The Sable Masquerade

"Don't worry," she said to Aldrisa, "I haven't seen the last of you. When your mistress gets bored with you and takes you to the market at the Lord's Gate, I'll be there. Any price that's asked, I'll double it." She patted her cheek. "And then we'll be together forever. Won't that be wonderful?"

Exhausted, Aldrisa just nodded.

---

"I think that went rather well."

They'd paused to rest a fair distance away from the tunnel entrance to the drow realm, stopping to make a campfire when the light of day was gone. Slipping away from the Masquerade had been a cakewalk, even weighed down by the riches that the drow mistress had willingly parted with in gratitude for Aldrisa's services. And if Toranel had purloined a particularly interesting looking golden trinket or two from some of the other guests, nobody had been the wiser.

"Don't you agree?" Toranel nudged the elf girl curled up at her side.

Aldrisa just glared up at her friend.

"Aw, c'mon, 'drisa," she said with some amusement. "You had fun, don't lie." Before undoing her restraints, Toranel had let the drow mistress spend a few more minutes playing with Aldrisa. The drow had seemed truly fascinated by how ticklish Aldrisa was, and spent quite some time teasing the helpless elf.

"If we had been caught," Aldrisa said, voice low, "or if I couldn't hold it and ended up losing that damn fool thing you set up, what would you have done?"

Toranel shrugged. "Probably I'd have gotten the drop on Sapphire, left her tied up with some of her own devices to keep her company and otherwise just stuck with the general plan," she said confidently. Then she laughed. "Don't look at me like that, I'm good at this sort of thing."

With a growl, Aldrisa reached up to drag her subordinate's face close to hers. "Toranel," she said, "if you ever take risks like that again, I'll...I'll rub you down with aphrodisiacs," she threatened, "and throw you to the tentacle beasts."

Toranel returned the glare with an expression of amused carelessness. "Now, 'drisa," the elf grinned, "don't threaten me with a good time."

Aldrisa managed to keep her straight face for several seconds. "You fuck," she giggled, gently shoving her friend's shoulder in mock-irritation, "don't you dare tell anyone about any of this. Got that?"

Toranel's arms were around her, pulling her close.

"I'd never disappoint you, boss." A hand came up to stroke her hair as her best friend snuggled into her body. "Just let me know when you feel like letting off steam again."

They settled in for the night, drifting off to sleep together. It would be another hard day's travel before they'd be back at their encampment.