For days she had been chattering about this soiree and when she got the dress delivered yesterday it seemed to have short-circuited her. She took it on and off several times a day. I had never seen her so exhilarated and happy. However, Nimri worried me. The closer the day comes, the more depressed he looked. Only Naldela's make-up attempts brought a smile out of him.
›Do they don't teach such things down there?‹ I asked myself after she came out of the bathroom for the fifth time and looked like a bad Harlequin. Drow women must have a tough childhood.

(c) Art by EttaBaretta

I showed her some tricks and when she came out of the bathroom again, properly made up and in the dress, Nimri and I were left breathless. She was so beautiful that even Princess Irulan of Ramshorn would become invisible next to her. I just had to fondle her, so I jumped off the bed and pressed a finger on the firm carapace of the full breast corset.
»This is going to blow his mind« I muttered and I saw her grin sheepishly and her cheeks redden.
›I wish I was so beautiful‹ I looked at her dreamily

Moreover, in all the cycles she had gone through, did she seem to have had no time to learn how to dance? What had she been doing down there all this time? Don't Drow dance? Her fighting style in close combat at least looked very much like dancing. Unfortunately, only very indisposed in such a dress but at least we didn't had to start from scratch. And of course she had to wear the dress during all the dance lessons I had to give her.
I just hoped that the soiree would not be too embarrassing for her. Well, the mood in the city towards her had changed after the thing with Tarlyn became public, but Drow were still not particularly respected in the city. Especially in the royal and noble districts. In the middle class she was at least tolerated, but that's all. I really wish for her, that she could enjoy the city for at least one evening. And the fellow who carried her out had something, too. It was this cute one from the pharmacy. The one who showed me, without asking any questions, how to put on a bandage and how to treat Naldela's wounds. ›Maybe he can see her naked now‹ I grinned to myself. At least when she finally manages to get complete sentences out when he is present.