The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[NPCs]

"But it is my place, my dear Lady," Dniss demurred. "As your Lord husband has made it so."

[Shiori]

"You are staff. I am of the family."

[NPCs]

"I am family as well," Dniss countered mildly. "Second cousin of the branch family but family nevertheless. And more, I speak with your lord husband's voice in his absence." His tone sharpened with that last, becoming a warning.

[Shiori]

"I understand." Her reply is meeker, more polite, more what is expected of her. 

[NPCs]

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jass just now turning the corner to catch up with them both. It was also clear, by his polite, respectful expression shaded with a hint of apology, that he hadn't heard what Dniss had been speaking on. By the same token, Dniss didn't seem to notice Jass yet either. "Good," the ifrit said, tone easing back to his norm. "Take today to rest, your new training will begin first thing tomorrow morning."

[Shiori]

"I just spoke with my husband," she snaps. "If he had new orders for me he would have given them."

[NPCs]

"Why would he bother himself to repeat them, as he had already told me?" His brow arched as he spoke, expression droll.

[Shiori]

"What are these so-called orders, then? To give you all my valuables?"

[NPCs]

"What valuables? All that you have is owned by the Tigers? No, you require certain skills and knowledge to be a proper wife to a... more active Tiger husband."

[Shiori]

"What skills, then?"

[NPCs]

By now Jass had realized that there was more going on than Dniss's frequent barbs and back-handed compliments. His approach slowed, much more care being given to not being noticed by the ifrit, and his face was less polite and more granite. 

"Decorum and diplomacy, to start," Dniss sneered, gaze sweeping over Shiori. "Unless you can be made... presentable to the circles you will then be moving in, there's little point in teaching you many other valuable skills."

[Shiori]

"And?" she asks, face still placid. Bitch, I already move in circles you can't even dream of. 

[NPCs]

"And other necessary things," he replied, clear dismissal in his voice. "Now. I have other duties, ones that are important," a pause where his eyes clearly mark her as unimportant, "so I can't tarry any longer. Come along." Point made, his feet resumed their pace on the jade and gold colored carpet. Three steps in, he snapped his fingers at her in a wordless- and insulting-- prompt to follow.

[Shiori]

She doesn't move, narrowing her eyes. That's no way to speak to the lady of the house. I refuse to be summoned like... like a dog! 

[NPCs]

Dniss slowed his pace by a half-step when he doesn't hear her footsteps. Without turning, he tosses a curt, "now."