There were several grilled fish dishes, as well as a few bread-like dishes and several fruits as well. Everything was delicious. Elves seemed to avoid spicy dishes, favoring sweet and savory dishes instead. Sourness was used to accentuate and salt was employed but minimally.
I didn’t mind. I was sure eventually I’d miss salty and spicy dishes, but this was pleasant, filling and nutritious.
Once finished, the food made me desire my bed.
“How are the wards?” I asked Lymarith, wanting assurance of all of our safety before retiring for the night.
“With Valentrine’s help yesterday, we were able to get all but the last of the wards renewed. We should be as safe as can be. Though if a powerful enough mage were to try we could be watched, if they knew exactly where to look. That’s about all we are at risk of right now, unless a great dragon, or something of equal power were to attack. Against something like that, no ward will hold, but such foes are rarely stealthy enough to even approach the city without us being aware of it.” Lymarith assured. “We should be able to get the divination blocking runes strengthened tomorrow.”
I smiled and nodded. That would work.
I returned to the bed, where Heilantu still lay, naked. She’d fallen asleep rather than join the dinner. I placed my weapons within easy reach of the bed, stripped down and joined her, cuddling her and receiving a pleased sigh as a reward. I’d found with Lymarith that the feel of my matron’s skin against mine was a sure recipe for deep and restful sleep.
Shortly later, just before I slipped into sleep, the door opened and Diamiutar joined us. She slipped into the bed, wearing as little as the two of us.
“I hope you don’t mind, master.” She whispered when I put an arm around her.
“Of course not.” I assured her with a gentle kiss. “Always a pleasure.”
Cuddled between two of my matrons I slept peacefully.
Rising before the sun was easy, as it was how I had lived for the last several years, and I slipped from between my still slumbering matrons to meet the rest of the delegation. I found new clothing in the bins around the room. I wasn’t sure if my clothes would clean themselves or not, and there were new garments to wear so I wore a fresh change of clothes.
In the kitchen, Sarvourn had prepared a meal for those of us who would go. Eggs, toast and a sweet fruit tea that really woke you up.
“That was delicious.” I told her after finishing the last of the tea.
She smiled in pride and inclined her head in acknowledgement.
“Before we go, Creadean and I had been discussing things and we were wondering… if it might not be the best idea to leave your weapons… here.” Tavorwen suggested gingerly.
“What?” I gawked at the suggestion.
“Well, the small one you wear on your hip shouldn’t be a problem. Kathra and her party might not even recognize it as a weapon.” Tavorwen noted. “But you wished to keep Kathra and her forces unaware of your weapons and their capabilities. If you bring them, any mage she brings along will see them and the more you know of a thing the easier it is to divine further information about them. A mage who sees you bearing those weapons could stand in the field where you used them and be granted visions of the past to learn of them, how they are used and perhaps how to thwart them.”
I hated it, but she was right.
“I just wish I knew the first thing about using these!” I vented in frustration drawing my sword and dagger.
“You… You don’t know how to use a blade?” Creadean confirmed, dumbfounded.
“No! Blades are considered antiques where I’m from. No one uses them in real warfare. You would die to a firearm before getting within a hundred yards… er… paces, let alone close enough to use a blade.” I sputtered.
“We’ll have to remedy that. But there isn’t time now.” Tavorwen admitted in frustration. “Can you still defend yourself with the small… firearm?” She uttered the foreign word carefully and I wondered if translation magic was even being used or if the elves were learning the word.
“Yeah, especially with it having enchantments and replicating ammunition.” I surmised.
“Then I think it is best to leave your rifles home. That is what you call them, right?” Tavorwen verified.
“Yeah, they are rifles. And I don’t like it, but yes, I’ll leave them here.” I conceded, leaning my rifles against a corner.
“Don’t let anyone touch them. They are extremely dangerous in the wrong hands.” I instructed the maidens who would remain.
They assured me that no one would touch them, and with some trepidation I left the weapons.
It only took us a few more minutes to make our way to the platform the Elders had indicated, the Departure Deck they had called it. It was a platform, not far from where Narusil had returned us to the previous day. The light was just creeping over the edge of the horizon as we arrived.
“You’re right on time.” Audruil greeted us.
The elders were dressed as usual in their clothes. Audruil had her staff and the generals had their weapons. High Priestess Eomniva had a staff as well and from her waist hung three holy symbols I vaguely recognized from the temple where my matrons had been bound to me, but honestly I couldn’t remember which symbol went to which god. The first symbol was A cluster of berries on a wooden shield, with a blade behind it. The second symbol was A paw in front of a leaf with flames rising from it and water dripping from the bottom. The third was a wreath of a white flowers and small diamonds. I’d figure out more later.
Coming from a mostly Christian environment, where monotheism was the main religion, it was definitely a bit of an adjustment getting used to the quirks of the polytheistic society where I now lived. Having to remember all of the members of the Enlightened Hosts was still strange to me, but given time I’d learn them.
The honor guard from the Golden Stag barracks were all armed and armored as well as any of the battle maidens I’d seen.
“The appointed hour has arrived.” Audruil announced.
We gathered together and Audruil herself performed the teleportation spell.
We arrived in the field not far in front of the city, and it was clear the shadow elves had been expecting us.
A stone platform sat in front of the shadow elf city, and I could guarantee it had not been there the day before. No canopy for shade, table or chairs were present.
Several scowling shadow elf soldiers stood nearby. Their gazes found me and the visceral hate in their gaze was almost painful.
A fanfare of horns sounded and the gates to El’Muth’Ran opened and a procession marched out.
First came enormous man-like creatures, each bearing a flag so large they had to tip it to get through the gates. Eight of them walked out, four on each side, raising black flags with a serpent wrapped around a white orb it seemed to be eating. They looked to be about twenty feet tall and built like a football lineman. Their faces were hidden by their helmets. What skin wasn’t covered by their armor and clothing was tan, but was fairly close in shade to mine, with my northern European ancestry. All the ones I could see the hair on had the same dirt brown hair.
I glanced at the shadow elf guards, who all remained trying to kill me with the hatred in their glares. I knew an elf’s hearing was far better than a human’s, but I wasn’t sure how much better. I needed information though, so I whispered as softly as I could.
“What are those?”
Creadean stretched on tiptoe to whisper in my ear.
“Giants. Tall, strong, and short lived. They only live about four hundred years. Oh, by the hells.”
Her expletive was because the next line was more similar creatures, but these ones were bald, with darker red-brown skin. These ones just walked out with enormous swords in hand. I couldn’t see it on the first giants at this distance, but the white slave sigil on the darker skin of these Giants was more stark and could be seen at these distances.
“Those first giants are what most will think of if you say ‘giant’. They are also called common giants or hill giants. The second line are known as fire giants. They bathe in lava and not even dragon fire is hot enough to bother them.” Creadean clarified.
These giants concerned me. Their armor, helms and various plates were all thick, very thick, but these mountains of muscle wore them like they weighed nothing. I worried plates that thick might block my rounds.
Next came the shield bearing shadow elves whose ranks I had decimated the day before. The marches out in parade formation, the very image of a disciplined fighting force.
Wyvern riders flew over the walls swooping low, like a flyover. The wyverns were even uglier and nastier looking up close. Their pebbled, scaly skin consisted of scales of clashing colors that blended together to orangey brown at a distance, but up close it was just nasty looking, like they were covered in lumpy vomit. The wyverns landed encircling us, the beasts hissing and snapping in our direction.
It was clear this was intimidation tactics on the part of the shadow elves, and without my best weapons…. it might have been working… just a little.
Now surrounded by giants, a wall of shielded shadow elves, and wyverns, I really hoped that this divine protection we were under was as good as my wood elven companions seemed to think it was.
“There she is.” Tavorwen hissed.
At the open gates, a group appeared. Sixteen individuals in four groups, each with two on a forward or back line and two on a line heading out to the side, serving like wheels for a device like a carriage. There was an ornate platform, and a fully enclosed, elaborately decorated, chamber riding on top of it. There was gold, silver and a deep rich purple everywhere, including a carpet that led from the door to the front.
Around the litter walked the proud nobility of the shadow elves. Most carried staves or scepters, each with either a spellbook or the same symbol from the banners hanging from their belts. They dressed to put as much of their body on display as possible with straps and harnesses to carry what they had to.
The only parts of the body their society seemed to dislike displaying was their vaginas, the crease of the ass, and their nipples. Entire pelvic regions were exposed on some of these shadow elves, right up to within millimeters of where the folds of their vaginas would start, and almost full cheeks of their asses were on display, so long as the crack was covered. There were breast tops, side boobs and underboobs all freely shown, but the nipple was always covered. Thigh high boots, with small wedge heels, were the fashion of the day, leaving the tops of their blue skinned thighs mostly exposed.