Alnarra sat quietly as she stirred from her slumber. She did
not remember arriving on this ship, nor much from the night before, only that
she was aboard a docked vessel in the Stormwind harbor. Passed out in a chair
somewhat close to the bed was Lady Luinsul. Though she did not know the events
of the night before, the clues left about the room could quickly begin to piece
together a reasonable story. Strewn about the cabin were several empty mugs,
clearly property of the Blue Recluse. Clutched tightly in her hands was a map
she had been working on for several weeks, and out on the small pillow at the
head of the bed was her locket, open for the entire world to see.
It had not been the first time Alnarra had gotten so drunk she ended up sleeping in a strange place, nor was it the first time that it had been her friend Luin who had ensured she had found somewhere safe to rest her weary eyes.
She slowly looked herself over realizing she was still very much in the somewhat bulky leather armor she had worn into the bar. The pounding headache that she had become so accustomed to reared itself like a great serpent stirring from its own slumber.
Quickly grabbing the locked and placing it back around her neck, she began to hunt the cabin for any source of water. Though she knew the hangover would be just as long and painful as the others, she could at least hope to stifle the terrible thirst that accompanied it. She carefully crawled out from under the covers stepping on to the swaying deck of the vessel. The loud ring of the Bells in the various clock towers of the great human city rang in her ears causing her to shut one of her eyes in the hopes that perhaps it would make the pain such loud rings caused to go away.
She unfurled the map in her hands, looking over the marks she had made in the night. It was clear that she had at least attempted to make some progress in trying to track her daughter’s path, though the notes were so smudged and poorly written, it served little in the overall goal of her project.
Her nostrils were filled with the light scent of an ocean breeze, and the side effects of a drunken night. She shook her head stretching for a moment to try and get her bearings.
Alnarra began to fill her satchel with the various belongings and quickly gathered the empty mugs on a nearby table with a note to return them to their tavern of origin. She looked outside the window of the vessel trying to gather the time. The low hang of the sun quickly told her it was early enough for her to get a day’s work done.
Tapping the snoring Draenei on the shoulder caused Luinsul to stir from her slumber. With a quiet chuckle, “Come on sleepy head, we need to get you back to a real place to sleep, a chair isn’t going to do you or your back any good”. Pulling out a small ring, and rather overpriced purchase, from a Dalaran Jewelry store, Alnarra called upon its embedded magic’s to take them both back to the bustling and magnificent flying city.
Though the streets were still filled with mages plenty, the echoes of the past few months hung clear in the air. It did not take long to find Luin’s rather spacious apartment. After a rather brief parting and getting her friend back into a real bed Alnarra set about to taking care of the rest of the day’s duties.
A quick glance at the Calendar reminded her of perhaps her reason for getting more intoxicated than normal, a muttered “Oh… right” escaping her lips.
Without even a moment’s hesitation the druidess quickly called herself back to the heart of Moonglade, and after a very short and quiet journey she landed at her hole in the ground, stumbling inside to find it just as she had left it several days before.
Today’s goals were simple, and she had no intention of letting one drunken night get between her and her plans. She began to pull all kinds of materials from her pantry, flour, sugar, and more. A few eggs which she had borrowed from a nearby timbermaw coop quickly cracked into a wooden mixing bowl. With a smile she placed a Chef’s hat upon her head and began to cook. It was a recipe which she had been making for nearly four thousand years, with blueberry’s, spice, and just a hint of ginger root, and on this day she was more accustomed to the odor than.
Patiently she waited by her makeshift stove, looking in on her creation as it sat quietly in the heat of the flames, sniffing at the air as the edges browned the cake was taking shape. With time it was ready, and with a warm grin she pulled it from the edge of the heat, putting the small round cake on makeshift table. Searching through the dresser drawers she gleefully withdrew a small candle and placed it atop the familiar structure, her heart quickening as if she was expecting a guest at any moment.
She knew though, the guest was not coming, and instead the cake would need to be taken elsewhere. The druidess’ hole in the ground would remain empty today.
Calling on one of the many objects nestled in her vast satchel of supplies Alnarra and her cake were quickly back in the midst of the massive human city. Slowly and carefully she took the Blueberry filled thing towards a spot in the city that she had become far too familiar with.
Pulling up next to a single gravestone, she happily set the cake down, lighting the single candle atop. From the gardens surrounding the graveyard her voice could be heard singing a song, Darnassian words echoed to the tune of a birthday celebration, and when it was done, just as quietly as she had begun, she quickly blew the candle out smiling.
Alnarra took a seat in the grass, reading the line on the headstone in her mind, each time the reality of the words failing quite sink in.
“You know… he would have been nearly 4200 today,” she said, “They grow up so fast on you. First they just want to run and play with the neighbors, and before you know it, they’re out there doing what they think is best. You know when they’re can only leave the house for minutes, or hours as they grow older those numbers become days and years”.
The stillness of the graveyard set undisturbed, even the birds silent in the midday son, Alnarra grasped at the small pieces of grass lining the site, pulling at the fragile root , taking in the scent and looking to the sky as if it would somehow respond with an answer.
“You and I told him, he should have come home, but you know those boys. They weren’t going to come home knowing lives were in danger. They weren’t going to enjoy a cake while their friends sat hurt, or dying. They weren’t going to take leave just to come see their mother… even if it was their birthday,” she said quietly looking down, her tired eyes fighting to hold back so much, “Even if I did make them their favorite cake”.
The breeze on the coming from the lake was so pleasant, and the day so clear. The quiet hum of machinery coming from the dwarven sector of the city was almost soothing.
“I’ve looked in more places… asked more people. They don’t know where she’s wandered off to, but I promise you this I’m not going to stop looking,” her head dipping as her hands went out to reach from the gravestone, “She’s like you, you know? She is so fierce and brave, and sometimes stubborn as a rowdy Nightsaber. She did always have your tenacity. They were all so brave weren’t they?”
Alnarra sat quietly, as if waiting for the cold marble of the marker to respond, a response that never came.
“Why did they all have to go? Couldn’t we have chained one of them, or all of three of them in the stable? It would have been easier you know, not nearly as much time spent worrying. It certainly wouldn’t have made knocks at the door so horrifying,” a smirk crossing her face, and a sigh escaping her mouth.
“Then you had to go and do something terribly brave didn’t you? You couldn’t just let me handle it could you?” her breathing growing heavy and her eyes welling up “I tried…” her face strained as she leaned in closely resting her head against the cold stone “I tried so hard to go on… but I wasn’t strong enough… I wasn’t good enough,” weeping she closed her eyes trying to block out the sights, smells, and sounds around her “And now… now she’s missing and I don’t know what to do. What am I supposed to do? I need you now more than ever and you’re gone and I don’t know what to do,” she said in a near whimper, her fingers wrapped around the stone, her spirit wanting so badly for an answer.
It had not been the first time Alnarra had gotten so drunk she ended up sleeping in a strange place, nor was it the first time that it had been her friend Luin who had ensured she had found somewhere safe to rest her weary eyes.
She slowly looked herself over realizing she was still very much in the somewhat bulky leather armor she had worn into the bar. The pounding headache that she had become so accustomed to reared itself like a great serpent stirring from its own slumber.
Quickly grabbing the locked and placing it back around her neck, she began to hunt the cabin for any source of water. Though she knew the hangover would be just as long and painful as the others, she could at least hope to stifle the terrible thirst that accompanied it. She carefully crawled out from under the covers stepping on to the swaying deck of the vessel. The loud ring of the Bells in the various clock towers of the great human city rang in her ears causing her to shut one of her eyes in the hopes that perhaps it would make the pain such loud rings caused to go away.
She unfurled the map in her hands, looking over the marks she had made in the night. It was clear that she had at least attempted to make some progress in trying to track her daughter’s path, though the notes were so smudged and poorly written, it served little in the overall goal of her project.
Her nostrils were filled with the light scent of an ocean breeze, and the side effects of a drunken night. She shook her head stretching for a moment to try and get her bearings.
Alnarra began to fill her satchel with the various belongings and quickly gathered the empty mugs on a nearby table with a note to return them to their tavern of origin. She looked outside the window of the vessel trying to gather the time. The low hang of the sun quickly told her it was early enough for her to get a day’s work done.
Tapping the snoring Draenei on the shoulder caused Luinsul to stir from her slumber. With a quiet chuckle, “Come on sleepy head, we need to get you back to a real place to sleep, a chair isn’t going to do you or your back any good”. Pulling out a small ring, and rather overpriced purchase, from a Dalaran Jewelry store, Alnarra called upon its embedded magic’s to take them both back to the bustling and magnificent flying city.
Though the streets were still filled with mages plenty, the echoes of the past few months hung clear in the air. It did not take long to find Luin’s rather spacious apartment. After a rather brief parting and getting her friend back into a real bed Alnarra set about to taking care of the rest of the day’s duties.
A quick glance at the Calendar reminded her of perhaps her reason for getting more intoxicated than normal, a muttered “Oh… right” escaping her lips.
Without even a moment’s hesitation the druidess quickly called herself back to the heart of Moonglade, and after a very short and quiet journey she landed at her hole in the ground, stumbling inside to find it just as she had left it several days before.
Today’s goals were simple, and she had no intention of letting one drunken night get between her and her plans. She began to pull all kinds of materials from her pantry, flour, sugar, and more. A few eggs which she had borrowed from a nearby timbermaw coop quickly cracked into a wooden mixing bowl. With a smile she placed a Chef’s hat upon her head and began to cook. It was a recipe which she had been making for nearly four thousand years, with blueberry’s, spice, and just a hint of ginger root, and on this day she was more accustomed to the odor than.
Patiently she waited by her makeshift stove, looking in on her creation as it sat quietly in the heat of the flames, sniffing at the air as the edges browned the cake was taking shape. With time it was ready, and with a warm grin she pulled it from the edge of the heat, putting the small round cake on makeshift table. Searching through the dresser drawers she gleefully withdrew a small candle and placed it atop the familiar structure, her heart quickening as if she was expecting a guest at any moment.
She knew though, the guest was not coming, and instead the cake would need to be taken elsewhere. The druidess’ hole in the ground would remain empty today.
Calling on one of the many objects nestled in her vast satchel of supplies Alnarra and her cake were quickly back in the midst of the massive human city. Slowly and carefully she took the Blueberry filled thing towards a spot in the city that she had become far too familiar with.
Pulling up next to a single gravestone, she happily set the cake down, lighting the single candle atop. From the gardens surrounding the graveyard her voice could be heard singing a song, Darnassian words echoed to the tune of a birthday celebration, and when it was done, just as quietly as she had begun, she quickly blew the candle out smiling.
Alnarra took a seat in the grass, reading the line on the headstone in her mind, each time the reality of the words failing quite sink in.
“You know… he would have been nearly 4200 today,” she said, “They grow up so fast on you. First they just want to run and play with the neighbors, and before you know it, they’re out there doing what they think is best. You know when they’re can only leave the house for minutes, or hours as they grow older those numbers become days and years”.
The stillness of the graveyard set undisturbed, even the birds silent in the midday son, Alnarra grasped at the small pieces of grass lining the site, pulling at the fragile root , taking in the scent and looking to the sky as if it would somehow respond with an answer.
“You and I told him, he should have come home, but you know those boys. They weren’t going to come home knowing lives were in danger. They weren’t going to enjoy a cake while their friends sat hurt, or dying. They weren’t going to take leave just to come see their mother… even if it was their birthday,” she said quietly looking down, her tired eyes fighting to hold back so much, “Even if I did make them their favorite cake”.
The breeze on the coming from the lake was so pleasant, and the day so clear. The quiet hum of machinery coming from the dwarven sector of the city was almost soothing.
“I’ve looked in more places… asked more people. They don’t know where she’s wandered off to, but I promise you this I’m not going to stop looking,” her head dipping as her hands went out to reach from the gravestone, “She’s like you, you know? She is so fierce and brave, and sometimes stubborn as a rowdy Nightsaber. She did always have your tenacity. They were all so brave weren’t they?”
Alnarra sat quietly, as if waiting for the cold marble of the marker to respond, a response that never came.
“Why did they all have to go? Couldn’t we have chained one of them, or all of three of them in the stable? It would have been easier you know, not nearly as much time spent worrying. It certainly wouldn’t have made knocks at the door so horrifying,” a smirk crossing her face, and a sigh escaping her mouth.
“Then you had to go and do something terribly brave didn’t you? You couldn’t just let me handle it could you?” her breathing growing heavy and her eyes welling up “I tried…” her face strained as she leaned in closely resting her head against the cold stone “I tried so hard to go on… but I wasn’t strong enough… I wasn’t good enough,” weeping she closed her eyes trying to block out the sights, smells, and sounds around her “And now… now she’s missing and I don’t know what to do. What am I supposed to do? I need you now more than ever and you’re gone and I don’t know what to do,” she said in a near whimper, her fingers wrapped around the stone, her spirit wanting so badly for an answer.
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