A cool evening breeze drifted through the peaceful garden, rustling the leaves of the trees within. The long standing rain storm was starting to let up, but an end didn't seem to be in sight. The inhabitants of the nearby building kept inside the last few days, only venturing out if the need arose. Once and again one of them would stare out the window at the lone figure sitting in the middle of the garden. They had been there for the last few days and made no motion to move anytime soon.
Naatalia, a Night Elf Druid sat with her face tilted upward not seeming to take mind to the rain pattering away on her flesh. Her hands limp at her sides, fingers barely touching the ground. The cloth of her thin robe was drenched from the days of rain, but again she didn't seem to take notice. The afternoon before the storm rolled in Naatalia had gone out to be in touch with nature while she meditated. It was hard here in Darnassus, too many buildings too close. To reach her goal she needed to be able to be completely one with Nature. Her strong desire to commune with her father once again had her almost nightly meditating in hopes that she might finally enter back into the Emerald Dream. Nordrassil's weakened state made it difficult for even the most experienced Druids to enter the Dream now. She had only been able to do it once since the World Tree sacrificed itself to save Azeroth five years ago.
Her father, a former Moon Guard was part of the group that trained under Malfurion Stormrage after the War of the Ancients. He had ventured into the Dream after the Third War, and hasn't returned yet. It's now been almost two years since Naatalia was able to walk there with her father, and her journey was cut short. Her father had confided in her some shocking news about her past that ripped her from the Dream. Ever since Naatalia has been working hard on trying to return, but her emotions about that last conversation keep clouding her concentration.
The rain started to turn to a light mist, causing Naatalia's heart to sink knowing that once again she had not attained the much needed concentration to enter the Dream. She stayed in her spot a few more minutes wanting to compose herself before entering the building where the Sisterhood of Elune dwelled. Aside from brief conversations with their leader, Tryande, she had not told anyone her story, let alone why she spent so much time meditating. She was about ready to open her eyes and venture in when she felt small disturbances in the grass leading to her, and could hear someone approaching.
"Evening, Kaitriona," a small genuine smile graced her lips. Opening her eyes, she looked at the teenaged human girl in front of her. Kaitriona was bundled in a blanket, and trying not too look as cold as she felt. "Got bored with staring out the window at me?"
The young woman let out a small nervous giggle, "Mind if I join you?"
"I do believe that I am done meditating for now, if you'd like to join me in the kitchen, a nice cup of tea would be wonderful." The girl nodded, seemingly happy at the idea of being in a dryer atmosphere. Naatalia got up with the grace of many ages, and led her in to the building. "I'll meet you in the kitchen after I change out of these dripping robes. I do not think it wise to have puddles all around the temple. One might slip," She gave a wink and headed up to the room she was staying in.
After returning wearing another lightweight robe, in a deep green matching the color of her hair, she took a seat at the kitchen table while Kaitriona poured them both cups of tea. She watched the young girl with interest as she joined Naatalia at the table. "So was there something you wanted to talk to me about, Kait?" She smiled, taking a sip of the offered cup.
"I just wanted to thank you again for all your help with my training, so I might be able to get accepted into the Sisterhood of Elune," her voice ringing with gratitude. She reached for the sugar at the middle of the table and put a spoon full into her own cup before taking a drink of it.
"It's not a problem sweetheart. I told you before I don't mind. A part of me actually misses my own priest training." A nostalgic look crossed Naatalia's face while staring into her tea. Glancing up to see the questioning look on the much younger woman's face she smiled, "Aye, I was a priestess once myself. My mother and I were both in the Sisterhood of Elune long before the War of the Ancients." Naatalia's smile widened at the look of shock on Kaitriona's face at just how old she was. "After the war my mother was one of the many women that the Sisterhood had formed the Sentinels from."
Completely consumed by the fact that the reserved Druid was actually at least starting to tell her story, Kaitriona asked, "And you became a druid?"
"No, almost a half millennium after the war is when I started my training as a druid. My father was of the Moon Guard before the war, and when they disbanded a group of them trained under Malfurion Stormrage to become Druids. Because of the fact that the Moon Guard was contrived of all men, they considered the druidic art to be a masculine one. It wasn't till after what is called the Third War that the Cenarion Circle even allowed women in its ranks. With my return 4,000 years after the war my father encouraged my training in the druidic ways, though I was never able to train with Malfurion himself." She paused her story to warm her hands on the cup of tea and drink a little more.
Obviously confused, Kaitriona questioned, "Your return 4,000 years after the war? I don't understand; where did you go?" her forgotten tea now cooling in her hands.
Naatalia remained silent, a look of sorrow seeped into her sliver glowing emerald eyes. She reminded herself that the people here were ones that she could trust, especially the woman sitting in front of her, and that's when she decided to stop avoiding what had happened to her. Before Kaitriona could with draw her question she began in a careful voice, "I don't remember the Sundering itself, the last thing I remember was getting separated from my mother during a vicious battle. I was helping others take on one of the many demons that emerged from the portal in the Well of Eternity. One of my father's friends was there with me, he fell and I ran to his side. I don't know if I was able to get my spell off in time to save him, for a large burning fist slam into me, knocking me into a near by tree." Naatalia took a deep breath, forcing the memories of horror from the war to the back of her mind. "That was in the first year of the war. When I awoke it had been 4,000 years since the end of the war. Believe me, learning of the Sundering and the banishment of the high elves was a lot to take in." She shakes her head slightly, "I was in and out of conscience for well over a month. No one seemed to know where I had been all those years. I was found by a Sentinel in a place of continuous winter, called Winterspring. She brought me to Nordrassil and I was placed under the care of my fellow Sisters of Elune. Needless to say my friends and family were delighted that I was found alive. By then my father was training under Malfurion and my mother was a Sentinel."
Naatalia twirls the now cold tea in her cup, staring in it as if the liquid could answer all her questions and put her life back in order. In a low voice, almost unheard, "I had taken a mate right before the war, and when I was stronger I questioned why he had not come at the news of my being alive." A few silent tears trailed down her cheek, "After the war he was unable to accept my death since they had never found my body like those of countless others. No one ever saw him again after he left to search for me, and has been presumed dead all these years. I have too accepted that he'll never return, though we were once immortal 10,000 years is a long time to be gone." Kaitriona reached over and placed a comforting hand on her friend's.
She wiped away the tears and managed a smile for the young girl. "I am alright child. It's been a long time, and my heart is healing."
"So is that why you spend so much time meditating? I see you spend days at a time just sitting there in what seems pure concentration." A weak smile on her face as she took the cold cup from Naatalia and went to refresh both their teas.
Still uneasy about continuing this conversation the Night Elf pressed on, "No. I have a different reason for honing my druidic skills. My father is very skilled and was able to enter the Dream after Malfurion went into his coma state. He is determined to search for his beloved teacher. I was able to enter myself almost two years ago. After finding my father we talked for a while at which point he decided to confide in me secrets that had been kept from me when I was found. He said that at the time I had so much to come to grip with that had happened after the war, that they felt it would be too much on my mind to tell me."
She accepted the offered fresh tea and took a sip. With a content sigh, "Thank you. I needed that." She had almost all but finished her cup of tea before continuing, but Kaitriona never once made to force her to continue. "When I was first being examined for injuries they realized that in the few days leading up to when I was found, I had given birth." She swallows hard, "I never knew since I was not able to stay fully conscience for more than a few hours at a time for over a month. My father was about to tell me who he found to be the father of my child and the one who had found me the years before, but all I got was that he was a hunter before I ripped myself out of the Dream. I don't know why I did it, and I curse myself everyday. Since then I have not been able to get back into the Dream, my emotions cloud my mind too much. When I went to my mother about it she had learned nothing of who the man was, but was able to help me grieve the loss of not knowing my own child. I live my life now with the knowledge that I have lost not only one mate, but a second along with a child."
She stares out the window at the garden; the rain had started up again and was pelting the window. Suddenly the arms of the young priestess were wrapped around her in a tight hug. "I know you have lost so much, and it would never compare, but you have been an amazing mentor to me these last few months. I thank you deeply for that." With that Naatalia hugged Kaitriona back, closed her eyes, and let herself drown in the soft sound of the rain.