Chapter 135: Rose Garden and the entrance.

Aqua walked into the hotel after her brief meeting with the money exchange old lady, the ex maid from the extermimated Phoenix Family. A super good sky scraper covered with clouds on the top. 101 floors looked like beam going to touch the sky. A seven star hotel with conventional halls, mini shopping area, restaurants, spa, gym, pool, a bar, game rooms, prayer halls for all, mini theatre, golf course, and extravagant water pool and penthouse on the top floor along with helipads. She chose the best in the town and one that looked like it had a relation with what she is searching for. The logo of the hotel was unique with the emblem of a dragon and lion. King Zidan is an earth dragon, but whereas his son, Prince Leo with the true form of a lion. To Aqua it looked like a place King Zidan would own with all facilities like how the heavenly beings live. 

She walked in, with her heads held high. The receptionist offered her help, with a smile on her face.

"Do come this way," the girl said and took Aqua towards a desk. Receptionist got behind it and discussed the matter with another middle aged man who rendered his service to book the rooms. Aqua asked for a suite with a view and waited for the procedures to get completed. She looked around and saw how marvelous the interiors looked. The modern furnishings, the mind blowing arts hung around the wall, the flower arrangements, the staff, their pretty clothes called uniforms better than any place available. Aqua couldn't help but appreciate the talents of the mortals exceeding the expectations. It looked much better than heaven with all the interior designing, ultra modern and completely technological with LED screens, displays, and light system. She was convinced to stay here but no where elsw. She watched the screens and stood smiling, surprised and enjoying the video shown in the TV. She had no idea what it was, or who those people are, but she stood there for a moment, watching a group of young boys singing and dancing. Their choreography was breathtaking and she never knew that mortals can dance this amazingly. 

"That's BTS, are you army too?" The receptionist asked Aqua. Aqua did not understand that but smiled wide and looked at the hands of the receptionist who was holding a card. 

"These serve as the keys Ma'am," let him take you to the room," she said and introduced a young twenty five year old boy. Aqua nodded at him and walked behind him. 

"First time here at the Lotus Hotel?" He asked her as they got into the lift. A pretty large lift with the capacity for 30 people, that had golden metal wall covering inside, mirrors on all sides and well air conditioned. She nodded and stood silently. 

"Am sure you will enjoy it here," he said and smiled again. "Everybody does," 

"Let's see," Aqua said. 

A minute later, the elevator stopped at level 91 and she stepped out. The first thing she noticed was the view. She walked out and looked outside the glass walls, and she smiled. The city lights down the roads, the vehicles passing, the clouds moving, the flights flying often. She then looked at the gall way. The red carpet on the floor leading to different rooms. They took a left and walked to the end of the hallway. He used the card and opened the doors to her suite. 

The most luxuries room she has not even seen in heaven. She literally dropped her jaw and and took a step forward. 

The grand living room with huge sofas, a table, a small study in the corner close to the glass walls.

"Welcome to the moonlight suite," he said. "At nights the room will activate the light system under even the dimly lit moon light. You don't have to manually turn the switches on," he informed her. Then he gave instructions regarding the various remote controls for recliners, for the centralised air condition, for the lights, for the blinds. He took her to the bedroom, a king size round bed with curtains hanging down the posters above. Opposite the bed on the wall was a big screen. On.the left, the glass walls and on the right a door to the washroom, another large place also had the glass wall. Near the wall was the bath tub. There was also another separate room for the shower. She looked around and walked back to the hall.

"Have a great time, please use the phone on the bedside table to contact us and to order any stuff," 

"Who own this place? Am curious, am here on buisness to do some interviews, so I would like to get to know," She asked suddenly. 

"You don't know that?" He asked surprised. 

"I want wine, help me order before you leave if you don't mind," she asked kindly to get him to talk. 

"Sure ma'am," he said and walked towards the phone in the bedroom. "I will provide you the booklet, our prospectus, you can check them out," he said and ordered a classic wine for her. 

He hurried and went down quickly to get her the things. She took out the phone she bought as soon she got the money and checked to see if she has gotten the connection activated. It was done. With in fifteen minutes the boy brought back the details. She thanked him and closed the doors. 

She walked straight to the room and looked through the prospectus. There were many faces but she identified one though. The face of Minister Pear. The right hand of King Zidan. She couldn't tell if it is him or any doppelganger. The description was given as one of the board of directors. Then she saw nobody else. She was disappointed. "Damn," she cursed. But she was glad she atleast found one clue. She decided to wait and meet Minister Pear. 

Aqua spent couple of days waiting exploring the different facilities available as she checked the place inside out without drawing any attention. She behaved well and made acquaintance with the boy and the receptionist she met first. They gave her company often and gave ideas about the places inside the hotel and helped her find good food in the restaurant. Aqua often stayed out late trying to find the entrance to the Palace of King Zidan. She was losing her patience slowly. She cursed her memory to have forgotten the way she visited when she was too young. She met with the old lady who exchanged money, trying to get things out from her mouth, trying to get the clear route to the palace to meet with the King.

"There is a post box, that is taken by the messenger of the Palace, why don't you do that and wait, you might get called if your problem is serious enough to meet the King directly," the old lady advised her.

"You would not tell me the way I see," Aqua said and got up. "Thank you, am happy you're loyal and true to your words, but I hope you would understand how urgent and desperate I was to save something later," she said and got out. The old lady had no reaction and continued with her work. 

Aqua then decided to try the letter way too. "You know am here your higness, find me and arrange a meeting for us soon, it is very urgent,

~Aquamarine"

She wrote down and posted them in the post office in the city. She was sure that it would take a really long time. Hence she decided to hunt minister Pear down and found the day he visits the hotel. She stayed at the lobby until he walked into the hotel and followed him disguising as a worker of the hotel. He entered his office. And she carried a file and followed him in. It was easier than she thought it would be. She just had to look at a painting. A painting of an old rock castle in the west side of the city with the rose garden around the castle. It was not exactly a castle but a fort, that suddenly reminded her of the entrance from her memory.

The entrance to the palace on the other side is the old fort with the rose garden. The flower Queen of Earth loved the most. The flower she she used on her wedding day, the same flower King Zidan used to grow in the burial place of the Queen after she passed away. The rose garden is where the gate exits. A family secret but known to the Water Realm alone. Aqua hid her face, looked at the painting once again and walked out of the cabin before Minister Pear got hold of her. Aqua felt like she had won something huge and apparated downstairs to the bar. She opened the doors and entered the bar. She ordered for a scotch to try the first time. 

The bartender served her one and smiled at her. Wearing a black shirt skirt, a white crop top, and boots, she was drawing attention if many men in the room. And suddenly she felt something in her shoulder. A fine brown leather jacket covering her. 

"I knew you would be here," he said and ordered another drink same as hers. He was wearing a black jean, black round neck t-shirt

He sipped them and kept them back. "It's definitely strong and get you drunk easily," he said clinging his glass on hers. She smirked at his words and looked into his eyes. That eyes, deep and full of life, and that alluring smile, it was enough to interrupt the thoughts of hers. She took a deep breath and bit her lips. He raised his brows. He pulled her chairs closer gazing at her. He reached her face pushing the hair behind her ears that lay on her side of the face. She smiled.