Tasslehoff Burrfoot is not a thief (tas_wanderlust) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-04-19 14:10:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, raistlin majere, tasslehoff burrfoot |
Who: Tas and Raistlin
What: Tas and Raistlin both dream of having buildings fall on them.
When: Recently
Where: Their apartment.
Rating/Warning: Low/Some dream blood.
Status: Complete
A lot had happened in Tasslehoff’s dreams that night. He was finally coming back to the Inn where he had left his friends, after the Knights of Solomnia had kidnapped him so that he could read some ancient texts with his Glasses of All-Seeing when the dragon armies had attacked. Flights of red and blue dragons flew above, burning the town as it could.
Tanis had run ahead so that he could get back to the Inn quicker, but Tas, Gilthanas, Sturm and Flint made their way back slower, trying to avoid the dragon army soldiers in the streets whenever possible. Tas didn’t see the house before it fell on him, though he could certainly feel it when it collapsed on top of him, crushing his small body beneath its beams.
The next thing Tas knew, Elistan was healing him, and calling upon Paladine in order to rain fire upon the dragon armies. Laurana, Flint, Gilthanas, and Sturm were there as well, along with the Knights of Solomnia, Derek, Aran and Brian, who had kidnapped him earlier. He was just excitedly telling them about how interesting it was that he had nearly died, when they informed him that the rest of their friends had died, the inn where they were staying in collapsing upon them. Tanis had thrown Laurana out of the Inn seconds before it had collapsed on him. And Raistlin, and Caramon, and all the others.
Tas woke up with a start. It was a weird sensation, the fear that gripped his heart. He couldn’t remember ever feeling anything quite like it before. For a moment he felt as though he couldn’t breath, and he didn’t even take a moment to appreciate how interesting it was that his bed and body was covered with his own blood, his hair matted to his scalp with the still wet red stuff before he flung himself off his bed and scrambled.
He wasn’t sure what he would do if Raistlin had died in his sleep, crushed by an Inn like Tas had been crushed by the house but without Elistan to bring him back from the brink of death. He’d already lost Alyssa and Killian. He couldn’t lose Raistlin too. “Raistlin?” he called, the cry bursting from his throat before he’d even made it out of his room. “Raistlin?!” He flung himself into Raistlin’s room and began to frantically shake him, hoping for some sign of life.
The bed itself was dry, but Raistlin within the bed was soaked as if he’d been dunked in a cold bath and then shoved between the sheets. He was Dreaming of being buried alive under the collapsed Red Dragon Inn along with his brother, Tika, Tanis and Riverwind, surrounded by running water and broken wine casks. He was Dreaming of listening to goblins above them removing the rubble to retrieve them and preparing for a fight. Having already stood his ground in the inn during the initial invasion, before the inn had collapsed and then casting a spell to protect the whole lot of them from being crushed to death (and nearly getting crushed to death under Caramon’s great bulk anyway), Raistlin had very little strength within his frail body. While Caramon and Riverwind drew their weapons to fight, Raistlin had promised Tanis he would do what he could, but both he and the Half-Elf already knew that even if the mage had managed to get off even one spell, it would be the death of him. But, better death within magic than death at the hands of the Draconian army. Raistlin would be the lucky one.
Then had come the screaming overhead and the sounds of goblin bodies being ripped to shreds. The five of them had stood staring up in awe and wonder at the noise before fear took hold of Tika and Caramon’s unnecessary comment about something up there eating the enemy and then would eat them. As foolish as the comment was, it seemed to be coming true when a giant claw broke through the rubble causing debris and daylight to pour in around them.
Raistlin stood next to Tanis, staring up at the giant hole the claw had left in the rubble and at the large dangerous beak of a giant eagle and the silhouette of someone kneeling down towards them. The silhouette was about to speak when something grasped Raistlin by his shoulders and gave him a rough shake.
It should come as no real surprise that his first instinct was to fight off whatever had grabbed hold of him. However, the dream was shattered and whatever spell Raistlin of Krynn may have prepared went along with it. Which was probably just as well, otherwise Tas may have been fried alive instead of just jolted backwards by a sudden pop of magic energy.
Raistlin sat straight up in bed, dripping wet, shivering and coughing so hard his entire body shook. He stared at Tas wild eyed. When he had enough air in his lungs again he snapped, “what the hell is wrong with you?!” Then as sleep faded and consciousness took better hold the heated glare turned into one of confusion at the state his roommate seemed to be in, covered in blood and wounds. “What happened to you?”
Tas hit Raistlin’s wall and slid down to his buttocks, not hurt but a little stunned. The burst of magical energy had been unexpected, but as soon as he realized what had happened his face broke into a grin, fear immediately releasing its icy grip from his heart. “You’re alive!” Tas said, climbing to his feet to fling himself into Raistlin’s arms, though he stopped himself when he realized how tired Raistlin still looked. “And you magicked me! That sure was exciting! Sure woke me up, too! Not that I wasn’t already awake, or else I wouldn’t be shaking you, but it did wake me up even more!”
And then he realized Raistlin was asking him what happened to him, and he suddenly became aware that he was covered in rapidly drying blood. “I had a house fall on me!” he said excitedly, as though it was something to be celebrated instead of something that most people would balk about. “We were in Tarsis, which I’m sure you knew anyway, and then the Dragonarmies attacked and one blew up a house right on top of me! Don’t worry though! Elistan healed me, so I’m a-okay.” Mostly. He was a little dizzy and sore and his head was a little clouded, but he thought that was probably just a side effect of almost dying and that he’d feel as good as new soon enough. “But then…” Tas bit his lip and looked like he was about to cry. “Raistlin, you’re going to die! Laurana told me all about it! You see, when we’re in Tarsis me and Gilthanas and Flint and Sturm and Tanis, we all get arrested. Except then we escaped, and then the Dragonarmies attack Tarsis. And before most of us - except Tanis - can get back to the Inn the Dragonarmies kill you all! I don’t want you to die! Maybe we should go on vacation somewhere? I know! I’ll help you pack! And then we can go somewhere nice and quiet like maybe Hawaii or we could go to the Maritimes - they’re really pretty in the summer too. Or maybe we could even go back home? Yeah, that seems like a good idea! We can move back home!”
“Of course I’m-” Raistlin was cut off by a cough, which turned itself into a fit. It took a moment for it to pass and for Raistlin to catch his breath again. “Of course I’m not dead,” he finally managed to wheeze out. Wet, exhausted and freezing, yes, but certainly not dead.
He pulled back slightly when it seemed as though Tas was about to fling his arms around him for a hug. He’d already nearly been crushed to death by his brother, he didn’t want to be crushed by Tas either, which, all things considered, would have been damn weird. Death by Kender. It was bound to happen sooner or later.
Raistlin leaned back against his headboard and listened as Tas explained his side of the dreams. He nodded slowly. Yes, he was aware they were in Tarsis and were under attack by the Dragonarmies. Oh, he was painfully aware. It had sucked up so much of his magic fighting the army’s damn soldiers he still felt as though he were about to pass out.
He raised a brow when Tas declared that a house had fallen on him. That must have been what Tanis had meant when he said Flint was tending to him. The dwarf would never in a million years admit it, but he had a certain inexplicable soft spot for the Kender. It would have been endearing, if Raistlin of either world allowed themselves to consider such things. Raistlin frowned. The house on top of him certainly explained why Tas looked as beat up as he did. Deep down Raistlin was relieved that Elistan had been on hand to save Tas from Death by House. However, like Flint, he was not about to admit that in a million years either. “Lucky you,” he murmured around a subtle cough.
He sat up a little straighter when Tas’s lip started to quiver, a frown pulled at his lips. He could not deal with a crying Tasslehoff first thing in the morning. He at least needed a cup of coffee and something to eat first. “Stop it, Tas,” he ordered, but there was no bite to his voice. “I just dreamed that that Dragonarmy attacked the inn. The dragon they had with them already sat on it-” or whatever it had done, Raistlin couldn’t be sure “- and caused it to collapse. As you can see, I’m not dead. Soaked, yes. Cold and tired, yes. Annoyed, yes. But not dead.”
He sat back again, folding his arms over his thin chest. “We heard the inn start to go and just as it did I managed to get off a spell to protect us. We’re all alive and buried in the inn’s basement, so you don’t have to start blubbering. Something came to our aid as the goblins were attempting to dig us out. I’m not sure what or who.” He narrowed ice blue eyes in Tas’s direction. “Someone woke me up before whoever it was had a chance to identify themselves.”
Tas frowned when Raistlin started coughing. That sounded suspiciously like dream!Raistlin’s cough, but Tas was sure that if Raistlin was starting to get… whatever made him cough in the dreams, that Raistlin would have told Tas all about it. Besides, he wasn’t all golden with the weird eyes yet. It was probably just a summer cold.
“Really?” Tas asked, relief flowing through him. “You saved everyone? You’re like, a hero!” Tas had been willing to move back to their boring old hometown with Raistlin if he thought it would save Raistlin’s life, but now he didn’t need to worry about that. “That was rude of someone, wasn’t it? They really should have waited until you were done dreaming.” The fact that someone was ‘Tas’ conveniently escaped his notice. “I wonder who’s digging you out. Do you think it’s a draconian? Or maybe a giant! I didn’t see any giants in Tarsis, but that doesn’t mean one isn’t digging you out! Do you think you’re going to have to fight your way out?” And then Tas burst out giggling. “How funny is it that both of us had buildings fall on us?”
Raistlin frowned slightly. He didn’t like the term hero, especially when referencing himself. He had done what had needed to be done and that was that. He was also convinced that Raistlin of Krynn hadn’t saved the others out of any kind of loyalty. His other half didn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word when it came to his companions. He sighed and shook his head, running a hand through his soaking wet hair. Ugh. He was only getting colder sitting there and certainly not getting any dryer.
“Yes, Tas, it’s hilarious,” Raistlin grumbled mirthlessly. He pushed back his now also soaked sheet and blanket and pulled himself out of bed. A shower. He needed a hot shower if he was ever going to get the chill out of his bones. He went looking for something dry to wrap up in between here and the bathroom.
“I doubt it’s a giant,” he said as he found an extra towel and some clothes to change in to. “The silhouette was too small. It had creatures with it who did the digging.” If plunging a claw into the rubble could be considered ‘digging’. “At first they seemed to be large eagles, but I doubt that’s the case. I suppose I won’t know for sure until the next dream.”
Warm dry clothes gathered and a towel around his shoulders Raistlin started for his door. “I’m going to shower and warm up again.” He paused at his open doorway and looked back towards his roommate. Blue eyes looked the other man over, particularly his nasty looking wounds. A frown pulled harder at his mouth and for a moment a look of concern crossed his face. “How are you feeling, Tas? You said Elistan had healed you in the dreams. How are you doing here?” Because honestly, Tas looked terrible. Raistlin didn’t like the idea of coming out of the bathroom later to find Tas keeled over in the kitchen. It might benefit them to call a healer to come look at Tas themselves.
“Eagles?” Tas asked, a little puzzled. “Weren’t there giant eagles in that one movie? The one where they need to throw a ring into a mountain? Maybe it’s them!” He wasn’t sure if his dreams had giant eagles, or but he kind of wished there were. “I wish I could be rescued by, and then go riding on, a bunch of giant eagles. Some people have all the luck.” He pouted at Raistlin.
He looked at Raistlin aghast when his roommate mentioned using the shower. “Nu uh,” Tas said, shaking his head. The motion made him feel a little queasy, so he stopped doing it immediately. “I get first shower, Raistlin! You’re just a little wet! Going into the shower won’t change that at all! In fact, it’ll just make it worse.” And as interesting as being covered in his own blood was, it really wasn’t comfortable. And it smelled. “I’m okay though! I’m a little bit sore and I’m a little foggy and kind of dizzy, but I think that’s probably normal when you have a huge mansion fall on you, don’t you think? I’m just glad your okay! I was really worried I was going to wake you up only to find out that you’d died!”
An image of Tas as a Hobbit flashed through Raistlin’s mind, complete with furry feet and a penchant for mid-morning meals. It was rather amusing and Raistlin had to stifle a laugh into the back of his hand.
Still hiding his grin he looked back at Tas. He was about to argue that he wasn’t looking to get dry so much as warm. He hated being cold and he could feel the chill deep inside. If he didn’t find a way to warm up he was going to get sick for real. However, of the two of them, Tas looked as though a shower would do him more good in the immediate.
He lowered his hand from his mouth and sighed. “Alright, fine,” he relented with a sigh. “But don’t take a hot shower. The steam and heat will lower your blood pressure and considering a lot of your blood is on the outside right now, that wouldn’t do you any good.” He pulled the towel tighter around his thin shoulders. “Be quick. I would like to be able to warm up some time today.”
If Tas didn’t know better, he’d almost think that Raistlin was laughing, and he quickly thought back to everything he’d just said, looking for something amusing. It was far too rare that Tas got to make Raistlin laugh, and if he could just figure out the secret to it he was sure that it would be better for everyone. Unfortunately, he couldn’t think of anything that he’d said other than talking about the one realllllly long movie.
Tas pouted a little when Raistlin told him not to take a hot shower, but Raistlin was the smartest guy he knew and while he didn’t know so much about things like blood pressure, he did know that on especially hot days, Tas would sometimes feel queasy so it made sense. “I’ll be quicker than a gully dwarf catching a rat!” Tas said cheerfully, peeling off his bloody pajama shirt and tossing it into his open bedroom door as he walked toward the bathroom. Once he got to the bathroom door though, he paused and looked back at Raistlin, a tiny crease of worry between his brows. “But Raistlin, if you ever think you might actually die in the dreams, we can definitely pack up and move. Just say the word and I’ll have everything all packed up and ready to go.”
“Yes, yes,” Raistlin muttered as Tas started towards the bathroom happy as he could be. He looked for another towel to use to at least get dry while he waited for the shower to open up. He was in the process of toweling off his hair when he heard Tas speak to him again. He looked through his doorway to see Tas looking back at him, worried of all things.
Raistlin’s brow creased as well. Moving was not an option for him. He had a life here. A life out from within his brother’s shadow. He was learning things every day, becoming more skilled, more powerful. He was loathed to leave that all behind, no matter what risk the Dreams may have brought.
And yet, the look of worry Tas was giving him tugged at something within him. That something that made Raistlin of Orange County different than his counterpart, who actually cared - in his way - about those around him. However, something else within him tugged back.
Raistlin relaxed his shoulders. “I’m not going to die,” he assured his roommate. “It will take a lot more than an inn falling on me to accomplish that. I promise.”
The worry didn’t quite melt off of Tas’ face at Raistlin’s words, though he did look relieved. Tas could build a life anywhere, such was the benefit of nearly being a nomad, but he didn’t want to start again somewhere new. The Orange County was by far the most exciting place he’d ever lived. For once, Tas didn’t give voice to his thoughts, the ones that said Let’s hope something more doesn’t come then. Instead, he smiled sunnily at Raistlin, said “Well, good!” and then closed the bathroom door behind him.