Bitterness

[Waldonnis]

"Walter! Stop it!", Verissina giggled and shrieked, chasing Walter around the room.

"Oh Ardral, he's so dreamy!", Walter said mockingly to his cousin as he evaded her attempts to catch him. He held her diary over his head, laughing as he ran.

"You are so NOSY! One day, Walter Donnis, one day!", she playfully yelled. Finally catching her cousin, Verissina tackled Walter and both fell to the ground laughing. Wrenching the diary from his grasp, Verissina smirked and said "Wait until you fancy a young lady. Then it will be my turn to tease you."

Walter straightened his clothing and sat up, still laughing. "Ah, dear cousin, that will be a lucky day indeed….for the young lady in question, of course", he said as he grinned.

"You, my dear cousin, are incorrigible", she said still giggling. The two hugged and stood back up, further straightening their outfits.

Walter Donnis, a boy of twelve years, loved his cousin Verissina dearly. Her family had taken him in at the age of five when his parents had been lost during an expedition for the King. Since those times, he had grown quite close to Verissina and saw her as a sister. She was four years older than he, but her heart was as light as a feather, always dancing about and no less playful than he was himself. He admired her and strove to model himself after her. He was especially enthralled with her magical abilities and wished he had such a talent.

"What am I to do around here without you, cousin?" Walter inquired more seriously, but quipping "Without your diary, I will just have my study books to read."

"If they gave an exam on my diary, you would get impeccable marks," she jokingly replied. "You should put more effort into your real studies, though. Mother was quite disappointed with the last report from your instructors. If you work hard, perhaps they will allow you to study with me in Dalaran in the next year or two."

Waldonnis snapped back from a half-dreamlike state and sat by the fire thinking of the times following the recalled scene with his cousin…

Walter Donnis, in his youth, was not a bad student. On the contrary, he had a talent for organization and recollection. He devoured information rapidly, often reading entire books in mere hours. He could recall even the most minute details months later as well. The headmaster at his academy recommended that Walter seek further training in the Stormwind library, where his pursuit of knowledge could further be encouraged and developed. Walter's interests were in magic, however, and despite his fascination with the subject, he always had trouble grasping it. He grew bored with schooling quickly and ignored his natural gifts, instead trying harder to chase his dream of being a powerful mage….at least until a messenger arrived to deliver news of Verissina's death.

In the years following the news, he had turned inward, focusing solely on his books. Bitter disputes with his adoptive mother over Verissina's passing led to his leaving their estate and seeking solitude in a cottage near the fallen city of Stratholme. Years of solitude and the vision of his cousin lying dead twisted his mind and view of the world, his own adoptive family, and especially of the Alliance. Tales of Arthas' betrayal left him further scornful and he swore to bring pain and suffering to those whom he saw as having killed the one person he loved….his cousin Verissina. The messenger had said it was a training accident, but Walter never believed it, even less so after hearing of the happenings at Stratholme.

His awe of magic was also corrupted, turning it from a youthful passion into a grim obsession. Unable to master the manipulation of the elements, the frustrated Walter delved into tomes that spoke of shadow and demons. With the newfound power of shadow magic and demons on his side, he cast aside his given name, Walter Donnis, and adopted the moniker 'Waldonnis'. He was no longer the playful boy, Walter, any longer; from that point on, he saw himself as Waldonnis, bringer of vengeance. He went forth to battle, week upon week, slaughtering as many Alliance footsoldiers as he could find, but found no solace in it.

While remembering his old cottage, Waldonnis gazed deeply into the flickering fire, almost searching for some comfort in the shapes painted by the flames. Memories of his youth, and his corruption, haunted him still.

"Walter, are you alright?" Verissi asked, obviously concerned. Waldonnis looked at her from across the camp fire, half-smiling, half-brooding in the past. "Yes, cousin," he replied, "I was just recalling times that are long behind us…when we were still…alive."

"Walter, we are back together again and have been for quite some time. I know that look. You still have not accepted it all, have you?" Verissi sighed heavily, knowing her cousin still had not let his vendetta slip into the past.

"We are not the same, Verissina. I am Waldonnis and you are Verissi. Both are a far cry from 'Walter' and 'Verissina'. We are but husks now, all due to the madness of the Alliance." He frowned angrily at the thought, nearly spitting out the word 'Alliance'. "I am no boy and you are certainly not the light-hearted girl you once were. They have changed us…this plague has changed us…forever."

"Well, my hair may be different, but I still think Ardral was dreamy", she said with a youthful grin. With these words, they both laughed. She was the only one who could make Waldonnis smile so easily and she knew it.

He looked over at his cousin and saw her as she once was for a brief moment. The plague had diminished her somewhat over the years, and her tone was more somber and flat in her 'unlife', but the lively human girl he grew up with shined through from time to time. He grasped her hand and said, "I am sorry, Verissina. It may take some time to truly accept the state of things, but I am trying. Enough about the past, I should rest for the night, as should you."

"Indeed, dear Walter. Rest well." She touched his shoulder and they both headed to their tents to rest.

[Maube]

::claps:: About time Waldy =) About damned time!