The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Shiori]

"No, no, I am accursed. The fates have always spurned my pleas. I do my best to be a dutiful wife and daughter, but..."

[NPCs]

"You could have a service at the memorial garden," another woman from a nearby table suddenly called over, tears pooling in her own eyes. "We- my family-- doesn't allow the actual temple or sacred sites to be used for our lesser kindred, but we do offer services in the gardens."

Voice very low, Emi supplied, "Lonna of the Owls, low ranked but main branch."

[Shiori]

"Oh, thank you, thank you so much -- I'm certain she would have loved the gardens. She was such a carefree bird. So kind, and so full of life..."

[NPCs]

"I had a ceremony for my sweet girl last season," Lonna's companion chimed in. "Sweet, sweet, Little Miss Tribbles, second of her name. Oh, it wasn't the same, I can't even image what you're going through! Little Miss Tribbles lived out her four handfuls of years, long enough to see her great-grandkittens frolic with the butterflies..."

[Shiori]

"No, I am certain your grief was so much larger having known her for so much longer. But you are also that much more blessed, to have had her company."

[NPCs]

The woman's eyes filled, then overflowed. "Oh she was! She was such a blessing. I can't imagine-- oh, I can't even bear the thought of what my life would have been if she had been taken from me so very, very, early."

Lonna nodded firmly, eyes no less wet but much hotter. "He should be flogged, that so-called servant of yours. Flogged and set adrift in the middle of the lake for She of Slumbers to judge."

[Shiori]

"If only I had the authority to do so! But he is my husband's servant, not the household's, and so there is naught I can do but weep."

[NPCs]

"Still..." Emi said hesitantly. "Such behavior is... entirely unacceptable." Something about her gaze gave Shiori a strong impression that she, at least, hadn't overlooked the lines about Dniss demanding things he aught never have dared to demand. "It cannot be born."

[Shiori]

"Perhaps if I were to throw myself at the mercy of my betters in House Towa, they would have pity on my poor unfortunate self? What else can I do, as a young woman, as a branch family member?"

[NPCs]

"Well, we could just kill him," Manu offered brightly, getting wide-eyed stares from the two other ladies and a well-worn sigh from Emi. "Death is very effective at stopping mortals from doing things."

[Shiori]

"I would be thrown into prison for life," sighs Shiori. "But if you could get away with it..."

[NPCs]

Manu didn't even get out a single sound before Emi has grabbed her by the head and pushed her under her arm. "We'll come up with a better idea, yes!"

[Shiori]

"Thank you, my dear friends," says Shiori, and real tears well up behind the false ones. It's good to be... cared for again.

[NPCs]

Driven by drama and love of cute animals, Lonna's friend rose to her feet and lunged forward to wrap her arms around Shiori. She started to outright bawl, making her words hard to understand, but Shiori does make out snippets containing words like 'friends,' 'pets,' 'cute,' and hateful.'

Emi, half to her feet as well, hovered awkwardly for a moment before just settling for patting Shiori's hand. "We'll solve this," she promised.

[Shiori]

Shiori freezes briefly -- random hugs! -- but thaws quickly. 

And so, the next day, they gather in the gardens to lay to rest an urn with ashes. They're wood ash; the servants had thrown away the uneaten pet. But nobody has to know that. The urn is small, meant for a child or a pet, and painted with herons in a lovely pattern.