[color=a0410d][h3]Zaerna Throt'oll[/h3][/color]
[hr]

[i]And so the evening ends. [/i] 

With a lofty sigh, Zaerna slumped down against the girls at her side. She threw a last lingering gaze on the ballroom, the bottom curve of her horn grazing Kasari's scalp lightly as she did. All in all, the unmarried Throt'oll was viewing this evening as quite the success. She managed to claim two brides and avoid confrontation - if she had caused trouble, she would not return to a happy mother. Lord Thort'oll may be the War Lord head of their little clan, but it was the wrath of her mother the female Drakken dreaded most. Her reputation had to be impeccable if she wanted a husband of notable worth, and a discretion at such an event would not reflect nicely in her mother's eyes. The woman was already going to need convincing to not throw a fit about her daughter's brides already. With the hall emptying, the female Drakken held her two brides close and started leisurely walking toward the great double door exit, ignoring the manacles on both of the girls' wrists. The female Drakken responded to Kasari's comment in a condescending tone, "[color=a0410d]You pathetic creatures are not worth Drakken blood; you are hardly the cream of the crop, today, and yet someone as dignified as myself settled for you. Some barbaric men might fall to temptation, but know that those of us with minds recognizing the foolishness of fighting over you.[/color]" As they passed the threshold she ordered one of the ambient workers to inform her carriage to be ready outside Shadow Worth. "[color=a0410d]Besides,[/color]" she went on, "[color=a0410d]If one of you were so irresistible, we could just go and take your sisters.[/color]" She snickered at the ridiculousness of the idea.

"[color=a0410d]Now, I'm sure you're both curious as to why a female would have been given a bride.[/color]" She said as she led the girls through hard granite halls adorned with tapestries and mosaics. Each piece of art was made by some or another race and showcased beautiful craftsmanship and technique, but depicted violent, bloody scenes of the Drakken's victory over those peoples. They passed window showing a large male Drakken with three much smaller Geminites encircled in his arms and the female jostled the two of them. "[color=a0410d]I earned you two in my escapades in the South. Myself and my squadron of sixteen lesser males swathed the Southern coast behind enemy lines to sterilize the area. We followed one of their low-traffic trade routes through bleak countryside, coming across the many small villages that housed the members of their reserve militias.[/color]" At this point, the female led them down a large marble staircase, a thick red carpet running down them like a vein. The sounds her boots made resonated up the walls to the large ceiling and back, making for crisp clear retorts that punctuated her story like a metronome. 

"[color=a0410d]My men and I followed these routes to many small villages and hamlets that, once the main body of the South dwindle, their government would have turned to in order to bolster their ranks. We took that option away from them by completely neutralizing the area. First the fit men, who would have been brought against my own brothers, and then the infirm, and then the women and children.[/color]" She didn't pause between the admission and her continuance, "[color=a0410d]In total, I do not remember how many towns we visited. This operation took course over a few weeks. My men and I would withdraw and reenter farther down the routes whenever we came close to discovery by outside forces. By leaving no witnesses, we were able to continue the mission until we were called back home.[/color]" Out of the grandiose stairwell and through a great mural-covered hall she brought them. The dark mural depicted a large Drakken male standing triumphantly over a pile of bodies. The female made a religious gesture to the interpretation of Drun, her hand leaving Sophia's body as she did, only to return to the girls lower back once she was finished. "[color=a0410d]In all...[/color]" She finally finished her recounting, "[color=a0410d]I believe our count was somewhere near 1,100, though that includes young children and infants so it isn't too impressive. However, we took out a good percentage of their back up forces, and so myself, as the leader of the squadron, received the honors.[/color]" She patted them again for effect - they were the 'honors' after all. 

The female Drakken fell silent as she ushered them down the rest of the hall, the next mural depicting Sorrak sitting in a lush throne surrounded by scantily clad female Drakkens. On the opposite wall, Krenta was illustrated in dark following robes in a field of bleached skulls, the sun hidden behind his head creating a halo around the deity's head. Again, Zaerna motioned out of respect for her gods, though not as fervently and within looking down to her feet as she had done before. The hall emptied into the cavernous entryway of Shadow Worth. Tall arched windows framed in wrought iron showed the desolate environment the Drakken inhabited. The only relief in the bland beige desert were the spokes of gray sandy crags or protruding mounds that housed termites. Very rarely, a cactus or stunted tree showed hints of green, but they were few and far between. A road cut through going both directions, and on the far side of the passage the mountains rose up in their orche glory. As the sorceress approached the final exited, she waved pleasantly to the two men posted there as they opened the set of smaller, more convenient doors. 

The heat hit the Drakken like a blow to the chest, but she was more than accostumed to it. The castle had only been so much cooler, but the blaring sun was oppressive in it's own right. She squinted her copper eyes, her large sideways horns doing nothing to shield her view. She quickened her pace down the large staircase that connect Shadow Worth with the passage between the mountains, releasing the girls to their own mobility. Her carriage glinted in the sun at the bottom of the steps. "[color=a0410d]You will refer to me as Mistress or Lady Throt'oll, whichever you prefer. Your duties at the estate will be similar to my current maids, to cook and clean within what schedule or order my house has already distinguished. Seeing as how such trivial matters do not need my attention, do not ask what or how that will work, as I will leave it to my headmaid to decide where she needs you.[/color]" Zaerna was much more conscious of the going-ons in her estate than she let on, but she truthfully did not know where or how the girls would be put to work. "[color=a0410d]However, unlike the rest of my servants, your work and appearance will be inspect and regulated. You are, at the moment, the newest and therefore weakest members of my house. Prove your worth, and your place as my bride will be elevated and upheld. I doubt I need to go into detail as to what will happen if you don't; just know that any horror your innocent mind can conjure will be preferable to my dungeon.[/color]" 

They came to the bottom of the stairwell, and Zaerna herded them to her carriage. It was a large, shapely box covered in intricate metal work  with a few windows and steps leading up to the door. It was mostly a stained wood red with steel designs, and it rested atop four spindly yet sturdy wheels. Two black mares, at least 18 hands high, stood at attention with glistening metal harnesses and reigns leading back to the beautiful carriage. In the front, a handsome Southerner was holding the reigns, a bleak look on his face. Attached to the back of the carriage, however, seemingly out of place, was a roughly constructed iron cage. It was heated in the light of the sun, and rose on uneven wheels. The female stepped to the cage, unlocking it with a set of heavy keys and ripping it open. Without much warning, she approached Sophia and hauled her forward into the cage. "[color=a0410d]You'll be spending the trip in here. I do not tolerate disrespect. You'll learn the rest of your lesson at the estate.[/color]" She swung the bars shut and lock the cage and, turning on her heel, paid the girl no mind as she attended to Kasari. She approached Kasari and gently took her hand, "[color=a0410d]Come, darling,[/color]" she cooed absentmindedly, guiding the girl to the door of the carriage. She pulled it open and helped her inside, then climbed in behind her. Plush red seats and a glass liquor cabinet were inside; the carriage was considerable comfortable. There were a few windows, including one in the back pointed toward the cage. The female Drakken sat, pulled the Gem next to her, and poured two glasses of whiskey - one much fuller than the other. She took that glass and sipped it, without forcing the other glass of the Gem. "[color=a0410d]I suppose if either of you have any questions,[/color]" She said loud enough for them both to hear, "[color=a0410d]now would be the time to ask them.[/color]" As she spoke, the carriage slowly started to roll forward, and the female Drakken pulled her vibrant hair into a thong.