Disclaimer: the usual. DL blah blah blah not mine blah Weis and Hickman blah blah Ari's mine. Blah.
AN: Dal's in this one! Yea for all you Dalamar fans! I know that Raistlin probably does eat meat, but I think it suits his constitution better to not. Oh. And just so you all know, I probably won't be updating this for some time after this. Ma famille (my family) is coming down for the week, so I'll be spending all my free time with them. Not that I think I'll have any free time. The All Holy Art Teachers at LCAD have decreed that it is 'work week' and so I've got a test Monday, a KILLER test Friday, a scratchboard piece to finish by next Tuesday, animation 10 second final to work on, a painting to start so that I can pass the class, and the Lysistrata to read by Wed. YESH... Sorry for the rambling. I doubt you cared, but there my life is in one sentence. Enjoy my pretties...
Chapter 5: Lonely
Ariana's job at the Centre where she worked was a diplomat. She acted as the middleman between companies and the unfriendly Centre. As such, she was gifted in knowing when to say something to nudge the companies in one direction or another. However, in her personal life, it wasn't that easy. Being close to family and friends put her in too close to the situation and tended to mar her calculations. She wished her cousin, Alysa, were there, or her grandpa-just someone who could step back and give her advice. Ari would have liked to go into Raistlin's room again and talk it out, but verbal confrontation was not an easy thing with him. He balked at anything related to being civil, it seemed.
Drawing in a deep breath as if it might be her last, she ignored the little voice warning against talking to Raistlin. As she approached the door, however, she began to lose her nerve. It seemed like the 'fight or flight' instinct was trying to kick in. Now in front of the door, it seemed like a huge mistake. Further anxiety was brought as the door swung open, bringing a pissed mage chest to face with the small woman. His eyes were vehement.
Ari stepped back a pace; she hadn't said word and already she felt defeated. Some small section of her brain that was artistic noticed how beautiful he looked when he was angry and filed it away for later.
"I don't want you near me," he hissed, brushing past her.
"Raistlin, I didn't mean for Caramon to see us even more than I meant to fall in love with you. So you can't just walk away from me."
"I can do whatever I please," he retorted over his shoulder.
She ran after him, tugging on his robe, "Please wait. Could we talk about this instead of you running away or changing the subject?" He stopped and turned towards her. She shrunk back a little. "I don't understand how having your brother walk in while we were kissing can compromise any sort of relationship between us. I know that I said I wanted to be friends, but I think I want more. You obviously want me, but you aren't acting like it. What harm are you afraid of?"
"I don't have time for what a relationship requires. My magic comes first in my life."
"Let's try. You'll never know unless you do. Consider it an experiment and if it fails it wasn't because we didn't try. You'll be just be back to where you started, alone and lonely." Ari bit her lower lip, ready to hear and refute what he said.
"I'm not lonely."
"Yes you are. I can tell. No one talks to you ever and they all try to sidestep you-even your precious companions. I know this hurts. That's why you put on all of your thick masks and pretend not to be human because that would make you have emotions and emotions leave you wide open to be hurt. You've got such a thirst for life and you're not even living!" She sucked in her breath, shocked at what she had said.
He seemed to be furious again at her. Of course these revelations struck deep, they were true. What he felt was struggling up for air in a sea of apathy. His thoughts darted around, trying to make sense of what he could use this woman for. She knew so much about what made him tick she was dangerous and could be used against him by his enemies. A slow smile spread across his face-he could find a use for her after all. Now, he just needed to play his cards right. "We'll see, all right? Just take it one day at a time." Placating her was the first step.
She beamed at him, clearly excited, and threw her arms around him.
He sighed; he was going to have to get used to all this hugging and physical contact because it didn't look like it was going away. Damn her clingy-ness. So, he obligingly wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head upon hers briefly. "Will you please not read me? It's an invasion of privacy."
"I'll try, but I usually can't control it. I just won't try to interpret it. It's the best I can do." She hung onto him tightly.
Raistlin pulled away gently. He made an excuse about going to study elsewhere and left. At his exit both parties sighed, one with relief and one with regret.
The thin mage went for the Inn. Not many people would be there in the heat, having better things to do than sitting around drinking. He secluded himself in a shady corner, sun streaming in enough to light his pages. He drew his hood up, a warning to any potential waitress that he did not wish to be disturbed.
A knock at the door woke her up. She made a general admittance noise, sitting up and taking out her ponytail to redo. Raistlin entered, setting down the plate he held onto the table. "We had dinner and Tika thought you might like something," he murmured, glancing up at her for the first time since he had entered. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning," he informed her. "There are things that I need to attend to before I can remain any longer."
She also stood, "May I come, please? I need to talk to you still about yourself." She bit her lip, "I can't really start painting until I do." She began poking her food with a fork, nudging the meat over, away from her precious greens.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He had been hoping to spend some time alone to mend his broken masks before anyone had a chance to peer through the cracks. However, he couldn't very well ruin his twin's mural. For one thing, he'd never hear the end of it. So, for sanity's sake, he agreed. "You'll want to wear warm clothing. My tower is some distance away and it tends to not be so hot there. We'll be traveling by magic, so it will only take a couple of seconds. What in the Abyss are you doing?"
"Nothing. Eating. Not the meat. I meant to tell Tika, but I never got around to telling her that I was a vegetarian."
He nodded, "Meat makes me sick to my stomach. As does most foods." Then Raistlin made to leave, turning halfway once his hand was on the knob. "I'm leaving early in the morning. Be ready to go and be gone for three or four days."
Ari looked from her small sketchbook to the enormous wall in front of her. Things were going to be interesting. Taking a deep breath, she approached the wall with a stick of vine charcoal and started in. General lines went down first followed by more solid details that outlined shoulders and feet, noses and hands. She worked for an hour before looking back to her sketch. It was fairly accurate. She would go back later to edit specifics. Around her, the Inn was starting to come to life. Sleepy barmaids stumbled in. Caramon and Tika soon followed. They paused appreciatively in front of the wall she was working at.
"Morn'," Ari greeted. "In order to complete this mural I'm going to have to talk to Raistlin and since he's going to his tower this morning I, would like to go with. Would that be a problem?"
"Not at all," responded Caramon, "Whatever it takes."
"Ready?" Raistlin asked.
She nodded, pulling on a jacket and stepping closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her much closer. "Hang on," he whispered into her ear. "You may feel disoriented, but I will have you close to me." With that, he chanted lowly. The hallway dissolved and it felt like she was being squeezed inside out. She gasped and the air was sucked out of her lungs. An eternity later, they arrived.
They clung to each other a moment after, Raistlin leaning upon his staff and Ari clutching him, too dizzy to think. He drew away, steadying the small woman, then starting for the gate of the tower. Ari ran to follow, slipping her hand into his. This time, he didn't complain.
Ariana stayed extremely close, shivering slightly, not just at the cold, but also at her surroundings. The forest was dark and gloomy with a fog beginning to roll out of the underbrush. At the corners of her eyes she could swear that she saw people waling around and there definitely were cold things touching her ankles.
At the entrance to the tower, they halted as a shadow took form and stepped into the dim light. Ari flinched backwards, the face somehow familiar. She wasn't even sure whom it was she faintly recalled.
The figure in front of her also started, staring at her for a moment with cold gray eyes before snapping his attention to Raistlin. The tall, slender man bowed, "Shalifi, welcome back."
Raistlin nodded curtly, "Dalamar, this is Ariana. She will be staying for as long as I do, as my guest. Is the spare room ready like I asked?"
Dalamar, the dark elf, shook his head. "No. Unfortunately the disturbance in the forest that I alerted you to took all of my time. Something is coming that the forest cannot stop-it's as if it's afraid of whatever's out there. I cannot see what it is. I sent the Guardian out to stop it, but it came back immediately and disappeared."
Raistlin turned to Ari, "Go with Dalamar. He will show you to my study where you are to await me. Make yourself comfortable. The couch is yours until a proper room is made up." He nodded to Dalamar, entering the tower and taking the stairs down.
Ari and the elf mage eyed each other in an uncomfortable silence.
"You look like someone I should know. Ever been to Earth?"
"No," he returned, "You look like my sister. Do you know her? I don't know where she lives, right now. Her name's Bridgett."
Ari gave a gasp. "HER?! You've got to be kidding me! I do not look like her! There is no bloody way! I'm not related to her either. Angelo Green is my daddy and... there is no way the two of them could have ever gotten together-he's half-kender."
Dalamar paled. "Right. I shall have to talk to my sister again. Come this way." He led her up stairs opposite to the ones Raistlin had gone down earlier. They wound around, and around the tower, staying close to the wall, the other side being open to the air. Falling down these stairs would kill a person-they went all the way down without a break. Only several more flights passed before coming to a landing that looked like all the others. Dalamar stopped and turned. "This is it. There's fruit in a bowl on a table if you get hungry. Don't pry; the Shalifi hates that. Is there anything I can get you before I leave?
"Where's the bathroom and is there a place where I can clean up?"
"On the second landing down is a door. That will lead you to a room where the middle of the floor is sunken down several feet. Pull on the cord on the right and hot water will come out of the spout. Pull again for it to stop. Soap and towels are in a cupboard inside." He nodded his head to her and continued up the stairs.
Ari faced the door, opening it cautiously. She didn't know what she was expecting to see and chided herself for being silly. A fire was burning in the hearth, heating and lighting the room sufficiently. Shelves lined the walls, full of huge tomes and interesting looking bones. Creatures and plants in clear liquid were suspended in jars that adorned some of the spaces, as did complicated metal objects. Rocks and crystals were arranged, some with little fossils of leaves and bugs impressed upon them. Interesting feathers and odd-shaped skulls were tucked onto one shelf. Across the way was an impressive looking desk in front of a large curtained window. Next to that, the said couch that she could spend the night on. As she neared the end of one bookshelf, she couldn't help put notice a door shadowed in the wall. Ari tentatively touched the doorknob. In the back of her mind she recalled Dalamar's warning not to snoop. But she wasn't poking around, she decided. All she was going was acquainting herself with where she would be staying.
The doorknob twisted and revealed a set of steps, lit from another fire going on down below. Ari descended, one hand on the wall, other hand on the banister. The stairs ended facing a dresser with a smashed mirror. Apparently it had been cleaned up quickly for several large shards remained in the frame, curving up wickedly, reflecting the fire on the opposite wall. Next to the dresser was a washbasin, bringing her to the foot of a canopy bed. Black velvet encased a large bed with silken black covers. It was made so perfectly that not a wrinkle marred the sheets. She bent close to the pillow, taking in the fragrance of rose petals. His scent.
Then, deciding that she had been down here too long, she hurried back up the stairs, opening then closing the door soundlessly. Ari turned to move away from the door and caught Raistlin glaring at her from where he stood by his desk. He snapped the book he had been flipping through shut and strode over to where she stood.
"What were you doing in there?" he demanded, grapping her shoulder to keep her in place.
AN: Dal's in this one! Yea for all you Dalamar fans! I know that Raistlin probably does eat meat, but I think it suits his constitution better to not. Oh. And just so you all know, I probably won't be updating this for some time after this. Ma famille (my family) is coming down for the week, so I'll be spending all my free time with them. Not that I think I'll have any free time. The All Holy Art Teachers at LCAD have decreed that it is 'work week' and so I've got a test Monday, a KILLER test Friday, a scratchboard piece to finish by next Tuesday, animation 10 second final to work on, a painting to start so that I can pass the class, and the Lysistrata to read by Wed. YESH... Sorry for the rambling. I doubt you cared, but there my life is in one sentence. Enjoy my pretties...
Chapter 5: Lonely
Ariana's job at the Centre where she worked was a diplomat. She acted as the middleman between companies and the unfriendly Centre. As such, she was gifted in knowing when to say something to nudge the companies in one direction or another. However, in her personal life, it wasn't that easy. Being close to family and friends put her in too close to the situation and tended to mar her calculations. She wished her cousin, Alysa, were there, or her grandpa-just someone who could step back and give her advice. Ari would have liked to go into Raistlin's room again and talk it out, but verbal confrontation was not an easy thing with him. He balked at anything related to being civil, it seemed.
Drawing in a deep breath as if it might be her last, she ignored the little voice warning against talking to Raistlin. As she approached the door, however, she began to lose her nerve. It seemed like the 'fight or flight' instinct was trying to kick in. Now in front of the door, it seemed like a huge mistake. Further anxiety was brought as the door swung open, bringing a pissed mage chest to face with the small woman. His eyes were vehement.
Ari stepped back a pace; she hadn't said word and already she felt defeated. Some small section of her brain that was artistic noticed how beautiful he looked when he was angry and filed it away for later.
"I don't want you near me," he hissed, brushing past her.
"Raistlin, I didn't mean for Caramon to see us even more than I meant to fall in love with you. So you can't just walk away from me."
"I can do whatever I please," he retorted over his shoulder.
She ran after him, tugging on his robe, "Please wait. Could we talk about this instead of you running away or changing the subject?" He stopped and turned towards her. She shrunk back a little. "I don't understand how having your brother walk in while we were kissing can compromise any sort of relationship between us. I know that I said I wanted to be friends, but I think I want more. You obviously want me, but you aren't acting like it. What harm are you afraid of?"
"I don't have time for what a relationship requires. My magic comes first in my life."
"Let's try. You'll never know unless you do. Consider it an experiment and if it fails it wasn't because we didn't try. You'll be just be back to where you started, alone and lonely." Ari bit her lower lip, ready to hear and refute what he said.
"I'm not lonely."
"Yes you are. I can tell. No one talks to you ever and they all try to sidestep you-even your precious companions. I know this hurts. That's why you put on all of your thick masks and pretend not to be human because that would make you have emotions and emotions leave you wide open to be hurt. You've got such a thirst for life and you're not even living!" She sucked in her breath, shocked at what she had said.
He seemed to be furious again at her. Of course these revelations struck deep, they were true. What he felt was struggling up for air in a sea of apathy. His thoughts darted around, trying to make sense of what he could use this woman for. She knew so much about what made him tick she was dangerous and could be used against him by his enemies. A slow smile spread across his face-he could find a use for her after all. Now, he just needed to play his cards right. "We'll see, all right? Just take it one day at a time." Placating her was the first step.
She beamed at him, clearly excited, and threw her arms around him.
He sighed; he was going to have to get used to all this hugging and physical contact because it didn't look like it was going away. Damn her clingy-ness. So, he obligingly wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head upon hers briefly. "Will you please not read me? It's an invasion of privacy."
"I'll try, but I usually can't control it. I just won't try to interpret it. It's the best I can do." She hung onto him tightly.
Raistlin pulled away gently. He made an excuse about going to study elsewhere and left. At his exit both parties sighed, one with relief and one with regret.
The thin mage went for the Inn. Not many people would be there in the heat, having better things to do than sitting around drinking. He secluded himself in a shady corner, sun streaming in enough to light his pages. He drew his hood up, a warning to any potential waitress that he did not wish to be disturbed.
A knock at the door woke her up. She made a general admittance noise, sitting up and taking out her ponytail to redo. Raistlin entered, setting down the plate he held onto the table. "We had dinner and Tika thought you might like something," he murmured, glancing up at her for the first time since he had entered. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning," he informed her. "There are things that I need to attend to before I can remain any longer."
She also stood, "May I come, please? I need to talk to you still about yourself." She bit her lip, "I can't really start painting until I do." She began poking her food with a fork, nudging the meat over, away from her precious greens.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He had been hoping to spend some time alone to mend his broken masks before anyone had a chance to peer through the cracks. However, he couldn't very well ruin his twin's mural. For one thing, he'd never hear the end of it. So, for sanity's sake, he agreed. "You'll want to wear warm clothing. My tower is some distance away and it tends to not be so hot there. We'll be traveling by magic, so it will only take a couple of seconds. What in the Abyss are you doing?"
"Nothing. Eating. Not the meat. I meant to tell Tika, but I never got around to telling her that I was a vegetarian."
He nodded, "Meat makes me sick to my stomach. As does most foods." Then Raistlin made to leave, turning halfway once his hand was on the knob. "I'm leaving early in the morning. Be ready to go and be gone for three or four days."
Ari looked from her small sketchbook to the enormous wall in front of her. Things were going to be interesting. Taking a deep breath, she approached the wall with a stick of vine charcoal and started in. General lines went down first followed by more solid details that outlined shoulders and feet, noses and hands. She worked for an hour before looking back to her sketch. It was fairly accurate. She would go back later to edit specifics. Around her, the Inn was starting to come to life. Sleepy barmaids stumbled in. Caramon and Tika soon followed. They paused appreciatively in front of the wall she was working at.
"Morn'," Ari greeted. "In order to complete this mural I'm going to have to talk to Raistlin and since he's going to his tower this morning I, would like to go with. Would that be a problem?"
"Not at all," responded Caramon, "Whatever it takes."
"Ready?" Raistlin asked.
She nodded, pulling on a jacket and stepping closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her much closer. "Hang on," he whispered into her ear. "You may feel disoriented, but I will have you close to me." With that, he chanted lowly. The hallway dissolved and it felt like she was being squeezed inside out. She gasped and the air was sucked out of her lungs. An eternity later, they arrived.
They clung to each other a moment after, Raistlin leaning upon his staff and Ari clutching him, too dizzy to think. He drew away, steadying the small woman, then starting for the gate of the tower. Ari ran to follow, slipping her hand into his. This time, he didn't complain.
Ariana stayed extremely close, shivering slightly, not just at the cold, but also at her surroundings. The forest was dark and gloomy with a fog beginning to roll out of the underbrush. At the corners of her eyes she could swear that she saw people waling around and there definitely were cold things touching her ankles.
At the entrance to the tower, they halted as a shadow took form and stepped into the dim light. Ari flinched backwards, the face somehow familiar. She wasn't even sure whom it was she faintly recalled.
The figure in front of her also started, staring at her for a moment with cold gray eyes before snapping his attention to Raistlin. The tall, slender man bowed, "Shalifi, welcome back."
Raistlin nodded curtly, "Dalamar, this is Ariana. She will be staying for as long as I do, as my guest. Is the spare room ready like I asked?"
Dalamar, the dark elf, shook his head. "No. Unfortunately the disturbance in the forest that I alerted you to took all of my time. Something is coming that the forest cannot stop-it's as if it's afraid of whatever's out there. I cannot see what it is. I sent the Guardian out to stop it, but it came back immediately and disappeared."
Raistlin turned to Ari, "Go with Dalamar. He will show you to my study where you are to await me. Make yourself comfortable. The couch is yours until a proper room is made up." He nodded to Dalamar, entering the tower and taking the stairs down.
Ari and the elf mage eyed each other in an uncomfortable silence.
"You look like someone I should know. Ever been to Earth?"
"No," he returned, "You look like my sister. Do you know her? I don't know where she lives, right now. Her name's Bridgett."
Ari gave a gasp. "HER?! You've got to be kidding me! I do not look like her! There is no bloody way! I'm not related to her either. Angelo Green is my daddy and... there is no way the two of them could have ever gotten together-he's half-kender."
Dalamar paled. "Right. I shall have to talk to my sister again. Come this way." He led her up stairs opposite to the ones Raistlin had gone down earlier. They wound around, and around the tower, staying close to the wall, the other side being open to the air. Falling down these stairs would kill a person-they went all the way down without a break. Only several more flights passed before coming to a landing that looked like all the others. Dalamar stopped and turned. "This is it. There's fruit in a bowl on a table if you get hungry. Don't pry; the Shalifi hates that. Is there anything I can get you before I leave?
"Where's the bathroom and is there a place where I can clean up?"
"On the second landing down is a door. That will lead you to a room where the middle of the floor is sunken down several feet. Pull on the cord on the right and hot water will come out of the spout. Pull again for it to stop. Soap and towels are in a cupboard inside." He nodded his head to her and continued up the stairs.
Ari faced the door, opening it cautiously. She didn't know what she was expecting to see and chided herself for being silly. A fire was burning in the hearth, heating and lighting the room sufficiently. Shelves lined the walls, full of huge tomes and interesting looking bones. Creatures and plants in clear liquid were suspended in jars that adorned some of the spaces, as did complicated metal objects. Rocks and crystals were arranged, some with little fossils of leaves and bugs impressed upon them. Interesting feathers and odd-shaped skulls were tucked onto one shelf. Across the way was an impressive looking desk in front of a large curtained window. Next to that, the said couch that she could spend the night on. As she neared the end of one bookshelf, she couldn't help put notice a door shadowed in the wall. Ari tentatively touched the doorknob. In the back of her mind she recalled Dalamar's warning not to snoop. But she wasn't poking around, she decided. All she was going was acquainting herself with where she would be staying.
The doorknob twisted and revealed a set of steps, lit from another fire going on down below. Ari descended, one hand on the wall, other hand on the banister. The stairs ended facing a dresser with a smashed mirror. Apparently it had been cleaned up quickly for several large shards remained in the frame, curving up wickedly, reflecting the fire on the opposite wall. Next to the dresser was a washbasin, bringing her to the foot of a canopy bed. Black velvet encased a large bed with silken black covers. It was made so perfectly that not a wrinkle marred the sheets. She bent close to the pillow, taking in the fragrance of rose petals. His scent.
Then, deciding that she had been down here too long, she hurried back up the stairs, opening then closing the door soundlessly. Ari turned to move away from the door and caught Raistlin glaring at her from where he stood by his desk. He snapped the book he had been flipping through shut and strode over to where she stood.
"What were you doing in there?" he demanded, grapping her shoulder to keep her in place.