And so begins the series. The prompt list I nicked from somewhere on the internet, I can't remember anymore. The original idea of the list was for each prompt to be told in exactly hundred words, but I know I couldn't hold on to that, so I'm giving myself a looser frame of anything between 100-500 words.

And no, the chapters won't be in chronological order. If any chapters are directly connected, I'll mention it in the Author's Notes, but other than that, I trust you'll be able to follow.


Disclaimer: This work of fiction is entirely fan-made for no profit beyond the author's and the readers' entertainment. No infringement intended.

Title: 007. Hardest Truth

Rating: G

Words: 604

A/N: Way too long, I know, but I think it needed some extra stage-setting, being the first chapter and all.

"Sorrel?"

The woman with spiky, cinnamon hair stiffened when a voice from her memories sounded in her ears. She turned around, hope and dread mixing into an indistinguishable lump in her throat.

Two pairs of blue eyes locked for a split second before the man closed the gap between them and swept her into a crushing embrace. She struggled briefly as the air was forced out of her lungs, but when the warmth of the other seeped through her clothes, she soon found herself holding him just as fiercely. Her brother's voice cracked comically, like it had done several years ago, as he whispered "It's you, Light be praised, it's really you." into her hair. She drew in his scent, and for a moment, even under the beating midday sun in the middle of Ratchet's open air market, she could smell the grass and trees of her homeland.

Eventually, Sorrel untangled herself from him and took a step back.

"Geoffrey, why… You're here, how?"

"I live in Theramore now. I couldn't stay back home after… after…" He clenched his jaw to fight off tears and brushed a hand through his dark brown hair to gain a moment to collect himself.

"Light, they told me you were dead!"

Sorrel's eyes opened wide before a flicker of cold appeared in them.

"Did they?"

Geoffrey wasn't looking at her anymore, but at the ground, still mussing up his hair and looking like he was trying to regain his mental footing.

"Yes, everyone said that there had been a raid… That they killed you. Roderick especially was almost frothing at the mouth, demanding vengeance on the Horde-"

"Oh, was he?"

Now her voice held enough steel to make him shake off his stupor and look at her. There was a half lidded, dreamy quality to her eyes, but her lips were pressed into a thin line and her shoulders squared, fists clenched at her sides. Fine tremor wracked her body despite the hot savannah wind that blew in over the Barrens, and the man didn't realize until he reached out to put an arm round her shoulders, only to be sharply swatted away, that it wasn't suppressed fear or grief.

It was barely controlled rage.

Realization finally dawning, he grasped his long-lost sibling's shoulders, facing her squarely.

"Why, Sorrel, why did they lie to me? What happened to make-"

"Mama!" a bright, young voice cut through his desperate inquiry.

Both turned to see a small child running towards them. A green skinned child. Geoffrey blinked and was already half turning to see if the child's mother was standing somewhere nearby, when much to his surprise Sorrel knelt to the ground, opening her arms for the little boy. Then he noticed a second child following close behind the first. This one was clearly younger, clutching a well-loved plush toy with one arm, and also green skinned.

The little ones threw themselves at Sorrel, almost knocking her over and spilling the grocery basket that had sat forgotten beside her the whole time. Geoffrey stepped back, confusion probably the mildest of the emotions warring in his mind, as his sister exchanged an affectionate nuzzle with both of the children before turning back to him.

"Geoffrey, I'd like you to meet my children, Sabe" she ruffled the troll boy's hair with one hand, "and Rhona." she gently pried the tiny orc girl from around her neck and turned her towards the stunned man.

"The only orc and troll to ever set foot in the Sandridge village, and the only thing they've murdered was Roderick's wishes of having me for his pretty little wife."