Chapter 20: Volume 2: Chapter 3
Lost Lion
Disclaimer! I don't own WoW. Blizz does, and your soul too.
Volume 2: Chapter 3
*** The Great Sea ***
'I need a haircut.' I decided as I felt the salty sea air blowing some of said hair out of my eyes.
Sure, I could have gone to a barber shop in Stormwind, but damn it, Grim from Lakeshire was my go-to guy since I had been stationed there. I hadn't been feeling adventurous enough to try a new barber and now, I was paying for it. Luckily, no one noticed my issues as I finally saw the golden glow right in front of me.
"There you go! Hold the Light just like that in your hand," I encouraged the four people in front of me. "Steady...steady…keep the shape of the ball."
The four people consisted of three acolytes and one former royal guardsman who had been successfully poached. Of the four, it was the royal guardsman–or rather, guardswoman–who had the hardest time, judging by the strain that could be seen on her face.
"Come on, hold onto it just a bit longer," I coaxed gently as I looked at my pocket watch and grinned. The group was finally able to hold the ball of holy energy for ten minutes, one of the milestones I had set for this task. That deserved praise so I gave it. "You did it!"
Almost immediately, yellow light washed the immediate area as they released the light that they were holding, allowing it to dissipate into golden motes and fly away into the winds. The royal guardswoman, Haylea Stoneward, was the first to sag forward, panting. The other three acolytes, being cleric apprentices, had an easier time molding the Light into a penance ball. That didn't necessarily mean that they were better than Halsey; the royal guardswoman was able to inject her holy energy with the intent to burn. The acolytes on the other hand found it much harder to do so due to their ingrained pacifist teachings. However, when life gave you lemonade, you worked with what you got. After all, this was a favor that the Abbot asked of me.
"Alright, that's enough of a break," High Cleric Victoria spoke up from my right.
She cut quite the figure now in her newest armor set. As I understood it, a blacksmith at Northshire Abbey was able to weave armor into the clerical robes. There was a bulk to her now that put her a little bit closer to becoming a fully armored Paladin. Not to mention that it actually looked nice on her. My thoughts were cut off when she walked toward my group.
The frosty gaze from Victoria's ice-blue eyes made the three acolytes pale. Looked like she was expecting better from them. "Acolyte Haylea, please lead them into their arm drills at least until an hour before sunset if you'd be so kind."
"Yes, ma'am." The ex-royal guardswoman gave a wolfish grin as the other three young acolytes groaned. "Alright, you pathetic lot! Hurry up and grab your gear! No dilly-dallying! That means you, Rosfield!"
"Rosfield?" I muttered, that sounded familiar to me before I turned to Victoria. "Wait, wasn't your last name Rosfield? Is that a relative of yours?"
Victoria simply smiled in my direction. "You could say that. He's my eldest son, Evaner."
"S-Son?!" My head whipped back to the acolytes so fast I nearly gave my neck whiplash. I looked at the one called Evaner Rosfield and sure enough, I could see the resemblance! "He- He must be eighteen?!"
"Nineteen soon," Victoria corrected me in amusement. My expression must have been really funny to her. "My second born is fifteen."
I looked at the other two, and Victoria must have known what I was thinking because she clarified for me.
"He's undergoing training still as an initiate back in Northshire Abbey," the blonde woman told me. "Delilah promised she'd keep an eye out for him."
'Wow." I thought. She really was a milf! For a moment, I thought about asking her age, but clamped that down with a quickness. Some things just aren't done. Beside, regardless of how old she was, she still looked good.
With that revelation, I watched from Victoria's side as the ex-guard pulled out the dreaded training baton. I shuddered as I remembered how it was used by my former drill instructors. All I could do was wince in sympathy.
"Move it! Move it! Move it!" Haylea barked as she chased after the three scrambling acolytes. There was a scattering of chuckles from the ship crew at the sight and some good-natured, but crass, encouragement.
"They have improved quite a bit, would you not say, Knight Captain?" Victoria observed. In front of outsiders like the Kul Tirans, she kept up proper decorum. In contrast, the sailors of Kul Tiras were for the most part quite rowdy. Maybe their mainland army was different, but the marines who I had the chance to interact with were easygoing and lax on formality.
"They have, though you know as well as I do that Haylea is still struggling to call upon the Light in sufficient quantity. As for the other three, they need to stop holding back and actually try to hurt people," I gave my assessment. "Speaking of struggling, how are you doing with your private training regarding the Halo spell I showed you?"
Here, Victoria ducked her head a bit in embarrassment. "It's–an ongoing process."
"Need me to show you again?" I offered as I turned to her.
"No, it's quite alright." Victoria immediately shook her head. She then turned her gaze to where Haylea was drilling the poor acolytes on the basics of fighting while a small crowd of sailors watched. "I will work on it. In the meantime, you should break for lunch. I know you did not break fast this morning."
'How did she know that?' I wondered, but after shooting me a look, she walked off and many a sailor's eyes followed her form, especially her backside.
Thankfully, I had seen it enough times now that I have become almost desensitized to it. I still admired it, of course, but I can play it off a lot more convincingly. Others, unfortunately, could not. Chief among them was the man approaching me now.
"You Light-blessed bastard!" a familiar voice barked as I felt an arm around my neck, trying to put me in a headlock. I easily countered and put him in a reversed headlock instead. With my Light-enhanced strength, Derek Proudmoore had no chance against me. "Ah! Damn you and your fiendish strength!"
I let him go and grinned, but not before taking Derek's captain's hat. I twirled it with one of my fingers to taunt him. "Don't hate me 'cause you wanna be me."
Derek glared at me for another few seconds before we both burst out laughing. Turns out that Derek Proudmoore was very easygoing and charismatic. In the words that people used to bandy about in my previous life, the Proudmoore's first son was a 'Chad' with a capital 'C'. It was indeed a surprise to find out that the Stormy Wave was a Kul'Tiras ship and that Jaina's future dead brother was the captain.
Honestly, things have really gone to hell in a handbasket lately. I finally realized it that morning when we set sail for Lordaeron. Not to mention the little bomb that I dropped on the King about a certain black flight and the Prestor family. Oh, and I might have mentioned something about Garona being untrustworthy due to mind control not unlike Medivh's. Luckily, Aegwynn said to leave things to her. I wondered what was going to happen, but I was sent packing before I could find out.
So there I was during the first week, getting my 'sea legs' while in the middle of hurling over the side when Derek Proudmoore came and introduced himself. He gave me some tips which led to us talking and before we knew it, we were comparing our respective legendary fathers. Turns out, Lothar had met Daelin at some point in his past and the two managed to hit it off. The way Derek recounted the story, my father made quite an impression on him. He felt that with us being our fathers' sons, we should also get along.
And just like that I gained a friend. I noticed that when Derek was not in casual mode like he was right now with me, he was the very definition of textbook professional and ran a tight ship. He was also a charming diplomat and very respectful to the queen's retinue. I dare say many of the people in the court would be hard-pressed to match his eloquence. He even gave up his captain's quarter to the queen so she would have the biggest room befitting her station. In a way, I could see now why his death affected Daelin and Katherine so much. He was their shining star and the future of their nation.
The two of us stood in companionable silence after I returned his hat. Sometimes, we just chilled like this with no conversation needed. Over the past three weeks, we settled into a comfortable routine with one another. This time, I broke the silence first.
"So how much longer before we get to Lordaeron?" Yes it was a kind of 'are we there yet' question, but people did not understand how boring it was to be on a ship with no modern conveniences. On the flip side, I had been honing my martial skills with the Kul Tirian marines and even Derek from time to time, and I must say that I have improved quite a bit without relying on my Light powers.
"Another three weeks," Derek replied as he turned so the sea was at his back. He faced his ship deck and leaned against the ship railing. "My tidesage is pushing himself as hard as he can already. This trip would normally take three months at the minimum for any other ship."
I let out a long whistle. Originally, I thought we were going to be deposited onto Southshore. I knew it took several months, based on the books, for a ship to sail from Stormwind to Southshore. However, I soon found out that we were taking the long route. Instead of being offloaded onto the small fishing town of Southshore, Derek was sailing around the western shores of Lordaeron with his port of call being a harbor in the Tirasfal Glade. From there, we would be going directly south to Lordaeron Keep, the Capital City of the Kingdom of Lordaeron. I was familiar with the route that he was taking. After all, I took the same route myself twelve times in my past life. It was the invasion path of Anduin when the Alliance went to punish Sylvanas.
I did find it pretty impressive that Derek was making such good time. However, I knew once we got into contact with the gnomes and gained access to their technology, the steam paddle, our ships would be able to do what the tidesages could do now. At least, in terms of shipping speed. Though, I doubt a gnome steam wheel paddle could summon monstrous water elemental to fight in defense of the ship.
"If he's feeling under the weather, I could always heal him." I held up my hand and wiggled it, but Derek declined with a shake of his head.
"He'd probably decline; they place their faith in the power of the sea over your Light." Derek shrugged. He could have forced the issue as a noble, but he wanted to respect the tidesage's wishes. "Speaking of offer, is it good for her majesty to be so couped up in her quarters? She should leave the cabin and enjoy the fresh sea air from time to time."
I sort of agreed with him, but besides me having the odd lunch with the queen, she remained in her room most of the time to read up on the books concerning the northern kingdom and their notable noble houses.
"As you know, Queen Taria is charged with an important task," I began as I looked over at him. "For her, the fate of our kingdom depends on how well she presents herself. I would guess that she felt the need to arm herself with as much knowledge of the northern kingdoms that she can find."
"What's there to know?" Derek spat at the mention of the other kingdoms. "Most of them are all selfish aresholes. Though King Terenas is a good ruler, many of his nobles are severely lacking in good sense and basic decency!"
"Oh, boy." I groaned. "Here we go again."
"And then there's the other nations." Derek began to ramp up on his rant. "Stromgarde might help you, but it will cost you an arm and a leg. Then there is Dalaran; who knows what those mages want? Our tidesages say they think themselves better than most men! Don't even get me started on Gilneas, and the less said about the Alteracian, the better."
"Don't stop there," I deadpanned. "Tell us how you really feel, Derek."
"All I'm saying is that her majesty is wasting her time trying to appeal using their histories." Derek pounded the side of the ship. "They're all arseholes, and she should treat them as such."
"And what about Kul'Tiras?" I asked with an arched eyebrow. "How should she approach Kul'Tiras for aid?"
At this, Derek turned to me and gave me a serious look. "Kul'Tiras will help you. I pledge this on behalf of my father."
"Thank you," I told him sincerely. "However, you don't know the Horde that is coming. Their numbers, their...brutality. We need all the help we can get. Anything less and we're dead."
Derek stared at me in serious consideration. "I heard tales and rumors of how you faced them down in the Redridge Mountains and won. Surely, they can't be that bad."
I set my jaw and exhaled loudly. "We won for now, but all we did was just slow them down. This… tide of darkness will drown us out if we do not unite together during this lull."
Anything Derek wanted to say was stopped when his second in command called for him. He gave me an apology before he walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more. I looked over to the acolytes and ex-guardswoman and watched as they performed the very familiar drills. I was surprised that it was not Mara who was going to the north, but Victoria instead. Mara, according to Victoria, was held back by the Abbot to work on an important task. So, with Delilah and the other two girls that I trained left back at Northshire Abbey...
Well, it left the newly promoted Victoria who the Abbot had felt comfortable sending to me. Victoria, interestingly enough, hand-picked three male acolytes from Stormwind Church of the Light who were screened for their martial aptitude.
I knew my martial fusion with the Light was spreading and getting traction among the clerics. Hopefully, this meeting with the main church would show Victoria, and by extension, the Northshire Abbot, that there was a better path instead of learning from me. The Silver Hand was the de facto warriors of Light you would want to teach if you wanted to fight with the Light after all.
I reached out to touch K'ara's orb for comfort, but forgot that I left her back with the Abbot.
"Right..." I muttered. She was safer there than with me, though she was reluctant to part with me she understood. Her sentience almost made me question if she has always been that alive but Alexandros and all subsequent Ashbringer wielder just ignored her.
'Well… shouldn't be a problem anymore.' I thought as I had taught my five clerics and the Abbot to listen to K'ara's wishes. She shouldn't be lonely anymore.
'Whelp, since there is no onboard cruise entertainment...' I cracked my neck and started to do my modern-day warm-up to get my body loose. Once I did, I unsheathed the arcanite champion and started doing drills. In time, I had challenges from bored crew members who were off shift or on break.
Things really got heated when gold from betting was on the line.
***Dun Morogh – Ironforge***
Muradin Bronzebeard, brother to Magni Bronzebeard, king of Ironforge, strode into the war room where representatives from Gnomeregan and the other dwarven clans under their rule were sitting. The reason why they were all gathered here was because of the surprise raids and subsequent fall of Loch Modan by an unknown invading force. The attacks were so swift and sudden that it paralyzed their entire kingdom, unsure on how to respond besides sending in relief forces piecemeal. It took Muradin himself to volunteer with their elite mountaineers to finally get the answers they had been waiting for.
"Brother, I'm glad to see ya safe return. Tell us what yer have learned," Magni ordered. Muradin greeted the Gnome representative and the other dwarf lords with a serious expression.
"The situation is grim, brother..." Muradin's eyes closed as he looked at everyone in the room. "An innumerable dark army marches fer our lands and imma fraid we dun have the numbers tah stop em."
"Tell us what ya witnessed Muradin," Magni ordered and so, Muradin did.
+++ Loch Modan – A Week Ago+++
It took a week for Muradin to gather up their best mountaineers. Seven hundred ram riders in heavy armor both for mount and riders rode hard for Loch Modan. Along the way, they saw the trickle of survivors on the road. The wee ones were crying while holding onto their parents. The older adults had grim features on their faces while their bodies were caked with dirt and blood. Some of their people had weapons, but there were no uniformed soldiers from what he could spot.
"Wendel," Muradin addressed one of his riders. "Take twenty of our riders and make sure ya keep our people safe. Dunnae cross into Loch Modan."
"As you order thane!" Wendel clanked his plated fist to his chest and broke off.
"Alright yer lot, with me!" Muradin shouted as they resumed their ride. They rode hard, but it was still almost dusk by the time they entered Loch Modan.
With some hand gestures, the riders spread out to cast a wide net while others scouted ahead. Slowly, they made their way in the direction of Thelsamar. However, as their journey continued, Muradin saw no sign of the relief forces that they sent. Some had been as little as a few hundred while others had over two thousand dwarven soldiers.
"Smoke in the distance!" One of the ram riders pointed and thick black plumes could be seen in the distance.
"Tell everyone to stay alert," Muradin warned as they made for the town.
It was halfway to the town when Muradin saw a sight that angered him. There, on a charred field, was the large dwarven relief army with their bodies being desecrated by the large greenskin brutes in the hundreds. They reminded him of the forest trolls as they moved from fallen dwarf to fallen dwarf, stripping the dead of their armor.
Muradin unlatched the strap to his battle axe and warhammer. He looked to his left and then to his right to signal everyone to ready themselves to attack their potential enemy.
"Sons of Ironforge!" Muradin roared in fury as he pointed his battle axe at the green brutes. "Make them pay!"
"Down with the beasts!" a dwarf bellowed before the battle horn sounded.
The green brutes heard the horn and turned toward them before letting out a war cry of their own.
"Lok'tar ogar!" Came the cry while Muradin watched in fascination as the green brutes charged at them with almost even numbers. One of the greenskin blew on a massive war horn of their own.
The sound of the ram riders crashing into the oncoming brutes was like a thunderclap. In that moment, many of the green skinned brutes died while dozens of ram riders flew off their mount from the sheer recoil of the impact. Some of the more under-geared rams were outright killed, their bones shattering from the collision with the brutes.
"Kill them all!" Muradin shouted as he swung his axe and split open the chest of a greenskin. With his other free hand, he caved the chest of another brute with his warhammer. His overwhelming rage fueled him as he attacked with greater fervor and blood lust.
The two sides fought for the better part of the hour, but the fury of the dwarves and their thirst for vengeance spurred them on til the last of the green brutes fell. It surprised Muradin that the greenskins did not fall back even as their numbers dwindled. Instead, they chose to continue fighting to the bitter end, perhaps in the hope of bringing more of his men down with them. It was a savagery that Muradin had never seen before; not even the brutish ice trolls were this nihilistic.
"How many did we lose?" Muradin asked his second.
"Almost a hundred." Came the reply from his second as they allowed their fury to taper away. "What do we do now? Make for Thelsamar?"
If the relief army was killed here, then it stands to reason that the enemies crushed the other relief force that they had sent. Muradin had a feeling that there was no way that they could make it to Thelsamar, but maybe they should try anyway?
"Right, laddies," Muradin began. "We ride fer–wait, what's that?"
The brother of the dwarven king turned along with the rest of his troops as they heard the sound of a horn in the nearby forest. A few moments later, more horns made themselves known from all around them.
"Muradin!" One of the riders looked alarmed as he took his axe out from a greenskin corpse. His eyes flitted around, hoping to catch sight of the enemy.
That was when he felt it. The ground was vibrating.
For dwarves who prided themselves on being in tune with the very earth, the sudden seismic shift on the ground was alarming. Muradin's eyes widened as he realized that this was no natural groan from the earth.
"Guard yourselves!" Muradin looked at all of his men who also realized what was happening. "They're coming!"
Unfortunately, Muradin's instincts proved correct. From out of the nearby forest lines of Loch Modan–from every single direction–came a massive horde of large greenskin brutes. They dotted the landscape as far as the eyes could see, and they were swarming toward him.
"By the spirits! Look at their numbers!" one of his men said in shock as the greenskins began their charge toward them. "Do we fight, Muradin?"
It was a question that had to be asked, but Muradin was no fool. The enemies were only a few hundred yards from them. Still, they were on mounted rams so they should be able to outrun these greenskins.
"No." Muradin shook his head. "We fall back now! Make fer Dun Morogh!"
All of the Ram Riders turned their mount to the opposite direction of the greenskins and spurred their rams to run. That was when something flashed from the corner of Muradin's eye. Wolves the size of human horses leaped out of the tree line, and on the backs of the wild beasts were greenskin riders. Their speed was deceptive as they closed the distance between Muradin and his men.
Muradin shouted a battle cry as he desperately led a charge to try and break through the wolf riders. However, the price for doing so was a bloody one.
+++ Ironforge – Present Day +++
When Muradin finished his report, all of the clan lords and ambassadors from Gnomeregan were stunned into silence.
"Less than fifty of us made it back." Muradin closed his eyes as he remembered his men's bravery. "My clan lords, ambassadors…"
Muradin then looked to his brother at the head of the war room table. "Brother, a foul darkness has invaded our land. We must gather all our kin to repel them. Perhaps...perhaps even asked the humans for help."
"Ya really think so, brother?" Magni asked with a grave expression. "Can't our clans' combined might deal with such foe?"
"Brother, ambassadors." Muradin looked into the eyes of every person at the table. "We cannae stand against them alone. I would even send fer help from our cousins in the Highland if possible."
"What about the Dark Irons?" Brann Bronzebeard, youngest of the three Bronzebeard brothers asked. "Should we reach out to them?"
There was some muttering from the other dwarven clan leaders at that suggestion.
"Perhaps, it would be prudent to do so..." Muradin grudgingly agreed.
"Are you mad?!" a clan leader shouted.
"I'll sooner lose all me land than team up with those dark iron devils!" another dwarf clan leader shouted.
"My lords!" Magni pounded his hand onto the table. Even if they might bicker with Muradin, they dared not to do it to Magni, their respected king. "If what my brother said is true, then these greenskins are already encroaching on their lands as well. They can see to their own defense and, if we're lucky, they would bleed this invading force."
There were low murmurs of relief as they realized the Dark Irons would not be allied with them.
"First things first," Magni continued with his powerful booming voice. "We gather our forces at the foot of Khaz Modan and then march east!"
"Here, here!"
"You have mah axe, Magni!"
More dwarf leaders pounded on the table in agreement and in anticipation of the battle to come.
"Ambassadors." Magni turned toward the gnome delegates. "Will Gnomeregan march with us with your gadgets and gizmos?"
"We are with you, King Magni!" the high pitch voice of the gnome ambassador said excitedly. "You have stood by us for centuries and now, we stand with you!"
"Excellent!" Magni then turned to Muradin. "Muradin. I need you to gather the bannermen of our clan."
"Yes, brother!" Muradin pounded his plate chest. "As you command!"
"As for you Brann." Magni now turned to his youngest brother. "I need you to start bringing our people, those most vulnerable to raiding attacks, into Ironforge. Stock up on food and ale just in case."
"Aye, brother!" Brann's skills in logistics, coupled with his organizational abilities, were second to none compared to his two older brothers. "I'll do as yer asked!"
Magni nodded then pound the table once more to get the attention of his clan lords. He looked each of them in the eye and gritted his teeth. "Laddies, I intend to make these greenskins sorry they ever stepped foot on our lands! Are ya with me?!"
The cheer of the dwarven leaders was deafening. It only got louder when Magni brought out his best ale.
***The Stormy Wave – Mess Hall***
It was a scene fit more for a tavern than a ship. There was a little band playing in what could possibly be the front of the room. It was dinnertime, and the crew was getting rowdy thanks in part to the food. According to Derek, usually, the crew had to eat dry rations that included dry bread, dried fruits, and thin broth soup. On rare occasions, they would have fresh meat or fruits. I asked him about the fish since they were at sea, but he told me that eventually, people got sick of them.
However, things were different now because this time, the Stormy Wave was transporting a V.I.P. King Llane had seen fit to stock the Stormy Wave with the best food for the entire crew along with a royal chef for the queen. The queen, in her generous wisdom, had ordered said chef to volunteer his services for the crew. With their larder stuffed with magically preserved meat, fresh foods, and dessert of all sorts, the crew feasted like kings everyday.
"To his majesty, King Llane, and his queen, Lady Taria of Stormwind!" Derek held out a large mug of fine Elwynn ale in the air for the toast. He was well on his way to getting plastered. "It is thanks to their majesties that we've been able to eat like this for the entire journey!"
"Here, here!"
"Long live King Llane!"
"Long live her majesty, the queen!"
"Don't forget their little princeling! Long live Varian!"
"Aye, aye! Here, here! To the entire royal family!"
The room became flushed with praises for the royal family of Stormwind. I watched all of this from my usual spot in the mess hall, a table by the door. With the toast done, Derek began to chug the ale down like a frat boy at a house party. The room got even louder as he did not stop but drained the cup in one go. When he upended the cup to show that it was indeed empty, the cheer became deafening.
I winced from the sound and was nursing my first cup of ale while eating some roast when I felt a shadow over me.
"Ello there, little lordling." A female presence made herself known to me in a husky tone of voice. "Someone like ya shouldn't be here drinking by yerself."
'Shit!' I shuddered as I turned to the owner of the voice. Said owner of the voice was someone I didn't think I would ever have to meet, especially not on this trip.
Standing impressively over seven feet which towered over even Aloman's height was Priscilla fucking Ashvane. Well, it was a younger version of her, but it was still Ashvane, the most hated bitch in Battle for Azeroth. I have to admit she looked prettier when younger, though she was big-boned as most Kul Tirian men and women were.
The larger woman sat down next to me and leaned uncomfortably closer. "What say I keep you company for now and perhaps maybe even later?"
'Uh uh! No way! Nope! Nyet! Nien!' I screamed in my head. There was no way in hell I am going to knock boots with fucking Ashvane. Fuck that! However, I couldn't be rude and so for the fifth time since we met, I tried to think of an excuse to turn down her advances. Sure, I could flat out reject her advances, but it was a small ship and I didn't want things to become uncomfortable. She was a lieutenant of Derek's after all.
Ashvane's lore was pretty light in the Battle of Azeroth expansion, but what little was shown was that she did have clout and the trust of Kathrine Proudmoore, Jaina's mother. It stands to reason she might have served with the Proudmoores in some capacity for them to have been that close.
"Ah, Lady Ashvane–" I began, but heard snickering from some of the crew members.
"Shut up!" The big bone woman turned to the men with a glare. "Off with ya!"
"Of course, 'Lady' Ashvane." One of the sailors did his best to contain his laughter. "We know how dainty her ladyship being, ain't that right?"
"Right, right!" The sailor friend was all toothy smiles before he winked at me. "I got money riding on you so don't give into her ladyship just yet, yeah?"
I groaned inwardly at the stupid bet. Somehow, once it got out that Ashvane was interested in me, there have been bets on how long it would take her to bag me. I put down a lot of gold on myself through a third party of it never happening, but the woman was persistent. In fact, she seemed to be wearing a tight leather jerkin that clearly had no undergarment and was highlighting her bosom. Bosoms that were being pushed closer to my face.
"Uhh...I don't…think–" I tried to think of an excuse to just nope out as I leaned away when I was saved by someone unexpected.
"Cub of Stormwind!" Derek proudly interjected himself between me and Ashvane. Without sparing Ashvane a second glance, he grinned in my direction with a glint in his eyes that did not bode well for me. The dude was shitfaced already?! "I heard the most interesting rumors about you!"
"What did you hear?" I narrowed my eyes at him. Behind him, Ashvane pouted as her captain got in her way of getting to me. Well, whatever Derek found out about me couldn't be that bad.
"I heard that our Stormwind cub here was a bard!" Derek shouted the last part quite loudly. Silence reigned for only a moment before the sailors began to cheer.
"Sing! Make him sing!"
"Show us what you got, Sir Callan!"
"A pretty face and can sing? Why has the Light forsaken me?!"
That and various other snippets were all I could catch as Derek dragged me from my seat to the little stage where people took turns singing various sea shanties. I looked back at Ashvane only to see her exhale deeply in disappointment even as a scrawny Kul Tiran sailor began to hit on her. Pretty soon, I was dragged to the band and watched as Derek plop himself onto a nearby chair while grinning at me.
'You fucker.' I shot the Proudmoore firstborn a death glare that he brushed off.
"Come on! Sing! Sing!" Derek cheered from the audience as he pounded the table, making the others in the mess hall follow suit.
I could have just walked away, but then I would be labeled a coward by the sailors. These rough people didn't care if you could sing well or not, all that mattered was that you had the confidence to sing. If I slunk off now, I would not only be showing how mentally weak I was, but it would probably bring Stormwind's reputation down with the crew. Heck, there were several royal guardsmen and queensguard in the room looking surprised at my presence at the front.
'Fine.' I mentally conceded and turned to the band. The thing was, ever since I met Derek, one little song has been playing in my head over and over again.
"Hey." I talked to the guy with the lute. "You guys ever heard of a song called Ahoy, Ahoy, Sweet Daughter of the Seas?"
"Aye," said the harpist. "We be familiar with it."
"Good." I nodded. "I know a different version. I just need you to play the tune to it."
The harpist and the lute player looked at each other before they shrugged and started to play the instrumental for the song.
"Boo! I know this one!" Derek jeered with a thumbs-down gesture. In his hand was another filled mug of ale. That must have been his seventh or perhaps eighth mug already! The man was an alcoholic fish!
Still. I ignored his jeer as I began with a hum.
"Beware, beware, the daughter of the sea~ Beware, I heard him cry~~"
Interestingly enough as I continued the song, Derek's demeanor became more subdued. His expression became twisted as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. So when finished, to my surprise the entire room was dead silent as if not knowing what to make of what I just sang.
In the end, it was Derek who broke the silence first as he stood up so fast the scraping of his chair echoed through the room. Pointing a finger at me, he gave me a fierce glare. "What do you have against my sweet baby sister?!"
I didn't get to answer before he ran at me and tackled me on the stage. Stunned silence turned to riotous laughter as many sailors was pointing at us while holding their stomach.
+++ Late Night +++
I finished my washcloth bath and was getting ready for bed after the whole fiasco with the very drunk Derek. In the end, after he tackled me, he vomited all over me. Maybe I deserved it. I was sure he would be pretty hungover tomorrow. In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have sung that song, but I didn't know that was a song that Daelin made for Jaina specifically when she was born. I just thought it was any old sea shanty that was changed for her.
'Well, it's not like I'm meeting Daelin anytime soon,' I thought in relief. Further internal musing was interrupted when I heard a soft knock on my door.
"Who is it?" I asked. It couldn't be Derek. The last I saw of him was his boatswain dragging the plastered sea prince away while shooting me an apologetic look. That left...Ashvane. Was...was this a midnight raid?
"Victoria." Came the soft reply.
'Oh?' Well. That was different. I unlatched the door and in came the blonde milf out of her new armor and simply in a white and gold robe.
"Is something the matter?" I asked, genuinely concerned. "Did training not go well? Feel free to ask away."
"I saw you with Lady Ashvane earlier," Victoria stated plainly. Why did I feel like a husband that was caught cheating? I'm still single, damn it! Actually, the more I thought about it… So what? I didn't do anything wrong! "It made me realize I cannot let that sea bitch in heat get her claws into you."
Yeah, I definitely could not let that happen either. I got gold riding on this after all. So I reassured her that it was never happening. While I might be wrong in judging past Ashvane because of the Battle for Azeroth's Ashvane, biases were biases.
"You don't have to wor-wor-huh?" I was stopped because Victoria, in one smooth motion, unclasped something at her neck. The result was her robe dropping like a curtain and pooling at her feet. I found myself staring wide-eyed at her in all her naked glory.
"To prevent that unfortunate situation from happening–" Victoria continued in a husky tone as she walked closer to me. "–and until we reach Lordaeron, I suggest we enter an arrangement to be night companions for the duration of this trip. Do we have an accord?"
I stared.
"Callan." Her voice shook me out of my...staring as I tore my gaze from her body to look at her eyes. "Do we have an accord?"
"Umm… Yes?" I hedged. Was I this lucky? Dare I think myself this lucky?
"Good." Victoria smiled as she leaned up to kiss me before pushing me to the bed.
Hell yes, I was this lucky!
Tbc...
AN: Thank you once more to Icura who is pretty damn swamp right with with his own little project to help me work off the rust! You beast!
Next thanks to everyone for their warm reception back and their love of the previous chapter! Thank you for sticking with me and I look forward to putting out more chapters to entertain. I see your comments, I read, each and every single one. Not a single comment was spared! And I am loving the speculative nature of it all. I won't confirm or deny but you will see it. I will try to find a good map of Khaz Modan to show troop movements like for Stormwind but it is SLIMMMM pickings I tell ya!
Other than that thanks to those pay tree on supporters I really appreciate it!
And that is that for this chapter. I thanks again for reading and as always C+C is always welcomed.
UPDATE NOTE 7-19-23 REGARDING CALLAN'S SONG!
Now I really think people are reading too much into the song. So I would like to add some context to the whole thing again and this would probably be the last time I address it.
Thinking of Azeroth in terms of a medieval culture without fast pace instant technology and no real means of copyrighting a song. One can speculate that when Jaina was born, Daelin made that song for her. He is a captain of a ship and probably sing it when he's happy. His sailors likewise would hear it and find it catchy and sing it to their own daughters. Hell, they might even modified the lyrics a bit.
Now we know Kuk'Tiras is a naval nation and they dock in various ports, those people bring with them all sort of sea shanty to be sung. Once that song is unleashed in those port expect it to spread but the origin behind them lost along with the credit to its original composer.
Now here comes the rub that I think a lot of people are overlooking due to meta knowledge. Callan is from Stormwind, Kul Tiras rarely make a port of call there but for the most part they are left alone. It is possible Callan heard a modified version of the song and sang it as thus. Second point, the lyrics contain the mythical land of Kalimdor. In their current state no humans have sailed there and live to tell the tale. Third, he named a fictional city of Theramoore.
Keep in mind, WE know Theramoore as meta knowledge but at this point in time, Theramoore could be four year old Jaina imaginary city.
Now as far as the song being a serious tone at a party, All sort of things are sang or played at a party, from face pace bops to slow dance. I never saw the "Daughter of the Sea" song as tragedy but more of a thrilling tales of betrayal. Now Callan did asked for the instrumental but a lot of song use the same instrumental but different words.
Example 1: Baby got back and Anaconda
Example 2: Tupac Hail Mary and Eminem diss version
Example 3: Lauren Hill Ready or Not and Enya Boadicea
Same beats, different lyrics. And we know this only because we lived in the information age. Bards songs and the like travel from tavern to tavern rarely giving the original composer credit its due back in medieval times. It not like Daelin Ahoy Ahoy was some masterpiece performed at plays. So in that context no sober or reasonable sailor would think Callan was referencing Jaina.
Only a very very shit faced Derek made the connection in his drunken state. The whole scene was played for laugh from the vomit to the apologetic look Callan got from the person who dragged Derek off him. Its just more drunk shennigans.
Having said that however, thatt version of the song is now out there as is many of Callan other plagiarized works. And to not give away any spoilers, we will circle back to it at some point in the future. However, it is not that serious... for it to have been taken serious, Callan would have had to go up there and shout at the top of his lungs.
"This one is dedicated to your baby sister Derek!"
Then yeah people would be big mad at him and things would be tense and what not. He simply sang a different set of lyrics to a familiar beat. And done, that the last word on it from me.