Disclaimer: Drow not mine.
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Clothes
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The way to Dai's place takes excruciatingly long, because with a group of three Drow we're wary of attracting unwanted attention and have to be very careful even on the sparsely populated rooftops. Especially when one of said Drow is female and wearing nothing but a shirt. My shirt to be precise, which leaves me half naked and shivering in the cool night air. At least Ufrelyn had the courtesy to look grateful when I handed it over after a very persuasive glance from her brother. Andy of course doesn't mind the sight at all and only grins at my feeble complaints.
"This friend of yours, does he have a big bed?"
Distracted for a moment I nearly slip on a loose tile.
"Well, big for a Halfling. Not as generous as we're used to." I answer after just catching myself, earning a disdainful look from Kofyr for my clumsiness. He keeps looking only a second too long though, revealing more interest than he probably cares for. Another great reason to make me give up my shirt, I think grumpily. What a nuisance. I already regret kissing him, but at the time it seemed like a good idea and without this drastic change of circumstances I'm quite sure it would have been one too.
When Dai opens the door he nearly faints upon noticing my company. Not that I can disagree with that notion, but I really want to get out of the cold so I slip past him before he can utter a word of protest, feeling only slightly guilty about it.
"I'm hungry."
"Me too."
Andy and Ufrelyn obviously still suffer from their prison induced malnourishment. I guess that can be remedied since Dai, true to his halfling nature, has a well stocked cupboard, even after our generous breakfast this morning. He doesn't say anything, only watches us raid his food supplies in silence, with a pained look on the cubby face and now I do feel guilty. Taking food from a halfling is about as cruel as taking gold from a dwarf, the only difference being that they would deserve it, whereas Dai doesn't. He watches Ufrelyn, who like me is still not wearing overly much, with a carefully concealed look and is probably wondering about his obviously unconcerned half nakedness. I am too, but maybe he just thinks of a filled stomach as something more important than decency.
"I didn't invite them." I try to console my friend, but this doesn't work very well and makes Kofyr glare at me once again so I wisely decide to keep my mouth shut from now on. What's he on about anyway? We got away, so why can't he fucking relax for a bit.
After he has apparently taken care of the worst of his raging hunger Andy finds back to his usual playful mood and slides one hand under the table where it comes to rest on my leg. It doesn't stay there for long though and soon I have to struggle to keep my composure. Apparently I haven't done as good a job as good as I thought, because my not so favourite Drow Kofyr drops his potato filled spoon back on the plate in a clattering gesture of exasperation and snarls: "Now why don't you two go and find yourselves a bloody bed! You're getting on my nerves."
With this he has once again hit the bottom of my patience.
"Well I simply assumed that you would take the bed," I reply sweetly "just like you take anything else that happens to catch your fancy."
This time the table between us is big enough that he can not reach me. I was careful to make sure of that before speaking. Dai's eyes grow wide in alarm at the following growl.
"If you don't shut the fuck up now Elf I'll cut out your tongue with a blunt kitchen knife!"
Not that he actually has a sharp one, but I don't see that happen anyway.
" Will you?" I reply and out of the corner of my eye I can see Ufrelyn and Andy sharing a shrug and a very resigned look. Obviously they get on a bit better than Kofyr and I. He has actually picked up one of the knifes from the table now and is getting up. I guess I'd better say something to stop him, because his expression is quite murderous.
"You know, if you so much as touch me with that I'll scream." I tell him. Obviously not impressed he starts on his way around the table.
"I'll scream so loud that the whole neighbourhood will come running to see what has happened."
He's still not stopping. I'd better get up now and try to run away. Unfortunately my chair chooses this moment to develop an inconvenient mind of its own and trips me, so that I fall flat on my face. Gods this is embarrassing!
"And they will come!"
Is that panic I can hear in my voice? Yes it definitely is! Something had better happen now to keep him from mutilating me with that awfully blunt looking knife. Just when despite all my short lived struggling black hands close around my throat and I have inwardly said goodbye to my unmarred features Ufrelyn decides it's time to speak up.
"You should stop now brother." She says with a calmness I don't feel at all. "We don't have our disguise anymore and I'd really hate to go out there while still wearing only a shirt when someone comes along and raises alarm, because you made him scream."
Surprisingly in the second following this short, almost bored statement all action against me ceases and the hold on my throat is reluctantly released, even though he remains sitting on my stomach. But when I tell him he doesn't believe me does he?
"Fine." He says, sounding disturbingly calm now as well. "I'll find another way then to deal with him."
I think this can safely be seen as a rather worrying statement.
"Maybe the slut will even like it."
Yes now I'm definitely worried!
"No!"
Upon this short passionate cry from Dai we all turn to him, almost surprised to find that he's still there after he kept silent for so long. I know Andy wouldn't object. To him obedience is the normal way of life, because he knows no different and seems to have accepted the other two as some kind of weird substitute Masters for the moment. After all those years it probably comes purely out of habit. For me it is not quite so habitual though and I am glad for Dai's outburst, at least until I hear Kofyr say: "No?" With a wide smirk. "So you want to take his place then little Halfling?" He asks mockingly, slowly running intrusive fingers along my jaw. I certainly do not want one of the few friends I have to suffer for the regrettable lack of self restraint I usually display in the presence of volatile people, so I force myself to smile and return the slow deliberate touch to distract him from this dangerous path of thinking.
"Why bother with a Halfling when you can have better?" I ask quietly, hoping that if I show some measure of cooperation he'll just let it slide. I do my very best not to look at Dai. To see the hurt and confusion which must surely be showing on his face would be the death blow to any determination I have managed to dredge up.
How has it come to this? I wonder briefly while looking into red eyes sparkling with cruel excitement. A sight I have already seen far too often in my life. Why am I once again doing this, submitting to somebody I can't stand only because it is easier than trying to resist. I had thought that this part of my existence would be over with the death of my Master, but it seems to cling to me consistently like the smell of a skunk. Am I stained and twisted for eternity now? What a horrible thought!
"Stop playing around when we have more important things to do!"
This time Ufrelyn's tone of voice reveals an alarming measure of aggravation. Maybe witnessing this little scene has been an uncomfortable reminder of the unfortunate change of gender she had to endure today.
"I need clothes and we both need to get some kind of weapon before we can get out of here. This won't help a bit."
At least I'm not the only one with problems here. The thought is mildly comforting. Especially since I'm now free to sit up once again and can continue with my oh so rudely interrupted meal. This time I vow to myself to keep my mouth shut, at least until I have finished eating.
Dai volunteers to go off on search of appropriate garments for our newly created woman, taking the opportunity to remove himself from the oppressive presence of his unwanted guests and Andy is chosen to accompany him to make sure we won't have any nosy visitors afterwards. When after a few minutes the silence becomes too heavy for me to bear I finally ask the question which has been nagging me for some time now.
"What have you done to Lord Liral to make him chase you with such vengeance?"
I have not addressed anyone in particular, so for a change it is Ufrelyn who answers me with barely concealed satisfaction, leaving Kofyr to throw a scowl in my direction.
"We sold the stupid Elf a totally useless artefact for a lot of gold, making him think we were harmless humans and in addition to that we stole his precious family heirloom while he was looking the other direction, to use it as a bargaining chip with Eberral." Here she becomes a bit surly. "Not that it did me much good in the end."
"Are you talking about this strange bone you gave him?"
Both nod.
"It's supposed to be from some long dead war hero I think." Ufrelyn explains with surprising patience and shrugs. "At least that's what the priest said when he hired us to steal it."
She doesn't seem very concerned about either the priest or Liral, but that may be a deceiving impression. You can never really know with a Drow.
"What are you going to do now?" I ask on the off chance that the current talkative mood will make them grace me with a little more information.
"Did your Master not teach you that it is dangerous to ask too many questions?"
Kofyr is speaking in a manner more jesting than actually threatening, but the meaning could not be any clearer. Shut up or you'll regret it. Fine, I've had enough trouble for one night. I'll heed his wishes. With a shrug I resign myself to not knowing and proceed to toy with my leftovers, carefully avoiding their red gazes. I actually try to avoid looking at them at all, but after five minutes of occasional bored sighing Ufrelyn decides to occupy herself with a half filled jar of strawberry jam. The way she is thoroughly licking her fingers is quite mesmerizing I find and realize that it has been quite some time since I have last slept with a woman. I don't get any further though in my contemplations, because Andy and Dai are coming back each with an armful of varied articles of clothing.
Ufrelyn doesn't hesitate and immediately starts picking through the heap. After a few seconds she emits an ear splitting, dangerously enraged shriek.
"Who of you brought this! I will cut your fucking throat! This is not funny! How could you dare assume that I'd ever wear something like that?"
During this little tirade she is forcefully waving the offending garment, a long, bright red skirt with flower embroidery. Dai shrinks back in a corner horrified by this abrupt rise of anger, but Andy suddenly perks up, quickly snatches it from her grasp and says: " Oh sorry, that's not for you darling. I brought it for Toren. He does look so tempting in skirts. Our Master used to love it." With that he turns to me, a pleading look in his eyes and continues in a terribly cheerful voice: "Come here you can try it on!"
One thing our Master has never ever done is to make me wear skirts, but in this particular moment I can see the merit of Andy's lie and take it with an only slightly forced smile. Better to put that on than to have Ufrelyn throw a fit and while I do that I take the opportunity to get back my own shirt, which has been discarded by the now appeased Drow and replaced by a bright blue one that seems to meet her standards better than mine did. Just when I am finally standing there dressed in skirt and shirt a knock comes from the door. Kofyr makes hasty shooing motions for Dai to go and answer while we others do our best to find a hiding place in the suddenly very small flat. After a short, frantic search I end up crammed in a cupboard together with the for once fully clothed Ufrelyn. Dai opens.
"Good evening to you master Halfling."
Ufrelyn cringes.
"That's Liral!" She whispers in alarm.
"Bloody Bastard! Vhaeraun steal his worthless soul!" I mutter darkly, remembering how he didn't even listen to me before throwing me to the guards. I don't think he'll be more lenient now that nobody is watching.