Post by Patty
((Yes, it's me again! Part 1 can be found
here, and I hope you enjoy. Please have the courtesy to leave feedback after reading; as usual any is welcome. Yes, there is sap. Yes, it's cringeworthy.))
--
Alicia was awoken by the loud twittering of songbirds and the piercing, unrelenting glare of the sun. She groaned and parted from her warm, plush bed before heading towards the bathroom. She ran herself a hot bath and wondered how they warmed up the water, getting a strange image of a mage constrained in a cupboard and heating up the water with a fireball. All of the time the human was sat in the bathtub, she contemplated herself fighting against a horde of evil forces valiantly.
Some time later, Alicia emerged from the bathroom in a tightly tied white dressing gown, her wet hair hanging down her back as usual. She walked down the stairs quietly, and was again greeted by silence.
“Father, when are we going?” she asked eagerly. Jim was sat on the plush sofa, and was reading a letter.
“Some time after breakfast,” he replied in a bored tone, not looking away from the document in his hands.
“Another thing, dad…” Alicia said, biting her bottom lip nervously. Jim let out a heavy sigh, and put the letter against the arm of the sofa.
“Yes?”
There was a slight pause. “Well…um…I was wondering…could you maybe…teach me how to use a sword?” the girl asked somewhat naïvely, smiling hopefully and blushing at her father.
“I’m a merchant; not a warrior.” was the frank response that Alicia received. “And anyway, why would you need to train as a fighter?” the middle-aged man frowned, exaggerating his wrinkles.
“Doesn’t matter…” the young woman mumbled, marching into the kitchen with her arms swinging uncontrollably at her side.
“Alicia…” Clair sighed. “You’re not thirteen anymore. Stop acting it.” the girl shrugged, and kept her mouth shut. Her mother walked up to her with a plate of various fruits, smiling gently at her.
“You’ll need your strength for the journey,“ the elder woman nodded as Alicia took a bite into a succulent, moist and juicy piece of fresh watermelon. “Talking of which - you’d better get ready.” her mother suggested. Alicia nodded, and scurried to her bedroom - throwing on some baggy trousers, a white cotton shirt and some worn leather boots hastily. She ran down the stairs excitedly, and her father frowned at her.
“Why the fel are you wearing that?” he asked sternly.
“What? We’re only going for some basic trade; right?” she enquired, quite confused why her attire was unsuitable.
“Yes, yes, of course. But nevertheless, your mother will help spruce you up.” Jim responded, before waddling his way up the stairs himself. Alicia’s eyes scanned the room as they usually did, and saw an adorned, soft, periwinkle-blue dress hanging from the side of the main mahogany bookcase. She wondered what it was for, staring in awe at it.
“Ah, you’ve seen your clothing I see?” Clair asked with a smile.
“M - Mine?” she stuttered. “This must have cost a fortune, and we’re only selling standard stuff anyw-” she was cut off by her mother.
“But you see, we want you to look your best.” the older woman said optimistically, pressing the dress against Alicia’s body.
“Anyway, mother - I can’t wear that properly, I won’t look right in it.” Alicia sighed and there was a brief pause.
‘You let me worry about that…’ Alicia’s mother replied. ‘The corset - anyway.’ She added, and Alicia‘s eyes widened in fear. She had heard all sorts of horror stories about those contraptions; including a girl who’s rib pierced her heart and killed her instantly. She bit her bottom lip nervously and the peach hue of her cheeks faded into a pale opaque.
“There’s nothing to be worried about,” Clair reassured her as she unbuttoned Alicia’s shirt. “At least you have the right bra on.” She noticed, placing the short, stiff undergarment over Alicia’s torso.
‘This isn’t too bad,’ thought Alicia cheerily - until her mother started pulling and tightening the corset - a loud gasp for air escaping her. The girl winced and squealed in pain as she felt her body forced into shape by the delicate looking piece of lingerie.
“Sorry my darling, beauty is painful.“ the more mature woman commented sadly. “But you mightn’t want to breathe out fully - you might injure yourself.” she added.
Some time later, with some difficulty, Alicia was dressed ‘properly’ According to her mother, and she looked in an aged mirror that Clair had brought from the master bedroom. Alicia was speechless, and her jaw was agape.
“Beautiful,” Alicia’s mother clapped her hands gleefully, tears welling in her eyes and a proud grin spread across her face. Alicia stayed silent, thinking to herself that she felt ‘like a porcelain doll, fake.’ she forced a polite smile back to her mother, feeling constrained by the make-up and chemicals on her body. However, that constriction was nothing to the corset - which made breathing awkward. Her mother scurried over to the young girl - no, truly a woman now - with a matching coloured fan in her hands.
“Wouldn’t want you to faint in this heat!” She exclaimed, exerting some strange mixture of a sob and a gasp before wrapping her arms around her daughter in a warm embrace.
“Um…thanks mum…” Alicia responded, almost inaudibly muffled.
Jim walked down the stairs, almost tripping at one point and nodded at his daughter, who pulled away from her mother. He was obviously wearing his best clothing, because it had the easily recognisable scent of mothballs. The older man looked fairly respectable in his white shirt, maroon waistcoat and black tailcoat and soft, cotton-looking trousers.
“Time to go…” He said, giving his wife a brief kiss on the lips before grabbing onto Alicia’s hand and leading her outside.
“I love you so much, and I’ll have your favourite meal ready when you come home, de-” Clair rambled, the tears now flowing down her face, not realising that the pair had departed.
--
A loud
*Knock!* Echoed across the dark, roughly stoned and candlelit circular room. “Come in,” A voice droned, its figure slumped against a desk, with several strangely inscribed books ajar. The rickety oak door held by rusting bronze joints creaked open; revealing two shadows which were shrouded by the darkness of the hallway beyond.
“Any luck?” The figure at the table asked, his head turned towards the two silhouettes, their features now notable in the candlelight.
A slim, woman shook their head. “I’m afraid not,” They whispered hoarsely, a dark hood covering much of her face. A pair of scarlet, plump lips were certainly striking; but little else was revealed.
Much more distinctive, the second person had a hunched back, and very long arms which looked a strange shade of blue. Some tusks curled upwards, towards a large, crooked and pointed nose. The figure removed its mask to reveal obsidian eyes and lowered their hood; long ears and red hair free of their constraint. “Dere was nutin’ dere.” They mumbled and fidgeted in fear, avoiding looking at the stranger against the desk.
“Failure, again!” The unknown person with grey-black hair and a long beard exclaimed angrily, standing up and throwing a dense grimoire at the pair as paper rustled in the air, the book crashing to the floor. “I wonder what I use you two for…” He growled, emerald green eyes piercing the failures. The woman bit her bottom lip nervously, revealing some contrasting bone-white teeth.
“I am sorry, master…I will do better next time.” The woman softly said, trying to be sultry.
“Your games will not work on me, Lunarial.” The bearded man spat and the woman stepped away from him. “Leave me, you parasites!” He yelled as the two scurried out and slammed the creaking, oak door.
--
Alicia stared around her as the rays of the sun perforated the canopy of the trees, as usual. The typical, somewhat inviting rush of water and tranquillity surrounded her - and she could smell fresh lavender. Her father was holding two horses by the reins; a black stallion and a smaller beast with a glossy white coat. The smaller creature lowered itself, and the young woman climbed onto it - both of her legs to her left hand side.
“Before we leave, I want you to have this.” Jim said, rummaging through a small, green bag and pulling out a shimmering greyish cloak. “It shields you from any weather, and a lot more than that too.” He said, handing the soft, smooth and silky item to Alicia. “Made and enchanted by the elves; repels magical attacks in case you ever need that. Cost me an arm and a leg; but it’s worth it!” He smiled at her, swinging himself onto the black creature which would deliver him to Stormwind.
Alicia beamed at her father and thanked him greatly. Her horse raised itself from the ground and she clenched its light mane as though her life depended on it. It followed her father, who was travelling ahead of her.
“Stay close, darling” He commanded her, his head turning in all directions of the bright, beautiful and luscious forest.
--
Hagin hastily gathered his belongings, and cast a quick charm on his satchel, now far more roomy than it appeared. He strained a rich blue tapestry with gold and silver embroideries in the bag, and exhaled in exhaustion, before wiping some sweat from his brow in his rich, indigo robes of the Kirin Tor.
The stubby gnome looked around his home one last time; admiring the craftsmanship required to carve the walls into the mountainside.
“There’s no place like home…” He said outloud, staring at the now vacated marble mantelpiece. The mage composed himself, walking towards his uneven, chipped front door and shut it - levitating himself for a moment as he struggled to lock it, the security device out of reach for him.
Hagin stumbled through the city towards Tinker Town, and walked to the tram station. He purchased his ticket from a relatively pleasant dwarf, and stepped carefully onto the tram - not wanting his robe to be caught on the cold, granite platform. The mage took a seat, and tapped his foot nervously as the tram departed. There were several dwarf and human commuters, who he paid no heed to; preoccupied first and foremost about correcting his actions.
--
((
Part 3, if you really want to read more..))