ugh I'm having a hard time determining which tenses to use but I'm happy you guys like it nonetheless. As for the twins names, I was going to name them Zaknafein and Montolio but I think I remember reading another story about Drizzt having twins (can't remember the name of the story) with those names so I didn't want to use them and besides I kinda got tired of everyone naming Drizzt's first son Zaknafein (i know it's a good name to use but after seeing everyone else use it I just wanted to be a tad bit different) so I decided to go with Kalanfein and Keloraun. Girls are a bit easier to name imo hehe. And now I remember Auckney, been a while since i read Spine of the World (not one of my favorites) and I think i must've skip it while reading gauntlgrym. Thanks for that info though! ^^ You guys won't see Artemis Entreri just yet ;3
Chapter 2: Sold
Somehow, against all impossible odds. The little half-drow survived.
The rushing waters have come to a calm and the boy was gently pushed to shore. Kalanfein was too exhausted to see where he was but he knew he was on solid ground now. He decided once he had his rest he would follow the river upstream and back home.
However he didn't realize the dangers of hypothermia, despite the warmth of the sun, his clothes were drenched with the cold waters and weren't drying fast enough. The little boy was simply too tired to do anything and dozes off into sleep.
"Quiet down there!" the slave-master whips one of the unfortunate people inside the iron cage as they march towards the next city to be sold. The guards paid little heed to the filthy conditions they were in and continued to taunt the people within the cages. The slave-master was please with his newest catch, he had caught some exotic wood elves and orcs and were kept healthy since they would fetch high prices on the market. Human slaves however were expendable and were treated with trash and kept in unsanitary conditions although the females were being used as toys by the guards. His overseer would be please with the man and maybe he'll get the promotion he's been looking forward to for the last four months.
"Hey boss! I think there's something by the river." One of the guards called out and pointed to the left.
The slave-master squinted his eyes, all he could make out was a black little figure. "Go there and see what it is Nat."
He nodded and rode to the riverbank where the thing was and nearly gasped aloud after closer inspection. "Boss! It's a little drow!"
A drow? Here? That's impossible, why would a drow be up here? But if it is a drow, the slave-master could imagine the high prices people would bargain for on this one catch. "Bring it here!"
The guard picks up the boy and brings it to his master. The slave-master and guards scrutinize the boys with surprise but ambitious eyes.
"It's a half-drow!" one of them pointed to the ears which were slightly pointed.
"And his skin is a bit paler than usual drow."
The slave-master sighed just a tiny bit, he was hoping this would've been a full-bloodied drow. But a half-drow would sell just as high as well. "Clean him up and feed him. I want him to be as healthy as a horse when we get to the city."
The guards nodded and proceeded with tending to the boy as they march to the slave-market.
The river that Drizzt took came to a dead end within a small but peaceful valley. After spending nearly a whole day searching the river, the drow lets out a roar of frustration, his boy must've went to the right one instead.
He would not give up, he will find his son and bring him home to his family. Luckily there was an inn nearby and he used it to send word to Catti-brie and the village, that he would not come back home until he has his son back in his arms. Drizzt notice how tired he was and paid for the night at the inn, he needed his rest for tomorrow for when he searches the other river for his son. He prayed to Mielikki to watch over him until he gets there.
"...Ugnh..." Kal moaned and rubbed his eyes and stretches. He felt he was on a soft and luscious bed and pillow and snaps up. The little boy was confused, how did he get here?
"Awake are you?" he heard a rumbling voice coming from the other side of the room. Kalanfein saw a big pompous man cover with jewelry and a big red coat. "You had quite a ride down those rapids I see."
"Who are you? Where am I?" Kal asked.
"Well...let's just say I'm gonna give you a new home very soon." He gave the boy a savage smirk and cold terror soon filled the half-drow.
"I don't want a new home! I want to go back home to my family!"
"Well too late for you now, the auctions would be starting soon." He snaps his fingers and the guards yanks the boy from the bed while he frantically tried to find a way out of this terrible place.
"Momma..." Kel murmur, fear took hold of the boy.
Catti-brie scoops up the boy into her arms, "Kel?" she received Drizzt's letter not too long ago and she felt like she was going to break down. She dearly hoped that Drizzt would find her other child but to no avail. Catti-brie, Lyra, and Keloraun spent the whole day cuddling each other in the master's bedroom to bring each other comfort, that their father and brother would come home soon. The human woman just only realized how close Keloraun and Kalanfein had been, when the elder twin fell into the river, the younger could feel what the other was feeling. She recall her boy being covered with sweat and shivering from the cold as it was exactly what Kal was experiencing, being washed down the river. She desperately hope whatever Kel was feeling would shed some light as to how their brother was going and did not doubt his feelings one bit.
"He's scared...somebody took him and...I think they're gonna do something terrible to him..." he started to cry.
"Who take Kal!" Lyra cried out demanding from her brother and joined him with tears, she too wanted to know what happen to her big brother.
"I don't know! I don't know! But somebody has Kal and he's scared!"
Terror filled Catti-brie, who knows what this person was planning to do to her son and instantly went downstairs to send a message to Drizzt that their boy is in now a more dangerous situation.
"Lemme go! Lemme go!" Kal squirm within the guards' grasp.
One of them smacks the half-drow across the head, "Silence whelp." They drag the boy across the stone corridor and came upon two large wooden doors. The guards gave the boy one last evil grin and pushes the doors open. "Your fate will be decided here son. Best you be a good boy now."
It was a large chamber filled with roaring people of all kinds. He was drag into a cage to join the other prisoners that were about to be sold into slavery.
The pompous man he had met earlier walked onto the podium, "Thank you all for coming, for tonight we got some exotic catches for you all!" He snaps his fingers, "Bring out the first one!"
The guards open the cages and brings out a young man covered with bruises and scars and pulls him onto the stage, "This one is a gladiator! He will do fine for the upcoming tournaments in the next month!" he announced and people began to bid on the poor man.
Hours passed by, the most dreaded waiting in the half-drow's life. He sat in the corner of the cage and cried, how could he be so mean to his brother. Kal suppose this is punishment for being rude to him and vow to be nicer to him...if they ever do meet again. He wanted his mother's and father's gentle arms again and to hear his laughing siblings. How could he be so selfish.
A human woman and wood elf woman notices the crying boy and went to his side. "Hey there..." the human girl said.
Kal's eyes shot up to see the sympathy gazes of the wood elf and human women. He couldn't believe that random strangers would try and comfort him.
"How old are you?" the wood elf asked.
The half-drow tried to stop crying, "I'm-I'm six years old..."
"What a big man you are!" the human woman squeal and the elf murmur in agreement. She sat down criss-cross by him and took him into her arms while the elf follows suit. "How did you get here?"
"I fell into a river...than I woke up here..."
The elf and human look to each other, this boy has a family that is worried sick. They thought he was an orphan but that was not the case, they could see the mirth hidden within the boy and saw no scars of violence. This boy must have had a loving parents, a human and a drow. They chuckle, few drow have escape to the surface and found a peaceful life and possible this boy's parent did find that.
The wood elf notice however that the boy had purple eyes and recalls a story about a famous purple-eyed drow that lived on the surface, "My dear...who are you?"
Kal saw no other reason why he couldn't tell these women who he is, they were the only ones trying to soothe him and bring him comfort despite the situation. "...I'm Kalanfein Do'urden and my daddy is Drizzt Do'urden."
Their eyes widen so much Kal could've sworn they would fall out of their sockets. They weren't the only ones who were surprise, the others in the cage whirl their heads in shock.
It's the son of the legendary Drizzt Do'urden!
They couldn't believe it but now the others turn to inspect the boy and no doubt it is indeed the ranger's son. Even after a century since his exploit to the surface, the drow ranger was known to everyone and his tales would not be so easily forgotten.
"By the gods!" one man shouted. The others were now crowding the boy to just even get a glimpse of the son of the legend.
"My boy, you shouldn't be here at all," another wood elf said and murmurs of agreement followed. A few of them even let out a hearty chuckle. These poor people who were bidding and selling had no idea who they have got in their hands. The famous Drizzt Do'urden would be coming for him soon and they felt sorry for the unfortunate people that would soon be cut down for even laying a finger on his son for everybody knows Drizzt's prowess and not someone to trifle with.
"We can't let him be sold!" the human girl cradling the half-drow shouted.
"How though? We're all trapped."
"And we can't certainly wait for his father to come and rescue us all."
"What if we all pretend to be sick? People certainly don't want to buy unhealthy products and once they escorted us out we can start a riot or something."
It was a dangerous choice, even if they were escorted out, how could they fight back the guards? They had no weapons to defend themselves and only a handful were actual fighters; but it seems like there was no choice. Everyone started to cough and gag, one somehow even manage to throw up as the human woman cradling Kal covered his eyes. Soon everyone collapsed to the floor.
"Hey, hey, what's going on there!" the pompous man shouted.
One of the guards inspects the cell and nearly vomits himself from the stench. "Sir I think they caught something contagious!"
He lets out a groan of frustration, even the man who bought the gladiator demanded a refund. "Put them all back and find some healers!" he ordered.
The guards were a bit shaky for they didn't want to catch whatever got the slaves and escorted them to the dungeons. However half-way through their destination, the man who was refunded put his chains around the neck of one guard and chokes him. One wood elf kicked a guard in the groin and used the spear to cut the ropes.
"It was all a set up! Warn the-!" a javelin went through his neck, blood spluttering out.
The guards were foolish enough to let only ten of them escort thirty slaves and were easily defeated by the fighters. The ones who got their bindings cut loose began to do the same for the others and now were moving towards the back of the building hoping to find either an armory or a way out. Servant girls were screaming at the sight of the runaway slaves but were knocked unconscious by the people so they couldn't warn the entire slave-market.
They however found the later, they were a bit surprised that the door wasn't guarded. They were thankful nonetheless and scattered out into the open night.
The wood elf and human woman held onto Kal and ran west. "Do you know where you live?"
"Valonbar," he was gasping, not because he was tired but he never witness such brutality in his life.
"Do you know where that is elf?" the human girl asked as they ran.
"I'm not sure either. Wait did you say you fell down a river?"
"I did."
"Okay, the river is half a day west of here. Maybe if we followed it he can return home."
The half-drow's spirit was rising. He couldn't believe that two random strangers would risk their life to save him. Kalanfein began to cry for the kindness they gave him. "May I know your names please?"
They smile, the human girl answered first. "Miranda."
"Aevani here."
They heard barking in the distance. Hunting dogs! Why would they follow them instead of following the other escapees? Of course, they want the half-drow! With grim determination, the wood elf and human girl ran with all their might.
However an arrow hits the back of the wood elf.
"No!" Miranda and Kalanfein cried out. They were soon surrounded by armored horses. Miranda let out a angry sob, that she couldn't save Aevani and Kalanfein. The soldiers grabs the boy from her grasp.
One of them lifts up her head, places a knife to her throat and slices her neck.
"NO!" the half-drow cried out, watching as she fell down.
"That'll teach you boy not to cross us," the one in gleaming armor looked like the captain punches the boy hard as the others laughed.
Anger was fuming inside the boy, angry at the guards for taking the life of innocents with such pleasure, angry at himself for his stupidity, angry at himself that he couldn't do anything but watch the people who showed him kindness died a senseless death. All he wanted to do now was to tear out the throats of all these laughing guards but he wasn't strong enough to do anything.
"Take him back, the boss should be please that we have at least caught this one back."
"Sorry for the...disruptions...ladies and gentlemen but we have only one of our prizes back here tonight and well, heh, we were going to save him for last. However now we have made a few changes, get ready to place your bids! Bring out the boy!"
They brought out the little half-drow in shackles. The crowd gasped, they weren't believing what they were seeing before them. A half-drow! They weren't even going to wait for the man to describe what the boy could do.
"Two thousand gold!" one man immediately shouted.
"Five thousand!" a lady shouted.
This went on for the nearly the whole evening. Prices were soaring through the roof, the overseer was please at how much this little half-breed was fetching and he might even redesign the whole town and hire a whole mercenary band from even the underdark! Finally it was settle for at fifty-five thousand gold for Baroness Sharlene Ravenlocke. After the arrangements were made, Kalanfein was brought forth to the baroness.
She was beautiful, slim creamy body, luscious ruby lips, dark brown eyes that were almost black and ebon hair that ran down half-way her back in curls. Even for a child, Kalanfein saw the coldness in her eyes and this lady was heartless from what he could see.
Hands reached down to lift the boy and meet her cold gaze that could've petrified him. She gave him a savage smirk that brought a cold dread down the half-drow's spine.
"He's a handsome one alright. I'm sure he'll do marvelous things at my manor." Her voice was melodic and shrill at the same time, the boy felt blood draining from his face
He found himself in a marvelous chariot with the baroness herself grinning savagely at him. Kal couldn't find the strength to cry, so scared he was of this beautiful lady, it was if she was a drow female trap in a human's body.
"Do not worry...yet...my dear boy..."