Waals Kingdom;
Citystate of Zloka Oras;
Crescent Season of the 5:26th Era of Mortality
Violeta Zaituc’s steps sounded fast and bright in the long empty hall. Activities and bureaucrats in the town hall only slowly started up so early in the morning, while other residents of the city were just now leaving for their workplaces. Violeta had been up longer than most of the scribes and bureaucrats of the council hall of the city-state Zloka Oras. Carefully, she had used the early morning hours to collect all the information and knowledge about the upcoming high guests from the city library for her mistress. Although the Hesha, the rulers of the oasis cities in the meridian desert, were generally well known, as the Waals Kingdom was their direct neighbour, the city governor Bârladeanu always played it safe with the individual interpretation and characteristics of her guests, even twice if necessary.
Unlike Violeta herself, who came from a small family in the nearby countryside, her mistress Bârladeanu came from one of the higher families of Zloka Oras and had served as the official city governor for several years. The Bârladeanus had always been deeply rooted in the craft that gave the city its nickname as the “Glass City,” and were a firm part of the local community.
Glassblowing and the cutting of precious stones were perfected in Zloka Oras, and today they are recognised goods sold throughout the known world. Zloka Oras, sitting at the edge of the vast expanse of the ever-expanding Meridian Desert, didn’t have much else to offer as a city. To the east, there were only dunes, and to the west, the crenellations of the Waals Mountains separated the east and west of the massive continent.
As Violeta moved towards the exit of the town hall, the first officials were already coming towards her, dealing with the daily concerns of citizens or regulations in the city. The small Violeta, who was even small for the stocky Dravken, who were often referred to as “dwarfs” by humans, hurried past them, holding the envelope with the collected documents tightly in a leather bag. Every time someone got too close, she muttered a timid ‘sorry’ before continuing on. As was customary for Dravkish women, Violeta, like men of the people, had facial hair that manifested itself in long, downward-sloping sideburn braids on her jaw. Together with long brown hair tied back and a loose headscarf, they framed the petite, round face of the dwarf, which came in an olive-coloured skin tone that was typical of the Dravken of the Waals highlands along the mountains. Together with the gray-green administrative uniform, she was quite inconspicuous and small in the great city of Zloka Oras.
Just as she reached the large swing door that marked the entrance to the long stone hall of the bureaucratic heart of the city, someone stood in her way. In the nick of time, she prevented herself from colliding with the person. Looking up, she gazed into the deep brown eyes of Niculaie Iliescu. The young Dravki smiled at her with his so often arrogant smile.
“The archives are in the other direction,” he said mischievously, frowning at her bag in his hands. “Or am I suddenly mistaken?”
“No, you’re not. Besides, you’re late!” She tried to get past her colleague, who also served as the governor’s adjutant, but the prancing dwarf simply followed her with sluggish steps.
“I correct myself. You’re too early, my dear!”
“Yes, that’s why I already finished all of our tasks!” She deliberately emphasised the personal reference, as the rather casual Niculaie was supposed to help her put together the dossiers so that the reports could be sent to the governor as soon as possible. However, the lower son of one of the higher Zloka families, who only got this position in the heart of the city through his contacts, was as reliable as rain in the desert. He had a slightly lighter skin tone than Violeta, with light brown hair and a pointed, forward-pointing chin beard that made him look like a mime, as he stood in front of her in his fine gray-green doublet. “Of course! That’s why I slept in and left the preliminary work to you.”
Violeta didn’t stop and entered the path in front of the building; if one could even describe it as such in the traditional sense. In front of the two of them was Zloka Oras in all its glory. Unlike human cities, the Dravken had always had to build around the extreme weather of the expansion. That’s why the trend developed to build their cities directly under the surface of the earth, protected from the glaring sun and possible sandstorms. So Zloka Oras was pleasantly cool, with its vertical, cylindrical shape. Like a hole in the ground, it lay on the southern borders of the flat Waalian highlands. Divided into different levels, which were connected to each other by stairs and bridges, the city spiraled into the ground like a spiral, covered at the top by a glass dome. Depending on the time of day and the position of the sun, the sun’s rays shone through the coloured glass mosaic in different patterns into the city, drenching the rather dark refuge city in a sea of colours.
In return, the facades of the houses and the clothing of the inhabitants were often gray and simple, so that the colors of the dome stood out even more. Many a traveler or foreign merchant had marveled at the sight of the rather exotic city. But not Violeta and Niculaie, who had both grown up here.
Violeta stomped ahead, heading towards the ballroom carved into the foundation rock, where guests and special personalities were received.
“I’m certainly not going to let you collect laurels for doing nothing!” she said sharply. Niculaie laughed.
“I would never do that! That’s why I should take another look to make sure everything is correct!”
Violeta stopped, but didn’t turn to her colleague. Niculaie was sometimes an arrogant jerk, but he wasn’t dumb. Besides, he knew more about the people with names and ranks than Violeta did. Everything she knew about the Hesha or Meridia came from books and hearsay. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to let him take a look at it?
Damn it, she cursed herself. He had planned it from the beginning!
Slowly, Violeta turned to him. Her round face, with hazel eyes, looked directly at the young man. “If only you would put as much time into working as you do into avoiding it.”
A winning smile appeared on Niculaie’s sharp features. “Well then. You know, that’s called cooperation.” She handed him the bag and walked on.
“Oh, just do it!”
Niculaie did as he promised and sat down on a bench by the roadside with the documents for a while. He laughed a few times, crossed things out with a pencil, and added marginal notes. After a few minutes, he handed the filled bag back to Violeta.
“The order of the surnames of the Meridians is very important! Especially with such high noble houses. Last name last, order and house name first,” he said somewhat pedantically. “Not that Bârladeanu makes a fool of himself before the Langs.”
“Thank you,” Violeta said somewhat contritely. “But we really should go to the office now, or there will be a commotion. You know how the mistress can be.”
Niculaie made a overly courtioues bow with a kick. “M’dame,” he mimicked the stereotypical human noble.
Together they entered the ballroom, where the city was now slowly coming to life. All the residents, even those in the lower levels, had by now learned that high-level visitors from the East were coming in the form of all three Hesha of the last three oasis cities; bulwarks against the unforgiving desert of the Expansion. As Violeta had read in her research, these were the ‘kings’ of the oasis cities. Rumors had been circulating in the past few weeks of unrest in the neighboring country. And now the Hesha were meeting right here, which led Violeta to believe that the rumors might be true. But why exactly was outside her pay grade for now. She and Niculaie were only bureaucratic assistants, nothing more. They did their duty so that the city steward could do hers.
As far as she remembered, there were three houses: House Noalani from the northern savannas, House Haatmi, right in the heart of the Expansion, and House Raeisi, which ruled the last port city of Meridia. Within the cities themselves, there were also some lower houses of nobles, similar to the clan families in Zloka Oras and the other Dravkish cities. The Hesha always ruled in consultation with all the important personalities and families of the respective city, but also had a leading priority. If there was ever a disagreement or a problem to be solved, a Hesha could give direct and unchallenged orders that were enforced by their military. The delicate balance between military power and diplomacy with other houses created a semi-functional system, not unlike Western monarchies. Only the self-importance of the Hesha, who often saw themselves and their people above other nations and peoples of the Known World, sometimes surpassed even the vanity of other human kings.
The Hesha of the northern savanna city Inhlu’Kahgela is said to be a skilled hunter and warrior who cared little for official etiquette and had caused trouble at other meetings before. It was difficult to flatter his pragmatic pride, so it was better not to try.
The Hesha from Ahel’Hwalem, Irajó and his wife Hedeh, were more approachable. Although the young ruler was said to be quite vain, with the help of his always open-minded wife for business, he was easy to keep happy. He also loved the wine of the Northerners from the cool hills of Soboise. It was fortunate that Bârladeanu had a few bottles in her personal supply.
The Hesha of the southern port city Vajiras was generally a foodie. Some sweets were supposed to keep the reserved ruler in a good mood. And above all, in the blessing of Zloka and Bârladeanu. That was the point, after all. To have as many people as possible on the side of Zloka and Bârladeanu, no matter what the meeting was about. Irrelevant. Just like the actions in Meridia. It didn’t matter. For the governor, and thus also for Violeta and Niculaie, it was always about the well-being of Zloka Oras.
Like most buildings in the city, the ballroom was hewn from the brown-gray stone of the underground in which the city itself was nestled. In Zloka Oras, architecture tended to adorn the front of buildings with locally produced glass, free from worries about rain or other weather influences. Even the simplest houses were decorated with massive columns and angular arches. In keeping with the style of the ‘Glass City’, the simple facades housed elegant interiors, cosy and warm. Interior design was important to the Dravken, as much time was spent in the clan family dwellings. Except, of course, in the lower, darker levels where there was usually less income for opulent interiors. People there had to make do with what they had. Starting from the centre of the spiral, buildings often stretched outward, and the largest ones, such as the town hall or ballroom, extended far out with numerous corridors, rooms, halls, and turns. It was like a termite mound, only neater and often characterised by geometrically angular shapes.
The ballroom was lined with wood from the surface, in the hope of offering some normality to the usually human guests. Following the carpeted and western baroque-decorated hallway, the adjutants finally arrived at the door to the governor’s secondary office.
“Always close to the people, our good governor!” joked Niculaie, knowing that Bârladeanu only stayed outside her world in the town hall when she wanted to feign closeness to the citizens. Otherwise, she preferred to stay in the town hall where her actual office was located. Although Bârladeanu was not necessarily the most extroverted governor of the colourful Zloka Oras, she was all the more precise and careful in leading the city-state. This was also the reason why the Dravkish Grand King of the united dwarf city-states, who himself resided in Vlakis Oras by tradition, appointed her as governor.
Violeta gave Niculaie a nudge with her elbow, and both entered obediently after a polite knock.
V.J.J. von Schellwitz 