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[Thrax]

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The twin, thick chains of the manacles attached to Duke Kotare's wrists clinked against the damp stone wall as he sat back against it, trying uselessly to make himself comfortable. He did not know if it was day or night; the dungeon had no windows and what light there was came from a lit torch ensconced on the far wall. The cavernous room echoed every sound: his coughing, which seemed to be growing worse, the incessant dripping of water from the ceiling, the chittering of rats that played tag with him, and the rustling of the scales against the stone floor of the two huge death adders that lay coiled together in a corner; their eyelids never closing, always watching his every movement for any sign of attempted escape, or rescue.

The solitary, thick, adamantite door of the dungeon opened slowly but noiselessly. Thrax had boasted to the Duke of how he had found it when the Dark Lords had scoured a drow city in the Underdark for survivors at the behest of Oggaroth. It had taken a battle between gods, Lloth and Oggaroth, to free the door; it alone had remained standing while the rest of the structure was demolished. He brought the door home, along with its hinges (also made of adamantite) and its key which he found in a dead drow's hand. Neither rust, nor magic, nor any weapon known could mar its smooth surface. Thrax was quite proud of it. He stepped through it into the room.

The twin adders raised their heads, anticipating a meal, and they were not to be disappointed. Behind Thrax came one of his slaves, a half-orc named Durthagg, who threw two sheep, one at a time, to the snakes, which seized them in midair and began to swallow them whole.

Thrax chuckled approvingly, then waved for the slave to leave. He obeyed instantly, closing the door behind him. Kotare noticed that Thrax was carrying a tray of food, a plate piled high with meat, cheese, bread and vegetables, and a goblet to drink from. He knelt and set it down beside him. "No doubt you are famished by now. Your stubborn refusal to eat is foolish and needless. What will your wife think the next time she sees you... that I have been starving you? I would not want that. Please, eat," he implored, setting down tray beside his prisoner. Kotare simply turned his head away, to one side.

Thrax grabbed the Duke's lower jaw in his left hand, turning his head to face him, and opened his mouth with his fingers. As Kotare struggled to get free of the painful hold, Thrax took the goblet in his right hand, "Perhaps you will drink then? You must, in fact," he stated, pouring a small amount of its contents, an amber-colored liquid, into Kotare's mouth, and then forcibly closed it. The Duke tried to spit it out, but the priest's grip was too strong; he could not keep from swallowing. The liquid tasted very good, much like apple cider, and as he had drunk nothing for days, it soothed his tongue and throat. As badly as he wanted to resist eating and drinking, as he did not trust his captor, he had to admit that he wanted more of it.

"Perhaps you are just wary, afraid that I might seek to poison you? Let me show you that your fears are groundless," Thrax said, taking a small drink from the goblet himself to prove his point. "Ahh, very good, no? Want more?" He released his grip on the Duke's jaw. He put the goblet up to his mouth and this time, the prisoner drank freely and deeply until it was empty.

Duke Kotare felt that he had made a terrible mistake. His felt faint, and a chill went through his body. "What have you done to me?" he asked.

Thrax took a gold fork and began eating the food himself. "Nothing. You are merely hungry is all. You will die if you do not eat. If I were your prisoner, I would not starve myself like you have been doing. Suicide, ritual or not, is a coward's way out. There is no honor in it, for you who venerate that virtue. Live to fight, avenge yourself, crush your enemies! *That* is the way of strength, and, in your philosophy, the way of honor." He continued eating.

The Duke could stand it no longer. Hunger gnawed at his insides. Thirst tormented him. He tried to resist his impulse to eat, but it was to no avail, seeing Thrax nonchalantly consuming the food that was meant for him. Thrax offered some of the food to him and he ate it ravenously. Soon the meal was devoured, and he had eaten the most of it. He did, indeed, feel much better.

"See? Nothing to worry about. I have a plethora of ways to torment and kill my enemies. They are all based upon the value of the person to me, and the harm he has done me or mine. You are a nobleman, and have yet to raise your hand against me, so I have measured your punishment accordingly. Poisoning you is not my intention," Thrax stated, dropping the empty plate and goblet, and rising to his feet. "In fact, I mean to set you free."

Kotare looked up at him. "Your lies are clumsy and stupid."

"I do not lie. The orcs have said nothing to me of wanting to extradite you. I hold you on their account. If they do not press charges against you, why should I do it for them? I know you believe I do not really care for their claims, but you are wrong. However, I have no real love for orcs, I will admit, and if they are ambivalent about your former crimes against them, then so I shall be."

"You are the criminal."

"We are all criminals one way or another, Duke. You and your kind like to hide your misdeeds behind a facade of self-righteousness. Oh, I have heard of your sordid past. You think you can undo the guilt of your past sins by vaunting yourself now as a paragon of the virtues? Well think again. The blood on your hands will never wash off, and the darkness you deny still hides deep within your soul, waiting patiently for release. One day it will be. You will see."

"Now you are raving, priest."

The dark lord chuckled and turned to walk away. He opened the door but hesitated before leaving, turning to face the Duke once more. "For supper, I will bring you a rack of lamb, wine, and some fine vegetables grown in Yew. Please be appreciative enough to eat. The herdsmen and farmers work hard to keep us supplied. And, if your mood improves, you may dine with me upstairs," he said in a kindly tone.

"The rats and snakes make for better company; I will eat down here with them."

Thrax sighed. "As you wish. Durthagg will bring it to you, and it may be a tad late." He opened the door and exited, closing it behind him. Kotare heard the lock being turned. He felt sated, his stomach full, but, glancing at the adders whose reptilian stench filled the room, a brief spasm of nausea swept over him. It passed quickly, and he soon drifted off to sleep.