The art of perfection.
That is the perfect word, with the perfect meaning. The Astrolia people are perfect, from the perfect roads to the perfect plants and trees, it's perfect, as if untouched. It's like being a broken or misshapen toy in a land of pure perfection.
It's unsettling.
The carriage came to a halt outside the large stone steps of the palace. The blue wooden palace doors opened wide as servants lined the steps. Edwin opened the carriage door, aiding Cosmo in exiting the carriage. All the servants in perfect unison spoke.
"Welcome Home, Prince Cosmo and guests of Cornelia."
The prince only waves his hand, his attention focused on us as we climbed out of the large carriage. Up close, the palace is magnificent. With high towering white stone walls. Palace guards line the roof and often glance over, as guards walk along the perimeter, keeping in orderly fashion. Each of the servants seems to breathe the same, and when Cosmo waves them off, they all bow and leave the same, walking with synchronized steps.
Lord Ventura helped me out of the carriage, the doors closing behind us and pulling off at the same time. Cosmo moved to where he stood five steps above us. "Welcome to the Palace of Astrolia. The white stone was truthfully gathered from the Astrolia mine and has the latest technology. With running water and electric lights. I'll give you all a tour! And then I'll introduce you to my father."
The palace of Astrolia is divided into four quadrants.
Quadrant one, quadrant two, quadrant three, and quadrant four. Quadrant One is the middle area of the castle, the throne room, dining hall, and church. Citizens all the King often visit the palace and seek solace in the Castle's Chapel or to speak with the king.
Quadrant Two is the kitchen, which leads to the private vegetable and fruit gardens, as well as the private dining room that is only for the King, the royal family, and significantly important visitors.
Quadrant Three is where the library and mainly lower-level staff are located. While in the final quadrant, Quadrant Four only the Royal family and outsiders are not allowed in the area.
Cosmo goes on and we walk all around the palace. My feet ache and hunger takes over my stomach. I find myself slowly disinterested in what the prince had to say about the Castle. He leads us to the gardens. Unlike the one beside the kitchen, this one was filled with exotic plants and flowers of all different shades and sizes.
In the middle of the gardens resides a large tree that looked like a mixture of the southern live oak and willow tree. With vibrant dark green leaves that swayed in the breeze. My feet move on their own. Completely and utterly mesmerized, I break away from the group.
My hands push aside its thick hanging branches and it's like I'm enclosed in a new world. I'm completely surrounded by the tree leaves, branches, and leaves, like a small dome with the only thing inside being me and the thick trunk of the tree.
"It's nothing like the trees at home."
Adam enters the nature-made dome and brings me back to the world of reality. His hands fiddled with the distinct leaves and small branches. I circle the enormous tree trunk with a soft grin. "I prefer these." He hums at my words and breaks off a small twig from the tree. He has a smile, but it feels forced. My grin drops and I watch him twirl the twig in his fingertips.
"What's wrong, Adam."
He looks at me. His eyes match the color of the dark leaves. Deep and rich and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. A green found only in unique and bizarre conditions. He stands tall, as if he were the tree, wearing a tightly fitted black shirt, with mahogany brown pants, a leather belt around his waist, his sword attached to his side, and a thigh harness for his dagger at his side. His hair was disheveled from running his hands through it several times.
"I hate myself... for sounding so ungrateful..." His words come out as a mummer, and I move near him. His posture was stiff and his green eyes swirling with mixed emotions. Disappointment standing above the rest.
"Is Astrolia not all you thought...?"
He lets out a frustrated sigh, tearing his gaze from me and onto the grassy floor. "I don't want to sound selfish...I just," He speaks in pure frustration, whispering as if someone would hear him. "..Astrolia is beautiful... No one lied, but the people.... it's not...This-This is a once in a lifetime opportunity…and I'm…" He tries to gather his words and I inch closer to him, my hands slowly grabbing his.
"It's not like Cornelia..."
I mutter aloud. Adam lets out a dejected sigh, placing his forehead on my shoulder, lazily leaning against me. We stood for a few minutes; our breathing coordinated as we gathered ourselves. I don't know the eerie feeling that Astrolia had. I don't know what lies under the surface, but it will reveal itself.
"But! Tomorrow we can see the town! Maybe get some cool adventures."
Like a re-inflated balloon, Adam was on his feet once again, with a wide grin. I couldn't help but smile as well. Pulling my hands back to my side as I followed him from the unique tree and back with Cosmo and the two Lords, as they tried to guess the species of a certain flower as if time never passed.
Cosmo and Lord Rhodon went back and forth, while Lord Ventura, who had stopped paying attention a long time ago, read from his books about psychology, which was a rather new topic and still being eagerly developed.
"It's unmistakably a Snapdragon."
I hear Cosmo's voice first as we move closer to the group. The prince, crouching like a frog, stared at the flower up close. As Lord Rhodon stayed standing with his arms crossed, shaking his head disapprovingly.
"It's a Toadflax. Look at the petals."
Rhodon motioned to the flowers, while Adam, who knew not a single thing about flowers, basically flew to Lord Rhodon's side, trying to figure out the species of the flower.
Lord Rhodon wasn't a florist and spent a lot of time in the garden in Cornelia when he wasn't busy and talked to the gardeners, so they must have taught him the names of the different plants. Though this was probably the second time I ever heard Rhodon talk about flowers. The two adults went back and forth while I stood beside Lord Ventura.
"Do you know?"
"The species of the flower?" Ventura didn't look at me, but I nodded. Watched him lower his book, clearing his throat. Cosmo, Rhodon, and Adam all turn to the Lord, who with a simple glance of the flower, speaks, at the same time bringing his book back up to continue reading.
"It is a Seep Monkeyflower. Formerly known as Mimulus guttatus, but is now the Erythranthe guttata. Commonly confused with the snapdragon and toadflax."
The three men go silent, Cosmo staring wide-eyed in shock, while Lord Rhodon lets out a laugh. While Adam stared over the flower, drinking in the information. Cosmo bounced up from his position, patting Lord Ventura on the shoulder.
"I had no idea you were so well versed in plants. How do you hold so much information at such a young age?" The prince speaks in a joking manner, and Lord Ventura simply shrugs.
"I am not that young, and I read. That is all." Lord Rhodon lets out a howl of laughter at Cosmo's surprised face and Ventura's simple answer.