Imorvir shook his head. "I won't let that happen. Not to my child. Not to mine. I'm a different Patron..." He pleaded but in his heart...he knew...and it sank. "I...All I want is the child, Z'tan. I want her...so bad."

Jaska grinned back at his father's smirk, and laughed a little. He seemed to have totally recovered from the earlier traumas. "You give good advice, that's why!" He told Barek with a nod and another laugh.

-----------
Z'tan heard and felt the pain in Imorvir's words easily enough, and his sad eyes softened. Just cherish them while you can. Narya... seems well enough now, and she could remain so for some time. But things always happen to set her off again and... we'll see what happens then. Perhaps I have perceived her wrongly in this matter- she does care for you, that much is certain if you are still hanging around.The last sentence his voice gave a wry twist of humor, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

When Zebyvyll came in, Z'tan turned his head towards her. Where have you been? He asked with a bit of fatherly worry. What was it with his children getting into bad situations? I sent Rakesh to get you a while ago...

Barek smirked and shook his head. "Glad to hear that. " He said with amusement. "Coming from a child who just met me a few weeks ago." He looked at Jaska with humor in his eyes.
----
Zebyvyll remained where she was as Z'tan turned his attention to her. At his worry she cringed as if suddenly sick. "It doesn't matter..." She said with surprising reserve. A pale hand went up and pulled her shirt back over her shoulder. Her red eyes stared at the air above his head. "I'm here now."

Imorvir looked to Zeb and studied her. She was just a child...
He closed his eyes and walked past her, slipping out of the room. His heart ached from those words, and all he wanted was to get back to Narya.

Jaska stuck out his tongue rebelliously when Barek teased him. "Well, since then, you've given good advice. And the spiders like you." He added with another nod.
---

Z'tan let out a rattling sigh when Imorvir escaped, before turning his attention back on Zebyvyll, his expression clearly dissatisfied with her answer, but he let it go. She was right. At least she had come back. Are you okay? He coaxed cautiously.

Barek shrugged again. "Well I'd hope that'd be the case. I'm trying my best to have you turn out completely opposite from your mom and I." He said with humor but also completely serious about the fact. "As for the spiders...I guess that's good too. It's always good to be on everyone's good side."
---
Zebyvyll walked further into the room and sat down on the edge of Z'tan's bed, still not looking at him. "It doesn't matter." She said again and rubbed her white, toned arm. "What matters is if you are okay. I made sure to hold back as much as I could...but you still got hurt..."

Jaska tilted his head a bit, listening to Barek. "Why can't I be like you?" He asked quizzically. Obviously, he didn't want to be like his mom, who was evil. But Barek didn't seem bad at all! Oh sure, he was a little grumpy sometimes, but so had been Uncle Cor, and mother occasionally, so he figured that was normal enough. "You're kind of like mom. S'lar, I mean. I guess. You don't just say stuff to me to make me feel better. You tell the truth." He explained.

He smiled and laughed a little again at Barek's comment about the spiders. "They don't like a lotta people. They just ignored mom most of the time, but they hated Uncle Cor." He giggled, "They used to try to get into his bed and shoes and stuff to freak him out."
------

I am fine. Z'tan comforted softly. He could tell she was upset a little, but couldn't see that she wasn't looking at him. He was at the moment, literally blind as Rakesh was nowhere nearby.

I promise you this is nothing. It didn't hurt so much- I don't have that many undamaged nerves left anywhere. He added dryly, which was true enough. Pain felt less sharp to him than it used to. He figured it had to due with his aging body coupled with the abuse that he suffered. Only his joints seemed to get stiff on his bad days.

Narya meanwhile, was looking out from the balcony in her quarters. It overlooks much of the city, and from there she could see out into the darkness beyond the high walls which surrounded what she considered to be her city. Or in all but title. The First House still hung grimly on to its post, and for now, Narya was content to wait until it weakened, or she grew stronger.

But thoughts of power were far from her mind right now, other than what had been practiced today. She wondered if she hadn't overstepped some boundary that had always been unspoken and simply understood. She had never punished Z'tan before, or at least not in the sense of beating him. It usually involved keeping him away from her for a few weeks while she could cool her temper towards him. But then again, usually Z'tan didn't keep such irritating, brash people around.

She gave a frustrated sigh. For a moment, her features twisted into a snarl, and her fingertips dug into the intricate stone railing, scratching thin grooves into the surface. he had deserved it! Nobody had the right to speak to her that way! She was the ruler here, not him! She couldn't afford such softness towards Z'tan any longer- it would make others think she was weak. She hated being weak.

Barek laughed a little. "Trust me, you don't want to be like me. Someone who is so desensitized to the world and the people in it that sometimes I am merely a walking shell. No. I want you to be you, Jaska. You'll be different than any of us. You'll be caring and understanding, genuine and honest. It's the reason I didn't keep you, why I gave you to S'lar. I want you to have a different life than what I would have had to give you if you stayed."

He shook his head and pushed his legs off the bed. "I think the food's ready."
---
Zebyvyll watched Z'tan quietly, believing every word he said. It didn't make it any better though. "It doesn't matter. I hurt you. Even though I know I had to...it doesn't make the morals of it any nicer." She paused and played with some of her hair.

"I won't do it again, Z'tan. Even if she threatens to kill me, I won't betray you. I will only do what you ask, no one else." She said with furious determination. "You're the closest thing I've had to a parent...no one will take that away from me."

Imorvir walked up behind Narya and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands carressing her plump stomach. He kissed her ear. "You alright d'ante?" He asked softly, keeping his feelings about Z'tan to himself. He didn't want to put stress on his Matron what so ever. He could pratically feel it pulsing off of her. He pondered what Z'tan had said. His warning of Narya...
He couldn't wrap his head around it. His child and himself would be fine. They loved eachother right? As much as a drow could.
Right?

Jaska looked doubtfully at his father. He didn't seem emotionless... But he shrugged and followed the man out, scrambling off the bed in a hurry so he could catch up and walk next to him. In the absence of Tarzt, he had naturally chosen to cling to Barek now instead.
-------

Z'tan listened to Zebyvyll, and finally sighed. With any luck, that won't happen again. It's hard to tell, but I knew the Matron was not... at ease with what happened. She often makes choices without thinking about the consequences. It is likely she will give us a task that takes us away from the main House for a bit, while she collects herself. He sat up slowly. His scarred, battered hand found his foster daughter's with a slight squeeze. Just don't forget you're my child too, He said softly, I wouldn't want to see you hurt. I'd rather take the punishment if that is what has to happen. Don't forget that. A slightly stern tone entered his voice towards the end, but the usual kindness was still strongly present.

Narya flinched a bit, startled by Imorvir's approach... she hadn't even heard him come in. She relaxed quickly though, all traces of her earlier agitation gone as she closed her eyes. "I'll be fine." She answered brusquely, "Are you?" Her ember colored eyes opened again. They seemed a shade darker than they had been before, another step closer to red, "That couldn't have been easy for you to watch."

Barek glanced behind him when Jaska followed after him into the kitchen. Kailyn was bent over a large wooden bowl tossing a salad together with the concentration of a neurosurgeon. Barek watched him with a bemused expression and took a seat at the table. Kailyn either took no notice or didn't even know anyone had entered.

Finally Barek coughed and Kailyn yelled out and swung his hand wildly, thinking there was an intruder. His wide blue eyes steadied onto Barek and visible relief swept over him. "Why did you that?!" He yelled, voice wavering.

"Do what?" Barek mumbled. "Cough? My throat itched..."

"You scared me!" Kailyn exclaimed as he picked up the large forks from the counter. "You can't just come in and scare me like that!"

"Calm down. I wasn't trying to scare anyone. Hurry up and finish. We're hungry." He said without a hint of anger or frustration. He was merely stating the facts. Kailyn sighed heavily and put the salad bowl down on the table along with three empty bowls.
---
Zebyvyll rung her hands together as Z'tan spoke. Her red eyes were moist and her shoulders were rigid. "I know..." She whispered quietly. "But...I haven't been honest with you..." Pausing she swallowed and looked back over to him. "And you deserve the truth..."

Imorvir nodded slowly and rested his head down beside her cheek. He closed his eyes as well and inhaled deeply. "I'm fine." He whispered. "Z'tan had it coming...so did Zebyvyll." He reassured her. "For the better."

Jaska looked over at Kailyn as he concentrated on the salad. Jaska didn't remember making a salad being that hard. Maybe it was a special salad?... or maybe that was just Kailyn's way of doing things.

He giggled a bit as Kailyn flailed about at Barek's cough. When Kailyn put the bowls down he managed to get them under control by biting his lip a bit, though a smile still obviously showed through.
------------

The only emotion Z'tan expressed towards Zebyvyll's words was concern. His brows furrowed, Are you alright? He wished he could see! What is it? What's wrong? He didn't seem to care whether or not she had told him truth, or outright lies. He was used to the secrecy that was inherent of Drow culture.

Narya's eyes showed a bit of relief when Imorvir seemed alright with what had happened. She brought a slender hand up to caress the side of the patron's face, and finally stop, the backs of her fingers just resting on his skin.

"Mostly the child," She assented mildly, then gave a snort of amusement, "I used to be like that," The Matron said, her tone caught somewhere between derisive and wistful, "Lloth forbid I follow rules, or have any sense at all, regardless of my cost to others." She smiled and turned her head a bit so she could see him from the corner of her eye, "Good thing I got myself straightened out, hm?"

Barek quietly ate the salad as Kailyn went back and grabbed some sandwiches. He returned and placed them down before taking a seat and stabbing some lettuce with his fork. The only sound was that of the three chewing and picking food up.

Finally Kailyn looked up and over to Barek. "Is it okay if I leave for a bit?" He said in a reserved voice.

Barek looked at him curiously, as if wondering what sort of authority he had to tell this boy otherwise. "Um. Personally I think it better if you stayed with me. Ramuek isn't here...so I'd feel better knowing you were safe." He said over a mouth of sandwich. Kailyn appeared let down and pushed at some lettuce. "Why?"

"Oh...I just...ya know...wanted to get out of the house for a bit." He said in a rush and quickly shoved more food into his mouth.

"You tired of us?" Barek asked in a fake accusatory voice. "Well...as long as you take Algeah with you...maybe it's okay."
---
Zebyvyll looked down at her knees. "I'm here for a reason. The person who...owns me...he sent me here to watch." She said quietly, absently placing a hand on her side. "To watch Narya...to watch you..." She sighed a little and closed her eyes. "He told me that if there comes a time when Narya is dead...to kill her. If I had to choose between ending your life or ending her's...to end her's." She looked back at Z'tan, hoping he'd put the pieces together without her having to disobey orders and give her master's identity away herself.

Imorvir smiled softly and nodded, carressing her stomach absently, drunk off paternal pride. "You're a wonderful ruler. Great and powerful. Zeb is a fool not to see this."