Big thanks to petalwing for reviewing again.! Another chapter will be up shortly. Oh yeah, I don't own dragonlance blah blah blah blah ... get's kind of annoying saying it after a while lol If I had a choice, I would, but sadly. I haven't a choice.

Caramon walked in to his house and took a seat in what would have been called their sitting area.

He looked down at his calloused hands and frowned deeply. since making the bargain with officer Bard's to help his father come along with his farming,

Caramon had been pulling out any and every vegetable that grew to help with the celebrations of their fall harvest. Considering that the festivities started the next day, he had to work extra hard.

He was tired, even for as strong as he was, spending time with his children and Tika and Isabel, and not to mention, working at the Inn, took a toll on him.

This was a sign that he was getting older. It was a sign that he detested. If only he could relive his glory days. He would have welcomed a job like this. Of course, after he was done with battle.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and shutting. He turned in his chair to see Isabel walking in, her head held low as she walked slowly to the base of the stairs.

Caramon stared at her for a moment, just realizing that it was almost night fall.

"Where have you been?" He questioned. Isabel paused and turned around to face her uncle.

"I just got in from school."

"It has never taken you this long before." Caramon countered.

"I took the long way home. I needed to think. And the detention I gotten really didn't help matters any." She said softly, with bitterness stinging the words as they fell from her mouth. "So I am just going to go upstairs and go to bed. That is, if you haven't any problems with that?"

Caramon frowned again, even deeper than before.

"Bella... I am sorry." Isabel shrugged. "You just don't understand how dangerous everything is. That is what I am trying to get through to your head." Caramon reasoned. Now feeling guilty as he studied the girl who stood before him. Again, her thin shoulders offered a shrug.

"What I am trying to say is..."

"Can I go to bed now?" Isabel asked sharply, cutting Caramon off. "I have to help Aunt Tika with the Inn in the morning. It will be even busier tomorrow, so I need what rest I can get. And as much as I love our little chats, I am very tired." Caramon stared at her dumbfounded, before nodding his head. "Thank you." Isabel returned, then walked slowly up the stairs.

Caramon got up and stretched, thinking about taking a nap himself. Before the door pushed open again. He turned, to only get tackled by his eldest son Tanan. He smiled as another made their way in.

A beautiful Elvin woman came next and gave Caramon a hug.

"Laurana." Caramon greeted. "Where is Tanis?" Laurana smiled.

"He should be here in a few moments. We were walking around Solace, venturing in to the markets. And Tanin had gotten Tanis out of a sling shot, one of the merchants were selling. And he was letting Sturm and Palin pick out something, I decided to hurry up here because I promised Tika I would help her with dinner."

Caramon nodded. "Tika isn't here yet, still at the Inn no doubt. Though I don't believe she should be working." Laurana smiled.

"Tika is strong enough to do what she is doing. She knows when to stop." Caramon shook his head.

"She is as stubborn as she is strong."

"Where is Isabel?" Caramon motioned his head towards the stairs.

"Up in her room."

"Is she still upset?" Again Caramon nodded.

"Yes... Maybe I was too hard on her? I just don't know sometimes Laurana. I don't know if we are doing everything we can... Raist-"

"Caramon." Laurana cut the big man off. Inwardly shivering when hearing the name of his brother. "She isn't a burden. You think of her as one of your own?"

"Well... yes..." Laurana smiled.

"She thinks of you as the same." She reassured. "She is young. It is expected to be naive. Even with her intelligence, she can still be careless. It is a right to the young." Caramon returned the smile.

"You're right." Hearing more conversation coming to the door, they turned to see everyone else coming in.

Tanis with Sturm clinging to his leg and Tika behind him who kept a death hold on Palin's hand as he tried to run off.

Hearing the commotion downstairs, Isabel sucked in a deep breath and released it. She laid in her bed and wiped fallen tears that had escaped from her eyes. She didn't belong here, she knew this for a fact. Something wasn't right... Nothing was right. She hated everything and everyone at this very instant.

She hated that she was so different from the ones she lived with. She hated the expectations that were set out for her. She hated... hated Tas! Because of him, she was in this mess. The only time she didn't do anything. And yet she had to suffer. She slowly lifted up to a sitting position and reached down to grab her carrying back and pulled out some notes that she had taking in class, and began reading over them.

It was insane! She knew all of this. She knew how to pronounce these words, but she hadn't a choice in the matter. Theobold was expecting a report back on the lesson she had in her hands; as well as what a certain herb of her choice was made for and the functions when it is used properly. Placing her notes down on the bed, she stood up and walked slowly to her dresser where she kept an extra quill and some parchment

She reached for those, then she paused. Something wasn't right... something was missing... Her jar of ink.

"I know it is here somewhere..." She said to herself as she began looking through the drawers.

Looking through each of them more than once, she slammed her fist on the hard wood surface out of anger. She didn't want to see anyone of the people downstairs. But she had to get her work done...

A clearing of one's throat broke the silence and Isabel froze. Everyone new better than to enter her room without knocking, come to think of it... She hadn't heard her door even open. Glancing out of the side of her eye, she noted that the window was shut and locked.

"I believe this is what you are looking for?" A voice answered with slight amusement. A voice that was unfamiliar. Slowly, she turned. Seeing a figure standing in the middle of her room with fancy black robes. The ends were trimmed with golden symbols of some sort. The cowl was pulled over the head, but not to hide his features. He was quite handsome. He held up his hand that possessed her small jar of ink. She opened her mouth slightly.

"Do not yell." He demanded. Isabel shut her mouth and glared at him.

"I wasn't going to yell sir." She stated, remembering her manners. "I was going to thank you for finding my ink and ask for it back." She said coolly. Even though inside she was a wreck. Why would a magus be standing in her room? A black robe at that?

"Do you wish to know my name?" He asked in a slight teasing manner. Probably for his own shock value... Isabel thought to herself, but dared not to say anything regarding her thoughts. She only nodded, finding that she hadn't anything to say that wasn't along the line of asking twenty or more questions.

The man walked across the room and stood in front of her and handed the jar of ink to her. Isabel took it slowly, with caution. The man chuckled slightly. "I am not here to harm you Isabel Majere." Isabel arched her eyebrow and opened her mouth to ask how he had knew her name. But he held up his hand to silence her, then as if reading her thoughts, he spoke. "I know more about you than you think."

"Well.. May I know your name now?" She asked flatly, growing tired of the slowness that this conversation was going. At first it had interested her, but now it was growing tiresome. She no longer wished to play games, she wanted to know why a strange man was standing in her room.

"Forgive me... I am Dalamar. Dalamar Nightson." Isabel stared at him for a moment in surprise. Her heart beat heavily with anxiety. She couldn't believe that she was standing in the same room with the same man she had heard so much about. She bowed quickly in respect. Dalamar could only laugh. "Do not bow child." He said softly as he placed a hand on her shoulder so that she would regain her posture.

"I... I didn't mean to act so rude. I was just surprised." Dalamar smiled.

"The pleasure is mine Isabel. I have waited a long time to meet you. Ever since I had information of your birth." Isabel didn't say a word. She was to awe stricken. "I have came to inform you that your presence is requested at the Towers of High Sorcery." Isabe stared at him as if he was insane. Then she shook her head.

"I didn't mean to! I didn't know I could do that kind of spell! I apologized dearly to Master Theobold!" Again, Dalamar raised his hand to silence her.

This is the child of my shalafi? The child of Raistlin Majere? Surely there is a mistake.She seems nothing like her father. Apologizing for a great accomplishment?

Dalamar thought to himself, his face growing serious. He watched as Isabel made her way to her bed and sat down, her hand clapsed over her chest. Her eyes were now swelling up and moisture was soon to fall from them. He hadn't expected to see a reaction like this. He had expected this child to be like the late infamous Raistlin Majere. Never to show the fear she was showing before him. He couldn't help but to question Par-Salian's judgment. If he meant for her to take her test... This young, he had truly went insane. If one small thing would have popped out and said "Boo" right now as she was in this state, she would have more than likely fell over dead from a shock to the heart. Clasping his hands behind his back, he turned from her.

"You need to keep your voice down. No one must know of my presence." He ordered and waited for her breathing to calm before he went on. He surely couldn't tell her the truth of why she was wanted in this state. He had every intention on bringing her to the tower, and if she thought that she was in any kind of trouble, she would refuse. And he really didn't feel like placing her under a sleeping spell and drag her himself. "You have been requested because of the spell that you have done. You have been requested because of your intelligence and your talent." The words that were only half of the truth, fell from his lips sweetly.

Isabel looked up slowly.

"How do I know if I am to trust you or not?" Dalamar smiled softly, though hidden from her view.

"How do you know if you can trust me?" He repeated her question. "I will trust that you can decide that."

"I will have to tell my uncle... Though I doubt he will let me." Dalamar turned swiftly and allowed his sharp eyes to fall on her.

"You have an option to go to the Towers of High Sorcery. You have a chance at power... and you will await an answer from your uncle?" He asked with deep amusement. Isabel felt his mocking tone and shook her head.

"Of course not..."

"Then you will come?" Isabel looked down for a moment before nodding her head. "Tomorrow at the dance to welcome in the festivities. I will meet you. Be prepared."

"Where will you be staying..." Isabel looked up to only find herself talking to thin air.

"Isabel! Dinner!" Came Tika's voice from down the stairs. Isabel slowly stood up and walked out of the room, trying to put together and understand what had just happened.