The council.

Today is a much better day than yesterday. I feel more relaxed even after last night's awkward dinner I must go meet the 'council' today hopefully it will be better than meeting Athena, which was a disaster if you wanted to see one. This whole thing is so confusing, I feel like I do not know anything about anything. I hope this council meeting thing will help.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on my door, "come in!" it was Skaii at the door; she is holding a dress and it looks gorgeous, but somehow, I know it is not what I would normally wear

"Are you ready for today? "She asks me

" Do I have a choice?" We chuckle as she gives me the dress and Anika comes in and barely notices her at first because she is so tiny and moves so softly and she says,

"Look Aria, don't be nervous; they can be a little intimidating at first, but I promise they mean well, they are the guardians of Atheria, the nourishers of soil, and the keepers of the peace. They are here for a reason; the Atheria before them was anarchic." This is interesting

"What do you mean anarchic? What happened?" I ask while putting on some makeup,

"It was a dark time there was-" while I was attentively listening, Gaia walks in and quickly interrupts Anika.

"Nothing! It is just a legend nothing important you are going to be late let me help you with that" She gives Anika a scolding look, then proceeds to help me dress. I wonder what happened and why is Gaia hiding it.

Inside the Palace, there is a long white mat leading to huge doors complimenting the green floors. Green is on the walls, too. The walls are decorated with paintings of people and cream-green columns holding the building up, this time with swirling patterns instead of the traditional.

When we enter the throne room and it is a huge grey room, also marble and this time the mat is red. The walls are also decorated with paintings but this time there are names written under the paintings, and the columns have certain emblems on them, like a lion, water, fire, dragon, blood, and some weird glowing symbol.

'Bow your head' What? I am startled by a different voice in my head. ‘Bow your head’ Anika looked at me, annoyed; oh, she is annoyed at me, she is literally talking inside my head.

"Rise," Syrena says. From what I know already the council consists of Syrena, Calanthe, and Cedric.

Her voice had a compelling feel to it feels like magnetic pressure, almost like water. They look like they were taken out of a mould of perfectly gorgeous people. I feel like the duck with all the swans. And I look at the woman next to her and she looks stunning, and she has the most captivating eyes. It feels like she can see into your soul, and that must be Calanthe. She comes out of her seat, damn, she is taller than I expected her to be.

"What is your name, child?" Her voice is quite different to the other Syrena; it is compelling but authoritarian, like a force

"Umm Aria Valentino"

"Mmm suiting, " she then continues to speak in another language and a voice in my head interrupts my hearing.

'Amelia knew what she was doing. Huh? I look at Anika ‘Translation.’

"Wait you know my mom?" I ask in a confused tone and they give Anika a 'look' as the man clears his throat

"Yes" I knew not to pry further; his answer was quick and dismissive almost to say, yes; now drop it. I wonder why. Calanthe looks at him with a teasing smirk. This is torturing me, now, more questions I thought this meeting would answer questions, not cause more. Why do they know my mom? Is this why I am here?

We moved to the regal garden, and it really lives up to its name, every rose that you could ever imagine

"I see you're very interested in the flowers," Syrena says to me and grows a rose stalk next to the table we are sitting at, and I am quite sure I was sitting with my mouth wide open

"Almost everything you see here is not real; nothing really is," Calanthe says while killing the flower. Cold

"So, I wanted to ask what I do here like what's the purpose?"

"Do not worry you're getting a job so you're not sitting being idle, I think you could help out at thee... " Syrena says as she makes glasses and a file appear, she looks through it, and finally she finds what she is looking for

"The records office has an open position" she looks back at me and makes it disappear

"To answer your question about the purpose. Atheria is a sanctuary of healing and growth unlike what Calanthe has demonstrated," she says, and gives Calanthe an angry look and fixes the flower

"The aim is to get you from Calanthe's flower to Syrena's flower"

Calanthe scoffs, laughs and leaves

"Well, Calanthe has decided to excuse herself well what was I saying ah yes this is a place of healing and discovery"

"Discovery of what?" I ask her

"Well, whoever is in the mirror," she says, and leaves. Why do they keep saying one-liners and leaving, and who is in the mirror, is this like a mystery? Oh, that person, me.

#

I am exhausted from the past two days. I need to sleep so bad and there is a party tomorrow.