For The Whored: Beyond Ch. 32

Stephen rounded the corner, his mind in misery. He took notice of a soldier lowering a blonde figure to the ground. Confused and a little irritated, he made his way over. If a pitiful underling thought he was going to attack a woman in this city, the asshole was dead wrong.

Stephen put his hand on his sword at his side. "What are you doing?"

Ryan looked up. "Help me. I need to get her to Elunara."

"Elunara?"

"Only Elunara can help deal with Katie's fainting spells."

"Katie?" Stephen stared down at the prone form; his mind uncomprehending. His worst nightmare was laying on the ground. Scooping her up, he began running for Elunara's house. He shoved his way through the door.

Elunara blinked at him. "What the hell?"

"I don't know. I found her in the street with another soldier. He said you'd know what's going on."

"Shit, she must have collapsed. I hope she wasn't out there long."

"I saw her fall."

"Saw her?" Elunara frowned at him as she ran her hands over Katie. "Why were you so close to her home?"

"I... but I wasn't. I was about five blocks that way." He pointed. "She was close to here."

Elunara hesitated. "Was there a large book near her?"

"Book? You're speaking in riddles! What is wrong with her?!"

"She has fainting spells. Has ever since she was a child. She left my house over an hour ago. She had enough time to walk home casually and have a conversation. Why was she five blocks from my house without the book I just gave her?"

"How the hell should I know?"

Katie groaned. "Sunwood..." She whimpered. "Help me."

"Baby, you're back here." Elunara stooped down and brushed Katie's hair out of her face. "You're safe."

"No, you don't understand." Katie began to weep. "She killed him, momma. She killed Sunwood."

Elunara froze. "Who did?"

"I don't know!" Katie wailed. "He's dead! He's dead and there's nothing I can do!"

Elunara stood up. "Watch her."

"What?" Stephen blinked.

"Keep her safe." Elunara ran out the door. She ran straight down to the cottage and found Lydia prowling around. "Why are you here?"

"Katie found me. Said Sunwood had been murdered. I came to find the murderer. Or at least fend them off so Katie could escape." Lydia jerked her head back. "He's in the garden, momma. It's pretty bad. There's blood everywhere."

Elunara followed Lydia. "Shit." Laying her hands on Sunwood, she said more than a few choice words. Focusing all of her power and energy into Sunwood's body, she found his spirit missing. Forcing herself into the dark space of the spirits, she began twirling around. Finding the shaft of light to the nether she went for it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Elune?" Elunara looked at the pretty night elf. "Good, you can help me."

Elune shook her head. "I won't do it."

"What did you say?"

"I told you before, little sister, I wouldn't help you again. You can't save them all, and if you try it'll just burn you out."

"You will HELP ME bring back my daughter's lover, or so help me..."

Elune shook her head. "You can't threaten me. As powerful as you are, I still hold more sway than you. That man is dead, live with it. Teach your daughter that pain is a part of life."

Elunara jolted back as she was physically tossed out of the dark space. "ELUNE!"

"Not helping." A voice whispered back.

Lydia frowned. "You didn't bring him back?"

"I couldn't..."

--

Katie was curled up on Elunara's couch, weeping uncontrollably.

Stephen stood by the door, unsure of what to do. Mentally, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and calm her down. Physically, he dare not touch her. "Katie..." He whispered.

"Why?" She whimpered. "Why would she do that?"

"Who?"

"I have no idea." Katie choked.

"Did you see her at least?"

"She had black hair and a weird yellow mark on her face..."

Stephen's eyes widened. "Fuck." He whispered.

--

Elunara made her way in the house and found Stephen kneeling in front of Katie, speaking to her softly. Katie nodded and looked up. "Did you... is he...?"

Elunara sighed. Closing the door, she made her way to the couch. "I'm sorry sweetheart, he was beyond my help."

"NO!" Katie wrapped her arms around her body. "NONONONONO!"

Stephen put his hands on Katie's shoulders. "Shh, sweetheart. If Elunara says she can't help him, no one can."

"He's gone to the nether." Elunara shook her head. "If I had been there immediately, I would have been able to stop him. However, we took too long. He must have died shortly after you left to come see me."

"I shouldn't have left him." She whispered.

"First of all, you had to leave sometime. Second, you might be dead too."

Katie shook with the force of her sobs. "She said that. She said I was supposed to drink the soup."

"The soup?"

"I don't know. She wasn't making sense."

"Who?"

"The lady with black hair and a yellow mark on her face."

--

Elunara made her way through the city. She had left Katie in the care of Stephen. At the Keep she found the scribe she was looking for. "I want a wanted sign made up."

"Yes, your majesty."

Varian eyed her. "What's going on?"

--

One three day man hunt later, Marie was hauled in front of the throne.

"Since I'm told my method of execution is frowned upon in this kingdom, I decided to do things the legal way this time." Elunara sat on her throne, fingers folded in her lap.

"You killed my husband! You took the word of that harlot over my dutiful and wonderful husband!"

"Marie, you are accused of murdering Sunwood, the Tauren druid. How do you plead?"

"He was just a shitty Tauren. That filthy whore couldn't keep her legs closed, and my husband wound up dead over it!"

"I take that as a guilty." Elunara snarled.

Katie sobbed, and Stephen and Ryan wrapped their arms around her. Both men looked at each other over Katie's head, but neither said a thing.

"Look at her!" Marie pointed, her wrists in chains. "She can't keep herself off of the nearest man. Trained by the original whore."

"You can call me whatever you like, but you will not accuse my daughter of anything. The sentence is execution."

"For a Tauren?" Someone whispered. The crowd began to murmur.

"For a friend of the crown." Elunara snarled. "I've sentenced lesser crimes to death, would you care to join them?"

The crowd fell silent.

"Marie, your husband was a louse and a pervert. I can find any man, woman, or some children to attest to that fact. Your obliviousness is not my concern, except you took your aggression out on an innocent man to get at my innocent daughter. Not only that, you were found, covered in Sunwood's blood, still clutching the dagger you butchered him with. Your guilt is disgusting. Tomorrow, you will be executed. Tonight, you will be afforded a meal and a stay in the stockades. I hope you enjoy soup."

--

After the trial, Stephen and Ryan walked with the still sobbing Katie.

"You don't have to go back there." Ryan rubbed her back. "I'm sure Tippy has your room."

"I want to go back." Katie sniffled. "It's my home."

"You shouldn't be there by yourself." Stephen frowned, brushing Katie's hair out of her face.

"I'll be alright." Katie sniffled. "Thank you both for worrying about me."

Ryan hesitated, before stepping away. "If you need anything..."

"I know where to find you." Katie gave him a watery smile, before leaning over and kissing his cheek. "Thank you for being there."

Stephen waited until Ryan disappeared from sight. "I'll walk you home."

"Thank you." Katie watched her feet the whole walk home, not even the lights of portal lake could comfort her.

Stephen dared not touch her, though he wanted to pull her into his embrace. When they finally reached the steps of her cottage, she hesitated. Even he knew that she'd been staying in one of the rooms at Elunara's, and this was the first time she'd set foot in the cottage in three days.

"I'll stay here."

"What?" She jerked her head up.

"I'll stand guard. Until the bitch is executed, I do not trust her to not escape. I won't have you unguarded."

"Oh." Concerned, she put her hand on his arm. "All night?"

Even her light touch sent shock waves up his arm. "All night, morning, whatever. I will not leave your side. I am training under Grogek. Standing around for a few hours is practically a day off."

Katie watched him for a few moments. Nodding, she turned for the door. "G-good night."

"Sleep well, beautiful Katie." He started to reach out for her but dropped his hand. "A good woman like you should not be burdened with such sadness."

"Thank you." She stepped inside. For a moment she just stood there, looking around. Spotting the book on the table, she turned away. Looking at the bed, she collapsed to the floor and began to sob. Sitting on the floor, she curled up on herself and wept.

Stephen could hear her through the door and found himself struggling to stay outside. He leaned his forehead against the door and begged all of the gods and goddesses to tell him just what to do. The door swung open, and he almost fell in. Taking that as his sign, he scooped her up and sat her on the bed. She shook her head violently, and he just wrapped his arms around her. Holding on to her tightly, he let her cry into his chest.

Stroking her hair, he spoke words of calm and quiet. For an untold amount of time, she cried on him while he whispered to her. By time she fell into a soundless sleep, he was exhausted himself. When he tried to dislodge her, however, she would whimper and cling to his chest. Unable to free himself, he curled up in the bed beside her and fell into a deep slumber.