Princess of the Silver Ocean - Chapter 79

“Has everyone given their belongings to the airship workers?” Miss Yalvina asked, looking around at her students, who nodded.

Astoria could not believe they would ride what looked like an airship to East Corrilt. The only difference was that this airship was powered by magic and had see-through windows on either side of the airship. So one could see the beautiful sunrise and sunset and the land below.

“I am so, so excited,” Laurelai stood by her side, grinning from ear to ear.

She smiled and turned to the Summer Court fairy princess.

“Are you excited because you get to improve your riddle skills or because you get to skip other classes?” she raised her eyebrow at the fairy.

Laurelai smiled mischievously.

“Both?” the fairy replied, her voice cracked.

Astoria laughed and shook her head.

“If you say so, Summer Court princess,” she teased her.

They both laughed.

“Hi Davitt,” the red, short-haired fairy greeted the class president who was walking past them.

He bowed at them and smiled. The fairy’s light green eyes lit up, and she looked at Astoria, who gave her a ‘what was that?’ look.

“You like him, don’t you?” Astoria whispered in her ear.

Her small cute face flushed red, and she shook her head, denying what was actually true.

“Don’t be silly,” the fairy said, crossing her arms and looking away from Astoria, “How can I like a gargoyle?”

Astoria sighed and held back a chuckle.

“And,” she said to the fairy, while students began to board the airship, “what’s is wrong with liking a gargoyle?”

The fairy pressed her lips together and said nothing for a few seconds. She then started fidgeting in nervousness.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, changing the subject and directing Astoria’s attention to the airship, “Seems like we have to board the airship. Let’s go!”

The fairy ran past her, and Astoria chuckled, a smile on her face.

“Someone’s in a good mood,” a voice she knew and hated said.

She did not have to turn around to see that the voice belonged to Misty, the ghost student in her class. She ignored her and ran to Laurelai’s side. Misty clicked her tongue in annoyance.

‘She dare ignore me?’ the ghost asked, furious, ‘Seems like she has gotten bolder. I’ll teach her a lesson during this trip.’

East Corrilt was one of the city districts of the Ashen kingdom. And, like Laurelai had mentioned earlier, it was filled with hyacinth flowers. These flowers were the city’s main attraction. The city was also home to the anthousai. These are flower nymphs who are known to have hair that resembles hyacinth flowers. Anthousai are nymphs and minor goddesses who associate and preside themselves with flowers and plants life.

Astoria had read that the city of East Corrilt was built amidst the flora of a mighty forest known as Heavenly Spruce Forest. It was indeed a modest urban phenomenon. Its wonder is matched by the backdrop of flower fields which have helped shape the city’s beauty. The city magically has its own climate, bringing great importance because the climate helps support plant fertility and life. East Corrilt was also influential when it came to architectural designs, as the vast majority of buildings were designed with shapes and elements found in nature.

The skyline is growing with stylish, pretty houses, and there is no place on earth with anything like this. Education in riddle language and skills is superb in the city. This has attracted a lot of attention and is the reason why schools and academies from all over the world send their students on trips for their Riddle Language Studies classes. Students would be able to develop their riddle skills in a fun way through a riddle race all over the city.

A few new cultures have left their mark not just on the city’s development but also on its identity. Hundreds of take-outs, sandwich bars, and restaurants offer a plethora of culinary choices, and those who feel hungry for something else can enjoy musea, libraries, aerobics, or one of the many other recreational venues.

The city is known to have lots of fun recreational areas such as parks, amusement parks, playgrounds, a beach, picnic areas, and swimming pools. These were places Laurelai was looking forward to going and having fun. She had been to East Corrilt once when she was ten. She had gone with her father because they needed help reviving a magical plant that would cure one of the fairy knights.

“Wow!” the fairy exclaimed as the airship took off, “It’s been ages since I went on an airship ride.”

They walked to one of the seats which were prepared for the students. Miss Yalvina ushered the students to take a seat as she stood in the front. Students took to their seats and chatted excitedly. She clapped her hands, and the students fell silent.

“Okay,” she said to them, opening what looked like a register, “I will take attendance. When I call your name, please come to the front and give me your signed indemnity forms.”

Miss Yalvina took the attendance, and students gave her their signed indemnity forms.

“Looks like only two students could not make it,” she told the class, “But that is alright. I will give them a separate assignment to do so they do not have to stress.”

Astoria was looking around the airship from her seat.

‘Keya told me that I would be accompanied by five royal guards. However,’ she bit her lip as she continued to scan the area, ‘I do not see them. They also did not accompany me when I left the palace. So, where are they? Was it a lie? Or maybe they are in disguise?’

“You hear that Nexi?” the fairy shook her hand.

“Huh?” she was not paying attention as her mind was focused on finding the guards.

“Miss Yalvina said we will be staying at the Illustrious Palms Hotel,” the fairy told her, her light green eyes showing excitement.

Astoria looked at her, confused.

“Judging from your not-so-excited face,” the fairy said, crossing her arms, “I can tell you have never been there.”

“Is it a great hotel?” she asked the fairy, who nodded.

“Yeah! The hotel offers not just rooms, but houses too. I think we will be living in a whole house since that will be cheaper than booking multiple rooms.”

And lo and behold, the fairy was right. Miss Yalvina had booked a whole house for the two nights. They were all standing in front of the house with their eyes widened and mouths agape. The house was way too extravagant. Astoria looked around to see if she could spot Nexi’s royal guards, but still nothing. She looked at the massive house in front of her.

From the outside, this house looks posh and extravagant. It was a two-story house. It has been built with brownstones and has red pine wooden decorations. Short, expansive windows allow enough light to enter the home and have been added to the house in a primarily symmetric way. The house is equipped with an elegant kitchen and two modern bathrooms. It also has a small living room, four bedrooms, a large dining area, a study, and a large basement.

The building is fairly rounded in shape. The house is half surrounded by glass overhanging panels. The second floor was bigger than the first, which creates a stylish overhang on one side of the house. This floor has a different style than the floor below. The roof is high and rounded and is covered with redwood shingles. Two small chimneys sit at the side of the house. Large, skylight windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof.

The house itself is surrounded by a well-kept garden, with a grass field and flower patches at the edges of the garden. A luxurious bed of grass is accompanied by joined hedges and bushes. Several solid trees stand in the back left, their leaves reach for the sky, ever trying to reach higher and higher. The flower beds form a miniature world of their own, full of mysteries and wonder; they’re rich in species.

The hedges and bushes reach 1.5m/5ft high, but they will grow at least twice as large if left to their own. Marble slabs lie here and there, almost taking people by the hand to show them the best sights. Grass, roots, and vines keep each other in line but are hungry for more land to expand. The trees and alders, have stood there for countless years since the hotel was created. They are generally the biggest eye-catchers of the entire garden. The flower beds shouldn’t be ignored, and the hedges and bushes do their best to take some of the attention, but the focus is simply on the alders.

“I feel like staying here forever!” the fairy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air as she jumped on her bed in the room she was assigned to with Astoria.