And then the houses started. They were scattered far and wide and were build in yellow and orange tones and most of them were one storey. They started growing in size and numbers as we delved deeper in civilisation.
All the houses were modern and and looked recently built as the city looked thoroughly planned. When we reached an intersection on our way, the car came to a halt.
“Please follow me, Alpha King Nikolai, Luna Queen Avalyn.” The driver opened our door and bowed. “Your luggage and your slaves will be brought to the palace.”
“Tessa and Eliyah will travel with us.” Avalyn told him coldly.
“Forgive me, Luna Queen but the special provisions were made only for two.” He said wearily.
“What speci-” Ava stopped when her eyes fell on the huge elephant standing on the side, an open palanquin secured at the top of his back.
“Make sure they reach our living quarters safely.” I told him and grabbed Ava’s hand and led her up the staircase so we could step on the elephant easily. The palanquin was more spacious than I had assumed but we had to sit one behind the other, it wasn’t wide enough for us to sit side by side.
I took a seat first in the cushioned palanquin and shifted at the back and then helped Ava get in, in front of me so she had a better view. Once she was seated securely, the man handling the elephant called out something and the elephant moved. I grabbed Ava’s waist to help her sit upright when she moved. The palanquin rocked a little as the elephant walked but it was in no danger of falling.
This palanquin wasn’t like the one Zakyra had came in, this one had wooden beams supporting the four corners and the top half was open from all sides. The top was covered with a cloth to protect us from the harsh sun rays.
We entered a part of the old city where the houses were more traditional and their roofs were dome shaped. All the houses were colourful and had several different shapes and patterns painted on them with care.
“This is so beautiful,” Ava whispered and caught my hand and pulled ahead, holding it in her lap. I scooted closer to her and wrapped my other arm around her.
“Not as much as you.” I said cornily and kissed the base of her neck.
She blushed before she looked back at me with a loving smile and a look of adoration in her eyes. I pressed a chaste kiss to her dimpled cheek.
Two ornate camels walked in front and two behind us. It sure was a royal ride. Max outdid himself with maintaining peace in Poziarne.
There were no cars on the streets of the old city, with only horses and a couple of camels here and there.
The people walking on the streets parted to make way for us, waving at us with excitement and enthusiasm. People stepped out of their houses an peeked out of the windows to greet us.
Love was in the air.
It made me wonder how miserable Zakyra must have made them if they were so happy to greet a King and Queen they hadn’t even met. Max must have done a splendid job of gaining the love and respect of the masses.
Ava was smiling widely and giggling when she saw something amusing and occasionally waved at the people who waved back at her with double the enthusiasm.
As we neared the palace, a line of people stood on the either side of the road with trumpets in their hand and blew them when they saw us, decreasing the volume as we neared their area so they didn’t assault our ears. The throng of people gathered around the trumpet players threw flowers at us.
I guess this is their way of greeting too.
I caught a rose in my hand and tucked it above a beaming Ava’s ear.
She turned to look at me. “Thank you.” She kissed my lips.
“You’re very welcome.” I squeezed in my arms lovingly.
The palace was grand. It looked like one of the palaces from the Disney movies Vanessa loved- Aladdin. The walls were a simple ochre colour but the domes were colourful with thick stripes of red, yellow, blue and orange. All of them were very different but fitting for the palace.
We entered the main gates of the palace where the people didn’t follow after us.
The gates closed behind us and the elephant circled a huge spectacular statue of a woman rising from fire in front of the palace carved our of marble.
Surrounding the curved path were lush, neatly kept maze gardens and smaller versions of the same statue placed in regular intervals.
When we reached the other side of the statue, the elephant stopped and a group of slaves were quick to push a staircase on wheels adjacent to the elephant. Both of us got off easily.
Ava’s eyes were focused on Max and Nat waiting for us at the bottom of the staircase of the palace with people surrounding them.
We walked the path that was made out of flowers spread on the floor and reached them.
All of them bowed in greeting.
“Rise.” I said and once everyone stood straight, Max met my eyes and came forward to hug me. “It’s been a while, brother.”
I patted his back with a smile. “I see you have done well.”
He took a step back and grinned. “You have yet to see many things.”
I grinned back and then hugged Nat as Max hugged Ava. She had dyed her hair to red now. I don’t remember what she looked like in her real hair at this point. It was jet black, if I remember correctly. She had always hated it, claiming it was ‘boring’.
“I love your hair!” Ava gushed, touching a strand of Nat’s now red hair.
“I got bored of being a brunette.” She grinned. “And red matches these type of clothes better.” She was also wearing something like a barely there bra and a bottoms like Zakyra wore, just a little less translucent. It reminded me of princess Jasmine from Aladdin again.
“You look… pretty.” Ava said after a little consideration. I knew she wasn’t as comfortable in her own skin as Natalia. And she wouldn’t wear the type of outfit Nat was wearing in public either. I wasn’t complaining. I didn’t want her to wear such clothes in front of the leering, lascivious eyes of males and females. I was all for her doing whatever she wanted but these sexy clothes were for bedroom only. At least for Ava and I. If Ava liked it, I don’t think I could have stopped her but I would have driven myself insane with jealousy and possessiveness.
Max and Nat were a different case altogether. They had a disturbing amount of fetishes. Nope. Not going to think more about it.
“It’s practical.” Natalia grinned, not offended in the least.
“Let’s step inside and then we can do all the introductions, it’s fucking hot here. And not just because of Talia.” He winked at Nat.
I wrapped an arm around Ava’s waist and climbed the entrance steps and energy the palace, Max and Nat flanking our side immediately.