World of Warcraft®

The rain was coming down in a cool drizzle. The day was a tranquil respite in the otherwise hectic week that Elise had been having. How was she supposed to call herself a defender of truth and knowledge with so many people dying? Elise tried to push this thought from her mind, revelling in the calmness that overcame her when she was riding.

She'd never been the best rider, but she was skilled enough, having never taken up jousting at the tournaments, she always admired Taelanas for his ability to tilt among other things. A smile lingered on her lips as she urged her horse forward, picking up the speed from a trot to a canter. It was exhilerating, riding through the rain. It reminded her of their wedding day.

Water to stand as the counter to her own inner fire. It was always soothing, the feel of the warm drops as they dripped down her. It was cleansing. The rain continued to fall, in droves now. Elise dug her heels in and the horse took off, flying down the path, mud flying up behind them, thrown by the hooves of the steed.

Night would come soon, but Elise was not ready to head back to Hearthglen. A fish stew simmered on the hearth waiting for her when the evening ride was done. She continued to ride along through the countryside, the rain made it now harder to see. Elise pushed her hair out of her face, and struggled to keep her eyes clear, the rain would subside soon enough, she told herself.

She pushed on, up the hill that would lead her back to her home, to a quiet evening at home, a night of respite. As they ascended the hill, the horse struggled to find purchase, slipping. She gripped the reigns pushing the beat up the hill as it started to slip backward in the mud. A moment of panic overcame her as the harder she tried to push her steed the farther they slipped down the hill.

It wasn't just the feeling of slipping down the hill, of the horse's hooves desparate to continue forward, it was more than that; the lurching feeling came upon her in a flash, as she felt the horse's left back hoof stick, while the others slid, stumbled and staggered, until it was not possible for the beast to stay upright anyfurther. In a tangle, in a tumble, they went down, horse and rider, the latter crushed beneath the former. The rain continued to batter them, the only sound that was audible on the hill aside from the scream that came forth from Elise was the whinning of the horse.

She blinked back the rain, her breaths were slow and shallow, she couldn't see the horse any longer, it managed to get back to its feet and trot back down the hill, leaving Elise in the mud with her last thoughts. The feel of her breastplate digging into her ribs made it difficult to breath, but she could see the rain turn red.

---

“That’s it then?” He asked. He stood looking down at Elisienne with a wry grin. Brandon was nearly six years her elder and often chided her for what he considered to be “the work of lesser people.” His ego would indeed have been his downfall years later. Brandon worked in the Keep, or so he claimed to those who would hear of his privilege. He boasted of being advisor to nobility and a money lender. Neither were actually true. He was someone who lived off of chance and the downfall of others. This never sat well with Elise.

“Yes, that’s it. The orders have come down and I’m to remain for the time being. It’s not the worst outpost in the world, though it is farthest from here, and for that I am greatful. I grow weary of hearing of your misadventures. By all rights of the law you ought to be jailed for half of what they know.”

He could only look down upon her rogueishly and it pained her to see his lack of care, for her well being or others.

“Try not to get yourself killed up there Ellie.” He joked, using the pet name that he’s adopted for her when they were children, knowing the effect that it had on her.

“You do the same.” She meant it. His last back alley deal had required intervention by the magistrate and quite a great deal of strong arming to get him out of it.

She missed him. No. She missed the youth he had been, prior to his corruption. Brandon... I'm sorry.

----

----
A flame of wreaths, the sound of the rushing water, it was such a comfort to her as the day of her joining with Taelanas came to her. She remembered his strength, his honor, his tenacity. His strength had given her strength, his hope had given her hope. A vision of him, of his arms around her. Family. Duty. Honor. These were the things that She had come to appreciate with Taelanas at her side.

Family, Brandon and Taelanas had been her family, and Erelyn. That was something she could not reconcile, not in these fleeting moments.

"I don't want to see you used against me."Taelanas' words came to her from across time as they shared a picnic north of Stormwind.

"I am strong enough, please have faith in me." She remembered pleading.

He -had- faith in her, that wasn't the problem, he loved her, as only a husband could.

---
Their oaths, their plans, their hopes, all of it flashed between her eyes, until the last image that Elisienne Lightrend Forgewright saw was the smiling face of her husband and her brother, though the two never met, in that moment she wished that they had. The rain pooled up around her on the muddy hillside.

Elise's eyes fluttered, the feeling of helpless leaving her, the feeling of hope coming over her as she focused on Taelanas, on their home, their life, until she could not hold on to anything anymore. The bloodstained mud flowed out from around her body.

The storm broke, a bit of the sun breaking through until it bathed her face in warmth. The last warmth she would know until the flames drenched her once more, sending her home.

The cart pony was missing again. Tobias wailed, fearing the pony had been eaten by wolves, bears, panthers or a wandering ghoul and there would be no work until the boy quieted. Gentyl trudged out across the courtyard, still largely covered with puddles of water from the recent rain. Frogs hopped about out of the way. They had appeared fully grown, as if by magic, after the rain. How the fel did they do that?

"I want to go with you," Tobias cried between sniffles.

"No, you stay here. You still have chores to do and I can find Dumpling faster if I go alone." In truth, she didn't want him with her in case the pony was dead. He had bolted from the pen during the thunderstorm and was probably just out grazing in the hills, but there was also a very good chance something may have gotten him. She didn't want Tobias to see that if it were the case.

Taiva already had Valor saddled when she got to the stable.

"Thank you." Gentyl took the reins and swung up. "Take Tobias back to the tower, please. He still has schoolwork to do and he needs to take out the trashes."

Taiva took Tobias' hand. "Yes, Sepha. I think Meriste was going to back some cookies today also. We probably need to test a few."

The Commander vowed he saw ghosts walking the ramparts of Hearthglen and Gentyl swore she saw one patrolling last night during the storm also. It was just a trick of light and shadow during the lightning flashes. She shook her head. It was a very interesting trick. The soldier had hunched forward as if protecting himself from the rain, and then disappeared into a wall. Oddly enough, that bricked wall was exactly where an old walkway had been before they added another tower to the fortress.

She shook the feeling of unease and focused on the bright green grass. The land was always fresh and bright after a rain and she loved the smell.

Valor trotted steadily as she scoured the hills for the pony. He stopped and looked toward a copse of poplar. A horse grazed there. It was too big for the pony and the wrong color. It was probably one of the wild horses who roamed there during the summer. Valor snorted softly. Her horses were trained not to nicker at another horse when they were saddled. A stray nicker from a horse could give a rider away to the enemy. The horse raised its head and watched them, but it was too far away for Gentyl to distinguish much about it through the trees.

Not far from where they had seen the horse, Valor slowed again. This time he looked up a hill toward a deer trail they sometimes took as a shortcut to get home. Gentyl turned him toward the path. The ground was still slippery with mud, so she got off and led her horse up. Valor's ears kept flicking back and forth. Something was up there. She remounted. If it were a bear or a pack of ghouls discretion might be the better part of valor.

It was neither. She could see a boot protruding from behind a bush. She nudged Valor closer. It was a small boot so it wasn't an orc, but it certainly could be a blood elf.

"Fel!" She jumped off the horse and ran to the body. She brushed the hair back from the cold face then pulled out her hearthstone. "Taelanas, are you there? I need some guards to come to the deer path over Widow Hill."

((I was surpised to see Taiva had already made an appearance in the story, lol. Running off of my memory for the parts we RPed last night so it's rather vague there.))

- "Thank you." Gentyl took the reins and swung up. "Take Tobias back to the tower, please. He still has schoolwork to do and he needs to take out the trashes."

Taiva took Tobias' hand. "Yes, Sepha. I think Meriste was going to back some cookies today also. We probably need to test a few." -

Taiva stood with the boy for a moment while he pouted slightly as Gently rode off then tugged gently at his hand, “Come on, there is work to be done and moping will not bring the Sepha back any quicker.”

He looked up at her doubtfully, but relented to her tugging and walked with her towards the tower. The Draenei smiled at the young boy, and then abruptly changed direction heading towards the keep instead of the tower.

Tobias looked from the tower, to the keep, and then to Taiva, “Aren’t we supposed to be going to the tower?”

Though she kept her voice serious Taiva’s expression showed her amusement, “The Sepha said you had to do your school and take out the trashes, but she did not say in which order. I think we should start with the trash in the kitchen, as there are probably cookies there that require our attention as well.”

Laughing as understanding lit the boy’s features they hurried to the keep, and while Tobias took care of the trash Taiva selected a few cookies for “testing”.

They had finished the cookies on their way to the tower, and were reading together when Gentyl’s voice came over the hearth.

“Don’t worry,” she reassured the concerned boy, “Sepha would not need guards to help with Dumpling.” Not sure who else was close enough assist the Sepha Taiva picks a place a few pages further into the book. “Read to here and if I am not back yet go and finished the rest of the trashes. I am going to see what the Sepha needs.”

As she descended the tower steps Taiva let Gently know she was on her way and got directions to the Sepha’s location. Taiva and her new mount Kuresha made their way through the forest paths quickly, the gryphon obviously agitated that she was being made to run through the forest instead of flying above it. “Sorry girl,” she whispered, “I’m not ready for us to make solo flights yet.”

Some other guards were already there when Taiva arrived and Gentyl was pointing to a body on the ground. Dismounting to get a better look and not recognizing the woman Taiva inquired, “Who is it?”

Gentyl informed the group that the woman was Taelanas’ wife Elise, and Taiva felt as though her heart were being crushed. She did not know Taelanas well, but the sorrow rendered her speechless for a moment nonetheless. There was something about families and death that struck her deeply every time.

She heard Delver asking about getting a priest to heal the woman, and could not help but smile slightly at his optimism. Looking closer at the body she answered his question, “No Delver, I don’t think a priest can help her at this point.”

As Gentyl wrapped the woman’s body in a blanket to return her to the keep Delver approached Taiva and asked her directly if she was sure there was nothing she could do. She shook her head and responded, “The most I can do now is to say a blessing for her spirit and for the Light to comfort of her family and friends.”

Closing her eyes for a moment, Taiva whispered a blessing of the Light for the woman, her family and friends, and the group gathered to take her body home.

The others had helped the Sepha lift Elise onto a packhorse and the group escorted the body back to the keep. After laying the body in the keep Taiva called on the Light to bless the remains and the group one more time before quietly slipping away to find Tobias again.

She found the boy dutifully taking out the last of the trash. “Is Dumpling ok?!” he asked as soon as her noticed Taiva approaching.

“I am sure he is Tobias, but the Sepha has something else to attend to right now.” Looking at the boy Taiva sees a brief flash of a young Draenei male in her mind’s eye, and raises a hand to her forehead at the headache that accompanies it.

She focus’s again to see Tobias looking at her with concern in his young eyes, “Are you alright Taiva?”

Whispering to the Light she lets its warmth run through her and places a hand on the boy’s shoulder steering him towards the tower, “I am fine Tobias, thank you. Let’s go finish your schoolwork together.”