精灵血脉四部曲-第6部分

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d　Malchor　Harpel　had　given　Drizzt；　glowed　with　a　soft　blue　flame。

〃Remember　when　first　we　met？〃　the　dark　elf　asked。　He　moved　around　the　bottom　of　the　bed；　wisely；　since　Wulfgar's　longer　reach　would　have　given　him　a　distinct　advantage　with　the　bed　between　them。　〃Do　you　remember　the　many　lessons　we　shared　on　Kelvin's　Cairn；　looking　out　over　the　tundra　and　the　campfires　of　your　people？〃

Wulfgar　turned　slowly；　keeping　the　dangerous　drow　in　front　of　him。　The　barbarian's　knuckles　whitened　for　lack　of　blood　as　he　tightly　clutched　his　weapon。

〃Remember　the　verbeeg？〃　Drizzt　asked；　the　thought　bringing　a　smile　to　his　face。　〃You　and　I　fighting　together；　winning　together；　against　an　entire　lair　of　giants？

〃And　the　dragon；　Icingdeath？〃　Drizzt　went　on；　holding　his　other　scimitar；　the　one　he　had　taken　from　the　defeated　wyrm's　lair；　up　before　him。

〃I　remember；〃　Wulfgar　replied　quietly；　calmly；　and　Drizzt　started　to　slide　his　scimitars　back　into　their　sheaths；　thinking　he　had　sobered　the　young　man。

〃You　speak　of　distant　days！〃　the　barbarian　roared　suddenly；　rushing　forward　with　speed　and　agility　beyond　what　could　be　expected　from　so　large　a　man。　He　launched　a　roundhouse　punch　at　Drizzt's　face；　clipping　the　surprised　drow　on　the　shoulder　as　Drizzt　ducked。

The　ranger　rolled　with　the　blow；　ing　to　his　feet　in　the　far　er　of　the　room；　the　scimitars　back　in　his　hands。

〃Time　for　another　lesson；〃　he　promised；　his　lavender　eyes　gleaming　with　an　inner　fire　that　the　barbarian　had　seen　many　times　before。

Undaunted；　Wulfgar　came　on；　putting　Aegis…fang　through　a　series　of　feints　before　turning　it　down　in　an　overhead　chop　that　would　have　crushed　the　drow's　skull。

〃Has　it　been　too　long　since　last　we　saw　battle？〃　Drizzt　asked；　thinking　this　whole　incident　a　strange　game；　perhaps　a　ritual　of　manhood　for　the　young　barbarian。　He　brought　his　scimitars　up　in　a　blocking　cross　above　him；　easily　catching　the　descending　hammer。　His　legs　nearly　buckled　under　the　sheer　force　of　the　blow。

Wulfgar　recoiled　for　a　second　strike。

〃Always　thinking　of　offense；〃　Drizzt　scolded；　snapping　the　flat　sides　of　his　scimitars　out；　one…two；　against　the　sides　of　Wulfgar's　face。

The　barbarian　fell　back　a　step　and　wiped　a　thin　line　of　blood　from　his　cheek　with　the　back　of　one　hand。　Still　he　did　not　blink。

〃My　apology；〃　Drizzt　said　when　he　saw　the　blood。　〃1　did　not　mean　to　cut—〃

Wulfgar　came　over　him　in　a　rush；　swinging　wildly　and　calling　out　to　Tempus；　his　god　of　battle。

Drizzt　sidestepped　the　first　strike—it　took　out　a　fair…sized　chunk　from　the　stone　wall　beside　him—and　stepped　forward　toward　the　warhammer；　locking　his　arm　around　it　to　hold　it　in　place。

Wulfgar　let　go　of　the　weapon　with　one　hand；　grabbed　Drizzt　by　the　front　of　the　tunic；　and　easily　lifted　him　from　the　floor。　The　muscles　on　the　barbarian's　bare　arm　bulged　as　he　pressed　his　arm　straight　ahead；　crushing　the　drow　against　the　wall。

Drizzt　could　not　believe　the　huge　man's　strength！　He　felt　as　if　he　would　be　pushed　right　through　the　stone　and　into　the　next　chamber—at　least；　he　hoped　there　was　a　next　chamber！　He　kicked　with　one　leg。　Wulfgar　ducked　back；　thinking　the　kick　aimed　for　his　face；　but　Drizzt　hooked　the　leg　over　the　barbarian's　stiffened　arm；　inside　the　elbow。　Using　the　leg　for　leverage；　Drizzt　slammed　his　hand　against　the　outside　of　Wulfgar's　wrist；　bending　the　arm　and　freeing　him　from　the　wall。　He　punched　out　with　his　scimitar　hilt　as　he　fell；　connecting　solidly　on　Wulfgar's　nose；　and　let　go　his　lock　on　the　barbarian's　warhammer。

Wulfgar's　snarl　sounded　inhuman。　He　took　up　the　hammer　for　a　strike；　but　Drizzt　had　dropped　to　the　floor　by　then。　The　drow　rolled　onto　his　back；　planted　his　feet　against　the　wall；　and　kicked　out；　slipping　right　between　Wulfgar's　wide…spread　legs。　Drizzt's　foot　snapped　up　once；　stinging　the　barbarian's　groin；　and　then；　when　he　was　behind　Wulfgar；　snapped　both　feet　straight　out；　kicking　the　barbarian　behind　the　knees。

Wulfgar's　legs　buckled　and　one　of　his　knees　slammed　into　the　wall。

Drizzt　used　the　momentum　to　roll　again。　He　came　back　to　his　feet　and　leaped；　grabbing　the　overbalanced　Wulfgar　by　the　back　of　his　hair　and　tugging　hard；　toppling　the　man　like　a　cut　tree。

Wulfgar　groaned　and　rolled；　trying　to　get　up；　but　Drizzt's　scimitars　came　whipping　in；　hilts　leading；　to　connect　heavily　on　the　big　man's　jaw。

Wulfgar　laughed　and　slowly　rose。　Drizzt　backed　away。

〃You　are　not　the　teacher；〃　Wulfgar　said　again；　but　the　line　of　blood…filled　spittle　rolling　from　the　edge　of　his　torn　mouth　weakened　the　claim　considerably。

〃What　is　this　about？〃　Drizzt　demanded。　〃Speak　it　now！〃

Aegis…fang　came　hurling　at　him；　end　over　end。

Drizzt　dove　to　the　floor；　narrowly　avoiding　the　deadly　hit。　He　winced　when　he　heard　the　hammer　hit　the　wall；　no　doubt　blasting　a　clean　hole　in　the　stone。

He　was　up　again；　amazingly；　by　the　time　the　charging　barbarian　got　anywhere　near　him。　Drizzt　ducked　under　the　lumbering　man's　reach；　spun；　and　kicked　Wulfgar　in　the　rump。　Wulfgar　roared　and　spun　about；　only　to　get　hit　again　in　the　face　with　the　flat　of　Drizzt's　blade。　This　time　the　line　of　blood　was　not　so　thin。

As　stubborn　as　any　dwarf；　Wulfgar　launched　another　roundhouse　punch。

〃Your　rage　defeats　you；〃　Drizzt　remarked　as　he　easily　avoided　the　blow。　He　couldn't　believe　that　Wulfgar；　so　finely　trained　in　the　art—and　it　was　an　art！—of　battle　had　lost　his　posure。

Wulfgar　growled　and　swung　again；　but　recoiled　immediately；　for　this　time；　Drizzt　put　Twinkle；　or　more　particularly；　put　Twinkle's　razor…edged　blade；　in　line　to　catch　the　blow。　Wulfgar　retracted　the　swing　top　late　and　clutched　his　bloodied　hand。

〃I　know　your　hammer　will　return　to　your　grasp；〃　Drizzt　said；　and　Wulfgar　seemed　almost　surprised；　as　though　he　had　forgotten　the　magical　enchantment　of　his　own　weapon。　〃Would　you　like　to　have　fingers　remaining　so　you　might　catch　it？〃

On　cue；　Aegis…fang　came　into　the　barbarian's　grasp。

Drizzt；　stunned　by　the　ridiculous　tirade　and　tired　of　this　whole　episode；　slipped　his　scimitars　back　into　their　sheaths。　He　stood　barely　four　feet　from　the　barbarian；　well　within　Wulfgar's　reach；　with　his　hands　out　wide；　defenseless。

Somewhere　in　the　fight；　when　he　had　realized　that　this　was　no　game；　perhaps；　the　gleam　had　flown　from　his　lavender　eyes。

Wulfgar　remained　very　still　for　a　long　moment　and　closed　his　eyes。　To　Drizzt；　it　seemed　as　if　he　was　fighting　some　inner　battle。

He　smiled；　then　opened　his　eyes；　and　let　the　head　of　his　mighty　warhammer　dip　to　the　floor。

〃My　friend；〃　he　said　to　Drizzt。　〃My　teacher。　It　is　good　you　have　returned。〃　Wulfgar's　hand　reached　out　toward　Drizzt's　shoulder。

His　fist　balled　suddenly　and　shot　for　Drizzt's　face。

Drizzt　spun；　hooked　Wulfgar's　arm　with　his　own；　and　pulled　along　the　path　of　the　barbarian's　own　momentum；　sending　Wulfgar　headlong。　Wulfgar　got　his　other　hand　up　in　time　to　grab　the　drow；　though；　and　took　Drizzt　along　for　the　tumble。　They　came　up　together；　propped　side　by　side　against　the　wall；　and　shared　a　heartfelt　laugh。

For　the　first　time　since　before　the　meeting　in　the　dining　hall；　it　seemed　to　Drizzt　that　he　had　his　old　fighting　panion　beside　him　again。

Drizzt　left　soon　after；　not　mentioning　Catti…brie　again—　not　until　he　could　sort　out　what；　exactly；　had　just　happened　in　the　room。　Drizzt　at　least　understood　the　barbarian's　confusion　about　the　young　woman。　Wulfgar　had　e　from　a　tribe　dominated　by　men；　where　women　spoke　only　when　they　were　told　to　speak；　and　did　as　their　masters；　the　males；　bade。　It　appeared　as　if；　now　that　he　and　Catti…brie　were　to　be　wed；　Wulfgar　was　finding　it　difficult　to　shake　off　the　lessons　of　his　youth。

The　thought　disturbed　Drizzt　more　than　a　little。　He　now　understood　the　sadness　he　had　detected　in　Catti…brie；　out　on　the　trails　beyond　the　dwarven　plex。

He　understood；　too；　Wulfgar's　mounting　folly。　If　the　stubborn　barbarian　tried　to　quench　the　fires　within　Catti…brie；　he　would　take　from　her　everything　that　had　brought　him　to　her　in　the　first　place；　everything　that　he　loved—that　Drizzt；　too；　loved；　in　the　young　woman。

Drizzt　dismissed　that　notion　summarily；　he　had　looked　into　her　knowing　blue　eyes　for　a　decade；　had　seen　Catti…brie　turn　her　stubborn　father　in　submissive　circles。

Neither　Wulfgar；　nor　Drizzt；　nor　the　gods　themselves　could　quench　the　fires　in　Catti…brie's　eyes。



Chapter　3

Parley



The　Eighth　King　of　Mithril　Hall；　leading　his　four　friends　and　two　hundred　dwarven　soldiers；　was　more　appropriately　arrayed　for　battle　than　for　parley。　Bruenor　wore　his　battered；　one…horned　helmet；　the　other　horn　having　long　ago　been　broken　away；　and　a　fine　suit　of　mithril　armor；　vertical　lines　of　the　silvery　metal　running　the　length　of　his　stout　torso　and　glittering　in　the　torchlight。　His　shield　bore　the　foaming　mug　standard　of　Clan　Battlehammer　in　solid　gold；　and　his　customary　axe；　showing　the　nicks　of　a　thousand　battle　kills　（and　a　fair　number　of　them　goblins！）　was　ready　in　a　loop　on　his　belt；　within　easy　reach。

Wulfgar；　in　a　suit　of　natural　hide；　a　wolf's　head　set　in　front　of　his　great　chest；　walked　behind　the　dwarf；　with　Aegis…fang；　his　warhammer；　angled　out　across　the　crook　of　his　elbow　in　front　of　him。　Catti…brie；　Taulmaril　over　her　shoulder；　walked　beside　him；　but　the　two　said　little；　and　the　tension　between　them　was　obvious。

Drizzt　flanked　the　dwarf　king　on　his　right；　Regis　scampering　to　keep　up　beside　him；　and　Guenhwyvar；　the　sleek；　proud　panther；　muscles　rippling　with　every　stride；　moved　to　the　right　of　the　two；　darting　off　into　the　shadows　whenever　the　low　and　uneven　corridor　widened。　Many　of　the　dwarves　marching　behind　the　five　friends　carried　torches；　and　the　flickering　light　created　monsterlike　shadows；　keeping　the　panions　on　their　guard—not　that　they　were　likely　to　be　surprised　marching　beside　Drizzt　and　Guenhwyvar。　The　dark　elf's　black　panther　panion　was　all　too　adept　at　leading　the　way。

And　nothing　would　care　to　surprise　this　group。　The　whole　of　the　force　was　bedecked　for　battle；　with　great；　sturdy　helms　and　armor　and　fine　weapons。　Every　one　of　the　dwarves　carried　a　hammer　or　axe　for　distance　shots　and　another　nasty　weapon　in　case　any　enemies　got　in　close。

Four　dwarves　in　a　line　near　the　middle　of　the　contingent　supported　a　great