Chapter 3: Every Road's Beginning
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to RA Salvatore except for the plot and any new characters I might introduce which you should be able to spot. Umm... that's enough of that.
A/N: Well, here's another chapter. It's a little more low-key then the others but it's necessary. By the way, I really suck at doing Catti-brie's accent but I'll do my best. Anyway, please review!
He says he looks in the mirror
And he can't tell anymore
Who he really is and who they believe him to be
He says he walks a thin line
Between what is and what could be
And he's getting closer to something he can't stand
'Magical Sandcastle' by Lifehouse
_________________________
Drizzt slowly opened his eyes feeling both despair and relief as the details of the nightmare faded. Now that he had regained the memory of what had happened that fateful day however he also recollected what had happened afterwards. But there was no time for that, he needed to return to the world now, he needed to discover what events had taken place during his absence but first he needed to learn of how those years of savagery had effected him physically
The air of the forest was moist and Drizzt didn't need to go far before he came across a small pond. Bending tentatively over the edge Drizzt looked into the placid waters of the pond and caught sight of his reflection. He stared, the years of hard living had not been kind to him. His startling purple eyes were all the more so now that they seemed to take up most of his gaunt face. His cheekbones stood out prominently and his cheeks were hollow. A scar that he didn't remember receiving streaked across his cheek but it was almost hidden under the dirt.
Ripping a piece of his already tattered sleeve of Drizzt proceeded to scrub his face as best as he could. Then there was the problem of his hair. It had much longer, reaching past his shoulders and half way down his back but it was so tangled with leaves and dirt that it was almost impossible to tell it had once been as white as new fallen snow. Even if Drizzt had had some sort of brush he would never been able to take out all of the tangles. With a sigh Drizzt pulled a small dagger out of his boot and methodically began to cut the hair away and as he did his mind wandered...
*Snip, snip*
Just as the battle with Errtu ended Regis returned with at least a score of barbarians.
*Snip, snip*
But by then it had been too late. At the sight of the fallen Wulfgar, Regis let out a small sob and started running to him half racing half slipping across the icy floor.
*Snip, snip*
A few feet away Drizzt stood feeling like he had passed through exhaustion and come out on the other side. He waved his hand a bit vaguely towards the entrance of the cavern to indicate to the barbarians that they should leave. Taking the hint they had left the cave as respectfully as the could and left the body of their fallen leader to his friends.
*Snip, snip*
In the present tears at the memory flooded Drizzt eyes but he blinked them away. It was the past now but the rest of the scene continued to replay itself.
*Snip, snip*
Catti-brie, her face streaked with soot and tears had looked at him despair clearly etched in her face, "He's really gone this time. I don't...I can't believe it. Even with the...the yochlol I could at least pretend that he was alive, that he had survived. But now he's really dead. Oh, Drizzt!" she had collapsed in his arms, sobbing even harder. It lasted a few minutes then she looked up from his arms and over to the severed head of Errtu lying in a pool of demon blood. "Ye killed it," she stated, regaining a little of her composure.
*Snip, snip*
"Yes, and if could I would do it again, slowly" he had said grimly.
Catti-brie had pulled herself out of his arms stared at him with wide, frightened eyes, "Don't be talkin' like that, Drizzt. It isn't like ye."
*Snip, snip*
Drizzt winced slightly at the memory. Never had he felt more like his drow-kin then in that moment. No, when evil was fought you killed it in one quick stroke. Only evil itself killed slowly, for revenge or enjoyment, it didn't matter. And in that moment Catti-brie's eyes had reflected him as the very thing he struggled his entire life to keep from becoming.
*Snip, snip*
He had gathered her up in his arms again whispering, "I'm sorry," over and over again. She had returned the embrace and there they had stood holding each other as if each were a lifeline, staring at the body of their fallen friend.
Shaking his head to dismiss the haunting reverie, Drizzt put the makeshift scissors back in his boot and stared back into the pond. Why didn't any of the Hunter's features show in his face, he wondered. Shaking his head more violently he turned his attention back to his handiwork.
Only about an inch of his once long hair remained. The unfamiliar feeling of the breeze against the back of his neck felt good. Gathering up his tattered cloak and taking a quick sip of water to quench his thirst Drizzt continued on his journey back to civilization wondering vaguely if the return of his memories would mend or shatter his spirit.
A/N: I'm not very proud of this chapter, it's really just for transition. Oh yeah, I know that the sound of a dagger cutting hair is not 'snip' I was just trying to portray the fact that he was cutting his legendary locks. And as always, please review.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to RA Salvatore except for the plot and any new characters I might introduce which you should be able to spot. Umm... that's enough of that.
A/N: Well, here's another chapter. It's a little more low-key then the others but it's necessary. By the way, I really suck at doing Catti-brie's accent but I'll do my best. Anyway, please review!
He says he looks in the mirror
And he can't tell anymore
Who he really is and who they believe him to be
He says he walks a thin line
Between what is and what could be
And he's getting closer to something he can't stand
'Magical Sandcastle' by Lifehouse
_________________________
Drizzt slowly opened his eyes feeling both despair and relief as the details of the nightmare faded. Now that he had regained the memory of what had happened that fateful day however he also recollected what had happened afterwards. But there was no time for that, he needed to return to the world now, he needed to discover what events had taken place during his absence but first he needed to learn of how those years of savagery had effected him physically
The air of the forest was moist and Drizzt didn't need to go far before he came across a small pond. Bending tentatively over the edge Drizzt looked into the placid waters of the pond and caught sight of his reflection. He stared, the years of hard living had not been kind to him. His startling purple eyes were all the more so now that they seemed to take up most of his gaunt face. His cheekbones stood out prominently and his cheeks were hollow. A scar that he didn't remember receiving streaked across his cheek but it was almost hidden under the dirt.
Ripping a piece of his already tattered sleeve of Drizzt proceeded to scrub his face as best as he could. Then there was the problem of his hair. It had much longer, reaching past his shoulders and half way down his back but it was so tangled with leaves and dirt that it was almost impossible to tell it had once been as white as new fallen snow. Even if Drizzt had had some sort of brush he would never been able to take out all of the tangles. With a sigh Drizzt pulled a small dagger out of his boot and methodically began to cut the hair away and as he did his mind wandered...
*Snip, snip*
Just as the battle with Errtu ended Regis returned with at least a score of barbarians.
*Snip, snip*
But by then it had been too late. At the sight of the fallen Wulfgar, Regis let out a small sob and started running to him half racing half slipping across the icy floor.
*Snip, snip*
A few feet away Drizzt stood feeling like he had passed through exhaustion and come out on the other side. He waved his hand a bit vaguely towards the entrance of the cavern to indicate to the barbarians that they should leave. Taking the hint they had left the cave as respectfully as the could and left the body of their fallen leader to his friends.
*Snip, snip*
In the present tears at the memory flooded Drizzt eyes but he blinked them away. It was the past now but the rest of the scene continued to replay itself.
*Snip, snip*
Catti-brie, her face streaked with soot and tears had looked at him despair clearly etched in her face, "He's really gone this time. I don't...I can't believe it. Even with the...the yochlol I could at least pretend that he was alive, that he had survived. But now he's really dead. Oh, Drizzt!" she had collapsed in his arms, sobbing even harder. It lasted a few minutes then she looked up from his arms and over to the severed head of Errtu lying in a pool of demon blood. "Ye killed it," she stated, regaining a little of her composure.
*Snip, snip*
"Yes, and if could I would do it again, slowly" he had said grimly.
Catti-brie had pulled herself out of his arms stared at him with wide, frightened eyes, "Don't be talkin' like that, Drizzt. It isn't like ye."
*Snip, snip*
Drizzt winced slightly at the memory. Never had he felt more like his drow-kin then in that moment. No, when evil was fought you killed it in one quick stroke. Only evil itself killed slowly, for revenge or enjoyment, it didn't matter. And in that moment Catti-brie's eyes had reflected him as the very thing he struggled his entire life to keep from becoming.
*Snip, snip*
He had gathered her up in his arms again whispering, "I'm sorry," over and over again. She had returned the embrace and there they had stood holding each other as if each were a lifeline, staring at the body of their fallen friend.
Shaking his head to dismiss the haunting reverie, Drizzt put the makeshift scissors back in his boot and stared back into the pond. Why didn't any of the Hunter's features show in his face, he wondered. Shaking his head more violently he turned his attention back to his handiwork.
Only about an inch of his once long hair remained. The unfamiliar feeling of the breeze against the back of his neck felt good. Gathering up his tattered cloak and taking a quick sip of water to quench his thirst Drizzt continued on his journey back to civilization wondering vaguely if the return of his memories would mend or shatter his spirit.
A/N: I'm not very proud of this chapter, it's really just for transition. Oh yeah, I know that the sound of a dagger cutting hair is not 'snip' I was just trying to portray the fact that he was cutting his legendary locks. And as always, please review.
