Garona and Llane's Past

Stormwind City, the Deep Song Wine Cellar.

This was not a place that actually sold wine, but an extremely secret property of the Akston family. Thick stone walls shut out every sound from outside. The air carried not the fragrance of wine, but aged dust, expensive cigars, and an even colder, damper scent. The only illumination came from several flickering crystal-shaded oil lamps on the long table. Their dim yellow light stretched and twisted the shadows of the few people seated around it across the walls like lurking phantoms.

Several of Stormwind City's most powerful great nobles had gathered here: Duke Baros Akston, Count Marrus Ariven, Countess Cassandra Zeldig, and three or four other representatives of families that controlled the kingdom's economic lifelines or possessed ancient military honors. Their faces all appeared exceptionally grim beneath the lamplight.

"Look! Just look!" Count Ariven was the first to shatter the suffocating silence. He slammed a stack of crudely copied letters onto the table, his voice hoarse with rage. "My second son! That useless fool who does nothing all day but fiddle with a harp and write damned love poems! He actually dared to write to the king and pledge his 'loyalty'? His loyalty should belong to his family! To his surname!"

"At least yours isn't that bad!" Another bald count sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. "My precious daughter actually ran to the gates of the Royal Palace, declaring that she wanted to 'thank Your Majesty for seeking justice for all children,' and she even brought a group of little friends with her! She's disgraced the Hossman family beyond measure! She's still locked in the tower in chains!"

"Chains? Hah, Count Matthew, aren't your methods a little too gentle?" Countess Cassandra said coldly, her fingertips lightly tapping the table in a steady