蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第63章

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That　was　about　as　much　as　the　envoy　could　see　while　roped　naked　to　a　molded　calcite　post。
She　was　hungry；　thirsty；　and　sore　from　standing　for　hours　in　one　position。　Her　bonds　chafed　her；　and　her　head　ached。　However；　she　had　yet　to　endure　one　of　the　genuine　agonies　this　stuffy　cellar　provided；　and　she　thought　she　knew　why。　Some　messenger　had　instructed　the　torturers　to　wait　for　Triel　to　arrive　before　mencing　the　festivities。
Faeryl　had　already　attempted　to　converse　with　the　little　male　and　her　jailers　and　failed　to　elicit　a　response　from　either。　She　had　nothing　else　to　do　but　struggle　to　govern　her　thoughts。　She　didn't　want　to　imagine　all　the　things　the　Baenre　might　do　to　her；　but　she　herself　had　presided　over　enough　excruciations　that　it　was　difficult　not　to　envision　the　possibilities。　She　didn't　want　to　dwell　on　the　massacre　of　her　followers；　either；　but　the　memories　kept　welling　up　inside　her。
Surrounded　and　outnumbered；　the　daughters　and　sons　of　Ched　Nasad　had　perished　one　by　one。　As　Faeryl　watched　the　slaughter；　her　eyes　ached　with　the　tears　she　refused　to　shed。　Naturally；　she　didn't　〃love〃　her　minions；　but　she　was　used　to　them；　even　fond　of　a　few；　and　she　knew　that　without　a　retinue　she　was　nothing；　just　a　fallen　priestess　in　a　land　of　enemies；　bereft　of　goddess　and　home　alike。
Then　the　small　male　confronted　her　and　used　his　magic　to　confound　her　and　knock　her　out。　She　woke　tied　to　the　stone　stake。
A　door　creaked；　and　voices　murmured。　Faeryl's　instincts　warned　her　that　Triel　had　e　at　last。　The　ambassador　closed　her　eyes；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　let　it　out　slowly；　posing　herself。　She　wouldn't　show　fear。　Dignity　was　all　she　had　left—for　a　little　while　longer　anyway；　until　her　captors　lashed　and　burned　it　out　of　her。
Sure　enough；　Triel　and　her　draegloth　son　emerged　from　the　doorway　that　apparently　led　to　more　salubrious　precincts　of　the　Great　Mound。　The　Baenre　matron　was　smiling。　Fangs　bared　in　a　grin；　Jeggred　bounded　along　on　his　caprine　legs。
The　little　male　rose　and　offered　obeisance。
〃Valas；〃　said　Triel。　〃Well　done。　Did　the　Zauvirr　give　you　any　trouble？〃
〃They　tried　to　sneak　away　in　disguise；〃　the　male　replied。　〃It　almost　fooled　the　lookout；　but　once　he　figured　out　what　was　what；　everything　went　as　planned。〃
The　Baenre　proffered　a　fat　pouch　that　looked　too　big　and　heavy　for　her　tiny　hand。
〃I'll　send　word　when　I　need　Bregan　D'aerthe　again；〃　she　said。
Valas　took　the　pouch；　then　bowed　low。　He　withdrew；　and　Triel　and　her　monstrous　son　turned　toward　the　prisoner。
〃Good　evening；　Matron；〃　Faeryl　said；　〃or　is　it　morning　now？〃
Fighting　hands　outstretched；　talons　at　the　ready；　jaws　agape；　Jeggred　lunged　at　the　prisoner。　Despite　herself；　Faeryl　flinched。　Both　the　claws　and　the　pointed　teeth　stopped　less　than　an　inch　from　her　flesh。　The　draegloth　loomed　over　her；　pressing　close；　almost　seeming　to　embrace　her　like　a　lover。　He　ran　a　pointed　nail　across　her　cheek；　then　lifted　it　to　his　bestial　muzzle。　He　sucked；　and　a　bit　of　warm；　viscous　drool；　mixed；　perhaps；　with　a　trace　of　her　blood；　dripped　onto　her　forehead。
〃Have　a　care；〃　the　ambassador　said　with　as　much　nonchalance　as　she　could　muster。　〃If　your　son　kills　me　quickly；　won't　that　spoil　the　fun？〃
Jeggred　made　a　low；　grinding　sound。　Faeryl　couldn't　tell　if　he　was　growling　or　laughing。
Triel　said；　〃You　underestimate　him。　True；　I've　watched　him　butcher　eight　prisoners　in　as　many　seconds；　but　I've　also　seen　him　spend　days　picking　one　little　faerie　child　apart　a　mote　of　flesh　at　a　time。　It　depends　on　his　humor；　and；　needless　to　say；　my　instructions。〃
〃Of　course；〃　Faeryl　said。　The　shallow　gash　in　her　cheek　began　to　sting。　Jeggred　traced　the　edges　of　her　lips　with　his　claw；　not　quite　cutting；　not　yet。　〃I　hope　the　traitor　whelp　appreciated　the　honor。〃
〃It　was　hard　to　tell；〃　she　said。　〃What　about　you？　Will　you　savor　it？〃
〃Alas；　Exalted　Mother；〃　Faeryl　said；　〃your　daughter　can　take　no　pleasure　in　an　honor　she　didn't　earn。〃
Still　stroking　the　prisoner's　features　with　the　claw；　Jeggred　lifted　one　of　the　smaller　hands　that；　save　for　their　dusting　of　fine　hair；　looked　no　different　than　those　of　an　ordinary　dark　elf。　He　caught　hold　of　Faeryl's　ear　and　twisted　it；　and　she　gasped　at　the　brutal　stab　of　pain。　When　he　finally　let　go；　the　an　kept　on　throbbing　and　ringing。　She　wondered　if　the　draegloth　had　inflicted　permanent　damage；　though　it　really　didn't　matter。　In　the　hours　to　e；　deafness　would　be　the　least　of　her　problems。
〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　deny　your　guilt；〃　sighed　the　dainty　little　Baenre　matriarch。　〃I　always　find　that　dull。〃
〃Even　when　it's　true？〃　Faeryl　felt　a　fresh　cut　bleeding　under　her　eye。　Apparently；　when　Jeggred　had　abused　her　ear；　she'd　bucked　against　his　claw。
〃Don't　be　tiresome；〃　Triel　said。　〃You　were　fleeing；　and　that　confirms　your　guilt。〃
〃All　it　confirms　is　my　certainty　that　someone　has　poisoned　your　mind　against　me；〃　Faeryl　retorted。　Jeggred　caught　hold　of　a　lock　of　her　hair　and　gave　it　a　vicious　tug。　〃My　aversion　to　being　condemned　unjustly。〃
〃Did　you　think　to　escape　by　running　back　to　Ched　Nasad？〃　Triel　asked。　〃My　word　is　law　there；　too。〃
〃How　do　you　know？〃　Faeryl　asked。
Jeggred　slapped　her　with　one　of　his　enormous　fighting　hands；　bashing　her　head　sideways。　For　a　moment；　the　shock　froze　her　mind。　When　her　senses　returned；　she　tasted　blood　in　her　mouth。
The　draegloth　crouched；　placing　his　bestial　face　directly　in　front　of　her　own；　and　growled；　〃Respect　the　chosen　of　Lolth。〃
〃I　mean　no　disrespect；〃　Faeryl　said。　〃I'm　just　saying　that　for　all　we　know；　anything　could　be　happening　in　Ched　Nasad。　Cloakers　could　have　overrun　the　city；　or　it　may　have　drowned　in　tides　of　lava。　I　doubt　it；　I　pray　not；　but　we　don't　know。　We　need　to　find　out；　and　that's　why　I　was　sneaking　away。　Not　to　betray　the　weakness　of　Menzoberranzan's　clergy　to　some　enemy　or　other。　Mother　of　Lusts；　it's　my　weakness　too　To　gather　intelligence；　to　reestablish　munication—〃
〃I　told　you　I　have　been　in　munication　with　Ched　Nasad；〃　Triel　said。
〃To　reestablish　trustworthy　munication　。。。〃　Faeryl　persisted；　〃to　make　myself　useful　and　so　demonstrate　I'm　your　loyal　vassal；　never　a　traitor。〃
Triel　made　a　spitting　sound；　then　said；　〃My　loyal　servants　obey　me。〃
Faeryl　wanted　to　weep；　not　from　fear；　though　she　was　experiencing　plenty　of　that；　but　from　sheer　frustration。　Jeggred　ran　his　claw　along　her　carotid　artery。
〃Matron；〃　the　Zauvirr　said；　〃I　beg　you。　Let　me　confront　the　person　who　traduced　me。　Give　me　that　one　chance　to　prove　my　fidelity。　Is　it　so　hard　to　imagine　someone　telling　you　a　lie？　Don't　your　courtiers　slander　one　another　all　the　time　as　a　means　of　vying　for　your　favor？　Is　it　impossible　that　someone　or　something　in　Ched　Nasad　is　lying　to　you　even　now—telling　you　all　is　well　while　days；　then　tendays；　then　months　go　by　without　a　single　caravan？〃
Triel　hesitated；　and　Faeryl　felt　a　thrill　of　hope。　Then　the　ruler　of　Menzoberranzan　said；　〃You're　the　liar；　and　it　will　do　you　no　good。　If　you　want　me　to　show　any　mercy　at　all；　tell　me　whose　creature　you　are。　The　svirfneblin？　The　aboleths？　Another　drow　city？〃
〃I　serve　only　you；　Sacred　Mother。〃
Faeryl　said　the　words　without　hope；　for　she　saw　that　she　would　never　convince　the　Baenre　of　her　innocence。　It　was　too　hard　for　Triel　to　measure　up　to　her　predecessor；　too　hard　to　rule　in　these　desperate　times；　too　hard　to　make　decisions。　She　wasn't　about　to　rethink　one　of　the　few　she'd　managed　to　squeeze　out；　no　matter　how　foolish　it　was。
Jeggred　slapped　Faeryl　and　kept　on　slapping　until　she　lost　count　of　the　blows。　Finally　time　seemed　to　skip　somehow；　and　he　wasn't　hitting　her　anymore。　Why　should　he　bother？　He'd　already　battered　all　the　strength　out　of　her。　She　would　have　fallen　if　not　for　the　ropes　holding　her　up。　A　broken　tooth　had　lodged　under　her　tongue；　and　it　was　all　she　could　do　just　to　spit　it　out。
〃I　told　you；〃　the　draegloth　snarled；　〃respect”
〃I　am　respectful；〃　Faeryl　wheezed。　〃That's　why　I　give　the　truth　even　when　it　might　be　easier　to　lie。〃
Triel　peered　up　at　her　son　and　said；　〃Princess　Zauvirr　will　not　distract　you　from　your　duties。〃
Jeggred　inclined　his　head。　〃No；　Mother。〃
〃But　at　such　times　as　I　do　not　require　you；〃　the　matron　continued；　〃you　may　use　the　spy　as　you　see　fit。　If　she　tells　you　anything　of　interest；　pass　it　along；　but　the　po