Daughter of Azeroth

EPILOGUE

Idira stepped through her teleport into the little garden tucked in a remote, quiet corner of Dalaran's Park. She gazed up at the shrouded statue, draped in blue silk. The official unveiling was to be tomorrow, but she had wanted to see it first, alone.

Under a star-drenched sky, she tugged on the cable holding the covering in place. The silken material fluttered down, whispering over the rose bushes planted around back of the memorial's base.

She stepped back, blinking back the tears blurring her vision. It was him, down to the last detail. The blinding headache she had had to endure to have her memories of him read and stored in an arcane prism had been worth it.

He stood, proud, fierce, wearing his full battle gear, his amberstone eyes glinting in the moonlight, looking out into the distance, his hand resting protectively on the shoulder of a girl who looked up at him, full of affection, a book of fairytales tucked under one arm, a small smile curving her lips. Standing on his opposite side, a boy, holding a dagger, his hair a tousled mess, stood in the defensive stance, ready for danger. At the girl's feet a little black cat slept, curled up, content.

At the base of the statue, surrounded by small bushes, a little pond had been carved into the front of the memorial. In the middle of the lily pads, a murloc, Margle, wearing a seashell necklace, frolicked in the water, scaring off the crabs, who crawled up the front of the memorial towards the trio at the top. The effect of the entire tableau was utterly charming, a fairytale.

"Without you, I would have never made it," she whispered, looking up at Unambi, her tears spilling free. "Without you, I would never be here."

She sank down onto a nearby bench, weeping softly, reliving her memories until the skies turned a deep shade of pink, heralding the dawn of a new day. She lingered, watching as the sun ascended, breaking over Dalaran's horizon; the fresh, clean light of early morning playing over Unambi's features, bringing him to life, his expressions changing, subtly, shifting, the mark of masterful sculptor.

A shaft of sunlight pierced through the trees, catching at the amber in Unambi's eyes, giving the effect of him winking at her. Another blaze of light broke through the trees, melting away the last shadows concealing his face; his smile—hidden by the night—suddenly appearing, just as she remembered it, confident, enigmatic.

Her heart aching, her eyes moved to the inscription engraved on a golden plaque in front of the memorial, hearing his voice as she read:

"Da Light be workin' in da most mysterious ways."

She backed away, keeping her eyes on him, sensing his encouragement to go, to live the life he had given back to her. She stepped through her teleport and walked through Khadgar's sumptuous residence into his bedroom. He still slept, one arm flung out across her empty pillow. Dropping her clothes on the floor beside his, she climbed into the bed, savouring the feel of his arms coming around her, pulling her against him, warming her.

"Where were you?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.

"Watching the sun come up," she said, settling against him.

"Mm," he answered, his breathing deepening as he fell back to sleep.

"But I'm home now," she whispered against his chest, listening, grateful, to the steady beat of his heart. "I'm home."

❃THE END ❃

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