Story: And Back Again

[Darren Tereos]

Dayari Antarios sat on a balcony in Silvermoon City in the Leafwind estate. He had climbed up the vined trellis and sat on the tiled floor amidst a cacophony of brightly dyed silk pillows.

“I should write things down...” Dayari was avoiding Brill: it had become too noisy a place with madmen and strangers babbling about things incomprehensible to him. Having used the convenient translocation mechanism in Undercity, he had found his way to Silvermoon City. Once there, he had tried to find a place elsewhere that might offer some peace and quiet, but the bright overhead sun, Arcane Guardians, and constant passersby had led him to finding the nearest place he remembered there being a modicum of tranquility. However, a nagging feeling told him that he had forgotten something important in his process of arriving at his present location.

Dismissing this thought as nothing more than the usual background noise, Dayari emptied a satchel full of parchment scrolls, some crumpled, others rolled neatly. A particularly large and well-cared for one rested comfortably on top of the pile. Curious, Dayari reached for it and unrolled it. Gazing at the precise script, he read to himself, “Article I – Name and Mission. This guild shall be kno--”

“What in the Light's name are you doing here?” A familiar Blood Elf stared imperiously down at Dayari.

“The baby one...needed a place to read. Vereena.” Undead eyes looked at undead fingers, dredging brief snippets of memory from his rotting skull. “Don't know what this one is, but it is mine.”

“I don't care what it is, you are on my property. If I didn't want the scandal, I'd have a magister here this instant to have you blasted into the Nether.” Vereena glowered at her unwelcome guest, tapping her feet and kicking at the pillows she was certain the moldy corpse was defiling.

“The baby one. Where's the baby. Mothers take care of babies, don't they?” Dayari slowly gathered his papers into the satchel.

“Not that it's any of your business, but he's with his brother in Dalaran, being trained by the best sorcerers gold can buy.” Vereena's look only became more exasperated. She could not understand why the loathsome creature would not just leave. The Forsaken may call themselves Horde, but they were only a step and a tumble away from the Scourge, the foul monsters that had nearly destroyed her precious city and home.

Dayari echoed his previous statement, nearly the same cadence as before: “Mothers take care of babies, don't they?”

“Yes, we do. That's why I'm sending him to have the best education he can. His brother may be a bit slow in his abjuring, but I'm sure Darren will be a paragon of magical performance.” Vereena paused and added, “Besides I have things better to do than chasing children around all day. Their father gallivants around Northrend jousting at wind elementals or some such thing, it's patently unfair that I should have to waste my time when those fuddy duddies in Dalaran can do such a good job shaping their young minds.”

“Oh. If you don't take care of babies, what do you do?” Dayari slowly stood to his feet, more like a marionette being lifted from the ground than a person standing up. Dayari tilted his head and did his best to focus on his conversation partner.

Still irked by the presence of someone she'd rather have swept under the rug, Vereena Leafwind responded, “I'll have you know I'm a great mage. Trained by the best of Silvermoon.” Tapping her foot, she added “Their father has barely stopped home since the zeppelins started to Northrend. Me? I should get stranded at home? It wouldn't be fair and my talents would be wasted.” Vereena paced briefly and turned abruptly to face Dayari, with an almost accusing look. “I can't just stay here the rest of my days, changing soiled swaddling cloths and nursing my own private Horde. I should have every right to go elsewhere as well, to see more of the world.”

“We have two of them.” Dayari volunteered in what he hoped was a helpful gesture.

“Two of them? You are a confused thing, aren't you? Nevermind, I must prepare immediately. I'm going to set off immediately. I've always wanted to see Azshara. It's a place of great historical import for us elves, well the real ones, not those dirty tree-huggers that call themselves elves. A disgrace to the name.” Pacing about rapidly, Vereena spoke in time with her pacing. “I'll have to leave orders for the care of the estate, and probably see to it that funds are available for the servants for upkeep. And a note for the children's father, should he stop by. Ha! Won't that show him, coming home to find an empty bed. Oh, and I shall have to send some gold to those greedy sorcerers in Dalaran, they certainly do like their money and having the kids shipped home would just ruin everything.” Looking at Dayari's rotting countenance, “You can stay, but don't make a mess. You've been very helpful. I never thought much of your kind. But you've done me two favors now. Just don't tell anyone.” Vereena Leafwind abruptly walked from the room, shouting orders to her various servants who scurried about in preparation for what to them, must have seemed a most fortuitous of vacations.

Doing his best to make sense of the verbal landslide from the hastily departing Blood Elf, Dayari sat down to finish the reading he had started. It was late in the evening when he finished, though the lights never seemed to dim in Silvermoon City. Dayari delicately placed the handful of scrolls into one of his satchels. Looking about, a nagging feeling told him that he had forgotten something important. Shrugging, he cast himself off the edge of the balcony, landing silently on the stones below and disappearing into the sparse shadows of the gleaming city.

[Endstille]

Heya, day this is really really good, might I have a try at this?

[Darren Tereos]

Thank you (this is actually a continuation of an earlier story). And every member of Steadfast is welcome to write stories of their character's "other" adventures on Azeroth. As a starting hint, I recommend checking out http://www.wowwiki.com to help with getting names, dates, lore, etc. down pat.

[Jongo2]

Always a delight to read your stories!