The first time they beat her for trusting they?d done it in such a manner as to leave her face whole, but nearly impossible for her to get up and walk. The bruising on her arms made it difficult for her to hold onto the scraps of food given to them daily, her swollen legs made it impossible to run when the older packs of males came. The males were always the worst, because they were already bitter and broken and jaded by their mothers, their sisters; all the other females above them.
This, too, was the way of the drow.
Some daughters had it easy, but her moth? her Matron? did not believe easy made for strong children. One of three girls, Suliss?urn would have to prove to her mother she was worth saving. The first time she had failed to protect herself in the bevy of set-aside-brothers and boys of failed matings let to live like animals--her mother had come to only stare at her and curl her lip.
?That is the price you pay for weakness. Prove to me you are worthy of my effort, my investments, of my blood, or lay here and die like the rest of the dogs,? were the encouraging words her mother had given. Her Matron had then looked at the rest of the children, the boys too afraid to look up from the dirt covered floor their brows were pressed against, her sisters too proud to admit they were afraid so they looked elsewhere--at anything--anything except their mother. Her eyes were flat as stone. They held no affection for any of them. The Matron and her guards, as well as her chained and sweet-smelling mate swept themselves out of the rooms after with the look of those who had just stepped in shit. The moment the door was shut and locked they scattered exactly like wild dogs into packs.
Always, the older boys stuck together. Some of them fawned without pride over the older girls, some of the younger boys tried to watch out for one another...But no one would touch Suliss'urn, her shame was still in the livid bruises on her legs as well as arms. At least the swelling had gone down and she could stand upright most of the time.
But because she had been beaten, she missed out on many of the food scraps. Her hunger was already making her head swim. She had to eat and eat soon? or she would die here. She would die here as a child and never prove to her Matron she was worth anything.
The lesson of survival at any cost was a hard one to learn. But Suliss'urn was beginning to study it well.
This, too, was the way of the drow.
Some daughters had it easy, but her moth? her Matron? did not believe easy made for strong children. One of three girls, Suliss?urn would have to prove to her mother she was worth saving. The first time she had failed to protect herself in the bevy of set-aside-brothers and boys of failed matings let to live like animals--her mother had come to only stare at her and curl her lip.
?That is the price you pay for weakness. Prove to me you are worthy of my effort, my investments, of my blood, or lay here and die like the rest of the dogs,? were the encouraging words her mother had given. Her Matron had then looked at the rest of the children, the boys too afraid to look up from the dirt covered floor their brows were pressed against, her sisters too proud to admit they were afraid so they looked elsewhere--at anything--anything except their mother. Her eyes were flat as stone. They held no affection for any of them. The Matron and her guards, as well as her chained and sweet-smelling mate swept themselves out of the rooms after with the look of those who had just stepped in shit. The moment the door was shut and locked they scattered exactly like wild dogs into packs.
Always, the older boys stuck together. Some of them fawned without pride over the older girls, some of the younger boys tried to watch out for one another...But no one would touch Suliss'urn, her shame was still in the livid bruises on her legs as well as arms. At least the swelling had gone down and she could stand upright most of the time.
But because she had been beaten, she missed out on many of the food scraps. Her hunger was already making her head swim. She had to eat and eat soon? or she would die here. She would die here as a child and never prove to her Matron she was worth anything.
The lesson of survival at any cost was a hard one to learn. But Suliss'urn was beginning to study it well.