Pages

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Winter's Veil and the Light -- Part 1/2

Yes, you read that correctly. I suppose you could call this a "Christmas in July" surprise, given that I'd originally meant to have this ready for last year's actual Christmas season, but stuff happened and I got stuck finishing the story. I'll explain more in a follow-on post after this is complete.

This story is set after the events that culminated in The Deadmines and then The Stockades in Vanilla Classic WoW. When I write I tend to jump around the timeline when I find a compelling scene, which is why I have other works of fiction in the pipeline. I may eventually begin creating completely original works of fiction again, but that also assumes that Cardwyn won't kick my ass or something and demand more be written.

The full list of attributions will follow at the conclusion of the story, so I won't give anything away, but here's a standard disclaimer: 

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Any characters and locations created by Blizzard for WoW Classic remain their property. This work of fiction uses WoW Classic as the primary reference point. Copyright by Redbeard of Parallel Context, 2025.



Winter’s Veil and the Light

"Apprentice, your sister is here!"

I stuffed the last wrapped present into my pack and slung it over my shoulder. "Coming!" I called, flying out of my room and to the top of the stairs.

At the bottom stood Mistress Elsharin and Kira, chatting quietly. Considering she’d just arrived from Goldshire I expected my big sister to at least appear like she’d been traveling all day, but no, she looked like her typical perfect self. She wore her formal Journeywoman's outfit, complete with the badges signifying her rank in the Goldshire Bakers Guild stitched onto her breast jacket. The only indication she’d been on the road at all was her travelling basket by her side, which she used to carry baked goods throughout central Elwynn. I bounced down the stairs and into her arms, clapping her on the back. “Kira!” I cried.

"Card!" she exclaimed, squeezing me tight and holding me at arm’s length. "Look at you! You're wearing a new robe!"

"It took me quite a while to figure out how to stitch the material,” I grinned, “but I had some help from around the Quarter." 

That was quite an understatement. When Mistress Elsharin suggested that I should mark the ending of the Defias affair by making my own robe, I was a bit hesitant. After all, she'd made it rather plain to me that despite her Queldorei house name she was not a tailor and had no interest in becoming one. After my experience with a tailor accosting me to examine my robe when I first arrived in Stormwind, I wasn't so keen on asking for help, either. However, Elsharin recommended a different tailor, and Mistress Larson took me under her wing to show me the basics of dealing with bizarre items such as spider silk thread in the creation of this new white robe.

"I love your Journeywoman's outfit!" I added as took in my sister's uniform. "Isn't it different than last year’s?"

"Yes!" Kira pulled her sleeve over, exposing some new stitching. "The gold stripe along the shoulder and down the sleeves signify Senior status."

"That's wonderful! Does that mean you're the Senior Journeywoman in the Guild?"

My sister grinned from ear to ear and nodded.

I dropped my pack and embraced her in another tight hug. "Congratulations!"

"That is wonderful news!" Elsharin exclaimed, crossing over to our kitchen. "This calls for a toast before you leave." 

"You're not coming?" Kira called after her.

My sister released me, and I shook my head and sighed.

"I shouldn't intrude, as it is a family event, and a Dawnweaver always puts family first," Mistress Elsharin replied, returning with three glasses and a bottle of wine.

"I tried to convince her that she's family now," I added, "but..."

"No buts, Apprentice." The Elf handed out the glasses and poured some wine into each. "To Kira Songshine, Senior Journeywoman!" she exclaimed, raising her glass in a toast.

"To Kira!" I saluted my sister and drank. 

"To Card and Elsharin, my Stormwind family!" Kira added.

"And now," Elsharin said, setting down her glass, "I believe you two have a date to keep back at your farm." She walked over to the foyer and raised her arms to cast. "Apprentice, you have my presents with you?"

I grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulder. "Yes, Mistress Elsharin."

"Very well, I'll open the portal." She focused and brought the arcane to bear before us, and a portal to the farm opened. "Tell everyone Happy Winter Veil for me!"

"I will!" 

We stepped through the portal and into our barn.


***

"Mistress Evelyn isn't going to be happy," I said as I closed the barn doors. A thin blanket of snow covered everything on a clear evening, with The White Lady rising over the house. I shivered and thought about going back to Stormwind and getting a cloak, but the walk to the house wasn't far. 

"Just how hard did you try to convince your Mistress?" Kira asked.

I made an indelicate sound. “She's as stubborn as Mom is.”

“Is she a Mistress or a Magistrix? I thought Elves preferred Magistrix.”

“I’ve always called her Mistress, just like Mistress Evelyn, but I think you might be right. To be honest, she’s never mentioned a preference.”

As we reached the steps to the porch, Kira stopped me. “No talk of Thomas Miller. Understood?”

I snickered. “You mean your boyfr— mmph!!”

Kira covered my mouth with her hand, her eyes blazing. “Not. A. Word. I’m not ready for that conversation yet.”

“Okay, okay,” I mumbled through her hand.

Kira released me slowly and straightened her uniform. “Good. That’s settled.”

We heard voices and music through the door as we climbed the stairs, and I changed the topic. “What’s in the basket?”

“A surprise,” Kira said, grinning so quickly I was sure she’d faked her anger. She pushed open the door and a blast of warmth enveloped us, with the aroma of dinner and sweets filling my nostrils.

“Kira! Card!”

The house was filled with family and friends. Dad and several of the farmhands were in one corner, playing music, while others drank and chatted away. My sister-in-law Karyn helped her daughter Carys set the long table, while a few other farmhands worked on a second table. Karyn crossed the short distance and gave us hugs.

“When’s the baby due?” I asked, noting the telltale bump on her belly.

“Spring,” she replied with a satisfied smile. “Likely after Spring planting. And how are the two of you faring?”

“Doing well enough,” I replied as a small something attached itself to my leg. "Hey Sprout!" I cried, lifting my niece up into my arms. "Happy Winter Veil!"

"Car-wyn!" Carys cried, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing until I gave an "Ack!" in response. She then leaned over to my ear and whispered, "Where's your purple robe?"

"It's back in my room in Stormwind, Sprout," I replied. "I made this one myself."

Her eyes grew wide. "Oooh.... You made this? Like...." And she waved her arms about.

I laughed. "Oh no, not like that. I made it just like the way that Granmama and your mama make clothing. Only the material is kind of.... Magey."

"Mage-wee?"

"Yeah, whoever heard of using silk from giant spiders for thread?"

Carys' eyes grew even wider if that were possible. "Really?" she squeaked.

"Really. But it's okay, I made sure those spiders weren't gonna hurt anybody."

"Good." She patted me on the shoulder and I set her down, only to be engulfed in Dad's embrace.

"Hey, Card," he said, "Glad you could make it!"

"I wouldn't miss it for anything, Dad. Did I hear your whistle?"

"You did! A festive occasion is a great time for music, so we've been playing off and on since the morning. Where's Elsharin?"

"She said it was a family affair, and that she shouldn't butt in."

Dad snorted. "What is it with stubborn Mages?"

"We're only stubborn when we need to be, Daryn," Mistress Evelyn interrupted. Instead of her usual mismatched clothing, this time she wore a rich purple robe with the symbol of the Kirin Tor emblazoned on it. 

"Mistress Evelyn?" My eyes nearly bugged out of my head.

"Oh, don't worry about the robe, Dear," she replied. "It’s nothing, really." 

I didn't believe that for a minute, but I wasn't inclined to argue. 

"So, she decided not to come?" Evelyn asked me.

"Yes ma'am. I tried to convince her..."

"Hmmph. I think that she and I will have some words," Mistress Evelyn said, marching out through the front door and into the twilight.

***

I found Mom in the kitchen, working on dinner with Linna, Jas, and Davin, the farmhands’ cook. Seeing the buzz of activity without me felt hollow, like I was no longer part of things. I wasn’t, of course, but I didn’t expect that of all things I’d be missing the oven or chopping vegetables. To my mind, it would be like fretting over whether the manure was getting properly turned. Still, I wasn’t about to go moping around somewhere.

“Need a hand?” I asked.

“Card!” Linna cried, looking up from the pies she was filling. A stray strand of hair fell across her eyes, and she tucked it back behind her ear.

“Go get your apron,” Mom ordered without looking up from the oven. “You can take back your old job for the evening.”

Sure enough, my old apron hung from its hook in the corner, so I grabbed it and put it on. My stomach flip-flopped as I secured the apron, but I bit my tongue and finished tying the knot. I took the wooden paddle from Mom and began nudging the food in the oven around; if I thought I was freezing only a few moments ago, I was certainly warm now.

“Card,” Linna called, “this one’s ready to go in.”

I brought the paddle over and my sister set the pie atop it, and I managed to put the pie into the oven without dumping it onto the floor. There might have been a close call or two while I remembered how to wield the damn thing, but after I pulled the paddle out, I sighed and grinned. “It’s been a while,” I added.

“I’d be surprised if you had been working in Elsharin’s kitchen instead of studying,” my brother Jas observed.

“I still cook, but it’s not the same as here. There’s only the two of us, and frequently Mistress Elsharin conjures up some food and drink for us to eat.”

Jas grunted and wrestled with the spits that he and Davin were working. “It must be nice snapping your fingers and having a meal pop up.”

“It may be quicker, but it doesn’t taste as good as food here.” I cast a fire ward, reached in, and yanked out a pudding. “Eating this is more satisfying,” I declared, setting the pudding on the table to cool.

“How have your lessons been?” Linna asked.

“What she means is ‘can you turn someone into a sheep yet?’” Davin added, earning a glare from my sister.

“No, not yet,” I replied. “I still need to prove myself to her before she’ll teach me that. While I get plenty of arcane lessons, that’s only part of my education. Let’s just say that I’m glad I can speak to you in our tongue tonight.”

“What are you talking about?” Mom asked.

"Mistress Elsharin is teaching me Thalassian, and her decree is that only Thalassian is to be spoken in her home so that I’m immersed in it."

"Oh really?"

"Oh yes. You have no idea how hungry I was on that first morning until I finally said 'breakfast' right."

Linna burst into laughter and nearly knocked a second pie on the floor.

As I settled in and kept the oven full, I caught up on the news around the farm. The pregnancy hadn't slowed Karyn down, as she and Carys kept busy working on clothing and helping Mom run the household. Jas and Linna were helping Dad clear a few trees on the edge of the northern field in preparation for something Jas called Project M. In the meantime, James, Robyn, and the rest of the farmhands were working on the fencing and other minor repairs that had been neglected while the Defias commanded everyone's attention this past year.

“What about that Squire that came home with you mid-Summer when you were heading east?” Mom asked me.

I shrugged. “Trevor has been in Lakeshire for a while now. We’ve written each other a few times, and some of our squad mates have been reassigned there from Westfall to help him deal with the Blackrock Clan.”

“Not you, I take it?”

“No, not me. I’ve been studying a lot of theory so that I’m on even footing with the other Apprentices around the Quarter.”

“Aw,” Linna clucked. “I was hoping your young man was going to show tonight.”

“He’s not ‘my young man’, Linna. Pretty sure he’s his own person.”

She smirked at my response. “We have a betting pool going, so you’d better not fail me on this one.”

“You what??

“Linna’s teasing you,” Mom interrupted. “Ignore her.”

I snorted as I pulled out some bread from the oven. “Ha.”

“Focus on Trevor’s eyes instead.”

I nearly dropped the paddle, bread and all, while Linna collapsed on the floor, giggling.

“Mo-om!!”

“Carrrd!” she mocked me.

Eventually I heard the telltale sound of a portal opening. “Mistress Evelyn’s back,” I said as I pulled out the last of the desserts.

“Good timing,” Davin replied. “We’re just about finished with the roast.”

I set the last pie on the table and was about to put the paddle away when I heard her voice. “She’s here! Evelyn got her to come!” I cried and headed for the kitchen door.

“Ahem!” Mom called, tapping her foot.

That brought me up short.

“We’re not done, Card. Finish your work and then you can see her.”

Dammit, I just had to go and help. But Mom was right: when you start a job, you finish a job. Or as Mistress Elsharin put it, “A Dawnweaver always finishes what she starts.”

I need not have worried, as she found me first.

“Ah, here you are, Apprentice,” my Mistress said as she appeared in the doorway. “Back to work, are you?”

“I’m just helping, Mistress Elsharin,” I replied, slipping into Thalassian. “It has been some time since I last worked in the kitchen.”

“Cardwyn,” she replied gently, “I appreciate your dedication, but you don’t have to use Thalassian right now.”

“Oh.” I paused for a moment to focus. “I didn’t realize I did it until you mentioned it.”

Linna snickered, and I poked her in the rear with the end of the paddle.

Elsharin nodded, ignoring the two of us. “You’re getting better; now we need to work on your vocabulary.” She took in the hustle and bustle of the kitchen for a moment, her eyes sparkling. “Now, what needs to be set out on the tables?”

***

Winter’s Veil dinner is always a special occasion, but it was even more so this year since I’m no longer at home. I sat with Elsharin and Evelyn, and after a moment of awkward quiet when the meal began, the two Mages began chatting about all manners of things arcane. Most of the discussion went completely over my head, but nevertheless I was grateful to be included in the conversation.

The biggest surprise during dinner, however, was when Kira proudly presented the contents of her basket: an unusually shaped pastry, almost hive-like in design. The sweet scents of butter and honey made my mouth water.

Mistress Elsharin gasped. “Honey Bread!” she exclaimed.

“I’ve been working on the recipe for a few months now,” Kira explained. “I got a sample this past Harvest time from a Queldorei passing through Goldshire, and I thought it would be a nice touch for this Winter’s Veil dinner. If you would do me the honors, I would love to hear your assessment.” She cut a piece and handed it to my Mistress.

Elsharin turned over the piece slowly and inhaled the aroma. “If your sample was for traveling, it wouldn’t have the honey glaze on it, but otherwise…” She took a bite.

I stole a quick glance at Kira. She stood tall and radiated confidence while she waited for a verdict.

“Oh, Quel’Thalas,” Elsharin whispered, closing her eyes. “This tastes just like home.”

“I’ll remember to add a glazing next time,” Kira replied. “I might need additional tests before I get it right, so I have more of an excuse to visit Stormwind now.”

“More of an excuse?” Dad asked.

“Oh, to visit Card and Elsharin, of course.”

“Of course.” Dad’s bland reply brought a smirk to my face. In that instant I was certain that he knew about Kira’s love interest.

“Well then,” Kira continued, deftly wielding a knife, “I’ll provide slices to everybody. Happy Winter Veil!”

I gobbled my slice so quickly that Kira slipped me another one with a wink. “I wasn’t expecting the oats,” I told her, “but it’s wonderful, Sis.”

“That’s what captivated me, honestly. I expected the sweetness from the honey and the richness from the egg, but the oats simply enhanced the flavor. Once I tasted it, I knew I had to try to make it.”

“I think...” Elsharin mused, “that the flour is different than what we use in Quel’Thalas. Otherwise, the flavor is almost identical to what I knew in Fairbreeze.”

Kira beamed. “The Masters are encouraging us to generate broader interest in our products, and once they hear a Queldorei approved of the recipe, I’ll be allowed to teach the apprentices and add it to our baking rotation.”

I felt insanely proud of my big sister for pulling this off. I’d seen her experiment in the kitchen as a teen, tinkering with this and that to see how cooking worked, and that seed of curiosity has now borne fruit. If I had only half of her drive… No, I corrected myself, we all have the same drive, we’re just driven by different passions, that’s all. I made a mental note to carry some of her honey bread when I next went travelling. Food is a universal language, and sharing some with the other scattered Queldorei and their offshoot the Sindorei might prove useful.

At the end of dinner, before we exchanged presents, Robyn and James stood up. “As most of you are aware,” James began, “Robyn and I have been seeing each other a lot this fall.”

Well, I certainly wasn’t aware, but James’ somewhat stuttering statement drew a bit of amused laughter from the rest of the farmhands.

I exchanged a glance with Linna, who had one of those “I know a secret” grins plastered all over her face.

“Anyway,” Robyn added, “we’ve decided to marry sometime in the Spring.”

Her next words were drowned out by deafening cheers.

“I said,” Robyn continued when the hubbub subsided, “we don’t want to interfere with Spring Planting, so we thought it best to have the wedding after that. That will give you a chance to find replacements for us over the Summer.”

“Where will you be going?” Mom asked.

“We’re still working that part out,” James replied. “Since Westfall is a lot safer now, we thought about relocating there, but Elwynn is home.”

Dad stood, his face so somber I immediately suspected subterfuge. “I won’t deny that we’ll miss you both here. It feels only yesterday that the two of you arrived at the farm.”

“You’re just getting old, Daryn!” someone shouted.

“Maybe I am,” Dad replied, “but I still remember how this place looked when we first came here after the war. It took a long time to turn this into a home for all of us. So… Mona and I had been talking about expanding the north field a bit, but now we’ve a better idea. Our wedding gift to you is a home of your own on the northern edge of the farm. That way you can stay and raise a family here, and when the time is right, we can open some farmland for you up there.”

“That’s what you’ve been doing up there?” Robyn blurted out, her eyes as big as saucers. “I thought that was for a home for Mistress Evelyn.”

“I’m fine, Dear,” Evelyn replied. “I’ve got more of a home now than I’ve had since the Second War. I’m happy to wait.”

“You’re serious, Master Songshine?” James stammered.

“Absolutely. You can think about it and let us know later.”

Robyn and James looked at each other as if they were trying to read each other’s minds, then Robyn nodded slightly. “We’ll take it, Master Songshine!” James finally declared.

“Welcome home, you two,” Dad replied and gave them both hugs amid the celebration.

***

Some hours later, as I sat by the fire with a snoring Carys curled up in my lap, Linna stopped by. She tousled Carys' hair and plopped down in the chair next to me. "She misses you when you're not here," she said, smiling.

"I miss her too," I replied. "There are times when I want to stop what I'm doing and come back to see how much she's grown, but life won't let me do that." 

"Will you be able to make it back home in time for the wedding?"

"Absolutely. I'm not going to miss it. I'll also try to be back to help with the patrols during Spring Planting. The Defias are diminished but not gone."

“Now…” Linna leaned over with a crooked grin on her face, “I want to know what Kira’s been up to. I saw that look when Dad called her out about visiting Stormwind more often.”

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy,” I replied, using fingers to button my lips shut.

“I knew it! At least you can tell me if you approve or not.”

I kept my lips shut and faked speaking. “Mmmph! Mmm… Mmmmph….”

Linna sat back and pumped her fists into the sky. “This is aweseome! I’m so happy for her!”

I nodded with a grin so wide it threatened to split my face in two.

“Ah…” my sister sighed, sinking deeper into the chair. “You and Elsharin seem to be getting along well.”

“We are,” I said as Carys stirred for a moment and settled down in another position. “She can definitely put the fear of the Light into me when I need it, and Queldorei culture is different than ours, but I’ve really enjoyed being her apprentice so far.”

“I’ve heard about some Mages being harsh taskmasters, but you two seem to be more friends than Mistress and Apprentice.”

“I think it’s because we have a similar outlook on life. Being a Mage to her is more than just about power, but about what you do with it. In that respect, she and Mistress Evelyn are kindred spirits.”

There was a long pause as Linna stared at the fire, the glowing embers reflected in her eyes. "Do you have some time to talk?" she finally asked.

"I thought we were talking.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I'm not going anywhere," I replied, looking down at Carys. "What's on your mind?"

"Ever since that attack last Summer," Linna began, "I've had something gnawing at me. I can't really describe it, but it's more of an urge that I should be doing more to help out."

"Around the farm?"

"No, more like for Eastern Elwynn in general. Being part of the patrols has helped, but I still can't shake it. It's like... well..." She paused, frowning. "Do you remember when Mom and Dad first told us about how a farm really worked, and that we not only grew food for ourselves but also sold it to people in Goldshire so we'd have the gold and silver to buy the things we needed?"

"Yes." I wondered what my sister was getting at.

"Well, for me it was a revelation that there was this whole world we were connected to that we never knew existed. We'd visit Goldshire for the Harvest Festival and all, but beyond that I never saw the connection. And suddenly there it was."

Linna looked back at me, her eyes hardening. "The Defias attack did the same thing, but in a different way. It opened my eyes to how people could be cruel to others for no other reason than they could. There were always mean and cruel people in Elwynn, like the Brackwells, but the Defias were different. They weren't from around here and yet they blamed us for problems we never knew existed. If things had turned out just a little bit differently, we'd either be dead or in some terrible slum in Stormwind with nowhere to go, all because of their cruelty.

"When you and Trevor stopped here in late Summer," she continued, "I talked with him after you'd gone to bed. I don't know why, but I felt he would understand. And while we were chatting, it was then that it hit me that it wasn't a feeling I'd been wrestling with, it was a calling."

I stared at Linna, suddenly realizing what she was leading up to.

She took a deep breath. "I want to go to Stormwind and become a Knight of the Silver Hand." 

I reached over and placed a hand on her knee. "If this is what you want, I'll back you up. Do Mom and Dad know?"

"Yes. I spoke with them about this a few weeks ago, but I wanted to wait until I told you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I did," Linna said, her eyes glistening. "Because I know what it means. I might not see you again for a long time."

"You might be surprised," I replied, my voice catching in my throat.

"Maybe," she added, sniffing a few times, "but there's another reason. To take the oaths, you need two sponsors to vouch for your clarity of purpose and your overall virtue. Will you stand with me and be one of my sponsors?"

I opened my mouth, but my voice took flight and headed for points unknown. Me? Sponsoring my own sister? Are you kidding?

"I understand if you need time to think about it," Linna added in a rush. "It's a bit of a surprise, springing this on you like that, but--" 

I squeezed my sister's knee, trying to remember how to talk.

Linna caught her breath.

"I would LOVE to stand with you, Sis. I'm honored you would think of me."

She exhaled and smiled, placing her hand over mine. "Well, I must admit having the Hero of Westfall as a sponsor wouldn't hurt."

"Linna...." My voice dropped an octave or two.

She grinned at my warning. "As much as you try to duck it, Card, you're stuck with it now. So, you might as well use it from time to time."

I sighed. "Okay, you win. Who's the other sponsor?"

"I don't know." The grin fell off my sister's face. "I wanted to have a Knight sponsor me, because Trevor said that was the easiest path, but outside of Balthan I don't know of any full Knights, and Light only knows where he’s at right now. I can't ask Mom or Dad to do it either; I don't want to fish up any bad memories."

"Have you thought about Mistress Evelyn?"

"Well, yes, but I don't know if she'd be well known enough to sponsor me."

I adjusted Carys on my lap; she was heavier than she looked, and my legs were falling asleep. Leaning forward, I whispered, "Linna, she's more well connected than any of us ever realized. I don't know the full extent of it, but that apprentice robe she gave me caused me all sorts of trouble in Stormwind. Everybody thought I was from Dalaran and apprenticed to one of the leaders of the Kirin Tor. There has to be something about that robe, and her, that caused that."

"Hmmm...." At least my sister didn't reject the idea outright.

"But the best thing is that if you asked her, I'm sure she'd say yes." 

"Asked who, Dear?"

If it weren't for Carys keeping me anchored in place, I'd have jumped. "Uh...." I began.

"Oh, she knows, Card," Linna intervened.

Mistress Evelyn came from around behind me and sat down in another chair. "Are you talking about taking the oaths?" she asked, smoothing out her robe.

“Yes,” I replied just a shade too quickly.

“She asked you to sponsor her, I presume. Will you?”

“Of course,” I replied. “She’s my sister.”

Evelyn’s gaze shifted to Linna. “Have you decided who to ask next?”

“Not yet, Mistress Evelyn.”

“May I offer some advice? There is someone who has spent time in Stormwind for a few years now, and while she is not a Knight, she is highly respected.”

“Mistress Elsharin, you mean?” I wasn’t sure what the Knights would think if both an Apprentice and her Master vouched for the same person.

As if on cue, a voice rose in song from the dining room accompanied by Dad on his whistle; an achingly beautiful piece I’d heard many times before, but never in its original Thalassian.

Evelyn listened, smiling. “She needed this,” she said half to herself. “But no, Dear, not her. It is someone she knows, however, as does Linna.”

“I do?” Now it was my sister’s turn to look puzzled.

“Oh yes, you just don’t realize it.”

I quickly thought back as to who might have visited the farm over the past year, and I simply couldn’t think of anybody of that much importance from Stormwind. Unless she was talking about the SI:7 operative Sloan, that is, but I never got the impression that anybody outside of SI:7 knew about her. And I doubted that Mathias Shaw himself would ever get involved with something like this.

“Okay, Mistress Evelyn,” Linna finally responded, “If this person will vouch for me, I’ll accept your offer. How will I get in touch with her?”


No comments:

Post a Comment