A/N- Thanks for all the review. I am brinign in two new character Thalos, a paladin, and Erkmund, a rogue/inn keeper. Read and Review!
~8~8~
The thick rawhides ropes that connected the huge balloon to the ship like zeppelin, aptly named the 'Desperate Prayer' groaned with strain as the sturdy floating dirigible finally made port at the tall haunted looking docks of Tirisfal Glade. Horde coming from Durotar scrambled madly to get off the zeppelin, pushing one another to be away from the horror ride they had been pressed through for weeks with the tiny green arsonist known as goblins. Thalos Sunstrike walked off the zeppelin ramp, slowly surveying the surrounding of Tirisfal glade; it was a dismal land if he had ever seen one. The elf sighed, scratching his hairless chin thoughtfully. "Well, it's not much Thalos, but it's a change of scenery."
Thalos was your average elf, onyx hair was cropped short in a fashionable yet military like style, hard jade eyes were always on the look out for trouble. Heavy plate armor and a libram were stowed carefully in the pack on his back, which he shouldered with ease. He was a Blood Knight, or had been at one time, but many weeks ago he had petitioned for retirement and it had been granted. Now, the paladin found himself, traveling here and there, taking little jobs, unable to soothe his wandering way he'd been so used to in the Blood Knight ranks. He shouldered his claymore, whistling a tune to combat the dread that permeated into everything as he headed to the Undercity.
The rubble and broken plague containers, littering the above court yard, had still not been moved since the last time he had been here saving this blasted city after the Dread Lord Varimatheras' betrayal to the Horde. Walking to the elevators the orc guards barely acknowledged him, and those who did scowled at him suspiciously they didn't trust anyone who came to the Undercity without good reason. Glaring icily he shouldered past them, and into the stained gore elevators. Finally in the belly of the city, it was unusually active for a city of the dead, Horde of all races were walking about, buying goods, talking, or making orders at the bank. It seemed people who couldn't stand the strict ways of Orgrimmar were traveling to the Undercity for a more lenient way of life and business.
"Excuse me." He called out stopping a forsaken woman selling mushrooms. "Where may I find Erkmund's inn?"
"A few blocks from here." She replied in a dry hoarse monotone pointing a bony finger in the direction.
With a word of thanks, he walked off smiling widely, it would be good to see his old friend once more.
The inn was more like a crack in the wall, having no door, but a wide room in the back showing tables and a few walk ways that led to private rooms. The inn keeper was a friendly look forsaken wearing a faded white apron bustling around to serve the rest of his patrons. To anyone else he would seem like your average harmless innkeeper, but Thalos knew better.
"No time to stop and say hello to an old friend Erkmund?" Thalos laughed waving to the innkeeper.
The innkeeper turned suddenly in surprise before smiling as warmly as an undead could. Wiping his hand on his apron, beckoning to the blood elf. "Thalos, my dear friend. It's been a while since our Zul'aman days!"
"That it has." Thalos nodded giving a friendly slap on the back to the former soldier.
He still couldn't believe a wealthy, powerful rogue had given up his life of adventure and vigor for running an inn, but each to his own he supposed. The Forsaken took a seat, beckoning a waiter to bring to ales. "So what brings you to our lovely town."
Thalos sat back in his seat drinking the warm ale. "You know me, Erkmund, can't stay in one place for to long. I retired, but I'm looking for a job or two to help my depleting coin purse. Any work I could find in this place?"
Erkmund nodded. "I know just the thing. But rest tonight, on the house, Thalos, we've a lot to catch up on."
Two old friends reminisced well into the night, talking of days of old when the Horde had conscripted their skills to outland to battle the Legion and the many other adventures they'd shared their years of service.
~8~8~
The guards from the royal quarter snickered at Thalos as he walked down the long corridors leading to the royal court. The forsaken loved their dark lady who technically was an elf, but any living elves got nothing but ridicule. Thalos ignored the quiet mocking behind his back and the softly spoken derogatory frilly elf names as he made his way deeper into the royal quarter. At the end of the hall two guards blocked his path, their voice holding endless amounts of scorn. "The dark lady is busy, you'll have to wait."
"Fine." He held up his hands disparagingly, setting down to wait for an audience.
The guards looked to one another then departed to the inside of the royal chamber, not even wishing to be seen standing beside him leaving the elf alone on the outside.
Wren walked down the corridor some time later, arms laden with items Sylvanas had tasked to bring her. Ten years had passed and despite being an expert assassin, some how Sylvanas always made her perform the most mundane of tasks. Perhaps to remind Wren of her less than humble beginnings as nothing but an errand girl. When she saw the double door closed she sighed fighting off a wave of agitation and mumbling curses, Sylvanas was in a meeting she'd have to wait. Dropping the sack down from in front of her, she never saw Thalos as she sat directly on him.
Wren gave a gasp of shock springing up her muscles instinctually tensing in reflex of an attack. The elf looked at her in surprise, having in the long wait drifted off to sleep. What was a human doing in the Undercity? The guards hadn't alerted or attack her, so they must be acquainted with her presence. It was the only reasonable explanation he could formulate at the moment. Wren looked at the elf, his hair was black as midnight, green eyes like hers stared at her in curiosity. After living in a city with nothing more than undead and sometimes the prisoners brought to her, he looked stunning to the human.
"My apologies, elf." She stuttered.
He knelt to help pick up the items that had tumbled away. "Think nothing of it."
Neither looked at the other as they hurriedly snatched the items up to replace back in the bags. The awkward silence that came after echoed louder than the quiet. The only thing left to do was wait outside the door, and still neither looking at the other. Thalos took a deep breath swallowing hard. "So, um…My name is Thalos Sunstrike. Nice to meet you…" He held his hand out to her.
Wren looked at it cautiously then shook. "Wren."
Again the silence. Thalos coughed awkwardly fingering the horde tabard over his breastplate. "Are you lost, by any chance?"
He cringed, at his own stupid statement and she smiled amused. "No."
Thalos turned to look at her fully, she was beautiful, and there was mysteriousness behind her eyes that made his blood hum. "That could only mean you are a slave. Are you?"
"Yes." She admitted freely.
"Whose?"
The doors opened and the dark lady sat gingerly in her chair. Wren smiled nudging her head to the banshee queen ever so slightly. "I'll give you one guess."
Before he could say anything else, she walked forward giving Sylvanas a bow. "Mistress, this is Thalos Sunstrike. I assume he has been waiting quite awhile for an audience."
The banshee queen looked over Wren towards the blood elf who saluted her sharply. "Very well, Wren, leave us."
Thalos watched the human leave, for a moment even forgetting he was in the presence of the dark lady.
"Let me make an educated guess, sir Sunstrike, you come to help with my scouting mission." She stated suddenly.
He only answered with a nod, standing to attention with a strict military grace.
"I thought so." She hid a coy smile, applauding Wren for her brilliant plan. "Are you familiar with a place called the Sludge Fields…"
~8~8~
A week of Fel went by for the blood elf, his mind drifted almost always to the human in the Undercity when he wasn't fighting or snooping around for the banshee queen. She had captivated him so like an enchantress who enthralls their prey. He could see her vividly every time he closed his eyes, when he had a chance to close his eyes of course. And now he was back, armor tarnished and dinged, smelling of science chemicals, sweat, and death. And again forced to wait at the massive double doors before the banshee queen could permit him an audience. He didn't mind the wait this time, actually hoping of seeing Wren again. In fact, he made a quick prayer to the Light hoping he could but catch a glimpse of the slave.
The double doors opened and the human slid out to the corridor nearly unnoticed.
"Wren." He said suddenly as if she would just disappear from his presence.
She turned to him, her face looking as is she was working over a memory of who he was, but knew him immediately. She was simply surprised he had remember her name, or was even given her a second thought knowing she was a slave. "Ah, Thalos, isn't it?"
His heart pounded, she had remembered his name! He nodded. "Yea, I didn't know if you would remember me." Struggling to reach his pack rooting through vials, metals, food, water, heads, and other odd things until he pulled out a carefully preserved wild steel bloom flower, handing it to her.
Thalos smiled at her surprised features. "I found it before I left the Sludge Fields. No offence it doesn't look like you get out all that often. I thought you might like it."
She took the golden flower with shaking hand, holding it close to her. "Thank you kindly, elf."
"Please." He grinned. "Call me Thalos."
"Well then thank you, Thalos." Wren nodded, as the doors to the royal chamber were opened.
"The banshee queen will see you now." A guard rasped in annoyance.
By the time he turned back around, Wren had disappeared.
"You would keep the dark lady waiting." The guard growled dangerously.
Thalos shook his head straightening himself as he went to inform Sylvanas of the situation in the Sludge Fields progress.
Had he had time to take a better look around he known Wren hadn't gone far, only a few feet away, her back pressing against a stone column that hid her. The flower had five petals, each the perfect color of gold. There was a freshness and cleanliness to it as she sniffed it. She rolled the stem in-between her fingers wondering what to make of the surprising gift.
~8~8~
Sylvanas strolled to her private study in a rare good mood, today had gone modestly well. By the paladins reports the Sludge fields were back in order, with the apothecary Lydon overseeing its workings. As she entered the study Wren was humming quietly to herself almost whimsically. She stopped when Sylvanas walked in.
"Mistress." Wren nodded, her tones neutral.
The banshee queen rested down looking at the human who seemed half distracted. "That elf gave you something before I let him in. What was it, little Wren?"
The assassin did nothing to hide her shock. "How did you…"
"I know everything that transpires in my court." The banshee queen replied with slight smirk.
Wren tilted her head back down, busy selecting a particular kind of liquor. Her mind whirling, should she just lie or come out with it. The girl remained silent for so long Sylvanas arched an eyebrow. "Speak." She ordered.
"It was a flower. Wild steel bloom to be exact, mistress." She replied lowly, involuntarily blushing. To show she was being truthful, Wren lifted up a lock of hair revealing the bright yellow flower carefully tucked behind her ear.
The banshee queen did well to hide her surprise. So the elf had taken an interest in Wren. She wondered just how much interest Wren had taken in him. "He does know you are my slave, doesn't he?"
She bristled. "No he thinks I'm here on vacation." Wren sighed sarcastically. She had long ago figured out just how far she could toe the line with Sylvanas' temper and knew she was pushing her luck. But for some reason, the banshee queen's question had put her on the defensive and she wasn't exactly sure why.
To Wren's surprise the dark lady let the remark slide, leaning back in her chair slyly. Sylvanas gauged the human's reaction with a skilled eye, so she did have an interest in the elf as well. He would be useful in his own little way. Let Wren have her little infatuation with him, the dark lady knew well from experience Wren, preformed her duties much better when there was something to look forward to as a reward,
"Do you like him?" Sylvanas half teased with the question.
Wren was stunned by the question, never in a million years would the human think the dark lady was open to girl talk! "With all due respect, mistress. I think I should keep those thoughts to myself. It may not seem proper a mistress take such interest in a slave's social life." Wren tactfully countered.
Sylvanas laughed. "Proper or not, it amuses me to see you go all nervous and bumbling like the first time I found you, over an elf at that."
Wren swallowed trying hard to control her whirling emotions, and failing. "At least I have someone to bumble over." She retorted angrily.
In an instant Sylvanas was standing inches from Wren, her blade was at her throat. The assassin had far crossed the line with that little outburst but at the moment didn't care. The blade drew a drop of blood running down its side onto the handle. Wren stared at the banshee queen fearlessly, basking in her wrath.
"Never say something like that to me again, slave." Sylvanas snarled dangerously eyes narrowed. "Be grateful I am in a humorous mood, and wont have you punished for that little outburst."
Wren had a dagger tucked into the back of her leather jerkin but knew Sylvanas could slit her throat long before she could even move for it. Swallowing her pride, Wren did her best to nod, "Forgive me mistress, I lost my temper." She didn't sound sorry at all but it's what would keep her alive and free of the curses pain, which Sylvanas could activate at will, for the time being.
The banshee queen held the blade a moment longer, as if deciding just to do away with the human for good. She backed up, tucking the blade back into its sheath. "Remember Wren, your guile helped you live, but your smart tongue will be the death of you." Sylvanas shooed her flippantly. "Be gone, you're dismissed for the night. Get a good nights rest, I have a scouting mission for you tomorrow."
Wren was more than happy to leave without a sound, cursing the dark lady under her breath, what did that rotting hag no anyway! How dare she bring him up, it was none of her business. Wren was still fuming as she made her way to her quarters, her mind torn between Sylvanas' inappropriateness and thinking of Thalos.
