For the Whored

Elunara marched down to the training yard, and finding Grogek on the sidelines, promptly climbed up his back and sat on his shoulders.

"What ARE you doing?"

"Trying to reclaim some normalcy." She grumped.

"By sitting on my head?"

"Maybe."

"What has you in a funk now?"

"Bradly just declared, in front of the mother of one of his friends, that I'm his mother now, because I want him. He then told her that he didn't appreciate her kid contradicting that decree." Elunara sighed. "Well, he put it in kid terms, but you know what I mean."

"Ah, you were made to feel emotional. Understood."

"Oh, hush you."

"Why are you perched up there like some sort of angry bird?" Jordan sighed.

"Bradly has dropped the "Elunara" part of what he calls me."

"Ah. Emotions."

"Ok, you two are too damned alike. I'm going to have to do something about that."

"Not be predictable?" Jordan grinned.

Elunara whacked him in the head. "Was that predictable?"

"Yes." Both men answered in unison.

"Gods, you two sound like the boys. They were speaking in unison for like ten minutes straight. It's freaking me the hell out."

"Are you enjoying the view from your perch?" Renwa raised a brow.

"Bradly just claimed Elunara as his true mother." Grogek grinned.

"Ah, she's emotional. Got it."

"I SWEAR TO ELUNE, I WILL HURT ALL THREE OF YOU!" She crossed her arms.

Zelinnia cocked her head to the side. "This is a new look for you Grogek. Did you get a haircut?"

Grogek ran his hand over his bald head and grinned.

"Please tell me why Envoy Elunara is sitting on General Grogek's shoulders." Duchie sighed.

"Elunara is grumpy." Zelinnia smiled. "She does weird things when she is." She rocked Abigail and murmured to the baby.

"There is so much hate going on right now." Elunara grumbled.

Grogek laughed and rubbed her leg. "What's bothering you is not the issue; it's your reaction to the issue. You really shouldn't be surprised that you have a heart beating in there."

"What's wrong with Momma?" Bradly frowned at Darguni.

Darguni shrugged. "I don't know."

Elunara sighed. "I'm fine, you two. My brain shuts down when it has too much to process at once." She went backwards, hooking her legs over Grogek's shoulders. "Sometimes I have to do something strange in order to deal with it."

They giggled at her.

She grabbed Bradly and hauled him up with her. Leaning back down, she grabbed Darguni. "Your dad makes a really good perch to think on."

"You're really strong!" Bradly marveled. "How did you DO that?"

"Lots and lots of training."

"Papa Grogek said that we could start training, but we had to ask first."

"I think training is essential to survival. We'll see what we can do about a junior division." She grinned.

"Yeay!" The boys both cried.

"We'll have to get some practice weapons shipped in." Jordan commented. "Not something they were expecting out here."

"Can you three get off me? I have work to do."

Elunara grabbed Darguni under the armpits and lightly tossed him down. He landed on his feet with a giggle. Next she tossed Bradly down, before sliding down to the ground.

Grogek grabbed her by the waist, spun her around and kissed her. "You're a good person. You'll just have to learn to live with it."

"Bah, you big softie." She grinned.

Jordan snagged her around the waist and captured her mouth with his own. "Took me years to figure out you were a big softie too."

"I am not," She smacked his arm. "You take that back right this instant."

"Never." He whispered, before kissing her again. "I have my own work to get back to." He grinned before walking off.

"I will never get over seeing that." Duchie shook his head.

"Momma has enough love in her heart for anyone who asks for an invitation." Bradly grinned.

"That's what papa says." Darguni grinned and wrapped an arm around Bradly. "I wouldn't have a brother if she didn't."

"I wouldn't have a family if she didn't." Bradly nodded.

"Both of you. Yoona duty."

"Right!" They said at once before running away.

Elunara sighed. "I feel like I should be eating a bucket of chocolate."

"Hey, if there's buckets of chocolate involved, I want in." Zelinnia laughed.

"I have other uses for chocolate." Elunara grinned.

"Well, as long as we invite Tulani." Zelinnia sighed.

Both Renwa and Elunara began to count off.

"AUGH!" Zelinnia roared in frustration. The baby began to cry. "Oh, shh, I'm sorry sweetie. Let's get you home."

"Speaking of Tulani, she'd be thrilled if we stopped by."

After both women had gone, Duchie turned to Renwa. "This place is a madhouse. Does it not bother you that your wife so obviously has tendencies towards Elunara and her... wife?"

"Why should it? She remains my wife, and quite frankly has an impulsive mouth, but not an impulsive body. She doesn't do anything without carefully analyzing all the angles." He chuckled. "Her brain is amazing. It's just my luck that she has a body to go with it."

"I have read Elunara's books, and while I now have a more intense insight, I still can't understand this town, or how a common whore inspires such loyalty."

"Then you do not understand her at all. Maybe you should read them again, from the insight of an actual person, and not the dry amusement of an officer."

"Did you just insult me?"

"No, insulting would be calling you a dumbass." Renwa smiled. "But, I'm less obvious than that."

Admiral Duchie knocked on Elunara's door with a sigh.

She yanked it open and raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt you're here for a full treatment."

He frowned. "No. Renwa has declared that I didn't read your books properly and instructs that I should try again."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"I have one question..."

She spread her hands out. "Go for it."

"Why do you keep all of this?"

"Habit, I suppose. I started this when I was a teenager, just experimenting with drawing and boys. After awhile, they became fond memories rather than horrible ones. The pain you experience is always momentary, even if in the moment it feels like it will never end. I like to remind myself of what I have been through. When I lose track of myself, when I get so emotional I can't think straight, I can come in here and start revisiting the things that made me who I am. There are some people who believe that I had a horrific past, that the way I act is something out of trauma. The problem with that, is during the time when most of this happened, I believed my emotions to be dead. I didn't hate, I didn't love. I only vaguely felt bad occasionally, and only when someone was really nice.

I only realized I had friends after Grogek. He was a persistent little bugger, but he got under my skin and made me realize that I did have emotions, buried somewhere under all the hardass. He opened me up to my emotions in a way I didn't realize could happen. Suddenly, viewing everything with the shaded glass, I realized what I had missed for years. I missed Renwa being in love with me. I missed people in the SI:7 who tried SO hard to be my friend. I realized that even Varian himself had given me a tiny fragment of himself.

When you read my books, you should be aware that I did not feel things as others did. Assassination came easy to me, because I did not value anyone's life, least of all my own. I keep these books to remind myself that I am capable of so much more.

You've come here again to find out why I inspire so much loyalty. I'm going to tell you right now, that even I don't know that one. I just do what I think is right and somehow..." She spread her hands. "I just don't know."

Duchie knocked on Renwa's door.

"Come in!" A female voice called.

He opened the door to find Zelinnia nursing, alone.

"Where is Renwa?"

"Out doing his rounds." She readjusted her top and laid the baby on her shoulder. Spotting the book in his hand, she rolled her eyes. "Are you still on about that?"

He flushed. "Yes?"

She shook her head. "Why don't you just interview the people who claim loyalty to her?"

"That would take the whole town."

Laying the baby in her crib, Zelinnia pulled out a fresh sheet of paper. She quickly scribbled a town map and put several Xs on it. "Here are the most loyal and the ones with a story to give you. If you wish, I will sit for an interview as well."

She handed him the paper and he stared down at it. "This is remarkable. You've memorized the town map?"

"It's not intentional, I assure you. I have what Elunara calls a photographic memory for things I see on paper. She does it in real time off of real people, places and objects. She laughs that it's why we get along so well. Her saving my head from being cleaved open by giving her body to the maniac is why I am so loyal to her. She... she doesn't like me to tell anyone this, so if you tell her, I will lie through my teeth. She wept for her husband and her baby while that lunatic raped her. I don't care HOW she wants to put it, he raped her. She thinks she's stronger than that, she thinks she gave herself willingly... but I was there. I saw her dead eyes." Zelinnia shuddered. "It killed her just a little more every time he did it. I often wonder, if I hadn't been forced in her lap, would she have just slit his throat and made a break for it?"

In a daze, he knocked on the first door on the Blood Elf's map. He frowned at himself. She'd earned the right to be called by her name; he had no idea why his brain drifted into the prejudiced.

The door opened and a pair of bleary easy stared at him. "Admiral!" The man straightened his back and saluted.

"Can I come in? I wish to speak with you about Elunara."

"Oh, uh, sure." He turned back. "Louis, put on some pants." He turned back and blushed. "Sorry, sir... we got... involved." He laughed nervously. "You know, we owe our entire relationship to Elunara."

He was starting to feel a little shell shocked by time he reached the pavilion. He had heard stories of heroism, of acts of selflessness and even some displays of vicious temper. She was kind and loving; she was mean as a snake. She was the ultimate double edged sword. She could be sweet and do things for no reason, or she could be an angry avenging angel. The general consensus was that no one wanted to piss her off.

He followed the sound of singing and was shocked at what he found. There was a crowd covering all the seating area, and up on stage, Elunara was singing her head off. She bounced around and danced as she sang. She pulled someone on stage and danced them around. At the end of the song, the spectator sat down with a laugh. She broke into what sounded like a battle hymn and the crowd stood and cheered. He found himself getting involved in her signing. She finished and turned to a silly little song that was obviously a crowd favorite, because they went nuts, singing with her.

Despite himself he tapped his foot to her beat. The kids got involved and suddenly there were ten voices on stage, butchering the lyrics. She grabbed the hands of the nearest kid and bounced around her in circles still singing. How she managed to keep her breath during all of that, he had no idea. She finished the song and the kids took a bow. She laughed as she put her hand on each one in turn. When she sat down, the crowd called for encores.

She waved a hand. "In a minute you guys, I'm desperately thirsty." Someone passed her a pitcher of water and she chugged it down.

"That was quite amazing to watch."

She looked up at the Admiral. "Give me ten minutes, and you'll get to see it some more."

"Why you do this?"

"Must you question everything I do?" She stretched out her legs and massages the muscles. "I was bored, and it's fun."

"Something tells me you do this a lot."

"It started as a way to cheer up some of the refugees. Then I did it so often, this stage was built. I try to head over once a month."

"Elunara?"

"Yeah, hon?" She looked over at the male Draenei.

"Can I request a song? It was my wife's favorite."

"Can do." She saluted. She looked at the Admiral. "Guess I'm up sooner than I wanted." She climbed back on the stage

The song was slow, sweet and sad. He found himself incredibly moved by the effort she put into doing the song correctly.

"Oh, how I miss my wife." The man said. "Elunara always sings it so beautifully." He smiled sadly at the Admiral. "She hadn't sung it yet, so I felt compelled to ask. When she sings it, it takes the pain away, if just for that little bit." He turned and walked into the crowd.

Elunara sighed and closed the door behind her. It had taken her much longer than anticipated to finish the portrait. She jogged halfway there, but stopped when a sound caught her attention.

"Come on, sweetheart. I've seen how you look at me." The beefcake tugged on Terica's arm. "You're such a dainty little thing; I bet I can show you how it works." He grinned at her.

"Look, I'm just not interested." Terica yanked her hand back, but the guy was too strong. She shoved at his chest. "Let go of me."

"Oh, I know you're interested, I see the way you stare at me." He cupped her ass. "It's enough to drive a man mad."

"You're not getting it. I am NOT interested."

Elunara stared at step forward, but she paused

"Let her go!" Lucy growled. "Get your hand off of her you asshole!"

"Ugh, Lucy, go play with your sword. Your sister and I are having a conversation that does not involve you."

"You will get your hands off of her, you creep!" Lucy punched him in the face.

He rubbed his jaw and growled. He grabbed her by the jaw and Elunara heard the crunch. Terica began panicking and struggling, but the guy let go of her wrist long enough to backhand her into the wall.

Elunara sat the portrait down against the wall and stepped out. "HEY, ASSHOLE!"

"What do you want, bitch?"

"Oh goody, someone who didn't call me a whore." She was over to him in an instant and jabbed her fist under his arm. He dropped Lucy to the ground and roared in pain. She cracked him in the face with the back of her hand and then shot her hands down his pants and grabbed him by the hairs and yanked. She ripped out a good handful of hair and then punched him in the face again. As he reeled back she grabbed him by the crotch and twisted until he turned sheet white.

"Are you listening asshole? Nobody wants your shit here. Now, get lost before I show you why they call me the ballbuster."

"You... bitch..." He whimpered.

"Come on, keep fighting, give me a reason to feed you to the shit outside the barrier."

He dropped off backwards. She released him and let him fall.

"Pussy bitch." She stooped down and put a hand on Lucy's jaw. "Here, this should ease the pain." She focused her energy on the hairline fracture. Moving on, she inspected Terica's head. "Oh, that's a nasty bump." She sighed as she gave her energy to the unconscious woman.

"I couldn't protect her." Lucy whimpered as she pulled Terica into her lap.

"Hey, it's ok. I'll have that asshole dumped outside the barrier. We don't like his kind here." Elunara brushed her fingers on Lucy's jaw again. "We need to get you to the actual healer. You can't even call what I do healing."

"But..."

Elunara scooped Terica up into her arms. "Come on, you can do me a favor and pick of the picture leaning by the building over there." She pointed.

Lucy picked it up and wrapped her arms around it. "I couldn't protect her. If anything had happened..."

"It didn't. How's about I teach you both some of my style of fighting. It's not effective in a major battle, but it'll keep the pervs away."

Lucy sniffed. "Thank you."

"Stop talking 'til Ina gets a hold of you. She'll kill me if I make you worse."

Admiral Duchie watched in amazement as Elunara walked away, casually running her mouth as if nothing interesting had happened. He looked down at the unconscious man and decided that he'd see to the removal of the asshole himself.

He walked into Renwa's office and sat down. "I think I'm finally starting to understand that woman."

Zelinnia snorted as she sorted papers. "It's about time."

"Zelinnia..." Renwa sighed.

She blushed and ducked. "Why do things never stay in my head?" She grumbled.

"Well, no, I guess I have to agree with you." He sighed. "I've been doing what you said and interviewing everyone and the things I have learned from all sides..." He shook his head. "She is capable of great temper, but also filled with such compassion. I saw a man consumed by grief, eased by her singing him a song. I saw her leap to defend a helpless woman, and then brush it off as nothing. I have heard of her heroism, her no bullshit policies, and her nasty temper. They fear her as much as they respect her. They downright love her and each person had a different reason as to why.

She has built families, connected lovers and destroyed relationships. I visited the blacksmith and found this magnificent portrait of him in the nude. He was mortally embarrassed, but his wife was endlessly proud of it."

Zelinnia raised an eyebrow. "I need a good enough excuse to pay her a visit."

"I saw an endless stream of wall portraits done by her. The work is amazingly detailed." He shook his head. "I even stopped by Ina's and looked through her books. Renwa, old friend, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Renwa grinned. "The best sort of situation. You might as well swear your loyalty now; it's only going to get worse."

"Hah. You're really funny, old friend. But I think I understand now, what makes your town so successful. You have a unifying person. Someone that draws them in and keeps the loyals. You weed out the useless and the insane, and you keep those who would bolster the town, do whatever it takes to succeed. I am quite impressed."

"You'd be more impressed if you'd let her do what she does best." Zelinnia mumbled.

Renwa did a silent count.

Zelinnia turned bright red and smacked her forehead on her desk.

"I take it she does that a lot."

"I hope she never loses it." Renwa grinned.

"I'd deny you sex, but that wouldn't work out in my favor." She grumbled. She flipped through a few more pages before tossing them up in the air. "GAH!"