Grim Views

Another gust of air flipped the pages of the book Eternalnight was reading.  Annoyed, she returned to the page she had been on previously.  The library was quiet, and free from other patrons.  This was good..the last thing she wanted was any attention.  She was huddled in a dark corner in the back of the Royal Library in Stormwind, using only the dull glow of her staff to light her pages.  Getting here had not been pretty, nor easy.  There were two humans crumpled under the table where she was currently sitting...their deaths had been cumbersome..she did not want to risk frying them, and attract any hounds with the smell.  Neither did she want to turn them to chunks of ice, because she had known that she would be dragging them here in hiding.  So...it was with the dagger that she has slit ones throat, and then began to eviscerate the other. Such  were the acts of dullards and fools.....using blades and bare strength.  But the quest for knowledge....demanded sacrifices. 

She flipped to the next page...."interesting....interesting...."  the books in front were an array of census ledgers, political speeches that has been recorded, children's fairly tales, and most interestingly, an old school book that was the history of  lands around Elwynn Forest.  She was searching...In the last meeting among the Grim has sparked her interest...and Eternalnight would always work to satisfy her interest through the books and knowledge they held. She has made alliances with former enemies, paid money to informants, always for the sake of knowing and learning. 

This was a bit different than most of her endeavours.  Normally, she would read to discover the history of a bridge, the reason for a certain color on a tabard, or even, why certain names and families were forbidden from being said in the town of Duskwood (namely, the Yorgen's).  This time, she was intrigued by the pricinciple of...betrayal.  What caused betrayal by one that had sworn their life to one group, only to betray them in the end?  She wanted to learn about what betrayal was...how it happens....was it always the promise of fortune?  power?  trickery?  And most importantly, is there something that can trigger betrayal in anyone, even the righteous Foresaken ones?

She read the next page of the book in front of her, which were the crop reports from a small town of Corin's crossing from before the Third War....two words caught her eye...Darrowshire...Redpath....this could be interesting to follow up.

*clang* *Shuffle* Eternalnight shot up...she had been hunched over the table engrossed in the book, but now she heard something behind her moving closer.  One of the patrol guards was coming to rest and slack during duty no doubt.  He came to the end of the isle behind Eternalnight, and stopped as he saw her in the corner.  It took a moment for him to register that someone was there.  It took another beat for him to realize that Eternalnight was not a normal patron.  "R-R-R-rotter...." He foolishly went for his blade on his side.  "Time to leave anyway I guess, might as well..."  Eternalnight flicked a wrist to conjure a bolt of ice to the guard (to use fire in this room would be heresy...these books were far too valuable)  the bolt stopped and stunned the guard for a brief moment.  Eternalnight was on him, repeatedly using her blade to stab at his throat and face to prevent a cry for help. Eternalnight had no training to the use of a blade, so the guard became nothing but a mass of bone and blood in a messy puddle. 

"Feh.  Time to leave....there are few secrets left here."  With another flick of her wrist Eternalnight began to run out the front door towards two more guards in the courtyard.  By the name she was in the library doorway, she was but a vapor, walking in the unseen world. 

"You here something Varen?"  "Nope.  just the wind." 

(( Very nicely done. I want to read more. kthxbai ))

It was very cold.  Not that Eternalnight cared however….the cold was nothing for her to feel, only to worry about as damage to her frame.  If it wasn’t too cold that things would fall off of her, she didn’t care.

The small inn provided some warmth, but the village of Everlook has seen supplies severely reduced since the battle in Northend. Supplies in the cold weather…well…had to come from those supplies for the cold weather to start…

Eternalnight sat at a scarred a battered table, across from what could be an attractive woman.  She would be attractive, had the years not been so brutal to her.  This woman Eternalnight looked at now had deep lines on her face from worry, bags under her eyes from little sleep, and her hair was already graying.

Eternalnight had spent a few days to track this woman, Jessica, down.  She had crisscrossed through the Eastern Continent, only to finally discover that some how, she ended up in the elf-forsaken land of perpetual winter.  She had spent several hours of mind numbing conversation with her, in order to get her relaxed enough to talk to Eternalnight.  Humans did not respond well to Forsaken, even members of the Argent Dawn.

“Jessica, Tell me some now about Joseph, when the battle at Darrowshire occurred.  I would like to know….I need to know…what happen to make Joseph turn.  If Darrowshire was the land of his friends, his family…why?  How?â€

“It is not often that we see any of the Foresaken here….in ten thousand years, we may have seen…mm…only a few…â€

The Orc was large….a big frame, even by Orc standards.  He filled the small tent almost entirely, leaving just enough room for Eternalnight to sit by the flap that served as an entrance.

This was not the first time that she had met Tenva.  She needed him for some work a few months ago. She needed someone that could procure some goods for her, without notice.  Tenva was not the most stealthy of individuals, but he covered his body count well.

Eternalnight had found something about Tenva later while in Orgrimmar.  Apparently, he was once one of the high guards, serving Thrall himself.  But during a recon mission near Feathermoon, Tenva has abandoned his men for a few hours.  During that time, they were slaughtered by an elf patrol.  The verdict of the case…Treason.  Tenva had betrayed his men to the elves. 

It had taken some time to get Tenva to talk about this incident, but once Eternalnight showed doubt in the verdict, Tenva began to open up.

“The thing that strikes me as odd…is they found you sleeping, over a hundred yards from the camp…what kind of villain stays close?â€

The fire was burning low in the room’s hearth….Eternalnight sat at the small writing table in her room.  It was a simple and small room…the Tauren were never known for luxuries, expecially in Bloodhoof….this was a very simple town…still untouched by the wars of the Lich King, or the demon breed, or the Blue Flight….
It was simple.  It was quiet.  It would do for now. 

Eternalnight needed this for two reasons, to gather her notes on her recent study on the properties of betrayal, and to heal.  She hurt.  A lot.

The trip to Desolace to here was to be easy…it was only a few days walk across the southern portion of the StoneTalon mountains…but along the way….

A pocket of demons in Desolace, a band of Alliance in the mountains (the outpost of Dwarves apparently did not know about the thin truce between Foresaken and Dwarves in Northrend against Arthas..)  then the party of Venture miners on the way to Mulgore, a misunderstanding with some Tauren (why they thought she was human still escapes her), and the kodo…the damned kodo that stepped on her…..its always the odd things that get you…

So she sat…healing….writing….reading….soon…she would have her report…and she would be ready.

She reread the letter in her hand..

Gil Sprocketspring
Aliea Stevens
Heralds of the Dalaran Committee for War Strategy and Prediction of Battles, Subcommittee to behavior and ethics committee.

Dear Eternalnight,

You have been asked to submit your report to the Committee on behavior and ethics in two weeks from the date on the seal of this letter.  You proposal to understand the nature of betrayal has been well received, and we look forward to your proposal and research information. 

As you know, our committee is deeply interested in understanding the nature of battle, as well as the nature of the elements of battle, including human behavior in stituations.  With these elements understood, we can better foresee the course of action with our forces for the best chance of success. 

With that said, we anticipate that your proposal can add value to understanding what is the catalyst for betrayal…As you mention, this is a cornerstone for the events that led to Arthas’ rise to power, and we wish to hear more.  Furthermore, you mention the inevitable betrayal of one of our ranks…One of the leaders of the forces into Arthas’ Citadel.  Your attempts to peak our interests with this cliffhanger has worked.  We expect fully that you will reveal this theory, and its conclusion at our meeting.

Please be prompt, and be prepared to answer our inquisition following your presentation.

May wisdom and knowledge guard you as sword and shield,



Gil Sprocketspring
Aliea Stevens

Eternalnight returned to her notes, and began her formal report.

(( This is really awesome and has me piqued with its roundabout storytelling. Keep going! Keep going! ))