Rais Majere: I remember that, it was more of a comparision to what Raistlin is like at Palin's Test. But it was a while, and everyone's memory requires a cow prod... although, lol, I've been living at www.dragonlance.com lately too....
sabrina: I think I'll save Caramon for later ;)
Chapter Five
Webs of Deceit
Pain was a constant. He had no idea how long he spent in the haze until the cleric realized that either he was spell resistant (which, ironically, he was...) or he was not of the same... moral leaning of the cleric. Finally he dimly heard the cleric say, before he passed out again, was, "It's not working, call the Venla the healer."
A short time later, a pudgy woman entered the hut and peered down at the young man as she readied her potions and creams. "He's a thin one."
The cleric sighed, "He's also quite beyond my skills."
"Then shoo child, and let me take over," answered Venla as she looked down on the wizard and sighed.
He wasn't the first that had been brought in by the patrols. The bandits were on the move more than they had been in many years and so many an unwary traveler had been jumped. More often than not all Venla could do was ease their way into the afterlife. This one was better off, but not by much.
Venla took stock of the man's injuries and general health as she did so. He was clean by habit, typical of wizards, but thin and almost fragile. She stripped off and then sent his robe, or what remained of it, away to be cleaned . The dark purplish bruising on his left side running from the mid part of his rib cage and all the way down to nearly his hip was a concern. Probing gently, she pursed her lips. One... no, at least three broken ribs, one broken at least twice. He would have to be kept very, very still to prevent lung puncture. If that happened he was finished.
There was another bruise, this one in his middle. There was no mistaking that it had been made by a large fist. Touching it gently, she was relieved to note that he had not been injured internally by it. Good. That improved his chances. He would be sore, but at least he had a chance of living.
She then looked at his left arm and grimaced in sympathy. It was definitely broken. Oh indeed. Unstoppering one of the potion bottles and holding it a distance from her, she spilled some of it out into a rag and draped the rag over his nose and mouth. She counted to a slow five then pulled it away and took the rag outside in the care of her assistant. Again, she counted to a slow five to allow the ether to take effect. Once she was sure he would not feel any pain, she began to reset the broken arm. It too, was broken more than once. One break was above the elbow with the other in his inner lower bone. After making sure they were set, she splinted the arm and tied it immobile against his body, but not against his broken ribs.
After she was done, she leaned back and surveyed her handiwork. The wizard lay, seemingly in less pain. Well, perhaps he was. Once the weight had been removed, the stresses relieved, from the broken bones, the pain would subside. He was still in for a very long recovery.
Then she set to cleaning the rest of the various cuts and scrapes. Once the worst of them were bandaged, he didn't really look all that bad. Much too thin, and too young, for Venla's tastes, but one of the maiden's would love to have something as exotic and glamorous as a wizard. She snorted. As if their fathers would allow it. Besides, she got the feeling that he didn't give himself to just anybody.
Venla sat back and rubbed her hands together in satisfaction. She had a good feeling about this one's survival. He would live.
She walked out of the hut and stared at the ranger who had found him. "Riverwind," she said in Que-Shu. "He should live. I don't want him up and around for a good solid four days. He needs absolute bed rest. Every time he wakes up, I want you to give him two mouthfuls of the potion I left beside the bed, the one in the red bottle. When you're out of that, come see me and I'll see how he's doing. He needs to sleep, and sleep lots. It's the only way he'll heal. If he takes a turn for the worst, which he shouldn't, unless you muck up my instructions, come and get me."
With that Venla walked back to her own hut which was not far away from the hut where the White Robe lay. A younger Que-Shu ranger turned to Riverwind, "Is it the stuff I think she gave him?"
Riverwind shrugged as he sniffed the contents, then nodded, "Yes. He'll sleep for at least until tomorrow morning. I'll take first watch. Go rest, Skydancer."
"Don't let me sleep too long, Riverwind," said Skydancer said as she left.
Riverwind sighed and looked at the sleeping face of Palin Majere. "What have you gone and done now?" he mused.
Tanin and Sturm were chasing down the first of the tracks that they had managed to find. Sturm herded the hapless goblin into Tanin's horse as Tanin looped a length of rope around his ankles and caused him to trip. The goblin fell hard into the dirt and didn't get back up. Tanin swooped down on him, and picking up by the front of his shirt, threw him against the tree.
"Don't huuuuuurt me!" cried the goblin. "Did nothing to you!"
"What happened to the wizard?" demanded Tanin.
The goblin's eyes widened. "I don't know! Handuk ran when woman attack. Not want to die, not want to watch master die. But did anyway."
"What woman?" asked Sturm, still on the back of his horse. "Where is our brother now?"
"Don't know! Didn't stick around. Please don't kill me!"
Tanin let the goblin drop to the ground, "Get out of here. And remember that if I find out that you did have something to do with Palin Majere's attack, I'll make you wish I'd killed you here and now!"
The goblin ran into the dark as fast as his legs could carry him. Tanin mused as he watched the goblin run. Sturm said, "So, a woman rescued our brother. Where's that leave us?"
"I didn't see any tracks that would have been someone on horseback. But the place was pretty messed up," allowed Tanin as he remounted the horse. "Let's go back. Maybe if I give it a more through combing, I might pick something else up. I wish Tanis was here..."
Sturm snorted, "You aren't the only one. Tanis would have been able to tell exactly what would have happened in the rain."
"Oh shut up," retorted Tanin lightheartedly.
But he still could not quell the worry.
Riverwind found himself dozing when Palin came to. Well, if you could call the waking dreamland 'coming to'. Palin lay there, seemingly fascinated by the candlelight. Riverwind snorted. Likely he was rather fascinated by it. At the stage he was in after what Venla had given him could easily be called the 'look-at-all-the-pretty-colors' stage. Waving a hand in front of the young mage's eyes, Palin slowly, disjointedly, turned a rather blank glassy stare to Riverwind.
A few moments later, if not for the fact that his eyes were still open, if unfocussed, Riverwind would have suspected he fell back to sleep. There was no need to give him another dosing. "Go back to sleep," whispered Riverwind in common.
Palin's lips twitched, but no sound resulted, nor any recognizable attempt at speech. Then his eyes slowly drifted closed again and, after a sigh, he fell back to sleep again. Riverwind shook his head. Venla aimed to keep the boy drugged into next week. Granted, it may be the only way to keep him calm, sedate even, enough for him to acquiesce to the constant bedrest. It couldn't be hurting with keeping out of pain, either, in retrospect.
Perhaps later when he was more awake to actually be able to swallow, Riverwind would get him to swallow some more of Venla's potion down.
So sure that Palin was asleep that Riverwind missed the initial moan so soft it was. The second, however, hinted at that the next would not be far off in coming. Riverwind grabbed the potion bottle and opened it, "Palin... Palin can you hear me?"
A moan, louder, more soulful this time answered him. Unfortunately, that didn't tell Riverwind if he had understood or not. "Come on, Palin," Riverwind held his right hand. "Squeeze my hand twice if you can."
One squeeze, but it could have been... then one more definite squeeze. "Okay," Riverwind. "I need you to swallow this..."
Riverwind tipped the potion bottle up while supporting Palin's head with the other. He took one long drink, then collapsed in the pillows again. Riverwind closed the bottle again. That had been more like two and a half mouthfuls, but if it helped... Riverwind stroked Palin's hair, and was surprised by the jerking of his head when he moved it away reflexively. But soon all the tenseness and the lines in his face caused by the pain erased and this time Palin fell into a deep sleep, away from his pain.
Riverwind rearranged the sleeping furs around the young magus then settled back. It was going to be a long night.
Tanin and Sturm picked over the location where Raistlin's dead horse lay. Finally Tanin said, "I just don't get it. Where could she have gone, and on what?"
Sturm picked up the arrow and looked at it, "I've never seen anything like this...?"
Tanin came over and looked at it. It was not elven, nor was it human. But it was not the ugly and heavy arrows of ogres or other evil humanoids. He turned it over in his hand and said, "What in the Abyss?"
"Drop your weapons!" cried out accented voices.
Tanin saw the flash of movement before a plainsman's spear buried itself into the ground. Tanin held up his hands in a peace making gesture. "Put down your sword, Sturm."
"What?" Sturm looked at him like he had gone crazy.
"Rangers of Que-Shu!" called out Tanin.
Sturm lips formed an 'O' shape as he understood what was happening and laid down his sword before putting his arms up in the same gesture as Tanin. Tanin smiled at his brother and continued, "We mean no trespass on your lands, we simply seek our brother. This is... was... his horse."
One of the rangers came out of the grass, "Your brother should not have been wandering alone."
"That's why we're looking for him," added Sturm empathically. "We think he's hurt or..."
Tanin winced and Sturm stopped, not wanting to voice that suspicion. The ranger sighed and made a motion with her hands and a group of five others surfaced from the grass. "You're right on that count, my friend," she said. "He was badly injured. We took him to our camp."
Sturm asked, "Thank you for saving him, lady, we... interrogated a goblin about ten miles South of here. He said a woman cut their leader down. I take that to be you."
She shook her head. "No, not I. We happened on your brother a few days ago. He was unconscious and leaning on his horse, a cloak wrapped around him. We assumed he cut down the half orc, and had enough energy to try and make camp to heal," she answered as the two brothers looked at each other. "My name is Skydancer, Ranger Apprentice to Riverwind of the Que-Shu, Hero of the Lance."
"Well met, Skydancer, I'm Tanin Majere, and this is my younger bother, Sturm Majere. The brother you have is our younger brother, Palin Majere," said Tanin, introducing himself as Sturm recovered his sword and sheathed it, nodding as Tanin introduced him. "I don't mean to be... pushy, but we would really like to see our brother. Where is he?"
She blinked her eyes as Tanin told her their identities, "The Majere's? As in Caramon Majere's sons? You are they?"
"Yes, lady..." answered Sturm. "I don't mean to be pushy, but as Tanin said... our brother..."
She waited as they grasped the reins of their horses to lead them. As they walked to the settlement a half day's ride away, but at least a full day away walk, she explained, "When we found him, we thought he would die before we reached Que-Shu where a cleric could heal him. How he lasted..." a few of the other rangers shook their heads.
Tanin's lips compressed, "It was bandits you say?"
"Yes, of the Broken Tusk clan," she answered. "They have been raiding much more than what is normal for this time of year. Your brother ran afoul of them. If not for this mysterious woman, he would have been dead before we ever arrived."
Sturm and Tanin exchanged concerned glances. "How is he now?" asked Sturm in concern.
"The last I saw him, not two days ago, unconscious and in the care of our healer, Venla."
"What about the cleric you mentioned?"
"Our guess is that she was too low level to make a dent with his injuries," Skydancer grimaced. "If Goldmoon had been there and not on some pilgrimage he would have been able to meet you."
Tanin thought darkly, If Goldmoon had been there, our 'brother' would have been flayed alive... But he kept that thought to himself as he followed Skydancer.
The sun was setting and turning the plains into burnished gold when they crested the last low rise of a hill and the blue of the sea greeted them, as well as the large stone and thatched hut town of Que-Shu greeted them. About an hour later they walked into the town to be greeted by Riverwind as he took each of their hands in greeting, "Tanin, Sturm, it's good to see you."
"They want to see their brother," said Skydancer.
Riverwind frowned deeply, "Perhaps you should give your horses rest and food and meet me for dinner first."
Tanin frowned and looked at Sturm, whose expression was one of worry.
When they had taken care of their horse's needs, they met Riverwind in his hut. "I thought I should give you an idea of what to expect," he began somberly. "Palin nearly died twice on his way here, and this has taxed his body severely. He has a broken arm, and a few broken ribs. He was bruised severely, but nothing was hurt inside."
"How is he now?" asked Sturm.
"Resting as comfortably as we can possibly keep him," answered Riverwind as he steepled his long fingers. "There is more. Our cleric was unable to heal him. At all."
He let that sink in before continuing, "Now, there are a few possibilities. One: he has a resistance to magic, of divine or arcane nature. While this presents a challenge to any cleric, it is more helpful than hinderence." He smiled then at that statement. "Given his chosen profession, that's a blessing to him."
"And the other?" asked Tanin, dreading, yet knowing what it was all the same.
And also knowing it to be the second.
"Two: although he appears to be a White Robe, he really is not," answered Riverwind. "That would mean that he is choosing to hide his true nature. Now, my question is, since you know him better than me, which is it?"
Sturm answered quickly, "Has to be the first! Palin would never hide his true nature."
Riverwind looked at Sturm and nodded, "Very well. And you Tanin?"
Sturm and Riverwind looked at Tanin as he thought it over. Tanin smiled inwardly at Sturm's hasty words. They were true enough, if they were talking about Palin. But they weren't. This was Raistlin, and no self respecting God of Good would heal him... would they? Carefully he answered, "I'm with Sturm on this one. Palin has always been open and honest before. He would have nothing to gain by hiding his 'true nature'."
Riverwind nodded, "Interesting."
The stood and Sturm went outside before either Tanin had a chance to move. Riverwind stopped and turned back to Tanin. "What is more interesting is that you would lie to protect him. I can only hope I am not watching history repeat itself in regards to you and your brother."
Tanin froze in sudden fear as Riverwind left the hut. He closed his eyes a moment, and regained his composure as he exited. Running to catch up with Riverwind and Sturm, he walked behind them. Riverwind stood aside and pulled the skin closing the hut. "He isn't awake yet. If he does awake, give him two mouthfuls of the potion on the nightstand. He's been in terrible pain every time he woke with me. I have a feeling that it hasn't changed."
Tanin nodded wordlessly as he followed his brother into the hut. Sturm was already on the other side of him and murmuring as he held Raistlin's left hand, "Palin, we're right here. You're going to be fine."
Taking up a position on the opposite side, Tanin watched Raistlin's chest rise and fall as he slept deeply. He was amazed that Raistlin had lived long enough to get here, and that he was going to recover. Finally Sturm fidgeted and said, "I'm going outside for awhile."
After his brother had left, Tanin moved quickly to the other side of the bed, and whispered into his Uncle's ear, "You have to be a lot tougher than everyone gives you credit for, because if it had been me, I would have died on my way here. Hang in there, Uncle Raistlin."
Tanin gave his Uncle's good shoulder a gentle and reassuring squeeze before settling into his vigil.
The next day Tanin walked over to Venla, "Can I ask a question about my brother?"
"The pretty wizardling?" she all but cackled.
"Uh, yeah, him," Tanin shifted his weight. "When would I be able to take him back to Solace to recover there?"
Venla's jovial attitude disappeared in a second and was all professional, "Your brother should not be moved, young man. Not yet. His injuries are very severe. That would be hazardous to his health."
Tanin let out a breath, "I don't fault that, I was just wondering when I could?"
Venla sighed, "On horseback, with his ribs, not for another month at least. In a wagon, with much padding, not for another two weeks at least... why so eager to leave our company, young man?"
"I'm not, Lady Venla," he answered honestly. "I just think that he would be more comfortable and likely to follow healer's orders in someplace familiar."
"I would agree," she conceded, and would not deny that half of her placation was due to the young man's respect and that 'Lady Venla' bit had helped lift her mood too... "But, he's by far not in any condition to travel."
Tanin gave a slight bow, "I bow to your greater wisdom in this, my Lady."
With that he left and she muttered in Que-Shu, "Now, there's a youth that was raised right and proper! Just like I raised my own younglings...."
Tanin, on the other hand, left the conversation a bit more than frustrated. He knew that the longer Raistlin stayed the more likely Goldmoon would return from her pilgrimage. Riverwind would definitely tell her about the incident with the cleric... and how Tanin had covered. Riverwind was no fool, but Goldmoon had the vision of the Gods on her side. Raistlin's gambit would be dissolved in mere seconds of her walking into see whom she thought Palin...
Tanin sat down in frustration by the bed. At least Sturm, with Skydancer, had ridden back to Solace and would not be coming back for at least a week. In truth, Palin had expected the wagon requirement. That's why he had sent Sturm back. The Que-Shu, eschewing all but the most rudimentary of implements, were hunters and gatherers. Nomads. There was not one wagon in the whole village. So back Sturm had gone... to Solace... and to bring back a wagon and two draft horses to pull it back with. On the list, he had also listed pillows, extra blankets and a set up for a tent to drape over the back of the wagon to protect Raistlin from the elements.
But, the soonest Sturm would return with everything was not for at least a week.
Which gave him a week to convince Venla that Raistlin could travel if they were extremely careful with him.
One week.
He hoped his Uncle could heal fast.
A/N:
Miiro: Ever get the feeling that we finished this even before we posted it, lol? WIPs are my pet peeve, lol. I will never, ever post a WIP again so long as I live.
Terrence: (on the above) About bloody time, too.
See Miiro's and Lord Terrence's Livejournal at http:www.livejournal.com/users/miiro