The War Of The Lance Read Online Free PDF Page B

I must travel in the company of a
     magic-user - ”
    “I know,” said Earwig, nodding sympathetically. “We'll just have to make the best of it,
     won't we?”
    “Ah, let the little fellow come along,” said Caramon, feeling remorseful when he looked at
     what had once been the kender's jaunty top-knot. “He might come in handy if we're
     attacked.”
    Gawain hesitated, but it was obvious that the only way to get rid of the kender would be
     to slice him in two, and though the Oath and the Measure didn't specifically ban a knight
     from murdering kender, it didn't exactly encourage it, either.
    “Attack!” he snorted. The knight resumed his pace, Earwig skipping along beside him. “We
     are in no danger until we reach the keep. At least so His Lordship told me.”
    “And what else did His Lordship tell you?” Raistlin
    asked, coughing. Gawain glared at him dourly, obviously wondering of
    what use this sickly mage would be to him. "He told me the tale of the Maiden's Curse. A
     long
    time ago, before the Cataclysm, a wizard of the red robes - such as yourself - stole away
     a young woman from her father's castle and carried her to this keep. A knight, the young
     woman's betrothed, discovered the abduction and followed after to rescue her. He caught up
     with the mage and his victim in the keep in this forest.
    “The wizard, furious at having his evil plans thwarted, called upon the Queen of Darkness
     to destroy the knight. The knight, in his turn, called for Paladine to come to his aid.
     The forces unleashed in the ensuing battle were so powerful that they not only destroyed
     the wizard and the knight, but they have, even after death, continued to drag others into
     their conflict.”
    “And you wouldn't let me make that bet!” said Caramon reproachfully to his brother.
    Raistlin did not appear to hear him. He was, seemingly, lost in thought.
    “Well,” said Gawain abruptly, “and what do you think of that tale?”
    “I think that, like most legends, it has outgrown the truth,” answered Raistlin. “A wizard
     of the red robes, for example, would not call upon the Queen of Darkness for aid. That is
     something only wizards of the black robes do.”
    “It seems to me,” said Gawain grimly, “that your kind dabbles in darkness no matter what
     color robes they wear - the fox cloaking himself in sheep's wool, so the saying goes.”
    “Yeah,” retorted Caramon angrily. “And I've heard a few sayings myself about YOUR kind,
     Sir Kettle-head. One goes - ”
    “That will do, my brother,” remonstrated Raistlin, his thin fingers closing firmly over
     Caramon's arm. “Save your breath for what lies ahead.”
    The group continued on in a silence that was tense and smoldering.
    “What happened to the maiden?” Earwig asked suddenly. All three started, having forgotten,
     in their preoccupation, the kender's presence.
    “What?” growled Gawain.
    “The maiden. What happened to her? After all, it's called the Maiden's Curse.”
    “Yes, it is,” said Raistlin. “An interesting point.”
    “Is it?” Earwig jumped up and down gleefully, scattering the contents of his pouches
     across the path and nearly tripping Caramon. “I came up with an interesting point!”
    “I don't see why it's called the Maiden's Curse, except that she was the innocent victim,”
     answered the knight as an afterthought.
    “Ah,” said Earwig with a gusty sigh. “An innocent victim. I know what THAT feels like!”
    ****
    The three continued on their way. The walking was easy, the path through the forest was
     smooth and straight. Too smooth and too straight, according to Caramon, who maintained
     that it seemed bound and determined to deliver them to their doom as swiftly as possible.
     Several hours after midnight, they arrived at the fortress known as Death's Keep.
    Dark and empty, its stone facade glimmered grayish white in the lambent light of the stars
     and a pale, thin silver moon.