A Clash of Kingdoms (closed)

[thefungirl]

Shegga Stonebreaker, First Blade of the Kalath Kor, Blood of Darus Myr and soon to be personal bodyguard to the Princess of the Golden City, First Daughter to Queen Ereth of the High Elves of Alinor wheeled her horse to the right of the path and broke through the trees to stop atop a small knoll at the edge of the forest. From there she got her first glimpse of Alinor's crown city, Lyras. It certainly lived up to its nickname, Shegga thought, noticing the way the bright sunlight glittered off nearly every structure within it. And now, here among the famed golden towers of the high elves, she would spend the next year of her life, she mused.

"Much too bright for my taste, heh?" Murdu observed as she reined her horse in, stopping next to Shegga's. The two orcs wore the similar traveling clothes, and to most observers were similar enough to be sisters, though they were not. Shegga had known Murdu since the two were four or five years old, and she often thought of Murdu as a sister, one that would be hard to leave behind for her new life. Although Murdu had been chosen to accompany Shegga on the journey to Alinor, Murdu was to return on the next moon.

"You only think so because you had too much to drink last night and you're still hung over," Shegga suggested as she watched her friend rub her temples.

"I had to drink that much to make up for the fact that you weren't drinking," Murdu explained, indicating that she was only doing her duty. "If you had actually taken part in your fair well celebration, you could have shared the burden."

"It's a true sacrifice you've made on my behalf, death dancer," Shegga acknowledged with a mock bow of her head, using the human translation of Murdu's name.

"Did you get a chance to speak with Ashok?" Murdu asked as she turned her head back toward the shining city, a hand over her eyes to shade them from the bright sun.

"I did. He sends his regards," Shegga answered as she adjusted the blade strapped to her back.

"Horseshit! I know he doesn't like me, Sheg. I'm an acquired taste," the orc warrior said with a big smile.

"That you are, blood sister, that you are," Shegga laughed, slapping Murdu on the shoulder.

"Careful, little bird, you can't be so rough with your new elven playmates, you might kill one with just a slap on the arm," Murdu replied.

"I have heard they are quite small, but I figure the greater danger is that they all faint away at the smell of your breath," Shegga joked.

"I can fix that," Murdu responded, pulling out a small, roughly carved flask and taking a long drink from it. "Aaah, that'll do the trick."

"C-mon, let's go meet these elves and find out what we can about this little princess I'm going to be spending so much time with," Shegga said as she turned her horse back toward the path and plunged forward, Murdu quickly tucking her flask away and racing to catch up.

 

[siobhancan99]

Aerhianrod verch Erath, crown princess of the Elves of Alinor was to put it mildly, in "a mood". Her glower was enough to send her lady's maid scurrying from her suites, muttering under her breath. She momentarily felt some remorse, her lot in life wasn't the woman's fault after all. Still the maid represented a system of vague and formless oppression of the girl and so was the target, ever so briefly this morning, of the princess' fit of pique.

At 75 she was technically an adult, though a combination of sheltered upbringing and lack of any real obstacles in her life had left her somewhat less than adroit at navigating real difficulty. As a result, the imposition of this foreign bodyguard was viewed as the greatest indignity. "Another jailer on my gilded cage" she muttered to her squirrel, scratching him under the chin. Being a squirrel, he had no frame of reference and did not at least for now, favor her with a response.

As a child, she had roamed the woods in the lands surrounding the golden city. Always watched, but always free to make her way, she had enjoyed a carefree existence with little restriction. As she grew, and as her mother failed to produce an alternate heir, her life became more constrained. Never was there an outright prohibition on anything, but time to wander the forest came "after studies" and since studies lasted until after dinner "perhaps tomorrow." Former playmates were ushered off to exciting careers in the army, or as artists or powerful wizards. She too would have that opportunity.... if only she would just master these treatises on economics and the politics of the human Republic of Goram which ceased to exist about 200 years ago. "We're elves." her mother would say frostily. "We have nothing BUT time."

At the recent birth of her younger brother, she had expected to be allowed to fade off into her own private pursuits, like so many unattractive candidates for the throne. Her mother, however, had other notions "The next king or queen will be chosen by the Assembly of Lords." While it was true elves did not, like humans, require a cock to be ruler they seemed to have a strong preference for it. This particular bit of logic had fallen on deaf ears "Well when your brother is 75, and eligible, we can put it to a vote. Until then..."

Aeri (as she was known to foreigners who seemed to truncate everything as if saying long names would rob them of precious moments of their fleeting lives) rebelled in tiny ways since. She'd taken a lover from among the Wood Elf delegation to court, and he was tattooing her with magical tattoos. They were hidden, and extraordinarily painful but she knew that revealing them would shock the staid High Elves of the Assembly. She chopped her raven hair to chin length, in ragged and uneven fashion that was altogether pleasing but definitely not the Elven aesthetic. Her nose, ears and brow were pierced with silver hoops, a human fashion. Maddeningly it had all gone utterly without comment from her mother, or her consort. "Father would have noticed" she muttered, then stripped down. She tossed aside the simple white silk dress that had been laid out for her. Instead she chose one of scarlet, knowing it would stand out. It had a bell sleeve, the better to not rub against her new tattoo on her inner arm and perhaps to "accidentally" let it be seen. She smirked at that, but cursed having to lace up her own bodice, there being no maid to help.

All in all, she cut a striking figure. Shaggy hair framing a pale face set with eyes as blue as a summer sky. She was svelte, tall as a human man but willowy. Narrow hipped and small breasted as most elves were, but comely for all that. She regarded herself in the mirror for a moment and then frowned "All dolled up to meet ... our enemy." The word for orc in elvish literally meant "enemy", and she was not a fan of the new word that had been invented for this current era of different relations. It felt disingenuous. Like slapping paint on rotted wood. Still, it was her duty.

She made her way down to the Court of Stars, so called because the black floor was polished to a mirror glaze and imperfections in the stone glinted like stars in the night sky. She smiled at the momentary disapproving look of her mother, whether it was for her attire or her carefully calculated lateness was anyone's guess. Some barb had landed.

She floated over to her cousin, Emrys and kissed his cheek "you look divine, cousin." He was a beautiful man, and considered a leading contender for her hand. He was surrounded, as ever, with his coterie of human diplomats.

"And you, cousin. Though I note that the rest of your mother's court is wearing white. Perhaps your maid did not understand her instructions."

"Perhaps not." She grinned "but alas and alack, it is too late for all that isn't it? our honored guests are to arrive soon, if the commotion in the courtyard is any indication."

"Ah your proud warrior chieftess. Come to save you." He laughed brightly, easily. It was what the humans loved about him. He was hardly ever as sober or serious as the other Elf Lords, less taken with himself. "from the nonexistent perils of this our modern world."

 

[thefungirl]

It was nearly midday when Shegga and her small retinue arrived at the city gates, where they were met by the newly established Orc ambassador, Varek Fain. Fain was known to her, but only in passing and many had been surprised that he had been chosen for such an important assignment. Among the Kalath Kor it was rumored Fain was a pawn of the Gurug sect, though none were sure. If it were true however, Shegga needed to keep her wits about her when dealing with the ambassador. It was well known that the Gurug were without honor, and were to a member deceivers and schemers.

Accompanied by Ambassador Fain, Shegga, Murdu and the others slowly made their way through the neat, ordered streets of Lyras drawing no shortage of interests from the elves who saw them. In orcish lore, elves were cold, cruel and almost passionless creatures, so Shegga was more than a little surprised to see how many of the citizens reacted to their presence, some with expressions of concern or outright hostility, while others smiled and even waved at the small group of orcs. If the tales were to be believed, elves weren't even capable of smiling. As they turned a corner and started toward the center of the city, Shegga couldn't help but wonder how much she thought she knew about these elves was actually wrong.

They were small, even smaller than most humans she'd met, but their was a grace to these elves, a lithe beauty the orc warrior couldn't help but find entrancing. They were only now approaching the outer edges of the palace grounds and yet the clothing worn by the citizens of Lyras spoke of fine fabrics and colorful dyes that were little appreciated where Shegga was from. She also noted that few if any of the elves they passed appeared to be armed. And yet, somehow these slender creatures had bested her ancestors and sent the reminders of their armies fleeing for safer lands. Clearly there was more to the elves than could be discerned from cursory examination, Shegga thought as they moved within sight of the palace itself, a gleaming building of sharp lines and sharper angles, but a beauty and elegance that seemed to belie the harshness of those angles.

"I wouldn't mind looking for a brothel once we're done with the pleasantries," Murdu said, pulling her horse up next to Shegga's own. "You do think elves have brothels, don't you? I've never been with an elf girl before."

"You've never even seen an elf girl before today," Shegga commented as they drew up in front of the gates that blocked the entrance to the palace itself.

"True, but now that I've seen some of them, I kind of want to see some of them naked," Murdu said with a broad and mischievous smile that Shegga had seen far too many times.

"Mind your manners while we're in the court, after that find all the brothels you like," Shegga cautioned as she slid from her horse and handed the reins to a nearby servant. "I suspect I'll be busy with the princess."

"Hmm, wonder what she'll look like naked," Murdu mused as she too dismounted.

Shegga didn't bother with a response to that before turning and joining Ambassador Fain who was preparing to lead the small company or orcs into the palace. The entrance was lined by elven soldiers, their armor and weapons gleaming in the bright midday sun. Despite being average height for a female orc, Shegga towered over the elves as she approached the entrance. She was wearing her finest armor, black and red plate and studded leather with the symbols of the Kalath Kor painted in white across the chest plate. It wasn't as pretty as the elven armor, but she suspected it would hold up better in battle.

As they entered the hall where they were to be received by the queen and her court, Shegga removed her horned helmet and shook out her long mane of dark black hair, letting it fall down across her back. As was popular among orcs these days, her head was shaved on the right side with family markings etched into the stubble there above her ear. The left side of her hair held several intricate braids, marked with gems, bone and metal. Tucking her helmet under one arm, she followed behind the ambassador who slowly led them past several rows of elves to the end of a long carpet that led to a throne which sat upon a dais. As they started down the carpet toward the throne, Shegga scanned the people upon the dais. The woman who was undoubtedly the Queen was quite beautiful, poised and certainly regal, but she wasn't the one who held the warrior's gaze the longest. To the queen's right stood a younger elf, taller and in a striking gown of red that made her stand out from the small group of white clad elven women. Shegga found her eyes drawn to this woman, though she could not say why in the moment.

As they reached the end of the carpet and stood before the throne, Fain made the introductions, listing the many impressive titles and accomplishments of Shegga Stonebreaker and her Kalath Kor companions. Pulling her eyes from the scarlet clad elf beside the queen, Shegga dropped to one knee, head bowed, "I am honored to meet you, your majesty."

 

[siobhancan99]

The queen gestured, a subtle motion of her right hand that in the ordinary course of business meant “you may rise.” It was a shorthand of sorts, useful for the hundred interactions of a day with a court used to her mannerisms. With foreigners, not so much. Despite her resolve to not like her new companion, Aehrianrod cleared her throat and quietly stated “you may rise” in the tongue of the burgeoning Human empire which served as the diplomatic tongue for all races. She found it too unsubtle, too lacking in nuance for proper conversation and resolved that her bodyguard would learn proper elvish, though for many it was a lifetime’s work.

At the sound of her voice, her mother turned and arched an eyebrow, to which the princess gave a small shrug. Instantly her mother nodded, catching on to the wisdom of the act even if the girl spoke out of turn. “Yes, you may rise” the Queen smiled “We” using the royal we “are pleased by your visit to our court, and we are much honored by your election to stay with us and guard the person of our beloved daughter, Ahrianrod verch Erath.”

Having spoken as much as she dared, and really all that was required, Aeri quieted and observed the orcs. A mixture of admiration and jealousy consumed her. The armor lacked finesse common to Elven smithing, and the wild look of it and the woman’s bone and bead hairpieces felt in a way like freedom. It was a freedom she envied. It spoke of the choice to be a warrior, the ability to range the wider world. It was the look of someone who hadn’t spent a year of their lives learning to dance, so they could attend interminable balls and present the “right kind of face” to the world. The dagger of jealousy was buried for a moment in her heart. It gave way somewhat to the thought that adopting a shaved head and braids might be the step it took to really get a reaction out of anyone. She smirked at that, then schooled her face to typical Elven inscrutable placidity. Elves weren’t necessarily expressionless, but they tended to hold their cards closer to the vest. Long lives led to a formality that lent itself to cordial relations with people you might have to spend centuries with.

“We hope that you will, in time, come to find a home here among us” her mother was saying. Aeri shifted. In Elven, the ‘you’ would be the formal case used for foreigners that meant literally ‘not us’ and so the sentiment, expressed properly in her native tongue would have been a lie or at least an impossibility. Aeri rankled a bit, finding the language of diplomacy to be disingenuous. It was no wonder Humans lied so easily and so often. Their vague language was broad enough to be easily useful but also to hide shades of meaning in a way that the more elegant Elven tongue did not… assuming you were fluent of course. Most outsiders just thought that elves had twenty words for “you.”

Aeri returned her attention to the assembled orcs. They were larger than humans, but the females seemed to be more human in their features than the males. They possessed a sort of physical presence despite that, being robust in a way that the elves were not. The orc fairly radiated threat, even in repose. She wondered briefly if that threat was a matter of her own perception, having studied their history. She took a moment to reflect and thought ‘no. They look dangerous’ and perhaps that was the point. The Humans certainly seemed discomfited, and those among the Assembly that pushed greater ties to the coalescing Empire of Humanity seemed troubled as well.

“Surely you are tired from your long journey. Our staff will see you to your quarters, where you may bathe and take some refreshment. We will arrange for you to be introduced more formally to our daughter, after you are ensconced in your rooms.”

 

[thefungirl]

As Shegga knelt in front of the elven queen, head bowed, it wasn't the queen herself who spoke first, but the tall, slender elf in the scarlet dress. Shegga did not rise despite the beautiful elf's instruction to do so, fearing that to do so before being given permission by the queen herself might be considered an insult to the crown, but a moment later the queen repeated the same command. As the orc warrior stood, her eyes flickered to the side for a brief moment, making eye contact with the woman to the right of the queen; the woman who a moment later was identified as Aerhianrod verch Erath, daughter to the queen, and Princess of the Elves.

Shegga bowed her head in deference to the princess before turning her attention back to the girl's mother. The queen continued with the welcome, and though Shegga was fluent in the common speech, many of the words sounded strange from the elf's tongue. Since entering the city, the orc had heard a smattering of the elven language and found it quite lyrical, and also quite incomprehensible, though she knew that if she was to stay in Lyras long, and be more than just a show piece for the princess, she would have to master at least the fundamentals of the language as quickly as she could.

Soon the queen had dismissed them, inviting them to rest after their journey and Ambassador Fain had quickly swept in, offering bows and obsequious platitudes while simultaneously ushering the small band of orcs out of the hall. After showing Shegga and her companions to their suite of lavishly decorated rooms, Fain excused himself indicating that he needed to return to court to discuss important matters of state. Shegga was more than happy to see him go. While Tirka, Logetha and Rhees carried their bags and equipment to their individual rooms, Murdu announced that she was going to have a bath as soon as she found the oversized tubs of hot water in the adjoining room.

Alone for the moment, Shegga wandered over to a small table against the wall and selected a piece of fruit from amongst the offerings left for them by their hosts. It was ripe and the juice practically exploded into her mouth as her teeth but into it. The orc finished the fruit and then devoured a second just like it, surprised at her own appetite. Once her hunger was temporarily sated, Shegga peeled her armor off and arranged it carefully on the stand in her bedroom, leaving her in just the plan tunic and loin cloth that she had worn beneath her armor.

Returning to the room that acted as a hub for the suites, Shegga found herself staring out a large window that provided a view of the central courtyard which appeared to be devoted almost exclusively to a sprawling garden filled with an abundance of plants and flowers, many of which the orc warrior had never seen before. The garden was as beautiful as the rest of the surroundings; the room, the city, the elves. She had been hesitant to take on this assignment even though it was an honor and an important responsibility, fearing that she would be an alien to this elven realm, and that fear was still quite real to her, and yet there was something about Lyras that had captured her interest; something about the elven people.

Shegga was still ruminating about everything she'd seen since arriving in the golden city, when Murdu returned from her bath, a cloth wrapped around her waist. Her hair, still wet, was plastered against her scalp and down her bare back, and her green skin was beaded with droplets of water. Shegga turned toward her friend and smiled, "Feeling better now that you've washed? Who knows they might even let you in one of those brothels now."

"I guess I'll be finding out tonight," Murdu replied with a smile of her own. "It did feel nice to get all that dirt and mud off, I have to admit. I think I might have scared the little elf maid that came in to check on me though. I don't think she'd ever seen a naked orc before, at least not a female one."

Shegga suspected that was true. The orcs were probably as much myth and legend to the elves as the other way around. She imagined the elven servants surprise at finding a naked Murdu in the bath, her dark green skin, her large breasts and, well, it must have been quite a shock for the poor woman, Shegga thought, turning back toward the window as she wondered what other surprises the orcs and elves might have in store for one another.

Soon Shegga took her turn in the bath where she allowed herself to linger for quite awhile, though curiously enough, no maid entered to check on her the entire time. Cleaned and refreshed, Shegga donned her armor once again in preparation for her pending meeting with the princess, deciding it would be best to maintain a certain level of formality until instructed otherwise.

 

[siobhancan99]

Shegga would wait a while. One thing about the Elves was they seemed to feel there was time to do everything. A bit of the afternoon whiled away as Shegga waited. Finally came a knock. A meek looking page in palace livery appeared at the door. He seemed to be in his adolescence. “His Grace, Baron Gilfaethwy.” An older (though hard to approximate how much older) male elf stood behind him. He was of decent stature for an elf, but had to look up into Shegga’s eyes. “I am directed, as a member of the Queen’s diplomatic staff, to ensure the comfort of your party and to escort you personally to meet with your charge, Princess Aehrianrod.”

The elf managed to sketch a minor bow, though he seemed unsure, as if not exactly sure if Shegga was his equal or superior or lesser in the hierarchy of things. Still, the effort was made. He smiled, seemingly genuinely “The Princess is… notoriously hard to nail down at this hour of the day so we may have some considerable walking to do.” His tone was apologetic and he seemed embarrassed by it. “If you’ll follow me.” He took her first into the royal apartments, past the fully mailed knights guarding the entrance to that portion of the keep “The queen left me a badge for you, so that you will have access to this area. You are the first foreigner since…” he trailed off, blanching. Shegga could probably guess it was something like ‘since the war’ given his level of discomfort “well in a great long while.” He settled a bit, having found something suitably neutral to say. He led her to a set of rooms, but the maids assured him the Princess was not to be found. They then went down for a brief tour of the gardens that Shegga had noted from her window, also to no avail.

Similarly, the Princess was not to be found in the kitchens, nor on the archery training ground. The Baron seemed to grow more and more despondent of ever finding the girl when the page tugged at a sleeve and pointed. The trio trouped back through the large palace, to a tower, then made the journey up and up till they reached the parapets. There, seated in the crenellations where anyone could push her to her death, was Aehrianrod. She had changed out of her resplendent scarlet raiment into something that one of the servants might wear. Simple cotton, gray in color and functional rather than beautiful… though the make of it was still exquisite compared to what humans might have made.
Baron Gilfaethwy cleared his throat and the girl raised a weary arm in response “You may leave us.” She twisted, then rose, looking the man in the eye. He bowed “Yes your Highness” and he and the page made a retreat. Aehrianrod looked at Shegga without saying anything for a long moment. She turned then, looking back out.

The Castle sat on a massive hill overlooking the city. The city stretched along the River Eren to the south and somewhat to the east where it met the farmland Shegga had ridden through on her journey. The view of the city revealed tall spires and architecture that appeared to and in some cases did, defy the laws of nature. Along the west bank stretching out beyond the horizon was untamed woodland. From this height, Shegga could make out a few small lakes. Where the Princess had been sitting, her view would have largely been of the woods. “so.” The princess turned her attention back to Shegga “what do you think?”

 

[thefungirl]

By the time Baron Gilfaethwy arrived to escort her to the princess, Shegga was eager to meet with the heir to the elven throne so that the two of them could become acquainted and more importantly, so that she could begin to assess the safety and security of the princess. As she waved off Murdu, indicating that she would go to the princess unaccompanied, Shegga followed the solemn looking elf down the corridor.

Having assumed the journey to the princess would be relatively short, Shegga made no attempt to engage the Baron in small talk, but after failing to locate Aehrianrod at either of the first two locations he lead her to, the orc warrior began to become concerned. As they continued to search possible locations, Shegga felt compelled to question Gilfaethwy regarding the princess' security detail and her movements. Unfortunately, as a member of the diplomatic staff he seemed particularly clueless to the details she asked for or unwilling to share them at the least.

When they finally located the princess, the frustration and general sense of horror Shegga was feeling only worsened at the sight of Aehrianrod sitting precariously on the edge of the parapets, a few feet from a fall that would have most definitely been fatal. The princess, who was dressed much less formally now, seemed perfectly at ease as with the heights, and perhaps, as graceful as she and the others of her kind seemed, she was not in as much danger as a human or an orc might be, but nonetheless, it made Shegga nervous. The last thing she wanted was to have the heir to the throne blown off the tower by a gust of wind during their first ever meeting.

After dismissing Baron Gilfaethwy, Aehrianrod turned her attention back to the lands that stretched out beyond the tower, rather than addressing Shegga directly. Shegga took a step closer, but refrained from speaking until spoken to. Instead she watched the lithe, young elf. Her hair was short, shorter perhaps than any other elf Shegga had observed since arriving in the city. But the cut seemed to suit the delicate features of the girl's face.

“So, what do you think?” Princess Aehrianrod finally spoke, her head turning to take in Shegga.

The orc had to bite her tongue to refrain from explaining that she thought the princess' protection detail was lacking, and that it was unacceptable that her own staff was unaware of her location at all times. Or that it was unacceptable that she should be allowed to sit atop the crenellations as she was. Or that her bodyguards would leave her alone atop the tower with a foreigner whom the princess had little reason to trust.

"I think that this land and this city, are perhaps the most beautiful I have ever seen, your royal highness," Shegga eventually responded.

"And I think having you so close to the edge makes me nervous," the warrior added, unable to help herself. "Perhaps we should find a safer location to continue our conversation, ma'am."

 

[siobhancan99]

Aerhianrod nodded at the diplomatic answer first, then smiled as the Orc was bold enough to say what she could read in her face. She wanted to go back inside and she thought this was a foolish thing to be doing. Every guard she'd ever had had expressed the same. It was in no small part why she did it. She had originally intended to just be evil and tiresome to this poor woman until she wore her down like all the elven guards she had, but the woman's attempt at candor coupled with her own sympathy for the woman's plight softened her a bit.

"Ma'am. I'll allow that I'm probably considerably older than you but that has far less to do with the age and maturity that rates a Ma'am and more to do with an actual arrested and extended adolescence." She grinned over at the orc. "The form of address, in Human, is 'Highness' if you're going to insist on a level of formality. Perhaps we should. Familiarity breeds contempt or so I hear. Still..." She turns her attention back to the City but continues speaking "though you haven't asked and probably do not care, I will share with you what I think. I think that you and I have been used very badly. I think that you are another link in the manacles that lock me into this palace, invisible as they might be. I think you are another spy for my mother the queen, in place to instruct me as to a plethora of new reasons why I am not allowed to be as others are. It is my sincere hope that I am wrong. I hope that you and I can come to an accord, that to some extent you may eventually come to see me as an ally though our ... lots in life may make it hard for us to be friends. Elves come slowly to that and we often find that outsiders have died by the time it occurs to us that it has happened." She brushed her ragged cut chin length hair back out of her face and continued.

"I think that, in large part because you are the first guard in a long time who will have the privilege of entering my room without concern for my precious virtue. Virtue which everyone unofficially knows has been gone these past ten years but we all operate under the farcical notion that I possess it. I am calculatedly terrible to female guards so that I can, in the privacy of my suites, have the illusion that I can be alone, have my own thoughts and have some space or thing that is mine. I cannot be so to you. There is the diplomatic reason that you are a foreign dignitary for all that you are attached to my crown and not whatever your government is. There is also the practical consideration that, no jest, I imagine you could easy rip me in half. I conclude, therefore, that your presence within my chambers from time to time is a new reality with which I have to contend."

She gestures out at the city "which leads me to my other point. You yourself said it. It is the most beautiful city. What are you here to protect me from? All of this peace and prosperity? heavens forfend." she snorts "I don't say this to denigrate you at all. You are clearly a proud warrior. Someone who carries themselves and takes care of their equipment in a way that says you have been trained to deal death. We have not had an uprising since 200 years after your people's defeat in the Pass of Desolation, where King Murchad brought down the mountain upon the last of your host. He reigned after, and in the absence of an external threat grew to find internal ones everywhere. We have a phrase... literally it means to be concerned with phantasms. Humans say... jumping at shadows. Anyway. His paranoia led to rebellion and our greatest champion was killed by his own people. Since then, our focus on the long term has led us to weather changes in climate and lean times better than most. Our people are happy, safe and fed. People who are happy, safe and fed do not rise up and depose the order that makes them so"

Ordinarily, this logic would probably be true. Aehrianrod had no idea, however, how wrong she was about her personal safety. Much would change in the coming time, but not being prescient she based her assumptions on what she saw in front of her. "I fear that you are wasted here. That you were sent here to guard me from phantoms and ... to some extent you have been selected to be another jailer." She twisted and looked back at the Orc. "I hope, if I am wrong, that you forgive me. I mean you no disrespect. I know, or at least I hope I know, that none of this is your intention. I also fear that very soon you will be terribly bored here."

Aerhianrod considered for a moment "But, perhaps..." She screwed up her mouth "A display of trust. between us both. I am going to sneak out of the castle tonight. Sneaking out with you would be impossible. You would be very hard to hide. If, however, you are here to be my guard in truth and not just another tool in the arsenal of my mother the queen...Then you should meet me" she pointed at a bridge, down on the river "a half mile north of that bridge. upriver" she pointed "there is a boat concealed at a bend in the river. It is the first bend. If you meet me there, tonight, we can have an adventure." She grinned, taking the risk. Technically it wasn't illegal for her to be out and about, but she would see how the Orc reacted. She half expected to get a "absolutely fucking not" out of the woman, perhaps with less cussing. She hoped, however, that she might get at least a begrudging partner in crime. "Either way, after you answer, let's go down to my suites and we can discuss my security to your heart's content and I promise at least for a few hours to take it all dreadfully seriously"

 

[thefungirl]

"Ched voh kalam gauk magden ko," Shegga said to herself, her breath a white puff in the unusually cool night. Swing too wildly and club yourself to death. It was a saying the elders of the tribe had used to caution the younglings against behaving too recklessly. It seemed appropriate under the circumstances. The first day of her new assignment and she was hiding in the shadows of a large oak, just a few dozen lengths from a small boat, waiting for the heir to the elven throne to sneak away from the rest of her sworn protectors to meet her.

"Beyond reckless," the orc warrior grumbled as her eyes continued to study the darkness for signs of any movement. She was sure she was making a mistake, agreeing to join the princess on her little excursion, but she was determined to make sure nothing happened. After returning from her initial meeting with Aerhianrod, Shegga had set the other members of her team into motion, knowing they only had a few hours left to secure the princesses saefty.

Murdu and Logetha had been sent to scout out any paths that were likely to be used by Aerhianrod to exit the palace. Once they had narrowed down the possibilities to two possible choices, both visible from a single perch above the western tower, then the two were to make their way into the city and to make themselves be seen in as many places as possible. Shegga knew that for Murdu this would mean she would attempt to frequent as many brothels and taverns as one could in a single night, which would have the desired effect. In the meantime, the other two members of the party, Tirka and Rhees were sent out to scout the area indicated by the princess. Once it was deemed clear, and they returned to the palace, Tirka was directed to shadow the elven princess, something she was quite good at. Rhees took up a position on the perch of the western tower so that she would know when the princess actually left the palace.

With all of the arrangements made, Shegga left the city before nightfall, cloaked and disguised as best she could. After scouting the area between the palace and the meeting place one more time, she then arrived at the bend where the boat was hidden early so that she could watch to see if anyone else arrived, anyone who might be planning on waylaying Aerhianrod. So far all seemed quiet, and yet the orc was still feeling anxious. She had let the pretty little princess trap her in a prison not unlike the one the princess claimed to be in herself. If Shegga betrayed her confidence and prevented Aerhianrod from leaving the palace, then the princess would never confide in her going forward. But to agree to allow the princess to leave the palace grounds with no protection, to follow her on whatever adventure the girl had in mind, was more than fool hardy. And it something went wrong, it wasn't Aerhianrod that Shegga would answer to, it was the Queen.

Perhaps the princess was right. Perhaps her life was in no real danger, and Shegga was nothing more than a fierce looking adornment for the young elf, but in her experience, the more power one had, the more people wanted you dead, and being the heir to the elven throne was, she imagined, nearly as powerful as one could be. Shegga made a mental note to arrange a meeting with Ambassador Fain on the morrow so that she could pick his brain. Perhaps in the weeks since he had been assigned here he might have gained a sense of the politics at play in the golden city.

The sound of a mountain owl could be heard nearby, and hearing it, Shegga crouched low, her eyes alert. The mountain owl was not native to this area, which is why Tirka had chosen it as the signal she would use to indicate that the princess was approaching the meeting place.

"Fek buq tar," Shegga thought, let the chaos begin.

 

[siobhancan99]

Aerhianrod had nearly slipped her tail, not out of any skill, but because she'd used a passage and was in disguise. Still she was a head taller than any other female elf, her mother included, and despite the wig and the servants clothes, Tirka had accurately picked her out as slipping out the front gate.

When Aeri arrived at the boat, she had tugged off her shapeless servants gown and her blond wig. Shegga could see her hair was slicked down, and her piercings taken out. It seemed her unconventional style was camouflage of a sorts, drawing the eye and creating an impression so when those notable features were missing it was harder to pick her out of the crowd. Shegga could see along with the small bundle she had under one arm, was the wig she'd worn over her short hair. "Well. Good to see you're here." She set her things down in the boat and stepped back, appraising the orc "can you swim? the river is placid enough but if you're intent on wearing armor and the boat tips well... I swim like a fish but I don't think I'm strong enough to save us both" She laughed "the current isn't terribly strong but we will have to row against it to make it to where i want to get on the opposite shore."

Aeri was dressed in a man's pants, soldier's boots and a simple tunic with a cloak. At her waist was a belt and in the belt was a dagger. During their discussions after leaving the tower, Aeri had revealed that she was called "competent enough to fight a human" with a rapier by her instructor, but that he said it in a way that made it sound like a pejorative. She was an excellent shot (according to her) but it would have been hard, Shegga knew, to escape disguised from the palace lugging around a giant bow.

The boat had two sets of oars, which implied she had at least one accomplice on her usual usage of it. "well, shall we get across the river? I mean...we could use the bridge if you can't swim." She said it in a way that made it clear there was no judgment. Most people couldn't swim. "But I'd really rather use the boat. I packed some food" she shifts a little "I know elven food can be a little...light... for some people so I stopped at an Inn that caters to humans in case dinner wasn't sufficient for you."

 

[thefungirl]

At the sight of the elf emerging silently from the shadows, Shegga relaxed, if only marginally, her anxiety eased somewhat at being reunited with the elven princess. She trusted the other members of her company but ultimately, the princess' safety was her responsibility and she was determined not to let anything happen to the woman, even if it meant calling an end to the late night escapade by tossing the willowy elf over her shoulder and packing her back to the palace herself.

The orc stepped out from her hiding spot in view of Aerhianrod so as not to startle the other woman, though she got the distinct impression that the elf might have been aware of her presence all along. Shegga grunted begrudgingly at the princess and her disguise, recognizing that the woman had clearly put some effort into not being detected. The elf had indeed thought beyond just wearing servant's clothing and a wig, taking the time to remove her distinctive jewelry and piercings. No doubt, the girl was clever, perhaps too clever for her own good, the orc thought as joined her by the boat.

It couldn't be easy for one such as Aerhianrod to go unnoticed, not only because of her station, but also her height, and perhaps, more obviously, her beauty. In the short time that she had been in the golden city, Shegga had begun to notice that, while all elves had a certain grace and beauty to them, the princess stood out even amongst the others. While still shorter than Shegga, she was tall and slender and held herself with a rare elegance. Even in the rough, male clothing she currently wore, the orc found it difficult to keep her eyes off Aerhianrod.

She allowed Aerhianrod to speak uninterrupted as they prepared the boat for the journey, only speaking twice, once to indicate that she was a strong swimmer and once to indicate that she was not hungry. As she listened to the elf, Shegga pulled at the straps and buckles of her armor, eventually shedding it, leaving her in little more than a tight linen wrap that covered her large, full breasts and a thick loin cloth that was wrapped around her waist and hung down between her legs.

After packing her armor into the boat, Shegga turned her attention back to the elven princess. "I am ready." With that she took a seat at the back of the boat, her hands reaching for the oars. "Perhaps now would be a good time for your highness to enlighten me as to your plans for the evening," the orc suggested.

 

[siobhancan99]

Aeri nods "that's fair enough."There's two things I want to go visit in the woods. They're private things. Things that are mine without.... without interference." She shifts a little, looking uncomfortable even in the moonlight. The normally not terribly expressive elven features betraying that this was hard for her "but. If we are to trust each other, and if I want any chance of seeing them without having to run the gauntlet with you every time I try to get away..." She stared rowing, and the two found themselves easily in concert, Aeri letting Shegga set the pace after a few strokes of the oars.

"I ..." she realized she knew nothing of the orcs religion. She was told some of them, at least, had worshipped The Fallen before he was thrown down by the last alliance of Elves and Men. The official account of the war was they had all worshipped heaven's rebel, but later scholars cast that into question. Some said he made the orcs out of elves and men, some said he simply found them and some of them worshipped him... as Elves might have had he landed among them instead of the plains. Some scholars said they never worshipped him at all but were merely occupying the land the army needed to move through and were killed out of expediency. She assumed they had their own gods, or found again the gods of men and elves but who knew "So the human goddess, the Queen Birgid.. we worship her in two aspects. My mother's people view her as the progenitor of our race and call her Morhain, and the giver of magic. My father's people worship her as the mother tree. Still the progenitor of our race but more attuned to nature."

As they paddled across the wide but reasonably slow moving river, she continued "There's a shrine... my father and I built it when I was a child. When I was maybe 25 years old? I go there to pray and be alone. Then there's a lake I swim in nearby. I used to take a.... friend..." really a paramour of sorts, till he confessed he was gay. He had been using her to get to her mother and she had been using him to get magical tattoos. That continued and occasionally when they were bored they fucked, but it was hard to define the relationship now. "But perhaps from here out, if my religious practices don't offend you... we can go together when we can get away. Maybe with a protector the court approves of I won't have to go in the middle of the night"

As the pair reached the other shore, Aeri tied the boat off to a tree root jutting out of the bank. She scrambled up the clay and mud wall easily, a natural climber, then leaned down to offer Shegga a hand if she needed it, before realizing that was absurd as Shegga was probably more physically adept. "at any rate bring your weapons because there are bears. Like... seriously large bears. They usually don't bother me but... there are things in this forest that will remember orcs as the bringers of axes and fire. Things far older than any elf."

She remembers something, and takes off a bracelet "you'll need this. It marks you Elfcara. Elf-friend. It should keep some of the fae from bothering you."

 

[thefungirl]

At the merest mention of The Fallen, Shegga grew tense. In her opinion, The Fallen was a stain on the honor and the courage of the orcs, one they could not easily distance themselves from, especially with remnants of his followers still gathering in the shadows in the guise of the Gurug sect, still worshipping The Fallen and performing their ridiculous but bloody rituals. The fact that so many of her kind had allowed themselves to be mislead was a shame the orcs had spent nearly two centuries trying to recover from. In that time, many of the tribes had shed religion entirely, Shegga's included, preferring to put their faith, such as it was, in regaining their honor.

Listening to Princess Aerhianrod speak of her own religion, her own beliefs, Shegga found herself curious, but also wary. Little was known among her generation of the elven beliefs or deities, but the warrior could tell that it was important to the elf and she was determined to make sure that the princess be able to visit this sacred spot without fear or harassment. Shegga wondered if her presence would be an intrusion on Aerhianrod's privacy, but she also knew that she couldn't allow her new charge to be alone, not in the wilds of the forest.

When they finally eased the small boat to the shore, the orc was once again on alert, her eyes scanning the nearby shadows, as well as listening for any sounds that were out of place. She quickly donned her armor even as the princess started up the steep bank. Shegga had caught up though by the time Aerhianrod turned and extended a hand toward her. The bodyguard accepted the elf's small hand though she did not need it to crest the bank.

"at any rate bring your weapons because there are bears. Like... seriously large bears. They usually don't bother me but... there are things in this forest that will remember orcs as the bringers of axes and fire. Things far older than any elf," the princess cautioned.

Shegga wasn't sure what the elf might mean by 'things in the forest' but the mention of large bears did bring a small guffaw, "I fought and killed a bear once," she announced as she looked at the elf. "I believe I was eight." She didn't say it to brag, not really, though she couldn't help but smile as she said it.

The orc's momentary bravado diminished slightly as the princess offered her a bracelet to protect her from the fae of the forest. The orcs had many a fable of orcs being killed or captured by fae and while most considered them children's tales, Shegga had always found them somewhat chilling. Like many orcs, she was somewhat leery of magic or magical creatures. The thought of marching into dark woods populated by fae was much, much more worrying to her than bears. As the princess led them into the woods, Shegga slipped the bracelet onto her wrist hastily, but refrained for the moment to draw her sword.

 

[siobhancan99]

Aerhianrod blinked "Eight? God's above woman when I was 8 I think I killed a spider. Once. a small one. With a shoe. from across the room" She bites her lip, looking over the warrior woman. There was something she couldn't quite put her finger on, something that stirred her. Shegga was curvy, at least by elf standards. She had an animal grace and a physical presence that Aerhianrod was not really used to. She had a sort of primal aura that was alluring. The princess had not as of yet been attracted to another woman, but for a moment she imagined herself being swept up into those powerful arms. She blushed, glad for the darkness and cleared her throat. "yes well lets be off."

She slipped through the brush, leading Shegga on a path that seemed like it was a game trail at best. The pair weaved back and forth through the forest, till they came to a small crudely built shrine. "so... 25 for us is about 12 for a human. to give you some perspective" Aerhianrod seemed almost to be apologizing for the less than perfect craftsmanship. She knelt, pricking her finger with the point of her dagger. She let the blood drip onto the altar, and prayed a long while in Elvish. While she prayed, the dagger sat next to her on the ground. Shegga could see it glowing, almost like a moon. It was bright and pale blue in its radiance. Aeri took it and again pricked her finger, drawing something on the altar then sheathed the dagger. She wrapped full soft lips around the tip of her finger, sucking the blood away, then muttered a soft prayer and the wound closed shut. She looked back at Shegga and down at her dagger "it glows in the presence of enemies, but... um" she screws up her mouth "it was made during the war so I'm going to guess it will just always glow... for you. uh. yeah anyway"

She smiled a little nervously "there's something I really want you to see. It's my favorite place." She was hoping, at this point, to maybe have a friend in the Orc and while shy, she wanted to show her something she thought was wonderful. She led her on a path that was clearly more a path and West a good bit to the edge of a lake. Small flowers dotted the shoreline, and glowed with a strange radiance. Moths darted in and out, and where the radiance fell on their wings the normally dull scales flashed in iridescent splendor. Aerhianrod watched a long moment, an expression of almost childlike delight on her face.

"Anyway... this is where I swim. Keep an eye out for bears would you?" She winked at Shegga "if you kill one, you can make a rug out of it." A little more self consciously than she might have before she acknowledged her strange nascent attraction to the orc, she slipped out of her boots and cloak, then the belt, tossing it with the rest. She pulled her tunic off, and in the light Shegga would see an incomplete tattoo covering nearly her whole back. A giant tree, done in the same style as one painted on the altar. It was missing the taproot. It glowed like the flowers, and might have been made of their ink. Aeri bent, pushing her man's breeches down. Another tattoo, simpler, one of bark ringed her right thigh. Another was visible on her inner arm, a snake's head with dripping venom. Both also glowed.

The elf girl straightened, back still to the Orc. She was well toned, athletic even. She had narrow hips but a pert bottom that was round for a girl of her size and shape. She turned, and in the odd light her pale skin fairly glowed. She was hairless from the neck down, save for a thatch of black curls adorning her sex. She put her clothes in a pile, then turned and moved to the water. She leapt, and Shegga would watch her disappear under the surface, the bottom dropping off precipitously not far from shore.

She stayed under a long moment, then surfaced. "Fuck that's cold" she laughed, then treaded water a moment, watching her bodyguard. "Thank you, for indulging me in this."

 

[thefungirl]

Shegga chuckled at the princess' comment regarding the spider, though truth be told, the orc would rather do battle with a bear than have to deal with a spider. Fearsome as she was, Shegga had always hated spiders. Just the thought of one crawling on her green skin sent a shiver down the warrior's spine. Of course she didn't share that bit of information with Aerhianrod. She was quickly growing more comfortable with the elven princess, but she wasn't sure she wanted to reveal that particular weakness to her just yet.

Following her new charge through the woods to the shrine, Shegga continued to scan the darkness around them, ever vigilant. As the elf began her prayers, the orc stood far enough back to give her privacy, but close enough that she could reach her in two steps if some danger emerged. Despite her determination to remain focused on her duties, Shegga found the soft, lyrical elven language almost hypnotic and while she continued to remain alert, the orc found herself studying Aerhianrod. The grace and beauty of the elves was myth to the orcs, and often played a central role in the fables her people still told of their old enemies. Many of the elders believed that grace and beauty to be flaws and the basis of the elves' arrogance, but watching the princess, Shegga was not so sure. There was something alluring about her, true, but Shegga sensed nothing sinister in that particular type of magic. The princess' beauty seemed, for lack of a better word, natural.

The warrior was roused from her musings by the sight of Aerhianrod turning to face her, a small drop of crimson blood blooming on her finger, glowing dagger in the other hand. Shegga had wondered about the glowing dagger, and was unsurprised to learn that it glowed in response to her presence. She had heard of such weapons, though this was the first time she had seen one. She couldn't help but wonder what arcane magics went into the forging of such a weapon, but sensing an awkwardness regarding the weapon from the princess, she decided against inquiring and a moment later they were moving through the woods again.

Aerhianrod's favorite place was, to say the least, enchanting. Dark water was bordered by a myriad of flowers that seemed to shine like the moon itself, all framed by a thick cover of trees, their ancient trunks like silent sentinels. Shegga was reminded of a hot springs deep in the caverns near her home, where the water shimmered with light from crystals that grew in the walls. She had spent many a night in the warmth of those hot springs, watching the light dance off the water.

"Keep an eye out for bears would you?" the elven princess said, giving Shegga a wink. "if you kill one, you can make a rug out of it." Shegga was considering telling Aerhianrod that she already had several such rugs at home when the elf began to disrobe at the water's edge. Thoughts of rugs and bears seemed to wither and turn to dust on the orc's tongue as the princess removed her tunic, revealing a large, intricate, but unfinished tattoo on her back. The tattoo glowed with the same eerie light as the flowers that lined the water, and for a moment, Shegga was almost too distracted by the glowing image of the tree to notice that the princess had removed her pants as well. Almost. If she had thought the elf beautiful before, now, between the mystical light that seemed to dance around her, and her exquisitely lithe form, Shegga was momentarily enraptured. Unable to pull her gaze from Aerhianrod's nude form, the orc warrior felt a straining beneath her loin cloth as her cock stirred against her wrappings.

The princess did not look directly at Shegga when she turned around, but despite that, the bodyguard felt a pang of embarrassment, even guilt, and yet she did not stop looking, taking in the sight of the elf's small, but perfect breasts and the dark curls between her legs. Thankfully, for Shegga, a moment later, the princess dove into the water, only her head emerging a heartbeat later.

"Fuck that's cold" Aerhianrod blurted out as she bobbed in the water. "Thank you, for indulging me in this."

Shegga couldn't help but think that some cold water might do her some good at that moment, but she quickly recovered and responded with, "Khul phyr gho."

"It means, I serve you," she explained, finally letting her eyes drop down to the ground at her feet. "I can see why you like coming here. It is quite beautiful," the orc added, stopping short of telling Aerhianrod that she too was beautiful. She felt foolish. It might have been months since she'd been with a woman, but she had seen many a woman naked before. There was no reason for her to be acting like a sex starved teenager just because the princess wished to go for a swim. I'm not better than Murdu, she thought, though some part of her wondered if a trip to the brothels might not be such a bad idea after all.

"I couldn't help but notice your tattoos...do they have some special significance?" Shegga asked, trying to get her mind off naked elves and brothels full of naked elves. "Orcish tattoos are usually used to mark our family line or tribes, or occasionally to commemorate success in battle, but yours...they seem different?"

 

[siobhancan99]

"Khul phyr gho."

Aerhianrod tried the unfamiliar phrase a few times, replaying it in her head as she did it. For an outsider, her pronunciation was pretty good, especially for a first time speaker. Of course, to an Orc she sounded very much like a foreigner, the subtle sounds and shape of the tongue when making them eluding her. Still she had a facility for languages "I'll have to remember that. It might come in handy in diplomatic situations." She kept treading water a moment, then instead rolled so she was floating on her back. Her nipples were hard from the cold, standing out from her small chest. When Shegga asked about her tattoos she gave a little start, as if she forgot about them. She gave the Orc woman a guilty look "To be honest I'm not even supposed to have them" she didn't quite answer her bodyguard. She looked over, aware of the Orc's intense scrutiny of her body, but chalking it up to curiousity about the tattoos. She stopped floating, coming over nearer to shore and then sort of half kneeling on the rocky outcropping just below the surface. Water beaded on her pale skin, catching the moonlight or the light of the flowers occasionally. She held up her wrist "so this... all of these, are magical tattoos. A druid gave them to me. Nissyen, a wood elf." and her sometimes though largely uninterest lover. "So this will make my skin burn around poison, and will protect me from the worst of its effects." she shows the snake with the venom coming off of the tooth "So it is very much what it looks like." she sat, then drew her leg up out of the water "this one, will allow me to harden my skin temporarily. Not quite as good as armor but better than nothing. works once then you have to have a spell cast on it or some such. Like, it more like holds a spell than has a permanent effect." she sat again and turned away, so the huge tatoo on her back "this isn't magical. well it is and it isn't. It shows the goddess favor and when its done... I'll be a druid. I mean. I am one? like. I pray and I hear her voice and... I can do stuff. Little stuff." she slid back into the water and started treading it, turning to face Shegga as she kept herself afloat "But eventually, when I'm free of this princess nonsense, I'll go to my father's people and give myself over to the priesthood. Nothing in the law says a priestess of the mother can't be queen but.. it's frowned upon. One race, two peoples. The mother is a wood elf thing and the monarchy is a high elf thing. The priesthood has a lot of influence in where things are allowed to be built, and how to respect the natural ways of the land in farming and construction. Having a priestess as queen would send the Assembly of Lords into conniption."

She dunked under the water and swam a bit to keep warm, as the water was quite chilly. She resurfaced "So that's why the tattoo isn't finished. There's things I won't be able to do till it is. I'm...stuck as a novitiate." Rolling back onto her back she looked over at the Orc "do you have any tattoos? do they have meaning for you?"