Chapter 9
Raistlin walked quickly to the town hall. He had recieved word from a guard that the mayor wanted to see him, and he had gone there as quick as possible. Entering the building he was ushered into a room, where Mistress Meggin and the mayor sat. Raistlin knew that something was wrong when he saw the old woman crying.
"Raistlin Majere?" asked the mayor.
Raistlin nodded.
"Please son, take a seat," said the man calmly.
Raistlin shook his head. "No, just tell me what's going on."
The man's lips made a thin line as he reguarded Raistlin. "Mora Taeon was with a group of farmers on her way to Haven to buy more herbs. On there way back, they were met with an attack by a group of bandits, some of whom, we believe were involved with the attack she met on her way to Solace this past spring."
Raistlin felt his knees give out and he took a seat. "You found them then, right? Where is she? Where's Mora?"
"We did catch the bandits. They are in our custody, and are sentanced to death."
"Alright, you've caught them. Where's Mora?!" snapped Raistlin, fear eating at him.
"She was murdered Raistlin," said the mayor quietly. "We found her body; the leader, we believe, is the one who killed her. I'm sorry."
Raistlin stopped breathing. He only remebered to inhale when he started seeing black spots in front of his eyes. "What?" he whispered, unbelieving.
"I'm terribly sorry. I had heard you two were engaged. They found this on the leader," said the mayor, handing him Mora's engagement ring. "This was truly a tragedy, especially because she was with child."
Raistlin stumbled to his feet and ran out of the room. He ran out of the building, and made his way to the morgue, where he knew all bodies to be buried in were prepared in. Throwing open the door, he pushed past the women and into the back room. He closed and locked the door behind him.
Mora's body lay unmoving on the table.
Raistlin ran to her side, taking her cold hands into his own. Her face was smooth, making her appear to be resting and nothing more. "Mora. . ." he whispered brokenly, as tears ran unchecked down his face.
He touched her cheeks, even shook her. She didn't move, would never move again. Raistlin layed his head down on her stomach, shuddering at the knowledge that she had been with child, his child, when she'd died. "My child. . . I didn't even know." He drew the ring from his pocket, and put it back on her finger. "I should have married you, I shouldn't have let you go alone. . . It's. . It's my fault. . ." Raistlin folded her hands on her chest and kissed her gently. It was many hours later before he finally got up from the seat he had taken by her side, and left to return home.
**
15 months later. . .
Raistlin watched as the starlight filtered through the leaves of the tree to fall on Mora's grave. A little less than a year ago, Raistlin had taken his Test, leaving his body and health shattered. The twins had waited until nightfall to enter Solace, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves in the daylight hours. They were just passing by; they were on their way to enlist as mercenaries and weren't planning on staying long.
Raistlin couldn't bear bringing himself to Mora's funeral, and this was the first time he had visited her grave. Caramon stood quietly behind his brother, wiping away a tear of his own. Raistlin bent down, leaning heavily on his staff, and placed a candle on her grave, a candle in her memory. It was inside of a green holder, causing the light radiated to be an emerald green, so very similar to Mora's eyes.
"Goodbye, Mora. . ." Raistlin said softly, letting his voice drift off into the night. Slowly he turned, and began to walk down the path, the path that would take them back to their camp near Crystalmir Lake.
"Raist," began Caramon, knowing he should say something.
Raistlin turned, and fixed a cold stare on his brother. His hourglass eyes, shining from within the depths of his hood, the golden skin of his face twisting into a snarl. "I will only tell you once, Caramon, I never want to speak of Mora again. It will be as if she never existed. Do you understand me?" The rage and sadness in Raistlin's eyes carried more weight then his words.
Caramon nodded. "Sure, Raist, if that's what you want. . ."
"Yes, that is what I want," hissed Raistlin. "If I ever hear of you, or any of them ever speak of her again, I'll--" The rest of his words were cut off by a fit of coughing, that ended with him doubling over and him angrily pushing the hands of his brother away.
"Raist! Take it easy! I promise, you have my word," said Caramon, hovering near his brother in case he needed help walking.
Raistlin didn't respond.
Raistlin walked quickly to the town hall. He had recieved word from a guard that the mayor wanted to see him, and he had gone there as quick as possible. Entering the building he was ushered into a room, where Mistress Meggin and the mayor sat. Raistlin knew that something was wrong when he saw the old woman crying.
"Raistlin Majere?" asked the mayor.
Raistlin nodded.
"Please son, take a seat," said the man calmly.
Raistlin shook his head. "No, just tell me what's going on."
The man's lips made a thin line as he reguarded Raistlin. "Mora Taeon was with a group of farmers on her way to Haven to buy more herbs. On there way back, they were met with an attack by a group of bandits, some of whom, we believe were involved with the attack she met on her way to Solace this past spring."
Raistlin felt his knees give out and he took a seat. "You found them then, right? Where is she? Where's Mora?"
"We did catch the bandits. They are in our custody, and are sentanced to death."
"Alright, you've caught them. Where's Mora?!" snapped Raistlin, fear eating at him.
"She was murdered Raistlin," said the mayor quietly. "We found her body; the leader, we believe, is the one who killed her. I'm sorry."
Raistlin stopped breathing. He only remebered to inhale when he started seeing black spots in front of his eyes. "What?" he whispered, unbelieving.
"I'm terribly sorry. I had heard you two were engaged. They found this on the leader," said the mayor, handing him Mora's engagement ring. "This was truly a tragedy, especially because she was with child."
Raistlin stumbled to his feet and ran out of the room. He ran out of the building, and made his way to the morgue, where he knew all bodies to be buried in were prepared in. Throwing open the door, he pushed past the women and into the back room. He closed and locked the door behind him.
Mora's body lay unmoving on the table.
Raistlin ran to her side, taking her cold hands into his own. Her face was smooth, making her appear to be resting and nothing more. "Mora. . ." he whispered brokenly, as tears ran unchecked down his face.
He touched her cheeks, even shook her. She didn't move, would never move again. Raistlin layed his head down on her stomach, shuddering at the knowledge that she had been with child, his child, when she'd died. "My child. . . I didn't even know." He drew the ring from his pocket, and put it back on her finger. "I should have married you, I shouldn't have let you go alone. . . It's. . It's my fault. . ." Raistlin folded her hands on her chest and kissed her gently. It was many hours later before he finally got up from the seat he had taken by her side, and left to return home.
**
15 months later. . .
Raistlin watched as the starlight filtered through the leaves of the tree to fall on Mora's grave. A little less than a year ago, Raistlin had taken his Test, leaving his body and health shattered. The twins had waited until nightfall to enter Solace, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves in the daylight hours. They were just passing by; they were on their way to enlist as mercenaries and weren't planning on staying long.
Raistlin couldn't bear bringing himself to Mora's funeral, and this was the first time he had visited her grave. Caramon stood quietly behind his brother, wiping away a tear of his own. Raistlin bent down, leaning heavily on his staff, and placed a candle on her grave, a candle in her memory. It was inside of a green holder, causing the light radiated to be an emerald green, so very similar to Mora's eyes.
"Goodbye, Mora. . ." Raistlin said softly, letting his voice drift off into the night. Slowly he turned, and began to walk down the path, the path that would take them back to their camp near Crystalmir Lake.
"Raist," began Caramon, knowing he should say something.
Raistlin turned, and fixed a cold stare on his brother. His hourglass eyes, shining from within the depths of his hood, the golden skin of his face twisting into a snarl. "I will only tell you once, Caramon, I never want to speak of Mora again. It will be as if she never existed. Do you understand me?" The rage and sadness in Raistlin's eyes carried more weight then his words.
Caramon nodded. "Sure, Raist, if that's what you want. . ."
"Yes, that is what I want," hissed Raistlin. "If I ever hear of you, or any of them ever speak of her again, I'll--" The rest of his words were cut off by a fit of coughing, that ended with him doubling over and him angrily pushing the hands of his brother away.
"Raist! Take it easy! I promise, you have my word," said Caramon, hovering near his brother in case he needed help walking.
Raistlin didn't respond.
