The Ghosts of the Past

Laughter rang out across the tavern as a particularly inappropriate joke was retold at a large table in the back room. Celessarae's musical voice was added to the din as she joined in the laughter, her sides shaking with amusement. Others of her crew pounded on the table top and tipped back huge mugs of ale, enjoying their trip into the bazaar district of Silvermoon. The ship and her crew were not entirely welcome, but there were too many of them to simply evict from the tavern without a contingent of guards. Besides, they WERE paying their tab, and even paying for the many dishes they had already broken. Celessarae saw to that. The last thing she wanted, after all, was to have her ship burned to the water line when it needed repairs desperately.

As the laughter died down, the curtains at one end of the tavern parted, allowing a breath of fresh air into the smoke filled room. At the entrance stood a middle-aged Sin'dorei, his face a mask of anger and a hand on his sword hilt. He glared around the tavern, his eyes finding and fixing on Celessarae in the back of the room.

Noticing the stare, Celessarae finished off her drink and slammed it down on the tabletop, waiting for the inevitable harsh words that would be exchanged. She didn't have long to wait as the Sin'dorei stormed across the room, bristling with rage.

"Murderous BITCH!" He railed at her. "How DARE you set foot in this city after what you've done?! My father, my mother were on that ship! They were pulled down to their deaths by the scourge because of what you did!"

Deadly silence filled the tavern as Celessarae's crew noted the tone the man was using with their captain. Several daggers appeared and a low hum of angry muttering could be heard. Celessarae raised her hand, waving off their concern.

Celessarae blinked and then shrugged, "Things are tough all over. They weren't the only ones who died that day and I owe you and yours nothing. Why don't you take your pretty sword and go put it to good use somewhere, before you get hurt?"

The elf's face turned beet red as he stared at the pirate. "No. I have waited years to find you. After hearing that the Shattered Blade survived the destruction at Sunsail Anchorage, I knew the day would come when you and I would meet and I would avenge my parents and everyone else aboard the Song of the Sun. I challenge you to a duel."

Celessarae stared at the elf in amazement for a moment, and then ever so slowly she began to laugh. Her lilting laughter rose in volume, quickly joined in by her crew as they took in the meaning of the elf's words. Soon it was all Celessarae could do to keep tears from her eyes.

"Y-you challenge me to a DUEL?" she laughed, fighting to regain control of her mirth. "Of all the...why on Azeroth would I agree to fight you in a fair fight, when I don't even care about you at all?"

The elf gripped his sword, shaking with rage. His knuckles turned white against the pommel. "Then beyond being a murderess and a thief, you are also a coward and too weak to fight."

The laughter in the tavern stopped cold. All eyes turned to Celessarae to see how she would handle this direct challenge. In her world, to let such an insult stand would be to lose face before the crew; a potentially deadly consequence. Her mouth perked into a slight smile and she said, "Wrong answer."

The Sin'dorei made to draw his blade, but a flashing dagger sailed across the room, embedding itself in his chest before the bare steel was even halfway exposed. He looked down in shock at the horrible wound, and then back at Celessarae, who leaned back in her chair, a second throwing dagger in hand. "B-but..I-I challenged...h-honorable c-combat..."

He slumped to the floor, his lifeblood staining the fine rug. Other patrons in the inn looked aghast while the pirates in the room broke out into laughter again.  A pair of Blood Knights who had been drinking in the establishment rose to their feet, their faces grim and their hands on their own weapons. Celessarae made a gesture at them, and in an instant both had pirates behind them, naked blades held to their throats.

Celessarae smiled and said, "Now now gentlemen. As you can see, this Sin'dorei had issue with me, and challenged me to deadly combat. It is not my fault that he did not state his terms more clearly. His death was perfectly legal under the terms of personal combat, wouldn't you say?"

The two Blood Knights looked around the room, understanding that they were outnumbered about twenty to one. Slowly, recluctantly they nodded. Celessarae's smile widened, "There now, there's no need to file a report then is there? Why don't you both sit back down and enjoy a round on me."

Again with some reluctance, both Blood Knights sank back into their seats, and soon had overflowing tankards of ale placed in front of them. Celessarae gave them a wave and the tension in the room seemed to dissipate as her own crew settled back down. The two Blood Knights shrugged at one another and went back to their drinks. They didn't get paid enough to take on half a ship's compliment of fighters, and besides, rumor had it that the ship's captain was a noble, so she might technically be within her legal right to dispense justice.

Celessarae picked up another tankard of ale and gulped it down, smiling in satisfaction. Another ghost confronted. Another pointless death in a pointless world. What a waste of her valuable time.