When they approached the wall sometime later, there were guards waiting for them. “Your Majesty,” one of the guards said as he stepped aside and allowed them to pass.
They walked along the cobblestone roads, little shops lined up along the sides of it. There were little canopies constructed out front to protect their products from any elements that might come their way. Everywhere he looked, he saw these people smiling behind the tables, watching them as they walked past.
The cobblestone street under his feet suddenly turned to solid marble. When he glanced up, he noticed he was in the hallway leading to the castle. As they made their way up the stairs, he noticed lanterns lined along the walls, none of which were lit due to the time of day. Overhead was an enormous crystal chandelier that hung in the middle of the room. Torches lined the walls every ten or so feet. Still, they kept walking.
Finally, after a measly two minutes, they came across two giant, double wooden doors that stood at least thirty feet high. They creaked as they opened, revealing a magnificent room behind them. The room was massive enough to fit the whole Kingdom into it, if need be. The walls on all four sides were white, with a large dome-shaped glass overhead so they could see whatever elements afftected Varinians that day, whether it was rain, thunderstorms, or snow. Today’s weather was sunny. There were no clouds in sight; the rays poured through the dome, making it that much brigher in the hall. When they had walked through and stepped into the room, Daniel gasped at the beauty.
The throne room had a sunroof, allowing the sunlight to pour in and make the room appear golden. At the end of the room was a stage where three thrones rested in the middle. The thrones were made of the same marble the castle was constructed out of.
“Welcome to the most magnificient kingdom among the Five Kingdoms. This is the throne room. Isn’t it magnificent? Come meet my wife.”
Standing in front of either side of the middle throne were two women. The woman on the right had to be his wife due to the fact she looked to have been in her mid to late twenties. She had long platinum blonde hair that was braided from just above her ears and had piercing but stunning emerald green eyes. She wore a simple yet elegant headband that had rhinestones all along through it; in the middle, it was shaped like a small “v.” She had a bright, welcoming smile on her face but for some reason, Daniel felt like it was just for show, like her true colors would come out once he got to know her.
The girl next to her was far younger, looking Daniel up and down before making eye contact. She smiled at him, as if intrigued by his presence. She wore a blue dress that hugged her curves rather tightly. Her long, jet black hair fell on her back, Her deep blue eyes locked onto Daniel’s that it felt like he couldn’t move. She was hypnotizing him, and he liked it.
On her head was a jeweled crown that had a variation of precious stones; strapped to her waist were two sharp sai, the hilt sporting a circular ruby.
Erek joined them and hugged them at the same time before turning to face Daniel. “This is my kingdom. From this point forward, you are a Varinian, which means you will follow our customs and courtesies and face the same punishment as the people born here do. This is my wife, your Queen, Guinevere, and my daughter, your Princess, Anya.” Daniel bowed his head in Anya’s direction but she kept looking at him with that cold dark stare, making him feel uneasy.
The king continued, “You will start training tomorrow. The sooner you are taught to defend yourself from those that are after you, the sooner you are able to return home with no fear. Go. Explore your new home. Anya here will be your escort.”
Princess Anya smirked, not once breaking the eye contact set between them. “Very well.” As she made her way down the stairs, she walked by him and whispered, “Looking forward to it.”