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By Devan Smith
Prologue
Screams sounded out from the Matron Mother's chambers. The residents of House Der'sho stopped their tasks briefly, and a few assumptions were made at the origin of the sounds, then continued with their chores.
The doors to the Matriarch's chambers slammed open, and a disheveled Matron Sheara appeared through them, her hair matted with blood. Exhausted and her eyes drooping, she meandered over to her throne. Her retainers looked at her with wide eyes. They had all seen her lure her patron in there with seducing body language. They all knew what the two were planning on doing. Never before had the Matron slain her patron in the very act of intercourse. Normally it came later in ritual sacrifice.
Sheara slumped into the throne. Opening her eyes fully, she scowled at the gathered contingent. "He did not satisfy me. I want another mate."
The house clerics turned to complete her bidding, but she held up a hand to stop them. "Not a drow. Drow bore me. Find me something...different, intriguing. And find it quickly!"
The priestesses scampered out of the Ante-chamber, leaving the matron alone with her thoughts, and guesses of what type of creature they would retrieve.
* * * * *
Tolaryn was bathing when they came for him. The faerie looked up as a half dozen clerics burst into the bathing chambers. Two large ogres flanked them, flexing there muscles to keep the other bathing slaves back.
One of the clerics, probably a noble of the house, pointed at him. She spoke in the foreign drow tongue, menace in her voice. At his blank stare, she nodded to another of the priestesses.
Stepping forward, the priestess said," You will come with us now surface elf." Nodding, for he had no choice in the matter, Tolaryn walked forward, exiting the bath, and then the chambers, the clerics leading him, and the ogre guards following.
"What do you w-", his question was cut short as the noble turned and punched him in the face. "Venorsh!" she screamed. He didn't say a word after that, stoicly following the priestesses of Lolth.
* * * * *
Sheara looked up as the group entered the Ante-chamber. She could not see what creature the had with them, which meant it was not a large creature.
"Well? What do you have for me?" she inquired.
The group fanned out, leaving a sole faerie standing before him. The audacity of the elf, to still be standing before her. Speaking in the tongue of the ancient surface elves, she commanded him. "Kneel!"
He obeyed, obviously understanding the word. Smiling, Sheara nodded to her priestesses. This one should do just fine.
* * * * *
The Matriarch of House Der'sho lay in her bed, quite satisfied. The faerie had performed marvelously, and lay at the foot of her bed, sleeping and weary.
Having the energy for only a few more waking moments, Sheara cast one last prayer forth to Lolth before falling asleep. Queen of Spiders. Please cleanse any child this heathen might have lain in my womb.
* * * * *
Lolth, the Dark Mother, ruler of the sixty-sixth layer of the Abyss, looked down through a scrying pool, upon Matron Sheara, the matriarch of an insignificant house in Menzoberranzan. She had plans for this one, and it involved the child now growing in her womb.
As she watched, she reminisced of eons past, when she, too, had consorted with a faerie, and borne its children. That event had eventually lead her to where she was now, so it could not be totally bad. Perhaps the half-drow to be born in several months would also impact the society of Menzoberrazan.
As she had for ages gone, Lolth, the Spider Queen, sat back, and watched the happenings of Menzoberranzan.
The content of Twisted Heritage is the property and copyright of Devan Smith, and are not to be published or redistributed without permission.