[Story and bio] Buccaneer Korya

[Deleted]

Zarya smiled to herself. The change was incredible. She could recall the tiny, scrawny thing her sister had been mere years ago.

Korya had grown, standing half a hand taller than her older sister. She was still very thin though. And the eyes... the eyes hadn't changed in the least. They were the same clear blue as they had ever been, the colour of a summer sky.

The younger sister was waving and grinning maniacally as the crew threw the anchor. Zarya collected her backpack and set off down the gangplank.

Korya hugged her tightly and squealed with joy. The older sister tapped her lightly on the back. »Come on, it's hot enough with this bloody cloak on,« she jested. Laughing, the lanky orc let go and showed her the way towards Booty Bay's inn.

***

»I see the Cataclysm hit you too,« said Zarya over a pint of ale. The younger sister set down her stein. »Yeah, a huge wave hit. I was on a ship though. Swamp of Sorrows. Pointless business that.« She took another swig. »We were supposed to deliver supplies for some goblin venture or something, ended up getting robbed by murlocs. Good thing the earthquake gave us an excuse to turn the ship around and return.« »Weren't there any reprimands?« Korya shrugged. »Well, three days in prison for 'betraying client confidentiality'. Turns out there were some potentially dangerous documents among the stolen cargo. Luckily, the murlocs just tore them to pieces.« She laughed heartily. »The chief fishbreath made his nest in a crate of deeds to the swamp. Of course, they were unreadable, so technically the gobbos weren't allowed to claim the land. Not that it stopped them any.«

Zarya spoke in a low voice. »Errr... is it strictly wise calling them 'gobbos' where they can hear?« Korya grinned. »No prob with that, sister. Just watch.« She quaffed down her pint and pointed the stein towards the innkeeper. »Hey Skindle, mind sending another one my way?« The goblin nodded, smiling. The young orc pretended to only now notice the goblins at the counter. She waved and called to them in Common: »Heya, how's ya gobbos doin'?« They cheered and grinned in reply. Korya turned back towards her sister. »See? Nothing to it. It may just be that they've gotten used to me by now though.« She shrugged. »Anyhow, what about you?«

Zarya placed her elbow on the table and removed her glove. Korya whistled. »Pretty.« »Yeah, I've had both my hands tattooed.« The back of the hand was painted to resemble a shattered black hand. Her trimmed fingernails too were lacquered that colour. The younger sister snorted. »So that must mean your cutthroats took you in?« Zarya's eyes narrowed. »They did, while you were here playing with your silly pea-shooters.« They stared at each other fiercely. The silence stretched until they could no longer hold off the laughter. »It's good to see you again, Kor.« »You too, sis. You too.«

***

»I never asked you how it's going back home,« said Korya, sifting sand through her toes. Her boots lay beside her. Zarya lifted her head from the cloak she was lying on. »Sorry, what? I think I dozed off.« »How are they at home?« »Oh, the usual. Pa won't speak of you, Ma is scared for you, Korr couldn't care less as long as he's got something to sink his axe in.« She snorted. »Even if it's just sticks and straw.« Korya rolled her eyes. »Daddy's little fighter. Good thing he's got him, it would be such a dishonour to have two weak daughters.« They laughed.

»Well, he's accepted me at least. He says the Shattered Hand has a 'long and glorious history'. I think he's closing his eye to the whole assassin business,« said Zarya. She tilted her head. »You on the other hand he will never fully forgive. But...« She sighed. »But what?« »Never mind. I'll just tell you later,« said the elder sister with a meaningful look at the sunbathing goblins.

***

Zarya bolted the door to her room. »So sis, what was it?« Korya was sitting on the bed, bare feet dangling off the edge. Her sister sighed. »Look, there's three reasons I'm here. One is that I've missed you, and so did Mother. She sent me here to check on you. The other...« She opened the seaman's chest she had brought with her and rummaged inside. She pulled out a box of enameled wood. »... is this.« Korya opened the box and held her breath. Her fingers caressed the beautifully carved sides and cold metal nuzzle of the gun. She whistled softly.

»Sprocketspring Dragonbreath, mark three. Mithril plating.« She tapped the carved wood encasing the barrel. »That's not Tanaris production. I'd know it, they use wood from Un'goro. Looks like... Ashenvale wood. I'm guessing Ratchet.« Her sister shook her head. »No? Orgrimmar then. Not branded though. Same for the stock.« She turned it in her hands again. »Ah, I see why it's not branded. Not orcish work, I'm guessing troll. Something about the way it's carved. Emerald eyes. Boulder Lode?« Zarya nodded. »Superb work in any case.« The young orc aimed the rifle at the wall. »Great balance. How many rounds?« »Six a time, there's some goblin mumbo-jumbo that's supposed to make it easier to refill. I couldn't figure it out.« The younger sister grinned. »I've seen one of these before. Lemme show you.« She traced the wood just below the trigger and pressed on a seemingly random spot. The side of the stock opened revealing six cartridges.

She closed the gun again. »Very nice. You planning to sell it?« Zarya laughed. »No, silly. It's for you.« Korya's eyes opened wide. »Me? A Dragonbreath? Do you know what these buggers cost?« Her sister nodded. »I should know, I paid for it. It's yours if you agree on a little... expedition.« The younger orc hesitated. »Errr... this wouldn't have something to do with Pa, would it?« A look of discomfort flickered on Zarya's face. »It does, doesn't it? Oh I shoulda known he'd be up to his old tricks again. Well, take this trash back to our beloved father and tell him to shove it where the sun don't shine. I ain't joining any feeble-minded Horde assaults of his. Oh and tell him that if he's so keen why doesn't he go. Oh right, lame leg. Great warrior who can't even stand, what a shame.«

Zarya kept silent while her sister fumed. When Korya was done, she took the box from her. The younger sister was just about to leave the room, but Zarya called her name. »Kor. You haven't asked me about the third reason.« The elder orc was tapping the box with ker fingers. Korya looked at the symbol covering the hand and the sorrow in her sister's eyes. »Zar, I know.« As she left the room, she whispered: »I'll think about it. I really will.«

***

Zarya was honing her blade when her sister entered. The young orc glaced at the weapon. »Nasty. Wouldn't want that around my pretty neck.« She grinned broadly, but her sister remained grim. »Come on Zar, don't be like that. I spent the whole night in front of your room. The floor was hard and I couldn't sleep. Cut me some slack.« A hint of a smile curled the assassin's lips. »There you go. Much better.« »So, have you reached a decision?« »Well, yes and no. I dunno yet what you've got in store for me, and I do prefer it here in Booty Bay...« She glanced at the blade again. »... but on the other hand, I enjoy being alive even more.« Zarya stood up and sheathed her weapon. She held out a hand, and her sister took it.

»Glad to have you on the team, Kor. I must admit you had me worried for a moment there.« She gave her sister a smile. »Well, you didn't have much to worry about really. This whole thing is not a 'feeble-minded Horde assault'. There's a ship sailing from Booty Bay tomorrow. Maelstrom. You know it?« Korya punched her shoulder. »You... you bloody bastard! You didn't tell me that! Oh I'm so gonna punch your teeth out...« Zarya laughed at her sister's expression. »Yeah, it was more fun this way. It's the Earthen Ring that needs you, not the Warchief.« »You mean monkey-headed pile of muscles with the brain of a pidgeon?« »If you say so. Anyhow, we're to set sail for the ship's namesake. Of course, we'll be stopping at one of the Earthen Ring's outposts, since no ship can take the pull of the Maelstrom. As I understood it, we'll be given wyverns there to get us safely to Thrall and his entourage. So, are you up for that?« Korya's grin was so wide it was threatening to take off the top of her head. »Damn right I am. If I can take Freks.« Zarya was puzzled. »Freks?« »Yeah, Frekka. You remember Frekka, the little worg pup you gave me when I ran away?« »You mean the one that you stole from the raiders' litter and I had to help you smuggle out of the city?« Korya shrugged. »Well, same thing.« The older orc shook her head. »It's been too long. Too long indeed. Come here.« She hugged Korya tightly.

»You wouldn't really have killed me, would you?« asked the young orc. »Nah, you know I couldn't hurt you, Kor. But... well, Pa knew too so he sent a couple of others to... finish the job.« »Damn, shoulda known. And there I was thinking I was safe in any case...« »May I ask you something? Did you really sleep in front of the door?« Korya laughed loudly. »Nah, I went down to the pub, got drunk, then went to bed. I just thought I'd make you feel bad about threatening me. Now come on, gimme the gun already!«

***


(Korya and Zarya)

Name: Korya

Allignment: Chaotic Good

Race/Class: Orc Hunter

Physical appearance: Tall, very skinny. Her long black hair is wavy because of the salty air. Has blue eyes. Usually wears light clothing that allows for more maneuverability in combat.

Personality: Friendly and quick to laughter. She tries to live life the easy way. However, she will go berserk if angered. She has had some disputes with her family, which have led her to run away from Orgrimmar at the age of 14. Has a low opinion of her father, who's been a blacksmith ever since he lost the use of a leg in the Second War. She is still fond of her mother and older sister. She considers her older brother his father's lapdog, and promptly ignores him. (The age order of the siblings is as follows: Zarya, Korr, Korya)

Powers: An excellent marksman, prefers guns and crossbows. She also has some skill in hand-to-hand combat, but prefers to keep her distance. She is accompanied by Frekka, her battleworg.

Languages: Orcish and very good Common (though tinted with the Stranglethorn Goblin dialect). Also speaks a little Zandali and Goblin.