Rose of Reminiscence

I watched the elf walk slowly up to the door of our little house. He walked so tall and proud, but there was a slight drag in his step. I recognized him immediately as a childhood friend of Mithrim's, my brother. The two used to spend hours out in the woods practicing with their swords against each other while I sat watching them from a nearby tree.

The elf looked at me a brief moment, and I could see in his eyes then that his reason for being here was not a happy one. I watched as he briefly talked to mother and father, then watched mother slowly fall to the ground on her knees, and her hands to her face. Father put a comforting hand on her shoulder as his gaze slowly turned to the ground. The elf said a few more words to them both, bowed deeply and started walking away.

As he passed me again, his glance was apologetic and sorrowful. He walked over to me and handed me a small red rose. His only words, "Mithrim said this reminded him of you because of how much he knew you would blossom into a beautiful woman and talented druid."

I held the rose in my hand, looked at him and gave him the best smile possible at that moment. I would no longer see Mithrim, and while my heart and eyes wept for the loss of my brother, I knew it was time to take over in his duties. It was time to head to Moonglade and speak with the druids there.


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As I sat beside the moonwell on the far side of the lake one day, I reflected back to that day and looked at the rose that had been given to me that I had so carefully preserved. My training had been going well, and the druids said they were proud of my ability to learn so quickly. They spoke to me that morning, and said that it was time for me to go show the world what I was, and to finally be able to take over my brother's work.

I traveled to the human lands the next day. Here I met my companions who would be by my side for a very long time. We were a strong group. A fearless and dedicated warrior, our priest, one of my closest friends and confidant, and our mage, crazy but at the same time one of the wisest people I have met to this day. We traveled all over together. Together we battled many foes.

One day, as I was enjoying my short break from our travels in Stormwind, I was approached by an elf. He had said that he heard about my friends and myself. He had seen a few of us around occasionally, and knew about our works. We talked by the moonwell in the park for a few hours, and eventually he shared with me the reason behind why he was speaking with me. He told me that he knew I was talented, but he knew of someone who could possibly teach me more, and had the same desires and goals as I did in many ways. His brother, Alurion, was a talented druid he said, and he was looking for more people to help in their cause to help restore balance to the world, amongst other things.

I carefully considered what this elf told me, and wondered if it would be what my brother would do. Fighting for a good cause. Fighting to restore the good in this world, and be rid of the evils. That is what Mithrim was trying to do. It was what he died doing. Maybe this was finally my chance. I told the elf that I would gladly help and would very much like to speak to his brother if he could and would be willing to teach me what he knew. This was the day I became apart of the Emerald Consulate.

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((Flashback of sorts))

"The leaves are changing their colors Myvanor."

Myvanor stopped picking at the grass and rolled onto her side to look at her brother with a small smirk.  "Always stating the obvious, Mithram.  It is that time of the year.  The season is changing, and so are the colors of the leaves."

She roll back onto her stomach and continued to pick at the grass.

"Myvanor, the changes in the seasons are not the only changes."

She let out a small sigh and turned again to look at her brother.  This time she could see the worried look on his face, and her own changed to one of concern.  "What is it? What is wrong?"

"Nothing is really wrong that you do not already know about.  You know that I will be leaving the week after next.  But there are many things that will be changing that I'm sure you do not know about yet."  He looked down at her a moment and gave her that smile of his that always seemed to brighten even the darkest of days.  "You have a gift inside of you Myvanor, a very special gift.  You have the power to not only heal as you have been taught, but to also change yourself.  Do you understand?"

She nodded at him slowly, "I know this already.  It is not news to me.  I just have not found the ability to do so yet."

"Yes.  I know.  With those changes Myvanor, you will experience many other changes in your life just as quickly as your gift.  Some of these will be very pleasant, but other's will not be so pleasant.  Just like a rose, it goes through changes.  It starts out under the ground, grows into a beautiful plant, that eventually sprouts these lovely roses.  These roses however, change from a bud, into the beautiful rose that you so like to admire, and then.."  He looked away from her and out across the small lake. "Then they begin to wilt, and fall away.  The rose is no more.  Do you understand what I have said so far?"  He looked back at her to see her shake her head before continuing on.

"I want you to realize that there will be many things like this rose in your life, they will start out as a small bud, bloom into a beautiful rose that everyone will stop to admire and smell, and then eventually it will start to wilt and the petals will fall away slowly.  Like the leaves in the fall, when they change their colors and fall from the trees.  I don't want you to lose hope in yourself or anything you believe in when things like this should happen.  It is apart of life.  Things must live to die, and they must die for others to live."  He looked back out towards the lake with a small sigh.  "It is late.  We should get back before dinner is cold.  Just remember what I said here today."

Myvanor looked up at her brother with a curious look on her face.  She knew what he was telling her, but she did not know why.  She slowly stood up and followed him back to their home in silence, thinking about why.  What reasons could he have for this strange conversation?  Perhaps she would ask him later.  When they had a chance to be alone again..