Chapter 4
The young man sighed at the lengthy list in his hands. He was far too old to still be running errands for his grandmother, but she insisted that he was the only one that seemed to know what type of everything she preferred: inks, parchment, linen, vials, all manner of herbs, a thorium widget - what on Azeroth did she want that for? - and of course, their afternoon meal. He wasn't even certain he would make it back in time for them to have a chance to actually eat the food he purchased, but knowing his grandmother she'd probably be too engrossed in whatever project she was working on to notice.
He deftly sidestepped a petite woman over-encumbered with packages as he made his way into the perilous heart of Stormwind's Trade District, dreading the frenzied cries of people all vying for the same auction and the price-mongering merchants that would try to barter everything down to the last copper.
"Donation for Stormwind's ongoing reconstruction plan, sir? We are still in need of new roads and much more-"
"Yes, yes of course." The man replied, slipping the boy a gold piece whose eyes widened at the sight.
"Thank you! Thank you very much good sir!" He bowed before running off.
The young man smiled to himself; the child would be able to eat for a few nights now at least.
He tried to make his rounds quickly but the sun was already falling from the sky by the time his shopping was finished.
As he hefted his bags and began to cross the main square of the district he saw a small congregation of people gathered between two merchant carts, the source of some murmuring and light applause.
Slipping around behind the caravans to avoid the crowd and get a better look at what was going on, the young man saw a small girl sitting behind a crate. A tin cup sat on the corner of the box for tips while a multitude of cards were scattered on top as she awed the onlookers with some basic tricks.
The child was a bit ragged and dirty but had a charming smile and rosy cheeks that seemed to melt the hearts of the older generation of Stormwind citizens.
"Oh no, sir!" The young man heard her say, dark curls bouncing as she shook her head. "This money isn't for me! It's for my mum... she's always wanted to start her own flower shop, so I wanted to help."
The older gentlemen and his family that the girl was currently entertaining all smiled appreciatively at her generosity but also at her naivety, knowing a few extra silver here and there would hardly be enough to begin a successful business. But she was adorable, so it didn't matter all that much.
"All right, sir!" The girl hopped up onto her crate after gathering up all the cards and fanning them out in front of her. "If you would select a card, any one at all. Whichever you like! Now you're allowed to show it to all of them, but not to me."
With a warm smile, the elder man pulled a random card from the deck and discreetly showed it around to everyone in the crowd, cupping his hand around it with a pretend devious look.
"Make sure you remember it now!" The girl giggled, indicating that the man should return his card into the deck.
"Oh, well now, I suppose you're going to shuffle that deck and make my card disappear, is that it?" He chuckled, having seen the simple feat before.
"Why, no sir!" She admonished, handing the deck over to him. "I would like you to find the card that you just put back in the deck is all."
The young man continued to watch in great interest as the gentlemen confusedly began searching the deck. After a moment his brow furrowed when he came up empty.
"I just put it in here a moment ago..."
"Hmm..." the girl held a finger to her lips as though she was thinking. "Ah! I think I might know where it is now!"
She reached up to the old man and withdrew the missing card from his coat pocket with a flourish for the whole crowd to see.
"Haha! Very good!" Delighted laughter erupted followed by soft clapping, and a few spectators deposited some minor coinage into the little tin cup.
The young man's lips grew wider as he thoughtfully stroked his thin, brown mustache.
My, what a clever little thief you are... He mused to himself, watching the crowd diffuse and the girl beginning to pick up her meager belongings. Turning the metal cup over into her hand and placing the few silver and copper pieces she had earned into her pocket, the girl began to skip away and fade into the crowd.
More than just slightly interested now, the young man opted to follow, only half-expecting the young scoundrel to head towards the orphanage in the Cathedral District and wasn't disappointed when she instead ducked away from the bustle of the merchants and tradesman and entered the Old Town part of Stormwind.
It was definitely a more shady part of the city and no place for a lone, wandering child to be as night fell, but he stayed a fair distance away and kept his eyes peeled on her bobbing, dark-haired head.
Only when she was safely away from the Trade District and was certain there was no one actively watching her did the girl take a moment to revel in the true payment she had received that day. She pulled the gold pocket watch she had lifted from the old gentleman's coat from her pocket, marveling at it's beauty... and potential value. It was always so easy... people were so easily distracted and would look at whatever you wanted them to if you were entertaining enough.
She wanted to feel guilty for the things she had taken, but she did need to survive. She saw it every day, the wealthy mages and aristocrats of the city flaunting their fine clothes and things, living to excess as others around them suffered and begged and had nothing to call their own. Was it impossible for everything to be shared equally amongst the people who all lived in the same city? She didn't understand it, and felt that it was more necessity than greed that forced her to utilize her particular talents...
"That was quite the trick back there!" A voice came suddenly, interrupting the girl's thoughts.
She turned abruptly with a gasp, clutching the watch to her chest between her hands trying to hide it as she faced the stranger.
He looked friendly enough, not especially large with kind brown eyes and a finely-trimmed goatee, but she knew better than to trust just anyone, especially on a dark, quiet street in Old Town as evening approached.
The man chuckled a bit at the girl's suspicious stare, lifting his parcels momentarily. "Don't worry, little one. Even if I did mean to rob you, my hands are already quite full."
She wanted to smile at his comment, loosening her grip on the trinket she held just slightly. "I'm very good at card tricks." She answered back innocently.
He nodded without even a hint of appearing condescending, "I can tell. I bet you're good at a lot of things."
She nodded back, not quite certain what he meant by that.
Offering the girl another warm grin, "I'm Mathias."
"I'm..." would it be that bad if this man knew her name? He seemed nice, perhaps he really had just liked watching her little show in the market.
"I'm Vaedra."
"Nice to meet you, Vaedra."
"You too, Mathias..." she chewed her lower lip nervously. "Well um, it was nice talking to you but I should really be getting home... mum wouldn't like me out so late."
"Ah yes, of course. I heard earlier that you said you were going to help her open her own flower shop. Tell me, what is her favorite flower?" Mathias asked brightly.
Vaedra nearly stammered. She hadn't quite thought about that. "Well um..." she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "She really likes peacebloom."
The man laughed inwardly at the girl's choice of an overly common plant that was more of a weed than anything else. Quite the little liar as well...
"Absolutely, me too! Well Vaedra, I'm certain your mother will have a nice head start on that flower shop with that expensive watch you found. I'll be sure to drop by with some peacebloom."
Panic rose in the girl's throat and the urge to flee grew stronger as the astute man wrapped her up in her own web of lies. How had he even done that?
"Look, sir, I don't want any trouble," she took a few steps back. "I lied, okay? I don't have any family so please don't turn me in. I'll give it back all right?"
Mathias shook his head. "It's all right little one. No one's in trouble. I just want to make sure you're safe... why don't you let me take you back to the orphanage so they don't start to worry-"
"No!" The girl cried, making the rogue raise a brow. "Please don't send me back there!"
"Why ever not?" The man asked. "Surely it's better then living on the streets..."
"Trust me, it's not." Vaedra replied with all the conviction of an eight year old, shuddering a bit.
It was getting rather dark at this point and Mathias knew that there would be scum wandering about soon, plus the girl had already shown some remarkable skill.
"Well then, how would you feel about coming home with me?"
Vaedra narrowed her eyes, thinking that this man was entirely too curious if he just wanted to 'help' her.
He chuckled, flashing his white teeth. "I know how it sounds, but I live in a special place, a place for people like you. If nothing else it's warm, has food and will put a roof over your head for the night... but I can completely understand if that's not something you're interested in..." No answer. "Very well! Should we meet again, young Vaedra, let me know if you've changed your mind, you will always be welcome."
And tipping his imaginary hat, Mathias turned and began to head back to SI:7.
People like me? Vaedra wondered, as the man turned to leave. He hadn't pressed the issue any further, perhaps he really was being honestly kind... maybe she could just take a peek?
At a moderate pace, Mathias walked the streets and alleyways, smiling to himself when he detected the distinct light patter of feet trailing some ten yards behind him, just as he had suspected he would.
The girl followed the rogue through the Old Town, hiding behind a crate as he climbed some stone steps and disappeared inside an unmarked doorway. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Vaedra counted to ten before creeping along the street and peering around the corner.
All was quiet as she came around to another doorway covered with a portcullis, looking into a small courtyard-like area, open to the night sky and filled with small, narrow slits between the stones. The man was nowhere to be found. On the other side of the clearing was yet another arched opening, seemingly innocuous and emitting soft candlelight.
She moved as quietly as she could, holding her breath as she transversed the exposed space and took her first step inside SI:7.
Floorboards creaked noisily under the girl's feet and she looked around nervously as the sound was made, but there was no one there. The very air itself seemed to breathe as Vaedra's eyes passed over the artwork and tapestries adorning the walls wondering what sort of place she had wandered into.
People like her... what did that even mean? Mathias didn't know her, and this place with living shadows was giving her the creeps, perhaps it had been a mistake to come after all...
As she turned to run from the building as fast as she could a figure darkened the archway, obscuring the moonlight pouring down into the front courtyard.
The girl gasped as her eyes adjusted and she recognized the young man from before.
"Vaedra!" He cried cheerily. "I'm so happy you decided to come after all. Would you like to warm yourself by the fire? No? Very well, I was just about to fix myself something to eat and was wondering if perhaps you would like to join me."
The dark-haired girl hovered close to the exit, looking ready to bolt in an instant as Mathias began unpacking his bags, chatting pleasantly all the while.
"It's no problem at all if you're not hungry, though I usually tend to buy entirely too much..."
The man sat down at the table and the smell of fresh bread, fine cheese and milk came to Vaedra's nose, making her mouth water and her stomach growl. Perhaps she could just have a bite, she hadn't eaten in so long it seemed...
She crept ever so slowly over to the chair across from Mathias who had fixed himself a sandwich and just taken an enormous bite out of it. As the girl arrived next to the chair he looked up as though he had just noticed her again, gesturing to the food and chair.
"Sit down, dear, have some. There's plenty!" He encouraged with his mouth full.
She giggled as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand and grinned at her. Daring to take a small piece of bread she began to nibble at it until Mathias ripped off a large hunk of everything and placed it in front of her.
"Have as much as you like."
Vaedra tore into it, not having realized how hungry she really was.
"Whoa, slow down there. I know we need it to survive but it tastes pretty good too you know." Mathias commented on her voracious eating.
Blushing sheepishly, the girl stopped shoving more into her mouth and concentrated on chewing.
"So how long have you lived in Stormwind?" The rogue asked casually.
"A little while." Vaedra responded immediately, only half paying attention. "Since the paladin brought me here."
"Oh?" Mathias asked in between bites, reaching for more. "Which paladin was that?"
"Rellek, he was nice. He promised to let me feed his horse sometime."
"Well, that is nice." He responded truthfully, curious to know more but not wanting to press too hard. She'd only stay distracted by food for so long...
"Did your mum and dad know Rellek?"
Vaedra shook her head then shrugged. "No. Well, I don't know. I never met my mum, she died when I was born. My da left when I was really little, five I think. I went to live with gramma."
"So your gramma knew Rellek?" Mathias reasoned.
The girl shook her head again. "No, she never got to meet him either..." A short pause was followed by a sniffle. "I came in from playing one day and she wouldn't wake up. After a little while I started walking looking for help and that's when I found Rellek. He brought me to Stormwind."
"To the orphanage." He offered, trying to keep the story going.
She nodded while chewing with her mouth open. "He said I would be safe there and I guess I was... but I didn't like it. Miss Caylie was mean. The boys were mean. Mr. Reynalt, he was really mean. Milly was nice though. I told her I was running away and she helped, even gave me a silver piece she'd been saving."
"And that's when you started doing card tricks..."
Vaedra's hand subconsciously drifted to her pocket where the watch lay nestled, looking warily at the man with the genuinely curious expression.
"Yes..."
Looking as though she had just remembered something else, she began again, more animated. "Milly had been showing me how to do some tricks with cards and I had been getting really good, but Mr. Reynalt found out about it, he said we weren't allowed to anymore. But I really liked it and getting in trouble with Mr. Reynalt was bad news..."
Mathias raised a brow.
The girl nodded. "Oh yeah. He'd take kids into his office when they were bad all the time and do things to them. They never liked talking about it though."
"Understandably..." the man said with a growing frown. Vaedra looked at him curiously and he quickly brightened his expression. "Well, little one, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like. I can show you a place where you can sleep in a warm bed and perhaps if you decide to stay I can show you a few 'card tricks' of my own."
She perked up at that, but then bit her lip so as not to look too excited. "I'd like that... maybe I'll just stay a little while..."
Mathias smiled knowingly.
Later than evening, Mr. Reynalt, head of the Stormwind Orphanage, met with an unfortunate accident on his way home from the pub. It seemed someone had attempted to rob him and he had put up a fight instead of just handing the money over, ending up with a knife through his heart. Very tragic.
-
"That was only the beginning," Mathias continued. "Tragedy seemed to follow her from her very birth; she was lost in the world with no where to go and a natural talent for things less than savory in normal society."
When he took a moment to pause, all was quiet around them... Thassarian hadn't so much as peeped.
"But she grew up of course, and after the end of the Third War the night elves emerged into our world, and one in particular caught her fancy."
"Another rogue, named Tayvan... I suppose I disliked him from the beginning but he seemed to make Vaedra so happy." Mathias curled his hand into a fist as he remembered.
He told them of how she had fallen in love, and the night elf that had stolen her innocence in more ways than one. Her first semi-dangerous mission against the Defias and how things had all gone horribly awry...
"I am entirely responsible for what happened to her. I knew Tayvan wasn't all that he claimed to be, but I sent her out there with him anyway, praying that they could just keep their distance and gather information from afar." A drop of wetness dotted Mathias' brown eyes and he quickly blinked it away. "She was never the same after that, and that incident was just the first of my failures... she was sixteen when all that happened."
"I tried desperately to be there for her after that, but she was single-minded on her training, becoming the best at everything she could, doing exercises until her finger's bled... I could only imagine that she sought to find purpose once again for her heart had been broken so severely and her spirit damaged in a way that could not be repaired by a mentor's kind words. But she excelled and became one of the most elite of us, until she left."
"She continued working for the Assassins, but doing so by moving from place to place, never making friends, always focused completely on her mission and what she needed to do to accomplish it. Until one day a few months ago when the message came that she had abandoned her post and disobeyed orders while in Northrend. I didn't know what to think... until she showed up back at SI:7 to kill me."
Thassarian's face twisted in confusion. "You? Her teacher and friend?"
Mathias nodded, index finger scratching at the bottom of his chin. "Indeed. I was just as perplexed by it and she refused to say for whom she was working or why she had been sent. It had been years since we had seen one another and the look of sadness she gave me as our blades came together told me all that I needed to know."
The death knight swallowed hard with sudden realization. "She was coerced."
Mathias nodded.
"But what did he threaten her with?" Thassarian asked. "If she had no family left, no friends save you... how can we know that she simply had given up and fallen to the sway of the Cultists, lured by their promises of immortality and power?"
"Arthas has many means of persuasion as you no doubt know," Mograine interjected after listening quietly. "And he enjoys using our own resources against us whenever possible, would it be so far-fetched to believe that he would take a champion of the Alliance and mold them into the ideal servant? He created an item of vast power for her to wield against the Argent Crusade, Fordring specifically. And instead she used it to strike down a corrupt paladin, leaving the sword behind and sending the Lich King fleeing from the battle. I know not how but she has broken free of him and now works against him, desperately seeking... something." Aware of his long dialogue and conscious of his brightly glowing eyes, Darion pulled the hood of his cowl lower over his face.
Thassarian covered his mouth with his hand for a moment before he turned away, exacerbated. "How can you know that? Have you spoken with her?"
"No." Mograine said harshly, more than annoyed with the other death knight's supposed short-sightedness. "I have seen it. My gift of Sight is strong and has shown me a great deal of different things... but perhaps I should not be so hard on you. I suppose instead of that particular power you've retained some of your other less... subtle attributes." He smirked at him condescendingly.
With a derisive snort, Thassarian looked away to collect his thoughts.
Keritose Bloodblade tilted his head closer as the three men drew quiet, straining to hear if anything else was said. They had been speaking for some time, and the blood elf had been intrigued when Thassarian had left his usual position on the Skybreaker to come storming into the Vault.
The death knight had served the Ebon Blade since the battle at Light's Hope Chapel after the Lich King's hold had fallen away, but it had been more out of the need to survive that he had abandoned his King. Rejoining the Horde simply wasn't an option for the blood elf, there was entirely too much contempt to face on that end... and work. No, it was most convenient to stay with the Ebon Blade despite not harboring the same feelings of revenge that they did for now until the opportunity presented itself. And the conversation that he had just overheard may have been the very thing he had been hoping for...
Could he return to the Lich King with details of his escaped pet? Providing information of the defenses of the Shadow Vault was always something he considered bringing to Arthas' attention when the time was right, this could be the chance he needed to restore favor and possibly gain some new power as well.
He needed to act quickly though, it would not be prudent for him to wait too long and bring old news to the Lich King's attention... Moving quietly, Keritose discreetly slipped away.
"Well..." Thassarian said finally. "I need to remedy this. When I saw her there I didn't allow her to speak and attacked without provocation..." When he noticed the other two men looking at him intently he quickly justified, "If she is moving to work against the Cultists she could prove to be a valuable ally, of course."
They nodded, but Mograine and Mathias exchanged a quick glance, laughing internally at the thought of Thassarian going to apologize.
Seeing their amused looks, he scoffed and stomped away, very much in the same manner in which he had come.
Author's Note: I did good this time, see? ^.^ Thanks as always to my reviewers! Some of you asked some very good questions that I would looove to answer but I don't want to give anything away, so all I can say for now is that they will be addressed and to keep reading!