Going Home

Chapter Seven

As Kaida approached the gates, they opened wide, allowing her to enter into the walls that surrounded the castle grounds and the castle itself. As they walked towards the brilliantly silver palace, the centaur guards dispersed around the castle grounds, taking up positions in different locations. She gazed around the grounds that were just as dead as they were outside the gate. It was a depressing sight for someone who grew up camping, and learning to love to nature. Kaida returned her mind to her task at hand, and watched as they were led up to the front doors of the castle. The doors themselves were large and silver in color, though rimmed with what looked to be gold. She guessed that it wasn't actually gold silver, since silver was extremely heavy, but something that looked similar to silver.

Just before two satyrs opened the doors, Kaida recognized that the silver was reflecting her image. After the doors opened, Kaida was greeted with a peculiar sight. The throne room was filled with all kinds of creatures she knew to be mythical. There were a few centaurs placed here and there as sentries, some flower nymphs who were laughing and creating colorful flower crowns that disappeared into thin air as they were finished. Kaida didn't understand it, nor did she attempt to. She watched, a smile creeping its way onto her face as she focused on the nymphs.

One flower nymph caught sight of her, and a bright smile lit up her face. Instantly, she was working on another flower crown. Instead of being many different colors, the flowers were two different shades of purple. One flower type was a boysenberry color, and the other lavender. Once the nymph finished with it, she danced her way over to Kaida, and placed it on her head. Kaida was shocked, and raised her hand up to brush her fingers against the flowers. The flower petals were soft to the touch, and felt so delicate Kaida feared that they would break with the smallest amount of pressure.

"Thank you", she said to the nymph. The nymph only shot a smile at Kaida, and gracefully moved back over to her fellow nymphs. Her bare feet looked as if they didn't touch the floor at all, and Kaida was left in awe.

"The king awaits you", Centaurus said. Kaida glanced at him, and followed his gaze to a throne, where an old man waited, a satyr on either side of the throne. Kaida assumed this was King Cepheus, and moved forward to speak with him. As she got closer, she took note of his features.

His hair was gray, and his beard white, but his deep lilac eyes were filled with wisdom, though they appeared to be tired, as if he hadn't gotten any rest for days. And yet he exuded such a powerful aura that Kaida couldn't help but curtsy in front of him.

She looked up to see that the king was smiling at her. He stood up and walked over to her, grasping her shoulder with his hands.

"I am glad that you agreed to talk with me and that you got here safely", he murmured, before his gaze moved past her. "And I see you brought friends."

Kaida turned and saw the humanoid versions of Draco and Aquila. Scorpius was still on her shoulder, though she was unsure if he was awake or asleep. She smiled softly at the friends she had created. Her mind went back to Orion and the Canises, and how she missed them deeply. She hoped she would see them again.

"Aquila!" King Cepheus exclaimed. "How good it is to see you again, my feather friend!"

"Indeed, King Cepheus", Aquila smiled

Kaida watched as the king sighed. "I told you, Aquila, there is no need to call me King! We are all equal here!"

"That's not what your wife thinks," Aquila said, a teasing tone to her voice.

Cepheus scoffed. "Yeah, well she's a little screwed up in the head. That's how she got put up in the stars anyway." The king turned back towards Kaida and smiled. "You have made some great friends, especially in Aquila. She is great protector."