Julean Chapter 3 - A life at the Chapel, part 1

Julean nodded slightly, mumbling a thanks to Josetta and then walked inside slowly to a unused bed in the back of the room. She put down her bag and sat down on the bed. Julean Droverson, that was her name. She sighed, slowly fell down on the bed and cried. She had been holding it inside her for so long. Would she ever see her parents again?

The sun was going up slowly. It was still quite foggy outside, even though some birds had awakened and started their days with flapping their wings and their chirping. Julean had a really bad night, she could barely sleep and was terrified. Of what? Of everything! She didn't belong here! She wanted to go home again, to where she was supposed to be. In the Highlands. What was she supposed to do, she had no idea. Did she really have a choice but staying here?
The sound of the other awakening made her turn around a bit, just a little. Some of the other apprentices were awake and she could hear how they whispered to each other, checking if they were awake. It all was followed by quiet giggles and them continuing to whisper. Julean just laid there and stared up at the rooms ceiling. She felt like she was about to cry but held it in. She was going to stay strong. After all, while she lived at her family's farm she was more of a boy than a girl. Not wearing any dresses and having her hair cut short. Some others disliked that with her but she didn't care much about it, it was only how she was. She let out an sigh, moving her hand up so she hold it in front of her eyes. What capabilities did she have that they were so interested in? She was just a normal girl, like everyone else. She couldn't lie here, she was more than restless and by laying here another minute would make her go crazy while hearing all more whispers and giggling from the other girls. Would they ever stop? She put her hand down and sat up, the blanking falling down to her waist. Immediately she felt a cold shiver coming up her spine, it sure was colder here, she was used to having the sun shining bright over her and make her warm in the morning. Not waking up a cold room like this.

The other girls looked towards her but they didn't say anything to the newcomer. They didn't even knew that they were going to have someone new here, although that was a bit usual that the Brotherhood of Northshire who served under the Church of Light did that. Sooner or later they just wouldn't notice it either. After have rumbled through her backpack after some clothes she had walked outside. It wasn't that cold as she had expected and the birds were chirping gladly in their songs in the morning. Julean looked at them and smiled faintly before she continued to walk down. The ground under her feet's was hard, but not cold. At least she didn't have to go in again. She instead climbed up a fence and sat there, holding both her hands with a good grip around the bars so she wouldn't fall down. From inside the cathedral she could hear that everyone began to wake up. There was probably some that already been awake for hours, maybe just workers that was preparing things then.

“Wha' am I 'ere fer?” She asked herself, not being bothered if anyone would hear her talking to herself. She let out an sigh as she looked up at the skies. “Can't ye tell me tha', ancestors?” Waiting for some time without any answer she figured that the ancestors wouldn't answer her question and she muttered quietly for herself in the arathorian language.
“Feck it, It's nay like I will be getting' any answer frem anyone.” She said out loudly, only to have a book hit her head. “Ow!” She moved her left hand up to her head and rubbed it and glared at the person who had hit her. And why the hell with a book? Her eyes came in contact with a young boy, probably an apprentice as herself even though he did look quite older than her and was taller.

“Now now, don't use such language here, miss.” The boy calmly said. Julean opened her mouth to say something but closed it quickly so she wouldn't look stupid sitting like that and looked away. She wasn't going to listen to some boy that thought he could tell her what to do and not and how did he even understand what she had said? If he understood that at all and just didn't hit her head with that book because he didn't understand her. As Julean didn't answer the boy he chuckled for himself and decided it maybe was best to leave her alone. “My bad my bad, I just heard you swearing a little. But I will be leaving you now.” The boy said to her and then left her, so she was all alone yet again.

Josetta was standing at the window, looking out at the yard and the people who were awake. It was a fine morning indeed, and only in a few hours would all the new apprentices have their first lesson. It all started simple, some of them was of course more skilled than others and was in few years later sent to the church of Light to continue their training. It was not only priests around here of course, there was rough warriors, paladins who trained to be Knights of the Silver Hand, clerics and even some rogues were roaming around here, up to no good. Josetta's eyes stopped at Julean who was sitting alone on a fence. She tilted her head a little and wondered why the girl was sitting alone there, and why so early? Her first thought was to go out and talk with her.
“The poor girl must miss her home.” Quietly Josetta said for herself.

Julean had lost track of time, all she knew that it was getting late and she had just been walking around. Of what she knew so did they have a couple of free days before their training started. Absent-minded she picked some grass straws while leaning against the tree in Elwynn Forest. She watched the people coming and going from the Inn. Goldshire was this placed called, had she learned. She could see all kinds of people here, some even gave her a quick glance from time to time. What got her interest however was the boy she had met earlier that day. The one who had hit her on the head with a book. He was sitting on a fence and chatted with some girls. Julean tilted her head as she watched him but quickly moved her eyes away when he noticed her sitting there. The boy excused himself to the girls he was chatting with and walked over to Julean. When he was in front of her leaned down a little.
“Hello there. Not swearing now, are we?” The boy greeted her. Clearly he was teasing her too. Julean glared up at him and wanted to almost hit him. What was his problem anyway? Instead she didn't answer him at all and looked away. He sighed and shrugged but sat down next to her. “Why´re you sitting here all alone? Could come and hang with me and the other girls.” He offered. Julean on the other hand wouldn't accept that offer. She didn't want to look like one of the girls that just was running after some guy who thought he could get every girl he wanted.

“Feck ye, wha' don't ye jus' leave me alone?” She muttered and glared a little at the boy again. He arched an eyebrow at her and then laughed and shrugged off her question. She sighed and looked away again. She knew it, they all would just laugh at her. Was it because she talked different than them? That would just be silly. But before he could answer her rang the bells. The boy stood up and nodded to Julean.
“Well, we have to get back now then. I'll see you another time.” He waved at her and began to walk back to Northshire. Julean didn't move, she sat there and considered of running away instead. Back home, to the highlands. But she clearly wouldn't make it back alive, that for sure. Deciding that she dragged herself up on her legs and walked towards Northshire too. Was it time for some food maybe?

The days went on. They had started their training, getting sorted up in groups and learned all the rules about the Brotherhood. It all was so boring, but they had to listen on it all day long. If they were lucky so could they go some hour earlier than usual. Most of them were holding up in Goldshire's Inn, but Julean had no interest in staying inside all the time so she was sitting by the lake instead. She didn't want to admit it but she was getting used to all this, very slowly. But she also missed her home very much. Here she didn't have to take care of any animals or a farm. No, here was she only reading books and listen to their teacher speaking. She couldn't believe that she was going to live with this. Julean was so deep into her own thoughts that she never heard the footsteps behind her until the group sat down next to her, with that boy she had met earlier in the lead. He smiled at her and gave her a nod.

“Sitting alone again, eh? Well, before you ask I thought we would give you some company.” The boy turned his head to the group. “This is the girl I've told you about.” Everyone nodded gently and some waved too. Julean nodded back to them all quite confused about all this sudden attention thanks to that stupid boy! She opened her mouth as if to say something but changed her mind. She couldn't think of anything at all to say and just stared at the group. Some giggled quietly, whispering with each other and other stood there quietly.

“Why are ye doin' all this?” She questioned the boy and he shrugged to her question. Didn't he really have an answer to her or was he just avoiding the question or just didn't want to tell her?
“Just trying to make you feel more welcome. It's usually bit hard those first weeks here.” Some nodded as they agreed of what he said. Julean shook her head and looked out over the lake again. Her interest for that boy was zero, if he hadn't noticed that yet. She was sitting alone for a reason, but he appeared to be too stupid to understand that.
“Well yer nay doin' a good job with tha', ye dimwit.” Julean muttered and threw a small rock into the water. Rings formed at the water surface where the stone had landed and they grew bigger and bigger. One of the girls in the group giggled, the others following into the giggle and Julean turned her head to them all and stared.
“You've a funny accent, you know that?” A blonde girl, maybe around Juleans age, spoke up. Julean was stunned, funny accent? She didn't have a funny accent! Everyone at home spoke just like her but before Julean could say anything the girl continued. “Where're you from? Not from around here, I can tell.” She was still a bit confused about the question.

“Umh, well. I am frem the Highlands. Y'kno', te north..” Juleans voice lowered as she was a bit embarrassed about the question itself. She hadn't spoke to anyone about where she's from. Not since she got here and no one had really paid her any real attention. Well, except that boy. Everyone had a confused look on their faces. “Y'kno'... Arathi Highlands? Te north?” When she said Arathi Highlands then one or two actually did understand where she meant. At least someone had heard about it. So she had to explain to them all how to get there, and then hopefully they'd understand. She guided them through Stormwind, like most of them had been too, then Ironforge and continued to Wetlands and at last the goal and her home, the Highlands. Some actually looked a bit fascinated with hearing about Arathi Highlands. They probably haven't been there themselves, a shame.

“Do you have any idea why you're here then?” A boy in the group asked her. Julean couldn't really answer on that question. She bit her lip and let out a sigh before she shook her head and looked out over the lake. The boy who had asked her went quiet and one could hear some whispering to him about him just saying wrong things at bad times. “Sorry.” He then said, but Julean just let out a 'mhm, 's okay'. She understood that they were curious and probably had lots of questions for her. She couldn't answer them all though. She then stood up instead and nodded to them all. “Umh, thanks fer the welcome but I will head te Stormwind.” She didn't really wait for a answer to them and turned around to make her way to Stormwind. For her second time now, if she did count the time when she was just riding through when she came here.

Stormwinds' Town Square was filled with people as always and Julean looked around, a bit amazed. There was so many stores here, so much to look at. She had never really been to a big place like this before, it was even bigger than Stromgarde! Not wasting any time she continued to walk to the middle of the square looking around trying to decide where she should go. She saw on a sign where everything led. Maybe she should try visit the Mage quarters? Maybe they could show her some magic to entertain her. Or Old Town? She had heard a lot about the shops there. But was it something for her? She put her finger to her lips and thought quietly for herself and didn't hear the officer clearing his throat until he gently nudged her on the shoulder.
“Miss?” Julean snapped out from her thoughts and looked bit surprised, but she let out an 'aye?' to him, waiting for him to continue. The officer though chuckled at her as he figured she had quite an hard time to decide where she should go. And looking at her appearance so could he tell she was an apprentice of the church. Most likely one of the new ones too. “You need some directions maybe?” She nodded quietly and looked around again before she looked up at the officer.
“Aye, thank ye. I ain't sure where te go an' nay idea what I shoul' be doin'.” She said and the officer nodded firmly. For a young girl as herself he knew exactly where she could go.
“There's a cloth shop by the canals, you maybe could check it out? A young girl like you probably could use some better clothes when walking around in this city.” Julean giggled, it was true. She didn't have much more clothes than this apprentice robe that she had got when she got here. “Just head to your left or right and then up. It's near the bridge to the Cathedral square, you can't miss that, miss.” Julean nodded and thank him and quickly ran off to the right, towards Old Town. She hadn't much interest in clothes right now. She wanted to hit something, she was still angry for being taken here. It was easy to get there and she could see few children sitting on the bridge and fishing and talking. She looked to her left, which would lead her to that cloth shop that the officer had told her about but she shook her head and continued over the bridge and stopped at the kids who was fishing.

“Excuse me, but wha' can ye tell me 'bout Ol' Town?” She asked. The boys blinked at her, maybe they were surprised by her accent too? But they didn't seem bothered about it and one boy looked to the direction of Old Town and then back to her.
“Well... You have the SI:7 there, they are a quite cool. They've like training grounds and all that. Sometimes they can be seen sparring with each other. Other than that, it's just a few shops and a pub there, they have some good food.” Julean smiled and nodded. She thanked for their time and left them alone in their fishing. She continued into the Old Town. The air had changed, it was more thick here. It wasn't bad, no, it was just like a thick layer that lay there and didn't intend to bother you while you walked around. As she walked she looked around she could hear singing, yelling and cheering from the other side of the Old Town. The pub was probably full at this hour and people were just enjoying a drink or two. She heard from some people passing by talking about the pub, saying good things about it. She was lucky that it wasn't so crowded here in Stormwind at this hour of the day, otherwise she probably would've a hard time moving forward, or that what she had heard from the other apprentices that been here for a visit. Not that she could imagine that they would try stand in her way, she would try to not make any problems but her temperament sure wasn't on he side lately. Were was she heading though? She had no idea actually, she just walked around and wasn't sure where it would lead her. Was it too the pub? Or maybe was it to check out the SI:7? Had it really caught her interest? No, she shook her head for herself. When she looked up though she saw the bridge that led to the Dwarven district, she shuddered. She definitely wouldn't go there, remembering the first time she walked through it. She was so scared, the thick air with the sweat and the hammering on the anvils, the fire. No she quickly moved on and saw the entrance to the pub and a mailbox. There was people going out from the pub, some looked not as sober as other but they could still walk. Some that stumbled past Julean even said 'evening priestess' to her, she was a bit surprised and guessed that it was because of her apprentice robe. With a sigh she walked in to the pub.

It was quite many people in here, drinking, eating and just enjoying their time. She didn't hesitate and walked down on the floor to a empty table and sat down. One of the waitresses came to her and Julean glanced up. Those waitresses didn't wear much did they? Tight sitting clothes that revealed a great deal. She put her thoughts aside when the waitresses talked with her.
“What can I get for you, dear?” Julean thought for a second. She was definitely not by age to be drinking so why just not some moonberry juice? She wasn't sure what she actually would get and the waitress giggled and continued. “Right, you seem to a bit lost on what to order, so how about a bottle of moonberry juice or water?” Julean nodded and mumbled a order of moonberry juice would be fine and the waitress nodded and soon disappeared behind the counter and getting a bottle for her. While the waitress was away was Julean looking around, curiously, in the pub. Not only men was here, but women too. Probably soldiers who were off duty? That must be it. The waitress however soon came back with a bottle of moonberry juice and a glass to her.
“There you go, dear. That will be ninety copper coins for you.” Julean nodded and took up her purse and took out some of the coins she had, couple of silver and copper coins. She put a silver coin on the table ad smiles at the waitress who wasn't late to snatch it to herself and smiled back at Julean before she went to take new orders. Little Julean sipped on the tasty moonberry juice. It was sweet. It was something new, although she usually drank sweet nectar so did this taste quite good and it could possibly be something to remember. She was sitting in her own thoughts, still pondering on why she was here and why she had been taken away from her family. As far as she knew, she had done some healing, but both herself and her parents had claimed it was gift, or even just a miracle that the ancestors had something to do with. She looked at her own small hands, down at the palms.

“Gifted they say, I don't kno' wha te believe.” She thought for herself but then pushed her thoughts away. She was just glad to help out at the farm, but what she really wanted to be – a fierce warrior maiden. She wanted to fight for her land, with sword and shield. Or maybe just with swords. She shrugged her shoulders and leaned the both of her arms down on the table and rested the chin on her hands. Julean Milner, the warrior maiden of Stromgarde. She giggled for herself. It did sound nice when she thought about it. But that wasn't possible now, was it? Now wass he Julean Droverson, the girl who's trapped in a chapel with books. It wasn't any fun and what would she become? A librarian? She would rather scrub the floors all her life. Books wasn't in her interest. She wanted to train with swords. Wanted to know the secrets of the warrior.
She nodded for herself and drank up last of the moonberry juice. Yes, one day she would be a warrior. She would make her parents proud.

Julean walked along the canal. She still didn't knew what to do and she tried to avoid the Dwarven district so much as possible. However the Cathedral square was near so she could check it out. She had heard that those who once trained at the same Chapel where she was at had been moved to the Cathedral to continue their training or just to work. Must have been a boring to work all day long in the Cathedral. She crossed the bridge and Stormwind was crowded as ever. More people came and goes but she stayed out of their ways and none didn't seem to see her. Either way so did she soon get to the Cathedral square. There was some knights who were patrolling around, their armor looking both silver and yellow. Maybe those were the paladins she had heard of? She was amazed by the people who were here. Knights in their shining armor, priestes, clerics. Yes, almost every damn one who actually believed in the Light was here. She walked up to the fountain and sat down looking amazed up at the big building, the Cathedral. Children were running around and playing, some played tag while other played hide and seek. Such childish games. As for Julean she rather wanted to get her horse and ride out. But she also knew that wasn't possible. They wouldn't let her to ride Tempest. Of course would she try and escape from this place, so it was most likely that reason that they wouldn't let her take him for a ride. She pouted for herself of the thought and a middle-aged man chuckled at her and squatted down looking at her. He was similar to her father, but this man hair was black and not brown. He had not so strong body as she remembered her father having but he still wasn't far away. Maybe he was a knight who was off duty?
“Why hello there, miss. Out on a little adventure I see?” He had a strong voice, but kind. He must had seen Julean pouting since he chuckled and she blushed a little but then nodded and he continued. “Ye mind if I sit down next to ye?” Julean wasn't quite sure what to say really. In the Highlands she would have offered the spot without any hesitation. But she wasn't in the Highlands now, was she? She bit her lip but then nodded again and smiled shyly at the man who smiled back and then sat down next to her. He stretched a little and let out a sigh.
“Ah ye know, these stone benches ain't the best but it's least something. So, why don't ye tell me 'bout yer lil' adventure ye having?” Julean put her finger to her lips and thought over it for a second but then nodded again.

“Well, I am jus' lookin' 'round ye see. Don't kno' where te go an' just curious. Also 'eard lot 'bout this place, wha ye call it again? Cathedral Square?” The man nodded to her as she was correct and he didn't ask about her accent. He had heard it before, but it was long ago. What was a young girl as herself doing down here when she belonged in the Highlands?
“Ah yes, the Cathedral Square. The place where priests, paladins and everyone who believes in the light or just want a blessing is. It's not that bad, y'see, as everyone says. Just don't try make a fuss about the books in their library so will ye be all fine, girl.” He winked at Julean who giggled at what he had said. Well she wouldn't try and make a fuss about the books, but how could she not too? She grinned for herself and made up in her mind that she someday definitely would play around in the Cathedral. “But ye never did tell the reason that brings ye here, dear.” Julean blinked and then nodded. He was right. She hadn't told him but it didn't matter, it's not like it was a secret or anything.
“I was jus' bored an' didn't want te stay in tha' forest outside the big gates, y'kno? I kno' tha I shouldn't be 'ere, tha' I shoul be at the Chapel in Northshire an' study but tha's so borin'!” She sighed and the man laughed a little and ruffled her hair. He had recognized her robe of being an apprentice of the light.