In a quiet cul-de-sac away from the main walkways suspended over the Drow city's commoners quarters below, Phaere calmly waited for the other party of this clandestine meeting to show up. It was late, the tall magic clock below had all but dimmed and there were not many Drow on the streets. The perfect time for such a meeting.

Most lights were dimmed, only a few houses below and along the walkway showed activity. Phaere admitted to herself that she had always liked the darkened city, seeing how the lava-streams bathed the city in a light orange glow.

Finally, the second person arrived. It was an armor-clad male Drow, who was constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed.

"My, my, you are a suspicious one, Solaufein," Phaere chuckled.

"Be silent, bitch," was Solaufein's biting response. Unfortunately for him, it only amused Phaere that much more.

"And rude," Phaere grinned. "Now, show me the papers you've promised me."

"Here," Solaufein said and removed a small stack of papers from his pouch. Phaere took them and started leafing through it. "I have to take them back before they, and myself, are missed."

"Hmmm," Phaere said. "Payment plans for the assassins... Heh, mother intends to stiff them and have her priestesses waiting for them when they come to collect their payment. So typical of her."

"Could we hurry this along?" Solaufein said.

Phaere smiled and started leafing through the papers with an even slower pace.

"Hmm, inventory lists... So there's a shortage of swords and crossbow bolts at the front lines. And I just happen to have a store filled to the brim with those. I should make a bundle out of this," Phaere smiled, while Solaufein spat on the floor.

"Is that all you ever think about?" Solaufein's eyes narrowed. "Profit?" he spat the word as if it was a vile curse.

"Heh," Phaere blinked as she came across a very odd order, stamped top secret by Ardulace herself. "What's this? An order for an additional patrol to guard the dragon eggs in the temple treasury?"

"That's the one that stumped me too," Solaufein spoke.

"Dragon eggs?" Phaere said. "What is she going to do with dragon eggs?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Solaufein spoke as he shifted from foot to foot. "Come on, I need to return those papers to your mother's office at the temple."

"Not so fast," Phaere spoke. "There might be more opportunities for profit in here."

"Do you enjoy putting me in danger, Phaere?"

"It's your own fault," Phaere chuckled. "Don't go blaming me for your own mistake. It's your own loose lips after our bed hopping session that got you into this."

"I truly thought you were different," Solaufein glowered at Phaere. "I thought that you hated Lolth as much as the rest of us."

"It was your mistake for revealing your secret to me," Phaere chuckled. "You know the ways of our race."

"We could be so much more than this," Solaufein said. "The way of Eilistraee is the way of the future. You could have joined us and..."

"Lost everything I have," Phaere spoke. "And I'd be putting my poor sisters at risk to boot. No, Solaufein, I remember the cold days when me and my sisters, children still, had just ran away from our mother and had to huddle together in a street-corner, scrounging through garbage to find food. Never again, Solaufein..."

"Eilistraee..."

"Spare me your religious platitudes, Solaufein! I haven't the patience for it!" Phaere raised her voice but caught herself. "You just be a good little boy scout and spy on my mother for me. I would," she grinned, "really hate to see my mother's reaction when the vaulted commander of her honor guard is revealed to be an infidel and a traitor. And I would really hate to see the followers of Eilistraee in the city to be hunted down and killed like screaming Rothe when you finally crack under the torture, Solaufein."

"You would 'hate' to see us destroyed?" Solaufein signed. "Don't make me laugh, you cold-hearted spider."

"I'm serious," Phaere chuckled. "Smuggling Eilistraee worshipping commoners out of the city is a very lucrative business. I even give group discounts. And children half-price."

Solaufein grumbled and took the papers to put them back in the pouch.

"Run along now," Phaere nodded. "I have another meeting in a few moments."

Leaning back in her warm jacuzzi, Phaere lounged at her heart's delight, arching her back as she supported her head on the cushioned edge to get in a more comfortable position. The person sitting next to her was less than calm, and continually grumbled.

"Laska?" Phaere asked. "You're not being pleasant company."

"Sorry," Laska hissed. "It's just that that... STUPID BASTARD I was supposed to fight this evening didn't show up! The bloody yellow chicken! Everybody was disappointed, including me."

"Yes," Phaere chuckled. "I can see how that can upset you. Still, can you blame him after your rather, ahum, bloody display?"

"Maybe you're right," Laska sighed and inched towards Phaere. "I wasn't expecting much of a challenge from a gladiator called 'Ragefast Spleendrinker'."

"Indeed," Phaere replied. "But I am certain we could find a way to relieve you of that energy build-up in your system.

"Hmmmm," was Laska's reply as she snaked her arms around Phaere's waist and started to nuzzle her neck softly.

"Not so fast," Phaere said and deftly escaped from Laska's grasp, much to the elf's chagrin. "I have something to show you first."

Both curious and impatient, Laska settled for the wait. From the tub, Phaere reached for a nondescript bottle filled with a dark-brown liquid. After pouring some in an exquisite crystal glass, she gave it to Laska, nodding to her to drink the liquid.

Laska sniffed the glass, and the sweet scent of alcoholic beverage tickled her nostrils. Eagerly, she took a sip. Her eyes grew wide as she felt the liquid tingle in her mouth and immediately downed the entire glass.

"DAMN!" Laska said. "This is good! What is it?"

"The biggest deal in a lifetime," Phaere sighed and looked downward. "It's a popular Drow drink fermented from a special kind of mushroom which grows only in the Underdark."

"It's a kind of lager," Laska smiled. "Mushroom lager. And it's surprisingly delicious! I like it!"

"As did most of the surface-traders," Phaere said. "I had some research done among the surfacers and I concluded that there would a good market there for our goods. So, I made arrangements, did research and finally founded several mushroom-breeding farms and bought out a local brewery. We were ready for mass production, the local gnomes would bring the goods to the surface to bridge the gap between Ust Natha and the surface traders. Underdark Mushroom Lager was certain to be a hot seller in the human lands."

"What happened?"

Phaere snarled. "Ardulace and her mad war against Suldenesselar happened. I still remember that vainglorious speech of hers," Phaere said, and shaped her voice into the nasal whine her mother suffered from." 'We're going to smoke those darthirr out of their trees,' is what she said. And before I knew it, all entrances to the surface were blocked by Ardulace's soldiers while fighting a war of attrition in the outer caves. This has been going on for two months now. I've got the first batch sitting in a warehouse waiting for export, and the brewery and farms are ready to produce more, but... now with this war on."

"Well, if you need to empty your stores, I could always..." Laska winked.

"No, no, I'll wait for export. Besides, nobody can drink THAT much."

"You'd be surprised."

"Anyway, I can't export. I've invested a lot of assets in this deal and if this war doesn't end soon, me and my sisters will lose a fortune," Phaere sighed. "Who knows, I might even have to go back to employing slave labour," she said with disgust.

"Slavery is not one of my favorite activities," Laska nodded.

"I have no great love for it either," Phaere said. "It might seem cheap and cost-effective, but slaves are unmotived at best, and uncooperative at worst. I tried hiring a slave-girl to run in a shift of three maids to lightened their loads sometimes back, but the maids conceived her as a threat to their jobs. To make matters worse, the girl was gone without a trace five days later. One of my few mistakes in business. But that's why I hire all my employees and give them a good salary with full benefits. Happy workers are productive workers."

"Speaking of productivity..." Laska grinned and pulled Phaere to her for a kiss. That kiss was only the beginning of some rather lengthy and very strenuous activities.

Imoen and Viconia sat silent at the same table in the common room. Viconia was stone faced as she stared in front of her. Imoen on the other hand, kept glancing in Viconia's direction when she thought the Drow wasn't looking at her.

"Vic?" Imoen finally asked and broke the awkward silence.

"No," was Viconia's impassionate reply.

"But... don't you wanna talk about..."

"No."

"I mean, what happened... almost happened yesterday?"

"No."

The two sat staring away from each other in silence. Again, it was Imoen who finally broke it.

"Vic?" Imoen asked. "I'm, um, tired. Can we sleep now? We've been sitting here for hours."

"No."

More silence.

"You really don't want to talk about it?"

"No." Viconia sighed and took a long hard look at Imoen. The girl responded by looking right at her so that Viconia could gaze into her eyes. The Drow could clearly read the worry and pleading from those piercing green... not getting watery... orbs. Viconia quickly looked away. "Look, I... I think it's better for both of us if we... spend some time apart. There's... there's an empty room still. I'll take it and leave you in peace."

"NO!" this time it was Imoen's turn to protest. "I... I can't sleep alone! I... I just can't! It's, um, bad for my health! Errm, what if there's a fire?! Or a burglar! Or what if a tiger sneaks into the room?! Who will wake me? I don't wanna wake up dead!"

"Look, this is pointless," Viconia said. "It's better for both of us."

"But... but... but," Imoen wailed. "I don't wanna sleep alone! You don't want to either."

Viconia had to admit the little girl had hit the nail right onto the head. She was right, Viconia didn't want to sleep alone. She had more than gotten used to the presence of Imoen, and concluded she would miss it. She suddenly remembered sending Imoen away on the Swiftwind for her nightly dallying with Limryu, and thought how hurt Imoen could have been. Viconia wanted to kick herself for not realizing that earlier.

"Alright," Viconia sighed. "If you really want to, I'll stay with you."

"Great, Vic!" Imoen smiled, jumped up and moved to embrace Viconia. But the Drow stopped her.

"DON'T..." Viconia held up her hand, creating a seemingly invisible barrier that held the surprised Imoen at bay. "... touch me."

"O... okay," Imoen said, but the hurt in her voice was obvious. "At least we can go to sleep now," she yawned. "So tired..."

"Yes," Viconia sighed, not knowing how or if she'd ever deal with her conflicting emotions. 'Tymora give me strength...', she whispered a small prayer... only to find out how tired she really was.