Disclaimer: No own, no money made… who reads this anyway?

Icingdeath: Here is more :-)

Neven: Yes of course he can be compassionate! I was planning to have them move together into mithril hall, let Drizzt get pregnant with some convenient potion and make Catti-brie the Godmother (or whatever you call it, I'm not quite sure) of their twins, with a nice romantic Christmas scene as happy end giggles insanely and jumps off a cliff  (ok, but I did say that he manages to suppress his guilt:-)

Nariel: Äh um ganz ehrlich zu sein, in meinem Zimmer hängt wirklich ein Legolas Poster. Hab ich zu Weihnachten bekommen:-)  Wegen der Sache mit Artemis und Jarlxle…hm weiß noch nicht genau, bin grad am überlegen ob ich das bei Blickwinkel einfach ganz elegant einfließen lasse…sonst komm ich mit den anderen Geschichten nicht mehr hinterher.

Bracelets

"You have just admitted that you knew she would never turn from me and yet you never said a word about your opinion using my fears to your own advantage instead. Don't you think that deserves some kind of punishment?"

He has taken hold of my hair now drawing me back so I can look in his face and see the ice cold fury there. This I have feared all along, him being free of the restraining need for secrecy and able to reciprocate, because I'm well aware of the fact that despite the physical pleasure he may receive from our meetings he still deeply resents the means I used to make them come to pass, but I couldn't stop myself and as always my affinity for playing with fire has eventually gotten me burned. Oh well, but it was worth it!

I'm not sure what he means by punishment. On the one hand I wouldn't expect him to take it on his conscience to damn me to the fate of a whore, but considering his current emotional state I'm quite unable to predict what he'll do or not do.

When I say nothing and only regard him with careful indifference he asks again.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

To say? Not really, but the distracting sensation of his body pressed against mine, with the sheet slowly sliding downwards doesn't actually encourage any intelligent responses on my part. Does this nearness not affect him? No wait it does, I can clearly feel it through the rather thin layer of cloth, but he doesn't let it show. Yet. I shift in a subtle movement that lets me brush against him in a way which is certain to stimulate rather sensitive parts of his body. Of course he does not appreciate my impertinent teasing and hisses: "Stop that damn you!" But only softly, so she doesn't understand anything. And in this moment the reason for his previous support becomes clear to me.

He is still ashamed and still does not want anybody else to know about this, but if I were to be dragged back to the city it's guaranteed that a lot of people would notice and knowing the tendency to gossip most of them have in abundance, it wouldn't be long before everybody knew.

"Let go of me and I'll stop." I whisper almost inaudibly hoping that his reluctance to expose himself will help me get out of his tight grasp so that I might reach some means of escape. His reaction is quite disappointing in that regard though and all he does is to calmly ask the girl for a piece of rope to tie my hands at my back.

Now, sitting on the bed again, I'm worse off than before, not only am I still without a single shred of clothing, but in addition to that I have lost the free use of my hands. He has finally put on his pants and both are currently staring at me with matching expressions of dislike. Maybe it's time to start negotiations in earnest.

"Ok, what do you want?"  I ask resingnedly.

Better to find out what they have in mind before offering too much of my own volition.

"You will leave the city." He demands.

I nod. That was to be expected. To be honest I don't think it'll be much of a loss to part ways with its self-righteously boring inhabitants and go somewhere more exiting. Waterdeep should be interesting…

"You will make a personal confession to Alustriel and subject yourself to her judgement." Catti-brie says. I grimace at the thought, but even before I can nod again he shakes his head emphatically.

"No! You will not tell anybody!"

I have to keep back a smile. Wonderful, how his feelings work to my advantage!

"As you wish. I hope you're aware though that Burash is… uh let's say he's not very discreet and will probably let something slip sooner or later."

Maybe I can get them to dispose of that little problem for me. Yes, Do'Urden certainly looks worried now. Is he aware of my manipulation? He must have at least a little skill at reading the people around him, considering that he grew up in a city full of scheming, plotting and murdering individuals and is still alive to tell the tale. I'm sure it riles him, for even knowing what I'm doing he'll still realize that I'm right about my old friend.

"That will be of no concern to you." He says icily. So he does know. I incline my head in mock acquiescence and ask: "Will that be all then? For if you wish to deal with him I'd prefer to be at least a mile away when you do and he'll not stay out there indefinitely."

"What? No, you can't just let him go!" A cry of pure outrage from Catti-brie.

Unsurprisingly the thought of my leaving doesn't sit well with her.

"I could give you the means to find me later on." I suggest, but she only looks at me incredulously.

"I understand that you don't trust me, but be assured that despite what I have done I still honour the promises I make and I'm prepared to swear that I'll face you again if you should wish for me to do so." She remains unconvinced, so I add with a nod in his direction: "Ask him if you do not believe my words."

When she looks at him questioningly he sighs unwillingly, but states: "He has always kept his promises. That much is true."

Yes, I once promised to have you writhing under me didn't I? I have kept that one too. My eyes must have betrayed the course my thoughts are taking, because he shoots me a look of pure loathing.

"Very well. Now if you go and search through the brown bag there in the corner you'll find two matching bracelets. Take them out and bring them here."

I don't bother to add a polite "please" to my request knowing she'll do it anyway.

"These?"

Two simple, narrow silver bracelets are glittering in her outstretched hand.

"Yes. One is keyed to Drizzt and the other to me. They will enable any mage you might hire to find me, wherever I may be. I should warn you though, once put on they cannot be removed by any means except for a certain ritual performed jointly by both bearers."

My accompanying smirk leaves little room for speculation about the nature of this ritual and he stares at me strangely.

"You planned to put that on me all along?"

I shrug and grin as I see no sense in denying it.

"If the opportunity presented itself I would have. I never said I wouldn't try anything. Did you expect me to just let you walk away?"

He ignores my question, which was mostly rhetorical anyway.

"Will it have any undesired effects on me if I do not perform that ritual?"

Another shrug on my part.

"None besides the fact that I'll always be able to locate you too, should I wish to do so."

By now the dislike on their faces has been joined by growing anger, but I'm actually rather pleased with the current turn of events, as it is quite possible that presented with this opportunity to get back at me in a less compromising situation, he'll let me leave. What I will do when I have to confront him once again I have no idea, but there will be ample time in which to think and plan if only I can get away now.

Unfortunately I have spoken the truth when claiming that there's only one way of removing the bracelet. In the few weeks before this day I didn't have enough time to create anything more elaborate than this rather straightforward enchantment and therefore I'll not only have to live with the fact that he'll be able to trace me, but with the added necessity of another not so comfortable meeting as well.