message. Tanis returned in haste, alarmed by Tasslehoff's somewhat confused account that Flint had been

attacked by runes, which Raistlin was trying to cure by making him swallow pine needles.

Raistlin explained the situation in more detailed and coherent terms. Tanis concurred in both the diagnosis and

the treatment. Overriding the dwarf's vehement protests (first forcibly removing the poker from his hand), they

rubbed the oil into his skin, massaged the muscles of his legs and arms until he was finally able to straighten his

back enough to lie down.

Flint maintained the entire time that he was not going to bed. He was setting out on his summer travels to sell

his wares. There was nothing any of them could do to stop him. He kept this up as Tanis helped him hobble to

the bed, kept it up though he had to compress his lips against the pain that he said was like a goblin's poison

dagger stuck in the back of his leg. He kept it up until Raistlin told Tas to run to the inn and ask Otik for a jug of

brandy.

"What's that for?" Flint asked suspiciously. "You going to rub that on me now?"

"You're to swallow a dram every hour," Raistlin replied. "For the pain. So long as you stay in bed."

"Every hour?" The dwarf brightened. He settled himself more comfortably among the pillows. "Well, perhaps

I'll just take today off. We can always start tomorrow. Make certain Otik sends the good stuff!" he bellowed after

Tas.

"He won't be going anywhere tomorrow," Raistlin told Tanis. "Or the day after, or any time in the near future.

He must stay in bed until the pain goes away and he can walk freely. If he doesn't, he could be crippled for life."

"Are you sure?" Tanis looked skeptical. "Flint's complained of aches and pains as long as I've known him."

"This is different. This is quite serious. It has something to do with the spine and the nerves that run up the

leg. Weird Meggin treated a person who was suffering symptoms similar to this once, and I helped her. She

explained it to me using a human skeleton she had dissected. If you would accompany me to her house, I could

show you."

"No, no! That won't be necessary," Tanis said hurriedly. "I'll take your word for it." He rubbed his chin and

shook his head. "But how in the name of the Forger of the World we're going to keep that ornery old dwarf in

bed, short of tying him to the bedposts, is beyond me."

The brandy aided them in this endeavor, rendering the patient calm, though not quiet, and in a relatively good

humor. He actually did what he was told and remained in bed voluntarily. They were all pleasantly surprised.

Tanis praised Flint highly for being such a model patient.

What none of them knew was that Flint had actually made an attempt to get out of bed the first night he was

incapacitated. The pain was excruciating, his leg had collapsed under him. This incident scared the dwarf badly.

Hebegan to think that perhaps Raistlin knew what he was talking about. Crawling back into bed, Flint

determined secretly to stay there as long as it took to heal. Meanwhile, he had a good time ordering everyone

about and making Caramon feel wretchedly guilty for having been the cause of it all.

Tanis certainly did not mind staying in Solace instead of traveling around Abanasinia. Kitiara remained in

Solace as well, much to the astonishment of her brothers.

"I never thought I'd see Kit fall in love with any man,"

Caramon said to his twin one evening over supper. "She just doesn't seem the affectionate type."

Raistlin sneered. " 'Love' is not the word, my brother. Love involves caring, respect, fondness. I would term

our sister's attachment for the half-elf as one of 'passion,' or perhaps 'lust' might be a better word. I would guess,

from the stories our mother told us, that Kitiara is much like her father in that regard."

"I suppose," Caramon responded, looking uncomfortable. He never liked to talk about their mother if he could

help it. His memories of her were not pleasant ones.

"Gregor's love for Rosamun was extremely passionatewhile it lasted," Raistlin said, with ironic emphasis on

the latter part of his sentence. "He found her different from other women, she amused him. I'm sure there is a

certain amusement factor involved with Kitiara's relationship with the half-elf. He is undoubtedly very different

from other men she has known."

"I like Tanis," Caramon said defensively, thinking that his brother's words disparaged his friend. "He's a great

guy. He's giving me sword fighting lessons. I'm getting really good at it. He said so. I'll have to show you

sometime."