Part Twenty-One

I woke up early in the afternoon to find the cottage empty. I sat up and rubbed my eyes as I looked around the cottage, trying to find signs of life.

I heard a sound coming from the closet, so I slowly stood up and walked over to it. I didn’t recognize the sound, so I summoned Deathsbite to my hand. As I approached the door, there was a thud that startled me. I jumped back, then slowly moved forward towards the door once again. I reversed my grip on the blade and quickly pulled the door open.

I was surprised and didn’t really understand what I was looking at right away. “Why are you two fighting in the closet?” I asked Caelnel and Naraun.

Naraun’s eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped. “Shit!” I heard Caelnel say. He, too, looked nervous.

Suddenly, it dawned on me—they weren’t fighting in the closet. I blinked a few times, then shrugged. “So, uh, sorry for interrupting,” I said with a smile before backing up and closing the door. I tossed Deathsbite up in the air, and it vanished in a puff of wispy black smoke.

As I turned to head back to my bunk, the door burst open behind me. “Masdrin, wait!” Caelnel said as I sat down on my bunk. He walked over and stood in front of me. “What’s going to happen?” he asked. I looked up at him curiously, unsure why he was asking me this. “You’ve caught us. No doubt you’ll out us,” he said solemnly.

Having just woken up and being mildly hungover, I was a little slow to respond. Caelnel stood there watching me as I turned around to face him. This was a very new situation, and I didn’t know how to handle it, so I did the best I could.

I smiled as I reached up and grabbed him by the chin, turning his head to look me directly in the eyes. I turned his head from one side to the other and inspected his face with a raised eyebrow. “You still look like my friend Caelnel to me,” I said before releasing my grip on his chin. I looked towards the closet and fought back a chuckle before standing up straight.

“Put your hands up!” I said to Caelnel as I raised my hands and closed my fists.

“What? No, I don’t want to fight you,” he said.

“I said put your hands up,” I ordered him again.

Caelnel reluctantly raised his hands and adjusted his feet, getting ready for a fight. He knew he couldn’t win against me; what he didn’t know was that I had no intention of fighting him.

“Now swing,” I said with a cocky smirk.

“What?” he replied.

“Take your best shot,” I said, trying to goad him into taking a swing at me. Caelnel sighed, thinking I was getting him to strike at me so I could beat him—or worse, kill him.

Caelnel fired a quick jab that I easily slapped aside. Caelnel was a strategist, not much of a fighter—at least not compared to a Drow warrior like myself.

“Again!” I said, and he swung his fist again. Again, I slapped it aside.

“Come on, Caelnel, hit me,” I said, fighting back a snicker.

He sent a left jab followed by a right cross before kicking out at my knee. I easily avoided the attacks and then took a step back and smirked. “You’re definitely still Caelnel, the only Drow I know who can’t land a punch!” I said jokingly.

I looked at him and smiled before looking towards the closet door. “Naraun, come out here,” I said, then looked to Caelnel and gave him a wink.

“I don’t want to,” Naraun’s deep voice responded. He was nervous and embarrassed. In typical Drow society, homosexuality was frowned upon, though not unheard of. Like being the little spoon, people viewed you as weak. However, we were not typical of Drow society, as I’ve stated before. We were mercenaries—outcasts from normal Drow society. This is a lesson my two friends would learn today.

“Naraun, come out here. That’s an order. If you don’t come out, I’ll pull my knife out and come in there,” I barked, and the closet door slowly opened. Naraun stepped out and moved towards Caelnel and me slowly, unsure of what was about to happen. Mighty Naraun, Vielyn’s rival, walked towards me with his head hung low and his shoulders drooping. As he got within reach, I smiled. “Drop and give me fifty,” I said.

“What?” he asked as he looked up from the ground to me.

“You heard me. Get your nose to the stone, or I’ll bite it off,” I said sternly.

Naraun grumbled but couldn’t defy me since I outranked him, so he dropped to the ground and started doing pushups. I knelt down beside him. “Now, you’re down there, doing those pushups, to remind you of who I am,” I said flatly. He turned his head and looked at me, not sure what I was getting at.

“I am your boss,” I said coldly to him before pointing to Caelnel. “I am his friend. He is my friend,” I said warmly, with a smile. “So, mighty Naraun, if you want to be with my friend, you must know a couple of things. First, if you cause any harm to come to my Caelnel, I’ll kill you,” I said harshly. “Second, Caelnel can’t fight for shit. I’ve seen him get chased off by a child before,” I said.

“YOU! You chased me off when YOU were a kid!” Caelnel said, and I chuckled again.

“So, Naraun, if you’re going to be with my friend, you will have to fight for him,” I said flatly.

“I will fight for any Barra D’aron!” Naraun said as he moved up and down with each pushup.

“Yes, but how many would you give your own life for? Because if you fail me in protecting my friend, I’ll kill you,” I said, my tone firm, showing him that I wasn’t making hollow threats.

“I will not fail you. Who can beat Naraun… besides a few in the company?” Naraun asked, trying to regain a bit of his dignity and pride while making sure not to offend anyone in the room.

I smiled wide. “None that I have met,” I said, not trying to break one of my best soldier’s egos. It was true, anyway.

Rylzt, Naraun, and maybe Tazerin were about equally matched. The only ones I’d put in a one-on-one fight against any of them and expect to come out on top would be Durdrin, Vielyn, or myself. If Naraun fought anyone else, I’d bet on Naraun. He was a tough son of a bitch.

I stood up and turned to look at Caelnel. “You! Get down there with him. I want fifty from you too!” I demanded.

“I’m an officer!” he protested indignantly. Caelnel hadn’t been forced to do pushups in many, many years—most likely since before I was even born.

I balled my fist up at my side and narrowed my eyes at him. Caelnel nodded and got down on the ground beside Naraun, slowly doing what I told him to do. “How dare you!” I barked at him. “You’ve been my best friend for sixteen years, since I was ten years old! What makes you think I wouldn’t have your back, like you’ve had mine all these years!” I shouted angrily at him. Caelnel had been my friend since the day I first stepped foot in the Barra D’aron compound. “You’re my second in command. Do you know what that means?” I shouted. Caelnel shook his head. “That means you can have anyone you want, man or woman. Who would try to go through Masdrin and the rest of Nine to get to Caelnel?” I asked him. “Who could get past Naraun?” I shouted.

“Durdrin, Vielyn, and Masdrin could get past Naraun,” Caelnel replied.

“And not even Durdrin can get past me,” I said quietly, not wanting anyone outside the cottage to hear me make that claim. I wasn’t trying to stir up any trouble or start rumors that I was making moves against Durdrin. I didn’t want any rumors to start that I was trying to move against my father.

“For you to think I would harm you because you like him, or allow anyone else to harm you… wounds me. You are Caelnel of the Barra D’aron, second in command of Shadow Nine, best friend of Masdrin De’Endar. You have nothing to fear,” I said, though my tone had changed from angry and yelling to disappointed.

“They will talk about us,” Caelnel replied.

I shook my head. “They won’t have the balls to say it to your face, and who cares what cowards whisper behind your back? If they do say anything to your face… well, they’ll get tuned up right quick, believe me. You’re an officer, and no one will disrespect you,” I said to him. “Get up, both of you,” I ordered.

Both men stood up. “Caelnel, Naraun, you two have the same freedom that Zeera and I had. You do not need to hide who you are. If anyone has a problem… Just remember who you are. If you can’t take them yourself, Caelnel, you just give Naraun the order, and he’ll fight them,” I said firmly.

“Gladly,” Naraun added.

Caelnel smiled and nodded, while Naraun still seemed a little nervous. I looked to him with a raised eyebrow. “What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Kovan…” he started.

I cut him off. “Kovan will see his brother standing proud and unashamed of being with the person he chooses to be with. He will be proud of the many battles that his big brother has fought and will speak highly of you and your bravery, both in and out of battle. Or he’ll think of you as a whining, sniveling coward. Mighty Naraun, rival to the mightiest of mighty Vielyn De’Endar, broken apart because he prefers the touch of a man instead of a woman. What he remembers of you is up to you, Naraun,” I said to him.

“Coward?” he said indignantly.

“Yes! A whining, sniveling coward,” I repeated.

“I am no coward!” Naraun said proudly.

“I know, so quit acting like one,” I replied.

“You two are two of the greatest assets in The Barra D’aron. Caelnel, you’re a mastermind, and you’ve never, ever, failed me. Naraun, I’ve not seen many who can best you. I don’t want either of you to live in fear. Be proud of who you are,” I said as I turned around and sat back down on my bunk.

Naraun seemed to be relaxing a bit more and even cracked a smile when Caelnel, standing next to him, grabbed his hand and looked at him. “Masdrin is right. I am Caelnel Orlyana, second in command of the finest Shadow Team that the Barra D’aron has. You are Naraun Dhalmaerth! People fear us; we fear no one,” Caelnel said proudly.

I smiled wide. He was proud and confident. He was the best friend I knew once again.

“We have each other and the best network of friends and allies that any Drow could ask for. We do not need to hide anymore, and I do not wish to hide anymore,” Caelnel said as he looked to Naraun.

Naraun looked at me for a moment, and I could tell what he was thinking. “Why did you have to open that closet door?” he wanted to ask, but instead of saying it, he looked to Caelnel and let out a sigh. “Okay… if it’s what you want… you know I would do anything for you,” he said reluctantly.

I looked up at my two friends with my trademark crooked grin. “Everything will be fine. In fact, it will be better than fine because you two don’t have to look over your shoulder anymore,” I reassured both of them. “Even Kovan will respect his big brother because you will show that you are strong, no matter who you wish to be with. And don’t forget, that boy grew up with us as his role models—there are no Matron Mothers or Academy propaganda around to poison his mind with the hate that you fear. So do not fear anything, Naraun, because like Caelnel said, men fear you… not the other way around. The only one you have to fear is me if you hurt my friend,” I said with a smile. Caelnel smiled wide.

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Naraun looked at me. “I am your friend too… what if he hurts me?” he asked, looking hurt.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Who, besides Masdrin, Durdrin, and Vielyn, can possibly bring harm to Naraun?” I asked him.

“None that I have met,” Caelnel replied for him.

Naraun looked from me to Caelnel and smiled before turning to face him directly. He reached up and gently grabbed Caelnel by the waist and the back of his neck, pulling him close before leaning down to kiss him. Caelnel wrapped his arms around Naraun, embracing his chosen partner in the open for the first time.

When they finished, Naraun looked genuinely happy for the first time since I accidentally stumbled upon them. He looked at me as he held onto Caelnel and smiled. “Thank you, my friend,” he said before looking down at Caelnel. Caelnel tilted his head back and looked up at his partner. Naraun was still the biggest Drow either of us had ever seen, even eight years after I met him. Naraun was tall, and years of fighting had made him incredibly fit.

I nodded my head and smiled at them. “Nothing to thank me for. I’d do the same for any of the Barra D’aron. We all have the same rights and freedoms,” I said with a shrug—it was true.

Naraun nodded his head. “Yes, of course...” he replied.

Caelnel let go of Naraun and turned around to face me. “I do wonder what Durdrin will think, though...” he asked. I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting to tell them just yet that Durdrin had heard everything.

I had opened the line to him as soon as Caelnel had stepped out of the closet I had found him in. If he attacked me to try to hide their secret, I would have wanted Durdrin to know why Caelnel and Naraun lay dead. Since they didn’t try to fight me and since I supported them, I wanted Durdrin to know exactly where I stood. I wanted him to know that they were not to be bothered.

“I’m disappointed in you, Caelnel,” came a voice from the doorway.

I looked over, and Caelnel turned his head. We both set eyes on my father, leaning against the door frame. “Ah shit...” Caelnel said again. Naraun tried to step between Caelnel and Durdrin, but Caelnel grabbed him by the arm and shook his head subtly. Durdrin stood up straight and walked towards the three of us, coming to a stop in front of Caelnel and Naraun, standing next to me as I sat on my bunk.

Caelnel’s heart rate increased, and he got visibly nervous. “I’m sorry, Durdrin,” he said as he looked down at the floor.

“Sorry? I just wish you would have told me sooner! Tell me, what did you do with all those women I sent your way?” he asked with a smirk.

“I paid them and sent them away,” he said quietly.

“Shame, you could have just sent them back to me—one of us could have had some fun with them,” he said as he put his arm around his friend’s shoulders. “Besides, I had already paid them!” he added with a chuckle.

Naraun watched closely, eyeing Durdrin’s hands. He’d die defending Caelnel if he had to. “You will not harm him,” I heard him threaten quietly through a clenched jaw.

Durdrin turned his head to look at Naraun, ignoring the fact that he had just threatened him. “Of course not. Caelnel is too valuable to us, as are you. Besides, with you two liking each other… that means like three times more women for me!” he said enthusiastically.

Caelnel smirked and nodded his head, knowing his friend too well. “I considered telling you but didn’t know how you’d react,” he said with a shrug.

“We’ve been friends for centuries, Caelnel. No more secrets. Okay?” Durdrin asked.

Caelnel nodded his head gently. “No more secrets,” he agreed.

We moved over to the table, with me and Durdrin sitting across from Caelnel and Naraun. “Do you know why he gave up so easily when your son and his brother cornered him in his home?” Caelnel asked.

“Because my son and his brother would have ended his life and most likely that of Kovan and the two girls as well,” Durdrin said with a shrug, and I nodded my head.

Caelnel shook his head. “No, he surrendered because he knew the downfall of his house was imminent if Masdrin and Vielyn were inside the house. He knew his choices were death… or… well, he knew I’d comfort him,” Caelnel said with a wide grin.

Naraun chuckled nervously, still uncomfortable and worried about being viewed as weak. “So how long have you two been an item?” I asked curiously.

“Since the academy,” Naraun replied quietly. They had known each other for a long time, it seemed. “I thought he was lost to me when House Orlyana fell, but not long after, he found me in the market. He was wearing his new Barra D’aron uniform. From then until the fall of my own house, we met in secret,” he said with a weak smile.

I smiled—perhaps Zeera and I weren’t so different from other Drow after all. Durdrin and Mother acted like Zeera and I, as did Rylzt and Shurle, and now I find out that Caelnel and Naraun had an ongoing relationship. They all genuinely cared about their partners, though they kept it quiet. “You all hide the one you like. Why?” I asked.

“Fear,” Durdrin answered honestly.

I looked at him curiously, obviously not understanding. “Who do you fear?” I asked.

“We fear that those closest to us would be used against us. Perhaps they’d be hurt in order to hurt us or taken in order to draw us out. So, we hide them, we hide how we feel. We show our feelings in private, away from prying eyes,” Durdrin explained, and Caelnel and Naraun both bobbed their heads up and down, agreeing with him.

“I will not hide my partner in the shadows, ever,” I declared.

I looked around the table with a look of disgust on my face. “You three are cowards,” I said quietly. Durdrin tilted his head and looked at me, not sure whether to be angry or insulted, while Naraun started to stand up.

“Where is Zeera, Masdrin?” Caelnel asked bluntly. “If you could have protected her from your mother simply by not letting your mother know she exists… wouldn’t you have?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, I do not wish I had hidden her away. Zeera was my woman, and I was proud of her. She was proud of me. No, if I could do anything… I’d have plunged my blade into Mother’s chest years ago when she decided to treat me like a prostitute to Vasiira,” I replied.

Durdrin shrugged his shoulders. “You seemed to be enjoying that. In fact, I remember you bragging about nearly killing Malagyln for almost a month after your first visit with Vasiira,” he said with a slight smile.

“Perhaps… but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not a pawn for people to use as they wish,” I said as I looked directly at my father. He had used me to advance his own agenda a few times, though in each of those instances, I benefitted greatly, rather than being used and thrown away.

Durdrin used me as a tool, an asset, not just some pawn. I mattered to him; it’s why I was still alive after besting him last night. No one else that I’ve seen could lay their hands on Durdrin and survive to tell the tale, let alone come out on top. Durdrin did not make it where he was by being weak.

“So, when are we moving out?” I asked.

“Whenever you unsummon this cottage, we’ll be on our way,” Durdrin replied. I nodded my head as we sat at the table; I wasn’t in any hurry to find my son. “Soonish, son,” Durdrin said, and I nodded again.

The door opened a few minutes later, and Vielyn walked into the cottage. He walked over to the table. “What’s going on here? Why haven’t we left yet?” he asked.

Durdrin subtly nodded his head towards Caelnel and Naraun. “You owe me some coin, Vielyn,” he said with a wide grin.

“What?” Vielyn asked.

Durdrin nodded towards Caelnel and Naraun again. “Our bet,” he said.

“What bet?” Caelnel asked.

Vielyn’s eyes went wide, and he looked at Naraun. “You like men?” he asked. Naraun looked at Durdrin and then at me before looking back to Vielyn and nodding his head. Caelnel reached over and grabbed his hand to comfort the nervous Drow, while Vielyn stomped his foot and shouted, “Damnit!” before turning and walking back outside.

“How much did you bet?” I asked. Durdrin was grinning wide.

“Lots,” he replied.

A few minutes later, Vielyn walked back into the cottage and sat down next to me on the bench. “I never would have thought… Well, I guess Durdrin does know his men better than I thought he did,” Vielyn said with a smile and a shrug.

“Oh wait, there’s more…” Durdrin said as he glanced at Caelnel.

Caelnel smirked and held up his and Naraun’s hand. Vielyn grinned and shook his head. “No wonder I’ve never seen you with a woman,” he stated with a smirk. “How much was our bet? Fifty…” Vielyn asked.

“Five hundred gold coins, Vielyn, and I expect it when we return,” Durdrin said with a smirk.

“You knew?” Naraun said as he looked at Durdrin in disbelief.

Durdrin shrugged. “Naraun, I know everything about my men. I knew about Caelnel too. I have spies everywhere; information is my business,” Durdrin said as he looked across the table at Naraun and Caelnel.

“So why did you keep sending women to my door?” Caelnel asked.

Durdrin shrugged. “Because I knew you were hiding him in there. You think anyone can get into my compound without me knowing? Oh… and I thought it was funny… and because I was wondering how long it would take you to tell me. You’re one of my best friends, you’re the man I trusted to look after and teach my son. Doesn’t that show you the level of trust I have for you? Doesn’t that show you how valuable you are to me?” Durdrin asked with a smile.

Caelnel nodded his head and looked down at the table. “I valued your trust and didn’t want to lose it. I didn’t want you to think I’d prey on Masdrin, back when he wasn’t big enough to kick my ass himself,” he said softly. “I didn’t want you to think any of those horrible stereotypes about me…”

“When was that?” I asked as I looked at him with a surprised look. “You realize I killed my brother, Antzar, when I was five years old… right? Five years before I met you…” I said, implying that I was sure I could take him from the day I met him. “Now Rylzt, on the other hand, he was a tough prick to fight, at least until I was seventeen or eighteen…” I said, but Caelnel cut me off.

“Your brother and sisters helped you kill Antzar,” he argued.

“But he didn’t help me cut Durdrin’s finger off, now did he?” I said as I flashed my crooked grin—a grin made crooked from Durdrin winning that particular encounter. Still, the fact that I was able to land the blow and do the damage spoke volumes. It also did something else; it made the old mercenary wary of his young son.

Vielyn finished laughing and decided he’d settle the argument. “Caelnel, at five years old, you might have been able to take him. At ten, when you met him… I had already trained him a little myself… and when we sent him away to live in the compound, I gave him my own weapon, Deathsbite, which I’m sure you’ve seen the little maniac put to use numerous times. My friend, Masdrin would have, at the very least, ruined your day…” Vielyn said proudly.

I looked at Caelnel and shrugged. He’d seen me allow myself to be shot with arrows and even run through with a sword once, just to put me within reach of a killing blow from Deathsbite, which would also fully heal my wounds as long as I was able to take as much life as required from my enemy.

“You would have made the same mistake everyone who doesn’t know the weapon makes. You’d take it before he could grab it, not knowing it’s bound to him and can be summoned. Being the Drow you are, you’d probably try a tactic similar to when Durdrin broke his jaw—you’d pick the kid up to show your strength, putting him right where he wants to be, and then he’d strike before you even knew what happened,” Vielyn said confidently as he smiled wide at Caelnel.

Caelnel brought a hand up to his chin and nodded slowly. “I suppose you’re right. I definitely would have thought him disarmed if I had taken his weapons.”

Vielyn chuckled again. “That’s not even the best part—the one that he got from the armory… what did you call it?” he asked.

“Nightfall,” I replied with a smirk.

“Right, Nightfall! He got that when he was fifteen, and while it wouldn’t heal him, it could most certainly make nap time come to his opponent in almost an instant if used right,” Vielyn said.

Caelnel nodded his head. “Indeed, good thing I never tried to go toe to toe with your brother,” Caelnel agreed. “But I can’t be that bad—after all, your brother made me second in command of Nine,” he added.

Vielyn grinned. “You may not be much of a fighter, Caelnel, but you’re damn smart. You outthink our enemies, and your advice has proven the best numerous times,” he admitted happily.

Caelnel smiled wide and nodded. Sitting and joking with his friends, his family, he suddenly felt silly for hiding who he was. Naraun, too, was smiling as he held Caelnel’s hand in his—he had found his home, a place where he could be accepted without having to pretend to be someone else.

We sat around the table for a few more minutes, joking with each other and making sure Caelnel and Naraun were comfortable. “It’s time to go,” Durdrin said as he got up and walked out of the cabin.

“All right, everybody, grab your stuff and get out,” I said, and Vielyn, Caelnel, and Naraun stood up and walked out behind Durdrin.

I stood up and put my armor on before grabbing my pack, cloak, and hat and walking over to the fireplace. On the mantle sat a small pedestal where the magical gold coin floated, slowly rotating and glowing ever so slightly.

I snatched the coin off the shelf, and as I shoved it into my pocket, the cottage began to shimmer and fade into nothing. When it vanished, I was standing on the stone in the cavern with the rest of the soldiers. I looked around with a satisfied smile—magical trinkets were some of my favorite things.

As I looked around the cavern, I spotted Vielyn and Durdrin standing near the exit with One and Thirteen standing by. They were looking at a map, and Vielyn was pointing at things and asking questions while Durdrin nodded his head, presumably answering them.

Jhule and Brudaer were talking to Caelnel, Naraun, and Rylzt. The rest of Nine was sitting around a small cook stove, chatting away. I adjusted my hat and cloak, giving my hat a tilt down and to the left and making sure my cloak was wrapped around my shoulders in true noble style. I always made sure I looked good; it was part of the image I strived to maintain. I was vain—some may even say narcissistic—in my younger years.

“Nine, form up,” I said quietly as I strolled over to Durdrin and Vielyn. Durdrin had said something earlier to Caelnel and Naraun about information being his business, and I had heard him expound on the value of information before, so I decided I’d pay a bit more attention to what he did than I had been. I was powerful, so to speak—I had soldiers who would follow me, I had respect, I had status as both Second-Boy of House De’Endar and self-proclaimed second in command of the Barra D’aron.

Durdrin had true power, though. The Barra D’aron was essentially the eleventh house of Felynafay. On a whim, he could cause the downfall of any of the lower five houses on the ruling council with his own forces and almost any house if he were to summon his allies. That was the kind of power I wanted to have.

Durdrin showed me the map and explained what he had explained to my brother. We were going to follow the path up ahead until it stopped going slightly uphill and started to drop off. Soon after that point, the tunnel would branch off into three, and we had to take the left path. After turning at the branch, we’d be near enough to the surface that after we camped out for another rest, we’d only be a couple hours’ hike from the cave exit.

We headed out shortly thereafter.