--Thx to my faithful reviewers! I think another chapter is in order! ^-^ Thx again! Reviews keep me goin'!!
Chapter Nine
As one, most of the drow warriors leaped, trying to grab their prisoner by force of sheer numbers. Luckily, Drizzt managed to keep them off with the chains and the whip, hitting them with the metal links and leather thongs. All but two of the drow backed away, not wanting to get hit with the whipping items. With the whip, he managed to grab hold of the wrists of one, sending him crashing into his companions. With the chain, Drizzt was somehow able to hit him across the head, the force of the blow killing him, and sending him flying. Backing against the wall once again, he managed to prepare himself before the next wave of attackers came at him.
A voice from the other end of the room caused both Drizzt and his attackers dead in their tracks, the ranger's lavender eyes widening.
Kelnozz held the struggling elven woman to him, a dagger at her throat, with tears streaming from her eyes. She appeared to be at least seven months gone with child, but the child was likely not from the drow, like they had assumed. She had pale gold hair and eyes the color of the trees after a rainstorm.
"Stop struggling Ranger Do'Urden, or I will be forced to kill this fairly valuable slave." He brought out the word as if it were a curse. A sardonic smirk came over his features. "And, knowing how soft you are, I doubt you would like it if that happened, would you?"
Glaring at his captor, Drizzt slowly lowered the chain and the whip to the ground, allowing the warriors to place the spiked chains around his hands and neck. After they had locked the chains onto a rung on the stone walls above his head, Kelnozz released the elf, ordering her to be locked up close to the ranger. With another sardonic grin, he pulled a whip, its thongs laced with metal, from his belt. From what Drizzt could sense, it was enchanted.
This probably wasn't going to be good.
* * * * *
The elfling awoke sometime that afternoon, though he had hardly moved, feeling content to just stay in the nice woman's arms. When Catti-brie had noticed that he was awake, she had smiled softly at him, pulling a loose strand of pale gold hair from his face. Then, she had bandaged all of the cut from the nasty whip his drow captors had used. There was also another woman sitting in the wagon with them, and with her was a human girl only a few inches smaller than he was.
Soon, they little girl, noticing that h was awake, began chattering in her own tongue with the red-haired woman, looking at the elfling curiously.
* * * * *
"Why can't he talk, Aunt Catti?" Colson asked, looking at the twilight-eyed elfling. "He hasn't said anything."
"That's because he'll not be knowin' our language, Colson." She said quietly, pulling her cloak closer in the cool air. "He's been raised by the elves, and they be speakin' a different language than us."
"Oh." The three-year-old looked at her aunt, a red flush in her cheeks. "I thought that it was 'cuz he couldn't talk."
"Well, that's not the reason." Catti-brie smiled at the little girl. "Ye didn't know."
In her arms, the tiny elfling started wriggling, looking around at the trees. Delly laughed, explaining to Catti-brie that he needed to relieve himself. Telling Bruenor and Wulfgar to stop the wagon, she walked him into the forest, and turned around, allowing him privacy.
* * * * *
When he haad finished, the elven boy tugged lightly on the pretty woman's tunic, getting her attention. An idea came to him as he walked back with her, his small hand wrapped in hers. Carefully stopping, he placed his hand over his heart and spoke quietly.
"Mikhail." He said his name slowly, making sure that she could pronounce it correctly before wrapping her hand tightly in his. Smiling, she placed her hand over her own heart as the walked.
"Catti-brie." She then patted the dark-haired woman's arm. "Delly." Then the girl. "Colson." Catti-brie indicated the curly-haired halfling also riding in the wagon. "Regis." The tall man with gold hair. "Wulfgar." She smiled as indicated the dwarf. "Bruenor."
The blonde elfling smiled as he said all the names after her, careful to memorize who was who. At least now, they weren't complete strangers. Catti-brie smiled as she saw the little one smile and hop up into the wagon next to her.
--hehe. Thought that I'd finally get the elfling's name out there. Whuddya think so far? I'm thinking that this'll be a long story yet. N way, R/R! Please??
Chapter Nine
As one, most of the drow warriors leaped, trying to grab their prisoner by force of sheer numbers. Luckily, Drizzt managed to keep them off with the chains and the whip, hitting them with the metal links and leather thongs. All but two of the drow backed away, not wanting to get hit with the whipping items. With the whip, he managed to grab hold of the wrists of one, sending him crashing into his companions. With the chain, Drizzt was somehow able to hit him across the head, the force of the blow killing him, and sending him flying. Backing against the wall once again, he managed to prepare himself before the next wave of attackers came at him.
A voice from the other end of the room caused both Drizzt and his attackers dead in their tracks, the ranger's lavender eyes widening.
Kelnozz held the struggling elven woman to him, a dagger at her throat, with tears streaming from her eyes. She appeared to be at least seven months gone with child, but the child was likely not from the drow, like they had assumed. She had pale gold hair and eyes the color of the trees after a rainstorm.
"Stop struggling Ranger Do'Urden, or I will be forced to kill this fairly valuable slave." He brought out the word as if it were a curse. A sardonic smirk came over his features. "And, knowing how soft you are, I doubt you would like it if that happened, would you?"
Glaring at his captor, Drizzt slowly lowered the chain and the whip to the ground, allowing the warriors to place the spiked chains around his hands and neck. After they had locked the chains onto a rung on the stone walls above his head, Kelnozz released the elf, ordering her to be locked up close to the ranger. With another sardonic grin, he pulled a whip, its thongs laced with metal, from his belt. From what Drizzt could sense, it was enchanted.
This probably wasn't going to be good.
* * * * *
The elfling awoke sometime that afternoon, though he had hardly moved, feeling content to just stay in the nice woman's arms. When Catti-brie had noticed that he was awake, she had smiled softly at him, pulling a loose strand of pale gold hair from his face. Then, she had bandaged all of the cut from the nasty whip his drow captors had used. There was also another woman sitting in the wagon with them, and with her was a human girl only a few inches smaller than he was.
Soon, they little girl, noticing that h was awake, began chattering in her own tongue with the red-haired woman, looking at the elfling curiously.
* * * * *
"Why can't he talk, Aunt Catti?" Colson asked, looking at the twilight-eyed elfling. "He hasn't said anything."
"That's because he'll not be knowin' our language, Colson." She said quietly, pulling her cloak closer in the cool air. "He's been raised by the elves, and they be speakin' a different language than us."
"Oh." The three-year-old looked at her aunt, a red flush in her cheeks. "I thought that it was 'cuz he couldn't talk."
"Well, that's not the reason." Catti-brie smiled at the little girl. "Ye didn't know."
In her arms, the tiny elfling started wriggling, looking around at the trees. Delly laughed, explaining to Catti-brie that he needed to relieve himself. Telling Bruenor and Wulfgar to stop the wagon, she walked him into the forest, and turned around, allowing him privacy.
* * * * *
When he haad finished, the elven boy tugged lightly on the pretty woman's tunic, getting her attention. An idea came to him as he walked back with her, his small hand wrapped in hers. Carefully stopping, he placed his hand over his heart and spoke quietly.
"Mikhail." He said his name slowly, making sure that she could pronounce it correctly before wrapping her hand tightly in his. Smiling, she placed her hand over her own heart as the walked.
"Catti-brie." She then patted the dark-haired woman's arm. "Delly." Then the girl. "Colson." Catti-brie indicated the curly-haired halfling also riding in the wagon. "Regis." The tall man with gold hair. "Wulfgar." She smiled as indicated the dwarf. "Bruenor."
The blonde elfling smiled as he said all the names after her, careful to memorize who was who. At least now, they weren't complete strangers. Catti-brie smiled as she saw the little one smile and hop up into the wagon next to her.
--hehe. Thought that I'd finally get the elfling's name out there. Whuddya think so far? I'm thinking that this'll be a long story yet. N way, R/R! Please??