Legends of Belariath
Senai
Secrets of the Matron
(It is advised that before reading this story, you should read Senai's original biography - http://belariath.com/bios/characters/senai.html to understand some of the people and events which are referred to - many in an entirely different perspective.)
His days were few, the mysterious sickness which had swept through his body had killed him slowly, though now it seemed as if the end were approaching. Sighing softly, the male dark elf - who was clad in nothing more than a set of tan clothing stepped up to the desk. He had been more fortunate than most, his mistress had taught him how to write, and how to speak proper common, something most slaves that stayed in dark elven society were not taught to do. And these small contributions by his former mistress would allow him to inform the very thing that he had waited so many years to speak of.
He dabbed the quill he had drawn in a well of ink before beginning to write on the yellowed parchment.
"My dearest council member Derias,
It is on my last days, which I, a lowly slave to the recently deceased Van`syth of the Kalloras house have chosen to make you privy to the story that I have so desperately wished to tell. How unfortunate that it comes merely days after acquiring my freedom, but only days before I am claimed by the very same sickness that fell my mistress.
Nevertheless, it would seem as if I am the last that is privy to the information I am, and being as I am no longer under the direction of my mistress, it is my duty to inform you. I shall start at the beginning.
It was possibly twenty winters ago when one of our former matrons, Ailendera was slain to a mysterious curse. She had bore but a single child, a daughter, who soon after became the matron of the house. I believe Senai was her name, though it has been quite awhile. She had not been aware of a plot of my mistress to kill her mother so that the young matron could rule in power and likely be used as a pawn to make room for my own mistress to eventually come to rule the house.
My mistress had not anticipated that Nil`Ra would have found out about her plot, and quickly used it to remove Senai from power. She was set to be executed, though my mistress attempted to set up a raid to replace Senai with one we had taught to be exactly like the matron, her match in looks was nearly identical, aside from very minor differences that few had been close enough to the girl to be aware of.
The ambush had failed, Senai properly executed in her sacrifice to the goddess. However, we had taught the girl too much in way to take the matron's place should she be questioned, that my mistress decided to have the girl continue to pose as the former matron and attempt to take back the title of ruler of the Kalloras house. Afterall, one so readily under her command would surrender the title to my mistress easily, without her play in the plot being exposed. My mistress even went through the trouble to ensure the girl could not possibly bear children.
I am not certain even the girl would remember her own name, as she seems to have developed the mentality that she is indeed, the former matron herself. There are very few who would remember the girl she was now, and I regret to say that even I do not.
My mistress allowed her to learn the ways of fighting and thievery, to attempt to convince her even more that she was the matron, by forcing her to learn the ways to fend for herself, gain her own power, though she had several of our kind help her without her knowledge. My mistress waited a long time, perhaps too long, for her to gain up the confidence to challenge the matron. She didn't. Eventually a confrontation was forced, a slave was told to inform the matron of her presence, to force the girl to confront her. Perhaps it was forced a bit early, she was merely captured, and we had presumed executed...
It was quite a shock when she returned several years later, and that she did eventually carry out her duties, and Nil`Ra had been killed. The one claiming to be the former matron had claimed the title herself, though she seems to have forgotten the promise she made, and fled the town shortly after. It was at this point that, as I am sure you are aware, that the council was formed to rule the house in the best interests of the matron in her absence, waiting for her return.
The woman who rules the Kalloras house is nothing more than a commoner, and is not worthy of the title she possesses. What you choose to do with this knowledge, mistress Derias, is up to you, but I shall not take my leave of this plane by allowing some commoner to reap the benefits of the hard work of my mistress..."
His time growing urgent, the male did not take the time to place any sort of seal of letter, and as he moved to roll it up, he felt a sudden severe pain in his chest. Groaning loudly he closed his eyes and fell down to his knees, sensing the end of his time, her muttered a prayer to his goddess, suppressing the loud cough that came from deep within his lungs at the end of it, though the cough would be accompanied by a large amount of blood, a sight he had become quite used to in the passing days, though this time it seemed a great deal more severe.
A low gasp emitted from his throat, followed by the sound of gurgling as his body desperately tried to take in more oxygen into his lungs. Quite ironic would be the fact that the very crimson essence which had sustained his immortality would be what caused its conclusion, the treacherous fluids flowing into his lungs with each forced breath his body attempted to inhale, and soon he would find his body jerking violently with shock, laying on the floor as the strong-willed elf tried desperately to fight off the ceasing of his life until his message could be delivered.
Unfortunately, for him at least, he would not manage as such. Sprawled out across the floor of the cavernous building, his eyes would lose the fire of life, and his hand would open, causing the rolled up parchment to become unraveled, draping face-down across the ground. The hand half-hanging out of the door would alert a passing commoner of the wounded male laying on the ground. Kneeling down, she would first seek to see if the male was still living. After verifying he wasn't, her eyes would shiftily dart from side to side, ensuring there were no others watching as she quickly moved into his house, frantically searching around for small items of minor value that she could sell for herself - he shouldn't need them anymore.
Finally convinced she had enough as she should dare to take, she began to walk out of the house, though her red eyes were drawn to the note laid on the floor. It looked interesting enough and was quite light, she would pick it up off the ground, reading it as she fled the death site of the male slave, a light smirk crossing her face - perhaps the parchment could prove to be the greatest item of value she had acquired...