Dragons of Winter Noght by Weis, Margaret

“We could have left you back in Ice Wall, you know, with the walrus-men and-” Tasslehoff stopped.

Flint was once again struggling to sit up, but this time there was a wild look in his eyes. The kender rose to his feet and began edging his way toward the door. “Uh, I guess I better be going. I just came down here to-uh-see if you wanted anything to eat. The ship’s cook made something he calls green pea soup.”

Laurana, huddled out of the wind on the foredeck, started as she heard the most frightful roaring sound come from below decks, followed by the cracking of smashed crockery. She glanced at Sturm, who was standing near her. The knight smiled.

“Flint.” he said.

“Yes,” Laurana said, worried. “Perhaps I should-‘

She was interrupted by the appearance of Tasslehoff dripping with green pea soup.

“I think Flint’s feeling better.” Tasslehoff said solemnly. “But he’s not quite ready to eat anything yet.”

The journey from Ice Wall had been swift. Their small ship fairly flew through the sea waters, carried north by the currents and the strong, cold prevailing winds.

The companions had traveled to Ice Wall where, according to Tasslehoff, a dragon orb was kept in Ice Wall Castle. They found the orb and defeated its evil guardian, Feal-thas-a powerful Dragonlord. Escaping the destruction of the castle with the help of the Ice Barbarians, they were now on a ship bound for Sancrist. Although the precious dragon orb was stowed safely in a chest below decks, the horrors of their journey to Ice Wall still tormented their dreams at night.

But the nightmares of Ice Wall were nothing compared to that strange and vivid dream they had experienced well over a month ago. None of them referred to it, but Laurana occasionally saw a look of fear and loneliness-unusual to Sturm-that made her think he might be recalling the dream as well.

Other than that the party was in good spirits-except the dwarf, who had been hauled on the ship bodily and was promptly seasick. The journey to Ice Wall had been an undoubted victory. Along with the dragon orb, they carried away with them the broken shaft of an ancient weapon, believed to be a dragonlance. And they carried something more important, though they did not realize it at the time they found.

The companions, accompanied by Derek Crownguard and the other two young knights who had joined them at Tarsis, had been searching Ice Wall castle for the dragon orb. The search had not gone well. Time and again they had fought off the evil walrus-men, winter wolves, and bears. The companions began to think they may have come here for nothing, but Tas swore that the book he read in Tarsis said there was an orb located here. So they kept looking.

It was during their search that they came upon a startling sight-a huge dragon, over forty feet long, its skin a shimmering silver, completely encased in a wall of ice. The dragon’s wings were spread, poised for flight. The dragon’s expression was fierce, but his head was noble, and he did not inspire them with the fear and loathing they remembered experiencing around the red dragons. Instead, they felt a great, overwhelming sorrow for this magnificent creature.

But strangest to them was the fact that this dragon had a rider! They had seen the Dragon Highlords ride their dragons, but this man appeared by his ancient armor to have been a Knight of Solamnia! Held tightly in his gloved hand was the broken shaft of what must have been a large lance.

“Why would a Knight of Solamnia be riding a dragon?” Laurana asked, thinking of the Dragon Highlords.

“There have been knights who turned to evil.” Lord Derek Crownguard said harshly. “Though it shames me to admit it.”

“I get no feeling of evil here,” Elistan said. “Only a great sorrow. I wonder how they died. I see no wounds-”

“This seems familiar.” Tasslehoff interrupted, frowning. “Like a picture. A knight riding a silver dragon. I’ve seen-”

“Bah!” Flint snorted. “You’ve seen furry elephants-”

“I’m serious.” Tas protested.

“Where was it, Tas?” Laurana asked gently, seeing a hurt expression on the kender’s face. “Can you remember?”