World of Warcraft - Qiana Moonshadow (#Wattys2016)

Qiana Moonshadow - The Follower Missions 1

Qiana stood outside the door for a long moment, hesitating. Stop this. Put off this conversation no more. It is time. Drawing a steadying breath, she rapped on the oaken door.

"Enter" the Commander's clipped voice came from within. Qiana pushed open the door and strode inside. The Commander looked up from behind the desk where she was working. These days, it seemed this was where the Commander spent most of her time. And if the dour expression she wore as she looked up was any indication, it was a situation she was none too happy with. But her face broke into a smile as she saw Qiana.

"Arkenon Poros Qiana! You are exactly the person I wanted to see. Come - give me a moment to finish these things, then let's get out of this cursed office, you and I, and get out under the stars."

The office the Commander spoke of was this small room off of the main hall in the garrison's town hall. It was well appointed, comfortable, and showed the personal touches of the Commander. Among the scrolls and papers that littered the desk the Commander sat behind, was also a carved jade figurine, from the Commander's time in Pandaria, and numerous other curios from other lands. And though the corners of the room still held crates and barrels that belied its previous use as a storeroom, on the wall behind the Commander hung a line of her favorite crossbows. Some ornate and gilded. Some simple, worn with years of use.

"No please Commander - I do not mean to take you from your work. It is only - there is a matter of which I wish to speak to you about." Qiana hated the formal tone she found her voice taking - but this was important. Yes, they were good friends her and the Commander. They had fought together many times. She had been among the first to go through the Dark Portal with the Commander to face the Iron Horde. And she had led the scouting expedition with Exarch Maladaar in Umbral Halls. But this was a formal request, and friend or no, the draenei before her was also her superior.

The Commander sat down her quill and leaned back, raising a single eyebrow, also catching the tone. "Please Qiana - go on. You know that you can ask me anything."

"I --" Qiana hesitated, struggling to get this phrased just right. "We have fought together many times, and you know that my loyalty is only to you. I owe you my life -- we all do. I was here for the establishment of this settlement, and since then have undertaken many missions to help us build this outpost."

The Commander smiled, giving a small nod. "Yes. There is no one here I trust more. No one."

"But, we have been here now for over a year. And well -- it's Talavar. No -- let me take that back. It's not Talavar -- it is the both of us. The pull of our forest is strong upon us Commander. And so, now that the garrison seems well established, and you have so many that have joined the ranks, I was wondering if perhaps -- you could release me from service." Qiana paused a moment. "I want.. I would like to go home." There. It was out. For better or worse, she had said it.

The Commander sat for a long moment. "It saddens my heart to think of this garrison without you Qiana," the Commander hesitated, a distant look flashing briefly across her face. "But trust me when I say to you.. I know exactly what it is to yearn for one's home."

Qiana flushed suddenly. How could she have been so selfish? Of course the Commander knew. All of the Draenei did. They were a race of exiles! Missing their home was a literal part of their culture! Qiana suddenly felt petty.

"And so though for myself, this journey back to Draenor has been actually good for my soul," the Commander continued. "I can completely understand how you feel. How both of you must feel. There are few forces in this universe that can be stronger than the pull of one's home on one's soul." And now the Commander leaned forward. "But I need you Qiana - we all do. There is still so much work to do. Yes there are others -- and they are loyal and competent - but none more so than you. None as capable as you, and none that I can trust more than you to get the most difficult of tasks done."