Gilthanas silently handed over his sword and his elven bow.
"Yours, too, knight;' Caramon said" holding out his hand.
Sturm frowned. Isis antique, two-handed sword and its scabbard were the only legacy he had left of his father" a great Knight of Solamnia, who had vanished after sending his wife and young ran into exile. Slowly Sturm unbuckled his swordbelt and handed it to Caramon.
The jovial warrior, seeing the knight's obvious concern, grew serious. "I'll guard it carefully, you know that, Sturm.''
"I know;" Sturm said, smiling sadly. He glanced up at Raistlin, who was standing on the stairs. "Besides, there is always the great worm, Catyrpelius, to protect it, isn't there, mage?"
Raistlin started at this unexpected reminder of a time in the burned-out city of Solace when he had tricked some hobgoblins into believing Sturm's sword was cursed. It was the closest to an expression of gratitude that the knight had ever made to the mage. Raistlin smiled. briefly.
"Yes;" he whispered. "There is always the Worm. Do not fear, knight. Your weapon is safe, as are the lives of those you leave in our care . . . if any are safe . . . . Farewell, my friends," he hissed, his strange" hourglass eyes gleaming. "And a long farewell it gill be. Same of us are not destined to meet again in this world"." With that, he bowed and, gathering his red robes around him, began to climb the stairs.
Trust Raistlin to exit with a flourish, Tanis thought irritably, hearing boated feet near the door.
"Go on!" he ordered. "If he's right, there's nothing we can do about it now:'
After a hesitant look at Tans, the others did as he ordered, climbing the stairs quickly. Only Laurana .cast a fearful glance back at Tanis as Elistan took her arm. Caramon, sword drawn, waited behind until the last was past.
"Don't worry," the big warrior said uneasily. "We'll be all right. If you're not back by nightfall-"
I) on't come looking for us!" Tanis said, guessing Caramon's intention. The half-elf was more disturbed than he cared to admit by Raistlin's ominous statement. He had known the wage many years and had seen his power grow, even as the shadows seemed to gather more thickly around him. "If we're not back, get Elistan, Goldmoon, and the others back to Southgate :'
Caramon nodded reluctantly, then he walked ponderously up the stairs, his weapons clanking around him.
"It's probably just a routine check," Sturm said hurriedly in a low voice as the guards could be seen through the window now. "They'll ask us a few questions, then release us. But, they've undoubtedly got a description of ally of us!"
"I have a feeling it isn't routine. Not the way everyone's vanished. .find they're going to have to Settle for some
said softly ' ~ --• or us,' Tanis Softly a5 the guards entered the door, led by the constable and accompanied by the guard from the wall.
"That's them!" the guard cried, pointing. "There's the knight, like I told you. And the bearded elf, the dwarf, and the kender, and an elflord:'
"Right,:` the constable said briskly. ":Vow, where are the others?" At his gesture, his guards leveled their hauberks, pointing there at the companions.
"7 don't understand what all this is about;" Tanis sasid mildly. "We are strangers in Tarsis, simply passing through on our way south. Is this how you welcome strangers to your city?"
"We don't welcome strangers to our city," the constable replied. His gaze shifted to Sturm and he sneered. "Especially a Knight of Solanmia. If you're innocent as you say you are, you won't mind answering some questions from the Lord and his council. Where's the rest of your party?"
"My friends are tired and have gone to their rooms to rest. Our journey leas been long and tiring. But we do not want to cause trouble. The four of us will come with you and answer your questions. ('Five; said Tasslehoff indignantly, but everyone ignored him.) There is no need to disturb our companions:'
"Go get the others;' the constable ordered his men.
Two guards headed for the stairs, which suddenly burst into flame! Smoke billowed into the roam, driving the guards back. Everyone ran for the door. Tanis grabbed Tasslehoff, who was staring with wide-eyed interest, and dragged him outside.
The constable was frantically blowing on his whistle, while several of his men prepared to dash off through the streets, raising the alarm. But the flames died as quickly as they had been born.
"Eeep-"The constable choked off his whistle. His face pale, he stepped warily back inside the inn. Tanis, peering aver his shoulder, shook his head in .awe. There was not a whisper of smoke, not a bit of varnish had so much as peeled. From the top of the stairs, IIe could hear faintly the sound of Raistlin's voice. As the constable glanced apprehensively up the stairs, the chanting stopped.
Tanis swallowed, then drew a deep breath. He knew he must he as pale as the constable, and he glanced at Sturm and Flint. Raistlin's power was growing . . .
"The magician must be up there," the constable muttered.
"Very goad, Birdwhistle,and haw long'd it take you to figure that one out" Tas began in a tone of voice Tanis knew meant trouble. He trod upon the Kender's foot, and Tas subsided into silence with a reproachful dance.
Fortunately the constable didn't appear to have heard. He glared at Sturm. "You'll come with us peacefully'."'
"Yes," answered Sturm. "You love my word of honor;" the knight added "and no matter what you may think of the Knights, you know that my honor is my life."
The constable's eyes went to the dark stairway "Very well," he said finally. "Two of you guards stay here at the stair The rest cover the other exits. Check anyone coming in and out. You all have the descriptions of the strangers?"
The guards nodded, exchanging uneasy glances. The two slated for guard duty inside the inn gave the staircase a frightened look and stood as far from it as possible. Tanis smiled grimly to himself.
The five companions, the kender grinning with excitement, followed the constable out of the building. As they walked into the street, Tanis caught sight of movement at an upstairs window. Looking up, he saw Laurana watching, her face drawn with fear. She raised her hand, he saw her lips form the words, "I"m sorry," in elven. Raistlin's words came to his mind and he felt chilled. His heart ached. The thought that he might never see her again made the world seem suddenly bleak and empty and desolate. He realized what Laurana had come to mean to him in these last few dark months when even hope had died as he saw the evil armies of the Dragon Highlords overrun the land. Her steadfast faith, her courage, her unfailing, undying hope! How different from Kitiara!
The guard poked Tanis in the back. "Face forward! Quit signaling to those friends of yaurn!" he snarled. The half-elf's thoughts returned to Kitiara. No, the warrior woman could never have acted so selflessly. She never could have helped the people as Laurana had helped them. Kit would have grown impatient and angry and left them to live or die as they chose. She detested and despised those weaker than herself.
Tanis thought -of Kitiara and he thought of Laurana, but he was interested to note that the old painful thrill didn't knot his soul anymore when he said Kitiara's name to himself. No, now it was Laurana-the silly little girl who, had been no more than a spoiled and irritating child only months before-who made leis blood .burn and his hands search for excuses to touch her. And now, perhaps, it was too late.
When he reached the end of the street, he glanced back again, hoping to give her same sort of sign. Let her know he understood. Let her know he'd been a fool. Let her know he
But the curtain was drawn.
Chapter 5
The riot. Tas disappears. Alhana Starbreeze.
"Foul knight . . "
A rock struck Sturm on the shoulder. The knight flinched, though the stone could have caused him little pain through his armor. Tanis, looking at his pale face and quivering moustaches, knew the pain was deeper than a weapon could inflict.
'The crowds grew as the companions were marched through the street and word of their taming spread. Sturm walked with dignity, his, head held proudly, ignoring the taunts and jeers. Although their guards shoved the crowd back time and again, they did it half-heartedly and the crowd knew it. More rocks were thrown, as were other objects even less pleasant. Soon all of the companions were cut and bleeding and covered with garbage and filth.
Tanis knew Sturm would never stoop to retaliation, not on this rabble, but the half-elf had to keep a firm grip on Flint. Even then, he was in constant fear the angry dwarf would charge past the guards and start breaking heads. But, in watching Flint, Tanis had forgotten Tasslehoff.
Besides being quite casual in respect to other people's property, kenders have another unendearing characteristic known as the "taunt." A,II kenders possess this talent to a greater or lesser degree., It is hoses their diminutive race has managed to thrive and survive in a world of knights and warriors, trolls and hobgoblins. The taunt is the ability to insult an enemy and work him into such .a fever pitch of rage that he loses his head and begins fighting wildly and erratically- Tas was a master at the taunt, though he rarely found a need to use it when traveling with his warrior friends. But Tas derided to take full advantage of this opportunity.
He began to shout insults back.
Too late Tanis realised what was happening. In vain he tried to shut him up. 'Las was at the front off the line, the half-elf at the hack, and there was no way to gag the kender.
Such insults as 'foul knight" and 'elven scum' lacked imagination, Tas felt. He derided to show these people exactly how much range and scope for variety were available in the Common language. Tasslehoff's insults were masterpieces of creativity and ingenuity: Unfortunately, that,, also tended to be extremely personal and occasionally rather crude, delivered with an .air of charming innocence..
'7s that your nose or a disease? -Can those fleas crawling on your body do tricks? Was your mother a gully dwarf?" were only the beginning Matters went rapidly dawn hill from there.
The guards began eyeing angry crowd in alarm, while the constable gave the order to hurry the prisoners' march. What he had seen as a victory procession exhibit ing trophies of conquest appeared to be disintegrating into a full-scale riot.