"Your Highnes..." Ben called, jogging to catch up.
As soon as he stepped through the doors, the sunlight hit Ben's face like a slap. He squinted, raising a hand to shield his eyes. When his vision adjusted, his was astonished.
The view was breathtaking. They stood on a balcony overlooking the entire city. White towers stretched toward the sky, connected by floating bridges. Gardens bloomed between buildings in impossible colours of blues, purples and even golds. Waterfalls flowed upward in the distance, defying gravity.
And beyond the city walls, Ben could see mountains. A massive, snow-capped peaks that pierced the clouds. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Ailwin said softly.
Ben nodded, still staring. "Yeah. It's... wow."
Ailwin leaned against the stone railing, arms crossed. The flame crown flickered gently above his head. "This is Eryndor Central. The heart of the kingdom. Every realm sends their finest here. Their warriors, their scholars and even their artists."
Ben glanced at him. "And you rule all of it?"
"I do." Ailwin smiled and turned to face him.
Ben wanted to ask what that meant but the beauty of the city stole all his attention.
"Must be... exhausting," Ben said carefully.
Ailwin laughed. "You have no idea." Ailwin pushed off the railing. "Come on."
The moment they stepped outside into the gardens, it was as if Ben walked through a portal into another world because what he saw was indescribable.
The gardens outside the palace stretched out in every direction. The flowers were of different shapes and colors, some Ben had never seen before. Vines glowed faintly, wrapping around white crystal stone pillars. There were trees with silver bark and leaves shifting from gold to purple.
Children laughed near one of the gardens, throwing leaves at each other. They had horns, scales and wings. Literally the kid versions of all the creatures Ben saw at the arena.
Gardeners tended flowers quietly. Guards patrolled in perfect sync, chanting low oaths and banging their armor as they marched. When the king passed, they saluted sharply, then went right back to their work.
People on the paths bowed and called out:
"Long may you reign!"
"the gods bless you, sire!"
It was a peaceful and beautiful place. As they kept walking, the king led them to a fountain, a stone's throw from the palace in distance. He stopped to watch the children play in the flowers around it.
"See this, Ben?" His voice was soft. Almost reverent. "This is what I built and protected for centuries."
Ben hesitated. "How... how long?"
Ailwin chuckled faintly. "Five hundred years, give or take. Time moves strangely around here."
Ben stared. 'Five hundred years? That was impossible.'
The king noticed his puzzled look and smiled tossing a pebble at him. "When I first arrive, I thought so too. But soon luck found me and I adapted. There were about five of us, but only I survived."
Ben could sense sadness in his voice. He had wanted to ask more because he'd been wondering how Ailwin he arrived. Plus he was human and a king in a strange world.
Ben was sure not many people knew because the king's form differed from when he was human. He had horns and other otherworldly features. He had many questions but for the time being, it was best he held on a little longer.
A little girl with tiny golden horns ran up, tugging on Ailwin's robe. "Sire! Sire! Look."
She held up a flower crown made up of grass and pale blooms, woven messily with her small hands.
Ben wanted to chuckle loudly but held himself out of respect as he watched the king kneel down, eyes crinkling. "For me?"
She nodded hard, beaming. He took it carefully and placed it on his head, right beside the flaming crown. The tiny flowers looked ridiculous next to the eternal fire.
The girl burst into giggles. "You look silly!"
Ailwin laughed. Warm. Genuine. He ruffled her hair gently. "I suppose I do."
She ran off, still giggling. Ben watched with delight. Something in his chest loosened despite himself.
'He's... not what I expected.' Ben thought.
Ailwin stood, brushing dirt off his robes. As they walked on, he noticed Ben was deep in thoughts and smiled to himself.
'Finally, it's working.' He thought. 'Now's the perfect time to strike. I'll make it snappy.'
He stopped walking and turning to face Ben fully. "Come Ben. Let's talk somewhere more private."
Ben nodded.
***
King Ailwin led Ben into the palace to his private study.
As they got in, fire crackled in the hearth. The tall shelve were packed with ancient books and strange relics. In fact, the big room were filled with booked-packed tall shelves.
In the middle of the story room were two chairs facing each other across a low table.
King Ailwin gestured to one. "Sit."
Ben sat. The chair was soft and comfortable. He was glad he could finally rest his back and leg from all the strolling around the palace. The healing potion seemed to have worked now because he was no longer feeling any migraines or body pain. "Alot of books you got here," he said tilting his head and looking around.
The king poured tea from a ceranic pot. Steam curled up, smelling faintly of mint and something else Ben couldn't place but it was pleasant. He offered Ben a cup. "This is how I cope without technology." He said.
Ben laughed awkwardly taking the cup. He set it down on the table. Something else was on his mind. He finally had an opportunity and a safe space to ask all the million questions running through his mind but he didn't know how exactly to break the ice.
King Ailwin sat across from him, sipping his tea slowly. His eyes never left Ben's face.
Silence.
None of them spoke or even made a sound.
'Say something, asshole!' Ben frowned. He was lost in thought. 'Ask something. Don't just sit here.'
"What do you think of Eryndor, Ben?" The king suddenly asked.