The World as it Should Be

Treris carefully made her way up the stairs, making sure to keep her quarry in sight, but not look like that's what she was doing. This was easier than she expected, since there was a number of people going back and forth and none of them cared what she was doing. She peaked her head over the landing and saw Deydis and the female elf were staggering together down the hallway, laughing loudly.



“Which is your room?” the woman half laughed as she staggered.



“Oh its right over here, but I'd rather see your room.,” he smoothely indicated his door and then pressed his face onto her neck. She purred and laughed, and then pulled him into another room, closing the door swiftly behind them.



For a momen, Treris waited. She had originally wanted to burst in and question him violently, but the more she thought about it, the less of a good idea it seemed. For starters, the Bruisers did not tolerate any violence and she would be kicked out if she were very lucky and they where in a good mood. More likely she would be dead. Secondly, Deydis was smooth enough to talk himself out of anything.



Besides, he had so helpfully pointed out his room.



She casually walked over and tried the door, which was a little stuck. On purpose it had to be. The inn made no bones about the fact that they didn't provide locks for their doors and that anything you left in there would probably be stolen. Most likely by them. Something was jamming the door, but she found it took little effort to push it in a bit. She leaned back and then threw her weight forward onto the door, which gave easily.



A sticky substance was on the frame of the door, probably placed there earlier and allowed to congeal. Clever. Of course this would mean that he would know his room had been broken into, but she couldn't let that worry her now.



There were two beds. One looked like it had been slept in and not particularly cared for, the other looked as if no one had touched it. Her keen senses however, could detect a familiar scent which she associated with Deydis. It wasn't perfume or anything like that, in fact he didn't have any strong scene which she supposed made sense, but there was a feint one which she had become accustomed to, that of soap, sweat and clean leather.



The other bed smelled strongly of orc, and in particular, Jenarra. Treris closed her eyes and saw again her face looking blankly at the sky on the beach. She made herself stop, she couldn't freak out here.



Resolved again, she made a quick search of the room but found precious little. A few vials of poison, which she pocketed hoping to get a better look at later, some scraps of paper, mostly written in Orcish which she didn't understand but held onto, and not much else. She sat on the bed, feeling rather defeated and rather stupid. Of course he wouldn't leave anything of import here. Sejova certainly wouldn't.



She wondered what to do, when she noticed a small book on the night stand between the beds. It wasn't remarkable, a book on the practices of Druids. Not something either of them would be interested in, she thought as she opened it, but then who knew what Deydis was interested in. She idly flipped through the pages and was about to put it back when she noticed a slight bulge on the inside of the back cover. Feeling it with her fingers she was sure there was something in there.



Treris cut it open with her knife and found it was a small medallion, slightly larger than a coin. It was made of bronze and embossed on one side was a hammer and the other was a tree. She stared at it for a long while, turning it over in her hand, wondering what it meant.



A crash outside snapped her out of it and she jumped to her feet and to the door, pressing her back against the wall. It was shortly followed by a scream as she heard what she assumed to be Deydis' partner fleeing. There were howls of laughter downstairs as she seemed to descend, judging by the screaming. Within seconds the door next to her flew open and a dark shape flew past her, hitting the floor hard.



Instinct kicked in and she immediately crouched down in the corner next to a dresser and melded into the shadow. She was unseen, but also couldn't move.



Deydis was on the floor and completely naked. A pair of pants flew in after him, which he grabbed and started to put on as nonchalantly as someone who had just been thrown through a door could manage. Treris held her breath when she saw who walked in after him.



It was the Tauren from earlier, the one who had found her with Jenarra's body. He was standing, hunched in the doorway, which was dwarfed by his bulk. He walked purposefully into the room and rose to his full height, looking if anything even more terrifying than he had this morning.



“So,” Deydis said pulling his pants on, “to what do I owe this pleasure Tarn?”



Tarn snorted angrily through his nostrils and boomed, “Jenarra is dead, we've been trying to find you all afternoon and I find you carousing with another slut!”



The casual smile that was always on the elf's face disapeared completely and he stood staring up at the Tauren in shock.



“Dead?” he asked quietly, “how?”



“Shot by a Night Elf, killed her instantly. An accident, she was fired in her brain, started running around blindly. Kleo says she was poisoned,” he lowered his head so he was mere inches away from Deydis and said menacingly, “I've seen it before, on those little blades you carry. Where were you earlier?”



“I was returning from Silvermoon,” Deydis said quickly and quietly, “I got here a couple of hours ago, I haven't left the port since.”



Tarn snorted again and rose back up.



“We are bringing her body back home, but Javis wanted you to come first.”



Deydis looked up sharply at the name, but then bowed his head and nodded.



“Get dressed,” Tarn said, “we leave in five minutes.”



He then turned and left the room, leaving Deydis alone and looking at the floor. He sank onto his bed and rested his head on his hands. Treris wasn't sure, but he seemed to let out a small sob, before getting up and gathering his things. He picked up the book and paused for a moment. Treris' breathe caught and she eyed the door. It was open still, she could make a break for it, but then go where?



Deydis was suddenly at the dresser, mere inches from her, pulling out some clothes and other things. He must know that everything's been gone through, she thought, he must know I'm here. Her heart pounded against her ribs and she didn't know how much more she could take before she had to break and run.



Her moment came suddenly when he kicked into where she was standing, hitting her on the side of the arm and knocking her back slightly. Without thinking, she jumped up and started running out into the hall. She raced to the stairs and jumped over the railing onto the tavern floor and then out the door. She was vaguely aware of shouts, laughter and whatnot, but her main focus was to get away fast.

The night air was thick and heavy as always and sweat stuck to her skin as she raced down the walkway towards the lower levels. She ran behind the buildings and slid under the planks where the water didn't quite reach the rock face.



For several agonizing moments she lay under it, looking up through the slats waiting to see if she had been followed. Her breath caught when she saw Deydis walk over head, looking around. She again melded into the shadows and waited for him to move on. The Tauren came stomping over within seconds, shouting up a storm.



“I told you to be ready,” he boomed, “instead I find you chasing more tail!”



Deydis shrugged as he looked up at him, “just looking for a good bye gift, but I guess this isn't my night,” he said smoothly before walking past the hulking Tauren back towards the inn.



Treris didn't dare move for a full hour, when she could be sure that they had gone to the encampment to the north. Slowly she slipped out of her hiding spot and quickly began moving. She picked up Ripper and headed up to the flight masters on the top level.



“Where ye be goin?” the old dwarf asked her.



“Stormwind.”