精灵血脉四部曲-第66部分

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〃With　luck；　you　will　arrive　at　the　cave　before　Drizzt；〃　Alustriel　said。　〃Reason　with　him　and　bring　him　home；　I　beg。　He　has　no　place　in　the　Underdark；　not　anymore。〃

〃Drizzf　s　'place'　is　his　own　to　decide；〃　Catti…brie　retorted；　but　she　was　really　implying　that　her　own　place　was　hers　to　decide。

〃Of　course；〃　Alustriel　agreed；　and　she　flashed　that　smile梩hat　knowing　grin　that　Catti…brie　felt　belittled　her？again。

〃I　did　not　hinder　you；〃　Alustriel　pointed　out。　〃I　have　done　my　best　to　aid　your　chosen　course；　whether　I　think　it　a　wise　choice　or　not。〃

Catti…brie　snickered。　〃Ye　just　had　to　add　that　last　thought；〃　she　replied。

〃Am　I　not　entitled　to　my　opinion？〃　Alustriel　asked。

〃Entitled　to　it　and　givin'　it　to　all　who'll　hear；〃　Catti…brie　remarked；　and　Alustriel；　though　she　understood　the　source　of　the　young　woman's　demeanor；　was　plainly　surprised。

Catti…brie　snickered　again　and　kicked　her　horse　into　a　walk。

〃You　love　him；〃　Alustriel　said。

Catti…brie　pulled　hard　on　the　reins　to　stop　her　horse　and　turn　it　halfway　about。　Now　she　wore　the　expression　of　surprise。

〃The　drow；〃　Alustriel　said；　more　to　bolster　her　last　statement；　to　reveal　her　honest　belief；　than　to　clarify　something　that　obviously　needed　no　further　explanation。

Catti…brie　chewed　on　her　lip；　as　though　seeking　a　response；　then　turned　her　mount　roughly　about　and　kicked　away。

〃It's　a　long　road；〃　Fret　whined。

〃Then　hurry　back　to　me；〃　Alustriel　said；　〃with　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　beside　you。〃

〃As　you　wish；　my　lady；〃　the　obedient　dwarf　replied；　kicking　his　pony　into　a　gallop。　〃As　you　wish。〃

Alustriel　stood　at　the　eastern　gate；　watching；　long　after　Catti…brie　and　Fret　had　departed。　It　was　one　of　those　not…so…rare　moments　when　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon　wished　that　she　was　not　encumbered　with　the　responsibilities　of

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government。　Truly；　Alustriel　would　have　preferred　to　grab　a　horse　of　her　own　and　ride　out　beside　Catn'…brie；　even　to　venture　into　the　Underdark；　if　necessary；　to　find　the　remarkable　drow　that　had　bee　her　friend。

But　she　could　not。　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　after　all；　was　a　small　player　in　a　wide　world；　a　world　that　continually　begged　audience　at　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon's　busy　court。

〃Good　speed；　daughter　of　Bruenor；〃　the　beautiful；　silver…haired　woman　said　under　her　breath。　〃Good　speed　and　fare　well。〃

Drizzt　eased　his　mount　along　the　stony　trail；　ascending　into　the　mountains。　The　breeze　was　warm　and　the　sky　clear；　but　a　storm　had　hit　this　region　in　the　last　few　days；　and　the　trail　remained　somewhat　muddy。　Finally；　fearing　that　his　horse　would　slip　and　break　a　leg；　Drizzt　dismounted　and　led　the　beast　carefully；　cautiously。

He　had　seen　the　shadowing　elf　many　times　that　morning；　for　the　trails　were　fairly　open；　and　in　the　up…and…down　process　of　climbing　mountains；　the　two　riders　were　not　often　far　apart。　Drizzt　was　not　overly　surprised　when　he　went　around　a　bend　to　find　the　elf　approaching　from　a　trail　that　had　been　paralleling　his　own。

The　pale…skinned　elf；　too；　walked　his　mount；　and　he　nodded　in　approval　to　see　Drizzt　doing　likewise。　He　paused；　still　twenty　feet　from　the　drow；　as　though　he　did　not　know　how　he　should　react。

〃If　you　have　e　to　watch　over　the　horse；　then　you　might　as　well　ride；　or　walk；　beside　me；〃　Drizzt　called。　Again　the　elf　nodded；　and　he　walked　his　shining　black　stallion　up　to　the　side　of　Drizzt's　black…and…white　mount。

Drizzt　looked　ahead；　up　the　mountain　trail。　〃This　will　be　the　last　day　I　will　need　the　horse；〃　he　explained。　〃I　do　not　know　that　I　will　ride　again；　actually。〃

〃You　do　not　mean　to　e　out　of　these　mountains？〃　the　elf　asked。

Drizzt　ran　a　hand　through　his　flowing　white　mane；　surprised　by　the　finality　of　those　words；　and　by　their　truth。

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〃I　seek　a　grove　not　far　from　here；〃　he　said；　〃once　the　home　of　Montolio　DeBrouchee。〃

〃The　blind　ranger；〃　the　elf　acknowledged。

Drizzt　was　surprised　by　the　elf　s　recognition。　He　considered　his　pale　panion's　reply　and　studied　him　closely。　Nothing　about　the　moon　elf　indicated　that　he　was　a　ranger；　but　he　knew　of　Montolio。　'It　is　fitting　that　the　name　Montolio　DeBrouchee　lives　on　in　legend；〃　the　drow　decided　aloud。

〃And　what　of　the　name　Drizzt　Do'Urden？〃　the　moon　elf；　full　of　surprises；　asked。　He　smiled　at　Drizzf　s　expression　and　added；　〃Yes；　I　know　of　you；　dark　elf。〃

〃Then　you　have　the　advantage；〃　Drizzt　remarked。

〃I　am　Tarathiel；〃　the　moon　elf　said。　〃It　was　no　accident　that　you　were　met　on　your　passage　through　the　Moonwood。　When　my　small　clan　discovered　that　you　were　afoot；　we　decided　that　it　would　be　best　for　Ellifain　to　meet　you。〃

〃The　maiden？〃　Drizzt　reasoned。

Tarathiel　nodded；　his　features　seeming　almost　translucent　in　the　sunlight。　〃We　did　not　know　how　she　would　react　to　the　sight　of　a　drow。　You　have　our　apologies。〃

Drizzt　nodded　his　acceptance。　〃She　is　not　of　your　clan；〃　he　guessed。　〃Or　at　least；　she　was　not；　not　when　she　was　very　young。〃

Tarathiel　did　not　reply；　but　the　intrigue　that　was　splayed　across　his　face　showed　Drizzt　that　he　was　on　the　right　track。

〃Her　people　were　slaughtered　by　drow；〃　Drizzt　went　on；　fearing　the　expected　confirmation。

〃What　do　you　know？〃　Tarathiel　demanded；　his　voice　taking　a　hard　edge　for　the　first　time　in　the　conversation。

〃I　was　among　that　raiding　party；〃　Drizzt　admitted。　Tarathiel　went　for　his　sword；　but　Drizzt；　lightning　fast；　grabbed　hold　of　his　wrist。

〃I　killed　no　elves；〃　Drizzt　explained。　〃The　only　ones　I　wanted　to　fight　were　those　who　had　acpanied　me　to　the　surface。〃

Tarathiel's　muscles　relaxed；　and　he　pulled　his　hand　away。　〃Ellifain　remembers　little　of　the　tragedy。　She　speaks　of　it　more　in　dreams　than　in　her　waking　hours；　and　then　she　rambles。〃　He　paused　and　stared　Drizzt　squarely　in　the　eye。

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〃She　has　mentioned　purple　eyes；〃　he　said。　〃We　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　that；　and　she；　when　questioned　about　it；　cannot　offer　any　answers。　Purple　is　not　a　mon　color　for　drow　eyes；　so　say　our　legends。〃

〃It　is　not；〃　Drizzt　confirmed；　and　his　voice　was　distant　as　he　remembered　again　that　terrible　day　so　long　ago。　This　was　the　elf　maiden！　The　one　that　a　younger　Drizzt　Do'Urden　had　risked　all　to　save；　the　one　whose　eyes　had　shown　Drizzt　beyond　doubt　that　the　ways　of　his　people　were　not　the　ways　of　his　heart。

〃And　so；　when　we　heard　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　drow　friend梔row　friend　with　purple　eyes梠f　the　dwarven　king　that　has　reclaimed　Mithril　Hall；　we　thought　that　it　would　be　best　for　Ellifain　to　face　her　past；〃　Tarathiel　explained。

Again　Drizzt；　his　mind　looking　more　to　the　past　than　to　the　mountain　scenery　about　him；　merely　nodded。｜Qī…shū…ωǎng｜

Tarathiel　let　it　go　at　that。　Ellifain　had；　apparently；　viewed　her　past；　and　the　sight　had　nearly　broken　her。

The　moon　elf　refused　Drizzf　s　request　for　him　to　take　the　horses　and　leave　and；　later　that　day；　the　two　were　riding　again；　along　a　narrow　trail　on　a　high　pass；　a　way　that　Drizzt　remembered　well。　He　thought　of　Montolio；　Mooshie；　his　surface　mentor；　the　blind　old　ranger　who　could　shoot　a　bow　by　the　guidance　of　a　pet　owl's　hoots。　Montolio　had　been　the　one　to　teach　a　younger　Drizzt　of　a　god　figure　that　embodied　the　same　emotions　that　stirred　Drizzf　s　heart　and　the　same　precepts　that　guided　the　renegade　draw's　conscience。　Mielikki　was　her　name；　goddess　of　the　forest；　and　since　his　time　with　Montolio；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　had　walked　under　her　silent　guidance。

Drizzt　felt　a　wellspring　of　emotions　bubbling　within　him　as　the　trail　wound　away　from　the　ridge　and　climbed　a　steeper　incline　through　a　region　of　broken　boulders。　He　was　terrified　of　what　he　might　find。　Perhaps　an　ore　horde梩he　wretched　humanoids　were　all　too　mon　in　this　region？had　taken　over　the　old　ranger's　wondrous　grove。　Suppose　a　fire　had　burned　it　away；　leaving　a　barren　scar　upon　the　land？

They　came　into　a　thick　copse　of　trees；　plodding　along　a　narrow　but　fairly　clean　trail；　with　Drizzt　in　the　lead。　He　saw　the　wood　thinning　ahead；　and　beyond　it　a　small　field。　He

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stopped　his　black…and…white　horse　and　glanced　back　at　Tarathiel。

〃The　grove；〃　he　explained；　and　he　slipped　from　his　saddle；　Tarathiel　doing　likewise。　They　tethered　the　horses　under　the　cover　of　the　copse　and　crept　side　by　side　to　the　wood's　end。

There　stood　Mooshie's　grove；　perhaps　sixty　yards　across；　north　to　south；　and　half　that　wide。　The　pines　stood　tall　and　straight梟o　fire　had　struck　this　grove梐nd　the　rope　bridges　that　the　blind　ranger　had　constructed　could　still　be　seen　running　from　tree　to　tree　at　various　heights。　Even　the　low　stone　wall　stood　intact；　not　a　rock　out　of　place；　and　the　grass　was　low。

〃Someone　is　living　in　there；〃　Tarathiel　reasoned；　for　the　place　had　obviously　not　grown　wild。　When　he　looked　to　Drizzt；　he　saw　that　the　drow；　features　set　and　grim；　had　scimitars　in　his　hands；　one　glowing　a　soft　bluish　light。

Tarathiel　strung　his　long　bow　as　Drizzt　crawled　out　from　the　brush　and　skittered　over　to　the　rock　wall。　Then　the　moon　elf　rushed　off；　joining　his　drow　panion。

〃I　have　seen　the　signs　of　many　ores　since　we　entered　the　mountains；〃　Tarathiel　whispered。　He　pulled　back　on　his　bowstring　and　nodded　grimly。　〃For　Montolio？〃

Drizzt　returned　the　nod　and　inched　up　to　peek　over　the　stone　wall。　He　expected　to　see　ores；　and　expected　to　see　dead　ores　soon　after。

The　drow　froze　in　place；　his　arms　falling　limply　at　his　sides　and　his　breath　suddenly　hard　to　e　by。

Tarathiel　nudged　him；　looking　for　an　answer；　but　with　none　forthing；　the　elf　took　up　his　bow　and　peeked　over　the　wall。

At　first　he　saw　nothing；　but　then　he　followed　Drizzf　s　unblinking　gaze　to　the　south；　to　a　small　break　in　the　trees；　where　a　branch　was　bobbing　as　though　something　had　just　brushed　against　it。　Tarathiel　caught　a　flash　of　white　from　the　shadows　beyond。　A　horse；　he　thought。

It　came　from　the　shadows　then；　a　powerful　steed　wearing　a　coat　of　gleaming　white。　Its　unusual　eyes　glowed　fiery　pink；　and　an　ivory　horn；　easily　half　the　height　of　the　elf's　body；　protruded　from　its　forehead。　The　unicorn　looked　in

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the　panions'　general　direction；　pawed　the　ground；　and　snorted。

Tarathiel　had　the　good　sense　to　duck　low；　and　he　pulled　the　stunned　Drizzt　Do'Urden　down　beside　him。

〃Uni！〃　the　elf　mouthed