shadow0015: (shrugs) it's her opinion. My openings are pretty crappy. This is an ill-fated romance and will probably be even sadder as soon as I find those damn throne of Bhaal lines. And the story of the USA and the metric system was so sad. (sniff.)
Chapter Four
The group walked through the woods towards Trademeet. Saronax was nearing his goal of twenty thousand gold and was eager to go to Trademeet and solve the problems there for he had heard that the city's economy was based off of merchant sales and was highly rich.
Zake had recently concocted a song and was now singing it with Jan, much to everyone's displeasure.
There once was a man from the zoo
His stench was so sick it would make you spew
His girlfriend told him to bathe
He just couldn't be saved
Until eventually everyone went splat
And he started eating onions or some crap like that.
When Zake finished, Saronax was staring at him. "What in the name of the Gods are you talking about?"
"One of the voices in my head told me to sing this." The blade replied.
"(Sigh) Saronax, please stop him before he babbles another one of his obnoxious rants of insanity." Viconia implored.
"You sing?"Saronax asked, frowning.
"Yep. Wanna here some more? Tra-la-la-la…"
"Stop." Viconia stated.
"La-la-la..."
"Desist, blade."
"do-re-me-fa-so-la-ti-do"
"SILENCE YOU IDIOTIC SWORD!"
"do-a-dear--"
Viconialet out a cry of rageand stomped towards Saronax, determined to take Zake away.
Saronax grabbed her wrist. "Calm down, Viconia."
"Let go of me, male! I swearby Shar that if you do not release me I shall make you suffer…"
Saronax didn't let go of Viconia's wrist as he turned towards Jaheira. "Did Gorion ever tell you what he would do whenever I lost my temper as I child?"
"He mentioned it once or twice." Jaheira said.
"Would like to help me use that technique on Viconia?"
Jaheira grinned deviously. "I would love to." She walked off.
Viconia stared at Saronax. "What are you doing?"
Saronax didn't respond. He smiled when he saw Jaheira coming back, a large object balanced on her hip. Quick as a flash, Saronax pinned Viconia's arms to her side. He then wrapped his arms around her torso and restrained her.
"What are you doing? Put me down, jaluk!" Viconia shouted as Saronax dragged her towards Jaheira. The druid placed the object—a bucket full of water—on the ground.
"This is for you own good, Vicky." Saronax told her. He firmly grabbed the back of Viconia's shirt and dunked her head in the water. After ten seconds, Saronax pulled her back.
Viconia was trying to speak between gasps of air. "You…insolent male! I shall murder you, jaluk! When you least expect it I will-" she was cut off by Saronax dunking her once more.
"Did Gorion truly do this to you?" Jaheira asked.
"All throughout my childhood. And if he didn't, the gate warden had no problems with dunking me." Saronax replied. He pulled Viconia's head out. "Are you alright now?"
She nodded. Saronax smiled grimly. "Good."
Before he could react, Viconia reached up and spat in Saronax's face.
Saronax snarled and clutched his right eye. "You bitch! I'll break your legs! I'll-" he was silenced by Jaheira's hand pressed against his mouth. "Do we need to dunk you as well, Saronax?"
Saronax scowled and shook his head. Jaheira took her hand away. "Good then. Let her go."
Saronax remembered that he was still holding the back of Viconia's shirt and loosened his grip. Surprised by the sudden release, Viconia stumbled. She glared at Saronax through her wet silver hair. "Vith'os!" she snarled before staggering away from them.
Saronax blinked. "What does that mean?"
"Never mind that." Jaheira said quickly.
XXXXX
"What was life like before you were an adventurer? Didn't it seem simpler, less complicated?" Viconia asked Saronax several days later. Apologies had been made and the water bucket incident, forgotten.
Saronax looked at her suspiciously. "I don't what you're playing at, Viconia, but I'm not interested."
"If you are so headstrong as to actually wish to remain insipidly silent, then you may do on your own."
"I'm insipidly silent eh? Alright then, I'll humor you. Ask me another question."
Viconia hesitated then asked, "Hmmm...I am wondering this; do you ever entertain the notion of marriage?"
"Not really. I have other things to think about."
"True…but if that were not the case, you would consider such a thing natural, yes? I have seen the custom borne out and cannot grasp the notion properly. To commit to one person in all manner? It seems a bizarre internment to me, tantamount to slavery."
"That's not necessarily true. Marriage can be awonderful union. Do you remember how happy Jaheira and Khalid were?"
"From what I have seen, surface custom is not so different from ours. Of course, Drow culture allows 'husbands' to be disposed of and replaced."
"I take it you dislike our form of marriage then?"
"Perhaps. I haven't devoted much thought to it, though I've noticed the role of a male and female are reversed here on the surface."
"Any man that gains your affection is one who would do well to watch his back."
"Well put, Saronax. I am not so insipid as not to realize that things are different here on the surface however."
Saronax smiled. "See, that wasn't so bad. Ask me another question."
"I have been thinking about the divinity that flows through your veins... Does it fire your ambitions, Saronax? Is there a lust within you superceding mere passion, a desire to lord over others as a conqueror and superior?"
"I'm not really interested in lording over other, Viconia."
"Ah I see. As I thought, you are yet the reticent coward. You remind me of the lowly drow males, crawling along the ground on your belly with eyes downcast."
Saronax abruptly stood up. "Coward am I? That's interesting coming from a woman who fled her own home out fear!"
Viconia also stood up, her eyes smoldering with anger. "Do not speak of things that you know nothing about, ilbith!" She snarled before turning away and storming off.
Saronax stared after her, anger building inside of him. It would be so easy to run his spear through her black heart…
-
Saronax angrily stormed ahead the next day, determined to be as far away from Viconia. He could feel her approaching and quickened his pace. It was useless however. "Saronax!" Viconia cried.
He stopped and turned around. "What?" he growled.
"Please disregard the things I said to you earlier. They were ill-conceived. You...you are not drow and not worthy of such insults."
"Why should I? You have crossed the line once too often!" He roared.
"That is true. I have indeed." she said solemnly.
Saronax clenched his teeth momentarily and counted to ten. When he finished he sighed and said, "Fine. Let's just continue on."
"Thank you, Saronax. I shall attempt to be more guarded with my thoughts in the future."
They walked next to each other for awhile. Saronax was being surprisingly considerate and slowing his pace so that Viconia could keep up more easily with him. Viconia decided to speak, "I have been told a little about this 'Bhaal' of yours, but I am unfamiliar with him. Among the drow, we are taught nothing of other gods, and little enough about our own gods beyond Lolth."
"Well I wouldn't call 'Bhaal' mine, exactly."
"I understand what you mean by this. Many of those who dwell upon the surface seem to live without giving much thought to the gods. It is very different in the Underdark, Lolth involves herself everywhere. Like a glutton, she reserves all worship for herself and outlaws other drow gods."
"There are other drow gods?"
"Yes, gods like Ghaunadaur and Vhaeraun hold some power, but Lolth is the strongest by far and forbids even their mention."
"Why did you not turn to one of them, instead of Shar?"
"Nightsinger is mistress of darkness and loss. I was born of darkness and have lost much; my faith, my home…Shar has returned much. I am grateful to her."
"Sounds like you miss the Underdark. I understand. I miss Candlekeep from time to time." Saronax admitted.
"It is difficult for me to describe. The Underdark is a place of evil and danger, but it also filled with beauty and wonder. Would you like me to tell you about it?"
"Sure."
"Deep drow is inelegant when discussing beauty, but has seventy words for cruel. Few of my sisters prized the sights of our dark world, but I ache for them each night. The undersea of Laratrak, for example, defies words. To sail across takes two days luent to linoin…east to west….three days trezen to werneth…north to south."
A change had come over Viconia as she described her world. A small smile played across her lips and there was a twinkle in her eyes. She almost…innocent, something Saronax had never seen before. He couldn't help but gaze at her sparkling eyes, drinking in their beauty. It's like looking at a cloud right before a light rain is about to fall. Realizing what he was doing, Saronax tore his gaze away from her eyes and forced himself to listen to what she was saying.
"…but these images pale before memories of the Spider Queen, and the worship I began so young. Beauty is difficult to find in the blood I let flow in her name." The twinkle and Viconia's eyes became clouded and distant as she reflected on past memories.
"I thought you enjoyed killing when you worshiped Lolth."
"Do not be a wael…a fool. I enjoyed it well enough, I killed for sport and necessity, but I took no pleasure in sacrifice solely to satiate her endless desire. And I was but a child when I began. I was taken from my mother, brought to the temple, and attended to by the priestesses who adorned me with the black robes."
"What happened next?"
"They took me to the orlenggin…the sacrificial altar…where a surfacer screamed in agony, and for the pleasure of Lolth I was given a spider dagger to end his life. The human was but a kul'gobuss to me, but it felt wrong. He was bare and chained…helpless. His tears ran freely as he begged for mercy in his unfamiliar tongue. But the matron mothers were there to judge; obedience was required, hesitation was death. It must be done in a manner that would please Lolth; cold, clean, and final."
Viconia took a deep breath and continued. "He screamed as the blade entered, and spit blood when I punctured his lungs. To the delight of the matron mothers I pulled his heart out still beating. "
"There were many sacrifices, huh?"
"I sacrificed many. Drow and surfacer both. The ichor flowed freely to Lolth's insatiable rage…the caverns are red in my mind, their beauty a bloody and callous joke." Viconia said bitterly. "It is the drow way. But that is…behind me, now. Let us continue our travels, Saronax. "
