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Hide in the Midnight	By : Rainsong Category: A through F > Forgotten Realms Views: 5296 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Forgotten Realms series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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A/N *For those who wondered “Antunia” is a drow name I got directly out of the D&D 2nd Ed.: The Drow of the Underdark. Rhode Island did not eat me but thanks for asking.

Antunia awoke again but unlike the first time she became fully aware in an instant. She stared at the wall, watching the firelight flicking on the wall. The sound of someone stirring the embers encouraged her to sit up and take a look. She managed to sit up with the aid of some pillows before her trembling limbs gave.
A loud roaring entered her ears, deafeningly loud. Her temples began to pound in rhythm with the roar. The light from the fire burned her eyes; she closed her eyes tightly against the pain. She took a deep breath and immediately regretted it. Groaning softly she rolled onto her right side. Soft footsteps approached her; a hand touched her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes and she was once again staring at a male drow, kneeling at the edge of the bed.
“Are you in pain?” he asked, concern written with a heavy pen upon his face.
She stared at him in shock at his command of the Common tongue, but she was more surprised at his concern. A sharp pain lanced through her head reminding her of the roaring in her ears. She nodded slowly and he walked away. He returned a moment later with an earthenware cup; he helped her sit up. His gentleness amazed her.
“Here,” he said holding the cup to her lips. “This will help.”
As she drank she watched him warily over the cup’s rim. He smiled at her, apparently trying to reassure her. After she had drained the cup he propped her up using the pillows. He sat the cup on the bedside table. She followed his hand with her eyes; on the table near the cup she spotted a familiar leather bound book. She stiffened and looked at him. He picked up the journal and held it out to her. She snatched it from him and clutched it to her chest.
“I’m sorry. We had to know if it was safe to trust you,” he said softly.
“Where am I?” Antunia asked, wincing at the hoarse sound of her voice.
“This is a guest room in Mithral Hall, the home of Clan Battlehammer and me.”
She looked around the room slowly taking in her surroundings. From the open fireplace to the wood paneled walls and door that locked from the inside; the room did not look like any prison she had ever seen. Nor did it look like anything she had seen in the Underdark; the room was warm and inviting. She gathered the bed sheets around herself and threw her legs over the bed’s edge. The male grabbed her shoulders as she tried to rise.
“Whoa! Getting up right now might not be wise; you were badly injured.” He said, gently forcing her to sit. “Stumpet is still putting your ribs back together.”
She frowned up at him but remained where she was.
“Would you like something to eat?” he asked releasing her.
She nodded, a little distracted. He smiled at her before leaving her alone in the room. With him gone she heaved herself to her feet. Bracing herself against the furniture she made her way to the dresser where she had seen some of her things piled. She noted with surprise that her clothes were neatly folded and in drawers. Dropping the sheet she dressed quickly. She pulled on a burgundy raw silk shirt and her trademark skin tight doeskin pants. Antunia was dismayed at the way her clothes hung off of her. She looked in the mirror, really looked for the first time in a very longtime. She raised a hand and touched the dark smudges under her eyes. She touched her hair it hung in dull, limp strands around her face.
“What are you doing up?” the male from before demanded.
She turned and looked at him, he stood in the doorway, a covered tray balanced on one arm. She peered around him and saw two armed dwarves peeking in curiously, one held a tray set for tea. They blanched when they met her eyes.
‘Do I really look that bad?’ She thought as she turned back to the mirror.
A pale, thin face stared back at her with sunken eyes and cheeks. She looked down at her hands and saw that they were the same pale, sickly hue as her face. She heard the drow speak and looked up in time to see the unburdened dwarf leave. The other dwarf set the tray down on an empty table before he too left; the door closed with a soft click.
Setting his tray down carefully the drow approached her. He startled her out of her reverie when he grabbed her elbow and gently steered her toward the fireplace. Once she was seated he tucked a lap rug around her legs. He turned to retrieve the trays but froze when she touched his arm.
“All?” Was her whispered question as she stared at her journal where it lay upon the dresser.
He calmly followed her gaze before answering. “Yes, every word.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Drizzt Do’Urden.”
“Drizzt.” She repeated before removing her hand from his arm.
Drizzt retrieved the trays and set them in front of her. He poured tea for them before sitting in the chair opposite her. She noticed him staring at her as she nibbled on a piece of cheese. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as she surveyed the contents of the tray. The tray was piled with muffins, cheese, fresh fruit, and a bowl of thick broth.
‘I’ll never be able to eat all that!’ she thought distantly.
His voice was soft as he spoke. “Why do they think you stole that horse?”
Her eyes snapped toward him as she stiffened indignantly.
“Firefoot was the only well trained horse that disgusting horse trader had. I bought Firefoot with my own gold. He’s angry because I wounded his masculine pride by not bedding him. The prig.” Her voice was so cold ice could have formed on her lips.
She watched in delight as confusion crossed his face. She reached for her unicorn amulet, finding it gone she became alarmed. Drizzt pulled the amulet from his pocket and handed it to her. Snatching the amulet from him, she cradled it to her like it was a child. She fiddled with the chain before separating a ring from it and slid it onto the third finger of her left hand. She whispered a word of command and closed her eyes as a familiar tingle came to her skin. The tingling retreated as she opened her eyes.
Drizzt stared at her his mouth hanging slightly open. She knew without looking in the mirror what he saw. He saw what everyone else when she wore this ring. In her place stood a tan elven woman with black hair. But this time unlike all the other times she had used it she felt a tinge of shame. She whispered the command word again and she returned to “normal”.
She stared at her hands as she spoke. “It was a gift. I’m safe in public as long as I use it.”
“It was never mentioned in your journal.” Drizzt replied carefully.
“I thought it was safer if I omitted it,” She said with a shrug.
“Here, you should eat,” Drizzt said gesturing toward the tray. “It’ll help you get better.”
She stared at him confused. Why did she feel shame at her illusion ring? Why was she unafraid of him? She should be angry and afraid; she was helpless and knew it.
“Antunia…” Drizzt started.
“Don’t! Call! Me! That! That part of me is dead. I buried it when I came to the surface. I’m Ann now, not the cold, unfeeling thing Antunia was.” She shouted before dissolving into tears.
“Alright, alright. I’m sorry. Please calm down.” He said soothingly as he gently chafed her wrists. “I’m not the same person I was then either.”
She drew a deep calming breath and wiped her eyes with one hand. She nodded and he returned to his chair. Once seated he again pushed food on her. Drizzt let the silence between them hang. As she ate the broth her thoughts circled in frenzy, chattering like the voices of thousand bats. It made her headache and her stomach twist. The door banged open and Ann whipped around in her chair.
“What in the Abyss be ye doin’ up?” A very irate dwarven woman roared.
“I wanted my clothes.” Ann replied tightly.
“Bah!” the dwarf threw her hands in the air with disgust.
Drizzt chuckled softly at the slightly dismayed look Ann wore at Stumpet’s ranting. She carefully levered herself out of her chair, wobbling slightly. Stumpet shrieked angrily, startling the already unsteady woman into tangling her legs in the lap rug. She crumpled to the floor with a soft whimper. Stumpet and Drizzt rushed to her side, when Stumpet saw that Ann was not injured any further the crease in her brow smoothed.
“How long was I out?” she asked as he helped her stand.
“Three days.” He replied as he provided a steady arm the aid her in sitting on the bed.
“Oh.”
“Don’t mind Stumpet, she dislikes difficult patients.”
Ann chuckled softly. “Don’t all clerics.”
Drizzt smiled at her words. Ann looked at him strangely before settling back on her pillows. Stumpet came over and removed the bandage from Ann’s ribs long enough; much to Ann’s discomfort, to shift a few more bone fragments back into their proper places. After replacing the bandage Stumpet presented her with another bitter concoction; Ann slid quietly to sleep a few moments later.

TBC
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Hide in the Midnight