"Here you go miss" the sailor called down to the hooded figure as he set down her bag. "Mind if I ask what business you have here in Stormwind elf?" the hooded figure smiled softly.
"Just visiting an old friend" the sailor gave her a curious look. What kind of friends would a night elf have in the human capital?
"Bah, well whatever you are doing I would hurry it up. Not too many people here are entirely comfortable with you and your kind."
"And what have my kind and I ever done to humans beside help? We fought with you humans and helped in your wars. If your people don't like us, then perhaps we shall leave you to your business and we shall not further involve ourselves in the affairs of your kind."
"I meant no offense m-""You entirely meant offense with your comment, the other sailors placed bets to see if you could goad me into using my… abilities. You thought the best approach would be to anger me, thinking I would lose control of my sense and would demonstrate my powers to your friends. However to your disappointment I am no fool, and have been aware of the crews disdain for me since I arrived aboard. Be thankful that I and kinder than others of my people." She gave the sailor one last look before stepping off the rickety boat onto the slippery dock.
"Careful miss" called the sailor "Wouldn't want you to fall." She turned back to face him giving him a soft smile, knowing that she could easily handle herself in a city such as this. To prove so she ran quickly down the dock and with a quick jump into the air she swiftly transformed into a large panther and quickly dashed away from the boats and sailors. Through this little trick she caught a lot of looks from the humans and dwarfs that littered the streets, but the druid paid no attention to them. Her only thought was on the great cathedral that towered above the buildings in the grand city. Within just a few minutes she had reached the decorated steps of the magnificent building. Changing back to her elven form she walked quietly into the large building.
The night elf inspected the grand white halls of the sacred church thoroughly; wondering how much has changed since the last time she had been there. She noticed some of the destruction the mad aspect Deathwing caused during his little "visit" to the city. She frowned at this thought, was this the right time to come here? Would her friend even help her? She sighed and continued on through the cathedral, quietly passing through the halls she bowed her head to each priest she saw. When it became evident to her that she could not find the one she sought she respectfully approached a nearby priestess.
"I apologize priestess but it seems that I cannot find a comrade of mine and I was wondering if you could perhaps help?" the priestess turned from her meditation to answer the druid, but when the human saw her face she gasped in surprise.
"It can't be! Adeillinde? Is that you? Oh where have you been all these years?" Adeillinde smiled at the girl.
"Oh you know the usual annoying quest that takes you across all of Azeroth. How are you Alissa? How is Khai, and what have you been up too since I last saw you? I do not remember you as a priestess of the light."
Alissa smiled softly "Just this and that, shortly after Deathwing came I joined the priesthood to help Stormwind heal from the horrors of that monster. I have journeyed to Westfall and beyond to help heal the world and its people. My brother wishes for me to become a paladin like him, but I could never do that. I use the light to heal, not to kill."
"Speaking of your brother…" Alissa shifted uncomfortably under Adeillinde's gaze.
"You just missed him." "What?" Alissa sighed, then motioned for Adeillinde to follow. Alissa led her into a private room and shut the door behind them. "What is with the secrecy? Why is Khaidevon not here? Where is your brother? I wish to know."
"Well, the King has declared war on the Horde. My brother was one of the first to volunteer."
"Of course" Adeillinde said "Its in his nature to fight." Alissa shook her head.
"That may be so but I do not want this. I do not want this war or what comes with it. I would prefer him to be board or even run around doing oddball things, but this could mean his death, it could mean many deaths from both sides. Who knows come the end of this month we all could be dead and the world empty!" Alissa seethed with anger, and grew louder with each word as she spoke. Adeillinde placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. She knew what Alissa had experienced over the years. Losing her father in the fight against Arthas, leaving her and her brother all alone had devastated her even more so when Khaidevon took up sword and shield to fight the undead hordes of northerend. The night elf was grateful in some ways that he had fought for she would never had met him otherwise. The only thing Alissa could take solace in was the fact that he was a paladin, therefore better suited for battle then the average warrior. "You seemed surprised he is not here." Alissa said worrying about the grave look of the druids pale face.
"I expected for him to be here. Not in that blasted place Pandaria, not fighting the Horde."
"You did not know that there was a war?" Alissa asked quietly.
"I had heard rumors, but I did not pursue upon them. I often avoid the bustling crowds of cities, instead enjoying the comfort of the lonely woods."
"So you are here for a reason then? To drag my brother off on another adventure then?"
"If I had found him, yes, I would have done so, however if I cannot enlist his aid then I must leave."
"You're leaving? You just got here how could you leave so soon?" Alissa cried. Adeillinde sighed; the human was hoping that she would stay at least for a little while longer. She could understand the human's aggravation, living all alone was something the poor girl was not yet accustomed to and she was obviously concerned about her brother. To leave now would be cruel.
"I suppose I could leave in the morning." The girl smiled with glee and hugged the druid tighly.
"Thank you!" she squeaked "You can stay at my home, we shall leave immediately." Adeillinde was greatly surprised by this.
"You would leave your post so easily?" she asked.
"Oh no I wasn't on duty when you came in I was just praying, so come on there is a lot I want to show you!" the human cried with joy as she grabbed the night elf by the hand dragging her out the cathedral and to her home.
"Uh, where exactly is your home in Stormwind?" Adeillinde asked as she struggled against the tiny girls iron grip.
"Old Town, you'll love it. It's not as nice as some of the nobles houses but its still really nice. The barracks and stables are down there now. Quite lovely really, if Khai were here he would show you all the good pubs him and his friends go to."
"I don't drink." However she doubted that the girl had heard her as she gave the druid a tour of the human place called Old Town. Adeillinde was disappointed to say the least, the rest of the city was crafted with beautiful white stones and glimmering deep blue tiles, complete with roadways that were carefully crafted with expert technique. Old Town was opposite in comparison, with faded old brown tiled roofs that were coming apart, and the white stones that were used to construct them were no longer a pristine white but a dusty and dirty gray. She realized why they called it Old Town, but did not know why anyone would want to live here.
"Here we go!" the human announced cheerfully "Home sweet home." Adeillinde could agree that this is her home but there was nothing sweet about it, and by the Goddess there was that smell. She often wondered if humans had such dull sense of smell because of how they reeked. "Come on, I'll show you around." Adeillinde entered the home after a moment of hesitation, unsure of how her comrade would feel about her presence in his home. "I know it's not much but I like it, I have so many memories here I could never leave." Adeillinde looked around the house finding that there were not many personal items, and only two bedrooms with a small kitchen. "This room is mine the other is Khai's, he took dad's room after he died."
"Is that a portrait of your family?"
"Uh yes, that's us when we were little. Mom was still alive back then I remember dad telling us he spent almost a fortune to get that painted, he said he wanted us to have something to look back on during the days when they were no longer here. I always thought that was a silly thing until now. I'm grateful that he had that made, it could soon be the only thing I have left of Khaidevon as well." Alissa sobbed.
"Hey, now don't think like that those bad thoughts aren't good for you. Your brother will come back, and he will do so in one piece. Everything will be fine, besides as hardheaded as your brother is I doubt anything could take him out." Adeillinde put a comforting hand on Alissa's shoulder. She hated seeing the girl look so sad.
"You can sleep in Khai's room tonight. I'll make you some breakfast before you leave." Alissa said "You should be able to get good night's sleep for once. I know traveling by boat isn't exactly peaceful, and knowing you, it probably was worse than usual." Adeillinde smiled at the young girl who knew her so well. "Speaking of sleep" Alissa yawned and stretched "I think it's best for us to get to bed. As much as I don't want to leave I know you will go whether or not I like it. Seeing as you have some important mission to complete it would be best not to keep you up either."
"Alissa" Adeillinde called "When does Khai come home from his deployment?"
"He is supposed to return by the end of the month." The druid could hear the doubt in her voice and it pained her to see the human like this. Alissa gave a curt nod and went into her room closing the curtain that she used as the door. Adeillinde sighed and went into her friend's room and closed the curtain. She inspected the sparse room, seeing that Khai had even less decorations in this room than the rest of the house did. Maybe it could be because that this was his father's room, or it could be that Khai just doesn't know how to liven up a home. She smiled at this setting her few possessions in the corner before proceeding to the bed. Lying down on the scratchy wool sheets she knew that there was no way she could possibly get any rest tonight. In truth she was worried. She had expected to be off by now and to have her friend by her side, like the days when they fought the scourge together. She was upset that he had gone to war without telling her, but then again she hadn't exactly stayed in cities long enough for him to talk by letter so they had drifted some over the years. When she had received her assignment from the moonglade druids she had hoped that her friend would be able to help, but now that she knew that he wasn't here she was frightful of going on this expedition on her own and could not trust the information to anyone else. Adeillinde could wait till Khaidevon returned but if she did so it would likely be problematic for all of Azeroth. Agitated she stood and paced around the room. She had to get to the Wetlands and she had to do so quickly, otherwise all of Azeroth would suffer. "Khai, why did you have to go and play hero?" she once again sighed. She went over and grabbed her things and headed for the front door. Adeillinde hesitated when she reached the doorway glancing back at Alissa who has been nothing but kind since her unusual arrival.
She knew it was wrong to leave without some sort of note but every second she lingered she wasted precious time that she could use to save lives. She gave one last look back at the young girls bedroom, and finally decided to head out before her guilt got the better of her. She walked with a slow pace through the streets and with one final thought she steeled herself, Adeillinde continued on with her long journey to the dangers of the Wetlands.