Rire’hacr Crystalvictor was bred to be a noble. Unlike Jesslyn’s parents, Rire’hacr’s parents did not unite for love, but for duty, and raised Rire’hacr with the purpose of fighting for their race. His mother was a weapons master and his father was a priest.
At the age of six, Rire’hacr’s betrothed, Jesslyn Lihotluet, was born. By that time he had dedicated himself to studying combat, and was serving himself as a lackey to local blood knights. As Jesslyn grew, she did everything possible to torment Rire’hacr. If a soldier had him clean his sword then Jesslyn swiped it before Rire’hacr could return it. She was an annoyance.
At nineteen his parents had died. His mother had fallen to a druid spy and his father died in the battle against the Scourge. He had already been apart of the royal army for two years and was eagerly stepping up to any assignment available to him. Jesslyn, at this point, was a budding lady but had grown more reserved.
Rire’hacr was indifferent towards Jesslyn but eventually grew suspicious of her random disappearances. He didn’t dwell on her activities much; the Lihotluet family shared similar ideals of fighting for their people, so Jesslyn must be learning similar skills, but why so secretive?
Jesslyn turned seventeen and her quests began to take her away from Silvermoon City for days at a time. Her mother could no longer stay standing for extended periods of time and her father visits and letters were becoming fewer as time passed. Rire’hacr could not keep her off his mind by this point. When she was home, he would try to follow her around town but she’d always lose him. She had grown in confidence and wit and, soon, had Rire’hacr intimidated. He turned from a growing icon for the Sindorei to a stuttering, googly-eyed admirer whenever around her.
The couple had never set a date to marry; infact, neither of them had mentioned it. Rire’hacr was twenty-six and Jesslyn was twenty before that thought dawned on him. With that thought, Rire’hacr decided to surprise Jesslyn with a proposal. He went to her window before sunrise and knocked on the glass. There was no answer. He stood there awkwardly, unsure what to do next. He leans in carefully to look into her room. Just then, someone from behind grabbed him by his ears and pulled him away, it was Jesslyn. Rire’hacr was too embarrassed to explain himself and started searching for the ring immediately and dropped it. Jesslyn just looked at him with amusement. After he had finished fumbling with the ring, he quickly got on one knee, focused his eyes on the ground, and recited his well practiced speech.
“I’MAWARETHATWE’VENOCHOICEINTHISARRANGEMENTBUTILOVEYOU ANDHUMBLYASKYOUTOBLESSMEWITHYOURHANDINMARRIAGE?”
As Rire’hacr gasped for breath, a dolorous look came across Jesslyn’s face. She announced that she was leaving Que’Thalas to serve her part with their new Horde allies. She spoke of preferring to see the Alliance dead rather than defend her home and people. Even more embarrassed now, Rire’hacr stood to his feet silently. A million things he wanted to say but he knew it would change nothing.
The two stood in awkward silence for a few moments until Jesslyn couldn’t bear it. She broke the silence with few details, some true and some not. She announced that she had learned, like her mother, the path of a hunter and will travel Azeroth to offer her services. She assured him that she will visit him whenever she returns to Silvermoon City for training.
Rire’hacr did not want to push his luck, but he brought himself to ask Jesslyn when marriage will be an option for her. She could not tell him but offered an empty promise to him that they would have their day. Rire’hacr always thought they’d wed before they’d part in battle, but he knew he had no choice.
The following evening, after Rire’hacr was relieved from his post, he met with Jesslyn at her front door and escorted her to the town’s translocation orb. Her little sister stood in the doorway and waved them goodbye until they were out of sight. The two were quiet the entire walk and he could not help but notice that Jesslyn would not make eye contact with him. Instead, her eyes were focused on the clouded night sky and the most affection she could return Rire’hacr was a subtle lean on his arm.
“To tell you the truth, I’ve never seen a hunter’s spirit in you.” Rire’hacr commented after they had reached the orb to Undercity. For the first time during their walk, Jesslyn looked him in the eyes. Rire’hacr expected a more romantic moment until he watched her eyes narrow. He then quickly proceeded to rid the smirk off his face.
Jesslyn took her bag from Rire’hacr and stepped up to the orb. He stood back and watched with a soldier’s face as she lifted her hands to the orb. As her gloves began to glow, Jesslyn looked back at Rire’hacr and as she disappeared he saw fear in her eyes. He flinched to pull her out of the orb’s range that moment, but she was gone. No sense in chasing after her, Jesslyn made this decision for herself.
Two years had passed, Jesslyn continued to visit but only to train with her anonymous master. She eventually quit responding to Rire’hacr’s letters. Naturally, he grew more concerned than usual and took time off to search for Jesslyn. He recruited a magister friend, Leothrinian, to join him, but after two months neither had found a trace of her and Rire’hacr was needed back in Que’thalas.
Jesslyn’s father had not returned from the Outlands or written his wife for over a year by this point so Rire’hacr took on the responsibility of looking after Jesslyn’s mother and sister. Despite the care Rire’hacr could provide, tuberculosis took her mother away from Azeroth. With Jesslyn’s mother no longer requiring care and her sister capable of following Rire’hacr wherever his assignments needed him, he requested for a position in the Outlands. He decided that it was time he started searching for Jesslyn’s father, a dangerous man that Rire’hacr knew Jesslyn would seek.
As Rire’hacer expected, Jesslyn returned to Silvermoon City after receiving word of her mother’s death. He had hoped to have received notice regarding his position in the Outlands before her arrival, but with other qualified soldiers interested in the same position the final decision was still pending. His post was in the room just before the Undercity translocation orb, it was there where he witnessed Jesslyn’s arrival. She was filthy and her armor was worn, but Rire’hacr was too infatuated with her to care. He greeted her with affection but she left in a hurry to return to her home.
“Wouldn’t a hunter of her skill wear more mail armor?” a comrade asked out loud.
Rire’hacr could not explain Jesslyn’s choice in leather armor, so he left the question unanswered. He did not care about such details and Jesslyn never seemed to listen to his advice.
Before his shift was through, Jesslyn had finished her visitation and came through his station to depart. Rire’hacr asked her about her visit and she rummaged through her bag to show him a few treasures she had collected. He watched a scrunchie fall from her bag and immediately kneeled to pick it up. He noted the sparkles in it and was attracted to its glimmer. As he looked over the hair tie, he found a name scribbled on the inner rim: “Aevan.” Memories came flooding back from when he was younger. He knew Aevan when he was a notable bloodknight, from the days when he was just a lackey polishing swords. The rage he felt from Aevan’s betrayal returned at he quickly glanced at Jesslyn, her eyes widened and stiff with fear.
He snatched her by her arm and interrogated her, but Jesslyn had quickly regained her effrontery and stared him down, all while providing an excuse that made Rire’hacr feel like a fool for doubting her. Frustrated that Jesslyn could not provide a lead on Aevan’s whereabouts, he released her arm, tucked the scrunchie into his pocket, and took advantage of the moment to persuade her into joining him in the Outlands as husband and wife. Jesslyn didn’t seem open to the idea, so Rire’hacr assumed that she may not be done serving the Horde in Azeroth and let the subject drop.
The couple exchanged their goodbyes and Jesslyn made her way to the Undercity. Rire’hacr sighed to himself and felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to converse with who sought him to find his old magister friend, Leothrinian, cloaked and whispering, “I have found Jesslyn.”
Rire’hacr looked at Leothrinian in confusion and with sarcasm replied, “You mean the fair lady behind me at the translocation orb?” He gestured toward Jesslyn as she continued her route to Undercity.
Leothrinian retrieved an apple from his pack and took a bite, “I know who she allies with, her primary whereabouts, and some much more satisfying dirt.”
Rire’hacr scoffed but was certainly curious to hear what Leothrinian had to share. Jesslyn had kept him shut out of her life so much since she left home. “You’ve gotten my attention, but I only need to know where I can find her.”
Leothrinian gestured Rire’hacr to follow him further away from listening ears. “Don’t worry; I will not spoil the surprise for you. When she is not out questing, you’ll find your girl in a cave at Blackrock Mountain, Burning Steppes.”
Rire’hacr could not imagine what business she would have there and proceeded to ask but was interrupted by the magister. “I can tell you nothing more and I cannot take you there, for Jesslyn has been watching me closely.”
Leothrinian tossed Rire’hacr his half eaten apple, handed him a map to the Blacktooth Grin hideout, and disappeared into the city crowd. Rire’hacr grew frustrated with all the secrets kept from him and took his leave for Blackrock Mountain, leaving his second in-command in charge until further notice. He was certain to find Jesslyn and the truths of her secretive life.