Author's Note: Well, here it is! :)


Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Bioware, Interplay, or the Baldur's Gate series other than copies of the games themselves and an overactive imagination. Thank you. :)


Journey to the North
Chapter XII

Kaelis pulled her horse to a stop, searching the horizon with emerald eyes. A thick white blanket of snow lay everywhere, unbroken by roads or trails or even the tracks of some adventurous animal. There was no sign of civilization, no indication that the Order camp was anywhere nearby, but she had never doubted Drizzt's abilities, and was not about to do so now.

Her horse snorted impatiently and tossed its head, but she ignored the tantrum and kept her eyes on the distance. Soon she heard the muffled crunch of another horse's hooves behind her, and she turned to see Drizzt pulling his horse to a stop beside hers.

He was watching the horizon as well, his pale eyes narrowed slightly in concentration. His fingers played idly at the reins, but there was a readiness in the way he sat in the saddle, a quiet intensity in the way he turned his head to survey their surroundings.

Kaelis watched him for several minutes in silence. He was as still as stone, but his eyes continued to move over the landscape, filled with a familiar fire that spoke of his determination. Kaelis let her eyes roam slowly over his face. He was beautiful in the way of the elves, but there was a ruggedness to Drizzt that set him apart. He had the high cheekbones of the Drow, the skin like ebony, the silver brows over unusually pale violet eyes. His face was hairless in the elven fashion, but his bare chin was stronger than most elves' that she had seen, and he wore his hair loose, instead of in the intricate braids so common among the elven people. His shoulders were broad for an elf, speaking of years of difficult training, but they were more slender than Anomen's, and Drizzt stood only a few inches taller than Kaelis, where Anomen towered nearly a foot over her….

Drizzt's deep voice interrupted her thoughts. "You are watching me."

There was a hint of a smile on his features, though he did not turn his eyes toward her. Kaelis felt a faint blush warm her cheeks, but she said nothing in reply, and quickly turned her gaze back to the horizon.

At this, Drizzt laughed softly and turned in his seat to look at Kaelis, resting his elbow casually on the horn of his saddle. "You do not deny it, then."

Kaelis shrugged lightly, but said nothing.

Drizzt laughed again, more loudly this time, and reached over to take hold of Kaelis' horse's bridle. Slowly he drew her horse's head closer to that of his own mount, until Kaelis' shoulder nearly brushed his own. She looked at him, a faint frown creasing her forehead. Drizzt stopped laughing, but the smile remained in his eyes.

"Why, Kaelis?"

She paused for a moment, then turned her eyes resolutely to the horizon. "You know I've always found your talent as a ranger fascinating. I almost considered becoming one myself, you know."

"Did you, now?" Drizzt laughed. "Quite a ranger you would have made, too."

He pretended to consider. "It is not too late to learn, Kaelis. I will teach you myself, if you wish. We could ride to Icewind Dale in a fortnight, and I will teach you everything that I know."

His slight emphasis on the word everything made Kaelis look at him quickly. While Drizzt's face remained passive, a carefully benign smile on his lips, Kaelis could see the fire burning behind his eyes, and she turned away again, sighing softly in frustration. He laughed quietly and followed her gaze.

"Why were you watching me?"

"What would you like me to say, Drizzt?"

"It's a simple enough question."

Kaelis laughed now, softly shaking her head. After a moment, she turned toward her companion. "Is it?" Their eyes remained locked for a moment. Then she moved away Drizzt's hand and began to walk her horse forward at a quicker pace than was probably necessary.

Drizzt watched her for a long moment, then followed, once again pulling his horse alongside hers. He reached over and took her reins again, pulling her horse to a stop. Kaelis turned to face him, frowning slightly. He was watching her with an intensity that was almost tangible.

"It could be." His voice was only slightly above a whisper, but it cut through the air like a knife. "Why, Kaelis?"

"Drizzt, let go of the reins."

He smiled faintly and pulled her horse still closer. "Let go of the reins? Why? Are you afraid?"

Kaelis laughed quickly, attempting to hide her uneasiness at his closeness. She could feel the warmth of his body, could smell the scent of herbs and cinnamon on his breath. The wind stirred her hair, and his, tangling them together in a cloud of silver and fire.

"Afraid of you?"

Drizzt nodded faintly, but said nothing. Kaelis took a deep breath and let it out slowly, moving back slightly in her saddle. "Should I be?"

Drizzt shook his head slowly, his eyes still locked with hers. "No, Kaelis. Not you."

He pulled her horse closer again, drawing her face close to his. "I doubt you fear anyone anymore, least of all me." His voice dropped to a whisper, and his eyes fell to her lips. "You know I could never hurt you, Kaelis."

She could not pull her eyes away as Drizzt's face slowly came closer, and at last she let them fall closed. She felt the gentle pressure, the warmth of his lips on hers. She did not pull away immediately. After a moment, Drizzt leaned in with a sigh, lifting a hand and entangling his fingers in her long cinnamon curls. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss and slipping his other arm around her waist. Kaelis breathed in the fragrance of wind and rain, so different from the familiar earthy fragrance of Anomen's embrace.

Anomen….

She could almost feel his arms around her, feel the play of his hair on her cheek. She felt the gentle roughness of his beard on her skin, feel the urgent tangle of his hand in her hair. He murmured her name. Softly, with a breathlessness to his voice that tightened her chest and made it difficult to breathe. She could feel his heart beating in his broad chest, matching the rhythm of hers.

She sighed his name softly, sliding her hands over his chest and around his shoulders. He hesitated, then pulled her closer, crushing her lips with his. There was something desperate in his kiss, and as he broke away, he breathed her name again, his low voice touched with a sorrow that she hadn't expected and couldn't explain. She yearned to return her lips to his, but he pulled away again, speaking more clearly.

"Kaelis…."

She opened her eyes at the sound of her name. It took her a moment to realize that it had not been Anomen's voice that had uttered the words. Slowly the vision of her love faded into the sunshine like a pleasant dream in morning, and she found herself looking into Drizzt's amethyst eyes.

Her mouth opened slowly at the realization of what had just happened, and she quickly pulled her arms from around Drizzt's shoulders, a burning heat touching her cheeks. He, in turn, slipped his arms slowly from around Kaelis' waist, letting a hand linger on her armor for just a moment before reluctantly pulling it away.

"Kaelis, I…."

Kaelis took a deep breath that trembled more than she had hoped. She shook her head, a growing frustration gnawing at her stomach. "Drizzt, you… must never do that again…. I…."

"Kaelis…."

She shook her head again and looked away, gripping the horn of her saddle with a ferocity that drained the color from her knuckles. "Promise me, Drizzt. As my friend."

He watched her for a long moment, his jaw working silently. Then he, too, looked toward the horizon, his eyes dark. His voice held a bitter edge.

"I will never do that again." He paused, then looked at Kaelis, his voice softening only slightly. "I promise… As you friend."

She nodded faintly, but did not look at him. Her deep green eyes searched the horizon, not knowing quite what they were looking for and not entirely caring as long as they did not meet his.

After a moment Drizzt spoke again. "Forgive me, Kaelis. I… should not have done that. I knew that, but I could not… It will not happen again, I swear to you. Please, Kaelis. Forgive me."

Kaelis looked at her friend in spite of herself. He was watching her with a carefully guarded expression, and said nothing more. After a moment, she nodded faintly and looked again toward the horizon, speaking quietly.

"I wish that I could make you understand." She smiled, the barest hint of a laugh in her words as she continued. "You are an… amazing man, and a year ago I would have fallen at your feet. But now…."

She looked down at her hands, still smiling. "I need Anomen. And he needs me. We are so… alike. Our dreams, our hopes…

"Your foul tempers."

Kaelis grinned, but said nothing. After a moment the grin faded into a softer smile,, and she went on. "We are both struggling to understand ourselves, and where we belong in the world. …

Drizzt muttered under his breath, "I can tell you where he belongs…."

Kaelis laughed quietly and looked up, cutting him off. "He belongs with me, Drizzt. Or I belong with him. It really doesn't matter, does it?"

Drizzt glanced at her quickly, then away. Kaelis went on, a serious tone to her voice. "Alone, we've struggled so much. Against others, against ourselves. Now we… still struggle against the others, I suppose, but when he's there… I don't know."

She looked toward the horizon again. "The darkness seems less frightening, and the shadows fly away. I don't feel so alone. I feel… safe. I am where I belong, and so is he."

Drizzt remained silent for a long moment. Then he shook his head, his eyes still intent on the horizon. "No." Kaelis looked at him quickly, but he went on, cutting off any protest. "Where you belong is perhaps half a day's ride to the east. His camp is there. He is there."

Drizzt looked at Kaelis and gave her a wry smile. "And then you can sigh his name in his arms, and leave mine to their emptiness."

Kaelis opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say a thing, Drizzt had dug his heels into his horse's sides and was flying over the snow to the northeast. After a moment Kaelis did the same, and was soon at his heels.

***

Anomen sunk lower into the bath, sighing with contentment. The steam rose around him in billowing clouds, much more pleasant than those he had encountered earlier. He took a deep breath, grateful for fire and water and all of the wonderful things that had come together to allow him this one moment of perfect peace.

He had already washed the foul water of the fortress' sewer from his limbs, and now he lay lazily soaking, slipping in and out of a pleasant doze. He had actually planned on bathing quickly and gathering a few of the officers together so that he could relate what he found in the great cavern beneath the fortress. But Duncan and the others had stubbornly insisted that he rest and regain what he could of his body temperature, as the sodden cleric had been nearly frozen by the time they reached camp.

Anomen took a deep breath and let himself slip completely under the water. He stayed there for some time, then threw himself into a sitting position, tossing the water from his hair with a boyish shake of his head. He passed his large hands over his face, wiping the water from his eyes, then let out a deeply satisfied breath and looked around. The kitchen tent had been deserted for his bath, but he still glanced toward the door a little self-consciously as he stood.

He grabbed a nearby drying cloth and stepped out of the tub, shivering slightly as a trickle of cold air slipped through the cracks in the doorway. He dried one bronzed arm, then the other, then scrubbed the quickly dampening cloth over his chest and shoulders. He wrapped the cloth around his waist, then took another and began to vigorously rub the water from his hair and face. As he did so, his thoughts wandered back to his encounter under the fortress.

He had been correct about Abram. Abram Longfist was a warrior, retired some fifteen years from the Order of the Flaming Fist in Baldur's Gate. He had traveled to the small village of Kanfael some ten years ago to escape the pain of his wife's death, and had been welcomed warmly by all of the citizens of the small hamlet. The children were especially fond of him, Anomen had discovered from Sara, and they had adopted him as honorary grandfather, saint, and protector.

Anomen had not asked about Abram's capture, but he sensed that Abram had allowed himself to be taken with the others, seeking to protect them in whatever way he could. There was a shrewdness to the man's eyes, a quiet inner strength, and Anomen silently thanked Helm that he had found such an ally.

His drying complete, Anomen slipped a warm cotton tunic over his head and reached for a pair of thick leather pants. He pulled them on, then dropped rather unceremoniously onto a chair and stretched his tired muscles. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly and bent to pick up a pair of worn leather boots.

He turned them over in his hands, watching a thin film of shimmering magic swirl over the surface. The Boots of Speed had been a gift from Kaelis only a few weeks after he had first approached her in the Copper Coronet. He wore them always, their value as sentimental as it was strategic. He pulled one boot on, then the other, smiling as he felt a surge of energy all throughout his body.

There was a faint knock outside the tent, and Anomen looked up to see Duncan's head in the doorway. Anomen raised an eyebrow, reaching over to take his belt from the floor. He tried to keep his voice stern, but he was feeling too relaxed, and it came out in a laughing growl. "Did your parents never teach you to knock, Duncan? I could have been as bare as the day I was born."

Duncan rolled his eyes and stepped into the tent, grabbing a nearby towel and throwing it at Anomen's head. "It wouldn't have been anything I hadn't seen before, you idiot."

Anomen laughed and pulled the towel from his face. "You do realize that your actions could be considered insubordination, Lieutenant…."

"They could." Duncan said distractedly. He pulled a stool from under a table and dropped it in front of Anomen, then sat down, leaning his elbows on his knees. Anomen was fastening the clasp to his cloak and looked up curiously at Duncan's thoughtful expression.

"What's happened?"

Duncan looked up, then ran a hand over his face and down over his beard. "The trackers tell me that there are riders coming."

Anomen's fingers froze on the clasp. "Riders?"

Duncan nodded, looking up. "Two of them. From the southwest, roughly the direction that Janus took."

"Is it Janus?"

Duncan shook his head, sitting up. "Edmar says it isn't. The trakcers haven't decided who it is yet, but it's no one of ours."

Anomen nodded thoughtfully, then stood up and shook the last few drops of water from his hair. "All right. We'll have the men at the ready, but we'll take no action until we have more information."

"Yes, Sir."

Anomen walked toward the door and out into the sunshine. It was warm, but he was grateful for the cloak, as the wind had begun to pick up. Duncan followed, stopping now and then to speak to some of the men in a low voice.

Anomen quickly reached the southwest edge of the camp, where a group of the Order's trackers stood discussing something in low voices. Occasionally one of the men would point to the southwest, and all of them were watching the horizon with wary eyes.

As Anomen approached, several of the men bowed, but Anomen waved off the salute with an impatient gesture and said simply, "What do you have for me?"

Edmar stepped forward. An older man with silver hair and piercing gray eyes, Edmar had long ago been made the unofficial spokesman of the little group, and it was Edmar that said, "Two riders, Sir. From the southwest, and coming in at a good speed. None of ours, my Lord, or I'm a blind man."

Anomen's looked to the southwest and raised a hand to shade his eyes, straining to see over the dazzling light of the sun on snow. He could see make out nothing but snow and a few ragged trees in the distance. "You are quite certain?"

Edmar nodded gravely. "I am, Sir."

Anomen continued to watch the horizon. After several minutes, he thought he could see in the distance two small points of darkness that were very slowly growing larger. Two riders, as Edmar had said. Anomen continued to watch for several minutes, and the two riders were definitely coming closer, on a path directly to the gate of the camp.

He spoke in a low voice to a soldier near his side. "Andren, gather a small contingent of sword men behind the first row of tents. Wait there until the signal is given. Adfel…." Another knight approached from somewhere behind Duncan and bowed slightly.

"Take a few archers and sling men and stand on the northern side of camp. Tell them to be ready, but make no move until I give the order.

"Yes, Sir." The voices spoke in unison and the two men hurried away, barking orders to several nearby soldiers.

Anomen motioned to Duncan, who was at his side in an instant. "What do you think, Duncan?"

Duncan shook his head slowly. "I cannot say, Anomen." Duncan's gray eyes were also focused on the horizon. Anomen watched as the dark shapes of the riders came closer and became clearer. There were two of them, as the trackers had said, riding on large horses that flew over the snow at an almost reckless speed.

One of the two riders was a figure of pure darkness, a shadow upon a horse the color of night. The other… There was something more familiar about the other. Perhaps the way that they sat forward in the saddle, their head bent low over the animal's neck. Or the way that the sun coaxed fire from auburn curls that streamed out behind… her in a cascade of flame….

Anomen took a step forward, his deep blue eyes wide with disbelief. His breath came quickly, escaping from his open mouth in silver clouds. He knew that rider. He knew her very well.

He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He took another step forward, then shook his head, never taking his eyes from the approaching riders. He almost did not dare to speak, for fear that the figures would vanish and he would find himself waking in his tent. At last he could bear it no longer.

"Do you see her, Duncan, or do I dream?"

Duncan nodded his head slowly, a smile creeping over his lips. "I see her, Anomen."

Anomen nodded distractedly, taking another step toward the horses that were now only a few hundred feet from the edge of the camp. At this distance, he could see her slender figure clearly. The brilliant hair, the fair skin, the same worn leather armor and twin swords that she had worn during their first adventure together. It was her.

Her horse stopped, and she leapt from the saddle, tossing her hair from her face. He could almost make out her eyes now. She looked around for a moment, as if searching the faces, and then those beautiful eyes met his. Met his, and held them. Anomen stood motionless for only a moment, then started walking quickly toward the horses.

Kaelis stood before him in the snow.

***

Kaelis dismounted quickly, tossing her hair impatiently from her eyes. She spoke only a word to the horse, then turned toward the camp and took a single step forward, already searching the faces.

Drizzt stayed on his horse, several feet behind her. He said nothing, and neither did she. Her emerald eyes were moving quickly over each face, searching for the one that had brought her so far. Her gaze was drawn to one figure, a man that appeared to be walking toward her, his pace increasing with each step. He was tall and dark, with long brown hair that lifted lazily on the growing wind. His shoulders were broad, his carriage familiar. He wore no armor, but she knew.

She took a trembling breath and a few steps forward, until she could see his eyes.

She began to run.

***

Anomen stumbled through the snow, falling to his knees and getting up again, unclasping his cloak and throwing it away when it caught under his feet. She is here…. The thought echoed in his mind, repeating endlessly until he heard the words falling from his lips.

She was running over the snow, and as she drew nearer, Anomen opened his arms, hungry for the slender form that suddenly threw itself into them. The force of the meeting threw Anomen back into the snow, and Kaelis with him. Anomen clumsily scrambled to his knees, Kaelis more gracefully to hers, and the two lovers looked at each other for a long moment, neither daring to speak for fear that the dream would fade.

At last Kaelis flung her arms around Anomen and buried her face in his neck, her shoulders shaking silently as she held him close. Anomen tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer as he buried his face in her hair. It smelled of jasmine. For as long as he could remember… in the Beholder's Lair, the dusty temple of Amaunator, the sewers under Athkatla… it had always smelled of jasmine.

"Kaelis…."

He heard his voice repeating her name over and over into her hair, unable to rise above a whisper. His heart felt as though it would burst, and he felt tears falling from his eyes. He kissed her hair, then pulled back and kissed her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks. She raised her eyes to his, and only the briefest of moments passed before he found her lips.

Kaelis responded eagerly, clinging to him fiercely and sighing into the kiss. Her fervor stole his breath and set his heart to racing. He groaned softly and deepened the embrace, helpless against the feeling of her arms around his shoulders and her lips moving against his. At last he had to force himself to pull away. His breath was heavy, as was hers, but he managed to whisper, "You are… How did you…?"

Kaelis laughed softly through her tears, reaching up to brush a damp strand of hair from his eyes. "I'm sorry, have I come a bad time?" She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers again. He laughed against her lips, then lost himself in them, reaching up to tangle his own fingers in her fiery curls.

At last Kaelis pulled away to look up into his eyes. Her voice was uncharacteristically hesitant. "No one had heard from you for weeks, and I… I had to find you."

Anomen shook his head softly. "But how…?"

As his voice trailed off, Kaelis looked over her shoulder, and Anomen followed her gaze. On a horse a few feet away sat a dark figure Anomen recognized immediately as Drizzt Do'Urden. His eyes were on Anomen, not Kaelis, and his dark lips were set into a thin line.

Kaelis looked back at Anomen, but said nothing. Anomen tightened his fingers in her hair, but took a deep breath and said, "Thank you. I… You cannot know how I…."

Drizzt's voice was low, with a harsh edge. "I know more than you think, Delryn. Your woman…." Anomen thought he could hear a bite in the words, but Drizzt went on without a pause. "Your woman has done much to find you. Thank that Helm of yours that you have found such a woman. Or that she has found you."

Anomen could not force any severity into his voice. He simply pulled Kaelis closer and said, "I do." And then, "Every day."

Drizzt nodded slowly. "Take care of her, then. Or you shall answer to my blades, cleric."

Anomen could say nothing. Kaelis' arms had tightened around his neck, and she had raised her head. She looked quickly at Drizzt, then at Anomen. She said nothing, but the shining eyes spoke volumes to Anomen's racing heart, and he was soon kissing her again. How long, he could not say. At last Kaelis smiled softly and pulled away, then brushed another strand of hair from Anomen's eyes. She turned to say something to Drizzt, but no sound left her lips and she looked around quickly.

Anomen did the same. The drow had disappeared. Silently, as he always did, the only sign of his departure a trail of broken snow that turned to the northwest and disappeared into the distance. He was returning to Icewind Dale.

Kaelis and Anomen would never see him again.

Anomen closed his eyes with a sigh and laid his cheek on Kaelis' hair. He quickly forgot about Drizzt, about the Order and the threat that they faced, about the snow and his aching limbs, about the world around them and the armored men that began to approach from the camp. He listened to her breath, felt her soft fingers on his neck, felt her heartbeat against his chest. He smiled.

Kaelis was in his arms, and only that mattered.