Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonlance.
Author's Note: Alright I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm going a lsightly different way then I was planning on going with it, but I think this will make the next few chapters alot more exciting. Random kender moments and a little romance is only entertaining for so long... Now that I hopefully have all of your attention. Review Time !!! u.u
Guan: Exactly my thoughts. Thank you for reviewing.
Ahn-Li Steffraini: Thanks very much. I hope you like this chapter too. It's not quite as long as last one. But alot more is going to happen.
crazzymonkey: Raist is my favorite character for the same reason. More of the cynical selfishness than evilness but I believe certain things like having a kid can calm anyone down. Even the most evil and poweful mage on Krynn. :) ....And I too would love to be a kender!
ChildlikeEmpress: I would definately say yes too...You know I actually enjoyed writing about Elistan, even though I absolutely hated him in the books.
vegeta948: Thanks. Making Raistlin step slightly out of his normal character was sort of necessary for what I wanted to do with the story. I really like Raistlin's cynical, sarcastic, evilness. But if he can still be cynical and sarcastic and just a bit evil and love his son and "care for" Crysania (considering I'm not sure what I want to call his feelings for her yet.) then I say all the better.
Calli-Kurama: I know you haven't reviewed yet. But it feels wierd typing this thing with out your name in it...Btw I saw your profile, Thankiez soooooooooooooo much! I'm very honored that you think that highly of me and my story! :)
And now on with the story!
Chapter 14: Help
He didn't get down on his knees, there were no tears in his shining eyes, he didn't say he would die without her, he didn't even have a ring. But at that moment none of that even mattered to Crysania. She wanted to hug him and tell him yes she would marry him more than anything, but something about this bothered her. "Why?" she asked trying not to sound to excited.
Raistlin faltered his face went from confident to confused. "I thought you wanted this?" he asked suspiciously.
"I do...but you don't." she said plainly.
"Well...wait yes I do. I asked you didn't I?" he said growing more confused with every word he spoke.
"But why Raistlin, Why do you want to marry me?" she said looking into his eyes.
Raistlin tried avoiding her gaze for a moment. What was he supposed to say. He wasn't sure why he even wanted to marry the woman. He had just been thinking the situation over. He knew he wanted to be involved with his son, he wanted to keep certain arrangements with Crysania and he did care for her more than he cared for most people, which considering the very few people he even cared for said a lot. And as Lunitari told him he had to wait until his magic told him the moment was right to fulfil his destiny, so why not enjoy those few days, weeks, months, or even years. He trusted Lunitari completely and he could wait to become a god as long as he knew the time would come eventually. He rubbed his temples, why was she making this difficult. She was supposed to just say yes. "I just want to marry you. Isn't that enough." He said frustrated. Aidan began to whimper being woke up. Quietly Raistlin stood and picked him up holding him against his chest stroking his back as he continued to speak Crysania. "As I was saying." She cut him off.
"Yes Raistlin I will marry you." She said happily but keeping her voice down. Little did she know at that exact moment two jealous clerics already angered by her taking over were walking past her room. Laughing she said quietly, "I know this sounds stupid but how did you get in."
"I walked in through the front door." He said with a strange look on his face. "You thought Paladine would strike be down with lightning?" he asked amused.
"Well actually yes. You are a black robe dedicated to evil magic."
"Dark not evil...Well yes sort of evil but still. What if I wanted to redeem myself Paladine couldn't keep me out if he wanted." Raistlin said quietly.
"You want to redeem yourself?" Crysania asked smiling.
"By the gods No!" he said a little too loud because at that moment several male clerics having heard he was there were coming to investigate.
"Revered Sister Crysania I cannot believe this." The one said incredulously.
"What can you not believe? That my fiancé came to say goodnight." She said standing up.
"No that you actually let him in! Wait did you say fiancé?" A very handsome male cleric said.
"Yes I did Kealon. What are you angry that I accepted him and rejected you." She said angrily.
"Look at him!" Kealon said disgustedly. "You want to marry that. It was bad enough when I though he raped you but...You...you are a traitorous whore." he shook his head in abhorrence.
Crysania was about to throttle him when she heard Raistlin whispering the spidery language of magic, the other clerics had ran out in panic the moment they heard Raistlin start speaking but Kealon continued to rant.
"You wretched, disgusting, worthl..." Kealon found himself suddenly unable to speak. In horror he saw Raistlin still chanting the words to the spell. He tried to run but his legs were like stone. Suddenly he felt his feet leave the ground and he slowly floated outside the window. Kealon was floating about thirty feet in the air and if he fell it would be onto the stone walkway below him. He tried and tried to scream but no sound would come out.
Raistlin slowly walked to the window and stared directly at Kealon his eyes holding no mercy and no compassion. "If you have a problem with me. Settle it with me. Leave her out of it." Whispering the words to the spell again he levitated him another thirty feet in the air then turned him upside down and spun him until he vomited. Then he brought him back down to floating before the window. "Now if you would still like to say what you were about to say to Lady Crysania you may. But I wouldn't suggest it. As my friend Tanis would say, I don't believe it would be conductive to a long life." Raistlin said sneering. He then released the spell and allowed the cleric to fall to about three feet from the ground still upside down. He brought him back up to the window once more and now smiled at Kealon. "Have you had enough yet?" Raistlin said, he laughed sadistically at him. "No I don't think you have." By this point Kealon had tears streaming down his face, he was covered in his own vomit and looked like a giant cherry from the rush of blood to his head.
"That's enough Raistlin." Crysania said nervously. "Much more of this and you're going to kill him..."
"Oh and what a shame that would be." Raistlin said smiling towards Kealon. "Wait you didn't want to die?" Raistlin said with a laugh so frightening that Crysania's blood froze.
Crysania looked at his face pulled in to a sadistic sneering smile. He looked like the epitome of evilness. "Raistlin please stop!" she shouted.
Raistlin who was about to let Kealon drop again suddenly did stop. His face went from a contorted grin to an almost confused frown. Whispering the words to the spell quietly he levitated Kealon back to the ground. "You will not say a word of this incident. If you so much as mention it, your heart will explode killing you instantly." Raistlin said in a quiet and dangerous rasp.
Kealon's face was bright red, he was covered in his own vomit, he was drenched in sweat and tears, his nose was bleeding from the sheer force of the fall. With a frightened gasp he felt himself able to move. With a terrified glance towards Raistlin then Crysania he ran out of the room.
"Raistlin..." Crysania said gently.
"I need to go now...I'm tired and I need some rest." He whispered looking out into the night's sky he saw the black moon Nuitari smiling back at him. He heard his Queen's laughter ringing through his. His head began to spin, he could hear Fistandantilus whispering in his ear of magic beyond his dreams, he heard Nuitari's call to change his red robed to black, he heard Takhisis' promise of power. He felt his knees lose strength as he fell to the ground. His head spun faster. He saw himself killing his brother during the test. His head spun faster. He remembered abandoning his friends as their ship sank at the Blood Sea of Istar. He grabbed the sides of his head trying to stop the spinning sensation. He saw the bloody, oozing creations, The Live Ones. The spinning of his headed was compounded with pounding. He could hear a faint shouting of his name by Crysania, but is was too far. He heard himself tell Dalamar of his plans to use her, to abandon her. He could see her tear stained face as he left the tent leaving her heart broken. "Stop!" he shrieked pulling at his hair. The spinning slowed the pounding stopped and he looked up at Crysania. She looked confused and terrified. "I...I need to sleep." He rasped his voice barely audible. Finding comfort next to Crysania he closed his eyes welcoming sleep. But he in the shadows of the room he still saw their faces waiting to attack him in his dreams. As he slipped into sleep he heard a strong reassuring voice in the back of his mind. "Rest brother I will guard your sleep." He could hear Caramon say. And as he fell asleep the slightest smile came to his mouth.
Crysania lay in bed next to her husband to be with a strange sensation she couldn't get rid of. Looking out the window she saw an empty sky. Was that same sky empty to him, when he looked out what did he see? It was late, she knew everyone else in the temple was asleep. So she got out of bed and walked out to the main hall. Sitting in the garden was a young woman in a blue cloak. She walked towards the woman to offer her some comfort she seemed so lonely. As she approached her she saw the woman seem to tense, laying a kind hand on the woman's shoulder she was startled when the woman grabbed her wrist and covered her mouth with a cloth. Before she passed out the last thing Crysania saw was short disheveled dark curly hair and a ruthless crooked grin looking down upon her.
"Brother you will help me now." Kitaira said laughing in to the still night air. "Whether you want to or not..." From the shadows emerged Lord Soth.
"Shall we return back to Nightlund?" Asked the Death Knight his chilling hollow voice.
"Not yet...there is still one more order of business." Kitaira said her voice no longer the strong powerful voice it had once been. It was now weak and shaky; her steps were no longer confident or impressive. She struggled with walking at all. Her face was as determined and ruthless as ever though. Making her way towards the temple she found herself unable to step any closer. "What is this?" she demanded to Soth angrily.
"Apparently you can't enter the temple." Soth said his voice empty of any emotion.
"And he can?" she said furiously. "Whatever... I guess we'll have to go to his Tower to deliver this." She said holding out a note.
"Alright if you would like, Dark Lady, I will deliver it for you. The creatures of the grove can do no harm to me."
"Yes you do that...Give this to Dalamar tell him it is for his master." She said laughing. "My dragon is outside the city I will wait there for you." And with that last sentence Lord Soth vanished into the darkness.
About an hour later Aidan began to cry and Raistlin reached over to wake Crysania but found her missing. Confused he stood shakily still exhausted and found the Staff of Magius. "Shirak" he said softly. The staff cast its pale light around the room. He frowned, she was no where to be seen. And Aidan still crying, most likely needing to be fed. Raistlin picked him up carefully. "Where is she..." he whispered aggravated. Not left with any other option he made his way down to the Temple's nursery. "Hello..." he said softly tapping on the door.
An elderly plump cleric made her way to the door opening it quickly. When she saw who stood at the door she fainted promptly. Raistlin sighed.
"What I am supposed to do." He whispered trying to calm down Aidan who was still whimpering. Upon hearing the noise another baby had woke and begun crying. Panicking Raistlin searched for milk for Aidan. Finally he found the casks they kept the milk in. He struggled for a moment to get Aidan to drink it but finally he did. Then as he was about to leave he heard steps rushing towards the nursery. Seeing that he wouldn't be able to leave as he planned. He quickly whispered a spell to transport them to his Tower knowing well that he would be completely drained upon casting it. He could only hope Dalamar found them quickly.
Dalamar paced around the library reading the letter Lord Soth had delivered. So Kitaira had kidnapped the cleric. Well good he thought. His Shalafi seemed distracted, and not him self. He should just throw the note away and say nothing of it. Suddenly he heard what sounded like someone falling then the sound of crying. He ran to the entrance of the Tower and found his Shalafi collapsed on the ground his mouth flecked with blood from over exertion with his young son crying on the floor next to him. Confused Dalamar carried his Shalafi to a couch where he laid him down then picked up his son and carried him around trying to figure out what was going on. Not sure what to do he took out one of his first spell books and began to read to baby Aidan.
An hour later Raistlin woke up to find Dalamar reading to his son teaching him the basic alphabet of magic. Aidan was making all sorts of baby noises that sounding nothing like what Dalamar was saying, but Dalamar continued anyway. "I am rather certain he has no idea what you are doing." Raistlin saw his son laughing and clapping his small hands. "But at least you seem to be amusing him." He said tiredly. "The strangest thing happened I woke up to find that Lady Crysania had left. The child was crying so I had to figure out something to do.
Dalamar frowned. "There is something you must see immediately Shalafi." Dalamar said standing leaving Aidan chewing on the edge of the spell book. He pulled the letter from his cloak. Lord Soth delivered this earlier.
Upon reading it Raistlin began to frown and the more he continued to read the deeper the frown grew. "It seems my sister has grown a brain. Quite incredible..."
"Well what are you going to do?" Dalamar said eagerly waiting to here Raistlin's plan.
Leaning back Raistlin sighed. "Well I suppose I will have to retrieve her..." Aidan looked over him and giggled as he tore pages out of Dalamar's spell book. "Oh don't do that..." he said taking it away from him, Aidan began to whine. "Oh stop that now...Watch this," Raistlin said taking three gold coins from his pocket. He made them dance and twirl on his knuckles. They flew into the air and when he open his hand they reappeared there. Aidan sat mystified. "Oh no, he looks just like Caramon with that stupid face he is making."
"Shalafi...I really think you should get rest for the journey it will be a long one." Dalamar said with respect.
"Yes I suppose I should. Can I trust you to watch my son?" Raistlin said quietly.
"Well...I...I'm not sure I could take care of a child. I don't know what to do with them. Besides won't you need someone to accompany you?" Dalamar said nervously.
"No I'm not sure I want anyone to accompany me regardless of what I supposedly need." Raistlin said regarding him coolly.
"Why wouldn't you just leave him at the Temple?" Dalamar asked.
"I trust you more than those fiends." Raistlin sneered. "And I don't trust you much...Though I'm certain you understand why."
Feeling a sharp pain at in the five sores on his chest Dalamar grimaced. "Yes I believe I do..." fearing his Shalafi may become upset Dalamar gave up, "Well I guess can watch the child until you return. Besides I didn't like the idea of the son of the greatest mage on Krynn being raised in the Temple of Paladine." Dalamar said laughing.
"I thought you'd see it my way." Raistlin said sarcastically. "Now I need to sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day I fear."