Drow's Dilemma Ep. 135: New Order

"I would much rather find someone else for the job. To continue the metaphor, it would be much easier to just find the piece that's supposed to go in the hole. After all, there's probably a good reason that the hole is a circle and the peg is a square. Finding someone to trust, however, would be difficult. I could have one of my children do it, but that would take a century to set up," Ashyr said.

"I doubt it would take a century," Alycyrl shook her head. "Less than two decades you could have a daughter replace you, if you so desired. But I am not sure that you have two decades." She looked into the water. "Can you think of any 'pegs' that might fit before that? Anyone who you can trust who would be suited for leadership? You adopted a lot of sisters. House Duskhaven has a massive pool of talent to draw from now. Would any of them be able to take your position?"

"I know of one really good candidate. She has all the qualifications. She would even be accepted as more legitimate than me. But she doesn't want the job either," Ashyr explained vaguely. "I can't ask my friend to do a job she doesn't want."

Alycyrl narrowed her eyes, then laughed. "You can just say you mean me," she shook her head. "But I am not a Duskhaven. And I do not think I can be a Duskhaven in the way those of lesser Houses can be. After all that has happened, will the others accept a non-Duskhaven?" She let out a long breath. "And I really, really do not want you to take my advice as me trying to take your position. I have had enough of such inane manipulations. All the drow elite are two-faced conniving bitches who are only honest in orgasm, and I can't stand becoming like that."

"Then don't? A queen of the Dark Elves who rules the Surface can demand a change of morals to compliment the change in location," Ashyr made a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a scoff. "But, as I said, I'm not expecting you to take my place. Though... perhaps you can help out with a few things if you choose to stay with Duskhaven. Think of it as rent."

"I do not mind being an advisor," Alycyrl replied. "And assistant. Though as far as deals go, I would not work for rent. I would work in exchange for a breeding contract. I like the idea of finally getting pregnant off of a godling. Even a wimpy godling who refuses to be a god. If... if I were to choose to take up some sort of queenly position, I would need the best daughters possible, after all."

"That is true. A Dark Elf daughter by Caleldir would likely be the best ruler of all. I would be willing to discuss those terms - with Selene present, of course. And maybe Caleldir. Poor Caleldir. You should find your own husband afterward, though. There seems to be nothing better than raising children with the man you love, made by the man you love. I can tell how much happier Selene is with her new baby than she was even with her first daughter, and she had been extremely happy with her first daughter. Well-bred and all that. Not well-mannered, though... That is off-topic. Find yourself a male to love. One that doesn't have dozens of wives and concubines. Use Caleldir only as a stop-gap."

"We can talk about that later once Selene and Caleldir are back," Alycyrl agreed, nodding. "Though the other women around him are a bonus for me. I have slept with about 25 females for every male, after all."

The princess stood back up. "I am going to go ahead and bother your secretaries now. Think on our conversation. I would say that I do not want to scare you, but I do. You need to be scared. You are in the realm of gods and devils now, after all."

Alycyrl walked off towards the carved building.

Ashyr stayed in the garden for a while longer, hugging the baby that she had taken back from her friend before she left. She was scared. She felt trapped. She needed Caleldir and Selene to return to her; Ashyr always felt more confident when they were around. Something needed to be done differently, else this whole new civilization thing was going to fail.

"You still haven't napped yet," Ashyr accused Uriel. But how could he? He had been passed between his mother and a stranger while he was supposed to be sleeping. "Let's go back and finish some paperwork. Then we can wait for the rest of the drow to wake."

Somehow, she managed to get through the rest of her work. The last document requested the great annoyance of a council meeting. Ashyr had been putting it off for two days now; she couldn't delay it any longer. Even if Caleldir and Selene weren't there yet. What could be keeping them? Caleldir had said he wanted to be back as soon as possible, and Selene should have already been back. Unless she went with Birchborn and the others to do some research project at the Monastery? The ranger blew out a long sigh. At least there was Aly.

The fall of evening saw neither Selene nor Caleldir back yet. It did see the Duskhaven Council filtering in, though. Jhul'une of Dinoryn, Illiam of Kilarn, Zebey'a and Hadnill of Aleet, Ryld'nar of Teken'ath, T'rissdril of Maevalzynge, and Triel the Voice of the Commons were all present. High Priestess Hadlyn was not in attendance, as she had gone to the Monastery to visit Abbot Flamegold again. She had sent young Priestess Thalna in her place, a nervous girl of only half a century who did not seem entirely comfortable being the only naked one in the room.

Ashyr glanced at her secretaries. One of them was supposed to be Aly in disguise. The disguise was so good that Ashyr had no idea which one it was. But it made her feel better having Aly listen in on everything. The princess would know how to deal with whatever issue was going on - something about commoners forming new houses?

The Matron of House Duskhaven tried not to look as annoyed and worried as she felt. She was getting better at doing that. "We are all in attendance, then?" Ashyr asked the group. "Triel, can you please tell me what's going on? Remember, this is a meeting for complaints and brainstorming. It may take a few days for us to come to a resolution."

Then, maybe Selene and Caleldir would be back.

Triel coughed. "Ah... yes," she gave Thalna a questioning glance. "But... uh... first. Why is the representative of the church naked?"

Ashyr swallowed. She didn't even think to question the nudity of the priestess. Sometimes those lot liked to walk around naked. She usually took a moment to appreciate their bodies before moving on. That night, however, she didn't even notice. There was too much on her mind.

Thalna grinned awkwardly. "In my initiation, I was so overcome with devotion for the Lady of the Moon who saved us from the cave-in that I swore sacred nudity for the rest of my life. I was given immunity to the elements from Our Lady as a divine charity."

"Oh," Triel said, blinking. "So it is a religious thing?"

The priestess snorted. "You do not go to services, do you, Silversmith? One of your station really, really ought to."

Triel suddenly looked very sheepish. T'rissdril coughed. "As the Lady of the Moon wills, someday we all might be so blessed as to take such a holy vow as this admirable young woman," she began. "And yes, Silversmith Triel, all should attend the Moon Services and listen to the words of the Priestesses. Then you would know that we do all services naked, Silversmith. It is the new way, symbolizing the openness of no secrets and the rejection of Aralolth Goddess of Betrayal."

"Stop your religious posing, spider breeder!" Zebey'a growled. "We are here to discuss that some of the Petty Drow have banded together to call themselves by unearned names of 'House' Xiltar, 'House' Jhalaen, and so forth."

"But... they do not have any noble blood," Ashyr said slowly. "Er, no offense Triel, but, er..." She trailed off, realizing that she was just going to make the representative of the commoners angry. "Why do they want to be Noble Houses, putting aside the fact that they lack the original qualifications? Don't commoners usually have guilds and such that sometimes even rival lesser noble houses?"

"I think it is ridiculous!" Triel scoffed. "Merchants thinking that they need to be nobles in order to be recognized. Can't they just lobby the Council like normal?"

"Your inner merchant is showing, Triel," Illiam said dryly. "But the point stands. Only unmixed, pure Dark Elves can be nobles. The so-called Petty Drow with mixed blood can never be nobles. Moreover, even pure Dark Elves whose blood is not strong enough to manifest the Noble Magics cannot be nobles. Only those with proper bloodlines."

"Perhaps the idea of a Noble House should be rethought," Thalna said softly. "For are not Houses Duskhaven and Blackdawn, the two most favored families of Ellistraea, now mixed with succubi and faerie?"

Ashyr thought for a moment. "That does sound like a good idea..." she said slowly. "What, then do we think should be the qualifications, everyone? What should set out a House who is allowed a seat on the council from a Guild who has to go through Triel?"

"Members of the House should be visibly dark elf and not something else, beautiful, intelligent, and be able to naturally call on the Noble Magics," Illiam suggested. "That way we can allow decent non-dark elf bloodlines to mix in without compromising who we are."

"They should be dark elves, look good naked, and have been given some sort of recognition by Lady Ellistraea," Thalna suggested nervously.

"I agree with the honored priestess," T'rissdril added. "And on that note, I propose that from now on, nobles attend this sort of formal council naked, in the same manner we attend services. Have no visible mark of our stations but the beauty Ellistraea has given us." Zebey'a made a disgusted noise which the matron of Maevalzynge ignored.

"I object to the suggested complete nudity mandate," Triel complained. She, herself was dressed much more richly than any of the nobles.

"Oh, you, as a commoner, would be exempt," T'rissdril said with some sadism in the back of her tone. "But perhaps the rule can be nudity except for sacred jewelry. Which, of course, is made from Moon Silver."

The silversmith's eyes gleamed. "That would greatly honor our goddess," she said greedily. "I fully support this notion. I would suggest it be further mandated that True Nobles wear only sacred jewelry at all public events. We could even make vows of Sacred Nudity suggested for all nobles."

"That would indeed greatly honor the Moon Lady," Thalna said reverently, having missed the less than devout motives from the others.

"That would hurt your sales of silk, spider breeder," Zebey'a interjected, a look of mild bewilderment on her face.

"You have a Spidersilk bed, do you not?" T'rissdril noted. "And your consort there is wearing Spidersilk armor. Clothing is the least of our products by mass. It is our most profitable product per unit, but I am willing to forego profit in order to glorify the Goddess."

"I am sure the Goddess sees your sacrifice and will bless it!" Thalna said, holding her hands together rapturously, silver eyes shining with religious devotion.

"That all is very nice, but not the topic we are here for," Hadnill said in a bored tone.

"I think males should be exempt," Ryld'nar dryly suggested. "Hadnill and I would not look as good as you all wearing only a silver necklace of a dancing naked woman."

A smirk flickered across Ashyr's face. She disagreed; the males would definitely be worth looking at in that state of undress. But flirting with the members of the council was probably a terrible idea.

"Nudity may be a good idea. We are trying to embrace the spirit of openness and honesty," Jhul'une added. "But that is very much not what we're trying to discuss. If the commoners want to become part of a House, then why don't we let them? Duskhaven already has a fair number of 'handmaidens.' They can never be Noble, of course, but I understand they are given quite a bit of protection and a little more influence."

"Mostly just protection," Ashyr said. "But I don't hear of them trying to form their own House. So maybe that will help?"

"Your suggestion then is to assemble the commons into our Houses?" Illiam verified.

One of the secretaries stepped forward. "If I may interrupt your eminences," she began. "Perhaps adoption as handmaids into Noble Houses is not a model that can be scaled up to the entire population, but what about creating lesser client houses subordinated to the matrons of the major houses?"

"Who are you?" T'rissdril asked, wrinkling her nose. "By what right do you interrupt your social betters?"

"Her idea is good, though," Illiam brushed Maevalzynge aside. "Client houses would be an efficient way of organizing the commons rather than leave them in the undifferentiated mess they are right now."

The secretary who had stepped forward took a deep breath. Behind her veil, she stared straight at T'rissdril. "If you do not know who I am, how do you know you are my social better?"

She turned to Ashyr. "I think it is time for me to finally grow up," she said regretfully. The secretary stepped forward, pulled out one of the seats, then sat down. The table bristled for a moment, several of those seated started to stand up in anger. But then the woman shifted her appearance and dropped her clothing. All of it, including the veil. She wore only a necklace of a dancing Ellistraea wrought in moon silver.

It was, of course, Alycyrl Aleani.

T'rissdril's red eyes grew very big indeed, and she swallowed. "I... uh... Princess? Weren't you exiled after your cousin took the throne?"

"And where do you think exiles end up?" Aly said sweetly. "On the surface, of course. Where all of you are now. Now, dear Triss, I do not remember you being quite so haughty when we were last together, you squirming with desire..."

The matron of Maevalzynge clapped her hands together. "You have made your point, Princess," she huffed. "But... uh... your House is not exactly..."

"Present? You are right. I have no power here. But do any of you? The bonds that kept the commons under your control are gone. In the Underdark, control of resources and security kept the commons pacified. They could not rebel against you all because there was nowhere for them to go. But now? The lands of Norahist that have now been freed from their millennia-old curse are rich and broad. Every pauper now has the resources of a Noble House back in Duskhaven. Of course the commons are going to wonder why they have to listen to their old tyrants. In the beginning, it was easiest to simply follow the people they have always followed. Now? They don't need you. They don't need any of you."

The council slumped, none of them willing to protest the Princess after what she had said to T'rissdril. She had too much dirt on all of them except Triel and the younger ones, who were mostly just awed by being in the presence of royalty. "So... ah... Princess?" Zebey'a began uneasily. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, I say that they do not need you, but they absolutely need a government, do they not?" Aly continued. "So, make them need you as that government."

"What about you, Princess?" Thalna said eagerly, standing up, unashamed of her dress now that the princess had adopted it. "We are all loyal to House Duskhaven, of course, but is not House Duskhaven itself loyal to House Aleani? The true House Aleani, of course, not the Aralolthian usurper plotting in the Underdark right now. Could not you be our Queen?"

Aly glanced towards Ashyr, then smiled. "Only if House Duskhaven joins me. I can adopt the whole House as my own. If Matron Ashyr wishes to allow me to make her House the new Royal House instead of mere nobles, then I will consent to become Queen."

This drew a gasp from the council, who all stared at Ashyr.

The ranger fought the urge to shrink back into her chair. Her eyes darted around the room as she desperately wished that Caleldir and Selene were there. What would they say? What would they think? Would Selene approve? Or would she be horrified?

"Are... you asking that we give up our name?" Ashyr asked carefully.

"Give up your name?" Caleldir asked as he strode into the room.

Ashyr fought the urge to leap from her chair and hug the newcomer. It would not be dignified. "Ah, Caleldir. Welcome back to New Duskhaven," she said in a restrained tone. She looked beyond him to find that he was alone. "Where is Selene? She should have been back ages ago."

Caleldir gave Ashyr an apologetic look. "The research lab found something time-sensitive. It's all hands on deck. She wrote a letter for you to read later. Now, what is the issue here? Ah! Miss Aleani! It's, uh- I'm glad you got here safely as well."

Ashyr grinned. By the blush on his face, she could tell that he was going to say 'it's good to see you.' Considering she was completely naked, that would have been an interesting way to greet her. She visibly relaxed now that her mate was there. Knowing him, he'd probably already figured out a solution to their problem before she was even aware of it.

Alycyrl narrowed her eyes at Caleldir. "It is... good to see you too, 'Caleldir'." She turned back to Ashyr. "The name of the new House could still be Duskhaven. It is not going to be Aleani, that is for certain. That name is tied to Lolth. But I would become Matron of your House if I adopted it as my own."

"Oh... okay," Ashyr said uncertainly. She looked over to Caleldir, but his expression was neutral and he was looking at Aly instead of her. It was clear that he wasn't going to influence her decision either way. "I will formally adopt you into Duskhaven, then. I will schedule the ceremony as quickly as possible."

"There is no need for a ceremony," Alycyrl said serenely. "For do we not have a Priestess chosen by Ellistraea right here?"

"Ah... uh... yes?" Thalna said, questioningly. "But-"

"Then we can ask Ellistraea," Alycyrl declared. "If She wants me to be Queen of Her people, She can decide. If She says yes, then I become Queen of Royal Duskhaven right here and now. If She says no, then I become nameless, and join as a mere Handmaiden of Duskhaven."

The words hung heavily in the air. Waiting. Then the moonlight that shone dully through the windows grew in intensity until its brightness was uncomfortable for their drow eyes. Its beam hit the young priestess, whose expression Changed. She was confident, powerful, and a little amused. "You know very well what I expect of you Alycyrl. Shun secrecy. Turn your back to the Shadow and towards the Moon. Bare your body forevermore and be Queen of my Dark Elves."

Then, back to silence. Thalna's face drained of color and her eyes bulged. No one said anything; all were holding their breaths waiting for Alycyrl to respond.

The new queen looked very shocked and slightly crestfallen. "Well... ah... that backfired," she said ruefully. "I... uh... had hoped that She would reject me."

She took a deep breath and sat up straighter than ever. Some sort of moonlit glow infused her obsidian skin, giving it an unearthly sheen. A simple silver coronet set with sapphires and a crescent moon settled onto her moonlit hair. Alycyrl's red eyes went wide as she reached up to touch the coronet. Then, her eyes turned silver. She blinked. "I suppose that there is no question, then," she declared to everyone, especially herself. "I feel Her power in me now. I have been chosen Queen, Matron of Duskhaven, which is now my house, and as Her new Oracle." She looked over at Ashyr, giving a pained smile. "Sidhriia had as her Affliction deafness, for the drow were deaf to Ellistraee's loving call. Now, as secrets must be burned away in the Moonlight, my Affliction is to never be able to conceal my body. From now on, I can never wear clothing, illusions, or polymorphs. And now, Sidhriia is released from her affliction, and the power of hearing is returned to her."