Links to the Past

The door to the old estate house had long since fallen to ruin, and Biara paused before it, her hopes dwindling as she examined the ruined structure. Lost deep in the now untamed forests of the Ghostlands, the estate had likely once been a magnificent Quel'dorei home that was now lost to time. That the structure had fallen during the scouring of Quel'Thalas was undoubted; the walls nearest to the entryway had arrow shafts still sticking from them when weapons had flown off course and the stones beneath the plaster were blackened with the marks of old spells and fires.

Despite the ruination before her, Biara took a deep breath and stepped through the opening, roaming deeper into the ruins. Although she expected that she would find only a sad tale long since lost, she knew that this estate, this address, was the last registered for the Lord and Lady Silverdawn after their marriage. If there were to be any clues as to the fate of Lirathel Dawnslight or her new husband, these ruins would contain them.

As she passed through the remains of the estate, Biara noted many rooms still contained their furnishings, although many were also destroyed. It appeared as if the inhabitants of the place had not had time to flee with their belongings, and several parts of the grounds had evidence of heavy fighting within the walls themselves. There were, of course, no bodies; there never were after a scourge attack.

Believing her best chance at finding clues would lie within the remains of the couple's personal quarters, Biara made her way carefully over fallen furnishings and half-collapsed walls, finding the larger master bedroom deeper within the place. As with the rest of the structure, it had long since been abandoned, although it was in less disarray when compared to the other rooms thanks to being so deep within the estate's walls.

With a whispered word of magic Biara conjured an orb before her, setting it to hover over her shoulder and illuminating the room. Strange shadows danced as her own silhouette was projected in front of her, but the light was sufficient to see a large bed, a closet with a door that hung open with various moldy old clothes laying before it, and several tables, chairs, and divans scattered about. One other piece of furniture immediately caught Biara's eye and she slowly walked towards the bed, her hand coming out to touch a sturdy chest that sat at the foot of it. Unmarked by battle, forgotten by time, the object had sat alone in the darkness for over a decade.

With a whisper of magic Biara unlocked the chest, lifting the lid up and peering within. As to be expected, it contained many much less moldy pieces of clothing, several of them fancy dresses or shoes that would be worn at formal events. Biara grinned when she pushed these aside and found a small wooden container that, once opened, revealed itself to be filled with documents. She whispered another spell, the magic seeking out traces of her own mother's touch, realizing that anything within the chest would have been written by Lirathel herself or perhaps her husband or captains.

Immediately one letter amongst the pile glimmered with magic, and Biara took it up, unfolding it and reading it slowly.

My Dearest Niece,
It has been too long since you have come to visit, although I can lay little fault for that in your lap. I understand why you and Lethas have become hermits in your woodland estate. Once, long ago, I found myself in the same position that you are in now. As I've told you in the past, the pressure to do what the family wishes is great and never-ending. Though you marry out of Dawnslight, the will of my own father as well as my brother will always beat down upon you, regardless of your house or name.

There are times when I wish I had taken the same course as you, my dear. When I wish I had just run with Tel'athar to the furthest reaches of Quel'Thalas to live in seclusion and simply enjoy our love for what it was. The chance to do that, the choice to do that, has long since passed for me however. I must play the part I was born to play, as must we all. Though you have escaped the pressure from your father for now, I fear any time you return to the city it will bear down upon you again. Enjoy what you have with Lethas, and worry not for me. It's not like disagreeing with our 'patriarch' from time to time will result in assassination attempts, right? We're all family, and these disagreements tend to come and go.

As for you, I wish you the happiest of times. Never did you look more radiant than on your wedding day. I will try to slip out to visit you whenever I may, as it is easier when Tel'athar is tending to business elsewhere in the kingdom. We will talk of magic and I will keep you up to date on what transpires in the city. Who knows, perhaps in the near future we will be discussing the coming of your first child if you and Lethas remain close and free of the political influences that can poison your love.

I will write again soon, Lirathel. Until then, remember I am here should you need me. Be well!
Love,
Aunt Seluna

Biara nearly dropped the letter, so surprised was she by the contents. Her mother had always been a cold, distant person even from her earliest memories of the magistrix. To see Seluna in such a way, to know that she once had hopes, dreams, and loves that must have been slowly poisoned and strangled out of her by the pressure of her family, was heart-wrenching. Biara found tears in her eyes and quickly wiped them away, folding the letter up and tucking it into a pouch on her belt.

She quickly searched through the remaining letters there, finding many that hinted at the pressure House Dawnslight would place on the young married couple, just as Seluna had implied in her own correspondence. Nothing else immediately jumped out as useful however, so Biara closed the chest and cast a spell over it, sealing it and marking it for one of her elementals to come and collect for further analysis back at Sunfire Estate.

She rose up, looking around the ruined bedroom and frowning; did Lirathel and Lethas meet their fates here? Were they, even now, walking as the tormented undead somewhere in the world? The thought was a disturbing one, for Biara had come to think fondly of her lost cousin and hoped that their tale ended in a happier place.

She shook her head, deciding that there may be additional clues elsewhere in the ruins. The bedroom would not have been a place used for a last stand after all! Quickly she began to search the other rooms, looking for clues as to what kind of battle had overtaken the estate and whether or not anyone had survived. Evidence would be scarce after such a long time, but even so there might be something she could locate that would help point her in the right direction.

A break-through came when she entered the main parlor, finding it in ruins but in a different manner from the rest of the building. Here all of the furniture had been pushed towards the doors, and furniture from other rooms had been dragged in and set as piles before several openings that lead to other parts of the estate. The door Biara entered had been forced open from the outside and bore much evidence of battle damage including arrow shafts and deep cuts and claw marks in the wood. It was clear that some sort of major battle had occurred in this room, and the floor was stained with the rot of old blood spilled long ago.

In the center of the ruined room stood a table, protected from the elements by the study walls and ceiling still standing over them. As Biara approached, she realized that the large document on top was a map, long since faded with time. Although she could barely make it out, it appeared to be of the estate grounds and surrounding forests, and many marks had been made on it conveying the location of what had likely been scourge forces. In the center of the map, a dagger was stuck through the document, pinning it to the wooden surface of the table. Biara reached out to touch it, the weapon falling free and pulling the map over with it. To Biara's surprise, a letter was revealed, pinned to the wooden table beneath the map and hidden from immediate view, likely intentionally.

Carefully Biara picked up the old letter, her heart racing as she recognized Lirathel's handwriting on it. She began to read, her eyes devouring the words on the page.

Captain Skylark,
We've held out here for as long as we can. There is no end in sight to the number of undead that assault these grounds from the forests around us. With Lethas out scouting, I rallied what soldiers we had on hand and even conscripted the servants to fight. I am proud to say we held this estate for more than a day, but it will all be in vain if we stay any longer.

I know that I promised I would wait for you and the other rangers to return before we left, but I cannot in good conscience keep our unarmed civilians in such danger for a moment longer. Lethas has just returned with his own men and reported that they have a clear route to the anchorage. We will abandon this post and flee for House Silverdawn's ship that is docked there. We're taking the remaining men and all of the servants and staff with us to safety. 

I pray you return before the noon sun and retrieve this missive, that you may join us in flight. If you do not but somehow return later, know that we will reunite with you at the properties that Lethas owns in the gardens of Silvermoon City. It is our hope that we can join with Silvermoon's main military forces and aid in the defense of our city. We will make that determination once we are out to sea and can find a place to safely anchor that is not overrun by the walking dead. 

Know that I will not forget you, nor the brave actions of your men. Know also that I will see your work complete and see these civilians to safety even if I must draw my last breath to do so. Farewell, Captain, and may the sun shine on your blade until there are no more foes to strike down.
Respectfully,
Lady Lirathel Silverdawn

Biara found her hopes soaring as she read the letter, her eyes wide. Lirathel had been alive and well when she wrote the missive, and seemed to have a valid escape plan from the scourge threat! She might have survived! Biara quickly folded the letter back up and set it in her pouch with the first she'd found. Although there would be no way to trace the small force lead by Lirathel and Lethas after so much time had passed, she had mentioned Lethas's properties in Silvermoon. Biara had seen records of them, but had not searched there first as that part of the city was still in ruins and it had not been listed as their primary residence in the old census records she'd found.

Still, there was a chance that the couple had successfully fled, and if so, they may have done as Lirathel indicated and returned to that property to regroup. It was a good clue and something she could check relatively easily. She paused, glancing around at the rest of the ruined room. Although there could be more details here, they would likely be of Lirathel's life before the fall of Quel'Thalas and would not help Biara much in locating her. If the elf was still alive, she could tell Biara all about such times and about her relationship with Seluna as well.

"The word 'if' being the question of course," Biara murmured. With a nod of determination she brought her hands up, opening a portal to Silvermoon. It was time to move on to the next step of her investigation. 

A Link to the Past

                The door to the storage room was stuck fast with rust, dust, and the age of time. The guard standing in front of Biara shot her an apologetic smile as he jingled the key in the lock, forcing it slowly so as not to snap the implement before finally getting it to turn. Once the portal was unlocked, he strained against the wooden barrier for a moment before managing to free it from where it had stuck in the doorframe, yanking it open and exposing the dusty storage room beyond.

                “This is where we found the chest, my Lady,” the guard said, pointing into the room. “You can see it there standing beside that stack of barrels. We’ve checked most of the other items in the room and they’re just old weapons, covered pieces of furniture, or military supplies long since forgotten and likely not of any use anymore.”

                “Thank you. I’d like some time to examine the chest alone if you wouldn’t mind,” Biara said to the guard.

                “Of course, Lady Dayfire. If you need anything I’ll be at the post up the hall,” the guard replied before bowing deeply and leaving the room.

                Biara waited for the guard to depart before walking slowly into the musty storage chamber. The room had been sealed off for some time, and it was clear that it had once been used to store a variety of older items that House Dawnsea had intended to save but had no real use for. There were a few areas of Sunfire Estate that had yet to be cleared out, and this particular chamber had been discovered during one such effort. Unlike many of the others however, this one had an item in it that was of particular interest, and Biara had been called to come and examine it.

                The chest stood just where the guard had indicated it would be, and Biara found herself approaching it with a mix of anxiety and curiosity. Slowly she sank down to her knees before it, leaning forward to examine the object. Made of some imported, highly polished wood with golden metal brackets along each corner and a golden lock, it had accumulated decades of dust as a result of being shut away for so long. Biara found herself reaching out to touch it, her hand running across the wood and gold and wiping the dust away from a plate upon the front of it above the magical lock-ward. There, inscribed in the gold, were the two letters S.D.

                “Selun’athiel Dawnslight,” Biara whispered softly, her mother’s name coming to her lips unbidden.

                Carefully, Biara reached out with her other hand and placed it upon the chest as well. Her fel green eyes slipped closed as she focused on the object, checking for any latent magics within it before uttering the words to a spell. There was a brief flash of light on her fingertips and then a click as the chest opened, her spell having breached the primitive locking spell that had kept it closed. Taking a deep breath, Biara opened her eyes and pushed the lid of the chest upwards, revealing the container’s contents.

                It was, to put it mildly, anticlimactic. Biara was greeted with the sight of folded, bundled clothes, a neatly tied stack of papers with some additional letters and envelopes that were piled atop the stack, and what appeared to be a small jewelry box that likely contained jewelry her mother had not liked enough to keep in her own chambers. Biara shook her head and sighed; clearly she had been called from her work for something that the guards could likely have handled, but even so it had been wise for them to call her and she was not angry with them. With Selun’athiel, one never knew what she’d hidden amongst her things and it was never wise to risk being struck by an errant spell if one could help it.

                Biara leaned forward, gathering up some of the bundled clothing and removing it from the chest. As she did so, she noted that they appeared to be long out of style and were likely quite old. They were also rather fancy, as if clothing one would wear to a prestigious event or major formal gathering. Biara grinned at this, the thought of her mother enjoying anything other than magic and destruction at odds with her last memories of the elf.

                Setting the clothing aside, Biara picked up the stack of tied papers, intent on reaching the jewelry box at the bottom of the chest. As she did so, several letters fell free from the top of the pile, landing on the stone floor beside her and opening. Biara set the stack of papers she was holding down and glanced at those that had fallen, her eyes wide. Gently so as not to damage the old parchment, she reached down, picking up the first that had fallen and examining it.

                It was a beautifully made invitation, the words inked in gold and done in beautiful calligraphy, the corners of the invitation having a golden trim with an artistic design depicting entwined roses. Biara read the words aloud, the weight of passing time heavy in the room.

               
                You are cordially invited to attend a most blessed union bringing together two Houses in a time of love and peace. House Silverdawn extends its invitation to the Lord Tel’athar Dayfire and Lady Selun’athiel Dayfire on the third Sunday of the midsummer festival to witness the joining of the Lady Lirathel Dawnslight and Lord Lethas Silverdawn in the sacred bond of marriage.

                The festivities will begin at the second hour of noon on this day, with the ceremony occurring at the setting of the sun. Please join us in our celebration on the Isle of Quel’Danas, and let us share with you our love and joy.

               
                Biara finished reading the document and set it down, the names meaning little to her other than the fact that House Dawnslight was her mother’s original family before she wed. Clearly this was a wedding for some distant relative on her mother’s side that had happened many years before. Biara set the invitation down, seeing that it had directions to the party attached to it on a second, equally well made card.

There was a third piece of parchment sandwiched between them however that made one of Biara’s eyebrows shoot up. She reached down and gently picked it up, unfolding it with care and exposing what appeared to be a blank page. Biara smiled, her senses detecting an old and fading, latent spell hidden on the paper. It was one that she was familiar with, her mother having taught her about such things at a very young age. She breathed a word of magic, and the page lit up brightly as the spell was exposed, words flaring into existence in bright blue arcane letters before her. She began to read, her curiosity piqued.

Dear Aunt Seluna,

                I can’t believe it’s finally happening! He’s finally asked for my hand and we’re to be married! All of my hopes and dreams have come true, and it is in part because of all that you have done for me. I know that Father and some of the others think we are too young and should wait, but I know in my heart that this is right and I can’t thank you enough for speaking with him about the matter.

                Lethas and I have reserved a place of honor for you at the ceremony. You’re to be in the very front row, befitting your great role in my life and as a thank you for everything. I wanted to include this letter to say these things to you personally in the event that we’re too busy at the ceremony. As you can see, I’ve also been practicing the magic spells that you have taught me. Although I will likely never be as talented as you are or as we both hope your daughter will become, it means the world to me that you have taken the time to show me even this little bit of the art. Please let me know if you see anything that I can improve with my spells, as I am eager to learn more!

                We have begun our preparations for the ceremony already, and I think you will be impressed with our first dance and also with the gown that I have selected. I took your advice on the design and made use of the tailor that you had recommended and I am thrilled with the results. I can’t wait to see Lethas’s face when he sees me in it!

                Anyway, I do not wish to use up too much of your time as I know you are very busy with your own affairs, but I had to include this letter with the invitation. Again, thank you for everything you have done. You have helped my dreams to come true and my heart to soar. I will see you at our ceremony and, of course, continue to write. Be well, Aunt Seluna!

With love,

Lira

                
               Biara set the letter down gently, stunned by what she had read. Obviously Selun’athiel Dayfire had not always been the twisted, dark creature that she’d become after she was touched by Scourge magic, but to see this other side of her and to recall that she had once been a living, breathing person who had feelings and relationships was like being doused with cold water. Memories of her mother flowed through Biara’s mind, and she felt tears in her eyes as she recalled what had been and what had come later when her mother fell to darkness.

                Wiping at her eyes, Biara looked down at the letter again before turning to look through the piles of paper that had been in the chest. Try as she might, she could find no other correspondence from a Lirathel within the paperwork, and no further clues about this distant relative were provided when she re-read the letter. The thought that the girl had adored Selun’athiel and had even been grateful for things that she’d done gave Biara pause and made her wish to know more. Unfortunately, decades of time had passed between the joyous penning of this letter and the current day, and it was likely that the darkness that had befallen Quel’Thalas had washed all away with it.

                Biara shook her head, looking into the chest and finding the jewelry box that she’d originally been seeking. Gently she opened it, finding within it not jewelry as she’d expected, but an orb. Eyes wide, she held it up before her, breathing magic into it and watching as it began to glow. Within the murky depths images appeared, fuzzy at first as the latent spells re-ignited but growing clearer. They were images of a grand ceremony and of elves dancing and enjoying their time together as the sun sank over Quel’Danas. Biara saw within the images many glimpses of her mother and father together, some of them captured poses of groups of nobles long since dead smiling and looking up as if to peer out of the orb. But throughout it all, and featured amongst all of the many images were those of a red-haired beauty in a gleaming gold and white dress, a fine young noble at her side as she waved or smiled happily at the crowd. Image after image of her appeared, and Biara knew beyond a doubt that she stared at a ghost from the past, the young Quel’dorei having the same coloring and hair color as her mother’s own.

                She stared at one of the images, the elf’s young face burned into her mind, her smiled framed by flowing red locks and bright blue eyes shining with joy staring out of the orb from a time long since forgotten. Here was one of Biara’s blood. A cousin she’d never even really known, swept away in the events of the past.

                Biara sighed and set the orb down gently in its box. She closed the lid and gathered it and the invitation with its attached letter up, holding them close. Although she was likely to find nothing more than ruins or a lonely grave long since abandoned, Biara found herself filled with an insatiable curiosity to discover what had befallen the young noble and her new marriage. Had they survived the Scourge invasion? Did they live now with House Silverdawn, wherever that family resided, or perhaps with House Dawnslight? Did this elf still live, and could she speak more about the past that would uncover more of Selun’athiel’s life than perhaps Biara herself knew?

                Regardless of what had happened, there would be some clues available, and Biara decided she would follow up on it. Two Houses did not have young heirs marry without leaving some record behind in Silvermoon’s archives, and it was amongst the old legal documents that Biara would find clues as to where the couple went next, and whether or not they still lived perhaps. With a smile, she hurried from the storage room, quite literally carrying the past in a bundle in her arms.