Weaving a Web

Biara sighed as she slid into the warm water of her bathing pool. She closed her eyes and let her fire red hair trail in the steaming water, letting the sensation of relaxation wash over her. It had been a long day for the Scion of House Dayfire. Managing the guards searching for that pirate, handling missives, directing her assistants with magical research, and of course her meetings with various nobles all stole a little of her energy. The hot bath restored her, allowing her body to soak in the heat and relax every muscle completely.

Several servants stood around the pool, throwing magical scented bath beads into the water. After a time, a pleasant scent of crushed mint filled the air, filling Biara's senses and allowing her to focus her thoughts on the most important issues. Her recent meeting with Lord Sunwrath had been most interesting, and potentially might lead to a valuable alliance within the city.

To think that the man simply wished permission to court one of her servants of all things! How delightful! Although he didn't realize it, courting someone of such low birth would put him at a serious disadvantage when negotiating with the other Houses. This disadvantage could be overcome by powerful allies; allies such as House Dayfire. Lord Sunwrath would have his love and would also have reason to seek a more binding alliance with House Dayfire; something Biara would be more than happy to extend. Having other Houses allied with her would give her and her own people a great advantage in situations where political pressure needed to be applied.

Biara sighed again and waved a hand, dismissing the servants so that she could be completely alone. House Sunwrath would rise in power, and House Dayfire would gain influence as a result. It was utterly perfect. In addition, Lord Sunwrath had indicated that Biara's servant Aevyria was skilled in the arts, specifically frost magic that Biara herself excelled at.

The girl would need to be tested. If she showed promise, she would be trained and given a position as a junior Magistrix. Lord Sunwrath would be pleased by this, House Dayfire would gain an even more useful servant, and House Dayfire's enemies would have even more pressure and threat applied to them.

Perfect.

A stray thought passed through Biara's mind, causing her brow to furrow in concern. Daser Grimm. Why did the Sin'dorei have to vex her so? Always seemingly working at odds to her own purposes, she knew he had the interests of Silvermoon at heart. She absently brought a hand up and chanted the words to a spell, conjuring a small globe of power in front of her. Within it, an image of Daser Grimm appeared; a captured memory from Biara's mind. His face was half shrouded with a mask, and he was dressed in combat leathers with gleaming daggers in his hand. A perfect killer, swift deadly and efficient in his movements. With another word the image drew closer to the assassin's face, his eyes glittering above his mask.

"Why Grimm?" Biara sighed softly at the image. "Why must you always work in shadow? I can see in your eyes that burning determination. You say you've lost your spirit, that you are bitter and used up, but I've always known by your eyes that any challenge to our power would be met with death by your hands."

She sighed again, dismissing the image and closing her eyes, trying without success to dismiss the assassin and spy from her mind.

"Are you still my friend?" she whispered. "Do you still care for me, and for our people? I will know. I will look in those eyes again, and see if that burning spirit remains."

The room was silent and empty, with no one to answer her statement. The gentle trickle of water was the only sound to be heard as she reclined in her much deserved luxury.

"I pray to the Light that you don't work at odds to me my friend. House Dayfire is ascendant, and I would have you beside me as an ally, not crushed beneath the web of alliances I weave."

She fell silent, with no solution to the questions that burned in her mind. Time would tell if Daser Grimm still stood for Silvermoon or not. Time would tell if she would have to fight her oldest and dearest friend, or if she would embrace him once more and usher him into her new era of power that even now was beginning.