It was a restless night for Leyla, who after separating Bitey and poor Dagnip had been immediately ambushed by Braelyn.

After explaining the events that unfolded in the Highlord's study, both of them seemed to think of every possible explanation that it could possibly be. Yet, they still felt like they were going in circles.

"well," Braelyn started slowly as she and Leyla made their way from the mess hall, "Don't know why… so what about where?"

Leyla frowned as she once more went over the conversation in her head. "No, nothing about that either."

"Well where could he possible go that he would need you, an argent crusade paladin that is, as a guide?"

"Hrmmm…."

"Maybe he's an Ambassador and you'll have to escort him to Stormwind!"

"Light I hope not! Then I'd be obligated to go see my parents and could you imagine what they would say if they found out that I was escorting a member of the Horde around?" Leyla's from quickly went into a grimace at that thought.

"Well, it's not like your parents could mad at you for simply doing your job!" Braelyn retorted, still so baffled by someone's parents, especially Leyla's could sound so… unpleasant.

Leyla scoffed and shook her head. "Trust me," she said in oddly soft voice, "they've been enraged about far less things." A distant look now lingered in the Paladins eyes.

Both women walked in silence, Braelyn unsure how to continue, although she considered Leyla a good friend, the Paladin had never really opened up about her past. Except for the occasional happy memory, like her Paladin training in Northshire, she really didn't know that much except that she had really awful parents.

Before Braelyn could go to speak again, Leyla cut her off. "It's getting late Braelyn, and I have a feeling that I'm going to have to get up early tomorrow."

"Oh well, if you your sur-"

"Yes I'm sure, good night." And with that, she abruptly turned and walked away to her room. Braelyn was a bit hurt at the sudden dismissal, but Leyla had a lot on her plate right now. Sighing, she made her way to her own quarters.

Well, as grumpy as this Arsiok seemed he couldn't be that bad if Geyla was conformable with him and Leyla traveling together alone…. right?

Grumbling, Leyla flipped onto her back for what seemed like the millionth time and started at the celling. After abruptly leaving Braelyn, she had returned to her room and promptly crawled into her bunk, not paying her two roommates, a gnome and night elf, any mind. For their part, they ignored it, use to Leyla's 'brooding periods' as they secretly called it.

Leyla hoped sleep would help ease her troubled mind, but no such luck. What little sleep she got was restless and plagued by the same questions she had in her waking hours.

Sighing once more, Leyla gave up on getting any remaining sleep and rose up checking out the window to see if was light out yet.

Whipping away the thin layer of condensation, she could see that it was close to morning but not quite, another ten minutes or so till sunrise.

A thought drifted into her mind, a custom she had picked up from another paladin, one that always helped her clear her mind, and boy did she ever need that today.

Still moving stealthy, she crossed the room to pick up her cloak but as she did, she caught sight of her appearance in the mirror.

Her long red hair that she took she care to always have perfectly combed and set into a high bun, was dishevelled and messy. Her face was haggard from lack of sleep and her vivid green eyes had deep bags under them. Altogether, she looked like a mess… or a crazy person. She could hear her mother's enraged tone in her head, telling her that a lady would never leave her room or house looking in such a state.

The thought made her hesitate a bit… but if she waited any longer she would miss it…

Well, its not like there would be anyone to notice anyway, most of the guards would be half asleep anyways, so no one would see her.

Resolve once again firming, she grabbed her cloak and quickly wrapped it around her shoulders to keep her warm in the morning chill and to hide the view of her bed clothes.

Quietly, she slipped out of her room and made her way into the depth of the keep.

By then time she made her way to the upper outer ramparts of the keep, the sky was already a dull grey, just on the cusp of dawn.

Smiling that she made it in time, she shifted closer to the ledge so she could get a better view.

Only to find the stone she stepped on gave way beneath her.

Cursing and flailing, she felt herself lurch forward over the edge and toward the ground below.

'God damn lazy maintenance workers!' she cursed inwardly as she started to call on the light to cast a protective shield around her. It would be enough to keep her from being killed, but not strong enough to prevent something being broken.

As the final blessed words were on her lips, she felt something latch onto her cloak and jerk her backwards onto the hard stones.

Slightly dazed she looked up to see her savior.

Only to see a very annoyed Arsiok staring down at her.

"Arsiok?" she questioned, surprise evident in her still sleep hoarse voice.

At the sound of his name the orc stilled and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, it's you."

'Well good morning to you too.' Leyla thought getting slowly to her feet.

Still glaring at her he scoffed, "humph, saw you slink up here and thought maybe an idiotic homeless wanderer had wandered in."

She smiled at this, because light, she certainly knew she looked the part. "Well, as you can see I am no homeless wanderer."

"But you are an idiot." He continued harshly. "What the hell are you doing up here paladin?"

"Waiting." She said simply, trying to appear unfazed by the orc's usual rudeness.

"For what?" he snapped, clearly already growing annoyed by the paladin.

Before Leyla could retort, she saw it, the suns bright rays began to slowly peak over the hill tops and through the clouds.

"For that." She said turning her attention fully toward the quickly spreading sunrise.

The light danced across all that it touched, burning away the early morning the fog and seeming to set the sky on fire with its brilliant rays.

For a moment, both Shaman and Paladin watched the beautiful sunrise in blissful silence… but Arsiok broke it with another scoff.

"You nearly broke your neck to watch the damn sunrise?"

"well," Leyla began slowly, "not just that but to reflect on a lesson another paladin, a Tauren paladin," she added seeing him start to roll his eyes," once taught me."

"A Tauren?" he asked. All the bite gone from his voice, now replaced with genuine curiosity.

She nods before continuing "yes, the Tauren call the sun as An'she, the right eye of their great Earth Mother. It is a small part of a whole being, yet it plays it important purpose." She said, smiling warmly as she fondly remembered the talks with the kindly paladin.

"And?" he asked, trying his best to sound nonchalant, but she could see the interest in his eyes.

"To the Tauren's An'she's light is sacred, the rays of first dawn being most sacred, and often used for periods of reflection and focus as they remind themselves of the cycle of the sun and the light."

The sun has reached the keep fully now, lighting up her face and her hair, making it look like living flame. She drew a deep breath before continuing.

"Even though the light will eventually give way to night, they take solace in the fact that it is never truly gone, but will always return and bring with it a new day, a new dawn. Thus the cycle of light, cycle of the world." She finished softly.

Arsiok appeared thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. "Don't you humans have much more boring and identical saying? 'It's always darkest before the dawn' or some crap like that?"

"I'm pretty sure that saying originated from the Tauren somehow, I doubt humans could ever think of something like that on their own." The sentence is out her mouth before she even knows she says it as she turned to face him.

"Well it wouldn't be the first time humans stole something and tried to take credit for it." He remarked, but the statement lacked any venom and Leyla could see the subtle upturn on his lips from her statement.

Turning away from the sunrise he shifts to the paladin studying him quietly and frowns. "You should get back to your room for anyone sees you and mistake you for riffraff like I did."

"That bad?" she grimaced.

"You look like shit." He stated bluntly and honestly.

"Well, I'm not a morning person." She smiled weakly, now again self-conscious of her appearance.

"Hate to see how you deal with morning guard duty then."

"I've been fortunate enough to find a way to get out of it every time I had for the last month."

"Oh?" he asked, obviously not really caring as his gaze had once again moved back to the sunrise.

"mhm, I bribe my gnome roommate with my pudding at dinner for the next two months. She'll honestly do anything for the stuff." Once again Leyla found herself inwardly cursing herself for speaking without thinking again. She had to try not to flinch as Arsiok gaze swept back to her.

'What is with this orc?' she huffed 'why does he keep making me slip up like this?' she was quickly drawn from her mussing by a sound she did not expect to hear, a sight she did expect to see.

Arsiok was laughing.

It was a rich, oddly uplifting sound, as he deep voice resonated the outer keep, before finally subsiding with a small smile on his face.

"I know you did not mean to be funny, but a gnome and pudding sounds oddly comical." It was amazing how much his voice changed from when she first met him yesterday, now it was full of warmth and mirth, and oddly, did more to soothe Leyla's nerves and frazzled thoughts more the sunrise had.

"Well, it kind of does when you mention it." She could not help but to smile as well.

They watched in silence for a couple minutes before Leyla felt bold enough to speak again.

"So, do you have any customs like this?" she asked hesitantly, not wanting to step on any toes.

"Orc customs you mean?" he asked turning to look at her again.

"No, I mean Shaman customs actually." She finished and looked at him hopefully, only to shirk back.

Too late, she realized that somehow she crossed a line. His eyes were now guarded; the slight smile had faded from his lips.

"I should think that is none of your business, human. Keep your questions and curiosities to yourself and do not bother me such petty inquiries." and he spoke no longer with warmth, but in the same cold, dismissive voice he had yesterday.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and left, leaving Leyla alone in the growing sunrise, wondering what she did to set him off.

'Well,' she thought dryly, 'so much for a good start.'

Not long after Arsiok's abrupt departure, Leyla returned to her rooms, intent on getting some answers today about Hearthglen's unusual guests.

After she had properly gotten dressed in her standard crusader armor she quickly met up with Braelyn for breakfast. Breakfast its self was uninteresting fare, as both had given up on brainstorming possible ideas for why the orcs where here. Plus, even though she looked somewhat better, Leyla still felt bleary eyed and exhausted, it mostly pride that kept her falling face first into her oatmeal.

Just as they were leaving the mess, one of Tirion's personal guards approached Leyla.

"Lady Leyla, both the Highlord and the honorable Shaman Geyla are waiting for you in the Highlord's study."

Nodding to the guard, Leyla quickly turned and made her way toward the path that lead to the keep, but not before sending a slight reassuring smile to Braelyn.

"It's going to be fine, I have a feeling the orc isn't as bad as he makes himself out to be."

This earned a confused look from the hunter, but before she could press for details, Braelyn was swept away by the sea of other Crusaders leaving the mess.

Chuckling, Leyla turned and went on her way, knowing full well that she would be ambushed latter for further information.

For some reason Leyla couldn't place, she didn't share with Braelyn what happened on the ramparts this morning. Heck, she wasn't sure it did happen.

And to speak of it would feel…odd.

No, for now Leyla was content with the knowledge that Arsiok wasn't as bad as she thought, maybe this trip would be pleasant for both of them after all. Smiling at that thought, Leyla continued on her way, her footsteps feeling a little lighter.

Leyla was still smiling when she reached the study and made her way inside, seeing the Highlord and the elder Shaman bent over a map, but surprisingly, (and secretly disappointingly,) no Arsiok.

Her smile quickly faded once she saw the Elder's face though. She looked even worse off than Leyla, even slightly swaying on her feet.

"Ah, good you're here." She began warmly seeing the other paladin enter the room and beckoned her over to where she stood.

"Elder Geyla," Leyla said slowly as she approached, now getting more concerned for the health of the Shaman the closer she got, "are you certain you wish to discuss plans now? I'm perfectly fine waiting until the afternoon if you are still fatigued."

"That's kind of you to offer young one, but I'm afraid time is not a luxury I can afford at the moment."

"May I ask why that is Elder?" Leyla felt her confusion returning.

Seeing her confusion the elder shaman nodded and continued on, even though exhaustion laced her voice. "I should start, by outlining the reason for our abrupt appearance and urgency."

Drawing a deep breath, she continued. "As you are well aware… the situation is… tense to put it mildly in Durotar right now. It is not an easy place to be for someone who supports Vol'jin…. or a shaman. Normally, shaman from all walks of the Horde can communicate with the elements quite freely, but thanks to Garrosh's idiocy, that is not currently possible." A spark of anger lights up Geyla's eyes at the mention of the Horde's current Warchief.

"Those wretched dark shamans have been torturing the elements, bending them horribly so that they are broken and obey them, rather than ask them for aid."

Leyla grimaces at this, she knew Hellscream was brutal, but this? She couldn't but help shake her head in disgust.

"Unfortunately… the shamans influence is effect normal shaman too."

"What do you mean?"

Geyla hesitated before continuing. "We are unable to commune with the elements as we once were, even Thrall is having difficulties."

"The elements have been a major guiding force for the orcs for a very long time, especially after the fall of the concentration camps so many years ago. To us, they are a major part of our culture, as much as our ideals of strength and honor." A troubled look was shadowing the elder's face as she continued her explanation.

"To have our bonds obscured like this is… concerning to say the very least."

"What if those affected were to leave Durotar? Would the bonds not remerge in time?"

Geyla shook her head, "it's more than the bonds being obscured, it the lingering effects that are most damning. The experience has left shaman shaken and their faith in the elements shaken, making them easy targets for Hellscream's manipulation."

The troubled look on her face quickly transformed into one of pure anger, one that made Leyla instinctively flinch.

"He and his dark Shaman dogs claim the elements will not answer us because we lack the will to subjugate them as they do."

"That's bullshit!" Leyla exclaimed, once more forgetting her Lady training, so enraged by this vile attempt at propaganda.

Geyla did not seem to notice Leyla's lack of Lady Etiquette but nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, the tactics have little sway on the elders such as myself, but the young ones are a different story…" Her face once more became deeply troubled and her grip on the map table became so tight Leyla could hear the groaning of the wood under her grip from where she stood.

"They… are… unfortunately… easily swayed to Hellscream's ways. To have their bonds all but severed only to see Hellscream's lackeys call on the elements with such ease… they start to think that might does equal right."

Instantly, Leyla's mind flashed to the scene on the ramparts earlier, how Arsiok immediately became cold and defensive as soon as she mentioned Shamanism.

"So, Arsiok?" she asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer, but wanting confirmation.

"Yes, even though he has yet to admit it, I as well as several others suspect that he is being tempted to the ways of a dark Shaman." A look of pure anguish crossed the old orc's face.

"So… why bring him here?"

"Even though the bounds are obscured, they are still there; most of the young ones are simply too impatient to see it. But, by bringing him here, to the other side of the world, he stands a better chance to get back on his feet, without Hellscream or his lackeys whispering from the shadows causing him to doubt."

"This journey is a pilgrimage of sorts for him, it is to regain his connection with the elements and more importantly, restore faith in himself. In order to achieve this, it is imperative that he take only the bare essentials, meaning nothing magical that can interfere and no mounts either, it is important that he stay as close to the earth as possible. It is my hope that he will make some peace at least and that our brothers in the Twilight Highlands can aid him in the rest of the way."

"So the ultimate destination is the Shaman enclave in the Twilight Highlands?" Leyla asked as she bent over the map, looking at the routes that they would have to take while a small frown creased her face.

"The most directs routes lead right through Horde territory. I do not mean to question your judgment, honored Shaman, but wouldn't it be more effective for him to travel with a Crusader who has ties to the Horde, maybe another Shaman or Orc?"

"Oh child, I had little choice in the matter of deciding his travel partner."

Lelya's head jerked up at this, startled by the Shamans words.

"Pardon?"

Geyla simply started back with a unsettling unreadable expression, one that Leyla felt pluck at her very soul.

"Who…?"

But before she could ask, the door was thrown open and Leyla's night elf roommate stood there panting as if out of breath.

"Sorry, for the, ah, intrusion, H-highlord, but there's an urgent matter that Leyla needs to attend to."

Tirion, who for most part had been thoughtful silent, immediately sprang into action, alert at the obvious distress in the night elf's voice.

"What is it?" he demanded sharply.

She took a couple mouthfuls of air before she spoke again, but when she did, Leyla was torn between bashing her head against the wall and sprinting out of the keep.

"It's Braelyn Hawke." She paused for a moment as Leyla swore under breath, something about 'damn hunters'.

"She… seems to be… in a bit of incident and is dealing with a very angry orc."

"One of ours?" Tirion asked sternly and the elf shook her head.

"No sir, it's the other Shaman that came to us yesterday."

"Damn boy!" Geyla swore loudly.

The elf's eyes quickly flicked back to Leyla, urgency written all over her face.

"You're good at defusing situations like this! Please hurry Leyla! I do not know the details but my instincts tell me that she is in great danger near him in the state he's in!"

'Sprinting out of the keep it is.' Leyla thought as she ran as fast as she could, praying to the Light that Brae wouldn't do something to aggravate the Arsiok more before she got there.

Woof! this chapter changed waaaaaay more then I orginally planned, but im still happy with the results. I know i promised more Brae, Mythique, but by time i got to this point i thought adding that might make it too long. plus, build suspense, cause im evil like dat. :)

Arsiok wasn't nearly a big a dick as i originally planned and im sure many of you are going 'aww, hes just a big softie thats going through a rough spot!' yaaaaaaaaa, hold onto that thought and see if you still think that way after seeing him next chapter.

*special note: the lovely and super awesome AMCM74 has drawn a picture of my main toon, my mage Chelinka! who also appears in her story 'Echo of the Lions Roar' and she has been awesome enough let me use it! :D even thou part of the pic is cut off (damn it image manger) i still love it sooooooo! go check it out on the devi!*

next chapter: Leyla tries her best to get to Braelyn before things go from bad to worse, but someone unexpected steps in! Will they be enough to calm the Shaman's wrath, or will they be scraping Brae and her defender off the pavement?