"Vaene, we're going to get caught," Ghaundar murmured. The two of them were in an alcove in the hallway, hidden by the shadow of the statues flanking it on either side. His lover was pressed up against him as he leaned back against the wall, distracted as she combed her fingers through his short hair and pressed featherlight kisses to his face and neck. It was incredibly hard for him to say no to her, despite his anxiety about being seen by priestesses. They were a little too close to the temple of Lloth for comfort. If it was Haelra who discovered them, she would not be amused and that meant an unpleasant encounter with a blade or a snake-whip at best. Then again, they probably couldn't expect better from any other priestess. At least they weren't in the temple, though enough things happened in there with demons that Ghaundar wasn't certain why it mattered.

"I don't care," she purred, nipping at his earlobe. Ghaundar shuddered a little and then gasped when he felt her hands start to wander lower. She knew she wasn't Ghaundar's only lover, but she had a solid position as his favorite and she intended to keep it that way. Besides, he'd been in Haelra's clutches not so long ago and she knew how to banish that particular kind of memory. "What do you think concealment spells are for?"

He would have mentioned that it probably counted as an abuse of her power, but she had his undivided attention at the moment. Vaene was curvier than the average drowess with an hourglass figure that fit in his arms perfectly. And it was getting more and more difficult to focus on anything else besides the wonderful feeling of her lips on his neck and her roaming hands. "Does it dampen sound?" he groaned, starting to give in. How could he really complain?

"No," she said before smiling at him impishly. "So at least pretend you're trying to be quiet."

He would have retorted, but they both heard voices approaching. Vaene waved a hand with a soft mutter, wreathing them both in deeper shadows. One of them was definitely Haelra and he felt his lover tense in his arms a little bit with anger. She held no love at all for the priestess and would have probably gleefully slit the clerics throat should she ever have had the opportunity. Ghaundar stilled, listening intently. It didn't take him even a moment to place the other voice: Myrineyl Baenre. Vaene covered his mouth and leaned into him. They were both listening intently now.

"Something is going on with her, but I don't think it's anything that extreme," Haelra said, walking slowly down the hall at Myrineyl's side. "Nizana is only interested in making the Dryaalis family look weak and unfaithful. There is nothing to what she says."

"We cannot afford to take a chance," Myrineyl said. "Heresy will only grow if permitted and its roots run deep into the soul. Our duty as servants of Lloth is to uproot it wherever we find it. If your sister is truly innocent of the charge, she has nothing to fear."

"You speak of a true inquisition," Haelra said. There was a note of concern in her voice, something not quite desperation. After all, Ghaundar reflected bitterly, she had her reputation to maintain. "That has broken many a drow."

"Only the weak, and they deserve to be crushed like the insects that they are. Surely your sister is made of sterner stuff. After all, she did get the better of Andzrel, whatever he accomplished," Myrineyl said. There was a trace of amusement in her voice when she spoke of the Weapons Master's suffering. There was no love lost between the two Baenre nobles. Clearly the priestess, and thus the others, had distanced themselves from his shame rather than seeking revenge on his behalf. How fortunate cruelty and amusement had won them over rather than sympathy for his plight. For the moment, at least. Andzrel was probably stewing away. "Nizana is not a noble, but she does have influence with Fey Branche. Should she suggest Baenre is not fulfilling their vows to the Spider Queen, it would reflect poorly on us."

"Is that what this is about?" Haelra said carefully. She could not afford to express incredulity in this particular situation. Not while she herself was under a magnifying glass. If Khaless was suspected, it would not be beyond the bounds of possibility that her sister might be accused of the same crime whether she was a priestess or not. She did have some fondness for the rogue but it was warring right now with her own sense of self-preservation. Blood was just blood, after all. It only meant something when it was useful.

"That is merely happenstance, a side benefit," Myrineyl said. She stopped just in front of the alcove Ghaundar and Vaene were hidden, then turned to regard her fellow priestess. Her eyes were narrow and her pursed lips seemed on the edge of spitting out an accusation. "You seem quite eager to avoid an investigation into your sister, Haelra."

"My reputation is at stake, Revered Myrineyl," the priestess said evenly. She was not powerful enough by a long shot to use solely the noble's name. She didn't want to back down completely, but neither could she ignore the challenge for fear of being seen as weak. It was a delicate little dance. "Please do not misunderstand me. I am not overly sympathetic towards my sister. She is undoubtedly disrespectful, irritating, and even at times perhaps irreverent. But her name is connected to mine."

"Then turn upon her to help with our investigation and prove your piety," the noble said, studying Haelra so intensely that she didn't notice the presence of others in the area. Ghaundar and Vaene both remained immobile, barely daring to breathe. Apparently their hiding place was more secure than they'd realized. But in a moment that could end and their discovery would not end well. Priestesses were not fond of being eavesdropped on and Vaene's gender would hardly spare her that particular punishment. She was more worried about Ghaundar being caught, however, and remained as quiet as possible.

"I..." Haelra hesitated, weighing mentally her loyalty and her desire for advancement. This was a golden opportunity not just to emerge unscathed, but to actually improve her standing by earning Lloth's favor if Khaless really was guilty of turning away from Her. But could she simply abandon the sibling who had helped her rise to her current situation and guarded her despite their disagreements? The same sister who had done her bidding to the letter for centuries? Was power really worth abandoning her familial loyalty? "I...you are right."

Myrineyl smiled. The expression seemed particularly cruel to Ghaundar from where he was watching in the darkness. "When your sister returns to Menzoberranzan—likely in some months if not a year, considering Andzrel's behavior—she will be put to the question. Now come. We are late for prayer."

It was only once the footsteps retreated down the hallway that Vaene uncovered her lover's mouth. "Vith," she muttered. The sorceress was not an intimate of Khaless's, but she very much appreciated the rogue's efforts to keep Ghaundar safe and happy. She knew they were close companions and Khaless actively protected him from the unwanted advances of priestesses, including her sister, despite the personal risk. Occasionally the sorceress felt a little jealous, but Vaene knew nothing would ever happen between them. She also knew when she owed someone a debt, and she certainly did to the younger Dryaalis. This was not good news.

Ghaundar nodded, his jaw tight with a silent fury at the fact that Haelra had just crumpled. If she had persisted, Myrineyl might have changed her plans. And what had happened with Andzrel? Had he finally gotten his way with Khaless? That would be...less than ideal. He couldn't really think of a word unpleasant enough. Though it sounded as though she'd gotten more than a fair shot in. Whatever was going on, his friend was out of the city now. "Not good," he agreed. "We have to get a warning to her. Tell her not to come back to Menzoberranzan. I know Khal. She can always start over in a new city."

"She is very resourceful. But how do you propose to even find her out in the wilds?" Vaene said. She wasn't quite certain how to actually accomplish that goal. "No one knows them better than Khaless. She has a map of everything in her head. Not to mention the fact that you might as well be grasping at shadows when it comes to following her."

"I would bet money she's close to the surface," Ghaundar said as he gave it some thought. He didn't want to see his friend having to reinvent her life, but he knew she could and would do it if it meant escaping a Church investigation that might do worse than kill her. As long as they could pass on the warning in time. It sounded like Myrineyl was waiting until she returned. If she never did, then the priestess of House Baenre would just have to live with it. Not that they probably wouldn't try to hunt her, but they lost their power in the other drow cities. "She knows no drow would follow her there."

"Because it's dangerous. There could be faeries or humans or all kinds of things," the sorceress snapped. She wasn't exactly eager to go there herself, but she knew that Ghaundar would take off and she wasn't letting him go into the wilderness alone where he might get killed. It would be perilous even with the two of them, but it would be better than a solitary drow. Ideally she could dissuade him, but right now she had her doubts. "Chasing her there would be insane. And that's presuming she even wants to be found. Besides, what if she's on the surface doing more scouting? Do you plan on going up there yourself just to find her? Where there are Goddess knows what monsters? Everything up there is thirsty for blood in a way not even drow can match."

"It's not that bad," he said even though he knew there was some credence to her point. He wasn't brave enough to chase Khaless up onto the surface, and it was not unlikely that his ally would not only be expecting pursuit but actively hiding from it. That would be an excellent place to conceal oneself even for just a few hours should someone come too close to discovery.

"If you really cared for me, you wouldn't put yourself so far into harm's way." It was her trump card, but even she could see that this time it wouldn't quite cut it. Not with the way he was looking at her. "Oh, vith you."

Ghaundar resisted the urge to point out that she did, and frequently. He knew she was about to yield and pushed the last little inch. "Vaene..."

She frowned deeply as if trying to suggest that he was fortunate this time and would be only this time, but he knew she was a paper tiger. Vaene had a habit of giving in to practically anything he asked, which was extremely useful at times like this. "Fine. But you had better really make it up to me."

He did his best not to grin triumphantly. Just thinking of Khaless in danger like this put a damper on his mood. Who was he going to keep around to ward him from Haelra? Vaene had no blood ties to use just to keep her in check. "I always do," he said, gently releasing her. She lingered for a moment, but then stepped back and let the concealment fall away.

She gave him a hard look. "I will never forgive you if this goes sour."

Ghaundar grinned. "You always forgive me."

The sorceress did not look amused, but she didn't slap him no matter how tempted she seemed. Not with a genuine light of amusement in his eyes for the first time in days. "Just shut up and pack. I'll meet you at the gates in an hour."

Thalion looked up from sharpening his sword, almost dropping the whetstone. "More avengers?" he said in surprise. Caranion had just told him the news. Now the sun elf was pacing back and forth with the symbol of Corellon around his neck, his eyes focused ahead at some fixed point in space. "Do we really need them? There's been no sign of a drow in months." He carefully left out his encounters with Khaless. Not that he liked lying to Caranion, but some things it was better he not know. The high priest was understandably both worried about and furious at the drow after Naruvir. He had given no credence to what was written in that letter since he was unable to read it himself. Alassëa had translated from the cypher, but it was still just the word of one drow. Yes, there had been an attack. But not where she had implied it would be. So to him it was as useless as any scrap of paper already written upon.

"We should be doing more than just waiting for one. We need to hunt down any drow in the area and then collapse the tunnels leading to the surface. That and that alone will protect us. But to do that, we unfortunately will need more than just you, Thalion," Caranion said, a hint of regret in his tone. It was more at the idea that Thalion might believe he wasn't considered useful than at the thought of the drow or the passageways.

Khaless. The wood elf felt his hands tighten a little on his sword and its whetstone, but there was nothing he could think of to say that could gainsay Caranion without sounding suspicious. "Did the temple at Lótessë say who was coming in response to your summons?"

"A score of soldiers, accompanied by the avengers Héra Aranel and Naracion Tûrin," the priest said.

Thalion could have cursed aloud and very nearly did. He'd grown up with Héra and trained with Naracion. Both had a serious axe to grind with the drow and were simultaneously his friends as well as his brother and sister in arms. He knew very well that they'd lost parts of their family to drow surface raids. Introducing them to Khaless would not go over well. And, much like Alassëa had once pointed out, betrayal would drive the drowess straight back into Lloth's arms. She was only barely making her way out of that world and struggling with every step. Vengeful elves set loose on her by a...was he her friend?...would only make things worse. "I look forward to seeing them again," Thalion said. He wasn't lying, but that didn't mean he wanted to see them here and now. It had been so much easier before Khaless turned into a real person in his mind rather than a caricature of a female drow.

"Fortunate, because they just arrived. That was actually what I came here to tell you," Caranion said with a warm smile, clapping Thalion on the shoulder. "They'll be inside. Shall we?"

"Yes," the avenger said as if his stomach hadn't just suddenly knotted together in cold dread. "That would be best." He knew it came out a little wooden, but his problems had just become immediate. Or rather, Khaless's had. They weren't likely to kill him, but they would bleed her out in a second. He followed Caranion automatically up the steps of the village's main hall, hearing all too familiar voices approaching.

"Thalion!"

He became conscious of slender and yet deceptively strong arms around his neck, a face buried in his shoulder for just a moment before the red-headed female elf pulled back and beamed up at him. At one time she'd had a beautiful face, but half of it had once been given over to the flame. Both green eyes had survived in tact, but the flesh on that side of her face, neck, and shoulder were little more than scar tissue. Her smile was perhaps a bit twisted and uneven because of the tension it put the tortured half, but the expression was genuine and shone through with genuine delight. "I hadn't heard this was where you went. How are you? It's been so long."

"Almost a decade, Héra," he agreed ruefully, putting the main problem out of his mind. For now, he needed to be a good friend to these two. "I see you and Naracion have joined forces again. Very formidable."

"More formidable with your aid," the tall wood elf said. Naracion was a very average man, brown haired and brown eyed with a deep tan skin. He was more burly than Thalion, however, used to driving his great-sword through any enemy who tried to stop him. "We understand there is a drow problem in the area. Caranion explained to us that Naruvir was lost to them."

Thalion nodded even as the dread started to deepen. "Yes," he said. "We had a warning, but it came too late."

Héra pursed her lips. "A warning?" she said carefully, green eyes narrowed. That was not a common thing. She wasn't certain what to make of it. "Did a scout see them moving up from the Underdark or through the woods?"

"Not quite. Our source came from a follower of Eilistraee," he said evenly. Thalion knew they would hate it, particularly Héra. She didn't believe in tolerating the drow or their gods on any level. "They could tell us the area, but not which opening or which village. The attack came before we could raise our guard. The drow are swift."

"Elves?" Naracion asked. He saw Héra barely bite back the first incensed comment that came to her lips and pause to simmer with that ever-ready, barely-restrained rage. It was useful in combat where she could simply come unhinged at the enemy as a berserker, but it didn't lend itself well to disagreements in doctrine. "I know some of our kind take it upon themselves to redeem drow. A child will tempt the flames now and again for amusement."

"Alassëa Idhrenniel is our local priestess of Eilistraee. The message came through her," Thalion said. Alassëa's affiliations had long ago finally come out when she was trying to persuade Caranion of their drow's good character. He wasn't going to lie to his fellows if he could avoid it, though he knew he would have to at some point. Persuading them to accept Khaless was a nice thought, but as irrational as any fever dream and just as likely to come true.

Naracion put an arm around Héra's shoulders, less to comfort her and more to pin the slender elven woman to his side. "But the warning did not come from her," he stated evenly, covering his companion's mouth with his hand when she looked like she was about to explode into anger. "Hush, Héra. Let us hear this out. We need to know where we stand."

"No, it came from a woman named Khaless Dryaalis." Thalion couldn't quite bring himself to say 'a drow'. She wasn't just that any more. "Of House Baenre."

Héra ripped Naracion's hand away from her mouth with a startling speed. He was a large, powerful elf and she was such a slight thing, after all. But pure hatred was quite the motivating force. "Baenre!" she spat before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to calm herself. After a few seconds, when she was calm and collected, she said, "Why did she try and warn you?"

"Followers of Eilistraee do not, from what I understand, have much love for Lloth's faithful," Thalion said carefully remaining calm. If he twitched wrong, they would all be in an ugly fight. It was the peril of working with people all motivated by vengeance and possessed of combat abilities. Besides, if he tipped his hand, they would know that he knew precisely how their drow could be found. There were plenty of drow he would sic them on, but Khaless was not among those.

Naracion looked over at Caranion. "Would you excuse us?" he said, piloting both of his friends by the shoulder to a quiet little side room where they could have this argument away from the soldiers. He tuned out of the conversation for a few seconds, allowing it to heat up a little before he abruptly stepped in with, "That's enough, Héra. He knows exactly how you feel about drow already. We must accept the fact that this did, in fact, happen to the best of his knowledge as he describes it."

She glared at him for a moment and shrugged off his hand. "Fine," Héra said. She pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "We have business near Naruvir anyway. We know there's an entrance there that may be populated and needs to come down lest it be used again. There are still other villages nearby."

Naracion nodded. "We trust you can take care of holding down this fort, Thalion?"

The avenger almost sighed in relief. That would probably buy him a few weeks or so. They would have to delve quite deep to clear the area out, and then find a good place to collapse it, then do so safely and return. It sounded much easier to accomplish than it actually was. "If you can handle your task, I can certainly handle mine. Héra?"

She combed her fingers through her red hair. "We should not trust the faithful of Eilistraee. The Dark Maiden is still a drow goddess and nothing good comes of the drow."

Thalion thought of everything he had learned from and about Khaless. All the hours he'd spent sitting next to her under the moonlight, watching the little expressions across her face while her hand moved over the paper, came together in the back of his mind. He could even remember how their first meeting had gone and distinctly recalled being tapped on the cheek with an arrow. But what stood out the most was the way she looked at him. He wasn't certain that she always had, but there was something less than harsh in her eyes when her gaze turned towards him. "There are good drow, Héra."

"With all that they have done?" Héra's hand ran over the scarred side of her face almost thoughtfully, running over the ridges and oddly smooth parts that were the landscape of her features now. She touched that damaged ear briefly and circled around her cheekbone before descending to her chin on a slow route. "The only good drow," she said quietly, "is a dead drow."