The kingdom was far grander than anything Serenity could have imagined.
As they approached, she could see little hovels and cobbled streets lace through the sprawling town and people milling about in between, some accompanied by the strangest animals she'd ever seen. On the hills were much larger, white houses, and she could barely make out a few women in long, flowing gowns fanning themselves as they left one of them. In the distance, Serenity saw a three-towered grey castle reach up to the clouds above and watch dutifully over the town. So entranced was she by the city that she didn't notice Tristan stop before a turret. Tristan tugged gently on her arm to pull her back.
"Hey, what're you —?"
"Hush," Tristan cut her off. He pointed upwards, toward the guard at the turret.
"Who goes there?" the guard shouted down to them. He took up what Tristan knew to be a defensive stance in case they answered wrong.
"A humble servant and follower," Tristan called back, making an odd gesture with his hand. "Oh, and a guest."
"All guests must be pre-approved by his Majesty or his council." The guard narrowed his eyes at Serenity, who ducked behind Tristan.
"She was lost, and night was approaching," Tristan insisted.
The guard grumbled but lowered his arms. "You may pass," he said.
Tristan nodded curtly and, taking Serenity by the wrist, led them to the town.
"I'm glad he let us through," Serenity said with a sigh. "What would he have done to me otherwise?"
Tristan glanced at her. "Probably restrain you and have you hauled off to a dungeon to await your trial where they'll decide whether you'll be put to death or to servitude."
"That's awful!" Serenity shuddered. "And the king is okay with this?"
"He's the one who ordered it." Before Serenity could remark how terrible that was, Tristan rushed on. "But it wasn't always like that! He only started detaining strangers because the other Sorcerers told him to."
"Other...Sorcerers?" Serenity asked.
"Yeah," Tristan replied. "You must've heard of them. I mean, you have to belong to one of them. Unless you live in the savage lands." He gave Serenity a once-over. "Which you don't look like you do."
"I don't belong to anyone!" Serenity said, affronted at the idea of being owned. "And I'm certainly no savage." She took her wrist back and crossed her arms in front of her.
Tristan sighed quietly. How easily offended this girl was! And yet…there was something about her that was so refreshing and novel. Something in her eyes told him she was different from all the other girls his age, and definitely more special. Though he couldn't possibly put his finger on how so.
"Look," he said, pointing to a long stone building some feet away. "That's where we're headed."
"What is it?" Serenity asked, giving up on making sense of the odd looped characters on the sign.
"The tram station," he said with a grin. "We're the only domain that has one. People from all over visit just to ride it."
Serenity nodded but couldn't think of why riding public transportation would be anything special. She did it all the time at home. Nonetheless, she followed Tristan into the overflowing station. When people saw him, they parted to let them through, some looking fearful, but most staring reverently. Tristan didn't seem to notice and merely kept walking toward the ticket booth.
"Two for the castle, please," he said to the guy behind the glass.
The guy didn't look up. "I'm sure," he said sarcastically. "I'll just be needin' to see your papers."
"Pity," Tristan said casually. "Must've left them in my other robes."
At this, the ticketmaster looked up, perhaps to scold his customer. However, when he saw who — or, better yet, what — Tristan was, his eyes widened.
"I b-beg your p-pardon, sir," the guy said. He rubbed his hands together nervously. "Two for the castle, you say?" He glanced down at the rolls of parchment before him. "You're in luck! One leaves in ten minutes." He took two forms and stamped them before sliding them through the window.
Tristan read them over, nodded, and pushed a few bills back through. "Keep the change."
As they walked toward the tram cables, Serenity glanced back at the people, who still stared at them. "Why are they all so afraid of you?" she asked.
"Hm?" He glanced back, too. "Oh, they're not afraid, per se," he said. "They just recognize an Acolyte when they see one. Since we train with the Black Magician, they think we're royal and powerful, too." He chuckled. "It has its benefits."
Serenity smirked. "Clearly."
The tram stood waiting for passengers at the gate. There weren't many boarding, so Tristan and Serenity had no problem finding two comfortable seats facing each other. The few riders who did board all wore fancy clothes similar to the gowns Serenity had seen earlier. They were rich and vibrant in color but didn't look at all comfortable. A man a few seats down kept readjusting the seams of his stockings, while the woman behind him couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted her sleeves on or off her shoulders.
Serenity exchanged a glance with Tristan, who she was sure saw the same display, and giggled.
"I very much prefer the simple Acolyte cloak," he said with a laugh.
When the car was about halfway full, a bell rang and the doors closed. The tram jerked forward and climbed out of the gate. Tristan could safely assume that Serenity had never been in a tram before, what with the way her eyes grew as she stared out the window. She ogled the shrinking figures as the tram got higher above the commoners and closer to the hills.
"That fountain is gorgeous!" she breathed, briefly fogging the glass she had her nose pressed to. Tristan looked at the porcelain sprites posed mid-cartwheel in the cascading water. He supposed it was gorgeous; then again, he was never one for art.
The tram stopped at a platform beside a row of dark green hedges that were spotted with large white flowers. Serenity smiled at them as the wind set them asway but gasped when she saw each flower quiver and glow. Suddenly, the flowers shot out of the bushes and twirled, revealing little fairies instead of stems. They flapped the petals, their wings, and flew upward, streaking the indigo sky white.
Serenity was brought of her reverie by the tram's lurch forward again. She followed the sight with her eyes as long as she could before meeting Tristan's. She smiled. Now she understood why people trekked all the way to the kingdom for the tram.
The car climbed through tier after tier, each more magnificent than the last. Serenity saw rainbow fish fly in the air, handsome children playing the strangest instruments she ever heard, and even waterfalls that flowed upwards.
When they departed from their final tier, Serenity eased back into her seat. "I can't imagine what the palace must look like after seeing all that."
"Oh trust me," Tristan replied, "you'll love it."
Soon (but not soon enough for Serenity's tastes), the pair stood before an impossibly long wrought iron fence. The sharply sloped gate opened automatically as they approached, though Serenity couldn't tell if that were meant to be comforting or haunting. Nonetheless, they stepped onto the royal grounds.
And Tristan was right. Serenity looked around her in awe at the overgrown hedges and trees and needle-point lawns. Wildlife scurried and flew uninhibited throughout, and large colorful orbs floated off the trees and toward the castle at regular intervals.
They passed under an archway and were met with a fountain lined with dots of light. A blond man dressed in similar robes as Tristan stood facing it with his back to them. When he heard their footsteps, he turned with a grin.
"Tristan," he said, throwing his hands up excitedly, "you're back!" They grasped arms and thumped each other on the back. Then the new boy looked over to Serenity. "And you brought your girlfriend."
Tristan blushed and opened his mouth to say something, but Serenity cut across him.
"I'm not his girlfriend," she said sternly. "We barely know each other." She crossed her arms and glared slightly at the other boy.
The boy blinked before laughing raucously. "She's fiesty. I like her!"
Tristan sighed. "Serenity, this is my best friend Joey. Joey, this is my new friend Serenity."
"Charmed," Joey said, nodding his head slightly.
"As am I," Serenity replied, repeating his gesture hesitantly. She breathed a silent sigh of relief when neither boy laugh at her faux pas.
"So," Joey said, his tone losing all the mirth from earlier. "How was your forage?"
Tristan sighed. "Not good. Couldn't find anything we don't have already. Besides her, of course. And I don't think she's much help. No offense," he added quickly.
Joey nodded. "He's not gonna like this."
"Tell me about it. Dibs on not telling him!"
Joey groaned. "I always have to do it. Fine, but I get to introduce Serenity."
"Deal."
Serenity listened intently to the conversation but still couldn't follow it. However, she didn't feel it proper to interrupt and ask for explanations. This must be official court business, after all, something she was lucky enough to be privy to.
"Let's go, then," Joey said with a smile. "He's waiting for us." He winked to Serenity and turned to lead the pair inside.
The foyer was grand, but more bare than Serenity would have assumed it to be. Indeed, the only striking details about it were its plush carpet, neatly arranged portraits of people and creatures alike, and ornate brass lanterns. The boys led Serenity up a pair of steps and through an archway opening up into a similarly furnished throne room.
Serenity was a bit disappointed to see the throne — and the shorter seats positioned in a semicircle around it, for that matter — vacated. She didn't spend much time wondering where the king could have been, for a short old man burst through a hidden door and hobbled over quickly to the boys.
"Any news?" he called as he approached.
The boys exchanged a glance. "We're sorry, Solomon," Joey began. "The trip was a waste."
The old man — Solomon, apparently — sighed. "His Majesty is running out of options."
Joey cleared his throat, and Solomon looked up. "We did find something worth mentioning." He turned to face Serenity, and Solomon's eyes followed, widening when he saw the girl's face.
Serenity, who didn't like being compared to a thing again, suppressed the urge to stick out her tongue at Joey and merely smiled politely at the man.
"An Otherworlder," he said softly. "I never thought I'd see the day." He stroked his chin. "Maybe…maybe you're what we've been searching for all along."
Serenity laughed nervously. "I think you're mistaken, sir. See, I was caught up in my fever and started hallucinating again and somehow ended up here."
Solomon quirked an eyebrow. "Hallucinating?" Serenity nodded. "Tell me, when did the fever dreams begin?"
"Well if today is still today, then three days ago."
"Three!"
"What is it?" Joey asked. "What's so special about that?"
"His Majesty took ill three days ago," Solomon answered gravely.
"Coincidence?" Tristan said.
Solomon shook his head. "No such thing." He turned again to Serenity. "Sometimes...when two beings get too close in a fever dream, one infects the other. Most of the time, it is an accident and wears off soon. But this is the first time an Otherworlder has infected one of us — and a Sorcerer, no less! And by the looks of it, you're completely healed while his Liege suffers still..." He began stroking his chin.
Serenity's brows drew together. "I'm confused. What're you saying?"
"I'm saying that you passed your illness on to the king."
