A/N: All right. This chapter will be a bit misleading. Please, take into account that Drizzt doesn't know that Zak is his father – all will work out, and I promise, no incest. Also, as this series follows the books very closely, there will be MAJOR SPOILERS for things like character death and pretty much the entire plot of some of the books. Don't want them, don't read this fic.

Drizzt Do'Urden stood impatiently at his mother's side, his bare chest puffed out as much as it could be. He knew that the coming moments were to be important, at least as much as when his mother had declared that he was no longer a page prince. He was to meet the famed weapons master of their house – a man who he had but heard of, but who had made an impression on him nonetheless. Anyone else who seemed to hold any kind of power within the house was invariably female, but Zaknafein, or so he had heard, had a commanding presence and was bold and daring in battle, and was so respected. Drizzt wanted to prove his worth to such a rare drow as him.

He strained his sensitive ears and could hear his sister Vierna approaching, and talking to a male, who, he reasoned, must have been Zaknafein himself!

Vierna entered the room, completing the presence of his whole family, and behind her stood the male. Even in the lightless anteroom, Drizzt could tell from his heat signature that he was well muscled, and moved with a certain fluidity that suggested complete confidence. He was so entranced with the weapons master, whose long hair and chiseled face stole a new kind of admiration from the young drow, that he nearly missed it when his sister announced that the male was, indeed, Zaknafein.

Drizzt could suddenly feel Zaknafein's glowing eyes staring into him, and that alone made him grin and nearly shiver with an exotic, terrifying sense of elation. He was faintly aware that Briza had performed some sort of ritual when he, against all reason, spoke aloud to the mesmerizing man, "Greetings, Zaknafein Do'Urden. I am Drizzt, secondboy of House Do'Urden, no more the page prince. I can look at you now – I mean your eyes and not your boots." And glad I am for that, as I would be sorry not to see such eyes as those, "Mother told me so."

In mentioning her, he looked up to the woman who had allowed him to gaze upon such a treasure, and saw in her face a burning fury, directed at him. He forced his dazed smile to vanish, and feared slightly for his life in disrespecting her so. Even so, he was glad to have spoken, for Zaknafein seemed to be impressed with him, though his sisters were completely dumbfounded.

Just to be on the safe side, Drizzt side-stepped once away and bit down on his lip to stop that infectious smile from returning. Zaknafein stepped forward and by Lolth, those arms could crush anything so stupid or enamoured to wander between them.

"Secondboy?" He's referring to me, his voice sounds like a bittersweet prayer and what would my name sound like, tumbling from those lips? "Then it is time for you to train."

His mother spoke then, her own words sounding insignificant and annoying after those of the male, "Only the basics at your hand, Zaknafein. If Drizzt is to replace Nalfein, his place at the Academy will be in Sorcere. Thus the bulk of his preparation will fall upon Rizzen and his knowledge, limited though it may be, of the magical arts."

"Are you so certain that wizardry is his lot, Matron?" If it means that I get to spend more time with him, I am certain that it is not!

Zaknafein and Malice exchanged words that Drizzt listened not to, and Zak threw him coins to toss. More and more, he piled upon the secondboy's palms, and Drizzt caught them all, determined to prove himself worthy of whatever Zaknafein had to teach him. When he had five coins in each hand, he tossed them up, panicked momentarily, and then flashed into motion, catching each and every one. His heart thundered within his chest and his grin caused him to literally glow in the infrared spectrum, as he showed his handiwork to the man.

Zaknafein whistled his appreciation, and walked over to Drizzt's mother, for the third time naming him, "Two-hands."

Matron Malice conceded to the will of the weapons master, and Drizzt was to be entrusted to Zak. It made him giddy with excitement. Only afterward was the secondboy able to calm himself and wonder why he risked punishment for a man he'd never before met – why, for that matter, he had felt so strongly for him. He likened it to what his sisters must feel for their mother, and named it a natural feeling towards those that any drow looked up to.

He could not, however, explain the strange dreams that he had in the following nights; dreams that involved he and Zaknafein.

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They had sparred together for two years, a time which seemed like it would not, and should never end. Drizzt had by then learned to rein in his feelings for Zak, and had also early on come to realize that those feelings were far from standard, that they signified something very different from simple respect. The young drow had the common sense not to act upon such things.

The long day was coming to a close, and Drizzt was putting away his weapons, having changed into clothes unsoiled by the day's training when he heard behind him the faint sound of muffled footsteps. He turned to see who might be in the room, but before he could register the face, he was pulled into a headlock. It was Zaknafein, so he was unperturbed, but nonetheless he tried with all his might to break free.

After a few seconds of struggle, he felt a dark finger run across his throat, accompanied by the voice of his teacher, "You are dead."

Zak let him go, and the secondboy rubbed his neck, protesting, "But, we are finished training for today. You caught me unawares. It was unfair."

The weapons master raised a white eyebrow, his expression showing that he was not impressed, "First, we never stop training. Second, I should never catch you unawares, because your guard should never be let down – you have no way of knowing when an enemy might strike. Third, nothing is fair. Ask any drow, and they will tell you that I was in the right, and that I came out better."

Drizzt rolled his lavender eyes, "Yes, but you are also stronger than I am, you have more experience than I do, and I was distracted." I was too busy thinking about your voice, and if you don't stop talking, I might just have to –

"Drizzt." Oh, why would you say my name like that? "That is why you are training with me."

He opened his mouth to utter a sharp retort, but then bit it back as he thought better. Zak was right, and they both knew it. As much as Drizzt had other priorities regarding his teacher, his first responsibility was to be a student.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you're intrigued, because the second chapter will be up soon. Please review, all feedback is welcome, but please don't hate.