精灵血脉四部曲-第111部分

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d；　referring　to　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　Settlestone's　new　chieftain。

　　　Bruenor　snorted。　〃Berkthgar　can't　be　anything　but　difficult！〃

　　　Drizzt　looked　up　at　beautiful　Catti…brie。　He　didn't　want　to　picture　her　growing　old；　though　he　knew　she　would　do　it　with　more　grace　than　most。

　　　〃He's　a　proud　one；〃　Catti…brie　replied　to　her　father；　〃and　afraid。〃

　　　〃Bah！〃　Bruenor　retorted。　〃What's　he　got　to　be　afraid　of？　Got　a　couple　hunnerd　strong　men　around　him　and　not　an　enemy　in　sight。〃

　　　〃He　is　afraid　he　will　not　stand　well　against　the　shadow　of　his　predecessor；〃　Drizzt　explained；　and　Catti…brie　nodded。

　　　Bruenor　stopped　in　midbluster　and　considered　the　drow's　words。　Berkthgar　was　living　in　Wulfgar's　shadow；　in　the　shadow　of　the　greatest　hero　the　barbarian　tribes　of　faraway　Icewind　Dale　had　ever　known。　The　man　who　had　killed　Dracos　Icingdeath；　the　white　dragon；　the　man　who；　at　the　tender　age　of　twenty；　had　united　the　fierce　tribes　and　shown　them　a　better　way　of　living。

　　　Bruenor　didn't　believe　any　human　could　shine　through　the　spectacle　of　Wulfgar's　shadow；　and　his　resigned　nod　showed　that　he　agreed　with；　and　ultimately　accepted；　the　truth　of　the　reasoning。　A　great　sadness　edged　his　expression　and　rimmed　his　steel…gray　eyes；　as　well；　for　Bruenor　could　not　think　of　Wulfgar；　the　human　who　had　been　a　son　to　him；　without　that　sadness。

　　　〃On　what　point　is　he　being　difficult？〃　Drizzt　asked；　trying　to　push　past　the　difficult　moment。

　　　〃On　the　whole　damned　alliance；〃　Bruenor　huffed。

　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　exchanged　curious　expressions。　It　made　no　sense；　of　course。　The　barbarians　of　Settlestone　and　the　dwarves　of　Mithril　Hall　already　were　allies；　working　hand　in　hand；　with　Bruenor's　people　mining　the　precious　mithril　and　shaping　it　into　valuable　artifacts；　and　the　barbarians　doing　the　bargaining　with　merchants　from　nearby　towns；　such　as　Nesme　on　the　Trollmoors；　or　Silverymoon　to　the　east。　The　two　peoples；　Bruenor's　and　Wulfgar's；　had　fought　together　to　clear　Mithril　Hall　of　evil　gray　dwarves；　the　duergar；　and　the　barbarians　had　e　down　from　their　homes　in　faraway　Icewind　Dale；　resolved　to　stay；　only　because　of　this　solid　friendship　and　alliance　with　Bruenor's　clan。　It　made　no　sense　that　Berkthgar　was　being　difficult；　not　with　the　prospect　of　a　drow　attack　hanging　over　their　heads。

　　　〃He　wants　the　hammer；〃　Bruenor　explained；　recognizing　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie's　doubts。

　　　That　explained　everything。　The　hammer　was　Wulfgar's　hammer；　mighty　Aegis…fang；　which　Bruenor　himself　had　forged　as　a　gift　for　Wulfgar　during　the　years　the　young　man　had　been　indentured　to　the　red…bearded　dwarf。　During　those　years；　Bruenor；　Drizzt；　and　Catti…brie　had　taught　the　fierce　young　barbarian　a　better　way。

　　　Of　course　Berkthgar　would　want　Aegis…fang；　Drizzt　realized。　The　warhammer　had　bee　more　than　a　weapon；　had　bee　a　symbol　to　the　hardy　men　and　women　of　Settlestone。　Aegis…fang　symbolized　the　memory　of　Wulfgar；　and　if　Berkthgar　could　convince　Bruenor　to　let　him　wield　it；　his　stature　among　his　people　would　increase　tenfold。

　　　It　was　perfectly　logical；　but　Drizzt　knew　Berkthgar　would　never；　ever　convince　Bruenor　to　give　him　the　hammer。

　　　The　dwarf　was　looking　at　Catti…brie　then；　and　Drizzt；　in　regarding　her　as　well；　wondered　if　she　was　thinking　that　giving　the　hammer　to　the　new　barbarian　leader　might　be　a　good　thing。　How　many　emotions　must　be　swirling　in　the　young　woman's　thoughts！　Drizzt　knew。　She　and　Wulfgar　were　to　have　been　wed；　she　and　Wulfgar　had　grown　into　adulthood　together　and　had　learned　many　of　life's　lessons　side　by　side。　Could　Catti…brie　now　get　beyond　that；　beyond　her　own　grief；　and　follow　a　logical　course　to　seal　the　alliance？

　　　〃No；〃　she　said　finally；　resolutely。　〃The　hammer　he　cannot　have。〃

　　　Drizzt　nodded　his　agreement；　and　was　glad　that　Catti…brie　would　not　let　go　of　her　memories　of　Wulfgar；　of　her　love　for　the　man。　He；　too；　had　loved　Wulfgar；　as　a　brother；　and　he　could　not　picture　anyone　else；　neither　Berkthgar　nor　the　god　Tempus　himself；　carrying　Aegis…fang。

　　　〃Never　thought　to　give　it　to　him；〃　Bruenor　agreed。　He　wagged　an　angry　fist　in　the　air；　the　muscles　of　his　arm　straining　with　the　obvious　tension。　〃But　if　that　half…son　of　a　reindeer　asks　again；　I'll　give　him　something　else；　don't　ye　doubt！〃

　　　Drizzt　saw　a　serious　problem　brewing。　Berkthgar　wanted　the　hammer；　that　was　understandable；　even　expected；　but　the　young；　ambitious　barbarian　leader　apparently　did　not　appreciate　the　depth　of　his　request。　This　situation　could　get　much　worse　than　a　strain　on　necessary　allies；　Drizzt　knew。　This　could　lead　to　open　fighting　between　the　peoples；　for　Drizzt　did　not　doubt　Bruenor's　claim　for　a　moment。　If　Berkthgar　demanded　the　hammer　as　ransom　for　what　he　should　give　unconditionally；　he'd　be　lucky　to　get　back　into　the　sunshine　with　his　limbs　attached。

　　　〃Me　and　Drizzt'll　go　to　Settlestone；〃　Catti…brie　offered。　〃We'll　get　Berkthgar's　word　and　give　him　nothing　in　return。〃

　　　〃The　boy's　a　fool！〃　Bruenor　huffed。

　　　〃But　his　people　are　not　foolish；〃　Catti…brie　added。　〃He's　wanting　the　hammer　to　make　himself　more　the　leader。　We'll　teach　him　that　asking　for　something　he　cannot　have　will　make　him　less　the　leader。〃

　　　Strong；　and　passionate；　and　so　wise；　Drizzt　mused；　watching　the　young　woman。　She　would　indeed　acplish　what　she　had　claimed。　He　and　Catti…brie　would　go　to　Settlestone　and　return　with　everything　Catti…brie　had　just　promised　her　father。

　　　The　drow　blew　a　long；　low　sigh　as　Bruenor　and　Catti…brie　moved　off；　the　young　woman　going　to　retrieve　her　belongings　from　the　side　of　the　room。　He　watched　the　renewed　hop　in　Bruenor's　step；　the　life　returned　to　the　fiery　dwarf。　How　many　years　would　King　Bruenor　Battlehammer　rule？　Drizzt　wondered。　A　hundred？　Two　hundred？

　　　Unless　the　blade　of　an　enemy　or　the　claws　of　a　monster　shortened　his　life；　the　dwarf；　too；　would　watch　Catti…brie　grow　old　and　pass　away。

　　　It　was　an　image　that　Drizzt；　watching　the　light　step　of　this　spirited　young　foal；　could　not　bear　to　entertain。



　　　*****



　　　Khazid'hea；　or　Cutter；　rested　patiently　on　Catti…brie's　hip；　its　moment　of　anger　passed。　The　sentient　sword　was　pleased　by　the　young　woman's　progress　as　a　fighter。　She　was　able；　no　doubt；　but　still　Khazid'hea　wanted　more；　wanted　to　be　wielded　by　the　very　finest　warrior。

　　　Right　now；　that　warrior　seemed　to　be　Drizzt　Do'Urden。

　　　The　sword　had　gone　after　Drizzt　when　the　drow　renegade　had　killed　its　former　wielder；　Dantrag　Baenre。　Khazid'hea　had　altered　its　pommel；　as　it　usually　did；　from　the　sculpted　head　of　a　fiend　（which　had　lured　Dantrag）　to　one　of　a　unicorn；　knowing　that　was　the　symbol　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden's　goddess。　Still；　the　drow　ranger　had　bade　Catti…brie　take　the　sword；　for　he　favored　the　scimitar。

　　　Favored　the　scimitar！

　　　How　Khazid'hea　wished　that　it　might　alter　its　blade　as　it　could　the　pommel！　If　the　weapon　could　curve　its　blade；　shorten　and　thicken　it　。。。

　　　But　Khazid'hea　could　not；　and　Drizzt　would　not　wield　a　sword。　The　woman　was　good；　though；　and　getting　better。　She　was　human；　and　would　not　likely　live　long　enough　to　attain　as　great　a　proficiency　as　Drizzt；　but　if　the　sword　could　pel　her　to　slay　the　drow　。。。

　　　There　were　many　ways　to　bee　the　best。



　　　*****



　　　Matron　Baenre；　withered　and　too　old　to　be　alive；　even　for　a　drow；　stood　in　the　great　chapel　of　Menzoberranzan's　first　house；　her　house；　watching　the　slow　progress　as　her　slave　workers　tried　to　extract　the　fallen　stalactite　from　the　roof　of　the　dome…shaped　structure。　The　place　would　soon　be　repaired；　she　knew。　The　rubble　on　the　floor　had　already　been　cleared　away；　and　the　bloodstains　of　the　dozen　drow　killed　in　the　tragedy　had　long　ago　been　scoured　clean。

　　　But　the　pain　of　that　moment；　of　Matron　Baenre's　supreme　embarrassment　in　front　of　every　important　matron　mother　of　Menzoberranzan；　in　the　very　moment　of　the　first　matron　mother's　pinnacle　of　power；　lingered。　The　spearlike　stalactite　had　cut　into　the　roof；　but　it　might　as　well　have　torn　Matron　Baenre's　own　heart。　She　had　forged　an　alliance　between　the　warlike　houses　of　the　drow　city；　a　joining　solidified　by　the　promise　of　new　glory　when　the　drow　army　conquered　Mithril　Hall。

　　　New　glory　for　the　Spider　Queen。　New　glory　for　Matron　Baenre。

　　　Shattered　by　the　point　of　a　stalactite；　by　the　escape　of　that　renegade　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　To　Drizzt　she　had　lost　her　eldest　son；　Dantrag；　perhaps　the　finest　weapon　master　in　Menzoberranzan。　To　Drizzt　she　had　lost　her　daughter；　wicked　Vendes。　And；　most　painful　of　all　to　the　old　wretch；　she　had　lost　to　Drizzt　and　his　friends　the　alliance；　the　promise　of　greater　glory。　For　when　the　matron　mothers；　the　rulers　of　Menzoberranzan　and　priestesses　all；　had　watched　the　stalactite　pierce　the　roof　of　this　chapel；　this　most　sacred　place　of　Lloth；　at　the　time　of　high　ritual；　their　confidence　that　the　goddess　had　sanctioned　both　this　alliance　and　the　ing　war　had　crumbled。　They　had　left　House　Baenre　in　a　rush；　back　to　their　own　houses；　where　they　sealed　their　gates　and　tried　to　discern　the　will　of　Lloth。

　　　Matron　Baenre's　status　had　suffered　greatly。

　　　Even　with　all　that　had　happened；　though；　the　first　matron　mother　was　confident　she　could　restore　the　alliance。　On　a　necklace　about　her　neck　she　kept　a　ring　carved　from　the　tooth　of　an　ancient　dwarven　king；　one　Gandalug　Battlehammer；　patron　of　Clan　Battle…hammer；　founder　of　Mithril　Hall。　Matron　Baenre　owned　Gandalug's　spirit　and　could　exact　answers　from　it　about　the　ways　of　the　dwarven　mines。　Despite　Drizzt's　escape；　the　dark　elves　could　go　to　Mithril　Hall；　could　punish　Drizzt　and　his　friends。

　　　She　could　restore　the　alliance；　but　for　some　reason　that　Matron　Baenre　did　not　understand；　Lloth；　the　Spider　Queen　herself；　held　her　in　check。　The　yochlol；　the　handmaidens　of　Lloth；　had　e　to　Baenre　and　warned　her　to　forego　the　alliance　and　instead　focus　her　attention　on　her　family；　to　secure　her　house　defenses。　It　was　a　demand　no　priestess　of　the　Spider　Queen　would　dare　disobey。

　　　She　heard　the　harsh　clicking　of　hard　boots　on　the　floor　behind　her　and　the　jingle　of　ample　jewelry；　and　she　didn't　have　to　turn　about　to　know　that　Jarlaxle　had　entered。

　　　〃You　have　done　as　I　asked？〃　she　questioned；　still　looking　at　the　continuing　w