a/n Song is 'May It Be' by Enya

Chapter Twenty-Three – Revenge

Catti-brie hugged her knees to her chest, looking over the waters of the hot springs, her thoughts kept quietly to herself. Her long hair, wet and shimmering from the bath that she had taken no more than an hour ago, hung loose down her back, drying in thick waves that fell past her waist. The lashes on her back and the bruises covering her body were healing slowly, as were the few broken ribs. Serenity had told her the night before that, on the inside, her body was healing nicely, and she would only need to apply the ointment a few days more.

They had been staying in this area for the last week, allowing for her to recover for a while before leaving for Silverymoon. The week had been, well, somewhat difficult, especially with the memories whirling through her head. She spent most of her time speaking with Serenity about how everyone had been doing that summer, wondering how Delly and Wulfgar's two children were coming along. She had been surprised when she had found out that they were expecting another one, but nonetheless happy for them.

Catti-brie had watched with a small smile as Gabriel had spent time playing and interacting with an incredibly alert and active Adrian as the week wore on. He would hold the small child's hands above his head as he was walked slowly across the clearing where the group held their camp. The little boy would squeal and giggle happily whenever his father would throw him up into the air, his bright green eyes filled with happiness, tiny bare feet kicking in the air, arms spread wide while the wind blew his already messy white hair askew. Serenity would scold them gently, telling her husband not to get him too excited before his wings had grown in.

Gabriel said that it would do nothing wrong – only make him learn how to fly around before the other children his age, and make him think less of the pain when his wings actually began to grow in. She had tried to scold them further, telling him that it wasn't a good idea and that she was worried for her baby, but their near-identical puppy dog eyes had stopped her in her tracks and caused her to smile.

"Fine, as long as no harm is caused to him."

Catti-brie had remembered sadly, the fate of the child that she had tried to have with her husband weeks before. In her heart, she had wanted to have that baby so terribly; it was like a deep ache that wouldn't go away. She couldn't help but think about what would have happened if the beating she had received hadn't been meant to kill it – what would've happened if the baby had survived. She knew that if nothing had happened to it that, in but a few months from this moment, she and Drizzt would likely be eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child.

And maybe, she thought, hugging her knees tighter to her chest, just maybe, he wouldn't be avoiding her and staying on his constant patrols out in the woods. Maybe he blamed himself and couldn't stand to see the harsh pain that continually lingered in her eyes when she came back from her nightly outings into the woods with Serenity, to apply ointment for wounds she was afraid of him finding out about.

During the days, Drizzt was always away from camp, leaving early in the mornings and coming back late into the night. She knew, at the least, however, that he would bath before coming back to camp, as if he was always working up a heavy layer of sweat, or, something along those lines. That was why she had come here tonight, besides bathing herself. She wanted to talk to him – wanted to hear his reasons as to why he was always distancing himself from her and others, even his father.

She remember oh so vividly the look in his eyes as he had burned Kelnozz alive, listening to his shrieks and screams of pain. She remembered looking at the bare white bones of the mercenary's hands as he had watched them burning away. He had seemed so distant, so cold in that moment that even Zaknafein's eyes had been filled with horror.

Just thinking about the tone of his voice as he had spoken during those few moments sent violent shivers down her spine. It frightened her still to think that he had ever been capable of doing such a thing, especially if it seemed to go so out of control when his carefully hidden emotions went haywire behind his stoic, expressionless face.

Tears filled her blue, blue eyes as she watched the woods surrounding the tranquil hot springs, her thoughts in a whirl. She would never have thought that something so sinister and cruel would be lingering behind someone so kind and unselfish. And the main worry flitting through her head had been, why had he been so distant towards her? Was she dirty, or something, just because she had been raped and tortured by that mercenary and his enemy? Was it because she had lost the baby? What was it?

But, the night that he had rescued her, she had awoken late at night with his hands lingering upon her shoulders as he slept an uneasy sleep, eyes moving behind closed lids and muttering softly in his sleep.

As Catti-brie sat, thinking quietly to herself, a rustling sound came from the trees on the other side of the clearing, causing her to jump slightly at the interruption. She watched without a sound as Drizzt jumped lightly from the trees, landing in a crouch without a sound. He brushed chin-length locks of hair behind his pointed ears, mithril rings glittering in the moonlight along their pointed edges. The young woman's brow furrowed as she watched him walking towards the springs, not noticing her through the steam.

The belt with his scimitars, belt pouches, and long knives was thrown over his shoulder, the decorations covering the sheaths sparkling in the faint light. She watched as he set them down next to the water on a large boulder. Sighing, he pulled his shirt and tunic over his head, throwing it in the general direction of the rock as he sat down and untied the laces of his boots, placing them near the water's edge. He removed the leather thong that held his hair in the long braid that ran down his naked back, the end curling just below the smooth curve of his buttocks (hormone attack people, sorry >.> ).

As he shook out his thick locks of white hair, she noticed the thin sheen of sweat the covered his torso, causing the thick strands and locks to plaster themselves against his ebon skin. The marking that she had seen for the first time in the early spring were still visible and, if possible, had lightened, causing them to stand out more starkly to her eyes, as they followed the ones on his torso to where they disappeared into his leggings.

She noticed to, the sheaths on his lower arms that contained the stilettos that Serenity had told her about. She watched as he removed on of them from its sheath, after having carefully removed the actual sheaths from his arms. He placed it blade down in the grass besides the water, before sticking his feet over the water and removing his leggings. She watched with a faint blush on her cheeks, but did not look away. She knew from a bit more than just experienced that one of the things he was so private and normally embarrassed about was larger than one would expect for someone of his height and build.

Her gaze followed down his legs and she gasped softly in surprise as she noticed dozens and dozens of cuts that covered the insides of his calves and thighs. Most of them were scarred over, and others from his captivity with the drow, but the others were new. As she looked she noticed others along his arms and wrists, and she knew that most, if not all, of the smaller ones could only have happened to him after his captivity.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched him slide into the water, wincing, eyes closed, as the fresh cuts on his legs and arms were fully submerged into the hot liquid. After opening his eyes, he looked across the waters to found himself staring into her teary blue eyes. His own lavender orbs widened in surprised and he backed up a step, bumping into the stone edge of the molten hot pools.

"Cat…" he hesitated over the words, closing his eyes and sighing. "I thought that you were back in the campsite."

She gave a slight smile, looking down at her toes. "Nay, I'm here." She looked up and met his eyes. "I wanted to talk to you, and you're always out in the woods, so I came here, thinking that perhaps you bathed at night, and that I would get the chance to speak with you."

Drizzt nodded, smiling slightly. "You think that I'm avoiding you, don't you? That I wish not to speak with you?"

Catti-brie's eyes widened slightly as she looked into his guilt-filled orbs. "How? When did you figure this out?"

His smiled widened slightly as he dipped his head under the water for an instant, soaping his hands with the liquid provided by Alustriel and running through his wet hair. "Only just now, Cat, only just now."

A faint blush crept up her neck and into her pale cheeks. Of course, he had probably been guessing, to get a reaction out of her, which happened to be a habit of his when they were in private. After rinsing the suds from his hair, he looked over to see her studying her toes with look of concentration, as if she was avoiding looking at him for some reason or another.

In truth, he had been running into the forest early in the morning and late into the night in part to avoid her. He couldn't stand seeing the pain and distance in her eyes and expression whenever he looked at her. Sometimes, though, he would come back through the trees to watch over her and wonder if her mind had gotten off the subject of what had happened to her in those dungeons. He knew though from experience that it took quite a lot to take any of those subjects of ones mind – to wipe the memories away.

He had also been gone to learn how to control the newly awakened prowess that had manifested itself within his body. He would meander into a clearing that was hidden deep within the woods, where there would be a unicorn waiting patiently. A female unicorn, he knew, because of the lack of beard on the smooth white chin. It had surprised him the first time when that same unicorn had looked at him with intelligent green eyes and what seemed to be a smile upon its lips. He had watched in amazement as the unicorn had transformed itself into the Goddess Mielikke.

During the day, she would help him, reaching into his mind and drawing the flames and vines to his hands, helping him to control them properly. She would also show him how to use his abilities to block magical attacks or assaults by other chosen of the gods or goddesses. He spent hours ducking, dodging, and drawing up shields to protect himself from her attacks, in order to learn how to use these many different powers.

"It doesn't really surprise me that you have come to this conclusion, Cat." His voice hesitated over the words as he spoke quietly, moving through the water to stand near her, looking into her sad blue eyes. He sighed, bowing his head in what seemed to be defeat. "You can say that it was only a small part of the reason as to why I was gone."

Shakily, she reached out to touch the side of his face, causing him to look up at the feather light touch on his wet skin. Her voice held the faint edge of tears as she spoke. "Why are you leaving all the time? Why did you try and avoid me? I needed you there."

His eyes widened slightly. Without saying another word, he hung his head, a guilty light shining through his lavender eyes. She watched as he turned and set his back against the edge of the water pools. He ran his hands over his face, his voice muffled as he spoke, remorse lacing thickly through his soft voice. "Oh, goddess, if I had had any idea, I…I would've been there…I…I'm so sorry Cat…"

Tears pouring down her cheeks, she reached out and touched his shoulder, looking into his eyes. Without a word, he pulled himself out of the water, carefully wrapping a spare bit of clothe around his lower extremities. Sitting besides the hunched, lonely form of his wife and lover, he wrapped his arms around her, gently pushing her head to rest on his shoulder. Soundlessly and slowly, she began sobbing, clinging to him, and taking comfort in his warm embrace. She felt him bury his face in the hair near her neck, and it wasn't until she felt him shaking as well that she noticed that he too was crying silently against her.

They stayed like that for a while, clinging to each other and crying, loosing their emotions as they clung to the comfort that the other offered. After what seemed like hours, they both calmed, but remained in the warm circle of the others' arms, neither wishing to be released from the warm comfort that the other offered, even in their minds' turmoil.

"I'm sorry that you felt like I was abandoning you all this time, Cat." He whispered softly, laying his cheek on top of her head and stroking her back gently. "I never meant to do something like that to you, never." He sighed, lightly kissing the top of her head. "I… I needed some time to myself, to think over what happened, and…" he pulled away slightly so that his hand was clearly visible in front of her azure eyes. "…and I needed to learn how to control this."

Violet flames ignited around his hand, flickering soft light around the clearing. Catti-brie's eyes widened as he did so and she turned away slightly, unconscious of her reaction. After a few moments, she turned to look at the pale flames dancing and licking around his ebon skinned hand. She looked into his face to see pain reflected in his lavender eyes – pain and sorrow. It was as if it pained him to even have these newfound abilities and gifts. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and laid her hand carefully in his arm, a cautious distance away from the moving flames. Seeing her hand, Drizzt looked down into her eyes, his own curious as to what she was doing.

"It's alright," she whispered, moving her hand towards his, her fingers touching the warm inferno around his fingers. By looking in his eyes she watched as he turned the harming tongues into harmless licks. Her fingers wrapped gently around his and she looked towards where their fingers entwined. Tears ran down her cheeks in a steady stream. "I forgive you, just please, don't leave me alone like that again. I needed you there, with me."

He nodded, closing his eyes. The flames around his hand died out and he wrapped his arm tightly around her slender body, holding her close. "I will, and if I have to go to the goddess to learn more about these abilities, I will take you with me."

Resting her head in the warm crook of his neck, she nodded, feeling safe for the first time in a long time. She closed her eyes as he rested his chin atop her head, taking a deep breath that she could feel being pulled into his slender chest. She remained quiet as his soft voice - a soothing soprano - rang gently through the clearing, singing a song that she had never before heard.

"May it be
An evening star
Shines down
Upon you

"May it be
When darkness falls
Your heart
Will be true

"You walk a long road
Oh how far you are from home

"Mornië utúlië
Believe and you
Will find your way

"Mornië utúlië
A promise lives
Within you now."

Catti-brie moved her head slightly too look up into his face, to see the emotions in his eyes as he sang the beautiful, yet sad words in his wonderfully melodic voice. Tears poured from closed eyes, making the delicate white lashes shine withsparkling wetnessas he continued the soft ballad. The tone was sweet and soothing, lulling her towards sleep.

"May it be
The shadows call
Will fly away

"May it be
A journey on
To light the day

"When night is all gone
You may rise
To find the sun

"Mornië utúlië
Believe and you
Will find your way

"Mornië alantië
A promise lives
Within you now

"A promise lives
Within you now . . ."

He opened his eyes slowly, looking down at the sleeping figure in his arms. Her expression was one of peace – one he hadn't seen in her sleep since before she was kidnapped. He smiled slightly as he bent forward at the neck, his soft breath a warm cloud against the side of her face as he whispered in her ear for only her to hear.

"I love you, Lady Love, and I will always protect you."

He lightly kissed her temple before gently stretching her out on the ground, moving her so that she was comfortable. He quickly replaced his clothing, keeping his eyes on her peacefully sleeping form the whole time he dressed. Buckling his belt around his waist he walked towards her and gently lifted her in his arms, careful not to disturb her slumber. He carried her easily the rest of the way to the camp, making hardly a sound as he made his way through the trees.

Gabriel watched as the figure made its way to the laid-out bedroll besides the fire, laying the sleeping Catti-brie gently upon it. When he tried to move away, her fingers digging tightly into the clothe of his shirt, a strangled sound forming in her throat. Her voice was soft, distressed, as she spoke in her sleep, calling out.

"No… don't… my… baby…" Tears poured down her face, even in slumber. Gabriel met the ranger's eyes from over the fire, answering the question within those depths as Drizzt lay down besides his wife, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Her dreams have been filled with visions of what happened to her. You can imagine what it is like." His eyes were carefully guarded, emotionless. He reached out a hand and gently stroked the side of Serenity's sleeping face. "There are nights were she will even call out for you, but you never seem to know that, as you always seem to be asleep before your head hits the ground."

Drizzt took a deep breath, burying his face in her hair and taking another. "Aye, I haven't been there, but from this point forward, I won't leave her, even if it kills me."

A/N
Well, here you go. sorry it took so long to get out. the keys on the keyboard are sticky and hard to press, since the idiot i call my brother spilled koolaid on the laptop. grr. i hate him. any way, hockey season should be over in a month, but after that my friend and i will be working on our manga, and then softball. my life's a mess, but i'm still working really hard. anyway, please review, i'll get the next chapter up as soon as i can. and i thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter! they were all appreciated!
--RangerDo'Urden