by Phoebe Brown
“There are other students?” She asked.
“Three from each guild.” Lu Radock replied, “You will get to meet them all once you’re there.”
She was eager to meet new people. Back at the temple, she was the orphan who never quite fit in. Here, she had been chosen by the king regardless of her status. Soon the lull of the vessel rocked her to sleep.
The jolt of the carriage woke her but the view outside took her breath away. They were approaching the most beautiful place she had ever seen. From her vantage point, she realised that they were heading out into the sea. The Palace Basque rose out of the waters with no observable path inland.
“The tides go out once a day. Those outside must remain out until the next day.” Lu Radock said as if he had read her thoughts.
The entire palace seemed to be twice the size of the small island she had just left. Scores of tall intricate spires rose into the sky and she wondered what it would feel like to launch herself from one. She watched as the waves crashed into the surrounding walls of the palace and she wondered if the force didn’t shake the foundation. It was like nothing she could have ever imagined.
“We’re about to land.” Lu Radock said nodding at them to brace themselves.
The landing was much smoother than anticipated. One moment they were in the air and the next they were barrelling towards the ground. If it had not been for the calming composure of their guide, she would have been terrified. The man sat back with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. When she thought she couldn’t handle it much longer, the vessel stopped moving. They all let out a collective sigh of relief.
Outside the vessel, servants rushed towards them. A few took the horses away while the others opened the doors of the carriage.
“We’ve been waiting for you.” A tall handsome man said walking towards them.
She saw the way they waited for Lu Radock’s instruction and she realised he must be their master. Once they all managed to disembark, they stood in a line waiting for their orders.
“Children this is Lu Orel, he is the head of the quarters for all students.” He said, “You will all go to him with any issues you have.”
They looked up at the older looking man and nodded. There was nothing particularly interesting about him. He blended in with everything and she wondered if that made his job here easier.
“These are the rest of the staff who will attend to you and show you to your rooms.”
Gaia smiled and let out a pent-up breath to get rid of some of her anxiety.
“This is Ni Angela.” Lu Orel said pointing to the woman who stood next to him, “She’ll take you, ladies, to your rooms and I will lead you to your room young man.”
They nodded in unison and began moving forward. They gave no care to their bags as they made their way beyond the double doors that led inside the palace. Gaia had been eager for the slightest glimpse of what lay beyond.
The doors opened unto an enclosed patio area and she looked up at the glass ceilings in wonder. From where she stood, it looked as if shards of glass were falling from the sky. The cuts bent the light in magnificent ways. Colourful streams of light danced in the room and she wondered how they got the angles so well that they could have the room filled with these beautiful colours.
Around them, the walls were made of refined stones like the ones she had seen in the main temple in Tyre. They made their way deeper into the palace and she realised the walls were now coated in paint the colour of eggshells. She inhaled deeply and thought for a moment that she caught the smell of mint mixed with pine. It wasn’t unusual for people to keep them in their houses. Her friend, Cettie stocked pines in her little cottage throughout the year. She imagined that stocking a palace as big as this must require an entire storehouse.
“Come now ladies,” Ni Angela said urging them along through the corridors.
They made their way through hallways filled with elaborate hanging paintings and closed doors. By the time they got to the student’s quarters, she was exhausted.
“Here we are,” Ni Angela said motioning to another uncovered pavilion.
There was a large garden with wooden benches and five waterfalls that surrounded the small space. Each waterfall had a statue in the likeness of a god in their position of power.
She stared up at the statues and smiled. Gaia had always been eager to learn more about the gods and the powers they had bestowed on humans. As she stared at the Cenobyte god Ceno, she felt a prickle of unease. The way his eyes pierced hers was strange and uncomfortable.
“You girls are through here.” Ni Angela said startling her.
The woman nudged her forward and she reluctantly broke eye contact with the statue. The walk was much shorter this time. Gaia soon realised she would not have to share a room with Myren.
“Your room is through here. There’s a maid inside to help you get settled.” Ni Angela said, “She will be your companion and she will give you the instructions on what is to happen in the coming days.”
Gaia nodded and looked up at the door. The massive double doors looked daunting, but she hadn’t come this far to let a set of doors intimidate her. She made it here and that meant there was no challenge she couldn’t face.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside. The first thing she noticed was the massive window on the other side of the large room and the billowing curtains. Beyond it was the sea and she rushed over to the window to look outside. It was unbelievably beautiful.
“Miss.”
She turned to see a girl about her age looking at her curiously.
“Hi, I’m Gaia.” She said trying to wipe the smile from her face, “it’s nice to meet you.”
Chapter 5
Gaia was bubbling with energy as Lolita began pulling her clothes from the trunk which had finally arrived. Her name was Lolita and she was a third-generation maid in the palace.
“Are you alright miss?” Lolita asked flashing her another look of curiosity.
Gaia could hardly contain her glee as she stared around the room. There was a massive bed in the middle that was canopied by thin, airy white fabric. In one corner there was a wooden closet where Lolita was hanging the few clothes she had brought. The girl had observed her clothes with interest and packed them in the closet with so much care she wondered if she should offer to do it herself. She had offered a few times already, but Lolita insisted she wouldn’t allow her to do it herself.
There was a tub in one corner of the room and she assumed it was for her baths.
“The king will be expecting to see you in a few hours, do you need to take a bath?” Lolita asked observing her as she looked at the tub.
“Do I need a bath?” She asked.
She didn’t feel like bathing just yet. She wanted to see everything, but from what her maid had told her, she wouldn’t see much of the palace just yet.
“I think you do.” Lolita replied, “I’ll ring for them to bring the water.”
Gaia watched as she walked over to a string protruding from a cone on the wall and tugged at it.
“They’ll be here soon.”
Gaia nodded and wondered how the contraption worked. There were many things here that she had never seen before.
“What is that?” she asked.
“It’s just a connection between your room and the keeper’s office. When I ring it twice, they know to send water. Once, they know to send food and thrice, they know that urgent assistance is needed.”
“That’s fascinating.” She replied thinking of the Templars and how self-sufficient they were.
If they needed food and water they’d simply go out and get it themselves.
“You’ll get used to all of this soon enough.” Lolita continued.
“Thanks.” She replied.
She felt eager to see anything else beyond this room. It was as if her eyes were desperate to soak up as many sights as they could.
“Do you have any family in the city?” Lolita asked.
She r
ealised the girl was trying to calm her nervous energy.
“I have none.” she replied, “I’m an orphan. I was raised by the Templars in Tyre.”
Lolita gave her a quizzical look.
“I don’t think you’ll fit in well here.” She finally said giving Gaia a pitiful look.
“Why is that?” Gaia asked.
“Well, this place runs on connections.” Lolita replied, “I only got this job because my mother was once the queen’s maid; well the first queen’s maid. If you aren’t connected to anyone then you’re a nobody.”
It was hard to accept that her lack of family and fortune was still causing her trouble this far from the temple, but Gaia ignored the sadness and smiled.
“At least I’ll get to be here in this beautiful palace.” She said looking through the window.
“As your companion, you also have me,” Lolita said.
Gaia looked at her and smiled. She was thankful that Lolita seemed genuinely kind. A knock sounded on the door and Gaia watched as Lolita went to answer it. A herd of young men rushed in carrying vats of water. She watched as they filled the tub with steaming water. They were all tall and burly with dark hair clipped to the top of their heads in buns.
Lolita instructed her to stand next to her as they filled the tub. She wasn’t used to the proprieties and so she obeyed and tried not to seem too interested in the new faces. Every new thing fascinated her, and she hungered for more. Filling the tub didn’t take long and soon the men were filing out of the room. Lolita closed the door behind then and turned to face Gaia.
“It will get cool by the time we have you undressed and ready,” Lolita said.
Gaia had never felt shy about her nakedness, but she had only just met Lolita.
“You’ll get used to it,” Lolita said observing her wavering expression.
Gaia turned and allowed Lolita to undo the buttons of the wintergreen dress she wore. It was a simple dress and one of the two Cettie had given her. Otherwise, her trunk had been filled with her training uniforms and the ceremonial cloak she had been told to wear to special events here at the palace. All students had to wear their guild cloaks when going before the king.
“All done,” Lolita said after undoing the last button.
Gaia stepped out of the dress and walked over to the tub. She sunk one foot in delicately at first before stepping into the warm water and sinking into the tub. The feeling of the warm water on her skin was calming. She bathed herself languidly but before she could stand, Lolitta came to her.
“You must wash your hair.” The girl said giving her a disapproving look, “If you can't I will do it for you.”
Gaia thought about it for a second and decided that it was an excellent plan. She leaned her head backwards allowing her hair to fall into the water. She felt Lolita’s deft fingers running through her hair and before she knew it, she was being lulled to sleep. Lolita gently touched her on the shoulder reminding her that she had somewhere to be. Lolita handed her a towel and held out a hand for her to take. She stepped out of the tub and wrapped the soft material around her body.
Together they managed to get her dressed in a bright yellow dress Cettie had made for her. It was a perfect complement to the burnt orange of her guild cloak. She assumed Cettie had chosen to make the dress this way just for her.
“I have been given an allowance for your clothing.” Lolita said, “I’ll go by the seamstress tomorrow to get you a few more dresses.”
Gaia turned to look at her in amazement. She had never cared about her looks before, but she knew that being in this beautiful palace surrounded by so many beautiful people and wearing the same dresses every day wouldn’t win her any favours.
“What about the hair?” She asked motioning to her hair which had barely dried.
“To the window,” Lolita urged her.
Lolita’s hands went to her hair and with the help of a large rag, she dried it almost completely. For a moment Gaia thought that would be it but then Lolita began weaving it in a fashion she didn't recognize. She was used to the massive braids the Templers had taught her to do and the occasional coils Cettie had done before, but she had no idea what her maid was doing.
“All done,” Lolita said after a few minutes.
“Don’t fuss with it.” Lolita warned, “One move and you go back to looking the way you came.”
Gaia wanted to laugh. Lolita rushed her out of the room and followed close behind her. As they walked into the hallway something caught her gaze and she paused for a moment and took a few steps back. She found herself looking into the mirror just outside her room in awe. The girl with the tousled hair and wild eyes was no longer there. The cloak around her shoulders gave her a look of royalty. She reached up and touched her hair wondering how it was all neatly sitting in one place.
“You can gaze at yourself later.” Lolita urged, “We may be late.”
She turned away from her reflection promising to go back there later and take another look at the girl looking back at her. They made their way through winding hallways towards the throne room.
“Through here,” Lolita said pointing to a set of double doors.
They were massive with knockers resembling the large wide eyes of owls. Without hesitation, Gaia pushed the doors open and stepped into the throne room which was already filled with people. They all turned to watch her as she entered.
So much for staying under the radar, she thought to herself.
Chapter 6
“Lovely to see you decided to join us.”
The king’s voice boomed through the room and she felt a chill of apprehension down her spine. Looking up, she saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face and so she relaxed.
“I’m sorry.” She whispered shyly before lowering her gaze from the king’s.
She turned and looked around the room at all the students who were standing with their eyes now fixed on the king. They all looked as if they were ready to take orders to go to battle. Aside from that, they were all very different and she found herself staring at each person for much too long.
The room was filled with an array of colours with each person standing according to their clans. Towards the back of the room, she saw orange coats. Myren flashed her a disapproving look which told Gaia the girl was still upset she had been chosen. She rushed over to where they stood and fell in line.
She was walking so fast that she almost missed the pair of eyes that followed her from the doorway to her place next to the others. The prince’s eyes watched her attentively. Although she wanted to look up and meet his gaze, she wouldn't dare. She was stunned to see him standing there with the rest of his guild in their golden cloaks, but she should have expected it considering his age.
“Welcome to the Palace Basque, children.” The king said with a wry smile.
He looked much different now than he had at the temple. He no longer wore the massive coat made of fur. Instead, he wore a massive cloak that clung to his shoulders and dusted the ground ever so lightly. She noticed that the elaborate blood-red cloak was fastened around his neck with golden brackets that held the insignias of the five gods. It gleamed under the light of the flames in the room and she felt an unexpected urge to reach out and touch it.
“I’m happy to have you here in the Palace.” He continued, “I would like you to meet my wife and queen, Annabelle.”
Gaia hadn’t noticed that the woman was standing in the room. Anabelle seemed to appear from nowhere. Her thin frame was the first thing Gaia noticed and then her gleaming red hair. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. It looked as if it was an everlasting flame. Anabelle sauntered over to the king and Gaia gaped at her youth and beauty. She appeared to be only a few years younger than the king.
“As some of you may know, this is my father and the former king of our realm, Kun Solomon.” Kieron continued.
His father also stepped forward. The man was an older version of his son but as he looked out into the crowd and at her, something in the
pit of her stomach fell. This man was her enemy. The conviction was so strong she almost dashed out of the room. She had no idea who he was or what he had ever done but she felt a deep distrust that made her fear him.
“How charming are your little minions.” The queen said peering down at them, “I can't wait to make them fetch.”
Her words made Gaia cringe and as soon as their eyes locked, Gaia saw a sinister glint that hadn't been there before.
“Have a little respect Annabelle,” Solomon commanded.
Annabelle seemed to realise she had crossed the line. She straightened her shoulders and angled her body away, but Gaia could almost feel her anger boiling deep down. she realised then that there was much more happening here than she could see. She began to wonder what sort of power the father had over the son and his wife.
“I’m sure most of you have no idea why you’re here.” Kieron said ignoring the spat between his father and his wife, “You’ve been sent here by your masters because the kingdom must train leaders to fill the position of those who currently hold it. You are all here to vie for those positions. It will be a trying three years but in the end, one representative from each guild will be chosen to take the lead of their guild when the time comes. Another will be chosen to be the advisor to the king, and another will become the key trainer in their kingdom. You are all fortunate to have been born when you were. You are the future of this kingdom.”
Although Gaia knew her chances of being chosen as a leader were slim, she was still glad to be here.
“Tomorrow you meet with the headmistress to begin your training. Tonight, you feast at the palace.”
The doors behind them opened and Gaia turned to look. There was another room beyond the doors and she could see that tables of food had been set up. She hadn’t realised she was hungry until that moment.
“You are dismissed.”
With the final command from the king, they all turned away and walked into the dining area. Many of the boys rushed forward and she watched as they gathered food into small plates before walking off to sit around the small tables that had been set up around the room. There were many more boys than girls here which didn't surprise her.