteknight stands up and shoves the artist away from her. At this point everybody who knows the great warrior Whiteknight knows trouble is coming. Liliana pulls the black cover off the paintings. The first one immediately shows Kyle what Liliana has been talking about. "See."

"Yes, I see. My dear sister Maria, how could you allow your seven-year-old daughter to pose like this? She is on her hands and knees in skimpy clothes looking back at you like a woman would who is expecting you to enter her."