'Return to the Sands' (Lucane)

‘Return to the sands’

Ironforge was a strange place, as was the tram taken to get there. Everything seemed new, a fresh pair of eyes glancing around at larger civilisations than they’d ever seen. What came with the new was a strange longing for the old, a land left in the dust of a dirt path that stretched across the face of the world.

With a quiet yawn and a slow blinking of his eyes, Lucane ushered in a new day. It was a day like any other of recent times, he found himself waking up beside Aylarian, and with that, found himself rather pleased that the pair of them had stopped sleeping in a barn. He sat up carefully and glanced around the dimly lit room they had chosen in Ironforge. It was dusty and dull, as if nobody had lived in it for years, which worked out fine for the pair of them as they had broken into it two nights before.

He turned his head to look down at the sleeping woman beside him, she hadn’t stirred at all during the night. He spent quite some time every night, shortly after they’d met, soothing her when she stirred. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and as far as he could tell that didn’t mean her mind had an easy time resting. He smiled slightly, he was glad that she could rest easy now, and he knew that it was because of him, she had told him that much.

Even if he couldn’t understand how he’d managed it.

He slowly pulled the blankets from over his legs and slid out of the bed, the soles of his bare feet feeling an instant chill from the stone floor. He stood up straight and stretched his arms in the air, letting out another quiet yawn. He took once last glance at Aylarian before getting himself dressed. Something to wake up to would be good for her, some food and water would probably be best, he thought.

He quietly made his way up the stairs and out of the house, closing the door behind him as carefully as he could. As he stepped out onto the balcony to look over what he could see of Ironforge, he was instantly hit with a missing of the morning sun, something he had been fond of since he was a child. He chuckled quietly to himself and shook his head, no sunlight shone here, and even if it did, it would probably be clouded by the smoke.

He made his way from the home and walked out of the district, he wasn’t quite sure where he was going, his attractive tour guide wasn’t all that useful where the guiding was concerned. He stopped and peered up at a sign hanging above a shop window, perhaps an engraving of a loaf of bread was a decent sign. He walked up the stairs slowly before walking into the shop. He took in a deep breath through his nose, the smell of baking bread and other food brought a grin to his face. He may not have been a man of civilisation, but he was a fan of baking bread, he knew that much.

‘Alrigh’ there laddie! Wha’ can I do ye fer?’ said an old looking Dwarven man. Lucane stepped across the shop to stand at the counter; he peered down at the counter, then the dwarf and back again. Maybe fitting in was the answer?

Lucane carefully knelt down and rested his arms on the counter and blinked quickly at the dwarf’s expression. ‘The ‘eck ye doin’?’ he said. ‘Well… I thought since the counter was so low, I’d kneel down’. The dwarf chuckled at his words and gestured for him to stand up again. ‘Yer not from around here, are ye?’ chuckled the dwarf. Lucane simply shook his head and lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck. ‘No, I’m from Tanaris’ he replied. The dwarf raised his eyebrows before slapping his hand down on the counter. ‘Well then! Best get ye somethin’ good eh? Can’t have much decent food way out there!’. The dwarf turned and walked into the backroom, leaving Lucane stood there looking as confused as he had been on his first day in Stormwind.

Never again would he allow himself to look like an idiot, trying to figure out what a mailbox was, and hawks were still better.

The dwarf walked out of the backroom with two large loaves of bread, along with a large bottle of milk. He set them down on the counter gently and looked up at Lucane with a grin. ‘Ye always look so confused?’. Lucane shook his head quickly and looked down at the dwarf again. ‘Oh, no… sorry, I was in my own world’ he said with a slight grin.

‘Well, yer in Ironforge now lad! Listen, this lot is on me, eh? Stick aroun’, you’ll learn t’love this ‘ere place’ said the dwarf as he pushed the break and milk across the counter toward Lucane. ‘Thank you!’ he said as he picked up the goods and nodded at the dwarf. ‘I’ll be sure to come back, consider that a clansman’s promise’. The dwarf simply nodded and laughed as Lucane made his way out of the store again, sniffing the bread like an interested dog.

‘Anybody know a Dunewall? I’m lookin’ for a Dunewall!!’ came the shouting of a squeaky variety. Luc’ lifted his head from the bread and saw a gnome darting around the district ahead of him. ‘Dunewall anybody?’ he shouted again. ‘Hey! Over here!’ shouted Luc’ as he waved the hand holding the milk bottle.

The gnome darted towards him at high speeds and skidded to a halt at his feet. ‘Hi! I’m Stanky, and I’m lookin’ for an L. Dunewall!’ said the gnome as she put her hands on her hips. Lucane widened his eyes as he stared down at the gnome; unfortunately it had nothing to do with the fact she was looking for him.

Her hair was green.

What?

… Green?

‘Oi!’ shouted Stanky.

Luc’ shook his head quickly and sat down on the step behind him, setting the bread and milk down beside him. ‘I’m Lucane Dunewall, so I think you’re looking for me’ he said quietly, just about managing to take his eyes away from her hair.

‘Well! The note that came with this letter said I had to test ya! Ya ready?’ said Stanky as she pulled a note from her back pocket. Luc’ simply nodded and waited.
‘Okay! First question, who’s the guy that raised ya?’ ‘Dareth Dunewall’ replied Luc’. He leant back slightly as Stanky seemed to nod frantically.
‘Okay, okay okay! What tribe are ya from?’ said Stanky excitedly. ‘Bashalad’ replied Lucane as he leant forward again and rested his hands on his knees. ‘Okay, okay, okay okay! Last one then! What’s your tribe’s sign?’ said Stanky as she looked up at Luc’.

‘It’s a Tanarisi tribal signature, it means “They who fly with hawks”. Can I have my letter now?’ said Luc’. He was trying to his best to remain patient with Stanky, but despite her insane green hair, he was finding it difficult. He hadn’t heard anything from Tanaris since he’d left, and she was delaying him.

‘Well, here ya go now! Nice to meetcha!’ said Stanky as she handed Luc’ the note and darted away at high speeds, knocking over two merchants and a guard on her way. Luc’ shook his head and carefully opened the letter and began to read it.

‘Lucane Dunewall,

Get your arse back to Gadgetzan, I can’t keep the other Goblin’s off your tribe’s shit for much longer! I ain’t been nothing of any of you lot, so this better get to you! If you ain’t here in two days, I’m lettin’ them have all of it! And then I’m comin’ to kick your arse!

With “love”

Gratchet’

Lucane looked up from the letter and frowned. It wasn’t what he expected, but at least it was something. If returning to Tanaris would give him any clues at all to the whereabouts of his tribe, there wasn’t much choice in the matter. He folded the letter and slid it into his pocket. She’d come with him, and he wouldn’t stop her.

I really enjoyed the read, and the way you portray Luc's uncertainty about a crazy place like Ironforge. It's fun, and realistic for someone from the wide desert sands!

That 'n more stuff about Tanarisi people always makes me happy. Looking forward to hearing more about Luc.