It was nearly six in the morning when you approached the looming palace, carved of ivory and gold, certain details already catching the few rays of the rising sun. Though elegant, it was clear the former home of royalty had taken its fair share of beatings from Mother Nature.
It took a moment for you to reach the tall, pale doors, intricately designed and carved with symbols of forest life. As you approached, you quickly realized the doors alone were taller than your little forest cottage. You pressed your lips into a thin line, before reaching up and resting your hands on the pale cream wood, and pushed as hard as you could.
You had been dreaming of this place for months, and only just obtained the courage to approach and explore the building. And, quite frankly, you didn't regret it. The moment you were able to wriggle in through the entrance (you could only push the doors so far), you were hit with a nostalgic scent. Old books, the forest, a faint tinge of cinnamon, and what you could only describe as chill morning air.
You wasted no time in running into the main hall, eyes darting around the area with glee. Where would you even begin? The palace was massive, unlike anything you'd ever seen - there was so much to explore.
You decided to check out the upstairs, and run downstairs to see the ballroom and other chambers once you were done with the other floors. And off you went to get lost in the palace for hours, and get distracted taking photos of everything remotely interesting.
~
Ups! Tento obrázek porušuje naše pokyny k obsahu. Před publikováním ho, prosím, buď odstraň, nebo nahraď jiným.
~
Man, oh man did you regret not visiting the first floor first, after hours of checking out the others. Words could hardly do what you saw justice; you were almost mad at yourself that you didn't find the palace sooner.
Then, as you were taking photos of what you assumed to be the kitchen, you paused. It was no longer quiet. You could hear something in the distance. Was that...piano?
You turned in confusion, brows furrowing as you stopped and held your camera to your chest. You strained your ears, looking around to try and locate the general direction of the music. Sure enough, it sounded like piano...and someone singing. Faintly, but you could just barely hear it.
Your heart jumped for a moment. You weren't alone anymore. For a moment, you were torn. Should you run and leave the second person be, or go and explore. Could it be a fellow explorer?
