Vaelarian – Date Cancelled

After the talk with the young sentinel, Vaelarian wasn’t sure if would be safe to return to the spire.  He had hoped her youth would have made her be a little more open-minded than some of the older sentinels.  She had already poked around enough that if she asked the right questions to the right people, she would have known most of the story anyway.  He asked if she had visited the town near the moonwell and she said she had come from there, that the blood elf had escaped from there.  She must have been talking about a different town.  If she had gone there and talked to the priestess there, she would have known that he was bringing Lali back by force.  She would have known he was at the moonwell the night the orcs had died.  The young sentinel had not asked the right people yet, but when she did… Vael opted to tell her as much of the truth as he dared.  Yes, he let the blood elf escape.  Lali went with him.  All three of them had killed the orcs.  He left out the part about carrying the blood elf to the hills so he could recover.  He left out the part where Lali kissed the blood elf.  He left out that they had visited recently.

She still did not take it well.

She called him crazy and claimed he had doomed his granddaughter.  He tried to explain that making friends with mages wasn’t as bad as having an orc’s axe embedded in your skull, but the young lady was only spurred further into disgust and repulsion at what he had done.  She had huffed off into the small settlement around the spire.  Certainly to tell everyone how Vaelarian Ashclaw had let a sin’dorei live.  Not only live, but he allowed the vile thing to take his granddaughter as well, through a portal, to a city full of mages, to drain her mana and do some demon rituals with her blood.

Maybe he would be lucky.  Maybe she hadn’t told anyone.  He flicked an ear as he descended the steep hills near the spire.  Maybe Avaniel would still want to see him.

He approached the spire carefully.  Hiding each time a sentinel passed too near.  Who had she told?  Did everyone know?  Maybe they were looking for him.  Would they arrest him?  He spotted Avaniel near the tower entrance.  He snuck along the side of the clearing to the wall of the tower.  He tossed a pebble near her feet.  What if she didn’t want to come with him?  She turned and looked his direction.  She cautiously stepped towards the side of the building.  He stepped closer to the back wall and motioned for her to follow.  Did she see him?  She did.  She followed.

He was hoping she would be quiet.

“Vael!  How much of it is true?”  She wasn’t quiet.  She folded her arms and tapped her foot, waiting for an answer.

He frowned.  The girl had told.  “That depends.  What was said?”  He definitely wasn’t going to agree that it was true that Lali was being used in some demonic sacrifice.

“You know what was said.”

Women.  He swallowed.  “I let a blood elf go.”

Avaniel grabbed his ear and yanked it.  She held it tight.  “You let him go.”  She growled, “With Lali.”  She released his ear.  He rubbed it as she continued, “How could you do such a thing, Vael?  Was it just so you could get me alone with you in your camp, without anyone to watch?”

Whoa, he said nothing about that!  “No, no, Avaniel,”  He watched her hands closely, making sure they stayed away from his ears.  “I just want her to be safe.”

“Safe?”  She shouted.  Certainly, everyone at the spire could hear her.  “Safe with a blood elf?  Are you out of your mind, Vael?  You should have killed him.  She’d be a lot safer with the nasty thing dead.”

“He saved my life.  He helped me kill orcs.  He was the one who told me about the reinforcements and where they were coming in.”

She snorted, “So you’re using her as a bargaining chip to get more information?  Don’t you care at all for her well-being?  What is wrong with you?”

Others had heard.  Two more sentinels appeared around the corner of the tower.  He glanced behind himself at the other corner.  Three more on the other side.  He had no choice.  “Avaniel, I’m sorry.”  He bolted towards the bushes.  Shouts went up.  A sharp pain in his buttocks almost stopped him.  He kept running.  He swung his arm back.  An arrow.  He was shot in the butt.  He headed up the hills towards his camp.  They didn’t know the exact location, but they knew the direction.  They would know to look for him there.  He couldn’t stay long.  He reached his small shack and grabbed his bags.  He carefully extracted the arrow from his rear.  He stuffed a spare shirt down the back of his pants to catch the bleeding then continued going south, descending the hill into Windshear Valley.  He stopped at Windshear Hold to write a quick letter before continuing along the path to the Barrens.

Dearest Granddaughter,

Ashenvale is dangerous now.  I’ll write with my new location when I get there.

– Vael

Vaelarian – Into the Fortress

Vaelarian Ashclaw crouched in the tall grass over the ridge behind the orc fortress.  He had been watching for sometime now, and it seemed the blood elf had been telling the truth.  The zeppelins here were carrying the reinforcements that had been attacking Stardust Spire.  The blood elf had betrayed his horde, and why?  To find the girl?  What was his interest in her?  How much was that Highborne paying to have her returned to him?

Why had the girl run away in the first place, only to freely choose to return with the blood elf?

He wished he had been able to speak with Latahlali.  He was, initially, very angry to see her.  That old Highborne had promised she would be safe, but there she was sleeping, out in the open, just as orcs were cresting over the ridge to the former camp.  If he hadn’t passed by that way when he did– How could that Highborne had let her into such danger after all the fuss he made about it being unsafe in the first place?  She would have been safer if she had not gone at all.  Vaelarian had moved.  She would have moved with him.

He realized now that it had all been lies.  The Highborne were proving they were still not worthy of being trusted.  The old fool had seen some sort of magic potential in Latahlali, and wanted to teach her.  Magic!  And she had stood there and told him that she wasn’t playing with it, she was learning it, as if there were any difference.

Now she was gone again.  He frowned as he looked down at the orcs.  If he survived this he vowed to show that Highborne just how unsafe Dalaran could be.

He should have finished killing that blood elf.  Maybe he would yet.

Vaelarian slid down the slope behind one of the orcish towers.  No guards were on this side.  There was a path leading down on one side off to one side of the tower.  On the other side, more buildings, and a lot more orcs.  He chose the side with the path to sneak around to the door on the other side.  He hid behind some crates, and waited for a patrol to pass.  He rubbed the spot on his chest where the blood elf’s water elemental had hit him.  It had bruised, not too heavily, but enough.  Vaelarian was certain the elemental had cracked a rib or two.  It felt like it.  After the Spire was safe, he may take a trip to Astranaar for healing before continuing on to Dalaran.  The orcs needed to be stopped first.

Vaelarian was certain the sentinels at the spire knew of the orcs’ reinforcements.  Perhaps they were waiting for their own reinforcements before making their attack.  Vael had written a letter for Avaniel just in case.  Of course, she wouldn’t get it until after he was done here.  The message had been sent anyway.  There was always a chance he might not make it.  The information he got from the blood elf shouldn’t die with him.  If the sentinels didn’t know, they would soon.

The patrol turned and started going back down the path again.  Vaelarian cautiously made his way around to the front of the tower.  The guard by the door stood looking off into the distance.  Vaelarian stayed close to the wall, sneaking up behind the orc.  There would be no magic tricks to save this one.  He grabbed the orc’s head with one arm, simultaneously slashing it’s throat with the blade in his other hand.  He quickly dragged the orc back along the quieter side of the tower, and left the body among the crates there.  He hurried back around and went inside.

More crates littered the inside of the building.  They looked to be weapons crates with newly forged axes.  They had been packed in straw.  Some had been opened and half-emptied already, others had been clumsily stacked against the wall.  There were sacks of grain and some barrels under a ramp that led up.  He carefully opened one of the barrels.  It was water, from what he could tell.  He took a bottle out of his small bag.  Lali had left it in the hollowed tree stump.  He had found it there when he went back to see if she had really gone.  She had.

He uncapped the bottle, and dumped the poison into the water.  He put the lid back on the barrel.

It might not kill them.  There was enough water that it would be diluted quite a bit, but they would, without a doubt, feel ill.  Vael tucked the empty bottle away, and started moving up the ramp.

He heard voices up top, then the noise.  Another zeppelin was coming in.  He reached the top, and hid between some crates, as the orcs worked to secure the zeppelin at the dock.  There were another 20-30 orcs on the zeppelin, all armored.  They went down the ramp.  Vael held his breath as they passed him one by one.  None of them seemed wary enough to notice the elf hiding between the crates.  The orcs that worked the top of the tower were on the zeppelin now, working with the goblin that piloted it.  Vael slipped out of his hiding spot.  The goblin was looking at a map.  One of the orcs was checking the ropes.  His back was turned.  The other orc approached the goblin and was discussing something in grunted phrases.  Vaelarian slipped onto the deck, going straight for the stairs.

Another goblin was there, at the bottom of the stairs.  Vaelarian stepped quietly down the last few steps.  He grabbed the goblin’s hair and pulled her back, at the same time he thrust his sword forward.  She went limp with barely a gasp.  He stuffed her body into a small room off to the side.

The zeppelin started moving.  Vaelarian could see the propeller out the back begin to turn.  He ran to the back and jammed one of his daggers between the gears.  The engine sputtered and stalled.  The Zeppelin continued to drift out over the valley.  One of the orcs from above shouted something in orcish.  Vaelarian hid and waited.  The two orcs came down to inspect.  He slipped back up the stairs as they checked the propeller.  The goblin was checking the engines and with his back turned, was easily dispatched.  Vaelarian left the body slumped over the engines, and began to cut the ropes that tied the balloon to the gondola.

As he sliced them the gondola tipped.  He heard shouts from below and quickened his blade.  He tied one loose rope around his waist as the gondola became increasingly unbalanced.  The last rope on one of the sides snapped as his blade cut through it.  He was thrown up on the side of the balloon, which had now tipped to be the top, the ropes of the other side dangling the gondola below.

Vaelarian sat a top the balloon, and untied the rope from his waist.  It was certain that this zeppelin would be out of service for a while.  What troubled him now was the direction it was traveling, straight towards where the windriders would patrol.  As it drifted over a lake, he closed his eyes and jumped.

The reinforcements had been stopped.

Vaelarian – The New Camp

Vaelarian Ashclaw couldn’t help but hear someone approaching the camp.  He put out the fire and slipped between the trees and bushes to find the source of the commotion in the woods.  He wasn’t really surprised to see it was the Highborne.  While he was relieved it wasn’t an orc, it seemed the mage managed to step on every twig possible.  An elekk could have walked lighter.  If he were any louder, every orc in Orgrimmar would know where they were.  Vael slipped silently through the brush near the Highborne.  If the Highborne was this much of a bumbling fool in the forest, then none of them should be messing around with the arcane.  The mage reached the stream, and proceeded to slosh through it towards the camp, dampening the bottom half of his robe.

Vaelarian watched as the mage walked up the bank of the small island in the stream.  He stopped at the top, looking in the direction of the tents.  Vaelarian took advantage of the Highborne’s attention being held by the tents to cross the open stream and slip behind a bush.  The Highborne continued standing in the same spot, staring at the camp.  Vaelarian glanced down and found a sizable dry twig to step on.  It snapped in two loudly.  He looked back up at the Highborne.  An ear twitched, nothing more.  Perhaps the old fool was braver than Vaelarian had first supposed.  Or dumber.

Vaelarian stepped on another stick.

The Highborne called out.  The man really was a fool, but still, he did not run in fear as Vael had expected.  He could at least respect that.  He stepped away from the bush, allowing himself to be seen.

“She’s not here.”

The mage seemed startled.  Good.  Perhaps he was capable of recognizing danger after all.  At first the Highborne tried to act innocent.  He said he was lost.  Vaelarian knew enough to know the mage would be seeking out the camp.  He was not lost.  He found what he was looking for.

He sat and sharpened his blades while speaking further with the Highborne.  He would not be able to stop Lali from seeing him, not without risking to alienate her.  He couldn’t do that.  He wouldn’t do that, but he wouldn’t let her in immediate danger either.  The mage seemed concerned that he was doing just that by staying in Ashenvale.  The threat from the orcs were everywhere there.  But Vaelarian didn’t think the city would be any safer.  He sharpened his throwing knives too.  She was safe with him.  The question was, would she be safe visiting with this Highborne.

She had apparently sent him one of her stories.  Was it truly by mistake?  Vael had stumbled upon one of her stories when she first came into his care, a little over a year ago.  He remember his ears warming and stuffing the story back where he found it, quickly.

The Highborne had said he wanted to talk to her.  About cats.  When she returned, she sat near him and talked.  About cats.

Vaelarian knew it was because he was there.  She seemed nervous mentioning that she had written a letter to him.  He had suspected that much.  He suspected more.  He watched their reactions.  He fished for more info.

For now he had to allow it.

The mage had stayed at the camp.  Vaelarian lent him one of his spare bedrolls.  They didn’t have a spare tent.  He slept near one of the trees.  Vaelarian waded towards where the water cascaded over the cliff to the south as the sun rose in the east.  He sat at one of the hills overlooking the valley below, watching as the windriders took flight in the dawn’s light.

OOC – Archaeology Rare Find

I was doing a bit of archaeology on the death knight last night and came across the rare druid half-shirt.

The latest in druid fashion.

Terivanis – Letter to Kelanori

Kel,

Vajarra hates me.  I might have said something in Darnassian that she might have understood that I didn’t mean to say because I’m not sure.  She might have expected me to say it again, but I can’t because it’s not fair to her that I would say that.  I never should have in the first place.  She left me last night.

She hates me.

– Teri

PS. I’m feeling okay physically.  The bruises are almost gone.

Mule Deer – Story

The mule deer nibbled the browned summer grass near the moonwell in Farwatcher’s Glen in Stonetalon.  The man sitting there, in bandages seemed to be talking to him, but he didn’t really understand.  At times the man would pause, wistfully looking off into the distance, but then he would carry on.  The mule deer tried to walk away a couple of times during the more lengthy pauses, but then the man would start up again.  The mule deer would walk back.  he didn’t really understand why he walked back.  Probably no one did.

The man leaned back against the rock he sat by, wincing slightly as he did.  He continued talking.  It was a pretty, flowing language, but the mule deer didn’t seem to make much of it.

A tear fell down the man’s cheek.  He quickly wiped it away.  He looked up and talked some more before looking down again.  He sat there silently for a while.  The mule deer liked the silence.

The man got up slowly.  He was very careful, but it still looked like it hurt.  He walked to one of the dwellings.

The mule deer nibbled the browned summer grass near the moonwell.

Letter to Kelanori

Dear Sister,

I hope you are doing well, and that you’ve only had good news.

I’m writing to let you know that things in Stonetalon are fine.  We checked on your house, and everything looks untouched.  Vassanta and I went to the field to the north and blew up some orcs with dynamite.  It was fun.  Maybe next time you can come with us!

Love,

Jaeyn

Home

We went home.

It’s not that I don’t care about my sister, but for all I know she’s in Stonetalon or just anywhere not near Hyjal right now.  I’m pretty sure it was her that I saw near the hippogryphs this morning.  I didn’t see her all day.  I didn’t see Ornasse either.  I don’t know what’s up.  If they’re not together anymore then I know she must be really upset.

I’ve found it best to avoid upset women.  Unless the woman is your mate.  Then it depends on why they’re upset.

We left because I saw one of the demons though.  That’s the real reason.  I guess I’m just trying to rationalize this ahead of time so that when Terivanis comes to me acting all pissed off about it, I can tell him to stuff it.  I don’t keep my family around demons.

And Kel really could be in Stonetalon or something.

Relanos has been waking up in the morning the past few days.  I don’t know why.  Hopefully being back home will fix his sleep schedule to be back on track so Tathariel can spend more time with him.

Letter to Kelanori

Dearest Sister,

I’m so happy for you!  I know I already said that you’re welcome to visit us at our temple at any time, but you can extend the invitation to him!

We left Stonetalon and spent last night at our home.  Ellorian slept upstairs.  I hope he found some good moss.  We need a druid to grow some more moss for us so we can have a moss bed.  Maybe you could ask Ornasse if he’ll do it!  Terivanis is too bad moody to.

Vajarra and Phaa are still in Stonetalon.  I guess it’s been quiet there with some small spurts of activity.  I’ll probably be sticking around Stonetalon and Feralas for now.  Everyone has run off to Hyjal like a bunch of idiots that forgot there are battles elsewhere as well.  Hopefully the horde has sent a bunch of people too or I worry what may happen to Stonetalon.  I don’t like to think about it.

I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear that I plan to take my awful highborne father to Dalaran later today.  He seems excited to see the libraries there.  I didn’t even know they had libraries.  I’m going to leave Dog with Vassanta so they can go hunting or watch ogres or something.  The mage at that tower to the north still insists the ogres have the orbs we need.  I still don’t see where they might keep them.

I should get ready for the trip.  It’ll be a long one!

Love,

Jaeyn

Letter to Kelanori

Dearest Sister,

I don’t know why I start my letters like that.  You’re my only sister, so I guess you know you’re my dearest sister too.

How is everything?  Vass and I have killed a lot of orcs with Ellorian.  He’s really good at setting them on fire!  He’s still bad at fishing.  It is kind of funny to watch him as he keeps forgetting to worm on the hook and reels in bits of junk instead of fish.  It is concerning there’s that much junk in the sea.  I guess he’s helping to clean it out.  That’s a good thing!

We need to take him to our home first.  Then we’re taking him to Dalaran.  We’re still camping in Stonetalon for now.  The orcs here are fun to kill and the fishing is good.  It’s kind of nice.

I’m glad to hear all is going well.  Let me know if you need any help there.  For now I think it’s best if we stay here and make sure the horde doesn’t get an upper hand in the battle to the north.

Love,

Jaeyn