war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第35部分

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be　the　fingernails　this　time；　hmm？〃
　　　The　bound　form　on　the　rack　emitted　a　whimper。
　　　〃Oh；　good；　I'm　pleased　that　you　like　the　idea；　too。〃
　　　
　　　***
　　　
　　　Danifae　Yauntyrr　didn't　really　expect　Matron　Mother　Zauvirr　to　grant　her　free　run　of　the　entire　House；　and　her　suspicions　were　correct。　As　she　departed　the　audience　chamber　with　a　final　sneer　back　in　Halisstras　direction；　she　was　also　careful　to　note　Ssipriina's　slight　nod　at　two　of　the　guards　standing　near　the　door。　As　she　stepped　through　the　portal；　the　guards　silently　and　unobtrusively　fell　in　behind　her。　The　battle　captive　pursed　her　lips　in　the　slightest　hint　of　frustration；　but　she　wouldn't　have　expected　anything　else。　It　really　didn't　matter。　She'd　just　have　to　put　on　a　bit　more　of　a　show。
　　　Ignoring　the　two　House　Zauvirr　soldiers　who　followed　her；　Danifae　made　her　way　back　to　Halisstra's　private　chambers；　where　she　also　took　Reverie　so　that　she　could　attend　to　the　noble　drows　every　need。　She　guessed　that　the　guards　would　not　be　so　invasive　as　to　follow　her　in；　and　again；　her　intuition　was　right。　She　strode　through　the　door　and　shut　it　behind　her。　Once　she　was　alone；　she　began　to　pace；　mulling　possibilities　over　in　her　mind。
　　　Halisstra　had　just　provided　her　servant　with　a　perfect　opportunity　to　free　herself　from　the　other　drow's　subjugation。　Danifae　almost　laughed　at　her　mistress's　gullibility；　thinking　that　Danifae　would　run　to　try　to　save　her。　After　ten　years　as　Halisstra's　battle　captive；　Danifae　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　be　rid　of　the　wretched　drow　and　her　domination。　She　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　return　to　Eryndlyn。　The　problem　was；　with　Halisstra's　binding　in　effect；　Danifae　wasn't　sure　she　could　actually　get　free；　even　with　Ssipriina　Zauvirr's　help。　In　fact；　she　suspected　that　once　she　actually　did　turn　on　Halisstra　and　provide　the　〃proof〃　of　Drisinil's　daughter's　guilt　to　the　matron　mother；　Ssipriina　would　simply　let　her　perish　along　with　Halisstra。
　　　Danifae　knew　she　had　to　ensure　her　own　freedom　first　and　not　depend　on　another　for　it。　But　how？
　　　She　hated　the　effect　of　the　binding；　for　it　was　insidious　in　its　effectiveness。　Though　Danifae　didn't　truly　believe　it；　she　sometimes　wished　that　the　pulsion　of　the　binding　fully　controlled　her　mind；　rather　than　merely　restricting　her　ability　to　distance　herself　from　Halisstra。　She　told　herself　that　it　would　have　been　better　to　serve　the　Melarn　daughter　as　a　mindless　zombie　rather　than　of　her　own　accord；　attending　willingly　to　avoid　the　consequences　of　straying　too　far　from　her　mistress。　It　locked　her　to　Halisstra　as　surely　as　a　length　of　chain　around　their　ankles。
　　　In　the　early　years；　Danifae　wanted　desperately　to　throttle　her　mistress；　but　Halisstra's　death　would　bring　about　her　own；　and　Danifae　would　experience　her　own　demise　in　a　slow；　excruciatingly　painful　manner。　That　was　the　nature　of　the　binding。　It　sustained　her　somehow；　kept　her　alive　as　long　as　Halisstra　willed　it。　Distance　was　not　a　factor；　but　the　moment　Danifae　disregarded　Halisstra's　wishes　and　went　her　own　way；　she　had　no　doubt　that　the　other　drow　would　simply　let　her　wither　away　like　a　mushroom　with　its　roots　hacked　off。　Displease　the　dark　elf；　and　with　a　thought；　Danifae　would　succumb。　By　the　Dark　Mother；　she　hated　it。
　　　The　binding's　magic　was　alien　to　Danifae。　She　didn't　understand　what　was　required　to　sever　it　or　if　it　even　could　be　severed　by　any　hand　other　than　Halisstra's。　The　risk　of　discovery　was　too　great　to　allow　her　the　chance　to　inquire；　and　besides；　Halisstra　rarely　let　her　servant　out　of　her　sight。　With　Halisstra　under　arrest；　Danifae　had　the　perfect　opportunity　to　follow　through；　to　finally　find　out　what　could　be　done；　and　there　was　no　time。　Halisstra　was　going　to　die　unless　Danifae　convinced　Ssipriina　Zauvirr　to　find　a　solution　to　her　problem；　and　she　doubted　that　the　matron　mother　would　lift　a　finger　to　help　her；　even　with　her　promises　of　damning　testimony　against　the　daughter　of　Drisinil　Melarn。　That　only　left　Danifae　with　the　option　of　actually　saving　Halisstra。
　　　Damn　her！　the　battle　captive　silently　screamed　as　she　sat　on　her　mistress's　Reverie　couch；　pounding　a　pillow　for　good　measure。　She　wanted　to　rip　the　stuffing　out；　but　long　years　of　the　fear　of　punishment　had　trained　her　to　resist　letting　her　emotions　get　the　better　of　her；　and　she　stayed　her　hand。　Taking　a　deep　breath　to　calm　herself；　she　considered　the　situation。
　　　The　next　problem；　she　realized；　was　that　even　if　she　somehow　managed　to　extricate　Halisstra…and　by　extension；　herself…from　this　mess；　life　as　they　both　knew　it　might　very　well　be　over。　They　might　survive　the　coup；　but　even　then；　where　would　they　go？　Without　Lolth's　blessings　to　aid　them；　it　was　an　especially　bleak　outlook。
　　　Making　up　her　mind；　Danifae　decided　the　next　thing　to　do　was　to　figure　out　who　in　House　Melarn　was　still　Halisstra's　ally。　The　first　thing　she　considered　were　the　House　guards。　They　had　disappeared；　and　she　had　a　pretty　good　idea　why。　Ssipriina　had　likely　already　gotten　to　them　and　given　them　the　standard　offer：　change　allegiance　to　House　Zauvirr；　or　find　themselves　unemployed　or　dead。　She　doubted　there　were　any　who　would　still　rally　to　Halisstra；　but　she　had　to　at　least　look。
　　　Danifae　opened　the　door　to　the　hallway　and　was　slightly　surprised　to　find　the　two　guards　who　had　followed　her　no　longer　present。　She　supposed　that　they　assumed　she　wouldn't　try　anything　as　long　as　the　House　was　locked　down　and　had　decided　to　go　find　something　more　interesting　to　do。
　　　Just　makes　it　easier　for　me；　she　thought；　smiling　as　she　slipped　out。
　　　She　hurried　on　her　way。
　　　***
　　　
　　　The　audience　chamber　of　House　Melarn　was　pretty　much　as　Faeryl　expected　to　find　it。　Her　mother　was　seated　on　the　lofty　oversized　chair　atop　the　dais　at　the　front　of　the　room；　surrounded　by　her　advisors；　while　House　Zauvirr　soldiers　were　spread　inconspicuously　but　generously　throughout　the　chamber。　Faeryl　absently　wondered　how　her　mother　had　managed　to　usurp　control　of　the　audience　chamber　without　an　argument　from　the　House　Melarn　guards。　Whatever　lies　she　told　them　must　have　worked。
　　　〃There　you　are；〃　Ssipriina　said　impatiently。　〃e　here。　I　want　to　go　over　your　story　once　more　before　the　others　get　here。〃
　　　Faeryl　sighed　but　dutifully　approached　the　throne。
　　　〃Mother；　I　have　the　details　memorized。　I　think　I　can…〃
　　　〃You　will　go　over　them　with　me　and　continue　doing　it　until　Jam　convinced；　you　ungrateful　brat！　You　will　not　stop　until　then。〃
　　　Her　mother　looked　entirely　too　fortable　in　the　throne；　which　was　certainly　grander　than　anything　they　had　in　their　own　manor。　That　was　the　difference　between　a　merchant　House　and　a　truly　noble　House。
　　　Faeryl　longed　to　return　to　the　dungeons；　where　she　could　rule　over　her　charges　in　peace。　She　hated　having　to　attend　to　her　mother's　demands。　Where　Quenthel　was　concerned；　even　if　it　was　a　little　pond；　at　least　she　was　the　big　fish。　It　was　always　that　way。　At　the　storehouse；　when　she'd　orchestrated　the　transport　of　the　prisoners；　she　had　been　in　charge；　however　briefly。　Under　the　scrutiny　of　her　mother；　she　was　the　petulant　child　once　more。
　　　Faeryl　dreamed　of　holding　the　reins　of　power　someday；　but　being　the　fourth　daughter　in　her　House；　and　having　been　sent　to　Menzoberranzan　to　represent　House　Zauvirr　and　House　Melarn；　to　boot；　she　recognized　the　limitations　to　her　chance　to　rise　to　the　top。　Even　were　she　to　someday　sit　upon　the　throne　Ssipriina　Zauvirr　was　hoping　to　claim　through　her　orchestration　of　the　day's　events；　Faeryl　would　still　answer　to　others。
　　　〃Now；〃　Ssipriina　said；　ticking　off　points　one　by　one　on　her　hand；　〃you　were　forced　to　e　with　Quenthel　and　the　others。　You　notified　me　at　the　earliest　opportunity　what　House　Baenre　was　planning。　We　set　up　an　ambush　to　catch　them；　and　only　then　did　we　discover　that　Drisinil　was　in　on　it。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　Faeryl　responded　sullenly。
　　　〃Good。　When　the　matron　mothers　get　here；　stay　out　of　sight　until　I　call　for　you。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Mother。〃
　　　〃And　stop　that。　It's　childish　and　petulant。〃
　　　Faeryl　frowned；　but　she　clamped　her　mouth　shut。
　　　〃That's　b