A message intercepted

[Storm Munin]

Father

My initial expeditions outside your household has proven quite enlightening and in part rather amusing even if the trappings you chose for me invariably seems to either make the denizens of the city either curious or appaled.
Some jaluks at present favour my company and I have met one or two citizens of the slave races which have broadened my understanding of what to expect in the world above.
Curiously I have also met an indecent amount of humans in or near our city. They all seem to share paler complexions than what I can recall from your teachings and the scrying pools.

What proof of success to your venture can be derived thus far?
Well for one there is an elder drow and a few younger ones who seems to think quite fondly of me. For another I accidentaly bluffed a trueblood dancer into thinking I really am a darthiir the other week. She actually got pretty upset about it and seemed to be out for blood. Naturally I withdrew hastily in order to protect your investment.

In short I have made a few contacts which will hopefully aid me in reaching the world above to your benefit without any leads pointing in your direction. Also drows at least can be fooled about my origins, a situation which have greatly reassured me about the prospect of success of your plan.

Fear not father, I keep myself surrounded with males at almost all times while exploring and do hire a most proficient earth genasi mercenary when willing sargtlins are scarce. Your investment is safe and learning.


I shall await any new instructions by the usual pattern.

Kisses

N.

[Melisende]

Alienor walked into the Gloura's Wing with the aches of an expedition that has lasted several cycles hanging from her shoulders. As weary as she felt, she refused to plod, the years of running, of hiding, of being a fugitive were now behind her. Freedom maybe just a concept, the illusion of which could be used to manipulate lesser beings, but she was a vagabond no more, and she was now determined to actively choose her own path.

A familiar face , spied across the room, pulled her out of her tired reverie. Alienor's lips slowly twisted into a crooked smile as she strode towards the other female.

"Barkeep, a bottle of your best elven firewine for the half-breed," she called out loudly. Though the greeting was less than polite there was no malice in her tone, and the level of camaraderie she felt came as something of a surprise even to herself.

[Storm Munin]

The din of the hall was unusually loud but even so she heard a familiar voice call for service. Peering over the shoulder of the jaluk whos lap she currently occupied she saw the wayward jalil stride towards her with a noncommital smile on her face. By reflex her face muscles responded by returning the smile before she leaned her face down to nibble at the jaluk's ear and after whispering something to him that made him blush quite fiercely she rose nimbly unfolding her long legs and glided across the floor towards the jalil. The jaluk still grinning behind her sighed happily but she could already hear the pain in his voice. Phau, this body of mine is heavily built but that has its uses, she thought as she casually straightened out the wrinkles in her fashionable yet revealing dress. Thus the tiny spiked patches she had worn at the back of her tighs beneath the dress were discreetly discarded before the two females came face to face.

As the screaming started among the jaluks around the table behind her the smile deepened and reached her eyes. In a cheery tone she suggested to her abbil: - Perhaps we should speak elsewhere?

[Melisende]

Alienor felt somewhat light-headed as she strode towards the other female, she knew it to be mostly fatigue but a sense of playfulness was also awakened in her. After years of caution, of avoiding notice, of never letting her guard down the uncalculated and unrehearsed nature of the moment gave her a thrill.

The spontaneity of leaning into the female as they reached each other, of letting her hair brush against the other's face as she leaned in to whisper in her ear reminded her of cycles long gone. Alienor inhaled the female's scent as her lips caressed her words into the other's ear. For a moment she allowed her senses to be submerged in the heady melange of musky perfume, spiced drinks, and sweat before turning for the door.

On her way out she remembered to collect the bottle of firewine.

[Storm Munin]

As dawn, what a strange concept, came her head hurt worse than ever before and her body ached in all the right places yet there was..hope in her eyes as she sat down to write.

"Father

I have have meet many strangers since i left your household and the hunting in the tunnels have given me experience and practice in my skills. By now I have met quite a few surfacers down here, and beside the paranoid ones I did not detect anyone of them seeing through the veil you made by enspelling my creation and altering what had to be altered. It is soon time for my ascent so this shall be my last letter for a time.

Before I go I wanted to tell you that I now believe that you might be not totally correct in your assessment. During my travels I met a drow jalil priestess and despite my trappings she seems to want to befriend me and I fear my heart is longing and eager to pursue this friendship, strange as it is.

Hire assassins to keep the house protected in my absense, I do not think I shall return swiftly. On that thought there is one you should consider, a drow male called Vier.

Kisses N."


As she finished writing she turned around studying the room and took in the two lithe figures still sleeping in the oversized bed and the scattered remains of a mage apprentice's costume and two dresses. The garments apparently had had no chance at all to resist the combined frantic efforts of a mageling and a priestess in the night hours. She made a grimace in dismay at having nothing to wear and glided towards the bed. Almost fondly she leaned down and kissed the still drowsy jalil on the cheek, the mageling jaluk in the center of the bed still had a hand tied with silk rope to the bedframe and slept deeply with a blissful smile upon his lips.
She contemplated waking him up demanding something to wear, but decided against it. She left the richly decorated bedchamber closing the doors behind her with merely a whisper of a sound after grabbing the letter and on a whim two scrolls from the desk.
Now, she thought, where in the name of Lolth am I and how do I get out of this household unnoticed?

[Melisende]

Alienor opened her eyes slowly, she felt contented, the soreness from the exertions of the past few hours lingered most pleasantly. She had woken from her slumber when the half-drow female arose but Alienor did not get up and instead allowed reverberations of the joyful exercise just past to wash over her consciousness. When the female came back to lay a kiss on her cheek, Alienor held her breath for a moment, taken aback and yet thrilled by the undrowlike gesture. Her lips unconsciously curled into a small smile as the moment turned into a lovely memory. Yet the half-drow's skill and fervor in bed left their mark too. Alienor's smile turned into a crooked grin: the female's performance would have put a handmaiden in heat to shame.

Alienor looked over at the prone figure next to her as the door quietly slid shut. The male proved a willing partner to their bacchanal, but he brought all the originality and verve to their sensual exercise that one would expect from the methodical and formulaic mind of a wizard. She gave no more thought to him as she rose from the bed and stretched, corded muscles dancing with her movement. A slight frown crossed her face as she noticed her ruined clothes. Then just as quickly she shrugged, walked over to the ornate wardrobe, donned the least ostentatious robe therein and, scanning in both direction, stepped into the corridor.

[Storm Munin]

As the weeks pass by without any word or proof of life from her abbil, Natalya is regressing into her previous vicious matter of fact look upon life. The only solace that brightens her day is her close friendship with the archer Vier and their excursions into the world above. Where is Alienor?

[Melisende]

Alienor felt weary as she returned to her apartments in the Crooked Tower. She peeled off her robes and stretched catlike, the muscles in her back flowing with the movement. She had forgotten just how tiresome she found the dance of words, the crafting of insults and compliments often in the same sentence. Guilhem, master of the Crooked Tower, and her patron since shortly after she had arrived in Sshamath near half a year ago now, was much better at such verbal sparring and seemed to enjoy the give and take as well. However, he insisted that she represent his interests directly in the city. She knew that he was right, even as a twinge of resentment that flashed through her thoughts. Now that she was living in a city again, she had to understand its social structure and define her position within it.

It might be ruled by a Conclave of mages, yet Sshamath was unmistakably Drow, its streets pulsing with gossip, innuendo, and an endless array of schemes. Bah! it was enough to drive one to the surface, or at the very least to distraction. Ah yes... distraction. Alienor felt a little uneasy as she recalled with a shiver of excitement a tryst from a few weeks ago. She was thrilled by the memory of her body wrapped around that of the half-breed, their hot breaths mingling and becoming one in urgent, wet, kisses. She knew then that she had been dishonest with herself, she did want more. Alienor held her breath for a moment then gave a slight shrug as a crooked smile spread across her face. It was time to see just how much trouble could come of this "relationship".