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The Bearheart Chronicles: A Druid's Tale	By : MelanaAdara Category: +S through Z > World of Warcraft Views: 2186 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own World of Warcraft and I am making no money from this story. Only my original characters are mine.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
5. Gillaen
I have no idea why Thisalee Crow asked me to bring the still-beating heart of the demon Gorgorek back to Lunarfall. We had nowhere secure to keep the damn thing so it was just left sitting in its chest beside the fountain. The druids who lived here, led by Morthis Whisperwing, a kaldorei who had previously been in Mount Hyjal's Molten Front according to Arrentai, weren’t particularly forthcoming with information or help either.
I was tired; I didn’t want this added problem. And so I went to bed and left it. There would be time enough to deal with it tomorrow. I did not expect that I’d be dealing with an invasion of orcs.
Not long after I’d put in an appearance the next morning Alexston asked to speak to me. He wanted the okay for Arrentai’s request for an alchemy lab for Lizabetha. As we talked I noticed his gaze keep going to Thorn. More than once he’d confided how much he admired her; and now, seeing the lovesick expression on his face, I decided he really needed a push.
“Why don’t you tell her how you feel?” I asked.
“What would she see in someone like me? She’s beautiful whether she’s human or worgen.”
“Oh, for goodness sake. Just speak to her, give her some flowers, women like flowers.”
He brightened a little.
“Yes, you’re right. I need to tell her how I feel. I can’t hide it any longer. She mentioned that her favourite flower is a rose. But where would I find one on Draenor. I’ve been so busy with my work I haven’t had time to explore.”
“Leave that with me,” I said. I remembered seeing some roses growing in the herb garden. I was sure Fiona wouldn’t mind if I took one.
I wandered outside and headed to the garden. Sure enough there was a rose bush growing over the arch at the entrance. Carefully I picked one in full bloom and headed back to the town hall. As I climbed the steps I heard raised voices and hurried inside. The first thing I saw was Deedree, our ever efficient domestic manager, being comforted by the guild emissary Jeff Miller.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
"Orcs! We're being invaded by orcs."
Pulling my axe from its place at my back I strode into the main hall to see a scene of disorder. Chairs had been overturned, the assortment of stuff that usually covered the table was scattered everywhere, and the bodies of two brown-skinned orcs lay near the dais where Thorn had her desk, watched over by the mission specialist, who had, I noticed vaguely, changed to her worgen form; the first time I'd ever seen her do so. Alexston and a few other members of my staff were on the dais behind her. The rest of the personnel present were scattered as far away as they could get. Quickly I assured myself that no one was hurt and asked what had happened. Alexston was the first to answer.
"They came in yelling something about a heart," he said, sounding rather shaken.
"Thorn killed them single-handed."
I nodded to her. "Well done." I said quietly.
She nodded in return. "I'll organise a patrol to make sure no more orcs have got into the garrison," she said quietly, shifting back to her human form and turning to her desk. I approached Alexston and handed him the rose I still had in my hand. He looked at it and smiled.
"Thank you, sir," he said. "I'll hold onto it until the time is right to give it to her. She's a little busy right now."
I then turned my gaze on the others present. Most of them, Alexston, his assistant Brightstone, the gnome Sparz Boltwist, the contract negociator Deluwin Whisperfield, the draenei trader Araanda, were civilians, untrained in combat. I didn't expect them to fight. However Scout Valdez and Lord Selterus, the leader of my death knight guards were military, they should have fought. I'd be having words with them later.
Just then a dwarven rifleman dashed in.
"Commander, there's orcs invading the garrison! They're coming from everywhere. They've got rylaks and they're trying to take that chest away!"
That damn chest! It had been a headache in more ways than one since it had entered my garrison. Within a short space of time I'd noticed that people were avoiding being anywhere near it. The normally busy central plaza quickly emptied as people found they needed to be elsewhere. I'd commented on it to Arrentai, who’d replied,
“I'm not surprised. Every time I go near it my head starts to ache. That thing is bad, Gill. You need to get rid of it.”
I knew what he meant; even I was feeling its influence, making me irritable and short-tempered.
The orcs were after the Heart of Gorgorek, though how they’d found out I had it I don’t know. Though I suppose you can’t exactly miss a huge chest being flown across half a continent. I dashed outside again to find the garrison being invaded by a small army of Burning Blade orcs. Everyone who could wield a weapon was involved in fighting them, the civilians tackled the fires they'd started in our supplies both inside and outside of the gates. Eventually we beat them off, all but a handful of prisoners, and I left Josstellan and Maelinastra in charge of clearing up and making sure all the fires were out.
Arrentai, who'd fought at my side, his spells doing nearly as much damage as my axe, followed me as I headed back to the town hall. I guess he wanted to check on Lizabetha who I hadn't yet seen today. As we entered she emerged from the passageway to the private quarters together with Zataara, the draenei archivist. Quietly she came to my brother's side as we went into the main hall.
I wasn't prepared for the scene that we found. A third dead orc lay just inside the door in a pool of blood, his throat ripped to shreds. I scarce gave him more than a glance, more concerned with what else I saw. Alexston lay motionless next to him and Thorn, back in her human form, knelt at his side. Brightstone stood nearby weeping.
Arrentai stepped past me, and crouched beside the architect, examining him. After a moment he looked up at me and shook his head.
"There's nothing I can do," he said. "I'm sorry."
For a moment he rested his hand on Thorn's shoulder, then he stood and stepped back.
"What happened?" I asked.
Thorn looked up at me and I could see the grief in her eyes.
"Baros was such a sweet man," she said softly.
"If only I'd paid more attention to him when he was alive. I'll never forgive myself for letting him slip through my fingers.
"The assassin appeared out of nowhere, took us by surprise. Baros took the blade that was meant for my heart. I ripped out the throat of our attacker... but I was too late."
She picked up the rose that lay beside her.
"Baros gave me this flower before he passed."
For a moment she held it close to her heart as tears rolled down her cheeks, then without warning she shapeshifted back to her worgen form. I heard Arrentai gasp but before I could speak there was the sound of more yelling from outside. I dashed out again.
My guards were busy fighting again. Their opponent was a female orc, wearing the armour and insignia of a high ranking officer. She was their warlord, one of them told me, as I joined in the fray. Behind her, other orcs were busy harnessing the chains binding that bloody chest to the harness of a massive rylak. Before we could stop them, it took off, and more rylaks swooped down to take the orcs.
Helplessly I watched as they escaped. I was glad to see the back of the damn thing, it had been nothing but trouble; but at the same time what trouble could it cause in their possession?
I turned and walked wearily back up the stairs and into the town hall. Order of a sort had been restored. Alexston's body and those of the orcs had been removed and the room tidied, although it would take longer to clean the bloodstains from the floor. Thorn was back behind her desk, quiet and composed, although still in her worgen form. The rose had been put in a vase in front of her.
As I approached she looked up at me sadly and said, "This is not over. The Iron Horde will pay."
For a moment I was silent; then I said, "Thorn, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to save Baros. I should have protected you all better."
It sounded so inadequate, but I didn't know what else I could do, what I could say that would make it better.
"It's not your fault, Commander. None of us expected this."
I turned away and my eyes fell on the architect's table where Alexston usually stood, working diligently and enthusiastically on his neverending plans for improving the garrison. Brightstone stood there, alone, having quietly and unobtrusively stepped in to take his place. Things would never be the same, but she knew as I did that we had to move on.
- 4
- 5
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The Bearheart Chronicles: A Druid's Tale