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[Weyoun]

 
Growing Up Part 3 : Things Past

'Fighting... Fighting again,' Vierna thought to herself as she swung her two longswords at one of the tentacles whipping around her party. 'All the most terrible beasts of lore seem to find me and my party for some reason. We must be monster-magnets...'

The party, with the people they had in tow, arrived in Nashkell without any more delays. After saying goodbye to the merchants, Nathan had led them to the town ruler, a wizened old fighter named Berrun Ghastkill. And would you believe it? He had told Vierna she looked like her mother.

Berrun had the captain of the guard lead the party to the crypt where the guards had lured she creature into. Apparently, it had attacked in the dark of night, killed over a dozen guards before a ploy was devised. The youngest and fastest runner of the division had run into a crypt with the beast in hot pursuit, while the others would close the door after he had run out again. But when the screams of terror and pain sounded from the crypt, the guards decided it was better to shut and barricade the doors, rather than wait.

Brandishing their weapons, the party had entered the small crypt ready for about anything. However, what they found was a horror beyond belief. The beast that they were about to engage was none other than a Death Kiss, once of the most fierce of the beholder-kin. The Death Kiss, or 'Bleeder' is a dangerous predator which feeds on the blood of it's victims. Unlike the other beholders, the Death Kiss only had one eye : The central one. The stalks on which other beholders had eyes, supported long tentacles with hook-toothed orifices, which could strike out with incredible speed.

And right now, those tentacles were flying over their heads...

And the damn things regenerated as soon as they had been damaged... The key to defeating this beast was to take out the central body.

Vierna's spells couldn't harm the magical resistant creature and Lenny was frantically trying to aim his magic spear at the central body, but the flailing tentacles prevented him from doing so. Glyill wasn't having much luck either. Her mace couldn't even get near the central body, not even if aided by her amazing agility. The only person having some luck was the gnome Gerty, who managed to get a few crossbow-bolts past the writhing tentacles, inflicting some, but minor damage.

Vierna's gaze shifted upon Yalafein, who had agreed to aid in the battle. As soon as he had been bought a shield and a weapon, the rogue Drow joined the fray. Vierna had to admit he waved his bastard sword like master of weapons, deflecting the tentacles with with his shield. She was impressed with his techniques... and his rippling muscles....

A sharp crash sounded as one of the tentacles smashed into the wall, only inches from Vierna's face. Deciding it might be prudent to get her mind on the battle again, Vierna snarled and slammed her longswords in the offending tentacle, severing it completely. To no avail... The stump of the tentacle shook in mid-air. And within moments, a new hook-toothed mouth appeared...

Vierna grimaced, but regained her spirits quickly to rejoin the battle. Then... it happened.

One of the tentacles slammed down on Vierna's right leg just above the leg, piercing a weak spot in her armor. She felt a sharp pain as the hooked teeth clamped onto her leg and yanked her towards the central body of the Death Kiss. Vierna grimaced in agony as the tentacle began to drain her blood. Feeling dizzy from bloodloss, Vierna looked around for her weapons. Arguvandal lay back at her former position, but fortunately she had managed to hold on to the Equalizer when the tentacle dragged her across the room. Grasping the legendary longsword, she managed to estimate the distance between her and the Death Kiss' central body. Before unconsciousness would be able to claim her, she flung the sword towards the Death Kiss, hitting it right in the central eye. A gutteral scream filled the crypt as the Beholder was blinded, filling the party with fresh hope.

Unfortunately, the creature was far from disabled and was still feasting on Vierna's blood. Through her haze, Vierna could hear the growls and snarls of faithful Brimstone, biting down on the offending tentacle. Eventually, she felt her painful leg drop to the floor, leaving Vierna to drift in and out of awareness...

Get Vierna out of there... .... Lenny?

Done! Gly... Glyill?

Kill it... Hit... Body... Ya...Yalafein?

Eat this, turnip-hater! Gerty... Definately Gerty...

It's working! He's going down! Lenny? Is that you again?

A scream sounded... Gutteral... Inhuman... A crash... The floor shakes... Barking sounds... A lick to the face... A BURNING lick to the face...

Perhaps you should sleep now, my daughter. You... leave with Alexa tommorrow. Ad...Adventurers need their sleep, to... to keep alert... Momma? Don't worry, momma. I'll be fine... Please don't cry, momma... I won't be gone forever! I'll write, I'll visit all the time!

Go to BED!... Why, momma? Why are you so tired? I'd think you'd hardly get any sleep at all at night... Yes momma... Let's not tell her I've been sneaking out of my room for the past few weeks to meet with Shivon to talk, to dance in the moonlight and to share some soft kisses...

Will you sleep now, little one?... Yes, momma... I can't tell stories just as good as your father, can I?... Ermmm, that's okay, momma... Let me tuck you in, my sweet gem... Sweet dreams, little one I'm cold, momma... I'm so cold.... so cold... I know, child, I know... Just sleep now... Your friends will look after you. Okay, momma... Okay... I will sleep... sleep... sl...

---

"Dinner!" Gerty announced cheerfully as she entered Vierna's room at the Nashkell Inn...

"Turnips again?" Vierna replied sleepily.

"Don't tell me you're still tired!" Gerty giggled. "You've been sleeping for over thirty-two hours..."

"Glyill says I lost about two-thirds of my blood, so that's why I'm still groggy..." Vierna replied gruffly.

"That's why you need to eat your turnips! Lotsa iron!" the female Jansen announced.

"If I want more iron in my body," Vierna chuckled. "I'll swallow some nails..."

"It doesn't have quite the same effect..." Gerty smiled, "but I'll leave it here for you..."

Brimstone raised his head from the floor. He was laying next to Vierna's bed, keeping close guard over her companion. Apparently, or so Vierna was told, Brimstone wouldn't allow anyone to come near her, aside from her closest friends. Brimstone's barking had scared off the maids, the busboys, and it seemed he had even set poor Yalafein on fire for a short while. But what was he doing in her room in the first place then...

Vierna bent over to tickle Brimstone behind the ear, only to be rewarded with a sharp sensation in her leg.

"Still having problems with the leg?" Gerty asked with concern.

"Oh, Glyill healed the wound completely, but she says that the wound was so deep it'll take a while for my body to overcome the system-shock..." Vierna grimaced as she rubbed her knee. "And that means I'll won't be able to surprise my parents... I would have liked greet them when they came back from the cabin next week... But the Life had a different schedule, I guess."

"So you're not travelling anytime soon, then?" Gerty asked.

"Not for a few days," Vierna replied and fell back on her pillow. "Why? Ran into any cute gnomes?"

"Oh, no... No, no no!" Gerty replied, a little too quickly. "I've got my eye on a cute helmite!"

"You're after the temple priest?" Vierna chuckled. "That's the sixteenth time this year you go after a priest."

"Hey, a girl can dream!" Gerty replied ademantly. "And maybe he's into big noses and turnips, you never know..."

Vierna smiled once while Gerty made her way to the front of the inn whistling 'Turnips make the world go round.' Vierna turned around on her bed, facing the wall and trying to get some sleep again. Then she heard a loud growl and a bark. Obviously, someone was trying to enter her room but couldn't get past Brimstone. Turning around, she noticed Yalafein standing in the doorway, trying to keep out of the range of Brimstone's fiery breath...

"It's okay, Brimstone," Vierna whispered to her faithful friend. "It's okay, let him in..."

Brimstone hardly seemed convinced, but he lay back on his mat, still staring down Yalafein, daring him to make a move against his friend.

"Your pet doesn't like me..." Yalafein told Vierna.

"He's not my pet," Vierna replied, perhaps a little too sharply. "I'm a ranger... Our bond runs much deeper than that..."

"I see," Yalafein replied, puzzled, "Those people out their praise our names, you know... Yours especially... They think you're a hero."

Vierna snorted, "I'm no bloody hero. A real hero wouldn't have gotten her blood sucked out of her... Momma and daddy wouldn't have got bitten..." she said bitterly.

"You have an attachment to your parents, correct?" Yalafein asked. "It is most un-drowlike... and puzzling..."

"Why the third-degree?" Vierna asked with suspision.

"I am merely curious..." Yalafein replied and Vierna was sure he wasn't lying about that, "I have just seen your companion Glyill claim her part of the reward. She's outside now, giving all those coins to the children of the village..."

'Ah, he changed the subject'... Vierna smiled, nontheless, "I bet she was smiling... It's one of the few times when she smiles..."

"Might I ask you a question?" Yalafein continued, looking upon Vierna intently.

"Sure..."

"Why do you do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you risk your life for strangers? It's certainly not for profit... And I don't think you're a glory-seeker either..." Yalafein said.

"Well," Vierna started, "for one, I became an adventurer because helping people is the right thing to do... And maybe getting a little glory in the process," She smiled, "But mostly, it's because of my parents."

"You've mentioned them before..." Yalafein started.

"My mother is Viconia DeVir, a Drow outcast and powerful cleric," Vierna began. "And my father is Karis, hero of the Sword Coast. I doubt you ever heard of them, but they, and their companion, are practically living legends... They raised me with love..."

"I don't doubt it... But your mother was a Drow outcast, right. A priestess of Lolth?" Yalafein stressed.

"Why are you so interested in my mother?" Vierna smirked. "Did you know her when she lived in Menzoberranzan?"

"No, no..." Yalafein said, "I am simply puzzled why a female who was once a priestess of Lolth would choose a surfacer for a mate... Is he her pleasure-slave?"

Fury burned through Vierna's blue eyes. "How.. DARE... you!" Vierna snarled through clenched teeth. "My parents LOVE each other..."

"I... I am sorry," Yalafein said, a bit started by Vierna's sudden fury, "I'm not used to females who... care for another... least of all a male."

"Well, get used to them!" Vierna snapped. "There's plenty of 'em on the surface. Besides, what makes you so sure some of those spider-worshipping females can't change! My momma did! And just look at Glyill. She used to be an assassin. Absolutely deadly, vicious and greedy, without remorse! And look at her now... A Cleric of Ilmater, handing out her coins to children and loving it! And what about you, hmmm? I don't see you bowing down to spiders... At least, not any more... It's not so difficult to care for another, you know?!"

"I... see." Yalafein stammered, growing more and more intrigued by this young female in front of him. Most young females he had known were arrogant boasters, revelling in the glories of the Spider Queen. But this one was so...different. And he found her incredibly intriguing and... alluring.

"I'm sorry..." Vierna suddenly replied. "I guess you're still new to the surface, and its 'strange' customs."

'She actually apologized?! No female has ever done that to me before... She IS different!' Yalafein thought.

"And what about you, Yalafein?" Vierna asked, "How'd you end up in a cave in the Cloud Peaks."

Yalafein sighed. He'd been expecting that question for a time now. He sat next to Vierna on the bed, getting ready to tell his tale.

Vierna on the other hand, was expecting a tale of darkness and sorrow, and thought back to the time, her mother had told her about her role in Drow society...

***

"Vierna?" Viconia told her daughter as she entered the dining-hall. "I need to speak to you for a moment."

"Hey, momma," Vierna looked up from her drawing and greeted her mother happily. "Can I feel your belly?" she asked with a broad grin.

"Certainly," Viconia said as she guided her daughter's hand over her swollen abdomen, "Your little brother or sister should come soon, little one."

Vierna carefully felt if she could sense any movement inside, but her mother had other plans.

"Little one, there is something I need to say. The time has come to... tell you more... about your people."

"You mean the Dark Elves?" Vierna asked innocently.

"Yes... In private..." Viconia said, and Vierna could hear the fear in her voice. As Viconia took her daughter by the hand and lead her to her room, Vierna could see her father standing, half-smiling at her as they walked up the stairs.

For a long time, they were in Vierna's bedroom. Untill, suddenly an agitated Vierna burst through the door.

"I can't believe you took part in those foul rituals!!" Vierna shouted at her mother.

"It... it was all I knew, Vierna... I..." Viconia stammered in desperation.

"DON'T TALK TO ME!" Vierna shouted back.

"Vierna..." Viconia replied in sorrow, almost a whisper. "It was before I..."

"Just... Just... keep away from me," Vierna interrupted through her tears and ran away through the corridors.

"Vierna! Wait!" Viconia shouted, but a sudden sharp pain prevented her from running after her. Grasping her belly, she sank to the floor. She tried to calm herself, and to a degree, she succeeded. She noticed Karis had run up to her and put his arm around her. It was somewhat comforting to her, but only somewhat..."

"She... She hates me, Karis," Viconia stammered. "She hates me."

"No... No, she doesn't," he replied, "it only the shock. The shock of learning the truth. Believe me, I know... But my mother never held me, or comforted me... Alianna only wanted to kill me. And there's the difference. Give her some time... It's a lot to swallow..."

Viconia nodded sadly and accepted Karis' help to get her on her feet. Together they walked back to the dining-hall. Viconia waited for hours... hours to hear something from her daughter. And finally she heard whispered words from behind...

"I love you, momma," She heard her daughter's sweet voice say. "I'm so sorry the Spider Queen made you go through all that..."

As mother and daughter embraced, Vierna whispered in her mother's ear, "The Drow are not my people..."

Suddenly, Vierna heard her mother take a sharp intake of breath. She looked down and saw that her mother's robes were suddenly dripping wet...

"Vierna," Viconia smiled, "get your father... I think the baby is coming..."

***

Yep, that was a shock alright, hearing your loving mother had sacrificed dozens in the name of an evil goddess. No doubt Yalafein's story had the same kind of contents.

"What's to tell," Yalafein said, "I was born to a common family, under the care of house Xsoralynn. I was taken from my parents when I was ten and Matron Varyah had noticed my preformance on the practise-fields."

"Ten?" Vierna asked in surprise.

"Yes," Yalafein replied, "House Xsoralynn was small but ambitious... They needed every good soldier they could get. I was taken from my parents and into the compound to be raised by the quartermasters. And they didn't spare the whip..."

"Ouch..."

"Yeah," Yalafein grinned lopsidedly. "For years I grew into the role of a vicious Drow fighter, owing allegiance to 'House and Queen'. I managed to attain the station of Weaponmaster when my superior, the previous weaponmaster, was killed in a raid by a rival house. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity. Matron Varyah wasn't as strict as most Matrons, a devottee of Lolth yes, but she allowed much to ones that aided her to attain wealth, glory and power."

"Sounds like an empty life," Vierna whispered.

"It was, but I didn't know otherwise... and it was about to get even worse... Matron Varyah was, ahum, dispatched by her eldest daughter Tegryina. And she was a lot crueler than her evil mother had ever been. Random executions, sacrifices, tortures... She revelled in her power," He spat, showing has contempt for females. "She also chose me as her personal patron... And for many years, I was a good little soldier and participated in her whims and attacks on rival houses. House Xsoralynn rose from eleventh to eighth house in only a century. Then... I was elected to lead a surface-raid and then... I learned there was more to the world than just the Underdark... And I also learned the surface was a beautiful place, void of the horrors the Lore-Masters claim to dwell there. I learned... things could be different. I questioned several of the slaves when I returned home, and learned even more... And I remembered that there was still room for caring in Drow society. I remembered that my parents had cared for me before I was taken..."

Vierna was staring at him with wide eyes now, not being sure what to make of his story...

"I decided to leave behind my mad existance. One night, after pleasing my Matron, when she was sated and asleep, I took her Ring of Translation she used when bargaining with the races dwelling near Rilauven and snuck out the room, out she compound and out the city, never to return... You don't know what is felt like, Vierna, when I stood at the Underdark Exit at the mountainside, gazing at the nightsky and to feel freedom for the first time, in my life!"

"After some... interesting encounters with the surface-races, I decided it was better to search a remote region to live... But, I wanted to travel first, you know. To simply go where you want, without some female ordering you around or looking over your shoulder all times... So I ended up in these mountains, got beset by the giant twins and rescued by you..."

"Quite a story..." Vierna smiled.

"Quite," Yalafein smiled in return. "By the way, you can stop twirling my hair now."

Vierna quickly withdrew a hand she didn't even know she was using to fondle Yalafein's long hair.

"Well," Yalafein chuckled. "I'll leave you to your rest now..."

"Wait," Vierna asked as Yalafein turned to leave, "Why did you stay? You were free to go..."

'Because you are a remarkable female and I want to know more about you?' Yalafein thought... "Ermm, well, I had nothing better to do... No place to go..."

"I see," Vierna smiled. 'I'm interested in getting to know you better too, mysterious stranger...'

"Rest well..." Yalafein said, and left the room.

Vierna plopped back on her pillow. 'Maybe this time it will be different...' She thought. Vierna might be an accomplished adventurer, but she was rather unlucky in love. While travelling with Alexa's party, the party's bard Ringur had courted and sung to her for months. They had shared many a kiss, until they finally spent the night together at an Inn in Waterdeep. Halfway through the night, she found her bed empty. Puzzled she clothed herself and walked down the stairs, only to find her 'lover' boasting to the other males in the tavern how he had bedded a Drow. Fortunately, she was wearing her steeltoed boots at the time, which she used to permanently turn the bard's singing voice from baritone to soprano... He retired from the Life soon afterwards...

Then there was the pike-man in the Cormyrian army. A nice human male, open-minded and their courtship was certainly sweet. One day, the pikemen were needed to repel an orc-invasion. There was only one casualty... Yep, you guess who that was...

Then there was the roguish half-elf, who, after a few days of courtship and kisses, talked her into a trip through the woods. She would quickly find out, when they entered a forest grove, that the rogue intended to turn her over to a group of elven Drow-hunters near Suldanesselar for a sizable bounty. It was a good thing the elves had heard of her, otherwise the encounter could have gotten quite hairy...

And... her first love. Her first friend, the boy who gave her her first kiss, the first man she truly loved... Shivon, left her for his studies in Suldenesselar. He promised to write but never did... He promised to visit but never did... Vierna grimaced as she remembered she had cried rivers over him, to such a degree that her mother had offered to go to the elven city and personally bash his skull in. Vierna's love for him had sporadically grown into contempt... But she still cared for him... deeply...

'Maybe this time, things will be different,' Vierna thought and rubbed over Brimstone's head one more time before falling into slumber... Maybe she'd get to De'Arnese Keep without much trouble this time too...