Chapter 6: Attack
Drizzt encouraged Kyorlyn to read every day as the snows became deeper. The books helped to pass the time through the long winter months. It also helped keep her mind off of the little aches and pains that occurred as her belly began to swell.
"Drizzt, I am puzzled." Kyorlyn said one cold morning.
"What is the matter? Is the baby causing you discomfort?"
"No, he is asleep. It is this passage in the book of Anthealda."
"Do you need help reading it?"
"No, I understand the words fine. It just confuses me as I read it."
Drizzt looked at the illuminated page of the tome. She was reading the pages that described the forest deities.
"It says that Seronamede is only a dryad. It says that she is the consort of Silvanus, his high priestess and intermediary on Nyärith. The picture shows the tree to be Seronamede, and the unicorn to be Meilikki. Silvanus stands here to the side. The nuns at the monastery told me that the unicorn goddess was Seronamede. If this is so, I have done something terrible. I have worshipped Meilikki under a false name."
"No, you were taught by humans. It is very possible those who were made to care for you could not read either. It would explain why you could not read. It is a simple mistake in names, that is all."
"I have been worshipping Meilikki and calling her by the name of something else. Don't you think I should be punished in some way? What if she decides to take our baby away?"
"She would not do that," Drizzt said as he embraced Kyorlyn, " It is only a simple mistake. She does have more than one name. Seronemade just happens to not be one of them. Our child is a gift. Meilikki understands. She told me she wanted you to discover the mistake on your own. No harm will come to you or our child."
"What shall I do, my love? How should I make amends?"
"Simply go to the holy circle and apologize, Kyorlyn. She will understand. A long time ago, when I first emerged from the Underdark, I could have made a similar mistake. I worshipped her in my heart, but I did not have a name for her at all. She forgave me, she will certainly forgive you."
"The time of the crescent waning moon is tomorrow night. Will you help me reach the holy circle?"
"Being out in the snow is not good for you or the baby. The snows are already starting to slow. Just continue to pray to her here, under her true name. As soon as the thaw comes, we can go."
"But, Drizzt.."
"It will be alright. Meilikki would not want you to put our baby in danger. I know it is hard, being forced to stay indoors. I know you are used to fending for yourself, even in the winter. But, now, please think of our baby."
She turned and kissed him tenderly, " Alright, if that is best for our son, so be it."
"How do you know it is a boy? It could be a girl."
"Just a feeling."
"Well, if it is a boy I have a perfect name. How does Montolio sound?"
"I like it. It could work for a girl too, I think."
"No, it is too boyish."
"Sometimes you can be so silly, Drizzt."
##########
Drizzt was glad he talked Kyorlyn out of going to the grove the next morning when he heard the grunts and howls of creatures outside. The clearing was crawling with babbians. He looked over at Kyorlyn sleeping. He would have to do something about them, but he did not want to wake her. She would insist on going outside to help.
He quietly put on his boots and armor. He unsheathed his scimitars, and took the figurine from his pocket.
"Guenhwyvar, come. Do not let Kyorlyn outside. Protect her."
The panther purred and grunted.
"Shh, Guen. She is asleep."
Kyorlyn groaned and rolled over as Drizzt opened the door and stormed out.
"Lucky for us, these beasts are stupider than orcs," he said to himself as he slashed left and right.
Before the babbians knew what hit them, four of them were dead. A number of them carried off the dead carcasses, but the scent of blood seemed to bring more of them into the clearing. More fell to his whirling dance.
He climbed the small hill that made up the back of the cottage and hacked several babbians who were trying to cave in the roof.
The door of the cottage flew open. Drizzt could hear Kyorlyn's frantic screams as Guen tried to keep her inside. Arrows flew from the open door, injuring more babbians, as they carried more dead away to cannibalize.
"Drizzt, where are you!? Please answer me!"
"I am above you, Kyorlyn. Close that damned door before you catch a chill."
"Thank goodness!"
A couple more arrows flew at retreating babbians.
"I told you to close that door!"
"I am bored out of my skin! I can't let you have all the fun. I'm fine. I'm sitting down and Guen is draped over me. She will keep me plenty warm."
The reprimand pushed Drizzt's anger over the edge enough for the hunter to emerge. He not only killed the babbians that came towards the cottage, he chased them back to their cave. He killed every one of them he came across.
He turned back towards the cottage, to slaughter all of the babbians making for the cave. His mind became a complete blur among the carnage.
Once his mind cleared, he found himself standing outside the door of the cottage. His heavy breaths hung in the air as the snow started to fall again.
He looked down to see that he was covered in blood from head to toe. Guen was at his legs, moving back and fourth and whining loudly.
There were several dead babbians lying around the cottage. The door was closed, but had several gash marks in it. Marks, that could only be made by a sword.
"Oh sweet Meilikki, forgive me!" He said as he heard Kyorlyn's frightened whimper from inside.
"Kyorlyn! Kyorlyn! Are you hurt!? "
More whimpering and crying was the only answer he heard.
He threw down his weapons and winced. There were large gashes on his chest near his shoulder, in the shape of claws. He sat down studied the still bleeding wounds, thinking one of the babbians had managed to hit him.
Guenhwyvar walked up to the wounds, whined, fussed, and began licking them. As the claw marks got clearer to see, he saw they were not the marks of one of the babbians.
"Guen?" he said as he looked at the panther. She looked at him and licked his face as she continued to whine and fuss.
"You did this to me?" he asked his distraught friend, but he knew what the answer was before he said it. "I attacked her, didn't I?"
Guen wrapped herself around Drizzt. The cold from the snow and the wet blood chilled him to the bone. He jumped to his feet when he realized what he had just asked the panther.
"Oh Gods! No! Why?!" he screamed as he started pounding on the door. "Kyorlyn! Kyorlyn! Are you hurt?! I didn't mean to! I didn't realize! Please open the door!"
"Go away!," Kyorlyn shouted tearfully from the other side.
"It's alright now! Please open this door! The baby! Are you alright?! Is the baby Alright?!"
"I said, go away!"
"It is alright now. I have calmed down. The blinding rage had subsided." He said as he kneeled down with his head against the door. "Please, let me make sure you are alright."
"No! Please, go away!"
Drizzt could not keep back the tears from his eyes. He choked out, "I'm sorry," over and over again in between deep sobs.
Guen cuddled up close to him. When his tears subsided, he pushed Guen aside. He stood, went to the hot springs, and jumped in fully clothed. He knew it might ruin his armor, but he did not care. There was no excuse for what he did to Kyorlyn. He needed to get the blood off of him, bind the wound, find some shelter and get a fire going.
The likelihood of Kyorlyn letting him into the cottage was not good. She was much too frightened of him.
He managed to find a small outcropping above the spring. He knew he would not be able to sleep, but tried to at least rest. Guen stayed close to help him stay warm.
"You did the right thing, girl. I told you to protect her."
Drizzt kept his eyes on the door of the cottage through the night and the entire next day. He wanted to go check on her, but he was afraid he would be turned away again.
"At least my clothes are somewhat dry," He said as he let out a sneeze.
The sun set, but Kyorlyn still did not open the door.
The snow kept falling.
A few straggling babbians collected up the bodies near the cottage, but they did not stay long. There was not much Drizzt could do anyway. He had left his weapons in the snow by the door.
Two more days came and went. The snow had gotten heavier, but Drizzt refused to move from far from his shelter. The rock was warm from the hot water that heated it from underneath. He only left his perch to relieve himself and to gather more twigs for the fire.
Guen stayed with him, although she was exhausted. He had lost her figurine somewhere near the door. He would let the panther rest and send her back as soon as she could.
He wanted to make sure to keep Kyorlyn in sight. He still loved her. She may hate him now, but he still needed to protect her.
The door finally opened. Kyorlyn was emptying out her chamber pots. Drizzt just sat and stared. She looked alright. Her belly was still swollen with child and there was no blood stains on her.
##########
Kyorlyn knew she could not put off emptying the chamber pots any longer. The cottage was gaining a foul stench that made her stomach queasy. Opening the door did not make her feel much better. She was still frightened. Her beloved had turned into some sort of a monster.
If it were not for Guenhwyvar jumping against him and clawing his chest, he would have killed Kyorlyn with one swipe from Twinkle. The growling and the noise from Drizzt's scimitars hacking into the door still burned in her mind.
Kyorlyn looked at the ground where she had thrown the warm piss. There was something shining where the snow melted. She curiously dug through the deepening snow to find Twinkle, and next to it, Icingdeath.
She studied each weapon for a moment, looking at the remainder of the bloodstains. She looked down to see that Guenhwyvar's figurine was also buried in the knee deep snow. She knew Drizzt never went anywhere with out the figurine, even if he left his weapons behind. She looked from the figurine to the scimitars and back. Her eyes grew wide as she threw them to the side and stared frantically digging with her hands through the snow.
"Oh please," she said to herself and started crying as she continued to dig. He may have turned into a monster, but he still was her beloved Drizzt. It was wrong to leave him out in the snow to die.
##########
Drizzt watched as she found his scimitars and Guen's figurine. He stayed where he was until she started howling and digging.
He rose and gasped, nearly bumping his head. " She is looking for me!"
He ran to where she was on her hands and knees digging. He hesitated a moment and put his hand on her shoulder. She rose with a start.
"Drizzt!" she shouted as she stood unsteadily and flung herself into his arms. He grabbed her hand hugged her tightly. The tears flowed from his cheeks again.
"It's alright now. Everything is alright now," he repeated slowly in her ear.
"When I saw your swords, and Guen's figurine, I was certain you were dead. You frightened me so bad. I did not know what to do. I had to think of the baby."
"I know, I should have told you about the 'hunter' a long time ago. You did well, you protected our baby. You are already a good mother."
"Drizzt, are you okay now?"
"Yes, but I think I have caught a bit of a cold. I am very hungry. I need to send Guen back too." he said as he bent down to retrieve the figurine from where it had fallen in the snow. " Go on home, Guen"
"I am sorry. I should have let you in when you started talking instead of growling."
"You were protecting our baby. Now let's get inside. It is freezing out here." Drizzt said as he picked up his weapons and lead her inside the cottage."
##########
Drizzt slept off and on for a couple of weeks. Whenever he woke up, Kyorlyn was forcing him to eat porridge and broth. It annoyed him somewhat, but he knew it was her motherly instincts kicking in.
"You are insufferable, Kyorlyn."
"You still have a cold. At least the snow has stopped and it is warming up. I am surprised the babbians haven't been mulling around more. The are usually out more near the end of winter, looking for game."
"Between the three of us killing them off, they have enough of their fellows to cannibalize for a while." Drizzt replied with a sneeze.
"I will go get some more firewood. You stay right here."
"Let me do that, you shouldn't be out in the cold with the baby."
"It is not that cold, and there is plenty right by the spring. I won't go far. If you are so worried, keep the door open and keep an eye on me. Be sure to keep that blanket around you."
"I will be so glad when the baby comes, then you will have someone to baby besides me."
"Now who is being insufferable, Drizzt."
"Just go get the firewood and get back."
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Drizzt encouraged Kyorlyn to read every day as the snows became deeper. The books helped to pass the time through the long winter months. It also helped keep her mind off of the little aches and pains that occurred as her belly began to swell.
"Drizzt, I am puzzled." Kyorlyn said one cold morning.
"What is the matter? Is the baby causing you discomfort?"
"No, he is asleep. It is this passage in the book of Anthealda."
"Do you need help reading it?"
"No, I understand the words fine. It just confuses me as I read it."
Drizzt looked at the illuminated page of the tome. She was reading the pages that described the forest deities.
"It says that Seronamede is only a dryad. It says that she is the consort of Silvanus, his high priestess and intermediary on Nyärith. The picture shows the tree to be Seronamede, and the unicorn to be Meilikki. Silvanus stands here to the side. The nuns at the monastery told me that the unicorn goddess was Seronamede. If this is so, I have done something terrible. I have worshipped Meilikki under a false name."
"No, you were taught by humans. It is very possible those who were made to care for you could not read either. It would explain why you could not read. It is a simple mistake in names, that is all."
"I have been worshipping Meilikki and calling her by the name of something else. Don't you think I should be punished in some way? What if she decides to take our baby away?"
"She would not do that," Drizzt said as he embraced Kyorlyn, " It is only a simple mistake. She does have more than one name. Seronemade just happens to not be one of them. Our child is a gift. Meilikki understands. She told me she wanted you to discover the mistake on your own. No harm will come to you or our child."
"What shall I do, my love? How should I make amends?"
"Simply go to the holy circle and apologize, Kyorlyn. She will understand. A long time ago, when I first emerged from the Underdark, I could have made a similar mistake. I worshipped her in my heart, but I did not have a name for her at all. She forgave me, she will certainly forgive you."
"The time of the crescent waning moon is tomorrow night. Will you help me reach the holy circle?"
"Being out in the snow is not good for you or the baby. The snows are already starting to slow. Just continue to pray to her here, under her true name. As soon as the thaw comes, we can go."
"But, Drizzt.."
"It will be alright. Meilikki would not want you to put our baby in danger. I know it is hard, being forced to stay indoors. I know you are used to fending for yourself, even in the winter. But, now, please think of our baby."
She turned and kissed him tenderly, " Alright, if that is best for our son, so be it."
"How do you know it is a boy? It could be a girl."
"Just a feeling."
"Well, if it is a boy I have a perfect name. How does Montolio sound?"
"I like it. It could work for a girl too, I think."
"No, it is too boyish."
"Sometimes you can be so silly, Drizzt."
##########
Drizzt was glad he talked Kyorlyn out of going to the grove the next morning when he heard the grunts and howls of creatures outside. The clearing was crawling with babbians. He looked over at Kyorlyn sleeping. He would have to do something about them, but he did not want to wake her. She would insist on going outside to help.
He quietly put on his boots and armor. He unsheathed his scimitars, and took the figurine from his pocket.
"Guenhwyvar, come. Do not let Kyorlyn outside. Protect her."
The panther purred and grunted.
"Shh, Guen. She is asleep."
Kyorlyn groaned and rolled over as Drizzt opened the door and stormed out.
"Lucky for us, these beasts are stupider than orcs," he said to himself as he slashed left and right.
Before the babbians knew what hit them, four of them were dead. A number of them carried off the dead carcasses, but the scent of blood seemed to bring more of them into the clearing. More fell to his whirling dance.
He climbed the small hill that made up the back of the cottage and hacked several babbians who were trying to cave in the roof.
The door of the cottage flew open. Drizzt could hear Kyorlyn's frantic screams as Guen tried to keep her inside. Arrows flew from the open door, injuring more babbians, as they carried more dead away to cannibalize.
"Drizzt, where are you!? Please answer me!"
"I am above you, Kyorlyn. Close that damned door before you catch a chill."
"Thank goodness!"
A couple more arrows flew at retreating babbians.
"I told you to close that door!"
"I am bored out of my skin! I can't let you have all the fun. I'm fine. I'm sitting down and Guen is draped over me. She will keep me plenty warm."
The reprimand pushed Drizzt's anger over the edge enough for the hunter to emerge. He not only killed the babbians that came towards the cottage, he chased them back to their cave. He killed every one of them he came across.
He turned back towards the cottage, to slaughter all of the babbians making for the cave. His mind became a complete blur among the carnage.
Once his mind cleared, he found himself standing outside the door of the cottage. His heavy breaths hung in the air as the snow started to fall again.
He looked down to see that he was covered in blood from head to toe. Guen was at his legs, moving back and fourth and whining loudly.
There were several dead babbians lying around the cottage. The door was closed, but had several gash marks in it. Marks, that could only be made by a sword.
"Oh sweet Meilikki, forgive me!" He said as he heard Kyorlyn's frightened whimper from inside.
"Kyorlyn! Kyorlyn! Are you hurt!? "
More whimpering and crying was the only answer he heard.
He threw down his weapons and winced. There were large gashes on his chest near his shoulder, in the shape of claws. He sat down studied the still bleeding wounds, thinking one of the babbians had managed to hit him.
Guenhwyvar walked up to the wounds, whined, fussed, and began licking them. As the claw marks got clearer to see, he saw they were not the marks of one of the babbians.
"Guen?" he said as he looked at the panther. She looked at him and licked his face as she continued to whine and fuss.
"You did this to me?" he asked his distraught friend, but he knew what the answer was before he said it. "I attacked her, didn't I?"
Guen wrapped herself around Drizzt. The cold from the snow and the wet blood chilled him to the bone. He jumped to his feet when he realized what he had just asked the panther.
"Oh Gods! No! Why?!" he screamed as he started pounding on the door. "Kyorlyn! Kyorlyn! Are you hurt?! I didn't mean to! I didn't realize! Please open the door!"
"Go away!," Kyorlyn shouted tearfully from the other side.
"It's alright now! Please open this door! The baby! Are you alright?! Is the baby Alright?!"
"I said, go away!"
"It is alright now. I have calmed down. The blinding rage had subsided." He said as he kneeled down with his head against the door. "Please, let me make sure you are alright."
"No! Please, go away!"
Drizzt could not keep back the tears from his eyes. He choked out, "I'm sorry," over and over again in between deep sobs.
Guen cuddled up close to him. When his tears subsided, he pushed Guen aside. He stood, went to the hot springs, and jumped in fully clothed. He knew it might ruin his armor, but he did not care. There was no excuse for what he did to Kyorlyn. He needed to get the blood off of him, bind the wound, find some shelter and get a fire going.
The likelihood of Kyorlyn letting him into the cottage was not good. She was much too frightened of him.
He managed to find a small outcropping above the spring. He knew he would not be able to sleep, but tried to at least rest. Guen stayed close to help him stay warm.
"You did the right thing, girl. I told you to protect her."
Drizzt kept his eyes on the door of the cottage through the night and the entire next day. He wanted to go check on her, but he was afraid he would be turned away again.
"At least my clothes are somewhat dry," He said as he let out a sneeze.
The sun set, but Kyorlyn still did not open the door.
The snow kept falling.
A few straggling babbians collected up the bodies near the cottage, but they did not stay long. There was not much Drizzt could do anyway. He had left his weapons in the snow by the door.
Two more days came and went. The snow had gotten heavier, but Drizzt refused to move from far from his shelter. The rock was warm from the hot water that heated it from underneath. He only left his perch to relieve himself and to gather more twigs for the fire.
Guen stayed with him, although she was exhausted. He had lost her figurine somewhere near the door. He would let the panther rest and send her back as soon as she could.
He wanted to make sure to keep Kyorlyn in sight. He still loved her. She may hate him now, but he still needed to protect her.
The door finally opened. Kyorlyn was emptying out her chamber pots. Drizzt just sat and stared. She looked alright. Her belly was still swollen with child and there was no blood stains on her.
##########
Kyorlyn knew she could not put off emptying the chamber pots any longer. The cottage was gaining a foul stench that made her stomach queasy. Opening the door did not make her feel much better. She was still frightened. Her beloved had turned into some sort of a monster.
If it were not for Guenhwyvar jumping against him and clawing his chest, he would have killed Kyorlyn with one swipe from Twinkle. The growling and the noise from Drizzt's scimitars hacking into the door still burned in her mind.
Kyorlyn looked at the ground where she had thrown the warm piss. There was something shining where the snow melted. She curiously dug through the deepening snow to find Twinkle, and next to it, Icingdeath.
She studied each weapon for a moment, looking at the remainder of the bloodstains. She looked down to see that Guenhwyvar's figurine was also buried in the knee deep snow. She knew Drizzt never went anywhere with out the figurine, even if he left his weapons behind. She looked from the figurine to the scimitars and back. Her eyes grew wide as she threw them to the side and stared frantically digging with her hands through the snow.
"Oh please," she said to herself and started crying as she continued to dig. He may have turned into a monster, but he still was her beloved Drizzt. It was wrong to leave him out in the snow to die.
##########
Drizzt watched as she found his scimitars and Guen's figurine. He stayed where he was until she started howling and digging.
He rose and gasped, nearly bumping his head. " She is looking for me!"
He ran to where she was on her hands and knees digging. He hesitated a moment and put his hand on her shoulder. She rose with a start.
"Drizzt!" she shouted as she stood unsteadily and flung herself into his arms. He grabbed her hand hugged her tightly. The tears flowed from his cheeks again.
"It's alright now. Everything is alright now," he repeated slowly in her ear.
"When I saw your swords, and Guen's figurine, I was certain you were dead. You frightened me so bad. I did not know what to do. I had to think of the baby."
"I know, I should have told you about the 'hunter' a long time ago. You did well, you protected our baby. You are already a good mother."
"Drizzt, are you okay now?"
"Yes, but I think I have caught a bit of a cold. I am very hungry. I need to send Guen back too." he said as he bent down to retrieve the figurine from where it had fallen in the snow. " Go on home, Guen"
"I am sorry. I should have let you in when you started talking instead of growling."
"You were protecting our baby. Now let's get inside. It is freezing out here." Drizzt said as he picked up his weapons and lead her inside the cottage."
##########
Drizzt slept off and on for a couple of weeks. Whenever he woke up, Kyorlyn was forcing him to eat porridge and broth. It annoyed him somewhat, but he knew it was her motherly instincts kicking in.
"You are insufferable, Kyorlyn."
"You still have a cold. At least the snow has stopped and it is warming up. I am surprised the babbians haven't been mulling around more. The are usually out more near the end of winter, looking for game."
"Between the three of us killing them off, they have enough of their fellows to cannibalize for a while." Drizzt replied with a sneeze.
"I will go get some more firewood. You stay right here."
"Let me do that, you shouldn't be out in the cold with the baby."
"It is not that cold, and there is plenty right by the spring. I won't go far. If you are so worried, keep the door open and keep an eye on me. Be sure to keep that blanket around you."
"I will be so glad when the baby comes, then you will have someone to baby besides me."
"Now who is being insufferable, Drizzt."
"Just go get the firewood and get back."
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