精灵血脉四部曲-第205部分

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　　　At　that　moment；　it　simply　didn't　matter。　All　that　I　cared　about　was　that　I　had　e　home。

　　　桪rizzt　Do'Urden



Chapter　18

WALKING　THE　WIND



　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　acpanied　Deudermont；　Waillan　and　Dunkin　back　to　Carradoon　to　say　their　farewells　to　the　crewmen　they　had　worked　beside　for　more　than　five　years；　friends　all。　Drizzt　was　impatient　and　didn't　want　to　delay　his　return　to　Icewind　Dale　any　longer　than　necessary；　but　this　short　trip　was　important。　It　was　a　fond　farewell　with　promises　that　they　would　meet　again。

　　　The　two　friends桪rizzt　called　in　Guenhwyvar　later梔ined　with　Deudermont　and　Robillard　that　night。　Robillard；　seeming　more　animated　and　friendly　than　usual；　promised　to　use　his　magic　to　whisk　them　back　to　the　Spirit　Soaring；　to　get　them　on　their　way。

　　　〃What？〃　the　wizard　asked　as　the　other　three　exchanged　knowing　glances　and　grins；　all　of　them　thinking　exactly　the　same　thing。

　　　Robillard　had　changed　in　the　last　few　weeks；　especially　since　the　wild　battle　on　the　beach　of　Caerwich。　The　fact　was；　Harkle　had　rubbed　off　on　him。

　　　〃What？〃　Robillard　demanded　again；　more　forcefully。

　　　Deudermont　laughed　and　lifted　his　glass　of　wine　in　a　toast。　〃To　Harkle　Harpell；〃　the　captain　said；　〃and　the　good　he　has　left　in　his　wake！〃

　　　Robillard　snorted；　ready　to　remind　them　that　the　Sea　Sprite　was　locked　tight　in　a　lake　hundreds　of　miles　from　the　Sword　Coast。　But　as　he　considered　the　continuing　smirks　on　his　panions'　faces；　the　wary　wizard　realized　the　truth　of　Deudermont's　toast；　realized　that　it　was　aimed　at　him。

　　　Robillard's　first　instinct　was　to　yell　out　a　protest；　perhaps　even　to　rescind　his　offer　to　take　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　back　to　the　cathedral。　But　they　were　right；　the　wizard　finally　had　to　admit　to　himself；　and　so　he　lifted　his　glass。　Though　he　kept　quiet；　Robillard　was　thinking　that　maybe　he　would　go　to　the　famed　Ivy　Mansion　in　Longsaddle　and　pay　his　eccentric　friend　a　visit。

　　　It　was　difficult　for　Drizzt；　Catti…brie；　and　Deudermont　to　say　goodbye。　They　shared　hugs　and　promised　that　they　would　meet　again；　but　they　all　knew　the　depth　of　the　task　facing　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie。　There　was　a　very　real　possibility　that　neither　of　them　would　ever　leave　Icewind　Dale　alive。

　　　They　all　knew　this；　but　none　of　them　mentioned　that　possibility；　acting　as　though　this　was　merely　a　short　interruption　to　their　friendship。



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　　　Twenty　minutes　later；　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　were　back　at　the　Spirit　Soaring。　Robillard　said　his　farewells；　and　then　disappeared　in　a　flash　of　magical　energy。

　　　Ivan；　Pikel　and　Danica　greeted　them。　〃Cadderly's　gettin'　ready；〃　the　stout；　yellow…bearded　dwarf　remarked。　〃Takes　the　old　man　longer；　ye　know！〃

　　　〃Hee　hee　hee；〃　Pikel　piped　in。

　　　Danica　feigned　a　protest；　but　in　truth梐nd　Catti…brie　saw　it梥he　was　glad　that　the　dwarves　continued　to　taunt　Cadderly's　advanced　age。　They　did　it　only　because　they　believed　that　the　priest　was　growing　stronger；　even　younger；　and　their　taunts　were　filled　with　hope；　not　malice。

　　　〃e；〃　Danica　bade　Catti…brie。　〃We　have　not　had　enough　time　together。〃　The　woman　cast　a　sour　look　at　Ivan　and　Pikel；　bobbing　along　on　their　heels。　〃Alone；〃　she　finished　pointedly。

　　　〃Ooooo；〃　moaned　Pikel。

　　　〃Does　he　always　do　that？〃　Drizzt　asked　Ivan；　who　sighed　and　nodded。

　　　〃Ye　think　ye　got　long　enough　to　tell　me　o'　Mithril　Hall？〃　Ivan　asked。　〃I　heared　o'　Menzoberranzan；　but　I'm　not　for　believing　what　I　heared。〃

　　　〃I　will　tell　what　I　may；〃　Drizzt　replied。　〃And　you　will　indeed　have　a　difficult　time　in　believing　many　of　the　splendors　I　describe。〃

　　　〃And　what　of　Bruenor？〃　Ivan　added。

　　　〃Booner！〃　put　in　the　excited　Pikel。

　　　Ivan　slapped　his　brother　on　the　back　of　the　head。　〃We'd　go　with　ye；　elf；〃　the　yellow…bearded　dwarf　explained；　〃but　we've　got　chores　to　do　here　right　now。　Takin'　care　o'　the　twins　and　all　that；　and　me　brother　with　his　gardens。〃　As　soon　as　he　mentioned　Pikel；　Ivan　turned　fast　to　regard　his　brother；　as　if　expecting　another　silly　remark。　Pikel　did　seem　like　he　wanted　to　say　something；　but　he　began　to　whistle　instead。　When　Ivan　turned　back　to　Drizzt；　the　drow　had　to　shake　his　head　and　bite　his　lip。　For；　in　looking　over　the　yellow…bearded　Ivan；　Drizzt　caught　the　face；　thumbs　in　ears；　fingers　wagging；　tongue　stuck　out　to　its　limits；　that　Pikel　offered。

　　　Ivan　spun　back；　but　Pikel　was　standing　calm　again；　whistling　away。　They　went　through　three　more　such　exchanges　before　Ivan　finally　gave　up。

　　　Drizzt　had　known　these　two　for　only　two　days；　but　he　was　thinking　that　they　were　grand　fun；　and　he　was　imagining　the　good　times　the　Bouldershoulders　would　inflict　on　Bruenor　if　ever　they　met！



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　　　For　Danica　and　Catti…brie；　that　last　hour　together　was　much　more　serious　and　controlled。　They　went　to　Danica　and　Cadderly's　private　quarters；　a　grouping　of　five　rooms　near　the　rear　of　the　great　structure。　They　found　Cadderly　in　the　bedroom；　praying　and　preparing；　so　they　quietly　left　him　alone。

　　　Their　talk　at　first　was　general　in　nature；　Catti…brie　telling　of　her　past；　of　how　she　had　been　orphaned　when　very　young　and　then　taken　under　the　wing　of　Bruenor；　to　be　raised　among　the　dwarves　of　Clan　Battlehammer。　Danica　spoke　of　her　training　in　the　teachings　of　Grandmaster　Penpahg　D'Ahn。　She　was　a　monk；　a　disciplined　warrior；　not　so　unlike　Catti…brie。

　　　Catti…brie　wasn't　used　to　dealing　with　women　of　her　own　age　and　of　a　similar　mind。　She　liked　it；　though；　liked　Danica　quite　a　bit；　and　could　imagine　a　great　friendship　between　the　two　if　time　and　the　situation　would　permit。　In　truth；　the　situation　was　also　awkward　for　Danica；　her　life　had　been　no　easier　and　her　contact　with　women　of　her　own　age　no　more　mon。

　　　They　spoke　of　the　past　and　finally；　of　the　present；　of　their　hopes　for　the　future。

　　　〃Do　you　love　him？〃　Danica　dared　to　ask；　referring　to　the　dark　elf。

　　　Catti…brie　blushed；　and　really　had　no　answer。　Of　course　she　loved　Drizzt；　but　she　didn't　know　if　she　loved　him　in　the　way　that　Danica　was　speaking　of。　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　had　agreed　to　put　off　any　such　feelings；　but　now；　with　Wulfgar　gone　for　so　many　years　and　Catti…brie　approaching　the　age　of　thirty；　the　question　was　beginning　to　resurface。

　　　〃He　is　a　handsome　one；〃　Danica　remarked；　giggling　like　a　little　girl。

　　　Indeed；　that's　what　Catti…brie　felt　like；　reclining　on　the　wide　davenport　in　Danica's　sitting　room：　a　girl。　It　was　like　being　a　teenager　again；　thinking　of　love　and　of　life；　allowing　herself　to　believe　that　her　biggest　problem　was　in　trying　to　decide　if　Drizzt　was　handsome　or　not。

　　　Of　course；　the　weight　of　reality　for　both　these　women　was　fast　to　intrude；　fast　to　steal　the　giggles。　Catti…brie　had　loved　and　lost；　and　Danica；　with　two　young　children　of　her　own；　had　to　face　the　possibility　that　her　husband；　unnaturally　aged　by　the　creation　of　the　Spirit　Soaring；　would　soon　be　gone。

　　　The　conversation　gradually　shifted；　then　died　away；　and　then　Danica　sat　quiet；　staring　intently　at　Catti…brie。

　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Catti…brie　wanted　to　know。

　　　〃I　am　with　child；〃　Danica　said；　and　Catti…brie　knew　at　once　that　she　was　the　first　person　the　monk　had　told；　even　before　Cadderly。

　　　Catti…brie　waited　a　moment；　waited　to　see　the　smile　widen　on　Danica's　face　to　make　sure　that；　for　the　young　monk；　being　pregnant　was　indeed　a　good　thing；　and　then　she　grinned　broadly　and　wrapped　Danica　in　a　tight　hug。

　　　〃Do　not　say　anything　to　Cadderly；〃　Danica　begged。　〃I've　already　planned　how　I　will　tell　him。〃

　　　Catti…brie　sat　back。　〃And　yet　ye　told　me　first；〃　she　said；　the　gravity　of　that　reality　evident　in　her　solemn　tones。

　　　〃You　are　leaving；〃　Danica　answered　matter…of…factly。

　　　〃But　ye　hardly　know　o'　me；〃　Catti…brie　reminded　her。

　　　Danica　shook　her　head；　her　strawberry　blonde　hair　flying　wide　and　her　exotic　almond…shaped　eyes　locking　fast　with　Catti…brie's　deep　blue　eyes。　〃I　know　you；〃　Danica　said　softly。

　　　It　was　true　enough；　and　Catti…brie　felt　that　she　knew　Danica　as　well。　They　were　much　alike；　and　both　came　to　realize　that　they　would　miss　each　other　a　great　deal。

　　　They　heard　Cadderly　stirring　in　the　room　next　door；　it　was　almost　time　to　go。

　　　〃I　will　e　back　here　someday；〃　Catti…brie　promised。

　　　〃And　I　will　visit　Icewind　Dale；〃　Danica　responded。

　　　Cadderly　entered　the　room　and　told　them　that　it　was　time　for　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　to　leave。　He　smiled　warmly；　and　was　gracious　enough　to　say　nothing　of　the　moisture　that　rimmed　the　eyes　of　the　two　young　women。



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　　　Cadderly；　Drizzt　and　Danica　stood　atop　the　highest　tower　of　the　Spirit　Soaring；　nearly　three　hundred　feet　above　the　ground；　the　wind　whipping　against　their　backs。

　　　Cadderly　chanted　quietly　for　some　time；　and　gradually；　both　friends　began　to　feel　lighter；　somehow　less　substantial。　Cadderly　grabbed　a　hand　of　each　and　continued　his　chant；　and　the　threesome　faded　away。　Ghostlike；　they　walked　off　the　tower　top　with　the　wind。

　　　All　the　world　sped　past；　blurry；　in　a　fog；　a　dreamlike　vision。　Neither　Drizzt　nor　Catti…brie　knew　how　long　they　were　flying；　but　dawn　was　breaking　along　the　eastern　horizon　when　they　slowed　and　then　stopped；　being　more　substantial　again。

　　　They　were　in　the　city　of　Luskan；　along　the　northernmost　stretch　of　the　Sword　Coast；　just　south　of　the　western　lip　of　the　Spine　of　the　World　mountains　and　barely　two　hundred　miles；　by　horse　or　by　foot；　from　Ten…Towns。

　　　Cadderly　didn't　know　the　city；　but　the　priest's　aim　was　perfect　and　the　three　came　out　of　their　enchantment　right　in　front　of　the　temple　of　Deneir。　Cadderly　was　well　received　by　his　fellow　priests。　He　quickly　secured　rooms　for　his　friends　and　while　they　were　sleeping；　went　out　with　one　of　the　Luskan　priests　to　make　the　arrangements　for　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　to　hook　up　with　a　caravan　heading　for　Icewind　Dale。

　　　It　was　easier　than　Cadderly　expected；　and　that　made　him　glad；　for　he　feared　that　Drizzt's　heritage　would　outweigh　any　words　he　might　offer。　But　Drizzt　was　known　among　many　of　the　merchants　in　Luskan；　as　was　Catti…brie；　and　their　fighting　prowess　would　be　a　wele　addition　to　any　caravan　traveling　north　to　the　dangerous　land　that　was　Icewind　Dale。

　　　The　two　were　awake　when　Cadderly　got　back　to　the　Deneirian