A moment was taken to check her gear, for the third time. Tinnaire glanced over her shoulder and took a deep breath before climbing onto the anima wyrm. She was stalling. Anyone could see that. Transit through the In-Between was always disconcerting and she was hardly the only one. At least the thrill of foreign magic would be almost enough to keep her mind off the fact that she was hurtling between isolated lands of the afterlife. Almost. What would happen if she fell? The physics of the afterlife were complicated. Her mind wasn’t yet meant to understand them--but anyone who knew her knew it would try: attempting to wrap sanity like gift wrap over situations the elven woman’s mind had never been meant to see at this stage. Fel-green eyes closed and her knuckles blanched as the creature lurched and shot through the anima gate. The flights didn’t take long--or maybe they did, who could tell here?--and Tinnaire seemed to shuck the sense of foreboding as she shook out her cloak. Stepping onto a parapet and getting her bearings, the elven woman looked up to the sky as more anima wyrms arrived in a steady stream, one right on the tail of the one she’d ridden. She was shuffled grumpily along by a stoneborn. Revendreth. Dreadlords might have history here, but she’d personally seen so little demon driven activity in the Shadowlands that she was lulled. Here, Tinnaire was sure she didn’t have to worry about demons. Not in the afterlife. They were tucked safely in the mortal realm and the Twisting Nether. A human man approached her and Tinnaire greeted him warmly. Composure evident and willed into being after the uneasy journey. The pair were on a mission after their brief greeting at reunion. They walked briskly toward a building, heads close to speak in low voices. Still. … Tinnaire looked over her shoulder, yet again, and Nimneth was thankful that Shadows still worked in the Shadowlands. The sayaad had veiled herself the moment she’d stepped off her own anima wyrm. But she could not stop herself from watching the woman. Soon, their own reunion would be sweet and satisfying, and filled with elven shrieks. She shivered. Soon, the demon promised herself, another kind of reunion would happen between herself and the witch. @daily-writing-challenge

Daily Writing Challenge 2021 Day 1 - Afterlife

The Construct’s designer wingtip boots clacked against the hard stone of Oribos’s Ring of Transference as he paced in circles. By this point in his journey, he had explored the available Afterlives, including The Maw, and while they all were fascinating in their own ways, he found himself...restless? Was that what this feeling was? Wanting more, but not being able to attain it? It was a feeling he experienced often, as if the world could not keep up with his curiosity. Now, not even the Shadowlands could.

Like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

The Brokers were of little help in answering his questions regarding other realms. Their knowledge came with a price, and The Construct was not adept at unintentionally swaying energy beings...yet. As with everything, it was a constant work in progress and harming or destroying them wouldn’t secure him their extensive knowledge, but instead probably gain him many enemies. That was not the objective of this particular expedition. 

The Brokers were able to move freely among the Afterlives, and previous conversations led him to believe that they were able to roam much more than what Azeroth’s occupants were allowed. But The Construct was unlike Azeroth’s typical occupants, wasn’t he? He didn’t need to follow the same rules, nor the same laws of the natural world; that much he had learned in his previous bouts of restlessness. Why couldn’t he navigate through the In-Between to explore new realms just as they did? He only had to believe he could do it, that seemed to be how things worked for him thus far.

He had been told of infinite Afterlives, a concept he couldn’t even fathom at the time; but the more he speculated, the more it made sense. This was not a place just for the inhabitants of his current timeline on Azeroth, this was meant for those from all corners of the universe within the infinite planes of existence. Life and death was so beautifully, but terribly vast.

He held onto those thoughts as icy eyes fluttered shut, pondering what the other realms may look like, what types of creatures, beings, and souls they may hold. Wondering if they too were in peril, and why they were not a part of this collective effort to stop something that must be affecting them as well. He thought of sandy beaches and deserts, cascading mountains and choppy seas, and never-ending fields of…

Eyes flew open as a sudden breeze kissed his cheeks, “...wildflowers.” His dulcet whisper was carried off into the wind as he turned in place, arms outstretched to graze his palms overtop of the brightly-colored, foreign flowers that spread out in every direction as far as the eye could see. Delicate footsteps carried him through the unfamiliar flora as his gaze drifted towards the sky, or what he assumed to be a sky. White wisps swirled around in irregular patterns set against the luminous light of whatever was up there. The longer The Construct observed, the more the frame of a massive flower became prevalent, constantly shifting its structure as if it were a living being. 

He was fully enraptured by the celestial phenomena, but a sudden jolt within his mind brought him back to where he previously had been wandering in Oribos. A nearby Broker watched him, clearly hesitant about approaching before eventually deciding to swiftly rejoin their Cartel. The Construct smiled to himself, and in tandem to his Master Gaebral, knowing fully well that he was the one to have retrieved his creation before any harm could befall him. 

Even the prettiest of flowers could carry the deadliest of poisons.

Had he done it? Had he just experienced another Afterlife? That was the assumption; whether or not he could duplicate the experience was another story. For now, his curiosity was sated and he had questions, or at least some information to trade.

Shattered afterlife.

The mad warlock robbing souls,

of their winter’s rest.

[ This scene takes place after a two year storyline between the FBC Guild that I’m the GM of and a personal storyline between Megahes and his Fiance, Naturasu. During this time, Megahes was cursed by a Cultist to slowly die from an agonizingly painful hex that was slowly killing him and all hope of its curing/removal was stripped away when this Cultist was killed during the conflicts. Ammaelin came to save Megahes (and acquired some ‘favors’ along the way) by using fractured shards of a Naa'ru to force Megahes into becoming Light Forged in a sense. This process took several years thanks to the manipulation of time via magic and while Mega felt the strain of three-four years of work, for everyone else it was roughly eight to ten weeks before his return. ] The Zeppelin ride to Orgrimmar was agonizingly slow, probably more than any other ride Mega had ever had on one before in his entire life. It was enough to drive him mad and the longer it took in combination with the closer it got to taking him home to Naturasu the worse it became. The goblin fidgeted, tugging at his clothes and making sure all the buttons on his shirt were done properly. His sleeves still crisp and the ironed lined still present. Hell, he even fought with the rolled up sleeves and their buttons that kept them pulled up to his biceps. The wait on returning home was killing him. What was Nat going to say when he walked in the door? This reunion between her and him played in his head a thousand times just today alone, he couldn’t even count the amount of times that he played out similar scenarios while he was away. “Nervousness does not become you Mister Frostbite.” The voice was formal and flat, its source coming from a blinding armor clad Blood Elf that stood several feet higher than himself. Crimson red hair blowing in the breeze thanks to their mode of transportation. Ammaelin, the Blood Knight who was responsible for the absence that proved to be a miraculous, and most likely a very heretical, healing process. If one could butter their bread with his smugness, one’d choke on it just from looking at him. “I’m aware, but that doesn’t make it any less. I been gone for three years now.” He quickly brings up a hand to stop the Elf, they’ve had this conversation several times before already. “And I know, I know. Months for her, for everyone else. Years only for You, Me and the others. But still years for me…” “We did what needed to be done, especially in regards to our agreement. You would have surely died otherwise.” Ammaelin’s head turns if but barely, just enough to cast a glance down upon the golden metal that was imprisoned into Mega’s flesh near his wrists. “You are lucky that you had those shards hidden away. Had any other Paladin known you held those, my brother's curse would have been the least of your concerns. I have no doubt the Church or the Draenei would have come marching on your doorstep…” Megahes’ face contorts as draws upon sarcasm to mock the Elf. “I have no doubt…” Mega blows a massive raspberry in the Paladins direction, which causes him to turn and look back upon the horizon, not giving in to Mega’s provocations. “Look. I know how risky tha thing was and I appreciate what you did and I get that I owe ya. But… all’a that aside. I’m just nervous man. What if…” He just stops and breathes, voice quivering a bit as his eyes begin to moisten, forcing him to stop and look back over the side of the Zeppelin once again. “If she doesn’t approve or she’s moved on due to thinking you dead or not coming back?” “I mean, I could have put that in better words, but yeah.” “I think perhaps you worry too much.” Megahes grumbles and sighs, running his hands up and down his face several times before they slide into his hair, where he just grabs hold of himself and pulls out of frustration only to realize he’d fucked it all up. His head shakes and he sets out to fix his hair as best he can, a nervous tick, to be sure. Mega was about to open his mouth to retort, but the Paladin stopped him by pointing to the horizon. Pandaria’s Jade

Forest. Pillars of tall stone began to rise and fall down into gorgeous forests, rolling hillsides and lily and reed filled rivers. The air was crisp and something about it just filled one's body with a rejuvenating sense of purpose and peace. “We’ll be at your domancile shortly, Mister Frostbite. I suggest you gather your things and we’ll drop you off directly.” If Mega wasn’t nervous before this, he sure as hell is now! His nearly trips… Well, he does actually, right over his own two feet and in a fluster, he looks about for something that wasn’t there before he speedily heads towards the cabins to gather his bag. He’d had this ready hours ago. It wasn’t much, he had no time to prepare for this little ‘retreat’ of his, which he was thankful for now as he threw it over his shoulder. He pauses and looks over at Ammaelin. “For as big of a pain in tha ass ya have been these past couple of years, thank ya. Truly. If it wasn’t for you and them Priests, I wouldn’t be makin’ this trip back.” Ammaelins’ face during this brief statement was a rollercoaster! Disdain and irritation appearing quickly was soon replaced with an oddly peaceful smile by the end of it. “Our time has taught us much, Mister Frostbite, about a great many topics. It has been… enlightening.” His choice of words being an intended pun and irony placed upon Mega. There were no hugs, no great exchanges of physical emotion. The two just look at one another before Mega turns and descends into the bowels of the Zeppelin so he can board the loading platform and get lowered down to his home. Their home. Gold, this was excruciating. The platform lowers slowly, painfully so, at least to him. Each inch makes Mega’s ears pound so hard that he can hear them in his ears and if it got any higher in his throat, he’d choke. “I’m gettin all nervous for nothin’, she probably ain’t even home. Probably in Orgrimmar havin’ some drinks or workin’ at the Knot.” He blows through his lips with enough strength to cause a slight whistle. Stress and worry, all self-induced of course, at how this was going to go. He was happy, no doubt, but worry came natural. The lift jerks as the ground makes contact, nearly sending him sprawling down to the floor of it just for him to look up in utter irritation, sending up a solid middle finger at the crew whether they could see it or not. “Ain’t no wonder these things fall out of tha fuckin sky so much…” He grumbles, straightening himself and clambering off before they end up actually managing to kill him somehow. Once off, the Zeppelin began to hoist the platform once more as it turned to head off towards its next stop. Mega’s red eyes watch it drift off for a moment, offering an overhead wave in case Ammaelin was on deck and looking down upon him. Given time, Mega turns away from it, looking at his pandaren styled home. The smell of the Arboretum orchids wafting through the air hit his senses and caused him to smile and for a moment, peace was welcome until he began to pick up his feet, swearing they are encased in lead the closer to home he became. Much like a scene from one of those cheesy romance books he kept hearing people go on about, he freezes at the door, hand up and ready to knock but nothing comes. No, instead he pats himself down and takes the key out of his shirt pocket and uses that instead. Quietly, creeping open the door slowly as if he expected to walk in and find his place full of cobwebs and everything cold and abandoned. The sight he gets is quite the opposite. Everything was nearly just as he left it. Albeit, more golden now. Naturasu loved her gold and it was a miracle that everything they owned wasn’t gold or khorium at this point in some facet or another. The sight brings a small smile to his face, sucking him into the house where he quietly closes the door behind him, fingers tracing over chairs and couch arms before he lets his pack slide down into the floor where it was quickly abandoned. Quietly, he walks through the house, almost scared to break the silence just to realize that that’s all there’d be

Athaeda had come back to Ashenvale. This forest was a bittersweet place. She was born here, under the darkened canopy, in the back of a wagon and spent much of her early life among these trees. A strange, mostly high elven, girl with wild strawberry curls stood out against all the deeper shades of lavender. She had to laugh a little, her lips curling upwards into a sad smile at the thought, after the change she didn’t stand out in the same way. She carried a basket and a bottle of wine and had taken the bells out of her hair, something that almost never happened. “Grandmother...” She spoke in a soft tone as she approached the moonwell. “Grandmother, I need you.” Aeda knew that wisps didn’t have to stay in one place. She knew her grandmother’s ghost could be anywhere but she held hope close to her heart. 

Breaking and entering, not something new for him but it was the first time he had done so with a client he was bodyguarding. The Howling Owl’s employee apartments were not hard to break into, especially when this one left the balcony door unlocked. With the shadows wrapped tightly around him he snuck in and did a full sweep to make sure the apartment was secure before letting Beaureve sneak inside too. Of course due to the sweep and the small size of the apartment it was easy to tell that noone was home.

It had been a few years since he and Konietzko had last spoken, this was not how he’d have guessed they’d reunite, if at all. It was also not in a place like this that he’d expect to find him. Keeping to the shadows he witnessed as his new client chose not to poke and prod around the apartment much at all but took right to the sofa and curled up. He had not been guarding him for long yet, but he did wonder if this sort of nuance was typical of him. They both waited in silence for the Kaldorei to arrive home and since he was hidden in the shadows himself, there was no conversation between him and his client. He watched as the time passed and Beaureve fell fast asleep on that sofa as if stress and current events in his life had caught up with him.    It was well into the night when the door opened and Kon arrived home, stepping down the hallway and passing by the entryway right into the kitchen without even looking into the living room as why would he? He turned on a light in the kitchen and started a kettle making some tea as he began washing his hands. The shadow in the room witnessed his first look at the Kaldorei after this time without his knowing. He looked tired and a bit fatigued but not due to poor health. If anything his health seemed to have increased greatly since they last met. He must have just returned from some sort of physical activity as he was still a bit dark in the cheeks, chest and ears from a good workout and was tending to blisters on his hand. Interesting.

Beaureve was starting to wake from the sounds in the kitchen as Konietzko put the tea on the stove and started to walk into the living room, stopping dead in his tracks with a double take to the sofa when he saw the moving body of the Shal’dorei waking up from his nap. Stone steadied himself, tucked in the shadows just behind him ready to stop him at a moment’s indication he might try to harm his client. Beyond an understandable startle he didn’t, he just jerked and stared. “Took you long enough.” Beaureve said stifling a small yawn as he rubbed at his eyes. “I mean… welcome home.” 

“Well, I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience!” Kon replied with a mix of humor and shock both  as he looked Beaureve over closely before opting to go to the chair next to the sofa. “Had I known I was playing host I would not have stayed so late practicing my routine. Now tell me…  to what do I owe the honor of this…” He motioned to the balcony. “... break-in?”

With a smirk breaking over his lips, Beaureve just smiled. “You are forgiven. This time.” He said perfectly aware he was in the wrong but calmly combed out his hair as he sat there pleasantly. “Well it’s my lucky day I suppose, you’ve taught me a valuable lesson.” Kon said walking then over to the balcony door and pulling aside the curtains slowly looking outside. He’d close the door then slowly, pursing his lips as if he was looking for something. “I need to invest in better locks, or lock the door at all it would seem.” He said somewhat bemused yet he turned around and looked about the room with a slow gaze of his amber eyes. “Practice? Routine? Mm, so you’re turning your aspirations into reality. That’s rather wonderful to hear.” Beaureve said as he watched. “And in my defense, I did try to knock on the door first. However, after coming all this way with noone to answer? It was in my best interest to see if there was a way to wait inside.” The priest said only telling part of the story but it was enough. “And with how many letters I had to write up in order to actually receive word and meeting arrangements… I preferred a more direct approach.” He smirked. “You don’t mind. We can speak a bit now.” the priest said not leaving this open ended. 

Kon stepped back over to the couch then and would find the chair to sit in as he tried to piece this all together. “Perhaps you came here seeking Talthorn? He is here often lately I’ll admit but not when I’m gone.” He said eyeing the priest a little suspiciously but he was far calmer about it than Talthorn had been. “Did you seek my contact I gave you?” He asked resisting the urge to look around the room once more. “No. I am here to see you.” The priest says bluntly. “Yes. I did.” He replied to the latter question before moving right along. “Now we can officially make arrangements. As promised. When are you available?” 

Kon stared at Beaureve and his audacity with a small smirk. “I suppose I can’t be upset considering how Talthorn did choose to ignore your letters till I found them. As much as I love him dearly he has his reasons for acting as he did. But I am not him.” He pointed out as he thought a moment before responding. “You did?” He redirected the conversation back to the point on the contact. “And did he accept?” Beaureve seemed pleasantly welcome to this information and eager to ask more. “Are these reasons that you are willing to share at all?” he asked before Kon redirected the conversation. “He did. Very interesting man. This contact of yours. We’ve made a good business arrangement. Thank you again for your recommendation. I aspire to have a meeting with my issue whenever he gets my word. In the next few days most likely.” Kon knew who he was talking about with this recent issue. Well he more knew -of- them from what Beaureve and Talthorn both had told him of that incident that left Beaureve wounded and carried to the healer’s ward after Talthorn had saved him. Even the shadow in the room knew the details enough to understand this comment and where it was going. “Talthorn’s secrets are his own to share. I will only say for whatever it’s worth that his… mistrust is a valid one.” Kon looked right to Beaureve then. “Even if you were not the cause for them, just a trigger. But that is all the more I will say. If you want trust or his truths? That’s going to take time Beaureve. Time, and a significant lack of your magic. But in that too I will say no more. I’ve only said this much in the interest of trying to make this easier. For both of you.” Kon explained rubbing at his palms and the ache within them as he sighed and looked to the side. “So, the contract was made. That is good, though forgive me if I wish to make certain.” Kon said oddly as he raised his head then and would stare Beaureve right in the eyes as he spoke out louder. “Show yourself, old friend.”

Beaureve listened closely and drew in a slow breath. He was taking much from these statements but why? Why was there mistrust?! The priest was eager to figure that out. When he realized what Kon had said just then, however, he added in his own command in case his bodyguard was truly as strict as not to do so unless ordered. “Hm? Oh. Of course. Yes, please reveal yourself, Stone.”

No sooner than Beau had given the command, the shadows against the far wall on the other side of the dining room table would start to shift and lift as soon a voice was heard before the body was seen. Where Kon’s voice was deep and full of bass, his was low but more crisp and sharp. “While some things never change, some things… do. It has been a time, Kon.” The bodyguard stood leaning against the wall in full gear head to toe. Blades on his side and no doubt many more hidden throughout his attire. His face was masked, as always and those eyes as cold as winter skies peered right back at Kon’s as they made eye contact across the room.

Part 10

Prologue —> Here Part 1 –-> Here Part 2 —> Here Part 3 —> Here Part 4 —> Here Part 5 —> Here Part 6 —> Here Part 7 —> Here Part 8 —> Here Part 9 ---> Here 

He rubbed his hand, well not his hand but that hand, against the new House of the Chosen brand on his right inner forearm that Callia had gifted him prior to his first departure. Knowing he would have to come back to her at least once more made it a simple goodbye; he was not looking forward to the last one. She had told him that this mark would give him safe passage anytime he visited Maldraxxus, but he knew there was an ulterior motive for it. Reading people had been his profession for a very long time, and she was hiding something. He could make the obvious guess: If he died, he would be sent directly to Maldraxxus. With all the souls still ending up in The Maw, it was a nice thought, but if everything were to be righted...would he get a choice in his afterlife?

Rolling his sleeve down, he turned back to the small camp he had set up in Moonglade on the opposite side of the lake from Nighthaven. This land had become something of a refuge for those displaced when Teldrassil had been burnt down, and this is where his son Garren currently lived with his guardians. The two had never officially spoken nor even met, but it had been Callia’s final request to have a picture of the two of them together and he would not deny her that. She had written a letter for Fiorenze to deliver to the now-teenage boy that would hopefully give him a less skewed opinion of his father. Not that Xylaes was innocent by any means. He had lied to Callia, made her believe he was someone he was not, and then fell in love with her and thought that just maybe their love was strong enough to overcome all of his deceit. It might have been, but she was brutally murdered before they could figure that out. And it was his fault. He had done so much wrong in that relationship. He was not the ‘good guy’ here, he owed Callia and Garren everything.

Crouching down, he rolled up his bedroll before strapping it to the bottom of his pack. He had spent months in Moonglade at this point and it was time for him to return ‘home’. Wherever that was now, it just couldn’t be here.

The first meeting with his son had been cold and awkward, and not at all what he had hoped for. Garren’s guardians insisted on coming to meet the man, and they, naturally, already had a horrible opinion of him that had clearly been rubbing off on the boy. He answered their brutal questions as best as he could, but there were some things he wasn’t able to talk about.  An awkward photo was taken of the two of them, but that wouldn’t do, so Xylaes decided to wait around and try to spend more time with the boy.

While the guardians insisted that they be present every time the two speak, Garren was a teenage boy in a confusing situation, so naturally he snuck out on occasion. For that reason, their second meeting went much better. Garren was tentative and obviously anxious, but there was nothing like a little father-son fishing to alleviate some of that pressure. Garren had grown into a handsome, young man that Xylaes had recognized as a younger version of himself. While overall he presented more as a Kaldorei, the relation was very obvious between the two, with the boy sharing his father’s strong facial features. 

They spoke of Callia often. Since Garren was so young when she was killed, he couldn't remember anything about her. So Xylaes shared stories, answered questions, and did his best to keep his words honest and open, even if they painted him in a poor light. Garren spoke of his schooling and his hobbies, and it became plain to see that the boy was very bright and sharp-witted. He had his mother’s sass and his father’s stubborn side, and apparently already had a girlfriend. Xylaes had missed so much of his boy’s life, but never again. These meetings had become a regular occurrence and Xy had been able to finally get a decent, happy picture of them together that Callia would absolutely adore.

But all good, hidden things usually come to light at some point. The guardians had caught Garren sneaking out one night and that was the end of that. Xylaes was legally at their mercy until the teenager became an adult - which wasn’t that far off all things considered. He could probably fight it given he was the boy’s biological father; but then what would they do? He had no money, no home, no stability; he would need all those things before even thinking about removing Garren from his current comforts. Instead, Xylaes vowed to visit when he could, with their permission, but for now it was time to return to Callia and then return to pick up the pieces of whatever was left of his life on Azeroth. He couldn’t continue living this way in Moonglade forever.

He slung his backpack over his shoulders before glancing off in the direction of Nighthaven one final time. It pained him to have to leave and miss potential moments with his son, but he knew there would be more. It was time to move on.

Daily Writing Challenge 2021 Day 1- Afterlife/Renuion(doing both)

This is a more in-depth and tangential version of this story here.

Suggested listening

As she stepped through the portal to the shadowlands, Laenne instantly started hearing her own mind speaking to her. While her companions started speaking about the procedure and started to unpack the gear for where they would get set up, she had just started going through the motions as her medical kit and all of her gear was being neatly laid out.  A concerned look comes over her friend’s face as he looks at her.  The pained expression on her face told all and he walked over to lay a hand on her arm, speaking with a calm tone,  “Laenne, you really don’t need to be here.  As much as your help is appreciated, and would benefit us, I wouldn’t want it to cause you too much harm to be here.” Breaking out of the looping mantra she was repeating in her head, she looks at him and shakes her head,  “No, I’m fine.  I will get it together.  I won’t even see them, this will be fine, I promise.  I won’t even have any idea who they are if I do since I’ve never actually seen them before.  Or at least I haven’t for my father.  And my mom was just a flash.  It really will be fine.  I’ll be fine.”  It was rather obvious that she was just saying this to lie to herself , doing everything to try and convince herself that it was true.

Days had passed and she kept true to her word and everything seemed to be going alright as she would take care of a number of the injured who were coming into the mobile clinic that they had set up.  She was working on the living, so it was all alright in her mind.  That was until the day that her friend had cautiously gone to her to ask her to go to a different outpost.   This time the fear was apparent in his eyes as he went up to her and spoke with a nervousness that he didn’t really have all that often.  His voice was firm, like a professional but he was very obviously worried about the consequences.  Her partner’s husband looked at her and said, “I’m going to have to send you out into the actual shadowlands.  Into one of the afterlives out there.  You are my most experienced medic, and your ability to heal in different methods is needed now.  If you would prefer not to go, just in case, I understand and can send someone else.”  

Laenne felt her heart drop and she repeated the same lie she had in times past.  Doing it more to try and convince herself than anything else.  “I’m fine, really.  I’ll be fine.  I won’t know who they are.  I have never seen them.  I won’t know who they are.”  Looks at him with a rather skeptical look in her eyes, she repeats the mantra,  “I’ll be fine.  Really. I’ll be fine.” Knowing full well she was not, in fact, fine but knowing that she won’t ever let him send anyone else, Arit had just decided that he would indulge her insistence and sent her on her way to Ardenweald, and trust that she would let him know if there were any problems

Just like before, things had started off fine and she had kept to her word that things would be fine, until things weren’t.  She had noticed day after day a few of the people in the wild hunt staring at her from time to time and then as soon as she would look they would go back to whatever they were doing until about a week in and one of them finally approached her.  “We have someone who really needs to -'' Interrupting him as she spoke, Laenne shook her head quickly, “No, I can’t.  I can’t.  All I am here to do is be a healer.  I am just here to heal, I can’t see anyone.”  Feeling the tears welling in her eyes, the look of pleading made the watcher take a step back and eventually retreat, but the next day they had returned with even more insistence.  Telling her that it wasn’t just to heal, that there was a reason she was sent here, that of all the afterlives she could have gone to, it was Ardenweald and not any of the other afterlives.  

Reluctantly walking on with them, she leaves her post, letting the others know that she was taking a rather long break and departing to destinations unknown.  The entire trek felt like she was walking into her own afterlife Not to mention her thoughts racing through her head, doing her best to try and figure out how they would have known who she was and hoping it was just one huge mistake until they finally reached their destination.  Then she knew without a doubt that this was the place that she needed to be.  

Looking at her mom, it was as if she was gazing into a mirror.  She stood there for what seemed like an eternity  feeling like if she moved, something would break in the space-time continuum.  Then as the huntsmen stood on either side of her, they had taken her by the arms and lifted her off of the ground and forced her closer to her parents.  Then as the woman had opened her mouth, she had repeated Laenne’s same mantra about how she felt like they would never find each other.  That there was no way to know Laenne was their daughter until the watchmen came to her.  

Standing in front of the older couple, and not able to talk, her gaze drifts from one to the other and back again while they just sit there talking at her.  Her eyes drifted back to her father from time to time as they spoke, not able to really grasp the impact of looking at him.  Knowing what it meant for him to have a blue glow to his eyes, then finally after several longer glances in his direction, the pair finally ceases their talking at her and frowns at her, “We both know this is probably not exactly the reunion that you were hoping for, or maybe even that you never actually wanted this, but we needed to see you and see what you grew up to be and who you were.  We loved you, even if we never really met.” Sighing she shakes her head, murmuring under her breath,  “Obviously you guys were the only ones who ever had.  I never knew any of my family, and I never really had anywhere that really felt like ‘home’ to me.  Do you know what that does to a person.  To know that your family never once tried to find you?”  The look they gave each other was a mix of relief and like they were trying to hold things back and she couldn’t help but yell,  “What are you not telling me?” Again looking at each other, the fear of what might happen makes them stop before she literally screams at them, “Tell me, now.  I think you owe me that much!” Then bursting out into tears, her father shouted,  “It’s a good thing they never found you.  They killed me because I wasn’t sin’dorei.  That’s why you’re an orphan.  They killed me, and forced your mom to be a pregnant woman on the run!”

Without a second thought, the dancer leaped to her feet and fled the area before she burst out into tears, or worse.  Feeling like she had a dagger plunged into her heart, she couldn’t even think of anything besides her pain.