07. Treachery within the House by Rylyrr

<> Rylyrr knew what he faced upon his return as well, a public flogging if he didn’t surrender Vonagh to the bitch, Yas’anon. He would endure the punishment, it was his choice forced upon him by Zebeyriia after Yas’anon demanded justice. Zebey had left it up to him, stating that if he accepted the punishment, she herself would declare Vonagh off limits to everyone.

Shivering, he wrapped his arms around himself tightly. <>

Rylyrr inclined his head at the truth, he was only returning so that Zebey didn’t grow suspicious.

Vonagh walked beside Rylyrr through the streets of Olath Xal, stopping finally when the Citadel walls came within view. He sighed deeply, feeling full of dread at the moment and unsure of the cause. He felt this way when the two of them first met, and now it crept through his mind again. Mismatched eyes lifted to Rylyrr’s hard profile. He knew Rylyrr had to return, but did he? Could he stay in his home? Was there anyplace safe now?

Sensitive as he was to Vonagh the older drow paused, a rare look of concern appeared on his ruthless face then vanished. “Nau, all will be fine. Just a few more days.” He kept his voice low then switched to communicating with his mind. <> Rylyrr knew that the punishment would be hard for Vonagh to watch but he also knew that the young drow had survived this long and that spoke volumes in the hostile enviroment of the Underdark. Glancing at his hand he pulled off his House ring and pressed it into Vonagh’s palm.

Vonagh took the ring and nodded while sliding it into his pocket.

<> He gave Vonagh the command word and instructed him how to navigate his way through the passages back to the city proper. The ring was Rylyrr’s last defense, above all else he wanted his young lover safe.

Vonagh nodded again. His hand rose up to the harsh planes of Rylyrr’s face and he lightly caressed the older drow’s cheek fondly before Rylyrr boldly took his elbow and propelled him towards the gates of the First House.

Hatred burned within Rylyrr that his visions could be deemed any less worthy than a woman’s but Zebey was working her own angles. He knew that Vonagh was the key to his mother reclaiming the House. He also knew that Vonagh was important on another level, it would take the artist at least a year to finish remodeling the citadel, there was something sacred that wove through the young drow’s work. And then there was the ultimate goal of claiming Vonagh as his chosen slave when the time came. It would be a high honor.

Rylyrr had little doubt that guards were watching for him and now that he’d come this far he was impatient to get the humiliation over with.

Holding his arm tight, Vonagh walked beside Rylyrr into the inner courtyard, there his steps slowed. Glancing to the left then to the right, he noticed numerous guards standing around. One high-ranking soldier named Carsada stepped forth, “Hold Elderboy!” He raised up a hand toward Rylyrr’s face and moved to block the tall drow’s path.

Something wasn’t right, his instincts told him but Rylyrr kept all expression off his face. Brought to a stop his cold eyes held Carsada’s. “On whose authority do you stop me?”

Carsada hissed, “On the authority of Second Priestess Yas’anon. You are to be held here.”

Vonagh noticed the arrival of two illithid when the nightmarish creatures slipped into the courtyard, tentacles writhed but their hands were jammed up the sleeves of their robes. His heartbeat started to fill his ears, this didn’t look good to him. Worry really set in when a scantily clad woman stepped out of one of the dark alcoves, her hand draped lazily over one of the elaborate pillars that he’d created. She could only be a priestess dressed the way she was and he’d not seen her before. A smug smile played over her dark lips. If he wasn’t so scared Vonagh would have appreciated how long her limbs were, how flawless her skin looked in the bluish light of the courtyard, the curve of her sculpted cheek.

Inclining his head, Rylyrr’s long platinum hair slid down over the spider emblazoned on the front of his armor. He was going to thoroughly enjoy slurping Yas’anon’s brain one day. “Very well. Inform my mother of my arrival. Now.” That Yas’anon was going to deliver the blows was a whole other humiliation, he’d assumed that Zebeyriia would do the honors herself.

Long curly hair flowed back behind Yas’anon like a train. “Oh, my dear Rylyrr, your mother knows. She always knows. Now, come along with me. There has been a change of plans.”

Rylyrr ‘s unblinking gaze settled upon Yas’anon’s breasts barely covered by the see-through strips of silk. One illithid vanished back down a hall, sent away by a thought from the Elderboy. “I think we will wait for the Matron. Does anyone here object?” He raised his voice but not his unblinking eyes. “Matron Mother ordered this, I will wait for her.”

Yas’anon nodded to the guard, who drew his blade. “I am here under her orders. The guards all know this.” Her smug smile grow bolder as did the look she gave him, letting her teal gaze slide down then back up Rylyrr’s lean form, slowly she licked her painted lips suggestively.

Vonagh stepped up closer to Rylyrr, unsure. Rylyrr had said not to resist, but he seemed to be resisting.

He felt Vonagh move closer to him, could taste the young man’s uncertainty. Rylyrr needed Zebey here, Yas’anon wanted more than the bite of her whip into his flesh, this he understood. His smile was faint and promised of nightmares to come. “Then it will not be a problem when she confirms this. She will be here shortly.” He hoped. He would not allow this pleasure-seeking bitch to lay one hand on his Vonagh.

Yas’anon again nodded to the guards who moved to surround the Elderboy and the artist. She began a chant, a whisper of poison and sleep to make Rylyrr’s resistance drift away. She ended it with, “I suggest it is time to sleep.”

Rylyrr sneered, “I suggest you go back to the seminary.” Feeling the tingle in his mind from the priestess’s failed spell Rylyrr thought to strike back, one hand shot to the side to push Vonagh out of danger but Yas’anon hissed and motioned with her hand. The creek of hand crossbows sounded in the courtyard stayed Rylyrr’s other hand that was reaching for his sword. Caught off guard Vonagh stumbled to the side but didn’t fall, he counted ten weapons leveled at Rylyrr, each seeping with black poison. His breath quivered in and out of his chest.

Yas’anon looked serene, “You will come one way or the other, Elderboy.”

Rethinking things quickly, Rylyrr spoke, his tone bored, “Really Yas’anon, your show of force is unneeded. Unless you are hiding something?” He was stalling and everyone knew it. Right now everything was focused on him and he banked on any moment Zebeyriia in the guise of his mother would come through an archway. Acting rashly could get Vonagh killed.

Yas’anon had grown tired of the game, his disobedience was a liability she would correct. She motioned to the archers and they fired upon Rylyrr, the artist was not a threat in her mind.

Rylyrr felt bolts pierce into his body from all directions and he knew instantly that Zebeyriia had a hand in this, the poison targeted his unique abilities, crippling his mind and limbs immediately. With a resounding CRACK! the Paladin of Lloth fell forward to the ground, his nose shattering on impact.

Sun, Jan 26th – 10:12PM

Treachery within Qu’Ellar Tagnik’zur Xal
zebeyriia

“Rylyrr!” Von’s cry filled the courtyard, sounding just when twilight snatched away the bluish light that filled the enclosure heralding the arrival of the Matron. The Matron’s strange aura cast the space into a shadowy landscape. “You fucking bastards!! Leave us alone!

A moment later the Matron stepped into the courtyard, unblinking reptilian eyes focused on the fallen paladin. She inclined her head. “Son, you will learn your place the hard way.” Her voice was a whisper, emotionless but the gleam in her slit eyes held the signature of triumph.

Vonagh reached into his pot at his side and withdrew a paintbrush, it sparkled and shimmered brightly and sent out a cover of faerie fire over everyone ahead of him, outlining individuals in magical splendor. Rough hands seized his wrist and yanked his arm behind him then Carsada attempted to wrestle Vonagh to the ground.

Zebeyriia had more important things to deal with, her brother would now learn a valuable lesson or die during the process, either way she cared little so long as threat he presented was nullified. She turned and retreated back down the corridor.

The illithid that had requested her appearance on behalf of Rylyrr wisely stepped aside. The sheen of slime on its mauve skin glowed eerily in the magical violet light, it turned to face the other mindflayer standing across the courtyard. A hurried and silent conversation took place then both illithid disappeared.

Icy fury at Zebey’s betrayal washed over him, he couldn’t move and quickly found out when he tried to strike at his sister mentally that his mind was locked in. He couldn’t even feel Vonagh’s presence any longer and his sight was filled with the pattern on the stone tile his forehead rested on. Blood, his blood, created a pool around his head. Rylyrr heard Vonagh yelp when he was first shoved to the ground then lifted up by two guards.

Magic crackled and another guard cried out in pain from a spell Vonagh managed to fire off before a blow delivered by Carsada sent the young artist’s senses reeling. Rylyrr could hear the sound of someone’s head impacting a stone wall.

Yas’anon slinked forward and ran one of her well-manicured hands over Rylyrr’s strong jaw after guards lifted him to his feet. “Us.. how charming your pet is. We’ll soon change all this.”

Glaring balefully at the priestess Rylyrr struggled to remain conscious but the potent drugs in his system pulled him under.

Sun, Jan 26th – 11:00PM

Treachery within Qu’Ellar Tagnik’zur Xal
yasanon

((OOC note: This post contains suggestions of violence, rape, and homosexual relationships. If any of those things make you queasy, don’t read it! You have been warned.))

Yas’anon ran her hand up her damaged throat. She could already feel the swollen tissue and knew it was turning a fierce black Blood tainted her mouth, her hair was in a wild distress, and a jagged gash on her cheek burned like fire. Not only that, but what was supposed to be glorious fun had resulted in her being in a particularly foul mood. Even as her annoyance deepened, the swirling lights of the illusionary scrying pool softly illuminated her face. Shadows of varying depths danced across her chiseled drow features, suggesting but never confirming the horrors that she viewed.

Rylyrr’s deep voice broke her out of reverie. “Yas’anon.” He sounded worried. Her teal eyes shifted over his prone form. He had been secured soundly with metal chains a rack this time. Drying blood slicked his shoulders and legs. He had lost enough that the Elderboy would have died if not for the intervention of the priestesses that sought to torture him.

“Forgive me.” He forced out. It was a pitiful attempt at redemption, but the effort brought the dark cleric’s wandering attention back to his face. Desperation touched his voice, but his eyes were defiant as ever. Even now as his lover was being raped and tortured, he wrapped himself in an overconfident demeanor. No, she had been mistaken; he would not learn his place anytime soon. Her voice was distantly calm, “It is not up to me to grant you forgiveness. I’m just a vessel that our Dark Queen has chosen to use. You must be strengthened and in turn our House will be as well.”

She returned her gaze to the pool of horror before her. Rylyrr was to be gifted by a view the offering, but he had attacked and nearly succeeded in killing her. So now he would have to let his imagination tell him what was being done to his lover. Yas’anon had left explicit instructions as to what must be done to the street rat. The array of disembowelment was created to be the most heart wrenching to the pitifully weak Elderboy. The targets were all the areas that Rylyrr must cherish for one reason or another. Each would be systematically severed from the young artist’s body then offered up as a sacrifice to Lolth. It started with a scalping of that mop of hair, and then a gouging of those mismatched eyes, followed up with scouring of that soft, dark skin. As the assault continued, more private areas were ruined, and then inner organs removed. There was a reason she had chosen the half-ogre twins to do this job. They were brutal and mindlessly loyal. And expendable.

This was not just a sacrifice; this was a crime of passion. Rylyrr had killed her lover Zzah. It could have been considered part of the courting ritual, and that was how Yas took it: removal of the competition. But then Ry had the audacity to find a male lover from the slums. Not only that, but he seemed to genuinely care for this bit of street trash. Well, that would change. Caring was weakness.

Rylyrr felt empty, betrayed by his House and family and most importantly, Lolth. He was starting to question his visions and the strength of his mother. But he was not about to give up yet. Desperation tinted his tone, “Then hear what I have to say. I serve the Matron and the House. Release Von before it is too late for both of you. Send the others from the room, what I have to say is only for your ears.”

Yas’anon couldn’t help but laugh, “You think I am a fool too? Not after all that
you just pulled.” How dare he try to command her. She turned to one of the priestesses, “Now the rest of the ceremony.”

Hopeless, Rylyrr hissed, “Wael! How could you not have seen what has been going on
right under your nose?!”

The cleric sauntered over to the restrained paladin and slid her well-manicured hand between his legs. She spoke softly with a wicked grin on her painted lips, “Perhaps I know.”

Rylyrr hissed in pain, his back arching uncontrollably at the intense feeling of liquid fire that wracked his body. Through clinched teeth he snarled, “Your choice – is noted.”

Yas’anon shrugged one shoulder indifferently and stepped away from her victim. “Changes occur, Priestesses that adapt, survive. Chaos is our way of life.”

The priestess off to the right chimed in, “It is complete.”

Yas closed the distance between herself and her fellow cleric. Fingers wrapped around a small glass decanter filled with a black fluid. She held it up so the light from the coals could expose to the paladin all its wicked glory. It was liquid pain, something the priestesses of Lolth were experts in extracting. The foul ooze was used as a catalyst, increasing the power of spells and also as a debilitating poison. One drink would drain all strength and will to live from the pour soul that consumed it. The vile secretion was pure raw agony in liquid form.

Rylyrr ‘s slanted eyes landed on the vessel. A cold fury mingled with dread shot through him as recognition dawned. His eyes widened in surprise. “Vonagh? Vonagh! NAU!” The unexpected appearance of that vial and the conclusion his mind reached shredded his composure.

The woman returned to Rylyrr’s side. Uncorking the decanter, she tipped it and let one thick dark drop fall from the lip of the vessel down to the paladin’s mouth.

The single drop stunned the paladin to his soul. This he never expected, anticipated or prepared for. He didn’t know the extent of the lie, that all this time Vonagh was being tortured. On top of that, he led the poor artist right into their murderous clutches because he was assured his lover would not be harmed. Pain-filled, dark topaz eyes closed as the numbness deepened. In a moment like this, he would have thought that fury would erupt through him. But he felt nothing. HIS Vonagh… gone…

Yas’anon inhaled deeply at his silence. She did indeed feel the closeness of her Goddess; the powerful tingles that trickled through her body were nothing short of euphoria. It was intoxicating, like great sex. Teal eyes traveled down the prone male’s body and for a moment she considered consummating the relationship. But she did not have the Matron’s permission to bed the Elderboy. Exhilarated, she noticed the glistening bloodstains that covered his dark body only seemed to make him even more magnificent, radiant and hard. She could see every inch of his exposed body, in particular the tight muscles of his abdomen and well sculpted thighs. Even though he was not pureblood, a relationship would come next. She knew it was true because she always got what she wanted. Her dark tongue peeked out to lick over her bright red lips as she gleefully anticipated the day.

Yas’anon clutched the prized vial to her breast and she offered up thanks to Lolth for the opportunity to be a vessel for her most cherished word. As an after thought, she hoped Rylyrr was not too stupid to understand the gift he had been given this day. “Leave him here for an hour, let him reflect upon what he has been taught then let him go,” she commanded the guard as she left the chamber.

The paladin was still reeling from the effects of what had just happened. He was cut off from reality, buried deep inside himself and images that played over and over in his mind. He memorized every cut of the blade, every stitch sewn, every thrust of the rapist’s pelvis. Faces presented themselves like an artist’s sketchbook, each one emblazoned on his spirit. These were features he would never forget, every detail of the cavernous room is filed away, every blemish on the dark skin of those responsible. The drow were a dark and vile race that would pay for the atrocity committed today. Rylyrr’s dear sister would be the first, Yas’anon the last, everyone else in between. To rid the world of drow would never dull the hatred and fury left behind from the slaughter of his Vonagh.

Sun, Jan 26th – 11:16PM

Treachery within Qu’Ellar Tagnik’zur Xal
rylyrr

The guard’s eyes narrowed when the priestesses all sauntered from the chamber, looking every bit like they just had outstanding sex. Wonderful, he was left with the chore of freeing the Elderboy. He wondered if Yasanon did this on purpose, she had to have left him here because of some grudge. It was as good as if she had left him in the room with a hungry pit demon.

Shifting uneasily, Carsada stood there for what felt like an eternity but in reality was about half the time he’d been instructed to. Nervousness had him clearing his throat, all the Matron’s son had done was clench and unclench his hands into fists since the priestesses left, if it weren’t for that movement, Carsada would have sworn that the Elderboy had succumbed to fatigue and lost consciousness. He waited until those unnerving eyes finally opened. “I know where he was taken, and will tell you if you don’t kill me when I release you.”

The words slowly pulled Rylyrr out of his world of impotent pain and fury, he focused on the man and merely inclined his head.

Carsada wasn’t sure if that was a yes or not, but regardless he drew his blade and slowly walked over to the rack of keys on the wall.

“Get my gear.” Rylyrr ‘s voice came out controlled, low and cold.

The drow guard selected the right key and then scanned the room for the Elderboy’s belongings. It was all piled up on a table near the back. He gathered it piece by piece and placed it all on a nearby rack.

Watching the guard’s every move like a predator tracking the movements of its prey, Rylyrr figured that someone was watching them now. Cursing silently he knew he needed the headband removed before anything else. Never before had he been locked inside himself for so long. The magical device favored by the drow priestesses of his house worked as affectively as the poison from the bolts Rylyrr had been hit with in the courtyard.

Carsada hesitated with the key by the cuff of the arm shackle. This was a gamble, but not much of one. His life was possibly forfeit now no matter what. Either the Elderboy killed him to take out his anger on someone, or Yasanon killed him for letting him go early. He unlocked the holy warrior’s wrist while holding his breath.

The emotions that played over the guard’s features were so vivid that Rylyrr knew what he was thinking without being able to read the man’s thoughts. The man was fucked and he knew it. Rylyrr waited patiently when internally he wanted to rip the man’s heart out for the time he was wasting by sampling his own fear. But even that was denied him, he couldn’t shift forms, not with that band in place.

Finished, the drow guard stepped back and frowned at the silver band tightly encircling the Elderboys’s head, he had no way of removing it. A command word was required, and he was not given it.

Rylyrr knew instantly what the look meant and further cursed Yas’anon while he sat up and rubbed feeling back into his numb hands. Remnants of the torture twisted through various parts of his body, shafts of pain skewered his most intimate areas. He swung his legs off the table, his movements stiff but not from injury, no the priestesses had healed those but from a mind still trying to fully grasp what had happened and his part in the death of his lover. That the Elderboy of the First House of Olath Xal had been subjected to this ultimate betrayal and humiliation was in insult that would not be endured. “Find me a cloak” Rylyrr ‘s feet hit the floor, his body a latticework of fresh scars. It took him a moment to find his balance and determine that his legs would carry him to the water barrel.

The guard nodded and left the Elderboy’s side to go through the items of past tenants of the torture chamber called the Re-Education Room by those of Qu’Ellar Tagnik’zur Xal. Eventually he located upon a brown cloak while Rylyrr cleaned himself meticulously then dressed. All the while Vonagh’s nightmare bled through his mind, filling him with the terror and agony his young lover experienced before his life was forfeited, sacrificed to the goddess Rylyrr had served his entire life faithfully.

Carsada kept his eyes focused on the crushed mu’whump on the floor, the scene involving the vile insect kept replaying in his mind while the Elderboy tried to scrub the violation from himself. He blinked, trying to dispel the disturbing memory then cleared his throat, a flush darkening his face. “I am Carsada, Elderboy.” Hearing his own name seemed to calm him. “He was taken to the southern mines, there are a pair of half ogres there. I recognized them from the imagery, it could be no other. Twins, half drow and quite willing to do whatever they are commanded to do.”

Rylyrr stepped towards Carsada to take the cloak then tossed it over his shoulders and pulled the hood up. He moved closer to Carsada, closing the gap between them. His fingers became a flurry of slight movements, hidden from prying items and spells by the gaping material of the cloak. In the silent language of the drow Rylyrr told him,

With that the holy warrior of Lloth turned and left the room then the House. There was only one place he could go, his long strides quickly navigated the dangerous streets of Olath Xal. His destination, Szin’s Pleasures.

Mon, Jan 27th – 4:18AM