Chapter Two: I Just Wanted To Fish

Lion's Pride Inn, Goldshire, Elwynn Forest

The inn swelled with inhabitants of all races and proficiencies; Delaeda watched them scurry to and fro, observing the habits of these oddities. The hunter at the bar, another night elf like her, had just downed his eighth ale. By the fireplace, a gnome with a curly mustache was relentlessly attempting to woo a bashful, half-dressed human woman. In the chair next to her, a hefty draenei warrior had been smoking a pipe since sunset; as for her, Delaeda Oakshadow had been attempting to mend the half-torn sole of her left boot. She sat barefoot, one boot in her lap and the other on the floor next to her, in a simple green robe that almost matched her long, free-flowing bright green hair. Her pale purple skin was stretched taut on her face, her features the image of focus.

"You look to be working mighty hard over there."

She glanced up at the voice- the draenei- and continued to mend. "Yes, I am. Stormwind City lacks the upkeep it onces held, and a nail in the auction house floor broke my boot, I'm afraid. As I'm no tailor, this is not easily remedied."

"May I have a try at it?"

She glanced at him, a small, lopsided grin curving her mouth. "With your sizely hands, I'd imagine you have difficulty dealing with small things like needles."

He grinned heartily. "I assure you, I may be large, but I have no trouble with smaller… Things."

She laughed, passing him the boot and sewing kit. "Here, give it a go, Mister Big-and-Chivalrous."

"I assure you, chivalry is merely in my nature, as is being big. It's no tool of seduction."

She raised her eyebrows; he passed her the pipe and set to work on the boot. She placed it between her lips and asked, "What is it you're seducing me to do?"

"Only give me the pleasure of your company, of course. You're required to do nothing, least of all allow me to seduce you. However," he pulled the thread through in a flourishing motion, "You've only to ask and I shall seduce you thoroughly."

Before more words could be spoken, the hunter drinking himself into an Eternal Dream turned and shouted across the bar, "Del'da! Wher' your brother? He's always here-" hic! "-On Friday nights!"

Delaeda laughed. "Oh, he's off on some adventure, I'm sure, Juralen. Last he told me, Elune had sent him off to Silverpine Forest."

"You should bring 'im back! He's- so much fun to be around!" The night elf hiccuped again, so violently he nearly fell off the chair.

"Del'da, is it?" The draenei asked, handing the night elf girl a perfectly mended boot. She looked at it with surprise, her jaw dropping, and pulled the boot back onto her foot.

"Delaeda, actually," she corrected. "My friend at the bar is quite intoxicated and thus has been rendered incapable of proper speech."

"Is this a friend or a friend?" The draenei asked, and Delaeda smiled at him, somewhat surprised.

"Good sir, is that a hint of jealousy? You haven't known me long enough for all that, have you?"

"Jealousy? No, my good lady, it's only a natural aggression in response to the idea that a drunk had the opportunity to lay with such a fine woman, and yet I struggle to find my usual suaveness around her. To know that such low-seeming competition may have succeeded where I may not is a wound to my pride, and I am, therefore, entitled to a certain level of irritation."

"Well," Delaeda pulled her bootlaces tight and sat back, slinging one elbow over the back of her chair and facing the draenei more fully, "I can assure you he has not succeeded in accessing my 'small things', but you have so far proven adequate- let's find out if you're proficient, shall we? And perhaps in the morning, you can accompany me as I begin my journey to Silverpine. I've a missing sibling who I'd quite like you to meet."

x~x

Silverpine Forest - The Sepulcher

"Where's that self-righteous blood elf?"

Lynissara rolled over and sat up, sleep instantly gone as she called out, "For the last time, the spell 'Righteous Fury' does not make me self-righteous! Now what do you need?"

She grabbed her ax and clasped her cloak on; at this point, she slept fully-dressed. Stepping out, she saw the undead mail carrier at the mailbox. "Mail for you, miss."

She strode over, ignoring his comments about her being self-righteous, and grabbed the envelope and opened it, expecting something from her guild-master. Instead, she found a letter from an Aladey Goldsong. Curious, she sat down inside the inn and began to read.

Lynissara,

I apologize for not having written sooner; I only just learned of your existenee. Due to our complete lack of ever having met or written, I assume that you, also, never knew of our relation. My father was Reneiran Goldsong, and his sister was Aldonyca Redwind, your mother. My father wooed a poor farm girl and then, shortly after, disappeared. We never heard from him again; I don't know that he even knows of my existence.

I have recently been thrown out of the academy that held me while I was without family. After my mother died at age seven, I was left with only a delirious grandmother, and so I joined an academy of magic on scholarship. They realized I was of age and still had no money, and now I'm on my own. The problem is that my only belongings are from them, and the Headmaster requries that I return even the clothes on my back. I'd rather not run around nude, but as I had to borrow even the copper to send this letter, I don't have much choice. I hate for this to be the way we came into contact; I would rather be able to meet with you, bring you into the academy, sit you down for a meal- but I'm poor, and I've heard you may be able to help me some. I will repay you every copper I earn once I have any to spare, but please, cousin- help me.

I'm desperate.

Dearly,

Aladey Goldsong

Lynissara took a deep breath. This was not what she had expected. A cousin? The sound of the convoy from Sepulcher to the Northern Front rumbling by drew her from her thoughts and she noticed the time- almost nightfall. She raced outside. "Mail carrier! Deathguard Gnarl! Give me a moment to write a reply, please."

He grumbled but waited, and Lynissara stashed the letter with her belongings in the inn, and then quickly scrawled a reply.

Dear Aladey,

I can't honestly say I believe you completely, due to the circumstances, but as it stands Uncle Ren was very much the type of man that he would have had a child and never known. I apologize on his behalf; if I had any idea of his whereabouts, I would kick him in the groin for his abandonment, intended or not.

I'm currently in the midst of a war, as I'm sure you've heard if you've tracked me down enough to mail me. I can, however, send you money. Don't worry about being poor or out of clothing; I'll send you what I can, but it will be limited until I meet with you. You have no doubt heard that I have recently come about having a large sum of money from my guildmaster, but I will not share this until I ascertain our blood relation. For now, take this, and good luck.

Your Cousin,

Lynissara

The paladin enclosed a gold piece and packed a small box with forty sheets of linen, and then sent both to the mail carrier, paying the postage. She headed out to the road, where Deathguard Rogby regarded her with a wary glance from empty eye sockets.

"Where you off to, blood elf?"

Lynissara sighed. "My name, for the thousandth time, is Lynissara. I'm only going to patrol the lake; we're far too close not to."

"A death guard patrol already has that route tonight."

"And an extra watch never hurt, did it?"

She strode off, ax in hand, daring the deathguard to continue his questioning. He remained silent, and she disappeared into the tall, moon-bathed pines. The tall grass bent aside as she walked, and she ended up by the shore of the lake. She was looking up at the moon, whenever she heard someone stepping softly on the grass, striding through the trees. She ducked behind a nearby pine, and then glanced around it, eyeing the forest. There- a tall, dark figure walked hunched over, trying to be silent and failing. She crept through the trees, lacking the grace of an actual rogue but carrying the usual blood elven lightness of foot, and made her way around behind the figure. Male- shadowy- hooded- cloaked. What weapons had he stashed? He wasn't Horde, or he wouldn't be so afraid. Deathguard Rogby needed to doublecheck if he thought the patrol would catch every lurker.

Lynissara rushed the figure once she was close enough, pulling him back against her and holding her ax to his throat.

"Lynissara?"

At the voice, she immediately withdrew, and the night elf turned around to face her. He sighed in relief and hugged her tightly, surprising her into standing stiff. "Aldonn, I- my ax is still in my hand-"

"Oh, right, sorry." He released her long enough for her to sheathe the ax at her back and then hugged her again, and pulled back and smiled. "Believe in the connection now?"

She smiled back at him. "I suppose I might, but I still need a little more convincing."

He stepped closer, still grinning. A kind of nervous energy bubbled around them, tinged with excitement and brimming with eagerness. "I may know a way to convince you more strongly."

"What would that be?"

"Would you let me kiss you if I tried?"

She debated. "Perhaps. But maybe not yet?"

"Wait, sh," he said, looking around warily. She glanced around- a breeze carried the smell of death.

"The deathguard patrol. Quickly, come with me!"

Lynissara took the night elf by the hand and sprinted through the trees, leading him to a hollowed-out oak, a rarity in this forest. They stepped inside the circular opening, standing quiet in the shadows. The deathguards started past and she stared up at the night elf, appreciating this moment that allowed to her to stare at him. She knew her own expression was slightly fearful, but his was a look of quiet contemplation, his eyebrows creased and mouth a tight line as he stared down at her. She raised a hand tentatively, and rested it on his forearm, and then trailed upward. He closed his eyes, breathing carefully through his mouth as she slowly grazed her fingers over the hard muscles of his arm, up to his leather-covered shoulder, and then to his chest, and up to his neck, her hand under his hair. She held the warm skin in her palm, and then carefully allowed her fingertips to caress his face.

The deathguard was approaching, almost to their tree, when he suddenly threw on his hood and turned so that his back was to the outside and she was pinned against the tree. He pressed close to her, his head turned sideways so he could listen, and she felt his warmth against her whole body and resisted a shiver. The deathguard passed, and he stepped back after a moment and looked down at her. A feeling passed between them, as clear and real as the tree they stood inside, and he stared at her with an unfathomable intensity.

"Please be mine," he whispered. "I'm begging you, Lynissara. I have no idea why, or how, but I need you with me, always."

Part of her longed to say yes, but the feel of the mail on her chest and the heavy battleaxe on her back reminded her of who she was. "I can't," she whispered softly. "I'm so sorry."

He sighed and leaned close to her, bracing himself against the tree. His amber eyes looked fervently into her glowing green gaze. "Lynissara, you have awoken in me a beast I never knew existed. Even as a druid, I have never felt something so primal. I ache for you. It isn't sexual; don't think that of me. I mean only to love you, as I believe I am meant to."

"What would come of it?" She asked. "Half-bred children, torn between factions? One of us permanently dishonored and never to return home? I've only just learned of a cousin I have, and I'm sure you aren't completely without a family. Tell me of some happy outcome and I might consider it, but until you do, I cannot promise anything."

"There are faction-neutral places we could go," he said. "Shattrath City, Dalaran, the Outlands- it isn't all war."

"Right now, for me, it is."

"Please, 'Nissa, consider it."

She stared at him, feeling in herself the same things he was expressing: inexplicable desire to be with the other. She finally relented some. "I will. Please, keep meeting up with me?"

Relief caused him to sag and he leaned against the tree. "I will." He brightened. "Come now, let us venture into the night- I'd like to be able to sit down with you, maybe have a drink, and get to know you one-on-one."

x~x

Eversong Woods

Faradin Mesamoon had only desired a nice evening fishing in Eversong Woods. Instead, he now heard the sound of screaming- again. This seemed to happen every time he dared try for a peaceful evening. Perhaps it was his fault. The tauren couldn't remember ever angering the gods to the point of gaining that curse, but he figured the best way to redeem himself would now be to find the source of the screaming and help whoever needed it.

It was going to be a long night, he was sure.

It didn't take long to find the source of the screams- twenty paces over the rise of a hill and he spotted a young, red-haired blood elf girl sprinting from the Dead Scar with ten rotlimb marauders chasing after her. Faradin, suppressing a sigh, ran forward to greet them, using the battleax he had found by the pond, and landed himself between the girl and the beasts. In one fell swoop, he decapitated seven; his owl, Greywing, took out two more while he landed a blow in the skull of the last. The marauders successfully dispatched, he turned to face the girl, who was staring at him in awed disbelief.

She was very pretty; maybe seventeen or eighteen, she had crimson hair pulled into a bun, soft features, round cheeks, big green eyes, and- adorably- freckles. She was tiny, even for a blood elf, and her slight frame was exposed by the flowing purple robe she wore.

"You look like you need a drink," Faradin commented.

Predictably, she went straight to the defense. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"

He chuckled. "It's supposed to be an offer."

"Oh," she said. "I don't have any money-"

"I'm offering, blood elf," he reminded her. "That means I'll pay. Would you like a drink?"

She glanced at the semicircle of corpses again. "What was your name again?"

He gave her a toothy grin, the only kind taurens can give. "Faradin Mesamoon."

"Aladey Goldsong. I suppose if the man who just saved my life wants to buy me a drink, I should let him."

"Good! Pleasure to meet you." He held out an arm. "Shall we?"

She nodded, taking the arm he offered with red cheeks and starting off toward Falconwing Square.

x~x

Elwynn Forest

Morning offered a golden sun in Elwynn Forest when Delaeda woke, curled up to the draenei from the night before. At the awareness that they didn't do anything like they had hinted at, she thought back to the night before. She remembered talking a lot, and laughing a lot, and dancing out by Crystal Lake, and him kissing her out there, and then kissing a lot and falling into bed, and talking until they fell asleep about everything under the moon.

She propped herself up on her elbow, looking at him, and the motion woke him. His eyes opened and he smiled at her, and then wrapped his big arms around her and pulled her back to him.

"Good morning, beautiful," he greeted her, in his accented draenei voice. She laughed lightly.

"Good morning, handsome."

"Want breakfast?"

She nodded, lifting up enough to look at him. "One thing, first."

He continued smiling at her. "What is it?"

"What was your name again?"

He released a boisterous laugh. "What was yours?"

Two hours later, Delaeda and Brunen were heading out, he on his elekk and she on her dawnsaber. It would be a long journey, but it was time to find out what trouble her brother had gotten into; Aldonn had a knack for falling into the worse sorts of messes, like the time he attempted to convince Tyrande Whisperwind to make an alliance with the Scryers of Shattrath. She had taken the responsibility long ago of ascertaining her older brother wasn't off befriending giant spiders or learning how to spread the Forsaken plague. And now, she had a good traveling companion to make the journey with her.

x~x

Silverpine Forest

There were so many dead.

Lynissara gaped at them all, grief-stricken and horrified; she had never expected to see so many of her brothers-in-arms fall. The farm was littered with the dead, and around them the humans so casually continued their work, as if the corpses of those who had once been like them were meaningless. It was sickening- and infuriating.

Following the Banshee Queen's orders had never been so easy.

Battle-rage consumed the paladin, the Light evading her in her mindless fury. She charged, attacking every human in sight; she was only vaguely aware of their terror and blood spatters, but of anything else she knew nothing but vengeance. She didn't stop until all humans on the farmstead were slaughtered. Still shaken but more calm, she collected the insignias of her dead brothers, as well as pumpkins and herbs for the apothecary, and then left that awful place far behind her. The return journey involved fighting off multiple worgens, and pausing a few times to collect minerals from the surrounding hills. She arrived back at the Sepulcher to find the troops mobilized; a word from Lady Sylvanas verified they were heading south, closer to Gilneas, to continue the war. Lynissara turned in the insignias and farm goods, and then gathered her belongings from the inn and fell in with the others.

Walking left her mind to roam, and roam it did. Two images repeatedly occupied her mind: the dead at the farm, and the night elf Aldonn. She couldn't explain the bond she felt with him, or the way he made her forget everything she stood for. She was a Blood Knight in service of the Horde, trying to find her parents and serve the Dark Lady, not a lovestruck maiden- and yet, around Aldonn, she was just Lynissara, an elf with a longing heart. He claimed to feel the same, but her inability to trust had valid foundations; still, they had spent most of the past night talking about anything and everything, up in the hills under the moonlit purple sky. He was fascinating; her primarily avoided war, instead preferring to find places in need of defense or a restoration of natural balance. It was so different from the way Lyn had been trained to think, that to fight in a war was the ultimate honor. She was learning more and more that the only glory in war was retaliation, and even that left a bitter taste. Killing those humans had brought no true pleasure, aside from knowing her comrades were avenged. At this point, however, she had seen too many similar scenes to simply go home and leave this war to sort itself out. She would still be haunted, but less so if she knew it hadn't been in vain. Victory was the only option.

They reached the new camp and she set to work, dog tired but aware this was almost over- the whole war, that is. She fought worgens and revived orcs with ale and did odd jobs until night fell, at which point she fell deeply asleep in her own tent.

She woke to a dark shadow in her tent- who, and why? He was an orc, she could tell from his shape, and not yet aware she was awake. He was taking off his belt; she was then aware of his intentions. She formed a plan: once he was naked, overpower him and expose him to the whole camp for what he was. But he had just unbuttoned the top button of his pants when a dark, feline shape leapt from the shadows by her bags, tackling the orc. Without a sound, the saber tore out the orc's throat, and then looked at Lynissara with glowing amber eyes before dragging the corpse into the forest and vanishing.

x~x

Sunstrider Isle greeted Aladey much more kindly than the academy had said goodbye. She spotted Magistrix Erona, the twin sister of Aladey's former Headmaster, and made her way over, reaching the woman in little time.

"You must be the new recruit Lord Irador promised," the magistrix greeted her, and then looked the mage up and down. "You don't look like a paladin."

Aladey shrugged. "I'm not- I'm a mage. Lord Irador did a favor for me in recommending me."

"And what did you do for him to earn a favor?"

At the judgmental look the magistrix was giving her, Aladey tried not to glare and said, "I'm not a whore, if that's what you're saying."

"No, sorry," Magistrix Erona amended, "I had a crush on him as a young girl. Anyway, you're here for work, correct?"

Finally, we're getting to the point. "That's correct."

The magistrix looked around the isle as she spoke. "You've come to the right place- we desperately need skilled help. Look around: this whole isle is tainted. Our current most urgent problem is the swarm of mana wyrms taking over our power crystal over there. If you can help take care of them, I'll reward you. They also have a habit of ingesting our supplies; we don't really want them back, but if you find anything of value, you may keep it or sell it, depending."

"Will do."

Magistrix Erona nodded, signalling she was done talking, and Aladey started off, glad to have a job to do. She saw a squire ride in with a bag of letters, and hoped something there would be for her.

It didn't take long to clean out the mana wyrms, with the pyro-based spells she had studied for so long. She managed to find gloves and boots on the wyrms, and kept them. Once she had vacated the area around the power crystal, she made a quick trip to the salty northern coastline of the isle and leaned her new gear. She immediately put them on , stashing the academy boots in her bag and realizing the academy didn't even give her gloves.

Upon returning to the main gazebo, Aladey sold what she didn't need, bringing her coinpurse up to a whole silver. Magistrix Erona granted her a magic-enhancing belt as a reward, and then promptly sent Aladey on the painstakingly-easy task of downsizing the lynx population. This also got the young mage more money, and a better pair of boots from the Magistrix. Aladey finally felt that she was progressing in the world.

As night began to fall, she sat down on the steps of the gazebo, eating a tough hunk of bread (her only food all day). The sound of great hooves announced the arrival of Faradin; after talking most of the night and him surprisingly not hitting on her, Aladey had come to like the sienna-toned tauren with his big, warm brown eyes. The tauren had said he would stay in Eversong for her, at least until he knew she wouldn't get chased down by the Wretched and run screaming the forest "again." He also said he would return her things to the academy for her as she didn't need the, and would come back to visit her at Sunstrider each night. He was on leave from his people for a vacation, and had elected to visit Eversong's legendary forest for fishing; he had openly admitted that the last thing he sought in the forest, however, was a friend.

He greeted her at the steps with a wave, dismounted, and came to sit next to her, grinning widely. "How was your first day here?"

"It went wonderfully," she answered, optimism gripping her. "I killed some mana wyrms and some lynxes, and now have money and gear and a job to do in the morning."

He smiled warmly. "That's great! You'll be rich and independent in no time."

"I hope so. All I want is to be self-sufficient enough not to ask random family members for money."

He placed an arm around her side, his large hand wrapping around her stomach. "No, instead you'll just ask random taurens."

She laughed, leaning into his shoulder. "Just the one."

"Oh, I hope so, as long as that tauren is me."