"No word from the Jackal."
"Those 'heroes' must have gotten to her first."
"Shall we kill her?"
"Do you see a benefit?"
"She could squeal."
"It matters not. Aimee has already."
"As did our 'brother'."
"We should have ended things as we should have twenty years ago."
Two happy visits. One that resulted in "
Ann'da"'s successful surgery. Another from Xanthe for a leg injury and a wedding invite. Aimee never saw the Doctor looking so cheerful before. She sat on the edge of his bed, a smirk on her face as she watched him fuss about within his closet. He seems to be unable to decide between two suits.
"Tail coat? Or long coat?" Dr. Dino asks as he held up the two coats. Because both hands were busy, the cane used to support himself is hanging from his elbow. Aimee watched as the cripple's legs shake due to lack of independent strength. She knew she had to make her choice fast.
"Tail coat."
"But it won't hide my legs," Dino says anxiously. The doctor could feel his legs close to giving out. He leaned against the wall as a form of temporary support.
Aimee chuckles sweetly as she stood up. She took the long coat from her uncle's hand and places the cane onto it as she wrapped her arm beneath his ribs to help him up. "I think the occasion is special enough for it. You did wear the tuxedo for Annabelle's wedding."
"I surely did!"
"So this occassion shouldn't be any different."
"But I may be among draenei and elves. Don't they traditionally wear robes? I know nothing of them besides their health..."
"You're being fussy."
"I am not!"
The girl smiles as she takes the second coat to hang it from the rack. "Take it easy, Uncle. We don't even have a date. If anything, you should think about how to sneak out of here. How long has it been since you've left Hearthglen?"
Dino's unmasked visage turned to face the fair lady. His deformed eyes turned to the floor as his chest heaves. He leans away from the wall and hobbles forward, a hand stretched to his bed as he makes his way to its edge. Turning around, he seats himself, the mattress sinking slightly as he leaned forward. His lips purse as his brows furrow, his mind lost in contemplation.
"Uncle Dino?"
"Aimee. I've been thinking. Would you like to leave Hearthglen?"
"Well, I don't think I received the invite. Miss Xanthe doesn't even know m-"
"No, no. I mean leave it. For good."
Aimee's eyes widened. "W-well, I... I don't know where I'd-"
"Kul Tiras."
The girl stared forward at her uncle. "Isn't.... that where you're from?"
"It is where I was born, yes."
"I thought you hated it there."
"I hated my father. I hated home. The Galleani mansion is most likely not there anymore. But..."
"But....what?"
Dino looked out the window. Despite the deformity of his face, the sorrow in his expression is clear. "I'm tired of running and hiding, Aimee. I'm tired of hiding truths and running from them. Hearthglen and the Argent Crusade have been merciful and kind, and I am eternally in deep gratitude for their protection and amnesty. But I am cooped up in here. I am hiding and have been hiding since I ran away ten years ago. I changed my name six times before I took up my current one in Stormwind. I was miserable within the bowels of the Galleani home, and though my current one cannot measure to how
caged I was then..." He paused as he takes a deep breath. "I can't stay here. I feel like I've overstayed my welcome. I hate running, but I hate staying in one place as well."
The girl moves to sit by her uncle. Her hands move to his as she squeezes gently, not at all minding the rough ulcers that plagued his skin. Her hands wrap around his fingers as a smile lights up on Aimee's face. "I understand, Uncle. I understand entirely."
"I can show you around. I'm not familiar with the place anymore like I was when my sister showed me, though..."
"We can explore Kul Tiras together!"
"Yes... that sounds like a plan."
"When can we leave?"
Dino released Aimee's hand to place a finger onto his crooked chin. "Perhaps after Miss Xanthe and Mr. Kapre's wedding? I will ask when the wedding will be, then we can make a trip. We'll travel together. I'm sure they won't mind you attending if I ask to bring you as a guest."
"That would be splendid, Uncle! But..."
"But what?"
"Oh, nothing. I.... I should contact Varjot." Aimee's voice stammered as she mentioned the orc's name, her shoulders raised. Her face turned a little pink.
Dino frowned. "All right. Explain to me why I sometimes see that orc scrambling about outside my house on occasion."
"He wants to visit!"
"He could
knock on my door."
Aimee raises her hands as to change the subject. "Scrambling! You reminded me! I was working on the project I've been on since I got here."
"Hm? What do you mean"
"Come downstairs and I'll show you, Uncle!"
A soft light glowed brighter within the lamp as Aimee assists her uncle down to the laboratory basement. Dino could barely keep himself upright as he almost crawls his way downstairs. "Tell me, Aimee, come on. I wish to know what this is."
"Close your eyes and you'll see, Uncle!"
"But it's dark down here!"
"Turn to the side."
"But I-"
Aimee pushes forth a chair for Dino to sit on. She assists him down. "Just sit here and turn to the side. Let me get it." She places the lamp down.
The man chortles as he turns his head. He even adds to this by actually closing his eyes. "Fine, fine. Surprise me, my dear."
Aimee quickly scuttles to a table. A cloth was laid over what can be assumed to be tinkered contraptions underneath. She grips the edges and carefully pulls it forward, a scraping sound produced by the dragging feet. She is careful, however, to not make any scratches. "Okay, turn your head!" she says as she places the feet down. As Dino would turn his head, the cloth was yanked out. Dino couldn't believe his eyes.
"Braces...."
"Robotic braces, Uncle. Take a look!"
Dino leaned forward to hold onto one delicately. It was composed of many different parts--sturdy rods for support, springs for shock absorption, nuts and bolts for articulation, and so forth. The doctor examined the straps intended to secure the braces. "Gnomish?"
"Most definitely. I mostly took inspiration from schematics used to articulate battle suits."
"Aimee, I love this..."
"Do you really?"
"All this attention to detail. These springs, the wires, the coils.... but..."
Aimee's tone drops as she anticipates disappointment. "But...?"
"I want to walk with my own legs. My own two legs, my dear."
"Uncle, your muscles have atrophied. You can barely stand without a cane."
"I can rebuild muscle mass!"
"Then use these to enhance it. Come on, Uncle, at least give them a try!"
Dino looks upon the braces once more. He hesitates, as though his mind is brimming with words to say, yet none are reaching his mouth for release. He looks towards the girl. Hazel eyes, ashen blond hair. A heart-shaped head with a small button nose and delicate lips. The much older man scanned over the young girl's face, seeing not just the young tinker, but especially the face of his mother. Aimee's grandmother. "You're just like her."
"Like who?"
"Marta Perin."
"Your mother."
"And your grandmother."
Aimee stares a little. "No... she isn't. She's not my fathers' mother."
"You're right, she isn't." Dino smiles as his heart swelled. At last, the courage to confess is finally his. "Neither Teobaldo nor Benedetto Galleani are your biological father."
The girl becomes deathly quiet. "W-what do you mean? Who is really my father?"
Before Dino would say another word, the front door outside the basement bore hurried, harried banging. "Doctor Galleani! Doctor Galleani!"
The doctor grumbles as he exhales sharply. "What is it?!"
"I'm Lieutenant Sawyer! We have an emergency at Darrowmere Lake and we need you immediately!"
Dino looked up with great alarm. He turns to Aimee, his face contorting with urgent concern. She, thankfully, understood the urgency of the situation. "I'll get the door. You get ready, Uncle."
"Yes, yes. I will." Dino gets up from his chair as Aimee scrambles upstairs. He reaches for one of his masks hanging from the wall before preparing his medical kit.
As soon as she reached the front door, Aimee swung it open. Right outside the door are four armored men bearing the Argent Crusade tabard. Two of them wore helms that covered their faces. "The Doctor is getting his medical supplies right now," Aimee reports. "What's the emergency?"
"Undead from the Andorhal Ruins attacked a caravan carrying supplies. Four are not responding to Light magic. One of those four has a severed hand."
"Uncle, you'll need a pickling jar!" Aimee calls out to the back. She wasn't sure if that's the right term for it.
"My lady," the man who identified himself as Lieutenant Sawyer steps forward. "We could use your help as well."
"Really?"
"You are the Doctor's assistant, are you not?"
"I'm not exactly, but..." Aimee stuttered anxiously. "If you feel the Doctor needs an assistant, then... would he?"
"Four are dying, and one is bleeding from the stump of his hand. We know basic first aid, but our own efforts in saving these men, even with Light magic, are..."
"I understand. I only know basic first aid too, but.... if my Uncle needs me, I'll help him. Where exactly are the victims?"
"They were on their way to the fork when the plagued dead got to them first. They're dangerously close to the Andorhal Ruins, but we've secured them safely as far as we could along the lake. We just need a doctor."
"Then I will get ready too."
"Thank you, Miss."
Six horses. Two of the riders being that of Doctor Geraldino "Dino" Galleani. The other being his 'niece', Aimee Herzog. Both of them carried enough medical supplies to care for four emergency victims. They had no idea, however, of what is to happen.
Six horses. Six minus two equals four. Four riders, all armored and bearing counterfeit tabards of the Argent Crusade. Underneath the gauntlets are leather red gloves, stained from red before.
Beneath two helms were the icy blue eyes of the dead. Their eyes latched onto the doctor like those of a mongoose upon a serpent.
"We should have ended things as we should have twenty years ago."