17 years later.
Revy sat in the plain chair outside the Alliance War office. Her fingers played with the sheet of paper in her hands. It's been a week since she has returned from her war duties against the Death-aspect dragon, Deathwing. Being stationed in the Twilight highlands had been relatively intense for Revy. The Twlight Hammer's forces had been extremely difficult to defeat. The commanding division at Highbank has been trying daily to extend Alliance influence deep into neighboring greenlands. But with every step taken by Alliance soldiers, one step would be taken by the Twilight cultist, and another by the Horde presence up in the north. Kurdan Wildhammer constantly asked for more support from King Wrynn in Stormwind. And to respond to the Dwarf's request, two division of standard soldiers were shipped to towards Highbank two weeks ago. In addition, a band of elite Alliance pledged individuals were also sent to assist the fight against the Twilight Hammer in any way possible. Among them was Revy, a Warrior valued by the Alliance for her skills. Revy sighed softly. She hated the fame that was given to her. She was more athletic than others because she trained before her enlistment into the war effort. But people seemed think she was blessed by god and forget it was her magically imbued equipment that gave the heroic attributes. Without her armor, she was human. She remembered watching other "Heroes" prancing around in their armor like they were born like gods with annoyance. Wandering how can a piece of metal can change people so much.
You must be blessed by the light! Revy pouted as the memories of the soldier who said that to her came into consciousness. I trained tirelessly just like everyone else. I worked my way through tedious and dangerous missions like everyone else. I was just lucky enough to be able to acquire better equipment for my contribution.
However, as much as she hated to admit, she did feel that she was different somehow. Not anyone could just go and help the true heroes of Azeroth defeat the abominations within the Icecrown Citadel. Not every individual could duel against scourge fiends within the Ice palace in order to clear the path for others to reach the Lick king and confront him for the crimes he has done. Revy grinned lightly, wherever the true heroes went, she had been one of many on the side who had helped clear the path. In a way she was as important as the ones who dealt the death blow to various enemies of Azeroth. Well, maybe I'm just a little different, more the reason for me to put my skills to good use.
Not even a day has passed since her return from her efforts against the Twilight Hammer when a messenger came to the door of the family she had been homesteading while in Stormwind. The messenger had found Revy collapsed on her bed with her armour half taken off and decided to best not to disturb her and simply left the message on the table next to the bed.
Rereading the assignment paper that she found when she woke up for the eleventh time, Revy shifted annoyingly in the plain chair. Not a day's break. She folded the paper in half, then with several more folds the paper was transformed into a beautiful swan. Lifting the creation up to her head she examined her work with mild contentment. won't you just fly away my pretty little assignment and give me a break?
Suddenly the door to the War office burst open, a tall bearded man with a rock stern face appeared. Revy jumped up in surprise. Her attention now focused on the aged man next to the door. The man eyed female warrior and the paper swan in her hands intently, which made Revy anxious and she quickly unfolded her duty request form and nervously smiled back. With a scowl he motioned with his hand to for her to come in. without waiting for a response he turned and headed in first, all the while muttering under his breath Damn kids these days.
"Age?"
"22"
"Name?"
"Revlise"
"Family name?"
"I do not possess on sir"
"What are you, a slave?"
"…No sir, I was a servant for most my life"
"Yeah yeah, don't care what you call yourself. What's the name of your pledge household?"
"The Langford family of Redridge"
Duty Officer Hale looked up from his record book and narrowed his judgmental eyes at the warrior before him.
"The Langfords, do they enjoy sending their servants to fight for the Alliance in this time of need?"
Revy lowered her head slightly in respect, but inside she was growing more agitated at this Officer by the minute.
"For the records sir, Mister Langford is well beyond the age to commit to the war efforts. His only child, is currently attending mage academy. She is not fit to fight at the moment. The Langford has donated half their fortune to the Alliance to show their allegiance." Revy paused momentarily, "I volunteered myself to the Alliance. No one pressured me into it."
Officer Hale leaned back in his chair, his eyes scanned up and down Revy's form. The warrior was definitely not of the Langford blood. Her skin was of a light brown shade and her body hugged tightly around the simple leather tunic and trousers she currently wore. She had the thin body of a dancer; experienced muscles with very little fat around her bones. Hale sneered at her, unable to comprehend how a slim girl like her could be an effective soldier. Looking up he focused on her face. Bangs of dark hair covered her forehead and the side of her face while the rest was fashioned in a low ponytail that ran past her shoulders. Her brown eyes sat atop a bed of darkened eye bags, but they displayed perseverance of a skilled combatant. Hale could also see a hint of submissiveness; probably the result of a life of servitude. Hale watch as the woman twitched her mouth uncomfortably under his inspection; hardened mouth lines stretched prominently around her mouth, revealing the evidence of a life of stress and strenuous work.
Hale grinned, she was no alluring courtesan. But she possessed an air of modesty and naturalness that held its own beauty. She was easy on the eye, and Hale liked that. More so now that he noticed her becoming unsettled by his change in expression.
"Well aren't you a little adventure. Moving from a slave to a soldier, and now a decorated soldier" Hale remarked while playfully rocking on his chair.
Revy tried to be respectful, but she couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the condescending officer, "I was not a slave, I was paid for my services."
Hale shrugged his shoulders and let the chair drop him back before his desk. "Well I'm sure you were paid for house chores, maybe some more personal services too." Hale lowered his head into his record book again, not before catching Revy's agitated face.
"Anyways Revlise of Langford, I see you've just came back from your tour of duty in the Twilight highlands. But we've just received a rather interesting assignment. Came straight from the noble's court and marked as high priority." Hale shuffled past a few pages in his record book and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
"Apparently, as war loomed over our shoulders, the nobles have decided that they too should help us poor normal folks." Without looking up, Hale picked up the sheet of paper with his right hand and flung it towards an assistant by his side.
"Their ever-so-grateful help comes in the form of sending their sons and daughters into our ranks of soldiers" Hale continued as the assistant picked up the paper and handed to Revy. "Now normally these noble youngsters are so filled with Stormwind's finest delicacies and luxurious they think slaying a common rat was a quest of the ages. So we just enlist them to guard duties at some guard post, away from any actual danger of course." Revy examined the piece of paper given to her as the officer's speech restarted once more. "But! It just so happens that one certain noble thinks his epic rat killing skills are inadequate for the mundane duty we gave him. So he has set upon himself to accomplish something bigger. Long story short, he found some ancient map from this Father's library which led to some artifact and he's set his little Canal crab brain into finding it." Hale finally looked up Revy, who was busy reading the content of the paper. "Since his family is a highly influential force here at Stormwind, we need to make sure he is safe. So you're commissioned to be his bodyguard."
Revy's finished reading just as Hale said Bodyguard, her face showing reluctance, "Can we just not allow this noble to participate in his quest?"
"Of course not! This is a quest of great importance! He must complete it" Hale laughed with a sarcastic grin on his face. "But no, we have little power in denying nobles of…well anything. If they say bow, we have to say how low. You should know that part quite clearly" He finished with a wicked grin.
Revy glanced at the assistant next to Officer Hale, and he returned her an affirmative nod. Turning back to Hale she asked "Shouldn't this be suitable for a group of soldiers? I do not feel confident in protecting the noble by myself."
"The noble has personally requested a competent individual to protect himself. He didn't want a group of soldiers seeing he did not want unnecessary surveillance. My superiors mentioned your efforts in Northrend and now against the Twilight Hammer cultists. So I made the request." Hale's grin faded as he turned back to his work. "Anyways, you have no say in this, the assignment has been given. You'll be meeting him tomorrow by Cathedral at dawn. There will be a few others traveling with him. But your focus is the noble, make sure he return alive." Officer hale finished with and gave a dismissive wave with his hand.
Revy saluted the officer with strained respect and headed for the door. When she was out of the room she looked down at the paper again, this time focusing on the name at the bottom. She sighed deeply, then closed her eyes in exhaustion.
I guess I'll get some rest for the rest of the day. And tomorrow…I'll be in the service of noble Vikare.
