Light and Shade -- Part 3

This is the third part of a piece of fan fiction I began in the summer and since resubbing to Warcraft I've found my muse again!  You can read the first two parts here and here. 


"Are we all set then my love?" Deme asked Raik as she approached him at the tram entrance.

"Of course! Did you ever doubt me?" he smirked as he said it and Deme smiled back, reminded that this was the man who could get any project off the ground.

They turned to walk through the swirling entrance and down the ramp to the tram. The cold metal clunk under their feet rang off the tunnel walls as they left the cobbles and slate of Stormwind behind. The tram always astounded Deme, a feat of gnomish engineering. From the outside it looked like a giant swirling cog with a mouth gaping, big enough to take a whole battalion of Alliance forces in one gulp and on the inside it was full of giant rivets, bronze and iron and the driver-free tram system that linked Stormwind with it's closest neighbouring city, the great dwarven capital of Ironforge. They descended into the station and the sounds of Stormwind faded, the chatter of the residents lost into the metal tunnel.

The times for the next tram flickered up on the narrow boards above their heads in colours of red and blue and they moved to the middle platform. A shiver went down Deme's spine as she remembered why they were embarking on this journey. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she remembered the feeling of clinging onto the edge of that platform in Icecrown. The coldness crept into her bones and her jaw trembled slightly, on the brink of her teeth chattering. It was only a dream, she quietly told herself and then the rumble of the tram came through her thoughts and she realised Raiklev was calling her. She ran at full speed towards the middle carriage and lept off the metallic, solid platform, so different from the one in her dream. Landing cat-like next to Raik a split second before the automatic tram set off again, she looked up into his face and saw his jaw had dropped. She grinned wickedly at his reaction, it was good to keep him on his toes.




They emerged from the tram into the gnome quarter of Ironforge. Raik took Deme's arm and steered her swiftly and stubbornly out of the quarter and towards the military halls. She could see the look of slight disgust and annoyance on his face. He'd never been much of a fan of gnomes, not since an encounter with one who decided to follow him around years ago in his home fields of Westfall and throw rockets at the chickens he was trying to raise. The gnome apparently thought the rockets would 'blast all the eggs out at once'.

He relaxed as they entered the military quarter and Deme felt his grip loosen. Then she noticed a hurried, well-dressed dwarf chuntering and muttering to himself as he strode along. His heavy boots clinking on the stone floor and mimicking the sounds of the forge drifting out from Ironforge's eponymous great heart. She recognised his stout stature at once and rushed over, the dwarf only looking up at the last minute to cry "Deme! You made it!". Raiklev was only a pace behind and they were all soon in a big meaty dwarven hug as their old friend and brigade leader, Garim Morfik embraced them.

He smelt of stale ale and pipe smoke but his worn battle armour showed that he was not the sort of dwarf to be played with. On his back was slung a mighty mace, imbued with the power of the Light which seemed to flow through Garim and pour out of his finger tips when he was in battle. Deme withdrew from the hug, looking uneasy.

"Eh lass, I know what worries ye. Don't worry I'm still Garim and I know the Light has healed you many times and will always do so."

"I hope you're right Garim" replied Deme, a little disturbed by how easy she had betrayed her feelings to him. It was a point of pride for Deme never to show weakness in front of Garim, to be strong and always to let him know that when the brigade needed her she would be ready. Clearly she'd spent too long on the farm with Raiklev tending chickens and vegetables and was going soft.

Garim poked her in the ribs and chortled. "You're wearing cloth! Well I never, a battle-hardened ex-servant of the Lich King wearing cloth!"

Deme did a little twirl and Raiklev and Garim bust into laughter. "Don't you think it suits me?" she asked happy to have forgotten her weakness for a second and glad to be laughing with them both.

"Well you're no dwarven lass but Raik's a lucky man I'm sure. Now, I could do with a drink and you two look like you could too. Come on!" Garim waved them to follow him and he strode off in the direction of The Stonefire Tavern.