Norinna eyed the human blacksmith as he collected her newly-sharpened daggers from a wooden crate, shuffling through the other various stashed weapons until he found what he was looking for. He bounced the small weapons in his overly-large hands, humming in approval. She grimaced slightly, not appreciating the way he handled her perfectly crafted, crimson-streaked daggers. Those knives had been at her side for over a year now and had never failed her. Their curved, razor sharp blades slid effortlessly between links of mail armor and cut through leather like butter. She'd even spent a small fortune to have them enchanted to inflict extra pain on her enemies, resulting in the blades glowing with a pale, purple and orange light. Even now they hadn't really needed a sharpening, but since the Blood Elf had been in town, she'd decided it was better safe than sorry, and had brought her prized possessions in to be cleaned and returned back to their sharpest.
So seeing this human lick a finger, then use the wetted appendage to wipe off a speck of dirt infuriated her to no end. She snatched the twin daggers away when he held them out to her, sliding them into the leather sheathes fastened to her belt. The man frowned at her, but brightened up quickly when she dropped a gold piece into his soot-covered, calloused hand. Of course he'd be happy; it was far more than his services had warranted. The heat of the forge was simply too overwhelming, and she didn't want to take the time to count out the needed silver coins. Let him think she was merely a kind soul; it might even help her reputation around here a bit. The human swiped his limp, soot streaked black hair out of his eyes, grinning to show his crooked yellow teeth.
"Thank you, ma'am! Those are some mighty fine daggers you have there. They make a poor smith like me jealous!" He laughed heartily, and Norinna managed a tight smile and a short goodbye before she turned and left the swelteringly hot forge. With a sigh of relief she stepped out into the fresh outside air, for once happy to be in the cool, if somewhat diseased, Western Plaguelands. It could have been worse, after all. She could have been stuck back in the Undercity again, where her nose threatened to shrivel up and die at the constant and overpowering stench. Here at least the rot and decay was being combatted by the Cenarion Circle, and the Scourge was being pushed back by the Argent Crusade.
She was currently staying in the fortified little town of Hearthglen, surrounded by Argent Crusade trainees who could barely tell a dagger from a kitchen knife. The only reason she'd even bothered stopping here was because she'd received a personal invitation by the leader of the Argent Crusade, Tirion Fordring, asking to meet her in person. He'd been a rather impressive, intimidating man, at least for a human. The most impressive aspect being the blade he carried, which was practically as tall as she was and nearly as wide as her own, albeit slender, frame. He seemed a rather pleasant man, though she doubted he would have been such if they had belonged to different sides. She'd heard stories of his skills as both a passionate leader and a fierce fighter, so she'd decided it best to remain respectful and courteous to the older man.
Now, however, she let her distaste for the town and its inhabitants show on her face. It was incessantly loud, with the ruckus dying down only for a few short hours past midnight. Nearly every person she'd met had been an absolute novice who hadn't shown her the smallest scrap of respect. She longed for a minute to be back in Silvermoon City, where it was always sunny and peaceful. Yet of course it was also horribly boring in her birth city, but at this moment, boring seemed awfully inviting.
"You there! What are you doing slacking in your training? And where's your tabard?" Norinna glanced around at the voice, spotting an armored man walking in her direction. The Blood Elf glanced around, wanting to see the shocked face of the recruit he'd chastised. Yet there was nobody else around, and at once Norinna's face heated up with anger. The man was addressing her? How dare him! Did she look like some lowly trainee? No! She was dressed in a full set of fine, ashen-grey leather armor, not the mismatched and worn out leather armor that a new recruit would have worn. Her glowing green eyes blazed with fury as the man tapped his foot, waiting for her answer with a brown eyebrow cocked. Oh he was in for it now. She'd slash his cocky little throat if he said one more word!
"Excuse me?" She ground out through clenched teeth, narrowing her eyes at the man. He seemed to do a double take, for the first time assessing her pristine armor and now drawn, glowing daggers. The man's eyes widened and his face paled by a good three shades. Norinna held back her smirk of triumph at his expression. How she loved to make them squirm. "I'm just sure you weren't talking to me, were you? I'll have you know, I'm no little recruit to be ordered around by some want-to-be commander , whose only job is to teach farmhands how to hold a damn sword. I'm a well-known champion of the Horde, and a personal acquaintance of your very leader! So please, do explain to me who, indeed, you were talking to."
She watched as the man opened and closed his mouth as he tried to find a reply, his eyes wide and slightly panicked. He hastily muttered an apology, bowing low before turning and all but running away from the small, furious elf. Norinna laughed when he was out of sight, sheathing her daggers once again. She could see why he was stuck training recruits instead of fighting on the front lines in Northrend. What an absolute coward. She tucked her brown hair behind one of her long, tapered ears with a giggle.
"You know, that wasn't very nice." A deep voice sounded from behind her, startling the Blood Elf. Norinna quickly spun around, nearly slamming her face into a broad, leather-clad chest. The elf stepped back swiftly and crouched unconsciously, her hands flying to the hilts of her daggers. A male Night Elf towered a foot from her, a whole head and a half taller than her slight frame. His dark, navy hair was pulled back loosely behind his head, his feathery eyebrows raised at her reaction. A satisfied smirk graced his pale purple face, his arms coming up to cross in front of his chest. Norinna took in his stance, searching his frame for any weapons and intent to fight. Yet the man seemed rather relaxed, even with a well-armed rogue ready to bury her daggers in his heart. Even more surprising was the fact that he was quite under-armed, with only a small hunting knife tucked into his belt.
"It doesn't concern you." She spat out, forcing herself to straighten up to her full height. Even then she had to tilt her head back to look at the male Elf's face. It was hard to read the man's glowing yellow eyes, but she could swear they were laughing at her. She bristled with annoyance, tossing her light brown hair and glaring a challenge at him. He responded by simply quirking one of his long, navy blue eyebrows at her.
"Actually, it does concern me, my dear. I don't enjoy watching people bully those who are weaker than them." His smirk grew at the angry blush that rose to her pale cheeks. How dare this man! Who did he think he was, anyway? She wasn't going to stand here and be the source of this man's amusement. He could find some other poor woman to badger! She pulled her hands from the hilts of her blades, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"I don't have the time for this." She growled, turning around without another word and striding away. Her shoulders were tensed as she stalked down the cobblestone road, silently cursing the cocky Kaldorei. The Alliance races were always so uppity! And they said Blood Elves were the arrogant ones. While she couldn't stand the cruelty and stench of the Forsaken, and found the brutish idiocy of the Orcs distasteful, it was the Alliance, and especially Night Elves, she truly couldn't stomach. They were all prissy, arrogant, and freakishly tall. Luckily most of the time she had the misfortune of running into one, it was on the other side of her daggers.
"Stupid, cocky little tree-hugger!" She muttered to herself, stalking with quick steps towards the center of Hearthglen, where Fordring would be issuing missions to those who were looking to battle the Scourge and earn a pretty copper. Her included, of course.
"See? Not very nice." A voice tisked from behind her. The woman almost pitched forward on the cobblestone, her eyes widening as she regained her balance. She whirled around, this time drawing her daggers and swinging them at the man. The Night Elf simply grinned widely as she slid the cold blades against his throat, her eyes spitting fel-fire and hate.
"YOU!" She hissed, pressing the blades closer to his neck, denting the skin but not quite cutting. His grin didn't even falter, which only served to annoy her even more. "Why did you follow me? What do you want?"
"Who's the cocky one? I'm only heading to the town square, little Elf, and I'm sure you know this is the main road leading there. I think I have the right to respond to your insults, unless it was another tree-hugger you were referring to." He chuckled, his adam's apple bouncing dangerously against her blades. She eased up the pressure slightly, not wanting to actually slit his throat. The guards would be all over her in a second, and she could kiss her status and freedom goodbye. She'd managed to stay out of prison this long, even though many looked for any excuse to throw a rogue into a cell. He seemed to know this, as his posture stayed as relaxed as ever.
"Well then leave me alone. I can't stand you Alliance bastards." She pulled her blades away, sheathing them and crossing her arms. The man covered his heart with a large hand as if struck, opening his eyes dramatically. His lower lip trembled comically, as though he were holding back tears at her words.
"Why I'm hurt! Such venomous words coming from such a pretty woman! And I'll have you know that I belong to the Argent Crusade, not your beloved Alliance, love." It was her turn to raise a delicate eyebrow, looking him over. He definitely didn't dress like a member of the Argent Crusade, though she doubted an Alliance member would refer to someone of the Horde with cheesy pet names so easily. That could be considered consorting with the enemy, after all, and there was very little love between the two factions. His leather armor was thick but plain, and now that she looked it did carry the insignia of the Argent Crusade emblazoned on the belt and shoulder. The lack of a Tabard had thrown her off.
"Keep the pet names to yourself, tree-hugger, I'm not interested." She huffed, rolling her eyes in annoyance. It seemed like this man knew exactly what buttons to push to annoy the ever-living hell out of her. Once again his face contorted in mock pain, both hands now flying to his heart as if it had been stabbed. He groaned and staggered in a very dramatic manner, some of his navy hair escaping its loose ponytail to frame his face.
"You wound my very soul, beautiful stranger." He sighed, adopting a crestfallen look. Norinna was still unimpressed, though she had to fight the urge to crack a small smile. There was no way she'd give him that satisfaction. The clock tower bells chimed loudly, signaling that it was noon. If she didn't hurry she'd be late to the gathering. What a great impression that would leave with the leader of a very powerful and influential faction.
"Well, this was so much fun and all, but unlike you I have business to attend to. I don't have time to play your childish games." With one last warning glare, Norinna turned on her heel once again and power walked towards the town square. She could hear the man's footsteps close behind her, but she made it a point to ignore him. Finally getting the message, he stayed quiet.
The town square was bustling with activity as freshly trained Argent recruits lined up neatly, straightening their armor and trying to look more like battle-hardened warriors and less like the fresh meat they were. It was almost cute. Norinna scanned the crowd but found little of interest. She just wanted to get her orders and be on her way already, making some money along the way to buy a new pair of boots or a less worn cloak. She'd left most of her gold back in the bank in Silvermoon, not wanting to be weighed down. Besides, she was a bit of a frugal spender.
Norinna found an empty spot between two groups of Crusaders, crossing her arms as she waited. The infuriating Night Elf from earlier went his own way, standing on the outskirts of the gathered people, his yellow eyes unreadable as he watched the trainees. Good riddance, she thought, sighing slightly.
A hush quickly fell over the crowd and all eyes turned towards a group of approaching figures. Tirion Fordring stood at the front of the procession, followed by a couple of important-looking figures. The small group of officials stopped before the gathered recruits and one of them stepped forward, a dignified looking Kaldorei woman. She cleared her throat and began a speech thanking everyone gathered for their dedication and service towards their ultimate goal of eliminating the scourge and defeating the Lich King. Norinna had heard similar speeches numerous times, so she instead began planning out future excursions and adventures. She'd always wanted to see the Stranglethorn Jungles, and had heard Booty Bay was quite the attraction for Rogues and those offering high pay for various services, many of which were of the illegal kind. She figured there was much money to be made in Northrend as well, though the constant cold made her hesitate.
The Blood Elf focused her attention again when the Night Elf woman began calling out names. Recruit after recruit was sent packing as they were assigned to positions in other areas, the majority being sent to posts in Northrend where the Scourge was most prevalent. Her eyebrows pulled together as almost everybody was assigned a mission except for a handful, including her. Had she misheard Fordring's words when he'd told her to be here today? The square was nearly empty when her name was finally called.
"Norinna Dawnsinger and Lyoren Nightmane, would you please step forward?" Her expression turned sour as she noticed who the other person called happened to be. The navy-haired elf from earlier walked towards the other Night Elf, and Norinna swore he was smirking again. Her stomach sank slightly as she stepped up as well, stopping next to the man. She clenched her hands behind her back, keeping her face calm even though she felt like cursing.
"As you two well know, the Argent Crusade's tightest foothold in the Eastern Plaguelands is our outpost at the Light's Hope Chapel. We've received reports that they have become short on soldiers lately with an increase of Scourge activity in the area. Before we send a large deployment of recruits to the location, we would need to send a small, skilled group to scout the way and check for any dangerous activity. Highlord Fordring himself has requested that the two of you accept this mission, as he has faith in your skills in both combat and subtlety. You will be payed handsomely upon your arrival at Light's Hope, I assure you. You will be rewarded fifty gold pieces once the mission is completed, as well as compensation for any missing or damaged gear and possessions." The woman looked bored and expectant, daring the two of them to refuse the mission. Norinna fought the urge to stick her tongue out at her like a child.
"I would be honored to accept this mission." Lyoren bowed to the woman, his face serious for the first time since Norinna had met the man. The Kaldorei commander nodded before turning her pale eyes on the Blood Elf, awaiting her answer. Norinna went over the details in her head, weighing the pros and cons. It was a handsome reward that was for sure. She could buy a whole new set of finely crafted gear for that much. Yet she had to accompany this obnoxious man into one of the most dangerous and plague-riddled places in the Eastern Kingdoms. She didn't even know what type of a fighter he was! Though to turn down such a mission when the Highlord himself had requested her presence would make her seem cowardly and put her out of his favor. With a heavy sigh she nodded her head.
"I accept this assignment, and will lend my strength and blades to your cause." She bowed as well, though it was no more than a shallow dip, the bare minimum to appear respectful. The two of them were debriefed on the route they would take, as well as when they would leave and what they should expect along the way. They would leave at dawn the following morning, and were told to travel lightly. Provisions and supplies would be prepared for them, but they were to make multiple stops to restock on the way, so that they wouldn't be burdened by heavy packs. When the woman was done explaining the details, they were dismissed to begin preparations and rest before their journey began.
"So it looks like we'll be partners for a while, huh, love?" Lyoren grinned widely at her, his sharp canines showing like a cat. Norinna narrowed her eyes and wondered for a moment what accidents could befall the man while they were in the Plaguelands. Eaten by a Plaguehound? Torn to shreds by the Scourge?
"In battle only, tree-hugger. Don't expect any pleasantries or conversation. I want to finish this as quickly as possible and get you out of my hair." She stated simply, crossing her arms. It would be pointless to start another fight with him, since they were going to be stuck together for at least a few days. It didn't mean she had to like him, though. Lyoren laughed, reaching out and gently lifting a lock of her hair, running it between his fingers.
"And what lovely hair it is, too." He practically purred, laughing again as her frown deepened and pulling away before she could once again draw her blades. Lyoren winked slyly at her before turning and striding away, his long legs carrying him out of earshot before Norinna could even think up a response. Her face flushed with annoyance, her small hands clenched into tight fists. The nerve! She could tell this was going to be a long mission, and would test her patience like nothing before. With a frustrated sputter she stalked toward her rented room at the Inn, cursing her luck and every god she could think of.