Brionne shivered, looking up at the stars, constellations that he had never seen before. Nala leaned against his chest, and he put an arm around her, keeping her warmer against the crisp night air. Yesterday it had been spring. Now it was winter. His breath steamed in the cold, and he knew they could not be outside for long.
There had been some sort of disturbance as they had stepped out of the caves. One of the guardian dwarves had been injured when the bounty-hunter made her escape, but would recover. Drizzt had gone to speak with the red-haired dwarf that had accompanied the woman who had struck him.
Thoughtful, he stared up at the sky. He would not mar his features by chewing his lower lip or furrowing his brow, but he was disturbed nonetheless. What is to become of us? He wondered.
Ideas flowed through his head like the rushing river that had cut off their escape from the bounty-hunter. He knew, he couldn't question, that Drizzt would help them, but would things be as they had been in Dalt's barn? Would they be together still, or would the eyes of his friends chase the desire from Drizzt's heart? How could he be free of the collar now, with no master to go back to?
She loves him. The image of the red-haired warrior woman lingered in his thoughts. Will she hate me, or him, if she finds out? A hand touched his shoulder, and he repressed the instinct to jump in surprise.
He turned with casual ease, a mild smile on his lips. "Drizzt," he acknowledged the Fey behind him, but his eyes were on the red-haired woman that stood a step further away. He bowed to her with all due courtesy. "You know my name, lady, though I do not know yours?" He looked back up to her face. A multitude of emotions flickered on her face; joy, sorrow, hope, guilt. So many that it wasn't even worth trying to figure out what she felt because she felt everything.
"Catti-brie." She nodded just enough to show a return of politeness. Her eyes refused to look at the damaged side of his face.
"Brionne," Drizzt spoke again. "Would you be opposed to Nala walking with Catti-brie for a moment that we may speak?"
Brionne glanced at Nala, his outward manner relaxed, yet
behind the masks he was terrified. Is this the end? He wondered. Will we
be cut adrift in this new place?
Nala nodded, and Brionne smiled at her courage. Catti-brie held out her hand, and the dark-haired girl took it. Together they walked back towards the sheltered warmth of the caves.
Brionne turned back to the stars, letting the dark Fey speak first. He could hear Drizzt take a step, could feel his presence, so close and yet not touching him. In a bare whisper, the unexpected words came, "May I hold you?"
Brionne froze in surprise. "Of course." He couldn't seem to find the strength in his own voice, and it came out so soft that for a moment he feared he had not been heard. Warm arms surrounded his shoulders. A warm cloak enfolded him, and the scent of Drizzt, the strength of him. He closed his eyes. Just feel, he told himself, do not think, just feel. He leaned back into the embrace, letting his body relax.
"I thought the lack of words was a barrier," Drizzt's voice behind him began, "And now that the barrier is gone, I find myself terrified of the open new world before me."
"I feel the same," Brionne whispered. He would not tremble. He would not bite his lip. He would not allow emotion to overwhelm him.
"Please," Drizzt murmured from behind him, "Please tell me what it was that we shared. Tell me what we are; tell me what you would have us be to each other."
The soft entreaty frightened him the way the most cruel or lewd order from his master never had. He thought only of his breathing for a moment, desperate that Drizzt not know how this scared him. He wished he had a month, a year, to find the words to express his feelings. The fey only held him, patient as he waited for the answer to his plea.
"It was joy," he whispered at last. "It was only joy to touch you, to be touched by you." He steadied himself, his words soft and even. He would not allow his voice to crack. "I cannot tell you what we are together, without knowing what this was for you. I..." he cursed his weakness. "I would have us be together. I would be yours; I would want to be with you and please you, for as long as you would want me."
The arms around him shook as they pulled him closer, and then released him. "Brionne, you are a slave no longer." Brionne turned as the arms fell away. "I would not own you." Drizzt's downcast eyes were full of pain, and did not meet Brionne's silver ones.
Brionne felt himself starting to smile as he reached out, slipping his fingers under the fine-boned chin of his lover, tipping it up and gently forcing Drizzt to look at him.
"If I am free, should I not be able to choose who to bind myself to in love?" With tender care, he brushed the wild strands of white hair from Drizzt's brow. "I know I could choose another to be at my side, or decide to be alone for a time. I chose to have you, Drizzt, if you will have me. If you will be mine in return."
The dark warrior closed his eyes, and Brionne could see the struggle within him. Is he so used to denying his desires? He wondered. He leaned in close, until his flushed lips were almost touching the dark ones. "Drizzt? Do you trust me with your heart?" he asked, letting his whisper brush his lover's lips. Lavender eyes opened and gazed into his.
"Of course."
Brionne tangled gentle fingers at the nape of Drizzt's neck, feeling the tension in the fine muscles. "Then trust me with my own heart."
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From the opening of the caves, Catti-brie watched as Drizzt and the young man embraced, their touches hesitant at first then almost desperately passionate. Drizzt seemed careful of the man's bruised face, and she felt yet another sting of guilt at having caused it.
The light touch of a hand on her wrist drew her away from the sight, to stare into the silver eyes of the girl called Nala.
With no words, the girl drew her close, into a gentle sister's embrace, wrapping her slender arms around Catti-brie. Soft hands stroked over the auburn of her hair.
"I love him." Catti-brie protested to the world, appalled at how her voice squeaked, how like a hurt child she sounded. Nala drew her down until they were both sitting on the wind-swept ground. Like a mother, she held Catti-brie, rocking her and petting her.
"I know." Catti-brie looked up, watching as Nala touched her own lips with her fingertips. A look of shock and something almost like fear was on her face that she had spoken. Catti-brie wondered how long it had been. Nala composed herself, silver eyes going back to Catti-brie's blue ones.
"I know you love him." Her voice was infinitely kind. "Sometimes the only way we can express it is to let them be happy."
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Dalt swung the sledge hammer, and with a satisfying thwack, the metal wedge split the log in front of him. Picking up the largest of the pieces, he tapped the wedge into it again, and brought the hammer behind his back, up over his shoulder, and with another thwack, the log was in small enough pieces to put in the stack.
"Dalt!" The urgency in Anja's voice cut through him and he turned, shifting the heavy hammer to his other hand, ready to use it as a weapon if he had to.
There was no need. The heavy grey horse they had sold to the two runaway slaves and their strange fey companion had come home, looking bedraggled and in need of a brushing, but no worse for the ride.
Dalt clucked his tongue, and the old stud came over to snuffle at his hand, looking for a treat or bit of salt.
Dalt's brown eyes glanced over, and met Anja's. They needed no words to know what the other thought. They didn't make it. With a sigh, he put down his tools and led the horse back to its small corral.