An Interview

[Filora]

[[ Cross-posted to TNG ]]

Two former Sanctuary members had gone to what was arguably one of the most unlikely of places after Sanctuary's fall. Sanctuary's new leader had already sought out one, and learned that Malethia had turned her back on Sanctuary, on mercy itself, after being abandoned to a terrible fate. And the other... was Filora. Who very much doubted this Julilee was going to be able to understand her reasons so well.

Not that she was really going to try explain them.

Filora eyed the diminutive elf over the rim of the mug Julilee had politely bought for her as she took a drink. While Filora wasn't especially tall either, she probably weighed as much without armor as this elf did with. And not just because Filora was full-figured, or entirely due to hyperbole. The other elf was small, and her armor so closely fitted that you had to look twice to realize it was plate. And a third time to realize that the lack of an aura of the Light meant that this Sin'dorei was the uncommon sight of a blood elf warrior.

"Vilmah was a warrior too," Filora observed when it became apparent Julilee was waiting for her to speak.

"She still is," Julilee said. She sat with evidence of an uncommon patience in the face of Filora's cavalier attitude. Her armor-backed hands remained curved around her mug as she studied Filora with serious eyes. Filora wondered if the warrior had ever told a joke in her life.

"She's still around? Garrosh didn't hang her?" Filora said.

"Not for lack of trying," Julilee said.

"Good for her," Filora said after a moment, and raised her mug for another drink.

"So, you were a longtime member of Sanctuary," Julilee said. "Vilmah initiated you into the ranks herself not long after the Sin'dorei came to the Horde."

"She remembered that?" Filora said in surprise. "I'm surprised, considering I basically didn't show up for anything else."

Juli tilted her head as she continued regarding Filora with her serious gaze. Her shoulder-length dark hair swung against her face when she did that. She would be cute, Filora thought, if she didn't look so damn intense all the time. Then again, maybe some people would like that.

"Why not?" Julilee asked.

Filora shrugged. "Always something that came up," she said vaguely.

"What else were you doing?" Julilee asked.

"Oh, various things. I ran with a pirate crew for awhile."

"Pirating? Didn't that conflict with Sanctuary's ideals?"

Filora grinned. "Not this pirate," she said. "She was a better ally to Sanctuary than I ever was. But she was kind of flaky, so maybe it's a toss-up. I ended up running this organization she founded, Treasure Seekers it was called, after she lost interest. Now that took up a lot of my time."

"I imagine so," Juli said, sipping her drink. She drank slowly, but steadily. If Filora didn't have pure size on her, she'd have been hesitant to try and outdrink her. "But you believed in Sanctuary, still?" Juli asked.

"You ask a lot of questions," Filora observed. "I didn't realize this was an interview."

Juli seemed to note the change of subject. She wouldn't be an easy one to distract. "I just want to understand," she said slowly, "why you turned away from everything Sanctuary believed in."

"Hey now, the Grim believe in peace too." Filora grinned.

Juli didn't look the least bit amused. "So they claim, but they would gleefully destroy it all the while claiming they sought it."

"Ooh, fighting words," Filora said. "You should say that to Commander Awatu's face."

Juli looked at her. "I did, more or less."

"Oh," Filora said, then, "Wish I could've seen his face."

"Were you this capricious in Sanctuary?" Juli inquired. She was trying to appear unbothered by Filora's continued irreverence, but Filora could tell she was growing irritated. Good; that patience had been kind of boring.

"Now you're just trying to provoke me," Filora replied, amused. She wagged a reprimanding finger. "That's unbecoming of a leader. Especially of the noble Sanctuary."

Juli's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'll take that as a yes," she said, her temper firmly in check to Filora's disappointment.

Filora leaned her chair back and shrugged. "I'm whatever I want to be," she said. "For a time that was someone who wore the purple and gold. Now it's the red and black."

"For no particular reason," Juli said. Her flat statements were no longer questions.

"Why do you want to know?" Filora asked discerningly. "Does it worry you? Two Sanctuary members become Grim?"

"I'm worried that it doesn't worry you," Juli said. "What do you even care about?"

Filora frowned at her. "Well, that's rude."

Juli stood up. "I think we're done here. Thank you for your time."

Filora gave her an insouciant wave. "Okay. Thanks for the drink. I'm sure I'll see you around again. I hear you keep working with the Grim despite your obvious disdain."

Juli looked at her for a long moment. Filora stared back, curious to see what the warrior's reaction would be. But Juli just shook her head slightly and left.

"Whatever," Filora said, and finished her drink.