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Nocturnale	By : Skullbearer Category: A through F > Dragonlance Views: 1934 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the book(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
Fanfiction.net-
Dracoqueen: Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this one.
phoenixXVI: It is a very long story isn't it? Don't worry, I'm having too much fun with it to leave it alone for too long.
TempestMuse: Fistandantilus is becoming one character I really like, he's so evil and he makes the perfect antagonist for Raistlin.
Dalamar Nightson: That's the point of fanfiction, isn't it? Plus, Chronicles is a lot more fun through Raistlin's eyes than Tanis'.

Livejournal-
shadowvalkerie: I had a lot of fun writing that chapter. Chapters which pit Raistlin and Fistdandantilus together are rapidly becoming a lot of fun to write. They clash perfectly ;)
This chapter covers the last a little, and I hope you like it.
This is the second-to last chapter of Nocturnale, and I'm already looking forward to finishing it. If only for the reactions.
lord_eantr_jay: Thank you!
analia_the_1st: The difference is that in my fic Fistandantilus has far more of an influence. Instead of just sitting back and draining Raistlin's health, he's actually stuck in Raistlin's mind. It's very fun (and scary) to write.
Ouch. That hurts, I'm glad my parents are open minded people.
halokitty69: Struggles are fun, make-up sex is better ;)
I like them too, because they are more interesting people. I get to explore more of their facets. Neither of them are quite as evil as their canon counterparts, although they certainly aren't nice.
Many thanks to Halokitty for doing such a good job with the beta reading, you made excellent points and thank you very much!

Nocturnale
Chapter Thirteen: To Observe
I thought I had it all
I though I had it all worked out
Just what my future held
That there would be no doubt
-Different World, Iron Maiden.

Dalamar had passed the rest of the journey inside the wagon with Raistlin. The human mage had slept most of the day away, but Dalamar hadn't been able to do so much as close his eyes. Every time he did, he saw what he had seen when he'd broken into the wagon the previous night.
Dalamar tried not to shudder at the memory. Raistlin, standing at the table, his hands on the Dragon Orb, blood dripping from his mouth, eyes glazed and unseeing and lifeless in the unearthly green light.
For a single, horrific minute, Dalamar had thought he was dead, that whatever he had called up had dealt the ultimate toll. Yet even as he watched, the human mage had dragged in a slow, shuddering breath and Dalamar's heart started beating again. Then Raistlin had fallen over.
The Dark elf had rushed to his side, but Raistlin seemed unhurt. He had actually woken briefly- although he hadn't been able to talk, merely smiling at the Dark elf's questions before falling asleep again.
Dalamar sat on the end of the bunk they shared and looked over at their reward. The Dragon Orb was perched on the rough stand he and Raistlin had carved to hold it. The measurements had been wrong, he realise idly, the orb had been bigger than they'd remembered and it rocked precariously when the wagon hit a rut. The Dark elf looked down at Raistlin's sleeping face, and back at the Orb with loathing. He had hoped, secretly, that Raistlin would fail, that whatever had happened to him in Silvanesti had stayed there. Without it they wouldn't have the Orb, but when he recalled how Raistlin had looked that night, he couldn't help but wonder if it might have been a fair trade. Without the Orb, it would be hard to weather this war; but if with it, they were to lose everything anyway, Dalamar would have rather taken their chances with the Dragonarmies.
The Dark elf shook himself, there was no point bemoaning what might have been, else he'd been here all week. What had happened had happened, and it seemed as though things /had/ gone according to plan; they had the Orb, and Raistlin was unhurt.
But still, Dalamar couldn't forget what he'd heard, only a few moments after Raistlin had gone into the wagon. A voice, that same voice that had spoken through Raistlin's mouth in Silvanesti, cold and cruel and mocking.
/"Ast bilak mioparalan/ Suh akvlar tantangusar."/
He had ignored his lover's words then, forgotten the command to stay outside and thrown open the door- although what he'd been expecting to do he wasn't sure. He'd seen him then, as still and lifeless as Lorac, not moving, not even breathing. Those hourglass eyes fixed on him yet seeing straight through him. He was speaking, but there was no sound, lips moving soundlessly as the colours swirled madly within the Dragon Orb.
/Ast bilak mioparalan/ Suh akvlar tantangusar./
Then he'd collapsed, hands sliding off the Orb as a coughing fit gripped him.
Dalamar closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, another one for the nightmares.
Beside him, Raistlin stirred. Dalamar looked down as the human's eyes opened. "Are you alright?" He asked again, repeating his words from when his lover had woken earlier.
Remembering the aftermath of Silvanesti, he hoped Raistlin would be able to talk.
With a sigh, the human mage sat up, drawing the blankets up around his thin chest. He nodded, "Yes, I'm fine." His voice was slightly hoarse, but clear.
Dalamar scooted back, and put an arm around Raistlin's shoulders, the mage's skin was warm through the coverlet, warm from sleep and long rest. Dalamar sighed and smiled as Raistlin slid his arms around his shoulders, resting his head on the Dark elf's chest. Dalamar kept an arm around the human's back, keeping the blanket in place as he stroked Raistlin's white hair with his free hand.
Dalamar paused, this wasn't the best time to ask, but he had to know.
"Did it work?"
Raistlin was still for a moment, thinking it over, then he nodded.
The Dark elf smiled, his hand now rubbing over the nape of his lover's neck. "Was it worth it?"
Another pause, then another cautious nod.
Dalamar closed his eyes, lowering his head until his face was buried in the human mage's hair. Raistlin still smelt of magic, the power of the Dragon Orb clinging to him even now. "I Hope so, for both of us."
Then his words were cut off when Raistlin pressed their mouths together, quickly, hungrily, swallowing any other doubts.
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It was late afternoon by the time the Companion's wagon rattled into Flotsam. Raistlin had gotten dressed and replaced the Dragon Orb into the enchanted bag. Reassuring Dalamar that this time, he would have no difficulty in removing it if they needed it.
Dalamar sneered, the Dragon Orb itself was the least of his worries.
These worries got a good deal longer when he and Raistlin left the wagon. Flotsam was crawling with more draconians than they had ever seen in any one place- including Xak Tsaroth. Also, they were far more organised than in Balifor. There, the creatures had been idle- they had been given a routine post and they knew it. Here, they were alert, moving in heavily armed patrols- and taking a particular interest in strangers.
None of them spoke except Tanis- and that was to swear profusely under his breath. They turned off the main road into a small courtyard outside a stable, and Tanis negotiated with the owner to buy the wagon and horses. The price was low enough to make even Caramon wince, but they needed to get rid of the wagon more than they needed the money.
They crowds were thronged, merchants and mercenaries and even the occasional black robed mage hurrying through the streets. More than once Dalamar had to help Raistlin to his feet when he'd been knocked over by a particularly rude or impatient pedestrian.
"We need to find a inn," Tanis explained, "Hopefully cheap, because I don't know how we're going to pay for rooms and a ship at this rate."Even as he spoke, they spotted a Draconian patrol stride into the crowd, moving quickly to surround a young man with ash-blond hair. The man's eyes went wide, and he drew his hood down over his face. Dalamar wondered if he had elven blood. Either way, it was too late. The Draconians cut off his escape and hustled him away for 'questioning'.
The Companions didn't say anything, but raced into the first inn they found. It was a good choice- at least price-wise. Dalamar wrinkled his nose at the smell- a mixture of rotting seaweed and mould. They probably couldn't have found a cheaper place had they looked all over Flotsam.
Their rooms were small and cramped- if marginally less smelly. They all piled into Tanis's room to discuss what to do next.
"We won't be able to get down to the harbour at this rate," Caramon groaned, "Let alone buy our way on a ship! What's going on?"
"The innkeeper says a Dragon Highlord is in town"-
"Perfect," Dalamar growled.
Tanis scowled- "The Draconians are apparently searching for spies or something."
Dalamar felt sick. How in the world could the Dragonarmies know they were here? Had they given themselves away during a performance? but no, if that was the case, they would have already been attacked. What would have been the point of waiting? How could they have known? perhaps they didn't, but if not, then who /were/ they looking for? Too much of a coincidence.
"Maybe they're searching for /us./" Caramon suggested.
"That's ridiculous!" Tanis argued- too quickly. "We're getting spooked. How could anyone know we're here? Or what we carry?"
"I wonder-" Riverwind said slowly, looking over at the two mages.
Dalamar snorted. Wonderful. Pax Tharkas all over again. Neither he nor Raistlin bothered to answer the Plainsman.
"There's only one way I can think of," Tanis sighed, "Caramon and I will waylay two of the dragonarmy soldiers. We'll steal their uniforms. Not the draconians-" Tanis put in hurriedly, as Caramon looked mutinous- clearly, his obedience to Tanis didn't stretch /that/ far- "We'll take them from human mercenaries. Then we can move around Flotsam freely.
"I'll come too." Dalamar interjected. At the mixed looks of incredulity and horror, to continued, "In case you haven't noticed, I wear black robes. I saw a few others of my Order on the streets, and no one was arresting them. Besides, we"- he nodded at Raistlin- "need to buy supplies for our spells, and it would somewhat conspicuous if dragonarmy mercenaries in full armor were seen to buy wizarding supplies!"
He ignored Caramon's growl and Riverwind's muttered 'we were not worrying about /you/', and glanced over at Raistlin who nodded thoughtfully. "I have 'research' to do, and it might be best if I did it alone."
Dalamar gritted his teeth, suddenly regretting his decision. He half-hoped Tanis would refuse to take him along. It would be infuriating to obey the bastard, but better that than leaving Raistlin to tackle the Dragon Orb alone.
Instead Tanis just sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, if you must. Now I suggest we get dinner sent up and leave after that, hopefully the Draconians will stop sending out patrols after dark." The look on his face told the Dark elf just what he thought of that possibility, but he nodded anyway, and followed Raistlin out of the room.
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Food was an uninspiring mush of bran and old peas that Dalamar wouldn't have fed to his horse. Still, for three coppers you got what you paid for, and they didn't exactly have cash to spare.
"And so you're going to try and use the Dragon Orb again." Dalamar said, looking balefully at Raistlin. "Any chance you could tell me what actually happened last night? I came in after I heard- after I heard /someone/ speaking. Who was that? What happened?"
Raistlin sighed, sitting down on one of the battered driftwood chairs. "I recall deliberately asked you not to come in."
Dalamar looked at him, eyes icy, Raistlin was not changing this subject.
"That wasn't your voice. The only time I heard you speak like that was in Silvanesti, and if you believe that I would do nothing after what happened last time-" He broke off, biting his lip.
Raistlin touched the pocket that held the Dragon orb, and didn't argue the point. "What did you see?" He put in.
Dalamar snorted, "I saw you, standing with your hands on the Orb, and blood running down your face. You weren't breathing"- Dalamar gritted his teeth, forcing his voice not to crack- "Then you started again and fell over."
The human mage leant in closer, "How long was it between when you heard the voice and when I fell over?"
Another burst of anger; "Raistlin, this is beside the point-"
Raistlin lifted a hand, "Please, tell me."
Dalamar shrugged, "I wasn't exactly counting; a few seconds perhaps? Not more than a minute, certainly."
Raistlin blinked, and shook his head, "It seemed like hours."
The Dark elf brushed the words aside like an annoying fly, "This is besides the point, /what happened?/ What did you see? What was-"
"You know perfectly well that I can't answer these questions." Raistlin hissed.
"And you know perfectly well that I can't let you risk yourself again unless I know what is happening." Dalamar snapped back.
"You make it sound as though I want to keep you in the dark," Raistlin growled, his voice growing hoarse in the first warning signs of a coughing fit. "I have to take this risk. You let me take the Test, and we both know what a risk that is-"
"Precisely! We /know/ what a risk it is! I don't know what kind of risk you're taking, and that is why I don't want you taking it."
Raistlin's eyes were cold, hourglass shadows. "You once trusted me enough to let me judge what I could and couldn't do."
Dalamar didn't answer, there wasn't anything he could say.
"I know I can do this." Raistlin's voice softened, he hand touching Dalamar's. "I did it before, and this will be different, I won't have to call on"- His voice cracked and he coughed dryly- "On that."
"Then by the Gods let me stay." Dalamar whispered, "If you can't tell me the risks, let me see them for myself."
Raistlin shook his head, "You'd see even less than what you saw when you came in yesterday. Besides, you said yourself you need to go with the others to stop them doing anything stupid. I need herbs for my tea and we both need spell components. You know better that to let those idiots buy anything, we'd send them out for bat guano and they'd come back with rose petals!"
Dalamar smiled despite himself and finished his meal, "And while you're there," Raistlin added, "See if you can't convince them to head to Palanthas. There are books in the library, books of magic-" Raistlin broke off, doubling over and his cough shook him.
He smiled thinly and wiped the blood from his lips, "Books on how to control the Dragon Orb. We'll need to go there." He quickly gulped down a mouthful of tea, grimacing at the taste.
Dalamar nodded, not bothering to ask how Raistlin knew. The human mage had barely been able to get his words out before his cough had overcome him, and the Dark elf didn't want him to risk another fit.
Dalamar sighed and got up. The others would be on their way out by now. Time to go.
"Take care of yourself." Raistlin said, reaching over the squeeze his shoulder.
Dalamar snorted, "Keep your blessings for yourself, you'll need them more than I will."
He kissed the human mage's forehead. "Be careful, please."
Raistlin nodded, and Dalamar forced a smile as he picked up his bag and the list of what they needed, and left the room.
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The streets of Flotsam were emptier now, although Tanis' hope that the Draconian patrols would stop had been a vain one. Dalamar pulled his hood up to hide his elven features and hoped the colour of his robes would be enough to dissuade anyone from detaining him.
He tried not to think about what Raistlin was doing in the inn he'd left behind, and concentrated on finding the ship Pig-faced William had told them about.
The ship was called the Perechon, and it should be in port about this time. If it wasn't, Dalamar hoped he'd be able to track down another ship, even if they had to leave the others behind and travel alone.
The Flotsam docks were ratty and badly kept, although he saw a few slave gangs that the Dragonarmies were putting to work to repair the worst of the damage. There wasn't anything they could do for the smell, though, which was nauseating- a mixture of rotting fish and the ever-present dead seaweed.
Most of the ships moored to the main jetties belonged to the Dragonarmies and had Draconians standing guard around them. Dalamar gave these a wide berth and carried on up the dock. By what William had said, the Perechon's captain dabbled in the occasional bit of pirating and smuggling, and so was unlikely to moor near the Dragonarmy ships.
The docks deteriorated as he went further south, as did the ships. Most of them were patched and leaking, with barnacles clinging to every available surface. Dalamar ignored them, heading to the few ships that appeared to be a relatively good condition. One in particular caught his eye. It was clean, as though it had been careened recently, the timbers were neat and well fitting, and unlike the other ships it wasn't a sloop, but a two master. Dalamar smiled at the name emblazoned under the dragon-head prow. /The Perechon/. Perfect.
Dalamar could easily believe that the ship had done it's share of pirating; the hull was sleek and the sails wide, built for speed. All for the best, speed was what they wanted. Unlike some of the other two-masters in the bay, it's hull was shallow enough to be moored directly to the jetty, rather than further out like many other others. Again, a good thing, it meant it could sail through waters that would leave another ship grounded. If they really were being pursued by the Dragonarmies, it would be hard to find a better ship.
The Dark elf's head snapped around, feeling the skin on the back of his neck prickle. He was being watched. On the edge of the jetty were two members of the Dragonarmies. Dalamar was about to reach for his spell components when he noticed how their armor did quite fit. The taller's chainmail was practically bursting off his body, while the shorter was moving uncomfortably, as if unsure how to walk in armor.
Dalamar smiled, about time they got here.
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The gangplank was down, and although the only crewman on deck was apparently dumb, he understood them well enough after they'd explained they weren't actually from the Dragonarmies, and led them downstairs to the captain's cabin.
The captain proved to be a tall, handsome woman with skin the colour of polished ebony. Dalamar remembered that the Solace blacksmith, Theros Ironfeld, had skin the same colour. They must be from the same land. The woman's hair was tightly curled and bound with a band of gold. Dalamar filed that detail away carefully, he had been in Flotsam only a few hours and he could already see what a rough place it was, if this woman could flaunt her wealth so confidently in this place, it meant that either she could defend herself or was connected with people who could. Judging by the well-worn hilt of her dagger, it was the former.
"My name's Maquesta Kar-thon," she said briskly after reading over the letter of recommendation that Pig-faced William had given them. "Let me guess, you're /not/ officers in he dragonarmy. Not unless they're hiring elves these days." She gave Tanis and Dalamar a cool, appraising look.
The Half-elf flushed and pulled over his helmet. "Is it that obvious?"
Maquesta shrugged, "Probably not to anyone else. Not many will bother to look past this one's robes"- She gestured at Dalamar, "And your beard's very good. The helm hides your ears. But unless you get a mask, those pretty, almond-shaped eyes of yours are a dead give away. But then, not many Draconians are apt to look in your pretty eyes, are they?"
Dalamar snorted, wondering if he should tell to woman that if she wanted Tanis' attention she'd have to get on the waiting list.
Maquesta smirked, "Odd lot you are though, A half-elf, a human the size of a minotaur, and a Dark elf. What's the rest of you? Two Thanoi and a gully dwarf?"
Dalamar couldn't help but grin back, wondering what she'd make of Raistlin. His smile faded at the reminder, and he fought down the urge to race back to the inn to check on his lover. Raistlin would be fine.
"We're here to discuss business, Captain Maque-" Tanis stumbled over the name.
"Sure you are, and call me Maq. Easier for both of us. It's well you've got this letter from Pig-faced William, or I wouldn't even have talked to you. But he says you're square and you're money's good"- And it should be, Dalamar smirked, since it was /his/ money for the most part- "so I'll listen. Now, where're you bound?"
"Palanthas." Dalamar put in before any of the others could speak.
"Why Palanthas?" Tanis scowled, "We didn't discuss this."
"Raistlin and I need to go to Palanthas, and do you have any better ideas?"
Caramon looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"
"You can ask him when we get back," Dalamar brushed him off and turned back to the smirking Maquesta.
"Enough." Tanis interrupted, "Let's just say that we need to go around the Cape of Nordmaar. If at that point we decide to go on and find each other's company agreeable, we'll continue. If not, we'll pay you off, and you put us in a safe harbour.
"Kalaman." Maquesta said, still smiling. "That's a safe harbour. As safe as any these days anyway. Any further is negotiable."
"/Safe/ delivery at Kalaman." Tanis insisted.
Maquesta shrugged, "Who can promise? It's a rough time of year to travel by sea." She stretched, and Dalamar couldn't help but admire the play of muscles as she did so.
Quite despite himself, Dalamar was impressed by the woman. She was very good looking, with the kind of attitude he found attractive. The Dark elf smiled, it was all academic anyway. It always irritated Raistlin when he eyed up attractive women, which was all the more reason to do it. It had become almost an ongoing joke, although there was never any real tension. He could look, but they both knew it would be Raistlin's bed he would sleep in that night, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's a deal," By the look in her eyes, Dalamar suspected she had noticed his attention, "Come on, I'll show you the ship."
The deck of the ship did nothing to change Dalamar's impressions of a well-kept, speedy vessel. Maquesta ran a tight ship and clearly loved it dearly; speaking of it in the same tones that Raistlin used when speaking about Dalamar. Pig-faced William had made a good choice in sending them to her, if anyone could get them out of the Draconian-choked port, she could.
The ship was quiet, and Maquesta explained that her crew was ashore. The only person they saw was the mute that had let them on the ship, sitting in a corner mending a sail, he looked up as they approached.
Dalamar frowned, there was something familiar about this man.
"/Nocesta/, Berem." Maquesta addressed him, gesturing to her companions, "/Nocesta/, customers, money."
The man nodded and went back to work. He was tall and well built, but there was an odd quality about his that suggested elven blood. He seemed oddly ageless, eyes too young for a face that suggested a human in his fifties. His hair was grey, his skin as weather-beaten as any sailors, although strangely he was clean shaven. Most of the old sea-dogs Dalamar had seen in Balifor had beards you could hide in. His hands was also odd, smooth and deft as he sewed the sail.
Dalamar frowned. He was definitely seen this man before. He wished Raistlin was here to talk this over with, that always helped him think. Where had he seen him. Not recently, that was for sure. In Balifor? No, he couldn't remember him. Anyway, Pig-face William had said Maquesta would have been in port for a few months already, to get her ship careened. Tarsis perhaps? No. /Where?/
"Who is he?" Tanis asked as they turned to go back to the cabin.
It was those eyes, Dalamar decided, those strange, too-young eyes. He had seen them before. The memory flickered on the edge of recollection, maddeningly. Those eyes were at peace now, but he had seen them half-closed in resignation. /Where?/
"Who? Berem? Oh, he's the helmsman. Don't know much about him. He came around a few months back, looking for work. We took him on as a deckswab. Then my helmsman was killed in a small altercation with- well, never mind. But this fellow turned out to be a damn good hand at the wheel, better than the first, in fact. He's an odd one, though. A mute. Never speaks. Never goes ashore, if he can help it. Wrote his name down for me in the ship's book, or I wouldn't know that much about him. Why?"
Again Dalamar grasped for the memory, he almost had it. Where had he seen this man before? And why did it seem so important?
"I've seen him somewhere," Tanis murmured. How about you Caramon, do you remember him?"
"Ah, come on," Caramon shook his head, "We'd seen hundreds of people in these past months, Tanis, he was probably at one of our shows."
"No," Tanis shook his head. "When I first saw him, I thought of Pax Tharkas and Sturm..."
Pax Tharkas? Yes, that sounded about right. But where? There had been hundreds of people there. But where?
Then Maquesta broke in and the moment was lost. "Hey, I got a lot of work to do, Half-elf. You coming, or you gonna stare at a man mending a sail?"
Dalamar shook his head and sighed, following the woman down the hatch. It probably didn't matter anyway.
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Dalamar walked down the gangway after Caramon and Tanis, the deal had been made, and for less than he'd feared. Caramon was off back to the inn, Tanis to get supplies and Dalamar resigned himself to finding an apothecary at this time of night. His worries for Raistlin nagged at him but he put them aside. There was nothing he could do but trust that the human mage had known what he was doing.
With a sigh, Dalamar walked back up the to main docks. If there was a high street, it would be there. He kept his eyes on the shop fronts, keeping to the shadows of the buildings.
Most of the shops were closed at this time of night, and Dalamar was beginning to lose hope of finding anything. He had walked past most of the docks and all he'd found were shops selling rope, shops selling fish hooks, shops selling sails, shops selling just about anything /but/ herbs and all of them closed!
At last, he spotted a likely target. 'Medisins and oyntmets' the sign outside proclaimed. The show was so grubby it was hard to tell if it was open or closed. Dalamar banged on the door. Even if it /was/ closed, he wasn't going away empty handed.
"We're not open!" Someone shouted from upstairs.
"Yes, you are." Dalamar shouted back.
"Go away!"
The Dark elf glanced up and down the road, nobody. "If you don't open the door right now," he said menacingly, "I'll have the Dragon Highlord down here to hear why you won't serve a member of the army!"
The bluff worked, the shopkeep raced down to unlock the door, white-faced. He didn't look Dalamar in the face; muttering apologies and wiping at his forehead and long nose with a night cap as he bowed the Dark elf in.
The shop was poorly stocked, and that was mostly with various shoddy cure-alls and quack medicines. Still, Dalamar did see a small section dedicated to various spell components. It was limited and overpriced, but it was enough to re-stock both their supplies for some time.
Unfortunately, he had none of the herbs Raistlin would need for his tea, so Dalamar paid the man for the components and enquired if there were any other apothecaries in town. The man, who appeared so terrified that he would have eaten his own legs if Dalamar had told him to do so, nodded hard and babbled directions. The Dark elf nodded, "Very good, if they have what I need I might /just/ forget to mention your lack of cooperation to the Dragon Highlord."
Dalamar couldn't hide a smile as the shopkeep's knees nearly gave way under the threat. Leaving the trembling man behind, he swept out of the shop.
The second apothecary was even worse-stoked than the last, although it was open. The herbs it sold were withered and old, but they would serve. Dalamar was just paying when a scuffle outside caught his attention.
Peering through the grubby mullioned windows, he saw an elf, dressed in rags, attack a dragonarmy officer. Dalamar frowned, staring at the officer, then his eyes went wide. Tanis.
The Half-elf was trying to free himself from the frenzied attacks without hurting his attacker, shouting at him in elven.
Dalamar slipped out of the shop, someone was coming- drawn, no doubt, by Tanis' shouts. They would quickly see that Tanis wasn't an officer at all and their whole cover would be blown. Dalamar planned for both he and Raistlin to be far away by the time that happened.
A glance back froze him to the spot. The person that had come, and who had just run the elf through with their sword was none other than a Dragon Highlord! There was no mistaking the dragonscale armor and the grimacing helm-mask.
"I heard you shouting and saw one of my officers in trouble." The voice was muffled from the helm, but was undoubtably that of a woman. "I guessed you needed some help." The Highlord reached down to help Tanis to his feet.
The Half-elf mumbled something that might have been thanks, and Dalamar crept closer, making sure to keep in the shadows and ducking behind a horse trough.
The Highlord was about to turn and leave when suddenly they stopped, staring at the Half-elf. "Tanis?"
The bottom dropped out of Dalamar's stomach. /How?/
"Tanis! It is you!" The Dragon Highlord grabbed her mask and pulled it off. Dalamar stared, there was no mistaking that crooked smile, that curly hair, those dark eyes.
Kitiara.
Dalamar felt weak with shock, for all that a part of him didn't feel surprised at all. His shoulder ached at the memory of their last meeting and he fought down a shudder. The Dark elf didn't move, he had no doubt that if Kitiara saw him, she would happily cut him down again.
"So Tanis! An officer, and in my own command. I should review my troops more often!" Kitiara laughed, sliding an arm around Tanis, "You're shaking. You took a nasty fall. Come on. My rooms aren't far from here. We'll have a drink, patch up that wound, then... talk."
Dalamar watched as the two walked out of sight, then stood and ran back to their inn. It was anyone's guess what would happen now. Kitiara seemed to accept that Tanis was part of her army- to think that he'd always thought she was closer to Raistlin than Caramon in terms of brains!- it was just a matter if Tanis could keep her convinced. Not that that was likely to become an issue for some time, judging by her words. The only talking they were likely to indulge in was pillow-talk.
He ducked through the low doorway into the inn, and climbed up the rickety stairs to their room.
The door was locked, and Dalamar banged on it until Raistlin opened up.
The human mage was unhurt, although the cloth bag on the table told Dalamar that he had studied the Dragon Orb in his absence. In the frantic rush of the last few minutes, Dalamar had completely forgotten about his earlier fears.
Raistlin looked tired, his face drawn and pale from he stress of controlling the artefact, and an empty mug of tea on the table suggested that he'd had a coughing fit.
"Are you alright?" They asked each other at the same time.
Raistlin smiled, but Dalamar just collapsed on the edge of the ship's bunk that made up one of the two beds, and sighed.
Before Raistlin could ask, he quickly summed up what he had seen; Tanis, the attack, Kitiara. Raistlin's eyes went wide as Dalamar spoke his sister's name.
"Are you sure?" He whispered.
"After what happened the last time I met her? Yes, I'm most definitely sure!" Fear was making him irritable, and the words came out far harsher than he had meant them.
Raistlin winced. "And Tanis went with her?"
Dalamar snorted, "Of course, she recognised him. And no doubt he /missed/ her just as much as she missed him."
Raistlin closed his eyes, "Wonderful timing. But she believes he is part of her army? Does she know we're here?"
"Yes to the first, but I don't know what Tanis told her where we're concerned. She didn't see me, I know that."
"There's no point telling the others," Raistlin said slowly, "You were the only one who saw her- other than Tanis, of course?" Dalamar nodded. "- Then it would be useless. They would never believe us, and don't forget what Riverwind said this afternoon. To say something like this about their /dear/ Tanis would only invite suspicion upon ourselves."
"So what do we do?" Dalamar asked, "Leave before it's too late?"
Raistlin shook his head, "Where to? The Dragonarmies are overrunning the country, we wouldn't get far. Our best bet would be to wait and hope Tanis doesn't tell her where we are."
Dalamar walked over to the window and looked out, nodding. "We found the ship, by the way. We've booked passage but it's sailing in four days." He turned back to Raistlin lifting an eyebrow sardonically, "What happens if your sister hasn't let Tanis out of her bed by then?"
Raistlin snorted. "Then we leave, whether or not he's there, whether or not the others are coming. We take our share of the money, and we leave before Kitiara realises Tanis isn't actually part of her army."
Dalamar nodded. "Yes, that's what I thought. We'll do that." He sighed again, looking out over the ramshackle streets of Flotsam, half-expecting to see a platoon of Draconians marching down to arrest them.

One last chapter to go!
Skull Bearer.
- 13
- 14
- 15
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