Elven Legacy

Chapter 52

Moira

The city of Azuria was exactly like Zemisha had once described it to her.

At least, the North Temple district was. Ornate buildings of limestone and marble, often with extensive balconies and even some roof terraces; broad tree-lined boulevards, clean streets of pale cobbles, and – everywhere Moira cast her gaze – fashionable, colorfully-dressed people, with gleaming studs and hoops in their ears.

Street corner flutist here, juggler over there, attracting small crowds of onlookers as Chestnut and Silver clip-clopped on by. Strolling along beside them were rich, lacquered carriages built in prestigious woods – mahogany, acacia, cedar, and others Moira couldn't identify – pulled by proud-looking mounts with decorative beads in their well-brushed manes.

The carriages were truly stunning, often with gold leaf engravings on the wood, and sometimes with the design of golden sun in red background painted on the side – the Azurian emblem.

Zemisha had told Moira once that wealthy Azurian men liked to have a private collection of such fancy carriages at home. It was a sign of prestige.

Moira had the wig back on, and occasionally her scalp would itch like a colony of ants had its home there, but she sucked it up and managed. Besides, the evening was stormy and breezy, with the sun setting below the pale, soaring buildings of the western city. Which meant that Moira wasn't too uncomfortably warm, even with the wig.

Also, she was quite entertained by the fact that Jaden, too, had dark brown hair right now.

It had been her idea when, a few hours ago, they'd galloped out from Lemon Grove Road and had first glimpsed the city jutting up into the southern skyline.

'Why not try altering your hair color with magic? Like, an illusion?' Moira had suggested.

Jaden had waited for the road around them to be empty before he'd tried to pull it off. It took about a minute, and Moira had laughed in delighted surprise when, sure enough, Jaden's hair went from its usual light blond to a glossy, rich brown like Zemisha's.

'Convenient magical stone you've got there,' she'd commented.

. . . She was, maybe, a tiny bit jealous.

As a result, it was much easier to wander the streets of Azuria unbothered. Sure, they still had unusually pale skin and eyes if someone were to look properly, but the dark hair made a world of difference.

Catching the aroma of spicy tomato pasta, Moira glanced to her left. There sat a two-story building of pale wood-paneled walls, a rare sight among all the stone and marble. Across the red-painted door were the words The Dragon's Café in curving black lettering. Jaden had followed her gaze and spared a chuckle for the name as their horses slowed down.

"Care to stop here?" he asked.

Moira cast her eyes on the outdoors side terrace fenced in ornately carved wood, where many locals were enjoying dinner under the final rays of the sun. She breathed in another waft of spices and tomato sauce, and her stomach rumbled furiously.

"I'll take that as a yes," Jaden said with a brief laugh.

They led their mounts along, on the lookout for the nearest stables.

"I'm so hungry all the time," Moira said, leaning toward him to be heard over the throng of carriages and crowded sidewalks. "You'd think I'm pregnant again."

Jaden gave her an alarmed look.

Oh goddess, I probably shouldn't have said that.

"Which I'm not," Moira said firmly, and it was the truth. She couldn't be, for simple reasons of a biological nature. "I was just joking."