Chapter 2 – The Expedition
Two metal and plate clad forms clashed in the practice arena of Stormwind's Royal Elite Guard. Sparing matches were a common sight here and so no one paid it any mind as the opponents faced each other. The larger man with long blonde hair tied back at the nap of his neck maneuvered and barely cleared the upsweep of the practice sword the smaller female was holding. Her thick dark hair was held back in a braid down her back. The thick hair hung to her hips, but tied back from her face she was ready for action and could even use the thick braid as a weapon as she had done on one occasion which caught her opponent completely off guard when it had hit his face with the force of a thrown ball on a chain.
She moved catlike to the right as he turned to face her lifting his shield and shaking sweat from his brow though it was an almost futile gesture wearing the helm. She giggled and leapt onto a stable hitch and balanced lithely there watching him as she half squatted waiting for him in a very unladylike pose. He sighed and swung only to find her sailing through the air over him in a flip and slapping his shoulder with her blade.
The judge, General Jonathan, who had been in the shadows observing the whole time stepped forward. "You are right, your Highness. You are better suited as a priest than a warrior."
"Aye, but my sister got that in spades." King Anduin said as he removed his helm and grinned as the girl revealed herself. She tossed her hair and undid the thong holding her braid. Her thick hair spilled over her shoulders and back like a sea creature made of curls of seaweed. Thea was nearly twenty. Her sharp green eyes and delicate features marked her mother as the great Queen, Rhenn. Her sire was in her skills that came naturally to her and her thick dark hair. She was a beauty and Anduin well knew many men wished her hand, but he had found his love match on his own and he would allow his siblings and children to do the same. Besides she was yet young at twenty and had rejected the notion of marriage completely so far.
Most of the guards gasped around them who had been sharpening blades or doing the daily chores of the guards not realizing the sparing partners were the King and the Princess Royal. She walked over and began to remove her gauntlets and greaves.
Anduin collected her and wrapped an arm about her. "Come on then sis. Let's get something to eat. I am starved."
"Wore you out did I?" She asked.
He laughed and kissed her brow. "Aye." They laughed and tried to tickle each other.
Anduin called for bread and cheese and fruit as he sent her to her room to change. She had only a little while before her class started with Dr. Jones. His sister had a knack for archaeology, a field that had brought the human people many riches as well as knowledge of the world.
She had even studied under Brann Bronzebeard, Dr. Jones' mentor for a time. Her warrior skills and book smarts would make her a good queen one day, assuming Anduin would be able to convince her to marry someone of her station. Knowing her, she would find some fish monger and be perfectly happy in the Outlands.
The thought made Anduin shiver a little as they sat down to eat.
ZzZ
Princess Aramathea was at a dead run through the private rooms of the palace and she stopped right before the throne room. She took a breath to compose herself. Her brother had just entered a few moments ago to begin to hold court. She had rushed to her rooms to change and to gather her books. She was wearing her more traditional gown for her station. She had brushed her hair into a thick pleated braid once more. Her circlet of office was a little out of alignment. She fixed it and walked into the room. She crossed it as people bowed to her. Her brother smiled at her from his throne. Beside him Queen Ellsa sat serenely in a dress of burgundy. She looked as immaculate as she always did on court days. The Gilnean woman had set a fashion of the more conservative dress style of the Gilnean people that much of Stormwind thought was somewhat old fashioned, until the Queen, her handmaidens, and the Queen Dowager all started to wear the clothing. Then suddenly, when the Queen of Ages, the Dowager Queen, the Lady Rhenn wore the fashion of her daughter-in-law, it became fashionable. Before the Queen, as a handmaiden and Princess, had been marked, in whispered circles, as rural and somewhat country and out of date in her fashions.
Aramathea entered the classroom just as her fellow student Darnella Winford did. The blonde girl smiled at Thea. The smile was genuine and they took their seats as Dr. Jones walked in from his office.
"Greeting students. As my graduate class I have decided to take one of you on a special journey that will make up famous. It is about the fact seeking of Uldum. An earthquake a few months ago has opened the great gate leading to the area and I want to explore it. It is rumored to be another place with constructs of the Gods." He leaned forward holding a book. "Archaeology is the search for fact. Not truth. If its truth you're interested in, Cuddy Nordlinger's Philosophy class is right down the hall."
Janric Moller, Lana Dubing and Darnella Winford laughed. Thea smiled and chuckled a little herself. Though there were only four of them, only one would go with Dr. Jones. She wanted to see outside the Capital and the surrounding forest.
"So forget any ideas you've got about lost cities, exotic travel and digging up the world. Seventy percent of all archaeology is done in library. Research. Reading. We cannot afford to take mythology at the face value."
Lana Dubing fluttered her eyelashes at Harrison Jones.
"Ahem! Well... ah, next week: "Tanaris." Starting with the excavation of Broken Pillar by Marvon Rivetseeker in Year 22. I will be here doing research if anybody's got any problems for the next hour and a half." He smiled. "I will let you get on those papers. The best paper will be coming with me in a week to Uldum."
zZz
Aramathea could not believe she was going on the grad adventure with Dr. Jones. Harrison had decided her skills as a diplomat and being a warrior would be of greatest use to him. It wouldn't hurt that he had the princess trump card as well.
She stood on the bow of the boat that was taking them to Rut'theran Village. She had never felt the sea air on her face like this. She watched the Night elf sailors moved about the ship as she looked out over the bow at the shining sea. They appeared to be chasing the sun as it headed to the horizon.
Harrison Jones came from below decks to join her. "You really are excited to be here, aren't you?" He asked looking at her as he put on an old beat up hat. He had changed from his black suit that he wore teaching to rugged buckskin pants, a long sleeve white shirt, a leather vest, and rugged leather boots. He looked every inch the explorer.
"Yes." She grinned. "I get to see the world." She smiled.
He smiled and then turned to go below. Thea stayed on deck until it was time for dinner below. She then went to her small cabin and started writing her journal.
It had taken some doing to get her brother to allow her to come, but Dr. Jones had promised to keep her safe.
ZzZ
The crossing was longer than Thea had given it credit for. The four days it took to reach Rut'theran Village seemed far longer. The seas, however, were blessedly calm and the princess spent much of her time above deck watching the birds and crew work.
Within sight of the village that was now at the base of the great tree that formed the Night elf homeland Dr. Jones instructed the princess to change out of the royal travel clothing she wore into something more befitting an archaeologist student. She donned a simple shirt, simple pants, and boots. She took her hair out of its formal court style and just put it in a thick braid down her back. Dr. Jones came back and nodded. She would play the part well.
Once at the village Dr. Jones directed her to a smaller goblin ship that would be taking them down to Booty Bay, a further week at sea. From there a third boat would make the overnight trip to Theramore and there they would resupply and gather what they needed as far as tools. From there it would be a two day flight with stops to the nearest camp where the other party members of the expedition would be. Together they then would enter Uldum, the newly opened land to the south of the great Tanaris sand wastes.
Once aboard Dr. Jones handed her some maps to study while he spoke to the captain, a taller than most goblin in a ridiculous admiral hat. He eyed his cargo wearily. After Dr. Jones ushered Thea into a cabin. The two were to share a small room with crew berths in the form of bunks against the wall. Thea took the top and Dr. Jones climbed into the bottom.
The Goblin ship moved out away from the shore and went down the coastline to Booty Bay. It took six and a half days to reach the Goblin neutral town on the edge of the Southern Barrens. Though rich in resources such as hides and mineable minerals, the land was arid and did not make for good farming. Dry farming worked most years, but often the people either were starving or they moved to the small towns of the area.
Dr. Jones rented a small room in the inn at the top of the hill. He had kept her in tow and out of trouble from those about. He pushed her into the room with a slight smile at the owner. A short time later a goblin woman brought them a tray of food and ale. Thea was no stranger to alcohol, but the ale was strong and she crawled into bed her belly warm.
The doctor watched over her until he fell asleep. They were not disturbed which surprised him a little, but they did not have to wake up until morning. He woke first to the smell of tea being made and breakfast in the tavern.
He woke Thea with little effort. The girl did not have a hangover, but she did sleep like a log. He smiled as she got ready. Her back was turned as she pulled on her shirt. He packed his own bag, but his eyes wondered to her back. He blinked. IT was heavily scarred and puckered on her sides and onto her back. How in the hell had that happened, he wondered. This was not the time or the place to think of such things. Perhaps he would be able to ask her.
They ate a light breakfast and packed a lunch for the trip to Theramore. They would arrive by nightfall and would be able to order dinner from the tavern there in the inn.
Dr. Jones took her to the gryphon area as she looked about the town. It was dirty and there were Horde members as well as Alliance wandering the port. Everyone seemed to be not paying attention to anything else that anyone else was doing. She tried to do the same as she mounted a small lithe gryphon female. Dr. Jones loaded some things in the beasts saddle bags and then mounted his own making sure his own saddle bags were full.
With a whoosh they were off in the sky. The beasts flapped to gain altitude and then soared forward. Thea rubbed her gryphon's neck affectionately. They passed over ships, forts, the sea, animals, islands, and finally the land started to turn swampy with low thick trees and the smell of peat in the air. It was an hour from sundown when the towers of the Isle of Theramore came into view.
The whitewashed walls reminded Thea of Stormwind, just one a much smaller scale. Theramore Isle was the seat of the small Alliance realm ruled over by Lady Jaina Proudmoore. The great magi once of Kirin Tor was the co-leader of the Alliance in Kalimdor. However, the great lady, was Auntie Jaina, to the Princess.
They landed and Thea noted that Jaina and her night elf friend, Pained, were both standing and waiting for her. It was dusk out and the setting sun looked beautiful and red. She unfastened herself and went to her Auntie and embraced her forgetting all sense of decorum. Jaina smiled. She was now much older than she had been and her once corn-silk colored hair was streaked with gray.
The pair embraced and Jaina then smiled. "You have grown my dear." She said.
"Not as much as my brother seems to think."
Jaina laughed. "Come I have refreshments for you and beds in the tower. You shall be safe there until the next stage of your journey, my little princess." She turned. "Welcome to you as well, Dr. Jones. Come with me."
Jones nodded and followed the mage and her rogue protector. Pained said nothing, but her sharp eyes missed nothing.
"Auntie," Aramathea said. "I am nearly twenty." She said looking at the elder mage.
"When you are my age, you will understand how youth blends together, my dear." Jaina said with a smile.
They walked the short distance to the tower. Inside Jaina led the way to the living quarters. Dr. Jones followed amused at how the girl charmed everyone she met.
Once inside they snacked on apples and cheese. Dr. Jones explained where they were headed and why. Evening set in and Jaina severed them a wonder dinner fit for anyone in Stormwind. The princess ate her fill knowing this may be the last time she would be able to enjoy the foods she was used to.
After Dr. Jones spoke with the mage in private as the girl got ready for bed. She curled up looking out the window at the stars above them. She was on a real adventure. Her brother had let her go since she was an adult and needed to find her own way. She was excited and could hardly sleep. She knew she had to since they had a long gryphon ride to Gadgetzan and from there Uldum. The entrance of Uldum had been broken asunder by the earth heaving in the cataclysm. However, it was just now that the toxic vapors that had been released from the earth far below had dispersed and entry was possible.
Dr. Jones was curious if this was a defensive mechanism of the titans or if it was from the very earth itself. There were many things to explore within Uldum and Dr. Jones had some compatriots they were going to meet.
Thea sighed and soon slept. Dr. Jones opened the door to check on her. She was sleeping and he smiled. The Princess was about to go to worlds unknown. He had left out the very real dangers of the desert when he had talked King Anduin into allowing her to come. The titans were long sense gone and so cataloguing the archeology would not be unsafe at all.
However, there were dangers abound from the Tol'vir (the native humanoid life in the area) to camels to pygmies. All would be dangerous on the sands and all he had left out talking to the King for the reason he needed Thea. Thea may be a princess, but she had the true brain to be his assistant. With her rank secret she was just another one of his helpers. She would dress like them, get dirty like them, and fight like them as needed. He had seen her fight and beat several of Stormind's best warriors and had bested her own elder brother quite handily.
Yes, Princess Aramathea would be perfect and known as just Thea, she would be perfect as a scribe and assistant to him. He smiled as he made final notes before turning in for the night. Smart, beautiful, and charming. All of these would help them along the way.