A/N (Aroihkin's Notes) 08.12.2005:

Just a -tiny- opening. The next chapter is HUGE, though. For those of you just coming in on the Akara Files, this is number four in a series. The first two are one-shots... #1 Just BeClause She Can, #2 Book By Its Cover. The third has seven chapters, #3 Situation Normal All Fouled Up. This one is planned to be longer than the third, by quite a bit. I just want to smack Akara in these first few chapters... she’s so oblivious. XD

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TAF: Face to Face
Book By Another Cover

“Akara! You’ve got ma-aa-aa-ail!”

The tavern-keeper’s son bounded up to the bar of the Golden Hourglass, where a sleepy thief sat with one side of her face propped up in one hand, and the other hand wrapped around a mug of hot tea. It was evening in Palanthas, which meant that it was merely early morning for her.

“Teniki, hold it. What do you mean, I’ve got mail?” she asked, turning to stare at the package the kid had in his hands. The tavern-keeper herself, known only as Kay, leaned over the bar to look as well.

“That’s what I said! It just showed up a few minutes ago on the steps! Poof! Right in front of me!” he held it up to her face, “See? It’s got your name on it!”

“Well now, that’s interesting.” said one of the regulars, a few spots down the polished bar. “Go on and open it up, Akara.”

Akara took the package and set it down next to her tea, untying the string wrapped around the expensive parchment. The paper was carefully unfolded, and inside were two crisp, new, leather-bound books.

“What the...?”

The thief lifted the top book, only to find a folded card of vellum stuck between the two outwardly-identical thin volumes. She flicked it open.

The top copy is for yourself, the other is for your supporting family. The card read, Happy accumulative birthing days and merry accumulative Yules.

--Raistlin Majere

“Woah... check these out!” Kay had picked up the bottom copy, reading the title. “‘An Account of Akara Krinir, Master Thief’ by... Raistlin Majere!”

“Lemme see! Lemme see!” Teniki was climbing up onto a barstool to see the books. Akara, numb with shock, flipped open the cover of the book in her hand... the one she was supposed to keep. There, familiar, blood-splattered, wrinkled pages made up the first dozen before resuming in that same angular writing on new, blank pages.

/ The ones Raistlin ripped out of that book when he saw me! He was... writing a story? About me? /

Akara stared, glazed-eyed, at the wall over everyone’s heads for several moments, before scooping the card into this book, shutting it, plucking the other out of Teniki’s grasp, and heading up stairs.

She needed to pack her meager possessions and leave town. Now.

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Dragonlance © someone else.
All here that is not found in the books... is mine.
Never steal if you value your spleen.

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