(( DWC November 2023, Day 6, Expectation/Selfish, CW: none; @daily-writing-challenge ))
The dust of battle had cleared, and for the moment, the forces of Azeroth had taken the field, but the enemy was yet unbeaten. Fyrakk had broken his way into the temple with his own powers, and he and his followers had retreated within.
Lorellai could hear the aspects making plans to pursue, talking about taking a team of their most able champions to aid the pursuit, while the rest remained without to handle any further attempts by the remaining flame druids, primalists, or djaradin to interfere. She saw her parents, as well as her many aunts and uncles, Henii, Dolraan, and Hlin among them, engaging in the conversation as well. That made sense. She and the rest of the team had handled the primalists in the vault, and down in Aberrus, but those had been fairly localized trouble, and happened fast enough to preclude calling for backup. But now Fyrakk and the Firelands were threatening the world tree and the emerald dream, and that surely meant bringing in the big guns, and well, what bigger guns were there than the heroes who'd saved the world time and time again?
She'd already started preparing herself to be okay with that when Drogar broke off from the group, followed by Darlain and Dolraan, heading her way. They looked every bit the legendary dwarven heroes they were. Her father in his mechanized armor suit, her mother in her angelic war-priest vestments, and though uncle Dolraan would argue that he was a poor dwarf indeed, a fine figure nonetheless in his shining silver and gold armor and argent tabard. Before they could say a word, she smiled and greeted them. "I guess we should wish you all luck in there! I'm sure Fyrakk and his cronies won't know what hit them." Lorellai was pleased with herself, she'd managed to tamp down her own disappointment, and show them the love and support they'd always showed her. But the way they looked at each other and smiled seemed odd.
"Er, lass, that's what we were coming over t' say to yeh. Th' Aspects are calling on your team to join them inside, we'll be holdin' th' line out here." Drogar said, clapping his daughter on the shoulder.
Lorellai gawped as Dolraan followed up. "You've got far more experience with these particular villains than we do, having just arrived. And you've all proven yourselves to Alexstrasza and her fellow aspects time and time again. This is your mission."
"Make sure you teach them a lesson about messing with th' peace of Azeroth, my little sparkler!" Darlain said, pulling Lorellai into a hug. "Make sure they know why every other villain fears going up against th' Meddlers!"
Out the corner of her eye, Lorellai caught Shansii hugging her mom as well, and a few others receiving well wishes from the older heroes. Hlin in particular seemed to be giving some last minute punching advice to Edmund, who was listening thoughtfully. "Are… are you sure?"
Drogar beamed back at her. "Oh hell no, but I trust you, and I believe in you, and I know that Alexstrasza wouldn't be askin' for yeh if yeh didn't have what it takes. But I won't be sendin' yeh empty handed! I cannae help but notice that spear of yers 'as seen better days. Maybe a bit more of a distant approach will suit yeh better in there, and I've got just th' thing, designed and built based on those lovely elemental ore samples yeh sent home." Drogar whistled, and Balinore lumbered over, dragging a long crate. Unlocking it, Drogar pried it open, and removed a beautiful looking rifle from the hay within, handing it reverently to his daughter. "I call it th' Firefighter, on account of it usin' elemental fire to enhance th' shots with which you might fight then fight fire with fire!" Drogar declared, inordinately pleased with his wordplay.
Lorellai gingerly took the weapon from her father's hands, running her fingers along the barrel. "It's.. it's beautiful."
"Wield it with pride lass, and give that' fire dragon a shot to th' eye he'll ne'er forget."
Lorellai pulled her dad into a hug, but already she could hear Rokishan calling her name, as everyone got ready to head inside with the Kaldorei and the Aspects. Loading a magazine, she nodded at her father, and turned to face the temple. It was time to meddle.
(Daily writing challenge August 2022, Day 3, Sentimental/Feral. CW: None.)
@daily-writing-challenge
Ironforge Guard House 16 was very much like the various others stationed at various points in the great mountain city. Plenty of traffic in and out as guards came and went from patrols, various citizens came to pay fines or make reports, and occasionally a bit of drama as a suspect was brought in conscious and still with some fight in them. Hlin knew these guard houses well, and walked up to one of the desks with confidence, dropping a purse on it with a clatter. "Evenin' Bertha, I'm here for the Truthhammer girl."
Lorelai sat motionless, as small as she could on the bench, as Hlin laboriously went through the paperwork to secure her release. It didn't help that Hlin felt the need to comment on the proceedings.
"Come on Bertha, we've done this enough times that y'all know that ah know how it works, can we just hurry it along?!" the red haired dwarf admonished, clearly frustrated by the bureaucracy.
The woman on the other side of the table in full guard regalia remained impassive. "Once again, do you pay this fine of your own volition, with no demand of recompense from the accused minor?"
"Ugh, YES, ah'm not being coerced, nor do I intend to coerce my own dang god-daughter." Hlin snarled.
"You aren't her Godmother, you don't actually appear on any of her paperwork." Bertha retorted, her tone flat and unimpressed.
"Details, I love her like she was mine, can we go now? Y'all got all th' money for yer fine and th' repairs." Hlin's tone shifted now to a more diplomatic one, eager to be free of this place.
Bertha flipped through the paperwork one more time, before sighing, having found nothing else needing to be confirmed or signed for. "Thank you for paying the fine, stay out of trouble. Or next time we WILL be informing your father no matter whom shows up." the guards-woman declared, eyes fixed on the mortified young dwarven lady.
"Yeah yeah, you're big and tough when yer pickin' on kids, we're all super intimidated, come on Lorelai, let's leave these desk jockeys to their papers," Hlin scoffed, all but scooping the younger dwarf off her feet and ushering her out into the streets of Ironforge. They climbed on Hlin's yak and rode in silence for several minutes before Hlin realized that the girl was holding her extra tight and shaking.
Hlin gave the reins a gentle tug, guiding Yak out of the thoroughfare, and came to a stop before gently patting Lorelai's arms that encircled her waist. "Come on now, you're alright, you just got arrested for having too much fun, ain't no shame in that." The only response was a sob, so Hlin continued. "Hell, yer ma and pa have both been in the clink fer worse, especially that Pa of yers, man, the trouble he's gotten int'. And as for yer auntie Hlin, well, there's a reason ah know ol' Bertha by first name, and it ain't just because ah take the occasional contract from the guard. I must have been on the sucky side of those bars two nights out of ten in th' last year alone, and ah'm just fine. So don't you sweat it."
The sobbing slowed, and Hlin heard the girl ask quietly "what did my Dad get arrested for?"
Hlin chortled. "Ah hell, all sorts of stuff, but ah think th' funniest was th' time he was tryin' t' tame a wild crocolisk and the dang thing slipped the harness he had on it and had itself a walk through th' forge, scarin' all them smiths half t' death. You'd think they weren't a bunch of big muscly folk with a bunch of hammers and picks, th' way they jumped out of its way! And then there was all the explosions before he moved his lab outta Ironforge, and of course that one time with th' treason..." Hlin grinned as she looked back, Lorelai's eyes were red from crying but her expression was now one of awe, confusion, and curiosity. Much better, Hlin thought. "But that's a story y'all need t' get out of him yerself, that's th' rule with treason stories, you get 'em from the horses' mouth. Now, as fer yer ma an' me.." Hlin continued the stories as she nudged Yak back to a trundle, heading towards the Truthhammer estate to get Lorelai Truthhammer safely home after her very first arrest.
Drop your Muse’s name in my inbox and I’ll reveal my Muse’s opinion of them... - Veri and Dar!
Most admirable quality: “Darlain! Oh, she’s a lovely woman. One o’ the most enthusiastically warm people yeh will ever meet. She’s kind beyond measure.”
Most attractive physical feature: “Her eyes! Again, so warm and perceptive o’ the people around her.”
Most annoying habit: “A bit of a busybody at times. She loves teh be in ‘know’.”
Something they would like to do with them: “Och! I havenae seen her in ages. I think a luncheon and spa day sounds perfect. She’s clever like that.”
If anyone is skeptical of the power of promotion, this lovely art of my dorf was possible because @faebelina retweeted @lowly-owly ‘s commission information, drawing my attention, and a purchase. So happy with the final result :)
( Daily Writing Challenge August 2023, Day 1, Beginnings/Endings, CW: none, @daily-writing-challenge )
"Oh aye Henii, just set her in here, I'm sure they'll get along fine while we finish making lunch."
Lorellai looked up from the colorful stuffed bear she'd been squeezing and chewing on, and locked eyes with the new girl that had been sat in her playpen. She was blue, her eyes were glowy, and her feet were different, but she was a fellow toddler, and she also had a colorful stuffed bear. Well, not a bear, something else. "Gah!" she exclaimed, welcoming her new friend, but already her friend was looking around.
Grabbing the side of the pen and pulling herself up, Shansii rocked back and forth, getting the enclosure's measure. Stubby blue fingers wrapped around the wooden poles, and she rocked with all her tiny might, causing the pen to shift. It moved, ever so little, but she'd need more. She looked over to the pink skinned girl who'd been stuck in here already, and waved. "Gah buh!" she declared, calling on the girl to help her seek freedom!
Lorellai wasn't sure what was going on, but her new friend looked like she had a new game! She crawled over, and climbed up next to her, mimicking her grip on the poles. "Bah!"
Shansii nodded. Soon they would be free, and with her new partner, she would be unstoppable. She started to rock, and Lorellai rocked with her, in as close to a rhythym as a pair of toddlers could get, but it was enough to shift the old playpen. Soon enough, it had toppled over, spilling out the little ones and their stuffed animals! Shansii shrieked with joy! Now only the door stood between them and freedom! She stood up on shaky legs, motioning for her new partner to join her! Together they giggled and stumbled towards the door, and it flew open, to disaster!
"Well well, already colluding are we, hm?" Henii said, smiling down at her daughter and Lorellai, who looked up at her in tiny shock. Kneeling down, she scooped up both the girls, kissing them on the head. "There will be plenty of time for mischief later, but right now it's lunch. And then we will see about play, hm?"
Shansii groaned, bonking her head on her mom's chest. Defeated again. But then her eyes met Lorellai's, glistening with joy. She had a partner now. Together, they would be free, and explore all the world had to offer.
But for now, there was honeyed oatmeal to eat, so the world would have to wait.
((Daily writing challenge august 2023 day 2, enchanted/horror, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none))
(Age: 7 years)
"Shansii! Lookit what I got!"
Lorellai ran into her room and closed the door, clutching a prize to her chest. Shansii looked up at her from the pile of paper she'd been drawing on, and adjusted her glasses. "What is it?"
"It's one of my mom's enchanted wands!" Lorellai declared, holding out the long, pink colored cylinder. Gently glowing runes encircled the base, and it was nearly as long as Lorellai's forearm. "Think we can use it to do magic?"
Shansii shuffled over, knocking crayons aside to get a better look. "Ooooh, this looks like one of the wands my mom has in her room in the top drawer under her big shirts! Hers are longer though…"
"That makes sense, she's got longer fingers. How do we make it do magic?" Lorellai asked impatiently, poking at the wand, surprised at how soft the outer shell of it seemed to be.
"Well, the runes are on the bottom, so you probably touch them?" Shansii ventured, poking at them, until suddenly they glowed brighter, and the wand began to buzz. "Aha! Found something!"
"I don't get it, it's just buzzing and shaking? What kind of magic is this?"
"I dunno, maybe it's for-" Shansii wasn't able to finish her thought, as the door opened revealing a very red-in-the-face Darlain.
"Och! That's not for you lass! I'll be taking that back thank you and you are grounded starting tomorrow young miss!"
"But mom! I just wanted to do magic!"
"Not this kind of magic you won't, and you're going to learn a lesson about stayin' out of mummy's drawers. Now both of you down to the kitchen where I can keep an eye on you, march!"
The girls groaned and shuffled towards the kitchen, leaving Darlain holding her "wand". Sighing, she stuffed it in a pocket, then pulled out her communicator. "Henii, lass, I think we're going to need to sit down with the girls tonight and talk about the difference between a magic wand and their mum's vibrators."
A delighted laugh came over the speaker. "Oh I don't know, when the mood strikes they can both be truly magical."
"I'm being serious, I caught them playing with mine after stealin' it from my drawers."
"Oh my darling, just having a little fun. They're still young, but they're smart, and this will be a fun story for when they're grown. See you after dinner!"
Darlain closed the comms and huffed, making sure her "wand" was still properly stowed, and followed the girl's trail down to the kitchen.
The dwarven woman had been the latest. Giving her that half-glance with the half-recognition squint. After this many years, you'd think she'd have gotten used to it by now. But she hadn't. It still sent a slight shiver up her spine and questions she'd spent the last few years trying to avoid would come flashing through.
"No, I'm sorry, I don't think we've met." Her smile was easy and warm, dimpled with a hint of sheepishness. 'But you probably know the other one. I'm the lookalike. I'm the one that doesn't belong. I'm not who you think I am, I am not who you wanted.'
The dwarven woman had returned the smile, the bewilderment clear on her expression. Khaeris was sure it would have been nice to have met her.
