The procession left the Dur'Eben compound and moved along the avenues of the great drow city.  Ilharess Arielana sat upon her drift-disk leading the way, followed by the Yathrinen, then the noble males of the house. The two score of sargtlinen^*1 followed behind and along the flanks of the nobles as they moved through the city.   Slaves scurried to get out of the way of the drift-disk and bowed low as it passed them. Even the drow of the lower classes paid their respect to the Ilharess as she lead her House towards their destination. Ilharess Arielana merely nodded to the females and paid the males no attention at all, but led her House to the gates of Qu'ellar^*2 Rilynt’tar for the celebration they had been invited to attend.

Reaching the gates, the sargtlin remained outside with those of the other great Houses, to exchange idle gossip and roll dice. The drift-disk and the nobles continued on to the house proper to help celebrate Yathtallar Mavralyn gaining a House of her own.  Arielana floated from the disk to the balcony, looking absolutely beautiful in her new gown, her family levitating up and over after her. Zacnefear moved and taking his arm, together they moved into the house to join the party.

Knowing the way well, Arielana led her family down the great corridor leading to the throne room of Rilynt'tar.  The guards bowed low to great the Ilharess then swiftly opened the doors.   Upon entering, the nobles of Qu'ellar Dur’Eben approached the Ilharess Jasra Dark.  Arielana joined her mother, Jasra, and Ari's sister, Mavralyn.  After the formal greetings, Jasra nodded to the Yathrinen^*3 and males bidding them all rise and enjoy the festivities.  The Ilharess Jasra and her Dalharilen^*4, Yathtallar Mavralyn and Ilharess Arielana, shared a brief round of pleasant conversation, then they too joined the festivities.  Zacnefear swept Arielana onto the dance floor and the minutes passed into hours of delight.

Shaperdef quickly separated himself from his family as soon as the Malla Ilharess Jasra bid them all rise and enjoy the festivities. At his first opportunity he approached the Malla Yathtallar and knelt offering her his best wishes on her new House.  He then reached into his pack <looking around to ensure his Ilhar was not looking> and produced a case of fine Dwarven brandy.  "For thy new Qu'ellar Ilha... Malla Yathtallar."

"Bel'la Dos^*5 Shaper," she smiled.  "You may place it over there with the rest of the gifts."  Then as an after-thought, the Yathtallar quickly grabbed a bottle and put it inside her bag.

As Shaper walked around he noticed he could not find the Mistress Jivares. He had hoped to see her again for it had been some years since he had last seen her.  In his last meeting he had been only 10 years old but her shapely form had left an image burned in his mind. As his mind dwelled on these past thoughts and images he saw a young Yathrin pass by.

Smiling to himself he decided to approach her and introduce himself.  After an embarrassing rejection, due to his yet young age, he decided to call it a night and head back to the Magthere.  He had an early session the next day and it would be his first day back since he was called away.

Arielana had been watching her son and his awkwardness around the Yathrin.  As he walked away she approached and said, "You would leave without asking your Ilhar^*6 for a dance Shaper?"

"Nau Ilhar," he replied, "I was just looking for thee." Taking her arm he proceeded to the dance floor and danced his first dance of the evening.

When the music stopped he bowed and asked for permission to depart for the evening.  Arielana knowing he had a busy day ahead and not wanting him to dishonor the House, allowed him to depart.

After many hours of dancing, Zacnefear led Arielana away from the dance floor. Along the way he snagged a couple of goblets of wine from a tray. Tasting one, he handed the goblet to Arielana. He left her with the other Ilharessen^*7 of Rilauven and wandered across the room to where the other faernen^*8 were watching the festivities. As usual the talk was of new spells being worked on, or of potions and experiments gone awry.

One young apprentice mage was paying strict attention to the conversations, and Zac took a few minutes to look the new wanre^*9 over. The young male was dressed in the colors of Yathtallar Mavralyn’s House; he stood with a cocky air that was normal for the young. Though not as powerful as many of those about him, he was confident of himself. Zac liked what he saw in the young mage and moved through the crowd of other mages until he was next to him.

"Vendui' Shadosin," said Zac nodding to the young male.

"Vendui' qu'el'faeruk^*10," Shadosin replied respectfully with a slight bow.

"It seems that your Yathtallar has requested of my Ilharess that I assist you in your studies." He watched the younger male closely. "Think you are worthy of such an honor?"

"Xas, I believe I have what it takes to learn to be a faeruk such as yourself," Shadosin replied with some little arrogance.

Zac chuckled wickedly and nodded to the young wanre. He liked what he saw in the younger male for Shado reminded Zac of his younger days.

"Xas I think you do," the faeruk said with a smile, then after drinking a bit of his almost forgotten wine he continued. "After the celebrations are over we shall begin your training in earnest, though I am not sure as to which arrangements the Ilharess and thy Yathtallar have made yet."

Shadosin nodded to the wizard, then they both returned to the conversations of those about them.

Zacnefear listened to the talk of the other mages gathered at the celebration while slowly sipping his wine. Shadosin continued to stand by him hoping to glean some knowledge that might prove useful in later lessons. As the festivities continued, it was obvious that some of the mages were getting quite drunk, and worse they were getting belligerent. The wizard of 12th House was quite intoxicated and trying to impress a group of young mage hopefuls. His voice rising as he made sure he his words could be heard over the music in the room.

"No’uhn cashts like I can" he shouted over the din.  "For I'm de shtrongesht faer'k in Ril'ven," he slurred.

A young male from the same house tried to simmer the old wizard down some, but received a backhand that floored him instead. Then the wizard began his tirade once again.

"Ev'n de fernshss of upper houshes fear MY magikshs!" he continued to rant.

Zac's eyes began to burn with an inner fire as he watched the old mage floor the young one, then hearing the boasts implying he was afraid of the fool further angered him. Shadosin turned to look at his future mentor and saw the look in his eyes.  He stepped away a bit sensing the beginning of trouble.  Zac glided forward as silent as death itself and suddenly appeared before the drunken wizard, who blinked a few times before recognizing him.

"You have had enough to drink and had best retire to sleep it off," Zac warned the older male.

"Sshee jal?!  De're afeard of me and wish me gone," he sneered.

Zac's blurring backhand knocked the older male to the floor as the others gathered around gasped and cleared away from about them. Zac's voice was flat as doom tolling as he spoke again...

"You are quite mistaken if you believe I fear an old fool such as you.  I shall await you in the compound outside."  Then lowering his voice even further he added, "If you truly wish to prove your drunken boasts that is."  Then with a flick of his wrist he vanished from the room.

A young student mage helped the now angered older wizard up and then backed away as he brought his hand away from his lip and looked at the blood on it. Then screaming in a rage that caught everyone's attention, he too vanished to reappear outside in the compound.

As soon as the older mage appeared he started casting a spell and fire sprang from his outstretched fingertips.  The ball expanded as it rolled towards Zacnefear.  The blast lit up the sky and when the mage's vision cleared there was nothing of the younger wizard to be seen.  He began to gloat, but then the laughter reached him.

"You call that a fireball?  I have seen an apprentice cast better than that," mocked Zac.

Then Zac reappeared behind the older faeruk, his fingers already weaving the patterns of magic.  The older mage also tried to chant a spell.  Zac finished first and tossed a pellet at the older mage.  The pellet became a web of sticky strands that dropped over the older faeruk entangling him.  As the older mage continued his chanting, Zac twisted his ring and muttered an arcane word.  The lightening bolt that flashed toward Zacnefear bounced harmlessly off the invisible wall that formed before him.

By now the balcony grew crowded with those interested in watching the wizards battle.  Shadosin shouldered his way forward to watch as the two masters battled below. He watched as the older one freed himself from the web, yet was knocked back several feet by the blast Zac hit him with.

The Rilynt’tar guards were unsure how to deal with the dual, so prudently stayed back out of the way. Suddenly a magical fist appeared and gripped the older mage tightly.  It squeezed until the mage could not breath to chant, yet rather than crushing the older faeruk it merely held him helpless.

Ilharess Arielana appeared before her mate and spoke with him.  Then the Ilharess of the 12th house joined them.  After some conversing it seemed they reached an agreement.

The Ilharess of the 12th house went to her faeruk just as the hand disappeared. Her mage crumpled to the ground gasping for air, and then she kicked him.

It was obvious she was not pleased by her faeruk's actions when she beat the male senseless.  Ilharess Arielana took her mate’s hand and together they levitated up to the balcony and once again joined the celebration.

*1.  Warriors.
*2.  Noble House.
*3.  Priestesses.
*4.  Daughters.
*5.  "Thank you."
*6.  Mother.
*7.  Matrons.
*8.  Mages.
*9.  Student/apprentice.
*10. House Mage/Wizard.