Cole

The coach picks us up from the landing pad where we left our helicopter behind. Of course, Father chooses the scenic route in hopes of pleasing his new girlfriend. The ride to the palace wasn't very long but it would have been much shorter if Blondy didn't need to have her "magical entrance" which wouldn't have been possible if we landed on the pad inside places grounds, hence the reason why we're currently wasting time.

The flight wasn't very long either. Father lives on the north coast of Long Island. Long Island is the closest island to Clarastin a part of the Great Flytande and it is also the most populated. In the beginning, people were hesitant to walk the island but that problem quickly subsided. Long Island is a place of vacation and exploration. It is rich with wildlife and landmarks creating quite the tourist attraction, although there have been fewer and fewer visitors each year. People tend to get drawn to the beaches and warm climate (Which I've always found weird because Clarastin has a cold winter) but I've personally never been very fond of the island.

I visit my father every other weekend. The flight is a little longer from the university to his place than the flight was from his place to the Clarastin palace. The palace is located on the southern peninsula while the Uni rests along the most south-eastern tip of the island. Unlike Long Island we get some pretty bad storms come down from the north riding along the eastern coast. The uni has recently taken a lot of damage during one of the more recent ones but Mother had workers in right away to get it back in shape.

The coach climbs up the side of the long hill Claraton Palace is placed apone, making sure to give us a nice view of the Ocean. I don't honestly know why Father thought it would be romantic considering we've all been surrounded by the salt water from birth. I look at blondys face, all scrunched up. She probably thinks she's going to live the rest of her pathetic, gold-digging life, being shown off by my Father and being bought all the nicest pures when she's really just his new toy, and I'm sure she'll be gone by next week, replaced by the latest model.

I glance away, bored. I talked Mother into letting me leave the Uni long enough to assist Azia on her little mission. I didn't tell Mother what it actually was, just that it was a new project that she's been working on. That's the only reason I'm doing this, to get away from school, and maybe because the sisters are hot, but mostly because of school.

Finally, we enter palace grounds through the giant silver and crystal gates-overdone if you ask me- and settle to a stop at the front entrance. The driver quickly scuttles over the open the door for my Father and he takes his girlfriend's hand. She steps out so slowly, letting on foot dangle before stepping to the ground, eyeing the castle.

She raises her eyes at a butler "Well? Aren't you going to grab our bags?"

"They already did." I say jumping out, nodding to the servants escorting our bag to our rooms. What I wanted to say was that in the time it took her to get her ass out of the carriage, the workers already had all of our stuff lined up and are currently taking them to the rooms that I arranged for everyone. But I don't. Because it won't matter if I do, she'll be gone in a week anyways.

"Good." She sniffs and takes Father's arm, setting a fast pace towards the palace with her nose in the air. Before following I look for one of my personal bags and find it with a servant who was happy to have one less bag.

I jog to where Father and Blondy are standing, just inside the grand doors to the palace. The butlers shuts them behind me as another one leads us to a large room decorated with fancy chairs that have so much gold detailing on the legs that I could probably buy a house with just one of them. I've been here many times and have lived a very wealthy life but the East side is what some call the hazard area, or danger side. Storms come very often and ruin what attempts people had at starting a life there. Some people rebuild and some just leave but the money is still lost. This makes crimes more common and is also one of the largest causes of homelessness in Clarastin.

"Her Highness Miss. Azia Sallow will be here shortly to greet you, please feel free to take a seat until then," He motions to the chairs behind us "If you need anything please press one of the service buttons, these are located under the arms of the chairs." He bows curtly and leaves quickly. Everyone here seems to have a constant purpose, always somewhere to be -or they just know how to stay out of the way.

I sit down in the plush chairs. This room only has two windows near the front, one on each side of the doorway we entered through. I study the designs painted along the border where the ceiling meets the wall. A faint clicking sound reaches my right ear and I turn to see Blondy pressing away at her button over and over again. A servant appears almost immediately but she still doesn't seem happy. The servant has a basic uniform on, a black dress ending just above her knees, and a little apron with small pockets around her waist. Her chocolate hair is tied in a knot above her head with a little hat resting before it.

"I would like you to bring me a margarita with a lime slice."

"Yes, Ma'am." The servant leaves as fast as the butler does, shoes clicking along the marble floors. She came back so soon I thought she had forgotten what Blondy wanted, not that she already had her drink ready.

The girl hands Blondy her drink "Is that all ma'am?"

She seems to think for a minute before answering "I guess. Stay ready though."

I watch as the servant bobs away in her too-loud heels.

"That won't be necessary." A voice says standing to the far right of Blondy right out of my vision. I turn to find Azia standing elegantly with her hands clasped together at her waist The servant girl should take lessons from the princess, I didn't hear a sound of her approach.

I stand and bow quickly "Your Highness," I say "Always a pleasure."

Father and Blondy follow and Father reaches for her hand but she has already turned facing the way she came, the opposite we entered. She sets a fast pace and walks straight forward not a falter in her step.

"Apologies for my tardiness, a meeting ran late." she states simply

"Speaking of meetings, when is the one I'm supposed to be at being held?"

"Your schedule is already posted on the day-board in your room with all your required activities and details. But the first meeting will be held tonight at eight O'clock."

"Who else will be attending?" Father glares at me probably embarrassed by my bluntness. I've never believed in unessential conversation. It's a waste of time meant to fill the blank spots in people's days though there is always something you could be doing. Learning a new language, observing surroundings, planning. The list continues as well as the one for stupid things people do because of so-called boredom.

"That is classified. Information reserved for the meeting attendants only."

I feel my eyes narrow "This was not in the terms."

She cocks her head, though I cannot see her I can imagine the stupid smile on her face and that's enough to anger me. People might say that for all the talk I do about wasting time I seem to spend a lot of it on anger but I would argue that anger fuels it, anger is passion and passion is what keeps people going. "Neither was informing you of details which you are meant to learn at the meeting."

Now I'm glaring at the back of her head which is proving to be very annoying due to the fact that I have to look down to do so. She has to be five, three, or something. "And what am I supposed to do until the meeting?"

"Explore." She answers simply letting no emotion leak into her voice, keeping her walls high

I scoff and mutter "Explore"

She turns her head slightly and side-eyes me "It's four hours, I'm sure you'll survive."

The rest of the walk is in silence which is perfectly fine with me. Azia is more annoying than I remember though she still doesn't come close to Blondy. She leads us up a last staircase and informs us that our rooms are in this hallway. I called and asked for two separate rooms, I would rather not stay in a place with Blondy and Father. Azia stops in front of a shiny glazed dark wooden door, caved with so many details, some so small I'd have to examine the door to notice them. "This is your room." She says to me then to Father "Sir, yours is that one right there." She pulls two keys out of an invisible pocket and hands one to each of us. "I hope you all have a lovely evening, Cole I expect to see you at eight O'clock sharp. Details of the meeting are on your day-bored." And with that she walks swiftly down the hall, hips swishing, dark crimson dress swinging behind her.