(28) Home

It was late evening, when she decided to visit the Cathedral District, the laughing of children and scampering of tiny feet heard across the cobblestone, even from where she and Mirilla stood. Annaliese turned and smiled to the young paladin--how much she seemed to grow into a Lady in the few months they knew each other. Admittedly, Mirilla took a place in her heart, a bittersweet reminder of what her own daughter may have became had fate been kind to the warlock. The maternal care was urged on further by Mirilla's own need for a mother, and the girl's insistence that Anna fit the role. Still, the girl seemed humbled by recent days--the playful spirit the paladin had dulled. The leader of her order, The Crimson Horizon, had stepped away and left, leaving Mirilla lost, unfulfilled in her teachings. It was something that Annaliese related with, the hole left in an Order by its leader often left feelings of resentment or abandonment, by its followers.

The warlock decided to keep her feelings of relief at Mikaylus' departure secreted away from the young paladin.

"I have a few gifts for them," Annaliese smiled, making her way up the ramp of the Orphanage. "I hope its not too late for a visit."

Mirilla simply nodded and followed suit, watching the woman jangle something within her satchel, the sound like tiny, muffled silver bells. Immediately, the two women were met with bright smiles and large eyes, the crowd of children surrounding them. The matron, Shellene, smiled warmly at Annaliese and her guest, beckoning them in, trying not to trip over the little ones that excitedly barred her way.

"Anna, dear, I think your spoiling them!" Shellene replied with a tender laugh. Anna could only grin in reply. The warlock's visits were often, weekly at least. Shellene was never one to ask questions of the visitors that came to the Orphanage, and by all appearances, the lady that passed out tiny rings to the children was kind, gentle, and, more importantly, perhaps a prospect in adoption. The matron's curiosity lingered about Anna, however, with each visit she made, as she could sense the aura of power about her. A priestess perhaps? No, if she was, her ties to the Cathedral would be more prominent, and High Priestess Laurena would have mentioned that the woman was a part of the Clergy. There was definitely something different about the lady that brought her gifts each week, a sense of power deprived of the arrogance that most mages carried.

Undoubtedly, if the Matron were to find out Annaliese's true path, she might have barred the warlock from ever stepping inside the Orphanage again, plucking the rings from the tiny fingers they were given to, fearing them to be cursed.

…yes, the woman kept her identity quite well. It was much easier to bypass the lingering, instinctual fear of warlocks that Stormwind (and perhaps every other Alliance City) harbored.

While the little girls preened and prattled excitedly about the little silver rings they were given, one of the boys groaned with a charming pout, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he approached Anna.

"Rings are for girls!" he piped up, scowling at the black-haired child that took her normal place in Annaliese's lap each visit. She laughed softly, watching Mirilla stifle a chuckle.

"And, that, is why I brought these!" Anna exclaimed, pulling out silver pins shaped into the form of a majestic griffon head. Nearly all the boy's heads turned at the sight, and raced each other to grasp the pins from the satchel. She watched the young paladin slowly brighten, seeing the joyful sprit within the Orphanage, and Anna grinned--all parts of her mission accomplished. Before, there was a…uncertainty, that Anna carried, when it came to children, the prospect of families. She knew she could not have them, and was content with the idea. Annaliese was scarred by the loss of her family.

And then her love gifted her, mended her numb womb. There was life there, feeling there, in that part of her, where there had been none for years. This sense completed her, made her…fully alive. And for the first time in a long time, since Niklos came into her life, Annaliese was happy. And now all the more happier.

For the first time in a long time, she considered children. Anna chuckled to herself at the thought. Her attentions turned to the young girl in her lap, that looked up at her with two large brown eyes, almost expectantly. She came to know this little one as Maria, and almost always ended up pulling her thick, black hair into braids, as was requested of her. Anna was already stiffening at the question that the little girl asked softly, the same question she asked each time Anna visited.

"Miss Anna, are you going to take me home…?"

Annaliese paused, and smoothed Maria's hair down with a tender hand, and Mirilla watched on quietly, quite interested.

The Orphanage grew very quiet, but no answer was given.