A gift, to my ONLY reviewer sniffles systor1, who ever you are. And enjoy people…

"I told you what would happen if you defied me again!" Roared a male voice in the darkness, only slightly muffled by the thick waterproof fabric of the tent, "then you go and pull a stunt like that?! In front of my audience!"

There was a weird buzzing sound, barely heard over the chanting of the crowd and the playing of the band, but it was followed by whimpers.

"Father, aren't you going to far?" Asked a younger male voice in the darkness, there was a pleading note and a pause before the other voice roared at him instead.

"Too Far?! Too FAR?!" The buzzing noise came again but didn't stop as he continued to speak, "I'll show you too far! They disserve this!"

There was more whimpering as the buzzing sound stopped once more. "Please father, you'll kill them at this rate. Then you'll have one less act." The voice was filled with sadness, a sense of self-hatred as it caved in to the older one.

Drizzt looked over at his tall companion, hammer on his back as ever trying to crouch and hide in the darkness when he stood out more than ever. This was nothing compared to the dangers they had been in before, they still didn't want to get caught, but he found it amusing none the less, Wolfgar had never been very good at stealth. Using the tip of his scimitar he poked a small hole to see inside, and felt the heat of anger rising as he looked inside.

The twins were in a pile on the floor, naked and gasping for breath, there were rings they wore around there neck, wrists and ankles that glowed with magical energy. The ringleader, still in top hat and tails was red in the face from shouting while a younger looking version of him stood in the middle of the two, a small monkey clinging to his shoulder as he was trying to beg for peace. They had matching black hair, thought the ring leader supported a thick black brush of hair on his top lip, thick enough to rival a dwarf, that was bristling as he glared in rage at what was obviously his son.

"I don't CARE anymore! Orin! How many times have we lost money to them failing us? How many costumes have they wrecked in spite?" He pressed on a jewel that was set into his cane and the two girls who were starting to push themselves up, collapsed again body's twitching and shivering in pain, there pale pearly glowing skin was covered in sweat that glinted in the torch light.

Drizzt pulled back and motioned Wolfgar closer, whispering in his ear the plan that had formed in his mind and hoped that it would work.

Orin began to beg with his farther again as the twins behind him, managed to pull themselves up off the floor, sitting and leaning against each other, there nakedness oblivious as it was how they were forced to be outside of performances now. His father was drawing breath to start shouting again when suddenly the tent flap was pushed open and a giant of a man walked in, glaring at them all.

Fear filled him as his mind suddenly jumped to the conclusion that the giant was going to kill them all for the damage his father had done. But he just scanned the tent before standing to the side of the entrance, arms folded menacingly and another figure entered.

He stood there, his hood pulled up over his face with his cloak covering the rest of him before the taller man spoke. "My Master," he began indicating the cloaked figure that stood there, calm and collected but emanating an aura of deadliness, "he wishes to speak with the owner of the circus."

There was silence as the moustache baring man was flicking his eyes from his son to the tall man to the cloaked figure, before he straightened up. "I'm the owner, Mr.
Faax Timbelson, what is it that you're here to see me about?"

"Pleasure to make your aquatence sir," the giant paused and looked down at the slightly shorter figure that nodded and he grinned before carrying on. "My master is wishing to speak to you about the twin performers he saw tonight. Are they well after there faint?"

The cloaked figure slowly looked over at the kneeling pair of girls, shivering and looking up at the men in the room with wide eyes, but there was something in that look that showed they were no where near breaking to anyone yet.

"Err… Yes," replied the Mr. Timbelson to draw the attention of the stranger away from the subject of the conversation, hoping he had not heard this shouting and 'disciplining' of the dancers. "What is your intrest in them sir? Besides there well being of course."

Orin was still standing stock still, his monkey was with him as they looked from speaker to speaker, he prayed no one would send him away before they were finished. He would have his say or at least see who this new stranger was.

"I wish to purchases them." Said the figure simply.

Again, silence filled the tent before the ring leader started to stutter out that he wasn't sure, when the stranger cut him off. "Mr. Timbelson! I saw your trouble in the show, you have no true master of disciplining a slave, let me take them off of your hands while you can still make a profit. My expert opinion says they will have escaped you by this time next year." Sneered the stranger.

"Not likely sir! I have my method of control." He fingered the jewel on the cane without realising as he spoke, "and how would you prove your expert opinion? I haven't seen your face; I don't know your name."

There was a small chuckle from the giant besides the cloaked figure while the stranger shrugged and removed his hood. "Drow!" Whispered Orin, unable to stop himself, but as the stranger flipped his cloak back, he spotted the twin scimitars and buckle of his belt. It was a gift from the Dwarfs of Mithral Hall and a token to the world to show he was accepted by them. He knew this elf with out ever having met him.

His father was close to wetting himself, he had heard the tales of the Drow. Merciless masters who raided the surface world ever now and then to collect new slaves for there unknown entertainments and to sacrifice to there hungry demon goddess.

"W-Why do you want them?" He managed as the stranger settled again, one hand resting comfortably on the hilt of his scimitar.

"Because they interest me. What does it matter?" Asked the Drow as me took a few steps closer to the trembling man, a smirk on his face as he oozed confidence. "Let me inspect them and then you can name your price. I would of course like to speak with them for a moment, before I make my decision. It is procedure."

Orin saw through this, at least he hoped and came to the aid of the stranger before his father –a visitor to the slave markets- tried to question what he had said. "He is right Father! Remember the man who sold you the twins offered you to speak and question them before you brought them? You asked them if they could dance." It was a semi-truth but he doubted his father would remember, they had had the twins in the circus for nearly five years.

"Y-yes. I'll of course leave my son in here, he will make sure nothing… illicit happens."

"Of course sir, my body guard here will set out side with you, and make sure that there are no other potential buyers. I didn't come up here alone tonight." There was the barest hint of a smile which disturbed the Master Entertainer to no avail. He would move the circus on after tonight, if the Drow were scouting the landscape he would make sure he was not init.

Twins continued to watch in defiant silence as the Ring leader left with the large giant of a man and the Elf moved closer, before crouching low and speaking in a rushed whisper, including Orin.

"I'm hear to get you out. By what you said you are with me," he said to Orin quickly, getting a nod in return. "I've never liked the way Father treats her, I've tried so hard to stand up for them to the point of losing almost everything, when he threatened Nal here, I had to stop."

Drizzt nodded and returned his attention to the staring girls, "do not fear me, I'm hear to help you. I may be Drow, but you have to look past that! Come, lets get some clothes on you."

They were outside the tent for only five minuets before the Ring leader started to get edgy, and wanted to go back inside. The giant blocked him and insisted on calling to his Master before they re-entered.

He had to admit to being impressed that the smaller, thinner Elf could control and enslave such a giant, turning him into a body guard. He had had luck at the beginning with the twins but they had gotten worse as he had gained fame, they would fight back more often now and harder.

When he was inside, he noticed the twins were clothed in old loose shirts and trousers, standing together, holding hands as the Drow moved over to him again.

"I want them, name your price for I will not take no as an answer. Isn't that right, bodyguard?"

"Yes sir! You should see what happens when people say no for an answer, I mean the last time, he-" began the giant with a chuckle, ready to launch in to a full rendition of what had happened when he was cut off. The Drow glared at him before returning a smiling gaze to the now terrified Mr. Timbelson.

"He gets excited so easily. I took my client to dinner that's all. Now, I would like to throw a bit more into the bargain but for now lets discuss price!"

"Err… yeah, yes. Why are they clothed? And I want 1000 gold pieces." Not asking what the extra deal was.

"1000! Never! I don't wand people seeing so much of my property, it's mine to look at, no one else', and 250 gold."

"You insult me elf, I want 800 and that is taking me down to the original price."

"Then you were robbed human, they are worth barely 400 gold. Now I'll be a friend and give you 500 for the final deal."

The ring leader paused looking across at the still wide eyed twins, his son standing there frowning, before looking back to the smug face of the Drow. He wanted to smash the smug look off of the elf's face, but his fear of the Drow and just as bad, the Drow' bodyguard kept him in place.

"I wand 550, and I'm throwing in my 'Control method'." He said with a returned smirk, lifting up his cane. "I got it when they came, so I have no use keeping it. As you can guess, pressing the button gives them a shock, the longer you press the button, the stronger it gets."

"Ah! I had heard of such methods! Yes, it's worth its value now!"

They shook hands and the large giant man moved forwards pulling shackles from a bag and passing them to his master who shackled the twins before pulling out an extra set and moving towards the young man.

"What?! What are you doing?" Asked the ring leader panicking as the boy was grabbed by the giant and held still long enough to be shackled and chained to the giant man. "Father! What have you done?! Father!" Wailed the young man/boy as he tried to pull at the hard iron chain, only to be nearly pulled off his feet by the giant holding it.

"This wasn't in the bargain!" Roared the Ring leader, holding the silver power cane away from the outstretched hand of the Drow, his eyes darting from the pained face of his son to the calm, cold purple eyes before him.

"It was, I was under the impression that by leaving your son in the room he was to be in the bargain and you were simply not stating as much or he'd run." He glared coldly at the short human before him, hand reaching out and grabbing the silver cane before continuing. "I've paid for him now, I need another bodyguard for my new slaves! He'll be perfect once broken in."

"Is this true father?" Sobbed the young man, turning his back on the older man, "I guess it's true, I was never liked much round here, you always favoured my brother Linnt to me."

"No! Son, it's not-"

"We're leaving now, come body guard, be gentle with my special slaves, it's your job to break in the new one." Said the Drow coldly turning to the door, followed by the giant, gently pulling the stunned girls along while roughly yanking Orin.

The Ring leader sank to the floor, tears in his eyes, mumbling, "my son… my son…"