The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Does it matter? I lost. It was a black mark on my record."

[NPCs]

"It does."

[Coquette Blacquin]

She sighs, glancing aside. "There was a young lady, of course. It always comes down to such things when one is young and the blood is hot. She was taken, and I failed to retrieve her. I spent years trying to atone for that failure."

[NPCs]

Something strong but obscure flickers in the Matriarch's eyes as she takes a delicate sip of her wine. "I see. What was her name?" she asks quietly.

[Coquette Blacquin]

There's a flash of something in her eyes, as she hesitates, warring within herself. Clearly some part of her wants to withhold the name, to keep it silent and precious in her memories. Another part knows the Matriarch will have the name one way or another. And so, after hesitating a few moments, she quietly, reverently, says, "Mel. Melissa Smith."

[NPCs]

"Thank you," is the very unexpected reply. Then even more... "Would you like to claim her? As Familia," she clarifies. "Sister or lover to yourself, to be recorded as one of our own."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"What would that mean?" 

[NPCs]

Feythal nods approvingly and sips her wine again. "Given her fate? Little in practical terms, I'll admit. She would be remembered, for as many generations as our Familia persists. The prayers, rites and ceremonies honoring our dead would henceforth include her, though likely not by name unless she had some deed or accomplishment worthy of being singled out." She shrugs slightly, the gesture small and elegant. "So faith and sentiment, I suppose."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I will think on the matter," Noire says, not wanting to give offense but not wanting to argue with Cindy right now. "Where was I? Ah, yes, I was sent to Alyssa." Here she gives broad strokes as to the second half of her story: the wedding, the husbands, the children. She leaves out the story about the horse, leaves out most of her affair with Iron Bull, but leaves in other small acts of cruelty. She leaves in the part where she was forbidden to have sex with other women, but her wife -- whom she never names -- felt free to cheat. She leaves on how she was the lesser wife, never allowed freedom or decisions.

"And then, finally, she poisoned me. Attempted to kill me. I know not why. I suppose she grew tired of me. We didn't understand that I was pregnant until we fled, so she surely did not mean to kill her third daughter, only myself. I suppose two daughters was enough, for her."

[NPCs]

"Varisia was never a stable girl," Feythal murmurs, eyes cold and distant, her thought clearly far away. She doesn't place any special emphasis on the name, or does she flinch at it being voiced. "Ambitious, driven, gifted, even dedicated. She was a very skilled fighter, had a quick mind, and between wit and cunning, was able to navigate political conflicts even if her lack of empathy made her merely tolerable at social ones. But she could never grasp even the edges of what must compel a Matriarch; we are not people. We must not have pride, ambition or dreams. We are the Familia. She never understand that, never understood loyalty or sacrifice." Her lips curls in a show of scorn. "And her reaction to being denied, at being slapped down for overreaching, was more than proof that she would never be worthy of guiding our Familia."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"She is petty, and cruel, and unstable. I can handle all of that. But I cannot tolerate the harm to my children that my death would bring."

[NPCs]

"Children," Feythal murmurs softly, running a finger along the rim of her glass. "Yes, you've mentioned them before; tell me about my great-grandchildren. Daughters, might I hope?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Two daughters; Primera is an Aasimar and Segunda is a Tiefling. They are my husband's lineage, the tiefling and aasimar I mentioned. They are wonderful girls. Primera is very adventurous, very smart and very exuberant. Segunda is more timid, more willing to hide behind her sister."

[NPCs]

"Teifling and aasimar?" Feythal repeats, a slight hint of a smile showing. "Not drow, admittedly, but worthy blood nevertheless. Long-lived and inherently magical. Do you know the lineage of the fathers? Their divine blood, of course." A beat. "Unless... is their mortal side drow by any chance?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I do not believe so, they do not take after us in that way. They appear human-like. I believe they share a human parent."