NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: Bathhouse
Tap-tap-tap
The sound of the rain could be heard from inside, even against the solid roof up above. Junipor’s ears tensed trying to rationalize what kind of rain could cause such a disruption. Everyone was on edge, but few seemed to want to articulate about the disturbance.
Instead, everyone did there best to ignore it. For the…unwanted guests, who had been following her, they seemed untroubled. Or perhaps they weren’t able to hear what sounded like small bits of hail slapping against the marble stone.
In a way Junipor felt more tense than before, even while bathing in the warm spring, for the sounds up above troubled her about as much as the blight born and her human companion nearby.
Had it not been for her brother, they both would’ve been cast out in the dead of night, instead they took advantage of her unwitting hospitality. As soon as morning broke, Junipor hoped to escape from them by attending to an early morning grooming and a bath. They trailed her, despite her many attempts to evade there attention.
Seldie didn’t help. In fact, she seemed happy to point them in the right direction to the village’s bathhouse rather than lead them to the frozen woods like Junipor wanted her to do.
For Pharine’s there were few places considered more sacred, outside of the temple, than a well maintained bathhouse. Even though they typically existed in larger cities, Pharine’s believed that cleanliness was next to godliness. It was extremely rare for a Pharine community not to be near a body of water, whether that be a stream, river, or lake. Thankfully, the northern wastes were covered in hot springs, giving them plenty of space to settle.
It was customary for members of her species to bathe at least twice a day, unless there was a conflict of interest. Junipor’s early morning hunt, the previous day, had denied her the pleasantry, and her night spent in the tavern left her smelling of smoke and stale bread.
It was rare for a Pharine village not to have a place to wash, although most settlements relied on communal hot springs. There were plenty of such springs natural to the northern lands of Fanfow. In the village of Hitecross, it was no different. But not only were there plenty of springs to choose from out in the wilds, they were also blessed to find a large marble stoned bathhouse ready for use.
Even before crossing the narrow teeth to the Northern Wastes, the children of the Fox Mother had a high value for cleanliness. The frozen lands they now settled seemed to recognize this. The priestesses claimed the goddess had sown the lands for their arrival, even before their migration. Even the island of Heightsland was eerily ready for there coming.
The Island of Fear had been colonized once before, although all records were lost. As the first Pharine colonists landed on the small isle, they discovered the large marble building situated along the edges of the tree lines. With the cliffs as a backdrop, the marvelous structure had become the first landmark for the village of Hitecross.
The original architects were unknown, although many of the statues embedding the walls appeared human in stature. The armor adorning the statues wasn’t reminiscent of any neighboring nation, or human tribe. The engraved markings in some of the pillars spoke of a kingdom, but the icons were unrecognizable.
Inside the vast marble construction, the Pharine’s were surprised to find it was a bathhouse, albeit of a foreign design, and nearly in working order. All it needed was some maintenance, and cleaning. Naturally, the Pharine’s took it as a sign that it was a gift from the goddess, and sought to its repairs immediately.
A vast central chamber contained a shallow pool of steaming water, heated from underground springs. Volcanic activity was fairly common among the central heights, fueling the many underground wells on the island. There was a constant fog swirling just inches above the ground, and shrouding the pool with a comfortable warmth. This offered a subtle layer of privacy, however most Pharine’s were comfortable with there nakedness.
The marble wasn’t natural to the island, its great mountain passes mainly composed of granite, igneous, and basalt rock. Thus creating a mystery as to how so much of it could’ve been brought from across the sea. Its layered grooves offered an interesting visage for those languishing in the rejuvenating pool for extended periods of time. Junipor often studied the moth like patterns in the forward walls when she visited most mornings.
Junipor, as did most Pharine’s, admired the stonework each time she entered through the front doors. The central chambers vast pool was more than large enough to house half the village if necessary, and that wasn’t speaking to its side chambers with smaller pools.
Junipor languished while naked in the shallow water, the steam billowing up all around her. Her thick hide absorbed the heat well, and the pores of her skin breathed in the moist fog. Frosty white hair shed the layers of dirt and sweat accumulated from the previous day. Sprite mocha colored nipples were just barely visible underneath the water, although the fog did a good job shielding them from any onlookers eyes.
“Mot mot mot venish, waivyetiv dif ion flisv. Swvishy, splashva estray estray.” Junipor ignored Seldie’s playful antics as she floated toward the center of the pool. The Zakinae’s voluptuous curves peeked through the mist, which drew more than one persons attention. In fact, Alder seemed fixated on them while in the mens side of the pool. “Si awra spiz vine si abd grise end hoca?” Judging by the tone of her voice, Seldie was pondering a question to herself.
Junipor sighed, then arched her back so that she could sink further. As water came up to her chin, she closed her eyes and nearly fell asleep. Like magic, the special properties in the water helped to soothe her hang over, and forget about the sensuous tapping from up above.
“Are you still angry?” The Teifling laid nearby, her arms spread along the edges of the pool. Her pointed tail skimmed the surface like a viper swimming in a stream. Unlike the human, the blight born was ecstatic to disrobe and plunge into the pool. Her beet red skin was impossible to ignore, and most kept there distance.
Junipor shot the Teifling a glare so sharp it punctured through the steam. Her shiny blue eyes cut through the fog like lanterns in the night.
Domitilla seemed amused by Junipor’s sudden hostility. The smirk on her face was every bit as delightful as it was mischievous. As if to combat Junipor’s scowl, the Teifling leaned forward in the water so that her biceps pressed her tear-drop shaped breasts together. Dark crimson nipples glowed from underneath the surface. Even with the heavy layer of steam emanating around her, they were hard to miss.
The Teifling continued while looking Junipor in the eye. “I wasn’t about to let some man sleep in your bed, and trust me Caius was craving a mattress after drinking his weight in ale. Way I see it, I was protecting you.” Domitilla’s eyelashes fluttered as she spoke.
Junipor held her gaze. To her, the blight born was nothing more than a potential predator needing to be subdued. Her heart was racing, and she loathed having to share any body of water with the creature. She wasn’t alone in the discomfort. There was a brimming hostility in the air that seemed on the edge of boiling over.
The human was nearby as well, lost in the bliss of what seemed like the first bath in his life. Junipor would certainly believe that it was, given his terrible odor. She wondered if any amount of water could cure his rank scent. She wasn’t sure who she detested most, but was leaning toward the blight born with her unquantifiable arrogance.
Junipor scoffed at the notion that she needed protection. Let along from someone like her. It was frustrating enough that her brother allowed them into her den in the first place. The fact that any of them thought it was ok to use her furniture was appalling. There were no words to describe Junipor’s frustration, and she was endeavoring not to lash out in violence.
“Are you really going to sit there baring your fangs at me?” Domitilla asked with a pouty pair of lips.
Sensing her limits about to be reached, Junipor got up while covering herself, and started to leave the pool. Before she could get far, a splash of water flew through the air. It soaked her ears, something that caused her to jerk away in fright. Like most Pharine’s, Junipor had to wash her over-sensitive ears carefully. The Teifling noticed her irritation, and continued to fling more water at her from a safe distance.
Francesca, who had been doggie paddling near the stairs of the pool, noticed her masters sudden distress. Upon seeing her owners discomfort, the tiny fennec scurried from the water, and hopped along the edge of the pool. She then dashed to within leaping distance, and hopped onto Junipors shoulder. Once landing along the nape of Junipor’s neck, Francesca screeched at Domitilla with her fangs barred.
“Oh my god that’s so freaking adorable!” The Teifling stood up in the water., letting her breasts dangle freely in the open air. Fully exposed, Domitilla’s body was lean and womanly, with well defined abdominal muscles, and finely padded hips. “Aren’t you a little fuzzball of joy! Yes you are, yes you are!”
“Oi?” Seldie’s voice cut in, seemingly out of nowhere. The Zakinae had emerged from the haze, and planted a hand firmly on Domitilla’s shoulder. While not as tall as the blight born, Seldie more than made up for it with her menacing presence. There must’ve been a furnace burning in her gut, for a small hint of smoked vapors could be seen spilling from the corners of her mouth.
“Whoops, I didn’t mean to get your privy’s in a wad.” The Teifling sank back in the pool, and swam towards the edge. “Seriously you need to lighten up.”
Junipor patted her furry friend, still nestled onto her shoulder, on the head while offering a smile to Seldie.
Just before she could make her way to the stairway out of the pool, Domitilla dared to offer a final tease. “Nice tits by the way.”
“What?” Junipor spun around, nearly knocking Francesca from her perch.
Seldie immediately lashed out at the Teifling, and the pair began to wrestle in the most unrefined manner in the middle of the pool. It was almost comical, watching the two of them fumbling in the water, causing leaps of steam to rise up. Junipor was about to join in, when something shattered against the stained glass windows near the door.
What Junipor assumed must’ve been hail bounced off the marble tiled floor, and then rolled over to her foot. She looked down, and starred at the small fragment. She wasn’t sure what she was looking at. It certainly didn’t look like any ball of hail she had ever seen before. It was a solid piece of matter, stark white and smooth edged.
Junipor reached down to pick up what she assumed was a rock, but upon feeling it with her thumb, she realized it was a fragment of bone.