A Father Returns
Lascivious - October 21, 2005
Lascivious sat on the ledge of the waterfall watching the
cascading water as it fell on the rocks below. Even from this
height she could feel the cooling effect of the misty spray
returning to ledge. The sun beat down on her, but it did nothing
to warm the chill in her heart. The place reminded her of the
last time she had seen her father. Brogan... Was that his name?
Brogan. It felt right as she whispered it.
He had returned home for a short visit during the war. His
company was passing near and he had been given a day to see his
family. After a brief hello to the children, her mother took him
aside and spoke to him at length. When he came back, he took her
by the hand and led her up into the hills where waters fell. She
had always been his favorite and she was happy this had not
changed in his absence. His hair was a little grayer and he had a
scar on his forehead, but he still smiled the same. When they
arrived at the falls he surprised her by speaking of the nature
of boys and girls. What behavior was acceptable and what was not.
He was kind, but he seemed very clear her behavior toward her
brother fell under what was unacceptable.
What this?, she thought. This is mother's doing! Anger flared in
her. If anyone understood, she thought it would be father. She
longed to tell him about Breck and his tutelage. How the old man
told her how that was the kind of attention young men wanted. But
he made her promise not to tell. He said young men liked girls
who did the things he showed her, but not ones who had done them
before. Sammuel would not understand. She was almost thirteen.
Nearly a woman, he had told her. Soon she would be ready. Why is
everyone against us? Why doesn't anyone want to understand?
"Do you understand what I am saying, Harmony?"
Huh? What was he saying? She shook herself and looked up into his
kindly green eyes. "Yes, father. I understand."
"Good." He smiled and patted her knee. "Let's get back. I don't
have much time and I liked to say hello to everyone before I go!"
They stood up and as Brogan turned on his heel a rock slipped
from under his foot. Having seen too much action the last several
year to be a man of panic, he calmly reached out for the branch
of a sapling growing near their resting spot on the ledge.
Harmony did know what brought the thought to her mind. Nor what
caused her to put the thought in motion. She reached out and
pushed the limb. Her strength was not great. It only moved a
couple inches. But it was enough. Her father fingertips brushed
against the leaves of the limb now just out of his grasp.
She would never forget the look on his face. The shock. The
horror of betrayal as he disappeared over the ledge. He struck
the rock several times before hitting the bottom and bouncing
into the water, his broken body being swept downstream toward the
ocean. She stood in stunned silence for a moment before suddenly
collapsing into tears. It was dark when she finally mustered the
strength to come home.
"Where is your father!" her mother asked worriedly. "Why have you
been gone so long!"
"I - I am sorry, mother."
"What? What wrong? What's happened!?"
She looked at Sammuel. She could see the worry in his eyes. She
did not want to disappoint him. She knew how eager he was to
spend time with Brogan.
"We- we were coming back and one of the officers came riding up.
He said they had to leave immediately and father had to go."
There were cries of disappointment and unfairness for several
moments before their mother hushed them.
"It's ok. It's ok," she consoled them. "At least we got to see
him for a bit and know that he's safe. Now off to bed, the lot of
you! Lot's of chores to do in the mornin'!"
Harmony lay in bed staring at the wall. No sleep would come for
when she closed her eyes all she could see were her father's own
horrified eyes staring back at her.
[Sammuel]:
The smell of sulphur clung to everything, stinging the nose and
making the eyes water. That was a minor inconvenience next to the
heat. Whoever had decided an active volcano was a good place for
a major city was seriously deranged. This was Ironforge, a place
where simple men were reforged into greatness.
I strode to the Military Ward, searching for the records keeper.
The librarian in Stormwind had assured me that the information I
sought would most probably be found here. Hopefully, it would be
that simple.
The Keeper of Military records was short, even by dwarven
standards. His long grey beard and hair, disheveled and sticking
every which way, eyes squinted behind some of the thickest
spectacles I've ever seen, and his robes covered with a patchwork
of ink stains.
"Kin I help ye?"
"I hope so. I'm looking for news of my father."
"Well then, jest fill out these forms and I'll see wat I kin do."
Two hours later, I was finally finished and waiting for the
little scholar's return. If you've never filled out dwarven
request forms, count yourself very lucky.
"Lad, I'm afraid I've got bad news."
I prepared myself for the worst...living with a father in an
active military, you come to terms with eventually getting THAT
message.
"It appears that yer father's records are Classified. Tha strange
thing about it, I can't even access'em."
He didn't even notice my relief...
"Now, I'm not suppose to be doin this, but I'll tell ya what. You
might try asking around in Southshore, there's a few there would
know about this sorta thing."
"Thank you. At least I have something to go on now. I appreciate
your help."
"Take care laddie."