Crimson Rebirth

Part 41

 Up close, the castle was even MORE impressive and warm.

 Climbing ivy trailed up a tower as Gene stretched her arms and legs, Ione slowly waking up as well. The courtyard Kaiju landed in was large enough to handle a dragon his size, stones under his feet to help keep from tearing up the ground. Flowers of all kinds opened their petals in welcome to the trio, their scent spilling into the well-kept garden around them. The warm, cream-and-beige walls of the castle seemed to glow in the winter sun, their windows polished to perfection. Somewhere, further in the gardens around the castle, Gene could hear a fountain burble and gurgle, probably kept running by magic. Covered terraces for the floors above the first were strung with magelight, small globes with tiny crystals inside that held light. They, and the golden candelabras that were strategically placed along the sides of the walkways, were unlit.

 No storybook castle could ever compare to the castle before her, those big green eyes sparkling.

 "Wow.........." Gene breathed, feeling Ione grip her hand, the little girl's jaw dropping.

 Kaiju regarded the pair with warmth in his sparkling ruby eyes, as they carefully climbed down from his back.

 Snowflakes, naught much more than a handful, sprinkled down from the sky above, greeting the first day of December in the usually warm Capital. They danced through the air, landing gently in Gene's fiery locks, before vanishing. Ione couldn't help but giggle, holding onto Gene's skirt with one hand and her teddy bear with her other.

 "It's just like the fairy tales!" The little girl exclaimed quietly, as a messenger, a page wearing black and red, colors Gene recognized as Kaiju's personal colors, raced over.

 "Your Highness!" The boy squeaked, breathing deeply. "You're presence is requested....... Meeting with the........"

 "Breathe, boy." Gene mumbled under her breath, shaking her head quietly.

 Kaiju practically(and loudly) sighed, grumbling under his breath, and Gene swore she heard him say that he didn't want to.

 But alas, the duties of a king do have precedent, and the look she gave him reminded him of that. With a quieter grumble, Kaiju shrank his form(even though he still towered over her and Ione) and followed the messenger, not willing to shift out of his dragon form just yet.

 After all, it was warmer that way.

 And as they vanished inside, another person came out, heading directly towards Gene and Ione. A maid, from the looks of it, shy and softspoken as she approached the pair. "L-Lady Genevieve." She said, dipping into a curtsy. "I'm t' show ye to your rooms..."

 She dipped into another curtsy after she finished talking, something that made Genevieve mildly uncomfortable. After all, it wasn't something she was used to.

 "I'm... No lady." Gene murmured, knowing it fell upon deaf ears. "Just Genevieve."

 "If.... If you'll follow me both, please..." The maid said, rising once more and bowing her head, carefully turning on her heels. Ione looked up at Gene, who looked at Ione and shrugged, set to follow.

 If anything, the inside of the castle was just as warm as the outside. The tall cathedral-like ceilings allowed dragons to walk with ease, while soft, plush woven rugs trailed along the floors, keeping sharp nails from scratching up the stone beneath. On the ceilings, chandeliers alit with the same magelights from outside cast light into even the darkest shadows. It was bright, yet not too bright, just enough to feel like home. The walls were carefully decorated, yet not overbearingly so, with portraits and tapestries, odes to heroes and tales of kings.