Chapter 11
Doorknobs and Masters
"Since
you seem to know so much about doorknobs," Taralyn continued, the snake whip at
her side hissing, "You can help the boy polish the doorknobs."
Jarlaxle's
eyes widened. "My dear Taralyn," he
began. Taralyn's hand flew to her whip,
and he stopped hastily. "No problem at
all, priestess."
Taralyn
looked at the both of them consideringly, then turned around and glided off.
Drizzt
looked at him curiously. "Do you need a
cloth?" he asked.
"No,"
Jarlaxle grinned, "I'd just wait here until Zaknafein comes back from Sorcere."
Drizzt
gave him a blank glance.
"Well,"
Jarlaxle smiled, "Zaknafein will help more than a cloth, if we can catch him
before Malice does."
"Matron
Malice," Drizzt said automatically.
"If
you will, boy," Jarlaxle shrugged.
::Greetings,
page prince, Jarlaxle.:: Lanfaye commented in their minds, seeming to linger on
the last name.
Drizzt's
eyes opened wider. "Uh, greetings,
beloved of Lloth," he said awkwardly.
Jarlaxle's
eyes narrowed. "What do you want,
Lanfaye?"
The
priestess' silvery chuckle resounded in their heads. ::Want? Well, Jarlaxle, if you would care to visit my room I
could tell you in scrupulous detail.::
A
faint vestige of panic showed on Jarlaxle's face. "I've told you before, it's not...that is, Zaknafein is your
father as he is my brother."
She
chortled. ::You're not my father or my
brother. Fair enough for myself.::
"Be
serious, Lanfaye," Jarlaxle said, ignoring Drizzt's increasingly mystified
expression, "You could have called me up long before this. What do you really want?"
::Oh,
very well,:: Lanfaye lost her lazy tone, ::Taralyn said that as a mental
exercise before I recover fully I could keep tabs on you. Aren't you supposed to be polishing
something, Jarlaxle?::
"Well,"
Jarlaxle said, "Actually I was waiting for Zaknafein to come back so he can
help. We'd finish faster that way."
::The
idea of asking the both of you to manually polish the knobs is to keep the both
of you out of our hair,:: Lanfaye informed him. ::If you just ask Zak to do it by magic, then what's the
point?:: She paused suddenly. ::Come back from where?::
Jarlaxle
cursed under his breath.
::Are
you going to tell me?:: Lanfaye inquired, ::Or am I going to take a look? On
second thoughts, I'd just love breaking into your shields and taking a
look...::
"Sorcere,"
Jarlaxle said quickly.
There
was a hint of someone taking in a sharp breath. ::Oh my,:: Lanfaye commented. ::Malice is certainly not going to like that. I believe I overheard her ordering him to stay in the House until
she said he was fit enough.::
"Don't
tell her, then," Jarlaxle said easily, "Let her find out for herself."
::Are
you going to make me?:: Lanfaye asked archly.
Jarlaxle
sighed. "Look, Lanfaye, why don't we
forget everything I've said so far, and let me go and polish the doorknobs?
Zaknafein won't be happy with me if he realizes I indirectly let Malice know."
::What
are you giving?:: Lanfaye challenged.
"On
second thoughts, maybe Zak isn't worth the effort," Jarlaxle muttered.
::On
second thoughts,:: Lanfaye mimicked him sweetly, ::I can always order you up
here. I'm sure Zak will approve.::
Lanfaye lingered a bit more on the rising
wave of panic going through the psychic link from the weapon master, laughed,
and considered for a moment before reaching with her slender arm for her
book. Besides, she didn't feel like
telling the Matron anything today.
**
"Well,
Zaknafein Do'Urden," said the Mistress of Arach-Tinilith, "Do you accept this
honor?"
"Humbly
and with all my heart," Zaknafein said automatically.
"Do
you swear to serve the Academy for all your life?" the other Mistress asked.
"I
do," Zaknafein winced inwardly. This
sounded too much like a marriage for his own comfort.
"Do
you swear to speak no lies?" No Masters of any school could, for some odd
reason.
"I
do," Zaknafein said.
**
"Wonderful,"
Jarlaxle said sourly, "Now I just wish Zaknafein would come back now. If he has the chain."
"Chain?"
Drizzt asked.
"ArchMage
chain," Jarlaxle said absently, then sighed and walked into his room, getting a
rag from the drawers and walking back to Drizzt. Drizzt still had a blank look on his face, and he sighed.
"Right,"
Jarlaxle said, "All ArchMages have a chain of office. What else did you think Zak went to Sorcere for?"
"He
wants to be ArchMage?" Drizzt breathed, "Then he'd light Narbondel."
"Among
other things," Jarlaxle shrugged, and gave the next doorknob a few desultory
swipes. "I haven't done this for
centuries."
"If
you have something important to do go and do it," Drizzt said helpfully, "I can
manage."
Jarlaxle
raised an eyebrow at Drizzt. "That is
one more un-drow like attitude, Drizzt, sacrificing without profit."
"Sorry,"
Drizzt said contritely. "But won't it
help you?"
"It
certainly won't help you," Jarlaxle pointed out, "Aren't you listening? And
besides, I am sure Lanfaye is around here somewhere." Jarlaxle tapped his head,
then yelped.
"What's
wrong?" Drizzt asked anxiously. Jarlaxle was looking around suspiciously.
"Very
funny, Lanfaye...ouch!" Jarlaxle winced. "I hate it when she uses her mind to do things."
::Telekinesis,
Jarlaxle.:: Lanfaye commented in his mind. ::Would you like another pinch?::
**
Finally,
Zak nearly heaved a sign of relief when the Mistress of Melee-Magthere took up
the velvet cloth, and stood beside the other Mistress before the seat of the
ArchMage. "Come," she said.
He
pushed back his chair with what seemed like agonizing slowness and walked
gracefully to stand before them.
"Thus
this chain will bind you to your post," the Mistress of Arach-Tinilith picked
up the chain. "Tier Breche welcomes
you, ArchMage. Tier Breche welcomes
you, Master of Sorcere." She carefully put the chain around his neck.
**
"Come
in," Zaknafein said, looking up from the table of the new room. He'd magically transported everything
inside.
N'aryo
stepped into the room and closed the door, then looked around again. "Some things never change," he smiled. "What a mess."
Zaknafein
sat down on the more comfortable bed. "Did you expect it would?" he inquired.
"Perhaps
not," N'aryo said, sitting down on a chair. "What did you call me here for?"
"I've
warded the room against listening," Zaknafein said. "Very well. Exactly why
did you refuse in my favor?"
N'aryo
chuckled. "When you get as old as I am,
you tend to think more of what you can do before you die. I like you better than Nalrann. As I have said, I am far older than any mage
in Menzoberranzan now, and will not live long. My House has a...son by the name of Tyrank'al. You are no longer a Master of Invoking and have yet to name your
successor, which must be an ex-student of yours. When I die I may name my successor, but he cannot be from my own
house for sake of...'fairness', as they put it."
Zaknafein
smiled. "For a moment there I doubted
your sanity," he said dryly.
"Do
not worry, for it's still there," N'aryo grinned. "I trust you know what I would like you to do?"
"Well
indeed," Zaknafein agreed, "Tyrank'al is rash but also a friend, and one of the
more agreeable students I have had. Does Matron Kyorl know of this?"
"Of
course she does," N'aryo said easily, "I informed her who I would vote for, and
what I would do if I was nominated and...raised. She agreed."
"You
could have told me beforehand," Zaknafein commented.
"Oh
no," N'aryo said, "Your reaction is better this way. Yes, I know I could have extracted a promise from you beforehand,
but it would only be 'if' I was selected and raised. Trust to chance, Zaknafein."
"And
luck," Zak smiled slightly.
"I
have heard of Jarlaxle," N'aryo admitted. "Well, will you?"
"I
owe you that much," Zaknafein said truthfully, "Very well. The Masters are meeting after the recess for
my announcement, and you may trust me to do the...right thing. But you do know that there will be no
explicit agreement that my Matron will not decide to attack your House?"
N'aryo
nodded and smiled, standing up, then bowed. "That is all that House Oblodra asks."
**
"How
many more?" Drizzt inquired.
"Three
hundred and four," Jarlaxle said easily, then scowled when Lanfaye laughed.
"Zaknafein
had better show up soon," the weapon master added.
::You
didn't do that one completely,:: Lanfaye informed him. Jarlaxle guiltily wiped along the sides.
"Master
Jarlaxle, look!" Drizzt pointed.
The
weapon master whirled to see a purplish-blue portal open, and Zaknafein stepped
out, leaning heavily on his staff before closing the portal. The chain of office hung around his neck,
and he raised an eyebrow at them. "What
are you doing, Jarlaxle?"
"Taralyn
told me to help Drizzt polish all the doorknobs," Jarlaxle sighed.
Zak
waved a hand vaguely, and all the doorknobs they could see immediately shone
with burnished polish.
"Thank
you," Jarlaxle grinned, lowering the cloth.
::Greetings,
Zaknafein,:: Lanfaye told the mage, ::Oh. And congratulations.::
"They
just gave it to you like that?" Jarlaxle asked in disbelief, "I thought quite a
few of the Masters aren't sure of you."
Zaknafein
shrugged. "They're not. They gave it to N'aryo, but he refused it
and voted for me."
"He
did what?" Jarlaxle asked.
"You
heard me," Zaknafein said, "And you know the rules as well. House Oblodra doesn't expect any alliance of
sorts with Do'Urden, but to repay the debt I named young Tyrank'al Oblodra as
Master of Invoking in my place. He's
not a bad sort."
::Fast,::
Lanfaye said admiringly.
"Thank
you, priestess," Zaknafein grinned.
"N'aryo
always was one for sneaky deals," Jarlaxle smiled.
"Aren't
we all?" Zaknafein inquired.