精灵血脉四部曲-第167部分

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　　　〃The　offer　remains；〃　Jarlaxle　said；　and　he　left　the　chamber；　left　Berg'inyon　alone　with　his　thoughts。

　　　House　Baenre　would　likely　survive；　Berg'inyon　believed。　Triel　would　assume　its　rulership；　and；　though　they　had　lost　five　hundred　skilled　soldiers；　nearly　two　thousand　remained；　including　more　than　three　hundred　of　the　famed　lizard　riders。　Matron　Baenre　had　built　a　huge　work　of　allies　outside　the　house　as　well；　and　even　this　disaster；　and　the　death　of　Baenre；　would　not　likely　topple　the　first　house。

　　　There　would　indeed　be　trouble；　though。　Matron　Baenre　was　the　solidifying　force。　What　might　House　Baenre　expect　from　troublesome　Gromph　with　her　gone？

　　　And　what　of　Triel？　Berg'inyon　wondered。　Where　would　he　fit　into　his　sister's　designs？　Now　she　would　be　free　to　raise　children　of　her　own　and　bring　them　into　power。　The　first　son　born　to　her　would　either　be　groomed　as　the　house　wizard　or　as　a　candidate　for　Berg'inyon's　position　as　weapon　master。

　　　How　long；　then；　did　Berg'inyon　have？　Fifty　years？　A　hundred？　Not　long　in　the　life　span　of　a　dark　elf。

　　　Berg'inyon　looked　to　the　archway；　to　the　back　of　the　departing　mercenary；　and　considered　carefully　Jarlaxle's　offer　for　him　to　join　Bregan　D'aerthe。



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　　　Mithril　Hall　was　a　place　of　mixed　emotions：　tears　for　the　dead　and　cheers　for　the　victory。　All　mourned　Besnell　and　Firble；　Regweld　Harpell　and　so　many　others　who　had　died　valiantly。　And　all　cheered　for　King　Bruenor　and　his　mighty　friends；　for　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　for　Lady　Alustriel；　still　nursing　her　grievous　wounds；　and　for　Stumpet　Rakingclaw；　hero　of　both　the　Undercity　and　Keeper's　Dale。

　　　And　all　cheered　most　of　all　for　Gandalug　Battlehammer；　the　patron　of　Clan　Battlehammer；　returned　from　the　grave；　it　seemed。　How　strange　it　was　for　Bruenor　to　face　his　own　ancestor；　to　see　the　first　bust　in　the　Hall　of　Kings　e　to　life！

　　　The　two　dwarves　sat　side　by　side　in　the　throne　room　on　the　upper　levels　of　the　dwarven　plex；　flanked　by　Alustriel　（with　Stumpet　kneeling　beside　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon's　chair；　nagging　her　to　rest！）　on　the　right　and　Berkthgar　on　the　left。

　　　The　celebration　was　general　throughout　the　dwarven　plex；　from　the　Undercity　to　the　throne　room；　a　time　of　gathering；　and　of　parting；　a　time　when　Belwar　Dissengulp　and　Bruenor　Battlehammer　finally　met。　Through　the　magic　of　Alustriel；　an　enchantment　that　sorted　out　the　language　problems；　the　two　were　able　to　forge　an　alliance　between　Blingdenstone　and　Mithril　Hall　that　would　live　for　centuries；　and　they　were　able　to　swap　tales　of　their　mon　drow　friend；　particularly　when　Drizzt　was　wandering　about；　just　far　enough　away　to　realize　they　were　talking　about　him。

　　　〃It's　the　damned　cat　that　bothers　me；〃　Bruenor　huffed　on　one　occasion；　loud　enough　so　that　Drizzt　would　hear。

　　　The　drow　sauntered　over；　put　a　foot　on　the　raised　dais　that　held　the　thrones；　and　leaned　forward　on　his　knee；　very　close　to　Belwar。　〃Guenhwyvar　humbles　Bruenor；〃　Drizzt　said　in　the　Drow　tongue；　a　language　Belwar　somewhat　understood；　but　which　was　not　translated　by　Alustriel's　spell　for　Bruenor。　〃She　often　uses　the　dwarf　for　bedding。〃

　　　Bruenor；　knowing　they　were　talking　about　him；　but　unable　to　understand　a　word；　hooted　in　protest梐nd　protested　louder　when　Gandalug；　who　also　knew　a　bit　of　the　Drow　tongue；　joined　in　the　conversation　and　the　mirth。

　　　〃But　suren　the　cat's　not　fer　using　me　son's　son's　son's　son's　son's　son's　son's　'ead　fer　a　piller！〃　the　old　dwarf　howled。　〃Too　hard　it　be。　Too；　too！〃

　　　〃By　Moradin；　I　should've　left　with　the　damned　dark　elves；〃　a　defeated　Bruenor　grumbled。

　　　That　notion　sobered　old　Gandalug；　took　the　cheer　from　his　face　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。

　　　Such　was　the　celebration　in　Mithril　Hall；　a　time　of　strong　emotions；　both　good　and　bad。

　　　Catti…brie　watched　it　all　from　the　side；　feeling　removed　and　strangely　out　of　place。　Surely　she　was　thrilled　at　the　victory；　intrigued　by　the　svirfnebli；　whom　she　had　met　once　before；　and　even　more　intrigued　that　the　patron　of　her　father's　clan　had　been　miraculously　returned　to　the　dwarven　plex　he　had　founded。

　　　Along　with　those　exciting　feelings；　though；　the　young　woman　felt　a　sense　of　pletion。　The　drow　threat　to　Mithril　Hall　was　ended　this　time；　and　new　and　stronger　alliances　would　be　forged　between　Mithril　Hall　and　all　its　neighbors；　even　Nesme。　Bruenor　and　Berkthgar　seemed　old　friends　now桞ruenor　had　even　hinted　on　several　occasions　that　he　might　be　willing　to　let　the　barbarian　wield　Aegis…fang。

　　　Catti…brie　hoped　that　would　not　e　to　pass；　and　didn't　think　it　would。　Bruenor　had　hinted　at　the　generous　offer　mostly　because　he　knew　it　wouldn't　really　cost　him　anything；　Catti…brie　suspected。　After　Berkthgar's　exploits　in　Keeper's　Dale；　his　own　weapon；　Bankenfuere；　was　well　on　its　way　as　a　legend　among　the　warriors　of　Settlestone。

　　　No　matter　what　Berkthgar's　exploits　might　be；　Bankenfuere　would　never　rival　Aegis…fang；　in　Catti…brie's　mind。

　　　Though　she　was　quiet　and　reflective；　Catti…brie　was　not　grim；　not　maudlin。　Like　everyone　else　in　Mithril　Hall；　she　had　lost　some　friends　in　the　war。　But　like　everyone　else；　she　was　battle…hardened；　accepting　the　ways　of　the　world　and　able　to　see　the　greater　good　that　had　e　from　the　battle。　She　laughed　when　a　group　of　svirfnebli　practically　pulled　out　what　little　hair　they　had；　so　frustrated　were　they　in　trying　to　teach　a　group　of　drunken　dwarves　how　to　hear　vibrations　in　the　stone。　She　laughed　louder　when　Regis　bopped　into　the　throne　room；　pounds　of　food　tucked　under　each　arm　and　already　so　stuffed　that　the　buttons　on　his　waistcoat　were　near　bursting。

　　　And　she　laughed　loudest　of　all　when　Bidderdoo　Harpell　raced　past　her；　Thibbledorf　Pwent　scrambling　on　his　knees　behind　the　wizard；　begging　Bidderdoo　to　bite　him！

　　　But　there　remained　a　reflective　solitude　behind　that　laughter；　that　nagging　sense　of　pletion　that　didn't　sit　well　on　the　shoulders　of　a　woman　who　had　just　begun　to　open　her　eyes　to　the　wide　world。



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　　　In　the　smoky　filth　of　the　Abyss；　the　balor　Errtu　held　his　breath　as　the　shapely　drow；　the　delicate　disaster；　approached　his　mushroom　throne。

　　　Errtu　didn't　know　what　to　expect　from　Lloth；　they　had　both　witnessed　the　disaster。

　　　The　balor　watched　as　the　drow　came　through　the　mist；　the　prisoner；　the　promised　gift；　in　tow。　She　was　smiling；　but；　on　the　face　of　the　Lady　of　Chaos；　one　could　never　hope　to　guess　what　that　meant。

　　　Errtu　sat　tall　and　proud；　confident　he　had　done　as　instructed。　If　Lloth　tried　to　blame　him　for　the　disaster；　he　would　argue；　he　determined；　though　if　she　had　somehow　found　out　about　the　antimagic　stone　he　had　sent　along　with　the　glabrezu　。。。

　　　〃You　have　brought　my　payment？〃　the　balor　boomed；　trying　to　sound　imposing。

　　　〃Of　course；　Errtu；〃　the　Spider　Queen　replied。

　　　Errtu　cocked　his　tremendous；　horned　head。　There　seemed　no　deception　in　either　her　tone　or　her　movements　as　she　pushed　the　prisoner　toward　the　gigantic；　seated　balor。

　　　〃You　seem　pleased；〃　Errtu　dared　to　remark。

　　　Lloth's　smile　nearly　took　in　her　ears；　and　then　Errtu　understood。　She　was　pleased！　The　old　wretch；　the　most　wicked　of　the　wicked；　was　glad　of　the　oute。　Matron　Baenre　was　gone；　as　was　all　order　in　Menzoberranzan。　The　drow　city　would　know　its　greatest　chaos　now；　thrilling　interhouse　warfare　and　a　veritable　spiderweb　of　intrigue；　layer　upon　layer　of　lies　and　treachery；　through　each　of　the　ruling　houses。

　　　〃You　knew　this　would　happen　from　the　beginning！〃　the　balor　accused。

　　　Lloth　laughed　aloud。　〃I　did　not　anticipate　the　oute；〃　she　assured　Errtu。　〃I　did　not　know　Errtu　would　be　so　resourceful　in　protecting　the　one　who　might　end　his　banishment。〃

　　　The　balor's　eyes　widened；　and　his　great　leathery　wings　folded　close　about　him；　a　symbolic；　if　ineffective；　movement　of　defense。

　　　〃Fear　not；　my　fiendish　ally；〃　Lloth　cooed。　〃I　will　give　you　a　chance　to　redeem　yourself　in　my　eyes。〃

　　　Errtu　growled　low。　What　favor　did　the　Spider　Queen　now　want　from　him？

　　　〃I　will　be　busy　these　next　decades；　I　fear；〃　Lloth　went　on；　〃in　trying　to　end　the　confusion　in　Menzoberranzan。〃

　　　Errtu　scoffed。　〃Never　would　you　desire　such　a　thing；〃　he　replied。

　　　〃I　will　be　busy　watching　the　confusion　then；〃　Lloth　was　willing　to　admit。　Almost　as　an　afterthought；　she　added；　〃And　watching　what　it　is　you　must　do　for　me。〃

　　　Again　came　that　demonic　growl。

　　　〃When　you　are　free；　Errtu；〃　Lloth　said　evenly；　〃when　you　have　Drizzt　Do'Urden　entangled　in　the　tongs　of　your　merciless　whip；　do　kill　him　slowly；　painfully；　that　I　might　hear　his　every　cry！〃　The　Spider　Queen　swept　hers　arms　up　then　and　disappeared　with　a　flurry　of　crackling　black　energy。

　　　Errtu's　lip　curled　up　in　an　evil　smile。　He　looked　to　the　pitiful　prisoner；　the　key　to　breaking　the　will　and　the　heart　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　Sometimes；　it　seemed；　the　Spider　Queen　did　not　ask　for　much。



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　　　It　had　been　two　weeks　since　the　victory；　and　in　Mithril　Hall　the　celebration　continued。　Many　had　left梖irst　the　two　remaining　men　from　Nesme　and　the　Longriders；　along　with　Harkle　and　Bella　don　DelRoy　（though　Pwent　finally　convinced　Bidderdoo　to　stick　around　for　a　while）。　Then　Alustriel　and　her　remaining　Knights　in　Silver；　seventy…five　warriors；　began　their　journey　back　to　Silverymoon　with　their　heads　held　high；　the　lady　ready　to　meet　the　challenges　of　her　political　rivals　head…on；　confident　that　she　had　done　right　in　ing　to　King　Bruenor's　aid。

　　　The　svirfnebli　were　in　no　hurry　to　leave；　though；　enjoying　the　pany　of　Clan　Battlehammer；　and　the　men　of　Settlestone　vowed　to　stay　until　the　last　of　Mithril　Hall's　mead　was　drained　away。

　　　Far　down　the　mountain　from　the　dwarven　plex；　on　a　cold；　windy　plain；　Catti…brie　sat　atop　a　fine　roan梠ne　of　the　horses　that　had　belonged　to　a　slain　Silverymoon　knight。　She　sat　quietly　and　confidently；　but　the　sting　in　her　heart　as　she　looked　up　to　Mithril　Hall　was　no　less　acute。　Her　eyes　scanned　the　trails　to　the　rocky　exit　from　the　mountains；　and　she　smiled；　not　surprised；　in　seeing　a　rider　ing　down。

　　　〃I　knew　ye'd　follow　me　down　here；〃　she　said　to　Drizzt　Do'Urden　when　the　ranger　approached。

　　　〃We　all　have　our　place；〃　Drizzt　replied。

　　　〃And　mine's　not　now　in　Mithril　Hall；〃　Catti