War of the Races Ch. 28

Fjallindae's reaction was quite different. Walking over to Ra'Shaal, she looked her up and down, examining her, weighing her as competition. She did the same to Sulabha, who responded by pulling her shoulders back and thrusting out her chest. Which made her already very generous bosom seem even larger. Fjallindae snorted as she stood directly in front of Sinaan and purred, "It seems you were very... energetic last night. Maybe this morning as well?"

She raised an eyebrow with the question and pursed her lips before they curled into a familiar naughty smirk, "It seems, I will have to pay you a visit soon, and remind you which aunt it was that made you into a man."

Fjallindae didn't see Forelain's murderous glare at her back. Meanwhile, Sulabha cut her eyes from Fjallindae to her mother and answered, "It is not that I hate you mother. I just simply will not be denied. Sinaan found me first. He captured my interest first. We have a history. And I will do whatever it takes to stay by his side. The fact that you swooped in and declared yourself his betrothed changes nothing. If he can marry you, then he can marry me also."

Forlain's mouth twisted into a snarl, and she was about to sign something in return when there was a loud clap of the hands. Everyone turned to stare at Fjallindae. Her disposition had changed from mischievous to seriousness as she pinned everyone with a determined stare. Once she was satisfied no one was going to say anything more she tilted her head and said, "The maids are on their way to dress you all quickly. Our Matron Hela Abendroth has summoned you all to the grand hall."

The maids swept in then and Sinaan and Sulabha were all being dressed in the finest clothes that could be found for them. Ra'Shaal strangely enough ran off, but soon returned wearing her priestly habits. A silver underwire that framed the under curves of her breasts before wrapping around her back. Several bracelets on each arm, a ring on each finger, earrings in both ears, a nose ring dangling from the columella of her nose, large hooped nipple rings with a chain with rubies dangling from connected to each hoop, a belly chandelier that hung halfway down her lower belly, five anklets on each ankle. Around her hips, loose enough to ride just below the chandelier was a silver waist chain, a clip on one end, a large teardrop ruby on the other, and long enough that even as loose as the chain was, the ruby still fell to her left knee. From the looped chain hung a long crimson skirt of diaphanous silk. It was almost completely transparent, and it was long ago sized for Ra'Shaal's hips and buttocks so that the cloth met at the top where the chain connected to itself while the fabric was cut diagonally to completely bare her left thigh. In her right hand she held a book of spells, and in her left hand, a dagger.

Sulabha, herself, wore the same priestly habits as Ra'Shaal with the absence of a navel chandelier. Then there was the addition of a belt around her waist holding a pouch on her right hip and a dagger on the left. Draped down her legs from a gold chain was a diaphanous red silk skirt overlaid with dyed black leather in a spiderweb pattern. Fjallindae wore almost the exact same garb as Ra'Shaal except that her skirt was black silk 'Lace of Arachne's Web', and was well and truly transparent. Matron Forelain Faline wore purple silk 'Lace of Arachne's Web' that accentuated her pregnancy very well. She wore rings and chains in her long pointed ears. A ring in the columella of her nose that dangled in front of the philtrum of her top lip. Rings and bracelets bedecked both arms and hands. Chains and bracelets tinkled on each ankle while small ruby encrusted chains ran from two particular ankle chains down to each of her toes.

Sinaan himself wore black pants with soft leather boots that lace to the knee. Followed by a simple linen shirt under a black leather chestplate sewn over black-steel chainmail. He wore his magic cloak of many pockets, and a silver encrusted black leather belt with pouches on each hip and two scabbarded daggers in the small of his back.

Within the half hour they were entering the grand hall to appear before Matron Hela, High Seat of House Abendroth. On his left arm was Matron Forlain, High Seat of House Faline, and on his right arm Sulabha Fjolkyngi-Bol daughter of Hrun'durgahl Logijarn, exile of House Faline. Immediately behind them was Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal to be followed in turn by Forlain's honor guard, Beinbalkr, Aldrnari, Deild, Aetla, Katr, Baer, Istas, Svartsilki, and Gloa. All of whom were wearing their House Faline maids uniforms.

The Great Hall of House Abendroth was something Sinaan had grown up with, and so was used to the grandiose architecture. For those not born and raised in House Abendroth, the room was built to flaunt their wealth and power, and to intimidate. The room was a massive oval with the entry doors on one end and the Seat of House Abendroth on the other. Ten large columns supported the ceiling. They ran in two rows to each side of the entry doors so that those that entered could immediately see the Seat of House Abendroth and just how far they would have to trek in order to approach her imminence. The floors were silver veined green marble in remembrance of grass, the columns were pure white granite, and the walls and ceiling were all made to be one piece of art of raised veins of silver relief fashioned into the likeness of a massive spider web. Behind the web the wall was covered in small polished onyx stones. It all met at the peak of the domed ceiling where a massive silver light crystal was carved into the likeness of the moon.

Across the hall Hela Abendroth sat in a heavily engraved chair lacquered to a glossy black. The sides and back were worked in spider web reliefs. The four legs and the armrests were carved in the likenesses of large spiders. Above Hela's head the back was finished with a large carving of a spider and inlaid with silver light crystal in the likeness of a crescent moon. Some might have thought it was a throne. It was sized perfectly for her and any Abendroth woman, and itself was on a raised dais that put her head and shoulders higher than anyone in the room. Down on the floor and to Hela's right sat the Governor Elhanor Svendahlain in House Abendroth next grandest chair, the Seat of Arachne.

It must have taken several of the workmen the better part of the night to carry it out of the Abendroth Temple of Arachne.

On Hela's left side, sitting opposite of the Governor, were the High Seats of the three highest houses in Idavollr. Matron Resinquahl of House Metisnir, second only to House Svendahlain and not by much. She was also the oldest living person in the room, if not all of Idavollr, at nine hundred and fifty-two years old.

Next was Matron Oxildaehl of House Ljos'svendahl, third most powerful house in the city. She was young. Only one hundred and ninety-nine years old. There had been a fierce war of succession within the halls of her house. It was said that any of her family that didn't kill each other for the high seat, she had assassinated including her younger siblings, just to make sure there were no more challenges to her claim. It spoke to their strength that almost the entire House could kill each other and it was still one of the strongest.

The last was Matron Mjolganir of House Villrsvart. She was middle aged at five hundred and two. The rumors say that her mother waited until she was five hundred and sixty before she had children. Then she ruled her House with an iron fist until she died at nine hundred and eighty-seven. Now her daughter rules the House much like her mother once did.

Sinaan looked down at his arm where Forelain's hand was in the crook of his elbow. Her hand had been the lightest of caresses before entering the hall, but now her fingers dug into the thin material of his shirt and into his skin. Other than that she appeared completely composed, but he knew, he could feel she was scared far more than she appeared.

Flexing his arm he did what he could to reassure her though he wasn't sure why he did it. This was his house. The woman they were approaching was his mother. Forelain was not his family, she was an outsider. His loyalty was to his mother and House, at least more so than to House Faline. So, why was he trying to comfort her?

He pondered the question until he came to a halt just before the Governor, the High Seats of Houses Villrsvart, Ljos'svendahl, and Metisnir, and Hela Abendroth. Forelain and Sulabha curtsied which put Forelain's retinue nearly on the floor. Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal curtsied as well but then moved to the side and around until they were able to join Hela, each standing behind and to each side as her councilors. Sinaan himself knelt down on one knee to his mother, put a hand to where a sword would be if he had one, and the other hand over his heart.

"My life for yours, mother. My life for House and hearth," He announced loud enough for all to hear, "My body is your weapon. Use me at your discretion. I am yours, mother."

"You are too familiar," Hela greeted with a vexed sigh, "As usual, my son. However, your greeting is acceptable."

"Salutations," Forelain signed into the following silence, "Thank you for inviting me into your presence. It is an honor to stand before Matron Hela of House Abendroth to whom I hope to soon call mother. It is also an honor to stand in the presence of Governor Elhanor of House Svendahlain, Matron Resinquahl of House Metisnir, Matron Oxildaehl of House Ljos'svendahl, and Matron Mjolganir of House Villrsvart."

"Greetings Matron Forelain of House Faline," Elhanor replied, interrupting Hela who was about to respond, "We have heard much in these last few hours about your House. It came as a surprise to us all to hear that you still lived, and your daughter it would appear. It is good to see that the... apparent propaganda of your demise was a lie, and it is good to see you still have rooted out and destroyed the rebellious elements within your Household."

They all stared at Sulabha then. Looking her up and down. Judging her. Seeing that she was of a height with them all but built more robustly and with a curviness that was not markedly svartalf.

"Yes Matron Elhanor," Forelain signed in reply, "There are still some holdouts within the nursery, but over all, my House is my own once more and will will be stronger for it."

"Stronger?" Resinquahl laughed as she shook her aged head, "Stronger! My reports say that your House is decimated. That almost every male joined your sons in their revolt, and that your closest female aids and staff as well. Stronger? It will take you decades if not a century or two to recover from your sons' coup."

"That is, if her crippled House is not gobbled up by some other ambitious House looking to move up in rank," Mjolganir purred, as if it was a foregone conclusion that it was going to happen.

"And that is precisely why she is here in my home," Hela interrupted, bringing the meeting to a point, "Matron Forelain Faline has been many things to House Abendroth, but she was never a fool. Indeed, much of the animosity between our Houses predates her, or I. However, she was shrewd enough to see her House's decline and has come to House Abendroth, her closest adversary in hopes of bridging our differences and uniting our Houses."

"As I have stated before, I object to this union," Oxildaehl announced loudly as she shook her head, "Uniting the assets of House Abendroth and Faline could upset the balance of power within Idavollr too greatly. They may even be powerful enough to challenge the governorship."

Elhanor nodded as she judged Hela, then the three High Seats opposite of her, and then Forlain before she responded, "I have given this much thought, and my concerns are not far off from Matron Oxildaehl's. But, unlike the Matron I have access to the census records of both Houses. With House Faline's power currently reduced as much as it is, even with her forces still out on the latest raid, if House Abendroth and Faline align they will still be weaker than the top five Houses. So, I will support this... union."

"I will support the union on one condition," Resinquahl said in a thin reedy voice, "House Faline and House Abendroth remain two distinct Houses with their own individual assets."

"I will support the union, but I too have a condition," Oxildaehl said, her voice low and husky despite her shorter, more petite, built than most svartalf, "No half-breeds should be allowed on the Seat of any House. Matron Faline's daughter, Sulabha is the heir, is she not? She is obviously svartalf and... something else. Her titles and rank must be renounced. Exile would be preferable, but disowning from House Faline will do as well, I suppose."

Mjolganir remain silent for a long time as she regarded Sinaan, Forelain, and Sulabha, then she turned to Hela and stared at her for a long moment before she finally spoke, "I have a feeling that no one is more concerned than Matron Hela for the ramifications of this alliance. Otherwise, why request the Governor and our presence. This is a good development for her and her House, but she does not want us to see it as her trying to gain power and influence for her own aspirations for greater authority. As witnesses of this union, we hereby consent to this alliance. If we find it amicable then how dare any House between us and House Abendroth take issue with it, though, I fear dear Hela, that those just above your House will anyway."

She took a long inhalation as she looked back at Sinaan and Forelain, "Yes. I will support this union, and without conditions. I believe Hela will have plenty of her own. I am more interested in watching the spectacle that this stirs up unfold much more anyway."

Finally it was Hela's turn to speak. She inhaled as she looked from Sinaan to Forelain, and then Sulabha standing up. Descending her dais, she approached and stood squarely in front of Forelain and said loudly enough to be heard by everyone, "Before these witnesses I set out these conditions of alliance. Matron Forelain of House Faline, you are currently pregnant. Whose children are they?"

"One of my rebellious sons," Forelain sighed, then added, "All of the rest of the women of House Faline were... purged. Only Sulabha and I remain. We were imprisoned, and I don't know how many children we may have born for my sons."

"They also took your tongue and Sulabha's eyes so that neither of you could pray or glamor them," Hela said.

"Yes," Forelain sighed.

"Is it true that more than half of House Faline's arms men are dead due to this revolt?" Hela asked.

Forelain took a deep breath, then nodded as she sighed, "Yes."

"Thank you for your honesty," Hela said as she gave Forelain a small consolatory smile, "Matron Forelain, here are my conditions. First, pertaining to the rights of succession. To make sure that this union lives beyond you and I, House Abendroth will adopt the babies within your belly and any other child which has a claim to the Seat of House Faline. In exchange House Abendroth will gift, for adoption into House Faline, young men and women of marriageable and procreative age. Male for male, and female for female. This includes Sulabha Fjolkyngi-Bol daughter of Hrun'durgahl Logijarn. I will also give as many as five priestesses for adoption into House Faline for the purpose of rebuilding your Temple. In this way, your daughters from Sinaan will tie our Houses together indefinitely.

Second, House Faline will pay tribute for House Abendroth protection in the amount of ten percent of all revenues.

Third, House Faline may keep her armsmen. But they must wear the House Abendroth crest to denote they are our leigemen. Also, until House Faline is able to rebuild its guard, House Abendroth will station a garrison of its own men and women to help fortify House Faline. Similarly, House Faline must display an Abendroth banner wherever a Faline banner is displayed. In this way anyone who molests House Faline or any of her men knows they are provoking House Abendroth as well. In like manner, since House Abendroth accepts the dangers of protecting House Faline, likewise House Faline must support House Abendroth one hundred percent in any armed hostilities.

If you accept these conditions, then despite his age and customs, I will give Sinaan to you as consort and husband."

Forelain's nails were daggers in Sinaan's arm. He could feel her shaking though he couldn't see it. Sulabha actually looked eager. There was a long pause as Faline considered Hela's proposal. There wasn't much she could do to object though. House Faline needed House Abendroth much more than Abendroth needed Faline, and it was doubtful there would be better conditions from any other House, if approached. Most likely another House would just sack House Faline and take the noble and slaves alike as workforce, battle fodder, and breeding stock.

Kneeling down on both her knees, Forelain reached up and took both Hela's hands and kissed them, palms and backs, and then she signed, "I, Matron Forelain, High Seat of House Faline, do hereby swear to abide by all of the conditions Matron Hela Abendroth has set forth. From this day forth she has my absolute loyalty. May what happens to House Abendroth also happen to House Faline. May the union of Sinaan Abendroth and Forelain Faline unite our houses until there are no more tomorrows."

When Forelain was done Hela gave her a hand up and kissed Forelain on each cheek and then on the mouth. The simple pecks, and then a hug as she whispered, "Welcome home... daughter. May your womb and your House find shelter under our roof, and may you womb be blessedly fertile."

Then in an even lower voice that no one heard but them two, "But, if anything happens to my son, I will flay your skin off and then spread parts of your body from one end of Idavollr clear to the other end. Then afterward I will kill every member of your House and raze it to the ground. Understood?"

Forelain nodded vigorously. She did indeed understand completely. Pulling away from Hela's hug she signed so that only Hela could see, "Your son saved my life and my daughters life when he didn't have to. He could have simply passed us by and left us to my sons. I will never betray the compassion and mercy he showed me, my daughter, and my House. We were all at my son's mercy and your son freed us!"

Hela nodded slightly and then they both took a step back. She looked at Sinaan and for the first time all morning her expression broke into a warm smile. Stepping in, Hela hugged her son and gave a kiss on each cheek and then a final kiss on the mouth, then stepped back while still holding his hands. Turning towards Forelain she passed Sinaan's hands to Forelain's and said, "Now, what I need you two do is go and save my daughters. Forelain, only you will be able to stop your armsmen that are led by your sons."

"I understand," Forelain agreed with a quick hand signal and a nod.

"Yes mother," Sinaan said with a grim nod.

"Matron?" Sulabha said her excitement gone as she grabbed at Sinaan's elbow, "I am very grateful to be adopted by House Abendroth, but I wish to stay with Sinaan."

Hela shook her head no, "You will have plenty of time with him later, but for the next month he and Forlain will celebrate their union. In the meantime I would appreciate you returning to House Faline and helping gather those that are you brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and your sons and daughters, and bring them here. I also want you to report to those you mother left in charge what has transpired."

Sulabha's expressions changed drastically as she reined in her emotions, but she finally curtsied respectfully before turning and leaving the great hall. Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal were the next to climb down the dais where they had been left to stand by the Seat of House Abendroth.