Elodia had never imagined she would step foot in the capital city of the Empire. She had heard of Dramon before in passing, from the occasional traveler or merchant, but never had been able to picture it in her mind. Cities were little more than a distant concept to her, a place strange people claim to be going to or coming from, and little else. Whatever she had thought it might be like was nothing like the reality. It was all so overwhelming, the labyrinth of stone buildings, paved roads, narrow alleys, colorful markets, endless crowds surging through it all. It was so different from the village she had been raised in or the silent, peaceful forests that she now called her home.

Her escorts kept her from being swept away in the crowds or becoming lost. The had nearly turned her away at first, until she handed them the letter. That had changed their attitudes almost as quickly as it had the street vendor she had asked for directions an hour earlier. Her eyes wandered as they walked, taking in the new sights, the people. There were so many, more than she had ever seen in one place before, perhaps more than she had ever seen in any place at all. Many of them were refugees, like herself, shuffling about with somber, defeated expressions. She felt a pang of sadness at that realization and looked away, focusing on the path ahead. 

The trip through the city did little to prepare her for the palace itself. It reminded her of the old stone temple she had visited once as a child with her mother, though only in the most rudimentary way. While that small church had been constructed of rough grey bricks and dark stained glass, this place was crafted of perfectly smooth marble and brilliant colors, with enough space that it might have been built for giants to roam its halls. She smiled at the fantasy for a moment, picturing how someone the height of two men might be around the next corner or through the next massive doorway, going about his normal business. What might a giant's normal business be, running an Empire?

Then she passed through another portal and found herself in a chamber greater than the others. A handful of others stood around her now, people like herself that didn't belong, standing before a man that Elodia assumed was the Emperor or someone of equal importance, based on his throne and attire. He was speaking, but her attention was immediately drawn elsewhere. Her eyes settled on the green-skinned woman that stood a full two heads above all else in attendance and she froze in surprise for a moment. Maybe giants ruling this place wasn't such a ridiculous idea...

[i]"Coin will also be provided for you and a horse each. Now are there any questions?"[/i] The man said, pulling her out of her imagination again. 

She looked over all of the others, lingering on the tall woman for a moment longer than the rest, and waited for someone to speak up.