Chapter 31 A Drop In The Ocean

Well then, now what?

I remember Ceres' words from earlier, Your answer lies in snow and ash.

Perhaps ash refers to the remains of the fire from last night. I’ll make sure to go check out the scene of the crime later.

But snow? My eyes catch the sunlight blaring high in mid-day. It’s the middle of Summer.

Hmn? Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Nara ever since starting University. How odd. She usually pesters about me whenever possible.

In consternation, I make the long trek towards the royal palace. It is probably impossible to request an audience with the First Prince on such short notice. If anything, it would come off as rude on my part… However, I might be able to schedule an appointment with -

Tall iron bars loom resolutely, the nation’s flags waving in the wind. Walking up towards a guard, I introduce myself as Aeriea Newlyn and take out my family’s insignia. “My esteemed father is the Minister of Interspecies Relations. He has asked me to run an errand and as such, I would like to request an audience with Knight Trais Roilèn if possible.”

The two guards look at one another before one of them escorts me in. “I’ll go ask for you, okay little miss? For now, I’ll bring you to the lobby so please wait patiently there.”

“Thanks!” I beam at him.

Before following him, I stop to look behind me over the horizon. The palace stands on top of a cliff with dense foliage. Overlooking the city that craters into the earth, the wide lake pools and gathers in the center of town before webbing about this way and that.

What a magnificent view.

Is this what father sees when he travels here? A small smile forms at my mouth.

Crossing a moat of Harthrow bark, it connects the palace and gates across a wide expanse of empty air. The position of the cliff having formed a natural defensive barrier. If the bridge were raised, enemies would be unable to cross onto the castle without risk of falling to their death.

When we go through a second gate, it is a wide expanse of evenly-cut grass. There is nothing save for a gazebo and circular spirals in the ground with water flowing through. A few marble sculptures lay in the divets of water - Draconis, Elves, Fairies, shimmering in the light.

The large entryway opens with a lazy groan and I’m directed towards a sofa of plush velvet. The guard walks away to find Trais and I’m left to my own devices. Seems like this will take a while, so I scan the foyer with my eyes. A tall staircase leads upwards, doors on every side leading into hallways that I can’t see the end of.

Pacing towards the window, I look out and see a lone high tower in the distance. Vine and bramble creeping along the sides in disuse, windows coiling around the winding stairway inside that goes up and up. A figure blurs by one of the windows, I can’t make her out clearly but I know it’s a young woman with golden hair.

A roiling feeling assaults my head and I flinch back from the pain. By the time the headache abides, I look towards the next windows hoping for another glimpse of the beauty. But she doesn’t appear.

How strange.

Perhaps she exited from the stairwell into one of the other floors.

Before I’m able to chase the thought too long, I hear a “Petite Vixen!” calling me out from my musings.