The Harpies had put us up in a well kept building near the center of the city, close where the summit would be held. It wasn't as comfortable as the estate, but it beat the pile of furs I had slept on when I had first arrived in this world. My room was large enough, but empty of much of anything other than the bed and a stone table that looked like it had been carved out of solid rock.
It now held a few other things, namely a sizable trunk with cloths for myself, a rug on the floor that I hadn't even known had been packed, and a large stuffed floor pillow. The pillow had been intended for Kishi to rest on, as the fox was glued tighter to me than even Lagdon, who, even now, sat outside my door, protecting his god.
But, Kishi was not on the pillow at the moment. No, the large fox was on my bed, where I was resting at her side. This bed was no where near as large as the one back home, so the fox was partially on the floor. If that bugged her any, she wasn't saying. Currently she was snoring faintly while I leaned against her chest, reading by the light of a candle mounted to the wall.
When Yevette learned that I did not require sleep, she had offered to lend me a few books that she had. Harpies rarely recorded their tales in writing, but there were a few scattered copies made of old, harpy myths and legends, passed down through the years and now scrawled out on a lambskin like material bound between a pair of thin but sturdy pieces of wood.
I found the folk tales amusing and informative about the harpies way of life. Most of the stories were framed as lessons portrayed through humorous anecdotes and catchy poems that had me smirking, or even chuckling every dozen minutes or so.
Harpies had a very optimistic view on life that I found reassuring, especially coming from monsters who, until the harpies, I had seen as mainly very serious and fatalistic in their views on life. There had been a few exceptions, like Brixie's steadfast determination, Nord's hope in the future of his student, and Margund's unfathomable, and often bemusing personality. But a great many were like Lagdon: determined, steadfast, and a little bullheaded. Though a sense of loyalty seemed to run deep in them all.
I was about to close my book, thinking this was as good an opportunity to go make sure Aeros wasn't making a mess of my brain, when the ruble of voices had me freezing, hand half way stretched out, in the processes of setting down the book. The sound was not lost on Kishi either, who's ears twitched followed by her head lifting up, blocking my view of the door for a moment.
My vigilant companion let out a soft, but rather menacing growl.
I highly doubted I was in any danger. I mean, if something did manage to get through both Lagdon and Kishi, I would be able to handle them myself. But there were a great deal of innocent monsters around at the moment, and I didn't want them caught up in anything either.
"Hmm." I tossed the covers off myself and threw my legs over the side of the bed. Noticing that I was getting up, Kishi swiftly followed suit, her hind legs on the stone floors and her fore paws still on the bed, head hovering some place over my shoulder. "It doesn't sound like the party is still in swing."
"No, my Lady. There is arguing in the hall." Kishi stated, as I reached out and snatched a fur lined robe (copper in color... of course.) and pulled it over my short, white, night dress. "I hear Lagdon and Draxly... Yevette too, I believe. But there are also voices I do not recognize, with rumbling accents."
Rumbling accents? Given there was only one group late to the show, it was my best guess that the ogres had finally arrived. Though, why they would be outside my door, I had no idea. Also, what was Draxly doing out there? It was his and Brillum's night off.
Lagdon should have been resting as well. But, telling that hobgoblin to take a nap was like asking Aeros to put on a frilly dress.
I calmly walked to the door, preparing myself to see the so called, terrifying, ogres for the first time. Kishi followed, needing only two steps to my six. She didn't bother to tell me to leave it to the others as she once might have. My monster friends were still over protective, but they were starting to accept that I could, at least, decide what was and was not too much for me to handle. Mostly.
I pulled the ringed handle, and flickering light shone through my opening door, the torches in the hall lit, casting menacing shadows on the stone walls.
I didn't see too much at first, having to step around Lagdon's enormous bulk that had been blocking my door. But when I did, anger over rode my initial curiosity about the ogres.
The hall was fairly packed, despite there being less then ten occupants. But it was clear that the ogre's bulk and size rivaled, if not dwarfed that of the hobgoblins. Add to that their vibrant skin tones and it was a little disorienting to make heads or tails of just how many there really were.
But that was besides the point, because what I saw right then was a scared Luxana, wedged in a corner, the ever dependable foxie, Draxly, poised before her, and an ogre towering above them in a threatening manner. Draxly snarled up at the man, white fangs a startling contrast to his dark fur, which was currently on end, in clear threat.
However, the ogre did not appear to be intimidated in the slightest. He was so tall that he was actually hunched slightly in the corridor, muscles bunched and hand slightly extended, as if her were thinking of wrapping that meaty mitt around the foxie's throat. His skin was an interesting shade of mustard yellow and I saw that he had a good many tattoos that I couldn't quite make out. And, on his face were two jagged tusks, and a splattering of strange markings that I took to be some kind of paint.
Beyond the yellow ogre gathered a handful of others, with none other than the frail Yevette blocking them, her wings spread as best as she could get them in such a tight space. I heard her telling off someone who stood beyond her, but could not make them out.
"The fox was the one to cause insult." I heard some one respond, a sneer evident even if I could not see their face. "Burlen has every right to defend himself."
"That is enough Varda!" The harpy snapped, stomping her taloned foot to the ground, black claws clacking on stone. "I told you that this was not the way to your assigned quarters."
"Assigned?" Laughed the woman- I decided that the voice, though deep and rumbly as Kishi had stated, sounded feminine- clearly entertained by the spectacle taking place. "You do not assign us anywhere. We go where we please in these mountains. Besides, I thought it would be rude not to introduce ourselves to the Land god, and we were told this is where she was sleeping."
"That is-" Began Yevette, but she was interrupted mid sentence as there was a choking noise that drew all of our attention back to the foxie/ogre stand off.
"Draxly!" Wailed Luxana, trembling against the wall.
The yellow gore had taken the fox by the neck and had lifted him a good foot and a half off the ground so that Draxly's pointed fox ears brushed the ceiling. Draxly gripped the thick arm in his hands and I saw his claws dig into the ogre's flesh, not yet breaking the skin, but clearly warning the ogre that he would fight back.
Alright, the line had been crossed.
Lagdon looked as if he was about to interfere, but I laid a hand on his arm, stopping him. I could tell he wanted to protest as I stepped beyond him, but held himself back. "Careful." I heard him growl as he and Kishi made sure to stay no more than two steps behind me, both of their own bulks adding to the already jam packed corridor.
You really could tell that this city had not been built with monsters in mind...
Draxly was the first to notice my approach. I saw his eyes go wide and he growled deeper, making the oblivious- what was his name? Burlen?- laugh, thinking that he had been the cause of the fox's ire.
Burlen saw quite swiftly that I was the cause. I set my comparatively tiny hand on the ogre's yellow arm, causing the brute to look round at me. He looked confused, which was understandable, but when I squeezed my hand he grunted, a second later his fingers released Draxly and the foxie fell to the stone with his usual grace, crouched before the shaking Luxana.
"Wha-" Stammered the ogre and I continued to squeeze, employing the same strength I had used to toss a tree some weeks ago, to tighten my hold on him farther. He grunted and tried to pull away. Not that I would allow that.
"Good evening." I said, in as falsely cheery a voice as I could manage, flashing Burlen a toothy smile full of malice. "Odd time to be roaming the halls, is it not?"
At the sound of my voice Yevette folded her wings and turned to see over her shoulder. In doing so, I could now see the group she had been attempting to stop. There was a mass of several ogres lined down the hall, but the one at the forefront was another yellow ogre.
Varda, as I assumed this was, was about two feet shorter than the tower that was Burlen, and- though still a great deal more fit than myself- was markedly smaller than her male associate. I'd say that she was about six foot tall, with mustard yellow skin, dark eyes and even darker hair that flowed down her back and over her strong shoulders as if she were some kind of Amazonian goddess. If amazon goddesses also had large tusks protruding from either side of their mouth and pointy teeth, that was.
Also, like Burlen, Varda had an assortment of dark tattoos over her mostly exposed yellow skin, and a few lines of white paint on her face. She looked equal parts beauty and beast.
Though, at the moment she looked equal parts angry and curious. I suppose that was my doing.
"Sorry to have disturbed your rest." Said Draxly, eyes still narrowed on the ogre despite addressing me. I saw that his fur was still on end and that he still held his protective stance before Luxana.
"I was merely reading." I said, as if we were swapping small talk and I wasn't slowly crushing an ogre's radius and ulna at the moment. I turned to Luxana. She looked unhurt, just scared, her powder blue dress rumpled and her tail wrapped around her legs. "Luxana, are you hurt."
"Oh, um, no. I'm alright, just surprised is all." She said, still trembling and now making an attempt at a reassuring smile. It wasn't a convincing one.
"Draxly, please escort Luxana back to her chamber, if you would."
Having received an order, the fox righted himself, pulled down his shirt as if to get rid of wrinkles, and glared one last time at Burlen, before setting his eyes on me. "As you command, Lady Enna." Was all he said, his composure returned.
As if the corridor of ogres were meaningless, he turned his back on them and extended at black furred hand toward Luxana, his usually black face setting into a kind expression. "Come, Miss Luxana. Let us leave these matters to Lagdon and Lady Enna."
"Are you sure?" She asked, looking worriedly between our two opposing sides. "I may be needed..." She said, clearly worried a fight was about to erupt and there may be people in need of healing.
"No need to worry Luxana." I assured her brightly, squeezing a little tighter, causing Burlen to grunt and fall to a knee. "I won't break anything too important, so you can just go and rest. I will be sure to send some one to you if your services are needed."
"This way..." Urged Draxly, shuffling her forward. Instead of taking the direct path beyond the mass of ogres, Draxly instead turned her down the left corridor, deciding that it was probably best to take a detour.
"Enna?" Asked Varda, eyes narrowed on me as her man began to sweat. I was pretty impressed that he was still not calling out. These ogres really were made of tough stuff. As it was, he was surly going to have a very nasty bruise, maybe even a fracture. Much more, and I really would brake the thing.
"That's right. I am Enna, your new land god." I said before my voice took on a frosty edge. "And who, might you be?"
Varda, an amused look on her face, opened her mouth to answer, but she never got the words out as another voice interrupted us.
"I apologize, Lady Enna, for Varda and the Drallda tribe's brashness."
I saw Varda's face contort into a look of disgust and contempt as another ogre woman pushed her way to the forefront, stepping past a rather tired looking Yevette to do so.
Perhaps it was the ogre genetics, but it seemed that ogre females were significantly smaller than the men. That or it was a coincidence that both these women were about two feet shorter than their male companions. But, as a third female appeared, I figured my first hunch to be correct, as she two was even shorter still.
"I am Astrid, and this is my daughter, Gwen. I am the chieftess of the Morell tribe, and the one that was elected to represent the ogres at this summit."
Astrid was just as powerful and beautiful as Varda, but she had bright red skin and an equally red mane of hair. Her eyes were an almost ghostly shade of green, so bright they almost shone with their own inner light, and her tusks were a little shorter than Varda's. Her face and chest were marked with white war paint, and both of her arms sported several ring like tattoos. Standing there, in her leather and fur armor that was very like what the hobgoblins wore, she looked like a battle queen.
As for her daughter, Gwen, well she too had red skin and green eyes. But she was also slightly smaller than her mother, with shorter tusks, and dark black hair instead of the red. I also noted that, though she too had white paint, she didn't seem to have any tattoos. She stood at her mother's side, giving Varda a dirty look while the yellow chieftess stared daggers at her red skinned counterpart.
"I do not need you to apologize for me, Astrid." Spat Varda, looking far angrier than I had been making her. "Nor do I have the need to apologize at all!"
Astrid glared at Varda, her eyes screaming the same thing Varda's did: These women despised one another. "I am the one who was elected to be the representative, Varda. I will be the one to do the talking."
Apparently that was enough to make Varda back off, though she didn't look even slightly intimidated or resigned. I wouldn't want a woman sporting that look to stand at my unguarded back.
Still, once Varda made it clear that she was backing off, Astrid put her green eyes back on me, as if Varda was no threat at all. But it was Lagdon who was the next to speak.
"What do you think you are all doing, advancing on the land god's chambers in the dead of the night, Representative?" He rumbled, doing a pretty spot on impression of the ogre's accents, even if it wasn't his intention. I could feel the man radiating aggression at my back.
"As Varda stated, we came to greet the new land god." Astrid replied coolly and without inflection. "And it seems that we have now met." Her eyes roamed over me, also ignoring the yellow ogre shaking with his arm firmly viced into my own pale hand. Did no one care if I broke this man's arm?
"And that couldn't have waited for a more reasonable hour?" Stated Lagdon, still irritated. So was I, but not about the late hour, rather because they had attacked Draxly and Luxana. Lagdon, apparently, was displeased over this as well. "And what reason did you have in assaulting a woman simply for walking the halls at night."
"How is it our fault that the fox women are weak in both mind and body?" Sneered Varda from behind Astrid, clearly not as silenced as I thought she might have been. Astrid did not look back at her, but her daughter Gwen certainly did, eyes dripping with contempt.
There was as sickening grinding noise and Burlen could hold back his cry of pain any longer. It was not my way to cause undo harm, but I had these ogres pegged now. Both from these observations, as well as from what Yevette had told me since coming here. The ogres respected power above all else, and the strongest dominated the week, and the weak got trampled. And that was especially true for the women. They may have been physically smaller than the men, but they were the leaders of their race, in the end.
"See, its true: the Fox Princess does play favorites." Hissed Varda, cool eyes trained on me now.
Displaying strength that should, clearly, be beyond me, I tossed Burlen at Astrid's feet. The Man Quickly stood, cradling his arm but doing his level best to not show any pain on his face. I am pretty sure I had not broken it, but he probably did have a fracture now.
"Draxly and Luxana are part of my retinue, not Brixie and the fox's. Therefore, in accordance with the rules of this summit, they are under my command and protection. I hardly call defending one's own subjects 'favoritism'." I stated, annoyed at Varda's attempts to provoke a fight. "If you, or your own, have some grievance to air, then here is not the place for it. Voice your complaints at the summit."
Varda looked as if she were about to snap something else at me, but was cut off once again, this time by Astrid raising her hand in front of the other woman's face. I watched as the red ogress finally looked over her shoulder and glared at the other chieftess. "I am the elected speaker here, Varda." She warned in a deadly voice. Astrid turned back to me, her face still rather expressionless. "We will do as you suggest, Land Goddess. Let us speak again tomorrow."
With that as her only farewell, Astrid turned on her heal and ushered the rest of the ogres down the hall. Varda tried to linger, if only to glare at me some more, but eventually turned to leave. One of her hands gripped the upper arm of the injured Burlen as she hurried him along, seemingly telling him off under her breath.
Gwen was the last to turn and go. Her green eyes lingered on me for a brief moment, seemingly curious where her mother had been stone faced. She nodded respectfully to me once, then again to Yevette, before following a few steps behind her mother. The rest of us stood in the hall in silence till the ogres cold no longer be seen nor heard.
Once they were gone, Yevette let out a long suffering sigh. "I am sorry about that Lady Enna. The ogres arrived about an hour ago and were lead to their quarters. I thought that would be all for the night till my granddaughter came flapping into my nest claiming they were on the move. I arrived here just in time to see the young foxmen girl getting accosted."
I, too, sighed. "It's fine Yevette. From what I have heard of the ogres so far, this probably should have been expected. It's done now and no one got hurt, that's the main thing."
At that the older harpy laughed. "Well, no one but poor old Burlen. That ogre will be out of commission for a few days, I have no doubt." Shed chuckled.
"No less than he deserved." Kishi said icily before attempting to turn in the hall. After about a second she gave up and just backed into the room. "Come, let us back to bed." She called, pretending it had never happened.
I chuckled then turned back to Yevette. "I think that, maybe, we should take up rooms in a less cramped place starting tomorrow."
"Agreed." Huffed Lagdon, eyes still glued to where the ogres had vanished. "We would be in a bad way if a fight broke out in here."
"Just a bunch of giants, banging against the walls?" Laughed Yevette. Lagdon didn't seem to find it humorous, and took to glaring at the old woman instead of the empty hall. "There there, mister hobgoblin. I will be sure to get a less- restrictive- location prepared for you by the morning."
I frowned at the older woman. She looked exhausted. "Shouldn't you be resting as well?" I asked, worried.
Yevette shook her head. "Once I am awake there is no getting me back to sleep. No need to worry your pretty little head about me young lady. I may be up there in years, but I can still handle my self as well as anyone half my age." With that, and a gentle pat on my cheek with her cool and rather boney hand, she, too, disappeared down the dark hall. Her wings the last thing I saw before she made it past the torch light.
"Come on, back in the room." Lagdon grumped. Figures he wouldn't be able to resist ordering me around for long. Still, it hade been a stressful night so I didn't bother complaining. I complied and entered my room, where I saw Kishi situated back half-on-half-off the bed. She opened on sleepy read eye briefly before seemingly going back to sleep. "I will see you in the morning."
"Alright." I said, thinking it was bound to be an eventful one.
Lagdon shut the door behind me, returning to his post outside of it, and I dropped my robe to the floor and crawled back into the bed with my fox pillow. As I settled back into her thick furr, pulling the blanket up over my legs, I thought about the ogres and the coming summit.
Despite all the really important things that should have been weighing on my mind, there was one thing I couldn't stop asking myself, even if it was rather irrelevant on the whole: What in the world were Draxly and Luxana doing wandering the corridors at night?