war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第13部分

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her　at　this　particular　point　in　time；　but　one　could　never　be　altogether　sure；　could　one？　
Certainly　not　with　Miz'ri　Mizzrym；　a　female　regarded　even　by　other　dark　elves　as　excessively　and　capriciously　cruel。　She　sat　enthroned　in　her　temple　with　all　of　her　weapons　and　protections　ready　to　hand；　the　six…headed　whip　and　the　purple　rod　of　tentacles；　the　enchanted　rings　gleamnoting　on　her　fingers。　She　might　have　been　considered　ely　even　by　the　exacting　standards　of　her　exquisite　race；　except　that　her　mouth　drew　down　in　an　ugly　and　all　but　perpetual　scowl。　She　regarded　her　daughter's　martial　appointments　coldly　but　without　ment。
Greyanna　lowered　her　head　and　spread　her　hands；　offering　the　proper　obeisance；　and　said；　〃Matron　Mother。　You　wished　to　see　me？〃
〃I　wished　to　see　you　yesterday。〃
〃I　was　off　conducting　family　business。〃　Of　course；　Mother　knew　that　as　well　as　she　did。　〃We　have　to　keep　up　with　our　duties　even　now。　Especially　now…as　you　yourself　have　observed　on　more　than　one　occasion。〃
〃Watch　your　insolent　tongue！〃
Greyanna　sighed。　〃Yes；　Mother。　I　apologize。　I　didn't　mean　to　speak　out　of　turn。〃
〃See　that　you　refrain　from　doing　so　again。〃
Miz'ri　fell　silent；　perhaps　to　gather　her　thoughts；　perhaps　simply　in　an　effort　to　rattle　her　daughter's　nerves。　Such　petty；　pointless　attempts　at　innottimidation　were　virtually　a　reflex　with　her。
Greyanna　wondered　if　a　servant　had　been　instructed　to　fetch　her　a　chair　for　the　remainder　of　the　interview。　It　didn't　look　like　it。　That　was　typical　of　her　mother　as　well。
〃Your　brother　Pharaun　。。。〃　Miz'ri　said　at　last。
Greyanna's　eyes　opened　wide。　〃Yes？〃
〃I　think　it　might　finally　be　time　for　the　two　of　you　to　get　reacquainted。〃
The　younger　female　held　her　scarred　features　calm　and　posed。　It　was　rarely　a　good　idea　to　show　strong　emotion　to　anyone；　particularly　Mother。　If　you　showed　her　that　something　mattered　to　you；　she　would　find　a　way　to　hurt　you　with　it。　Even　so；　Greyanna　couldn't　quite　suppress　a　shiver　of　anticipation。
She　and　her　twin　sister　Sabal　had　loathed　one　another　from　the　cradle　onward。　Of　course；　in　the　noble　Houses　of　Menzoberranzan；　rivalry　benottween　sisters　was　expected　and　encouraged。　Certainly　Miz'ri　encouraged　it；　perhaps　simply　for　her　own　amusement。　But　for　some　reason…perhaps　it　had　something　to　do　with　the　fact　that　outwardly；　they　were　identical…　her　daughters'　enmity　far　transcended　even　her　expectations。　It　was　more　bitter　and　more　personal。　Each　yearned　to　injure　and　thwart　the　other　for　its　own　sake　at　least　as　much　as　to　improve　her　own　relative　standing　in　the　family。
All　but　choking　on　their　loathing　of　one　another；　they　fought　a　duel　that　lasted　decades　and　enpassed　every　facet　of　their　existence；　and　gradunotally；　on　every　battlefield；　Greyanna　began　to　prevail。　She　sabotaged　many　of　Sabal's　plans　to　enhance　the　fortunes　of　House　Mizzrym　and　found　ways　to　take　credit　for　those　that　succeeded。　By　secretly　tainting　some　of　the　sacred　articles　in　this　very　shrine；　she　ensured　that　her　twin's　public　ritnotuals　would　fail　to　produce　even　the　feeblest　sign　that　the　Spider　Queen　found　her　worship　acceptable。　She　sowed　doubt　about　Sabal's　petence　and　loyalty　in　the　ears　of　everyone　who　would　listen。
Over　time；　Greyanna　rose　to　bee　her　mother's　most　valued　aide；　while　Sabal　was　seen　as　a　dolt　fit　only　for　the　simplest　of　tasks。　She　was　fornotbidden　the　use　of　her　family's　more　powerful　magical　artifacts；　lest　she　break　them　or　turn　them　to　some　ill…conceived　purpose。　From　kin　to　slave　warriors；　any　member　of　the　household　who　might　once　have　supported　her　aspirations　shunned　her　as　if　she　were　diseased。　At　that　point；　Greynotanna　could　have　killed　her　easily；　and　she　expected　she'd　get　around　to　it　eventually；　but　Sabal's　misery　was　so　satisfying　that　she　put　it　off。
Put　if　off　until　Pharaun　came　home　from　Sorcere。
Before　her　little　brother　departed　to　Tier　Breche；　Greyanna　had　barely　noticed　him。　Of　course；　you　didn't　pay　attention　to　young　males　unless　you　were　unlucky　enough　to　be　put　in　charge　of　them。　They　were　the　silent　little　shadows　creeping　about　the　house；　cleaning；　ever　cleaning；　straining　to　master　their　inherent　magical　abilities；　and　learning　their　subnotordinate　place　in　the　world；　all　under　the　impatient　eyes…and　whips…of　their　minders。　As　far　as　she　could　remember；　Pharaun　had　been　as　cowed　and　pathetic　as　the　rest。
The　Academy　transformed　him　into　something　considerably　more　innotteresting；　though；　to　say　nothing　of　dangerous。　Perhaps　it　was　mastering　the　formidable　powers　of　wizardry；　or　maybe　it　was　immersion　in　an　ennotclave　prised　entirely　of　males；　but　somehow　he　emerged　from　hi