I Read What?!

So last time...well, last time was just a prelude, so nothing really happened. Last BOOK gave us the origin story of one Drizzt Do'Urden. We got to see him born, we got to see him grow up, and we got to see him strike out on his own.

This is what happens next!



So we start the story proper back in Menzoberranzan. And we start with a paragraph that doesn't completely make sense to me:

Matron Malice Do’Urden shifted uneasily on the stone throne in the small and darkened anteroom to the great chapel of House Do’Urden. For the dark elves, who measured time’s passage in decades, this was a day to be marked in the annals of Malice’s house, the tenth anniversary of the ongoing covert conflict between the Do’Urden family and House Hun’ett. Matron Malice, never one to miss a celebration, had a special present prepared for her enemies.

...so if dark elves measure time in decades, then does "tenth anniversary" actually mean this thing has been going on for one hundred years? I'm assuming from context that this isn't the case. But I still think it's a weird thing to say.

Anyway, Briza is here too. Described as "a large and powerful drow female". She seems impatient. She apparently doesn't approve of Malice's new allies: an "outrageous mercenary" named Jarlaxle.

Oh, looks like you guys were right! Jarlaxle IS introduced in this book. I am proven wrong!

Anyway, Briza doesn't like Jarlaxle or his band, the "Bregan D'aerthe", because they're houseless men who "disrupt the natural order of [drow] society." But Matron notes that they serve well (for an extreme cost, which Briza knows better than to protest about.)

I mean, Briza, you've watched your mother and Zaknafein for years. You know rebellious men is kind of a kink for her. I'm not sure why this surprises you. But Bregan D'aerthe has some practical use too: as houseless rogues they allow House Do'Urden to wage war without their name attached.

Mostly though, what we have is mother and daughter with different ideas about how the war was going. Briza thinks they should have pressed immediately after Zaknafein was sacrificed. But that was also when Drizzt betrayed them all and run off. This left House Do'Urden without any kind of weapon master AND cost them the favor of Lolth. The only consolation is that House Hun'ett had lost both of its wizards in the attack against Drizzt. So both are having a rough time.

Dinin enters. I thought Dinin was interesting last book, we'll have to see if that is the case here too. But his entrance is overshadowed by someone else.

Jarlaxle, arrogant and brash, followed few of the customs of Menzoberranzan’s inhabitants. He was most certainly not the norm of drow society and he flaunted the differences openly, brazenly. He wore not a cloak nor a robe, but a shimmering cape that showed every color of the spectrum both in the glow of light and in the infrared spectrum of heat -sensing eyes. The cape’s magic could only be guessed, but those closest to the mercenary leader indicated that it was very valuable indeed.

Jarlaxle’s vest was sleeveless and cut so high that his slender and tightly muscled stomach was open for all to view. He kept a patch over one eye, though careful observers would understand it as ornamental, for Jarlaxle often shifted it from one eye to the other.

“My dear Briza” Jarlaxle said over his shoulder, noting the high priestess’s disdainful interest in his appearance. He spun about and bowed low, sweeping off the wide-brimmed hat-another oddity, and even more so since the hat was overly plumed in the monstrous feathers of a diatryma, a gigantic Underdark bird-as he stooped.

Briza huffed and turned away at the sight of the mercenary’s dipping head. Drow elves wore their thick white hair as a mantle of their station, each cut designed to reveal rank and house affiliation. Jarlaxle the rogue wore no hair at all, and from Briza’s angle, his clean-shaven head appeared as a ball of pressed onyx.

I think Jarlaxle wins for most involved description in the series. And indeed, the florid description rather suits him. He makes a lot of noise as he walks, but Briza tells us that his jewelry and footsteps only ever make noise when Jarlaxle wants them to.

Anyway, Jarlaxle brings news of a death: Dipree Hun'ett. The first noble casualty of the war. Unless you count Masoj Hun'ett or Zaknafein Do'Urden, Briza points out. Apparently, Briza was against the sacrifice of Zaknafein in place of Drizzt, and hasn't let her mother forget that.

I mean, on one hand, Briza's right. Killing Zaknafein was a costly mistake when Drizzt just up and left anyway. But on the other, I'm not sure Zak would have survived if Malice had sacrificed Drizzt instead. He doesn't have it in him to flee, but I could imagine a sacrificial "taking you with me" vengeance move.

Jarlaxle isn't as flippant as he looks though. He watches the women argue and thinks that he really should get out of there soon. I like a man with intelligence. And when told Dinin would pay him, is quick to head to the door. Too late, unfortunately, as House Hun'ett has just launched an attack.

Do'Urden doesn't have Zak anymore, but the troops still have his training, so even though they're outnumbered and surprised, they're holding their own. And I like this exchange:

“Hun’ett has not the favor of Lolth!” Malice screamed. “It would not dare to openly attack!” She flinched at the refuting, thunderous sounds of another, and then still another, bolt of lightning.

“Oh?” Briza snapped.

Briza didn't have much to do in Homeland. She was known for misandry and brutality, but aside from occasionally threatening violence to the male leads, she didn't have much to do or say. It seems like that might be different in this book. I rather enjoy her practicality.

But Hun'ett truly doesn't seem to be in Lolth's favor. Their clerics aren't doing the usual mental attacks. Malice and Briza are on the same page now, wondering outloud why a house would dare to attack directly without clearly having Lolth's favor. Briza thinks they're counting on their numbers. And unfortunately, per Rizzen, that may be enough.

But there's still Jarlaxle's band. They're a secretive sort, not for open warfare. But Malice is desperate and willing to promise much. And well...

Jarlaxle did not appreciate being threatened, especially by a lame matron mother whose entire world was fast crumbling around her. But in the mercenary’s ears the sweet ring of the word “profits” outweighed the threat a thousand times over. After ten straight years of exorbitant rewards in the Do’Urden-Hun’ett conflict, Jarlaxle did not doubt Malice’s willingness or ability to pay as promised, nor did he doubt that this deal would prove even more lucrative than the agreement he had struck with Matron SiNafay Hun’ett earlier that same week.

“As you wish,” he said to Matron Malice with a bow and a sweep of his garish hat. “I will see what I can do,” A wink at Dinin set the elderboy on his heels as he exited the room.

It seems like Jarlaxle likes to play both sides. And that's a good warning. He might not be on the side of Menzoberranzan's elite, but he's still pretty evil in his own right.

And well...:

“Well done,” Jarlaxle commented, giving Dinin an approving nod. He moved to pat the elderboy Do’Urden on the shoulder, but Dinin slipped out of reach.

“We have other business,” he pointedly reminded Jarlaxle.

“Call your troops, and quickly, else I fear that House Hun’ett will win the day.”

“Be at ease, my friend Dinin,” Jarlaxle laughed. He pulled a small whistle from around his neck and blew into it. Dinin heard not a sound, for the instrument was magically tuned exclusively for the ears of members of Bregan D’aerthe.

The elderboy Do’Urden watched in amazement as Jarlaxle calmly puffed out a specific cadence, then he watched in even greater amazement as more than a hundred of House Hun’ett’s soldiers turned against their comrades.

Bregan D’aerthe owed allegiance only to Bregan D’aerthe.

...I wonder if Jarlaxle has a bit of a thing for Dinin. I could 'ship it, though I doubt it'd end well. And this is interesting too. Were the Bregan D'aerthe members inserted into Hun'ett's forces as part of the aforementioned deal with Si'Nafay? Or were they always there.

Are there Bregan D'aerthe among the forces of other houses, waiting for a signal?

Malice and Briza continue to fight. Apparently Malice had long held that neither House could afford an all out attack, and had humiliated Briza in discussions before, so now that Malice is wrong, Briza is pushing the humiliation back. And Malice's invincible veneer is beginning to fracture.

But in comes Maya, announcing that the battle has turned against Hun'ett. Malice outwardly praises Lolth, but inwardly, attributes it to Jarlaxle. And it looks like Jarlaxle's impressed someone else:

Jarlaxle stepped off the balcony and used his innate drow abilities to levitate down to the cavern floor. Seeing no need to involve himself in a battle that was obviously under control, Dinin rested back and watched the mercenary go, considering all that had just transpired. Jarlaxle had played both sides off against the other, and once again the mercenary and his band had been the only true winners. Bregan D’aerthe was undeniably unscrupulous, but, Dinin had to admit, undeniably effective.

Dinin found that he liked the renegade.

So there's some potential in this direction after all. I've always really liked the idea of Bregan D'aerthe, and it's certainly easy to see why it would be an attractive prospect for disgruntled men in drow society.

Anyway, Hun'ett has gambled and lost. Drow society likes a victor, but if you dare to attack and LOSE, you're pretty fucked. And now Do'Urden has made an accusation formally, which means the ruling council is about to convene. And indeed, Matron Malice is now summoned.

She's pretty arrogant about the whole thing, figuring that with Hun'ett's destruction, Do'Urden will move up to 8th House. That means a spot on the ruling council. But things are a little odd: she's been directed to the chapel instead.

Where Si'Nafay Hun'ett is waiting comfortably. She's been invited too, and is smiling very smugly. This runs counter to everything we've seen established about drow society. Malice thinks so too. She tries to follow the script:

After a few interminable moments of silence, Malice had to speak her mind. “It was House Hun’ett that attacked my family in the last dark of Narbondel,” she said. “I have many witnesses to the fact. There can be no doubt!”

“None,” SiNafay replied, her agreement catching Malice off her guard.

“You admit the deed?” she balked.

“Indeed,” said SiNafay. “Never have I denied it.”

“Yet you live,” Malice sneered. “The laws of Menzoberranzan demand justice upon you and your house.”

“Justice?” SiNafay laughed at the absurd notion. Justice had never been more than a facade and a means of keeping the pretense of order in chaotic Menzoberranzan. “I acted as the Spider Queen demanded of me.”

“If the Spider Queen approved of your methods, you would have been victorious,” Malice reasoned.

“Not so,” interrupted another voice. Malice and SiNafay turned about just as Matron Baenre magically appeared, sitting comfortably in the chair farthest back on the dais.

Matron Malice, I think, is a woman who thrives on scripts. She playing roles when they already know the outcome. But this doesn't fit. It's not what's supposed to happen.

So what IS happening?

Apparently, Lolth ordered the attack. WITHOUT bestowing her favor onto the House. Apparently, she'd gotten bored with the conflict and wanted a definite result. So Do'Urden wins. Hun'ett is no more. But for her own service, Si'Nafay is getting a different punishment. Or reward.

Basically, "Si'Nafay Hunett" is no more, and the person who was her will become part of a different House. Specifically, House Do'Urden. Where she'll be playing the part of Malice's oldest daughter, returned from travel far away.

This is punishment for Malice too, because in the battle, she never tried to call upon Lolth. Nor did she call upon a handmaiden to give praise in the moment of victory. Which of course, she dared not do until she knew she regained Lolth's favor. She still hasn't, but Lolth wants her on the ruling council.

But it's a tricky position. Do'Urden is weakened, and obviously out of favor. So now she gets a new member. And a private missive:

“So I give to you SiNafay Hun’ett ... Shi’nayne Do’Urden .. a new daughter, a new high priestess,” said Matron Baenre. She turned then to SiNafay to continue her explanation, but Malice found herself suddenly distracted as a voice called out to her in her thoughts, a telepathic message. Keep her only as long as you need her; Malice Do’Urden, it said. Malice looked around, guessing the source of the communication. On a previous visit to House Baenre, she had met Matron Baenre’s mind flayer, a telepathic beast. The creature was nowhere in sight, but neither had Matron Baenre been when Malice had first entered the chapel. Malice looked around alternately at the remaining empty seats atop the dais, but the stone furniture showed no signs of any occupants.

A second telepathic message left her no doubts.

You will know when the time is right.

She's also getting what's left of Hun'ett's soldiers. And when "Shi'nayne" leaves to join her soldiers, Matron Baenre lets her have it. The gist of it is: Malice still needs to regain favor of the Spider Queen by "correcting the wrong". Baenre's put herself out to give Malice this chance. She better deliver.

So we get the family meeting afterward. But instead of a long speech, they get one order: find Drizzt and bring him to her so she can thrust a ceremonial dagger in her youngest son's chest.

The chapter ends here.