The Do'Urden Brothers

Chapter 14

Dinin was only aware of pain. It filled his senses, blocking out the rest of the world. It was like a thick blanket completely enveloping him in anguish. He couldn't feel his own body, couldn't move, couldn't even cry out for help.

You failed me you worthless male... How dare you betray me! Malice's face loomed over him, he could see her as clearly as life, despite the judgemental hateful expression she wore, he longed to reach up to her, to beg her...

Mother... please... he thought. I have never failed you... I've done everything you've ever asked...

He felt a new wave of agony as Malice's image was replaced by Briza, her terrible six snake whip came down on him, he cried out as he felt it's sting.

You are only a male... you are worth nothing! No matter what you do it will never be enough!

No! Dinin screamed, his head listing back and forth as he tried to cry out, trying to reason. And then he felt the pain of his bones cracking, his body contorting into a drider, Malice and Briza and Vierna all sat around him laughing at him as limbs sprouted from his body and he screamed and screamed until his throat was raw. No one came to help him, no one could save him. No one cared.

But suddenly, the pain ebbed away. Malice and her daughters began to fade, their evil cackling images shrank and soon they were completely gone. Dinin felt the slight weight of a hand on his forehead. That solid tactile touch was enough to chase away all the memories, all the agony.

Dinin blinked, his deep crimson eyes cracked open cautiously. A blurry image loomed over him and he felt afraid. "No..." he gasped, frowning at how small his own voice sounded. "Please... Malice..."

The image moved and reached out to him and he winced, preparing for the whip he knew would come, but instead, he felt a warm, wet, soothing cloth gently pressing into his head, wetting his hair, the moisture dripping into his scalp.

"Brother," came a voice and as he blinked, the image slowly began to come into focus. The lavender eyes and soft features became clearer as consciousness and feeling began to seep into Dinin's body.

"Drizzt?" Dinin coughed, his chest spasming painfully as he tried to form the words. Drizzt nodded, pulling back his hand which was holding the warm cloth he had been dabbing at Dinin's face.

"I am certainly not Malice," Drizzt responded and Dinin frowned, realizing he must have spoken his thoughts out loud. He felt embarrassed, a feeling of anger settling over him as he realized he had allowed himself to be vulnerable in front of the one drow that he hated.

At least, he thought he hated. But he realized those feelings of hate and anger seemed almost forced, like they weren't really there. And they certainly didn't take away his pain like they once did. It still gnawed at him, both the physical pain he felt in his body at the moment, the soreness that made itself known as he tried to move his hands, and the emotional pain he felt when he thought of Malice and Briza and how they mocked him and berated him.

Dinin gazed around at his surroundings. He was in a bed chambers. He was in a comfortable bed with a blanket draped over his lower body, his bare chest exposed. He caught the scent of sweet floral smoke in the air and the calming sound of harps coming from somewhere outside the room. The room was dimly lit by a small torch in the corner.

"You should have left me to die," he murmured as he focused on Drizzt as his brother continued to dab at his forehead with the cloth. His touch was soothing. Calming. Dinin didn't want to admit that he liked it. He wanted to cling to his jealousy of his brother, to blame him for everything that had happened to him.