Chapter 6

"Don't ask me that! You cannot ask me that!"

Evka's face was grave. "I'm askin' ya." She raised the holy symbol and whispered under her breath again. White light flared from her hands.

Drizzt held his breath. Please. It was the only prayer he could formulate.

The cleric looked up after a moment, then placed her hand on Cattie-brie's belly.

Cattie-brie looked so still already, but her chest rose and fell shallowly.

Please. Please. Drizzt waited the longest wait of his life. It was longer than when he'd been tortured. It was longer than when Cattie-brie answered that yes, she would have him and no other. It was shorter than fifty beats of his rapidly pounding heart. It was forever.

Evka removed her hand from his wife's belly and shook her head. "I've bought some time, Do'Urden. Nothing more. I'm so sorry, but with this much bleedin'—well, ye'll hafta choose. Choose now."

He shook his head in mute denial. "I cannot choose that. Don't make me choose that."

"You must."

Drizzt sank down onto the edge of the bed, wrapping his arm around his sweet Cattie-brie again. His ears rang. His vision blurred until it was like looking down a long tunnel. He couldn't feel the bed beneath him. He couldn't feel his hands.

He remembered when they had first learned of the child. The wonder, the sheer wonder and joy of it all. He hadn't been able to stop smiling for days. He would put his hands on Cattie-brie's belly, would talk to their baby when they lay in bed. "I'll teach you everything, little one." He'd imagined holding the babe in his arms, holding a toddler by the hand. Swinging a sweet little one around in circles, both of them laughing with glee. Hearing that little one say Father, or maybe even Kel'nar.

Drizzt gazed at Cattie-brie's pale face in mute denial. Her skin looked like a porcelain doll's beneath her fiery hair. Oh, Cat. How often had he thanked Mielikki for his soulmate, his best friend? Not often enough. To raise a child without her would be joyless at best, impossible at worst. He was Protector of Ten Towns, but he couldn't even protect those who mattered most in this moment. How would he provide for a little one? He could be hired to patrol, was sometimes paid to patrol when he had the time, to keep the goblins and yeti at bay, the wolves and the bandits and orcs. To provide well for a little one, perhaps he'd need to patrol every day. The child would have to be raised by another, cared for by another until he stumbled home to their little cabin each day, no warm meal there to greet him, no warm smile or teasing jest. And even if there somehow was, it wouldn't be the same if it wasn't from his Cattie-brie. His heart hurt inside his chest. "Mielikki, I can't do this. How can I make this choice? Oh, Mielikki."

In that moment, the image of another goddess rose up in his thoughts, this one dark and enticing, her smile both seductive and cruel. "If Mielikki won't help you, I can, Drizzt Do'Urden. Just pledge yourself to me. Pledge your scimitars to me, as you should have so long ago. It is only right. You cannot deny your heritage. Leave these weak ones behind, and I'll give them their lives. Come and serve me, and I'll make sure your true destiny is both long and glorious. We'll rule together in Menzoberranzan, or we'll start a new drow city if you so desire. I'll see to it your weakling loves are safe. Your new destiny will give you both fame and fear. Other drow will come cringing before you. Matron mothers too, will want to appease you. Priestesses will offer themselves to you because of your prowess with your blades, beyond that of the rest of your kin." The female drow apparition reached out a hand. "Just take my offer. Just whisper my name. Just say 'Lolth'."

Drizzt's left hand trembled at his side. His right hand was holding something sharp.

"Let go of that insignificant thing. What has she ever done for you? Just say, 'Lolth'."

Drizzt gripped the sharp thing until his hand bled, staring at the ground in the Underdark cave where he stood in his mind. Then he looked up at the spider queen.

She smiled, looking down her nose at him. "I knew you'd make the right choice. Come home, my wayward one."

Drizzt drew in a deep breath, and he looked at her squarely. She was waiting for him to speak. Just one word, and he'd save the lives of both his precious Cattie-brie and his child. One word. That's all it would take. Somewhere in his subconscious, he heard Evka's voice, urgent but distant. Just one word. He had to say a word. He opened his mouth and let it out.

"Mielikki!"

Evka Deepsilver had heard a battle cry before, but she'd never heard one in a delivery room.

Drizzt Do'Urden had been frozen, as if in some kind of trance, but he opened his eyes and looked at her after roaring that name.

Evka just stared at him for a moment.

He stood up and staggered, and she sprang up, took his arm, and guided him back to the chair. "Have ye chosen?"

"I have."

"Tell me."

"I choose Mielikki." He dropped his unicorn pendant, and the white bone carving was stained with blood.

She grabbed his shoulder firmly and pushed her face close. "Cattie-brie or the baby, Drizzt. Tell me now."

Drizzt looked past her as if seeing something beyond her shoulder.

Evka turned, but there was nothing there. "Ye hafta decide, or I will!" Her voice broke. The dwarf who'd trained her had told her what the most acceptable choice was, but her hands shook on the wickedly sharp knife. No choice was acceptable.

Drizzt nodded once, still looking beyond her, then moved to the dresser as if in a trance. He pulled open the bottom drawer and removed a wooden box. He pried off the lid with his knife, and three bottles of greenish-blue healing potion gleamed in the lamp light, purplish tinged at the edges. He took one out of the nest of rags it was lying on and thrust it into Evka's hand. "Mielikki reminded me about these. Give this to Cattie-brie."

The cleric took a step back from him, trembling. "The babe may still die. She'll live, but the babe will probably die."

"No!" Drizzt took the bottle back. "Mielikki's face looked peaceful."

"You saw her?"

"I did." He didn't mention who else he'd seen. Drizzt shuddered, then took a breath, remembering Mielikki's beatific smile.

"Ye'r upset, Drizzt. Ye could be dreamin' this up."

Drizzt froze for a moment. Could he be? Then he shook his head. "I'm not. I know it."

"Drizzt." Cattie-brie's eyes fluttered open.

Her voice was so weak that he'd barely heard it. Drizzt rushed to her side. "Oh, Cattie, thank Mielikki." He uncorked the potion with his teeth. "You have to drink this. You have to drink it now."

Cattie-brie smiled at him weakly. "I'll drink whatever you give me, my love."

He put the bottle to her lips and tipped it.

Cattie-brie coughed, then swallowed.

Drizzt put his arm around her and tipped the bottle again. "You're doing so well, che. So well." His voice caught. "Just a little more." His face was wet.

She drank the rest, each swallow putting more color in her cheeks. Then the bottle was empty. Cattie-brie lay back against his arm, trembling. Then she reached out one shaking hand and wiped at his tears. "You're crying, Drizzt. What's wrong?"

He let out a deep sigh and kissed her cold hand, then her cheek. "I thought I'd lost you, my precious Cattie-brie."

Evka stood staring, then put her hand on Cattie-brie's belly again. "Push, Battlehammer. Push for all ye'r worth."

A/N: In progress. All reviews appreciated.

Kel'nar = Dad