Dark Flower III, Ch. 4: Lessons & Loss

[Mikayla]

Dark Flower III, Chapter Four

Lessons & Loss

[Author’s note: I did not have logs for these events so I have reconstructed them to the best of my ability. My apologies for any inaccuracies. Hopefully I convey the essence of what happened accurately if not the exact details.]



The excursion to Skullport proved profitable in more ways than one. Not only did Sheyreiza win more than she lost wagering on the gladiator events, she also renewed her ties to Kesra Tanor’thal and learned that the growing chaos that afflicted Ched Nasad was not confined to the City of Shimmering Webs; the drow of Tanor’thal had their own peculiar problems. Many of the males were becoming impotent while many of the females were growing lustier by the cycle. Beatings were becoming more common as males failed to satisfy their mistresses. Sheyreiza took the opportunity to tell Kesra of Wendonai’s return and the threat he posed not only to Ched Nasad, but to drow society and the hierarchy of Lolth’s clergy as a whole. True, she exaggerated the threat a bit; she had no evidence Wendonai’s plans aimed beyond Ched Nasad, but it was a logical extension. First one city, then another and another and so on until the followers of Lolth were completely supplanted with heretics following the fiend. Ascension to godhood would then presumably follow and what higher ambition was there? It was a goal fit for a fiend of Wendonai’s stature.

Upon her return to Ched Nasad Sheyreiza began teaching her class at Xonathull Magthere. Amongst her students were Vedo, Faerylene, Pharaun and Xerthal Claddath. By the end of the first class each of them save for Vedo had felt the kiss of her whip of fangs. None were dead, but all were in pain; even Sergeant Vedo, untouched that night by the vicious snake-fangs, could not help but rub the cheek where Sheyreiza had whipped him long ago. For all the manufactured breaches of etiquette and protocol that Sheyreiza used to break down the students one real deficiency stood out; Faerylene. The young acolyte made wrong decisions more often than not and in the first peering vote she was dead last. In the academy, classes concluded with a peer vote. Each student ranked the other students numerically. If there were four students in a class, then each student would assign the others a number based upon their perceived value to the patrol. Each person had to have a different number, so in a four person patrol, a student would assign each of her peers a 0, 1 or 2. The least valuable person in the patrol was supposed to receive the 0, while the most valuable person received the highest number. A person receiving all zeros would conceivably fail the class. This was at the discretion of the instructor of course. Needless to say the person receiving the lowest score, even if the sum was greater than zero, was in deep trouble. Unfortunately for all, Faerylene received the low score for the first class.

Sheyreiza knew the young acolyte deserved the low score; Faerylene’s answers to questions were largely wrong or at least misguided and she received a worse lashing than anyone in class. However, it was simply unacceptable that Faerylene, a noble acolyte priestess, should have to suffer such humiliation when there was a male of her house in the class; Vedo should have used his votes to protect her. It was, after all, the job of every house male to protect the priestesses. Accordingly, though Faerylene was the weak link in the patrol’s chain, it was Vedo who was ultimately punished. Once the commoners and nobles from other houses were dismissed, Sheyreiza took Faerylene and Vedo back to her apartment in Zhennu Orbb and made it quite clear what she expected of males. Vedo took his upbraiding well but Sheyreiza could see the hate growing in his eyes.

The patrol class Sheyreiza taught at Xonathull Magthere only met once every ten-day. The rest of the time the students were in their respective specialty schools; the Eyes of the Spider for priestesses, Swords of the City for warriors or the Tower of Truth for scouts. There was no school for arcanists within Zhennu Orbb; all the mages were students of the private academies like the Disciples of Phlethong or the Weavespinners Academy. They only came to Zhennu Orbb for the coed, multi-discipline patrol classes at Xonathull Magthere such as the one Sheyreiza taught.

During the nine cycles between classes Sheyreiza isolated herself in her chambers and threw hearts, parchment and blood into her fire. While many mysteries remained, through repeated scryings and divinations she learned much. The most important thing she discovered was confirmation that Pharaun’s information was genuine as was his willingness to work with Auvryndar towards the removal of the Tuin’t Luthol Ventashma. Indeed, Sheyreiza learned far more about Pharaun’s loyalties than she had expected and this knowledge explained many things about the unusually intelligent and self-possessed scout.

A surprise yet remained for Sheyreiza; upon leaving her chambers for the first time in several cycles she learned that while she had been divining, Vedo had been scheming. Angry that his fate was tied to an acolyte he perceived as incompetent, he had apparently plotted with Jhana, his lover, to kill Faerylene. Faerylene and Vedo had been patrolling the ruins of Deepgloom’s trade hall. When a fight developed, Vedo made his move and took the opportunity to attack her. Faerylene was saved only by a fortunate twist of fate, but it was a twist of fate that brought the matter to the attention of the Matron who was not at all pleased to find her subordinates warring amongst themselves while the house was threatened. When the three were brought before the Matron and the assembled high priestesses, including Sheyreiza, Shyntlara wasted no time asserting both her anger and her dominance. She struck Vedo so hard it broke ribs and sent him hurtling into the far wall of the throne room where he collapsed. After ranting about the inappropriate timing of their behavior given the current threats against the house, she ordered the three young drow bound to each other by an ancient ritual normally reserved for bonding battle captives to their mistresses. If any of them killed one of the others, all would die; similarly, if any allowed one of the others to perish when they could have done something to prevent it, they would all die.

Naturally, Matron Shyntlara’s ire was not reserved for the young ones. Having dismissed the trio to be bound, she pulled Sheyreiza aside. “If this happens again, if this wasteful infighting continues, they may die but the punishment I will inflict on you will make their deaths seems a mercy.” Sheyreiza knew it was no empty threat; Matron Shyntlara, a master of healing, cursing, torture and undeath could inflict torment better than most fiends of the abyss.

Eager to change the subject and regain some favor with the Matron, Sheyreiza reported what she had learned from Pharaun, along with the results of her divinations and other spying. The Matron, calmed and listened until Sheyreiza was done. “What does this Pharaun want?” Shyntlara asked, clearly not happy at having her house bargaining with a common male.

“I believe he wants to be adopted.”

If the Matron was surprised her expression did not betray it. “Has he asked?”

“No, honored Matron, this is a deduction of mine. He offers to aid us in defeating the plot against our house and asks in return that we replace the leadership of Tuin’t Luthol. He asks for no place in that leadership, however. Nor does he make demands about who we set up as the new leader. He suggests this Mik’laysee person, but does not push the matter. He asks for no money, no treasure and no boon. I think, therefore, what he seeks is adoption. And there is something more. He is not truly a commoner.” This last tidbit grabbed the Matron’s attention immediately, so Sheyreiza explained all the details of what she had learned.

“Very well,” the Matron replied, “if that is what he seeks, you may offer it to him. If his information is accurate, if he is loyal, if the Ventashma is slain and if we are able to take control of Tuin’t Luthol and install new leadership, he will have his adoption.”

Sheyreiza smiled slightly and bowed her head. “Thank you honored Matron. We are already seeking information on this Ventashma. He has proven very difficult to even see. I have tried my most powerful magic and he defeated it. Pharaun is seeking a weakness now, but it’s a race between when Pharaun discovers something useful and when the Ventashma discovers Pharaun’s treachery.”

The Matron stood from her throne, and paced in front of it. “Tell me of this Ventashma.” Obediently Sheyreiza relayed all she knew of the shadowy leader of Tuin’t Luthol, which was not much. As she did Shyntlara grew more distant, more worried. “Find out what he eats.” The Matron commanded mysteriously. “And find out when he came into power.”

“As you wish, honored Matron.” Sheyreiza replied with a nod, though she did not entirely understand why those two pieces of information were crucial. Shyntlara dismissed Sheyreiza and so with nothing more to be said Sheyreiza bowed and left.

Pharaun visited Qu’ellar Auvryndar again the following cycle and met with Sheyreiza in the same noble lounge in which they had met the first time. Tuin’t Luthol had delivered a message to a Melarn priestess stationed at a barricade west of the city where Qu’ellar Melarn was supposedly fighting off an infestation of dangerous creatures for the city. By proclamation from House Nasadra, none were allowed to interfere in this task effectively giving Melarn control over all the tunnels west of the Deep Spires. Upon delivery, the Melarn priestess had traveled immediately to visit with the Ventashma. Pharaun was nearby the Ventashma’s chambers when he heard a scream. Afterwards, he and another were given the odious task of delivering the severed head of the priestess to the gates of Qu’ellar Melarn. Pharaun had naturally feared for his life, but nothing seemed to come of it. Sheyreiza asked him what the Melarn had been doing west of the Deep Spires but Pharaun had little to offer; the Melarn had barricaded off the tunnels and were letting none through. Just beyond their barricade was a cave, or smaller tunnel, and it was clear there was much activity, but Pharaun saw no sign of an ‘infestation.’ What was going on was simply not clear.

Now Sheyreiza began to feel the prick of fear. Wendonai, Kannyr Vhok, Shurtallistryl the Black Wyrm, and Tuin’t Luthol’s Ventashma were a bad enough alliance to face; throw in Qu’ellar Melarn, Ched Nasad’s second highest ranking house, and suddenly the conspiracy was posing a heretofore unprecedented threat to the city. It was a threat almost too terrible to believe. Would Melarn really ally with these outsiders against Lolth and the city? It seemed impossible to believe, but the evidence suggested it.

“We need to know what they are doing out there.” Sheyreiza mused. “Well, we shall have to find out. Anyway, I confirmed some of the information you gave me and I have spoken to the Matron about it.”

“And?” The scout asked anxiously.

“Auvryndar will decapitate Tuin’t Luthol and put Mik’laysee in his place. But, we require your assistance in this, as you know. We need to know more about the Ventashma. To begin with, we need to know when he came to power and what he takes for meals.”

Pharaun sat back on the divan. “Well, he came to power about three years ago I believe. As for meals, I do not know, I have never seen him eat, nor have I seen food taken into his chambers.”

“What about people?”

The scout nodded. “Yes, people, slaves, malcontents, traitors, they have been taken to him and they come out dead.”

“Eaten? Drained?”

He shook his head slightly. “I am not sure. They are pale, their faces frozen in fear, but I do not know if their blood has been drained. You think he may be a vampire?”

I do now, Sheyreiza thought. “Perhaps.”

“I will find out as soon as I can and let you know. How long before your house can strike?”

“We cannot strike until we know more about him. As soon as we know how to kill him, we will.”

“Good, because I think it’s just a matter of time before he finds out I am betraying him, and once he does, I am dead.”

“Understood.” She replied matter-of-factly. "When this is done, if we are successful, the Matron has approved your adoption into our house."

“What?” Pharaun asked, suddenly caught off guard.

“If all goes according to plan, if you serve us well and the Ventashma is slain, the Matron has given her approval for your adoption into the family.” She paused to let that sink in for a moment. “You will be a noble.” She wanted to add ‘again’ but she restrained herself.

“I am more use to you as a commoner right now.” He objected.

“Yes,” she agreed, “and for now a commoner you will stay. This offer is contingent upon success.”

“Isn’t everything?” He grinned slyly.

“Indeed. Do you accept the proposition.”

He paused for a moment, looking at the floor, clearly contemplating the offer. “I accept.”

“Good. Now then, go find out what I want to know. Help me find a way to kill this Ventashma, and kill him we shall.”

Pharaun rose from the couch. “I will.” He said nothing more and Sheyreiza dismissed him. His reaction was not entirely what Sheyreiza would have expected, but she gave it little thought; she could not conceive of a fallen noble who would not want to regain his lost status. Indeed, not desiring an increase in station was tantamount to heresy in a society ruled by the Way of Lolth. Here, amongst the drow, it was climb or be climbed over, advance or be left behind. Kill or be killed. There was no place for those who wished to simply maintain the status quo of their station in the eyes of Lolth's clergy. Ambition and pride were virtues, while contentment and satisfaction were blashphemy. For his own reasons, however, Pharaun was just such a creature. He accepted the offer not out of desire to be noble once again, but out of fear; one did not reject the generosity of high priestesses and Matrons lightly.

The information about Melarn and their barricade to the west worried Sheyreiza deeply. Her demon, Hartex, had been lurking in the shadows listening as Pharaun and Sheyreiza spoke. He knew what concerned her.

“Shall I go scout out the Melarn position?” He asked.

“Yes.” She replied. Hartex was the best scout Auvryndar had and she desperately wanted to know what the Melarn were guarding out there. If they were truly in league with Tuin’t Luthol’s Ventashma, who was in turn in league with Kannyr Vhok, the whole Scourged Legion could be camped out just past the Spires and no one would know. Hartex left at once, still in his muscular, shirtless drow male form adopted from the bones and blood of her sacrificed son Tanias. Sheyreiza retired to her chambers and after a long bath, a glass of azure wine and some mushrooms, slipped quietly into reverie waiting for Hartex’s return.

Instead, she was abruptly awakened by the breaking of her bond with Hartex. She could no longer communicate with him telepathically or even sense his presence, things she had been able to do continuously since she first summoned him no matter what distance separated them. Still naked she quickly made her way into her shrine-chamber and began the looking for answers. Scrying revealed nothing so she tried divination.

What happened to Hartex? She asked. When the words on the blood stained parchment became clear, they read: His vessel was destroyed. Sheyreiza’s heart raced involuntarily and she nearly wept. Not for any feelings towards Hartex, but out of fear. Since her return to the Spider Queen her most visible and formidable sign of Lolth’s favor was the service of that demon, a greater bebilith. To have him destroyed might signal a loss of Lolth’s favor; whether true or not such a sign might provoke an attack from rivals. This had to remain a secret as long as possible from as many as possible. She needed to get him back. Hartex was not only her scout he was her bodyguard and assassin. And he had her portal stone, the one the surfacers wanted. Hignar had been negotiating for months with Sheyreiza about obtaining the stone. Sheyreiza, for her part, suspected Hignar might want it bad enough to simply slay her and steal it, so she had given the stone to Hartex who placed it with in the carapace of his spider form. Where ever he went, whatever form he took, the stone was a part of his body. Given his powers, whether or not he could defeat Hignar he certainly stood an excellent chance of escaping the dwarf; especially if the dwarf did not suspect the demon had the stone. Sheyreiza wanted that stone, however, and she wanted her servant back.

She cast another spell, this one a sending to Hartex. I lost my bond to you. Why? Where are you?

His reply came quickly. Tanias form destroyed. I have finally returned to the hunt.

For all intents and purposes, Sheyreiza’s most powerful servant was gone, a casualty of this growing struggle. A cold fear chilled her to the bone and even the enchanted flames of her hearth could not warm her.

[Burt]

Very interesting Mik, I never suspected that Shey and Hartex had a divorce. Who got the kid?

For the record, Pharaun never asked for anything besides the Ventash'ma being slain.

[Mikayla]

Burt:

For the record, Pharaun never asked for anything besides the Ventash'ma being slain.

I could not, for the life of me, remember how I brought up the subject of adoption with Pharaun. I remember you asking for the Ventashma to be slain, but I could not remember if you asked or prompted the adoption question, or if I brought it up entirely on my own, which is how I ended up with the story above which takes a pretty nebulous tact. Anyway, sorry I got that line or two wrong. I will edit later when I get time.

As for the divorce, Shey got both kids (Shein'n and Xuntel) but Hartex took her 'rock'....

[Burt]

I'm pretty sure it was entirely your idea. As a matter of fact, Pharaun never wanted to be adopted - he was just too scared to refuse the offer.

[Mikayla]

That works too.

[Zakharra]

So that's why he has not been coming around. Goddess.. *shudders* And now he's after my pretty drow ass.

[Mikayla]

The story has now been edited in accord with Burt's memory regarding the exchange between Shey and Pharaun.