Ella snickered. "Well now you are just repeating yourself."
Far past the rolling hills and rocky crags below was a towering structure that seemed as tall as the clouds above. The King's Road snaked across the clustered landscape, a large paved path that wove around thatched huts, tiny shops, and lumbering temples. Large hanging jacaranda dotted the landscape, beautiful blue and lilac blossoms sprouting from their branches as lush grass covered the grounds in every which direction.
As the road approached the towering palace the landscape shifted, flowering trees were quickly replaced with majestic mountain foliage and a rugged mountain backdrop. At the base of the palace walls was the town square: cobble streets and the wealthy merchant stalls sporting luxury goods and services.
The palace was enclosed by walls that were as tall as the Academy had been. They spanned thirty feet high and were made of the same dark brick material. Every so often an even taller pillar protruded from its length housing the palace sentries with unlit torches and narrow openings lined strategically across.
I couldn't see much of the palace from the road – the walls were too high to see its base - but the structure still doubled the wall's height, and some of its towers even more so. The palace was made up of gray stone and mortar, a lighter shade than its fortification, but it also housed large, stained glass windows at staggering heights that shimmered under the direct light of the sun.
The roofs were darker than the rest of the palace. They cut rounding peaks into the sky. It was so beautiful I forgot to breathe. This was where Darren lived? Why had he ever bothered to become a mage? I would have never left home.
"This is what all of us lowborn folk missed out on." Ian had nudged his mare closer to ride next to me. Then he reached out to take my hand in his, sending a warm tingle down my spine as he squeezed. This year was the second time he was seeing the king's palace.
The three of us followed the trailing parade of apprentices down the cobbled road, finally halting at the palace gates. The masters came forward to give our introduction to the local guard, and the soldiers opened the groaning doors to what lay just beyond.
My jaw dropped – again. Beyond the towering gate's walls was a lush garden filled with thriving flowers of every shade, well-manicured brush, cherry blossoms, and a giant, sprawling fountain that hosted a rippling tide of clear, sparkling waters.
To my right lay a long trailing path to the stables, armory, and the massive training grounds. Each structure was in meticulous condition. The guard's bright red livery stood out amongst the large stone buildings. The compound was huge. It housed the King's Regiment and all of the local guard. The Crown's Army, I knew from our lessons, was stationed just outside the city limits. Ten thousand men was much too big a number to fit within the palace walls.
I also knew from our studies that the King's Regiment's housing was in the actual palace itself. As the elite guard to the royal family, the regiment had specific chambers closest to the king and his heirs. There were only thirty knights and mages in its division, but they were usually the most powerful in the land and recruited directly from promotions in the Crown's Army and the Candidacy itself. While the Crown's Army was deployed from time to time to assist with various efforts, the King's Regiment only ever left the palace to accompany the king – or one of his sons like the band I had seen Darren passing with on my way to Sjeka almost two years ago.
To the west lay a continuation of the palace gardens – a place for the courtiers to wander during their residency. I could see highborn ladies-in-waiting strolling the grounds in extravagant dress, with hair perfectly coiffed and powders perfectly pressed and red, red lips. Young highborn men, off-duty knights, and the sons of high-ranking nobility were seen walking the grounds, placing bets and discussing mundane subjects with a practiced flourish that could only come from a lifetime of court.
"Toss me off one of the balconies if I ever talk like that," Alex muttered. We had just given our horses over to the hostler and were walking the remaining steps to the palace.
Ella gave my brother a long look. "You know I grew up here, right?"
His face burned and she laughed. "It's fine, I was never a fan of their habits either."
The four of us followed the rest of our factions in through the palace doors.