Sorrahn Dawnstrike frowned as he started reading the letter he had just received. He had orders to return to Silvermoon with his aspirants, to report in as soon as possible with only a week deadline to do so. The official looking part of the letter looked to be all in order, and didn’t give much information as to why. A note attached explained a little more. They were going to Orgrimmar. Sorrahn cringed at the thought. He had no love for orcs, but according to the letter they would be fighting them. At least there was that. He wouldn’t have to fight alongside them, except maybe a few rebels. Apparently, the orc warchief had done something or other to upset the other savages they had aligned themselves with, and that half-blind idiot of a ranger left in charge of the sin’dorei felt it was a good idea to go to help the others. A common ranger should have never been left in charge. Sorrahn’s ear twitched as he sat to write his reply.
Blood Knight Captain Delanel Morningray,
Thank you for your additional letter explaining the situation. My aspirants are almost finished with training. I was going to give them a couple of weeks before their final test, however, with your news, I will speed up the plan, and return with them to report for duty early next week.
Also, I was wondering if any battle mages will be needed? I’m sending along the address of one whom I personally know here in Shattrath. He has training and experience, but was presumed captured or dead in Dalaran until I found him here.
– Blood Knight Captain Sorrahn Dawnstrike
***
Vessen and Nessna Amberlight had heard the rumors, but it was still a shock when they both received the letters. Nessna had hoped the orcs would have worked out their own problems by now, but it seemed that wasn’t going to happen. They were both to report to Silvermoon and would be leaving in a few weeks time.
Nessna held their baby boy, Rylad. She had just finished feeding him when Vessen brought the letters inside. “What are we going to do? We can’t leave him with Marsieth. Not for that long.”
Marsieth would have been Nessna’s first choice, if she didn’t think the woman would already be overwhelmed with requests. She watched many of the ranger’s children. Nessna didn’t want Rylad to lack attention. Marsieth was good with children, but she couldn’t possibly take them all in full-time.
“My father works in his shop all day. I don’t think he can watch a baby. Yara has returned to the rangers in Silvermoon, and Xyliah…” Vessen shrugged, “I think my father knows where she is, but I doubt leaving him with her would be a good idea. What about your family? Maybe your mother could take care of him.”
Nessna raised a brow. “She would only be good for a short-term solution. We’ll be gone more than a few days. Besides, the last I heard from Lani, my mother and father are still arguing. I don’t really want to expose him to that.”
“One of your sisters then?”
“Not Vallindra. Lani and Esladra still live at home, so that would be no better than sending him to my mother. Aranae isn’t answering letters again, so I can’t even ask her to.”
Vessen frowned in thought for a moment. After a short pause he asked, “What about your brother?”
Nessna frowned as well. “Well, if I had to choose between leaving him with my mother or him, I’d choose him. He has apprentices, but has the advantage of teaching at home. I don’t think he’s very familiar with how much work is involved with babies though.”
“I’d rather leave him with family than a stranger. Why don’t you write a letter to him and ask to visit? That way, we can ask him to watch him and show him how to take care of him.” Vessen smiled slightly, reassuring Nessna a little, “I’ll take Rylad to put him down for his nap.”
***
Isturon Lightmist had enjoyed his week-long visit with his son in the Ghostlands. While he wasn’t really looking forward to returning to Silvermoon, he and his daughter both had patients scheduled for Monday morning. It was one morning he hoped Verisna would stay out of the office. It was tiring to constantly be on the lookout for her. He took it as a good sign that she hadn’t returned from her trip yet when they arrived home.
He didn’t doubt that his wife would have had time, even while on vacation, to work on finding someone for Lani to marry. He had been doing his best to protect her. Most of the families that Verisna had mentioned were full of rich snobs. After giving in last year to an arrangement that Verisna planned for their son, and watching it fail, he felt it may be better to let them choose their own. Lani seemed to have other ideas, insisting that he choose someone for her, though Isturon was sure that she simply asked that because she felt pressured.
It was while in the Ghostlands visiting his son the past week that an alternative solution was brought up. Lani could move. Hethurin’s estate had more than one unused building on it. True, most of them needed repairs badly, but it could be done. She could open her own office, and live in her own home in the Ghostlands. The town needed a healer, and it would get her away from her mother, as well as the pressure to marry. She could focus on work, and take the time she needed for personal relationships. She just needed to be convinced that it was a good thing.
After they ate a quick breakfast, he sent Lani to open the office in the front of the home as he went to pick up the mail. It was rare that he was able to do so. Verisna would normally get the mail before anyone else, but with no one being home the past week, it had piled up. Isturon looked through the more personal-looking mail first. Nothing had arrived from Aranae yet. He wished he had been able to talk to her longer at Vallindra’s wedding, but he had been too busy trying to keep Verisna from making a scene. He wondered if Aranae hadn’t been getting their letters. Surely, she would have had time to write by now. Perhaps it was time to try writing to the pandaren teaching her, and see if they were able to reply.
He went through the rest of the mail. Most of it was business related, and would need to be taken to the office. One of the more official-looking letters caught his eye. He took it out of the pile and opened it. He frowned as he read it. Healers were needed. The letter didn’t say much about when and where, but he had heard rumors about the orcs. He twitched an ear and re-read the letter. Two healers were known to work at the address. One was required to go.
He picked up the other letters and headed towards the office. Lani would need to take his patients. Convincing her to move would have to wait until he got back. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be gone too long.
All the rest 