Dragons of Winter Noght by Weis, Margaret

He was talking to a few of these friends- sailors mostly, with brown, weathered skin and no teeth-on the evening that the strangers entered his tavern. William glared at them suspiciously for a moment, as did his friends. But, seeing roadweary travelers and not the Highlord’s soldiers, he greeted them cordially and showed them to a table in the corner.

The strangers ordered ale all around-except for a red-robed man who ordered nothing but hot water. Then, after a subdued discussion centering around a worn leather purse and the number of coins therein, they asked William to bring them bread and cheese.

“They’re not from these parts.” William said to his friends in a low voice as he drew the ale from a special keg he kept beneath the bar (not the keg for draconians). “And poor as a sailor after a week ashore, if I make my guess.”

“Refugees.” said his friend, eyeing them speculatively.

“Odd mixture, though,” added the other sailor. “Yon redbearded fellow’s a half-elf, if ever I saw one. And the big one’s got weapons enough to take on the Highlord’s whole army.”

“I’ll wager he’s stuck a few of them with that sword, too,” William grunted. “They’re on the run from something, I’ll bet. Look at the way that bearded fellow keeps his ages on the door. Well, we can’t help them fight the Highlord, but I’ll see they don’t want for anything.” He went to serve them.

“Put your money away.” William said gruffly, plunking down not only bread and cheese but also a tray full of cold meats as well. He shoved the coins away. “You’re in trouble of some kind, that’s plain as this pig’s snout upon my face.”

One of the women smiled at him. She was the most beautiful woman William had ever seen. Her silver-gold hair gleamed from beneath a fur hood, her blue eyes were like the ocean on a calm day. When she smiled at him, William felt the warmth of fine brandy run through his body. But a stern-faced, darkhaired man next to her shoved the coins back to the innkeeper.

“We’ll not accept charity,” the tall, fur-cloaked man said.

“We won’t?” asked the big man wistfully, staring at the smoked meat with longing eyes.

“Riverwind,” the woman remonstrated, putting a gentle hand on his arm. The half-elf, too, seemed about to interpose when the red-robed man, who had ordered the hot water, reached out and picked up a coin from the table.

Balancing the coin on the back of his bony, metallic-colored hand, the man suddenly and effortlessly sent it dancing along his knuckles. William’s eyes opened wide. His two friends at the bar came closer to see better. The coin flickered in and out of the red-robed magi’s fingers, spinning and jumping. It vanished high in the air, only to reappear above the mage’s head in the form of six coins, spinning around his hood. With a gesture, he sent them to spin around William’s head. The sailors watched in open-mouthed wonder.

“Take one for your trouble,” said the mage in a whisper.

Hesitantly, William tried to grab the coins that whirled past his eyes, but his hand went right through them! Suddenly all six coins disappeared. One only remained now, resting in the palm of the red-robed wage.

“I give you this in payment,” the mage said with a sly smile, “but be careful. It may burn a hole in your pocket.”

William accepted the coin gingerly. Holding it between two fingers, he gazed at it suspiciously, Then the coin burst into flame! With a startled yelp, William dropped it to the floor, stomping one it with his foot. His two friends burst out laughing. Picking up the coin, William discovered it to be perfectly cold and undamaged.

“That’s worth the meat!” the innkeeper said, grinning.

“And a night’s lodgings.” added his friend, the sailor, slapping down a handful of coins.

“I believe.” said Raistlin softly, glancing around at the others, “that we have solved our problems.”

Thus was born The Red Wizard and His Wonderful Illusions, a traveling road show that is still talked of today as far south as Port Balifor and as far north as the Ruins.