Making Peace with the Past
As she finishes packing one last robe, Mariveaux pauses for a moment, wondering to herself if she is doing the right thing. Whether or not leaving the Bay where she has made her home is a good decision. She's grateful that Docimop had taken the time to train her even though she hadn't been as successful with all the weapons he was an expert in handling, at least she had grown more proficient with the wand she wields. Plus, she would have Broody with her at some point and although the felhunter acted like an overgrown worg pup at times, bouncing all over the town and sticking his nose where it didn't belong, he was loyal and devoted and the only demonic pet she had that actually listened to her and seemed pleased to see her when summoned.
Shaking her head to clear it, Mari clenches the backpack that held the few possessions she deemed necessary to take with her and hefts it over her shoulder, walks to the doorway of the small room she rented and nods to the Bruiser who had been standing guard.
"You'll give her the letter?" She inquires and the goblin nods in response.
Mariveaux begins to ask another question but sees the ferry has arrived. She gives a half-hearted wave goodbye and makes her way down the wharf, her stomach clenching in anticipation and she begins to doubt the course of action that she has decided to take. Before she can change her mind, she steps onto the plank leading down to the Maiden's Fancy, closes her eyes and walks forward into an uncertain future.
..........
((Almost two months ago.))
After trying to apologize to Malignus about Devinnola's horrible sense of humor, the letter Devi wrote perhaps ruining their friendship forever, Mariveaux leaves in frustration and goes to sulk in her room. What a completely awful person Devinnola could be, never realizing the consequences of her action nor taking responsibility for them. Feeling helpless about the situation and needing to do something worthwhile, Mari decides it may be best to go to Orgrimmar to tackle the task that she had promised Zy she would accomplish. They had heard that those who had been previously loyal to the Lich King were required to pledge their loyalty to the Warchief and they were certain that there must be a list of names of those who had made the oath. Zy believed that if they found Thanik's name, they could at least have a starting point on where to begin searching for him and Mari had volunteered to go.
"No time like the present," she whispers to herself before setting off, taking advantage of a portal that Dualla made to the Horde capital.
She makes her way slowly through the Valley of Wisdom and salutes the guards at the entrance to Grommash Hold, explaining the reason for her visit. She has Master Pyreanor pointed out for her and is told to speak with him. She lowers her eyes as she makes her way through the Warchief's chamber, nodding respectfully to those who acknowledge her presence.
She presents herself to the paladin trainer and describes Thanik to the gentleman, who says he doesn't recall anyone of that apperance but that she was welcome to go through the scrolls they maintain, detailing the names and specialities of the former Lich King's knights and he wishes her luck in finding what she was looking for.
Mariveaux begins searching the first scroll carefully, not wanting to miss the name she seeks. She hears a few shouts from outside Thrall's fortress, his guards crying at someone who enters.
"How dare you set foot in our city!"
"You disgust me."
"Murderer!"
"Looks like we're going to have ourselves an execution. GET A ROPE!"
"My family was wiped out by the Scourge! MONSTER!"
She spares a glance at the Death Knight but when one of the Kor'kron Elite guards spits upon the man that enters, she quickly turns her back, not wishing to add to the man's humiliation. She leans over and peers at the scroll again, her finger trailing over the last of the names. "Are you sure this is everyone?" She sighs softly as Master Pyreanor shakes his head and points to the next scroll.
"Look at that one too."
She almost jumps out of her skin when she hears Thrall yell, "Horde, hear the call of your Warchief! Today marks the first of many defeats for the Scourge! This Death Knight, once in service of the Lich King, has broken free of his grasp and formed a new alliance against his tyranny! You will welcome this former hero of the Horde and treat him with the respect that you would give to any ally of Orgrimmar! For the Horde!"
Muttered grumbles are given by the guards nearby and Mariveaux shudders, wondering if any of those that were once loyal to Prince Arthas could be trusted again. She returns her attention to the second scroll as the man begins to speak to Thrall. She hunches over the list, quietly reading the numerous names that are written upon it.
"Lok'tar ogar! Victory or death - it is these words that bind me to the Horde. For they are the most sacred and fundamental of truths to any warrior of the Horde. I give my flesh and blood freely to the Warchief. I am the instrument of my Warchief's desire. I am a weapon of my Warchief's command. From this moment until the end of days I, Thanik Dawnstrider, live and die - For the Horde!"
When Mari hears the name, it immediately causes her to stiffen in shock. After a moment, she stands up straight and inhales sharply as the Death Knight continues, "My life, for the Horde, Warchief!"
She gazes over her shoulder and peers at the Death Knight searchingly, watching him as he rises, and turns toward the entrance, pausing when he sees her staring at him. He blinks at her and Mari shakes her head in denial as rubs his eyes with his hands and looks at her again.
Mariveaux whispers quietly, not loud enough to be heard by the Death Knight. "Could it really him..." He steps toward her slowly, his eyes raking over her as if she were someone whom he had not seen in a very long time. He whispers, barely audible. "Those eyes...I know those eyes..."
She gathers her courage and clears her throat. "Pardon me...Knight. I ...could not help but overhear..."
He inhales sharply at the sound of her voice. "...Yes, m'lady?"
"Your name. The one you spoke. Thanik Dawnstrider." Mari slowly approaches, unsure that it could actually be her Thanik; he looks so different, unlike the man she knew before.
The Knight nods slightly. "That is my name, yes." He looks at her, carefully studying her features.
"Do...do you hail from Goldenmist Village? Or ...do you remember?"
"I...I don't remember. Forgive me for saying this...but I know you from somewhere."
"Do you? ...if you are somehow who I think you are, then yes...it is possible you know...knew me quite well."
The Knight pulls down his hood, exposing his face to her and she tries in vain to see the features she recalls. She replies to him, the tone of her voice hopeful. "My name is Mariveaux Shadowraven...and you are Thanik Dawnstrider, yes?"
His eyes suddenly flash an icy blue. "Mari..." The name escapes his lips.
"But, somehow...it can't be. You are not...Forsaken."
Thanik nods, taken aback by her statement. "Y...yes, yes I am."
Mariveaux moves a little closer, her eyes darting over his face before intently looking into his eyes while he looks down at his hands as he continues, "Even I can no longer see through the Lich King's lies. This is what he made me, like before, but it is only an illusion." He looks back into her eyes, his own fading subtly to green, then to yellow, before returning to their icy blue color.
"An illusion? I don't understand..." She gasps suddenly. "Oh...I ...know those eyes. I ..." She places a hand over her heart, drawing in another ragged breath.
"There is so much I would tell you, Mari. So much I've wanted to tell you..." He reaches toward her hand, then pauses not knowing how she would react. Her mouth goes dry and she takes a moment to compose herself before being able to speak.
"I got your letter. The one where...you tried to warn us what was going to happen."
Thanik nods. "Was it in time?"
Mariveaux shakes her head sadly. "No, I am afraid it was not. We...had to flee Booty Bay. And Silvermoon as well."
He clenches a fist before relaxing it. "If only I could have warned you sooner..."
"We managed to find safety of a sort in Bloodhoof Village but even at that remote location, there was trouble as well...but it matters not anymore."
"I...I wasn't strong enough to fight it, Mari. The allure of his promises...his lies..."
She allows the softest of sighs before answering. "Is ...that why you stayed away? You ...fell under his sway? I ...wanted to look for you when I got your letter almost a year ago, saying you were going to train...but then I thought I would respect your wish to...be alone."
"I was a fool. I thought there was a way to stop the inevitable decay of my Forsaken body...the rumors of magics that could accomplish such a thing had reached my ears, and I was weak."
She eyes him, taking in the illusion he presents. "I ...suppose in some ways, they were not all lies. But this..." She waves at his body and face in frustration. "It is ...not you."
Thanik looks at his hands once again. "Yes. What you see is a lie. This cannot be me. Forsaken though I was...this is close to how I looked in life. But as I said, it is not real. It is an illusion. A dream that I cannot awaken from..."
She frowns, her eyes lowering in sympathy. "A nightmare then...you are living a nightmare...aren't you?"
Thanik lets his head droop. "A nightmare that has taken from me everything and everyone I cared for, only to return me here as something they will not recognize and may not want..." He closes his eyes, unable to look Mari in the face.
She jerks her head up and stares at Thanik, a look of stunned surprise on her face. She says softly, "Not everything...not everyone. Zy is alive still, Thanik. She went looking for you. She was so worried and concerned. Oh, Thanik, if you only knew how much she cared for you."
"...Zy. She would not want to see me. Not like this..."
She quickly shakes her head in reproach. "You are so wrong, Thanik. She loves you so much. If you only knew the lengths she went to try to find you."
"I only wish that she didn't have to. I was a fool to believe the rumors spread out before me, but I couldn't see the truth until it was too late. I abandoned everyone I care for...everyone I love, and for what? To become the enemy..."
Mariveaux blinks and nods slowly, her eyes darkening. "What ...what do you remember, Thanik? From before? Do you remember giving me this?" She slides a hand into the pocket of her dress and then slowly removes it, her fist opening to reveal a ring with a flawless diamond solitaire in her palm.
Thanik stares at the ring, his eyes fading to a cool yellow briefly. "...The lighthouse...and the roof of the bank. I gave it to you twice...and you still have it..." He looks into Mari's eyes, searchingly. "You kept it, all this time?"
"Yes, of course I did. I was...I have...had been waiting. Hoping...for a while."
Thanik frowns slightly. "That was unfair...it was unfair of me to abandon you, but you waited for me?"
"What else was I supposed to do, Thanik? I had...given you my word. But ...after a while, I stopped wearing it again. It was said that...you had been gone so long...and without any word or letter of any sort...it was assumed you might be..." She pauses a moment before whispering, "Dead." She blushes, realizing that is exactly what became of him.
"It was not fair of me to abandon you like that. The things I went through and the choices I made were all wrong, I see that now when it's too late. I should have stayed with you."
"We all...make mistakes, Thanik. Perhaps if I had not ...treated you so poorly when you returned from being imprisoned, you would ...not have wanted to leave."
Thanik frowns in frustration unable to remember all the events of his past. "I don't know what motivated me to leave, but I do know that it was the wrong decision, and it lead me back to a place I swore I would never go again..."
"Straight to Arthas?"
"Straight to the Scourge. The Lich King's involvement came when it was too late to go back...that's when I knew I was trapped."
"And now...you have sworn yourself to Thrall. What...what are you going to do now, Thanik?"
"There are so many questions left unanswered. So many things I wish I could have done differently."
Mariveaux twists the ring in her hand, looking down at it and letting her hair fall forward to cover her face. He glances at the ring, nodding almost imperceptibly. "I wish I hadn't gone, Mari. I can't tell you how much I've wished that over the past months. I want you to keep the ring."
She raises her head to meet his gaze and whispers, "Why would you want me to keep it?"
He gazes into her eyes and speaks sincerely. "Keep it as a memory of things past, but also as a reminder of things that could be."
She clutches the ring in her hand, holding it tightly. "I...don't know what to say. It has been almost a year since I have seen you...heard your voice. And now that I do...Oh, Thanik! I don't know what to think!" She swallows hard, her throat tightening to keep back tears.
He stares at her clinched fist. "I may not be the one that puts that ring back on your finger, and I don't know if you or anyone could take me back after what I have done, but I will do everything in my power to make right the wrongs I have done."
Mariveaux tries to offer him a weak smile. "We did not know before what the future held for us. I suppose in that way, nothing has changed, no? But know this, Thanik. No matter what occurs...no matter what you have done...I will try to support you. It is the very least I can do. But I am ...not sure if I can be ...someone you wish to be promised to. You may not remember how awful I was to you."
Thanik puts his hand to his heart. "You still have a large place here. But before anyone can forgive me, I must first forgive myself."
"It beats still? But...this past year...it has been very hard without you. Things that have happened..." Mariveaux sighs softly, one hand coming up and self-consciously fingering the scar over her own heart.
"It still beats for you, just as it has. My thoughts of you kept my mind from totally submitting to the Lich King's will. I knew, all along and even when I could feel nothing else, that I cared for you and that's what drove me."
"But that was before. And you are here now... so what happens now, Thanik? What of your sister?"
"I must forgive myself for what I have done before I could ask that of anyone else."
"Is that what you will set out to do? Make...amends?"
"I know that I could be the man you fell in love with so long ago, and nothing would make my heart feel better more than that; but I don't know if that is what lies in our futures."
Mariveaux flushes, her skin turning a bright shade of crimson as he speaks. She tries to hold his gaze but ends up lowering her eyes. "I would not expect you to make me any promises, Thanik." She pauses and the words not anymore go unspoken as she puts the ring back into her pocket. "I think we both...have a lot to figure out now."
Thanik reaches out and takes one of her hands in his. "We do, but know that I will not stop caring for you. I lost you once, and I would not wish to do so again."
She ducks her head and stares at her toes of her boots before giving his hand a small squeeze. He grips her hand back gently in return, holding on for just a moment longer before letting go. She manages a quick look up before glancing over at Thrall. "What will he have you do?"
"He has asked that I serve time assisting Thrallmar, beyond the Dark Portal. From there, I do not know."
She inhales in surprise. "Outland? So soon?"
"That is what he wishes, though he has given me time to get some affairs taken care of, or to learn a profession if I so choose."
She steps closer, looking up at him with wide eyes filled with concern and places a gentle hand against his chest and murmurs, "You must be careful, Thanik. I ...know that you are now ...unable to truly die again. But nevertheless...I wish for you to be safe."
Thanik looks down at Mari, his eyes filled with tenderness. "I will not leave you again, Mari. That is my word to you. I will come back to you often."
She quickly shakes her head and steps away, realizing she should not act so familiar with a man she no longer knows. "I asked for no promises, Thanik. Please...don't. I could not ...bear it again if you did not..." She manages to keep from saying keep them.
Thanik nods gently. "Very well, then I will say that I will try my best to come back to you often."
She offers him an unsure smile and nods slowly. She looks over Thanik's shoulder and sees one of the Kor'kron Elite stifling a yawn.
"Please, I know you must return to the Bay and to ou...your tavern. I assume that you are still running the tavern and keeping a home there?"
"Yes. I ...still have that. The Tavern. And the Bucket too, of course. You do know...that you would always be welcome there. It ...it used to be your home too."
"There are some things I must attend to, and I must return to Ebon Hold to report to the Commander there."
"Please...do try to stay in touch. I will write back, I assure you. I ...I want to know how you are."
"I will do my best, and I am glad that I would be welcome back in the Tavern."
"Of course. But you're right...I should go."
"I will be near there before I go off to Thrallmar. I will make it a point to try to stop in if I have the time."
Mariveaux nods and gives a weak smile. "I hope that you do have that. The time, that is. Goodnight...Thanik."
"And a good night to you, my dear Mari. Tell my sister that you've seen me, if you get the chance."
"I shall, Thanik. She will be so pleased to know that you are...back." Mariveaux begins to walk away, taking one last look at him over her shoulder before she leaves Thrall's chamber. Master Pyreanor watches them both, a speculative look in his eyes.
..........
As the ferry makes its way across the sea, Mariveaux takes refuge in the hold, speaking briefly with Galley Chief Steelbelly before slipping onto a hammock and taking out the letter she received more than two weeks ago.
My dear Mariveaux,
Several weeks have passed since our chance encounter within Thrall's chamber. I am very happy that I got to see you on that evening. Over the past few weeks, I have been getting some affairs in order, preparing for my journey beyond the Dark Portal.
As I put more distance between myself and the Lich King, more of my memories have been returning. I remember that night at the lighthouse, where I first gave you the diamond ring, and as we usher in a new year on Azeroth, I can't help but imagine what life would be like if I hadn't made the poor decisions of the past that lead me to what I am now.
I do hope that you are well. I plan on visiting you at the tavern, provided I am still welcomed there, prior to my departure beyond the Portal. There is much that I wish were different in my life, and I have much to atone for before I can be at peace with myself. I will understand, of course, if you would rather I didn't show up at the Tavern. It is, after all, your place of business and your home; and I do not wish to bring trouble to you.
With all my heart, and all that I have left to give,
Thanik
Shaking her head to clear it, Mari clenches the backpack that held the few possessions she deemed necessary to take with her and hefts it over her shoulder, walks to the doorway of the small room she rented and nods to the Bruiser who had been standing guard.
"You'll give her the letter?" She inquires and the goblin nods in response.
Mariveaux begins to ask another question but sees the ferry has arrived. She gives a half-hearted wave goodbye and makes her way down the wharf, her stomach clenching in anticipation and she begins to doubt the course of action that she has decided to take. Before she can change her mind, she steps onto the plank leading down to the Maiden's Fancy, closes her eyes and walks forward into an uncertain future.
..........
((Almost two months ago.))
After trying to apologize to Malignus about Devinnola's horrible sense of humor, the letter Devi wrote perhaps ruining their friendship forever, Mariveaux leaves in frustration and goes to sulk in her room. What a completely awful person Devinnola could be, never realizing the consequences of her action nor taking responsibility for them. Feeling helpless about the situation and needing to do something worthwhile, Mari decides it may be best to go to Orgrimmar to tackle the task that she had promised Zy she would accomplish. They had heard that those who had been previously loyal to the Lich King were required to pledge their loyalty to the Warchief and they were certain that there must be a list of names of those who had made the oath. Zy believed that if they found Thanik's name, they could at least have a starting point on where to begin searching for him and Mari had volunteered to go.
"No time like the present," she whispers to herself before setting off, taking advantage of a portal that Dualla made to the Horde capital.
She makes her way slowly through the Valley of Wisdom and salutes the guards at the entrance to Grommash Hold, explaining the reason for her visit. She has Master Pyreanor pointed out for her and is told to speak with him. She lowers her eyes as she makes her way through the Warchief's chamber, nodding respectfully to those who acknowledge her presence.
She presents herself to the paladin trainer and describes Thanik to the gentleman, who says he doesn't recall anyone of that apperance but that she was welcome to go through the scrolls they maintain, detailing the names and specialities of the former Lich King's knights and he wishes her luck in finding what she was looking for.
Mariveaux begins searching the first scroll carefully, not wanting to miss the name she seeks. She hears a few shouts from outside Thrall's fortress, his guards crying at someone who enters.
"How dare you set foot in our city!"
"You disgust me."
"Murderer!"
"Looks like we're going to have ourselves an execution. GET A ROPE!"
"My family was wiped out by the Scourge! MONSTER!"
She spares a glance at the Death Knight but when one of the Kor'kron Elite guards spits upon the man that enters, she quickly turns her back, not wishing to add to the man's humiliation. She leans over and peers at the scroll again, her finger trailing over the last of the names. "Are you sure this is everyone?" She sighs softly as Master Pyreanor shakes his head and points to the next scroll.
"Look at that one too."
She almost jumps out of her skin when she hears Thrall yell, "Horde, hear the call of your Warchief! Today marks the first of many defeats for the Scourge! This Death Knight, once in service of the Lich King, has broken free of his grasp and formed a new alliance against his tyranny! You will welcome this former hero of the Horde and treat him with the respect that you would give to any ally of Orgrimmar! For the Horde!"
Muttered grumbles are given by the guards nearby and Mariveaux shudders, wondering if any of those that were once loyal to Prince Arthas could be trusted again. She returns her attention to the second scroll as the man begins to speak to Thrall. She hunches over the list, quietly reading the numerous names that are written upon it.
"Lok'tar ogar! Victory or death - it is these words that bind me to the Horde. For they are the most sacred and fundamental of truths to any warrior of the Horde. I give my flesh and blood freely to the Warchief. I am the instrument of my Warchief's desire. I am a weapon of my Warchief's command. From this moment until the end of days I, Thanik Dawnstrider, live and die - For the Horde!"
When Mari hears the name, it immediately causes her to stiffen in shock. After a moment, she stands up straight and inhales sharply as the Death Knight continues, "My life, for the Horde, Warchief!"
She gazes over her shoulder and peers at the Death Knight searchingly, watching him as he rises, and turns toward the entrance, pausing when he sees her staring at him. He blinks at her and Mari shakes her head in denial as rubs his eyes with his hands and looks at her again.
Mariveaux whispers quietly, not loud enough to be heard by the Death Knight. "Could it really him..." He steps toward her slowly, his eyes raking over her as if she were someone whom he had not seen in a very long time. He whispers, barely audible. "Those eyes...I know those eyes..."
She gathers her courage and clears her throat. "Pardon me...Knight. I ...could not help but overhear..."
He inhales sharply at the sound of her voice. "...Yes, m'lady?"
"Your name. The one you spoke. Thanik Dawnstrider." Mari slowly approaches, unsure that it could actually be her Thanik; he looks so different, unlike the man she knew before.
The Knight nods slightly. "That is my name, yes." He looks at her, carefully studying her features.
"Do...do you hail from Goldenmist Village? Or ...do you remember?"
"I...I don't remember. Forgive me for saying this...but I know you from somewhere."
"Do you? ...if you are somehow who I think you are, then yes...it is possible you know...knew me quite well."
The Knight pulls down his hood, exposing his face to her and she tries in vain to see the features she recalls. She replies to him, the tone of her voice hopeful. "My name is Mariveaux Shadowraven...and you are Thanik Dawnstrider, yes?"
His eyes suddenly flash an icy blue. "Mari..." The name escapes his lips.
"But, somehow...it can't be. You are not...Forsaken."
Thanik nods, taken aback by her statement. "Y...yes, yes I am."
Mariveaux moves a little closer, her eyes darting over his face before intently looking into his eyes while he looks down at his hands as he continues, "Even I can no longer see through the Lich King's lies. This is what he made me, like before, but it is only an illusion." He looks back into her eyes, his own fading subtly to green, then to yellow, before returning to their icy blue color.
"An illusion? I don't understand..." She gasps suddenly. "Oh...I ...know those eyes. I ..." She places a hand over her heart, drawing in another ragged breath.
"There is so much I would tell you, Mari. So much I've wanted to tell you..." He reaches toward her hand, then pauses not knowing how she would react. Her mouth goes dry and she takes a moment to compose herself before being able to speak.
"I got your letter. The one where...you tried to warn us what was going to happen."
Thanik nods. "Was it in time?"
Mariveaux shakes her head sadly. "No, I am afraid it was not. We...had to flee Booty Bay. And Silvermoon as well."
He clenches a fist before relaxing it. "If only I could have warned you sooner..."
"We managed to find safety of a sort in Bloodhoof Village but even at that remote location, there was trouble as well...but it matters not anymore."
"I...I wasn't strong enough to fight it, Mari. The allure of his promises...his lies..."
She allows the softest of sighs before answering. "Is ...that why you stayed away? You ...fell under his sway? I ...wanted to look for you when I got your letter almost a year ago, saying you were going to train...but then I thought I would respect your wish to...be alone."
"I was a fool. I thought there was a way to stop the inevitable decay of my Forsaken body...the rumors of magics that could accomplish such a thing had reached my ears, and I was weak."
She eyes him, taking in the illusion he presents. "I ...suppose in some ways, they were not all lies. But this..." She waves at his body and face in frustration. "It is ...not you."
Thanik looks at his hands once again. "Yes. What you see is a lie. This cannot be me. Forsaken though I was...this is close to how I looked in life. But as I said, it is not real. It is an illusion. A dream that I cannot awaken from..."
She frowns, her eyes lowering in sympathy. "A nightmare then...you are living a nightmare...aren't you?"
Thanik lets his head droop. "A nightmare that has taken from me everything and everyone I cared for, only to return me here as something they will not recognize and may not want..." He closes his eyes, unable to look Mari in the face.
She jerks her head up and stares at Thanik, a look of stunned surprise on her face. She says softly, "Not everything...not everyone. Zy is alive still, Thanik. She went looking for you. She was so worried and concerned. Oh, Thanik, if you only knew how much she cared for you."
"...Zy. She would not want to see me. Not like this..."
She quickly shakes her head in reproach. "You are so wrong, Thanik. She loves you so much. If you only knew the lengths she went to try to find you."
"I only wish that she didn't have to. I was a fool to believe the rumors spread out before me, but I couldn't see the truth until it was too late. I abandoned everyone I care for...everyone I love, and for what? To become the enemy..."
Mariveaux blinks and nods slowly, her eyes darkening. "What ...what do you remember, Thanik? From before? Do you remember giving me this?" She slides a hand into the pocket of her dress and then slowly removes it, her fist opening to reveal a ring with a flawless diamond solitaire in her palm.
Thanik stares at the ring, his eyes fading to a cool yellow briefly. "...The lighthouse...and the roof of the bank. I gave it to you twice...and you still have it..." He looks into Mari's eyes, searchingly. "You kept it, all this time?"
"Yes, of course I did. I was...I have...had been waiting. Hoping...for a while."
Thanik frowns slightly. "That was unfair...it was unfair of me to abandon you, but you waited for me?"
"What else was I supposed to do, Thanik? I had...given you my word. But ...after a while, I stopped wearing it again. It was said that...you had been gone so long...and without any word or letter of any sort...it was assumed you might be..." She pauses a moment before whispering, "Dead." She blushes, realizing that is exactly what became of him.
"It was not fair of me to abandon you like that. The things I went through and the choices I made were all wrong, I see that now when it's too late. I should have stayed with you."
"We all...make mistakes, Thanik. Perhaps if I had not ...treated you so poorly when you returned from being imprisoned, you would ...not have wanted to leave."
Thanik frowns in frustration unable to remember all the events of his past. "I don't know what motivated me to leave, but I do know that it was the wrong decision, and it lead me back to a place I swore I would never go again..."
"Straight to Arthas?"
"Straight to the Scourge. The Lich King's involvement came when it was too late to go back...that's when I knew I was trapped."
"And now...you have sworn yourself to Thrall. What...what are you going to do now, Thanik?"
"There are so many questions left unanswered. So many things I wish I could have done differently."
Mariveaux twists the ring in her hand, looking down at it and letting her hair fall forward to cover her face. He glances at the ring, nodding almost imperceptibly. "I wish I hadn't gone, Mari. I can't tell you how much I've wished that over the past months. I want you to keep the ring."
She raises her head to meet his gaze and whispers, "Why would you want me to keep it?"
He gazes into her eyes and speaks sincerely. "Keep it as a memory of things past, but also as a reminder of things that could be."
She clutches the ring in her hand, holding it tightly. "I...don't know what to say. It has been almost a year since I have seen you...heard your voice. And now that I do...Oh, Thanik! I don't know what to think!" She swallows hard, her throat tightening to keep back tears.
He stares at her clinched fist. "I may not be the one that puts that ring back on your finger, and I don't know if you or anyone could take me back after what I have done, but I will do everything in my power to make right the wrongs I have done."
Mariveaux tries to offer him a weak smile. "We did not know before what the future held for us. I suppose in that way, nothing has changed, no? But know this, Thanik. No matter what occurs...no matter what you have done...I will try to support you. It is the very least I can do. But I am ...not sure if I can be ...someone you wish to be promised to. You may not remember how awful I was to you."
Thanik puts his hand to his heart. "You still have a large place here. But before anyone can forgive me, I must first forgive myself."
"It beats still? But...this past year...it has been very hard without you. Things that have happened..." Mariveaux sighs softly, one hand coming up and self-consciously fingering the scar over her own heart.
"It still beats for you, just as it has. My thoughts of you kept my mind from totally submitting to the Lich King's will. I knew, all along and even when I could feel nothing else, that I cared for you and that's what drove me."
"But that was before. And you are here now... so what happens now, Thanik? What of your sister?"
"I must forgive myself for what I have done before I could ask that of anyone else."
"Is that what you will set out to do? Make...amends?"
"I know that I could be the man you fell in love with so long ago, and nothing would make my heart feel better more than that; but I don't know if that is what lies in our futures."
Mariveaux flushes, her skin turning a bright shade of crimson as he speaks. She tries to hold his gaze but ends up lowering her eyes. "I would not expect you to make me any promises, Thanik." She pauses and the words not anymore go unspoken as she puts the ring back into her pocket. "I think we both...have a lot to figure out now."
Thanik reaches out and takes one of her hands in his. "We do, but know that I will not stop caring for you. I lost you once, and I would not wish to do so again."
She ducks her head and stares at her toes of her boots before giving his hand a small squeeze. He grips her hand back gently in return, holding on for just a moment longer before letting go. She manages a quick look up before glancing over at Thrall. "What will he have you do?"
"He has asked that I serve time assisting Thrallmar, beyond the Dark Portal. From there, I do not know."
She inhales in surprise. "Outland? So soon?"
"That is what he wishes, though he has given me time to get some affairs taken care of, or to learn a profession if I so choose."
She steps closer, looking up at him with wide eyes filled with concern and places a gentle hand against his chest and murmurs, "You must be careful, Thanik. I ...know that you are now ...unable to truly die again. But nevertheless...I wish for you to be safe."
Thanik looks down at Mari, his eyes filled with tenderness. "I will not leave you again, Mari. That is my word to you. I will come back to you often."
She quickly shakes her head and steps away, realizing she should not act so familiar with a man she no longer knows. "I asked for no promises, Thanik. Please...don't. I could not ...bear it again if you did not..." She manages to keep from saying keep them.
Thanik nods gently. "Very well, then I will say that I will try my best to come back to you often."
She offers him an unsure smile and nods slowly. She looks over Thanik's shoulder and sees one of the Kor'kron Elite stifling a yawn.
"Please, I know you must return to the Bay and to ou...your tavern. I assume that you are still running the tavern and keeping a home there?"
"Yes. I ...still have that. The Tavern. And the Bucket too, of course. You do know...that you would always be welcome there. It ...it used to be your home too."
"There are some things I must attend to, and I must return to Ebon Hold to report to the Commander there."
"Please...do try to stay in touch. I will write back, I assure you. I ...I want to know how you are."
"I will do my best, and I am glad that I would be welcome back in the Tavern."
"Of course. But you're right...I should go."
"I will be near there before I go off to Thrallmar. I will make it a point to try to stop in if I have the time."
Mariveaux nods and gives a weak smile. "I hope that you do have that. The time, that is. Goodnight...Thanik."
"And a good night to you, my dear Mari. Tell my sister that you've seen me, if you get the chance."
"I shall, Thanik. She will be so pleased to know that you are...back." Mariveaux begins to walk away, taking one last look at him over her shoulder before she leaves Thrall's chamber. Master Pyreanor watches them both, a speculative look in his eyes.
..........
As the ferry makes its way across the sea, Mariveaux takes refuge in the hold, speaking briefly with Galley Chief Steelbelly before slipping onto a hammock and taking out the letter she received more than two weeks ago.
My dear Mariveaux,
Several weeks have passed since our chance encounter within Thrall's chamber. I am very happy that I got to see you on that evening. Over the past few weeks, I have been getting some affairs in order, preparing for my journey beyond the Dark Portal.
As I put more distance between myself and the Lich King, more of my memories have been returning. I remember that night at the lighthouse, where I first gave you the diamond ring, and as we usher in a new year on Azeroth, I can't help but imagine what life would be like if I hadn't made the poor decisions of the past that lead me to what I am now.
I do hope that you are well. I plan on visiting you at the tavern, provided I am still welcomed there, prior to my departure beyond the Portal. There is much that I wish were different in my life, and I have much to atone for before I can be at peace with myself. I will understand, of course, if you would rather I didn't show up at the Tavern. It is, after all, your place of business and your home; and I do not wish to bring trouble to you.
With all my heart, and all that I have left to give,
Thanik