Mavralyn pulled her piwafwi close about her as she slipped away from the council chambers.  Returning slowly as her thoughts churned within, she made her way past the gates of Rilynt'tar.  Pausing a moment in silent farewell to her old house, she bowed her head in respect to Jasra's teachings so long ago.  Continuing on, the lone figure soon stopped briefly near the majestic compound of Faen Tlabbar.

Letting her eyes travel over the beauty and grandeur of the first house, she bid aluve' to the previous Ilharess that reigned for so long within Rilauven.  "Aluve' ussta zhuanth malla ogglin^*1.  Change has indeed come, though perhaps not as either of us expected."  With a slight bow to the unseen guards, Mavralyn moved on.  They could not know the dark form had just honored the passing of an era.

The deep silence of the city seemed to be peaceful rather than oppressive as Mavralyn passed the many compounds and structures that lit the darkness with faerie fire that danced about the variety of slim spires.

Soon the drowess found herself near the towering might of Fey Branche.  Again she paused in her silent journey.  There was a time she had sought an alliance with the Matron Phyrra.  Perhaps her overtures were too subtle, perhaps fate decreed it should not be.  Shrugging at the thought, Mavralyn briefly regretted that the beauty of such a coup de gras against her own mother had never happened.  "Lolth guard you well Laele Fey Branche.  Treachery can be found anywhere," the husky voice whispered softly into the silence.

Finally the cloaked form turned her steps towards Elythanar and a new path in Lolth's twisted destiny.  Arriving without ceremony at the tall gates to the house she created from nothing, Mavralyn returned to the large suite of rooms she had called her own for several years.  Settling before the small desk, she quickly penned a note and sent the waiting slave away to deliver it to Katishya.

Moving swiftly after the slave departed, Mavralyn murmured softly and opened a secret compartment within the ornate vanity.  Smiling as she pulled the deep black velvety pouch out, she rose from the chair and opened it. Unfolding the object revealed its true nature as the portable hole settled upon the bed.

Gathering the various clothes and necessities for travel, she began filling the magical carryall.  Next came the crystal mace just given to her for Desinari's purchase. Mavralyn moved gracefully about her chambers adding to the growing pile.  The  small obsidian figurines of spiders, the clear crystal orb, the hand carved rosewood box with a small blue marble contained inside, all of these precious objects as well as many others, swiftly found a place within the portable hole.

The drowess soon entered the small private library where many tomes, scrolls, and historical records filled the tiny chamber. Gathering only the few she would need, these too followed the other items in the confines of the dimensional space.  As Mavralyn looked around the familiar rooms one last time, she nodded, satisfied with her choices.

Refolding the portable hole into its pouch like semblance, she returned to the outer alcove for one last item. Gently lifting a simple amulet from about a lovely statuette, she removed her own qu'ilinsar and placed it around the large figurine. Then without another glance back, Mavralyn left her chambers and set the wards to allow only the new matron access.

Again the soft mutter of arcane words broke the silence as an elegant gesture completed the spell and the slim form of Mavralyn shimmered briefly then disappeared. Those that would follow, knew where to find her.

Some things you just know. 

I could tell when she left. Maybe it was some apparition tugging at my being; maybe it was something more important than that. No, more than likely, it was just something in the air. Either the presence of an unfamiliar scent or the lack of one grown accustomed. I am not one to dwell on "why" so suffice it to say that I just knew.

Looking around the quarters at the myriad of lavish and unnecessary furnishings, I gathered my few belongings into my bag. Retrieving the only other uniform I had worn, I exchanged it with the gold and black of Elythanar, setting the newer clothes on the table in the front area. Grabbing some parchment, I left as complete a note as I could for whomever discovered the vacant room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Malla Ilharess,

As soon as I am able, I will send to you the replacements for your herd and enough trained slaves to manage them. Should I leave them here, with no one else educated to take over their care, they would quickly require slaughtering.

Lloth kyorl dos,

Venom d'Veil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Making sure my cloak was properly concealing the faded-to-blue uniform I had changed back into, I told the curious sargtlinen that I was taking the herd out for exercises. I had done this countless times before, which was in my favor... but I had never taken out this many at once... which was what was arousing suspicions in these gate-warders... and that was... not... in my favor.

Looking first at the large number of mounts, and then to the sole rider, the ambitious one spoke up, "How do I know that you are training them and not stealing them?"

"You don't," I replied both flatly and with a hint of irritation. I was hoping this tone would work... it seemed to work for the jalilen^*2. Continuing, I drew a line he would not cross, "Perhaps you would like to come along. I am sure that a sargtlin could easily do the tasks I normally have the slaves do." 

He let out a truly memorable snort, which I took to mean "no." Moving on toward the exiting road, I was too busy ensuring that the steeders would keep in ranks... too busy watching the sargtlinen^*2 watching me... too busy to notice that this might be the last time I passed through these gates. 

After the herd was fully on the road I dismounted and strode back toward the guards. Walking up to the two most suspicious eyes there, I handed him a small pouch sealed with a crude "V." I spoke low, as if to a confidant, "See that the Ilharess gets this," and strode off.

As I rode off toward the outskirts of Rilauven, I could not help but wonder if I would be back a third time.

Ty felt more than heard the many steeders moving. It was the subtlest rustle, the kind that creeps up your spine and makes you wonder just what is out there in the dark. He put down his pen and the scrolls he’d been working on and left his room adjoining the stables to investigate. As he opened the door to the stable he just caught a glimpse of movement disappearing around the corner. Hastening out of the stables proper and into the yard he saw the whole herd of them, lined into orderly ranks. Tylek looked around quickly and inconspicuously, no one was paying any mind. Silently he dodged between the fences and the building, looking at the line of steeders from the side. That was when he saw Venom, perched easily on the lead spider. 

For all intents and purposes he looked as if he was simply taking them all out, but Ty had just come from the stables, and knew Venom just a little too well to believe that. The stables were completely empty, an odd feel for it after spending so much of his time there. Suddenly he put two and two together, and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt where Venom was off to. He was sure as well, that if he tried right now to locate his Ilharess, Mavralyn, that she would be nowhere near this city.

Thinking very black thoughts at not being told sooner, and his own tendency to become too wrapped up in things to see the darkness through the shadows, he bolted back to his meager quarters. Throwing open his door he took quick stock of his things. Grabbing first his old pack from his days under the mountain he ripped it open and threw it on his cot. Running back and forth in his room he collected those things he thought essential, dumping them unceremoniously next to the pack.  Almost panting, he began arranging things in his pack; putting softer things like clothes on the exterior to shield the few precious things he had. 

That done he shouldered the pack and hurried back down the hall to the stables. Ty was as always cautious and aware, knowing that being caught could very well mean being dead. That was when it occurred to him that the mass exodus that he knew was happening even as he prepared to leave could not go unnoticed. He was in the stables now, and pulled himself up short. Perhaps he should wait. Let the city and Elythanar regain some semblance of routine before he made his departure. As quickly as the thought entered his mind Tylek discarded it. Something was tugging at him; he had to leave right now.

With that urgency realized he moved even more quickly, rounding the corner of the stables and passing the fences as a shadow. He moved to within sight and sound of the retreating convoy of steeders; now at the gates to the city where Venom was speaking to two sargtlin guards. He watched, as the tableau played itself out before him. 

Looking first at the large number of mounts, and then to the sole rider, one guard said, “How do I know that you are training them and not stealing them?”

“You don’t,” Venom replied both flatly and with a hint of irritation. Continuing, he said, “Perhaps you would like to come along. I am sure that a sargtlin could easily do the tasks I normally have the slaves do.” The guard let out a snort. 

With that, Venom was moving the file out of the gates and past the giant jade statues that were the real guards of the city. After the herd was fully on the road he dismounted and strode back toward the guards. Walking up to them, he handed one a small pouch. He spoke low, but not so low that Tylek could not overhear. “See that the Ilharess gets this,” he said.  Tylek took the chance provided and swiftly ducked behind the guards and away into the cluster of steeder legs. He was not sure whether Venom would notice him right away or not, but Ty hoped that if he did, he recognized the face that had been helping him before it was devoid of life. That was the last somewhat frantic thought Ty had time for. He grabbed hold of the girth strap of the one steeder that seemed to like him as he heard Venom’s footsteps approach. He pulled himself up to ride it underbelly, hugging himself to the creature and securing the pack near him.

Then they were moving, and no one had raised an alarm.

Orbb rose from her table and ventured out into the city. It was not hard to find House Freth. Its faerie lights glowed a distinct dark blue and purple, the house colors. Even so, Orbb frowned as she noticed its meager defenses. It did not need more in this decaying city, but Orbb new that it would not have lasted a full cycle of Narbondel had it been in Rilauven.

It was easy to catch a slave that was fetching water for washing. It was even intimidated easily into giving her the information she wanted, the whereabouts of her sister. After getting the information, Orbb slipped her dagger into its heart, and watched with pleasure as it slid to the ground, the heat of the body already cooling. No watchers observed. Orbb made sure of that, and hid the body in a place where it would cool and remain unfound for a long period of time.

Orbb contemplated her next move carefully. She had learned a lot from the slave. Waerva still held the same rooms that Orbb remembered, and the house wizards had not worked on the house’s magical defenses in many years. The magical traps were the same ones that Orbb recalled in her memories, all of which she knew how to get around.

Orbb closed her eyes, constructing a mental map of the compound and focusing on the main building. Waerva’s rooms were on the second floor. Orbb opened her eyes and looked for guards. There were only two on the second floor balcony at the moment. Considering how little had changed since she had lived here, Orbb doubted that there would be more. Orbb planned out her route carefully and then, finding a good vantage point and cloaking herself with a spell that hid her own heat from prying eyes, she settled down to wait.

While she waited for the moment she had chosen, Orbb recited the spells she thought she would need. Chathal crawled away for a few minutes to find a meal. Just as he returned, Orbb decided that the time had come to get moving.

Narbondel’s light was only beginning to brighten, signaling the few hours before the start of the city’s day. In the distance, Orbb could hear the first sounds of activity in the merchant sector. As in any city, they were the first to awaken. Now was Orbb’s moment to strike, as the guards saw the end of their shift coming and became more relaxed and less vigilant.

Silently, Orbb made her way through and around numerous traps as she approached the main building. Still cloaked in her invisibility spell, Orbb went undetected by the guards as she came up against the building’s wall. She waited a few minutes until they took themselves off to one end of the balcony, and began talking quietly about one of the house priestesses. Orbb smiled quietly at their stupidity and slowly levitated to the balcony.

Their heads did not even turn as Orbb began to mutter the words to her first spell. Her invisibility died as the new spell formed around the two males, and held them, their words dying into sudden silence. Orbb smiled again, her eyes turning a darker shade of red, and moved quietly into the hall, knowing that the guards would stay where they were for the moment.

No one stopped her as she walked down the hall. There were no guards here and the slave kept their eyes on their feet. Waerva’s rooms were not far from the balcony entrance. Orbb soon found the door she was looking for, carved with only one warding glyph.

Now it was Chathal’s turn, and Orbb watched as the spider jumped easily from her shoulder to cling to the wooden door. The spider crawled quickly to the glyph. Chathal’s eyes brightened slightly as she positioned herself over the glyph. In moments the glyph had darkened, its magical warmth dying. Then Chathal jumped back to Orbb’s shoulder and Orbb slowly pushed open the door.

The first room was empty, but Orbb could hear muffled voices coming from the bedroom. Orbb walked to the bedroom door and listened for a moment. The sounds of pleasure that drifted through the door made Orbb grin with satisfaction. Waerva was completely involved with her new personal guard and lover. The slave had not lied, and Orbb had remembered correctly her sister’s insatiable personality. Waerva probably had not even realized that her ward was down.

Orbb crossed the room to stand before the small, personal alter. The small marble table was cool to Orbb’s touch. A sacrificial dagger sat on the table; its eight blades making it look like a spider ready to pounce on its next meal. Orbb knelt and offered a prayer up. Then, rising, she took the sacrificial dagger and headed back towards the bedroom.

There was silence on the other side of the door now. Orbb licked her lips in anticipation and began her first casting. She swung the door open just as she finished her incantation. Orbb had only a few seconds to take in the room and its startled occupants, before a shroud of darkness descended. A dagger thrown immediately afterwards landed with a thud in the guard’s chest. Orbb heard him go down, but could not tell if he was dead. Orbb hoped he was, because she had no way to check and make sure at that moment.

Waerva had finally recovered from her surprise and was casting. A bolt of fire flew past Orbb’s shoulder, grazing it. Orbb grimaced against the pain, and Chathal, catching a small spark leaped away from her shoulder. Orbb struggled to maintain her concentration, and began a new spell, only to lose it as a hammer of power hit her in the chest, as it flung her backwards into the wall. 

Orbb reacted instinctively, responding to a lesson that a young drow male had managed to drum into her. The wizard’s spell, one of the few that she knew, was off her tongue in a flash, and Orbb sighed with the silence that followed. The spell did not always work for her, but this time it had. Through her pain, Orbb remembered those long ago lessons with Tylek and smiled.

To be continued...

*1. "I leave you my old honored enemy."
*2. Females.
*3. Warriors.