Inside My Mind

If He Was Alive… (62139 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 43/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé, Elinthalar Aerasumé, Ellifain Tuuserail
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters, Implied/Referenced Unplanned Pregnancy, that tag only applies to the Zanna‘Verse
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.

Soulmarks in the Wheel (7094 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore, Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Drizzt Do'Urden, Alustriel Silverhand, Laeral Silverhand, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Implied/Referenced Canon-Typical Violence
Series: Part 5 of A Crossing of the Realms
Summary:

The events of the series "The Ranger and the Wheel", if Drizzt and Alustriel were soulmates.

---

Beginning notes

Inspired by senmut’s fic Impossible Connections and senmut and ilyena_sylph's series The Ranger and the Wheel.

This fic contains a certain amount of borrowing from several of the fics in the series "The Ranger and the Wheel", since some scenes from those fics are covered in this one, with alterations based on the changes caused by Drizzt and Alustriel being soulmates.

If you are confused by this fic, please go read, at a minimum, the linked series, as this fic very much assumes familiarity with all of it.

---

Chapter One: Going Slowly

1335 DR, late spring

The silver fire that had manifested while Laeral and Qilué removed the shroud that the Spider Queen had placed on him reminded Drizzt of the mark that had shown up on his wrist the day before he met Lindsar, and he remembered what she had told him about soulmarks.

“A person’s soulmark is representative, in some way, of their soulmate. It might be an item that is very important to the soulmate, an indication of their profession, some magic that is commonly used by them, something relating to their name, or even some combination of those, but it always is something that is strongly associated with the soulmate.”

So once the four of them had settled down to eating the food that Qilué had called, Drizzt asked, “The silver fire that appeared while you were removing the shroud—is that unique to the two of you, or are there others who can manifest it as well?”

Based on what they had said before starting the work, he suspected that it was connected to Mystra somehow—and he remembered what Aronna had said about ‘the Chosen of Mystra’, as well as Laeral’s comment about ‘If I am summoned to help’ when Hellgate Keep was finally ready to be permanently dealt with—but such a question made for a good starting point.

Laeral and Qilué exchanged a look, and then Laeral said, “Can I ask why you want to know about the silverfire?”

In answer, Drizzt pulled back his sleeve and showed them his wrist.

“Well,” Laeral said, “that is a rather good reason to be curious.”

“And to answer your question,” Qilué said, “the silverfire is unique to the Chosen of Mystra. Counting me and Laeral, there are nine of us, but I know that I am not your soulmate.”

“It’s not me, either,” Laeral added, “and while Dove and Syluné cannot be completely ruled out just for having soulmates already, it seems… less likely. Nor do I think it likely to be Khelben or Elminster.”

“And the Simbul is… ill-suited to be the soulmate of a male who escaped from a Lolthite city. Which leaves Storm or Alustriel.”

“When did your soulmark appear?” Laeral asked.

“Shortly after I was dumped on the Surface,” Drizzt replied. “So, eleven years ago.”

Laeral looked at Qilué again, and Qilué nodded once. ~Alustriel,~ Laeral sent, including Qilué in the conversation, ~have you gotten a new soulmark in the last… sixteen years or so?~ Knowing what she did of the oddities of soulmarks when drow were involved, she doubted Drizzt’s soulmate would have gotten their mark before he reached the Surface, but five years seemed a reasonable extension for the sake of being sure.

~Why do you ask?~ Alustriel replied.

~Because she just introduced me to an Ogier-adopted drow Dreadbane ranger of Mielikki who turns out to have a silver flame soulmark,~ Qilué said.

There was a long pause before Alustriel finally replied, ~…eleven years ago. The mark brings to mind the curve of a scimitar.~

~Then I do believe we’ve found him,~ Laeral said, ~as he wields twin scimitars, and his own mark appeared eleven years ago.~

~Bring him to meet me when you get a chance, then?~

~Of course, sister-mine.~ Letting the sending drop, Laeral focused on Drizzt, and said, “Alustriel is a match in the timing of her mark’s appearance and what her mark represents.”

---

For all that Alustriel knew that a ranger—especially one so favored as Laeral had said this one was—would always go where he felt he was needed, having to wait to meet her soulmate until he had dealt with whatever was causing the pull he felt was annoying, even if she still felt like she wasn’t truly ready for a new one. She was, however, very grateful that Laeral had chosen to go with him, as at least that meant that she was able to know how the quest was progressing, and getting to Silverymoon afterward would be a simple matter of a teleport.

Laeral having to go help the Simbul deal with an incursion from Thay was a further delay, and so it ended up being mid-fall before she was actually able to meet Drizzt Do’Urden. The youth he had displayed in that first meeting had been surprising, and a conversation with Laeral that night had left her appalled at how fast he had been forced to mature. And yet, his youth was also reassuring in a way, as it provided a very good reason to take things slowly with him.

---

While Korvallen habitually kept track of new people who were regularly seen with Alustriel, he rarely felt a need to actually say anything to her about them. But when she was seen in company with a drow—yes, the drow had been able to enter the city, and yes, he’d been brought by Laeral, and yes, he was said to be a Dreadbane, but still, a drow!—for the fifth day in a row, he couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

Given that Alustriel had been spending so much time with the drow, Korvallen took the unusual—for him, at least—step of sending her a note saying that he wanted to talk with her. A reply came just before evening court, inviting him to visit her after evenfeast.

He was waiting for her when she returned from it, and once she had changed from her evenfeast gown into something simpler, and they were settled on the divan in the outer room of her suite, he started the conversation.

He came out of it deeply off-kilter, not sure how to feel about Sharr having been replaced by a drow—which he knew was not actually true, but he needed time to untangle his feelings before he could be objective about Alustriel having a new soulmate—and somehow having agreed to spar with the man the following afternoon.

---

When Korvallen stalked into his rooms with a bottle of wine in hand, just after evenfeast, Besnell knew he had been correct in his instinct to send an invitation when he heard his friend had been being more snappish than usual.

“What’s bothering you?” he asked, once both of them were settled in the conversation area, glasses of wine in hand, and the bottle on the low table between their chairs.

Korvallen downed half his glass in one go. “Alustriel’s new soulmate.”

“I wasn’t aware she had even gotten a new mark,” Besnell said.

“Showed up eleven years ago, apparently. She hasn’t mentioned it because she didn’t feel like she’s recovered enough from losing Sharr to be ready for a new one.”

“But now he’s—it is a male, yes?—been found?”

“Laeral found him,” Korvallen agreed, “and brought him here to meet her.”

“The drow?” Besnell made sure to keep on top of the gossip about unusual visitors to the city, and the drow Dreadbane Laeral had brought had been much talked of for the last week.

“Ogier-adopted drow Dreadbane ranger of Mielikki. But it’s not his race that’s bothering me.”

Besnell took a sip of his own wine. “What is it, then?”

Korvallen knocked back the rest of his glass and poured himself another. “He’s thirty-eight!”

“Thirty-eight?” Besnell frowned and took a large swig from his own glass. That wasn’t even of age for a half-elf! And all reports indicated that this drow was full-blooded.

“Thirty-eight, and he nearly managed to force me to a draw!

“And he’s been a Dreadbane for nine years!”

Besnell had been in the middle of a sip, and only just managed not to spray it all over in surprise. “He became a Dreadbane at twenty-nine?!”

“That’s not even of age by Lolthite standards, and his teacher still took him to the Blight push!” Korvallen frowned at his glass and took an actual sip this time. “Admittedly, he says that no one in the stedding was happy about him leaving so young, but they weren’t willing make him stay when he was feeling a need to be out doing things so strongly. But still!

“At least they’ve agreed to take things slowly, between his youth, and her still not feeling ready.”

---

1344 DR

While some time in the stedding had been soothing after the visit to Aronna where it was so obvious that the swift mortality of humanity was creeping in, Drizzt had a feeling that Alustriel would be a better source of advice on how to cope with such, given her goddess-granted immortality and the human children and lovers he knew she had outlived.

So he said his farewells and headed off to Silverymoon.

---

“I’m starting to feel a pull, west and somewhat north,” Drizzt said during breakfast, two months after his arrival in the city.

Alustriel carefully hid her disappointment—this was the longest Drizzt had ever stayed, and she was very much enjoying his company—and asked, “Do you have any sense of where you are needed, other than that, or why?”

“Something to find, I think, for the why,” Drizzt said. “As for where, I’m having dreams of cold and a lot of bright whiteness.”

“Combined with the direction, that would suggest the Sea of Moving Ice or the Reghed Glacier, but given the inexact nature of such dreams, the actual need could easily be anywhere in the Icewind Dale or the portion of the Spine that forms its southern border.” Alustriel considered the time that would be needed to search such a large area, and made a decision. “I have something I can give you that would allow you to keep in touch while you are up there, and to ask for help if it is needed.”

“What is it?” Drizzt asked.

“A sending anklet.”

“Like the one that Laeral uses to talk to you and the rest of your sisters?”

“Exactly like it. I made it several years ago, in hopes for the future, and have been waiting for the right time to offer it to you.”

“Would it be okay to use it to send messages to be passed on to Lindsar?”

“Of course it would.” Even after knowing him for nine years, Alustriel was still surprised sometimes by how little consideration Drizzt gave to his own wants. “And if you’re reluctant to disturb me, Andy and Methri are the two of my sons most likely to be nearby, instead of halfway across the planet. Since the anklet connects to all of my sons’, as well as mine and all of my sisters’.”

“Then I will gladly accept it.”

---

1347 DR

After sunset, once he had prayed for his spells and sent the eagle that had come to his call off with his message for the dwarves, Drizzt moved on to the next step in preparing for the coming army—obtaining clerics.

Reaching out over the anklet that Alustriel had given him, he sent, ~I have allies coming, but we face a large Shadowspawn army within a day now, and have no clerics. At the glacier, above the Spine.~

The initial response was just a startled clamoring, but then Alustriel’s voice cut through the hubbub clearly. ~So you need as many clerics as we can get to you by… dawn, I would think? And I imagine that magical aid would be useful, too.~

~Dawn is a good deadline,~ Drizzt agreed, ~and any of you who can come yourselves would be most welcome.~

~Rae and I are near Mirabar,~ came from one of the Tall Ones—Drizzt thought it might be Tar—, ~and can fly up in time.~

~And I’m in the Luskan area,~ Bo added, ~so I can, too.~

~I’m not close enough to fly up,~ Andy said, ~but I’m able to teleport.~

~Same here,~ and if Tar was the one flying up with Rae, then that was Nae.

~Qi, I know your people will need things to disguise them in order to come,~ Syluné said, ~so I’ll start searching my trinket collection, and will handle the mass teleport for them, too.~

~I’ll set the Harpers to recruiting clerics here, then search my own collection,~ Alustriel said.

~Thank you both,~ Qilué said. ~I’ll save the handful of rings of illusion we have for a fighter escort, then.~

~Since Alustriel’s setting the Harpers to the task in Silverymoon, I’ll go recruit in Everlund,~ Storm said.

~Florin and I have some things to take care of first, but we can teleport up fairly soon,~ Dove said.

~And I can teleport up as soon as I set Khelben to recruiting clerics here,~ Laeral said.

~Thank you all, so much.~ Drizzt knew his relief was showing in his voice, but right now, he didn’t really care.

---

Finding out that Ysolde had been one of the clerics who came had been quite a surprise, but Drizzt determinedly did not fuss about it, as he knew she would respond by pointing out that he was younger than her—that fact had made things awkward between them for a bit when she had learned that he was her aunt’s new soulmate.

Properly meeting Syluné and her husband—as opposed to the brief introductions that had been made while preparing for the battle—had been a pleasure, and Aumry's request to trade technique was a true delight, though Bruenor’s reaction to him referring to them as ‘more of Laeral and Alustriel’s family’ had been surprising until he had a chance to actually think about how he tended to talk about his friend and his soulmate—at which point he realized that he really didn’t talk about Alustriel nearly as much as he thought about her, and when he did, it was in a different way than how he talked about Laeral.

---

Waking from another nap to learn that Bruenor had headed off to the Silverhand camp with a determined stride was a bit concerning, as Drizzt truly did not wish for there to be any strife between his dwarven friend, and the family of his soulmate. But there was nothing he could do about it until Bruenor returned, and his stomach was demanding food again, so he settled down with another bowl of stew.

Drizzt was just finishing the bowl when Bruenor got back, and his friend proved he knew Drizzt well when the first thing he said was “Peace, me elf, all’s well,” accompanied by a wave of his hand to indicate that Drizzt should sit back down. “…better,” the dwarf added. “Better than well, even. I— Drizzt, there're more o’ me clan!”

Drizzt put the bowl down again, and reached for both of Bruenor’s arms in joy. “That is wonderful news, my friend! What will we do from here?”

Bruenor clasped on, and smiled up at him, and Drizzt knew that his instinct to include himself in the plans had been a good one, even if his reason for coming up here would soon be dealt with.

“Well, I’m nae goin’ tae leave ye up here wi’ only these fool humans, so ye’ve got tae find what ye’re lookin’ for. Got tae get this whole mess packed up an’ get home. Start workin’ out there how tae move the whole clan south tae around Silverymoon, as that’s where me other clan are. Likely no’ til next spring when the passes open, so we’ve the whole season tae get wagons an’ beasts, an’ preserve food enow tae keep us all healthy on th’ trip an’ while we search.

“One o’ them Tall Ones knows a dwarf a bit older'n me, lives in Sundabar. I thought he was dead with all the others, Drizzt…”

“Ahh, my friend!” Drizzt gripped back as strong as he could, smiling gently. “I am glad to know I will not be leaving my friends here behind when I return to Silverymoon, as my search is unlikely to take much longer. Laeral muttered at seeing which nephew might stay, help us search by air. She is concerned by anything that could elude me so long.”

“So'm I, me elf,” Bruenor said, not for the first time. “But that— that’s good. Lady Syluné said there were moon elves in the Moonwood as found dwarrows in their forest, took ‘em tae the Citadels there—she didnae know how many, but every one is…”

“Another member of the clan to protect and care for, a part of the future we will make for them all,” Drizzt promised him. “And I think I must apologize that you did not learn of them sooner. As I am sure that Alustriel would have told me of them if I had ever mentioned your clan name to her.”

“Not yer fault when ye didnae know there were any other survivors,” Bruenor said. “But that’s the second time today ye’ve mentioned the Lady Alustriel in a familiar manner when ye've never done such before, least not in a way that seemed more than her bein’ the ruler of the city ye tended to stay in—if ye even mentioned her at all, that is.

“Ye speak of yer friend Laeral readily enough, so what makes the Lady sae different?”

Drizzt’s cheeks heated, and he was glad that his skin was too dark to show it. “She’s my soulmate,” he said. “Though I had not realized until earlier today just how much more I thought of her, as compared to actually speaking of her.”

---

1349 DR, spring

The morning of the day after Bo had brought Drizzt to the stedding had been occupied by telling the Stump of the battle with the Shadowspawn two years earlier, and the just finished battle to reclaim Mithral Hall.

After a relaxing lunch, Drizzt had spent the early afternoon answering Lindsar’s questions about everything else he had done in his years up in Icewind Dale, and now, her curiosity having been satisfied, he prepared to share some very significant news.

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Alustriel and I are ready to make our relationship official, once everything is settled with the Hall.”

“Well, I can’t say you’ve moved too fast, when it’s been nearly fifteen years since the two of you met,” Lindsar said, “but are you sure? You’re still so young.”

“We are,” Drizzt replied. “Even with the sending anklet, I still found myself missing her quite a lot while I was up in Icewind Dale.

“And we were able to steal enough time together earlier this spring for her to demonstrate that she no longer feels unready for a new soulmate.”

“Then I suppose it’s time for me to make you that blue tunic I’ve been saving the fabric for.

“And when you return to Silverymoon, I will go with you, to meet both her, and the dwarven kin you have claimed for us.”

---

Alustriel had been quite pleased to hear from Drizzt, during her lunch, that he had returned to the city, especially when he mentioned that his sister had come with him. She could not make the time to come meet Lindsar that day, but Drizzt had gladly agreed to make sure it happened the next morning, as it was not a season when she was inundated with morning appointments.

Knowing that Laeral had also been wishing to meet Lindsar for quite some time, Alustriel then reached out to her sister to let her know, and was promised an arrival that evening, as Laeral had some things she had to finish or delegate before she could come.

Her return from evenfeast—where she had heard that Drizzt and Lindsar were touring the Ogier-works and appraising their states—found both Laeral and a note from Drizzt waiting for her.

The note proved to have Drizzt and Lindsar's planned itinerary for the next day, which made it quite easy to plan a route that would intersect with theirs.

That done, she settled down to talk with her sister.

---

As they neared Deneir's Library, Laeral looked over at her sister and saw the soft smile she had expected to, given the tall, tufted-eared form of an Ogier walking outside the building with the current Full Scrivener, head bent down towards him, and Drizzt’s much smaller form beside the Ogier.

Built to appear as a stack of mingled scrolls and books, the building was lovely and intricate and a joy to see, but Laeral could tell that it was also in need of some work.

Alustriel called out a greeting to the Full Scrivener as they approached, along with an apology for interrupting.

“Ahh, Lady Silverhand,” the Full Scrivener said in a tone of surprised delight, “and Lady Laeral, too.

“We were studying the edifice for needs to improve it, as Lindsar daughter of Malana daughter of Coera has been kind enough to come learn what might need repairs.”

“Lindsar, this is the Arch Mage of Silverymoon, Alustriel Silverhand,” Drizzt said, his intent focus on Alustriel obvious to Laeral, “and her sister, my friend Laeral.”

“My greetings, Alustriel Silverhand, Arch Mage of Silverymoon, and Laeral Silverhand,” Lindsar said, bowing to them. “Your names sing in my ears, and your city, Lady Alustriel, is a joy to behold.”

“Your name sings in my ears, Lindsar daughter of Malana daughter of Coera,” Laeral replied, returning the bow in the Ogier fashion.

Beside her, Alustriel repeated the greeting and bow, then added, “and I thank you for your compliments. I love my city dearly, and am grateful for the aid your folk have given in making it what it is. I am very pleased to finally be able to meet you.”

“As am I,” Laeral said.

“The pleasure is mutual,” Lindsar said, “as my brother has spoken much of both of you.”

“Would you like to join us on our tour?” Drizzt asked. “Lindsar and I are very much enjoying it, even if that means, no doubt, that you may have a request soon for accommodations from our stedding, so that they can come and work on the buildings that were crafted by out people.”

“Kodome calichniye ga ni Wansho hei,” Alustriel said with a smile, using what Laeral knew was the old language common to the elan-lands and the Ogier alike, ‘the Builders are always welcome here’. “There are two floors of a wing of the Palace built for the comfortable use of your people, and they will be opened and ready when any of the masons choose to grace us with their presence.

“And if you are both sure that it would not be a disturbance to the purpose of the tour, we would be pleased to join it.”

“It would not be a disturbance at all,” Lindsar said.

---

Chapter Two: From Relationship to Warder Bond

1349 DR, late fall

For all that Korvallen strongly disliked the noise and hubbub of evenfeast, he was making a point of attending it tonight. Drizzt had returned from Mithral Hall about a week ago, and tonight was the night that he and Alustriel had chosen to make it plain to much of the city that they were in a relationship.

And since Korvallen was well known to be very protective of Alustriel, he knew that people seeing him interacting with Drizzt in a friendly manner would do much to reassure those who as of yet knew little to nothing of the ranger.

So when Alustriel arrived in the High Hall, on Drizzt’s arm, he was already there, and headed for the high table as soon as he saw them. He could feel the eyes on him as he moved, and his elven hearing picked up a rash of new whispers after his friendly wrist clasp with Drizzt. That he chose to sit beside Drizzt rather than Alustriel added more, and when he left the high table to join a group of elven merchants he was somewhat familiar with—at the same time that Alustriel and Drizzt moved to the Ogier table—that seemed to be a signal for people to start approaching him with questions about Drizzt.

By the time evenfeast was over, it felt rather like he had spoken to half the people in attendance, and he was quite glad that he had asked Alustriel and Drizzt if they were going to be open about being soulmates, as that fact had frequently been the one that made the most difference in people’s opinions.

---

Since Terava Sedai’s request was going to change his plans significantly, Drizzt brought the matter up with Alustriel that night, after she had returned from the evening festivities she had chosen to attend.

“I’m going to need to leave rather sooner than I had intended to,” he said, once they had settled on her divan.

“Trouble at the stedding?” Alustriel asked. “Or are you feeling pulled somewhere?”

“Not a pull, but the trouble’s not at the stedding, either,” Drizzt replied. “The Tuatha'an brought a request from Laeral’s friend Terava Sedai, asking me to come assist in dealing with a matter we had brought to her attention during our previous visit.”

“So you need to go to Tar Valon, then?” Alustriel reached out and took one of Drizzt’s hands in hers, unhappy at the prospect of an impending separation so soon after they had made their relationship official. “If it is something you can share, will you?”

“To Tar Valon, yes, but the letter specified spring, so I won’t need to leave for a few more weeks yet, even with a visit to the stedding before I head into the elan-lands.” Drizzt returned the clasp with the hand she had taken, but the other reached up to run through his own hair as he considered. He then took a deep breath. “I noted corrupted Aes Sedai. Laeral relayed this to her friend.

“She followed through, but their leads into the full conspiracy were cut when the ones they made out died.” He half-shrugged a shoulder. “They need me to find new leads, to expose the rot. I can go—I have a standing invitation—and teach more of the Underdark as I recall it for my excuse to be present.”

Alustriel nodded her understanding, then sighed softly. “Unless you simply wish the journey, there is no sense in walking—or riding—all the way from here to Tar Valon. We left ourselves a teleportation-marker on the slopes of Dragonmount centuries ago. Once you are done with your visit to the stedding, send to me, and I can have you there within a few hours. A day at most, if I am lacking in teleport spells that day and must wait to re-acquire it.”

Drizzt was staring at her as she continued speaking, the wonder in his eyes evident. “I… thank you, Alustriel. I truly did not want to have to leave so soon, but I could see no way around it. I knew I could not ask Laeral as the seasons would mean what we saw would be too different, but if you have a marker… that makes sense

“And that would let me arrive in spring, but not late spring, which might give me an edge of surprise if Terava Sedai’s plans have been discovered in the time since she sent me the message.”

Alustriel allowed herself to chuckle softly, a wry smile on her lips. “You are most welcome, my ranger. And I freely admit that I have an entirely selfish motive. The sooner you are able to help the Aes Sedai purge their Tower of its rot, the sooner you can return to Silverymoon.”

---

1350 DR

While it was a bit sooner than the weekly timing they had agreed on, the fact that Drizzt needed to reach out to Qilué now meant that it made no sense for him wait to check in with Alustriel. So once he had finished his sunrise vigil, the day after the first progress meeting, he reached out over the anklet.

~Drizzt?~ Alustriel said in response to his inquiry of her availability. ~Is everything okay? You weren’t due to check in for another day or two.~

~Everything’s fine,~ Drizzt replied, ~but since the planning we did last night now requires me to contact Qilué, I thought I might as well check in now. First of all, while I’m sure you must have guessed as much, the Amyrlin Seat is indeed uncorrupted, and is quite grateful for the ring.

~Which was a significant relief for Terava Sedai, as while she had put in place contingencies before bringing the matter to her, the possibility that the Amyrlin Seat might be Black Ajah and have reacted as she did in order to quietly deal with a problem in their security had not occurred to her until I mentioned that condition for giving the Amyrlin Seat the ring.~

~I did, yes, but it is good to hear you confirm it. And given that I think I recall Laeral mentioning at one point that her friend is a Brown, I can understand why such a possibility would not have naturally occurred to her.

~But what plans have been made that require you to contact Qilué?~

~I’ll get there,~ Drizzt said in a teasing tone. ~Continuing on the subject of relief and gratefulness for magical objects, the Amyrlin Seat has loaned me a pendant that will prevent any weave from directly touching me, unless the caster is someone of incredible power, and even then, it will blunt the effects.

~So while I still need to be wary of things created by a weave, like called lightning or a fireball, it has significantly reduced my own worries about what might happen if the corrupted ones try to use their power against me.~

~That is a relief,~ Alustriel agreed. ~And you, love, are being a tease.~

~And you love me anyway,~ Drizzt said. ~But back on topic, as one of the things they discovered before loosing their leads is that when an Aes Sedai is Shadow-sworn, so is her Warder, I have been given quarters in the Warders’ section of the Tower, and spend a fair amount of time sparring with them.

~Given that Red Ajah rarely, if ever, have Warders, that is only a partial solution, however, and as the Amyrlin Seat learned that two of the Sitters for the Hall are Black Ajah—one of the ones for the Red, and more surprisingly, one of the ones for the Blue—she cannot use the Hall to help with the process, which means that it is going to be a long and difficult one.~

~Much as I would like for this to happen swiftly, I do understand why it cannot,~ Alustriel said with a sigh. ~Removing the corrupted Sitters could easily send the rest of the Black Ajah fleeing, and she cannot use the Hall without doing that.

~But your tone has mischief in it, my ranger, so what clever solution to discerning more of the Black Ajah have you come up with?~

~I’m going to be giving classes in basic demonology, with the Reds and the Greens being strongly encouraged to attend. As they are the ones most likely to stumble over such threats, but it doesn’t single out the Reds for their lack of Warders.

~And to finally get around to why I need to contact Qilué, since the corrupted Sitters mean that when we do move against the Black Ajah, we will need to do so swiftly and take as many at once as possible, I am hoping that she, or at least one of her people, knows how to make the drow sleep potion.~

~I can’t say I like the idea of you deliberately spending large amounts of time in the presence of those who might be Black Ajah, but it is a good plan, given the Aes Sedai's demonstrated lack of knowledge about how to deal with demons.

~And thinking of the drow sleep potion to aid in capturing the Black Ajah was an excellent suggestion, even if it doesn’t prove possible.~

~I’m not exactly enthused about it myself,~ Drizzt said, ~but it’s only going to be fifteen or twenty at a time, for an hour.~

---

Further check-ins from Drizzt showed a slow but steady progress in identifying the Aes Sedai and Warders who were corrupted, but Alustriel could tell that it was all weighing heavily on him, even though he downplayed it much of the time—and she was certain that he was not showing it to those he was working with at all.

So when something set off her instincts during a check-in early in the second month of summer—and she truly could not say what it was, just that something had—she went and scried for him.

Finding that he was on the road instead of in Tar Valon at least explained why she had had a feeling that something was off, but it did not make her any happier, since the plan had been that he would send to her once things were finished, and she would come and get him.

However, given how much everything had been weighing on him, she could not quite find fault with his decision, as she knew that he would find more solace on the road than in any city, even Silverymoon. But since she also did not think that it was actually a good idea for him to be alone after having to deal with such intrigue, she reached out to Laeral.

After a brief explanation over the anklets, and a longer and more detailed one in person, Laeral was entirely willing to go join Drizzt on the road for as long as he needed in order to settle and regain his equilibrium.

---

1351 DR, spring

Drizzt reaching out to her over the anklets at some point during the night was not all that unusual, especially with his habit of traveling by night, but he tended to speak to Laeral separately, so her inclusion was enough to make Alustriel concerned even before he said, ~Black Ajah sister and her wizard-Warder tried to kill me, should probably be relayed to Terava Sedai.~

Alustriel’s cry of shock overlapped with Laeral’s spluttering and cursing, and Drizzt’s entirely commonplace tone—as though he faced murder attempts every day!—had not helped.

~Let me see through your eyes, dear one,~ Laeral said, once she ceased cursing. ~I’m coming to join you.~

~And I am too,~ Alustriel said, ~once I’ve informed Taern and gotten to a teleport point. Do not argue with me on this.~

~…alright,~ Drizzt said.

Alustriel dropped out of the link then, and sent to Taern even as she left her rooms. Taern was no happier than Drizzt had sounded, but that Laeral would also be there reassured him, and shortly after, she arrived where Drizzt and Laeral were.

“Alustriel’s here,” Laeral said. “So explain.”

Drizzt stopped brushing Thesaly, and looked at the two of them before pointing to a pair of bodies at the far edge of the clearing. “When I took my spells, the wilds were whispering of danger. And my Lady granted me that which I needed for the danger, though I did not know what it would be.

“The Warder cast multiple spells, before finding his death, and the corrupted one attempted… I think it is called balefire?… when I dropped the darkness I had thrown her way.”

Alustriel’s heart lodged in her throat at the mention of balefire, and she blessed Laeral for taking the time to figure out how to copy the anti-weave pendant, and Syluné and the Simbul for helping her with doing so.

Drizzt half-shrugged. “I didn’t mean for either of you to come. I just don’t have a way to quickly tell an Aes Sedai that some escaped, and knew I needed to be the one to tell Alustriel.”

“I know you didn’t intend us to come,” Laeral said, and Alustriel could hear hints of the same terrified rage she was feeling in her sister’s voice, “you never do. That doesn’t mean there was any chance we weren’t going to, when you sent a message like that.”

Somehow managing to find her voice again, Alustriel asked, “Are you certain it was balefire the Black sister used?”

Laeral had drawn a small diamond out of a purse as Alustriel was speaking, and cast light on it before moving to look at the corpses.

“It blinded me in the fashion of what I have read up on, not that I noticed,” Drizzt replied, even as he put on his spectacles and started following Laeral, Alustriel staying beside him. “Thankfully, I’d begun my throw as the weave was building in my direction, so my blade landed true.”

They had reached Laeral by then, and Drizzt added, “Thank you both, again, for the spellwork on my blades. They served me well.”

The head sitting near, but not connected, to the male body showed the proof of that, and Laeral said, “I’m glad to hear it,” even as Alustriel worked to control the pounding of her heart, the fear and dread—and then she gave up and reached to pull Drizzt in front of her, his back to her chest, to hold him tight, her chin tucked over his hair. The look on Laeral’s face said that if Alustriel hadn’t done that, she would have, and she did come over and take one of Drizzt’s hands.

“It’s alright, Alustriel,” he soothed. “It’s alright, Laeral. You and your sisters protected me! The amulet worked, making it just… vanish away.”

Alustriel spread her hand over his chest, keeping him close. “So they did,” she agreed, “so they did. But it’s not only the threat to you that has frightened me, love. I would grieve you, but we could also call you back… if you would agree to return.”

Her throat closed up at that, because Sharr hadn’t. Thankfully, Laeral picked up the explanation. “If the Black Ajah have rediscovered the weave for balefire, there is danger to the Weave itself, to the Pattern.

“There is a reason that all of those who can use elan made a compact against it long ago. Even before the end of the Breaking. This must be brought to the attention of our Mother.”

“Ahh. That I understand better.” Drizzt then started to describe what he had seen in more depth.

Alustriel continued cuddling him, listening intently, but the more he spoke… the more certain she was that he was correct. And from the look on Laeral’s face, she felt the same way.

“Everything you say sounds like that weave, yes,” Laeral said when Drizzt had finished. “Damn and damn. Light scorch them all.”

Then she looked over to the bodies, which had been stripped to their smallclothes. “Let them feed the carrion-eaters, and do some good for once in their miserable, accursed lives. Where were you planning to rest for the day, dear one?”

Alustriel was in complete agreement with that decision about the bodies, but at Laeral’s question about a place to rest, she shifted to release Drizzt, and Laeral took that as her cue to let go of his hand.

“Hadn’t chosen yet. All of their things are in the haversack Thyl and Lin gifted me with, though, so I can call the carrion feeders now, and we can find a place… if you’re staying with me for a time?”

“I would like to stay with you,” Alustriel said with a sigh, “but I did tell Taern that I would not be gone for long.

“Before I go, however, did the Warder get lucky enough that you need a potion?”

Drizzt glanced down at his hands, then his legs, shifted in his armor a little, and shook his head. “Doesn’t seem like it,” he answered her cheerfully after making that appraisal. “He was decently skilled, but the first blow that landed between us was mine, and it only took one more after.”

“Oh? That’s impressive even for you, dear,” Laeral pointed out.

“Hard to concentrate or fight when thorny vines ensnare you,” Drizzt said, and Alustriel could hear the satisfaction in his voice.

“In that case, I really do need to leave now,” Alustriel said. She leaned down to give Drizzt a kiss, then reached for the staff of Silverymoon in her bedchamber and used its power to pull herself to it.

---

When Laeral had returned from telling her Aes Sedai friend about the attack on Drizzt, Alustriel had approached her for advice on how to broach the subject of taking the Warder bond with Drizzt. That conversation had gone quite well, as Laeral had actually been thinking about the matter for some time. And now, a month later, Drizzt had returned to Silverymoon, and she was preparing to start the conversation.

Shifting on the divan to face him fully, Alustriel took a deep breath and said, “Drizzt, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Hearing the serious tone in her voice, Drizzt also shifted to look straight at Alustriel. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Alustriel said, “but the attack by the Black Ajah and her Warder has changed my feelings on an aspect of our relationship that I had previously felt that you should be the one to bring up.”

“And what is that aspect?”

Alustriel took another deep breath. “I want to take the Warder bond with you.”

“Is it just because of the attack?” Drizzt asked.

“No. I’ve wanted to take the bond for a while, but given your history with it, I felt it would be better to let you come to me about it when—or if—you were ready to take it.

“But with the attack… you could have been killed, because I didn’t know you needed help.”

“Even if we had been bonded,” Drizzt said, “it’s not like I would have been able to share my vision with you before the attack was over.”

“I’m working on solving that problem,” Alustriel replied. “Teleportation-markers and the staves of Silverymoon are both things that allow one to teleport to them, so if I can figure out how to adapt the magic, I can make something for you to wear that I will be able to teleport to without error, and without needing your eyes to know where.”

Drizzt gave a wry smile. “I want to take it, too. But your previous loss had left me hesitant to broach the subject with you, because I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Alustriel laughed softly, shaking her head as she drew him closer. “Aren’t we a pair? Tomorrow, then, after lunch? Since I’ll need to memorize the spell.”

“A good pair, I think,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. “And tomorrow after lunch is fine with me.”

---

To Go As Needed with a Pegasus (9216 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore, Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Laeral Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Alternate Universe - Fusion
Series: Part 3 of A Crossing of the Realms, Part 2 of Ranger and Pegasus in the Wheel
Summary:

The events of "To Go As Needed", in a universe where Drizzt and his teacher saved Bright Eyes's egg a few years earlier.

---

Beginning notes

Inspired by senmut and ilyena_sylph's fics Ranger and Pegasus and To Go As Needed.

Many thanks to senmut and ilyena_sylph, for general idea bouncing and answering my questions about both Wheel of Time and their Fusion 'verse, and to ukia_dragon for making some useful suggestions.

This fic contains a certain amount of borrowing from "To Go As Needed", since some scenes from that fic are covered in this one, with alterations based on the changes caused by Bright Eyes's presence.

If you are confused by this fic, please go read "To Go As Needed" and the first fic in my series Ranger and Pegasus in the Wheel, as this fic very much assumes familiarity with both of them.

---

Chapter One: Meeting Laeral and Qilué

1335 DR, spring

When the plants all around the battlefield erupted into riotous, entangling growth that trapped many of the undead orcs she and Padraig were fighting—and only the undead orcs—just before a drow wielding twin scimitars joined the fight, Laeral wondered if this was the ranger that had been such a source of curiosity and bewilderment for her entire family the last few years. And when a pegasus came down out of the sky to join the fight, Laeral knew he had to be, even though the kestrel that accompanied the pegasus had not been mentioned before.

Once the fight was over, the pegasus—Bright Eyes, Laeral recalled—carefully made her way over to the drow—Drizzt—and bumped her nose against one of the pouches slung at his waist. “Yes, yes, my lovely one,” the drow laughed, “you can have a treat.” He then fished something out of the pouch the pegasus had nosed at, and held it out in the palm of his hand. The pegasus quickly snapped it up, and the drow petted her neck for a little before turning and starting over to Laeral and Padraig, with the pegasus soon following him.

“I’d apologize for barging into the fight,” he said, “but I’m sort of mandated to deal with these kinds of things.”

“We’re not complaining,” Laeral said, with a shake of her head and a cheerful smile, “though you’re certainly a bit startling.” Then, making the decision that it would be better to not act like she already knew anything about him, at least to start, she added, “I’ve never met a drow Dreadbane before, and few enough drow out in the middle of the day. Well met, stranger. I’m Laeral Silverhand, this is Padraig Farahar.”

“Well met, then. Drizzt Do’Urden, of Stedding Corwal, and my friend here is Bright Eyes,” he said with a smile of his own. “…Silverhand. Any relation to Lady Alustriel Silverhand, the High Mage of Silverymoon?”

“She’s my sister,” Laeral said.

“Then Andelver Aerasumé would be your nephew, yes?”

“Correct. And you must be the ranger that’s had our entire family so intrigued, and not a little bewildered, for the last few years.”

Drizzt ducked his head a little in what Laeral would swear was bashfulness, but when he looked up again, there was no sign of it. “Are undead like these common out this way?” he asked. “I was following the river down, and turned off into the hills. Meaning to make it to Waterdeep, though. I want to visit the sea, among other things.

“As my one visit to it so far was north, and winter, which made it less impressive than I’d been led to believe in.”

Padraig laughed at those words. “I find the ice-locked harbors terrifying, myself.”

Laeral shook her head. “No. Not common at all. There aren’t that many clerics of Shargaas—and they rarely act this openly. A young acolyte of Luthic managed to make it to Womford, mostly out of her mind and near death, raving about a male gone mad with the Night. I thought it might be a trap, as even that orcish goddess is an evil one, but… it seems not.”

“No, it wasn’t. Usually when I remove a head, the body stays down.” Drizzt sighed. “Thank you, for that assistance, again.

“Should I be worried there might be acolytes to hunt now?”

“Likely not; rare for one to get this much power, and unlikely to have shared it,” Padraig said. “Haven’t met many that go blindly into the lair of such.”

Drizzt half-shrugged. “My darkness was better than his,” he said with a grin, and Bright Eyes nickered in what Laeral was sure was amusement.

“So it was, it seems,” Laeral agreed, looking around at the undead sadly. “I have no great love for orcs, but this… he must have slaughtered the entire village to give them over to undeath. Poor creatures. And you are very welcome.

“Revenants—like that cleric became—are difficult foes to deal with. As long as there was still a body after death, they simply put themselves back together, and go hunting. Especially for those who first slew their body, because that being is always their primary target.”

“A good thing for me to learn then, Lady,” Drizzt said. “As it overcomes the usual method of dealing with undead that I use. Well, I have grown accustomed to fire, and will have to do better should I cross another’s path.”

“Or travel with someone that can do the destroying for you,” Padraig said, and by the amusement in his tone, Laeral knew he was referring to her.

“Ahh, but the farther I go from my former range at my teacher’s side, the less I know people to invite to such events,” Drizzt replied. “A ranger must be prepared to handle it all on their own.”

Laeral nodded then, and tilted her head slightly to the side. “I know I have more questions, and I’m sure you do, but I think further curiosity should wait until we’ve turned… mm. One of these caverns, I think, into a pyre for the dead.

“I’ll feel much better about leaving this place if we’ve burned them.”

“So will I,” Padraig said, “though this is going to be disgusting. Ugh.”

“I am accustomed to this part, and if you give me a moment,” Drizzt said, closing his eyes.

‘A moment for what?’ Laeral wanted to ask, but she knew better than to disturb a ranger who was concentrating, and soon enough it became obvious anyway, as a pair of bears and a mountain lion arrived, and started to drag the bodies to the largest cavern.

“Impressive,” Padraig said quietly to Laeral, as Drizzt moved to begin the dirty work, and Bright Eyes started making her way to the edge of the battlefield. “He’s quite unusual.”

“Very,” Laeral agreed quietly, and then decided that she was staying away from the big carnivores. She followed Bright Eyes out of the battlefield, but she wasn’t willing to not help. When the carnivores were at one end of the trek, she was willing to load corpses onto a floating disk and move them in a route that kept her away from the bears and mountain lion.

It took a little while, but eventually all the bodies were in the cavern, and the wood Padraig had been gathering was piled around and over the bodies along with tightly bundled grass and cloaks full of leaves. At that point, Laeral rubbed her hands together firmly, then cast burning hands, igniting straw, leaves, sticks, wood, and some of the bodies themselves with a cone of pure flame.

“A useful trick, that,” Drizzt said, even as movement at the edge of her vision caught Laeral’s attention, and she turned to see that Bright Eyes had come over to stand beside Drizzt, who had averted his eyes from the pyre, and the kestrel from earlier had settled onto Drizzt’s shoulder.

“Very much so,” Laeral agreed, finding herself a comfortable place out of the smoke to keep an eye on the pyre from, and noting as she did so that the animals Drizzt had called were leaving. “Barely more than a cantrip, but it increases in power with practice… which I have something of an excess of. Your kestrel is lovely. What’s her name?”

The kestrel preened a bit, proving that she had understood the compliment, and Drizzt smiled fondly. “Stela. My first companion. I rescued her as a fledgling two years past up in the Rauvin mountains. She decided I was hers, and that was all there was for it.

“My teacher’s wolverine was disappointed that I took a bird, instead of a sensible badger or such.”

Stela gave a terse chirp, clearly expressing her opinion on that, and Bright Eyes gave an exasperated sounding snort.

Laeral chuckled, smiling at the obviously loving relationship between the three of them, and tipped her neck left and right to pop the vertebrae there. “I see she and Bright Eyes both think she’s quite sensible,” she said wryly. “And given Bright Eyes, I rather think I agree with them.

“You likely gathered as much from my earlier comment about our entire family finding you intriguing, but I do already know a fair bit about you, so I don’t have to ask who your teacher was. Though I am curious about how you ended up with a druid for a teacher, instead of another ranger.”

“Aronna was the one that Mielikki brought to the stedding,” Drizzt said, “and despite offers over the years, she was the one I wanted to stay with. Many rangers, over the years, have shared lore with me, though, so I know more of that side.”

“You, Drizzt Do’Urden, are the most unusual person I may have met since meeting Laeral here,” Padraig said. “And that takes some doing, because she’s a handful in her own way.”

“Hmmph!” Laeral said, tipping her chin and nose up indignantly… before laughing and shrugging both shoulders. “Well, and so I am,” she agreed.

She was looking forward to the chance to travel with Drizzt, learn more about him—and she needed to make sure to let Qilué know that he was on his way to Waterdeep, too.

Padraig glanced at Laeral, then back to Drizzt. “Once the fire is done, and we make some distance, share a meal with us?”

“I would be glad to travel a bit, share a meal,” Drizzt said. “Any pointers on this region would be welcome, in regards to threats, or potential problems to deal with.”

Laeral smiled cheerfully, glad Padraig had invited him—she would have, but she was glad to have had him say it first, to know they were of the same mind. “Good, we’re agreed, then. Padraig’s a better cook than I am, but I can certainly put us up comfortably for the night once we’ve found somewhere comfortable. We know a fair bit about the region, and we were headed for Waterdeep ourselves. The ocean certainly won’t be frozen there. Not this time of year.”

“I’ve heard much of it, so had aimed to come to it as my wanderings allowed,” Drizzt said with a nod. “Heard much of Baldur's Gate as well, but I have personal reasons for choosing Waterdeep.

“I parted from my teacher this past spring, promising to see as much of the world as I wished to, until I found the place that called me to protect.”

Stela made a few noises, and Drizzt grinned.

“What was her opinion?” Padraig asked.

“That I protect everywhere I go.”

Bright Eyes gave another snort, and Laeral could almost hear the “Obviously!” she was certain the mare was expressing. “You are a ranger,” she said, her mouth curving with deep amusement, “that seems to be part of their ways. As an adventuring wizard, mostly I wander seeking interesting magic… and dealing with dangerous problems along the way.”

She got up and went to check the cavern, wishing the burning would get on with itself, but she was out of fire spells now, and they were just going to have to wait.

“Good of you to do so. Pardon, but while I know you are not one, some of the elan workers I have met have not been far from being dangerous problems themselves,” Drizzt said.

“Sorry you’ve stumbled over that kind,” Padraig said. “But I know the type.”

“No,” Laeral said with a wry chuckle, “I’m definitely no Aes Sedai, just a wizard. I call one or two of them friends… but you’re not wrong. Far too many of those who can use the Art fall prey to believing that just because they can do something, there is no reason they shouldn’t do something, in defiance of all morality, justice, and good sense.

“They do not long continue to do so, if one of my sisters or I find them.”

“Or your nephews,” Drizzt said with a chuckle of his own. “Andy shared a few tales during the winter he spent teaching me.

“And I have no grudge with the Aes Sedai—even if the Brown ones hold more curiosity than even I do—or regular wizards. I just have not worked with any of either group much other than when we pushed back the Blight a decade ago.”

“You were part of that? No wonder you have the Dreadbane mark; we heard it was brutal, once word spread out,” Padraig told him.

Laeral managed not to actually stare at Drizzt for the second part of that statement, but it was a close-run thing, given Andy’s assessment of his age as of three years ago. And she was grateful for Padraig’s comment, as it kept her from actually saying anything about it, given that she definitely wanted to hear what Drizzt might say of that working. She had only heard of it well after it was over, and that had been true of all of her sisters. Some things, it seemed, were not for the Chosen to poke their noses at.

“Every single group that came to the initial gathering had been attacked along the way,” Drizzt said. “And we turned off two attacks before the main effort was made. They had sent for aid from temples, including Helm and Tempus, but a group of the Aes Sedai and their Warders arrived to lend aid before those could arrive.

“We needed the aid,” Drizzt said in a rueful tone. “We were fortunate that the Fades had been linking to the Trollocs, allowing us to deal great damage by hunting the Fades. And then… the druids and clerics did it. They pushed it well back, and life has taken hold in that pass once more, though it is scant even now.”

Padraig shook his head. “A very mighty undertaking,” he said approvingly.

“That would have been quite an advantage,” Laeral agreed, “but given how cowardly Trollocs are, I assume the Eyeless had to stay linked to keep them fighting. Were there more kinds of the Shadowspawn as well? I would think so, but…”

“Myrddraal, Draghkar, and Darkhounds alongside the Trollocs. They said there was an elan worker as well, but I never got near that, or… well. I would have had to try. And my teacher might have mourned, for I was not as skilled then.” Drizzt half-shrugged. “Always improving. So I can be the best at what is needed from me.”

Laeral nodded understanding, but that he would have hunted a Shadow-sworn elan worker—especially with as young as he would have been then—said quite a bit about his bravery and courage—qualities she greatly admired. “Definitely a goal to reach for. And quite an event to have been part of. The Blight is… so very… wrong.”

“Yes!”

Bright Eyes responded to the anguish in that one word by turning away from the pyre and bumping her nose into Drizzt’s chest. And he reacted to that by beginning to pet her with both hands.

“Very good work, then,” Padraig said.

Laeral nodded her agreement, then cocked her head. “That was several years ago, though… anything particularly interesting since? Obviously, there’s Bright Eyes’s story, but what about other ones?”

Drizzt laughed. “There are a few,” and he started spinning stories of things he had done with his teacher—and sometimes with Bright Eyes.

Laeral listened with deep interest, filing away where they had been… and she did not miss that he spoke so much more of his teacher, and even Bright Eyes, than himself. A very odd thing in an adventurer, especially one with Dreadbane status.

---

Laeral had been quite certain of what inn Padraig would have chosen, so she had cheerfully teleported herself and Qilué-as-the-Simbul to a convenient alley near the inn and headed inside to speak to the innkeeper. Also to her lack of surprise, Padraig had left a key for her, and she headed up the stairs to see if they’d made it back in, or if she and Qilué would be waiting when they did.

The rooms were empty, but it was just starting to get toward mid-evening, and Laeral had seen how curious, and chatty, Drizzt could get.

“Not in, yet?” Qilué asked, joining her in looking the room over.

“No, but that doesn’t surprise me,” Laeral answered, shrugging her shoulders. “Even with him having spent the one winter in Silverymoon, I don’t think he’s seen much of cities, and Waterdeep is, well… Waterdeep. City of Splendors, in truth.” She settled into a couch of the front room, one foot tucked up onto her other knee. “They surely won’t be too hungry when they get back, we can wait to order a meal until then,”

“Or I can summon one, dear,” Qilué replied. “I do keep that spell on hand, and Drizzt might appreciate my fare, mm? …though, he might not, I suppose. I’ll ask, and then we can figure out which way to go.”

Laeral blinked, then smiled brightly at her sister. “You’re so thoughtful, sister-mine. He does seem to prefer finding mushrooms to add to our meals, so I think he will. We’ll see.”

It wasn’t much later before they heard two male voices—Drizzt had a particular accent to his words from where he learned Common—before the door opened. Padraig smiled brightly to see the Simbul present, while Drizzt looked from one silver-haired woman to the other.

“Very similar,” he decided. “Hello!”

“You get to see, if not quite meet, two of my sisters today, Drizzt, Padraig,” Laeral said cheerfully, since she was certain Qilué was not going to continue to wear their sister’s face. “This appearance is my sister the Witch-Queen of Aglarond, who calls herself only the Simbul. We draw notice, of course, but not as much as her true face.”

Qilué let the illusion slip away, staying seated because towering over a drow male who had not become used to her was never a good idea, and smiled welcomingly. “But my name is Qilué Veladorn, priestess of Eilistraee, Drizzt Do’Urden.”

His eyes went wide at seeing her, the first drow he had seen in over a decade. And she was a cleric, but his skin wasn’t itching! For all that he had believed what Andy had taught him of other good drow during that winter in Silverymoon, it was still so strange to him.

“I should have guessed. It is good to see you, Lady Veladorn,” Padraig said, to give Drizzt a moment to get himself under control.

“I am pleased to meet another drow that does not make me wish to escape,” Drizzt finally said.

“Oh,” Qilué murmured softly, watching his face and eyes, “I am so sorry that has been all of your experience with us, young ranger, though I sympathize. When Laeral told me that she had met you and you had come to Waterdeep with her, I had to come meet you.”

“Thank you for the honor, even if it was unnecessary,” Drizzt said, as he removed his cloak so he could actually sit and visit. Padraig took it to put on the hook since he needed to take his half-cloak off too. “As I was coming to Waterdeep in the first place in large part to visit the Promenade.”

“And I will be pleased to bring you there later,” Qilué said. “But there is a mystery surrounding you that must be unraveled first.”

“A mystery?” Drizzt echoed.

“Yes,” Qilué replied. “Because with as obviously good as you are, Eilistraee should have known of—and been able to call to—you from your first night on the Surface, at the very latest, and yet She was wholly unaware of you until I passed the knowledge on to Her after Alustriel reached out to me during the winter you spent in Silverymoon.”

“Is it because I have my goddess?” Drizzt asked, feeling truly puzzled. “Those who serve Her say She is… extravagant in my direction.” He half-shrugged. “I try not to ask much, though.”

“No,” Qilué shook her head, “Mielikki and Eilistraee have no enmity—indeed, Mielikki’s folk are one of the most likely to accept us—and for you to be so thoroughly hidden from my Lady that she is completely unable to see you on her own, and even with Andy anchoring for Her during one of your lessons with him, was only barely able to perceive you, you would have had to have been hidden almost at your birth.”

Drizzt tipped his head, considering. “I learned,” he began slowly, “that I am third son, but the second died before my birth. At school, they implied it was because he was refusing to be as skilled as he could be, to avoid the life of a Blade.

“I was never told that was my path. I was not beaten as severely as some males were. Matron Malice even rebuked Briza for failing to apply salve after. And if I am right about my father, I know that I would have been considered valuable, if I could reach near what he was capable of. But I don’t know what else she might have done to be certain I was fit to match my sister when I graduated.”

Qilué ached for the young drow before, for the senseless, useless waste of lives, for the way the abuse was simply unremarkable fact, but that was… interesting. “That… I loathe everything about what our people do to warp the Warder bond, but that makes… some sense. But if That One has found a way to block my Lady’s call from goodly drow, I am… worried.”

“We’ll figure it out, sister-mine,” Laeral said, squeezing Qilué’s hand gently. “Even if I do think that we’re going to need Mother’s assistance to do so.”

“Pardon, but… mother?” Drizzt asked, shifting uncomfortably at the idea of a third—completely unknown, and clearly powerful!—woman being involved in this.

Laeral caught Drizzt’s shifting out of the corner of her eye, realized what must have caused it, and turned to face him fully. “This is normally only known by family and very trusted, long time friends, but you do have a pegasus friend, so while you don’t quite meet the second criteria yet, I think you’re safe enough to share it with.” And while she wasn’t going to actually say it, they needed him to trust them fully to figure out what was hiding him from Eilistraee. “Qilué and I, and our other sisters, are, in a very real way, as much daughters of Mystra as we are of the women who gave birth to us.”

“Oh.” Drizzt took a moment to consider that, then nodded and said, “Very well, then. Shall we proceed?”

---

Chapter Two: Information and Traveling Companions

Even with the need to go through the Dawn Pass slowly enough to not get altitude sickness, it only took Laeral and Drizzt two weeks to reach Tar Valon, though Drizzt was clear that it was only on the way to wherever he was being pulled to. But with it so very directly on the way, there was no good reason to not stop over there, and the famous information networks of the Aes Sedai were a very good reason for such a stop, even if Bright Eyes had earned them some curious looks from the guards at the gates before Drizzt sent her off.

And now, the morning after their arrival in the city, she and Drizzt were walking towards the northern gate in the wall around the grounds of the White Tower.

“Light illumine you, Lady, but you and your… companion… are unknown to us,” the lead guard at the gate said. “Your names and the nature of your business, please.”

“Laeral Silverhand, archmage of Waterdeep, and Drizzt Do’Urden of Stedding Corwal,” Laeral answered, pleased at the entirely appropriate response to their presence. “We wish to speak with Terava Sedai, if she is present, or any of her sisters who might be willing to speak with us.” Terava was a traveling Brown Laeral had spent time with a century or so ago, and she devoutly hoped she was here.

“Of a stedding?” the guard repeated, obviously confused, peering at Drizzt for a long moment before the decorations of face-guard and scabbards seemed to convince him and he nodded, if a little uncertainly. “I’m not sure if Terava Sedai is here, mage, but you may both enter the White Tower grounds in peace and under the Light.

“It is the business of the Aes Sedai, not the guard, if you are permitted within the Tower.”

“The courtesy is most appreciated,” Drizzt answered for them, inclining his head to the guard. “Our business is merely of information, and we can afford the rest, as our journey started farther from the Dawn Pass than the Dawn Pass is from here.” The mention of distance was calculated, as surely no travelers would journey so far on a fool’s errand.

“A very long way,” the guard said, shaking his head, “longer than I would want to travel! Be welcome, Dreadbane, Lady.”

“My thanks. Light illumine you, gentlemen,” Laeral replied, as they walked onto the Tower grounds. The path from the gate was not a straight line, as many humans would have designed it, but a thing of gentle curves, intersected by others, that wound through gardens of incredible beauty as they approached the White Tower itself. Inside the walls of the complex were other buildings. Stables, what she thought might be a smithy, possibly drying or curing sheds for the produce of the gardens, wings extending from either side of the mind-bewildering height of the White Tower itself. Probably more she could not see behind the height of those, in all truth.

The guards at the top of the stairs—each stair broad enough that it took two strides to reach the next—that rose to the White Tower were not liveried staff, but Warders, to Laeral’s interest. One was of Andoran origin, if she was judging right, and the other was a tall, dark-skinned man with slightly tilted dark eyes, wearing garb in the Saldaean style.

Even more interestingly, the one in Saldaean garb—who had the accents on his clothing that marked him as Warder to a Brown—seemed to have a look of recognition on his face. Which had to be for Drizzt, as she was quite certain that she’d never met him before—a supposition that was borne out by his words. “Greetings, Drizzt Do’Urden and stranger. Be welcome if you come in peace.”

“Greetings to you, Farouk Tailer,” Drizzt replied. “My companion is Laeral Silverhand, archmage of Waterdeep.”

“We come in peace and in search of knowledge,” Laeral added. “I would speak to Terava Sedai, if she is home, or any Brown sister willing to share information with one who has traveled from Waterdeep to Tar Valon.”

“I will go find my Aes Sedai, lady,” the Warder—Farouk—answered, “as I am sure she will be glad to share information with Drizzt and anyone he travels with.” Then he turned to go within.

Very soon, he returned, accompanied by a woman with pale blonde hair, dressed all in brown. “Welcome, Drizzt, and to you as well, Lady Laeral,” she said. “Please, come with me.”

“It is good to see you again, Bethena Sedai,” Drizzt replied as he and Laeral followed her into the Tower.

“Speaking of whatever has brought the two of you here together should undoubtedly wait until we are within the quarters of the Brown Ajah,” Bethena said, “but do you have any other interesting stories you might share as we walk?”

“I do, actually,” Drizzt said, then began to tell the tale of how he had come to have Bright Eyes as his friend.

They climbed for… a while, up stairs done in a slowly repeating pattern of the colors of the Ajahs. The stairwell often let off onto landings that encircled it, but Bethena kept climbing until suddenly she stepped off and moved onto one of the landings, circling towards a section of the outer wall that blended from white stone into brown of all hues, and a wooden door carved with books and scrolls in a deep, warm hue.

Laeral looked directly behind her and found a doorway surrounded by yellow stone and a door carved with all manner of leaves… herbs, she thought, and other healing plants.

Bethena opened the door carved with books and scrolls, and led them over flagstones carved with open books, apparently towards the outside edge of the Tower. They passed several doors, each with a delicately carved scroll on the door, before Bethena finally opened another one.

The chamber that they entered was one that wrapped partially around the outer curve of the Tower itself, from the long span of arched and curving windows. Some were draped by curtains of more hues of brown than Laeral had ever imagined, but some were open. At least the sun was currently behind some clou—

“Drizzt,” she said, her eyes transfixed as she stared out the window for a moment, “is— is that a Great Tree at the southern edge of the island?”

Drizzt took a look, and smiled. “A younger or small one, yes, Laeral,” he said, delighted to see another piece of home. Only two years among the Ogier, and yet… every little piece that connected back to them made him feel safe and comforted. He then turned to look at Bethena. “While I am sure that you and your sisters have more questions for me, that must wait for later, as this time, I am the one hoping to learn more.”

“Farouk said as much,” Bethena replied. “If you will tell me the shape of what you seek, I will find the sisters who would best know how to help you.

“Please, seat yourselves comfortably.”

Drizzt gave Laeral a hand in taking her seat, helping corral the dresses by steadying her as she whisked them into behaving. He then sat next to her, but before he could say anything, a door farther down the chamber opened, and a woman in a brown and cream gown entered.

She was broad, light-eyed, and pale, with traces of ink on her fingertips, and blazing red hair, and she came to an abrupt stop on seeing two strangers in the chamber. After a moment, however, she quickly moved towards Drizzt and Laeral, in a way that left Drizzt feeling like she had somehow managed to miss Bethena's presence entirely.

“Can it be that you are Drizzt Do’Urden?” she said. “I am Calinde Varant, and the book Bethena wrote left me with so many questions.”

“Calinde!” Bethena said sharply, even as the other woman drew in a breath to continue speaking.

Calinde startled at that, making it clear to Drizzt that he had been correct in thinking she had not noticed Bethena, and turned to look at the other woman. “Bethena, why didn’t you tell any of us that he had come here?”

“For one thing, I only just brought him in,” Bethena said. “And for another, he and the Archmage of the Sword Coast have come seeking information, not to answer our questions.”

Drizzt smiled at Calinde. “Greetings, Calinde Varant. I am pleased to meet you,” he said. “Perhaps, if it is possible at the end of my quest, I could return for a time, and exchange knowledge for knowledge?”

He had no idea if it would be, but it seemed unlikely that Mielikki would immediately pull him in another direction without allowing for a rest.

“That would be most welcome,” Calinde said. “Is your quest one you wish to keep private?”

Calinde had the control of her expression of any Aes Sedai, but Laeral was certain she would be bitterly disappointed if Drizzt asked for privacy.

“It is not,” Drizzt replied, “and I have not yet had the chance to tell Bethena Sedai what I am seeking, so I won’t even have to tell it twice.”

Calinde smiled at that, and took as seat in the chair beside Bethena’s. “So what is your quest?” she asked, causing Bethena to give an exasperated sigh.

“I have been guided this way by my goddess,” Drizzt said. “She has a task for me in this place so far from my usual range.

“I have an impression of the Blight, and know I need to travel further still, east and north if the sense is right. Have your people heard of anything against the wilds in that direction?”

The slightest frown formed at the corner of Bethena’s lips, at the corners of her eyes, but it seemed a thing of concentration, not displeasure. “East and north, near the Blight… Shienar, perhaps. Or far eastern Arafel. I have heard of nothing from Arafel, but… there are strange rumors coming from eastern Shienar, near the Dragonwall. I know there have been discussions about whether someone should be sent to investigate, but I do not know what conclusions have been reached.”

“The Amyrlin Seat just approved Halani's decision to send a Green and her Warders this morning,” Calinde said.

“Well then,” Bethena said. “Would the two of you have any objection to traveling companions?

“I do not think that it would be possible to convince Halani that the two of you investigating makes it unnecessary for her to send someone, but that you, Drizzt, are being guided to deal with it makes me think that the source is something more usually found outside the Enclosure Peaks, which means not only is an Aes Sedai unlikely to know how to deal with it, it is entirely possible one would not be able to do so.”

Laeral exchanged a quick look with Drizzt, then said, “Not at all, though I will need to borrow a horse for such a journey, as I was switching between riding double on Bright Eyes and using a phantom steed on our way here.”

“Then I should bring the two of you to speak with Halani.” Bethena got up and headed for the door they had entered by, and Laeral and Drizzt did the same, following her out of the room.

---

Halani, who turned out to be the Captain-General of the Green Ajah, had asked quite a few incisive questions of Laeral, Drizzt, and even Bethena, before finally agreeing that it did seem like a good idea for Laeral and Drizzt to accompany the trio she was sending to investigate the rumors.

Meeting Marinna Sedai and her Warders, Verad and Nikho, had gone quite well, and Laeral and Drizzt had been invited to join the briefings that Halani had arranged to give the trio all the information they might need for the investigation. Once those were done, Marinna had invited the pair to join her and her Warders for a meal, and then, after agreeing that Laeral and Drizzt would return to the Tower the next morning for their party’s departure, saw them out of the Tower.

The revelation that Drizzt had sensed corruption in at least one of a pair of Aes Sedai (one Yellow, one Blue) that they had passed on their way out of the Tower was a disturbing one, especially with how distressed Drizzt was over the possibility that a healer was corrupted, but it at least had the benefit of assuring them that none of the other people they had met that day were Leafblighter's. Which was no small thing, when they were going to be traveling with three of those others, and a fourth was the Head of the Green Ajah.

Thankfully, Terava had been in the city, and as she had also proved uncorrupted, they had been able to pass that problem on to her to be dealt with. And time in the Ogier grove and among some of the Ogier that lived in the city had fully restored Drizzt’s equilibrium.

---

Once they were well out of the village, their second day on the road, Laeral followed up on her promise of the night before and began explaining to Marinna and her Warders how magic and innate abilities were different from channeling and why that meant they didn’t have to be concerned about what Drizzt could do.

“Although Drizzt does not use arcane magic, that is what I am going to start with,” Laeral began. “The source of arcane magic is known as ‘the Weave’, or more formally, ‘the Weave of Mystra’.

“And while the similarity in name to the equivalent of spells for an elan user is, so far as I know, pure coincidence, it does provide for a comparison to help you understand the differences.”

“And what is that comparison?” Marinna asked, sounding intrigued.

“The Weave of Mystra could, with reasonable accuracy, be viewed as the equivalent of a planet-wide elan-weave that can be accessed and borrowed from by anyone who has the right training—or sometimes, simply the natural ability, though those who cast their first arcane spell through pure natural ability will still need training, or at least to study magical texts, in order to be able to cast more than the most basic of spells.”

Marinna tilted her head, a considering look on her face “That… is a useful comparison,” she agreed. “The similarity gives a basis for understanding, but it also highlights the differences from channeling.”

“Thank you,” Laeral said. “Moving on, divine magic—the type of magic that Drizzt uses—is literally a gift from the deity the spellcaster follows or serves, which can and will fail if the spellcaster has earned their deity’s displeasure, though the degree of failure often depends on the degree of displeasure.”

“Is there any way to regain divine spellcasting ability if it has been lost because of divine displeasure?” Verad asked.

“The spellcaster can regain their deity’s favor by completing a quest for atonement that is set for them by a cleric of their deity,” Laeral answered.

“Is Drizzt’s ability to understand and communicate with Stela and Bright Eyes due to divine magic?” Nikho asked.

“Partially,” Laeral said. “All pegasi are innately able to understand Common and Sylvan, so communicating with Bright Eyes doesn’t involve any magic on his part at all.

“As for him being able to understand her so clearly, and both understand and communicate with Stela, while most rangers and druids need to actively call on their deity to do so, Drizzt is one of a rare few who can do it naturally. Such rangers and druids are referred to as ‘wild-called’, due to that natural ability being seen as a gift of the wilds, making it akin to being a Wolfsib.”

“Does being a wild-called ranger mean Drizzt doesn’t have to worry about the taint that is known to be in magic?” Marinna asked. “Though my understanding is that it is not as severe as that in saidin.”

“Drizzt doesn’t have to worry about the taint,” Laeral said, “but it’s not because of being a wild-called ranger.”

“What is the reason, then?”

“The sacrifice of Mystra's predecessor as goddess of magic blunted the effect of the Dark One’s counterstrike on both arcane and divine magic,” Laeral said, “and the divine will of all the other deities, good, neutral, and evil alike, further blunted the effect on divine magic.

“So taking a Warder is sufficient to protect arcane magic users and clerics, while all rangers and druids are protected by the fact that the magic they use is too wild-touched to suffer from taint, and paladins are—to the best of my knowledge—protected by the fact that their actual spellcasting ability is limited, with most of their magic use being a more direct manifestation of their deity’s favor.”

“If taking a Warder protects arcane magic users, why don’t you have one, then?” Nikho asked.

By Marinna's exasperated-sounding sigh, Laeral could tell that the Aes Sedai felt her younger Warder was being too curious. And while Laeral actually felt much the same, it was an understandable question, at least, so she was willing to give a partial answer.

“I am one of the Chosen of Mystra,” she said, “and being a deity’s Chosen also protects against the taint.”

“I’ll explain what a Chosen is later,” Marinna said, pinning Nikho with a stern look. Turning back to Laeral, she said, “So that leaves innate abilities to be explained.”

“Innate abilities are things like a dragon’s breath weapon—magical abilities that a being is born with,” Laeral said. “Some innate abilities are known as spell-like abilities, due to the fact that they replicate the effect of a specific spell, without actually requiring any spellcasting.

“In regards to Drizzt, he is a drow, and all drow are born with four spell-like abilities—darkness, faerie fire, dancing lights, and levitate. However, drow who live on the Surface instead of in the Underdark always lose one of the abilities, and so Drizzt is now only able to use the first three.”

---

Chapter Three: Dealing with the Demon

As they traveled, Drizzt sparred with Verad and Nikho every day, once they had made camp for the night, and Laeral could easily see his delight in having such skilled opponents to practice with. Nor was he alone in his enjoyment, as both Warders were very clearly impressed with his skill, and the sparring often turned into lessons, either Verad teaching Drizzt better techniques for using a single blade, or Drizzt teaching Verad and Nikho how to better defend against twin blades.

However, the idyll ended when Drizzt’s sense of where he was needed pulled them off the Fal Moran road well before they were into the settled part of Shienar, off towards the painfully jagged peaks of the Dragonwall, and then directly into the uneven terrain at the edge of them.

The fourth day in that uneven terrain provided a very unsettling reminder of the dangers they would be facing, when they came across a spot where the plants and animals, and even the land itself, had been just… ripped apart. The sight had left Marinna and her Warders pale for some time, and Drizzt’s expression had become grim.

---

Three days later, Drizzt signaled Bright Eyes to stop, and once she had, he turned towards the others, who had followed his lead and stopped their mounts. Something was pulling hard on his instincts, something he was not yet able to quantify. “I can sense something now,” he said.

“Only ‘something’?” Verad asked. “Not whether it’s what we’re seeking?”

“My sense of evil only tells me that it is there,” Drizzt said, “not what sort of evil it is.”

“But if you can sense it, that must mean we’re close, yes?” Nikho said.

“Only for a loose definition of close,” Laeral said, “especially in terrain like this. His range on that sense is quite large.”

“So what do we do now?” Marinna asked.

Drizzt dismounted, then looked up, and Stela obediently flew ahead, scouting the land for them. “Dismount and follow me,” he said.

He then moved to follow the path Stela was laying out for him with her eyes. She was aware of his needs, and guided them to a defensible spot they would be able to guard from, without much chance of anything reaching them first.

Once they had reached the spot Stela had found for them, Drizzt found a comfortable place to settle, and the others turned their horses over to Bright Eyes’s supervision and found their own places to settle, Laeral and the Warders automatically choosing spots which would easily let them watch a wide area. To Laeral’s slight surprise, Stela came down to her, settling on her shoulder rather than Drizzt’s.

“She knows which of us will be mindful,” Drizzt said with a chuckle at her surprise, then unshouldered his pack and set it down. “Now I must ask you all to guard me,” he continued. “I need to fully feel the land… but be prevented from going toward the source of the evil here until I am out of the trance.”

As Drizzt prepared himself to do a ranger’s reaching out to the land, Marinna asked Laeral, “Why does he need to be prevented from going towards the evil? Dealing with it is what we came to do, after all.”

“It’s because he’s entering a trance state to find out more,” Laeral replied. “It leaves him with no true awareness of his surroundings, but if he senses evil while in such a state, he will nevertheless just start walking towards it.”

“That seems… inconvenient, to say the least,” Marinna said.

“Mmm, maybe so, but given that his sense of evil is always working, I’d call it an even trade-off for the fact that he never gets stunned by the evil being too strong. Which is how the spell to detect evil works.”

Laeral would have explained further, as Marinna looked curious, but then Drizzt shifted in a way that presaged true movement, and she prepared to stop him if needed.

Thankfully, something drew him out of the trance, and his eyes opened, glowing briefly with the darkvision that was their natural state before he blinked and they cleared to the normal hue of purple Laeral was more accustomed to.

Purple glowing eyes was a far different sight from the red of most of the drow Laeral knew.

“Someone has set a demon loose on the Surface,” he said softly. “One of the youngest kinds, if I remember Vierna’s lessons on demon hierarchies correctly.”

Laeral sucked in a hissing breath, her mouth tightening as her eyes took on a tinge of silver for a long moment. Before her was not her wry and sometimes capricious friend, but the Dreadbane who had defended those who forced back the Blight. A nearly impossibly capable warrior dedicated to the protection of the wild and intent upon that goal—and she was of the same mind with him.

Demons were not supposed to run free on the Material Plane. They were supposed to be confined to their depths of the Abyss, unless some idiot wizard called one to make a bargain with it. Even then, they should be confined to the summoning circle. A loose demon was a serious danger to everyone in its vicinity.

“There are a few young kinds, which one do you think it is?” Laeral asked, one hand on the edge of the pocket where her wands waited for use.

“From the breaking of all things around it? I would wager it is a loumara. They delight in needless cruelty against natural places,” Drizzt said.

“What do you mean by ‘the breaking of all things around it’?” Marinna asked.

“Remember that place we passed through three days ago, where everything had been ripped apart?” Drizzt said. “That is what a loumara does.”

Marinna’s face paled at the memory, and Laeral took the opportunity to say, “Which is why you and your Warders will not be assisting us in dealing with it.”

“But-”

“No,” Laeral said. “I can turn its rending back on itself twice, but since I only have two memorized, I cannot do more than that. Which means I will have to prioritize protecting myself and Drizzt, as the ones who actually know how to deal with it.”

Verad came over to them then, and placed a hand on Marinna’s shoulder. “This is exactly why Halani agreed that they should come with us, remember?”

Marinna sighed, and placed a hand on top of Verad's. “You’re right. I just don’t like feeling useless.” Turning her attention back to Drizzt and Laeral, she asked, “Would Bright Eyes be willing to carry me? I’ll feel better about reporting that the problem has been dealt with if I can see it happen myself.”

“It’s her decision,” Drizzt said, “but if she’s high enough to keep you from being noticed by the loumara, you’re not going to be able to see anything useful.”

“Most people wouldn’t be able to, but I know a weave that will grant me a hawk’s vision for a while.”

“In that case, let me and Laeral figure out how we’re going to handle this, and then we can ask her.”

---

As Bright Eyes took off and started climbing into the sky, following Stela, Marinna reached for Air and Spirit and deliberately crafted the hawk’s vision weave she had first used instinctively as a girl desperate to keep her family from losing any more chickens to what she now knew had been equally desperate hawks.

Closing her eyes to let the change in her vision settle—since trying to adjust to the new sight with her eyes open was a bad idea—she considered the plan that Drizzt and Laeral had come up with. She did not know enough about demons to truly have an opinion on if it was a good plan—which was something she intended to rectify once this one had been dealt with!—but that they both thought it would work reassured her.

And its reliance on the known relationship between demons and drow was intriguing, leading her to think that she should actually read Bethena’s book herself, rather than rely on the summary Nikho had given her when she thought the subject was merely an academic curiosity.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes again and looked around. Stela had started circling, and Marinna looked down to see what the kestrel had noticed—just in time to see trees and plants being ripped apart in a large circle, though there was no visible cause for it.

That Stela headed back towards where the others were as soon as she had finished her circle confirmed Marinna’s assumption that they had found the loumara, and she asked Bright Eyes to circle over the spot.

It did not take long before two drow crested a hill from the direction that Stela had left in, and since Marinna recognized the male’s face as Drizzt’s, that meant that the female had to be Laeral, under the illusion that she had mentioned.

The two of them stopped just outside the circle of destruction, and although Marinna could not hear anything, she assumed that they were playing out their roles. Then Laeral suddenly lunged forward and bolts of energy shot from the wand she was holding, into the center of the destruction.

Drizzt had leaped forward just after Laeral’s lunge, and was now in the middle of the destruction himself. And then, all of a sudden, Marinna could actually see something else there—a tangle of thorned vines, each ending in a fanged maw.

Every movement of Drizzt’s blades—not that Marinna could truly keep up with his speed—made contact with the tendrils, while Laeral sent bolts of energy at any that did not leave her at risk of hitting him, and shortly after an agonized screech that had to have come from the loumara, Drizzt drove one blade directly into the middle of the tangle.

Laeral ran forward then, and just as she reached Drizzt, the illusions cloaking both of them vanished—as did Marinna’s ability to see the loumara, making her realize that it must have also been the result of an illusion from Laeral—and the ground around Drizzt’s blade was torn in a way that looked similar to the damage Marinna had seen the loumara cause earlier.

A shudder ran down Marinna’s back as she realized that the loumara must have tried to inflict its rending on Drizzt in retaliation for the direct strike to its body, and Laeral had lost the illusions to the effort require to turn the rending back on it.

Even without the illusion of the loumara's body, however, Drizzt was still making strikes with confidence.

Then there was another screech that Marinna could actually hear, but it died away quickly, and Drizzt stopped moving even as Stela launched off his shoulder.

When Laeral reached down to clamp her hand around her calf, Marinna knew that the loumara had to be gone, and asked Bright Eyes to take her down to them.

She closed her eyes as Bright Eyes descended, dismissing the hawk’s vision weave, and when she opened them again at the sound of hooves thudding on dirt, her vision was back to normal.

“One human, to the northeast,” Drizzt was saying as Marinna dismounted and walked over to him and Laeral. “Seems to be dropped on the ground.”

“One of the puppets you mentioned the loumara might have?” Marinna asked.

“Presumably,” Laeral replied.

“If I get Stela to guide you to the person, would the two of you be willing to go ahead on Bright Eyes while I go get our packs and guide Verad, Nikho, and the horses?” Drizzt asked.

“If Laeral is, I am,” Marinna said.

“Of course,” Laeral agreed. “But first, Drizzt, you should take this, since I saw it bite you.” She fished a vial out of one of her pockets and held it out to Drizzt.

At that, Drizzt looked puzzled, then started laughing. “Just that fast, I had forgotten,” he said cheerfully, before he downed the contents of the vial and returned it to her.

---

The person that Stela had seen proved, once Laeral and Marinna reached them, to be the missing Shienaran scout—which left Laeral quite impressed with her sheer willpower and tenacity, to have survived for so long as the loumara’s puppet.

But even so, she was clearly only barely still alive, so Marinna cast a healing weave on her to make sure she didn’t die before she regained consciousness. And when the scout did do so, Laeral let Marinna take the lead in dealing with her, only asserting herself enough to insist the scout drink a potion.

By the time that Drizzt, Verad, and Nikho arrived with the horses, it was clear that the scout was in no shape to travel yet, so Laeral joined the three of them in setting up a camp that would be comfortable for a longer stay.

---

Three weeks of healing weaves, careful feeding, and good shelter got the scout into good enough condition that she could at least keep herself on a horse, at which point she started to insist on returning to her fort of origin.

Since that would be best handled by Marinna and her Warders, but Marinna did not wish to delay any further on getting at least some form of report to the Captain-General of the Green Ajah, Laeral and Drizzt agreed to carry a letter for her on their return. And since the scout had been given Drizzt’s spare set of clothing, it wasn’t even like they would have to go out of their way to deliver it, as they had agreed that it made the most sense to get more clothes for him from the Ogier community there.

---

A week after parting from Marinna, her Warders, and the scout, Laeral and Drizzt entered Tar Valon again.

As it was still early in the day, they went straight to the Tower to deliver Marinna’s report. One very intense meeting with Halani later, they left the Tower and went to find an inn.

And once they had obtained rooms in the same inn as before, they settled into the baths to relax from the journey before visiting the Ogier community.

---

End notes

I couldn't find a way to fit it in, but Laeral does still recommend that anyone who desires to learn more about demons and how to defend against them go to Silverymoon. Marinna mentioned the need in her letter for Halani and that was one of the things Halani asked about during the meeting where the letter was delivered.

And because they got to Tar Valon so much faster, Drizzt and Laeral's encounter with Broken Chain and his pack happened on their way out of the elan-lands.

---

Ranger, Druid, and Pegasus (2044 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore, Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Drizzt Do'Urden, Original Characters, Alustriel Silverhand, Andelver Aerasumé
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Fusion, not a lot of Wheel of Time stuff in this one, but it's very much part of a fusion universe
Series: Part 1 of A Crossing of the Realms, Part 1 of Ranger and Pegasus in the Wheel
Summary:

What if Drizzt and Aronna had saved Bright Eyes's egg a few years before Drizzt struck out on his own?

---

Beginning notes

Inspired by senmut and ilyena_sylph's fics Ranger and Pegasus and Never a Blade, Ever a Ranger.

If you are confused by this fic, please go read those fics, as this fic very much assumes familiarity with them.

---

Ranger, Druid, and Pegasus

1332 DR, early fall

Since spring, when she and her student had ended up with the care of a pegasus foal, Aronna Plainswind had been giving careful consideration to their plans for the winter. And now, most of two seasons later, it was time to talk to her student about their options.

“Drizzt,” she called, causing her student to halt the game of tag he’d been playing with the filly he’d taken to calling Bright Eyes, “we need to discuss our wintering plans.”

A look of confusion crossed Drizzt’s face, but he came over and sat down beside her, the filly following him. “We’re not just going to spend the winter in your grove?” he asked.

“That’s one option,” Aronna said, “but even with the gathering you’ve been doing, I’m a bit concerned that we might not have enough food to get Bright Eyes through the winter.

“So the other option I’ve been considering is spending the winter at Mielikki’s Glade in Silverymoon. Which does have some added benefits beyond simply not having to worry about that.”

“I assume that other teachers for me is one of them,” Drizzt said, “but are there any others?”

“I’ve heard that the sons of the city’s ruler ride pegasi,” Aronna said, “so if we spend the winter there, we might be able to get advice on caring for Bright Eyes from an expert.”

“Then yes, let’s do that!”

---

Late in the morning, two weeks later, the guards at the Sundabar Gate saw a most unusual group approaching. The woman in brown and green, walking with a staff, would have been unremarkable, even with the wolverine at her heels—as such was surely an indication that she was a druid or ranger—if not for her companion. Companions, really. Which were a drow and a very young pegasus.

When the group reached the gates, the squire on duty had to remind herself not to gape, as now that they were closer, the drow proved to be even more unusual than he had seemed from a distance, given that he had Ogier symbols on his faceguard and wore a Dreadbane sigil on his cloak.

After a pause to collect herself that she hoped had not been noticeable, the squire asked their names and business in Silverymoon, and the woman replied, “Druid Aronna Plainswind, with her student, Ranger Drizzt Do’Urden, of Stedding Corwal, and Drizzt’s friend Bright Eyes, come to spend the winter at the Glade.”

“Of course,” the squire said. “Do you need directions to the Glade?”

“No, I’ve been there before. But thank you.” And with that, the group passed through the gates and into the city.

With a concerted effort, the squire turned her attention to the next person seeking to enter the city, making a mental note to be sure to attend evenfeast that night, as the conversation was sure to be interesting.

---

Late that afternoon, after her appointments had finished for the day, Alustriel was taking the time to read through the notes and missives about the city’s doings that had come in that day, when she found herself having to stop and reread one from the squire who had been on duty at the Sundabar Gate that morning.

Yes, it really did say ‘A drow Dreadbane ranger of Mielikki wearing Ogier symbols and claiming a stedding, who has a very young pegasus friend, has entered the city with his teacher, to spend the winter at the Glade.’

“Well,” Alustriel murmured to herself, “this is bound to prove interesting.” And before she moved on to the next missive, she took the time to write a note to be sent to the Ladyservant, asking if the ranger would like an experienced pegasus rider to come teach him how to properly care for his friend.

---

Alustriel’s note had gone out the next morning, and that evening, a reply arrived, saying that the ranger would be very grateful to receive such teaching, so Alustriel reached out to her sons.

~Can any of you come spend the winter in Silverymoon?~

Most of her sons only offered regrets, but Andy said ~I might be able to. Why are you asking?~

~A ranger of Mielikki with a very young pegasus friend has come to the city with his teacher, to spend the winter at the Glade,~ Alustriel replied, ~and would be grateful for lessons from an experienced pegasus rider.~

~For that, I can definitely come,~ Andy said. ~I’ll need some time to wrap things up here, but I should arrive within a month.~

---

Andy arrived in late morning a bit less than three weeks later, and meeting with the ranger and his teacher was arranged for the next morning.

Alustriel made sure to warn him of how unusual the ranger was, but even with that warning, he returned looking surprised and a bit disturbed. But as she had only been taking a moment for herself between appointments, there was nothing she could do right then.

That night, however, once she had returned from the parties she had attended after evenfeast, she invited him to come to her rooms for a talk. He arrived quickly enough that she knew it had been the right thing to do, and once he had settled on the other end of the divan, she asked, “How did the meeting with the ranger and his teacher go?”

“It went quite well,” Andy replied. “The ranger’s name, by the way, is Drizzt Do’Urden, his teacher is Aronna Plainswind—a druid, oddly enough—and the pegasus is Bright Eyes.

“We agreed on lessons two mornings a week—one day for Drizzt to practice riding with Kairthon, and one day to work on everything else with Bright Eyes. But… you haven’t actually met Drizzt and Bright Eyes, have you?”

“No, I haven’t. I’ve only heard about them from others. Why?”

“Because if you had met them,” Andy said, “I would have had some sharp words for you regarding the lack of warning about how extremely young both of them are.”

“What do you mean?” Alustriel asked, her curiosity now piqued. She had assumed that the pegasus—Bright Eyes—being called ‘very young’ meant that they were still visibly immature, but of an appropriate age to have left their parents’ care for that of a future rider. And no one had mentioned anything about the ranger—Drizzt—being young.

“Bright Eyes hatched this spring,” Andy replied. “As for Drizzt…” He sighed and ran a hand over his hair before continuing, “If he’s even reached fifty, I will eat Kairthon’s tack raw.”

“Well then,” Alustriel said. “I think I had best talk to Qilué about him, since if he’s that young, something strange is going on.”

“You haven’t done so already?”

“No,” Alustriel admitted. “I’ve been assuming he was an established follower of Eilistraee who recently discovered a calling as a ranger, and therefore she’d already know about him.”

“How would that work with him claiming a stedding, though?”

“It would be an unusual use of the sanctuary that steddings offer,” Alustriel said, “but I could see a follower of Eilistraee who was concerned about their family seeking for them choosing to live in a stedding for a while.

“And if they did so for long enough to become an established member of the community, they might well have earned a permanent home there.”

“Mmm.” Andy looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “That second part might not even be too far off from how Drizzt ended up claiming a stedding.”

The conversation wound down from there, and once Andy had left, Alustriel reached out to her youngest sister. ~Qilué, dear, I’ve something of a mystery for you.~

~Oh?~ Qilué said. ~Presumably about a drow, if you’re contacting me, but what is it?~

~Three weeks ago, I received a note informing me that ‘A drow Dreadbane ranger of Mielikki wearing Ogier symbols and claiming a stedding, who has a very young pegasus friend, has entered the city with his teacher, to spend the winter at the Glade.’~

Alustriel had to pause there, to wait for her anklet to finish recharging, but once it had, she continued. ~I admit that I assumed the ranger was one of your people, even with the mention of him claiming a stedding, but I sent a note offering him lessons from an experienced pegasus rider, and he accepted, so Andy agreed to come spend the winter teaching him.~

~I am unaware of anyone who has been called as a ranger, and am certain that no one has earned the right to claim a stedding,~ Qilué said, ~—and I do want you to explain how you thought that was possible—but somehow, I don’t think that’s what you meant by a mystery.~

~No, it’s not,~ Alustriel agreed. ~Andy met with the ranger—Drizzt Do’Urden—and his teacher this morning, and he says that Drizzt is extremely young.

~To be specific, he’s sworn to eat Kairthon’s tack raw if Drizzt is even fifty.~

~Oh. My,~ Qilué said. ~I see what you mean by a mystery. That is far too young for one of us to be away from their family.

~Which means that somehow, my Lady is unaware of this very obviously good drow. I will inform Her and let you know what, if anything, She is able to find out.~

~And I’ll keep you updated on anything Andy learns about him.~

---

Eilistraee had proved to be completely unable to see Drizzt on her own, and even with Andy acting as a anchor for her during one of his lessons with Drizzt, She was still only barely able to perceive the young ranger.

And so, it was decided that Andy would approach Aronna while Drizzt was off having lessons with another ranger who was wintering in the city.

---

A week after they had first met him, Aronna came up from her meditation in the Glade to find Drizzt’s teacher in pegasus care and riding sitting quietly beside her. “Are you looking for Drizzt?” she asked.

“Actually, I came to talk to you,” Andy said.

Aronna tilted her head curiously. “About what?”

“An offer of lessons of a different kind for Drizzt.”

“And you’re coming to me with this offer because…?”

“Because the subject is a potentially touchy one, and you’re the one who knows him well enough to say if I should even bring it up with him.”

“I have to admit, I’m having trouble thinking of what such a subject might be,” Aronna said, “so please, do tell me what it is.”

“Eilistraee and Her followers,” Andy said.

“While that name does sound vaguely familiar, I’m unable to place it,” Aronna admitted, “though the emphasis makes it clear that you’re talking about a goddess.”

“Eilistraee, also known as the Dark Maiden, is the goddess followed by all the other good drow that I know of,” Andy said.

“Ah,” Aronna said. “That’s why it was only vaguely familiar. I’ve only heard mention of Her from Drizzt, after a moon elf we had shared a fight with told him a little of Her.

“Well, I certainly can’t see any harm in asking him if he wants to learn more of Her, and I even think it might do him some good to truly know that he is not so utterly alone among the people he was born to.”

---

A conversation with Drizzt after the next pegasus care lesson resulted in an eager acceptance of the offer, so Andy added an extra morning to their lessons.

Drizzt eagerly drank in the knowledge imparted during the new lessons, and as the season progressed, Andy saw that Aronna had been entirely correct in thinking that it would do Drizzt good to know that he was truly not the only good drow in existence.

By the time that spring came around, Andy and Drizzt had developed a true friendship, spending time together even outside of lessons.

And when Aronna declared their intention to leave the city in a week, Andy not only gave Drizzt a full set of the special tack that his family used for riding on their friends, he told the ranger, “The Promenade of the Dark Maiden is near Waterdeep, should you ever wish to meet the other drow like you.”

---

If He Was Alive… (60300 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 41/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé, Elinthalar Aerasumé, Ellifain Tuuserail
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters, Implied/Referenced Unplanned Pregnancy, that tag only applies to the Zanna‘Verse
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.

If He Was Alive… (57102 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 39/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé, Elinthalar Aerasumé, Ellifain Tuuserail
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters, Implied/Referenced Unplanned Pregnancy, that tag only applies to the Zanna‘Verse
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.

If He Was Alive… (55853 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 37/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé, Elinthalar Aerasumé, Ellifain Tuuserail
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters, Implied/Referenced Unplanned Pregnancy, that tag only applies to the Zanna‘Verse
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.

If He Was Alive… (54844 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 35/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé, Elinthalar Aerasumé, Ellifain Tuuserail
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters, Implied/Referenced Unplanned Pregnancy, that tag only applies to the Zanna‘Verse
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.

If He Was Alive… (52097 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 33/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters, Implied/Referenced Unplanned Pregnancy, that tag only applies to the Zanna‘Verse
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.

If He Was Alive… (48544 words) by Somariel
Chapters: 31/?
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series – R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Alustriel Silverhand/Original Character(s)
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Original Elf Character(s), Inthylyn Aerasumé, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Drizzt Do’Urden, Ghaelryss Aerasumé, Uoundeld Aerasumé, Andelver Aerasumé
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tags updated as I write things, Ensemble Cast, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Trauma, Recovery, Alternate Universe - Fusion, the Fusion tag only applies to certain chapters
Summary:

Inspired by "Aiding Love to Grow" and various other Legend of Drizzt AUs written by Merfilly, with or without ilyena_sylph, scenes and snippets from universes where the father of Alustriel's sons is alive in those AUs.