Oh, thine silver tongue..

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to Sarayn's past.]]

Under the cover of sleep, little Sarayn left the compound at her home, so near independent at a young age--an odd sense of maturity forced on her by her mother, hoping that her precious little Sarayn would one day be a merciless Matron. Ah, but on the contrary, as many decades later would write.

Her tiny form was silent, heatless due to many enchantments bestowed upon her by family members; brothers, sisters and a mother who saw the brilliant potential in her. But her actions now were of a sinful nature, against her people, her near six years of age frame holding an even smaller one within her arms--the squirming babe. He whimpered softly, as if knowing this mission were of the most import and secretive, and hardly moved.

The dark pads of her feet moved swiftly, traveling through winding alleyways and tunnels in essence to get away from the brunt of the city, and to the special meeting place. There, several drow male forms awaited her, red eyes piercing into her soul.

"Little Sarayn, how good of you to come.. as you promised." the wide-grinning leader spoke, black finger pointing to the babe, ".. is that he?"

She ignored him, beginning firm,".. Yes, I am here as promised. Now, you will fulfill your promise to me as discussed." Her little hands held out the babe.

"Ah, yes--to take care of your tiny brother.. in exchange for you." the mercenary leader chuckled, crossing arms over his chest, ".. I did not think the child of House Kenafin, Sixteenth Noble House of Menzoberranzan, was one to favor -slavery-."

"It is a means to an end.. and a necessary choice." Little Sarayn spoke, so mature for her age.

"Then, let it be so.." and he motioned to the babe, the squirming form plucked from the girl by another one of the males present.

With that, noble Sarayn turned, glancing over a small shoulder to the child, one that would now have a chance at life.. in exchange for her freedom and all she knew about her house.

Slavery--a mean to an end and a necessary choice. In the present time, Sarayn chuckled lightly, turning a page in the book and returning to her reading, thoughts of the past tossed aside.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

She laid on her side, the dark lids of her eyes threatening to snuff out the eerie glow within light blue. And then, she felt it.. a presence, undeniable, familiar. The slow deliberance of her sight over a slender shoulder allowed her gaze to fall on Selenthis, on his deep-set grin, and on his form that hugged so closely to the shadows.

Though her days had been dark and lonely save a few sporadic visits, the mercenary woman couldn't help but share his grin. Further more, she nearly jumped up from her elegant repose on the cot to settle down unceremoniously near the metal bars, to slip her hand through and touch his before the communication started.

"I was wondering when you would come to visit me, brother." the drowess signaled to the male counterpart, grin wide on her face.

"It was not necessarily easy. There is an 'approved visitors' list on which I am not. I hear you are a dangerous criminal.." he returned in the silent language of the drow, communication passed from one another by use of hand gestures.

Sarayn giggled quietly, her smile genuine, "That is what they believe, dear Selenthis."

He smiled in return, his pale hands dipping into a pouch to produce a set of tools that would easily open even the toughest of locks. But, before he could begin his work, Sarayn interrupted him with a gentle flutter of fingers.

"No. Let me serve out my sentence. If I do not, we will be hunted for a long time."

"But you will be hung!" he fingered abruptly, concern clearly writ on his handsome face.

"Dear brother, no. My sentence is nothing of the sort. They have decided on... another method of containment, so to speak. A certain piece of jewelry that forces me to follow a lawful, and honorable code."

"And if you do not follow it..?" the obvious question posed soon thereafter.

Sarayn grinned and made the make-believe motion of a hanging, tongue sticking out and all. "You know the end result.. although, they may have mentioned something a little more.. dramatic for my death. My head exploding?"

"Let us hope I am not around to clean it up." he grinned in return, his face sombering within an instant next. "Then, you will lead a life of good? In slavery?"

"Slavery? It is a means to an end. I had suffered a sort of slavery for you, dear brother. Ah, but I would hope it would be us leading a life of good.. where else would you go? Will you leave me behind? After all I have done for you?"

"All you have done for me!?" he signaled quickly, "You saved me from.. what.. Death? To experience this life?"

"I saved you from Lloth--" she began to interject.

"And from then, I have had an amazing life." His communication, though with inflection, came across clearly as sarcasm. "Filled with torment, slavery.. to -you-."

"Selenthis.. please.." she whispered to him, clearly saddened.

"No.. I will not accept--"

Sarayn seemed to narrow her eyes then, expression perhaps making evident how tired she had grown, mayhaps so tired of others not accepting her apologies. Within the next moment, her hand shot out to grab his throat, fingers to curl about it and hold it fast.

"Selenthis.. I am -sorry-, truly sorry. Please believe me."

And, at that point, accepting his end only in her hands, he closed his eyes, waiting for the worst, to feel her wrath and to finally accept death. Ah, but it never came. Instead, from the slender lengths of her fingers began to glow, surrounded by a bright and warm light, inviting. Was this death? Was this the end?

As the guards stirred from beyond, yelling, "What's going on down there!", Selenthis knew he was still alive, still moving, and now, away from the bars, to escape from the guards that began to run down the long corridor for him.

To her, he said, "Sarayn, I.." and then his face had grown pale, stunned still that his throat was able to form words, after -so many- years.

The mercenary woman gribbed tight on the bars, and screamed, "GO!", drawing him to the present time and enough to inspire him to run down the other way, into the darkness and beyond.

As the male counterpart disappeared from sight, a guard came up to her cell and slammed a sword against the metal bars, causing her to jump back in surprise, and sneered. From then, he moved off without a word, leaving Sarayn alone behind him, to wonder, to hope that her brother would be waiting once she had been let go.

Until then, until her release, she would wonder about the dreams; the drowess with silver, ankle-length hair that had bestowed upon her the gift of healing.. through prayers.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

After her release, and the eventual slumber of Elspeth, Sarayn Aluna Dala'vaesa headed out into the world once again on light of foot in essence to seek out one she desperately wanted to see; of true family.. her brother.

The brilliance of a smile writ on her face when she found him, waiting, no doubt having heard of her release, by the carcass of their own home in the slums of Myrken Town. With a running hug, she slammed into him, near giggling, whispering, "I am free." into his ear as the embrace lingered.

Selenthis extended his arms and grinned, "And how did you manage this.."

Sarayn grinned in return, "A story for another time, my dear brother." A tilt of her head, ".. and how lovely it is to hear your voice once again." But, within a moment, her tone turned serious, "Gather our companions, dear Selenthis. I do not doubt that our enemies will soon be knocking. We will need protection."

Selenthis nodded, "It is good to have you home, dear sister."

And Sarayn only replied, "Yes, it is, isn't it?"

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

Selenthis came in with a large grin on his face, near humming a dark elven tune, and stopped in front of his sister to bow. "I have returned.."

Sarayn Aluna Dala'vaesa regarded her overly-brash brother with the arch of a brow, inquiring, "Did you have fun with her?"

He mockingly placed a finger to his chin in thought, and grinned, "Why, yes. Yes, I did."

"Wonderful. Then, you will return her?"

"Oh, she escaped." he returned matter-of-factly, ".. and I think she was angry."

"She escaped..." the mercenary woman repeated, none-too-pleased, but not surprised either. "If she comes for you, you are on your own."

"Oh, I doubt she'll come after me to -kill- me. Perhaps, more of a repeat of this evening's events." he lied.

Sarayn just shook her head, but couldn't suppress the grin that flooded her features. The next few days would be interesting, indeed.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

Most definitely, it was apparent that she needed to speak with Elspeth--about a lot of things, truth be told. But about one thing in particular; why she hadn't returned last night to her home. Surprisingly, she had unexpectedly found a new one. And, she would no longer be endangering the only one she could call a friend--Sarayn was hunted, and even moreso now after her brother's forced escapades with Jirai. It was the last thing she wanted--for poor Elspeth to become yet again inconvenienced because of the dark-skinned woman.

Early the next morning, the drowess laid out neatly on her simplistically-made bed, one that proved to be surprisingly comfortable, at the Chapter House of the Shepherd Knights of the Silver Staff no less. Removed from knighthood, but not entirely banished from his presence, Sir Malaroth had welcomed her back, if only to force her into an extended servitude--to learn the virtues as truths, instead of things to follow in essence to stay alive. Ah, but Sarayn knew that there were other, more hidden reasons why the Grand Master wanted her so near. And she grinned at the thought.

With a light sigh, Sarayn Aluna Dala'vaesa slid from the bed and moved to an unadorned wall, placing a long piece of dark fabric at the base before pulling it upward slowly. The space that fabric had cleared was now revealing the long and slender being of a floor-length mirror, a thing that didn't reflect her own persona, no, but that of her brother. He grinned wide, and tapped on the glass from the other side, making a playfully pathetic sad face. With a slight smile, that soon bloomed into a grin, the mercenary woman spoke the magical word and the mirror opened, allowing the other to come through.

Selenthis looked around, and chuckled, "Ah, your little hell away from home. How.. quaint."

Sarayn moved to the bed and settled down, locking her legs at the ankles, "We have business to discuss."

Her brother let forth a dramatic sigh and settled down next to her, expression serious, "What is it?"

"You must take the leadership of our.. companions. Not only is it a directive, but... I simply do not want to be responsible for your actions. Nor do I want to know what you do. If I knew anything, I would simply have to turn you in, or answer questions, if Calomel bade it. And that is not something I want to do. Ever. Perhaps, it is even best if I do not know where you and the others are dwelling."

His expression softened and he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, ".. are you worried, dear sister?"

Sarayn bit her lower lip, whispering, "I just don't know what I would do without y--"

"Shh.." he interrupted, placing a finger to her lips, "You need not worry about -that-. I will be here even after -you- have passed on." And he grinned.

"Promise?" she shared his grin, however weaker it appeared to be.

"Mmhmm." he thought for a moment, "Leadership, hm? I wonder how many deliciously naughty things I could do with that."

Sarayn frowned, "I expect you to behave, Selenthis. I do not want to see you hanging at the end of a rope. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand." but he was obviously pre-occupied.

"Selenthis.. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I do." and he looked at her hard, frowning.

"Good." and she smiled, "No doubt the Governor will hear of your... escapades with Jirai. I suggest keeping yourself scarce."

"It would be my hope that the Governor a little more wiser than to chase after mere figments of his imagination, than the very real threat of murderers and criminals. Beautiful Jirai included." He chuckled, "We.. just have a warped sense of justice, no?"

Sarayn grinned in return, simply shaking her head. And her brother rose to leave, one foot into the mirror, a glance over one shoulder, "Shall I come to your rescue if Malaroth chooses to take you in your sleep?" he grinned.

The mercenary woman chuckled and thought for a moment, "Mmm, no. Pretend you don't hear a thing."

Selenthis nodded, winked, disappearing beyond into the mirror, and half-way across Myrken Town from her locale.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to Sarayn's past.]]

The blood-curdling scream from the other room caused a much-older Sarayn to merely glance upward from her book, an action soon remedied as her light blue eyes found words again, and began to read.

From the direction behind her, from the room in which a parting breath was uttered, Matron Kyrnill Kenafin, her terrible-tempered mother, came storming out, pausing enough to bark orders at her most favored daughter.

"I desire a new patron, Sarayn. Gather up the house males, order them to fight to the death, and bring the survivor to me. If, however, the survivor is maimed in any way, I expect you to kill him. I will not accept anything less than pure perfection." The Matron exhaled, tilting her head backward to the room, ".. and clean -that- up."

Left in her mother's angry wake, Sarayn waited until the other was far out of sight before breathing a chuckle. Ah, how ironic that Selenthis, her dear brother, retained the same temper as his mother.

Lazily, the false priestess of Lloth rose from her languid position, to will long and graceful legs toward the back room, in which a mess awaited her. Entrails, blood, a head rolled off to the side.. Sarayn yawned, and tilted her head, gazing into the now-lifeless eyes of the dead mate of her ill-tempered mother, the husk of a thing that laid at her feet. Could he have been her father? Perhaps, that of Selenthis?

Sarayn shrugged, not caring in the least, and began cleaning up the filth.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to Sarayn's past.]]

She had only invited--no, commanded--the very best males for her mother's amusement in the sick play of cunning and skill; a dance to the death to win the affection of a creature who, within a week or so, would trade him out for another one--trash, and every last one of them effortlessly expendable.

While her mother waited within her bed chambers for the victor, Sarayn dangled pert little feet from the throne on which she sat, long and slender legs draped over the side of one arm, and body in a languid repose across it. As the males quietly knelt, waiting her order, the Matron's favored daughter yawned and waved a hand dismissively.

Such a simple gesture resulted in such a fierce reaction.

Blades clashed, fire erupted, and screams ripped from throats, all bringing about the laughter of her sisters who watched beside her, eager to see the result. But, ah, they cared not if any survived, or if mother found a new mate, no, but simply the -joy-, and -spectacle- of it all.

Sarayn ignored the rest, and trained the ice blue of her eyes on one; on a drow male exquisitely fit, and masterful with the blades held so effortlessly in his hands, destruction and the bodies of those inferior tumbling away and left in his wake. The favored daughter near held her breath, almost screamed out in warning as another male approached him, hoping to deliver a cunning maneuver into the back of the one she prayed would win. Her favored combatant spun gracefully, using the momentum to dart his sword diagonally, swiftly lobbing off the betrayer's head before turning again to dispatch another unfortunate victim.

To her side, her sisters began to whisper, pointing at him, and Sarayn felt pride well within her soul, hiding a smile that threatened to covet her stunningly beautiful face with the slip of a finger. The favored daughter tried to appear disinterested, but her eyes always flittered back to him, to he that would prove skillful enough to win the day.

The game lasted only a few minutes more, the victor, her favored combatant, ending it all by driving deep his sword into the chest of the last survivor, only to then cut off the now-dead male's head and place it at her feet with a winning grin. He bowed, the show complete.

The favored daughter gathered every fiber of her being to settle the grin that yearned to break free, her tone even, cold, "What is your name, male?"

His grin was brash, arrogant.. infectious. "Selenthis, favored daughter."

His handsome face, his arrogance, and perfect form covered thick in the blood of his victims.. she near shuddered with joy, keeping it beneath the calm surface of stoicism. "Very well, Selenthis. Matron Kyrnill Kenafin awaits you.."

As he winked, and sauntered off, the sisters around her gasped and near cursed him for extending such an insulting, and unheard of gesture toward the favored daughter of House Kenafin. Sarayn drowned them out, and could only think to herself...

'Well done, brother. Well done, indeed.'

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to Selenthis' past.]]

Once in the inner chamber, Selenthis closed the door softly behind him, scouring the interior of the extravagantly decorated room with the chill of grey eyes. Silence. With hands behind his back, he turned the ring resting quietly on his small finger, with it casting a spell of sound absorption that prevented sound from -within- the room from getting -out-. Ah, true privacy.

He advanced a step, training his eyes on the faint outline of heat in one of the corners, and allowed the simple and cool silhouette of a finely-crafted dagger to slip hidden into his hands; a blade that, with a word, would extend to sword's length should the dire need arise. Not moments later, the woman he was born to hate came bleeding from the darkness, advancing slowly only to then begin encircling him, running the hatred of her red eyes hungrily over his form.

"-You- are to be my new mate, then?" she said while behind him, whispering the cruelty of her words into his ear. The very sound of her voice inspired a chill to leap down the length of his spine.

He gazed at her as she rounded the front of him and said nothing, fighting back the bile that rose in his throat.

"Very well."

The Matron slipped the diaphanous gown from her shoulders and beyond, revealing the length of her now-nude figure, curves and skin perfect with gently-swelling hips born of dreams and harboring the desire of all mortal men.

Selenthis stood unimpressed.

Kyrnill Kenafin frowned deeply, the sharpness of her words a mere bitter taste of the inner rage she felt. "Get on your knees."

"No.." he began, the cool dawning of a smile unleashing across his lips, ".. it will be -you- who will be getting on her knees."

Her beautiful face steeled, the brief flare of her nostrils exhaling a breath wrought of fury, her face heating up to his heat-sensing gaze. With the fluidity of motion, the Matron donned her robe and sauntered over to her bed to retrieve the five, snake-headed whip that yearned to maim and bleed.

He was amused.

"Then, we shall begin our joining with a beating.." she purred, her hips playing a rhythmic melody for his eyes as she advanced closer.

"Oh, you have no idea the fun we will have.. mother."

The drowess frowned deeply, hissing in his face, ".. that does -nothing- for me."

"Ah," he whispered against a pointed ear, the haunt of his chuckle a resonant tune of the sick intentions beneath his cool exterior, ".. but it does -everything- for me."

Kyrnill growled and gripped the handle of the whip tighter, lifting it upward swiftly and then downward in essence to beat senseless the male that dared mouth off to her. But the whip never came close enough, all five heads severed neatly with one perfectly executed swipe of the blade that was once effortlessly hidden from hate-filled eyes.

The Matron gasped, anger piercing her red eyes as she looked at the now-useless whip in her hands. Rage had blinded her, causing her to scream out, "You will die for your insolence!" and send a tightly-balled fist in his direction, toward his face.

Selenthis merely took a step backward to clear the terribly-executed attack, seizing the step he had lost with precision and strength, to send a punch straight back at her. The only difference was.. his hit.

The drowess stumbled back several steps, gasping and holding her delicate face, blood trickling down from where he had hit her hard. Before she could even think, he was at her again, behind her now, throwing her onto the bed and following thereafter with her hair held roughly in his hand.

"This is my favorite part, mother. I have -dreamt- of this moment.. where I introduce myself as the third-born son you hoped to have sacrificed to your bitch of a goddess, to tell you that your favored -daughter- saved me from an end wrought by -your- hands."

Unable to speak, so stunned by his revelation, Kyrnill gasped for air, locking the -fear- of her eyes with that of her son, whispering so weakly, ".. Sarayn ..?"

"Ah, yes, a lovely woman.. one I have had -many- times. Just as I will have you.. -now-."

The Matron swallowed her fear, beautiful face contorting into a mask of rage, "I will have the skin flayed from your bones for this!"

"Please do not inspire me to rip out your tongue.. at least, not before I have put it to good use." he purred, using the strength of fingers to rip the delicate fabric of the robe she wore.

And somewhere, within the darkness of a private room, with each following blood-curdling scream and violent motion the male inflicted upon her mother, Sarayn writhed in mounting, unimaginable ecstasy, inspired by the trinklet they both wore on the ring finger of their right hands.

---

After many long hours of torture, Matron Kyrnill Kenafin sat with near-glazed eyes on her bed, sitting upright and blankly staring at her son who stood in front of a floor-length mirror with her entrails wrapped around his shoulders.

He grinned sickly back at her, covered thick in her blood, and cooed, "What do you think? Is this my color?"

Kyrnill said nothing, and couldn't. Her cut-out tongue rested neatly on her lap.

"Oh, but you are now a bore, mother." he purred, tossing the gore from him and onto the floor, ".. I will see you in the deepest of hells. Warm a spot for me, hm?" And with that, he placed his hands on either side of her head and simply twisted it to the side, the motion emitting a sickening crack of bone and a splatter of blood from her mouth. He chuckled lightly, near -happy-, and tipped her body over from the length of the bed as if she had been a discarded -doll-.

"Come to me, Sarayn.. let us celebrate her death.. together."

And he could feel the unbridled excitement of the other, and knew that, within moments, she would be at his side and on the blood-stained bed that had once belonged to the mother that they both shared.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to the past of both Sarayn and Selenthis.]]

Thunderous sounds woke Sarayn from her deep, satisfied sleep, the essence of light blue eyes opening slowly in response to the continuous sound.. and the beginning cries of startled house mates. The favored daughter yawned lazily and stirred, sitting upward slowly from her mother's bed to slip on the light robe she had carried with her, the fleeting glimpse of her naked form covered in blood.. the life fluid her dearest Matron had shed beneath the might and power of her brother's torture. She craned the elegance of her dark throat then, to glance at him, his angled features and naked form, smiling in appreciation. Ah, but the silent moment of perusal was interrupted by a particularly loud explosion and following screams, a combination that shook the very core of her with glee.. and the house itself.

"Selenthis.. they are here. We must finish this." she spoke sharply, rising in fluid movement toward the door of the room.

It was his turn to yawn, roll over and wave a dismissive hand as if the destruction of their house didn't matter. As if, they remaining -inside- didn't matter.

"Selenthis! Now!" she shouted urgently, finally rousing him from his sleep and drawing him closer to her after several long moments of preparation.

Together, they exited the room into the hallway, into the outer chamber where her mother's throne rested coldly. Brothers and sisters shouted orders as foreign soldiers came tumbling in, many of House Kenafin's guards attempting in vain to keep them at bay.

The second daughter turned to Sarayn and screamed, "Get the Matron! Our house is under siege!"

Sarayn smiled coldly, purring words forth from dark lips, "I know, dear sister. I invited them." And, with the effortless ease of a horizontal cut, Sarayn slit her sister's throat, cackling as the other gurgled down to her death.

Selenthis had parted her company far before that touching exchange, joining the fray in essence to hack down as many of his house mates as possible before the dire need to escape could not be ignored.

Soldiers of House Druu'giir, Seventeenth House of Menzoberranzan, continued the slaughter, ignoring both the favored daughter and her brother, until the house stood as only a burned out husk of ever-lasting amusement. And, with House Kenafin destroyed and out of the memory of the chaos-loving drow, House Druu'giir ascended in rank, leaving Sarayn and her brother the only remaining survivors of the once-existed house--to disappear and to never be heard of again...

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

With the hissing darkness left behind her, Sarayn Dala'vaesa had always come to this point in her dream--to face the dark elven beauty before her, she who possessed ankle-length hair of glowing silver and no name.

The usual question broke from her lips, expecting naught an answer from she who continually teased her with the lack of identity.

"Who are you..?"

But this dream was different--it held different attributes, and more positive undertones. The darkness of her past had always clung to her, had distanced from her ever so slightly as she stood in the moon-lit glade. Now, the dark hands that reached for her were nothing more than a simple memory, and the only visitation that it ever existed was the ever-so faint hissing in the background. And the woman's face.. it had become so clear to her, so vibrant, so.. warm and accepting. Her heart near sang.. but it wasn't the organ inside her chest that produced the near heavenly deliverance of prose created from vocal cords--no, but the real promise of salvation intoned by the voices of angels. The singing.. oh, the singing. The ebb and flow of the very real song brought tears to her eyes, her thoughts in her mind begging to be released, to ask again in near desperation--

"Who are you...?"

"Sarayn.. you have changed. You have accepted the very good, and pure qualities felt by once-enemies. You have turned away from your dark path, to seek what it is to be loved and cared for by another.. Finally, you will know who I am.."

"I am Eilistraee.."

The rush of the revelation consumed her, caused Sarayn to close her eyes as if the struggle to know had been so exhausting. She fell backward and all went dark..

And in her small bed at the Chapter House, Sarayn Aluna Dala'vaesa gasped lightly and sat up in her bed, clutching her small hands to her heart--he had saved her. By his grace, by his acceptance, Malaroth had saved her.

But she screamed in pain, the terrible and horrible anguish assaulting her like that of a wickedly-edged dagger. She could feel Myrken Wood dying, could feel the very real despair of her people and the haunted cries in the night, so caused by the Ashfiend's merciless rampage. And it made her ache with sorrow.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

"So, another great plains cat is hunting in my territory." her brother lamented with an overly-dramatic sigh before biting deep into the red apple in his hand--the ruse of stress melting away into a wide grin and a bout of dark laughter.

Having woken from her terrible dream, Sarayn proceeded to tell her beloved brother many of the occurrences that had happened between his departure and expected, welcomed, return.

The drowess frowned deeply and glanced upward from her still-bloodied hands, delicate and dark lengths she began cleaning off with a clean rag. "I do not see what is so humorous about one who catches his prey with a ball and chain."

Selenthis' grey eyes alighted with mischief, "Ah, so then he is compensating for something he lacks?" and his grin couldn't be wider.

Sarayn paused in her cleaning, to angle her eyes side-long, and whisper, "Not.. . . necessarily."

The other regarded her suddenly, full on, with an incredulous expression painted across his handsome features, ".. what..?" He paused, narrowing his eyes, but definitely not in an angered manner, ".. what is -that- suppose to mean?"

The drowess fell silent and continued the work on her hands, splaying fingers outward to inspect as her brother continued on.

"I leave for a couple of days, and you are out fraternizing with half of the drow male population."

She snapped her gaze to him, "Excuse me.. but I have not -fraternized- with anyone since we came here."

Selenthis grinned then, taking a bite out of the apple before a slender finger pointed to his throat, and then to hers, "You realize you cannot lie.."

And, even as he said his words, the collar around her neck emitted a horrible tick-ticking sound, to which she said, "You are right and I apologize. I lied." It was if she had flipped an unseen switch, for all went quiet around the slender column of her throat. "But I did not do anything with.. .. -him-. My hand.. grazed.. things while I reached out for an attack." And she made a clenching motion with her now-clean digits.

The expression on Selenthis' face went from grinning, to that of a pained one, he uncomfortably crossing his legs and muttering, "You bitch."

"Amusing. He said the same thing. In fact.." she said, turning to face him after having thrown the dirty rag into a corner, ".. you and he are very much alike. Frightingly alike, even."

"That is a -terrible- thing to say." he began, setting the apple core aside with a rogue-ish smile, ".. I'd like to think that I am far more handsome."

Sarayn giggled, but then turned somber moments afterward, "I am glad that you have come home."

Selenthis clicked his tongue and waved a dismissive hand to her budding emotion, commenting, "Yes, just in time to save you from new predators."

"I can handle him myself.." she interjected quickly.

"Yes, I believe you.. that is why I found you unconscious at the foot of a tree, left for wolves, and Fiends.. and.. knights, to find you and desecrate you while you peacefully slept." came his answer, limned in sarcasm.

"Selenthis, please.. just let me deal with this on my own." Sarayn near pleaded, pretty face in an expression of concern.

And he waved a dismissive hand to her, accepting, and quickly moving on, "And what is this.. Eilistraee business?"

The drowess shrugged, and whispered, "She came to me in my dreams and finally revealed who she was. She has given me gifts, Selenthis. Wonderful and horrible at the same time."

"Lovely. Then my sister is good?" he snorted.

"Mostly." she grinned deviously.

And he grinned in return, chuckling darkly while simply shaking his head. Ah, it was good to be home.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

Far hidden from the prying eyes of enemies and friends alike, the home was tucked away, though not so far under the earth as their rightful birthplace, but wrought in stone all the same.

Sarayn cleared the threshold to a room in which Selenthis sat sharpening a crudely-edged blade, the grin on her face darkly telling.

Her brother looked up from his work and arched a brow, muttering, "Why do I get the feeling that the cat has caught the mouse?"

"You will never guess from where I have come and from whom, dear brother." she began while leaning her svelte frame against the makeshift door frame.

"Enlighten me." he plainly said, returning the stone to the liquid sheen of the blade.

"From the Governor's office.." and when that didn't alight her brother's eyes, she said, ".. changes were made to the collar."

The motion of his thin hands stopped and cold grey eyes, naturally so from the years of life in the city of drow, raised to meet her own.

"The consequences lessened even.. Is that not surprising? Instead of death for my sins, pain will be inflicted depending on the severity of the action."

Selenthis grinned a terribly evil thing, leaning back in the extravagant chair with arms laced over his chest, ".. pain? So, instead of punishment, he wishes to reward you for ill deeds?"

The drowess giggled profusely, to which he joined in with his own dark laughter--no doubt further betraying the terrible and twisted lives all drow lead.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay. (I'm going on vacation for a week!!)]]

The thundering footfalls against the cold stone of the Chapter House betrayed that a torrential female inhabited its walls, the dark skin of her face contorted into the irreversible depths of a frown. Many a knight and squire moved out of her way, her svelte form soon disappearing into her chosen room with the sweep of a slight arm and the crash of a door behind her. Inside, a familiar voice greeted her.

"The knight is a fool for rejecting you.." Selenthis muttered, words and tone aiming to please his angry sister.

"Let us leave this place. I need time away.." she hissed back suddenly, ignoring his comment, while gathering items needed for such a trip.

"To home..?" her brother said nearly too excited.

"Yes, to home.."

And that was that. For a week, the drowess would not appear; not in a tavern, the Chapter House, nor anywhere else.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

Beyond the reaches of the sun, away from the tendrils of fear that had been cast over Myrken Wood, from the shadow of the Ashfiend and tentative alliances with Dukes and Governors.. was a place far more terrible and dark. Mazes of cavernous tunnels opened up to a city born out of hatred, ruled by matriarchal society that worshiped a goddess bent on chaos. Homes and ruling houses were carved from stalagmites and stalactites, lighted with harmless flames, and betrayal ruled as the word of the day; time without light, without season.

The Underdark.

Sarayn lifted her chin upward and shot a glare toward a male who dared to make eye contact her, parading as the stereotypical matron with an air of suffocating arrogance and regality; and all of it to fit in. Selenthis followed behind her with head lowered, cringing in fealty as she turned on him suddenly to whisper harsh words to whatever imaginary sin he had just committed. Around them, females laughed, having accepted the ruse as truth--and why wouldn't they? Many years had served as practice for the unusual duo; a falsity of Lloth-praised daughter, and the brother who never existed. And, even when seen together, no one ever thought them to be related.. nor caught on to their secret and sinful relationship.

With a snarl, Sarayn continued on, stomping her delicate, slippered feet against the cold and lifeless stone below, her exquisitely dark face imprisoned in an encasement of insult and mood torrential. The pair weaved through the many streets and alleyways of the city, stopping in front of a painfully plain establishment where a familiar face dwelled within its stone walls. The farce of a matron slammed her fist against the door and waited for only a moment before it opened to reveal yet another dark face. Ushered in, Sarayn and Selenthis disappeared.

The frown on her face melted immediately and she grinned, whispering, "Neldam.."

The drow male shared her grin and stepped forward with arms outstretched in an embrace, a thing Sarayn readily took to, and much to Selenthis' immensely cold glare. "It has been too long, Sarayn.."

"Indeed it has.." she returned softly.

Selenthis leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his finely-muscled chest, the frown on his handsome face only deepening. "That is enough.." came the snap of his words.

Neldam parted the embrace and motioned for Sarayn to move further inside the small abode, casting the smugness of a smile toward her brother. "Ah, Selenthis. Still alive I see."

The other male stepped in to place sneering face near his, muttering coldly, "As are you.. but that can change." And without another word, Selenthis moved in after his sister, leaving Neldam behind to grin and simply shake his head.

The room beyond the main entry way was far different from the simplicity of the outside; lavish, and with trinket a plenty. The atmosphere of the living room was dark, and a fireplace glowed faintly with freshly-lit embers, casting a play of light and shadow among the furniture. In front of the hearth, facing each other and with an ornate coffee table in between, rested two burgundy couches, decorated with comfortable and expensive pillows in silk and velvet.

The drowess moved toward the couch closest to the door and settled within its cushions with a fluttering of grace--and Neldam moved to sit next to her until his arm was abruptly seized and the force of the following nudge bade him to seek a place elsewhere. And Neldam's only reaction to Selenthis' antics was a dark chuckle as he lowered himself within the twin replica across from her.

"I am surprised to see you here.." Neldam began, his gaze never wavering from her ill-tempered brother as he settled in next to the hearth; back facing the wall and arm casually resting on the mantle.

"I thought it would be nice to visit.. to.. see old friends." Though, in this context, the word 'friend' had an entirely different meaning to the two.

Selenthis fidgeted.

"I do not entirely believe you, Sarayn. What is troubling you?" Neldam took a moment to part his attentions from her brother, to focus on her while mouth moved to form silent words and fingers weaving to create gestures.

'Detect Lies and detect magic', Sarayn mused inwardly with a smile, pre-cautionary measures for all intelligent drow who had lived many years within their treacherous city. And, had Selenthis not recognized the faint whisperings and gestures of the spells himself, Neldam would no doubt had stopped breathing then and there--with a blade lodged in his throat.

"I needed a break, Neldam. From the suffocating hypocrisy of those living above us."

"Are you not being accepted as you had hoped?" he interjected quickly, the indication of a dark finger pointed at her throat. "You realize we do have means of removing -that-."

Sarayn chuckled slightly, caressing the collar with a gentle finger and, beneath it, the metallic and sentient thing stirred. "That is unnecessary. I rather think it a beautiful accessory. Do you not agree?"

"It -is- remarkable.." Neldam began while rising to his feet, as if to venture closer to take a careful, meticulous look. Selenthis cleared his throat and, upon meeting his gaze with that of the wizard, pointed to the cushions the other had just occupied.

The wizard chuckled again and sat down, ignoring him further and returning his red eyes to the drowess in front of him. "You accept being a slave to the light-dwelling races, Sarayn? I had thought you better than that."

"I do what I must to survive, Neldam." she returned quickly, resting her long and shapely legs over one another. "I will bide my time.."

"Until what? You are accepted? .. why?" Yet again, another male with a flippant tongue. "You were favored by Lloth and you could have become a matron. Quite possibly sending your house into the top reaches of the city. Why would you throw all of that away?"

"Do not doubt her motives and desires, wizard." Selenthis snapped.

Sarayn turned a cold, silencing glare on her brother before shifting her eyes to Neldam again, "I have my reasons, my friend. I have so many years beyond me. I can return whenever I wish to rule the city in which I was born. All is not lost. But I grow tired of the constant betrayal, of the trickery. Is there not more to this life than that? Is there not love--"

"Love does not exist, and it would be better if you were to realize this now." Neldam shot in.

"You dare interrupt her.." Selenthis started, taking a step toward the offender.

The drowess snapped a glare on him again, hissing, "Get out."

The other male froze under her sudden anger and frowned deeply, "But.."

"Get out! Now!"

And with a snarl, Selenthis whirled and thundered from the room, issuing Neldam a cold glare as the other grinned smugly.

"Love does exist, Neldam." Sarayn continued, ".. I see it every day in the eyes of those that surround me. Unfortunately, I have yet to experience it myself."

"It is a weak and dangerous thing, Sarayn."

Sarayn sauntered closer to him and settled down into the cushions on his couch, delicate and dark hand on his thigh. "Perhaps so. But.. perhaps it is worth it. If not, I have many years to discover this and I am patient. I just--I long for something else. Something other than this world we are living in. And I know you understand.."

Neldam's eyes dropped to the hand and nodded.

"Besides. Becoming a matron and enslaving worthless males is not a challenge. But, ah, being accepted by those living above is. And you know how much I love challenges." And she winked. "But that is not to say that a break once in a while from the judgment, the sneers and rejection is not needed."

The wizard chuckled and leaned back, regarding her, ".. now that you are here, then, what do you plan to fill your days with?"

Here, the drowess grinned broadly, the intent of the gesture a sick thing--"Hunting, of course."

And the both of them shared a cold and dark laugh.

[ShadowRose]

[[OOC: In reference to roleplay.]]

Hunting. The art of tracking down game for sport or necessity. But when participating in it against one's own kind, it can be either.. or both.

Sarayn sauntered down the main street of her birth city with head held high, and movements the epitome of grace. Behind her stalked five companions; the two females flanking her sides and the rest of the males lagging behind and with eyes downcast. It was the modicum of normal drow life; the matron of the house and her most trusted guards following close. And all was as it should be.

She passed males and females alike; the former never once meeting her eyes and the latter nodding their respects. And yet one male caught her eye.. He was extremely thin, and wore the attire of a wizard, his red glowing eyes downcast as per the usual for male behavior. Ah, but it was what he had in tow that made her pause, begged her to stop and stare. The wreck of a small boy, nor more than eight years of age, slipped silently behind the male, serving as a slave--but a child? Children were viewed as weak, as terrible servants, unless.. . . Sarayn narrowed her eyes and concluded that the child could have only been used as an experiment, or worse, even darker fates.

The precious thing.. She looked at him then and her heart nearly melted; his face was painted with fear and despair, his hair blond and, when he made direct eye contact, she could see that his eyes were the color of cerulean storms. Her thoughts immediately went to the knight that had practically rejected her on the night of her departure, and she sighed heavily. The little boy was a near replica; to the down-trodden expression, and to the human blood that ran through his veins.

As the pair passed the farce of a matron, she could feel the sudden tense air between slaver and boy--the child had sinned, had met eyes with a matron, and it was a thing that normally ended in death of both master and slave. And she would undoubtedly play the part. The chain attached to the collar around the boy's neck was tugged harshly in punishment and Sarayn nodded her head to Alya, the cleric of Lloth, who remained close at her side.

"You there!" Alya shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the slaver.

He turned slowly, reluctantly, and stopped in his tracks, frozen in fear.

"Your slave has insulted my matron and for that you will be punished." she screamed in his face, nearing, her eyes heated with hatred.

The slaver flinched and cowered beneath her rage, as did the child, too stunned to cry and far too imprisoned to run.

Sarayn approached then and placed a calming hand on the cleric's shoulder, passing her to dip thin fingers beneath the slaver's chin in essence to raise his eyes to hers. "Do you know what happens to slavers that cannot control their property?" she purred, running the pad of a finger against his lower lip. She leaned in and whispered, "Death.. but I will forgive you, if you do something for me."

The would-be wizard shook in his place, and pleaded with a weak voice, ".. please. Anything."

"Give me the child. I wish to punish him myself." she cooed.

"Yes, please. Please take him. He is worthless to me. Please let me live." he begged, holding out the chain to the matron.

Her dark hands shot outward to grasp the chain and she drew the child near to her, smiling a devilish thing to the unfortunate slaver who was now without his property. With that, she whirled on a satin slipper and tugged the chain, whispering in common, "Come along, child."

The small crowd of matron and protectors choose a small alleyway and left the main street, walking a few steps before taking another. It ended abruptly, and provided no means of escape.

Selenthis walked the length of the abandoned alleyway and searched it thoroughly as the others watched, awaiting his word, and finally said, "This is perfect."

The rest of his companions grinned.

Sarayn chuckled darkly and turned to the child who had pressed his back harshly against one of the walls, beautiful blue eyes downcast and still. The matron lowered herself to his level on dark knees and lifted his eyes to hers with a gentle finger beneath chin. "What is your name, child?" she whispered in common.

The little boy swallowed hard and his eyes began to tear. He was so afraid. "Lu--Lucian.." he spoke in a voice barely audible.

"Lucian.." she echoed with the brilliance of a soft smile, a thing the boy did not reciprocate. "That is a lovely name." His eyes fell earthward again out of habit, and she began again with words sweet, "Would you like to go home..? To the surface?"

His eyes immediately met hers and the slightest touch of a smile came to his face. But he said nothing.

"I will take you home with me, to the surface--to a home with a warm bed, with toys all of your own.. food. Knights.. do you like knights, Lucian?"

The little boy nodded his head again and rubbed little blue eyes that began to tear even more at the promise of home filled with light and warmth.

"Will you help me then? Will you help me do something? We can go home then." she inquired softly, brushing fingers against his dirty cheek. And with the nod of his head, he agreed.

Let the hunt begin.