Disclaimer: Dragonlance isn't mine. It's Weiss', Hickman's, and Wizards'. 'Nuff said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Gwendolyn Trinity Silver!" I groan as I hear my so-called mother begin to berate me. "We pay money for these psychiatrist appointments!"
"So?" I let my eyes roll back into my head. I can feel the storm approaching.
"So?" she exclaims. "You never showed up for your appointment! You were supposed to walk over right after school!"
"I don't show up because I don't need them. I'm not a schizo." I snarl. "My father's cousin even admitted I was logical."
"Your grandmother is an only child and your grandfather's sister is a nun! Your father doesn't have any cousins!"
"My grandmother has two brothers. Don't lie to me." My voice rises in an accusing tone.
"Go to your room!" That's all I hear as I turn my back on her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My hand quakes as I punch in the numbers. 5-5-5-1-9-9-4. The phone rings once, twice, three times, then a click.
"Hello, this is the Jeffries residence. May I ask who is speaking?" A light voice, a feminine voice, inquires.
"This is Gwendolyn Silver, calling for Adrian." I spit out, my constricted air passages releasing for that brief moment.
"One moment, please." I hear the background noises of a household, voices, shuffling, the telltale sound of a handset being picked up.
"Hello?" Adrian asks.
"Adrian, this is Gwen." I burst out. "I just eavesdropped on my 'parents'. They just made an appointment with another psychiatrist, a more intensive one."
He utters a sympathetic monosyllable, then asks, "What do you need?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm safe, for now." I inform Dalamar. "A friend granted me asylum, but I don't know how long it will last."
"I'll make sure the others working on your spell know." He nods. "As for you, copy down that sleep spell." He walks out of sight, presumably to find the other mages.
My quill glides across the sheepskin as I form each letter in lamb's blood. What had moved Adrian to help me? He was normally arrogant and self-serving- why had he chosen to aid me? Why was he even sympathetic?
"Isn't it obvious?" a dark voice echoes in my ear, hands set themselves on my shoulders. I feel a prickling along my spine and turn to face the golden skin and hourglass eyes of the Master of Past and Present. Raistlin Majere is staring me down. It would be an amusing prospect if it wasn't so scary.
I set my left hand atop his right, shove it away, and order, "Out of my aura, Majere."
"If you so insist, milady." He mocks me, then steps away.
I feel a strange compulsion, and I call after him. "Wait!"
"I thought you wanted me to get away." Sarcasm drips from his voice.
"I meant for you to stop touching me." I clarify. "My aura doesn't extend more than a handspan. If you converse with me at a sufficient distance, I will have no objections."
"Very well then, Renetari." He sits at the opposite side of the table. "Would this be sufficient, milady?" he appears to be making a habit of saying "milady" with biting sarcasm. Doesn't matter to me. I don't like the protocol everyone here has been giving me.
I form two more words, then look up at the arch-mage. "You were saying?"
"This Adrian is going against his nature to aid you, am I correct?" I meet his question with a nod. "I am fairly sure he either has an underlying sense of honor or cares deeply about you."
"What?" I upright the inkwell before blood can spill over my scroll.
"If you cannot comprehend that, you are simply too dull to be the daughter of the Devouring Dark, Renetari."
"Shock." I mumble the one-word excuse.
"Learn to bear with it, milady. There are things you will see on Krynn that will shock you more." He looks at me out of the corners of his eyes. "I have advice for you, Renetari. Important advice."
"And that would be?" I inquire.
He speaks with the knowledge of one who has suffered for greatness, sacrificed for his ambition. "Love what is mortal, hold it, and know when to let it go. *"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*According to my school's Wall of Fame, this is from "Rainy Lake". Have no idea what it is, but I really like the quote.