Fate - First Reply The New World

[Viatri]

Alliria - Harbor

Viatri watched the city ahead of them with a keen eye, her head tilting slightly as she sat in her throne like chair that had been placed on the prow of the Black Heart.

The massive ship cut through the water far faster than it should have been able to, the huge sails half furled and it's blackened hull seeming to shine as sunlight bounced off the thin steel coating. The crew bustled around behind her, dozens of men and women rushing around as they prepared for their arrival in this 'Alliria'. Her lips pursed as she looked at all the ships flowing in and out of the approaching harbor.

Most were unrecognizable.

They ranged in size from small to large, their sails as unfamiliar as their shape. The flags they flew were foreign, though one or two she recognized from her time on the Black Ships. Her lips pursed for a moment as she noticed a Mallian vessel, it's flag fluttered in the breeze. Lips quirked in a smile for a moment, finger running over her knuckles. "Asryn."

She called to the servant behind her.

"Yes, your Majesty?"​

"Is everything prepared?" The Black Heart continued it's cutting pace into the harbor, slowing only as it approached the pier. Several smaller ships had to drastically turn to avoid the galleon, and Viatri could practically feel the larger naval ships watching them. It made her smile.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Heralds were sent and found you a proper place to stay. Though again I would urge you to have a proper proc-"​

"Nonsense, Asryn." She said, leaning back in her chair. "I trust you to see to see to our affairs here. I intend to see this New World without..."

A frown touched her face. "Coloring."

Just as it should be.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Igni was in paradise.

Surrounded by servants in a palace of luxury. Every whim catered to, every need cared for whether in human or dragon form. She need not do anything, but should she wish, in just a moment she could do anything - visit the theatre, the tourney grounds, the myriad of temples with their sculptures and frescoes and reliefs. There were markets every day and parades once a week, performers to see and, not least important, food to eat. She was always after new experiences, so when her servant, a halfling girl named Pilly, came in with news of a new ship moving towards the harbour at high speed, she immediately took interest.

"Is the council expecting a visit from nobility?" she said.

Pilly shook her head, bronze curls bouncing. "Ney. Jus some dignitaries from Fellor, arriving by caravan."

"Hmm." A mystery ship, moving mysteriously fast, with a lady on a throne at the prow. She sat herself up from where she reclined on a sofa. "Then we must go meet this traveller from afar. Perhaps, if anything, there's an opportunity for trade here."

Pilly inclined her head, then left to summon the servants.

***
Despite her size Igni didn't waddle. She didn't move that fast either, for she was certainly heavy, but there was a slow and deliberate pace to her walk that brought her an air of nobility. Her entourage went with her. Pilly on her right, Merina on her left, and six soldiers in the uniform of the Golden Protectors - the city's most prestigious mercenary company. Many more soldiers accompanied her out of uniform, too, spreading around the docks to ensure there was no trouble that could put her in danger.

She found herself arriving just as the ship was being tied off. A strange folk on board. She waited at the end of the pier patiently. No doubt someone would come speak to her soon, for she and her staff occupied the only way into the city.

 

[Viatri]

"Asryn." Viatri's tone was as flat as it could possibly be, her lips thin and the crown on her head shifting ever so slightly as she tilted her head. "What in gods name is that?"

She stared down at the woman and the guards standing at the docks.

Never in her life had the Queen of Ash seen someone so portly. Such people simply did not exist within the lands of Malakath. Food was rare enough, and even royalty struggled to feed themselves in the best of times. Such a thing was simply not a possibility.

For Viatri it was like she was seeing some sort of alien. She shifted, then slowly stood from her chair as the sails were raised and a gangplank to the docks was lowered.

"A woman, your Majesty. Though who she is I do not kno-"​

Viatri threw up her hand to silence the man. Her eyes closed, and she pinched the bridge of her nose as she motioned towards him. Fingers flickered in quiet gestured, and Asryn quickly nodded. A moment later four black-clad men seemed to emerge from below deck.

Each of them wore a strange black segmented armor, as if an insects carapace had been laced over their clothing and stitched into place.

Slowly the Queen of Ash stepped onto the docks, her footing as sure as could be as she wandered over towards the portly woman. Those strange black cloaked figured mirrored her every step, moving with an uncanny precision as she wandered forward.

Asryn stepped out in front of her.

"Lady Viatri of Nagarythe, Daughter of Webs and Queen of Ash."​

The introduction hung in the air, as if heralded by some great beast.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Igni and Pilly exchanged a bemused glance, the meaning of which would be obscure to outside observers. But then Pilly stepped forward, all three feet of her standing to rigid attention as she said, “Igni, a merchant, welcomes You to Alliria.”

It was clear to anyone that Igni was more than just a merchant. The gems and gold around her neck were real, sparkling in the sunlight, and her gown was velvet, all black, though no less impressive for its simplicity. If she was just a merchant she was also incredibly wealthy. If she was just a merchant, at that size, she should barely be able to walk.

“Your Majesty,” Igni said, curtsying well despite her girth, as if lowered and raised by an invisible rope. Though her manners appeared submissive, there was an inviting smile across her lips that implied she was letting Viatri in on an obvious joke. “It is an honour to be the first to greet you. My servant spied your vessel approaching the docks. Halflings have very good eyes.

“I am at your disposal, should you wish to use me. I can send a herald to the palace so they may welcome you properly. I can also offer my home for accommodation, for you and your staff. You’ll find your needs well met until the palace responds.”

 

[Viatri]

"Merchant".

The term was not exactly foreign to Viatri, though the common tongue was not something she had quite managed to master. Nagarythe was too far removed from the rest of the world for such things, yet enough slaves had been taken that she had at least been allowed to learn.

Asryn was one of those slaves, and he had caught on quickly to their own tongue.

Viatri frowned for a moment, catching one word in particular that piqued her interest. She half turned towards her translator and asked. "Halfling?"

It was not something she understood.

"Like humans, but smaller."​

The interpreter explained within the language of the Nagaryne, his stance shifting slightly as he clearly waited for his Queen to answer the woman. A frown touched Viatri's lips as she mulled things over, and then her head dipped in a nod.

"I will go with her." She told Asryn in Nagaryne. Though not because she was intersted in Allira, no. She was interested in this hulk of a woman. "See what this city is."

Viatri would keep her knowledge of the trade tongue hidden until she could not.

"The Queen of Ash is more than happy for your generosity. She wishes word sent to the Palace, but will accompany you to your estate to see more of this new city. Your Kindness is surprising, and appreciated."​

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Igni inclined her head respectfully.

"Kindness benefits everyone in the end," she said.

With that she dismissed Merina to bring word to the palace, and she and her staff turned around, leading a procession out of the docks, back towards the city proper. Buildings of grey-yellow stone towered around them and people thronged the streets. This was obviously a wealthy district, for the people were finely dressed, the stalls and shops bright and colourful. Music played on the air emanating from nearby taverns, big enough to house a small army, and merchant buildings and banks sat in ominous silence, their doors shut to all but their own members, stoic guards placed at the doors.

Pilly took the initiative to explain all these sights to Asryn, outlining taverns of good repute and banks with good reputations. Igni was silent, for the most part, but smiled to those on the street who gazed at her with open curiosity

They walked up a hill, away from the throng of curious onlookers. Though the road continued to curve and wind upwards Igni and her entourage took shortcuts up flights of stairs. The enormous merchant girl took these extremely slowly, breathing deeply, though never stopped completely nor leaned on any of her staff for support.

Finally they came to a stone wall outside Igni's estate, where the guards opened the doors upon her arrival. Above them her home towered three stories high, not including the square tower to the left of the main entrance. A small garden housed growing trees and a pair of bubbling fountains on either side of the walkway.

More guards opened the main door to the stone manse itself, and inside, on either side of the door stood a row of about twenty staff, ten on each side. As she entered they bowed or curtsied, depending on their gender.

The entry hall was a long, grand affair. Ornate vases lined the wall on the right, below enormous paintings, while on the left was a row of tall windows that overlooked the harbour. Overhead the ceiling was a full three stories high, though scaffolding was up one end, a team of artists painting images of strange, bat-winged creatures directly onto the vaulted ceiling.

"I hope you'll forgive the artisans. Lenardo is the finest artist in the city, and his works are worth the small inconvenience they bring. I shall place my personal servant, Merina, to see to your needs within my household. She will assign staff to you, and see you to your rooms.

Merina was a tall, thin lady, quite beautiful, with full lips and an upturned nose. This gave her a youthful look, despite the smile lines beside her eyes and flecks of grey hair at her temples.

"This way, Your Majesty."

She led them to the guest rooms, via hallways that bordered onto banquet halls and reading rooms. Oddly, no door was less than ten feet wide or fifteen high, and some were larger still, so big and heavy it took the servants several moments to open them, and then a few more just to stop the doors from swinging. Each room was large and grand, with vaulted ceilings and tall windows. Merina led them to a wing of these rooms, one of which was a large bedroom, a grand bed in the centre, vanity chest beside the window, a large mirror by the main door and a wardrobe big enough to fit a cart.

"I hope Your Majesty finds these quarters to your liking. My mistress expects you will wish to refresh before joining her for a banquet in your honour." She walked to a stone depression in the corner, three feet deep and nine feet wide on each side, accessed with a series of steps. "This is a bath. Water is available on demand, by this lever." She pulled it for effect, and water emerged from a faucet in the wall, already hot and steaming. "Would Your Majesty require the assistance of my staff to disrobe and to wash? Or will her own staff be sufficient for this?"

She looked over to the bug-armoured soldiers, as if doubtful they'd be willing to provide such a service.

 

[Viatri]

Viatri watched everything and everyone around them like a hawk. No small amount of paranoia clung to her as she kept to her silence. Everything that their greeter spoke of was quickly and unnecessarily relayed to the Queen of Ash by Aseyn. She took particular interest in some things, asked questions which were quickly translated and answered.

By the time they arrived at the Manor Viatri found herself utterly fascinated with this city.

It seemed so much more...full than Nagarythe.

The city of her forefathers was an ancient one, older than Alliria or many other places in the world. Yet great swaths of her home remained empty, haunted by echoes of a civilization that had not survived some great disaster in the past. This city was different.

There was a lifeblood within Alliria, as though the people themselves added a pulse to the city. The Queen of Ash found herself wondering what it took to run such a place, how they had managed to grow so large. Surely it had taken time, decades even.

Perhaps she'd have to ask, though it would be difficult without letting her true intentions slip.

When they arrived at their room Viatri raised an eyebrow as the woman spoke of helping her undress. A flicker of indignation fluttered through her chest as Asryn 'translated'. The clash of culture already erupting as the man quickly answered for his Majesty.

"Such a thing will not be needed, thank you."

In Nagarythe, the idea of a servant even looking at Viatri would have been a beating. She was above them, unless they had earned a certain rank. It was different here, and thus she tolerated it, but that would only go so far.

"Before you go however I have some questions I might ask."

The truth sayer added.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Merina curtsied again, then folded her hands, eyes downcast.

"I am at your disposal, Your Majesty."

 

[Viatri]

Viatri thanked the stars that she had Asryn.

The man had been within her service for almost a decade. She had been but a child when the Slave had been offered to her, a placation from her father when she did not get what was rightfully hers. After his years of service he had chosen to serve at her side.

He was originally from a place called 'Cerak', though she had no idea where that actually was. Asryn had tried to explain it before, but it seemed foreign.

"Who rules this city?"​

Asryn asked, the first of his question.

"What is this place's mandate? Who is your mistress? What does she seek?"​

Viatri doubted that the latter two questions would receive honest answers, but asking them was important all the same.

The Queen of Ash could infer just as much knowledge from lies as from truth.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Merina’s hands remained folded before her, eyes downcast, though flickered left and right as she spoke.

“The council rules the city, Your Majesty. They are… successful merchants, and elders. Alliria’s mandate is to gain wealth through trade.

“My mistress’ name is Igni Ythys. She has other names I may not divulge. She seeks many things. Wealth, influence, knowledge. She seeks people too. She sought out Your Humble Servant, and gave my life purpose. I am grateful for her.”

With that she fell silent, as if waiting to be dismissed, or to have further questions asked of her.

 

[Viatri]

The words were relayed in Nagaryne, but Viatri let her face remain blank.

It was odd to her that 'merchants' would rule a city such as this. The very thought disturbed Viatri somewhat, her lips thinning for a moment before she raised a hand and motioned for the servant to go. The guards quickly took up position inside and outside the door, clear in their own mandate.

The Queen of Ash moved through the luxurious room, sitting herself down in a throne like chair. It was plush, reminding her of similar ones she had back home. "Perhaps we have an ally here already."

Viatri mused.

"I do not think we should be open with your...goals, Your Majesty."

They spoke in Nagaryne. "No."

She said with a nod.

"But they do not have to know to help." Not with a city this large. Not with so many people who could just disappear.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Merina curtsied again, then departed with a swish of her skirts. She padded through the stone halls, resplendent with paintings and murals and carved busts, then found herself standing before another set of large doors. The two guards there opened them immediately and she entered.

This room was built like a miniature amphitheatre, a circle of stairs dug directly into the earth. Sconces around the wall provided dim, flickering lighting, and pillars held up the structure above. Merina descended the stairs towards a large creature in the middle, easily thirty feet long, claws sunk into a stripped animal carcasse which it ate greedily. A servant with a large brush stroked the creature's long, luxurious fur, handing the shedding to a boy who placed it in a hessian sack. An elderly man sat towards one side, reading from a tome in a clear voice, though he stopped once he saw Merina.

The creature looked up as Merina approached. Two blue eyes caught the firelight, the colours mixing to make flashes of purple. When it spoke, its voice was deeper than any man, or any human, or any giant's for that matter. Its voice filled the room, echoing back off the stone walls, though it spoke slowly and carefully so every word was clear.

"Hello, Merina. Have our guests settled in?"

"I led them to the guest wing, though they looked rather uncomfortable," she said, sitting on the lowest tier of the amphitheatre.

"Were they not satisfied with the accommodation?"

Merina shook her head. "That's not it. They seemed... apprehensive. As if they suspected this was some sort of trick."

"A paranoid queen arrives unannounced and accepts the first offer of accommodation from a stranger. Very intriguing."

The groomer stepped away and the dragon rolled onto her stomach, stretching black wings high into the air. Just like her human form Igni was was fat beyond imagining, looking more like a furry caterpillar than a dragon, for all the rolls of blubber that circled her body. Neck, tail and all six limbs. Nothing was spared. But though the rest of her was doughy and soft those great big eyes sparkled with a friendly mischief and intelligence that Merina knew meant trouble. It was impossible not to smile back.

"What are you thinking?"

"How much I love a mystery," Igni said, then tore off another limb from the carcass and crunched it against her back teeth, bone and all.

"Do you know anything about their homeland, Nagarythe?"

"Not a thing."

"We should send Pilly to the taverns by the harbour, to see if anyone knows about it. I will search our library for references, too."

"Good idea." That smile broadened, the eyes becoming warm. "I am blessed to have found you, Merina. You and Pilly. Between the two of you nothing escapes you.
"Go and wait on our guests. When they emerge send a runner to me, and I'll meat them in the dining room. I will share a meal with them. I'll see what I can learn from her directly."

Merina inclined her head.

"It's a pleasure to serve you," she said, bowing her head. Then she turned to depart.

Shortly after, she was outside the guest chambers once again, waiting for Her Majesty to emerge.

 

[Viatri]

They would not find much information within the library nor the taverns. Not because of any secret, not because of any deception.

It was all Rumors, stories, legends.

No facts were given, nothing solid told. The only truth that could be found was the stories of the Black Ships. Vessels like the one that had sailed into the harbor that day, coated in dark iron with sails as dark as night.

The stories told of attacks and raids. Entire ships being sunk and whole crews being taken within the blink of an eye. They legends spoke of a land of death. Harsh desert terrain with a great city that lay half abandoned. It spoke of slaves and their masters, the ruins they rose in and the power that they seemed to wield. There were whispers of cruelty, blood sacrifice, death and customs that nations of the 'west' would never even dream of.

Nagarythe seemed almost a curse to some of the sailors that sailed the southern seas. A place very much like the underworld.

By the time Viatri emerged from the room once more night had fallen.

She had spent most of her day exploring the guest chambers. Some time had been spent bathing, but mostly she had perused books left behind on some of the shelves. Most had been trivial drivel, but some offered insight into this strange new land she found herself within. It held her interest for a time, until she grew tired and demanded to see more.

Asryn spoke as he slipped out behind Viatri, almost a shadow in her wake.

"My lady wishes to speak to your Mistress."

He declared.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Merina curtsied again, turning to lead the Queen of Ash to Igni. This was a sign for the runner waiting in the eaves, who jumped up and disappeared through a side-door - a shortcut to where their mistress was currently waiting.

Back through the long, straight halls, a left and a right, and then they were back at the main entrance. There was not one but two broad flights of stairs here, up to the second floor, the ceiling of which was still high though not quite the twenty feet of the floors below. Through another heavy and ornate wooden door, and Merina led her highness to a comparatively small dining area.

The table itself was low, barely a foot from the ground, but held many plates full of a variety of colourful cuisines. On either side were two chaise lounges, built for reclining, facing each other to facilitate comfort and conversation.

"Make yourself comfortable," Merina said. I will summon our mistress." She departed with a swirl of skirts, leaving Viatri alone with nothing but her own escort and the sound of a ticking clock.

A few minutes later and the doors opened again. Igni entered, followed by Merina and Pilly and another two servants. Igni had changed into a lavish green gown with gold trim that flowed off her more than ample figure, shimmering in the light of the lanterns. She greeted Viatri with a broad smile.

"A pleasure to see you again," she said, then curtsied. "I trust the guest quarters are satisfactory. Please tell me if there's any way I can make your stay more comfortable. Please," she gestured to the chaise closest to the table, then approached the other herself, sitting down laying sideways before gesturing to all the food. "I have had nine cooks from five establishments prepare the meals before you. I did not know the customs of your people, so I have prepared as broadly as I could. Pilly?"

Pilly stepped forward and explained a brief background on all the food - the ingredients, the culture of origin and even the sensations one could expect upon eating them.

"Thank you, Pilly.

"I would also cater to your staff. Please tell me what would best suit their needs, and I'll begin preparations immediately." She held up a wine glass, and a servant in the wings immediately approached to fill it.

 

[Viatri]

There were few customs around food in Nagarythe. Most of the time people simply ate what they could hunt or grow. The latter was far more simple than the former, there was no shortage of meat within the lost lands. It was just a matter of surviving the Hunt.

Viatri was royalty of course, and the webs she cast made hunting easier. She tended to eat well, though this spread was...impressive even to her. Such a thing would not even be presented to visiting Royalty. The idea that it would all be for her was something she could not help but be impressed by. She looked up at her truth sayer for a moment, then cleared her throat.

"I appreciate these efforts." The tone of her voice was surprisingly delicate given the nature of her features, the crown quite literally embedded within her skull.

A few of her servants glanced at one another, as if shocked that she would speak out loud. Such a thing was not heard of back home, not in the presence of strangers and certainly not in the presence of servants. Yet Viatri had learned something from perusing the books within her room.

If she was to be successful here she had to adapt.

Perhaps it would not be as easy as that, but this woman seemed a willing ally. She would be a fool not to take advantage of that. The Queen just had to be weary of taking a wrong step.

"Tell me." She asked, motioning towards Asryn. The man stepped towards his counterpart in Igni's service and began to inform her of what the others would need for food and the like. "How long have you been in this city?"

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Igni raised her eyebrows upon hearing the queen speak, though her expression of surprise only lasted a moment.

"Almost a year now," she said, sampling some of the food. Usually she didn't eat in front of guests, but she wanted this guest to feel comfortable, and perhaps she was worried the food would be poisoned. "My family was already wealthy. I used what I had to buy assets, and these assets have brought me more wealth. Such is the nature of trade in Alliria."
"Please, do eat. Or do not. But be comfortable."

 

[Viatri]

Trade.

The concept wasn't foreign to Viatri or anyone else in her retinue, but it was rather despicable in it's own sort of way. In Nagaryth they took what they required, from the great fields of Malaketh and the vessels who came too close to their Black Ships.

That was how it had always been, how it would continue to be under her rule.

"I see." Viatri said as she leaned back in her chair and began to delicately pick at what appeared to be a large fowl of some sort.

Her soldiers were more voracious in their meal, and it was the first time Igni would see them without their helmets. They were large men, thick muscles with faces made of stone. There was something...off about them, a not quite human quality. Their eyes were sharper, their teeth longer, their ears slightly pointed.

Unlike Viatri, there was nothing delicate about how they ate.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

Igni was careful not to pry. She was before royalty after all, but it felt rude to sit and do nothing but watch this strange queen eat. So she ate herself, though restrained her appetite, and said, “How long ago did you set sail?”

She watched the queen’s men, too. Good men – strong men. Fiercer looking than hers. Possibly, it was a mistake inviting them into her home. But what was done was done. She let them eat in peace.

 

[Viatri]

Viatri did not respond to the question, too lost in the feast of food.

It was rare that she allowed herself this much of a meal, but she figured it was due here. Her eyes briefly flickered towards the Truth Sayer. The man had lived within the westlands for years, only coming into her service within the last decade.

There was no hesitation from him of course. Over the years he had learned how to read his Queen, knowing how to answer. Though perhaps more importantly when.

"A month."​

Asryn's voice echoed out.

"Her Majesties Black Ships are fast."​

The words were not a lie. Nagaryth had always excelled in the building of seaborne vessels. The Black Ships were how their city survived. Within the southern seas the very sight of them brought utter terror into the heart.

A fact which Viatri was more than proud of.

 

[Igni Ymaranath Ythys]

"Curious," Igni said, glad the queen was enjoying her meal, though feeling a little awkward herself. It was hard to get through this one's shell if she was stuffing her face. Now she knew how her staff felt. She looked to the window overlooking the harbour. "It's a very beautiful ship. It looks powerful and dangerous, just like Your Highness.
"I know best not to pry in matters of royalty," Igni said, shifting the bulk of her belly as she found a comfortable position, "but I expect you will inform me how I can be of service in your visit here. The more information you give me the more helpful I can be. So tell me as much as is wise when it is wise for me to know."

She helped herself to some fruit and cheese.