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

Previous Installment:
Winter's Veil and the Light -- Part 1

Several days later I paced restlessly in the foyer of the Cathedral of Light. I may not be the focal point of today’s events, but I was going to be in front of the High Priestess of the Church of the Light herself. The Cathedral may not be the Keep, but that didn’t mean the nobles of Stormwind weren’t paying attention.

I paused for a moment to rub at the ache on my shoulder.

“Stop playing with it, Apprentice,” Mistress Elsharin said in Thalassian, her voice thick with disapproval. “It will take longer to heal.”

Pulling my hand away, I rolled my shoulders to move my old purple robe around a bit. “It’s…” I frowned as my voice trailed off. Searching for the right word in her tongue and realizing I didn’t know it yet, I changed directions. “How long before the pain goes away?”

“About a week.”

“A week?” I was about halfway through.

“Surely you’ve been hurt from being out in the sun too long, it’s no worse than that.”

No, it wasn’t, but that burn usually faded after a couple of days, and this was still going strong. I frowned, realizing that this was likely Elsharin’s way of saying “don’t be such a baby,” only since she said it in remedial Thalassian it sounded worse.

While Mistress Elsharin had given me another present –a warm bathrobe—for Winter’s Veil, her primary gift was a tattoo of her family’s crest on my shoulder. The concept of bearing the Dawnweaver crest sounded exciting and sophisticated at first, but the moment the Queldorei tattoo artist began, all those emotions vanished in a puff of smoke. I’d been beaten and stabbed and shot with arrows, but this so-called “small thing” hurt more than it had any right to.

Still, it kept me from thinking about Linna’s acceptance into the Order for a while.

“Remember, Apprentice,” Elsharin said, interrupting my musings, “Give the Knights what is asked, but no more. You have a talent for talking too much.”

“Yes, Mistress Elsharin.” I opened my mouth to continue, but I realized I was about to demonstrate my Mistress’ rather apt critique and shut it instead.

The doors to the Cathedral opened and my family entered, with Linna in front. She was dressed all in white, as was the custom for a supplicant, and she’d even taken care to brush her tangled blonde hair and tie it back into a smart ponytail. Her easy, casual smile was nowhere to be seen.

“Not your new robe?” Linna asked as she greeted me while Mom and Dad ushered the rest of the family inside. She sounded like a spring ready to snap.

“No,” I replied, switching out of Thalassian. “I didn’t want to confuse people with two of us in white.”

A flicker of a grin appeared at the edge of her lips. “Smart move. You might make a Mage someday.”

“She just might,” Elsharin added.

I smirked. If they were determined to get a rise out of me, they were going to have to try harder.

“Is Kira here?” Linna continued.

“Yes,” I replied, “As is a friend of hers from the Stormwind Bakers Guild.”

“She brought someone?”

I casually winked at her. “I’ve bought bread from him before.”

“Do tell.” A bit of color returned to my sister’s face. “What about our mysterious sponsor?”

“I haven’t a clue who to look for, but outside of Kira I haven’t seen anyone you’d know.”

Mistress Evelyn appeared beside Linna, dressed in her Kirin Tor robes from the Winter’s Veil party. “She’ll be here,” she replied confidently. “They’re on their way now.”

A tall, dark-haired man who seemed to be made of muscle joined us in the foyer. He wore the tabard of the Silver Hand, and even though he was in the heart of Stormwind, he was armored and girded for battle. He nodded at Elsharin and Evelyn and sized me up with his good eye before turning to Linna. “Linnawyn Songshine, as you are the lone supplicant today, we are ready for you to proceed. Do you have your two sponsors at the ready?”

Linna turned to me, her eyes uncertain. “I have one here already, Lord Shadowbreaker, but the other...” her voice trailed off.

“Don’t worry about the other, Grayson,” Mistress Evelyn intervened, “they will arrive once we have begun.”

Lord Shadowbreaker rubbed his temples. “Pulling a rabbit out of a hat again, Evelyn?”

“My specialty.”

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Just how many people did Mistress Evelyn know? Linna and I exchanged surprised glances while Mistress Evelyn conversed with a noble as if they were equals.

“Very well,” Lord Shadowbreaker decided, “Laurena prefers everything in its place before proceeding, so I will loiter for a moment or two before escorting the supplicant inside.” He turned to Elsharin. “You are the first sponsor?”

“I am,” I piped up. “Cardwyn Songshine.”

He scrutinized me once more, only a momentary flicker of surprise crossing his face. “Very good,” he decided. “You shall proceed a step or two behind the supplicant and to the left, and the other sponsor will take the space on your right.”

“Yes, my lord,” I nodded, remembering to add the honorific this time.

The door to the Cathedral opened once more, and a familiar face from Westfall poked her head in. “Am I too late?” she asked.

“Emmy?” I replied with a question of my own. She couldn’t possibly be the second sponsor. “And no, you’re not too late.”

“Good! Because there’s a gaggle of Night Elves right behind me.” She pushed the door open wide.

I’ve never seen that many Kaldorei in one place in my life. Okay, I’d never even met a Kaldorei until several months ago, but… There had to be at least a dozen of them, and half as many of those oversized cats that the Druids transform into. All in all, it looked like the forest had grown legs and entered the Cathedral. I recognized Tannysa, the Herbalist from the Quarter, among them.

Lord Shadowbreaker surveyed the crowd with a look of resignation on his face. “Who among you is the second sponsor for the supplicant?” he finally asked.

A wine-colored cat padded forward, and after a brief flicker transformed into a white-haired Kaldorei I’d not seen since Summer.

“I am,” Kitwynn replied in her thick Darnassian accent.

Linna’s mouth formed an “O” as she surveyed the crowd, and more color returned to her cheeks.

“We’ll be waiting inside, Dear,” Evelyn told her as she embraced my sister and entered the Cathedral with Mistress Elsharin.

“You stinker!” I told Emmy, who stood impishly grinning next to me.

“I’ll tell you more later, Card,” she said, giving me a short hug before turning to Linna. “Good luck!” she exclaimed and followed the other mages, straightening her robes on the way.

Linna looked at me, a question in her eyes.

“Emmy Malin, a friend of mine from the Quarter,” I replied.

“You have friends?” The nervousness in her face had vanished.

I dismissed her with a wave of my hand. “Yeah yeah yeah…”

Clearing his throat, Lord Shadowbreaker resumed control of the situation. “Supplicant, it is time. Sponsors, take your place, and we shall proceed.”

Kitwynn strode over to my right, turned to me, and bowed in the elaborate Kaldorei fashion. “We meet again, Young Mage,” she said, her lips creasing upward in a slow smile.

***

The Cathedral of Light has a way of making a person feel small. The impossibly lofty ceiling, the sparkle of brilliant color of the sun shining through the stained glass, and the long walk to the marble altar at the far end all contributed to a feeling of insignificance compared to the power of the Holy Light. Perhaps many people found it inspiring, but others, me included, believed it to be evidence of a distant, insular Church. My first encounter with a Priest here, who considered our fight with the Defias not worthy of his time, only reinforced that belief.

And yet here we were.

I kind of hoped that this would be a small affair, but my first glimpse of the Nave of the Cathedral quickly dispelled that idea. While there were few commoners present, a collection of Knights stood proudly to either side of us, with some members of the Clergy clustered behind the Knights’ protective wall. I thought I saw Lukas and Allitrea, more friends from the Westfall campaign, but I was trying not to gawk and at least appear like I knew what I was doing.

In front of the steps leading to the altar stood a trio of priests. All wore vestments of the Church of the Holy Light: the two men wore miters atop their heads, yet the woman in the center eschewed any headgear. I suppose that if you’re the High Priestess, you have no need of fancy extras.

Behind us trailed the collection of Kaldorei as if they were strolling through Elwynn. I thought of that Priest again, and I’d have given a lot to have seen his face right now.

When we were about halfway toward the altar, I heard Carys whisper “It’s Kit!” far too loudly and was immediately shushed. I reflexively looked at the trio of priests, and I saw the woman smile briefly before resuming her serious visage.

We reached the altar and the group of Kaldorei took the empty spot to the right. Well, all save for one lone cougar who sat on their haunches next to Kitwynn. To my surprise the cougar’s spotted fur was streaked with gray: I’d never seen an old Kaldorei before.

“High Priestess,” Lord Shadowbreaker announced, “I have brought a supplicant before you for initiation into our Order.”

“The supplicant shall approach and kneel before us,” the woman declared.

Linna strode forward and knelt before the High Priestess.

“This supplicant has heard the call to serve and has presented herself before us for our blessings. Who among you shall vouch for her?” The High Priestess then looked at me.

“I do,” I replied as Elsharin had coached me. “I am Cardwyn Songshine, apprentice to Elsharin Dawnweaver.”

“Continue, Cardwyn Songshine.”

“Linnawyn has led with her heart, fought in defense of others, and has given of herself for a greater cause. I declare Linnawyn Songshine worthy.”

“Word of your deeds in Westfall has reached us here, Cardwyn. We accept your testimony. Who else among you shall vouch for her?”

“I, Kitwynn, speak for the Circle,” Kitwynn replied.

The High Priestess gestured for her to continue. “Proceed, Kitwynn of the Cenarion Circle.”

“On behalf of Cenarius, Shan’do Stormrage, and Shan’do Runetotem, I provide this testimony: she has protected the land and its inhabitants, she has defended those weaker than herself, and she has led with honor. We have witnessed this ourselves while patrolling with her in Elwynn Forest, and we declare Linnawyn Songshine worthy.”

“We accept your testimony on behalf of the Cenarion Circle, Kitwynn.”

I released the breath I’d been unconsciously holding. Linna was right; sometimes it’s good to use that ‘Hero of Westfall’ reputation. It certainly made my job easier today. While I wasn’t expecting Kit to invoke the mythical figure of Cenarius in her declaration, I did consider it a nice touch to include both Kaldorei and Tauren leadership in her testimony.

“In the Light,” High Priestess Laurena continued as if reading from a script, “we gather to empower our sister. In its grace she will be made anew. In its power she shall educate the masses. In its strength she shall combat the shadow. And in its wisdom, she shall lead her brethren to the eternal rewards of paradise.”

A group of Priests appeared to our right, carrying weapons and armor.

“Priests and Priestesses of the Light, if you deem this woman worthy, place your blessings upon her.”

The next part passed like what we’d read in the stories when we were kids: Priests set on the ground before my sister the Battlehammer of the Silver Hand –or rather its replica as the original was lost somewhere in the North—and placed ceremonial shoulder pads upon her.

I felt a lump gathering in my throat. This was it; at this point there was no going back for her.

Laurena then asked Linna to rise and be recognized. “Do you, Linnawyn Songshine, vow to uphold the honor and codes of the Order of the Silver Hand?”

“I do,” Linna replied in a clear voice.

“Do you vow to walk in the grace of the Light and spread its wisdom to your fellows?”

“I do.”

“Do you vow to vanquish evil wherever it be found, and protect the innocent with your very life?”

“By my blood and honor, I do.”

The High Priestess looked out at the assembled Knights and addressed them: “Brothers and Sisters, you who have gathered here to bear witness, raise your hands and let the Light illuminate this woman.”

I’m not sure what the Knights behind me did in response, but Linna was bathed in a brilliant white glow. I reflexively put up my arm to protect my eyes, and when the glow faded spots still danced in my vision.

“Squire Linnawyn Songshine,” Laurena concluded, “Paladin defender of the Alliance of Lordaeron, welcome to the Order of the Silver Hand.”

Linna beamed as she picked up the hammer and held it aloft to the cheering crowd. The hammer would have been absurdly large if Lord Shadowbreaker wielded it but compared to Linna it was gigantic. And yet she picked it up as if it were a kitchen knife.

I took this all in with my stomach churning. Taking the Oaths was no small thing, and while they all seemed well and good, I had my suspicions that people of ill intent could twist the words any way they desired. The Kingkiller alone was proof of that. Still, this was my sister’s day, and these were concerns for another time.

Setting down the hammer, Linna crossed over and embraced me, lifting me off the ground and landing me with a thud. She then hugged Kit, who had a gentle smile on her face.

Our family came forward, led by Carys who ran right past Linna and into Kit’s arms. “And how is my little fishing buddy?” Kit asked her as she lifted her up in the air.

“My friends!” Carys cried. “You’re here!”

I was joined by Mom, who wore an inscrutable expression on her face.

“I’m fine, Card,” she said as I opened my mouth. “I was just thinking that your Uncle Aeron would have been proud of her.”

“Yeah,” I whispered hoarsely. It had been several years since his death, but it still hurt. “I hope she keeps her laugh. There are times when I hear Uncle’s laugh in her own.”

“She’ll be okay. People may change, but Linna’s not one to get a huge ego.”

She didn’t look different, but I did briefly wonder just how much of the sister I knew was still there, and whether she thought the same about me when I began wielding the Arcane.

Kit had passed Carys to another one of the Kaldorei, and my niece was basking in all the attention. “Are they all Druids who helped us with the Defias this past Fall?” I asked Mom.

“Most are, but there are a few I don’t recognize. They all grew quite fond of Carys.”

I nodded, my eyes on the elderly cat. “Well, time to be diplomatic.” I approached Kit and made a short bow to the cat.

The shapeshifted druid regarded me with placid eyes. Not proud, exactly, but secure in their surroundings.

“Kit,” I began, “I don’t know much of your tongue, but I’d like to thank your companion here for standing with you. I’ve never met an elderly Druid before, and I don’t want to offend.”

“Young Mage, you do not offend,” she replied. Her voice was steady, yet her eyes crinkled with amusement. “I will give you words to speak so that you may say them.”

The cat cocked his head upward, watching Kit curiously.

Kit leaned over and whispered in my ear, and I had the momentary impression of being a child playing a game with an elder sister. I worked out the sounding of the words, practicing by whispering back a few times, until Kit nodded, satisfied.

I then turned to the elderly cat and repeated what Kit told me. To my ears, the words didn’t sound like Darnassian, but I had to trust that Kit wasn’t playing some prank on me.

The cat’s eyes riveted on mine the moment I spoke, and once I finished and bowed once more, he stood up on his hind legs and rested his paws on my shoulders, rubbing his face on my cheek. I placed my arms on his back and rubbed it like I would with one of our cats back home.

After a moment, the elderly cat sat back down and huffed once. Kit responded with a few words of Darnassian, and the cat stood up.

“We must go now,” Kit said to me. “Our task is done, and we shall take our leave. We will meet again, Young Mage.” She turned to go, paused, and looked back once more. “Oh, and our mutual friend says hello.”

“Was she here?” Dammit, I should have been more observant.

“Perhaps.” The smile in her eyes reached her lips. She spoke in Darnassian to the rest of the Kaldorei, and one of them handed Carys back to Linna, who was still radiant from the ceremony.

“Any of the Circle is always welcome at the farm,” Mom spoke up.

My ears perked up at that.

“Thank you, Mona Songshine,” one of the Kaldorei replied. “We shall inform the Circle.”

As the Kaldorei left the Cathedral, Mom whispered, “Mathias was watching.”

I nodded and rubbed my shoulder absently. In all the excitement I’d forgotten about the tattoo. “Did he follow them out?”

“Yes.”

Having the head of SI:7 here, performing reconnaissance, confirmed a few of my suspicions. “Why do I get the feeling the Circle was being more subversive than I expected?”

“Because you spoke to that Druid in Taur-ahe?” Mistress Evelyn asked in response as she appeared at my elbow, with the other two mages behind her.

I exhaled. “Well, that explains that. It certainly didn’t sound like Darnassian. What did I say?”

“I don’t know; I don’t speak it, Card.”

“Shall I be sending you to Tannysa for study as well, Apprentice?” Mistress Elsharin added, as she gave me a pointed look until I peeled my hand away from my shoulder.

“Well,” Evelyn continued, “At least we didn’t have an incident on our hands.”

All in all, it could have gone much worse, yet there was one thing that bothered me. “But how did they get here?”

“That’s where I come in,” Emmy replied. “Or rather, my dad did. He received a request to send out some messages to the Circle in Darnassus via Tannysa, and once everybody arrived, I was to escort them all here. Although I think Dad wasn’t expecting quite so many Night Elves to show up.”

“Oh.” Emmy’s father, one of the Archmages in the Quarter, certainly was capable enough, but my first encounter with him did not go well. But after I got to know Emmy and now his involvement in Linna’s initiation, I realized that I’d been too harsh in my initial judgment of him.

Emmy leaned back and glanced toward the Cathedral entrance. “I don’t… think… I’m supposed to escort them back to the Tower, since they ought to be able to get to Nighthaven on their own.”

“I think they’ll be fine, Dear,” Evelyn added.

“Oh!” Emmy cried. “I almost forgot! Dad wanted to know if you were going to be staying here in Stormwind or returning to Dalaran, Mistress Aldcock. He hoped you would stay with us for a few days.”

“Thank you, Dear, but just call me Evelyn. I’ll be returning to Cardwyn’s family farm, but I might stop in and visit with your family and other friends here from time to time.”

“Card, you never told me that Evelyn lived on your farm!”

Here we go again, I sighed. “She used to stay there from time-to-time tutoring Linna and me as part of her circuit across Elwynn, but since Dad’s talking about building her a cottage of her own, I think it’s going to be more permanent.”

“Robyn and James’ home comes first,” Mistress Evelyn said firmly.

Emmy finally noticed Mom standing next to me, and her eyes darted back and forth between the two of us. “Emmy,” I intervened, “I’d like to introduce my mother, Mona. Mom, Emmy Malin. She and I were in Westfall together.”

“Us too!”

I was hugged from behind by Allitrea, who squeezed me tight. For a Priestess, she had quite strong arms.

“We heard some young woman named Songshine was to be initiated into the Order today,” she added, “and I thought that there was no way you weren’t involved.”

“You sound like I’m troublemaker or something,” I replied when I got some air back in my lungs.

“Oh, I know you, Card. You have a reputation now.”

“That she does,” Linna chimed in, joining us. Her eyes still held a brightness to them, and she couldn’t keep from smiling. She set Carys down, who ran around us in a circle.

“There’s the woman of the hour!” Alli cried. “Welcome! How do you feel?”

“Thanks! I feel… I can’t describe it, really. It feels like… warmth and comfort, maybe?”

“That sounds about right,” Lukas nodded. “You’ll learn more all about this in your lessons.”

“I’m ready.” Linna reached over and gave me a big hug. “Thank you,” she whispered in my ear.

“You’re welcome,” I replied. “I’ll always be there for you.”

She held me at arm’s length, smiling that silly grin, but a hint of uncertainty crossed her eyes. “There’s something not right,” she said at last as her grin faded.

“What is it?”

Her fingers reached out and grazed my shoulder where the tattoo lay. “It’s here,” Linna said. “You’re hurt!”

Part of me shivered. How did she know that? “It’s nothing,” I replied. “It’ll go away in a few days.”

“I can make it better,” she declared. “I know it. Here.”

Something flowed out of her fingers, like the sunshine on a warm day, and the ache abruptly ceased.

Linna smiled again, satisfied.

“Squire Songshine, I think we need to begin your lessons sooner rather than later.” Lord Shadowbreaker’s voice could’ve cut through a block of ice. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it.”

Linna snapped to attention, her expression pained. “Lord Shadowbreaker—”

“Young lady, we have all been there. It is something every Squire learns, and you will be no different.”

“Yes, Lord Shadowbreaker.”

“Squire, go ahead and say your goodbyes, and we’ll get you settled in. Allitrea and Lukas can show you to your quarters.” Lord Shadowbreaker saluted and marched away.

I grabbed Linna’s shoulder. “Remember, Sis, if you need me, find me.”

“I’m sorry, Card.” Compared to a few moments before, she sounded… deflated.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re figuring this all out.”

“Oh yes,” Alli added. “Welcome to our little club. At least you’re a Knight and not some heathen Arcanist!”

“Hey now,” I interrupted.

Alli bumped me with her hip and laughed. “You’re too easy, Card. But don’t worry about One Eye there, Linnawyn. He’s always too serious about things.”

That seemed to snap Linna out of her funk a bit. She said her goodbyes and turned to the two Priests. “Okay, where to?”

Alli grabbed one arm and Lukas the other, and they sped off with her so quickly that they earned a glare from a few of the nearby clergy.

“I’d better get back home,” Emmy declared, giving me a hug and a wave goodbye.

“We should as well,” Dad added. “I saw Grayson giving your mom and me the stink eye, so we’re not exactly welcome back here yet.”

“He knew better than to cause trouble today,” Mom replied, “and Mathias will keep an eye on Linna.”

That called to mind something one of the SI:7 people once told me: we take care of our own. Because of our family ties, SI:7 wasn’t going to let the Church or the Keep cause too many problems for Linna. Exactly how they were going to do that, I didn’t know.

Mistress Evelyn opened a portal, which I’m sure violated some protocol about using the Arcane in the Cathedral of Light, and my family departed.

Kira gave me a hug and left with Thomas Miller, leaving Elsharin and myself: two Mages in a decidedly anti-Arcane environment.

“Time for lessons, Apprentice,” my mistress said in Thalassian as she led the way out of the Cathedral. “Since you no longer have that tattoo as an excuse, I’m sure you’ll be attentive. Let’s discuss more Arcane Theory.”

Oh yes. Theory. My favorite topic.

The End

Note: Kitwynn appears courtesy of Tome of the Ancient. The induction ceremony was adapted from Silver Hand Induction Ceremony by Galdrick on the Argent Archives website, which is in turn adapted from Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, by Christie Golden.