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Magic in the Air
/ "We have arrived, Matriarch."
A fairly tall Blood Elf woman – standing a head over her kin –, with auburn hair in a ponytail and bangs nearly covering her left eye, and a fair complexion, turned towards her company and curtly nodded. Her golden eyes – still gleaming with green underneath the chrome surface – shifted their attention back to the impressive building up ahead, surrounded by a ridge and a shimmering lake befitting the land of Suramar and the building itself.
Liadrin graciously stepped down from her mount, her journey over for the time being. Her destination was the estate of the First Arcanist, the now-leader of the Nightborne. The two had worked together not too long ago, freeing Suramar City of demon-worshippers and redeemed the people from the magic-addiction that had once threatened them.
Together with the Horde Champion – a fellow Blood Knight woman named Arya with pitch-black hair – Liadrin walked over to the small boat that carried them to the estate, admiring the lush waters and impressive nature (it wasn't nearly as beautiful as Quel´Thalas, but impressive nonetheless) until they reached the abode where their hostess was already waiting. Without guards, the Blood Knight Matriarch noted.
´Either she's overly trusting or confident in her own powers,´ she mused. She knew first-hand what the First Arcanist was capable of.
Their hostess, a Nightborne woman with dark blue/purplish-grey complexion. She was taller than Liadrin, with long ears – long for an elf of any kind – jutted out of her hood she wore out of preference. The arcanist wore elegant yet simple clothes that showed off her thighs and most of her legs, the dress only covering her torso and waist. Like many Nightborne, she wore no footwear, instead only wearing simple ankle-guards.
The Blood Elf knight quickly eyed the Arcanist over, appreciating what she saw; her hostess was a woman of beauty and Liadrin had come to terms with that since day one. The people called her "Lily" or "Dusk Lily" and with good reason; she was as beautiful as said flower, and flowers should only be admired, not touched.
So why did the Blood Knight have so much internal struggle to keep her hands away whenever they met?
"Greetings, Lady Liadrin," the Nightborne woman welcomed, her voice smooth and alluring. "Champion." She nodded towards the raven-haired elf with a smile. "Welcome back to Suramar. I am pleased to receive you under more…" Her gaze was directed towards Liadrin as she continued. "Pleasant circumstances."
"It is good to see your city free, First Arcanist," she replied with a hint of a smile.
The Nightborne reciprocated the expression. "For that, we owe you both a great debt. You proved instrumental to our cause."
"The Horde was proud to fight by your side against the Burning Legion, my lady."
"I must admit, when I first learned of the Horde, I was sceptical that we would share common ground." The First Arcanis's lips twisted and she scowled, arms crossed. "I thought our kin from Kalimdor would make obvious allies. But their arrogance and mistrust soon proved otherwise."
She turned around to the centre of the veranda. With nothing but a simple gesture of her hands, magic formed out of thin air and took form; it was the Arcanist herself and the leader of the Kaldorei – Night Elves and what the Nightborne had once been, 10,000 years ago – Tyrande Whisperwind in the middle of an argument.
"Arcanist Thalyssra," Tyrande said. "I remember where your order stood in the War of the Ancients. How do we know you won't betray us and become the next Elisande…the next Azshara?"
Grand Magistrix Elisande – former ruler of Suramar City for 10,000 years. Before being disposed, she had lead the Nightborne with cruelty and uncaring actions that had innocent people nearly starving, and ultimately had allied herself with the demons she had once distrusted. An abuser of the people and magic alike.
Liadrin couldn't imagine what had gone through the Arcanist's mind when being compared to such a woman. And Azshara was hundred times worse.
Despite this, Thalyssra spoke calmly, "We do not intend to be slaves to the Nightwell. We seek to drive the Legion from Suramar and put an end to Elisande's oppression."
"The Kaldorei will fight to see the Legion defeated and the Nightwell destroyed. Beyond that… we shall see where Elune's wisdom guides us."
The magic dispersed and the Arcanist turned towards her guests. "It would seem that ´Elune's wisdom´guided her away from the bond we once shared. So be it."
Liadrin crossed her arms over her chest. "The Sin'dorei are also scorned by Tyrande and her prideful lot. Yet for many ages her people slept in dens or hid in trees while my people fought to save this world."
The Nightborne woman chuckled at that. "Indeed. The Alliance feels too walled off…too cloistered. My people will never endure such stagnation again." Her gaze never left the redhead Blood Elf, lips curling into a neat smile. "That is why I am grateful for your invitation to Silvermoon. I would like to inquire whether there could be a place for the Nightborne in your Horde."
"The Horde and Silvermoon would be honoured to accept and guide you along the right path, First Arcanist, and I'm sure the Reagent Lord will be pleased to learn of your interest" Liadrin replied.
"I am honoured that your Reagent Lord has extended an invitation to Silvermoon City, but I have but a single, humble request." Thalyssra's expression was unreadable at first but soon it became alluringly confident. "Would you care to give me a tour once we've met with your Reagent Lord?"
The Blood Knight blinked, lips slightly parted. Where had this come from?
Still, it was an opportunity that she couldn't afford to pass up.
"I would love to have that honour, my lady."
The Nightborne leader seemed extremely pleased
"Oh, and one more thing, Lady Liadrin."
"Yes, First Arcanist?"
"I prefer that my friends call me Thalyssra," she stated with a sultry, honeyed tone. The flirty smile on the First Arcanist's lips had heat spreading through Liadrin's face for the rest of the day that rivalled even Durotar's unforgiving sun./
x.x.x
Liadrin stirred in her slumber, the line between sleep and consciousness thin and fragile. She blinked, adjusting to the sunlight that filtered through the window. That dream had visited her again, even years later.
Feminine fingers played with the tip of her right ear and the Blood Elf allowed a pleased purr to rumble in her throat, the warmth of another suddenly noticeable and dearly appreciated when it pressed against her back. "Pleasant dreams, my love?"
"Very," she replied, ruby lips pursing into a smile. "I dream about when I visited you for an alliance."
"Again?" Somehow she didn't sound surprised.
"Your flirty smile that time still manages to make me fall for you all over again." Soft lips pressed against Liadrin's temple as fingers continued to play with her ear-tip. "Mmm…"
"It's good to hear I haven't lost my touch." She softly laughed, the sound relaxing and amiable. "Can we afford to lie in bed for the rest of the day?"
"If only it were so." The Blood Knight Matriarch groaned and slowly but surely rose up. The duvet slid off her body and exposed her nudity, ample breasts swaying slightly from the motions as she turned to the woman beside her, smiling. "Good morning, my dear."
"Good morning." Thalyssra joined the other elf, embracing her with her own bared body and larger chest pressed up against Liadrin, sealing their lips together in a chaste kiss. "I thought we had a day off?"
"We do," her lover reaffirmed. "But—"
The door swung open, startling the duo, and a smaller elf emerged from the doorway, still clad in her adorable gentle red and pink pyjamas with a beaming grin that could put the sun to shame.
"Mama! Mom!" the child exclaimed as she jumped into bed. "Today's the day, right?! We're going to see the Tauren Chieftains, right?!"
Liadrin huffed, cradling the child with a loving hug. "Calm yourself, Salandria. That's not due until tonight."
The Blood Elf child – Salandria, Liadrin's adopted daughter – pouted in an adorable kind of way. "But it's only morning! Can I stay in bed until tonight then?"
"Sweetheart, that's—"
"I second that notion," Thalyssra intervened with a playful smirk. "Go back to sleep, little Sun. Your mama and I will wake you when it's time to leave."
"Yay!" The child threw her hands up in the air. "Thanks Mom!"
Auburn eyebrow knitted together, lips drawing a thin line. "Now wait just—"
Laughing and brimming with energy, Salandria bounced out of bed and the room, the door closing in her wake. Liadrin sighed as Thalyssra chuckled and moved her left hand to play with auburn tresses and massage the scalp.
"Relax my love, we'll have her up and ready before long," the Arcanist reassured. "You can't blame me for wanting some more alone-time with you."
"I can, and I will." Despite her tone, Liadrin soon smiled if only a little. She shifted, moving long legs over her lover's and rested against the ashen-haired woman whom was leaning against the wall. "Hrmm…"
"Still not used to the contact?"
The Blood Elf gently shook her head. "I'm not the touchy-feely kind of person…But this is nice."
Thalyssra smiled, kissing her lover's brow. "What's on your mind, then?"
A sigh. "Nothing worth worrying about, really. Salandria has great potential as a Blood Knight, not to mention magical capacity. And while she seems dedicated, she still aspires to be a rockstar." Another sigh. "Vendel´o eranu, my dear."
The Nightborne woman gently laughed. "The little one has dreams, like all children. Maybe she will grow out of it – maybe she won't. I'm sure she can be a powerful Knight and a rockstar at the same time. But I'd be glad to take your mind off that for a while…"
Liadrin gasped as Thalyssra pushed her downwards, dusk-skinned body looming over the redhead. Dark lips clasped over ruby ones and the Blood Knight threw her arms around her lover's neck, pulling the taller woman closer with a muffled chuckle. The kiss stole her breath away like it always did.
Like it had done the very first time a few years ago, when whispered, cherished words was spoken and emotions brought to the surface. They were kindred spirits, united in mind, spirit, and body with a shared ancestry. They shined a light on each other's' weaknesses and amplified one another's' strengths.
It was what brought them together, and what kept them together for years to come.
But that's a tale for another time.