Jarlaxle waited for Pharaun in his office and as he entered, "is it done?"

"Yes, it is done," Pharaun said with a nod. "How do things fair with you? Does she suspect anything?

"Things fair well on my end, she does not suspect anything is out of the ordinary," Jarlaxle said with a smile. "What about your assistant? She suspects much."

"Surprisingly no. I have her quite fooled."

"Are you so sure Pharaun? We've thought that before and as a result underestimated her. I do not like making the same mistakes twice."

"Yes, this I am certain of," Pharaun said. "She has come to trust me."

"Grand!" Jarlaxle headed to the door. "But, I must return to training the light-haired one. I'll get her to wield a weapon yet."

Pharaun smiled. "The light-haired one. She is weak willed."

"Of course she is, why do you think I'm training her?"

"If you push hard enough you can get her to do anything," Pharaun said.

"That's what I've been aiming to do all along," Jarlaxle said with a smirk.

Pharaun laughed. "Just don't try anything too hasty. . .yet."

Jarlaxle paused at the door, before continuing on his way. "No, no of course not."

Pharaun chuckled. "If you say so."

Alex practiced for about an hour with the dagger then tried the bow and arrow.

Jarlaxle entered the room silently and he watched as Alex hit the target perfectly. Clapping his hands, "Excellent my dear! Was that your first shot?"

Alex was startled by the sound of his voice and dropped the bow to the ground. "No, about my fourth."

"I see, it seems you have a natural talent with it. And you say that you never wielded a weapon?"

Shaking her head, "never."

Jarlaxle watched her closely.

"You do not believe me?"

"Very few humans, without any prior experience with a bow, could wield one and hit the target perfectly with only four shots," Jarlaxle said.

"I guess I am just talented."

"Of course, you are very talented indeed."

Alex smiled. "Thank you. What's next?"

"Physical self-defense," Jarlaxle said with a smile.

"What!"

"My dear there are times you'll be without a weapon and you'll need to defend yourself," Jarlaxle said, "unless you're planning on using a glare."

"Don't tempt me."

Jarlaxle suddenly grabbed her from behind and held her around the waist. "Try to get out of this position."

Alex struggled for a moment and then turned her body to loosen his grip. She fell to the ground and kicked at his knees.

Jarlaxle grimaced ever so slightly, but didn't go down. "No, no sweep your back leg around and get my weak one it will take me to the ground. Your strategy is effective, but lacks finesse."

Alex grunted and stood up, taking a few steps back.

"What? No counter attack? You must examine every strategy, every weak point. Think of which point you have weakened and attack," Jarlaxle said.

"I am not the one to fight," Alex said. "I prefer to talk my way out of a problem."

"Talk is wasted on the foolish in the Underdark," Jarlaxle said. "Even your friend would fight back."

"That she would," Alex said, "and I understand that, but you must remember that we are two different people. If the time came I would fight to save her, and nothing more. As long as she gets out of here alive I will be happy."

"Yes, I see," Jarlaxle said, "if you will not fight, then defend yourself!" He lunged at Alex and she managed to hit him, but he still took her to the ground. "You see my dear, there will come a day when you will have to kill."

Alex grunted in pain and growled out, "No."

Still on top of her, "yes my dear, when the day comes you will have to decide between your life or another's. Now counter attack!"

Alex struggled to use her weight, rolling Jarlaxle under her. "No! I would rather it be my own life than someone else's."

Jarlaxle seemed to be enjoying the fight. "Oh really? What if it was your life versus the life of one who seeks to kill your friend? When the time comes you will not be able to deny the urge to kill."

Alex seemed startled. "What are you saying?"

"It could happen my dear." Jarlaxle flipped her over his hand and stood, looking down at her. "Just something to think about."

With a groan, "there is more behind those words and I know it!"

"You can retire to your chambers now to heal," Jarlaxle said. "I trust you'll be able to be able to make it there on your own. You must deal with the pain." He inwardly thought, 'there's more to those words than you'll ever know.'

Alex glared and shouted at him. "You avoid my words! I know that you are hiding something! I know this is all a ploy."

"Oh really my dear? Keep in mind that you'll not just suffer physically, but mentally as well."

"What do you mean? I know you are hiding something and I will find out what," she said.

"It will not matter, even if you do find out what we hide. Ponder this tonight," he said leaving Alex to her thoughts.

Kristi had been sittingdarkly for sometime after memorizing the scrolls, she has become emotionally cold, more suspicious, more paranoid, and as a natural loner she was more suspicious than ever.

Pharaun walked into the room. "Have you memorized the scrolls?"

"Yes I have."

"That is good, now try one of the minor spells that were on them," he said.

"Fine," she said. Waving her hand a globe of darkness appeared in the room.

Pharaun clapped. "Well done."

Kristi wasn't used to the attention and she retired to her chamber after demonstrating other minor spells to Pharaun. Hours passed and the girls seemed to see each other in dreams, yet they made no contact.

Kristi woke abruptly as an idea happened upon her. "That does it, he's given me minor spells on purpose. He's hiding something. Time to find major spells."

She snuck out of her chamber and entered Pharaun's secret study, stocked full of books. She found a few books with major spells and started reading them.

Jarlaxle went to meet Pharaun in his secret hideout once again, troubled that the girls might be suspicious since they've talked to one another. Alex noticed Jarlaxle walk past her room and she quietly followed him, knowing there was more to the situation and she had to find out what.

He saw Pharaun in the meeting room, waiting. "The fair-haired one is suspicious."

"I figured as much. I should not of let them have contact," he said."

"What of your dark haired one?"

"She seems to know something as well, but will not act upon it for the safety of the fair-haired one," he replied.

"If I didn't know any better I'd have thought that was apart of the dark haired one's plan," Jarlaxle said thoughtfully. "Did you monitor the conversation?"

"No, I did not. But it seems that even though we have them off they still grow suspicious at the same time," Pharaun said.

Alex quietly sunk into the room where the drow were talking. She quietly whispered, "So there is more going on here that meets the eye."

Jarlaxle tilted his head to the side. "Did you hear something?"

Pharaun stopped to listen. "No, I think that you are becoming paranoid."

Alex mentally yelled at herself for being so stupid.

Pharaun folded his arms. "Anyway, after this business with the Matron Mother what will we do with them? You know we cannot get permission without females, yet they could prove useful once we get to the surface."

"Yes, that they will. They could provide information that we need for a surface raid. The surface dwellers will trust one of their own kind, they could get the information we require."

Alex gasped and mouthed, 'surface raid.'

Pharaun suddenly stiffened. "We are not alone."

Jarlaxle quietly drew his sword as he tensed. "And you said I was paranoid."

Alex began to make her way out of the room, but she ended up tripping and falling.

Jarlaxle's eyes widened in surprise and anger. "Not the most stealthy of creatures are we my dear?"

Alex looked to the two drow. "I umm…I was I was looking for the washroom and I sort of got a little lost."

Jarlaxle put a blade to her throat and sighed as he turned to Pharaun. "I have not yet taught her the ways of deception. What should we do to her?" He smiled to Alex, but not nicely.

"We must let her live of course," Pharaun said, "if we were to kill her the other will know and that would make things worse. For now lock her away somewhere."

"Of course," Jarlaxle said. Looking to Alex, "a night with other human slaves will teach you some humility. Consider this a part of your training to see what can happen when your kind is devoid of hope."

Alex looked to Jarlaxle with pleading eyes.

"Trust me my dear, it is kinder than the dungeon with the goblins," Jarlaxle said.

"Wouldn't it just be easier to lock my in my room?" Alex started to tremble.

"No, for now I want you to spend a night with your kind. You'll not be able to sneak out of there due to the watchful eyes of my guards," Jarlaxle said.

Turning to Pharaun before he left, "If I were you I would be paranoid as well." Jarlaxle grabbed Alex's arm and led her down the corridor

Kristi smiled at the information she had absorbed so far and in her digging she discovered a hidden book full of major priestess spells. "Tsk tsk Pharaun I bet you're not allowed to have this," she mumbled before reading the book.

She then swiftly memorized a box of scrolls containing maps of Menzoberranzan and parts of the Underdark. She was puzzled when she found a map of the Surface. "What the-?" She looked to them in confusion, absorbing them into her mind.

Eventually she returned everything to its place and snuck back into her room. She sat on her head, hands behind her head, and processed all the spells and information she learned.

Pharaun walked by Kristi's room to make sure she was still there and she smiled far too innocently to the drow as he looked in. He nodded and started to chant, putting up alarms and wards around Kristi's room to alert him if she were to leave without his bidding.

Kristi inwardly thought, 'you should have done that before.' She did however start to examine the spells and wards he placed, analyzing them.

Alex struggled in Jarlaxle's grip. "There has to be some other way really, anything."

"Anything?" He stopped and looked to her questioningly, reminding himself of a luxury he had not enjoyed for some time now. "Do you truly mean anything?"

Alex was startled by his statement and took a step back. "Almost anything."

"That's what I thought," Jarlaxle said, grabbing her arm and again, taking her deeper into his hideout.

"No! I cannot go in there."

"Why not my dear? Give me a valid reason," he said.

"Those are not people, those are shells of what were once living beings, that have long since lots hope and the will to live. They wish to die at any moment," Alex said.

"So? You are not like them," Jarlaxle said. Though he did mentally add, 'yet.'

"I can't stand to look upon them! They gave in to easily, they did not even try to resist," Alex said.

"Of course they don't try to resist," Jarlaxle said. "You must witness firsthand those who have lost the will."

"No!" She struggled within his grasp again. "There has to be another way! Can't you just lock me in my room and say that's it?"

"There is no other way," Jarlaxle said. He has his guards unlock the door and several humans scampered out of the way of the door, "and no I cannot. You must be strong, you cannot shut out our world forever." He pushed her into the room and shut the door.

Alex turned to bang on the door. "No! Let me out!"

Jarlaxle turned to his guards. "Do not touch that one! If she tries to escape stop her, do not kill her," Jarlaxle said before walking away.

Alex looked around to see faces devoid of emotion and hope staring at her. Several humans looked at her apathetically, while others stared numbly at the wall.

She started to repeat to herself, "I will not become like them."

One human rocked back and forth murmuring, "there is no way out." They covered their head in pain.

Alex looked on in dread. "Kristi, oh by the gods, I hope you are all right."

Kristi wasn't able to sleep, so she was practicing with one of the scimitars in anger. She could sense Alex, deepening her concentration more and she combined magic. She mumbled, "Alex what have you gotten yourself into."

Alex leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, putting herself in a dream state and tried to contact Kristi without the mental link. Kristi sadly pushed the mental link away as she felt Alex trying to get past the wall. However, she did close her eyes and enter a dream-like state.

Alex sat on the ground by a tree and Kristi noticed her, nodding slowly and reassuringly to her friend. Alex didn't literally want to make contact, but she tried to mouth the words, "they are on to us" before disappearing. Kristi watched as Alex disappeared before returning to the physical world.

Kristi sat on the ground and said softly, "I know." She stood and started pacing, slowly and methodically.

Alex looked up and said with power in her voice. "I will not become like them!"

Several humans scampered away from her, while others looked to her sadly.

Alex stood. "How could all of you have given up so easily!"

They all looked to her. One human rasped, "we were easily broken by the hardship of the drow existence, giving up was the only way."

Another human spoke, "I now hope for death, it is the only way to be free."

Alex shook her head. "No!" She ran to the door and started to pound on it.

The first human coughed and then said, "they will not let you out."

The guards merely looked to Alex in amusement.

Alex turned to the slaves. "You are all weak willed. All of you," she said sliding to the ground, "you are all weak."

The second human said to her, "Are you not weak willed too if you are with us?"

Alex shook her head. "I do not know anymore."

A human to her right said quietly, "We have accepted our fate."

"Fools, you are all fools," Alex said.

"Better to be a fool than one of them," the human said motioning to the guards.

She inched her way to a corner, away from the humans and whispered, "This is madness."

"So what did you do with the light-haired one?" Pharaun sat in his study, talking with Jarlaxle through an enchanted gem.

"I put her in the dungeon with other humans," Jarlaxle said. "What of your assistant? Is everything secure?"

"Yes," he replied, "I put up wards around her room; she should not be able to get through them without my knowing."

"That is good," Jarlaxle said. "Are we still going to take them into the city like we initially planned? I know of a tavern, which is discrete enough for our little experiment."

"That is a good question," Pharaun said, "but is it safe to have the two of them together. The light-haired one will surely tell the other what you have done."

"You have a point," Jarlaxle said. "What if we take them to the same place, but we keep them separated? We let them endure the torture of not speaking to one another."

"That may work," Pharaun said. "When would you like to do this?"

"Why not tomorrow? It'll be interesting to see how your assistant reacts to the emotional burden the light haired one now bares after seeing her own kind," Jarlaxle said.

"Yes," Pharaun said with a widening smile, "I shall see you then."

After many hours, Jarlaxle walked down to the dungeons and peered through the barred windows in the wooden door.

Alex looked up from her knees. "I must have fallen asleep." She sighed and walked to the door.

"Well, good morning!"

Alex glared.

Jarlaxle motioned his guards to open the door. "I trust you had an interesting sleep my dear." He watched as she practically ran out the door and started moving away from the dungeons. He walked with her and said, "Well you're quick to get out of there."

"Just shut up," she said, glaring and turning away,

"Well, it is obvious you didn't enjoy that," Jarlaxle said. "How about a change of scenery today?"

Alex turned to face Jarlaxle, hatred flaring in her eyes. "What do you mean by that!"

"Well my dear, today we shall venture out into the city," Jarlaxle said, ignoring her blatant hatred.

Alex gritted her teeth and shuddered slightly. "The city? And why may I ask are we going into the city?"

"You're going to sample city life of Menzoberranzan and acquire knowledge regarding drow society and its denizens," Jarlaxle said.

"But if I am not drow, how can I do this?"

"A disguise of course," Jarlaxle said.

Alex looked to his skeptically.

Jarlaxle handed her a crystal and a scroll. "Chant this and your disguise will be revealed."

Alex took the scroll and crystal. "And if I do not want to go?"

"Would you prefer to stay with your fellow humans?"

She looked back to the door and visibly shuddered. In a whisper, "No."

"That's what I thought," Jarlaxle said.

Alex slowly began to read the scroll and was transformed into a female commoner. "Happy now?"

"But of course," Jarlaxle said smiling to himself. He was happy about acquiring a spell that made her a beautiful female drow.

Alex crossed her arms. "Can we get this over with?"

Jarlaxle nodded and motioned for her to follow.

Pharaun walked to Kristi's room. "Good morning my dear."

Kristi had awakened just minutes ago and mumbled, "morning."

"Just wake up my dear?"

"What do you think?" She tossed on a robe. "What are we doing today?"

Pharaun smiled. "We are going into the city."

Kristi's mouth nearly dropped open. "The city!" She did not like the smile Pharaun had on his face.

"Yes my dear, the city."

"So when are we going?"

"As soon as you are ready," Pharaun said.

"Give me a minute," she said. She went into the washroom and exactly a minute later she came out clean and refreshed. "Okay, I'm ready."

Pharaun was shocked at her timing. "Well, come along then."

Kristi sighed and followed thinking, 'he's up to something.'

Pharaun stopped Kristi before they entered the city. "We must do something first."

"Let me guess, a disguise?"

"Yes, you are quite bright my dear," he said.

"Wait a sec, what type of disguise?"

"One of illusion."

"Oh no, I'm not being a male drow!" She glared at him threateningly.

"No no my dear, a female commoner. None shall think of you as a powerful priestess, but just another drow."

"Oh," she said. She kind of wanted one of the whips that the priestesses carried. "You want me to do the spell? Or what?"

"But of course, that is why you are studying under me," Pharaun said.

Kristi muttered a long spell and a mist surrounded her before saying clearly, "vaethaen neuandes." She shook out her now white hair and folded her arms as a drow thinking, 'hmm…I'll have to test my glare later.'

She followed Pharaun to a tavern and read the name, "The Arachnid's Den?" She mumbled, "That's reassuring."

Pharaun heard her mumble, "what was that my sweet?"

"Nothing," she said. She nearly gagged at the word 'sweet' and gritted her teeth stubbornly.

Pharaun motioned her to take a seat next to him at a table in the corner of the room. She begrudgingly sat down, but she straightened…she could sense Alex.

Alex followed Jarlaxle and asked, "Where are we going anyway?"

"To a tavern in Menzoberranzan."

Alex stopped. "A tavern!"

"Of course a tavern," Jarlaxle said motioning for her to keep moving, "only commoners and low lives visit it, so we will be less noticed. Now come on, the spell won't be detected.

"But a tavern? No way, those places are for scum."

Jarlaxle gave her a look. "I go to taverns my dear and you are going to one now. You wouldn't want to insult yourself now would you?"

"Great just great," Alex muttered as she followed him. "I am insulting myself by going into one."

"Best not delaying the insulting," Jarlaxle said overhearing her mutter as they approached the tavern.

Alex stiffened. "Do we really have to do this?"

"Of course we do," he said. With more force, "now come."

She sighed and shook her head, but slowly followed him inside.

Kristi spotted Alex, despite the fact she was disguised as a drow, and she guessed at Pharaun's plan, causing Pharaun to hold her back from going to her friend.

Alex turned around and noticed Kristi in her disguise. "Kristi!"

"Alex!" She looked to Pharaun's glare. "What? We can contact each other as long as you know about it."

Jarlaxle narrowed his eyes at Kristi and held Alex back as she smiled and started walking to her friend. "We're sitting over there." He motioned to a table on the other side of the room.

"But," Alex pointed to Kristi and Pharaun, "they are over there."

Jarlaxle guided her to the table. "And we are over here."

Alex moved out of his grip. "And why is that?"

"It would be suspicious if a mercenary leader associated with a known member of Sorcere in public," Jarlaxle said.

Alex grumbled, "yeah right."

Jarlaxle smiled and guided her to her seat and she scooted away from him.

Kristi went to get up and go to Alex, but Pharaun pushed her back down. "No, we stay here."

As a drow Kristi glared at Pharaun. "I see your plan now, a low life cowardly plan and it won't work. Even though it is a nice touch."

Pharaun smiled.

Kristi looked to him darkly. "That wasn't a compliment."

Pharaun motioned foe one of the goblin servants to come to the table.

The goblin spoke nervously. "Yes sir, how can I help you?"

"Bring us two of the house drinks."

"Right away, right away," the goblin said with a cowering bow.

"House drinks?"

"You will like it," Pharaun said to Kristi.

"I'm not drinking it," Kristi said folding her arms.

"Just try it, it will not kill you."

"That's not very reassuring," Kristi said. "Besides, do you know how picky I am?" She stared at the drink for a moment and pushed her drink to him. "You try it, then I will."

"I have had it many times and I am still here," Pharaun said.

"Why don't you drink it then?" Kristi crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Come now," Pharaun said.

"I don't think so," Kristi said. She stared at the drink, trying to think of a spell that would discern the ingredients of the drink.

Pharaun sighed. "I cannot fool you, I am not quite fond of this drink my self," Pharaun motioned for the goblin slave to bring him two glasses and a bottle of wine.

"You should have figured that out by now," Kristi said with a triumphant smile.

She discretely motioned to Alex not to drink anything Jarlaxle tried pushing at her. He was in the process of having a goblin bring them drinks. "There's no need to be shy Alex."

Alex looked to the drink placed in front of her. "What is this?"

"The drink of the tavern, a very good brew," Jarlaxle said absently looking to the other table.

Alex looked to the drink skeptically and then pushed it away. "No thank you."

Jarlaxle pushed it back. "It is a good drink."

"No, it is quite all right. I'll pass," she said moving farther away from him and closer to the edge of the rounded seat.

Jarlaxle moved closer. "Try it my dear." Taking a sip from his drink, "it is good."

Alex pretended to take a sip of his drink. "Does that make you happy?"

"No."

"What's in it?" She moved closer to the edge of the seat.

"Just some natural ingredients."

"What are these natural ingredients?"

"Oh just some mushroom extract, yeast," he said. In a lower tone that Alex couldn't hear, "spider web," and then raising his voice, "natural ingredients."

"Nope, no thank you," she said, again edging away from him.

"It seems you cannot be fooled," Jarlaxle said, giving Kristi at the other table a dirty look. Another goblin brought over a jewel-encrusted box with a cask of wine. "This is the finest wine in all of the Underdark I assure you. Won't you have some? You must be thirsty."

Alex looked to him. "Why are you pushing me to drink this?"

Kristi's attention was on Alex's table and it didn't surprise her when a goblin came over and replaced the house drink with some fancy wine.

"Please drink this," Pharaun said. "This is the finest wine in the tavern and is rather expensive."

"Sorry Pharaun, I don't drink." She watched him drink some wine from his glass.

"It's just wine, it's not poisoned," Pharaun said watching her and taking another pointed drink from his glass.

Kristi pointed. "Is that goblin dancing?" When Pharaun's attention was diverted she switched the wine glasses. "Oh, sorry, guess he had an itch." She sighed dramatically and took the wine glass into her hand. "Fine, I'll drink the wine. I don't want to waste money."

Pharaun smiled as she drank the wine. "See, it was not bad."

"No," Kristi said raising her glass for a toast. "Why don't you drink up as well Pharaun?

Pharaun drained his glass and the moment he set his glass down, his head fell to the table.

Jarlaxle was just telling Alex that Kristi was drinking the wine, when they both stopped talking about the drinks and stared at Kristi and Pharaun's table.

Kristi stared at Pharaun. "Hmm, guess he can't hold his liquor." She grinned to Alex and enjoyed Jarlaxle's annoyed look.

Alex looked in shock, but she had the presence of mind to run in Kristi's direction.

"Hi Alex, how are you?"

"Um, so so I guess." Alex motioned to the wizard. "What happened?"

Kristi looked to Pharaun's unconscious state and addressed it. "We're going to talk okay?" She moved his head up and down, making it look like he nodded, and then let it drop back down to the table. "Well, I figured he did something to the drink, so I pulled a switcheroo."

Alex laughed and Kristi joined in, until a very stern looking Jarlaxle interrupted their levity.

Kristi looked to Jarlaxle and smiled. "Hello."

Jarlaxle opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it again, shaking his head at what happened.

Pharaun groaned.

Kristi swallowed and looked to the table. "Uh oh, he's not going to be a happy camper once he comes around."

Author's Note: (K) Mwhuaha! 16 pages of editing, take that! Next chapter, there are repercussions for trying to trick the drow…and that can only mean one thing, punishment. The girls' journey will take a dark turn…

This chapter is dedicated to Becky and Kitreilia because they were itching for another chapter and they made me remember how determined I am to edit ALL of this and how attached I am to this story.

Please review! (it let's me know you're reading, lol)