Author's Note: Holy Deluge of Comments Batman! What a way to make my day then to log in and see more than twice the original number of comments on this piece :).
Rock On (and others): if you are confused on the quest chain, look up the Wowhead entry on The Scepter of the Shifting Sands original questline. I am more or less following that. Most of this silliness has not been concocted by me!
Prepare yourself for angst and lewd comments and mysterious illnesses, oh my!
Zarabethe's stomach had been in turmoil since she had caught her first whiff of the stench of the chimaerok on her way back from bathing. Then adding to it the panic in her heart at Elforen's invitation, so innocent on the surface, but weighted down by the intensity of his eyes. Both of those had her feeling quite unwell, and stepping through the portal, guaranteed to knock anyone nauseous, was more than her stomach could take. As soon as the heat and grit off the desert hit her face, she staggered to the side of the portal and retched violently, losing what little was in her system. Elforen jumped back abruptly, inquiring after her health, but Zarabethe was too busy gasping in mouthfuls of too-warm air and trying to swallow her bile down to answer. She braced her hands on her knees and stubbornly tried to get control of her body. She hated, hated to vomit. It was a weakness that she had never been able to bear. She gritted her teeth and breathed slowly, forcing her stomach to behave itself.
Footsteps approached, and she felt something cold and wet being pressed against her forehead. She took the cloth and washed her face, and held it against her mouth until the chill of it settled her nausea. She stood and met Elforen's worried silver eyes. She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry, I guess the smell of the chimaerok got to me," she choked out. She swallowed and gestured to it, holding the cloth over her nose just in case. "Do you think you can deliver it without me?"
"Yes, I'll get this nasty thing out of here," he said. He searched her face warily. "Will you be okay while I'm gone?"
She nodded, already starting to feel a little steadier. "I'll head to the inn, get our room back."
Elforen grunted as he yanked on the ropes of the giant feathered bundle, dragging it towards the diner. Zarabethe quickly set off the other way, towards the inn, putting as much distance between the bird and her as possible. Away from the primary source of her nausea, her other sources of distress were coming back to the front of her mind. Elforen. Elforen and his patience with her outbursts and his grounding presence. His addicting kisses. The only person she dared allow touch her. How much she enjoyed spending time with him and worse, the lost feeling she had when he was gone. She reached the exterior of the underground inn, and stopped, leaning against the wall briefly. He obviously wanted to be with her. Possibly on a more permanent basis, from the way he had spoken before they had left Feralas. The recollection of their conversation made her hands feel clammy and her already-sensitive stomach knot up inside of her. She closed her eyes and focused on the texture of the gritty stone digging into her skin. She recognized the feeling: she was terrified. No matter how much she wanted to be with him, she was still scared that if he broke through all her layers, he wouldn't like what he found underneath. She was selfish. She obsessed. She built walls and hid behind them. Every little bit that was peeled away, the more vulnerable she felt, and the more likely she would be hurt.
But.
She had been happy. She had been comfortable sharing her time with him. He was a steady presence to her when she was having trouble coping, and they worked together like a well-oiled machine. He didn't seem to mind having been handed a portion of the weight of her anxieties: in fact he took in stride, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Zarabethe swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat.
An insurmountable burden, when shared with another, didn't feel so insurmountable anymore.
Spook nuzzled her face and whined. Zarabethe glanced up and realized she had been squatting against the side of the inn for awhile. Scrubbing the grey cat on the ears, she got up and retreated from the late afternoon heat.
"Well, if it isn't the Ice Queen," leered the stout goblin innkeeper in greeting as she stepped into the foyer of the inn. "Two beds again, or did your burly companion figure out your defrost switch?" Zarabethe was not amused.
"Just give me the damn room key," she spat out as she slammed her coin on the counter. Nonplussed, the goblin chuckled as he slid the key to her. Drawing herself up straight, she kept her head tall as she strode down the stairs to the residential part of the hotel. Their room was the first on the left. She unlocked the door and pulled it shut behind her. The sheets had been changed, and the floor swept, but otherwise was the same as they had left it. There was a sort of comfort to return to a place that was familiar. She tossed her bag and gear onto her bed, and after a moment's deliberation, the satchel as well. She stretched out beside them, feeling overwhelmed by her thoughts. She pulled the satchel to her and randomly picked a parchment to read through. The activity settled her brain into an easy pattern, and when Elforen entered the room sometime later, she was nearly dozing as she lay curled around the satchel.
"Are you sleeping again?" he asked incredulously as he dropped his gear beside his bed.
"No," she mumbled as she sat up and blinked her eyes awake. "Is everything taken care of with Dirge?"
"We pick it up in the morning to take it to Narain." His voice was muffled as he dug around in the bottom of his pack.
"Thank you for doing that, Elf. Hopefully it won't be as foul cooked," Zarabethe said. She frowned as Elforen produced a pencil and piece of parchment from the very bottom of his bag. "What are you doing?"
He smoothed the paper onto the table and sat down. "I'm sending a letter to my sister. I haven't heard from her since we left, I want to make sure everything's going well with her training."
Zarabethe listened to the scratching of the pencil for a bit, resting her face against the satchel and breathing in the scent of the worn dragonhide. Before long she drifted off into unconsciousness again.
Lorel,
I'm sorry it's taken this long for me to write. I know we didn't get to spend much time with each other before I left.
How are you liking Stormwind so far? It's a lot different from Darnassus; faster, more rowdy, and sometimes outright filthy. That's just how Humans live, though. I would ask if you are behaving yourself, but I'm sure that's a pretty useless effort. At least try to stay out of jail, as it might take awhile to reach me for bail money.
The Quest. Well, as you can guess, the dragon did not eat us, although I do have a new scar to show for the battle beforehand. It's divided into three sections, and we're only on a small portion of the first one. I am not sure if I trust Anachronos's intentions behind it: Elder Dragon or not, he is still a dragon, and you know how they are. We seem to be mostly based out of Gadgetzan and the surrounding area right now, so if you write me back, send it to the inn here, I'll find it eventually.
Traveling with Zarabethe has been interesting to say the least. She hardly seems to sleep: it seems she exists off of reading and tracking. Sometimes her pet has more of a sense of self-preservation than she does. In spite of this we're getting on well, and I'm not eager to leave her side just yet. I decided to sign up with this quest to get out of town and do something different for awhile, and we've had no lack of that.
We passed through Darnassus a few months ago. I did not see any of our family there, although I did not go strolling through the Cenarian Enclave either. If anyone saw me, they did not hail me to talk. Zarabethe and I witnessed a baby blessing at the Temple. It reminded me when when our parents did that with you. It seems they mostly got what they wanted: a baby girl strong in the druidic ways. They probably did not ask for your rebellious nature though.
Have our parents tried to contact you? They never did with me, but then I'm sure they were relieved when I left. I would think they would at least send Terral or Alfric to try and convince you to return. If they do, and you want to go back, please don't hesitate. Seeing you again has been one of my greatest wishes for a long time, but I do not want you to estrange yourself on my account. Take care of yourself first, and don't worry about me.
I miss you, little sister. I don't know when our journey will bring us back to Elwynn Forest, but if it does, I promise to stop in to visit.
Love you,
Talrend
Zarabethe held a handkerchief over her nose as she knocked on the door to the gnome's house. Her stomach was still iffy this morning when she got up and she was taking no chances until they delivered Narain's strange order. The crate in question was attached to a sled pulled by a pair of raptors. Dirge had seemed happy to have it out of his kitchen this morning when they showed up, returning to his cooking as soon as he recognized them. Zarabethe had kept the cloth tied over the lower half of her face as she helped Elforen load it and for the entire journey. She was still embarrassed over yesterday, both by her illness and her laziness, and she wanted no repeats. The strap of the satchel burned slightly where it rubbed against her raw shoulder, reminding her of the greater task she had been entrusted with, and she was determined not to become too distracted by her thoughts and feelings for the warrior standing behind her. It could all wait: this was what was important right now.
Narain flung the door open as soon as her hand left the door, as if he had been standing there waiting the entire time they had been gone.
"You're here! You've brought it!" the gnome was so excited he did a dance right there in the doorway. Zarabethe was grateful for the handkerchief to cover her smirk at his antics.
"Here, here, bring it in here!" the gnome disappeared into the kitchen, followed shortly by scraping sounds. With much shoving and muttered swear words, the two night elves got the crate shoved through the doorway and into the center of the kitchen. Zarabethe had no idea how he was going to open the crate or eat anything once he had, as his table was now trapped between the wall and the box, but Narain didn't seem fussed by the details. He came scurrying in from the back rooms and handed a large gold key to Elforen.
"Draconic for Dummies is on a hidden island south of Long Beach. The only way to reach it is with a boat I have enchanted to take you only to the island, and that key will let you operate it. Now don't lose it!" the gnome shook his finger at them. "It's the only one I have!"
The gnome rocked back and forth on his toes for a moment, eyeing the noxious crate in his kitchen. "Well you two had best be going now, lots of adventuring to do! If you'll excuse me," he said, ushering them to the door. It slammed shut as soon as they stepped outside.
"Creepy little bastard," Zarabethe heard Elforen mutter to himself as they mounted up on their raptors.
After dropping the wooden sled off in Gadgetzan, the two night elves headed south. Elforen fanned himself with the front of his shirt, trying to relieve some of the blazing heat. He would have been happy to leave the next day, as the trip south was nearly twice as long as the one to the psychic's house, but yesterday's laziness seemed to have lit a fire in Zarabethe that he couldn't argue with. She pressed on, barely stopping for water as they headed south. When he reminded her to take a break during the worst heat of the day, she first looked as if she would argue with him about it. She seemed to change her mind quickly though, and wordlessly helped put up the shelter. When they finally collapsed under it for a break, she leaned her head back against the rock and closed her eyes, and he could read the exhaustion in her face. He nudged her and pushed her water canteen in her hands.
"Don't let yourself get dehydrated, we have a long way to go," he reminded her. She nodded and took a drink, then poured a little of it out onto her face to wash the grit off. Her face still looked as pale as it did yesterday after she had gotten sick, although she had claimed to be perfectly well this morning. He leaned back against the rock as well.
"Still feeling okay?" he tried to ask casually. He took a sip of water, then tapped his boot against hers. "Otherwise, I'll give you some distance. Don't want vomit on my nice boots, you know."
She snorted and rolled her leg to the side, tapping him back. "I'll make sure and aim for your feet next time." She sounded a bit more like herself, and he reached down to clasp her hand as she leaned her head against his shoulder and relaxed.
They took shelter that night at his insistence, where Elforen knew he slept like a rock, and she didn't seem to sleep at all. There were dark shadows under her eyes when she woke him up at dawn. They got on the road quickly, and finally hit the shoreline at mid-morning.
Elforen shaded his eyes as he glanced up and down the beach. He could see nothing but sand and rocks.
"Do you see anything?" he called to Zarabethe. She was several yards away conducting her own search. At least the air was cooler here, next to the sea. He dismounted and walked the raptor down near the water's edge. A slight breeze blew spray onto his face, and he breathed in the fresh salty smell. In the far distance, he could just make out a smudge of dark against the blue-green water. He hoped the boat was enchanted for speed as well, because that was a long distance to row.
"I think this is it," came Zarabethe's dubious answer. He jogged down to her and saw her digging in a pile of rotted wood. He joined her in moving the concealing planks.
"You have got to be kidding me." The boat underneath was just as dilapidated as the debris strewn on top of it. It was barely big enough to hold the two of them and Spook, and there were places in the bottom where it was rotting through. On the inside front, next to a painted eye, was a keyhole that led nowhere. The symbol matched the one adorning the sign on Narain's door announcing his profession.
"This thing better be enchanted to stay afloat," Zarabethe grumbled as she grabbed the bow of the small boat and pulled it towards the shoreline. He pushed against the stern and together they got it into the water. Elforen eyed it carefully for a moment. It had no rudder or tiller, no oars, or sail. There was nothing to steer it with at all. Despite the holes in the bottom, it did not appear to be taking on water. Zarabethe stood with her arms crossed beside him.
"I guess you get in and it goes by itself," she said with doubt in her voice.
"Only one way to find out," he said, and climbed in. After some creative arranging, they got everything fit snugly in the boat, which did not even seem to be weighted down. Clearly it was more than it seemed. Elforen slipped the key into the keyhole, and he felt a hum of magic surround them. The boat slowly, under its own power, turned its nose directly to the south, toward the smear on the horizon that was the hidden island. Then without warning, it shot off, faster than any mount he had ever ridden. Elforen clung to the rail as tight as he could, and glanced behind him. By some miracle the supplies were still wedged tightly in the bottom of the boat and Zarabethe had a death grip on the seat in front of her. He turned back to front and leaned into the wind that blasted against his face. He laughed in exhilaration as the boat raced across the water. They were moving faster than even a gryphon now, and the boat never bucked or faltered against the waves below them. The dark smudge in front of them slowly grew larger and more substantial.
"That gnome may have terrible taste in food, but he sure knows how to travel," Elforen yelled behind him. "Isn't this great?"
When she didn't answer, he turned to check on her. She was kneeling in the bottom of the boat with her arms wrapped around her middle, eyes squeezed tightly shut. What he could see of her face looked very pale.
"Hey, are you okay?" He shifted to hold on with one arm as he reached for her with the other. He tried to touch her face, and she shook her head at him. She pantomimed throwing up and then curled up into an even tighter ball against the bottom of the boat. He patted her back reassuringly before turning back to the front of the boat, his enthusiasm dampening. He couldn't recall Zarabethe ever getting seasick before, but the speed of the boat was obviously making her miserable.
They were approaching the small island quickly, and the magical transport started to slow, bouncing up and down a bit with the waves. Elforen felt the boat shift and then cringed as he heard Zarabethe retch over the side. The boat continued to slow, until it reached the shallow water of the sandy island. Of its own accord, it rotated to the left and drifted along to the back of the island. Zarabethe moaned as it crested a low wave and steeling himself, he crouched beside her in the back of the boat.
"Since when do you get seasick?" he asked, only partially joking. She had no problem on the ship that took them from Stormwind to this continent. She shook her head and swallowed loudly.
"Never," she whispered. "Portals sometimes bother me, and I don't like to ride gryphons, but I've always been fine on boats." The boat jolted as it ran itself ashore in a small cove at the back of the island, and she gripped the rail with white knuckles.
"Maybe the enchantment?" She shrugged with one shoulder in response. He stood and stepped onto the white sand of the beach, shading his eyes with one gloved hand. At the back of the cove was a small hut, right where the gnome had said it would be. He reached down to Zarabethe and she took his hand, gripping tight as she pulled herself out of the skiff.
"I hate to tell you this, but there are going to be lots of boat rides on this quest. You're going to have to get your sea legs back or you're going to be miserable." She didn't relent her hold on his hand as he led them to their destination.
"Maybe my inner equilibrium is off?" she wondered hesitantly. She finally released his hand, and taking a deep breath, steadied herself upright. In one movement, she drew her bow and nocked an arrow, putting it directly into the center of a coconut at the top of a palm tree. It fell to the ground with a thump, and she grinned at it despite her discomfort.
"My aim is still true." She dislodged the arrow and carried her quarry back to him. She tossed it in the air as they continued to the straw hut.
"A cousin of mine had horrible motion sickness," Elforen mused thoughtfully as he pushed aside the flap of cloth that served as a door, and they ducked inside. There was not much inside, just a rough chair and table, and at the back a heavy wooden trunk. There was a keyhole on the lid, and it was inscribed with the same symbol that was on the magical boat. Elforen produced the key from his pack as Zarabethe placed the impaled coconut on the table.
"I remember my grandmother kept peppermint oil around for him whenever they traveled. He would put a few drops on a handkerchief and breathe into it on wagon rides." The key slid into the keyhole smoothly, and unlocked with barely a click. "Maybe you could try that, I'm sure they would have some at the apothecary in Gadgetzan." He started to reach into the open trunk and frowned. There was supposed to be a heavy tome inside the trunk, but the only thing there was a single piece of parchment. He picked it up and Zarabethe read the untidy message aloud over his shoulder.
" 'We have your precious book, Narain, and if you want it back, you'll have to follow these instructions...' what is this, someone got here first and stole it? It's a defunct book on languages on a deserted island!"
Elforen agreed. Who in the world would take all this trouble for a book? He skimmed the rest of the letter.
"It looks like whoever did this knows Narain. Some kind of grudge or something."
He stood and handed the letter to Zarabethe, who tucked it into the satchel. "Whoever it is, the book's obviously not here, so we better get this back to Narain." He gave her a half-smile. "Ready to take our magical ride out of here?"
She groaned as she snapped the satchel shut. "No." She rubbed her hand over her eyes, and once again he noted her pallor. "Look Elf, I know I've been trying to push faster on this quest, but can we take a few minutes before we leave?" She gave the boat parked unassumingly on the shore an evil glare. "I'm not looking forward to the trip back."
Elforen followed her out of the small hut. The sun was directly over their heads, but in the close proximity of the ocean, the air was almost pleasant. With a sigh, Zarabethe sat down a reasonable distance from the water. She leaned forward onto her knees wearily.
"You'll have to forgive me," he said as he settled onto the sand beside her "If I don't try to kiss you."
She laughed once, a short wry bark of a laugh. "I don't blame you." She took her canteen out and took a sip of water. "If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near my mouth either." She leaned back on her elbows and tipped her head up to the sun, closing her eyes. "Maybe if I can sit here and breathe the sea air for a moment and remind myself how much I like the smell of the ocean it won't bother me so much."
Without her watching him, he found himself studying her face like the other morning. The sun shone down on her long hair, separated neatly into plaits and pinned against the nape of her neck. Its brilliance lit up the nuance of colors trapped in its strands like a dark violet flame. The pale lavender of her skin contrasted to her full lips and bright eyes. Sensing his gaze on her, she opened one eye half-way and glanced at him through her eyelashes. She arched one long eyebrow. "What?"
You are beautiful.
"You have sand in your hair." He leaned over and brushed it out. She sat up and dusted her hands over her clothes.
"I have sand everywhere." She warily eyed the boat. "Enough wasting time I guess. Let's get this over with."
"I can't guarantee I'll get too close to you," Elforen said as he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "But I will be right here the entire time, if that helps."
Her face crinkled into a smile as she squeezed his hand. "It does."