10...New Quarters

Darkness flashed with colored lights. He was falling without the buffeting wind. An icy cold pierced armor and clothing and skin and headed straight for the bones. He fell for so long that he was afraid but the impact, when it came, was almost gentle. Solaufein found himself face down on a tiled floor. Dark shiny marble, very clean. Drow voices shouted in shock and dismay.

"Invaders! Assassins!" And someone with a strong planar accent bellowed, "Get the Seer to safety!"

Solaufein took a ragged breath. The tile was cool against his cheek. I could stay here until these people kill me, he thought. It didn't seem like a terrible idea. He knew his sword was near his outstretched hand for his fingers brushed the hilt. For a moment he didn't care he was unarmed but then the pain ebbed away in a swift-running tide. His fingers reached for his weapon.

He smelled incense. I can open my eyes. That might be a good start. He blinked tears away. He had an impression of a large, open building, lit by mage lights. He was ringed by several strange drow and towering over them, intimidating in heavy armor, was a huge pale man with a massive flail held in a two-handed grip. His eyes burned with rage. Horns? Is he a human or a fiend?

Solaufein tried to push himself to a crouch. He failed. Haer'Dalis stepped between him and the raging giant. He had a sword in each hand.

"Back off, tiefling," Haer'Dalis said with clear precision. Tiefling?

"Valen, no!" Nathyrra cried. She was not so foolish as to run between two warriors ready to charge but she took a step forward and crossed her arms across her chest. Valen, if that was the fiend's name, shot her a glance brimming with suspicion.

"Stop," said a voice. A woman's voice, imperious and cool, demanded obedience. Surely only a drow woman speaks so, he thought. A slippered foot and a slim dark ankle stepped so close that a swirl of sheer cloth, the hem of her gown, brushed his sword hand. She leaned over him. His eyes rolled up to meet her calm gaze. "Set aside your weapon. You are safe here." Her voice rose in rebuke. "You will all set aside your weapons. There is no danger."

He made his fingers relax and curl away from his scimitar. The woman's eyes were red shading to a warm surfacer brown and her face held such calm beauty that surely he had seen her before. In a dream. "Eilistraee?" he whispered.

She smiled. "You are safe in Her house," she said.

"Mother Seer, I am so sorry," Nathyrra said. "Nothing went as planned."

"Not so," the Seer said. "For you have returned safely and you have brought to us the one we have long awaited. Welcome, Solaufein. With great joy, I greet you." She knows who I am? He wasn't really surprised. I can look in those eyes and believe she knows anything. Everything.

"This is the savior you promised us?" Valen said. Solaufein forced himself to rise to hands and knees. The tiefling's lip curled. "Are you indisposed? Shall I bring you a chair? A basin, perhaps?"

Haer'Dalis, having sheathed his swords, helped him rise. Solaufein was the last to sheath his blade, for it took two attempts. He felt dizzy. Whatever the mage had done to him seemed to set its claws deeper and deeper. The geas. He'd been hit by spells before but nothing like this. This was not a wound of the body but a wound of the spirit. Is this like what the Bhaalspawn suffered, he wondered. No, her suffering was worse, so much worse. Now maybe I am closer to understanding her wounds. Now that she is gone.

There were two other drow males in the room. One wore a commander's cloak. His eyes shifted from Solaufein to his companions and his expression was noncommittal. The other male hovered by the Seer's side and wore an acolyte's robe.

"Are you wounded?" the Seer asked. Solaufein shook his head. It didn't fall off. That was a pleasant surprise.

"This is the doing of the wizard Halaster," Nathyrra said. "He placed a geas on Solaufein, a terrible curse."

"Perhaps we could have introductions before you tell us your story?" the Seer suggested.

Nathyrra seemed to think the Seer needed no introduction, but named the acolyte as Taztrin, the commander as Imloth, and the tiefling as General Valen Shadowbreath. Solaufein stared. General?! A tiefling general over drow forces? And they obey him? She introduced Solaufein and Haer'Dalis as heroes from the Bhaalspawn war. "And then there is Deekin," she said, a bit uncertainly.

"Deekin a kobold hero," the little bard said.

"Three heroes from the surface, come to save us all," Valen muttered. "One looks drunk, one wears eyeliner and one's a kobold. Impressive. You've outdone yourself, Nathyrra." His eyes rolled. She carefully did not react. Then Nathyrra related their meeting with Halaster and the events that had led up to it. The Seer gave Solaufein a troubled look.

"This is unforeseen," she said. As Nathyrra had spoken, Solaufein had been aware of the Seer's gaze, like a cool light penetrating the darkness. "I can see the strands of the mage's spell woven through your spirit."

"Halaster said it would kill him in a year," Nathyrra said.

"Oh, no problem then," Valen said. "We'll be wiped out long before then." The Seer frowned at him and he raised his hand in silent apology.

"Can you lift the curse?" Nathyrra asked.

"I do not know." The Seer turned her eyes back to Solaufein although he had the impression that her attention had never wavered from him. "It is a powerful spell. I will pray and meditate upon this. Meanwhile, we have much to discuss. Solaufein, has Nathyrra told you of us?"

"Very little," Nathyrra said with a tone of apology. "I did not know how much-"

"You may trust him," the Seer said. Her words were gentle but Nathyrra lowered her eyes. "Trust does not come easily to any of us, I know," she continued. Her eyes met those of each in the room and lingered on Valen. "Nonetheless, if we are to meet this threat, we must work together. To do so, trust is required. Trust in the goddess and trust in each other."

"Trust cannot be given as a gift," Valen said. "If trust is not earned, it is meaningless."

The Seer acknowledged this with an enigmatic smile and turned to Solaufein. "We are in Lith My'athar, which is the seat of House Maeviir. Maeviir stands with us against the Valsharess."

"Us?" he asked.

"Some of us, the followers of Eilistraee, have come to the Underdark from the surface. I lead those of us from the High Forest. We have joined with others who oppose the Valsharess. I will explain more of this later but for now, I believe all of you are in need of rest and refreshment. Nathyrra, will you take our guests to the House of the Moon? Have the vacant rooms prepared for their use."

"Of course, Mother Seer."

"Um, teeny problem," Deekin said. "We gots no stuff. Mad mage didn't give us time to get our packs."

"Actually, I did find something near the altar just now," Taztrin said. "Could these be yours? Er, did one of you have a lute?"

"A lute?" Valen muttered. "Seriously? Hells take us, that really is a lute. I feel safer already."

Four packs lay in a pile near the back wall. Deekin gave his toothy grin. "Huh. That Halaster be bad man but good at details. Deekin hide these pretty good but mage find them anyway."

They followed Nathyrra out of the temple. "This was a temple of Lolth, was it not?" Solaufein asked when he got a good look at the exterior.

"It was," she said. "The Seer rededicated it to Eilistraee when we retreated here."

"Retreated?"

"We'll speak more of this later after you settle in. The House of the Moon is close." She led as briskly as she could considering that the three of them were gawking like tourists. "There are caverns both above and below us but the main part of the city is here," she said. "Most of the noble Houses are on this level." Solaufein had a vague recollection that Lith My'athar was located near the Lake of Memory. The air felt moist with an interesting tang. The street was wide and open with narrow lanes emptying into it, yet there were few pedestrians in sight.

"Above us are the mushroom groves, farms and the rothe herds. Also most of the commoners' houses. Below are mostly mines."

"What do they mine here?" Solaufein asked.

Nathyrra shrugged. "Imloth could tell you."

"Is Lith My'athar large?" Solaufein asked.

"It was one of House Maeviir's smaller holdings but it provided much of the food for the House."

"Seems quiet," Solaufein said.

"Usually," Nathyrra said but did not elaborate.

"How many live here?" he asked. "What is the troop size? Where are the soldiers housed? Is there a barracks nearby?"

"We will discuss all this and more later, I promise," Nathyrra said. "For now, I think it best-" She paused. "Here is the House of the Moon."

"Not another temple?" Haer'Dalis asked.

"Oh, no. This belonged to House Claddyl but they were destroyed during the first great battle against the Valsharess. Now mostly followers of Eilistraee live here. The Seer thought it would be more suitable, I expect, for us to stay together. I live here myself," she added.

"That is convenient," Haer'Dalis said. He and Nathyrra shared a smile.

There were a couple of drow at the door. Guards, Solaufein thought and wondered who they guarded against. They opened the door for Nathyrra, greeting her with politeness but little enthusiasm. However they eyed the newcomers with open curiosity. Inside, they were met by a middle-aged woman in the flowing robe that marked her as a cleric of Eilistraee.

"Alunafae, I would like to introduce you to Solaufein," Nathyrra said. "And Haer'Dalis and Deekin."

"He has come?" The cleric's eyes opened wide and she extended her hand in a surfacer-style greeting. "I am pleased and honored to meet you."

"The honor is mine," Solaufein murmured, grasping her wrist, somewhat taken aback. To be greeted with deference by a female-and a priestess at that-was more than passing strange.

Alunafae looked flustered when Nathyrra asked which rooms were available. "I apologize but the largest suites have already been assigned. The east wing is empty but those chambers were intended for the sons of the House and are rather small and utilitarian."

"That will suit us fine," Solaufein said. Nathyrra nodded, signalled 'later', and silently left.

In fact, he felt a sense of familiarity when he followed the priestess to the rooms in the east wing. He had lived for decades in just such cramped quarters in the bowels of his adopted House in Ust Natha.

"How can we serve you?" Alunafae asked. Solaufein didn't have to query Haer'Dalis to know his desire.

"A bath," he said.

The House of the Moon had not one but two bathing rooms. The male chamber was smaller, of course, and rather plain, with only an abstract frieze of tiles on the walls as decoration. Solaufein and Haer'Dalis stripped out of their filthy clothes at the large communal tub and rinsed off the worst of their filth before they slipped into the deep pool.

"We will have these laundered," one of the servants said, dropping their filthy clothes into a large basket. There were two servants, both drow males and obviously not slaves. That made sense in an Eilistraeen household, of course, but it felt a bit strange. But welcome, he told himself. The water was hot and the soap plentiful. Neither of the servants offered the personal services common in a noble household. Solaufein suspected that Haer'Dalis would have been uncomfortable having his hair and body washed by a servant but for all he knew, such services were common in the Planes as well as in the Underdark.

"You do not bathe?" Haer'Dalis asked the kobold, who padded around the bathing chamber, still in the harness he wore as armor.

"Water looks deep," Deekin said.

"I suppose it is for one of your height. Can't you swim?"

"Deekin swims if Deekin has to. Hoping he doesn't has to."

"Come on in, then. Who knows when you will get another chance to get clean."

"Deekin fine like this."

Haer'Dalis shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"Deekin not sure how to suit anyone else."

Solaufein made an effort to relax in the warm water. Still he found himself brooding over Halaster's curse. Damn him, we saved his life. That Red Sister would have killed him if Nathyrra hadn't released him. We saved his life and he cursed me. A human male cursed me, all for an honest error. Yes, I was angry. Perhaps I could have avoided killing that fool golem but how was I to know? The other golems struck without warning. I have fought golems before and none of them were susceptible to reason. If the damned human saw what happened, as he said, then surely he saw I had no choice. He punishes me, not out of justice but out of anger and how dare he say I cannot strike in anger?

"I'm going to kill him," he said.

"What?" Haer'Dalis gave him a startled look.

"Halaster. He will die for what he has done to me."

"Halaster tough nut," Deekin said. "Has lots of enemies. None killed him yet."

"I don't care. I will have vengeance."

Why?" Haer'Dalis asked. "He bound you to do what you had already pledged to do. What's the point of seeking vengeance for that?"

"He bound me," Solaufein said. "I feel it. Constantly."

"Surely, my raven, we have enough on our plate without adding Halaster to the menu."

Solaufein frowned and kept his remaining thoughts to himself.

When they descended the stairs to the central hall, they found Nathyrra waiting. "The Seer is not ready for us," she said. "I thought you might like a quick tour of Lith My'athar."

Solaufein nodded. Haer'Dalis bowed his head and gave her one of his engaging smiles. "Your company is a delight, as always."

"You think so?" She looked amused and allowed him to take her arm in one of his surfacer gestures. How does he do that, Solaufein wondered. The same words in my mouth would earn me a backhand. If I was lucky.

The House of the Moon was on a main street, which led past several smaller houses, an open market area and a couple of taverns.

"Most of us-us Eilistraeens-drink here at the Lith My'athar Public House. There's music and dancing most nights," she said with a small smile. "Occasionally we are graced by the nobles but most of them prefer the Maeviir Public House down the road. If you decide to go there-watch your step." She gave Haer'Dalis a look. "I mean it, really watch your step, watch your mouth, watch everything. A surfacer male-they will chew you up."

"And spit me out?" Haer'Dalis asked.

"Only if you're fortunate. On the north side of town, there's a-I don't know what you call it-an open area with a bar, where the soldiers drink. The ale is cheap but I wouldn't recommend it."

"The ale is bad?" Haer'Dalis asked.

"Yes, and it gets a bit rough, or so I gather. Eilistraeens are not welcome there."

"There is conflict within the camp?" Haer'Dalis asked. Nathyrra and Solaufein exchanged a look. We are drow, the look said. Conflict is inevitable.

"Just watch your step," she said. "We tread a narrow path. We cannot afford to alienate the few who will stand with us."

Solaufein did not like the sound of that.