Disclaimer: The recognizable characters appearing in this story are © Wizards of the Coast, Inc., all rights reserved. They are used without permission and for entertainment purposes only. No profit is being made by the author for writing this story. No infringement upon nor challenge to the rights of the copyright holders is intended; nor should any be inferred.
A Walk Through the Garden by Ssin'urn Solen
Chapter 1: A Voice in the Wind
Drizzt sat looking over the tundra from his perch on Kelvin's Cairn. Two of his sons and one of his grandsons were asleep behind him in the cave. He glanced back at the three sleeping men and smiled. No father or grandfather could be more proud of his children. They had willingly followed their father's footsteps and faith. All three of them who were with him were accomplished rangers, and faithful servants to Meilikki. He tuned to stare back at the frozen wastes.
Catti-Brie had given him eight children before she grew old and died. Five girls and three boys. Drizzt's oldest son, Zaknafein, had married a moon elf girl, and chose to live with her family. He missed him terribly, but knew that his son was an adult. He could not make his decisions for him.
His other sons had likewise chose elves as their brides. Of all of his children, only one of his daughters chose to marry a human. Drizzt believed it was partially because of the anguish he felt as their mother grew older and father remained young. His children felt no wish to repeat that pain.
"What are you thinking about, Father?" Nalfein said as he walked out of the cave and stretched his arms.
"Your twin brother. Are Bruenor and Bennan still asleep?"
"Yes. I don't know why Bruenor bothers to come up here. All he does is sleep anymore when he does."
"I suppose it is because Lineat keeps him so busy. I have lost count how many grandchildren she has bore him over the years. He doesn't get a moments peace, except when he comes up here. The same goes for Bennan. As one of Lineat's oldest, I am certain she tries to keep him busy with helping with the youngest ones."
"I guess you are right. Lineat just gave birth to her sixteenth child, the first girl, last month."
"My poor son." Drizzt replied with a sarcastic smirk.
" Serves him right for marrying a wild elf who likes being with child. I am glad that Zarra is not near as voracious as Lineat. " Nalfein said as he sat down next to Drizzt.
"Your wife is doing well then? She doesn't stay in the house alone all the time still?"
"No, Evangeline has gotten her to socialize some. It hurts to see how badly she is sometimes treated because she is drow. It does not matter that before she fled the Underdark, she was little more than a slave"
"I know exactly how she feels, Nalfein, all too well. Good thing your sister has befriended her."
"Friends are more important then they seem at first, Father"
"True. Speaking of children, how is Bella doing?"
"She is a handful. But, it is all worth it when she smiles at me and those lavender eyes twinkle."
"I knew you would feel the same way I did once your first child was born. It is a precious time. Savor it with all of your heart. Before long, she will be an adult."
"Is there something wrong, Father? You do not seem like yourself today."
"Nothing really. It looks like there will be a late spring this year."
"What does a late spring have to do with you being so sullen? Father, I know when you are troubled. Please talk to me. I have always talked to you when I am troubled. It is my turn to be the sympathetic ear. It is the least a son can do for his father."
"I wonder how much of that stubbornness you got from me, and how much you got from your mother."
"Does it really matter?"
"No, I guess it doesn't. You will nag me until I talk it out."
"You've got that right, Father."
Drizzt shook his head and sighed. He folded his arms and tried to think of the best way to describe his feeling.
"I have been having strange dreams. I hear a voice on the wind, calling to me. A sad voice. I do not understand the words, only the sad emotion. Sometimes, when I look out over the tundra, I swear I can still hear the voice. When I hear it, it makes me feel like I am needed somewhere else. I feel the need to find that voice. Over the past few weeks, I have realized how good of a job you, your brother and my grandchildren are doing to protect Icewind Dale. It is not that I feel like I am being replaced. It is more like I feel like retiring from this task and finding another for a while. Do you understand, Nalfein?"
Nalfein smiled and put his chin on one of his fists. "Father, it looks like you have wanderlust. Go ahead if you want to. I am not worried. I know you will come back when you are ready. If you don't, then I will see you when we are both with Meilikki. I trust you, father, we all do. None of us can stand to see you miserable. If it is better that you seek that voice on the wind, so be it. There are plenty of Do'Urdens to keep an eye on this place while you are away."
Drizzt hugged his son. He knew Nalfein's words to be true. From the five of his children who chose to stay in Icewind Dale, he had twenty two grandchildren. So many that Lonelywood had gained the dubious nickname of 'Ranger's Town.'
"Thank you, Nalfein. I will go back home to gather my things. I will be gone in the morning."
" Just be careful to not let Evangeline know you are going, she will try to make you stay long enough to throw a huge party. I love my baby sister, but she can be so flighty. Have a safe journey. I will see you when you return."
"Goodbye, Nalfein."
"Goodbye, Father."
###########
Drizzt walked into the small, empty house he had once shared with Catti-Brie.
It had been more than twenty years since she passed away, but the house still smelled of her. He lit a lamp and looked around the sitting room at all of the memories there. He took off his weapons and laid them on the couch.
A painting of their wedding day hung over the fireplace. The coronets of flowers they wore were dried and hung next to the painting. Below it, were various paintings of their children. The first thing to catch his eye on the mantle was a crudely carved piece of scrimshaw that was supposed to be a whale. His eldest daughter, Cattryn, had asked Regis to teach her to carve it when she was only nine.
All of his children had the first signs of their unique artistic talents displayed on the mantle. Zaknafein's first handmade arrow, Nalfien's woven leather doll armor, Bruneor's toy bone dagger, Regina's knitting, Della's first wand, Wulvia's embroidery, and Evangeline's pottery.
"I didn't think it would be so hard to just pack up and leave." Drizzt said to himself.
He took the lamp to his study, and set it on the large desk. He oiled his weapons and leathers. He searched through his packs to find the one in the best shape. He extinguished the lamp and headed for the kitchen.
He stuffed all of the dried food he though he would need into the pack . Once full, he took the pack back to the sitting room and laid it on the couch next to his scimitars.
He made his way up the stairs to their bedroom. Across from the bed was Catti-Brie's vanity, covered in a thick layer of dust. Drizzt refused to touch anything there. It was exactly as she had left it before she died.
On a nail, in the frame of the mirror of her vanity, hung the locket Alustriel had made. Drizzt thought of taking it, and hiding it, in case one of his children decided to seek him out and bring him home. He decided against it. If any of his brood saw it missing, they might panic and definitely go looking for him.
He opened a cedar chest and found his old, green cloak. It was faded, but still in very good shape. He shook it a couple of times and brushed it to remove the dust.
He went to the wardrobe and gathered a couple of extra shirts and breeches, and headed back downstairs.
He finished packing and looked around in the three rooms on the ground floor he had not yet checked. The two larger ones had been the children's bedrooms. The third was for storage. Once satisfied he had everything he needed, Drizzt went back to the kitchen to have something quick to eat. Once finished, he moved his things off the couch and rested.
Drizzt woke before first light. He knew he would have to make it out of Lonelywood before any noticed him.
Once outside of the gates, he breathed a sigh of relief and headed north towards Kelvin's Cairn. He bypassed the cave where his sons stood watch. He let out another sigh and walked into the wind.
##########
The first part of his journey he encountered a few Yetis. It felt good to be fighting. It would unleash the hunter within. He needed those instincts to push through the harshness he knew he was going to encounter. The voice inside of him was pushing him further North, then East.
He traveled far past few recognizable landmarks, save for the ice mountains themselves. The tundra seemed endless. He was glad to have Guenhwyvar with him, as much for warmth as for companionship.
One evening, he looked out at the cold wastes and asked his friend, "Guen, do you think I am being a fool?"
The panther simply huffed at him and curled up closer.
"I know it is cold, girl. Hopefully we will find what we are looking for soon."
Guen made a whining sound and then purred.
"I am glad you agree."
Days turned into weeks as Drizzt went from one camp to the next. The further he went, the marshier the ground got. At one point, he wondered if he was not walking in circles. He took some extra time to make sure his direction was clear, then continued.
"We must be somewhere in the northern area of Hartsvale. Keep an eye out for giants, girl."
Sleet storms cropped up on a regular basis, slowing his progress. He needed to stop more often as the storms got worse. Eventually, the sleet storms were replaced by rainstorms, with snow storms in between. He kept Guenhwyvar with him for longer periods in order to keep his bearings straight. She helped him to find shelter when the storms were bad enough that he could not see past his arm.
"Guen, this is the oddest weather I have ever seen. Are you sure we are going the right direction?"
The panther simply groaned.
He didn't need Guenhwyvar's opinion to know the answer to his own question. Every time he rested, the voice in his dreams got louder and clearer. He could understand the words.
The voice on the wind moaned encouragement, "Yes, you are coming the right direction. You are doing well. Do not be sad. Do not be discouraged," as it gently repeated itself over and over.
As more time wore on, the snow storms went away, but the rain continued. Drizzt felt like he was walking through an enormous waterfall from the heavens.
He was soaked every time he and Guen found shelter. If it had not been for his keen eyesight, Drizzt would not have known day from night. The storm seemed endless.
That was not the worst of it. The food had run out, and there was no game to be found.
##########
After one very rough night, Drizzt awoke to see a clear sky with only a few clouds. He sighed with relief. He stood, stretched and looked out at the terrain around him.
"It almost looks like a beach, Guen," he said to his exhausted companion, " Go on home. I think I can manage for a while."
The panther leaped happily, turned to mist, and disappeared.
Drizzt's assessment of the area was not far from the truth. The land he was traveling was made of sand, but that sand was ankle to knee deep in heavily salted water. The shallow water seemed to go on forever.
His feet stung and his legs ached, but he kept going. Something inside of him told him he was getting close.
He looked on the horizon and saw what looked like a hill in the distance.
"Good, for once I may be able to find some decent shelter," he said to himself," and something to eat. A year away from home, and I still wonder if I am not going insane."
As he got closer to the hill, he saw something moving around ahead of him. It turned and started coming closer. He put his hands on the pommels of his scimitars in case the thing was dangerous.
As it came closer, he lifted his hands away from his weapons. It was a unicorn.
"Meilikki?" He said quietly as it approached.
The unicorn came right up to him, nuzzling him with its snout. He reached out his hand and stroked her mane.
"It is you, Meilikki. Why have you brought me so far from the forests? Isn't it difficult for you in such a wasteland?"
The unicorn snorted a couple of times then bowed its head. Drizzt could hear her voice in his head. "Climb atop my back. I will take you to the cliff. It is as far as I can take you, for now."
"Yes, Milady. I shall do as you wish," Drizzt said as he gave a respectful bow before climbing on her back.
She took him to what he had earlier perceived as a hill. The hill was sheer from the wind and the rain beating against it.
"Meilikki, was it you who sent the voice on the wind to me?"
"No," she replied to his mind, "another sent you the voice. I am here to make sure you do not go around this hill. Someone other than I called you here. Yet, I agreed with his choice."
The unicorn ran around the corner and disappeared.
Drizzt looked up at the cliff. It was steep, but he could make out parts that looked like someone had carved steps into it.
He climbed a short distance up and found a cave. On one of the walls were crude paintings. On the opposite wall were jars, bowls and various crockery. From the looks of things, this cave had not been used in many years.
The jars were covered in dirt, but tightly sealed. Drizzt was relieved find the dried grains and seeds in the jars to still be edible. He also found jars with dried fish, none of which were any good. Behind one jar, he found the remains of a fishing net.
"Now I see," He said to himself, "This once must have been on an ancient shore."
He ground some of the grain into meal and made a porridge from it. It wasn't very tasty , but it filled his stomach. He packed as much of the grain as he could into his pack, and stepped outside to examine the area around the cave.
"I was correct," he said," There are worn steps here. If I had tried to go around this hill, I would have missed it."
He decided to let his stomach settle and rest in the cave until morning.
##########
Please Review
A Walk Through the Garden by Ssin'urn Solen
Chapter 1: A Voice in the Wind
Drizzt sat looking over the tundra from his perch on Kelvin's Cairn. Two of his sons and one of his grandsons were asleep behind him in the cave. He glanced back at the three sleeping men and smiled. No father or grandfather could be more proud of his children. They had willingly followed their father's footsteps and faith. All three of them who were with him were accomplished rangers, and faithful servants to Meilikki. He tuned to stare back at the frozen wastes.
Catti-Brie had given him eight children before she grew old and died. Five girls and three boys. Drizzt's oldest son, Zaknafein, had married a moon elf girl, and chose to live with her family. He missed him terribly, but knew that his son was an adult. He could not make his decisions for him.
His other sons had likewise chose elves as their brides. Of all of his children, only one of his daughters chose to marry a human. Drizzt believed it was partially because of the anguish he felt as their mother grew older and father remained young. His children felt no wish to repeat that pain.
"What are you thinking about, Father?" Nalfein said as he walked out of the cave and stretched his arms.
"Your twin brother. Are Bruenor and Bennan still asleep?"
"Yes. I don't know why Bruenor bothers to come up here. All he does is sleep anymore when he does."
"I suppose it is because Lineat keeps him so busy. I have lost count how many grandchildren she has bore him over the years. He doesn't get a moments peace, except when he comes up here. The same goes for Bennan. As one of Lineat's oldest, I am certain she tries to keep him busy with helping with the youngest ones."
"I guess you are right. Lineat just gave birth to her sixteenth child, the first girl, last month."
"My poor son." Drizzt replied with a sarcastic smirk.
" Serves him right for marrying a wild elf who likes being with child. I am glad that Zarra is not near as voracious as Lineat. " Nalfein said as he sat down next to Drizzt.
"Your wife is doing well then? She doesn't stay in the house alone all the time still?"
"No, Evangeline has gotten her to socialize some. It hurts to see how badly she is sometimes treated because she is drow. It does not matter that before she fled the Underdark, she was little more than a slave"
"I know exactly how she feels, Nalfein, all too well. Good thing your sister has befriended her."
"Friends are more important then they seem at first, Father"
"True. Speaking of children, how is Bella doing?"
"She is a handful. But, it is all worth it when she smiles at me and those lavender eyes twinkle."
"I knew you would feel the same way I did once your first child was born. It is a precious time. Savor it with all of your heart. Before long, she will be an adult."
"Is there something wrong, Father? You do not seem like yourself today."
"Nothing really. It looks like there will be a late spring this year."
"What does a late spring have to do with you being so sullen? Father, I know when you are troubled. Please talk to me. I have always talked to you when I am troubled. It is my turn to be the sympathetic ear. It is the least a son can do for his father."
"I wonder how much of that stubbornness you got from me, and how much you got from your mother."
"Does it really matter?"
"No, I guess it doesn't. You will nag me until I talk it out."
"You've got that right, Father."
Drizzt shook his head and sighed. He folded his arms and tried to think of the best way to describe his feeling.
"I have been having strange dreams. I hear a voice on the wind, calling to me. A sad voice. I do not understand the words, only the sad emotion. Sometimes, when I look out over the tundra, I swear I can still hear the voice. When I hear it, it makes me feel like I am needed somewhere else. I feel the need to find that voice. Over the past few weeks, I have realized how good of a job you, your brother and my grandchildren are doing to protect Icewind Dale. It is not that I feel like I am being replaced. It is more like I feel like retiring from this task and finding another for a while. Do you understand, Nalfein?"
Nalfein smiled and put his chin on one of his fists. "Father, it looks like you have wanderlust. Go ahead if you want to. I am not worried. I know you will come back when you are ready. If you don't, then I will see you when we are both with Meilikki. I trust you, father, we all do. None of us can stand to see you miserable. If it is better that you seek that voice on the wind, so be it. There are plenty of Do'Urdens to keep an eye on this place while you are away."
Drizzt hugged his son. He knew Nalfein's words to be true. From the five of his children who chose to stay in Icewind Dale, he had twenty two grandchildren. So many that Lonelywood had gained the dubious nickname of 'Ranger's Town.'
"Thank you, Nalfein. I will go back home to gather my things. I will be gone in the morning."
" Just be careful to not let Evangeline know you are going, she will try to make you stay long enough to throw a huge party. I love my baby sister, but she can be so flighty. Have a safe journey. I will see you when you return."
"Goodbye, Nalfein."
"Goodbye, Father."
###########
Drizzt walked into the small, empty house he had once shared with Catti-Brie.
It had been more than twenty years since she passed away, but the house still smelled of her. He lit a lamp and looked around the sitting room at all of the memories there. He took off his weapons and laid them on the couch.
A painting of their wedding day hung over the fireplace. The coronets of flowers they wore were dried and hung next to the painting. Below it, were various paintings of their children. The first thing to catch his eye on the mantle was a crudely carved piece of scrimshaw that was supposed to be a whale. His eldest daughter, Cattryn, had asked Regis to teach her to carve it when she was only nine.
All of his children had the first signs of their unique artistic talents displayed on the mantle. Zaknafein's first handmade arrow, Nalfien's woven leather doll armor, Bruneor's toy bone dagger, Regina's knitting, Della's first wand, Wulvia's embroidery, and Evangeline's pottery.
"I didn't think it would be so hard to just pack up and leave." Drizzt said to himself.
He took the lamp to his study, and set it on the large desk. He oiled his weapons and leathers. He searched through his packs to find the one in the best shape. He extinguished the lamp and headed for the kitchen.
He stuffed all of the dried food he though he would need into the pack . Once full, he took the pack back to the sitting room and laid it on the couch next to his scimitars.
He made his way up the stairs to their bedroom. Across from the bed was Catti-Brie's vanity, covered in a thick layer of dust. Drizzt refused to touch anything there. It was exactly as she had left it before she died.
On a nail, in the frame of the mirror of her vanity, hung the locket Alustriel had made. Drizzt thought of taking it, and hiding it, in case one of his children decided to seek him out and bring him home. He decided against it. If any of his brood saw it missing, they might panic and definitely go looking for him.
He opened a cedar chest and found his old, green cloak. It was faded, but still in very good shape. He shook it a couple of times and brushed it to remove the dust.
He went to the wardrobe and gathered a couple of extra shirts and breeches, and headed back downstairs.
He finished packing and looked around in the three rooms on the ground floor he had not yet checked. The two larger ones had been the children's bedrooms. The third was for storage. Once satisfied he had everything he needed, Drizzt went back to the kitchen to have something quick to eat. Once finished, he moved his things off the couch and rested.
Drizzt woke before first light. He knew he would have to make it out of Lonelywood before any noticed him.
Once outside of the gates, he breathed a sigh of relief and headed north towards Kelvin's Cairn. He bypassed the cave where his sons stood watch. He let out another sigh and walked into the wind.
##########
The first part of his journey he encountered a few Yetis. It felt good to be fighting. It would unleash the hunter within. He needed those instincts to push through the harshness he knew he was going to encounter. The voice inside of him was pushing him further North, then East.
He traveled far past few recognizable landmarks, save for the ice mountains themselves. The tundra seemed endless. He was glad to have Guenhwyvar with him, as much for warmth as for companionship.
One evening, he looked out at the cold wastes and asked his friend, "Guen, do you think I am being a fool?"
The panther simply huffed at him and curled up closer.
"I know it is cold, girl. Hopefully we will find what we are looking for soon."
Guen made a whining sound and then purred.
"I am glad you agree."
Days turned into weeks as Drizzt went from one camp to the next. The further he went, the marshier the ground got. At one point, he wondered if he was not walking in circles. He took some extra time to make sure his direction was clear, then continued.
"We must be somewhere in the northern area of Hartsvale. Keep an eye out for giants, girl."
Sleet storms cropped up on a regular basis, slowing his progress. He needed to stop more often as the storms got worse. Eventually, the sleet storms were replaced by rainstorms, with snow storms in between. He kept Guenhwyvar with him for longer periods in order to keep his bearings straight. She helped him to find shelter when the storms were bad enough that he could not see past his arm.
"Guen, this is the oddest weather I have ever seen. Are you sure we are going the right direction?"
The panther simply groaned.
He didn't need Guenhwyvar's opinion to know the answer to his own question. Every time he rested, the voice in his dreams got louder and clearer. He could understand the words.
The voice on the wind moaned encouragement, "Yes, you are coming the right direction. You are doing well. Do not be sad. Do not be discouraged," as it gently repeated itself over and over.
As more time wore on, the snow storms went away, but the rain continued. Drizzt felt like he was walking through an enormous waterfall from the heavens.
He was soaked every time he and Guen found shelter. If it had not been for his keen eyesight, Drizzt would not have known day from night. The storm seemed endless.
That was not the worst of it. The food had run out, and there was no game to be found.
##########
After one very rough night, Drizzt awoke to see a clear sky with only a few clouds. He sighed with relief. He stood, stretched and looked out at the terrain around him.
"It almost looks like a beach, Guen," he said to his exhausted companion, " Go on home. I think I can manage for a while."
The panther leaped happily, turned to mist, and disappeared.
Drizzt's assessment of the area was not far from the truth. The land he was traveling was made of sand, but that sand was ankle to knee deep in heavily salted water. The shallow water seemed to go on forever.
His feet stung and his legs ached, but he kept going. Something inside of him told him he was getting close.
He looked on the horizon and saw what looked like a hill in the distance.
"Good, for once I may be able to find some decent shelter," he said to himself," and something to eat. A year away from home, and I still wonder if I am not going insane."
As he got closer to the hill, he saw something moving around ahead of him. It turned and started coming closer. He put his hands on the pommels of his scimitars in case the thing was dangerous.
As it came closer, he lifted his hands away from his weapons. It was a unicorn.
"Meilikki?" He said quietly as it approached.
The unicorn came right up to him, nuzzling him with its snout. He reached out his hand and stroked her mane.
"It is you, Meilikki. Why have you brought me so far from the forests? Isn't it difficult for you in such a wasteland?"
The unicorn snorted a couple of times then bowed its head. Drizzt could hear her voice in his head. "Climb atop my back. I will take you to the cliff. It is as far as I can take you, for now."
"Yes, Milady. I shall do as you wish," Drizzt said as he gave a respectful bow before climbing on her back.
She took him to what he had earlier perceived as a hill. The hill was sheer from the wind and the rain beating against it.
"Meilikki, was it you who sent the voice on the wind to me?"
"No," she replied to his mind, "another sent you the voice. I am here to make sure you do not go around this hill. Someone other than I called you here. Yet, I agreed with his choice."
The unicorn ran around the corner and disappeared.
Drizzt looked up at the cliff. It was steep, but he could make out parts that looked like someone had carved steps into it.
He climbed a short distance up and found a cave. On one of the walls were crude paintings. On the opposite wall were jars, bowls and various crockery. From the looks of things, this cave had not been used in many years.
The jars were covered in dirt, but tightly sealed. Drizzt was relieved find the dried grains and seeds in the jars to still be edible. He also found jars with dried fish, none of which were any good. Behind one jar, he found the remains of a fishing net.
"Now I see," He said to himself, "This once must have been on an ancient shore."
He ground some of the grain into meal and made a porridge from it. It wasn't very tasty , but it filled his stomach. He packed as much of the grain as he could into his pack, and stepped outside to examine the area around the cave.
"I was correct," he said," There are worn steps here. If I had tried to go around this hill, I would have missed it."
He decided to let his stomach settle and rest in the cave until morning.
##########
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