Sister dearest, part one.

***** by Nuffelita for Deviant Art 05.10.2010 *****

"Varia, my sweet, come here for a moment."The voice was soft and caring, filled to the brim and beyond with love and hope.

Varia could sense this but she didn't know who the strange woman was. Her grandmother had picked her up from the scholars early; she never understood why she had to sit with the druids every day anyway, so it was a welcome relief. The tiny elf looked suspicious but tottered over to the new arrival with a slight pout on her cute face.

The beautiful elf picked her up and hugged her, swinging her around as if she was dancing; her laughter sounded like song, and Varia couldn't suppress a small smile. It was all so safe around this druidess.

"She looks like a miniature of you, Eld, just slightly less cheerful" A melodious growl came from the shadows; a large man sat there, almost hidden from view.

Varia looked at him for a moment; these must be her parents!

She wriggled loose from her mother's tight embrace to run to her father; he was huge, and there was a primordially beast-like quality about him that made her stop dead in her tracks with a sense of fright. He was intimidating to say the least; could she hug him or would he not approve? With his skin covered in runic tattoo's he didn't look like the kind to enjoy hugs from small children. The five year old blushed and silently looked at her father with tears in her eyes; he tilted his head, smiled and winked. It was decided; he wanted a hug.

Eldaraithe and Windfeather were prominent druids who had dedicated themselves to the ongoing battles to make safe their homes, families and any Alliance interests they would come across on their travels. So dedicated in fact that they had left their new born daughter in the custody of her grandmother in order to return to battle shortly after her birth. They were archaeologists and explorers first and foremost, but they would fight with honour when needed.

Varia sat on her father's lap with her back resting against his chest. He was warm and safe, and the young elf started to doze off. She dreamt about joining them on their missions to the far away reaches of Outland. She had a tiny dagger and she knew how to use it; she could hide in their camp and watch over them at night. She'd ask them to take her along once they stopped talking about the boring grown up business. With a sigh of contentment she curled up into a tiny ball and fell asleep.

******

"Wake up, little one." Someone stroked her cheek lovingly and she blinked against the light from the fire. With a mighty yawn and a shudder she looked up at her mother; there was something dangling in front of her and she had to squint to focus on it.

"I want you to have this as a token to remember us by; it's the talon of the murloc your father saved me from when we first met more than two thousand years ago. He was so brave, and I fell in love directly; he was such a scrawny alley cat back then. Perhaps this will bring you good luck." She bent down to tie the chain around Varia's neck but the child stopped her half way;

"I'm not coming with you? But I though... you'd come to take me away from here..." Tears ran down her face as she looked from her mother to her father and down at her hands. Her lower lip trembled and she felt so alone.

Her mother put the necklace in her tiny hand and closed hers around it;

"Your time to join us will come, but it is too early yet. You have much to learn and the world is a dangerous place for a young elf. Once you are ready we will send for you and then we'll rejoice in the gathering of our family. Your sister misses you terribly, and can hardly wait to get time off to come see you; she has not seen you since you were born."

Did she sound happy? Worried? It was hard to discern emotions when her own feelings were so unequal. Did she really have a sister?

"I..." she wiped her nose on her father's sleeve; "I have a sister? Where is she? Is she a druid too? When can I see her? How old is she? Does she look like me? Is she powerful? What colour is her fur?"

The elders laughed at her flow of questions and her mother lifted her into her arms again;

"Her name is Serentia and she's a lot older than you. When I found out I was expecting you I didn't think I could have any more children, and yet here you are; my little blessing." She glowed with happiness and nuzzled Varia lovingly. "She's a warrior of rank, and very powerful! She takes after your father in looks; green hair and a fearsome aura. When she returns to see you I'm sure she'll answer all your questions and more."

With nimble hands the young elf tied the chain around her neck and wriggled loose once more. She needed to tell her friends about her sister! She'd be able to protect her from the other girls too! If they so much as called her a squirrel again she'd have her sister kick them into the dung heap! Her imagination ran wild with her for a moment and her mischievous grin made her father roar with laughter; it was a deep, dark sound that made the ground quake.

******

Eldaraithe and Windfeather stayed in Darnassus for a whole week, and it was the happiest week of her life. Her father was sufficiently scary to keep Safian and the other kids on a safe distance, and her mother amused her with stories of their journeys. At night they'd sing her to sleep, and in the morning they'd wake her with a kiss or a tickle. But the day of their departure would come eventually, and on the last day of their stay Varia's heart began to sink into its usually languor;

"Can't you stay just one more day, please?" With teary eyes she looked down on her mother from her perch on a tall branch. She dropped herself to hang upside-down.

"I wish we could, but your sister has already sent word for us to hasten our return. They are in dire need of reinforcements. We will return as soon as possible. The Alliance just needs more time to protect their boundaries."

There was a longing in the voice that made her think that she'd succeed in persuading them to stay. She just had to look as sweet as possible, and she let herself go, dropping into her mother's arms.

"But why can't I go with you? I can fight! And I promise to hide when you tell me!"

Eldaraithe chuckled and hugged her;

"I'm sure you'd do a great job, but the Alliance forces would never allow you entry. We'll come back for you when you are sufficiently trained as a druid. I promise! You are quite the handful, aren't you? I'm sure your father will agree with me on this point; he wants to call you Hellstorm."

Varia Hellstorm; she liked it. She'd live up to her name one day!

*****

Picking up her poison-coated war axes she shook her head to clear away the day dream. Her sister had never come to Darnassus. With a sigh she thought about not finding her in her five years of travelling the world, and she wouldn't run into her on this battle field either. For all she knew she could be dead. A small sting of longing pierced her heart; she'd wanted someone entirely her own; Someone made from her blood, with the same reasons to live and fight.

When she had failed her education in Darnassus she'd stopped hoping her parents would return for her. She was no druid of rank, or an apprentice. She was Varia; a rogue assassin and compulsive gambler with a tendency to wake up in gutters around Azeroth. She'd never be allowed into the noble elite armies of the Alliance. Her parents would never be proud of her and she'd waited for twenty years; her sister would never come.

With a battle cry that sent shivers down the spines of her fellow footmen she jumped from the turret to land in the middle of the ongoing battle. With devastating blows she carved her way through the never-ending waves of scourge.


***** By Nuffelita for Deviant Art 05.10.2010 *****