Episode 1. Malice.

Malice and Zaknafein.

To Zak, the one who inspired my courage.
Drizzt Do’Urden

Episode 1. Malice.

The drow society became matriarchal. So called Matron now rules from 3 to 3000 drow individuals. Males are treated like dirt… I yearn for the times when we all were equal in the eyes of our good Emperor and Emperess…
“Manuscript of the Descent Times”

The male slid from the bed and turned to leave with all stealth he could master. His movements would not alert the most sensitive beast of the surface world, but his efforts did not pay. Female stirred and lifted herself on one elbow above the sheets. She looked at him for a moment. She probably could hear his heart beating fast and irregular. Battling his fear, the male bowed low, not once raising his eyes from the floor.

"Your name?" Female's voice was still harsh, still carried leftovers of passion.

The male considered a lie, but he did not dare: "Alverdeen." He reached for the rich velvet curtain draping the entrance to the boudoir, and allowed himself a sidelong glance at the woman. She was not aware of him any longer. An absent, strange expression was on her beautiful face, thin and dark.

Alverdeen did not have a desire to watch her longer or to understand her. He rushed out of the room and stand with his back against a cold stone wall for few moments. He nearly blacked out under waves of dizziness and exhaustion. Being a drow, Alverdeen had to understand what had happened in order to survive, as he survived that night. The woman, Malice Do'Urden, was a danger, worst, she was an unknown danger.
Alverdeen’s mind raced. House Do'Urden, the 11th House of Menzoberranzan, had been regarded as weakening in the past 100 years after it became apparent that the late pregnancy of Matron Tiy’Nuer was her last one. The matriarch was nearing 700 years old and while her leadership stabilized and widened influence of House Do’Urden she had failed to secure the very core of any house – circle of her own children, the true nobility of Menzoberranzan. The eldest daughter of House Do’Urden, Phedra, never had given a birth in all five hundred years of her life. Alverdeen shuddered when his thoughts turned to Phedra. She has reputedly beaten to death at least four former lovers who failed to please her intricate demands. Four! Those four just happened to have high enough standing in House Do’Urden hierarchy for the others to whisper about their death. House Do’Urden would have to attract non-noble priestesses in order to survive very soon. Unless… Alverdeen suddenly broke free of the wall and walked away from the bedroom of the second daughter of House Do’Urden. He did not look broken and exhausted any longer. Quite the opposite, he walked lightly, like a man full of hope would. Alverdeen believed that he found his answerer. Malice was called home from her prestigious position in the Academy to strengthen House Do’Urden. And that’s what she was trying to do few minutes ago in her grand bed covered with black silk. Malice hoped to conceive! Alverdeen smiled: this summon was probably not his death warrant; it was probably a promise of advancement.

“Men love like they fight,” Malice actually said it aloud and stretched. Alverdeen was an average fighter by her estimate, but he was the best House Do’Urden could master at the time. The best… Malice went dreamy for a short while. Malice pictured herself a Matron Mother, a Matron Mother of House Do’Urden, the 5th or better, the 4th House of Menzoberranzan. She made a first step that night, she knew. The year she spent back at her House, observing people and custom of the House was finally at an end. Malice was so foreign to it when she returned from Academy, where she spent last half of her life, 50 years. She spent a year carefully studying her new enemies, for a drow everyone is an enemy. The time to observe was over. Malice started to act that night. Now, t she could not afford dreams any more. The female hurriedly pulled long slick dress on and a cloak above it. Out of her rooms, she went, and her pass was swifter and swifter until she was running. It took only few minutes for the light-footed drow to get to the chapel, but how long they lasted! These were the moments, which separated the ambitious young drow from the grand destiny. In the chapel, Malice thrown herself onto the cold and smooth floor in front of the stature of Lloth and she sung prayers to her goddess, for hours, until her body went limp and conciseness slipped away from her. Those were prayers of gratitude, for Malice had believed that she received a special gift from Lloth that night. A weapon, which she can wield to make her dreams to come true. Malice had believed that she became pregnant.

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It all went wrong. Alverdeen was nervously watching the baby-girly in the crib. The last month he was living in Malice’s room, deprived of sleep, on the verge of madness. Malice made no secret of who was her baby’s farther and openly showered him with her favors and attention. At first, Alverdeen felt that he it is his lucky chance. Very quickly he started to notice how bound to Malice he became in the eyes of everyone of the House Do’Urden. Malice tricked him! Instead of embarking on the smooth road to respect and high station in the shade of the youngest daughter of House Do’Urden he was dragged into a risky conquest plan of an ambitious upstart. Malice did not want to be second daughter of House Do’Urden. Malice wanted to be the ruling Matron. A tiny but healthy baby-girl was her claim for power. Energy and unrestricted ambitions of youth were her claim for power.

Alverdeen was her ally now. He had no choice, he would live to see her triumph or die in her downfall. Downfall was more likely. The baby, Briza, was received with strange coolness by Matron Tiy’Nuer and the whole House lay silent in waiting. They waited for a sign from Lloth to side with elder or younger daughters. Matron Tiy’Nuer was considered dead by the high circle of House Do’Urden. But the fact that she obviously favored Phedra made many to hesitate. Surely, Malice had given birth to a female child, but she was so young and aloof!

If the inner turmoil of House Do’Urden had bothered Malice, she did not show that. She grew bigger as her pregnancy progressed and as her body mass increased so did her calmness. Alverdeen was afraid of this calmness more than of anything else. He was almost happy when Malice gave birth. Briza was born in Malice’s room, Alverdeen keeping watch and forbidding anyone in. He heard Malice to cry in agony behind the doors and for a short moment, he hoped that the troublesome priestess would die, because such was the favor of Lloth. The goddess whose promises led many to destruction. Lloth, the Lady of Irony. Malice emerged from behind black velvet curtains, standing easily, holding a female child in her upraised hands. “Praise the Goddess”- she yelled to the gathered members of the House Do’Urden, -for she given us new hope and new life.” Noone dared to object to this harsh, powerful voice. Few of the present house clerics kneeled, feeling that Malice and her newborn were indeed in full favor of Lloth. Neither Matron Tiy’Nuer, nor Phedra were present. However, Malice had received the official congratulations together with summon to present the baby to the Matron that very night to Tiy’Nuer. Alverdeen was sure that this was the end of it, but Malice seemed fearless and unshaken. For the first time in a few months, Alverdeen felt that Malice might turn triumphant after all.

Composed and pale, Malice had presented herself in front of Matron Mother and Phedra. Malice grinned. No, she is not going to live like Phedra, being fierce with those who are lower than her, making no move against the real obstacle to advancement. Phedra is a coward, decided Malice and she intended to treat her as such. Malice looked for a moment into herself to get a feel for power mounting inside her. She was confident and she was calm. Alverdeen walked a step behind her, carrying the crib with suddenly quiet Briza. All three entered the council chamber of Matron Mother. Tiy’Nuer and Phedra were the only present. Alverdeen felt surprised, but than he figured that neither side wanted witnesses. Such as him. He bowed low and exited with all speed, frightened, that one of the supercharged females will blow his head away just to relieve some stress. He exited with all speed to save his life, now he had to re-enter if he wanted to live longer. With a resigned sigh, he pulled a cork out of a small potion bottle and imbibed the content. “Malice better be really good with potions! “- was his last clear thought. Than he felt that his body turned gaseous and swiftly slid through the keyhole. Invisible, Alverdeen slowly floated through the room and took a position behind Phedra.
Three females were deep into mental combat and he realized that even Malice was not aware still of his presence.

"My dear Malice, you surely understand, that the eldest daughter is the one most fit to raise this child. Think about your position in Academy…" sweet smell of magical energy hang around Tiy’Nuer as she was saying that. Matron Mother had obviously spared no effort to prepare the meeting with her suddenly rebellious and dangerous daughter.
Malice locked an intense gaze upon Tiy’Nuer .

"No," dropped she calmly, "I cannot allow this."

Alverdeen pulled a cork from yet another tiny bottle and slowly moved it around Phedra’s head. Phedra went stiff, than started falling down. Alverdeen propped her to keep the female in an upright position.
"YOU cannot allow?!" Tiy’Nuer growled. "You have become insolent! It is time to punish you."

Tiy’Nuer gave a sign to Phedra to start an assault, but Phedra was unresponsive. Tiy’Nuer was suddenly conscious of the fact that she lost a telepathic link with her elder daughter few moments ago. She jumped from her stone throne and started a chant. It was too late. Malice, who knew Phedra is out of the game, started her own enchantment a split second earlier. The wave of magical energy coming from Malice crushed into Tiy’Nuer, falling her down into her throne. Malice was fully in control.

Tiy’Nuer realized that she was about to die.

-Why, asked Malice quietly, – why did you pick the loosing side? Have not you seen that I am the stronger and I will succeed?-
Tiy’Nuer’s face contorted with rage. She spent her last breath to spit into Malice:
-Because you are not a noble-born, foolish girl. You are some commoner’s child I picked to show off instead of my own stillborn. I could not afford another stillborn…So they found you in some dirty corner…You, a street girl…-, Tiy’Nuer did not finish her last insult. She suddenly jerked and died.
-Street girl?- Malice smiled. –Matron Malice of the 11th House of Menzoberranzan sounds better to me.-
Impatiently, she turned to Alverdeen. -What are you waiting for, fool? Do what you were ordered-

Alverdeen replied with a low bow:-Yes, Matron Mother.- He was overwhelmed with relief. Malice had her wish. Or did she just clear way for Phedra? Alverdeen could not delay any longer in front of obviously irritated female. He carried Phedra to her rooms and stayed there to guard her, just like he was ordered.

When Phedra came to herself, she was still the eldest daughter of House Do’Urden; in service of a younger one. Malice had presented apparently intact body of Matron Tiy’Nuer and declared that she is dead of mysterious sickness, which also put Phedra on her deathbed. Malice told to people of House Do’Urden that they can wait to see if Phedra lives and have House Do’Urden headless, or … Malice did not have to elaborate.

Young and aloof? Well, young Malice had apparently killed powerful and wizened Tiy’Nuer, young Malice was a mother of a newborn female child and young Malice was the future of House Do’Urden. The new Matron Malice Do’Urden.