Chapter 2 – The Journey
A bird chirped a happy melody outside the window.
Shagara Mograine had grown into a beautiful orc woman, though she did not know. Though her blue eyes were a good omen, she could not see. Blind since birth she had learned to see through her hearing which was enhanced as was her sense of touch and taste. Her green skin, shocking red nearly purple hair, and small tusks marked her as an orc, though she had been raised as a human. Her mother Helene had taught her several languages including orcish and Kalu'ak, the language her grandmother was raised with. Though she had never met a Tuskarr she wished to. The Northrend sounded cold, but intriguing.
She rose from her bed and dressed in her kilt and top that left her midriff bare, but allowed for more movement. She used her staff to walk to the door, open it, and walk out. She sighed. It was early let and she could still smell the smells of breakfast being made. Slowly she could sense the castle keep was waking.
Smiling she walked down the halls and paused a moment. "General Jonathan." She said turning her head a little.
She wished she could see his expression. He turned to her. "Greetings my lady." He said. "How did you know I was here?"
"Your boots scrape the tile and you smell like your pine cologne." She said smiling. She offered her hand and he took it smiling.
"Shall I escort you to breakfast, my dear?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded. He walked with her to the great hall were food was being laid out. They two grabbed chairs and the girl reached for a sweet meat pie near her. She sniffed. "Pancakes." She giggled.
Marcus chuckled. For a blind girl she could sense more than others.
zZz
The Darkmoon Faire was in Goldshire. Shagara and her sister, the beautiful, but shy Neumu, mounted a horse to ride to Goldshire. It was only a couple miles up the road from the Capital gates.
Neumu smiled as they rode into the town and dismounted. Shagara jumped down and they walked together into the faire. The music was upbeat and she walked to a vendor with Neumu and they each ordered a drink and meat on a stick. They giggled at each other as they ate and talked until a tall human man came forward.
"Why are you here?" He said pointing his large finger at Shagara. "This Faire is for Alliance only."
Shagara blinked. "I am of the Alliance. My mother is Lady Helene Mogr…" The slap knocked her head violently to the side.
"Lying bitch…we don't want your kind here." He said his voice slurred from drinking. Another hit landed and Shagara was knocked to the ground. Neumu moved to stand over her sister protectively, but then a new voice entered the confrontation.
"Anyone is welcome at my faire, sir." A gnome said. "I am Silas Darkmoon. As long as there is peace of course."
"I am not about to allow her to be free here without…"
"Sir, please leave at once. You are drunk and not speaking with a clear mind. Or I can call the authorities over to remove you."
The man scoffed and then walked away.
Shagara moved to rise and then felt two large hands help her up. By his smell he was an ogre. A cleaner ogre than many, but still one. She blinked a little and touched her face. Her face hurt, but she was sure it would not bruise.
"Sorry about that miss. Can I offer you some more refreshments for your trouble?" Silas asked.
"That would be lovely." Shagara said. She dusted herself off and felt Neumu at her side.
"Are you well sissy?" Neumu asked.
"Sisters?" He asked. "Now that is a rarity." Silas said his eyes dancing. "A Draenei and an orc as sisters. I would have never seen the like until I saw it before me."
Shagara said. "We are Helene Mograine's daughters."
"A good thing that foul man ran off then." He said. "I do not think the Stormwind guard would have taken it well that one of the royal family was attacked. Here, let me take you to Sayge. I am sure he can see to that cut on your cheek there. It is small, but bleeding."
She nodded and allowed the gnome to take her hand and lead her. She heard a whimper much like a dog and then sat down. A dog like paw touched her face. A gnoll! The touch was surprisingly gentle as he tended her, saying nothing.
When he was finished he smiled. "Great adventure awaits you, child." He said in the whistling voice of his people. "Do not give up lightly and your errand will come to you." He said cryptically.
Shagara thought on that the whole way back to the capital as Neumu walked and led the horse along slowly eating an apple and softly humming.
zZz
The next morning Helene found her orcling daughter sitting near the great fountain of King Varian with his wives Rhenn and Tiffin nearby. The water always seemed to soothe the young woman. Helene smiled as she watched the girl trace the face of Queen Tiffin as if learning her high cheek bones to memory.
"Hello, mother." The younger woman said without shifting her unseeing eyes away from the statue.
Helene smiled. She should have known she could not surprise her daughter. "What are you doing here?"
"Enjoying the sunshine." Shagara said simply. She smiled and rose to her feet. "Tiffin was beautiful." She said.
"Yes. She was." Helene nodded.
"Mother, why am I not accepted? Who am I? What am I?"
"You are the daughter of Mograine." A metallic voice said causing Helene to turn.
Shagara sighed. "Hello, Father." She rose and embraced the cool plate that he wore.
"Our whole family is formed from people who are different. What have I taught you?" He asked stepping back and cupping her chin softly.
"Never to look down or be looked down on." She said.
"Yes." He said. "The humans in Goldshire do not trust people who are different because of the past. Now you can shape the future." He smiled and pressed a kiss to her brow. "Perhaps it is time to allow you to follow your heart."
Helene looked up. "Her dreams." She said. "But it is dangerous."
"Of course, but she is a child of Mograine. She will survive and the people shall know my daughter for generations." He smiled and patted the top of her head. "She is nearly eighteen. It is time for her to become what she is meant to."
Shagara looked up at him with her sightless eyes. "I dream of helping people. People with green skin."
A cough made them turn. Darion was the first to react. "My lady." He said.
All three bowed to the formally dressed Dowager Queen. Rhenn, though she had aged still was timeless and her eyes alone held the trials she had been through in life. She wore a dress of elegant black with a black wimple over her simply braided hair. "At least you are ready, my child." Rhenn said waving for the two adults to rise. She took her granddaughter's arms and lifted her to her feet.
"The elements call to you. I feel it also."
"I wish to know about my parents. I know and love mother and father, but I know I am not a human and not a child of their making. None of us are." She looked at her mom and dad as if trying to search their faces.
Helene nodded. "I have known this moment would come." She smiled and embraced her daughter. "Go with our blessing. Remember all you have learned and be ready to learn more and accept the challenges laid at your feet."
Darion smiled and kissed her hand and then her cheek. "Make ready. I will make arrangements for you to travel to Kalimdor." He turned on his heel calling for his dreadsteed who came to him immediately.
Helene, fighting back tears walked toward the keep. Only Rhenn remained and she smiled and took her granddaughter's hands. "At last you can follow your heart." She smiled. She then reached behind her and lifted a necklace with a talisman on the delicate chain. "This has kept me safe." She said. "To protect you on your journey."
"You are not going to stop me from leaving?"
"No one can stop destiny child." Rhenn said calmly. She smiled. "No go. Meet yours."
zZz
Shagara stayed in her cabin for most of the journey. She only ventured out at meal times and when the violent storm hit she willed herself to sleep to keep herself from becoming ill as the waves heaved the ship about. It was apparently a well know problem with the area near the Maelstorm. She had already braved the three day journey by gryphon to Booty Bay. Her coin made the goblins there of the cartels honest enough. The Maiden Fancy was larger than she would have given credit for. She had the best cabin on the ship, next to the captain's quarters. Her grandmother had told her at her farewell that she had written to a friend whom would meet her at the docks. His name was Humuul and he would be expecting her.
She woke and heard the boat bell chime. A friendly knock was heard a few moments later. "We have arrived in Rachet, miss."
"Thank you." She said and rose to dress. She packed her backpack and dressed in fresh clothing. She walked out of the cabin. She used her staff to locate the doorways and moved along. She walked up onto the deck and let the sun hit her face for the first time in days. It felt wonderful and she stood there a moment.
She then walked to the side of the ship and the captain himself, a goblin by the name of Captain Krick Wrenchnozzle, came to her side. "Allow me to help you miss. The gangplank is a little thin in places."
She smiled and allowed him to take her hand and lead her down the causeway to the dock. She sighed and breathed in the air of the new place. "Will you require more assistance?" The Captain piped.
"I am sure I can handle it from here, but my thanks for bringing her to the destination safely." A deep accented voice said, though his Common was easy to understand.
The captain nodded and returned to his vessel calling for the crew to be ready to undock very soon. Shagara cocked her head. "You are a Tauren." She said as she shifted and he blocked the sun from her face.
"Aye." The druid nodded. "My name is Humuul Runetotem. I was asked to bring you to Mulgore. The Lady Rhenn seems to think your journey to start there on a vision quest to call the spirits to you and elements to see where you must follow their call."
"Why to the land of the Tauren?"
"The spirits walk there. It is a good place to start." The druid said. "Come. You will have to ride on my back if we are to arrive there in any kind of time."
"On your back?" She asked.
"Of course child. This is the other reason the lady Rhenn summoned me." He chuckled a little. "You have many friends here, child. The Dowager Queen is well liked by many."
She felt a rush of air and felt the shadow change. She lifted a hand and encountered feathers. She followed the neck upwards to a horn and down over an eye ridge to a strong beak. She gasped. "Sorry. I did not mean to be rude." She said.
"You are blind." He said as a statement of fact not a question.
"Yes." She said hesitantly.
"I do not take offence in an innocent touch, child, but now, quickly. On my back. I will fly you to the cave of spirits." He lowered himself a bit on his legs so the young orc woman could place her knees before his wings. He rose up a bit and walked a few steps. "Are you ready?" He asked.
Instinctively she reached forward and took a hold of his neck feathers as she leaned forward. "Yes." She said.
With that he lifted into the air with a powerful wing beat.
zZz
The land below them changed. First there was the heat of the Barrens, then the coarse extreme heat of the lava that had broken the Barrens in half, and finally the cool sweet smelling breeze that floated up to the girl as she sat up a little on the back of the Druid.
"Where are we? It smells…sweet here."
"The great plains of Mulgore." The druid said, his voice carried to her by the wind as he caught a thermal and lifted gently higher. "My homeland. It is a pity you cannot see it." He said. He then coughed. "Forgive me. I did not mean to insult you, child."
She liked the elder druid's manner. At least he was upfront with what he felt and thought instead of trying to hide it with honey covered words. She touched his shoulder and smiled a little. "What is below us?" She asked.
Noting she had not taken offense to his words he smiled. "Sweeping plains of grass with high grass covered mesas. Lakes in the valleys and some of the best hunting for our young warriors." He said. He turned his head to allow his glassy eagle eye to look up at her as she spread her arms and took a deep breath.
"The air is so crisp." She said.
He chuckled as he began to spiral down toward Red Cloud Mesa. He landed well away from the agam'ar boars, but as the wind shifted slightly he could see her nostrils flare at the scent of death and decay. He transformed into his true form and wrapped an arm about her protectively, in almost a fatherly type gesture.
They walked up a small path to a cave. He gently let her touch the walls and waited for her to find her way to the blanket he had laid out for her. "This is the cave of spirits. The spirits and elements will hear your call here. Do you wish me to stay?" He asked.
"I do not know these ways." She said. "Would you?"
He nodded and sat down. "Concentrate on the feelings about you. The heartbeat of the earth, the song of the birds, the hum of the wind in the grass. Deeper listen harder to the words they speak." He coached.
She closed her blue sightless eyes and listened.
For hours she sat concentrating, not giving up. Humuul was impressed by her patience. Many young braves often would have to return two and three times because they were not patient enough for the spirits to come to them.
She exhaled and then noises about her faded and words began to appear. *Come…Come to the homeland…Come Come…* said the soft hiss through the grass.
"Where?" She asked.
Humuul said nothing watching her head turn as she tried to hear more. He listened too and then his eyes flew open as he felt warmth. With them were the elements of water, fire, wind, and earth. They were moving about the girl…speaking in guttural voices he could not fully understand.
Shagara rose to her feet and extended an arm.
*Yes…Yes…touch the portal.* the voices about her chimed.
"Where does it go?" She whispered.
*The home of your people. There we call you!*
She touched the light before her that she could see and suddenly all went black.
Humuul cried out as she reached for something and then in a flash of light was no longer there. In an utter panic he ran to the cave entrance and halted as he came face to face with a small, but strong looking Tauren female in a kilt and loose top.
"She is well." The female said.
"Who are you?"
"Meela Dawnstrider of Camp Narache." She said and bowed her head to the druid. "Arch Druid Humuul Runetotem. This is an honor. You have completed the first part of her journey. The rest will be up to her." She said.
"You knew?"
She lifted a hand and a fire elemental appeared at her side. It was small, but swirled in place looking up at the druid with fiery eyes. "They elements told me. She has been called to the home of her people."
"She was raised by humans. Does she even know what that means?"
"She will learn, or die trying in her quest." The shaman said. Then she smiled. "You have little to fear. She is special and the elements and spirits of the elders have plans for her."
Humuul considered that and then nodded. "May I join your fire at Camp Narache? It is growing colder as night approaches."
"Of course." She said and turned. The little elemental followed her and swirled dust about her feet as Humuul followed her down the path and to the west toward where the settlement lay. He was still started by several revelations, not the least of which that the elements could transport the girl where they willed. He would write to Queen Rhenn, his friend, and advice her of the events. For now he had to put his trust in the ancestors as he always had, but now even more so. Softly he said a prayer for the girl and drew his cloak about his body as he followed back to the teepees of Camp Narache.