Ariadne has always been a dreamer. Her mother would always say she was away with the faeries.
Until one night, an envelope shrouded with magic lands at her doorstep, inviting her to the dance of the damned in the enchanting land of Altoria.
It's m...
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Kallen pulled back the ivy curtain and Ariadne gasped.
Laid out before her was the Kingdom of Altoria. The Sky was aflame with hues of vivid deep blue and edged in orange then gold as the sun hovered above the horizon; on its way to sleep.
A small, early moon hung in the sky next to it. Feather light clouds drifted here, then there in their own languid dance. Swallows dove and soared in the sky, in clusters of black and white feathers. Their incessant tweeting filled the space with nature's symphony. They twirled and sang, dove and danced, up and over invisible air currents. It was a magnificent display of nature at its best.
A tall, Violet coloured castle snagged her eye next. The windows were slender and gored with thin lines of lead. Some were single windows, but all of them along the ground floor were spacious, double wide or floor to ceiling. The towers either side kissed the sky and kept on going, clouds drifting across the highest window she could see, seven stories up from what was presumably the third floor.
The wide, oaken double doors were thrown open and citizens milled into the entrance. Their robes were every shade of the rainbow, and their hair were various shades of white, black, purple, silver or blonde. Their skin also represented a slightly different kind of rainbow. They ranged from the palest white tinged with pink, through to the richest mahogany and in some places, various shades of pale blue.
Water Fae...
Ariadne looked at Kallen, a proud smile sat there for anyone to see.
"This is your kingdom?"
Kallen nodded and once again held out his hand. "Come, my kingdom awaits," he raced forward, carrying Ariadne with him.
The ground beneath shifted in a blur, as if someone had yanked a table cloth in one motion. Ariadne clutched her stomach, rolling with anxiety. "You'll get used to it, eventually..." Kallen let go of her hand.
"I'll get used to it? How long do you plan for me to stay?"
Ariadne looked down. The floor was a blush salmon colour, inlaid with silver grout. The whole interior was filled with light. "Watch!" Kallen grabbed Ariadne's shoulders and pointed to the central window.
The sun slowly dipped behind the horizon. The golden light of first dusk swept in through them. The floor was set alight in flames. Ariadne jumped as she thought her feet caught fire. Kallen laughed, and the people all around them paused.
"It's just a sunset," Kallen said casually.
"But it's not. It's gorgeous. It's magic," Ariadne whispered. Marvelling as the tiles became still once more.
Huge marble columns with thick veins of even more silver lined the atrium. A river ran along both sides and it tinkled as hands were dipped into them. Several people were drinking from them, and others were filling yokes laden with two buckets, one at either end.
