Twisted Fate
Chapter 5
When she had set out after her encounter with Solarius, Nariel had left the Crossroads in quite a hurry. She had no real destination in mind, only concerned with getting away from him quickly. North was Ashenvale, which was immediately disregarded - Night elves, blech she had thought to herself. South was Camp Taurajo, where she had come from. West was Stonetalon, certainly an interesting place, but the road led back through the Crossroads. That left her only viable option as East, to Ratchet. The journey had been quicker than she expected until she got there to discover from the dock master that the next transport ship would not arrive for two more days. The first day and a half had passed by with an uneventful boringness that could rival watching the grass grow. She had wandered around the small goblin town, searching the shops for something – anything - that could amuse her.
"Hey you!" Called a small goblin when she had entered one shop in particular. "Wanna buy some whirlycogs?" He asked, dumping a bag of small rusty gears out on the counter.
"No thanks." She replied, shaking her head.
"Aw, come on. I'll give ya a great deal on 'em – 50 silver for the bag." He prodded.
"What am I supposed to do with them?" She had asked, growing annoyed.
"Whatever ya want pal." Pressed the goblin. "I'm just here to ensure you get the finest-" he paused, making a strange face at the collection of scrap metal on the counter "-the finest tools available."
Nariel had stared at him for a long moment, unsure if he was truly an idiot or just dedicated.
"Tell you what." She had said, slightly amused by his response. "I'll think on it."
At this she turned, giving a dismissive wave over her shoulder and exiting the shop. The rest of her first day in Ratchet had been more of the same – goblins around every corner trying to sell her their old junk. At first she had found it at least entertaining to see the increasingly ridiculous trinkets that each one had – "Fishing Pole X19-T12 complete with turbo boosted reel!" one had offered, holding out a fishing rod that appeared to have a stick of dynamite strapped to it - but by the end of the night she had grown thoroughly annoyed. The last poor goblin to pester her had ended up stuffed inside a nearby crate, much to the amusement of a nearby Tauren.
The second day had started the same, and she was unsure she could survive another round of pestering by the army of goblin salesmen, so by the time evening fell she had sunk to drinking – alone, of course. For all that she was hating goblins at the moment, she had to admit that the small port boasted some of the finest rum on Azeroth, and a few gold had bought her a supply to last the night. Rum in tow, she had slipped out of the city along the shoreline with her non turbo boosted fishing pole for an evening of relaxation under the stars.
A short distance from the town she had found a suitable spot – more than suitable in fact; the spot was perfect. It was a small cove with a secluded beach, invisible to the world unless you happened to stumble upon it as she had. The water formed a small pool, with large jagged boulders creating a natural sea wall around the opening of the inlet which gave her the soft, steady sound of the waves coming ashore nearby while also providing perfectly calm waters directly in front of her to fish in.
Definitely a spot to keep in mind. She thought.
She settled onto the beach, casting out her line and planting the end of the rod firmly in the sand before prying the cork out of her first bottle. As she took her first sip, she leaned back, resting against a rock and looking up to the stars, which had just begun to appear.
It's just like Silvermoon. She said to herself before immediately banishing all thoughts of the city from her mind. A shooting star streaked across the sky and at seeing it she grinned and closed her eyes, recalling how as a child she had been told to make a wish if she saw one.
What should I wish for? She mused to herself.
I wish…She thought before pausing.
She turned the thought that immediately came to her mind over in her head, mentally inspecting it as she sipped from the bottle. Obviously it was ridiculous to presume that it would come true simply because she saw a shooting star. Still, more out of habit than hope, she let the wish flow from her lips softly.
"I wish I could be happy again." She whispered to herself quietly.
When a few seconds passed with no sign of her princely savior appearing she smirked to herself, shaking her head. Ah well. She thought, taking another swig of rum just as she got her first bite of the night from the fishing pole – a large Sagefish which she inspected before tossing into a nearby bucket.
A few drinks later she had her third, and then fourth fish. By the time she had finished half the bottle, the bucket was filling up quickly. The night went on, drink after drink until finally she leaned her head back against the rock and drifted off to sleep. There she stayed until the chirp of birds alerted her to the morning sunrise. Sitting up, she looked around for a moment, confused until the pile of empty bottles reminded her of the night prior. Turning to her side she saw the bucket. To her amusement, she found the top half of it full of seaweed, various shells, and a large boot.
I need to get some more of that rum for the road. She thought.
Her brief trip back to Ratchet was delayed only by a stop on the outskirts of town to sell the fish she had accumulated, which nearly paid for the rum she had bought last night. A glance at the docks confirmed that her ship had arrived as it was currently being loaded with both crates and passengers. Climbing aboard, she settled into one of the small cabins on a lower deck, flopping down on the bed to catch up on what sleep she had missed. There she stayed, and when she awoke it was a soft, telling sway that told her that the ship was moving.
The journey to Stranglethorn was nearly two weeks in total, and the first few days of the trip were just as uneventful as her time in Ratchet had been, except for a storm that pelted the decks with rain. She occupied the time by wandering around below decks and doing menial tasks that she had been putting off such as sharpening her daggers and mixing a fresh supply of poisons. Nearly halfway through the trip the rain relented and she was finally able to set foot above deck. When she did, she found the cool drizzle off before had been replaced by a burning midday sun staring down at her. She stepped up to the railing at the side of the ship, listening to the sound of sailors repairing the minor damage from the storm and watching the waves crash against the side beneath her. She scanned the horizon for land, even though she knew there would be none.
As she stood there, a soft growl sounded behind her and she turned around just in time to see, for the second time, a large ball of white fur pounce on her. This time however, Frostbite was only being her normal playful self. The huge cat rose up on her hind legs, putting her paws on Nariel's shoulders and bringing her sloppy wet tongue out to lick the elf on the side of her face.
"Wha-Hey! Stop it!" Nariel stuttered, swatting at the tiger. "Gross!" she cried. "Blech, your breath stinks." She said to the cat, recovering from the surprise.
She heard a deep rough laugh to her side and turned to see Molikor doubled over.
"You may be a damn fine rogue, but she's a better huntress." He said when he finally gained his composure.
"Molikor?!" Nariel exclaimed.
"Oh sure, just because he has a pretty tiger, he gets all the attention." Came the mocking voice of Solarius from behind the Orc.
"What are you two doing here?" asked Nariel, thoroughly confused.
"Same thing as you." Said Solarius.
"Riding a boat." Added Molikor.
"And watching the huntress at work." The Paladin said with a huge grin.
Nariel stared at the pair for a moment before a nudge at her leg alerted her to Frostbite trying to dig into the pack where the remainder of the meat was waiting.
"Wha-No!" she cried, as the tiger's jaws found what they were searching for and swallowed it whole.
Molikor grinned and nudged Solarius. "Look, she's so fond of Nariel that she's trying some thieving of her own." He said, pointing at the cat, who was now sitting and looking at Nariel as if she expected more.
The rogue gave an annoyed sigh and dismissed the remains of the torn bag, which had been totally destroyed.
"You never answered my question." She said. "Why are you two here?"
"We did answer your question." Pointed out Molikor.
"Why are you on the ship?" Nariel demanded, growing impatient.
"Like I said. For the same reason as you." Replied Solarius. "We're going to Stranglethorn."
"Are you following me?!" Nariel asked as she looked at the Paladin, her voice growing concerned. "I told you I wanted to be alone!" she said. "I thought you two were going home?"
"You never let me tell you were home was." Stated Solarius matter-of-factly, adding "As you apparently don't recall, we were in the Barrens from Stranglethorn Vale."
Nariel felt slightly guilty at his revelation. "Sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that. It just seems you have a knack for catching me off guard." She said with a sigh.
"I just came because I didn't get to say goodbye." Said Molikor, raising his hand slightly. "Ow- Fine, fine. We were going back to Stranglethorn." He corrected as Solarius elbowed him in the side.
Nariel sighed. They were stuck on the boat for another week, and now they knew she was there. Could be worse. She thought as she looked from the Paladin to the Hunter. At least they're good company.
"I'm going below decks to find food." Molikor said. "We'll meet up soon Nariel. It's good to see you again." He added.
Nariel gave him a friendly smile before turning back to the railing, looking out over the waves. To her surprise, Solarius did not follow him but rather stepped up beside her.
"I am glad to see you look much less concerned." He said.
Nariel gave no reply, but stared ahead.
"You didn't say you wanted to be left alone." The Paladin continued. "Only that you had to go. If I had known you didn't enjoy our company-" he started, but Nariel cut him off.
"Please don't think it's that, Solarius." She said simply.
"No?" he wondered out loud. "Then what is it?" he asked.
She stared ahead for a moment before saying "I'm not used to having people around."
"Perhaps a change is in order? My offer still stands you know." Solarius said. "You could join us in our travels."
"Thank you, but no." She replied firmly.
"Why not?" he prodded, turning to lean against the railing as he watched her.
"If you enjoy our company, and have nothing stopping you, why not come with us?" he asked.
"For my own reasons." She replied simply.
Solarius paused for a moment before deciding to try a more direct approach.
"What's going on?" he asked. "You seem uncomfortable about something, and I can't figure out what it is."
Nariel took a deep breath. She had nowhere to go this time. She had grown quite good at avoiding people determined to pry at her, but this was not a conversation she could escape. She was cooped up on a ship with someone determined to peel away at the object of their curiosity until they were satisfied. It was best to deal with it now. She just had to resist feeling trapped. Exhaling softly she turned to look at the Paladin.
"Why does it matter to you?" she asked. "I'm just some rogue you've only met briefly. Why do you care if I'm worried or upset?" she challenged.
"Why wouldn't it?" he replied, seeming confused. "What kind of person would I be if I just ignored the problems of those around me?" he continued, shrugging. "When I see someone upset, whether I just met them or I've known them my whole life, I want to help." He added. "It's why I became a Paladin."
Nariel squeezed her eyes shut at the word. She hated the fact that the mention of a Paladin, any Paladin was instantly able to drag up such painful memories. It was a vulnerability that no armor could shield, and try as she might to hide it from the world even the most accidental encounters could strike her at her core.
"Stop it!" she said, her voice almost a yell.
Solarius stared at her, shocked.
"Please stop." She repeated quieter, trying to calm her nerves and control herself.
"Stop what?" asked Solarius, sounding defensive. "What did I do?" he asked her.
"You can't solve everyone's problems Solarius." Nariel insisted, her eyes still shut. "People are who they are for a reason." She said, adding firmly "I am alone for a reason."
"Clearly one that has deep and painful roots for you." Solarius replied, his voice suddenly kind. "But even as I can't solve everyone's problems for them, you can't solve all yours alone." He said.
"I don't know what bothers you, or why you choose loneliness over friendship" he said "and I won't promise that Molikor and I could help you with it, but we could try." He said.
Nariel said nothing for a long moment. Finally she turned to Solarius. "What if I don't want help with it?" she asked.
"If you truly believe whatever it is that troubles you is not for us to interfere with, then there is nothing we can do." He replied. "But please do not let that preclude you from considering our offer of friendship." He said, adding. "Perhaps in this instance we can help more than you think."
"I'm not your broken toy to try and repair." Nariel said, a hint of anger showing through. "I've tried for years to come to terms with my problems, and I still can't do it sometimes." She said, her voice bitter. "And you offer to just fix me?"
Solarius shook his head.
"You misunderstand me Nariel." He said calmly before adding. "You are not some misguided soul to be set on the right path to us."
"As you said, you are who you are for a reason. If you are happy with that then perhaps loneliness is your paradise." He said, pausing briefly before continuing. "If not, all we wish to do is offer you a chance to change that."
He turned to her, a soft smile on his face. "Please think about it. We really do enjoy having you around, more so than most of the people we meet." He said as he walked away, leaving her to stare out over the ocean.
What bothered Nariel more than his prying, more than the times he had unknowingly delivered his painful strikes on her vulnerability was one simple thought that in light of all her promises to herself, and all her precautions against it she could not comprehend.
Nariel was actually considering his offer.
