War of the Races Ch. 01b

"Lord Anthiehl Vale of the Valelands from the other side of the Dragon Spine Mountains," Glenna answered, "He entered into negotiations with my mother and paid the bride price. I will be wed to his son, Summerset Vale tonight under Seline's Moon."

"Well, congratulations," Vannic replied as she gave Glenna a hug.

"Thank you, my old friend," Glenna mumbled as they pulled away from each other, then asked, "I think I am going to walk home. Would you mind making sure that my bags are taken to the house ahead of me?"

"Sure I can," Vannic agreed with a nod and smile, "Enjoy your walk."

"Thank you, I will," She chuckled and waved her goodbye as she turned to leave.

As Glenna walked down white limestone streets and admired the white marble and limestone buildings, she was once again amazed at the aesthetic wonder of her people. Single story square buildings were decorated with large porches, grand columns, and elegantly arched gable roofs made of limestone sculpted to resemble log beams and capped with green, blue, or purple ceramic tiles. From street lamps, to bench seats, to metal work fencing, no matter what it was or where it was every piece was gold or coated in gold.

The entire city of Olympia wrapped around the mountain the city was named after. Near the coast, most buildings were just what she saw, large square buildings with large porches and elegantly gabled roofs. The exception was the Temple of the Moon Goddess resides on the northern shore just west of House Elwahain and east of House Moonlilly, and overlooked the Sea of Sylaesh. The College of Seline was thus stationed on the southern city wall near House Greenwood and House Elmaine. The Temple of the Sun God thereby claimed the eastern shore from whence the sun rises on the northern Elfendahl Peninsula near Houses Kinsdaen, Striebell, and Ljosfall; and overlooks the Alun Sound. The College of Marduk was thus built on the western shore overlooking Quillayute river and the Ocean of Ahti. Its supporting Houses were Quillayute, Bogashiel, Hoh, Elk, and Shuwah.

Gazing south toward Mount Olympus, Glenna saw the second Wall of Thrombain. It stood as beautiful and imposing as ever. It stood two hundred feet high and acted as a massive retaining wall to level out the land for thousands of two, three, and four story Household mansions, guilds, and mercantile businesses. The third Wall of Dungeness was nearly half the distance from the second wall as the first was from the coastline. Behind the third wall were tall towers Some of which appeared to be great square cubes of marble and glass that stood from twenty to fifty stories high. Other buildings looked like a four cornered building twisted around its vertical centerpoint, and still others were pairs of two and sometimes four separate buildings that somehow coiled around each other seemingly impossibly. Then there were circular towers classically made of pure limestone or marble with large balconies that seemed to stair-step up around the tower until reaching a penthouse at the pentacle with surrounding parapets.

Olympia, the shining white city, the Jewel of Folkvangr, the Green Land of the West. Glenna turned from the sights and looked down the street before her. Every alfari she saw was either golden skinned Ljosalfar with hair in a plethora of shades from platinum blonde to fiery red. Or, and more commonly in the northern and southern quarters where the pale moonlight white skinned Nottalfar with black star-filled orbs and floating midnight hair sprinkled with starlight, colorful nebulae, galactic bands, or galactic clusters. They all walked about in a variety of colorful garb cut from the finest silks, linens, and wools.

Everyone held their heads high and went about their business, keeping to themselves or to the parties they were traveling with. Every citizen was beautiful and rich, or at the least employed. There were no poor people or beggars, they weren't allowed within the walls of Olympia. Among the women, they wore various styles from simple strophium and small loincloths to extravagant corsets with matching loincloths. Others wore tunics while some wore peplos, chitons, or himations showing chest, back, their sides and usually their thighs. Nobles could be spotted easily for they wore purple or scarlet pallas bordered in gold or silver, and colorful stolas banded at the waist with belts, sashes, and girdles of gold, silk, or leather with buckles of silver or gold, and laden with precious and semi-precious gems.

As glamorous as the women of Olympia were, the men were even more so. Many walked about in simple loincloths or tunics, paliums, and togas. The wealthier they were the more glamorously they dressed, and like the women, the more revealing it became until the most confident walked about in nothing more than almost completely transparent diaphanous peplos or togas.

Glenna smiled at the hedonism of her people. As a priestess of Seline she was the pentacle of sensualism. She led the masses in the ways of hedonism, and as such the robes she wore were the most concupiscent. Upon her head, woven into the floating locks of her midnight hair was the moon tiara of Seline. Clasped around her throat was the short white mantle of dedication which draped over her shoulders and fell down to cover her decolletage and the tops of her fully exposed breasts. Below the copious undercurve of her voluminous bosoms she wore a one inch thick sterling silver underwire etched with moons and leafwork connected to a corset of black silk gauze that banded her ribs to her natural waist. From there, upon her hips rode a silver belt with hoops where a matching black silk gauze skirt fell open revealing her sex for any and all to admire, and down her thighs to drag on the limestone below her in a train some five feet long. Around her neck she wore the silver gorget of Seline with the onyx ankh of fertility, and upon each wrist and ankle she wore no less than three bracelets and anklets from which little bells tinkled letting all nearby know they were in the presence of a priestess of Seline.

With purposeful steps, trained in the ways of Seline, she rolled her hips as she walked. Every step jiggling her buttocks and breasts, and little bells chiming delightfully. She was still a mile away from her home when she turned into the gates and walked up onto the porch of the Allurian Inn. Once she crossed the threshold the innkeeper, one Candolain Viscott called to her, "My lady Glenna! How may I help you today?"

"I have heard you may have some rather interesting guests," She retorted affably.

"My lady," Candolain laughed easily as she shook her head, "Every guest I have is interesting..." Glenna laughed along with her as they both looked around the vast common area where patrons sat and ate at tables or found couches and chairs to recline in as they read a book or managed affairs on a 'Sageglass'. Others were speaking softly to themselves until it was discerned that they were conversing with someone on a 'Broadring' wrapped around long pointed ears. Glenna turned back to Candolain only to have the buxom innkeeper wink as she whispered, "At least, that is how I let them feel."

Glenna chuckled as she leaned in closer and whispered, "The ones I am looking for are from across the Dragon's Spine Mountains, from the Valelands. Does that narrow it down for you?"

Candolain's eyes narrowed, though not in prejudice, in her line of work one couldn't afford to be too bigoted. Leaning in close she lowered her voice before answering, "Villralfar? What business does a moon priestess have with them?"

"My business is my own," Glenna answered firmly, but then smiled and explained so as to reduce gossip, "However, I will say they are old acquaintances I have not seen in some seventy years since I was sent to Annwyn to proselytize Seline's majesty."

"I see," Candolain whispered with a knowing, salacious grin, "Made a few friends did we, while out and abouts. Well, apparently you made an impression. They have been rooming here for the last three months. They're an interesting lot, they are. Much more conservative dressers than us local folk, with all their green and brown wool and leather. But, I have to say their animals are the most beautiful and healthy creatures I have ever seen. You can tell they care for them well. Not many Animal traders I see treat theirs better."

"Candolain," Glenna interrupted.

"Hmm," She asked, not realizing she was rambling in her gossip.

"What rooms are they occupying? I would like to stop in and greet them after such a long time," Glenna asked and explained.

"Oh! Um, well, they are in room one-hundred and eight and one-hundred and seven," She answered at once. The senior gentleman and his harem are in room eight, and the son and his female Animal... friends... are in seven."

"I see, thank you Candolain," Glenna purred with a smile before turning and whisking off to the hallway leading to the rooms.

As soon as she turned the corner and no one could see her, she wrapped one arm around her pendulous breasts and she ran. Her little bare feet slapped against the marble floors and her hair, usually a uniform black flame above her head some four feet in length, was pulled out behind her as if the gentle flame had been assaulted by gusts of wind. In moments she traversed the length of the corridor and stood in front of the door she had long coveted to see, then suddenly seventy years of anticipation and anxiety was upon her!

So many nights she had cried herself to sleep from worry that the one she loved had forgotten her. So many patrons she had imagined to be him, and now, here he was!

With bated breath she held up a shaking hand before the door. Gathering her resolve she curled her fingers into a fist and knocked...

The room was quiet...

She was beginning to think that Candolain had given her the wrong room when she suddenly heard the door knob jiggle and turn, it opened, and standing just inside was Summerset Vale...