Watchful Peace

[Firon]

Treading along one of the main tunnels of the drow cavern, a lone figure moved silently in the shadows, watching for any sort of uninvited guest. The reason he normally trod this particular path was because it was, as one of the guardians, his job to patrol and make sure no foreign forces invaded his city. Yet things had been very quiet recently, with no sign of anyone attempting to invade their underground realm and this time he was not on immediate duty.

Finally emerging from the cavern entrance, the guardian let his gaze stray upwards to the heavens, to the night sky. He loved the feel of the wind on his face, for it contrasted much with the typical feel of living underground.

[Ramona]

Ramona had just stepped towards the opening to the web as Firon was coming out. She was dressed in a short, tapering, mesh skirt and top, and her long, black locks fell down straight behind her back, the only thing that distinguished her from any commoner were the painting of her stature on her face and body, marking that were painstakingly painted on each and every morning by some steady handed, lucky slave.

She inclined her head to the guard as he stepped out into he fresh night air.

“Any signs of trouble down there?” She asked, her emerald eyes sparkling as the moon hit them.

Ramona was so different than that of the normal Drow, with her long, shiny black locks and bright green eyes. However, it was the line of her Royal family. Every now and again the traits of the marriage of the Drow King with the Elvin maiden of the forest over 1000 years ago brought forth this strange, yet beautiful reaction in the line.

[Firon]

Firon growled softly in the back of his throat as he heard the sound of footfalls approaching. Turning swiftly to see who had disturbed him, he quickly spotted the new arrival for who she was.

Falling immediatly to his knees, bowing to her in deep respect, he responded to her question with his face still facing the ground, not yet rising from his current position, "All goes well, my queen," he said, his voice much changed from anything he would use to adress any other Drow, as he revered her almost as if she were a godess herself, which was conveyed in his voice, "None have dared to intrude upon your lands in a very long while."

[Ramona]

Ramona was pleased to see this guard knew his position and she looked down upon him for a few moments as he spoke.

“Rise now.” She said in her quiet voice. “It is good to hear that there haven’t been any intruders as of late. I so hate to be disturbed when I take my walks.” She nearly purred. “Any signs of the creatures form below entering the upper chambers?” She asked then. This question directed at what she knew to be down there, lurking amongst the deep, dark tunnels.

Ramona may have been the highest ranking Drow, and the most feared, in one respect or another, but she was no psychic, and her questions were for good reason, as she had intended to go below for a look herself, the Katana strapped at her die along with the crossbow and quiver of arrows proved that point immediately.

[Firon]

Rising to his feet slowly, refusing to look his queen in the eyes, averting his gaze instead to where it belonged, the ground at her feet.

"There have been no occurances of attacks from any sort of creatures wandering upon the upper chambers," he said in direct response to her questions, "From my regular patrols there have been no signs of anything different from day to day."

[Ramona]

“Hmm…” She mused, a note of unquestionable dislike of his answer in her tone. “Do you not find it strange that there have been no creatures coming up form the depths of the Web for such a very long time?” She asked then, as she began to pace slightly before him, her hands clasped now behind her back, the slinking of her arrows going unnoticed by her as she did so, as if for once in her life of having them there, they brought her no comfort.

“What is your name, I dear say, that to call you Drow, or guard, is so… well, what is you name?” She inquired, detesting the fact that she did not know him.

[Firon]

"Firon is my name, my Queen," he said, "Though I am not near worthy of your notice," he added on quickly, slightly put back by the dissapointment in her voice at his report,.

"As for your first question, I will admit that I have found it to be somewhat unsettling, and we are trying to see if there is some connection between recent lack of High Elven raids and the dissapearance of almost all threat from the deepest corners of the Earth at virtually the same point in time," he said, "Although as of yet we have turned up nothing," he addmitted, sounding apoligetic in his way of speaking.

[Ramona]

Ramona took a deep breath. “Then it is as I thought…” She trailed off. “We needs to find out what is going on down there Firon, though I would not will the strongest of my people into those depths, there has to be a way…” She continued to pace, her footsteps light, making no sound whatsoever on the loose soil surrounding the Web entrance.

“And Firon…” She started, her pacing stopping, her feet bare inches from his own, as she stood directly in front of him. “No Drow who keeps watch and safety in my Kingdome, is ever too lowly for frank comments, nor are they so below me that they can not look me in the face to speak to me.” She said in an almost kind yet stern manner. “WE will let the pig-like Kinglets do all that for you.” She added as an after thought and a bit of a laugh.

[Firon]

"Yes....my Queen," he said slowly, procesing these words in his head. He slowly raised his head to meet her gaze, seeming a bit uncomfortable in doing so at the moment.

"If you think it important we find out just what is going on, then it is the top of my priorities. I will escort you directly now, if you command it," he said while taking a few cautious steps towards her, not wanting to push his boundries to far.

[Ramona]

Ramona watched him, his hesitance proved his loyalties, soon though, he would get over it, and soon, perhaps she would have some intelligent conversation. She tired of the courtiers and the dressed-up peathingys about the castle with their babbling and constant preening, she longed for real conversation, the kind she saw the men and women at the bars and on the streets, the commoners and soldiers have and, though she didn’t know it, she looked for a friend.

“I believe we might go in there, together. I know some of the lower parts, but I will not risk your life to go much deeper, that I can not ask of you.” She replied.

[Firon]

"Very well then, my Queen," he said, starting to head back into the tunnels and towards where he knew a somewhat more secret passageway that led into deeper sections of the tunnels.

"I hope you do not think any ill of me for suggesting that I go first. After all, should there prove to be and real danger, it would be best for me to encounter it before you." he said, turning back to make certain his Queen was not angered that he had started to go ahead with so little a word.

"We can go as deep as you like, although past a certain point I would not advise, for much as we do not wish for dangers to intrude upon out territory, we also should not intrude upon theirs."

[Ramona]

Ramona shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t expect any less form you Firon, you are, after all, the expert in this, I am not but a simple Queen, and am certain not to have your skills.” She responded, though there was a hint of danger in her tone.

She did understand his reasoning, but it still bit that she was expected to be more careful than the soldiers she commanded, as she herself was just as, if not more so than most, proficient in combat.

“All is well, have no worries, I know these tunnels well, and know when we should turn back, for not only would it be wise not to intrude upon them, it would be most unwise to get ourselves lost, as well.” She gave him a wink and then pressed on.

[Firon]

"Simple queen........?" he muttered quitly to himself, knowing for himself that there was no way he could stand up against her in combat in a fair fight, no matter how 'simple' she proclaimed herself to be. Either way, he would not be soon to argue with his Queen.

"I thank you for your praise, my Queen," he settled on responding with, so as to show these had not fallen on deaf ears, now moving along the tunnels with her.

[Ramona]

Though he would not have been able to see, Ramona smiled as they moved on. She was beginning to like this nights pouting and was beginning to find that she was quite happy indeed; she had chosen to go this way. Had she stayed in her chambers, as was usually advised by the palace guards, she would not have had this opportunity to talk with Firon, and she would not have found an adventure, even if it was a dead end adventure, as she had passed through these corridors many a time in the last month or so, alone, looking for an answer, but had come up empty handed each time. Why had she suggested they come down her then? Even she didn’t have an answer for that, other than perhaps the fact that she simply didn’t want to go back to the palace as of yet.

[Firon]

They walked for some ways in silence, for he dared not speak out of turn when with such a person as Ramona, he felt it best for his personal well being. The tunnel were very quiet at this time of night, as they should have been, he reminded himself as they slowly navigated the dark corridors, winding deeper and deeper. Except............

"Hold on, my Queen," he said abruptly, putting a hand out in front of her, even through they had not seen anything as of yet, he seemed ready to throw himself in front of anything that might be potentially harmful to his Queen. Staining his eyes to see further down into the inky blackness, he could just barely make out some movement and the sound of an enormous body scraping across the ground, "There shouldn't be anything in these parts, it will have to be removed immediately, this path leads straight to the main tunnels. It cannot be allowed to make it that far."