((Before you start to read, please note that it may differ from what really hapenned, but you will get the idea...))
"Sit down, Valeera." Serenais said.
Serenais pointed at a dumpty near the fireplace.
"You need to get warm."
Valeera did so, then she reached closer to the fire with palms.
"Zangarmarsh can be very cold at times..."
Serenais nodded.
"I know."
After a while of silence, Valeera folded her arms on her chest, as if trying to get some of the warmth her hands absorbed to the rest of her body.
"May I ask you something?"
Serenais kept on looking into the fire.
"If I can answer..."
"You keep teaching me about Uther the Lightbringer, Turalyon and others... But I have never heard much about you."
"Varian never told you?"
Valeera shook her head.
"No."
Serenais shrugged a little.
"I guess you have the right to know... What should I tell you about?"
Valeera was silent for a while, not knowing how exactly to ask, but then she found a way.
"You tell me their lifestories. Tell me yours."
Serenais smiled, but then her expression turned slightly bitter.
"It is not a nice story, Valeera."
Valeera nodded.
"Still... Tell me. Please."
"Well..."
Serenais took a deep breath.
"I was born not far from here. My parents used to go fishing to a lake that was there where now is the Dead Mire. My mother persuaded my father to let her go with him, and they didn't make it back in time."
Serenais smiled.
"I guess that is not a very heroic way to be born."
Valeera shrugged.
"What is? Please, continue."
Serenais nodded.
"Alright. At that time, my parents were living in the Shattrath Lower city, almost on the outskirts of the forest. That's where I grew up. It was a rather fine childhood. When I was..."
Serenais paused for a short moment.
"...about five of your years, my sister was born. We grew up together. I went to school, taught myself to cook, stole sweets from my parents cache..."
Valeera giggled.
"...and it went on that way all my childhood. My parents weren't rich, but they knew how to make a childhood happy. And as with everything happy, my childhood seemed to be over very quickly. Before I knew it, I was considered adult, standing in middle of the marketplace of lower Shattrath..."
Serenais'es face saddened.
"What hapenned?" Valeera asked.
"I saw him."
"Him?"
Serenais nodded.
"Teloros. A young priest, rather devout, a bit rush and so sweet... Life was so good back then. We kept on seeing each other for about a year, until..."
Serenais'es face saddened a bit more.
"Until?"
"Until Velen asked for him to be on the Tempest Keep expedition. At that time, I so much wanted to be with him, that I persuaded everyone to let me go with him. My parents tried to dissuade me, especially my father. He said that staying in Shattrath was by far better, Netherstorm was far away. At that time, I had no idea how right he was... And how wrong."
"Why wrong?"
Serenais suddenly seemed a little smaller.
"I will get to that... Me and Teleros got to the Exodar. For a time, everything seemed fine... Until the Blood elven army arrived."
Valeera looked down on her feet, feeling small, almost guilty.
"We tried to put up a fight, but in the end, we had to escape. We evacuated to Exodar, separated the ship from the rest of the Keep a tried to make a run for it. At that moment, it seemed alright... Until O'ros tried to set the Exodar to sail to another dimension. A loud explosion separated the Warp Coil, and instead of a different world, the ship followed a path high over the Dark Portal, on its Azerothian end. Exodar fell down through air, rushing so fast that its outer parts begun to burn away. I and Teloros were in the Cryo core at that moment. Just before it separated from the rest of the ship, he pushed me into a lifeboat and..."
A tear fell from Serenais'es eye.
"...and...And that was the last I saw him... I woke up a day later, on the northern edge of Ammen Vale, in my lifeboat, unharmed. The surroundings told of a catastrophe that I did not remember. There were many injured, pieces of debris were all over the valley. I did what I could, saved a few lives like everyone else... And hoped that Teloros was somewhere closeby, doing the same. After two weeks, I finally got to the Bloodmyst Isle. There I found the remains of the Cryo core... Inside an impact crater. Everyone inside it was dead. I didn't find Teloros'es body, but I found this..."
Serenais took out a little piece of cloth from her pocket. When she unfolded it, a simple ring made of yellow metal, with a few symbols on its edge, fell out.
"...It was his engagement ring. It's all I have left..."
Serenais put the ring back into the cloth, folded it around the ring and put back into her pocket. Another of her tears hit the ground.
"After that, I decided to become a paladin. The closest thing to a priest that could defend others directly... So that nothing like what hapenned would have to happen again. I was foolish back then..."
"Why?"
Serenais looked at Valeera for the first time since Valeera asked her the question.
"Being a paladin does not make one noble, Valeera. I have met rogues more noble and pure of heart than the elite knights of the Church, blinded so much by the glitter of their armor, that they failed to see the bad happening around them."
Serenais nodded.
"Yes, I trained in Stormwind for a short time... But after that lesson of arrogance, I returned to Exodar. There, I was tutored by Jol. She was able to put something into teaching that I find hard to describe, but it made the learning much easier... And I finally liked what I have become."
Valeera smiled.
"I think I know what you speak about. I feel it myself."
Serenais finally seemed happier for a moment.
"Thank you, Valeera. To continue... Well, after I finished the training, I begun traveling all around Azeroth. I saw many places. Until that day in Feralas, when a yound priestess of Elune contacted me..."
"Vaelis."
Serenais nodded and smiled.
"Yes, Vaelis. She lead a rather young guild, the Moonshine."
"THE Moonshine?"
Serenais couldn't help giggling a little.
"Yes, THE Moonshine. I helped her and a few others on an expedition to the Blackrock Mountain. Nothing too fancy, but she asked me then to enter the guild. I had my thoughts about running my own guild, but lacked people to do so, so I joined. It was one of the best things I ever did. We shared many adventures, and thanks to the guild, I one day found my way to the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands. I was so eager to return home, to see my familly again..."
Serenais'es face lost the happy expression it had a moment before.
"What hapenned?"
"I stepped through the Portal. On the other end, both Alliance and Horde were fighting the Legion's forces. I can tell you, it scared the nether out of me. I was so affraid that the Draenor has fallen under the sway of the Legion, that I did what I could to get a gryphon, and flew to Terrokar. At first, I couldn't find Shattrath, but then, I found it... The center looked the same. The Aldor had still their rise, but there was a strange looking tier next to it. And the Lower city..."
"What?"
"It was gone. Replaced with a large refugee camp. I tried to look for my families' house, but never found it... It was only after that I learned that shortly after the Exodar left, forces of Illidan Stormrage made siege of Shattrath and burned the whole lower part of the city. My family included..."
Serenais looked down.
"I didn't know what to do. I remember that an Aldor found me there, sitting and sobbing on the ground... Only after that Vaelis and Polaaris found me again. She and the Aldor were able to set my mind back to look into the future... So I did. You know it was me and Pharos who slew the false prince..."
Valeera nodded.
"Yes. But you haven't mentioned Pharos yet... And neither Polaaris."
"They are both paladins. Pharos you know, he leads the King's guards, and Polaaris you must have heard of as well. He leads the Moonshine guild now. Pharos was in the guild almost from the start, Polaaris joined some time after I did, quickly rose through the ranks and turned out to be a good leader, so Vaelis stepped down and turned the guilds' leader mantle to him. He led the guild well, though he had to leave for a few monts... During those months, the guild sent a few members into Northrend. I think you know what hapenned after that..."
Valeera nodded, and then noticed that the sound of drumming stopped.
"It stopped raining, finally..."
"Sit down, Valeera." Serenais said.
Serenais pointed at a dumpty near the fireplace.
"You need to get warm."
Valeera did so, then she reached closer to the fire with palms.
"Zangarmarsh can be very cold at times..."
Serenais nodded.
"I know."
After a while of silence, Valeera folded her arms on her chest, as if trying to get some of the warmth her hands absorbed to the rest of her body.
"May I ask you something?"
Serenais kept on looking into the fire.
"If I can answer..."
"You keep teaching me about Uther the Lightbringer, Turalyon and others... But I have never heard much about you."
"Varian never told you?"
Valeera shook her head.
"No."
Serenais shrugged a little.
"I guess you have the right to know... What should I tell you about?"
Valeera was silent for a while, not knowing how exactly to ask, but then she found a way.
"You tell me their lifestories. Tell me yours."
Serenais smiled, but then her expression turned slightly bitter.
"It is not a nice story, Valeera."
Valeera nodded.
"Still... Tell me. Please."
"Well..."
Serenais took a deep breath.
"I was born not far from here. My parents used to go fishing to a lake that was there where now is the Dead Mire. My mother persuaded my father to let her go with him, and they didn't make it back in time."
Serenais smiled.
"I guess that is not a very heroic way to be born."
Valeera shrugged.
"What is? Please, continue."
Serenais nodded.
"Alright. At that time, my parents were living in the Shattrath Lower city, almost on the outskirts of the forest. That's where I grew up. It was a rather fine childhood. When I was..."
Serenais paused for a short moment.
"...about five of your years, my sister was born. We grew up together. I went to school, taught myself to cook, stole sweets from my parents cache..."
Valeera giggled.
"...and it went on that way all my childhood. My parents weren't rich, but they knew how to make a childhood happy. And as with everything happy, my childhood seemed to be over very quickly. Before I knew it, I was considered adult, standing in middle of the marketplace of lower Shattrath..."
Serenais'es face saddened.
"What hapenned?" Valeera asked.
"I saw him."
"Him?"
Serenais nodded.
"Teloros. A young priest, rather devout, a bit rush and so sweet... Life was so good back then. We kept on seeing each other for about a year, until..."
Serenais'es face saddened a bit more.
"Until?"
"Until Velen asked for him to be on the Tempest Keep expedition. At that time, I so much wanted to be with him, that I persuaded everyone to let me go with him. My parents tried to dissuade me, especially my father. He said that staying in Shattrath was by far better, Netherstorm was far away. At that time, I had no idea how right he was... And how wrong."
"Why wrong?"
Serenais suddenly seemed a little smaller.
"I will get to that... Me and Teleros got to the Exodar. For a time, everything seemed fine... Until the Blood elven army arrived."
Valeera looked down on her feet, feeling small, almost guilty.
"We tried to put up a fight, but in the end, we had to escape. We evacuated to Exodar, separated the ship from the rest of the Keep a tried to make a run for it. At that moment, it seemed alright... Until O'ros tried to set the Exodar to sail to another dimension. A loud explosion separated the Warp Coil, and instead of a different world, the ship followed a path high over the Dark Portal, on its Azerothian end. Exodar fell down through air, rushing so fast that its outer parts begun to burn away. I and Teloros were in the Cryo core at that moment. Just before it separated from the rest of the ship, he pushed me into a lifeboat and..."
A tear fell from Serenais'es eye.
"...and...And that was the last I saw him... I woke up a day later, on the northern edge of Ammen Vale, in my lifeboat, unharmed. The surroundings told of a catastrophe that I did not remember. There were many injured, pieces of debris were all over the valley. I did what I could, saved a few lives like everyone else... And hoped that Teloros was somewhere closeby, doing the same. After two weeks, I finally got to the Bloodmyst Isle. There I found the remains of the Cryo core... Inside an impact crater. Everyone inside it was dead. I didn't find Teloros'es body, but I found this..."
Serenais took out a little piece of cloth from her pocket. When she unfolded it, a simple ring made of yellow metal, with a few symbols on its edge, fell out.
"...It was his engagement ring. It's all I have left..."
Serenais put the ring back into the cloth, folded it around the ring and put back into her pocket. Another of her tears hit the ground.
"After that, I decided to become a paladin. The closest thing to a priest that could defend others directly... So that nothing like what hapenned would have to happen again. I was foolish back then..."
"Why?"
Serenais looked at Valeera for the first time since Valeera asked her the question.
"Being a paladin does not make one noble, Valeera. I have met rogues more noble and pure of heart than the elite knights of the Church, blinded so much by the glitter of their armor, that they failed to see the bad happening around them."
Serenais nodded.
"Yes, I trained in Stormwind for a short time... But after that lesson of arrogance, I returned to Exodar. There, I was tutored by Jol. She was able to put something into teaching that I find hard to describe, but it made the learning much easier... And I finally liked what I have become."
Valeera smiled.
"I think I know what you speak about. I feel it myself."
Serenais finally seemed happier for a moment.
"Thank you, Valeera. To continue... Well, after I finished the training, I begun traveling all around Azeroth. I saw many places. Until that day in Feralas, when a yound priestess of Elune contacted me..."
"Vaelis."
Serenais nodded and smiled.
"Yes, Vaelis. She lead a rather young guild, the Moonshine."
"THE Moonshine?"
Serenais couldn't help giggling a little.
"Yes, THE Moonshine. I helped her and a few others on an expedition to the Blackrock Mountain. Nothing too fancy, but she asked me then to enter the guild. I had my thoughts about running my own guild, but lacked people to do so, so I joined. It was one of the best things I ever did. We shared many adventures, and thanks to the guild, I one day found my way to the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands. I was so eager to return home, to see my familly again..."
Serenais'es face lost the happy expression it had a moment before.
"What hapenned?"
"I stepped through the Portal. On the other end, both Alliance and Horde were fighting the Legion's forces. I can tell you, it scared the nether out of me. I was so affraid that the Draenor has fallen under the sway of the Legion, that I did what I could to get a gryphon, and flew to Terrokar. At first, I couldn't find Shattrath, but then, I found it... The center looked the same. The Aldor had still their rise, but there was a strange looking tier next to it. And the Lower city..."
"What?"
"It was gone. Replaced with a large refugee camp. I tried to look for my families' house, but never found it... It was only after that I learned that shortly after the Exodar left, forces of Illidan Stormrage made siege of Shattrath and burned the whole lower part of the city. My family included..."
Serenais looked down.
"I didn't know what to do. I remember that an Aldor found me there, sitting and sobbing on the ground... Only after that Vaelis and Polaaris found me again. She and the Aldor were able to set my mind back to look into the future... So I did. You know it was me and Pharos who slew the false prince..."
Valeera nodded.
"Yes. But you haven't mentioned Pharos yet... And neither Polaaris."
"They are both paladins. Pharos you know, he leads the King's guards, and Polaaris you must have heard of as well. He leads the Moonshine guild now. Pharos was in the guild almost from the start, Polaaris joined some time after I did, quickly rose through the ranks and turned out to be a good leader, so Vaelis stepped down and turned the guilds' leader mantle to him. He led the guild well, though he had to leave for a few monts... During those months, the guild sent a few members into Northrend. I think you know what hapenned after that..."
Valeera nodded, and then noticed that the sound of drumming stopped.
"It stopped raining, finally..."