Postscript
Many months later

“I have cleaned your study, master, and locked away your materials. Will that be all?”

Pharaun smiled. Hearing her address him as ‘master’ always gave him a profound pleasure. “Yes, you may retire now.”

“Thank you, master.” She curtsied.

The drow waited until her hand was on the door latch, then, “No,” he said. She turned. “I have changed my mind.”

He saw something wild flicker in her pale eyes and he smiled, thinking of the night of verbal and physical jousting that would follow the order he was about to give.

“Take off your gown, Wilawen, and come to me…”