That morning there was no visible signs of last night's sorrows. Instead, Dreamflight seemed most eager of all to continue with their journey. She pulled and prodded at Tas, urging him along.
"You're certainly bright eyed and bushy tailed," Tas pointed out, grinning. Then, as an afterthought, added, "Although I never understood how that could be as you don't have a tail, and neither does anyone else I know - except for minotaur. And how does one achieve bright eyes without looking at something very bright? Whenever I look at bright things, like the sun, long enough I only get a headache and then I can't see at all!" Dreamflight merely laughed and took to the air, wheeling and hovering, doing many aerial antics. Before the sun had reached its zenith, they had reached Panthalas. Landing gently, she took Tas's hand and squeezed tight. Confused, but enjoying the blush he felt creep into his cheeks, he squeezed back and escorted her through.
"Hello there," he called to the guards, who glared fiercely at him. "Not too friendly, are they? There should be friendly guards to greet weary travelers at the city gates." Smiling, Dreamflight said nothing.
"Where is the Inn you were raised?" Tanis inquired, leading everyone down the streets. "Perhaps we could lodge there." Dreamflight shook her head.
"No," she replied firmly. "You wouldn't… Like it." Tanis made no move to press the matter, but knew that they were getting closer. Dreamflight began to fidget, tried to veer down side streets with Tas until, exasperated, Caramon picked her up and carried her. Dreamflight squirmed, flapping her wings to make it difficult for him to see.
"Put me down!" she demanded. Caramon shook his head. "Put me down Cara…" Her voice died away. Before the group stood a friendly little Inn, its sign squeaking faintly and the paint peeling. As the group entered, Dreamflight rested in Caramon's arms rigidly. A couple, the obvious innkeepers as they were bent over financial records, glanced up to greet the travelers and was struck by surprise. Dreamflight paled, lowering her head and shutting her eyes tightly. Caramon set her down, gently. The surprise from the Innkeepers faded, replaced by a cold, impassive gaze. Tas didn't take notice.
"Hullo!" he called, walking up to them and smiling cheerfully. "Are you Dreamflight's parents?" The couple stared at her.
"No," replied the man, gravely. "She's not our daughter. We took care of her as a child. Nothing more." Dreamflight flinched.
"Hello again," she whispered, eyes lowered again. Silence hung over the awkward moment.
"Did she cause you poor people any trouble?" asked the woman briskly. "If so, we will not be held responsible…"
"No, it's not that," Flint interrupted. "She's traveling with us. We just need rooms for a couple nights." The couple glanced at each other and nodded.
"Is m-my room still there?" Dreamflight asked hopefully. The couple glared.
"Of course not," the man answered. "There are paying customers that make use of that room." Dreamflight sighed softly, having not gotten her hopes up.
"Then I'll just take my things-"
"We sold it all," the woman interrupted. Dreamflight's eyes opened wide, her head snapped up.
"What?!" she exclaimed. "All of it?!"
"All of it that wasn't already ours," came the terse reply. "And you will not take that tone with us!" Reprimanded, Dreamflight lowered her head again, swallowing back her tears. Tasslehoff was horrified. He hastened to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. To him, the loss of all those memories could never be replaced. Dreamflight leaned against him, shaking, but nothing more. For a moment, Tas admired her strength.
Tanis finally cleared his throat. "We'll have eight rooms, please…" The man turned a friendly smile at Tanis and nodded, handing keys to the rooms to him. The group quickly to avoid anymore of the tense atmosphere, except Tas, who held Dreamflight tightly, lending his comfort to her.
"May we have a moment alone with her, kender, sir?" the woman inquired politely. Tas cast them a wary glance, squeezing Dreamflight's hand tightly before departing to his room. Sneakily, he shut his door without going in and crept back to listen in. She would tell him later what was said anyways, he rationalized. This would merely skip that step. He strained to hear the voices…
"So you came back," the man replied, simply. "Why?"
"My friends have business in Panthalas," she explained meekly. Then, bolder, "I will not leave them." Tas smiled inwardly at her loyalty to his friends.
"No, I don't suppose you will until you've snuck all their gold away," the man sneered.
"They're my friends!" Dreamflight exclaimed in a strangled voice. The woman laughed, her voice filled with scorn.
"Friends," she mimicked. "I'm quite sure they think that. How many nights have you warmed that kender's bed after a day of thieving?" Tas flushed, partially in embarrassment, mostly in outrage. How could she call the sweet kendermaid he had come to adore a thief?! There was a long, tense, silence.
"I have never…" she trailed off a moment. Then, loudly, "I am as pure and kind as the day I left!"
"Ran away," the man corrected. "Without even leaving a note or anything, you ingrate. You may stay in the Inn only because those poor fools are paying to board you with them. If they really are your friends, as you claim, you'll do them a favor by giving back whatever you stole, stop whoring with their kender, and walking out of their life forever." There was a muffled cry, the sound of running and a slamming of a door. Tas saw out of a window corner Dreamflight racing down the street. Jumping down the stairs two by two, he raced after her.
It wasn't hard to find her. She had stopped only a distance away where she could cry out of sight from the Inn. Tas approached quietly, watching in pity as she succumbed to the hiccups. When he had felt she was calm enough he slid next to her, arms encircling her, his fingertips brushing warm tears from her cheeks. Dreamflight sighed, nestling against him, clinging to him.
"Oh Tas," she whimpered, "they said the most horrible things!"
"I know," he whispered, petting her hair gently. "I heard… I didn't mean to, but…" Sighing, he slowly detangled himself from her grip. "Listen, Dreamflight. You've just been through a rough time. The others will be busy, and I know you don't want to go back anytime soon, so why don't we hit the town?" Dreamflight looked puzzled, so he added, "I have a little spending money that Tanis gave me a while back ago. Come on; let's go get you a weapon so you don't always have to steal my hoopak." He leapt up, snatching her hand enthusiastically. Startled, Dreamflight could do nothing else but follow.
They walked pass many stores, pausing to admire various shop windows until the storeowner chased them away, but with firm resolution, Tas only permitted themselves to enter a small, shabby looking weapons shop. The shopkeeper glowered at them, but nothing more. Satisfied with the reaction, Tas escorted Dreamflight around the store, pointing out various kender made and female built weapons. After much speculation, Dreamflight made her decision.
"A staff," she announced. "I would like a staff." The shopkeeper smirked at her.
"Staffs are for mages only here," he replied, pointedly. "Unless you've got scrolls in those pouches and know how to use them, I won't sell a kender any staff."
Dreamflight drooped and inquired, "Do you have any staffs for non-magic users?" The shopkeeper laughed raucously.
"I believe the term you're looking for," the shopkeeper drawled, "is a stick." Dreamflight frowned, puffing her feathers and trying to look menacing. "Over thre, kender… In the corner." Nodding and giving thanks that went unnoticed, Dreamflight walked over to the non-magical staffs. With a scrutinizing eye, she selected one. Tas eyed the staff, not finding anything ornate about it besides a climbing ivy design. However, at Dreamflight's insistence, paid for it (he was quite eager to be rid of the cumbersome gold anyways). Once outside, she pulled a fistful of beads, necklaces, and bracelets from a special pouch. With these, she decorated the staff until it became a garish sight any kender would be envious of.
"It's lovely," Tas commented, wistfully touching a blue pendant swinging near the top. Dreamflight grinned happily, already much cheered of the afternoon's unpleasantness. Dusk began to fall.
"Perhaps we should turn back," Dreamflight advised. Grinning, Tas shook his head and guided her down another street.
"Nonsense," he laughed. "We have the night still! Come on, let's see what friendly individuals are in here." He led her into a tavern that buzzed with activity. Tas wrapped an arm around her waist seemingly, with a glance at a couple other kender that had wandered into the tavern, possessively. She smiled, touched to the heart by his actions. At the same time, she felt slightly more miserable, knowing she had not extended the same gesture of concern to him. Both took a seat at the bar.
"Ale for me," Tas ordered, tilting his head to Dreamflight in inquiry to what she would like. Hesitant, uncertain, Dreamflight ordered the first fancy drink that came to mind.
"Wine," she decided. As the barkeeper turned to pour the drinks, she squirmed in anticipation. This would be her first time trying the potent drink. Taking her glass with thanks, she gulped a small mouthful of the liquid down. At first, she had found the drink to be dreadfully bitter. Then a fire burned all the way down her throat, and through her body. She smiled, enjoying the stuff and drank eagerly. Tas drank modestly of his ale, watching her.
"It's good?" he asked. She nodded enthusiastically between sips, already half of her wine gone. "You drink it fast. Either you have a high tolerance or are very fond of wine." She set her near empty glass down, giggling.
"This is my first time trying it," she tittered before bursting into laughter. Tas grinned, amused, and put his mug down.
"You're drunk, aren't you?" he inquired, watching her in interest. Tas would swear up and down that he'd never been drunk before (those drinking matches with Flint hadn't counted!) and he couldn't recall ever really getting to see a drunk kender. Therefore, he was keenly interested in what was going through her mind. "How does it feel?"
With bubbles the only thing on her mind, Dreamflight teetered uncertainly on her bar stool, laughing as she swayed with her mental visages. She answered, "Dizzy! But it's really quite fun. Like I'd been spinning around and around and around…" She continued this until forgetting what she was talking about and laughed once more. Chuckling, Tas paid for the drinks, using up the last of his gold, for which he was glad. There was now room for more interesting things in his pouches. He stood, easing her off the stool, and led her outside. "You're a silly drunk."
"Am not," she pouted, then quickly smiled again and snatched his hand, leading him off. "Come. Let me show you something." Tas, who had intended to guide the tipsy kendermaid home, was surprised to find himself running to keep up with her as she raced through allies and squeezed through cracked walls. At last, she slowed her frenzied run, climbing up a creaky old ladder that seemed abandoned long ago. Glancing down at him from below, she perched on the ledge. Tas scurried up the ladder and sat next to her, catching his breath only to lose it again. Stretched out before him was a perfect living map of Panthalas. He began to reach for his own map to reference, but his hands filled as Dreamflight pressed against him, hugging tightly. The faint smell of wine clung to her, but it was not unpleasant to Tas. Rather, it was inviting, mixing nicely with the scent of dust and exotic trinkets. He brushed back a wisp of hair and played with her wings, always finding amusement in working the joints and comparing them with how they looked in flight. Lifting her gaze, Dreamflight stared at him fondly, lovingly. He stiffened and stared back, beginning to lean close to her again - his lips craving the touch of hers.
Again, he paused, reprimanding himself for dare rushing her. Disappointment flashed across her face a moment, and Tas wondered if he had made the right decision. He sucked in his breath slowly. If he could not bring himself to show his love, he would speak it.
"Dreamflight I-"
His declaration was cut short as eager lips pressed against his own in an ardent kiss. His arm tightened around her and his resolve wavered, then disappeared. He yielded under her tender passion, a hand caressing her cheek. She burned under his fingertips, reminding him of the heat that radiated from Raistlin from ambition - though he suspected that she burned from other desires.
The kiss broke, so that both may catch a breath and savor the moment, their eyes never straying from the other. Gently, Dreamflight kissed again and again in a soft assault. Each kiss sent jolts through Tas's body, and he felt he would never tire of this ultimate experience. At length, Dreamflight ceased, blushing and looking away.
Turning her head by the chin to face him, Tas finished. "…love you." Smiling, Dreamflight laid against him and fell almost immediately to sleep. Tas laughed quietly at her low wine tolerance and gathered her into his arms. To his luck, the Inn was quite close and he didn't have to carry her far. He tiptoed back into the Inn, taking pains not to alert anyone to their presence. Carefully, he laid the kendermaid in his bed, watching over her for a brief time. Satisfied that she was comfortable, he pushed a chair next to it and attempted to sleep. He found it very difficult, unable to find a comfortable position and all. Eventually he reasoned with himself until finding justifiable cause for curling up beside her.
"Caramon and Tika do it all the time," he mumbled tiredly. From the corner of his mind came the meek response that Caramon and Tika were married. He easily ignored it.