Chapter Six
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"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the Truth. Even if it leads to your Death. Safeguard the helpless. That is your oath,"
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Neville remained silent as he placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of his old friend as they watched the fifty-six corpses covered by white shrouds set aside in a corner while a hundred and forty-six more are being treated by the healers at the larger part of the clearing.
War has always been a terrible mistress and can be labeled as the worst of things despite victory. As he accompanied the Templar Grandmaster walking along the bed after bed filled with wounded men-at-arms and knights, Neville can't help but pity his old friend.
He may be the Templar Grandmaster now but a part of him will always be Harry Potter, the chivalric Gryffindor who would jump into the middle of a spell if only it could protect someone he would deem precious to him. And all these men right now hurt, Neville knew hurt his best friend more than he would admit to them. Ironically it also goes the other way around. The men are not blind to the care that their leader had for their welfare and that earned Harrold his men's loyalty to the point that before their death, not one Templar ran even as they are swarmed by Saracens, even as Harrold fell with three arrows on the chest and a dagger on his eye.
"Neville, go check on the captives that we rescued," said Harrold monotonely to him. "Thank you for keeping an eye and worrying on me but it won't do you any good if you simply stand there doing nothing. Make yourself useful and try to do something nice to those Sentinels. They need all the help they can get,"
Neville isn't surprised that Harrold noticed him hovering over him as a mother hen and promptly bowed to the Templar Grandmaster before walking off to another part of the clearing where the prisoner Sentinels have been set a place aside. Many of them have been found on the next two days when Tyrande and Shandris' Watchers accompanied by companies of Light Cavalry and knights scoured every inch of Felwood that are known to Night Elven maps massacring the Satyr tribes that remained and posed a threat. There on the camps they found many of the Sentinels and the servants they had that are stationed on the garrisons' that the Kaldorei maintained on Felwood. They had surrendered when the former Satyr King marched into their outposts with his army and demanded their laying of arms instead of being killed. Knowing their fate though, Neville can't help but wonder if death would have been a better option.
All of them had been used as breeders and playthings by their Satyr captives, not one have been spared on the accursed act they had to comply into to survive. More than one have committed suicide once word got out that the Satyr army have been defeated due to their shame. The rest despite their kindreds' efforts and assurances that they didn't look at them less, stayed away from their kin. It was this reasoning that Harrold had alloted a separate camp for them instead of joining with the rest of the Sentinels. Somehow they felt more at ease beside the Templar knights instead of the other Night Elves.
This of course finally prompted to Harrold and those with them who can cast magic to cast the permanent translation charm to the Kaldorei who wished to talk and understand them. Thankfully, other than the minor discomfort, the Kaldorei didn't react badly much to Harrold's relief when he shared with them the first contact he made with Tyrande Whisperwind. It made things easier for everyone now that they can understand one another.
"Neville!" a familiar cheerful voice brought the Templar out of his musings as a blur of violet appeared on his vision, and before he knew it, two slender arms encircled his armor.
"Hey there Jaelyn," greeted Neville. Despite himself, the Templar second-in-command can't help but smile as he returned the gesture of the person hugging him.
Jaelyn Eversong had been one of the first Night Elves that had been captured ever since the crowning of the Satyr King. She is no Sentinel, but simply a gardener at one of the outposts. Only a few decades older than Arko'Narin, the young elf had been forced to watch as the Sentinels guarding her outposts have been violated in front of her while the Satyrs hanged them before they violated her too. She had been one of the breeders that they had found when Tyrande and the Templars raided the Satyr village she was in. It was Neville who had rescued her and since then, the young elf had been following him around. It didn't help that he admitted to her that he's also interested in plants and if not for the fact that she was nervous on entering the Templar and human camps, she would have been glued at his side.
Despite her ordeal though, Jaelyn still had beauty in spades. Unlike the Sentinels she lacked the traditional tattoos of the bear claws on her face making it looked unblemished. She had silver blue eyes that glow like her people and despite some scarring on her body thanks to Satyr claws, she is mostly intact. However the most recognizable about her is her hair. Instead of the violet, blue and green which is most prominent and common among Night Elven women, Jaelyn had teal colored hair which fell into straight strands on her hips. All in all she is a beautiful specimen altogether. It didn't help that modesty is not an issue for her like her kind and nearly gave Neville a nosebleed when she hugged him for the first time wearing an attire that on Neville's exaggerating opinion covered only her chest and her ass.
"She missed you, you know," a musical voice spoke making Neville unclasp Jaelyn's arms who pouted at the action before bowing to the silver-haired Kaldorei who approached them.
"My lady," greeted Neville. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect to see you here High Priestess,"
"No please, its alright. I'm visiting my people that have suffered under the Satyrs' hands. It is partially my fault since I am their leader after all. It's only right that I see what my "good" leadership had resulted into,"
Neville did not miss the sarcasm on her voice when she said "good leadership". It is obvious to anyone listening to her that she is blaming herself for the sufferings of her Sentinels. The slumped posture, the weary and tired eyes begging for forgiveness every time it landed on the younger Kaldorei still wrapped around Neville, the face that seemed to age decades, very different from the reckless and confident Priestess that Neville had fought with, driving the Sentinels and the human army to fight harder for simply being there.
Despite himself, Neville can't help but connect the lines of similarity between this gorgeous creature and his commander. There parallelism that he found quite astonishing even for him. They are almost the same, caring too much for the people under them and blaming themselves even at situations that they have no power to change or control. Somehow the only difference between them is the simple fact that Harrold is patient and calculating when angered while Alleia is reckless and dashing. It would be quite interesting if the two of them got together. Maybe Alleia can finally spark the flames inside Harrold again. Its only time that the Grandmaster finally found some romance into his life and Neville can't help but believe that he finally got the perfect candidate not two feet away from him.
"I see," nodded Neville at the High Priestess' words. "It's not your fault my lady. It's theirs. You can't truly expect to know every single move that your enemies' race come up with. You did your duty and you did it well my lady. There is nothing to be ashamed of. If you want to blame someone, blame those who in fact did the act. You have delivered justice to them High Priestess. Stop dwelling it on any longer. Scars when rubbed again and again festers after all,"
Alleia merely looked at him quizzically bearing an amused face. "You Templars are quite a knowledgeable people you know. Sometimes even I when talking with your Grandmaster wonder if I am talking to a scholar instead of a warrior,"
Despite himself Neville can't help but laugh aloud at her words. "A warrior cannot be expected to be called a warrior if he doesn't know how to use the muscles gifted to him inside his body my lady. How can he claim to be a warrior if he doesn't even know how to use the proper muscle inside his body? Being a knight isn't only about learning to wield a sword after all. It's finding good reason to draw our sword in the first place,"
"Very honorable," snarked Alleia at him waving off the protest that every Templar spouts when people reprimand them every time they spout their words and statements about honor. "Well I need to go now. Lots of things to do. I believe I can expect you at the victory feast later?"
"Of course my lady," nodded Neville before a bright idea came into his mind. "And don't worry, I'll make sure that the Grandmaster also attend later, even if I had to drag his arse from the bed,"
He sniggered inwardly as a faint red light adorned the High Priestess' cheeks as she closed and opened her mouth like a gaping goldfish before opting to simply nod to him once more and run off. This time Neville chuckled out loud before a sudden pain on his shin made him yelp and hop as he stared playfully at the remaining Kaldorei glaring at him.
"What did you do that for?" demanded Neville in mock anger to his companion. The kick actually didn't hurt, especially with his feet covered in half-armor riding boots.
"Stop bullying High Priestess Alleia!" scolded the young elf. "Everyone is already teasing her about marrying your Grandmaster and she didn't need to hear it from you too,"
"But you had to admit Jaelyn. The two of them looked good together don't you?" asked Neville stepping back as Jaelyn glared at him even more.
It is true though. Ever since the end of the Battle of Felwood Border, as the Night Elves like to call them. Rumours immediately started like wildfire among both Kaldorei and human ranks that the High Priestess of the Moon and the Grandmaster of the Templar Order had a thing going on between them. Somehow that rumour were faced with different reactions. Many were pleased that such a union if possible could come into order while the more traditional ones were simply accepting, saying that a marriage between the two could cement the alliance between the two races. Thanks to their courage and brilliant leadership, many actually loved the two leaders and almost all didn't dream to come between such a possibility if the two chose it.
Of course when he confronted Harrold about it, he merely got an incredulous look of answer saying clearly: "Have you gone daft?" in such a simple look.
"You're a mean bully you know that?" grumbled the Night Elf.
"What can I say? I just want the best for my-,"
SPLAT!
Neville is cut off as he got a faceful of mud on his face, the force of the blow sending him off-balance and crashing to the ground. Immediately the laughters of Jaleyn and the rest of the ex-prisoners echoed in the background as Neville groaned and pulled himself up from the ground quite dazedly as he glared at the perpetrator.
"You're going to pay for that you know," growled the Templar second-in-command as the Kaldorei gardener merely rose an eyebrow painfully before lobbing another fistful of mud at him.
"Oh she's going to pay alright," thought Neville as he rolled to avoid the projectile while at the same time kneading a mud ball he could lob at his friend.
In his fun, he failed to notice Harrold and the council of Priestesses talking to one another while sparing glances at the two of them.
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"You had to admit Fleur, we're lost," whined Cedric as they reached another dead end. Why are there so many dead ends on this place anyway?
It had been disaster after disaster ever since they sailed from the island. They had been caught on a storm right just after they passed a kilometer from where they are on tracking the Grandmaster. They had barely survived that ordeal. Their little makeshift boat is slammed around like plastic under the influence of the waves and they had been lucky that they managed to find land before the boat finally broke, as if its final effort is to keep them safe at the cost of its life.
Wet and tired, Cedric and the three scouts with him wandered around until they reached this heavy looking gate who looked abandoned. Of course being a wizard in his previous life, all it takes for the ex-Hogwarts Champion was a simple "Alohomora" and voila! Dozens of arrows rained from in front of them. They are lucky again that none got skewered at that initial attack.
What followed next as they tried to wander the insides of the cave looking for food, water and shelter is waves of waves of what seemed to be half-mad violet-skinned women either too fully armored or too scantily clad as they passed every corner. Cedric instead of killing them used non-lethal force and made sure that his men remembered it too almost hearing Draco's words about "Do not antagonize the locals". By the look of hatred these women is giving him, they ae sure to be the locals. It isn't that hard actually bringing them down. Between Fleur and him, it had been plain easy to sent dozens of stunners sending them down like bowling pins. Those that get past them received the courtesy of the blunted parts of his knight's swords and the bashing of their shields.
However no matter how many of these people Cedric and his friends knocked out, the single problem ever since they entered remained. They are still lost.
The prison, as he guessed this place is with all the iron bars and magic wards that surround some of the most hideous and deformed creatures he saw in his long life, is built like a maze. Even the Point-Me-Spell enacted by him as a precaution to help them navigate is proving useless. Dead end after dead end they meet seeing no finish on the corridors they wandered. He can't help but wonder if this is the place where they will die, starving to death.
"What luck! To be given two times in life for a second chance and here I am about to have a third," thought Cedric as he sent another stunner at one of the cloaked women that got her right in the face.
They had finally back-tracked and reached this empty hall where dark robed and caped guards stood by the dozens guarding some kind of hallway that looked important. The moment they saw him and his retinue, they immediately charged like blood-hounded weasels smelling meat for the first time that even the knights with him had to join the fray so that they won't get overrun. Thankfully they managed to procure some metal poles on the way here and with Fleur's aesthetic magic, managed to shape them into blunt swords. Now they are hacking the locals with gusto sending one after another into Hypnos' realm.
"How many more?" panted Fleur as she sent another stunner that made a direct hit, evidence of a yelp that followed it.
"Not many left," answered Cedric rising from where he is crouched sending two more red bolts that hit different targets before shooting another one at his side at one who had attempted to jump over the shield wall that his men had made.
"Good," answered the blonde sending her own stunners as they advanced. "I'm nearly exhausted,"
Cedric didn't try to answer any more as the rest of the Teutonic Knights finished the last of the guards with their blunted weapons. "What do you think they have in here that they would guard it so furiously?" asked Cedric taking what could only be a chain with many keys from one of the violet-skinned women knocked out on the ground.
"I don't know. Must be something or someone highly valuable," shrugged Fleur stepping beside him. "Now hurry up Ced. The faster we get this over with, the faster that we can see if there is an exit on this area!"
"Alright! Alright woman!" snapped the knight trying dozens of keys on the hole. "It's not as easy as it looks and there isn't a label at any of the keys,"
"Hurry! Hurry!"
Opting not to answer, Cedric tried another key and another, and another, and finally another, and then smirked in victory as the familiar sound of "click" came on the last gate. Just as the reborn wizard is wondering how he could open the large contraption, he nearly got a heart attack that instead of waiting to be opened, the thing instead moved on its own revealing a dozen more gates and hundreds of traps that can skewer even a knight of full armor. The traps moved by itself shifting over one another until it finally revealed a corridor over a large room where a singular green stone pillar stood and on its side lay one of the weirdest humanoids that the Teutonic Knight got the displeasure to see.
He is gray-skinned, the muscles on him bulging, showing that he is at the peak of his strength. Tatoos of some arcane sort adorned his chest and he is wearing a blindfold over a headband covering his eyes.
Before Cedric could speak, he is cut off by the person, catching him by surprise as he spoke in English in a deep voice that echoed along the chamber's ends.
"Who enters my domain?"
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"Don't tell me you're nervous?" Harrold can't help but ask amusedly at Alleia who is beside him.
"I'm not!"
"Oh really?" continued Harrold in a teasing tone as the beautiful High Priestess at his side reddened even more.
"I'm not Harrold!"
"Really? Really?"
"Drop it Harrold!" hissed Alleia this time making the Grandmaster of the Templar Order laugh aloud at his small victory over the High Priestess as he returned watching their people gather at the wide clearing below them, most either just sitting at the ground while some of the Kaldorei sat at the tree branches to look at the two leaders who will be making a speech before the feast.
Normally at his time, Harrold would have found himself sitting on the lower dais instead of the high table he is in right now thanks to his lower rank of a lord. They would also have been hosting a tourney in honor of the massive victory instead of a feast. Alleia herself had told him when he shared this little fact about her that in Night Elven custom, they would have been celebrating with the spirits of trees called "Wisps", dancing till the night becomes day, letting their songs and laughter fill the trees.
As it was, the two agreed on something new for both their people's sakes and instead of either the bloody celebration that knights that Harrold's people were used to, or the quite raucurous tradition of the Night Elves. Harrold and Alleia wanted this celebration both to cement the alliance with their people's and honor their victory as a major gathering instead where everyone can eat and intermingle without causing too much of an activity where accidents and accusations might happen. Sure there may be a dance later but that was all everyone was expecting right now.
Harrold had to give it to the High Priestess, her plans on merging the gap of trust between the two races worked perfectly like a charm. The Night Elves not losing even single one of their warriors during the battle and seeing the larger force of the Satyr army defeated in such a devastating way kicked out any sense of bigotry that they had on the humans from Earth and welcomed them with open arms. When Harrold was told that Night Elves hate Satyrs with a passion, he thought it at first just a puny hatred between the two races and even quite felt morose at killing so many of them to gain the affection of the Night Elves to his people. However seeing what the cat demons did to their captives, any notion of remorse was kicked out of the Grandmaster and he now quite felt justified that his actions were not bad and a stain on his honor.
"Don't worry, you're going to do great," spoke Harrold in a reassuring tone clasping Alleia's hand on his own, giving it a light squeeze to offer his support ignoring the catcalls of both kindred as they also noticed the small sign of affection.
"Thank you," muttered Alleia with a small smile, standing up from where she sat; her white dress clinking on the amount of silver ornaments on it.
Raising her hand to silence the crowd beneath her, Harrold watched Alleia take a deep breathe before speaking out loudly in a clear musical voice that can be heard to the far end of the clearing.
"Welcome! Today we celebrate our victory of the Battle of Felwood. We have once more defeated the Satyr menace that had plagued our land for millenias and crushed them once and for all!"
The crowd immediately cheered at her words as shouts of "Praise to Elune!" and "It is God's will" filled the clearing. Raising her hand again to silence the crowd beneath her, Alleia continued on.
"But despite our victory against the self-proclaimed Night King. Let us also remember those who were lost on the battle and those who have suffered before we managed to rescue them. Let us not the forget the sacrifices made that made such a great victory possible. For now; let's spare a moment of silence for the heroes and the victims that this battle had claimed,"
Everyone remained silent then for a moment as both Kaldorei and humans closed their eyes and prayed to their respective deities. Humans to God and Kaldorei to Elune. Even Harrold closed his eyes as he prayed for the souls of his brave men who had given their all for such a victory to make all this right now possible. He mentally vowed that their sacrifice would not be in vain.
Once everyone finished their prayers, Alleia then continued on.
"Before we start this magnificent feast. I would like to formally welcome all you Terrans on our land formally. We appreciate having you here with us and I can speak for my people as well as myself that we welcome you with open arms to Azeroth,"
Loud shouts echoed among the crowd below as Harry's people cheered hollered and whooped, the knights temporarily forgetting their stature's and ranks as the Sentinels intermingled with them repeating the High Priestess' words of welcome. Some of the bolder Elves even placed kisses on the cheeks of some of the humans leaving a lot of red-faced and blushing young boys behind as the beautiful Elves returned their attention to their Priestess.
Harrold on his seat can't help but smirk at the events below him. He had chosen specifically to temporarily call themselves Terrans in honor of Terra which is another name on Earth. It is simply for him a way of distinguishing themselves from the humans here. It is also a precaution gap in case they would ever meet the local residents. Based on Alleia's descriptions about the human explorers that her people met; the humans here are honorless to the core. Better distinguish themselves now while they still can.
"I would also like to announce the formal declaration of Alliance between the Terrans and the entirety of the Kaldorei. My people! We have separated ourselves so long from the outside world, and yes for good reasons. But these people that have come from another world unto our shores have aided us and asked for nothing to return. They have defeated our most hated foes and have secured peace on Felwood which we have not been able to do for all our long lives. I am willing to offer them the trust of our society and are willing to offer them a home on the Isle of Tears where the rest of them dwells right now. They are nothing like the humans that have kidnapped our sisters. So tell me my people! Will any of you stand with me and fight together hand in hand with our new brothers and sisters against any that threatened our home and lands?!"
"YES! We will fight for you High Priestess!" shouted one of the Sentinels who had been sitting at the trees, her words met with mumbles of approval among the Kaldorei on the crowd.
"Will you offer them aid and a place at our hearths when they ever need of us?"
"Yes we will High Priestess!"
"And when their enemies are at their gates to ransack their lives, their homes and their families. Will you march without question and fight even a losing battle and raise your hand against foes that cannot be beaten to save them?"
"We will High Priestess!"
Harrold merely remained silent, his heart going out to this beautiful Kaldorei woman who had offered them a new home and even offered something that he did not expect. A friend, an ally, a partner and a sister against all odds.
"Do you accept mine and my people's offer Grandmaster?" this time Alleia turned to address him, her voice still echoing on the clearing as every eye turned to him.
"Aye I do," rumbled Harrold nearly shaking on the knees at the High Priestess' declaration as he stood up from where he sat. "And I offer you the same High Priestess to your people. We Terrans will stand with you for good or for ill. Our swords are your swords and your home will be our home. A man can ask for no greater honor than the trust you have given to us and I will stand with you High Priestess Alleia. Will you stand with me?!" This time Harrold roared at his people who immediately shouted, hands and fists raised in the air.
"AYE!"
"FOR AZEROTH! FOR AZEROTH AND THE ALLIANCE!" yelled Alleia at his side yelling at the top of her lungs that even the birds on the trees flew.
"FOR AZEROTH! FOR THE ALLIANCE!" the shout went from end to end as every living soul of both Kaldorei and Terran heed the call and cemented their fate as a united people.
Drums immediately filled the air and finally the feast started as everyone dove into the food filling quite proud of themselves as the two races intermingled. Wine filled the tables by the gallons and the exotic food are sampled by the humans with the help of their new companions who took great delight on pranking and teasing them. The most targeted of these pranks by the Sentinels and Watchers are the uptight knights whom many can be found later either blushing to the roots of their hair with all the flirting or simply knocked out on where they sat.
In all this activity Harrold spent all his time with Alleia, not leaving the High Priestess' side for a minute as different people congratulated them for a great speech. Even Tyrande came and didn't call him human as a start for once. She even surprised him when she kissed his cheeks throwing a challenging smirk it seemed to Alleia who had a frosty glare trained at her friend before smiling again as Harrold looked at her questioningly. He made a mental note to dig what is causing the rift betwen the two later on.
"What is this wine?" Harrold finally can't help but ask as he took a sip from his goblet, grimacing at how strong it is. Even the strongest wine that King Baldwin the Second had cannot compare to this.
"Tis Darnassian wine," answered Alleia with an amused glance from her own goblet while she munched a grape. "We grew it on the Isle of Darnassus North-west of here. You liked it,"
"That would be an understatement," replied Harrold feeling quite light-headed already at half a goblet. "How old is it?"
"Give or take four millennia," shrugged the High Priestess as she sipped on her own.
"Oh,"
"Yes oh," the Night Elf replied with a giggle.
"My men would be having a hard time keeping themselves intact I'm sure," muttered Harrold already feeling blurry as he sipped again.
"Yes I'm sure they are," chuckled Alleia. "Look," she pointed at the clearing.
The sight in fact is quite funny. Too drunk with the wine, the humans have finally let go of their inhibitions and have surrendered to their primal instincts on acts that would have made Harrold froth at the mouth at reprimanding them for their lack of control. The Kaldorei females also quite tipsy have also taken advantage of the lack of males on their society, took their frustrations on the Terrans that have not been knocked out on the wine. To say that the celebration turned out to be one large group of love-making would be an understatement.
"Oh just leave them. They need to unwind now and then," waved Harrold off quite drunkenly. A sign that he's also nearly close to cloud eight. A smooth gentle hand made him look at the most angelic face he had ever seen in his entire life, her violet hair framing her silver and blue eyes.
"You look quite tense my lord. Do you want me to relieve some tension there?"
If Harrold was coherent, he would have bolted as fast as a deer from the sultry voice this female was using. As it was, he merely nodded drunkenly and moaned as soft lips met his tasting like Darnassian wine and wildberries. He could feel her soft body sitting on his lap and he isntinctively raised his hands to her rear and hair, marveling at how soft it was.
Let's just say that during the entirety of the celebration, Harrold James Potter acted not like the honorable Grandmaster he is, as he cemented his union with the High Priestess of the Kaldorei under the influence of wine.
He's so screwed.
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So that's that. I'm sorry if I didn't rush the story as promised. I just watched the movie Warcraft and it was awesome! hihihi. I think Im going to be sick if they ever make a sequel. Alleria would be there. I adore the Windrunner sisters and Im going to watch her sacrifice herself.
Please review and fav.
I had to wonder. What is the difference between Rated T and M?
Everyone keeps telling me to press the bubble to reply to reviews. I dont see any bubble here. I want to badmouth Lustmaster personally but I cant!
Ideas are still juggling in my head what to name Harrold's city. Opinions are really wanted.
Ive read Newcomers again andd I pity Alexstrasza. Any facts about her first capture will help. I think Im going to include her here and let the Templars save her butt. And also character traits about her please. Ive seen her pictures by Mimic. I had to ask, did they really rape her? I mean, how the hell did they force a dragon to have that humanoid form? And how did they capture her in the first place.
First things first though. I guess you can guess who is Neville's partner now. She is the champion of Darnassus I believe in WOW, but here I prefer her as a gardener...for now. Focusing more on Harrold and his people next chapter. That's a promise. By the way, the floating city idea is a good one. I remember watching Legend of Zu mountain where the schools are floating.
Please review. Hey, Im worried. My reviews are catching up to my favs. Somebody told me it is a bad thing. Is it?
And yes, Harrold and Alleia just did you-know-what. I'm afraid to write lemon. I blush every time I do..sorry ihihihi. Im not Cassie remember? She's good at it, not me.