The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"And so you will give me to a gnomish wife. That is... fair. I understand my place."

[NPCs]

"Is that upsetting? It is a delicate dance, and one unsuited for a partner with hesitations."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"You must understand, I do not often think of myself as merikos. I think of myself as Drow. It is an adjustment to recall that I am not as valuable to you as I would consider myself. That is all. I have no problem with gnomes. Your Claudia and I are becoming... something like friends."

[NPCs]

That gets a mild frown. "That is a facet of your self-image I would suggest you correct, quickly. Many in the Enclave would take such as an insult." Her expression shifting back to mild neutrality, she adds, "but it is good and well that you value yourself highly. One should always place a higher price on oneself than others give you; if you do not, then either you failed to hold back a hidden dagger or you've surrounded yourself with sycophants."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Yes, Grandmother."

[NPCs]

"That bothers you," Feythal says promptingly. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

Of course it does. I'm no less Drow than you are, and the shadows love me. "Yes, Grandmother. But I will strive to cure this fault."

[NPCs]

"Fault? I find no fault in ambition, merely in hubris," she replies mildly. "Your blood leaves you at a disadvantage here. Prove yourself despite that and show them all what it was that they sneered at." She smiles then, a savage, ruthless smile that has more threat and effortless power than Varisia had ever managed, even at her worst. "Such is very nearly a family legacy after all."

[Coquette Blacquin]

coquette bows low, curtseying deeply. "Thank you, Grandmother."

[NPCs]

"But enough of that for now. Eat, and tell me about my great-granddaughters."

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette settles herself again, telling stories as they partake of brunch for quite some time. 

[Zevran]

Almost two hours after departing, Coquette finally finds herself quietly slipping back into her assigned suite. It had been a pleasant time, all in all, but taxing as she laboured to ensure it stayed pleasant. Maybe she's just better at hiding it, but while Feythal feels far more dangerous than Varisia, she also comes off as far more stable. Cold, ruthlessly practical and arrogant, but stable. Unfortuately for Coquette, given that she's like little more than to be able to relax, the merikos drow instantly becomes aware of a conversation taking place in her suite. 

"Fascinating," a familiar and beloved voice says brightly, though she knows Zevran well enough by now to pick up the underlining fatigue he's hiding. "I will freely confess that I know little about drow culture and even less about how it has been adapted for the surface."

"Yes, aside from the obvious influence from the gnomes, we've adopted a fair bit from Nyra and Raplin's Oak," a female voice replies. Not Claudia; elegant, confident, drow accent, young and pleasant. "For instance, we've been moving from a dependence on divine magic towards embracing arcane. If nothing else, it invoked far less dispute over who we should declare as our patron deity as a people."

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cedric, taking over as Noire fades back to rest, slips into the shadow,s opening and closing the door without seeming to. Let's assess this situation before it goes much further. 

[Zevran]

"As a people?" Zevran prompts.

"Mmmh. Historically, if you follow me, our people worshipped a single deity, particular goddess whom we do not name nor speak of but rarely, no matter how indirectly. Despite cutting ties with that one, we are still most comfortable with the idea of worshipping the same deity. But..."

"You cannot settle on whom to select."

"Quite so."

As the two speak, Cedric edges over to the doorway to get a look at what's going on. Zevran is sitting in the same spot as he'd been when he left, but is now upright. He's still bundled in the blanket, but only up to his waist, and he's holding a lightly steaming mug of something or other. Across from him and mostly hidden by the angle, is a beautiful drow female. One Cedric has seen before, if only the once: Estelle Emerison, granddaughter of the Matriarch and wife to Claudia.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Is this woman troubling you, husband?" asks Cedric once he is very close behind Estelle. Almost looming, one might say.