Zecair was just one city of dozens that was home to Zecarin elves, but being the first it gave its people their namesake. The entire city was housed in a hollowed out mountain that was once a volcano, making it almost impenetrable. Shielded from eyes, ears, siege engines, and unwanted visitors the Zecarin people could prosper unmolested. It was the sanctuary they needed hundreds of years ago from the cataclysm that divided the Elthair, Zecarin, and Awien elven peoples. Being the first and the oldest made it the cultural center of their society.
Mule could see the entire city and he marveled at their architectural accomplishments. Leaning on the balcony of the watch tower, he could see The Majestic's compound below. The great houses ringed the outer wall of the volcano's interior, each one served as a sentry to an access tunnel from the outer wall and the world outside. Each family compound also held similar watchtowers, but Mule could only make out the three closest to him. Bright glows from magical and subterranean lights illuminated aspects of the city. The city squares gave off a deep orange glow from the fountains in their centers. The fountains did not pour water like the ones above, they were deep thermal vents capped by stone sculptures. Warmth in this sunless city was just as crucial as water for survival.
Hundreds of people, Zecarins mostly, walked about the street like ants from this distance. The surrounding air was cold, but every now and then gusts from the vents below would make it his way and warm his cheeks.
"They deserve better." He brooded. Mule stepped back from the balcony and sat down against the wall behind him. A few steps from him was the open door to the guard station; none of the guards were up this high, they were all below worrying for their mistress and their lives. He pulled the remains of his servant's robe around him snuggly and leaned his head against a stone pillar jutting from the wall. A warm gust of air blew by and he closed his eyes, his head wiggled about trying to get comfortable in the nook.
It was so peaceful up here he could finally sleep.
*****
"I came looking for my brother." Riyarra started with a long sigh. She accepted the cup of warm liquid The Deliquescent offered her. They sat in The Deliquescent's quarters, the Eltharian and her two Zecarin guards. She sat in a chair next to the bedside with both women sitting on the bunk. Her hosts had provided her a servant's dress and a head wrap to cover her hair and ears. Her features were still distinctly Eltharian, but a little dirt on her face made them less obvious in the makeshift disguise
"Go on." The Alluring patted her thigh reassuringly and sat back in her chair. The house had been locked down, and for the moment they had been confined to their quarters. The Zecarin soldiers... no - chameleon soldiers by The Alluring's discovery, didn't care about their servant just in securing his task.
"My older brother, Zarion, was captured in a Zecarin raid." Riyarra continued. "I came to rescue him. I came, because my younger brother has inherited the family." She chose her words carefully, as the grip on her cup tightened. Heavy, barely restrained emotions accompanied thoughts of her younger brother. "He is a traitorous ass that will bring shame on us all. If I found Zarion, he could oust Merloul." She paused to sip her cider and collected her memories. The minty aroma help stimulate her memory.
"Inherit? What does that mean?" The Alluring asked her, truly puzzled.
"He takes control of the family upon his father's death. He gains all power and money that his father held, and the family will follow his leadership."
"How odd. Your people just hand over their fortunes, without making your offspring earn their rights?" The Alluring was baffled and somewhat disgusted by this concept. Riyarra couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. She decided to change the subject.
"I tracked the raiding party here." The elf continued, taking another sip from the minty beverage. "We waited for a patrol to come by. I was in charge of the party, I knew the best way to start was to get some information first. We ambushed the scout party and quickly subdued them. I gathered the prisoners together and asked which one was their leader. A male lifted his head high, sneered at me, and said 'Suck my cock and I'll tell you.'" Riyarra's eyes turned hard and stared off into space. The Deliquescent scowled and The Alluring smirked.
"So I told him to suck mine, and I shoved my sword down his throat." Riyarra continued. "Then I asked who was next in charge. No one spoke, but they looked at this one female soldier. I approached her and said. 'You just got promoted. So now you owe me.' She was willing to talk." The Alluring let out a soft chuckle. She harbored resentment for male leadership that Riyarra was also starting to show. "She told me she could find him, if he was still alive, and for the right price arrange for him to disappear into one of the entry caves."
"Price?" The Alluring asked. She was intrigued.
"You met with The Traitor."
"She introduced herself as The Mischievous at the time." Riyarra leaned forward and looked to the two ladies faces. She was about to incriminate one of their own so she needed to be sincere in how she explained it. "She didn't want money. She just wanted us to ambush another search patrol and eliminate a certain officer that would be there. I suppose she was looking for another promotion."
"That one was trouble." The Deliquescent spoke now. She was agitated with Riyarra's story. "I knew The Traitor. I knew she would come to a violent end."
