A/N: Thank you very much for your support and comments, dear readers. Thanks for feeding the author. And hello to all newcomers! Enjoy. :)

Part 43 -Family Reunion

When the cock crowed, greeting the first rays of light at the horizon, Tika was already awake and in the kitchen. Part of her asked herself if she had just dreamt the events of the last evening, but everything had been too real to be a dream. What would the morning bring? Sighing, Tika prepared the breakfast and worried over her husband and his sinister twin while the common room filled with hungry customers.

Dezra, the maid, noticed that the lady of the house was in an irritable mood and her mood became even more strained when the newest guest appeared in the common room wearing a black silken robe. Yawning, he sat down at a table and looked at Dezra curiously with a tentative grin that said "Won't you give me food?" He shoved white a strand of hair behind his ear. Dezra smiled inwardly at the stranger who somehow belonged to the family. She had only heard rumors of the wizard Majere. Gossip had it that he was evil and lived alone in a tower that was pure blasphemy to all gods, except the evil forces of darkness. Right now, he didn't look evil or dangerous at all. In spite of his unnatural skin color he looked quite handsome. Dezra felt her mistress' scrutinizing look at her back when she served the mage a proper breakfast. He thanked her politely and smiled warmly at her. The maid returned the smile tentatively and pretended to ignore the slight scowl on her mistress face. As far as she was concerned he was a proper guest of this house. Nobody had told her otherwise. What was wrong about serving him breakfast? Now that he was right in front of her, he was even more attractive. His hourglass eyes seemed to hold a secret mystery a lively sparkle accompanied them. His lips loooked soft and-

"Dezra!"

Tika's call brought Dezra back to reality. Hastily she muttered an excuse and hurried back to the kitchen. Tika had watched the flirt curiously until she had decided that Dezra had better not set any interest on Raistlin. There were many better choices in company, Tika was sure, but only a few who were worse. Still it was astounding, she had never realized that Caramaon's twin could be quite charming if he chose to. And since when did Raistlin even know polite manners?

A few minutes passed and Raistlin's elven apprentice joined his table. Until yesterday, she hadn't even known that Raistlin had taken an apprentice and it seemed atypical that he would share his magic with somebody else. Still, if someone such as Raistlin had accepted the elf, this Dalamar must be quite a "darling". Meanwhile the breakfast hour went by and most people had already left the inn for their diverse businesses in town. Raistlin was already at his second meal and still ate with great appetite. Something in the way he treated his dish reminded her of Caramon.

The latter chose this moment to appear in the common room. Now their happy little quartet was complete. Dalamar leaned back and crossed his arms, waiting for the others' reactions. Raistlin looked expectant. Tika kept her breath for a second. Who could say how Caramon would react, now that he was sober. She noticed Dezra peering at them from behind the kitchen door. Whatever they all had expected, none of it happened. Caramon just went over to where his brother sat.

"May I join you?"

Raistlin nodded.

"Sure."

Apparently Caramon remembered what had happened the last evening, he didn't look surprised and acted at if it was quite usual that the evil twin came over to pay a visit. At first, all Caramon did was watch his brother, until Dezra brought him another dish. Then, both Majeres were occupied with the food. Seeing them both eating together was strange. For the first time in years, Tika realized that these two were twins indeed. Their movements, their way of stuffing bread and cheese down their throats was so similar that it was frightening. The elven mage seemed to notice that also. He raised an unbelieving eyebrow.

"Its good that you finally eat in a proper way, Raist." Caramon said after he had satisfied the first hunger. Raistlin looked up.

"Boy, it's like there is some strange fire within me that burns all the food instantly." he explained. Caramon nodded.

"Yes, Raist, I know what you mean. Its the same with me. People don't understand. They say, I eat to much but, well guys like us we just have to eat a lot. I always told you so. Finally you're beginning to put up some weight on your ribs, that's good."

They kept up some meaningless conversation about proper nutrition until Raistlin finally hesitated slightly and changed the topic.

"You are my brother?" he asked in a cautious tone, causing the warrior in front of him to halt. Slowly Caramon nodded. A shade of worry crossed his face briefly.

"Tika told me your memory has been damaged. Is that true? You cannot remember us? Not even me?" A pleading tone had crept into the warrior's voice.

His twin shook his head. To Caramon's surprise, he didn't look as if he cared much.

"Its all gone. Blank."

Raistlin did something Caramon had seen him do only once or twice in his live. He grinned.

"Anyway, that's not a real problem. We're already working on it. My friend Dal over here suggested we'd go and visit you since being with family could help in restoring the memory and so."

Raistlin kept on smiling brightly and innocently which looked odd in the eyes of everybody who knew him. Something in his expression suddenly reminded Caramon of Tasselhoff. Raistlin's behavior strangely resembled the manner of Tasselhoff when the kender had been up to something. It was in certain respects scary.

Raistlin's elven companion frowned at being called 'Dal' but didn't say anything. Apparently he was used to Raistlin uttering such sort of things.

"Well, Raistlin, of course you are welcome here." Caramon said, ignoring the fact that Tika behind the counter rolled her eyes. "People need their family. None can stand without them. It was right of you to come here."

Raistlin nodded approvingly.

"I know. Family is everything. Well, Dal said we need to spend time together. Sitting and talking is boring. What do we do today?"

Caramon blinked in surprise.

"You want to spend time with me?" he muttered unbelievingly as if Raistlin had just insisted that pigs could fly.

"Yes. Why not?" was the innocent reply.

The big warrior could only half believe it. Raistlin wanted to be with him? Voluntarily? No matter how absurd that was, one thing was clear. Raistlin was in trouble. And he had asked Caramon for help. Of course that help wouldn't be denied. Maybe that was Caramon's chance to make Raistlin realize how much they needed each other. They were twins. Never would he turn his twin away.

"Well, I'm not doing anything interesting. I need to go to town to buy foodstuff from our suppliers." Caramon said, hesitating. He doubted that his brothers sudden interest in company went so far as to share the daily business of tavernowners. Raistlin's answer surprised him once more.

"Oh, to town? Great! I want to see the town! Show me around! Lets go!"

The mage jumped up from his chair with an unusual amount of agility.

Moments later Raistlin was already at the door, yelling at Caramon to hurry and nearly stumbling over Raf, the gully dwarf. Raf stared at Raistlin with large eyes. Tika buried her face in her hand. Obviously she had just resigned at what seemed inevitable. Maybe she also couldn't believe what she had just seen and heard. Caramon cast an insecure glance at the elf who hadn't shifted his position since the beginning of their conversation.

"Has he always been like this? After... after he..."

For some reason, Caramon couldn't finish the sentence. The elf nodded, though.

" You mean after the accident? Yes. Most of the time. "

"You have seen him before? This", he pointed at Raistlin who stood in the door taping his foot, "is a total change, as if he was another person. He looks like my brother, yes. But every word he speaks, every move he makes seems to come from a completely different soul."

"By all means of magic, I made sure he is my master, your brother, Warrior Majere. I assume this change in personality is a result of a mental exertion, caused by a fatal circuit of magical energies in one of my Shalafi's experiments. I expect that reacquainting him with familiar faces and surroundings will quicken the process of regaining his memory ."

Dalamar tried to explain the facts in easy words, so the addressee would understand. He hoped to clean his voice from every sign of desperation. If the twin refused to take charge of his Shalafi, he was probably in charge of the erratic archmage again. And in long terms, this would only bring trouble. The conclave would be pleased at such a turn of events, but Dalamar had other plans. He needed his master's memories nearly as badly as Raistlin himself. There was still so much to learn. This knowledge had to be preserved. Currently the big warrior was their only chance.

Finally, Caramon nodded, relieving Dalamar.

"I see. We need to spend time together and my brother will heal." he said and turned to follow Raistlin who had just some seconds ago, explained that he would go to town now with Raf if Caramon wouldn't come.

Leaving Dalamar to the relative solitude of the common room after sending a disappointed gully dwarf back to the kitchen, Caramon shook his head. Somehow he knew that there was more to this change then just a memory loss. He couldn't explain it to Dalamar or anybody else, because this knowledge came from a source that was not rational or couldn't be explained in words. Maybe it was because they were twins. Something was odd about this.

"So the elf worked magic. But magic isn't everything." he mumbled inaudibly. He shrugged. Currently he had no choice but believing Dalamar's logic and experience. Who was he to question this theory? Being the stronger of the twins, he had never had the brightest of minds, Caramon knew that. But people had always praised his caring generous heart. If this heart could help Raistlin to find to himself again... he would do everything to take care of Raistlin. Even if this included to abstain from some old habits.

'Raistlin has come back to me. He needs me. The taste of the brew, even the alluring intoxication would never be as important as Raist.' Caramon decided. Apart from the causes, it felt great to have Raistlin at his side again. That was were the stubborn mage truly belonged. Before he even realized it, Caramon found himself smiling while they walked between the treetops.