Chapter 2: Changes
Crysania lay in her shared tent with Caramon pretending to be asleep under the blankets. She knew eventually she'd have to get out from under them and acknowledge him, but for now she just wanted to curl up and die. Raistlin had humiliated her, for a moment he seemed different, she actually believed she changed him...he would never change and she was foolish for even thinking it. And the shame she felt left alone her clothes dirty and tattered. The moment he acknowledged her as Revered Daughter she looked at the medallion of the Platinum Dragon hanging around her neck and felt a sharp pang of regret. She had broken her vows to Paladine, and for what, Raistlin would never love her, he said it himself, now he seemed to look down on her more than ever. Poor Caramon was watching her sadly now shaking his head. She wanted to tell him it was ok and that she had wanted it and she was happy, but she wasn't sure about anything anymore, and the last thing she felt she could do is comfort someone else.
Caramon looked down at Crysania's weak frame curled up and clutching her blankets. Raistlin had seduced her used her and left her, just like her did with every other person he knew. How long had Caramon been his brother's slave? Raistlin had never necessarily asked for it, but he felt obligated by the invisible bond they shared. Seeing Crysania there, her clothes caked in mud, her face red form crying herself to sleep, her hair sweat soaked from... Caramon's face reddened, and he felt a sharp bite of jealousy, Raistlin took Crysania, not just her body but her heart and soul. He gave her nothing and took everything she had to give. Caramon knew it meant nothing to him, she would die for him and he would step away to avoid having blood spilt upon his robes. He was about to wake Crysania for fresh made breakfast, it was supposed to be his but he found himself willing to give it up for her, a rather frightening thought; when he heard a rather sharp shrieking followed by hoarse cursing. He ran out of his tent and took a look around the camp, it was coming from Raistlin's, not surprisingly, and he began to run towards it then stopped. Why should he go help his brother, it was more than obvious in this young healthy body he could fend for himself, and it wasn't like he would be thankful anyway.
"Damn you Takhisis, I will not fail, I AM NOT HIM!" Raistlin shrieked throwing vials and various other objects around his tent. All the surrounding soldiers screamed and ran away from the perimeter of the tent fearing the evil Fistandilus' wrath. He often went on these tirades but this one was far worse than any previous one, they went to search for their general but he was already on his way.
"General it seems the wizard is...upset." Announced Garic to Caramon, hoping not to offend him.
"I see, well the wizard should stop whining, now I'm hungry I gave the witch my breakfast so let's cook up some food." Caramon replied smiling at his men. They appeared shocked at his apparent disregard of the wizard, never before had he reacted that way, even in the most minor incidents. "Lighten up will you guys, he's not going to turn me into a snake or anything. Plus this will teach him to stop being such a cry baby right?" Caramon smirked addressing the nervous looking young men. Fortunately that made them laugh and they were able to sit down and enjoy a hearty breakfast together.
Crysania had heard him cursing and screaming and began to panic; it wasn't because of her was it? She couldn't stop worrying, so finally once she heard Caramon talking to the soldiers she sneaked out of the back of the tent and crept around to Raistlin's making sure to stay out of the troops view. She opened it up gently stepping in only to get out of view from the outside. She paused, "Raistlin.... It's me, what's wrong?"
"Why... why after all this work, I am my own executioner." He whispered more to himself than her, his voice hoarse and much like it was the first time she met him. He sat down turned partially towards her but gazing ahead right past her at the wall of the tent.
"The dream...I told you Raistlin I believe in you, I believe in me, we will defeat Takhisis." She said softly taking a step towards him nervously.
"Not if I die first!" Raistlin shrieked back. "And it won't just be me Revered Daughter, it will be you, my half wit brother, and the damned gnome. If I could just find that gnome." Raistlin shook his head still staring at the tent wall, as if deep in thought.
"Well...it is supposed to be happening soon so why not send out a scouting party for him and well, take care of the problem. I mean if there's no gnome, then he can't kill us. Besides how hard can it be to find a gnome?" Crysania took another step closer bracing herself for rejection.
"Exactly! How in the Abyss did I not think of that...it's so simple!" He was laughing as he stood up and took a step towards her extending his arms outward when he stopped and stumbled backwards with a strange expression on his face. "Well I thank you for your suggestion Revered Daughter and I will address Caramon with it at once." His manner suddenly much more cold and distant.
Crysania's heart lit up as he smiled stepping towards her ready to embrace, then he stopped and appeared confused, almost terrified of something. She bit her lower lip and nodded with a small sad smile. "I'm always happy to help you in anyway I can Raistlin." As she walked out of the tent she felt herself pulled closer to the darkness. She had just suggested murder for the sake of love! "It's all changed." She walked back to her tent not even avoiding being seen by Caramon and kneeled before her small shrine to her god Paladine and prayed, but not for herself, not for the troops, not for mankind, or peace, but instead for him.
After she left Raistlin paced around the room rubbing his temples. He had quite nearly lost his self-control, this time not even aware until it was nearly to late. "It's all changed." He lay back on his bed and thought of cool creamy skin, silky raven black hair, rose petal lips, and crystalline blue eyes.
Caramon watch Raistlin's tent as Crysania exited. "What is she doing?" he wondered. Looking at her face she seemed even more melancholy than she had been before. "So that bastard broke her fragile heart again." He found himself thinking of running after her and taking her in his arms and telling her he'd make it all better again. Or going and choking every undeserving breathe out of his brother's throat. "It's all changed." He leaned back against the tree distracted from his troop talk of tactics and thought back to a poor frail little boy being pushed around, and the monster he's become.
Crysania lay in her shared tent with Caramon pretending to be asleep under the blankets. She knew eventually she'd have to get out from under them and acknowledge him, but for now she just wanted to curl up and die. Raistlin had humiliated her, for a moment he seemed different, she actually believed she changed him...he would never change and she was foolish for even thinking it. And the shame she felt left alone her clothes dirty and tattered. The moment he acknowledged her as Revered Daughter she looked at the medallion of the Platinum Dragon hanging around her neck and felt a sharp pang of regret. She had broken her vows to Paladine, and for what, Raistlin would never love her, he said it himself, now he seemed to look down on her more than ever. Poor Caramon was watching her sadly now shaking his head. She wanted to tell him it was ok and that she had wanted it and she was happy, but she wasn't sure about anything anymore, and the last thing she felt she could do is comfort someone else.
Caramon looked down at Crysania's weak frame curled up and clutching her blankets. Raistlin had seduced her used her and left her, just like her did with every other person he knew. How long had Caramon been his brother's slave? Raistlin had never necessarily asked for it, but he felt obligated by the invisible bond they shared. Seeing Crysania there, her clothes caked in mud, her face red form crying herself to sleep, her hair sweat soaked from... Caramon's face reddened, and he felt a sharp bite of jealousy, Raistlin took Crysania, not just her body but her heart and soul. He gave her nothing and took everything she had to give. Caramon knew it meant nothing to him, she would die for him and he would step away to avoid having blood spilt upon his robes. He was about to wake Crysania for fresh made breakfast, it was supposed to be his but he found himself willing to give it up for her, a rather frightening thought; when he heard a rather sharp shrieking followed by hoarse cursing. He ran out of his tent and took a look around the camp, it was coming from Raistlin's, not surprisingly, and he began to run towards it then stopped. Why should he go help his brother, it was more than obvious in this young healthy body he could fend for himself, and it wasn't like he would be thankful anyway.
"Damn you Takhisis, I will not fail, I AM NOT HIM!" Raistlin shrieked throwing vials and various other objects around his tent. All the surrounding soldiers screamed and ran away from the perimeter of the tent fearing the evil Fistandilus' wrath. He often went on these tirades but this one was far worse than any previous one, they went to search for their general but he was already on his way.
"General it seems the wizard is...upset." Announced Garic to Caramon, hoping not to offend him.
"I see, well the wizard should stop whining, now I'm hungry I gave the witch my breakfast so let's cook up some food." Caramon replied smiling at his men. They appeared shocked at his apparent disregard of the wizard, never before had he reacted that way, even in the most minor incidents. "Lighten up will you guys, he's not going to turn me into a snake or anything. Plus this will teach him to stop being such a cry baby right?" Caramon smirked addressing the nervous looking young men. Fortunately that made them laugh and they were able to sit down and enjoy a hearty breakfast together.
Crysania had heard him cursing and screaming and began to panic; it wasn't because of her was it? She couldn't stop worrying, so finally once she heard Caramon talking to the soldiers she sneaked out of the back of the tent and crept around to Raistlin's making sure to stay out of the troops view. She opened it up gently stepping in only to get out of view from the outside. She paused, "Raistlin.... It's me, what's wrong?"
"Why... why after all this work, I am my own executioner." He whispered more to himself than her, his voice hoarse and much like it was the first time she met him. He sat down turned partially towards her but gazing ahead right past her at the wall of the tent.
"The dream...I told you Raistlin I believe in you, I believe in me, we will defeat Takhisis." She said softly taking a step towards him nervously.
"Not if I die first!" Raistlin shrieked back. "And it won't just be me Revered Daughter, it will be you, my half wit brother, and the damned gnome. If I could just find that gnome." Raistlin shook his head still staring at the tent wall, as if deep in thought.
"Well...it is supposed to be happening soon so why not send out a scouting party for him and well, take care of the problem. I mean if there's no gnome, then he can't kill us. Besides how hard can it be to find a gnome?" Crysania took another step closer bracing herself for rejection.
"Exactly! How in the Abyss did I not think of that...it's so simple!" He was laughing as he stood up and took a step towards her extending his arms outward when he stopped and stumbled backwards with a strange expression on his face. "Well I thank you for your suggestion Revered Daughter and I will address Caramon with it at once." His manner suddenly much more cold and distant.
Crysania's heart lit up as he smiled stepping towards her ready to embrace, then he stopped and appeared confused, almost terrified of something. She bit her lower lip and nodded with a small sad smile. "I'm always happy to help you in anyway I can Raistlin." As she walked out of the tent she felt herself pulled closer to the darkness. She had just suggested murder for the sake of love! "It's all changed." She walked back to her tent not even avoiding being seen by Caramon and kneeled before her small shrine to her god Paladine and prayed, but not for herself, not for the troops, not for mankind, or peace, but instead for him.
After she left Raistlin paced around the room rubbing his temples. He had quite nearly lost his self-control, this time not even aware until it was nearly to late. "It's all changed." He lay back on his bed and thought of cool creamy skin, silky raven black hair, rose petal lips, and crystalline blue eyes.
Caramon watch Raistlin's tent as Crysania exited. "What is she doing?" he wondered. Looking at her face she seemed even more melancholy than she had been before. "So that bastard broke her fragile heart again." He found himself thinking of running after her and taking her in his arms and telling her he'd make it all better again. Or going and choking every undeserving breathe out of his brother's throat. "It's all changed." He leaned back against the tree distracted from his troop talk of tactics and thought back to a poor frail little boy being pushed around, and the monster he's become.