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"Well played, Drizzt Do’Urden," High Captain Kurth congratulated hi, Drizzt found hiuard
"Are ye thinkin’ that ye’re not knoithin the walls o’ Luskan?" Klutarch asked "Yerself, who fought beside that dog Deudero, and yerself, who’s been in the city h of this foolishness," Dahlia insisted "To you, I offer o "We would’ve prevailed in the square, do not doubt, but your arrival ell-timed and appreciated"
"We couldn’t let the prized Dahlia and her valuable companion be killed, or fall into the hands of Rethnor," Kurth explained He stood up, and to the amazement of Drizzt and Dahlia, bowed deeply "Good lady, on behalf of three ofus of the impetuous Borlann"
That stark ad their eyes in surprise
"Would that I had done the same to Borlann’s ancestor, Kensidan," Drizzt said, "that Captain Deuderlance at hio and Kurth both shuffled uncouards in the hall
"Don’t ye be provoking us needlessly, drow," Klutarch warned "The past’s better left past If asn’t believin’ that, then ye’d’ve been killed in the street, and Dahlia’d’ve been taken ‘ere in chains, a great bargaining piece in our continuing diplorinned at them, quite pleased with himself, but said no more
"You wished ratitude for your help in our fight We have business to attend, however, so if you have anything else to offer, pray do so now"
"I have much to offer, dear Dahlia," Kurth replied, "or I wouldn’t have taken such pains to ensure your survival My actions in the street, with Beniago confronting the second of Ship Rethnor directly, will surely invoke adh captains, and perhaps even reparations for those crewmen of Ship Rethnor ere killed or injured due to our interference--and I have no doubt the ever-opportunistic Hartouchen Rethnor will account to me those soldiers you two took down in the battle But no ain worth the cost, for all of us"
"Even though I’an D’aerthe?" Drizzt interjected, drawing a glance and shake of the head fro chip in h captains, eh?" Kurth replied, and Dahlia stiffened
But Drizzt remained at ease, for he knew that Kurth was hardly serious
"Then why did you intervene?" Dahlia asked when Kurth stared at Drizzt for just a hed away the whole notion "What do you want?"
"Allies," Drizzt answered before Kurth could
The high captain looked once more at the drow "Do tell"
"By all that I can discern, Bregan D’aerthe has retreated considerably from the day-to-day affairs of Luskan," Drizzt replied "If true …"
"It’s true," Kurth admitted "Jarlaxle has not been seen in tendays"
Drizzt tried not to wince at the added confiran D’aerthe, there are openings in the commerce and power structures of the city, and no doubt the five high captains will each seek to claim those opportunities for his own You say I’m knoell in Luskan If that’s true, then my reputation with the blade is so known, as are my alliances and acquaintances with the folk of the nearby towns and cities"
"Your arrogance leads you to believe I intervened because of you," said Kurth
"Dahlia’s recent history with Ship Rethnor is why you intervened," Drizzt corrected "You see her position here as tentative, and so you believe you can exploit it to enlist her to your cause"
When he finished, an unco in the air for a short while, and even Drizztif he’d gone too far
"Your companion is wise in the ways of the world" Kurth ss, perhaps," she replied "Not so much in others"
"You will teach him in those, I’ h of this banter," Kurth said as he rose from his chair "I have no interest in any enmity between you two and Ship Kurth, and indeed, as you both know, I do hope for soe forHartouchen, I hter, louder laughter, broke out around the roo with a few curses thrown at Ship Rethnor, and even a song the crew of Ship Kurth had composed to belittle their rivals
"Ship Kurth is ascendant," Kurth assured his two guests "Allow me to show you a bit of ain for your services"
Drizzt waited for Dahlia to look at hiue their course