Chapter 14:
When Raistlin awoke, the first thing he saw was Alira resting against him. He could feel her heart beating beneath her breast, and an overwhelming sense of protectiveness washed over him. It didn't take long for him to realize that they were free of the their captors. But he didn't want to wake her; she looked so peaceful and beautiful.to him. In reality, she was a mess. Her hair was mussed and tangled with blood and dirt, her entire body was either bruised or weary, and her clothing was ragged and filthy.
He lay, half-awake, half-asleep until she finally stirred. Alira woke, and slid her head upwards on his chest to look at his face. Alira finally accepted it, with that one glance. It was done.
Back in Solace, they were a sight to be seen. Both of them looked terrible.ragged, and filthy. People stared at them. They were past caring. They walked up the stairs to the Inn of the Last Home, every muscle aching, every bruise complaining, and were barely able to order themselves a room with two baths.
Alira's modesty fled in her pain. All she wanted was a soak in the bath. She eased herself into the tub, its water the perfect balance of warm and hot, and stripped off her now-soaking clothing. Raistlin threw his robes off and entered his bath.
No words passed until the water began to get cold. They scrubbed themselves clean, completely oblivious to the person in the next tub, and grunted when they hit a particularly sore spot. Raistlin, due to lessons with Weird Meggin (a local herb-woman), was an expert at human anatomy, and he knew exactly which spots to massage to relieve his pain. A fleeting thought came to him.but he decided not to act on it. The gods know how Alira would react if he offered her a massage.
Alira finally realized that they were sharing a room. And they were both in bathtubs. Naked. Together. Alone. In a room. She slunk down into the soapy water, modesty taking over. Alira was appalled when he rose from the tub, his back facing her. Dripping wet, he reached for a towel and began to dry off, ignoring her completely. She couldn't help but stare. Quickly, she averted her gaze, blushing terribly.
It took longer than she would have liked for him to finally get dressed and when he did, she waited for him to leave so she could. He sat on the bed and watched her, his long hair still wet. She glared at him like an angry cat, a simple look that expressed how much she wanted him to go. He grinned at her evilly. She gasped, realizing his intentions.
"You wouldn't dare!" she said.
"I'm not leaving." He replied coolly. She felt like slapping him, but to do that she'd have to get out of the tub!
"You're such a-! Urhh!" she cried at him. "At least hand me a towel or something!"
He smiled wickedly, picking up her towel from the bed next to him, dangling it over the side of the bed, and gesturing for her to come get it. She stayed in the cold water.
"Why do you think we were attacked." She asked, hoping to snare his attention away from torturing her.
"I should think it was obvious. We were two traveling mages, likely to have something of value on us. They could use us for whatever they wanted, then kill us or what have you, and steal our stuff. They'd probably use and eat what they could, and sell what confused them." He replied calmly, still not forgetting her.
Alira was aggravated, now. "But it didn't feel right."
"Nonsense," Raistlin replied, "you're just trying to divert my attention."
She grimaced at him, he replied with a cheerful smile. The water was getting frigid. He was getting more and more patient. She did not want to give the satisfaction of making her give up.
"Eventually, the water will evaporate, and all this will just be a waste of time."
"Elves are renowned for their patience."
"But you don't have the Elven patience, just as you lack the Elven ears." He teased. It was warm in the room, but freezing in the water. Alira was starting to shiver.
"Y-you are going to kill me. I'm going to get hypothermia!" she whined.
"It's simpler than you think. All you have to do is walk over here and fetch your towel." He replied. He was half-lying on the bed, propped up by his arms, with the towel draped casually over the bed, just within his grasp.
Alira couldn't stand it anymore. Quickly, so the air wouldn't bother her too much, she vaulted out of the tub with a violent splash of water and grabbed the towel's corner, pulling it towards herself to wrap herself up. Raistlin watched the entire thing with mild interest. He grabbed the other side of the towel and jerked it firmly, jerking a shivering Alira to him. Sliding his slender, strong arm behind her waist, he drew her near, the warmth from his body attracting her. She nuzzled up close to the warmth, not truly realizing that she was naked and he clothed. All she felt was the difference between warmth and cold.
Suddenly, she squirmed; trying to pull away from the firm embrace she was caught in. This was horrifying. Raistlin laughed, pulling her closer, and turning his mouth to her ear.
"Shh. Calm down. Let me warm you." He whispered, placing the lightest of kisses just below her ear. Every hair on her body stood up with electricity, she was soon covered with goose bumps. Alira shivered, and melted in his arms. He sighed. Alira eased his robes from him, realizing that he hadn't fastened them at all. Raistlin wanted this as much as she did.
They just stayed with each other.
Eventually, their exhaustion flowed back into them. Without realizing it, they fell asleep.
When Alira woke up, she was confused. They were under the covers, but she knew nothing had happened. That was what confused her. Remembering the exertions of travel and fighting, she understood what happened. They had merely fallen asleep. She wished they hadn't. Raistlin was already awake. He had dressed and left. She was looking about the room for him when the door opened and he entered. Alira yanked the covers up to her neck, her useless modesty returning. Foolishness, she thought, and she jerked them back the way they were. He bore a tray of food and tea. She thanked him, and ate the meal in bed. He sat with her, occasionally snatching a bit of bread or potato for himself.
"Raistlin." she said, the question unvoiced.
"No. Not yet. But I." he left his question unfinished. He knew what she asked, but this time she wasn't sure about him.
"What?"
"I was wondering.Did you want to wait until marriage, you know, before."
She grinned broadly. "Yes."
"When do you want to get married?"
"Is that your proposal.well, I have to admit that I always did expect something more.flamboyant. Well, I suppose it will do. We can get married whenever you like, there really isn't anyone for me to invite.unless you want to invite someone.but I am expecting to get a proper dress." She said. Instantly, the image came into her mind of her wedding dress.
But her thoughts were banished quickly. Raistlin flickered.
Flickered.
What?
His image in front of her just blinked. In his place was the strangest thing she had ever seen. It looked almost like a man.but a man with a lizard's head.and strange malformed wings. She shrieked.
NOTE: yes, I know I don't own Raistlin etc. etc..but I've got my Alira. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed my story because so far I've heard only great things.and what suggestions I've received are very thoughtful, and maybe they'll someday be used? ( Thanks much for everything! I continue only because of all my faithful readers! (Oh, and don't get mad at me, that was the twist.this is why its taken so long for me to write it.the twist! Buahahahha! Sorry, but it'll take a little while for everything to be cleared.just warning you all!)
When Raistlin awoke, the first thing he saw was Alira resting against him. He could feel her heart beating beneath her breast, and an overwhelming sense of protectiveness washed over him. It didn't take long for him to realize that they were free of the their captors. But he didn't want to wake her; she looked so peaceful and beautiful.to him. In reality, she was a mess. Her hair was mussed and tangled with blood and dirt, her entire body was either bruised or weary, and her clothing was ragged and filthy.
He lay, half-awake, half-asleep until she finally stirred. Alira woke, and slid her head upwards on his chest to look at his face. Alira finally accepted it, with that one glance. It was done.
Back in Solace, they were a sight to be seen. Both of them looked terrible.ragged, and filthy. People stared at them. They were past caring. They walked up the stairs to the Inn of the Last Home, every muscle aching, every bruise complaining, and were barely able to order themselves a room with two baths.
Alira's modesty fled in her pain. All she wanted was a soak in the bath. She eased herself into the tub, its water the perfect balance of warm and hot, and stripped off her now-soaking clothing. Raistlin threw his robes off and entered his bath.
No words passed until the water began to get cold. They scrubbed themselves clean, completely oblivious to the person in the next tub, and grunted when they hit a particularly sore spot. Raistlin, due to lessons with Weird Meggin (a local herb-woman), was an expert at human anatomy, and he knew exactly which spots to massage to relieve his pain. A fleeting thought came to him.but he decided not to act on it. The gods know how Alira would react if he offered her a massage.
Alira finally realized that they were sharing a room. And they were both in bathtubs. Naked. Together. Alone. In a room. She slunk down into the soapy water, modesty taking over. Alira was appalled when he rose from the tub, his back facing her. Dripping wet, he reached for a towel and began to dry off, ignoring her completely. She couldn't help but stare. Quickly, she averted her gaze, blushing terribly.
It took longer than she would have liked for him to finally get dressed and when he did, she waited for him to leave so she could. He sat on the bed and watched her, his long hair still wet. She glared at him like an angry cat, a simple look that expressed how much she wanted him to go. He grinned at her evilly. She gasped, realizing his intentions.
"You wouldn't dare!" she said.
"I'm not leaving." He replied coolly. She felt like slapping him, but to do that she'd have to get out of the tub!
"You're such a-! Urhh!" she cried at him. "At least hand me a towel or something!"
He smiled wickedly, picking up her towel from the bed next to him, dangling it over the side of the bed, and gesturing for her to come get it. She stayed in the cold water.
"Why do you think we were attacked." She asked, hoping to snare his attention away from torturing her.
"I should think it was obvious. We were two traveling mages, likely to have something of value on us. They could use us for whatever they wanted, then kill us or what have you, and steal our stuff. They'd probably use and eat what they could, and sell what confused them." He replied calmly, still not forgetting her.
Alira was aggravated, now. "But it didn't feel right."
"Nonsense," Raistlin replied, "you're just trying to divert my attention."
She grimaced at him, he replied with a cheerful smile. The water was getting frigid. He was getting more and more patient. She did not want to give the satisfaction of making her give up.
"Eventually, the water will evaporate, and all this will just be a waste of time."
"Elves are renowned for their patience."
"But you don't have the Elven patience, just as you lack the Elven ears." He teased. It was warm in the room, but freezing in the water. Alira was starting to shiver.
"Y-you are going to kill me. I'm going to get hypothermia!" she whined.
"It's simpler than you think. All you have to do is walk over here and fetch your towel." He replied. He was half-lying on the bed, propped up by his arms, with the towel draped casually over the bed, just within his grasp.
Alira couldn't stand it anymore. Quickly, so the air wouldn't bother her too much, she vaulted out of the tub with a violent splash of water and grabbed the towel's corner, pulling it towards herself to wrap herself up. Raistlin watched the entire thing with mild interest. He grabbed the other side of the towel and jerked it firmly, jerking a shivering Alira to him. Sliding his slender, strong arm behind her waist, he drew her near, the warmth from his body attracting her. She nuzzled up close to the warmth, not truly realizing that she was naked and he clothed. All she felt was the difference between warmth and cold.
Suddenly, she squirmed; trying to pull away from the firm embrace she was caught in. This was horrifying. Raistlin laughed, pulling her closer, and turning his mouth to her ear.
"Shh. Calm down. Let me warm you." He whispered, placing the lightest of kisses just below her ear. Every hair on her body stood up with electricity, she was soon covered with goose bumps. Alira shivered, and melted in his arms. He sighed. Alira eased his robes from him, realizing that he hadn't fastened them at all. Raistlin wanted this as much as she did.
They just stayed with each other.
Eventually, their exhaustion flowed back into them. Without realizing it, they fell asleep.
When Alira woke up, she was confused. They were under the covers, but she knew nothing had happened. That was what confused her. Remembering the exertions of travel and fighting, she understood what happened. They had merely fallen asleep. She wished they hadn't. Raistlin was already awake. He had dressed and left. She was looking about the room for him when the door opened and he entered. Alira yanked the covers up to her neck, her useless modesty returning. Foolishness, she thought, and she jerked them back the way they were. He bore a tray of food and tea. She thanked him, and ate the meal in bed. He sat with her, occasionally snatching a bit of bread or potato for himself.
"Raistlin." she said, the question unvoiced.
"No. Not yet. But I." he left his question unfinished. He knew what she asked, but this time she wasn't sure about him.
"What?"
"I was wondering.Did you want to wait until marriage, you know, before."
She grinned broadly. "Yes."
"When do you want to get married?"
"Is that your proposal.well, I have to admit that I always did expect something more.flamboyant. Well, I suppose it will do. We can get married whenever you like, there really isn't anyone for me to invite.unless you want to invite someone.but I am expecting to get a proper dress." She said. Instantly, the image came into her mind of her wedding dress.
But her thoughts were banished quickly. Raistlin flickered.
Flickered.
What?
His image in front of her just blinked. In his place was the strangest thing she had ever seen. It looked almost like a man.but a man with a lizard's head.and strange malformed wings. She shrieked.
NOTE: yes, I know I don't own Raistlin etc. etc..but I've got my Alira. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed my story because so far I've heard only great things.and what suggestions I've received are very thoughtful, and maybe they'll someday be used? ( Thanks much for everything! I continue only because of all my faithful readers! (Oh, and don't get mad at me, that was the twist.this is why its taken so long for me to write it.the twist! Buahahahha! Sorry, but it'll take a little while for everything to be cleared.just warning you all!)