Deception (a World of Warcraft Fanfic)

And the Adventure Begins

Private Aiden Berwisk's P.O.V.

I hate my job, hate it more than a coal miner, or a fisherman, heck, prisoners are happier than I. She scares me, Jaina, has ever since Theramore's destruction.

She was once a sweet soul, full of love and compassion, a woman of peace. Well, we see where that got her. Now her hair was white and her mindset... changed, she was not the same Jaina I remember, yet she was still my boss.

Personal messenger isn't so bad, I thought, just tell her what she needs to know and be done with it. The keep was a jungle to me, though, I was unsure where I was exactly. It was a confidence killer, asking a local guard where I was exactly. All I knew is that I was west of the throne room.

All was calm but a few rats scurrying about, which I was instructed to kill and dispose of upon spotting one. Fortunately for them, I had no idea where I was to dispose of them, so any rat I passed got a lucky break.

I passed a courtyard, the sun shining through on the verdant vegetation. Roses of all colors grew throughout it, colors I had never seen in my day. Me, a middle aged man, witnessing these colors for the first time.

"Like them?" chirped a younger voice. I looked around, subconsciously fingering for my sword. I could not see the speaker, and though the voice was friendly, I was one to prepare for the worst. "I grow them myself." A blonde gnome poked her head out from behind a bush. Figures I couldn't see her.

I eased up and turned to her, "They're beautiful! How do you get them to be in such a variety of colors?"

She smiled, clearly she enjoyed answering the question. "My husband and I have always been a team in gardening, I have the green thumb, he has a skill with alchemy. I use the different fertilizers he makes in this garden. One year, we grew a rose so big it could be seen from outside peeking over the skylight. Never knew what happened to it, it was there one night, gone the next."

"Remarkable! You and your husband have made quite the garden. I'm Aiden, one of Lady Jaina's personal messengers."

"Ah, so that's who stormed through earlier. Nasty temper she has. Her hair was all white, is she that old already?"

"No, it was an... accident."

"Oh dear, figures she was so upset. I'm guessing you have a message for her."

"You guessed right."

"Well the, don't let me hold you. She's in the library, two doors down to the left. Here, take these for her, she appears to like purple." The gnome handed me a fistful of deep violet roses. "Send her warm regards."

"You have my word." I left her with a salute, heading toward the library. I sighed in relief, I didn't even have to ask for directions. I am old, but shy none the less, often finding it difficult talking to people I've never met. Unless, of corse, they were friendly like her. I didn't catch her name, and felt a bit guilty he never asked.

The library was empty, massive bookshelves ran wall to wall. It would have been quite the hunt, searching for Jaina, if it weren't for her habit tapping of her foot.

"Lady Jaina?" I asked, poking his head around the corner. The Mage sat in a large, plush chair reading a popular novel.

"Come, Aiden, sit." She smiled, motioning to the chair next to her. "What brings you here?"

"I'm afraid I am the bearer of bad news..." I dragged out, dreading having to tell her.

"Oh Aiden, is it your family? how are they holding up?"

"No, no, my family is just fine. The wife says all is well, Randen is becoming quite the tailor."

"He's a fine young man, I haven't seen him since his twentieth. How old is he now?"