The Beauty Inside

Maven looked up at the structure.

The entire front wall was made entirely of thick glass that he couldn't even see through what lurked behind. A pair of enormous double doors stood firmly shut behind the main entrance.

There had to be another way in.

He stared at the large brass doors and wondered if he could pry them open. They looked pretty heavy too and they might be locked from the inside.

Maven bit his lip. Maybe he could say a random word like hocus pocus, or even something more complex. Something he hadn't thought about before because his vocabulary consisted of simple phrases like hello, good day, and how are you?

Still...Maven glanced around. There didn't seem to be any other options. So he decided to give it a shot. He raised his hand to his mouth and spoke the first thing that popped into his head.

"ALOHOMORA," he said.

No response. Of course. The place was huge and doubt anyone could hear him. Or maybe he was stuck outside forever.

Maven sighed.

Maybe this is all just some kind of twisted joke. Someone is playing a game with him or has some nefarious plan brewing. Whatever it is he will end up getting out of it somehow.

Just as he was starting to resign himself to sitting here waiting, the doors clicked inward making a loud banging noise. A striking figure stepped into view, dressed in an odd mix between a military uniform and a casual, elegant outfit. The outfit was black, with white trim and gold buttons adorning it.

The figure stood proudly, arms akimbo and chin lifted in defiance. The girl was so beautiful, with brown eyes like dark honey and a face that was framed by blonde hair, falling straight down her back in loose waves and curls.

Maven gaped at her.

She gave Maven the impression of royalty without ever actually addressing him directly.

She stood before him, her stance rigid and straight with her eyes scanning every inch of Maven from top to bottom and finally stopping on his shoes. Her lips were pursed together tightly and she narrowed her eyes. "Are you a lost wanderer?" the girl demanded in a demanding voice that made Maven wince. It sounded like the roar of a lion and sent shivers down Maven's spine. She must've picked up on that too because her expression softened instantly.

"Y-yeah...I thought maybe someone in there could help me." Maven stammered sheepishly. He scratched the nape of his neck. "My name's Maven."

The girl didn't respond at first. Instead, she continued to scrutinize Maven for a few seconds longer before nodding her head. she said in a softer tone, her expression becoming gentler yet still somehow stern. She gestured towards the entrance behind her. "If you please follow me. We don't usually receive visitors in the castle, but I suppose I'm glad to make an exception for someone who looks like he may have wandered from someplace quite peculiar."

Before he could reply, the girl spun around and strode back through the doors without looking behind herself. Her stride was confident and swift, her steps silent.

Maven watched her as he followed behind closely, unable to tear his gaze away. "Are you from around here?" she asked, glancing at him sideways for a second and then turning her head ahead again.

Maven nodded hesitantly. "Nope, I'm from America."

The girl blinked and tilted her head curiously. "America? Such a foreign word."

Maven nervously laughed. All he wanted was to go home. Hopefully, the people here wouldn't question him like a police officer would, or worse, think he was crazy.

The girl led Maven to pass through massive glass doors into a stunning foyer. "This way," the girl called as she strode further into the room, Maven close behind. Maven was still gaping at the beautiful decor as they walked by several marble columns with statues of mermaids perched atop each one The sculptures reflected the light emitting from the windows, sending a warm glow throughout the entire hall. Maven thought it was absolutely breathtaking, especially since none of the others at the castle seemed to care about its beauty. The people here seemed oblivious to the splendor around them. Maven couldn't imagine where it all came from nor how many tons of stone and metal these people must have gathered to create such a magnificent building like this. They stopped at the end of a corridor where they could see an extravagant dining room that looked magnificent compared to everything else in the building. In its center sat a large ornate table, decorated with many exotic flowers in silver vases and a giant bowl of fruit.

"Please, grab yourself a seat anywhere," the girl called. She pointed at one of the chairs placed at the table.

Maven nodded and quickly pulled out one chair. He sank into it. It felt incredibly comfortable, especially after walking the rest of the way across the floor on his stiff legs.

"I'll go get the magister to resolve your problem. Grabbing anything from the bowl to eat, she instructed as she left Maven alone in the dining hall. Once again he studied his surroundings.

This place was truly unlike any house or restaurant he had ever seen before. And most likely unlike any building anywhere. Everything was so grand and imposing, yet also extremely modern in appearance. Even the furnishings and artwork looked to come straight off the pages of an ancient scroll book. How many generations must it have taken to achieve this level of artistry?

Maven's attention drifted back over to the food on the table. There really was so much choice here. He stared at the fruits in the bowl for a while. Some looked like grapes, others looked like peaches and strawberries, and still, others resembled pumpkins and potatoes. Maven took a pear, peeled it, and cut it into neat cubes that looked appetizing.

As he ate, Maven watched as a maid entered the dining room carrying a platter that contained a variety of dishes. There was roast beef, pork chops, roasted chicken, lamb chops, fried chicken, and baked ham of various types and flavors. There appeared to be every type of bread from the Greek Isles, fresh cheeses, olives, pickles, jams and jellies, and dozens of different cakes and cookies. It was incredible how much food and food it took to fill one single plate.

Maven decided to pick a slice of steak, along with a serving of mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. If he wasn't mistaken, that was apple pie, the dessert which he had always liked.

After eating, he took a moment to admire the scenery around him.

Maven's eye drifted over to the crystal chandelier hung above the dining hall. His eyes lit up when he noticed all the sparkling crystals and polished metals. They shimmered brightly in the light coming in from the windows.

"It sure is gorgeous," Maven whispered to himself with his mouth full.

His eye landed back on the food as he chewed and swallowed the food. He was so busy staring at the food that he almost missed the sound of footsteps approaching him. "Ah, so this is the boy?" a deep male voice said behind him.