[Dayastra]
Upon exiting the dining hall, a wave of fresh air and the scent of flowers immediately hit my nostrils.
"Woah..." Was all I could muster as I took in the beauty of all the greenery around me.
I had a glimpse of the palace's gardens yesterday but I had yet to get the chance to explore them. But being able to take in the scenery surrounding us is quite surreal. Although typical to Levelian gardens, it seemed manicured and artificial. I don't blame them; the colors and the exotic plants help divert the viewers' attention from the manufactured and orderly symmetrical design.
"What do you think?" Thomas asked from behind me.
"Of what?"
"The gardens - beautiful aren't they?"
"Yes, but I've seen so many gardens similar to this on Cragholven. Manicured to the taste of the owners. I don't mean it isn't pleasing to see, but it gets repetitive."
"You're the first person I know to say that," Thomas mused.
"Maybe it's because I just want to see nature on its own and not in some rich person's garden," I sneered.
"You'll get used to it. Besides, the Palace also has some 'preserve' sections dedicated to protecting local wildlife."
"Wait, really? Where?" I asked as curiosity and interest bubbled up within me.
"You'll have to discover where for yourself," Thomas pat my back teasingly.
"Come on! Where are these preserves you're talking about?!"
He stuck his tongue out at me and began to run towards a fountain up ahead.
"Get back here!" I gathered my skirts and ran after him.
Dodging guest after guest, and with Thomas slowly reaching beyond my sight, I quickened my pace and almost fell into the fountain. Thankfully, I was able to regain my footing and continued.
~o0o~
Exhausted and drenched in sweat after giving chase to Thomas, I sat myself down beneath the shade of a tree. I had no idea where I was in the gardens of the palace. All I knew was that there was a pathway cutting through a line of statues that culminated before a shrine. The trees here were also different, they had pink leaves and were adorned with white flowers. There were also more orchids here than in the previous area, more specifically a breed known as "The Orchid of Purevem."
I took in the serenity of the gardens and calmed myself after running around the palace grounds. Beautiful birds flew gracefully around the flowering trees, while small insects hovered over the flowers. All of them were either unaware or undisturbed by my presence in the garden.
I gazed at the white petals as they gracefully fell and covered the ground with a sweet scent. My mind drifted away from all the fears and worries I had accumulated in the past couple of days. Somehow, I regret telling Thomas that artificial gardens can never compare to real forests because this feels nice. Enjoying the breeze, watching the birds and animals go about their day, and seeing the petals gracefully fall off the trees. Everything felt so... natural.
Suddenly, I was brought out of my reverie by a worried voice calling out my name.
"M'lady? Lady Diana, are you there?" the voice called out.
I got up and dusted myself off and walked towards the voice.
"Lady- There you are," Devia gasped, "Thomas and I have been looking all over for you!"
"Sorry, I just felt like immersing myself in the surroundings."
"You can do that later, we have important matters to attend to. Now, come along," Devia insisted.
I obeyed, and silently bid farewell to the garden as Devia led me back to the day's event.
~o0o~
The chatter of the nobility grew louder as we approached a denser area of the garden. Devia and I had passed through sections covered in plants experiencing the different seasons of the planet. Thus far, the surroundings here have been quite dark and barely lit, but as we drew closer to the venue a soft blue light illuminated our path.
"What the... Where is this light coming from?" I looked around in confusion.
Devia chuckled, "It's coming from the plants, we're in the garden frozen in the season called 'kreyschka'."
She pointed towards the flowers blooming from the tree above us, then to the sprouts along the path. Tiny insects also emitted the same blue light.
"What are they, and why do they glow?" I held out my hand as a flower fell to my palm.
"I'm not entirely sure, all I know is that these plants were already here when the palace was built. As for what they're called, biologists call them 'Primus Avkresch' due to their similarities with various species of plants that once grew near the temple on Endonium and the one on Senlov."
"Primus avkresch... That means primordial lifeforms in the Crusavian tongue, right?"
"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, these flora and the fauna found in these small pockets were the first to be created on their respective planets since their biological makeup is different from most creatures we see today," Devia pointed down the path and implied that we needed to move.
"I'll be honest, this doesn't seem like a pocket of primordial life. It's a whole damn forest!" I exclaimed.
"This is the second largest 'pocket' that exists in the galaxy after the one within the Temple of the Creator on Senlov," Devia picked up the pace as the chitchat of nobles and politicians grew louder and louder.
"Is that right? You used to live there, did you ever venture into that pocket?"
"No, I was never allowed into the area. They called it 'The Creator's Grove' and forbade anyone from entering it."
"So you never tried? Not even a glimpse?" I pressed.
"Once, but that was a long time ago, and I can barely remember what it looked like."
I sighed, "Alright, I won't push you any further."
As we approached the end of the path, the blue lights grew in their radiance and reached their peak as we entered a circular clearing where a gigantic tree stood at its center.
The light of the tree almost blinded me, but as my vision adjusted to the light I could see the beauty and majesty of the great tree.
"Beautiful isn't it?"
"Yeah... It's... I'm just speechless," Was all I could muster.
"Everyone is when they see it for the first time," Devia managed to chuckle.
As I gazed at its dazzling blue leaves, all my worries and cares felt so insignificant. It was as if the wind that blew between the tree's leaves carried away all my doubts and fears.
This was how it felt to stand beneath the shade of the Creator's tree.