//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: The Maiden's Fancy // Story: The Pony Loa // by Leila Drake //------------------------------// It was still hot even though the sun hung low in the sky. Vol'Shalai wanted to wait at the pier, fishing with a bamboo rod, so Darren decided to go to the bank and withdraw a part of his own money. Vol'Shalai had bought food and water but Darren still wanted to get at least a little more equipment for the journey. Also, something about the poisonous glares the troll shot at Nylene pissed him off. Eclipse tagged along, annoyed by the fact that he could not understand Orcish. Nylene and Eclipse talked about differences in pony and elven weapons while they followed the dusty path towards a small house with a crooked wooden roof. "Plate'n'Chain," Eclipse read aloud. "That's written in Common, isn't it?" Darren nodded. "That's right." How useful, he thought. Though I did learn Orcish the same way - by absorbing life force and soul fragments. A knot formed in Darren's throat as he tried not to think about it anymore. "You want to buy armour," Nylene mused. "Was it stolen?" "No, it's safe in a closet at home," Darren grunted. He eyed Eclipse. "You should get a light cloak. And perhaps some clothing in general. You're suffering from the heat because of your dark coat." "Oh, yes, please," Eclipse sighed. "Feeling hot and stuffy sucks. How can your people even stand temperatures like this?" "They wear bright colours and linen," Nylene explained with a shrug. "And they rest when the sun is highest." She was still wearing her big cloak that hid her wings and weapons. Eclipse looked at her sceptically. "Aren't you feeling bad from the heat?" "No, child. There is a fire burning inside of me, hurting me constantly. A little sun is nothing." "Yowch." Eclipse shuddered. "Sorry." Nylene huffed, once again surprised by his sympathy. "Don't be. It was of my own choice." They entered the shop. It was almost as hot as outside. No surprise, with the forge in the back glowing in a bright orange. The two goblin owners crowded them as soon as they set foot over the threshold. "Welcome, welcome!" The first one rasped, a blacksmith with upper arms like those of a dwarf, "I am Grazlix and this is Vexspindle. If you want armour, you've come to the right place. We've got everything, from chainmail and plate -" "- to cloth and leather," finished Vexspindle. This goblin was more lean, and instead of a greasy shirt he wore a purple shirt and a black vest. His pants were also more clean. Darren wondered how he kept his clothes from picking up all the dirt in the workshop. "Ah, you, Sir, probably want a fine robe," the goblin went on, "suitable for a frost mage of your caliber." "No," Darren said flatly, already slightly annoyed by the obtrusiveness of the two. Which was maybe why the room temperature had dropped to a bearable level. "I wish to buy full body armour - made of," he hesitated for a moment, "leather." There was no point in dragging plate all the way through Azeroth. He had to consider the fact that he was not undead anymore and would have to bear the heat, the cold and the weight of his own clothes. "But no helmet." "Uh. Right!" Vexspindle said, confused by the request. "Of course!" Darren took the sword belt off and put the scabbard with his runeblade onto the nearest table. Nylene sat down on a chair, watching them with her not-really-blind, bandaged eyes. The eyes of both merchants widened as they read the mood and put two and two together. One could watch the synchronous shiver running down their backs. Nylene gave off an amused scoff. "Maybe with some chainmail?" Grazlix offered, suddenly moch more meekly than before. "Perhaps," Darren replied gracefully. "Depending on your offer, of course." "Is that a death knight?" one whispered to the other, clearly audible. "Er, then what about the demon hunter?" the other one hissed back. "The little horse is probably a druid, with our kind of luck..." "Of course! We'll make you a good offer!" The goblins said in unison, smiling very widely. The honey in their voices could have satisfied a legion of bees. Eclipse giggled. Darren went on, "And my friend here gets some robes but, please, not a hem the length of Fordring's speeches. Light and robust." "Very well! If you would come over here so we can take your measurements..." "They were really weird," Eclipse said when they walked back to the pier. Vol'Shalai sat on the wooden planks, leaning onto one of the structure's support beams. He gave them a little wave. Apparently, he had cooled off a little. He had packed away the bamboo fishing rod. A faint smile was on his lips. "Yes, they were," Darren agreed. "But you can expect that kind of behaviour from most merchants around here. They learned the hard way that you shouldn't anger certain people." "Certain people? Like you?" "Like those who are skilled in combat and can make their life miserable," Nylene threw in. "Sad but true." "Oh. I see." Eclipse's ears went down. "It went well, though, didn't it?" Darren tried to cheer him up. "Are you happy with your new saddlebag and clothes?" That made the colt smile and pat his new blue shirt. It covered the upper half of his forelegs and his entire barrel. It was cut in a way that no one could confuse it with a dress. A broad belt held it together and offered a way to transport small things when he did not want to carry his saddlebag everywhere. "Thanks, Darren. And thanks for the mana potions, Nylene," he added. The Night Elf smiled, showing her sharp fangs. "I'll get you a shield later on," Darren promised. "In the Eastern Kingdoms." A blue wisp whizzed towards them and re-materialized into a pegasus. "Hey, everyone," Levinia said, smiling broadly. "Back to a spirit?" Darren was surprised. "What about the low profile we talked about?" "You're one to talk," Levinia retorted. "I noticed what happened to you guys in the tavern." "A fair point." Darren admitted. "Where is the boy? Xan'tu?" "Oh, he left half an hour ago with his canoe. His dad told him to use the tide properly so he can get back to the Durotan coast before sundown. Well, at least that's what I think he said." "Durotar," Darren corrected. "Yeah, that. It's good you're back, though. Look!" She stretched out her hoof and pointed at a small object on the sea that was growing bigger with every passing moment. "That might be the ship." Darren squinted his eyes. He could make out three masts and even more bright sails. The Maiden's Fancy was nearing Ratchet. "Come on, let's go," said Vol'Shalai without a proper greeting. Darren turned to Eclipse. "He said -" Eclipse waved it off. "I guessed it." He eyed the tall troll. "Is he still mad at you?" Vol'shalai gave Darren a friendly pat on the back as he shouldered his bag and axe. He walked towards the end of the pier with his usual swagger. Levinia quickly followed him as a light. "I don't think so," Darren said with a smirk. It took the ship another half hour until it was docked and a plank was put in place across which the passengers could board the vessel. They had to pay in advance. The goblin sailor who sold the tickets offered an extra service in case of pirates which both Darren and Nylene instantly declined. They were sure that other passengers would need help more than them. Vol'Shalai hesitated for a moment, then he agreed. The line was longer than expected; some people had waited inside the houses of Ratchet and shown up at the pier just in time for the boarding. Eclipse nervously walked between the human and the troll, careful not to trip or slip and fall into the water. Everything went well, though, and they found themselves on a large deck. At the front and back, there were doors to wooden house-like structures. They were merged with the rest of a ship. Eclipse was surprised how harmonically everything fit together even though it was made of wood. It looked almost like a zeppelin with different levels. Wooden steps made it possible to climb onto another level but he could only make out sailors on the upper deck. One, a minotaur-like male, stood at a wooden steering wheel. What were they called again? "A Tauren at the helm," said Darren, looking in the same direction. "Suppose we'll be fine." "Shall we have a look in the hold where we can rest in the nighttime?" Nylene suggested. "Yeah!" Eclipse said, his head still darting around, taking in all the new impressions. How could those creatures climb up and down so quickly? There was always someone running around, helping others to fold or unfold a sail or putting knots into ropes or scrubbing the decks... And one goblin kept shouting hoarse orders, using words Eclipse had never heard before. He was sure a good half of them were swearwords and the other half must be special names for different parts of the ship. This place was like a beehive! Darren, Vol'Shalai, Nylene and Eclipse formed a line to thread through the crowd, right over to one of the doors. Levinia, as a wisp, floated above the ship, looking at everything that was going on. She showed no intention of following them. The ship's inside was poorly lit. That made sense; they probably had to preserve all their resources and light was a luxury. Eclipse patted Darren's leg. The knight bent down and let the colt sit on his shoulders as they descended below deck. Most passengers were still upstairs, it seemed, their drumming foot-, claw- and hoofsteps echoing through the ship. There was a weird smell, like metal, oil and muddy water and fish. They walked along a narrow corridor with lots of doors on the left and right. Then, there was an opening and a large chamber with a low wooden ceiling. Countless hammocks hung from the many posts that held the ceiling, swaying lightly with each wave that moved the ship. Eclipse's heart sank. They were going to sleep in the same room with dozens of other people? How was he supposed to fall asleep in here? "Sweet merciful Stars," he muttered, coining a phrase his Dad liked to use when he was shocked. "You alright?" Darren asked, tilting his head up in an attempt to look back at him. "Uh... I dunno," Eclipse said. "I guess we'll see tonight. I have no idea if I can sleep in the same place with so many creatures." "Sorry," Darren offered, his voice barely audible. "I'm not particularly wealthy." "It's okay," Eclipse replied instantly. "I know how that feels." "Adopted pony, right," Darren remembered. Vol'Shalai sat on a hammock and tested its bounciness. He nodded, content with the result. "Dis will do just fine," he said with a grin. "Almost like home! And," he looked down, "Everybody gets a chest for storage. That be new, I think. Ya guys hungry?" While they ate their dinner on deck, the crowd spread out on the ship. Many went into the hold to put their various belongings away though most people had not brought that much with them. Eclipse grew tired as soon as the meal was over. Since he had not slept much the night before, he hoped that the coming one would be better. The sun set above the red rocks when the Maiden's Fancy left Ratchet, illuminating the cliffs like fire. Nylene and Vol'Shalai had already gone below deck but Darren wanted to sit at the railing and watch the sunset. Eclipse and Levinia kept him company. Nobody spoke as the red ball sank below the horizon. Pink clouds covered the orange sky in streaks. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts. Eclipse sniffled a little, barely audible above the cries of the seagulls. Darren carefully put his arm around the colt's shoulders. They sat like this until Eclipse's head sank forward. It was time to try out the hammocks. Darren picked Eclipse up and carried him below deck. He placed the small pony on a hammock and covered him with the new blanket. Darren sat down on the next "bed" and tried to find a comfortable position. The last time he had sat in one of those things had been on his journey back to Tirisfal, after turning his back on the cold continent of Northrend. A decade or so, good Light, that was so long ago. And, still a death knight, he had not needed to sleep back then. Well, he probably had not missed anything. How did Vol'Shalai get even half comfortable in these - He noticed the blue wisp that was watching him. Grumbling in resignation, Darren took off his boots and placed them in the chest they had been assigned. In the end, it took him less than five minutes until he dozed off. The hammock is swaying with every wave the ship is riding. A storm has come, even though Darren has been told that they would arrive soon. He grunts in annoyance and stands up, his saronite plate armour clinking with the movement. Reaching for his runeblade, he decides to get on deck and see what is going on. A gloved hand touches his upper arm. He turns his head, shooting a glance at the haggard face of an undead elf. "What?" Darren asks sharply. "We should stay below deck until the storm has settled," Gladius says."They waves can wash you overboard." Darren shrugs the hand off and stalks upstairs. A howling wind greets him, the freezing ice rain nothing more than a nuisance. He is right in his element. Even though the iron grey clouds are hanging low and the waves are rising high, hitting the ship with brutal force, he can see the familiar dark green band on the horizon. The Glades of Tirisfal are in sight. If he squints his eyes, he can even make out the spires of Capital City. It is the will of Arthas that the city be wiped out. But first, they will join the glorious return of the crown prince as he makes his way through the courtyard to greet his father. Darren has not been told what will happen next but he can suspect. What he thinks about the morality of all of this is... irrelevant. He is to follow his orders. As soon as the signal comes, he will drop his disguise and the slaughter will begin. Darren has seen enough. He spins on his heel and returns to his designated resting area. Gladius is still standing there, the tall High Elf crowded by all of the other death knights, the ghouls and the liches. The bulky, stuffed bodies of the monstrosities are the worst, or they would be, if Darren cared about personal space. The smell of decay must be unbearable for the living. Good thing that none can be found here. "Well?" Gladius asks. "Land," Darren replies, clenching his fist. "We... better get ready." "You're hesitating," Gladius notices. A few steps away, a ghoul noisily gnaws on the shinbone of a crusader he has brought along as a snack. "No," Darren snarls over the scraping and growling of the creature, his voice as cold as the storm outside. "You know we cannot." "All too well," Gladius sighs angrily. "You are right. We better get ready. What we think about it matters not." "Or does it?" a soft, female voice asks. Darren spins around and the hopeless anger is washed away, replaced by guilt and relief. "I knew what the Scourge did was wrong," he says, the cold in his voice evaporated. "I just couldn't do anything about it." "So this is another memory?" Princess Luna asks. He starry mane flows around her neck, shimmering despite the bleak surroundings. Darren nods. "Our arrival at the northern coast of Tirisfal. We disguised ourselves when we landed, before the sacking of Lordaeron." "But this other knight, this... elf..." "Gladius," Darren prompts her. He looks at his comrade. The knights seems oblivious to the fact that a dark blue pony has joined them on the ship of the Undead. "Gladius was indeed your friend?" "He still is, as far as I am concerned. But he's on the other side of the planet so we're unlikely to meet." Luna's face lights up. "So you are on Azeroth! Oh, am I glad to hear that! I cannot - stay for long, it truly costs me much energy - to maintain this link across the Dark Beyond. Darren, where art thou exactly?" She suddenly asks, her voice beginning to sound strained. Now Darren notices the small line between the princess's brows and her unusually rigid stance. "On a ship to the Eastern Kingdoms." "Ah, hence the dream of... ah, no matter! Are Eclipse and Levinia with you? Are they alright?" "We're fine, Princess, don't worry. But we don't know how to get home. I hope to find help in -" Darren sat up with a start as a jolt went through the ship. "Damn!" he cursed. He had been so close to telling Luna where to look for them. Only one half second more... He sighed and lay down again, facing the dark wooden planks above. That had been one confused dream. Tales from his undead comrades, his own memories, his imagination - all mixed together. If anything, it reminded him that he had befriended an elf before, even though it was more of a necessity to stay relatively sane while he had been Scourge. Darren rubbed his stiff neck. His forehead and back were cold with sweat and his heart pumped so hard he could feel the throbbing in his throat. The stuffy air was filled with the snorting and grunting of dozens of sleeping people. No surprise that he could not rest properly. A few passengers were awake, watching their shady surroundings with a sharp eye. Vol'Shalai had twitched when Darren had cursed but did not wake up. He could not tell whether Nylene was asleep or not, the elven demon hunter was facing away from him. Eclipse, at least, was out like a light, all tangled up in his small blanket. Darren watched the colt's peaceful sleep. He would bring the kid home to his family, no matter the cost. It was a promise. And Princess Luna would surely try that spell again. The memory of his dream already trickled away like snow in the morning sun. But he would not forget that certain detail. Twilight had told him that time on Azeroth went by differently than in Equestria. If he remembered correctly, a month here was a day there. Which meant that one hour there was roughly a day here. Princess Luna had looked exhausted so she probably needed to rest for a few hours, if not a whole day, until she could pull a stunt like this again. Which meant in turn that he had to wait for up to a month until they would meet again. Several weeks were enough time to get to Stormwind City. They would be safe. Hopefully. Darren heaved a long sigh. One thing he was sure about: the nightmares would continue. He would get plenty of chances to look for the alicorn. With a gasp, Princess Luna whipped her head up. The white spell that had been twisted around her horn fizzled out. "Princess!" Feather Rush called. "You okay, Luna?" Jonathan caught Luna's foreleg when she lost her balance. Exhaustion was visible all over her face - but she smiled. "I shall be fine," she said. She turned to Feather. "You son is safe for the moment." "Well, where are they?" Princess Celestia asked. She helped Cadence up and let the Princess of Love sink onto the Crystal Throne. Luna sat down next to the throne. She looked around. Celestia, Twilight, Feather and Jonathan all looked at her with expectation. Jonathan poked Sunburst with his elbow. The yellow unicorn twitched and looked up from his book, blushing. "They are on Azeroth, as we suspected," said Luna. "Thank you for lending me your power, Cadence." "Of course." Cadence nodded. "But why couldn't Twilight help you, too?" "I need to preserve my power to create the portal," Twilight explained. "Jonathan, too, because he knows his way around Azeroth. He can direct the spell to open a path right next to Darren." "That's all fine and good but Azeroth is a big place," Jonathan said. "Did you get any specifics?" "They are on a vessel on their way to the Eastern Kingdoms." Luna wiped her brow and accepted a glass of water Twilight had conjured up. "Sadly, the connection was severed before Darren could tell me more." "You've got to try again!" Feather urged her. "Princess," she quickly added when she remembered she was talking to royalty. "I cannot," sighed Luna, "at least not right away. I need to rest for a few hours to regain my strength. Then, I shall cast the spell again. If all goes well, we can set up the portal right away." "I see," said Feather. She stood up, he legs shaking a little. "I... I guess a few hours won't make much of a difference. Thank you all for your help." "Come on, let's go and have a bite," Sunburst suggested. He lead the frazzled Feather outside, casting a worried look back at the three princesses. As the doors of the Throne Room were shut by two guards, Twilight frowned at Jonathan. "Shouldn't we tell her that it won't be just hours for Eclipse but days?" she said. Jonathan shook his head. Celestia put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "There is no point to worry her even more," she said slowly. "We're working as fast as we can but our magic has natural limits. The fact alone that Luna managed to cast a spell spanning between two worlds is incredible." Luna smiled at Celestia, pleased by her sister's compliment. Her head drooped, she looked sleepy. "Darren and Levinia are with the colt," she said. "They will look after each other, I am sure." "Well, Darren would face an entire continent if that's what it takes to keep Eclipse safe," Jonathan mused. "I just hope it doesn't come to that." Twilight smiled broadly. "You're right. He knows the Magic of Friendship. He'll figure something out."