The Apostate Ch. 02

"Mistress Torviir," Lirafey said, and all three bowed to Lura. "We are prepared to escort you to Menzoberranzan. This is my battle-captive Shandra, sorceress of House 'nonexistant.'" Lirafey's smirk was confident and triumphant, but Shandra's face reflected only admiration and adoration for her captor.

Lura kept her wits like a champion. "Your company will be most welcome," Lura said. "You've been given leave to do so?"

"My mistress in Gauntlgrym insisted upon it," Lirafey said with a smirk. "Are you quite certain you wish to wear that on the road? It's quite treacherous, being the Underdark and all."

"Quite certain. The goddess protects me," she said with a smile.

"Of course she does," Lirafey said, bowing respectfully. She was wearing a travelling cloak over a supple chain shirt of blackened metal, thigh-length armored skirts, and tall knee-boots of black leather. She was armed without subtlety, but Lura knew her instruments of violence were greater than simple metal and wood. The priestess could bring to bear Lolth's fury, if provoked to do so.

Solafein wore armor and gear similar to Hammer's, but wielded twin swords rather than one greatsword. He regarded Hammer with open appraisal. "One day, Calavyr, I would test the speed of your greatsword," Solafein said casually.

"One day, you will," Hammer said, making effort to seem as casual as the drow.

Shandra wore a plain robe, a golden choker around her throat holding a ruby that matched one hanging from a pendant around Lirafey's throat. Lura remembered enough of drow society to know it was the magic that compelled Shandra to obey Lirafey in all things, on pain of death. Other magical trinkets adorned her body, all with a purpose, no doubt.

Hammer was tense, and Lura could feel the tension as if it were a taut bowstring between the two of them. She put a hand possessively on his upper arm, curling her fingers around the thick muscle and letting a little of the divinity suffusing her being into him to calm his nerves and reassure him.

Shandra must have noticed the transference of magic, for she gasped and put a hand on Lirafey's shoulder. "The goddess at work!" she said in a voice hushed with awe.

"My champion should be suitably blessed," Lura replied.

"You would have a male fight for you?" Solafein asked. He knew it was on Lira's mind, but a male could get away with such insolence with only a proper beating to show for it, while a priestess ought to have enough respect for her betters to keep her mouth shut.

"I don't dirty my hands with trivial work," Lura said. "And he's an excellent warrior, devoted to my will. I would see him succeed where others fail."

"A sensible course of action," Lirafey snapped at Solafein, who looked properly chagrined.

"Come, then," Lura said. "Let us be off. I'm eager to return home. Lirafey, lead us out of here."

"I'll leave that to my consort, Solafein. I invite your champion to accompany him or take the rear guard. And please, Mistress Torviir. Call me Lira."

"As you please," Lura said.

They left immediately, Solafein leading the quintet, Hammer acting as a proper drow warrior in the rear, with the trio of females clustered between them. Lirafey walked ahead and beside Lura, while Shandra walked directly behind her mistress.

They did not stop their march for many hours, and even then only for a short break to nibble on rations before moving onward. They made excellent distance on their first day of marching. Hammer and Solafein traded watches, while the females slept throughout the rest period. The human in drow skin could feel Lura's mind reaching into his, Sune's magic giving her the ability to empathically communicate with him. Hammer spent his watch-hours with a smile on his face and, for at least a brief moment, an erection in his trousers.

*****

Lirafey spent most of the night with Shandra curled up against her, warming her in the cool Underdark caverns. The priestess never let her guard down with the battle captive, despite her seeming total surrender to her mistress. Even Solafein never saw her fully and truly vulnerable. The heart of the drow was not trusting. Many dead drow succumbed to such weaknesses. Lirafey reminded herself of this as she began to awaken. It was her ritual, centering her mind and correcting her priorities in life.

Strength meant being self-sufficient. Strength meant never needing another for anything. Strength meant keeping her companions at such a distance that a dagger could not skewer her spine from behind, literally and metaphorically. Even in the throes of lovemaking, she had her tricks to stay alert. She lamented, at times, that she'd never truly experience a climax at the hands of another. Not without being on her guard, leastwise.

When Solafein's watch ended, he awoke Lirafey first.

"Mistress," he whispered, kneeling behind the priestess who was already awake. He put a hand on the small of her back, his fingers working at her sensitive areas as any skilled, solicitous lover might. "It's time to continue."

She acknowledged him with a nod, then waved her hand to dismiss him. As he began rousing the rest of the drow, she nibbled on the point of Shandra's ear.

"Wake up, pet."

She pretended to be just waking up, and gave Lirafey a low moan of protest, then a purr. "Shall I give you your morning pleasure, mistress?"

"No time," Lirafey said with only a little twinge of regret. "Prepare yourself."

Lirafey was on her feet quickly, but was surprised to see Calavyr and Luriia already dressed and standing with Solafein.

"You don't waste time," the priestess said to her superior.

Luriia smirked. "A learned trait."

"Would you permit me to speak with your consort privately while we travel? I will take rear guard with him if that is acceptable."

Luriia's smirk never faltered as she nodded. "As you please. I'm sure your sorcerous pet will entertain me in your absence."

Lira bristled a touch, but nodded. "Serve the high priestess, Shandra. Anything she bids you, until I return."

Shandra bowed wordlessly, and they set off, Lirafey taking the rear with Hammer-as-Calavyr.

For his part, Hammer remained stoic and emotionless throughout the exchange, betraying no hint of trepidation or fear. He knew his part well, and would play it to fruition.

"How did you and Mistress Torviir meet?" she asked him bluntly. She walked at his side.

"We," he began, then paused as the mask's magic worked his voice into the drow tongue. He was surprised to hear his voice speaking such a language, but continued on quickly. "We met in a surface city called Everlund. We had similar aims, and worked together. Beyond that is up to the mistress to tell you."

"You've a smart tongue," Lirafey said flatly, to which Hammer did not reply. "Where are you from?"

"The Glimmerwood," Hammer said. He knew there were drow that lived there, and knew that they were not generally of evil weal, but he was gambling on Lirafey not knowing that. If she did, then he would be a convert by Lolth's own hand. It would take a fair amount of lying, but he would make it work. Sune was with him, as was Tempus, and through him, the Red Knight, whom he was closest to, thanks to a divine encounter with the goddess of strategy years ago.

A smile tugged at his lips as he explained, "I was called Calavyr the Hammer, or simply 'Hammer.'"

"Why?" Lirafey asked. "Leave it to the perverse faerie elves to give such an arbitrary title."

"It is not arbitrary, I assure you. Believe me, Mistress, I have earned it."

"You do not even use a hammer," the female said dismissively.

Hammer held up his fist closest to Lirafey. "This is my hammer," he said. To his delight, the tattoo he'd been given many years ago by his then-lover was still visible on his black skin. "And the maidens I've known, as well as Mistress Torviir, can vouch for another hammer."

Despite his precarious predicament, he couldn't help throwing that bit of bait out to the seemingly curious priestess. There was a fear hiding in him that he might be getting intoodeep. But Hammer was no spy or rogue. He was a barbarian. Whatever situation he found himself in, he would fight his way out of. Or fuck his way out of. Whatever the day required.

"I'm sure she can," Lirafey said in a lower voice. "Perhaps you will get the chance to show me."

Her conspiratorial voice was all Hammer needed to know his bait was taken. "I will not betray my mistress," he snapped, his voice rising a touch as he turned to look down at the priestess. Anger glowered in her eyes, but she quelled it, gritting her teeth.

"Let us change the subject," she said.

"As you please."

"How did you grow so large? You tower over Solafein, and he is not small among our race."

"Perhaps growing under an open sky, rather than a cavern ceiling, allowed me to grow beyond our people's norm," Hammer said with a smirk. "More likely, there is human blood in my veins, many generations removed. The females from the surface aren't so picky with their mates, and are very promiscuous with other races."

"Deviants," Lirafey spat. "It is good you are coming home, Calavyr the Hammer. It will be good for you to be around true drow, not the perverted surface-dwellers who worship false gods."

"Their gods are just as real as Lolth," Hammer said. He couldn't help himself, and the look on her face made him bite his tongue. "Though they pale before her might and cunning," he added quickly to assuage her.

"Indeed," she said, walking off to join Shandra and Lura.

*****

"An impressive specimen," Lirafey said as she rejoined the other females of their troupe. Lura didn't respond with more than a smile. "How did you make him so obedient?"

"I never ask him to do anything he doesn't want to do," Lura said with a laugh.

"Then what do you ask of him?" Lirafey said, genuinely curious. Even Shandra was leaning closer to hear Lura's hushed voice.

"Crush our enemies and pleasure me, really," Lura said with a shrug. "More than that is up to his heart's content. As long as he remembers whom he serves, his actions are of no moment to me."

"Interesting," Lirafey said. "My male is very strong-willed. More than is proper for a male, in my opinion. He serves, but he also tends to challenge me. His cock almost makes up for the hassle of dealing with his insubordination."

"You need to run him more," Lura said with a small laugh. Lirafey gave her a questioning look, and she continued. "Males accumulate stress that must be relieved, and sex isn't always an appropriate medium for such things. Example: some surfacers keep animals as pets, the same way you or I keep a male as a pet. They are obedient creatures, to some extent, but serve no other purpose than companionship, in general. To keep them docile, though, they sometimes must release them from their leash, let them run amok to their heart's content. When they return, they are too exhausted to do anything but obey."

"I see," LIrafey said. "So I should let Solafein run amok, fight and fuck and eat and drink to his heart's content every now and then."

"If you have no need for a monogamous commitment, then yes," Lura said. Again, Lirafey looked at her askance, confused.

"Consider this," Lura said, recalling the lessons her Matron Mother of ages ago taught her. "If you let a male wander about, cock leading the way, mayhap he finds his way into another priestess's bedchamber. Perchance that priestess desires his constant attentions. She might decide he's worth seducing with promises of rewards aplenty to sway him from your side. Then you are less one warrior who's swords and cock serve you quite well, it seems."

"Point well made," Lirafey said. "You seem to place high value on a male's dedication to you. They are plenty and easily replaceable."

"I place high value on assets that prove their worth. How many times has Solafein put his blade through the heart of a would-be assassin? How many times, and how easily and skillfully, has he brought the female out of you in the bedchamber?"

Lirafey chewed on those words, then looked over her shoulder at Calavyr, or Hammer, as he called himself. "How many times has he?" she asked, nodding at the male, who's gaze was boring back into the lesser priestess.

"More times than yours," she said with supreme confidence. "More times than I can count."

Shandra finally spoke up, a grin on her face. "If I didn't know better, I would say you are in love," she purred in a throaty voice, licking her lips.

Lura drew her whip and cracked it just in front of Shandra's face, halting their march. Solafein and Hammer were upon them in moments, but Lura held up a calming hand.

"At ease," she commanded. "I was reminding Shandra that she is a battle-captive, little more than a slave, and in no position to pass judgment on a high priestess who's House still stands."

Lirafey glowered at Shandra. "Forgive her, Mistress Torviir. She forgets her place. I shall remind her tonight when we break for camp."

"As you will," Lura said, smiling sweetly. Her whip coiled itself at her waist, wrapping around her like a sash.

They went back to formation as they resumed their march, and the next several moments were uneventful at best. They all kept to themselves, though the magical link between Lura and Hammer was active as she shared her emotions and felt the barbarian's own.

During a quiescent point between their empathic link, Lura did not notice the sudden sense of alarm come over Hammer. The only warning the four other drow had to imminent danger was a dull, fleshy thud and the wet sound of steel hewing through flesh.

Lura was the first to turn, but Solafein was almost immediately beside the larger warrior, swords drawn as they examined the corpse of a shaggy, hairy bugbear. Its torso had been hewn almost in half by Hammer's greatsword, and even Solafein gave the bigger male a nod of approval and respect. Lura could almost see his appraisal of the warrior changing.

"No lone wanderer," Hammer said as the females gathered. "On your guard."

They unsheathed weapons: Lirafey her mace and shield, Lura her whip. Shandra drew a dagger and the sorceress seemed to hum with pleasure as her magic awakened. Solafein took the point position again, the two males forming a protective wall on either side of the females within the tunnel.

A roar shattered the silence and the ambushing bugbears and goblins charged, crude weapons raised in fury. Solafein silently went to work slicing through thick, tough flesh and puny goblin necks with his fine swords. Hammer went into a rage, a roar of his own drowning out that of the charging beasts and striking fear into their hearts.

Hammer took several hits from weapons, but it only seemed to incite his rage further. He pummeled a bugbear in the face with one hand and crushed a goblin's skull with the pommel of his greatsword. Then he brought his blade to bear on another shaggy bugbear, hacking away its spiked club before chopping downward, splitting its skull with a great crack.

Darts of force flashed over Solafein's shoulder, thumping into several goblins as they crowded around a bugbear's thick, muscular legs. The squealed in pain, but the following bolt of lightning, dancing between them, silenced their screeches. Lura and Lirafey held back their strikes, seeing the minor skirmish well in hand. The priestess held her mace, emblazoned with a tarnished silver spider at the head, aloft, chanting a prayer to Lolth. Her magic swept over Hammer and stunned the two bugbears and three goblins facing him.

With one might sweep, the tall, broad human-in-drow-skin sliced open the throats of the bugbears, then methodically stabbed each goblin through the chest as they recovered from being stunned.

Lura clapped her hands, whip coiled around her waist again, having never been put to use. "Well done," she said to her cohorts.

"Maybe next time you will bother to assist us," Solafein snapped, his blood obviously high from battle.

Lura's response was quick and decisive. In a flash, her whip was in her hand, barbs forming at the end as she lashed at the drow male with a fury Hammer had never seen before. By the time her barrage ended, Solafein was on his knee, shivering with weakness and pain. She turned her rage on Lirafey, who was on her knees, begging mercy almost immediately.

Hand held high, ready to strike, Lura said, "Beat your dog more often, Lirafey of House Mourlefey, or see him dead at your feet. I will tolerate no insolence from this piece of dung!"

"Yes Mistress!" Lirafey said, pressing her forehead firmly into the floor.

Lura reached out with her foot, the slender boot that covered all the way up her calf gleaming even in the lightless Underdark. She caressed the priestess's face with it, sliding the smooth leather over her cheek, under her chin. "Good girl," she purred. "Now, let us be off. I want another three miles behind us before we set camp for the night."

*****

The next three miles were uneventful and silent. After some minor healing spells mended Solafein's wounds, he led them quickly, and within an hour they'd stopped to set up camp. Lura took everyone's attention immediately.

"Behold," she said, "the goddess's favor."

She closed her eyes and began whispering to herself, hands pressed against her chest. Gold and crimson light flickered behind her eyelids, and she began to massage herself in a manner that was quite seductive. Her breasts rose and fell with each deep, ragged breath. She spoke silently still, and held her hands out to either side. In one hand there was a golden sphere of light, and in the other, crimson. She flung them to the ground on either side of her gathered companions, and they exploded into a burst of colored gas.

The gas began to coalesce, gathering substance and form, until they were two females, standing tall and proud in their spectral, semi-solid form.

Hammer recognized the images of Cyra and Iliara immediately, and almost gasped.

"Images of my last sacrifices," Lura said. "A tiefling and a sun elf. One a simple brawler and the other an assassin." The images set off to guard the camp. "They will keep watch. We all sleep well tonight, and make our destination in the morning."

"This cavern is small, but it has recesses and nooks that ought to provide a measure of protection," Solafein said. "It will be nice to have a bit of privacy again."

"Agreed," Lirafey said quickly. Hammer observed her, expecting her and Solafein to share an amorous look, but the priestess had eyes only for Lura. The other warrior notice as well, and seemed none too pleased by it.

"Calavyr," Lura said, beckoning her long-time companion with a tilt of her head. She gave Lirafey brief eye contact before she led him into a recess in the wall more than big enough for them to curl up together. It seemed the best spot in the cavern, as the high priestess was entitled to.

She waved her hand, and an invisible wall of silence blocked sound from escaping the nook.

"How are you faring?" Lura asked Hammer, finally dropping her façade. She used Hammer's bulk to block the entryway, her hands playing over his chest as she kissed at his armor affectionately.

"Better than I thought I might," Hammer said. He refrained from caressing her for the purpose of maintaining appearances. "They don't seem so bad."

"Don't be deceived," she said in a low voice. "They are vicious and venomous as vipers. Do not show any vulnerability. I fear...you may see things in me you will not like, my love."

"Fear not," Hammer said with an endearing smile. "I know our purpose, and I know that we both must do things we will not like."

She smiled a small smile. "I pray to Sune that we do not lose ourselves in the role." She stood up on her toes to kiss at his smooth neck. "I miss the beard."