applepie

Chapter 5

Arabella was pacing her quarters when the computer finally notified that they were ready to land. She had slept for about eight hours, more than enough to see her rested and ready to face the day. She had also managed to force down a decent breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast despite the nerves that had her stomach in knots. She was dressed in a chocolate brown, calf length skirt and a teal blouse that set off the color of her eyes. The outfit was neither overly feminine nor authoritative and came accompanied with comfortable boots that would be suitable for anything she may put them through. She also added some dangling gold and crystal earrings and a necklace that was five ropes of gold set at varying lengths. The overall effect was stunning, and Arabella felt sure that she would not offend the leaders of the planet with her dress. She was certain that she would not be mistaken for being below them and therefore not worthy of their notice and aid.

The landing of the shuttle took about twenty minutes from the time that the sequence was launched. If she had been landing at a designated station this would have taken longer because everything would be coordinated between the shuttle and the station. Arabella had chosen a remote location for her landing that would hopefully keep her ship from notice. She had no wish to cause a panic within the inhabitants of the planet. They were unaccustomed to the intricacies of space travel, and the sudden appearance of her ship may lead to a panic of the masses. Her landing site was about five miles away from the largest city. This distance would provide her with a certain amount of seclusion, but it wasn’t so far that she would have to walk for many hours.

It seemed to take a lifetime to reach the surface of the planet, but Arabella was still uncertain of her decision. She opened the door to the Ara X, and was breathless at her first glimpse of the world she was visiting. She had landed in a clearing of a forest, but all around her the land was covered with dense tropical forests. She knew, from her observations as the shuttle landed, that beyond the forest were miles of farmland that seemed to ring the city on the sea. It would be about a five mile hike from her landing spot to the outer reaches of the city. Then it would be another three or four miles to reach what she had determined to be the residence of the ruler.

With thoughts of the long walk ahead in mind, Arabella set out one her journey. She was careful to secure the shuttle before leaving it unattended. Without such precautions, there was no way to know what might occur if a native stumbled upon her ship. The technology was beyond anything they had ever seen, so it was much better to take precautions. She had a small pack slung across her shoulders. Within the bag was clothing for two days as well as some personal amenities that could make her visit more comfortable if they were unavailable. She had been sure to pack bathing supplies, and she had even added a book in case she needed something to fill her days. As she walked through the forest she breathed in the clean air and looked around at the landscape. The forest was breathtaking. It had trees fifteen feet in diameter and taller than many buildings back on Earth. The ground was covered in a soft, mossy carpet that was a variegated red and green color. The green seemed to be newer growth, while the more mature growth was a bright scarlet. Arabella was also sure to stay alert for any sign of predators. She had a pistol holstered at her outer thigh for just this reason. The gun held twenty rounds which should be enough if she encountered any wild animals. The weight of the gun on her leg was comforting and left her feeling more in control than she would have felt if unarmed.

It took three hours for Arabella to reach the outskirts of the massive city. The city was surrounded by a great wall which reached fifty feet into the sky. When looking to the left or right of the small opening left for travelers, the wall seemed to go almost strait off to the horizon. It was a testament of the city’s size that the wall stretched well beyond what anyone could see. Arabella had seen the wall from space as she landed. The entire city, including the lake, was surrounded. There were openings about every twenty miles for people to pass and the rivers were also open to travel by boat. She has specifically chosen her landing location because of its close proximity to the gate and to the palace protected within the city’s walls. From the wall she only had about another four miles to walk before reaching the palace. Arabella ducked into the city through the door and proceeded on her walk to the palace.

The palace, which housed the head official, was a monumental creation of stone and a mineral that looked much like jade. It had the same texture and opaqueness, but it came in shade of yellow that varied from buttercup to a burnt goldenrod color. The yellow stone gave the palace the appearance of being made of molten gold when the sun was shining off its walls. The inside was a labyrinth of rooms and hallways. There was a great hall that held ten long tables that sat fifty people each. Off from this room you had a smaller room with a raised platform from which the King could listen and decide on the matters brought before him. There was also a kitchen full of many stoves cut into the walls in which the daily meal was prepared. To accommodate the needs of the large number of guests, the kitchen was almost the same size as the hall in which guests were served. Finally, at the end of the great hall was a large double staircase that leads to the upper floors and the rooms in which guests would sleep. Slaves were housed in the great hall and also within another barracks style room on the lower floor.

As Arabella approached the palace she was taken aback by the grandeur it signified. The building was surrounded and covered in sculptures and carvings made of the same stone as the palace. She momentarily wondered how it was that she should request an audience with the king, the Syine, in the local language. She was able to have the language of the planet copied to her chip, but there was no way to learn the local customs and protocol other than through experience. Rather than sit and worry about how to approach, Arabella entered into the palace and followed the sound of many raised voices. This took her through a small arch to a room filled with people. At the center of the far wall sat a regally dressed man on a raised dais. It seemed that the two men in front of him were demanding that he settle a dispute over a trade where one of the men felt cheated by the outcome. He leaned his head against one hand and sat with a contemplative look upon his face. He was intent on listening to both men’s arguments and paid little attention to anything else.

A few eyes turned to Arabella as she entered, but no one approached or spoke to her. While the Syine was not paying attention she was able to get a better look at his person. He was an exceptionally young man, maybe only as old as her. He was not a bulky man, and instead he seemed to be equipped with the long lean muscles of a swimmer. To say that his hair was blond would be an injustice. His hair was a blending of the many shades of blond ranging from light to dark. The overall effect was that his hair seemed to be streaked with gold, silver, and copper. The front half of his hair was secured somehow so that his face and slightly pointed ears were exposed. His eyes were that of a cat. They were a cross between brown and yellow and they seemed to tilt at the ends which only reinforced the idea that his features were more feline than human. Though he seemed remarkably normal in appearance, excluding the pointed ears and cat eyes, Arabella couldn’t help but be reminded of a lion when she looked upon him sitting there. Just as Arabella finished her perusal, the Syine raised his gaze a focused it upon her. His eyes narrowed to slits and his honeyed baritone addressed her, “Who are you female that you dare to enter into this chamber during court?”