Friday Friction: Sleeping Threnny

Falconesse ran a story two months ago wherein her Alliance main, was placed in a coma by a rather evil bastard named Fedwynn. The following bit of Friday Fiction comes from that time frame. It’s part of a much larger story, parts of which have already been published here.

On the day the sixth brunch was supposed to take place, Bricu kept vigil with Threnn in their room in Valliance Keep. For breakfast he had cream of wheat, weak tea and a mealy apple. Threnn slept soundly under Fedwynn’s spell. He spent the entire day with her, cutting gems and practicing his tin whistle.

Early the next morning, there was a knock at Bricu’s door. When the knocking didn’t stop after five minutes, he dragged himself out of bed and answered the door. He opened the door, half naked and scowling, ready to shout-to-death the person that woke him up so early. He stopped himself before barking, as standing in his door, wrapped in thick wools and furs stood Thenia Al’Cair. She held a large basket with her. Behind her, also wrapped in thick furs, was Padraig.

“The Valiant sprung a leak, otherwise we would have been here yesterday.” Padraig said.

“How is she?” Thenia said as she pushed Bricu aside. She hovered over Threnn, holding her hand and whispering into her ear.

“She’s the same. Sleepin’.” Bricu said quietly.

“Bricu,” Padraig said as he entered the room, “Get cleaned up, then we’ll eat.”

Bricu grabbed the cleanest clothes he had and made his way to the non-com officer barracks. He washed his face and combed his beard, making himself as presentable as possible. He started walking back towards their room, but the closer he got, the slower he walked. Halfway there, Bricu turned around and headed back to the barracks in the Keep.

Bricu found himself at a surprise inspection–bouncing coppers off of beds, drilling recruits on basic sword play, shield positions–before finally walking back to their room.

When he returned, Thenia had set up brunch on the small table near his work bench. Padraig held his sleeping daughter’s hand. When Briyu walked in the room, he quickly looked to the floor, but not before Bricu could see that his eyes were red and swollen. For her part, Thenia was a flurry of activity: setting out more food, cleaning up Bricu’s work bench and sorting the laundry.

“Oi. Didja need more time…”

“No Bricu. Eat something please.” Thenia said.

The brunch was meager, but more than what Bricu had eaten that week: Fresh apples and pears from Elwynn, sausages, bread and cheeses. The workbench cleaned to her liking, Thenia started a pot of tea for the two of them.

“Anna told us how this happened… This, Fedwynn. Is he going to kill her?”

Bricu waited a moment before answering Thenia. He wanted to tell her the best story he could, so he stuck with the truth.

“If we do what he asks, he’ll keep her alive. If he gets what he wants, he’d give her back; probably unharmed too. If anything goes wrong, or he doesn’t like somethin’ we’ve done, he’ll hurt her. But once he’s got what he wants…”

“And what does this bastard want?” Padraig said.

“He wants ta bring the love o’his life back. A mass murderin’ child killer… He wants her.”

“And why Threnn?”

“I dunno. No one figured that out. We’re still tryin’ ta figure that bit out.”

“Was it something you did.” Padraig asked calmly.

Bricu shook his head, “No. He went ta Threnny. We wanted….”

“You wanted what?” Bricu heard the anger in Padraig’s voice.

“We wanted ta help. Not him…or her. It’s complicated Padraig.” Bricu pleaded

“Then make it simple.” Padraig said. It was the same tone Threnn used when when she was losing patience with him. That knowledge didn’t bring Bricu an ounce of comfort.

“Yeh can’t make shite like this simple!” Bricu said, limiting his sarcasm. “It involves Night Elves, shadow magic an’ shite I don’t want t’understand. What yeh need ta know is this: Threnny wanted ta help Indarra, the woman she knew an’ I wanted ta help Ulthanon. So we said we’d help.”

“But You said Fedwyn wanted to help a horrible…”

“Padraig, that’s enough.” Thenia said. Padraig clenched his jaw, while Bricu looked on at Thenia.

“This isn’t because of some scheme of Bricu’s. Anna told me who was involved. This isn’t one of his schemes gone wrong. This is our daughter being punished for a good deed.”

Padraig gave a slight nod to Thenia then focused his attention on his eldest daughter. “I’m just worried for her.” Padraig said in a whisper.

“Padraig, me heart aches every minute she’s asleep. Believe me, it does.”

“I believe you swe–” Thenia stopped herself, “Bricu. For once, I believe you. You haven’t left her expect to find out how to help her. I know that much to be true.”

“Aye, it is.” Bricu whispered back.

“Now eat something. You do not have to entertain us or even listen to us. We won’t be here too long. Our girl Maggie can only watch the shop for a few days on her own.” She poured him a mug of tea while she spoke to him. “We’ll stay here with her. You and your Riders do what you need to do for her.”

“Thank yeh thenia.” Bricu replied. For a moment, he was touched by her thoughtfulness. This passed as he saw the look in her eyes. She spoke with calculated compassion, more for Threnn or Padraig than himself. As she set the tea in front of him, she whispered in his ear.

“If you give up on her, or you fail her, Annalea’s anger and all the bastards from your past will be the least of your worries.”

Her words, like the tea, were far too bitter for his taste. “Thank yeh, Thenia” he said, “for yer words. They mean a lot ta me.”

He sipped the tea, slowly, while grinding his teeth.

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