Wren reached Sylvanas' command tent, just as the camp was beginning to stir. The Dark Lady was already up, pacing to calm her excitement. Seeing Wren she stopped in anticipation, "Crowley?" She asked.
Wren took a deep breath quickly confining her rioting emotions to only inward turmoil, adopting a neutral look, "Dead, mistress. The first legion is working on taking the city and funneling out survivors as we speak. You'll be able to stroll through the streets by sundown."
Sylvanas smiled slapping Wren lightly on the back exuberant, "You never disappoint me, Wren!"
The human remained silent to the praise, simply staring at the dark blue canvas of the tent making Sylvanas arched an eyebrow, "Still mourning over ending it with that paladin I see." She sighed pressing a well manicure post humus hand on her temple, "I will never understand you humans. A good thing comes along and you always find a way to ruin it."
Wren turned on her sharply anger flashing in her agate eyes, "There is good in being treated no better than a well trained animal? There is good in hanging him up like the preverbal carrot on a stick, so that when my duties have been preformed I may rut my night away with him, knowing we are only together because my mistress thinks I deserve a reward?"
Sylvanas shrugged, slightly chuckling, "The way you say it you perceive it as a bad thing. Take your pleasure where you may, Wren. If you don't desire any company on lonely nights so be it. But just so you know your little paladin is stationed here." Sylvanas smiled slyly making Wren want to punch her in the face. "And," she continued unabashed by the fury dancing on Wren's face, "If you've lost interest in him there's a cage full of fresh captives, being shipped to my city tomorrow, you may take your pick of them." She smirked. "As the old saying goes, to the victors the spoils."
Wren took an angry step forward her voice tight and bristling with wrath, "You just don't get it do you."
The dark lady gave a tight dangerous smile cocking her head to the side, "Indeed I do. It's you who seems to be ignorant. You will become lonely, as all the living do, from time to time. Except all you'll ever think about again is the tender touch of your paladin. Until of course you have a temporary substitute. Only then will his memory fade for a few precious hours. So keep being stubborn it will only make the wait all the more sweet, for it's only a matter of time before you break and take one of them to bed. And after that long wait of having no one to slake your desire, you will thank me for my generosity."
"Never!" Wren all but screeched trembling with rage.
"Soon." Sylvanas corrected, a smirk on her relaxed features.
Wren's eyes narrowed, a hand slipped to her dagger. Her muscles were tight and her teeth grit together. She felt the brand slowly heat on her arm in warning, but didn't care. Was it not enough she was a slave? Was it not enough she knew there would be no chance for freedom? Why did the Dark Lady have to pick at such a raw wound?
"You cannot possibly fathom how much I hate you!" Wren snarled so savagely Sylvanas actually took a step back.
Before Sylvanas could respond, Wren stalked out the tent, where she was going she didn't know and didn't care, telling herself the Dark Lady's words were only hurtful lies. Her wandering led her to a large cage holding captured soldiers. The pitiful retches were huddling against one another for the warmth from the shivering dank dawn. One with long brown hair and black eyes, looked at Wren with eyes wide, and inwardly she knew the dark lady was correct. One day trying to forget Thalos would not be enough, her weakness would take command and that would break her.
Trembling in rage she spun on her heel making her way to her private tent and flinging herself on the cot. Running a hand through her golden hair, she wondered, and not for the first time, was there any hope.
~8~8~
Huge rats that inhabited the festering green slime ridden sewers of the Undercity scrambled to and fro to get out of the way of a person who walked through the fetid morass. The misshapen toxic beasts were used to the hulking abominations who'd befriended them, but this presences was different. This one smelled of a forsaken who was looking for…him. Squeaking and hissing, the rats darted to tell their master he was about to have visitors.
Erkmund strode determinedly through the gunk that coated his leather boots and leggings as his cunning eyes looked for any signs of him. He was the only one who could help him and Thalos, if there was nothing he could do than all was truly lost for his paladin friend.
"Stop where you are, Erkmund." A gravely voice, almost like a hiss, echoed through out the sewers.
The rogue stopped dead in his tracks knowing that when he told you to stop, you most certainly obeyed or risked losing your life. From around a bend in the sewer came the faint flicker of a torch. It seemed like forever until a small hobbled looking forsaken appeared. He was garbed in expensive robes that lay in tatters about his person. He wore a wide brimmed black felt hat that covered his face fully when slouched forward, hiding any and all emotions if he had any.
In one hand he held the torch and in the other was an ash wood cane, with a rounded crystal ornament on top, which his bony fingers were wrapped around tightly. Along his shoulder bones, sat the most hideous rat. It had patched fur of mismatch colors and bald in some places with jagged scars and half of his thick tail missing and the most yellow fangs of any of the nasty beast.
The oddly dressed Forsaken rested his cane on the wall, crossing his arms. "So, what brings one of my most expensive customers around today?"
Erkmund tired to contain a shudder that went through his body but couldn't. He made one feel ill at ease on every occasion simply because he could. The rogue shrugged. "I need something potent, something that will mimic the effects of death."
"But not kill." He concluded then dropped back into silence.
Erkmund only nodded.
Despite his face being covered by the hat, Erkmund could feel the greasy smile that was undoubtedly coming to the strange forsaken. "Potent stuff that. It won't come cheap."
"Can you get it or not?" Erkmund asked, faintly challenging.
He bristled at that statement and the rat atop his shoulders hissed angrily, baring his jagged fangs until the forsaken calmed it with a reassuring pat. "I always get what I want, Erkmund. But come now, we need to speak of price…"
~8~8~
Thalos sighed as he stuffed a silken shirt into his pack. The room he had rented from Erkmund was nearly empty of his possessions now. For months he had lived at the inn, making this tiny room almost his home. Thalos smiled weakly admitting that a few rare times it had been his home when Wren was there. He remembered them lying on the bed talking softly into the dark about there hopes and dreams. She never talked much, perhaps it was to painful for her to think of such things, but she always loved listening to his dreams. Her hand placed in the middle of his chest, while another would entangle itself into his hair, as Wren's head would lie on his shoulder.
But now she was gone. The smile faded, and Thalos went back to his task of packing. Anything was better than thinking of what would never be.
"Packing already?" The voice of Erkmund asked from the door.
Thalos didn't bother to look up. "Wren said she wanted me gone. I won't put her through pain because I am a stubborn elf. If she can cope better as a slave with me gone…then I must go."
"Oh but I have a plan to obtain your beloved's freedom." The forsaken replied, moving into the room and dropping into one of the chairs.
That caught Thalos' attention. The elf's head jerked up, his ears perking slightly in excitement. He arched an eyebrow dubiously. "What did you have in mind, friend Erkmund?"
The rogue only laughed as he held up a tiny glass bottle. In the bottle swirled greenish yellow liquid that was bubbling on its own.
"Poison?" Thalos asked confused.
"Not just any poison," Erkmund replied. He leaned forward in his chair, his voice barely a whisper. "Here is what we must do!"
~8~8~
"Make ready for the Banshee Queen's arrival!" A commander yelled to the troops that now lined the Gilnean streets.
As they walked through the broken gates into the land of Gilneas, Wren couldn't help but cringe at those words. 11 years to the date, and those were the exact words that had been spoken the day when her fate had been sealed to live as a slave to Sylvanas.
Both Wren and Sylvanas rode on undead horses into the city streets where orc sea dogs and Forsaken troops gave deafening cries of victory. Sylvanas revealed in their cheers, the throngs screaming her name. She sat tall, smirking in a superior fashion as they strode down the streets leading to the grand cathedral.
Waving to the mass of soldiers, the Dark Lady talked quietly to Wren. "Oh do at least attempt to enjoy the day, Wren. This is a day of celebration, and you're sulking like you've just lost the war."
Wren did have to admit she looked rather pathetic, hunched over, staring at the bones and sagging flesh of the horse. But what did she have to be happy about? Thalos, the only real joy in life she had known, was gone. "Are you going to make me cheer up, mistress?" She grumbled.
Sylvanas didn't answer as the towering cathedral came in sight. It was a huge building with countless spires from many different wings that rose to the gray sky. Thick oaken double doors were spread wide, showing the destroyed inside and burnt surrounding. The long velvet carpet that led from the steps and into the cathedral and been torn and dirtied with mud and blood.
Both Wren and Sylvanas got off their mounts as they reached the square to walk the rest of the way. The crowd was separated into two parts leaving one walk way to the steps of the cathedral. Orc and forsaken cheered side by side, raising their weapons in victory.
Wren looked from side to side inspecting the crowd for assassins. People who weren't cheering who had their weapon brandished. From the crowd, Wren swore she saw a pair of familiar ears sticking up above the mass and knew they belonged to Thalos. Immediately she knew something was about to go down, something that could possibly change her life.
Sylvanas turned back to face Wren only for a moment her eyes asking the silent question of the 'all clear'. Wren nodded fighting hard to hide her smile. Instantly Sylvanas strode through the small strip, cloak fluttering head held high. Wren followed after, silent, and expectant.
"Stay where you are, Wren." She heard Erkmund's voice from the crowd and halted.
Sylvanas, ever vigilant, stopped when she did. "What's wrong?" The Dark Lady asked her assassin, a hand moving to her daggers.
The strong voice of Thalos boomed through the crowd. "What's wrong, Sylvanas is that if I can't have Wren, then neither can you!"
Like an angel he appeared through the crowd pushing those who were in his way. Wren's look of excitement turned to one of confusion at his words. She was about to ask what he meant, but never got a chance to ask as he stabbed her. It was a move she hadn't been expecting. Her look of confusion shifted into one of betrayal and agony. Poison laced on the dagger began to move through her blood stream like fire. A hand went down to the wound where blood was seeping out. It wouldn't have been a life threatening wound, she noted even as her eyes grew dim and she began to black out, except for the poison.
"No!" Sylvanas shrieked, seeing a life time of valuable training and proficiency wasted as Wren fell to the ground.
In an instant her bow was out aimed for the bastard paladin who had ruined a valuable asset. But he had disappeared into a cloud of smoke, leaving the soldiers wondering what had just happened. Assassins had targeted a slave? No one was out raged, no one was yelling for aid. Sylvanas had to remember to keep up the guise. Dropping her bow she strolled slowly to where Wren lay. She was dead, there was no doubt about it. Blood pooling under her life less corpse the blade still caught in her side with poison dripping out.
A captain forced his way through the crowd to kneel beside Wren. After a quick inspection he determined what Sylvanas already knew. "Should she be prepare her for reanimation, my queen?" He asked.
If Sylvanas had possessed a living heart it would have stopped beating at that moment. If Wren was ever turned into a forsaken Sylvanas could not control her. Meaning she would be an angry freed woman bent on an un life of vengeance. The thought of Wren on the loose after her put fear into Sylvanas' heart like nothing else. She shook her head rapidly. "No, have her buried somewhere off the coast. She was a faithful slave, who deserves to rest in peace."
Sylvanas didn't believe that for a moment but it got a few nods of approval from the orcs, and that way Wren's body would still be available just in case Sylvanas found a way to control her dead.
Within minutes two servitor arrived to dispose of the body. They covered it with a white sheet, departing. Sylvanas stared all the way as they left. A tiny part of her had an inkling of regret, but she couldn't dwell on such things, she had a ceremony to commence with.
~8~8~
Wren was alive. She didn't know why or how, she just knew the agony in her side proclaimed she was still in the realm of the living. She knew by the rocking and jumping with the squeaky turn of wheels, she was being pulled in a cart with a white tarp covering her. Slowly a hand went up to find in relief she had not been changed into a forsaken. Immediately as she moved the cart stopped. Wren held her breath preparing to strike at whoever came forth. Instead she heard familiar voices. "Oh look Thalos, we got a live one back there!"
Thalos? Wren's heart leapt in joy, as the cover was thrown off of her. She was in the back of a horse drawn cart, Erkmund and Thalos in the front seat. Thalos was turned to her, smiling. "I told you I would find a way to free you."
"Free?" Wren echoed confused. It was only then she didn't feel the thick oppression of the curse. So used to it, it hardly ever bothered her, now she realized it was gone.
"Thalos!" She struggled to rise but the pain in her side gripped like a vice. She was forced to lay back down. "How?"
"Hold up, Wren. Calm down." Thalos jumped into the cart murmuring a quiet prayer to the Light for the wound.
Wren sighed as his hand, warm with the Light, pulsated around the wound knitting her flesh together. Freedom, it was a sweet word. She half expected to wake up to Sylvanas' dry voice and it would have all been a dream. But it was real, by the Light it was real!
Thalos held her hand expectantly. " Erkmund bought a poison that mimics death. I stabbed you but not fatally, making Sylvanas think you dead and also erasing the curse that was upon you. Thinking you dead there was no need of it and it was dispelled. We can be together, Wren."
Wren looked past Thalos, slightly nodding to the forsaken in thanks, who calmly nodded as well. If it hadn't been for him, she would still be a slave.
Suddenly, Wren slapped Thalos hard, shocking the paladin. He turned to her in surprise. "What was?"
"That's for stabbing me." She stated with a sly smile. Wren then pulled him close hovering his lips close to hers. "And this is for freeing me." They met in a fiery kiss of joy and love.
Regrettably Thalos parted his lips from her, but there was much to do on a single day. "We need to get out of here and find a place to stay. The Hinterlands would be a good place to lay low."
"Yes." Wren nodded but frowned. "But there's something I have to do before we leave. An insurance of sorts."
Thalos lost his smile. "Sylvanas?"
Wren hands balled into fists together at the mere name, her teeth grit. "You would deny me a single night of revenge compared to my ten years of servitude?" Wren asked.
She knew it was a big request. What if Sylvanas managed to catch her, what if she was preparing her to arrive. But on the other hand, when would she get another perfect moment to exact her revenge? Thalos sighed, running a hand through Wren's head lovingly. "I would not deny you your vengeance, Wren. But remember we have little time."
"I know, my love, I know." With that she smiled, leaning up on her elbows, to meet Thalos with another kiss.
A/N: Sorry this took so long to put up. I have been busy and then when I heard about Mist of Pandaria I had to rage all over the internet. :
