Jarlaxle shook Pharaun awake and said to Kristi, "you better watch out."
"But, he should have seen it coming!"
Pharaun groaned as he returned to consciousness. "What happened?"
"You," Kristi said searching for an answer, "had too much to drink?"
Jarlaxle gave Kristi a look, then turned to Pharaun. "Your assistant somehow switched the drinks on you."
Attempting to act innocent, Kristi put on her best 'who me?' expression.
Pharaun glared at Kristi, hatred flaring up in his eyes. You will pay for that you fool.
"You would have done the same to me Pharaun. Your anger is pointless."
Alex couldn't help herself and giggled at Kristi's expression. Jarlaxle turned on her and said, "Unless you wish to return to the dungeons, you best keep your laughter to yourself."
Alex stopped laughing and looked to the ground, muttering "bastard."
Pharaun sat up and considered Kristi for a moment. "At least she is thinking like a drow."
Jarlaxle shook his head and motioned to Alex, "and this one is talking like a drow."
"I'm not like you," Kristi said angrily. "You thought you could weaken us here, but you've only strengthened our will. Honestly I think you're losing your touch."
Pharaun glared and used a spell to return Kristi and himself back to his chambers.
"What are we doing here?" Kristi looked around suspiciously, trying to hide her worry.
Pharaun's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You fool of a human! Do you think you can honestly outwit a true drow wizard!"
Kristi met his glare despite her trepidation and bit back a cry of surprise as a blinding light caused her eyes to water. Once her vision cleared she saw Pharaun with a whip in his hand…and slowly realized that she was chained to the ceiling.
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Jarlaxle grabbed Alex's arm and took her back to his hideout.
"What was that about!"
"Nothing," Jarlaxle said quickly.
Alex pulled out of his grip. "That was not nothing. Tell me!"
"Fine, Pharaun wanted to put a spell on the both of you through the drink. Your friend is probably feeling his wrath as we speak. He may have drunk a part of the potion but he's immune to its effects. He wanted to make you more like the drow."
Alex's eyes widened with horror as she backed away, "you bastards!"
Jarlaxle watched her run for a brief moment before he swiftly caught up with her and grabbed her roughly. He laughed, "don't think that I do not know about your little adventure in my study the other day." He took the crystal that allowed Alex to impersonate a drow and watched her turn into a very angry human.
"Let me go damn you!"
Jarlaxle held her steadily despite the struggles and gave her an unwavering stare. "You do realize that you have no choice in becoming more like us with each passing day."
"And you do not understand that no matter what we will never turn," Alex said proceeding to struggle even more.
Alex closed her eyes and shook her head.
"What you fail to realize, my dear, is that you're already turning," Jarlaxle said, managing to hold her steady enough to stroke her hair.
"No, I will never change to become one of you!" She kicked his knees and took off in a run.
With a clap of his Jarlaxle's hands several drow blocked her path.
Alex growled in frustration and tried to run another way, but Jarlaxle snapped his fingers this time causing more drow to block her path. "You cannot run my dear."
Alex backed into a wall, tears of frustration filling her eyes. "What is it that you truly want?" She clenched her fists at her sides.
"If you run free in Menzoberranzan you will be killed," Jarlaxle said. He cupped her cheek in his hand. "We can't have that now can we?"
Alex shuddered at his touch and growled, "don't touch me!"
Jarlaxle thought, that will be later. "Fine, I will not touch you…not here at least." He backed away and the other drow closed in on Alex.
Not here!
"Take her to where…my special slaves are kept."
"What! What do you mean by not here!"
Jarlaxle motioned his hand to take her away. "You will see what happens to those who refuse to obey."
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Kristi had spent several minutes dangling from the ceiling, staring in abject horror at Pharaun. Her wrists were already starting to go numb and her mind was struggling to contend with the whip he held.
"You seemed shocked my dear," Pharaun said. He lovingly ran his fingers over the whip in his hands.
Kristi struggled in the chains, but stopped realizing they were strengthened by magic and that they dug into her skin. She looked to the whip, quickly averting her eyes, but clenched her jaw in determination.
"Your fear," Pharaun stated. "I can see it in your eyes." He experimentally cracked the whip into the air.
Kristi flinched and swallowed a lump in her throat. She closed her eyes and didn't answer. Her previous instances of bravado swiftly faded at the echoing sound.
Pharaun cracked the whip again and smiled at the flinch. He knew that she couldn't help it and he languished in that knowledge.
Kristi vowed that she would stifle her flinching, trying to fan her hatred into a frenzy as the damnable drow smiled at her.
"I know that you hate me," Pharaun said, "but with time you will thank me for this. Because without me you would already be dead." He raised his arm and lashed out at her back.
Kristi couldn't bite back the scream as pain assaulted her back. It coursed through her body like lightning and numbed to an odd warmth. Despite her body's imprisonment, her body and mouth was able to rebel. "I do not hate. I dislike immensely!"
"In the end it makes no difference," Pharaun said. He lashed at her back again, causing her to loose another cry. "You will learn to obey me."
Kristi clenched her eyes shut, failing to hold back the tears that gathered in her eyes. Her knees grew weak as they struggled to hold her pain-wracked body. "Never!"
Pharaun walked in front of her and lifted her face to meet his own. "Oh you will my dear, you will."
Through gritted teeth, "no I won't!"
Stroking her cheek, "all you have to do is obey me and the pain will end."
A tear rolled down her cheek against her will. "No!"
Pharaun shook his head and walked around to her back again. "This is your will, not mine." He lashed at her back twice more.
Better my will than yours. Kristi's knees gave out and she whimpered at the new pain that assaulted her wrists.
Pharaun lashed at her back once again, this time having the whip cross over one of the previous wounds.
Kristi let loose her first unbridled scream of pain.
Pharaun paused to smile. "You are weakening. Just say what I want to hear and the pain will stop."
Through the haze of pain Kristi tried unleashing a spell, but it was easily batted aside by Pharaun. The chains cut into her wrists and the blood started trickling down her arms. She hung almost limply. In a strangled whisper, "No, never!"
Pharaun walked in front of her and lifted her hanging head. "Say it, and it will stop."
Weakly managing to shake her head she whispered, "no."
"But the pain is great. Is it not?"
"I'm not giving in," she uttered weakly.
He stroked her cheek; a gentle touch compared to the whip in his other hand. "I can end you pain with a simple gesture, or I can increase it ten-fold."
Kristi didn't answer right away; instead she struggled to regain her footing. When she finally stood, no longer hanging, she said quietly, "then increase it."
Pharaun smiled. "So be it." He started to chant a spell.
Kristi attempted to create a shield of protection around her, but she was weak and the drow knew it. The shield was easily shattered and her pain started to increase with the intensity of her chant. It felt like someone was ripping open her wounds. The pain grew to such intensity that she let loose a scream that echoed in the chamber and she passed out from the pain, completely consumed by it.
"I will not ease the pain this time," Pharaun said, leaving the room to let her suffer. With a wave his hand Kristi fell from the chains, heavily to the ground, crying out in pain as her back connected with the floor. Fevered dreams plagued her still unconscious state as she curled into a ball.
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Alex had a sense of growing dread as she was taken away to the room where the 'special slaves' were kept. Jarlaxle smiled as he watched Alex's expression from a distance, but he moved closer. "If you thought your own kind's quarters were bad, then consider this the opposite. This is more luxurious, wouldn't you agree?" He motioned to the opened doorway, which contained quite the plush interior.
"I will not become your slave!" She struggled in the drows' grips that held her.
"What choice do you have? You cannot get out of here without us," Jarlaxle said. He nodded to the guards who tossed her inside the room. Blocking the doorway, "and my dear, there's no such thing as never."
She looked around the room and shuddered. "You cannot do this!"
"Who says I cannot? Your friend?" He laughed, thinking of all the things Pharaun could be doing to the other human.
"No, not Kristi, me!" She looked to him with deep hatred in her eyes.
Jarlaxle savored the hatred. "Now you are finally thinking like a drow."
Alex closed her eyes and let a few tears leak out. "NO!"
Jarlaxle moved close and brushed away the tears. "Yes."
She turned her head away from his touch. "I said not to touch me!"
"Why not?" He edged closer.
Backing away, "don't touch me." She looked around wildly as Jarlaxle backed her against the wall. "Don't."
"You still haven't answered my question," he said moving even closer. "It is useless to fight against me. So why fight?"
Alex refused to answer him.
Jarlaxle leaned against her. "Why do you refuse to answer me Alex?"
She struggled to push him away. "Please…no…"
Jarlaxle imitated her, "please…no…" He leaned in close to her face.
She visibly trembled, "stop."She weakly pushed against him.
Pharaun appeared at the doorway, highly amused, and cleared his throat.
Jarlaxle sighed and looked to Alex, "we'll continue this later my dear." He turned to give the other drow an exasperated look.
Alex fell to the floor openly crying.
Jarlaxle smiled and walked to Pharaun, motioning to Alex. "I have that effect on people." Folding his arms, "What do you want?
Pharaun smiled widely. "The dark haired one is almost broken. She is weakening."
"Really? What did you do?" He wished he could have witnessed the 'weakening', but he was satisfied with the light haired one's weakening.
"Pain is a lovely thing, is it not?"
"I agree," Jarlaxle said, noticing the whip at the wizard's side. "Did she give in to you?"
Pharaun shook his head. "Not yet, but soon." Motioning to Alex, "And her?"
"She is almost through," he said, "she nearly gave in."
"That is good, do you require this?" He held out his whip.
"No, unlike you I have alternate ways of making creatures give in."
"Do you think that the light haired one should see her friend now...in her current condition?"
Jarlaxle paused to consider the emotional effect it would have on Alex. "Yes, she should see her." He smiled and turned to Alex, "would you like to see your friend?"
Alex looked up to him with tear filled eyes and nodded.
"Good," he said. Motioning for her, "follow us."
Kristi gradually awoke from her nightmares and slowly pulled herself across the floor, to a cloak that lie on the ground. She shakily lifted the cloak and pulled it over her back, wincing at every movement and whimpering as the cloak touched her exposed back. She wrapped it around herself to hide the blood.
Alex followed the two drow into a room and her eyes widened at Kristi on the floor. "Kristi!"
"Alex?" She blinked and looked to Alex, almost as if she was some kind of specter in her thoughts.
Jarlaxle looked to Pharaun. "This did not break her?"
"I did not say that it did. I said it almost did."
"Still," Jarlaxle said trailing off.
Kristi tightened the cloak around her body and winced. She asked hoarsely, "Are you okay Alex?"
Alex ran over to her friend and knelt beside her. "Are you all right?"
Blank and glassy eyes looked to Alex. "I'm fine. It's only a flesh wound," her attempt at humor failed miserably.
"You shouldn't joke at a time like this," Alex said.
"I'm not joking," Kristi said. She started to shiver uncontrollably and thought, oh great, perfect time for my body to go into shock.
"A few more days of this and the dark-haired one will snap," Pharaun said to Jarlaxle.
"Yes, a few more days will suffice for our endeavor," Jarlaxle said with a nod.
Alex put a hand on Kristi's back to comfort her, but immediately removed it when she saw Kristi flinch. "What did he do?"
Kristi shakily pointed to the whip at Pharaun's side. "Take a wild guess." She hid her hand after that after seeing Alex's eyes widen in horror. It was probably a good thing that Kristi didn't motion up to the chains on the ceiling.
Alex whispered, "my god…are you sure you are all right?"
"I think so," Kristi said wearily. "It stopped really hurting not too long ago, but there are constant throbs of pain."
Jarlaxle turned to Pharaun. "How many lashes did she bare?"
"I lost count, but I would say about 12."
Kristi overheard and thought, I lost count after 14…
"Twelve," Jarlaxle said with a nod, "interesting. I have seen most humans crack after just five."
Pharaun nodded in agreement. "Yes, her will is quite strong for one of her age."
"Yes, strong to break unfortunately for us," Jarlaxle said.
Alex shuddered. "I'm so sorry." Her eyes filled with tears.
"Don't be sorry Alex. It's just physical pain. I can deal with that," Kristi said. "It's the pain that leaves no visible scar that I worry about."
Alex shuddered at the comment, looking away, and it was then that Kristi noticed the dried tear stains on her friend's face. She turned to glare at Jarlaxle.
"Have we discerned how old they are yet?"
Pharaun paused for a moment. "As of yet no, but my guess would be at least 17, if not older."
Overhearing Pharaun and Jarlaxle Kristi shook her head and whispered to Alex, "they're trying to figure out our ages. If I were them I'd be worrying more about our mental age."
Alex whispered back, "yes, we are mentally older then we look." She stared at her friend, worried about her well being. "How is your back now?"
"Still in pain, every time I move I feel pain in a place I didn't know I had," Kristi said. "I'll figure out how to heal it later. But, what about you? Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," Alex said. "I have gotten stronger."
"Good," Kristi said. Then quietly and distantly she repeated, "good."
Pharaun turned to grin at Jarlaxle. "I think it is about time that this meeting ends."
"I agree," Jarlaxle said. To Alex, "come, it is time to go."
"Yes," Pharaun said walking over to Kristi and looking to her. "It is time to 'rest' my dear."
Alex shook her head. "I can't leave her."
"I'll be all right," Kristi said looking to Alex. "Go."
Alex looked to Kristi, "but…"
"Alex, I'll be fine," Kristi said. "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself." She cast a glare at Jarlaxle.
Alex nodded as she allowed Jarlaxle to take her arm and pull her out of the room.
Kristi watched Alex leave and struggled to stand, that proved difficult, so she shifted to face Pharaun.
The drow drew the whip, having it at the ready in case she tried to do something. "Come now my dear."
"If you think I'm afraid," Kristi said looking to the whip, "you are gravely mistaken. I'm going to rest now. Any problems with that?"
With a grin, "no my dear, not at all." He walked out of the room, leaving her on the cold stone floor. You will fear me soon enough.
After several minutes Kristi managed to climb to her feet and stumble to her room. Her mind dredged the recesses of her memory for a healing spell as she fumbled for a healing draught and choked down the contents. She staggered toward the bed and mumbled, "What have I gotten myself into?" She then fell into an exhausted and fitful sleep.
As Alex walked with him back to the hideout, Jarlaxle turned to her and asked, "Aren't you glad you have me as your trainer?"
Alex said darkly, "trainer or tormenter?"
"What's the difference?"
"A lot."
Jarlaxle led her past the slave room, pausing only a little, but led her into her former room. "Rest my dear. You have some thinking to do."
"I have no thinking only plotting," Alex said turning and walking into her room.
Jarlaxle smiled at the mention of 'plotting' and retired to his study for the night.
After several hours Kristi woke up and winced with pain as she started to move. The wounds had healed somewhat, but not completely. Somehow she wasn't surprised.
"Good morning my sweet," Pharaun said upon entering her chamber.
"What's so good about it?"
"It is a good morning…good for more training," Pharaun replied.
"I had a feeling you were going to say that," Kristi said inwardly cursing. "So what are we doing today?"
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Jarlaxle entered Alex's room and approached the blanketed form on the bed. Alex heard Jarlaxle enter the room and waited for him to come close enough to her bed.
Reaching a hand toward the blanket, Jarlaxle found a dagger at his throat. "Clever lass."
Alex hissed in his ear. "You are not the only one ably to attack slyly."
Jarlaxle grabbed her wrist. "And you are not the only one with quick reflexes."
He caressed the blade for a moment and let go of her wrist, smiling to himself.
Alex let loose a string of curse words, some Jarlaxle had never heard of before.
"Now now my dear, that's not very lady like," Jarlaxle said.
"I'll give you ladylike," Alex said, trying to slap him across the face with her other hand.
Jarlaxle blocked her hand and twisted her around so that she was pressed against him. "Now you are acting like a Lady drow."
Alex growled defiantly, but once she realized her closeness she tried to break away.
Jarlaxle held her as she struggled, but let her go. "Are you ready for more training my dear?"
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Once Kristi was ready for her training Pharaun motioned for her to follow and Kristi did so suspiciously.
"My dear, you are going to learn your true place among the drow."
"What do you mean my true place?"
Pharaun stopped and turned to her. "If you do not begin to become a 'drow' you will be forced to become the true slave that you are." He opened the door to where Jarlaxle kept Alex the day before. "Your friend spent some time here yesterday."
Kristi didn't seem impressed by the human slaves. "So?"
"Do you want to return to your home?"
The question threw Kristi off and she paused. "Yes, what's your point? I've done what you asked within reason. I've learned your spells and your weaponry… what in the nine hells are you building up to!" She absently thought, I've also embraced your pain.
"In order for you to return to your home you must act like a true drow," Pharaun said, "up to this point you have improved, but in order to fool the Matron Mother, you must act like true drow."
Kristi asked darkly, "What do I have to do?"
"First you must not be shy of openly killing, be it your own kind," Pharaun motioned to the slaves, "or the drow. Also," he paused, "you mustn't be afraid to betray your friend...that is the way of the drow."
"It is not my way," Kristi said. She paused, "but I'll do what I have to do to survive and for my friend to survive."
Pharaun nodded and placed his arm about her shoulders leading her back to his chamber, "that is good, very good."
Kristi looked to his arm and thought, this is not good…
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"I am through with your training," Alex said shaking her head, "it all has led to nothing."
"You assume much," Jarlaxle said. "However, "if you do not start to act like a drow, then you will become like your kind."
Alex shuddered at the thought of the slaves. "I have a feeling that no matter what, nothing will go as you have been telling us. This is all a ploy of sorts."
"You must obey us my dear or you'll never get home," Jarlaxle said. "you do want to go home don't you?"
"Of course I do," Alex said, "but you have been leading me in circles for days now."
"Well, you'll be glad to know the circle will stop," Jarlaxle snapped his fingers and Larenil, the drow priestess who tried to go after Kristi appeared in the chamber. "I believe you remember Larenil."
Alex took a step back. "Yes, but what does she have to do with this?"
"She's going to help you act like a drow," Jarlaxle said, motioning for Larenil to come closer.
"And what if I do not want her help?"
"You will want her help," Jarlaxle said. He nodded to Larenil who offered Alex the snake-headed whip that she held in her hand. When Alex grabbed hold of the whip, the snakes tried striking at her.
Alex dropped the whip. "What the hell?"
"To accept the whip you must acknowledge the fact that Lloth is real," Jarlaxle said, "the snakes strike at non-believers."
"She is nothing but a deity…"
"She is not just a deity. I assure you that she is real," Jarlaxle said, "so just acknowledge that she is. "You wouldn't want to see the proof now would you?"
Alex looked to him skeptically.
"It involves spiders."
Alex paled slightly and shuddered. "How can I accept something that I hate?"
"You do not have to accept it quite yet, just acknowledge her presence. Even your friend has done such," Jarlaxle said. "However, it appears that you have stumbled upon something. Hating a deity is acknowledging its presence. Luckily for you, Lloth enjoys being hated. You can pick up the whip now, it will not bite you."
Alex looked to him skeptically, but slowly reached down and picked up the whip.
"See?"
The snakes didn't seem overly pleased about being held by Alex, but they didn't strike at her.
Larenil stepped closer. "Good, you have accepted Her presence." She exchanged a nod with Jarlaxle.
"And now what?"
Jarlaxle removed his shirt and turned his exposed back to Alex. "Strike me."
"You want me to what!"
"Strike me, you know you want to," Jarlaxle said. "Use the whip. don't you want revenge for all the days of torment? For your friend and yourself have suffered?"
Alex tightly gripped the handle of the whip.
"Do it!"
Alex seemed to falter as she raised the whip to strike. Her grip loosened and the whip fell to the ground.
"Why do you drop the whip?"
"I cannot do it," Alex said.
"You can and you must," Jarlaxle said. "If you do not strike me me then perhaps one of your own kind will suffice. Refuse to strike me and I will make you watch a whipping!"
"No," Alex said, "I can't. Even though I wish you to suffer in the nine hells, I cannot do it."
"Then answer me this," Jarlaxle said, "why can you not do it?"
Alex sighed and looked to the ground. "I wish not to taint my soul with another blood."
"It is too late for that," Jarlaxle said. He sent for his guards. "I want you to bring the two youngest human slaves and whip them in front of us." He looked to Alex, "unless you've changed your mind."
Alex clenched her teeth and fists in frustration. "I cannot do it."
"If you cannot do it you will watch your own kind suffer," Jarlaxle said. He turned to see two children, boy and girl, both about five year old enter the room, scared.
Alex looked at the two children in shock. "No!"
The guards had raised their whips to strike the children, but Jarlaxle bade them to stop. "What was that my dear?"
Alex closed her eyes and turned away. "No, do not harm them. They are too young."
"Then harm me," Jarlaxle said. "I am not young." He pressed the whip into her hand as the children were taken away.
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Kristi looked to Pharaun as he guided her into his chamber. "Now what are we doing?"
Pharaun motioned for her to sit at the chair behind his desk. Once she was settled he placed a large crystal on a stand before her, mumbling an incantation. "Watch this my dear and see what you must become."
She watched with wide eyes as a procession of priestesses, carrying daggers, materialized in the crystal. "What are they doing?"
"Look closer…at the altar," Pharaun said. "They are sacrificing a Faerie to the Queen of spiders."
Kristi felt her body go numb. "Why?"
"He is an offering of course," Pharaun said. "This house must have captured him during a surface raid a few months back, and now in order to keep the Spider Queen's favor she are using him as a offering."
"A Surface Raid…" Is this what the drow are planning?
"Yes," Pharaun said with a smile.
Kristi shook her head. "A few months ago? Why didn't they just kill him!" Inwardly she knew that the poor creature must have endured hundreds of instances of tortures.
"My sweet sweet human, you must learn that we drow live off the suffering of the hated fairies," Pharaun said. "He would not normally be sacrificed, but this house must have fallen out of Lloth favor and they are desperately trying to gain it back."
Kristi felt herself reaching out to the elf as a sadness settled in her heart. She blinked in surprise when the elf cast his eyes toward the crystal and it felt as if they were looking at one another.
"Now watch my dear, and this scum is sent to torment in the abyss."
Her eyes widened as the priestess let loose a piercing scream as the dagger burned her hand. The drow started turning on each other and the house started to crumble before their very eyes. "Is that supposed to happen!" She was concerned for the elf still chained to the altar.
"It seems that they have lost Lloth's favor after all," Pharaun said. He waved his hand over the crystal and the image disappeared.
Kristi sighed in relief, glad that the elf's soul would not go to Lloth.
"You wonder 'what of the faerie?' do you not?"
"Perhaps," Kristi said, she wasn't about to admit that she was worried for him. "He could be useful to our endeavor. Pharaun," she choked out the next few words, "dear sweet Pharaun, it's not often that a 'fairy' survives an offering of this magnitude. We could use him as an example when we go to the Matron Mother say he has information on the surface. That would influence the Matron Mother even more. It doesn't matter if the 'fairy' doesn't wish to help us, we'll make him assist us."
"You are truly thinking like a drow my dear child," Pharaun said.
"I'll accept that as a compliment," Kristi said. Like hell I will.
"Now, if only your friend would do the same," Pharaun said.
"She will, just give her time," Kristi said. "Now, about that 'fairie'. Let me talk to it. I'll convince it to help us, you know, surface dweller to surface dweller. I really don't think you'll sway it with your whip and your charming personality."
"Yes my dear, but if this is another ploy of yours then you will suffer greatly as will your friend," Pharaun said. He left the room to investigate the ceremony gone awry. After several moments he returned. "The fairie is dead."
"What?" She felt her heart break for the creature, but she hid it. "Did you just see the rubble? Or did you investigate personally?"
"I investigated," Pharaun said. "How now would you suggest we go around this damper?"
Kristi thought, "continue as planned, but be wary of the surface dwellers in Menzoberranzan who could assist us; whether they like it or not."
"Good, we continue originally as planned," Pharaun said. You have no idea what is in store for you yet my sweet child...
"That's what I thought," Kristi said. I don't like this; he's up to something.
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Author's Note: Oh yes, we still have a long way to go in this editing process, but like the girls all must bide their time until the end…which is hundreds of pages away from being edited. This chapter is merely the beginningof the pain. It will get far worse and far more graphic as time goes on…not any time real soon, but the girls must build up their strength and resolve in order to bare it.
In the next chapter, Alex needs to face not only her emotions, but also Jarlaxle's increased proximity to her psyche. Furthermore, Kristi and Pharaun will encounter an unexpected drow…
This chapter is dedicated to Liriel, Becky, Kyro, and Kitreilia (and of course all you other wonderful readers and reviewers). You rock for reviewing and keep me going!And for a bonus, the chapter won't be months in coming, but I daresay mere weeks…I was feeling ambitious after recovering from a migraine. :wink: