Graz Stoutstump's ranch, near the end of the Third War
Weeks had passed since Moira and Graz had found Leodry in the snow and winter had come to the mountains in full force. He had recovered, more or less, and been adopted by the dwarven family. They were Wildhammers to the core, though a bit more open than the rest of their kin, and the Stoutstump clan had lived in the wooded mountains of the Hinterlands since they left Grim Batol. They spent far more time in the mountains and outdoors than they did inside, and Graz specialized in breeding mountain sheep that were used for just about everything from wool to meat to gryphon food.
Once he had finally healed up, Leodry was put to work. Graz was as good as his word and respected his privacy for the most part, as did most of the Stoutstump clan, never asking him questions, but Moira was curious about him, often asking him of his life before he came to their small ranch. He rarely answered her questions with more than a half-hearted grunt or shrug, but it did nothing to quell her curiosity or chit-chat. Leodry liked her despite himself. Her good nature reminded him of Hannah, which always brought good thoughts of home.
"I imagine ye've cut enough firewood for th' day, Leo. Come inside, 'ave some ale," Moira called from the doorway of their hillside home. Carved from the rock, it was much larger inside then the outside revealed with most of the rooms underground in the hillside. He had been cutting winter firewood while the unpredictable storms had subsided for a time. Graz had gone out to care for the sheep with his wife, Shara. Moira's two brothers were apprenticing to become gryphon breeders and rarely returned home except for very special occasions, such as a birthday or other holiday. Leodry had yet to meet them, though he knew they were called Gren and Greer.
"Thank you, Moira," he said, dusting off the snow from his boots before coming all the way inside. He followed her downstairs into the kitchen where a large cooking fire was going, warming him to the bones very quickly. A large mug of ale already stood on the table and he sat, taking a long pull from the stein. The one thing he had yet to get used to was the sheer amount of alcohol the dwarves had. If you asked for water you were looked at funny, but a light-weight like him could only drink a mug or two before having a hard time walking.
"Did ye cut a lot of wood in yer old home, Leo? Ye're a natural." Moira was working away at dinner, which appeared to be a wild boar Graz had caught the night before. Leodry quietly sighed, and watched Moira work before finally deciding he couldn't keep quiet. If I can't trust Moira and her family, who can I trust?
"Yes." The single word actually caught Moira offguard and she squeaked in surprise, which made Leodry laugh. "What? You asked, and I answered."
Moira, her mouth agape in surprise stared at him and finally exclaimed, "You never answer, Leo! I had gotten used to it!" They laughed together, then, as Graz and Shara came in, covered in a light dusting of snow.
"Wha's so funny, then, ye two?" Graz asked as he hung up his cloak near the fire to dry and settled himself at the table while Shara went below to prepare the house for the evening. She seems to avoid me... I hope it wasn't something I've done, though I've hardly had the strength to do much. Maybe she wants me out now that I'm well. Shara's always more quiet than the rest of the family. Moira, still fighting back giggles, set a full mug of ale before him and just shook her head, pointing at Leo.
"Oh, just our Leo, Da. 'E surprised me, is all."
Graz raised one bushy eyebrow over the rim of his mug, but didn't say anything. A few more gulps of ale, and Leodry decided to elaborate for him... and finally tell them the truth.
"Miss Moira asked me if I used to chop wood in my old home and I said 'yes'. She was surprised I finally answered, is all. We both found our reactions funny, Graz. You should have seen her face." He grinned from ear to ear, as did Graz.
"Well, lad, I'm sure me girl thought ye mute at this point."
Leodry nodded. "Yes, I imagine she did. I've just been... reluctant to tell you how I managed to end up here."
"Worried ye couldn' trust us, lad?" Graz asked quietly. He didn't seem angry, just curious.
Leodry smiled sadly. "I was running, both from the Lordaeron army, and from myself. It's... hard to stop running. To finally turn around and look back and realize that what I've done may be wrong." He took another drink of ale before continuing, Moira rapt with attention, Graz less obviously so, but listening intently.
"I joined the Lordaeron army as soon as I was able, wanting to follow in my father's footsteps. He was a knight; died in the Second War, along with my brother who was acting as his squire. All we got back was one of my father's vambraces and my brother's tunic. I died a little inside when I heard the news, but I wanted to become like them. I wanted to become a soldier." He sighed, wondering just how much he should tell them. "I rose through the ranks well enough. By my twentieth birthday I was a captain in control of my own soldiers, and life was good. I served my country, and my prince, with pride."
"Arthas," Graz growled, the one word carrying all his malice and anger. It seems even the Wildhammers hate former Prince Arthas. He's become something else. Something sinister.
"Yes, Arthas. I loved and served him, until Stratholme. I had seen what the plague did to people, how it killed them and then reanimated the dead bodies." Moira gasped, and Graz grunted, but Leodry continued. "It was terrible and cruel. I got word that my home had been hit, the plague spreading there, too. My surrogate mother and father had died and probably been raised as ghouls for his damned army. Still, even knowing this, I could not bring myself to kill the people in the city."
Moira and Graz shared a look between them, now realizing just what Leodry had been running from, but it was Shara, just returned from the rooms below, who spoke. "Ye poor bastard. Ye've been runnin' fer no reason, laddy. No decent man would kill innocent people."
Leodry snorted. "Were they so innocent, Miss Shara? They would become the walking dead soon enough, more than ready to tear my head from my shoulders. No, I was a coward."
"'T'ain't cowardly te refuse te kill folk. Yer heart told ye t'were wrong, an I'd think less of ye if ye'd 'ave just tol' us ye'd been part o' that mess." Graz patted Leodry on the back, concern on his face.
Leodry nodded, but he wasn't convinced. "Regardless, Graz, I did commit treason. I, as a captain, ran from my duties and outright refused a direct order from my prince."
"'Cept Arthas ain't yer prince now," Graz nearly spit, but held himself in check. "'Sides, how c'n ye be a traitor te a kingdom that don't exist? Lordaeron lost te the Scourge, the city reduced to rubble." When Leodry moved to protest, Graz shook his head. "No, lad. No guilt fer ye. If'n ye had gone back, ye'd just be a walking corpse now."
Moira shook her head. "Enough, Da. Poor Leodry's had enough. Thank ye fer finally tellin' us, though. I'm glad ye trust us, Leo." She smiled then, and turned to the cooking fire. "Come, let's eat." Leodry nodded, feeling the weight, not lifted, exactly, but lighter. He even managed a weak smile for them, even Shara, who returned it.
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