Chapter 31 – The bottled message
Jaina woke up the following day feeling a little under the weather. She, Nathanos, Dafar, Ayawa and a couple of forsaken rogues had stayed up most of the night and planned how to proceed to find Sylvanas. The rogues were selected by Nathanos to join the search as they were assassins trained with rigor. If they were to be attacked unexpectedly, the rogues would most likely slit their throats before the attackers could lift their weapons.
Nathanos had explained that when Sylvanas had arrived at the Forsaken Foothold a couple of days earlier, she had seemed unsettled. Nathanos had approached her about it, politely of course, as no one was meant to ask questions. However, the Dark Lady had seemed to welcome the question and told Nathanos she was, in fact, worried. He explained he had been unable to get much else out of her though. Jaina was unsure whether Nathanos knew more than he let on and withheld information out of loyalty to his Queen. Either way, it was more than what she knew when she came.
Jaina climbed out of bed and got dressed. The cold and fresh air of Stormheim hit her face like a frost bolt when she stepped outside her tent. The others were already awake and gathered around the campfire. The Forsaken did not sleep, Sylvanas was one of a kind in undeath with that ability. Jaina had noticed how she had kept a few living gifts such as sleeping, crying and sensibility in her skin.
"Good morning, Lady Proudmoore. How was your night?" Ayawa had gotten up and handed her a cup of herbal tea. "I gathered the herbs this morning, it's all fresh". She smiled.
The young blood elf had annoyed Jaina several times already the past two days, but she could not fault her for the desire to please and carry out her duties.
"Many thanks, Ayawa, I appreciate it". Jaina received the warm cup.
"I'm just going down to the sea for a little walk and to wake up. It's something I used to do at Theramore Isle. It has been a while since I've been able to do that with my morning tea".
Ayawa turned her eyes to Nathanos seeking approval to support Jaina's decision to do such a simple thing. In some ways Jaina appreciated her protectiveness, Stormheim was an ancient land with many dangers. Even the most mundane tasks could be risky.
"Ayawa, thank you, but I'll be okay". Jaina smiled and friendly patted the young blood elf on her shoulder. Nathanos shrugged, but nodded in approval.
The sea was covered in a condensed smoke that laid over the water surface as a cotton blanket. The air was hazy, but refreshing, especially for a troubled mind like Jaina's. The salty breeze had always had a calming effect on her. As she closed her eyes, she could imagine herself back at Theramore Isle, when everything was alright. But it quickly got overshadowed by the present. She wondered where Sylvanas was, what she was thinking, what she was feeling, what she was doing. The former leader of the Kirin Tor took a sip of her tea as she watched the low waves hit the shore.
Suddenly, she spotted a bottle that washed in over land and it immediately peaked her interest. Jaina kneeled down on the marshland and fished the bottle out of the cold water. There was a paper roll in inside and it looked like whoever had put it there had been in a rush as the letter was wet, revealing that the bottle had not been airtight.
Jaina returned to the campfire in the foothold and handed the bottle to Nathanos who met her with questioning eyes.
Jaina shrugged. "I didn't want to open it, it could be for you and the Forsaken. Not my lands, not my place".
Nathanos nodded and smashed the bottle on a rock by the fireside, shattering the glass and releasing the scroll. His eyes widened after unfolded it. He looked up at Jaina who raised an eyebrow while casually sipping tea.
"What?" Jaina frowned.
"I better read this out loud". Dafar and Ayawa pricked their ears too. Nathanos cleared his throat.
"To whomever may find this,
I may no longer be around when you read this. I risked it all, and whatever remains of my miserable life may have perished. If you find this, please deliver the following message to Sir Nathanos Blightcaller at the Forsaken Foothold.
I fell in love. It made me weak, more desperate than I have ever been. I strived to make Lady Proudmoore my equal partner. Your queen needed a queen and she found her. If I am still alive, know this much: I will never let her go again. Therefore, I must find the cure to undeath.
Such an impossible task calls for desperate measures. While Tawny and Apothecary Jezel are working on the cure with whatever resources known to them, I have to provide the core ingredient: immortality.
I travelled to Helheim. I made a deal with Helya. She gave me the object required to control the Val'kyr. This may be immortality in its finest form, but that alone does not provide life in the sense I desire. I need the soul dust of a fallen Val'kyr. That way Apothecary Jezel might be able to brew a retribution potion.
Now for the catch, as I assume you figured there would be: if I succeed to reclaim my life, I will have to share a vial of the potion with Helya. If my mission fails, I have to surrender my soul to Helya forever more. Either way, Helya wins. Question is, will I…
I will be seeking out Eyir, the queen of the Val'kyr in the Halls of Valor. And do me a favour Nathanos, keep Lady Proudmoore away until this mission is over, either way it goes. I know my Jaina by now, she will attempt to come to my rescue.
One more thing. If I die, someone will have to replace me, the forsaken needs a queen. Jaina is the only one I see fit to lead in my place. I would hate to know her in undeath, but please Nathanos, raise her in my honour. She is the one and only. She will bring light to the darkness. Even if it is against her will, she must lead…"
Nathanos finally looked up, having read the concluding words of the letter. His eyes pierced Jaina who had almost stopped breathing. Several forsaken soldiers had witnessed the reading of the letter and Dafar and Ayawa looked speechlessly at each other. What the hell had he just read out?
Jaina opened her mouth to speak, but what could she say? Should she be flattered or petrified that Sylvanas had ordered her as her successor? No… She was definitely petrified.
"You…" Nathanos looked at Jaina. "You… lead the forsaken… This is ridiculous. Appalling even!" He spat on the ground of the young sorceress who squeamishly moved her feet.
"I did not ask for this…" She murmured.
"It should be me. She trained me, I am her Champion. Why you?! A pitiful Alliance traitor who can't even…"
Before he had finished, a purple flashing spell hit Sir Nathanos in his side so hard he fell over. Several forsaken hissed and ran to his rescue. Jaina spun around swiftly and looked the way the spell had come from. There stood Ayawa, channelling powerful shadow magic ready to strike again if she faced retaliation from the Forsaken.
"Don't you DARE speak about Lady Proudmoore that way! She has come here, leaving her life behind to aid your Queen and our Warchief and you will therefore treat her with respect!" The young priestess' eyes smouldered with black magic.
Sir Nathanos got to his feet and gritted his teeth at Ayawa.
"You are going to wish you never did that elf. One day when you are sleeping sweet, death will claim your soul without warning, and I will personally deliver it".
Ayawa did not stand down and positioned herself beside Jaina, protecting her.
"Stop! Stop this madness!" Jaina made Ayawa back up and she took a step towards Nathanos.
"I have no desire to be your queen, I am as shocked at Sylvanas' words in that letter as you are. Do you think I want die and be raised? Don't you see, we need to bring her home so that none of that ever happens! We should proceed as planned last night, only now we have a location: Halls of Valor!"
Nathanos' nose flared, but he took a step backwards. It was like he instantly remembered the feeling of being killed and raised into undeath. He paused for a minute before he lifted his hand signalling he had calmed down.
"Fine! We have to find her, so that you never become our leader. Let me know what the plans are Lady Proudmoore, and we will follow. I suppose you know her better than me after all…"
With that Nathanos turned around and mumbled in gutter speak as he kicked the plants along the path he walked. Jaina could only guess he was swearing.
Ayawa walked slowly up to her side and her hand brushed against Jainas. It made Jaina twitch slightly, but she blushed, and she had no idea why. Perhaps it was because the young blood elf had just defended her honour.
"Lady Proudmoore, we will do everything we can to aid you in your mission". Ayawa looked at Jaina and smiled slightly.
"Thank you…" Jaina mumbled quite baffled about what had just happened.
That night Jaina laid awake in her tent unable to forget about what Sylvanas had said in her letter. To raise Jaina if her mission failed. What kind of absurd instruction was that? That she was the only one fit to lead… She wasn't fit to lead a population of dead individuals!
Jaina tossed and turned, not being able to let go of the thought of being raised. Sylvanas sought the source of retribution for her. How come it felt so incredibly wrong to die for her? Did she not love her enough to sacrifice her life for the one person she held dear? If it was Sylvanas' dying wish for her to lead the Forsaken she should… right?
The young mage got to her feet. She wasn't flattered by the potential heritance of the throne in Undercity, she was mad. Why would Sylvanas wish for her death and for the light to go out in her eyes only to be raised as a lifeless corpse? Jaina shivered hard. She did not see Sylvanas as a lifeless corpse though… This dilemma was too much to dwell on. No thought was neither right nor wrong.
She walked out of her tent only wearing her night gown. The air in Stormheim was so cold that her breath turned icy when she exhaled. Good thing she was familiar with the frost as well as her arcane.
"Lady Proudmoore…" Jaina turned swiftly. Ayawa appeared next her.
"Oh… Lightsinger, I didn't see you there".
"I couldn't help but check on you when I heard footsteps. You have to apologize if I sound overprotective to only have known you three days, but I feel some kind of loyalty to you now". The young priestess flicked her ash blonde hair back gracefully. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay…"
Ayawa looked at Jaina and moved closer to her and unexpectedly took her hand into hers. "You know, Lady Proudmoore… I have always known that the dark in me was grander than the light. That was proven to me today when I performed the shadow magic I did. It was greater than any healing spells I have ever performed. And I believe it was because you were present".
The blood elf tightened her grip around Jaina's hand.
"You brought something out in me."
Jaina was staring into the cold air, not moving when she felt a pair of warm lips touch her cheek. A heated body pressed against her's and it warmed her more than any ever had. A blood elf must truly be a child of the blood. Her heart raised and pumped rapidly.
"Ayawa I..." Jaina started. For some reason she did not push the elf away or move herself. She remained still, like a statue, staring straight forward.
"I know… I know you're unavailable or whatever… But I just wanted you to know that you made me realise my true potential. Thank you…" Ayawa stroked Jaina's lips with her index finger.
"If you ever wish to realise your true potential, you know where to find me". The priestess flirtatiously bit her lip and took a step back, releasing her grip around Jaina's hand.
"See you tomorrow for our adventure. Have a good night, Lady Proudmoore". With that Ayawa walked away and returned to her tent.
Jaina finally exhaled and breathed heavily. If she could, she would bottle up this whole day and throw it into the sea. All she felt inside her was chaos. But she had to stay focused, for they were going to the Halls of Valor in the morning. Jaina knew she was going to need her strength.
