Chapter 20 Stormwind
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love... - Marcus Aurelius
The Deeprun Tram from Ironforge to Stormwind was an engineering marvel. Bel and Gremmels rode the entire trip with their noses pressed to the windows. Few other riders were on-board in the early morning. Reaching the terminus, they stepped off and were treated to the sight of the morning vendors of Stormwind setting up their tables and stalls. The smells of roasting meats caught Gremmels' nose and before Bel could stop him he dashed up to one gnome turning some small game on a rotisserie.
The little gnome grinned at her over Gremmels huge head. "My, you're a tall one! Rattus on a stick, m'lady?" Bel frowned slightly, but Gremmels turned to look at her, a trickle of drool hanging from his lower lip, his eyes round with pleading.
"How much?"
"For you and your fine saber, 3 coppers."
Bel sighed and nodded. "One please" and she pulled out her coin bag.
As the gnome handed her the snack she thought to ask. "Rattus? What manner of small creature is this?"
The gnome grinned even more broadly. "Why, it is the finest game to be had within Ironforge. Takes a special flute to catch them. As a matter of fact, we pay top dollar to Ironforge rat catchers! If you are interested, talk to my brother Monty, right at the tram entrance in Ironforge."
Bel's face must have shown some surprise. The gnome quickly added. "These are delicacies. Even the Lady Katrana Prestor, the prince reagent's advisor, orders crates of the Deeprun rats every few days."
Bel thanked the gnome and gave the entire snack to Gremmels.
Stepping out into the Dwarven District, Bel found the air heavy with heat and smoke. Dudley had explained the district closely resembled Ironforge, as it was the Ironforge dwarves and refuge gnomes who settled there. He had directed her to an inn and tavern, the Golden Keg. 'Thaegra Tillstone will take good care of you and get you settled in.' he had told her.
Bel easily found the inn and was surprised to get a hearty welcome from the innkeeper. "Come in, come in, deary. I have a room all ready for the likes of ye and we even have a stable for yer companion. Ya do ken the humans of Stormwind don't take to warded animals wandering their city?" she asked.
Bel simply nodded and followed the stout dwarf up to the rooms. 'Myrla, as soon as our honored guest has settled in, show her the stables!'
Myrla proved to be as taciturn as Thaegra was effusive. When she returned from the stables following the silent, scowling Myrla, she found the innkeeper setting out a huge meal. 'Now sit down deary and eat. Ya look half starved! As soon as yer properly fed, I will tell ya about the sites ta visit in Stormwind.'
Bel spent several days being enticed with three huge meals a day and provided information about countless points of interest in the great human city Stormwind. The small children fishing off the whitewashed foot bridges over the placid canals made her smile. The crowds of people fascinated her. There were so many humans, bustling here and there. Merchants moved their wares from the docked ships at the quays, street vendors sang out for sales, and finely dressed lords and ladies in silks and mageweave left Bel gawping at their finery.
She passed by the Mage Quarter many times but found she couldn't summon the courage to see if her mother, Lady Melpome Mouza still resided there. She also found she was hesitant to search for the guild headquarters. Each evening the tavern keeper invited her to join in the games of knockers that she ran. Wilder Thistlenettle, who claimed to be a great friend of Dudley's attempted to show Bel the basics, but when she lost a silver, she declined further offers to play. Instead she enjoyed a mug of brew and simply watched the matches.
It was to her surprise one evening to see Myrla laughing and talking to a dark haired human male in the kitchen. He was medium height, dressed entirely in black, black hair pulled back in a thin ponytail, and sported a very muscular form from what Bel could see. Mylra passed him a bag of jingling coins, laughing and blushing at something he had leaned over to whisper to her. A loud whoop of excitement drew her eyes away for a moment and when she looked back, the human had vanished. Mylra walked back out towards her, a smile still lingering on her face.
"Mylra, who was that human you were talking to?" Bel asked, still mystified at how quicky he had disappeared.
Mylra grunted, "Capt. VanDread. Ya want another mug?" her face once again expressionless and closed to further inquiries.
It was almost a relief when she received a message from Dudley that he was coming to see her, about a 'quest of great importance,' claimed the note. He would meet her in two days.
Feeling drained by the crush of humans and dwarves and the thick stone buildings of Stormwind, Bel asked for directions to spend a little time fishing in the surrounding lands. This brought about a long, loud discourse on the best places to fish, from the canals of the city to the shores of Stranglethorn vale. Everyone in the tavern had an opinion. After Bel had heard Lake Everstill and the excellent tasting fish several times, she asked to be directed there.
"Ey deary, id be takin ye most of a day to get there, iffn ya walk. But it is fine lands ye be passin through." Wilder observed.
Bel smiled. "I have several days to spend and I could use some time in the forests surrounding Stormwind."
A table was quickly cleared and several dwarves proceeded to carve the route to Lakeshire and Lake Everstill on its surface. Large X's around the lake marked favorite fishing spots. 'Completely safe with those fine Stormwind Guards posted all along the road!'
It took Bel and Gremmels half a day travel to reach Lakeshire. It was a small human community with bored looking sentries stationed along the roadway. Standing on the bridge she gazed around until she recognized some of the spots along the lake the dwarves had carved on the table back in Stormwind. She found a quiet spot on the lakeshore with a deep pool just near a big boulder partially submerged in the water. She unslung her pole and carefully applied a bright bauble to the line. Casting out, she had a strike almost immediately. She smiled as she carefully played in the Bristle Whisker Catfish. This is good, she thought. A few hours and she should be able to refill her bags and perhaps sell some.
Her saber was stalking small creatures along the banks of the lake. She could see his tail whip back and forth and then vanish before reappearing, again and again, over the next hour. She slowly moved further along the shore, away from the town. Without warning, a gurgling loud noise broke her reverie. To her shock, a green, slightly fishy appearing creature popped up from out of the water in front of her. It gurgled loudly again and waved its arms menacing at her. She was totally surprised and reaching down, she picked up the only thing at hand, a 10 pound whiskered catfish. She swung and cornhobbled the advancing creature.
The gurgling stopped abruptly and they stood staring at each other. Scales and mucus from the fish slid down the face of the creature, as the look of murderous hatred was replaced with complete amazement. Bel looked from the face of her would-be attacker to the fish in her hand. Suddenly she sprang into action, and launched the fish at the creature. As it struck the creature's chest, forcing it back a pace into the water, Bel sprinted back up the shore towards the town, tightly clutching her pole and bag of fish. As she ran, she whistled for Gremmels. She only slowed down once she reached the road at the border of the town. She glanced back to see if she was pursued. Only her saber was bounding up behind her.
Stopping, she looked down into town and then at the two guards standing at the edge of the bridge over the lake. She collapsed her pole and swung her bags over her shoulder. She wasn't sure, but she thought she could see a small smile flicker on the face of the nearest guard. Pulling up to her full height, she started across the bridge, discretely glancing back down at the lake where she had moments before been fishing. She saw nothing.
The guard clearly but quietly called after her "Catch any murlocs?" Bel turned back to look at him. He was a young human, still holding the tiny smile on his face. "No," said Bel slowly, "only Bristle Whisker Catfish."
He nodded slightly, "Good tasting, those fish. Best with mild spices." He added. "There is a bounty on murlocs, if you should see any as you fish our lake".
Bel cleared her throat, "Good to know. Thank you."
She stopped again and asked. "Do these murlocs make a gurgling noise?"
"Yep, that's a murloc" he answered, his grin widening.
"Well, thank you again" and she turned back to cross the bridge. Murlocs! Those dwarves had said nothing about these rather unpleasant creatures! She stopped to check her coins as she reached the gryphon master. The bag made a muffled clicking noise, indicating she had few coins. Bel sighed. She and Gremmels would be walking back.
"Gremmels, I believe we shall stay out overnight and spend time drying these fish for later. I don't think I can spend one more night in those smoke filled rooms of the Dwarven District." Gremmels gave a short growl and shook his head, lips pulled back in a feline grin.
When Bel returned late the next evening, she found Dudley sitting at the tavern's table with a group of the usual dwarves that seemed to have no where else to be, night after night. He was again recounting the tale of their encounter with the crocolisk.
They turned as she entered, her saber at her heals.
"Ey! Good fishing?"
Bel smiled and sat at the table with the carved map. Pulling her dagger, she carefully reached over and started carving. She was quickly finished and leaned back to order a mug of brew. All the heads of the dwarves bent over to see what she had added and with great gafahhs and belly laughs they proceeded to raise their mugs to her.
Myrla came over with her mug and looked down at the table in curiousity. "Here be Murlocs?" Bel took the mug and simply nodded, as peels of laughter rang through the tavern.