Fallacy
12-09-2005, 01:15 PM
((I've finally decided to reveal how Herenth died, as I've been progressing his story further, and thought a little more background establishment is needed.))
The gull cocked its head at Herenth Absalom, and gave out a piercing cry, begging for a piece of bread that he was picking at. He had been enjoying himself out on the deck of the Squall, feeling the breeze blow through his shoulder-length brown hair and breathing in the smell of salt in the air. His white shirt billowed in turn with the sails above him, as the wind slowly carried them to Menethil Harbor. They had been at sail for two months, scouring the Southern Isles for any new prospects of trade, evading the trolls, as well as searching for the hidden Panderia. Of course, it was fruitless as always, but they had stopped at Stranglethorn Vale to bring a shipment of produce.
The ship itself wasn't only a merchant ship, but its crew was also in the employment of Kul Tiras, effectively making Herenth a marine, even though he had no rank, and was given no supplies, such as weapons and armor, in return. The money was well enough, and they were free to continue their periodical business ventures as long as they reported to the Kul Tiras officers, and were to be called into service if the navy ever required it. It wasn't a vessel meant for battle, but it was a sleek and quick ship that could be used for quick raids or scouting. It had two masts, two white sails to each, that carried the Squall along. The bust of a high elf maiden was placed on the bow, a reminder of its crafter of Quel'dorei origin.
At last, the docks were starting to come into view. After two long months, they had finally returned home. As the ship cast anchor, he looked out over the city, searching for a familiar face. And there it was, the large green eyes, the thin red lips, blonde hair flowing down her back, the long ears that marked her an elf. It was the face of his eternal desire, Visena, his wife. He grabbed the nearest cloth ladder, and threw it over the side of the ship, climbing over the railing before it could even completely unfurl. He slid down it, and pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered to remove the wares the Squall carried, and threw his arms around her when he reached her.
"Did you miss me?" he whispered into her ear.
She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Of course, love. Every minute."
He wasn't exactly sure why he loved her, or why he had married her. He thought it just to have something waiting for him back home, to have some reason to return from the wilderness he ventured out to. It was very apparent that he was attracted to her physically, but he knew that that was not enough to keep him satisfied to maintain a marriage. His proposal had been spontaneous, and he was even more bewildered as to why she accepted.
After a few seconds of their embrace, however, she pulled back, and took her eyes from his face, to the ground. His mouth hung open, not far, but just enough for him to let her know she had surprised him, and his arms hung limply to his sides.
"What... Is there something wrong?"
She, at first, only turned her head and wrapped her arms around each other, clutching her elbows. Then, she began to cry, and fell back into Herenth's arms.
"S..Something's wrong with my mother. I need to see her, to go back to Quel'Thalas."
Herenth remained silent for a moment, and then nodded. "As soon as possible. I'm not heading out for a while, so we can go whenever you like."
A few days later, he was out at sea again. However, it was not on the Squall, but a simple passenger ship carrying them to the land of the high elves. He was still unsure of what had happened to Visena's mother, as she had kept silent for the majority of the trip, and isolated herself in their room. Before he even realized it, they were beginning to circle around the tip of the Tirisfal Glades.
It was on that night, when they were passing on Lordaeron's northern egde that she finally emerged from their cabin, while Herenth was out watching the stars. Her cheeks were moist, and he knew she had just awakened from a sleep driven by an unaccountable amount of crying.
She walked up to his side, and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Herenth, do you think... that we can stay like this? Together, from now on, no more going out and leaving me for so long..."
He was frozen, without a response. She knew that sailing was his life, and how he supported them, but to give it up was sounding to him like his only chance to reconcile, for the pain that he had given her, and her current situation.
"I... don't know. I don't know how we'd survive without the income. I suppose I could find a job in town, but..."
She removed her head from his shoulder and looked up into his face, but he was still looking out towards the sky.
"No, I want to stay in Quel'Thalas. My family can take care of us there. Then, we wouldn't have to worry about it, and we could stay together... foever..."
Herenth shook his head. "That's... too drastic. I don't want to have to rely on your family. We'll be fine in Menethil, I assure you."
She started sobbing again, so he turned and placed his arms around her. Before he knew what had happened, he felt the blade poking through his back. There was no pain, but he did feel the pressure caused by the knife displacing his flesh and bone. Visena held the dagger in both of her hands, crying even more extensively than he had ever seen.
"I wanted to be with you, forever, but you... you're only human. I'll outlast you, you'll die and leave me all alone again, and if you don't want that to happen, you can die right now!"
Herenth's voice failed him. "I... I..."
She was revolted, and pushed him away, making him fall into a nearby dingy. Without another thought, she freed it from its harness, and sent the small boat into the water, with Herenth still in it. Before it could float away, she grabbed a torch, and dropped it onto the dingy. She watched for a few minutes as the fire disappeared into the distance before plunging herself into the water below.
The gull cocked its head at Herenth Absalom, and gave out a piercing cry, begging for a piece of bread that he was picking at. He had been enjoying himself out on the deck of the Squall, feeling the breeze blow through his shoulder-length brown hair and breathing in the smell of salt in the air. His white shirt billowed in turn with the sails above him, as the wind slowly carried them to Menethil Harbor. They had been at sail for two months, scouring the Southern Isles for any new prospects of trade, evading the trolls, as well as searching for the hidden Panderia. Of course, it was fruitless as always, but they had stopped at Stranglethorn Vale to bring a shipment of produce.
The ship itself wasn't only a merchant ship, but its crew was also in the employment of Kul Tiras, effectively making Herenth a marine, even though he had no rank, and was given no supplies, such as weapons and armor, in return. The money was well enough, and they were free to continue their periodical business ventures as long as they reported to the Kul Tiras officers, and were to be called into service if the navy ever required it. It wasn't a vessel meant for battle, but it was a sleek and quick ship that could be used for quick raids or scouting. It had two masts, two white sails to each, that carried the Squall along. The bust of a high elf maiden was placed on the bow, a reminder of its crafter of Quel'dorei origin.
At last, the docks were starting to come into view. After two long months, they had finally returned home. As the ship cast anchor, he looked out over the city, searching for a familiar face. And there it was, the large green eyes, the thin red lips, blonde hair flowing down her back, the long ears that marked her an elf. It was the face of his eternal desire, Visena, his wife. He grabbed the nearest cloth ladder, and threw it over the side of the ship, climbing over the railing before it could even completely unfurl. He slid down it, and pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered to remove the wares the Squall carried, and threw his arms around her when he reached her.
"Did you miss me?" he whispered into her ear.
She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Of course, love. Every minute."
He wasn't exactly sure why he loved her, or why he had married her. He thought it just to have something waiting for him back home, to have some reason to return from the wilderness he ventured out to. It was very apparent that he was attracted to her physically, but he knew that that was not enough to keep him satisfied to maintain a marriage. His proposal had been spontaneous, and he was even more bewildered as to why she accepted.
After a few seconds of their embrace, however, she pulled back, and took her eyes from his face, to the ground. His mouth hung open, not far, but just enough for him to let her know she had surprised him, and his arms hung limply to his sides.
"What... Is there something wrong?"
She, at first, only turned her head and wrapped her arms around each other, clutching her elbows. Then, she began to cry, and fell back into Herenth's arms.
"S..Something's wrong with my mother. I need to see her, to go back to Quel'Thalas."
Herenth remained silent for a moment, and then nodded. "As soon as possible. I'm not heading out for a while, so we can go whenever you like."
A few days later, he was out at sea again. However, it was not on the Squall, but a simple passenger ship carrying them to the land of the high elves. He was still unsure of what had happened to Visena's mother, as she had kept silent for the majority of the trip, and isolated herself in their room. Before he even realized it, they were beginning to circle around the tip of the Tirisfal Glades.
It was on that night, when they were passing on Lordaeron's northern egde that she finally emerged from their cabin, while Herenth was out watching the stars. Her cheeks were moist, and he knew she had just awakened from a sleep driven by an unaccountable amount of crying.
She walked up to his side, and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Herenth, do you think... that we can stay like this? Together, from now on, no more going out and leaving me for so long..."
He was frozen, without a response. She knew that sailing was his life, and how he supported them, but to give it up was sounding to him like his only chance to reconcile, for the pain that he had given her, and her current situation.
"I... don't know. I don't know how we'd survive without the income. I suppose I could find a job in town, but..."
She removed her head from his shoulder and looked up into his face, but he was still looking out towards the sky.
"No, I want to stay in Quel'Thalas. My family can take care of us there. Then, we wouldn't have to worry about it, and we could stay together... foever..."
Herenth shook his head. "That's... too drastic. I don't want to have to rely on your family. We'll be fine in Menethil, I assure you."
She started sobbing again, so he turned and placed his arms around her. Before he knew what had happened, he felt the blade poking through his back. There was no pain, but he did feel the pressure caused by the knife displacing his flesh and bone. Visena held the dagger in both of her hands, crying even more extensively than he had ever seen.
"I wanted to be with you, forever, but you... you're only human. I'll outlast you, you'll die and leave me all alone again, and if you don't want that to happen, you can die right now!"
Herenth's voice failed him. "I... I..."
She was revolted, and pushed him away, making him fall into a nearby dingy. Without another thought, she freed it from its harness, and sent the small boat into the water, with Herenth still in it. Before it could float away, she grabbed a torch, and dropped it onto the dingy. She watched for a few minutes as the fire disappeared into the distance before plunging herself into the water below.