Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 3
My Sylvanas,
Everything here is cold and dreary. It makes me miss you more than usual. No, don't say that Undercity is also cold and dreary, because it's different. I'm at home there. You're there, and I love you. And you love me. So I'm warm. Not here. Here, I feel alone.
As soon as I got to Vengeance Landing, I was called to the Borean Tundra, so I left on the next transport. The damage the Alliance caused to theWindrunner annoys me, but I think that we'll be able to fix it eventually. I wasn't able to check on other damages, because I left that same evening, but I wish I'd been able to stay. I have a feeling that I would have felt better there than I do here.
I don't think I've ever seen so many members of the Scourge in my life. I thought the Plaguelands were bad, but as we were traveling via zeppelin, we saw countless hordes of them. Sylvanas, there are so many of them… will we be able to get rid of them all? Can we even make a dent in their numbers? We passed over Dragonblight, and there were hundreds in that one small area. The captain said that we were flying over Azjol-Nerub, the ancient Nerubian capital. Oh, my love, are we going to have to go in there? I don't think I'll be able to…
We were barely able to land at Warsong Hold. The Scourge was attacking so fiercely that we had to fight them from the air. We barely struck down enough of them to be able to get off the zeppelin and into the hold, where Garrosh was apparently waiting for me. Between you and me, I don't think he's impressed, but I never got the impression that he was easy to please.
Things are hard. I know, we're on the front lines, and I've been at war before, but I don't think that anything I've been through so far prepared me for this. Three broken hours of sleep, half a slice of bread for breakfast, followed by twenty hours of intense fighting. It's only been three days, and I feel like I'm on the brink of collapse. The only reason I'm holding on is because I can't stand the thought of letting you down.
I'm scared. It's okay to admit that, isn't it? You told me once that fear was good for me, as long as I didn't let it overwhelm me. I don't think it's overwhelming me yet. I hope it doesn't.
I should go. I love you. I miss you.
Your Faith
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 9
My dear Sylvanas,
The courier who was supposed to take care of the mail was killed just before he left, and I haven't been able to write since, I'm sorry. So you'll get both of my letters at the same time.
I'm doing better than I was when I first wrote to you. I guess I've gotten used to the grueling routine. Or maybe it's the fact that we've had around a hundred new recruits who just arrived from Orgrimmar. It lightened the load only a little, but it's better than nothing.
Except that we're not doing anything. We're just holding defensive positions, and you know how much I hate that. I want to be proactive, I want to go out there and figure out what in the hell is causing these creatures from coming at us at every angle. They're relentless – I suppose they would be, being undead – but it's as if everything we've done until now has been in vain.
I can see Valiance Keep from here, in the distance. From what I can tell, they've also been constantly under attack, and there have been rumors of the plague in Farshire, a little farming town not far away. I hope it's not true. We really don't need more dead bodies to fight.
I got word from Koltira today. He and the others are settled in the Grizzly Hills. As for the others in Vengeance Landing, I heard they're doing fine. They've been giving the Alliance something to scream about. Although you'll have to tell me why we can't get along, just for the sake of the campaign. I mean, don't we have other crap to worry about than this ridiculous Horde vs. Alliance conflict? I mean, really?
I hope that everything's going well in Undercity, my love. I miss you.
Faith
Undercity, 23 days since you left
My dear Faith,
I have to say that seeing your first letter with a bloodied envelope had me scared for just a second until I was told about the courier.
I know you're scared, and I wish I could tell you that it would get easier, but you, better than anybody, know what it's like to be on the front lines against the Scourge.
The Argent Crusade tried to retake Andorhal the other day. It was a mistake, as they only sent out a hundred men. From what I heard, they meant to draw some of the Scourge out, but ended up being completely slaughtered. So now we have an additional hundred bodies to contend with down there.
We will always hate the Alliance. It's just the way things are. I know it wasn't always that way, but it's either we hate the orcs, or we hate the humans. We can't be everyone's ally, and you know the humans don't want anything to do with us. Neither does anybody in the Horde, as I understand it, but they're stuck with us.
How would you be letting me down, Faith? You couldn't, unless you defected to the Scourge, and we both know how likely that is to happen.
Things in Undercity? They're fine. We had another couple of attacks near the sewer entrance when everyone at the Scarlet Crusade outpost was slaughtered and raised, but we took care of that quickly. The Third Magi Corps learned a lot from you.
Oh… I found the note you left on my desk. I love you, Faith. I know I don't show it the way I should, but I do.
Be safe.
Sylvanas
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 20
My Sylvanas,
My love.
All I have to do is close my eyes, and for just a sliver of a second, the cold of Northrend becomes the warmth that we knew in Eversong Woods when we lay on the fragrant grass, side-by-side, our hands close to each other, but not quite touching. I wanted you to touch me so badly. I should have touched you. I should have held your hand… kissed you. Oh, how I wanted to kiss you.
Do you remember what that felt like? When we were close to each other, needing each other so badly and never having each other? All we had were hopes, dreams, and need. It might sound crazy, but I wish more than anything that we could go back to that time. You were alive. We were happy, if needy.
I find myself thinking of those times often. Maybe too often these days. But it helps to remember.
I remember how much I wanted to feel your skin against mine… and now I can't breathe, give me a minute.
Okay, I'm back. Sorry, you wanted to know what was happening here? Same as always. The Scourge is here. Oh, they've built nests in the quarry, can you believe it? Nerubians, spiders, Sylvanas, have built nests! Right under us!
So it's either I think about how much I wanted to feel your lips on my breasts, or I drive myself insane with terror, thinking about those vile creatures.
I love you.
Your Faith
Undercity, 50 days since you left
My Faith,
Has it really been this long since you left me? I'm having a hard time believing it, and yet, here the evidence stands. Fifty days without you.
I remember every instant of the times we spent together when I was alive. Including a time when you got really sick and I stayed up all night looking after you. You told me you loved me that night, but you were practically delirious with fever.
Let's see. It was the first time I could think of that you didn't come out to meet me the instant I arrived at your house. You were in bed, and you barely reacted when I came into your room. You thought I was an illusion. Only when I touched you did you say my name. You cried.
I hated being away from you back then. I still do, but I think I've learned to cope with it better, in the light of everything that's happened to both of us. I suppose that being separated from one's lover pales in comparison to dying. Although, now that I think about it, death didn't do us part, did it?
Listen to me. I sound like a lovesick puppy. Enough of this.
Spider nests, did you try fire yet? I'd be surprised if that doesn't work for you. And don't tell me you can't get close enough to them. I remember what you did to that giant spider in the woods when I took you hunting. You are perfectly capable of handling this, so do it already.
Love,
Sylvanas
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 35
My love,
Yes, we used firebombs on the nests. It didn't work as well as we wanted, but it helped a bit. But we have another problem now, one that's a lot more pressing.
The Scourge has taken over our farmlands. The granaries are gone, and so is our slaughterhouse. To make a long story short, we're about to run out of food. I conjure as much of it as I can, but it's not as filling as a real meal, as you know. For some crazy reason, we can't create portals inside Warsong Hold – I think that the Scourge had a lot to do with that, so I can't even make supply runs to Dalaran.
And I know the same thing is happening at Valiance Keep. They're still under attack, same as we are, and the rumor about Farshire were confirmed. But they're in better shape than we are, because they have the sea right there. We would have to go a little ways from Warsong Hold to get to the water, and the Scourge blocks us.
How do I know this? Funny thing. We found four deserters almost at our doors. Why they wanted to come to us is beyond me, they would have been worse off. But they were terrified. I guess the Scourge takes the heart out of even the most courageous soldiers. I brought them back to Valiance Keep as a gesture of good faith. I hope they won't be too hard on those soldiers. We don't have enough people in the campaign to lose any to the firing squad.
Sylvanas, my love, do you think maybe that you could send us Forsaken soldiers? We could send orcs in their stead to Vengeance Landing. Since Forsaken don't need to eat, and they're particularly adept at getting rid of the Scourge, I think it would be best. Garrosh hates the idea, but I'm beyond caring what he thinks at this point.
I love you. And you don't sound like a lovesick puppy. You sound like… a lovesick version of yourself.
Your Faith
Undercity, 70 days since you left
My dear Faith,
The Warchief agreed to substitute the orcs for Forsaken. I sent word to Vengeance Landing, and Thrall sent word to Warsong Hold. I hope it helps, baby girl, I really do. If it doesn't, I'm pulling you out of there. I hate to think of you hungry. Mana food won't sustain you for very long.
I also sent the Third Magi Corps to Vengeance Landing. They should be able to provide some relief to you. They'll bring grain to you. It should stay fresh for the journey, unless the Scourge takes it.
Dalaran's been informed as well. You'll be getting help from there too. I don't know why you didn't contact them before. I know they're busy, love, but they're closest to you, and can get help to you a little faster than I can.
A lovesick version of myself? Is that right? You get your ass back here, and I'll show you a lovesick version of myself.
You make me smile, even from thousands of miles away.
Are you taking care of yourself? Because you should. I don't want you getting sick. You won't have anybody to look after you if you get ill, and then you won't be able to write to me.
Oh, some good news: Armand and Lizbeth Cromwell got married. Again. They decided to renew their vows, because they had just been married a year when they died, so they had a small ceremony yesterday in the Ruins of Lordaeron. It was sickeningly cute. I don't think that they'd expected me to come.
I miss you. I miss holding you. I miss your laughter. I miss your smile. And if you tell anybody I said that, I'll deny it.
I love you,
Sylvanas
Dalaran, Crystalsong Forest, Day 51
My Sylvanas,
The mages from Dalaran arrived, and were able to break whatever barrier the Scourge necromancers had erected around us and around Valiance Keep, so we can create portals again. I'm just here for an hour or so, for some hot food and a book.
Oh, all right, all right! I can't hide it from you.
I got poisoned again. It was nothing! Just a scratch! But the medics thought that I should go to Dalaran right away. I'm all healed now. I'm just waiting for some supplies, and I'll be on my way back to Warsong Hold.
Rhonin and Vereesa came to see me while I was at the clinic. The twins told me to say hello to you. You wouldn't believe how much they've grown. How did that happen? They look like you, did you know that? Vereesa misses you. She didn't tell me that outright, but she kept asking about you.
I miss you too. It's been too long since I last saw you. I need you. I suppose I could quickly teleport to Undercity from here, but I'd never go back to Northrend, we both know it.
Thank you for the grain, by the way. It arrived the same day the mages did, so we were able to have a real feast that evening, between battling the Scourge. I'd forgotten how good a simple bacon sandwich is, especially when the bacon's crisp and juicy.
Sorry, I know it's pointless to talk to you about food. I'm fairly certain that you'd be able to eat something, you know. Your body's much more preserved than that of the other Forsaken.
You would deny missing me?
Love,
Your Faith,
The one who knows you inside and out
Undercity, It's been so long I've lost count
My Faith,
Yes. You are mine. You've always been mine. And you will always be mine. But nobody needs to know that. Why? Because it's nobody's business but ours.
With that said…
YOU WERE GOING TO HIDE THAT FROM ME?
Yes, I'm screaming at you. You. You were going to hide the fact that you got poisoned. Poisoned, Faith! Don't you dare tell me it was nothing! They sent you to the clinic in Dalaran! That means that it was something, and don't you dare tell me any different!
Rhonin wrote to me about that, by the way. I nearly took a portal to Dalaran. A scratch. You idiot. You nearly lost your leg, and you call that a scratch? Yes, I'm mad at you! I know accidents happen and that you're on the front lines, Faith, that's not what I'm angry about.
I'm angry about the fact that you lied to me.
Sylvanas
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 62
Sylvanas,
Yes, I lied to you. Deal with it. I lied to you because I knew you were going to overreact. You want to know what the first thing that went through my mind was, when I got hurt? "Sylvanas is going to kill me for this." And that's not a normal reaction. At least, I don't think it is.
I knew you were going to overreact, and I was going to hide it from you because it wasn't anything. I knew they'd be able to fix me up and send me back to the front without any further issues. And I haven't had issues since I got back.
I'm wondering now if you're going to continue reading this or whether you're going to throw it in the fire.
Faith
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 63
My Sylvanas,
I'm sorry.
Your Faith
Undercity, 82 days and counting
My dear Faith,
Nice recovery with that second letter.
I wasn't going to write to you again. You made me so angry I cried, if you want to believe that. This is the first time you've ever lied to me, and I still don't know what to make of it. You. You lied. To me.
I know why you did it. But I'm allowed to overreact, Faith. It's us.
Come home.
Your Sylvanas.
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra, Day 75
My Sylvanas,
You know I can't come home. Not now. There's too much going on. We found a necromancer at the farms the other day. It took a while, but we killed him. We have more to kill, but it's a start.
It breaks my heart to know that I hurt you. I didn't do it to hurt you. You know that, don't you?
I want to be there with you. I need to be there. I want to talk to you about everything, not just write. It doesn't feel right that I can't hear you screaming at me. As much as I hate it when we fight, I'd rather we fought in person and not like this. It's too easy to misinterpret things in writing.
I love you, my Sylvanas. I love you.
Your Faith
Undercity, 90 days… come back!
My Faith,
Come home.
Please come home. I don't care if it's just for a sec
I looked up. My eyes widened.
The quill I was holding dropped onto the parchment.
Faith.