It was the first time
they had held hands in public. She could remember it so clearly, the
image of that day burned forever in her mind. His strong fingers wrapped
around her delicate ones, used to the grip of a weapon or bow rather
than the carefully orchestrated joining of two people together,
demonstrating their love for one another.
They had been in the center of Silvermoon, walking through the open courtyards beyond the massive main gate of the city. Although she had spent so much time in that place, that day had been unlike any other. The sunlight had made everything glow with radiance as the two walked hand in hand, and her heart had felt light enough to sweep her away, making her glide across the paving stones. It was filled to overflowing with her feelings for him, with the love he had shown her the night before, their courtship sealed in an act of pure bliss the likes of which she had never experienced before.
The wind had blown around them as they walked, her red hair flaring out in it like someone breathing on the embers of a dying fire. It flowed around her as the breeze snatched a light shawl she had worn and made it tumble through the air. He'd laughed of course as he chased after it, the fabric seeming to play a game with him, always slipping just out of reach.
She had laughed harder when he failed to pay attention to where he was going, falling into a fountain but claiming his prize of her silken shawl. He'd joined her in the laughter a moment later, his hair dripping around his face as he climbed from the water, embracing her and soaking her dress as well. Onlookers had gawked at them, but they didn't care; they were young and in love and nothing in all the world could ever change that. It was the perfect day, or rather, the perfect day following the perfect night. Nothing would ever again be as special as that moment when he wrapped her in his arms and whispered the three words she had most wanted to hear in her ear.
Her beloved Tel'athar.
**********************************
Her eyes faded from pale blue back to fel green as Seluna's thoughts returned to the present. Around her, the Royal Exchange bustled with the passing of Sin'dorei going about their business, buying and selling higher priced items than could be found in the Bazaar a few blocks away. Seluna often spent time here, observing, waiting for the moment when her world would be perfect once more, even though that was impossible. It could never be again.
They were all dead after all.
A sneer crossed her face for just a moment as the troubling thought flickered through her mind. Soon enough others would join her, would know exactly what it felt like to have their entire world ripped out from underneath them. At least her enemies would go to their graves and rest in eternal peace. Not like her.
Her baleful look took in the people passing through the city, coming upon the forms of two elves that she knew quite well. She'd been watching them for some time now after all, as she watched all of her daughter's allies, friends, and loved ones.
Vomher Wyrmcurse and Jenuila Sunstorm. Always together now, always speaking with her daughter. Always a threat to her plans.
She watched them carefully, studying them from afar. She'd done this several times already, and had approached the two to see exactly where their loyalties were. It was clear from the information she'd gathered that the Archmage and his 'friend' would be dire threats to her plans if left unchecked, and would need to be eliminated. There was simply no alternative, but the question was how this would be accomplished.
She studied them closely as they paused to speak to a young priestess within the city. Seluna had seen her before, she'd seen them speaking with her before. Adelynna Dawnmend was her name, and although she had little political influence, it was clear she was acquainted with the two elves. It was something to consider, as the priestess might need to die along with her friends.
As she watched the two magi speaking with their friend, Seluna's eyes caught a detail that others in the open space might miss. It was the mage Jenuila. The way she stood, the tilt of her head and the position of her body. The way her hand seemed to always want to stray near the Archmage's.The glow about her face. The look in her eyes when she gazed at him when no one was looking. The way he looked back at her, just as tenderly, the moments shared between each other that would pass in private if someone wasn't staring right at them.
Someone was of course.
For the briefest of moments, Seluna's eyes faded to blue again as she watched them, as she remembered. She shook her head slowly as the two magi passed from her range of vision, trying to clear her thoughts. They were a threat to her plans, but she remembered Lord Wyrmcurse from long ago, he was the last thing in the city that connected her to her past, and now there was this complication. For once, she didn't really want to kill this foe, but rather simply remove it from the game board.
A sly look came over her face as she considered it. If someone had taken her Tel'athar from her that day, she would have moved the very heavens to find him, to destroy those who would come between them. It would have been a disaster for her life, intolerable.
A complete distraction.
Take the mage and the Archmage would exit the playing field. Leave her alive, and he'd be too consumed with worry to concern himself with a friend that had come upon hard times. It was perfect of course, and she already had seen the perfect lure to get the mage somewhere that her allies could take advantage of this. The priestess would do nicely.
Seluna smiled as she decided on her course of action. It was time to speak with Kaelus again. She didn't necessarily want the two dead, but they had to be removed. This would do nicely. The Scion of House Dayfire would face her alone, without allies to call upon in her final moments.
Seluna rose from the bench where she'd been sitting. There was much to do, and it was time to move events along. Far past time.
They had been in the center of Silvermoon, walking through the open courtyards beyond the massive main gate of the city. Although she had spent so much time in that place, that day had been unlike any other. The sunlight had made everything glow with radiance as the two walked hand in hand, and her heart had felt light enough to sweep her away, making her glide across the paving stones. It was filled to overflowing with her feelings for him, with the love he had shown her the night before, their courtship sealed in an act of pure bliss the likes of which she had never experienced before.
The wind had blown around them as they walked, her red hair flaring out in it like someone breathing on the embers of a dying fire. It flowed around her as the breeze snatched a light shawl she had worn and made it tumble through the air. He'd laughed of course as he chased after it, the fabric seeming to play a game with him, always slipping just out of reach.
She had laughed harder when he failed to pay attention to where he was going, falling into a fountain but claiming his prize of her silken shawl. He'd joined her in the laughter a moment later, his hair dripping around his face as he climbed from the water, embracing her and soaking her dress as well. Onlookers had gawked at them, but they didn't care; they were young and in love and nothing in all the world could ever change that. It was the perfect day, or rather, the perfect day following the perfect night. Nothing would ever again be as special as that moment when he wrapped her in his arms and whispered the three words she had most wanted to hear in her ear.
Her beloved Tel'athar.
**********************************
Her eyes faded from pale blue back to fel green as Seluna's thoughts returned to the present. Around her, the Royal Exchange bustled with the passing of Sin'dorei going about their business, buying and selling higher priced items than could be found in the Bazaar a few blocks away. Seluna often spent time here, observing, waiting for the moment when her world would be perfect once more, even though that was impossible. It could never be again.
They were all dead after all.
A sneer crossed her face for just a moment as the troubling thought flickered through her mind. Soon enough others would join her, would know exactly what it felt like to have their entire world ripped out from underneath them. At least her enemies would go to their graves and rest in eternal peace. Not like her.
Her baleful look took in the people passing through the city, coming upon the forms of two elves that she knew quite well. She'd been watching them for some time now after all, as she watched all of her daughter's allies, friends, and loved ones.
Vomher Wyrmcurse and Jenuila Sunstorm. Always together now, always speaking with her daughter. Always a threat to her plans.
She watched them carefully, studying them from afar. She'd done this several times already, and had approached the two to see exactly where their loyalties were. It was clear from the information she'd gathered that the Archmage and his 'friend' would be dire threats to her plans if left unchecked, and would need to be eliminated. There was simply no alternative, but the question was how this would be accomplished.
She studied them closely as they paused to speak to a young priestess within the city. Seluna had seen her before, she'd seen them speaking with her before. Adelynna Dawnmend was her name, and although she had little political influence, it was clear she was acquainted with the two elves. It was something to consider, as the priestess might need to die along with her friends.
As she watched the two magi speaking with their friend, Seluna's eyes caught a detail that others in the open space might miss. It was the mage Jenuila. The way she stood, the tilt of her head and the position of her body. The way her hand seemed to always want to stray near the Archmage's.The glow about her face. The look in her eyes when she gazed at him when no one was looking. The way he looked back at her, just as tenderly, the moments shared between each other that would pass in private if someone wasn't staring right at them.
Someone was of course.
For the briefest of moments, Seluna's eyes faded to blue again as she watched them, as she remembered. She shook her head slowly as the two magi passed from her range of vision, trying to clear her thoughts. They were a threat to her plans, but she remembered Lord Wyrmcurse from long ago, he was the last thing in the city that connected her to her past, and now there was this complication. For once, she didn't really want to kill this foe, but rather simply remove it from the game board.
A sly look came over her face as she considered it. If someone had taken her Tel'athar from her that day, she would have moved the very heavens to find him, to destroy those who would come between them. It would have been a disaster for her life, intolerable.
A complete distraction.
Take the mage and the Archmage would exit the playing field. Leave her alive, and he'd be too consumed with worry to concern himself with a friend that had come upon hard times. It was perfect of course, and she already had seen the perfect lure to get the mage somewhere that her allies could take advantage of this. The priestess would do nicely.
Seluna smiled as she decided on her course of action. It was time to speak with Kaelus again. She didn't necessarily want the two dead, but they had to be removed. This would do nicely. The Scion of House Dayfire would face her alone, without allies to call upon in her final moments.
Seluna rose from the bench where she'd been sitting. There was much to do, and it was time to move events along. Far past time.
No comments:
Post a Comment