It felt as if they were standing upon an endless sea of greenery, the long blades of grass swaying in waves of the breeze for miles on end. The bright blue sky had not a cloud in sight and the sunlight felt blissful on their faces.
All of Calathis’ villages, Dinevra had explained, were north of the forest, which was why they hadn’t been able to stop for food or supplies. Soon they would cross into Oceria and would pass a few of their towns, but Elowyn had insisted that they ride straight to the capital to make it there by nightfall.
The sleepless night had worn on everyone – Aurelia had to pause at a wide stream to splash cold water on her face to force herself awake. At the very least, now that they were in the grasslands they could ride without feeling a large target on their backs.
Calandra yawned before taking another bite of her baguette. “I’ve never traveled south before,” she said. “My family just occasionally goes north.” She curiously glanced around at their new surroundings, tucking a golden curl behind her ear.
Aurelia tilted her head. “Isn’t...Damaris in the north?”
Brina nodded. “Damaris is more northeastern – their capital is built on the same coast as Oceria, but their land is filled with ice and rocky cliffs. Navar and the dwarves are directly north, deep within the mountains and Weylin, the land of the Fae, is northwest, along the rolling foothills.”
“And Ardwen is west, hidden in the most magical forest you will ever set your eyes upon.” Calandra chimed in. “Of course, we would never go north now with such turbulent conditions, but my family used to make a tradition of going to Weylin once a year. Their craftsmanship of clothes and weaponry is the best on the Continent.”
“Have you been to any of the other capitals?” Aurelia asked. If every one of them were as magical as Calathis was, then she could hardly await their arrival at Oceria. If there wasn’t a war on the brink of the horizon, Aurelia would have made her grandmother bring her to each one.
They both shook their heads. “For the entirety of my growing up, my father went alone to Damaris to trade his goods. And, we never bothered with anywhere else. Ardwen is hidden and very few are granted the opportunity to travel there. Navar is pretty pointless unless you need metal – they live in the mines, after all.” Calandra explained.
“Besides that,” Brina added. “You don’t want to stay in Weylin for long. The Fae are a bit....judgemental of outsiders. If you don’t have pointed ears or purple eyes, after you’re done paying your coin, they escort you the way you came. It always gave me the creeps, really, but my mother loved their fabric. She would always get them to make our gowns for the year.”
Aurelia chuckled. “That reminds me of Ilaria.”
Calandra tilted her head. “I was meaning to talk to you about that.” She glanced at Brina. “Don’t you find it...odd how she just appears wherever we are? And is so endlessly rude to you, Auri?”
Aurelia shook her head, bristling at the thought. “As a matter of fact, I found her last night—“
“Ladies, we’re moving on,” Dinevra interrupted as she made her way to where the girls were sitting, adjacent to the trickling stream. “Your grandmother’s put us on a tight schedule after last night.”
Aurelia gave Brina and Calandra a look before she stood, brushing off the crumbs of her snack. She followed Dinevra back to the horses, accepting her hand to swing her leg over her horse, Brina and Calandra following.
“If we keep a good pace, we should get there just in time to have a real meal for dinner.” Dinevra said as she jumped up onto her own horse.
Aurelia’s stomach grumbled in response, and she turned to look back at Brina and Calandra. “I’ll tell you later,” She said, their horses reluctantly trailing the bulk of the traveling group in front of them through the grassy, hilly terrain.
They arrived at Oceria as the sun was setting in the distance. The grassy terrain had given way to red rock and sand, which had faded to white as the smell of salt began to permeate the air.
The chill from the forest had disappeared in the way of thickness and heat that had forced the women to abandon their cloaks and heavier layers. Now, they stood overlooking the city of Oceria from above, pausing on an enormous cliff, the only venture left making the trek downwards to the enormous castle along the sea.
It was just as magical as Aurelia had imagined, if not more so. The castle and village surrounding it was built out of white, glistening marble, and the castle reminded Aurelia of a temple for Greek gods, with towering pillars lining the entrance of the castle and a giant gold statue of a mermaid and merman spouting water into a grand pool at the entrance.
Indeed, the majestic blue water was everywhere, towering golden fountains filling the village squares and streets. Olive trees grew every few feet, and the ocean behind the castle was the most vivid turquoise, its waves crashing along the shore of elegant white sand. A few ships were docked at the harbor on the far end of the village and she could just barely make out people swimming through the clear blue water.
“The city of art,” Calandra breathed, and it was true. The village itself stood out from the castle, for it had the most vibrant hues of the rainbow painted on the buildings, depicting things from flowers to mermaids, a stark contrast from the opulent white of the castle at the village center. The distant sound of music reached their ears, observing as the townsfolk danced through the streets, the style of clothes themselves bright, dazzling, and, well...minimalistic.
Elowyn began leading them down the hill they rested upon, arriving at the grand, golden gates that would grant them entrance in the true city of the seafolk. Two male guards stood on either side of the gate, holding long, sharp spears. They were dressed in loose white pants, their bare chests covered in golden tattoos of swirls and ancient script that Aurelia couldn’t understand.
“Who requests access to the beloved capital of Oceria?” One asked gruffly, glancing at the women in front of him.
“Queen Elowyn of Calathis,” Elowyn announced, sitting tall from her seat upon her horse.
The guard’s eyes narrowed as he took in the people behind her. “And how can one know that it is the real Queen Elowyn standing before them?”
“Like this.” She slowly opened her palm to reveal a small, glowing sun within it, lowering her hand for both of the guards to see. “Not everyone can hold the sun in their hand, now can they?”
The guard bowed deeply. “Your Grace,” He said warmly, motioning for the other guard to open the gates. “Welcome to Oceria. We’ve been expecting you.”
The gates opened into the lively village, the colors even more vibrant up close. The smell of salt and spices filled the air, the music they had heard from above now much louder as dancers and partiers crowded the streets.
Their horses slowly trotted through the main street, Aurelia’s head turning every which way as she took in the details she couldn’t have seen from afar. There seemed to be artists everywhere – painting on the buildings, on canvases, even painting each other.
The gowns adorning the women were hardly gowns at all – they hung loosely on their bodies, dipping low to reveal cleavage and some exposing their entire midriff, their skirt slits rising high to expose long, tanned legs. The men dressed similarly to the guards, shirtless with loose linen pants. Many of the men and women in the village had similar golden tattoos to the guards at the front gate which shimmered underneath the fading sunlight.
The music was loud and animated, many of the people in the streets dancing aimlessly to the strums of the guitar and violins, the atmosphere light, and carefree, as if they had their whole life to enjoy such luxuries.
The main storefronts were art shops, eateries and dancing halls, all bustling with activity at the evening hour. Lanterns floated above them, illuminating the street towards the castle, making the blue water of the fountains they passed glow brightly.
“I was told if you want a life of drinking and dancing, Oceria is the place,” Brina murmured to Aurelia and Calandra as their eyes swiveled around the street. “It’s the land of artists, all so free-spirited and unattached.”
Calandra sighed blissfully, batting her eyelashes at a few of the passersby. “It’s so magnificent, isn’t it? All the hues of color and the beautiful ocean...” Calandra’s cheeks turned pink as one of the painters waved at her, attempting to lure her to his booth of artwork.
Aurelia had to admit, Calandra had a point. What she would give to be as carefree as the strangers they passed, on their way to create with their passion. Aurelia watched in awe as a few of the women molded clay with their hands, moving to the beat of the music that thrummed through the square.
The energy of Oceria was unmatched to anything she had felt before – as if there were some sort of vibration that gave peace to its townsfolk, springing a lightness in their steps that couldn’t be found anywhere else.
Their horses continued trotting through the main sandstone streets until they arrived at the golden statue of the mermaid and merman, the transcendent castle standing tall before them.
Elowyn quickly dismounted her horse, the rest quickly following suit. While the people around them looked as if they were gods and goddesses, Aurelia folded her arms across herself subconsciously, painfully aware of the mud covering her skirt and her hair in tangles from riding. Reluctantly, she ran a quick hand through it before following her grandmother to the castle doors.
As if they knew who had arrived, the castle doors swung open to a golden throne room, the castle’s white marble reflecting the sun. A large sapphire blue banner hung behind the two thrones elevated at the back of the room.
The thrones themselves were occupied by whom Aurelia only could presume the king and queen of Oceria. Their long, golden locks and dark skin sat before them and Aurelia could just barely glimpse a tinge of turquoise beneath their cheekbones.
The queen was dressed in a gown the color of the ocean, a crown made of shells, pearls, and diamonds resting upon her head, a matching one upon the man’s, his hair cascading loosely down his shoulders.
Scales – that was the blue tinges along the king and queen’s cheekbones.
“Queen Sereia and King Zaffre,” Elowyn began as she bowed deeply. Aurelia quickly followed suit, holding her skirts as she dipped for the royals in front of her. “It’s wonderful to once more be a guest in your home.”
There was a short pause before the queen’s face widened into a warm smile as she stood and walked gracefully down the dais to Elowyn, pulling her into a tight embrace.
“I’ve missed you, my friend.” She murmured, her voice as soft as velvet, before she turned to Aurelia.
Up close, she was even more striking with her pale hair and turquoise scales. The bright colors made her blue eyes stand out among her tanned skin.
“Princess Aurelia,” she gasped, leaning forward to embrace Aurelia, to her surprise, in a similar fashion. “You are much more beautiful than they say in letters,” Sereia said kindly, her hands grazing the auburn hair that fell down Aurelia’s back in waves.
Aurelia’s cheeks turned pink at the compliment. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” She said in response, nodding her head in respect. Her heart was pounding from the pressure and the honor of meeting the queen of such a beautiful place.
“Come. Let us get you settled in.” Her golden hair almost reached the floor as she motioned for Elowyn’s entourage to follow her out of the throne room and into another part of the castle, the marbled hallways just as luxurious as the entrance.
“You are the first to arrive,” She told Elowyn as they walked, glancing back at the group behind them.
“Ah,” Her grandmother began, and murmured something indistinctively to Sereia, in which they began to continue their discussion in hushed tones. It reminded Aurelia as if they were long lost friends that had spent much too long apart.
Turning away from the pair, Aurelia’s head craned upward to look at the beauty of the Ocerian architecture. The castle reminded Aurelia of Calathis with its openness to the elements and the grand arches, except in Oceria, instead of plantlife, there were pools, waterfalls and warm baths everywhere. Every which way they turned there was more water with golden-statued fountains, with various individuals swimming or floating within the magical sparkling water. Aurelia could have sworn she saw a peek of what could have been a tail before continuing on.
“Did you have any troubles on your journey?” Sereia continued as they strolled. Elowyn told her briefly of their encounter with the wolves in the forest.
“Ah,” Sereia replied. “I am not surprised. Scouts tell me fewer and fewer tradesmen have made it through the forest unharmed.” She began leading them up a flight of stairs that opened into a wing of rooms including a reading room, dining room, and a multitude of bedrooms for the women to share.
“We will ring the dinner bell shortly.” Sereia gave a hesitant look to the dresses they wore, now torn and covered in dirt from the events of the evening before. “I took the liberty of laying gowns out more..appropriate for the warm weather.” She waved a hand and servants stepped out of the doorways, bowing. “My servants will assist you in anything else you might need. I hear the baths here are quite...extraordinary.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously before she made her leave.
The women quickly split up, Aurelia, Brina, and Calandra finding an empty room with a miraculous view of the ocean. To Calandra’s delight, if they opened the doors to their private terrace, they could enjoy the salty air and gentle sound of the waves crashing on the shore.
Everything in the bedroom was different shades of white and gold, with paintings of various hues of blue adorning the walls. Pillows the color of jasmine, raspberry, and sapphire blue sat upon the couches against the windows, and an arch in the far wall opened to the bathing room – which was at least twice as big as the bedroom itself.
For, instead of a simple bathtub and washroom, the bathing room housed an entire pool, filled with the sparkling turquoise water that Oceria was known for. Laying elaborately on the water were glowing flowers and an organized basket housing all sorts of bathing salts and soaps. Lit candles littered the space around the pool, their reflections in the water glowing.
They took turns washing – or swimming, really – off the grime from last night. As they stepped out of the bathing pool, a servant helped them get dressed in true Oceria fashion – complete with their signature gown, loosely curled and pinned hair, and sweet smelling perfume.
“I can’t believe people feel comfortable in this.” Brina groaned as they made their way to the grand dining hall where they were to dine with Oceria’s finest. She anxiously pulled at her jasmine purple gown that made her dark brown hair and green eyes pop, as if pulling it would somehow cover more skin.
Calandra scoffed. “Oh, come on, Brina. You look striking.” Calandra reassured her as she strode confidently forward, dressed in a rose pink and the only one out of the three of them that comfortable in such revealing attire.
“You too, Aurelia,” Calandra said, turning towards her. Aurelia had been dressed in a jade green gown that contrasted beautifully with her auburn hair. Though she, too, was uncomfortable with the little modesty the Ocerian style offered, she distracted herself with the beauty of their surroundings, her eyes picking up on all of the small details she had missed upon their arrival. The windows they strolled past all opened up to reveal the great ocean.
“Oh, it’s so beautiful here,” Aurelia sighed, the warm, humid air whipping through her damp hair. “How amazing it must feel, having an affinity for water magic and being able to swim endlessly through the ocean. It’s like an entirely new world.”
Calandra laughed. “One always wants what they cannot have, Aurelia.” She bumped hips with Aurelia. “You’re a damn good solar enchantress if I say so myself.”
They turned the corner and arrived at the dining hall, another grand room with long tables filled with the men and women of Oceria enjoying a rich meal of fresh fish, oysters, and fruit. An orchestra played lively music in the corner and the archway at the back of the room opened to the white sands of the beach, the fresh, salty air permeating the room.
They quickly made their way to where Elowyn, Rehema, and the others were sitting, near the royal table where King Zaffre and Queen Sereia sat.
“You all have dressed up nicely,” Rehema said with a grin. “I’ve always been fond of Oceria style, me.”
That hardly surprised Aurelia in the least – of all of her educators, Rehema was by far the most scandalous in the fashion sense. Elowyn rolled her eyes, the only one out of the table to remain in Calathian fashion. “Of course you would, Rehm.”
Aurelia, Brina, and Calandra quickly took a seat next to them, a few Ocerians to the left of them.
“Hello,” A woman with fiery red hair said to the three of them, reaching out her hand to shake. “I’m Darya. Welcome to Oceria.”
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