Don't go to Sleep

by Iliana Maura

Note: I'm not even sure how this happened. . . somehow my chapters a back on track. I am so confused.

Chapter Thirteen : Chath lueth Shanaal

Fire. Fire and ice and broken glass. Ah, Mielikki, it hurt! Fire and ice and broken glass, poured across his skins, forced through his veins, and dribbled down his throat. He tried to move, but that only made it worse, only brought new agony to his body. Ah, Meilikki!

Drizzt opened his eyes hesitantly, but the low light seared his vision and even that small motion pained him. He clamped his eyes shut, by the more violent movement sent tiny needles of torture through his face. A low whimper escaped his lips.

Someone knocked on his door. The booming noise sounded incredibly loud in his ears, and he winced, which just made him hurt more. He struggled to sit up. Pain hit him like a physical blow, and he swayed. Blackness swarmed his vision, but after a moment it cleared and he made another painfully small movement. Another soft cry was torn from his mouth.

At last he managed to haul himself upright, propped against his pillows. There was another knock, but he did not have the energy to call out. Possibly his tongue would cramp if he tried.

The person knocked a third time before pushing open the door. It was Catti-brie, wearing a concerned expression on her face. As soon as she saw Drizzt, slumped weakly against the pile of pillows, his eyes shut in exhaustion and pain, she rushed over to his side.

"Drizzt!" she called. "Are ye alright? Drizzt!"

The drow tried to speak, but found he was unable to make a sound. His throat hurt abysmally. He tried again. "I'm. . . well . . . I'm not exactly. . . fine, am I?" He forced his eyes open and managed a painful smile.

Catti-brie bit her lip and gathered her brows in worry. "Don' move," she ordered. "Don' try t' get up or anythin'. I'll send fer Lady Alustrial. I'm sure she can do somethin', an' in th' mean time, I'll have Stumpet take care o' ye."

"Are you going to look for Tavares?" Drizzt asked weakly.

"Yeah, but ye're t' have nothin' t' do with it," she said firmly. "Ye just rest." she got up to leave at the doorway she paused and looked back at Drizzt, but he had already closed his eyes. She shut the door softly behind her.

Once she had gone, Drizzt flicked his eyes open again, but holding the lids up was too much for him and let them fall closed. Fear wormed its way into his stomach, worsening the nausea that already dwelt there. How long did it take for orbb's elghinn to kill? Jarlaxle hadn't said. Maybe he didn't know. What if the ranger were to die today?

Drizzt had spent his entire life in danger, fighting for survival, but had never felt death so close, nor had he ever been so helpless to fight it.

Jarlaxle found Coss'tul waiting for him in his office. The dark-eyed drow had a certain sleekly satisfied air about him that he only wore when had a truly important piece of information to report. Jarlaxle settled himself behind his desk and indicated a chair across from him. Coss'tul sank delicately into the heavily padded seat and waited for Jarlaxle to prompt him. When he had been given leave to speak, he launched into his report with the brisk efficiency that had first drawn Jarlaxle to him.

"I and two others succeeded in capturing a Veldrin soldier, sir. One of our wizards managed to destroy the secrecy spell laid on him, and he agreed to turn spy. His name is Ugrae, and he confirmed that Veldrin is being paid by princess Minet, who is the last surviving noble of House Kor'tath."

Jarlaxle nodded. He himself had been personally involved in the battle between House Nuvin and House Kor'tath, and had found himself fighting the princess. She was a good fighter, but when she had realized that she could not defeat the mercenary, she had run. Although he had never been able to confirm it, Jarlaxle had always been suspicious that she had somehow survived the attack.

"Have you been able to find princess Minet?" Jarlaxle asked.

Coss'tul shook his head. "No, sir. We haven't been able to find any more Veldrin soldiers, either, let alone their base. They've done a good job of hiding."

"Yes, I suppose they have. Does our friend Ugrae know the location of their base?"

"He didn't want to tell us." Coss'tul looked eagerly to Jarlaxle. "With your permission, sir, we'll begin questioning him."

Jarlaxle waved his hand in a negligent gesture. "By all means, go ahead."

Coss'tul grinned, bobbed his head in a short bow, and excused himself. Once he was gone, Jarlaxle let out a harsh sigh and leaned back. He had no doubt his soldiers could extract the location of Veldrin's base from Ugrae, but what would Jarlaxle do with that information? He did not like open warfare. He could use the knowledge to turn the table, put Bregan D'aerthe on the offensive, but how effective would that be?

Jarlaxle thought ruefully to a time back in the Academy when Eliek had drunk himself into unconsciousness. The mercenary had a chance to kill his rival then, but he hadn't taken it. Now he wished he had; it would saved him much trouble.

Catti-brie sat on one of her favorite perches outside Mithral Hall. From her spot on the mountain, she could see for miles around: thickly wooded forest as far as the eye could see, mountains of either side, and Settlestone below. The freak snowstorm that had nearly killed Ivellios Amanodel had passed and spring weather had returned, melting nearly all of the snow. Only a few patched stubbornly stuck to the cool shadows.

What if Drizzt died?

It was not a thought Catti-brie had ever considered. When Catti-brie was just a young girl, Drizzt had come to Icewind Dale, alone, friendless, and homeless. She had befriended him, and that friendship had lasted all these years.

What if it ended today?

She had sent a messenger to Lady Alustrial in Silverymoon, easily the most knowledgeable person in the northland. If anyone could help Drizzt, it was Alustrial, but what if she couldn't? What if her knowledge and skill were not enough? What he died before she could even arrive?

Catti-brie tried to force these morbid thoughts from her mind, but they refused to budge. All her life she had felt invincible, untouchable, confident no one could harm her, or any of her friends. If someone told her, "you could be killed", she acknowledged their concern and went ahead anyway. Death was not something real to her, just a meaningless word. What was death? Death did not touch her.

But then Wulfgar had died, killed by the yochlol in the tunnels below Mithral Hall. Then she had learned what death was, and that it really could touch her.

What if it touched her again?

What if Drizzt died today?