"Move aside servant, we need to speak to Calmfury." the scary Blood Elf woman says to me as she enters the Sunstrider Pavilion.
We have been at the Argent Tournament grounds for a little over a day now, and I have been taking care of my Master. He fell ill during an expedition into some big city on a mountain. I stayed with the caravan outside, so I don't know what happened to make him sick.
I look into the cold, piercing stare of the Blood Elf everyone calls Squish.
"My Master is still sick, he mumbles about strange things." I say, trying to hide my fear of her.
"Has he opened his eyes?" she asks coldly.
"Uh, yes but..."
"Move aside!!" she commands as a nearby orc warrior picks me up off the litter that my Master is resting on. I struggle in vain.
"Calmfury" Squish says in a commanding tone "It is time for you to awaken!"
My Master stirs some, and mumbles something I don't understand.
Squish raises her hand and slaps him hard across his face.
"Stop it!!" I yell "He is sick!! Your gonna hurt him!!"
The Blood elf ignores my plea and slaps my master again.
"Calmfury, wake up!! We have business to attend to."
With that, my Master opens his eyes widely and gasps for air. I hear a growl in his throat as he sits up from his bed. He looks mad.
"Master!!!" I scream
His eyes roll wildly around the room as if he is trying to figure out where he is. Then, they settle on me. I see a smile come across his face and he breathes in a deep breath.
"Calmfury, the expedition will wait no longer. We have to divide the treasure. We can do it with or without you. But I cannot guarantee you'll get a fair share." Squish says coldly.
He sits there for a moment as if he is confused. Then he looks up at Squish.
"Very well, lets do this. May I have a moment?" My Master says in a low tone.
Squish smiles and nods at him, before turning and walking out of the pavilion.
"Meekha, please get our bags and bring me some food. I have to go outside to relieve myself."
The Orc sets me down and I smile at my Master. I am excited to see him up and about again.
Some time passes while my Master and I quietly eat some food. Meanwhile, everyone that is left from the expedition gathers in the pavilion around a large pile of gold, silver, gems, strange orbs, and racks of weapons and armor. They seem excited and have strange looks in their eyes, almost like they haven't eaten for a long time. Squish comes in holding a scroll.
"Members of Bloodlust, you are the sole survivors of our expedition into the titan city of Ulduar. All of you have fought hard and proven yourselves as worthy members of the Horde."
The dozen or so people gathered in the room break out in a loud cheer.
"Before you are the spoils of our expedition. This gold and these items will be used to strengthen us so that we may be prepared for future expeditions against Arthas and the cursed Alliance!!"
Someone yells out "For the Horde!!" and the room erupts into a louder chorus of laughter, cheers and sworn oaths.
Once it quiets down, Squish continues by reading from the scroll.
"Okay, according to my calculations everyone will get one share of the gold. That amounts to 280 pieces of gold per member that is left. Also..."
Squish goes on talking about some rules for dividing the treasure that don't make any sense to me. Meanwhile, my master sits in silence chewing on some meat.
"Master, why is gold and treasure so important to folks?"
He looks at me as if he is still in a daze. Then, he smiles and I see that familiar twinkle in his eye.
"Meekha, treasure is for fooling people to believe they have value, that is all."
His answer confuses me.
"Well then Master, what is it that gives people value if it isn't treasure?" I ask
He ponders the question for a moment as if he is the one that is confused.
"I don't know Meekha. Maybe it's honor, or maybe it is mercy and wisdom as Thrall says." he replies in a whisper. "I just know it is not treasure."
We continue to enjoy our meal as we watch the group of people argue and yell over the treasure. After some time passes, the people in the room begin to leave one by one carrying their bulging sacks of gold and beloved items they had acquired. At last, Squish makes her way over to us.
"Calmfury, you nearly missed out on the best items." she says with a strange grin on her face. "Here is some gold, I am giving you two shares for your hard work. Also, I saved these things for you."
She presents a strange looking spear, and a beautiful dagger to him.
"You can use a polearm I assume?" she says with a smile.
My master looks at the items for a moment, as if he is still out of his mind.
"Yes, thank you Squish." He takes the items from her hands and places the spear on a nearby rack.
"So, Calmfury... it is time we talk about extending our agreement. I have big plans to assault Icecrown in the coming months." Squish says with a tone of authority.
"No Squish" my master interrupts her "I will not be extending my agreement with you. I have other matters to attend!"
The Blood Elf stares at him with an angry look on her face. Her fists ball up, and for a moment, I think she is going to strike him. Then suddenly, she seems to relax.
"If you intend to work for another mercenary group I will see that you are rejected. I have many connections. Bloodlust has been good to you and you spit in our face. This is an insult, Calmfury, Guardian of Cenarius!"
With that said, she turns and walks away from us.
We sit in the pavilion for the rest of the day. As he sometimes does, my Master just sits quietly, as if he is praying or thinking hard about something. Finally, he looks at me and breaks the silence.
"Meekha, I want you to have this." he hands me the ornate, glowing dagger. "You are getting big and it is time I teach you to fight."
I take the strange blade in my hand. They may call it a dagger, but to me it is more of a sword. It seems to hum a song to me as I stare at it.
"Meekha, you will be a great warrior of the Horde someday. You will be a hero to your people. I can see it."
As I stare at the greatest gift I have ever come to own, tears well up in my eyes. Though I am only an orphan, I am so blessed to have a master like Calmfury.
"Master, I have never told you this, but I don't want to be a warrior." I pause for a moment as the reality of my words hit me. "I want to be a druid like you Master. I want to find my Balance."
The mighty Tauren looks at me and smiles as tears well up in his eyes.
"Tomorrow my dear, you will start your training."
