Steel Roses Have Sharp Thorns (Snow & Cassia 01) Part One

 Snow FitzSilver    

The fellow named Snow FitSilver grabbed his heavy sailcloth canvas travel bag and hoisted it over his shoulder, preparing to leave the cramped cabin he had shared on the sea voyage from Stormwind to Boralus with three other passengers. He had not fared well during the crossing; his "sea legs" were more spindly wooden crutches.  Still, he had made provision for his lack of nautical affinity and had brought with him a large supply of Dalaran Red wine, which he had shared liberally with his fellow passengers and crew. His lion's share had been more than enough to keep him in an inebriated state where his travel sickness did not overpower his stomach.

It was not the first time Snow had travelled to Boralus by ocean vessel; he had spent months in Kul Tiras with his companion, Cassia Chess.  Cassia's family lived in Boralus, and so she was virtually a native daughter, even if she was a Paladin sworn to the Light. In fact, the man who had become Snow's foster father was  Cassia's father's half-brother, and it was Snow's trademark Gilnean silver hair that had first brought Snow to his attention. Snow took the name FitzSilver when Dane FitzSilver, also known as Griffonclaw, had adopted him.

Unlike this cousins, he had no mother; Cassia's mother was a Dalaran Lore Mistress who was also in the service of High Admiral Jaina Proudmoore.  Snow had never been comfortable enough with "Aunt" Alia to travel the distance the way Cassia had - via a private mage portal.

Pride. Snow had endured the ocean because of stiff-necked pride. Although the Chess family were among his closest friends, he could never truly forget that regardless of their kindness, Snw was a "poor relation"; that the name FitzSilver was given to the bastard-born of the Silverlaine family seemed fitting.  The older boys Baron and Bishop had warily treated Snow as distant family (all the while making it clear that their younger sisters Reina and Cassia were, romantically speaking, off-limits). Cassia was just a good friend, and Reina had enjoyed teasing the Fel out of Snow's adolescent hormones, almost daring Snow to step over the line and watch her brothers indulge their over-protective natures.

Snow had never been tempted. Busop and Baron he could handle, but the person who really scared Snow was "Uncle" Jon.  He never said a threatening nor unkind word,  but Jonathan Chess was the personal confidential agent of Tess Graymane of Gilneas and the chief spymaster for High Admiral Jaina Proudmoore.  Uncle Jon had personally instructed in the niceties of dagger- and sword-play, interspersed with dirty tactics of which Snow stood in awe. Bishop and Baron might beat him - gently - for their sister's honor, but Jon did not beat opponents - he left behind corpses, often dead before they could recognize the danger. Jon had worked for Jaina since Jaina had reached out to the old Alliance spymaster (before Mathias Shaw), seeking an operative that would be loyal to Jaina and Theramore, not the Alliance. Jon had served Jaina until she went missing after the destruction of Theramore, and served Kul Tiras. He had been a cheese merchant envoy when Jaina had returned to Boralus, and had served both Genn Graymane and Jaina faithfully.

Cassia Chess

When Cassia had approached his foster-father Griffonclaw about becoming a paladin, Griffonclaw had asked Snow to accompany Cassia on her travels. Uncle Jon had then given him access to the Universal Exports armory of delices and potions, to facilitate keeping his daughter safe.

Neither Griffonclaw nor Jon had ever charged Snow with defending Cassia with his life; they did not have to. They knew that Snow would die in her defense before letting down the only family he had ever known, even though he'd ever admit it to Cassia.

The sun shown brightly down on the docks of the Boralus harbor. The wind blew Snow's hair across his head like a mother's playful hand as Snow looked out at the landing, wondering if he would be met. He laughed out loud. There was indeed someone to welcome him. A red-scaled dragon, clad in enchanted gold battle harness crouched in front of a ring of children, who were taking turns throwing fish in the air for the dragon to snatch greedily, while singing a Boralus lullaby.

"Rorik!" Snow yelled across the water, and leaped over the side before the ship had docked.  The dragon grinned at Snow and finished the song for his audience, bowing to the applause like the attention-hungry bard that he was. "Snow!" the dragon called back. "Welcome to Boralus, nephew!!" he proclaimed loudly, grinning toothily at the astonished gasps.

“How is my favorite fellow-family-stray?” The nickname was well meant. Rorik’s own addition to the family wasn’t too unlike Snow's. Found as a bruised and scarred egg in the Badlands by a then-apprenticed Alia Atherton, Rorik was reared by hand by the young mage until he could fend for himself (and by that Snow understood it meant “finally" choose his visage so he could buy his own sweet rolls). Since then, he had become the de-facto adoptive brother to Alia, in-law to Jon and Dane, and uncle to all of the children. 

Jon had even forged him citizenship papers for Stormwind.

Snow climbed aboard Rorik, securing his canvas bag tightly to the rider harness. When Snow was ready, Rorik cleaped into the air, and just as he reached apogee of his upward bound unfurled his wings to send him and his passenger higher than the highest rooftops of Boralus. Snow restrained himself from crying out with amazement; Rorik had taught all of the family to be a courteous passenger when aloft. "It is rude to make all the ground-bound jealous - not everyone has their own skytalon taxi," Rorik would remind them.

There was something amazing about looking down on the area as if it were a contour map. From this height Snow could see from the Tradewinds market to the Ashvane Docks to Mariner's Row to their destination in the prosperous neighborhood adjacent to Proudmoore Keep called Upton Borough, where the Chess family lived.

All too soon, Rorik landed with a gentle thud. Snow gathered his bag and gave the red dragon a once-armed hug. "Uncle, I appreciate the lift; it would have been a hot and sweaty walk!"

"Indeed, nephew. I am not amazing?" Rorik postured. "In fact, I think it's time for a swim; the snacks for the children whetted my appetite! Be safe!" he said as he swiftly ascended to ride the winds once more. 

Snow hefted his bag and turned to the door, but before he could knock, it opened and Cassia stepped out to join him. 

"Hello Snow," she greeted him. "I hope your crossing wasn't too bad? Mother would have gladly portaled you with me this morning, you know." 

"I know, but we were not in a hurry," responded Snow. His resistance to using Alia for casual transportation was well-known to the family. 

"I suppose not... well, Father had the apartment in Hook Pointe prepared for you, so let's get you settled and then report for duty?" Cassie asked.

"That sounds good," Snow confirmed.

Cassia stepped inside to get her own baggage, and Snow winced; he was uncomfortably warm in his leathers and gear, but Cassia was clad in a light gambeson under articulated plate armor, and carrying a bastard sword in addition to her own bag, Fortunately, she wore that armor constantly and her body had become whipcord muscle like her Uncle Griffonclaw. She wore her steel-gray hair short, foe convenience when donning a helmet for battle; she had never possessed a large portion of vanity like other women Snow had known. 

As they walked, they discussed Cassia's new job; bouncer for a Gentlemans' Club named the Steel Rose, located in the Hook Point neighborhood next to the Dampwick Ward area and the Ashvane Docks. It was owned and operated by a Draenai paladin named Phaedra, who operated it as a safe haven for the dancers, employees, and patrons. 

The club operated in competition with the notorious Kelp Club, the base of operations for the Scrimshaw Gang, who controlled most of the organized criminal enterprises in the area, from smuggling to prostitution to drugs to loan sharking. Many of the local businesses paid them an "insurance fee" to be left alone; the Scrimshaw Gang members would otherwise harass them until they paid. 

"So... a bouncer at a strip club?" Snow asked, raising one eyebrow.

Cassia shrugged. "You know how it works. Phaedra reached out to Griffonclaw for help, Griffonclaw asked me if I would help out for awhile."

Snow nodded; he did indeed know how it worked. Just as Griffonclaw had reached out to Cassia, Jon Chess had reached out to him, asking him to help. "While I have enormous faith in Cassia, I would feel much better if there was a rat bastard nearby to help with the certain moral...limitations under which the Light followers operate."  Long ago Jon had taught Snow the benefits of pre-emptive retributive strikes, i.e. "Hit them back first".

"Besides," Cassia continued, pulling Snow back into the moment, "It's not like I have any other work going for me right now."

Snow nodded. Cassia was pledged to serve the Holy Church of Stormwind since she was sixteen, following the footsteps of service (or so she thought) of her uncle and father. It wasn't until those doctrines turned abrasive against her time in the Dragon Isles that she decided against her oaths. A wise choice in Snow's opinion, but it did have the unintended but logical consequence of throwing her life plan out with the bathwater.

None of which changed Snow's plan in the least; his task was simple; whatever Cassia felt she needed to do next, Snow would be there, keeping the family priorities - keeping Cassia alive - regardless of what dirty tricks he needed to do to make sure it happened. So if Cassia took a job as bouncer in a strip joint, Snow would keep her as safe as possible while enjoying the scenery.

And the scenery promised to be quite enjoyable.

The two of them chatted together amiably on their way to what Jonathan Chess had always referred to as his "annex" a room located above the Scribes & Nobles bookstore in the Hook Point neighborhood of Boralus, adjacent to the Market; originally he had lived there while maintaining his operations for Elling Trias as an Agent of Cheese. After he and Alia had taken residence in Upton Borough, he kept the annex as a safe haven for guests. Jonathan had gladly turned over the keys to Snow, given it's proximity to the Steel Rose.

Snow and Cassia dropped Snow's belongings there; Cassia would stay when she was too tired to walk home from the club. His gear stowed away, they set off through the back streets to the Steel Rose. 

Returning to the main throughfare, they continued walking until they passed Ruff Waters, a pet shop specializing in canine critters. "I used to make Father take me here; he'd pay for a handful of dog treats and I'd pet and feed the dogs until they were gone," Cassia commented as they passed the entrance. 

The two of them turned right and down the stairs into a large, dank area. There was an outdoor bar here, and many of the bar's customers wore the gang colors of the Scrimshaw Gang. Working out of the notorious nightclub called the Kelp Club, the gang controlled much of the illicit goings-on in the seamy underbelly of Boralus, from muggings to prostitution to loan-sharking to gambling to protection rackets. Many of the city guards were well-paid to turn a blind eye to Scrimshaw activities. Cassia and Snow kept a wary eye out, but they were not approached.

They turned right at a set of stairs, climbed another set of stairs. Below them was the black market, where shady dealers offered paintings, books, and other items pilfered from across the city at bargain prices - so long as one did not care about provenance. From there they turned right and right again, walking past the Loose Cannon, run by Crimper Mirjam, who was often found entertaining her customers by dancing on one of the tables. 

The sign of the Steel Rose

Their path dead-ended into a small courtyard overlooking the Ashvane docks. The sign of the Steel Rose was prominently displayed above the front door. Cassia turned to Snow.

"This is the place. Do me a favor, and wait for me back at the Loose Cannon? I have no idea how long this might take; they don't open for awhile yet, I imagine," she half-pleaded with Snow. 

"Sure thing," he said. "Don't worry about me; I've got nothing to do I can't do with a drink and maybe some bar snacks." Snow understood completely; it might send the wrong impression if the new bouncer showed up with an armed escort.  Fortunately, Snow had brought a book, a rare copy of the steamy romance novel BLUE MOON. Cassia's sister Reina had introduced Snow to the series, and the Chess family library had been well-stocked.

Cassia entered the Steel Rose, and Snow turned around to head to the Loose Cannon to wait.