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. It
looked more like buildings found in the human cities
he had visited and lived in before, but the flavor was
slightly different, slightly exotic.
Stretching out before the front steps of the structure
was a long, cool reflecting pool, edged by an expertly
shaped topiary garden. Hedges were cut into the forms
of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and even
mythical dragons. The shrubs were just beginning to
turn brown at the tips, which made the animals look
fuzzy.
Unconsciously, Phineas ran over the rough street to
stand at the end of the reflecting pool. Eyes agog, he
looked up at the palace. A central dome enclosed the
body of the building, made of the smoothest white
marble. An inestimable number of turrets surrounded
the big dome, each capped by onion-domed minarets.
Every landing -- and there were dozens of all sizes --
was supported by intricately carved arches that came
to gentle points.
The whole vision was one of such consistent and
soothing symmetry that Phineas could not help but
wonder if he had, in fact, somehow departed Kender-
more.
Then he saw an aged kender wearing muddy, knee-
high boots, with a small hedge-clipper tucked into his
white hair. The kender pushed a wheelbarrow up to a
topiary of a bear and stopped.
"Excuse me," stammered Phineas, still awed by the
building before him. "This... this is the palace, isn't
it?"
The kender released the wheelbarrow's handles and
turned around to look at the human. "This's it, yes,
sir," he said. "Only one like it in Kendermore
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