精灵血脉四部曲-第130部分

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　　　〃You　expected　it；〃　K'yorl　said　accusingly。

　　　That　was　true　enough桱arlaxle　had　wondered　why　the　Oblodrans　had　waited　this　long　with　all　the　other　houses　so　vulnerable？but　he　would　not　concede　the　point。

　　　〃Where　in　this　does　Bregan　D'aerthe　stand？〃　K'yorl　demanded。

　　　Jarlaxle　got　the　feeling　that　any　answer　he　gave　would　be　moot；　since　K'yorl　was　probably　going　to　tell　him　exactly　where　Bregan　D'aerthe　stood。　〃With　the　victors；〃　he　said　cryptically　and　casually。

　　　K'yorl　smiled　in　salute　to　his　cleverness。　〃I　will　be　the　victor；〃　she　assured　him。　〃It　will　be　over　quickly；　this　very　day；　and　with　few　drow　dead。〃

　　　Jarlaxle　doubted　that。　House　Oblodra　had　never　shown　any　regard　for　life；　be　it　drow　or　otherwise。　The　drow　numbers　within　the　third　house　were　small　mainly　because　the　wild　clan　members　killed　as　often　as　they　bred。　They　were　renowned　for　a　game　that　they　played；　a　challenge　of　the　highest　stakes　called　Khaless？ironically；　the　drow　word　for　trust。　A　globe　of　darkness　and　magical　silence　would　be　hung　in　the　air　above　the　deepest　point　in　the　chasm　called　the　Clawrift。　The　peting　dark　elves　would　then　levitate　into　the　globe　and；　there；　unable　to　see　or　hear；　it　would　bee　a　challenge　of　simple　and　pure　courage。

　　　The　first　one　to　e　out　of　the　globe　and　back　to　secure　footing　was　the　loser；　so　the　trick　was　to　remain　in　the　globe　until　the　very　last　second　of　the　levitation　enchantment。

　　　More　often　than　not；　both　stubborn　petitors　would　wait　too　long　and　would　plunge　to　their　demise。

　　　Now　K'yorl；　merciless　and　ultimately　wicked；　was　trying　to　assure　Jarlaxle　that　the　drow　losses　would　be　kept　at　a　minimum。　By　whose　standard？　the　mercenary　wondered；　and　if　the　answer　was　K'yorl's；　then　likely　half　the　city　would　be　dead　before　the　end　of　the　day。

　　　There　was　little　Jarlaxle　could　do　about　that；　he　realized。　He　and　Bregan　D'aerthe　were　as　dependent　on　magic　as　any　other　dark　elf　camps；　and　without　it　he　couldn't　even　keep　K'yorl　out　of　his　private　chamber梕ven　his　private　thoughts！

　　　〃This　day；〃　K'yorl　said　again；　grimly。　〃And　when　it　is　done；　I　will　call　for　you；　and　you　will　e。〃

　　　Jarlaxle　didn't　nod；　didn't　answer　at　all。　He　didn't　have　to。　He　could　feel　the　mental　intrusion　again；　and　knew　that　K'yorl　understood　him。　He　hated　her；　and　hated　what　she　was　about　to　do；　but　Jarlaxle　was　ever　pragmatic；　and　if　things　went　as　K'yorl　predicted；　then　he　would　indeed　go　to　her　call。

　　　She　smiled　again　and　faded　away。　Then；　like　a　ghost；　she　simply　walked　through　Jarlaxle's　stone　wall。

　　　Jarlaxle　rested　back　in　his　chair；　his　fingers　tapping　nervously　together。　He　had　never　felt　so　vulnerable；　or　so　caught　in　the　middle　of　an　uncontrollable　situation。　He　could　get　word　to　Matron　Baenre；　of　course；　but　to　what　gain？　Even　House　Baenre；　so　vast　and　proud；　could　not　stand　against　K'yorl　when　her　magic　worked　and　theirs　did　not。　Likely；　Matron　Baenre　would　be　dead　soon；　and　all　her　family　with　her；　and　then　where　would　the　mercenary　hide？

　　　He　would　not　hide；　of　course。　He　would　go　to　K'yorl's　call。

　　　Jarlaxle　understood　why　K'yorl　had　paid　him　the　visit　and　why　it　was　important　to　her；　who　seemed　to　have　everything　in　her　favor；　to　enlist　him　in　her　court。　He　and　his　band　were　the　only　drow　in　Menzoberranzan　with　any　true　ties　outside　the　city；　a　crucial　factor　for　anyone　aspiring　to　the　position　of　first　matron　mother梟ot　that　anyone　other　than　Matron　Baenre　had　aspired　to　that　coveted　position　in　close　to　a　thousand　years。

　　　Jarlaxle's　fingers　continued　tapping。　Perhaps　it　was　time　for　a　change；　he　thought。　He　quickly　dismissed　that　hopeful　notion；　for　even　if　he　was　right；　this　change　did　not　seem　for　the　better。　Apparently；　though；　K'yorl　believed　that　the　situation　with　conventional　magic　was　a　temporary　thing；　else　she　would　not　have　been　so　interested　in　enlisting　Bregan　D'aerthe。

　　　Jarlaxle　had　to　believe；　had　to　pray；　that　she　was　right；　especially　if　her　coup　succeeded　（and　the　mercenary　had　no　reason　to　believe　it　would　not）。　He　would　not　survive　long；　he　realized；　if　First　Matron　Mother　K'yorl；　a　drow　he　hated　above　all　others；　could　enter　his　thoughts　at　will。



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　　　She　was　too　beautiful　to　be　drow；　seemed　the　perfection　of　drow　features　to　any；　male　or　female；　who　looked　at　her。　It　was　this　beauty　alone　that　held　in　check　the　deadly　lances　and　crossbows　of　the　House　Baenre　guard　and　made　Berg'inyon　Baenre；　after　one　glance　at　her；　bid　her　enter　the　pound。

　　　The　magical　fence　wasn't　working　and　there　were　no　conventional　gates　in　the　perimeter　of　the　Baenre　household。　Normally；　the　spiderweb　of　the　fence　would　spiral　out；　opening　a　wide　hole　on　mand；　but　now　Berg'inyon　had　to　ask　the　drow　to　climb　over。

　　　She　said　not　a　word；　but　simply　approached　the　fence。　Spiral　wide　it　did；　one　last　gasp　of　magic　before　this　creature；　the　avatar　of　the　goddess　who　had　created　it。

　　　Berg'inyon　led　the　way；　though　he　knew　beyond　doubt　that　this　one　needed　no　guidance。　He　understood　that　she　was　heading　for　the　chapel梠f　course　she　would　be　heading　for　the　chapel！梥o　he　instructed　some　of　his　soldiers　to　find　the　matron　mother。

　　　Sos'Umptu　met　them　at　the　door　of　the　chapel；　the　place　that　was　in　her　care。　She　protested　for　an　instant；　but　just　for　an　instant。

　　　Berg'inyon　had　never　seen　his　devoted　sister　so　flustered；　had　never　seen　her　jaw　go　slack　for　lack　of　strength。　She　fell　away　from　them；　to　her　knees。

　　　The　beautiful　drow　walked　past　her　without　a　word。　She　turned　sharply桽os'Umptu　gasped梐nd　put　her　glare　over　Berg'inyon　as　he　continued　to　follow。

　　　〃You　are　just　a　male；〃　Sos'Umptu　whispered　in　explanation。　〃Be　gone　from　this　holy　place。〃

　　　Berg'inyon　was　too　stricken　to　reply；　to　even　sort　out　how　he　felt　at　that　moment。　He　never　turned　his　back；　just　gave　a　series　of　ridiculous　bows；　and　verily　fell　through　the　chapel's　door；　back　out　into　the　courtyard。

　　　Both　Bladen'Kerst　and　Quenthel　were　out　there；　but　the　rest　of　the　group　that　had　gathered　in　response　to　the　whispered　rumors　had　wisely　been　dispersed　by　the　sisters。

　　　〃Go　back　to　your　post；〃　Bladen'Kerst　snarled　at　Berg'inyon。　〃Nothing　has　happened！〃　It　wasn't　so　much　a　statement　as　a　mand。

　　　〃Nothing　has　happened；〃　Berg'inyon　echoed；　and　that　became　the　order　of　the　day；　and　a　wise　one；　Berg'inyon　immediately　realized。　This　was　Lloth　herself；　or　some　close　minion。　He　knew　this　in　his　heart。

　　　He　knew　it；　and　the　soldiers　would　whisper　it；　but　their　enemies　must　not　learn　of　this！

　　　Berg'inyon　scrambled　across　the　courtyard；　passed　the　word；　the　mand　that　〃nothing　had　happened。〃　He　took　up　a　post　that　allowed　him　an　overview　of　the　chapel　and　was　surprised　to　see　that　his　ambitious　sisters　dared　not　enter；　but　rather　paced　about　the　main　entrance　nervously。

　　　Sos'Umptu　came　out　as　well　and　joined　their　parade。　No　words　were　openly　exchanged桞erg'inyon　didn't　even　notice　any　flashes　of　the　silent　hand　code梐s　Matron　Baenre　hustled　across　the　courtyard。　She　passed　by　her　daughters　and　scurried　into　the　chapel；　and　the　pacing　outside　began　anew。

　　　For　Matron　Baenre　it　was　the　answer　to　her　prayers　and　the　realization　of　her　nightmares　all　at　once。　She　knew　immediately　who　and　what　it　was　that　sat　before　her　on　the　central　dais。　She　knew；　and　she　believed。

　　　〃If　I　am　the　offending　person；　then　I　offer　myself。。。〃　she　began　humbly；　falling　to　her　knees　as　she　spoke。

　　　〃Wael！〃　the　avatar　snapped　at　her；　the　drow　word　for　fool；　and　Baenre　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　with　shame。

　　　〃Usstan'sargh　wael！〃　the　beautiful　drow　went　on；　calling　Matron　Baenre　an　arrogant　fool。　Baenre　trembled　at　the　verbal　attack；　thought　for　a　moment　that　she　had　sunk　lower　than　her　worst　fears；　that　her　goddess　had　e　personally　for　no　better　reason　than　to　shame　her　to　death。　Images　of　her　tortured　body　being　dragged　through　the　winding　avenues　of　Menzoberranzan　flashed　in　her　mind；　thoughts　of　herself　as　the　epitome　of　a　fallen　drow　leader。

　　　Yet　thoughts　such　as　that　were　exactly　what　this　creature　who　was　more　than　a　drow　had　just　berated　her　about；　Matron　Baenre　suddenly　realized。　She　dared　look　up。

　　　〃Do　not　place　so　much　importance　on　yourself；〃　the　avatar　said　calmly。

　　　Matron　Baenre　allowed　herself　to　breathe　a　sigh　of　relief。　Then　this　wasn't　about　her；　she　understood。　All　of　this；　the　failure　of　magic　and　prayer；　was　beyond　her；　beyond　all　the　mortal　realms。

　　　〃K'yorl　has　erred；〃　the　avatar　went　on；　reminding　Baenre　that　while　these　catastrophic　events　might　be　above　her；　their　ramifications　most　certainly　were　not。

　　　〃She　has　dared　to　believe　that　she　can　win　without　your　favor；〃　Matron　Baenre　reasoned；　and　her　surprise　was　total　when　the　avatar　scoffed　at　the　notion。

　　　〃She　could　destroy　you　with　a　thought。〃

　　　Matron　Baenre　shuddered　and　lowered　her　head　once　more。

　　　〃But　she　has　erred　on　the　side　of　caution；〃　the　avatar　went　on。　〃She　delayed　her　attack；　and　now；　when　she　decided　that　the　advantage　was　indeed　hers　to　hold；　she　has　allowed　a　personal　feud　to　delay　her　most　important　strike　even　longer。〃

　　　〃Then　the　powers　have　returned！〃　Baenre　gasped。　〃You　are　returned。〃

　　　〃Wael！〃　the　frustrated　avatar　screamed。　〃Did　you　think　I　would　not　return？〃　Matron　Baenre　fell　flat　to　the　floor　and　groveled　with　all　her　heart。

　　　〃The　Time　of　Troubles　will　end；〃　the　avatar　said　a　moment　later；　calm　once　more。　〃And　you　will　know　what　you　must　do　when　all　is　as　it　should　be。〃

　　　Baenre　looked　up　just　long　enough　to　see　the　avatar's　narrow…eyed　glare　full　upon　her。　〃Do　you　think　I　am　so　resourceless？〃　the　beautiful　drow　asked。

　　　A　horrified　expression；　purely　sincere；　crossed　Baenre's　face；　and　she　began　to　numbly　shake　her　head　back　and　forth；　denying　she　had　ever　lost　faith。

　　　Again；　she　lay　flat　out；　groveling；　and　stopped　her　prayers　only　when　something　hard　hit　the　floor　beside　her　head。　She　dared　to　look　up；　to　find　a　lump　of　yellow　stone；　sulphur；　lying　beside　her。

　　　〃You　must　fend　off　K'yorl　for　a　short　while；〃　the　avatar　explained。　〃Go　join　the　matron　mothers　and　your　eldest　daughter　and　son　in　the　meeting　room。　Stoke　the　flames　and　allow　those　I　have　enlisted　to　e　through　to　your　side。