Regynn Winters

Arrival

I should have been a mage. Mages can teleport. Or open portals. Why on Azeroth wasn’t there a portal open? A ship? Who in the fel travels by ship anymore? If you want to go to the Outlands, there’s a portal. If you want to go to Panderia there’s a portal. But Northrend? Nope, you have to take a ship. Across the ocean. To a place where it becomes necessary to dodge icebergs.

Regynn gripped the railing as she made her shakey way down the gangplank, blinking rapidly in the late afternoon light, a sharp contrast to the dim recesses of the cabin she’d spent nearly the entire journey in, only moving from her cot to retch up what little she was able to eat. When she’d first viewed the ship in Stormwind harbor she’d been excited, surely something so big would not cause the same fear that riding atop a horse gave her. That was until she felt the deck roll with the waves beneath her feet, and motion sickness had her in its grip.

Now she stood on the dock, reveling in the brisk, crystalline breeze, and enjoying the feel of solid ground beneath her feet, her dislike of the cold momentarily forgotten. Her prayer of gratitude for the safe landing was interrupted by a young orderly who quickly ushered her to the gryphonmaster. Before she knew it she was settled in the saddle of the great beast; its powerful wings launching them into the air and over the frozen terrain below.

Once on the ground the young man rushed forward, not giving her time to speak, he took her bags and handed them off to a waiting porter who nodded and disappeared in the opposite direction. That done the orderly turned and gripped Reggy’s elbow, steering her into the keep then propelled her up the stairs and into a small but tidy office.

There was a grizzled, battle hardened man behind the desk, his eyes quickly scanning the documents laid out before him before he glanced up at her, “Not a healer I see. What am I supposed to do with a non-healing priest.” it was not a question and he did not wait for her to answer. “The prisoner. Of course. I’ve told them repeatedly that fool has nothing to say of any value but they, in their infinite wisdom, know more than a man who has lived within these walls since day one.”

He set the orders back on the desk, finally turning his full attention to the girl sitting across from him, a sly smirk spreading across his features, “Looking a little green there girly. Run into some rough weather did ya?” He looked her over, his smirk turning to a frown of disapproval, “You’re naught but skin and bones. They stop feeding you lot at the cathedral?”

Before she could respond the officer in charge reached for a bell resting on his desk, giving it a few curt shakes. The door quickly opened and the orderly stood at attention. “Get her out of here, get her fed, and then send her to her bunk.”

The younger man nodded and turned to Reggy, waiting for her to rise before he once more set her in motion. He gave a small smile as he directed her down a hallway, “Don’t fret much over Cap’n Crumbaugh, he’s mostly harmless as long as you stay on his good side.”

He led up another flight of stairs and down a narrow hall, stopping at a non-descript door. He opened to reveal a cot, desk, chair, and a small chest on which her bags rested. “It ain’t much but I expect you’ll not be spending much time in it anyway. Dinner’s at six and all hands are mandatory. Any questions?”

Reggy had stepped into the room but turned to ask, “Post… how often does the post run?”

“We get mail but it ain’t often, not regular like. Mostly if a body’s going on to Dalaran they’ll drop it in a box for outgoing stuff. Could be days before it gets to its destination. Fel, we’ve had some mail take up to a month.”

As the orderly closed the door behind him Regynn looked around her new quarters with a heavy sigh.  I really should have been a mage. I wonder if it’s too late to be a mage.