精灵血脉四部曲-第178部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



　　　〃A　free　port；〃　Deudermont　agreed。　〃Free　for　pirates　and　free　for　the　Sea　Sprite；　in　need　of　information。〃

　　　Drizzt　didn't　openly　question　the　captain；　but　his　doubting　expression　spoke　volumes。

　　　〃The　Lords　of　Waterdeep　have　given　the　Sea　Sprite　over　to　me　pletely；〃　Deudermont　said；　somewhat　harshly。　〃She's　my　ship；　under　my　word　alone。　I　can　take　her　to　Mintarn；　to　the　Moonshaes；　all　the　way　to　Ruathym；　if　I　so　please；　and　let　no　one　question　me！〃

　　　Drizzt　sat　back　in　his　seat；　stung　by　the　harsh　words　and　surprised　that　Deudermont；　who　had　professed　to　be　his　friend；　had　so　treated　him　as　a　subordinate。

　　　The　captain　winced　openly　at　the　sight　of　the　drow's　disappointment。　〃My　pardon；〃　he　said　quietly。

　　　Drizzt　came　forward　in　his　seat；　leaning　his　elbows　on　the　table　to　bring　himself　closer　to　Deudermont。　〃Caerwich？〃　he　asked。

　　　Deudermont　eyed　him　directly。　〃The　doppleganger　spoke　of　Caerwich；　and　so　to　Caerwich　I　must　go。〃

　　　〃And　do　ye　not　think　ye'll　be　sailing　right　into　a　trap？〃　Catti…brie　put　in。　〃Going　right　where　they're　wanting　ye　to　go？〃

　　　〃Who？〃　Deudermont　asked。

　　　〃Whoever　sent　the　doppleganger；〃　Catti…brie　reasoned。

　　　〃Who？〃　Deudermont　asked　again。

　　　Catti…brie　shrugged。　〃Pinochet？〃　she　queried。　〃Or　mighten　it　be　some　other　pirate　that's　had　his　fill　o'　the　Sea　Sprite？〃

　　　Deudermont　leaned　back　in　his　seat　again；　as　did　Drizzt；　all　three　sitting　in　silence　for　several　long　moments。　〃I　cannot；　nor　do　I　believe　that　you　can；　continue　to　sail　up　and　down　the　Sword　Coast　as　though　nothing　at　all　has　happened；〃　the　captain　explained。　Drizzt　closed　his　lavender　eyes；　expecting　this　answer　and　agreeing　with　the　logic。　〃Someone　powerful；　for　doppleganger　hirelings　are　neither　mon　nor　cheap；　desires　my　demise　and　the　end　of　the　Sea　Sprite；　and　I　intend　to　find　out　who　it　might　be。　I've　never　run　from　a　fight；　nor　has　my　crew；　and　any　who　are　not　prepared　to　go　to　Caerwich　may　disembark　in　Mintarn　and　catch　a　sail　back　to　Waterdeep；　paid　by　my　own　coffers。〃

　　　〃Not　a　one　will　go；〃　Catti…brie　admitted。

　　　〃Yet　we　do　not　even　know　if　Caerwich　truly　exists；〃　Drizzt　remarked。　〃Many　claim　to　have　been　there；　but　these　are　the　tales　of　seagoing　men；　tales　too　often　exaggerated　by　drink　or　by　bluster。〃

　　　〃So　we　must　find　out；〃　Deudermont　said　with　a　tone　of　finality。　Neither　Drizzt　nor　Catti…brie；　both　willing　to　face　trouble　head…on；　offered　a　word　of　disagreement。　〃Perhaps　it　is　not　such　a　bad　thing　that　your　wizard　friend　arrived；〃　the　captain　went　on。　〃Another　wizard　knowledgeable　in　the　mystical　arts　might　help　us　to　sort　through　this　mystery。〃

　　　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　exchanged　doubtful　looks；　Captain　Deudermont　obviously　didn't　know　Harkle　Harpell！　They　said　no　more　about　it；　though；　and　finished　the　meal　discussing　more　pertinent　matters　of　the　everyday　handling　of　the　ship　and　crew。　Deudermont　wanted　to　go　to　Mintarn；　so　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　would　follow。

　　　After　the　meal；　the　two　friends　strolled　out　onto　the　nearly…deserted　deck　of　the　schooner；　walking　under　a　canopy　of　brilliant　stars。

　　　〃Ye　were　relieved　at　the　captain's　tale；〃　Catti…brie　remarked。

　　　After　a　moment　of　surprise；　Drizzt　nodded。

　　　〃Ye　thought　the　attack　in　Waterdeep　had　to　do　with　yerself；　and　not　with　Deudermont　or　the　Sea　Sprite；〃　Catti…brie　went　on。

　　　The　drow　simply　stood　and　listened；　for；　as　usual；　the　perceptive　young　woman　had　hit　his　feelings　exactly；　had　read　him　like　an　open　book。

　　　〃Ye'll　always　be　fearing　that　every　danger　es　from　yer　home；〃　Catti…brie　said；　moving　to　the　rail　and　looking　over　at　the　reflection　of　the　stars　in　the　rolling　waters。

　　　〃I　have　made　many　enemies；〃　Drizzt　replied　as　he　joined　her。

　　　〃Ye've　left　them　buried　in　yer　tracks；〃　Catti…brie　said　with　a　laugh。

　　　Drizzt　shared　in　that　chuckle；　and　had　to　admit　that　she　was　right。　This　time；　he　believed；　it　wasn't　about　him。　For　several　years　now；　he　had　been　a　player　in　the　larger　drama　of　the　world。　The　personal　element　of　the　danger　that　had　followed　him　every　step　since　his　initial　departure　from　Menzoberranzan　seemed　a　thing　of　the　past。　Now；　under　the　stars　and　with　Catti…brie　beside　him；　thousands　of　miles　and　many　years　from　Menzoberranzan；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　felt　truly　free；　and　carefree。　He　did　not　fear　the　trip　to　Mintarn；　or　to　any　mysterious　island　beyond　that；　whatever　the　rumors　of　haunts　might　be。　Never　did　Drizzt　Do'Urden　fear　danger。　He　lived　on　the　edge　willingly；　and　if　Deudermont　was　in　trouble；　then　Drizzt　was　more　than　ready　to　take　up　his　scimitars。

　　　As　was　Catti…brie；　with　her　bow；　Taulmaril；　and　the　magnificent　sword；　Khazid'hea；　always　ready　at　her　hip。　As　was　Guenhwyvar；　ever…faithful　panion。　Drizzt　did　not　fear　danger；　only　guilt　could　bend　his　stoic　shoulders。　This　time；　it　seemed；　he　carried　no　guilt；　no　responsibility　for　the　attack　and　for　the　Sea　Sprite's　chosen　course。　He　was　a　player　in　Deudermont's　drama；　a　willing　player。

　　　He　and　Catti…brie　basked　in　the　wind　and　the　spray；　watched　the　stars　silently　for　hours。



Chapter　6

THE　NOMADS



　　　Kierstaad；　son　of　Revjak；　knelt　on　the　soft　turf；　his　knee　pocking　the　ground。　He　was　not　tall　by　the　standards　of　the　Icewind　Dale　nomads；　barely　topping　six　feet；　and　was　not　as　muscular　as　most。　His　hair　was　long　and　blond；　his　eyes　the　color　of　the　sky　on　the　brightest　of　days；　and　his　smile；　on　those　rare　occasions　that　he　displayed　it；　beamed　from　a　warm　soul。

　　　Across　the　flat　tundra　Kierstaad　could　see　the　snow…capped　top　of　Kelvin's　Cairn。　It　was　the　lone　mountain　in　the　thousand　square　miles　of　the　land　called　Icewind　Dale；　the　windswept　strip　of　tundra　between　the　Sea　of　Moving　Ice　and　the　northwestern　spur　of　the　Spine　of　the　World　mountains。　If　he　were　to　move　but　a　few　miles　toward　the　mountain；　Kierstaad　knew　that　he　would　see　the　tips　of　the　masts　of　the　fishing　ships　sailing　Lac　Dinneshere；　second　largest　of　the　three　lakes　in　the　region。

　　　A　few　miles　to　a　different　world；　Kierstaad　realized。　He　was　just　a　boy；　really；　having　seen　only　seventeen　winters。　But　in　that　time；　Kierstaad　had　witnessed　more　of　the　Realms　and　of　life　than　most　in　the　world　would　ever　know。　He　had　traveled　with　many　warriors　to　the　call　of　Wulfgar；　from　Icewind　Dale　to　a　place　called　Settlestone；　far；　far　away。　He'd　celebrated　his　ninth　birthday　on　the　road；　removed　from　his　family。　At　the　age　of　eleven；　the　young　barbarian　lad　had　battled　goblins；　kobolds；　and　drow　elves；　fighting　beside　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　leader　of　Settle…stone。　It　was　Berkthgar　who　had　decided　that　the　time　had　e　for　the　barbarian　peoples　to　return　to　Icewind　Dale梩heir　ancestral　home梐nd　the　ways　of　their　forebears。

　　　Kierstaad　had　seen　so　much；　had　lived　two　different　lives；　it　seemed；　in　two　different　worlds。　Now　he　was　a　nomad；　a　hunter　out　on　the　open　tundra；　approaching　his　eighteenth　birthday　and　his　first　solitary　hunt。　Looking　at　Kelvin's　Cairn；　though；　and　knowing　of　the　fishing　ships　on　Lac　Dinneshere；　on　Maer　Dualdon　to　the　west；　and　on　Redwaters　to　the　south；　Kierstaad　realized　how　narrow　his　existence　had　truly　bee；　and　how　much　wider　was　the　world梐　world　just　a　few　short　miles　from　where　he　now　knelt。　He　could　picture　the　markets　in　Bryn　Shander；　the　largest　of　the　ten　towns　surrounding　the　lakes。　He　could　imagine　the　multicolored　garments；　the　jewels；　the　excitement；　as　the　merchant　caravans　rolled　in　with　the　spring；　the　southerners　bartering　for　the　fine　scrimshaw　carved　from　the　head　bone　of　the　three　lakes'　abundant　knucklehead　trout。

　　　Kierstaad's　own　garments　were　brown；　like　the　tundra；　like　the　reindeer　he　and　his　people　hunted；　like　the　tents　they　lived　in。

　　　Still；　the　young　man's　sigh　was　not　a　lament　for　what　was　lost　to　him；　but　rather　a　resignation　that　this　was　now　his　way；　the　way　of　his　ancestors。　There　was　a　simple　beauty　to　it；　Kierstaad　had　to　admit；　a　toughness；　too；　that　hardened　the　body　and　the　soul。　Kierstaad　was　a　young　man；　but　he　was　wise　beyond　his　years。　A　family　trait；　so　it　was　said；　for　Kierstaad's　father；　Revjak；　had　led　the　unified　tribes　after　Wulfgar's　departure。　Calm　and　always　in　control；　Revjak　hadn't　left　Icewind　Dale　to　go　to　war　in　Mithril　Hall；　explaining　that　he　was　too　old　and　set　in　his　ways。　Revjak　had　stayed　on　with　the　majority　of　the　barbarian　people；　solidifying　the　alliance　between　the　nomadic　tribes；　and　also　strengthening　the　ties　with　the　folk　of　Ten…Towns。

　　　Revjak　hadn't　been　surprised；　but　was　pleased　at　the　return　of　Berkthgar；　of　Kierstaad梙is　youngest　child梐nd　of　all　the　others。　Still；　with　that　return　came　many　questions　concerning　the　future　of　the　nomadic　tribes　and　the　leadership　of　the　barbarian　people。

　　　〃More　blood？〃　came　a　question；　drawing　the　young　man　from　his　contemplations。　Kierstaad　turned　to　see　the　other　hunters；　Berkthgar　among　them；　moving　up　behind　him。

　　　Kierstaad　nodded　and　pointed　to　the　red　splotch　on　the　brown　ground。　Berkthgar　had　speared　a　reindeer；　a　fine　throw　from　a　great　distance；　but　only　had　wounded　the　beast；　and　it　had　taken　flight。　Always　efficient；　particularly　when　dealing　with　this　animal　that　gave　to　them　so　very　much；　the　hunters　had　rushed　in　pursuit。　They　would　not　wound　an　animal　to　let　it　die　unclaimed。　That　was　not　their　way。　It　was；　according　to　Berkthgar；　〃the　wasting　way　of　the　men　who　lived　in　Ten…Towns；　or　who　lived　south　of　the　Spine　of　the　World。〃

　　　Berkthgar　walked　up　beside　the　kneeling　young　man；　the　tall　leader　locking　his　own　stare　on　distant　Kelvin's　Cairn。　〃We　must　catch　up　to　the　beast　soon；〃　Berkthgar　stated。　〃If　it　gets　too　close　to　the　valley；　the　dwarves　will　steal　it。〃

　　　There　were　a　few　nods　of　agreement　and　the　hunting　party　started　off　at　a　swift　pace。　Kierstaad　lagged　behind　this　time；　his　steps　weighed　by　his　leader's　words。　Ever　since　they　had　left　Settlestone；　Berkthgar　had　spoken　ill　of　the　dwarves；　the　folk　who　had　been　their　friends　and　allies；　Bruenor's　folk；　who　had　fought　in　a　war　of　good　cause　beside　the　barbarians。　What　had　happened　to　the　cheers　of　victory？　His　most　vivid　memory　of　the　short　couple　of　years　in　Settlestone　was　not　of　the　drow　war；　but　of　the　celebration　that　had　followed；　a　time　of　great　fellowship　between　the　dwarves；