《精灵血脉四部曲》
The Legacy
Prelude
Part 1
Was I wrong?
I must admit, to myself at least, that I do not know.
But, I remind myself again, the choice is mine to make.
Chapter 1
Spring Dawning
The smile of his first female friend.
* * * * *
Crazy Vierna.
Chapter 2
"Cook another feast!" Bruenor snorted, hopping up from his stone seat. "Suren the elf has his eyes fixed on j another wedding!"
Drizzt let the remark pass without reply.
Drizzt took a seat beside the dwarf king as the other three scooted out of the room.
"He is running," Drizzt replied.
* * * * *
Regis was through the door in an instant.
"Just goblins," Bruenor replied.
"Woman!" Wulfgar shouted.
"There's mithril in those tunnels," Bruenor replied, as if that would end the debate.
"They are goblins," Drizzt said to her. "Was it not a goblin raid that took your father's life?"
"Goblins is goblins!" Bruenor growled.
"Cleanly," Bruenor added.
* * * * *
"You are not going."
"How dare you?" Wulfgar growled through gritted teeth. "She is my—"
"Once you were my teacher," Wulfgar said calmly.
"Ever was I your friend," Drizzt replied.
Wulfgar snapped an angry glare on him. "You speak to me like a father to a child. Beware, Drizzt Do'Urden, you are not the teacher anymore."
"Are you the teacher now?" the dark elf asked.
"My apology," Drizzt said when he saw the blood. "1 did not mean to cut—"
Wulfgar's legs buckled and one of his knees slammed into the wall.
Wulfgar laughed and slowly rose. Drizzt backed away.
Chapter 3
Parley
Bruenor nodded. The worst that they could expect was roughly even odds, and Bruenor would put any one of his dwarves against five of the goblin scum.
So did Regis, not far behind Drizzt.
"This group's looking for a fight. I can smell it."
* * * * *
* * * * *
Bruenor nodded.
* * * * *
* * * * *
The floor bucked wildly; Bruenor heard the roars of the wounded giant beneath him.
* * * * *
* * * * *
An arrow blew it to the ground.
After only a few steps and a warning growl from his trusted panther ally, he came to realize that Regis wasn't far behind.
* * * * *
Goblins fled by the dozen, most finding the line of Dagna and his charges eagerly waiting to kill them.
Chapter 4
Dwarven Toy
They had no guard posted, had no clue that danger was near.
Drizzt eased the corpse to the ground and took its place, putting his back to the stone.
"Are you all right, dear Drizzt?" Cobble cried.
* * * * *
"Are the baiters ready?" asked the dwarf in charge of the toy brigade.
The boss dwarf shook his bearded face; it was so easy to bait goblins. Just let them believe they had the upper hand, and on they'd come.
Tunnel's too tight,
Tunnel's too low,
Better run goblin,
'Cause here we go!
Just as the dwarves had planned.
Every bump's a goblins head,
Pools of blood from the goblin dead.
Run, good dwarves, push that toy,
Squish the little goblin boys!
* * * * *
"Bah!" Bruenor snorted behind her. "Suren ye set yer own bow to some sweet singing!"
"He did not think a woman should be at the battle," Drizzt replied.
* * * * *
Chapter 5
Ye of Little Faith
Vierna eyed him and laughed evilly, almost purred, as she bent to kiss one of the heads.
"The city will not wage war against House Baenre," Dinin said flatly.
"Then we will be fed to Baenre's goblin slaves," Dinin replied dryly.
"You are insane," Dinin said before he could find the wisdom to keep the thought to himself. To his relief, though, Vierna did not advance toward him.
* * * * *
"Hold your tongue," Triel Baenre warned, "or I will tear it out and give it to you, that you might hold it in your hand."
* * * * *
Vierna's eyes flashed. "He will," she said, "but my brother's role in the hunt has changed."
"Of course."
She had turned him into a drider.
Part 2
But do I love her?
No more than she loves me.
Chapter 6
"The boy's just nervous," Bruenor said.
"No time for eating!" Bruenor snapped back. "We got a—"
Bruenor stroked his thick red beard and looked to the empty doorway through which Regis had just passed. "Spent lots of time on the road beside the likes of us," the dwarf decided.
* * * * *
"You fought as well as any," Drizzt added.
He did not look back as he left the chapel.
* * * * *
"Taking their time, is all," Bruenor replied.
"They missed their supper," said the guard.
"I have too much to—"
"Can we stop by my room?" Regis quietly asked the drow. "I would like my mace and pack, at least."
Regis knew he was in fine company.
Chapter 7
Two of the dwarves took up their weapons while the other two walked over to remove the heavy iron bar that locked the door.
"Three, then two," Drizzt agreed.
* * * * *
"He is here," Vierna replied calmly.
* * * * *
"Seems like farther, that's all," Regis mumbled under his breath.
"Where safer than with Drizzt Do'Urden?"
"Entreri took the guild?" Drizzt asked.
"You find this funny?"
"I thought you . . ." Regis began. "I mean, don't you want to go and ..."
"Entreri might not think so," Regis said grimly.
Chapter 8
He had tried to kill his dearest friend.
Again, the sparks flew wildly.
He grunted as the hammer hit home.
Wulfgar tossed the ruined shaft aside and let the hammer drop to the stone floor.
Blood surging, muscles corded, Wulfgar felt no pain.
* * * * *
"Regis!"
Regis walked over and picked up his torch, then tucked his mace into his belt, within easy reach.
* * * * *
"It cannot be," Cobble replied, and it seemed to the young woman that he hoped with all his heart that his words were true.
"I'll call ye an escort," Bruenor said, "so ye can get yerself a bath and a meal."
* * * * *
They came to him anyway.
Chapter 9
Too Clean Cuts
"What killed them?" Regis asked again, a notable tremor in his voice.
"You think Entreri did it."
"What is it?" Regis asked.
Twinkle's blue light seemed to flare.
Chapter 10
"Would the panther have died?" Regis asked.
* * * * *
"Is yerself a warrior, big boy?" Pwent asked.
"Not a bet I'd take," Cobble replied, "but if Wulfgar lifts a hand against that one, he's to get stung, not to doubt."
"The tunnels are long," Bruenor replied.
Bruenor sank back in his chair, his dark eyes darting from one to the other. "Dwarves're lost, is all," he said.
"He did not even wish to go!" Wulfgar shot back.
* * * * *
"The sweeter comes my victory."
Entreri's eyes flared in sudden rage and he leaped forward, sword high as if to strike Drizzt down.
Drizzt didn't flinch.
"Fall on your own blade and meet the only end you'll ever deserve," Drizzt replied.
"I thought you had lost the use of an arm and an eye," the drow said.
"Sleep well, my lost brother."
Part 3
Legacy
What a fool he is.
This is my legacy; by the grace of the gods, I am not alone.
Chapter 11
"Then give it over, me king," said Pwent, "and let me find this strange ... friend o' yers."
* * * * *
"Matron Malice!" Vierna hissed.
"You do not even know, do you?" Vierna laughed at him. "How long you have been gone, lost one!"
"One of his eight legs."
Vierna smiled evilly, knowing she had found Drizzt's weak spot.
Vierna's hand shot up as though to lash out again, but when stoic Drizzt did not flinch, she lowered it.
"But he was your father," Drizzt had to add. "And he gave more to you than you will ever accept."
Vierna's smile widened.
"Good, my lost brother," Vierna purred.
"Lloth is a damned thing!"
"You do not fear to tell me this?" Drizzt asked her coyly.
"A pity,” he said again, and he walked away, this time his boots making not a whisper of sound.
* * * * *
Chapter 12
The Truth Be Known
"Still wet," she replied. "The blood from the goblin fight'd be long dried by now."
"Some type of—" Wulfgar began.
"The elf had a bow that'd fit this?" Bruenor balked.
* * * * *
And it had all been for him.
Too well, Drizzt thought.
"You presume that the choice was mine to make," Entreri replied. "Your sister found me—I did not seek her out."
"Not mutual benefit," he said quietly, noting Entreri's curious glance his way.
"Explain," Entreri bade him after a long moment of silence.
"I am not your friend," Drizzt growled back.
"Never."
Then the drider reared up in front of him.
* * * * *
"Aaargh!" Bruenor wailed. "Me kinfolk!"
"Entreri," Bruenor growled.
"You lie!" Wulfgar roared.
"Regis!" Wulfgar shouted back. "And he told me that your meeting was filled with more than words!"
"Entreri tried to get me to kill Drizzt," Wulfgar went on, trying to fathom it all.
"You did meet with the drow," he stated.
Chapter 13
Broken Vows
"Why?"
"No—" Entreri began.
"He is dead," Drizzt asked as much as stated.
"Your last chance," Entreri teased. "Here, you and I part company. I leave through the far door, and the drow go back down to their dark world."
Chapter 14
They crashed against the wall, the drow still holding his balance, and holding Pwent up in the air, not knowing what to make of this unusual, hugging battle style.
* * * * *
She could not stay.
She fired one more time, then turned and ran after her father and the others, away from the friend she had come to rescue.
* * * * *
He hit the floor hard, rolled across, and slammed his lower back into a jutting boulder.
The Legacy
Prelude
Part 1
Was I wrong?
I must admit, to myself at least, that I do not know.
But, I remind myself again, the choice is mine to make.
Chapter 1
Spring Dawning
The smile of his first female friend.
* * * * *
Crazy Vierna.
Chapter 2
"Cook another feast!" Bruenor snorted, hopping up from his stone seat. "Suren the elf has his eyes fixed on j another wedding!"
Drizzt let the remark pass without reply.
Drizzt took a seat beside the dwarf king as the other three scooted out of the room.
"He is running," Drizzt replied.
* * * * *
Regis was through the door in an instant.
"Just goblins," Bruenor replied.
"Woman!" Wulfgar shouted.
"There's mithril in those tunnels," Bruenor replied, as if that would end the debate.
"They are goblins," Drizzt said to her. "Was it not a goblin raid that took your father's life?"
"Goblins is goblins!" Bruenor growled.
"Cleanly," Bruenor added.
* * * * *
"You are not going."
"How dare you?" Wulfgar growled through gritted teeth. "She is my—"
"Once you were my teacher," Wulfgar said calmly.
"Ever was I your friend," Drizzt replied.
Wulfgar snapped an angry glare on him. "You speak to me like a father to a child. Beware, Drizzt Do'Urden, you are not the teacher anymore."
"Are you the teacher now?" the dark elf asked.
"My apology," Drizzt said when he saw the blood. "1 did not mean to cut—"
Wulfgar's legs buckled and one of his knees slammed into the wall.
Wulfgar laughed and slowly rose. Drizzt backed away.
Chapter 3
Parley
Bruenor nodded. The worst that they could expect was roughly even odds, and Bruenor would put any one of his dwarves against five of the goblin scum.
So did Regis, not far behind Drizzt.
"This group's looking for a fight. I can smell it."
* * * * *
* * * * *
Bruenor nodded.
* * * * *
* * * * *
The floor bucked wildly; Bruenor heard the roars of the wounded giant beneath him.
* * * * *
* * * * *
An arrow blew it to the ground.
After only a few steps and a warning growl from his trusted panther ally, he came to realize that Regis wasn't far behind.
* * * * *
Goblins fled by the dozen, most finding the line of Dagna and his charges eagerly waiting to kill them.
Chapter 4
Dwarven Toy
They had no guard posted, had no clue that danger was near.
Drizzt eased the corpse to the ground and took its place, putting his back to the stone.
"Are you all right, dear Drizzt?" Cobble cried.
* * * * *
"Are the baiters ready?" asked the dwarf in charge of the toy brigade.
The boss dwarf shook his bearded face; it was so easy to bait goblins. Just let them believe they had the upper hand, and on they'd come.
Tunnel's too tight,
Tunnel's too low,
Better run goblin,
'Cause here we go!
Just as the dwarves had planned.
Every bump's a goblins head,
Pools of blood from the goblin dead.
Run, good dwarves, push that toy,
Squish the little goblin boys!
* * * * *
"Bah!" Bruenor snorted behind her. "Suren ye set yer own bow to some sweet singing!"
"He did not think a woman should be at the battle," Drizzt replied.
* * * * *
Chapter 5
Ye of Little Faith
Vierna eyed him and laughed evilly, almost purred, as she bent to kiss one of the heads.
"The city will not wage war against House Baenre," Dinin said flatly.
"Then we will be fed to Baenre's goblin slaves," Dinin replied dryly.
"You are insane," Dinin said before he could find the wisdom to keep the thought to himself. To his relief, though, Vierna did not advance toward him.
* * * * *
"Hold your tongue," Triel Baenre warned, "or I will tear it out and give it to you, that you might hold it in your hand."
* * * * *
Vierna's eyes flashed. "He will," she said, "but my brother's role in the hunt has changed."
"Of course."
She had turned him into a drider.
Part 2
But do I love her?
No more than she loves me.
Chapter 6
"The boy's just nervous," Bruenor said.
"No time for eating!" Bruenor snapped back. "We got a—"
Bruenor stroked his thick red beard and looked to the empty doorway through which Regis had just passed. "Spent lots of time on the road beside the likes of us," the dwarf decided.
* * * * *
"You fought as well as any," Drizzt added.
He did not look back as he left the chapel.
* * * * *
"Taking their time, is all," Bruenor replied.
"They missed their supper," said the guard.
"I have too much to—"
"Can we stop by my room?" Regis quietly asked the drow. "I would like my mace and pack, at least."
Regis knew he was in fine company.
Chapter 7
Two of the dwarves took up their weapons while the other two walked over to remove the heavy iron bar that locked the door.
"Three, then two," Drizzt agreed.
* * * * *
"He is here," Vierna replied calmly.
* * * * *
"Seems like farther, that's all," Regis mumbled under his breath.
"Where safer than with Drizzt Do'Urden?"
"Entreri took the guild?" Drizzt asked.
"You find this funny?"
"I thought you . . ." Regis began. "I mean, don't you want to go and ..."
"Entreri might not think so," Regis said grimly.
Chapter 8
He had tried to kill his dearest friend.
Again, the sparks flew wildly.
He grunted as the hammer hit home.
Wulfgar tossed the ruined shaft aside and let the hammer drop to the stone floor.
Blood surging, muscles corded, Wulfgar felt no pain.
* * * * *
"Regis!"
Regis walked over and picked up his torch, then tucked his mace into his belt, within easy reach.
* * * * *
"It cannot be," Cobble replied, and it seemed to the young woman that he hoped with all his heart that his words were true.
"I'll call ye an escort," Bruenor said, "so ye can get yerself a bath and a meal."
* * * * *
They came to him anyway.
Chapter 9
Too Clean Cuts
"What killed them?" Regis asked again, a notable tremor in his voice.
"You think Entreri did it."
"What is it?" Regis asked.
Twinkle's blue light seemed to flare.
Chapter 10
"Would the panther have died?" Regis asked.
* * * * *
"Is yerself a warrior, big boy?" Pwent asked.
"Not a bet I'd take," Cobble replied, "but if Wulfgar lifts a hand against that one, he's to get stung, not to doubt."
"The tunnels are long," Bruenor replied.
Bruenor sank back in his chair, his dark eyes darting from one to the other. "Dwarves're lost, is all," he said.
"He did not even wish to go!" Wulfgar shot back.
* * * * *
"The sweeter comes my victory."
Entreri's eyes flared in sudden rage and he leaped forward, sword high as if to strike Drizzt down.
Drizzt didn't flinch.
"Fall on your own blade and meet the only end you'll ever deserve," Drizzt replied.
"I thought you had lost the use of an arm and an eye," the drow said.
"Sleep well, my lost brother."
Part 3
Legacy
What a fool he is.
This is my legacy; by the grace of the gods, I am not alone.
Chapter 11
"Then give it over, me king," said Pwent, "and let me find this strange ... friend o' yers."
* * * * *
"Matron Malice!" Vierna hissed.
"You do not even know, do you?" Vierna laughed at him. "How long you have been gone, lost one!"
"One of his eight legs."
Vierna smiled evilly, knowing she had found Drizzt's weak spot.
Vierna's hand shot up as though to lash out again, but when stoic Drizzt did not flinch, she lowered it.
"But he was your father," Drizzt had to add. "And he gave more to you than you will ever accept."
Vierna's smile widened.
"Good, my lost brother," Vierna purred.
"Lloth is a damned thing!"
"You do not fear to tell me this?" Drizzt asked her coyly.
"A pity,” he said again, and he walked away, this time his boots making not a whisper of sound.
* * * * *
Chapter 12
The Truth Be Known
"Still wet," she replied. "The blood from the goblin fight'd be long dried by now."
"Some type of—" Wulfgar began.
"The elf had a bow that'd fit this?" Bruenor balked.
* * * * *
And it had all been for him.
Too well, Drizzt thought.
"You presume that the choice was mine to make," Entreri replied. "Your sister found me—I did not seek her out."
"Not mutual benefit," he said quietly, noting Entreri's curious glance his way.
"Explain," Entreri bade him after a long moment of silence.
"I am not your friend," Drizzt growled back.
"Never."
Then the drider reared up in front of him.
* * * * *
"Aaargh!" Bruenor wailed. "Me kinfolk!"
"Entreri," Bruenor growled.
"You lie!" Wulfgar roared.
"Regis!" Wulfgar shouted back. "And he told me that your meeting was filled with more than words!"
"Entreri tried to get me to kill Drizzt," Wulfgar went on, trying to fathom it all.
"You did meet with the drow," he stated.
Chapter 13
Broken Vows
"Why?"
"No—" Entreri began.
"He is dead," Drizzt asked as much as stated.
"Your last chance," Entreri teased. "Here, you and I part company. I leave through the far door, and the drow go back down to their dark world."
Chapter 14
They crashed against the wall, the drow still holding his balance, and holding Pwent up in the air, not knowing what to make of this unusual, hugging battle style.
* * * * *
She could not stay.
She fired one more time, then turned and ran after her father and the others, away from the friend she had come to rescue.
* * * * *
He hit the floor hard, rolled across, and slammed his lower back into a jutting boulder.
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