I had a great deal of trouble writing this chapter, because as many will know if they ever played Vanilla that there was no portal room. The only portal in the mage tower was one to get inside it, there was a second one but only mages could go through it. However I wanted to write a portal scene so I took artistic license and used the retail wow experience there. I hope no one minds.
Earning her Place
Sasha knew that her Father observed her training daily with great pride. Though her late winter scare with the Defias she kept a close guarded secret. There were some things it was better that he didn't know. Frightening as the incident had been it had given the aspiring huntress a great deal of confidence that she could if she needed to handle a bad situation.
Devin Wrynn had returned from an unremarkable deployment in late spring, providing mostly assistance, and clean up in Lakeshire, he could plainly see how much his only child had matured in his absence. He watched on as her arrows struck true, and the length of her shot increased. He saw her keen observance of the wilds and all in it. She had survived the long hard winter without him, and by all appearances, she had thrived.
She was still his tiny little princess, a slight girl who weighed no more than a hundred pounds. Yet her confidence seemed unbounded. He knew what he must do. She would be wasted just living here as an almost virtual hermit, unaccepted and ridiculed by polite society. He had decided unbeknownst to her that he would speak with his superiors of her uncanny abilities.
Late that spring Sasha received a correspondence from her beloved Erin, it had been a year now since she had last seen her. This letter was unusually thick, almost bursting the envelope. She ran her finger over the stamp marked with the postmaster's seal in Dalaran, a place she had never been. The fabled floating city that she had often wondered about, and promised herself she would see one day. Slowly she neatly tore the missive from the envelope, it read...
'My Dearest 'sister,'
'I now truly understand your distress and awkwardness, you see I have wonderful but possibly alarming news. I have had the fortune to fall in love with the most wonderful man. He's a student mage just like me. He's so clever, handsome, and charming. Almost perfect right? Except he's a blood elf. He's an aspiring Silver Covenant mage would you believe! My Mother is of course upset, you know how dramatic she can be. Father so far has been rather quiet on the matter, I sense he isn't the happiest, but at least he does not relentlessly hound me over my decision. I can't imagine just how hard it was for you to express your love for Gorthan...'
Sasha read and reread the letter, she was so happy for Erin.
The wet and cool spring days gave way to warmer ones. Wildflowers bloomed, and useful herbs flourished after a long winter dormancy. Baby birds chirped in nests up high, and a plethora of new mammals opened their eyes for the first time on the new world. The surrounding forest was teeming with life.
Sasha had as usual risen at dawn and after training with Frostfyre for a time sought out herbs to harvest and dry for the next winter. She often left her Father snoring in his cot, with Thane lounging lazily next to him.
The hour was still not late as she returned to their home. She could spy the lazy smoke drifting from the chimney, so she knew her Father would be up and preparing breakfast for them both. He smiled up at her as she entered with her bunches of fresh-picked herbs. She hung them up to dry as her Father was serving up fried eggs and rashers of bacon.
"That looks wonderful," Sasha commented as she sat down at the small table.
"Crispy bacon, just the way you like it." Devin winked at his daughter.
Sasha smiled and the two of them ate, it was not long before everything was gone from the table, and they were both comfortably full.
"Oh, I have something for you my Dear," Devin said as he reached for his satchel, it came this morning while you were out foraging.
He pressed a scroll into her hands, it was sealed with a seal that she didn't immediately recognize, though, in the back of her mind, she knew she had seen this symbol before. It featured a quarter moon suspended over a tree of life.
"Who on earth would write to me?"
"Open it," her Father pressed.
Sasha obliged him and she read the contents in silence. Her dark eyes widened in wonder at what she read there. It was quite some moments before she could compose herself to speak, and on looking at her Papa she realized that he must have had a fair idea what the missive contained.
"You have earned it," he said.
"It's from Ayanna Everstride, she has invited Frostfyre and me to try out for the hunter school!" Sasha's excitement was unbridled.
"Yes, I have worked many a time with Ayanna, I think you will like her. I spoke to the Major about your abilities and asked that you be considered this summer."
"Oh, Papa!" Sasha leaped from her chair and hugged him ever so tightly.
Finally, the path to her long-held dream could become real.
His dark eyes met hers with seriousness. "Before you do this though I must stress that military life can be a lonely one, and a hunter's even more so. One often works alone, scouting forward in hard and dangerous terrain. Long days, cold nights, and much discomfort living in the field. Not many fellow women for company, just a pile of cranky old men." He laughed. "But all humor aside my girl, this will be no easy path. I want you to be doubly sure it's what you want. I wasn't there for your mother as much as I wanted to be. If I had only known how short our time together would have been, perhaps I would have taken a different path. I see the drive in you my Dear just as I had it at the same age. No path is without regrets or recrimination later, but I want you to choose with your eyes open."
"I do want it, Papa, with all my heart." She could hardly believe this was happening. "Well Papa, it's not like the men of Stormwind are knocking down the door to marry me." Sasha could not help but add. However thinking on it there were very few sizable habitations of humankind on Azeroth, so if life in Stormwind was untenable, she really wasn't missing much. She could not really see herself cloistered within the city walls all her lifetime, just as her Aunt Evelyn was. She had always wanted more.
"No Papa, nothing will keep me from this opportunity."
She hugged him tightly once again, he didn't always completely understand her, but she knew that he was steadfastly by her side.
*****
There were a few more carefree weeks before the admission date arrived in early summer. Sasha spent them with her beloved Papa and further testing her mind connection with her Worg. The pair had become very adept at complex instructions, and they rode long distances without fear of attack, thanks to her fierce friend.
The treetops were heavy with vibrant green leaves and the second round of baby birds were hatching on the day that Sasha was destined to leave. That particular early summer's day was beautiful, and she felt very sentimental as she packed the last of her things before heading off into the wide unknown.
There was a part of her that didn't wish to leave, the last few weeks had been so lovely, just the two of them and their animal companions with all the time in the world. Now that time had come to a close and with it this chapter of her life.
Everything would be new for she had never traveled far from Elwynn, and certainly not to another continent.
Her bag was all packed, she had checked over its contents with frequent repetition in the past few days, bordering on a compulsion. Diligently making sure she had forgotten none of her treasures. She didn't know how long it would be before she saw her home and family again. Finally, she looked at her Father and said, "I think I am as ready as I ever will be Papa."
Her Father rose from his chair, she noted that his temples were now very peppered with white as was his beard. He was not yet what anyone would consider old, but it disturbed her to see the age creep up on him. She would miss him dearly.
They had made their way through the throng of gaily dressed shoppers and citizenry on this bright morning. They stopped by to say farewell to her dear Aunt and Uncle, Aunt Evelyn had baked them some delicious gingerbread cookies to nibble on as they traveled. Sasha residing many months in a place without people about, didn't enjoy the press of the crowds as they continued on over the bridges and through the cobbled streets, hemmed in by shops and stone cottages.
They could have sailed by boat directly to Teldrassil, however the sea voyage was long and arduous. Devin had decided it best if they used the mage portals. There was no direct one leading to Teldrassil, it may have seemed like an oversight but the night elves were very proud and suspicious folk. They also shunned the use of magic. They may have been included in the Alliance, but they could not always be relied on to be steadfast allies, and they often sidestepped or ignored requests from the King. The pair would have to travel first to the Exodar, the seat of Draenei power, and from there take a boat a short distance to Rut'theran village that stood at the base of Teldrassil.
Finally, they reached the Park district. Sasha had walked here on occasion, it was a very picturesque place, she looked skyward at the tall spire that dominated the district. The fabled Wizard's sanctum was built of the same stone that much of the city was crafted from. As she peered up between the surrounding trees thickly canopied in summer green, she could see the impossible, unsupported spiral ramp; that too crafted of stone that ran all the way up to its entrance multiple stories above. No one actually knew what was in the base of the tower below. Arcane secrets she guessed.
It was then they were approached by an elderly, balding man, dressed in flame-red robes. "I am Archmage Malin, can I see your passes please?"
Sasha withdrew the golden lion medal she wore about her neck beneath her tunic. On receiving it she hadn't known that it was an official pass to use the portals at will. Sort of 'the keys to the city.' If one didn't have such an accolade they would have to be granted the appropriate papers to make the journey. The portals were mostly for heroes, and those of military rank, or dignitaries. They were only used by the general populace if permission was granted. The only way to circumvent the restrictions was if one knew a mage personally, however that was rare.
