"I'm sorry, Master Worthim. She is a Harkess and she must know why we feud with the Tiernly," Kerith speaks to Currynt as he begins. "And her man should know, too.<br/><br/>Kerith draws a deep breath and moves toward the edge of the room before Knarr hands him a brandy from the service there. He slowly stirs the snifter as he walks back and Knarr hands another to Currynt. Kerith takes his seat and looks into his sister's eyes. “Jorik, our older brother who fell in battle at Rel Mord against the usurper Sewarndt," he adds for Aren, "found him in one of the back stairs with his cock in a maid and his dagger at her throat. He had come to take a boat to Greyhawk, probably for a wenching trip, and, as was proper, father invited him to stay here rather than suffer the indignity of an inn for the day it would take ere his boat left. You know Jorik, little Vee, we all learned father’s lessons well. He put a stop to it and broke Tiernly’s knee in the process. He would have dashed the scoundrel’s brains in had Knarr and another of the guards not stopped him. That would have been war, killing a guest under our roof.”<br/><br/>He looks to his glass and takes another sip. “We found the maid hanged herself several days later, with a simple note to one of the stable-"<br/><br/>He is cut off by Currynt, "With a simple note that said, 'I'm sorry I can't start our house pure.'” he finishes.<br/><br/>“So, Tiernly went home in a carriage rather than on a boat to Greyhawk. His knee never quite healed properly, though he manages it well enough. As Tiernly had 3 years and 40 pounds on Jorik, and our brother not quite a man by law, he wasn’t about to admit a mere boy had bested him. So he further insulted our house by claiming we were negligent and the maids had left the stairs wet and he fell. He claimed your hand as compensation. When you were 5 years old."<br/><br/>Drusilia reaches over and squeezes Victoriana's hand.<br/><br/>“Later, the boasts started. He made great talk of how he would take what Harkess owed him out of your wifely service, in ways too despicable to repeat. I had just earned my spurs and swore to our father and brothers I would answer his insult. I could have slaughtered Tiernly easily, even as the untested whelp I was then. But Tiernly would have the right of a champion and I would be dead and Tiernly proven right and you would be in his house 4 or 5 years now. And Maggie would just be known as a foolish whore. Father knew I was deathly serious so he forbade my answer and sent me away to earn our house honor on the quest.<br/><br/>“Bah!” he springs up and hurls the half full snifter into the fire. As the glass shatters and the flames roar, he spins back to Victoriana, his face sharing the fire’s rage. “So you see why it will be anyone but him! I don’t care if<em>want</em>your man to do those things; I'd name him fool if he didn't oblige you. But not filth like Tiernly the Younger! Harkess will fall to ruin before we submit to that!”<br/><br/>Drusilia stands before her husband and lays a small hand on his chest and looks up into his eyes. Softly she coos, “Dragi, dragi, se smir’ti. Grazz't's govno, as you say, he will not have our sister, yes.” Her head follows her hand and Kerith and the fire settle as he wraps his arms around her. In a much lower and harsher tone, she mutters an oath in her language.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spot DC20</div><div class="spoiler_body">As she spits her oath, Drusilia’s shadow lengthens and grows bulkier before quickly returning to normal.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Comprehend languages and the like on Drusilia’s curse</div><div class="spoiler_body">By searing wrath of Father’s blade, he’ll breathe not ere that wedding day. </div></div>