[A/N] Hey! I found a rifle, so hopefully the damned plot bunnies will
leave me alone. **grins wickedly at the bunnies cowering in the corner,
looking at the splatter of blood on the wall that had once been on of the
little buggers** I feel much better. Here's another chapter!!
Chapter Twenty-Three – Anguish
Drizzt and Catti-brie spent most of the afternoon in the market place, looking around at the different shops and merchant stocks. When they passed neara merchant that was selling weapons across the street from a jeweler, Drizzt stopped.
"Why do ye need to stop?" Catti-brie asked him softly, looking into his face as he looked intently at the weapons. "Yer scimitars are enchanted and ye don't have need of a bow."
"I know Cat," he smiled slightly at her, "I just need to replace the knife that the drow confiscated from me. I'll catch up to you in a bout ten minutes."
As soon as she was out of site, Drizzt hurried across the street to the shop where they were selling jewelry. To his surprise, it took longer than he thought to pick out what he was looking for, to find just the right one. After leaving the store, he bought a well-made dagger to show Catti-brie so that she wouldn't suspect what he was really up to.
"Well," she asked as he approached her. She handed him a honey-cake while she nibbled on her own. "Did ye find a dagger to yer preference?"
"Yes, I did." He smiled, showing her the elven crafted weapon. "And it is well made, so it will be won't be so easy in breaking."
Catti-brie shook her head, continuing to walk down the streets towards the tailor's shop. Drizzt groaned as they got closer, he just did not wish to be measured for another set of formal clothes. The last time he had had to wear something formal was at Delly and Wulfgar's wedding. That outfit was long gone, having died a sad death of being in the middle of a dwarven beer- brawl.
That had garnered plenty of laughs from the gathered guests, especially since he had ended up soaked with grease form the meat and, of course, the beer that the drunk dwarves had been drinking when they got into the fight. He had nearly had to cut off all of his long hair because of all the gunk in it from the fight. Catti-brie had been of no use when he had asked for help to get all of it out of his waist-length hair.
"Let's just hope that me da doesn't end up starting another on o' his drunken food-fights with anyone else at the banquet tomorrow night." Catti- brie teased, easily guessing the reason behind the frown on the ranger's face. She smiled as she lightly fingered a lock of his stark-white hair. "That way we won't be havin' t' spend so long just t' get it out o' yer hair."
"Or we can hope that you are the one that gets in the middle of one while I'm on the sidelines laughing." He smiled and dodged the playful smack aimed at his head. "Hey! It would only be fair." He stopped for a minute, thinking. "Or if Wulfgar would be the one to get in the middle of all that."
Catti-brie snorted. "He wouldn't give a mind to it. It wouldn't be any fun!"
Drizzt only grinned. "Yes, he wouldn't," his grin widened, "but Delly would! She would throw him in the bath herself, even in her condition."
Catti-brie laughed at the image. "Ye're right," she smiled, taking his hand in hers as they walked along the streets. After a few minutes, she turned to him, the smile in her face telling him all that he wanted to know. "We're almost there, Drizzt." She chuckled at the hurt look on his face. "It won't nearly as bad at it was in Bryn Shander."
"Says you," he muttered under his breath, only causing the young woman to laugh all the harder.
A few minutes later, they had entered the tailor's shop and were greeted by an older man with sparkling, pale grey eyes, almost silver. He smiled at Catti-brie, nodding his head in a slight bow. He was dressed in simply cut clothing of a dark green cotton. He had pulled his long silver hair in a braid that went down his back.
"Welcome back, Lady Battlehammer." He smiled, stepping out from behind the counter. "Is there anything that I can help you with on this fine day?"
"Yes, sir," she smiled towards Drizzt, who was sulking against the door. "The is somethin' that ye can be helpin' me with. Me friend here needs to be fitted for the banquet tomorrow night, can ye help him?"
"Ah," the tailor said in his soft, cheery voice. "This must be Drizzt Do'Urden. The Lady said that you'd be visiting me before tomorrow evening. Please, Ranger Do'Urden, follow me, I will lead you to my fitting room. Just this way. . ."
Catti-brie watched as Drizzt reluctantly followed the ambling old tailor, giving her a mock scowl as he went out of sight. Catti-brie only laughed. She knew that the old tailor would find something to Drizzt's tastes, as he had hers.
* * * * *
A few hours later, Drizzt was relieved to finally be off the pedestal. He had stood there with his arms out for what seemed lie forever. After the first two hours, the little man had finished tailoring the shirt, tunic and leggings, and had the ranger turn around and move this way and that, just to see that they fit right. Drizzt was actually surprised at how well they fit, was amazed that it didn't feel like he was wearing fancy clothes to go to the banquet in.
The only real argument that had ensued was about what colors he would be wearing. Anything brightly colored had immediately been put out of the question by the drow. He simply did not want to show up and remind everyone who had met him, especially Catti-brie, of the strange drow elf, Jarlaxle. It would be strange and he didn't want to stand out *quite* that much.
"Well," the tailor sighed when they finally agreed on the color of the shirt, tunic, and leggings. "We just need to find a cloak of the appropriate style and color and we will be set."
They had settled for another dark color on the cloak, both agreeing to knee- high, black leather boots that matched to outfit. The tailor let Drizzt get back into his shirt and tunic before letting him go, agreeing to let him pick up the clothing later, after he had added silvery embroidery to the collar, sleeves, and edges of the cloak. Drizzt had been forced to agree because other wise, the silken garments would look too plain at the banquet in order for him to at least seem as if he fit in with the other guests that would be there tomorrow night.
"Well?" Catti-brie asked when he stepped out of the room, looking much the same as he had when he had stepped in. "Did ye find something that ye liked?"
Sighing, he nodded. "Yes, Cat, I did find something that would be appropriate to wear. We just have to pick it up in a few hours. He said that he needed to add some embroidery to it before I was allowed to wear it out in public."
Catti-brie chuckled. "Well, that part's over, so now we need to be goin' t' the stylist in order for ye t' get fixed up."
Drizzt turned towards her, eyes slightly wider than normal. "Stylist?" He groaned. "What else did Alustriel ask you to do to humiliate me further today?"
Catti-brie smiled sweetly. "All this woman will be doin' if figurin' out what we're going t' be doin' 'bout yer hair." She twisted a lock of it around her fingers. "That way it won't be such a mess tomorrow night."
"It's not a mess right now!" Drizzt replied indignantly, running his slender fingers through the thick, tangled locks. "It just needs to be combed is all."
Catti-brie only smiled, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the street.
* * * * *
"That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" Catti-brie said as she and Drizzt stepped out of the shop, him with a glower on his face. They had spent nearly tow hours in there, and he still wasn't too happy about it. The woman had finally ended up throwing her arms and leaving his hair alone. He was still braiding it down his back to keep wayward strands out of his face. They continued walking in silence, both nibbling on a loaf of bread that they had picked up in the market place.
On their way back to Alustriel's palace, Drizzt picked up the finished clothing. He had been amazed at how well done the embroidery was. The pattern was simple, yet elegant and was made of a light, silvery thread that brought out the color of the tunic that was with the clothing. Catti- brie had asked for him to model it for her, but she had seen the color even against his ebony skin as he told her to wait until tomorrow night to show her.
That had only increased her curiousity as they walked back to the palace. Catti-brie had a feeling that she would be in for a surprise tomorrow night when he escorted her to the banquet.
* * * * *
Later that night, Drizzt stood on his balcony, looking down at the little velvet box in his hand. If only now he could work up the nerve to give it to her. He had been thinking about it since they had gone their separate ways after returning from the afternoon of getting him clothing for the banquet.
Closing his eyes, he looked to the stars and silently asked Mielikke for her guidance once more. A sudden knock on his door startked to door and, pocketing the small box, he opened the door to his room, surprised as Alustriel walked into his room, a a circular object wrapped in silk being carried in her arms.
"I see that you are doing better this night, my friend?" She smiled at him, wwatching as he slipped a shirt on over her his slender torso. "have you been fitted yet?"
He scowl told her that he had. Alustriel chuckled as he gestured to the clothing hanging in the corner of his room. Her eyes widened. She would never have been able to convince him herself to wear such fitting attire to the banquet. She was that the tailor was so convincing when it came to formalwear. Alustriel knew that he would have worn his ranger garb if he had had his choice.
"Is there something that you want to talk about, Alustriel?" He asked her quietly, sitting down in an overstuffed chair across from her. "You look like you need or want to talk about something."
Smiling, she handed him the circular object that she was carrying. He looked at her, puzzled as he felt something strange inside of it. "Go ahead, open it."
Carefully, he unwrapped the silk from around the object, and gasped softy at what was wrapped in it. In his hands, Drizzt held a gleaming Mithril circlet. It had been elegantly designed and carefully shaped. Looking back at the formal wear in the corner of his room, he realized that it was similar to the breathtaking designs on the collar of his tunic, the hems of his leggings, and the edges of his cloak. When he look up, Alustriel saw the question in his eyes. She smiled
"Yes, Drizzt," she said quietly, looking into those magnificent lavender orbs that looked at her in surprise. "I am asking you to wear this to the banquet. It is in your honor any way," her smile widened as her news brought a shocked look to his face. "My personal historians did find out your birthdate. All that we needed to look for was the day that House DeVir feel, which you say, was the day of your birth."
"I-I can't wear this," he said quietly, looking into her grey eyes. "It just doesn't exactly fit me."
"Please, Drizzt." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "At least think about it."
With that, Alustriel left him to this thoughts, looking at the beautifully crafted circlet on his lap.
* * * * *
[A/N] I hope everybody likes this chapter! I hadn't been able to think of a reason that the banquet was being held, so this finally came to me after HOURS of comtemplation. Plot bunnies weren't too happy though. They all love angst too much. **Flips off scowling bunnies in the corner of the room.** PLEASE REVIEW!!!
Chapter Twenty-Three – Anguish
Drizzt and Catti-brie spent most of the afternoon in the market place, looking around at the different shops and merchant stocks. When they passed neara merchant that was selling weapons across the street from a jeweler, Drizzt stopped.
"Why do ye need to stop?" Catti-brie asked him softly, looking into his face as he looked intently at the weapons. "Yer scimitars are enchanted and ye don't have need of a bow."
"I know Cat," he smiled slightly at her, "I just need to replace the knife that the drow confiscated from me. I'll catch up to you in a bout ten minutes."
As soon as she was out of site, Drizzt hurried across the street to the shop where they were selling jewelry. To his surprise, it took longer than he thought to pick out what he was looking for, to find just the right one. After leaving the store, he bought a well-made dagger to show Catti-brie so that she wouldn't suspect what he was really up to.
"Well," she asked as he approached her. She handed him a honey-cake while she nibbled on her own. "Did ye find a dagger to yer preference?"
"Yes, I did." He smiled, showing her the elven crafted weapon. "And it is well made, so it will be won't be so easy in breaking."
Catti-brie shook her head, continuing to walk down the streets towards the tailor's shop. Drizzt groaned as they got closer, he just did not wish to be measured for another set of formal clothes. The last time he had had to wear something formal was at Delly and Wulfgar's wedding. That outfit was long gone, having died a sad death of being in the middle of a dwarven beer- brawl.
That had garnered plenty of laughs from the gathered guests, especially since he had ended up soaked with grease form the meat and, of course, the beer that the drunk dwarves had been drinking when they got into the fight. He had nearly had to cut off all of his long hair because of all the gunk in it from the fight. Catti-brie had been of no use when he had asked for help to get all of it out of his waist-length hair.
"Let's just hope that me da doesn't end up starting another on o' his drunken food-fights with anyone else at the banquet tomorrow night." Catti- brie teased, easily guessing the reason behind the frown on the ranger's face. She smiled as she lightly fingered a lock of his stark-white hair. "That way we won't be havin' t' spend so long just t' get it out o' yer hair."
"Or we can hope that you are the one that gets in the middle of one while I'm on the sidelines laughing." He smiled and dodged the playful smack aimed at his head. "Hey! It would only be fair." He stopped for a minute, thinking. "Or if Wulfgar would be the one to get in the middle of all that."
Catti-brie snorted. "He wouldn't give a mind to it. It wouldn't be any fun!"
Drizzt only grinned. "Yes, he wouldn't," his grin widened, "but Delly would! She would throw him in the bath herself, even in her condition."
Catti-brie laughed at the image. "Ye're right," she smiled, taking his hand in hers as they walked along the streets. After a few minutes, she turned to him, the smile in her face telling him all that he wanted to know. "We're almost there, Drizzt." She chuckled at the hurt look on his face. "It won't nearly as bad at it was in Bryn Shander."
"Says you," he muttered under his breath, only causing the young woman to laugh all the harder.
A few minutes later, they had entered the tailor's shop and were greeted by an older man with sparkling, pale grey eyes, almost silver. He smiled at Catti-brie, nodding his head in a slight bow. He was dressed in simply cut clothing of a dark green cotton. He had pulled his long silver hair in a braid that went down his back.
"Welcome back, Lady Battlehammer." He smiled, stepping out from behind the counter. "Is there anything that I can help you with on this fine day?"
"Yes, sir," she smiled towards Drizzt, who was sulking against the door. "The is somethin' that ye can be helpin' me with. Me friend here needs to be fitted for the banquet tomorrow night, can ye help him?"
"Ah," the tailor said in his soft, cheery voice. "This must be Drizzt Do'Urden. The Lady said that you'd be visiting me before tomorrow evening. Please, Ranger Do'Urden, follow me, I will lead you to my fitting room. Just this way. . ."
Catti-brie watched as Drizzt reluctantly followed the ambling old tailor, giving her a mock scowl as he went out of sight. Catti-brie only laughed. She knew that the old tailor would find something to Drizzt's tastes, as he had hers.
* * * * *
A few hours later, Drizzt was relieved to finally be off the pedestal. He had stood there with his arms out for what seemed lie forever. After the first two hours, the little man had finished tailoring the shirt, tunic and leggings, and had the ranger turn around and move this way and that, just to see that they fit right. Drizzt was actually surprised at how well they fit, was amazed that it didn't feel like he was wearing fancy clothes to go to the banquet in.
The only real argument that had ensued was about what colors he would be wearing. Anything brightly colored had immediately been put out of the question by the drow. He simply did not want to show up and remind everyone who had met him, especially Catti-brie, of the strange drow elf, Jarlaxle. It would be strange and he didn't want to stand out *quite* that much.
"Well," the tailor sighed when they finally agreed on the color of the shirt, tunic, and leggings. "We just need to find a cloak of the appropriate style and color and we will be set."
They had settled for another dark color on the cloak, both agreeing to knee- high, black leather boots that matched to outfit. The tailor let Drizzt get back into his shirt and tunic before letting him go, agreeing to let him pick up the clothing later, after he had added silvery embroidery to the collar, sleeves, and edges of the cloak. Drizzt had been forced to agree because other wise, the silken garments would look too plain at the banquet in order for him to at least seem as if he fit in with the other guests that would be there tomorrow night.
"Well?" Catti-brie asked when he stepped out of the room, looking much the same as he had when he had stepped in. "Did ye find something that ye liked?"
Sighing, he nodded. "Yes, Cat, I did find something that would be appropriate to wear. We just have to pick it up in a few hours. He said that he needed to add some embroidery to it before I was allowed to wear it out in public."
Catti-brie chuckled. "Well, that part's over, so now we need to be goin' t' the stylist in order for ye t' get fixed up."
Drizzt turned towards her, eyes slightly wider than normal. "Stylist?" He groaned. "What else did Alustriel ask you to do to humiliate me further today?"
Catti-brie smiled sweetly. "All this woman will be doin' if figurin' out what we're going t' be doin' 'bout yer hair." She twisted a lock of it around her fingers. "That way it won't be such a mess tomorrow night."
"It's not a mess right now!" Drizzt replied indignantly, running his slender fingers through the thick, tangled locks. "It just needs to be combed is all."
Catti-brie only smiled, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the street.
* * * * *
"That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" Catti-brie said as she and Drizzt stepped out of the shop, him with a glower on his face. They had spent nearly tow hours in there, and he still wasn't too happy about it. The woman had finally ended up throwing her arms and leaving his hair alone. He was still braiding it down his back to keep wayward strands out of his face. They continued walking in silence, both nibbling on a loaf of bread that they had picked up in the market place.
On their way back to Alustriel's palace, Drizzt picked up the finished clothing. He had been amazed at how well done the embroidery was. The pattern was simple, yet elegant and was made of a light, silvery thread that brought out the color of the tunic that was with the clothing. Catti- brie had asked for him to model it for her, but she had seen the color even against his ebony skin as he told her to wait until tomorrow night to show her.
That had only increased her curiousity as they walked back to the palace. Catti-brie had a feeling that she would be in for a surprise tomorrow night when he escorted her to the banquet.
* * * * *
Later that night, Drizzt stood on his balcony, looking down at the little velvet box in his hand. If only now he could work up the nerve to give it to her. He had been thinking about it since they had gone their separate ways after returning from the afternoon of getting him clothing for the banquet.
Closing his eyes, he looked to the stars and silently asked Mielikke for her guidance once more. A sudden knock on his door startked to door and, pocketing the small box, he opened the door to his room, surprised as Alustriel walked into his room, a a circular object wrapped in silk being carried in her arms.
"I see that you are doing better this night, my friend?" She smiled at him, wwatching as he slipped a shirt on over her his slender torso. "have you been fitted yet?"
He scowl told her that he had. Alustriel chuckled as he gestured to the clothing hanging in the corner of his room. Her eyes widened. She would never have been able to convince him herself to wear such fitting attire to the banquet. She was that the tailor was so convincing when it came to formalwear. Alustriel knew that he would have worn his ranger garb if he had had his choice.
"Is there something that you want to talk about, Alustriel?" He asked her quietly, sitting down in an overstuffed chair across from her. "You look like you need or want to talk about something."
Smiling, she handed him the circular object that she was carrying. He looked at her, puzzled as he felt something strange inside of it. "Go ahead, open it."
Carefully, he unwrapped the silk from around the object, and gasped softy at what was wrapped in it. In his hands, Drizzt held a gleaming Mithril circlet. It had been elegantly designed and carefully shaped. Looking back at the formal wear in the corner of his room, he realized that it was similar to the breathtaking designs on the collar of his tunic, the hems of his leggings, and the edges of his cloak. When he look up, Alustriel saw the question in his eyes. She smiled
"Yes, Drizzt," she said quietly, looking into those magnificent lavender orbs that looked at her in surprise. "I am asking you to wear this to the banquet. It is in your honor any way," her smile widened as her news brought a shocked look to his face. "My personal historians did find out your birthdate. All that we needed to look for was the day that House DeVir feel, which you say, was the day of your birth."
"I-I can't wear this," he said quietly, looking into her grey eyes. "It just doesn't exactly fit me."
"Please, Drizzt." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "At least think about it."
With that, Alustriel left him to this thoughts, looking at the beautifully crafted circlet on his lap.
* * * * *
[A/N] I hope everybody likes this chapter! I hadn't been able to think of a reason that the banquet was being held, so this finally came to me after HOURS of comtemplation. Plot bunnies weren't too happy though. They all love angst too much. **Flips off scowling bunnies in the corner of the room.** PLEASE REVIEW!!!