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Recursive Fanfic: Forgotten Realms
May. 28th, 2024 04:27 amJustice is Served (1523 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden, Original Elf Character(s)
Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Canon Typical Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:
Though Alustriel had received the first report of a man asking about "the drow" later in the same day as Drizzt and Sharr's warning about Sharr having tempted fate, it was not until the next day, when she received three more reports about the man before her midday break—none of them positive—that she realized his seeking Drizzt was most likely the 'something interesting' she had been warned of.
The fourth report had been sent by an off-duty member of the Silver Watch, and it was in reviewing the description of the man that had been included that she realized why she felt that was true.
And after consulting with Dove to confirm the suspicions that the description had raised in her, she sent the current page on duty off to request that Drizzt, Sharr, and Kor all meet her in her rooms once her afternoon appointments were over.
Of all the reasons Drizzt had considered for why Alustriel wished a private meeting with him, Sharr, and Kor, McGristle having come to Silverymoon in search of him was not one of them.
However, that was exactly what she had just told them, if in rather more words.
But though he was somewhat paralyzed by conflicting emotions, Sharr and Kor were not.
And after a quick glance between them, Sharr cut straight to the reason Alustriel had asked for him and Kor to attend the meeting.
"You want our advice on what can be done to keep Drizzt safe while McGristle is in the city," he said. "Given that the man hasn't yet done anything that would justify kicking him out."
"Yes."
"Well, the obvious first step is to issue an advisory about the man and his grudge to the Knights, the Spellguard, and the Silver Watch," Kor said. "And it would likely be wise to include the Mielikkians as well."
Drizzt made a face at that idea, but he couldn't really argue with the sense of it, no matter how much he didn't want to bother others with his problems.
However, when Sharr then suggested setting a guard roster for him personally, he put his foot down.
"No. Making sure others are aware of McGristle's presence and the likelihood of him causing trouble is one thing, but I'm not going have anyone follow me around just because of that."
Sharr sighed. He'd known that Drizzt wouldn't like the idea, but had hoped he might be talked around to it.
But the ranger's tone was uncompromising enough that it was clear he would not accept any guard, no matter how discreet.
"Then what's your plan for the swift arrival of aid if it's needed?" he asked.
"Courage," Drizzt said. "If he stays at the Harper Hall, he can reach me anywhere in the city quite fast."
Alustriel exchanged looks with both Sharr and Kor, then sighed.
"That does sound like a reasonable plan," she agreed. "But please promise us that you'll call for him at the first sign of trouble, not wait until it's clear you need help."
Drizzt looked mulish for a moment, before Sharr spoke again. "If you tell him that you only want him to intervene if you actually need help, he'll listen.
"Though he may well use his own judgment on if you do, rather that wait for a signal from you."
Drizzt considered that for a moment—he knew he was reluctant to actually hurt McGristle, so it might well be better for him to rely on Courage's assessment of the situation—then nodded.
"That works. Especially since I'm sure I can convince him to be non-lethal if I tell him I want McGristle to face two-leg justice."
Though notes reporting that McGristle had asked the sender about "the drow" continued to arrive, it was not until the fourth day after the meeting that any of them mentioned having actually given him a useful answer.
That note had been somewhat apologetic, saying that while the sender would have preferred to rebuff McGristle, the fact that he had actually asked about "the drow ranger" instead of "the drow" made them feel that he should be encouraged in that change with a bit of information.
And since the note then went on to say that what the sender had told McGristle was that Drizzt often passed through the Market Commons in the early afternoon, on his way from the Palace to the Moonbridge, Alustriel gave orders for a discreet increase in the Silver Watch presence in the southern part of the Market Commons.
Two days later
Drizzt was perhaps two-thirds of the way across the Market Commons when he knew he was being watched by unfriendly eyes.
Being careful to not show that he was aware of the watcher, he continued walking, seemingly ignoring the sounds of someone moving through the crowd behind him with little consideration for others.
It wasn't long, however, before his hackles went up, and even as shouts of warning sounded over a snapped command in McGristle's voice, he was moving to the side, turning as he did so.
When he stopped, he was a few feet from where he had started, and looking back in the direction he had been coming from.
McGristle's dog was rushing towards him, the bounty hunter close behind, so he gave his call for Courage even as he drew his blades, and as soon as the dog was close enough, he stunned it with a hilt punch behind its ears.
That produced a roar of outrage from McGristle, and then Drizzt found himself having to fend off the man's axe with his blades.
Even fighting purely defensively, Drizzt was very clearly better than McGristle, but the man was being erratic enough in his movements that he was not certain of his ability to stun him without inflicting any other injury.
Then an equine scream of fury sounded from above, immediately followed by Courage striking McGristle's right forearm from a dive.
The crack of bones breaking under the strike overlapped with McGristle's howl of pain, and his right hand dropped from the axe haft, the forearm looking almost floppy as the arm fell to the bounty hunter's side.
Then, seeing an opportunity in McGristle's distraction with the pain, Drizzt caught the axe between his scimitars and pulled it out of the man's hand.
And even as he dropped it to the ground and kicked it behind him, the Silver Watch arrived to arrest McGristle.
Given Dove's involvement with chasing Drizzt after the murder of the farming family, she had come up to Silverymoon after McGristle's arrest, to assist with forming a strategy for laying out the unjust nature of McGristle's continued pursuit of Drizzt.
And it was as she, Alustriel, Sharr, and Drizzt were discussing that, that Drizzt brought up a new angle to be considered.
"Though this is the first time since the chase ended that McGristle has personally attempted to kill me," he said, "it may not be the only time he has sought to kill me."
"Oh?" Dove was quite curious about what Drizzt might be referring to.
"After Montolio took me in, the orc Graul launched an attack on his grove later that spring.
"And my gut feeling is that McGristle was involved in the attack, especially since even though Montolio misdirected him when he came to the grove in search of me, the dog knew I was there."
Dove hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded her head. "Then I suppose I should get in touch with Kellindil, as I know that he stayed behind after the rest of us left, to keep an eye on you with the aid of his kin."
"That does sound like a good idea," Alustriel agreed.
When Dove's attempt to send to Kellindil had failed in a way that told her he was dead, she had then gone to the clerics of the Seldarine to ask for their assistance in contacting his spirit.
And since doing so had revealed that McGristle was who had killed him, charges for both raiding and murder were added to the ones for assault and attempted murder that the bounty hunter was already facing over his attack on Drizzt.
Figuring out who should preside over the trial was not easy, but eventually, it was agreed that Besnell was the best choice for impartiality, and the elf somewhat reluctantly agreed to the request.
On the day of the trial, the court was completely packed, and as the evidence was laid out for the charges from the attack on Drizzt, the feeling of the room grew tense.
But although a disturbance at some point had been both expected and prepared for, given how well liked Drizzt was in the city, it wasn't until the prosecution turned to the charges of raiding and murder that the tension broke with a cacophony of incredulous and angry shouting.
Once order was restored, the trial resumed, and the methodical presentation of the evidence continued.
And eventually, McGristle was judged guilty on all counts, then remanded into the keeping of the clerics of the Seldarine, who had claimed the right of execution.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden, Original Elf Character(s)
Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Canon Typical Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:
Drizzt's actions in saving Alustriel's son from Shimmergloom cause word of Silverymoon's drow ranger to spread far enough that a certain vengeful bounty hunter hears of his location.
The results are entirely predictable... for everyone except McGristle.
A continuation of Merfilly's fic Soul Trap Undone.
Justice is Served
Though Alustriel had received the first report of a man asking about "the drow" later in the same day as Drizzt and Sharr's warning about Sharr having tempted fate, it was not until the next day, when she received three more reports about the man before her midday break—none of them positive—that she realized his seeking Drizzt was most likely the 'something interesting' she had been warned of.
The fourth report had been sent by an off-duty member of the Silver Watch, and it was in reviewing the description of the man that had been included that she realized why she felt that was true.
And after consulting with Dove to confirm the suspicions that the description had raised in her, she sent the current page on duty off to request that Drizzt, Sharr, and Kor all meet her in her rooms once her afternoon appointments were over.
Of all the reasons Drizzt had considered for why Alustriel wished a private meeting with him, Sharr, and Kor, McGristle having come to Silverymoon in search of him was not one of them.
However, that was exactly what she had just told them, if in rather more words.
But though he was somewhat paralyzed by conflicting emotions, Sharr and Kor were not.
And after a quick glance between them, Sharr cut straight to the reason Alustriel had asked for him and Kor to attend the meeting.
"You want our advice on what can be done to keep Drizzt safe while McGristle is in the city," he said. "Given that the man hasn't yet done anything that would justify kicking him out."
"Yes."
"Well, the obvious first step is to issue an advisory about the man and his grudge to the Knights, the Spellguard, and the Silver Watch," Kor said. "And it would likely be wise to include the Mielikkians as well."
Drizzt made a face at that idea, but he couldn't really argue with the sense of it, no matter how much he didn't want to bother others with his problems.
However, when Sharr then suggested setting a guard roster for him personally, he put his foot down.
"No. Making sure others are aware of McGristle's presence and the likelihood of him causing trouble is one thing, but I'm not going have anyone follow me around just because of that."
Sharr sighed. He'd known that Drizzt wouldn't like the idea, but had hoped he might be talked around to it.
But the ranger's tone was uncompromising enough that it was clear he would not accept any guard, no matter how discreet.
"Then what's your plan for the swift arrival of aid if it's needed?" he asked.
"Courage," Drizzt said. "If he stays at the Harper Hall, he can reach me anywhere in the city quite fast."
Alustriel exchanged looks with both Sharr and Kor, then sighed.
"That does sound like a reasonable plan," she agreed. "But please promise us that you'll call for him at the first sign of trouble, not wait until it's clear you need help."
Drizzt looked mulish for a moment, before Sharr spoke again. "If you tell him that you only want him to intervene if you actually need help, he'll listen.
"Though he may well use his own judgment on if you do, rather that wait for a signal from you."
Drizzt considered that for a moment—he knew he was reluctant to actually hurt McGristle, so it might well be better for him to rely on Courage's assessment of the situation—then nodded.
"That works. Especially since I'm sure I can convince him to be non-lethal if I tell him I want McGristle to face two-leg justice."
Though notes reporting that McGristle had asked the sender about "the drow" continued to arrive, it was not until the fourth day after the meeting that any of them mentioned having actually given him a useful answer.
That note had been somewhat apologetic, saying that while the sender would have preferred to rebuff McGristle, the fact that he had actually asked about "the drow ranger" instead of "the drow" made them feel that he should be encouraged in that change with a bit of information.
And since the note then went on to say that what the sender had told McGristle was that Drizzt often passed through the Market Commons in the early afternoon, on his way from the Palace to the Moonbridge, Alustriel gave orders for a discreet increase in the Silver Watch presence in the southern part of the Market Commons.
Two days later
Drizzt was perhaps two-thirds of the way across the Market Commons when he knew he was being watched by unfriendly eyes.
Being careful to not show that he was aware of the watcher, he continued walking, seemingly ignoring the sounds of someone moving through the crowd behind him with little consideration for others.
It wasn't long, however, before his hackles went up, and even as shouts of warning sounded over a snapped command in McGristle's voice, he was moving to the side, turning as he did so.
When he stopped, he was a few feet from where he had started, and looking back in the direction he had been coming from.
McGristle's dog was rushing towards him, the bounty hunter close behind, so he gave his call for Courage even as he drew his blades, and as soon as the dog was close enough, he stunned it with a hilt punch behind its ears.
That produced a roar of outrage from McGristle, and then Drizzt found himself having to fend off the man's axe with his blades.
Even fighting purely defensively, Drizzt was very clearly better than McGristle, but the man was being erratic enough in his movements that he was not certain of his ability to stun him without inflicting any other injury.
Then an equine scream of fury sounded from above, immediately followed by Courage striking McGristle's right forearm from a dive.
The crack of bones breaking under the strike overlapped with McGristle's howl of pain, and his right hand dropped from the axe haft, the forearm looking almost floppy as the arm fell to the bounty hunter's side.
Then, seeing an opportunity in McGristle's distraction with the pain, Drizzt caught the axe between his scimitars and pulled it out of the man's hand.
And even as he dropped it to the ground and kicked it behind him, the Silver Watch arrived to arrest McGristle.
Given Dove's involvement with chasing Drizzt after the murder of the farming family, she had come up to Silverymoon after McGristle's arrest, to assist with forming a strategy for laying out the unjust nature of McGristle's continued pursuit of Drizzt.
And it was as she, Alustriel, Sharr, and Drizzt were discussing that, that Drizzt brought up a new angle to be considered.
"Though this is the first time since the chase ended that McGristle has personally attempted to kill me," he said, "it may not be the only time he has sought to kill me."
"Oh?" Dove was quite curious about what Drizzt might be referring to.
"After Montolio took me in, the orc Graul launched an attack on his grove later that spring.
"And my gut feeling is that McGristle was involved in the attack, especially since even though Montolio misdirected him when he came to the grove in search of me, the dog knew I was there."
Dove hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded her head. "Then I suppose I should get in touch with Kellindil, as I know that he stayed behind after the rest of us left, to keep an eye on you with the aid of his kin."
"That does sound like a good idea," Alustriel agreed.
When Dove's attempt to send to Kellindil had failed in a way that told her he was dead, she had then gone to the clerics of the Seldarine to ask for their assistance in contacting his spirit.
And since doing so had revealed that McGristle was who had killed him, charges for both raiding and murder were added to the ones for assault and attempted murder that the bounty hunter was already facing over his attack on Drizzt.
Figuring out who should preside over the trial was not easy, but eventually, it was agreed that Besnell was the best choice for impartiality, and the elf somewhat reluctantly agreed to the request.
On the day of the trial, the court was completely packed, and as the evidence was laid out for the charges from the attack on Drizzt, the feeling of the room grew tense.
But although a disturbance at some point had been both expected and prepared for, given how well liked Drizzt was in the city, it wasn't until the prosecution turned to the charges of raiding and murder that the tension broke with a cacophony of incredulous and angry shouting.
Once order was restored, the trial resumed, and the methodical presentation of the evidence continued.
And eventually, McGristle was judged guilty on all counts, then remanded into the keeping of the clerics of the Seldarine, who had claimed the right of execution.
