Chapter Text
The air around her chills the very depths of her bones, and she suppresses a shiver. The struggle to put one foot in front of the other is becoming harder and harder as each gust of icy wind cuts through her body, and she laments the fact that she didn't prepare for the true winter that had enveloped Northrend. A stronger gale forces her off her feet, tumbling into the snow banks to her side, and she sits in shock for a moment. Her mind wonders back home for a moment, just a moment, thinking of the comforts that would be there if she'd never left home. But then the memory of how her father dismissed her desires to help cuts through her a little colder than the snow around her. She grimaces to herself as she surges back to her feet.
Aunt Jaina had always joked that she'd rebel against her father one day, but she probably didn't quite mean this.
Gritting her teeth together – mainly to stop them chattering – she places herself back on what she hopes is the road. Light knows that she’s been following it for long enough, and if she’s gotten herself lost out here there was definitely never going to make it home.
“Only you could manage this, Aellie.” She spits, lifting an arm up to brush some flakes out of her eyes.
The only saving grace at this moment, it seemed was that whilst the wind was awful there was no actual snowfall. The Tuskarr at Moa’ki Harbour had assured her that the walk to Wrymrest was pretty straight forward as long as she stayed on the path, and she hoped that she was at least doing that right.
When she’d originally boarded the ship to the Tundra, she’d assumed that she could just stick about in Valiance Keep until she could tack herself onto a group of experienced adventurers as an apprentice or something similar. Upon her arrival, however, she’d been dismayed to realise that the only operations that needed carrying out around the Keep were being done by sanctified Alliance forces and that most adventurers had moved out of the South West Tundra weeks ago.
She didn’t really fancy trying to integrate herself into the military presence there – not that she really thought they’d appreciate a novice rogue stumbling around under their feet. It was a funny thought at the time, that she’d witnessed active military life many times before, but the idea of actually having to join in scared her a little. Plus, it’d be her luck that if she had tried, one of the more senior commanders might have recognised her and sent her packing.
Light, the thought made her frown. She’d come so far without being caught, convinced several different people that she’d be elsewhere and that they needn’t worry about her. There was a brief flash of guilt through her, knowing that she was abusing so much trust placed in her and the fact that it was the time of war that was keeping minds engaged elsewhere. The guilt didn’t last long, however, as her newfound sense of freedom mollified her slightly – no matter how gilded, a cage was still a cage.
And, besides, if she managed to keep herself safe long enough, she’d return home willingly after she’d had her fill of adventure. Face the music and all that – maybe if she made the effort to show she actually wanted to come home, her punishment might be a little less? Maybe, fifty years instead of the rest of her life.
Aellie squinted ahead of her as the grey sky spread out in front of her, and she realised with a surge of hope that she could see the top of a tall spire in the far distance. Instantly the chill lessened as the realisation that she was actually on the right path lifted her spirits.
Back at the Keep, the suggestions from the Call Board was either to some place in the North East called the Storm Peaks, or to the direct East into Dragonblight. The thought of cold and mountains didn’t really endear the former choice to her at all, so she’d instead signed herself up to visit Wrymrest as a member of the Alliance.
The sea journey to the small Tuskarr fishing town hadn’t been long – especially not in comparison to the journey from Stormwind to Northrend in the first place – and she’d instantly felt welcomed by the people there. She never would have thought she’d be cosy underground in the snow, but the short stay she’d had there had actually been rather comfortable. Of course, there was the added bonus that she’d had her first real go at being an adventurer.
The Tuskarr must have realised that she was relatively green around the edges, and they’d given her some relatively easy tasks to undertake. Gather some things here, hunt some things there – all very basic stuff. It had been a nice time to adjust to her new environment; learning to stay silent and near invisible in the thick snow, changing how she used the shadows to her advantage in an environment where there wasn’t many, to begin with.
The people of the Harbour had been immensely grateful for her help and had treated her exceptionally as a visiting ally, and she’d relished the little comforts of staying in that town for the better part of a fortnight. She’d been tempted to stay longer, but the thought of greater adventure was calling to her, and she expressed to the innkeeper – a kind, grandfatherly figure named Mumik – her desire to see the home of the dragonflights.
He’d cautioned her against going at first, explaining the rough political climate that was boiling through the flights, but she’d smiled and assured him that she was used to navigating tense situations. He’d shrugged and helped her prepare for it, telling her that she was always welcome to return should she need to.
The Temple itself was becoming larger and larger as she continued at a good pace, its grand white structure a beacon against the snow-heavy dark clouds beyond it. She must have been about an hour away on foot before she got her first inkling of just exactly what Mumik had been cautioning her against.
At first, the sound was easily lost in the roaring wind, but her instincts proved useful when she stopped and ducked slightly, pulling her white cloak closer to her body as a huge blue body flew overhead. For a moment, she was struck dumb as she crouched in the snow.
The giant blue dragon soared above her and towards the temple, the strong and powerful wingbeat forcing the air to displace around her. Seeing them here, out in the wide-open reaches of Northrend was a far sight better than the first time she’d ever laid eyes on a dragon, and she found herself beaming as the dragon took up circling the tower.
She watched for a good while, mesmerised by them, before noticing that more of the blue flight were beginning to join them in circling the tower. Aellie couldn’t claim to be a dragon expert, but the way they continued to spiral reminded her of hunting birds that had found their target. Perhaps there was something to Mumik’s warnings after all. The smile slipped off her face as she pulled her cloak around her better to hide any of the dark leathers beneath, and continued to walk again towards the tower.
Cautiously she kept an eye on the restless flight as she eventually made it to the base of the tower, and she slowly climbed the stairs at the base with most of her attention on the sky. As she reached the outer walls she stopped and glanced about, taking in the grand marble archways that permitted entrance to the inner ground level. She noticed almost instantly that the wind vanished from around her, and that the chill that had persisted throughout her days travel had all but crept from her bones.
Aellie could only assume that there was some sort of magic at play as she wandered further into the inner shelter, taking note of a hastily erected campsite to the far side of the cavernous room. Whilst the tents where mainly clustered together, she could still see a distinct line through the middle that she could only assume separated the factions from one another. Elsewhere there had been talk that mentioned the fact that the dragons had stressed neutrality to both the Horde and the Alliance, and had said that both sides were welcome as long as they adhered to the sanctuary the Temple provided.
As she wandered over to the blue side of the campsite, she wondered how well that had been going for everyone involved.
Her footsteps were nearly silent as she walked, but as she got closer a figure lifted her head in a greeting. A druid, by the looks of it, sat in her elven form outside a tent that had been placed in front of some sort of enchanted campfire, and the heat that she could already feel it emitting was glorious.
“Greetings friend! Welcome to Wrymrest. There are many tents free, claim whichever one you want that’s open.” Aellie nodded in understanding and the night elf settled back down, content with having delivered the message. Aellie continued onwards, noting that perhaps two or three of the ten alliance tents seemed occupied by people, and she herself crawled into the tent across the fire from the druid.
Placing her bag down, she took a moment to glance about properly at the room, noticing for the first time various different members of different flights travelling around. They seemed pretty content to leave the campsite alone, and continued on their business with little mind to Aellie watching them go. High above, she heard the beat of wings, and as she located the noise a small drake peeled away from an alcove to tumble down and out into the wide expanse of snow that surrounded them.
“Oh!” Aellie glanced back at the druid, who blinked at her. “The caretakers here have stressed that this is a peaceful area, and any fighting with the Horde won’t be tolerated.” Aellie glanced at the other side of the campsite and noticed that around seven tents seemed to be occupied.
“I heard before I made the journey, but thank you for telling me.” She replied with a smile. “I have no desire to pick a fight today, that I assure you.” The druid nodded and settled down again, and suddenly Aellie stifled a yawn into her damp sleeve.
The sudden enveloping warmth of the campfire was making her realise just how tired she was after the days trek through the rough terrain, and whilst she found herself bone tired she couldn’t keep a smile off her face as she settled into her tent.
Her outer clothes and leather protections came off and she placed them at the entrance to the tent, hoping that the heat of the fire would dry the dampness out of them. She pulled some dried meat out of her bag and bit at it as she inspected the small cot, muffling her yawns into her shoulder. Satisfied with the cot, she peeled back the rough covers and settled herself into it, struggling to keep her eyes open as her head hit whatever it was they were trying to pass as a pillow.
She found that she didn’t care much about it, and whilst it wasn’t exactly the same luxury she received at home, it was a godsend after the cold journey she’d had. Before long she found herself slipping off into the welcome embrace of sleep.