The trip to the Oak Dom was a really long and uneventful one, I caught myself dozing a few times and wondering if we weren't there yet.
Not like I was looking forward to it, I only wanted to be quite still, meditating, as it gives me peace than be on a bumpy ride.
"We'd be there soon Arden, just sit tight" Mother soothed noticing my discomfort.
But I was restless, I started imagining what this princess must look like. She was a really crooked, ugly looking being from the imaginations on my mind, and I was rehearsing how I'd politely decline her being my bride.
I leaned back on the soft, sweet smelling cushion, smiled and closed my eyes halfway.
"We're finally here" Mother said, peeking through the silk curtains, looking out. Her face a radiant glow as she sat back and sighed contentedly.
Don't be too relieved mother, you might not be feeling this good on our way back to the kingdom.
"Arden, I need you to be of your best behaviors. If this meeting turns out successful, it'd be of huge benefit to our kingdom" She said looking pleadingly at me, then turned away preparing to get down.
"....it'd be of huge benefit to our kingdom" I mouthed after her while rolling my eyes, making sure she didn't notice it though. She's been repeating that line ever since the oak king accepted her request.
The coach got down from his high seat, came around to open the carriage door and I got down, turning around I helped mother get down also, then stood aside so she'd go before me.
Looking at the oak palace, I couldn't help but admire it's simplicity.
The building was painted a really light brown colour with a deep golden hue, making the combination have a kid of royal red coloration, it caught and reflected sun rays depending on the position of the sun.
Two large white pillars were situated at it's front while two statues of sleeping lionesses with their tails curled up as if ready to strike were placed beside both pillars.
Our carriage was parked by the rectangular fountain situated just at the middle of the palace, which sprouted clear clean water from it's centre, disappearing at it's base.
I turned towards the gardens which had lots of oak trees growing and spreading their leaves till they touched one another forming a canopy. Their's is the Dom of spring, the grounds of the palace was covered in dark strange looking marbles...it sure didn't look like marbles to me, I decided I'd probably ask the Oak king when we do meet.
We got to the two large oak doors and met a butler, a man of more than 60, a sexagenarian,stooped with age but still possesses the agility of his youth.
He bowed and escorted us into the palace building, we passed through a narrow passage, so narrow that we had to walk in a single file, it lead straight to a large circular opened room with guards standing at attention at six other passageways into this same room too.
It's ceilings were really high tapering to a point above the building, it reminded me of a church. I counted up to seven other passages, there was a really large fireplace just beside one of the passages, it occupied the whole wall from the bottom.
"You can go through that passage", The butler said pointing towards one of them, just three passages away from the one we came out of. "And you'd find His Majesty waiting there" He continued, his voice surprisingly strong and firm,I couldn't help but wonder.
We walked towards the passageway he indicated and the guard there stepped aside to give us entrance. We walked through it till we met a narrow door, pushing it open we met a large room but smaller than the one we just left behind.
Just at the middle of the room sitting on a large chair dressed in robes the color of rich milky coffee was the Oak King, he had his legs thrown over the hand rest of his armchair, he immediately sat upright and arranged himself when he noticed our presence there.
He held a short black staff in his right hand, with rings adorning every other finger of his left hand, he looked old enough to be more than seventy, full white beard already covered around his lower face leaving just his lips visible, with really light green eyes, he was...bald?
He was without hair on his head, where a crown twined from oak wood sat.
"You are welcome to the Oak Dom" He said aloud rising and spreading his arms apart.