Meeting In the Meadows
Lilithia turned to the side as she sensed the shadows following them just beyond a copse of thick trees. She knew who it was, likely the elves. Some elves, but not the elves she was looking for. Drizzt noticed her expression and nodded, calling out to the hidden people.
“She’s harmless.” He called out, looking to her. He looked to her weapons belt then nodded as she began to unbuckle it. She hand the belt to him, pulling out her wand and placing it in his hand. She grasped the amulet, hesitant, but his nod of encouragement forced her to give it to him as well. She pulled the knives out of her boots and then she pulled her cloak off and easily removed her armor. She wouldn’t need it in a fight; it would be useless anyways if they were set on killing her.
Lilithia gave Drizzt a worried look as he motioned her forward out into the meadow enclosed by the thicket. She stopped in the center, watching and waiting. As she expected, four elves, one in front, on behind and two at either side, stepped out holding notched long bows pointed at her throat. She gulped and wrung her hands as they approached.
“The Blood Queen.” One said, scowling as the scar on thigh revealed her identity. She looked upon the four of them, their hair shades from blond to brown-black, eyes of blue brown and green all keyed on her and never blinking. The leader, she guess, standing before her, put his bow back and pulled out a wickedly edge scimitar, stepping up to her. She stood almost a full two inches shorter than him. But he knew what her reputation was, almost too well.
“Why are you here, and why is the likes of Drizzt Do’Urden with you, evil queen?” he asked, his musical voiced as cold as the steel of his blade. Lilithia looked back at Drizzt, who was standing with only his own things. A fifth elf had taken charge of her things, and now the two were watching. Lilithia looked back to the elf, the blood draining from her face.
“I’m… he was escorting me. I’m here to talk about Ay-“ She was interrupted, her mouth slipping closed eagerly.
“Aya. My sister. How dare you!” He hissed, pressing the blade to her throat. She’d never seen an elf act so angry, normally the race was quite demure and kind.
“I… I’m changed, I came to offer an apology…” She stammered, her gold flecked lavender eyes starting to sparkle in fearful tears. She had to be strong though, if she would die for her deeds, she would die and there would be no resistance.
“Your eyes…” He asked cautiously, glancing to Drizzt. Drizzt shrugged and shook his head, nodding to Lilithia. “Tie her up. I want her blindfolded and gagged, we cannot have a meeting with… her, so near the village.” He said to the elf standing to her left. He didn’t even have to finish the sentence, the two elves at her sides had already started towards her and were tying her wrists behind her back. When she cringed as the ropes scratched across her tender wrists, the elf standing at her right loosened them a little, the elf on the left tying a blindfold over her eyes and another cloth over her mouth. What good would it do anyways, she thought, I haven’t a wand to cast anything more powerful than a charm. She was jostled along through a rough path, then put on a horse for the remainder of the long trip. She could feel the heat of day waning, the arms closing more securely around her. She felt a chin rest on her shoulder when she sighed, the lips of the speaker almost touching her tall black ear.
“Not long, Lilith.” He whispered, his voice not showing a single tinge of venom. “Now, why exactly have you returned to Riverdale?” He asked, pulling her gag down a bit. She could hear that the others had dropped away now, and as he pulled the blindfold down around her throat with the gag, she looked around. They were on a high mountain meadow, perhaps on the far side of the mountain.
“I came to make amends for my grave deed.” She said, her tone soft and lamenting. He nodded, slipping off the horse then helping her down.
“My name is Malifain. I saw the tears of your eyes in the meadow. You are not laughing at my sister’s death now.” He said, his tone flat and sincere.
Lilithia nodded, rubbing her wrists as they were untied. Malifain glanced at her, one hand ready on the hilt f his scimitar.
“I won’t fight. I have no weapons. Slay me where I stand if it will please you.” She said, pushing her white hair back from her neck. Malifain shook his head and frowned.
“A live given does not replace a life taken.” He said, sighing and shaking his head. “You speak with the naïveté of youth, Lilithia.”
“Then I wish to serve you. To replace Aya. I wish to right all the wrongs I have done, I will raise my weapons only in protection of Riverdale’s populace. Never against them.” She said, looking back into Malifain’s dazzling blue eyes. Indeed, if Aya had been a slightly older girl, with different skin and hair, she might have been this very girl. Malifain couldn’t deny her beauty, even among his own kind. He had never found a maiden to call his own, but how foolish it was t have a hope Lilithia might perhaps be telling the truth. They were the same ages, Malifain just four years older than her. She may prove to be full of surprises, like she was the day he caught her after that slaughter of his young sister. The day he slashed her thigh beyond the repair of magic.
“And if I cannot oblige you?” Malifain asked, knowing that the elves of Riverdale would be hesitant to have a drow among them.
“I shall turn my back and leave to continue on my journey away from Riverdale.” She responded, earning a nod from the elf. Malifain held a hand out to her, smiling as she placed hers in his.
“I will accept it. Twenty years, not a day less?” He said, clearly daring her devotions. Lilithia nodded. Twenty years might prove time for something to grow strong.
“My life, if need be.” She replied, her refreshed smile making his own grow. “I wish only to prove that I am not that … that which I was. That Lilithia has died in the dark of Menzoberranzan.” She said, squeezing his hand. Malifain nodded, reaching a hand to tap his lip.
“What brought about this change? And you know, of all things, that the pain of losing my only sister would never be fully sated.” Once more Lilithia nodded, pulling her hand away from his as he crossed his arms.
“My… father. Drizzt Do’Urden.” She admitted. Why waste time lying to the elves? They would surely find out eventually. Malifain looked at her, not at all surprised. Her striking posture, the lavender eyes. The bloody legend of her blades. It all created a puzzle that Malifain had long ago known the answer to.
“He has taken responsibility for you as long as he is among us. He was reluctant, but he says that he will return at our call, and that you will be transferred to my responsibility when he leaves in a tenday. If you step out of line we are granted to kill you.” He said, his face stoic, and his voice stern like his straight and sculpted face. She nodded, knowing full well if she desired he could have been dead by now. She had no weapons or magical items, but she could have just pounced on him and throttled him with the rope he had. Malifain knew this too, and as he helped her to mount his tall stallion again, this time behind him, he smiled.
Drizzt and the other four were waiting for them in the village square and as they approached, the four elves jumped up from where they sat in the grass, conversing with Drizzt, and grabbed bows. Malifain waved them away as he and Lilithia dismounted, keeping her behind himself.
“She’s harmless.” He said, smiling to Drizzt. “You have done well in tempering her. I see little of the vicious Blood Queen.” He said, noticing Drizzt’s proud smile. The smile of a father. Lilithia glanced over at him, noticing that the elves had never taken his weapons.
“She will get her weapons back in eight tendays,” Malifain corrected before anyone had said a word, “And she is to be watched, but not guarded.” He said, glancing at one of the elves, the black haired male with glittering green hued eyes.
He reached back and tugged Lilithia’s elbow bringing her ahead of him.
“No longer the Blood Queen, she is Lilithia. Lilithia is now my sister, and has taken on twenty years,” He announced, to the incredulous scowls he received, “And not one day less. She is under my watch and if you harm her it will be punished.” He said, wrapping an arm around Lilithia that caught her off guard. He held her waist close as he nodded to the four elves, their bows slowly going down. “You may go now.” He said, turning to Drizzt. “As may you.”
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