I was holding Anya in my arms, rocking her to sleep, after a long day of visiting with family. I rocked her in my arms and sang her to sleep, the same way my mother sang me to sleep. I looked at my husband as he paced the floor, his hands in his trouser pockets. "Sully, please sit down and relax, you're going to wear a hole in the floor. Genn will let us know when it's safe to move," I said as Anya shifted in her sleep.
"We need to get out of here! What is taking Genn and Liam so long?" Sully as he paced back and forth.
"You might be feeling calm about this, Lucia, but I'm nervous as hell! This could turn out to be a huge war between the Scourge and us, and we're going to be caught in the cross fire because Genn can't make up his mind as when to evacuate the damn city!" Sully said angrily as he continued to pace the floor.
"I trust Genn and Liam, and I know for a fact that Genn would never let anything happen to his most trusted advisor and his family," I said as I turned back to Anya, who was still peacefully sleeping still in my arms.
Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around
Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays
I'll send 'em howling, I don't care, I got ways
Sully looked away from the window to me. "Where did you learn that song, darling?" he asked.
"My mother used to sing it to me when I was little to get me to go to sleep. Her mother did the same thing. It just makes me feel safe and secure I suppose," I said.
No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare
Others can desert you, not to worry, whistle I'll be there
Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while, but in time
Nothing can harm you. Not while I'm around.
"It's a beautiful song, my love," he said, smiling at Anya and I.
He turned back to the window, noises catching his attention. "What is going on out there?" he asked, trying to get a better view of what was going on outside. Noises were filtering in from outside. Shouting and screaming and banging.
"It's probably a bunch of college kids partying again, sweetheart. Come and sit down," I said, rearranging the blanket that covered Anya and I.
Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you, Anya, not while I'm around
With each passing minute, the noises outside were getting louder and louder. I felt that familiar twang of fear, but I was more concerned that the noises were going to wake Anya.
Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays
I'll send 'em howling, I don't care, I got ways
Something hit the door with a thud, making both Sully and I jump. He ran to the window and craned his neck to get a better view. "Oh no! It's them! Lucia, they're here!"
I stared at my husband in horror. "No, it can't be! I thought Gilneas was impenetrable!"
"Crowley…that bastard!" Sully hissed, clenching his teeth. "He betrayed us!" He turned to face me, terror in his eyes. "Take Anya and go into the bedroom and stay there! Lucia, take her and go, please!"
Suddenly, the door came crashing in. "take her and run, Lucia! Go!" Sully shouted, trying to hold off the Scourge.
"I love you, Sully!" I shouted.
"I love you too, Lucia!"
I jumped up and ran with Anya in my arms up the stairs to her nursery. I could hear shouting coming from downstairs.
"Stand aside, Sully Balough! Your lovely wife has something that I want," came a rough voice. My heart stopped. It was Garrosh Hellscream.
"No! I won't let you take her!" Sully shouted. "You may have broken through Liam's defenses, but you'll never break through mine! You'll have to kill me first!"
"Well then, you leave me no other option," Garrosh said as he lunged at my husband. He moved away, and I saw Sully fall to the ground, a sword sticking out of his chest. "Take what you want, but remember that the girl is mine," he said as his soldiers flooded into the house.
"SULLY! NO!" I screamed, my heart pounding in my chest. I wrapped the blanket tighter around Anya and laid her in her crib.
The door to Anya's room came crashing in, and Garrosh came strolling into the room. "Well, good evening, Lucia," he said pleasantly. "I believe you have something that I want."
"No, please! Not Anya! Anything but Anya! Please! No!" I screamed.
"Stand aside, silly human. Or I will make you suffer like your worthless husband suffered," he growled.
I heard rustling and turned around. To my horror, Anya had woken up and she was standing with her tiny hands on the railing, staring at me. I continued the song, my voice shaking.
No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare
Others can desert you, not to worry, whistle, I'll be there
Garrosh laughed. "Silly human! You really think a song is going to protect your little girl? It'll take more than that to stop me!"
Demons'll charm you will a smile, for a while, but in time
Nothing can harm you, not while I'm around
"Give me the girl, Lucia," he demanded. I shook my head, refusing to give up.
"No! You will never get your hands on Anya! You'll never hurt her!" I said, spitting at him.
"Give me the child or you will die!"
"Never!" I said defiantly.
Garrosh smiled an evil smile. "Well, I guess you leave me no other option," he said drawing his sword.
His smile disappeared. I closed my eyes, knowing what was coming. He lunged at me, his sword entering my chest. I fell to the ground in front of Anya's crib, clutching at the place where the sword was sticking out of my body.
Anya began to cry. Garrosh laughed at the now helpless little girl.
"Stupid human. She thought a song was going to protect you," he said as he pulled his bloody sword from my chest and walked towards Anya. He started humming the song, though it was not in a loving tone. It was a mocking evil tone.
Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you, Anya, not while I'm around
"The stupidest thing I've ever heard! Now it's your turn, little Anya Balough. You will get to see your worthless parents soon. For right now though, I have a better idea," said Garrosh, grinning evilly at the helpless little girl.
He left the room for a second and hollered down the stairs. "Crowley! Get up here!"
He entered the room, followed by Crowley. "I want you to turn her," he said simply, as he moved away from Anya, who was looking at the pair of strangers with great interest.
"N-no! D-do-n't t-tu-rn her! Ple-ase! I b-eg you!" I gasped, clutching at the place where Garrosh's sword stabbed me.
"Quiet, stupid human!" Garrosh snapped, before he plunged his sword into my chest once more.
"Turn her, Crowley. Make it fast," Garrosh ordered as he watched Crowley move closer to Anya's crib.
He reared back then lunged at Anya, only to recoil again, howling in pain. He ran from the room, his howling echoing off the walls.
Garrosh raised his sword to finish what Crowley had begun and shouted a war cry in Orcish, then began to scream. "It can't be! No!"
Anya stood with her tiny hands on the rails of her crib, crying.
Twelve years later, Anya Balough sat in the war room of Shadowfang Keep, trying desperately to remember where she had heard the haunting melody that had been echoing in her head for as long as she could remember.
She could only remember four lines of the song. The same four lines that her mother sang to her as she was being murdered. As she sat at the table waiting for the others to arrive, she started humming the song, another soft hum joined her. Lucia Balough was still there with her, and she was still protecting her only child from the demons that desperately wanted her.
Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you, Anya, not while I'm around