Disclaimer: I do not own World of Warcraft. It belongs to the great team at Blizzard, who year after year, produces great games. Thanks you guys.

Chapter 3

As Tyrion stepped out of the Abbey he grinned at the two people who stood there. One was a man dressed in padded leather clothing, with leather boots and bracers, and shoulder guards. He also had a simple short sword in his hand, and he was slightly more muscular than Tyrion. His sandy blond hair was a messy mop on his head, and his light green eyes twinkled mischievously at him.

The other person was a young woman dressed in a light blue blouse and long skirt combination, and she held a long staff on her hand. She had a modest figure, and her chestnut brown hair flowed to the back of her neck, just above her shoulders. She had a gentle smile on her face, as she stood close to the blond haired man, and her light blue eyes just sparkled gently at him. These two were indeed his childhood friends, Gideon Eckhart and Lynette Telfair.

Tyrion soon strode forward and grinned at them. "Gideon, Lynette… good to see you guys here. So, it seems that you two also decided to go and see the world, eh?" He then looked slyly at them, and his voice had a slight teasing note to it. "And it seems that you two look pretty close as well… I always thought you two were pretty close since we were kids. So… when's the wedding?"

He then grinned as Lynette bopped him playfully on his head with her staff, as she sputtered. "And you don't change, do you Tyrion? I swear, any girl that manages to be with you really has to have a lot of heart and patience to tolerate your idiosyncrasies." She said with a slight flush on her cheeks.

Tyrion just grinned unrepentantly and said. "And you don't change either, Lynn… still the same old tomboy as ever… I had always thought you would make a better warrior then a mage with your semi-violent tenden… Owww!" He then winced as Lynette bopped him again, slightly harder on his head.

"Now, now, Lynn…" Gideon said with a grin, as he slipped his arm around Lynette's waist, letting her lean against him, with a light flush on her cheeks at being so close to her boyfriend. "Tyr didn't mean anything by that… he's just jealous that we two got together and he's still all alone. Isn't that right buddy?"

Tyrion snorted slightly and said. "Yeah, right… jealous, me? Of you two? That'll be the day…" He then smiled at them, and said. "But seriously…. I think it is wonderful that you two got together. Like I said earlier, you two were already quite inseparable when you were kids, so I am not really surprised that you ended up together."

Lynette just blushed slightly and said nothing, while Gideon just grinned and said. "Thanks you my friend… both of us really appreciate that. But I think we are getting off the topic here… so, what did the Marshal give you as a mission, Tyrion?"

"The Marshal actually gave me to clear out those kobold workers near Echo Ridge Mine and scout out the place… though I am going for Deputy Willem's mission right now, which is to take care of one leader of the Defias Brotherhood here called Garrick Padfoot." Tyrion said a bit heatedly at the last part, which made both Gideon and Lynette feel strange. In their experience, Tyrion was always a happy go lucky kind of guy, and sometimes like to goof off, and this was the first time that they had seen their friend rather upset.

Gideon was the first one to speak and said. "I see… I suppose getting rid of the local band of thugs could help the Stormwind Army breathe a little easier, but seriously my friend… what's wrong with you? Would you care to talk about it? I have never seen you get this worked up over a person, and neither does Lynette."

Tyrion glanced at Lynette's worried look, as well as Gideon, who had a similar look on his face and sighed slightly, before he told them about him facing Lana in battle, to knocking her out, and then the words that the thug accompanying her said to him, as well as the conversation that he, his father, as well as Marshal Mcbride and Deputy Willem had earlier. "So you see why I am so upset at that outlaw right now…" He concluded as he watched his friends for their reactions.

Both Gideon and Lynette fell silent for a moment, before Gideon spoke with barely restrained fury in his voice, his facial expression grim and ominous. "I see… so that's why you are so worked up. To be honest, I don't really blame you for feeling that way, buddy. You already see her as a victim, not to mention if everything goes well, she will be a sister to you. It's natural for you to feel protective over her, and want to tan that Garrick's hide for even thinking of doing vile acts against her."

Lynette had a similar, but her expression was quite… scary for someone that looks quite gentle and calm. She had a frown on her face; something that both Gideon and Tyrion knew wasn't a good thing. Coupled with the fact that she was gripping her staff rather hard, both her friends knew that she was feeling quite pissed off at one Garrick Padfoot after hearing Tyrion's story. She then said with a sweet voice, but both men knew that it was dripping venom and frost, which made them wince a little. "I see… then we should do our best to pay Mr. Padfoot back for his intentions now… right?"

Both men nodded rather dumbly and silently prayed a prayer of mercy for one Garrick Padfoot, who had earned Lynette's ire. They knew that she was normally a sweet young woman, although slightly tomboyish at times… but when she is pissed off… Light have mercy on the person that becomes the target of her ire… for she usually has none.

Tyrion then said. "Then it is agreed then, we go after him right now. So, how about the loot that we are going to get once we completed the bounty? Any ideas?"

Gideon looked thoughtful for a moment before he said. "Well, it really depends on the things being offered for the bounty, Tyrion. If it is money, we can split it evenly between the three of us. If it is pieces of equipment, we'll have to see if any of us can use those equipment before we decide on what to do with them. Are we agreed on this?"

Both Tyrion and Lynette thought deeply about it, and nodded in unison. Tyrion then said. "That sounds fair… since we won't know what kind of loot we might get off that scoundrel's body, apart from his head, which we have to retrieve for the bounty that was marked against him."

Lynette and Gideon nodded at their friend's words, and Gideon looked at both of them and said. "Then it is decided then, let us go and take care of that scum before he knows what hit him."

His two friends nodded, and then Tyrion added. "But I think before we go, we should make some preparations first… we should fortify each other first, before we go and rush that hideout. It always pays to be prepared; I believe to prevent us from getting ourselves caught off guard."

He then activated his Aura of Devotion once again, and the same blue glow enveloped Gideon and Lynette, the latter smiling at him as a show of thanks as she placed a spell of Arcane Intellect on him, making him smarter for a moment, before the three of them headed for the direction of the vineyards again, since Tyrion mentioned to them along the way, that he had spotted the shack that the deputy mentioned across the river at the far side of the vineyard.

Their journey towards the shack was largely unmolested, since some of the Defias Thugs that they encountered seemed to be rather skittish of them, since they saw how Tyrion, with the help of some guards managed to kill a fair number of them. Tyrion noticed this, and made a conclusion, like Lana, these must be new recruits that were sent here as their initiation to the Brotherhood, before being sent to other regions.

He relayed this information to both Gideon and Lynette, who understood what their friend wanted and the three of them started to attack the thugs, which numbered around ten or so, knocking them out, and leaving them for the guards to bring them to custody.

They soon arrived in front of the hut, where five thugs stood menacingly in front of them in a protective stance, behind them was a man that had long blond hair that was parted in the middle, which fell to his shoulders. He wore red colored leather armor, and his eyes glinted with malice, and Tyrion could imagine a cruel smirk behind the scarf that covered his nose and mouth.

Tyrion glared at the man with distaste, and he said curtly, a bit of anger seeping into his voice as he recalled what this man would have done to his potential adopted sister, if he had not taken her away first. "Are you Garrick Padfoot, by any chance?"

"Aye, stranger…. That I am… I have heard how you took Lana away to town… and it displeases me. That failure was to be my comfort woman… and you will pay for depriving me and my boys here of some well needed entertainment…" Garrick said maliciously. His eyes then looked at Lynette lecherously, and said with a lusty tone. "Though I think I can let that pass… as long you surrender that pretty bird of a mage you got there as compensation. She will take Lana's place as my plaything… hehehehe…"

Gideon's jaw clenched as Garrick said those words, and even Tyrion was feeling even more upset from this latest turn of events. Even Lynette gripped her staff hard, her eyes smoldering with anger at being undressed so openly in the man's mind. Without saying a word, the three friends nodded to each other wordlessly, as they suddenly sprung into action.

Gideon then led out a war cry, strengthening his companion's resolve as Lynette cast an invisible armor of cold around her, before concentrating. A ball of fire soon gathered at the tip of her staff, and she launched them towards one of the thugs, badly burning the man due to the added effect of her fury, and Tyrion soon stabbed the man with his sword, killing him instantly, while Gideon joined the fray, taking up a stance before striking any Thug that got close hard, killing them quickly in a series of fury powered slashes, his mind caught almost in a berserker rage at the thought of anyone laying their dirty hands on Lynette.

Tyrion assisted his friend, and between the three of them they soon made short work of the five thugs that guarded Garrick and soon turned their fury towards the man himself. Garrick Padfoot did not know what hit him, as he was powerless to resist the combined fury of an enraged warrior and paladin and warrior, not to mention he received heavy burns due to a fury powered fireball impacting against him. He soon let out a gurgle of pain as he felt twin blades pierce through his body, and the last thing he felt was a pain on his neck, as Tyrion swiftly decapitated him, his head rolling to the side, which Gideon soon wrapped it up in a cloth bundle.

It took some time for the battle rage to subside from them, and then Gideon said with a scowl. "Good riddance to bad rubbish… now, what say we do now, Tyrion? You want to collect the bounty on this… lowlife?"

Tyrion nodded and said. "I think so…. Afterwards, I need to go home and check whether Lana has woken up or not, and hear her story, before I go to the Abbey and see what I can do for those Defias Thugs."

Both Gideon and Lynette were confused by their friend's words, and Lynette asked for the both of them. "Um, Tyrion? Are you sure about that? These Defias are supposed to be criminals and thieves right? Shouldn't we leave them to be dealt with by the proper authorities?"

Tyrion nodded and said. "Under normal circumstances, I believe that is the correct thing to do, Lynn… but I do believe that some of those Defias that we knocked out are like Lana… either forced to join, or they don't have any choice but to fall to villainy. If so, I hope to find a solution for them instead of getting them thrown into prison, or worse, the gallows."

Gideon just smirked at his friend's remark. Even when he is a paladin, Tyrion will be the same old Tyrion. He rarely judges people, and is a rather forgiving person when others do something bad against him. He is a bit naïve at times, but he likes to see the good in people, unless those same people have shown to him that they are bad through and through. Only then will he take an appropriate action against them. He then said. "Whatever you say, my friend… now, let us turn in this bounty, before we go and proceed with the other things that you need to do."

Tyrion just nodded and they headed back to the Deputy, where he handed the bloody bundle to the man, who opened the bundle a little to verify the contents before he turned to the three and said with a smile. "Good job, the three of you… now that Garrick is gone, the Defias' hold on Northshire is broken, though I can't say the same for other parts of Elwynn, though I can safely say with the Defias gone from here, we can at least breathe a little easier and can devote our time to protecting the populace even more efficiently."

Tyrion nodded and said. "Glad that we can be of service, Deputy… but let me ask you a question, out of curiosity's sake. What do you intend to do with those Defias that the three of us knocked out earlier?"

Deputy Willem just shrugged and said. "Why of course, we detain them in Northshire for a moment before they are to be escorted to Stormwind for permanent detention in the prisons there, and then stand for trial. Is there something you wish to say, Tyrion?"

He nodded and said. "Indeed Deputy… this is just a feeling of mine, but I do believe that some of those Defias members that you have in custody might be of the same background as Lana. They are all new recruits, that is for sure, to be blooded here first, as far as I can tell, and some of them might be coerced as well to join the Defias, and not a voluntary decision that they made."

Deputy Willem looked thoughtful for a moment and then said. "I see… I'll have to clear this with the Marshal first though, this decision is too big for me to decide on my own. Oh, and wait here for a moment, while I retrieve the equipment that is supposed to be your reward for Garrick's bounty."

He then turned towards the Abbey and quickly entered to find the Marshal and convey to him about what Tyrion had just proposed to him. He soon returned with three items, which he handed to the three, who divided them equally according to their preference.

Marshal Mcbride who followed his deputy turned to Tyrion and said. "I have heard your proposal from my deputy, Tyrion… and I am rather intrigued with your theory. Why do you think that these Defias that we took into custody are as you say, coerced into joining the Defias? Personally I find it a bit hard to believe, but I will hear you out, since you told the Deputy that what transpired with these Defias might be similar to Lana's case."

Tyrion nodded and said. "Of course, Marshal…. The Defias, if I recall correctly are a band of outlaws that have banded up into an organization. It is likely that they also conduct raids against remote farmsteads and the kind, as well as recruit their members from those who are homeless or jobless due to the effects of the last war, if what my father say is correct. If my instincts are correct, it is likely that some, if not all of them belong to that category."

The Marshal looked thoughtful for a moment, before he said. "I see… then I suppose I could give this a try. Come with me, Tyrion… I'll take you to the holding area for the prisoners. Right this way." He then turned and gestured for him to leave, which Tyrion did so, but not before turning to his friends and said. "Gideon, Lynn? You two need not follow me on this… but I want you two to wait for me until I resolved this business, before we go together to the Echo Ridge mine to finish the task that our good Marshal has given us."

"Sure thing, Tyrion… c'mon Lynn… let's go and sell off some of the junk that we collected from our previous quests while Tyrion goes with the Marshal." Gideon spoke to his girlfriend, who nodded in agreement and went with him as they walked together in the direction of the cart vendors.

Meanwhile, Tyrion soon arrived at the holding area, and the Marshal gestured to them. "These I believe are the Defias that you three knocked out earlier. You may speak to them."

Tyrion nodded and approached the group of Defias thugs, and one of them spoke with a bit of caution. "Why have you come here, young paladin? Have you come to dispose of us, just to save those people from Stormwind the chance to do so?"

Tyrion looked thoughtful for a moment, but then gently shook his head. "No, I am not here to kill you. Rather, I would like to hear your stories, as to why you all joined the Brotherhood. And please, leave nothing out… so that the Marshal here can hear it as well. I am here not to force you to confess, but offer a way out for you. I don't know if you know her, but I managed to convince the Marshal and the Deputy to let Lana go…"

"LANA!" The surprised cry of the Defias present interrupted Tyrion, and he merely nodded, feeling confused by this sudden reaction and he nodded. "Yes, I am talking about Lana. She's actually resting at my house right now… and if her story is as the Marshal confirms… she is probably going to be my adopted sister before long. Why are you all so interested in Lana anyway?"

There were some looks of relief, and even some of joy from the Defias present, and a female Defias stepped forward and smiled warmly at him. "I see… so Lana is safe now, and probably is going to get into a good home. My name is Evelyn Sanders… thank you for that, young paladin. We can rest easy now, since you managed to save her at least. Even if we get hauled to Stormwind in the end, we can finally rest our minds now."

Tyrion looked thoughtful for a moment, and said. "Miss Evelyn, perhaps you can briefly tell me why you all feel that way. Is Lana someone special to all of you?"

Evelyn smiled gently and nodded. "Indeed she is young paladin. The ten of us here have somewhat similar backgrounds. Either we were forced to become pickpockets or thieves due to the events of the last war, or like Lana… we were forced to join the Defias after they raided our homesteads, which are scattered in rather remote areas around Goldshire. When she was first 'drafted' into the Defias, Garrick Padfoot immediately took an unhealthy attention towards her." She said the last part with some anger in her voice.

She paused for a moment, before she continued. "Thankfully, most of us here were able to deter him by protecting her as best as she could by keeping her occupied with training, but our efforts were thwarted when that scum… may his soul rot in hell for all I care… sent her on that 'orientation' mission where she met you. Her test of course, was to kill a member of the volunteer corps that the Stormwind Army sent, or else, she would be punished by becoming Garrick's plaything. The rest… I think you already know."

Tyrion listened closely to what Evelyn had to say quite closely and when she was finished, he looked into her eyes, and observed for a moment for any sign of deception there. Finding there is none; he then turned to the Marshal and said. "There you have it Marshal… that is their story; at least Evelyn has summed it up for us. So, what do we do about it?"

Marshal Mcbride nodded and said. "Indeed she has, young Tyrion… as to what I will do… I won't be able to let them totally go just yet, but what I can do for them right now is to release them but under probation and under guard. They are to prove to the community that they are no threat by working in the community for at least three months, and for those are able, join the volunteer militia to guard the settlement. Those are my terms for them to be released. My question is, will they accept it?"

Tyrion nodded and then turned to the Defias that were in custody, especially to Evelyn, which seems to be their spokeswoman and said. "There you have it… that is the decision of the Marshal… and like what the Marshal has said, will you accept his offer?"

Evelyn looked at her companions and they got together and discussed it for a bit, before turning back to Tyrion and had a curious look on her face. "The Marshal is most kind with his offer… and I suppose that you have something to do with it, young paladin. Before we decide whether or not we will accept, could you tell us why you made such a decision to speak in our behalf? Most people would never have done the same, if they were in the same position as you are."

Tyrion nodded and said. "I understand your concerns, Miss Evelyn… and frankly, I would too be wary of such an offer was made to me, if I were in your position right now. Nevertheless, like what I said earlier, which you all just confirmed to me… that you all either joined the Defias either out of circumstance, or forced to join, something that I feel that is similar to Lana. If it is the case, then it would be grossly unfair to send you all to Stormwind to be tried for such trivial crimes borne out of circumstance. That is why I spoke on your behalf… nothing more, nothing less."

There was a short silence following Tyrion's declaration, and there was immediately a warm smile on each of the captured Defias members' faces, including Evelyn, who had a grateful look on her face. "I see… thank you for defending us, young paladin… you are most generous, and I and my companions are indebted to you. You are indeed a good man, and I certainly feel relieved that it is you who are taking care of Lana." She then turned to Marshal Mcbride and said. "I speak for my companions when I say this, Marshal…. We accept your offer."

Marshal Mcbride nodded and said. "Very well then… I will release you all as soon as I finish collecting the relevant information about each and every one of you. In the mean time, you all shall be Tyrion's responsibility, since he was the one that vouched for you, after all. Tyrion, I will leave things here to you. I bid you a good day." He then turned to look for Deputy Willem to find out more about the members of the Defias that Tyrion had vouched for, and check if their stories are true.

Evelyn waited until the Marshal left and then smiled at Tyrion. "Thank you for this Tyrion… like I said, the ten of us here are indebted to you. We shall contribute to the community as best as we can, and earn our keep and trust here… as well as defend the town when we are needed. This is our vow to you." She said warmly to him, which was supported by a unanimous nod by the rest of the Defias members there.

Tyrion looked sheepish for a moment, and then said. "Well… it's nothing really. I just did what I think what is right, that's all. But I trust you all would not betray the faith that the Marshal and I have in all of you…" He then paused for a moment, and then looked at Evelyn for a moment before asking. "Miss Evelyn, forgive me if you consider my question to be strange, but I noticed that when you spoke of my future adopted sister, I noticed that there is some note of affection there. May I ask why it is so?"

Evelyn smiled at the young paladin and said gently. "Well, I personally consider Lana a younger sister of some sort, since she is a year younger than me. In fact, most of us here have become a little protective of her, since we learned that deceased scoundrel Garrick has some rather unhealthy designs for her."

Tyrion nodded and said in a relieved tone, a soft smile on his face. "I see… then I must entrust the safety of my future adopted sister into your hands then, Miss Evelyn… as well as all of you when I am not around. That is what I ask of you, as a brother… and hopefully as a friend to you all as well."

Evelyn just smiled in return, and said. "If that is all you ask, then I assure you we will do it, even if you do not ask it of us. After all, as I said earlier, we have gotten rather fond of Lana, and see to it that no harm comes to her person, just like we protected her from Garrick."

"I see… then I shall take my leave of you for the moment. I leave my sister and the town under your protection then." Tyrion said politely, bowing to her before he turned to leave to go to his home and find out whether his adopted sister has woken up or not. He certainly wanted to know what happened to her, though he did not want her to recall any bad memories if he could help it.

Unknown to him, Evelyn and the rest of the former Defias members were talking about him. Evelyn looked at her comrades and said. "So, what do you think of the young paladin just now?"

The other female of the group, Shaila Corville just smiled and said. "He seems like a gentleman to me… not to mention that he seems to care about Lana, which in my book is quite a good thing."

One of the male Defias also said. "He seems like a good kid… and he is certainly not tainted by the prejudice that most of the people in society has towards us. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stuck up for us.'

Another Defias member also piped in. "True that his reasoning at first was because that our circumstances were similar to Lana's… but like you said, he certainly doesn't have any prejudice towards us. The question is… what do we do to repay his faith in us, besides what he has asked us to do for him?"

Evelyn looked thoughtful for a moment and said. "Well… I have an idea, though it is just in my mind right now. I am sure you recall that you know of some famous organizations around the world right, like the Argent Dawn, the League of Arathor and the like."

The rest of the group nodded and the male that spoke earlier to Tyrion said. "Of course… but what are you getting at, Evelyn? Do you propose that we form a guild or some sort, or even an organization like those names you mentioned earlier?"

Evelyn nodded solemnly and said. "Yes we do…. We will call ourselves members of the Tyrion's Hand… dedicated to the man who has saved us, and given us a second chance to live our lives normally. Once we are released, we will start contributing to the community, and I believe any one of us who are still interested in fighting, I urge them to seek tutelage under some of the trainers here in Northshire Valley so that we can better serve the community in a more offensive fashion."

There was a unanimous nod amongst the former Defias members as they set their sights towards the future, to help the community of Northshire, as well as to repay the debt that their Guild Master has done for them.

Meanwhile, Tyrion soon returned home, and he had just stepped inside when his father greeted him warmly. "Ah there you are, my son. You arrived just in time… our guest has just woken up, and is looking for you."

Tyrion smiled in return to his father and said. "It is good that she has awakened… I will go see her right now. In the meantime, could you prepare some light refreshments for our guest, father? I imagine that she would be famished, and a warm meal and some friendly company would do well to soothe her nerves."

Edgar just chuckled at his son's remarks and said. "Alright, my son… I swear that I still can see your mother in you. You had always taken after her in more ways than one… especially her demeanor, though I do admit that you got your looks from me, as well as your burning passion for justice and your attitude towards the weak." He then turned and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Tyrion to reminisce a little.

Miria Silvermane was a Sorceress of Dalaran, one of the few human females that practiced the arts in Dalaran under the Kirin Tor back during the war ten years ago. She, along with his father, was one of those who survived the war, though the last time that he saw his mother was when he was five years old, since she was called back to Dalaran to help rebuild the Mage Order there, after the destruction that was wrought by one Arthas Menethil during the war.

She still comes by every now and then, and no doubt that his father had already written a letter to his mother by now to inform her of his progress. Maybe if he manages to pass by Dalaran, he will go and visit her, just to catch up. He then gently shook his head, as he made that promise to himself, and walked into Lana's room.

Lana sat on her bed, contemplating what has happened to her lately. She has lost her family due to a Defias raid, and was forced to join the Defias. There she attracted the attention of the local Defias leader, one Garrick Padfoot. He was a rather crafty and lewd man, and has made several unwanted advances on her, if not for the intervention of some of the Defias members that stood up for her. She idly wondered what happened to them. Were they killed, after she had been knocked out by that young paladin earlier? She hoped not, since to Lana… they had become something like a family to her, and she did not want anything bad to happen to them.

The sound of footsteps alerted her to someone approaching. She turned and saw a very familiar looking young man enter the room. He was the young paladin that had knocked her out earlier. When he had stopped in front of her, she asked timidly. "W.. where is this? Why have you brought me here? What do you want with me… please… let me go…"

Seeing that she was starting to panic, Tyrion smiled gently at her as he sat by her bed side, and said warmly. "You are in my home, Miss Lana…. And this is my room. I brought you here after I saved you from those Defias thugs… you are safe here, Do not worry… you are among friends."

When Tyrion mentioned the words 'friends', Lana winced for a moment, before she asked timidly. "E… excuse me, Sir? Co… could you tell me where my friends are? What happened to them, I mean."

Tyrion smiled and said. "I assume you are referring to Evelyn and the members of the Defias that defended you from Padfoot, am I correct?"

Lana nodded, and she had a slightly hopeful look on her face, and Tyrion smiled gently. "Do not worry, Miss Lana… they are alright, alive and well. I personally vouched for them, and the Marshal has agreed to let them go, in exchange for service to the community, after their identities has been confirmed. You may bump into some of them, once you are up and about."

Unshed tears of happiness welled up in Lana's eyes as she heard the good news that the young paladin had brought her. Her friends were alright, and he was the one who vouched for them to have them released. She suddenly lunged forward, and clinged onto him for dear life, sobbing away against his chest, uttering her thanks in between sobs, and Tyrion was taken aback for a moment, but then gently put his arms around, embracing her in a rather awkward, but gentle hug, and gently patted her back, sometimes stroking it to help her calm down.

It took some time for Lana to calm down, and Tyrion soon let her go. She then looked at him, and said softly. "Th… thank you… I really needed that." She then fell silent for a moment, and was about to say something when the smell of something delicious wafted into her nose, and her stomach rumbled slightly, which made Tyrion chuckle, as his father came into the room, carrying a bowl of warm beef stew with vegetables on a tray.

Edgar smiled at his soon to be daughter and said with a smile on his face. "Looks like someone's hungry now… just in time for Edgar Silvermane's special beef stew… I hope you like it, young lady. It's not much, but it is what we can offer at the moment."

Lana shook her head and said. "No… it's alright, Mr Silvermane. I am already grateful for the help and hospitality that you and your son have given me, not to mention for not turning me in to the Stormwind Guard. That alone is something to be thankful for."

Edgar just smiled as he heard Lana thank him. She must have been brought up in a loving home, and in a good family, if her mannerisms were of any indication. He then said with a warm smile. "Indeed, young lady... now why don't you eat up? You can fill your belly with some food first, before we talk further." He then handed the tray of food to Tyrion, who gently handed it over to Lana in turn.

Lana said a soft 'thank you' to Tyrion and Edgar, and started to eat, the aroma of the stew whetting her appetite. The stew was delicious, much like the ones that her mother used to make when she was still alive. That thought sent another stab of pain through her heart, and she fought back the urge to burst into tears again, at the awful memory of her parents being killed by the Defias.

She took her time to eat, savoring the flavor of the stew as she steeled herself for the questions that is sure to come. She needed all the nerves she could get to tell her story without breaking down once again. Once she was finished, she put down her spoon, and then said. "The stew... was delicious... Mr. Silvermane... thank you for your hospitality."

Tyrion then collected the tray from her, as she handed it to him, and set it to the side as he heard his father say. "It is no trouble, young lady... really. After all, you were someone that needed shelter and rest from the traumatic incidents in your past, and we both felt only right to offer you our hospitality."

Edgar paused for a moment, as his face turned slightly fatherly, though it held a bit of seriousness on it as well, and said. "Now young lady... I know this is a rather bad time for me to ask this of you... but could you tell us briefly what happened to you to end up in the Defias of all places? My son here has made a guess, judging from how you acted the first time you met him, that you did not join the Defias out of your own free will. Moreover, evidence supports that theory, since you fit the description of a young lady whose farmstead was destroyed in a raid by the Defias a week ago near Goldshire."

Lana's features were strained as she heard Edgar say those words. There were unshed tears that had started welling up in her eyes, as she nodded. "Y... yes, I am... Lana Callahan... the only survivor of the raid... that the Defias had made upon my home."

She then paused, her voice shaking, and Tyrion, seeing that she needed someone to support her, gently took her into his arms, and gently said to her. "It's alright if you can't speak of this for now, Lana... I can't imagine how traumatic it must have been for you, but I will respect your choice, if you prefer to speak of this on a later date, once you feel better."

At first, Lana went stiff as Tyrion took her in his arms, but his kind words and gentle demeanor, not to mention understanding behaviour made her slightly more at ease. She felt so comfortable in his arms, and it was as if his strength was flowing into hers, making her more relaxed. She had never been in this close contact with a young man roughly her own age, or even older, in Tyrion's case, but the feelings that were usually associated with being with someone you love wasn't really there. It was as if she was being in the company of an older brother, that will do whatever it takes to make sure that she was unharmed.

And Mr. Silvermane, with his posture, and mannerisms, as well as his facial expression and behaviour, reminded her of a slightly more dignified and mightier form of her own father. Being in the company of the two men now, made her feel safe... that they would do anything to keep her from being harmed.

That thought made her feel strong as she shook her head gently and said with a slightly more confident voice that she was used to speak. "It... it is alright... I can do this... thank you both for your support."

She paused yet again, and then started to tell her tale, on how she was the only daughter that the Callahans' had, and they were a small honest family of farmers that eked out their lives by tending to the land and livestock, ocassionally selling the produce of their farm to Goldshire.

Then one day, a Defias raiding party came, and made some demands to her parents, more specifically, her father. He refused of course, and what took place later, was the Defias killed her father, and then raped her mother, before killing her. She was only spared because the leader of the band, Garrick Padfoot seemed to take a shine for her, and forcefully conscripted her into the Brotherhood ranks, in the intentions of enjoying her for himself. Of course, that plan did not work out too well, since Evelyn and some of the Defias members, who were also quite new as well, became sympathetic to her plight and drew Padfoot's attention from her for quite some time.

They were successful, but only up to a certain point, where they were unable to do so for her any further, as she was sent out for her blooding initiation where she has to kill a member of Northshire Valley's volunteers... and her price for failure was to become Garrick's plaything. Thankfully, she was spared that fate, as she was knocked out and brought to safety by Tyrion, away from Padfoot's clutches.

Both Tyrion and Edgar fell silent after hearing to Lana's story, though they were burning up with fury inside at what they had just heard. The Defias were nothing but a bunch of scum, and while Tyrion knew that a minority of the Defias were like Evelyn and Lana, forced to join out of unforeseen circumstances or by force, the fact remains that the majority of their members were nothing but thieves and murderers who prey on the weak. That made him feel quite motivated to incapacitate or even kill any Defias member that crossed his path, but not before confirming their circumstances, of course.

They both took some time to calm theirselves down, before Edgar sat down on the bed, and looked at Lana with a fatherly expression on his face, before he said. "I see... I am sorry for your loss, Lana... but take heart that your parents are with the Light right now, and they are in a better place. Now... both Tyrion and I had some talk even before you woke up, and I had considered adopting you into our family... with your consent of course. We want to know what you thinlk of the idea."

Lana had a surprised look on her face, and she turned to Tyrion and asked softly, her body gently shaking as this revelation made her head spin just a little. "Is... is it true? That you were both thinking of accepting me into your family?"

Tyrion just chuckled, and nodded before saying. "Of course we do... I personally think that it would be fun to have a sister around... I am an only child you see... so, it would be nice to have a sibling to talk to, isn't it?"

Lana smiled softly, seeing Tyrion chuckling and speaking to her already like she was his sister... the thought made her warm inside, and she had to admit Tyrion was right in a way. She was also an only child, so her circumstance was something similar to Tyrion, and since she had never had a brother, she never knew what it is like to have one, though she did wonder sometimes what it would be like to have an older or younger brother. Now, the possibility was presented in front of her, and she wasted no time in nodding, and she said softly. "I... accept... brother, father."

The last part was said with some strain, since it reminded her of her own father, but she told herself that she has to be strong, and that her parents wouldn't have wanted to see her so depressed. She told herself that she will always carry the memory of her parents within her, till the day she passes on.

Both Edgar and Tyrion smiled in return and they said. "You are most welcome, daughter/sister." They then chuckled together when they realized that they had spoke at the same time, and even Lana managed a soft giggle at her new family's antics.

Tyrion just smiled and said. "It is good to see you with a smile again, sister... I hope you get well soon. Who knows, if father allows it, and you display some aptitude, you just might get a chance to join me on my journey someday."

Lana just smiled and said. "I really hope so too, brother... by the way... I have been meaning to ask... why is your name sound Elvish?"

Edgar just smiled as he answered the question for his son. "Well, daughter, I named Tyrion that way because of my friendship with a elf called Tyrion during the war. He perished during the war, and I honor his memory by bestowing his name, as well as the name of the capital city of Quel'thalas for my child. Incidentally, Tyrion was one of the Order of Light, and he is a priest as well."

Tyrion just smiled wistfully at that memory, and said. "Indeed... by the way, sis... I think you had better get more rest. You had a tough time, and I think you would feel better by resting some more. I'll make sure that I come by before I leave the town after finishing up the quests that are left in this town, alright?" He then gave her a brotherly hug, and gently kissed her on her left cheek, which she did the same for him before letting him go.

"Thank you for your concern, brother... and make sure you come back and say goodbye to me alright?" She said gently to him, as she laid back onto the bed, feeling tired once again, the day's events catching up to her, as she soon closed her eyes and fell asleep once more.

"I will, sister..." Tyrion said gently as he tucked her in, and gently put the blanket over her to keep her warm, before turning to his father and said. "Then I will be off to take care of those kobolds in the mine, father."

Edgar nodded and said. "Very well then, Tyrion... be safe my son... may the Light be with you."

Tyrion nodded and said. "You too, father." He then got up and left the room, and then exited his home and went to meet up with his friends.

Gideon, who saw him approaching gave him a warm grin and then asked. "Ahh, you are back... " He then paused for a moment, his face turning serious for just a moment. "So, how did it go?"

The concerned expression was seen on Lynette's face, and Tyrion replied with a warm smile on his face. "Everything went well, you two. Lana has told us her story, and I and my father had already accepted her into the family, and the feeling is mutual with her. My father would probably send a message to my mother, as well as the Marshal to confirm his decision, and it would not be long before Lana becomes Lana Silvermane on an official capacity."

Both his friends breathed a sigh of relief, and they both soon had an equally warm smile on their faces as they heard the news that they have been waiting for.

"That is indeed a piece of good news, Tyrion... I know you and your father well enough to tell that she would be in a loving family once again, and both of you would do anything to keep anyone from hurting her ever again." Gideon said, and Lynette nodded, since that was what she was about to say to Tyrion as well.

"Thank you my friends... I am grateful for that. Shall we go then?" Tyrion said with a grin as he turned and walked in the general direction of the Echo Ridge Mines, but Gideon stopped him. "I don't want to bother you old friend... but aren't you forgetting something important?"

Tyrion was about to ask what his friend meant, when suddenly he realized what Gideon was talking about. He then smiled and said. "I suppose you are right old friend... I will take care of some minor things that I need to do before I go with you two. Could you two wait for me, once again?"

"Sure, Tyrion... we still need to obtain some more instructions from our respective trainers anyway, so why don't we go to the Abbey together? We are all headed that way, anyway." Lynette said with a soft smile on her face.

Tyrion nodded and said to his friends. "Sure, why not? Come on, let's go." He then headed towards the Abbey, with his two friends not far behind him. Once they arrived, he then turned to them and said. "I'll go see Brother Sammuel right now. Let's meet up outside the Abbey once we have finished obtaining new abilities from our respective trainers."

The three of them nodded together, and took separate paths once again. When Tyrion arrived, Brother Sammuel greeted him with a broad smile on his face. "Greetings, young Tyrion... it seems that you are making some name for yourself here in Northshire. Thanks to you and your two companions, we are now free from the threat of that thief Padfoot, and we can now concentrate our efforts to defend the settlement without any worry from those brigands."

Tyrion just nodded and said modestly. "It is nothing, Brother Sammuel. It is the duty of an Alliance citizen after all. By the way, do you have anything new to teach me? I feel that I am now more than capable to handle new abilities."

Brother Sammuel looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded and said. "Well, I suppose so... since you and your companions did take down Padfoot and his ilk, after all. Very well then, let me impart to you all the knowledge that I can to aid you on your journey."

He then started instructing Tyrion more on the arts of the paladin, going over the basics and demonstrating the skills that he possessed, and asked Tyrion to do the same. After some time, he nodded and said. "Well done, young Tyrion... you have learned all that I can teach you. This should be enough to aid you and your companions on your journey, at least for a little while. You have to seek out other trainers though, if you wish to advance your skills as a member of the Order of the Silver Hand."

Tyrion nodded and bowed politely to Brother Sammuel and said respectfully. "Thank you for your tutelage, Brother... and may the Light be always be with you." He then bowed his head towards him one more time, before leaving and met his friends, who were waiting for him in front of the Abbey.

"Ready to go now, Tyrion?" Gideon said with a grin on his face. "Did you finish your training under your trainer?"

Tyrion nodded and said. "I sure have, old friend, and I assume the both of you are also done as well. Now... let's get going to Echo Ridge and finish that task that the Marshal has given us."

The three of them nodded and then made their way north towards the Echo Ridge Mines.

End of Chapter 3

Please Read and Review

Authors Note: Whew, the Northshire Arc final is longer than I thought it would be, due to the heavy dialogue content in it. And so, I think I have to split this Final into two parts, to make it more manageable for me to write. Hope that you guys don't mind. Of course, I am going to carry out my first poll for this story. Would you guys like Lana to be a part of Tyrion's party in the future, or would you like her to stay a normal civilian? What kind of profession should Lana take on, should she join Tyrion's party? Your choices are either a) Priest, b) Mage or c) Rogue. Please vote for this as well, alright? I will give you guys around three or four chapters to vote before the poll is closed, alright? Thanks!