Chapter eins (one)
"Today is Friday. Tomorrow is Saturday. Then it will be Sunday. After that, it will be Monday. Then it shall be Tuesday. After that, Wednesday. Then it will be Thursday. Then it will be Friday again and we will have to start all over. Whoopee." A random man in the tavern sung as he stood atop a table with a large tankard in his hand. A larger man reached up, grabbing the man on the table by the collar of his shirt, then pulled him off.
"Oh shut up why don't ye!" another man yelled from across the room, his words slurred from obviously to many drinks.
"Ye might want to be keepin' an eye on 'em." Arumn whispered as he wiped the inside of a large cup with a rag. Wulfgar nodded as he looked over to the two men.
They were both dingy looking. The bigger man had short dark hair. He wore a dirty shirt and brown trousers. The smaller man, the one who kept singing the random song about the days, had long, shaggy light colored hair. His face was smeared with a mixture of sweat and dirt, and his clothes were to big. Wulfgar watched the two closely until they had left. He sighed and grabbed a cup of ale, downing it quickly. It didn't seem like there would be a fight anytime soon. He seemed to drift away from reality, his thoughts turning to Catti-brie. He thought about what she was doing at that moment. He imagined her sitting in soft grass, next to a large fire that illuminated her features, making them stand out more. Then he imagined Drizzt and Bruenor and Regis, all sitting around the fire as well, sharing a laugh or two while eating their supper.
A slight shake awoke him and brought him back to reality. Arumn was shaking his arm, trying to get his attention. Wulfgar looked around to see what was alarming the bartender and noticed a strange looking woman had just walked in. She seemed foreign from some strange, unknown place. Her skin was dark, but not like a drow's. It wasn't ebony, but to dark to be tanned from the sun. No place in Farun had people with skin like that. Her eyes were strikingly blue, more so then Catti-brie's which Wulfgar never thought possible. She wore a long flowing black cloak with strange, dark green designs. She wore twin scimitars on her hips just like Drizzt. Her hair was long and black like the globes of darkness the drow elves can cast. Her ears were elven shaped, ending in points at the top. She wore traveling clothes underneath the cloak, and they seemed pirate like, with long black pirate boots that came up to her knees. She walked towards the counter with light, quick steps, walking toe to heel like the drow instead of heal toe like humans and other creatures.
"What can I do ye for missy?" Arumn asked.
"I'd like a room." She said slipping her hand beneath the folds of her cloak and producing five silver pieces.
"Just for tonight?" Arumn asked.
"Just for tonight." She replied.
"Anything else?" he asked as he handed her a small key with a number on it.
"Yes, I need some information."
"What do ye need to know?"
"I've come seeking information about the rogue drow known as Drizzt Do'Urden. He is said to be traveling somewhere down to the far south. I know he is traveling with the Halfling known as Regis, a dwarven king called Bruenor Battlehammer, and a human woman. Catti-brie is her name." she said. "I have gotten word that he had passed through Luskan, or at least around it towards Waterdeep, and from there south." She said.
"What business do you have with the drow?" Wulfgar asked defensively. The woman turned towards him, regarding him carefully.
"My business is my own but, if you must know, I am an old friend of his. Long before his journey to Icewind Dale." She replied. "I know what creatures follow him, and the danger of his journey. I must speak with him as soon as I can. Do you know where he is going?"
"Aye. That I do…" Wulfgar said.
"Look…I could have caught him on my ship if I had wanted to. I did not though, because I know he would not welcome my crew and would kill them all if he could. I will not put my men in danger if it is unnecessary and if it is against a drow, his panther friend, and a woman with The Heartseaker." She said.
"That is a wise decision." Arumn said, though he had personally never met any of these people the two were talking about. He did know of their reputation however.
"I need to know where Drizzt is going." The woman said again.
"Why should I tell you? I don't even know who you are, or what you are going to do once you find Drizzt." Wulfgar said.
"My name is Quivyre Wolfsbane. I will not harm our young dark elf friend." She said with a slight bow as she introduced herself. "You are Wulfgar, son of Breornegar. You are a barbarian from Icewind Dale. You were supposed to be married to Catti-brie, but you were taken by a handmaiden of Lloth and given to the evil goddess as a gift. Then, from her, you were given to Errtu, the demon and then saved by your friends, Drizzt included. Now here you are a barkeeper's drunken guard, one with a high reputation of bar fighting." Quivyre said with a sly smile.
Wulfgar sat in shock. How did she know so much about his life?
"Ah yes Wulfgar…I know much about you. If you won't help me, then I will have to go to your friends the Harpell's. They can give me information." She said smiling as Wulfgar noticed she moved her hand to a cleverly concealed dagger.
"He is going to The Spirit Soaring. He needs to find Cadderly and destroy an evil artifact called Crenshinibon, the Crystal Shard." Delly said coming from behind them. Delly was the barmaid. She and Wulfgar had developed a strange bond, only at night when they went to her room together, Wulfgar carrying two large bottles of ale. He had told her everything when they were together although he had kept out his years as a slave to Errtu, and Catti-brie.
"Why thank you miss….I'll be off then. I'm to leave early." She said as she took the key and headed towards the stairs that led to the rooms.
"I don't trust her…" Wulfgar said with a growl after Quivyre was out of earshot….or so he thought. Quivyre stood atop the stairs, listening intently to the conversation below between Wulfgar, Delly, and Arumn.
"I think she seems harmless enough…" Delly said as she headed back towards the tables to give the patrons in the tavern more drinks.
"I agree with Delly, though ye should be more careful." Arumn said. Wulfgar just grunted. Quivyre smiled to herself and went to her room to sleep.
The next morning, as Wulfgar was walking into the tavern, he noticed a pack on one of the tables. Some supplies were lying out and he knew it must be Quivyre's. He glanced around the room to see if she was there. It was completely empty. Wulfgar moved as quietly as he could towards the pack and began to look through the supplies in hopes of finding something that would tell him why she wanted to find Drizzt.
"Looking for this?" came a voice to his right. Wulfgar seemed to leap 5 feet into the air. He hadn't heard anyone enter. The room was dark and he could barely see the form of Quivyre moving towards him. She had something in her hand that looked like an old piece of parchment.
"I was just…." He started. She held up her hand to stop him, as she moved across the table. She held out the parchment to him.
"I guess I can't let you be wondering if your friend is alright or not after I leave." She said as he took the paper from her. It was a letter from Drizzt. Wulfgar read the letter then understood.
"He never came for you did he?" he asked in a quiet voice. She shook her head.
"No….he never did, and he never will….especially once he finds I'm the captain of pirates…always hated pirates that one did." She said with a strained smile.
"So now you've come to find him." Wulfgar said putting the pieces together. She just nodded. Wulfgar looked at the table.
"You can come with me if you'd like." Quivyre offered, touching the large man's arm softly. Wulfgar shook his head.
"I need more time…" he said. Quivyre nodded, understanding his troubles.
"Alright. Well, if you ever change your mind…you know where to find me. I'll be camped along the rode at night." She said as she picked up her pack and headed for the door. "I'll tell your friends that you are all right. They are probably worried and wondering if you're alive or not."
"Thank you." He said quietly as she slipped out of the door.
Quivyre slept soundly that night. Irienda, her white tiger friend from another plane of existence was prowling the perimeter of her camp. Suddenly Quivyre shot up out of bed as she heard a low growl. She pulled out her scimitars and moved slowly to where Irienda's growling seemed to come from. She crouched low, moving silently and out of the light, into the shadow. She saw a figure approaching. It was to slender looking to be Wulfgar. She tried to start flanking the figure, but they turned towards her.
"Hello Quivyre." The man said. She stood up, letting the tips of her blades touch the ground.
"Jarlaxle!" she cried in relief. She ran up to the leader of Bregan D'aerthe, wrapping her arms around him in a large hug. He embraced her back.
"Hello Quivyre. I heard you were headed south towards Calimport or somewhere down there…" he said. She moved a step back.
"Well, yeah…." She said.
"Why?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. Her face grew firm as she glared at him. "You're going to see him aren't you?"Jarlaxle asked, his voice growing angry.
"Yes. You can't stop me Jarlaxle. I'm going whether you like it or not!" she declared. He sighed.
"Alright….if he hurts you again though…." He said clenching his fist.
"Don't worry about me." She said with a smile. "I'll be fine. Oh, and don't you dare watch to make sure! You are too protective." She added.
Jarlaxle nodded, though Quivyre knew he would most likely watch anyway. He always had when it came to her and the renegade drow.