The Immortal Kobold

While the yuan-ti and monks were picking up the peices of their failed assassination, another group was slinking through the shadows in the opposite direction. Fredregard was in the lead with the young Sorina and Dale slung over his shoulders like a pair of potato sacks. The dwarf was happily recounting Xing Lei's stand off with Umbersilk to the two women that walked just behind him. Osilliaice and Al.u.s.triea listened as they found it hard to equate a stalemate between the hulking serpent and their own short kobold.

Xing Lei himself brought up the rear, his senses on high alert, as he had mentioned to Selrissessa, there was multiple parties interested in this little war for an empire. Of his listed potentials, all but one had shown their hand. The remaining faction, the redscale lizardfolk, had yet to show their hides, which struck him as odd. Ignoring the chatter of the dwarf he was straining his eyes and hearing, alert for when the opposing lizardfolk faction made themselves known.

The dwarf suddenly stopped and shifted Dale over atop Sorina as he reached into a wide belt pouch pulling out a featureless face mask and hood, tossing the item towards Al.u.s.triea. "Boss said you should put that on, while yer lizard there has an invite the two of you are extras, boss is making an exception in your case so listen to the advice left for you. Wear that then shut up. You're not to talk, draw attention to yourself or otherwise do anything to reveal who ya be. Failure to comply and the boss cant rightly keep you in one piece."

Al.u.s.triea looked at the simple mask, other than hiding her identity it should be safe enough, yet there was only the one, "What about Osilliaice?"

The dwarf replaced Dale on his free shoulder and snorted, "She's fine, since ya ain't clued in lass here's the thing, we're headed in to meet dark seekers, they ain't real fond of elves so for as long as yer in their company you are the lizard pairs faceless mute associate. Give yerself away and well, shit will get ugly real fast for you. So don't. Save us all some headache alright?"

Al.u.s.triea frowned before she felt a reassuring touch at her elbow, Xing Lei motioned to the mask, "House Luen is a drow house, I shouldn't need to tell you their reaction were they to out you. They likely know who you are mask or not but it gives them some deniability. So put up with it, regardless of what we see from the meeting on muffle your good heart, we can't afford to have you exposed."

Al.u.s.triea's eyes widened then looked to the mask, "Then I shouldn't go, I'll seek my father and..."

"... miss your chance to cultivate. I suspect the drow want us out of the equation, as a 'guest' I'm being afforded some courtesy but how long it holds out... well... its drow." Xing Lei interjected softly with a roll of his shoulders. "Chances are we'll be smuggled out and we leave this hot bed behind us."

Al.u.s.triea's ears drooped a bit, "I can't even say good bye or leave a message for my father?"

Xing Lei shrugged, "I'm sure we can get your missive to the Archmage but bodily we hope to get out if here before the real war starts." Xing Lei scanned the side streets warily, "Once the first blow falls the various factions will act as well. If my suspicions are right the yuan-ti and monks of the Heavenly Rose are only small players, for all of their influence and plans, the real masterminds are still in the shadows. The drow, the redscales, not to mention your Queen, that last one concerns me the most, she apparently has made no counter moves to oppose your father, which tells me she, like myself, is waiting to see the real players make a move before she sweeps in and strikes at all."

"I thought she was trying for diplomacy? She'd sent envoys to contact father regularly." Al.u.s.triea pointed out slipping the hooded mask over her wheat colored hair, the two eye slits glowed a soft red that masked her emerald eyes nicely,

Xing Lei nodded, "Strikes me as strange that one in a long line of rulers so casually keeps dialogue open with the leader of a splintered faction, even if the Archmage is highly valued, were he truly leading the opposition one would think that he would be cut off from courtly doings on. Osilliaic, your thoughts?"

The lizardess walked along easily glancing over the side streets they passed, "Not my place to say, I'm her second, she points me at her enemies and I make them a non problem."

Xing Lei chuckled, "You are not fooling anyone my mate, as the former lead huntress who survived under Grull and that lick spit Gruck you're far from that simple. Go ahead, let's see what you noticed."

Osilliaice frowned and sighed, "The Archmage is rebelling at the order of the Queen, like the Mistress the Queen sees herself separate from the empire, regardless who sits on the high chair they'll still sit beneath her. The tree geas is being blamed on the Archmage but the extension of the forest truly aids the Empire, he takes a minor reputation strike while she gets to expand her borders, which remain expanded after her opposition is 'defeated'. In truth this is all to lure out her enemies to better see who is slinking around her borders and who she can trust within them."

Xing Lei nodded lightly, "Al.u.s.triea's support of the vassals?"

Osilliaice frowned, "Popularity plan B, in case the archmages reputation takes too great a hit, his rebellious daughter who helped the people despite his wishes stands ready to be elevated to the Archmage position, her father is given a promotion to the shadow council behind whatever rulership replaces the former public matriarchy."

Al.u.s.triea blanked listening to the two reptiles discussing political plots, "Wait you mean father is still supporting the queen and even my efforts were..."

"Part of their plan. My dear my agent should have warned you about talking but since I came out myself I'll forgive your slip. In any regard, yes, your fathers separation is something planned, your actions were expected and exploited by all sides. All are dancing to the Queens strings, the outside players included."

The new voice surprised Al.u.s.triea and she glanced over, her hand snapping down for a weapon she had not belted on that morn, Xing Lei was quick to put a restraining hand on her arm and shook his head, "She's who we are meeting."

The dwarf grinned trying to wave to the newcomer, badly jostling Sorina and Dsle on his shoulders, "Boss! You got my money?!"

The newcomer sighed stepping fully from the shadowed door way where she waited. Sort of like Al.u.s.triea if one inverted the coloring of her body, dark inky black onyx skin, l.u.s.trous white hair, a set of crimson eyes and a body that put surface elves to shame. The drow woman, Pellanistra Luen, casually leaned on the door frame showing off her still barely clad body, "Of course Fedrex, I naturally have your money..." Her full pouty lips wore a thick smile but all could see the exasperation in her crimson gaze, "So good to see you again Kobolicus, my matron thanks you for your contribution last time and insists you visit this time."

Xing Lei laughed, "She put a bounty out on me to get what else I might have hasn't she?"

The drow laughed her full bust shaking unrestrained in the loose silky sash that barely covered them, "Ah you have barely known us yet can figure it out so well, naturally there is a bounty but my invite stays true, I'm sure when the conflict of interests occurs I can rely on Kobolicus to help my ascension to Matron Mother?"

Al.u.s.triea frowned behind her mask, her body trembled as her every instinct demanded she bring this foul dark elf down, yet Xing Lei's restraining hand continued to hold her arm, a thumb rubbing her wrist to help calm her nerves. "Of course but our journey is to the east coast, not below to Cheth Rrihinn. Helping you claim this Matron Mother position will have to be another time."

Pellanistra pouted and held her hands up helplessly, "Very well, as I do owe you I can help you out. But what is in it for myself, my escort rates are not cheap."

Xing Lei sighed, the double meaning of that statement was about as subtle as knife to the forehead. His sigh deepened and his grip on Al.u.s.triea tightened as the drow continued, "You iblith really need to lighten up, you'd live longer sweet girl, least long enough to our altars anyways..."

Al.u.s.triea was ready to leap at the drow who so casually taunted her with the rumors of what drow typically used their elven slaves for, her teeth gritting hard behind the mask as she thought about trying to throw off the kobolds grip and strangling this insufferable demonic bitch. Yet Xing Lei's grip was like an iron shackle, immovable and unrelenting, coughing he caught her attention and nodded his head in different directions. Her masked visage turned seeing more than half a dozen guards surrounding them, each armed and ready to act if their Mistress was endangered. A cold chill past down Al.u.s.triea's spine realizing she was being baited.

The dwarf huffed glancing between masked elf and half n.a.k.e.d drow and grunted, "Bossssss, these lumps aren't light, ya make me wait much more I'm gonna increase my wage..."

Pellanistra sighed and nodded waving for the troop to follow her, "This way and Fedrex you will be paid what was agreed, your bonus depends on what else you give me."

Walking back into the structure the guards fell into step behind the motley bunch as the drow leader lead Xing Lei and the others inside and towards the bas.e.m.e.nt. The kobold was listening intently as the dwarf and Pellanistra talked using his native tongue, he supposed they thought he would not understand it but he did and their private talk was nor surprising. Mostly it was a run down of the fight in Al.u.s.triea's mansion, the ease at which Xing Lei had fought the yuan-ti abomination surprised her and she cast a stray glance back to see the kobold looking at her with one of those looks that just screamed that he knew what they knew but didn't think he knew.

Pellanistra tried addressing Xing Lei in the dwarf's native tongue and was shocked when the kobold nodded, now perhaps he was faking it but something told her this amazing little reptile had heard every word, "You truly amaze Kobolicus, anything you care to add?"

Fedrex turned a shocked gaze realizing his boss was now talking to Xing Lei in his own language and cursed, "Rot me moldy beard, where'd a reptile learn me peoples tongue?!"

Xing Lei chuckled, "If you need verification I have Blackhearts head I can haul without."

"We had wondered why that damn pirate was not returning our missives, we thought there might have been Yuan-ti interference since he kept that Lady Cobra around, didn't realize you removed the pirate boss, that human that greeted our agents has done a great job hiding his captains death."

Pellanistra chuckled and sighed, "Kobolicus you truly are a damn marvel, I really should insist that you join House Luen, giving you weaponmaster would be fully deserved. Come now little god in scales, can't I tempt you some how..."

Xing Lei chuckled and shook his head, "I prefer freedom, will you really be able to get us across the inner sea?"

Pellanistra sighed and nodded leading them on, "Our spellweavers should get you where you need to go, a pity I have never had reason to experience a kobold before and now I'm intrigued, a pity the little wretches we own are completely unlike you Kobolicus..."

While she could not understand them Osilliaice wrapped her arms protectively around her mate, both Pellanistra and Xing Lei chuckled watching the lizardess feel threatened by the dark elf. She normally didn't even blink at Al.u.s.triea being close or Xing Lei offering their friend to join them, but that was more due to the elf being only slightly more endowed than the lizardess. This drow, overly curved and sultry in ways she truly felt threatened by, she hugged her mate even more reluctantly of giving him over to their dark skinned guide.