Hi, a little notice first of all. Because I am taking classes on Monday and Friday I will not update on those days. So I will update on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday also on weekends if I am home…Thank you and now on with the story!
Chapter 17--A Strange Sickness
The five friends were gathered in their private sitting room talking
"I don't see where this is any of your business. It's between meself and Drizzt," Catti-brie said.
"It be makin' ye both miserable, girl and it be givin' me a headache! Ye got to gather yer guts and speak to him," Bruenor snapped.
"He won't listen to me," Catti-brie said miserably. "You saw what happened when I took his hand. He acted like I burned him. I won't beg him."
"You know, Drizzt once told me that Elves' palms are sensitive and usually only touched by family. It's considered to be rather intimate. Besides Drizzt never like having his hands restricted in any way. Perhaps you startled him," Regis offered.
Catti-brie didn't get a chance to answer. Someone pounded urgently then opened the door without permission. It was a guard. "Forgive my rudeness, but the Lady needs you to come to Ranger Do'Urden's chamber. He's been injured." He said.
The guard was nearly knocked down as everyone rushed out.
A servant returned with water and cloths as Alustriel got Drizzt's shirt off. The wound was bleeding, red and swollen. It looks infected, but how could that be? She thought. She began cleansing the wound as Drizzt's friends burst into the room.
"What happened?" Catti-brie cried.
"He was shot in the back, but there's something odd about the wound. It looks infected," Alustriel said.
"How could it be? It just happened didn't it?" Wulfgar asked.
"Yes and that worries me," Alustriel said and prodded the wound.
Drizzt jerked in pain and cried out, struggling.
"He must be regaining consciousness. Hold him still, someone," Alustriel said.
Wulfgar moved forward and gripped Drizzt's shoulders while Bruenor pinned his feet.
Drizzt struggled, but couldn't break their grip on him. "Ori'gato ussa alu!" he shouted.
"What did he say?" Alustriel asked.
"I don't know," Wulfgar said.
"I don't be knowin' either," Bruenor said.
"I think he was speaking in Drow, but I don't understand it," Catti-brie said.
Alustriel realized the blood was now mixed with pus. "I can't seem to get it clean," she said.
Just then the priestess entered with the guard.
"Fetch me the arrow Ranger Do'Urden was struck by and bring it here," Alustriel ordered then moved out of the priestess's way. "The wound is infected and resists my attempts to clean it and it is getting worse."
The priestess was a different one this time. She examined the wound then prodded it gently.
Drizzt screamed, fighting against his friends' grip. "Ulu zalarix! Qulla vrine'winith!" he cried.
The priestess frowned. "I will try to heal him magically and also do a spell to cleanse in case it is some sort of poison," she said and began to chant. Nothing happened. "I'm sorry, Lady Alustriel, something is blocking my spell. I believe there is some sort of poisoning, but it is magical in nature. I'm sorry," she said.
"What can we do?" Catti-brie asked.
The priestess sighed. "Pray that he will be strong enough to fight off the poison on his own," she said. She bowed to Alustriel and left.
The guard arrived with the arrow and Alustriel studied it carefully. No sign of poison. She chanted a spell and the arrow glowed for a minute then it faded. She handed it to the guard. "I have put a trace on the arrow. It will lead you to the one who shot it. Gather some men and find whoever did this. Don't kill him. I need answers to save Ranger Do'Urden's life….Now go!" she commanded.
The guard bowed and all but ran from the room, closing the door.
Alustriel sighed heavily. "I'm sorry," she said and left them alone.
Wulfgar and Bruenor released Drizzt and Catti-brie moved to Drizzt's side. "Don't slip away. I love ye, Drizzt," she whispered, but she didn't know if he could hear her. She took his hand in hers. "Please, ye're strong, fight it."
"It's not fair. He just got his hands healed and some coward shoots him in the back. He doesn't deserve all this suffering," Regis said angrily.
"He was always afraid this might happen," Wulfgar said.
Everyone looked at him. "What?" Bruenor barked.
"That someone would shoot him in the back instead of facing him because they dared not face him and fight blade to blade and now it's happened," Wulfgar said.
No one could think of anything to say to that. All they could do was wait and pray as the priestess had said. They feared Drizzt was lost to them…
Translations:
Ori'gato ussa alu-Let me go
Ulu zalarix! Qulla vrine'winith-To painful, please stop
Queen of Cliffhangers, that's me…R/R please!