Makings of a Monster

Reiltar felt the veins of his forehead pulse more rapidly. He was sure that Sarevok was irritating him on purpose, after all he had sent for him and ordered him to come without delay, and he still wasn't here. Reiltar was not a man used to be kept waiting. In many ways Sarevok was exactly what he had hoped for in a son: formidable, strong, a big man with ruthless streak and quick brain. But somehow he had failed in raising the brat. He was often insubordinate and preoccupied, and something about him gave Reiltar a distinct feeling of unease. Jelena's death was a memory he still savored often, but perhaps the impact on Sarevok had faded? Now that they would move on into new operations and challenges, it was more important than ever to tighten the reins and reassume his power.

Sarevok arrived, smiling that cocky and confident smile that had always irritated Reiltar since he had been a small boy. He walked like a man who is in no apparent hurry.
- "You called, father?" he said.
- "Did the messenger perhaps forget to mention that you were to come here without delay?" asked Reiltar.
- "Oh, he did say something like that. I assure you, I came as quickly as my business gave me an opportunity to," retorted Sarevok.
- "Your attitude is something that needs correction. But we will talk about that later on. We have real business to talk about first," said Reiltar, concealing his growing annoyance. Sarevok also seemed interested now, abandoning his deliberately annoying relaxed posture.

- "Well, as you know the high council is pretty much in turmoil after Cormyr banned our operations in their area. I had to wait until we got the secret mine in the Cloakwood drained before approaching them with the plan, but now I have done so, and they have agreed. We will control the only supply of pure iron in the Sword Coast, while contaminating it in the other mine," explained Reiltar triumphantly.
- "It is a good idea, father," said Sarevok. And mine to begin with, if you have forgotten, he thought.
- "The council thought so too, and have given me the leadership of the project, as well as all the resources necessary to establish our operations in Sword Coast. I will be the head of Iron Throne in that area, and I suppose I have partly you to thank of that," the man acknowledged.
- "I would want to take part in the operation," said Sarevok, "along with Winski and Tamoko. I believe Semaj also would follow us from Sembia, as he has been apprenticed to Winski as of late."
- "I was expecting you to," said Reiltar, almost smiling. "And I am happy that you work by my side, son. This is what I was aiming for when I adopted you, to have a loyal follower who one day would be a part of my operation." Then his eyes got the malevolent shine and narrowed. "But what you have in capability, you do lack in attitude. I demand the respect I'm due as the man who raised you and gave you home, your father. Now your mother was a disappointment, and an unfortunate fate fell upon her. Disloyalty is a great fault in a family member, is it not, Sarevok? Be my reliable son, and all the power and glory will be yours too. Be unfaithful, and you will suffer a fate not unlike hers. Do you understand?"

Sarevok's eyes were like two glowing jewels. Unmoving, unblinking, staring into Reiltar's eyes without conveying any emotion. His face did twitch a little. Reiltar hoped that it was fear. Then he spoke.
- "But of course, father. Our interests are common, are they not?"
They went on with their plan to control the iron supply, roughly sharing the work so that Sarevok would be in charge of any military operations, while Reiltar would take care of diplomacy and logistics.
- "Father, I will immediately travel there with Tamoko. To find out which power groups could be used to our advantage," said Sarevok. Reiltar nodded, and Sarevok walked away.

He walked home in a fury, and only when he got there he noticed that he had been gritting his teeth and biting his cheek from inside so that it was bleeding.
- "Damned bastard! Smug, fat, stupid, greedy, ugly, bastard!" he hissed, pounding the wall as he did.
Winski came from his lab. Tamoko was not home.
- "Krhm. Sarevok."
Sarevok whirled around.
- "What did go wrong? Didn't the council approve?"
Sarevok calmed down a bit.
- "Oh, they did. Why wouldn't they? They need new sources of power. But he... he mentioned mother. He DARED mention mother! He said that I would suffer her fate if I was... unfaithful to him. All the time looking me in the eye, smug and pleased," said Sarevok.
Winski looked more than upset too. He flushed and clenched his fists.
- "Not that we ever doubted it was his doing, but he all but confessed it. He's so deluded... he thinks that you are actually afraid of him... greedy, mediocre bastard without vision, that's what he is. And he will pay for Jelena." Winski almost got a tear into his eye, his throat choking.
- "That he will. We will take turns... but now we are traveling to Candlekeep, and not a moment too soon. Finally I can study the prophecies."
- "Finally," said Winski only, his face a stony mask. He really shouldn't be reminded of Jelena. It didn't have a good effect on him.