Dragons of Winter Noght by Weis, Margaret

Laurana bit her lip, her face hardened. “I say it to my shame, that my people have taken advantage of the Wilder Elves’ poverty. The Kaganesti work as slaves among us. And, because of that, the Kaganesti elders grow more savage and warlike as they see their young people taken away and their old way of life threatened.”

“Laurana!” called Tasslehoff.

She turned. “Look.” she said to Elistan softly. “There is one of them now.”

The cleric followed her gaze to see a lithe young woman-at least he supposed it was a young woman by the long hair; she was dressed in male clothing-kneel down beside Gilthanas and stroke his forehead. The elflord stirred at her touch, groaning in pain. The Kaganesti reached into a pouch at her side and began busily to mix something in a small clay cup.

“What is she doing?” Elistan asked.

“She is apparently the ‘healer’ they sent for,” Laurana said, watching the girl closely. “The Kaganesti are noted for their Druidic skills.”

Wilder elf was a suitable name, Elistan decided, studying the girl intently. He had certainly never seen any intelligent being on Krynn quite so wild-looking. She was dressed in leather breeches tucked into leather boots. A shirt, obviously cast off by some elflord, hung from her shoulders. She was pale and too thin, undernourished. Her matted hair was so filthy it was impossible to distinguish its color. But the hand that touched Gilthanas was slender and shapely. Concern and compassion for him was apparent in her gentle face.

“Well,” Sturm said, “what are we to do in the midst of all this?”

“The Silvanesti have agreed to escort us to my people.” Laurana said, her face flushing. Evidently this had been a point of bitter contention. “At first they insisted that we go to their elders, but I said I would go nowhere without first bidding my father greeting and discussing the matter with him. There wasn’t much they could say to that.” Laurana smiled slightly, though there was a touch of bitterness in her voice. “Among all the kindred, a daughter is bound to her father’s house until she comes of age. Keeping me here, against my will, would be viewed as kidnapping and would cause open hostility. Neither side is ready for that.”

“They are letting us go, though they know we have the dragon orb?” Derek asked in astonishment.

“They are not letting us go,” Laurana said sharply. “I said they are escorting us to my people.”

“But there is a Solamnic outpost to the north.” Derek argued, “We could get a ship there to take us to Sancrist-”

“You would never live to reach those trees if you tried to escape,” Flint said, sneezing violently.

“He is right,” Laurana said. “We must go to the Qualinesti and convince my father to help us get the orb to Sancrist.” A small dark line appeared between her eyebrows which warned Sturm she didn’t believe that was going to be as easy as it sounded. “And now, we’ve been talking long enough. They gave me leave to explain things to you, but they’re getting restless to go. I must see to Gilthanas. Are we agreed?”

Laurana regarded each knight with a look that was not so much seeking approvation as simply waiting for an acknowledgement of her leadership. For a moment, she appeared so like Tanis in the firm set of her jaw and the calm, steady deliberation in her eyes that Sturm smiled. But Derek was not smiling. He was infuriated and frustrated, the more so because he knew there wasn’t a thing he could do.

Finally, however, he snarled a muttered reply that he supposed they must make the best of it and angrily stalked over to pick up the chest. Flint and Sturm followed, the dwarf sneezing until he nearly sneezed himself off his feet.

Laurana walked back to her brother, moving quietly along sand in her soft leather boots. But the Wilder elf heard her approach. Raising her head, she gave Laurana a fearful look and crept backward as an animal cringes at the sight of man. But Tas, who had been chatting with her in an odd mixture of Common and elven, gently caught hold of the Wilder elf’s arm.