As they reached the ball room, Calcepher quickly slipped behind the mask he wore when addressing his guards. "What's wrong?" He was shaken from his quick scan of the room as Jenny's voice reached his ears. Shaking his head he grinned at her, "Old habits, I'm sorry." She cocked her head at him, "What are you sorry for?" He grinned and shrugged, "I don't really know." Quickly trying to change topics he glanced towards the orchestra playing and smiled back at her. "Care to dance?"
The music swirled, and Calcepher quickly swept her into his arms and caught the beat. It wasn't a fast dance, but lively, and he delighted in the way Jenny's arms wrapped around his neck. He felt as if nothing else mattered as they danced, their bodies melding together to the sounds of the music. She grinned and giggled as he twirled her and spun her back against him as the song ended. "Elune be praised! Where did you get that dress?" Calcepher turned to find the girl from before behind him. Jenny gave a little twirl, "It's my bribe for coming." Calcepher relaxed a little bit as he smiled politely and nodded to the girl. "Sara was your name right?" She nodded and he reached out to shake her hand. "Pleasure to meet you again." The girl gave him a sassy look, "I'm sure it is."
Before he knew what had happened, Sara had grabbed Jenny's arm and the two of them rushed off somewhere. He stood there totally confused for a moment before he felt a hand clap on his shoulder. "Looks like someone just stole your date." He snarled and elbowed Tobias as his friend chuckled. "It's alright Cal, they're just going to gossip about you. Don't worry, she'll be back." He snickered, "I didn't think they let second ring guards attend these things." Calcepher let his friend lead him towards the bar. "Well, if I looked half as ugly as you, they probably would have kept me at the door." By the time they reached the bar they were laughing.
"Barkeep, get my friend something strong. He's had his mind stolen by a wily woman and needs his wits returned to him." The bartender laughed and slid a shot glass towards him. Calcepher lifted the glass and downed it quickly. "Not even going to wait for me huh?" Calcepher snarled, "Tobi, let's not make this night a competition." He slid the glass back to the bartender who filled it again and set it besides another glass before sending both across the table. The two friends lifted their glasses and smiled, "One for country." They raised their glasses, "One for duty." They slammed the glass on the table and threw their drinks back. As they finished and slammed the glasses on the bar they both grinned at each other. "But always two for trouble."
\
"If you taking shots like that, you're not going to be any good to either of your ladies tonight." They both turned around and groaned. "Silvia, always a pleasure to have your wonderful company." Calcepher snickered as Tobi lied between his teeth. Neither of them had gotten along with the female scout. Silvia belonged to another division of the council. She was in charge of maintaining contacts with the underground and finding out information that otherwise would be lost to them. "Well, if you'll excuse me Silvia, I've got to go find my date." Calcepher clapped Tobi on the back, "Good luck friend." As he started walking away he heard Silvia say something crude and laughed as his friend shouted at his back, "Coward!"
He sat at a table for a moment and waited, constantly glancing around almost as if he were lost. He hadn't seen Jenny since she had disappeared with her friend. He stared down at the last full shot glass on the table and shrugged, a little courage in a glass never hurt no one. He gulped down the last of his drink and stood up. He wobbled for a moment and almost lost his balance. Standing so quickly had never seemed like a worse idea. Luckily he found someone wrapping an arm around his waist and hooking his arm over their shoulder. "Easy there captain, we wouldn't want you to end up on the floor." He grinned as Jenny helped him sit back down. "I guess that's all for dancing?" He shook his head. He had been much more drunk than this before, and had always managed to accomplish his goals. "So, where did you run off to?" He chuckled at the half smile and sideways gaze she gave him, "Girl talk." He nodded, "Nothing bad I hope." She grinned fully, "Only the best." Calcepher stood up slowly as the music changed to a slower song. "How about that dance?"
The music swirled, and Calcepher let his usually calculating mind take a rest as he fully submerged himself in his enjoyment of the dance. He held Jenny close to him, his hand guiding her movements from the small of her back. Everything seemed perfect.
"Captain, if I might have a word." The stern voice behind him had his back rigid. He stopped moving but didn't turn around. He already knew who it was standing at his back. "Ambassador Truman, if you don't mind, I'm trying to show this pretty lady a good time." As soon as he felt a hand wrap around his arm, he threw an elbow backwards catching the man behind him in the middle. As he heard the whoosh of the man losing his breath, he gave Jenny an apologetic glance and turned, squaring his shoulders. Truman righted himself quickly, not to be outdone and glared back.
"Need I remind you of your stature in this world? It was beyond my control to allow you into the Eternal Families, but it was done and here you are. And now I see that you have stooped down to dancing with common street trash." Calcepher growled as he stepped in front of Jenny. He heard her gasp at the horrible jab. "Ambassador, need I remind you of your stature in this world? I do not believe that it is written anywhere that a representative, especially one as vulgar as you, has any right interfering with the rings of another council member. And since I am the captain of the first ring to the figurehead of the council you serve, I believe that means I outrank you. And the next time you decide to throw the slime of indignation around like the common trash that you speak of so vehemently, I suggest you pick someone other than the lady I am dancing with. ." Calcepher heard the music crash to a stop and watched as the room quickly began picking sides. "I guess you're right captain. She is just street trash, but after all, you're a bastard child of some Elune forsaken woman who cast you aside at birth. The two of you are a perfect fit." He huffed at the people slowly started moving from one side to the other.
He watched Tobi make his way to his side, and Silvia stand just behind Truman. However much the woman annoyed him, he was certainly glad she knew where her loyalties lied. He knew that if things turned bad, she would quickly put the ambassador down from behind. Truman turned to face his growing audience, "He speaks to me about rank and dignity? Look at the whore he has standing behind him like a good little pet. I'm sure she'll make a lovely prostitute someday. Maybe you can even show her the ropes." Calcepher wished he had a blade with him right now, but settled for the feel of his arcaic magic slowly filling his hands. The motion before him was quick. Someone pushed past Truman and ran right into him. Calcepher didn't know if they tripped or if they were pushed, but as the prissy looking girl shoved her way back upright and past him, he heard a shocked squeal and spun to see Jenny's new dress torn and wine drenching her upper chest which had been exposed. He heard the word "slut" mentioned to Jenny who was fighting desperately not to cry, and failing.
Calcepher watched everything bathed in blood red. He had never been so furious in his entire life. He grabbed the girl and without thinking snapped her neck like a twig. Throwing her body to the floor he smashed her skull as if it were nothing more than trash under his boot, and spun towards Truman. He watched everyone gasp and step back as he growled. His hands felt warm as they were quickly filled with flames. He wanted to slaughter everything that stood before him. He wanted to repaint the ball room red with their blood. He saw Truman trying to push his way backwards through the crowd and prepared to pounce.
"That will be enough!" He froze in his steps. Only one woman's voice could have ever done that. "Calcepher Justify Melkin! Don't take one more step." He felt the flames quickly vanish from his hands. He still hadn't moved. Jaina's strong voice filled his ears, and he knew that when he turned he would find her weakening body sitting in her chair and Thrall beside her. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He knew the scolding was going to be bad. He had lost his temper before this, but never to the point where he took another life.
"I think you have some explaining to do." He watched the other side of the room, where all of Truman's supporters had stood, start to empty quickly. He recognized the rough voice and cursed himself. He could explain what had happened to Jaina, but to Thrall, he didn't know if his convictions would hold up.
He turned slowly and was shocked at the faces he saw. The room was now completely empty, and he was shocked at who was there. Not only had Jaina brought Thrall to stand at her side, but Cairne stood on the other. Silvia, Tobi, and Jenny also stood, still in their places, and he hated himself for the fear he saw painted over Jenny's face. He lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I lost my temper. But in my defense," he gazed down at the dead girl, "the recently departed deserved what she got. No one is going to speak to me about elite blood, and one person being better than another because of their birth." He saw Jenny's eyes flash something strongly for a moment before her fear covered it up.
He watched the Tauren nod in agreement before glancing over at Thrall who glared at him. "The boy is right. He was obviously standing up for the lass here. He acted, in my opinion, as a gentleman. All of a gentleman's work is bloody. It's the price we pay, the blood on our hands." He stared at Jaina who glared back. She had grown old, and was close to the end of her days. Regardless, she could still intimidate him speechless.
He watched the three main council members discuss what was to be done now. He glanced back at Jenny, who was holding her torn dress up with as much dignity as she could. Sniffled slightly and he wanted so badly to erase the look of terror from her eyes. But he knew it was fear of him, and it tore him apart inside. He would have never hurt her. He did what he did for her.
"Captain," he turned his eyes back to Jaina as she spoke slowly. "Do not for a moment believe that this sort of behavior is going to go unpunished. But it is our decision that you will continue your duties through the night, and report to the council room first thing in the morning for your punishment." He nodded slightly as he watched them turn and slowly leave the room, Jaina's chair lifting and floating ahead of the orc and tauren.
"I can't believe you did that!" Calcepher turned to Tobi who stood over the body. "You know that's Chelsea Silverdart from across the sea. Her family was one of the last to come over from Theramore. And you just ended their bloodline." Calcepher shook his head and quickly found a chair to sit in. Hiding his face in his hands, he felt ruined. He was to be sentenced by the unified council, and the whole reason centered on a girl that was now terrified of him. He wanted to shout, and cry at the same time. He tried so hard to show people he wasn't some monster like his appearance, but after all his years of loyal service to the council, his work might be erased in a single night.
He felt fingers run through his hair, and quickly glanced up to see Jenny's watery eyes gazing into his own. She was still frightened, but she held his face in her hands for a moment, and neither of them said a word. He wanted to tell her that he would never hurt her. He wanted to say anything to ease the fear in her eyes. "Are you going to get into a lot of trouble for this?" He looked at her shocked for a moment as her words dripped with concern. He thought about it for a moment. "I will probably be removed from my position, but I will still remain in the first ring. The council has instituted no laws against murder, because it is always too time consuming to investigate fully." He watched her face softened slightly, "But, wasn't she from an important family?" Calcpeher almost laughed, "There is hardly anyone in Azeroth who comes from a more important family than my own. But, yes she was moderately placed in the social ladder." He heard Silvia snicker. "Well, she also only had moderately placed brain cells too. She should have known better than to pull a stunt like that." Calcepher saw Jenny shiver and instantly yanked his jacket off. "I'm so sorry Jenny; I should be paying more attention." He settled the jacket over her shoulders and she wrapped it closer to herself.
Silvia snickered loudly, "I never liked her anyways. She always seemed a little too prissy to me." Calcepher smiled weakly, "Well, she isn't going to bother any of us again." Everyone, as if on que, turned and glanced at the mess on the floor that used to be a person. He felt a finger jab into his shoulder. "You still owe me a dance mister." He grinned up at Jenny as she stepped over the corpse on the floor and stood waiting for him in the center of the room. The band had long run for cover, but he nodded and smiled at her as she started humming. "I suppose you're right." Tobi chuckled, and he saw Silvia grab his arm and start to drag him towards the door. "Let's give them some privacy. I think Cal's earned it." He smiled at them as Tobi sighed and let himself be dragged out of the room.
The silence filled every space, and would have driven anyone else to begin rattling words senselessly to fill the void. Calcepher snaked his hands around Jenny's slim waist unaware of the total absence of sounds as they began dancing to a song only they could hear. Jenny pressed against him tightly, and Calcepher grinned to himself, his dark leathery wings moving slightly to keep him balanced. He inhaled the scent of her hair, and was reminded of a playful wind in spring. He felt her timid hands wrap up around his back until her fingers touched the base of his wings and stopped. She glanced up at him for a moment as she tested the waters. He beamed a smile down into her eyes and she grinned back as she pressed her cheek against his chest. He sighed as they moved together flawlessly without any sounds other than the clicking of their shoes on the floor.
Tobias cracked the door a little more to let Silvia peak in as well. He grinned broadly. The girl complemented his comrade so well. She was just slightly shorter than Calcepher, but her slender form looked so much more fragile and delicate as she moved next to her partner. Tobias grinned and turned up to look at Silvia. "What would you think of me, if I had those wings and horns like him?" Silvia's laughter coated his ears, and he couldn't help but chuckle. His perspective of the human agent was rapidly changing. "I think you wouldn't be half as dashing as Cal. He just has the glow around him of greatness, even if he is somewhat startling at first. After all, I wonder sometimes if he would be half as handsome if he were just a normal Blood Elf." Tobias cocked his head at her wicked grin and slightly mocking tone. He was about to snarl at her when she smiled sweetly, which seemed more of a mockery than anything else. "But then again, sometimes all a girl needs a familiar face to wake up to in the morning." He cracked a slow grin as she smiled and nestled her head against his shoulder. "Why don't we leave them to their own worlds, and go in search of our own." Silvia stood up and started walking down the hall before flipping her hair back and grinning at him, giving her hips a provocative sway as she began walking faster. He didn't need any further coaxing as he carefully closed the door and went after her.
Jenny strolled down the torch lit hall oblivious to everything around her. She had danced with Calcepher until Tobi came back and had dragged him away to make their rounds. She had let him go finish his job and taken the time to wander around the various places in the council building. She smiled to herself as she hummed a little tune that had gotten stuck in her head. She stopped and stared up at another picture of Calcepher. He was younger in this painting. But she could still see the flashing intensity of his green eyes, and the posture which spoke volumes to her about how serious he took his dignity and duty. She grinned, even through he was slightly bigger than the blood elves, and he had those curling horns cresting from his head of blond hair; he still resembled the refined features of the elves strongly. She couldn't have imagined him as anything else. She grinned as she started to skip down the hall, when the sound of glass shattering on the stone floors had her frozen in mid-step.
"You will listen to me, and do as I say. And I am telling you that in order for this to work, we are going to need to unify the fallen lands of Kalimdor and begin rebuilding our own empire across the sea." Jenny didn't understand what was being said. She glanced around the hall and found that the sound was loudest near a painting of the Ambassador that had caused all the trouble. She slowly moved closer and saw the brass name plate on the portrait and heard the familiar voice of Truman Seski on the other side of the canvas.
"We need to rebuild from our current location, and wait until the naval fleet is ready, then we can re-enter the lost lands. If we move to soon, we could lose the cause in the first landing. We need to be ready for what is over there. Whoever survived the war across the seas has had this entire time to fortify themselves and entrench deep into the land. Who knows what's over there waiting for the first stupid fool to go charging into their lands." She heard muffled voices and tried to get closer to hear what was said. She pressed her ear against the cool texture of the painting, and held her breath. "You are the one in command of this, if you say wait, we will wait. But know that we will not wait forever, you promised us, and we will only have so much patience." Jenny heard something muttered and pressed closer. She heard a squeak of wood, and glanced up in time to see the top of the frame begin to pull from the wall. With a loud crash, the painting fell off the hanger and crashed to the floor. She gave a startled squeak as she jumped clear in time and immediately covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the door that was previously hidden by the large painting. The handle started to turn as hushed angry voices radiated from the other side. Panicking, she scrambled down the hallway as fast as she could. She stumbled to her knees, but was quickly on her feet again moving as fast as she could, not risking to even look over her shoulder.
Truman stood in the hall glaring at the back of a running girl. He wondered how much she had overheard, and decided he wasn't willing to let such knowledge wander around. He glanced back into the room at the Forsaken and snarled, "Take care of this. If word gets out we'll be undone." He nodded to the decaying men in the room. A few of the orcs of the council stood in the room too. He knew that the girl wouldn't have recognized anyone else's voice, and he silently kicked himself for making his presence known earlier that night. He watched as the members began walking out of his secret meeting room and snarled at the nuisance one little girl was causing him. As the last member of his secret order stepped through the door, he waved his hand before the wood and watched pleased as it slowly shifted, and the door vanished. He stood with his hands in his pockets smiling at his work. It would look like the holding of his painting had just grown loose depositing the large frame to the floor. Sighing, he slowly started to make his way back to his estate rooms. He trusted that the problem would right itself in time. One little unmarked grave wasn't going to make him lose any sleep at night.
Jenny stopped running as she turned another corner, and bent over her hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. She hadn't heard any noise behind her for some time, but she had kept running, taking turns randomly. When she finally had caught her breath, she looked around and realized she had no idea where she was. A new panic settled over her. She wasn't quite sure that she hadn't just heard a normal meeting of some council members, but the painting falling down had frightened her. She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes. Trying to calm herself she muttered that everything was going to be fine, and that she was not being chased.
As her heart slowed down to a normal beat, she heard footsteps coming down both sides of the hall. Her breathing hitched and she froze in place. "She couldn't have gotten too far." She heard a wheezy voice mutter as it came closer. She peaked around the corner and her eyes shot wide as she came face to face with two Forsaken. Hands grabbed her arms as she tried to back up and yanked her around the corner. She tried to struggle, but their boney grip was too strong for her and she was pulled close to them, their smell was nauseating. "Looks like our little mouse got lost." She squeaked as a hand closed around her neck forcing her to look at them.
More footsteps came from behind her, and she felt her knees turn to water as she wobbled and was pushed against the wall. The flash of a dagger caught her eyes as it was raised to her face. "Such a pretty young thing, it's such a waste to dispose of her." She closed her eyes as she felt the cold steel touch her cheek and stop.
"Jenny, I've been looking all over for you." She heard Calcepher's voice at her back and wanted to scream at him, but the hand around her neck tightened in a quick pulse and then let her go. "What's going on here?" Jenny watched the eyes of the forsaken as they glanced behind her. "Captain Calcepher, we were just escorting the young lady back towards her room. She must have gotten turned all around in this place, first time in a big city and all." Calcepher gazed down at her as she turned around, and she knew her watery eyes wouldn't credit the story being given.
He had changed into armor befitting a paladin, and carried a long blade at his side. As soon as her eyes met his, she watched his face grow hard, and his wings begin to unfurl from behind him. He grabbed her wrist gently and quickly pulled him to her. He gazed down into her eyes for a moment, "What was really happening?" She didn't know how to answer him. She could tell him that she had broken a painting in the hall while she was trying to listen to a council meeting, and was chased because she ran away, or lie to him.
Something touched her mind, and her mouth opened before she had even formed words to say. She was shocked as she found her explanation being spoken in words she hadn't put together. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and then I realized that I didn't know where I was. These two were going to help me back to my room." She didn't mean to say that. She had wanted to tell him the truth. She didn't care if she would have gotten in trouble for breaking something, but she didn't want to lie to him.
Calcepher gazed into her eyes for a moment before nodding and glancing back at the forsaken. "Well, thank you gentlemen, but I believe I can handle it from here." He hooked an arm around her waist and as they began walking away she turned back to see the forsaken snickering.
The halls passed by with little notice as Jenny tried her best to find the best way to approach the topic that was running rampant in her mind. There were in fact two things that were bothering her, first that she had lied to Calcepher and couldn't quite seem to focus on how to tell him, and secondly and more pressing, she was leaving tomorrow. The two of them walked in silence down the dim halls. As he brought her to her door, she stopped and turned to him. She opened her mouth to explain herself and the events that had happened earlier, when something completely different exited her lips. "In the morning, we are going back to Township. And I'm afraid that I'll never see you if I go." He smiled at her and she wondered why she had spoken those words first. "I had been meaning to talk to you about that as well." She glanced back at her door and then into his green eyes. She saw a slight nervous excitement there. "I was thinking. I was hoping that you might stay here. I could arrange a more permanent room for you. And we have some very good choirs. I think you would like it here."
She thought about it for a moment and realized that this was moving very quickly. She remembered her father's words as he was leaving for the last war with the scourge. She remembered him hugging her and telling her everything was going to be fine, and how she cried telling him he shouldn't go. She remembered him lifting her on his knee and saying the phrase that had stuck with her since that moment. "Jenny, remember I love you very much. I will never truly leave you. I will always be with you no matter what."
She had believed him then. Even after she had received the notice that he had died, in the war, she believed what he had told her. But after years and years in the orphanage, she no longer believed. She didn't believe in happy endings or fairy tale dreams anymore. And as Calcepher watched her eyes and waited, she did the only thing she could do without ruining what he had shared with her so far. She leaned up quickly and gave him a small kiss on his cheek and whispered close to his pointed ear, "Thank you, but I can't. I don't belong here. But you do." She reached behind her as she placed another kiss on his surprised cheek and grabbed the doorknob and rushed into her room before he could say a word. She gave him a brief smile as she closed the door behind her.
