In response to the warm welcome Nefara retorts accusingly, "Mother did you send that surfacer to show me the way to the surface!?"
Blinking and without hesitation Dilarra states, "No I did not. What surfacerer?"
"Come now mother. A Bae'queshell female who calls herself Juliette and claims to be devotee of Auril! What do you take me for mother!," retorts Nefara with venom.
"A servant of Auril? Tell me more daughter," questions Dilarra evenly.
"Xas, a human female. She has the appearance of a blackguard of the ice goddess. You claim to have no knowledge of this?," asks Nefara with a lower tone, realizing that her mother is not lying.
"Nau daughter. I have not, but this is interesting news. I will have to search this human female out to make sure she is trustworthy. Describe her for me," states Dilarra with maternal patience. Nefara goes on to describe the voice, physical appearance, and equipment of Juliette in detail while Dilarra soaks in the information. At the end of the description Dilarra lets out a long sigh.
"I see now that my past will not be easily escaped, nor will it avoid casting it's shadow upon you daughter. Continue to lie about me to the others, however it is time to tell you about my life, so that you will have no surprises," states Dilarra calmly waiting for her daughter to register the gravity of her statement. While Nefara says nothing she observes her mother coolly and dispassionately and follows her to the pond at the center of the cavern where the two sit. Dilarra's hand trailing in the clean cool water as she speaks.
"I began my service to our people as a scout. I scouted out tunnels for caravans and merchants. It was in a cavern not much bigger then this one that I found a place that quickly filled with our people. I was one of the first to find it and so I was more familiar with the tunnels then most, a familiarity that saved my life on more then one occasion. What I am telling you is no excageration and truly happened, as impossible as it may sound," says Dilarra eyeing her daughter with concern and affection.
"On the surface was the shadowdale. Below that there were caverns that led to our place where two rival drow houses vied for power and control. Qu'ellar Dabel'kith and Qu'ellar Zau'Afin. I would often lead war bands into the tunnels and one cycle I was leading a group made up of a Bae'Queshell named NIl'Kah, a young Yath'Abban whose name is not important, and a few jaluken sarglitins. Although I was most familiar with the tunnels the inexperienced Yath'abban led us twice against my advice to dangerous places in the tunnels leading to the wasteful deaths of several of the sarglitins. I grew impatient. Finally the foolish Yath'abban got herself killed. I refused to bring the group back and suggested it would be better for Lolth to have the incompetent Yath'abban, but Nil'kah disagreed and brought the Yath'Abban back to the temple were the Yath'tallar brought her back to life," pausing Dilarra takes a sip of water with her hand.
"Yes mother I know this part of the story. She returned alive and accused you to be a herectic and told the temple priestesses you were so. And you had to hide in the tunnels for many cycles avoiding hunting parties in doing so. But you never did tell me how you rose to become the Dread'Guard of Zau'Afin?," asks Nefara.
Smiling at the memory Dilarra continues the tale, "Daughter I either evaded or eradicated the parties they sent to me. Ilharess Eloril herself found me three times and fought with me, and was soundly defeated each time. The last time I led a surfacer party of elves that were hunting me into the underdark, and led them to a hunting party led by Ilharess Eloril, and escaped into the tunnels and watched the two parties fight. Eventually I even drew Ilharess Eloril and Ilharess Lichi'Dichi out of the cavern they lived in with a few of their sarglitins and rothes, by sending Izz'orgoll in to insult them. In a rage they followed him out of the cavern into the tunnels where I was prepared and ready, and before the warriors and rothes of both houses, defeated both Ilharess Eloril and Ilharess Lichidichi in battle," tells Dilarra without emblishment. Pausing for a moment she watches her daughter as she listens in disbelief.
"Xas, I defeated them soundly. And I departed into the tunnels with Izz'orgoll. It was some time later that Ilharess Eloril had tracked me down in the tunnels, I believe with the help of her mother Yath'tallar Eclav. She found me and made me a bargain. If I faithfully served Eloril as her dreadguard, or bodyguard, she would have my title of heretic expunged from the temple. Ever since that time I was no longer the heretic Dilarra, but Dreadguard Dilarra, and I do not excagerate when I tell you that I was feared by all," says Dilarra chuckling.
"I have served four Ilharesses in my time but only two demanded I take the vow of service to them. Eloril and later the second Ilharess NIl'Kah. After Nil'kah I remaned in the Qu'ellar to serve Ilharess Ginthrae and finally Ilharess Moridin. As you know however the Qu'ellar is in decline and I have retreated to this place, where I raised you, my daughter," says Dilarra caressing the face of her daughter.
Wincing at the affection Nefara asks, "How does these things become a danger to me mother?"
"Because daughter I was never trusted. The title of heretic never fully left me. Also, if they knew you were my daughter that distrust and suspicion would fall to you. And truly daughter, any harm to you would be met by my battleaxe swiftly and without reservation. You could neither ascend the ladder of power of Zau'afin with my history to taint you, or the fear of my power. It is your power that your Qu'ellar must come to fear and respect. They must not doubt that you serve Lolth, as I know you do. But I have become a type of test for Loth's faithful. I have spilled more drow blood then any that I know of. I am tired of it to be honest. I live now only to keep you safe," states Dilarra matter of factly thinking to herself ruefully that she is now the dreadguard of her daughter.
"I thought I felt your eyes in the tunnels mother. I understand now why you raised me as you did. But why did you love me mother? That is not the drow way," asks Nefara.
"All mother's love their children Nefarra, though some may fane not to. They only place service to Lolth above all else, whether out of fear or out of total submission to the Goddess. I place you before all that. If the Qu'ellar knew that, they would use this agaisnt me to control me, and it would in the end spell their doom, as they would disappear in the tunnels never to be found again. I do not wish to see Zau'Afin weakened, but strengthened. Yath'Tallar Eclav told me once that when the new city was found, Maerimydra, that I would die by her hand. She was never able to complete this threat as her madness took her over and she wandered the underdark tunnels lost in time, her cackle the only thing heard from on occasion. I have lived through more threats and Ilharesses then I care to remember. So will you if you prove victorious, clever, and capable. But remember only this daughter. I survived only because I chose the time and place of my battles. Without that advantage even I could be and was bested by the treachery of our people. I am the only drow you know in Sshamath that loves you and will always act for your safety and benefit. I did not send this Juliette. But I will find out more about her and if she is a threat, I will eliminate her. If she threatens your place in Zau'Afin, I will eliminate her. If she proves an allie, she will be made to understand, that she will keep your best interests close to her heart, or I will take her heart from her, "speaks Dilarra with love in her eyes for her daughter.
Eyeing her mother in disbelief but knowing her mother never to lie Nefara follows her mother to their kitchen where a plump female snirvneblin serves a delicious family meal. Afterwards Nefara leaves her mothers keeping and returns to Sshamath to run some errands and afterwards perform some tasks at the academy. All the while to the unseen eyes of all, a lithe female drowess, wearing mithril scale and the emblem of Zau'Afin and the markings of a Dreadguard, stalks her daughter protectively.
