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To Walk With Mortals	By : Lucreace Category: A through F > Dragonlance Views: 2303 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I dont own Dragonlance, I do not make money from this

Chapter List
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It was a mere blink of an eye before Luni found herself found herself once more on the shores of Lake Crystamere. The sun once more warmed her back and a wide smile touched her face when she realised that once more she would be able to explore Solace and the Vallenwood trees that the inhabitants called their home. She found herself wearing the same red dress as she had done before, her hair still tumbled loosely down her back and that was still red too. It was a fitting colour, the colour her followers wore. She held out her pale arms and looked down at her now mortal hands and smiled. They were fine fingers, not unlike a pair of hands she’d admired the last time she had walked the Krynnish land. What was the name of that young mage again? Rai… something. Raymond? No, that wasn’t it, Railin, Raimon… “Raistlin!”
                That was the name she’d been searching for. She wasn’t sure whether it was she who had spoken however and she looked over her shoulder. There wasn’t anyone there. As she turned, she whacked against something solid and found herself sprawling in the dusty road. “Ow!” she muttered as she shook her head.
                “Oh, I’m so sorry, are you alright?” a deep, friendly voice hit her and she looked up into warm hazel eyes set in an open face. A large hand extended to her and she tilted her head before realising it was being offered to help her up.
                “What is it brother?” The softer voice she recognised immediately and was on her feet before the other could help. Her eyes must have shown something because the bigger one turned round and gave a look to his brother of pure confusion. Raistlin’s blue eyes recognised her too and a small smile graced his thin lips. Their eyes held each other for a moment. For that moment, nothing else existed.
                “Raist?”
                The moment shattered and she blinked, wondering what it was that had just happened, Raistlin let out a barely audible snort before turning to his brother. “Caramon, is it so hard to believe that I know this girl?” Luni stepped around the one called Caramon and stood in front of her friend.
                “So you uh… know each other?”
                “We met around this time last year,” Raistlin replied, answering his brother’s question, “Caramon, this is Luni. Luni, my twin brother.”
                “I was passing through when we happened upon each other,” she said. She kept her eyes on Raistlin as she spoke. Their eyes locked once more and she thrilled to meet the young mage once more. She’d be able to see how his studies were going and what progress he’d made. Had he become more powerful? Had he given up altogether? Was he still healing people? Did he know of any new herbs? All questions that he could answer. Her eyes searched his, a small smile on her lips. For a brief moment, the Goddess forced herself to wonder why she was so drawn to this young man. What forces were bringing them together more than once in his lifetime? The thought burst when Caramon coughed again.
                Their eyes left each other and turned to the larger twin. She tilted her head a little, wondering whether he’d inhaled something to cause the coughing. “Are you alright?” she asked. He nodded and gave a sort of half-smile that was a little hard to understand.
                “Sure.”
                “Are you going to stand there gawking or are you going to work?” Raistlin hissed. The conversation in which Caramon had been mentioned the previous year filtered back to her and she recalled that they didn’t exactly get along entire well.
                “Will you be alright?” Caramon asked. Raistlin’s blue eyes narrowed and he gave a slight nod. Caramon gave her a pointed look, of which she was unsure, before turning away and continuing down the road. They remained where they were for a moment, merely looked at each other. Luni noticed that although he’d grown slightly taller, he’d not filled out at all, not an inch. He was as slender as ever and there was a hard glint in his eyes that hadn’t been there the previous year. It made her wonder what had happened. She also knew he was looking at her, searching her, with those eyes of his and she could only smile back.
                “I’m pleased to see you,” she said, “Would you object to some company?”
                “No.” he replied simply. She fell in step beside the mage and that was when she noticed the book tucked into a bag at his side. So he was still studying then.
                “How are you?” she asked, not wanting the conversation to die before it began. He flashed her a look that sent a shiver down her spine and she shut her mouth. The warmth seemed to flow from the day, strange, how it was still yet morning and the sun shone brightly as it always did this time of year. Had she upset him somehow? He led her to the bole of the very same tree as they’d sat under before and flopped down. She sank beside him and rested her elbows on her knees, her chin on her hands.
                “Where did you go?” he said finally. There was a hint of iron in his tone and she swallowed, finding her throat dry of a sudden.
                “Does it matter?”
                “Of course it matters! I looked everywhere for you and no one had seen you,” Raistlin said. “And here you are, an exact year later as if nothing had happened, like it was a normal thing to do.”
                “I didn’t know our conversation meant that much to you.” Luni said. She placed a hand on his slender forearm and the same spark that hit her before rocketed through her again. Sucking in a breath, she forced her hand to remain where it was, unsure what it all meant.
                “It did.” His response was a mere breathy whisper and a strange expression crossed his face.
                “I’m only here for the day.” She looked down at her hand and felt a pang of something negative for the first time in her mortal existence. It settled in her stomach and stayed there. It was heavy, not a pleasant sensation and one she couldn’t seem to shift.
                “Then we’d best make the most of it.” Raistlin spoke after a moment, his voice a mere whisper. She was beginning to think that he liked speaking in whispers rather than with his actual voice.
                “What shall we do?” she hugged her knees to her chest and looked up into his sharp face. If he wasn’t scowling so much, he’d be handsome. Already, lines had begun to crinkle his eyes and frame his mouth. They weren’t there always but they would be in a few short years’ time.
                “I intended to study.” Her face brightened at that! He’d continued to learn magic.
                “How is school going?”
                Reluctantly, she withdrew her hand from his arm and he shifted, pulling the large tome from his bag. Opening it up, she showed her some of the notes he’d made around the edges of the most rudimentary magic and she smiled. She had no trouble reading either the words on the page or his notes but she feigned innocence. To appear to be able to read it would invite unwanted questions and besides, he was only too pleased to explain it to her. “Have you cast anything yet?” she asked.
                His face darkened a little and he nodded, “On my brother.” When he didn’t elaborate further, she nodded.
                “Do you want to talk about it?”
                “It was a sleep spell, while he was sick. Caramon never gets sick, that’s my role.” His voice was soft but the biting undertone was there once more.
                “And it worked?”
                “Of course it worked.” He may have been snappish with the response but her smile was wide and she knew her eyes were shining at the news.
                “Well done Raistlin, it takes some many years to do such simple things and you’ve done it at… uh…” She stalled when she realised she was unsure of his age.
                “Seventeen.” If he thought she knew too much about his subject, he remained silent on the subject and gave a nod. “It’s what I’ve been working towards for as long as I can remember,” he said.
                “You must have been so proud.” He nodded and the smile he gave her was blissful. When it faded from his slim face, she knew she’d do much to see it restored. His cares melted from his face when he smiled like that, his eyes lit up too and she could only smile back.
                “Are you hungry?” she asked.
                “No,” he replied. Her eyes narrowed over his thin frame but she didn’t press the matter.
                “We can’t sit here and talk all day Raistlin, I want to see some more of your town before I have to leave.” She rose to her feet and found that the tingle spread where she had been sitting on her limbs once more. “Come on, let’s walk to the lake at least, the sun is too warm and the cool water will certainly make me feel better.”
                Raistlin didn’t answer her, merely tucked his book back into his bag and got up. There was no awkwardness in his stride like there had been before. It would appear that the young mage had grown more accustomed to his height and he strode forward with confidence. He no longer looked down at the ground when he walked either and Luni was wont to believe that he wouldn’t have any trouble with the older boys either. Good. He didn’t deserve such treatment, no one did. Extending her hand out, she caught his and laced their fingers together as though it was the most natural thing for her to do and led him to the cool water. Down by the lake, a small breeze kissed their skin, cooling her enough to be more comfortable.
                She didn’t need to worry about removing her shoes as she had none; it was then that he noticed she wore nothing on her feet. “Do you not have shoes?” She shook her head.
                “I like to feel the grass between my feet when I walk.”
                “And when you catch a stone?”
                She tilted her head, not sure what he meant for a moment. When she caught on to what he was talking about, she flushed a little, “I manage.” He fell silent after that, swinging their hands as they were clasped. The sound of birdsong drifted with them as they walked comfortably side by side and Luni couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She’d never experienced anything like this before, not in the many years she’d been walking the earth. The warmth of his hand as it pressed into hers, the very sound of his breathing as he strode beside her made her heart beat that little bit faster. The warmth on her cheeks was nothing to do with the sun either. The slight contact made her wonder what it would be like to have him touch other areas of her, rather than just her hand. She shook her head, dismissing such ideas, that was the mortals to experience with each other. Still, it made her cheeks burn and her stomach did a strange somersault at the very thought.
                Her thoughts were shattered when he pushed light auburn hair from his face and sighed. His eyes were on their hands too as they swung and she stopped walking. “Something’s troubling you,” she stated. A flush coloured his overly pale cheeks and she wondered what had been running through his mind.
                “I’m not…” he paused and took a breath before continuing, “I’m not used to the company of girls… this is…” his words trailed off again and he fell silent.
                “Have I done something to upset you?” she asked.
                He shook his head quickly and she sucked her lower lip between her teeth. When he didn’t speak straight away she made to drop his hand, however he kept hold of it, rather tighter than was strictly necessary. “Far from it,” he whispered eventually, “It’s just, tomorrow you’ll be gone and I’ll not know if I will see you again,” he added. His tone of voice was sincere enough but there was something that made her breath hitch and caused her to pause.
                “I cannot stay,” she said. A tremble began in her arm and he let his gaze fall to the floor. When her eyes found him once more, she noticed that he shook too. She hoped he wasn’t getting sick with something, somehow, she doubted it. He didn’t press her for a reason, just nodded quietly, resigned to something she had no clue about.
                As they walked, she spotted a rather large rock which overhung the lake. Tugging his hand slightly, she brought them both to the rock, where she released him. Not having to worry about shoes, she flopped down and slipped her feet into the blissful cold water. It cooled her blood and made her instantly more comfortable. Raistlin slipped down beside her but kept his legs crossed, far away from the water. She noted for the first time, that his breath was a little forced and she raised an eyebrow.
                He shook his head and gave a small shrug, “The dry weather does me no favours,” he muttered. Perhaps there was a reason for his slight frame.
                “When are you at school next?” she asked.
                “In the morning, I’m helping with tutoring the younger students now,” he said. There wasn’t a trace of pride in his voice as he spoke of it however, making her wonder at the choice he had in the matter, “It gives us a few extra coins at the end of the week. My brother works the farm.”
                “Do you not enjoy teaching?” she asked. He let out a wheezing cough before he continued, covering his mouth with his hand. He shook his head after it passed and slipped his hand into the cold water of the lake, cleaning it.
                “The master there is an imbecile, I could do more than he can when I was in my first year there,” he shrugged. His cool demeanour brought a smile to her face and she turned to look over at him again. Once more, their eyes met and that flush raced through her, sending her heart pounding and her legs wobbling. Perhaps she should stop looking at him… that would help. She couldn’t bring herself to do it however so she tilted her head, a gesture she was quickly becoming used to, and frowned a little. “Master Theobald and I don’t exactly see eye to eye,” he added.
                “You don’t see eye to eye with a lot of people do you?” she said as she kicked her feet in the water. Little droplets splashed onto her red dress, cooling her legs further. Slowly, he shook his head and sighed a little.
                “Not really, I don’t think most people understand,” he said. Luni was well aware of the suspicion that came with his calling and she nodded.
                “I suppose that’s the problem with being a wielder of magic,” she said.
                “You seem to know a lot about it.” Was that a mildly accusing tone to his voice and she turned her eyes away from him and out over the lake.
                “When you walk the lands Raistlin, you tend to notice these things,” she replied avoiding giving him more details than she should.
                “Is that what you do then? Walk the lands? To what purpose I wonder,” he turned sharp blue eyes to her face and regarded her intently. There was something about the gaze that made her feel far from comfortable and she once again found her throat dry. Scooping up some of the cool water in her hand, she drank and remained silent, willing the sensation to leave them. The water pushed away the unpleasantness and she let out a sigh before getting to her feet once more.
                “The experiences I gain are valuable,” she whispered as she rose. She didn’t want to offend the young mage; she felt she owed him an answer that was at least halfway truthful. He nodded and seemed to accept what she said.
                “I can imagine some of the sights you’ve seen are astounding,” he said. She detected a trace of sarcasm in his voice as he stood and she let out a girlish giggle. It surprised her as much as it did him.
                “Actually, yes. I’ve seen some interesting things and learned much,” she nodded. She turned to face him and held out her hand once more. He took it without hesitation and she turned them back towards Solace. The sun had begun its descent towards the mountains one more and she knew it would soon be time to leave again.
                The silence as they walked was comfortable once more and she laced their fingers again. His palm was warm in hers and she found the contact pleasing. The air turned cool as they walked and she cast her eyes on the ground, slowing her pace without really thinking about it. He slowed alongside her and drew a step closer to her. By the time they reached the boardwalk, they reached a standstill. “What is it?” he asked.
                “I find I do not wish to leave,” she replied.
                “Then stay.” He gave a little shrug as though doing so would be the easiest thing in the world. Slowly, she shook her head. Maybe she could for a day longer, maybe a few more. It would turn into weeks and she knew it well. No, she had duty to attend to and arcane forces to administer, she was not free to indulge and idle with this young, untested mage. She took a step towards him and took both his hands in hers, squeezing them lightly.
                “I cannot,” she said. The regret in her voice was palpable, the disappointment in his eyes stung and she shook her head to emphasise her point. “I have duty to attend to, one that cannot be abandoned for long,” she added.
                “Something to do with your wandering?” he asked. He dropped her hand and brushed auburn hair back from his forehead. She nodded, unable to form words over the harsh lump in her throat. “You will be back this way.” It wasn’t a question, more of a statement and she knew it was true even as she opened her mouth to deny it. Her eyes flicked from his bright blue eyes to his thin lips and back again. The small smile there was knowing. She realised she was holding her breath, waiting for something, yet what she didn’t know.
                She stepped forward and embraced the young mage; he went rigid in her arms for a moment before relaxing and awkwardly returning her gesture. She wasn’t sure if this was it, it didn’t feel quite right somehow. There was something missing it seemed but she wasn’t knowledgeable enough to recognise what it was. Taking a step back, she tiptoed up and placed her lips against his pale, soft cheek. “Until next time Raistlin,” she whispered against his cheek.
                “Be well,” he replied with an odd smile on her face. She let her gaze linger on him for a long moment before she turned away and walked heavily away. She knew his eyes followed her until she was out of range.
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To Walk With Mortals