Baby Beloved, a dragonlance fanfic

Author's note: I never thought I'd write fan fiction that wasn't about an established character. It seemed to me that if I were to do that, I might as well set it in my own world. But after reading Amber and Iron this story popped into my head. It derives from the events in the Dark Disciple trilogy so much that I couldn't properly file off the serial numbers and claim it as my own.

"I know a game we can play," the eight-year-old girl said to her small companion. "I'll say something and you repeat after me."

"Repeat after me," the beaming two-year-old replied.

The children were playing on the bank of the White Rage River that beautiful spring morning. The eight-year-old Anika had felt the winter would never end, and so was beside herself on what promised to be the first warm day of the year. It was as if spring herself had awakened and decided to go play in Haven. Anika had begged her mother to be allowed to go out, and the harried baker, smiling at her daughter's youthful impatience, agreed. Anika had run cheering to the wide riverbank where the children of the town liked to gather. But instead of finding her friends, she saw only a toddler of around two years of age, who only said her name was Baby, and that she was waiting.

"Waiting for who?" Anika had asked in the high sing-song voice that all girls know one uses with babies.

"To play with you," the tiny child stated firmly. Anika guessed that the child was lost. Since her parents had always told her that if she became lost she should stay put and wait to be found, Anika decided to play with the little girl until her parents came looking for her.

"Hey diddley dee," Anika began her chant.

"Hey dee dee," Baby repeated, giggling

"Hey diddly ho."

"He de ho."

"Nonny nonny hey."

"Nonny nonny no."

"Nonny no no."

"Very good," said Anika. "Now let's say it really fast together."

The two girls started to say the chant together, but ended up dissolving into giggles.

"Now it's your turn," said Anika.

"Hey," began Baby.

"Hey."

"Ho."

"Hey."

"Now we say it fast," demanded Baby. Anika repeated Baby's chant while making silly faces, to Baby's delight. Anika then started a new chant with Baby repeating.

"Your turn again," said Anika.

"Isw."

"Isw?" Apparently Baby had decided to make up words now.

"Earm."

"Ysoult."

"Ochem."

"Osh."

Baby was positively gleeful, but Anika felt funny. She didn't know why, but this game was starting to scare her. "Let's play something now."

"No!" screamed Baby. "You say really fast."

"All right, but then we play a new game."

"Then we play a new game," Baby agreed. "Now say it fast with me."

The two girls on the bank of the White Rage River in Haven held hands and said together, "Iswearmysoultochemosh."

Anika suddenly felt a chill pass over her. There was something creepy about what she'd just said. "I don't want to play this anymore," she complained. "Where are your parents?" No one along the busy street within sight of the riverbank had come by to reclaim their lost child.

"I'm tired," Baby started crying. "Pick me up."

Anika obligingly bent to pick up the toddler, who grabbed tightly onto the older girl's blouse. As Anika stood up, Baby shrieked, "I'm falling," and started wriggling wildly in Anika's and managed to pull her blouse off her shoulder.

"Hey now," scolded Anika as she settled the toddler against her chest and unsuccessfully tried to pull her blouse up while keeping hold of Baby - no easy task for eight-year-old arms.

"Night-night, Anika," murmured Baby as she burrowed her head against Anika's chest.

"Night-night, Baby," crooned Anika, even as she looked around, hoping to see frantic parents looking for a child. It might be time to get grown-up help, she thought, as she felt cold drool on her chest above her heart.

Anika gasped suddenly as her brain registered that she was in mortal agony. She sank to the ground, unable to scream. The toddler wriggled out of her arms and scampered away, giggling. No one bustling along the street by the river bank noticed the girl who lay dying a few yards away.

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The children in the village square stopped playing when they saw the new girl approach. There weren't many strangers here, so a new arrival, especially a child, was an important event.

"Good morrow," the little girl said. "My name is Anika. I know a game we can play," she smiled, a dazzling smile that charmed all the children. "I'll say something and you repeat after me."