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For the Peoples of the Warm Seas, even those ruled by kings, rule was commanded and derived from old famous lineages. The heroes of old, those whose tales prevaiedl, and those whose service to their people still endured. Their children not only reaped their memory but also kept it alive. They build upon their ancestor’s foundations and created edifices upon them to indicate where they are.

Rule by aristoi, of old deserving families, was the norm far and wide, and that, too, was especially true in Tritos.

For the Peoples of the Warm Seas, those who speak an intelligible dialect and some who speak their own barbarian tongues, rule by consensus and rule by the few who could stand for others was the norm. Parsimoni had never had a king and the old Nori had not thought it prudent to push any when they settled in the land. Even the great power to the east, the Dora, did not give all power to a single man or to a single family and spread it out in a senate.

The Meet of the religious elders and the Thing of the council of secular ones were but the two commanding aspects of Parsimoni life. Religion to measure and conduct morality. To properly guide adherence to the gods. And the ruling class to lead and protect them. To make and enforce rules as the need struck.

An Anax was, technically, a combination of both.

All centers of civilization had worship and those needed priests. Enough Priests required someone to lead them, and these were High Priests. There was no rank being that, yet even High Priests too needed someone they could turn to. Luckily, there was the wisest and oldest among them.

Luckily, there were the Elders.

But what of a city with different religions, or too many high priests of similar peerage? What of centers of the people where sacrifice and piety was more a matter of organization and conceding? THAT was within the bounds of secular rule, and that meant that whoever did it had to have a secular office.

Tritos was big. Tritos was strong. Tritos was rich, ever-expanding and that meant that its leading Elder also had to shoulder the burden of extra work, power and influence. And that was what Alessia’s father, the Anax of Tritos, had and was; a member of both the Meet and the Thing.

But almost nobody came across such arrangements by accident. In his particular case, this combination of authority and power was caused by the intersection of two different lineages of aristoi.

The old chiefs and leaders of the Nori formed much of the modern families whose power laid in their claims to slaves and land.

The old Parsimoni, after having civilized the Nori and showed them the way of the Warm Seas, continued to supply both gods and priests to everyone.

And it was yet another attempt at uniting these two central bloodlines that Alessia’s father sought to do when he married her mother.

A girl running away from home normally had precious little choice in where to go, or what to do. Without the backing from her family, many were those who would take advantage of them and few who could give them a true alternative to going back.

Somebody had to be poor. Somebody had to be a slave. Society could not protect those who willingly slipped through its net.

Had Alessia been anyone else, this would have been one of the worst choices she could have made.

Unlike them, however, Alessia was spoiled for choice.

“For how long will you be staying?” Anessia, Alessia’s aunt on her father’s side, asked her late in the morning the day after Alessia’s flight.

She was a white-haired woman who wore her familiarity with Alessia’s father’s well. She was sitting on a big chair on the open roof of her home, a slave from Dora fanning her with a thin wooden fan. A cup was in her hand, and chilled wine filled it. A lyre was strummed nearby, and it was another slave playing it.

Jewels adorned her ears and hands, and it was her Nori husband who had gifted them.

Being the daughter of a High Priest had worked out for her. Quite unlike Alessia herself.

“Until the party is over, at least,” Alessia took an offered cup of wine, making sure to nod respectfully to the slave, “But, perhaps, until I am made a Priestess.”

“Hmm,” Anessia pursued her lips with her thumb, “I never figured you for the rebellious kind, but I suppose I’ve neglected my brother’s home too much.”

“It’s not your fault, Aunt Anessia,” Alessia was already shaking her head, In her opinion, her aunt involving herself at all would have made things worse.

“Nonsense,” Anessia put her wine down, “With your mother unfortunately gone for so long, why, I should have been there, giving you guidance.”

“You already do, Aunt,” Alessia was quick to say, “Always have.”

“Well,” she clicked her tongue in a way that indicated she didn’t agree,” You can stay here as long as you like, of course, but if your father comes for you, I hope you realize that my hands will be rather tied.”

“I have a plan for that,” Alessia couldn’t help the smirk that showed on her face.

“Do you, really?” her aunt raised an eyebrow.

“He won’t be a problem for you,” Alessia assured her. Not with what she had in mind.

“That said, what news come today?” Alessia also put her cup down and eagerly leaned forward, “Do you have word of the Crew or the Elders?”

“I am sure I’ll be able to host some of them in a few days,” Anessia shrugged, “You can just wait until that happens.”

“I'd rather not lay about doing nothing,” Alessia replied.

“Ah, stimulation is ever the fleeting chase for ladies like us, is it not?” Anessia sighed, “As it happens, I know that one of the Elders, her holiness Zina if I am not wrong, is going to be in that boor Justil’s home.”

“And that a warrior woman, one of those brutish ship guards, is going to be with him.”

It was the privilege of leading citizens to look down on those they celebrated. Amazing as Torchship crew were, there would always be those who weren’t particularly impressed, and Anissea had always been one of them. At least as far as Alissia could tell.

All the same, she allowed Alessia to go without much problem. An avid conversationalist, the woman could have talked Alessia’s ear off but she seemed to have an inkling of how important this was for Alessia.

Though on the other side of the city, it didn’t take too long to walk to arrive at Justil’s manor. A man named after the ancestor that had founded his family.

And, as it turns out the warrior woman turned out to be Gadise, one of the Marin’s three ship warriors.

It was simply perfect for Alessia, to find two different targets in the same abode. Because she was a student of the temple arts, neither Justil nor his family could realistically deny her a meeting with one of their religious Elders. Not without inviting unnecessary problems should she be here for something important.

But that did not mean she’d be able to see Elder Zina right away.

The place where she was taken, an alcove with a comfy fabric roof, overlooked many streets over a small hill. A chair waited for her there, likely moved in the time it took for her to climb the stairs, as well as a small table with very watered wine and salted fruits.

The servants otherwise stayed out of the way as Gadise splayed over a sofa, a cloth covering her eyes.

Though Alessia’s arrival did make her pull them back to see who was accompanying her.

“Am I waking you up in time to start the day,” Alessia looked at her, “Or did you just go to sleep?”

Gadise sighed and ripped the cloth out of her face, “Na, Frija daughter, though it was a bare thing.”

“These parties of your people,” she said with a heavy accent, “Are madly excessive.”

And she sat up, revealing a big torso that, if she were standing up, would put her at the same height as Alessia’s mom.

But that wasn’t the only way in which she stood out.

Gadise, after all, had striking black skin.

At 6 foot of height, Gadise was a woman with a sharp nose, warm black eyes and the biggest lips Alissa had yet to see. Her hair was black, done in a single braid that she balled up into a bun, and her lips were a light shade of brown, rather than black. Her neck was smooth and drew the eye down towards her shoulders, where they were covered by the Parsamani dress she wore.

Even then, they did little to hide shoulders that were bigger and more defined than what habitually rowing would demand.

Even her trapezius formed steeps that led up to her neck, and her dress bloated with a broad back. And that, when her melon-sized breasts expanded her front.

Her impressive lower body saved her from looking manish, as her hips were wider than her wide shoulders.

And her ass? Well, Alissa couldn’t see it with her sitting like that.

But she would be lying if she said that she wouldn’t mind finding out.

“Forgot what one with from southern gardens looks like?” the black-skinned woman interrupted Alissa’s brief study, and made her blush.

“Apologies, I meant no offense,” Alissa inclined her head, “I was actually hoping to find you, if you’d believe that.”

“Seems like everyone does, in times like these,” Genise snorted as she leaned back on the sofa, “Though fascination with Marin-crew leads to many forgotten drinks.”

“I think last night was the last night I joined your people’s celebration,” she seriously nodded as she looked around her.

Taking a guess, Alissa offered Genise her own drink.

“Many thanks,” Genise shot Alissa a grateful smile.

“So, I believe we’ve only met but once,” she said once she had drained the cup, “Last year, when our Frija Captain introduced her family.”

“You are supposed to be a priestess of some kind, yes?” she asked.

“Senior apprentice,” Alissa corrected, “But I will be one this year, if the gods are willing and kind.”

“Ah,” she nodded with understanding, “Rare things for gods to be, but maybe not to those with the right bribes, yes?”

“I-I do not believe our relationships with the divine to be that transactional,” Alissa was taken aback, “Our devotion is true even without blessings, and the gods do not always demand payment for their blessings.”

“Maybe your gods are kinder than mine,” Genise shrugged, “But is that what you wanted the talk to mean? To talk about gods?”

“What? No?” Alissa frowned, “You asked if I was a priestess and things just led from that.”

“I see, I see,” Genise nodded, “So this mistake, you blame me then?.”

“As if I would be that uncouth.” Alissa clicked her tongue, wondering why they were so badly communicatit-

-Genise was smiling.

Genise was smirking at her!

“You are having me on,” Alissa pouted.

“No, don’t pout!” Genise begged, “Was just making jest!”

“I need you to take me seriously!” Alissa groaned with frustration.

“I am!” Genise insisted, “The daughter of my ship chief, I never would take you not seriously.”

“....how do I convince you that I am a woman who bears burdens, knows responsibilities, and can relate to you in anything besides a matronly role?” Alissa deadpanned.

Genise blinked at that.

“Well, when you say it like that, you don’t sound very child-like,” she hummed, “I suppose you would be old enough to marry and bear children.”

“Or sire them,” Alissa, who was a bit annoyed with how this whole conversation was going, grunted, “I am quite capable of both.”

And Genise went briefly quiet at that.

“Truly?” she asked with an underlying sensation underneath something, “Like the-you are a woman with a cock?”

Alissa could only stare at her for a bit.

Everyone knew about her mixed genitals. If nothing else, it was impossible to hide when she went to the public baths. Truthfully, children when born were presented to the temple to greet the divine. And they did so nakedly before whatever throng was there to welcome said child into the world. Meeting someone who did not know about her dick was, well, rather rare.

Even then, while rare, futa women still showed up every now and then. It was highly disputed what that meant in theological terms; futanari women were almost exalted with being a man, but still burdened with being a woman. Given they shared all womanly burdens, and little of manly glory, it was just accepted they were just women with a little bit “more”.

“I am,” Alissa confirmed, wondering where this was going.

“Amazing,” Genise said under her breath, “Even this far away-truly the divines are trying to talk.”

Alissa looked at the black woman for a moment, biting her tongue to stop herself from asking what that was about as Alessia felt, in the pit of her belly, that this was a moment of opportunity.

Now was the moment to make this woman look upon her favorably.

So Alissa’s eyes fell on Genise’s lips, once again, and she followed a hunch, “Your lips are rather pretty, Genise.”

“Oh,” Genise touched her lips with her hand, “Yes, they are of a good size. Very priceful in a marriage, I should think.”

“Are they-” Alissa asked as she stared Genise straight in the eyes, “-an indication of the shade of your crowns and your petals?”

And, oh, the tips of her black cheeks got a little bit red.

“Not very child-like, yes,” Genise grumbled under her breath as she looked down.

But her eyes were serious when she brought them back up.

“Do yours?”

A victorious smile sprouted on Alissa’s face as she drew up the skirt of her tunic, and showed the creamy white skin of her legs.

Genise’s warm eyes followed the cloth as only Alissa’s crotch wraps protected her final modesty.

And it was easy enough to draw her dick from that.

It was 7 inches flaccid as it was right now, though with Genise looking at her like that it would become hard in no time. When fully erect, it was a foot in length, with a girth the size of Alissa’s for arm.

And she did not have small forearms.

Genise’s breath quickened, her hand twitched as she extended it out and-

“Miss Alissa?” one of the servants interrupted them, entering the alcove from behind Alissa, “The Elder is free for the moment and they ask for your presence.”

“Yes, of course,” Alissa replied as she smoothly allowed her dress to drop, “I will be there right away.”

The servant bowed, obviously none the wiser, and retreated into the house as Alissa smirked at the black woman.

“You owe me,” she simply told her.

“As expected from the ship chief’s daughter,” Genise dragged a palm through her face.

“...and it’s Alissa, Genise,” Alissa very seriously said, “Please see to it you do not forget.”

“So not cute,” Genise pouted.

Deciding this was the most she was going to get from the ship’s warrior, she turned around and exited where the servant had.

However Alissa did manage to hear Genise speak to herself on her way out.

“Although…”

---

As could be expected, no Elder had a workroom in a home that wasn’t his or hers. It would have been the height of impropriety to ask for Justil’s, but that did not mean their host couldn’t supply them with an adequate replacement.

Alissa met Elder Zina in the Justil family shrine.

“I heard that you had a fight with your father,” Elder Zina said as soon as Alissa entered, “Can’t say that I don’t see why, but I hope you know that this makes it hard for us to push your candidacy.”

She was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of Aniso, their god of trade.

It was always going to be the talk they were going to have, Alissa knew, but it was, in truth, well within her ability to influence.

Politicking in the various cults of the isle merely required that one be well informed.

“But not impossible,” Alissa replied as she sat beside one of her mentors and gave Lord Aniso a bow.

“But not impossible,” Elder Zina sighed, “Do you want me to intercede with your father? I am fairly sure that I am at least capable of getting him to bury this for a little while. Perhaps enough to get you anointed.”

“I-” Alissa hummed, “-want to pay the price for getting you to back my candidacy despite not clearing things up with my father.”

Elder Zina stopped bowing to Aniso to look at Alissa, “Bold. Foolish.”

“Thoughtless.”

And then, after only one more moment, Elder Zina asked, “What could you possibly have?”

There, in front of the god of trade, Alissa managed to not smile as she began.

“A man divided between duty to the gods and duty to the people most, regrettably, chose one over the other sometimes…”