Part 10

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After another full day during which no one wanted to be anywhere near Artemis, Drizzt had enough. His companions were sitting on opposite sides of the fire, eating off separate parts of the roast, bathing in different parts of the stream… His face burned with embarrassment that he couldn't keep his word to someone about a truce. His word. They were humiliating him.

Then he thought of a plan. "Say…" Drizzt paused in the act of eating a chicken leg. "Didn't you say something about unfinished business in Silverymoon?"

"Aye," Bruenor said. He frowned, surprised. "Me Catti-brie wanted ter look into learnin' summa that magic stuff they have around there. Her mum were a mage, ye know, an' she decided she might wanna follow in her mum's footsteps."

"And I have to be getting home," Wulfgar said. "I left Delly and the baby alone with a friend's. They're up in Ten Towns right now."

"It sounds like the most efficient thing to do would be to split up," Drizzt suggested. He smiled at them.

"Split up?" Artemis asked. He gave Drizzt a look of mingled confusion and dislike.

Drizzt placed his hand over his heart. "I, of course, have vowed to guide Artemis here to a suitable dwelling, and have no intention of breaking my obligations. It seems we would all be best served if we broke off from the group at Silverymoon and went our separate ways."

The Companions grumbled, and glanced at each other, but they had no reason to say nay.

Artemis alone seemed to detect the slight twinkle of chicanery in Drizzt's eyes. He gave Drizzt a look halfway between amusement, and anger.

So they traveled to Silverymoon. Once in front of the city, the Companions bade each other goodbye. Catti-brie hugged Drizzt and Wulfgar, and made Drizzt promise to be home by the time she arrived. Bruenor warned Artemis not to be up to 'any of his old tricks' and try to kill Drizzt the moment their backs were turned. Regis went with Bruenor and Catti-brie into Silverymoon, and Wulfgar headed home alone.

Drizzt and Artemis began the long trek towards Mithral Hall.

The next place they stopped to camp, in a little woodland clearing, Artemis spoke what was on his mind.

"Why did you want to be alone?" Artemis demanded.

Drizzt snorted. "I didn't want to be alone. My companions are the ones who decided to be pains in the arse and gave me no other choice. If they had been more pleasant, I wouldn't have had to make excuses to split up."

Artemis narrowed his eyes at him. "They don't see this side of you or give you credit for it, do they?"

Drizzt shrugged. "They wanted me to be more human. I gave them what they wanted. They don't really understand where I come from, so it's best to pretend as though I am some sort of paladin."

"It makes them feel safe."

Drizzt nodded. "It makes them feel comfortable choosing me over other drow. Because I'm different."

"Aren't you?" Artemis asked, frowning dubiously.

The ranger shrugged. "I thought so, in the beginning, and I did start trying to distance myself from other drow, that's true." A slight frown passed over his face. "But when I look at Jarlaxle, and think back upon my father, I can't help making the uneasy connection that I could be as they are. I see myself in them." He smiled wryly. "You can imagine that I don't tell this to my friends."

"I didn't see this in you the last time we met," Artemis said.

"It wasn't there the last time we met." Drizzt shrugged. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and you made me think about more things. These past few days have been very instructional for me."

"Instructional."

"Yes." Drizzt paused, and looked startled at the look on his face. "You don't believe me, do you?" He tried to hide a slight smile. For some reason he couldn't fathom, the look of wariness on Artemis' face was… mildly endearing somehow.

"I don't have a history of meeting people who are actually capable of change," Artemis said. "So no."

Drizzt stuck out his hand. "I really am trying to. I mean it. I want us to become friends, instead of rivals. We've already come a long ways."

Artemis thought about leaving. He thought about turning back. He could change his mind, travel on his own, escape this awkward situation of ushering in friendship. He didn't have a friendship with Dondon that worked, he couldn't keep a relationship with Dwahvel if he couldn't be there, he was emotionally battered from Jarlaxle's ham-fisted attempts to be a true friend…How could he accept Drizzt's offer and try again? How could he possibly set himself up for another fall?

He almost said no. He almost turned back. But then he thought of how little it would do to slow his demise. Without someone around to keep him talking, keep him on his feet, keep his brain working, he would stagnate. Fall. It had almost happened by the time he had been captured by some bounty hunter and turned over to Luskan authorities. The man overpowered him because he couldn't bring himself to care.

He'd said to his face, "Kill me, wound me, beat me, it doesn't matter. I don't care any more, and you don't have the power to make me."

Artemis took Drizzt's hand. "Fine. But don't start calling me 'your heroic companion' at dinner parties."

He let go quickly enough and crossed his arms, just to show that no displays of unearned affection were forthcoming.

Drizzt gave him a warm look anyway.

He snorted.