Heart of the Wild

Chapter 1

"What do you mean you're going to Dalaran?!" Skye stared at her brother in disbelief as the two walked down the bustling cobblestone streets of Gilneas.

Darien had been learning magic for a couple months now under their father and found he was exceptional with it. At first, Skye seemed ecstatic with her brother's decision, but now not so much.

"Skye," Darien spoke calmly trying to defuse his twin's outburst, "this will be great for me. Besides, you were so encouraging before when I first started. Why not now?"

Skye huffed and looked away not answering his question, out loud. Because you're leaving me.

Darien sighed and touched his sister's shoulder gently, "I promise I won't be gone forever. Just give me this opportunity."

Skye closed her eyes, exhaling sharply and gazed back into her brother's warm and calm eyes. "Fine." She said coldly and let him hug her tightly before quickly embracing him as well.

The two separated as Darien made his way to the baker and Skye to the cheery older woman selling vegetables who Skye knew as Aria Boyce. Skye would buy from the older woman on a regular basis, or Aria would give her a rose special holidays or if one of her family members had a birthday, but she was considered a family friend.

"Ah, Skye. It's so nice to see you again!" The woman greeted warmly. Skye gave a curt smile as she made her way over. Aria cocked her head to the side slightly, "Is something wrong, dear?"

"No," Skye muttered a little annoyed, but she knew her friend already knew something was wrong.

Aria nodded but didn't push any further questions onto Skye. She handed Skye a small basket of tomatoes after Skye took some copper pieces from her small pouch. "You can always come to me if you help with anything," Aria said warmly before letting Skye take the basket.

"Thank you," Skye replied, now smiling. She waved goodbye to Aria and met up with her brother who and the two followed the street back to their home on the corner of the Merchant Square before going into the Military Quarter.

Skye's family were not merchants, but her uncle was a trader. She and her family lived with her father's brother when he was not out with his daughter on trade routes.

Two tied up dark grey horses whinnied as the two neared the house. A carriage rested on the street near the small grassy area behind the horses, the glass containers outside that held candles were snuffed out not too long ago as the remains an ash-grey smoke lifted from the top of the glass tube and blew off into the air.

The two looked at each other for second and went inside. A raven-haired girl about Skye's age ran to the door and embraced Skye tightly before she even got through the door.

"Welcome back, Doe," Skye uttered as her cousin squeezed her harder. "Can...can you let go now?"

"Sorry," Adoette replied and let go causing Skye to stumble forward a little.

Skye glared at her cousin then looked around and inside the basket to make sure none of the tomatoes were smashed.

"So we're taking you to Dalaran in a few days, is that right?" Adoette asked turning to Darien.

He nodded. "But can we come in?"

"Oh!" Adoette exclaimed and immediately jumped out of the way.

The three made their way to the kitchen area and dropped off the food on the counter. Kalea, Skye's mother, was busy cutting some sort of meat and gave a curt wave as acknowledgment before the young adults went upstairs.

The graying mastiff laying at Kalea's side got up and followed them slowly. Skye waited at the top for a minute then followed her cousin to their room with the dog, Balfour, at her heel.

"So look what I got from Lordaeron." Adoette bosted and pulled out two matching, well-polished daggers and clumsily twirled them around in her hand.

Skye gave a slow thumbs-up while holding onto Balfour's collar with her other hand. One of the daggers slipped from Adoette's hand and clattered onto the wooden floor. Balfour growled lowly and Skye mouthed coldly, "Please put it away."

Adoette bent down and picked up the dagger then slid the daggers into the sheath in a bag. "Ain't it exciting how your brother is going to Dalaran?" Adoette asked.

Skye rolled her eyes, "I still don't know if I should be mad at him, myself, or you."

"Mad? Why?" Adoette questioned, "And why at me?"

"Because you and your father are taking him away in a few days before you go on your next adventure." Skye replied, "But Darien at least asked me to support him in this like I did before. So I suppose I'll just have to deal with it."

Adoette laughed and punched Skye playfully in the arm, "You'd better."

~•~

Skye watched the carriage carrying her cousin, uncle, and brother off to the City of Magi as she waved goodbye with her mother and father. Afterward, her parents seemed to go on their way as if nothing happened and left their, now, only child standing outside in the cool autumn afternoon. Skye decided she might as well go seek out Aria and maybe even find some work to keep her mind off the fact her other half is now gone.

Skye traveled down the cobblestone street ignoring the other Gilneans bustling around her and went over to where Aria usually sets up her shop but she wasn't there. Skye turned and found Aria making her way down into the merchant area with only a small sack of coins.

Aria noticed the young woman and waved, she moved past her to a merchant selling animal feed, then came back to Skye's side with a large burlap sack of chicken feed. She stopped and handed the sack to Skye then walked back the way she came with Skye following.

The two made their way down to the Cathedral District then followed the canal carefully until they reached the forest's edge. Not far into the wood was a small cottage with a chicken coop and a small garden where two small plots: one with ruby-red tomatoes and the other with white roses.

"Just put the feed over there, dear," Aria commented and pointed toward the wheelbarrow near the shed before going inside.

Skye slid the bag down into the wheelbarrow then turn toward the flowers. She kelt down reached out to touch one of the soft petals.

"Lovely, aren't they?"

Skye jumped pulled her hand away quickly, snagging the tip of her index finger on one of the thorns. Skye winced and brought her hand to her face.

Aria wandered over to Skye, Skye expected her to have a bandage or tell her just wipe it off in the grass, but instead, Aria hovered her over the tips of Skye's fingers and mouthed something. A soft green glow came from her palm. When the emerald glow diminished, Aria moved her hand away and the small cut was gone.

Skye looked up her hand and lifted an eyebrow at the older woman. Aria smiled and wandered back inside and motioned to Skye to come in too.

A small rush of warmth caressed Skye as she came in, she noticed a large black cat curled up near the fireplace. The cat opened its emerald eye at Skye, then rolled over onto its other side to face the fireplace.

Aria sat at the small table in the chair closest to the bed, she motioned for Skye to sit as she began to pour some tea into a porcelain teacup with a royal-blue design on the rim that looked like a vine. Skye sat down and Aria pushed one of the teacups over to Skye.

"So what was that...thing...you did out there?" Skye asked, before taking a sip of her tea.

Aria chuckled, "I'm surprised your parents never told you. Although I wouldn't blame them, 'the old ways' have pretty much died out among the human kingdoms by now."

Skye paused, "So you're a harvest-witch?"

"That is what most call us. Although, some prefer the name druid."

Skye nodded continued to drink her tea as she and Aria conversed.