The Cunning Shadow - A Drow Story

Chapter II The Witch Drow Queen

"To your stations!" Khragg commanding his drow assassins.

"Krail!" shouted the assassins, unbent by definition. Each headed to their positions, creating four rows with five drows on each column.

Being the first ranking general to the drows, Khragg would himself, train the most excellent drows, to become assasins. Drow official must have a great physique, they train everyday and would go on in front of battles to lead and fight alongside their soldiers. They are great fighters, the ratio would be one drow against five of other races. Their hardest opponents would be their cousins the elves, but they don't like the sound of proposition relating them to elves.

Besides their differences in complexion, other features are but the same. So the drows changed their outfits and appearances, they kept telling themselves that they it screams freedom and they made it more artistic, incorporating piercing through different parts of their bodies.

They have also changed the style of their hair, getting wild with their plated hair, braids, locs, partially shaved or completely shaved heads. They have also incorporated tattoos and embossed their body with artistic scars, all these consolidates their belief of being their own folk and not partaking likeness with the elves.

"You all know why you're here, you have been given a hundred years of your life to perfect killing, ending the lives of our enemies. This day, you are now officially a drow soldier subjected only to follow orders and nothing more. Moreover we do not ask questions, we do not hesitate, we do not harken to the plea of our enemies. Remember you are a drow, the strongest race amongst all the living creature in this world, so we do not bargain." Khragg's inspiring speech to uplift the spirits of these killing machines."

"You." Khragg calling out and pointing his finger to a she-elf dressed in dirty rugs, wearing a hood that covers her face.

"What is your name?" Asked Khragg raising his brow.

"Milord, I, I...." With shaking hands holding a basket, the she-elf tried to answer the question nervously, but words can't simply come out of her mouth.

"I, I, I what? Did they cut your tongue?" said Khragg mockingly.

"No, milord. Forgive me, milord." As a sign of submission, she keeps her head down.

"Then? Who are you and what is you business in here? This is a private ceremony," asked Khragg irritatingly with more questions added.

"Don't torture this little elf, Khragg. Off you go she-elf. Scrub the floor, be useful. Show me why I spared your pathetic life." Approached the queen in her long dragging black tight dress with her evil smug smile and her large group of her own soldiers behind her.

Anxiously and still looking down, the she-elf ran towards the massive gates to the cave and exited the hall. Despite being eight feet and three inches in height, almost taller by a foot to the queen, she called her little. Not because of her height but because of her substandard status in Drekush now.

The cave was dark and spacious, drow does not need a light of any sort for they could adjust their eyes to see and move in the dark. Large stalagmites surrounds the inside of the cave, its high ceiling is oozing with glowing stalactites. A long stone table and chairs with food for feast was placed at the back of the hall for the generals and other higher ranking officials of the king. Approximately all fifty generals and the top four hundred of the strongest soldiers have gathered here to witness the ceremony of newly graduated drows, ascending to the position of assassins.

"Queen Higr', your highness. My apologies, my queen. We weren't expecting you down here," Khragg said as he and everyone in the room bowed down to the queen.

"And where were you expecting me to be exactly?" queen Higr' asked raising her brow and pursing her lips.

Khragg dared not to answer the queen's questions, for he knows that he have offended the queen and another word would get him to trouble. He knew well that people here are punished for less.

The queen loosened herself and opened her palm, motioning everyone to rise from being bent down.

"Surely I don't need anyone's permission to go wherever I want, right, Khragg?" asked the queen with her smoky voice. Her white eyes towards Khragg who is now at the left side of the cave.

"Surely, my queen," said Khragg

"Good!" Queen Higr levitated in front of the drow assassins and other higher ranking officials.

"My sweet drows, as you know just recently, our king died of an unknown cause, and now I'm 'The Queen'. Of course, you're all welcome to put forward someone you think who is more fit to rule," said the queen.

"My queen, If I may? I think Khragg would best fit the shoe of being a king, he's a great general, he has won many battles and served the king for hundreds of years," one of the drow general said.

"Really?" asked the queen, she snapped her fingers, and then soldiers went behind the drow general and suddenly there's black blood gushing through the general's throat.

It didn't surprise anyone in the crowed as killing has been made normal in the drow community. What was made, is confusion and more questions, no one put themselves forward and ask the new queen.

"Anyone?" The queen looked at everyone, awaiting recommendations.

"Good," said the queen devilishly smiling.

Every female wearing a soldier uniform in the room went behind each of the king's soldiers and generals and cut their throats with poisoned daggers. Everything happened so fast, blood splashing to every corners of the caves, to the stalactites and stalagmites even to the queen herself.

Croaky voices echoing inside the hall as everyone is drowning in their own blood. Some of them tried to flee but female drow soldier was quick to stab them until they breathe their last. Others tried to draw their swords and spears giddily but because of the poison they all fainted and was never awaken.

With confused wide eyes, most of them thought of how it's too bad they didn't asked the question before they die. Outside the hall, you can hear the queen's laugh circling the entire castle.

"Kliraith!" called the queen to her new female general.

"My queen." The new general quickly attended the queen's summoning and bowed down.

"Head towards their chambers, kill their families and friends. Kill everyone who favors the king! Oh and Kliraith?" asked the queen.

Turning around to face the queen, Kliraith suspended her palm in the air facing upwards as if asking for something while on her knees and bowed down.

"Bring me that she-elf," commanded the queen, with fury in her white glowing eyes.