Banished

:- by Naiama
Category:Stories
Category:Naiama
== Confession ==
The elf bowed before the High Priestess and knelt on the floor. Her lover also bowed, then stood awkwardly in his armor, but he was quickly yanked to her level to show respect. The man frowned, but he didn't fight the elf's grab.
She lowered her head to very floor in humility. 
"Vessel of Elune, I am in great need of your guidance," she whispered in elvish, the words echoing around the temple. The elf with strange hair looked up to the High Priestess.
"My lady, do you recall your warden imprisoning a one Oaken Strider of the Wildblade?"
The man knelt quietly, growing more reverent, though he couldn't understand the words of the woman beside him, who continued speaking in her native tongue to the ancient one before them.
"She was controlled by the Blood God, controlled by some cruel fate...and yet the warden released her?"
Then, Tyrande, High Priestess of Elune, looked over the young Kal'dorei and the human beside her. Some would have debated whether she was merely a living creature. When she spoke in elvish, it flowed like liquid moonrays. 
"I know of this, child. The question is, why do you?"
The human kept his head down, wondering what exactly they were saying, and like often when the woman used her own language, felt clueless.
"It was I, priestess," the younger elf replied after biting her lip. She paused, then added, "But you knew the warden had ulterior motives? To release me?"
Tyrande straightened at the words. Her assistant priestesses widened their eyes at the news of who this was. The High Priestess raised her hands to signal the two sentinel guards standing on either side of the balcony they stood on.
"I will not tolerate a worshipper of such an atrocious god in this sacred temple," she said. 
Creel looked up in surprise as his eyes caught the sudden movement of the guards moving toward them.
The words cut into the one kneeling on the floor. She immediately raised her head and pleadingly held up her hands. "Wait, I beg of you! I was released from my chains, I was brought back from damnation of service to the Soulflayer!"
Tyrande held up her hand. The guards hesitated and looked to their High Priestess, soon retreating back to their stations, warily. There was a pause of silence.
"I will hear you out, then. If you speak the truth," Tyrande said.
The human looked over at Naiama and then back the ground, lost to the words.
Naiama bowed her head. "Thank you, Priestess...I...have been victim to something beyond my comprehension. I tried to fight it, but I was captured and forced to serve the Blood God."
"What then, child?" the High Priestess scowled, crinkling her magically preserved face, waiting for more.
"I was released by my friends. They were the only ones who knew what had to be done. I beg to Elune for forgiveneess, my lady, for what I did under Hakkar's spell. I don't know if She will ever forgive me, and I will never forgive myself."
Tyrande eyed the young elf who still knelt on the floor. The assistant priestesses looked as displeased as their leader. "Did you destroy life for his name, young one?"
Naiama took hold of Creel's nearest hand then, staring at the stone floor. She nodded. He grasped her hand in return, surprised. He looked between Naiama and the High Priestess, rather confused and embarassed.
Choking under Tyrande's gaze, Naiama finally spoke, "Two...two innocents...little human b-boys. Oh, Goddess!"
Creel squeezed her hand sympathetically, guessing at what she was saying. She only dropped her head. 
The High Priestess' face appeared flushed. She looked to Creel and spoke in Common, very slowly.
"Human, is this true? Did you know of her acts under the accursed 'god'?"
"I did, High Priestess Tyrande," he responded clearly.
Tyrande lifted her chin slightly, watching the two together. "And so you seek counsel with me here. You do not wish your king, your nobles, to know of this?"
Again Creel looked between the priestess and Naiama. "The punishment would be death, without trial, most likely. I am guilty of assisting her, so I deserve punishment as well."
Naiama turned her head to stare at Creel in bewilderment. Why was he incriminating himself too? 
But Tyrande shook her head. "You, human, will have to face your own judiciary system. As for Naiama, she is under our laws."
Creel only nodded slightly.
"How old are you, Oaken Strider?" the priestess asked in elvish, turning her attention back to Naiama.
"Nigh two hundred and seventeen," the elf mumbled in reply.
Tyrande appeared surprised. "You are quite young for such crimes. You are a child by law, Naiama. Barely capable of understanding the whole of this world and stepping with out our homelands."
Looking down her nose at Creel, she spoke in elvish to Naiama. "I will speak the language of the Alliance so your lover may understand, child."
She switched then to Common to continue. "Young to the world, I am disheartened that such corruption has reached you both."
Creel frowned at this, keeping his eyes on the floor.
"I cannot order the Wardens to execute one so young. You may not believe I was young once - and I could not bear to be imprisoned at such an age without sight of star or moon. And you would only grow away from the Great Mother.
It seems I could do little for a child. However, an act like this for another god when you are born under the grace of Elune is not acceptable. Since you have presumably journeyed away from this home before, you will continue to learn away from it.
Naiama Tahlas, young one, learn from this. Learn to love the night again, the moon, Elune's loving grace.
You are hereby charged: You are banished from the capitals of the Alliance until you reach the age of adulthood. You are also commanded to assist the druids in cleansing our homelands of demonic corruption."
The human man looked between the elves again, then closed his eyes at the sentence, attempting to keep himself quiet.
The High Priestess Tyrande lifted her hands to the ceiling. "Go now with the grace of Elune. May the Great Mother show you the lit path through the night. Elune'adore."
== Parting Ways ==
"Perhaps I can assist you from time to time."
She closed her eyes and took his face in both her hands, placing her forehead against his. "I would like that. I love you, P---," she whispered his name.
"I will await word from you. I will keep up the house in Ironforge and check in on the one in Elwynn."
Naiama looked over Creel's shoulder and took a small step away, clutching the leather pouch he had given her.
"Go home, Creel, wherever that may be." She touched his chest plate with a hand before backing away further.
Creel nodded simply, then turned and scanned the village to see where a warden had disappeared to. After a moment, he walked toward the long docks out to the Veiled Sea.
(( September 24, 2006 :: Based on chatlog ))