In the private area of the palace grounds, A small spartari vessel just landed. It was far away from the designated landing zones, so people who saw its descent grew curious. As the passenger door opened, no one exited for a moment, leaving the women who were waiting for the passenger confused.

Hailey might have been stuck in an outpost for over a year, but in her training she had thrived in combat missions. In those she felt nothing except for the satisfaction of killing the enemies of Spartari. So why was her stomach feeling so cramped at the thought of coming back to her home?

She knew the main reason of course, but as long as he stayed out of her way, she could manage. As she looked at her uniformed self in the mirror, she heard a rapping of someone’s knuckles on the ships hull by the open door.

“Hailey, it is me, can I come in?” A soft spoken feminine voice. Hailey took in a long drawn breath before replying. “Come in Elaine.” She then turned around to watch the queen/ her step mother enter her ship.

Elaine was a woman appearance wise in her mid thirties. She had long brown hair, piercing light brown eyes and a small scar on her left cheek that flowed down into her neck. Other then the ceremonial crown on her head, you would not think Elaine to be the queen of Spartari with how she wore a simple white toga and sandals with nothing else.

Looks could be quite deceiving however, as from a simple glance, Elaine garnered every thought and emotion that made up the woman she called step daughter in front of her. “First, before we go any further today and putting all personal problems aside, I am glad you came to see me on my birthday.”

Hailey’s smile cracked on one corner of her face before her coldness returned. “Well I never had any problem with you Elaine, just the old sack of meat you are married to. Besides, I have my own reasons for attending your party.”

Elaine grew curious about Hailey’s slip, but did not press the matter lest her goodwill be expunged. “I know you are nervous about coming inside, how about the two of us sit underneath one of the nearby trees for a moment. The only people nearby are my handmaids and I will make them leave us for a short while.”

Hailey took a deep breath before agreeing and leaving the ship. After Elaine excused her handmaids, she took Hailey’s hand into her own with a bit of effort before walking over to a tree near the corner of the lot that looked like it had been manipulated as it grew as two bends in the trunk that made up perfect seats.

Once the two of them sat down, they stayed there for a while before Elaine noticed that Hailey was looking towards a certain corner of the garden they were in. “What has caught your eye Hailey?” Elaine asked softly.

Hailey did not reply right away as she continued looking. Just as Elaine was about to check if she was alright, she spoke. “They removed mums garden.” Elaine was shocked to hear this and asked. “Your Mother was a gardener?” She knew a lot of things about the previous queen, but not a lot as the woman was rather introverted and never spoke other than in court and other such meetings.

Hailey chuckled hearing a such a vocation being addressed to her mom. “Goodness no. Without fail, every time she went into that small patch of flowers, she would end up with nicks and pricks. She did not care though, she called it her ‘destress time.’ When I turned seven, she allowed me to come with her for the first time. I remember when I accidentally broke one of her flowers, I cried my eyes out thinking I was in trouble.”

As though reliving the moment, Tears began welling up in Hailey’s eyes. “After trying to calm me down and failing, she turned me towards her and made me watch as she began crushing all the flowers around her with her bare feet. I was baffled at the time considering she spent so much time in that garden looking after them.”

Elaine felt deeply touched that Hailey was opening up, even a little that she felt the need to know more. “So why did your mother do that?” She asked. Hailey giggled a moment remembering as she wiped her eyes. “She said that she never actually cared about the flowers, it was just a way to turn her brain off and do something monotonous for a few times a week. We both started giggling after she said that as it was such a her thing to do and then she asked if I would like to pick the next set of timewasters.”

Hailey then looking longingly towards where the patch once was. “The last time I was here, the violas were also here. I was just hoping to see one last reminder of her is all.” Elaine could tell Hailey was hurt, she wanted to console her, but knew better as Hailey would not like it. She waited a while longer with her before Hailey finally stood up on her own.

“Sorry about that, we better get inside before ‘that one’ loses his senses and comes looking for me. I would rather be locked in my own room when that time comes.” Hailey said as she looked down towards Elaine.

Elaine smiled, as she knew her husband might actually do that. In fact, as she looked up at Hailey, she saw a figure in the far distance poorly hiding behind a pillar. Upon apparently being noticed, the figure tripped before running in the opposite direction, back to his room where he promised he would stay.

“That is a good idea Hailey, I hope you will like your outfit, I know you said you wanted basic, but I had some pauldrons added so you could sport a cape, it is supposed to be quite chilly tonight after all.” Elaine said as she tried to keep Hailey distracted as they made their way inside.

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‘Hell, I am in hell.’ I thought with clarity. It finally dawned on me after eighteen years that I did not actually reincarnate after meeting a strange blue lamp, but was just having vivid pre death visions and I had now finally kicked the bucket.

The reason for my revelation was that I was surrounded by flashing lights constantly flickering over and over and over and over again taking pictures. After those lights finished, Kathrine, Veronica and I would would five paces and would have to stand in the same spot and do the whole thing again for another five minutes.

“Please end my suffering, I beg you.” I murmured causing Valerica to elbow me in the rib gently. “Quit your murmuring Apollo, It won’t be long now. Just smile and wave, smile and wave.”

Listening to her advice, I smiled and waved all the way until 11:30 when we reached the end of the long line of flashing lights. ‘Oh thank goodness, my life is real, the torture is over!’ Feeling immense relief at that revelation, I followed Kathrine and Valerica behind a partition curtain.

On the other side and away from those dreaded lights was a large extravagant dancing hall that was decorated extremely gaudily. “Oh wow, I guess the palace likes to show off their wealth huh?”

Kathrine noticed my distaste and smiled happily as she crossed her arm with mine. “This is just for the lower level nobles and those that worked hard to achieve their status. They like to be surrounded with all the shiniest things so they can brag about it later. We will be in another hall for more esteemed company.”

The three of us kept on walking from room to room in the palace, I noticed that each hall we entered and exited became a little less gaudy each time, like those in that specific room had less to prove to their peers. I also noticed at one point that we also seemed to be ascending back up around the mountain as I could no longer see the vehicle landing zone any longer.

Eventually, we made it to one final room. It was an open concept with pillars that led to balconies outside with a dip in the centre of the room with a shallow pool. The ceiling was high and domed and the whole room seemed to be made out of marble and stone.

The decorations in the room were no longer an eye sore and were a beautiful tapestry of satins and linens and other textiles that hung across the rafters and columns as decorations. There was also to the side of the room, a large table of assorted picking foods that I definitely would be helping myself to later. Alongside two, ten meter tall barrels next to a bar that looked to be recently built for the event.

With the lack of technologies present, if you told me I was sent back in time on my old life’s planet, I would have believed you.

“Ok my cuties.” Valerica said, snapping out of my gawking. “I have been recognised by some old friends, I will leave you for now, but will join you again in an hour for the ceremony, don’t cause too much trouble. Especially you my cute miracle worker.” Valerica said playfully as she tugged on my cheek before walking away.

After a few moments standing there with Kathrine looking at me expectingly, I started to get uncomfortable and gave myself a way out of any social responsibility.

“So, what does my date want to do? I am yours for the rest of the day.”

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