Half the capital could see the bright lights emanating from the throne room as the feast for Marcus' return was just beginning.
The two long tables, once empty, were now adorned with both people and endless amounts of nourishment. Every kind of meat, vegetable, fruit, drink, and any other delicacy one could imagine were piled three layers high, despite the tables' size. Nobles and fellow knights grouped by fraternity lined the tables, raising glasses every time Marcus' name was spoken, accounting for his old battles in service of Underhill.
Some loitered about the hall while the king and Marcus sat at the end of one of the great tables, going over what had transpired during his two-year journey. Music and the smell of food filled the air, and you had to shout to be heard by the person next to you.
And shout Marcus did, greatly enjoying being back within the confines of his home kingdom. Old friends circled the man, who was constantly standing and sitting every time an old battle buddy wanted to wrap arms with him. Even the guard from the city gates earlier that day made an appearance, wanting to revel with the knight and have him retell the tale of gutting the Sunborng king. His name was shouted loud enough the gods likely heard it as his story wrapped up.
Throughout the night he would tell Trinas of new adventures he had experienced during his two-year journey. The king drank every word of the knight's stories, from how he travelled across the continent, having run-ins with bandits and monsters while he searched for his goal. Countless stories of chasing down tales and whispers to the edge of the world, hoping just one of them would bear fruit. Trinas was seeking for a break within the knight's tale, so that he may pine about the lovely woman who had returned alongside him.
Marcus was just beginning another story when the hall fell deathly quiet. He took note that everyone in the throne room was looking at the same place. Marcus looked as well and was stunned.
Zenna was just coming into the throne room, clad in the dress Sienna had procured. This garb, rather than hiding her immense bust, accentuated it. Its perkiness was apparent even without a bra, their shape apparent as the dress pulled tightly around the orbs. Her narrow waist sacrificed some of its fabric and donated it to her flaring hips, pulling the dress tight around her. Marcus could tell the dress was artificially supported in a circle stemming from the belt, as he knew there were a few things hidden underneath.
Upon studying her face, people's hearts melted. Light blush was applied across her pale cheeks, and her lips were adorned with a wine-red gloss. Her fiery red eyes were further accentuated by dark eyeliner surrounding them, as if her the flames within them casted shadows. Her blue hair, once loose and frazzled, shone brighter than ever, almost glimmering like water under the setting light of the sun. It was twirled into spirals, hanging from her bangs down across the sides of her face, giving it a narrow appearance. Around back, it flowed more loosely, but was still done-up, curled and spun lightly to appear like leaves waving in the wind.
In short, she was beyond stunning and had the attention of the entire hall.
Why did you have to do this, Sienna? Now everyone is looking at me!
Zenna kept a neutral expression and swallowed her fear, and only looked straight ahead towards Marcus, not allowing him to look away for any reason. People around her kept silent, their eyes not drifting off her - especially as she passed, as her entire form was studied and dissected every time she took a step. They parted ways as she walked through the crowd. The king, seeing Zenna approaching, languished his seat at the very end of the table, pulling it out for her to sit in.
Taking her seat, Zenna could feel the fabric groan around her unique form, but she breathed a sigh of relief as she was finally able to sit among someone she knew.
"My lady," began the king, suddenly breaking the silence, "you truly are a blessing upon my city. Please, let me know if there is anything you may need," he nodded slightly as they met eyes, and then Trinas returned to his wife and his throne to overlook the feast. Speech began to fill the room again, but glances were still stolen in the elf's direction every so often.
The elf could feel these dozens, if not hundreds of pairs of eyeballs studying her intently as she shrank in her seat under their weight. Unused to the treatment, Zenna sat in silence, looking straight down into her bust and noticing the dress' seams screaming as they held on. Marcus cleared his throat, and she looked up to meet him. She noticed his hair was significantly shorter than earlier that day, as was his beard. Both crops of hair received significant treatment in the hours between meeting the king and now. Zenna thought he was a handsome man, even though he was old enough to be her father.
"I knew that dress would look fantastic on you," the knight said calmly.
"Oh, that's right... the maid mentioned you had something to do with this...?" she asked, and he nodded yes.
"I see you washed your hair out a bit. It's beautiful. I had no idea it was so bright..."
The blush on Zenna's face became more prominent as blood lent its hue to the make-up, "o-oh... thank you. I haven't seen it's normal color in months, either. Sienna was wonderful when it came to cleaning me. I see someone fixed you up also, Marcus?"
He nodded, confirming her suspicion, "Zenna, this is my wife, Nya. I had sent for her when I unpacked in my room, and she came from our home on the outskirts of town to greet us."
Marcus motioned directly across the table, Zenna only now noticing the woman who sat to her right.
She was a woman who stood above Zenna's height, but was about Marcus's age. She was a thin woman with brown hair just beginning to grey and an aged but friendly face. Even as she was old enough to be Zenna's mother, she was attractive. But at one time she was a beautiful woman, certainly beautiful enough to grab a young knight's attention.
"So, you are the one who will save us, huh?" asked the woman quizzically and sarcastically. One eyebrow was raised up high while its accompanying lip followed suit.
"Well..." Zenna gave a weak smile and nodded her head, hoping the woman would not ask further questions.
"I am not forcing her through anything," said Marcus, coming to her rescue, "I found her, and I believe she is the one who can help us, but it is her choice. I told her she could leave if she chooses to do so."
"Is that so?" said Nya, looking around Zenna's features, from her entrancing face to her gravity-defining bust.
"That
is
a wonderful dress Marcus - have you seen what is underneath it yet?"
Zenna's chest tightened, believing that Nya was accusing her and Marcus of committing adultery. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Marcus interjected.
"I have, yes. I found her like that."
Nya was clearly not expecting him to answer in that way, so she froze for a moment. He raised an eyebrow at his wife, saying "I will tell you later. I am not proud of what I did the day I found Zenna, and wish to speak about it in private."
Nya nodded her head lightly, but then smiled back at the elf.
"Well, my husband did always know how to
find
the most beautiful women, and he certainly hasn't lost his charm." she looked over at him, hoping for a reaction.
But Marcus kept his calm, not even breaking a sweat. He would never betray his wife, and she knew it.
"N-no Ms. Nya, you have the wrong idea..."
Nya laughed, "my dear, I am playing with you! If Marcus truly believes you can help us, I will support his choice. And drop the 'Ms.' if you please, it makes me feel like an old woman."
"O-oh... I see... sorry Ms. Nya... N-Nya..."
"There is no need to apologize, my dear. I'm just delighted that Marcus found you - if it means that he was allowed to return home. Thank you for that."
"You are welcome...?"
"You have such a lovely voice... gods, everything about you is magnetic... I can't stop looking at you. How do you get your hair to be that color?" Nya flicked her own locks, signifying how normal her coloring was compared to the elf's.
"I have no idea... I was born with it being this color..."
"Bah... there's no way. I've never even
seen
that color in my life... let alone on someone's hair. Come on now, my dear -- what's your secret?"
"Really, it is natural... I'm sorry if you don't believe me," Zenna answered, feeling as if the strands of hair Nya spoke of were crawling across her scalp.
The woman smiled maliciously, as if readying herself to bite the elf's head off, "I'll find out your secret someday, elf. Now then..."
Nya reached her hand out to grasp Zenna's own, causing the elf to exclaim upon the woman's warm touch. Marcus' wife stood from her chair and leaned in closer to her face, to the point that they could feel each other's breaths.
"Gods... your eyes are your finest feature, Zenna... I'm enraptured by them... it's almost as if they're... speaking to me..."
The flaming eyes swirled as if pushed around by Nya's warm exhales on them. Looking deeper inside, she could hear them crackling. The fire took a shape she remembered exceptionally well - it looked just like the fire she and Marcus had at the center of their wedding ceremony, its light serving as the centerpiece for a massive concentrical dance around it. It also reminded Nya of what had happened later that evening, and how they were blessed with their first son Marcelli only months later.
Nya leaned closer until her forehead touched the elf's, lips only a hair's breadth apart. Zenna felt her heart rate jump in as her breathing slowed, affording Nya even more of her eyes as the pupils dilated. A heat washed over the skin of Marcus' wife and she exhaled harshly, pushing her lips even closer to Zenna's. Those around the table did a double take, believing the two women were sharing a kiss.
"And... w-what do my eyes say, Nya...?"
Nya drew breath to speak, but then suddenly leaned back into her seat.
"Just playing with you again, my dear!" she laughed a bit, a hand coming up to cover her mouth as she smiled coyly.
"Oh... s-sorry Nya... I thought..."
"Nya, please let the girl be - she is a frightful little thing," Marcus interrupted, "well... usually," he saw the elf glaring out of the corner of his eye.
"
Little
is right; Marcus tells me you are quite challenged when it comes to height," Nya laughed again, "but maybe if we feed you enough, you will grow some. I am sure you are hungry, here is a plate."
"Oh, thank you..." Zenna was loudly interrupted as her stomach emitted a loud gurgling sound, clearly enticed by the mention of food. Someone standing a few feet away ceased speaking as he was interrupted. She was so focused on reaching the table and then became distracted by Nya, Zenna neglected to notice the ocean of food before her.
Her eyes went wide at the display of nourishment, stretching as far as she could see. Hardly arm's length away was a stuffed pig with a palate of cheeses beside it. Somewhere beyond that was a whole rack of lamb nearly dripping brown with sauces. What finally made her gasp was a cake a dozen feet away, its soft coating evident even from that distance. Her nose shifted up and down her face as scents fought each other to travel down her nostrils. Zenna became reminded of the marketplace they had passed by earlier that day, and how its scents lit a fuse of hunger in her belly.
