moonshadows | One so young

Takk's talons click on the ...stone? as he bears me to Khadgar, the human mage whose summoned servant brought me around Shattrath so helpfully. He turns from whatever he is silently discussing with the giant crystal entity called A'dal as Takk slows to a stop, and I dismount.

"Ah, you're back. So, now that my servant has explained the way things stand, which side will you choose?"

"Neither."

He blinks. "May I ask why?"

"My loyalties are to the Horde and the son of Durotan. I'm not here to make enemies; I'm not even here to stay. I'm just passing through on my way to Nagrand to meet with the Mag'har."

Now his eyebrows raise. "The Mag'har meet with no one."

"They'll meet with me."

"And why is that?"

"Because my Warchief told me to." Shrug.

"I see." He looks closer. "There is a very interesting spell on you..."

"You are referring to the spell which caused my conception. It's not 'on' me, it's a part of me."

"You are correct," he says with some surprise. "I didn't expect you to know about it; it's very subtle."

I am the instrument of my Warchief's desire. I am a weapon of my Warchief's command.

He leans back as the shell of Champion Ironheart encases me. "...or not."

Toothy grin as I release the soul-armor. "It's a very useful tool."

"You," he says slowly, "are a very unique young orc woman. You remind me of another orc I once knew. Well, since you refuse to anger either Aldor or Scryer by allying with the other, may I offer you the hospitality of my home for the night? If you are not opposed, I would like to discuss this spell with you. I've never seen anything like it, and please believe me when I say that I've seen a lot."

Shrug. "As long as you're not planning on replicating it."

He frowns. "Why, what does it do?"

"It causes the resulting child to be enslaved to the Warchief. Unbreakable magical shackles bind the child's soul, usurping its mind and will. The child becomes, literally, an instrument of their Warchief's desire and a weapon of their Warchief's command."

"I should think you would seek to replicate that," he says, eyebrows raised.

I shrug. "My Warchief doesn't want any other child to suffer what I did. Besides, we Champions are territorial." Toothy grin. "I don't want any other budding Champion trying to kill me in order to gain the Warchief's sole favor, nor do I want to have to kill one to keep it."

"I'm amazed you're so calm about this."

"It is what it is. There's no use fighting what you can't change, and there's no point lamenting what is beyond your control, is there?"

"No, I suppose not. Wise words indeed, from one so young." He sighs. "Well then, did you have anything else you wanted to do before you retired?"

"They can wait."

He nods and moves his hands, and Takk barks in surprise as we appear in a different building. This one is richly appointed, stuffed with magical contrivances and books.

"Ah, I'm afraid I don't know what sort of stabling your beast requires."

"He'll sleep with me." Small grin. "Actually, he'll pitch a fit if he can't watch over me, overprotective thing that he is."

A gesture, and one doorway glows. "That will be your room for tonight, but before you retire...might we talk?"

"Of course."

I follow him to a cozy study and sit in one of the chairs by his hearth, Takk curled up at my back.

"Please forgive me if I sound melancholy," he says, "but you remind me of Garona Halforcen, one of the first friends I had in my youth, and thinking of her reminds me of the youth that was stripped from me shortly thereafter." He smiles at my raised eyebrows. "I am not nearly as old as I appear to be. Inside this wrinkled skin, beneath this white hair, my body is only half of my apparent age."

The pieces snap together. "You loved her, but race was a barrier you didn't think to try to cross until it was much too late."

He looks angry, then pensive. "Wise indeed, for one so young. Now: I give you my word that I will not seek to replicate the spell intertwined with your being. Will you tell me about it?"

I grin. "When my mother realized she was pregnant, she flew back to Blackrock Spire..."