NOVEL NEXT Chapter One Twenty-Seven Training
Aya followed a step behind her mistress, as she looked around. Taking in all of the sights, a part of her had thought she might stand out being naked on the streets, but she didn’t. Lots of girls were wearing split skirts or something that left their pussies visible. Some girls even had theirs painted, and then there were some women who just went naked entirely just like she was. Just most of them had body paint, so really she found herself feeling rather plain next to them.
Idly she fingered her brand, as she watched a girl walk past. The girl was tall, with large full breasts, a gorgeous figure that would turn heads and was entirely naked. Her only covering was a mix of pretty body paints, depicting cute animals, and flowers. Several boys and girls were staring as she walked by. Aya felt a weird feeling in her chest, and looked away as they walked into the market.
From nearby, a girl with light red skin, pointed ears, and dressed in nothing but a silver bikini jumped up, “Reina! I haven’t seen you in ages, finally decided to leave the temple?” the girl smiled as she pulled her panties down a little, “Looking for some fun?”
“As much as I enjoy playing with you, sadly I’m not here for pleasure, but maybe we can find some time later?”
“Ah, it was worth a shot. I’ll take you up on that later,” replied the strange drow girl as she pulled her panties back up, “So what brings you to the market today?”
“Some shopping, and I wanted to show my new acolyte around the town.”
Aya shrank a little, “Oh? Who is the young one anyway?”
“Her name is Aya, she was brought to the temple by Rumina herself, it seems she was quite naughty in her former life.”
“Was she? Well I have no doubt you will shape her up into a wonderful young lady soon.”
“Speaking of shaping her up, I was hoping you would join me with her lessons. She was blessed by Rumina with Nature’s Embrace, and I recall you mentioned a sister with that trait.”
The drow girl puffed up, “I have three! Three sisters blessed with Nature’s Embrace, the clan mother was quite pleased!”
“I would bet, it did a lot for your clan.”
“No kidding, my mother was ecstatic when the royals rewarded her with a new title and lands. Of course, it helps that one of the princesses was interested in my only brother, and while we were nobles already our blood wasn’t high enough for such a marriage. The new title changed that.”
Aya looked between the two women confused, when Mistress said, “It seems my student has gotten a little lost, but this is her first time in the Underdark.”
“Oh? Well I’ve been to the surface before. I had a lovely time in Rosewood, especially when I visited the temples of the Church of the Dragon. Those girls were fun, unlike the nobles who like to dress as if they were peasants. I wouldn’t mind educating her, and you did say you had some shopping to do.”
“Sure, I’ll meet up with you at your estate, do show her a good time, she’s been a good girl recently.”
The drow girl smiled, “Why of course, enjoy your shopping!”
With that Mistress, left and she was led down the path. Other people gave them a bit of a berth, which Aya quickly noticed. After looking around at the various stalls, she finally asked, “So, um I didn’t get your name?”
“Ah right, where are my manners, I’m Ryla. War Mistress Ryla of the Darkwater clan, you may refer to me as Lady Ryla.”
She gulped, weren’t War Mistresses, very high ranking Drow? And didn’t they have levels at the high end of tier three at the lowest? Her gaze drifted to Ryla’s outfit, it wasn’t that fancy, but it was nothing more than a bikini. Something high ranking drow would wear, “I um, uh.”
Ryla giggled, “Didn’t realize? I don’t always dress the part, afterall what warrior goes around in her armor all the time?”
“I guess that is true,” she replied as they came to the steps of a fancier looking shop. Ryla led her inside, waved to the girl behind the desk and then led her into a side room.
As Ryla settled into a chair, “Now, I hear you haven’t spent much time in the underdark. As for the overworld, around these parts most people talk about the five great Queendoms, the Rosewood Empire, the Elven Queendoms of Stormwind and Bluewood...”
Recognizing the names, even if they weren’t really Queendoms, she interjected, “The Dwarves of Ironbarrow and the theocracy. I guess the goddess didn’t send me too far from the Borderlands.”
“Well you aren’t in the Borderlands, they aren’t claimed in the Underdark either. For different reasons, until recently it used to be Wrym territory, but since old Lyrteous finally died of old age, the ants have been moving in.”
“The ants?”
“I was getting to that, the Underdark ain’t as neatly divided as the Overworld, but in general you can split the Underdark into distinct regions, the Upper Dark, the Middle Depths, and finally where we are the Grand Depths. Down here in the Grand Depths, we have three major powers in this part of the world.
“We are in the Queendom of Ironwood. Ruled mainly by the Drow Matriarchs, but we also have strong ties with the Dark Elves. Most notably with the Dark Elf Queendom of Redthorn who rule much of the Middle Depths in this part of the world.”
“What about the Upperdark?
“That’s more Dwarf territory than anything else, but the Redthorn does control a few territories there too, but we were talking about the Grand Depths. We control the North. Along our southern border are the two major queendoms we share a border with. Namely the Arachne Queendom of Turrel to the East, and the Antgirl Queendom of Darkwell to the West.
“In the Middle Depths, there is the Dark Elf Queendom I mention before, also mostly in the north, but they share a western border with the Dwarves of Ironbarrow.”
Aya blinked, “They go that deep!?”
“Of course, they go that deep. Now the Queendoms of Turrel and Darkwell have some small territories in the Middle Depths, largely in the south, but much of the South is ruled by the Gargoyle Queendoms of Kreth and Ru’varre. The last Queendom of note in the Middle Depths, is the Vampire Queendom of Bloodthorn”
“I see, and the Upper is mostly dwarf territory?”
The north is split between the Dwarves in the west, and the Dark Elves in the East, with the South being Dragon territory; some races live there, but no major kingdoms, aside from a few outposts. Although I’ve heard some rumors about the South Western territories. Nothing you really need to worry about, while I’m sure you will visit many of these queendoms given your mistress, she doesn’t really visit the Upperdark much.”
Aya nodded a bit and shifted until she was a little more comfortable in her seat, “I’m going to be going to some of these places?”
“There is a good chance of it,” replied Lady Ryla with a smile as she leaned forward a bit, “any questions?”
Aya looked up, then back at the other girl for a moment, “Um, you didn’t say anything about gnomes, aren’t they an underdark race too?”
“I didn’t mention a lot of Underdark species, but they don’t really live in this part of the world. They are more common beneath the Barrier Mountains, often in small clan holdings.”
“Barrier Mountains?”
“Oh, well they are a long way from here, have you ever seen a map of the continent? Well if you had, you would have noted two massive mountain ranges, one along the northern spine of the continent, we are actually not that far from the Eastern stretch of that range, it's part of the Dwarven territory. I’m sure you know it too, the Iron Spine Mountains. The other range, runs north and south and actually intersects with the Iron Spine Mountains forming a T shape; those are the Barrier Mountains.”
She nodded, “More of a curved T, but I think I know what you are talking about. That’s a long way away.”
Ryla giggled, “Yup, now lets have some fun!” just as she pulled a board out with some weird stones. “I got this game from some lust demons, it's really fun!”
She glanced at the board, suddenly feeling nervous, “Um.. uh, what um...”
“The rules?” giggled Ryla, “I’ll teach you!”
As the morning sun greeted the growing settlement that was Bordertown, Misaki and Phyllis got ready for their day. Misaki sighed as she considered the training she had to look forward to, a part of her still not sure why it was really needed. She was a dungeon, how often would she have to fight an opponent herself? She had the power to summon demons, and many of them were quite loyal. Aki was so much fun, Ribbons was certainly interesting. Her boss monsters like Tulip and Meifa were strong and dedicated. At least it was good for experience.
Phyllis opened the door, looking a little dejected, “Come on, lets get this over with.”
“Sure,” she smiled, “We can have some fun later?”
Phyllis returned the smile and the pair left the house. It was time for another day in Bordertown.