Chapter 3: Treachery and salvage

“TRAITOR!”

The male elf saw the hand coming, but was too slow to duck away. The hand slapped on his face, her nails dragging over his skin, leaving red trails behind. He could feel the first stings of the small wounds when he looked up again, only to see a pair of red eyes filled with pure anger. The female that stood before him could be described as a plain beauty. An elegant rounded face, full lips, oval shaped eyes, a thin and fairly long body followed by long legs. Her clothing contained an armored corset, shoulder caps and a long skirt, all finely decorated with figures that resemble spiders and cobwebs. At her side hang a whip of which the heads were snakes. Feeling the anger of it’s master, the different heads were hissing dangerously. 

“Did you really think that we would not notice your little adventurous trips, Elendar?” The matron said, spitting out his name.
“You are a skilled fighter, but you certainly lack the brains.You could have been so much more if you would only have stayed loyal to your kin!”

Elendar shifted on his knees, feeling the binds around his wrist cut into his flesh each time he tried to move. 

“I am only loyal to myself.”   

His breathing was heavier than normal. He already had to accept several blows from the females that stood around them. The one at his side holding the wip was the matron eldest daughter Irae’lin. And the look in her eyes made clear she enjoyed the scene that was unfolding before her. For Drow males were just that … males. Only good to fight and to mate with. Or to release your anger when you wanted.

“Fool!” The matron barked back.

“We are loyal to Lolth and life to serve and please her. Saying otherwise, is treason. And a traitor should not be spared”

Elendar was more then familiar with the torture technique House Duscrain were practicing on the creatures they needed for information. He had been there more than once in those rooms. Not as a victim, but as a spectator. As a lieutenant, he was often closely involved when it came to extracting information. 

“Lolth will praise us for serving her your treacherous flesh. Which reminds me …”

“Matron Sharadreza.” A voice said, coming from the side door of the hall. A female entered, dressed in the same attire as the eldest Matron daughter, clearly showing their blood connection. The second daughter of House Duscrain.

“Shinira.” The matron said in a calm tone, her red eyes lowering to the bundle that the female was carrying. In her arms, she was carrying a babe that was perhaps a half year old. 

When the Matron her eyes fell on the child, she could only grin widely.

“No!” Elendar looked dazzled to the child in the arms of Shinira. His child. Even when neither the matron or her daughters would openly admit who the father was, Elendar was certain it was his child, for he had been the last bed partner of the Matron. One in a line of many lovers a Matron kept during her life.

“Yes, this is your son, Elendar. And it is by your actions that he will be sacrificed to Lolth and so are you. Because your little excursion will have angered the Spider Queen. I can and will not allow it that a male would lower our favor! We are the 10th House of Dro’Naqar and I need our Goddess her favor to rise even higher!”

The Matron turned around, giving a serious look to her daughters.

“Bring them to the chapel and prepare the ceremony!” 

The chapel was a large room where no stone was left uncut. The walls were decorated with large pillars, each decorated with gargoyles, demons and devils. In the crevices, large stone statues were carved in the shape of spiders, rubies serving as their eyes, making that they looked like they could jump on your any second. 

In the middle stood a flat table, also in the shape of a spider. Two pairs of legs pointing to a side and the other two pair to the other. Behind it stood a status of a large spider, but with a female Drow head. The image of their Spider Queen Lolth.

“Lay the child on the table!” The Matron command and while Shinira walked up to the table, showing no remorse for bringing the child to the sacrificial stone, Elendar tried to break free, but was held by several Clerics that would hold him at bay.

“You will watch your child die before your eyes, Elendar. Leaving the Underdark without permission is treason and I will not allowed for treacherous blood to soil my House!”

Irae’lin stepped to her mother, holding a small box. When opened, a heavily decorated ceremonial dagger was pulled out. The heft was made of obsidian, the points forming the legs of a spider. At the top were again red stones, forming the eyes. The lower legs would merge together, forming the point of the dagger and were decorated with silver lining, forming words in Undercommon, Drow language.

Raising the dagger above the table, it’s point aimed at the babe that lay unknowingly on the table, the Matron gave the child a last glance before she started to say her words of prayer.

“Great Goddess, Mother of the Dark, I sacrifice this babe in your name. By this unworthy offer, I honor you, Queen of Spiders. May this offer clean the mark that stained our House and proof to you our eternal loyalty.”

The Matron raised her hands a few inches, ready to strike until suddenly Shinira yelled out.

“WAIT!”

And she pointed towards a large black colored spider, easily the size of a cat that climbed onto the table. Spiders were seen as messengers from Lolth and killing one was a major crime, punishable by death by the hand of Lolth’s Clerics.

The black creature sat on top of the table, it’s front legs carefully caressing the babe that laid in silence on the grey stone.

“What does this mean?” Irae’lin asked in confusion.

The Matron lowered her hand, her red eyes still focused on the spider.

“It’s means that Lolth wants this child alive. For whatever reason she deems fit.”

Irae’lin could not withhold her discontent with the change of the event and gave a deep huff.

“And what about the traitor?” She asked, still hoping to see some blood spilled that day.

“He will stay alive, just like the child. But his days will be filled with torture, to remind him of his treachery.”

The Matron Mother turned around, walking up to the male Drow that was still bound, forced to sit on his knees.

“My torture will be endless, until the day when Lolth demands his heart on that table.”

Elendar looked up, straight into the eyes of the Matron. Any male, regardless of his rank would be punished for such an act, for no male, no matter their rank, stood higher than a female Drow.

“And when you do, I will be at peace, for you, Matron Sharadreza, will always be at war!”