Brunch for Two

The Forsaken pulled back on the reins of his undead steed, bringing it to a halt as the numbered fronts of the buildings finally lead him to his destination. He slowly dismounted, his rotted form creaking a bit as he steadied himself on the ground. He paused, looking around with a raised brow, wondering if he had taken a wrong turn somewhere.

He was standing within the ruins of Silvermoon City, along one of the broad paths that paralleled the inner wall of the once populated area. The buildings around him were decayed, crumbling and hollow structures that no longer were inhabitable by living Sin'dorei. To emphasize the fact, the howl of a Wretched dying somewhere deeper in the ruins echoed off of the lonely stone edifice. Likely the area was once beautiful, but now it had fallen into a grotesque mockery of what it once was.

So why was he here?

He reached into his jacket, pulling out the strange invitation he'd received at his room in one of Silvermoon's inns. Certainly the elegant script and filigreed letter stock included the address that he now found himself standing in front of, and yet he was met with only silence, as if a joke had been played on him. After a moment he shrugged, putting the letter away and approaching the double doors of one house on the row. He had come all this way and there was no harm in knocking.

He gave the door a sharp wrap with his knucklebones, standing before the barrier with the infinite patience of the undead. His wait was short lived however as the door before him began to open on creaking hinges, unseen hands pulling it inward. With another small shrug he stepped through the opening, finding himself within a grand foyer.

It was obvious from the moment he stepped inside that the structure had once been more than one dwelling place that was later renovated and opened up. Several hallways lead from the foyer, with a newer looking staircase leading up to a second floor above. The space was lit with eerily glowing blue lamps, and in the dimmer light the Forsaken noticed the unmoving forms of several suits of armor, each bearing spears or halberds and standing at attention near each hallway opening. The size of the figures made their race difficult to determine given the heavy plate armor, and after staring for a moment the Forsaken decided that they were either Sin'dorei who were VERY good at standing still or empty suits of metal for display only.

His thoughts were interrupted as the air before him stirred, a wraith forming from seemingly nothing. He took a step back with a start, recognizing a creature that likely would have been created by the Scourge. Rather than attack him, the thing hovered for a moment, glaring at him with two burning points of cold blue light before speaking in a hissing whisper.

"Inivitaaaaaaaaation. Noooooow."

Somewhat amused, the Forsaken pulled out the letter he'd received and held it up before the wraith. It seemed to nod once and then dispersed in a cloud of shadow. Clearly his invitation was in order. The Forsaken's half-smile quickly faded as he realized several of the 'suits' of armor had moved while he was digging for the invitation, and more than one of them were closer in proximity to him now. They were less empty than he'd originally thought, and given their stillness, likely had similar undead servitors in them.

A melodious voice cut through his private thoughts, drawing his eye to the staircase above. "Sir Kevin Ives! Oh how delightful that you decided to accept my invitation! Please, let me have your coat seen to!"

The voice was low and feminine, but had an echoing quality as if it issued up from beneath the ground rather than from a living throat. It's owner would at first be mistaken for a pale Sin'dorei until one saw her clearly. The word 'pale' failed to properly describe the icy white of the skin of the elf that stood atop the stairway. Marble white with slight streaks of dark color where her veins were visible, the elf was a vision of macabre artistry. Her hair was snow-white, the color almost blending into her skin as it flowed across her shoulders and framed her ghastly white face. She wore a dress that on a living elf would have been stunning, it's white and pale blue fabric cut to hug the curves of a Sin'dorei and flared out at the bottom, giving just a peek of the pale blue, thick heeled shoes she wore beneath it. Her fingers were adorned with bejeweled rings, and similar jewelry bedecked her ears and adorned her head.

She took a few steps down the staircase, her shoes placed carefully to avoid catching in the fabric of her dress. Although her movements were likely designed to be alluring and graceful, to the Forsaken's expert eye there was a bit of stiffness within her form, as if her physical body was a puppet being jerked by the invisible strings of the will that commanded it. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she smiled, her blue-painted lips revealing teeth that had obviously been cosmetically bleached. He reached this conclusion almost immediately as when she spoke, he could see inky black ichor within her mouth that a living Sin'dorei would never tolerate.

She snapped her fingers and from behind the Forsaken a shuffling sound was heard. He turned to find a skeletal undead human approaching him, its form stuffed into a butler's uniform. With another raised brow he looked back at the undead elf, and she offered him another disturbing smile and a nod, "Christopher here will take your things. Come, I have much I wish to discuss with you!"

With that the Forsaken named Kevin Ives found himself handing his coat and hat to a skeleton butler of all things before hurrying after the strange dead elf. Her dress flowed out behind her like a drift of snow as she walked down one of the halls towards an open doorway. As he followed, Kevin noted that the suits of armor that they passed did indeed have malicious glows emanating from deep within their helmets; his guess had been accurate.

As they walked, the Forsaken noted that the hallway was decorated with wall hangings and tapestries that had been custom made specifically for this house. Many of them depicted an armored female elf bearing a glowing sword as she stood atop mounds of fallen enemies. A few had a stylized emblem of a raven perched atop the pommel of a runeblade; likely the symbol of the lady of the house.

Finally the two reached the doorway, and Kevin found himself ushered into a small palor with plush, although somewhat rotted, divans. Between them sat a small tea table, and the entire room was lit with the eerie glow of a magical blue fire in the nearby firepit. The elf gestured towards one of the divans before taking her own seat opposite from the Forsaken.

With some hesitation, the Forsaken opened his mouth to speak, "My Lady, I'm not sure what-"

His words had caused her to burst into a giggle, the sound somewhat unnatural. She recovered quickly, holding up a pale hand to forestall further comment. "I am no 'Lady' of Silvermoon, Sir Ives. You may call me Dame Ebondawn if you wish to be formal, or Lirallel if you wish to be friendly. I have been told in no uncertain terms and repeatedly that my lowborn blood could never earn the title of 'Lady'."

The Forsaken nodded and continued, "Dame Ebondawn, I'm not sure what the purpose of your invitation was, but I must admit to some curiosity. When I first received it, I was surprised that any in Silvermoon would invite one such as myself to a social gathering. Your kind don't prefer the undead."

Lirallel bit her lip, pouting slightly and shaking her head as her guest finished, "Sir Ives, as you can clearly see, I am not a Sin'dorei. You and I are of a kind, while those who I once called brothers and sisters are as distant to me as the sun itself. I have no more in common with those who walk the streets of the un-ruined portions of the city than I do with an orc or a human. It is for this reason that I sent my invitation. I rarely get visitors and when I learned that a Forsaken who was working with the Reliquary would be about, I jumped at the opportunity."

The Forsaken nodded, taking in what the undead elf had said. It was clear just from the very sight of her that what she said was true; she was certainly not amongst the living of Quel'Thalas. How she died, what her purpose was, and who she worked for were intriguing questions. He leaned back on the divan he'd selected, his fingers steepled before him. "Tell me Dame Ebondawn, why? Why do you wish to converse with me? Are you interested in the Reliquary, or simply spying on those within the city proper?"

Lirallel's unnatural laugh echoed through the room again, "Oh heavens no Sir Ives! I could care less what is occurring within the city except how it may impact my opportunities for to further my wealth or research. No, I simply wanted to converse with someone who understood what it was like to be one of us. With my research here and travels, it is rare that I have time to simply speak with another like yourself. Someone who appreciates what I have become and the advantages it brings."

As she finished, she leaned forward and picked up a small silver bell from the table before her. Another undead servant shambled to the doorway, standing there mindlessly. Liraellel turned towards it and nodded, "Brunch Marilyn, if you'd be so kind."

The creature shambled off as Kevin Ives studied Lirallel closely, "You actually consume food? You are becoming more and more of a puzzle with each passing moment Dame Ebondawn."

Liraellel offered him another smile, shaking her head slowly, "Oh my heavens, no! But I have developed some rather interesting concoctions that can help provide us with some energy. It is only polite to offer a member of the Reliquary some refreshment, wouldn't you say? I was fascinated to learn that you worked with that esteemed group, when normally the Forsaken do not involve themselves with much of Quel'Thalas. Tell me, have you gone on any digs? Some of the things that the Reliquary have been rumored to have unearthed sound absolutely thrilling."

The Forsaken remained silent for a moment, as if deciding how much he could share with the creature. The secrets of such an organization were not passed lightly, but there was something about her that made him understand that she would not betray one of her 'kind' as she'd put it. It was fascinating to meet such an interesting and obviously dangerously addled creature. He cleared his throat and nodded, "When they do work within Lordaeron we Forsaken involve ourselves in their projects. I am actually a member of the Royal Apothecary Society, however I have been assigned as an adjunct to several projects that they are moving forward with. I have yet to personally examine a dig site, but plan to in the near future."

Lirallel clapped her hands in delight and opened her blue lips as if to say more. At that moment her servant returned, the undead creature mindlessly shuffling into the room and placing a silver platter on the table. It contained two glasses, a dark wine bottle, and a crystal bowl of what looked to be small mints. The Forsaken's eyes widened as he took in the contents of the tray. Lirallel merely smiled at him, taking the bottle up and uncorking it.

"Naturally I do not consume wine my good sir," she said in an amused tone. "Some of my recent travels have lead me to obtain a much finer vintage however. If you'd care to try some, please be my guest."

She poured the bottle into the glass, the thick red liquid obviously freshly harvested blood. The sight brought a grin to the Forsaken's face and he nodded, allowing the elf to pour some into his glass as well. "Although there is no NEED to partake, sometimes it does one good to feed the blood worms, wouldn't you say?"

"Er...right," Kevin replied. He decided not to point out that he wasn't infested with parasites as he sipped the liquid politely. It wouldn't do to offend his hostess; she seemed like she might not be entirely able to cope with that if he did.

"Do try the mints!" Lirallel crooned. "I think you will be surprised!" She popped one in her mouth and nodded, watching him closely.

With some hesitation, he reached out, picking up the 'mint' and studying it. It was actually amber in color, and almost crystalline. There was a dark shape deep within it. He shrugged, popping it into his mouth and knowing that he would be unable to taste whatever it was anyway. To his surprise, the little 'mint' popped under the pressure of his teeth and something soft and warm flooded his mouth, immediately giving him a small burst of energy that traveled through his body.

Liraellel smiled at his surprised expression and nodded, "It's a type of crystallized Blight with a blood worm larva within it. Perfect pick-me-up when you need energy and great for serving to guests. It's my own recipe, I do hope you like them!"

The Forsaken actually chuckled, the sound a rumbling in his hollow chest. He was beginning to like the strange dead elf more and more. He settled further into his chair, popping another 'mint' in his mouth and offering the undead Sin'dorei a smile. "They are delightful, as is my charming hostess. And your estate is simply lovely. Tell me more about its history!"

With that Lirallel settled herself back as well, her voice a light and airy pitch as she spoke excitedly about her work and home. The two chatted on for many hours, enjoying the snacks she'd set out and exchanging news about the Reliquary, the state of the Forsaken's campaign, and other more mundane things.

Hours later a very satisfied Sir Kevin Ives, Adjunct of the Reliquary, found himself taking his hat and coat from another skeletal butler before being escorted out by his dead hostess. It had been a worthwhile trip after all, and he would be sure to tell his associates that might have to travel to Quel'Thalas about the strange estate where they could take their ease and enjoy a visit with a truly gracious, dead little elf.