Surprisingly they had made quick progress. After two days straddling across the beach, the sound of waves for company, Seabore City finally came into view.
"Young master, we've arrived!" Althea excitedly pointed into the distance, regaining her energy upon seeing the end of their journey. Tell a lie, their journey was nowhere near finished. It had only just begun.
Orochi squinted, shading his eyes from the bright morning sun, peering at the massive stone-walled city, hosting iron spires upon marble palaces that reached the sky. The city itself was painted by the merging of the elements, meeting at a point where land touched sea while reaching for the heavens. In all his two lives, Orochi had never seen something so beautiful. Back on Earth, humans had long given up on timeless beauty, sticking to efficiency and sharp angles.
"Woah…" Orochi couldn't help but be stunned. Ships sailed into the open ports, with the sounds of seagulls above signalling the return of fishing boats.
Althea watched the young master intently, lips curling upwards. It was her first time seeing such an expression since he had woken up.
Snapping out of his reverie, Orochi quickly composed himself. "Well, shall we get going?"
"Wait, young master. We should do our preparations now."
Orochi paused before acquiescing. She was right. Guard patrols up ahead might catch them in the midst of disguising themselves. Althea dropped the backpacks from her shoulders, the loot they had grabbed and filled from the bandits. Orochi had ordered the men to be buried before they departed. Better to leave no trace. The blood would soon be washed away by the sea, and the beach would be silent of the death upon its shore.
Althea quickly took out an auburn fur coat, the nape of it threaded with the tail of some beast. Then, grabbing a shirt and some leather trousers, she began undressing. Instantly Orochi turned away, preferring to look at the city while his maid changed.
Pursing her lips, Althea stopped herself from asking what was wrong. The young master had changed a lot. He did odd things like turning away to protect her decency. Sometimes she wondered if he understood that under Nagalon Law she was not considered a woman, so he did not need to be courteous. Not that she minded. Part of her had begun liking that side of him.
When the rustling finally stopped, Orochi turned back, finding Althea holding out a set of ripped, almost ruined clothes. Perfect for a slave. For a moment Althea, concerned that the noble child would refuse in a tantrum, began consoling him.
"Young master, if we are to go forward wi—"
Ignoring her, Orochi grabbed the clothes. "Don't worry. It doesn't bother me."
Her hands hung in the air, empty and confused. "… but you should be…"
The words faded as Orochi stared at her. Althea quickly bowed, apologising, grimacing at the awkwardness as Orochi transformed from a noble to a slave.
Finally looking the part, Orochi kept his face neutral, hands behind his back, twiddling his fingers to release the little pent-up energy. He was finally going to see the famous taboo. Elven magic.
Althea dug into the bag, pulling out a piece of flesh. Orochi preferred not to remember how casually his maid had butchered the bandit, taking a pound of flesh with them. When he had questioned her, she replied that it was for their disguise when they arrived at Seabore City. The flesh of a human was what they needed apparently for this spell.
It was strange terminology for Orochi. The elves referred to spirit power in more mystical terms, something he would have to grow used to.
Cupping the now dried piece of flesh in her hands, Althea walked up to him, squatting at eye level. Dressed in fur coat, boots, and leather, she looked more like a beautiful huntress than a maid.
"I will now begin, young master."
Orochi nodded, giving her the go-ahead. His lack of empathy made it difficult for him to feel disgust at what was about to happen. As if it were merely bread, Althea ripped the flesh in two, bringing each half to his ears. Then closing her eyes, she began speaking in a foreign tongue. Elvish, Orochi thought, but the sounds were muffled by the squelching of the meat held against his ears. Soon he could feel the sides of his skull warming. Trying not to gasp, trusting her completely, Orochi waited.
Within a few seconds Althea opened her eyes, blue lapis gems sparkling in satisfaction. "It is done."
Removing her now empty palms, Orochi reached up to feel his ears.
Points. Elven ears.
╰┈➤.
The lines to enter the city were three-pronged and seemed to go on forever. Merchants pushed carts that creaked under the weight of fabrics and spice sacks. Fishermen carried nets still smelling of salt. Families huddled together with travel-weary eyes. A steady murmur rolled through the crowd, mixed with the calls of hawkers selling pastries and the distant clang of metal from within the city walls.
Althea and Orochi slipped into the line designated for commoners. The air was tense, a blend of impatience and hope. Each time the guards barked orders the line shuffled like a single uneasy animal. Orochi watched how everyone clutched small metal plates or folded papers with stamped sigils. Identification cards, he realised. Without one, no one entered.
Finally their turn came.
"Identification." One of the guards held out his hand, already exhaling in boredom.
Althea handed him the card they had taken from the bandit boss.
"Thal Cox," the guard read aloud. He glanced at her figure, then at Orochi for only a heartbeat before dismissing him. The usual lack of interest in a slave.
"My father thought I would be a boy," Althea said lightly.
"But you're not."
"No sir."
Her lashes fluttered twice. The guard sighed, pulled out a thin ledger slung from his belt, dipped the end of a thick charcoal stick into a tiny pot of ink at his side, and scribbled without enthusiasm.
"One Thal Cox," he muttered under his breath as he wrote, "and property of one slave."
The words dried quickly on the page.
He waved them through with a tired flick of his wrist. "Next."
Althea bowed and guided Orochi forward.
Together they took their first steps past the towering gates of Seabore City.
(੭˃ᴗ˂)੭