New set of problems

[Laron]

The inn was packed, and Laron is at the bar. Many weeks had passed since he had been back in Alliance territory. For the first time in weeks, he could relax. No mask, no false tusks, and the most importantly, he could speak without sounding as a simpleton. Just as he starts to feel at ease, a young human walks in the door and says aloud.

“I have a letter for a Night Elf by the name Laron Redthorn. I was told he was here.”

Laron is gripped with anger. “Who would dare put that name with mine.” He thinks, as he starts to crush his pewter mug. Turning to see the entire bar looking at him, since he is the only Night elf in the place…. “Great!” he thinks.
Walking to the young man, with a look on his face that could kill a dragon, he takes the envelope. The young man, who is now, afraid he mispronounced the Night Elves name, stumbles with an apology. “I’m sssorry if I diddidn’t pronounce it right M”Lord, I have nnnever seen a Night Elf before.” Laron gives a half smile and flips the boy a silver. “I’ll take that lad. You did fine.”
He leaves the bar and walks out to the alley to read this so called letter. Looking at the envelope it was made of leaves, with the Darnansus stamp embosses the amber sap that seals the document. This would not be good. As he unfolds the delicately thin parchment, a key drops out of the envelope. The writing is on a parchment made of finely sliced wood instead of animal skin. The lettering glows with the light of a Moonwell. He suspects that if weren’t for his Elven eyes, he would not be able to read it.

Laron Redthorn,

From this day forth, you are hereby named as Lord Redthorn.

With the passing of your father Silvas Redthorn, and the disappearance of your mother Latania Redthorn, this title is bestowed upon you, the eldest heir, by the Royal Council of Darnassus.

The Redthorn Estate and all possessions contained inside are now your legal property, and responsibility.

Riven Stormcrow,
Record Keeper
Royal Concil of Darnassus

Laron sits down against the wall. He knew this would be coming. But now staring at the intricately carved key to his parent’s house, the reality had finally set in. “I am head of the House Redthorn.” The thought of being a stuffy Night elf wearing lavish clothing, and being made to attend snooty parties, with other Elves of high standing, and their talks of their own self superiorities. It all made Laron sick to his stomach. “I should talk to my siblings about this.”

[Laron]

Laron writes his letters and starts towards Darkshore.
-----

Azrid Redthorn,

I am sure that by now you have been made aware of our father’s decision. Though I do not agree with it, the decision was made. I would like to meet with you and Amadare at the house in one week. We have much to discuss.

Your Brother,
Despite what they say,
Laron Ravenshank

-----
Amadare,

Hey Sis, how have you been? Hope you are staying out of trouble, but being my sister, trouble seems to find us… I miss you and would like to hear from you more often, now that you are out and about. Oh by the way, how is your friend Riverleaf? I bet he has gotten big since the last time we met.

I just got a letter from the Great and Mighty Council… They named me “Lord Redthorn”… We need to talk bout what to do with the Estate. Besides I haven’t seen you in a while so I would like to visit with you for a bit. I wrote to Azrid, and asked him to meet us in a week at the house. Has it really been that long since I have been back? The last time I set foot there was to present Briann to our parents, over eighty years ago. Anyway, I don’t really want anything to do with our parent’s belongings, or the house, but I have to “formally” give them to you both. So if you could, please meet with Azrid and me, and we will talk about how to handle this whole mess.

Your Brother,
And always will be,
Laron Ravenshank


Taking a deep breath he turns the key to the front door, and walks inside. This was the first lock he ever picked. Not a complex lock but a sturdy one. He walks to the family room and stacks some wood in the fireplace. Striking his flint, the fire is set a blaze, and shadows start to dance throughout the room. Cob webs decorate the corners of the room, and as he turns back towards the door, he notices the foot prints he has made walking on the fine layer of dust on the floor. After wiping down the mantle place, and patting down the chairs. He heads to the kitchen where the broom was kept and starts to sweep. “I have a lot of work to do.” From the darkness he hears a woman’s voice “Not if I help you.” It was Amadare, and she was getting better at the art of stealth.

[Laron]

Laron and Amadare work most of the day, cleaning the house. “Do you remember much of Mother Ama? She always wanted the house kept clean so that we could entertain guests… Father always looked so uncomfortable in his “good clothes.” We usually took you out to “play” while we had guest. Well after the incident…” Amadare looks at Laron with confusion. “What incident..?” Laron chuckles slightly as he rings out the wash rag he has been using to wipe down the table. “Father didn’t tell you about that? Well, we were all dressed in our finer clothes. Azrid was still very young, and complaining about how he looked like a sissy. I was still grounded from getting caught sneaking to Darkshore, so I was on my best behavior. And we had dressed you in the cutest little dress. It had a little ribbon tired around your head, with a bow, you looked adorable. Anyway, one of the finer ladies had on a beautiful gown and an elegant hat made of bird feathers. Well, half way through the night you had caught eye of this hat, and shape shifted into a cat, and started to stalk your “prey.”

Amadare gasps then starts to giggle… “No! I didn’t, did I?”

“Yeah, yeah you did. You leaped from the dish cabinet, knocking it over and breaking most of the dishes left inside, and landed on the stuffy ladies head biting and clawing the “foul creature.” She ran around the house screaming and trying to bat you off, then hit an over head lantern, catching her hat and you on fire! She then proceeded to run out the door flaming head and all. She ran until father grabbed her and dove into the lake full gown and all. I think Father was looking for a reason to get out of his tight clothes.” Getting a good laugh out of this by now, Laron had almost forgotten about the whole thing, but the house brought back memories. “Your hair didn’t grow back for a month. We all told them that one of us boys must have brought home a wild night saber… Anyway, from that night on we all went out to “play” when Mother was having guests over.”

Laughing with Laron in the kitchen Amadare looks back at the front door and asks. “Why did you leave Laron?” Sighing, Laron wipes the dust out of two glasses and sets them on the table. Pouring some mead from a bottle he picked up in Goldshire. “Do you remember the first time you saw the Sentinels bring me home? The distrust in your eyes towards me, you looked as though I had killed your pet.” He smiles at her with a sly and wicked smile. “That was the fifth time they had brought me back home. But this time you saw it, and your look drove me to make a change. Not in my lifestyle, I am who I am, but I was not going to taint our families name anymore. For the fist time, I cared about what people would think of the family if I stayed.” Downing the whole glass of mead, he continued “I didn’t care about Azrid, he wanted me gone anyway… Always taking his opportunities to show me up… Father was always soo proud of him. Laron pores another glass and turns away from the table to look out the widow. “I couldn’t stay where I wasn’t wanted.” Amadare reaches out her hand and touches his. “I missed you. You were my sophisticated brother. The one I looked to when I needed to think my way around things. Mother was angry at Father. I remember she blamed him for your leave, but I think she knew why you left.” She now was the one reminiscing. “When she found out that you had taken a Human as a wife, instead on Menani she was so angry, she could hardly stay upright. She must have torn through at least five pairs of clothing, changing to her bear form in anger. I was surprised she acted so cordial with, what was her name? Oh yeah Briann…”

[Laron]

“She was that farm girl, right? Not very bright.”

Shifting in his chair Laron tries to suppress his feeling of the issue. “I know you didn’t like her very much, but you will keep your to tongue and honor her memory.” Amadare see just how serious Laron is about the subject, so she nods to him in agreence. “So I have to ask, what happened with the Tauren? You looked so excited to find her. Then the next time I see you… You are with another Human. So now that we are alone, what happened?” She sits forward, holding her half drank glass of mead, elbows on the table. Sitting back in his chair, Laron lightly rubs the left side of his neck. “Well… In her time of weakness, I tried to be a gentleman and she left me. In the middle of cross roads, for me to fend for myself, then, after I met with you and Riverleaf, I got this letter.” Laron pulls the letter out and hands it to her. Reading it she frowns and looks at Laron, then gets a confused look and re-reads it. “She? Oh! Wow, I’m sorry to hear that brother.” Laron shrugs. “That is why I said, that chapter is closed.”

They sit in awkward silence for a while before Amadare breaks it. “That woman you introduced me to was very nice. Her name was..?” Smiling at the thought of her, he finishes his second glass of mead. “Najme… She is full of spirit, and a strong Paladin. I didn’t want to bring her into the middle of this. It will not be pleasant with Azrid here

[Laron]

Reading the letter from Laron, Azrid crumples the letter and throws it in his camp fire. Looking at Ebon, he sighs. “The arrogant little punk probably wants to show off all new found wealth and popularity. But… I could stand to see how Ama is doing. I haven’t seen her since I left the tree.” Ebon, his dark lion, sits quietly and acts as if she understands Azrids words. She purrs in content to hear his voice. “Besides I need to take you to see Darnassus.” He unrolls his bedroll, doses his fire and starts to doze off. Ebon curls up behind him ears perked for anything that might sound out of the ordinary.

A young girl stands in the courtyard with Azrid. “Glad you finally came to see me.” She smiles at the nervous, sweaty palmed boy, who can barely look at her with his deep purple face. “I… I brought you these.” He holds up a set of hand picked wild flowers. Gritting his teeth, his legs start to shake, as he stumbles to her and almost drops the flowers. “Oh, thank you Azrid, there are… cute.” He steps back and looks at his feet, starting to dig a small hole with his big toe. “I tthought they they are pretty… like you.” She smiles and takes a step closer to him. So close he can see her freckles and her eyes glowing in the night. With a strange look on her face, she closes her eyes and puckers her lips. Azrid panics, and freezes, he doesn’t know what to do. Should he put his lips to hers, should he hold still, should he move? This time seem to take an eternity. She opens her eyes to see a petrified boy, who looks as though he wants run away. She starts to say something when Azrid hears directly behind him.

“So this is where you are hiding.”

Laron is standing right behind him, hair combed and tied back in a neat ponytail, black shirt, nice boots and very well kept. His brother is a good two inches taller than him, and looks directly past him to the cute young lady, who is standing with a confused look on her face. “Oh I’m sorry am I interrupting something?” He bows and kisses the young girls hand. “I wouldn’t want to impede on such meetings, but my brother is wanted for dinner.” Azrid is furious as he sees the girl’s confusion turn back to a purple blush, but it is not him, it is for Laron… “Let’s go. It was a pleasure to meet you.” Laron says as he walks out of the courtyard followed by Azrid.

Azrid wakes with a rage that makes the vein in his forehead throb. “Why is he so good at that, and I fail so miserably?”

[Laron]

Walking to the front door, Azrid pats Ebon on the head. “Go have fun. I trust you not to leave.” He steps up on the porch and knocks… Amadare opens the door and throws her arms around him. “Azrid!” She knows how embarrassed he gets when she kisses him on the cheek, so she makes sure to do it. “How are you brother? Come in. You don’t have to knock, this is our house.” Azrid removes his muddy boots and leaves them out on the porch. Stepping inside, he sees a rag in Amadare’s hand. Glaring at his sister, who has obviously been put to work by his high and mighty brother. “You sure we don’t have to ask his Lordship?” He says as he looks around the freshly cleaned house. “That’s Emperor to you Peasant!” Laron says coming down the stairs covered in dirt and carrying a mop bucket. “I see you timed your arrival well, now that the work is done.” Amadare tosses her rag in the bucket. “Now Laron, you told him to show up in a week and he is early.” Nodding at Azrid, Laron walks to the back porch, wrings out the rag and dumps the bucket on the bushes out back. “Yeah, yeah he is.” He says turning back to Azrid, who has placed his gun by the door and sets his Axe down by Amadare’s Hammer. “You always were more prompt that I. Why don’t you make yourself useful and take the dinner out of the stove, while I go wash up.” Azrid snorts slightly as he walks to the kitchen, and starts to set the table. “You sure you don’t need me to draw you a bath and wash your hair.” Laron ignores him and walks to the shower room.

The table is set with baked venison, and fresh bean stalks, with a lemon sauce, drizzled over them. With dinner and wine at the table Amadare sits at her mother’s seat, with Laron and Azrid sitting opposite each other. Azrid starts to eat when he hears Amadare saying a prayer. Looking up he sees Laron and She with their heads bowed and hands clasped.
“We thank you Elune, for the gift you have given us so that we may live on. Please speed its soul to the Twisting Nether, so that it may be at peace.”
Laron is the only one who even bothers with table manners, cutting his food in bite size pieces, napkin folded on his lap. Azrid stabs his meat and starts to eat it straight off the fork. Amadare fumbles, clumsily with her table utensils, but then remembers she is with her brothers, so proceeds to drop her fork and use her hands. Dinner is quiet, no one knowing what to say. Centuries had passed since they all sat down together and shared a meal. Amadare speaks out to break the impenetrable silence. “So Azrid, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since I left for Moonglade.” Azrid looks at her then sets his gaze back to Laron. “Enough with the dung. Why did you call us here Laron?”

[Laron]

Setting his fork and knife down, Laron brings his hands to a folded position, and gives Azrid a stare that could cut him in two. “Well, as you both know, I have been given ownership of the Estate. I do not want anything to do with any of it.” Azrid looks at Laron with hatred, and contempt. “So you plan to just sell off our parents things… You self centered arrogant Thief!” Laron stands up and clinches his fists. “Now you listen to me you stupid, backwater, Hunter. If you had half the brains of a Kodo, you might actually know something outside of your own life!” By now Azrid has picked up his fork and knife. Seeing the act of aggression, Laron grabs his tableware, and dives over the table at Azrid! Dodging his attack Azrid follows with a downward stab. Laron rolls, and fades into the shadows, nimbly avoiding the stab from the fork! For a brief second Laron is gone, then lunges out from behind his brother! Azrid moves to the side, grabbing Laron’s arm and starts to grapple it into a flipping grasp, when Laron punches him in the kidney! Stunned by the punch, Azrid stumbles back acting more hurt than he is. Laron takes this opportunity to land another punch, but is struck with a roundhouse kick to the side of the face! Falling back, he prepares for the next attack when he hears the roar of a bear, and sees Azrid thrown to the far side of the room! As he tries to get to his feet, a large grey bears knocks him back down, and holds her paw on his chest. With a loud roar, that can be heard outside the house, the bear turns towards Azrid, and sits on Laron. A sound of glass breaking is heard as Ebon rushes into the room and growls at the large bear! Shifting into her upright form Amadare looks at the large cat and says firmly. “Sleep!” Ebon drops to the floor fast asleep. Turning back to her brothers, she is furious that they still can’t ask as adults around each other. Her eyes still brown from her bear form, she cracks he knuckles. “You want to continue this outside? I am sure I can take you both in hand to claw fight!”

[Laron]

Both of them just stare in awe, that their baby sister was challenging them to a fist fight. Straightening his clothes, Laron puts his chair back up write and sits down. With his face starting to bruise, he motions to Arzid to have a seat. Reluctant, Azrid sits at the table, wondering what was going on in Laron’s head. “As I said before, I do not want anything more to do with this, I do not want to step foot in this city ever again. I am going to name you Chief Executive of the Estate. When I leave here, the key to the house is yours and I will not be returning. Father wanted you to have it anyway… Laron takes out a piece of wood parchment, and an ink well, and starts to write up the document.

Let it be known,
From this day forth, The Redthorn Estate is to be the sole responsibility of The Hunter known as Master Azrid Redthorn. He is now the Chief Executive of this Estate and all belonging therein. Any questions pertaining to said articles, is to be addressed to he named earlier in this document.

Lord Laron Redthorn

Getting to the bottom of the document Laron cringes slightly. Letting the ink dry, Laron blows the candle out for the night and heads up stairs to his old room. Opening the door, he finds that parents had made it a den. A large bookshelf and a desk, now occupy the place that as a child, he considered his own personal prison. Sighing, he turns to head towards his parent’s old room. “I was so happy the day they decided to make that change, but now that I look back, I know why mother cried the whole time.” Azrid’s eyes were glowing softly in the dark hall way, as he leaned against the wall. Laron had snuck down this hall so many times he knew every spot in the floor that made creeks and moans. Looking at his brother, he says “Will you continue our name? At the rate I am going, I don’t see myself settling down with a nice Elven woman anytime soon, but you have a nice house to offer now, a place to call home, to raise a family…” Laron trails off and starts to walk down the hall. “You know, I never told you, but I was sorry to see you loose Briann.” Azrid walks into his room and closes the door. Laron walks by Amadare’s room, and checks in on her. She is fast asleep, high in the branch of the tree they let grow directly into her room, purring loudly in her cat form. “She still sleeps in trees…” He thinks as he heads into his parent’s room, and climbs into bed.