Auberdine

The trek to Auberdine had never felt so long.

By morning, the stiff soreness in my lower half had settled into a dull, unrelenting throb. Mounting my horse was out of the question. Just the thought of sitting in a leather saddle made my eyes water! So, I claimed my boots were “badly worn” and insisted on walking the entire way alongside Baelog.

{if game:goblin_encounter = true} The dwarf was completely oblivious to my ordeal, having slept soundly throughout the night despite leaving me behind with those pesky goblins! He just marched ahead in silence, occasionally casting a confused side-eye at my awkward, bow-legged stride, clearly wondering why a little extra walking had turned his royal companion into such a limping mess.

{else}

The dwarf didn’t argue or speak much, to be honest, but occasionally gave me a side-eye that said everything his tight lips refused to utter, a shared, traumatic understanding lingering between us.

{endif}

As the dense, shadowy canopy of Ashenvale slowly gave way to the mist-shrouded, ancient redwoods of Darkshore, the cool salt breeze from the ocean washed over us. It was a welcome relief, cutting through the lingering heat of our misadventures. Ahead, through the fog, the wooden docks and dimly lit lanterns of Auberdine finally emerged like a haven.

We made our way down to the docks, the salt-crusted wooden planks creaking beneath our boots. Looking out over the gray waters of the Long Wash, the massive silhouette of a night elven transport ship loomed near the pier, its glowing purple lanterns flickering in the mist.

{if game:goblin_encounter = true} “Well,” Baelog grunted, adjusting his heavy belt and looking up at the vessel. “We made it. Though ye look like ye wouldn’t survive another mile of foot travel, lad.”

I let out a long, weary sigh, leaning against a wooden piling to take the weight off my aching backside, completely unable to explain the true source of my exhaustion. “I’ll manage,” I muttered, staring at the ship that would finally take us away from these damned woods. “Let’s just get on that boat before anything else goes wrong.”{else}“Well,” Baelog grunted quietly, adjusting his heavy belt and keeping his voice low enough so the rest of the group wouldn’t hear. “We made it. Intact... more or less.”

I let out a long, weary sigh, leaning against a wooden piling to take the weight off my aching backside. “More or less,” I muttered back, staring at the ship that would finally take us away from these damned woods. “Let’s just get on that boat before the local wildlife decides to show us any more ‘hospitality.’”

{endif}