Dwarven Nations - Hammer And Axe Part 48

The dying elf fell with a shriek, landing heavily upon the pavement. .

Tanis looked up in astonishment to see who had saved his life. A Dragon Highlord stood over the elf's body.

"T heard you shouting and saw one of my officers in trouble. I guessed you needed some help;' said the Highlord, reaching out a gloved hand to help Tanis up.

Confused, dizzy with pain and knowing only that he mustn't give himself away; Tanis accepted the Highlord's hand and struggled to his feet. Ducking his face, thankful for the dark shadows in the alley Tanis mumbled words of thanks in a harsh voice, Then he saw the Highlord's eyes behind the mask widen. "Tanis?"

The half-elf felt a shudder run through his body, a pain as swift and sharp as the elven spear. He could not speak, he could only stare as the Highlord swiftly removed. the blue and gold dragon nook.

'Tanis! It is you!" the Highlord cried, grasping him by the arms, Tanis saw bright brown eyes, a crooked, charming smile. "Kitiara . .

Tanis captured.

"So, Tanis! An officer, and in my own command. I should review my troops more often!" Kitiara laughed, sliding her arm through his. "You're shaking. You took a nasty fall. Come on. My rooms aren't Far from here. We'll have a drink, patch up that wound, then . . . talk."

Dazed-but not from the head wound-Tanis let Kit lead him out of the alley onto the sidewalk. Too much had happaned too fast. One minute he had been buying supplies now he was walking arm in arm with a Dragon Highlord ~ had just saved his life and who was also the woman he loved for so many years. He could not help but stare at her, and Kitiara-knowing his eyes were on her-returned his gaze from beneath her long, sooty-black eyelashes.

The gleaming, night-blue dragon-scale armor of the Highlords suited her well, Tanis caught himself thinking. It was tight-fitting, emphasizing the curves of her long legs.

Draconians swarmed around them, hoping for even a brief nod from the Highlord.

But Kitiara ignored them, chatting breezily with Tanis as if it were only an afternoon since they had parted, instead of five years. He could not absorb her words, his brain was still fumbling to make sense of this, while his body was reacting-once again-to her nearness.

The mask had left her hair somewhat damp, the curls clung to heir face and forehead. Casually she ran her gloved hand through her hair, shaking it out. It was an old habit of hers and that small gesture brought back memories- Tanis shook his head, struggling desperately to pull his shattered world together and! attend to her words. The lives of his friends depended on what he did now.

"It's hot beneath that dragonhelm!" she was saying. "I don't need the frightful thing to keep my men in line. Do I?" :she asked, winking.

"n-no;' Tanis stammered, feeling himself flush.

"Same old Tanis," she murmured, pressing her body against his. "You still blush like a schoolboy. But you warn never like the others, never . . :' she added softly. Pulling him close, she put her arms around him. Closing her eyes, her moist lips brushed his ....

"Kit-" Tanis said in a strangled voice, wrenching backwards. "Not here! Not in the street,' he added lamely Far a moment Kitiara regarded him angrily, thenshrugging, she dropped her hand down to clasp his arm again. Together they continued along the street, the draconians leering and joking, "Same Tanis," she said again, this time with a little, breathless sigh. "I don't know why I let you get away with it. Any other man -ha refused me like that would have died on my sword. Ah, here we are:"

She entered the best inn in Flotsam, the Saltbreeze. Built high on a cliff, it overlooked the Blood Sea of Istar, whose waves broke on the rocks below'. The innkeeper hurried forward. Is my room made up? Kit asked coolly. Yes Highlord, the innkeeper said, bowing again and again. They ascended the stair, the innkeeper hustled ahead them to make certain that all was in order. Kit glanced around. Finding everything satisfactory, she caaually tossed the Dragonheim on a table and began pulling off her gloves. Sitting down in a chair, she raised her leg with sensual and deliberate abandon.

"My boots" she said to Tanis, smiling.

Swallowing, giving her a week smile in return, Tanis gripped her leg in his hands. This had been an old game of theirs -him ~~taking off her boots. It had always led to- Tanis tried to keep ~himself from thinking about that!

"Bring us a bottle of your finest wine;' Kitiara told the hovering innkeeper, and two gla.s.ses:' She raised her other leg, her brown eyes on Tanis. "Then leave us alone:'

"But-my lord- the innkeeper said hesitantly, "there have been messages from Dragon Highlord Ariakus. .

If you show your face in this room -after you bring the wine--I'll cut off your ears;' Kitiara said pleasantly. But, as she spoke, she drew a gleaming dagger from her belt.

The innkeeper turned pale, nodded, and left hurriedly.

Kit laughed. 'There!" she said, wiggling her toes in their silken hose. "Now.

I'll take off your boots-"

"I-I really must go;' Tanis said, sweating beneath his armour, mt c company commander will be missing me . . " But I'm commander of your company!' Kit said gaily. " tomorrow You'll be commander of your company. Or higher if you like. Now. sit down:'

Tanis could do nothing but obey, knowing, however, that his heart he wanted to do nothing but obey.

"It's so good to see you;" Kit said, kneeling before him tugging at his boot. "I m sorry I missed the reunion in Solace. How is everyone? How is Sturm? Probably fighting with Knights, I suppose. I'm not surprised you two separated. It was was one friends.h.i.+p I never could understand-'

Kitiara talked on, but Tanis ceased to listen. He couldn't look at her. He had forgotten how lovely she was, how sensual, inviting. Desperately he concentrated on his own danger. But all he could think of were nights of bliss spent with Kitiara.

At that moment, Kit looked up into his eyes. Caught and held by the pa.s.sion she saw in them, she let his boot slip from her hands. Involuntarily, Tanis reached out and drew her near. Kitiara slid her hand around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

At her touch, the desires and longings that had tormented Tanis for five years surged through his body. Her fragrance, warm and womanly-mingled with the smell of steel. Her kiss was like flame. The pain was unbearable. Tanis knew only one way to end it.

When the innkeeper knocked on the door, he recieved no answer. Shaking his head in admiration-this was the third man in as many days-he set the wine upon the floor and left.

"And now;" Kitiara murmured sleepily, lying in Tanis's arms "Tell me about my little brothers. Are they with you?

Th last I saw them, you were escaping from Tarsis with that elf woman"

"That was you!" Tanis said, remembering the blue dragons.

"Of course!" Kit cuddled nearer. "I like the beard; stroking his face. "It hides those weak elvish features. How did you get into the army?"

How indeed? thought Tanis frantically.

"We . . . were captured in Silvanesti. One of the of winced me I was a fool to fight the D-Dark Queen:'

"And my little brothers?"

"We-we were separated;' Tanis said weakly.

"A pity;" Kit said with a sigh. "I'd like to see them again. Caramon must be a giant by now. And Raistlin-I hear he is quite a skilled mage. Still wearing the Red Robes?'

"I-I guess;' Tanis muttered. "I haven't seen him"

"That won't last long;" Kit said complacently. "He's like me. Raist always craved power . . :'

"What about you?" Tanis interrupted quickly. "What are you doing here, so far from the action? The fighting's north"

"Why, I'm here for the same reason you are;" Kit opening her eyes wide.

"Searching for the Green Gemstone Man of course:"

"That's where I've seen him before!" Tanis said, flooding his mind. The man on the Perechon! The man in Pax Tharkas, escaping with poor Eben. The man with the green gemstone embedded in the center of his chest.

"You've found him!" Kitiara said, sitting up eagerly. "Where, Tanis? Where?" Her brown eyes glittered. *

"I'm not sure;' Tanis said, faltering. "I'm not sure it was him.I-we were just given a rough description . . . .

"He looks about fifty inhuman years;' Kit said in excitement, "but he has strange, young eyes, and his hands are young. And in the flesh of his chest is a green gemstone. We had reports. he was sighted in Flotsam. That's why the Dark Queen sent me here. Hes the key; Tanis! Find him-and no force on Krynn can stop us!" "Why?" Tanis made himself ask calmly. "What's he got that's so essential to-uh- our side winning this war?"

'Who knows." Shrugging back in Tanis's arms. "You're s.h.i.+vering. Here, this will warm you.'' She kissed his neck, running her hands over his body."We were just told the most important thing we could do to end this war in one swift stroke is to find this man:'

Tarus swallowed, feeling himself warming to her touch.

"Just think," Kitiara whispered in his ear, her breath hot and moist against his skin, "if we found him-You and I-we woould have all of Krynn at our feet! The Dark Queen would reward us beyond anything we ever dreamed! You and I, together always, Tanis. Let's go now!.'

Her words echoed in his mind. The two of them,together,forever. Ending the war.

Ruling Krynn., No, he thought. feeling his throat constrict. This as madness!

Insanity ! My People, _. friends. . . . Yet, haven't I done enough? What do I owe any them, humans or elves? Nothing! They are the ones Who hurt me, derided me! All these years -a cast out. Me! It's time I thought about me for a change!

This is the woman I've dreamed of f or so long. And she can be mine. Kitiara . .

. so beautiful. so desirable....

'No?' Tanis said harshly, then, -No' he said more gently. Reaching out his hand, he pulled her back near him. 'Tomorrow will do. if it was him, he isn't going anywhere. I know-"

Kitiaca smiled and, with a sigh, Lay back down. Tanis bending over her, kissed her pa.s.sionately. Far away he could hear the waves of the Blood Sea of Istar cras.h.i.+ng on the sh.o.r.e.

The High Clerist's Tower. The Knighting.

By morning, the storm over Solamnia had blown itself out.. The sun rose-a disk of pale gold that warmed morning. The knights who stood watch upon the battlements of the Tower of the High Clerist went thankfully to their beds, talking of the wonders they had seen during the awful night. for such a storm as this hay not been known in the lands of Solamnia since the dlays after the Cataclysm. Those Who took over the watch from their fellow knights were nearly as weary; no one had slept.

Now they Looked out upon a plain covered with snow and ice. Here and there the landscape was dotted with flickering flames where trees., blasted by the f.a.gged lightning that had streaked out of the sky during the blizzard, burned eerily. But it was not to those strange flames the eyes of the knights turned as they ascended the battlements. It was to the flames that burned upon the horizon-hundreds and hundreds of flames, filling the clear, cold air with their foul smoke. The campfires of war. The campfires of the dragonarmies.

One thing stood between the Dragon Highlord and victory in Solamnia. That "thing" as the Highlord often referred to it was the Tower of the High Clerist.

Built long ago by siinas Salamnus, founder of the knights, in the only pa.s.s through the snow-capped, cloud-shrouded Vingaard Mountains. the Tower protected Palanthas; capital city of Solamnia, and the harbor known as the Gates of Paladine. Let the Tower fall, and Palanthas would belong to the dragonarrmies.

It was a soft city-a city of wealth and beauty, a city that had turned its back upon the world to gaze with admiring eyes into its own mirror.

With Palanthas in her hands and the harbor under her control , the Highlard could easily starve the rest of Solamnia into submission and then wipe out the troublesome knights.

The Dragon Higlilord, called the Dark Lady by her troops was not in camp this day. She was gone an secret business to the east. But she had left loyal ond able commanders behind, commanders Who would do anything to win her favor. Of all the Dragon Highlords, the Dark Lady was known to sit highest in the regard of her Dark Queen. And so the troops of draconians, goblins, hobgoblins, ogres, and humans sat at their campfires, staring at the Tower with hungry eyes longing to attack and earn her conmendation.

The Tower was defenaed by a large garrison. of Knigts of Solamnia who had moved out from Palanthas only a few weeks ago. Legend recalled that the Tower had never fallen while men of faith held it, dedicated as it was to the Clerist - that position which, second only to the Grand Master, was most revered in the Knighthood.

The clerics of Paladine had lived in the High Clerists Tower during khe Age of Dreams. Here young knights had come for their religious training and indoctrination. There were many traces of the clerics' presence left behind.

It wasn't only fear of the legend that forced the dragonarmies to sit idle. It didn't take a legend to tell their commanders that taking this Tower was going to be costly.

"Time is in our favor," stated the Dark Lady before she left. "Our spies tell us the knights have received little help from Palanthas. We've cut off their supplies from Vingaard Keep to the east. Let them sit in their Tower and starve.

Sooner or later their impatience and their stomachs will cause them to make a mistake. When they do, we will be ready."

"We could take it with a flight of dragons;" muttered a young commander. His name was Bakaris, and his bravery in battle and his handsome face had done much to advance him in the Dark Lady's favor. She eyed him speculatively, however, as she prepared to mount her blue dragon. Skie.

"Perhaps not;" she said coolly. "You've heard the reports of the discovery of the ancient weapon-the dragonlance?"

"Bah'. Children's stories!" The young commander laughed as he a.s.sisted her onto Skies back. The blue dragon stood glaring at the handsome commander with fierce, fiery eyes.

"Never discount children's stogies," the Dark Lady said, "for these were the same tales that were told of dragons: She shrugged. "Do not worry, my pet. If my mission to capture the Green Gemstone Man is successful, we will not need to attack the Tower, for its destruction will be a.s.sured. If not, perhaps I will bring you that flight of dragons you ask for."

With that, the giant blue lifted his wings and sailed off toward the east, heading far a small and wretched town called Flotsam on the Blood Sea of Istar.

And so the dragonarmies waited, warm and comfortable around their fires, while- as the Dark Lady had predicted-the knights in their Tower starved. But far worse than the lack of food was the bitter dissension within their own ranks.

The young knights under Sturm Brightblade's command had grown to revere their disgraced leader during the hard months that followed their departure from Sancrist. Although melancholy and often aloof, Sturm's honesty and integrity won him his mens respect and admiration. It was a costly victory, caus'ng Sturm a great deal of suffering at Derek's hands. A less n.o.ble man might have turned a blind eye to Derek's political maneuvers,or at least kept his mouth shut (as did Lord Alfred), but Sturm spoke out against Derek constantly-even though he knew it worsened his own cause with the powerful knight.

It was Derek who had completely alienated the people of Palanthas. Already distrustful, filled with old hatreds and bitterness,the people of the beautiful, quiet city were alarmed and angered by Derek's threats when they refused to allow the knights to garrison the city. It was only through Sturm's patient negotiations that the knights received any supplies at all.

The situation did not improve when the knights reached the High Clerist's Tower.

The disruption among the knights lowered the morale of the footmen, already suffering from a lack of food. Soon the Tower itself became an armed camp-the majority of knights who favored Derek were now opposed by those siding with Lord Gunthar, led by Sturm. It was only because of the knights' strict obedience to the Measure that fights within the Tower itself had not yet broken out. But the demoralizing sight of the dragonarmies camped nearby as well as the lack of food, led to frayed tempers and nerves.

Too late, Lord Alfred realized their danger. He bitterly regretted his own folly in supporting Derek, for he Could clearly see now that Derek Crownguard was going insane.

The madness grew on him daily. Derek's l.u.s.t for power ate away at him and deprived him of his reason. But Lord Alfred was powerless to act. So locked into their rigid structure were the knights that it would take-according to the Measure - months of Knights Councils to strip Derek of his rank. '

News of Sturm's vindication struck this dry and crackling forest like a bolt of lightning. As Gunthar had foreseen, this completely shattered Derek's hopes.

What Gunthar had not foreseen was that this would sever Derek's tenuous hold on sanity.

On the morning following the storm, the eyes of the guards turned for a moment from their vigilance over the dragonamries to look down into the courtyard of the Tower of the High Clerist. The sun filled the gray sky with a chill, pale light that was reflected in tlhe coldly gleaming armor of the Knights of Solamnia as they a.s.sembled in the solemn ceremony awarding knighthood/ Above them, the flags with the Knight's Crest seemed frozen upon the battlements, hanging lifeless in the still, cold air. Then a trumpet's pure notes split the air, stirring the blood. At that clarion call, the knights lifted their heads proudly and marched into the courtyard.

Lord Alfred stood in the center of a circle of knights. Dressed in his battle armor, his red cape fluttering from his shoulders, he held an antique sword in an old, battered scabbard. The kingfisher, the rose, and the crown-ancient symbols of the Knighthood-were entwined upon the scabbard. The lord cast a swift, hopeful gaze around the a.s.sembly, but then lowered his eyes, shaking his head.

Lord Alfred's worst fears were realized. He had hoped bleakly that this ceremony might reunite the knights. But it was having the opposite effect. There were great gaps in the Sacred Circle, gaps that the knights in attendance stared at uncomfortably. Derek and his entire command were absent.

The trumpet call sounded twice more, then silence fell upon the a.s.sembled knights. Sturm Brightblade, dressed in long, white robes, stepped out of the Chapel of the High Clerist where he had spent the night in solemn prayer and meditation as prescribed by the Measure. Accompanying him was an unusual Guard of Honor.

Beside Sturm walked an elven woman, her beauty s.h.i.+ning in the bleakness of the day like the sun dawning in the spring. Behind her walked an old dwarf, the sunlight bright on his white hair and beard. Next to the dwarf came a kender dressed in bright blue leggings.

The circle of knights opened to admit Sturm and his escorts,. They came to a halt before Lord Alfred. Laurana, holding his helm in her hands, stood on his right. Flint, carrying his s.h.i.+eld, stood on his left, and -after a poke in the ribs from the dwarf -Ta.s.slehoff hurried forward with the knight's spurs.