Introduction

So'thas Azurefold studied the road. The crisp winter air bit at his nose. Behind him his hawkstrider began to make a series of low cooing sounds. She was late. He began to worry. Turning back to the black hawkstrider he raised his hand.

"Hush Saetven." He whispered. "She'll be here." He looked on to the distant lights of Suncrown Village.

'And what if she doesn't come?' The little, always nervous, voice in his head hissed. He shifted his feet and looked back to the road. 'I told Father I could do this.' His stomach turned. From the corner of his eye he began to see movement. Crouching down further into the tall grass he prayed for it to be Meliza. 'And what if it's a guard on patrol? I can't be seen here!' He couldn't think about it anymore or the little nagging voice would drive crazy. 'No. No will see me.' He assured himself. Hearing the sounds of feet against the cobblestone road he held still. In the dark moonless night no one would've spotted him. Even in daylight a trained operative would've had to look long and hard to see him. Long enough for him to slip away before they'd likely have a clue. 'Perhaps I should have left Saetven farther back.' The sound came closer but his hawkstrider made no sound. 'Good bird.'

"So'thas?" A voice meekly called. Far too loud for his taste. He looked at her for a moment. The plain leather garb of a low level scout. Her hair tied in a ponytail so tight it drew attention to the weird oblong shape of her head, and her awfully large forehead. Her large ears drooped downward. As he emerged from the tall grass like a shadow she reached for the blade at her hip.

'At least she has good instincts.' After all there was no way she actually knew he was there. Spingpaws could often be found off roads though, and behind where he previously stood was the base Sungraze Peak. The horrible mountain filled with trolls. He slipped behind her. Placing a hand on her shoulder. Meliza jumped before spinning around and pointing her dagger at him.

"You -" She sputtered.

"You were supposed to do the whistle to make sure it was me." He interrupted. "What if it wasn't me? We would have both been caught." Looking up at him she grimaced before lowering her blade. She looked back down at the cobblestone and he felt his eyes rolling . "It's fine. We weren't. So far you've done everything just right." He said. Tenderly taking one of her hands in his. Giving it a light squeeze.

"I have it." She said gingerly. As her cheeks began to turn red.

"Thank you."

"Are you sure everything will be fine? No one will ever know?"

"I'm positive." He said tenderly. "Meliza you have no idea how much this will help me. And all you have to do is deliver this one instead." He opened his satchel and pulled out a plain brown envelope. The green wax with the imprint of a ranger's bow and feathered arrow. He gave her a genuine smile. Giddy with excitement. Melzia nervously smiling back she took it and held it in her hands.

"And what do I do with the other one."

He thought about it for a moment. Better not task her with getting rid of it. She might change her mind and actually deliver the thing. He clicked his tongue. Not actually sure what to do with it. 'Might be worth an entertaining read.' He considered.

"You know what you may as well just give it to me." He answered. "No reason for you to concern yourself with it anymore."

"Alright then." She opened her own satchel and pulled out a much nicer envelope with a red wax seal. The image of a heart with a blade on top.

He chuckled. It was almost as if the envelope was a present he couldn't wait to rip into. It certainly wasn't the seal he was expecting. He thumbed it over. Forgetting Meliza's entire, mostly useless, existence for a moment.

"Um So'thas…"

"Ah yes, sorry!" He felt his own cheeks go red. "Really Meliza I can't thank you enough."

"No it's really nothing. All I had to do was wait around until he requested a footman to send the mail. I just acted as if I happened to be there." She gave a timid smile. "I guess it wasn't that important to him." So'thas carefully listened. Surely his own father would have sent his own personal guard or someone better trusted.

'After all, what comes next would not just affect me, but father's standing by as well. He'd be more concerned than ever' But worry tore at his mind and now the envelope burned in his hands.

"Are you sure it's the right one?"

"Positive. I doubt he'd be sending any other letter to the ranger general." She replied. He could hear it in her voice, and she was right anyway. It was not everyday that a low ranked magister dared to take up any of Sylvanas Windrunner's time by making her read their letters. With that red seal he wondered if she would have even opened it.

"You must be right." He nodded.

"He even stressed to me that I had to demand to see the Ranger General myself to deliver the letter."

So'thas couldn't help but laugh. 'That cocky old man. Did he really not care if a poor footman got seriously reprimanded for acting as if a recommendation letter was a declaration of war? As if Ranger General Sylvanas Windrunner would have cared if it was because of the petty infighting of lower houses.'

"I know." Meliza began to laugh with him. His own laughing trailed off.

"Well you better not dally too long." Shifting around he shoved the letter in his own pocket before pulling out a small sack of coins.

"No So'thas please I don't need…" She began to say, but the way her eyes lit up when he pulled it out said another story. One day he aspired that all women would light up that way upon looking at him. Perhaps he was getting to be as full of himself as Lord Heartsblade.

"I insist, and I'm sure my father would too."

"Thank you." And with that Meliza took the bag. "What will you tell them?"

"Hm?" He raised a brow.

"Your captain and the others I mean. What will you say?"

"Ah well, I was patrolling Lake Elrendar when I saw a troll at the base of the lake. I took him down, but decided that I should stay to see if there was any more activity." He shrugged.

"Oh I see. I'm happy for you though. You'll definitely get the promotion, and with your sister becoming a sorceress soon your family must be proud. I know that-"

Feeling himself becoming impatient he cut her off once again. "Yes well my sisters are all very accomplished after all." He tried not to scowl. Widening his smile more. "Well Meliza we must really both be going. You need to get to Windrunner Spire and I had better go guard the lake in case of another troll attack." He winked.

"Actually I was informed that the Ranger General would be in Farstrider's Square." She replied.

'As if it matters to me just go deliver the damn thing already.' He thought to himself.

"Ah, alright then. Well, I think it's time I take my leave. There's twenty gold in the bag for you. You can count it before I go if you'd like."

"No I think it's alright." She looked disappointed, but he didn't really care.

"Al diel shala." He turned and walked back towards Saetven. Meliza said something. He didn't bother to listen. The letter still burned. The burning had just moved to his pocket, and deeper into his mind. Saetven let out a soft almost purr-like chirp. In return he cooed at him for a moment. Petting the top of his head.

"You were so good friend. I doubt she ever even knew you were there." Turning back to see that Meliza had finally gone. He mounted, but did not start heading towards Lake Elrendar. Instead he headed west to Goldenmist Village, Azurefold Estate, and more importantly his hideout.

It felt good to ride after waiting so long for Meliza. All the running was clearly warming up Saetven too. He patted the wing of the large bird. The roads would be clear but it would be foolish to brazenly cross through Tranquillien to the west road. Opting to cut through the woods instead. Riding fast and silent. He was in no mood to tangle with bats or springpaws today. 'Who knows though, maybe I will come across a troll.' He smirked.

Up ahead he could see the large tree he was looking for. Far enough from Goldenmist not to be noticed if he lit a lantern, but he still wouldn't. Not until he was inside anyway. He stopped at the base of the large tree. It's gnarled roots pulling up out of the ground. Soon after dismounting Saetven walked over to one root near the base that was sticking out so far the large bird could even lay under it. In the tall grass his curled up body wasn't even noticeable. So'thas made his way in the hawkstrider's direction. Stopping just before him when his soles hit wood instead of cold ground. Kneeling down, he began to clear the dirt off the wooden door. Opening it and peering down to the latter. It had been years since he had been able to return to this place. Having spent a great deal of time at Farstrider Retreat in the northern forest far away from his little refuge. 'How I would have loved to return and hide here instead when my captains wanted me to go on long boring patrols or hunts.' Perhaps it was best this place had remained too far away. After all eventually someone would have noticed his absence and he would have never gotten this far.

He began his descent down into the room below. He remembered it being much bigger as a child, but the large plush sofa he had once managed to shove down there still remained at least. He plopped down on it. A night there certainly would do him some good. The sofa was the plushest most comfortable bed in all of Quel'thalas in comparison to what he had been forced to sleep in back at the lodge. Not even the sofa lulling him to sleep could make him forget about what he came to do though. Read the letter in peace. With a wide smile he dug into his pocket taking out the letter and ripping it open with his dagger. Inside there was actually two letters. He began with the longer letter.

Most Respected Ranger General Sylvanas Windrunner,

It is with great honor that I am able to send you this. The excitement I feel upon writing this letter is immeasurable. Inside this envelope is a letter of the highest recommendation from his High Lordship Lor'themar Theron. It is the highest recommendation that I am sure any of her competitors will be unable to procure. I do hope it is as ever persuasive as I believe it is.

Feyrin Heartsblade has been a steadfast companion to all she knows since the day of her birth. She continued to show such ferocity and compassion to even impress Lord Theron himself.

'Lor'themar isn't a Lord you sniveling idiot he's a ranger captain. Does this moron really think he can overstate the merits of the second hand of the ranger general to the ranger general.' He began to flip to the backside of the page which was also completely filled, and to the second page. After scanning over it he was certain that the remainder was only filled with long winded bragging about his child. 'Father may be cold but at least he isn't… this…' He couldn't believe that any child would be appreciative of this. An embarrassment was all it was. While Lord Heartsblade certainly showed great pride in his daughter he doubted she would have shown great pride in him after hearing of what a fool he made of the both of them in this letter. He threw it aside onto the dirt flooring. Turning his attention to the letter that actually mattered. Lord Heartsblade had it delivered to him first just so he could add his own personal letter. 'Such arrogance, and its cost him greatly.'

Ranger General,

I believe that I have found a suitable addition to your personal guard. She was mentioned to me by a close friend who works closely with her father, and I agree wholeheartedly with him. Feyrin Heartsblade has been a ranger for five decades now and has served with more dedication than any of her peers. I recommend her to be considered above any others. She defended her allies and her people in the Second War. If you would not accept her into your ranks I would take her to help protect the Sunwell itself.

With all respect,

Captain Lor'themar Theron.

It was so underwhelming. Certainly made her father's letter even more laughable. 'What a waste of parchment and ink.' Still, Lor'themar's recommendation was so underwhelming. Since the moment he had heard the rumors that a competitor had gotten such a high recommendation his mind raced with all the hoops she must have gone through. In the end she had about the same experience as him. 'But what friend does the Heartsblade family have that Lor'themar Theron would also call friend? And how can I get that friend…' The Heartsblade family was just as low as his own. They were even neighbors. While both houses were leagues ahead of other lesser families they were still nowhere near the Convocation of Silvermoon, or being friends with perhaps the most important Farstrider under Sylvanas herself. Even having a friend that had that connection was unthinkable. There had to be more to this. Truth be told he didn't know enough about the Heartsblade house to have any idea who their allies were. 'Are they seriously more powerful than we are?'

Surely his father would have some suspects, but if he was being honest with himself he wasn't sure if he wanted to simply let information slip to him. They might be a family, but family can be bargained with. He doubted anyone would desire this knowledge more than his father. This could one day be an important chip. Even more so if he could figure out the name of this friend.

He felt himself sinking into the sofa. He flopped over onto his side and kicked his shoes off. Ready to get the best night's sleep he's gotten in years. As he drifted off he stared at the target on the wall. A few arrows and a dagger were embedded into it. The room was so small that it was hardly target practice to him even as a boy. So'thas Azurefold drifted off to sleep thinking about target practice, fishing and all the things he once had the time to enjoy.