《蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)》第111章

t　was　suicide　to　travel　the　subterranean　wilderness　alone。
Sadly；　thanks　to　the　cursed　goblin　rebellion；　she　had　little　choice。　Because　of　the　desperate　fighting　all　across　the　city；　the　clergy"s　incapacity　was　no　great　secret　anymore。　Certainly　Gromph　had　discerned　it；　which　meant　Triel　no　longer　had　anything　to　hide　from　him。　Surely；　then；　she　would　seek　his　counsel　once　more。
Waerva　had　been　confident　she　could　manipulate　the　frazzled　matron　mother；　but　she　very　much　doubted　she　could　fool　the　canny　archmage。　Accordingly；　she"d　cleared　out　of　the　Great　Mound　and　Menzoberranzan　itself　before　her　kinsman　could　start　asking　questions；　and　there　she　was；　a　solitary　wayfarer　hiking　through　a　perilous　wilderness。
But　she　was　strong　and　cunning；　and　she"d　survive。　She"d　make　her　way　to　her　secret　allies；　and　everything　would　be　all　right。
She　took　four　more　strides；　then　heard　another　little　sound；　and　this　one　wasn"t　falling　water。　It　sounded　more　like　a　stealthy　footstep　brushing　stone；　and　it　came　from　behind　her。
She　whirled　and　saw　no　one；　then　something　stung　her　arm。　She　pivoted。　At　her　feet　lay　the　pebble　someone　had　thrown。　Soft；　sibilant　laughter　rippled　through　the　air。　From　the　sound　of　it；　the　merrymakers　were　all　around　her。
Why；　then；　couldn"t　she　see　them？
Adamantine　mace　at　the　ready；　one　wing　of　her　piwafwi　tossed　back　to　facilitate　the　action　of　her　weapon　arm；　Waerva　advanced　in　the　direction　from　which　the　rock　had　e。　Weaving　her　way　through　the　stalagmites；　she　reached　the　cavern　wall　without　so　much　as　glimpsing　her　attacker。　She　caught　a　whiff　of　a　familiar　reptilian　musk；　though；　and　she　knew。
Kobolds。　The　horned；　scaly　undercreatures　were　small　enough　that　it　was　relatively　easy　for　them　to　hide　amid　the　calcite　bumps　and　spikes。
She　turned　once　more；　and　despite　herself；　gave　a　start。　Evidently　the　kobolds　lacked　the　patience　to　play　their　skulking　game　for　very　long；　because　they　were　done　hiding。　While　her　back　was　turned；　they"d　crept　out　into　the　open　and　there　formed　a　ragged　Cshaped　line　to　pen　her　against　the　wall。
The　brutes　were　Menzoberranyr　thralls。　House　brands　and　whip　scars　gave　that　fact　away。　Indeed；　a　couple　still　wore　broken　shackles。　Waerva　plainly　wasn"t　the　only　one　who"d　fled　the　city。
She　glared　at　the　kobolds　and　said；　〃I"m　a　Baenre。　You　know　what　that　means。　Make　way；　or　I"ll　strike　you　dead。〃
The　undercreatures　stared　back　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　lowered　their　eyes。　The　line　broke　in　the　middle；　making　an　exit。
Sneering；　head　held　high；　Waerva　started　for　the　opening。　For　a　moment；　all　was　silent；　then　the　reptiles　laughed；　screeched；　and　rushed　her。
Bellowing　a　battle　cry；　she　swung　her　mace；　and　every　stroke　smashed　the　life　from　a　thrall。　But　for　every　one　she　killed；　there　were　dozens　more　hacking　and　beating　at　her　legs。
Her　knee　screamed　with　pain；　and　she　fell。　The　kobolds　swarmed　over　her　and　pounded　her　until　she　just　couldn"t　struggle　any　more。
With　some　difficulty；　they　divested　her　of　her　armor　and　clothing；　and　went　to　work　on　her。　Amazingly　for　such　a　bestial　race；　they　seemed　to　understand　anatomy　as　thoroughly　as　her　dear　Tluth；　but　their　ministrations　were　nothing　like　massage。
Faeryl　had　learned　to　court　unconsciousness。　It　brought　surcease　from　the　lingering　pains　of　past　tortures。　Unfortunately；　it　couldn"t　avert　new　ones。　When　Jeggred　found　her　so；　he　simply　waved　a　bottle　of　pungent　smelling　salts　beneath　her　nose　until　it　jolted　her　awake。
She　could　hear　him　ing。　So　could　the　jailers；　who　scurried　to　the　back　of　the　dungeon　to　give　him　privacy。　Shivering；　she　struggled　to　pose　herself。　Perhaps　she　could　deny　him　the　satisfaction　of　a　scream—at　least　for　a　while—or　even　provoke　him　into　killing　her。　That　would　be　wonderful。
The　draegloth　appeared　in　the　doorway；　stooping　to　pass　through。　Despite　herself；　Faeryl　flinched；　then　saw　he　was　not　alone。　Dainty　little　Triel　acpanied　him。　So　did　her　harshfeatured　brother；　clad　as　usual　in　the　Robes　of　the　Archmage。
〃My　。　。　。　salutations；　Matron；〃　the　Zauvirr　croaked。
〃Hush；〃　said　Gromph；　〃and　all　will　be　well。〃　He　looked　up　at　the　glowering　halfdemon。　〃Free　her；　and　be　gentle　about　it。〃
Jeggred　strode　to　Faeryl。　This　time；　she　managed　not　to　cringe。　The　draegloth　supported　her　weight　with　his　smaller　hands　while　cutting　her　bonds　with　the　claws　of　the　larger　ones；　then　scooped　her　up　in　his　arms。　She　passed　out。
Next　came　a　blur　of　hours　or　days；　during　which　she　would　wake　for　a　few　muddled　seconds；　then　lapse　into　unconsciousness　again。　She　lay　on　a　soft　divan；　where　servants　salved　and　bandaged　her　wounds　and　sometimes　spooned　broth　into　her　mouth。　Priestesses　read　scrolls　of　healing；　and　Gromph　appeared　periodically　to　cast　his　own　spells　over　her。　She　noticed　Mother"s　Kiss　lying　on　a　little　table　beside　her；　and　when　she　felt　strong　enough；　stretched　out　her　trembling　arm　and　touched　it。
Finally　she　opened　her　eyes　to　find　her　thoughts　clear　and　vitality　tingling　in　her　limbs。　The　servants　helped　her　don　new　raiment。　They　said　it　was　for　a　meeting　with　Triel。
Faeryl　considered　taking　her　war　hammer　along；　then　thought　better　of　it。　If　her　rehabilitation　was　an　elaborate　prank；　if　the　Baenre　was　summoning　her　to　further　torment；　the　weapon　wouldn"t　save　her。
Her　legs　still　the　least　bit　unsteady；　she　followed　a　male　through　the　endless　corridors　of　the　Great　Mound。　Eventually　he　opened　the　door　to　a　small　but　lavishly　decorated　room。
Triel　sat　at　the　table　in　the　center　of　the　space；　with　two　bodyguards　standing　against　the　wall　behind　her。　Faeryl　inferred　that　this　was　a　chamber　the　matron　used　when　she　wished　to　palaver　away　from　the　formal　trappings　of　her　court。
The　Baenre　rose　and　took　her　prisoner"s　hands。
〃My　child；〃　Triel　said；　〃I　rejoice　to　see　you。　Some　folk　said　you　wouldn"t　recover；　but　I　never　doubted　it。　I　knew　you　were　strong；　a　true　drow　princess　favored　of　Lolth。〃
〃Thank　you；　Matron；〃　said　Faeryl；　thoroughly　perplexed。
Triel　conducted　her　a　chair。
〃You"ll　be　glad　to　know　we　caught　them；〃　the　matron　said。
〃Them？〃
〃The　brigands　who　waylaid　you　and　murdered　your　followers；　who　left　you　for　dead　in　that　place　where　my　servant　Valas　found　you。　I　supervised　the　e