AN: For all you World of Warcraft Loremasters, some things in this story will be changed to suit my story. If this bothers you, oh well, it doesn't bother me. The Dark Phoenix Syndicate is a guild on the Scryers server and most of the WoW Characters used in this story are either mine or someone's I know. Warlords of Dreanor never happened, though a few of the profession advancements from that expansion may be seen. Another guild I mention in this story is the Noontide Knights; if this guild actually exists I mean no insult or offense.
Pronunciations:
Salohcin—Sal-oh-sin
Jauntrianna—Jon-tree-on-uh
Mellas—Mel-us
I make no money from this and own neither World of Warcraft nor Harry Potter. On with the show!
Salohcin sat back from his desk, scrubbed his hands over his face, careful to not muss his goatee, and raked his fingers through his blue-black hair. Paperwork, endless paperwork, it was why, when Mardrigon stepped down he did not hold onto the position of Guild Leader of the Dark Phoenix Syndicate. Yet, here he sat doing paperwork, paperwork that the actual Guild leader should be doing. Was she here? No! She was playing in Pandaria.
Almost two years ago the mists surrounding the Isle of Pandaria had rolled away and the Pandarens rejoined the rest of the world. The mists rolling away, despite all the issues it caused for the Pandarens, was a blessing for everyone else. The war with the Scourge, followed closely by Deathwing's return had not only taken many lives, but food was getting harder to grow. Northern Lordaeron was once the most fertile farmland, now it was called the Plaguelands, even the animals were blighted.
While assisting the Pandarens with the Sha, spirits that embody negative emotions, that arose when the mists rolled back they found that they grew huge vegetables, some as large as small houses. Despite the fact that most of the Pandarens blamed the rest of the world for the rise of the Sha, they had agreed to trade. The excess would simply rot anyways.
Most of the Pandarens remained neutral in the war between the two main factions on Azeroth, the Alliance and the Horde. The Alliance was made up of Humans, Kal'dorei or Night Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Draenei, and Gilneans or Worgens. The Horde was comprised of Orcs, Sin'dorei or Blood Elves, Tauren, Goblins, Trolls, and the Forsaken or Undead. The Pandarens insisted on providing for both in equal measure, but they also insisted that the other peoples of Azeroth learn the ways of the Pandarens, to bring balance back to the world. Many went to train as monks and to learn new things for other skills such as cooking and Alchemy. Jauntrianna, Guild Leader and Salohcin's wife, was learning from the cooking masters at Halfhill market, and training her own apprentice. This was no hardship for her, she loved to cook; but he was stuck doing her paperwork, he hated paperwork.
So it came as a welcome distraction when Rothdrol entered his office, the Draenei warrior had to duck because he was larger than the doorframe. "Sal," He held a parchment out to the human. "Got a message here from a Jarel Moor." After relinquishing the message Rothdrol went back to his guard duty. It was not mandated by Jauntrianna that there be a guard at the entrance to the Guild Hall, but there had been several attempts made either by rival guilds or former members, who had been forcibly removed from the guild, to get in and cause some damage. There had even been a Forsaken Assassin that had actually made it into the Hall before he was stopped. How he got through Stormwind and all the way to the Dwarven District, they were still trying to figure out.
Sal read the message and almost burst out laughing. Jarel Moor was the barkeep at the Slaughtered Lamb over in the Mage Quarter, a primarily warlock bar. Being a warlock, Sal frequented it. Due to warlocks use of demons and fel energies many distrusted them, plus the fact that Gul'dan was a warlock, his example left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. When the orcs had first come to Azeroth it was to conquer and make this new world their own. Gul'dan led the Warband and was attempting to use the life essence of the humans they captured to open the Dark Portal, to bring the rest of his army to Azeroth. It was during this campaign that the current King of Stormwind's father, Llane Wrynn was slain. Many still hated anything to do with Warlocks because of Gul'dan. Sal was of the opinion that Gul'dan needed to die a death as horrifying as the one he gave the many humans he killed.
The message read "Rumor has it you are looking for a certain Paladin. She is sitting at my bar. GET HER OUT!" Jarel was a business man, he didn't care what energies one used but a paladin sitting at the bar of his tavern would dissuade warlocks from eating and drinking there. It was just a fundamental difference between those who wielded fel energy and those who wielded the Light. The warlocks that train in the basement of the bar probably were hiding down there, not out of fear but to prevent a possible altercation with a paladin.
Sal took up is staff, sure the skull on it and the swirling unholy energies that orbited it didn't do much to put people at ease, but the only opinion he cared about was his wife's and she had accepted his eccentricities. He exited the Hall, nodding to Rothdrol and MehrunesDagon, a Draenei paladin, as he went. He decided it was a fine day for a walk and so went through the Dwarven District to the Canals. The white limestone that was used to build Stormwind glistened in the mid-afternoon sun as he made his way around Old Town and into the Trade District, the busiest part of the city. With the bank, auction house, and most of the shops in the city this was where everyone came to do business. It also hosted the Job Board, where those looking for work or those who needed help could post bits of parchment to tell everyone what or who was needed. The Captain of the Stormwind Guard, Melris Malagan, could often be found standing beside the board. As Sal passed Captain Malagan called him over.
"Grand Chancellor Salohcin, fine day for a stroll is it not?"
"That it is, Captain, that it is. How's life treating you?"
"Doing well. I heard a rumor that the Dark Phoenix Syndicate is looking for a certain paladin. Goes by the name of Shahar?"
"Actually we are, I got a message that she is at the Slaughtered Lamb, so that's where I'm headed."
"She posted on the Job Board not an hour ago, that scrap there in the upper left."
"Thanks for the heads up. See you at the Keg tonight for a few drinks? It's on me." The Golden Keg was a tavern located right next to the Dark Phoenix Guild Hall. Salohcin and Taklynn, mostly Taklynn, often invited the guards there for drinks, both to thank them for a job well done and to stay on their good side. One never knew when it would help.
"Sorry gonna meet up with some of the boys for some Hearthstone, then call it an early night, got duty in the morning."
"Maybe next time then." Sal turned to the board and pulled down the indicated scrap of parchment. Written on it was "Need help finding my Aunt, knowledge of Eternity Portals a must. Look for Shahar at the Slaughtered Lamb." Salohcin hummed in thought, Eternity Portals were a magey thing not Warlock, created by the destruction of the Well of Eternity. Shahar would have been better going to the Blue Recluse, a tavern frequented by mages. Or better yet she should have petitioned the Kirin Tor, they had the best mages around, mostly. Even Mellas, the leader of the Mages in the Dark Phoenix Syndicate, had trained with the Kirin Tor to strengthen her own magics. Only one way to find out what the young Paladin was thinking, and that was to ask her.
Sal strode confidently into the Slaughtered Lamb, and knew immediately which patron was Shahar, as she was the only one in the tavern, other than Jarel Moor who looked relieved and stressed all at once at his entrance. Usually this place was fairly busy at this time of day, almost suppertime in fact. Before taking a seat, Sal looked the young woman over. Her pitch black hair was done up in a tight bun on the back of her head. She wore a simple brown shirt and black pants, and a massive hammer leaned against the bar beside her. She was holding a tankard of ale, though it looked as if she had yet to take a drink.
"Afternoon, Jarel, I'll have what she's having." Sal took a seat right next to the paladin; she didn't look up from her drink, though she did shift subtly closer to her hammer. As Jarel poured his drink he slid the parchment to her, "You would have been better to go to the Blue Recluse, or petition the Kirin Tor. Warlock portals only go to the Twisting Nether and if that's where your aunt is; she's dead."
"The Blue Recluse is full of students, as much as I want to find my aunt; I am not risking a student fiddling with an Eternity Portal. As for the Kirin Tor, I did, they said that one lost priest was not worth the risk involved in 'manipulating the volatile energies of a portal created by the destruction of the largest source of arcane power on the planet.' Never should have even tried to get those stuck up assholes to help me." She slowly spun the tankard between her hands. It was obvious to Sal that she was losing hope in finding her aunt.
Sal filled his voice with mock insult "The Kirin Tor are not…" then he grinned, "oh, wait yes they are. I've worked with them enough to know that to be a true enough statement to describe the majority of those mages, but not all. Let's go talk to Mellas; she is very knowledgeable about portals. Bet you ten gold she finds your aunt in less than, oh, two days shall we say?"
Shahar snorted, "What makes you think the Dark Phoenix Syndicate will h…" Her voice trailed off as she finally looked up at him. Her eyes widened as she took in the fact that she was talking to Salohcin, the Grand Chancellor of the Dark Phoenix Syndicate, second in command. Salohcin: the only warlock on first name basis with Highlord Tirion Fordring. The Highlord was often heard rebuking people for unjust bias against warlocks and this man was the main reason. Shahar felt like an idiot.
Sal smiled a dashing smile at her and she felt her heart melt. Despite him being at least ten years her senior, and a warlock, he was regarded by many to be the most desirable man in the alliance in terms of looks, and she believed it as his light green eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh I think I can convince them. I am pretty close to the leadership, they'll listen to me." She heard the laughter in his voice and it both irked her and made her want to hear his actual laughter. It would probably roll like a welcome thunderstorm across the plains of Westfall. He stood and turned toward the stairwell that led to the basement, she knew that warlocks went down there to practice their arts but had never been down there herself.
Sal's voice took on an odd quality, as if he was talking to a baby. "You can come out now; I'm taking the big scary paladin away." He really did laugh, just as deep and enticing as she thought it would be, as they heard footsteps on the stairs.
She heard the barkeep snort, "Not funny, Sal."
"Yes, it was, and you know it. Come on Shahar; let's get out of here so Jarel can make some gold tonight." Sal turned to the door and his long stride carried him swiftly out.
"Hey, you gonna pay for your drink?" She was shocked that he would just leave like that, "How much do I owe you for both drinks?" She was pissed that he'd leave her to pay for a drink he never even touched. The Dark Phoenix Syndicate was said to have the highest ethical expectations anywhere, obviously that was wrong.
With a chuckle Jarel said, "Nothing sweetie, I'll put just 'em on his tab." Of course he'd have a tab, a warlock in a warlock bar. Again Shahar felt like an idiot.
As Sal walked out he heard the exchange between paladin and barkeep and was impressed with her. Being a paladin didn't automatically make you a good person. He'd met a few paladins that, despite wielding the light, had corrupt morals. He poked his head back in as he heard her lifting that massive hammer. "You coming?" As she stepped out he asked, "Can you fly?"
She looked at him askance, "Fly? Of course not, I don't have wings." Had Salohcin suddenly taken leave of his senses? She almost face palmed as he activated a rune on his bracer with a nonchalant "I can." A disk with nothing but a cloud below it appeared and he stepped on.
"Oh," her cheeks colored with her chagrin. "Yes, I have my Flight License." She activated her own rune and climbed aboard her Argent Hippogryph. Part of her wanted to call him an asshole, but most of her realized that that stupidity was totally on her. As they flew over the city it hit her that she was finally getting help to find her aunt, finally someone was willing to listen past the words Eternity Portal. She knew that it was dangerous, manipulating the magics surrounding those Portals, but she couldn't leave it alone until she knew what had happened to her aunt.
They landed in the Dwarven District and the acrid scent of the forge did more to clear her head than anything else ever could. She loved to forge, her father had taught her the basics of blacksmithing and she had continued to learn everything she could about it since. It was because of his influence that she became a weapon smith. Many members of the Argent Crusade carried weapons she had forged.
She followed Salohcin past the Golden Keg Tavern, and to the Guild Hall. The Dark Phoenix Syndicate was the only Guild with a hall in Stormwind. There were one or two in Ironforge, and she was sure there were none in the Exodar or Darnassas. It was an honor bestowed on them for clearing up a mess involving the Stonemason's guild when she was still a little girl. Apparently the black dragon Onyxia was parading around as a noblewoman and causing hate and discontent. They had dug to the root of the problem and restored relations between Edwin Vancleef and the House of Nobles.
"Mehrunes? It's been a while. How are you?" Shahar recognized one of the Draenei standing at the door. He trained with the Crusade the same time she did, though he had a tendency to start bar fights and it had hampered his rise in ranks. He didn't seem to mind it though and was seen laughing each time he was reprimanded for it.
"I'm doing great, Lady Shahar. How are you?"
"We aren't at Light's Hope, Mehrunes. You can drop the 'Lady.'"
Mehrunes smiled a half smile that, with the tentacles that hung in place of a beard, was more frightening than it should have been. "But that would be improper, Lady Shahar."
"If you insist." Shahar always hated that her rank in the Argent Crusade came with the title 'Lady.' It set her apart and that wasn't always a good thing. She let her mind wander, thinking about her aunt and how they met, as she followed Salohcin into the Hall. Her father had told her about his mother and sister that were still in Gilneas when the Greymane Wall was built, how he and his father had been on a merchant ship and were permanently separated from them. When the Greymane Wall fell, word spread that the refugees had been taken to Darnassus. She raced there to help and look for her aunt and grandmother. She learned that her grandmother died before the wall fell, and Shapash, her aunt was a priestess that was busily helping the wounded.
She came back to reality when they entered what must have been a common room. Several tables were set up around the room; many had groups of people sitting at them. Near the back of the room she could see two Pandaren females moving about in a kitchen. She watched as a gnome, she recognized the rogue Sherryhannah from her Hearthstone card, walked up to a counter and one of the Pandarens gave her a plate of food. On the wall near the kitchen a door shaped like a giant gear stood closed. Directly across from that was a hall that led deeper into the mountain under the castle. But what really caught her eye was that the back wall of the hall was covered in portraits, each of a guild member, little placards under each gave the name of the member pictured. She noticed that some had little blue ribbons across the portrait; while others had a shield with the rising phoenix that was the guild emblem in the upper right corner and some nothing at all.
She jumped as Salohcin shouted "MELLAS!" This caused several things to happen, a man who was sorting Hearthstone cards jumped to his feet flipping the table he sat at that hit another man, his glowing white eyes marked him as a deathknight, causing the drink he had in his hand to fly across his table and on to the woman sitting there. From behind the gear shaped door an explosion, that rocked the room, erupted. As the door rolled open a Draenei woman came storming down the hall, hands aglow with a spell. She was covered in multicolored sparkling dust.
"Salohcin, you had better explain. It had better be a life and death reason or JT will be finding a new Grand Chancellor because I will kill you each and every time Panayana brings you back!" Shahar could see the arcane energies building around the woman who could only be Mellas. She feared for herself a bit and prayed to the Light Salohcin could calm her. The tension in the room was so thick Shahar thought she'd drown in it. Everyone had a weapon in hand, except her and Salohcin, who wore a goofy grin. Even the dwarf that had obviously just survived the explosion in the gear room had an axe and shield in hand. She wasn't sure if they planned to defend Salohcin if Mellas decided to actually kill him or assist her. Shahar wasn't sure which side she was on herself.
Salohcin showed absolutely no concern for the obvious threat to his person, and calmly stated "We have a missing family member." With that statement all the tension and anger drained from the room.
The magic that had been steadily building around Mellas vanished, replaced with a concern that permeated the woman's entire being. "Oh, well that's okay then. Well no, not okay, I mean it's never okay that someone is missing. But I guess I can excuse the shouting in this instance. So what can I do to help? A missing family member is never good and I want to help all I can. I mean...wait, who is missing?"
"Mellas, you need to breathe, remember?" Shahar got the feeling Mellas would have continued talking on and on if Salohcin hadn't stopped her. She was speaking so fast Shahar had to replay the words in her head to understand them.
Mellas gave a slight huff then looked around. "You do like to make messes." She waved her hand and the room righted itself. Shahar had seen magic but this was so easy, so casual that she stared in awe. She realized that Salohcin was moving to sit at a nearby table.
"Mellas, Shahar, Taklynn have a seat."
"What's this got to do with me?!" The dwarf turned not to the table but toward the kitchen. "Ye can wait, makin' all me bombs go off like that. I need a spot of healing and a pint o' ale." As Shahar directed the Light to heal his wounds, he stepped into the kitchen and, with more manners than Salohcin had shown the entire afternoon, asked "Panayana, would ye please be a dear and…" He trailed off noticing the burns were healed.
Panayana giggled as she handed him a pint, "You can thank the young Paladin. She healed you before you got two steps away." He returned to the table and sat across from Shahar and next to Mellas. Salohcin sat to Shahar's left.
"Thank ye, lassie. We need more like ye in this barn we call a Guild Hall." The dwarf took a long pull from his drink and they all looked to her with expectant eyes.
Shahar was suddenly nervous. "Well, I was with the Noontide Knights, and their leader, Joseph, he wanted me to make a Dark Iron Pulverizer and a full set of Dark Iron Armor for him." At her mention of the Noontide Knights and its leader she saw their faces harden and a mumble of dissent came from elsewhere in the room. "As I'm sure you know; Dark Iron can only be manipulated at the Black Anvil deep in Black Rock Depths. So he, my Auntie Shapash, a couple of other members and I headed down there. My Auntie hadn't been into Black Rock Depths before and this was the first time they'd met her." Suddenly a thought struck her, "My aunt is a Worgen that's not going to be a problem is it?"
The man who was busily sorting through his cards transformed revealing that he was a Worgen as he scoffed, "How can you even consider letting in those nasty flea bitten dogs? I thought this Guild had some class."
"He knows he's a Worgen right?" Shahar was beginning to wonder about the sanity of the members of this guild. These were the Heroes of the Alliance? She expected them to be training and serious, and they weren't. They were just like everyone else.
The Worgen looked at her and said, "It's called sarcasm, honey. Get used to it. Oh, and when you find Shapash tell her Thaddeous says 'Hi.'" He returned to his human form just as the two Pandaren females were about run their fingers through his fur. Realizing this he batted their hands away, "Oh, would you stop that. Its fur; just like yours. Go away." The two girls pouted all the way back to the kitchen.
Shahar decided to ignore the insanity around her and continued her tale. "Well, anyway the Knights took issue with it when they found out. They openly insulted her, only lessening the insults when I threatened to not make the items he wanted. We got to the Portal leading into the main area of Black Rock Depths and the leader told her to go first. He tripped her as she passed through it. She transformed and the Portal flashed an emerald green. When I went through she wasn't on the other side. I came back out and she wasn't there either. I ignored Joseph telling me to forget about her and headed straight for Dalaran. The Kirin Tor refused to help me and that lead me here."
Mellas had pulled out a parchment and quill as she spoke and was jotting notes, "How long ago did this happen?"
"Three days now."
"Taklynn, I'm gonna need you to guard Mellas while she examines the Eternity Portal. Sal, you and Shahar walk with me." No one had noticed Jauntrianna enter the room while Shahar finished her tale. Salohcin leapt from his seat, and let out a sound that reminded her of an excited child as he ran over and embraced the lavender skinned Kal'dorei. Shahar stared in open mouthed shock as he kissed her as if he would die without it. So the warlock many considered the most attractive man in the Alliance was taken, there would be many broken hearts when this got out. Shahar had heard several women gossiping about how they were sure, once he fell for them he'd give up his Warlock powers, they'd make sure of it. She highly doubted any of them ever had a chance.
"Oh, get a room!" Thaddeous yelled as the kiss showed no signs of ending. At the same time the woman who wore the deathknight's drink said, "Oh, come on were trying to eat here!"
"What? I can't kiss my wife hello?" Shahar felt as Taklynn reached across and gently closed her mouth. "Artume, you're just jealous that JT will kiss me and not you!" Artume's mouth worked in shock unable to formulate a sound.
"Oh, you can kiss her that's fine. It's when you proceed to suck her face off that I take issue. I mean it looked like you were trying to shove your tongue down her throat. Have a little decency and get a room!"
"We have one; we just choose not to use it." Salohcin and Jauntrianna looked at each as they spoke in unison, the room laughed.
Mellas and Taklynn returned, having gone to prep for the mission ahead. "We'll be waiting. Don't have too much fun!"
Taklynn gave Sal a feral grin, "No such thing, oh and the crate is ready." Salohcin once again had a giddy school child look on his face. Taklynn followed Mellas outside obviously eager to get on with the mission.
Shahar stood and moved over to Jauntrianna while Salohcin ducked into the room behind the gear-shaped door. "Lady Jauntrianna, you have my sincerest gratitude for your assistance in locating my Aunt. Please tell me what I can do to repay you?"
"First it's just Jauntrianna or JT. As for repaying the Dark Phoenix Syndicate, we'll get to that." JT smiled as Sal joined them, his void walker behind him carrying a large crate. "You didn't summon him in the Engineering Room, did you? If he had set off an explosion you know both Taklynn and Sherryhannah would be out for your hide right?"
"Nothing to worry about, anything that could explode already has." Sal turned and walked out of the Hall without a look back. JT mouthed 'already has' at Shahar as if asking what had happened then shook her head indicating that she really didn't want to know.
As they made their way out of the Dwarven District and into Cathedral Square, Shahar got the nerve to ask "Where are we going?"
"Before I answer you I have a question, and don't just answer, I want you to think first. What do you fight for?"
Shahar immediately opened her mouth to answer, 'The Light and the Alliance' but snapped her mouth shut at JT's look. "Now I am sure that you were about to say 'The Light and or the Alliance.' Am I right?" Shahar just nodded, somehow feeling as if those answers were wrong, but they couldn't be. That's what everyone fought for, wasn't it? "While those are both worthy Causes, in my humble opinion there is another that is far more important. I'll tell you what I fight for after dinner if you haven't already guessed it by then." Shahar was surprised as she followed JT and Salohcin up a short stair and into the Stormwind Orphanage. She was even more surprised to see the Mother Matron hitting Salohcin on the head with a wooden spoon.
"I know that explosion from the Dwarven District was your fault. What did you do this time?"
"How is an explosion in the Dwarven District automatically my fault?!"
"Sal, it's always your fault, plus you and your crate smell of soot! What did you do?" As she again attempted to hit him with the spoon the Void Walker blocked the blow. Sal gave a sigh of relief and was about to thank the demon when a large blue hand connected with the back of his head causing him to face plant to the floor. With a muffled groan Salohcin dismissed the demon.
JT stepped forward and helped her husband to his feet. "You should have seen that coming, you know how Krak'Krit reacts to you argue with Mother Nightingale in front of the kids. Speaking of kids I believe they are waiting patiently enough. Why don't you and Shahar hand them out while Nightingale and I put the food away?" Shahar followed Salohcin outside, where the crate he had grabbed was waiting. Amazingly the children lined up the youngest first to the oldest in the back.
As Salohcin opened the crate the littlest one said, "Wait! Where is Amalia?"
"She's hiding again."
"Who's Amalia?" Salohcin looked at each of the kids.
"She's new here, just couple days. She still justin' to, well, everthin'." Bridgette was only 5 years old; her Father had died in the Siege of Orgrimar that ended the campaign in Pandaria. Her mother had ended her own life, unable to live without the love of her life.
"Well then Bridgette, which toy should she get?"
The five-year-old looked over the toys in the crate with surprising maturity. "Hmmm, I never saw this one, and looks like there no others, so she can have it." Shahar saw the looks of longing on many of the faces of the kids, but they were all nodding agreeing with the choice.
"Ah, He finally figured out the Pandaren Dragonling." Salohcin lifted the coiled toy out of the box and turned to a girl standing in the doorway watching. She appeared to be the eldest of the twenty or so kids, at about twelve. "Shellene, you know what to do." Salohcin waved to Shahar to follow him as he went back inside. He simply looked at Mother Nightingale and she pointed to a corner up in the loft area. He easily climbed the ladder and went to the indicated corner. Shahar followed but sat on a bed a ways away from the corner, not wanting to intrude. "Hi." Salohcin sat on the floor beside a wooden box, a few toys were scattered on the floor around it; among them were a few wooden blocks, the remains of a mechanical rabbit, and a mostly intact personal world destroyer. Shahar was just able to see the top of a blonde head inside the box, and the sound of sniffles could barely be heard. "I brought you something, but you have to come out to get it."
"No, don't want it. I wanna go home. Don't want new mama and daddy, don't want to be here. GO AWAY!"
Salohcin looked over his shoulder at Shahar. "I wanted the same thing, when I first came here. My parents died when I was just a little older than you. In fact I used to hide in that same crate, Shellene hid in that crate. I remember; Bridgette hid in that crate."
"Bridgette's nice, so's Shellene. But, I wanna go home."
"You know, home is a place you carry in your heart, every memory you have keeps your parents alive in the home of your heart. My mom used to make these biscuits; she would put a piece of goat cheese in the middle before she baked them. The flavor of those biscuits, the smell of them baking, the sound of my father chopping fire wood, that was what he did, made sure everyone had the firewood they needed to cook and keep warm. All of these memories keep them alive in the home of my heart. But you know what, the home in your heart can have many rooms, and many people can live there, without anyone having to leave." Shahar saw a smile spread on Salohcin's face. Not the goofy smile that he wore after he yelled in the Hall, nor the dashing one he had used on her in the Slaughtered Lamb. This smile had a tinge of sadness to it that nearly broke her heart. He wore a pain on his face that she knew all too well, remembering loved ones lost. "I made a room for Mother Nightingale. She doesn't want to replace your mommy and daddy, just live next to them in the home of your heart."
Little Amalia stood up in the crate, her face tear streaked and her eyes red and swollen. "Do you want a hug?" Amalia nodded and Salohcin carefully lifted her out of the crate and held her close. He pointed to the forgotten toy on the floor and Shahar picked it up.
"This is for you, Amalia." Shahar held out the dragonling, and Amalia carefully took it from her.
"A snake?"
"No, a Pandaren Dragonling. Kiss its nose."
"That's silly."
"Well, you're six and I'm, well I'm allowed to be silly. So are you gonna kiss it or not?"
Amalia cautiously kissed the toy on the nose and it sprang to life, flying circles around the duo. Amalia giggled filling both Shahar and Salohcin with joy. "Shall we go downstairs?" Amalia got nervous but still nodded her head and started to get out of Salohcin's arms.
He shook his head and held her tighter, "I got a faster way." He lifted his hand over the edge of the loft, and Krak'Krit appeared on the lower level.
"My daddy could do that! But his was smaller. Daddy called him Bargak. Daddy wouldn't let me play with him." Amalia had the same smile that Salohcin had earlier, which quickly turn to a scream of delight as Salohcin jumped off the edge of the loft and was easily caught by the Void Walker. Laughter drifted in from outside where the children were playing. Seeing that JT was no longer helping Mother Nightingale, who was shaking her head in disapproval, he assumed she was outside.
This was confirmed when a loud roar sounded and Amalia buried her face in Salohcin's neck. Hearing the roar Shahar raced to the door and her day got even stranger than it had been before. First she learned that the people everyone thought of as heroes, were just people who had quirks and death wishes that boggled the mind; then she learned that they really did have the hearts of gold that everyone said they had; now Grizzly, the bear that accompanied Jauntrianna the Dark Phoenix to destroy the Lich King was being used as a jungle gym. Though she knew he was just a thistle bear, Grizzly was even larger than his namesake in Northrend, easily topping 15 feet standing as he did now. Grizzly was walking, on his hind legs, as the children tried to wrestle him to the ground. Bridget hung down his back, her arms wrapped around the bear's neck, three children hung from each of his forelegs and two more had their arms wrapped around his hind legs. As she watched, the bear let out another loud roar and fell forward in slow motion, crashing to the ground. The children scrambled and dog piled, or rather bear piled on top of him, 'pinning' Grizzly to the ground. Sal moved past Shahar and sat with Amalia next to JT.
Mother Nightingale stepped up beside Shahar, "Dinner's ready." What happened next cemented in Shahar's mind that Hunter Companions were smarter than their wild counterparts. The children, laughing and enjoying themselves continued 'pinning' Grizzly; she saw some hands trying to tickle him. When they didn't react to Mother Nightingale's announcement a low growl emanated from the bear, and he gave a slight shake, dislodging several of the children and they fell with soft thumps to the grass below. The rest of the children sluggishly climbed to their feet and shuffled toward the building. Once all the children had dismounted, Grizzly headed over to JT. On seeing Salohcin and Amalia he cocked his head to the side and sniffed. Keeping his head low he approached the man and child.
"Will he bite?" Amalia was shaking in fear; this giant of a bear was at least 12 times her size if not more.
"No, Little One, he would never harm you. He fights at my side to protect you, to protect everything we love and hold dear. He wants to know you and love you." Amalia's fear mostly subsided. She put her hand out, not quite touching the behemoth of a bear in front of her. He slowly raised his head and nuzzled into her hand. She was surprised that his fur was as soft as a cat's, not coarse and hard like she thought. She smiled as she started to scratch his head and a sound that was almost a purr rumbled in his throat. Grizzly then padded over to JT who put her forehead to his, "See you later, Old Friend." Grizzly faded from view as Hunter Companions did. "Amalia, go inside and get washed up for dinner, please." The little girl, Pandaren Dragonling dutifully following behind, ran inside. Salohcin started to stand and follow when JT put her hand on his arm to stop him. "Nightingale told me that little girl's story. Her father was a warlock, they lived in Moonbrook. The smith there was killed, the town blamed her father. While she was out playing a mob formed; they beat her father into unconsciousness, then locked him in their house and burned him alive. It was learned that he didn't fight back, just proclaimed his innocence. Never once did he turn to his abilities to save himself. Her mother was asleep in the house, down with the flu. It was too late to save them. The main instigator of the mob was the one who was actually guilty." JT's voice as she spoke was devoid of emotion, but the tears that rolled down her face belied that indifference.
Shahar was shocked; they had assumed the warlock did it because he was a warlock; no evidence, nothing to truly indicate that it was him. "What did they do to him?"
"He's in the Stockade, will be until he dies. Guilty of three murders, I think he should have been put to death. They were going to, but Amalia objected, didn't want anyone else to die."
A smile played across Shahar's lips as they headed inside. She took her seat at the table, and stopped when she realized all the children and Mother Nightingale were staring at her. "What?"
Bridgette giggled, "Go wash your hands. The Light can bless our food but we have to keep ourselves clean. Mr. Tirion taught me that. Mother did I say it right?"
"Yes, Bridgette you got it exactly right."
"Yes!" For a moment Shahar's brain shut down. There was only one Tirion she knew of, and that was Highlord Tirion Fordring, leader of the Argent Crusade.
"The Highlord taught you that? He visits here?" She had never been to Stormwind with him, she didn't rank high enough, or so she thought. She moved on auto to the sink and washed her hands.
"Yeah, the Highlord visits every five or six months, often with Sal and JT. He always comes in the week after Children's Week. He loves to play with the kids and tell stories of the Crusade. Personally I think he's sweet on Mother Nightingale." Shellene was talking as she served the stew to the younger children.
"Shellene, that's enough of that kind of talk. He just enjoys setting aside his responsibilities every now and then and relaxing with the kids." Mother Nightingale sounded both stern and wistful at the same time.
Shahar finally sat back down, she was not really looking forward to eating. She assumed, as most would, that the food was not going to be the best, considering no one seemed to care about orphans; that is unless they could use them to improve their reputations in certain circles. Admittedly the only other time she had even thought about the orphanage was shortly after her parents deaths, and that was only to be grateful she didn't have to live there, she had gone straight into her apprenticeship with the Argent Crusade.
She was surprised when the stew that filled her senses was better even than what she had gotten at any tavern ever, better even than the food the Noontide Knights had shared with her at their Guild Hall near Eastvale Logging Camp. "Mother Nightingale, you must be amazing in the Kitchen. This food is wonderful."
Nightingale smiled, "I didn't cook it, just reheated it. Jauntrianna and the Dark Phoenix Syndicate provide most of the food and textiles for the Orphanage. They unofficially took over the care and keeping of us, oh, about six years ago I'd say. Stormwind still sends us some foodstuffs and helps keep the building in good repair, but most of the things we have, have been donated by the Phoenixes."
"Wait, you donate food and toys to the orphanage and no one knows?"
"They make us clothes, too. Mellas made me this dress do you like it?" A little girl, about seven years old, jumped up and twirled, causing the skirt of her blue dress to flare out.
"It's very pretty," Shahar told the little girl. "How is it no one knows that you donate so much stuff? People already revere the Dark Phoenix Syndicate as heroes; just wearing the tabard is enough. I can't imagine how much more they would love you if they knew this."
"We get paid for it." Salohcin seemed indignant at the thought. Nightingale quirked an eye brow up as if asking how they got paid. "We get paid in hugs and smiles!" At that the little girl in the blue dress jumped up and ran over to Salohcin giving him a hug and a slobbery kiss on the cheek. He chuckled, "Donna, you give the best hugs."
"Alright, kids, go get ready for bed and I'll let JT tell you one story. Hop top, get moving." Nightingale began clearing the table while Shellene herded the children up into the loft to change. Salohcin and JT began arranging a pile of blankets and pillows for the story. Shahar helped Nightingale with the dishes. "So, Salohcin lived here when he was a kid?"
"Yes, his parents died at the Dark Portal, along with many others. There were many children left without parents, and parents left without children. For a time we had more children than we had beds, but many went to extended family, or were adopted. Sal stayed with me, he was already showing signs of wielding the fel, and well, no one wanted a child that was obviously going to be a warlock. So I kept him here, took him to the Slaughtered Lamb to get him trained, and the rest is history."
They listened as JT told the tale of Kang, the Fist of First Dawn and how he led the Pandaren people free of their enslavement to the Mogu Empire. When the story was done and the children in bed; Sal, JT, and Shahar headed back to the Guild Hall. "So, Shahar, do you know what we fight for?"
"Those kids."
"Yes and no. We fight for their future, and in the hopes that, one day, Stormwind will need to find a different use for that building. We will rise, no matter the odds, no matter the threat, we will rise, and as we rise the enemy will fall."