The Do'Urden Brothers

Chapter 15

Regis poured himself another glass of ale to wash down his large breakfast. The eggs and ham had been piled high as per usual, and despite this being his second meal of the morning, the halfling didn't slow one bit as he continued to shovel food into his mouth.

Eating was Regis's favorite pastime, along with sleeping. And after everything that had been expected of him lately, why didn't he deserve this treat?

"Ye are eating me out of house and home, Rumblebelly," Bruenor complained as he sat at the head of the long table, one elbow propped up on the table, his face resting against that hand as he watched the halfling go back to his eggs.

"I should fortify myself for the battle," Regis protested simply as he chewed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "As should you."

"We should be with them," Bruenor lamented, not for the first time since the two friends had been sharing their morning meal together. Regis sighed, putting aside his meal to give his undivided attention to his dwarf friend. It wasn't as if he wasn't feeling the same way. He wanted to be traveling alongside Drizzt and Catti-brie too, and in all honesty, Regis was glad to see that adventure lust return to the dwarf king's eyes. The Halfling could only hope that Bruenor was finally moving past Wulfgar's death and becoming his friend again.

"We are needed here," Regis explained for the second time that morning. "You are the king and there are war plans to be made. You know that."

"Dagna can take care of all that," Bruenor replied. "In fact, I'm of the mind that we should hand the whole place over to him and go after Drizzt."

"And leave Mithral Hall to its fate without a king?" Regis's point of logic was taken stoically, as he knew Bruenor was only partially serious about such action. He would never leave Mithral Hall in its time of need, no matter how much he wanted to.

Regis felt for his friend. Bruenor had always been up for an adventure. And despite the discomfort of it, the halfling had to admit that he longed for the road too. He remembered all those times in Icewind Dale beside Drizzt, Catti-brie, and Wulfgar when it seemed the friends didn't have a care in the world. When the road was before them and there was no end in sight.

But now, there were duties. Regis recalled the day they had all set out in search of Mithral Hall those years ago, and he wondered if Bruenor had understood what lay at the end of that road. The duty of a king and the end of adventures on the road. If Bruenor had truly considered that, had he had ever set out for such a fate?

That fate was upon them now and the kingdom Bruenor had taken back from the duergar and the dragon needed him. With thousands of drow elves bearing down on them, fanatically bent on the conquest of this dwarven kingdom; Bruenor was needed. His courage, his drive, and his strength was what the dwarves needed now.

But the waiting was relentless. There was nothing to do now except plan for the war. And Regis and Bruenor had spent countless hours pouring over maps and battle plans with Dagna and the other generals. All of their resources were needed. Silverymoon, Nesme, and the barbarian tribe in Settlestone were all committed to this fight, ready to fight and die in defense of everything they held dear.

But it would take the drow a while to be ready for the assault. If Drizzt was correct, Matron Baenres struggled to rally the other houses to her cause. Regis hoped that perhaps this invasion would never happen if the drow continued with their in fighting.

But in his heart, he knew they would come. And he could only hope that Drizzt came back in time.

As he thought of Drizzt, Regis found his thoughts lingering on the drow who had been with him. He felt somewhat guilty for letting Dinin go so soon. He wondered if he had made the right decision. He truly believed that he could have reached the drow, that somewhere underneath all that conditioning, he could be redeemed.