Venibeth Stokes

We Got You

She hadn’t been able to find a buyer for the house and forge yet but there had been inquiries in renting the forge and that was the next best thing as far as Venibeth was concerned. She had a little money set aside that she used as a down payment on the shop and the apartment behind it, the monthly rents from the forge would pay for the mortgage and any money she made sewing would cover her other expenses. Or so she hoped.

Veni looked around the little shop, adjusting a dress dummy in the window so that it displayed the crimson and cream colored dress at its best angle. The window itself gleamed brightly in the sunlight that filtered through the usual canopy of clouds hovering over Darkshire. The counters shone with fresh polish and the mirrors reflected the light,  filling the interior of the shop with a faint golden glow.

The children sat on the floor playing with blocks, babbling to one another in the language of twins and Veni felt a pange at the loss of her own, as well as a twinge of fear that Aiden and Emma might end up as she and Voldric had.

Shaking her head to dismiss her dark thoughts, Veni moved to the door, and turning the little sign that hung in the window, unlocked the door; opening her tailoring business for the very first time.

She sat on a stool behind the counter and picked up her latest project, a piece of pale blue fabric onto which she was embroidering snowdrop blossoms. The fabric would make a lovely dress for Emma and it would carry the memory of her father. Veni sighed heavily. The white flowers had always reminded her of Riley; being a worgen and a blacksmith, he seemed to crave the colder climes of places like Dun Morogh, in fact that’s where he lived when they’d first met.

He’d moved to Duskwood for her, so that she could be near her best friend. Now she found herself wondering if he had truly been happy there. Their relationship had always been volatile but she had always marked it up to their personalities. He, by his worgen nature, seemed to have a certain rage always simmering beneath the surface. And she was as unpredictable as the fire magic she used to wield.

Fire had taken so much from her; her brother, her husband, her life.

The mage’s dark thoughts were interrupted by the sound of childish laughter and she glanced down at the floor where the children played. Emma waved her fingers and a dust cloth danced across the room, whirling in mad circles. Veni blinked, taking a moment to process what she was seeing then used her own magic to steady the thing. She rose from her stool, moving to crouch near the children.

“Now sweetie, none of that in here, you might break something.” she gently chided her daughter, booping her nose playfully to keep the sting from the reprimand. The twins looked at one another, chattering in their secret language before the girl looked at her mother and nodded, “Kay momma.” she said, her sage nod looking all the more serious for having come from a two year old child.

Veni kissed each child’s brow then moved back to her sewing, swallowing a sigh. Raising two children on her own was going to be much harder than she’d expected. Damn Riley for going to Darnassus that day. Damn him for dying and leaving her on her own.

With a snarl she balled up the fabric, shoving it into a back corner of the counter. Her anger giving way to tears, she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands until she felt the awkward touch of little fingers gently stroking her hair. Emma stood at her left and Aiden at her right, the two of them trying to sooth their mother’s sadness. “Don’t worry momma, we got you.” Aiden murmured, wrapping his little arms around her and kissing her cheek.