Post by Xylohem on Mar 12, 2021 19:39:01 GMT
Elvia's gaze stayed with him as he spoke on who he would choose to accompany him. At the mention of name, Hemlock began to wag his tail excited for the prospect of future adventures. Yet, Axil's words after laid the groundwork for his choice. For her. Hemlock chirped in her ear flicked his forked tongue out to her. The teasing gesture and tone was evident as she raised an eyebrow at the dragon glaring daggers at him. With a simple thought issuing her command into his mind the raven scaled beast flew away. In the commotion the red eyes of her shadow vanished leaving Axil and Elvia truly alone.
Stopping herself from remarking on the fact that a great multitude of people would sacrifice almost anything to be alone with her like he was now, the Queen relaxed her posture and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If you come to regret your decision you have no grounds to blame me." She knew how drastic of a change she had just made was. Yet, he wanted to walk with her as a friend rather than a queen. And despite her intense training in etiquette and manners, Elvia was still a young woman.
Gesturing for him to follow she returned to the spiral staircase the pair had taken to get to the balcony and mountain exit. As he moved to walk with her it became evident in the manner she walked and held herself she was still reacting like a Queen. Every step and move held regal power. However, in a few ways she was lax. Her shoulders were slumped and her hands rested in her pant pockets with her thumbs resting out of the silk interiors. In major ways and from a distance she still looked like the Queen of Venutia. Except Axil's proximity and keen eye could no doubt spot the difference. "A smithy is simple. Rannok is the best under the mountain, despite losing the assistance of his daughter he is quite keen." Quickly she cut in before Axil could speak. "By that I do not mean that she is dead. Rather, she left to be in Ivera proper rather than remain under the mountain. Though it is not always a pleasant experience."
As the pair began to move from the staircase to a long path with plenty more stairs, the sprawling city seemed to grow as they neared it. The great columns of stone became thicker and wider as they pressed on toward the undercity. Ivera was the cities name, yet those who lived below the mountain chose to call their home Arevi. A mirror to the world above, and all theirs to own and live.
Elvia and Axil passed a few individuals on the way toward the city. Most being soldiers who immediately saluted their Queen as she quickly returned the gesture with a kind smile. A few cart bearing merchants also found themselves being passed or passing the pair. To which she was keen to show the assassin the different items that could be found. Silk clothes of varying colors were prevalent as merchants walked and rode past them with great beasts. Yet this was only a taste of the city yet to be seen.
After purchasing some nilberries for herself and Axil form a passing merchant, the pair found themselves at an open gate. A pair of massive metal doors were held wide open as the sounds of the bustling city were laid out before them. Quickly, upon seeing her at the gate a few guards attempted to join her actively dismissing the assassin at her side. Stating that she was not safe wandering alone, Elvia reiterated Axil's position as one of her Queen's guard. With her command and reassurance of her safety the guards bowed low to their Queen as she walked past them and into the city proper.
Hundreds of thousands of people lived within the city and many were vastly different. Plenty of ordinary Venu walked the streets, yet for every ordinary individual there were four to five more with extraordinary features. A great majority were stout with strong builds or pot bellies, and many had long slender pointed ears at varying heights. Some were even a mix of these two features either being lanky with a great curly beard, or stout with pointed ends to their ears. These were elves and dwarves, and dark variants existed with raven skinned elves and dwarves with features similar to common Venu. Along with the people, every building was a mix of cultures. The natural growth that many elven architects prided themselves in were mixed with the sturdy geometric shapes of common dwarven construction. Together they blended to make new and fanciful architecture that made even the most lavish man-made mansion into a hovel.
With all of this beauty even Elvia couldn't fully hide. Every pair of eyes that locked on Elvia caused the individual to bow and offer kind words to her. The situation was very similar to the party Freya had thrown only a few days ago, yet the people only spoke highly of her. Which in its own way was off-putting for her. Desperately, she took Axil's hand and moved to quickly pass through the crowds attempting to draw as little attention as possible.
Even in this way it still took a few minutes of slipping through crowds and accepting the kind words and bows with her own before they made it to the smithy. Quickly she pulled Axil through the door and shut it behind them with an exasperated sigh. Elvia appreciated the attention and kindness, especially respecting those who served as the policing force in every city she ruled. Yet the constant attention and admiration came with a high expectation that had often been a source of stress of her. "Beginning to regret that decision yet?" She gave Axil a coy smile as she pressed her back against the closed door.
As she began to regain her breath she was greeted with the sight of Rannok's workshop. Shields, swords, arrows, bows, kamas, and so much more were hung about on display. Intricate armor sets were stood at attention along the far wall and the sound of a hammer hitting metal could be heard from deeper within the establishment. "Give me a minute!" A gruff voice called out from deeper in.
"Take your time old man!" Elvia's response was immediate and only a few moments afterward did a human woman move out from the back rooms.
"Your Highne-"
"Kana! Who is it?" The interruption stopped the woman from her curtsey as she turned back to the way she had come from.
"It's the Queen you cav! You best show some respect this time!"
"Bah! That prissy little brat ain't worv' it." Kana let out a groan as Elvia chuckled. Her reaction to this interaction showed a sense of familiarity. And it was true. Rannok was among the best smith's in Venutia. Elvia's mother had given him the establishment they now stood in, and Elvia had grown up knowing him. He was always tough and crotchety, but she was the closest thing to an uncle that she had.
"Don't listen to him." Returning to finish her curtsey, Kana looked at the pair. "How can we help you?" Kana was human, her brown hair held in a tight fraying bun. Her plain clothes were overlaid by an apron covered in soot that she quickly used to wipe her soot covered hands with. Crows feet pulled at the edges of her eye displaying her age and outlining her eyes. If the lines of age and dulling in her hair were undone Elvia knew she would look almost like a twin to her daughter, Nia.
Gesturing to Axil, Elvia spoke to the woman. "This is Hunter. He is a new addition to my guard and desired to see the smithy whose renown is next to legendary." Kana's eye roll was both visual and verbal silently telling Elvia never to mention such a point of pride where Rannok might hear it.
Stopping herself from remarking on the fact that a great multitude of people would sacrifice almost anything to be alone with her like he was now, the Queen relaxed her posture and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If you come to regret your decision you have no grounds to blame me." She knew how drastic of a change she had just made was. Yet, he wanted to walk with her as a friend rather than a queen. And despite her intense training in etiquette and manners, Elvia was still a young woman.
Gesturing for him to follow she returned to the spiral staircase the pair had taken to get to the balcony and mountain exit. As he moved to walk with her it became evident in the manner she walked and held herself she was still reacting like a Queen. Every step and move held regal power. However, in a few ways she was lax. Her shoulders were slumped and her hands rested in her pant pockets with her thumbs resting out of the silk interiors. In major ways and from a distance she still looked like the Queen of Venutia. Except Axil's proximity and keen eye could no doubt spot the difference. "A smithy is simple. Rannok is the best under the mountain, despite losing the assistance of his daughter he is quite keen." Quickly she cut in before Axil could speak. "By that I do not mean that she is dead. Rather, she left to be in Ivera proper rather than remain under the mountain. Though it is not always a pleasant experience."
As the pair began to move from the staircase to a long path with plenty more stairs, the sprawling city seemed to grow as they neared it. The great columns of stone became thicker and wider as they pressed on toward the undercity. Ivera was the cities name, yet those who lived below the mountain chose to call their home Arevi. A mirror to the world above, and all theirs to own and live.
Elvia and Axil passed a few individuals on the way toward the city. Most being soldiers who immediately saluted their Queen as she quickly returned the gesture with a kind smile. A few cart bearing merchants also found themselves being passed or passing the pair. To which she was keen to show the assassin the different items that could be found. Silk clothes of varying colors were prevalent as merchants walked and rode past them with great beasts. Yet this was only a taste of the city yet to be seen.
After purchasing some nilberries for herself and Axil form a passing merchant, the pair found themselves at an open gate. A pair of massive metal doors were held wide open as the sounds of the bustling city were laid out before them. Quickly, upon seeing her at the gate a few guards attempted to join her actively dismissing the assassin at her side. Stating that she was not safe wandering alone, Elvia reiterated Axil's position as one of her Queen's guard. With her command and reassurance of her safety the guards bowed low to their Queen as she walked past them and into the city proper.
Hundreds of thousands of people lived within the city and many were vastly different. Plenty of ordinary Venu walked the streets, yet for every ordinary individual there were four to five more with extraordinary features. A great majority were stout with strong builds or pot bellies, and many had long slender pointed ears at varying heights. Some were even a mix of these two features either being lanky with a great curly beard, or stout with pointed ends to their ears. These were elves and dwarves, and dark variants existed with raven skinned elves and dwarves with features similar to common Venu. Along with the people, every building was a mix of cultures. The natural growth that many elven architects prided themselves in were mixed with the sturdy geometric shapes of common dwarven construction. Together they blended to make new and fanciful architecture that made even the most lavish man-made mansion into a hovel.
With all of this beauty even Elvia couldn't fully hide. Every pair of eyes that locked on Elvia caused the individual to bow and offer kind words to her. The situation was very similar to the party Freya had thrown only a few days ago, yet the people only spoke highly of her. Which in its own way was off-putting for her. Desperately, she took Axil's hand and moved to quickly pass through the crowds attempting to draw as little attention as possible.
Even in this way it still took a few minutes of slipping through crowds and accepting the kind words and bows with her own before they made it to the smithy. Quickly she pulled Axil through the door and shut it behind them with an exasperated sigh. Elvia appreciated the attention and kindness, especially respecting those who served as the policing force in every city she ruled. Yet the constant attention and admiration came with a high expectation that had often been a source of stress of her. "Beginning to regret that decision yet?" She gave Axil a coy smile as she pressed her back against the closed door.
As she began to regain her breath she was greeted with the sight of Rannok's workshop. Shields, swords, arrows, bows, kamas, and so much more were hung about on display. Intricate armor sets were stood at attention along the far wall and the sound of a hammer hitting metal could be heard from deeper within the establishment. "Give me a minute!" A gruff voice called out from deeper in.
"Take your time old man!" Elvia's response was immediate and only a few moments afterward did a human woman move out from the back rooms.
"Your Highne-"
"Kana! Who is it?" The interruption stopped the woman from her curtsey as she turned back to the way she had come from.
"It's the Queen you cav! You best show some respect this time!"
"Bah! That prissy little brat ain't worv' it." Kana let out a groan as Elvia chuckled. Her reaction to this interaction showed a sense of familiarity. And it was true. Rannok was among the best smith's in Venutia. Elvia's mother had given him the establishment they now stood in, and Elvia had grown up knowing him. He was always tough and crotchety, but she was the closest thing to an uncle that she had.
"Don't listen to him." Returning to finish her curtsey, Kana looked at the pair. "How can we help you?" Kana was human, her brown hair held in a tight fraying bun. Her plain clothes were overlaid by an apron covered in soot that she quickly used to wipe her soot covered hands with. Crows feet pulled at the edges of her eye displaying her age and outlining her eyes. If the lines of age and dulling in her hair were undone Elvia knew she would look almost like a twin to her daughter, Nia.
Gesturing to Axil, Elvia spoke to the woman. "This is Hunter. He is a new addition to my guard and desired to see the smithy whose renown is next to legendary." Kana's eye roll was both visual and verbal silently telling Elvia never to mention such a point of pride where Rannok might hear it.