Chapter 1 - Abandoned
A sob wrenched forth violently from the woman's throat as she stood in the doorway of her home, or at least what she had thought was still her home. Her emerald eyes, tears beginning to brim upon the lip of her bottom lids, wildly scanned the foyer and small lounge area beyond it.
They were empty. Everything was gone: furniture, paintings, and sculptures alike. She had no doubt that the rest of the house was equally cleaned out, as the words of her father, sounding so foolish at the time, came back to haunt her.
"He isn't the same as us, dear. Nobles will never be able to look upon common folk like us as equals; it's just the way of the world. He may be able to give you luxuries now, but he'll not be a good husband. You won't interest him long enough."
"I love him father, and you raised me to follow my heart! How can you allow your own outdated prejudices to cause you to be a hypocrite now?"
She was in tears, and she saw his face contort as he struggled to remain stoic himself, but she was beyond caring. It was too much for a young passionate girl to go home with joyous news and plans of celebration only to receive this response instead.
"Follow your heart, yes, but not at the expense of your common sense!"
His words stung, and the fire of youth told her to retaliate.
"Where is the common sense in staying with a poor man when I could be with someone who has made something of his life?!"
The words were unthinkingly vicious and spiteful, incurring a sudden change in her father's demeanor. He flinched at first reaction, then stood tall, chords in his neck tight from suppressed emotions.
"You are right. You should leave now."
That had been almost a year ago, and now after walking out on her father, her lover had walked out on her. The irony was not lost on the woman as she sat against the doorframe, tears streaming across her wan cheeks. However, she was young, and to take responsibility for her current predicament would be a heavier burden than she was capable of carrying.
Instead she chose a scapegoat: the only one available to her.
She glared at the newborn child swathed in her arms.
"This is your fault! We were fine until I got pregnant, when it was just the two of us!"
The infant stared up at her, not comprehending her words. Yet, with the infinite instinctual wisdom of a child, the baby girl understood the feelings of her mother, her tiny visage twisting into a pained expression as her toothless mouth gaped open and she cried her distress.
The child's wailing echoed throughout the empty night-time streets of Stormwind city, drowning out the sound of the woman's shoes pounding across the cobblestones.
Eventually, she reached her destination and, flinging aside the knitted blanket, rushed up the Church's marble steps to kneel and lay the screaming girl on the topmost platform.
As the woman rose, miniscule fingers wrapped around her index finger with surprising strength and the child's cries were suddenly silenced as its hazel gaze stared up at her. She hesitated, if only for the space of a breath, before wrenching her hand back violently and fleeing.
She was halfway across the courtyard when the wailing began anew, her daughter once more naturally understanding what was happening despite lacking in any experience with such an event.
The woman glanced backwards over one shoulder as her feet faltered. Yet fear overcame guilt and, in a parody of her father unseen by any, she squared her shoulders, set her gaze forward, and disappeared into the night.