CHAPTER 5
Iris gasped when she saw the room the portal had brought her to. She didn't dare move farther than a few steps out of the portal, and only just to give Brett enough room to step out of the oval behind her.
Shimmering icicles hung from a ceiling several feet above her. Everything emanated a cool blue light that made each frozen spear sparkle. The sight made her want to wrap her arms around herself to keep warm, but there was no need. Despite the magnificent illusion of an ice palace's front room, the air held no chill, no cold to nip at someone's nose.
"Extraordinary." Iris whispered. She gawked at the beauty surrounding her.
Brett stood silently, leaning against one of the ice blue walls. He really did love sharing this room with people, especially those as beautiful as the woman who stood before him. He had sone it once before, but who gets tired of satisfaction?
"Yes, quite." Brett grinned.
Iris remembered the magical portal that had brought her here, the portal that Brett had summoned. "Did you," Iris paused and waved her hand.
"No. This room has been here for many years, perhaps before the rest of the building. Most definitely before my time." Brett didn't mention how extraordinarily long 'his time' actually was. He figured that conversation was best saved for a later date.
"Shall I show you around your new paradise?" Brett asked.
With her worries forgotten, pushed away by her mesmerizing surroundings, Iris nodded eagerly. "My heavens, yes." She clasped her hands together in front of her, enthusiastic to see the other impossibilities that surely awaited her in this new world. The glowing ice reflected in Iris' eyes, turning them from an ordinary gray blue to an enchanting, sparkling blue.
Brett found himself tempted to try and charm this new girl. He found himself mesmerized by her swirling eyes, he alabaster skin. She stared at him, waiting for a response and blissfully unaware of the thoughts running through his mind. But wouldn't a direct flirtation ruin his chances with a love so close behind her? Perhaps he should bide his time. Brett smirked in the back of his mind. He had a world of wonder to charm her with.
"Follow me." He invited her, holding open a door disguised as part of the wall. Iris stepped over the threshold into a much more ordinary hallway. Unwilling to let disappointment crowd out her amazement, Iris patiently waited for the next display of magic as Brett carefully closed the door.
He didn't speak either as he led Iris to the entry-way of the castle. Despite their entrance into the ice room, it was nowhere near the front door. Artful architecture wasn't comparable to a room of glowing ice. Perhaps what lay just outside the castle doors would outshine the dazzling crystals.
The end of the hallway opened to reveal an entry-way with great stair cases on either side and door tall enough for giants to step through with ease. Iris marveled at the magnificent carvings that covered the doors. such a magnificent doorway wasn't meant for servants. Surely she stood in an entry-way meant for royalty. But she had been invited - could it be that she was still sound asleep against her mount in the cave?
Brett waved the massive doors open and winked at an astonished Iris. Light spilled in from the summer day outside. Warm air rolled in on a gentle breeze. Iris blinked at the light, holding a hand up to block some of the brightness. Brett strode forward as if such magic, the door and the dazzling light, was nothing but ordinary for him. Iris quickly followed, but was unprepared for the sight that awaited her.
It was the scent that hit her first. A myriad of fragrances slammed into her senses. She recognized a few, namely those of roses and jasmine, but only from some of the spices traders peddled at the market on rare occasions. She raced to find the source of the fragrances, but instead of the cart of herbs her eyes expected to find, she saw an impossibly multifarious garden planted just outside the castle doors. The garden wrapped around the front of the castle on either die of the entrance with a white plank fence lining the outer edge. Beautiful white woven arches stood in a gap of the fence. Vines weaved their way through the arch and along the white fence. Various pastel flowers speckled the rich green vines.
Plants that shouldn’t be able to thrive in the same garden bed, let alone the same season, stood healthy and fragrant. Colors from a thousand blossoms alongside fully-grown and ripe fruit melded into an impossible rainbow.
And then there was the insect life. countless ladybugs crawled from leaf to leaf while numerous bees buzzed with undeniable purpose. Vibrant caterpillars crawled among the foliage while their older counterparts fluttered from flower to flower in search of a meal.
But even more amazing was the diverse collections of birds that mingled among the trees. Plain birds chatted alongside more dazzling brightly colored species had never dreamed of.
"It's amazing what's possible with a little magic." Brett said with quiet confidence.
"Clearly." Iris couldn't help but wonder what she'd be able to do when she's gained control over the magic Brett had promised her. 'Speaking of...,' "Will I ever be able to create something like this?" she asked.
Brett smiled softly. "With time." Little did she know hoe much time it would take. How many years, earth years, had it taken him to coax a flower bud open? How much longer had it taken him to open the castle doors? Still, he'd had the time - and so would she. "With time." he repeated, though softer this time.
"What other impossible wonders does this world hold?" Iris asked, scanning a horizon of grass and a distant forest that seemed oddly familiar.
Brett chuckled. "There are quite a few, but maybe you should take some time to get acclimated. Stop and smell the roses. You might even try to get in touch with your magic - this garden has a way of helping one reach his inner-self at times." Brett held a distant gaze for a moment as if transported to a fond, or perhaps tragically memorable, memory. "It may be just what you need to get your magic flowing." He smiled sweetly. "I'll come find you in a while." Brett took a step away, but turned back. "And this is your home now - feel free to explore, just be careful not to get lost." And with that, he left Iris to herself, standing at the entrance to the grand garden.
Iris still wore the outfit she'd been meant to return after testing. The corner of her mouth crept up - this piece of clothing would never make it into Lady Catherine's wardrobe. She supposed that meant it was hers. Iris loosened the top few buttons to let her neck breath. A cool breeze brushed past, as if the weather had sensed her desire. Or, she thought, as if she's summoned it. Iris cautiously tried to summon something more, like a cloud or a strong gust, but there was no response. She sighed, letting go of the hope that this might be easy, that she might be a natural at using magic.
Several feet away, surrounded by several rose bushes sat a white bench like Iris hadn't seen before. It was wide enough for two, maybe three, people and had gaps between each plank of wood making up the seat. Someone had carved an ornate rose onto a rectangular flat panel that composed the back of the bench. As she gazed at the pattern, she could see the petals of the rose softly fall away, but when she looked away, the flower was fresh again. Iris walked over to the bench and sat, determined to "Get acquainted" with the magic Brett had said was inside her. She found her inability to watch the enchanted rose against her back, but decided the sight, full of exotic and simple, in front of her was satisfactory enough.
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Something Bigger Part 1
Novela Juvenil"We could run away." He'd suggested. But that was before the offer came. The offer that changed Iris's life and sealed the fate of more than a few. Aden should have pulled her away, he should have broken free of the hold. But maybe this was fate.
