12-24-2020, 03:50 AM
Remnii tried to not focus on Velen's face too much as she spoke, she kept her eyes on the sky and rolling waves. She could feel his tension, his worry. She wanted nothing more than to smooth over the edges of her story, abridging it to become more digestible and far less harrowing. Unfortunately, Remnii knew better. He needed to know, she wanted him to know. If they were to move forward together, and as a people, she wanted him to see what events had shaped her in the last decade and some.
Still managing a smile, Remnii hummed, happily intaking the good news. "I am thankful that the Rangarii Prime is helping to pave the way. Your guidance, and that of the Council of Exarchs, will pave the way for greater understanding to be born. We will need that strength, strong leaders. I am ever thankful that we already have that foundation."
I hope, someday, they will take my council, and I theirs. I pray they will come to put their trust in me. I've certainly become ambitious for my second year...
Unconsciously, Remnii sighed as she mulled over the veritable mountain of work there was left to be done, even before reaching out to the splintered factions of Draenei. She felt older than two-hundred and fifty Azerothian Silence hung between father and daughter for almost too long before Remnii brought herself to the present again.
Another sigh exited her before she could stop herself with a shake of her head and another squeeze of Velen's hand. It was best to continue the tale and not to dwell, as she had reminded herself multiple times already.
"Shortly after, we were contacted by the traitor, Socrethar." Her voice finally cut the silence.
The story drummed on, the between and betrayed nature of Kaylaan and his escort to see the traitorous former Exarch. Through Socrethar's teasing and taunts, the traitor's plan came to light. He was seeking the Ata'mal crystals and he knew Akama kept one, if not more. The Warband's plan had worked, she explained, to draw the would-be Eredar lord out to Faralahn where he could more easily be slain.
"I did this while holding Leafshadow secret." Remnii shivered, remembering the hidden weight of the crystal. "He gave us Spiritsong and wanted Brightest Star for himself. As you know, that did not work in his favor. Still, bargaining with the Ata'mal crystals... was not my favorite moment of the journey.
"If that were not enough, we immediately took at portal at Azgadaan's behest to the docks to sail towards Faralahn. He learned something about corruption that day, the portal Socrethar ripped open was... potent, to say the least. Almost immediately thereafter, we met Gul'dan. I can still feel his rancid breath, trying to goad me, trying to leech fear from me. He has been trying to call me glass-- The Glass Priestess, actually. It's some sort of title that he's fancied for me, I've heard it again since.
"Luckily, thus far I have been able to keep a false sense of stoicism. He knows it is fake. I know it is fake, but it works well enough... I suppose."
Continuing, they were on a boat. Arthak stabbed himself and fought with Sorak, still dealing with the massive amount of corruption he took from the Eye of Sargeras. Kaylaan kept watching her, her slow bonding with Spinyl continued and...
"I think my first real talk with Azgadaan happened on that boat. I was frightened, and my words could have been kinder. He continually buzzed around Yrel, Samaara, and myself. He had this old crystal chronicle that he found. It had the first few teachings of the Vindicators, from Argus, taught by Akaama no less. I do not know the whole story, but his mother was able to stall the Legion. She'd prayed to the Light, and been killed for it. He is just a boy learning to navigate the circumstances of his birth.
"Yet, his failure, at points, to be empathetic and see beyond a lust for physical things and trinkets, put us in danger more than once. I was hoping he would pay more attention to the tennants of the Light, to begin to push himself to understand, perhaps faster than he was ready. He... still has a lot to learn, but now he is alone now. I hope he knows that he is capable without toys or a fancy way to get around. He has an able body and two hooves on the ground-- there is goodness in him. He can make his own choices, he is thinking for himself. I've often wondered how he was doing in these last, accidental six months. It was only a little after that that a vision of Jaraxxus attacked us, calling his own son traitor and wracking Azgadaan's body with corruption. For being not yet a year old, life is putting him through mighty trials.
I wanted more time with him. Yes, he can fight but... he is asking a tall order. Of me, of Yrel and Samaara, and someday, he'll ask for acceptance and asylum and possibly more, I believe, with the Draenei. Our people and his quest for answers are linked. I know he tries to understand, he does, but I pray he will truly find the Light as he needs. Truthfully, he will need it in days to come."
Remnii took a breath, finally looking to her Vakas, to make sure she wasn't over loading him. She ducked her head, apologetically, knowing that she had one more point to make before she paused her tale.
"Kaylaan, too, found me." She thought back to his looming form and summoned and image of the half-corrupted ex-Draenei as she had with the others. His look was critical. "He asked me if I knew that I was not free of schemes. He asked me why I, apparently, had the Warband wrapped around my fingers. He wondered why I pretended to be the wounded talbuk, the weak soft daughter of Velen, while I had deeper goals.
"Yes, he was able to understand the groundwork I was laying, and yes, he was jaded-- he felt abandoned, alone, and so consumed by anger. He lost his brother, he lost his family in Tempest Keep, after all. But, sometimes I still hear him, Vakas. He called me the Great Deceiver with ire and conviction burning in his eyes. We are... better now, we left on good terms. Yet, I fear that moment stayed with me just as he intended."
A third, timely sigh, came from her lips.
"I wonder what people see when they look at me now." Remnii looked to her hand, still wrapped in Velen's, noting the stark difference in the colors of their skin. "Gul'dan would see me as glass, easy to shatter and sunder. Azgadaan would see myself and my sisters as answers, as some sort of salvation, perhaps. I hope he's seen beyond that, to know that we are more than that now. But... Kaylaan saw me as an impressive schemer, drawing thin lines between ally and asset. Meanwhile, Arthak believes that I have given him purpose, a greater goal, the endgame. This does not scratch the surface of the rest.
"I understand now, this unbridled ambition, better than I did when I was training and more wholly than I did when we were last together. In all this, Vakas I wonder if all this change, if all these experiences, have begun to shape me in a way that I may not like. I told you, last night, I am afraid. I cannot know but... I hope I have made the right choices. No matter how anyone would perceive me I hope that they, anyone who meets me, especially my loved ones, will... still be able to understand that I am... your daughter first. No one else's."
Remnii held herself steady, surprised to find that no tears were welling up in her eyes as she spoke. Instead, as she had already been, Remnii tightened her hand around Velen's again, thankful for his continued presence.
Still managing a smile, Remnii hummed, happily intaking the good news. "I am thankful that the Rangarii Prime is helping to pave the way. Your guidance, and that of the Council of Exarchs, will pave the way for greater understanding to be born. We will need that strength, strong leaders. I am ever thankful that we already have that foundation."
I hope, someday, they will take my council, and I theirs. I pray they will come to put their trust in me. I've certainly become ambitious for my second year...
Unconsciously, Remnii sighed as she mulled over the veritable mountain of work there was left to be done, even before reaching out to the splintered factions of Draenei. She felt older than two-hundred and fifty Azerothian Silence hung between father and daughter for almost too long before Remnii brought herself to the present again.
Another sigh exited her before she could stop herself with a shake of her head and another squeeze of Velen's hand. It was best to continue the tale and not to dwell, as she had reminded herself multiple times already.
"Shortly after, we were contacted by the traitor, Socrethar." Her voice finally cut the silence.
The story drummed on, the between and betrayed nature of Kaylaan and his escort to see the traitorous former Exarch. Through Socrethar's teasing and taunts, the traitor's plan came to light. He was seeking the Ata'mal crystals and he knew Akama kept one, if not more. The Warband's plan had worked, she explained, to draw the would-be Eredar lord out to Faralahn where he could more easily be slain.
"I did this while holding Leafshadow secret." Remnii shivered, remembering the hidden weight of the crystal. "He gave us Spiritsong and wanted Brightest Star for himself. As you know, that did not work in his favor. Still, bargaining with the Ata'mal crystals... was not my favorite moment of the journey.
"If that were not enough, we immediately took at portal at Azgadaan's behest to the docks to sail towards Faralahn. He learned something about corruption that day, the portal Socrethar ripped open was... potent, to say the least. Almost immediately thereafter, we met Gul'dan. I can still feel his rancid breath, trying to goad me, trying to leech fear from me. He has been trying to call me glass-- The Glass Priestess, actually. It's some sort of title that he's fancied for me, I've heard it again since.
"Luckily, thus far I have been able to keep a false sense of stoicism. He knows it is fake. I know it is fake, but it works well enough... I suppose."
Continuing, they were on a boat. Arthak stabbed himself and fought with Sorak, still dealing with the massive amount of corruption he took from the Eye of Sargeras. Kaylaan kept watching her, her slow bonding with Spinyl continued and...
"I think my first real talk with Azgadaan happened on that boat. I was frightened, and my words could have been kinder. He continually buzzed around Yrel, Samaara, and myself. He had this old crystal chronicle that he found. It had the first few teachings of the Vindicators, from Argus, taught by Akaama no less. I do not know the whole story, but his mother was able to stall the Legion. She'd prayed to the Light, and been killed for it. He is just a boy learning to navigate the circumstances of his birth.
"Yet, his failure, at points, to be empathetic and see beyond a lust for physical things and trinkets, put us in danger more than once. I was hoping he would pay more attention to the tennants of the Light, to begin to push himself to understand, perhaps faster than he was ready. He... still has a lot to learn, but now he is alone now. I hope he knows that he is capable without toys or a fancy way to get around. He has an able body and two hooves on the ground-- there is goodness in him. He can make his own choices, he is thinking for himself. I've often wondered how he was doing in these last, accidental six months. It was only a little after that that a vision of Jaraxxus attacked us, calling his own son traitor and wracking Azgadaan's body with corruption. For being not yet a year old, life is putting him through mighty trials.
I wanted more time with him. Yes, he can fight but... he is asking a tall order. Of me, of Yrel and Samaara, and someday, he'll ask for acceptance and asylum and possibly more, I believe, with the Draenei. Our people and his quest for answers are linked. I know he tries to understand, he does, but I pray he will truly find the Light as he needs. Truthfully, he will need it in days to come."
Remnii took a breath, finally looking to her Vakas, to make sure she wasn't over loading him. She ducked her head, apologetically, knowing that she had one more point to make before she paused her tale.
"Kaylaan, too, found me." She thought back to his looming form and summoned and image of the half-corrupted ex-Draenei as she had with the others. His look was critical. "He asked me if I knew that I was not free of schemes. He asked me why I, apparently, had the Warband wrapped around my fingers. He wondered why I pretended to be the wounded talbuk, the weak soft daughter of Velen, while I had deeper goals.
"Yes, he was able to understand the groundwork I was laying, and yes, he was jaded-- he felt abandoned, alone, and so consumed by anger. He lost his brother, he lost his family in Tempest Keep, after all. But, sometimes I still hear him, Vakas. He called me the Great Deceiver with ire and conviction burning in his eyes. We are... better now, we left on good terms. Yet, I fear that moment stayed with me just as he intended."
A third, timely sigh, came from her lips.
"I wonder what people see when they look at me now." Remnii looked to her hand, still wrapped in Velen's, noting the stark difference in the colors of their skin. "Gul'dan would see me as glass, easy to shatter and sunder. Azgadaan would see myself and my sisters as answers, as some sort of salvation, perhaps. I hope he's seen beyond that, to know that we are more than that now. But... Kaylaan saw me as an impressive schemer, drawing thin lines between ally and asset. Meanwhile, Arthak believes that I have given him purpose, a greater goal, the endgame. This does not scratch the surface of the rest.
"I understand now, this unbridled ambition, better than I did when I was training and more wholly than I did when we were last together. In all this, Vakas I wonder if all this change, if all these experiences, have begun to shape me in a way that I may not like. I told you, last night, I am afraid. I cannot know but... I hope I have made the right choices. No matter how anyone would perceive me I hope that they, anyone who meets me, especially my loved ones, will... still be able to understand that I am... your daughter first. No one else's."
Remnii held herself steady, surprised to find that no tears were welling up in her eyes as she spoke. Instead, as she had already been, Remnii tightened her hand around Velen's again, thankful for his continued presence.