CH 1: The Road Travels East

[JadedDM]

Riverwind accompanies Goldmoon, the whole time watching over her like a bodyguard expecting an assassin to show up at any time. His arms crossed, he regards Tanis especially with suspicion. However, he says nothing.

While Goldmoon patches up Flint, the old dwarf continually boasts of far worse wounds in the past and explains that he can just 'walk it off' without any trouble. However, perceptive as she is, Goldmoon quickly realizes this is mostly bluster and from the gleam in his eyes, it's clear he actually is enjoying have a pretty young woman fuss over him.

[Breila]

"Master Dwarf, I'm sure you have survived many serious wounds, I can see their traces well. However, let me clean out today's wounds and patch you up, so you can fight with valor in days to come." Goldmoon smiles at the old dwarf, she has to bite back a laugh at his stories.

She turns to Riverwind. "Oh, while you're here, Darling, would you please help him to lold his arm steady while I apply a few stitches? Not that I don't trust your stamina" she turns back to Flint, "but it's easier with some help and we'll be done quickly so you can enjoy food and drink with your friends"

With skilled hands, she treats all wounds and, together with Riverwind, helps him to put his clothes back again. With a sideways glance at her lover, she refrains from giving Flint a pat on an uninjured part of his back as he leaves.

[JadedDM]

Riverwind looks at the dwarf with a frown. He looks about to object to Goldmoon's request to actually touch a non-human, but thinks better of it and complies reluctantly.

While she is stitching him up, Flint grins up at the priestess. "You have a healer's touch, Miss Goldmoon. Are you the medicine woman of your tribe or something?"

[Jerrard]

Sturm frowns at Tas, the Kender hadn't changed even a small amount.

"A Blue Crystal Staff? Why would they be looking for a Blue Crystal Staff? Things have changed a great Deal since we left." He looks to Caramon and Rastlin. "Solace is not the same place, its not the homecoming we expected, is it?"

Placing his arms on the table he watches the old man, and the remainder of the room.

[mltillis]

Caramon stands quietly for a moment as Sturm and Tas speak, then half turns towards his brother....."Raistlin, those Seekers who tried to take your staff...They acted like they were in charge of Solace, didn't they? And they were looking for a blue crystal staff as well? Why would that be? "

[SightblinderX]

"It matters because you are Lauralanthalasa Kanan, the only daughter to the Speaker of the Sun in Qualinost..." he pauses for a moment, letting the words sink in. "You should behave according to your station. As I do mine." he looked as though it hurt him to say those things, but he continued on "I only met Goldmoon after you Laurana. You know her better than I." he adds with a hint of a smile, helping take off his armor to grant access to his wounds. It is obvious he is avoiding talking about the ring at the moment. "No potion, thank you. I will deal with the pain. I need my head tonight, if ever I needed it." he responds to Goldmoon.

Tanis' head felt like a maelstrom, emotions, ideas, worries, fears, memories and happiness collided like bits of battered ship caught in the current. Lauarana. Hobgoblins. Friends. Crystal Staff. Where was Kitiara? What happened to Raistlin?

[Talyn]

Raistlin leans forward into the firelight, his odd skin and eyes visible again. "That brother, is a very good question." he says giving Caramon a small nod. He nods to the room that Tanis went into. "Tanis said a hobgoblin demanded that they be searched for a blue crystal staff? Then it is obviously valuable." he says as a statement of fact. "The question you should be asking, is why is it valuable?"

Raistlin offers nothing more, he simply finishes off the last of his herbal mixture while watching what the others do.

[Breila]

Goldmoon looks at Tanis's big shoulder wound and says: "If you're not taking the potion, I'm going to need more help. Riverwind, would you please ask Caramon to come? And bring a stool for Laurana." Her look makes it clear to Riverwind that he'd better not object.

When Riverwind and Caramon come back, she'll ask Caramon to sit behind Tanis on the bed and hold him tight, while Riverwind grasps his outstretched arm. Laurana is supposed to sit on the stool close to the bed, so she can hold the wound's edges together as Goldmoon stitches it. But first, Goldmoon produces a piece of wood with tooth marks and passes it to Tanis. "This will protect you teeth and jaw. Don't be surprised at its taste, it's spicewood from a shrub of our country." When Tanis bites onto it, it releases a scent and taste that is aromatic and spicy, but neither bitter nor hot.

Goldmoon dabs the wound area with a liquid that cleanses and cools, carefully searching for anything imbedded while disturbing the clotted blood as little as possible. When this is done to her satisfaction, she stitches the wound and applies a bandage, carefully surveying the party for any sign of queasiness.

When she's done, she nods to Riverwind and Caramon that they can let go, and waits for Tanis to unclench his jaw and give her the spicewood back. "If you know what's good for you, you'll keep that arm in a sling for a while. I'm sure you'll be able to feed and water yourself with your other hand." She smiles at him, then at the others. "You can go join your friends. Caramon, better stay close to Tanis in case he needs support. I'll clean up here and join you later."

[Jenara]

Laurana sits quietly, arms across her chest, almost as if she was sulking. The calm considered woman seemed to have been replaced by a petulant girl.

She says nothing till Caramon arrives and helps mend Tanis's wounds. Why did she come here? Was she pretending there was anything left between them? Yet.. He still wore her ring, the ring she gave him...

Giving a small motion she looks to Goldmoon and Tanis. "Caramon, you return to your Brother, I will look after Tanis. Do you trust him in the hands of a Princess of Qualnesti?" She gives a smile, "I have not been honest about myself. But, could you give the pair of us a few moments please?"

[Jerrard]

Sturm looks closely at the Mage, could he trust him? Did he ever trust him?

"Who knows what these Seekers want? Hobgoblins in Solace, I never believed I'd see such a thing. When we are together we can discuss this better."

[Breila]

"It has nothing to do with trust when I asked Caramon to stay close to Tanis" Goldmoon says to Laurana. "It is only that sometimes, when a wound is mended, people think they're well and walk off, and then suddenly shock sets in and they collapse. And Caramon can certainly prevent that, while you or I, or even Riverwind, may fail because we're lighter than Tanis.

But of course, the rest of us can leave the room for a moment to give you two some time together."

Goldmoon opens the door and waits for Riverwind and Caramon to pass her before she closes it. "So you and your brother grew up in Solace, didn't you?" she asks Caramon.

[Jenara]

Laurana Bow's to Goldmoon, "Thank you, and for helping Tanis, that is from a Princess of Qualinesti." She smiles at her kindly and closes the door as she leaves.

"Tanis, I.." she sits down, staring at him with a half smile, "I came here for you, to be with you... I have grown, I'm not a little girl anymore." She looks at him with her wide eyes, her finger playing with the ring she wears, the twin of the one worn by Tanis.

[Talyn]

The mage gives Sturm a smile that no one would describe as friendly. "You are missing the larger picture Sir Knight, as you usually do." he says with a bit of scorn in his voice. He sits back and waits for the others to return from the back room.

[mltillis]

Caramon looks at the pretty plainswomen, as they return to the table...."Yes, Raistlin and I grew up here with our older sister Kitiara. She was supposed to meet us here as well, but she hasn't made it here yet."

[Breila]

"Have you been away for a long time?" Goldmoon asks Caramon.