(2026-03-10) A Description, A Nightmare, and A Hunch

Details

Author:	Athena
Summary:	Avrenne writes Siamus about what she remembers about Brigitte, and a possible source. Finley writes Siamus with another hunch and information about who Brigitte is traveling with. And Roper writes Siamus to let him know that a favor asked is a favor granted. 1220~ words.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Bride Will Fall

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The letter bears no scorch marks, although Avrenne’s hand is still a lighter touch.

March 10th, Year 30

Dearest Siamus,

We are still well at the House. There have been no other disturbances, and I am in good health, as is the baby. Miss Curran accompanies me wherever I go when I leave the house, though she has also been tasked with other necessities, and it would benefit us both if she might commit herself more surely and fully to my side, and if others can be used for other inquiries she may need to make, or in reverse that I will have another with me to free her to move about more easily.

Finley has explained to me the nature of the enchantments worn by Quinn MacBride, and I believe also by Brigitte Green, as when I set my hand to describe her to you, I found myself unable to recall many details at all, despite the fact that I can clearly remember speaking to her. I recall her having some sort of hair, dark perhaps, though it may have been lighter, that I took some note of at the time but can no longer recall. I am barely reasonably sure that she was taller than myself, but many people generally are, and I cannot say for certain if she truly was or if I just expected her to be.

The one and only feature I can say that I recall clearly is that she has an absurdly large bosom, and I say that of bringing a mathematical comparison of what I know well of Priscilla’s own that it was several significant degrees larger – I have never seen its like before or since.

Finley has never seen her before, and has no knowledge of her beyond what he heard from me at the time, or he would offer his own. We are still not entirely sure why he was able to perceive Quinn MacBride. I am unable to recall either person he says she represented herself as before. Tess Qadira is a complete mystery to my mind, aside from what I can recall of a long braid; of the courier I have no memory at all. I have been given to understand this is typical. I do not appreciate such tampering of my memory and perception, and I propose that when it is next convenient that there may be a benefit to an explicit law restricting the use of such an enchantment by civilians. It can be of no honorable use.

I have entertained the possibility of contacting Mr. Green personally. I doubt that it would come to anything, as I don’t think he has any remaining loyalty or affection for me, and I have been long disabused of his inherent sense of honor. However, it seems like a potential source of information that if I do willfully ignore, and he might have offered any shred of decency in his soul up, and I did not ask it and another is harmed, I will not forgive myself for having allowed my feelings to interfere with my sense. I will admit to you here though that the thought of speaking to him again, in any fashion, makes my skin crawl. If he has taken part in any of the harm towards Finley, I will take action myself. He has already exhausted my willingness to turn aside my retribution.

Do let me know when you see Ralaea, and if she is well. I have full faith in you that she will be kept safe.

You will always have my deepest gratitude for your honor and your command. I am only able to bank my own fury knowing that I can count on yours, my most beloved storm, my dearest seawall.

Please by safe yourself. I could not bear it if they took you from me.

With all my love,
Your wife,
Avrenne Esprit Fallon

PS — In case she forgets to say properly, Isla was most thrilled by her gift. She has insisted that it means the two authors are at last in a fated romantic interlude. I don't have the heart to discourage her of the notion, given everything she has been through in the past few days.

Sent through coded channels, bearing House Esprit Fallon’s official seal.

Dear Admiral Siamus Fallon,

Brigitte Green is definitely using the same enchantment as Quinn. Avrenne’s recollection of her matches the vagueness. We weren’t able to create any likeness that would be of benefit. I never saw her myself. I still don’t know why I saw through Quinn’s. She didn’t say, among all the other things she did. She was free with her explanations as she believed they would die with me. As I told Avrenne, I believe she was mostly acting alone on unsettling and incomprehensible motives, but I have no proof of it, and better to act like she wasn’t than to assume she was.

I’m writing to you directly because there’s something I discovered in investigating Brigitte Green’s entry into Pandaria. She left on the 25th of February, in place of Quinn, under expedited paperwork. She didn’t take a MacBride with her. She found an easier way to avoid more paperwork and a delay by hiring out of Cobalt Company. If it was only that, I’d tell Avrenne straight, but it’s who that gives me pause. The man Brigitte Green hired is named Gellarn Rivere.

He was once Geoff Somer’s squire, meant to be the next knight of House Esprit. He would have served Lord Anton, Lady Abrielle, and Avrenne. She was especially fond of him. He was raised alongside her and Lady Abrielle, the nephew of their riding instructor.

Rivere left under miserable circumstances when Gilneas left the Alliance, as he was of Gilnean descent himself, and the rest of his family was in Gilneas. Geoff always believed he’d come back. But then Gilneas shut itself off with the wall, and we heard nothing of him. I’ve found that he’s now one of the cursed worgen, and a member of the Gravehowl pack, and answers to Lord Graves personally.

I can’t believe that any of that is random chance. I’m sure he was selected on purpose. The other thing is that I don’t understand why he wouldn’t contact Avrenne. I’m positive that she has no knowledge of him. He’s gone out of his way to avoid her and avoid being known. I can’t speak to his loyalties at all. I didn’t know him well then, and I know him even less now. What little I recall of him is how Geoff spoke of him when he did, which was of a young man with a principled nature, and who loves his family.

Telling her about him and his placement will hurt Avrenne to know, which I suspect may have even been the point, and there is nothing she can do about it at the moment with him in Pandaria and out of communication alongside Brigitte Green. I’ve given her otherwise my fullest reports, but on this I hesitate if it’s entirely necessary for her to know now. Please advise.

Sincerely,
Your obedient servant,
Finley Boutille

PS – In case there is any concern, I am fully recovered, and capable of fulfilling any of my duties.

9 March 30

Fallon–

Consider it done. Discretion is more my strength than not, even these days. But I understand the benefit of being obvious at times. Got the right armor for it. Will see what they’ve got going on that might be of interest to you. But be aware – a monster’s got to eat. Unless these are snacks being offered up, we won’t be able to stay long.

One other thing, we’ll be depending on you should it be that these people make an exaggerated formal complaint to the Kingdom of Stormwind that the Ebon Blade’s “menacing them.” None of us want another trial.

But some people deserve their nightmares.

- Roper of the Ebon Blade