Fic: Sharr Finds Drizzt
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tales_of_faerunTime Trapped (13248 words) by Sharpest_Asp
Chapters: 9/9
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s), Drizzt Do'Urden/Original Elf Character, Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Original Elf Character(s), Drizzt Do'Urden
Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates
Summary:
Thirteen elves and half-elves, clad in the armor and weapons of a ritual hunt, made their way along the outer edge of the High Forest. A pure white stag had been seen in the vicinity of Stone Stand, and that had given weight to the need to hold the Hunt.
The Lore Keeper, chosen leader of the Hunt, was ahead of all the rest. His bright laughter had been heard frequently on the journey, as he had four of his sons and some of his oldest friends with him. Soon they would grow quiet, become serious about the Hunt, as befitted a ritual in honor of Corellon, but there was joy for now.
None of them heard or smelled the slightest danger until too late. While the war-band of orcs all but appeared in weapons' reach of the various elven-blooded hunters, the one lich that was with them immediately threw his spell. A cloud of magical blades homed in on the Lore Keeper, each one holding a component of the second spell he had crafted.
Two things happened almost simultaneously as the shards embedded in the elf. The lich cast the activating spell, and he was hit by a desperate disintegration spell from the elf's eldest son's wand. That son took a heavy blow from the orc nearest him, but he hardly noticed, as his father vanished from the battlefield in shadow-touched magic.
Syluné, upon being told, took efficient charge of the family, working alongside Charic who put her own worry aside to tend the injured. She convinced Laeral to go reinforce Silverymoon's defenses, anticipating an attack on her younger sister's territory. She had both Dove and Storm go to keep a closer eye on Shadowdale in her absence, and sent word to the younger sons of Sharrevaliir to guard themselves well.
Andelver was both recovering — having been the worst injured — and wracked by guilt.
"If I hadn't used the wand so fast…" he began when Syluné came to see him. She put a finger over his lips.
"We will investigate the residual magic. All hope is not lost, my nephew."
"I hope, Aunt, you are correct."
1340s DR
Drizzt Do'Urden had been tracking a wounded boar, intent on either convincing it to rest for treatment, or to put it out of danger to others. Not long after he finished the hunt, regretting the necessity, he decided that camping to make the most of the meat was the better choice to make.
Guenhwyvar approved of the idea, and was lounging nearby as Drizzt built up the smoking racks, working as swiftly as he could, before he lost too much of the meat. He wouldn't need it all, but he could make a gift of it to the closest village in the dark of night.
It felt like he'd only just managed to get the last of it over the smoke when Guen raised her head in the direction of the thicker woods. Drizzt looked that way as well, and felt he needed to go investigate. Double-checking that he had built the fire safely, in a rock-ringed pit away from other vegetation, before taking up a jog.
Guen loped along beside him, nor was it long before they found the source. An elf, bleeding from multiple points, unconscious, was just inside the tree line there. None of the injuries looked critical, so Drizzt scooped the man up, carrying him back to camp. Guen kept watch but her nose agreed with Drizzt's unconscious appraisal of the scene.
There had been no tracks, nothing out of place, and the marks on the plants nearest to the elf had been magic-seared, something destructive but instantaneous.
Once at camp, Drizzt put the elf on his own bedroll in the shade of the one tree there, and saw to getting the armor out of his way. Guenhwyvar picked up Drizzt's pack and brought it closer without being asked. It took almost as much time as prepping the boar originally, but Drizzt got every cut cleaned and covered with his particular blend of protective, healing salve.
"Nothing near him, magic traces, none of these cuts were deep, none of them had debris — Guen, what in the abyss have I found other than a faerie that's going to hate me on sight once he wakes?"
The panther pushed her head into her drow's chest, loving on him even as she was feeling the need to go home.
"Yes, I know. Go. I'll be cautious." Drizzt gave her a quick scratching before she did take herself back to the Astral Plane. Drizzt split his time between watching the elf sleep and making sure the fire kept smoking correctly, wondering how badly this rejection was going to go.
The elf began to stir about an hour after Guen left him, and Drizzt came with his waterskin, braced for the violent reaction, but intent on being true to his nature.
"Peace, elf. Lie still."
The head turned toward his voice, of course, and Drizzt saw the eyes go wild as they saw him.
"I will point out you are lying on my gear, treated with my resources," Drizzt said calmly. "Please weigh that before acting." He did not, however, approach closer, the waterskin held out in front of him as explanation of his approach.
"I… you are drow, why?"
"I am a drow. You are an elf, though I am uncertain which kind. Does my action buy peace, in that you did wake?"
The elf frowned, took stock of himself, and then looked back at Drizzt.
"I don't understand. I… I am not certain of anything. But, you did not treat me as an enemy."
At that, Drizzt finished approaching, kneeling.
"Thirsty?"
"Yes."
With care, though none of the wounds had seeped past the styptic salve that had solidified as plasters, Drizzt helped the elf sit and put his back to the tree, before giving him the waterskin. Drizzt then settled back on his heels, waiting.
The elf handed the skin toward him, but Drizzt waved it off. "Keep that one; I have a second I will fill shortly. I'm in camp for a few days, as I had to kill a boar this morning and must get the meat dealt with.
"My name is Drizzt Do'Urden. I am a ranger of Mielikki. I found you at a disturbance caused by magic, with no tracks nearby."
"I — " A look of horror took over past the initial confusion. "I don't know my name. Or how that happened."
Drizzt took a deep breath. "Well, that's going to make getting you safely back to your people rather difficult, I think."
Over the few days they stayed at Drizzt's camp, they established that the elf had many skills in place, two languages that came easily to him, and complete awareness that he should know far more about the world around him.
Nothing, not even sleep, was shaking the memory of who he was and where he belonged loose. Likewise, he agreed with Drizzt that they would need to avoid people for a time, to try and break it free, because they had no idea who had done harm to him.
As Drizzt was packing the pork into woven baskets and carriers he had made while smoking it, he looked over at his ward in consideration.
"Did I grow horns? Wings?" the elf asked once he noticed.
"I can't just keep calling you 'Elf'. It feels rude."
The elf laughed. "Yes, but I keep answering to it." He then shrugged. "Names seem to be hard to remember, like they connect to whatever I am supposed to know? Solitath, Sol for short? It means Sun Tree in sylvan."
Drizzt nodded. "Solitath. Sol. I can do that. And that's why I could not decide which elf race you were, isn't it? You have a darker cast than most Sun elves, but their hair and eyes. Sun and Wood?"
"I think… maybe?" Sol answered. "I feel like if I could actually reach Reverie I might have more answers for you, but… that's not working either." He flipped the covering over the basket he'd filled, lashed it shut with more braided grasses, and looked over things.
"The village I spotted was two days northeast. I won't ask you to go too close, but I can leave this where it will be found," Drizzt said.
"You… can't approach them." Sol looked bothered by that.
"I've learned better. So I leave gifts in the night."
"Shame people can't see you as I'm learning to."
Drizzt ducked his head to finish closing his own, heart twisting up. When memory returned, would Solitath feel the same?
Drizzt grabbed Solitath's wrist, stopping him mid-step. He then tipped his head noticeably in the direction of the sound he'd heard, and Sol followed suit. When the elf's eyes went large, Drizzt was certain his ward — friend, for the bond building over the weeks — understood.
He looked up at the closest tree, and the pair swiftly swarmed up it in silence, barely disturbing the animals taking refuge there.
"The wolves," Sol began in a bare whisper.
"Are not true, no," Drizzt said. "Your armor is sturdy, but your sword is ill-suited to dealing with dire wolves or worgs, whichever that sound is coming from."
"I don't think either," Sol said, "but I cannot tell you why or what." This had been a source of frustration for him, Drizzt knew, the half-known things. "Also why is my sword bad, but yours aren't?"
Drizzt ignored that part, going for the plan forming in his mind. "I feel the need to see, to try to deal with it, but prefer to give you my bow — "
His words cut off as a strident hawk's call drifted down to his ears. He frowned, not liking the feeling it brought with it, that he should retreat, not stand and fight.
"What is it, Drizzt?"
The ranger grimaced, shaking his head, but the cry repeated.
"I… please do not think me a coward or mad, but we must flee," he said, letting the need to protect this vulnerable elf make the hard choice for him.
"The bird told you something." Sol didn't even question that idea. "Alright, across the trees, then."
"You … yes."
They moved swiftly then, with Sol actually taking point, choosing the path. He was guiding them deeper into the woods, toward the thicker groves where the trees were more likely to harbor elves, making Drizzt nervous, but the warning had been clear.
Whatever the canid voices had been were a threat larger than he could deal with, in the eyes of the goddess that seemed to hold some favor for him.
Eventually even Drizzt's ears could not pick up the sounds, and they came to rest in the crook of a very large, ancient tree's limbs. They shared water, catching their breath, before Solitath looked at him.
"You're a ranger. The bird spoke to you. It's rare that a ranger can understand without having prayed for the spell, but Khalreshaar — Mielikki to you — can bend the rules if She needs to."
Drizzt ducked his head a little, then laughed. "Montolio never told me that the ability to listen to them was known outside those who are trained. But, praying for spells? He never mentioned this.
"Also, you just remembered a name. And lore associated with what I do."
Sol blinked, then smiled brightly. "I did, didn't I? And… I know that both rangers and druids normally pray at a specific time of day for spells from their Patron Deity."
"I don't." Drizzt shook his head. "Montolio called it the Heart of Ranger, the fact that I could learn to hear and understand what the creatures wished."
"Means She really likes you," Sol decided.
The trees were whispering, Drizzt could feel. The danger was closer to them, and they should move on. He opened his eyes to tell Solitath, and found a very large eye, shrouded around the edges by bark, staring at them.
"Stay silent," the tree — oh spirit of his father, but that was a treant! — said very slowly, almost too slow to be understood.
Sol was awake, and slipped his hand over to Drizzt's, reassuring him through a gentle squeeze of fingers.
Drizzt didn't even argue, just listened harder. The distorted baying was just at the edge of his hearing, but the trees' warning was there. Danger was coming… and the treant was aware of it. He heard the eerie sound of roots pulling up, becoming tendrils ready to snare the problems.
Closer the danger came, making Drizzt's hands itch for his blades. Now he was hearing human voices, and they were calling his name! He could not help the shift, but Solitath squeezed his hand again, warning him to be still and silent.
Their protector vibrated slightly… talking to the trees? … and then there were crashing noises, startled yips, human screams of defiance. It did not last very long, Drizzt noted, and he filed a note in his mind to never, ever get on the wrong side of a treant.
"Now it is safe to speak, Sharrevaliir."
The voice, by dint of where the great eye was looking, was aimed at Solitath, who frowned.
"I… is that my name?"
"Oh. Oh dear."
There was, Drizzt discovered, an entire community of treants in the part of the Forest they had come to. And his friend, who was known to them as Sharrevaliir, was apparently a person of importance to them. They were given freedom within a particular section of the woods, but dissuaded from wandering out of it. Water and food was abundant.
"I think it best if I call you 'Sharrevaliir', in case it helps free your memories to hear your name," Drizzt said, as the pair were finishing a meal. Drizzt having asked if a fire could be made at a stream had apparently further impressed the treants, though he knew they were suspicious of him being drow, in company of their ally.
"Sharr." The elf looked at Drizzt and half-grinned. "It feels more right."
"Sharr, then."
"What do you think they are discussing?" Sharr asked.
"What to do with you, how to rescue you from the evil drow?" Drizzt answered, voice wry on the last.
"You, my friend, have never known evil inside you, though I have no doubt you are very familiar with it. At least… given my base reaction to a drow."
Drizzt nodded. "I was raised among those I know now were evil. At the time, I just didn't understand them, the culture around me, the actions." He shrugged. "I was a strange child, according to my wean-mother. Father had the same opinion." He couldn't help the note of sadness. "He was not like the others, but he was not like me.
"He hated all things drow, and would rather have seen me dead than to become what he hated. Sadly, before I could convince him we should flee together, he was killed."
"I'm sorry," Sharr said.
"I am as well, that he did not live to find freedom with me. But, I am here, and every day I live is an insult to the Spider Queen."
"A good way to look at it."
The treant called Turlang was the one to bring the decision, some several days later.
"You have avoided people, to try and learn who you are," he began. "You trust the ranger who found you to help guard you as you seek yourself. We believe there is magic upon you that might bring harm to those you held power over, or their allies, so long as the memory remains blocked."
"Yes," Sharr agreed. "I had no way to tell enemy from friend, other than Drizzt, who saw to my needs without offer of reward."
"He has been found worthy of the protection of one we call friend." Turlang regarded Drizzt who sat silently. When his attention focused back on Sharr, the shadows had deepened, but both men were very patient in their dealings with the slow-moving giants.
"Through our roots," Turlang continued at last, "we know of one person, a powerful wizard that is not tied to your enemies, but has reason to aid you. We can tell you the direction to go, if you trust what we say.
"In turn, we will say nothing to those we have known as your allies, so they do not inadvertently trigger the lurking traps of magic."
"Thank you, Turlang." Sharr smiled. "I look forward to remembering the friendship we must have, for the generosity of your people."
"I too look forward to knowing you are you again."
Drizzt had memorized the directions, but once they had made it back to the outer edge of the High Forest, he looked at Sharr with concern.
"It's far enough away that, if the wizard doesn't give aid, we will have to scramble to find shelter and put aside what we need for the winter."
"I noticed that. But, perhaps by then, I will remember more, and be a better aid in providing shelter and food to us," Sharr told him. "We can do this, Drizzt.
"Unless you prefer we leave it until spring?"
"No, I see how much not knowing weighs on you," Drizzt told him. He reached out with a hand to rest it on Sharr's forearm. "I have made your care my quest for now. And Montolio said you never disturb a ranger on a quest."
Sharr laughed brightly, but covered that hand. "I think that adage is actually in my limited lore of your duties, actually. Let's hope we have good travel, and this wizard proves trustworthy."
Drizzt nodded at that, and got his bearings. He pulled his hood up against the brighter light of the grasslands and set out, intent on both helping and protecting his friend.
Over the weeks of travel, Drizzt found himself growing ever more curious about Sharrevaliir. The man was an adept swordsman, had even proven to know how to counter some of Drizzt's more advanced techniques when they sparred. The random flashes of knowledge spoke of someone very educated, and the armor certainly implied a position of respect.
Yet the man easily let Drizzt lead, especially when they encountered small threats along their way. Sharr never protested the random detours that led to protecting small hamlets from raiders, or the ones to investigate blighted wilds. The friendship was growing deeper with every encounter shared, and Drizzt found his heart heavy with the idea that Sharr's reaction to him would, inevitably, change once memory had returned fully.
Even still, Drizzt found himself opening up, talking about his past, from how he was raised, to the awful raid, even to his father's final fate. Sharr listened, and when he had no words, he used touch to reassure. Drizzt found himself craving the moments when his friend would rest an arm around his shoulders, or just touch his hand in comfort.
It was, Drizzt realized, coming to be a taste of what he'd craved without understanding, to be accepted for who he was as deeply as Belwar had, maybe even moreso.
Drizzt and Sharr both stared at the very strange tree just barely visible ahead. They'd stopped once it came in sight, knowing a wizard would have heavy protections.
"It is a hiexel," Drizzt finally said. "But… it's been transfigured into a tower?"
"Wizard might be an elf," Sharr mused. "We've seen most elves tend to prefer trees for homes."
"Yes." Drizzt was amused, as sometimes it seemed like Sharr forgot he was an elf.
Sharr caught that and chuckled. "What can I say? Getting used to the way you study the people we avoid, and comment on their habits."
"Fair. Though I do it as much with the animals as the people."
They both studied the strange tree-tower a bit longer, before Drizzt pulled his hood back up. Sharr followed suit, his cloak roughly made from cloth salvaged and cleaned from an orc band they'd run into.
"I should probably do the talking," Sharr said.
"Hmm, if the wizard sees me first, it might be trouble," Drizzt agreed, and set about making certain his skin nor hair were showing. He then stopped them, a bit out of bow shot from the actual tree as he felt the tiniest whisper of strong magic. "Ward line."
"I want to remember everything so I can decide if it is strange you are capable of that," Sharr told him in a light tone. He then looked at the tree-tower and projected his voice. "Hello, the Wizard!"
The hiexel had been in a particular state for … a while, once Samiar could make his mind work around the idea of time well enough. Just before he heard a voice calling from outside, the tree shut every single cabinet and drawer that Sam had had open, in an emphatic 'go outside'.
"You are being odd," Samiar said, but he moved to pull his outer robes on, all the wands and components in their accustomed places as he did so. The creak sounded indignant, but he ignored that as he went to the balcony. He peered out across the distance, noted they were just outside his ward, and took in that there were two people, cloaks up. One, the further one, was likely a ranger, with the particular color shading of the cloak, and the bow visible over a shoulder.
The nearer one had a mismatched patchwork cloak on. Two swords visible on one, a single on the one in front — Sam really hoped he didn't need the hold person wand as he couldn't remember how many uses it had left.
"Turlang the treant sent us this way, Wizard," the nearer man called. "Looking for someone who might be able to detect magic traps, and memory spells."
If Sam were to judge by body language alone, the ranger wasn't happy that so much had come out in that statement, or maybe the second one was just wary of magic in general.
"Bold to claim that one's name, but I have no idea who you are," Sam called cheerfully, not yet dropping the ladder.
"That's because I only know the name Turlang gave me, and need to be certain I'm not walking into worse," the man called. "We give our word to be friendly, if you will give yours to listen and not involve outside forces."
"Ahh, I am curious indeed." Sam tapped his ring of truth. "I grant peace and anonymity, with the agreement to not consult others or speak of this visit. Quite common for me, actually, as a curse-breaker, as some clients get tetchy over being cursed."
"We give our word to bring no harm to you knowingly," the speaker said.
"I agree to this," his companion said, and now Sam was fairly certain both were men based on voices.
The ring had not detected falsehood, using the wardline to further its range.
"Come to the tree then," Sam said, letting them pass his defense unharmed. The further one was carrying something magical, the wards told him, but not malignant. While they finished the walk in, Sam dropped the ladder and descended, curious what Turlang had sent him as a puzzle, and now understanding his hiexel's strangeness.
As sentient as it had grown, of course it would heed the treants.
Once he was on the ground, he looked back to the pair, and the more talkative one was pushing his hood back.
Sam felt the ground tilt under his feet, metaphorically, and he damned that he'd already given his word.
"Sharrevaliir, what in the abyss?!"
"Oh, he knows you too," the second one said, with something like amusement. "I find myself nervous on who we will learn you are."
"It will not, my friend, change anything about who you are to me," Sharr said, with something like the firm leader Sam knew him to be. Sharr then looked at Sam intently.
"I know the name, because Turlang used it. But I know nothing else of who I am, only that someone used magic to harm me and cast me to where my friend here, Drizzt Do'Urden, was able to heal me and give me shelter these many months."
"Months, like hell," Samiar said. "It's been decades since they tracked me down to state you'd been lost!"
Drizzt was trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. Samiar Ravarel was apparently kin — son of the brother of Sharr's mother — and had taken the fact Drizzt was drow quite… easily? That Sam appeared to be full sun elf, that fact had stunned Drizzt.
Now, as Sharr had held up a hand stopping the flow of words once they got inside, Sam was inspecting Sharr with some magical scrying device, studying the magic he had confirmed as being present. Which meant Drizzt was both trying to stay out of the way and yet still keep an eye on his friend, to keep him safe.
He didn't think the wizard was a threat, didn't perceive any signs of lying, yet… he was too drow to take a person at their word with no history of actions observed.
Finally, the wizard stopped pacing around Sharr and went to sit down. Sharr moved from the stool to the space next to Drizzt, sitting close enough to let their shoulders touch.
"Turlang was wise, as ever, to suspect traps. Elué's magic must have blunted it, as the way I can read it was that you would have been a threat to her or her sisters, should they have been the one the time spell sent you to."
"Someone I know, then?" Sharr asked, getting a hearty laugh from Sam.
"You might say that," he told Sharr in a playful tone. "Possibly just the sheer magic protecting that lot caused it to bounce you to a different location. Or the fact they reside in magical fortresses, so to speak.
"Why it bounced you to the vicinity of a stranger, and a drow at that — no offense, Drizzt, merely curiosity — is what's intriguing me. I think I see why it did not bounce you to Korvallen, who is protected by Elué's magics at present."
Drizzt inclined his head, surprised at the acknowledgment, and just pushed harder against Sharr's shoulder since his friend was visibly growing concerned.
"Can you remove the trap? And more importantly, give me my memory back? I feel like I am stumbling blindly here with no context for any of what you just said."
"Yes. The lich that targeted you may have prepared that spell specifically for you, but therein lies its flaw," Samiar said. "It was tailored… and you are becoming someone not the man you were.
"Steering clear of others has helped you shift away, so to speak, and the spell is going to lose its grip. Well, the trap. The memory may be trickier, but I will deal with the trap first. In the morning, as I don't have the correct spells on tap today."
"Alright."
Drizzt opened his eyes as he saw Sharr coming down the ladder. He'd been offered a room, but found himself unable to endure being under a stranger's roof with things perched so precariously for the future.
"Couldn't sleep inside?" Sharr asked. "Went to your room first."
Drizzt sat up on his bedroll, making space for Sharr and pulling his cloak around the man's shoulders so they could share the warmth.
"Perhaps I do not understand how beds work any longer," Drizzt told him wryly.
"Or maybe you're worried about the way this is all going to change," Sharr said in a more serious tone, staying close to his friend.
"A little. The way he spoke leads me to believe you have very strong ties to other people, and I… I am a drow."
"You are my friend. I feel safe with you. I enjoy your company. No matter what, I do not want to lose you."
Under the cloak, Sharr put one arm around Drizzt's waist, and that felt perfect to them both.
"I do not want to lose you," Drizzt admitted. "I… you make life good, like Guen does."
"Then it's settled. Whomever Korvallen and Elué are, they will just have to get used to the fact I have a drow ranger of Mielikki as my friend."
Sam sat back in his chair, satisfied he'd removed the full trap portion of the spell.
"I don't feel different?"
"You shouldn't. The trap should only have been sprung by being near one of the Chosen, most likely Elué," Sam told Sharr. He rubbed at his eyes, as that had been an intensive bit of magical working. "The memory part is going to be more difficult.
"It would probably be easier with a cleric," Sam added.
"I don't want more people involved, and Drizzt is still uneasy about gods," Sharr said adamantly.
Sam stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at Sharr intently. "That matters to you, deeply," he said, voice softer now.
"I came to, and the first person I saw was a drow. Who was honestly wary of how I would react to him, when he was doing all he could for a strange, injured elf," Sharr said. "I knew 'enemy', but I could see 'compassion'. And I learned how much pain he has experienced because he is innately good.
"Yes. It matters. I won't see him hurt."
Samiar smiled, nodding a little. "A good man, then, as you have generally been an excellent judge of character. Alright. But it will take time to prepare the spells, as they are more ritualistic. So the pair of you are going to be here into winter.
"I am offering for you both to remain the whole winter, on the off-chance, once you remember, he is uncomfortable going with you elsewhere."
"Thank you, Sam. Something tells me your nature is generally generous, but I really appreciate that."
Sharr was getting worried as the ritual magic Sam had been brewing for the past month was near completion and Drizzt hadn't returned from his need to go and check something in the wilds. He wanted his friend to be here, yet the potion was one that would have to be drank at a specific time to be the most effective.
"He would be here, if whatever he went after wasn't important," Sam told his cousin. "I've never seen someone that driven by the wilds. Not even Dove's husband. And he's been face to face with Khalreshaar several times."
"More family?" Sharr asked, straining his eyes to see, hoping for the familiar green cloak to appear on the horizon.
"Yes, though you've not met him. Or Syluné's husband, for that matter."
Sharr looked at him finally. "Can you scry?"
Sam frowned. "I tried. This morning. He's impossible to find, which is unsettling."
"He is… under some destiny, I think. I just wonder which deity could have made him non-detectable to a wizard of your caliber."
"Indeed."
The morning that Sharr was to drink the potion with the sun at its zenith, Drizzt came into sight, letting the elf breathe a sigh of relief. As Drizzt got closer, Sharr spotted the signs of injury and fatigue.
"So what was it?" Sam asked, because Sharr truly wanted to to fuss over Drizzt, and yet the look on Drizzt's face was not very open.
"A gnoll shaman with great intellect and too much evil," Drizzt answered. "They had been stealing the animals from that hamlet we passed four days before arriving here. The animals were being held in a way that was cruel and sickening for some sacrifice, while the gnolls readied to raid.
"I do not understand these peoples who can only take, and hurt!" he finished, anger overriding everything else.
"One man, against a well-led gnoll band?" Sam gave an appreciative whistle at that.
"I did little more than kill the shaman," Drizzt said, before looking at Sharr. "Did I make it back in time?"
"Yes, my friend, though I fear you pushed yourself too hard." Sharr did not, for a moment, believe that Drizzt had only killed the shaman. But he probably had set the battle up to where the farm folk knew to come with their pitchforks and axes, and Drizzt would have worked to stay hidden once they had.
"Drink these," Sam said, pulling out two vials. "The red one is for your injuries; the blue is to help ease the fatigue."
Drizzt started to wave them off, to protest.
"Please," Sharr asked of him, and that quelled the rebellion against magic being 'wasted' on him.
Drizzt downed them both, handed the vials back once they had taken effect, and then found shade to settle in against the glare of the sun on the snow around the hiexel. Sharr sat beside him, continuing to braid the coil of leather strips he'd been working on to pass time. Sam settled back to his reading, as they waited for the correct moment.
Sharr held the flagon to his lips, setting in the sunbeam in nothing more than a thin tunic and breeches, the cold of winter pressing on him. The sun, however, was singing to him as the liquid passed his lips, a think honeyed intoxicant that soothed his throat and warmed his belly.
He was aware of Samiar, the man that claimed to be and acted like close-kin. He was aware of Drizzt, the friend that he likely never would have met but for the actions that had stolen his memories, made of him a knife aimed at a powerful woman. Both were keeping watch, as was the hiexel with its unusual awareness of the world around it.
The flagon had to be drained, and Sharr closed his eyes as he kept drinking, the heat pooling, then radiating out from his core until even the thin clothing he wore felt oppressive. Gentle sounds began to twine into a harmony within his mind, the kiss of Corellon blazing in visible light on his forehead as the Seldarine wove their gifts through him once more.
~Lore Keeper, awaken!~
The fierce call of Sharrevaliir's patron god, King of all the Seldarine, sealed the healing draught's power, his eyes opening with a glow of power for a long moment.
The warmth burned still, but was fading, and Sam was there with a thickly woven blanket to drop around his shoulders.
"Cousin?"
Sharr looked at the other elf, cousin yes, but dear friend and partner in so many youthful adventures.
"I am Sharrevaliir," he said, with full weight of knowing, to his core, who he was, and what his purpose had always been. "I am Corellon's Lore Keeper once more."
Drizzt had hung back, as Sharr seemed to be settling his newly found knowledge into place. He was tired, despite the potions, and knew there would be logistics to helping Sharr pick his life back up. While he and Sam spoke of that, Drizzt went to the room he used here, cleaned himself up, and laid down to get the sleep he had been denying himself.
He felt as if he must have slept the full four hours when he roused to the door opening quietly. He looked that way, and made out Sharr slipping in, shutting the door behind him. Drizzt sat up on the bed, which made Sharr sigh.
"There really is no sneaking up on you," the elf said, but he sat down on the side of the bed, carefully confining himself to avoid putting pressure on Drizzt, now that everything had changed — or so it felt to the ranger.
"Not generally. But I am rested now. Have you sorted out your mind? Begun deciding how to handle your return to your life?"
"Sorted? Yes. Decided on the rest? No. You needed to sleep, and I can't tackle that part without you."
Drizzt's eyes widened, and he knew Sharr noted it.
"I have not changed my mind in the least," Sharr said, firm and more confident than ever. "You are my friend, and I want you at my side. Even if I will spend half my time worrying over you while you go deal with gnoll shamans and hags and who knows what else."
Drizzt half-smiled at that. "I am a ranger."
"Yes, one of the most ridiculous professions in all our world for the need to throw themselves into danger and sort it out after," Sharr said, smiling back. "I have two consorts. I have a heart-brother. I have thirteen sons, and an adopted daughter. I have three villages I am — or was — directly responsible for in times of hardship. I … must mourn the loss of my last companion.
"It's all a lot of things, and very overwhelming even before I add in the six sisters of one of my consorts, and their family entanglements. And there's going to be some bumps, getting things worked out, especially with my heart-brother." Sharr looked at Drizzt very seriously. "I still want you near."
Drizzt listened to that litany, eyes showing his shock at some of the concepts like multiple consorts and so many children, confusion by the repetition of 'heart-brother', and finally he shook his head.
"I do not want to lose our friendship, Sharr. But at the same time, you have a life to pick up, and I … do not want to impose on that, or cause negative impressions," Drizzt told him.
Sharr reached out, going for Drizzt's bare shoulder to try and get his own feelings fully spoken, unwilling to let Drizzt sacrifice anything —
— and the world imploded for them both.
Sharrevaliir found himself immersed in an alien world, full of danger and intrigue at all turns. He was painfully aware of how young Drizzt was, as the tragedies spun out, adding depth to the words spoken aloud during their travels. More, Sharr began to truly understand that the man had been painfully alone his entire life, save for a few brief interludes.
Those had ended in death or separation as final as death, with no understanding of how to mourn, how to release the grief inherent in the losses. It was no wonder that Drizzt seemed easily into his second century, holding the weight of that grief and horror all inside his soul.
More than ever, the nascent emotions of something more than friendship made sense, as Sharr's heart embraced the thread that had bound their souls.
The sheer current of memories was a tide that Drizzt found himself at a loss to swim within. Elves, powerful and mundane alike, a life among trees, a name he could never claim, memories of the time someone had hunted his mother for being an heir of the line — all of that was swept away with the resolution to be stronger, to make a better way.
Lovers — Drizzt shivered at the understanding of how a heart-brother stood in the eyes of his friend — and children, people to teach and succor in times of need all added to the drowning wave of experiences flooding him.
How could his friend have room for him in the swell of such belonging? Drizzt ached to learn, yet he did not know if he had the ability to find a place to fit in against such strange concepts as family supporting one another.
When they came back to themselves, now buoyed by the gentle awareness of one another, Sharr had moved so he was supporting Drizzt, but was well aware of the tears that were drying on his face. Drizzt leaned into that closeness, but could not help how corded his muscles were.
"That… how do you give yourself to so many? How do you manage caring so strongly for so many people?" Drizzt asked.
"Not the first question I expected, but you would have felt me recognizing the soul-strings to first Kor and then Elué," Sharr said, "and you do tend to skip over more obvious questioning.
"The answer is embracing how long we live, knowing when to let go, when to hold on, and letting every person in my life claim the time they need while understanding we have a need for space too." Sharr drew in a deep breath. "And yes, I can feel that space is what I must give you.
"This is not what I expected to learn, on why the spell was able to divert to you. Fortunately, I had not yet met you, so I could not hurt you," he explained. "I want to explore this with you, Drizzt Do'Urden, yet I also see the differences in our experiences means you need more time."
"I… yes. I want you to settle into your life, and not … be a detriment. But, now, seeing — no, feeling — your life, I think, in time, I will find my way back to you," Drizzt said softly. "It feels like where I should be, just not now."
Sharr held him closer, his eyes closing as he mastered the slight disappointment. A tiny part of him had hoped Drizzt would choose to stay, yet he truly had recognized how difficult this was going to be.
"Elué and Kor will know I am back in my right mind, and be reaching out soon," Sharr said. "As that burst of emotion was not one I could have kept from them. But for now, let me be close to you?"
Drizzt shifted, lifting the blanket. "I am still tired," he said quietly, and Sharr moved to slide under the covers, just holding this young drow of his heart.
In time, there might be more. Or they might remain as friends, with an added layer of awareness. It really didn't matter, so long as Drizzt was comfortable with the idea of some kind of a future.
Before the family could claim Sharr, Drizzt left, his pack full of supplies, and despite the winter, he would not be returning, despite Sam's invitation to do so.
"Why?" Sam asked, once the drow was far enough away not to hear.
"Because I am part of something too big for him to endure just yet, and he needs space to be more solid in who he is before he comes back." Sharr rested a hand on his cousin's arm. "It was a soul-thread, Sam. How would you feel to see the entirety of another's life, and learn you're already connected, but all things are changing?"
"Damn," Sam said softly. "And of course, it could not take effect until you were you again," he added, understanding better. "He'll be alright?"
"I think so," Sharr said. "His personal mission in life is to live so long that the Spider Queen comes to fear him."
Sam snorted. "As driven as he can be… She should.
"Well, let me get a mansion up, and tell everyone they can stop waiting for the word."
Sharr nodded, but kept watching the direction his soul-mate had vanished in. Knowing it was best did not actually make it easier.
Change had been inevitable. Sharr learned that his youngest sister-in-law had managed to clear a large swath of Undermountain for her people to live in, that his eldest one had chosen to persuade her husband to move with her, and that others, likewise, had changed their bases of power.
Various enemies had been targeted harder, in the years since the ambush on Sharr, with Harpers ferreting out their secrets, and the Chosen using their resources to more actively undo the plots they had fostered. Currently, things appeared to be in a lull, but Sharr knew it for a regrouping.
Dolthauvin, backed by Charic, Kor, and Sam, had been named Lore Keeper's Guardian, meaning he was invested with the powers but only until Sharr's return or Tyresia being of a proper age. From what Sharr was told, the pressure had been to push Tyresia to take it then, but the triumvirate, representing each of the villages that made the alliance, had held firm on Tyresia being too young, when the hope remained that Sharr would be found.
Elué had not moved, but had worked ceaselessly to make Silverymoon even more the Light of the North she had envisioned for it. Once Dol had been secure, with Charic to advise him, Kor had left the villages to go be her personal protector. While Korvallen did help with the Knights, he was not one of them, having held firm to the knowledge Sharr would return some day.
Del was starting to adventure alone, at last, but had stayed with Methri and Tyresia, learning from them, once he ventured out originally. There was a deep caution, a slowness to trust, in his youngest son that burned Sharr's soul a bit.
Dol, blessed son he was, volunteered to remain in place, on the grounds that Sharr had forty odd years to catch up on, as well as a son to learn. So it was that Del joined his father, and Korvallen, and the trio flitted from one thing to another —
— while a drow ranger explored his own life, and traveled ever further from the elf who held his soul-thread.
It was Kor that was with Sharr the day Drizzt Do'Urden fell in battle. It was Kor that held Sharr through the paroxysm of the sudden silencing of the bond.
"You don't know he's dead," Kor said fiercely, shaking him a little. "You have been feeling intense focus from him! He could just be deeply unconscious!"
Sharr tightened his fingers in Kor's tunic, clinging to the idea that yes, maybe that was it. The absolutely focused mindset had made it hard to know anything but determination. Surely a swordsman like Drizzt wasn't dead from something he'd prepared for.
"But what if he is?" still came out of his mouth.
"Then… we ask your sister-in-law to look for his soul, and we do some diamond-hunting."
It hadn't been easy for Kor to accept that he'd be sharing Sharr with a drow, but on the other hand, that drow had protected Sharr at his most vulnerable. He'd stand by Sharr in this, and give aid, if that was what it took.
When, almost three days later, the surprise of survival hit Sharr, it made him weak in the knees and long for a chance to just go find his friend.
"You can't, Dad," Del said, once he'd admitted that. "You said yourself that the gap in experience would make it wrong. And while he can't ever catch up to you, you have to let him choose when he is ready."
"How'd you grow so wise, son?"
Del smiled a little. "You raised my brothers well, and they passed it on."
"You have the look of a haunted man," Elué said, after kissing her elf-lord 'hello'.
"He is," Korvallen said, settling on the divan. "That damned ranger of his has had a busy summer."
Elué arched an eyebrow as she and Sharr settled together.
"Intense curiosity that moved to blatant impatience," Sharr began. "Followed by a growing respect and even pride. Then something of a mystery, followed by intense action — he's almost unreadable while in that state — over and over again, mixed with horror and determination.
"But it seems to finally have come to an end? As he had a building wall of grief give way to both relief and irritation a few weeks ago before he fell back to the more normal pulse of being alive."
"My my." Elué smiled at both elves then. "Well, I am glad you two have come to stay for a time. Niska's got a pile of lore for you, Sharr, and Kolarven said they need a better partner to improve, at volume, during the tourney they hosted last month," she told the pair.
"My nibling's getting big for their britches?"
"Bored, I think, as Ghael's not been to visit, and there's been no truly spectacular parties."
Korvallen snorted at that, and nodded. "I'll spend some time working them over, see what I can teach them. Planning to stay here at least a year or so, give us all a rest, since Del went to Sam for wizard training."
"I think that sounds delightful," she told them both.
There was a commotion at the door, and a loud voice stating that they didn't have an appointment but there was a threat approaching. Sharr gestured for the page to go and actually open the door, despite it being his break from taking appointments.
The Riders of Nesmé who pushed in looked like they had ridden a harder pace than was generally needed between that city and here. Given how irritated Sharr's mood was, pushed by his long-missing soul-mate's moods of late, he was hoping that they had brought news of a fight.
"I am Sharrevaliir, consort to the Lady here," he introduced. "What has you in such a state, Riders?"
"Lord," the captain of the detail said. "My men and I were attacked near the bridge we hold, by a drow and his thralls, seeking to learn the strengths of the lands."
Sharr's nerves prickled; while it was true that Nesmé sometimes had to deal with raids of drow coming from the Lurkwood or the Neverwinter, this tale did not seem to match those past encounters.
"Thralls?" he pressed, deciding not to offer water, when his instincts said something was amiss.
"Yes, three warriors under his sorcerous command."
The one with a bow cleared his throat, and the captain glared at him, silencing him. Wasn't that most peculiar, Sharr thought.
"Explain," he commanded, aware that the Spellguard on duty was shifting, probably casting a spell to determine lies. Likewise, Jasti was more alert, the Knight assigned duty to him today. He didn't often take Alustriel's courtly duties, but she had been needed this day by Laeral for more dangerous duties.
"They sought to overcome us by forcing bog blokes up onto the road, then pretended to come to our aid," the captain said, assured of the tale as his prejudice said it must have been. "Half my command was down when they finally appeared, with the brute of a half-giant doing great damage to the blokes they had used for fodder.
"When the bog blokes were defeated, they spun a tale of travel but then we noted the drow," the captain recited, and Sharr saw all the signs of a man who had convinced himself of his own words.
A troubling impression came to Sharr, and he pinned the captain with a gimlet stare. "Describe this drow," he said, his posture fully that of a man who meant to be obeyed.
"About your own height, as black as onyx, with hair that mocks the purity of a new snow," the captain said. "With two blades, and eyes blazing under his cowl."
"Color?" Sharr snapped.
"Ehh? Red, I suppose."
"Purple," the archer blurted. "I saw them as he fired on me."
Sharr's temper, typically very difficult to ignite, was a burning rage as soon as those words confirmed his suspicion. "And what exactly did you do to escape?" he asked, well-aware they had no idea his anger was directed at them, when he was an elf after all, and should hate all drow.
"We denied them the bridge of course," the captain said smugly. "And turned them off into the comforts of the moors, where such foul things should remain."
Sharr made himself count to ten in three languages, reminding himself he was Elué's representative, not the actual power of this city.
"Congratulations, Captain," he began at last. "You have, without any doubt, just managed to offend one of the patron goddesses of the city you are standing in." He turned his attention to Jasti. "Go tell Besnell I am authorizing a double squadron to the Trollmoors.
"Drizzt Do'Urden, and whomever his companions are, need aid, and should be taken directly to the Glade. I will send word to the Ladyservant myself they will be coming, likely injured, and in need of care."
"What?" the captain demanded.
Sharr snapped his attention back to the captain. "Let this be a lesson, Captain, that looks and your bigotry are enough to land your entire city in hot water with other municipalities. Silverymoon may not deny aid to the travelers you harmed, as we hold our relationship with Mielikki in high regard.
"I do hope you can find the right penitence to pay before Her disfavor lands on your grain stores, on your hunting grounds, and every other place Her creatures can reach, because the drow in question is actually Her favored ranger."
The archer was smart enough to blanch in color, and the other infantry man grabbed his captain's arm, stopping the angry splutters by dragging him out of the audience room.
Sharr itched to go, to join the patrol, but Elué needed him here. So he went to the desk, and began drafting a message to the Ladyservant. He wasn't all that surprised when Korvallen showed up just as he signed his name. He flicked his fingers across the ink to dry it with an archivist's cantrip, then rolled and sealed it.
"Play messenger for me?" he asked his heart-brother.
"Where?"
"The Cloister. Those idiots turned Drizzt and party off into the Trollmoors."
"Corellon's balls," Kor cursed, before taking it and hurrying to carry the message.
Elué looked at the unrepentant elves, and then shook her head. "You realize if they close that road, my people will suffer?"
"The Ladyservant was already drafting a letter to their leaders," Korvallen said. "Sharr's right; Khalreshaar will be angry, and will punish anyone who uses this to further their bigotry."
"There is a deep irony in hearing you defend a drow, Korvallen," Elué said. "I personally agree with all that happened, but I have to be certain my people do not pay for it."
"Push comes to shove, heart's star, and I'll pay for the boys to teleport food in from other markets," Sharr told her. "Stand firm on the line that Mielikki is angry, and your citizens will rally to that.
"Please?"
"Oh I intend to, Sharr. And I am very intrigued at the opportunity to actually meet the ranger. I just see all sides of what a mess this could have become, might yet become."
"I'm not apologizing."
"I don't expect you to." She smiled at them both. "I know you would have done it for anyone you had proof of goodly intentions on, even if we didn't all owe this particular drow."
Jasti had gone herself to lead the patrol, curious that any elf, especially one of Sharrevaliir's reputation and standing, would champion a drow. When she found the party of four — okay the barbarian was tall enough to be a half-giant — being protected to the best of said drow's ability, and all four looking very exhausted, she was a little angry at Nesmé.
Then, the whole ride back, once potions had been handed out, she heard more of the tale, and was furious. She was just old enough to know the legend of the Battlehammer clan directly, but what in all the Named Ones had those idiot humans been thinking that a mere drow could control a dwarf?
Thralls indeed!
As soon as her party had delivered the group to the keeping of the Ladyservant, she told all of them to spread the truth far and wide, just in case the bigots had spread their lies and been believed by the gullible.
A wizard in an inn's tavern heard the tale, and a smile touched her lips. Soon she could part from the irritation that was the assassin she kept company with, and go back to her studies in Luskan. She finished her meal, and headed up to get her partners in this endeavor.
Sharr had intended, once he knew Drizzt was in the city, to go straight over and see his friend. As it was, he got delayed by explaining the circumstance to a visiting merchant from Sundabar, and that drew others, which suited him.
"I personally know the ranger in question," became the best defense he could use, and he was certain that what little hostility had been inflamed by Nesmé was puttering out under repetition.
Then, as he was finally on his way over to the Cloister to find out where the four had taken lodging, a sergeant of the Silver Watch hastily intercepted him.
"Lord Silverhand," the man said around his attempt to breathe normally. "The group you had the Knights bring in have been arrested alongside other visitors to the city. Four of the Watch were injured, one critically."
"What in the Abyss…" Sharr muttered. "Which holding station, sergeant?" and then he took off at a brisk pace, once told.
Sharr spoke at length with the captain that had been called in to get to the bottom of the matter. It seemed that one of the people involved had successfully managed to cull the halfling away from Drizzt's party, leading to Drizzt going to the halfling's aid. This had led to an attack on Drizzt himself, from a wizard, using low-level spells that flew under the ban on magic in the city. The spells were meant to disorient and be a nuisance, at which point presumably, someone else would get involved.
Only, it had been the halfling's allies, Drizzt's friends, wading in with bared hammer and axe, at which point the Silver Watch had made it on scene. If an off-duty Spellguard hadn't come to investigate, the captain was certain his men would be dead, possibly some of the drow's party, and no one would have been captured.
"We're tracing the wizard and her party to wherever they stayed, as their entry was noted as having four, not three, members," the captain finally said. "We're fairly certain the ranger's party is in the right, but procedures. The drow himself was insisting we follow them — I think to keep the little one safe from the other group's allies, maybe."
"That… would be his line of thinking, yes. Thank you." Armed now with the full story, Sharr walked back to the pair of holding cells, with a trio in one, and the quartet in the other. He looked at the sullen dwarf, the angry barbarian, the apologetic halfling… and then to his friend, who had curled up in a corner, cloak wrapped around him.
"You're not actually sleeping, my friend." Sharr let amusement touch his voice.
"No, but it's more polite to pretend so, rather than just ignore my friends all placing blame in a circle." The ranger did roll over to his back, turning his head to look out the bars. "Hello, Sharr. Not exactly an auspicious reunion."
"Not at all, and yet I look forward to getting the truth of it all." He then turned and looked at the other cell, noting the dark-skinned man was being held with enchanted manacles as well as the wizard, while no such hindered Drizzt and friends. The third one, a human man, was sitting as far from the other two as possible.
"Who did you intend to get to speak for you, proper procedures and all of that?" Sharr asked Drizzt, turning back to find the drow had come to the bars without Sharr noticing. "Damn it, you're sneakier than ever."
"I asked for a cleric to come determine truth," Drizzt said, his eyes sparkling. "Imagine that, from me."
Sharr threw his head back and laughed. "Give you most of a couple of decades and you can learn trust that far? I am impressed." He noted Drizzt's friends were slowly letting go of their own emotions, turning to more curiosity about what was going on. "Once you have all given your statements, with a cleric to determine truth, I invite you to come to the Palace.
"As my guests."
"What is this, my teacher?" the barbarian asked, skeptically.
"An honest offer, Wulfgar. Sharr is my friend, and I trust his offer. It also may be the best place to begin with our needs here, Bruenor, and a place where Regis need not fear."
So those were the names of the three with Drizzt, Sharr noted, sizing them up. That 'teacher' worried him, honestly, given that the human would grow old and die long before Drizzt was even approaching his true prime.
"I believe the Silver Watch have matters in hand," Sharr said, not wishing to remain where he could be targeted if there was still an unnamed threat in the city. "Until I see you, my friend."
"Until then."
Word reached Sharr, before his friend had arrived, that the trio were to be held for trial, as the fourth had been found to be a hostage. He felt a bit more vindicated in letting Drizzt see it handled through proper channels, and waited — impatiently — for the party to be guided to the palace.
Having the walls attacked by a flesh construct was not on his list of things he'd expect to be connected to the entire incident, but it resulted in a large portion of the Spellguard turning out to deal with the attack.
He was in the main entrance hall when the ranger and party were escorted in, and could not help but go directly to them, hands out toward Drizzt, who took them, squeezing firmly.
"I am so curious what you have gotten yourself tangled up in, Drizzt, but let me get you to a suite." He nodded to the page to go fetch up a meal, taking in the young woman that had joined their party, looking every bit the worse for wear.
"It has been an interesting year or so," Drizzt told him. "Once my companions are seen to, I will talk with you. And thank you; I have grown no fonder of trolls since I was on patrols in the Underdark. Having seen too many of them in the last year."
"You're only whetting my curiosity, and you should stop, or I will be a rude host." He looked at the others. "I am Sharrevaliir, consort of Lady Silverhand, Arch Mage of the city. I am told you are Bruenor Battlehammer, Wulfgar son of Beornegar, and Regis. I have not yet been told your name," he added, looking to the woman.
"Catti-brie Battlehammer," she said, leaving off any honorific as she didn't seem sure which was appropriate, and she also reeked of worry toward Drizzt, for the fact the elf was still in contact with the drow.
"We thank ye for yer hospitality," Bruenor managed to find the grace to say, but Sharr was almost certain they were all very suspicious of his relationship to Drizzt.
"I think I am upset, Drizzt, that I didn't warrant mention," Sharr said pleasantly.
"Oh I spoke of 'Sharr' and 'Sam' a bit. I failed to name your ties, as they didn't seem necessary."
"Elf, ye and yer durn secret keeping!" Bruenor grumbled at him.
"Well, I feel a bit more inclined to forgive you," Sharr teased, guiding them all along to the suite. His path meant that they arrived almost simultaneously with food, and he was careful not to ask any more questions, so they could all get settled in and begin recovering properly.
He knew the Glade had seen to injuries, but rest and meals were surely needed.
The page led Drizzt to Sharr's personal rooms, on orders, when the ranger finally slipped free of the suite. Now, Sharr could see the fatigue was still there in his friend, that Drizzt had been pushing himself for enough time that even the clerics of the Glade had not cured it all.
"You look terrible, and I thank you for trusting me enough to show it." Sharr gestured to the divan for Drizzt to come join him there. They settled, and after just a few moments and a touch, Drizzt actually rested against Sharr fully.
"I didn't dare sleep after my first attempt in the moors," Drizzt admitted. "Too dangerous, and I was the only one who could see well enough, it felt like.
"But I did not want to leave you waiting."
"I am glad you came to me, but I am not going to pester you for answers if you are that tired. I have missed you terribly, though. Especially… well. A few years ago, I almost demanded Sam bring me to you, somehow. I thought you had died."
"I very nearly did, my friend," Drizzt admitted soberly. "But I survived, as ever. And if you seriously wish to wait for answers, I think I should sleep, and would do so better near you."
Sharr's heart thrilled at that answer, and he started stroking Drizzt's hair gently. "Here, or bed?"
"If it will not scandalize anyone, I think I prefer the bed."
Sharr chuckled, and saw to taking Drizzt to bed, folding around him once they were down to their inner layers, and just doing all he could to make Drizzt feel safe.
Drizzt stretched, then rolled over to see Sharr was only just opening his eyes from Reverie. That made Drizzt smile, before he cupped his hand around Sharr's between them.
"I know Bruenor has an appointment with the Lady this morning, but do you want the full story now?"
"Of course I do, so I know best how to support her," Sharr answered. "Tell me over breakfast, and then I am going to put you in clothing that is better than you wandered in wearing."
Drizzt laughed at him. "I have been on the road since the passes thawed in the Spine of the World."
"And you are my friend, my bonded. I can't have you looking ragged to meet my consort."
The easy warmth between them was a needed balm, because by the time breakfast ended, Sharr was convinced that his friend was being pulled into dangers far above what he should be facing, and concerned on how the rest would spiral out from there.
"You're certain the crystal is unreachable?"
"By physical means, yes. Magical? I cannot concur to that. But I know that is why Luskan hunts me. They want it."
"I'll make a force to deal with that. It's useful to have so many mage-fighters, after all." Sharr forced a smile he did not feel.
"Let me know once it is contained?" Drizzt asked.
"Of course."
They both heard the bells, and hastened to finish readying for Bruenor's appointment time, so they could both be present.
Catti-brie was standing next to her father and facing the door when the elf-lord and her ranger walked in. Drizzt looked so completely relaxed and calm, even truly rested, that she couldn't find it in herself to still be piqued over waking to his absence.
More, he was dressed in a tunic that seemed to have been made for him, a pale purple that enhanced his eyes perfectly, the collar embroidered in silver curving swords… or unicorn horns? She could not quite make out from this distance. Everything he was wearing looked new, made for being in the city, not on the road, and he walked as close to the elf as he normally did when he was escorting her somewhere.
The men with her turned that way and took note, with Catti glancing down at her father to catch the slightest scowl pulling at his beard. Drizzt was going to need to talk to them all about this strange elf. The stories of 'Sharr and Sam' were not explaining this … intimacy, and they all worried over their ranger. If the pair were so close as all that, why'd Drizzt been up in the frozen north so alone? And left to nearly die when Wulfgar's people first attacked?!
Magic enough in this place that surely something could have been done to keep their ranger safer!
"Good morning, my friends," Drizzt said. "Let me get this out of the way first, so maybe you begin to understand.
"When I met Sharr, there was magic tangling him up that had to be sorted out. I watched over him until such time as it was. And then, knowing of his extensive family and a need to return to them, but not being ready to actually exist in those circles, I returned to my wandering ways.
"Which allowed me to meet all of you, and be where I was needed." He focused most intently on Catti-brie, as she was wondering if he'd been reading her mind. "That I chose to walk away does not negate the depth of friendship between Sharr and I. It only means he was strong enough to let me find my own way back to him."
Regis made a noise, and his eyes were very big.
"What be it, Rumblebelly?" Bruenor demanded.
"You've got a soul-thread?!" Regis squeaked, and Sharr was the one to laugh softly, nodding.
"It was a very overwhelming situation for Drizzt, at the time," the elf said. "The only thing we could do was part, so I could settle my life, and he could find more of who he wished to be."
"I do not understand," Wulfgar said, "but my teacher looks happy in your company."
"It's a thing o' magic, and rare among humans," Bruenor said with a sigh. "Me elf? Ye still owe me yer word tae find me hall."
"I have no intention of not finishing this quest with you, my friend," Drizzt assured him, finally looking away from Catti-brie when she gave him the tiniest nod of understanding.
The audience room's doors opened then, and a page ushered them in for their meeting with the Lady of the city.
Sharr was nearly ready to burst with laughter, by the time the formal report and request for aid had happened. He had not missed that Drizzt was utterly taken with Elué, or that his beloved heart's star had kept herself focused in such a way that let Sharr know she was affected. Nor could he enjoy that mirth right away; Drizzt and friends were on the way to the dwarven district to rouse more aid, and to put out the word that an heir was known.
He finally got to release it when he met his consort for lunch, eyes dancing as he took her hands. Once they were private, he kissed her deeply.
"You, my love, are fascinated by my ranger."
"Yes," Elué said, not bothering to deny what had rippled between them along their own soul-thread. "And I am making a point to not make skin-to-skin contact with him while he is pressed by duty."
"A good idea, in case he completes the little box of the four of us," Sharr said, still amused. "We'll learn in time. But, what do you think?"
"Are you certain he is as young as you say?"
"By years, yes. By experience? He's lived more than half our sons."
She sighed, then settled with him for a meal. "The Herald's Holdfast is a good place for them to strike out for. As to the other part of their problem here, I have remanded the construct, the guard, and the wizard to Luskan with a hefty bill for repairs, and an increase in fees for all Luskanites who come here to learn."
"And the other, the southern man?" Sharr asked.
"Laeral is coming for him, with Ghael, tomorrow. He's wanted in conjunction to several cases, and Bruenor was willing to cede authority since he is occupied by his quest," she said.
"I understand having to balance the living over the dead, but I have faith in Laeral and Ghael to see it through." He smiled at her, and settled to the food, thrumming with anticipation of the rest of this momentous year.
With Laeral occupied, it would make even more sense to go through Syluné to handle the crystal's fate, he decided, glad that part had not actually come up in everything. Elué didn't need that worry just yet.
The next several weeks were not without excitement — and worry — but eventually Drizzt was back in Silverymoon, as Regis and Catti-brie were there with him to see to dwarf business. Apparently Drizzt's promise to watch over the girl overrode seeing the chieftain back to his people.
Sharr convinced Del and Sam to go handle that part, so they would have someone familiar with the land, and magical back up if needed. Once Drizzt was certain his friends were good hands with the Rockcrushers, and a handful of Battlehammer relatives up from Sundabar, Sharr kidnapped his friend to introduce him to Deysa, his latest pegasus companion.
"Thought you might need some time out in fresh air, and to let Guen join us?" Sharr invited as they headed out of the city walls together.
"Oh she'll like that." Drizzt didn't wait then, pulling the figure out and summoning his friend.
Sharr was immediately pounced, and gently knocked to the ground, so Guen could rub her face all over him, leading to much laughter from both her two-legged friends. "Yes Guen! I missed you too!"
She eventually deigned to let Sharr back up, exploring all around as they walked toward a good clearing away from the road. There, Sharr whistled, and Guen went into attentive listening mode. When the sound of wings hit her ears, she wriggled a little and then moved to watch Drizzt intently.
Deysa landed daintily, her eyes on the giant cat and the drow alike, before Sharr walked over to love on her.
"Drizzt, Guenhwyvar, this is Deysa. She's my friend, just really old enough to be carrying me now. I held off a long time, because I missed Norvor terribly, but she picked me a few springs back."
"Greetings, Deysa," Drizzt said, after finding his voice, having been mesmerized. He'd seen the beautiful beings, both at a distance and in Sharr's memories, but to be this close to one was a potent emotional thrill.
Guen walked over, content in her suspicion on how her drow would take it, and touched noses with the mare. She then sat there, and made a small noise, making her drow actually approach. From there, it was as magical as being in the Glade had been for Drizzt, and Sharr got to watch as Deysa was completely spoiled with knowing fingers finding all her itchy points.
Sharr sat beside the great cat, letting his other friends get to know each other, and looked at Guen.
"Thank you for taking care of him all these years."
Guen rubbed her head against Sharr's, rumbling. Of course she had! Drizzt had been hers for over half his life after all!
"So we have the stupid blocking spell off of you," Sharr began, aware that Drizzt was only half-paying attention, since Elué was moving through the palace on the floor below this balcony. "And let me tell you my sister-in-law is not pleased, at all, that you were allowed to wander off from me with it clinging to you."
That made Drizzt turn and look at him, or maybe it was the fact Elué had disappeared into her court for the day.
"It possibly saved my life, as the demon Errtu didn't realize I was bluffing him until he detected the talisman I wore for Mielikki."
"Well, there's that… and I still think you're very reckless to have bluffed him at all." Sharr rested a hand on his shoulder. "Elué wants you to go to lunch with her today."
Drizzt's eyes narrowed, feeling the mischief, and Sharr had to laugh at the blatant suspicion.
"She's feeling as intrigued by you as you are by her."
"I — "
"Will make us both happy if this turns out to be one more connection between us all," Sharr said firmly. "Unless you have a need to run off for another fifteen years because my consort is curious about you?"
If Drizzt could blush, Sharr was certain he was at this moment.
"You said you'd introduce me to Korvallen," Drizzt tried to deflect.
"I will. When he gets back; Sam abducted him to go up once your friends got outside of Mirabar with the whole caravan." Sharr squeezed the shoulder he still had. "Stop dodging. Are you ready to face being part of us, no matter what the attraction between Elué and you is?"
Drizzt stood tall, and gave a slow nod.
"Good. I'm going to be shamelessly paying attention to you and she during your lunch."
"I think you should be there," Drizzt said. "Unless this lunch will be somewhere very secure; I had no awareness of my surroundings when you and I touched that first time."
"It will be here in the palace, in a quiet room, with all her protections around you both," Sharr reassured.
"Alright."
Alustriel looked at Drizzt, captivated by him, as the memory flow eased enough for her. She understood so well now why Sharr had been willing to let him go, after experiencing his tragedies first hand. Yet, in her heart, she was aware this man was firmly in control of himself now, having had the years to process and come to terms with his losses.
"Please tell me you aren't going off to explore this round of memories," she said softly once he was back with her.
"No, Lady… no."
"Call me Elué or Alustriel, whichever you feel best with. Elves have long since known me as the first, even if I rule under my proper name now," she said.
"Alustriel, then," Drizzt answered. "Are… is this going to suit you? This connection between us all?"
She smiled at him for that self-effacing concern for others. "Yes. I am looking forward to getting to know you, not just what shaped you. And it will be good, to get you fully integrated into the family at last. Even Ellifain knows of you, from Sharr."
"The child…" He closed his eyes, as that memory floated up, Alustriel meeting the moon-elf, welcoming her to their family.
"Yes."
"Then, I am looking forward to knowing all of you better." He breathed out, slowly, took a measured breath in. "I've learned, in my time away, how good family can be, and understand better why it is a bedrock of who Sharr is. I see that in you, as well."
"Even Kor feels it, no matter that he is a grumpy old elf that is a bit fierce to get to know."
Drizzt laughed softly. "I saw that, in both of your experiences. I will just have to give him a spar worth paying attention to, and win him over that way."
Now she laughed, before pointing at their food. "Let us eat, and then I'll give you back to Sharr's care for the day.
"We have all the time in the world to get to know each other now."
"Yes."
Sharr watched Kor and Drizzt sparring, noting the care that Kor was taking, knowing that Drizzt was only just out of the clerics' hands from taking Mithral Hall back. He leaned back into Elué's hold, content with the world.
"I'm going back to the Refuge in spring. Drizzt isn't ready to cope with that, but he's content to keep his travels in your region," he said.
"I think that is good, at this point." Elué dropped a kiss in his hair. "In time, we both can lay down our leaderships, and then what an adventure we shall find together!"
"With Drizzt's ability to find trouble? Indeed!"
They both laughed, and relaxed into a fuller future.
Chapters: 9/9
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s), Drizzt Do'Urden/Original Elf Character, Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Original Elf Character(s), Drizzt Do'Urden
Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates
Summary:
When Sharrevaliir was attacked by a band of orcs, there was also a lich ready to cast a trap for the Chosen of Mystra, using him.
Mystra diverts the thrust.
SharrVerse
Thirteen elves and half-elves, clad in the armor and weapons of a ritual hunt, made their way along the outer edge of the High Forest. A pure white stag had been seen in the vicinity of Stone Stand, and that had given weight to the need to hold the Hunt.
The Lore Keeper, chosen leader of the Hunt, was ahead of all the rest. His bright laughter had been heard frequently on the journey, as he had four of his sons and some of his oldest friends with him. Soon they would grow quiet, become serious about the Hunt, as befitted a ritual in honor of Corellon, but there was joy for now.
None of them heard or smelled the slightest danger until too late. While the war-band of orcs all but appeared in weapons' reach of the various elven-blooded hunters, the one lich that was with them immediately threw his spell. A cloud of magical blades homed in on the Lore Keeper, each one holding a component of the second spell he had crafted.
Two things happened almost simultaneously as the shards embedded in the elf. The lich cast the activating spell, and he was hit by a desperate disintegration spell from the elf's eldest son's wand. That son took a heavy blow from the orc nearest him, but he hardly noticed, as his father vanished from the battlefield in shadow-touched magic.
Syluné, upon being told, took efficient charge of the family, working alongside Charic who put her own worry aside to tend the injured. She convinced Laeral to go reinforce Silverymoon's defenses, anticipating an attack on her younger sister's territory. She had both Dove and Storm go to keep a closer eye on Shadowdale in her absence, and sent word to the younger sons of Sharrevaliir to guard themselves well.
Andelver was both recovering — having been the worst injured — and wracked by guilt.
"If I hadn't used the wand so fast…" he began when Syluné came to see him. She put a finger over his lips.
"We will investigate the residual magic. All hope is not lost, my nephew."
"I hope, Aunt, you are correct."
1340s DR
Drizzt Do'Urden had been tracking a wounded boar, intent on either convincing it to rest for treatment, or to put it out of danger to others. Not long after he finished the hunt, regretting the necessity, he decided that camping to make the most of the meat was the better choice to make.
Guenhwyvar approved of the idea, and was lounging nearby as Drizzt built up the smoking racks, working as swiftly as he could, before he lost too much of the meat. He wouldn't need it all, but he could make a gift of it to the closest village in the dark of night.
It felt like he'd only just managed to get the last of it over the smoke when Guen raised her head in the direction of the thicker woods. Drizzt looked that way as well, and felt he needed to go investigate. Double-checking that he had built the fire safely, in a rock-ringed pit away from other vegetation, before taking up a jog.
Guen loped along beside him, nor was it long before they found the source. An elf, bleeding from multiple points, unconscious, was just inside the tree line there. None of the injuries looked critical, so Drizzt scooped the man up, carrying him back to camp. Guen kept watch but her nose agreed with Drizzt's unconscious appraisal of the scene.
There had been no tracks, nothing out of place, and the marks on the plants nearest to the elf had been magic-seared, something destructive but instantaneous.
Once at camp, Drizzt put the elf on his own bedroll in the shade of the one tree there, and saw to getting the armor out of his way. Guenhwyvar picked up Drizzt's pack and brought it closer without being asked. It took almost as much time as prepping the boar originally, but Drizzt got every cut cleaned and covered with his particular blend of protective, healing salve.
"Nothing near him, magic traces, none of these cuts were deep, none of them had debris — Guen, what in the abyss have I found other than a faerie that's going to hate me on sight once he wakes?"
The panther pushed her head into her drow's chest, loving on him even as she was feeling the need to go home.
"Yes, I know. Go. I'll be cautious." Drizzt gave her a quick scratching before she did take herself back to the Astral Plane. Drizzt split his time between watching the elf sleep and making sure the fire kept smoking correctly, wondering how badly this rejection was going to go.
The elf began to stir about an hour after Guen left him, and Drizzt came with his waterskin, braced for the violent reaction, but intent on being true to his nature.
"Peace, elf. Lie still."
The head turned toward his voice, of course, and Drizzt saw the eyes go wild as they saw him.
"I will point out you are lying on my gear, treated with my resources," Drizzt said calmly. "Please weigh that before acting." He did not, however, approach closer, the waterskin held out in front of him as explanation of his approach.
"I… you are drow, why?"
"I am a drow. You are an elf, though I am uncertain which kind. Does my action buy peace, in that you did wake?"
The elf frowned, took stock of himself, and then looked back at Drizzt.
"I don't understand. I… I am not certain of anything. But, you did not treat me as an enemy."
At that, Drizzt finished approaching, kneeling.
"Thirsty?"
"Yes."
With care, though none of the wounds had seeped past the styptic salve that had solidified as plasters, Drizzt helped the elf sit and put his back to the tree, before giving him the waterskin. Drizzt then settled back on his heels, waiting.
The elf handed the skin toward him, but Drizzt waved it off. "Keep that one; I have a second I will fill shortly. I'm in camp for a few days, as I had to kill a boar this morning and must get the meat dealt with.
"My name is Drizzt Do'Urden. I am a ranger of Mielikki. I found you at a disturbance caused by magic, with no tracks nearby."
"I — " A look of horror took over past the initial confusion. "I don't know my name. Or how that happened."
Drizzt took a deep breath. "Well, that's going to make getting you safely back to your people rather difficult, I think."
Over the few days they stayed at Drizzt's camp, they established that the elf had many skills in place, two languages that came easily to him, and complete awareness that he should know far more about the world around him.
Nothing, not even sleep, was shaking the memory of who he was and where he belonged loose. Likewise, he agreed with Drizzt that they would need to avoid people for a time, to try and break it free, because they had no idea who had done harm to him.
As Drizzt was packing the pork into woven baskets and carriers he had made while smoking it, he looked over at his ward in consideration.
"Did I grow horns? Wings?" the elf asked once he noticed.
"I can't just keep calling you 'Elf'. It feels rude."
The elf laughed. "Yes, but I keep answering to it." He then shrugged. "Names seem to be hard to remember, like they connect to whatever I am supposed to know? Solitath, Sol for short? It means Sun Tree in sylvan."
Drizzt nodded. "Solitath. Sol. I can do that. And that's why I could not decide which elf race you were, isn't it? You have a darker cast than most Sun elves, but their hair and eyes. Sun and Wood?"
"I think… maybe?" Sol answered. "I feel like if I could actually reach Reverie I might have more answers for you, but… that's not working either." He flipped the covering over the basket he'd filled, lashed it shut with more braided grasses, and looked over things.
"The village I spotted was two days northeast. I won't ask you to go too close, but I can leave this where it will be found," Drizzt said.
"You… can't approach them." Sol looked bothered by that.
"I've learned better. So I leave gifts in the night."
"Shame people can't see you as I'm learning to."
Drizzt ducked his head to finish closing his own, heart twisting up. When memory returned, would Solitath feel the same?
Drizzt grabbed Solitath's wrist, stopping him mid-step. He then tipped his head noticeably in the direction of the sound he'd heard, and Sol followed suit. When the elf's eyes went large, Drizzt was certain his ward — friend, for the bond building over the weeks — understood.
He looked up at the closest tree, and the pair swiftly swarmed up it in silence, barely disturbing the animals taking refuge there.
"The wolves," Sol began in a bare whisper.
"Are not true, no," Drizzt said. "Your armor is sturdy, but your sword is ill-suited to dealing with dire wolves or worgs, whichever that sound is coming from."
"I don't think either," Sol said, "but I cannot tell you why or what." This had been a source of frustration for him, Drizzt knew, the half-known things. "Also why is my sword bad, but yours aren't?"
Drizzt ignored that part, going for the plan forming in his mind. "I feel the need to see, to try to deal with it, but prefer to give you my bow — "
His words cut off as a strident hawk's call drifted down to his ears. He frowned, not liking the feeling it brought with it, that he should retreat, not stand and fight.
"What is it, Drizzt?"
The ranger grimaced, shaking his head, but the cry repeated.
"I… please do not think me a coward or mad, but we must flee," he said, letting the need to protect this vulnerable elf make the hard choice for him.
"The bird told you something." Sol didn't even question that idea. "Alright, across the trees, then."
"You … yes."
They moved swiftly then, with Sol actually taking point, choosing the path. He was guiding them deeper into the woods, toward the thicker groves where the trees were more likely to harbor elves, making Drizzt nervous, but the warning had been clear.
Whatever the canid voices had been were a threat larger than he could deal with, in the eyes of the goddess that seemed to hold some favor for him.
Eventually even Drizzt's ears could not pick up the sounds, and they came to rest in the crook of a very large, ancient tree's limbs. They shared water, catching their breath, before Solitath looked at him.
"You're a ranger. The bird spoke to you. It's rare that a ranger can understand without having prayed for the spell, but Khalreshaar — Mielikki to you — can bend the rules if She needs to."
Drizzt ducked his head a little, then laughed. "Montolio never told me that the ability to listen to them was known outside those who are trained. But, praying for spells? He never mentioned this.
"Also, you just remembered a name. And lore associated with what I do."
Sol blinked, then smiled brightly. "I did, didn't I? And… I know that both rangers and druids normally pray at a specific time of day for spells from their Patron Deity."
"I don't." Drizzt shook his head. "Montolio called it the Heart of Ranger, the fact that I could learn to hear and understand what the creatures wished."
"Means She really likes you," Sol decided.
The trees were whispering, Drizzt could feel. The danger was closer to them, and they should move on. He opened his eyes to tell Solitath, and found a very large eye, shrouded around the edges by bark, staring at them.
"Stay silent," the tree — oh spirit of his father, but that was a treant! — said very slowly, almost too slow to be understood.
Sol was awake, and slipped his hand over to Drizzt's, reassuring him through a gentle squeeze of fingers.
Drizzt didn't even argue, just listened harder. The distorted baying was just at the edge of his hearing, but the trees' warning was there. Danger was coming… and the treant was aware of it. He heard the eerie sound of roots pulling up, becoming tendrils ready to snare the problems.
Closer the danger came, making Drizzt's hands itch for his blades. Now he was hearing human voices, and they were calling his name! He could not help the shift, but Solitath squeezed his hand again, warning him to be still and silent.
Their protector vibrated slightly… talking to the trees? … and then there were crashing noises, startled yips, human screams of defiance. It did not last very long, Drizzt noted, and he filed a note in his mind to never, ever get on the wrong side of a treant.
"Now it is safe to speak, Sharrevaliir."
The voice, by dint of where the great eye was looking, was aimed at Solitath, who frowned.
"I… is that my name?"
"Oh. Oh dear."
There was, Drizzt discovered, an entire community of treants in the part of the Forest they had come to. And his friend, who was known to them as Sharrevaliir, was apparently a person of importance to them. They were given freedom within a particular section of the woods, but dissuaded from wandering out of it. Water and food was abundant.
"I think it best if I call you 'Sharrevaliir', in case it helps free your memories to hear your name," Drizzt said, as the pair were finishing a meal. Drizzt having asked if a fire could be made at a stream had apparently further impressed the treants, though he knew they were suspicious of him being drow, in company of their ally.
"Sharr." The elf looked at Drizzt and half-grinned. "It feels more right."
"Sharr, then."
"What do you think they are discussing?" Sharr asked.
"What to do with you, how to rescue you from the evil drow?" Drizzt answered, voice wry on the last.
"You, my friend, have never known evil inside you, though I have no doubt you are very familiar with it. At least… given my base reaction to a drow."
Drizzt nodded. "I was raised among those I know now were evil. At the time, I just didn't understand them, the culture around me, the actions." He shrugged. "I was a strange child, according to my wean-mother. Father had the same opinion." He couldn't help the note of sadness. "He was not like the others, but he was not like me.
"He hated all things drow, and would rather have seen me dead than to become what he hated. Sadly, before I could convince him we should flee together, he was killed."
"I'm sorry," Sharr said.
"I am as well, that he did not live to find freedom with me. But, I am here, and every day I live is an insult to the Spider Queen."
"A good way to look at it."
The treant called Turlang was the one to bring the decision, some several days later.
"You have avoided people, to try and learn who you are," he began. "You trust the ranger who found you to help guard you as you seek yourself. We believe there is magic upon you that might bring harm to those you held power over, or their allies, so long as the memory remains blocked."
"Yes," Sharr agreed. "I had no way to tell enemy from friend, other than Drizzt, who saw to my needs without offer of reward."
"He has been found worthy of the protection of one we call friend." Turlang regarded Drizzt who sat silently. When his attention focused back on Sharr, the shadows had deepened, but both men were very patient in their dealings with the slow-moving giants.
"Through our roots," Turlang continued at last, "we know of one person, a powerful wizard that is not tied to your enemies, but has reason to aid you. We can tell you the direction to go, if you trust what we say.
"In turn, we will say nothing to those we have known as your allies, so they do not inadvertently trigger the lurking traps of magic."
"Thank you, Turlang." Sharr smiled. "I look forward to remembering the friendship we must have, for the generosity of your people."
"I too look forward to knowing you are you again."
Drizzt had memorized the directions, but once they had made it back to the outer edge of the High Forest, he looked at Sharr with concern.
"It's far enough away that, if the wizard doesn't give aid, we will have to scramble to find shelter and put aside what we need for the winter."
"I noticed that. But, perhaps by then, I will remember more, and be a better aid in providing shelter and food to us," Sharr told him. "We can do this, Drizzt.
"Unless you prefer we leave it until spring?"
"No, I see how much not knowing weighs on you," Drizzt told him. He reached out with a hand to rest it on Sharr's forearm. "I have made your care my quest for now. And Montolio said you never disturb a ranger on a quest."
Sharr laughed brightly, but covered that hand. "I think that adage is actually in my limited lore of your duties, actually. Let's hope we have good travel, and this wizard proves trustworthy."
Drizzt nodded at that, and got his bearings. He pulled his hood up against the brighter light of the grasslands and set out, intent on both helping and protecting his friend.
Over the weeks of travel, Drizzt found himself growing ever more curious about Sharrevaliir. The man was an adept swordsman, had even proven to know how to counter some of Drizzt's more advanced techniques when they sparred. The random flashes of knowledge spoke of someone very educated, and the armor certainly implied a position of respect.
Yet the man easily let Drizzt lead, especially when they encountered small threats along their way. Sharr never protested the random detours that led to protecting small hamlets from raiders, or the ones to investigate blighted wilds. The friendship was growing deeper with every encounter shared, and Drizzt found his heart heavy with the idea that Sharr's reaction to him would, inevitably, change once memory had returned fully.
Even still, Drizzt found himself opening up, talking about his past, from how he was raised, to the awful raid, even to his father's final fate. Sharr listened, and when he had no words, he used touch to reassure. Drizzt found himself craving the moments when his friend would rest an arm around his shoulders, or just touch his hand in comfort.
It was, Drizzt realized, coming to be a taste of what he'd craved without understanding, to be accepted for who he was as deeply as Belwar had, maybe even moreso.
Drizzt and Sharr both stared at the very strange tree just barely visible ahead. They'd stopped once it came in sight, knowing a wizard would have heavy protections.
"It is a hiexel," Drizzt finally said. "But… it's been transfigured into a tower?"
"Wizard might be an elf," Sharr mused. "We've seen most elves tend to prefer trees for homes."
"Yes." Drizzt was amused, as sometimes it seemed like Sharr forgot he was an elf.
Sharr caught that and chuckled. "What can I say? Getting used to the way you study the people we avoid, and comment on their habits."
"Fair. Though I do it as much with the animals as the people."
They both studied the strange tree-tower a bit longer, before Drizzt pulled his hood back up. Sharr followed suit, his cloak roughly made from cloth salvaged and cleaned from an orc band they'd run into.
"I should probably do the talking," Sharr said.
"Hmm, if the wizard sees me first, it might be trouble," Drizzt agreed, and set about making certain his skin nor hair were showing. He then stopped them, a bit out of bow shot from the actual tree as he felt the tiniest whisper of strong magic. "Ward line."
"I want to remember everything so I can decide if it is strange you are capable of that," Sharr told him in a light tone. He then looked at the tree-tower and projected his voice. "Hello, the Wizard!"
The hiexel had been in a particular state for … a while, once Samiar could make his mind work around the idea of time well enough. Just before he heard a voice calling from outside, the tree shut every single cabinet and drawer that Sam had had open, in an emphatic 'go outside'.
"You are being odd," Samiar said, but he moved to pull his outer robes on, all the wands and components in their accustomed places as he did so. The creak sounded indignant, but he ignored that as he went to the balcony. He peered out across the distance, noted they were just outside his ward, and took in that there were two people, cloaks up. One, the further one, was likely a ranger, with the particular color shading of the cloak, and the bow visible over a shoulder.
The nearer one had a mismatched patchwork cloak on. Two swords visible on one, a single on the one in front — Sam really hoped he didn't need the hold person wand as he couldn't remember how many uses it had left.
"Turlang the treant sent us this way, Wizard," the nearer man called. "Looking for someone who might be able to detect magic traps, and memory spells."
If Sam were to judge by body language alone, the ranger wasn't happy that so much had come out in that statement, or maybe the second one was just wary of magic in general.
"Bold to claim that one's name, but I have no idea who you are," Sam called cheerfully, not yet dropping the ladder.
"That's because I only know the name Turlang gave me, and need to be certain I'm not walking into worse," the man called. "We give our word to be friendly, if you will give yours to listen and not involve outside forces."
"Ahh, I am curious indeed." Sam tapped his ring of truth. "I grant peace and anonymity, with the agreement to not consult others or speak of this visit. Quite common for me, actually, as a curse-breaker, as some clients get tetchy over being cursed."
"We give our word to bring no harm to you knowingly," the speaker said.
"I agree to this," his companion said, and now Sam was fairly certain both were men based on voices.
The ring had not detected falsehood, using the wardline to further its range.
"Come to the tree then," Sam said, letting them pass his defense unharmed. The further one was carrying something magical, the wards told him, but not malignant. While they finished the walk in, Sam dropped the ladder and descended, curious what Turlang had sent him as a puzzle, and now understanding his hiexel's strangeness.
As sentient as it had grown, of course it would heed the treants.
Once he was on the ground, he looked back to the pair, and the more talkative one was pushing his hood back.
Sam felt the ground tilt under his feet, metaphorically, and he damned that he'd already given his word.
"Sharrevaliir, what in the abyss?!"
"Oh, he knows you too," the second one said, with something like amusement. "I find myself nervous on who we will learn you are."
"It will not, my friend, change anything about who you are to me," Sharr said, with something like the firm leader Sam knew him to be. Sharr then looked at Sam intently.
"I know the name, because Turlang used it. But I know nothing else of who I am, only that someone used magic to harm me and cast me to where my friend here, Drizzt Do'Urden, was able to heal me and give me shelter these many months."
"Months, like hell," Samiar said. "It's been decades since they tracked me down to state you'd been lost!"
Drizzt was trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. Samiar Ravarel was apparently kin — son of the brother of Sharr's mother — and had taken the fact Drizzt was drow quite… easily? That Sam appeared to be full sun elf, that fact had stunned Drizzt.
Now, as Sharr had held up a hand stopping the flow of words once they got inside, Sam was inspecting Sharr with some magical scrying device, studying the magic he had confirmed as being present. Which meant Drizzt was both trying to stay out of the way and yet still keep an eye on his friend, to keep him safe.
He didn't think the wizard was a threat, didn't perceive any signs of lying, yet… he was too drow to take a person at their word with no history of actions observed.
Finally, the wizard stopped pacing around Sharr and went to sit down. Sharr moved from the stool to the space next to Drizzt, sitting close enough to let their shoulders touch.
"Turlang was wise, as ever, to suspect traps. Elué's magic must have blunted it, as the way I can read it was that you would have been a threat to her or her sisters, should they have been the one the time spell sent you to."
"Someone I know, then?" Sharr asked, getting a hearty laugh from Sam.
"You might say that," he told Sharr in a playful tone. "Possibly just the sheer magic protecting that lot caused it to bounce you to a different location. Or the fact they reside in magical fortresses, so to speak.
"Why it bounced you to the vicinity of a stranger, and a drow at that — no offense, Drizzt, merely curiosity — is what's intriguing me. I think I see why it did not bounce you to Korvallen, who is protected by Elué's magics at present."
Drizzt inclined his head, surprised at the acknowledgment, and just pushed harder against Sharr's shoulder since his friend was visibly growing concerned.
"Can you remove the trap? And more importantly, give me my memory back? I feel like I am stumbling blindly here with no context for any of what you just said."
"Yes. The lich that targeted you may have prepared that spell specifically for you, but therein lies its flaw," Samiar said. "It was tailored… and you are becoming someone not the man you were.
"Steering clear of others has helped you shift away, so to speak, and the spell is going to lose its grip. Well, the trap. The memory may be trickier, but I will deal with the trap first. In the morning, as I don't have the correct spells on tap today."
"Alright."
Drizzt opened his eyes as he saw Sharr coming down the ladder. He'd been offered a room, but found himself unable to endure being under a stranger's roof with things perched so precariously for the future.
"Couldn't sleep inside?" Sharr asked. "Went to your room first."
Drizzt sat up on his bedroll, making space for Sharr and pulling his cloak around the man's shoulders so they could share the warmth.
"Perhaps I do not understand how beds work any longer," Drizzt told him wryly.
"Or maybe you're worried about the way this is all going to change," Sharr said in a more serious tone, staying close to his friend.
"A little. The way he spoke leads me to believe you have very strong ties to other people, and I… I am a drow."
"You are my friend. I feel safe with you. I enjoy your company. No matter what, I do not want to lose you."
Under the cloak, Sharr put one arm around Drizzt's waist, and that felt perfect to them both.
"I do not want to lose you," Drizzt admitted. "I… you make life good, like Guen does."
"Then it's settled. Whomever Korvallen and Elué are, they will just have to get used to the fact I have a drow ranger of Mielikki as my friend."
Sam sat back in his chair, satisfied he'd removed the full trap portion of the spell.
"I don't feel different?"
"You shouldn't. The trap should only have been sprung by being near one of the Chosen, most likely Elué," Sam told Sharr. He rubbed at his eyes, as that had been an intensive bit of magical working. "The memory part is going to be more difficult.
"It would probably be easier with a cleric," Sam added.
"I don't want more people involved, and Drizzt is still uneasy about gods," Sharr said adamantly.
Sam stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at Sharr intently. "That matters to you, deeply," he said, voice softer now.
"I came to, and the first person I saw was a drow. Who was honestly wary of how I would react to him, when he was doing all he could for a strange, injured elf," Sharr said. "I knew 'enemy', but I could see 'compassion'. And I learned how much pain he has experienced because he is innately good.
"Yes. It matters. I won't see him hurt."
Samiar smiled, nodding a little. "A good man, then, as you have generally been an excellent judge of character. Alright. But it will take time to prepare the spells, as they are more ritualistic. So the pair of you are going to be here into winter.
"I am offering for you both to remain the whole winter, on the off-chance, once you remember, he is uncomfortable going with you elsewhere."
"Thank you, Sam. Something tells me your nature is generally generous, but I really appreciate that."
Sharr was getting worried as the ritual magic Sam had been brewing for the past month was near completion and Drizzt hadn't returned from his need to go and check something in the wilds. He wanted his friend to be here, yet the potion was one that would have to be drank at a specific time to be the most effective.
"He would be here, if whatever he went after wasn't important," Sam told his cousin. "I've never seen someone that driven by the wilds. Not even Dove's husband. And he's been face to face with Khalreshaar several times."
"More family?" Sharr asked, straining his eyes to see, hoping for the familiar green cloak to appear on the horizon.
"Yes, though you've not met him. Or Syluné's husband, for that matter."
Sharr looked at him finally. "Can you scry?"
Sam frowned. "I tried. This morning. He's impossible to find, which is unsettling."
"He is… under some destiny, I think. I just wonder which deity could have made him non-detectable to a wizard of your caliber."
"Indeed."
The morning that Sharr was to drink the potion with the sun at its zenith, Drizzt came into sight, letting the elf breathe a sigh of relief. As Drizzt got closer, Sharr spotted the signs of injury and fatigue.
"So what was it?" Sam asked, because Sharr truly wanted to to fuss over Drizzt, and yet the look on Drizzt's face was not very open.
"A gnoll shaman with great intellect and too much evil," Drizzt answered. "They had been stealing the animals from that hamlet we passed four days before arriving here. The animals were being held in a way that was cruel and sickening for some sacrifice, while the gnolls readied to raid.
"I do not understand these peoples who can only take, and hurt!" he finished, anger overriding everything else.
"One man, against a well-led gnoll band?" Sam gave an appreciative whistle at that.
"I did little more than kill the shaman," Drizzt said, before looking at Sharr. "Did I make it back in time?"
"Yes, my friend, though I fear you pushed yourself too hard." Sharr did not, for a moment, believe that Drizzt had only killed the shaman. But he probably had set the battle up to where the farm folk knew to come with their pitchforks and axes, and Drizzt would have worked to stay hidden once they had.
"Drink these," Sam said, pulling out two vials. "The red one is for your injuries; the blue is to help ease the fatigue."
Drizzt started to wave them off, to protest.
"Please," Sharr asked of him, and that quelled the rebellion against magic being 'wasted' on him.
Drizzt downed them both, handed the vials back once they had taken effect, and then found shade to settle in against the glare of the sun on the snow around the hiexel. Sharr sat beside him, continuing to braid the coil of leather strips he'd been working on to pass time. Sam settled back to his reading, as they waited for the correct moment.
Sharr held the flagon to his lips, setting in the sunbeam in nothing more than a thin tunic and breeches, the cold of winter pressing on him. The sun, however, was singing to him as the liquid passed his lips, a think honeyed intoxicant that soothed his throat and warmed his belly.
He was aware of Samiar, the man that claimed to be and acted like close-kin. He was aware of Drizzt, the friend that he likely never would have met but for the actions that had stolen his memories, made of him a knife aimed at a powerful woman. Both were keeping watch, as was the hiexel with its unusual awareness of the world around it.
The flagon had to be drained, and Sharr closed his eyes as he kept drinking, the heat pooling, then radiating out from his core until even the thin clothing he wore felt oppressive. Gentle sounds began to twine into a harmony within his mind, the kiss of Corellon blazing in visible light on his forehead as the Seldarine wove their gifts through him once more.
~Lore Keeper, awaken!~
The fierce call of Sharrevaliir's patron god, King of all the Seldarine, sealed the healing draught's power, his eyes opening with a glow of power for a long moment.
The warmth burned still, but was fading, and Sam was there with a thickly woven blanket to drop around his shoulders.
"Cousin?"
Sharr looked at the other elf, cousin yes, but dear friend and partner in so many youthful adventures.
"I am Sharrevaliir," he said, with full weight of knowing, to his core, who he was, and what his purpose had always been. "I am Corellon's Lore Keeper once more."
Drizzt had hung back, as Sharr seemed to be settling his newly found knowledge into place. He was tired, despite the potions, and knew there would be logistics to helping Sharr pick his life back up. While he and Sam spoke of that, Drizzt went to the room he used here, cleaned himself up, and laid down to get the sleep he had been denying himself.
He felt as if he must have slept the full four hours when he roused to the door opening quietly. He looked that way, and made out Sharr slipping in, shutting the door behind him. Drizzt sat up on the bed, which made Sharr sigh.
"There really is no sneaking up on you," the elf said, but he sat down on the side of the bed, carefully confining himself to avoid putting pressure on Drizzt, now that everything had changed — or so it felt to the ranger.
"Not generally. But I am rested now. Have you sorted out your mind? Begun deciding how to handle your return to your life?"
"Sorted? Yes. Decided on the rest? No. You needed to sleep, and I can't tackle that part without you."
Drizzt's eyes widened, and he knew Sharr noted it.
"I have not changed my mind in the least," Sharr said, firm and more confident than ever. "You are my friend, and I want you at my side. Even if I will spend half my time worrying over you while you go deal with gnoll shamans and hags and who knows what else."
Drizzt half-smiled at that. "I am a ranger."
"Yes, one of the most ridiculous professions in all our world for the need to throw themselves into danger and sort it out after," Sharr said, smiling back. "I have two consorts. I have a heart-brother. I have thirteen sons, and an adopted daughter. I have three villages I am — or was — directly responsible for in times of hardship. I … must mourn the loss of my last companion.
"It's all a lot of things, and very overwhelming even before I add in the six sisters of one of my consorts, and their family entanglements. And there's going to be some bumps, getting things worked out, especially with my heart-brother." Sharr looked at Drizzt very seriously. "I still want you near."
Drizzt listened to that litany, eyes showing his shock at some of the concepts like multiple consorts and so many children, confusion by the repetition of 'heart-brother', and finally he shook his head.
"I do not want to lose our friendship, Sharr. But at the same time, you have a life to pick up, and I … do not want to impose on that, or cause negative impressions," Drizzt told him.
Sharr reached out, going for Drizzt's bare shoulder to try and get his own feelings fully spoken, unwilling to let Drizzt sacrifice anything —
— and the world imploded for them both.
Sharrevaliir found himself immersed in an alien world, full of danger and intrigue at all turns. He was painfully aware of how young Drizzt was, as the tragedies spun out, adding depth to the words spoken aloud during their travels. More, Sharr began to truly understand that the man had been painfully alone his entire life, save for a few brief interludes.
Those had ended in death or separation as final as death, with no understanding of how to mourn, how to release the grief inherent in the losses. It was no wonder that Drizzt seemed easily into his second century, holding the weight of that grief and horror all inside his soul.
More than ever, the nascent emotions of something more than friendship made sense, as Sharr's heart embraced the thread that had bound their souls.
The sheer current of memories was a tide that Drizzt found himself at a loss to swim within. Elves, powerful and mundane alike, a life among trees, a name he could never claim, memories of the time someone had hunted his mother for being an heir of the line — all of that was swept away with the resolution to be stronger, to make a better way.
Lovers — Drizzt shivered at the understanding of how a heart-brother stood in the eyes of his friend — and children, people to teach and succor in times of need all added to the drowning wave of experiences flooding him.
How could his friend have room for him in the swell of such belonging? Drizzt ached to learn, yet he did not know if he had the ability to find a place to fit in against such strange concepts as family supporting one another.
When they came back to themselves, now buoyed by the gentle awareness of one another, Sharr had moved so he was supporting Drizzt, but was well aware of the tears that were drying on his face. Drizzt leaned into that closeness, but could not help how corded his muscles were.
"That… how do you give yourself to so many? How do you manage caring so strongly for so many people?" Drizzt asked.
"Not the first question I expected, but you would have felt me recognizing the soul-strings to first Kor and then Elué," Sharr said, "and you do tend to skip over more obvious questioning.
"The answer is embracing how long we live, knowing when to let go, when to hold on, and letting every person in my life claim the time they need while understanding we have a need for space too." Sharr drew in a deep breath. "And yes, I can feel that space is what I must give you.
"This is not what I expected to learn, on why the spell was able to divert to you. Fortunately, I had not yet met you, so I could not hurt you," he explained. "I want to explore this with you, Drizzt Do'Urden, yet I also see the differences in our experiences means you need more time."
"I… yes. I want you to settle into your life, and not … be a detriment. But, now, seeing — no, feeling — your life, I think, in time, I will find my way back to you," Drizzt said softly. "It feels like where I should be, just not now."
Sharr held him closer, his eyes closing as he mastered the slight disappointment. A tiny part of him had hoped Drizzt would choose to stay, yet he truly had recognized how difficult this was going to be.
"Elué and Kor will know I am back in my right mind, and be reaching out soon," Sharr said. "As that burst of emotion was not one I could have kept from them. But for now, let me be close to you?"
Drizzt shifted, lifting the blanket. "I am still tired," he said quietly, and Sharr moved to slide under the covers, just holding this young drow of his heart.
In time, there might be more. Or they might remain as friends, with an added layer of awareness. It really didn't matter, so long as Drizzt was comfortable with the idea of some kind of a future.
Before the family could claim Sharr, Drizzt left, his pack full of supplies, and despite the winter, he would not be returning, despite Sam's invitation to do so.
"Why?" Sam asked, once the drow was far enough away not to hear.
"Because I am part of something too big for him to endure just yet, and he needs space to be more solid in who he is before he comes back." Sharr rested a hand on his cousin's arm. "It was a soul-thread, Sam. How would you feel to see the entirety of another's life, and learn you're already connected, but all things are changing?"
"Damn," Sam said softly. "And of course, it could not take effect until you were you again," he added, understanding better. "He'll be alright?"
"I think so," Sharr said. "His personal mission in life is to live so long that the Spider Queen comes to fear him."
Sam snorted. "As driven as he can be… She should.
"Well, let me get a mansion up, and tell everyone they can stop waiting for the word."
Sharr nodded, but kept watching the direction his soul-mate had vanished in. Knowing it was best did not actually make it easier.
Change had been inevitable. Sharr learned that his youngest sister-in-law had managed to clear a large swath of Undermountain for her people to live in, that his eldest one had chosen to persuade her husband to move with her, and that others, likewise, had changed their bases of power.
Various enemies had been targeted harder, in the years since the ambush on Sharr, with Harpers ferreting out their secrets, and the Chosen using their resources to more actively undo the plots they had fostered. Currently, things appeared to be in a lull, but Sharr knew it for a regrouping.
Dolthauvin, backed by Charic, Kor, and Sam, had been named Lore Keeper's Guardian, meaning he was invested with the powers but only until Sharr's return or Tyresia being of a proper age. From what Sharr was told, the pressure had been to push Tyresia to take it then, but the triumvirate, representing each of the villages that made the alliance, had held firm on Tyresia being too young, when the hope remained that Sharr would be found.
Elué had not moved, but had worked ceaselessly to make Silverymoon even more the Light of the North she had envisioned for it. Once Dol had been secure, with Charic to advise him, Kor had left the villages to go be her personal protector. While Korvallen did help with the Knights, he was not one of them, having held firm to the knowledge Sharr would return some day.
Del was starting to adventure alone, at last, but had stayed with Methri and Tyresia, learning from them, once he ventured out originally. There was a deep caution, a slowness to trust, in his youngest son that burned Sharr's soul a bit.
Dol, blessed son he was, volunteered to remain in place, on the grounds that Sharr had forty odd years to catch up on, as well as a son to learn. So it was that Del joined his father, and Korvallen, and the trio flitted from one thing to another —
— while a drow ranger explored his own life, and traveled ever further from the elf who held his soul-thread.
It was Kor that was with Sharr the day Drizzt Do'Urden fell in battle. It was Kor that held Sharr through the paroxysm of the sudden silencing of the bond.
"You don't know he's dead," Kor said fiercely, shaking him a little. "You have been feeling intense focus from him! He could just be deeply unconscious!"
Sharr tightened his fingers in Kor's tunic, clinging to the idea that yes, maybe that was it. The absolutely focused mindset had made it hard to know anything but determination. Surely a swordsman like Drizzt wasn't dead from something he'd prepared for.
"But what if he is?" still came out of his mouth.
"Then… we ask your sister-in-law to look for his soul, and we do some diamond-hunting."
It hadn't been easy for Kor to accept that he'd be sharing Sharr with a drow, but on the other hand, that drow had protected Sharr at his most vulnerable. He'd stand by Sharr in this, and give aid, if that was what it took.
When, almost three days later, the surprise of survival hit Sharr, it made him weak in the knees and long for a chance to just go find his friend.
"You can't, Dad," Del said, once he'd admitted that. "You said yourself that the gap in experience would make it wrong. And while he can't ever catch up to you, you have to let him choose when he is ready."
"How'd you grow so wise, son?"
Del smiled a little. "You raised my brothers well, and they passed it on."
"You have the look of a haunted man," Elué said, after kissing her elf-lord 'hello'.
"He is," Korvallen said, settling on the divan. "That damned ranger of his has had a busy summer."
Elué arched an eyebrow as she and Sharr settled together.
"Intense curiosity that moved to blatant impatience," Sharr began. "Followed by a growing respect and even pride. Then something of a mystery, followed by intense action — he's almost unreadable while in that state — over and over again, mixed with horror and determination.
"But it seems to finally have come to an end? As he had a building wall of grief give way to both relief and irritation a few weeks ago before he fell back to the more normal pulse of being alive."
"My my." Elué smiled at both elves then. "Well, I am glad you two have come to stay for a time. Niska's got a pile of lore for you, Sharr, and Kolarven said they need a better partner to improve, at volume, during the tourney they hosted last month," she told the pair.
"My nibling's getting big for their britches?"
"Bored, I think, as Ghael's not been to visit, and there's been no truly spectacular parties."
Korvallen snorted at that, and nodded. "I'll spend some time working them over, see what I can teach them. Planning to stay here at least a year or so, give us all a rest, since Del went to Sam for wizard training."
"I think that sounds delightful," she told them both.
There was a commotion at the door, and a loud voice stating that they didn't have an appointment but there was a threat approaching. Sharr gestured for the page to go and actually open the door, despite it being his break from taking appointments.
The Riders of Nesmé who pushed in looked like they had ridden a harder pace than was generally needed between that city and here. Given how irritated Sharr's mood was, pushed by his long-missing soul-mate's moods of late, he was hoping that they had brought news of a fight.
"I am Sharrevaliir, consort to the Lady here," he introduced. "What has you in such a state, Riders?"
"Lord," the captain of the detail said. "My men and I were attacked near the bridge we hold, by a drow and his thralls, seeking to learn the strengths of the lands."
Sharr's nerves prickled; while it was true that Nesmé sometimes had to deal with raids of drow coming from the Lurkwood or the Neverwinter, this tale did not seem to match those past encounters.
"Thralls?" he pressed, deciding not to offer water, when his instincts said something was amiss.
"Yes, three warriors under his sorcerous command."
The one with a bow cleared his throat, and the captain glared at him, silencing him. Wasn't that most peculiar, Sharr thought.
"Explain," he commanded, aware that the Spellguard on duty was shifting, probably casting a spell to determine lies. Likewise, Jasti was more alert, the Knight assigned duty to him today. He didn't often take Alustriel's courtly duties, but she had been needed this day by Laeral for more dangerous duties.
"They sought to overcome us by forcing bog blokes up onto the road, then pretended to come to our aid," the captain said, assured of the tale as his prejudice said it must have been. "Half my command was down when they finally appeared, with the brute of a half-giant doing great damage to the blokes they had used for fodder.
"When the bog blokes were defeated, they spun a tale of travel but then we noted the drow," the captain recited, and Sharr saw all the signs of a man who had convinced himself of his own words.
A troubling impression came to Sharr, and he pinned the captain with a gimlet stare. "Describe this drow," he said, his posture fully that of a man who meant to be obeyed.
"About your own height, as black as onyx, with hair that mocks the purity of a new snow," the captain said. "With two blades, and eyes blazing under his cowl."
"Color?" Sharr snapped.
"Ehh? Red, I suppose."
"Purple," the archer blurted. "I saw them as he fired on me."
Sharr's temper, typically very difficult to ignite, was a burning rage as soon as those words confirmed his suspicion. "And what exactly did you do to escape?" he asked, well-aware they had no idea his anger was directed at them, when he was an elf after all, and should hate all drow.
"We denied them the bridge of course," the captain said smugly. "And turned them off into the comforts of the moors, where such foul things should remain."
Sharr made himself count to ten in three languages, reminding himself he was Elué's representative, not the actual power of this city.
"Congratulations, Captain," he began at last. "You have, without any doubt, just managed to offend one of the patron goddesses of the city you are standing in." He turned his attention to Jasti. "Go tell Besnell I am authorizing a double squadron to the Trollmoors.
"Drizzt Do'Urden, and whomever his companions are, need aid, and should be taken directly to the Glade. I will send word to the Ladyservant myself they will be coming, likely injured, and in need of care."
"What?" the captain demanded.
Sharr snapped his attention back to the captain. "Let this be a lesson, Captain, that looks and your bigotry are enough to land your entire city in hot water with other municipalities. Silverymoon may not deny aid to the travelers you harmed, as we hold our relationship with Mielikki in high regard.
"I do hope you can find the right penitence to pay before Her disfavor lands on your grain stores, on your hunting grounds, and every other place Her creatures can reach, because the drow in question is actually Her favored ranger."
The archer was smart enough to blanch in color, and the other infantry man grabbed his captain's arm, stopping the angry splutters by dragging him out of the audience room.
Sharr itched to go, to join the patrol, but Elué needed him here. So he went to the desk, and began drafting a message to the Ladyservant. He wasn't all that surprised when Korvallen showed up just as he signed his name. He flicked his fingers across the ink to dry it with an archivist's cantrip, then rolled and sealed it.
"Play messenger for me?" he asked his heart-brother.
"Where?"
"The Cloister. Those idiots turned Drizzt and party off into the Trollmoors."
"Corellon's balls," Kor cursed, before taking it and hurrying to carry the message.
Elué looked at the unrepentant elves, and then shook her head. "You realize if they close that road, my people will suffer?"
"The Ladyservant was already drafting a letter to their leaders," Korvallen said. "Sharr's right; Khalreshaar will be angry, and will punish anyone who uses this to further their bigotry."
"There is a deep irony in hearing you defend a drow, Korvallen," Elué said. "I personally agree with all that happened, but I have to be certain my people do not pay for it."
"Push comes to shove, heart's star, and I'll pay for the boys to teleport food in from other markets," Sharr told her. "Stand firm on the line that Mielikki is angry, and your citizens will rally to that.
"Please?"
"Oh I intend to, Sharr. And I am very intrigued at the opportunity to actually meet the ranger. I just see all sides of what a mess this could have become, might yet become."
"I'm not apologizing."
"I don't expect you to." She smiled at them both. "I know you would have done it for anyone you had proof of goodly intentions on, even if we didn't all owe this particular drow."
Jasti had gone herself to lead the patrol, curious that any elf, especially one of Sharrevaliir's reputation and standing, would champion a drow. When she found the party of four — okay the barbarian was tall enough to be a half-giant — being protected to the best of said drow's ability, and all four looking very exhausted, she was a little angry at Nesmé.
Then, the whole ride back, once potions had been handed out, she heard more of the tale, and was furious. She was just old enough to know the legend of the Battlehammer clan directly, but what in all the Named Ones had those idiot humans been thinking that a mere drow could control a dwarf?
Thralls indeed!
As soon as her party had delivered the group to the keeping of the Ladyservant, she told all of them to spread the truth far and wide, just in case the bigots had spread their lies and been believed by the gullible.
A wizard in an inn's tavern heard the tale, and a smile touched her lips. Soon she could part from the irritation that was the assassin she kept company with, and go back to her studies in Luskan. She finished her meal, and headed up to get her partners in this endeavor.
Sharr had intended, once he knew Drizzt was in the city, to go straight over and see his friend. As it was, he got delayed by explaining the circumstance to a visiting merchant from Sundabar, and that drew others, which suited him.
"I personally know the ranger in question," became the best defense he could use, and he was certain that what little hostility had been inflamed by Nesmé was puttering out under repetition.
Then, as he was finally on his way over to the Cloister to find out where the four had taken lodging, a sergeant of the Silver Watch hastily intercepted him.
"Lord Silverhand," the man said around his attempt to breathe normally. "The group you had the Knights bring in have been arrested alongside other visitors to the city. Four of the Watch were injured, one critically."
"What in the Abyss…" Sharr muttered. "Which holding station, sergeant?" and then he took off at a brisk pace, once told.
Sharr spoke at length with the captain that had been called in to get to the bottom of the matter. It seemed that one of the people involved had successfully managed to cull the halfling away from Drizzt's party, leading to Drizzt going to the halfling's aid. This had led to an attack on Drizzt himself, from a wizard, using low-level spells that flew under the ban on magic in the city. The spells were meant to disorient and be a nuisance, at which point presumably, someone else would get involved.
Only, it had been the halfling's allies, Drizzt's friends, wading in with bared hammer and axe, at which point the Silver Watch had made it on scene. If an off-duty Spellguard hadn't come to investigate, the captain was certain his men would be dead, possibly some of the drow's party, and no one would have been captured.
"We're tracing the wizard and her party to wherever they stayed, as their entry was noted as having four, not three, members," the captain finally said. "We're fairly certain the ranger's party is in the right, but procedures. The drow himself was insisting we follow them — I think to keep the little one safe from the other group's allies, maybe."
"That… would be his line of thinking, yes. Thank you." Armed now with the full story, Sharr walked back to the pair of holding cells, with a trio in one, and the quartet in the other. He looked at the sullen dwarf, the angry barbarian, the apologetic halfling… and then to his friend, who had curled up in a corner, cloak wrapped around him.
"You're not actually sleeping, my friend." Sharr let amusement touch his voice.
"No, but it's more polite to pretend so, rather than just ignore my friends all placing blame in a circle." The ranger did roll over to his back, turning his head to look out the bars. "Hello, Sharr. Not exactly an auspicious reunion."
"Not at all, and yet I look forward to getting the truth of it all." He then turned and looked at the other cell, noting the dark-skinned man was being held with enchanted manacles as well as the wizard, while no such hindered Drizzt and friends. The third one, a human man, was sitting as far from the other two as possible.
"Who did you intend to get to speak for you, proper procedures and all of that?" Sharr asked Drizzt, turning back to find the drow had come to the bars without Sharr noticing. "Damn it, you're sneakier than ever."
"I asked for a cleric to come determine truth," Drizzt said, his eyes sparkling. "Imagine that, from me."
Sharr threw his head back and laughed. "Give you most of a couple of decades and you can learn trust that far? I am impressed." He noted Drizzt's friends were slowly letting go of their own emotions, turning to more curiosity about what was going on. "Once you have all given your statements, with a cleric to determine truth, I invite you to come to the Palace.
"As my guests."
"What is this, my teacher?" the barbarian asked, skeptically.
"An honest offer, Wulfgar. Sharr is my friend, and I trust his offer. It also may be the best place to begin with our needs here, Bruenor, and a place where Regis need not fear."
So those were the names of the three with Drizzt, Sharr noted, sizing them up. That 'teacher' worried him, honestly, given that the human would grow old and die long before Drizzt was even approaching his true prime.
"I believe the Silver Watch have matters in hand," Sharr said, not wishing to remain where he could be targeted if there was still an unnamed threat in the city. "Until I see you, my friend."
"Until then."
Word reached Sharr, before his friend had arrived, that the trio were to be held for trial, as the fourth had been found to be a hostage. He felt a bit more vindicated in letting Drizzt see it handled through proper channels, and waited — impatiently — for the party to be guided to the palace.
Having the walls attacked by a flesh construct was not on his list of things he'd expect to be connected to the entire incident, but it resulted in a large portion of the Spellguard turning out to deal with the attack.
He was in the main entrance hall when the ranger and party were escorted in, and could not help but go directly to them, hands out toward Drizzt, who took them, squeezing firmly.
"I am so curious what you have gotten yourself tangled up in, Drizzt, but let me get you to a suite." He nodded to the page to go fetch up a meal, taking in the young woman that had joined their party, looking every bit the worse for wear.
"It has been an interesting year or so," Drizzt told him. "Once my companions are seen to, I will talk with you. And thank you; I have grown no fonder of trolls since I was on patrols in the Underdark. Having seen too many of them in the last year."
"You're only whetting my curiosity, and you should stop, or I will be a rude host." He looked at the others. "I am Sharrevaliir, consort of Lady Silverhand, Arch Mage of the city. I am told you are Bruenor Battlehammer, Wulfgar son of Beornegar, and Regis. I have not yet been told your name," he added, looking to the woman.
"Catti-brie Battlehammer," she said, leaving off any honorific as she didn't seem sure which was appropriate, and she also reeked of worry toward Drizzt, for the fact the elf was still in contact with the drow.
"We thank ye for yer hospitality," Bruenor managed to find the grace to say, but Sharr was almost certain they were all very suspicious of his relationship to Drizzt.
"I think I am upset, Drizzt, that I didn't warrant mention," Sharr said pleasantly.
"Oh I spoke of 'Sharr' and 'Sam' a bit. I failed to name your ties, as they didn't seem necessary."
"Elf, ye and yer durn secret keeping!" Bruenor grumbled at him.
"Well, I feel a bit more inclined to forgive you," Sharr teased, guiding them all along to the suite. His path meant that they arrived almost simultaneously with food, and he was careful not to ask any more questions, so they could all get settled in and begin recovering properly.
He knew the Glade had seen to injuries, but rest and meals were surely needed.
The page led Drizzt to Sharr's personal rooms, on orders, when the ranger finally slipped free of the suite. Now, Sharr could see the fatigue was still there in his friend, that Drizzt had been pushing himself for enough time that even the clerics of the Glade had not cured it all.
"You look terrible, and I thank you for trusting me enough to show it." Sharr gestured to the divan for Drizzt to come join him there. They settled, and after just a few moments and a touch, Drizzt actually rested against Sharr fully.
"I didn't dare sleep after my first attempt in the moors," Drizzt admitted. "Too dangerous, and I was the only one who could see well enough, it felt like.
"But I did not want to leave you waiting."
"I am glad you came to me, but I am not going to pester you for answers if you are that tired. I have missed you terribly, though. Especially… well. A few years ago, I almost demanded Sam bring me to you, somehow. I thought you had died."
"I very nearly did, my friend," Drizzt admitted soberly. "But I survived, as ever. And if you seriously wish to wait for answers, I think I should sleep, and would do so better near you."
Sharr's heart thrilled at that answer, and he started stroking Drizzt's hair gently. "Here, or bed?"
"If it will not scandalize anyone, I think I prefer the bed."
Sharr chuckled, and saw to taking Drizzt to bed, folding around him once they were down to their inner layers, and just doing all he could to make Drizzt feel safe.
Drizzt stretched, then rolled over to see Sharr was only just opening his eyes from Reverie. That made Drizzt smile, before he cupped his hand around Sharr's between them.
"I know Bruenor has an appointment with the Lady this morning, but do you want the full story now?"
"Of course I do, so I know best how to support her," Sharr answered. "Tell me over breakfast, and then I am going to put you in clothing that is better than you wandered in wearing."
Drizzt laughed at him. "I have been on the road since the passes thawed in the Spine of the World."
"And you are my friend, my bonded. I can't have you looking ragged to meet my consort."
The easy warmth between them was a needed balm, because by the time breakfast ended, Sharr was convinced that his friend was being pulled into dangers far above what he should be facing, and concerned on how the rest would spiral out from there.
"You're certain the crystal is unreachable?"
"By physical means, yes. Magical? I cannot concur to that. But I know that is why Luskan hunts me. They want it."
"I'll make a force to deal with that. It's useful to have so many mage-fighters, after all." Sharr forced a smile he did not feel.
"Let me know once it is contained?" Drizzt asked.
"Of course."
They both heard the bells, and hastened to finish readying for Bruenor's appointment time, so they could both be present.
Catti-brie was standing next to her father and facing the door when the elf-lord and her ranger walked in. Drizzt looked so completely relaxed and calm, even truly rested, that she couldn't find it in herself to still be piqued over waking to his absence.
More, he was dressed in a tunic that seemed to have been made for him, a pale purple that enhanced his eyes perfectly, the collar embroidered in silver curving swords… or unicorn horns? She could not quite make out from this distance. Everything he was wearing looked new, made for being in the city, not on the road, and he walked as close to the elf as he normally did when he was escorting her somewhere.
The men with her turned that way and took note, with Catti glancing down at her father to catch the slightest scowl pulling at his beard. Drizzt was going to need to talk to them all about this strange elf. The stories of 'Sharr and Sam' were not explaining this … intimacy, and they all worried over their ranger. If the pair were so close as all that, why'd Drizzt been up in the frozen north so alone? And left to nearly die when Wulfgar's people first attacked?!
Magic enough in this place that surely something could have been done to keep their ranger safer!
"Good morning, my friends," Drizzt said. "Let me get this out of the way first, so maybe you begin to understand.
"When I met Sharr, there was magic tangling him up that had to be sorted out. I watched over him until such time as it was. And then, knowing of his extensive family and a need to return to them, but not being ready to actually exist in those circles, I returned to my wandering ways.
"Which allowed me to meet all of you, and be where I was needed." He focused most intently on Catti-brie, as she was wondering if he'd been reading her mind. "That I chose to walk away does not negate the depth of friendship between Sharr and I. It only means he was strong enough to let me find my own way back to him."
Regis made a noise, and his eyes were very big.
"What be it, Rumblebelly?" Bruenor demanded.
"You've got a soul-thread?!" Regis squeaked, and Sharr was the one to laugh softly, nodding.
"It was a very overwhelming situation for Drizzt, at the time," the elf said. "The only thing we could do was part, so I could settle my life, and he could find more of who he wished to be."
"I do not understand," Wulfgar said, "but my teacher looks happy in your company."
"It's a thing o' magic, and rare among humans," Bruenor said with a sigh. "Me elf? Ye still owe me yer word tae find me hall."
"I have no intention of not finishing this quest with you, my friend," Drizzt assured him, finally looking away from Catti-brie when she gave him the tiniest nod of understanding.
The audience room's doors opened then, and a page ushered them in for their meeting with the Lady of the city.
Sharr was nearly ready to burst with laughter, by the time the formal report and request for aid had happened. He had not missed that Drizzt was utterly taken with Elué, or that his beloved heart's star had kept herself focused in such a way that let Sharr know she was affected. Nor could he enjoy that mirth right away; Drizzt and friends were on the way to the dwarven district to rouse more aid, and to put out the word that an heir was known.
He finally got to release it when he met his consort for lunch, eyes dancing as he took her hands. Once they were private, he kissed her deeply.
"You, my love, are fascinated by my ranger."
"Yes," Elué said, not bothering to deny what had rippled between them along their own soul-thread. "And I am making a point to not make skin-to-skin contact with him while he is pressed by duty."
"A good idea, in case he completes the little box of the four of us," Sharr said, still amused. "We'll learn in time. But, what do you think?"
"Are you certain he is as young as you say?"
"By years, yes. By experience? He's lived more than half our sons."
She sighed, then settled with him for a meal. "The Herald's Holdfast is a good place for them to strike out for. As to the other part of their problem here, I have remanded the construct, the guard, and the wizard to Luskan with a hefty bill for repairs, and an increase in fees for all Luskanites who come here to learn."
"And the other, the southern man?" Sharr asked.
"Laeral is coming for him, with Ghael, tomorrow. He's wanted in conjunction to several cases, and Bruenor was willing to cede authority since he is occupied by his quest," she said.
"I understand having to balance the living over the dead, but I have faith in Laeral and Ghael to see it through." He smiled at her, and settled to the food, thrumming with anticipation of the rest of this momentous year.
With Laeral occupied, it would make even more sense to go through Syluné to handle the crystal's fate, he decided, glad that part had not actually come up in everything. Elué didn't need that worry just yet.
The next several weeks were not without excitement — and worry — but eventually Drizzt was back in Silverymoon, as Regis and Catti-brie were there with him to see to dwarf business. Apparently Drizzt's promise to watch over the girl overrode seeing the chieftain back to his people.
Sharr convinced Del and Sam to go handle that part, so they would have someone familiar with the land, and magical back up if needed. Once Drizzt was certain his friends were good hands with the Rockcrushers, and a handful of Battlehammer relatives up from Sundabar, Sharr kidnapped his friend to introduce him to Deysa, his latest pegasus companion.
"Thought you might need some time out in fresh air, and to let Guen join us?" Sharr invited as they headed out of the city walls together.
"Oh she'll like that." Drizzt didn't wait then, pulling the figure out and summoning his friend.
Sharr was immediately pounced, and gently knocked to the ground, so Guen could rub her face all over him, leading to much laughter from both her two-legged friends. "Yes Guen! I missed you too!"
She eventually deigned to let Sharr back up, exploring all around as they walked toward a good clearing away from the road. There, Sharr whistled, and Guen went into attentive listening mode. When the sound of wings hit her ears, she wriggled a little and then moved to watch Drizzt intently.
Deysa landed daintily, her eyes on the giant cat and the drow alike, before Sharr walked over to love on her.
"Drizzt, Guenhwyvar, this is Deysa. She's my friend, just really old enough to be carrying me now. I held off a long time, because I missed Norvor terribly, but she picked me a few springs back."
"Greetings, Deysa," Drizzt said, after finding his voice, having been mesmerized. He'd seen the beautiful beings, both at a distance and in Sharr's memories, but to be this close to one was a potent emotional thrill.
Guen walked over, content in her suspicion on how her drow would take it, and touched noses with the mare. She then sat there, and made a small noise, making her drow actually approach. From there, it was as magical as being in the Glade had been for Drizzt, and Sharr got to watch as Deysa was completely spoiled with knowing fingers finding all her itchy points.
Sharr sat beside the great cat, letting his other friends get to know each other, and looked at Guen.
"Thank you for taking care of him all these years."
Guen rubbed her head against Sharr's, rumbling. Of course she had! Drizzt had been hers for over half his life after all!
"So we have the stupid blocking spell off of you," Sharr began, aware that Drizzt was only half-paying attention, since Elué was moving through the palace on the floor below this balcony. "And let me tell you my sister-in-law is not pleased, at all, that you were allowed to wander off from me with it clinging to you."
That made Drizzt turn and look at him, or maybe it was the fact Elué had disappeared into her court for the day.
"It possibly saved my life, as the demon Errtu didn't realize I was bluffing him until he detected the talisman I wore for Mielikki."
"Well, there's that… and I still think you're very reckless to have bluffed him at all." Sharr rested a hand on his shoulder. "Elué wants you to go to lunch with her today."
Drizzt's eyes narrowed, feeling the mischief, and Sharr had to laugh at the blatant suspicion.
"She's feeling as intrigued by you as you are by her."
"I — "
"Will make us both happy if this turns out to be one more connection between us all," Sharr said firmly. "Unless you have a need to run off for another fifteen years because my consort is curious about you?"
If Drizzt could blush, Sharr was certain he was at this moment.
"You said you'd introduce me to Korvallen," Drizzt tried to deflect.
"I will. When he gets back; Sam abducted him to go up once your friends got outside of Mirabar with the whole caravan." Sharr squeezed the shoulder he still had. "Stop dodging. Are you ready to face being part of us, no matter what the attraction between Elué and you is?"
Drizzt stood tall, and gave a slow nod.
"Good. I'm going to be shamelessly paying attention to you and she during your lunch."
"I think you should be there," Drizzt said. "Unless this lunch will be somewhere very secure; I had no awareness of my surroundings when you and I touched that first time."
"It will be here in the palace, in a quiet room, with all her protections around you both," Sharr reassured.
"Alright."
Alustriel looked at Drizzt, captivated by him, as the memory flow eased enough for her. She understood so well now why Sharr had been willing to let him go, after experiencing his tragedies first hand. Yet, in her heart, she was aware this man was firmly in control of himself now, having had the years to process and come to terms with his losses.
"Please tell me you aren't going off to explore this round of memories," she said softly once he was back with her.
"No, Lady… no."
"Call me Elué or Alustriel, whichever you feel best with. Elves have long since known me as the first, even if I rule under my proper name now," she said.
"Alustriel, then," Drizzt answered. "Are… is this going to suit you? This connection between us all?"
She smiled at him for that self-effacing concern for others. "Yes. I am looking forward to getting to know you, not just what shaped you. And it will be good, to get you fully integrated into the family at last. Even Ellifain knows of you, from Sharr."
"The child…" He closed his eyes, as that memory floated up, Alustriel meeting the moon-elf, welcoming her to their family.
"Yes."
"Then, I am looking forward to knowing all of you better." He breathed out, slowly, took a measured breath in. "I've learned, in my time away, how good family can be, and understand better why it is a bedrock of who Sharr is. I see that in you, as well."
"Even Kor feels it, no matter that he is a grumpy old elf that is a bit fierce to get to know."
Drizzt laughed softly. "I saw that, in both of your experiences. I will just have to give him a spar worth paying attention to, and win him over that way."
Now she laughed, before pointing at their food. "Let us eat, and then I'll give you back to Sharr's care for the day.
"We have all the time in the world to get to know each other now."
"Yes."
Sharr watched Kor and Drizzt sparring, noting the care that Kor was taking, knowing that Drizzt was only just out of the clerics' hands from taking Mithral Hall back. He leaned back into Elué's hold, content with the world.
"I'm going back to the Refuge in spring. Drizzt isn't ready to cope with that, but he's content to keep his travels in your region," he said.
"I think that is good, at this point." Elué dropped a kiss in his hair. "In time, we both can lay down our leaderships, and then what an adventure we shall find together!"
"With Drizzt's ability to find trouble? Indeed!"
They both laughed, and relaxed into a fuller future.
