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The evening fell over the plains of Mulgore as a young elf ran after a butterfly, weaving through the trees and laughing. The Darkmoon Caravan had been settled for a few days and since it was a slow day, Maerin Suncloud, a surname she had given herself since joining the caravan, watched her son running, smiling at his carefree way.
“Cristianno, come here, son.” The little boy ran toward into her open arms and she lifted him, carrying him toward a giant boulder. She sat on the boulder and held her in his arms. The little boy giggled, pretending to want to escape. “Listen, I got a letter from…” She paused and gazed up at the darkening sky. “…your father.” Cristianno stopped squirming. “It seems he wants to meet you.”
“My da?” the little boy said.
“Listen to me, Cris, he is not your father. He is a cruel man who despises you and wishes you were dead.” She covered her mouth after the final ward and stared at her son, who simply stared at her. “Wait…forget that, Cris. It’s…. not true,” but the boy wiggled his way out of her arms and ran toward a nearby pond. Maerin followed close behind, kicking the excess material of her skirt. “Cris! Wait!”
The little boy stopped at the water and looked t his reflection. Cautiously, Maerin approached him and whispered, “You look like him.” She scooped him in her arms and they both looked at the reflection.
“I’m bad?”
“No, baby! It’s just that –“ Maerin kissed his head. “He forced us out of the city. He was a nobleman and their kind usually don’t accept their children outside of marriage or status.”
“Where’s da?”
“Your da isn’t coming. He won’t ever know who you are. I promise.”
Cris looks at the water. “My da.”
“Cris, forget him. Forget him and all nobles. The will never care for you.” She cradled him in her arms and swayed him from side to side, singing a Taurahe lullaby. The little elf boy closed his eyes. He had no father.
“Young man, get back here right now!”
“Shut up! You’re not my father!”
The young elf ran throughout the port, hiding wherever he pleased. He could hear his name being called out in the language he was soon picking up. The humans surrounding him simply laughed, but the elf continued to hide and run. He could hear the heavy boots walking closer to where he was hiding. In an instant, he shot up and began to run, but the hand grabbed him by the collar and he fell, bottom first, onto the dock.
“Let me go!”
“You need to settle down, boy.”
“Let me go, you no good bastard!”
A hand swung down and struck his face. “I would stop talking if I were you, Cris.” The young elf stood defiant with tears in his eyes. Forcefully, the Marcus walked away and Cristianno had no choice but to follow since he was still in his grip. “You’re mother is ill and here you are running like some fool.”
The dark haired elf kicked and threw punches. “Let me go, human.” The man looked down at him and around him, as other sailors and merchants at the dock stared at the struggle. The man sighed and waved them off.
“He’s my son,” he calmly said to those who were new to the docks, making those who knew him shrug off the incident and continue working. Marcus pulled off to the side and knelt beside Cris. “Listen, young man, I’m doing everything possible so that you don’t grow up to be as rude as the sailors you see here. Now, maybe that’s my fault, but the last thing I want to do is keep you away from your mother.” He lifted his head and turned to his ship, which was docked nearby. “I wish I knew what I could do to make her feel better, but I’m just a notary. I can’t heal.” He turned to Cris. “I need you to stay out of trouble.”
“I wanna go back to the caravan.”
“Well that’s not an option, now is it?” The boy crossed his arms and pouted. Kneeling beside him, the human patted his knee and spoke gently, “Cris, you’re right, I am not your father, but--“
“My father is an ass.”
“ – But, I promised your mother that I would raise you as if you were my own son, and I will keep that promise.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “The docks are not a place for you to be, Cris.” He lifted the boy’s head and smiled, “I’m sending you to Stormwind where you can get a decent education. We’ll make a gentleman out of you and you’ll make your mother proud.”
“I will not be a snotty noble.”
“Of course not. My last name is known amongst sailors, merchants and pirates, not nobles.” Marcus chuckled heartily. “We’re poor, humble, but hard workers, Cris. Don’t ever forget that.” The young elf looked down, nodding. “Come here.” Marcus pulled the young elf into his arms, giving him a firm embrace. “As long as I’m alive, I will protect you and love you. I don’t care what ass helped create you, I am your father.”
“Promise you will never die.”
“Cris, we all die sometime.”
“But not you.”
“Cris, I’m only human. Unfortunately, one day, you will lose me, but the lessons I have taught you will continue as you grow. And boy, you will grow to be hundreds and maybe even thousands of years old, but as long as you remember these moments, I will be with you.”
The young elf hid his tears on his father’s shoulder.
“Who the hell is supposed to be fishing? You sea dogs will have nothing to eat if those fish don’t get caught!” The men on the ship looked at each other before looking out on the ship’s deck.
“Seawolf, captain,” one of the men called out. The Captain growled and began his search, knowing the elf’s hiding places well. A goblin darted ahead of him, looking around nervously. At the far end of the ship, sitting on the rail guard and playing his flute, Cristianno was undisturbed until the goblin arrived.
“You’re dead, Wolf.”
The flute stopped and a rich laughter emerged from the elf. “What did I do now, Ziggly?”
“Well for one, you’re not doing your job.”
“I was bored. I don’t want to fish.”
“And now the Captain is looking for you.”
Cris shrugged and placed the flute back against his lips. Ziggly heard footsteps behind him. “Your funeral, Wolf.” He zipped away, behind barrels as the Captain made his presence known by stomping his foot on the deck.
“What the hell are you doing, Cristianno?”
Cris turned back and grinned, “Enjoying the sea, captain.” The Captain marched up to him, grabbed him by the shirt and tilted him over the edge of the rail. Cris held on to his flute tightly, but gazed at the water below, his eyes widened and filled with fright.
“Listen, you lousy scoundrel, you have a job and you need to get it done.”
“B-but Cappy, I don’t want to fish!”
“Oh you don’t want to fish? I don’t want no-good pirates on my ship. I should just let you go and save myself the effort of docking somewhere and leaving your ass to rot at some unknown port.” He leaned Cris further outward. “Is that what you want, boy?”
“No!”
“No what?”
“No, Captain!” The captain pulled him back toward the ship, throwing him onto the deck. Cris quickly put his flute away and looked up at the Captain approached him.
“I told you many times that I will not have disobedience from you. If you were any other pirate, I would have had you tortured and thrown overboard, but damn you and your father.”
Cristianno narrowed his eyes, “My father was a good man.”
“Oh, no doubt. Better than you, that’s for damn sure.” The Captain walked back to the railing and looked at the sea. “He was patient and smart, but vicious when necessary.” He gave a feral laugh, “And he took you in, called you his son. I would have never done that.”
“Well, you’re an ass like that.”
The Captain turned and laughed as he walked toward the elf on the deck. He drew his sword and placed it right below his nose. “Say that again to my face, coward.”
“No…I didn’t say anything!” The Captain removed his sword and Cris quickly covered his nose.
“I can’t imagine you serving anyone, boy. I put up with your shit because of your father. I should have just left you at Booty Bay and let you fend for yourself.”
Cris looked away, sitting like a boy as the winds blew his auburn hair into his face. “You should have.”
“You know, you need to learn to stop talking. It’s going to get your pansy ass killed.” He turned to look at Cris, waiting for his comeback and when he noticed Cris stay silent, he smiled. “You’re not entirely hopeless. Now get back out to the main deck and start flinging those damn nets. My men are hungry.”
“Why the fuck do you still have me here, Captain.” Cris arose to his feet and scowled.
“Because you’re a pussy that can’t live on his own,” the Captain replied as he headed toward the main deck. “And…because for some stupid reason, I have a soft spot for ya, boy. You’re a good man. You’re an elf, but we can’t help that. If you weren’t caught up with us scallywags, you would be well off in a city.”
“I like the damn sea.”
“You’re little bitch.” The Captain turned to look at the Cris and gave him a toothy grin, “Now get to work before I throw you overboard.” Cris flipped him off and smiled. Even when the Captain threatened him, he felt the bond they were forming.
Ziggly emerged from behind barrels and shook his green head. “Anyone else would be dead by now and I would be scrubbing the bloody mess of the deck.” He walked away, “You better get started. I’ll get the nets for you. Hurry up.”
Cris grumbled, but he agreed with the Captain. Since Marcus’ death, it was the Captain who had taken care of him and Cris felt a close connection to him. Authoritative figures were not his favorite, but only a few men were able to guide Cris in the right direction. As he headed to the deck, he grinned. He hoped he would never run into someone in power. He knew he would rebel as soon as he had the chance.
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