(2024-04-04) Welcome to Stormwind

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Adamantia arrives in Stormwind and promptly befriends Lady Dara Tennerow and Lady Sintha Fallon. They discuss cities and castles and shoes and mutual friends, among other things.
Rating:	T for Teen

Dara sits on a wagon, staring a little dreamily at the icebreakers coming in from Northrend.

Adamantia steps cautiously down the dock and freezes suddenly, seeing a giant golden lion head.

Dara peers at the young woman curiously, and stands up. "It's only a carving. It's a Stormwind lion." As if that explains it.

Adamantia jumps a little and turns to face her. "That's a lion?"

[Dara]: Oh, um, have you not seen one before? I suppose… perhaps I've not either, only they're on so many things here… statues and such.

Síntha peers at the ship at the end of the dock, and purses her lips.

Dara walks over towards the newcomer. "Are you not from here? You must not be."

Síntha eyes Dockhand up and down.
Síntha hears a familiar voice and turns her head, blinking.

[Adamantia]: No, it's…my first time. I thought I'd explore the south a bit. I didn't know it would be so… big.

[Síntha]: Is that… oh my gosh, Lady Dara?

Dara glances over at Sintha. "Lady Sintha! Yes, indeed. I was just making the acquaintance of… Miss…" Dara turns to the newcomer expectantly.

Síntha smiles brightly at the newcomer, her brows raised.

[Adamantia]: Adamantia, but just call me Ada.

[Dara]: Miss Ada. *Dara nods.* Who has come from… the north… *Dara peers at the Northrend icebreaker like maybe it can explain this one.*

[Síntha]: Ada! I'm Sintha Fallon.It's lovely to meet you. And — oh? From that ship?
Síntha eyes the icebreaker like it's just insulted her family. Which it might have.

[Adamantia]: Well I was in Northrend, yes. That's not saying I'm from there, you know. Just that I came from there. Just now.

[Síntha]: … naturally. And where are you from, then?

[Adamantia]: …North.

[Síntha]: Gosh.

[Dara]: …Hillsbrad? Arathi? Well, I suppose it doesn't matter.

[Adamantia]: So anyway, why's it called Stormwind? Kind of misleading name.

[Síntha]: Is it?

[Dara]: I saw her startling something fierce at the Stormwind lion. *Dara giggles.* And well, wait until a storm comes in, and you might not think that.

[Adamantia]: I just didn't think lions were that…big.

[Síntha]: As big as that? Oh gosh, no. That's just for the statue.
[Síntha]: Actual lions are… hm. Larger than wolves, smaller than bears?

[Adamantia]: It doesn't…do anything, does it? The statue?

Síntha peers at Adamantia searchingly.
[Síntha]: Have you… not seen a statue before?

[Dara]: What sort of thing are you thinking it might do?

[Adamantia]: Yes, I have seen a statue before, it's just that some statues attack people.

Síntha blinks at Adamantia.
[Síntha]: … gosh. Do they?

[Adamantia]: Scourge statues do, yeah. And I was told the southern King did a lot of damage down south as well?

[Síntha]: … the southern king? Varian?
Síntha looks at Dara.

Dara raises her eyebrows.

Adamantia shrugs. "Is that his name? The Lich King?"

[Dara]: King Varian is not a statue… oh!
[Dara]: I would've called him a northern Prince.

Síntha tilts her head slooooowly and surveys Adamantia again.

[Síntha]: Arthas Menethil, yes. The northern prince.
[Síntha]: You are from… farther north than Lordaeron?

Dara nods slowly, looking at Adamantia with more curiosity.

[Adamantia]: Lordaeron… yes. Further north than that.

[Síntha]: But not from Northrend.
[Síntha]: Quel'thalas?

[Dara]: You don't look elvish, I must say.

[Adamantia]: I didn't say I wasn't from Northrend, I said that I wasn't saying I was from there.

[Síntha]: … what a fascinating distinction!
[Síntha]: Is there a reason for it?

[Adamantia]: Absolutely not. Now. Why is this castle so big?

[Dara]: My brother did say there were people there. *Dara says in an aside to Sintha.* Trappers and the like.

[Síntha]: Oh yes. Shay mentioned it. But —
Síntha eyes Adamantia up and down.

[Dara]: Castle? *Dara blinks* This is a harbor. Do you… want to see the Keep?

Adamantia points at all the tall walls surrounding them. "This is…not a castle?"

[Dara]: No.. it's just… just a harbor…

[Síntha]: That's the harbor wall. The city is above.
Síntha eyes the passing dockhand with some disapproval.

[Dara]: Here, let's show you the city proper, or you'll think all Stormwind's a harbor.

[Adamantia]: How much more is there to this place?

[Síntha]: I will catch up with the two of you, hm? I promised Shay I'd look into some business at the harbor for him.

[Dara]: Alright, take care, Lady Sintha!

[Adamantia]: Yeah…take care. Of business.

[Dara]: Miss Ada, it's just this way out of the harbor.

They head up the ramps. There are giant cross-bow-like siege weapons.

[Adamantia]: Are these…bows?

[Dara]: Don't mind the weaponry, the whole kingdom's in a wartime flutter.
[Dara]: They're… well, it's siege weapons, I think? For shooting doors and such.

[Adamantia]: You don't have vrykul in Stormwind, do you?

[Dara]: Oh, no, naturally not. But we are at war in Northrend.

[Adamantia]: Well yes, but those are…huge.

[Dara]: I assume all these are for the ships headed north. Which one day I'll be on, too.

[Adamantia]: Oh? You plan to travel to Northrend?

[Dara]: Definitely. My girlfriend's father disappeared there.
[Dara]: Oh, I should have asked right away! Have you ever met a Luc Valonforth?

[Adamantia]: How long ago was that?
Adamantia shakes her head. "And that's a good sign, that I haven't, trust me."

[Dara]: I suppose that means he's not the enemy, then? But it was years ago by now. He went up with Prince Arthas and never returned.

[Dara]: Just up this ramp and we'll be in the city.
Dara points out the banners. "Blue and gold, the lion. I'm sure you've seen that around up north?"

Adamantia freezes again, seeing an even bigger lion statue.
[Adamantia]: Yeah, I've seen it a bit…

[Dara]: And oh, that old thing. It's way bigger than real lions.

[Adamantia]: And it's not going to move?

[Dara]: Nope. Not an inch.
Dara walks up and pats it on the enormous rump.
[Dara]: It's just stone, really.

Adamantia continues to watch it warily. "They have it here to scare outsiders, then?"

[Dara]: To… watch over the harbor? It's a protective lion, I think.

[Adamantia]: A protective lion that doesn't attack.

[Dara]: No… I think that's a bit more of a gnomish thing, to make a giant mobile defending statue.

[Síntha]: Hell-oooooo.
Síntha beams.
[Síntha]: Caught you!

Dara waves and smiles at the guard as they pass, and then says, "Lady Sintha! You're back! Business concluded successfully, I hope?"

Adamantia glances around warily. "A trap?"

[Dara]: I was just showing Miss Ada the largest lion, and… trap?

[Síntha]: Business concluded, anyway. Shay will have to decide whether it's successful or — what?

[Adamantia]: That's what you say when you catch someone in a trap. Caught you. But I don't see anything trap-like. Not that I could tell in a place like this…

[Síntha]: … I just meant that I caught up to you, darling.
Síntha eyes Ada quizzically.

[Adamantia]: Oh.

[Dara]: This is a safe city. No moving lion statues, we don't trap each other…
[Dara]: Well, anyway, we're almost out of the harbor.

Síntha considers Adamantia as they walk.

[Dara]: Look, now you can see the whole of the harbor from here!

They look down at the harbor, and all the many, many ramps they just walked up.

[Adamantia]: That was…a lot of stairs.

[Síntha]: Look, you can see the Tidewitch.

[Dara]: Yes, rather too many if you ask me, but no one did when they built this place.
[Dara]: Oh, is that your brother's ship?

Síntha smiles sweetly at Dara. "Did you know my brother and the Thenedains both helped to design this place?"
[Síntha]: And yes, that's one of them.

Adamantia eyes Sintha.

[Síntha]: … to be fair I don't think Shay was asked about the stairs, either. More the actual… docks and water business.
[Síntha]: What does your family do, Ada?

[Adamantia]: …They hunt.

Dara peers at Sintha. "Your brother rather seems like the sort who'd like a more direct route, without all these ramps, to be honest." Dara turns to Ada. "Hunt what?"

[Adamantia]: Food? I don't really get along with my family these days.

[Dara]: Oh, that sort of hunting. Not the Nesingwary sort.

[Síntha]: I was going to say. I have a good friend who is also new here and enjoys hunting.

[Dara]: Oh?

[Síntha]: But he's more a gentleman-hunter sort.
[Síntha]: Mm, Lord Arric Falrevere. He's just taken a property in Elwynn.

Dara raises a curious eyebrow.

[Adamantia]: Isn't Nesingwary that weirdo who started driving the Borean Tundra wildlife to extinction? Or tried to, I guess?

[Síntha]: … is he? Gosh.

[Dara]: I've no idea about the Borean Tundra, but he was all the talk in Stranglethorn Vale for ages.

[Adamantia]: Stranglethorn sounds…

[Dara]: It's a jungle sort of place.

[Adamantia]: Are there a lot of strangling thorns there?

[Dara]: I don't think I've heard many stories of people being strangled by thorns…

[Síntha]: Very hot, rather messy. Some thorns, yes. No strangling that I know of.
[Síntha]: Trolls, though.

[Dara]: Oh, yes. Trolls.

Adamantia wrinkles her nose. "Ugh, trolls."

[Dara]: There are trolls everywhere it seems. Leric told me Northrend had ice trolls or some such?

[Adamantia]: Yeah, Drakkari. I tried not to get involved with them when I could help it.

[Dara]: Well, I'd dare say that's a safe policy when it comes to trolls.
[Dara]: The canals here run all through the city, but don't swim in them. They're not clean.

[Síntha]: She can probably tell by the smell.

Dara grins at Sintha. "Just in case, it's kind to warn."

[Adamantia]: Are you both Ladies? What are you Ladies of?

[Dara]: Do you mean nobility? If so, then yes. Of Redridge Mountains myself. Now there's a friendly sounding place, isn't it?

[Síntha]: Oh, my brother is a Baron, we have land in Elwynn.

[Adamantia]: Unless it's red because blood?

Síntha blinks at Adamantia.

[Dara]: You do have a morbid imagination, don't you?

[Adamantia]: At least you're Ladies of proper sounding places. I once met someone who claimed he was a Lord of the Mists, whatever that means.

[Dara]: Redridge from the color of the rock, which no it's not painted with blood.

[Adamantia]: You have red rocks?

[Síntha]: They do! Awfully dusty.

[Dara]: Lord of the Mists. *Dara frowns in puzzlement.* Well, orangeish. Orangeishridge Mountains is a much inferior name.

[Adamantia]: Ha! I agree with you there.

Dara giggles.

Adamantia peers warily at the stone tunnel.

[Dara]: And Sintha's family estate is just lovely as well. *Dara smiles at her*

[Síntha]: Right on the coast. Terribly ominous in stormy weather.
Síntha sounds cheerful about this fact.

[Adamantia]: And your estate is not called Stormwind?

[Síntha]: No, Stormwind is the kingdom.

[Dara]: But you have a beach for sunny days, don't you? All we have are lakes, so I'm dreadfully jealous in the summer.

[Síntha]: Well Dara, darling, you ought to just come swim, then.

[Dara]: Perhaps I shall - but I'd hate to invite myself to the coast of a friend.

We come into the Cathedral Square.

[Adamantia]: What is this castle?

[Síntha]: We're nobility of Stormwind but we can't claim that Stormwind is ours, that's the — what? Oh, that's not a castle either!
[Síntha]: I can see where you might get that impression, though, it's amazingly pompous.
[Síntha]: That's the Cathedral.

Dara nods at Sintha.
[Dara]: We're getting to the Keep, I cross my heart.

Adamantia stares at the cathedral with a flat expression and mouths, 'not a castle.'

[Síntha]: And Dara, don't be silly, you can always come and swim!

[Dara]: Oh? *Dara looks over at Sintha in delight.* Might I bring Sophie? That is, Lady Sophiette?

[Síntha]: Oh, you must absolutely bring… Sophie.
Síntha smiles like the girl in the GIF.

[Adamantia]: Another Lady? What is she the Lady of?
Adamantia takes a step away from Sintha.

Dara continues smiling at Sintha, but her eyebrows arch uncertainly.
[Dara]: Oh, Sophiette's not the lady of any… *Dara flinches a little, her smile fading.* Her estate is in what they call the Eastern Plaguelands now.

Síntha nods sadly.

[Dara]: She's the head of House Valonforth, though they can't get back to their lands.

[Síntha]: True of my brother's wife, as well. Lordaeron nobility. Dreadfully… tragic.

[Adamantia]: Sil said something about that. All plague and death, I think it was?

[Dara]: I'm so glad they made it out safely. Your brother's wife and my Sophiette.

[Síntha]: Sil? Sil who?

Dara nods sadly, in almost perfect mimicry of Sintha's earlier sad nod.

[Adamantia]: Silentstep?

Dara looks between the two of them curiously.

[Síntha]: Gosh! You know Sil? What a small world!

[Adamantia]: We worked together, once. You know him? Do you know how he's doing?

[Dara]: A mutual friend? How delightful!

[Síntha]: As a matter of fact I do know how he's doing! He's working for my brother right now.

[Adamantia]: He's working for a Lord?

[Síntha]: Well, a Vice Admiral. Which my brother is also. Sil's with the fleet.

[Adamantia]: The fleet…of boats?

[Síntha]: … Ships, darling. Yes.

[Síntha]: Boats are… small. You don't go to war in boats. Ships are large, and better for mass violence. As well as, you know. Shipping.

[Adamantia]: Ugh. He chose to work on a ship?

Síntha raises her eyebrows.

[Dara]: I take it you would not?

[Adamantia]: The trip here was not pleasant.

[Síntha]: Well, if you were on one of those horrid icebreakers, naturally.

[Dara]: I assume you’ve not been on the Tidewitch then. *Dara has no idea if Fallon ships are better, but she is a loyal friend*

Síntha beams at Dara.

[Adamantia]: So it isn't always like that? Where you have no control over your own movements and it sways all over the place, and…

[Síntha]: Oh, no, it's always like that. Do you get… seasick? *Sintha whispers the last word with dismay.*

[Dara]: Oh, the swaying, that you get used to after a while. Or most people do.

[Adamantia]: If seasickness involves destroying one's shoes, then yes.

[Síntha]: … oh, is that why the shoelessness? It seemed impolite to ask.

[Dara]: Why on earth would you destroy your shoes?

[Adamantia]: …I was nervous.

[Dara]: And… shoe destruction calms you down?

[Síntha]: Were you sick on them? Or did you destroy them just… as a nervous tic?

[Adamantia]: The latter.

[Síntha]: … how fascinating.

[Dara]: Well, remind me only to ever leave my cheaper shoes in arm's reach, should you come calling.

[Adamantia]: You have a lot of shoes?

Síntha tilts her head at the sound of the bells. "Oh, gosh, is that the time? I need to be home, I'm afraid! So sorry! Lovely to meet you, Ada. Dara, do come by and see my niece soon, hm?"

[Dara]: Oh! She's born? Congratulations!
[Dara]: I will certainly do that!

[Síntha]: Yes! Last week. And thank you! Good bye!

[Adamantia]: Nice to meet you too, Lady Sintha.

They wave their farewells and Sintha is off.

[Dara]: And shoes… only as many as I need to match my clothing. *Dara smiles.* Not more than several dozen pairs, surely.

[Adamantia]: Several dozen pairs?

[Dara]: Well, maybe a little more, if I count both the Stormwind Townhouse and the country estate…
[Dara]: It’s not many, though.
[Dara]: Do you ordinarily have more?

[Adamantia]: I…only have the one pair. Well, had.

[Dara]: Oh!
[Dara]: We simply must go back to the townhouse after the Keep then. *Dara peers at her feet* I'm not sure we're of a size, but I might have something I could put you in until you can find new ones.

[Adamantia]: Oh, it's okay, really. I'll just make new ones.

Dara eyes Adamantia up and down. "You might need a new gown as well, if you're stuck in your traveling clothes… make new ones?

[Adamantia]: Yeah? You don't…make your own clothes?

[Dara]: As it happens, I am something of a seamstress, but… no. Ordinarily I have a tailor.
[Dara]: Now this is the Keep.

Adamantia stares up at the high towers. "Castle?"

[Dara]: Yes, castle.

[Adamantia]: Do you call it a Keep because it's where you keep the King?

[Dara]: I think it's just an old language thing?
[Dara]: Castles are often called Keeps.

[Adamantia]: Huh. Okay.
[Adamantia]: Is there someplace that isn't a city, here?

[Dara]: Oh, of course! There's the park… but maybe you mean outside the city itself?

[Adamantia]: Yeah, how do I get out? I can probably scout the rest on my own, if I can get my head around all the circles we seem to be going in.

Dara peers again at Adamantia. "Are you sure you won't let me lend you a dress and some shoes?"
[Dara]: Here, I'll lead you to the entrance.

[Adamantia]: A dress…like what you're wearing? I'd probably wreck it.

[Dara]: Well, I suppose the world takes all sorts…
[Dara]: Though I suppose I've ruined my share of dresses lately, what with dirt and dragonfire.
[Dara]: The singing is dreadful on lace.

[Adamantia]: Dragonfire? The proto kind, or the bigger ones?

[Dara]: Oh, they were a few different sizes, black ones in the Badlands.
[Dara]: Now that is an apt place name.
[Dara]: What's the proto kind?

[Adamantia]: Black, huh? Yeah, I heard those ones went bad. Proto dragons are kind of… they've got short little arms, and big mouths.
[Adamantia]: Vrykul ride them.

[Dara]: Hm, not sure I've ever seen that ki- vrykul? You mentioned them before. I remember Leric mentioned them, too, in his letters. Big human-like people?

[Adamantia]: Yeah, giants.
[Adamantia]: But not as big as Stormgiants.

[Dara]: I thought maybe he was teasing me, making things up. Like, surely there are not walrus people in Northrend, too.

[Adamantia]: There are, yeah. Great fishermen.

Dara blinks. "Oh, goodness. It's all true."
Dara gestures around as they come out into the trees and grass. "Does this look more like what you were hoping for?"
[Dara]: Elwynn's really rather a safe place these days, but watch out for wolves and things.

[Adamantia]: It does look like a proper forest, yeah. I could probably find something here to fix my shoes with. …Wolves?

[Dara]: Little ones. Mostly a problem for livestock, I think.

[Adamantia]: There aren't any wolf cults are there? I'm too far south for that I hope?

[Dara]: And, um. Kobolds? But they're mostly in caves.

[Adamantia]: Are kobolds like snowbolds then?

[Dara]: I… would imagine so, from the name.

[Dara]: And, no, no wolf cults at all. The wolfmen people are all in Duskwood, I think.

[Adamantia]: Avoid Duskwood, got it. Are there lions?

[Dara]: Duskwood is just south of the river, so don't cross any rivers and you'll be fine. And no, no lions. It's more a metaphorical lion, the Stormwind one. *Dara giggles*

[Adamantia]: What a weird city. Thanks for taking me around. I'm pretty sure I'd have been jumping at everything without a guide.

Dara smiles happily. "I'm glad I could help. I'm a priestess acolyte, you know, so I like helping people. I do hope you'll enjoy Stormwind."

Adamantia smiles back. "It'll take some getting used to, but we'll see. Maybe I'll see you around?"

[Dara]: I hope so! My family townhouse is in the Cathedral district, if you'd like to stop by for tea sometime?

[Adamantia]: Sure! I'll find it, sometime. I've got your scent now.

Dara looks a little puzzled, but she just smiles. "Take care, Miss Ada!"

[Adamantia]: You too, Lady Dara.

Adamantia disappears into the trees.