Training in a forest cave

"Glad to hear," says Genevieve. "You two did an excellent job."

"Thank you so much, Mother," said Arasinya as she continued eating her soup. The dish was really making the group warm and cozy as the storm progressed.

Xerxan finishes his bowl of soup ready to begin helping clean up now worried about what he will they do after the dishes are done from their soup meal.

"Wow, you finish quick!" Arasinya said respectfully. "Can you please wait for us? We often like to talk around the table. That's how we get together as a family."

He nods and sits in his spot to listen to them talk not sure what he can add to the conversation.

Genevieve was nearly done with her soup as she asked, "So tell me, Xerxan. You are a drow and where have you lived before?"

He says " an underground city somewhere I couldn't keep track because of the twists and turns my older sister took on that fateful day that freed me from their rule" as he didn't mention it was at first trading one slave owner for another.

Genevieve was quite surprised to hear this about the boy. "Wow, has your city always been under this kid of ruling?"

He says " I don't know as far as I know that is how it always been leaders from other houses visiting my mother to hire her elite guards to defend or assault a rival house." He adds " I was to be her new way to attract females from the other houses to either bind their loyalty or turn them into elite guard if they couldn't reach my mothers high expectations in combat ability."

Genevieve looked very upset to hear this. "A mother shouldn't do that to her own son, even if it is part of their customs! It's cruel and abusive and it doesn't show any care of the family."

He says " she still wants me to return to her arms to be used for that purpose, but I don't plan to ever return to her except to end the nightmare she caused."