Chapter Two

Ilivarra crouched at the side of the road, carefully calculating her next actions. Several days had passed since she had escaped her grave. The drow had managed to bind the worst of her wounds but was still badly injured. She knew that if she did not receive healing, food, and water that she would die.

Two svirfs made their way up the road. They both carried packs on their shoulders, showing that they were travelers of a sort. Ilivarra smiled. It was the smile of a hunter that had found its prey, the grin of a predator.

The first gnome turned to his companion. "We should stop soon so we can get some more-" He never finished his sentence, for Ilivarra had snuck up behind him and swiftly broken his neck. The second stared at her in horror, shocked by the death that he had just witnessed as well as the numerous scars and bruises that adorned Ili's face. The drow took advantage of his surprise, shoving her index and middle finger up his nostrils before jerking his face around and nearly twisting his head off in the process.

The adrenaline soon left her, replaced by a wave of exhaustion. She sank to her knees, taking deep breaths and attempting to slow her rapidly beating heart. A look of disgust crossed her face. "Pathetic." She snarled angrily, referring to herself. "I'm stronger than this." The drow forced herself to stand up and began to search their packs.

Ilivarra smiled when she found several healing potions. She drank them greedily, feeling a rush of delight as her wounds healed. Her smile was replaced by a frown when she realized that there were still scars on her arms, torso, and legs. She ran her fingertips down her face, taking note of the fact that several scars still remained on her face.

The drow continued to search the pack. She found a pair of pants and a shirt and quickly adorned them, shedding the dark rags that she had been buried in. Ilivarra looked down to see that the pants only stretched as far as her knees and the shirt only went as far as her navel. Huh. I lose a child I gain a bigger set of tits. As if my tits weren't big enough already. Figures. ...Why the hell am I thinking of that? By the pits of hell, I must be cracking up.

Her scowl deepened when she saw that there was no food in the pack. Her first thought was to conjure some food with her magic. Though she concentrated with immense effort, her arcane abilities would not function. Ili scowled bitterly. What more can he possibly take from me?

Ilivarra looked at the corpses and grimaced. Better than starving.

The drow approached the corpse of the first svirf and knelt down. Her eyes scanned the ground near her and locked on a sharp rock. Ilivarra picked up the rock and used it as a virtual knife as she sawed off the top of the svirf's skull. She reached inside the svirf's head and cut out a piece of his brain, placing it in her mouth and forcing herself to swallow.

She sat there for some time, eating the remains of the svirf. When finished, she buried the other svirf to make sure that no one would know of her presence.

Her violet eyes surveyed the road ahead. And now, my journey truly begins. I'm coming for you, Korve. Count on it you fucking dickhead.

XXXXX

A female drow sat on a throne, sporting a dark smile as she watched the image in front of her. The image was of Ilivarra, creeping through the streets of a duerger city. She sank into the shadows of a dark alley, waiting. A duerger soon walked by, unaware of the drow's presence. Ilivarra lunged out and snatched him into the alley. With incredible speed, Ili slammed the duergar's head into the wall, instantaneously cracking his skull. Ilivarra stripped him of his purse and a small knife that he wore on his belt before dragging his body behind a large trashcan.

A drow male entered the room. He bowed to the woman and waited for her to give him permission to speak. She granted it.

"House Claddarn has fallen, mistress. The remaining soldiers have pledged loyalty to you, swearing that you are their great Valsharess."

The Valsharess nodded. "Tell me, do you recognize this woman?" she pointed at the image in front of her.

The man gasped. "I thought she was dead!"

"I did as well. It seems that Besair has failed." the displeased matron stated.

"Should I send a group of soldiers to destroy her, mistress?"

"No. She is far more useful alive than dead."

"Forgive my impudence, mistress, but are you sure? She certainly has become violent." he declared, his tone more than just a little unnerved.

"Which makes her a perfect candidate to become one of my red sisters." The Valsharess grinned. "She would perform excellently under the tutelage of Malice Melvirr. Is she currently training someone?"

"She is and will be for the next four years, Mistress."

Sinvyl frowned. "Very well then. I can wait."

"Forgive me, mistress, but why would the daughter of House Barrindar wish to join us?"

"Because we have the location of the mercenary Besair. And we shall give it to her for a price."

"Are you sure, mistress? Korve Besair has been a valuable asset to us…"

A memory flashed before the Valsharess's eyes.

"Do you know why I have requested your presence?" The Valsharess asked.

"I'm guessing that you want me to kill off some irritating little cunts for you."

"Indeed." The Valsharess presented him with a scroll and bulging sack of gold. "Their names are Corran Kaseret and Ilivarra Barrindar. Inside the scroll are more details about the couple. I've paid your customary sum, and added more wealth to the bag."

"What for?"

"You must make them suffer to their last heartbeat."

Korve scanned the scroll for several minutes before looking up and grinning at the matron. "In that case, I'll torture them, kill their child, and bury the remaining one alive. I'll even fuck Kaseret's little bitch for free."

"No." The Valsharess said sharply. "She may be a dobluth but she is still a drow. And you harbor some drow blood in your veins. To do such a thing would only lower you."

Korve sneered at her. "Yes, ma'am. I'll take my leave now." He turned around and walked out of the room.

The Valsharess narrowed her eyes. She was well aware that Korve had disobeyed her last order and had indeed forced himself upon Ilivarra. "Her value outweighs his. Plus, she will be far more obedient to us than he ever was. I'll have Malice make sure of that." The drowqueen narrowed her eyes the male. "I am a merciful queen, which is why you are still alive despite your incessant questioning of my orders."

The male immediately began babbling apologies and pleas for forgiveness.

"Silence." She turned her gaze towards the image. "At the moment, Barrindar is little more than an animal. We will give her several years to regain some of her humanoid instincts."

XXXXX

Three months later, Ilivarra sat in her small room at the inn. She had obtained some new clothes. She wore skin-tight pants and a shirt, both of them purple as well as black. A brown belt wrapped itself around her waist and left shoulder, its silver buckles reflecting the small amount of light in the room. Her black boots covered her from foot to knees, and were propped up on several books. Her wavy silver hair was tied back in a full ponytail rather than hanging down her back with two braids encircling her head like a crown.

Several piles of scrolls—all of them listing possible current locations of the Valsharess—surrounded the drow. She was taking a break from her search, too tired to continue. Ili took a swig of what was the sixth bottle of ale she'd had that night. She then took a long drag from the cigarette in her right hand. She had discovered the practice two months earlier, quickly learning that smoking as well as drinking was a way for her to cope with her loss.

She took another puff, closing her eyes and allowing a memory to form in her mind.

Korve smiled at the furious Ilivarra. "Ya still won't scream for me. You're strong, little cunt. I'll give you that." He pulled out a knife and cut open another wound on her face.

Ilivarra merely gave him the same smoldering glare she had worn for the past few days, determined not to cry out.

"Maybe I should fuck you again. That might make you cry out." He let out a chuckle as Ili's eyes widened. "Don't worry, little cunt. I won't fuck you. If I did, it would kill you." He grinned. "Though I'm sure you wanna join your boyfriend and your unborn bastard too."

Ili's amethyst eyes locked with Korve's obsidian black orbs. The drow spit in the mercenary's face, smiling slightly at the enraged expression that rested on his face.

Korve let out a snarl and wiped away the saliva from his face. "Think that was funny, huh?" He picked up his sickle and leveled it at Ilivarra's eyes. "We'll see who's smiling in a few minutes, little cunt."

Ilivarra idly reached up and touched the scar that started at her right eyebrow, cut through her right eye and stopped just at the beginning of her neck. Filled with a sudden rage, Ilivarra picked up the bottle of ale and hurled it at the wall. She smiled as the liquid dripped down the wall, leaving a crimson stain. I've waited for months now. I can wait as long as necessary. The drow took one last drag of her cigarette before picking up a scroll and resuming her research.