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 Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:01 pm
 Pellaneari wiped up the dark stone countertop. She had just finished mixing up a new batch of salves. They sat in a colorful expensive row, each jar sealed with the House's sign. It wasn't quite a menial task but it took a good deal of time, patience and extremely careful recipe reading. Some of the ingredients were very rare. Preparing salves was an invaluable skill to know too, but Pella still couldn't avoid a huff and a roll of her violet eyes every time she saw the stack of empty jars piled high awaiting her.
The drow shut the case of salves back in its dark carved cabinet and walked briskly about the long room, tidying up as she went. Pella worked quickly. Knowing the room and the place of every object like second nature made her tasks fly by. The young female saw by now that she was seen as a reliable apprentice. And in her circumstance she direly needed the opportunity. No House name to call her own. Nothing really to offer except labor. And talent. Maybe a few compromising nights. Self pity never sat well with a drow, so Pellaneari always spun the reality of her situation as simply a necessary step. A late evening of prepping and cleaning could never raise a grumble, at least not to her Mistress's ears.
Her Mistress was not even in the House for the evening. Off doing something much more enjoyable than preparing salves to be sure. That meant that Pella could leave when she decided since no one was about to assign her more to do. Leave and do what? Unfortunately, Pella didn't have much to do with her extra time in Menzoberranzan. She was still feeling like a stranger in the city. It had become her routine to go back and forth each day between the House where she had her lessons and the room where she stayed above the tavern. Not exciting by any means, but safe.
Pella's eyes took stock of the room one last time before grabbing her cloak and staff. The walk back to the tavern did not take too long. Happily, it was in an easy direction where one shift and pass through the open market mid-route or else one could opt for the quieter path Pellaneari normally took. The dark streets and alleys were calmer closer to the residential area, things were getting busier and busier the closer Pella made her way back 'home'. She hoped the room above the tavern was very temporary. Pella doubted she could stomach the crowd or the smells forever. The familiar scents finally hit her nose as the silvery haired healer made her turn off the last alley.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:17 pm
 This place was just a stop. One in a string of many. Sometimes Szin wondered if they even had a destination. His Mistress and her fellow priestesses seemed to enjoy wandering from city to city. Their raid had proven lucritive to their purses and, Szin assumed, this meant that their wandering would continue until the money dried up and then...perhaps another trip to the surface? It was only this thought that made the depression he felt easier to suffer. Though he feared he'd not be taken upwards. Which would mean she'd most likely kill him finally. A dire prospect indeed.
As a means to extend the coins his Mistress owned...or perhaps simply to demean him, Szin found himself put to the uses of the tavern owner. Sometimes he was fortunate and it meant he could dance for the entertainment of others. Though he was never given his fans, which really took away some of the artistic flair. Sadly he was reduced to bussing the tables. Skirting through the throng with plates of food, mugs of drinks, and removing dirty dishware. It was simple labor, which he could handle. But so very tiering! And Szin cared little for the looks he often recieved.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:26 pm
Pella stepped back suddenly, the door of the tavern being pulled open just as she went for the handle. It was a busy place. The drow slipped inside past the exiting patrons. She continued around to the side and over to the long back counter. The owner, a gruff and tall female, caught her eye.
"You're early. Usual?"
It was too busy to really talk or move around the bar area, leaving Pella to raise her voice past a few of the other patrons. "Yes, thank you." Her normal dinner here was a particular strong hot drink with a bowl of stew. She reached for her purse of coins then raised her arm past the crowding shoulders to drop the coins in the owner's hand. "Don't forget the meat this time." The place was cheap and so was the owner. Naturally. She paused as the owner huffed. Pella gave in and an extra coin dropped on the counter. Unlike many drow, confrontation was not a strong suite for the healer though being around Sbatavin had been improving her will.
Pella looked for her table. It was a small relatively quiet spot in an odd nook. A male she had never seen at the tavern before was clearing away the dishes. He was doubly unusual and attractive. Not even remotely like the usual servants who hung around. Pella took the time to move her cloak to the hook behind the chair, hovering to the side to wait for the servant male to move. Something about her nature was always too patient, even around males.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:51 pm
Szin moved well enough in the crush of a crowd. Obviously he wasn't as skillful as a acutal serving drow, but he was able to at least squeeze through small spaces and continue with only minor hinderances. Time and again he felt a slight catch at his skirt that he was certain were pick pockets checking him out. Inwardly he rolled his eyes. If they were hoping to find anything on him they would all be very dissappointed. This crowd was generally too cheap to tip him anything for service, he wasn't willing to accept any of the 'friendly suggestions' for a few 'extra coins' and anything he did pick up covered only the payment for the drows order. Which meant it stayed in his hand until he passed it off to the barkeep. Even the decorative coins on his sash were simply polished bronze. Nothing worth nicking.
As he focused on pileing plates and mugs on top of each other, the more he cleared away from the tables at one time the easier it was to keep up with the crowd, Szin noticed there was a drow actually waiting for him to finish. Shifting his step to the side, Szin hooked his foot around the leg of the chair and pulled it back a bit for the customer. He lifted his head a bit, and blew a few lavender strands of hair away from his green eyes before adresssing the customer. "Do you know what you want? Or have you already ordered?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:11 pm
From the light purples in his hair to the sense of dress, Pella could only wonder at what he was really doing in a place like this. Was it just his appearance that caught her eye really? Maybe. The healer could not shake a strange feeling that there was a lot more going on.
The charms in her silver hair clinked together softly as Pella bent to take her seat. A brief smile flickered across her face as Pellaneari failed to stomach a twinge of compassion. Cursed Eilistraee. One got so used to those soft feelings that were dangerous amongst such a Lolth worshipping crowd. It was difficult to want to hint at something, to want to be honest and curious and hear about how he had ended up in this Menzoberranyr hole, and then to have to stop herself from chatting away with a mere servant.
She laid her small worn purse on the table. What were the chances? Not likely. There were surface raiders through here from time to time, so maybe it wasn't too impossible that he.. Pella's heart beat faster as she remembered the Eilistraee worshipping drow her father had introduced her to long long ago. She recalled there was one way to find out.
"I already ordered, but could you get some of the cooked mushrooms for me too?" She fished the coins from her purse, letting a silver medallion flash as she did so. It was clear enough if you were familiar with the intertwining symbols: a broadsword crossing a moon.
A pang of foolishness hit the silver haired drow. Pella reasoned it was better anyway to get this out of her system and quiet her over-active imagination. Indulge her impulse once, and then be safe and get rid of the damned medallion.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:42 pm
Szin waited patciently and a bit weaily for the female to sit down and talk to him. If she didn't reply in a few moments he knew he'd get a call from someone. Either his Mistress -Which he doubted as she seemed completely engaged in some sport involving a male and two of her companions, or another customer for service - or another lewd request for his presence in their room later. Vile creeps- or the barkeep yelling at him for being lazy and slow. He figured it would be that last one more then anything else.
The female though did speak to him. Adding a order of mushrooms to what he assumed would be a waiting order once he got to the other side of the room. "Yes Lady." He automatically responded. When she began to produce the coins to pay for her meal, Szin shifted his grip in the heavy tray he held and began to reach for them.
...
And he nearly dumped the contents of it all over the female as the silver flash caught his eye. With a loud clatter of plateware and mugs he grapped the tray and righted it. His green eyes had caught the flash..and his heart dared to believe for a moment he'd seen a familar symbol. Something he ought not have seen at all. When the tray was safely stable, he looked down at the female. A undescribably look on his face as silence stilled his tongue. The entier noisy room seemed to just fade and all he could hear was the beating of his own rapid heartbeat in his ears.
A call from across the room shattered the silence though, and caused him to break his stare from the female.
"Oi! Szinaun! Stop your flirting and get back to work already!" The barkeep hollared from across the room. Szin snapped his head up to the barkeep and he nodded his head a little.
"I...I will be back for your payment Lady." Szin spoke to Pella without looking at her. his eyes instead were sweeping across the room to check that his Mistress was still busy having her fun with the other male...which she was. Without a further word he stepped off. Moving through the crowd to the bar.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:28 pm
Revealing the trinket had an unexpected consequence. Pella leaned back in her seat abruptly as the load of dishes almost tumbled down out of control. There was no doubt in the healer's mind anymore. He must have seen it. The male could just have been clumsy, but the timing really could not have been a coincidence. And the way he had stared afterwards! So directly and full of emotion. That could not have solely been embarrassment or fear after nearly dropping his armload of dishes everywhere. He had surely recognized the symbol, hadn't he? She caught his name as it was bellowed across the room- Szinaun.
All Pella could do was nod nervously as he promised to return for her pay. Pella could see the other patrons around her had turned back to their own conversations and entertainment. A clattering of dishes in a bar as loud as this didn't draw much attention except maybe from the owner. Her pulse still raced. So he was probably certain of what he saw.. but what now? She honestly had not thought any further than making the gamble of showing the medallion. What if he thought she could take him to the surface?Oh she couldn't do that at all. Pella unfortunately had nothing to offer in that regard, and he probably didn't either if he was caught in a place like this. Even if she could give nothing but false hope, Pella herself felt a little better thinking she was not as alone.
Her stomach churned. That hot drink could not arrive soon enough. Hmph. Perhaps Sbatavin was right and she needed to think ahead a little more- and think of herself more. It wasn't like Pella to take a chance like this and the worry was building. She absently rubbed between her fingers one of the many charms adorning her clothing to occupy her antsy nerves.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 5:00 pm
Szin's mind was still a bit shell shocked by what he had seen. It had been months now since he had seen that symbol, after having his own taken from him by his Mistress. nervousely he let his gaze slip back to where his Mistress sat. The priestess was still caught up in her own devices and paying him little heed. He supposed that she could not be ignoring him as much as he thought she was. She would surely take note if he slipped away and follow after him to recollect and punish him...then again.. Szin had never attempted to flee before so she could have assumed he was merely too meek and frightened to try...
Szin took his load of dishware to the kitchen and emptied his tray into the sink next to aa boy busily scrubbing out the last set he had brought him. Wordlessly the boy snatched a mug from the pile and Szin turned to where the cook was pointing at a bowl "Lady ordered that" The cook informed him.
"Ah, there has been a floor order for some mushhrooms." Szin informed the cook as a response. Should he wait? It would only take him a few minutes to cook up the mushrooms...and Szin wanted a bit more time before he went back out to the lady. Could she be a devotee of the moonlight maiden? Was it even possible? Or was she a priestess of the spider queen? Why would she have the amulet then? Szin supposed, as hard as it was to see the intriuges of the unjderdark, that if the lady was a enemy of his Mistress she could try to get her into some sort of trouble by confirming she had a 'heretic' in her posession and had done nothing about him. Nothing by their standards that is. What Szin had suffered thus far hardly seemed like nothing to him. Still...she would have said something immediatly wouldn't she?
The cook clunked down a bowl of steaming mushrooms next to the step, causeing Szin to jump. Well, he supposed it was time to find out? Placing the two bowls on his tray, Szin exited the kitchen. He was paused for a moment by the barkeep, who handed him a mug and pointed over to Pella. With a swallowed breath, Szin moved his way back through the crowd to the female. His lips trembled upwards into a uncertain smile as he reached her and began to set her order in front of her. "H-here you are miss. Is there anything else you needed?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:13 pm
The healer's mind raced as Szin finally made his way across the room again, this time carrying back her supper. She didn't want to let this strange chance evaporate without at least saying something. Anything. But this was obviously not a good place to do so. Whatever words she chose would have to be discreet. Maybe discreet was not the right tactic at all. She cringed as the crude talk around her made her best option clear. She really did not want their conversation to be of note to anyone, and blending in here seemed to mean not being discreet. Everyone else had been trying to drag each other, the servants, anyone who would listen, back to their rooms, so why couldn't she toss her hat in the ring?
Pella nodded, almost assuringly, at the male's hesitant voice. "No, no I suppose that's all.." Her throat could barely cooperate, "Unless your Mistress might not miss you for a few? Room 19 by the stairwell." Pella tapped her purse again. To anyone else, the gesture said she probably wanted to pay the male to come to her room. But Pella hoped that Szin would remember her medallion.
Curse it. Pellaneari took a sip of the hot beverage. Whatever might happen, no need to do it hungry. She had no idea who his 'Mistress' might be, but he was a male so it was not a tough assumption that he had a female pulling his strings. Her nervousness could not be abated, and her heart jumped at the thought that maybe he had a Mistress of the jealous type, or maybe he would even tell about Pella's amulet.
Time would tell, Szin would likely not even show. She was almost certain, if she were in his position, that she herself would not take the chance. But yesterday, Pella supposed she would have been swearing that she would not have chanced showing the medallion to anyone. And now she had tipped her hand to a servant. What had happened to her this evening, since cleaning up in Sbatavin's workshop? Pella mused that maybe she was finally proving herself weak and crazy, as any priestess of Lolth would agree.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:56 am
Once he had set everything down, and paused to collect the coins for payment of the meal, Szin's eyes were redirected to the pouch he had spied the symbol in. He hesitated. His bros furrowing throughtfull. He still worried it was some sort of trap. What if his Mistress had set this up for an excuse to punish him? Huh. She didn't need an excuse though. She had plenty of reasons to do so and she made use of them often enough to wear Szin's spirit down a bit. Still, if it was no trap...it was a impossible accident that he wanted to take advantage of badly.
Szin bowed his head slightly, his green eyes focusing on the floor at his feet. "If my mistress permits. I will allow her to know of your offer Lady." Not that he would if he could manage it. His head tilted just slightly towards the priestesses that were still tormenting their hapless target for the evening. In all likelyhood he expected his mistress to vanish with the male before the end of the night. If such was the case he was confident he could stop at the room before returning to her. She would not miss him unless he was gone come morning...and she was too confident that he'd never risk running away.
With his task finished with Pella, he bowed slightly, and resumed his work. it would be hours before the tavern would empty out. Hours of nervouse fretting and constant glances towards her table. Hours of serving and cleaning until the place would be empty enough that the barkeep would tell him to leave off and get himself gone. Just as Szin had hoped, his Mistress and two of her companions had dragged the male up to her room for their continued entertainment. Szin felt bone weary from his night of work. He had been given a small paper bag of slightly dried fried mushrooms for his troubles, and despite the blandness they were without any sort of spices he was devouring them as he stood in the hallway and turning over just whether or not he ought to go to the room.
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:30 pm
Pella watched Szin as he considered her words. The emotion furrowing on his face could tell her that he was unsure about this encounter much like herself. She did not feel relieved at all when he considered her proposal for the evening. The mention of his mistress made Pella doubt her decision all the more. With the charms in her hair clinking, Pella turned her eyes to follow the movement of Szin's head when he mentioned his mistress. She wasn't entirely sure the movement was intentional, but her line of vision did catch what looked to be some very happily distracted priestesses. One of them was his mistress? It was possible alright, though Pella desperately hoped not to have to find out personally.
"Good. That will be all." Pella spoke a little hesitantly, despite trying to answer in her best dismissive tone. After Szin had bowed and was on his way, Pella couldn't help but wonder if she would ever see him again. Who knew what his mistress was going to say, but it must be a good sign that he mentioned letting her know of the offer at all. At least there was the possibility of him being expected to be out of her sight.. Pella pushed the tangling web of thoughts out of mind and focused on finishing her supper. One thing at a time.
The mushrooms were overdone and almost falling apart, but the rest was good enough. Pella drained her drink and wasted no time lingering around or socializing. The bar would be slow to empty out. After the drow shouldered her cape, she walked in a carefully chosen path through the crowd. Pella had positioned herself for a chance to see the women Szin had seemed to indicate. They were quite involved with another male. Would they even notice where Szin went? Her pulse raced, nervousness ensuring her shifty violet eyes did not linger or stare too long at the trio. Pella hastened to her room.
She locked the door, put her cloak and things away as usual and paced. Back and forth for a few minutes. The room was small and bare with only a bed, chair, and a large chest. The healer finally gave in. She retrieved a small bag from her chest. The deep purple satchel was covered in a delicate embroidery. Kneeling, Pella dropped the bag in her lap as she pulled the strings and let a vial fall out. With a shake, the dropper top released a single splash of the mixture onto the drow's tongue. A single dose wouldn't do much more than lend a calming and warming sensation. Pella settled down in her chair to wait.
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:07 pm
He choose not to return to the room his Mistress was within. It was possible she was already sleep. Tired from her day of pleasuress and torments. Szin doubted she would even be aware that he did not return to her room immediatly after finishing the work assigned to him. If he was fortunate he might not be returning at all? Szin had not dared let his thoughts linger on anything more then whether or not he trusted the female to be a true follower of his Goddess.
He still wasn't sure. Even as he crumpled the empty paper bag in his fist and lifted a hand to the door. He knocked with timid small taps. Just by rapping his fingertips against the wood of Pella's door. Would she answer? Was she true or false? Had she adopted a different tactic to get him to come to her? Was she testing him to see if he was what thesse other drow called a heretic? So many questions! Not a one of them could be answered unless he risked speaking with her.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:54 pm
After waiting for what felt like much too long, a few quiet taps sounded from the door. Her stomach flipped and for a moment she wondered if the hesitant sounds were her imagination at work. Pellaneari took a deep breath and pushed back her silver hair nervously. Curiosity carried her quickly from her seat to the door but then worry stopped her short. What if it wasn't him? Maybe he had sent his Mistress.. Her hand hovered for a moment with indecision, then flipped open the lock and cracked the door. It was Szinaun.
"Come in." Pella stepped back and opened the door a little wider, "I guess you probably have a lot to ask me."
Though truthfully, Pella was far from certain what her answers would be. I swear I am not trying to trick you, I don't know why I did it, I don't have a clue what I am doing now.. She couldn't even convince herself at the moment.
The healer stood by uncertainly, nerves making her more comfortable speaking than staying quiet, "My name is Pellaneari, I promise I meant you no harm in asking you here.."
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:45 pm
The door opened, and Szin found himself looking at the female once more. He stood silent as she opened the door and bid him to enter. That first step in was...difficult. He still had his doubts and it wa shard to figut against that feeling of fear. Still, he managed to move forwards. Slipping in through the doorway, Szin cast a worried glance about the room. He folded his hands before him so he would not be tempted to play with the length of scarf wrapped over his elbows.
"I am Szinaun." He responded to her introuduction. Szin turned his gaze from inspecting the room to look at the female. "Why...why did you ask me here?" Though he had his own questions, he desperatly needed to know her reasons first. "Are you...did my mother send you to find me?" Oh how he hoped! It would mean that...perhaps he had a way to return home. Surely some survivor would have managed to get word to her...
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:32 pm
Szinaun entered finally and Pella shut the door behind the male drow. He didn't seem to be any more comfortable than she was. Pella swallowed hard, a little thrown off track by his question. Sent by his mother? Pella was hardly the type to send out like a bounty hunter.. or else his mother was aboveground and Szinaun had something else entirely in mind.
"Uhm, no, I ..." Pella spread her hands, shrugging in defeat, "I didn't really have a reason other than well, not having met another follower.." She paused again, fear still stopping her tongue from pronouncing her Goddess's name out loud, "I guess I was willing to take a chance. My own parents went missing and I fled here."
She didn't quite mean to reveal that last bit, but it couldn't hurt could it? And something about the male made her want to apologize. A strange feeling, but the way he had asked about his mother.. it was hard to keep her tendency for compassion under wraps.
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