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Matron Vartha Do'Urden was the matron mother of the thirteenth house of Menzoberranzan. She was not old, but she was done having children. It was a difficult thing for Vartha to admit to, but she realized that it was so. After giving birth to two males over the course of three centuries, a span in which most matron mothers could produce five children, Matron Vartha knew that her womb was not fertile.
For the next century and a half, she had prayed and given more sacrifices to Lloth than any matron mother of a thirteenth house had a reason to. She had finally given birth to a daughter and knew that it was her last. Malice, her daughter, was not yet a century old and still working toward attaining the rank of high priestess.
Therefore, House Do'Urden had but one high priestess of Lloth, Matron Vartha herself. This did not mean House Do'Urden was not a strong house. Vartha's two sons were both wizards, and of high regard. Her eldest son, Elronder, was one of the most highly regarded masters at Sorcere, and if it were not for Gromph Baenre, he would be the most logical choice for the position of Archmage of the Academy once the current withered drow died.
Though House Do'Urden boasted no fighters among its three nobles, the common ranks of the house were full of them. Even though they were thirteenth in the city, there was but four other houses that boasted more drow soldiers than they. They might not have the goblin and kobold fodder of the ranked houses, but a Do'Urden drow warrior was worth a hundred of the lesser races.
Right now, the best one of those warriors knelt before Matron Vartha. His name was Stiu Alnan. He was the weapon master of House Do'Urden. "Rise," Vartha commanded. The weapon master stood with perfect posture. "What have you to report?"
"We are preparing to send another male to the Academy this year."
Vartha sighed. "How often do we send a drow to the Academy?"
"About once every third year," Stiu Alnan responded.
"So why have you deemed it important this time?"
"Do you know the highest class ranking a Do'Urden has ever received?" the weapon master asked.
"I believe you ranked third in your class. A great honor. And to your credit, no Do'Urden has ever graduated worse than tenth since you became weapon master."
"Thank you, Matron Mother, but my current student will finish first. I am willing to bet my life on it."
"He's that good?" she asked.
"I have been through the Academy and have served time as a master there, and I have never seen anyone half as good."
"Then he shall finish first," Vartha agreed, "and you shall keep your life. This will bring House Do'Urden honor and respect. It is something we have been lacking as the thirteenth house. How many of the ranked houses will be represented in this year's class?"
"All will have representation except Oblodra and DeVir," Stiu Alnan responded.
"Any nobles amongst them?"
"Only from Del'Axle," he said, a bit of regret entering his voice. Anyone could beat a Del'Axle soldier, and their nobles were not much better. Now if Baenre or Barrison Del'Armgo had nobles in this class, beating them would bring considerable honor.
Vartha could tell that Stiu Alnan was holding something else back. The weapon master continued. "There might be a small problem with the male I've been training, though."
Vartha waited patiently for her weapon master to continue. "His name is Zaknafein. His mother's name is Irelnia. She became a member of this house when we freed her from a pack of goblins that had held her as a slave."
Vartha remembered that instance well. It had happened about 100 years ago. House Do'Urden had received word from their scouts that three drow had been taken captive by a band of goblins. A group of Do'Urden soldiers had then destroyed the goblins and rescued the drow, claiming them for house Do'Urden. Vartha did not think much of any drow that could be held as a slave by goblins, but two of the three had been female, and if nothing else, as this Irelnia had proven, they could produce children.
"How is this a problem?"
"Zaknafein's mother raised him and taught him of drow culture and society. Irelnia is not, well, how can I say it ..."
"Stop mincing words and tell me," Vartha demanded.
"She is not priestess material. She has many misconceptions of Lloth and of drow in general. She has passed these on to her son and he has embraced them."
"I will not have any drow male disrespecting this house in the Academy," Vartha said plainly. "I don't care if he is the best fighter to have ever walked the underdark, I will not have him blaspheming the Spider Queen at the head of his class for all to see."
"Perhaps you should meet them," Stiu Alnan suggested.
"Very well, bring them before me. I shall see if this Zaknafein is fit to represent our house in the Academy."
"As you wish," Stiu Alnan bowed low and left to fetch mother and son.
***
Matron Baenre sat at the head of the table in the city's council chamber. Around the table sat the other seven matron mothers of the eight ranking houses. In order from Matron Baenre sat the matron mothers of House Barrison Del'Armgo, Oblodra, Del'Axle, DeVir, Faen Tlabbar, Hun'ett, and Do'Juorian.
Baenre looked the matron mothers over slowly. Each one had brought an escort. In almost every case, that escort was the eldest daughter of the house. The one exception was from house Barrison Del'Armgo. Matron Mez Barris had brought her weapon master, Uthegental.
The drow male stood a few inches over six feet and weighed over 200 pounds. He was the only drow Baenre knew that sported facial hair. He had a white goatee and had cut his hair short so that it stood straight up on his head, adding another inch to his height. He had a large gold ring through his nose with four matching rings in his ears. Males should not be allowed to these meetings, but no one had ever complained about his presence yet, at least, not to his face.
Matron Baenre was more interested in the fourth house. Matron Reinela had always been a strong voice in the council, and she demanded respect with the six high priestesses she had at her disposal. Still, house Del'Axle was not a strong house, and it would not be such a hard task for the fifth, sixth, and seventh houses to move up a notch.
There would be a battle soon, and Matron Baenre was going to make sure that she kept a close eye on things. To her knowledge, all four houses above Del'Axle had the means to take it out, though House Do'Juorian spent most of their efforts watching their back, protecting themselves from ambitious houses that wished to take its place as the eighth house.
The only thing that was keeping the other three houses from attacking was that a house battle was an expensive and time-consuming thing to take on. The actual battle was not long, but the preparation and information gathering was. Also, only one of the houses needed to make a move in order for all three to move up. This had turned the whole affair into a dangerous waiting game.
Though Baenre kept a close eye on these affairs, she did not wish to get involved if she did not have to. What did concerned her though, was that according to her scouts, House Del'Axle was actively searching for ways to add drow soldiers to their ranks. This was not wrong, and it was a good way to run your house, but according to the registration for the Academy this coming year that Dantrag had supplied her with, House Del'Axle was the only house of the eight sending a noble.
Everyone on the council knew that Matron Reinela was done producing children. Her last child had been born over 150 years ago, and there was no way that this Jarlnian Del'Axle was her child. While collecting rogue drow and adding them to your ranks was fine, claiming them as nobles was not. Of course Baenre could not make a formal charge against the house. No one really could. Stranger things had happened than a matron mother suddenly giving birth after a century and a half of barrenness. Baenre herself was at least twice as old as Matron Reinela was, yet she was the most fertile female at the table.
As the meeting started, Baenre made a mental note to have her secondboy keep an eye on Jarlnian Del'Axle. Dantrag would not be happy, but her job was to keep the city of Menzoberranzan functioning. That did not include keeping her sons happy.
***
Stiu Alnan led Zaknafein and his mother into the audience chamber in which Matron Vartha and Malice were waiting. Zaknafein was tall and strong; his mother was not. She did not appear that old, but she moved as if severely hobbled by age. Zaknafein supported her with his arm and led her to the throne, all the while keeping his eyes on the floor like he had been told.
Zaknafein was just a common male and had never met or even seen Matron Vartha before. His mother had never met her either, but she had told her son stories about how she had been rescued from slavery at the hands of goblins, and Matron Vartha was to thank. From what his mother had told him, Zaknafein expected the matron mother to be kind and caring, much like his own mother.
"What do you know of our goddess, Lloth?" Vartha asked Irelnia without so much as a greeting.
The female was allowed to look Vartha in the face and did so when she answered. "She looks after us and cares for us like a deity should. She demands obedience and repays it with blessings and prosperity."
This was not a very accurate answer, but it was acceptable. Vartha thought it sounded memorized and decided to dig a little deeper. "What is exactly required of us as servants of Lloth."
"Obedience," she replied again.
"Can you explain that answer?" Vartha pressed.
"We are to obey her laws," Irelnia tried.
"And what are her laws?" Vartha was growing very tired of this game.
Irelnia looked confused and scared. She had been told that her son was to enter the drow Academy for fighters and that it was a great honor. She was very proud of her son and wished to see him do well. This meeting was just to present Zaknafein to the matron mother before he left. She had not expected a test.
Vartha decided to try a new tactic. She asked another question, this time using the drow hand code. Irelnia just stared blankly at her. Vartha signed it again, this time much slower. Still, Irelnia's face was blank.
Zaknafein grew concerned by the continued silence and peeked a glance at what was going on. As Vartha signed the question a third time, Zaknafein understood it and quietly whispered it into his mother's ear.
"Silence male!" Vartha screeched and snapped her whip between the two. Zaknafein reacted like a cat, dodging quickly out of the way, but his mother took one of the snake heads on the cheek. She cried out in pain, and Zaknafein started to tend to her, but remembered the matron mother and remained where he was.
Malice saw that Zaknafein had been interpreting for his stupid mother and signed as much to Vartha. The matron mother had not caught on as quickly as her daughter, but understood soon enough that she was questioning the wrong person. "Zaknafein, look at me," she ordered.
The young male had not spent his life staring at his shoes like he should have, and bringing his eyes to look at Matron Vartha was not that difficult. "Do you understand the drow hand code?" she asked, using the code.
Zaknafein responded in kind, with his hands. "Yes I do, but my mother does not."
Vartha was impressed by Zaknafein's precision. "Who taught it to you?" she asked verbally.
Zaknafein looked a little confused. "No one taught it to me. I just saw others using it."
Now Vartha was really impressed. It was not a simple language, and to pick it up without anyone teaching it to you was almost impossible. Looking again at Irelnia, Vartha knew that she could not have taught it to him. The matron mother doubted the stupid female could read.
"Take off your cloak and shirt," she instructed. Zaknafein did as he was told and stood bare to the waist. "Turn around," Vartha continued. Again Zaknafein complied. Malice gasped sharply. This male's physical form was spectacular. Malice would definitely keep her eyes on him.
This time it was Malice who missed what was really going on. Vartha did admire the handsome drow, but ever since she had given up on having children she did not think of males in that light anymore. Instead, she took careful notice of the fact that there was not one scar on his entire body. This male had never been beaten.
"Do you know a male's place in society?" Vartha asked.
"I am to serve my matron mother and all those females above me. I am also to show respect to any female I meet whether they are of my house or not. And under no circumstance am I ever to strike a female."
It was as good an answer as could be expected. She looked at the fine weapons that hung on his belt. "Can you use those as Stiu Alnan has suggested?"
"Master Stiu Alnan has trained me well, and I feel confident in my skills."
Vartha had heard enough. "Very well, go to the Academy and bring our house honor."
Zaknafein bowed before the matron mother. "I shall strive to bring glory to House Do'Urden with my actions."
"And?" Vartha prompted.
"And?" Zaknafein asked back.
"And to bring all praise to Lloth," Vartha said.
"Of course, Matron Mother."
Vartha waived the pair off, and they were led out of the room. Stiu Alnan hung around. "On your life he will finish first in his class?" Vartha asked.
Stiu Alnan realized he should have never made that statement. "He will."
"If he should bring any disfavor on our house, it will not only be his life, but yours as well."
The weapon master bowed. "And his mother?"
"Once he is safely tucked away in the Academy, have her killed. I have no need for useless females in my house."
"For the glory of Lloth." Stiu Alnan left the room.
"Are you sure that was wise?" Malice asked as she walked toward the throne.
Vartha was not angered by her daughter's question, as many matron mothers would. Most daughters were taught to obey without question, for their mothers were ruthless dictators. Vartha ran her house differently.
She was old. She doubted she would live another 200 years, but Malice was not yet 100. Vartha knew her daughter would rule this house soon, and she made sure that the two of them always maintained an open line of communication. She wanted to leave House Do'Urden in good hands.
"Irelnia is not a model drow female, that much is obvious. Zaknafein has suffered from that and might have naïve notions about our society and how it functions. Most drow are taught these things as soon as they can comprehend speech. Zaknafein still needs to learn this. What better place to learn it than in the Academy."
Vartha got up and walked around the room a bit. "I doubt he will be ranked first in his class until the third or fourth year. The other students will take advantage of him. But he will learn. Oh, yes, he will learn. He will learn, or he will share his mother's fate." With that, Vartha left the room to let her daughter think about what she had said.
***
Dantrag walked into his mother's private chamber. He had been there a few times before, but always before several of his sisters had accompanied him. Now he was alone. When he had received a summons to see his mother in her private chambers, he had responded immediately. He expected to be named weapon master.
"I want you to spend more time at the Academy," she said flatly once he had entered.
"What?" He said this a bit too loudly, considering who he was talking to and quickly lowered his voice. "With all do respect, Matron Mother, I have spent nine years as a master at the Academy, five of them as Head Master. I don't understand how more time will bring our house any more prestige."
"I want you to keep an eye on a new student that is entering this year. A battle will occur sometime soon, likely involving several of the high ranking houses, and there is a good chance this student will be the catalyst to that battle."
"Who?" he asked, genuinely curious. He had given his mother the list of new recruits at her request, but he had not looked at it himself. After all, he had thought his time at the Academy was over.
"Jarlnian Del'Axle."
"A Del'Axle?!" Again his voice was a bit too loud, but he neglected to bring it down this time. "Del'Axles are worthless fighters. I saw two of them graduate from the Academy during my time there. One was last in his class. The other third to last. Even though this one might be a noble, I doubt he will finish any higher than tenth."
Baenre overlooked her son's disrespectful tone for now. She could demand that he stay at the Academy forever. "I do not believe that Matron Reinela gave birth to this child."
Dantrag quieted at this. That was a serious charge. "Do you have proof?"
"No, stupid son!" she scolded. "That is why I need you at the Academy. If Matron Reinela is claiming nobility for children that she did not conceive, then she should bring the disfavor of Lloth on her house. By all reports, House Del'Axle is in as good a standing with Lloth as any, including our own. Yet I know that she is barren and has been for a long time. Jarlnian is not a noble."
"I shall watch him for you, Matron Mother. If he is not noble born, I will discover it."
Matron Baenre nodded and dismissed her son. She was planning on lying with another male tonight, and she needed to prepare her room.
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