Chapter Ten
Drizzt had a good day as far as it had gone. He was allowed to rest for a while longer after his talk with Wulfgar and Regis, he had a walk around the room with the help of Catti-brie, just so he could try to memorize the setting of it and nobody got angry with him when he had started to yell when he realised that it wouldn't take a few hours to learn how to walk unaided, even in a small room.
Alustriel came to him herself sometime during the lunch hour. She had arrived just after he had woken up again after exhausting himself with his walk, and the yelling fit that had come afterwards.
"I hear you have talked to your friends. I hope that there is something that I can find to bring back your sight...just know that this could be temporary even if I do not." She stated, before closing the door and entering fully into the room, taking a seat by the bed.
Sighing Drizzt nodded. "I do know that this might only be temporary...it is a little hard to get around at the moment though, regardless." This last was said with a smile, as he knew the Lady would have heard his screaming from the other side of Silverymoon.
Alustriel smiled back. "Come. Your friends have a small surprise for you." She stated, getting up and laying a hand gently on the drow's shoulder. He got up then, dressed in his usual tunic and pants, the heavy winter cloak left in his trunk back in his room in Mithral Hall.
Walking with small steps - the bracers which he used as anklets left discarded in his rooms as they made walking difficult as his feet seemed to carry him too fast with them on - the two slowly made their way to one of the large sitting rooms of the Palace where every one had been relaxing.
"Drizzt, there ye are." Came the voice of Catti-Brie off to one side, steering him in that direction through all the noise of the room. He realised to his pleasure that he had made it all the way to the human woman by himself just off her voice calling to him.
"We've been makin' ye a present or two." Came the gruff voice of Bruenor close to his left.
"Hopefully, you will like them..." That was Regis, Drizzt noted, turning his blank gaze down to where his small friend was standing. The halfling's voice was surprisingly nervous. He had only sounded like this once before, when Regis had given him the unicorn necklace he wore always around his neck, showing his god proudly to all to be Mielikki.
Drizzt grinned. "Well, what are they then?" He asked, hearing a giggle coming from the young girl, Colson. The patter of her running feet coming towards him made him smile. That child had such energy!
"Hold out your hand Uncle Drizzt." She demanded, calling him uncle like she always did, he wasn't really, though he was the closest thing she had to one.
Doing as the child bid, a small figurine was dropped into his hands. His smile faltered a bit, forming into a curious look. Slowly, he felt the small, almost perfect statuette of a small wolf. He smiled wider this time. "Regis, thank you. It is brilliant."
"It's based on Colt." Wulfgar replied. Drizzt nodded, remembering the wolf who had helped him around the small cabin of Lyavain's in the Moonwood.
"There be one more." Catti-brie said, walking towards him again. He once again held out a hand, surprised when a small leather case was dropped into his hand, obviously full with something that was surprisingly heavier than one might think for such a small pouch.
"Ye've got to be openin' it, ye durned elf!" Bruenor grumbled, impatience in his voice. He obviously wanted to see Drizzt's reaction to this gift.
Opening the pouch, he reached in and took out what felt like a lot of small, rectangle shaped bits of scrimshaw, each piece thin, yet very strong. The confused look came back to his face as he tried to think of what they could possibly be.
"What is it?" He asked, in a tone that stated he truly would like to know.
"It's a pack of cards...we thought of something that we could all enjoy. I am quite...the expert to what they look like and made a deck we can all play with." Regis said, his voice high in his nervousness.
"Oh..." was all the answer the halfling got. "How..."
"Kneel down." The small halfling said and Drizzt did so. Slowly, the cards were taken out of his hands, and a lone one was pushed into his palm again. His other hand was moved gently to the card, Regis being slow and precise as he moved the drow's sensitive fingers over one side of the card.
Drizzt blinked. He could feel a number that had been raised, cut into the bone around it, so the number was perfectly formed and the rest of the card, with the exception of its suit was smooth.
"This must have taken you ages to make," Drizzt breathed, amazed that his friends could think of something like this for him. At least he wouldn't get bored.
"All this week and on the way here...though only when we were camping." Regis stated, pride for his work evident in his voice.
"Now all I have to do is learn to play." Drizzt stated, hearing a chorus of the same sentence said by most of his friends.
Regis laughed. "I can teach you all. I did grow up in Calimport after all."
Deciding that now was better than never, he started stating the rules to the group of interested people. Colson deciding to learn to play herself. Drizzt had the funny feeling that cards wasn't the only thing the halfling would be teaching the young human girl, as she was already picking her way through inferior locks with ease and only four years old she was! It was also plain to see that Delly wasn't too thrilled with the thought of raising a thief.
After they all got acquainted with the four suits, they started a quick game, two partnering together to make it easier for them to all learn the rules.
Drizzt let his fingers see for him what was on the cards, knowing it would be pointless to ask what the cards were. He was playing with Regis, as it seemed more fair to everyone, just in case he went to throw down a card he thought was something else.
Everything went fine. The game was rather addicting and soon the five companions joined by Colson, were ready to play without partners, understanding the basic rules.
Unfortunately, without someone looking over his shoulder and guiding his hand to the right cards, Drizzt found that he was having a hard time playing.
Trying to think and sort out the number his fingers were currently on he closed his eyes, knowing to be looking for a certain number six card he was sure he had a minute ago. Not finding it now he was getting angry.
In all the seven cards he had, he was now certain he didn't have a six at all. He lost all patience, threw his hand down and wandered away from the group of confused friends he had left behind.
"What's wrong with Uncle Drizzt?" He heard Colson ask the group.
"He gets frustrated easily Colson. Things are a bit harder for him now than they used to be without being able to see." Wulfgar explained to his daughter.
"Oh. Regis made me try to pick a lock once with a blindfold on. It was the same lock I knew I could pick easily, as I always had, but I couldn't do it with my eyes covered...is it like that Daddy?"
Drizzt let out a bark of angry laughter. "Colson, do you want to know what this is like? If you promise not to take the blindfold off you can learn for yourself." He stated, taking a step closer to the group.
"Ok!" The young girl said excitedly, always willing to learn new things.
"What do you have planned?" Delly asked, coming back into the room, a serving plate full of drinks on it. The tinkling glasses made Drizzt smile and think of the old saying 'You can take the girl out of the bar, but the bar stays with the girl'. The woman, Wulfgar's wife, had once been a barmaid and had occasionally sold herself to interested males.
"A day. Blindfold on continuously. See if she likes it." Now he thought about it, he was more frustrated than angry about his lack of sight. "I propose you all do it. Have a day each in my situation, then you can tell me how I should feel."
"Are ye angry with us?" Asked Catti-brie quietly.
Drizzt sighed, slowly made his way back to the group and sat down when he found his chair around the table they were sitting at. "No. I'm not angry, I just...need to learn to count with my fingers. I got a little frustrated, that's all."
"That's ok. It can get frustrating anyway...especially if you are on a losing streak." Regis stated, before grabbing one of the drinks and handing it to Drizzt. The halfling then handed a glass to each of the other members of the card-playing group. Only a fruit juice, it was ok for Colson to have.
Soon they were all once again immersed in their card game, Drizzt easily frustrated but determined not to give up. In fact, after even winning a game, he was in a better mood. Whether or not his friends had let him win or not he didn't know. All he knew was afterwards he felt more relaxed.
They were then beginning their fifth game when an urgent knock was heard on the door. A runner came in then, heavily breathing from the run he had just had, before he stated what was wrong.
"Attack from the West Gate! We need all the people we have to ward off the enemy!" With that, the male then slipped off to go tell the next group of people he could find.
Drizzt froze. He knew he could still fight in complete darkness, but what enemy exactly were they fighting? How many were they up against to need every available fighter? Could he actually get outside to join the fight anyhow?
A hundred other questions jumped into his head, so when the hand of Bruenor was put on his shoulder and began to get him up and drag him back to his rooms and his scimitars, he knew the answer to at least one.
If Silverymoon needed his blades, then the fair city was going to have them. He needed a good fight anyway, feeling the restlessness that always comes over him when he is in one place too long without one.
He may be a ranger, and he may be of good heart, but a warrior's blood was in his veins and bred in him. There was no way he was going to miss this fight.
For the first time since his blindness had claimed him, he felt truly excited, an eager grin coming to his face as he raced with his friends to grab his weapons.
It was moments like these he truly lived for.
A/N - ok, a small chapter this is.but you can all live with that right? Also it seems to be of a different text size.sorry again. Ah well, look, it is updated though, yay! As you can see, yes, Bladedancer, there is going to be a bad guy other than his blindness. Whether or not his vision returns yet I haven't figured that part out yet. It depends on what my pen writes (or my fingers type.) Yay for a fight scene next chapter. Who are the enemies? What are the enemies?
Hmm, tune in for the next chapter for the answers. As to last chapter thanks go to The Bladedancer (4 times *hugs*), maffeoel, Radiant Sea Serpent, She-cat, Icingdeath, ChichiX, Carlin Robertson, Ivar, LunaLillium and Lady Cinnibar.
10 reviewers! With a total of 14 reviews! That is unheard of for this story! Thank you all for liking it so much, and hope you enjoy this part too! *hugs and cookies to all*
Drizzt had a good day as far as it had gone. He was allowed to rest for a while longer after his talk with Wulfgar and Regis, he had a walk around the room with the help of Catti-brie, just so he could try to memorize the setting of it and nobody got angry with him when he had started to yell when he realised that it wouldn't take a few hours to learn how to walk unaided, even in a small room.
Alustriel came to him herself sometime during the lunch hour. She had arrived just after he had woken up again after exhausting himself with his walk, and the yelling fit that had come afterwards.
"I hear you have talked to your friends. I hope that there is something that I can find to bring back your sight...just know that this could be temporary even if I do not." She stated, before closing the door and entering fully into the room, taking a seat by the bed.
Sighing Drizzt nodded. "I do know that this might only be temporary...it is a little hard to get around at the moment though, regardless." This last was said with a smile, as he knew the Lady would have heard his screaming from the other side of Silverymoon.
Alustriel smiled back. "Come. Your friends have a small surprise for you." She stated, getting up and laying a hand gently on the drow's shoulder. He got up then, dressed in his usual tunic and pants, the heavy winter cloak left in his trunk back in his room in Mithral Hall.
Walking with small steps - the bracers which he used as anklets left discarded in his rooms as they made walking difficult as his feet seemed to carry him too fast with them on - the two slowly made their way to one of the large sitting rooms of the Palace where every one had been relaxing.
"Drizzt, there ye are." Came the voice of Catti-Brie off to one side, steering him in that direction through all the noise of the room. He realised to his pleasure that he had made it all the way to the human woman by himself just off her voice calling to him.
"We've been makin' ye a present or two." Came the gruff voice of Bruenor close to his left.
"Hopefully, you will like them..." That was Regis, Drizzt noted, turning his blank gaze down to where his small friend was standing. The halfling's voice was surprisingly nervous. He had only sounded like this once before, when Regis had given him the unicorn necklace he wore always around his neck, showing his god proudly to all to be Mielikki.
Drizzt grinned. "Well, what are they then?" He asked, hearing a giggle coming from the young girl, Colson. The patter of her running feet coming towards him made him smile. That child had such energy!
"Hold out your hand Uncle Drizzt." She demanded, calling him uncle like she always did, he wasn't really, though he was the closest thing she had to one.
Doing as the child bid, a small figurine was dropped into his hands. His smile faltered a bit, forming into a curious look. Slowly, he felt the small, almost perfect statuette of a small wolf. He smiled wider this time. "Regis, thank you. It is brilliant."
"It's based on Colt." Wulfgar replied. Drizzt nodded, remembering the wolf who had helped him around the small cabin of Lyavain's in the Moonwood.
"There be one more." Catti-brie said, walking towards him again. He once again held out a hand, surprised when a small leather case was dropped into his hand, obviously full with something that was surprisingly heavier than one might think for such a small pouch.
"Ye've got to be openin' it, ye durned elf!" Bruenor grumbled, impatience in his voice. He obviously wanted to see Drizzt's reaction to this gift.
Opening the pouch, he reached in and took out what felt like a lot of small, rectangle shaped bits of scrimshaw, each piece thin, yet very strong. The confused look came back to his face as he tried to think of what they could possibly be.
"What is it?" He asked, in a tone that stated he truly would like to know.
"It's a pack of cards...we thought of something that we could all enjoy. I am quite...the expert to what they look like and made a deck we can all play with." Regis said, his voice high in his nervousness.
"Oh..." was all the answer the halfling got. "How..."
"Kneel down." The small halfling said and Drizzt did so. Slowly, the cards were taken out of his hands, and a lone one was pushed into his palm again. His other hand was moved gently to the card, Regis being slow and precise as he moved the drow's sensitive fingers over one side of the card.
Drizzt blinked. He could feel a number that had been raised, cut into the bone around it, so the number was perfectly formed and the rest of the card, with the exception of its suit was smooth.
"This must have taken you ages to make," Drizzt breathed, amazed that his friends could think of something like this for him. At least he wouldn't get bored.
"All this week and on the way here...though only when we were camping." Regis stated, pride for his work evident in his voice.
"Now all I have to do is learn to play." Drizzt stated, hearing a chorus of the same sentence said by most of his friends.
Regis laughed. "I can teach you all. I did grow up in Calimport after all."
Deciding that now was better than never, he started stating the rules to the group of interested people. Colson deciding to learn to play herself. Drizzt had the funny feeling that cards wasn't the only thing the halfling would be teaching the young human girl, as she was already picking her way through inferior locks with ease and only four years old she was! It was also plain to see that Delly wasn't too thrilled with the thought of raising a thief.
After they all got acquainted with the four suits, they started a quick game, two partnering together to make it easier for them to all learn the rules.
Drizzt let his fingers see for him what was on the cards, knowing it would be pointless to ask what the cards were. He was playing with Regis, as it seemed more fair to everyone, just in case he went to throw down a card he thought was something else.
Everything went fine. The game was rather addicting and soon the five companions joined by Colson, were ready to play without partners, understanding the basic rules.
Unfortunately, without someone looking over his shoulder and guiding his hand to the right cards, Drizzt found that he was having a hard time playing.
Trying to think and sort out the number his fingers were currently on he closed his eyes, knowing to be looking for a certain number six card he was sure he had a minute ago. Not finding it now he was getting angry.
In all the seven cards he had, he was now certain he didn't have a six at all. He lost all patience, threw his hand down and wandered away from the group of confused friends he had left behind.
"What's wrong with Uncle Drizzt?" He heard Colson ask the group.
"He gets frustrated easily Colson. Things are a bit harder for him now than they used to be without being able to see." Wulfgar explained to his daughter.
"Oh. Regis made me try to pick a lock once with a blindfold on. It was the same lock I knew I could pick easily, as I always had, but I couldn't do it with my eyes covered...is it like that Daddy?"
Drizzt let out a bark of angry laughter. "Colson, do you want to know what this is like? If you promise not to take the blindfold off you can learn for yourself." He stated, taking a step closer to the group.
"Ok!" The young girl said excitedly, always willing to learn new things.
"What do you have planned?" Delly asked, coming back into the room, a serving plate full of drinks on it. The tinkling glasses made Drizzt smile and think of the old saying 'You can take the girl out of the bar, but the bar stays with the girl'. The woman, Wulfgar's wife, had once been a barmaid and had occasionally sold herself to interested males.
"A day. Blindfold on continuously. See if she likes it." Now he thought about it, he was more frustrated than angry about his lack of sight. "I propose you all do it. Have a day each in my situation, then you can tell me how I should feel."
"Are ye angry with us?" Asked Catti-brie quietly.
Drizzt sighed, slowly made his way back to the group and sat down when he found his chair around the table they were sitting at. "No. I'm not angry, I just...need to learn to count with my fingers. I got a little frustrated, that's all."
"That's ok. It can get frustrating anyway...especially if you are on a losing streak." Regis stated, before grabbing one of the drinks and handing it to Drizzt. The halfling then handed a glass to each of the other members of the card-playing group. Only a fruit juice, it was ok for Colson to have.
Soon they were all once again immersed in their card game, Drizzt easily frustrated but determined not to give up. In fact, after even winning a game, he was in a better mood. Whether or not his friends had let him win or not he didn't know. All he knew was afterwards he felt more relaxed.
They were then beginning their fifth game when an urgent knock was heard on the door. A runner came in then, heavily breathing from the run he had just had, before he stated what was wrong.
"Attack from the West Gate! We need all the people we have to ward off the enemy!" With that, the male then slipped off to go tell the next group of people he could find.
Drizzt froze. He knew he could still fight in complete darkness, but what enemy exactly were they fighting? How many were they up against to need every available fighter? Could he actually get outside to join the fight anyhow?
A hundred other questions jumped into his head, so when the hand of Bruenor was put on his shoulder and began to get him up and drag him back to his rooms and his scimitars, he knew the answer to at least one.
If Silverymoon needed his blades, then the fair city was going to have them. He needed a good fight anyway, feeling the restlessness that always comes over him when he is in one place too long without one.
He may be a ranger, and he may be of good heart, but a warrior's blood was in his veins and bred in him. There was no way he was going to miss this fight.
For the first time since his blindness had claimed him, he felt truly excited, an eager grin coming to his face as he raced with his friends to grab his weapons.
It was moments like these he truly lived for.
A/N - ok, a small chapter this is.but you can all live with that right? Also it seems to be of a different text size.sorry again. Ah well, look, it is updated though, yay! As you can see, yes, Bladedancer, there is going to be a bad guy other than his blindness. Whether or not his vision returns yet I haven't figured that part out yet. It depends on what my pen writes (or my fingers type.) Yay for a fight scene next chapter. Who are the enemies? What are the enemies?
Hmm, tune in for the next chapter for the answers. As to last chapter thanks go to The Bladedancer (4 times *hugs*), maffeoel, Radiant Sea Serpent, She-cat, Icingdeath, ChichiX, Carlin Robertson, Ivar, LunaLillium and Lady Cinnibar.
10 reviewers! With a total of 14 reviews! That is unheard of for this story! Thank you all for liking it so much, and hope you enjoy this part too! *hugs and cookies to all*