F O U R (18 page)

would set the tone for the rest of the session. She waited for the herald to conclude feeling dominant and shrewd. Perhaps it

the ceremonials and the crowd to rise. Th

Jeggred looming reassuringly behind her throne, she men, still spattered with blood, and with otioned for Faeryl to step forward.

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C  h  a  p  t  e  r

S   I  X

Faeryl was pleased to be chosen first.  In retrospect, she thought the samewould have occurred even if she hadn't                  thing made sure of a position immediatelfront of the dais. The haughty Menzoberranyr  often feigned disinte    y in rest in their client city, but she knew they understood the importance of Ched Nasad.stately tread consonant with the dignity ofIt was hard not to hurry, but she forced herself to approach the throne with a her position, the stature of her House,and the grandeur of her homeland. It was also difficult to offer a second graceful obeisance without dropping her roll of maps, but she accomplished that as well.

"Ambassador," said Triel without any extraordinary warmth. Perhaps sheconsidered Faeryl's  presence inappropriate."Matron Mother

," Faeryl replied. Tall,  broad-shouldered and thick waisted by the standards of her slender race, she  would have dwarfed the Baenre had the two of them  been standing side by side.  "I know we sometimes mebut after tendays of deliberation I arrived at          et in private, me to confer with you at the earliest  opportunitya conclusion, one that compelled ."

"What conclusion?" Triel asked.preoccupied with her afShe still seemed unconcerned if not downright cold. Perhaps she was fliction.she'Faeryl had of course fallen prey to the same malaise, but to her own surprise, d discovered she was at least as worried about something else: the well-beinof House Zauvirr and the magnificent                  gfought its covert battles, and worked its magic.city in which it amassed its wealth,

"F"I keep track of the caravans arriving from Ched Nasad," the ambassador said. or the past six tendays,  none has.  None.  As the Matron Mother isaware, several major trade routes conver            undoubtedly ge in the City of Shimmering Webs, which then funnels the merchants on to Menzoberranzan. At least half the goods that reach your cavern come through us. Except that now, they aren'treaching you. The steady flow has dried up. Except in time of war, that'sunprecedented.""It's an odd coincidence, certainlydestinations, but I'm sure they'll decide to, all the merchant clansmen choosing other head for Menzoberranzan next trip, or

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the trip after that."

would have scowled. If she hadn'Faeryl had to make a conscious eft knowfort to compose her features. Otherwise she n better, she would have thought Triel

was being deliberately obtuse.

thousand thousand dangers haunt the Underdark, and the philosophers t"1 suspect it may be more than a coincidence," the ambassador said. "A ell usnew ones are spawning all the time. What if something has cut the r

oute

between Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad? What if it's killing ever

tries to pass through?"                      yone who

expectedly"More than one tunnel connects the cities," rumbled the draegloth un-whiff of the creature', and despite the perfume wafting through the air, Faeryl caught a

s  putrid breath. "Is that not so?"

"Exactly!" Triel reached back around the the half-fiend an approving pat on the leg. "Yedge of her golden chair and gave our theory doesn'

t

Ambassador."                          stand up,

Not for the first time, Faeryl wished  that Triel's mother was still leading House Baenre. The greedy

,  vicious old autocrat could be hard to contend with, butthough she would have cherished a draegloth as a mark of Lolth'

s

approval and delighted in the demidemon's gift for slaughter, she wouldn't have tolerated it speaking unbidden at a formal

have borne such disrespect from anyone else. conference, any more than she would " If  the threat consists of more than one

one manifestation of a phenomenon, it  could cut more than obeast," the emissary  said, "or more than ne passage ".T

r

"I hesitate to mention it," said Faeryl, iel shrugged. "If you say so."     "lest I be thought an alarmist, but it'seven possible that some misfortune  has befallen Ched Nasad itself."

"A misfortune so abrupt and all-encompassing that your folk  never even had a chance to dispatch a messenger to Menzoberranzan?" T

r

Even Golothaer                   iel replied. "Nonsense.

personally aware of several communiqués , home of our  ancestors, didn't perish in an hour. Besides, I am in only the past few days."        having reached here from Ched Nasad

"I have received some of  those sendings myself, Matron Mother

excuses suspicious at best. In any case,  the dearth of traffic from C, and find their hed  Nasad

task is my responsibilitywarrants investigation, and as my city's representative in."                 Menzoberranzan, the "No one has charged you with it."

"Then I take it upon myself. Yet I'm reluctant to venture across the Underdark with merely my own little entourage for protection. T

raders guard  their caravans

very  well.  Anything that  could destroy all  those  merchant trai

a quick end to me, too, in which cas         ns would likely put Menzoberranzan would know no more ae, Matron Mother, the priestesses of

borders than they do now. Accordingly  bout the new menace beyond their , I ask you to provide  me with a sizable escort. I'll march it to Ched  Nasad and back again and

the way "                     see what befalls me along ."You have an enterprising nature," said T

r

Menzoberranzan can't  spare any troops. Not  at this time. Our forces are eiel "It does you credit. Alas, ngaged

in training exercises."Faeryl fancied she knew the real reason the Baenre was at present reluct

ant to

sense on its own terms, but surely it mustdivest herself of any portion of her military strength. Her caution made perfect yield to the gravity  of  the  envoy's

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concerns!

"Matron Mother, if trade with Ched

Menzoberranzan will find themselves  bereft of countless amenities.Nasad does not resume, the people of Some of

your craftsmen will lack the raw materials they need for their work. Your own merchant clans will endeavor to send  caravans to my city

, and those expeditions will probably not return."

"I imagine some clever male will import the same goods via a different route if he can reap a profit thereby "

.

Faeryl was beginning to feel as if she were mired in some lunatic dream."Matron, you can'

t  be serious. Ched Nasad is the single greatest source of

wealth your people possess."Demons of the W

eb, it was in fact half again as populous as Menzoberranzan

itself. The two realms had long been  equals, and it was only a comparativelyrecent happenstance that had reduced  the once independent Ci

ty of

Shimmering WeT      bs to vassalage.

riel spread her dainty, obsidian hands in a gesture of helpless resignation and

said, "Wealth that is as much ours when  stored in our trading costers in ChedNasad as in our own vaults here."

Faeryl didn't know what else to say. No arcapable of piercing T            gument, however cogent, seemed

riel's shield  of bland, almost mocking complacency.

"Very well," the ambassador said through  gritted teeth, struggling to keep a

grip on her temper.purse, but perhaps I can hire some of "If I must, I'll manathe sell swords of Bregan D'aerthe."ge without your help. It will exhaust my

Triel smiled. "No, my dear, that won't be necessary."

"I don't understand."

"I cannot give you leave to depart so  precipitously. Who then would speak