Chapter 4 - Completely Different, Yet The Same
Callidus felt Zepporah pulling her hand back from his. She stared at him expectantly.
"And you would be?" There was more then mere curiosity in her tone. Then she dipped her head low trying to see under his helm.
Thank the Light for his armor. It hid most of his features away, so that she could not make out the shocked expression. "Callidus Tenebrie, of the Argent Crusade. I am here to watch over you during your stay in Outlands, Lady Hopemender. Excuse my lack of tabard identification. I was told to leave it behind in HearthGlen."
"Poppa doesn't want anyone to know of my connection to the Argent Crusade?" She looked a little disheartened at that knowledge.
"I believe it is an issue of your safety that concerns him, Lady Hopemender." Callidus was starting to regain some control over his mind and body. Praise the Light!
"Enough with the Lady Hopemender then. You should call me Zep or Zeppy. How should I refer to you Sir Tenebrie?" Zeppy sighed deeply looking him over. He was covered head to toe in thick plate armor.
"If given the choice, I would go with Sexy God, or Man Candy." Callidus had no idea where that had come from, but the shocked look on her face did draw a large smile on his own.
"Man Candy? Does that mean I get to unwrapped you?" Then she blushed, a hand clasped over her mouth. "I am sorry that was out of line."
"I would be willing to let you tear the wrapping, but seeing as to the circumstances, it would not be wise on my part." Callidus shook his head knowing the truth of those words. Fordring would kill him if he knew the thoughts that had played out when his eyes met Lady Hopemender. If he actually acted on it, the pain of his beating with the Crusade Champions came to mind. Yes, something close to that, but with more ferocity would be just about right.
Zepporah blushed even harder, making Callidus question the thoughts running through her head as well. Did she find him pleasing? No, don't think on that. He scolded himself. Thinking of her as a woman was going to have him buried long before his time. Best to remember she was a Warlock, dark and evil. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Focusing on his goal. Opening them again to see her in a new darker light. Ah, yes, that was much better.
"Well, then, Sir Tenebrie, we shall endeavor to be wise." She grinned up at him. It was almost impish that evil little grin, full of wicked entrapment. "I have to fly to Honor Hold to report to Commander Trollbane. That appears to be the highest thing of importance on my agenda today."
"Then lead on. I do not want to impede your progress out of this area. The sooner you meet your goal, the sooner you can be rid of me." Callidus swept his hand forward toward her Nether Drake. Turning to summoning his own golden gryphon with it's blue accents.
Zepporah nodded towards him. "The sooner you can go back to your duties far more noble than babysitting." She turned and walked towards her Drake. Putting a hand on it's neck. The creature reaching around to boost her up.
They lifted off, and Callidus let his eyes move over her mount. The most irritating thing was it was slow. Hardly crawling through the air. "Zep?" He could not stop from gaining her attention.
She scanned the skies, until she caught sight of him coming up next to her side. "Yes, Sir Tenebrie? Is there something wrong?"
"I am afraid to inform you that your Nether Drake is either ill or dying of old age." He nodded toward the creature.
She patted her drake's neck. "Onyxian is perfectly healthy and fairly young. I think she just likes watching the world go by." She shrugged ready to dismiss the issue. If the precious dragon didn't want to move, who could make her? "I cannot make her fly faster."
Callidus tried to accept it. He really did. The slow flaps of the Drake's wing coming in loud drumming against his will. Okay, he wasn't a patient man. never even tried to claim it as one of his virtues. Heels went to the gryphon to come along side. One plated arm looping around his charges waist, and pulling her before him on his own mount. He didn't bother saying a word to the little Warlock.
Zepporah gasped and clutched at the arm wrapped around her. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. She then motioned towards the drake that had sped up to keep with its abducted rider. "Well, that's one way to make her fly faster. Next time, can I have a bit of warning? Midair maneuvers are rather terrifying."
"You should get used to them if you insist on riding that Drake." Callidus growled into her ear. "If you intend to hold us up by sightseeing through Outlands, I will not be amused. Actually let me make the entire experience much simpler for you. It's a waste land left by the Burning Legion. A living remnant of a discarded hell. Trust me, when I say you want finished with this place as fast as possible."
She stiffened in his arms, and tilted her head back to glare up at him. "I'm aware of what this place is. I will be here as long as it takes to find the weaknesses of its demons and destroy them." She looked ahead and snorted. "I wasn't planning on sightseeing in this hole. Besides, how else am I to get around? I will not burden your gryphon with both our weights."
Callidus was taken aback at her statement. "You are trying to destroy demons? Doesn't that go against your whole, look at me, I'm an evil Warlock, fear me image? I was under the impression your kind tame them then try to keep them as pets. I, on the other hand, would much rather a regular old dog lifting it's leg on the sofa, to a demon seeking to set it aflame." He ignored the jab about over burdening his gryphon. Holding her close at hand was soothing. It was actually a pretty good idea. How was she going to get in trouble like this.
She wiggled, and he thought she was merely trying to get comfortable in the seat as she glared up at him. The motion sending electric shots of pure desire painfully through him. Then the scent of her assaulting his will with Amber and Orange blossoms. Oh yeah, forgot about that possibility. Teeth clinched hard as he asked the light to grant his strength.
She sighed and then abruptly laughed. "I'm not evil. At least, I don't think I am. Truthfully, I wanted to continue training as a Priestess, but Pagyap found me. Once you summon your first demon at five, you need to start your training to control them, before they control you." She twisted and poked his chest with her finger. "Pagyap only set our quarters on fire once. He didn't like the pants I made for him." She made a face that had lines creasing her forehead. Clearly stressed from her experiences."Imps really need pants."
"Are you trying to make this subject humorous? Because I am suddenly of the mind to turn this bird around, and take you back to the Abbey in Northshire for more training. Demons are not to be toyed with like dancing puppets for your amuzment. Pants on an imp? Better a sword through it's gut." Callidus pulled his gryphon to a stop, as he lectured her on the dangers of her craft. "Lady Zepporah, do you even have a clue what kind of Darkness you are calling into your soul playing with this kind of magic?"
Zepp stiffened, and turned to look straight ahead. The curt motion showing she was angry with him. "Imps need pants. A sword through it's gut does nothing. They can be resummoned, at least, until you kill their summoner. Then they'll move on to their next victim. As for a clue as to the Darkness. I am a Warlock." She snarled and then strangely calmed. Her face started to go blank. "The Darknessm you speak of, ate my soul after it killed my parents. The Light forsook me long ago. Go ahead and take me back to the Abbey. I'll just make my way back here without you."
Callidus felt strangely taken aback. Moving the gryphon as Honor Hold came in sight. "That opens a lot of questions to me. The Light does not forsake anyone. It just doesn't work that way." Then in a soothing, but commanding tone added, "Just so we are clear, you go no where without me from here on out. One thing was made very clear to me, and that was I am in charge of you, and only your Godfather is in charge of me. You have an issue with me, we go back to HearthGlenn and you take it up with him. Good luck getting back out of those city walls."
She shivered. "Your opinion. My reality. Anyway, I'm not going back to Hearthglenn. You're right, Poppa would never let me leave, and I'd have to level the place to get out." She paused. Tilting her head back she grinned up at him. "I am allowed to use the bathing room without your presence at least, yes?"
Callidus took his gryphon in to land. Swinging his leg over and dismounting in one powerful motion. A hand reached up for Zepporah. The body coming close to his chest as he lifted her down. "Are you sure you want to bath without me?" He whispered for her alone to hear. The hot breath tickling the soft strands of hair against her neck. "I could promise to do a very good job scrubbing your back."
She laughed up at him as her green eyes went darker. "I thought we were endeavoring to be wise, Sir Tenebrie." She stepped back, and put a hand up between them. "No, you may guard the door to the chamber, but I will not risk your safety in the bathing chambers." She waved an arm as her drake settled beside them. "I must settle Onyxian, and go about finding a more motivated mount if we are to go further into this waste." She stopped and tapped her chin in a pensive motion. "I wonder how much the stable master will charge to train Onyxian to fly faster..." She started to wander towards the stable master.
"What I would expect from a Warlock. Throwing off duty to deal with trivial matters." Callidus called over to her. The strong plate arms crossed over his chest. The blue eyes watching her moving away from him.
"Duty?" Zepporah stopped at his words. Once again he had managed to prick her irritation. She turned around. "I have a duty to this see my drake settled. I have a duty to keep Mezz from killing you for touching me. I have a duty to return you in one piece after your babysitting tour is done. And yes, I have a duty to report to Commander Trollbane. As his letter stated, it was as soon as I have settled in Honor Hold." She turned back around and continued walking the drake to the stables.
"We are not settling here. If you meant to stay the night, you should have said so before. I have no love for Honor Hold. The Infernal rain keeps me awake. If we are staying in Outlands, we will settle in Shattrath, and not the Lower section either." Callidus told her with more than a hint of arrogance. "Let us go see Trollbane, and be off." Then turning from her, he scoffed loudly. "Idle fits of grandeur and self importance, this one. It's going to take me a while to get her settled, that's for sure."
"I am a Lady. Ladies do not do this, This is a bad idea. Oh wait, don't care. Babysitting, might as well be a baby," Zepporah muttered. She knelt down as if to adjust her boot. She picked up a rock and lobbed it at him.
Callidus didn't even try dodging the rock, it was so far off the mark of hitting him. Turning he raised an eyebrow at her. "Were you trying to actually hit me with that?"
The green eyes pinched shut and her hands grabbed hold of the side of her robes. A foot slamming into the red hard ground. A sound of frustration bursting forth.
"You did mean to hit me!" Callidus started to laugh. A glow of pure light enveloping him in his good humor. "By the Light, woman!"
"Fine, I'll stable Onyxian and you deal with Commander Trollbane, Sir Tenebrie."
"Oh no, this is your duty. You can not shrug it off so easily," Callidus moved to take her by the arm. Turning her toward the main keep. "Go deliver your message as you were instructed. There is no way for us to know the importance of what is in that letter."
Zepporah schooled her features in to a regal mask. "Fine. Get someone to stable my drake and I'll see Commander Trollbane right away." She moved towards the keep with all the grace she'd been trained with. She paused a moment and then set forward again. There was a very subtle sway to her hips now.
Callidus smirked at her movements. Oh, that was bad of her. He knew what she was about. Sneaky little Hopemender. He pointed at a stable hand, and then to the Drake. A hand tossing out a large golden coin that the boy caught. "Done, easy as that."
He moved to follow her into the keep. Stopping the guards that tried to impede her path. Like a true body guard well trained in escorting high ranking Nobles."Out of the way, men. She has an important message for Commander Trollbane."
Zepporah ignored Callidus and moved through the keep with ease. It seemed that all Alliance keeps were laid out similarly.
They came into the great hall where Trollbane was seated behind his large desk. "I am rather busy today, please be quick." The Commander never bothered looking up.
Zepporah moved to the desk. "You summoned me, Commander. I have arrived at your request. Such was the urgency of your letter, I've left Onyxian in the courtyard." She spoke calmly in the silence.
Callidus went rigid. Leaning close to his charge and whispering. "I thought you had a missive, not a summon?"
"Missive, summon, same meaning," She whispered back completely at ease in the presence of this powerful man. Zepporah was not unaccustomed to dealing with peerage and other men of military might.
Trollbane looked up as the quill slowly went to the table. "Zep Hopemender, is that you?"
Zepporah grinned and curtsied at the Commander. "Indeed sir. There is only one of me and I am she. I have come with my," She paused, and cast a side long glance at Callidus. "bodyguard, Sir Tenebrie."
The Commander Trollbane came to his feet so fast the chair fell to the ground behind him. "Sweet Azeroth, Zeppy! You have grown so much since I last saw you. Has it been so long?" He rushed around the table to take her by the arms. The old eyes looking over her and taking in every change.
Zepporah laughed. "I was twelve when you last saw me. I hope I've grown, otherwise I'd be a gnome." She leaned forward and hugged him. She looked up at him with a pout. "I'm still shorter than you are." She grouched. "I don't think I have anymore height in me, so there's one goal down."
"Dear girl, your mother was not much taller then yourself. I fear that ship sailed before your conception. I am so glad you have finally come to visit with me. Your mentor dropped by a while ago, and let me know you had been instructed to arrive. I have cleared a room out in the main keep for your stay." Trollbane stepped back. "It is yours for as long as you desire. If there is anything you need, I will supply it. Even the smallest detail is not to much. I even have guardsmen to attend you, just ask."
"Thank you, Commander, but my assigned bodyguard wishes to station us in Shattrath. I truly do appreciate all that you've gone through for me." She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Would you mind terribly if I go check on Onyxian? I'll leave you to discuss the details of my trip out here with my bodyguard. He who I have been remiss in introducing." She smiled and shrugged. "All those manners, they are failing me. Commander Trollbane, this is Sir Tenebrie, of the Argent Crusade. Poppa assigned him to guard me while in Outlands." She gestured towards Callidus. With that she turned and left the room.
"So young Paladin, you have been chosen to look over our Lady Hopemender. Hope you realize the honor of that role." Commander Trollbane turned his attention to Callidus as Zepporah left the main chamber.
"Actually, no. I don't know a single thing about her. Other then the obvious." Callidus confessed as he looked up at Trollbane.
"Then tell me what is obvious to you?"
"She is a Lady and a Warlock. I was told her father was a Paladin and her mother was a Priestess, both strong with the light, but gone now. She is on her own in the world." Callidus answered with what he had been told.
"And the curse she carries? Did they warn you of it?" Trollbane looked stunned as Callidus gave him a confused look. "High Lord Fordring did not tell you?"
"It must of slipped his mind."
Trollbane shook his head and moved to his chair. Sitting down heavily upon it. "Something like that doesn't slip ones mind. Perhaps I should say no more."
"Will it endanger the Lady Hopemender?" Callidus felt worry seep into his features as he stepped forward.
"The Lady has always been endangered from the day her parents passed, and she was cursed to Darkness by the Dread Lord, Dreisirus." Trollbane had a sad look on his face. A weariness that left him looking far older then he was. "It's no child's mission you are on Paladin. One misstep could cost you much, including your very soul."
Zepporah's Journal
He is a JERK!
He said that Onyxian was old and dying! And yes he's completely stuffy about me being a Warlock. Not so stuffy that he doesn't flirt, but then he'd probably flirt with any female.
So I'm in the Stable with Onyxian. Commander Trollbane can deal with Sir Man Candy Jerkface Paladin.
Ugh. All my manners go out the window with him. What's wrong with me? Or is it him? Easy. Lay blame somewhere else like all those other Nobles.
No. It's probably me. Though, if he growls in my ear one more time, I don't care what he looks like. Those eyes, that mouth, that supremely strong physique that can pic a girl from her mount midflight.
Too bad he's off limits.
I want a bite.
Oh. Zepp. Behave Zepp. Be the Lady you were raised to be. Warlocks get revenge.
Author Note - This chapter was co-written with Sheylann and myself. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did working on it. Fan and Fav for updates. Please review! Any input helps. Being told we are doing a good job in our efforts doesn't hurt either.