Hope's Despair

Ark,
There is no love lost between us. You have nothing but respect for me. I have nothing but respect for you, but you are the chosen.

The time has come, a bad time maybe, but you knew you were chosen. Regrettably you are to go alone, your mate, though a dranei in form is not yet one in spirit. She may never be, and we both know that.

I understand there is to be a formal ceremony. In honor of that you have 3 days. 2 for your ceremony and 1 to enjoy your bride. It is all I can give. I never hated you, Ark, but your task is a hard one. I needed to prepare you.

Vir

Ark sank as she sat by the mailbox, she had just meant to collect items from her Auctions. She wished now she had taken the time to gather materials for the fireworks herself. She had no idea what the future held. It was likely that no one did. But it wouldn't have mattered her duty called her. Her life with Verloren stretched finally into centuries was now shortened into days.

Three days, three days, a lifetime spent in fear of loving someone else, and now that she had found it. Ark pounded her gloved fist into the cobblestone. In her anger and rage she didn't realize she cracked it. Ark stood, and went to tell Moto, she checked the logs to find that Moto, and Prime were in Ironforge. Well that was one less time she would need to repeat the painful words. No she had to tell Verloren.

Verloren needed to know first.

Ark had left the Peak early to get started on final wedding preparations for the next day. Now she regretted leaving. She could not escape her fate, but now every moment she wanted to spend with Verloren, every spare second.

Ark hearthed home, but Verloren had already prepared and left for the day.

"Her and Luliana left giddy." Aunt Liz was preparing the food. Ark turned around before Aunt Liz did. Ark left, without telling her. She would find out, she would know soon enough. Verloren needed to know first.

Ark asked Gurthrum and the ladies left eyeing a piece of mail, arguing about it, but they were speaking so fast in common he couldn't make out much. He could tell from their expressions it was bad.

"Something something recalled, needed. I donnae." Guthrum had done his best.

Ark headed to the Shire to see if Verloren was there. Perhaps her parents knew.

"Aye, we knew about it, but it wasn't us that recalled her. I am not sure what it was about, she was needed that is all we know." Cuge said, as she busied herself preparing tea for Ark, she heard the door close. Cuge knew Verloren had to walk this path alone, and she suspected Ark knew as well. If she thought she could have eased the young woman's pain she would have, but she couldn't, such a separation so early in their lives together....

Ark checked the log to find Verloren, and she headed off to Stormwind. Sending the whisper on the wind, she asked Verloren's location. Ark hoped to find her first, but Stormwind was a large crowded city and Ark's heart was too heavy to fight the throng's of people.

I have to talk to you, Verloren whispered back. Meet where two hands meet.

The waterfall, either Verloren knew or she had some bad news of her own. Perhaps she had met someone else. Maybe it was for the best. Ark would always be her soulmate, but perhaps Verloren could find happiness in another.

Ark turned her mount slightly to change direction for the waterfall. Nightscape knew the way, and took over as Ark leaned into his feathered head and openly sobbed. Guthrum would have been ashamed, but nothing mattered anymore, she dropped the reins. Her strength was so low she nearly fell, had Nightscape not caught her, she would have fallen to her death. In a way that would have been preferable. Nightscape landed softly as if he knew how fragile Ark had become.

Ark approached Verloren without looking at her.

"I will let you two be alone." Luliana said.

"Ark I..."

"Ver I..."

"You start." Ark said not looking up.

"No you." Verloren said.

"I don't have time to argue and this is hard enough. I want to hear your voice my love." Ark fell as she wept openly, her voice pleading.

"I have something I have to do. The body came with a price. They always do. I am pressed into service. Three long months of service for the Shadow Proclimation, but they gave me 3 days. Ark I am sorry, but if we can make a life together after that..." Verloren now sobbed, her breathing labored. "I...I want to go through with the wedding. I want people to know I love you. I want to be your wife." Verloren pulled in a long labored breath, "I could die, I understand if you don't want to... I owe this debt Ark. I now know what you meant all those times, when you said the hammer is thrown."

"I paid Sahalia's price Ver, all of it, she can't do this." Ark protested, unconsciously grabbing her weapons.



"No Ark you paid for your change, not mine, this is her price for taking me instead. If I don't do this she will kill my friends, my family." Verloren fell into Ark, leaning on her for strength. "The price must be paid, Ark I'm sorry. Sahalia must be paid."

"That is all the time I have as well, my love." Ark said holding Verloren close one hand cradling the crown of Verloren's head, the other pulling her body close. Ark felt Verloren sobbing, and didn't try to stop her. There was no soothing this pain.

"I wanted all the scary freaky people out of your life and now they are in mine Ark." Verloren said in a whispered scream of agony.

"That is what it means to share a life, you embrace the good times and the bad Verloren. There come long absences, and short reunions." Ark wanted to ease her mate and lover's pain, but she couldn't. "I have been recalled."

Verloren pulled out of Ark's embrace, "I thought you were done with service?"

"No not service this time," Ark said, "this time I was chosen. I was born for this service. I don't know what it is yet, but it will take everything perhaps even my life."

"How long do you have?" Verloren asked. The words pierced her heart, as they pierced Ark's, neither of them would live together now, neither would be safe, neither was sure they would ever be together.

"Three days, including today, just like you. Long enough to marry you, long enough to love you, long enough to be your lover, just once, if you still wish that." Ark leaned on Verloren's neck, nuzzling it like she had in happier times.

Verloren picked up Ark's head and held it in front of her. "If there is a chance at carrying a piece of you with me, a chance at giving birth to a part of you, however small, I want it. I want people to know you loved me. I want it recorded for the ages Ark. I don't care that it is unconventional. I need it and I need you."

"We should tell Luliana, Prime and Moto, Verbear." Ark always bound by her duty, but not wanting to be parted from Verloren again, removed the bridle from Nightscape. Ark unlashed the saddle. Nightscape was confused. Ark held his head, kissed him and then smacked his hind. Knowing the command to go home, he returned to the Peak. Guthrum would care for him.

Verloren watched in stunned silence Ark was not sure she would ever return. She loved Nightscape in a way almost as much as she loved Verloren. To send him home, to set him free... Verloren's service was a set time, but Ark's..., and then she knew, Ark might never come back. And there was nothing she could do, nothing anyone could do.

Ark called a mechanical mount, "Verbear ride with me. I don't want to be apart from you, not in the next few days. Not until I have to."

As they approached Ironforge Verloren said, "I will tell Moto Ark, she has been a bit queer lately."

Verloren found Moto in a little house along the outer ring of Ironforge. She was mothering some poor night elf. Verloren felt sorry for the night elf, who was complaining about safety. And no wonder with Moto's tender graces.

"YES of course your safe here! Now Moto.. you know better. Why didn't you introduce me to this lovely being." Verloren popped in the doorway.

"Verloren, I believe she needs more rest. You will probably scare her.." Moto laughed a little.

Verloren replied, " I'm harmless. She will probably be more afraid of you then me!"

Motokume rolled her eyes. "Pft..." She whispered under her breath and quickly pushed Verloren out of the doorway and into the streets. "Ver im sure Ark needs you... its ok... I have this under control. Tell Ark that I will throw her a party for the wedding and I'll invite the nightelf if you want. Then you can get to know each other. Yah thats it..." Moto said as she continued to push Verloren out amongst the streets in Ironforge.

"We are going to have to tell them together with Prime, Moto is smothering some poor night elf in her tender graces." Verloren laughed, that infectious contagious laugh, and even Ark in her brooding mood couldn't help but smile.

Verloren put her arms around Ark, "The wedding preparations can wait, I am tired of waiting for the wedding night, you are already my wife. I want to spend today as your lover."

"But you are fertile, and I suspect I am as well Verbear." Ark said.

"I know. I am counting on it Ark. I am counting on it." Verloren held Ark, and the feeling excited Ark and crushed her, but if these were the last 2 nights they had, they would spend them together, as lovers.