I Read What?!

So last time, Drizzt has officially graduated from the Academy and is now out on patrol, having a cute courtship with his adversary's pet cat. Drizzt has never been so relatable.



So this chapter starts with Vierna, who is currently paying a visit to "the Faceless One". If you recall, Matron Malice had solicited the original Faceless One's aid during their last House War. And no one realizes that this isn't the same dude.

I wonder if Dinin would know. It seems statistically unlikely that Alton would have exactly the same burn patterns as Gelroos Hun'ett did. Would he notice a difference?

It doesn't matter of course, because Vierna's here instead. Alton...is not very subtle.

“Matron Malice has brought her family back together,” Vierna continued. “There are stirrings of war. You have heard them, no doubt?”

“Just rumors,” Alton stuttered, now beginning to understand why Vierna had come to call on him. House Do’Urden had used the Faceless One before in its plotting—in its attempt to assassinate Alton! Now, with rumors of war whispered throughout Menzoberranzan, Matron Malice was reestablishing her network of spies and assassins.

“You know of them?” Vierna asked sharply.

“I have heard little,” Alton breathed, careful now not to anger the powerful female. “Not enough to report to your house. I did not even suspect that House Do’Urden was involved until now, when you informed me.” Alton could only hope that Vierna had no detection spell aimed at his words.

It's funny, Salvatore does such a good job with the various members of House Do'Urden as villains. Even Masoj is fairly well written. But Alton is a little too pathetic to be truly effective.

It's not as big of a deal here as in Crystal Shard, of course, but it does make everyone else look a little worse for not suspecting him.

Anyway, the "Faceless One" is now recruited to be "the eyes and ears of House Do'Urden" now that Vierna and Dinin are gone. And honestly, this seems like an absurdly high amount of trust for someone who has no affiliation with the House.

Especially since the ungent promised last time did NOT restore the Faceless One's face. Though...who knows, maybe it could have:

Alton nearly choked on the words, now understanding why an unknown messenger had delivered the jar of healing salve some thirty years before. The cloaked figure was an agent of House Do’Urden, come to repay the Faceless One for his assassination of Alton! Of course, Alton had never even tried the unguent. With his luck, it would have worked, and would have restored the features of Alton DeVir.

That would have been pretty funny.

Anyway, Vierna has a better offer this time: a wizard's staff that once belonged to Nalfein. And it's Alton's, if he can figure out who's plotting against Do'Urden.

Alton dutifully reports this to a delighted SiNafay. She realizes that Malice has no idea who her enemy is, since she knows the Faceless One's "true identity" as Gelroos Hun'ett.

Alton has the idea to try to implicate another House, but SiNafay is fairly certain that he'll crack as soon as he has to face Matron Malice directly. And she's probably right about that. Instead, she decides to have Alton resign and return to House Hun'ett with her.

I feel like that'd be a giant neon sign that Hun'ett's plotting something, to be honest. And to his credit, Alton suggests the same thing. But SiNafay knows what she'll do:

“It may,” replied SiNafay, “but it is the safest route. I will go to Matron Malice in feigned anger, telling her to leave House Hun’ett out of her troubles. If she wishes to make an informant of a member of my family, then she should come to me for permission—though I’ll not grant it this time!”

SiNafay smiled at the possibilities of such an encounter. “My anger, my fear, alone could implicate a greater house against House Do’Urden, even a conspiracy between more than one house,” she said, obviously enjoying the added benefits. “Matron Malice will certainly have much to think about, and much to worry about!”

Alton is just smart enough to put two and two together, and not smart enough to keep his mouth shut:

“And did she?” he dared to ask, though his words were barely audible.

“What do you mean?” asked SiNafay, not following his thoughts.

“Did Matron Malice come to you?” Alton continued, frightened but needing an answer. “Thirty years ago. Did Matron SiNafay grant her permission for Gelroos Hun’ett to become an agent, an assassin to complete House DeVir’s elimination?”

A wide smile spread across SiNafay’s face, but it vanished in the blink of an eye as she threw the table across the room, grabbed Alton by the front of his robes, and pulled him roughly to within an inch of her scowling visage.

“Never confuse personal feelings with politics!” the tiny but obviously strong matron growled, her tone carrying the unmistakable weight of an open threat. “And never ask me such a question again!”

Alton's only a pawn in this game and he's reminded of this.

--

Now this is interesting though. Drow politics. We're brought to a new location:

At the back end of the mushroom grove, the southern wall of the cavern that housed Menzoberranzan, was a small, heavily guarded cave. Beyond the ironbound doors stood a single room, used only for gatherings of the city’s eight ruling matron mothers.

The smoke of a hundred sweet-smelling candles permeated the air; the matron mothers liked it that way. After almost half a century of studying scrolls in the candlelight of Sorcere, Alton did not mind the light, but he was indeed uncomfortable in the chamber. He sat at the back end of a spider-shaped table, in a small, unadorned chair reserved for guests of the council. Between the table’s eight hairy legs were the ruling matron mothers’ thrones, all jeweled and dazzling in the candlelight.

Neat!

So anyway, SiNafay's making her play. She's summoned the council to discuss the punishment of House Do'Urden.

Now this is interesting:

“House Do’Urden?” Matron Baenre questioned, surprised that any would implicate Matron Malice. By all of Baenre’s knowledge, Malice remained in high regard with the Spider Queen, and House Do’Urden had recently placed two instructors in the Academy.

“For what crime do you dare to charge House Do’Urden?” asked one of the other matrons.

“Are these words of fear, SiNafay?” Matron Baenre had to ask. Several of the ruling matrons had expressed concern about House Do’Urden. It was well known that Matron Malice desired a seat on the ruling counciland, by all measures of the power of her house, she seemed destined to get it.

Getting "justice" in Menzoberranzan is tricky. Do'Urden engaged in dirty games, but they won. Dirty games are only bad if you lose. Indeed:

Matron Baenre quieted them all before the clamor rose into violent action—a not uncommon occurrence in the council chamber. “SiNafay,” she said through the dry sneer on her lips. “One cannot make such an accusation; one cannot discuss such beliefs openly so long after the event! You know our ways. If House Do’Urden did indeed commit this act, as you insist, it deserves our compliments, not our punishment, for it carried it through to perfection. House DeVir is no more, I say. It does not exist!”

There we go. But of course, SiNafay has a witness. And admittedly, this bit genuinely makes me laugh:

“Oh, but it does!” she responded, rising to her feet. She pulled the hood from Alton’s head. “In this person!”

“Gelroos?” asked Matron Baenre, not understanding.

“Not Gelroos,” SiNafay replied. “Gelroos Hun’ett died the night House DeVir died. This male, Alton DeVir, assumed Gelroos’s identity and position, hiding from further attacks by House Do’Urden!”

They'd hidden Alton a little too well. But anyway, Alton gets the opportunity to speak his name. And they verify that he's telling the truth.

The response is interesting too:

“Very well, SiNafay,” said Matron Baenre. “My compliments to you, Alton DeVir, on your resourcefulness and ability to survive. For a male, you have shown great courage and wisdom. Surely you both know that the council cannot exact punishment upon a house for a deed committed so long ago. Why would we so desire? Matron Malice Do’Urden sits in the favor of the Spider Queen; her house shows great promise. You must reveal to us greater need if you wish any punishment against House Do’Urden.”

SiNafay isn't after punishment though. She wants Alton to have the "right of accusation" with Hun'ett standing by him.

And I love this too:

“Vengeance?” another matron quipped, also now more amused than angered. “Or fear? It would seem to my ears that the matron of House Hun’ett uses this pitiful DeVir creature for her own gain. House Do’Urden aspires to higher ranking, and Matron Malice desires to sit upon the ruling council, a threat to House Hun’ett, perhaps?”

SiNafay's credibility hangs in the balance of appearing unafraid. A fearful House is a weak house. She asserts that whether vengeance or prudence, the claim is legitimate.

“Indeed,” replied Matron Baenre in a chuckle that sounded more like a cough. A war between Hun’ett and Do’Urden might be to everyone’s gain, but not, Baenre suspected, as SiNafay believed. Malice was a powerful matron, and her family truly deserved a ranking higher than ninth. If the fight did come, Malice probably would get her seat on the council, replacing SiNafay.

Baenre does note, in narration, that she wouldn't mind if Drizzt fell in battle, so her son Berg'inyon could be advanced a rank. So win/win, really. The council gives silent permission for the war, and smirk that it's good that they never met this day.

Honestly, the Drow societal/political stuff is the best part of the book. I really do think Salvatore put a lot of thought into how this place could actually function, and while it does have cartoonish moments, overall, I can believe it.

Anyway, the chapter ends here.