Chapter XIV
Zaknafein looked around the tunnel he was in, squinting in the light that surrounded him. Years ago he had acquired a certain medallion that let light be shown whenever and wherever the wearer wished. He didn't much appreciate the light, but it used it now, helping him keep silent in the Underdark.
The ceiling of the cavern was high above him so that he could barely make it out. He had been lost for nearly three days in the Underdark. Only patrols called him into the dark maze, but now he did not know where he was.
The baby squirmed in his arms, and Zak looked down at the young girl sorrowfully. She was hungry. Just earlier he had found a female rothe that had just given birth. He filled up his canteen with its milk to give to the babe, but that was hours ago. She needed to eat again.
The tiny girl-Nevina he remembered she had been called-was the reason of the light medallion. Every time Zak let himself enjoy the darkness, Nevina began to wail, attracting even more enemies than the light would. Traveling with the babe made the Underdark even more dangerous than usual.
Zak puts his hand on her head, brushing back a few pieces of her red hair. She laughed, her small arms grabbing at one of the drow's fingers. Her tiny tongue came out and she pulled his finger into her tiny mouth, gnawing on the finger with her gums.
The weapons-master smiled, his eyes twinkling with delight. How could the females he knew complain about such a task as child-weaning? What was so bad about seeing a child grow?
The baby giggled in the cave as Zaknafein pulled his finger from her mouth and tapped her once on the nose.
"I'll get you food soon," he promised her in a calm voice. The baby did not understand, but she looked up at him with her knowing brown eyes and smiled. She buried her head into his shoulder and began to drift off to sleep.
Zaknafein began walking again, the smile still on his face. Perhaps this would be possible....
*** *** ***
Jarlaxle's sensitive ears had caught up the faintest sound, but he was not yet sure of what it was. He listened again, stopping in place. He didn't sense any enemies nearby, but this was the Underdark. Things weren't always what they seemed.
Then he heard it. A laugh! Moreso, a baby's laugh....
Jarlaxle's eyebrows lowered in confusion, but he turned down the tunnel from which the noise had come. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Zaknafein was facing him, a human baby in his arms.
*** *** ***
"Have you heard the rumors?" Z'ress yelled at her sister, breathing heavily. "There is a house conspiring against us!"
Lea said nothing and continued to read the book she held in her hand. She didn't even glance up at her sister, giving no sign whatsoever that she acknowledged the words.
"Did you hear me?" Z'ress screamed. "We could be destroyed!"
Lea's eyes suddenly shot up. "Of course I know this," she said with a deathly calm. Z'ress moth hung open in a surprised gape. "Do I not have ears?"
Her sister sneered at the sarcasm. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind concerning yourself with the welfare of this house and perhaps find out who is plotting against us."
"I have been, Z'ress," Lea said slowly.
"Really now?" Z'ress asked skeptically. "I have seen no yochlol summoned by mother."
Lea slammed her book closed. "There are other ways to find information than by using-no, bothering!-Lloth. Let me handle our affairs, Z'ress. I am becoming the matron mother of this house, remember? Not you."
Z'ress had nothing to reply with so she stood before her sister and glared, her eyes seeming to burn livid with anger. "We shall see," she said at length, turning on her heel to bolt out of the room.
Lea shook her head, her frustration at its peak. Her sister was getting in the way of things. Z'ress knew that Lea was hiding something, and if Lea knew her sister in the least, Z'ress was going to make it her priority to find out what her sister's secret was.
That could cause trouble.
The MoonCrest has slipped out of all knowledge through the thousands of centuries. Hardly a soul even believed in the existence of the artifact. But Lea knew that the stories were true. She knew that the MoonCrest had once been given to the drow by Lloth. Lea knew with certainty that it lay hidden somewhere...somewhere in the Underdark. She knew.
But so did Maelent.
"The defender verses the destroyer," Lea mused aloud.
Maelent wanted more than anything the MoonCrest, but Lea had made it her obligation to keep it hidden. But few things in Menzoberranzan could be done without help. And that was where Zaknafein, Jarlaxle, and the Bregan D'aerthe came in. Lea's house was a small house, hardly having enough soldiers to protect the MoonCrest.
But they would try.
"Not unless Z'ress finds out," Lea sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, she flipped through the pages of her book, trying to put her worries to the back of her mind.
Some things are just not possible,
*** *** ***
"What in the Nine Hells are you thinking?!" Jarlaxle practically yelled. Nevina stirred from her sleep, raising her head to turn and see the mercenary. She looked questionably at Zaknafein, but the weapons-master had his attention elsewhere.
"Jeaern killed her father and mother," Zaknafein explained softly, not letting his words grow loud as Jarlaxle's had. The Underdark was no place for raised voices.
"So you killed Jeaern?" Jarlaxle retorted defensively, not even bothering to lower his voice. He shook his head as if the entire notion were absurd.
Zaknafein cast his eyes downward, somewhat ashamed of what he had done. "I had to," he said, as if that were a good enough excuse for his conscience.
Jarlaxle's nose crinkled as he twittered mockingly, "I had to." He shot Zaknafein an annoyed glare. "And the child?" he asked, gesturing to the still wide-eyed Nevina.
Zaknafein shrugged as if the presence of the human child were nothing out of the ordinary. "I could not leave her there to die, and surely she would have if I would have left her by her mother's body."
"So you just bring her along to House Do'Urden?" Jarlaxle countered angrily, spotting every minor detail in Zaknafein's plan that showed the slightest hint of stupidity. "I am sure Malice would not mind. Neither would Lloth. Or Briza, for that matter. She loves children."
Zaknafein's anger flared. "I am not stupid, Jarlaxle," he fumed, his muscles tensing. "I know that she could never even enter House Do'Urden's gate, but what would have me do? I would not let another innocent life die at the hands of my kin. Would you have let her be killed?"
Jarlaxle did not glance away, even as Zak's words shot at him. "Perhaps you brought her here in a penance for other crimes you committed that night?" Jarlaxle's voice showed no forgiveness.
Zak opened his mouth to reply, but he found no words, so he closed it again. Jarlaxle did not comment, and a deep silence fell between them that neither wanted to break.
Nevina gurgled, and Zak looked down at her. Any other time in his wandering through the Underdark, he would have been grateful for her innocent outbreaks, but now he only looked down at her with sadness. Jarlaxle was right.
"I had no control on the surface, Jarlaxle," Zaknafein whispered guiltily. "I let myself go, and I regret it. But she is just a child...."
Jarlaxle turned to look at the drow before him. The baby was patting his shoulder with a open hand, her palm smacking against his 123 with a slight smack. Suddenly she coughed, throwing her earlier meal all over Zaknafein's clothes.
Jarlaxle smiled. "Come on," he told his friend, giving a slight laugh as Zaknafein scowled at Nevina. The weapons-master walked forward, his face scrunched up in an annoyed repulsion. "Ha, you look ridiculous."
Jarlaxle let Zaknafein walk in front of him, brushing some of the mess away with the back of his hand. Jarlaxle laughed even more.
"Here," Zaknafein said, turning. "Hold her."
Jarlaxle's eyes flew wide. Zaknafein passed him the baby. The mercenary held her out as far away as he possibly could. His slender fingers wrapping around her middle in a loose, but certain hold.
It was Zaknafein's turn to laugh. He finished wiping away the mess and thought that it was best Jarlaxle hold her for a while. They walked in a contented silence until Zaknafein let his curiosity get the better of him.
"What were you doing in the Underdark?" Zaknafein asked.
Jarlaxle let out a heavy, stressed sigh, brought on by both the baby in his hands and the question. "Looking for you, you idiot," he breathed, his heels clinking on the stone beneath them. Zaknafein stopped in his tracks, somewhat touched by the drow's concern.
Nevina's hand shot up before he could go any deeper into his thoughts, bopping Jarlaxle on the nose.
"Argh," Jarlaxle grumbled, snorting. Nevina's laughter rang like bells, and Zaknafein let his feet move him beside the mercenary. Together, the two friends began their journey back Menzoberranzan.
_______________________________________
Dear Fellow Rowan Trees and Dr. Pepper-Addicted Mice:
Due to a few recent family illnesses, including one of mine (oh ha), it's been a long while since I had a chance to update any of my stories, much less Invisible Chains. (Sorry about that, folks.) Most to all of my updates in the past few weeks were correcting my work for the "new" edict of the site, with no author notes as chapters.
Um, oops?
So, with that fixed and everything starting to get back to normal in my family, I'll try to pick up this story again. At any rate, it might be a bit before my next chapter. I'll try to write it as soon as possible.
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
- Aithne (TheBladedancer)
Zaknafein looked around the tunnel he was in, squinting in the light that surrounded him. Years ago he had acquired a certain medallion that let light be shown whenever and wherever the wearer wished. He didn't much appreciate the light, but it used it now, helping him keep silent in the Underdark.
The ceiling of the cavern was high above him so that he could barely make it out. He had been lost for nearly three days in the Underdark. Only patrols called him into the dark maze, but now he did not know where he was.
The baby squirmed in his arms, and Zak looked down at the young girl sorrowfully. She was hungry. Just earlier he had found a female rothe that had just given birth. He filled up his canteen with its milk to give to the babe, but that was hours ago. She needed to eat again.
The tiny girl-Nevina he remembered she had been called-was the reason of the light medallion. Every time Zak let himself enjoy the darkness, Nevina began to wail, attracting even more enemies than the light would. Traveling with the babe made the Underdark even more dangerous than usual.
Zak puts his hand on her head, brushing back a few pieces of her red hair. She laughed, her small arms grabbing at one of the drow's fingers. Her tiny tongue came out and she pulled his finger into her tiny mouth, gnawing on the finger with her gums.
The weapons-master smiled, his eyes twinkling with delight. How could the females he knew complain about such a task as child-weaning? What was so bad about seeing a child grow?
The baby giggled in the cave as Zaknafein pulled his finger from her mouth and tapped her once on the nose.
"I'll get you food soon," he promised her in a calm voice. The baby did not understand, but she looked up at him with her knowing brown eyes and smiled. She buried her head into his shoulder and began to drift off to sleep.
Zaknafein began walking again, the smile still on his face. Perhaps this would be possible....
*** *** ***
Jarlaxle's sensitive ears had caught up the faintest sound, but he was not yet sure of what it was. He listened again, stopping in place. He didn't sense any enemies nearby, but this was the Underdark. Things weren't always what they seemed.
Then he heard it. A laugh! Moreso, a baby's laugh....
Jarlaxle's eyebrows lowered in confusion, but he turned down the tunnel from which the noise had come. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Zaknafein was facing him, a human baby in his arms.
*** *** ***
"Have you heard the rumors?" Z'ress yelled at her sister, breathing heavily. "There is a house conspiring against us!"
Lea said nothing and continued to read the book she held in her hand. She didn't even glance up at her sister, giving no sign whatsoever that she acknowledged the words.
"Did you hear me?" Z'ress screamed. "We could be destroyed!"
Lea's eyes suddenly shot up. "Of course I know this," she said with a deathly calm. Z'ress moth hung open in a surprised gape. "Do I not have ears?"
Her sister sneered at the sarcasm. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind concerning yourself with the welfare of this house and perhaps find out who is plotting against us."
"I have been, Z'ress," Lea said slowly.
"Really now?" Z'ress asked skeptically. "I have seen no yochlol summoned by mother."
Lea slammed her book closed. "There are other ways to find information than by using-no, bothering!-Lloth. Let me handle our affairs, Z'ress. I am becoming the matron mother of this house, remember? Not you."
Z'ress had nothing to reply with so she stood before her sister and glared, her eyes seeming to burn livid with anger. "We shall see," she said at length, turning on her heel to bolt out of the room.
Lea shook her head, her frustration at its peak. Her sister was getting in the way of things. Z'ress knew that Lea was hiding something, and if Lea knew her sister in the least, Z'ress was going to make it her priority to find out what her sister's secret was.
That could cause trouble.
The MoonCrest has slipped out of all knowledge through the thousands of centuries. Hardly a soul even believed in the existence of the artifact. But Lea knew that the stories were true. She knew that the MoonCrest had once been given to the drow by Lloth. Lea knew with certainty that it lay hidden somewhere...somewhere in the Underdark. She knew.
But so did Maelent.
"The defender verses the destroyer," Lea mused aloud.
Maelent wanted more than anything the MoonCrest, but Lea had made it her obligation to keep it hidden. But few things in Menzoberranzan could be done without help. And that was where Zaknafein, Jarlaxle, and the Bregan D'aerthe came in. Lea's house was a small house, hardly having enough soldiers to protect the MoonCrest.
But they would try.
"Not unless Z'ress finds out," Lea sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, she flipped through the pages of her book, trying to put her worries to the back of her mind.
Some things are just not possible,
*** *** ***
"What in the Nine Hells are you thinking?!" Jarlaxle practically yelled. Nevina stirred from her sleep, raising her head to turn and see the mercenary. She looked questionably at Zaknafein, but the weapons-master had his attention elsewhere.
"Jeaern killed her father and mother," Zaknafein explained softly, not letting his words grow loud as Jarlaxle's had. The Underdark was no place for raised voices.
"So you killed Jeaern?" Jarlaxle retorted defensively, not even bothering to lower his voice. He shook his head as if the entire notion were absurd.
Zaknafein cast his eyes downward, somewhat ashamed of what he had done. "I had to," he said, as if that were a good enough excuse for his conscience.
Jarlaxle's nose crinkled as he twittered mockingly, "I had to." He shot Zaknafein an annoyed glare. "And the child?" he asked, gesturing to the still wide-eyed Nevina.
Zaknafein shrugged as if the presence of the human child were nothing out of the ordinary. "I could not leave her there to die, and surely she would have if I would have left her by her mother's body."
"So you just bring her along to House Do'Urden?" Jarlaxle countered angrily, spotting every minor detail in Zaknafein's plan that showed the slightest hint of stupidity. "I am sure Malice would not mind. Neither would Lloth. Or Briza, for that matter. She loves children."
Zaknafein's anger flared. "I am not stupid, Jarlaxle," he fumed, his muscles tensing. "I know that she could never even enter House Do'Urden's gate, but what would have me do? I would not let another innocent life die at the hands of my kin. Would you have let her be killed?"
Jarlaxle did not glance away, even as Zak's words shot at him. "Perhaps you brought her here in a penance for other crimes you committed that night?" Jarlaxle's voice showed no forgiveness.
Zak opened his mouth to reply, but he found no words, so he closed it again. Jarlaxle did not comment, and a deep silence fell between them that neither wanted to break.
Nevina gurgled, and Zak looked down at her. Any other time in his wandering through the Underdark, he would have been grateful for her innocent outbreaks, but now he only looked down at her with sadness. Jarlaxle was right.
"I had no control on the surface, Jarlaxle," Zaknafein whispered guiltily. "I let myself go, and I regret it. But she is just a child...."
Jarlaxle turned to look at the drow before him. The baby was patting his shoulder with a open hand, her palm smacking against his 123 with a slight smack. Suddenly she coughed, throwing her earlier meal all over Zaknafein's clothes.
Jarlaxle smiled. "Come on," he told his friend, giving a slight laugh as Zaknafein scowled at Nevina. The weapons-master walked forward, his face scrunched up in an annoyed repulsion. "Ha, you look ridiculous."
Jarlaxle let Zaknafein walk in front of him, brushing some of the mess away with the back of his hand. Jarlaxle laughed even more.
"Here," Zaknafein said, turning. "Hold her."
Jarlaxle's eyes flew wide. Zaknafein passed him the baby. The mercenary held her out as far away as he possibly could. His slender fingers wrapping around her middle in a loose, but certain hold.
It was Zaknafein's turn to laugh. He finished wiping away the mess and thought that it was best Jarlaxle hold her for a while. They walked in a contented silence until Zaknafein let his curiosity get the better of him.
"What were you doing in the Underdark?" Zaknafein asked.
Jarlaxle let out a heavy, stressed sigh, brought on by both the baby in his hands and the question. "Looking for you, you idiot," he breathed, his heels clinking on the stone beneath them. Zaknafein stopped in his tracks, somewhat touched by the drow's concern.
Nevina's hand shot up before he could go any deeper into his thoughts, bopping Jarlaxle on the nose.
"Argh," Jarlaxle grumbled, snorting. Nevina's laughter rang like bells, and Zaknafein let his feet move him beside the mercenary. Together, the two friends began their journey back Menzoberranzan.
_______________________________________
Dear Fellow Rowan Trees and Dr. Pepper-Addicted Mice:
Due to a few recent family illnesses, including one of mine (oh ha), it's been a long while since I had a chance to update any of my stories, much less Invisible Chains. (Sorry about that, folks.) Most to all of my updates in the past few weeks were correcting my work for the "new" edict of the site, with no author notes as chapters.
Um, oops?
So, with that fixed and everything starting to get back to normal in my family, I'll try to pick up this story again. At any rate, it might be a bit before my next chapter. I'll try to write it as soon as possible.
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
- Aithne (TheBladedancer)
