Dwarven Nations - Hammer And Axe Part 46

I cannot stay here, Laurana thought, pressing her f against the chill gla.s.s. I shall go mad.

"I've studied Gunthar's maps;' she murmured, almost s ing to herself, "and I've seen the location of the dragona ' Tanis will never reach Sancrist, And if he does have the orb, may not know the danger' it Poses. I must warn him."

"My dear, you're not talking sensibly," Elistan said mildly. Tanis cannot reach Sancrist safely, how will you reach hl Think logically, Laurana-"

"I don't want to think logically!" Laurana cried, stoxrq her foot and glaring angrily at the cleric, "I'm sick of being sible! I'm tired of this whale war.

I've done my part-~ THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT.

than my part. I just want to find Tanis!" Seeing Elistan's sympathetic face, Laurana sighed. "I'm sorry, my dear friend. I know what you say is true;" she said, ashamed. "But I can't stay here and do nothing!"

Though Laurana didn't mention it, she had another concern. That human woman, that Kitiara. Where was she? Were they together as she had seen in the dream?

Laurana realized now, suddenly, that the remembered image of Kitiara standing with Tanis's arm around her was more disturbing than the image she had see of her own death.

At that moment, Lord Gunthar suddenly entered the room.

"Ohl" he said, startled, seeing Elistan and Laurana. "I'm sorry, I hope I am not disturbing-"

"Please, no, come in;' Laurana said quickly.

"Thank you;" Gunthar said, stepping inside .and carefully shutting the door- first glancing down the hallway to make certain no one was near. He joined them at the window. "Actually I needed to talk to you both, anyway. I sent Wills looking far you. This is best, however. No one knows we're speaking."

More intrigue, Laurana thought wearily. Throughout their journey to Gunthar's castle, she had heard about nothing but the political infighting that was destroying the Knighthood.

Shocked and outraged at Gunthar's story of Sturm's trial, i.aurana had gone before a Council of Knights to speak in Sturm's defense. Although the appearance of a woman at a Caunci: was unheard of, the knights were impressed by this vibrant, beautiful young woman's eloquent speech on Sturm's behalf. The tact that Laurana was a member of the royal elven household, and that she had brought the dragonlances,, also spoke highly in her favor.

Even Derek's faction-those that remained-were hardpressed to fault her. But the knights had been unable to reach a decision. The man appointed to stand in Lord Alfred's place eras strongly in Derek's kept-as the phrase went-and Lard Michael hoc vacillated to such a degree that Gunthar had been forced to throw the matter to an open vote. The knights demanded a period of reflection and the meeting was adjourned. They had reconvened this afternoon. Apparently, c.u.n.thar had just came from this meeting.

Laurana knew, from the look on Gunthar's face, that things DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES.

had gone favorably. But if so, why the maneuvering? "Sturm's been pardoned?" she asked. Gunthar grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Not parcIoned, my dear.

That would have implied his guilt. No. He has been completely vindicated! I pushed for that. Pardon would not have suited us at all. His knighthood is granted. He has his command officially bestowed upon him. And Derek is in serious trouble!" "I am happy, f StUrm's sake;' Laurana said coolly, exchanging worried looks with Elistan. Although she liked what she had seen of Lord Gunthar, she had been brought up in a royal household and knew Sturm was being made a game piece. Gunthar caught the edge of ice in her voice, and his face became grave. "Lady Laurana;' he said, speaking more somberly, "I know what you are thanking that I am dangling Sturm from puppet strings. Let us be brutally frank" lady. The Knights are divided, split into two factions-Derek's and my own. And we both know what happens to a tree split in two:' both si des w ither and die. This b atkle between us must end, or will have tragic consequences.

Now, lady and Elistan, for have come to trust and rely on your judgment, I leave this it your hands. You have met me and you have met Lard Derelip" Crownguard, Who would you choose to head the Knights?" - "You, of course, Lord Gunthar," Elistan said sincerely.

Laurana nodded her head. "I agree. This feud is ruinous the Knightood. I saw that myself, in the Council meeti And-from what I've heard of the reports coming fr Palanthas-it is hurting our cause there as well. My first c tern. must be for my friend, however:" "I quite understand, and I am glad to hear you say so;" G thar said approvingly, "because it makes the verve great favo am about to ask of you easier' Gunthar tack Laurana's arm. want you to go to Palanthas:'

"tNhat? Why? I don't. understand!"

"Of course not. Let me explain. Please sit down. You, t Elistan. I'll pour some wine-'

I think not," Laurana sand, sitting near the window.

"Very well" Gunthar's face became grave. He laid his over Laurana's. "We knew pulitics,you and I, lady. 5o I going to arrange all my game pieces bedore you.

You will be traveling to Palanthas to teach the knights to use the dragonlances.

It is a legitimate reason. Without Theros, you and the dwarf are the only ones who understand their usage. And--let's face it-the dwarf is too short to handle one:'

Gunthar cleared his throat. "You will take the lances to Palanthas. But more importantly, you will carry with you a Writ of Vindication from the Council fully restoring Sturm's honor. That will strike the death's blow to Derek's ambition. The moment Sturm puts on his armor, all will know I have the Council's full support. I shouldn't wonder if Derek won't go on trial when he returns'

"But why me?" Laurana asked bluntly. "I can teach anyoneLord Michael, for example-to use a dragonlance. He can take them to Palanthas. He can carry the Writ to Sturm-"

"Lady-" Lard Gunthar gripped her hand hard" drawing near and speaking barely above a whisper- "you still do not understand! I cannot trust Lord Michael! I cannot- I dare not trust any one of the knights with this! Derek has been knocked from his horse-so to speak-but he hasn't lost the tourney yet. I need someone I can trust implicitly! Someone who knows Derek for what he is, who has Sturm's best interests at heart!" "I do have Sturm's interests at heart;' Laurana said coldly. "I put them above the interests of the Knighthood:'

"Ah, but remember, Lady Laurana," Gunthar said, rising to his feet and bowing as he kissed her hand, "Sturm's only inter- est is the Knighthood. What would happen to him, do you think, if the Knighthood should fall? What will happen to him if Derek seizes control?"

In the end of course Laurana agreed to go to Palanthas, as Gunthar had known she must. As the time of her departure drew nearer, she began to dream almost nightly of Tanis arriv- ing on the island just hour; after she left. More than once she was on the verge of refusing to go, but then site thought of facing Tanis, of having to tell him she had refrused to go to Sturm to warn him of this peril. This kept her from changing her mind. This - and her regard for Storm I t was during the lonely nights, when her heart arid her arms ached for Tanis, and she had visions of him holding that human Woman -withthedark, curl y hair, Hashing brawneyes, and the charming, crooked smile, that her soul was in turmoil.

Her friends could give her little comfort. One of them, Elistan, left when a messenger arrived from the elves, requesting the cleric's presence, and asking that an emissary from the knights accompany him. There was little time for farewells. Within a day of the arrival of the elven messenger, Elistan and Lord Alfred's son-a solemn, serious young man named Douglas-began their journey back to Southern Ergoth. Laurana had newer felt so alone as she bid her mentor goodbye.

Ta.s.slehoff faced a sad parting as well.

In the midst of the excitement over the dragonlance, everyone forgot poor Gnosh and his Life Quest, which lay in a thousand sparkling pieces on the gra.s.s.

Everyone but Fizban, The aid magician rose from where he lay cowering on the ground before the shattered Whitestone and went to the stricken gnome, who was staring woefully at the shattered dragon orb. t "There, there, my boy;" said Fizban, "this isn't the end of everything"

"It isri t?" asked Gnosh, so miserable he finished a sentence, l "No, of course not I You've got to look at this from the proper-

7.

perspective. Why, now you've got a chance to study a drago orb from the inside outs"

Gnosh's eyes brightened. "You're right;" he said after a short pause, "and, in fact, I bet I could glue-"

"Yes, yes;' Fizban said hurriedly, but Gnash lunged forward, his speech growing faster and Easter.

"We could tag the pieces,don'tyousee,andthendrawadia gram ofwhereeachpiece waslyingontheground,which-'

"Quite, quite;' Fizban muttered.

"Step aside, sleep aside;" Gnosh said importantly, shoo'nj people away from the orb. "Mind where you walk, Lord Guy than and, yes, we're going to study it from the inside out nosn~, and I should have a report in a matter of weeks-"

Gnosh and Fizban cordoned off the area and set to work. Fq the next two days, Fizban stood on the broken Whitestari making diagrams, supposedly marking the exact location d each piece before it was picked up. (One of Fizban's diagraru accidentally ended up in the kender's pouch, Tas, discoverd later that it was actually a game known as "x's and zeroes" which the mage had been playing against himself andapparently*-lost. ) Gnosh, meanwhile, crawled happily around on the gra.s.s, sticking bits of parchment adorned with numbers on pieces of gla.s.s smaller than the bits of parchment. He and Fizban finally collected the 2, 687 pieces of dragon orb in a basket and transported them back to Mount Nevermind.

Ta.s.slehoff had been offered the choice of staying with Fizban or going to Palanthas with Laurana and Flint. The choice was simple. The kender knew two such innocents as the elfmaid and the dwarf could not survive without him. But it was hard leaving his old friend. Two days before the ship sailed, he paid a final visit to the .gnomes and to Fizban.

After an exhilarating ride in the catapult, he found Gnosh in the Examination Roam. The pieces of the broken dragon orbtagged and numbered-were spread out across two tables.

"Absolutelyfascinaking,;' Gnosh spoke so fast he stuttered, "because wehaveandyzedthegla.s.s, curiousmaterial, unlikenothingwe've everseen, greatestdiscovery, thiscentury-"

"So your Life Quest is aver?" Tas interrupted. "Your father's soul-"

Restingcomfartably!" Gnosh beamed, then returned to, his work.

".4ndsogladyaueaulds...o...b.. andify.ou'reeverinthe neighborhoodcomebyandseeusagain- ".

"I will;' Tas said, smiling.

Tas found Fizban two levels down. (A fascinating journeyhe simply yelled out the name -of his level, then Leaped into the void. Nets flapped and fluttered, bells went off, gongs sounded and whistles blew. Tas was finally caught one level above the ground, just as the area was being inundated with sponges.) Fizban was in Weapons Development, surrounded by gnomes, all gazing at him with unabashed admiration.

"Ah, my boy!" he said, peering vaguely at Ta.s.slehofe. "You re just in time to see the testing of our new ;weapon. Revolutionize warfare. Make the dragonlance obsolete."'

'Really ?" Tas asked in excitement.

"A fact!" Fizban confirmed. "Now, you stand over here-' He an.otioned to a ,gnome who leaped to do his bidding, running to stand in the middle of the cluttered room.

Fizban picked up what looked, to the kender's confused mind, like a crossbow that had been attacked by an enraged fisherman. It was a crossbow all right. But instead of an arrow, a huge net dangled from a hook on the end. Fizban, grumbling and muttering, ordered the gnomes to stand behind him and give him room.

"Now, you are the enemy;' Fizban told the gnome in the center of the room. The gnome immediately a.s.sumed a fierce, warlike expression. The other gnomes nodded appreciatively.

Fizban .aimed, then let fly. The net sailed out into the air, got snagged on the hook at the end of crossbow, and snappedback like a collapsing sail to engulf the magician.

"Confounded hook!" Fizban muttered.

Between the gnomes and Tas, they got him disentangled.

"I guess this is good-bye," Tas said, slowly extending hid small hand.

"It is?" Fizban looked amazed" "Am I going somewhere? I one told rne". I'm not packed-'

"I'm going somewhere;' Tas said patiently, "with Laur We're taking the lances and-oh, I don't think I'm supposed tbe telling anyone;' he added, embarra.s.sed.

"Don't worry. Mum's the word.' Fizban said in a ho. whisper that carried clearly through the crowded room. "You love Palanthas. Beautiful city. Give Sturm my regards. and Ta.s.slehoff"-the old magician looked at him shrewdly, "'you did the right thing, my boy!"

"I did?" Tas said hopefully. "I'm glad:" He hesitated. ", w dered . . . about what you said-the dark path. Did I-?"

Fizban's face grew grave as he gripped Tas firmly an shoulder. 'I'm afraid so.

But you have the courage to wailk'

"I hope so;'Tas said with a small sigh. "Well, good- bge. be back. Just as soon as the mar's over."

"Oh, I probably won't be there;' Fizban said, shaking I-~s so violenay his hat slid off. "Soon as the new weapon"s fected, I'll be leaving for-" he paused. "Where was that I supposed to gc? I can't seem to recall. But don't worry.

meet again. At least you're not leaving me buried under a of chicken feathers!" he muttered, searching for his hat,. '

Tas picked it up and handed it to him.

"Good-bye;' the kender said, a choke in his voice.

"Good-bye, good-bye!" Fizban waved cheerfully. Thengiving the gnomes a hunted glance-he pulled Tas over to him. "Uh, I seem to have forgotten something. What was my name again?"

Someone else said good-bye to the old magician, too, although not under quite the same circ.u.mstances.

Elistan was pacing the sh.o.r.e of Sancrist, waiting for the boat that would take him back to Southern Ergoth. The young man, Douglas, walked along beside him.

The two were deep in conversation, Elistan explaining the ways of the ancient G.o.ds to a rapt and attentive listener.

Suddenly Elistan looked up to see the old, befuddled magician he had seen at the Council meeting. Elistan had tried for days to meet the old mage, but Fizban always avoided him. Thus it was with astonishment Elistan saw the old man come walking toward them now along the sh.o.r.eline. His head was bowed, he was muttering to himself. For a moment, Elistan thought he would pa.s.s by without noticing them, when suddenly the old mage raised his head.

"Oh, I say! Haven't we met?" he asked, blinking.

For a moment Elistan could not speak. The cleric's face turned deathly white beneath its weathered tan. He was finally able to answer the old mage, his voice was husky. "Indeed we have, sir. I did not realize it before mow. And though we were but lately introduced, I feel that I have known you a long, long time."

"Indeed?" The old man scowled suspiciously. "You're not making some sort of comment on my age, are you?" "No, certainly not!" Elistan smiled.

The old man's face cleared, "I'Vell, have a pleasant journey. And a safe one. Farewell:'

Leaning on a bent and battered staff, the old man toddled an past them. Suddenly he stopped and turned around. "Oh, by the way, the name's Fizban."

"I'll remember;" Elistan said gravely, bowing, "Fizban."

Pleased, the old magician nodded and continued on his way along the sh.o.r.eline while Elistan, suddenly thoughtful and quiet, resur-,eG his walk with a sigh.

The Perechan.

Memories o, f long ago.

his is crazy, I hope realize that!" Caramon hissed.

,-We wouldn't be here it we were sane, would we?" I'a~ responded, gritting his teeth.

"No," Cararnon muttered., "I suppose you're right:'

The two men stood an the shadows of a dark alleyway, '~ town where generally the only things ever found in alley wre rats drunks and dead bodies.

e , The name of the wretched town was Flotsam, and it well-named, far :it lay upon the sh.o.r.es of the Blood Sea of THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT.

like the wreckage of a broken vessel tossed upon the rocks. Peopled by the dregs of most of the races of Krynn, Flotsam was, in addition, an occupied town now, overrun with draconians, goblins, and mercenaries of all races, attracted to the Highlords by high wages and the spoils of war.

And so, "like the other sc.u.m;' as Raistlin observed, the companions floated along upon the tides of war and were deposited in Flotsam. Here they hoped to find a ship that would take them on the long, treacherous journey around the northern part of Ansalon to Sancrist-or wherever- Where they were going was a point that had been much in contention lately-ever since Raistlin's recovery from his illness. The companions had anxiously watched him following his use of the dragon orb, their concern not completely centered on his health. What had happened when he used the orb? What harm might he have brought upon them?

"You need not fear," Raistlin told them in his whispering voice. "I am not weak and foolish like the elven king. I gained control of the orb. It did not gain control off me:'

"Then what does it do? How can we use it?" Tanis asked, alarmed by the frozen expression on the mages metallic face.