Not even going to think about how long it's been since my last update…
Disclaimer: Don't own War Craft
Openness, it cleared her mind and released her soul. The city was behind her, she was back where she belonged, a sword at her side and a bow slung over her shoulder. Rolling her shoulders back she shook her hair loose, releasing it from the stylish twist that she had it in.
It surprised her that the mercenaries seemed to accept her with no prejudice. None had raised a voice against her or Ream when they had joined, although Illyath may have had something to do with that. Even so, the leader of the caravans had posted them in a relatively safe position showing that he had no trust in their skills.
It appeared that while Illyath had assured them they would see battle, he may have been wrong. The days went by slowly, finally Carya managed to convince the caravan driver to allow her to hunt. She took Ream with her; if he could not learn his skill in a battle then he could at least learn something of use.
"You must aim."
"I am aiming," he grumbled.
Carya shook her head, "Then you are not aiming properly, point the bow slightly higher."
Stubbornly he held it in place, "I know I have it."
Humans, they were stubborn creatures. "Try then," she watched as the arrow fell short and the hare darted beneath the ground. "Next time you may find it helpful to follow my directions," smirking slightly she turned and found her own target.
"No way can you hit that, it's not in range," Ream stated smugly.
He was beginning to be a nuisance but she pushed his faults aside, she had to remember how he was raised. Without replying she loosed her arrow and watched as it struck the marten, "Out of range?"
His smugness evaporated and was replaced by awe, "No way, show me how to do that…please Carya?"
"I do believe that I tried, and someone chose not to listen to my advice," grinning at him she rode out to collect her prey.
Despite his occasional arrogant outlook, Ream proved to be quite a quick learner. After a few more hunting trips he managed to bring in his own kill, earning him a spot around the campfire. Carya shifted slightly so that Ream could sit down next to her.
"So boy, heard you got yourself your first deer today."
Ream smiled embarrassed, "Yeah, thanks to Carya, she's the one who trained me you know," he nudged her as his smile broadened.
The man who had spoke nodded his head, "I heard that the night elves are masters of the bow. That true elf?"
"I…I do not know. I would not consider myself a master," Carya knew that she was skilled with a bow, knew that she was better than all of those seated around them. She also remembered what her elders had taught her, that while humans were quick to brag, night elves should not be. It was rude to make yourself appear to be better than others.
"Yer just being modest, fact I bet you could even take me on," he flexed his biceps jokingly. Thoughtfully he proceeded to stroke his short neatly kept beard, "What d'you say?"
"To what?" she asked, looking around at the others. They were all grinning.
"To a fight, no weapons," he stood up, "Just for fun, first to pin the other down wins."
Carefully she sized him up. He was perhaps Agraelith's age and had the advantage of being larger than she. Then again, she could hold her own, she knew she could. Besides, a little bit of fun never hurt anyone. She considered it, her elders would deem it improper…but they were not here and she was no longer part of their clan. What was considered proper night elf etiquette no longer mattered.
"Go on Carya, I know you can win," Ream urged her.
Standing up she removed her sword belt and the dagger she wore strapped to her thigh. "All right."
They made their way to a clear area that was close enough to the fire to see but far enough away to avoid contact with it. "Rules?" she asked, unsure of the human's ways.
"Try not to cause any permanent damage is all," he answered. He stripped off his shirt, the man was pure muscle. She had no worries; she had fought an orc weaponless before. Not that it had been her choice.
Loosely she crouched, waiting for him to make the first move as she knew he would. He rushed towards her and she launched herself at him, catching him off guard. Her body collided with his and, even with her momentum and his momentary surprise, she found herself on her back. It had been like throwing herself at a boulder. Quickly she rolled out of his way and onto her feet, she watched as he ran at her again and this time she let him come. At the last moment she dropped to her knees, suppressing a yelp as his leg collided rather forcefully with her ribs, she was satisfied to see him fall over her.
Throwing herself on top of him she clamped an arm around his neck but he rolled over. His weight was crushing her and she scrabbled at his back, trying to get a knee up.
"Come on Carya!"
Ream, he was counting on her. A picture of Agraelith flickered through her mind; he would be counting on her to. He would have protested if he had been there but she knew that he would have counted on her winning.
She managed to wedge a knee under the small of his back and he groaned, shoving him up and off of her. With all her strength she once more flung herself towards him and slammed him to the ground, pressing a knee below his rib cage she grabbed his hands and pinned them above his head. He lay still and looked up at her with a mix of anger and defeat.
The onlookers erupted into yells.
"You won Carya!"
"Good job night elf!"
"Jaryn, beat by a girl!"
Standing up she felt exhilarated and relieved, reaching down a hand she grabbed Jaryn's and assisted him to his feet.
"Ah what can I say, good job elf girl," he slapped her shoulder.
The fact that she had beaten him so quickly and to the onlookers in a near effortless way, she was afterwards regarded with a sort of respect—one that the mercenaries were not so used to granting to women.
They were a hardened bunch, most bearing scars from their previous exploits. Large, muscled, and obviously skilled they were a group that enemies would be loathe to cross. There were few women among them though they seemed to fit in easily enough.
Once all the excitement had died down Carya found a spot close to the fire and unrolled her blanket, Ream did the same next to her. Quickly they fell into conversation as they had become accustomed to. "Good job tonight Carya, that was amazing."
"Thank you."
He was silent for a moment then spoke hesitantly, "I think…I think that Agraelith would have been proud."
"I think so as well…"
"Do you miss him?"
She missed him. After spending so much time around him she found that away from him it was as if she was alone in a way. "Yes, yes I miss him."
Their parting had been memorable to her, she found herself dwelling on it almost constantly.
The cathedral had been empty save one person, her footsteps echoed on the stone floor as she approached the alter but he did not turn. The afternoon light filtered through the stained glass, bathing him in different colors.
"I did not believe you to be religious," she stood behind him, watching him carefully. It had taken her a while to find him.
"I'm not really…" he answered softly, staring up at the immense golden cross.
She waited before she spoke again, "But your father was."
"Yes…"
"He was a Paladin, a knight of your God."
His head snapped up but he still did not look at her, "How did you know?"
"He and your mother used to take you to church when you were a child…you used to have faith...but it was lost somewhere along the way," her eyes were imploring but still he avoided her gaze, focusing on the high arching ceiling.
"How…how could you tell?"
"I can sense it in your body movements. You seem uncomfortable yet in a way that would be the same as if reluctantly returning to a place you used to love…why did you lose your faith?"
"You tell me," finally he turned to look her in the eye.
"I can not, that is something that only you know. Why Agraelith? What could be so horrible that you lost faith in something you once believed in so firmly?"
He ran a hand through his hair, "It was because of the injustice I saw in the world. My father...I lied to you, he didn't die in battle. He was murdered. A warrior of God and he was murdered. That was when I lost faith."
Gently she took his hand, "Find it then. Find your faith again Agraelith, because in times like these it is faith that leads one through the darkest of days."
"I can't believe that Carya. I can tell you something I can believe in…"
"And what is that?"
"My self."
They had left it at that. Both still suppressing the anger they felt for not consulting one another about their decisions, and they had not mentioned it at all.
"You all right?" Ream had turned on his side to face her. "You're awfully quite."
"I am fine, just tired."
"All right then, good night Carya," pulling his blanket up over him he smiled at her before closing his eyes.
"Good night…"
Horses, the sudden pounding of hooves. Grabbing her sword which she had placed beside her that night she leapt to her feet.
"ATTACK!" the man on guard called out but by then the riders were already upon them.
"Ream, it looks as if you might get your battle," she looked down at the boy who was gathering his weapons. "It will be all right, just stay by me."
He nodded nervously and drew his sword. Arrows flew over head and the horsemen poured through, brining their swords down. Carya caught one hard enough to send him flying into the ground; quickly she finished him off before he had a chance to get to his feet. Next to her she felt Ream tense, he was not ready but he would be soon enough.
The feeling that she had during battles soon took over her, she felt calm almost, untouchable in a way. She knew her abilities and she trusted in herself and her goddess. Her movements seemed to happen without her thinking. Deftly she struck her opponents, blocking the sounds of the others from her mind. All the while she was aware of Ream, making sure that no harm came to him. Surprisingly he managed to hold himself quite well.
The battle was over in only a few moments, the would be thieves retreated quickly after they lost nearly half of their already small number.
"All right, let's get this mess cleaned up!" The driver of the caravan yelled.
It took only a few hours out of their schedule to pile the bodies of both horses and men. Completing that one man lit a torch, turning away the rest of them mounted. They did not watch as the bodies slowly began to burn, flames caressing the unnamed faces.
Once they were on their way Carya turned her attention to her companion, "How did you find your first battle?"
He glanced at her, his face pained, "I killed a man Carya…I didn't…didn't think it would affect me so much. I guess I told myself that I would be strong, that I could take it, that I could place it from my mind…but I can't. He could've had a family…"
"It is normal for anyone to feel that way but you will find that it gets easier. He would have killed you had he gotten the chance that is what you must remember. This morning you fought against thieves, men who were going to take what is not theirs and kill those defending it. Is that right? You fought in defense of what is right, remember that as well. There is a difference between fighting for what is right and fighting in a belief that unjust."
"I know, I always imagined fighting against evil though...like the orcs or the undead."
She contemplated this, what had the orc said to her? "You can not classify a person by their race. I was taught humans, all humans, were below us that they were never to be trusted, that they would turn on you if a better opportunity was presented. I was taught never to speak with a human that they were…evil in a way. I was taught that orcs, all orcs, are evil. I was taught wrong. Evil can not be classified; those men who attacked us had evil intentions, just as the orcs who raid and plunder and kill."
Shaking his head he frowned, "But it isn't the same, orcs are all evil…just as all undead are evil…but not all humans are evil."
"Who are you to make that assumption?" He did have a point though; all of the undead were evil.
"So you're saying that there are orcs that are good? You're saying that there are undead who aren't bent on destroying us?" his frustration was evident in his voice.
How could she explain herself? "What of night elves? What were your thoughts on us?"
This seemed to silence him then quietly he began, "I…well…night elves were always a sort of myth to us. Used as a kind of…a warning for kids, like 'don't go into the forest at night, the night elves will come and take you away.' That sort of thing."
It did not quite have the effect on her that he had initially thought it would, instead she began to laugh. "Your parents told you this?"
"Erm…yes," his cheeks flushed.
"But back to my point, I guess that the undead are a different story …they are bred of evil."
"Aren't the orcs and trolls as well?" he asked persistently.
"No, I thought so to at one point. You know the night elves long ago tried to befriend them; we were both considered outcasts in a way. It did not work out as we thought it would and from then on I had the view that you did."
"Then what changed it?"
Thinking back to her conversation with the captive orc she smiled to herself, "One that I met recently. He…he was quite unlike anything I have ever encountered."
"I'll have to meet this orc then when we return."
"Don't think that'll be possible," Jaryn had come up behind them.
Coldly Carya glanced over her shoulder, "And why not?"
He shrugged, "Heard tell the orc was going to be killed in a few days time."
Umm…yeah, sorry about ending it at an awkward point but hopefully I'll update soon. There'll be a longer battle in the next chapter, and the waris coming up in thechapter after that so things should be moving along. Please read and review!
