The first thing after the Black Hole is the City of Erebus. To get to the palace, or anywhere else for that matter, you have to go through town. There is no way around it. The Queen named this place herself, boldly mocking the kingdom or Erebos and its leader. The city's floor is nothing but rock, and no flowers grow here. The city is prosperous and has all of the illegal objects that will not be sold anywhere else besides perhaps Erebos. The stores are cottage like with pointed roofs and many windows.