Chapter 147: Like A Moth To A Forge
"I am Kathoril," the woman says, rising from the throne with regal grace, "crown princess of the Dwarven Kingdom, sister to the King."
"Nice to meet..." Vuvi waves enthusiastically, right up until Veena slaps her on the back and bends her firmly into a proper bow. The rest of the team scrambles to follow suit a half-second late.
Kathoril crosses the tent to meet them, eyes sweeping over the group before landing squarely on Pip with a sly, knowing grin. "So this must be the promised Prince. You’ve made quite the name for yourself, even out here on the western edge of the continent. Our whole Kingdom’s been looking forward to your arrival."
Vuvi steps forward, beaming with pride, " Vuvela Blackthorn, creator and maintainer of everyone’s favorite metal miracle."
"Of course," Kathoril says, tilting her slightly with respect. "The Blackthorn carries well amongst my people," Kathoril says. "We’re a nation of innovators, Lady Blackthorn. Your creations are highly respected amongst my people... long before your Prince of Pleasure ever caught our ear. I suspect quite a few dwarves would love to meet you, specifically."
Vuvi flushes red, shoulder hitching up reflexively, thoroughly delighted with her apparent fame. "I had no idea I was that well-known."
"It goes without saying," The princess smiles, "The quality, and variety, of your creations were a life line for many women across our lands. Myself included." Kathoril says with a wink. "When I heard the Prince was approaching, I thought it proper to welcome him... appropriately. A walking miracle doesn’t visit these lands very often."
"She’s just itching for a turn," Sera mutters over Veena’s shoulder, before getting a swift elbow into her in the ribs.
"She is royalty, Sera." Veena sneers under her breath.
"What?" Sera huffs, "Royalty want orgasms too!"
"We’ve arranged a modest welcome feast," Kathoril continues, "and an escort into the Kingdom proper, whenever you are ready."
"Why thank you!" Vuvi says, already grinning with anticipation, "You would not believe the time we hand trying to even get here. There was whole thing with a desert spiri—"
Sha’Rona clears her throat, long, loudly, deliberately, staring Vuvi down the entire time.
"Right..." Vuvi sighs. "Before we discuss Pip’s time in your kingdom... we need to talk about the forest."
Sha’Rona steps forward, jabbing a finger directly at the princess. "Your people have been destroying it."
"Hey, calm down." Vuvi tries to intervene.
"I won’t hold my tongue while they massacre our land." Sha’Rona barks back.
"We have no choice!" Kathoril says, her voice sharp now. "We’ve respected these trees. This forest has protected our Kingdom for centuries. But... we have no choice, we’re forced to consume it. Our survival depends on it."
Sha’Rona opens her mouth, finds nothing, and closes it again.
"Would you explain exactly what that means?" Veena presses.
"And you are..." Kathoril enquires, eyebrows raised in suspicion as she looks over Veena’s curling horns and swishing tail. "... a demon-kin?"
"Actually!" Penelo says, skipping forward, "she’s also a pri—" before Veena promptly slaps a hand over her mouth.
"She’s my business-partner." Vuvi says instead, "And I don’t hide anything from her, Pip or the rest."
Kathoril looks over the group and sighs, "Regardless, I can’t discuss that with strangers. It’s confidential. Highly sensitive."
"We’re trying to help," Vuvi says, arms crossed. "We came all this way."
"I’m sorry." Kathoril shakes her head, unmoved.
Vuvi nudges Pip, who turns to her, confused, until she wiggles her eyebrows and jerks her chin pointedly at the princess.
He gives her an understanding chime, turns to Kathoril, presses a hand to his chest, and sends out a thought-wave of pure, unguarded trust, loyalty, and the simple, aching wish to help.
Kathoril’s mouth falls open. She grabs her own chest, stumbling a step back, awestruck, before she quickly crosses to him, taking his hand into both of hers. "Y-You really mean that? You want to help us, my Prince?"
Pip nods, his chest glowing softly with purpose.
"Oh... oh, thank you!" She cries, pulling him into a hug breathlessly.
"Details first, sweetheart." Vuvi grumbles as she peels the princess gently off Pip’s chest. "Then you can cuddle my construct."
"Yes! Of course." Kathoril apologizes, stepping back and settling her skirts before she calls out for every servant in the tent to clear the room. They set down their work at once and file out without a word. "You too!" she waves at the two guards flanking the entrance.
"My grace, we cannot leave you—"
"Thank you..." Kathoril glares, "that will be all."
The guard clears her throat and quickly shuffles outside.
Kathoril returns to her throne, expression now solemn before she takes a deep breath and begins to explain her predicament.
"Everything I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this tent. If word got out... our Kingdom will be dead before the forges are."
They all nod nervously.
She sighs, head in her hands. "Our Kingdom is dying. We’re out of fire crystals."
Lula’s brow furrows. "Fire crystals!?"
"What do you mean? You can get fire crystals anywhere." Vuvi asks.
"Not just any fire crystals." The princess replies, "Our entire Kingdom runs on forges that haven’t gone cold in over three hundred years. We’ve run out of the crystals needed to fuel them, and we’ve burned through everything else we could use... now we’re burning trees as a last resort."
"What happened to the crystals?" Zora asks.
"The curse," Kathoril says simply. "Our people have paid tribute to the Flame Mother for centuries. In return, she blessed us with pure, condensed fire crystals, straight from her very bosom. Nothing else comes close to fueling our forges the way her crystal did. But since the curse, we haven’t been able to... worship her properly. We offered gifts of every kind. Even our very lives... and then a year ago, she abandoned us entirely. We haven’t received a single crystal since."
Vuvi groans, already seeing exactly where this is going.
Sera and Veena both turn to grin at her before she glares daggers at them return, forcing them to look away with faces feigning ignorance.
"Does the Flame Mother have a temple?" Vuvi asks, dragging one hand down her face.
"An enormous one." Kathoril responds with a hint of pride in her voice, "Deep in the Fire Mountains."
"Of course..." Vuvi groans. "OF COURSE, it’s another temple."
"There’s no use fighting it," Zora says serenely. "It’s clearly our destiny to save mortals and deities alike."
Lula, Penelo, and Raikya immediately start speculating aloud about what their next temple adventure holds.
"Wonder what the Flame Mother’s like." Lula says.
"Maybe she’ll give Pip a power up too." Penelo adds.
"Pyro magic?" Raikya muses, "A sex-golem that can throw fireballs... sounds dangerous."
"And thrilling!" Penelo grins.
"I’m ready!" Lula huffs, smoke curling from her lips
"Um... actually... there’s one more thing." Kathoril says hesitantly. "You might not even reach the temple."
Vuvi’s brow arches. "Why?"
"Well, you see, there’s a rather large flame spirit guarding it. Very strong. Not very friendly. We haven’t been able to get close to her temple in months."
Vuvi drags both hands down her face, like a woman calculating exactly how many more temples, deities, and territorial elementals stand between her and one single uneventful week.
"This just keeps getting better." she says, groaning long and low.