(Vestal Virgin sculpture image via Wikipedia)

Prince Brian led the party of Lightchildren up the steps of the palace. Each of the palace’s seven sides was 700 cubits (1,050 feet) long, each side had an entrance, and each entrance was guarded by seven guards. The palace itself was of the same brown sandstone as the other buildings, except it had more artistry and was lined with gold. There were gardens and quarters for the servants on the other side of the palace from the small courtyard which formed the *de facto* main approach to the palace. 

“Is it me, or are there a lot of sevens flying around this place?” Slate looked at the dimensions of the palace in awe. 

“Yes, this palace was once built in dedication to Callista, which also happens to be the name of the seventh planet in this system; the palace’s design reflects her symbolically.” Chris Alan informed Slate. “Oh, by the way: most of the gold you’ll see in here, and in fact most of the gold and precious metals you’ll see on this world, comes from asteroids that had impacted this world long ages ago. There are more precious and base metals in a small stony asteroid alone than one could ever mine from the crust of a typical planet like this.” 

“And I’ll bet Tendertree Holdings got the lion’s share of the profits,” Slate growled. 

“They *would* have, had it been possible to transport such wealth via starship in those days,” Chris Alan replied. “There were good reasons why interstellar trade was constrained to what could be carried by hand through the Portal of Starlight.” 

Prince Brian donned the skin of a dead lion before he entered the burial chamber with his guests. They found the seventy elders standing all around the open casket, which was also made of gold. The elders appeared happy to see Chris Alan, for they greeted him with smiles; and they greeted his party and acknowledged them formally. 

“Thank you, friend Chris Alan, for once again wearing the lamb’s fleece,” said one bald elder.