This story uses some of the characters and settings described in the Death Gate Cycle and are owned by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Anyway, on with the story.
The Calm Between Storms
Shik tackled his big sister to the ground but she didn't seem to mind. Her protective runes kept her from being hurt and, besides, he was just having a little fun. Living in peace was far from being a reality in the labyrinth, but at times between attacks the two siblings enjoyed each other's company. Rue hoisted Shik up by his legs and put him into a wicker chair upside down. Kneeling to just slightly above his eye level she looked down at him lovingly.
"Truce?" she asked.
"Not a chance!" Shik cried, enacting the possibility that he was right side up.
Shik would have lunged at hid sister but the door opened and in walked an elderly, balding sartan. He wore patryn-made but mensch-like clothes that seemed as awkward as the man wearing them. He had a warm smile, though, and did his best not to bump into things.
"Uncle Alfred," Shik said, "Heads up!"
The young boy made a dive for the startled sartan with arms outstretched. Acting on instinct, Alfred waved a hand in the air and sung three words. Shik got a face full of dirt and looked so ridiculous sprawled out on the ground that Rue couldn't help but laugh. Alfred was standing several feet away looking rather like a leaf about to be blown off a branch.
"Why'd you move?" Shik demanded, brushing himself off.
"I'm too old for those games now," Alfred replied while steadying himself on a table. "Besides, I wouldn't have stood a chance. My body isn't covered in protective runes, remember?"
"Come on, Uncle, I've seen you fight the labyrinth creatures before," Shik said, confidently.
"You've also seen me trip over my own feet!" Alfred countered. "Now come along, your parents are setting up a practice fight again. Patryn versus sartan this time, you up to it?"
"Patryn versus sartan!" came a very distressed voice, "Oh, no! The war has started again! Quick, into the trenches, shells are dropping! What are your orders, sergeant?"
Zifnab, who, as usual, came out of nowhere, dove underneath the table Alfred was leaning on and rocked back and forth, clutching his hat like a rifle. Alfred, who was exceedingly flustered, could only stammer incoherently about nothing in particular. A man in a black suit, who had also come out of nowhere, rapped soundly on the table's surface and stepped backwards.
"I didn't realize I had company!" Zifnab exclaimed, getting up and attempting to shake hands using the hand holding his hat. "A pleasure to meet you mister . . ."
"Sir, your hat," replied the man.
"Oh my! Thank you for finding my hat for me, it's been lost for days!" Turning to Alfred, Rue and Shik he asked, "Have we met?"
Alfred managed to distract Zifnab long enough for Rue and Shik to get out and go meet up with their parents. Shadows of patrolling Pryan dragons passed over the two siblings. They passed patryn homes and sartan homes, everyone living in peace. Tears came to Rue's eyes but she quickly brushed them away before her brother saw. She knew what it had been like before. She understood that this peace was a precious gift and should not be taken lightly. Before long they reached the practice field where their parents were waiting.
"Mom!" Rue cried, rushing forward and throwing her arms around her mother and embracing her tightly. "It's so wonderful."
Marit smiled, knowingly, down at her daughter. She looked over to Haplo, tussling Shik's hair. Their eyes meeting, the same thought passed between them, "Peace, at last. And we can enjoy it as a family."
The Calm Between Storms
Shik tackled his big sister to the ground but she didn't seem to mind. Her protective runes kept her from being hurt and, besides, he was just having a little fun. Living in peace was far from being a reality in the labyrinth, but at times between attacks the two siblings enjoyed each other's company. Rue hoisted Shik up by his legs and put him into a wicker chair upside down. Kneeling to just slightly above his eye level she looked down at him lovingly.
"Truce?" she asked.
"Not a chance!" Shik cried, enacting the possibility that he was right side up.
Shik would have lunged at hid sister but the door opened and in walked an elderly, balding sartan. He wore patryn-made but mensch-like clothes that seemed as awkward as the man wearing them. He had a warm smile, though, and did his best not to bump into things.
"Uncle Alfred," Shik said, "Heads up!"
The young boy made a dive for the startled sartan with arms outstretched. Acting on instinct, Alfred waved a hand in the air and sung three words. Shik got a face full of dirt and looked so ridiculous sprawled out on the ground that Rue couldn't help but laugh. Alfred was standing several feet away looking rather like a leaf about to be blown off a branch.
"Why'd you move?" Shik demanded, brushing himself off.
"I'm too old for those games now," Alfred replied while steadying himself on a table. "Besides, I wouldn't have stood a chance. My body isn't covered in protective runes, remember?"
"Come on, Uncle, I've seen you fight the labyrinth creatures before," Shik said, confidently.
"You've also seen me trip over my own feet!" Alfred countered. "Now come along, your parents are setting up a practice fight again. Patryn versus sartan this time, you up to it?"
"Patryn versus sartan!" came a very distressed voice, "Oh, no! The war has started again! Quick, into the trenches, shells are dropping! What are your orders, sergeant?"
Zifnab, who, as usual, came out of nowhere, dove underneath the table Alfred was leaning on and rocked back and forth, clutching his hat like a rifle. Alfred, who was exceedingly flustered, could only stammer incoherently about nothing in particular. A man in a black suit, who had also come out of nowhere, rapped soundly on the table's surface and stepped backwards.
"I didn't realize I had company!" Zifnab exclaimed, getting up and attempting to shake hands using the hand holding his hat. "A pleasure to meet you mister . . ."
"Sir, your hat," replied the man.
"Oh my! Thank you for finding my hat for me, it's been lost for days!" Turning to Alfred, Rue and Shik he asked, "Have we met?"
Alfred managed to distract Zifnab long enough for Rue and Shik to get out and go meet up with their parents. Shadows of patrolling Pryan dragons passed over the two siblings. They passed patryn homes and sartan homes, everyone living in peace. Tears came to Rue's eyes but she quickly brushed them away before her brother saw. She knew what it had been like before. She understood that this peace was a precious gift and should not be taken lightly. Before long they reached the practice field where their parents were waiting.
"Mom!" Rue cried, rushing forward and throwing her arms around her mother and embracing her tightly. "It's so wonderful."
Marit smiled, knowingly, down at her daughter. She looked over to Haplo, tussling Shik's hair. Their eyes meeting, the same thought passed between them, "Peace, at last. And we can enjoy it as a family."