The Forgotten Chieftain's Wife Chapter 6
At the Lions Pride Inn Lothar waited impatiently for his son Callan to arrive with the young man he'd apprehended sneaking into the soldiers barracks at Stormwind. He claimed he'd been doing so in order to get a look at the recovered body's of the deceased soldiers from unprovoked attacks in the kingdom. Lothar had been in no mood for this nonsense. For days now villages had been going silent plundered with more and more people disappearing without any trace or word from them. There were never any survivors. Each description of the cause turned out to be filled with uncertainty. Nothing was definite and that's what seriously frightened all of them.
What's going on? Whose behind these unprovoked attacks and why?
All were excellent questions to consider that remained unanswered, but there is one factor that is clear. A piece of information shared by too many different separate sources that couldn't be ignored. These placed didn't have an opportunity to communicate beforehand until now so there was no way this could possibly be a hoax. No this is all very real. And there is significant proof to back it up.
Apparently King Llane thought so too.
"Beasts you say," said King Llane, speaking in the recognizable and sovereign tone belonging to a strong patriarch. But he struggled to maintain it as he looked at a retrieved shield of a fallen Stormwind soldier bearing an enormous gash that nearly split the metal plating. This is troubling. No ordinary creature could easily penetrate this brand of metal. Dwarves specifically forged it. "What manner of beasts could do what you reported?"
King Llane stood at a group of gathered tables pushed together holding maps, letters, and inkwells. These pieces of parchment were crucial holding everything they knew what the situation so far in this crisis.
Shaking his head, an officer said "Rumors, Your Majesty."
"From three different valleys," said a female soldier called Alonan, emphasizing the importance of the alternate locations.
"I've heard a dozen different reports."
"It's a rebellion, Sire."
"Rebels, beasts, we need more information!"
Which is hard to acquire when there were no people left from each attack to clarify the stuff that's true and what's false. With absolutely nothing to narrow it down they were literally just guessing.
King Llane and Lothar shared the same discreet yet exasperated look. They'd been friends for so long that knowing what the other is thinking was totally second nature to them. The same could be said for Lothar and his sister Queen Taria.
"Lothar, have you learned anything that can help," asked King Llane.
Shrugging, Lothar said "Not much. A little, perhaps. I don't exactly know what to make of it. My men captured a man searching the bodies at Stormwind. She said he'd been checking them for any lingering signs of dark magic, but I remain unconvinced partially by his claims. Although there was a peculiar wisp of green mist that escaped a dead mans lips when the mage was permitted to do a brief autopsy under my supervision. I'm not sorcerer so I can't tell you enough to make of it. Also, my liege, I've been told to summon the Guardian. So, hop to it, man."
At the mention of the Guardian a near suffocating tenseness was added to the already stiff atmosphere. It's no secret as to the reason behind it.
After Princess Lyanna's disappearance a couple of years prior the royal family and the Guardian weren't necessarily on the best of terms with each other. Everyone in the kingdoms had frantically sought far and wide for her. She had been well liked and loved by various people. Not that Medivh didn't do his best to assist, but it was his lack of joining with participation that got people pretty upset. A poor example set instead staying at Karazhan. Even then with all the magical resources at his disposal Medivh failed to find her. The man had sequestered himself in his lonely isolated fortress ever eince. It left a bitter taste in Lothar and King Llane's mouths since the three of them had been long time friends from childhood.
The part is hard to let go of. Especially when the trauma of the event hits so deep in the heart and soul, but now was not the time to hold grudges. Not with the welfare of their people at stake.
Nodding wryly, King Llane said "I'll get straight on it."
"Is there still no word from Grand Hamlet," asked Lady Taria, softly.
Grand Hamlet is the most recent village to have been assaulted.
Lothar shook his head grimly in a bleak reply. The soldiers that had been regularly stationed there had gone silent long gone.
"How does a garrison of thirty men disappear without a whisper," said King Llane, incredulous.
"The fel," blurted the young mage, having heard the last part of the conversation as he strode through the front door ahead of Callan into the inn, or at least its influence."
The lively chatter in the Lions Pride Inn quietly instantly as all eyes were diverted to him in accordance to this mans bold declaration, however irrational it sounded.
It was not one to take lightly.
The mage went to approach King Llane to plead his case, but Callan blocked him with an armored arm on his chest.
Brow raised, inquiringly, King Llane said "Is this him?"
"Mm-hmmm" confirmed Lothar, rounding the table to stand beside his sister holding a cup of ale in his hand.
Remembering his place in society, bowing his head respectfully, the mage said "Your Majesty."
Lothar aimed a reproachful glare at his sister before walking over to his son.
"Dad," said Callan, nodding, rigid.
"Thank you, Sergeant," said Lothar, gruffly, stern. "I can take it from here."
Callan obediently retreated stepping back. The mage took this as a sign he was allowed to speak.
"So, who are you, mage," said King Llane, sharply.
"My name is Khadgar. I am the Guardian novitiate," said the mage.
That certainly didn't grant him any points judging by the looks on everyone's faces.
"I-I was. I renounced my vows," stuttered Khadgar, nervously.
"You mean you're a fugitive," stated Lothar, dryly, skeptically contemptuous.
Insulted, somewhat defensively, Khadgar objected "I'm not hiding."
Lothar pointed a finger at King Llane redirecting the boy's attention back to where it actually belonged.
"Your Majesty, I may have left my training, but I didn't leave my abilities behind," said Khadgar, passionately. "I've sensed something. Dark forces, when it's strong it almost has a smell. Knowing that something so evil was so close I couldn't just ignore it."
There was a sudden onslaught of clattering and shouting from outside the building. It transformed into a large babble of scared voices from other individuals.
"When has this happened?"
"Is this true?"
Callan ran to intercept two soldiers that just entered the inn through the front door.
"What's going on out there," demanded King Llane, on the alert.
"Smoke, Sir," said Callan. "Southeast."
The guards present began to mobilize grabbing their weapons as they simultaneously made for the door.
A Goldshire Guard said "Let's grab our swords!"
"Your Majesty, I urge you to engage the Guardian with all haste," pressed Khadgar.
A Goldshire Officer said "They've reached Elwynn Forest."
"Grand Hamlet is burning!"
It was true. Even from inside the rancid odor of smoke from burning wood and flesh made its way in my some open windows carried by the wind currents.
King Llane and Lothar subtly locked eyes wondering what the right course of action to take next.
While King Llane took counsel below Lothar stood on the second level gazing across Elwynn Forest where Grand Hamlet was. Or what's remaining of it anyhow. The orange-red glow could be seen for miles with billows of smoke floating higher and higher into the air touching the sky. The distant rumbling of the blaze is very distinct.
Lothar waited patiently anticipating his friend and kings decision.
The light footsteps climbing up the stairs in his direction touched Lothar's ears causing him to look away from the scene to see who it is. The visitor is his sister Lady Taria. She too seemed stressed though she was being very successful in concealing it.
"An attack," asked Lady Taria, a slight yet barely audible tremor in her speech. Her fear quickly changed to confusion when she caught the expression on his face. "What?"
Firmly, uncompromising, Lothar said "Stop requesting Callan. Stay out of my business."
Rolling her eyes, gently grazing her fingers over Lothar's arm, Lady Taria said "He wants to follow in his father's footsteps."
Lothar said "My son doesn't need your help. So stop."
"Tread carefully. You talk to your queen," countered Lady Taria, playfully.
Leaning closer to her, smiling slyly thinking himself to be quite clever, Lothar said "You are my sister first."
This sibling conversation was unable to continue progressing further because of King Llane's arrival.
Regarding the pair with grave eyes, King Llane said "When was your last visit to Karazhan?"
Clearing his throat uncomfortably, not making eye contact, Lothar said "About three years ago."
About the exact time when Princess Lyanna vanished into thin air.
Keeping his composure, King Llane said "And you've had no contact with Medivh since?"
"Not for lack of trying," muttered Lothar.
Lothar had attempted multiple times to communicate with the man, but all had been in vain. He never got a reply back so he didn't bother trying anymore. He didn't see the point of it.
"Well he can't hide from us now," said Llane, somber, pulling off a ring he wore with a winking blue gem holding it out to Lothar. "The Guardian is summoned."
Lothar took the ring.
"Come," said Llane, hurriedly walking down the steps heading for outside gesturing for Khadgar to follow.
The young mage would apparently be accompanying Lothar on this journey.
Putting a palm on his sisters back as he assisted her down the stairs, staring after King Llane, Lothar asked "How is he holding up?"
Aware of the direction Lothar was taking, Lady Taria said "He's…well he's coping as well as can be expected given the circumstances."
Lothar softened considerably when she said that. Of course the tragedy that occurred to the royal family was hard on all of them, but it definitely left a profound effect on King Llane most of all. Elwynn Forest was where they lost track of Lyanna. King Llane had rightly forbidden his family to step foot in those woods. He was scared to death he'd lose them too. Only recently had he just begun to really lighten up on that. Lady Taria had finally persuaded him to take the family on an outing for the first time there in a long while. Which eventually led up to how they were in this place.
For over three years Lyanna had been declared missing King Llane had constantly been steadfast believing his sister was still out there somewhere alive. She simply couldn't find her way home. But now the reality of it after such a long span of time it was starting to kick in.
"Lothar, he's at the point where he can no longer deny how unlikely it is that Lyanna is still alive," said Lady Taria, forlorn.
"No one can," agreed Lothar, rather reluctantly.
The duo was now outside where Callan, King Llane, and Khadgar conversed with each other. Not far off war the gryphon Lothar had ridden to get to the village of Goldshire. This gryphon is a magnificent beast one that Lothar treasured greatly. He'd known this one for a long time so Lothar had a strong bond with this one.
Lothar didn't hesitate easily mounting the gryphons back getting situated into the saddle. Khadgar was far more cautious. The outright fear he exhibited revealed how skittish and unsettled he was.
Motioning behind him in annoyance, Lothar said "Get on."
A bit clumsily Khadgar listened shrinking back when the gryphon screeched at him. As soon as he was on the noble creatures back he awkwardly wrapped his arms around Lothar's waist to remain secure. He didn't know how fast a gryphon could fly at full speed. He was going to find out.
"Good luck," said King Llane.
Lothar nodded at his leader and best friend in farewell.
Kicking his heels into the gryphon's sides they took off into the sky. The gryphon launched vertically on powerful legs making Khadgar tighten his grip exponentially.
Startled, he gasped "Okay."
Lothar rolled his eyes pushing the gryphon to go faster. This is looking to be a long flight.
Authors Note:
Boy oh boy they are gonna be surprised when they see Lyanna again.