As we made our way through the streets of Abalon many of the citizens stared and whispered to themselves. Some spoke out loud not caring that Xilo and the others might hear.
Xilo didn't care either way he stuck his head out the window staring at the different buildings and places and started to notice that the building got more extravagant as they made their way through the capital.
The town square was filled with browned buildings that were once gold and the part of the city next over were filled with buildings that were glass or marble or a mix of the two.
Where the streets were absolutely washed everyday because they were red whereas the square streets were black hiding away the red.
The Abalon kingdom was the beauty of its early days. From when they were a empire with the kingdom Nishania and when they departed form one of another.
But unannounced to others the kingdom of Abalon's golden buildings and red streets were the work of Nishanians not of the Abalonians.
Who when civil war broke out due to the Nishanians warning the Abalonians of their spending were pushed out of the kingdom.
The gold buildings fading away into brown buildings instead and only leaving the red streets which were nothing without their golden buildings.
The sight that you could only see now was in the capital square and beyond.
At the king's port where the commoners lived. Then you had the different fiefs littered about Abalon.
The grand duke fiefs and the Turnips fief being the largest only second and third to the palace.
"This must be where the nobles frequent". Xilo said. Tristan barely understood him because Xilos' accent was somewhat thick. Whereas the Abalonians' accents were posh.
Xilo's was more thick and even though Tristan didn't even try to speak Somosh which was the language of Critin. But Xilo spoke Abalonian for Tristan eventhough abalonians was a common tongue even over in the northern regions.
Xilo mixed some Somosh with Abalonian. When talking about the town square and the buildings that they were just now passing.
Tristan not caring enough to ask what he was saying as he was drifting off into his own thoughts of what he was gonna do with his friends from the academy.
"We've arrived". Tristan said staring at the White Castle that was small from the area they were in.
A road of weeping willows lead to a white gate of the castle. The ground was red as it was in the area of the capital they had just left. But unlike the captual square this red was more vibrant.
The gold accents on the gate more vibrant as well. as though they had redid the red and gold each year.Xilo wouldn't be shocked if they did.
When they got to the gate there were guards standing in post, each decked in red and gold. They opened the gate, bowed to everyone and went back on guard.
On the inside was flower beds here and there and the main door was golden. In the center a huge fountains with flower beds under it of rose of different colors.
The carriage pulled into a main courtyard and one by one they all left the carriage. Xilo looked around at the different carriages with different emblems on them and of different colors.
The one they got out of was red and gold and a little worn down emblem on the side. Showing lack of hospitality to the Critin royal family.
"Maybe we should have brought our own carriage". Xilo said unimpressed by the carriages. "Ah yes I heard that the critin carriages have built in heaters in some of them". Tristan said, looking back at Xilo with an unkind smile.
"However Abalon isn't located in the snowy mountains so we don't have any need for built-in heaters. Has any of them ever caught fire"? Tristan said, showing unconcern.
Tristan turned around and made his way inside a hall by a corridor of doors. Xilo and the rest followed him inside without saying a word.
The Queen especially because she didn't hear anything Tristan said.
"I see the royal palace is littered with gold"? Xilo said looking at all the golden accents on the walls. "Yes". Tristan said. "From what I heard Critins is all stone right"?
Xilo smirked. "Well yes gold is a soft elements wouldn't hold in the coldness of Critin or in battle might I add". Rey's nudged Xilo to stop with this
Making Xilo sigh. He looked around more all white marble and gold, nothing too exciting to see. The royal palace was not known for its beauty.
Well if you liked the beauty of plain white marble and gold, and flowers beds littered everywhere then you would find it beautiful.
When the Nishanians left, so did the beauty of the royal palace. Paintings,sculptures, less flower beds, embroidered items.
When the Abalonians took over out went the paintings and sculptures and in came the flower beds.
Xilo was excited to see all of this but instead was getting by the foul smell of roses. They were everywhere.
Everyone but Xilo and his family didn't seem to mind this smell.
"How anticlimactic". Zinic said. Making his way towards Xilo's side. "Nothing like the books I've read". Xilo said.
As they last by Zinic and Xilo saw a ebony girl with a pink dress on leaning over the balcony with a bored expression on her face.
Zinic chuckled at her expression. "Who's the girl"? Zinic asked Tristan. Tristan looked where Zinic and Xilo were looking. "Ah that is one of the Turnip girls". He answered.
"Perhaps your fiance"? Zinic nudged Xilo laughing causing Tristan to look back at them. "Ah yes I've heard that you are getting married to one of the Turnip girls". Tristan said, smirking.
But it wasn't a good smirk, more like a I know something you don't smirk. "The Turnips are quite strong. I myself am engaged with a strong family myself". Tristan says.
Xilo nodded. "I've heard that the Turnip family is the third strongest in Abalon". Guards opened a door for the party leading into a grand roll of table and chairs with the kings chairs at the center of it.
"Your point is"? Tristan said, turning around. "The grand duke family being the second strongest after the royal family". Xilo said smiling.
"Your highness". Rey said whispering. "But I've heard the grand duke isn't on good terms with the royal family". Xilo said, staring down at Tristan who glared up at him.
"Xilo enough"! The Queen said, stepping forward and placing her hand on his shoulders. "Would you like to cause a fight here when we are alone". Xilo shook his head and stepped back.
"We wouldn't like to start a fight here and now either". Said a man's voice speaking in Somosh. Out of the corner of the room step in a man who looked just like Tristan only some of his hair was gray and a woman and a boy around the same age as Tristan.
"Your highness's, your majesty". The man said. "King Amond". Helenda said back. The king answered with a smile.
"This is my other son Reiden and my wife the Queen Ramona". They greeted each other with a nod of the head and Helenda smile.
"These are my sons the crown prince Xilo and the prince Rensus and my daughter Maisla". Helenda said.
"You've met Tristan so there's no need to introduce him, come sit let us have a chat". The king said and they sat.
"You speak Somosh"? Rey said. The king nodded. "When I was a boy I learned a lot of different languages for this very reason the season is starting out with me and my wife's anniversary and soon banquets and tea party's, etc will begin. Who knows whether someone from another kingdom will join in on the fun". Amond said with a smile.
"We welcome you to stay in the palace for your stay. We've heard you are getting married to the Turnips; they should be here too". Amond said.
"We've met one of them well, not met but saw". Rey said . "The women of Abalon are beautiful, much like the women in Critin". Rey said.
"Yes I agree". Amond said. A knock was heard on the door and then it opened. "Marquis Turnip and his family have arrived, your majesty". A butler said.
"Let them in". Amond answered. The butler bowed and waved his hand for whoever was on the other side of the door to come in.
In came a group of different shades of brown skin colors. Wearing purple and white clothes. The Marquis who Xilo spotted right away wearing a deep purple that almost looked black.
"Your majesty's". They all bowed but only the Marquis spoke. "You may sit". Amond said watching their every move with hawk eyes.
The women were wearing a light purple except for one who wore pink but at least she had on white. A white rose in her hair. "The girl from the balcony". Zinic whispered. "More beautiful in person". Xilo nodded in agreement and watched as she moved around the room and sat down in her seat.
Her face no more showed boredom and instead planted a sweet and nervous smile. The other girl could be twins with the girl in the pink dress.
Although her hair was longer, her eyes more narrow and she didn't have a sweet smile plastered on her face.
The pink dressed girl had rosy cheeks and red lips. Her eyes were huge and dark brown. Her hair styled in an updo with a white rose on the side.
The other girl's eyes were this light brown and her hair was styled down with a braid going across the back of her head and the rest of her curly Afro hair let down her back.
The pink dress girls cheeks were kind of chubby. She had this sort of chubbiness to her face. The other girls' cheek bones stood out. But both of them had upside teardrop faces.
"This is my daughter Lavender Analise Turnip". Lavender was the pink dress girl. She sat on the left side of the Marquis and smiled, bowing with her head.
"This is my niece Dafanie Damaris Turnip". Dafanie sat on the other side of Lavender. She finally smiled, bowing.
"And my wife Chastity Alexandra Turnip". She bowed and smiled also.
Everyone greeted them with a smile. But the Queen couldn't take her eyes off of lavender as well as Xilo who soon noticed this interest in lavender from the Queen.
He soon looked away and paid none of the girls any attention. Rey, the Marquis, and the king soon began to discuss the upcoming events.
"Are we sure there isn't another option"? Xilo whispered and leaned over to Zinic. "How am I supposed to know". Zinic answered. "Your father is the prime minister, don't eavesdrop on him". "No, that's rude".
Xilo sighed and sat up. When he sat up he met eyes with Lavender who had the most curious eyes of their conversation. "I speak Somosh". She mouth.
Xilo looked away embarrassed. "Now we shall discuss which girl Xilo shall take to the anniversary ball"? The king said excitedly.
"I beg your pardon". Xilo said. "I barely know either of the girls". "That's why this ball will be the perfect opportunity to get to know each other". The king said.
Xilo looked over at Rey, bewildered , who nodded. "I think we shall skip it this time, maybe another time when the youngsters get to know each other better". Rey answered. The king nodded but his eyes showed displeasure.
"Well I think this little meeting is over. It was nice meeting the royal family of Critin". The king said, smiling at the Critin side of the room. "It was also nice seeing the Marquis again". The king said, sneering at him.
The turnips bowed as the king and his family left the room.