Ssinssrigg-Chath

Carn fights a fierce battle of a different kind as he encounters Amala in the fevers of Ssinssrigg-Chath

65.

Ssinssrigg-Chath

 

 

 

Carn stopped for a moment outside the door to Amala’s room.  Though Snoe had assured him that she was feeling better and was likely sleeping peacefully, something told him that it probably wasn’t that simple.   

He had spent a century living among the Drow and quite often a young Drow woman would enter Ssinssrigg-Chath and within weeks (or even days) meet with a grim end.   Those who survived would often drop out of Drow society for several years to recover from their time of madness.   Most were profoundly changed by the experience, and this was why Ssinssrigg-Chath was dreaded and feared by Drow women.   Thankfully, the vast majority of them never went through the time of lust.

So knowing what most Drow women experienced, Carn was prepared for anything when he quietly opened the door to her room.

What he saw amazed him.

 

The room was lit from a well-tended fireplace as well as several candles around the room.   It was dim, but very comfortable, especially to someone with sensitive Drow eyesight.

A floral scent came to his nose, which was very surprising to smell in the middle of winter.   Amala was sitting in the middle of her bed and did not hear him enter.

She seemed completely engrossed in playing a small Elven hand harp, and the melody was hauntingly beautiful as her lovely voice softly mixed with the notes.

He had spent many hours looking at her over the past several weeks, but never had he seen her looking as beautiful as she did this night.    Her silvery-white hair hung loose, flowing down gloriously like a silver waterfall.   

She wore an extremely expensive, low cut nightgown - probably her late sister Aranthi’s-- and it highlighted her shape so wonderfully that Carn had no choice but take a long survey of her exquisite feminine form.   The gown resembled one that she had worn when they had returned from the Faesidhe forest together.   But while they were similar in fit, this one was far more translucent.   

It was completely impractical for winter wear, and it was crafted for only one purpose " to draw attention to the body of the one who was so bold as to wear it.

 

Before he could move or even remember to breathe again, she turned and saw him standing there and made just a little start, as if she wasn’t completely surprised to find him there.    To him, she seemed to be almost glowing due to her loveliness, and her eyes shone brighter than the embers in the fireplace.

 

She smiled sweetly, “Carn!   What a wonderful surprise!   Are the meetings over so soon?”

Even her voice seemed slightly different; more confident and sultry.   Her bedroom eyes hinted to him of many possibilities that did little to ease his nerves.

“Um… no, I, uh… came back alone.”   He stammered.   Closing his eyes for a moment to refocus, he continued, “They signed all the papers today and there was a feast tonight.   All that is needed is your father’s signature.”

“Wonderful,” She purred, in a purely girlish tone that he had never heard her use, “I do wish I could have seen such a historical event.    So you came back alone?”

“Yeah… I had a Faesidhe wizard activate the teleportation ring.”

“So late in the evening?    You must have had important reasons to come so late.”    Her gaze held him captive.   He felt like a leprous beggar in the presence of a Queen.

“Yeah.”  He finally mumbled to her statement.   What was he going to say to her?   She was using her beauty in the exact same way that Drow Matrons in the Underdark often did to manipulate men to do whatever they wanted.    He never would have guessed that Amala would be able to master such an art, but somehow she had.   

 

“So, why did you come back, Carn?”   She asked softly, staring at him until he began blushing beet red.

“I…I came back…um… I came back to check on you.”  He reluctantly admitted.    His mouth was bone dry, as he stood there like a witless fool, overawed by her.    What had she done to him?

 

She smiled, holding her lustful gaze on him for a moment, before she spoke, “I’m glad you did.   I’ve missed you terribly.   Did you hear any of the tune that I was playing when you came into the room?”

“A little bit.   It sounded vaguely familiar.” He answered.   He could not break his eyes away from hers.   Had she somehow cast a spell over him?

 

“The tune was one I found in a sorceress’ spellbook.  She was one of my mother’s friends - sadly, now long dead- and she left her book in the ducal library.   I was surprised to find that it was a song that was also a spell - just like a bard casts.”

Then he knew - it was a seduction spell - the type used by some Sorceresses to overwhelm weak-minded men.   It was sung rather than chanted, so that a Sorceress might cast it without her victim expecting it.    But Amala had told him of the enchantment, so now he knew.

“I’ve heard of several of them.     They aren’t actually bard spells.   This counters them.”  He burst into song, a brief bardic tune that would neutralize all charming and seduction spells.    Amala listened, mildly amused, but did not seem ruffled by the neutralization.

“So I would guess that was not one that you would recommend that I learn?”

“Well, it can have undesired effects.”

She gave a hint of a smile, but kept her eyes locked with his.

 

Though he knew that he had broken her spell, he still felt affected as strongly as before.    Perhaps she had a secondary form of magic.

She didn’t say anything but just kept looking at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

“So…how are you doing?”  He finally asked after a long silence.

“Do I seem… different to you?”    She patted the bed, “Could I ask you to braid my hair?    It’s driving me crazy.”

 

He hesitated for an instant, but her look was very commanding, so he sat behind her and she flipped her moonlight colored tresses backwards.     His hands trembled as he carefully took her hair.     It smelled of some sort of delightful flower and was silky smooth.    She leaned back slightly to help him work.

“What do you want me to do with it?   What type of braid?”

“Whatever you think would be suitable.”   She replied in a soft voice, looking over her shoulder.

Her skin was pleasantly warm as he began braiding her hair.   Each time he would brush against her skin, he felt a tingling sensation.

“You never answered me.”   He said, hoping to restore some ease to their meeting, “How are you doing?”

“I answered you, Carn.”  She replied, “I asked you in return if I seemed different.”

“Oh… well, yes, you actually do.”

“Do you like the difference?”   Her voice was almost a whisper and a tremor of desire went over him for a moment.

“Yes.”  He found himself saying.

“Good.   Then to answer your question, I am doing fine.”

“Amala… have you cast another spell over me?”   He didn’t dare look up at her as she glanced behind her, but focused instead on her hair.

“There are no spells, Carn.”  She responded, “Yet there is plenty of magic.    Do you know what Ssinssrigg-Chath is, Carn?”

“Yes, actually I do.   I lived among the Drow for a century.   I know all about it.”

“Well, then you have an advantage over me.    I knew nothing about it until I first saw you standing in the Clearing of the Ages, playing and singing.     It washed over me, Carn.    Something much stronger than I was; something I wasn’t able to control on my own.    I fought it like a sickness, Carn.    The nights were worst of all.    When I couldn’t take it any more, I had Snoe get me out of there.   Since I have returned here, I have figured something out.”

“What?”   He asked as he finished crafting her radiant hair into a tight braid.

“I learned what Ssinssrigg-Chath truly is.   It is not a disease, not a malady, not madness.  It is a Drow woman’s awakening of the energy and passion that some are blessed with. “

“Blessed?   I’ve never known a Drow woman who felt blessed by it.”

“But the end result is a blessing.    Those who survive, I have heard, are quite confident with their sexuality and the power they have over men.”

“Many Drow women are like that, Amala, even those who don’t go through it.    Ssinssrigg-Chath doesn’t give them that.   I’ve known of many who either died or went insane at this time.”

“That is because they don’t know how to handle it, Carn.   Some try to suppress it; others try to let it run wild.   The secret is to focus it.”

“Focus it?”

“Oh yes, I learned that today.    Actually, I learned it late this afternoon.    I began to focus all of the energy, all the desire, all the hunger, and it worked!    Though it rages through me, I am in control and I have focused it perfectly.”

“Focused it on what?”

“Why, you, of course!”   Amala laughed prettily, “It was that simple.   I wanted to see how you would react, if you would assume it was a seduction spell.    There actually was no spell cast, Carn, I only just began to learn it and have not mastered it well enough to cast it.   Yet you are under my spell.”

“Or so you think.”   He replied, but though he tried to sound confident, he was afraid that she was right.

She turned around to face him, “You are powerless, Carn.   You’ll do anything I want you to do right now.”

“Amala, Ssinssrigg-Chath is a time when many Drow women are controlled by their lust.   They don’t think clearly and later on they are greatly ashamed of the choices they made.    You don’t really want me as a slave to your every whim, do you?”

 

She touched his cheek, and he shivered with excitement at the contact.

“I want you as my lover.   Don’t think that I say that flippantly.   I was known for being very uninterested in feminine things, Carn.   They all seemed so ridiculous and trivial to me.    But now I see the value in many of them.    Even my hair serves a purpose, for you find it fascinating.   I was drawn to you when I got to know you better and this was as a friend.    It grew stronger and stronger, but when I saw your handsome face - your true face- a new element was added.”

 

“Amala-“ He began to say, but she put her fingers on his lips to silence him.

“I never experienced sexual attraction before that, Carn.    It was both terrifying and thrilling.    But I was not focused at first, I could only long for you, out of control.   When I focused my effort - then I gained control.”

“Amala, you should wait for your mother to arrive - she would be able to help you.”

“I planned on that… but suffering seems pointless when the solution is so simple.    She may be several days away, and even if she were here, what would she say?    She may understand, but I doubt anyone can help me… except you.”

“I would do anything for you, Amala, but I don’t want you to take something wonderful and attach it to something out of your control.”

“I’m in perfect control, Carn.”  She protested, her eyes burning bright red.

“Does that include trying to manipulate me, Amala?   Will you feel better when this madness has passed, knowing that you took advantage of feelings I have for you, just so a physical need could be met?”

She blinked, and for an instant the sultry woman faded and an unsure girl was there, “So you have feelings for me?”

He took her hand and looked her squarely in the eyes, “I love you, Amala.   Very deeply and more strongly than I’ve loved anyone; even Sialia.   But it is a new love and I am many centuries older than you.    I feel awkward, for you are so young and I feel so very, very old.”  

“Though I appear as an Elf again, I have not yet shed the mindset of a Bugbear.   About 2,000 years in that form does not pass quickly, and so what I appear to be and what I feel I am are totally different.”

“But you are gorgeous, Carn!”

“I just feel less large and hairy.   Other than that, I still feel like an outsider.    I have been unlucky to those who knew me, and this also makes me hesitate to involve you in my life.    I’ve taken you on as a student, and that is also not proper for a master to become involved with his student.”

“I’ll take the chances.”

“You say that because I seem exotic to you.   From a different time, a different race - until recently- and mysterious.    Many young girls are drawn to that, Amala.    Just being a Bard usually draws people in, who find you fascinating.”

“So when you were among the Faesidhe - before the curse- were women interested in you?”

“Yes, and I was somewhat cocky and smug about it.    I certainly paid the price for feeling like that.     So I don’t want to hurt anyone… especially not you.    I’ve not known you well for very long, but I love you, Amala.    Yet the nature of love is like this - I just want to be in your life more than anything.    I don’t have to be any specific part of your life - only what you really want me to be.     If you find a man you desire to be your mate, I would respect that and still love you the same.”

Her lips were parted and tears rimmed her eyes as she stared at him in stunned silence at what he’d said.   Never had he told anyone that he loved them.    It was a terrifying feeling, one of complete vulnerability.    Would she be able to grasp the weight of his words in her condition?

 

Amala swallowed back emotion several times, batting her eyes to keep tears from falling, but finally several fell.    She took his hands in her own, started to say something but choked up and only shook her head slowly.  

“Do you see?” He said to her softly, “This is why I hesitate to yield to your seduction.    Physical attraction is only skin deep, Amala.    Love is far deeper.    You need a physical desire satisfied, and I need to share love.    We’re at two different places.”

“Carn”, She finally whispered, but again she choked up and instead she leaned over suddenly and fiercely hugged him, placing her head against his shoulder and crying as she rocked back and forth against him.   He embraced her and patted her back, kissing the top of her forehead as she wept.

“I’m so sorry.” She said through her tears, “I meant to seduce you… and you just loved me.”

“It’s alright.” He whispered back, breathing in the pleasing scent of her hair, “There is no harm done at all.    Nobody will know-“

 

Suddenly she stretched her neck up and kissed him on the lips.   At first it was gentle and almost apologetic in form, but the girl would not end it and it grew passionate and hungry.   Her hands caressed his hair and still the kiss continued.

He was kissing her back; long dormant desire threatening like a thunderstorm about to be released.    She began pushing him back onto the bed with her body.   He felt her firm breasts pressed against his chest and the feverish warmth of her skin.    Ssinssrigg-Chath was overwhelming her again and in danger of taking him with her.

 

With great reluctance, he pulled his lips away, bending his head back to keep her from engaging him again.   Quickly he began singing yet she seemed to sense what he was doing, and desperately tried to stop his spell-song with another kiss.  

But he turned his head back and forth until the spell began to take effect.    She fought him less and less as a deep drowsiness overwhelmed her.

“Damn you,” She murmured, as she sank off into unconsciousness, “Don’t you see?   I love you too…”

Her head sank back down onto his shoulder and her breathing became slow and steady.   He leaned back on the bed, holding her against him as she slept.    Looking down at her resplendent body against him, he caressed her cheek.

“Wow, I’m such an idiot.”  He chided himself, but in a few minutes, he too fell asleep.

 

 

Reviews

[Elina]

"A hint of flowers came to his nose..." I feel that this could be worded a little better; flowers doesn't feel like quite the right word for this. Maybe something like "a floral sent?"
"...in the middle or winter." I believe you're wanting "of" instead of "or."
"Amala did not hear him enter and was sitting in the middle of her bed." Perhaps, reverse the order of this, starting with Amala sitting on the bed and ending with her not hearing Carn. ?
"He would have never guessed that Amala would have been able..." Perhaps "He never would have guessed that Amala would be able..."
"...I have figured out something." It may sound better as "...I have figured something out."
"...more strongly than I’ve loved anyone, even Sialia." The comma, here, ought to be a semicolon.
"...kissing the top of her forehead as she weep." You'll want to change weep to "wept."