Dancing Report
Mar. 17th, 2026 11:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jajalalaLife's busy etc BUT I've been getting back into various forms of dancing recently. I did a proper East Coast/Lindy Hop swing dance class or two in the last year or so (once as a follow, then as a lead), but I've made a vow this year to actually go out to a social dance at least once a month, and so far these past three months I've been successful!
West Coast Swing Dance
( West Coast Swing Dance )
TL;DR: I tried some West Coast, it didn't click, but may try again in the future.
Lindy Hop
( Lindy Hop )
TL;DR: I'm vibing, getting back into it, and trying to get stronger at leading!
Burlesque
( Burlesque )
TL;DR: Wahoo sexy dance! Reconnecting with my inner theater kid.
West Coast Swing Dance
( West Coast Swing Dance )
TL;DR: I tried some West Coast, it didn't click, but may try again in the future.
Lindy Hop
( Lindy Hop )
TL;DR: I'm vibing, getting back into it, and trying to get stronger at leading!
Burlesque
( Burlesque )
TL;DR: Wahoo sexy dance! Reconnecting with my inner theater kid.
10trueloves: broken
Mar. 17th, 2026 06:00 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Not Alone (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Justice League (Franchise)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: J'onn J'onnz & Dinah Lance
Characters: J'onn J'onzz, Dinah Lance
Additional Tags: +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, Triple Drabble
Summary:
The next time J'onn woke, it was no longer Bruce with him, but Dinah. He closed his eyes once more, strangely loathe to have her be the one to see him this reduced.
He knew he would be just as bad with Arthur.
There was an unspoken bond between the three of them, the last of the five original that had faced the Appellaxian warriors, leading to the formation of the Justice League in its original incarnation. For one of them to be reduced nearly to destruction —
"You mean like when Arthur's entire world was brought down around his ears and we nearly lost him to grief-madness? Or when I got myself stupidly caught and died at least twice on the hospital table?"
He had to open his eyes, chagrin among his emotions as he realized the telepathic connection had not been shielded at all. She moved from the chair and got up in the recovery bed with him, careful of the tech monitoring his status.
"You were upset that neither of us reached out, that we locked you out of being able to help us then. And we got the point. We three, we have each other, among the many we've brought in since then.
"Let me in, and Arthur as soon as he gets free, so we can help you recover."
J'onn didn't trust his mind or his voice to express any of what he was feeling, but she reacted, bringing a hand up along one angular cheek as she settled her head on his shoulder.
"You're not broken. You had to make a very harsh, hateful call against a man you shared a genetic pattern with. And you did so at great cost to yourself.
"But you will heal. And we are with you the whole way."
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Justice League (Franchise)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: J'onn J'onnz & Dinah Lance
Characters: J'onn J'onzz, Dinah Lance
Additional Tags: +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, Triple Drabble
Summary:
After everything with the White Martians and his brother, Dinah is there
Not Alone
The next time J'onn woke, it was no longer Bruce with him, but Dinah. He closed his eyes once more, strangely loathe to have her be the one to see him this reduced.
He knew he would be just as bad with Arthur.
There was an unspoken bond between the three of them, the last of the five original that had faced the Appellaxian warriors, leading to the formation of the Justice League in its original incarnation. For one of them to be reduced nearly to destruction —
"You mean like when Arthur's entire world was brought down around his ears and we nearly lost him to grief-madness? Or when I got myself stupidly caught and died at least twice on the hospital table?"
He had to open his eyes, chagrin among his emotions as he realized the telepathic connection had not been shielded at all. She moved from the chair and got up in the recovery bed with him, careful of the tech monitoring his status.
"You were upset that neither of us reached out, that we locked you out of being able to help us then. And we got the point. We three, we have each other, among the many we've brought in since then.
"Let me in, and Arthur as soon as he gets free, so we can help you recover."
J'onn didn't trust his mind or his voice to express any of what he was feeling, but she reacted, bringing a hand up along one angular cheek as she settled her head on his shoulder.
"You're not broken. You had to make a very harsh, hateful call against a man you shared a genetic pattern with. And you did so at great cost to yourself.
"But you will heal. And we are with you the whole way."
10trueloves: overprotective
Mar. 16th, 2026 08:25 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Reasons (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) [2020]
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dinah Lance ~ Renee Montoya
Characters: Dinah Lance, Renee Montoya
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Canon Typical Violence, Complicated Relationships
Summary:
"What the fuck was that?"
Renee looked at the singer turned vigilante and didn't have a great answer for her, Dinah just knew, seeing it in the woman's fading fear — for Dinah — and the drop of her eyes.
"Got a little nervy is all," she decided to say. "Cop reflexes, all that."
Dinah's eyes went narrow, before she sucked in a breath and spun away, unleashing the full Cry on the alley, stopping the gang advance, pinning several with trash bins and debris from the sheer force of it.
Her gaze flicked to the rapist-murderer laying there, dead from a single shot through his forehead.
"Let's get outta here." She stalked off, knowing good and damn well no one would look too close into the death, that Renee wouldn't pay the price for the killing —
— but Dinah would have rather never have been the reason Renee squeezed off the round.
Renee followed; Dinah hadn't told her not to, and they really needed to hash this out without Harley or the kid or anyone else butting in.
"You held your mom's death against me for years."
The quiet words, spoken three blocks over, threw cold water on Dinah's temper.
"I don't. Not now. She… she made choices too."
"Yeah, but… I knew what those choices cost you, and I hate it. I can't… you… I need you to make it out of this shit alive."
Dinah took a breath, then another, before she put a hand on Renee's forearm. "Goes both ways, now. I need you to keep breathing, kicking ass with me, and make it count when we finally decide we can walk away.
"Not for mom. For me."
"Yeah, I get that. I'm going to try harder to remember you make your own choices, but it's hard."
"Always is."
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) [2020]
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dinah Lance ~ Renee Montoya
Characters: Dinah Lance, Renee Montoya
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Canon Typical Violence, Complicated Relationships
Summary:
Dinah can't handle being the reason... but can see why.
Reasons
"What the fuck was that?"
Renee looked at the singer turned vigilante and didn't have a great answer for her, Dinah just knew, seeing it in the woman's fading fear — for Dinah — and the drop of her eyes.
"Got a little nervy is all," she decided to say. "Cop reflexes, all that."
Dinah's eyes went narrow, before she sucked in a breath and spun away, unleashing the full Cry on the alley, stopping the gang advance, pinning several with trash bins and debris from the sheer force of it.
Her gaze flicked to the rapist-murderer laying there, dead from a single shot through his forehead.
"Let's get outta here." She stalked off, knowing good and damn well no one would look too close into the death, that Renee wouldn't pay the price for the killing —
— but Dinah would have rather never have been the reason Renee squeezed off the round.
Renee followed; Dinah hadn't told her not to, and they really needed to hash this out without Harley or the kid or anyone else butting in.
"You held your mom's death against me for years."
The quiet words, spoken three blocks over, threw cold water on Dinah's temper.
"I don't. Not now. She… she made choices too."
"Yeah, but… I knew what those choices cost you, and I hate it. I can't… you… I need you to make it out of this shit alive."
Dinah took a breath, then another, before she put a hand on Renee's forearm. "Goes both ways, now. I need you to keep breathing, kicking ass with me, and make it count when we finally decide we can walk away.
"Not for mom. For me."
"Yeah, I get that. I'm going to try harder to remember you make your own choices, but it's hard."
"Always is."
Day log: 15/03
Mar. 16th, 2026 06:41 amvalzhangLook, it counts even if it's past midnight alright? Today was a busy day. Caesar was killed on this day today, and then I was born! (Lots of things happened between those two things, but don't worry about it.)
I went to the library near the market but like an absolute idiot, I forgot my wallet. I got by paying with my phone but my bonus card and library card were in there... I couldn't buy the good flavours of ice cream that were on sale at the grocery store because of that, and I also couldn't borrow Ernest Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms' despite having started it. And I'm enjoying it so far actually, I just need to... go back and keep reading it.
I ate an awesome chocolate cake. There weren't any candles or balloons or anything, but it was a pretty sweet treat for my birthday. I admit the wallet fiasco put a damper on my mood but overall, things could have been worse. As far as days go this one's pretty idyllic.
Well, it's impossible not to feel a little melancholic about being away from home, right? I keep waiting for this birthday to feel like a birthday. I miss home.
Maybe I'm ungrateful. I had so much fun and got cool gifts. But for some reason...
It's okay, I had a good day today.
I went to the library near the market but like an absolute idiot, I forgot my wallet. I got by paying with my phone but my bonus card and library card were in there... I couldn't buy the good flavours of ice cream that were on sale at the grocery store because of that, and I also couldn't borrow Ernest Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms' despite having started it. And I'm enjoying it so far actually, I just need to... go back and keep reading it.
I ate an awesome chocolate cake. There weren't any candles or balloons or anything, but it was a pretty sweet treat for my birthday. I admit the wallet fiasco put a damper on my mood but overall, things could have been worse. As far as days go this one's pretty idyllic.
Well, it's impossible not to feel a little melancholic about being away from home, right? I keep waiting for this birthday to feel like a birthday. I miss home.
Maybe I'm ungrateful. I had so much fun and got cool gifts. But for some reason...
It's okay, I had a good day today.
Fic: body on the tracks — Russia/America (5)
Mar. 16th, 2026 06:31 amvalzhangbody on the tracks
Fandom: Hetalia
Ship: Russia/America
Characters: Russia, America, Lithuania, Sweden, Hungary, Denmark, Austria
Word count: 10,313
✧ Chapter summary: Not all good things have to come to an end.
✧ Notes: IT'S FINALLY DONE!!! Even though I had so many doubts and insecurities writing this fic, and I still do now in fact, I'm proud of it. I hope the readers enjoy the ending because I'm nervous about whether it's satisfying, whether the themes I'm going for are conveyed clearly through the writing. I suppose we'll see. If I don't get any comments by tomorrow I'll be taking a long walk off a short pier!
Read on Ao3!
Fandom: Hetalia
Ship: Russia/America
Characters: Russia, America, Lithuania, Sweden, Hungary, Denmark, Austria
Word count: 10,313
✧ Chapter summary: Not all good things have to come to an end.
✧ Notes: IT'S FINALLY DONE!!! Even though I had so many doubts and insecurities writing this fic, and I still do now in fact, I'm proud of it. I hope the readers enjoy the ending because I'm nervous about whether it's satisfying, whether the themes I'm going for are conveyed clearly through the writing. I suppose we'll see. If I don't get any comments by tomorrow I'll be taking a long walk off a short pier!
Read on Ao3!
10trueloves: accident
Mar. 14th, 2026 10:07 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Sound of Crashing (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DC Comics (General)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lian Harper & Dinah Lance
Characters: Dinah Lance, Lian Harper
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Slice of Life, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis
Summary:
The moment she heard the crash, Dinah was on her feet and moving, uncaring what had been broken as long as it wasn't that little girl who had stolen her heart. She skidded into the kitchen before Lian had made her escape from the counter, the drawers askew to let Dinah know how the girl had gotten up there on it. She was beside the refrigerator, from which the ceramic cookie jar in the shape of a coyote had tumbled to the floor.
The cookie jar was not salvageable. Lian's face was a picture of contriteness, and Dinah just moved to get her down.
"You sit on right here, Dart," Dinah said, depositing her on the kitchen table which was at least lower than the counter. "Until I get the pieces swept up, the floor is lava and you don't have firefighter boots!"
"Didn't mean to break Mąʼii."
"I know, sweetie. And you did a lot of problem solving to figure out how to get it while I was on the phone. But next time, you should ask, and I can help." Dinah found the broom and a bucket, picking up the larger pieces before sweeping up the rest of the debris. She's need to get a box or a large jug to put the shards in, but for now, she just wanted it off the floor.
"Okay, so I need to find a new cookie jar, and we're going to need new cookies," Dinah said. "Ready to go shopping?"
"Yes!"
Dinah reached for the girl, picking her up and settling her on a hip, even if Lian was a little big for that, especially for her shortness. She hugged Lian tight, glad nothing had been hurt on her.
"You do have to tell your daddy you're sorry."
"Will do!"
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DC Comics (General)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lian Harper & Dinah Lance
Characters: Dinah Lance, Lian Harper
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Slice of Life, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis
Summary:
Dinah is babysitting...
Sound of Crashing
The moment she heard the crash, Dinah was on her feet and moving, uncaring what had been broken as long as it wasn't that little girl who had stolen her heart. She skidded into the kitchen before Lian had made her escape from the counter, the drawers askew to let Dinah know how the girl had gotten up there on it. She was beside the refrigerator, from which the ceramic cookie jar in the shape of a coyote had tumbled to the floor.
The cookie jar was not salvageable. Lian's face was a picture of contriteness, and Dinah just moved to get her down.
"You sit on right here, Dart," Dinah said, depositing her on the kitchen table which was at least lower than the counter. "Until I get the pieces swept up, the floor is lava and you don't have firefighter boots!"
"Didn't mean to break Mąʼii."
"I know, sweetie. And you did a lot of problem solving to figure out how to get it while I was on the phone. But next time, you should ask, and I can help." Dinah found the broom and a bucket, picking up the larger pieces before sweeping up the rest of the debris. She's need to get a box or a large jug to put the shards in, but for now, she just wanted it off the floor.
"Okay, so I need to find a new cookie jar, and we're going to need new cookies," Dinah said. "Ready to go shopping?"
"Yes!"
Dinah reached for the girl, picking her up and settling her on a hip, even if Lian was a little big for that, especially for her shortness. She hugged Lian tight, glad nothing had been hurt on her.
"You do have to tell your daddy you're sorry."
"Will do!"
Divining Destiny: Chapters 4 and 5
Mar. 9th, 2026 07:28 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Divining Destiny (11814 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Vierna Do'Urden, Zaknafein Do'Urden, Drizzt Do'Urden, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Violence, Fratricide, Murder, flashfic, Cross-Posted from Archive Of Our Own (AO3), Time Travel
Summary:
Eilistraee rested in the meadow, laying on Her back, listening to the night and Her sparring partner as he got his own breathing back under control. She almost wished to keep him here, to have his company where it was safer for Her to exist, but he was mortal, and deserved a chance to truly live free.
"Father manipulated time in setting you back to save the Lore Keeper," She admitted, once She was cooler and he seemed calm.
"I decided that had to have happened given His surety in the circumstances. I know it is one avenue of magic, considered among the riskiest."
"It's only a few decades, but time has to resettle… and I mean to offer you a chance to be part of that resettling, Drizzt." Eilistraee let Her fingertips touch his. "Like it or not, when She touched your life string at birth, with My Brother touching your sister's so young, it has put you closer to Destiny than many mortals can bear.
"Would you like to use that to protect other drow like you, to be there for My Chosen as a protector?"
Drizzt considered, letting the night sounds take over around them, and then turned his head to look at Her. "I would be with ones like me, to keep learning, and helping them survive in a world that fears and hates us?
"I can do this, as it will let me continue forming as who I wish to be in something closer to safety rather than wandering with only Guen."
"And possibly Szann from time to time," She said, eyes dancing with the mirth of how besotted the cath sidhe was with Her young friend. He did not pray to her; he prayed to none, so far. But She continued to hope that in time he would be willing to ask boons of Her, to further his ability to help others.
"I think I can handle having visits from a fey cat," he agreed to that, smiling brightly. "Yes, Eilistraee. Choose the point for me, and let me go be of aid to others. I have seen enough here to believe that You do truly mean nothing but aid to those like me."
Despite that most of Her fellow deities would be stung by the continued doubting and measuring against a mortal's — a child at best! — ideas of right and wrong, Eilistraee was touched by being allowed that much belief from him.
"I have those calling to Me," She said as She reluctantly stood. "But I will see to it soon, Drizzt. Enjoy the night."
"I shall."
The small group of drow that traveled at present with Qilué Veladorn were some of her most adept, fiercest priestesses and fighters. An impression of being watched ghosted over their senses for several nights, but in a world that would rather see them dead, that was not so unusual.
What was, just after the sun had cleared the horizon and they were considering rest, was the appearance of a lone drow male.
Inside their sentry line.
That he was not close enough to harm a single person was the only saving grace in their eyes, as a full alert went through all of them.
"Peace," the lone male said, using the variant of that word they had made for themselves in their language that knew it not at all. "I seek the First Sister, to offer my arms and service for a time."
"What makes you think you have the right?"
"I claim no right," he said back to the one who had spoken, one of the priestesses. "But I have skills I am willing to offer… and showed by evading your sentries. I have a willingness to learn more, as I have only learned the elven language, and I am told there is one called 'Common' I should know.
"Most of all, I wish to learn the surface as it calls to me in my heart, as the Dark Maiden calls to you."
"Is he touched by madness?" one of the fighters asked then, before the First Sister rose from her pallet, towering over all of those with her, and came forward.
"No. He is touched by our Lady Herself… and another?" As she spoke, she approached the male with no fear.
He inclined his head slightly to her. "A deal was made to remove me from the Underdark, between She and Her Twin. In divining why neither of Them could truly perceive me, She invited Her Father to look into matters.
"So I no doubt bear at least some of His touch, given my armor, pack, and weapons were gifts from Him to perform a task with."
"Truth," the first cleric said, both grudgingly and with some trepidation. Even though the First Sister regularly dealt with Eilistraee, and some human goddess, none of them knew of one who had been touched by an elven god not their Lady.
"So I know," the First Sister said, smiling as she came close enough to offer her hands in greeting. "You have given my Lady joy; welcome, cousin."
"Drizzt Do'Urden." He gave her his hands, squeezing hers without fear.
"Qilué Veladorn. I look forward to seeing your dance, and my hunters will aid you in learning the surface as it is here in the Material Plane."
"I am glad to be able to give aid for a good cause," he assured her, before walking with her into the camp to meet those present in this band.
Elkantar cheered young Rylla on from where he was sprawled on the ground. The half-human was possibly the only one of the fighters that would, someday, match their new fighter in any way. He rolled to his butt, keeping eyes on this grand melee… and the one that had become the center of it all.
Drizzt Do'Urden was an enigma. He'd spent an unknown amount of time in the Dark Maiden's realm, personally handled a quest for Corellon, been shrouded by Lolth Herself at his birth, and been raised by a priestess of Vhaeraun.
None of those deities held the fighter's heart, and Elkantar had been surprised to learn his escape from the Underdark had come before he even turned thirty-one years of age, making his skill simply impossible. That he embraced these free-for-all skill contests, or the one-on-one spars with a true smile of joy never stopped pulling Elkantar's heart strings.
Every other fighter in their band had already lost their weapons or been tripped out of the designated area. Elkantar slowly recognized that Drizzt had worked to insure Rylla was the last fighter, handling the few fighters — like Elkantar himself — that had the experience and skill needed to put her out of it.
"Too much anger," he heard Drizzt say, when the double scimitars trapped the short sword, pulling it out of Rylla's grasp. She refocused her stance a moment, then took the step back, and saluted with her dagger across her chest to surrender.
"How can I not be angry?" she retorted.
"By remembering that holding your anger at the people behind you? Still gives them power."
Those calm, quiet words held empathy and knowing alike… and were just what Rylla needed to hear, to help move one more step forward on her own path of healing.
"Make me better," Rylla said, half a demand, half a plea.
"I will give you every bit of training my father gave me… though maybe with fewer unexpected naps."
Corellon considered the actions of His Daughter, and ultimately decided He was amused. He had, after all, opened the door with His own manipulation. Giving the Chosen a man who had the technique, if not the experience, to increase her people's ability to carve out a space for themselves even earlier could only be a good foil against the drow of both Lolth and Vhaeraun.
He tried to see ahead, to make out the possibilities more clearly… and found the mists of time past the point when Drizzt had originally been taken from the Underdark still opaque.
"At least none of Us should be bored for a time," He mused, going back to listen to His own followers for a time. His Lore Keeper was being a force of nature in his own way, keeping new ideas fresh alongside the ancient ways. It might prove interesting, when the drow struck out on his own, to see about a meeting for them…
Dinin had proven to have a good hand for how to keep their outpost incognito, on top of the politics of the moment, and out of strife with either Vhaeraunite faction. It helped that both of those groups wanted to end each other's influence, but were constrained by some strange religious tenet from just killing one another.
At least openly, as Dinin learned when a priest was murdered in the night market, supposedly by ruffians.
What he did not appreciate was having to be schooled by Jarlaxle's people on a third drow vector, a bunch of idiots that thought peace and living in harmony was the better way of life. He decided they could be ignored as they only came once a quarter to trade —
— until he heard that a band of six drow from the mercantile company faction had been sent running with minor injuries… and none of their weapons.
"I thought they weren't a threat," Dinin muttered.
Karolz shook his head, a much older fighter, one that had been recruited in this city long before. He hated leading, didn't have a head for it, but had accepted Dinin in that role.
"Those Dancers usually avoid a fight. But once every hand of years or so, some braggart decides to test either their Sword Mistress, or Purple Eyes. And this time, it's Purple Eyes with the caravan."
Purple Eyes. Dinin made a gesture against ill-luck, still remembering the one time he'd seen his younger brother in a true temper. He had no idea what had happened to Drizzt, only that whatever it had been had not broken the peace between Zaknafein and Vierna. Dinin knew that meant Drizzt had not been killed; he wasn't as stupid as some people thought he was, and Zak had been odd about the boy.
"Make sure none of ours pick a fight, or cross paths with the mercantiles, hmm? They're going to be more apt to rise to the bait for this."
That got a chuckle and nod… before Karolz watched Dinin secure his cloak over his armor and head out to see for himself.
Dinin found the Dancers easily enough, and decided they looked very tame. He didn't see anyone that really looked like they could give him trouble in a fight, but he also didn't see anyone with purple eyes. Maybe Karolz was wrong and one of the women wearing a sword was this so-called Sword Mistress.
He decided it had been a waste of time to come down and see, turned down a different path to begin his way back —
— and then he did see purple, a moment before he saw all of his brother. The small signs of maturity were settled in around the eyes and ears, while Drizzt stood straight with those curved swords of his still in their scabbards. Fine mithral chain glinted under the over tunic, and a metal face-guard held the mane of hair back, in the same fashion Zaknafein wore his.
"Hello, brother," Drizzt said, actually quirking a half-smile on his lips. "I never expected to see you this far from the city."
"Umm, you… Abyss, I never thought to see you again at all!" Dinin said. "I don't want a fight; I came to see if the rumor of Purple Eyes had anything to do with you, yes, but… I really am just evaluating the threats to my own situation."
Drizzt laughed. "You must be the new one watching Bregan D'Aerthe, then. I'd heard there were several new people since my last visit here." He must have read the confusion in Dinin's face, because he shrugged. "I got caught up in time magic. I've lived in the area above for a few decades now.
"Will you tell me of our sister, and the Weapon Master?"
Dinin nodded. "Trust me enough to come back to the warehouse we keep? Or should we take a meal at the Dimmed Lantern?"
"I won't go so far as to say trust," Drizzt said slyly, "but I prefer to be out of the public eye to discuss this, and I am well known at the Dimmed Lantern."
"Does everyone call you Purple Eyes?"
"Mostly," Drizzt agreed. He fell in step with Dinin, and Dinin noted his brother already knew the path. What had his experiences been that Drizzt actually seemed cognizant of power structures? Did he really want to know?
Ultimately, Dinin decided he did not.
Drizzt relaxed in the deep tub across from the one Laeral Silverhand was in. As the Silverhand that most paid attention to the treacheries in Skullport, Drizzt had come to her to talk about what he had learned this time. Their friendship went back almost to the beginning of his time above with Qilué, as the sisters were very close.
"So my elder brother manages the in-theory Lolthite faction over there. Honestly, the mercenary company he belongs to worships chaos, money, and power, I believe, from what I have seen of them in the past. Through him, I know that our House in Menzoberranzan fell within the last few years.
"But, through his own sources, he knows that my father and sister have established themselves in a a place called Rilauven."
"As best I can remember, that is a minor city somewhere under the Neverwinter," Laeral offered, lounging as nonchalantly as her friend. Dual tubs were almost as good as a large bathing pool.
"I planned to see what the Marauders could tell me of it," Drizzt said, his voice having that note of seeking adventure.
"Planning to go see for yourself? I remind you that your nature is antithetical in all ways to what you would find."
Drizzt chuckled. "I can charm a lizard or a bat to carry a note inside, if I choose to go that way. And your amulet very nicely masks me, when I choose to wear it."
Laeral looked over. "You miss your father, even your sister, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Then I will just say, 'be careful', and I will definitely reach out and knock on your skull in half a year, to be sure you are breathing. If not, the Marauders will be hired to find your body so Qi can bring you back to us."
He shook his head at her, but he had no intention of dying. He just needed to know if his sister was as aware as he was, of the threads of destiny they had unknowingly wrapped themselves in.
Vierna was not unaccustomed to bats bringing her messages. What she was unaccustomed to, was not feeling the touch of her Lord's spellwork on them, instead brushing something unknown when she tried to determine who the sender had been. She also did not see any message to take from it. When she focused fully on it, the bat fluttered just out of reach and roosted.
"If you or father would come, I am awaiting outside the gate your people use to go Above for trade."
The bat, having spoken with her brother's voice, did a small shake of itself and fluttered back out of Vierna's very surprised presence.
Needing to have time to wrap her head around that, the ability to blank her emotions, she sent her messenger spider to her father. The pirate spiders she had brought with her were thriving, especially as they killed any other spiders that dared cross the wards, protecting them from Lolthite spies.
Several minutes later, Zak strode in, an eyebrow raised. "Sometimes I worry your spiders fetching me could be omens, daughter."
She laughed, a little bit more brittle than she meant to. "Something odd, but not… bad? Maybe?
"A bat came and delivered a spoken message in Drizzt's voice, saying he was outside the trade gate to the Surface, asking if one of us would come meet with him. The magic on the bat was unlike any I have felt, and the accent was correct."
Zak frowned, then considered a long moment. "Are you still unable — yes, you are. Of course you already tried to reach him that way." He hitched a shoulder. "I suppose I am taking a walk. Put the undead into defensive positions, just in case."
"Of course, Father. If it is… and he will come… please bring him in. I can explain it as an intelligence seeking."
That got a laugh, but Zak nodded. "If that boy knows anything of use, I will be shocked."
Zak moved out of the gate uncontested, as he was known to sometimes forage for his daughter's wild needs. In the years since arriving here, they had made a solid reputation as fair but powerful. The only true trouble they'd had was from Lolthites seeking to undo the Masked Traitor's prominence, but Vierna remained high in the favor of her Lord.
Once he cleared the perimeter of the city's awareness, he knew he was not alone, and had to look sharply… before his son melted out of a shadow.
"Hello, Father," Drizzt called, breaking into a genuine smile. Even as jaded as Zak was, everything matched… except the age. This man was too mature to his eyes, and he remained poised, ready to engage the trap so his daughter stayed safe.
"Hmm, not so certain of that."
Drizzt threw his head back and laughed, before spreading his hands wide from his body. "Blame your daughter, then, as she put me in the hands of a goddess and set me on a strange path that had time magic in it."
Zak let an eyebrow rise at those words.
"Would a fetch know you nearly killed me rather than let me go become a drow in all truth? Or that you broke my jaw to keep me from exposing both of us to the Matron? Or that I almost caused your death the very night Vierna became Matron?"
"It might… but I think I might believe you." Zak beckoned. "Your sister wishes to see you as well, peacefully. The city is not a closed one, and if you're still so strange, she'll shove it off as getting what you know of other places."
"Oh, I am strange, even to those that agree with my views on life," Drizzt said, still smiling so openly, and Zak reached out as he came close, gripping his shoulders.
"I am glad you stayed strange, and alive!"
Drizzt leaned in, resting his forehead on his father's. "Vierna saved me by doing as she did, and now I wish to repay that, with a warning and words of my life."
"Then let us go into the city, my son, and hear what you have to say."
Vierna hugged her little brother fiercely, taking in all the changes as Zak had done. He was dressed sensibly in a piwafwi of fair construction, had adamantine blades in plain scabbards, and everything had the right feel of the Underdark.
"You cannot possibly have been in the Underdark since I set you in safety!" she pointed out.
"No, but we keep such things for movement below the faerzress," Drizzt said. "As I do aid sometimes, I had everything I needed in one of our caches.
"When Dinin told me where you two had gone, I retrieved them for my journey. One that is formerly of House Vaer here aided me in swift travel," he added.
"Dinin's in Skullport, last I knew," Zak said.
"He is, and thriving," Drizzt agreed. "We have an understanding, as I have no wish to be involved heavily in drow things."
"You mentioned a warning," Zak prodded, once they were all comfortable.
Drizzt sobered up and looked at Vierna. "Do you have any idea how tangled in divine events we now are, sister? The choice you made, to save me, prodded the Twins toward aid for one another, when He was attacked. I have been given quests by Her and by others of the pantheon in my time-tossed decades."
She slowly frowned, but his words rang true against some of the dreams that had come since she settled here.
"I can see the shape of that now that you say it," she admitted. "Your thoughts?"
"Something lies ahead. Neither of my patron deities know what, but more and more, I am drawn to larger threats, sharpening all of my skills and the magic I touch as a kind of divine-touched fighter."
Vierna had to rake her eyes over him at that claim, but… she did not know all things of the surface yet.
"Both of my children using divine magic now. There's a strangeness," Zak said in a slow drawl.
That made them all laugh.
"I suppose, little brother, I am going to ask you to stay long enough to get sending stones for you and father to carry, and work out a timing for us to keep in touch," Vierna said. "So we can at least warn one another of things that come to pass."
"I am already looking forward to the spars," Drizzt said, agreeing easily. "Just tell me how to not make trouble here, and I will be a good guest.
"I've kept an open mind toward your god, even if I question some of His idiot followers' ways."
"Well, some of them are idiots, but I think that is true of all religions," Vierna agreed, pleased.
Vhaeraun smiled in His own realm. Allies, when the coming storm arrived, were not to be dismissed out of hand. And, if the siblings forged a bond across alignment, then perhaps…
… well, He knew He was still deeply fond of His own Twin. Perhaps in time, He might yet convince Her to see His way of thinking.
He would keep His defenses up, and all of His craft tuned to the danger ahead for all of the gods.
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Vierna Do'Urden, Zaknafein Do'Urden, Drizzt Do'Urden, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Violence, Fratricide, Murder, flashfic, Cross-Posted from Archive Of Our Own (AO3), Time Travel
Summary:
Thwarted in escaping with the two males she cares for at Graduation, Vierna sets her goals differently.
Only, Drizzt sets things in motion the wrong way.
Chapter 4: Drizzt's Chosen Path
Eilistraee rested in the meadow, laying on Her back, listening to the night and Her sparring partner as he got his own breathing back under control. She almost wished to keep him here, to have his company where it was safer for Her to exist, but he was mortal, and deserved a chance to truly live free.
"Father manipulated time in setting you back to save the Lore Keeper," She admitted, once She was cooler and he seemed calm.
"I decided that had to have happened given His surety in the circumstances. I know it is one avenue of magic, considered among the riskiest."
"It's only a few decades, but time has to resettle… and I mean to offer you a chance to be part of that resettling, Drizzt." Eilistraee let Her fingertips touch his. "Like it or not, when She touched your life string at birth, with My Brother touching your sister's so young, it has put you closer to Destiny than many mortals can bear.
"Would you like to use that to protect other drow like you, to be there for My Chosen as a protector?"
Drizzt considered, letting the night sounds take over around them, and then turned his head to look at Her. "I would be with ones like me, to keep learning, and helping them survive in a world that fears and hates us?
"I can do this, as it will let me continue forming as who I wish to be in something closer to safety rather than wandering with only Guen."
"And possibly Szann from time to time," She said, eyes dancing with the mirth of how besotted the cath sidhe was with Her young friend. He did not pray to her; he prayed to none, so far. But She continued to hope that in time he would be willing to ask boons of Her, to further his ability to help others.
"I think I can handle having visits from a fey cat," he agreed to that, smiling brightly. "Yes, Eilistraee. Choose the point for me, and let me go be of aid to others. I have seen enough here to believe that You do truly mean nothing but aid to those like me."
Despite that most of Her fellow deities would be stung by the continued doubting and measuring against a mortal's — a child at best! — ideas of right and wrong, Eilistraee was touched by being allowed that much belief from him.
"I have those calling to Me," She said as She reluctantly stood. "But I will see to it soon, Drizzt. Enjoy the night."
"I shall."
The small group of drow that traveled at present with Qilué Veladorn were some of her most adept, fiercest priestesses and fighters. An impression of being watched ghosted over their senses for several nights, but in a world that would rather see them dead, that was not so unusual.
What was, just after the sun had cleared the horizon and they were considering rest, was the appearance of a lone drow male.
Inside their sentry line.
That he was not close enough to harm a single person was the only saving grace in their eyes, as a full alert went through all of them.
"Peace," the lone male said, using the variant of that word they had made for themselves in their language that knew it not at all. "I seek the First Sister, to offer my arms and service for a time."
"What makes you think you have the right?"
"I claim no right," he said back to the one who had spoken, one of the priestesses. "But I have skills I am willing to offer… and showed by evading your sentries. I have a willingness to learn more, as I have only learned the elven language, and I am told there is one called 'Common' I should know.
"Most of all, I wish to learn the surface as it calls to me in my heart, as the Dark Maiden calls to you."
"Is he touched by madness?" one of the fighters asked then, before the First Sister rose from her pallet, towering over all of those with her, and came forward.
"No. He is touched by our Lady Herself… and another?" As she spoke, she approached the male with no fear.
He inclined his head slightly to her. "A deal was made to remove me from the Underdark, between She and Her Twin. In divining why neither of Them could truly perceive me, She invited Her Father to look into matters.
"So I no doubt bear at least some of His touch, given my armor, pack, and weapons were gifts from Him to perform a task with."
"Truth," the first cleric said, both grudgingly and with some trepidation. Even though the First Sister regularly dealt with Eilistraee, and some human goddess, none of them knew of one who had been touched by an elven god not their Lady.
"So I know," the First Sister said, smiling as she came close enough to offer her hands in greeting. "You have given my Lady joy; welcome, cousin."
"Drizzt Do'Urden." He gave her his hands, squeezing hers without fear.
"Qilué Veladorn. I look forward to seeing your dance, and my hunters will aid you in learning the surface as it is here in the Material Plane."
"I am glad to be able to give aid for a good cause," he assured her, before walking with her into the camp to meet those present in this band.
Elkantar cheered young Rylla on from where he was sprawled on the ground. The half-human was possibly the only one of the fighters that would, someday, match their new fighter in any way. He rolled to his butt, keeping eyes on this grand melee… and the one that had become the center of it all.
Drizzt Do'Urden was an enigma. He'd spent an unknown amount of time in the Dark Maiden's realm, personally handled a quest for Corellon, been shrouded by Lolth Herself at his birth, and been raised by a priestess of Vhaeraun.
None of those deities held the fighter's heart, and Elkantar had been surprised to learn his escape from the Underdark had come before he even turned thirty-one years of age, making his skill simply impossible. That he embraced these free-for-all skill contests, or the one-on-one spars with a true smile of joy never stopped pulling Elkantar's heart strings.
Every other fighter in their band had already lost their weapons or been tripped out of the designated area. Elkantar slowly recognized that Drizzt had worked to insure Rylla was the last fighter, handling the few fighters — like Elkantar himself — that had the experience and skill needed to put her out of it.
"Too much anger," he heard Drizzt say, when the double scimitars trapped the short sword, pulling it out of Rylla's grasp. She refocused her stance a moment, then took the step back, and saluted with her dagger across her chest to surrender.
"How can I not be angry?" she retorted.
"By remembering that holding your anger at the people behind you? Still gives them power."
Those calm, quiet words held empathy and knowing alike… and were just what Rylla needed to hear, to help move one more step forward on her own path of healing.
"Make me better," Rylla said, half a demand, half a plea.
"I will give you every bit of training my father gave me… though maybe with fewer unexpected naps."
Corellon considered the actions of His Daughter, and ultimately decided He was amused. He had, after all, opened the door with His own manipulation. Giving the Chosen a man who had the technique, if not the experience, to increase her people's ability to carve out a space for themselves even earlier could only be a good foil against the drow of both Lolth and Vhaeraun.
He tried to see ahead, to make out the possibilities more clearly… and found the mists of time past the point when Drizzt had originally been taken from the Underdark still opaque.
"At least none of Us should be bored for a time," He mused, going back to listen to His own followers for a time. His Lore Keeper was being a force of nature in his own way, keeping new ideas fresh alongside the ancient ways. It might prove interesting, when the drow struck out on his own, to see about a meeting for them…
Chapter 5: Family Reunion
Dinin had proven to have a good hand for how to keep their outpost incognito, on top of the politics of the moment, and out of strife with either Vhaeraunite faction. It helped that both of those groups wanted to end each other's influence, but were constrained by some strange religious tenet from just killing one another.
At least openly, as Dinin learned when a priest was murdered in the night market, supposedly by ruffians.
What he did not appreciate was having to be schooled by Jarlaxle's people on a third drow vector, a bunch of idiots that thought peace and living in harmony was the better way of life. He decided they could be ignored as they only came once a quarter to trade —
— until he heard that a band of six drow from the mercantile company faction had been sent running with minor injuries… and none of their weapons.
"I thought they weren't a threat," Dinin muttered.
Karolz shook his head, a much older fighter, one that had been recruited in this city long before. He hated leading, didn't have a head for it, but had accepted Dinin in that role.
"Those Dancers usually avoid a fight. But once every hand of years or so, some braggart decides to test either their Sword Mistress, or Purple Eyes. And this time, it's Purple Eyes with the caravan."
Purple Eyes. Dinin made a gesture against ill-luck, still remembering the one time he'd seen his younger brother in a true temper. He had no idea what had happened to Drizzt, only that whatever it had been had not broken the peace between Zaknafein and Vierna. Dinin knew that meant Drizzt had not been killed; he wasn't as stupid as some people thought he was, and Zak had been odd about the boy.
"Make sure none of ours pick a fight, or cross paths with the mercantiles, hmm? They're going to be more apt to rise to the bait for this."
That got a chuckle and nod… before Karolz watched Dinin secure his cloak over his armor and head out to see for himself.
Dinin found the Dancers easily enough, and decided they looked very tame. He didn't see anyone that really looked like they could give him trouble in a fight, but he also didn't see anyone with purple eyes. Maybe Karolz was wrong and one of the women wearing a sword was this so-called Sword Mistress.
He decided it had been a waste of time to come down and see, turned down a different path to begin his way back —
— and then he did see purple, a moment before he saw all of his brother. The small signs of maturity were settled in around the eyes and ears, while Drizzt stood straight with those curved swords of his still in their scabbards. Fine mithral chain glinted under the over tunic, and a metal face-guard held the mane of hair back, in the same fashion Zaknafein wore his.
"Hello, brother," Drizzt said, actually quirking a half-smile on his lips. "I never expected to see you this far from the city."
"Umm, you… Abyss, I never thought to see you again at all!" Dinin said. "I don't want a fight; I came to see if the rumor of Purple Eyes had anything to do with you, yes, but… I really am just evaluating the threats to my own situation."
Drizzt laughed. "You must be the new one watching Bregan D'Aerthe, then. I'd heard there were several new people since my last visit here." He must have read the confusion in Dinin's face, because he shrugged. "I got caught up in time magic. I've lived in the area above for a few decades now.
"Will you tell me of our sister, and the Weapon Master?"
Dinin nodded. "Trust me enough to come back to the warehouse we keep? Or should we take a meal at the Dimmed Lantern?"
"I won't go so far as to say trust," Drizzt said slyly, "but I prefer to be out of the public eye to discuss this, and I am well known at the Dimmed Lantern."
"Does everyone call you Purple Eyes?"
"Mostly," Drizzt agreed. He fell in step with Dinin, and Dinin noted his brother already knew the path. What had his experiences been that Drizzt actually seemed cognizant of power structures? Did he really want to know?
Ultimately, Dinin decided he did not.
Drizzt relaxed in the deep tub across from the one Laeral Silverhand was in. As the Silverhand that most paid attention to the treacheries in Skullport, Drizzt had come to her to talk about what he had learned this time. Their friendship went back almost to the beginning of his time above with Qilué, as the sisters were very close.
"So my elder brother manages the in-theory Lolthite faction over there. Honestly, the mercenary company he belongs to worships chaos, money, and power, I believe, from what I have seen of them in the past. Through him, I know that our House in Menzoberranzan fell within the last few years.
"But, through his own sources, he knows that my father and sister have established themselves in a a place called Rilauven."
"As best I can remember, that is a minor city somewhere under the Neverwinter," Laeral offered, lounging as nonchalantly as her friend. Dual tubs were almost as good as a large bathing pool.
"I planned to see what the Marauders could tell me of it," Drizzt said, his voice having that note of seeking adventure.
"Planning to go see for yourself? I remind you that your nature is antithetical in all ways to what you would find."
Drizzt chuckled. "I can charm a lizard or a bat to carry a note inside, if I choose to go that way. And your amulet very nicely masks me, when I choose to wear it."
Laeral looked over. "You miss your father, even your sister, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Then I will just say, 'be careful', and I will definitely reach out and knock on your skull in half a year, to be sure you are breathing. If not, the Marauders will be hired to find your body so Qi can bring you back to us."
He shook his head at her, but he had no intention of dying. He just needed to know if his sister was as aware as he was, of the threads of destiny they had unknowingly wrapped themselves in.
Vierna was not unaccustomed to bats bringing her messages. What she was unaccustomed to, was not feeling the touch of her Lord's spellwork on them, instead brushing something unknown when she tried to determine who the sender had been. She also did not see any message to take from it. When she focused fully on it, the bat fluttered just out of reach and roosted.
"If you or father would come, I am awaiting outside the gate your people use to go Above for trade."
The bat, having spoken with her brother's voice, did a small shake of itself and fluttered back out of Vierna's very surprised presence.
Needing to have time to wrap her head around that, the ability to blank her emotions, she sent her messenger spider to her father. The pirate spiders she had brought with her were thriving, especially as they killed any other spiders that dared cross the wards, protecting them from Lolthite spies.
Several minutes later, Zak strode in, an eyebrow raised. "Sometimes I worry your spiders fetching me could be omens, daughter."
She laughed, a little bit more brittle than she meant to. "Something odd, but not… bad? Maybe?
"A bat came and delivered a spoken message in Drizzt's voice, saying he was outside the trade gate to the Surface, asking if one of us would come meet with him. The magic on the bat was unlike any I have felt, and the accent was correct."
Zak frowned, then considered a long moment. "Are you still unable — yes, you are. Of course you already tried to reach him that way." He hitched a shoulder. "I suppose I am taking a walk. Put the undead into defensive positions, just in case."
"Of course, Father. If it is… and he will come… please bring him in. I can explain it as an intelligence seeking."
That got a laugh, but Zak nodded. "If that boy knows anything of use, I will be shocked."
Zak moved out of the gate uncontested, as he was known to sometimes forage for his daughter's wild needs. In the years since arriving here, they had made a solid reputation as fair but powerful. The only true trouble they'd had was from Lolthites seeking to undo the Masked Traitor's prominence, but Vierna remained high in the favor of her Lord.
Once he cleared the perimeter of the city's awareness, he knew he was not alone, and had to look sharply… before his son melted out of a shadow.
"Hello, Father," Drizzt called, breaking into a genuine smile. Even as jaded as Zak was, everything matched… except the age. This man was too mature to his eyes, and he remained poised, ready to engage the trap so his daughter stayed safe.
"Hmm, not so certain of that."
Drizzt threw his head back and laughed, before spreading his hands wide from his body. "Blame your daughter, then, as she put me in the hands of a goddess and set me on a strange path that had time magic in it."
Zak let an eyebrow rise at those words.
"Would a fetch know you nearly killed me rather than let me go become a drow in all truth? Or that you broke my jaw to keep me from exposing both of us to the Matron? Or that I almost caused your death the very night Vierna became Matron?"
"It might… but I think I might believe you." Zak beckoned. "Your sister wishes to see you as well, peacefully. The city is not a closed one, and if you're still so strange, she'll shove it off as getting what you know of other places."
"Oh, I am strange, even to those that agree with my views on life," Drizzt said, still smiling so openly, and Zak reached out as he came close, gripping his shoulders.
"I am glad you stayed strange, and alive!"
Drizzt leaned in, resting his forehead on his father's. "Vierna saved me by doing as she did, and now I wish to repay that, with a warning and words of my life."
"Then let us go into the city, my son, and hear what you have to say."
Vierna hugged her little brother fiercely, taking in all the changes as Zak had done. He was dressed sensibly in a piwafwi of fair construction, had adamantine blades in plain scabbards, and everything had the right feel of the Underdark.
"You cannot possibly have been in the Underdark since I set you in safety!" she pointed out.
"No, but we keep such things for movement below the faerzress," Drizzt said. "As I do aid sometimes, I had everything I needed in one of our caches.
"When Dinin told me where you two had gone, I retrieved them for my journey. One that is formerly of House Vaer here aided me in swift travel," he added.
"Dinin's in Skullport, last I knew," Zak said.
"He is, and thriving," Drizzt agreed. "We have an understanding, as I have no wish to be involved heavily in drow things."
"You mentioned a warning," Zak prodded, once they were all comfortable.
Drizzt sobered up and looked at Vierna. "Do you have any idea how tangled in divine events we now are, sister? The choice you made, to save me, prodded the Twins toward aid for one another, when He was attacked. I have been given quests by Her and by others of the pantheon in my time-tossed decades."
She slowly frowned, but his words rang true against some of the dreams that had come since she settled here.
"I can see the shape of that now that you say it," she admitted. "Your thoughts?"
"Something lies ahead. Neither of my patron deities know what, but more and more, I am drawn to larger threats, sharpening all of my skills and the magic I touch as a kind of divine-touched fighter."
Vierna had to rake her eyes over him at that claim, but… she did not know all things of the surface yet.
"Both of my children using divine magic now. There's a strangeness," Zak said in a slow drawl.
That made them all laugh.
"I suppose, little brother, I am going to ask you to stay long enough to get sending stones for you and father to carry, and work out a timing for us to keep in touch," Vierna said. "So we can at least warn one another of things that come to pass."
"I am already looking forward to the spars," Drizzt said, agreeing easily. "Just tell me how to not make trouble here, and I will be a good guest.
"I've kept an open mind toward your god, even if I question some of His idiot followers' ways."
"Well, some of them are idiots, but I think that is true of all religions," Vierna agreed, pleased.
Vhaeraun smiled in His own realm. Allies, when the coming storm arrived, were not to be dismissed out of hand. And, if the siblings forged a bond across alignment, then perhaps…
… well, He knew He was still deeply fond of His own Twin. Perhaps in time, He might yet convince Her to see His way of thinking.
He would keep His defenses up, and all of His craft tuned to the danger ahead for all of the gods.
sufficiently advanced '26
Mar. 9th, 2026 11:00 amqweermonkeydear sufficiently advanced creator,
i can't wait to see what you make for me, and i thank you in advance (ha)! treats of any medium are very welcome :3
i expand on my likes and DNWs in my master letter, which also contains details on all fandoms that i've requested from other exchanges — that's there if you're curious, but only the beginning section is important if not! below the cut are prompts for my requests for this exchange! i've also listed some headcanons for each character — these are ideas i like but don't except you to adhere to!
( )
i can't wait to see what you make for me, and i thank you in advance (ha)! treats of any medium are very welcome :3
i expand on my likes and DNWs in my master letter, which also contains details on all fandoms that i've requested from other exchanges — that's there if you're curious, but only the beginning section is important if not! below the cut are prompts for my requests for this exchange! i've also listed some headcanons for each character — these are ideas i like but don't except you to adhere to!
( )
Unsent Letters Dear Creator
Mar. 8th, 2026 11:03 pmsaavikamsHi! Thank you so much for creating for me!! I absolutely can't wait to see what you come up with! I have some of my fandom/ship specific likes here to make things a bit easier!
General Likes
Fandom Specific Likes:
Jadzia Dax/Lenara Kahn: I really love these two and the forbidden love aspect of it all, always love a log entries fic but one thing i like would be sick for them specifically is articles about their different scientific accomplishments mixed in! maybe some trill tabloids when they get together? outsider pov is always fun and i would very much enjoy it for them
Star Trek: TOS
Fandom Specific Likes:
General Likes
- Soft/quiet moments
- Outsider POV
- Hurt/comfort and/or sickfics
- Pining
- Character studies
- Sex Pollen
- Fake dating/marriage
- Praise kink
- Emotional/lovey smut
- Hand kink (Especially with Vulcan/Romulan characters)
- Angst with a happy ending
Star Trek: DS9
Fandom Specific Likes:
- Using Titles in Bed (ie: captain, commander, doctor ex.)
- Rank Difference/Authority Kink
- Mind Melds as a form of intimacy
- ’Sir’ & 'Mr.' as honorifics for women
Jadzia Dax/Lenara Kahn: I really love these two and the forbidden love aspect of it all, always love a log entries fic but one thing i like would be sick for them specifically is articles about their different scientific accomplishments mixed in! maybe some trill tabloids when they get together? outsider pov is always fun and i would very much enjoy it for them
Star Trek: TOS
- Using Titles in Bed (ie: captain, commander, doctor ex.)
- Rank Difference/Authority Kink
- Mind Melds as a form of intimacy
- ’Sir’ & 'Mr.' as honorifics for women
Ship Specific Prompts:
Christine Chapel/Nyota Uhura: Comms sent between them while Christine is off getting her medical degree perhaps?? Personal log entries over the course of their relationship?? I'm a big fan of Christine's characterization in snw, would love her to be so messy but so well meaning/bad at relationships. maybe her logs are even her complaining about that specifically.
Superman (2025)
Ship Specific Prompts:
Clark Kent/Lois Lane: Articles speculating about Superman's dating life and Lois "cheating" on Clark, Articles Lois has written about Superman where it's so ridiculously clear she's in love with him and some social media "rpf" about that!
Bridgerton
Ship Specific Prompts:
Sophie Baek/Benedict Bridgerton: Love a modern AU for this fandom, love involvement of the Bridgerton siblings teasing about main character being in love, would love love love artist Benedict as the focus somehow
Eloise Bridgerton/Cressida Cowper: Influencer Cressida/Author Eloise perhaps? Or keeping in canon era and maybe Eloise and Cressida were writing to each other while Cressida was in the country. Love all of your typical enemies to lovers tropes, would especially love an enemies to friends to lovers with these two!
Heated Rivalry
Ship Specific Prompts:
Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov: I eat up every single outsider pov/in universe 'rpf' fic out there, bonus points for Rose and Svetlana getting involved in the rpf-ing
Original Work
Ship Specific Prompts:
Olympic Athlete/Rival Olympic Athlete: I've been obsessed with figure skating and would love love love to revive some femslash 'heated rivalry' action!! would love specifically a social media au, maybe some dms/texts included, a bit of 'rpf' action as they try desperately to keep their relationship a secret
10trueloves: fight
Mar. 8th, 2026 01:58 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Chairwoman's Invite (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Justice League of America
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dinah Lance, Diana of Themyscira
Additional Tags: +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, [Justice League of America Vol. 2 - 2006]
Summary:
Oh look, I accidentally wrote something for International Woman's Day.
Diana came into the locker room behind their Chairwoman, glad none of the other women had stayed to change and clean up here. She frowned as she saw the living bruising revealed as the smaller woman peeled out of her costume. In her mind's eye, she saw again as Black Canary dove to cover a child that had been too close to destruction and flinched in memory at how much force her teammate had taken.
And then gotten back up to finish the fight with a Canary Cry that sent the villain reeling back through the portal that had brought him.
"No super strength. No special endurance or nigh-invulnerability. Do you know how worried you make me, even as you take my breath away with your utter willingness to protect others?" she asked.
Dinah chuckled, shaking her head. "It's too much in my blood not to. And I do have many martial arts under my belt, so to speak. Not as good as Richard Dragon or Shiva, but I can protect myself a little from the damage.
"However, I already have plans on a hot bubble bath and wine to help soak this one away."
Dinah met Diana's eyes, having caught that little shift and parting of Wonder Woman's lips on the images that brought to mind.
"My new tub is big enough for two," she invited, as bold in this as she was in her fighting style.
"As it will let me add a massage to soothe the blood rising," and Diana smiled wickedly on her choice of words, "I think I will take you up on that offer."
"Get changed, Princess; you turn too many heads in that for where my place is." Dinah answered the smile with her own, before she — and Diana — got street clothes on.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Justice League of America
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dinah Lance, Diana of Themyscira
Additional Tags: +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, [Justice League of America Vol. 2 - 2006]
Summary:
Diana is amazed and worried by the way their Chairwoman handles herself.
Oh look, I accidentally wrote something for International Woman's Day.
Chairwoman's Invite
Diana came into the locker room behind their Chairwoman, glad none of the other women had stayed to change and clean up here. She frowned as she saw the living bruising revealed as the smaller woman peeled out of her costume. In her mind's eye, she saw again as Black Canary dove to cover a child that had been too close to destruction and flinched in memory at how much force her teammate had taken.
And then gotten back up to finish the fight with a Canary Cry that sent the villain reeling back through the portal that had brought him.
"No super strength. No special endurance or nigh-invulnerability. Do you know how worried you make me, even as you take my breath away with your utter willingness to protect others?" she asked.
Dinah chuckled, shaking her head. "It's too much in my blood not to. And I do have many martial arts under my belt, so to speak. Not as good as Richard Dragon or Shiva, but I can protect myself a little from the damage.
"However, I already have plans on a hot bubble bath and wine to help soak this one away."
Dinah met Diana's eyes, having caught that little shift and parting of Wonder Woman's lips on the images that brought to mind.
"My new tub is big enough for two," she invited, as bold in this as she was in her fighting style.
"As it will let me add a massage to soothe the blood rising," and Diana smiled wickedly on her choice of words, "I think I will take you up on that offer."
"Get changed, Princess; you turn too many heads in that for where my place is." Dinah answered the smile with her own, before she — and Diana — got street clothes on.
Projects and Bunnies
Mar. 7th, 2026 10:10 pmsenmut~ ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
10trueloves - 5/10 posted / 6/10 written
~4th chapter of Divining Destiny written, 5th planned - POSTED
~May not write the Retrieval Sequel or another chapter for Closing Up Shop, but they're still in my documents.
~ Likewise for the RexSoka time travel that steps into the RotS plot about the time of the Opera. - officially file 13'd
~ No True Pairs
~ Unsent Letters
~ FTH 2026, 2 fics minimum
10trueloves - 5/10 posted / 6/10 written~
~
~ Likewise for the RexSoka time travel that steps into the RotS plot about the time of the Opera.
~ No True Pairs
~ Unsent Letters
~ FTH 2026, 2 fics minimum
Reading thoughts: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Mar. 6th, 2026 07:50 pmvalzhangI don't know how to describe how I feel about this book to be honest. My thoughts on it are contradictory; I feel in some way it was lackluster, yet at the same time I can also say that it was everything it needed to be. It wasn't exactly fun or exciting to read, with a somber atmosphere, but at the same time it kept me hooked and I devoured it in a day.
Despite it all, the one thing I can say is that I did really like it. Maybe the complexity is part of the appeal.
One thing that this book does really really well is setting up the suffocating atmosphere and environment. The religion that surrounds our protagonist Jeanette is her entire world and the writing conveys that so well to the point it's almost chilling. I like how absolutely zealous she is, especially from childhood! It paints the picture of what a perfect to-be missionary she was, which of course sets the stage to be juxtaposed by her sexuality and the aspects of her that cannot be reconciled with the church.
It's great how much it showed how her life revolved around religion, but while it suffocated me, Jeanette is happy with it because it's all she's ever known. I loved reading about her religious passion. A+.
I did think this novel was going to be more of a love story than it really was. I thought there would be one girl that Jeanette would leave the church for and that they would have a more prominent romance, but that really wasn't the central focus of the plot. Instead this is very much a mom-daughter book, it's all about that toxic connection between them. It's so interesting and terrible! Jeanette relies on her mother so much and only ever wanted what her mother wanted.
Meanwhile her mother was always toxic since the beginning. A lot of motherhood stories have a tinge of sympathy in them because the mother is only doing what she thinks is best for her child—this is not one of those stories, or rather it is but her mother's worldview and ideals are so twisted and far away from mine that I can't process it that way. We don't really get that much insight into the mother's inner workings. We only see what Jeanette sees. I love that. It really puts you into the shoes of a daughter who cannot truly understand her mother because of the inherent distance between them, especially toward the end.
Now I will say I wish the romance(s) had been a little more developed. Like I said it's not the main focus so it isn't that big of a deal, but to be honest I didn't even know Melanie and Jeanette had gotten together until they kissed. Maybe I'm stupid. It just felt a little too subtle for a book centring all around sexuality. I don't need much more, but just a few more interactions between them, I really would've liked. And it would've made the souring of their relationship later hit a lot harder.
The writing style and prose were nice but didn't totally stun me, the book's strengths lie in other aspects... I really did like the section where Jeanette's story was told through a fairytale/parable though. It gets very creative with the storytelling sometimes.
The ending, or rather the entire last half after her sexuality is revealed, is super sickening. The torture she went through really make you feel for her! A part that really resonated with me is when they blamed her sexuality on her job as a preacher giving sermons, something she was good at because of her devotion to God and the church. The way it perfectly showcases the limitations of her sex and how people will twist even her most devout services into something evil the second she shows any kind of disobedience. Guh. I like how the ultimate tragedy of the story is that the world would not let her love for God and her love for women coexist.
I kept wanting her to cut ties with everything and just live freely, get a nice girlfriend, be happy. But well I knew deep down that was not happening. The fact that she sticks by her mother's side (or rather, her mother sticks to her side) until the very end, what a gut-punch!!! Tying a string around one of her buttons so she can pull Jeanette back to her any time... oh my god. Awesomesauce.
Okay now that I'm writing this I can't really think about anything I super disliked about this novel which is strange. I just feel like there's something missing to make me crazy about it. Or maybe a bunch of tiny things like the aforementioned lack of development in the romance or the just-okay writing style. Maybe a bit more equality between exploration of her sexuality and identity, and the activities of her religion? There were many passages where it was just church activities and while I liked those parts maybe I would've appreciated more balance too.
It's hard. I can't really point out what more I want, but I do... want more. Yeah, there's a certain je ne sais quoi there that it needs.
But overall, still an amazing book, honestly! I didn't even realise how much I loved it until now when I'm writing this but I feel like I could talk about it for hours. It's not a broadly relatable book for all lesbians, I myself wasn't raised very religious, but there are certainly aspects that I could see myself in. While I could relate in some ways, in other ways I also felt lucky to be able to get this personal window into Winterson's childhood and experience that I could not really relate to but sympathized with all the same.
I understand why it's considered such a classic among queers. I'm seriously bad at this rating thing and consistency, but 9/10 perhaps.
Despite it all, the one thing I can say is that I did really like it. Maybe the complexity is part of the appeal.
One thing that this book does really really well is setting up the suffocating atmosphere and environment. The religion that surrounds our protagonist Jeanette is her entire world and the writing conveys that so well to the point it's almost chilling. I like how absolutely zealous she is, especially from childhood! It paints the picture of what a perfect to-be missionary she was, which of course sets the stage to be juxtaposed by her sexuality and the aspects of her that cannot be reconciled with the church.
It's great how much it showed how her life revolved around religion, but while it suffocated me, Jeanette is happy with it because it's all she's ever known. I loved reading about her religious passion. A+.
"No, yes, I mean of course I love her."
"I will read you the words of St Paul," announced the pastor, and he did, and many more words besides about unnatural passions and the mark of the demon.
"To the pure all things are pure," I yelled at him. "It's you not us."
"I will read you the words of St Paul," announced the pastor, and he did, and many more words besides about unnatural passions and the mark of the demon.
"To the pure all things are pure," I yelled at him. "It's you not us."
I did think this novel was going to be more of a love story than it really was. I thought there would be one girl that Jeanette would leave the church for and that they would have a more prominent romance, but that really wasn't the central focus of the plot. Instead this is very much a mom-daughter book, it's all about that toxic connection between them. It's so interesting and terrible! Jeanette relies on her mother so much and only ever wanted what her mother wanted.
Meanwhile her mother was always toxic since the beginning. A lot of motherhood stories have a tinge of sympathy in them because the mother is only doing what she thinks is best for her child—this is not one of those stories, or rather it is but her mother's worldview and ideals are so twisted and far away from mine that I can't process it that way. We don't really get that much insight into the mother's inner workings. We only see what Jeanette sees. I love that. It really puts you into the shoes of a daughter who cannot truly understand her mother because of the inherent distance between them, especially toward the end.
Now I will say I wish the romance(s) had been a little more developed. Like I said it's not the main focus so it isn't that big of a deal, but to be honest I didn't even know Melanie and Jeanette had gotten together until they kissed. Maybe I'm stupid. It just felt a little too subtle for a book centring all around sexuality. I don't need much more, but just a few more interactions between them, I really would've liked. And it would've made the souring of their relationship later hit a lot harder.
The writing style and prose were nice but didn't totally stun me, the book's strengths lie in other aspects... I really did like the section where Jeanette's story was told through a fairytale/parable though. It gets very creative with the storytelling sometimes.
We were quiet, and I traced the outline of her marvellous bones and the triangle of muscle in her stomach. What is it about intimacy that makes it so very disturbing?
The ending, or rather the entire last half after her sexuality is revealed, is super sickening. The torture she went through really make you feel for her! A part that really resonated with me is when they blamed her sexuality on her job as a preacher giving sermons, something she was good at because of her devotion to God and the church. The way it perfectly showcases the limitations of her sex and how people will twist even her most devout services into something evil the second she shows any kind of disobedience. Guh. I like how the ultimate tragedy of the story is that the world would not let her love for God and her love for women coexist.
I kept wanting her to cut ties with everything and just live freely, get a nice girlfriend, be happy. But well I knew deep down that was not happening. The fact that she sticks by her mother's side (or rather, her mother sticks to her side) until the very end, what a gut-punch!!! Tying a string around one of her buttons so she can pull Jeanette back to her any time... oh my god. Awesomesauce.
Okay now that I'm writing this I can't really think about anything I super disliked about this novel which is strange. I just feel like there's something missing to make me crazy about it. Or maybe a bunch of tiny things like the aforementioned lack of development in the romance or the just-okay writing style. Maybe a bit more equality between exploration of her sexuality and identity, and the activities of her religion? There were many passages where it was just church activities and while I liked those parts maybe I would've appreciated more balance too.
It's hard. I can't really point out what more I want, but I do... want more. Yeah, there's a certain je ne sais quoi there that it needs.
But overall, still an amazing book, honestly! I didn't even realise how much I loved it until now when I'm writing this but I feel like I could talk about it for hours. It's not a broadly relatable book for all lesbians, I myself wasn't raised very religious, but there are certainly aspects that I could see myself in. While I could relate in some ways, in other ways I also felt lucky to be able to get this personal window into Winterson's childhood and experience that I could not really relate to but sympathized with all the same.
I understand why it's considered such a classic among queers. I'm seriously bad at this rating thing and consistency, but 9/10 perhaps.
But where was God now, with heaven full of astronauts, and the Lord overthrown? I miss God. I miss the company of someone utterly loyal. I still don't think of God as my betrayer. The servants of God, yes, but servants by their very nature betray. I miss God who was my friend.
Divining Destiny: Flight of Freedom
Mar. 5th, 2026 08:21 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Divining Destiny: Flight for Freedom (1050 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Vierna Do'Urden, Zaknafein Do'Urden, Drizzt Do'Urden, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Violence, Fratricide, Murder, flashfic, Cross-Posted from Archive Of Our Own (AO3), Time Travel
Summary:
Vierna came alert from the dream with a chill on her spine. Things had been going so well ever since she had managed to give Drizzt a chance to live elsewhere.
Her Lord was the only reason she dreamed at all, which meant the dream was a portent that she had to divine the meaning of quickly. With a flicker of her will, she sent her current messenger spider, one of the line from her father's gift to her so long ago, to fetch him to her. While she did that, she cleared her mind to take up the spells of hiding that she had lived under, ever since the Masked God chose her as His priestess.
Zaknafein was waiting when she came up from the prayers, sitting calmly opposite her — and a barrier to anything else that would have dared enter the Matron's chambers.
"Something has shifted, and we are now in danger," Vierna signed to him. "Invite your lover to take those of our people he wishes. You and I, any you trust explicitly, will use the gathering paths to leave this city."
"You are certain?"
Vierna's mouth set in a grim line for a long moment. "Only that the hiding spell is known to me from childhood allowed me to take it, I think. She is seeking His influence in the city now."
"Be at the portal by the time for evening meal; I will have all things in motion," Zak told her firmly.
For better or worse, House Do'Urden in Menzoberranzan would be abandoned to the Spider Queen, but personal survival was prized above all else, for most drow, and Vierna was typical in that regard.
Dinin sat in the safe house of Bregan D'Aerthe with his head in his hands, still mulling over everything. He was grateful to the Weapon Master for making this opportunity appear, but he was at a loss for what would be expected now that he was without a House.
Jarlaxle, leader of the mercenary company, sat beside him, uncovered eye surveying those few men he had chosen to bring into the band. He wasn't very pleased; Vierna Do'Urden had been opening avenues to the cunning man for years now.
"It is done."
"She — they did make it out, yes?" Dinin asked, looking over.
"That actually matters to you," Jarlaxle said, and he looked pleased with that awareness. "Yes, they did. And to spare the rest, their meal was laced with poison, courtesy of my sense of mercy."
Dinin pondered that. When the Matrons of the ruling council moved to end the heresy, they would have tortured the commoners to learn all they could. The loyalty of the fighters would have pushed them to fight even without knowing where their matron was. The changes that Vierna had brought about in the House had made them all stronger, but…
… it was the kind of strength that was not allowed.
"Send me to one of your outposts, with some of my people and any of yours you trust to keep me under your eye." Dinin drew in all of his own cunning, ambition, and pride. "I live, and serving you is damn sure better than being dead or in the clutches of a different House."
"I have just the place for you," Jarlaxle said, smiling. "And I think you will thrive in our network."
Zaknafein inspected the house that had been procured in Rilauven, checking it over for any and all possible traps. When he at last came to Vierna, who was just settling back from prayer, she looked fatigued but content.
"With only ten to support us, it's not the most defensible place, but we can make it work," Zak told her.
"We will have more in time," Vierna promised him. "We still have enough gems to set ourselves on the path of growth."
"Once I am satisfied one of the fighters is able enough to defend in my absence, I will take up the offered contract at their school."
"Mother's manner of salves are unknown here, from all I can learn. That is another avenue of income." Vierna reached for his hands, and he gave them. "Thank you, for having faith in me."
"Nothing else to do when my own daughter proved she was not lost," he said quietly. "Will you be able to scry Drizzt now?"
Vierna sighed, shaking her head. "I had no luck, but then the prayers are still shrouded."
Zak frowned, but if the gods wanted to war on each other, he didn't care; he'd rather they left drow alone. "At least you being so high in favor, even with Him weakened, means you shouldn't be tested too soon."
"So I think, yes."
Vhaeraun sighed melodramatically as Eilistraee finally managed to pull the poisoned chelicerae out of His abdomen.
"You should have made it clear You wished aid long before now," Eilistraee scolded, putting the large pincers into the waiting darkflame to destroy them. "What happened?"
He considered how to answer as Her hands moved back to the wound, bringing healing and soothing the unending agony He had been inflicted with since the attack.
"One of the junior clerics My priestess had sent to learn in Her temple betrayed My priestess by thought. I managed to warn her, just before My realm was swarmed by Her abyssal spiders.
"I believe She'd already glimpsed My influence building." He grimaced with distaste for losing the first real foothold He'd made in that city.
"She will be on guard for reprisals," Eilistraee mused. "You must be careful, My Twin."
"When am I not, My dear Sister?" he asked in mocking tones, before lying back to let Her finish the healing He needed. She let Him rest, considering all of this, and how it might backlash upon Her own people.
"My priestess is safe, with her father, in one of the cities I hold more strongly," He said. "I chose well with her, even if this did not work the way I wished."
"Just don't go becoming enamored of her, Brother. My Nephew is enough trouble."
Vhaeraun laughed, bitterly, but nodded at the warning. He did enjoy such pleasures, but this priestess was too important, in His limited foresight, to risk that with.
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Vierna Do'Urden, Zaknafein Do'Urden, Drizzt Do'Urden, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Violence, Fratricide, Murder, flashfic, Cross-Posted from Archive Of Our Own (AO3), Time Travel
Summary:
Vierna is Betrayed
Divining Destiny: Flight for Freedom
Vierna came alert from the dream with a chill on her spine. Things had been going so well ever since she had managed to give Drizzt a chance to live elsewhere.
Her Lord was the only reason she dreamed at all, which meant the dream was a portent that she had to divine the meaning of quickly. With a flicker of her will, she sent her current messenger spider, one of the line from her father's gift to her so long ago, to fetch him to her. While she did that, she cleared her mind to take up the spells of hiding that she had lived under, ever since the Masked God chose her as His priestess.
Zaknafein was waiting when she came up from the prayers, sitting calmly opposite her — and a barrier to anything else that would have dared enter the Matron's chambers.
"Something has shifted, and we are now in danger," Vierna signed to him. "Invite your lover to take those of our people he wishes. You and I, any you trust explicitly, will use the gathering paths to leave this city."
"You are certain?"
Vierna's mouth set in a grim line for a long moment. "Only that the hiding spell is known to me from childhood allowed me to take it, I think. She is seeking His influence in the city now."
"Be at the portal by the time for evening meal; I will have all things in motion," Zak told her firmly.
For better or worse, House Do'Urden in Menzoberranzan would be abandoned to the Spider Queen, but personal survival was prized above all else, for most drow, and Vierna was typical in that regard.
Dinin sat in the safe house of Bregan D'Aerthe with his head in his hands, still mulling over everything. He was grateful to the Weapon Master for making this opportunity appear, but he was at a loss for what would be expected now that he was without a House.
Jarlaxle, leader of the mercenary company, sat beside him, uncovered eye surveying those few men he had chosen to bring into the band. He wasn't very pleased; Vierna Do'Urden had been opening avenues to the cunning man for years now.
"It is done."
"She — they did make it out, yes?" Dinin asked, looking over.
"That actually matters to you," Jarlaxle said, and he looked pleased with that awareness. "Yes, they did. And to spare the rest, their meal was laced with poison, courtesy of my sense of mercy."
Dinin pondered that. When the Matrons of the ruling council moved to end the heresy, they would have tortured the commoners to learn all they could. The loyalty of the fighters would have pushed them to fight even without knowing where their matron was. The changes that Vierna had brought about in the House had made them all stronger, but…
… it was the kind of strength that was not allowed.
"Send me to one of your outposts, with some of my people and any of yours you trust to keep me under your eye." Dinin drew in all of his own cunning, ambition, and pride. "I live, and serving you is damn sure better than being dead or in the clutches of a different House."
"I have just the place for you," Jarlaxle said, smiling. "And I think you will thrive in our network."
Zaknafein inspected the house that had been procured in Rilauven, checking it over for any and all possible traps. When he at last came to Vierna, who was just settling back from prayer, she looked fatigued but content.
"With only ten to support us, it's not the most defensible place, but we can make it work," Zak told her.
"We will have more in time," Vierna promised him. "We still have enough gems to set ourselves on the path of growth."
"Once I am satisfied one of the fighters is able enough to defend in my absence, I will take up the offered contract at their school."
"Mother's manner of salves are unknown here, from all I can learn. That is another avenue of income." Vierna reached for his hands, and he gave them. "Thank you, for having faith in me."
"Nothing else to do when my own daughter proved she was not lost," he said quietly. "Will you be able to scry Drizzt now?"
Vierna sighed, shaking her head. "I had no luck, but then the prayers are still shrouded."
Zak frowned, but if the gods wanted to war on each other, he didn't care; he'd rather they left drow alone. "At least you being so high in favor, even with Him weakened, means you shouldn't be tested too soon."
"So I think, yes."
Vhaeraun sighed melodramatically as Eilistraee finally managed to pull the poisoned chelicerae out of His abdomen.
"You should have made it clear You wished aid long before now," Eilistraee scolded, putting the large pincers into the waiting darkflame to destroy them. "What happened?"
He considered how to answer as Her hands moved back to the wound, bringing healing and soothing the unending agony He had been inflicted with since the attack.
"One of the junior clerics My priestess had sent to learn in Her temple betrayed My priestess by thought. I managed to warn her, just before My realm was swarmed by Her abyssal spiders.
"I believe She'd already glimpsed My influence building." He grimaced with distaste for losing the first real foothold He'd made in that city.
"She will be on guard for reprisals," Eilistraee mused. "You must be careful, My Twin."
"When am I not, My dear Sister?" he asked in mocking tones, before lying back to let Her finish the healing He needed. She let Him rest, considering all of this, and how it might backlash upon Her own people.
"My priestess is safe, with her father, in one of the cities I hold more strongly," He said. "I chose well with her, even if this did not work the way I wished."
"Just don't go becoming enamored of her, Brother. My Nephew is enough trouble."
Vhaeraun laughed, bitterly, but nodded at the warning. He did enjoy such pleasures, but this priestess was too important, in His limited foresight, to risk that with.