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I still need a good title! If you've any suggestions, please tell me!

Yea, yea... I stayed up until four seventeen in the morning typing this, so
if it is a bit odd, that's probably why.

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Chapter 3

((Note: The complete tale of Chenalai's escape and subsequent journey is not here told. I may, at some later point, write it down, but for now you must be satisfied with what little she told Drizzt))

"I'll assume you wish, also, to know what I did with myself before making up my mind to leave. After you departed, I found myself in the position of having to aid in the battle against the house Hun'ett. It was a rather long battle, but I shall not speak of it for the things I saw... I do not wish to think of again." Chenalai's tone was somber and a shiver passed down her spine as she drove away the memories that fought to make themselves play before her eyes as they did so many nights. Something else was fighting to make itself known, but Chenalai pushed that away too.

Sipping her wine once more, she continued, "Eventually it ended with house Hun'ett being eradicated by the order of the ruling council. Save for their matron mother and the remaining soldiers who were made a part of our house. Disgusted though I was by the drow 'justice,' I could do nothing for I was in no mind to flee the city. Much happened..."

Chenalai paused, shuddering once more, shadow passing over her eyes. It was not only a shadow of remembered horror, but also of great pain and something more. Drizzt watched her eyes, focused upon nothing, curiously. He read their expression and understood some of the mixed emotions, but there was something within her eyes that was not simply an emotion or a memory. Confused and deeply troubled, he was about to say something to snap Chenalai out of her reverie so that he could ask her what bothered her so. However, she seemed to drive it away just as he reached out a hand. Her eyes focused once more upon him and her hand involuntarily clutched her staff tightly. It was then that Drizzt noticed the symbols of darkness seemed most prominent, when before all had been equally faded. The runes almost seemed to glow with a dark light. But, as soon as he looked closer, the effect was gone and all the runes were again blended into each other.

Giving him and her staff a curious glance, though too late to see the runes, she sighed. Then, with a deep breath, murmured, "In the time during the war and for a time after I did much research on ways out of the Underdark during those years and in my reading came across some very interesting subjects, which, I am afraid to say, distracted me for a time. Nevertheless, I did eventually come across extremely old maps depicting many routes to not only the surface, but other cities of the drow as well. However, before I was able to put my new knowledge – and maps – to the test, Malice (the name was spoken with an acidic bitterness and hatred that it made Drizzt cringe. It was not simply the hatred for her foul nature, but something else... something Chenalai would not reveal) sent many out into the Underdark in search of you. Lolth still wanted you dead, apparently. I was called back from Sorcere, most likely because Malice felt she needed protection and I needed watching. Thus, under her watchful eye, I was unable to do anything. She never let me out of her sight or the sight of her loyal minions. Until Dinin and Briza returned with news of their defeat at your hands, I was a prisoner in my own 'home.'"

At this moment, the meal, which had been ordered, was brought to the table. Chenalai did not touch it, her appetite gone with the memories disturbed. She looked slightly paler than before and, every so often when she spoke of something particularly disturbing, she seemed to struggle for a moment before she could continue. It was in those times when the shadow came into her eyes and it seemed the symbols of darkness made themselves known. Still wondering at this, Drizzt simply waited until she continued. He, too, thought of painful memories from the Underdark, but they stung him the less for he had long since accepted them as part of himself and not something suffered to be forgotten.

Taking a deep breath, the mage continued, her green eyes filled with bitter recollections. "I was there when she... she performed Zin-carla," she muttered, shuddering. "Then, I vowed to leave Menzoberranzan as you had. Still, though, I had no opportunity of escape, despite the fact that I was allowed to return to Sorcere. Not until Zaknafein caused himself to fall into the pit of acid did I have an opportunity to flee. In the confusion that followed, another house – I am unsure as to which one for I did not bother to check – attacked and I picked up my staff and those belongings I had made ready and departed Menzoberranzan. Whether or not house Daermon N'a'shezbaernon is still in existence, I know not nor do I care."

She sighed and drank a few more swallows of the wine. "For at least four, maybe five months I wandered through the Underdark, seeking the tunnels that would take me to the surface. Several of those upon the maps had collapsed and several others were not as they had been depicted. I also was waylaid in another drow city for a short time. Nevertheless, despite the many things I encountered, I did make it out eventually, through the same entrance you must have used, I think, though it must have been after you had departed or at a time when you were absent from that cave. I saw signs of habitation, but gave them little heed."

"At first, I simply wandered the land, keeping away from the dwellings of others and learning of the surface, though mostly during the night. After a time, I was able to walk in sunlight unharmed, though most of the things infused with dark magic began to disintegrate or at least loose their magic, save my staff and a few other items whose magic was drow magic, but not so dark. I've always had a talent for languages, so I picked up bits and pieces of the human tongue from spying upon farmhouses and such. Eventually, I was able to beg a rather frightened farmer for a cloak and for shoes. At first he tried to attack me, but all I did was parry his attacks. Eventually, however, he decided to give to me a cloak and boots rather too large for me. Thus, I was not unshod nor without shelter when winter came. Ah! What a beautiful thing winter is! Snow, gleaming crystals of ice is among the greatest things of beauty in the world."

"Don't ask how I knew what plants were edible and how to hunt for things such as deer. It came on instinct, I suppose, but I really don't know. Whatever the reason, I was able to make it through the winter... barely. When spring came, I was restless and departed from the small cave I had made my home and wandered about until I came across a small village. There, I surrendered myself and beseeched the people to teach me their language and the ways of the surface. At first, they were dubious of my claims that I would cause them no harm. Then, an old woman, the town witch I believe, came to the small store room within one of the buildings where I was held and spoke with me for some time, though we found communication difficult with my limited grasp of their tongue. Then she left and I was alone for several days without any contact with a living creature and without any of my possessions save the clothing I wore. Even my staff was gone. You who are not a wielder of magic do not fully understand the bond a wizard has with his staff. However, the woman returned with several others and said that I would dwell within the village until such time as they decided to release me or kill me. And so I dwelt there for several years, though I am not sure how many."

There was a momentary darkening and bitterness of tone when she spoke of the bond between a wizard and their staff, but it passed as she moved on. Chenalai, now thinking of happier times, more pleasant memories, took another drink of her wine and began to eat her food. "The people of that town and myself grew fond of each other. A few times a year gnolls would come out of the mountains to raid the place, but they, uh, never returned." There was an almost mischievous glint in the half drow's eyes. "That's not to say I killed them. Well, I killed a good number of them, but I taught the townsfolk how to fend off their village. From them, most especially Esmend, the old woman, I learned much of wood lore and of life upon the surface. The settlement was surrounded on three sides by forest and upon the third by a river and a valley where they grew their crops. A few years ago, however, Esmend died and I felt the stirring to see more of the surface world once again. Thus, despite the protests of most of the villagers and all of the children, I left."

Her eyes were full of a bittersweet joy mingled with a longing, but no shadow. "I still miss them all... Since then, I have essentially wandered, taking things as they come. I've come across a few secluded groups of wood elves. All attacked me on sight, save one group. One of their number came and talked to me for a while. Then, she returned to the band and discussed something with them. After a while, she returned, looking annoyed. She told me that the others wanted to kill me, but she did not and that I should be on my way before I was shot with an arrow. Taking her not so subtle hint, I left."

Pausing a moment, Chenalai was silent, thinking. "That was about two months ago. Hearing of Longsaddle and the Harkles, I journeyed away from the woods and reached Thavven the day before yesterday. You can guess why I wanted to come to Ivy Mansion. My grandfather being one reason. Anyway, today I came here with Morro. That is my story in brief, though it has still taken long in the telling."

With a sigh, Chenalai finished the last of her dinner and drained the last of her wine. "What about you?" she questioned the one she would call brother.

Drizzt remained silent for several long moments, thinking over all she had said. Then, he looked up at her, meeting the intense green of her gaze with the deep lavender of his own. "Your journey was easier than mine, but... you know of when I left and why, so I won't bother repeating that. However, you know little of what happened in between such events as my encounter with Briza and Dinin and the destruction of the spirit wraith of Zaknafein and my coming to the surface. So, I shall start with what happened after I left the city..."

Drizzt told the tale, in brief as Chenalai had done, of his primal existance in the Underdark for a decade, of giving himself up to the svirfnebli of Blingdenstone, of Belwar and of the pursuit of the spirit wraith. He told her of Clacker, of the illithidsm of the journey to the surface and of the scorching of the sun. He told of the boy who named him 'drizzit,' of Ulgulu, of the rangers, most especially Montolio, called Mooshie, and of Roddy McGristle. The drow told her also of the Weeping Friars, of Hephaestus and of the journey to Ten Towns and Kelvin's Cairn. Lastly, the ranger related the tale of how he had come to meet Catti-bree, Bruenor, Wulfgar and Regis and the subsequent events leading to the journey he was now on.

When he finished, both were silent for a long time before Chenalai spoke. "Much we both have been through and yet shall go through for we have centuries of life before us. My heart is torn in three. One part of me desires to travel with you and your companions, gaining their trust of course. Another part of me wishes to remain here and learn what I can from my kin. Yet another part of me is... No... I do not wish to speak of that part... Oh Drizzt, you may have been able to easily forsake the ways of the drow and their darkness, but... Things happened to me since you left... The things I do not wish to speak of, but they changed me... They increased my revulsion of the drow... But the darkness inside of me grew and has grown, gaining more control over me no matter how I fight it. It isn't the shadows of the dark elves, but something else..."

Drizzt opened his mouth to say something, but Chenalai abruptly stood up, trembling, her eyes shadowed, full of worry. He glanced at her staff. This time, not only did the symbols of dark stand out, but they most assuredly glowed with an unholy light. The most prominent rune was not the spider one of Lolth, but a mark of dark flame. Suddenly, the female cried out softly in alarm and swayed upon her feet. She took a step towards the door and stumbled, using her staff to keep herself from falling. They were the only ones in the Fuzzy Quarterstaff due to the fact that it was rather late at night, perhaps even early morning, so Drizzt was the only one who bore witness to the strange behavior of Chenalai.

Worried, the drow rushed forward, in front of the mage and grabbed her shoulders, shaking them. "Chenalai!" he called. "What is the matter?"

She blinked, seemed to focus upon Drizzt and then her eyes narrowed. "Nothing!" she hissed, her voice deeper, sinister and dripping with dark poison. "Leave me alone, fool!" Then, the green eyes opened wide and the shadow vanished. The eyes instead filled with pain. With a soft cry, Chenalai fainted, falling into the arms of her uncle.

Author stuff:

So... In this chapter, we find out how and why Chenalai did escape the Underdark. We also begin to see this strange darkness that clings to the half drow. What is it? What is it's purpose? Why is it there? Well... the answer is:

Did you really think I was going to tell you? Hah! Nope! You must wait until such time as I write the next chapter. The reason I got this one out so fast is because I couldn't sleep and my writer's muse was banging on my head with something... I am not quite sure what... Only that it was hard and left a big lump, which, as I pointed out to yon muse, is not conducive to writing... but it doesn't care....

Anyway... I still think there is something off with the second chapter.... I realize that the Fuzzy Quarterstaff is simply a bar and that there are no rooms there, but I forgot when I was writing the second chapter. Oh well. It's a little late to change that right now, but I will get around to it... Sometime... Maybe?

The fourth chapter I might write by the time I have to leave for camp, but then again, I might not. I do have to go to a wonderful, week long camp so 'tis likely my chapter making shalt be delayed.

Please R&R!!

(don't be afraid to flame... I like fire... It is so pretty... Like snow... only hot... and it BuRnS things... hehe)