World of Warcraft®

(( *Insert self degrading intro here* I have been meaning to post this for awhile now, but I'm terrible at writing, so it took awhile. This takes place the morning after ????'s attack at the Feathers tavern. I have really wanted to RP more with Zani and play around with the mother-daughter relationship, and I am also trying to get into creative writing, which I haven't really done since...Middle School? Read at your own risk, really. If you have constructive criticisms or tips, please PM me, as I would really like to get better. Especially with formatting dialogue. Thanks! ))

“Mom,” a child's voice piped in Draenei. “Moooom. I'm up. Wake up.” Zaranae slowly pealed her eyes open. The room was dim; the sun's light just beginning to paint the sky and peek through the single window.
“Mooom, wake up wake up wake up!” She turned around in the bed to face the frustrated gren eyes staring at her from above.
“Good morning, Zani” she spoke in groggy Draenei. The first words to escape her mouth that day were distorted and low. She cleared her throat.
“Fiiiinally! Why you so sleeepy,” the child dropped herself onto Zarane, knowing her mother would catch her. The woman wrapped her daughter in a quick hug, managing to tossle the girl's short black hair before she escaped and leaped off the bed.
Zaranae switched into common, “I had.... Ah rough night en Booty Bay..” Her common was accented, but generaly precise and clear. Zani giggled, holding her arms out and spinning in a circle as she spoke, “didja get attacked by pirates?” Zara laughed softly, shaking her head.
“-How- deed youh know?” She regretted the words as soon as she spoke them; she wasn't completely awake, and Zani immeadiately gasped and leaped onto the bed, landing on Zara's legs.
“You got attacked by -pirates-?” the girl exclaimed, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.
“Well, Ih deed not-- Eet was not pirates,” Zara ran her fingers through her hair, sliding her legs out from under Zani. The six year old didn't seem to notice, her eyes fixed on her mother. “Eet was only one man...” Zara stood and walked to the mirror on the dressing table. It only took a few steps as the room was very small. She began to brush her blue hair.
“And he wuza pirate! Arrrr!” Zani bounced a few times on the bed before leaping off, slashing in the air with a pretend cutlass. Zara raised a brow, smirking and too tired to argue.
“Ih theenk he was undead.” Zani gasped, completely overdramatic.
“A ZOMBIE PIRATE?!” she shrieked, running in a small circle (limited by the size of the room) and flailing her arms about. Zara snapped into Draenei.
“Zanika! Shh! You will wake the neighbors!” Zani lowered her head and put a finger on her lips.
“Shh... Zombie pirate!” she squealed softly. Zara chuckled and shook her head, setting down the hair brush. Zani pranced about the room as she questioned her mother in common, “So how didja beat zombie pirate? Yarrr!” Zani raised a hooked finger at her mother.
“Well, he was not ah pirate... He wore leather, and had knives,” Zara stated matter of factly in common as she walked to the closet.
“Yo ho yo hooo!” Zani sang back, releasing a peal of bubbly giggles.
“He reelly was not ah pirate, Zani. Thees deed reelly happen to me though.” Zara turned from looking through her dresses to give her daughter a serious stare.
“Yeah, happened, and it wuza pirate!” she erupted into more giggles. Zara gave a grumbling yet playful scoff. “Ohhh! Ih am goeng toh get youh!” she threated as she lunged at Zani. Her daughter squealed and tried to flee, but the draenei's long steps reached her too quickly and ara scooped her up, one arm under her knes and one just below her shoulder blades, exposing her sleep-tunic clad belly, which Zara pretended to eat from.
“Nang nrang ngh ngh ngh! Mm!” The girl squealed, giggling uncontrollably.
“Mommy (in draenei) iza zombie!” She flailed in her mother's arms, kicking her feet rapidly until Zara set her down.
“Mm, yes, zombie pirate bit me!” Zara groaned. “and now -youh- are a zombie tooh!” Zani's squeal descended into a giggle as she raised her arms out slowly.
“Brraaaaains!” Zara mimicked the motion.
“Brraaaaains!” They both erupted into giggles and Zara bent down to wrap her daughter in a hug and plant a peck on her cheek. The sun now illuminated the room fully, revealing the contrast between mother and daughter more clearly. Zaranae's skin was a radiant blue,while Zanika was pale, almost white, though her skin fell within the tones of the standard Alliance races. Elegant swooping horns, adorned with shimmering many-toned blue hair crowned Zara's face. Short, thin horns poked out from Zani's solid black hair. With her coloring, dimunitive horns and lack of tendrils or hooves, she was clearly not draenei, but instantly recognizable as not human either. Zara knelt down to brush the hair out of Zani's face and away from her horns. Her daughter giggled.

“Yer not a zombie, mommy.”
“Noh, and he was very much -not- ah pirate.” Zani laughed mockingly.
“Ha ha ha! Riiight! Am' -Orwyn- izn really -Oarwind-!” Zara groaned loudly, pulling at her face lightly with her fingertips.
“Zani please, hes name es semilar but they are not the same! Orwyn es -not- Oarwind!”
“Nope nope nope! Sir Oarwind!” Zara sighed heavily.
“Well, youh can theenk that, but doh not tell anyone that, espeshally not him.” Zara's eyes focused intensely on Zani. “You did not tell anyone, yes?” she asked in draenei, with a serious and dark tone. Zani clasped her hands behind her back and swayed her shoulders, smiling her best “innocent” smile.
“Who deed youh tell?” Zara's tone was calm and even, but firm,“keeds from school, or the Orphanage?” Zani scratched her back absently.
“School... Dhonnie made fun a me so I tol' him that I met Sir Oarwind an' he didn't think I was a demon.” Zani's eyes flashed and she met her mothers eyes. “They thought I was so cool!” Zara sighed heavily.
“Ih theenk eet es much cooler eef youh met the -real person- Orwyn and not the fairy tail person Sir Oarwind... The man on the poster es an actor, and hes character es -not- Orwyn, the man youh met. Okay?” Zara moved her hand to her daughter's back, rubbing it affectionately.
“Okayyy...” Zani said reluctantly.
“And youh must tell youhr school kids that youh met Commander Orwyn, and they are not the same, yes? Youh will be just as cool.” The girl groaned.
“Fiiine.” Her mother glared back, chastising her in draenei.
“Tone, miss.” Zani straightened.
“Sorry. Yes, I will.”
“Today?”
“Today.” Zara smiled warmly and kissed Zani's forehead lightly and reverted back to common.
“Good. Now youh need toh get -ready- soh youh are not late today!” Zani nodded excitedly and ran to her dresser to dig through her clothes. The woman headed to her own wardrobe, grabbing a silver dress with a blue pattern crossing the bodice and sleeves. “Oh, Zani, we have ah new neighbor...”
“New neighbo'?” she squealed and spun to her mother, still struggling to pull her overshirt over her head, her right arm searching for its exit. Zara inhaled deeply, closing her eyes.
“Yes, ah, hes name es Monty...He saved me from the...Not-pirate man. Soh youh must be very nice to him, okay?” Zani, upon conquering her overshirt, gasped loudly and bounced on her toes.
“Oh, oh, he saved you! Izzie a soldjur?” she looked at her mother with wide eyes.
“Ah, he es ah paladin en traineng... Aout toh take hes final tests...” Zara's zone was somewhat apprehensive, but the six year old didn't pick up on it.
“Oh, boo, palamins are boooring. Too bad..” she sighed dramatically.
“Zanika, reelly, youh -must- be nice to him, and on youhr best behavior. We will be bringeng him breakfast thees morneng, after we wash up.” Zani smiled sweetly up at her.
“Yes mother, all be good.”

((*applauds* :D Lets see more!))

((That was excellent! Thanks for posting it! Very cute mother/daughter scene and yes, more!))

(( Thank you so much guys! It means a lot to me to have encouragement. I put Zara's thoughts and feelings into this one, so we'll see how it goes...))

After they had washed and dressed, Zara stood over their tiny stove in the corner of the room. A table next to the stove served as a preparation space, with a basket eggs and a slab of cured pork belly, partially sliced into thin strips. Bacon and eggs seemed a suitable meal for a paladin. It was certainly suitable for Zani, who stood just behind her mother, taking in the wondrous bacon aroma.

“Issit done yet? Ahm so hungry, I could eat a whoooole piggy!”
“Mm,” Zara responded idly, her eyes focused on her work. “maybe youh could, but doh youh want toh? 'Youh are what youh eat,' youh know... Doh youh want toh be a pig?”
“Being a piggy would be cool... My schoolmistress said piggies are smart!” The girl made a few convincing pig noises, prompting a laugh from her mother.
“My leetle piglet, are youh?”
“Yup.” Zani leaned her head against her mother's leg. Zara put her arm around her shoulder and held her close until she moved to grab Zani's plate, sliding the food onto it in a smooth motion and handing it to her daughter.

“Here youh are, piglet!”
“Mm! Thank you!” Zani rushed to the table and dug in. The cat, who had only at the smell of bacon arisen out of the basket of laundry, leaped onto the table to inspect the food with gleaming blue eyes.
“Sraka, no!” Zani waved her fork threateningly at the white cat, who got the message and leaped off. She stood next to Zani, in the “drop zone” as it were, her tail flickering hungrily.

Zara ignored her cat's antics. She stared at the bubbles of butter popping at the edge of the new pair of eggs. Her mind was focused on the recipient of the meal she was preparing, Monty. At the least, he had spared her from excruciating pain, at most, her life. She appreciated it greatly. He hadn't hesitated to move in front of her defensively. He had proven himself an honorable and brave man. If it were a fairy tale, she'd fall in love with him instantly, marry him, and live happily ever after. In reality, she had absolutely no interest in any of that. She certainly wanted to be kind, to show her appreciation. He was worth knowing and befriending.

Perhaps at a previous time she would be interested in fairy tails, but her current situation left her feeling resolutely platonic towards him. She couldn't escape feeling like she owed him. Smoke wafted into her face...
Curses, she burned the eggs.
Those will have to be mine, then...

She slid the pan's contents onto a plate, then began again, her worried thoughts still plaguing her mind. She needed to tell him she wasn't interested, but she didn't want to be rude. She wanted to show her appreciation, but she didn't want to “lead him on.” It was a challenge for Zara, who had devoted herself to being kind as a sort of penance. Rejection was unkind, but giving false hope was potentially worse.

The eggs and bacon had cooked to perfection, and she transferred them to a plate, sighing softly.
“Now Zani, Ih am goeng toh take thees across the hall... Ih trust youh can be good for ah minute?” The girl nodded vigorously and gave a thumbs up in response, continuing to chew her food. Zara walked out slowly, but her journey was too short to be delayed very long, and she arrived in less than a minute. She inhaled slowly, trying to calm her sinking heart. As she exhaled, she knocked thrice upon the door,
“Monty? Ih made youh some, ah, breakfast...Ah, like Ih said Ih would!”

(( Definitely wanna see more, Zara. I like reading these; though, now i'm picturing Monty as a fabio-esque figure after Zara's description.

And you are not terrible at writing. You don't get to say that after people enjoy your postings *nods* ))

((mooooore zooooombie piiiirate braaaaains...))

((Hah. I'm Fabio. HEh.))

*The sounds of surprise, stumbling, and crashing are heard, quite loudly.*

A strained voice calls out from inside the room,"A minute please! I um... uh... A minute, please!"

A bump at the door, and the fumbling of locks can be heard, a moment later, the door opens inside to reveal a room already filled with books, that have now been made into a carpet, spread across the floor. The bed has most of it's items strewn about the small room. A pale man stands in the doorway, with plate greaves, leather boots, and a tabard on. His chops and 'stache are trimmed, and brown, but look out of place on his pale, and small frame.

"Hello... Uh... Sleep well? I didn't. Still a bit of pain. Kind of sore. Not pleasant. Thanks for the room, again. I still think I should pay. But uh... Good morning!" Monty's pale face lights up a tad bit, when he smiles, and when he smells food.

Zaranae raised her brows with amused concern at the sounds from behind the door. Her nerves calmed somewhat. She blushed and smiled shyly as the door opened. She met Monty's eyes initially, but looked away nervously, noticing the condition of the room behind him.

Hearing his upbeat, scattered flow of words eased her mind further, and her friendliness overcame her nervousness. Her smile grew more confident, and she met his eyes again.

"Good morneng! Not enough sleep, Ih am afraid...Es there anytheng Ih can get youh for the pain? Ice?"
She shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Please, noh more about payeng. Eets the least Ih can doh. "

She moved the plate towards him. "Eggs and bacon, es that good?"

"Really? Well, it's to be expected.... Last night was uh.... rather... erm, hectic. Oh, yes definitely, I would love something to eat.... Feels like I haven't eat in.... days. Well, not really. I actually ate last night. Before.... Well, that. No, i'm fine. Just more prayer should suffice."

Monty looks behind him and scowls at the room. "Please ignore the mess.... I uh.. don't have any idea how it's already terrible. Heh. I'll have it cleaned up, by tomorrow. Maybe. I hope."

He graciously takes the food, and sets it down, for later. "So... what do you plan to do today? Nothing to.... to.... tasking, i'm sure?"

Zaranae giggled softly at his rambling. "Youh should make sure youh eat up, then! Ih can make youh some more eef youh need."

She gave him a friendly smile as he turned back to her. "Oh, noh, eets looks well for just moveng en! I have lived here for years an eets steel ah mess... Youh should focus on resteng, not cleaneng. Eef youh need any help, please doh not hesetate toh ask."

She let him take the plate. Her eyes widened slightly at the question. "Oh, ah... Well, I have toh take Zani toh school, then Ih work at the orphanage until Ih put Zani and the other kids toh bed. And Ih..." Her cheeks began to darken and she paused before continuing. "Ih theenk Ih will visit Orwyn tohnight," she said softly and with apprehension.

Monty goes back to the door, nodding. "No, this should be fine... Don't need to eat too much before I talk to the new master anyway. Well... Uh.. I have no idea who Zani, or Orwyn, are, but, you work at the orphanage? How nice. What's it like in the uh.... Stormwind one? I only ask because uh... paladins and all... Erm. So uh.... I know it hasn't been long, but have you figured anything out about our adversary?"

Monty is quite red, and flustered.

Zaranae darkened deeper and lowered her gaze. "Oh, ah... Zani es my daughter... Ih assumed you had heard her... She can be quite loud..." She continued to blush and stare at the ground. "And, ah, Orwyn es the Lieutenant Commander of the Stormwind Watch..." She cleared her throat and raised her head, her cheeks beginning to soften. "And yes, the Stormwind Orphanage... Ih am ah volunteer matron. Eet can be ah challenge, but Ih love the kids... And, ah, Ih told Orwyn about the man, and they are lookeng for him. Ih trust the Watch will doh all they can." She nods firmly, her head held upright and her cheeks calmed.

Monty sheepishly grins. "Well, that's good. Nice to know people are looking for him. Well, i've only been here for a little while, and for most of that, i've been... uhm, asleep. Well, I guess i'll have to meet her. I've had uh, no experience with children, other than when I was still a squire at the chapel, and they were my peers."

Monty smirks, remembering his days as a squire. "I might have to visit the orphanage, heh, might as well get to see more of the city, other than the cathedral, and this building." Monty smirks.

Zaranae nodded slowly at the talk of the strange man, but smiled at the mention of children. "Well, eef youh stay here youh will at least be -heareng- ah lot of her..." The draenei rolled her eyes and chuckled softly. "She comes with me toh the Orphanage after school as well. Youh should stop by. The kids love visitors, and Ih theenk they would like toh talk to ah paladin en traineng. They could look up toh youh."

Monty smiles, amused. "Well, i'm not a paladin, yet. So not too... ah, much to be inspired by, but I shall stop by, sometime. So when does school end? I'll try to go and take a visit at that time, one of these, ah, days."

Zaranae returns the smile. "Ah, but en traineng es enspireng tooh! Youh can tell them how they can start toh become paladins. Zani es dropped off at about two... Ih need toh take her now... Es there anytheng else youh need?" She maintains her smile and pleasant manner, seeming far more confident than the beginning of their conversation.