Roderick and Gorlana Pt. 05

But he was still not just any person. Of course he wasn't. How could she have been so naive? She had simply been made to see other perspectives from which to appreciate him. It was like discovering him all over again. Her Roderick. As soon as Valessa returned to him again to gracefully embrace him, and the jealous pain hit her, she knew that what she had always felt for him was still there. Just as she had known the last time she had witnessed it on the hillside next to Orthanhall, when she had won him from her.

As they started to walk towards their tents, she overheard Valessa whisper, "Have you been alright?" to Roderick with a look of such genuine heartfelt concern. Then she turned her head towards Gorlana slightly and asked, "Has she treated you well enough?"

What had she been worried about? Had she actually thought Gorlana would take him hostage all over again?

Gorlana swallowed her offended thoughts and reminded herself she needed to stifle her scent, though the other orcs would not know the reason for her discomfort, and it could be explained by countless other understandable reasons. The same might not be said for the days to come though. When they entered the city, and the palace, and words became their weapons and shields, and the thoughts hidden behind them might be part of the advantage they fought for, she would need all the help she could get.

Would any of that help really come from Roderick? With their rekindled friendship on this journey, she had become almost certain he would be an ally, rather than a rival, yet the knowledge that she would be a fool not to doubt that, slowly sunk in. Even if every part his kindness had been genuine and not out of necessity and tact. Even if he truly cared for her, his duty and his loyalty could not be to her, but had to be first to Andralia. She watched him lead the procession, arm in arm, with his beautiful princess, across their beautiful countryside, drawing closer to their city, and closer to the bitter reality of what she must face. What was she to him, really?

...

A dream come true. Even beyond what his imagination could have dreamed. Like a unique green gem brought out of the wilderness to shine effortlessly with a raw, natural beauty, in defiance of the over-polished Andralian trappings around her.

Roderick watched Gorlana enter the grand hall of the palace and the world seemed to stand still as his mind ran wild.

They had arrived at Andrapolis around midday and the fanfare of their procession had ended at the palace with an official welcoming at the entrance-way to their entire group. After being shown their accommodations and being given a few hours to settle in, the orcish leaders and all those involved in the negotiations had been invited into the palace for an even-more-official welcome followed by a feast.

Roderick had not been prepared for what Gorlana might wear. He had only seen her in armour, or practical light-leather or woollen clothing up until now.

"Hmph," Valessa gave a sound somewhere between annoyed and impressed, "It seems I started a trend."

Valessa herself was wearing a sleek dark blue gown, thin, shimmering and custom fit along the small curves of her hourglass figure, matching well with the spiralled curls of her long red hair. The orcish women entering the hall however, were wearing their own versions of the impractical-armour 'dress' that Valessa had worn in Orthalia.

A thicker, stronger, hourglass of heavier light-green flesh was bursting out of Gorlana's outfit. Her long green muscular legs were mostly revealed under the angled hem of her studded leather skirt, moulded over the curve of her wide swaying hips. The metal and leather chest piece dipped generously low to reveal the long cavernous cleavage between her smooth breasts. Not flawless however. There were a number of scars, but that only seemed to draw his eyes to their surface all the more. He saw one larger scar to the upper left closer to her shoulder, and he was suddenly sure... he could remember like it was yesterday. The knife he had thrown. He remembered caressing and kissing the fresh wound apologetically while she lay naked and giggling on top of him in that blessed meadow. Her face seemed even more beautiful than usual as well, and he was unsure if it was the lighting, or if her features had been darkened and highlighted with makeup as well. Her hair was pulled up and to the side, made into an ornate knot, pierced with a thin dagger.

He breathed in through his nose instinctively and sighed. The scentsfoil would need to be replenished in a couple of days but was still in full effect, yet no lack of scent could change what she was to him. How could he have been so naive? Every other sense made it plain to him, and snuffed out whatever denial might have almost taken hold before. She would always be his Gorlana. His precious wonderful orc girl. Here she arrived, proud and courageous into the lions den he had led her to. Yet she seemed like a lioness herself. One that needed none of his help. One who was surely here to take whatever advantage she could of his country in their treaty, he tried to remind himself.

He finally tore his eyes away and took note of the others. Darganya almost compared. Almost. Her taller, more lean muscled frame still strutted with an intimidating harsh beauty, her curves only seeming slender in comparison to Gorlana's. Faringoll and Zurgana behind them had also followed suit. Zurgana's being closer to actual armour, but certainly revealing her athletic frame well enough. Faringoll on the other hand, had incorporated more fabric than metal amongst the thin leather of her outfit, being the closest to Andralian dress among them.

There were a variety of mutters of amusement, respect and derision in perhaps equal measure from the Andralians around them, Roderick thought. He didn't think he had seen Yendell look as stiff and red as he did then, as Faringoll glanced at him with a smile, and Roderick let himself smirk, reassured that he perhaps wasn't alone in his feelings.

There were a few soft gasps and Roderick turned his head at a sudden girlish exclamation of moaning excitement, and saw Dabirra, off to the side, covering her mouth but opening her eyes wide. He turned to see what she was looking at and resisted face-palming as Korboq strutted in.

The orc had altered his own outfit to something between orcish armour and an Andralian suit, only it was almost as revealing as the women's dresses. He wore typical orcish boots like the rest, but that was where the resemblance ended. Roderick could tell the pants were orcish leather, but made so tight they might have been mistaken for stretchable fabric. He wore a short leather vest and a pink undershirt that Roderick couldn't fathom where he found. Both the pants and the shirt were undersized though and revealed most of his midriff. The pants in particular being so low cut as to show the creases of his groin.

Roderick glared at Korboq's face, which was inexplicably in a proud grin, but the orc never met his eyes. Everyone kept their decorum for the most part though, and thankfully Korboq was the only male orc to have worn such an outfit, the others having chosen items more formal and typically orcish. Some were slightly more Andralian, but nothing so revealing.

After they had all filed in, Navarin, the palace steward, proclaimed the announcement of their arrival in the hall and Valessa stepped forward to intone another magnanimous welcome with a short speech and inviting them all to take their seats at the long plentiful tables, already adorned with appetizing morsels before the main meal was brought out.

Darganya found her way to Valessa while people were mingling and finding their seats, and met her with a tight smiling hug.

"So are you impressed?" Darganya asked cheerfully.

"With what exactly?" Valessa giggled.

"With my powers of persuasion over my orcish sisters. Convincing them to follow in your wonderful taste in fashion. I had only hoped we might match with you."

Valessa rolled her eyes but smiled as she sipped her wine, "We're in Andralia now, sister. I can't be caught dead in that here. Do you think you'd be able to convince them to wear an actual Andralian dress? Our tailors would be up for the challenge I'm sure."

"One step at a time, my friend," Darganya winked, "It bodes well for my ability to influence my orcish kin though does it not?"

"It does," Valessa smirked coolly, "Does this mean you will take my offer to be my official sniffer in these negotiations?"

"Official? No. But I would not want one side of these talks to be left in the dark should you ask for my opinions and advice here and there."

Valessa giggled with tight lips and then nodded with a shrug, "So be it. Let's sit down."

The meal consisted of large juicy steaks brought out to growls of approval from the orcs, and even some from the Andralians in good humoured mimicry. Not everyone chuckled or smiled, Chasdon was looking annoyed where before a smug smirk had been set on his face, and took to muttering in sour-faced derision with the equally pompous woman seated next to him. Roderick wondered if he had a set of snide remarks saved up expecting the orcs to lunge face first into the meat like a pack of dogs, and now was disappointed that they were well-mannered. To be fair, Roderick hadn't been sure what level of etiquette the orcs might show, and although they were not up to the strict standards Navarin had taught him, they more than respectful enough, he thought.

He noticed Dabirra had ended up seated directly across from Korboq and wondered how.

Korboq cleared his throat, "I can't help but notice my lady that you eat your steamed vegetables first, though such a fine slice of meat lays before you?"

Dabirra smiled and sat her plump body up straighter at his attention, stretching out her dress and creaking her chair, "Oh there's nothing more my mouth would enjoy than a thick morsel of meat within it, but I know I will enjoy something even more when I have pined for it for an even longer time."

Korboq let out a low breath and seemed to forget how to use his fork, "Perhaps I will find the same, waiting long for what I crave," he said, and picked up the same type of steamed and seasoned parsnip she was holding, and they each took a bite together, with locked eyes.

Roderick cleared his throat from a couple seats away drawing no notice from a mesmerized Korboq. Thankfully everyone else was caught up in their own conversations or staring at the ornate carvings and tapestries about the room. He noticed Yendell was attempting to answer a question from Faringoll about the forging of the cutlery and finally clued in that Yendell's red nervous face might have been from Faringoll continually referring to the fork that she held conveniently over top of her bosom. Roderick let his eyes glance over Gorlana's striking face and body for a split second again, but for what felt like the hundredth time already. He supposed the tension in the room was not all of the type he had thought it might be.

"It's so nice being home again," Valessa said, clinking her glass with Roderick's, "To warm well cooked meals and warmer beds."

Roderick scoffed with a smile, "You only joined us for the last two days."

"Oh I know you had it worse," she laughed back, then turned more seriously to Gorlana, "I hope the road wasn't too hard for you and your warriors."

Gorlana gave a polite smile, "Not at all, I continue to be impressed with your roads and cities."

Valessa giggled, "Tell that to Roderick. He complains to no end of the infrastructure in Fringeland. Tell, me, what have you thought of our provinces so far then?"

"Well I must say Fringeland was indeed beautiful. It seemed almost oddly familiar, and with their hospitality it was a perfect introduction to your country. With such rich potential still. I can see why your fiance is proud of his home province."

Valessa raised an eyebrow, "Rich, would not be the first descriptor most here would choose," she chuckled, "Yet it's all relative, I suppose. You must be more and more impressed each day then, on arriving here. If only we had the time to show you all that our fine country has to offer."

Gorlana looked askance, "I will say the border between Fringeland and Platenia was almost as stark a difference as that with Orthalia."

Valessa simply shrugged, "We are a diverse nation. It is both a strength and a challenge, I would say. Each province offers a unique value to our whole. From Centralia's orchards and horticulture, to Platenia's fields. The port and fishing down in Daranole..."

"And what would Southern Orthalia offer in this mosaic of single pieces you describe?" Gorlana asked. "Surely not only one thing-"

"Mining of course," Valessa said. "Perhaps some degree of forestry as well, but as with Fringeland the lumber still pales in comparison to Borindia."

"I thought that was what Fringeland's specialty might have been, if you insist on painting each province with a single brush, though I would hesitate to see anyone's lands in such a way."

"Fringeland's production has stagnated someone unfortunately in the more valuable metals. No mines can keep up such production forever obviously," Valessa said, then with an almost guilty look at Roderick, "Which is not to say they have nothing to offer, just..."

"Why not utilize every boon a province has to offer? To focus only on a single resource, do you not rob yourselves and the citizens themselves of their potential?"

"It's not just a single-..." Valessa sighed in irritation. "It's something called economies of scale, there are books on it I don't have the time to explain at this very moment, but trust me when I say it is part of a more advanced society reaching its full potential."

"Southern Orthalia was an honourable and prosperous society long before they joined you, and attained it by encouraging all of it's strengths," Gorlana insisted.

"Here here," Korboq said, "Though we attained it ourselves," he added with a more serious nod."

Darganya spoke up as well, "Yet it realizes even more potential ever since Lightbrew's reign. You cannot deny the value of its trade and Andralia's influence on our prosperity."

"So you would trade that for Southern Orthalia to become a mining colony and nothing else?" Gorlana asked in irritation.

Roderick added desperately, "That's NOT what will happen."

Valessa ignored him and spoke to Gorlana, "So YOU would have each province be entirely self-reliant with no need for its country and capitol. Can you not see what that got you?"

Gorlana set down her fork, "Their break with Orthalia was FAR more complicated than that."

"Yet it happened and was allowed to. When each province both contributes and is reliant on the whole as with Andralia, then the country realizes far more stability than for each to strive for self-reliance and develop delusions of superiority or independence. It takes a strong central leader to maintain it, true, but it clearly works," Valessa said, raising an angry eyebrow of implication.

Gorlana was clearly even more angered, but Roderick said quickly, "ALL of this is more suited for the negotiations and debates tomorrow, is it not?" and gave Gorlana a pleading and apologetic look, "This feast is one of welcome and celebration."

Valessa eyed him, at first annoyed, but then switching to an approving smile and nod, "You are of course correct my love. Here come the desserts, I know you'll love them. Then there is a short concert from the quartet before you all retire to your beds. We're all exhausted and our candlewicks perhaps too short. Tomorrow night we will have a proper dance after we are better rested."

Everyone seemed to settle, thankfully. The desserts were in fact as delicious as she implied, delicate and ornate, though the orcs seemed to be more impressed at the appearance than the taste. Roderick had to place a placating hand on Valessa to remind her to maintain her polite decorum when Gorlana mentioned that she would have preferred some pickled carrots instead, insisting to Valessa that she did not in fact mean it as a deep insult and that he would explain later.

Chasdon thankfully was kept to the edges of the main conversations and the crowd in general, staying in his group of nobles and thankfully at least making an effort to veil his derogatory quips behind wordplay and what passed for subtlety, though Roderick had the sense he was simply taking the time in sizing up an enemy rather than being happy with the night going well.

The orcs sat politely through what was thankfully a short concert, some seeming impressed and others more bored and restless. To his surprise, Zurgana was at the edge of her seat and almost seemed to be brought to tears at the music. Faringoll had found her way again to Yendell who answered her almost incessant whispered questions diligently, seeming slightly embarrassed and nervous, yet never excusing himself from her company. Roderick was caught by Gorlana looking at her, but when their eyes met, Gorlana simply smirked and gestured her head towards her left, where he saw Korboq and Dabirra trying to dance.

Roderick shared a silent secret laugh with her from across the room and they both watched Dabirra leading Korboq, endearingly scolding him and directing his feet with patience. Korboq diligently looked downwards in concentration. Others might have thought he was looking at Dabirra's plunging neckline that revealed her somewhat modest cleavage as much as it could, and that this was why his feet stumbled. Roderick was sure he was looking past that, and past her more protruding torso, to her sparkling shoes that revealed much of the long, wide skin of her feet, down to her toes.

It didn't last long as Valessa scoffed when she noticed what Roderick was grinning at, and strutted over to Dabirra to remind her harshly that it was improper to be dancing like this at a formal concert, and to consider looking around and reading the room for once.

At the end of the night Roderick was sure to find Korboq and warn him that he needed to be on professional and honourable behaviour during this visit.

"It was she who suggested the dancing, how was I to know it was not proper?" Korboq grumbled defensively.

"Not just the dancing Korb. Her. In general. I'm not blind. If two people start..." he lowered his voice to an even softer whisper, "...mating, who aren't supposed to, it could be enough to throw these negotiations out the window."

"Of course the negotiations are the most important, but could it not be that two people from either realm, coming together in R-... in love. If we are discrete and... proper about it."

"There is NOTHING discrete or proper about how you showed up here," Roderick said, gesturing to his outfit."

"Human fashion makes no sense! Carthala and Nardill both helped me. We thought if the female fashion that the sword sisters were following was so revealing surely the men would follow suit... Though from looking around, the pants were about right. Simply the top needs adjustment."

"I think it's perfect Korby," Dabirra's airy voice came from behind Roderick's shoulder as she approached. "Don't listen to the others. That Chasdon is simply jealous that he could never pull off this wonderful piece like you do." She said, pulling her arm around his bicep and staring excitedly at him again. "It would be improper for you to wear the same outfit two nights in a row however, so a different style tomorrow night for the dance would be in order."

Korboq suddenly looked distressed, "It... took me three days to come up with this one and more coin than I c-..." his words broke off and he looked up at Roderick for help.

"Would you... need help in designing and... dressing yourself tomorrow? I took the liberty of warning the palace tailors to be prepared, hoping you might be game. If you think highly enough of me to value my expertise and taste?" she said, looking up at him in doe-eyed hope.