Three Years Ago (Lordaeron – Silverpine Forest)

Their second meeting hadn't taken place until years later, when Jaina was twenty. Now, you'd think that with three years of a one-on-one apprenticeship to the Grand Magus himself under her belt, Jaina Proudmoore would be above such things as busy work and menial labor. After all, she was the Lady of Kul Tiras on top of being Antonidas' personal Apprentice.

Alas, there were rules in place to keep from letting blatant favoritism through. Dalaran was at its heart a meritocracy, but the Kirin Tor also ran on a hefty amount of bureaucracy and was chockfull of bylines and rules to try and tamp down on the nepotism as much as humanly possible. While Antonidas himself would usually refrain from giving Jaina busy work these days, instead preferring to let her focus on her own research whenever he was too busy to instruct her personally… that did not mean she was completely immune to the expectations foisted upon apprentices such as herself.

It had been months since she'd been saddled with a task as simple as this one. Gathering herbs and other reagents to make sure Dalaran's expansive stores of such things remained stocked was honestly beneath her. However, it was also very important work. The Mage-City of Dalaran did not get where it was today by shunning the collection of resources. And sure, they had deals with farmers and alchemists and the like, complete with supply chains and caravans for the vast majority of the reagents they required… but not all of it came from trade.

No, a good quarter of all of the herbs and reagents used in Dalaran each year was personally sourced by its apprentices going out on missions assigned by the Kirin Tor bureaucrats. Jaina supposed she could have complained a bit more… but deep down she recognized that while simple, this was an important job. Someone had to do it, and just because she was who she was, didn't mean that someone couldn't be her.

On top of that, it was actually rather nice to get out of the city for a day trip to the forest. Sure, she had to go around picking flowers and collecting certain mushrooms and what not, but even still… it really was a nice day, with the sun shining high overhead and the birds chipping in the trees. Silverpine Forest was lovely this time of year, and Jaina could well acknowledge the value of a chance to clear her head and let her focus wander for a few hours.

Yes, this little side trip would only help her focus all the more on what she was actually working on once she got back to her rooms in Dalaran. Indeed, she could already picture a half dozen different ways to tackle the research she'd been in the middle of when she'd been called away on this mission. She would-

The sudden twang of a crossbow is the only warning Jaina gets before the bolt slams into her hand, knocking her staff free of her grasp. Luckily, she's wearing gloves enchanted for the purposes of handling dangerous and toxic reagents, meaning that they have a level of protection that doesn't allow the bolt to pierce the leather.

A cry leaves the startles Apprentice Mage's lips, her eyes widening as she all but squawks in shock and surprise. That said, she's ultimately left unharmed, even if her hand is definitely already smarting from where the crossbow bolt hit.

However, that doesn't stop Jaina's staff from going flying, her eyes widening as she reaches for it futilely. But it's already rolled a few feet away, and the ratcheting of another half dozen crossbows makes her tense up, not daring to take a step towards it. Instead, she slowly lifts her hands, narrowing her eyes as she turns in place to find herself all but surrounded.

"Hah! Told ya I could hit the staff without hitting the girl! Didn't I tell ya, boss?"

The shooter who knocked her staff away crows his victory, but Jaina cannot take advantage of his lack of attention. Not when several of his fellows, both armed with crossbows and not, are watching her like hawks, just waiting for her to make the wrong move. Such as trying to cast a spell.

Meanwhile, one of the brigands' chuckles darkly and slaps a hand on the shooter's shoulder.

"That you did, man. That you did. Well shot."

His voice is a little richer and deeper, and definitely slightly more cultured than the other's was. Immediately, Jaina categorizes him as a minor noble… likely disgraced. Though she can't say for sure. He and his fellows are all wearing masks, hiding their true identities from her. Bandits one and all… though whether they're KNOWN as bandits or not is something else entirely.

"Lady Proudmoore! Apologies for the rough introduction, but we all know a mage is all the more dangerous with a staff. I and my compatriots were only looking after our own health you see… please do keep those hands where we can see them. No funny business now, and my comrades won't be forced to pepper you with bolts."

Jaina's eyes narrow at that. She learns several things from just that short little monologue. Number one, he knows exactly who she is. This isn't some crime of opportunity, more than likely. This was a planned attack. They were out here in these woods, not just looking for an easy target… but looking for HER.

Number two, the way the first shooter had spoken, it sounded as though there'd been an argument regarding his skill with the crossbow. Whether he could or could not hit only her staff and not her with his bolt would have ultimately been a moot point… if they didn't care whether she lived or not. The fact that they'd wanted her disarmed and not bleeding out from a bolt to the back meant they wanted her alive.

And number three… the brigands' leader, whoever he was, loved the sound of his own voice far too much. Jaina could only hope she could get out of this situation before she ended up a truly captive audience to his jovial 'friendly bandit' attitude. There was no such thing as a 'friendly bandit', not truly. She hated the type who tried to act like everything could be completely peaceful and even fun, so long as everyone did as they said.

Mind racing, trying to buy time, Jaina scoffs as she summons as much bravado as she possibly can. Her eyes flash and she looks around the clearing at her assailants before finally staring directly at the leader.

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"Pepper me with bolts? And ruin your big payday? I think not."

The callout has its intended effect. Several of the bandits openly glare at her, while the leader's jovial attitude becomes decidedly more wooden.

"Ah. Clever, Lady Proudmoore. Very clever. However, the contract is actually Alive OR Dead. Sure, dead pays less… but we're in too deep to back out now, aren't we? If you wish to die spiting us, feel free… but I think you'd rather live, wouldn't you?"

Jaina's eyes narrow, and her lips thin out. Damn. So whoever wanted her would be happy with her corpse as well. She wondered just who it could be. Unfortunately, she didn't see a path forward that granted her the opportunity to interrogate these cretins. She might have a chance to escape though still. A plan was beginning to form in her mind's eye.

They had her dead to rights and any Apprentice Mage would be hard-pressed to do anything in a situation as dire as this one. But Jaina wasn't just an Apprentice of the Kirin Tor. She was the Grand Magus' Apprentice as well, and besides that… she hadn't slacked off in her training. Not ever. To say she was still just an Apprentice would be inaccurate. By now, she was a full-fledged Mage, at least in her humble, totally unbiased opinion.

She could likely form an Ice Barrier before they could fire. It was an Instant Cast, after all. Then, she could blink over to her staff, pick it up, and try to flee the scene. The first round of bolts would likely get caught in her Ice Barrier, allowing her the chance to maybe escape while they were reloading. She would lose the reagents of course, but that was what it was… her life and freedom were far more important.

Taking her silence and inaction as compliance, the bandit leader reaches behind himself and pulls out what Jaina immediately recognizes as a pair of magical shackles, ones designed to completely restrict a spellcaster from using any magic while they were on. They really had gone all out for her, hadn't they?

"Alright girl, let's do this the easy way, yes? I'm going to approach nice and slowly now. You're going to put out your hands and I'll slap these babies onto your wrists. Any funny business and you get shot, so let's keep things serious, shall we?"

He chuckles at his own stupid joke and begins stepping forward. At the same time, his crew start to move to the sides and Jaina realizes this is her only chance to act. Right now, in this moment… a couple of those wielding crossbows are behind their leader, putting him between them and her and making it not quite a clear shot. But in just a second, they'll have moved back into position and have a proper line of sight on her.

If not now, then when? Jaina starts to gather frost magic, and time almost seems to slow down as she sees the bandit leader's eyes begin to widen at the realization of what she's doing. However, just as the Ice Barrier is going up and the bandits are readying their shots… there's a shout from the backline.

"WHAT THE-?!"

Suddenly surging out of the earth from behind them like some sort of tidal wave are… roots. Jaina's jaw drops open as the earth itself seems to open up, producing massive tree roots from the nearby pines that surround the clearing. These roots seem to almost have a mind of their own as they lunge out of the earth and wrap around the bandits, dragging them down to the ground… and into it too.

Screams and shouts of fear fill the air as even the bandit leader is forced to spin around to find out what's going on. Showing her his back like that… Jaina changes her plan in a moment. With her Ice Barrier up and protecting her, she gathers her magic into her hands and casts Slow on the man in front of her, watching with pleasure as his movement is reduced to a crawl in a heartbeat. It's harder casting the spell without her staff, but not impossible.

Once done, she steps forward and snatches the shackles from his hands. He can't even really react as she proceeds to snap them shut around his wrists instead. He hasn't shown an ability to cast magic necessarily, but the shackles are just as good as normal shackles at keeping a normal person from doing anything.

By the time Jaina is done delivering sweet, sweet schadenfreude to her would-be kidnapper, the rest of the brigands have been dealt with. Most aren't even above ground anymore, and while their grisly fate and the sight of fingers or boots poking out here or there from within roots does turn Jaina's stomach… she can't bring herself to be all that concerned.

No, she's much more interested in what even did that to them. It was like the forest itself rose up against them… but Jaina doubted Silverpine Forest had any sort of overbearing intelligence to it, or that it cared about her in any way, shape or form. So…

"Hello? Are you there? Thank you for your help, stranger. I would love to express my gratitude in person if possible!"

As she speaks, she casts another spell on the Slowed bandit leader, ice forming around his feet. She'd noticed him trying to turn and run away, even with the impediment she'd put on him. But now… now he's not going anywhere. Meanwhile… out from behind a tree on the far end of the clearing steps a figure. Someone Jaina isn't expecting to see.

Her eyes go wide at the orc standing a few dozen yards away. Her eyes go wider still when he looks at her and she realizes she recognizes him.

"You-!"

He frowns… and a moment later turns and darts away. Jaina almost goes after him, but before she can take more than a couple steps in his direction, he astounds her once more by transforming into a large stag and leaping through the trees, disappearing into the forest in mere moments. She hadn't… she hadn't even gotten to call out his name. 'Rognak' rests on the tip of her tongue, but after the shock of seeing him transform into an animal, Jaina is left speechless.

The bandit leader, on the other hand, is not. As Slow finally fades away, the ice around his legs and the shackles on his wrists still keeping him quite restrained, he curses up a storm behind her.

"Light-fucking-damn it! No one said anything about fucking shapeshifting orcs!"

For a moment, Jaina looks after where Rognak has fled, wondering what had spooked him so quickly… and grateful for his interference all the same. She'd had her own escape plan, and it probably would have even worked… but he hadn't known that. He'd gone out of his way to help her. And now he was gone again.

Frowning, eyes blazing, Jaina turns back to her would-be kidnapper and stomps over to him, picking up her staff along the way. Standing before him with her staff glowing dangerously and an imperious look in her eyes, Jaina growls.

"And what DID your would-be employers say, hm? What did they look like… what were their names? I'm very curious to hear more, brigand."

Eyes wide, the bandit leader swallows thickly… suddenly so much quieter, now that the tables were turned on him.

In the days that followed, Jaina found herself very busy indeed in dealing with the kidnapping attempt on her. It would be weeks before she could return to Silverpine to search for Rognak, and by then the trail was long cold.

Eventually, she was forced to return to her studies under Archmage Antonidas, and once again put the strange orc and his weird powers out of her head. Years later, the Prophet would come to the Grand Magus, and Jaina would join Arthas on his journey to try and save Lordaeron. From there, one thing would lead to another and Jaina would have a lot more on her mind than one single strange orc.

Until now, that is. Back in the present, Jaina Proudmoore stands beside her new ally, The Warchief of a new Horde. And she stares at who is apparently the Chieftain of the Warsong Clan now… Rognak in the flesh, staring back at her seemingly just as surprised. He recognizes her, she can see that much… but he seems shocked that she recognizes him. That she remembers him.

Well, if he didn't want to be remembered, then he shouldn't have left such an impression on her! At least this time she didn't think he would resort to transforming into an animal to get away from her. Maybe she could finally get some of her questions answered…