Straydog Saga

Flea 11: Mind Control

Hanariel was surrounded by white light. Small giggling wisps floated past as small, leafy vines slowly wiggled on the walls of his room. He sat there, on a soft bed of pale blue, gazing out to the churning sea. A small abalone chime swayed in the tidal winds as a knock came from the door behind him. Hanariel turned and, with a little less of a tremor in his voice, spoke for the person on the other side to enter. He felt his single shoulder tense at the sight of the tall, purple skinned priestess. She wore a stole of white reindeer fur over her lavish mantle. Small beads and 9 pointed star chimes adored the edges of the rough-cut fur and similar patterns were found on her long white robes. Her aura nearly knocked him to his side. Hanariel quickly stood and bowed his head.

"Don't do that, Lord Dawblade." Orifiel smiled. "With all that you've accomplished I should be bowing to you." Orifiel gasped as a small, blond form darted past her. Before she could react, Hanariel found a small human child at his side. The nine year old could have been an elf child: soft blond hair and clear blue eyes added to the bright smile she gave him. She grinned at him and gave his lower section the tightest hug she could muster.

"Inge don't! – I do apologize Lord Dawnblade, she doesn't know any better." Orifiel rushed to Inge, attempting to slowly pry the little girl from the priest. But as soon as a violet hand reached out, the girl's face became like an over ripe tomato. Orifiel recoiled, seemingly afraid to ignite a tantrum that could rival the shattering. Hanariel smiled and placed a single steady hand on Inge's head.

"It's q-quite alright Lady Whitedeer. Please call men Hanariel. And what is your name?" He softly asked. A look of confusion came to the child's face, followed with what looked like an attempt to burp. But instead of a disgusting noise, the word "EEn-Geh!" burst from her lips. Her soft blue eyes filled with uncertainty until the praising words of her favorite "Ri-Ri" came to reassure her. She turned again and finally released Hanariel's legs. She skipped over to Orifiel and reached to be picked up by the much larger night elf. Orifiel obliged, raiding her up and onto her hip like she would any night elf toddler. Inge looked to Hanariel and with a girlish giggle she blushed before burying her face in Orifiel's sleeve.

"The children had the day off from schooling today and when we tried to place her in the nursery this one simply wouldn't have it." She sighed and hopped a little to position Inge higher on her hip.

"Where are her parents?"

"I am her parent." Orifiel replied with a small smile. Despite her light tone, Hanariel bowed his head with a tinge of redness in his face.

"I-I'm sorry. I did not mean to assume…"

"Don't worry yourself. She is a human after all."

"B-But why didn't your assistants offer to look after her?" Hanariel softly asked. Orifiel shook her head.

"They would love to help, but she only responds to a few and those few are missing in action today. You should have heard her scream when she met my draenei friend the other day. I'm a bit shocked she clung to you like she did. You're a strange little one, you are." Orifiel laughed as Inge gave a muted scream into the fabric of her robes. "But I know you did not come here all the way from Northrend for idleness. Please follow me." She asked and turned to the door. Hanariel did as he was asked; he smiled and occasionally waved at the giggly face that quickly appeared and disappeared from behind the wall of white fabric. Lady Whitedeer's assistants had already shown him the common sights of the great tree but the winding halls that took them inward were left out of his previous tours. Carved deep within the fat trunk was a narrow little tunnel. The same trembling branches that covered the walls of his humble room danced around them. Inge reached out to pick the leaf from one as Orifiel nudged it away.

"This part of the tree is somewhat unique. There are only four other tunnels like this. We don't want to risk damaging it too badly in our endeavors." Orifiel sighed. At the end of the ever narrowing hallways was a small door. Orifiel placed the squirming girl down and reached into her key pouch for the appropriate one. When the door was open, Hanariel flinched as a great golden light burst through. His eyes took a moment to adjust before growing wide. The small room seemed to have an infinite ceiling, with swirling blue clouds blanketing an indigo sky. Golden stars shown down, until the midnight walls blended into what appeared to be a low hanging sun.

"H-How?"

"Archmage Nightgaze and his sorcerers have harnessed the powers of Mydrassil, well in some places at least. This is what we call a pocket, a safe room. I know you may or may not have strong feelings about the arcane, but rest assured this is a SAFE room in all respects. I myself have found that great ideas and even a few revelations have come to me during my meditations within this very room. You may choose to study its properties, retreat when you need to, or perhaps meditate by calling for night. I took the liberty of brightening the sun for you but please make all the alterations you like." She smiled as the stammering priest's face seemed to grow brighter than the false sun.

"This, this place is amazing." He uttered as he ran his hand through the low hanging clouds. The tingling of arcane temptation surrounded him, but the draw seemed weak at best. He turned to see a smiling priest intently watching him with her pale vision. A thought came to his mind and in his joy the question slipped past loosened lips.

"How does a priestess of Elune find such a place to be so inspirational? You cannot be near the light your goddess here and there's so much arcane energy…" Hanariel asked, cutting the thought short when his mind came crashing down from the momentary jubilee. Orifiel smiled and gave a slow nod.

"I meditate here, I pray elsewhere. We do not fully understand Mydrassil's power, this is true. The priests of all faiths feel its light, druids its life force, and mages its raw arcane winds. But one thing we all agree on is that, like its parent Teldrassil, the tree lives and speaks to us. You only need whisper and it will hear your thoughts. Though I cannot guarantee it will answer." Orifiel closed her eyes. She thought of a calmer place, a place with rushing water and spring flowers. At once the sun rose until the sky was a soft blue. The floor began to shift into a meadow of wild flowers. Though she thought of the beautiful kingsblood plant, Mydrassil delivered a field of glittering sungrass. Hanariel marveled at the sight as a bright smile came to his face. Orifiel's eyes opened again to see the smiling priest and a small human girl doing cartwheels in the tall grass.

"That's odd… I did not think of sungrass."

"I-I did." Hanariel spoke as he watched Inge fall to the ground after an ill-fated cartwheel. But the young one simply shook it off and began pulling out some of the foliage, blade by blade. "I've got to tell Keesha about this, she'll never believe it."

"Who?"

"Keesha, the young lady who escorted me here." Hanariel spoke, brightness fading at the frown on Orifiel's face.

"I will not dictate who you choose to associate with, Hanariel, but you will not bring a warlock into this sanctum. We've had enough problems with the naga to be inviting such a person into our space. Is that understood?" Hanarial felt heat rise in his cheeks and quickly nodded.

"How long did say you were permitted to stay here?" Orifiel spoke, not recalling the details of the letter she received ahead of his arrival. Hanariel thought for a moment before replying.

"I believe lady Windrunner did not give me a time to return."

"Then you will have all the time you need to find what it is you seek." Orifiel smiled, placing a spare key to the safe room in his single hand.

"You over steeped it." Archmage Nightgaze curtly snorted taking a sip of very strong and bitter tea. Trenton felt a slight heat in his cheeks.

"I can make another pot sir." He offered. A cold nod and a small wave of dismissal was his reply. Keesha's eyes lingered at Trenton's back as the assist scurried away. She took a sip of the ill-brewed tea and reached for the sugar.

"You do not have to drink that swill if it offends your tastes, Lady Hazzad." Seth spoke, moving his own tea cup to the edge of the table. Keesha finished depositing her second tea spoon of sugar into the dark liquid and began to stir.

"The tea is fine. Fine for a human anyway." She shrugged taking a more relaxed and sweetened sip. Seth folded his claw like hands and gently placed them on the table in front of him. He leaned forward slightly, eyebrow raised.

"If I may be so bold, it is a distinctive privilege to be in the presence of one responsible for dispatching the lich king." His words made her stop mid sip. She slowly placed the shaking tea cup down and the air in the room suddenly grew as solid as stone.

"H-How does everyone I meet seem to know that? First Trenton, now you."

"Lord Fordring and his rabble are about as discrete as a holy hammer to the head. To think they tried to keep the glory of Arthas's demise to themselves. Disgusting. Well, at least that little minion had the good sense to bring you into my company. If you are not too bothered by it, I do have some questions." He smirked. Keesha slowly shook her head but kept her gaze on her half-drank tea. Seth paused and his smirk faltered. "My apologies my lady. This was not meant to be an interrogation…"

"N-No its fine. I just haven't really talked about it since, well ever. Trenton told me you helped slay Illidan. I can't imagine the battles being much different." Keesha suggested. A small almost warm smile came to her face as she saw the archmage cringe.

"A disgusting experience to say the least… I will make you a deal: we shall speak no further on either subject despite our idle curiosities."

"That works for me. But that doesn't mean we can't still have tea time right?" She smiled, holding her empty cup sideways. Seth nodded and turned to call for his seemingly slow assistant. Keesha spoke up, cutting off an impending roar towards the kitchenette. "He's a good kid. All he talked about the whole way here was getting to study under you. Said you might be able to improve my shadow spells." Keesha added. A sly smile crept to Seth's face, but he quickly removed the look before turning back to his table mate.

"I'm afraid I do not dabble in dark magic, my dear—"

"That's not what I heard."

"Oh?"

"He also mentioned that, in a certain period of time we won't talk about, you made demons bow to you just by looking at them. Now I've heard some pretty loaded stories but humor me." Keesha smiled. Seth's gaze grew very serious for a moment and his golden eyes seemed to grow in brightness. Keesha suddenly felt her blood run cold. It felt as if every bone in her body was shaking. She could hear her pounding heartbeat as her toes curled in her boots. As quickly as the horrible sensation came, with a blink of Seth's eyes and loosening of his features, Keesha felt the warmth flood back to her.

"I can not confirm nor deny any stories you may have been told but there is a reason I am called Nightgaze." He coolly smiled. Keesha did her best to shake off the chill but the lack of warm tea and the lingering shadow around her made it difficult.

"That's quite a stare…" Keesha sighed as the welcome sight of Trenton coming back into the room broke the tension. He quickly refreshed their cups with what smelled like a fruity blend of herbs and berries. Keesha uttered a quick 'thanks' and took a sip. "Don't suppose you can teach that…"

"I could, but if you don't mind me saying so, your eyes are far too pretty for such an ugly trick. However your presence would be a boon to my efforts here. It is difficult to find good company in this…dungeon. If I'm to take one on apprentice, I don't suppose another would be too much trouble. That is if it's what you desire."

"That would be nice. I haven't had a teacher since Mistress Roya passed. Could stand to improve on a few things…you don't mind the whole warlock thing?" She asked with an incredulous eyebrow raised high. Seth smiled and shook his head.

"I have dark tastes, you could say. But it would be best if you did not commune with your demonic assistants while within the tree. We've had a few "incidents" with warlock pets in the past. Took us weeks to clean up the stains. Not to mention you'll have to deal with the company of priests and I need not tell you how annoying that can be." He shrugged, wincing at the tea as he splashed a little on his tongue.

"They're not all bad." Keesha offered, the golden gaze snapping on her form like a cruel whip. She felt her shoulders tense. As Seth's terrible vision fell, so to did her heart-beats.

"Then you haven't spent enough time in their company. Listen well, the tangled canals are the domain of my mages. As one of my personal pupils you will not associate with those who seek to judge us, judge you for the hard work done in this pit. Or do you wish to be another forgotten hero like the rest…" Seth cringed at the words and took a deep breath. "I am sorry you did not deserve that, especially at our first meeting." He spoke in the gentlest tone strangers were allowed to see. Keesha shook her head, doing her best to keep her usual sturdy frame from collapsing.

"Its ok, I know how it goes. This is your home, I'll respect the house rules." She said with a nod. Seth regained his composure and a small smile returned to his calculating face.

"Excellent."