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Brothers	By : Koori Category: +S through Z > World of Warcraft Views: 1830 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own World of Warcraft, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Chapter Thirty – Nathaniel Conway, Age 20
He listened to the creaking of the rocking chair. It reminded him of home, the same sound used to soothe him to sleep. Tonight it was a grating reminder that his keeper was still close. Laying with his back to Nanny Deni, he continued to pretend to be asleep. Was she going to stay there all night? He curled his hands into fists, the knuckles on both bruised from the frequent swats from the dowel she carried. Seemed she was a firm believer in, "spare the rod and spoil the child." He had felt the stinging bite after his unsuccessful attempt to rid her of his room. Humiliated and angry he could do nothing but stand there and take the childish punishment. His pa would have ripped him a new one had he raised his hand to a woman.
Afterwards he endured her undressing and tucking him into bed. In his frustration he had shoved all the stupid animals off it which got him dragged back out until all the toys were picked up and placed away properly. After a brief nap he joined his father for a mid-day meal. It had been awkward and Nathaniel knew it was his fault. And it quickly went downhill after his father brought up his name and suggested they change it to something more elfin, so not to stand out.
"It was my grandfather's name," Nathaniel had argued.
Which got him a very cool; "it was not" after whispering an apology Nathaniel tried to focus on the food in front of him. After a few more bites he pushed the plate aside and started to rise. A quick whack on the back of his hand stopped him and he glared over at the woman sitting beside him.
"I'm not deaf, if I have done something wrong you could speak to me" he said. "Nor am I hungry, I want to go lay down."
"Finish your plate," she said, "then ask your father's permission to leave the table."
Nathaniel stared at her a good long minute trying to justify her tone and commands. "I said I'm not hungry." He jerked his hand back that time and the rod hit the edge of the table with a loud smack.
"Do not remove your hand," she said, "put it back."
Nathaniel's stomach twisted and he looked over at his father who was watching the exchange. "She's your nanny," he said, "obey her. I respect her decisions when it comes to raising you."
"I don't need raised," Nathaniel said exasperated, "I already am. By the Light … I don't understand. My pa never raised his hand to me …" He instantly regretted his words as his father's eyes darkened.
"Put your hand down on the table, my son," he said.
Nathaniel's stomach threatened to rid itself of the little food had eaten. He eyed the open door across the way. "I'll have your feet frozen to the ground before you take two steps," Deni said. "Then take you over my knee."
"I'm taller and stronger than you are," Nathaniel hissed, "I'd like to see you try."
A hand grabbed his wrist and placed it on the table. "And I'm stronger and faster than you are," a new voice whispered in his ear.
"Thank you, Adare," his father said, nodding to the man that held Nathaniel's hand down.
Deni got one hit on his knuckles before Nathaniel reacted the way he'd been trained to do. Shoving his chair back he knocked Adare off balance. Grabbing the hand that held his wrist he stood twisting. Using his forward movement he pulled the other over his shoulder and threw him down on the table.
Ignoring the shouts, he walked toward the open door. True to her word, he only took a couple of steps before ice sprung from the floor and wrapped around his ankles. "By the Sunwell," Deni said as she pushed herself away from the table, "what did those humans teach you?"
"More than any of your stupid libraries will ever teach me," Nathaniel shot back. By now the elf named Adare had recovered and was approaching.
"Enough!" His father shouted. "Free my son, Nanny Deni. I will not have his first day here filled with discipline."
"Sir," Adare said, "you go soft on him now and he'll walk all over you. He's in desperate need of an attitude adjustment."
"It may very well come to that, Adare," his father said. "But not today, not now… you're excused, my son."
The ice around his ankles melted and he was allowed to flee. Once again after he had locked his door, Deni appeared in front of him. She had him spend the rest of the afternoon and evening over books written in a language he didn't understand. His inabilities to read were met with more blows across the knuckles until in frustration he stopped even trying. After a quiet dinner with his father he was told it was bedtime and prepped for sleeping. What used to be strip off his clothes and collapse into his bed, now became a long winded routine of bathing, brushing and dressing in a formal sleep gown that felt very impractical.
After Deni had tucked him in for the night his father had appeared and asked if wanted a story read. Nathaniel had turned his back on him and mumbled he was tired. There was a long moment of silence and then a soft touch on his head before his father left.
That had been a while ago now and yet the chair creaked. It continued to do so until the clock struck eleven. Only then did he hear her approach, adjust his blankets, and afterwards thankfully leave the room. He gave it another full hour before he slipped out of the bed. It took a moment to find where they had put his clothing but soon he was dressed in a simple shirt and leggings. Slipping on his boots he crept over to the window and looked outside. He was on the second floor, but there was a tree that grew right outside. It didn't take much for him to open the window and leap into the lofty branches.
Dropping lightly to the ground Nathaniel eyed the golden bracer on his wrist. "Maybe he was lying," he thought as he started to run, "only one way to find out." The great wall of Silvermoon was easy to see even in the dark, it seemed to glow. It took him a bit longer to find an opening in the barrier. Pulling the cloak over his face he walked toward the guarded exit. The armored elves paid him no heed as he moved past them. He had taken a couple steps out of the exit when he remembered Rook, as he turned to go back he found himself falling. The cold water caused him to gasp.
"Lor'themar owes me a drink," Halduron said from where he was sitting on a bench near the fountain. "Told him you wouldn't even make it a night, come here let's get you dried off and back to your father." The elf stood up and in his hand was a plush towel.
The walk back to the estate was a quiet one. As they approached Nathaniel's stomach knotted. "I can go on from here," he said.
"I don't think so," Halduron said motioning him on.
"Please, sir," Nathaniel said, he wasn't beyond begging now. "They favor the rod and I promised Belestra I would be restraint … if they strike me again I don't think …"
"If you had just behaved you wouldn't be in this position to start with," Halduron said as he kept a firm grip on Nathaniel's arm and knocked.
The elf named Adare opened the door. He looked between the two elves; Nathaniel was still wet from his tumble in the fountain. "Thank you, Master Brightwing," he said as he motioned Nathaniel to step inside. Halduron said his goodnights and the door was closed.
Afterwards Adare stared at Nathaniel as he stood shivering in the front hall. "Your father is going to be disappointed," he said finally. "Take off your wet things and leave them at the door, I'll go wake Deni, she'll meet you in your room."
Knowing arguing was useless, he nodded. "Yes, Sir." Quickly stripping off his wet outer clothes he hurried upstairs, maybe he'd get to bed before she … she was waiting in his room when he hurried in. A simple robe pulled over her gown. Nathaniel shut the door behind him and looked down, waiting.
"Come here," she said.
Glancing up he noticed she had sat down on a stool. He moved closer and held out his hands waiting. The door behind him opened and he looked over to see Adare enter. Looking back at Deni he noticed a large wooden paddle in her lap. Adare moved purposely over to him and quickly grabbed Nathaniel behind the neck at the same time pressing a foot behind his knee causing him to bend over. Soon he was positioned over Deni's lap. Too ashamed to struggle he let Adare hold him in place as the paddle fell. By the tenth blow his cheeks were wet with tears of shame, by the twentieth he was pleading, by the thirtieth he was fighting to hold back sobs not of pain but from the humiliation of being in the position he swore he'd never be again. By the fortieth he lost that battle. The blows finally stopped at fifty and he was jerked to his feet.
"I've broken many proud cockatrices," Adare said, "You don't stand a chance, child."
"Thank you for your help, Adare," Deni said, "I'll get him back into bed now."
She heated a basin of water with a spell cast and dipped a washcloth into it. She used the warm cloth to wash away his tears. "We don't like punishing you any more than you do," she said. "We only do it so you learn the correct way to behave."
"Ma'am," Nathaniel said, "I know how to behave; it's you crazy elves that are clueless." He gently pushed her hand away and curled up on the bed, pulling up the blanket. This time the soft creaking of the rocking chair kept up long after he fell asleep.
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Brothers