The next two days, Nuitae kept to herself. Trey came and went, usually bringing food, and the two would sit and eat in silence. Trey respected Nuitae's wish to keep to herself. There were things she needed to sort out. He was worried, however. Because of her reaction to the half-human, half-drow Solesril, would she ever be able to fit in with any surface elves- good drow included? Had she taken a few moments, she would have seen that Solesril was not fully drow. I guess I cannot ask for too much; she wasn't thinking that clearly. And if she did meet a real drow, one who would attack her first, she needs to be able to react as quickly as she did the other day.

On the third day, Nuitae was getting anxious, wanting to leave. She still had said very little, but Trey had something that would surely pull her out of her depression. Around midday, he left, not returning for nearly two hours, but when he did, he carried a small, tightly-wrapped package.

"What is that?" Nuitae asked, her curiosity overriding her other feelings.

"Something for you. It took a while to make because of the material needed." Trey handed it to her, and she looked at it skeptically. However, she untied the twine and pulled it off of the plain, brown paper. She gasped when she opened it, and immediately discarded the wrapping without a second thought, holding up the garments inside. Inside was a beautiful, long, black robe, with a hood and long sleeves. The black material was lightweight and nearly translucent, but webs of silver threading weaved all throughout it, giving it the appearance of spider webs. Over this material, where the chest was, was light, black leather in a semi-corset style, though the midsection in front and back was bare except for the sheerest cloth. Leather strips ran down the sides of robe and stopped at where the hips would be.

"Female drow, whether a priestess or not, would wear something like that during rituals or observances of some kind. Some priestesses might wear something like that, but it's simple enough to be used by a lesser daughter. If you'll notice, there are also a couple of leather outfits that a drow assassin might wear. You'd be less noticeable if you take on that role, but I thought you might like the robe as well."

Nuitae nodded. "It is beautiful," she said.

Laughing, Trey looked at her. "If you ever have the chance to look at the real thing, you'll see just how beautiful, and deadly, they can be. But that will be a while yet. There are still many things you need to learn."

Nuitae frowned. "How much longer will it take? I can't shake this burning desire… desire to find the one who tortured and hurt my mother, and possibly kidnapped her. I must know!"

It was Trey's turn to frown. "Until you can act like a drow, not simply look like one. For one, the drow are a severely matriarchal society. As a female, you would be more important than even the highest ranking male drow. In your eyes, males would be little more than breeding stock or bodyguards ready to be sacrificed to keep you alive."

The half-drow blinked a few times, and Trey continued. "Your appearance alone fools most humans and even some elves but one day you're going to run into someone who can tell the difference, and that will be the day either you are killed, or," Trey smirked, "our little plan on making quick money is destroyed. I have a reputation to uphold, too, you realize."

Siathshian walked through the streets of the city proudly, her steps carrying her forward with purpose. It was not home, but she had been living here for quite some time. The tall moon elf was well known here, so few people stared anymore at the scar that marred the right side of her face, from scalp to cheekbone. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail high on her head, and she was dressed for swift travel, but not for much longer.

Carefully, so as not to draw attention, she slipped down a back alley. She hated this part of the city, hated it with such a strong loathing that only her sense of honor and pride kept her going deeper in. Suddenly, a noise off to the side caused her to draw a hidden dagger and spin around, ready for attack, but none came. Siathshian relaxed back into a normal, relaxed stance as she regarded the hooded elf behind her coldly.

"I know you well enough to know that you would not have made a sound if you did not want to. I can only take that as your unofficial greeting," she said coolly, though she never replaced her dagger, but kept it tightly held in her hand.

"Well met indeed, Nargatha'un," came the deep voice. "Have you done as requested?"

"I have," Siathshian replied. "Beyond that, consider my hands washed clean of all this."

The figure nodded slowly, and it was several moments before either of them spoke again. "Saedre has expressed her sadness that you have chosen this path."

"It was mine to choose," the moon elf spat, drawing another slow nod from the other. "Since you and your people caused her so much pain and hurt, changed her so much that I could barely recognize her. What was I to do?"

"What would you have me do?" there was a flicker of sarcasm in his voice.

"Release her. Or I will have no choice but to abandon her."

"She is your sister."

"My sister no longer as long as she is held captive by you!"

"You could kill me."

For a moment, the hatred in Siathshian's lone cobalt eye seemed enough to take the man at his word, and strike him down with a word. Rarely did emotions cross the beautiful face, but this was one of those times when someone had crossed the line.

"I would find more pleasure in that than you could ever imagine," Siathshian said in a low voice, her words laced with venom.

"But you haven't yet." Once again, he expressed simply a fact, no question, no accusation.

"Don't think I haven't thought about it. But to do so would only cause Saedre even more pain, though I'm sure she would eventually come to her senses since you have manipulated her so."

"You have said yourself that since you became Nargatha'un you care not what other people think of you, or say of you. Why is this one exception so strong, especially when you just denounced one of your last blood relatives."

"My ONLY blood relative!"

"You forget the child."

Immediately, the scarred elf's face relaxed and became a blank, unreadable slate. "She is no relative of mine. She is the bastard child of one who was once my sister, and deserves death herself." Making it apparent that she would say no more, Siathshian turned to leave.

"I will contact you if we have further need of you."

Letting out a piercing, feral scream, the elf turned around and hurled her dagger with deadly aim. Unfortunately, the dagger would have lodged itself right in the heart of where the man had been standing- had he still been there. Siathshian stood there, breathing hard, anger and loathing distorting her exotic, beautiful features. Without a word, she strode forward to retrieve her dagger, belted it back into its hidden sheath, and left the alley.

That evening, back in Raven's Bluff, Nuitae waited until Trey had left, and she immediately tried on the drow clothing that he had brought her. She tried the robe on first, surprised at how heavy it was, despite at how sheer the cloth seemed. In most parts, it was so sheer one could nearly see through it, though this was mostly the sleeves, back, sides, and midriff. It was the opposite of the kinds of robes and gowns the moon elves had worn, but it seemed to fit Nuitae better than anything worn by her former people.

Then, she tried on the leather outfit. It was minimal, at best. Crude, would be the word used by the surface elves. High boots came to her knees, and long gloves to her elbows. The rest of it was barely enough to make a corset and undergarments out of, but the shoulders were spiked slightly. However, Nuitae was surprised at how easily she could move in them.

"Well, the drow are known for their stealth. As an assassin, I imagine this would be ideal for the Underdark." She smirked as she looked herself over in the mirror. It was short-lived, however, as she heard a commotion outside, below her window. Narrowing her eyes, she ran to the window and looked. Seeing a dark figure flee down the street, she jumped out the window, not thinking about anything else except pursuit.

She ran down the street, letting her vision slip into the infrared spectrum as she did so, since the sun was setting quickly. Soon, her prey, whoever it was, would be at a disadvantage. If it was human or elf, someone who might have seen her, she needed to catch them. Otherwise, it would be easy enough to disappear. Suddenly an arrow whizzed past, causing her to falter in her run, and look up at who had shot it. Seeing nothing at first, she narrowed her eyes and looked back ahead, but her quarry was gone. Cursing, she turned her attention back on the possible threat. She ran towards it, only to be tackled suddenly and brought down hard against the cobblestone street.

"What in the nine hells are you doing?" Trey demanded in Drow.

"I think someone saw me!"

Trey swore. "Now more people have seen you! Quick, draw your weapon."

"What?"

"Just do it!" he said, before lunging at her with one of his blades. Nuitae barely had time to bring up her defense. Then, as they were fighting, someone loosed another arrow towards her. Trey was able to deflect it without arousing suspicion, but more people were coming. "Just run!" he told her in Drow. Without thinking, Nuitae did just that, retreated, only to be stopped by Solesril. She gasped with surprise as he swung his huge longsword at her, which she deftly dodge and feigned a kick. Though her kick did not land, Solesril smirked, and jumped backwards, landing on his back and dropping his sword. To an onlooker, he might have been kicked back and knocked unconscious. Nuitae did not stop to think, but kept running, knowing that Trey was not the only one in pursuit.

As she was passing a very small, unnoticed entrance to an alleyway, she heard someone behind her. Daring to look back, she saw it was not Trey, nor Solesril, but another human. She stumbled, falling to the ground, cutting a long gash on her arm as she did so. Without warning, a globe of darkness fell over her and her assailant, and she saw a dark shape dive into it. Without hesitating, she pulled herself up, ready to fight.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of red. Turning she saw another drow- motioning in the silent language. "This way," he beckoned. This was her chance… the first real chance she had. Drawing her dagger, she ran towards the drow, attacking with a ferocity she had never felt before. The drow was surprised, and therefore at a disadvantage. Her adrenaline pumping, Nuitae overtook the male drow, who dropped to his knees in surrender to avoid fighting a female if he did not have to. He did not know this female- better to offer her surrender than kill her and risk making powerful enemies of another house, especially with his rank being so low.

Nuitae paused. She wanted nothing more than to kill him where he knelt, but she decided against. There were at least two drow here, and she would not risk killing one only to be shot in the back by the other. "Who are you?" she demanded in the Drow dialect, standing over him.

"Zalnashir, Secondboy of House Tiris'ath." His features were sharper and more fierce than the elf lords she was used to from the surface. She could not help but stare. The globe of darkness behind her disappeared and a male dressed as a patrol leader, from what she could tell, came up.

"More are coming," the second drow.

"How many?" Nuitae signed back before her rescuer could respond.

"Seven, including that half-breed abomination and the accursed Cavestalker."

Trey! Though she had never heard this name for him, she could only assume it was him they were speaking of. Unfortunately, she could see no way of getting out of her current predicament. Fear welled up inside her and she wished more than anything for Trey to be there. The first drow stood up. Both males were the same height, around the same height as Nuitae, though a tad shorter.

"We must leave, Tornil," Zalnashir signed. Tornil nodded.

"Come with us," he said quietly.

"Filthy male!" Nuitae signed. "Do not give me orders!"

The patrol leader bowed his head slightly. "I say so only to protect you." Suddenly, several more drow appeared, all male. "We must leave. We've gathered the information we can."

Not knowing what else to do, or how to get out of this without arousing suspicion, Nuitae said sharply. "I do not leave without my weapons."

"Where are they?"

Nuitae grinned as sadistically and evilly as she could. "In the room of one of my targets, dead now. I have been using it, seeing as they no longer have need of it."

Tornil nodded. "I will accompany you."

Dread filled Nuitae. She was hoping to buy time, to escape and find Trey, but the drow would not let her out of their sight. Without another word, she stalked off towards the inn's window, keeping to the shadows. Deftly, she climbed and jumped up to the window and went in. The male drow stayed on the street below. All hopes sank as Nuitae entered the room. Trey was not there. At a call from the drow below, she knew he would come fetch her if she did not hurry. Cursing her luck, she picked up the curved short swords, the crossbow, her belt full of bolts and a few vials of poison Trey had given her. She touched the robe Trey had given her lovingly, it was, by far, her most special thing. It was light enough and roomy enough… quickly, she slipped it over her leather, belted on the holster across her chest and the sheaths for the two blades. When she reappeared at the window, she jumped down, landing in a crouched position before standing up straight and tall, glaring at the drow waiting for her.

Luckily for her, her glares of hatred were seen simply as how females treated the males. The other drow arrived, and with Nuitae in tow, left the city.

A/N:
I'm really bad at this updating thing. This is one of my favorite chapters, merely because Siathshian is probably my favorite character of all the ones I've created :D