Soooooo sorry! this has taken me forever to post the second chapter, but now its here. Be warned MAJOR time skip! I'm renaming the previous one to Prologue because of such.

The only reason i skipped his childhood is because there wasn't much to tell. All Drow boys are just treated BADLY, so found it boring. ENJOY! ^^

R&R

Zaknafein's eyes stared upon the floor, his sister's eyes staring him down with a large smile on her face. As Matron Mother she found pride in knowing she could promote her brother to Secondboy of the house.

It had been a while since Zak's mother had been killed, the perpetrator was unknown, but the suspected persons were put to death directly. Frankly, he was glad. If her face was as cruel as her voice, he never wanted to witness such. Valdiira's face alone, always wrapped in a twisted and cruel grin yet horrifyingly beautiful, sent shivers down Zaknafein's spine.

"You have done well, Zaknafein Helviate." Matron Valdiira's voice rang through the main hall. All the while he did not look to her face. "And you have reached the age; you are now no longer a page prince. We welcome you to the family as Secondboy" She paused and he waited for instruction. He knew that being a page prince would mean he no longer needed to serve the house, like a dog, but he still expected her to wish something of him. "Look at me." Zaknafein's heart seemed to pause.

Was it a trick? Would he be beaten for looking up at her? He wished deeply for it not to be so because he decided, in the end, to look. He feared a greater punishment for not following direct orders. There was a moment of terror in his heart but his sisters face softened, as much as a Drow woman's face could soften that is, and her mouth curved into a smile. He was intensely obedient for a page prince. Usually it would take a second time of yelling to get them to look up.

"Zekafae!" The Elderboy straightened up and looked to her. "Get his clothing." he nodded and grabbed a pair of boots and Zaknafein's piwafwi, along with two other articles of clothing for his torso and legs.

"Hurry and dress in these." Zak's sister demanded as his brother shoved the clothing into his arms. He looked to the Matron hesitantly but before she could get the chance to punish him for his pause in his actions he began undressing and replacing his new clothing on his body.

Zekafae looked to him, his head held a bit too high, knowing that the second-boy had more purpose than he would ever have, but he would not show that he knew it. He tried hard, internally, to keep whatever pride he had left. He was basically useless in the family but he would find meaning lest he be put to death. After Valdiira told him he was not to train the boy as their mother had previously said, and the beating that followed for talking back, he found it best to lie low and try not to upset the order of the room.

"Well, my son," Valdiira said with a smile on her face. She rose to her feet, hands out in a warm manor, again as warm as a Drow woman could accomplish toward a male. Zak almost cringed at the thought that she called him her "son", but he dared not show it. "You will be trained in swords play by the greatest." she motioned to the door, where now standing, was a Drow male with a bored expression on his face. He was not well known when looked at. His face was no where near recognizable.

Of course it was not recognizable, though. He was of the lower houses, one where the women were less in control, if not in equal control with the males. They bothered nobody, they followed nobody's rules, and they were, in fact, their own people. Lolth did not disfavor them, nor did she look highly on them. They were simply just there.

But what of this Drow male? Why was he to train Zaknafein? Zekafae questioned this in his mind, as did Zak himself. It was a curious situation and they found their sister, now Matron Mother, quite foolish and confusing. They were the lowest of the high. He seemed to be from so low a house that even they didn't know who he was, and that was saying something.

Was this the will of the previous woman, the mother of Zaknafein whom he did not get one chance to look at? Was it simply the choice, the foolish choice, of Valdiira? So many scenarios flew through Zek's mind.

Then, into action the mysterious Drow flew. He sensed the doubt in the family, those who were not the Matron of course. His swords flashed brilliantly in the very dull purple glow of the small hall. His form twisted and thrust in ways that were alien to Zaknafein. He did not find that a person could possibly twist in such ways to block or kill the enemies that were, as of now. Not present. He parried the invisible in brilliant and exciting ways.

The tip of his sword touched the tip of Zaknafein's nose, sending his heart racing. He did not cringe or move, despite the fact that he felt a small amount of warmth come down to his upper lip.

"Drin will be your private trainer, my brother." Valdiira told him with a purr in her voice. "He is the finest, though the least looked upon man in our society today. He is skilled in more ways than the drow know. He has seen the surface and dwelled among the walkers of such for years at a time, witnessing the harsh orb of light every wretched day." Already, Zaknafein had found a hero in the man. Drin just yawned, a bit bored of the Matron.

"Means of payment." He stated a bit too harshly. If he had been under Valdiira for real he would have been struck down but she took in a harsh breath and blew it off.

"Zekafae!" she snapped angrily. The boy tossed Drin his payment. He untied the small pouch and counted his pieces, fingers tracing every single piece before he nodded to her. Zak wiped his upperlip of the drop of blood, as well as his nose, trying to keep his new clothing clean as possible. He didn't want to look so sloppy his first day as Second-boy.

"I will take the boy into my care for the next ten years." Drin started, resheathing his sword. "You are not to come in contact with him." The woman straightened up. Zak looked up at the man, then elsewhere, trying to find some way of cleaning off his hands that were lightly smeared with blood.

"How will I know he is being taught in a way that I find best."

"He is not yours to care for now. I will make sure you have your master and I will make sure I collect my payment every ten-day. None else is of your concern." Matron Valdiira scowled at him.

"I feel for your mate, she must have such a low position in your family. It is no surprise that your family is so low in our society. With a male leading only the worst must befall you." She paused in the pace she had started in and Drin crossed his arms again, staring darkly at her. A smile crept across her horridly beautiful face. It seems she was striking a small twinge of anger with the man "Lolth only knows of the prayers she spills every night for the spider queen herself come and cut you down."

"Do you wish this one to be trained? I would not speak so low of my family or my wife if I were you Valdiira Helviate. We are of similar blood but I find no remorse in striking you where you stand, your entire house." The woman stared at him a moment with such a look of outrage that it seemed she would destroy him on the spot.

Not now, she decided quietly.

"Take the boy, then. I find no use for him until he is grown. Return in a ten-day and your second payment will be ready." Drin nodded and put his hand on Zak's shoulder. At first it seemed kindly but then the man bundled Zak's cloak in his hand and started out the door, keeping him directly to his side. "Train him well!" The Matron Mother yelled to him and Drin didn't do anything to assure her that he would. He only walked out, less than dragging Zak at his side.

The entered the streets of Menzoberranzan and Drin sighed, letting Zaknafien go. The boy looked to his hands that were now crusted, slightly, with dried blood.

"This society of women really pisses me off." Drin mumbled under his breath, looking either way and taking to the streets. Zak stood behind for only a moment before he started following Drin quietly. The adult male stopped a moment as did Zaknafein. "What are you just going to walk behind me with your head down like that?" The youth didn't say a word, barley acknowledged him. "If you are going to be a warrior you will have to hold your head higher than that, especially if your family expects you to be a Do'Urden. They're ranked fifth and you, last. Show some pride." Zak looked up and looked quite tense, but all the same took to his side quickly.

"You're awful quiet for someone who has just become Secondboy." The elder stated with a small laugh. Zak didn't say anything, still. "I find it alright though… for now." He added quickly. "I can only imagine what you were put through. I, myself, was barley put through such so I can only imagine what it is like." Zaknafein looked up to him with a look of curiosity. "My family isn't quite like yours. We hold our own, follow the drow way, but everyone is equal. Yes, the women are held higher than the males as well, but in different ways. We respect our women; do what we can for them, for they are the bearers of children. They go through childbirth; they mother the children so they deserve such." Drin looked down to see if Zak understood but the boy still said nothing and only stared forward.

It was almost unfathomable, the role this male had in his family. Zaknafein tumbled over many thoughts that writhed in his mind. He questioned whether or not this man had ever felt the horrendous stinging bite of teeth of the unjust whip that had met his back multiple times. It was almost too much to think about, all of the troubles that he had gone through, only to find that some families were higher, or lower in some standards, than putting their males through such a degrading childhood.

"My blood is a quarter elvish, which is why we have such views." The man stated quietly to Zak. The boy felt something burn in his chest and he looked, stricken, up to the man. Drin let out a loud hearty laugh at the look. "You look as if you've seen a giant!" Drin exclaimed with hilarity marring his tone.

"I thought…" He paused and looked down. "I thought that all elves were ev-" He was cut off.

"Boy, there are many things this society will tell you and I will tell you, to hell if they are true." He looked back down to Zaknafein and the boy would not speak. "Forgive me for interrupting; those were your first words of the day."

The rest of the walk was in silence, not that Zak had relatively much to say. There was not much further to walk, though, for the family he would stay with lived not far from the wall that protected the Underdark from the unwanted creatures that roamed about. The place was not as small as he would have suspected either. It seemed they lived a decently luxurious life, less so than the higher houses, but more so than the lowest.

Keniryn was the household name. Only then did some spark of recognition come to Zaknafein. It was a very small family of mercenaries, not bound to anyone in the Menzoberranzan and very much against the true way of the Underdark. They were odd and only useful when it came to battle since they had experience on the surface, being trained by the ones who bade them worthy to train. Being Drow the family found it difficult to work into society in the sunlit land, as well as the place of darkness. Even so they were the greatest, and none opposed them since they cared not for position, lest they be killed.

"Well, Sir Helviate, welcome to your home... or hell, whichever you bid such a place like this to be, for the next ten years."

Zak stared on with a small look of wonderment, Questioning, himself, what he would call such a place.