Okay, this is my first story so if it's a little shoddy, sorry. I wrote this a long time ago and just now got around to publishing it. Plot's not the greatest so any ideas or suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
Punishment
Stepping off the gryphon I smoothed my skirts (even riding side-saddle it was impossible not to get a little rumpled while flying on a gryphon.) and allowed the soothing sounds of city life to wash over me. Abruptly I heard something not normal. The sound of soft-slippered feet running and the sounds of armoured pursuit. Curiously I followed the sound out of the gryphon roost, down the side street and out to the crossroads where the road from Goldshire met the main square. I had expected it simply to be some poor beggar who had stolen something and gotten caught. I was very wrong. I felt my mouth fall open in shock as Sarah (one of the younger warlocks) came sprinting around the corner leading to the bridge to the mage quarter. (On instinct I motioned Grimjuk into a nearby alley and pulled the hood of my cloak up hiding my face.) Half a second later eight guards came into view, swords out, running after Sarah and quickly closing the distance. Sarah's attention was, unfortunately, on the guards chasing her and not on where she was going. That changed when she crashed into me sending us both sprawling.
One guard with an under-lieutenants badge offered me his hand and said, "Terribly sorry Miss! Are you hurt?" Taking his hand I hauled myself up and out from beneath Sarah who was now sobbing with fright.
"I'm fine. I was just not expecting to be run over." Silently I noted the feel of demonic residue from a void walker on his blade.
"I am so very sorry that you had to be touched by this scum." That while gesturing towards Sarah with his sword. "I'm afraid her kind is as sly as foxes when it comes to avoiding our notice. But not to worry! We shall soon wipe clean the stain of the warlocks from our city and then the rest of our lands!" I was confused. Sure no one actually liked our order. Most feared us and some even hated us. But hunting warlocks! Were these people nuts?
"I'm afraid I do not understand." I told him truthfully. "I have been in Westfall these past few weeks and so I have heard nothing of recent events. When was a warlock hunt issued?" The other seven guards had been slowly converging on Sarah but at this last they turned to face me. Sarah, her sobs finally quieted, took this opportunity to get up and run. I hoped for her sake that she was fast enough to reach the canals before the guards noticed her absence… and that she knew the underwater breathing spell.
"Roughly about three weeks ago my lady," He replied "We sent out cou…"
"SEIZE HER!" A guard who was standing on the other side of the street yelled. I had noticed him before this; however, I didn't think he would know what I was even if he could see Grimjuk. The breeze had changed just as he began his shout, carrying me a smell that was a combination of acrid smoke, swamp water, brimstone, and lizard so strong it made my nose hurt.
"It's the witch Fellixista!" he bellowed.
With a low oath I ran, dodging around the astonished lieutenant, towards where Sarah had first appeared, calling over my shoulder as I ran, "Grimjuk, you coming?" The guards were already after me though thanks to my head start they didn't have a prayer of catching me. Heck they couldn't even out run Grimjuk who came flying out of the alley he had been hiding in, a good ten feet behind the guards. He swiftly overtook them and slowed slightly only when he was but two feet from me. In order to reach the bridge I had to get through the crowd in front of the bank. I was hoping I would be able to lose my pursuers in the crowded plaza. Unfortunately for me the crowd had other ideas. I had been unaware that my hood had blown back revealing my face. Nor once I did realize it did I particularly care. Not many in Stormwind knew my face, and those who did thought me fairly harmless… for a warlock anyway. Or at least they had.
As I neared the crowd however I heard my name murmured over and over again. For some reason just before I reached the crowd they moved out of the way creating a clear path which continued to open up as I ran. Vaguely I recalled them doing something of the sort for Sarah, however, the gap had been much smaller and so I hadn't noticed… the fact that I had been busy trying to remember how to close my mouth might have had something to do with it as well.
I continued running and I was just about to turn the corner and make for the canals when pain suddenly exploded behind my eyes. I fell to the ground stunned, or at least I began to fall. Grimjuk was there within the second catching me and scooping me up into his arms. Despite the fact that I was only half conscious I could see (albeit upside-down) the shocked faces of the citizens as we passed by. It wasn't hard to find the reason why. As a general rule warlocks forced their wills upon their demonic minions and the demons would take every opportunity to break free and destroy those who had enslaved them… and anyone else in the general vicinity. It had been ludicrous to ever think that there could be an exception and yet, there's always one and here was the one. I could hear the sounds of our pursuer's feet, their labored breathing, ones angry curses, and another who hissed promises of what his mistress would do when she had me. We rounded the corner onto the bridge and almost smashed into another guard. He stumbled back with a startled oath and then joined in the chase.
We couldn't outrun them; just keep the lead we had. We couldn't lead them back to the slaughtered Lamb! From the amount of demonic energy I could feel either a whole horde of demons came and blew the inn into oblivion, or there was a whole crap load of warlocks sheltering there. Personally, I felt the second theory much more likely but either way there was no way I was leading Onyxia's henchmen there. I mumbled to Grimjuk to head around the next corner and duck into the alley a few feet down the street. (I knew the entire city like the back of my hand. A little sad but it did come in useful) It took us away from the inn and Grimjuk quickly caught on. The moment we were in the shadows Grimjuk set me down and readied for a fight. I smiled knowing that all his worry was for me, none for himself. Of course if he was defeated he would not actually die… but even so it was sweet. I had mostly recovered from my knock on the head though it still felt like the back of my skull had been smashed in with a sledge hammer. At the very least I had recovered enough to cast and to walk. Still smiling I first cast a spell that cloaked us both safely in shadows. We watched in silence as the guards rushed past us. Once I was sure they were gone (they had to be half way to the cathedral by now.) I told Grimjuk to wait there until I summoned him.
"And where exactly are you going that I cannot follow?" He asked his whispery voice holding a dangerous edge.
"To the Slaughtered Lamb of course!" I told him. "I don't know anything about what's been going on besides the fact that the guards are hunting warlocks and everyone knows my name. It's not dark enough for you to follow so PLEASE just stay here." Grimjuk grumbled a little but in the end he agreed to stay out of sight.