The half-moon hung in the night sky, accompanied only by a sprinkling of stars. A cloud drifted lazily across the black expanse, carried by a cool breeze that forced a shudder out of Serena. She snapped her fingers, and with a small sucking noise, the remnants of her soup vanished from the wooden bowl. Serena burped – as much as she could – and placed the bowl next to the fire, vowing to return it once it had died down.
It had been years since Serena had eaten alone. After the verbal lashing Pavel had given her in the food line, she held no desire to mingle with the other caravan members.
He had spared not a single detail in his tirade; Pavel made it known just how in the wrong Serena had been that today, after the “horse debacle”, as he called it. More methodically than he was known for, Pavel had listed off each offence that she had committed in the span of five minutes: tampering with someone’s property, dealing with a matter that didn’t concern her, antagonizing another wagon owner, and, worst of all as Pavel had said, unjustly attacking a caravan member. For that offence alone, Serena should have been ejected from the caravan. She was lucky that all the guards had vetoed the decision.
The entire caravan had fallen quiet by the time the cook had scooped her portion. Serena wished the ground would swallow her right there.
Pavel only exacerbated the issue after Serena had ran halfway to the wagon, tail between her legs. Pulling her aside, he told her that he was sorry, and that he understood why she interfered. Pavel would have been right there with her…had he not signed a contract in Baldur’s Gate that denied him, or anyone else for that matter, the ability to touch the Zultans. According to him, they paid too much money to be bothered by everyone else on the caravan, save the guards who were specifically instructed to look after them above all else. But, at the same time, were not to ‘interfere’ with them.
Serena squeezed her eyes shut; she shouldn’t have shocked Pavel when he offered his hand. He was just trying to be a good friend. But she had no plans to apologize. Not to him, nor to anyone else. In her gut, Serena knew she made the right choice, and damn any of those men telling her otherwise.
Letting loose a silent sigh, Serena stretched her arms above her head, and leaned back against the grassy embankment. Part of the Trade Way that the caravan halted on had gentle grassy slopes that led up to the road, as though the ground decided to rise and accommodate only this narrow stretch. It looked inviting, and when she laid out against it, fire next to her feet and wagon just slightly behind her, Serena felt more comfortable than she’d felt in weeks.
She was glad, as she’d be sleeping outside tonight.
Werond had been absent from the soup line when Serena was yelled at, having somehow convinced Bo to sell some of his alcohol to her. She had approached Serena sheepishly afterwards and offered her condolences with a bottle of wine. Not one to drink, Serena had turned her down, but told Werond to enjoy herself without her, especially after what had happened earlier. Werond nodded and promised to drink enough for both of them.
Serena shook her head. Werond would make well on that promise.
Another breeze blew across the embankment, causing the fire to dance about like a drunken bar patron. Serena shivered, and scooted closer to the heat.
Faint sounds of laughter and heated argument drifted in from down the road. Serena didn’t know whose wagon it came from, but the sounds of merriment, of glasses clinking together and stories being told, tugged at her. Despite the usual friendliness, she wouldn’t be welcome around the fires tonight. Perhaps tomorrow as well.
Gazing out towards edge of the firelight and into the darkness, she felt a hollowness in her chest. How long since she’d been this alone?
Through the merriment, she picked up the faint sound of dirt crunching under boots, drawing nearer to her wagon.
Serena frowned; Werond wasn’t due back until after the fires had died down, and the people behind her wagon hadn’t gone to the soup line tonight. Perhaps it was Pavel, looking to apologize – although if it was, Serena was in no mood to talk with him.
The footsteps grew closer, louder, until they stopped on the other side of her wagon. Serena twisted her head and from her spot along the embankment, could barely make out a pair of dark boots from the other side.
After a moment, the figure walked around the wagon, down the embankment, and towards her fire.
Serena sat up to greet them.
Then leapt to her feet, teeth gritted.
Lord Zultan raised his hands, palms out, eyes wide.
“The fuck do you want?!” Serena growled. A soft light burned between her fingers – a bolt at the ready.
“Peace!” Zultan said quickly. “Serena, I mean you no harm.”
“What? Who told you my name?!”
“Pavel did, I asked! Please Serena, I come bearing no ill will.”
Serena glanced the Drow over; his dress jacket was missing, and the white tunic under was torn in multiple spots across the shoulders and chest, exposing his dark skin to the light. Sweat glistened on his head, causing strands of white hair to stick in odd places.
The light in her hands winked out. “You look like hell.” She said, noticing the dark circles under Lord Zultan’s eyes.
“I feel like hell.” He put a hand on his waist and rubbed the nape of his neck. “The Lady made sure I wouldn’t forget my mistakes today.”
“You walked all this way expecting sympathy from me?”
“No. I expect nothing but scorn from you.”
“Good. Now, I’m in no mood to talk to –”
“Serena, please, I know you hate me, but I wish to speak to you cordially.”
“About what?”
“I want to apologize.”
Serena blinked. She stepped forward, her hands beginning to shake.
“You should apologize to the entire caravan, not me.” Serena signed; her voice echoed louder in Zultan’s head, causing him to flinch.
“None of them would understand me, you know that Serena. I tried to convince the Lady to allow the horse rest, but she would hear none of it. What else was I to do? Had I refused, she’d have killed me, you know that.”
“What makes you think I’d understand?! Or even care?!” Serena spat.
“Because you’re a Lash.”
Serena flinched, and stepped back. Silence lapsed between them as Serena stared a hole through Lord Zultan.
He shifted his weight about and rubbed the nape of his neck again.
“It’s ah…” he said, before gesturing towards Serena’s neck. “It’s obvious if you know the houses. They only give those to family, and if I had to guess…you’d be Vorn’s child, wouldn’t you?”
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“How do you know about him?” Serena whispered, eyes narrowed.
Something flashed across his face, an emotion that Serena couldn’t discern. Lord Zultan shrugged.
“I know of the family. They’re a force not to be trifled with, among others. When I lived in Menzoberranzan, Vorn made a name for himself by escaping with his…well, you’d call her his wife, I assume your mother. I know her to be Vorn’s ‘prize’. I…respected him, for that. I wished to be free as well but…didn’t have the stones to do it.” Lord Zultan finally met Serena’s gaze. “I suppose that, had I known from the start that you were a Lash, none of that would have happened. So…I apologize, for it all.”
“Do you think any of that makes it better?”
“It doesn’t. I know that.”
“Then why are you coming over here and throwing around that you know my Dad?” Serena signed.
Lord Zultan stepped closer, his gaunt features illuminated in the firelight.
Serena stiffened.
“Because I want out.” he said in a low tone, “The only reason I’m with that bitch was because she offered me a chance to leave the Underdark. And now I’m stuck whipping horses for her. I never wanted this, to be under the heel of a society that decries my inferiority based only upon what dangles between my legs. What happened today was terrible and I understand how infuriated you are at me, but…Serena, you’re the only one who would understand my predicament, or even hear me out. None of the guards would assist me, no one in the caravan would even tolerate my presence near them. Except you. Because you and I share an uncommon heritage. Because Vorn has no doubt told you how terrible it is for Drow like us. All I ask is that you help me remove that vile woman when the time is right.” Zultan rubbed his neck. “Will you at least think it over?”
Serena stared at the Drow in front of her. Just hours ago, Lord Zultan had almost whipped a horse to death over something that he more than likely caused. And now he stood before her, head slightly bowed, begging for his life.
She bit her lip and looked away. Lord Zultan didn’t deserve her forgiveness, or her help.
But if what he said was true, then neither did he deserve to be chained to Lady Zultan.
And who was she to deny a Drow his desire for freedom? Had her father not held that same desire…
For a moment, she swore the pendant against her neck warmed. But when she brushed her fingers against her neck, it felt as cool as the night air.
“I’ll consider it.” Serena signed, causing Lord Zultan to brighten. “But only if you tell me about how you knew my Dad. And his side of the family.”
“Of course, of course.” He said, clasping his hands together. “I can’t tonight though. The Lady will begin to suspect if I’m gone for too long. May I find you another time, and then we may talk?”
“Fine.”
“Alright.” Lord Zultan stepped back and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Serena Lash. You may have just saved my life.”
“We’ll see.”
Lord Zultan nodded, before turning on his heel, and marching up the embankment.
Serena waited until the crunch of his boot steps faded away, before walking back to her spot and laying back down next to the fire. She ran a hand through her hair and let out a silent huff. By now, the conversations from the other wagons had died down, with only the crackling of the fire to fill the silence of the night.
She should have turned Lord Zultan away. Nothing good would come from helping a Drow – no, someone like him. Especially if it meant going against that creature he called a wife. Serena know that, regardless of how the Lord would do it, breaking away from the Lady would be a messy affair, not just for him – and now Serena – but for the entire caravan.
Yet Serena could not just leave him to suffer from his fate. Refusing to help him would be a slap in the face to everything her parents had taught her, and her father’s very existence on the surface. And, if Lord Zultan did know about her family, Dad would more than likely go out of his way to help him. Even if it meant risking his own life.
She closed her eyes and scooted closer towards the fire. Of course, it could all be a lie. She knew how easy it was to recognize the Drow houses, should you know their symbols. And it wouldn’t be hard to figure out why a half-elf wore the symbol of a house that birthed a race traitor.
Well, if something were to happen, Pavel would have a chance to prove just how sorry he was. With a smirk, Serena shoved the idea away; what a horrible thought to have.
As she began to drift off, Serena was awoken by the sounds of more boots crunching against dirt. This time, they did not fall in a normal rhythm, but instead staggered about, until finally they stopped at her wagon.
A hiccup sounded from above her, and Serena grinned. With a flick of her wrist, she blew a shower of sparks into the air, over the wagon.
“Wha?!” Werond slurred from behind the wagon. “You not inthe wagon?”
Her footsteps grew closer as she walked around the wagon. Serena turned her head, and saw Werond, tunic disheveled and hair a mess, standing on the edge of the embankment. Even from a distance, Serena could see the flushness of her face and the ridiculous grin plastered across it.
“Wait, where –” Werond began, before stepping forward.
Serena shoved herself up, but not in time to stop Werond from tumbling down the embankment, landing roughly on her back at the edge of the light.
Serena rushed over and dropped onto her knees by Werond. Before she could raise her hands, Werond began giggling.
“Imma do that again.” She said. Werond tried to prop herself up on an elbow, only to wobble and fall back, causing more giggles to escape.
“And here I was worried you’d hurt yourself.” Serena signed, leaning back on her legs.
The giggling stopped abruptly, and Werond stared at Serena.
“I’m fine. I’m inshicible.”
“Um…” Serena grinned as another fit of giggles broke through Werond. “I take it you had fun?”
“No!” Werond struggled upright, wobbling horribly, and pulled her legs under her. “I mean yesh no! All I was –” a burped ripped through her, and Serena cringed from the smell. “was shurrounded by Bo and thattall guard and another – gat fuy, and it wash terrible! Why didn you comealong?!”
“I…didn’t feel like drinking. Besides, you don’t want me there, I’m a –”
“Yesh I did!” Werond pulled herself closer to Serena, enough for her to smell the booze on her breath. “Being – around you ish fun!” Her brows furrowed. “You like being around – me too, right?”
“I do!” Serena said quickly, as she uncurled her legs and pushed away slightly. “Gods Werond, how much did you drink?”
“I din’t drink that much.”
“Right…I think you should call it. You need to drive the wagon tomorrow.”
“Ah can drive like thish!”
“I don’t think you can.”
Werond leaned to one side and tugged at her tunic. “Thish hot.” Her head snapped up, the motion causing her to lean back, almost falling over. “Hey hey bosh, I shaw that Drow guy walking back! Whatsh he doin over here?”
“Oh…” Serena glanced away from Werond’s unfocused gaze. “He just wanted to apologize for…everything that happened today. Don’t think I’ll –”
“What?!” Werond screamed, her voice echoing through the night. Serena waved frantically as she continued. “That shounds like a joke! He didn mesh around withyou did he?!”
“Werond! Shush! No, he didn’t, he just wanted to talk.”
“Good! Cuz itsh me who can mesh with you, no one elsh!”
Serena shook her head. “No, you can’t either, I don’t like it when you mess with me.”
Werond leaned back, then forward, head down, eyes staring sharply at Serena.
“Yesh you do.”
“I don’t!” Serena grinned involuntarily, her face becoming warm. “It’s really irritating Werond!”
Werond grinned wolfishly.
She pulled herself closer, and as she did, her eyes refocused.
Werond placed her hands on Serena’s knees, and wobbled slightly as she leaned in.
“Hey!” Serena signed, heart in her throat. “Werond, knock it –”
She leaned forward, placed a hand on Serena’s chest, and shoved her onto her back.
Serena’s hands froze against her chest; Werond straddled her waist, brushed her thick hair out of her face, and leaned in, planting both hands next to Serena’s head.
The fire reflected from Werond’s amber eyes, as though they were aflame.
She leaned forward until her dark face was Serena’s entire world.
Her heart slammed against her chest as if to meet Werond halfway.
Her breath was hot against Serena’s face as Werond whispered, her husky and now steady voice sending goosebumps down her body.
“You love it when I mess with you. You’re easy to read. Just imagine how much fun we’d have if you just gave into it, Ser – en – a Lash.”
Serena shivered at her own name.
Werond leaned forward, pressing her head against Serena’s.
A fire ripped through her body, igniting a desire that Serena had hidden for so long.
She closed her eyes, her body shaking, unsure of what to do.
Werond sighed.
Then slipped, and fell sideways from Serena, rolling onto her back next to her. She broke out into another fit of giggles as Serena’s eyes snapped open.
“Shorry, I…” Werond stuffed a fist into her mouth, to no avail. “Carried away.”
Serena stared straight ahead, before rolling on her side, and burying her face into her hands. Her ears burned so much that Serena worried the grass might catch aflame.
“Please don’t do that.”
“Shorry bosh.” Werond giggled.
Slowly, the rest of her laughter escaped from her lips, until Werond finally lapsed into silence.
A moment later, her snores pierced through the night.
Serena continued to lay on her side, as she waited for the flame within her to subside. As it did, she sucked in a breath, pushed herself up, and forced herself to walk up the embankment and to the wagon; she fished out the larger pieces of silk they used as blankets, and walked back to Werond, who had now sprawled out on the grass.
She flicked the silk out and draped it over Werond, who grabbed it and rolled onto her side, pulling it over most of her body.
Serena stared down at Werond. She turned and put a foot forward.
Then stopped.
She looked back, took another step, then stopped again.
With a sigh, Serena laid down next to Werond, and wrapped her own blanket about her.
She needed to be close, just in case Werond decided to puke.
That was a lie she could live with.