Burden of the Heart

Chapter two: Stirring

Finally got this done.

Time line wise, this takes place AFTER the fall of the Lich King and BEFORE the cataclysm. Just so everyone is sure. The Cataclysm will happen, fear not! I always like to have my stories accurate to the setting as best they can.

Enjoy!

Le Pomme

…...

Taynia figured she was dead at this point. She was warm felt like she was on a little cloud that shifted and formed with every small movement she made. It was, to say the least, very nice. It had to be the afterlife. She opened her eyes expecting the scenery to match the vision in her head. She was very surprised to see nothing but dreary shades of black, dark purple, and grey.

This certainty was not the afterlife she pictured. Taynia sat up quickly her hands going to her body and face. It was still warm, her heart was beating rapidly, she was in...some sort of black silken nighty that was conservative but still felt like she was wearing nothing at all. She pulled the sheet about her blushing in embarrassment even though nothing really scandalous was showing. It was the thought that someone undressed her, most likely her dark savior, and if she was not mistaken, that death knight had been a he.

She looked around the room quickly spotting her gear cleaned and lying out neatly. The mud and rot stains from her ride through the Plaguelands were erased. Whoever this death knight was, he was at least courteous. Taynia took a deep breath to calm herself. Since she wasn't dead or undead for that matter, it meant that the death knight had been most likely with the Ebon Blade. At least she prayed to the Light that he was.

…...

Darion wasn't one to be gentle about opening a door, especially when he was in a black mood. Well, a blacker mood then usual. However he felt perhaps a little bit of guilt when he slammed open the door to the room the priestess was in. Her eyes were huge and she looked like a scared mouse hiding in the black sheets of the bed peering at him.

"Priestess," He began gruffly and saw her flinch visibly at the tone. Darion paused to clear his throat slightly, "Priestess," he repeated in a slightly gentler tone, "I forgive not being here when you awoken. I am Highlord Darion Mograine, master of the Knights of the Ebon Blade,"

He watched as she slowly seemed to relax getting over her momentary fright. She lowered the sheets slightly showing off the outdated nighty that belonged on a grandmother and not the lovely woman before him. Probably the only thing decent the death knight females could find knowing their taste.

"...forgive me Highlord. I'm," she paused giving a curt bow, "unused to your kind. You took me by surprise but I thank you for saving my life Highlord,"

"You can repay the debt by first of all giving me your name and tell me what you were doing in the Plaguelands alone," Darion said taking a seat on a chair near her bedside fixing her with an unblinking stare.

She seemed a bit shaken at his proximity and the nature of his stare. Yet she cleared her throat looking away, "I am Priestess Taynia Fieldstron of Stormwind and I was gathering herbs here. I needed a special one for a friend who is sick in Southshore. I was on my way back,"

Then a moment of alarm seemed to seize Taynia and she looked to him, "The herbs were in the pack on my horse! It threw me when it was startled. Did you happen to-"

"Your horse is fine, " he deadpanned, "Everything is in order. I bet you are hungry. Should I have something sent up for you to speed you on the way to recovery?"

"Er...yes...thank you, "she mumbled.

Darion frowned noting her uncomfortable look and how she was retreating from him. Perhaps he had been...a bit too blunt. But then, he hadn't really talked one on one with a human or any being in a personal way since...he really couldn't remember.

"I apologize for my manners, "he said eventually heaving a heavy sigh, "I'll go raise the kitchen,"

Taynia arched an eyebrow at that and he just returned the look with his a blank look of his own, "Yes priestess. Literally as well as figuratively. The Ebon Hold's servants are as unliving as myself,"

She sheepishly sunk back into the bedsheets, "I...I see...well..." she cleared her throat, " I can get up and go with you if you give me a moment to get dressed. I am curious...I've never been in a friendly place of well...undeath,"

Now it was turn for the Highlord to raise an eyebrow crossing his arms over his chest," Odd request for a priestess of the light,"

The woman sat back twirling a lock of hair around her fingers, "I feel bad for passing out on you. No doubt it caused your trouble..."

"yes it did, "

Taynia flinched. Darion sighed and ran a hand through his hair closing his eyes, "Yes it was trouble but now it won't be when you are ready to leave," he began trying to heal the situation, "It is just...not your place to be here. It is best you get to wherever you are going. I'll arrange a flight,"

"No..." She said softly, " I don't like to fly. I'll ride. No offense to your kind offer but, I just don't like flying,"

The Highlord frowned feeling that gnawing sense of duty combined with a wave of irritation come over his being, "It is dangerous to ride and you've already shown incompetence for the unexpected,"

The priestess deflated even more shrinking like a snake's corpse on a hot desert, "I'll be fine if I stick to the roads..."

He shook his head raising a hand, "No. If you insist with going by land to your destination then I will see to it that it is done, "

A part of him just had this aching feeling he was going to regret making such a decision. Yet it was an excuse to get out and see more of the world and try to perhaps, re-connect with whatever he had lost. The priestess looked up in surprise regarding him in some sort of silent astonishment that he shifted a bit uncomfortable, "As Highlord of the Ebon Blade it would be nothing short of disrespect and dishonor to let someone like you go alone. I will see to this personally since it was I who found and rescued you to begin with. This matter will not be discussed,"

Whatever argument died on Taynia's lips and she looked down giving a meek nod, "As you wish Highlord Mograine. Thank you for your continuing kindness,"

He gave a snort turning and leaving out the door, "Get ready to leave. I'll have something made for you for the road. I want to get this over with quickly,"

Darion didn't pause to see her reaction. He didn't want to see it. Again he knew he had been too blunt. It was so hard to not offend the living when he was so disconnect from his own emotions. Instead he turned his mind to the task at hand. She had mentioned needing to get to Southshore. That was a two week ride through mostly Horde controlled land. Of course no one in the Horde would dare to stop the Highlord of the Ebon Blade or risk his displeasure and shame his or her own country. In hindsight it was probably best that he was the one who had the task of escorting her. Thassarian would be more then happy to take the girl to Southshore. As far as death knights went, he had always been more tuned into his emotions and perhaps the furthest along to healing the damage done by his undeath. However he was an enemy of the Horde despite his deep friendship with Koltira Deathweaver.

The latter death knight would do the task as well but no doubt he would be hassled to turn over Taynia for questioning. Darion doubted very much the priestess would survive the...unique methods the Forsaken employed. No, this was his task.

Briefly the Highlord of the Ebon Knights leaned against the wall running a hand through his hair with a deep irritated sigh closing his eyes. It always seemed that inconvenience and bad fortune haunted his door, "By the light this better be quick," he growled out loud.

…...

Wishing for things to go quickly, it seemed, was a way of requesting for things to work at the pace of an elder tauren shaman after a cup of warm milk Darion surmised. Impatiently, the Highlord held the reigns of his mount in the stables, his gear strapped down and ready to go.

He had a servant sent to collect the priestess over half an hour ago. There was still no sign of the woman or the servant. Darion could not shake the nagging feeling that something had gone wrong at this point. In slight irritation, he turned to look at the silent skeleton dressed almost comically like a chef holding a pack of food awaiting command. The Highlord was half tempted to send the chef away and make the priestess fast the entire trip at this point but if Tirion had told him anything, it was to learn some patience.

It was easy for Tirion Fordring to talk about patience. The paladin seemed to have an eternal wellspring of patience for people. Darion didn't have the talent of Fordring and he had a notoriously short fuse. It wasn't a good combination to say the least.

The Highlord looked up at the sound of something being knocked over. Within a moment of the sound, a fluster priestess rushed into the stable, pale as death, he would dare say, and her eyes the size of dinner plates. Upon seeing him, she quickly rushed to get behind him peering with a slit eyed gaze from around him as a confused ghoul servant shuffled in scratching its head.

"...What are you doing?" Darion asked coolly, glaring slightly from under his helm at her.

Sheepishly she looked up, "...that ghoul was following me about..." she mumbled, "I don't like ghouls friendly or unfriendly or whatever my lord. It gave me a fright and a half!"

Darion blinked. So perhaps sending a ghoul servant to fetch her wasn't the best idea in hindsight. But then, some part of him still irritated at her had made that vicious choice.

"I'm sorry. I was not considering your feelings when I picked a ghoul to fetch you, "he deadpanned, "It won't happen again,"

It wouldn't happen again because she would be far from this place and in Southshore and he would never see this cowardly, jumpy, ditz of a priestess. Seemed all she had going for her was blind luck and her looks.

Taynia was looking down and took a step away from him rubbing one of her arms, "...I'm sorry for being such an inconvenience. I know you are probably busy,"

He gave a shrug turning to tighten the saddle on his mount to distract him from feeling that weird guilty feeling whenever she apologized, "yeah well...this is an excuse to get away for a bit," he grumbled, "So stop apologizing. You are making me feel bizarre,"

"I'm sorry," She said as if it was reflex.

Darion narrowed his eyes, "You say sorry one more time and I swear I'll tie you to the back of my gryphon and fly to Southshore and drop you off the side,"

Her eyes widen in fear and she shrank back from him nodding quickly, "of...of course my lord," She said, her voice nearly a whimper. That ridiculous stab of guilt went through him again. Darion let out a sigh and resisted the urge to rub his temples.

"...I won't do that. Just...stop apologizing for things that aren't your fault alright? It annoys me," he grumbled turning to the chef jerking his head to Taynia.

Taynia for her part opened her mouth to apologized, but stopped herself and simply nodded rubbing the back of her head, "Just habit I guess," she said watching the skeleton draw closer with apprehension.

The chef presented the satchel of food silently and the priestess took it graciously although she still eyed the undead before her, "So do all undead chefs were hats like that?"

"No...he just likes to," Darion said with a shrug, "He was the head chef of Alterac I think. When the Ebon Hold was secured, he started to dress like that,"

"I see. So I guess most undead have more personality then you?" She said turning to tie the satchel to her mount. The skeleton made a rattling sound almost like it was laughing as the Highlord blinked turning to look at her. More personality than...

"Just what are you implying Priestess Taynia," he growled slightly feeling a slight wave of irritation.

She only looked at him innocently, tilting her head causing his feelings to become a confusing pile of mush he couldn't place. She daintily mounted up on her mare patting the horse's neck fondly, "Nothing. It was uncalled for really. I guess I was just getting a bit of...payback. I'm...er..."

"Don't apologize. I probably deserved it so I'll let it go this time," Darion said as he mounted his deathcharger, "Let's get this journey over with,"

She gave a slight nod but gave him a coy smile as the two mounts moved out, "Thank you my lord. I know you don't have to do this and I've already caused you trouble and was late as well,"

"It is nothing. It is my duty to see through what I've started for better or worse," he replied simply. Darion paused and then glanced over at her, "...so why were you late anyways?"

"I told you," she said dipping her head to hide her face under her hood more, "I was running from that ghoul and got lost. Then this lich started to talk to me and wouldn't stop until this other deathknight insulted him or something because they got into an argument...then the ghoul found me and I finally made my way here by blind luck,"

The Highlord stared at her in mute amazement. Not because of her story for he knew Amal'Thazad was a talkative and gossipy lich. Undeath had not deterred his need to know everything going on in Acherus and announcing it to the world. Also the fight was common. Amal'Thazad and the blood trainer Lord Thorval had a bit of a rivalry going on over which of their schools were better. No, the story seemed normal. What amazed Darion was she managed to relate it all in one breath.

Taynia looked away blushing as he stared, "Ah...my lord? You stare a lot. Do you ever blink?"

Snapped out of his thoughts, the Highlord did blink and look away from her, "Sometimes...I don't have to so sometimes I don't. It is like breathing. Not really important for living..."

"You don't breath at times?" She asked in alarm turning to look at him as they rode side by side to the stone that would teleport them to the ground below.

He gave a shrug, "Sometimes I just don't. Is that so terrible?"

"Very!" Taynia said, "you should make an effort to breath and blink more. You are alive even if it is an unlife. You shouldn't forget who you were. Like that chef...he still seems to act as alive as he can!"

Darion gave another shrug feeling a bit uncomfortable with the topic. Just to appease her and to drop it, he inhale and exhaled heavily allowing the habit of breathing to resume, "Fine fine, if it makes you less uncomfortable," he relented.

She smiled and he felt himself inhale a bit more and a rush of confused feelings settle in his gut like warm rot. It was uncomfortable, unwanted but somehow pleasant? He couldn't place it and he couldn't decide if he liked it or not. He looked away frowning not returning her smile. Slowly if faded from her features and she looked away looking right ahead as they stepped onto the stone.

In a brief flash and a slightly sucking feeling, they were soon on the ground below Acherus. The Highlord paused to look up at the floating necropolis. Thalanor would be able to handle things in his absence. It would be a short absence though and nothing serious would happen now that the Lich King was taken care of. Nothing save the end of the world would cause a need for action anyways and truly, what were the chances that the earth would up and sunder itself in some sort of cataclysm?

Taynia looked at him as they moved along, "...you keep to yourself don't you?"

He jolted up a bit as he was brought out of his thoughts. He turned to look at her making an effort to blink a bit, "I do. I don't like to share my thoughts with others unless it is necessary,"

She looked ahead at the path, "Well, you can share them with me. I would like to hear and learn more about my traveling companion. I mean, we are going to be on the road together for at least two weeks to get to Southshore,"

Darion closed his eyes thinking on what she said before giving a snort, "Perhaps when we make camp," he said shortly, "For now? We are riding fast and hard while we have daylight for you to see,"

Without another word, he slapped the reigns of his deathcharger sending his mount galloping forward with an unearthly whinny. Taynia blinked before kicking her mare into a gallop after his looking down glumly, "Alright. If you insist my lord, "she said softly in response.

The Highlord kept his eyes ahead and did not respond but he felt his gut give that awful, guilty, twisting feeling again at the dishearten tone in her voice.