Sufferance Ch. 15

The Drider Mistress hissed something and the three spiders crawled out of the robes as if in response, beginning to come toward her. However, they paused in their steps, and I'd never realized until then that a spider could actually hesitate.

"Not yours, Auranka?" the queen asked.

"No, Valsharesss," she replied, staring at the little beasts. "Guardian-bred. They were protecting thisss one." She gestured at me, then looked directly at me. "Call them back to you, Sisster."

I shrugged. "Forgive me, Mistress Auranka, I don't know how. I've...never seen them before."

The Valsharess began to chuckle softly and everyone looked at Her, but She was looking at D'Shea, once again resting Her jaw in a long-fingered hand. As She watched—as I watched—it seemed that D'Shea now stood up straighter and looked far less strained than she had been this entire time. She did not look ill, and she could breathe normally.

Her mouth was twitching with her temptation to smile in triumph.

"We see a hole in your pouch, Elder. Perhaps you should get that repaired."

My Elder checked her belt and there was an empty-looking pouch with a small hole in it. "By Lolth's grace...how did that happen?"

The queen shook her head. "Varessa...you will explain to Us why you stole Auranka's prey."

D'Shea's subtle smile faded. "Yes, my queen."

My Elder whispered softly and the spiders obediently crawled their way back to her. She scooped them up gently and allowed them to play a little on her red gloves before coaxing them into an alternative pouch, one without holes. I thought I knew what had just happened.

*The only action I can take against her is through others,* D'Shea had said to me in the cavern with the wards. Those spiders, her pets, had been protecting me. They had not been ordered to attack Wilsira. It was a nice loophole that she, perhaps, had thought of from listening to my story of the death of my birth sister. *I never touched her.*

If Auranka had taken Wilsira instead, she would not actually be dead, and the compulsion would still rest upon D'Shea. I understood the purpose of my Elder's order now; I was just amazed I'd been able to hear it.

My Elder took her time to perform a graceful bow as she seemed to gather her thoughts. When she spoke, she almost sounded... different to my ears. Not the D'Shea who had been my conniving, secretive superior for two years but a D'Shea with a lot more quiet and calm in her head.

"I remember now, my queen."

"Remember what, child?"

"Two hundred and ten years ago." My Elder took a steadying breath. "I remember why Wilsira attacked me while I was pregnant in the Sanctuary. That is why I stole the kill, Valsharess. There was a compulsion set on me by her, linked only to her death. Auranka's ritual of transformation would not have lifted it."

D'Shea had actually said it aloud. I was not certain many could interpret the look in her eyes, but I could. I'd been there.

"It is not as I have believed for so long," she said. "The attack was not because of Your Grace's generous offer to allow the Sisterhood to keep a daughter, if the divination proved true. Wilsira needed my power to boost her own, to answer that call in reverie to the Abyss. I remember the ritual now. I remember the demon's real name, the one with whom she bargained. I was there."

Lelinahdara smiled, as did the Valsharess.

"That will prove useful, child. We shall hear more of this in private." The queen nodded toward Shyntre. "And him? He was with you in that trial as well, was he not? Yet unborn."

"Yes, Valsharess. Always as he was meant to be. The first divination was simply wrong, and I knew that before Wilsira's attack. I was expecting a son, but was made to forget." My Elder swallowed, hesitating, before saying again, "He is my son."

Shyntre had balled up his fists and held stiff and still, staring at some random point on the floor. I thought he probably would have wanted to either run away or strike out at someone, anyone, but he could take no action at all in front of the Valsharess without being told. I almost would not have wished this further confusion on him...but he could accept the benefit of D'Shea publicly acknowledging him, couldn't he?

At the same time, Elder Rausery stared at her peer with plain surprise, but I could also see her mind working. I would hazard that she now grew to understand a lot of bewildering behavior very quickly. Now it made even a bit of sense of her.

The Valsharess smirked. "Your son is a boon, in Our mind. If We are to have no new Consorts for the time being, We believe We may request his service. His power is formidable, our race can use it. Indeed, We have an entire Tower of gifted males, don't We?" She chuckled.

I saw my wizard's jaw tightening. An alternative to the Consorts... He glanced my way and I could see the stark denial there. He didn't want that life, to be kept in a comfortable room without purpose except to fuck when told. He likely would even have trouble staying erect under those circumstances.

Neither he nor I truly understood how Auslan lived it.

"If You wish, Valsharess, but—" D'Shea began.

She raised a golden eyebrow at Shyntre's mother. "But?"

The sorceress did well to hold her own under that oppressive gaze. "Elder Rausery has invested much in him and we still need him and his abilities. He would be wasted as a Consort, my queen."

"But he is capable of stepping away on occasion to give his seed when requested, is he not?"

Rausery chuckled softly as she glanced at me. "That he is, Valsharess, but he is a scholar; he requires foreplay. The Consorts may be able to arouse themselves with a mere thought and sustain themselves with magic, but it will be different if Your Grace wishes to use the mages in the Tower in the same capacity. They need much more attention and coaxing, my queen."

I would say that Shyntre's face grew very hot during this conversation. I would have smiled at the memories that surfaced for me except...truthfully I did not want the queen to notice. It would not work in the wizard's favor to imply any kind of fond claim by me. I kept my face neutral.

"This may be at least until we reorganize our methods," Lelinahdara broke in, stepping forward to stand next to the High Priestess. "If Your Grace wishes to hear in private, I believe I have a suitable alternative for breeding Consorts."

I saw instantly why Lelinahdara had done that. The Red Sisters shared the wizards with the Priestesses, but the Sisterhood probably knew more about what got the scholars interested in sex. Having to share that limited power, and also to try to re-convince the Nobles of what they wanted after the coming purge, was not at all what the Priesthood wanted, even from D'Shea's ally.

"Nobles of purged Houses may not take Consorts so readily again afterward," the queen said darkly. "Let those Consorts untainted remain where they are and we will see. We may have to develop something else but perhaps We can offer them something new. Yes, We will listen later, Lelinahdara."

The liaison nodded and bowed gracefully, satisfied to have her audience later when there were not so many ears listening. She had also stepped in quite elegantly to present herself as a candidate to rival Wilsira in the divine projects. I didn't think D'Shea or Rausery were going to protest that too much.

"We have much to think about," the Valsharess said, rising once again. "Priestesses will confine themselves to their chambers during the Purge. All in this room will not discuss Our Will with anyone, now or in the future. If We have one suspicion of warning to any affected Houses or Consorts, it is treason and your fate will lie with Auranka and her Driders. Lelinahdara will retrieve the records.

"The Sisterhood will begin the Purge. Now. Rid Our race of this taint, Red Sister Prime."

"It will be done, my queen."

*****

Tarra's face was one of stone as she led nine of us to the third and fourth floors immediately following the audience with the Valsharess. Shyntre had been escorted away by two Red Sisters from Qivni's team to return to the Tower for the time being. I hadn't realized it until that moment, but I was glad he wouldn't be staying in the Palace as our queen mulled over these events; her apparent interest in him was disconcerting.

Wearing the black uniforms and being youngest, Jael and I stood at the rear in the hallways and the nursery rooms watching the halls. There were not an exorbitant number of Drow children on the third floor at present, and most Red Sisters took two each—quickly and efficiently—and none remained for the two of us standing guard.

I would not say I was dissatisfied with that fact.

Then we went to the fourth floor. When the one Consort who'd spoken to me before recognized me, D'Shea ordered that I be the one to slay him. Rausery agreed. It was a test.

His unnatural responses—almost a lack of fear even now—and my memory of his unnerving touch made it easier for me; I could follow my orders without hesitation.

Once we were finished at the Sanctuary, we left to reconvene at the cloister and dispatch all teams from there. The Red Sister Prime possessed the list of marks and had already called back any Sister still in the field before we'd left for the Palace. She had been preparing to have her full strength in her Sisterhood, I thought, but couldn't have known for what.

There were forty-five Red Sisters at present, and twelve Houses that were afflicted. Teams of three and four Sisters were given their targets for the first wave: the Consorts themselves, and the first generation of offspring living on the same plantation.

At the same time, the borders of our City were being closed by the army, and more sentries and watchers set wards to keep Drow from escaping the City. Those non-Drow coming to trade, or those wanting to leave, simply had to wait until the queen opened the borders again.

All Sisters were allowed to hear the list of all Houses being targeted, and who got which assignment—I think so that it would be difficult to "forget" killing or capturing anyone, should such an impulse arise for any given reason. Perhaps the Prime had far more experience in these purges than I knew.

I was shocked, and terrified, to hear that House Itlaun was on the list. The assignment—not given to anyone involved in my rescue but to D'Shea herself—was to take the newest infant and capture the one pregnant daughter, Curgia, and to kill the Consort like the others.

But he was no longer at the House.

I kept my mouth shut until we were dismissed, but then I pled with Jaunda to give me a few moments with D'Shea. My Lead granted it.

D'Shea was not patient with me when I caught her.

"In there," she growled, pushing me into a store room rather than talk out in the hall. She warded it behind us.

"You want to know why House Itlaun," she said first.

"Yes!" I answered, so tense my neck hurt. "If they're tainted, I am! I thought Auslan is older than two-ten!"

D'Shea shook her head firmly. "Calm, Sirana, calm. He is. He is two-fifty. I asked Tarra to add that House to the list, and she did. Auslan has to disappear somehow, and this Purge is the perfect cover."

I stared hard. "You...you're going to trade an infant and one unborn for him?"

My Elder's copper eyes narrowed warningly. "I'm trading them for you, your child, and my son. I haven't been so ill as to not notice a few things over the years, Sirana, and it's just enough that I can't let the Prime kill the Consort before I determine how safe it is for you, and how that might effect Shyntre. I've promised to make it worth the Prime's while, and you're going to help in that."

"But...they're not tainted, Elder, and the rules set about killing those yet unborn—"

"By the queen's own command, we're waiting until that one is born and not killing the mother," D'Shea snapped. "To most effectively protect our little theft, the Prime said that Italun's spawn needs to be taken with the rest. That is what we will do. The public will assume the Sisterhood took care of the Consort as well and neither the queen nor the Priestesses will think to look in our cloister for him for a long time—if they ever do."

"Except Tarra," I pointed out. "Will she always have a reason to keep secrets from the queen if she grows in power, even above you?"

"That is all Priestesses do, my student," she replied with a hardening face. "And you'll yet be surprised just how many secrets are kept from the queen."

I blinked. For a time, perhaps, secrets could be kept. What was the longest lasting one, I wondered?

We watched each other warily for a few moments before D'Shea gestured smartly. "Go meet up with Jaunda. Do as you've been assigned. We will talk later."

The only thing that made me leave was the simple fact that I hadn't needed to tell D'Shea about Auslan's visions in order to spare him. I had thought I would need to quickly; Wilsira was dead, so the initial argument to keep him was gone. Somehow, D'Shea had convinced the Prime to take no action yet...and instead to keep the secret from her liege? How had she managed that?

My Elder had made one thing clear: she knew there was some connection between her son and our prisoner. Yes, we would have to talk later.

*****

We timed our attacks to hit all twelve Houses at the same time and just as the borders closed to minimize missives and other communication of warning between them.

I was assigned to go with Jaunda and half her normal team, Kiren, and Lawret. The other two went with Gaelan; I believed I understood why as Berayla was probably the most capable in running a small team on her own. Meanwhile, I was one who had to be watched, and it had to be by someone who knew how I might have been compromised.

Galean—who did not know exactly how I'd been healed—would be kept away from me, and Jaunda would have eyes on to judge my actions and reactions. Kiren and Lawret, by comparison, were two Sisters who were known to be very enthusiastic when they hunted Noble targets and Jaunda was the one to whom they listened best.

We headed to the Third House, a place I'd never been but Jaunda had, not only to kill their Consort but also to execute six Nobles and capture one pregnant Drow. It would halve the number of offspring supported by the seven-century Matron, both young and grown, in a mere eve.

I'd noticed my three Sisters each quaffing two potions before we struck, and I was instructed to do the same.

*The slow healer, standard action,* Jaunda signed, *and a prevention draught, just in case.*

I'd given her a steady look and she smirked.

Only when the other two weren't looking, she added, *Or don't. But drink the healer for sure.*

I did as she instructed, but I noticed an uneasy feeling at the realization that they were also preparing themselves for the possibility of contact with semen. Not a simple slice-and-go, then.

Why did I feel reluctance at this idea?

*A pity,* Kiren commented as we prepared to invade the House. *A rare chance to take one of those Consorts without reprisal, and we can't have any fun before he dies!*

*You heard our orders,* Jaunda signed with a scowl. *The Prime said no risking the taint ourselves. You'll not rape any males.*

*But the females are fair game,* came the sly reply.

Lawret added, *As is a male who receives my cock instead.*

The Lead sighed. *If you must. But be quick. We still have the second generation to find.*

Kiren looked at me with a lovely and disconcerting smile. *Come with me, and I might let you borrow mine.*

She meant...to borrow her Feldeu. The idea didn't thrill me as it obviously did Lawret.

I didn't have a chance to reply before Jaunda signed, *No. Sirana's targets will be those too young to breed."

I said nothing.

If all of those marked Nobles would die regardless, I wondered which choice would cause the fewest dreams for me later? Neither, in this case. I was expected to find some way to get past Kerse's rape on my own—that was what I'd been trained for—but there had been no time yet to reflect, and a decision was still not made about my pregnancy. Consciously I understood that, until I had some resolution of these events, I could feel none of the excitement for the hunt as my Sisters did; I only felt the duty. And the weight.

We waited for the signal from Elder D'Shea—stretching across the enormous cavern as all Red Sisters acted at once—and we began the Purge.

I killed my targets, all three of them who were children under twenty years—this newest Consort's entire clutch—and they died quickly, one of them after screaming and begging to be spared before the blade went in. I hadn't spoken, I did not hesitate, but I did not like the tight, weak feeling in my chest as I fulfilled my orders fully and prepared the bodies for burning out in the courtyard. My Sisters had yet to add to them.

Several older Drow were staring, watching either in disbelief or impotent rage. They did not speak to me, but I knew they wanted to. At the very least, to ask, "Why?"

I ignored them as I walked past and back into the mansion.

Next I swept the near-empty halls and rejoined my Sisters, I found that Jaunda had not seemed in the mood to play with her quarry and had simply slit the Consort's throat—perhaps before either of her subordinates could start getting ideas. By the sounds I heard down the next hallway, I could imagine that Kerin and Lawret had found the eldest daughter and eldest son of the House's prior, tainted Consort; the siblings were now just old enough to breed—and they were not dead yet.

*This current Consort's three young spawn are dead, Lead,* I reported. *Their bodies are in the courtyard.*

Jaunda nodded and did not stop the other two from having their fun as she gestured for my help to carry the Consort's body outside as well...then capture the First Daughter. She was far too old to be the seed of the tainted Consorts but had recently been impregnated by the present one, unfortunately.

She might live if she did not fight, but her child would not regardless.

The Matron of the Third House wanted to demand an explanation of this invasion but did not dare. She stood trembling and with that First Daughter whom we sought, her bump only beginning to show. It was quite a show of dignity and defiance. I carried the Consort out while Jaunda stood guard to watch the Matron and her First. I heard them speaking when I came back in.

"Had this been intended for all of us, Red Sister," the Matron said with a fearful yet angry quiver to her voice, "there would be more of you. What have we done to anger the Valsharess? We will make any tribute She wishes."

Jaunda did not reply but gestured to me, and I stepped forward to take the First Daughter by the arm. She began to struggle in panic as I brought her wrists back to secure them behind her back, and she blurted, "Mother!"

The Matron's face broke to show much more distress. "No, please, you cannot take my Firstborn and my grandchild—"

"If she does not fight, she may live," Jaunda offered the Matron, her voice brusque and intimidating. "But she is coming with us. Wait for word from the Palace and speak no details of what happened here."

That was an impossibility—gossip would run amok regardless as citizens eventually compared notes and noticed patterns and talked about the Red Sisters once again. Regardless, it must be as had been commanded by the queen and the Prime, so Jaunda obeyed.

Kerin and Lawret joined us soon enough, looking more relaxed and with a bit of sweat and blood on their faces, dragging their own set of bodies. We made sure the fire burned hot and high before we dragged our captive to where our lizards were cloaked from view, and we rode off with her back to the Palace to place her in the dungeon with the others.