been known to sail south of the City of Splendors. She has a reputation for putting into dock, wherever that dock may be, for the winter months."
There, he had said it, plainly and bluntly. Wulfgar looked at him, trying hard to take no offense. Logically, he understood the captain's reasoning. He hadn't been of much help to Sea Sprite's efforts of late, he had to admit. While that only made him want to get right back into battle, he understood that Deudermont had more to worry about than the sensibilities of one warrior.
Wulfgar found it hard to get the words out of his mouth, but he graciously said, "I will spend the winter with my family. If you would allow us the use of your house through the season."
"Of course," said Deudermont. He managed a smile and gently patted Wulfgar on the shoulder, which meant that he had to reach up a considerable distance. "Enjoy these moments with your family," he said quietly and with great compassion. "We will seek out Sheila Kree in the spring, on my word, and Aegis-fang will be returned to its rightful owner."
Every fiber within Wulfgar wanted to refuse this entire scenario, wanted to shout out at Deudermont that he was not a broken warrior, that he would find his way back to the battle, with all of the fury, and, more importantly, with all of the discipline demanded by a crack crew. He wanted to explain to the captain that he would find his way clear, to assure the man that the warrior who was Wulfgar, son of Beornegar, was waiting to be freed of this emotional prison to find his way back.
But Wulfgar held back the thoughts. In light of his recent, dangerous failures in battle, it was not his place to argue with Deudermont but rather to graciously accept the captain's polite excuse to get him off the ship.
They would be in Waterdeep in a tenday's time, and there Wulfgar would stay.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Delly Curtie found Drizzt and Catti-brie packing their belongings, preparing to leave Deudermont's house early the next morning.
"Sea Sprite will likely return soon," she explained to the duo.
"Likely," Drizzt echoed. "But I fear there might already be news of a confrontation between Kree and Sea Sprite, farther in the north. We will go to Luskan, where we are to meet with some friends and follow a trail that will take us to Kree, or to Wulfgar."
Delly thought about it for just a moment. "Give me some time to pack and to ready Colson," she said.
Catti-brie was shaking her head before Delly ever finished the thought. "Ye'll slow us down," she said.
"If ye're going to Wulfgar, then me place is with yerself," the woman replied firmly.
"We're not knowing that we're going to Wulfgar," Catti-brie replied with all honesty and with measured calm. "It might well be that Wulfgar will soon enough be here, with Sea Sprite. If that's the truth, then better that ye're here to meet with him and tell him all that ye know."
"If you come with us, and Sea Sprite puts into Waterdeep, Wulfgar will be terribly worried about you," Drizzt explained. "You stay here - the watch will keep you and your child safe now."
Delly considered the pair for a few moments, her trepidation obvious on her soft features. Catti-brie caught it clearly and certainly understood.
"If we're first to Wulfgar, then we'll be coming with him back here," she said, and Delly relaxed visibly.
After a moment, the woman nodded her agreement.
Drizzt and Catti-brie left a short while later, after gaining assurances from the authorities that Deudermont's house, and Delly and Colson, would be guarded day and night.
"Our road's going back and forth," Catti-brie remarked to the drow as they made their way out of the great city's northern gate. "And all the while, Wulfgar's sailing out there, back and forth. We've just got to hope that our routes cross soon enough, though I'm thinking that he'll be landing in Waterdeep while we're walking into Luskan."
Drizzt didn't crack a smile at her humorous words and tone. He looked to her and stared intently, giving her a moment to reflect on the raid of the previous night, and the dangerous implications, then said grimly, "We've just got to hope that Sea Sprite is still afloat and that Wulfgar is still alive."
Part3
THE BLOODY TRAIL
nce again Catti-brie shows me that she knows me better than I know myself. As we came