Well, here it is; another chapter. I'd like to thank all those who have
reviewed profusely (big word! ^_~) for boosting my confidence, especially
Kyuri, who has REVIEWED EVERY CHAPTER! Thankyou so much, an dI hope you
continue to enjoy this story. The rest of you reading, please please please
PLEASE R&R.
Thank you all again.
This chapter is a little strange..
Chapter 5
The sun was setting outside, but Raistlin paid it no heed. He laid there, his arms around his apprentice, enjoying the feeling of Dalamar's warm, naked body pushed up next to him. Dalamar idly played with the Archmage's feathery white hair, curling it round his fingers, while he lightly kissed Raistlin's neck. Neither of them had been so happy or contented. Raistlin smiled into Dalamar's hair.
"You are so precious to me, do you know that?" he asked.
"Yes, yes, I do." Dalamar snuggled even closer to Raistlin. Raistlin knew he had to be honest with his apprentice now, had to tell him Par- Salian was expecting him.
"Dalamar," he started. "I sent word to Par-Salian today. The wizards at Wayreth are expecting you tomorrow. You will travel the paths of magic to get there in time."
The Dark Elf pushed his face into Raistlin's neck. "I am not going. I'm going to stay here with you."
The statement took the human Archmage back. "You can't. Dalamar, I'm going to open the Portal, free Takhisis from the Abyss. It will be dangerous. You may get killed."
"If you let Takhisis free, I will die anyway. Many will, and I will not bend to her whims and wishes."
"I do not want you to get hurt. You will be safe at Wayreth. Dalamar, please."
Raistlin felt the Dark Elf smile slightly. "Do not try to talk me out of this. It's like persuading your brother to diet."
Despite himself, Raistlin laughed. "I am going to stay here," Dalamar continued. "There is nothing you can do to stop me. It is inevitable I am going to die, and I want to die at your side."
"Where you belong," Raistlin whispered, almost to himself. He pulled Dalamar closer. "I shall tell Par-Salian that you will not be joining him after all."
Dalamar sighed contentedly. "Anyway, if you believe anyone will be safe anywhere after you have freed her Dark Majesty, you are far more naive than I, or anybody else for that matter, ever contemplated," he added as sleep claimed him. The last few words in the sentence were merely mumbled against Raistlin's bare skin.
Raistlin remain silent, listening to the deep, regular sounds of Dalamar's breathing and considering the Dark Elf's last comment. Then he too fell asleep, his nose buried in Dalamar's dark hair.
The Archmage walked through the streets of Palanthas, the buildings ruined, snow falling on the stones and carcasses left there in the wake of the Queen of Darkness. He had seen this scene many times before; his cursed vision always making the human-built city fall and decay. But this time, he knew it was real, not just something he could see.
He was making his way to the Tower of High Sorcery, once his home, now the throne of Takhisis, ruler of this world. From the accursed Tower, she ruled over all of Krynn with an iron fist and dark wing. Her dragons patrolled everywhere, an unstoppable force, put here to watch over the remaining "free peoples" of Krynn, her slaves.
Raistlin Majere, second in command to Takhisis, now stood in front of the dictator of Krynn. He bowed to her, showed her the respect she so craved.
"My Lady," he addressed her courteously. "I have returned from investigating the so-called plot on your life being constructed to the north. It has been destroyed."
"Excellent, pawn," she said. Her voice like a million screams, even though she manifested herself as a beautiful enchantress. "You have pleased me. Now retire. I require your presence no longer." Raistlin bowed and headed to his chambers.
Once arrived, Raistlin sat on the edge of the soft bed and removed his boots. He heard soft footsteps coming towards him from the adjoining bathroom. He looked up.
He should have been shocked at what he saw, and the small part of him that knew he was dreaming was. But the dream Raistlin had seen this many times.
A Silvanesti Elf stood in front of him, looking downward in a sign of respect. Raistlin knew it to be Dalamar, but it did not look like the Dark Elf he still loved and cherished in his waking hours.
Dalamar was wearing nothing but a simple tunic, beige and stopping half way down Dalamar's thighs and forearms. The Dark Elf's exposed skin was not the smooth pale flesh Raistlin was used to seeing. It was covered in a network of old scars and new wounds, most of them looking like they were made by a whip, but there were a few knife marks as well. And his beautiful face! That, too, was marred by scars. His left eye was missing. He was disfigured, but was, in a haunting way, still beautiful.
"Are you hungry, my Lord?" the Elf asked timidly, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. Raistlin noted this and looked at him, mulling things over in his head. It was highly likely that Dalamar was the last Elf left on Krynn, the others had been completely eradicated by the Dark Queen after they had tried to defy her and remain truly free. Dalamar had fought, going against Raistlin's advice to help him, and he had paid with his disfigurement. Takhisis would have killed him if it were not so certain that the dark Archmage would rise against her. Raistlin could overthrow Takhisis if he put his mind to the task, which is why she kept him busy. Keeping Dalamar alive sweetened the deal between the two and was also another way to distract Raistlin from thinking of overthrowing the Dark Queen.
"My Lord?" the Dark Elf repeated. 'My Lord'. That was something Dalamar had never called Raistlin until the Queen came through the Portal. The relationship between the two had become somewhat strained. They never talked to each other as lovers now, and when they did exchange words, it was for Raistlin to give an order, or for Dalamar to ask if he required anything, as he was now.
"I am very hungry, Dalamar," Raistlin replied, looking eagerly at the Dark Elf's exposed legs. He stood and moved closer. The Elf drew away. No, Dalamar! Please don't look so afraid!
"Stay still," Raistlin said, roughly grabbing a handful of black, silky hair and pulling him forward, causing a frightened whine to pass the scarred but still soft lips. I have never seen you look so desperate. Please, stop!
Raistlin pushed his lips violently against the struggling Elf's, biting hard into the pink flesh, making it bleed. Further moans of fear and pain came from the servant. Raistlin still held him hard by the hair.
"If you do not stop struggling, I will cut out the other pretty eye of yours."
Dalamar was still, breathing heavily and looking like a trapped deer, wanting to flee. But in the depths of his single remaining eye was the spark of defiance that had kept him alive.
The Archmage shifted his tight grip onto Dalamar's slim and shivering shoulders. He forced him into another powerful kiss, pushing him backwards, throwing him down onto the bed. Dalamar cried out, a pitiful "no" and he tried to push Raistlin away. But Raistlin would not relent. He flicked his wrist, and a small knife appeared in his palm. This he held to the struggling Dalamar's throat.
"I warned you," he said calmly. "If you value what sight you have left, you will cease this fighting."
"I'd rather die than be treated as your whore," Dalamar replied. But then his eye softened. "You loved me once."
Raistlin shook his head. "I never loved you. I used you then as I use you now, only then you were more willing." He made to slash at Dalamar's throat with the knife, but just as it touched pale skin, he moved it to slash open the Dark Elf's tunic.
DALAMAR!
Chapter 5
The sun was setting outside, but Raistlin paid it no heed. He laid there, his arms around his apprentice, enjoying the feeling of Dalamar's warm, naked body pushed up next to him. Dalamar idly played with the Archmage's feathery white hair, curling it round his fingers, while he lightly kissed Raistlin's neck. Neither of them had been so happy or contented. Raistlin smiled into Dalamar's hair.
"You are so precious to me, do you know that?" he asked.
"Yes, yes, I do." Dalamar snuggled even closer to Raistlin. Raistlin knew he had to be honest with his apprentice now, had to tell him Par- Salian was expecting him.
"Dalamar," he started. "I sent word to Par-Salian today. The wizards at Wayreth are expecting you tomorrow. You will travel the paths of magic to get there in time."
The Dark Elf pushed his face into Raistlin's neck. "I am not going. I'm going to stay here with you."
The statement took the human Archmage back. "You can't. Dalamar, I'm going to open the Portal, free Takhisis from the Abyss. It will be dangerous. You may get killed."
"If you let Takhisis free, I will die anyway. Many will, and I will not bend to her whims and wishes."
"I do not want you to get hurt. You will be safe at Wayreth. Dalamar, please."
Raistlin felt the Dark Elf smile slightly. "Do not try to talk me out of this. It's like persuading your brother to diet."
Despite himself, Raistlin laughed. "I am going to stay here," Dalamar continued. "There is nothing you can do to stop me. It is inevitable I am going to die, and I want to die at your side."
"Where you belong," Raistlin whispered, almost to himself. He pulled Dalamar closer. "I shall tell Par-Salian that you will not be joining him after all."
Dalamar sighed contentedly. "Anyway, if you believe anyone will be safe anywhere after you have freed her Dark Majesty, you are far more naive than I, or anybody else for that matter, ever contemplated," he added as sleep claimed him. The last few words in the sentence were merely mumbled against Raistlin's bare skin.
Raistlin remain silent, listening to the deep, regular sounds of Dalamar's breathing and considering the Dark Elf's last comment. Then he too fell asleep, his nose buried in Dalamar's dark hair.
The Archmage walked through the streets of Palanthas, the buildings ruined, snow falling on the stones and carcasses left there in the wake of the Queen of Darkness. He had seen this scene many times before; his cursed vision always making the human-built city fall and decay. But this time, he knew it was real, not just something he could see.
He was making his way to the Tower of High Sorcery, once his home, now the throne of Takhisis, ruler of this world. From the accursed Tower, she ruled over all of Krynn with an iron fist and dark wing. Her dragons patrolled everywhere, an unstoppable force, put here to watch over the remaining "free peoples" of Krynn, her slaves.
Raistlin Majere, second in command to Takhisis, now stood in front of the dictator of Krynn. He bowed to her, showed her the respect she so craved.
"My Lady," he addressed her courteously. "I have returned from investigating the so-called plot on your life being constructed to the north. It has been destroyed."
"Excellent, pawn," she said. Her voice like a million screams, even though she manifested herself as a beautiful enchantress. "You have pleased me. Now retire. I require your presence no longer." Raistlin bowed and headed to his chambers.
Once arrived, Raistlin sat on the edge of the soft bed and removed his boots. He heard soft footsteps coming towards him from the adjoining bathroom. He looked up.
He should have been shocked at what he saw, and the small part of him that knew he was dreaming was. But the dream Raistlin had seen this many times.
A Silvanesti Elf stood in front of him, looking downward in a sign of respect. Raistlin knew it to be Dalamar, but it did not look like the Dark Elf he still loved and cherished in his waking hours.
Dalamar was wearing nothing but a simple tunic, beige and stopping half way down Dalamar's thighs and forearms. The Dark Elf's exposed skin was not the smooth pale flesh Raistlin was used to seeing. It was covered in a network of old scars and new wounds, most of them looking like they were made by a whip, but there were a few knife marks as well. And his beautiful face! That, too, was marred by scars. His left eye was missing. He was disfigured, but was, in a haunting way, still beautiful.
"Are you hungry, my Lord?" the Elf asked timidly, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. Raistlin noted this and looked at him, mulling things over in his head. It was highly likely that Dalamar was the last Elf left on Krynn, the others had been completely eradicated by the Dark Queen after they had tried to defy her and remain truly free. Dalamar had fought, going against Raistlin's advice to help him, and he had paid with his disfigurement. Takhisis would have killed him if it were not so certain that the dark Archmage would rise against her. Raistlin could overthrow Takhisis if he put his mind to the task, which is why she kept him busy. Keeping Dalamar alive sweetened the deal between the two and was also another way to distract Raistlin from thinking of overthrowing the Dark Queen.
"My Lord?" the Dark Elf repeated. 'My Lord'. That was something Dalamar had never called Raistlin until the Queen came through the Portal. The relationship between the two had become somewhat strained. They never talked to each other as lovers now, and when they did exchange words, it was for Raistlin to give an order, or for Dalamar to ask if he required anything, as he was now.
"I am very hungry, Dalamar," Raistlin replied, looking eagerly at the Dark Elf's exposed legs. He stood and moved closer. The Elf drew away. No, Dalamar! Please don't look so afraid!
"Stay still," Raistlin said, roughly grabbing a handful of black, silky hair and pulling him forward, causing a frightened whine to pass the scarred but still soft lips. I have never seen you look so desperate. Please, stop!
Raistlin pushed his lips violently against the struggling Elf's, biting hard into the pink flesh, making it bleed. Further moans of fear and pain came from the servant. Raistlin still held him hard by the hair.
"If you do not stop struggling, I will cut out the other pretty eye of yours."
Dalamar was still, breathing heavily and looking like a trapped deer, wanting to flee. But in the depths of his single remaining eye was the spark of defiance that had kept him alive.
The Archmage shifted his tight grip onto Dalamar's slim and shivering shoulders. He forced him into another powerful kiss, pushing him backwards, throwing him down onto the bed. Dalamar cried out, a pitiful "no" and he tried to push Raistlin away. But Raistlin would not relent. He flicked his wrist, and a small knife appeared in his palm. This he held to the struggling Dalamar's throat.
"I warned you," he said calmly. "If you value what sight you have left, you will cease this fighting."
"I'd rather die than be treated as your whore," Dalamar replied. But then his eye softened. "You loved me once."
Raistlin shook his head. "I never loved you. I used you then as I use you now, only then you were more willing." He made to slash at Dalamar's throat with the knife, but just as it touched pale skin, he moved it to slash open the Dark Elf's tunic.
DALAMAR!