Esria Moonfall pt 2 A Goal and a Dream

Part 2 - A Goal and Dream

Esria's eyes slowly opened, groaning as she conciousness returned with it pain in her upper arm. She opened her eyes to see the smooth white stone roof, the symbol of the moon etched into the ceiling as she rolled to sit up on her unwounded arm. She took a quick look around, quickly coming to the obvious conclusion she was in the nearest Temple to Elune, evident by the moon features around, the pale white stone walls and benches and the soft floor. She turned her attention to herself, clad in a dress a few sizes too large for her, and through the thin fabric she could see how her arm had been well bandaged.

As she was slowly adjusting to the pain in her arm, the Acolyte tending to her came over, pressing on her shoulder to have her lay back down on the large medical bench the Sisterhood used in this room of the temple. "Lay back down, your'e no where near recovered yet." Esria didn't have much choice, still drained from the wolf attack as she lay back down onto the table, closing her eyes with a small whimper. "Honestly, what were you doing so far out of the City? You could ave been killed. You -would- have been killed if the Captain had not found you." Esria's ears twitches a little, a word escaping her lips, "Captain?"

A sound of metal on stone reached her ears as a figure she had not first notice strode towards where she lay. She opened one eye to look to the side, spotting the tall male who had saved here from the wolf earlier, still clad in his armour and with the eyes that frowned with disappointment at her. "Correct," He spoke in a calm but clearly commanding voice, " a captain for the Moonguard. And you, Miss, are luck to be alive." He looked over her for a moment as he stepped closer both of Esria's eyes open as she frowned up at him, "What is your name then Little Miss?"

She almost did not want to tell him, but that would just be childish spite, "Moonfall..." The Captain looked at the priestess with a inquisitive expression as she nodded, "A merchant in the City." "Very good," He spoke to the priestess now, not Esria, "Go fetch one of her parents then. I will make sure she stays put til they arrive." With a nod of her head and a few courteous words of farewell the Acolyte left leaving Esria alone with the Captain. "Well then..." He began as he sat on the table beside Esria, looking at one of the paintings hanging upon the wall, rather than at her as he spoke, "what were you doing so far out of the city?"

Her cheeks burned with the embarrassment of the tale, but she told him. She told him how she wanted to be strong to stop the bullies in her schooling, and protect the other girls and boys her age. As she got to the tale about the wolf she eventually faltered, stammering off. "I see. Why not just join the Temple?" Esria scowled at this, and as he noticed the angry glare chuckled, "Let me guess, that's what your mother said too?" He grinned, Cocky bastard Esria thought for a moment, but couldn't help but smile too. From the reaction he easily judged her answer, "You know we don't have many women in the Moonguard. Perhaps when you come of age, you could apply. If you think you can handle it."

Esria was stunned for a moment. She had debated such things in the past of course, especially when off in the woods practising on killing evil tree spirits with her blade of truth, also known as the stump of an oak and branch of an elm, but to be offered by one himself, and a captain no less! She smiled, her cheeks darkening slowly of their own accord as she nodded, "I'd... I'd like that." He nodded as he got back up. "Very good then. See you in a few years."


Esria hit the ground onto her back, grunting as her face controlled in pain, the fresh tattoos of a Kaldorei woman marked with the pain of her hitting the stone floor of the training hall. She got up again slowly, now a woman in every right, a fuller body and sharper features as well as her traditional markings down her face. She had gone against her mother's wishes to get owl markings and instead elected for Three claw marks. Now she had her grown body covered in tight leather armour and wielded a wooden training sword before her opponent. She had been training hard and it had shown in her agility and sword work, although she was no match for a regularly trained member of the Moonguard.

Nor even more prepared for the Captain who smirked over at her, clad in the same leather armour and wielding the same wooden sword she did. She had learnt the hard way that despite their past meetings and his saving of her life, he was not going easy on her. Again she lunges with her sword only to have it parried to one side and the back of his hand connect across her face, sending her stumbling as blood leaks from the corner of her lip. "Three times. Three times you have tried to join the Moonguard Esria," He began as he walked calmly around her, barely broken a sweat when she was panting for air somewhat, "And so far you have failed twice. Will you be going for all three today?"

Esria went in again, sweeping her training blade down only to have it side stepped and her opponent's sword catch her in the stomach, winding her and knocking her back before it rams into her shoulder, sending her flying onto the floor. He walked over to her as she lay on her back, breathing heavily in and out. "Esria... How can you hope to protect others if you cannot even protect yourself? The exercise is simple. Strike me and you will be allowed to join. Or are you giving up already hmm?"

She got up, slowly still breathing heavily. as she held her sword out with both hands before her. "I will not give up so easily. Even if I must fall and bleed a hundred times over, I will succeed and I will not be beaten." Her eyes narrowed as she moves in a rush quickly closing the gap, inch by inch as she swung her sword in an arc. She could do this, she would do this and she would not fail again. Wood collided with metal, a thud as it connected with the skin beneath the leather and knocked the Kaldorie back. Esria shudders as Tears welled up in her eyes, opening them to see the Captains Boot standing on the floor beside her face, "Come back in a few months Moonfall. We are done for today." He waked out, leaving Esria battered and beaten on the training ground floor, with naught to show but bruises and tears.