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Triel　gave　her　head　a　shake；　trying　to　dislodge　her　doubts　and　worries。
〃Let　them　down。〃
Jeggred　obeyed；　and　she　turned　to　the　secretary。
〃When　you　get　a　chance；〃　she　said；　raising　her　voice　over　the　choking　gasps　of　the　two　cousins；　〃have　somebody　haul　them　out　to　ArachTinilith　to　be　patched　back　together；　and　have　someone　wash　away　the　blood。　But　for　now；　we'd　best　get　moving。　I　think　we're　late。〃
The　trio　moved　on。　A　final　turn　brought　them　to　the　door。　Behind　it　was　the　dais　overlooking　the　largest　audience　chamber　in　House　Baenre。　A　pair　of　sentries　guarded　the　entry　to　ensure　that　no　one　would　sneak　through　to　stab　the　matron　mother　in　the　back。　They　snapped　to　attention　when　they　saw　her　ing。
Triel　swept　on　through　the　entry　with　Jeggred　and　the　clerk　in　tow。　The　hall　on　the　other　side　glowed　with　soft　magical　light　to　facilitate　the　examination　of　documents。　A　sweet　perfume　scented　the　air；　and　a　fresco　of　Lolth　adorned　the　ceiling。　The　guards　along　the　walls—dark　elves　near　the　dais；　ogre　and　minotaur　slaves　farther　down—saluted；　while　the　supplicants　and　petitioners　made　the　obeisance　proper　to　their　stations；　anything　from　a　dignified　inclination　of　the　head　and　spreading　of　the　hands　to　an　abject　grovel　flat　on　the　floor。
Looking　down　on　them　from　the　elevated　platform；　Triel　reflected　that　it　was　astonishing　just　how　many　such　folk　turned　up　each　and　every　tenday。　She'd　thought　people　were　always　demanding　her　attention　when　she　ruled　the　Academy；　but　she'd　had　no　conception　of　the　hordes　of　idiots　who　constantly　sought　Matron　Baenre's　ear；　often　to　resolve　trivial　if　not　nonsensical　concerns。
She　sat　down　on　her　mother's　throne；　an　empress's　ransom　in　gold　with　a　flaring　back　shaped　to　resemble　an　arc　of　spider　web。　Her　predecessor　had　been　a　relatively　large　female；　and　her　successor　always　felt　a　bit　childlike　and　lost　in　the　chair。　She　had　enough　of　a　sense　of　irony　to　prehend　the　accidental　symbolism。
She　surveyed　the　waiting　throng　and　discovered　Faeryl　Zauvirr　at　the　very　front　with　some　long；　bulky　rolled　papers　tucked　under　her　arm。　The　matron　mother　smiled；　for　at　least　she　knew　how　to　deal　with　this　one　particular　petitioner。　For　a　blessed　change；　Waerva；　one　of　the　lesser　females　of　her　House；　had　made　herself　useful。　She'd　e　up　with　some　significant　information　and　a　sensible　idea　of　what　to　do　about　it。
Triel　decided　she　might　as　well　start　out　feeling　dominant　and　shrewd。　Perhaps　it　would　set　the　tone　for　the　rest　of　the　session。　She　waited　for　the　herald　to　conclude　the　ceremonials　and　the　crowd　to　rise。　Then；　still　spattered　with　blood；　and　with　Jeggred　looming　reassuringly　behind　her　throne；　she　motioned　for　Faeryl　to　step　forward。
　
C　　　h　　　a　　　p　　　t　　　e　　　r
S　　I　　X
Faeryl　was　pleased　to　be　chosen　first。　In　retrospect；　she　thought　the　same　thing　would　have　occurred　even　if　she　hadn't　made　sure　of　a　position　immediately　in　front　of　the　dais。　The　haughty　Menzoberranyr　often　feigned　disinterest　in　their　client　city；　but　she　knew　they　understood　the　importance　of　Ched　Nasad。
It　was　hard　not　to　hurry；　but　she　forced　herself　to　approach　the　throne　with　a　stately　tread　consonant　with　the　dignity　of　her　position；　the　stature　of　her　House；　and　the　grandeur　of　her　homeland。　It　was　also　difficult　to　offer　a　second　graceful　obeisance　without　dropping　her　roll　of　maps；　but　she　acplished　that　as　well。
〃Ambassador；〃　said　Triel　without　any　extraordinary　warmth。　Perhaps　she　considered　Faeryl's　presence　inappropriate。
〃Matron　Mother；〃　Faeryl　replied。　Tall；　broadshouldered　and　thick　waisted　by　the　standards　of　her　slender　race；　she　would　have　dwarfed　the　Baenre　had　the　two　of　them　been　standing　side　by　side。　〃I　know　we　sometimes　meet　in　private；　but　after　tendays　of　deliberation　I　arrived　at　a　conclusion；　one　that　pelled　me　to　confer　with　you　at　the　earliest　opportunity。〃
〃What　conclusion？〃　Triel　asked。
She　still　seemed　unconcerned　if　not　downright　cold。　Perhaps　she　was　preoccupied　with　her　affliction。
Faeryl　had　of　course　fallen　prey　to　the　same　malaise；　but　to　her　own　surprise；　she'd　discovered　she　was　at　least　as　worried　about　something　else：　the　wellbeing　of　House　Zauvirr　and　the　magnificent　city　in　which　it　amassed　its　wealth；　fought　its　covert　battles；　and　worked　its　magic。
〃I　keep　track　of　the　caravans　arriving　from　Ched　Nasad；〃　the　ambassador　said。　〃For　the　past　six　tendays；　none　has。　None。　As　the　Matron　Mother　is　undoubtedly　aware；　several　major　trade　routes　converge　in　the　City　of　Shimmering　Webs；　which　then　funnels　the　merchants　on　to　Menzoberranzan。　At　least　half　the　goods　that　reach　your　cavern　e　through　us。　Except　that　now；　they　aren't　reaching　you。　The　steady　flow　has　dried　up。　Except　in　time　of　war；　that's　unprecedented。〃
〃It's　an　odd　coincidence；　certainly；　all　the　merchant　clansmen　choosing　other　destinations；　but　I'm　sure　they'll　decide　to　head　for　Menzoberranzan　next　trip；　or　the　trip　after　that。〃
Faeryl　had　to　make　a　conscious　effort　to　pose　her　features。　Otherwise　she　would　have　scowled。　If　she　hadn't　known　better；　she　would　have　thought　Triel　was　being　deliberately　obtuse。
〃1　suspect　it　may　be　more　than　a　coincidence；〃　the　ambassador　said。　〃A　thousand　thousand　dangers　haunt　the　Underdark；　and　the　philosophers　tell　us　new　ones　are　spawning　all　the　time。　What　if　something　has　cut　the　route　between　Menzoberranzan　and　Ched　Nasad？　What　if　it's　killing　everyone　who　tries　to　pass　through？〃
〃More　than　one　tunnel　connects　the　cities；〃　rumbled　the　draegloth　unexpectedly；　and　despite　the　perfume　wafting　through　the　air；　Faeryl　caught　a　whiff　of　the　creature's　putrid　breath。　〃Is　that　not　so？〃
〃Exactly〃　Triel　reached　back　around　the　edge　of　her　golden　chair　and　gave　the　halffiend　an　approving　pat　on　the　leg。　〃Your　theory　doesn't　stand　up；　Ambassador。〃
Not　for　the　first　time；　Faeryl　wished　that　Triel's　mother　was　still　leading　House　Baenre。　The　greedy；　vicious　old　autocrat　could　be　hard　to　contend　with；　but　though　she　would　have　cherished　a　draegloth　as　a　mark　of　Lolth's　
approval　and　delighted　in　the　demidemon's　gift　for　slaughter；　she　wouldn't　have　tolerated　it　speaking　unbidden　at　a　formal　conference；　any　more　than　she　would　have　borne　such　disrespect　from　anyone　else。
〃If　the　threat　consists　of　more　than　one　beast；〃　the　emissary　said；　〃or　more　than　one　manifestation　of　a　phenomenon；　it　could　cut　more　than　one　passage。〃
Triel　shrugged。　〃If　you　say　so。〃
〃I　hesitate　to　mention　it；〃　said　Faeryl；　〃lest　I　be　thought　an　alarmist；　but　it's　even　possible　that　some　misfortune　has　befallen　Ched　Nasad　itself。〃
〃A　misfortune　so　abrupt　and　allenpassing　that　your　folk　never　even　had　a　chance　to　dispatch　a　messenger　to　Menzoberranzan？〃　Triel　replied。　〃Nonsense。　Even　Golothaer；　home　of　our　ancestors；　didn't　perish　in　an　hour。　Besides；　I　am　personally　aware　of　several　muniqués　having　reached　here　from　Ched　Nasad　in　only　the　past　few　days。〃
〃I　have　received　some　of　those　sendings　myself；　Matron　Mother；　and　find　their　excuses　suspicious　at　best。　In　any　case；　the　dearth　of　traffic　from　Ched　Nasad　warrants　investigation；　and　as　my　city's　representative　in　Menzoberranzan；　the　task　is　my　responsibility。〃
〃No　one　has　charged　you　with　it。〃
〃Then　I　take　it　upon　myself。　Yet　I'm　reluctant　to　venture　across　the　Underdark　with　merely　my　own　little　entourage　for　protection。　Traders　guard　their　caravans　very　well。　Anything　that　could　destroy　all　those　merchant　trains　would　likely　put　a　quick　end　to　me；　too；　in　which　case；　Matron　Mother；　the　priestesses　of　Menzoberranzan　would　know　no　more　about　the　new　menace　beyond　their　borders　than　they　do　now。　Accordingly；　I　ask　you　to　provide　me　with　a　sizable　escort。　I'll　march　it　to　Ched　Nasad　and　back　again　and　see　what　befalls　me　along　the　way。〃
〃You　have　an　enterprising　nature；〃　said　Triel　〃It　does　you　credit。　Alas；　Menzoberranzan　can't　spare　any　troops。　Not　at　this　time。　Our　forces　are　engaged　in　training　exercises。〃
Faeryl　fancied　she　knew　the　real　reason　the　Baenre　was　at　present　reluctant　to　divest　herself　of　any　portion　of　her　military　strength。　Her　caution　made　perfect　sense　on　its　own　terms；　but　surely　it　must　yield　to　the　gravity　of　the　envoy's　concerns
〃Matron　Mother；　if　trade　with　Ched　Nasad　does　not　resume；　the　people　of　Menzoberranzan　will　find　th