A bright white light pierced through Elora's closed eyes, her hand lifted as if to stop the light from penetrating through her eyelids. The warm buzz that flowed through her body had started to fade and instead a film of sweat had settled over her body. She opened her eyes to squint against the harsh sunlight of the Southern Realm and gazed around her in awe. From as far as the eye could stretch, the ground was a bright orange that glowed in the sun, like waves of molten lava. Banu stood ahead of her watching, eager to see her reaction to his home.
Ahead of her loomed a large stone wall, its height casting long shadows across the hot ground. In the centre of the wall was a giant arch that was covered in large iron bars, the gate to the city sat wide open. Along the tops of the wall were men wearing very little, holding weapons as they gazed down upon the two travellers. Their eyes were sharp and stances rigid, waiting for the two of them to make their move.
Banu raised his hands and shouted out thick guttural words that she did not understand. The men on the wall nodded amongst themselves and waved their hands down at him, they could enter. Elora looked at Banu, her eyes wide and her heart pumping as they started walking through the giant arch.
As they passed through the large gate, the sounds and smells of the strange city consumed her immediately. A loud roar of people filled the air and echoed through her ears. From all sides, there were people laughing, some shouting, women arguing, children shrieking, shopkeepers haggling and the sound of livestock clomping on the dusty road. Below her knees small scaly creatures scurried around on all fours, weaving in and out of people's feet, chittering loudly to each other. A small force wearing a beaded hat collided with her, sending her tumbling into Banu's back. He reached around and steadied her. "Watch your pockets, this city is full of sticky fingers...Oh and welcome to Alzoh!" Thanking the gods she had put the coin in her bag, she stepped back from him and nodded.
Slowly they pushed their way through the crowds, Elora kept a watchful eye on her surroundings, especially when someone jostled her. They passed through the centre of the bustling market. Tables and carts were jammed together with brightly coloured tarps acting as a barrier from the sun. Underneath the tarp were swarms of people, some arguing with the sellers and others balancing their bought goods in their arms. It was scorching hot in the centre and there was the always present dust that settled on everything. Elora's own white skin had a layer of fine orange dirt sticking to her sweaty skin.
A cart alongside them caught her eye. The cart was filled to the brim with piles of luminescent spices, bright reds, oranges, and greens that glowed in the sunlight. Their pungent fragrance invaded her nostrils with their unusual smell and she grinned at the exoticness. The man sitting behind the spices had dark skin and a mean scowl, he reminded her of the traders from Nazabay in Wirenth. Elora had only now begun to notice the strange looks she was receiving from the crowd. Her pale skin, now a dirty pink, and white hair stood out from the rest, her attire also drew curious stares. Unlike the Northern Realm, the centre was stuffed with people whose complexion was so golden and dark it was as if they had spent all day in the sun, while some had the colour of a midnight sky like Banu.
She had also begun to notice how alarmingly beautiful the people were, with their strong and defined features. The women wore sheer fabrics with swirling gold patterns and bright designs, some wore two-piece outfits that showed off their toned stomachs and smooth thighs. Most of the men wore loose pants and a belt, leaving their strong chests bare and glistening in sweat.
Trill laughter floated above her and Elora looked upwards towards a balcony. Three women leant over the railing, their breasts large and barely covered by a small slip of fabric, threatened to spill over the railing. They waved and whistled at her, calling down something that she did not understand. Banu looked up and then back at Elora, a mischievous smirk on his face. "They're offering to lay with you, they've even offered a special price."
Elora's cheeks burnt a dark red as she realised what they were offering and quickly averted her gaze from the women. Banu laughed loudly at her obvious discomfort. "Come on, I know a place away from here." Still looking at the ground, she agreed to go with him, her face still burning from the inappropriate women.
Banu led them through the crowds for a little longer, before turning left down a narrow street that was a lot quieter. Instead of promiscuous women hanging from the balconies, various clothing items lay draped over the street, drying in the hot sun. The street was lined with rows of different coloured doors with small square windows placed next to them. The buildings rose up around them high into the sky, with windows scattered across them. Occasionally a city guard would march past them, their broad chests bare, with spears strapped across them. Like Banu, their hair was also long that had been tied back, making them look fierce. As they marched past, Elora felt their eyes roam her body and felt their dislike of her.
The street narrowed and rounded, leading them to a small courtyard with a large tree in the centre. Its leaves were barely hanging on, offering a small patch of shade from the oppressing sun. A few buildings were scattered around them, their walls built up with gravel and stones. These buildings were not as tall as the others she had seen, Elora guessed they were about two floors. Banu stopped at a faded red door and knocked twice. They waited a few moments before they could hear the rattling of a lock and then the door opened slowly.
A head peered around the door and a hard voice spoke up. "Banu! Where in the blazes have you been?"
"I know, I'm sorry okay. It's a long story and I'll tell you once we've cleaned up." At the mention of 'we', the door opened fully, and a pair of dark green eyes look over her suspiciously.
"Whose she?"
Elora looked away from the woman with the rude tone and at Banu, waiting for him to explain. He sighed and rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Jahyia, this is Elora, she's a friend." Elora smiled at that, he considered her his friend. The woman, Jahyia did not look pleased but stepped aside to let them in any way. Elora could feel Jahyia's eyes boring into the back of her head as she followed Banu up a set of steep stairs.
The stairs opened into a large room filled with lots of colourful rugs strewn across the floor. In the centre of the room sat a low wooden table and faded cushions that were piled around them. The walls were covered in intricate tapestries that were decorated in a foreign language. In the far corner of the room was a small table and wood stove where food was being prepared, and a large pot sat bubbling away. Elora gingerly placed her bag onto the floor and glanced around uncomfortably, feeling the tension in the air. Jahyia stomped into the room and sat down on a cushion in a huff. Elora stayed standing, shifting on her feet. Banu noticed her awkwardness, "Why don't you freshen up, the washroom is through there. Take your time." He offered kindly, pointing towards the door to her left.
Grateful to be away from Jahyia, Elora entered the small washroom. A metal tub sat in the centre of the room, with a bar of scented soap resting on the edge. Not wanting to go out and ask how she should fill the tub, Elora picked up the small bucket of water sitting on the floor and carried it over to the basin. The cold water was a refreshing welcome on her hot face, the soap soft against her skin. She stared at her face in the mirror, her nose and cheeks were glowing red from the sun's harsh rays. Her hair was slicked back against her scalp in a sweaty, oily mess, with a sigh she pulled her hair out of its holder and re-braided it, wincing when her fingers got stuck in the knots.
When she was sure she had been in there long enough, she made her way to the door and opened it just as Banu stopped talking. Jahyia noticed her and stood up while looking Elora right in the eyes, her words dripped with disdain. "I still don't understand why you would bring her kind into our home..." Without waiting for a response Jahyia walked down the stairs and the slamming of a door was heard.
Banu rolled his eyes at the slamming door and glanced at Elora apologetically, "Don't worry about her, she'll come round." He looked at her filthy hair and skin. "Come on, I'll set up the bath for you." He offered kindly and went to fetch the bucket from the washroom. When he arrived back with hot water, fresh clothes and a towel he guided her into the washroom and closed the door behind her. She spent some time relaxing in the hot water, washing her skin and hair with soap. By the time she was done washing the water had become cold and she deftly stepped out of the bathtub. Taking her time she dried herself with the soft towel and stepped into the loose pants and top Banu had lent her, she had just finished brushing through her wet hair when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." She called over her shoulder as she pushed the sleeve of the top further up her arm. Banu walked in hesitantly. "I just wanted to see if you are alright, the clothes fit okay?"
"They're perfect thank you. The bath was lovely." She smiled at him, her face glowed a soft pink that Banu found quite endearing. Stepping forward he closed the gap between them and gently pushed the wet strands of hair off her cheek and behind her ear. Elora's breath hitched when his fingertips grazed the soft skin of her cheek. When he heard that sound he brought his face in closer, inches away from hers. Her heart had begun to beat wildly in anticipation, he paused momentarily and raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled at him and nodded her head, his lips pressed into hers. Elora sighed and leant into him as he kissed her, so softly as his hands found their way around her waist pulling her closer to him. Their kisses grew urgent and Elora felt a delicious warmth spread across her body. The sound of a door closing downstairs startled them and with a groan Banu pulled away, placing a lingering kiss on her exposed shoulder. "Jahyia will be back soon." He explained and left the room. Elora waited a moment to catch her breath before following.
He patted the cushion next to him. "Come sit and relax, we can talk after dinner."
Elora sat down beside him and stretched her legs out before her, feeling her tense shoulders relax for the first time since she had left Wirenth.