Okay, so this is my second WoW fanfiction. I had this idea one day, and it brought me to write this. It was: What if the great and infamous Sylvanas Windrunner had a daughter? And this girl was not only an all-grown-up high elf, but the prime target of one of the Lich King's evil plans? Well, the wheels in my head started to turn, and this popped out. It's kinda long, but it's the first chapter, and i wanted to put all this stuff in the first chapter. But, anyway, enough of my bantering. Enjoy!
Underneath The Ice
Chapter I
"My lord?" hissed the creature softly as it moved towards the icy throne with caution. "My lord, we have discovered something that may interest you."
At this, the figure resting upon the frozen throne lifted it's head, the helm resting upon it's brow chipping the ice that had gathered around it. The black breastplate and armor it wore clinked together as the figure straightened. The armor was adorned with skulls and symbols of death, the boots covered in fur to shield from the harsh, bitterly cold winds. A long black cape billowed down from the figure's massive shoulders, draping over the arm of the throne. The figure stared straight ahead, not acknowledging the presence of the creature, but it's hand tightened on the hilt of the sword at it's side. The sword was large, two-handed, and inscribed with odd runes that seemed to glow. The figure's eyes opened, and icy blue smoke seemed to emit from the pupil-less orbs, alight with the same strange cerulean color. It heaved a great sigh, and you could see the heat of the breath mix with the frosty air.
"What is it now, Zevrim?" asked the figure softly, its voice smooth, almost snakelike, but the under voice you heard echo after it defeated the purpose.
"Your Majesty, we have discovered something related to her, something important."
"Her?" he asked in mock ignorance. He wanted the foolish wraith to dare to say her name aloud, to say it in his presence.
"The…the…banshee queen," mumbled the wraith. The king slammed his fist on the throne in impatience, causing the wraith to flinch away slightly.
"Say her name!"
"My - my lord -"
"Say it."
"Syl - Sylvanas."
Sylvanas. Just thinking about that insolent wretch's name made his insides churn. The traitor, she will receive the proper punishment she deserves in due time. She calls herself Dark Lady, Queen Of The Forsaken now. She is nothing like a queen, and she will never be. When he got a hold of her, she would wish she had never been born. To betray the Lich King was punishable by death. Unless, of course, you already were dead.
Which posed a minor setback for His Lordship.
Sylvanas had grown powerful during the small space of time that had passed since she had broken away from his control. When she freed herself and the other Forsaken, she reclaimed her body, becoming no longer just a banshee, but a true undead. She killed his dread lords and bent that fool, Varimathras, to her will. Now her name is infamous all over Azeroth. But soon…soon, he will be infamous across Azeroth. No, his name will soon be feared across the planet and beyond. Soon, he will retake the world that is rightfully his, and destroy anyone who stands in his way. That included Sylvanas.
"What information do you have for me, Zevrim?" he drawled.
"Well, you see, my lord, Sylvanas, she, well, during the Second War, she, uh -"
"Spit it out!" he thundered, causing the wraith to float above the ground in fear for a few seconds. When the wraith regained it's composure, it spoke again.
"My lord, Sylvanas and her second in command…they, well, they were lovers," the undead creature mumbled.
"And this concerns me, how?" hissed the Lich King.
"Well, we learned that Sylvanas, she became with child at one point, and -" the wraith was cut off when the Lich King threw up his hand to silence the creature.
All of his plans took an entirely different road then.
Sylvanas? Have a child? He highly doubted it, but if he investigated it well enough, he would be able to discover if the wraith was telling the truth. If it was lying, there would be severe consequences. But if it was telling the truth…then the Lich King had many interesting things planned for this young high elf. The young one would be his sooner or later, as revenge against the evil little witch.
Sieanna nocked an arrow on the string and raised her willow bow, drawing the sinew back as she focused on the red target on the other side of the field. Her best friend, Drianal Morningray, watched from afar in skepticism, sitting on a water barrel near the gate to the field.
"You'll never make it, Sieanna," called Drianal, and Sieanna rolled her eyes as she refocused on the target. "We have to get back, anyways. Morning lessons are about to start and you're going to make us both late."
"Just one more shot, Dria, then we can go," yelled back Sieanna, and she tightened her fingers on the string slightly. She breathed in deeply, held it for two seconds, then released the string and exhaled at the same time. The arrow flew straight and true, whistling through the air before burying itself into exact center of the target.
Sieanna heard Dria gasp, then squeal in delight. Sieanna turned around and bowed mockingly, and Dria laughed. Suddenly, loud bells chimed around them, and they both glanced at each other before rushing to pick up their things and running through the gate.
When they reached the large academy, a stern looking Sin'Dorei was standing outside, tapping her foot impatiently as she peered down at them with her intense green eyes.
"Bal'a dash, Madame Sunstrike," said Sieanna sheepishly. The woman's eyes narrowed even further, and Sieanna felt Drianal cowering behind her.
"Where were you two?" she inquired, her deep voice stern. "This is the second time this week that you two have been tardy to morning lessons. Dame Morningray, run along now to your lessons. I must speak with Lady Theron privately," announced Madame Sunstrike, and Sieanna's insides froze. Drianal turned and walked inside the spire, but not before she turned and gave Sieanna a worried look. Sieanna only smiled, but she felt butterflies in her stomach as she followed the headmistress into a separate building to the west of the school.
As they walked inside, Sieanna saw the headmistress' desk sitting at the far end of the circular room. It looked a bit different than the last time she was inside these walls. There were many more books on the large shelf that resided opposite of the desk, and there were vases of flowers on the small tables that sat just beyond the doorframe. The tall sin'dorei strode forward and walked around to sit behind the desk, gesturing for Sieanna to sit across from her. Sieanna gulped quietly as she slowly sat.
"Lady Theron," began Madame Sunstrike, "this is unacceptable for a lady of you stature." Sieanna rolled her eyes internally; she honestly didn't care whether it was acceptable or not. "Your father has asked me to keep a watchful eye on you, and I'm afraid that it's very hard to keep you under my protection when you do not even attend classes, let alone sneak off during afternoon lessons for…whatever it is that you do," she added, gesturing her hand in confusion.
"Archery," explained Sieanna coolly, "and I don't see the point of afternoon lessons. Besides, my mother told my father when I was young that I should practice my archery everyday. It's not like I'm terrible at it." Madame Sunstrike winced at the mention of Sieanna's mother, but said nothing of it.
"My lady, I know that you have refused to…accept the new lifestyle that the rest of us have. But that does not mean you should skip you studies."
"Learning how to drain life from fel creatures is not what I call studying," retorted Sieanna, her voice cold.
"Watch your mouth, young lady," snapped the headmistress. "This is the only alternative that our race was able to find after we lost the Sunwell to that, monster," she added, spiting out the last word. "I understand that you had a disagreement with your arcane instructor yesterday."
"Seemed more like a shouting match to me," muttered Sieanna. The headmistress ignored this and continued.
"You are refusing to learn how to harness arcane power?" asked Madame Sunstrike.
"No," retorted Sieanna. "I am just refusing to be taught the arcane arts through using fel energy. My mother never did, and neither will I."
"Your mother is dead."
"So? What are you trying to say?" asked Sieanna.
"Never mind. I wish you would embrace this new path in our lives that the rest of your kin have."
"No," replied Sieanna through clenched teeth.
"Must you be so stubborn, my lady?" asked an exasperated Sunstrike.
"Of course," retorted Sieanna mockingly as she stood and walked out the door.
"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" yelled Madame Sunstrike after her.
"Away from here!" screamed Sieanna over her shoulder, running as fast as her long legs could carry her. She didn't even know where she was running; she just knew she had to get away from Silvermoon.
Sieanna ran down the streets of Silvermoon, passing through the Court of the Sun and heading for the Shepherd's Gate, the exit into the ruins of Silvermoon. She ran hard, pushing through throngs of blood elves, orcs, tauren, undead, and trolls, some who didn't take very well to being pushed around. Sieanna didn't really care about what they thought; she was in no mood to apologize to stuck up ambassadors.
She sprinted down a small alleyway, a shortcut few people knew about, say for the rogues, and she found herself in the Walk Of The Elders. It wouldn't have been a huge problem; she could have gotten to the main gates easily. However, it looked like the recent scouting mission of Deatholme and the surrounding area had just returned, blocking off her escape through the gates. Her face fell as she say this, and she slipped into the shadows of one of the shops, hoping not to be noticed. Unfortunately, everyone in Silvermoon knew who she was, and it was hard for her to really hide from the prying eyes of blood elves.
"Captain Morningray, report," said a deep voice full of authority, one that Sieanna recognized well. She allowed herself to take a peek around the side of the building. Sure enough, it was Captain Aglardir Morningray, Drianal's older brother and a good friend of Sieanna's. However, one person was there that she did not anticipate, one she knew she would never get past.
Halduron Brightwing.
The Ranger General himself, riding atop a black stallion towards the young captain. He had told her once he preferred horses to the hawk striders that most of the Sin'dorei used as their mounts, a preference that he and Sieanna shared. Sieanna could say that they were friends, but Halduron was too immersed in his duties as the military commander of the blood elves to really speak with Sieanna at all. Sieanna grumbled unhappily to herself as she attempted to walk calmly and silently across the open square. Some of the blood elves greeted her respectfully as she walked by, and she nodded her greeting in return, not really minding what she was doing. As she made her way around the brick-paved square, avoiding moving into sight as much as possible, she caught bits and pieces of the conversation between Aglardir and Halduron.
"…We found only a small amount of Scourge activity in the Ghostlands. However, it seems that the Scourge inside Deatholme are amassing themselves inside the fortress for something, something big," said the captain.
"What, exactly, Captain?" questioned Halduron, his voice hard.
"We're not sure, sir. The two scouts we sent to investigate Deatholme never returned," replied Aglardir, and Halduron cursed under his breath, bringing a small smile to play upon Sieanna's lips.
"What is Dar'Khan planning…" he muttered, more to himself than to Aglardir. Suddenly remembering his present position, he straightened, looking every bit the Ranger General that he was.
"Captain, take your men to the barracks and get some rest. You will report to War Room in three hours to give me a full report," Halduron ordered, and the Captain placed his fist over his heart, bowing before leading his horse and his men away from the main square, down one of the brick paths towards the barracks. Sieanna took their preoccupation with the scouting mission to slip into the Shepherds Gate, out of sight as she made her way out of Silvermoon and into Eversong Woods, where she could disappear under the shade of the trees. No one would ever look for her there; not that they would want to look for her in the first place. In the eyes of the Sin'Dorei, Sieanna was trouble.
Trouble with a capital T.
Sieanna walked down the dirt paths through the trees, ignoring the brick walkways that her people had paved for those that wished to not get their robes dirty. Those people were usually mages and dignitaries, blood elves or other races of the Horde who believed that they were above everyone else. Sieanna loathed these beings; she loved the outdoors. She loved the smell of the grass when she lay in the open fields at night, looking at the stars, the strength and age that seemed to radiate from the white barked trees of the woods…it gave her goose bumps sometimes. She couldn't explain it, but she could breathe easily for the first time today now that she was outdoors.
She made her way towards the river, sitting herself on the bank and basking in the warm sunlight that had permeated the sand she was resting on. The soothing sound of the water splashing against the rocks was music to her ears. She slipped out of her boots and stuck her feet in the water, burying her toes in the cool sediment that lay beneath the water. Her Ranger blood welcomed all of these things, and she lay back on the bank, closing her eyes.
"Ah, there you are."
Sieanna sat up quickly, brushing the sand off her body as she turned to face the speaker whose voice was so familiar. Halduron stood in the shade of the golden leaves; with his dress armor on, he made a striking figure, the plate gleaming in the sunlight.
"I'm surprised that you were able to sneak off like that, without anyone noticing that is," he teased, walking towards her. She started to rise, but he raised his hand to stop her. "Please, don't get up."
"I guess I wasn't able to sneak off without anyone noticing, since you found me," she replied, and she grinned when he blushed faintly as he sat down beside her, his shiny clean armor forgotten.
"So what are you doing out here?" she asked after a long moment of peaceful silence.
"Looking for you," he replied simply, and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. He was looking at her, an eyebrow raised. "You looked upset."
"I'm fine," she said too quickly.
"Don't lie to me, Sieanna," he scolded. She turned and glared at him before rising, leaving Halduron behind. She was barely a foot away when he caught her arm, stopping her dead.
"You know I was just teasing, Sieanna," Halduron said, giving her a smile, which Sieanna returned only half-heartedly. "What's wrong?" he added, the smile dropping off his face and giving way to a more serious expression.
"I'm tired of Madame Sunstrike thinking she can tell me what to do!" she snapped, wrenching out of his grip. She instantly regretted this, for she saw hurt flash in his eyes for a second. He was her friend, after all.
"Is that all, Sieanna?" he asked. She hesitated, but then answered him.
"Madame Sunstrike…Father…my peers…they are all forcing me to become something I don't want to be!" she cried as she turned away. "They want me to…embrace this new lifestyle like the rest of us."
"Ah, I see." He was silent after that, not wanting to say anything that might upset Sieanna.
"I know it seems like I am betraying my people, Halduron, but…it just feels like the right thing to do. Like I need to remain this way," she murmured. Halduron didn't contradict what she said.
"I should be getting back. They're expecting me back in the city soon," he said finally, turning to leave. Before he left, he spoke once more.
"Would you like a ride back?" he asked softly. Sieanna shook her head, giving him a warm smile, one that didn't reach her eyes.
"No, thank you, Halduron. I just…I need some time to think," she replied quietly, her voice muted.
"As you wish," he replied.
Sieanna waited for a few moments, hearing the sounds of his departure, until everything was quiet again. She knew he was gone.
Time to get moving.
Sieanna stuck her feet back into her boots and took off running, her feet hitting the ground hard and fast as she headed for the city. Only this time, she needed to get inside the walls. She knew the perfect shortcut. She sprinted towards the backside of Silvermoon, and she reached the entrance to the Ruins of Silvermoon just as the changing of the guard commenced. It was a lucky break for her. She slipped inside the ruined walls, sneaking past the royal guards, who strode proudly down Dawning Lane that went through the ruins themselves. She stayed close to the wall, keeping out of sight from the guards hawk-like eyes. She knew they didn't like when blood elves, especially one of her stature, were found wandering about in the Ruins. If she was caught, her father would most definitely hear about it.
She made her way to a grate sitting nearby, one that sat above the now unused sewer lines. When no one was looking, she pulled the grate off it's base and slipped through the open hole. Her feet splashed into the muddy water as she hit the bottom of the pipe, where she took off running again in the direction of the city, a plan forming in her mind.
Ever since the reformation and renaming of the blood elves, Sieanna had never really fit into their society, fraught with danger and mystery in the form of magic and politics. She had been considered an outcast by elves near her age and a nuisance by her elders. Still, they halted their insults when her father had taken the position of Reagent Lord of Quel'Thalas. Sieanna knew that they were still thinking these things. She wanted to prove herself more than anything to them. That taint of the blood elves prevented her from showing her potential. She knew that she had to leave Silvermoon and her home to do so.
As Sieanna ran down the tunnel, she passed under a grate, voices floating from the room above it to pass through Sieanna's long ears. The things they were speaking of caused her to halt her sprinting.
"…Dar'Khan is amassing all the undead in Deatholme, for what we cannot be certain," said a male voice, which Sieanna discerned was Aglardir. "It seems that Dar'Khan is leaving Deatholme for some time, maybe on a mission for Arthas. One of our mages discovered this, just before Dar'Khan himself killed him. Whatever the mission is, General, it's important enough that Dar'Khan is actually leaving his fortress."
"Any clues at all as to what the mission is, Captain?" asked another male voice, which Sieanna recognized immediately as her own father's, Reagent Lord Lor'themar Theron.
"No, not yet, my lord," replied Aglardir. "Some of my men remained behind for that purpose, to discern what the mission is."
"Let us hope that they are not found out, the Eternal Sun willing," said Halduron's voice. The other men murmured in agreement. Sieanna stayed rooted to the spot for a few moments, then she returned to her journey through the pipeline.
After several more minutes, she finally came to a rather narrow grate in the ceiling, where a dim light was filtering through the crossed metal bars. She climbed the ladder nearby up to it, pushing it off with all her strength. The grate slid off and landed next to the opening with a loud screeching sound, and Sieanna winced in fear, hoping no one heard that. After a minute of total silence, she knew no one was coming and pushed off with her arms, jumping out of the hole and landing on the floor above with the grace of a cat. She quickly placed the grate cover back in it's place as silently as possible, then examined the room. It was the main foyer of the Sunfury Spire, and she chose a stairwell off to the side, rushing up the steps. After she ascended the stairs, she hurried to a large door at the end of the short corridor. As she closed the door behind her, she turned and took in the sight of the room.
Her room.
It looked the same way she left it earlier that day, except one of the maids had come in and tidied up the place. The circular bed, covered in red silk sheets, sat in the center of the far wall, a canopy floated above it, draping the head of the bed in diaphanous, blue curtains that felt like water when you ran it over your hands. Two wooden beside tables stood on either side of the bed, intricately carved in floral and mysterious designs. A large wooden trunk, embossed with jewels, sat at the foot of the bed. Red was the prominent theme in the room, and the plush carpet and wallpaper were bathed in this color. Her desk sat under the tall window, one that gave her a magnificent view of Eversong Woods nearby. Dim light illuminated the room from floating crystal lamps that sat on the perimeter of the quarters. A balcony stood across from the bed, where more diaphanous blue drapes were drawn over the entrance way, and a large mahogany wardrobe stood next to it. The room itself was very spacious, but of course it was. Only the best for one such as herself.
Sieanna strode over to the wardrobe, throwing open the doors and taking out her knapsack, tossing it onto the bed. She grabbed clothes out of the wardrobe and began throwing them onto the bed as well. She then grabbed her mail breastplate and leather bracers, putting them on as she strode over to the wooden chest. She opened it and took out her trusted bow and quiver, the one she had used once or twice when she had gone on reconnaissance missions with the Farstriders. It had served her well so far, and it just felt right to use it now. According to her father, Halduron had one of the Ranger trainers carve it for her, and it was magicked with special charms to protect itself from the elements and the steel of a blade. Her arrows were also charmed; they would always fly straight and true, and her quiver would never be empty.
She put them on the bed and took out a belted sword and a small hunting knife from the trunk. Then she shoved the clothes and some of her prized trinkets into her pack. She then grabbed her cloak off the hook on her door and threw that on the bed. As she was doing this, she heard her door open, and she froze.
"There you are, Sieanna!" said Drianal's voice, and Sieanna turned around quickly, trying to hide what she was doing. "I thought you might be up - what are you doing?" she asked suddenly, her face serious as she walked over and tried to look over Sieanna's shoulder to inspect what she hiding. "Where are you going now?" she asked, crossing her slender arms over her chest.
"I'm leaving," Sieanna replied coolly.
"I figured that. Where, exactly, are you going?" Drianal questioned sarcastically.
"I'm leaving Silvermoon."
"What?" she screeched, and Sieanna slapped a hand over Drianal's mouth, silencing her.
"Keep your voice down!" Sieanna hissed. Drianal's green eyes narrowed, but she nodded her head, and Sieanna removed her hand from her mouth. "I need to leave Silvermoon, at least for a little while."
"I can't believe it; you're serious," Drianal muttered, shaking her head, her mahogany locks rustling from side to side. "Where do you plan on going?"
"I'm heading down to the Ghostlands, to Tranquillien. Hopefully, Aglardir's scouts will still be alive when I get there," explained Sieanna as she strapped her hunting knife onto her leg, covering it with her boot.
"What do you plan to do?" whispered Drianal, skeptical.
"I plan on finding out what Dar'Khan is planning, or at least what his monstrous master has planned for him and his minions," Sieanna replied, staring Drianal straight in the eyes. Drianal's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"You're…you can't…Sieanna, listen to yourself!" she gasped. "Dar'Khan is immensely powerful, you know that! You can't just go running off to fight him when you know he could kill you!"
"It all depends on what you know, Dria. And besides, I'm not going to fight him," Sieanna added coldly. "I plan on sneaking inside Deatholme, discovering his secret mission, and getting out as fast as possible."
"But…what if you have to fight him?" Drianal asked hesitantly, obviously concerned for her friend. Sieanna sighed, not sure how to answer.
"I…I don't know, Dria," Sieanna responded softly. "I'll just figure that out when we get there."
"We?" Drianal exclaimed. Sieanna gave her a sly grin.
"Yes, 'we', if you are coming, that is," she added, and Drianal bit her lip, unsure. "Please, Drianal, you have to come. I can't do this alone, especially without my best friend."
"But…" Drianal began, but Sieanna knew she already won.
"I need to do this, Drianal. Are you with me or not?" Sieanna growled. Drianal rolled her eyes, but nodded all the same.
"Then get back to your room and pack your things. Meet me at the entrance of the Court at dusk, during the last changing of the guard," ordered Sieanna, and Drianal nodded, sighing before slipping out the door.
Sieanna slipped down the staircase, the hood of her cloak drawn tightly over her face to hide it from view. Her pack was slung over her shoulder, her quiver and bow strapped to her back. Her sword was sheathed and belted to her waist, her hand gripping the handle tightly for support. She had a piece of cloth covering the bottom half of her face and her hair tucked away, hoping no one would recognize her. She walked quickly out of the Sunfury Spire, walking past the rather small group of soldiers sitting nearby. They hardly noticed her; they were too busy trying to organize a correct changing of the guards. Sieanna smiled under her face mask. This was almost too easy.
Her leather traveling boots made almost no noise as she walked down the stone steps to the Court of the Sun, heading towards the entranceway, where she saw a figure standing there. She knew it was Drianal as she approached, for the figure was fidgeting shamelessly, pacing back and forth.
"Cam down, Drianal. You're going to wear a hole in the bricks," muttered Sieanna when she got within earshot of the young blood elf. The girl jumped violently in surprise, but when she recognized Sieanna under all the coverings, she gasped in relief.
"I didn't even realize it was you for a moment, what with that rogue-like face covering," whispered Drianal as they slipped through the city, unnoticed by most of the blood elves. They must have assumed that the twosome were just some rogues causing trouble; Sieanna wanted to keep it that way.
"Do you have everything?" Sieanna murmured.
"Everything I need," Drianal responded simply.
"Good, then let us be off," whispered Sieanna, and they walked quickly through the Farstriders' Square, heading for the stables.
"What will your father say when he discovers you've run off?" muttered a worried Drianal as they walked inside the stables, the smell of horses, straw, and manure filling their nostrils. Sieanna walked down the long line of horses before coming up to her favored horse, Mariel, a very tall chestnut stallion, who snorted and whinnied happily at Sieanna's approach.
"Come on, boy. Are you up to a long journey?" she whispered as she opened the Mariel's pen door, taking his saddle hanging nearby and placing it on his back. He snorted in response, and she laughed quietly. She then slipped him into his reins and led him out of his pen and out of the stables. She saw Drianal bring out her spotted mare, and Sieanna placed her foot in the stirrup, heaving herself into the saddle.
"Ready?" Sieanna asked, her voice muted.
"Let's go already, before they start to get suspicious," whispered Drianal nervously, and Sieanna rolled her eyes, grinning as she nudged Mariel in the flanks. His ears shot upwards as he started walking, Sieanna leading him towards the Royal Exchange, which led to the Walk of the Elders and eventually led to the Shepherds Gate.
The twosome were silent throughout the ride. Sieanna, as she rode by, saw some of the shopkeepers, closing up their stores for the night, stare at her curiously. Luckily, none of them discerned her for who she really was. She was careful not to make eye contact with any of them; her glowing blue eyes, a sure mark of a Quel'dorei, would give her way immediately.
When they reached the Shepherds Gate, Sieanna saw that only one guard was standing there; a stroke of luck. He was harassing a citizen, distracting him from the two young elves as they trotted through the gate and out of the city. Sieanna breathed in the cool night air as she urged Mariel into a canter.
"Where to?" asked Drianal once they were out of earshot of the city, cantering down the road.
"We'll follow the Dead Scar down to the border. We don't dare take the main road. They'll discover our disappearance soon enough," responded Sieanna, and when Drianal paled, Sieanna said, "Don't worry. I can handle undead."
"I hope so," muttered Drianal as they moved off the main road and towards the charred landscape known as the Dead Scar. Sieanna just grinned as she saw Drianal's expression.
It was going to be a very interesting journey.
Let me know what you think! Seriously, i want to know if i should continue this on this site. Read and Review!!!