war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第86部分

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The　ambassador　snatched　up　Mother's　Kiss；　which　had　been　lying　under　the　table　all　the　while。　She　sprang　up；　swung　the　basalt…headed　war　hammer　in　an　arc　and　balked　the　oning　Talindra　for　an　instant。
For　the　next　few　seconds；　the　two　nobles　battled；　neither　able　to　score；　then　Talindra　used　her　free　hand　to　clasp　a　round　medallion　pinned　to　her　bodice。　Red　light　shone　from　between　her　fingers。　
If　the　matron　had　the　capacity　to　throw　a　spell；　that　changed　the　notplexion　of　the　fight　considerably。　Faeryl　needed　to　end　it　quickly；　perhaps　before　the　first　magical　effect　manifested。　She　charged　her　opponent；　striknoting　at　her　head　in　an　all…out　attack。
It　was　a　reckless　move；　and　she　suffered　the　consequences。　The　knife　point　jabbed　painfully　into　her　ribs。　Luckily；　it　failed　to　penetrate　the　mail　she　wore　beneath　her　silken　gown。　Mother's　Kiss　slammed　into　the　Men…zoberranyr's　head　and　dashed　her　to　the　ground。　Her　hand　slipped　away　from　the　amulet；　and　the　glow　faded。
An　instant　later；　a　second　guard　burst　into　the　room。
〃We've　secured　them　all；　my　lady。〃
The　warrior　was　a　rugged…looking　male　with　a　chipped　incisor　and　a　broken　nose；　whom　she　had　on　occasion　summoned　to　her　bed。
〃Good；〃　Faeryl　replied。　〃How　many　did　you　have　to　kill？〃
〃Only　one；　but　we　could　slaughter　the　rest。　If　I　may　say　so；　it　seems　more　sensible　and　less　bother　than　tying　them　up。〃
〃It　does；　but　I　came　here　to　promote　good　relations　between　Menzoberranzan　and　Ched　Nasad。　Even　though　some　schemer　has　rendered　my　efforts　futile；　I　won't　exacerbate　the　situation　by　mitting　any　more　outrages　than　necessary。　You　soldiers　will　do　as　I　bade　you。　Strip　the　Ousstyls；　gag　them；　and　tie　them　up。〃
Talindra　groaned　and　groped　feebly　for　her　knife。　Impressed　that　the　matron　was　still　conscious　to　any　degree　at　all　after　the　blow　she'd　suffered；　Faeryl　kicked　the　blade　out　of　her　reach。
〃You　can't　do　this；〃　Talindra　croaked；　〃not　to　House　Ousstyl。　We　are　mighty　and　never　forget　at　affront。〃
Tense　as　she　was；　Faeryl　smiled。　The　matron's　arrogance　was　woefully　misplaced。　The　Ousstyls　were　so　insignificant　they　hadn't　even　known　the　ambassador　had　lost　the　good　will　of　Triel　Baenre。　Otherwise；　they　would　never　have　accepted　an　invitation　to　feast　with　such　a　pariah。
Faeryl　bashed　Talindra　again；　this　time　rendering　her　entirely　insensible；　then　she　roamed　through　the　castle；　exhorting　her　minions　to　make　haste。　Soon　all　were　wearing　the　clothing　of　the　Ousstyls。　For　the　first　time；　Faeryl　was　grateful　that　her　household　was　relatively　small。　Otherwise；　they　wouldn't　have　had　enough　pilfered　garments　to　go　around。
She　and　her　lieutenants　sported　the　finery　of　the　Ousstyl　dignitaries；　while　the　mon　soldiers　had　donned　piwafwi　s　and　mail；　and　carried　the　arms　of　Talindra's　bodyguards。
The　outlanders　stowed　provisions　beneath　their　mantles。　The　quantity　was　insufficient；　for　they　couldn't　conceal　all　that　much。　With　luck；　they'd　be　able　to　hunt　and　forage　on　the　trail。　They　headed　for　the　mansion's　ennotclosed　stable；　where　Talindra　had　left　her　driftdisc。
Faeryl　noticed　that　some　of　her　retainers　were　sweaty　and　wide…eyed。　Though　she　was　careful　not　to　show　it；　she　still　felt　just　as　apprehensive　hernotself。　Was　she　mad　to　flout　Triel　Baenre's　express　mand；　especially　when　she　and　her　subordinate　priestesses　had　virtually　no　magic　implements　left？
Well；　no。　It　would　be　lunacy　to　sit　on　her　rump　and　do　nothing；　knownoting　that　Triel　would　eventually　get　around　to　ordering　her　arrest。　Even　if　Faeryl　weren't　concerned　about　her　own　fate；　with　every　passing　hour　she　grew　more　anxious　to　learn　what　had　halted　all　traffic　from　Ched　Nasad；　and　not　just　because　the　trade　was　important　in　its　own　right。　Absurd　as　it　seemed；　she　couldn't　shake　the　irrational　fear　that　some　misfortune　had　befallen　the　City　of　Shimmering　Webs　itself。
She　had　to　know。　Any　great　event　affecting　Ched　Nasad　could　conceivnotably　injure　House　Zauvirr　and　diminish　her　own　status。　Moreover；　though　she　would　never　admit　it　to　another；　she　cared　about　her　homeland　for　its　own　sake。　Not；　she　assured　herself；　that　she　suffered　from　love；　loyalty；　or　any　other　soft；　un…drowlike　emotion。　Yet　Ched　Nasad　had　shaped　her　into　the　person　she　was。　It　was　a　part　of　her；　and　anything　that　harmed　the　city　would　trouble　her　as　well。
In　any　case；　having　assaulted　and　robbed　her　dinner　guests；　the　die　was　cast。
The　pack　and　riding　lizards　hissed　and　grunted　when　the　party　entered　the　stable。　Faeryl　dearly　wished　she　could　take　some　of　the　reptiles　with　her；　but　since　Talindra　hadn't　brought　any　such　beasts　along　with　her；　it　was　out　of　the　question。
The　matron's　driftdisc　was　a　round；　flat　stone　with　an　ivory　throne　fasnottened　on　top；　the　whole　floating　about　a　foot　above　the　floor。　The　device　glowed　with　a　soft　white　light　tinged　ever　so　faintly　with　green。
Since　it　was　Faeryl　who'd　appropriated　Talindra's　attire；　she　hopped　up　on　the　driftdisc；　sat　in　the　ornate　cushioned　chair；　and　mentally　notmanded　the　apparatus　to　levitate　up　to　the　proper　dignified　height。　She　endured　a　bad　moment　during　which　nothing　happened；　and　she　was　sure　the　Ousstyl　had　rig