Children's Crusade
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tales_of_faerunChildren's Crusade (6294 words) by Sharpest_Asp
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Ensemble
Additional Tags: Background Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:
From her Da's first suspicions, a wagon had been readied. It was tight, but the elder three of the dwarrows would be enough back up for Catti-brie, it was decided. She had been learning bow and sword from their ranger since showing an interest in both.
None of the young ones wanted it to come to this, but Bruenor still remembered the last time the barbarians had made war on the Ten-Towns and his people. He wasn't going to be caught flat-footed, not when they'd had a cave-in on one of the trade tunnels that still needed repair.
The ranger was out day and night, seeking confirmation of the barbarian plans, while the elders discussed the timing. If they waited too long to send the young away, the passes would be closed. If they sent them and the war didn't come —
"Da," Catti said seriously while the other elders debated. "I take the wee ones as far as the Throat. If'n I see signs back tae the Towns o' war, I follow me ranger's map. If'n I donnae see signs, I camp with them there, 'til ye send me ranger or others tae fetch us home."
Bruenor stroked his beard, considering. "Aye, lass, that's a plan," he finally decided.
He thumped the butt of his axe on the floor and shut the buzzing dwarves up, decreeing the plan Catti-brie had given.
The stop at the pass was not needed. The battle cries had come before they got there, rolling across the tundra in its last gasp of summer. The smoke behind them had Catti and Dulan, the eldest of the dwarrows, trading out the pullers with the pacers, pushing them as much as they dared. Dulan still half-thought he should have been back there to defend the clan, but Bruenor himself had put him as Catti's lieutenant for the long passage.
Auntie, younger by that name, and Uncle, the elder of those, took turns as they could, driving the wagon, but by and large, keeping the beasts calm and willing was up to their young elf, who had some magic over them because of her father. Zanna knew she was too small to do more than gather foods and calm the stocky ponies for the rest, but that didn't keep her from holding her half-size bow and quiver close.
It was a long, long journey to where her other father was, and if he wasn't there —
— they would have worse problems.
The strangest thing about rolling south was that the season was still very much summer, here below the mountains. The dwarf wagon stayed firmly on the road, and anywhere that it narrowed, a great panther was with them to check for dangers.
The six dwarves old enough to know how to use their lances were all blooded alongside their chieftain's daughter, but mostly Guen's presence at every danger turned the tide for them. If they'd run into a wizard, maybe it would have gone worse, but six hundred pounds of a panther that was separated from her chosen ranger, with so many cubs to protect, was a very dangerous thing.
In Mirabar, Dulan minded the wagon, with Zanna's help with the beasts, while Uncle and Catti-brie traded pieces of knucklebone for supplies for the next stretch of the journey. Sharp eyes noticed the trading, despite their precaution, and Catti's sword was blooded on the idiot humans that had thought them weak. She didn't have to kill, though Uncle's strike was probably going to end his opponent's thuggish days.
Other eyes noted the scuffle though, and spoke for them to the guard, before the larger one pushed his way to where he could speak to the pair.
"Horim Half-Orc," he said as they tensed all over despite having spoken for them and been listened to. "You're with the wagon stopped up at the fairground."
"Aye," Catti-brie said, tipping her chin up just before a curious dwarf made it to the big man.
"Ye be wearing a standard not seen here; me name's Foveni Drakebow, and it's strange to see dwarrow and elders doing trade at this time of year."
Catti looked to Uncle, who ceded authority back to her with a half shrug. She was their chieftain's daughter, and in charge, for all she was still a beardless dwarrow in their eyes.
"War came to me lands. Me Da, the chieftain, and our ranger had a plan for us."
"As a ranger of Mielikki, I would be remiss if I did not offer you aid in your passage," Horim said.
"And I stand by dwarves of all clans, if they need me," Foveni answered.
"Mielikki?" Catti-brie studied the pair again, then gave a sharp nod. "I cannae pay ye much, but a knucklebone for ye both, from Ten-Towns, if'n ye see us to Yartar."
"Long journey, but the roads are good," Horim said. "Keep the fee, Lady, as a ranger gives service."
"I'll take the tale of yer clan, for fee," Foveni said. "We'll be at your camp by night fall."
The only thing to set Catti-brie on edge as the two joined them was worry over her 'little sister', as she called Zanna. The ranger had encouraged them to have kinship, and Zanna was too dark to pass for a wood elf to people who had traveled as much as this pair seemed to have.
The dwarf raised an eyebrow, but Horim just nodded.
"You must be related to the drow ranger we used to hear of," he said after the introductions. "Never knew his name, but I heard tales. And Mielikki nudged me to stay here."
"My papa is a good ranger, yes. Mielikki guides him." Zanna looked up at the half-orc without fear. "She asked you to stay here for us?"
"I think so, little cousin," Horim told her. "Do you like that? To be my cousin, since your father shares my path?"
"Yes!"
Foveni just smiled, knowing the girl's bravery had won her friend completely over, given how few children would speak to him at all.
Trade at Longsaddle had netted them rations that actually let everyone feel full, to Dulan's joy. He was learning hunting techniques from Foveni, and had grudgingly taken pointers from Horim on better weapons' handling. Dulan half-thought all rangers must just be like that, with their need to point out fighting flaws.
Their ranger did — had done? — and suddenly Dulan just wanted everything Horim could teach, thinking about home, knowing they might be the last Battlehammers, that the wee bairn might not have her father anymore.
"Help me be better," he told Horim as they walked away of the wagon. "Mayhaps, me clan is no more. Have tae be strong enough to protect me kin, and be a true fighter for Catti."
Horim nodded. "You're already on your way, Dulan. You have the heart."
Arriving at Triboar to find out they were feuding with Yartar, again, complicated matters. The militia were being irritating about 'papers', but between Horim and Foveni using their reputation, they had at least gotten passage to the bridge. Triboar, considered home of Gwaeron Windstrom, didn't want to anger a favored ranger of His Patron Goddess, after all.
The toll, once they reached the fortified bridge, was a different problem. Their supply of knucklebone had been whittled down by trade, and the bridge keepers were not certain of its value.
Catti-brie finally went to where the dispute was, stepping in front of Horim so that he could fully guard her from the rear, if Triboar's militia were thinking of using them as a distraction.
"See here, Sergeant," she said, concentrating on speaking without the dwarven accent so she was clear. "Do you want to be known as the man that turned away a bunch of dwarrows and their elders, or do you want to take what we offer, known to be worth more than gold, so that the very rulers of Luskan argue over trade rights to what Ten-Towns sells?
"If I were you, I'd fear the gods if you choose the first."
The man had squirmed a bit at her early words, and finally nodded, handling the transaction to let the wagon and its protectors pass, with Zanna carefully hidden in the back of the wagon. After all, the Yartar people were being stubborn; she didn't need to add incentive for them to turn her back.
The tree, as promised, was not difficult to find, being so unlike every other tree. They stopped at a respectable distance, and Zanna showed her first sign of nerves.
"What if he's mad? What if he doesn't like me?" the girl asked. "What if he won't help?"
Catti-brie hugged her tight. "Then, like Horim and Foveni said, we ride tae Silverymoon, and take our refuge there. But none of that's going tae happen. Yer papa is a good man, who would pick good people tae know."
Zanna took a deep breath, and pulled Guen's figure out, summoning her. This part her papa had insisted on; let Guen check for the wizard. Guen couldn't be fooled easily, and had lived inside the tree, known the man.
Guen arrived, took in where they were, and bumped both girls for a moment before bounding over to the wards of the wizard's tree tower. She didn't roar; she sat very primly, and drug a paw across the edge of the magic she could sense clearly.
Horim was keeping watch closely, still fascinated by the astral panther, and saw the wizard — elf, as they'd been told — stepped out onto a wide limb shaped as a balcony. They'd parked far enough away that he could not make out the features, but the sound of a voice, and then Guen making a startling high-pitched 'yip' preceded the wizard coming to the ground and striding across the land.
Guen butted into the wizard's legs, walking the man back to the wagon, where Horim waited, letting the young human take charge.
"Ye be Samiar Ravarel, an' I be Catti-brie Battlehammer," the girl said firmly once the man was in speaking distance. "Guen wouldnae have let ye make it if ye were any but."
"That is truth," the man said, looking down at the cat. "But where is Drizzt? Is he hurt?"
"We donnae know," Catti told him. "Me Da and he, they sent us here tae be sure we lived, as the tribes were on the warpath with all they had, and Ten-Towns were nae listening tae either man."
The wizard had to put a hand down on Guen's broad shoulders, steadying himself, and that put Horim's last instincts to rest, assuring him that the children would be safe with this man.
"You have her figure then? He must trust you greatly," Samiar said.
"Nae." She turned a little and Zanna stepped out from between the ponies where she had waited, her eyes fixed on the wizard she'd only heard of. "His daughter carries the responsibility for Guen."
"His dau — " Samiar blinked, looked down at Guen, who merely nudged him to move forward. At that confirmation, he went to where he could comfortably take a knee in front of the ponies, and opened his body language. "Ours, yes?" he asked in a gentle voice, eyes glued to the drow child who was not… quite… full drow in her looks.
"Hello Da," Zanna said. "My name is Zanna. We came, before we went north and found our home, but you weren't here."
"Then I will always regret the time already lost," Sam told her. "Now, let's get you and your friends here into the wards, and talk about whatever your other father has gotten into."
He held his arms open, and she came over, tucking in, which let him wrap those arms around her and hold her close, as safe as he could.
He'd either find or avenge Drizzt, and do all he could by this child and the ones with her.
Catti-brie watched this man, all but a stranger to them, put things in motion to help them settle from the hard journey here. He'd listened, frowning through much of it, but he'd promised he would find help now, not in the spring, once he had new spells on the next day. The thing he called a mansion certainly was, with room for them all, and food to spare.
Through it all, he treated her with respect, listened to Uncle and Auntie, and checked on Zanna repeatedly to be sure she was fine. Guen was satisfied before she had to go back to her plane, so Catti was willing to trust that it could turn out.
She didn't expect, now they were safe, for it to really hit that none of them knew what had become of their kin. Zanna wound up being rocked and held awkwardly when she exploded in tears, while Dulan and she managed the dwarrows reacting much the same way with the help of their elders. Even Foveni and Horim picked up dwarrows to reassure them.
"I'll fill your larders," Horim said. "But what are you thinking to get aid to the tundra at this time of the year? I'd thought to go on to Silverymoon, and ask if the Lady there would ask her sons to aid."
Sam's ears all but pricked up, it seemed to Catti, who had a dwarrow asleep against her now.
"Is that truly Elué then, not one of her kin?" Sam asked.
"That is the name the elves call her," Horim agreed.
"Then, I will make the appeal, by sending on the morrow. I really had no idea; she … well, people do change their minds."
Horim chuckled. "She is a foundation of the Luruar. She took hold of Silverymoon after the Black Horde and has not left."
Sam frowned and Catti-brie saw shadows in his eyes.
"I think… that bodes ill for my family, but I will reach out, for old times' sake."
Elué, this is Sam. I have a situation. My hiexel is outside of Yartar. Please ask one of your sons to come see me.
Sam? Of course. I will arrange a meeting swiftly.
Sam put his faith in those words, then went to help with the day's labor of converting the wagon, along with other supplies, into a cottage to supplement the hiexel's accommodations. He could keep casting a mansion, but the dwarves preferred to have their own way of doing things. Still, magic would be useful for getting building material in place, and Sam wanted to do all he could for this rather unusual assortment of people his daughter — he had a daughter! — called family.
Catti-brie had just finished putting the scupper in place for draining the basins when there was a motion that caught her eye. A day of hard work, and the wagon had a proper water supply and drain, posts already planted for getting walls attached to it.
"Seems a lot of work on your property; ye be sure?"
"We have to get through autumn and winter, so yes. After, if you'll sell me the wagon, it means I'll have a building for unexpected guests or to store things in."
Catti-brie had been about to argue on the selling when the wizard had gotten distracted by a dwarrow trying to help too much. As he'd gone inside with that one and one other that were too young to really do the work, Catti-brie turned to the motion she'd seen, half-hoping that Foveni was already aware.
Horim was off hunting and gathering, and had taken the third eldest of the dwarrows when Auntie had agreed.
What she saw when she focused, just past the magical line that Zanna said protected them all, she saw a beautiful lady, standing even taller than Sam, likely as tall as Horim, though built slender, there just letting go a beast that didn't look quite like a proper horse. It vanished then and there, making Catti blink and wonder if she'd imagined it for a moment.
"Elué, I said one of your sons!" Sam called from the tree's opening. He gestured though and the elegant lady came on to the property, looking about and inclining her head to the dwarrows that had stopped to see her.
"All of ye, go get cleaned up for a meal," Catti said. "Uncle will be bringing it out any time now."
"Well, the unseen servants will be," Sam said. "Join us, Catti-brie? This is the person who can hopefully help us. Also, hello, Elué. Though I suppose I should use your name as it is now."
"No need, Sam. The elves have always called me that."
In short order, the dwarves were situated with food and a long rest break, Foveni was guarding them all even as she shared in the meal, while Sam, Catti-brie, and the lady went inside the tree. Zanna was torn between food and being with her big sister.
"Sit and eat, little one," Auntie admonished. "Then you can go inside."
"Yes, Auntie."
Catti-brie recited all the signs of the tribesmen choosing war, that they had been unified under their two strongest kings, and that the Ten-Towns were refusing to hear all arguments about the danger.
"Me Da, he's the last o' his line. And some said as they all should have gone," Catti-brie said at last. "But me ranger pointed out that if a caravan was seen, it would be the first target, and we'd have little way of holding off thousands of them.
"One wagon, though, that could get away," she said. "Two of our four elders, and every dwarrow under fighting age."
"With this as your destination because?" Alustriel asked, curious but very intent on figuring out how to find the remnant of Catti-brie's clan and see them safely south.
"That would be the ranger's doing," Sam offered. "I knew him… several years ago, apparently."
"He'd made a map, years back," Catti-brie said. "Tae use should he get killed, so his daughter could come tae her kin."
Now the elegant lady's eyebrow rose and she looked at Sam.
"I had no idea, there was a curse involved, and I was apparently not in when he stopped here to tell me originally," Sam said. "Zanna's with the others eating."
"Congratulations," Alustriel said to that. "But, it was a very long and perilous journey. Well-done, Catti-brie, for living up to your station for your people."
Catti-brie truly hoped her face wasn't as flushed as it felt, because that praise from someone so … perfectly put together? … powerful had her all jumbled up.
Quick motion sounds were a warning that Zanna had finished eating, and that was a good distraction, as the girl all but shot into Catti's arms, climbing up to share her chair before peering curiously at the lady.
Alustriel's breath caught as she took in the girl's face. "Oh, Sam. She looks like my youngest. Everyone told me he favored your teacher."
"Yes, she does look a bit like my aunt in the face," Sam said, and Catti-brie noted the same shadows in his face. Someone had died, someone that wasn't being spoken of yet, so someone very personal.
"Does that mean you're family too?" Zanna asked.
Alustriel smiled. "In a way. Yes. My children would be cousins… let's see, dwarves count out several generations, yes?"
"Aye, Lady," Catti answered.
"Sam is cousin, same generation, to the father of most of my children. So you would be of my sons' generation, but separated a step."
Zanna tipped her head to the side, sketched a bit in the air, then nodded. "Can you help us?"
"I plan to do all I can. Depending on what my sons find when they go to look for me, it might take time," Alustriel said. "Tell me, Zanna, did you and your other father ever live with others like you?"
The girl looked wary at that, uncertain, because people were mean to drow, and Catti-brie knew the answer.
"It's fine, me sister," she murmured. "The Lady means nae harm tae yer people, aye?" she said louder.
"Named Ones, no! I did not mean to scare you for them, Zanna. I am asking so I know if I can reach out to my contacts there for more assistance, if needed."
"Tell me the name of one you know, and I'll tell you," Zanna said. It made Alustriel chuckle and nod. "Let's see, you might not believe if I tell you the name of someone that would be known outside their home. So how about Xinval? The priest."
Zanna's eyes got very big. "He's Papa's friend."
Alustriel nodded. "Then, I will be able to ask them for more aid, if it comes to it. But we will do all we can for Clan Battlehammer. And the ranger."
"Good." Zanna looked pleased by that.
Bruenor counted the scouts as they came back, decided it had been worth for all to return and only two were injured.
"Any sign?"
"Nae, chief," Lespur said, binding off the cut along her arm. "We cannae risk another trip out, and the elf would tell ye that."
Bruenor closed his eyes, then nodded with resignation. "Able bodies tae the diggin' crews. Rest of ye rest and heal with Auntie and Uncle. We need ye well, not tryin' with the rest."
"Aye, chief," they answered.
Bruenor looked at the hatch, now sealed, and looked at the pair of guards. "Weld it."
"Aye!" They weren't happy, but the clan came first. Ever since the barbarians had started thrusting spears in the ground and finding tunnels to breach, they'd been pulling further away from the original passages, sealing them in. Winter should put a stop to that soon enough, but the ranger hadn't been seen since he left to gather up as many town folk as he could.
Some of those had trickled in, but even that would stop now, as this was the last door they had to seal.
"The drow is canny," Agorwal said by way of offering hope.
"With much tae live for, aye," Bruenor said. "We keep digging, so by spring we can breach the land and head for safer places. Yer people are welcome tae stay with us, and I'll be the first tae stand surety for ye."
"That is generous, and we will do all we can to aid."
Drizzt hissed as he moved, further aggravating the shallow slice across his lower back. The ghost bear made a low noise at him, which meant Drizzt had to focus and calm his friend, his savior honestly. He'd been caught flat-footed in the harsh sun, with fresh snow glinting it back up into his eyes. If he hadn't been so close to the Sea of Moving Ice, he probably would be dead, or worse, at the hands of the barbarians.
Soon, he hoped the weather would fracture the alliances between Elk and Bear. But in the meantime, many would suffer. The Ten-Towns population was dead, enslaved, or escaped, and now Drizzt had to heal. He prayed Bruenor had closed the last hatch, that they were proceeding with the plan.
He knew, through the grace of his goddess, that the children were safe. His bond to Guenhwyvar had not broken, despite the distance, and Mielikki had coaxed him to meditate on that connection. He knew the children had reached allies, making it easier to focus on survival.
Gingerly, he readied what he needed to clean and cover the axe slash he hadn't dodged fully, and hoped his ghost bear friend continued to tolerate his presence.
The next meeting with Sam's family was in another one of those magic mansions, as six very tall elves, half human actually, had showed up wearing proper winter gear and asked to talk with Catti-brie and the elders.
"We managed some observations," the eldest, Andy, said. "The towns are divided between the tribes, and tension is growing between the two largest ones. The ground is broken onto tunnels in many locations, but they all dead-end, very deliberately and mostly with fresh stone or metal."
"Aye, that was the plan if we couldnae send the tribes back to the frozen wastes," Catti-brie said. "Fall back, close off."
"There are not as many lowlander humans among the towns as we would expect," Ghael, the one who'd been wearing very different clothes that reminded her of Regis under his furs, offered. "Whether killed or holed up elsewhere, I don't know."
"Ones as fought proper might have been let tae come with ours," Uncle said. "We'd nae enow to rescue the lot, though."
"Of the ranger, we saw nothing, but heard much," Dol told them. "He's been ghosting the towns, and causing tensions to flare. I went, invisible in two of the larger ones, and it is said he fights at the side of ghost bears, giant elk, and even the cormorants."
Auntie cackled. "See, that ghost bear was less a nuisance than we thought!"
Catti-brie smiled, nodding, before looking at the men. "Me ranger has a touch with animals. After a ghost bear saved him from the Sea of Moving Ice, it kept coming with him back inland. Got to where he had tae set time aside tae go fish with the beast about once a moon."
"We think the elk that was sighted might have been a sending from Gwaeron himself, as they don't tend to range up in that area," Elin said. "The birds, however… well. They can be opportunists."
"He's up there, somewhere," Catti-brie said to all of that. "And me Da has the clan on the move, like as not."
"They can tunnel through the winter," Auntie agreed. "Come up once they're past the worst of the ice, and come down."
"We will set watches, of course," Thyl said. "To give aid, but we cannot locate them beneath the snow and ice already down."
"Our contacts among Drizzt's people," Del said, and he really did look like Zanna might, despite the colors being different, "want us to bring one of them up to try sending to him. I volunteered for that."
"Thank ye," Catti-brie said. "Zanna will be better for knowing her papa is being looked for."
"It's the right thing to do," Andy said, "but reinforced by learning he is our family."
Catti-brie hadn't considered it that way, but Samiar had said it once or twice too. Kinship certainly mattered to this elf and half-human family, something she approved of.
"Then we wait," she said, nodding. With nothing more to add, Andy went and opened the door, inviting the others to come in and enjoy the feast being readied by his unseen servants.
The five who remained for a few days did more to improve the dwarf cabin, making certain it could hold through the winter comfortably. They also brought food from elsewhere, which meant Horim and Foveni could, in good conscience, move on to their usual winter routines.
That gave Sam plenty of time to examine the curse on the two elders, puzzling through the intricacy of it to try and undo the loss of memory. It was both a delight to him to have such a magical investigation, and a promise to their future.
Catti-brie sat with Auntie and Uncle after one of those sessions, while Zanna and the other young dwarrows were taking lessons in reading and writing from Dol, who had opted to remain through the winter, to give more protection to the children.
"The Tall Ones say there's more of us, in the citadels," she began.
"Aye, shock as that was," Uncle said. "Bruenor will see tae gathering them in, and if the wizard can make us remember, we'll have a Hall tae reclaim."
"What if Da didn't make it?" she finally asked, knowing the clan would keep following his commands even after death.
"Ye donnae need tae be thinking such," Auntie scolded. "But if'n he fell in battle, it'll be Grollo as needs tae step up, or any Hamur that escaped. They're closest tae the king's blood."
Catti-brie nodded, and decided if it came to that, she'd do all she could to support Grollo, until they had their home.
Del had gone to the Promenade, found out who he'd be working with. Once he knew, he left again long enough to find proper winter gear that would fit the drow priest. That had taken a little time, with much double-checking to see what limitations Eilistraeeans had on their garments. Some religions had very strange ones; it seemed the Dark Maiden at least was more forgiving and practical.
While Del did that, the drow were brewing healing potions and elixirs, remembering how driven the young ranger was, and certain his habits had only worsened. Del had been amused by the tales, and also very warmed by the near-universal sigh of relief to know that Zanna was safe with her other father.
"Your opinion on the sun elf?" Ysolde asked, once Del was back and readying his haversack for the jaunt north.
"Sam? I heard a few stories about him, met him only briefly. But he's got my eldest brothers' support, and seemed to be doting on baby cousin."
Ysolde looked half-satisfied by that. "Mother always worried it hadn't been as consensual as Drizzt said it was."
Del recoiled viciously from that idea. "No. No, Sam is very much a man of our family, from all I saw and heard. He really is doing his best by Zanna and the dwarves."
"Alright."
That settled, Del went to get a good night's sleep, so he and Xinval could aim for the limited hours of daylight up on the tundra.
Xinval had never known cold like this, but at least the weather was clear. When he looked toward the settled area, he winced to see the signs of warfare, the way nothing had really been rebuilt in the time after conquest.
"They will not thrive, and more will die," Del said sadly, seeing the gaze. "I wish it were otherwise, but I have seen and been told of the pattern, of peoples conquering, and failing to adapt to settled life."
"A pity. At least drow usually make use of territory they conquer in a way that lets it renew into something approaching a livable life."
Del nodded, then looked all around, hoping for a physical sign of dwarves or ranger… and Xinval closed his eyes to use the prayed-for sending.
~Drizzt Do'Urden, it is Xinval. I have an ally, we are camped on the lone peak, on guard against the humans.~
The absolute amazement and concern in the return sending made Xinval thank the goddess for preserving the stubborn ranger.
~I am near the Sea of Moving Ice, and will head that way. Beware the weather as much as humans.~
"He says beware the weather, and he is near 'the Sea of Moving Ice'," Xinval relayed.
"I didn't memorize phantom steed and don't have a flying carpet, so we will have to wait. But we can move closer to the base, on the side nearer the sea, and if he has not made it to us by morning, I will have new spells."
Xinval nodded, and let the half-human lead the way, trusting his sense more in this alien environment.
Drizzt made it to the secure shelter in the middle of the night. Xinval took one look at him and pulled him down on a cot, focusing on healing with every prayer-spell he had. Even with that, Del pushed an elixir and a potion at him, having never seen a drow look gray, and very worried about the color of the tips of his ears under the thick grease Drizzt had smeared them with.
"Introductions?" the ranger finally managed to say, once they both stopped fussing and he was sitting with a warm drink cradled in his mittened hands.
"Uoundeld Aerasumé, please call me Del, and you are Drizzt Do'Urden, father — one of them — to my cousin Zanna."
Those purple eyes blinked in surprise at that. "The Aerasumé pegasus riders like the one in Waterdeep?"
"Yes. I'm one of her nephews," Del said, smiling as he answered the gist of that question. Xinval nodded for confirmation.
"But he's not claiming cousin with Zanna over that connection, much as our Lady is glad to call you kin," Xinval told him. "The wizard you so carefully never named is cousin to the Tall Ones' father by blood."
"Oh." Drizzt absorbed that, then looked at Del directly again. "Sharr or Kor? Both names came up in his tales."
Del looked like he couldn't decide between sorrow and mirth, then decided to just chuckle a bit and give a half-smile. "If uncle Kor has ever noticed a woman long enough to sire a child, we've never heard about it.
"No. Sharrevaliir was our father."
Drizzt winced. "I am sorry… and Sam didn't know."
"No. Mom broke it to him when he called on her for assistance," Del admitted. "He's muttering 'stupid elves' half the time when he sees me."
"Why?"
"I was still a kid when we lost him, not even twenty."
Drizzt sucked in a deep breath. "With such a powerful cleric as our Lady?! I join Sam in that!"
Del did laugh at that, before shaking his head. "Long since done, but… I think most of the family agrees, even if they don't say it out loud. I made peace with it."
Drizzt sipped his drink, before asking more questions, learning what was known, especially of how the children had fared. They told him, including what was suspected about the dwarves tunneling south, leaving Drizzt in a much better frame of mind.
With no way to communicate to the dwarves, Del steadied himself and teleported both of the drow near the hiexel. Xinval hesitated little, but Drizzt put an arm around his shoulders.
"My dwarf friends know that Zanna and I came from other goodly drow. And Sam…" For that, he merely gestured ahead at the wagon-turned-cabin, and the dwarrows playing in the light snow around the tree. "A most unusual elf."
"So he seems to be. Very well. I could have requested a wizard come fetch me," Xinval said.
"But why should you?" Del asked. "Come and join the feast I am certain my cousin and brother will host, and I will see you home tomorrow."
Drizzt grinned when Xinval smiled for Del's enthusiasm. The trio made their way to the ward line, with Drizzt picking up the pace once he could hear the children.
He paused at the line, but did not have to wait as Sam had come out and hastily allowed passage. Nor did Sam stop moving, though he did hold back when Zanna raced past him and flung herself at her other father.
Drizzt scooped her up, bringing her in close, holding her there, and burying his face in her hair. It was one thing to know she was safe, and another to be reunited.
Catti-brie had jogged over, and her face was soft, but then she noted the stranger, a drow, and remembered her manners. "Catti-brie. Ye must be one o' their people," she offered. "Xinval? I think me ranger said that was the priestly name."
Xinval's eyes widened; not only had Drizzt spoken of them, but the human had remembered them?
"Yes," he said simply.
"Thank ye for helpin' tae find him. And takin' care o' him, because I know he was a mess when ye found him."
"Catti," Drizzt whined, before shifting to reach for her, Zanna on his hip now.
She got a hug, then adeptly took her little sister from him as the sun elf was waiting patiently. She watched as Drizzt took him in, head to toe, before Sam just swept in and engulfed the shorter man in a hug.
"Oh my friend, we have much to catch up on," Sam murmured, as Drizzt returned that hug.
"We know where the hall is, me ranger," Catti-brie said, sitting with Drizzt up in the hiexel's branches that night. He had his cloak around them both, and was soaking up the peace of the stars above.
"Sam did it then?"
"Aye. Good man, that one."
"I think so. He's offered to move the hiexel somewhere between the city of Silverymoon and the Frost Hills. I take it that's where it is?"
"Aye." She leaned over into him. "Ye think me Da — "
"I know he was well when I went out last to sow dissent between the Tribes. I know the clan was making him stay inside and lead the work to dig," Drizzt told her. "I have no reason to believe anything happened to them after that point."
She let out a sigh of relief. "Then, come spring, we go find them?"
"He'll probably yell at me, but yes. Sam said he can manage the young ones as his cousin Dol is staying for the duration, and he will have Auntie and Uncle to aid.
"You, myself, and Dulan will go and try to intercept the clan, so we can guide them toward the Hall. After?"
"After is another plan, me ranger. We'll get there."
Drizzt was able to lead Dulan and Catti-brie to the clan before they even finished breaching the surface in the Spine of the World. Mostly, he thought, because of Guen, who had been more sensitive to the vibrations in the ground. So they were all waiting, and Bruenor was the first up, looking around.
"Took you long enough," Drizzt said wryly.
"ELF! Me BAIRN!"
From there, it was just a matter of reunions, and a bit of talk, but Catti-brie thought they were well on their way to getting things straightened out, and a new home was waiting for them to reclaim it.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Ensemble
Additional Tags: Background Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:
In a universe where they don't see a way to resist the barbarian invasion, Bruenor and Drizzt send the young of the clan away to survive.
Children's Crusade
From her Da's first suspicions, a wagon had been readied. It was tight, but the elder three of the dwarrows would be enough back up for Catti-brie, it was decided. She had been learning bow and sword from their ranger since showing an interest in both.
None of the young ones wanted it to come to this, but Bruenor still remembered the last time the barbarians had made war on the Ten-Towns and his people. He wasn't going to be caught flat-footed, not when they'd had a cave-in on one of the trade tunnels that still needed repair.
The ranger was out day and night, seeking confirmation of the barbarian plans, while the elders discussed the timing. If they waited too long to send the young away, the passes would be closed. If they sent them and the war didn't come —
"Da," Catti said seriously while the other elders debated. "I take the wee ones as far as the Throat. If'n I see signs back tae the Towns o' war, I follow me ranger's map. If'n I donnae see signs, I camp with them there, 'til ye send me ranger or others tae fetch us home."
Bruenor stroked his beard, considering. "Aye, lass, that's a plan," he finally decided.
He thumped the butt of his axe on the floor and shut the buzzing dwarves up, decreeing the plan Catti-brie had given.
The stop at the pass was not needed. The battle cries had come before they got there, rolling across the tundra in its last gasp of summer. The smoke behind them had Catti and Dulan, the eldest of the dwarrows, trading out the pullers with the pacers, pushing them as much as they dared. Dulan still half-thought he should have been back there to defend the clan, but Bruenor himself had put him as Catti's lieutenant for the long passage.
Auntie, younger by that name, and Uncle, the elder of those, took turns as they could, driving the wagon, but by and large, keeping the beasts calm and willing was up to their young elf, who had some magic over them because of her father. Zanna knew she was too small to do more than gather foods and calm the stocky ponies for the rest, but that didn't keep her from holding her half-size bow and quiver close.
It was a long, long journey to where her other father was, and if he wasn't there —
— they would have worse problems.
The strangest thing about rolling south was that the season was still very much summer, here below the mountains. The dwarf wagon stayed firmly on the road, and anywhere that it narrowed, a great panther was with them to check for dangers.
The six dwarves old enough to know how to use their lances were all blooded alongside their chieftain's daughter, but mostly Guen's presence at every danger turned the tide for them. If they'd run into a wizard, maybe it would have gone worse, but six hundred pounds of a panther that was separated from her chosen ranger, with so many cubs to protect, was a very dangerous thing.
In Mirabar, Dulan minded the wagon, with Zanna's help with the beasts, while Uncle and Catti-brie traded pieces of knucklebone for supplies for the next stretch of the journey. Sharp eyes noticed the trading, despite their precaution, and Catti's sword was blooded on the idiot humans that had thought them weak. She didn't have to kill, though Uncle's strike was probably going to end his opponent's thuggish days.
Other eyes noted the scuffle though, and spoke for them to the guard, before the larger one pushed his way to where he could speak to the pair.
"Horim Half-Orc," he said as they tensed all over despite having spoken for them and been listened to. "You're with the wagon stopped up at the fairground."
"Aye," Catti-brie said, tipping her chin up just before a curious dwarf made it to the big man.
"Ye be wearing a standard not seen here; me name's Foveni Drakebow, and it's strange to see dwarrow and elders doing trade at this time of year."
Catti looked to Uncle, who ceded authority back to her with a half shrug. She was their chieftain's daughter, and in charge, for all she was still a beardless dwarrow in their eyes.
"War came to me lands. Me Da, the chieftain, and our ranger had a plan for us."
"As a ranger of Mielikki, I would be remiss if I did not offer you aid in your passage," Horim said.
"And I stand by dwarves of all clans, if they need me," Foveni answered.
"Mielikki?" Catti-brie studied the pair again, then gave a sharp nod. "I cannae pay ye much, but a knucklebone for ye both, from Ten-Towns, if'n ye see us to Yartar."
"Long journey, but the roads are good," Horim said. "Keep the fee, Lady, as a ranger gives service."
"I'll take the tale of yer clan, for fee," Foveni said. "We'll be at your camp by night fall."
The only thing to set Catti-brie on edge as the two joined them was worry over her 'little sister', as she called Zanna. The ranger had encouraged them to have kinship, and Zanna was too dark to pass for a wood elf to people who had traveled as much as this pair seemed to have.
The dwarf raised an eyebrow, but Horim just nodded.
"You must be related to the drow ranger we used to hear of," he said after the introductions. "Never knew his name, but I heard tales. And Mielikki nudged me to stay here."
"My papa is a good ranger, yes. Mielikki guides him." Zanna looked up at the half-orc without fear. "She asked you to stay here for us?"
"I think so, little cousin," Horim told her. "Do you like that? To be my cousin, since your father shares my path?"
"Yes!"
Foveni just smiled, knowing the girl's bravery had won her friend completely over, given how few children would speak to him at all.
Trade at Longsaddle had netted them rations that actually let everyone feel full, to Dulan's joy. He was learning hunting techniques from Foveni, and had grudgingly taken pointers from Horim on better weapons' handling. Dulan half-thought all rangers must just be like that, with their need to point out fighting flaws.
Their ranger did — had done? — and suddenly Dulan just wanted everything Horim could teach, thinking about home, knowing they might be the last Battlehammers, that the wee bairn might not have her father anymore.
"Help me be better," he told Horim as they walked away of the wagon. "Mayhaps, me clan is no more. Have tae be strong enough to protect me kin, and be a true fighter for Catti."
Horim nodded. "You're already on your way, Dulan. You have the heart."
Arriving at Triboar to find out they were feuding with Yartar, again, complicated matters. The militia were being irritating about 'papers', but between Horim and Foveni using their reputation, they had at least gotten passage to the bridge. Triboar, considered home of Gwaeron Windstrom, didn't want to anger a favored ranger of His Patron Goddess, after all.
The toll, once they reached the fortified bridge, was a different problem. Their supply of knucklebone had been whittled down by trade, and the bridge keepers were not certain of its value.
Catti-brie finally went to where the dispute was, stepping in front of Horim so that he could fully guard her from the rear, if Triboar's militia were thinking of using them as a distraction.
"See here, Sergeant," she said, concentrating on speaking without the dwarven accent so she was clear. "Do you want to be known as the man that turned away a bunch of dwarrows and their elders, or do you want to take what we offer, known to be worth more than gold, so that the very rulers of Luskan argue over trade rights to what Ten-Towns sells?
"If I were you, I'd fear the gods if you choose the first."
The man had squirmed a bit at her early words, and finally nodded, handling the transaction to let the wagon and its protectors pass, with Zanna carefully hidden in the back of the wagon. After all, the Yartar people were being stubborn; she didn't need to add incentive for them to turn her back.
The tree, as promised, was not difficult to find, being so unlike every other tree. They stopped at a respectable distance, and Zanna showed her first sign of nerves.
"What if he's mad? What if he doesn't like me?" the girl asked. "What if he won't help?"
Catti-brie hugged her tight. "Then, like Horim and Foveni said, we ride tae Silverymoon, and take our refuge there. But none of that's going tae happen. Yer papa is a good man, who would pick good people tae know."
Zanna took a deep breath, and pulled Guen's figure out, summoning her. This part her papa had insisted on; let Guen check for the wizard. Guen couldn't be fooled easily, and had lived inside the tree, known the man.
Guen arrived, took in where they were, and bumped both girls for a moment before bounding over to the wards of the wizard's tree tower. She didn't roar; she sat very primly, and drug a paw across the edge of the magic she could sense clearly.
Horim was keeping watch closely, still fascinated by the astral panther, and saw the wizard — elf, as they'd been told — stepped out onto a wide limb shaped as a balcony. They'd parked far enough away that he could not make out the features, but the sound of a voice, and then Guen making a startling high-pitched 'yip' preceded the wizard coming to the ground and striding across the land.
Guen butted into the wizard's legs, walking the man back to the wagon, where Horim waited, letting the young human take charge.
"Ye be Samiar Ravarel, an' I be Catti-brie Battlehammer," the girl said firmly once the man was in speaking distance. "Guen wouldnae have let ye make it if ye were any but."
"That is truth," the man said, looking down at the cat. "But where is Drizzt? Is he hurt?"
"We donnae know," Catti told him. "Me Da and he, they sent us here tae be sure we lived, as the tribes were on the warpath with all they had, and Ten-Towns were nae listening tae either man."
The wizard had to put a hand down on Guen's broad shoulders, steadying himself, and that put Horim's last instincts to rest, assuring him that the children would be safe with this man.
"You have her figure then? He must trust you greatly," Samiar said.
"Nae." She turned a little and Zanna stepped out from between the ponies where she had waited, her eyes fixed on the wizard she'd only heard of. "His daughter carries the responsibility for Guen."
"His dau — " Samiar blinked, looked down at Guen, who merely nudged him to move forward. At that confirmation, he went to where he could comfortably take a knee in front of the ponies, and opened his body language. "Ours, yes?" he asked in a gentle voice, eyes glued to the drow child who was not… quite… full drow in her looks.
"Hello Da," Zanna said. "My name is Zanna. We came, before we went north and found our home, but you weren't here."
"Then I will always regret the time already lost," Sam told her. "Now, let's get you and your friends here into the wards, and talk about whatever your other father has gotten into."
He held his arms open, and she came over, tucking in, which let him wrap those arms around her and hold her close, as safe as he could.
He'd either find or avenge Drizzt, and do all he could by this child and the ones with her.
Catti-brie watched this man, all but a stranger to them, put things in motion to help them settle from the hard journey here. He'd listened, frowning through much of it, but he'd promised he would find help now, not in the spring, once he had new spells on the next day. The thing he called a mansion certainly was, with room for them all, and food to spare.
Through it all, he treated her with respect, listened to Uncle and Auntie, and checked on Zanna repeatedly to be sure she was fine. Guen was satisfied before she had to go back to her plane, so Catti was willing to trust that it could turn out.
She didn't expect, now they were safe, for it to really hit that none of them knew what had become of their kin. Zanna wound up being rocked and held awkwardly when she exploded in tears, while Dulan and she managed the dwarrows reacting much the same way with the help of their elders. Even Foveni and Horim picked up dwarrows to reassure them.
"I'll fill your larders," Horim said. "But what are you thinking to get aid to the tundra at this time of the year? I'd thought to go on to Silverymoon, and ask if the Lady there would ask her sons to aid."
Sam's ears all but pricked up, it seemed to Catti, who had a dwarrow asleep against her now.
"Is that truly Elué then, not one of her kin?" Sam asked.
"That is the name the elves call her," Horim agreed.
"Then, I will make the appeal, by sending on the morrow. I really had no idea; she … well, people do change their minds."
Horim chuckled. "She is a foundation of the Luruar. She took hold of Silverymoon after the Black Horde and has not left."
Sam frowned and Catti-brie saw shadows in his eyes.
"I think… that bodes ill for my family, but I will reach out, for old times' sake."
Elué, this is Sam. I have a situation. My hiexel is outside of Yartar. Please ask one of your sons to come see me.
Sam? Of course. I will arrange a meeting swiftly.
Sam put his faith in those words, then went to help with the day's labor of converting the wagon, along with other supplies, into a cottage to supplement the hiexel's accommodations. He could keep casting a mansion, but the dwarves preferred to have their own way of doing things. Still, magic would be useful for getting building material in place, and Sam wanted to do all he could for this rather unusual assortment of people his daughter — he had a daughter! — called family.
Catti-brie had just finished putting the scupper in place for draining the basins when there was a motion that caught her eye. A day of hard work, and the wagon had a proper water supply and drain, posts already planted for getting walls attached to it.
"Seems a lot of work on your property; ye be sure?"
"We have to get through autumn and winter, so yes. After, if you'll sell me the wagon, it means I'll have a building for unexpected guests or to store things in."
Catti-brie had been about to argue on the selling when the wizard had gotten distracted by a dwarrow trying to help too much. As he'd gone inside with that one and one other that were too young to really do the work, Catti-brie turned to the motion she'd seen, half-hoping that Foveni was already aware.
Horim was off hunting and gathering, and had taken the third eldest of the dwarrows when Auntie had agreed.
What she saw when she focused, just past the magical line that Zanna said protected them all, she saw a beautiful lady, standing even taller than Sam, likely as tall as Horim, though built slender, there just letting go a beast that didn't look quite like a proper horse. It vanished then and there, making Catti blink and wonder if she'd imagined it for a moment.
"Elué, I said one of your sons!" Sam called from the tree's opening. He gestured though and the elegant lady came on to the property, looking about and inclining her head to the dwarrows that had stopped to see her.
"All of ye, go get cleaned up for a meal," Catti said. "Uncle will be bringing it out any time now."
"Well, the unseen servants will be," Sam said. "Join us, Catti-brie? This is the person who can hopefully help us. Also, hello, Elué. Though I suppose I should use your name as it is now."
"No need, Sam. The elves have always called me that."
In short order, the dwarves were situated with food and a long rest break, Foveni was guarding them all even as she shared in the meal, while Sam, Catti-brie, and the lady went inside the tree. Zanna was torn between food and being with her big sister.
"Sit and eat, little one," Auntie admonished. "Then you can go inside."
"Yes, Auntie."
Catti-brie recited all the signs of the tribesmen choosing war, that they had been unified under their two strongest kings, and that the Ten-Towns were refusing to hear all arguments about the danger.
"Me Da, he's the last o' his line. And some said as they all should have gone," Catti-brie said at last. "But me ranger pointed out that if a caravan was seen, it would be the first target, and we'd have little way of holding off thousands of them.
"One wagon, though, that could get away," she said. "Two of our four elders, and every dwarrow under fighting age."
"With this as your destination because?" Alustriel asked, curious but very intent on figuring out how to find the remnant of Catti-brie's clan and see them safely south.
"That would be the ranger's doing," Sam offered. "I knew him… several years ago, apparently."
"He'd made a map, years back," Catti-brie said. "Tae use should he get killed, so his daughter could come tae her kin."
Now the elegant lady's eyebrow rose and she looked at Sam.
"I had no idea, there was a curse involved, and I was apparently not in when he stopped here to tell me originally," Sam said. "Zanna's with the others eating."
"Congratulations," Alustriel said to that. "But, it was a very long and perilous journey. Well-done, Catti-brie, for living up to your station for your people."
Catti-brie truly hoped her face wasn't as flushed as it felt, because that praise from someone so … perfectly put together? … powerful had her all jumbled up.
Quick motion sounds were a warning that Zanna had finished eating, and that was a good distraction, as the girl all but shot into Catti's arms, climbing up to share her chair before peering curiously at the lady.
Alustriel's breath caught as she took in the girl's face. "Oh, Sam. She looks like my youngest. Everyone told me he favored your teacher."
"Yes, she does look a bit like my aunt in the face," Sam said, and Catti-brie noted the same shadows in his face. Someone had died, someone that wasn't being spoken of yet, so someone very personal.
"Does that mean you're family too?" Zanna asked.
Alustriel smiled. "In a way. Yes. My children would be cousins… let's see, dwarves count out several generations, yes?"
"Aye, Lady," Catti answered.
"Sam is cousin, same generation, to the father of most of my children. So you would be of my sons' generation, but separated a step."
Zanna tipped her head to the side, sketched a bit in the air, then nodded. "Can you help us?"
"I plan to do all I can. Depending on what my sons find when they go to look for me, it might take time," Alustriel said. "Tell me, Zanna, did you and your other father ever live with others like you?"
The girl looked wary at that, uncertain, because people were mean to drow, and Catti-brie knew the answer.
"It's fine, me sister," she murmured. "The Lady means nae harm tae yer people, aye?" she said louder.
"Named Ones, no! I did not mean to scare you for them, Zanna. I am asking so I know if I can reach out to my contacts there for more assistance, if needed."
"Tell me the name of one you know, and I'll tell you," Zanna said. It made Alustriel chuckle and nod. "Let's see, you might not believe if I tell you the name of someone that would be known outside their home. So how about Xinval? The priest."
Zanna's eyes got very big. "He's Papa's friend."
Alustriel nodded. "Then, I will be able to ask them for more aid, if it comes to it. But we will do all we can for Clan Battlehammer. And the ranger."
"Good." Zanna looked pleased by that.
Bruenor counted the scouts as they came back, decided it had been worth for all to return and only two were injured.
"Any sign?"
"Nae, chief," Lespur said, binding off the cut along her arm. "We cannae risk another trip out, and the elf would tell ye that."
Bruenor closed his eyes, then nodded with resignation. "Able bodies tae the diggin' crews. Rest of ye rest and heal with Auntie and Uncle. We need ye well, not tryin' with the rest."
"Aye, chief," they answered.
Bruenor looked at the hatch, now sealed, and looked at the pair of guards. "Weld it."
"Aye!" They weren't happy, but the clan came first. Ever since the barbarians had started thrusting spears in the ground and finding tunnels to breach, they'd been pulling further away from the original passages, sealing them in. Winter should put a stop to that soon enough, but the ranger hadn't been seen since he left to gather up as many town folk as he could.
Some of those had trickled in, but even that would stop now, as this was the last door they had to seal.
"The drow is canny," Agorwal said by way of offering hope.
"With much tae live for, aye," Bruenor said. "We keep digging, so by spring we can breach the land and head for safer places. Yer people are welcome tae stay with us, and I'll be the first tae stand surety for ye."
"That is generous, and we will do all we can to aid."
Drizzt hissed as he moved, further aggravating the shallow slice across his lower back. The ghost bear made a low noise at him, which meant Drizzt had to focus and calm his friend, his savior honestly. He'd been caught flat-footed in the harsh sun, with fresh snow glinting it back up into his eyes. If he hadn't been so close to the Sea of Moving Ice, he probably would be dead, or worse, at the hands of the barbarians.
Soon, he hoped the weather would fracture the alliances between Elk and Bear. But in the meantime, many would suffer. The Ten-Towns population was dead, enslaved, or escaped, and now Drizzt had to heal. He prayed Bruenor had closed the last hatch, that they were proceeding with the plan.
He knew, through the grace of his goddess, that the children were safe. His bond to Guenhwyvar had not broken, despite the distance, and Mielikki had coaxed him to meditate on that connection. He knew the children had reached allies, making it easier to focus on survival.
Gingerly, he readied what he needed to clean and cover the axe slash he hadn't dodged fully, and hoped his ghost bear friend continued to tolerate his presence.
The next meeting with Sam's family was in another one of those magic mansions, as six very tall elves, half human actually, had showed up wearing proper winter gear and asked to talk with Catti-brie and the elders.
"We managed some observations," the eldest, Andy, said. "The towns are divided between the tribes, and tension is growing between the two largest ones. The ground is broken onto tunnels in many locations, but they all dead-end, very deliberately and mostly with fresh stone or metal."
"Aye, that was the plan if we couldnae send the tribes back to the frozen wastes," Catti-brie said. "Fall back, close off."
"There are not as many lowlander humans among the towns as we would expect," Ghael, the one who'd been wearing very different clothes that reminded her of Regis under his furs, offered. "Whether killed or holed up elsewhere, I don't know."
"Ones as fought proper might have been let tae come with ours," Uncle said. "We'd nae enow to rescue the lot, though."
"Of the ranger, we saw nothing, but heard much," Dol told them. "He's been ghosting the towns, and causing tensions to flare. I went, invisible in two of the larger ones, and it is said he fights at the side of ghost bears, giant elk, and even the cormorants."
Auntie cackled. "See, that ghost bear was less a nuisance than we thought!"
Catti-brie smiled, nodding, before looking at the men. "Me ranger has a touch with animals. After a ghost bear saved him from the Sea of Moving Ice, it kept coming with him back inland. Got to where he had tae set time aside tae go fish with the beast about once a moon."
"We think the elk that was sighted might have been a sending from Gwaeron himself, as they don't tend to range up in that area," Elin said. "The birds, however… well. They can be opportunists."
"He's up there, somewhere," Catti-brie said to all of that. "And me Da has the clan on the move, like as not."
"They can tunnel through the winter," Auntie agreed. "Come up once they're past the worst of the ice, and come down."
"We will set watches, of course," Thyl said. "To give aid, but we cannot locate them beneath the snow and ice already down."
"Our contacts among Drizzt's people," Del said, and he really did look like Zanna might, despite the colors being different, "want us to bring one of them up to try sending to him. I volunteered for that."
"Thank ye," Catti-brie said. "Zanna will be better for knowing her papa is being looked for."
"It's the right thing to do," Andy said, "but reinforced by learning he is our family."
Catti-brie hadn't considered it that way, but Samiar had said it once or twice too. Kinship certainly mattered to this elf and half-human family, something she approved of.
"Then we wait," she said, nodding. With nothing more to add, Andy went and opened the door, inviting the others to come in and enjoy the feast being readied by his unseen servants.
The five who remained for a few days did more to improve the dwarf cabin, making certain it could hold through the winter comfortably. They also brought food from elsewhere, which meant Horim and Foveni could, in good conscience, move on to their usual winter routines.
That gave Sam plenty of time to examine the curse on the two elders, puzzling through the intricacy of it to try and undo the loss of memory. It was both a delight to him to have such a magical investigation, and a promise to their future.
Catti-brie sat with Auntie and Uncle after one of those sessions, while Zanna and the other young dwarrows were taking lessons in reading and writing from Dol, who had opted to remain through the winter, to give more protection to the children.
"The Tall Ones say there's more of us, in the citadels," she began.
"Aye, shock as that was," Uncle said. "Bruenor will see tae gathering them in, and if the wizard can make us remember, we'll have a Hall tae reclaim."
"What if Da didn't make it?" she finally asked, knowing the clan would keep following his commands even after death.
"Ye donnae need tae be thinking such," Auntie scolded. "But if'n he fell in battle, it'll be Grollo as needs tae step up, or any Hamur that escaped. They're closest tae the king's blood."
Catti-brie nodded, and decided if it came to that, she'd do all she could to support Grollo, until they had their home.
Del had gone to the Promenade, found out who he'd be working with. Once he knew, he left again long enough to find proper winter gear that would fit the drow priest. That had taken a little time, with much double-checking to see what limitations Eilistraeeans had on their garments. Some religions had very strange ones; it seemed the Dark Maiden at least was more forgiving and practical.
While Del did that, the drow were brewing healing potions and elixirs, remembering how driven the young ranger was, and certain his habits had only worsened. Del had been amused by the tales, and also very warmed by the near-universal sigh of relief to know that Zanna was safe with her other father.
"Your opinion on the sun elf?" Ysolde asked, once Del was back and readying his haversack for the jaunt north.
"Sam? I heard a few stories about him, met him only briefly. But he's got my eldest brothers' support, and seemed to be doting on baby cousin."
Ysolde looked half-satisfied by that. "Mother always worried it hadn't been as consensual as Drizzt said it was."
Del recoiled viciously from that idea. "No. No, Sam is very much a man of our family, from all I saw and heard. He really is doing his best by Zanna and the dwarves."
"Alright."
That settled, Del went to get a good night's sleep, so he and Xinval could aim for the limited hours of daylight up on the tundra.
Xinval had never known cold like this, but at least the weather was clear. When he looked toward the settled area, he winced to see the signs of warfare, the way nothing had really been rebuilt in the time after conquest.
"They will not thrive, and more will die," Del said sadly, seeing the gaze. "I wish it were otherwise, but I have seen and been told of the pattern, of peoples conquering, and failing to adapt to settled life."
"A pity. At least drow usually make use of territory they conquer in a way that lets it renew into something approaching a livable life."
Del nodded, then looked all around, hoping for a physical sign of dwarves or ranger… and Xinval closed his eyes to use the prayed-for sending.
~Drizzt Do'Urden, it is Xinval. I have an ally, we are camped on the lone peak, on guard against the humans.~
The absolute amazement and concern in the return sending made Xinval thank the goddess for preserving the stubborn ranger.
~I am near the Sea of Moving Ice, and will head that way. Beware the weather as much as humans.~
"He says beware the weather, and he is near 'the Sea of Moving Ice'," Xinval relayed.
"I didn't memorize phantom steed and don't have a flying carpet, so we will have to wait. But we can move closer to the base, on the side nearer the sea, and if he has not made it to us by morning, I will have new spells."
Xinval nodded, and let the half-human lead the way, trusting his sense more in this alien environment.
Drizzt made it to the secure shelter in the middle of the night. Xinval took one look at him and pulled him down on a cot, focusing on healing with every prayer-spell he had. Even with that, Del pushed an elixir and a potion at him, having never seen a drow look gray, and very worried about the color of the tips of his ears under the thick grease Drizzt had smeared them with.
"Introductions?" the ranger finally managed to say, once they both stopped fussing and he was sitting with a warm drink cradled in his mittened hands.
"Uoundeld Aerasumé, please call me Del, and you are Drizzt Do'Urden, father — one of them — to my cousin Zanna."
Those purple eyes blinked in surprise at that. "The Aerasumé pegasus riders like the one in Waterdeep?"
"Yes. I'm one of her nephews," Del said, smiling as he answered the gist of that question. Xinval nodded for confirmation.
"But he's not claiming cousin with Zanna over that connection, much as our Lady is glad to call you kin," Xinval told him. "The wizard you so carefully never named is cousin to the Tall Ones' father by blood."
"Oh." Drizzt absorbed that, then looked at Del directly again. "Sharr or Kor? Both names came up in his tales."
Del looked like he couldn't decide between sorrow and mirth, then decided to just chuckle a bit and give a half-smile. "If uncle Kor has ever noticed a woman long enough to sire a child, we've never heard about it.
"No. Sharrevaliir was our father."
Drizzt winced. "I am sorry… and Sam didn't know."
"No. Mom broke it to him when he called on her for assistance," Del admitted. "He's muttering 'stupid elves' half the time when he sees me."
"Why?"
"I was still a kid when we lost him, not even twenty."
Drizzt sucked in a deep breath. "With such a powerful cleric as our Lady?! I join Sam in that!"
Del did laugh at that, before shaking his head. "Long since done, but… I think most of the family agrees, even if they don't say it out loud. I made peace with it."
Drizzt sipped his drink, before asking more questions, learning what was known, especially of how the children had fared. They told him, including what was suspected about the dwarves tunneling south, leaving Drizzt in a much better frame of mind.
With no way to communicate to the dwarves, Del steadied himself and teleported both of the drow near the hiexel. Xinval hesitated little, but Drizzt put an arm around his shoulders.
"My dwarf friends know that Zanna and I came from other goodly drow. And Sam…" For that, he merely gestured ahead at the wagon-turned-cabin, and the dwarrows playing in the light snow around the tree. "A most unusual elf."
"So he seems to be. Very well. I could have requested a wizard come fetch me," Xinval said.
"But why should you?" Del asked. "Come and join the feast I am certain my cousin and brother will host, and I will see you home tomorrow."
Drizzt grinned when Xinval smiled for Del's enthusiasm. The trio made their way to the ward line, with Drizzt picking up the pace once he could hear the children.
He paused at the line, but did not have to wait as Sam had come out and hastily allowed passage. Nor did Sam stop moving, though he did hold back when Zanna raced past him and flung herself at her other father.
Drizzt scooped her up, bringing her in close, holding her there, and burying his face in her hair. It was one thing to know she was safe, and another to be reunited.
Catti-brie had jogged over, and her face was soft, but then she noted the stranger, a drow, and remembered her manners. "Catti-brie. Ye must be one o' their people," she offered. "Xinval? I think me ranger said that was the priestly name."
Xinval's eyes widened; not only had Drizzt spoken of them, but the human had remembered them?
"Yes," he said simply.
"Thank ye for helpin' tae find him. And takin' care o' him, because I know he was a mess when ye found him."
"Catti," Drizzt whined, before shifting to reach for her, Zanna on his hip now.
She got a hug, then adeptly took her little sister from him as the sun elf was waiting patiently. She watched as Drizzt took him in, head to toe, before Sam just swept in and engulfed the shorter man in a hug.
"Oh my friend, we have much to catch up on," Sam murmured, as Drizzt returned that hug.
"We know where the hall is, me ranger," Catti-brie said, sitting with Drizzt up in the hiexel's branches that night. He had his cloak around them both, and was soaking up the peace of the stars above.
"Sam did it then?"
"Aye. Good man, that one."
"I think so. He's offered to move the hiexel somewhere between the city of Silverymoon and the Frost Hills. I take it that's where it is?"
"Aye." She leaned over into him. "Ye think me Da — "
"I know he was well when I went out last to sow dissent between the Tribes. I know the clan was making him stay inside and lead the work to dig," Drizzt told her. "I have no reason to believe anything happened to them after that point."
She let out a sigh of relief. "Then, come spring, we go find them?"
"He'll probably yell at me, but yes. Sam said he can manage the young ones as his cousin Dol is staying for the duration, and he will have Auntie and Uncle to aid.
"You, myself, and Dulan will go and try to intercept the clan, so we can guide them toward the Hall. After?"
"After is another plan, me ranger. We'll get there."
Drizzt was able to lead Dulan and Catti-brie to the clan before they even finished breaching the surface in the Spine of the World. Mostly, he thought, because of Guen, who had been more sensitive to the vibrations in the ground. So they were all waiting, and Bruenor was the first up, looking around.
"Took you long enough," Drizzt said wryly.
"ELF! Me BAIRN!"
From there, it was just a matter of reunions, and a bit of talk, but Catti-brie thought they were well on their way to getting things straightened out, and a new home was waiting for them to reclaim it.
Tags:
- au: canon divergence,
- author: sharpest_asp,
- category: gen,
- character: bruenor battlehammer,
- character: catti-brie battlehammer,
- character: drizzt do'urden,
- character: ensemble cast,
- character: foveni drakebow,
- character: horim half-orc,
- character: samiar ravarel,
- character: zanna do'urden,
- pairing: drizzt/samiar,
- rating: general audiences,
- warning: no warnings apply
