[color=00aeef]Adalia listened to everything that Chalsea explained about the ogres, storing the information in her mind. If she ever got up against one of those again, she would have learned a valuable lesson from Chalsea just from talking with her. [color=ed145b]“They sound more dangerous than the orcs, as you rightfully claim they are. If they fight just to enslave, but doing so with an intelligent mind, then they have a goal, and that makes them dangerous. The orcs are not dangerous in themselves, as you know, they are not the brightest of creatures, but to form groups and ranks as they did in this battle, suggest that something is behind the orcs armies.”[/color] She said with a small shrug, not liking that thought one bit. [color=ed145b]“I’m sorry for your loss though, two-hundred and fifty men is a lot to lose to a battle. But I’m glad that you and your men survived the battle, it means you can live on with the fallen in your memories, fighting to honor their spirits in the afterlife.”[/color] She smiled at Chalsea a bit, thoroughly believing that there was indeed an afterlife. Though it was still sad that she had lost two-hundred and fifty men to ogres, from what Adalia had seen in the battle this day, Chalsea could certainly hold her own ground, as could her men. A few years is a long time, but if Chalsea was just half as skilled a warrior as she was on the battlefield this day, the ogres most really have been a force to be scared of, not like the two ogres she had had the chance of fighting herself. 

She then listened to why Chalsea’s warband had been left out of the cities after they had completed jobs. For Adalia, it seemed very unfair that someone who gave their life to protect someone else should be denied even simple pleasures as a shower or a place to sleep. Even if they did take money for doing a protective job, they should still be allowed to get some rest and clean themselves after a bloody battle.  She shrugged at the thought, wondering for a moment what she would have done herself if someone had refused shelter to her, if she had helped him or her out in a tough situation. Though her mind was taken away from that again as she was explained how the political life was in the northern regions. [color=ed145b]“I don’t understand why someone is able to be corrupted. If you are a leader you should put your people first and yourself as a second, at least that’s what I believe in. It might be naïve to think like that, but our city, and it is not my city, it is indeed our city, has only prospered the way it has, because we have built the city on that foundation. Everyone is equal here. Of course I am a Queen, and as such, I am treated differently, but people don’t mind that, and they do want to have a leader, they just want to have the right leader and not a self-righteous one.”[/color] She shrugged a bit again. [color=ed145b]“You can be called dogs of war, you can be called assassins, what’s important is that you don’t let it get to you. You do what you want to do, and it’s a choice you have made. And I actually understand that choice. From what you explain, it sounds like the best choice in a region where everything could be turned against in a second.”[/color] The door suddenly opened, though slowly, and a maid came into the bathroom. [color=ed1c24]“Is everything okay Miladies?” [/color]she asked. Adalia turned her head to look at her [color=ed145b]“Yes, thank you Malis. But please bring us something to drink.”[/color] Malis bowed and went out again. 

Then they continued their conversation again. [color=ed145b]“I will make sure they get plates and mugs that they can’t break. If they enjoy stories of war and battles, they should enjoy my soldiers company quite a lot. You should tell them to come to the funeral tonight then.” [/color]She smiled. [color=ed145b]“I will make sure my soldiers know that your men would like to hear their stories and share their experience on the battlefield. While we might live rather secluded out here on the steppes, we have seen our fair share of war and battle, and we do have stories to share with those that wants to listen.”[/color] She smiled. Adalia was completely cleaned from the blood now and her hair was clean as well, though she also admired the hair that Chalsea had, and now that her true hair color was starting to come through, it was looking even better. The sunlight was now coming in through the windows that were placed all around the bathroom. You could look out over the city from the bathroom and the bathtubs, when the sun finally shone through. It was a beautiful sight. 

The secret of the battlefield. She didn’t like how it was presented to her through Chalsea’s mind. Though she guessed that was the truth behind the secret. To get used to it, you had to accept it, but it was so difficult to accept death and destruction when there was no reason to keep fighting. She did giggle a bit when Chalsea said she threw up in her first battle [color=ed145b]“Well, I can’t imagine you throwing up because of blood. But I guess we all had to start somewhere with our experience.”[/color] Though Adalia herself didn’t remember where she started with her experience, actually, she didn’t remember where she came from, all she could remember, was that she had lived in the White Stone city for centuries, if not longer, and had at some point become the Queen of the White Stone city. She had been on the throne for at least thirty years, and she probably was the Queen when Chalsea had been here as a child, or at least when she had been around the border of the White Stone city. [color=ed145b]“Oh I’m sorry, I thought you were from the north. It’s quite unusual to meet someone who has been around on the steppes before, and not stayed here, so I just assumed you were from the north like the rest of your warband seems to be.”[/color] She smiled a bit. [color=ed145b]“I realize that it’s me or the enemy on the battlefield, but I can’t shake the feeling that they were once something else, that orcs once shared the same love for life as the rest of the world did.” [/color]She sighed and looked out through the windows in front of them, looking out over the city. [color=ed145b]“I have killed many times, and will probably have to kill again, but I never get used to it. If you can teach my men to live with the same rules as you though, that would help a lot.” [/color]

She slowly got out of the bathtub, soap covering a bit of her body, but mostly, her slim figure could be seen, as well as her chest. Her chest wasn’t small, the armor had hidden the fact of her size rather well, and the water in the bathtub had too. Though they looked beautiful none the less on her body, as they hung nicely from her upper body. They were full and smooth. She went over to one of the windows and opened it, letting in some fresh summer air. Then she turned around and walked back to the bathtub, getting back into it. The feeling of the summer air hitting her warm body was nice. It was always a great feeling to feel the air upon your skin when you had just been warmed up from a shower or a bath. The door now went open again, and Malis came back into the bathroom, holding two crystal glasses with red wine inside it. [color=ed1c24]“Here you are Miladies. As you requested.” [/color]She handed them both their glasses before she went out again and closed the door. Adalia smiled at Chalsea “Hope you don’t mind a bit of red wine while we talk and enjoy our bath.” She smiled. What the soap had covered up though, while she had been standing at the windows, had been markings, or tattoos some would think. At the moment, they were nothing special, but that was because she was relaxing and didn’t want to scare of Chalsea in any way.

She took a sip of her wine, while listening to the suggestion that Chalsea had for the training. [color=ed145b]“Oh no no, I plan to pay you fully for your help today. I will not take a discount or anything from that. Don’t worry, I will not pay with the city’s gold, I will pay from my own pocket. I have earned my gold myself, and I have enough to pay you all. The city’s gold is the city’s, I will not touch that unless it’s to repair the city or build something for the city and so on.”[/color] She smiled. [color=ed145b]“We will also offer your soldiers meals and water after every training session, even if you do it more than once every day. We can cultivate our lands fast and we have more than enough food to supply you for at least a month or two, without getting into trouble ourselves. If you want to give them vacation, you can do that, it is entirely up to you. And yes, please let your men house the housing as long as they want too, it’s their home until you decide to leave.” [/color]She smiled. She was happy with the way their negotiation was going, and it would prove to be a useful deal, if Chalsea’s men didn’t protest. [color=ed145b]“I’m glad that you want to stay for a while, I’m excited to learn about any culture you have seen that I haven’t, and share stories. If your men likes a tournament, we can also arrange that in a few days. We want to be open to other cultures and their traditions and ideas, and while you are not from the north, it seems you do share some of their traditions, so I would like to honor you and your warband by learning and experiencing your tradition, as well as your men’s’ tradition.” [/color]She smiled again. [color=ed145b]“Thank you, for all that you have done for us, Miss Chalsea.”[/color] With that, she took another sip of her wine again. 
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