Part 2: Re

  The catwalks above Skullport were eerily quiet, and free of people. Liriel made her way silently along, and behind her came the very perturbed ranger, muttering every now again about the justice-or lack thereof-in this wretched city, muttering about the stench and filth of it, and cursing explosively when he nearly stepped into a pile of waste-though what creature had left behind the foul gift, exactly, was questionable. (And anyone that knew Drizzt Do'Urden knew that he was normally unflappable, stoic, and generally able to take whatever life threw at him. Still, one should understand that the ranger was not only extremely worried about Catti-brie, but was also completely out of his element, in every way, shape, and form, in this place, and that produced an irritated, even nervous, state).

  "What's the matter? You're a ranger, aren't you? Aren't you used to dodging deer manure?" Liriel asked pleasantly over her shoulder.

  The icy look he shot her would have frozen a white dragon in its place. Deciding, wisely, not to further bait the miserable ranger, the wizardess continued on her merry way, though she grinned widely as she did. She reveled in exasperating people-it was a challenge... though, admittedly, Drizzt wasn't much of a challenge in his foul mood. Too easy to bait... far too easy.

  "That's Dalagor's Fortress," she said suddenly, stopping. "Full of zombies, ghouls, skeletons, and vampires."

  "Definitely sounds like a fun place," Drizzt replied sarcastically. He glanced at the decaying, run-down stone fortress with only mild interest. "And what about Shobolar?"

  "Over there," she replied, pointing to a catwalk-and the stone building beyond it-opposite of the fortress.

  "Having a neighbor like Dalagor must bring down the value of one's house," the ranger noted dryly. Liriel turned to him in surprise-it was really the first light-hearted thing he had said since their impromptu meeting-and then she laughed.

  "I bet it does," she agreed, and started along another catwalk, moving pointedly away from Dalagor's wretched home. Drizzt fell easily into step beside her.

  "We really have to watch out for tra-" Liriel started to warn.

  There was a snapping sound, like a rope brought to the breaking point, and before Liriel could even finish her ironic warning-though she, of course, hadn't meant it ironically-the two drow were swept off their feet and found themselves tangled together, caught in a very thin netting that swung easily on a metal arm attached to some mechanism just above. Liriel and Drizzt, having shouted in surprise when caught in the trap, froze, for the net had swung away from the catwalk, and left them dangling several hundred feet above the floor of Skullport... with only a very thin netting below them that was even now beginning to strain in protest of even their slight weights.

  "You know," Liriel mused philosophically, "being tangled up with Drizzt Do'Urden in tight confines might be considered very pleasant for some people I know. I bet I could find a lot of females who would kill to be in my place right now."

  "Yes, well, I would really like to be wherever they are right about now myself," he said through gritted teeth. The rope was giving way underneath him, and any moment now they were going to go plunging down, and short of Liriel pulling a wizardly miracle out of the sack on her belt, the two of them would soon become decorative stains on the sidewalk below.

  It could only be an improvement in this place, Drizzt thought with dark humor.

  "You know, you're on top-" the ranger started absently, his eyes focused on the catwalk nearby.

  "Oh, yes, I know," she interrupted, and leered down at him. Despite the situation, despite Catti-brie and Fyodor and worry over them, despite the misery of Skullport... Drizzt had the urge to laugh. At least if they were going to lose their lives... she knew how to find the upside of every situation.

  "-And since you are," he continued, though he did smile at her, "when the rope snaps, you can probably push off of me and grab hold of the catwalk-"

  "Aye. And leave you to plummet to your death," she noted calmly.

  "I trust you to come to my rescue, Princess, with your awesome wizardly powers."

  "Yes, Drizzt Do'Urden, do hold your breath on the way down," she answered sarcastically. At that moment, there came a soft flash of light from the catwalk, and the drow companions looked up to see their quarry-and tormentor-standing calmly there, grinning at them.

  "How can you two be so stupid... so utterly stupid as to have walked into a trap not even meant for you but for conventional thieves... and still have dodged the greatest powers of Menzoberranzan, of Lloth herself?" he asked rhetorically. Liriel answered anyway.

  "Tymora's luck?" she asked innocently, golden eyes wide.

  "It would have to be," Mat'irel Shobolar said, nodding. "And so you see now how depending on anyone but glorious Mother Lloth is pure folly."

  "Poor, insane, fanatical slave of Lloth," Drizzt sighed, shaking his head in mock sympathy. The wizard's dark face twisted with rage.

  "I will enjoy torturing you!" he screamed and whirled away to stomp back towards his house. He snapped his fingers, too... and Liriel and Drizzt were enveloped in a bright silver light and experienced a moment of weightlessness... then gravity came back into play and they went crashing down some five feet to land heavily on the marble floor of some small room. Drizzt landed with a heavy oof and a groan as he broke Liriel's fall.

  "I knew you were good for something besides complaining," the wizardess said brightly, rolling off of him and bouncing quickly to her feet. Drizzt, now with a backache as well as a headache, had a brief, satisfying vision of strangling Liriel Baenre and thus silencing her sassy mouth. Then the ranger slowly pulled himself to a sitting position.

  "Drizzt!" came a cry, and both drow looked up to see an auburn-haired, lovely young woman sitting up in her cot, blue eyes wide in surprise. "Drizzt, I was so worried ye might o' been dead!"

  Catti-brie slid from the cot and raced to his side as he rose, embracing him deeply in her relief, and he, too, embraced her, glad that his fair Catti-brie was unharmed.

  "I thought for certain that damned wizard would hurt you," Drizzt murmured, not wishing to let her go. How he loved this woman, she who had been his true friend for so long!

  Nearby, another reunion was taking place as well. Liriel could have cried from the relief of hugging her beloved Fyodor, for the handsome young warrior was indeed there, safe and sound. He swept the small drow female into his arms, his own fears that she had been harmed or killed allayed.

  "How touching," came a sarcastic voice, and all four prisoners looked up to see Mat'irel Shobolar standing on the other side of the bars of their cell, looking utterly disgusted.

  "How can it be that dark elves-such beautiful and wonderful creatures that we are-could possibly lower themselves to feeling anything for these wretched, pitiful, creatures called humans?" the wizard asked.

  "I pity you, Mat'irel. You do not understand the concept of love," Drizzt told him. "And from the looks of it... you never will understand. How empty your life must be."

  "Fah! Such a thing as you describe is weakness! Look at you... you could be free and well, and yet, in the name of this thing you call love... here you are, trapped in my home, soon to be tortured and eventually to be sacrificed for the glory of Lloth," the wizard snorted.

  "Lloth will never possess me," Drizzt replied.

  "Such arrogance!" Shobolar snapped, red eyes narrowing in anger. "I will enjoy torturing it out of you."

  "Do as you will... in the end, you can only lose," the ranger answered. His utter certainty enraged the wizard beyond anything imaginable. But he wasn't so far gone into his rage that he did not know exactly where to strike the ranger where it hurt.

  "And when you are gone... I will be sure to enjoy every gold coin I make off of selling your dear Catti-brie as a slave," he said. It was the only thing that could have broken that stoic shell. Drizzt's lavender eyes suddenly filled with unbridled fury, and for a moment it seemed he would explode into a berserker rage. The enemy wizard smiled coldly.

  "Sit tight, my prizes... I have to contact my matron mother... and let her know my job is completed. Fools that you are, Drizzt Do'Urden and Liriel Baenre... your weak feelings have brought about your destruction." With that final parting shot, he turned and was gone. Liriel, previously seated on the cot, leaped lithely to her feet.

  "Well, that was fun. Now, I think introductions are in order. Drizzt, this is Fyodor of Rashemen, Fyodor... this is Drizzt Do'Urden... who thus far has done nothing but complain."

  "Liriel, this is Catti-brie of Clan Battlehammer. Catti-brie... this is Liriel Baenre... who thus far has attempted to kill me at least once and who nearly got me killed by walking into a trap," Drizzt replied. Liriel laughed and greeted the young woman, who looked from one drow to the other curiously, wondering at their relationship. Drizzt, in turn, greeted the dark-haired young warrior.

  "Not to overstate the obvious, but it appears we have a problem," Liriel announced when the four were seated in pairs across from each other.

  "I haven't a clue why House Shobolar would be chasing me... unless it is merely to gain the favor of Lloth," Drizzt said absently.

  "That would be it," Liriel said, nodding grimly. "I'd say the same, but I also have a personal tie to Shobolar... they raised me and taught me to be a wizard... and in the end forced me to attack my teacher. But I imagine the hunt for me was decreed by Lloth, too."

  "I would imagine that the goddess is angry... by your betrayal of her, while on Ruathym," Fyodor said. Liriel nodded grimly. Since Drizzt and Catti-brie looked puzzled, she quickly explained how she had forsaken Lloth in the midst of a battle.

  "A traitor to the priestesshood? You have my respect more than ever, Liriel Baenre," Drizzt said when she was done. "I did not think anyone could survive such a thing."

  "Well, you see where it got me," Liriel replied grimly, motioning to their bare cell.

  "But there is still a way out. Mat'irel has erred... and quite seriously, too," Drizzt said. The other three looked at him curiously.

  "How so?" the berserker warrior finally asked.

  "Liriel and I still have all our possessions... Liriel has all her wizardly needs, I have my blades, and more importantly... I carry with me a companion that will aid our cause greatly."

  "Guenhwyvar!" Catti-brie cried happily. "Stupid wizard!"

  "What's a guen-whatever?" Liriel asked, blinking.

  "Guenhwyvar is a friend," Drizzt explained. "But first... we have to find a way out of this cell."

  "No doors... no locks," Liriel noted.

  "That is hardly a problem for a wizard." Liriel considered this, then nodded and rose.

  "I only have one such spell, and that will only get two of us through," she replied. She grinned at her fellow drow, seeing the eager fires suddenly burning in his lavender eyes.

  "If yer thinkin' yer going off alone, ye've got another thing coming, Drizzt Do'Urden," Catti-brie warned. Before he could reply, the drow girl interrupted.

  "Do you have a better idea? Because if you do, I'm listening. And if you don't, then you and Fyodor sit tight... this is our battle anyway. Shobolar came after us... you and Fyodor were just the bait," she pointed out.

  "I hate to admit it, but she has a point, Catti-brie," Fyodor said calmly... though he felt anything but calm. His worry for his beloved shone in his dark eyes as he turned to her. "Tread carefully, Little Raven... it would be a dark day on Faerûn if your smile was lost forever." Catti-brie took Drizzt's hand in her own, her bright blue eyes looking up at him worriedly. A moment of silent communication passed between them, then she let him go.

  Liriel and Drizzt moved closer to the bars of the cell, even as she began to softly intone the words of magic. The warrior reached into a pouch at his belt and held the onyx figurine of a panther tightly in his hand.

  A moment later the dark elves felt a momentary sensation of displacement, followed by a bright flash of light, and then... a scorching jolt of agony ripped through both. Liriel and Drizzt screamed in pain as the energy tore through them... then released them as suddenly as it had come, allowing them to collapse to the cold stone floor. The panther figurine clattered away from nerveless dark hands.

  "Fools! Did you think it would be that easy!" Mat'irel Shobolar roared, appearing in the doorway. "Do you not think I would have anticipated an escape attempt? For your arrogance, and in the name of Lloth, I will kill you both now, slowly!"

  "Guenhwyvar, come to me," Drizzt whispered, even as the wizard advanced on them, quietly intoning some deadly spell. The shocking energy field they had inadvertently walked right into had left the two drow stunned. By all rights, Mat'irel Shobolar should have had his favor in the eyes of Lloth right then and there.

  Except that six hundred pounds of fur and claws were suddenly leaping at him with a mighty roar. In the middle of his spellcasting, Shobolar interrupted himself with a scream and a sudden, and intelligent, decision to leave the room. The great panther chased after him effortlessly.

  "Now that is a useful little toy," Liriel noted calmly. Slowly, feeling was coming back into her body, and she forced herself to rise.

  "Hardly a toy," Drizzt muttered, also managing to rise and all the while picking up the precious figurine. "Liriel, why didn't you check for any restraining magic around here?"

  "I did. But he is a Shobolar, Drizzt... they are good... very good," she replied. She grinned then. "Not good enough, though. Shall we? After you." She nodded at the door through which the wizard-and the panther-had disappeared.

  "Brains before beauty, of course," the ranger replied light-heartedly, motioning her to precede him. Liriel chuckled and did so, trotting out the door after a wink at Fyodor and Catti-brie, who gazed after them in concern from the cell.

  "What? Drizzt Do'Urden actually has a sense of humor?" the wizard asked.

  "Occasionally," the ranger allowed. "Come... I hear Guenhwyvar growling."

  Mat'irel was not totally ill-prepared, it seemed... he, too, possessed a figurine of wondrous power, and with it had called into being a great black bear of massive proportions that kept the panther busy indeed.

  The wizard hurried into his lab, wondering how everything could have gone so wrong. The capture had been so easy... pathetically so. It could not have been easier even if he had grabbed the rogues when he had them defenseless in Waterdeep and Rashemen (and he hadn't then for he thought it would much more amusing a challenge to let them come to him). By all rights, he should be preparing for his trip back to Menzoberranzan, where he would parade the wretched rogues before all the city and thus glorify his house... and then House Shobolar would offer them up for sacrifice, to mighty Lloth, whose smile would shine upon them.

  But now they were free, and he had to figure out how to recapture them. Unless life on the surface had detracted a great amount of intelligence from them, they would be much harder to catch this time, since they would be prepared for any of his tricks. No matter, he thought as he absently grabbed a wand... they cannot escape this place. I will make certain of it. With wand in hand the wizard hurried out into the main corridor.

  There really was no warning, but all of a sudden the wizard's feet became entangled, and he tripped and fell flat on his face. The only thing that saved his life was his quick reaction. He looked up, raised the wand, and released a charge. A wad of something white and sticky flew through the air, and Drizzt saw it coming, so he threw himself to the side, shouting a warning at Liriel at the same time. She, for her part, had not been swift enough to dodge the spider web, and she was now firmly attached to a wall, struggling futilely against the magical webbing and cursing explosively the entire time. Mat'irel had disentangled himself from her bolas and tossed it aside, and was now rising.

  "I will enjoy the sounds of your screams," he said calmly, and wove the fingers of one hand. Drizzt, rising, already had scimitars in hand, and thanks to the magical bracers on his ankles he moved impossibly fast, his curved blades striking out. Mat'irel was calmly intoning another incantation and did not move.

  Nor did he have to, as the scimitars bounced harmlessly off the invisible, magical shield. The wizard gave him a superior look, and Drizzt danced back, cursing softly. All of a sudden, the shield burst into a crackling field of blue energy, so powerful that the wizard's hair danced wildly. Both Drizzt and Mat'irel turned shocked looks on Liriel, who was now free-though how she had gotten out of the web neither knew-and stood there with a self-satisfied smile, for her energy spell had effectively destroyed the shield.

  "Come on, Mat'irel. I'll even be nice if I win... I won't embarrass you as I did your mother," she said in a deceptively soft, sweet voice.

  The wizard finished his previous incantation, and all of a sudden the room filled with a horde of orcs and gnolls... all of them taking a sudden interest in Drizzt.

  "That should keep you busy," the wizard said to the suddenly very busy ranger. "Come along, Princess... this is between you and me, now."

  Liriel's golden eyes shone with a bright fire

  Guenhwyvar trotted along silently through the corridors, ignoring the various wounds she had. It had been a difficult battle, but now she hurried to aid her dear companion, and she entered the main room not a moment too soon... for Drizzt was hard-pressed, stuck in the direct center of dozens of monsters, and though his blades danced with their usual, deadly efficiency, the drow ranger had not exactly decided the battle in his favor yet. With only a short glance at the spellbattle raging nearby, Guenhwyvar leaped into the fray, claws and teeth getting down to business. Her timely appearance turned the tide of battle, and soon enough the room had been cleared of the summoned monsters.

  "Thank you, my friend," Drizzt said softly, taking a moment to catch his breath. A blast of magical energy from nearby attracted his attention, and he looked up to see Liriel and Mat'irel still caught in their vicious spellbattle.

  "Time to end this," Drizzt muttered, and sheathed his scimitars. Lying nearby, forgotten in the craziness of all, was the bolas that had tripped up the Shobolar wizard earlier. Drizzt picked it up, disentangled it, and twirled it over his head, though all that time he watched the spellbattle. Mat'irel was shielded against magical attacks (this was a different shield then the first one), but Drizzt decided to test his hunch. He let loose Liriel's favorite weapon, though he wasn't very experienced with it. Still, it twirled easily through the air, and for all his inexperience, it served its purpose. It was no magical thing, no force of energy... and thus it did not recognize the shield that protected the great wizard. Thus it nicely stopped the wizard in midcasting and broke his concentration.

  "Well, that's one way to do it," Liriel huffed, peeved that her spellbattle had come to such an inglorious end. No matter... she was getting bored anyway. She reached into her left boot and flicked her hand, sending a poisoned dagger into Mat'irel's heart.

  "Fools!" the wizard gasped, staggering to his knees. "I... will... have the last laugh! When I die... this place... explodes! I will... take you with me!"

  "Guenhwyvar, hurry back to the cell! Take Catti-brie and Fyodor back with you to the Astral Plane!" Drizzt called. The great cat turned and flew silently from the room. "Liriel, finish him quickly!"

  "What?! And blow us to all to Lloth's side? Let the bastard die slowly!" she snorted. Drizzt leveled a steady glower at her (letting one's enemy suffer needlessly was hardly a moral thing to do, no matter who that enemy was), then ran after Guenhwyvar, the figurine in his hand, to make certain that when he released her back home, the humans went safely with her. A moment later, when he reentered the main room, Mat'irel was still twitching with life and Liriel stood over him, tapping her foot impatiently.

  "-House Shobolar, or was it Baenre? Answer me!" she was demanding angrily.

  "Die, stupid rogues!" the wizard hissed in reply.

  "Why do you have to be so damned difficult?" Liriel sighed. Drizzt stalked past her, his own patience at an end, and raised Twinkle. "No, wait-!" Liriel lunged for him too late to stop Twinkle from slicing across the unfortunate wizard's throat. She stared at the ranger, then without a word, turned and ran.

  "He wasn't kidding about the explosion ward," she shouted over her shoulder. "I know he wasn't! Come on!" Drizzt ran after her without too many questions asked

  Mere moments after Mat'irel Shobolar's death... the mother of all wards went off in a glorious, roaring, hot ball of flame that for a moment lit up the dreariness of Skullport in a fantastic show of light and heat. The explosion rocked the catwalks and structures of the Central Heart, even and especially the nearby crumbling fortress of Dalagor. The catwalks-which weren't very secure in the first place-shuddered viciously and threatened to collapse... but by some miracle of engineering, they held together, and would continue to do so until some unluckily large creature came along one day and stepped on exactly the wrong spot...

  And had dark elves possessed the characteristic of fair skin, the faces of Liriel Baenre and Drizzt Do'Urden would have been bright red from the burning heat. For they had been caught in the very edge of the explosion, and indeed had found themselves momentarily airborne without need of magic or inborn drow powers, before being dumped rather rudely on the catwalk in front of Dalagor's fortress. And for the second time in less than an hour, Drizzt broke Liriel's fall, adding to the various aches and pains that Skullport had abused upon him thus far.

  "I hate this city," were the first words out of the ranger's mouth when he had his wits about him once more. Liriel rolled merrily off of him and bounced easily to her feet, cheerful to a point that drew a dirty look from him as he, too, rose. If either meant to say another word, it was interrupted by the silent appearance of a most dreadful image: a great floating skull with red eyes.

  "Baenre! Do'Urden!" the Skull snapped, clearly peeved. "Once more you have disturbed the peace of Skullport! Prepare to die!"

  "Uhh... no," Liriel said, and did the only thing she could at that moment: she turned and ran, and with little choice in the matter, Drizzt followed her.

  "Get us out of here, wizard!" the ranger shouted at her as they sprinted across the catwalks. Behind them, too close for comfort, there was an explosion, and the precarious walkway underneath them shuddered in protest. The Skull was carrying out its verdict, or attempting to, at any rate.

  "Where would you like to go?" Liriel asked sweetly over her shoulder.

  "Anywhere! Waterdeep!"

  "Okay. I'll try," she assured... which didn't assure him at al

  Far above Skullport, in a lovely little townhouse by the sea, with all the trappings that only a pampered noble could have, a pair of lovers prepared to embrace one another in that blissful state that only lovers could know. Still fully clothed, they kissed deeply, and the young man's hands slid to undo the lady's confining clothes.

  And then, suddenly, there came a bright flash of light and a blast of foul air. The lovers stared in open-mouthed shock as their very private moment suddenly became a double date.

  "I say!" Danilo Thann protested quite loudly when he had recovered. "There are plenty of decent inns in this city! Surely you two could find a better room to be in than right here!" His lady, though, was not quite so concerned about the invasion of privacy. Blinking out of her own shock, she lunged for her treasured magical sword, lying nearby.

  "Drow!" she shouted in alarm.

  "Never overlook the obvious, I always say," Liriel Baenre said dryly. With bleeding wounds from her spellbattle, and with her general state being untidy in the extreme, the young drow female looked as if she had gone three rounds with a bugbear. Her companion, who looked far more battered than she, grabbed her arm and backed towards the door.

  "Sorry for the intrusion," Drizzt said calmly. "We'll be going now." The half-elf female with the gold-speckled blue eyes had reached her sword and was now moving towards the dark elves with a murderous look in her eyes.

  "Hold on, Arilyn!" Dan said, grabbing his lady's arm. "I know who you are! You're Drizzt Do'Urden. And you... I remember you! Liriel, so glad to see you in fair Waterdeep once more!"

  "Looking as handsome as ever, Dan," Liriel replied, winking suggestively at the handsome, blonde-haired young man.

  "Dan! Let me go! These are drow!" the half-elf shouted angrily.

  "Your girlfriend has an admirable grasp of the obvious," Liriel said.

  "Aye, I've noticed that before," Danilo Thann said with a nod. "Arilyn, listen! These are drow, yes... but good drow." The half-elf paused, her look incredulous and her opinion of this statement  clearly written on her lovely face. "You know about Drizzt Do'Urden... the Hero of Icewind Dale. I even wrote a song about him."

  "Yes. I've heard it," Drizzt said dryly. "The Ranger and the Orc Princess." His opinion of that lewd piece of music was written clearly on his ebony face, just as clearly as Arilyn's dubiousness.

  "It's popular," Danilo said defensively.

  "Regardless of who you are, what in the Nine Hells are you doing here?" Arilyn demanded.

  "Really, it was all a mistake. You see, a friend of mine was-" Liriel started brightly.

  "In a fashion that surely would have impressed even Elminster the Sage, Lady Liriel saved us both from the justice of Skullport with an interesting version of a gate spell," Drizzt interrupted, before his companion lengthened the meeting. "How we ended up here, I haven't a clue."

  "Well, the spell picks a spot at random. I just specified the city... not the location in the city," Liriel told him. "You asked for Waterdeep, and here we are."

  "Yes, here you are," Arilyn echoed. She didn't sound happy about it.

  "Skullport, eh? That would explain your appearance... and that perfume a la sewer that came with you," Danilo said. "Really, you must tell me of your adventures! I had no idea that the Hero of Icewind Dale and the Raven of Ruathym were traveling together! What glorious material for my next work!" Drizzt groaned, producing Danilo's cold look. "I refuse," the nobleman said huffily, "to take criticism from someone whose idea of fun involves cleaving goblin brains-such as they are-in two." Before things could escalate between the tired and hurt Drizzt, the irritated Arilyn, and the insulted Danilo, Liriel wisely interrupted.

  "We'll tell you everything, Dan... but right now Drizzt needs a healer and I need a stiff drink. So we'll be leaving you to what you were doing before we got here..."

  "Nonsense!" Danilo exclaimed, brightening. "You shall be my guests, of course! What kind of host would I be to turn you out, such as you are? Come, my man will take care of you! Then over a hearty meal you can tell me about your adventures in Skullport!" And with that, the young man ushered his impromptu guests out the door, at the same time calling upon the halfling servant that always seemed near at hand. Arilyn set her moonblade down and glared at the empty doorway

  Danilo was not all perturbed when his two drow guests multiplied into two drow guests, two human ones, and a very large black cat. He took everything in stride, and welcomed them all in his villa. His easy manner was not at all duplicated in his lady.

  To get away from Arilyn's unhappiness, and to have a private moment, Liriel excused herself from the villa and asked the ranger to accompany her for a breath of fresh air. Catti-brie eyed her somewhat suspiciously as they left, but otherwise no one seemed to really notice.

  Healed, washed, and changed into fresh clothing, the drow ranger walked along silently at her side as they traversed the Sea Wall. Liriel paused at times to gaze out at the sea, which was turning several different shades of red, pink, and orange with the coming dusk. No one was about, so they didn't have to worry about keeping the cowls of their cloaks up.

  "I love the sea," she said after a moment of considering the vast expanse.

  "As do I," Drizzt replied. Some silence. "Where will you and Fyodor head to now?"

  "Rashemen, I suppose. We have unfinished business," she replied. "And you and Catti-brie?"

  "Home. Icewind Dale. It has been too long, and that is where we were going before all this."

  "Ah." More silence. "You love her?" The abruptness of the question didn't exactly startle him.

  "Yes."

  "But... if I may be so bold..." She hesitated, but he read her intent.

  "No. We are not lovers. That is not a path we have chosen yet to tread."

  "Yet? What are you waiting for? The next Avatar Crisis?" Liriel asked incredulously. "She's human. If you love her, take advantage of what little time you have left now!" He blinked at her in startlement, not expecting this tirade.

  "I can see you have thought long and hard about this," he said finally. She winced.

  "Aye," she whispered. "I have."

  "Then I am happy that you have had the courage to make that decision, Liriel," he sighed. "It is a courage I have lacked."

  "Cowardice? In mighty Drizzt Do'Urden? Slayer of giants and matron mothers?" He smiled.

  "Aye. I can face the terrors of the Abyss and I would feel no fear. But this..." He sighed again.

  "I know the feeling," she said quietly. "But I don't let myself think about the fear... the loneliness."

  "Then I envy you, Liriel Baenre," Drizzt said softly. "But for myself... it is much more difficult a thing. It will surely tear me apart to watch my Catti-brie age and die. I am not so certain I am willing to face that bleak future." Liriel was silent, but then she reached into the magical sack at her belt and pulled out two wineglasses and a bottle of some amber liqueur.

  "Danilo gave this to me from out of his private collection. I thought, before we go our separate ways, we could share a toast. I think our success in Skullport is something to celebrate, don't you?" The sun was nearly gone, now, on the horizon. Darkness was beginning to settle in.

  "Absolutely," he replied, taking the offered glass. "Although our survival would be more accurate, I think." She grinned and watched as he poured the amber stuff into their glasses.

  "To you, Liriel Baenre... I owe you much, for your aid in Skullport... and for your friendship."

  "And to you, Drizzt Do'Urden... we make a great team." In a historical moment of two Underdark natives performing a very surface-dwelling, human ceremony, their glasses clinked together lightly, then they drank of the amber liquid.

  "Elverquisst," Drizzt noted. "Danilo was certainly kind to give you this... it's very expensive."

  "He's a noble. It doesn't hurt his purse," she snorted. She made a face. "Besides... we're doing him a favor. Gods, but his gold would be better spent on Mushroom Wine!" Drizzt laughed.

  "Please! Mushroom Wine-especially the Menzoberranzan vintage-would stop his heart at half a glass." Liriel, laughing, agreed with this assessment of its potency. After a moment she sobered.

  "Drizzt, let's make a promise. A century from now, when Fyodor and Catti-brie are nothing but memories, and we're wretchedly lonely... let's search each other out... we can share a bottle of rotgut and a laugh or two at Lloth's expense." Drizzt smiled.

  "I would like that," he said.

  "Good," Liriel said. She indelicately tossed back the last of her Elverquisst and turned away, heading back towards Danilo's villa. The ranger raised his glass to his lips.

  "And this time, I'll even let you be on top."

  Drizzt choked on his wine.

  Had anyone been traversing the Sea Wall at the time, they would have heard a gale of musical elven laughter roll through the darkening night a moment later.

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