Disclaimer: Drow are not mine

C

Master

C

"Master Enzageyn! Please, I swear it's not my fault!"

Master? Is this the ghost of his former Master? But why would he ask for his brother? I sit up and to my great relief I'm able to do so without any further problems. That's as far as it goes though. I'm aware that too much interest from any powerful person is never something that promises a quiet and easy life. This in mind I decide to say nothing and hope fervently that this Enzageyn, whoever he may be, won't notice me.

Being me I've totally forgotten that he's had plenty of time to watch us both sleep and must already be quite aware of my presence. Not that he'd possibly be able to miss me now while I'm sitting next to Andy, but you can always dream.

"Not your fault? What have you done this time? Answer!" His eyes are narrowed, bad sign. Andy is trembling which concerns me very much. I mean I don't know him that well, but the guy can't even touch him right now and he's nearly falling to pieces!

"I couldn't do anything, he killed him and he…please don't punish me!"

"Are you telling me that somebody had the nerve to kill my brother and you did nothing to prevent it?" The mage hisses.

"But I couldn't do anything." Andy protests weakly.

Ah, I think I understand. The mage is the brother of Andy's Master, who was killed by somebody I don't know yet. Great, but my wonderful new insight doesn't help me much right now. The main problem is still there and is getting angrier by the second. At least he's not solid and I hope he'll stay this way. I wonder if he's able to throw fire at us without actually being here. Considering my luck nowadays the git probably is.

"Where are you? On the surface?" He wants to know.

"We're…"

I think that if I hadn't immediately pushed Andy over and covered his mouth at that point, he would have told him straight away.

"Are you mad?" I yell at my cellmate. "If you say a single word about our location I swear I'll kill you!"

Well there goes my decision to say nothing. It was a stupid idea anyway. Much to my surprise and fear all anger on the face of our ghostly visitor has suddenly vanished and he's started laughing. Not the quiet chuckle from before no, more like someone who's just heard an incredibly funny joke. It's very unnerving to watch him, positively howling with laughter while not being able to comprehend what's so damn funny. When he finally stops I nearly wish he hadn't, because the sadistic smile which now spreads on his finely chiseled face is even more disturbing. I watch him with my lips pressed together so my mouth can't do anything stupid like telling him he's a bastard and thus provoking him into killing us straight away. I'm still not entirely sure of what he's able to do in this state, but it's always better to be on the safe side.

"So the pale fairy child has a voice too. The two of you are quite pretty together. Two pretty sluts."

The smile widens and a chill runs down my spine. I definitely don't like the sound of this! Why do all Drow look at me like I'm some delicious meat on a platter, ready to be served? First Andy and now him. I haven't heard any prejudices about this particular part of Drow behavior before, so maybe it's just about me being absolutely irresistible. I have to admit though, that he scares me a lot more than Andy did. These red eyes promise pain and while some people might get off on that I don't! I hate my life.

"You know what," the mage says "since I enjoy a good challenge I'll give the two of you a chance. If you manage to evade me for the next two years I'll let you go, but if I track you down you'll be my slaves for the rest of your sorry little lives."

And then he's gone. No strange noise no smoke just gone without a trace. Shit, of course he wouldn't have anything better to do with his time than chasing us around. Bloody bastard! I never volunteered myself for this kind of sick amusement, it doesn't seem like anybody cares about my lack of enthusiasm though. Andy just stares at me in wide eyed shock, as if he can't believe what he just heard.

"So what do you think?" I ask Andy "When's he gonna be here? Tomorrow, in five minutes or a week, he can't be serious!"

Andy shakes his head confusion plain in his features. "I don't know for sure. He likes playing games, but he's never gone to such lengths before. His father wouldn't just let him run off to pursue trivial matters when his talents could be used for gaining advantages in house-politics, unless…well unless he finally threw him out for good. They never got along while I was there."

"So you're basically telling me it's entirely possible for him to walk in here put a little silver collar around our neck and have us crawling in the dirt for, as he so eloquently put it "the rest of our sorry little lives"?"

Andy nods. "We have to get out of here." He states the obvious.

"Oh really, how observant of you. What do you propose we do? Dig a hole with nothing? Fuck this, why do I always have to get into these situations?"

I want to kick something! Of course we have to get out of the cell, but I've no idea how that could be accomplished any time soon. Normally I just wait a few days until a guard comes and throws me out, but normally I have got all the time of the world on my hands. I can practically feel the word panic starting to blink in bright red letters above my head. Breathe Toren, in and out, in and out; something will come to you, some bright idea worthy of a genius. You just have to breathe and wait. When after ten minutes nothing even remotely useful has come up I ask: "Is he really that bad?"

"Yes." Andy shudders. "My master used to give me to him when he wanted to punish me for being disobedient."

Ok, that's really all I want to know, but of course he has to say more, just to make me cringe with apprehension.

"With him it's not only the whipping you know, the pain in itself wouldn't be so bad, it's when he gets into your head and starts using your worst fears against you that makes being with him so scary."

He's hit a nerve there. I'd do almost anything to prevent somebody and especially this somebody from tampering with my thoughts. I've got so many secret fears that I'd probably be raving mad by the time he'd have gone through half of them. Take my horror of being alone for example or…wait being alone brings me to my clan, which reminds me of the fact that Ayren could still be in town. I'm sure if I could manage to get her here she'd probably gloat a lot but in the end she would help us because the bitch doesn't want my blood on her hands! Casting me out is one thing, but delivering me to certain death isn't something she could live with. At least I hope so.

Now the only problem that remains is to contact her. We'll need to bribe the guards, but I have neither money nor other things I could trade for favors. I'm quite convinced Andy doesn't either, but it can't hurt to make sure, so I ask him.

Sorry for stopping here, but Inspiration has just deserted me and gone off to a party together with Plot. Don't worry I'm sure they'll come back soon. Well that's it for now; please tell me what you think.