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tamingthemuseTitle: Reunion
Fandom; Pairings: World of Warcraft; OCs (duh), mention of one NPC (Torian)
Prompt: #250 - Starry Night
Warnings: Parental angst.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3,810
Summary: After receiving a strongly worded invitation, Folami returns to Sunstrider Isle to visit her father after a two-year separation. She learns that not only has a lot changed in her absence, her father is also aware of her current activities.
Notes: This is my first prompt in many months. I hope I'll be able to resume doing the weekly prompts now that my life seems to be settling down and my muses have returned. Oh, and this story does concern current role-play events within my guild.
Orgrimmar stank, literally and figuratively. The hot desert sun combined with a population for whom baths were few and far between made for a particularly nauseating bouquet of odors, especially to the delicate senses of a blood elf. Robes became implements of torture in the suffocating heat, making even the thinnest of fabrics seem like the wearer’s own personal oven. Then there was the orc soldiers’ unique way of creating camaraderie among those who swore allegiance with the Horde by making teasing remarks to those they deemed as being from weaker races.
Yet Folami was feeling almost wistful for the great Horde city as she walked the familiar pathways leading to her childhood home in Sunstrider Isle. She yearned for one of the city guards to wonder aloud at the fragility of her bones or for a random citizen to comment on her lack of “proper” weapons and armor. Instead she received silent stares and the occasional dismissive sniff, something that became increasingly irritating with each person she passed. She walked with her hands at her sides balled into fists, her boots slapping loudly against the cobblestones.
“Mistress, your emotions taint the air around you.”
Folami came to a sudden halt and spun around on her heel to face the violet-skinned succubus following close behind her. “What did you say?”
“You are allowing your anger to spill outward,” Hesneri responded softly. "This place grows more upsetting for you by the passing second.”
“I am aware of that, Hesneri. What of it?”
“I believe you summoned me and not Rinnzavin because you understood the danger of allowing your emotions to dictate your actions. A calm mind serves you best here.”
Folami closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, her shoulders gradually relaxing on the exhale. She repeated the exercise twice more before opening her eyes and regarding her companion with a much kinder look. “You are right, Hesneri. Forgive me. Being here stirs up many painful memories.”
The succubus bowed slightly, her gaze remaining on Folami’s face. “I understand, mistress.” She cocked her head to the side and flexed her bat-like wings. “Might I ask a personal question, mistress?”
Folami gestured for Hesneri to follow as she resumed her walking, her gait more relaxed than before. “You may.”
“Why come to a place you find so distasteful?”
An excellent question, Folami thought bitterly. There were preparations to be made for Keldris’s ritual and this side-trip was taking away precious time to make said preparations. However, the letter was a distraction and it was better that she discover what her father’s game was so she could enter The Crossroads with a clear mind.
For two years she’d heard nothing from him; two wonderful, blissful years without his constant condemnations of the path she walked. Two years without someone hovering over her shoulder, steering her away from knowledge deemed too dangerous. She’d allowed herself to believe he’d washed his hands of her, or that he had given up searching for her. Her decision to use only her first name had protected her, she’d thought. But the letter delivered to her in Orgrimmar made her realize how foolish she’d been to believe she could ever truly escape her past. The odds were he’d known where she was all along.
So why send for me now? She had several theories, none of them good.
Aware Hesneri was waiting for an answer Folami pulled the small piece of parchment from the inner pocket of her robes. “I came because I was summoned.”
Hesneri took the parchment and somehow managed to unfold it without tearing it with her long claws. As her eyes moved down the page, a scowl formed on the demon’s face. “Who is Salih Mournlight?”
The corners of Folami’s mouth pulled back in a tight smile. “My father.” The imp Yaznik would have recognized the name, but Hesneri had not become one of her demons until after she’d left home.
Hesneri’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That explains much.” She frowned as she continued to examine the missive, “It is formatted as an invitation, but…”
“It reads like a threat,” Folami agreed. “Invitation, summons, or orders, it’s all the same to my father. He has a rather lofty opinion of himself and takes great offense anytime someone dares to decline the pleasure of his company. Salih Mournlight is a difficult man.”
“A difficult man is still a man who can be brought to his knees by a powerful woman.” The succubus smiled enough to show a hint of fang. “And my mistress is very powerful,” she crooned.
The compliment brought a fierce smile to Folami’s lips. “A fact my father has demonstrated he’s quite ignorant of else he would have chosen his words more carefully.”
The duo stopped several yards away from the base of a tall circular building of white stone. A large open-air archway that served as the entrance was flanked on either side by two guards. Folami regarded the building with trepidation, not because of who waited for her inside, but because she couldn’t predict how he—or anyone else who might be lurking within—would ultimately receive her presence. Regardless of the outcome, she had an inkling that life was about to take a very interesting turn of events.
“Leave me, Hesneri.”
The demon looked toward the building and then back to her mistress. “Are you sure, mistress? Perhaps you could at least bring Yaznik with you. Imps are often perceived as relatively harmless.”
Folami shook her head. “No, I want my father to see my strength lies not with my demons but with me. He must recognize the path I walk is of my own choosing and that I am not the monster he thinks.”
Hesneri reached out to touch the two rabbits’ feet hanging on a short length of cord from Folami’s belt. “Already his influence is apparent. The seeds are still taking root, but in time they will blossom.” Her eyes flicked back up to Folami and she grinned at the quizzical look that greeted her. “He is a fine choice, Mistress.”
“Haven’t I enough troubles without the need to interpret cryptic demon-speak?”
The succubus’s head fell back as she cackled loud enough to draw the attention of the nearby guards. She ignored them and leaned in to kiss Folami’s cheek. “Summon me soon, mistress,” she whispered as her form slowly faded back into the nether. “We have much to discuss.”
Folami stared at the empty air where Hesneri had been moments before, taking the time to allow her face to settle into a neutral expression. When she turned back to face the guards, they regarded her with silence though it was obvious they were watching her approach. Neither made a move to stop her, but out of courtesy Folami stopped in front of the entranceway to speak to them.
“Is Lord Mournlight within?”
The guard on the left relaxed his stance and focused his gaze to someplace behind Folami. The guard on the right bowed slightly and gestured for her to enter.
“Lord Mournlight is upstairs entertaining another guest, but he bid me tell you to join them both as soon as you arrived.”
“My thanks,” Folami replied, her mind distracted as she tried to think of whom her father might allow to witness the family drama that was sure to unfold.
Perhaps he is not a witness so much as a bodyguard. The idea gave Folami a quiet chuckle as she ascended the spiraling ramp leading to the second level. The floor leveled out and she found herself looking into a small-yet-cozy meeting room decorated in hues of deep red and gold, the colors of the blood elf city of Silvermoon. Six plush armchairs were sat in an evenly spaced circle around a small table covered with several trays of refreshments and wine.
A tall broad-shouldered elf rose from one of the chairs facing the entrance, his long blond hair shifting and falling back behind his shoulders with the motion. He moved toward her, hands outstretched, a welcoming smile spreading across his lips.
At least, the casual observer would see the smile of a father greeting his daughter, but Folami could see the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Those green eyes—eyes very similar to hers—held a combination of sadness and contempt. Something else stirred beneath those emotions, something that gave Folami some measure of grim satisfaction.
An undercurrent of fear flowed there, fear of the power he could sense dwelling within her.
“Greetings, Father,” she said, her smile as false as his. “It has been too long.”
“Much too long,” Salih Mournlight agreed taking her hands in his and squeezing gently.
Two things became immediately apparent to Folami. The first was the pendant hanging from her father’s neck, a symbol of the Blood Knights. The second was the aura of magic surrounding him, magic that was in direct opposition of her fel and shadow magic.
“You pledged yourself to the Light?” She didn’t try to hide her surprise.
“Only relatively recently,” he answered. “It hasn’t quite been half a year, I think. Nagib, you would know.” Not releasing Folami’s hands, he looked back over his shoulder at the other elf in the room.
“Five months, yes.” The darker-haired elf set a goblet of wine on the small table and gracefully rose from his seat. He smiled—a genuine smile—at Folami and offered his hand to her once her father finally let go. “Forgive me for not rising when you entered. I thought it best to give you two a moment.” He bowed from the waist and brought her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. “I am Lord Nagib, an old friend of your father’s.”
“And currently my commanding officer,” Salih added.
“Yes, that too,” Nagib chuckled and straightened his back. “In our younger days before I took my vows, it was your father who commanded me. It has been nice to indulge in a little revenge.” He ignored Salih’s scowl and winked at Folami.
In spite of her feelings about her father, she found herself chuckling and smiling with Nagib. She had the sense that anyone would find it hard not to smile while in his presence. How a man like Nagib was such close friends with her father was a mystery for the ages.
“You seem surprised by his decision to join our number.”
A kind man and an astute observer of those around him, thought Folami. Aloud she said, “I know before he married my mother he had planned to become part of the Knights, but given her—our talents, he felt it might be cause for conflict.” Her gaze never left Salih while she spoke. “So yes, it does surprise me.”
“Well, after your mother’s death—“
“She’s dead?” Folami’s throat tightened in sudden grief.
Salih glared a silent warning to Nagib. “Officially, yes. She was declared dead shortly after you left Sunstrider Isle. Unofficially,” he waved a hand dismissively in the air, “she could still be alive in so much as any Wretched is alive, though I very much doubt it after all this time.” The words cut Folami deeper than any knife ever could, and from the way he stared at her, Salih knew it.
This is intentional. He wants to see me angry. It wasn’t clear to her why he wanted to upset her, but whatever his game, she wasn’t going to play, not by his rules at any rate.
“And so you traded your vows as a husband for those of a paladin. How quaint.” Her lips pulled back in a sneer.
Salih’s eyes narrowed in anger. “I honor all my vows, daughter. You would do well to remember that.” The threat was unspoken, but it was there. If I believe you are a danger, I will cut you down.
A pithy remark died on her tongue when she heard Nagib clear his throat. “Good lady and lord, I understand there is tension between you and I hope I am not intruding, but perhaps there are better ways you might clear the air?”
Feeling like a child caught reaching for a tray of sweets before dinner, Folami and Salih exchanged apologetic looks. She bowed her head solemnly and her father did the same.
“My apologies, Lord Nagib, I hope this does not make for a lasting impression of me.” It was with some surprise she realized it would indeed bother her to find that Nagib thought poorly of her. A strange reaction to have to a man I just met.
“And I hope an old friend might forgive today’s rudeness,” Salih added.
Nagib chuckled and spread his hands. “Think nothing of it, both of you. I understand the, ah, difficulties some families face.” He turned to Salih. “I must make apologies of my own for I need to leave to tend to some business elsewhere. Would you mind fetching those volumes for me so that I might be on my way?”
Salih snapped his fingers. “Ah, yes, I’d forgotten the reason for your visit. Pardon me I won’t be gone for more than a moment.” Walking quickly, he exited the room leaving Folami alone with Nagib.
Nagib seized upon the opportunity to move closer to Folami. Lowering his voice to a whisper he said, “I understand your anger, but know this, Lady. Your father regrets what has become of his relationship with you. He grieves for the loss of his daughter’s love and respect just as he grieves for your mother.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Anger laced her words, but it wasn’t directed at Nagib.
“Because while I hope your father will find the courage to admit is mistakes and tell you this himself one day, I felt you needed to hear the words now.” He patted her shoulder and stepped away in time to greet Salih’s return and accept the books the other paladin carried under his arm.
“I trust these are the volumes you were seeking?”
Nagib opened one book to fan through the pages skimming the words briefly before snapping it shut. “Indeed it is. This will make my work much easier.” He tucked the books under his left arm and extended his right to his old friend. “I’ll see you at dawn for training, yes?”
Despite his grimace at the word “training,” Salih clasped the man’s arm tightly. “Of course, old friend, though I hope you will eventually remember that I am not as young as the other recruits. These bones cannot withstand as much punishment.”
Both men laughed and Nagib waved a farewell over his shoulder as he made his way to the ramp. When he was out of earshot, Salih turned back to Folami.
“Please, have a seat. Help yourself to whatever is on the table. I stopped in Falconwing Square on my last visit to Silvermoon to purchase some of those cheeses you enjoy.”
“You needn’t have bothered. I’ve grown accustomed to eating a variety of foods, including those that seem to stare back at you while you eat.” Tucking her robes under her, she settled into one of the chairs which were every bit as soft and plush as they appeared on the outside. She enjoyed the luxury only briefly before her eyes examined the tray. Her mouth watered immediately at the sight of familiar snacks from her youth and she struggled with the decision over which to sample first.
Salih chuckled at her reaction, taking a seat opposite hers. “I recall there was a time we visited Silvermoon and you threw a tantrum because the vendor was out of Darnassian Bleu. If shame were lethal, your mother would have collapsed there in the shop.”
“I don’t remember that.” She bit into a small wedge of cheese and closed her eyes in bliss as the slightly bitter taste washed over her tongue.
“It was a long time ago. You were very young.” There was the barest hint of sadness in his words.
Unsure of how to respond, Folami allowed the silence to stretch between them while she ate her fill of cheese, bread, and the odd piece of fruit. When she was sated, she settled back in her chair and studied her father over the rim of her goblet.
“You didn’t call me here to tell me you were a paladin.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then why order me to come?”
“I didn’t…” One look at Folami’s raised eyebrow stopped Salih’s protest. “Perhaps I could have used softer words, but it wasn’t an order. I was worried you wouldn’t show otherwise.”
“A plausible concern,” she allowed. “But it still begs the question of why I am here.”
“There is a house in Silvermoon that has been tainted by darkness.” He paused to notice Folami fumble with her goblet. “No one is quite sure what it is and it seems the taint has been impossible to remove.”
It was with some effort that Folami managed to keep her voice even. “That sounds rather troubling.”
Salih nodded. “Oh, it is. It was even more troubling to hear that someone fitting my daughter’s description was seen at this very same house in the company of another Warlock.”
Folami leaned forward to set her goblet down on the table so as to avoid her father’s gaze. “There are many red-headed Warlocks flitting about. The orcs have often teased me by saying we all look alike, including the men.”
“Be that as it may, not many red-headed Warlocks visited The Sanctum to inquire about ancient relics before this house became tainted.” Salih rested his forearms on his knees. “And there is only one red-headed Warlock I know of who goes by the name Folami.”
Torian, you bastard. Several other less-than-polite orcish phrases sprang to mind as she pictured the demon trainer meeting a series of unpleasant fates.
“Your silence is telling.” Her father looked pained, disappointed even.
Folami sighed. “Forgive me, but I must choose my words carefully. Please understand, I can’t tell you everything.”
“Because you know I’ll arrest you otherwise?”
“No!”
“Then what is it? What are you hiding?”
“Nothing…and everything.” She shook her head. “If you would take three seconds to climb off that high horse, you might see that I’m trying to protect you. The less you know—the less anyone knows the better. Too many people are involved already, including a child who doesn’t understand the gravity of what she faces.”
Salih was silent, presumably processing her words. “Suppose I believe you, what reason do I have to believe this matter, whatever it is, is being handled responsibly?”
Folami considered her father for a moment. “So long as you don’t trust me or the power I wield, you haven’t any reason to believe anything I say.”
“Then you understand the difficult position this puts me in.”
“I can’t say I do.”
“When you came in here earlier, your presence filled the room. You are far more powerful than when you left home.”
“Yes, I am. I fail to see your point.”
Salih closed his eyes as if in pain. “It’s only been two years, Folami. Two years simply isn’t enough time to amass that sort of power without…without…”
“Without what?” she asked icily.
He grimaced as if in pain. “Just tell me, have you been consorting with your demons? Is that why they’ve gifted you with so much power?”
Folami blinked once, twice, and then laughter bubbled up from her chest. “Where would you get a ridiculous notion like that? And why do you think it’s my demons who have given me power and not the other way around?”
“It doesn’t work that way,” Salih answered matter-of-factly.
“And what would a paladin know the inner workings of fel and shadow magics? How would you understand the dynamics of the relationship between a warlock and her demons?” She pushed herself to her feet, taking a moment to look down at her father. “Do you really think that little of me?”
When he didn’t respond, Folami turned toward the exit. “I’ll show myself to the door, dearest father.”
It almost hurt when he didn’t try to stop her. It almost bothered her that her own father believed she was turning into a monster.
Yes, she thought as she wiped a tear away from her eyes, almost.
“Hesneri,” she called as she stepped past the guards. “Come to me, Hesneri. We must get back to Silvermoon to find Twinyarrow. Keldris should almost be ready for the ritual.”
***
Salih listened to his daughter’s retreating footsteps before refilling his goblet to the rim with wine. He drained the container with one long pull and then poured himself another.
Torian had spoken the truth regarding Folami’s strength, but despite what he’d said to her, Salih no longer believed she was a puppet for some outside force. From what he’d felt of her today, her power bent to her will, not the other way around. Still, for someone so young to have that sort of strength without the experience to temper it…
No, he wouldn’t think about that not until Folami gave him reason to. He was worried about her; however, now that worry was directed at the dark forces she and her friends might be up against rather than at her. She warned him to stay away in order to protect him, yet she had to know he couldn’t stand by while his own flesh and blood possibly risked her life if not her very soul. Unless she believed he cared more for his reputation as a paladin than he did about her safety.
Can’t imagine why she might think that. You only spent the last several years reminding her she might one day turn into a monster or worse, Salih’s inner voice chided him. Harsh words, but they were right. He’d allowed his fears of losing Folami to guide him too much and it had ended with him driving her away. The irony would have been hilarious were the hatred she looked upon him with not so painful.
He turned his head to look out the window. Dusk was falling and soon would give way to another starry night on Sunstrider Isle. He stared at the setting sun, his face settling into a look of grim determination. Setting his goblet aside, he got up to find a quill and parchment, wording the two missives he was about to write in his head.
The first would go to Lord Nagib apologizing for missing his training sessions. The second would be to Torian at The Sanctum in Silvermoon to request an audience. Folami would be angry when she learned he’d ignored her warnings, but he could bear her hatred if it meant she was still alive.
If it meant he still had a chance to set things right.
Fandom; Pairings: World of Warcraft; OCs (duh), mention of one NPC (Torian)
Prompt: #250 - Starry Night
Warnings: Parental angst.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3,810
Summary: After receiving a strongly worded invitation, Folami returns to Sunstrider Isle to visit her father after a two-year separation. She learns that not only has a lot changed in her absence, her father is also aware of her current activities.
Notes: This is my first prompt in many months. I hope I'll be able to resume doing the weekly prompts now that my life seems to be settling down and my muses have returned. Oh, and this story does concern current role-play events within my guild.
Orgrimmar stank, literally and figuratively. The hot desert sun combined with a population for whom baths were few and far between made for a particularly nauseating bouquet of odors, especially to the delicate senses of a blood elf. Robes became implements of torture in the suffocating heat, making even the thinnest of fabrics seem like the wearer’s own personal oven. Then there was the orc soldiers’ unique way of creating camaraderie among those who swore allegiance with the Horde by making teasing remarks to those they deemed as being from weaker races.
Yet Folami was feeling almost wistful for the great Horde city as she walked the familiar pathways leading to her childhood home in Sunstrider Isle. She yearned for one of the city guards to wonder aloud at the fragility of her bones or for a random citizen to comment on her lack of “proper” weapons and armor. Instead she received silent stares and the occasional dismissive sniff, something that became increasingly irritating with each person she passed. She walked with her hands at her sides balled into fists, her boots slapping loudly against the cobblestones.
“Mistress, your emotions taint the air around you.”
Folami came to a sudden halt and spun around on her heel to face the violet-skinned succubus following close behind her. “What did you say?”
“You are allowing your anger to spill outward,” Hesneri responded softly. "This place grows more upsetting for you by the passing second.”
“I am aware of that, Hesneri. What of it?”
“I believe you summoned me and not Rinnzavin because you understood the danger of allowing your emotions to dictate your actions. A calm mind serves you best here.”
Folami closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, her shoulders gradually relaxing on the exhale. She repeated the exercise twice more before opening her eyes and regarding her companion with a much kinder look. “You are right, Hesneri. Forgive me. Being here stirs up many painful memories.”
The succubus bowed slightly, her gaze remaining on Folami’s face. “I understand, mistress.” She cocked her head to the side and flexed her bat-like wings. “Might I ask a personal question, mistress?”
Folami gestured for Hesneri to follow as she resumed her walking, her gait more relaxed than before. “You may.”
“Why come to a place you find so distasteful?”
An excellent question, Folami thought bitterly. There were preparations to be made for Keldris’s ritual and this side-trip was taking away precious time to make said preparations. However, the letter was a distraction and it was better that she discover what her father’s game was so she could enter The Crossroads with a clear mind.
For two years she’d heard nothing from him; two wonderful, blissful years without his constant condemnations of the path she walked. Two years without someone hovering over her shoulder, steering her away from knowledge deemed too dangerous. She’d allowed herself to believe he’d washed his hands of her, or that he had given up searching for her. Her decision to use only her first name had protected her, she’d thought. But the letter delivered to her in Orgrimmar made her realize how foolish she’d been to believe she could ever truly escape her past. The odds were he’d known where she was all along.
So why send for me now? She had several theories, none of them good.
Aware Hesneri was waiting for an answer Folami pulled the small piece of parchment from the inner pocket of her robes. “I came because I was summoned.”
Hesneri took the parchment and somehow managed to unfold it without tearing it with her long claws. As her eyes moved down the page, a scowl formed on the demon’s face. “Who is Salih Mournlight?”
The corners of Folami’s mouth pulled back in a tight smile. “My father.” The imp Yaznik would have recognized the name, but Hesneri had not become one of her demons until after she’d left home.
Hesneri’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That explains much.” She frowned as she continued to examine the missive, “It is formatted as an invitation, but…”
“It reads like a threat,” Folami agreed. “Invitation, summons, or orders, it’s all the same to my father. He has a rather lofty opinion of himself and takes great offense anytime someone dares to decline the pleasure of his company. Salih Mournlight is a difficult man.”
“A difficult man is still a man who can be brought to his knees by a powerful woman.” The succubus smiled enough to show a hint of fang. “And my mistress is very powerful,” she crooned.
The compliment brought a fierce smile to Folami’s lips. “A fact my father has demonstrated he’s quite ignorant of else he would have chosen his words more carefully.”
The duo stopped several yards away from the base of a tall circular building of white stone. A large open-air archway that served as the entrance was flanked on either side by two guards. Folami regarded the building with trepidation, not because of who waited for her inside, but because she couldn’t predict how he—or anyone else who might be lurking within—would ultimately receive her presence. Regardless of the outcome, she had an inkling that life was about to take a very interesting turn of events.
“Leave me, Hesneri.”
The demon looked toward the building and then back to her mistress. “Are you sure, mistress? Perhaps you could at least bring Yaznik with you. Imps are often perceived as relatively harmless.”
Folami shook her head. “No, I want my father to see my strength lies not with my demons but with me. He must recognize the path I walk is of my own choosing and that I am not the monster he thinks.”
Hesneri reached out to touch the two rabbits’ feet hanging on a short length of cord from Folami’s belt. “Already his influence is apparent. The seeds are still taking root, but in time they will blossom.” Her eyes flicked back up to Folami and she grinned at the quizzical look that greeted her. “He is a fine choice, Mistress.”
“Haven’t I enough troubles without the need to interpret cryptic demon-speak?”
The succubus’s head fell back as she cackled loud enough to draw the attention of the nearby guards. She ignored them and leaned in to kiss Folami’s cheek. “Summon me soon, mistress,” she whispered as her form slowly faded back into the nether. “We have much to discuss.”
Folami stared at the empty air where Hesneri had been moments before, taking the time to allow her face to settle into a neutral expression. When she turned back to face the guards, they regarded her with silence though it was obvious they were watching her approach. Neither made a move to stop her, but out of courtesy Folami stopped in front of the entranceway to speak to them.
“Is Lord Mournlight within?”
The guard on the left relaxed his stance and focused his gaze to someplace behind Folami. The guard on the right bowed slightly and gestured for her to enter.
“Lord Mournlight is upstairs entertaining another guest, but he bid me tell you to join them both as soon as you arrived.”
“My thanks,” Folami replied, her mind distracted as she tried to think of whom her father might allow to witness the family drama that was sure to unfold.
Perhaps he is not a witness so much as a bodyguard. The idea gave Folami a quiet chuckle as she ascended the spiraling ramp leading to the second level. The floor leveled out and she found herself looking into a small-yet-cozy meeting room decorated in hues of deep red and gold, the colors of the blood elf city of Silvermoon. Six plush armchairs were sat in an evenly spaced circle around a small table covered with several trays of refreshments and wine.
A tall broad-shouldered elf rose from one of the chairs facing the entrance, his long blond hair shifting and falling back behind his shoulders with the motion. He moved toward her, hands outstretched, a welcoming smile spreading across his lips.
At least, the casual observer would see the smile of a father greeting his daughter, but Folami could see the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Those green eyes—eyes very similar to hers—held a combination of sadness and contempt. Something else stirred beneath those emotions, something that gave Folami some measure of grim satisfaction.
An undercurrent of fear flowed there, fear of the power he could sense dwelling within her.
“Greetings, Father,” she said, her smile as false as his. “It has been too long.”
“Much too long,” Salih Mournlight agreed taking her hands in his and squeezing gently.
Two things became immediately apparent to Folami. The first was the pendant hanging from her father’s neck, a symbol of the Blood Knights. The second was the aura of magic surrounding him, magic that was in direct opposition of her fel and shadow magic.
“You pledged yourself to the Light?” She didn’t try to hide her surprise.
“Only relatively recently,” he answered. “It hasn’t quite been half a year, I think. Nagib, you would know.” Not releasing Folami’s hands, he looked back over his shoulder at the other elf in the room.
“Five months, yes.” The darker-haired elf set a goblet of wine on the small table and gracefully rose from his seat. He smiled—a genuine smile—at Folami and offered his hand to her once her father finally let go. “Forgive me for not rising when you entered. I thought it best to give you two a moment.” He bowed from the waist and brought her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. “I am Lord Nagib, an old friend of your father’s.”
“And currently my commanding officer,” Salih added.
“Yes, that too,” Nagib chuckled and straightened his back. “In our younger days before I took my vows, it was your father who commanded me. It has been nice to indulge in a little revenge.” He ignored Salih’s scowl and winked at Folami.
In spite of her feelings about her father, she found herself chuckling and smiling with Nagib. She had the sense that anyone would find it hard not to smile while in his presence. How a man like Nagib was such close friends with her father was a mystery for the ages.
“You seem surprised by his decision to join our number.”
A kind man and an astute observer of those around him, thought Folami. Aloud she said, “I know before he married my mother he had planned to become part of the Knights, but given her—our talents, he felt it might be cause for conflict.” Her gaze never left Salih while she spoke. “So yes, it does surprise me.”
“Well, after your mother’s death—“
“She’s dead?” Folami’s throat tightened in sudden grief.
Salih glared a silent warning to Nagib. “Officially, yes. She was declared dead shortly after you left Sunstrider Isle. Unofficially,” he waved a hand dismissively in the air, “she could still be alive in so much as any Wretched is alive, though I very much doubt it after all this time.” The words cut Folami deeper than any knife ever could, and from the way he stared at her, Salih knew it.
This is intentional. He wants to see me angry. It wasn’t clear to her why he wanted to upset her, but whatever his game, she wasn’t going to play, not by his rules at any rate.
“And so you traded your vows as a husband for those of a paladin. How quaint.” Her lips pulled back in a sneer.
Salih’s eyes narrowed in anger. “I honor all my vows, daughter. You would do well to remember that.” The threat was unspoken, but it was there. If I believe you are a danger, I will cut you down.
A pithy remark died on her tongue when she heard Nagib clear his throat. “Good lady and lord, I understand there is tension between you and I hope I am not intruding, but perhaps there are better ways you might clear the air?”
Feeling like a child caught reaching for a tray of sweets before dinner, Folami and Salih exchanged apologetic looks. She bowed her head solemnly and her father did the same.
“My apologies, Lord Nagib, I hope this does not make for a lasting impression of me.” It was with some surprise she realized it would indeed bother her to find that Nagib thought poorly of her. A strange reaction to have to a man I just met.
“And I hope an old friend might forgive today’s rudeness,” Salih added.
Nagib chuckled and spread his hands. “Think nothing of it, both of you. I understand the, ah, difficulties some families face.” He turned to Salih. “I must make apologies of my own for I need to leave to tend to some business elsewhere. Would you mind fetching those volumes for me so that I might be on my way?”
Salih snapped his fingers. “Ah, yes, I’d forgotten the reason for your visit. Pardon me I won’t be gone for more than a moment.” Walking quickly, he exited the room leaving Folami alone with Nagib.
Nagib seized upon the opportunity to move closer to Folami. Lowering his voice to a whisper he said, “I understand your anger, but know this, Lady. Your father regrets what has become of his relationship with you. He grieves for the loss of his daughter’s love and respect just as he grieves for your mother.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Anger laced her words, but it wasn’t directed at Nagib.
“Because while I hope your father will find the courage to admit is mistakes and tell you this himself one day, I felt you needed to hear the words now.” He patted her shoulder and stepped away in time to greet Salih’s return and accept the books the other paladin carried under his arm.
“I trust these are the volumes you were seeking?”
Nagib opened one book to fan through the pages skimming the words briefly before snapping it shut. “Indeed it is. This will make my work much easier.” He tucked the books under his left arm and extended his right to his old friend. “I’ll see you at dawn for training, yes?”
Despite his grimace at the word “training,” Salih clasped the man’s arm tightly. “Of course, old friend, though I hope you will eventually remember that I am not as young as the other recruits. These bones cannot withstand as much punishment.”
Both men laughed and Nagib waved a farewell over his shoulder as he made his way to the ramp. When he was out of earshot, Salih turned back to Folami.
“Please, have a seat. Help yourself to whatever is on the table. I stopped in Falconwing Square on my last visit to Silvermoon to purchase some of those cheeses you enjoy.”
“You needn’t have bothered. I’ve grown accustomed to eating a variety of foods, including those that seem to stare back at you while you eat.” Tucking her robes under her, she settled into one of the chairs which were every bit as soft and plush as they appeared on the outside. She enjoyed the luxury only briefly before her eyes examined the tray. Her mouth watered immediately at the sight of familiar snacks from her youth and she struggled with the decision over which to sample first.
Salih chuckled at her reaction, taking a seat opposite hers. “I recall there was a time we visited Silvermoon and you threw a tantrum because the vendor was out of Darnassian Bleu. If shame were lethal, your mother would have collapsed there in the shop.”
“I don’t remember that.” She bit into a small wedge of cheese and closed her eyes in bliss as the slightly bitter taste washed over her tongue.
“It was a long time ago. You were very young.” There was the barest hint of sadness in his words.
Unsure of how to respond, Folami allowed the silence to stretch between them while she ate her fill of cheese, bread, and the odd piece of fruit. When she was sated, she settled back in her chair and studied her father over the rim of her goblet.
“You didn’t call me here to tell me you were a paladin.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then why order me to come?”
“I didn’t…” One look at Folami’s raised eyebrow stopped Salih’s protest. “Perhaps I could have used softer words, but it wasn’t an order. I was worried you wouldn’t show otherwise.”
“A plausible concern,” she allowed. “But it still begs the question of why I am here.”
“There is a house in Silvermoon that has been tainted by darkness.” He paused to notice Folami fumble with her goblet. “No one is quite sure what it is and it seems the taint has been impossible to remove.”
It was with some effort that Folami managed to keep her voice even. “That sounds rather troubling.”
Salih nodded. “Oh, it is. It was even more troubling to hear that someone fitting my daughter’s description was seen at this very same house in the company of another Warlock.”
Folami leaned forward to set her goblet down on the table so as to avoid her father’s gaze. “There are many red-headed Warlocks flitting about. The orcs have often teased me by saying we all look alike, including the men.”
“Be that as it may, not many red-headed Warlocks visited The Sanctum to inquire about ancient relics before this house became tainted.” Salih rested his forearms on his knees. “And there is only one red-headed Warlock I know of who goes by the name Folami.”
Torian, you bastard. Several other less-than-polite orcish phrases sprang to mind as she pictured the demon trainer meeting a series of unpleasant fates.
“Your silence is telling.” Her father looked pained, disappointed even.
Folami sighed. “Forgive me, but I must choose my words carefully. Please understand, I can’t tell you everything.”
“Because you know I’ll arrest you otherwise?”
“No!”
“Then what is it? What are you hiding?”
“Nothing…and everything.” She shook her head. “If you would take three seconds to climb off that high horse, you might see that I’m trying to protect you. The less you know—the less anyone knows the better. Too many people are involved already, including a child who doesn’t understand the gravity of what she faces.”
Salih was silent, presumably processing her words. “Suppose I believe you, what reason do I have to believe this matter, whatever it is, is being handled responsibly?”
Folami considered her father for a moment. “So long as you don’t trust me or the power I wield, you haven’t any reason to believe anything I say.”
“Then you understand the difficult position this puts me in.”
“I can’t say I do.”
“When you came in here earlier, your presence filled the room. You are far more powerful than when you left home.”
“Yes, I am. I fail to see your point.”
Salih closed his eyes as if in pain. “It’s only been two years, Folami. Two years simply isn’t enough time to amass that sort of power without…without…”
“Without what?” she asked icily.
He grimaced as if in pain. “Just tell me, have you been consorting with your demons? Is that why they’ve gifted you with so much power?”
Folami blinked once, twice, and then laughter bubbled up from her chest. “Where would you get a ridiculous notion like that? And why do you think it’s my demons who have given me power and not the other way around?”
“It doesn’t work that way,” Salih answered matter-of-factly.
“And what would a paladin know the inner workings of fel and shadow magics? How would you understand the dynamics of the relationship between a warlock and her demons?” She pushed herself to her feet, taking a moment to look down at her father. “Do you really think that little of me?”
When he didn’t respond, Folami turned toward the exit. “I’ll show myself to the door, dearest father.”
It almost hurt when he didn’t try to stop her. It almost bothered her that her own father believed she was turning into a monster.
Yes, she thought as she wiped a tear away from her eyes, almost.
“Hesneri,” she called as she stepped past the guards. “Come to me, Hesneri. We must get back to Silvermoon to find Twinyarrow. Keldris should almost be ready for the ritual.”
***
Salih listened to his daughter’s retreating footsteps before refilling his goblet to the rim with wine. He drained the container with one long pull and then poured himself another.
Torian had spoken the truth regarding Folami’s strength, but despite what he’d said to her, Salih no longer believed she was a puppet for some outside force. From what he’d felt of her today, her power bent to her will, not the other way around. Still, for someone so young to have that sort of strength without the experience to temper it…
No, he wouldn’t think about that not until Folami gave him reason to. He was worried about her; however, now that worry was directed at the dark forces she and her friends might be up against rather than at her. She warned him to stay away in order to protect him, yet she had to know he couldn’t stand by while his own flesh and blood possibly risked her life if not her very soul. Unless she believed he cared more for his reputation as a paladin than he did about her safety.
Can’t imagine why she might think that. You only spent the last several years reminding her she might one day turn into a monster or worse, Salih’s inner voice chided him. Harsh words, but they were right. He’d allowed his fears of losing Folami to guide him too much and it had ended with him driving her away. The irony would have been hilarious were the hatred she looked upon him with not so painful.
He turned his head to look out the window. Dusk was falling and soon would give way to another starry night on Sunstrider Isle. He stared at the setting sun, his face settling into a look of grim determination. Setting his goblet aside, he got up to find a quill and parchment, wording the two missives he was about to write in his head.
The first would go to Lord Nagib apologizing for missing his training sessions. The second would be to Torian at The Sanctum in Silvermoon to request an audience. Folami would be angry when she learned he’d ignored her warnings, but he could bear her hatred if it meant she was still alive.
If it meant he still had a chance to set things right.
