Ch 19 – A Shaman's Request

Atha'ah,

My honored old friend and queen. I am again in need of sanctuary. Once again I must ask much of you. I am ill and wish to live the rest of my days in peace. I will be arriving in the harbor. Please persuade the King to allow my mate passage. She bears my gift to her and I would see her safe and the babe as well. I would, if I must, rather die in Stormwind than within the reach of the Horde. I look forward to seeing you again, though I wish it was for better reasons.

Go'el.

It was raining in Stormwind. It had not rained in several weeks and Rhenn lifted her head and left the sheets of rain fall on her face. It was cleansing and was fresh, bringing with it the smell of things new. She was dressed for travel as she sat on her mount. She rode side saddle, finding it was less strenuous on her still tender loins.

Though it had been nearly six weeks from the time she had given birth, she still moved about with some hesitation. Flanking her were two of the Home Guards. Crispin was in a war meeting with the king, but Andrew and Matthew were with their queen.

The small ship arrived and docked. It was a small ship and the crew was goblins. Their clothing suggested they were Steamwheel Cartel, mercenaries whom could be bought for any service as long as the payment was good.

The first off the boat was a great tall Tauren. Andrew and Matthew looked up at the tall bull a moment, but Rhenn remained calm. This tauren was no threat to them. He was an Archdruid of Cenarion Circle and held a high honored position in the mostly night elf organization. He wore the leather clothing and held a staff that was typical of a druid. His eyes watched as the queen stepped forward. Hamuul Runetotem was tall even for a tauren, but his eyes regarded the queen and he spread his hands to show he was no threat.

He bowed deeply. "We are honored to have the queen herself greet us. I was not expecting such a distinguished greeting party." The bull said. His voice was accented, but he spoke common remarkably well.

She smiled and bowed back slightly. "Honored I am by your presence Archdruid. I was not expecting your company." She dismounted and walked to him. "How is he?"

He stepped forward and drew her to one side leaning down slightly. "Thrall is weakened. I was summoned to keep him healed on his boat journey here." He said softly. Rhenn looked at him surprised. That meant he was very ill indeed. She shivered a little. He looked back over his shoulder as three more figures appeared, two helping the one between them. "I do not believe the former warchief is long for this world. The ancestors will soon call him to return to them."

Rhenn looked at him. He could tell his words were very troubling to her. "But he is young…"

"He has become warn from holding the rift from collapsing." He looked at her his golden green eyes narrowing a little. "Did you expect him to live through titan's work?"

"I had hoped that he would at least live long enough to see the birth of the child he sired."

He nodded sadly. "I am sure he had the same wish."

Rhenn stepped forward seeing Thrall leaning against the shoulders of Aggra, his mate, the lithe brown Mag'har, and an elder , though brawny orc. Rhenn knew him. He was Rehgar Earthfury. Like Runetotem, the orc was in no danger here. He had once been the slave owner of King Varian when he was Lo'Gosh, but now the shaman was known to the Alliance and known for being neutral in his politics.

Rhenn smiled at Thrall who smiled at her. She could tell the orc had aged. Though not many years older than Rhenn, he looked as old as Eitrigg, the elder orc blood honor brother of Highlord Tirion Fordring, as he walked slowly and was bent as if carrying a great burden. His hair once black as a raven's wing was now silvery white, and his face held the lines of someone who had survived much in this world. Aggra beside him had his arm about her body despite her distended belly. Rehgar seemed to be holding more of Thrall's weight as he balanced before Rhenn. She winced inwardly seeing her friend and the once mighty warchief this way. It wasn't fair, but he had made the ultimate sacrifice for the people. Rhenn, however, doubted many would take note.

"Greetings Thrall, honored one." Rhenn spoke in perfect orcish.

Aggra blinked and then sighed. "Go'el needs to rest, if you please." She said.

Thrall gripped her shoulder a little to get her attention. "The Queen, I am sure will see us to a guest room soon enough. She honors us by being here. Do the same, my mate."

Aggra growled a little at the rebuke before she bowed stiffly to the queen. "Thank you, majesty." She said gruffly in common.

Rhenn nodded to a litter. "I will take you to your home, Thrall." She said unruffled by the rudeness of the shaman woman.

Earthfury helped Thrall into the litter and then nodded to Rhenn. He lifted her up by her waist. She was not expecting it and gasped in surprise. Matthew and Andrew moved to help the queen, but she waved them off with her hand and a smile. She was in no danger and she crawled into the litter. Aggra chose to walk beside the druid and shaman.

Thrall leaned against the pillows and regarded Rhenn. "I hear you bore Varian a daughter. He must be pleased."

"Yes." She nodded. "I will bring her to show you." She smiled. "After all I named you as one of her godparents." She smiled a little and then looked down.

A green finger lifted her face. "I may be dying, but I am not dead yet. Do not weep for me until my body is cold." He said. He rubbed her cheek softly with the kind of affection he rarely showed. "I will treasure my time with her."

"Oh, Thrall." She said and embraced him and began to sob against his chest.

The emotion had surprised him, but she was a human and female after all. He rubbed her back gently as she cried. He supposed to know a best friend was dying would cause him such pain. He had felt much agony when Cairne had died. Rhenn had been his friend since she had brought the Alliance and Horde back together. The rift had caused both pain, but their friendship remained. He was strangely accepting of his death as a shaman should be. His time had come and it was the age for younger spirits to take over and keep the harm from the world.

He smiled down at her. "My time has come." He lifted her. "Come a queen should not weep so." He looked at her. "Where is the strong woman I met who had grown up on the ice fields."

"But the world needs you."

"It is arrogant to think they only need me." He smiled. "I am at peace Rhenny. You should be as well." He watched her sit up and wipe her eyes.

"I think some of my hormones remain." She said.

"You did gave birth only a short time ago." He patted her hand. He looked out at Aggra. "My young mate is at times emotional as well. I have become used to it." He flashed a grin around his sharp tusks. "But then she always has a sharp tongue."

They reached the house that Thrall had lived in before following his shaman path in Nagrand. The small group stole up into the house. The rain made it so there were hardly anyone on the cobble streets.

Hamuul and Rehgar helped Thrall into the house and into his room. Thrall had taken to a simpler life in Stormwind finding the symbols he had once held dear such as the mighty armor of Doomhammer and other such objects were just that, objects.

He settled into the bed and coughed. He pressed a cloth to his mouth as his entire body heaved with the effort. Runetotem moved and pressed a cloth of sweet smelling herbs to his nose. The coughing eased, but as he pulled the cloth away Rhenn could see the crimson mark of blood on the linen.

Rhenn set about making her friend comfortable and then dropped into a chair near him as his mate dropped onto a rug nearby to meditate. Rhenn frowned at Thrall a moment before leaning close to him so as to not disturb his mate's revere.

"Would you like something to eat?" She whispered.

He nodded. He was not used to having people there and he sighed finding his strength leaving him for now.

There was little that could be done other than easing the coughing spells. Hamuul, Helene, and Rehgar all took turns trying to heal him, but it was no use. Whatever was afflicting him was sapping his strength and the once proud warchief was dying.

ZzZ

Rhenn had been in a guild meeting when Helene came to her with Kallin. Kallin sat down to continue the meeting allowing the Queen to leave and answer the urgent summons from Hamuul. The tauren had called her because Thrall had woken weak and was not breathing well. Thrall himself had told the elder bull that the ancestors were waiting for him.

Aggra had been speaking with her mate for several hours and he was gently reassuring her that he would be in a better place soon. It was less than reassuring to his pregnant mate, even if as a shaman, she knew it was true.

Rhenn entered the room followed by Rehgar Earthfury and went quickly to his other side from Aggra. The brown skinned orc female looked at Rhenn a moment with mixed emotions before Thrall gently squeezed her hand in reassurance. "She is a good friend. You will learn that soon enough." He said softly. His voice was so soft and weak, Rhenn hardly recognized it as Thrall's.

Thrall took Rhenn's hand. "You have been a dear friend. A friend that has shown me a wisdom I treasure. I wish I could have seen this world healed." He took a shaky breath. "But sad or merry, I must leave it now." He looked from Rhenn to his mate. "Farewell." He whispered looking up at Aggra.

Rhenn took a shaky breath and felt Hamuul's three finger hands on her shoulders. Rehgar closed Thrall's open lifeless eyes and sighed.

"So passes Thrall son of Durotan." Rehgar said softly. "Ancestors watch over and protect his spirit as he joins you."

Rhenn wept and turned to Hamuul and buried her face in his leather jacket. The druid held the shaking weeping human as he reined in his own grief. Aggra wept, but she did not make a sound. She was a strong orc woman and would mourn her mate privately. She moved and left the room. She would not return to this room of death. Rehgar and Hamuul would prepare the former warchief's body for his journey to the afterlife.

zZz

It was customary for the body to be burned at sundown the next day and the ashes to be gathered into an urn. Rhenn was dressed in a dress of black with a simple circlet in her hair to mark that she was in mourning for her friend.

She sought out Hamuul Runetotem and Rehgar Earthfury and requested their help. She was writing a lok'vadnod, a song of the hero. She was the only human to have written one and it was strangely fitting. The words were pure and from her heart about how she viewed the former warchief. Hamuul and Rehgar each wrote their own parts to sign in remembrance of the shaman who had fought and died for them all.

At sunset Aggra and Rhenn lit the pyre that had been built a small hill outside the great city. Varian, Anduin, Helene, and several others watched as the body was claimed by the flames. Rhenn softly began to sing, but then began to gain more heart as though Thrall's spirit was in her. Her words were strong and Hamuul and Rehgar joined her.

Aggra listened to the song and was moved by the words that this human used to honor her mate. Rhenn told his life story in the form of a ballad. She had a new respect for this woman whom she had been jealous of. She realized now why Thrall had come to her rather than return to Nagrand. Rhenn knew his heart as few did and her song showed it. For that, Aggra was thankful. This was how he would be remembered, in the hearts, and souls of those whom he had known well.

It was near dawn when the flames had finally died to embers and the embers had died to smolders. The smolders were extinguished by a soft morning breeze that first stirred them to life and then cooled them. Queen Rhenn, King Varian, the druid, and the two shaman kept their vigil all night. Rhenn repeated the song over and over until she had sung it a dozen times.

Rhenn reverently helped the druid and the shaman gather the ashes and place them in an urn. The urn had been crafted by a master potter and silversmith making it both functional and beautiful, a fitting tribute to the fallen leader.

Aggra came to Rhenn then. "His final wish was to be buried in Northrend in the home of your people. I did not know why or understand until now." She looked at Rhenn. "Forgive my harsh words to you, Queen Rhenn, they were unkind and you speak from the heart. You really were his little sister as he so claimed you." She said.

Rhenn bowed to the shaman. "The world will not be as full of light now. He always wished good to be in the lands."

Aggra took Rhenn's hand. "Come with me to this place." She said softly. "I am in need of your strength."

"Are you unwell?" It was Varian who spoke then looking at the shaman woman and then down to her full belly.

"I am as well as I can be." She said.

Rhenn turned to her husband. "Have my ship prepared for a journey to Northrend. Thrall wishes to be with my ancestors." She said. "He will be with good company with Uma and Grekko." She said. Tears came to her eyes as Aggra embraced the human woman. Together they wept as Hamuul and Rehgar finished the sacred tasks and rites to the dead.

ZzZ

The journey to Unu'pe took four days. Aggra and Rhenn kept to themselves in the Queen's private chambers accepting only food and visits from the orc shaman and tauren druid. The Home Guard that were stationed outside the cabin did not see the queen. She refused to even go out on deck, preferring to stay and comfort Aggra who would spend hours meditating or just staring at the urn that held her mate's remains.

Unu'pe was not as populated as Rhenn remembered it, but several of the Tuskarr came to her speaking to her and rubbing their whiskers against her face in greeting. Aggra had been a little uneasy by the tusked people running to them, but they were kind and Rhenn spoke to them easily. They were welcoming to the group.

A first light, to greet the new sun, the group from Stormwind set out with several Tuskarr warriors to the graveyard overlooked by two stone elders. Grekko and Uma were well looked after as were many of the Tuskarr dead on the bench above the ruins of Kaskala, Rhenn's clan home. The icy wind bit at their faces as the urn was placed in the earth.

Rhenn placed a stone over the fresh grave and looked up at Aggra. "My sister Uma and my first husband will keep him company." She said.

"What happened here?" Aggra asked looking down at the threadbare cloths flapping in the breeze and the sun bleached bones that had once been homes.

"The scourge attacked when I was young." Rhenn looked out over the remains of the town that had been her home. It seemed so long ago. "My sister and her new pups were killed. I was sent to find help. The men were from the deep, sent to kill any in their path." Rhenn shivered and drew her cloak about her. "So few of my people are left." She looked at the Tuskarr about her. They were burning pitch and offering it to the elders as an offering to keep Thrall's soul and welcome him to their heaven.

Aggra nodded. "You have known much loss." She said. "My mate was wiser than I. He saw your value when I did not." She sighed. "There is so much I wish I could tell him." She whispered.

"He will hear you." Rhenn said softly. "Just speak to him." She said.

Aggra nodded and patted her new friend's hand. They walked together back to Unu'pe and the boat. At the next tide they left Thrall and Northrend behind once more. Aggra vowed she would never return to the place of ice and snow. She would return, after her child was born, to Nagrand and learn her way there. She would leave for her homeland as soon as the child she bore was born. Already she could feel the beginnings of the pains, but she would not share it. She welcomed the pain. It was easier to take than the heartsickness she felt at the passing of Thrall. So little time. So little time they had been together.