The blanket that the young women had rigged to cover the entrance opened, letting in a blast of air and a flurry of snow. Laurana entered, carrying a lantern.
Tika looked up. “How was the meeting?”
Tika had been in awe of Laurana when she’d first met her in Qualinesti. The two could not have been more different. Laurana was the daughter of a king. Tika was the daughter of a part-time illusionist and full-time thief. Laurana was an elf, a princess.
Tika had run wild for much of her life. Taking to thieving herself, she’d afoul of the law. Otik Sandeth, owner of the Inn of the Last Home in Solace, had offered to adopt the orphan, giving her gainful employment as a bar maid.
The two differed in looks. Laurana was slender and willowy. Tika was buxom and robust. Laurana’s hair was golden, her skin white and rose. Tika’s hair was flame red, her face covered in freckles.
Tika knew quite well that she had her own kind of beauty, and she felt good about herself most times—when she wasn’t around Laurana. Laurana’s blonde hair made Tika’s seem that much redder by contrast, just as Laurana’s graceful figure made Tika feel that she was all hips and bosom.
“How did it go?” Tika asked, glad to lay down the comb. Her arm and shoulder ached and her scalp stung.
“As you might expect,” said Laurana, sighing. “There was lots of arguing. Hederick is a prize dolt—”
“You’re telling me!” Tika said crisply. “I was in the inn when he stuck his hand in the fire.”
“Just when it seemed that no one could agree, Elistan came up with a solution,” said Laurana, and her voice softened in admiration. “His plan is brilliant. They’ve all agreed to it, even Hederick. Elistan suggested that we send a delegation to the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin to see if we can find refuge there. Tanis volunteered to go, along with Flint.”
“Not Caramon?” asked Tika anxiously.
“No, just Flint and Tanis. Raistlin wanted them to go first to a place called Skullcap to find the secret way into the dwarven kingdom or something like that, but Flint said Skullcap was haunted, and Elistan said they didn’t have time to make the journey before winter set in. Raistlin seemed angry.”
“I’ll bet he did,” said Tika, shivering. “A haunted place named Skullcap would suit him just fine, and he’d drag Caramon along with him. Thank the gods they’re not going!”
“Even Hederick agreed that Elistan’s plan was a good one,” said Laurana.
“I guess wisdom comes with gray hair,” Tika remarked, picking up her comb again. “Though, of course, that didn’t work in Hederick’s case.”
“Elistan’s hair is not gray,” Laurana protested. “It’s silver. I think silver hair makes a man look distinguished.”
“Are you in love with Elistan?” Tika asked. She dug the comb into the mass of curls and began to tug.
Laurana winced at the sight. “Here, let me do that!”
Tika thankfully handed over the comb.
“You are too impatient,” said Laurana reprovingly. “You’re ruining your hair, and you have such beautiful hair. I envy you.”
“You do?” Tika was astonished. “I can’t think why! Your hair is so shimmery and golden!”
“And straight as a stick,” said Laurana ruefully. The comb, in her hands, gently teased each knot until it came loose. “As for Elistan, no, I’m not in love with him, but I do admire him and respect him. He’s been through so much pain and suffering. Such experiences would have made any other man bitter and cynical. They made Elistan more compassionate and understanding.”
“I know someone who thinks you’re in love with Elistan,” said Tika with an impish smile.
“Who do you mean?” Laurana asked, blushing.
“Tanis, of course,” said Tika archly. “He’s jealous.”
“That’s impossible!” Laurana gave the comb a sharper tug than usual. “Tanis doesn’t love me. He’s made that extremely clear. He’s in love with that human woman.”
“That bitch Kitiara!” Tika sniffed. “Pardon my language. As for Tanis, he doesn’t know his heart from his… well, I won’t say what, but you understand. It’s the same with all men.” Laurana was silent, and Tika twisted her head to glance up at her, to see if she was angry. Laurana’s face was mantled with a delicate flush, her eyes lowered. She kept combing, but she wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing.
Maybe she doesn’t understand, Tika realized suddenly. It seemed very odd to her that a woman who was a hundred years old knew less about the world and the ways of men than one who was only nineteen. Still, Laurana had lived all those years pampered and protected in her father’s palace in the middle of a forest. Small wonder she was naive.
“Do you really think Tanis is jealous?” Laurana asked, her blush deepening.
“Watch him sometime. He’s goes green as a goblin whenever he sees you and Elistan together.”
“He has no reason to think there is anything between us,” said Laurana. “I’ll speak to him.”
“You will do no such thing!” Tika turned so fast the comb caught in her hair and jerked out of Laurana’s hands. “Let him stew for awhile. Maybe it’ll put that wildcat Kit out of his mind.”
“But that would be lying, in a way,” Laurana protested, retrieving the comb.
“No, it isn’t,” Tika said. “Besides, what if it is? All’s fair in love and war, and the gods know that for us women, love is war. I wish there was someone around to make Caramon jealous.”
“Caramon loves you dearly, Tika,” said Laurana, smiling. “Anyone can see it by the way he looks at you.”
“I don’t want him to just stand there making great cow eyes at me! I want him to do something about it!”
“There’s Raistlin—” Laurana began.
“Don’t mention Raistlin to me!” Tika snapped. “Caramon’s more a slave than a brother, and one day he’ll wake up and find that out. Only by that time, it may be too late.” She held her head high. “Some of us may have moved on with our lives.”
There was no more conversation. Laurana was thinking over this new and unexpected revelation that Tanis might be jealous of her relationship with Elistan. That would certainly explain that remark he’d made to her today.
Tika sat on the stool Caramon had made for her and blinked back her tears—tears caused by the comb yanking on her hair…
Caramon lagged behind his brother as they made their way to their small cave. Caramon knew the signs, knew that Raistlin was plotting. His brother generally moved slowly, taking cautious steps, leaning on his staff or on his brother’s arm. Raistlin walked rapidly now, the crystal held by the gold dragon claw atop his staff casting a magical light to guide his way. His red robes swished around his ankles. He did not look around to see if Caramon was following. Raistlin knew he would be.
Arriving at the cave, Raistlin shoved aside the wooden screen and ducked inside. Caramon entered more slowly, pausing to adjust the screen in place for the night. Raistlin stopped him.
“No need,” he said. “You’re going out again.”
“Do you want me to fetch hot water for your tea?” Caramon asked.
“Am I coughing myself to death?” Raistlin demanded.
“No,” Caramon said.
“Then I do not need my tea.” Raistlin began to search among their belongings. He picked up a water skin and held it out to his brother.
“Go to the stream and fill this.”
“There’s water in the bucket—” Caramon began.