The rising sun cut
through the blistering cold air, filtering through the branches of the
pine trees on the snow covered hillsides that surrounded the shallow
valley. Biara sat on a rock, watching the sun rise in the distance, her
knees drawn up to her chest and huddled in on herself. Around her there
was silence, with only the faint moan of the blowing wind and the
crackling of the fires that consumed the burning orc watchtower behind
her to disturb the stillness of early morning.
Around the base of the tower and hanging from the still standing portions of the destroyed fortification bodies were lying. They came in all shapes and sizes, from the valiant orc defenders to the humans who had pushed in to sieze the structure, only to be met in fierce battle by the beleagured defenders who had held off the onslaught. Betrayed by some of the defenders of the tower, Biara and her allies had fought through the entire night to hold back the endless waves of humans and their allies, giving ground only inch by bloody inch.
Amongst the many corpses of the fallen were smaller forms, soldiers much too young to have been on such a bloody field. In their early teens, dressed in battlearmor that was far larger than their tiny forms, the humans had sent in some of their fresh raw recruits and youngings, thinking that the betrayal of the tower would prevent a major conflict at the point. The Magistrix had been forced to slay them all or be slain by them.
She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to remember the faces of those children that the alliance had sent to die. But the memories wouldn't be banished so easily, and tears glistened on her face as she watched the sun rise in the distance. She would never forget, never forgive herself for what she'd been forced to do. She felt unclean.
Behind her, footsteps crunched in the tightly packed snow as someone approached her slowly. She didn't bother to turn; the area had been cleared of enemies for several hours now and it was unlikely to be a foe. She didn't really care if it was at this point either. There was no fear now, only emptiness and self disgust. She shivered as the footsteps stopped right behind her, the person approaching sinking down on the rock with her. Two slender arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly as golden hair hung over her shoulder. Elunearia embraced her tightly, knowing without words what Biara must be thinking at this moment. There was no need to say anything; everything they thought passed between them with that simple gesture.
Biara cried. She cried for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. Elunearia held her tightly the entire time, saying nothing, not judging her but simply being there as the sun lit the rock that they sat on and the fires slowly died behind them. After a time, Biara calmed and shifted around to face the priestess, looking into her eyes, seeing the soot covering one of her cheeks and robes. Seeing love and gentleness in her expression, despite what had happened.
Biara reached out with one hand, her slender fingers touching the soot on Elunearia's face. With a gentle motion, she smudged the black mark, making it the shape of a heart rather than the debris of war covering the priestess. A symbol of love on a person who had nothing but love in her. Elunearia smiled at the gentle touch, reaching out with her own hand and caressing the wardmarks on Biara's right cheek. The sparkled with the contact, and the priestess frowned as she felt the rough scar beneath the wards. She opened her mouth to speak, but Biara shook her head gently, bringing her other hand up to hold the priestess' against her cheek.
"No, you can't heal that," She said softly. "Sometimes we have to remember that we're not perfect. That the mistakes we've made have left an impression on us, and that we can be better than them."
She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, "We're better than THIS."
Elunearia smiled sadly and said, "You didn't make them do this Biara. They chose it."
Biara locked gazes with the priestess again, pausing to think before she responded. "You may not be able to heal my old scars, but you seem to always be able to heal my heart Lune. Before you, this would have been just another nightmare to fight off in the lonely dark. Now...perhaps I can live with myself a little longer."
Elunearia leaned forward and embraced Biara tightly, whispering in her ear, "I'm glad, because I don't want to part from you."
The two Sin'dorei remained in their embrace for some time as the sun rose higher. They remained together on the rock for hours, until the armies of the Horde rallied once more to take back territory lost to the Stormpikes in the previous day's fighting.
Around the base of the tower and hanging from the still standing portions of the destroyed fortification bodies were lying. They came in all shapes and sizes, from the valiant orc defenders to the humans who had pushed in to sieze the structure, only to be met in fierce battle by the beleagured defenders who had held off the onslaught. Betrayed by some of the defenders of the tower, Biara and her allies had fought through the entire night to hold back the endless waves of humans and their allies, giving ground only inch by bloody inch.
Amongst the many corpses of the fallen were smaller forms, soldiers much too young to have been on such a bloody field. In their early teens, dressed in battlearmor that was far larger than their tiny forms, the humans had sent in some of their fresh raw recruits and youngings, thinking that the betrayal of the tower would prevent a major conflict at the point. The Magistrix had been forced to slay them all or be slain by them.
She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to remember the faces of those children that the alliance had sent to die. But the memories wouldn't be banished so easily, and tears glistened on her face as she watched the sun rise in the distance. She would never forget, never forgive herself for what she'd been forced to do. She felt unclean.
Behind her, footsteps crunched in the tightly packed snow as someone approached her slowly. She didn't bother to turn; the area had been cleared of enemies for several hours now and it was unlikely to be a foe. She didn't really care if it was at this point either. There was no fear now, only emptiness and self disgust. She shivered as the footsteps stopped right behind her, the person approaching sinking down on the rock with her. Two slender arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly as golden hair hung over her shoulder. Elunearia embraced her tightly, knowing without words what Biara must be thinking at this moment. There was no need to say anything; everything they thought passed between them with that simple gesture.
Biara cried. She cried for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. Elunearia held her tightly the entire time, saying nothing, not judging her but simply being there as the sun lit the rock that they sat on and the fires slowly died behind them. After a time, Biara calmed and shifted around to face the priestess, looking into her eyes, seeing the soot covering one of her cheeks and robes. Seeing love and gentleness in her expression, despite what had happened.
Biara reached out with one hand, her slender fingers touching the soot on Elunearia's face. With a gentle motion, she smudged the black mark, making it the shape of a heart rather than the debris of war covering the priestess. A symbol of love on a person who had nothing but love in her. Elunearia smiled at the gentle touch, reaching out with her own hand and caressing the wardmarks on Biara's right cheek. The sparkled with the contact, and the priestess frowned as she felt the rough scar beneath the wards. She opened her mouth to speak, but Biara shook her head gently, bringing her other hand up to hold the priestess' against her cheek.
"No, you can't heal that," She said softly. "Sometimes we have to remember that we're not perfect. That the mistakes we've made have left an impression on us, and that we can be better than them."
She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, "We're better than THIS."
Elunearia smiled sadly and said, "You didn't make them do this Biara. They chose it."
Biara locked gazes with the priestess again, pausing to think before she responded. "You may not be able to heal my old scars, but you seem to always be able to heal my heart Lune. Before you, this would have been just another nightmare to fight off in the lonely dark. Now...perhaps I can live with myself a little longer."
Elunearia leaned forward and embraced Biara tightly, whispering in her ear, "I'm glad, because I don't want to part from you."
The two Sin'dorei remained in their embrace for some time as the sun rose higher. They remained together on the rock for hours, until the armies of the Horde rallied once more to take back territory lost to the Stormpikes in the previous day's fighting.
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