Pawns in Play

Westfall
Eastern Kingdoms
 
The bristles of the broom swept evenly across the wood slats of the floor with steady swishing sounds. In the distance, the sounds of a young boy’s laughter drifted through the sheafs of early spring wheat. Looking up from her work, the blonde woman lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the afternoon sunlight as she scanned the fields with tired cornflower blue eyes.
 
“Jamie?” She called. More boyish laughter came to her from the distance then she saw his silhouette come over the rise of the hill – but he was not alone. Walking hand-in-hand with him, easygoing as you please, was the tall quel’dorei woman. Her raven hair was coiffed up into a tight, sensible bun and the outfit she wore was a tight-fitting black catsuit.
 
The elven woman smiled, but there was something sinister behind it, predatory. “Why, good afternoon, Lauren. I found young Jamie here down by the quarry, a dangerous place for one so young.” She said as she lightly tugged the boy forward by the hand to send him careening ahead of her toward his mother. Jamie ran toward Lauren to throw his arms around her. “Jovi said we’re going on a trip!”
 
Lauren tried to keep the surprise off her face as she regarded the quel’dorei woman. “Are we?” For the sake of her son, she smiled. “That sounds like fun, doesn’t it?” She ran a hand over the boy’s hair before giving it a tousle. “It’s almost time to start supper, I need you to fill the bathing tub and get yourself cleaned up.” She said to the boy who nodded emphatically.
 
“Yes, mother!” With that, the boy ran to the edge of the porch to the house, grabbing a bucket before he was off like a shot toward the water well.
 
As soon as the boy was out of earshot, Lauren looked at Jovi. “I didn’t expect you back here so soon.” Her tone was cool, even but deep down she was terrified. Every time Jovi showed up here she was a black cloud of menace. Knowing what she knew, everything that she had helped Lauren do to deceive the authorities in Stormwind, Jovi had the power to destroy what remained of her life with a few words in the right ears. “What’s this about us taking a trip?”
 
“I need a favor from you, Lauren. I need you to represent my interests in a little exchange down in Booty Bay. You see, I have put out a contract on our bovine friend, and a young man has taken interest. I need you to meet with him, deliver my terms, stay in town until he completes his mission, and then pay him. Simple, yes?” Jovi paced toward her on cat-silent feet, circling around her the way a buzzard circles carrion.
 
“Why would you of all people need to put out a contract when you could so easily do it yourself?” Lauren asked, looking at the woman intently.
 
“It’s part of the game, Lauren. You see, the more I keep the bovine and her friends guessing, scurrying about like little dormice the less they see my true intentions.” Jovi pressed a hand to the center of her chest, lower lip jutting out in mock-pout. “They are so worried and concerned for their friend, the sweet-hearted little cow, that they have no inkling as to how I will eviscerate her, make her pay dearly for James’ death.”
 
Lauren jutted out her chin, momentarily defiant. “He would never want this. He was a good, kind man. He would never support this vendetta you have against this tauren! She is one person out of hundreds from the war. What makes her so mired within your ire?”
 
Jovi shrugged. That was all that she was going to give Lauren. What James had sent her, she promised never to reveal. The letter remained in one of her pouches in the bandolier that criss-crossed her chest. She carried it with her, a reminder of what she’d been asked to do, a reminder of the promise she’d made over James’ grave.
 
“It is nothing you need to know, my reasons are my own.” Jovi said. “But you will help me, I’ll keep Jamie with me to ensure your cooperation.” The quel’dorei leveled her blue-eyed gaze to the human woman.
 
Lauren paled. “Leave him out of this, Jovi, please. I can send him to the neighbors–”
 
“What? Like that tauren you’ve been taking cider to? Don’t think I don’t know what you get up to out here, Lauren. Consorting with our enemies.”
 
Lauren started, dumbfounded. How Jovi knew of her movements, who she spent her time with, was beyond her. Harun was a kindly neighbor who had given her and Jamie plenty of food in their time. “It’s not like that. He’s just a good neighbor…” She said.
 
“He is still of the Horde and the Horde are what led to James’ death – or have you forgotten that?”
 
Lauren paled further. “No… but it was all a mistake… it had to be a mistake.”
 
“It was.” Jovi agreed. “And now I look to rectify that. Just help me with this, Lauren, and it will all be over soon.”
 
The human woman closed her eyes with a resigned sigh. “What do you need me to do?”
 
Jovi smiled, pleased. “You and Jamie will go to Booty Bay. No one will suspect a young mother traveling with her son. I will leave payment with the bank of ten thousand gold in your name. You will withdraw it in Elementium Bars. This metal is precious and rare. You’ll probably only be given two or three of them, but that is more than enough.”
 
“Why would the bank have Elementium Bars? That makes no sense…” Lauren asked.
 
“It is an exchange. An associate of mine is leaving them there because I need them.” Jovi gave Lauren a look that forestalled any question Lauren might have as to what for.
 
“So, I get these Elementium Bars, then what?”
 
“You will take them to the tavern and meet with a young sin’dorei by the name of Marcel Amberleaf. He is the one taking up my contract to kill our bovine friend. I don’t expect him to succeed, but that is neither here nor there. You will stay in the city until he returns, with either proof of the tauren’s demise or whatever excuse he has for his failure. Again, this matters little. What will matter is the story he has to tell her and her friends, as I’m sure he will…” The quel’dorei woman’s lips curved in a knowing smile.
 
“When the sin’dorei man-child returns, if he is successful, pay him in one Elementium Bar. If he fails, he gets nothing and you send him on his way. Understand? As you meet him this second time, leave the remaining bars in your room and I will collect them and Jamie. Jamie will stay with me until your business is complete to ensure your compliance.”
 
Lauren nodded numbly. She wanted no part of this, but she had to do everything she could to keep Jamie safe. This didn’t sound so bad anyway. It wasn’t as if she was hurting anyone, right? Just making a few deliveries. Having a couple of meetings. Simple. Easy. Safe.
 
“I understand.” Lauren murmured. “When do I get Jamie back?”
 
“We are going on a trip, Jamie and I, to see the wonders of Shadrassil in Northrend. Make sure you tell no one about what we’ve done here, Lauren. I’ll know, if you do. Do not think to cross me.” Jovi said, the congenial menace in her voice was undeniable, like a dagger wrapped in silk drawn across the skin. “Once I am assured of your good behavior, then I will return him.”
 
Jamie came struggling around the corner with the water bucket sloshing in both hands. The boy was already half-soaked. He beamed at his mother and Jovi.
 
“So,” Jovi said, pinning on her most charming of smiles. “I will see you both there, shall I? Ta-ta!” She turned on her heel and made her way down the entry lane to the Boone Farm.
 
Lauren watched her go before rushing over to Jamie to hug him tightly. The boy had no idea what was wrong.