Gravitation
By
Arcadia-Sama
Summary-
Never mind. You'll see.
Disclaimer-
Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft.. though I
do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the
story!
Runemeister- Thank you very much for the first review! This story is indeed going to be very interesting, I hope.
crash and burn - The dialogue is being worked on.
Scorpionette- I have read your WoW story! And it is quite good! I've been enjoying it! Keep up your own good work, hun:)
Kiwifluff- Eat up. XD
It was pain that awoke the hybrid night elf. Pain and something else. A gentler, fresher scent that was strange, one that had him relaxing onto a pallet of thick furs upon the ground. Hearing humming, the demon hunter turned his head, peering at the source of the sound and his jaw dropped slightly before a loud hiss of anger echoed through the hut.
Even as he saw the figure jerk, one of Illidan's hands lashed out, grabbed the wrist of the kaldorei and he jerked her to him, which resulted in one slender hand pressing to his chest, long hair falling about his face slightly, scented with earthy scents and the woman's own sweet smell. Her wrist was slender in Illidan's grasp, a mere slender twig compared to his own thick arm and he growled up at her before speaking.
"Who are you and what are you doing there?"
The woman stared down at him calmly, or at least, she seemed to, before her free hand came up and slowly stroked over his face, feeling it slowly with the touch of only one who was blind would use. Then, her hand touched his face and he tilted his head to the side, before a soothing, gentle voice came to his ears.
"My name is Shayl, sir, and I would appreciate it if you'd let me go."
Illidan's eyebrows furrowed over the dark cloth that wrapped about his face, shielding the shattered sockets of his eyes from view. Then, his other hand came up to wrap about the back of her neck, a single, thick thumb of a finger pressing ever so lightly into her throat over her windpipe, his voice coming softly in a low, threatening manner.
"You still haven't answered me as to why you are here, girl.. Tell me.. or else you'll find breathing is rather hard with a crushed throat."
Shayl fought to control her breathing, refusing to show any fear to this.. this.. bastard who held her captive by his touch. Oh, yes, she certainly wasn't going to risk having her throat caved in, but his attitude simply rubbed the wrong way at her. Very slowly, the druidess swallowed, her blind eyes opening and closing out of reflex as she shifted, trying to get more comfortable before she spoke at last, voice calm and cool in the manner of a professional healer, detatched from her patient and viewing him with only clinical interest.
"I was brought here by lord Kael'thas in order to heal you, lord Illidan. Now, if you would please release me, I could continue with that process."
The blind half-demon glared up at her, his lips pulled back from his teeth. Beneath the dark cloth that wrapped about his head, those empty sockets glowed with a smokey yellow light. He could see her.. and he could see the powerful pulsing of magic in her body. Not since his brother had he seen someone so strongly connected to the earth. And if she was trained, perhaps she would one day outstrip even Malfurion. Yet, this woman only tapped the surface of her power. Either she was unaware of it or she was simply keeping it in check. And with how.. "healed" he felt, Illidan severly suspected the former. But he'd be damned if he helped this little.. druidess out. Finally, nearly shoving her away as he released her wrist, the man snarled out his answer.
"Very well then! Do what you must and leave me be! Send me Kael!" came his commands.
Shayl's lips tightened. Could the man possibly sound any more imperious? Grinding her teeth, she turned her head until her blind eyes stared down at the slowly healing gash along his chest. The sickly-sweet aroma of decay drifted to her nostrils and the druidess fought the urge to snort in an effort to drive the odor out. But slowly, Shayl laid her hands over the wound that she had stitched shut in an effort to help spead the healing. It had helped.. somewhat. Her useless eyes closing, the woman opened herself to the wound, senses extending until she could feel it, as well as the darkness that still dwelt within it.
Illidan's eyes widened, or they made a simile of widening before he let out a hoarse yell as pain shuddered through his body. He could feel the flesh starting to knit back together. By Elune, that was painful! His back arched, hands curling tightly into claw-like shapes and he howled again in pain until finally, it stopped. Unknown to Shayl, he had seen the green glow that had spread along her forearms to nearly her elbows.
"By the goddess, woman! Are you trying to heal me or kill me with your bumbling technique!" Illidan finally roared at the druidess as he recovered his breath, glaring at Shayl's delicate, strong features.
The female kaldorei was silent for so long that Illidan began to think that she must have gone mute. Had he scared her? A pleasant thought he indulged himself in, savoring the idea. But a small feeling tickled his mind. He would be hard-pressed to intimidate this woman. And, when a sudden, sweet smile spread across her face, Illidan nearly threw himself off the furs to escape her for that smile meant nothing but trouble for him.
"My lord is still in pain? Then my lord must rest and get better otherwise my lord will find he hasn't the strength to do anything at all. Indeed, my lord must tell his healer when he is hurting so she can help him to feel better and my lord must also listen to what his healer says for she knows what he should and shouldn't do!"
The entire time that she spoke, Shayl's fingers had slowly, but steadily, curled into the wound. Illidan hissed and then he swatted at her, knocking her away from him. With a snarl, the half-demon man started to sit up, his blindfolded gaze locked angrily onto Shayl's figure as she sat up, her own face twisting angrily as her mouth opened.. and then her teeth clicked loudly as she snapped it shut. Illidan demanded for Kael again and he almost burst into laughter at the scalding look the woman gave him before Shayl rose to her feet and stalked to the entrance of the hut, yanking the fur there out of her way and almost tearing it down and off of the branch it hung from.
"Kael'thas! He's awake and he wants to see you, now!" came Shayl's yell, loud enough to make the ears of every naga and blood elf in the camp ring. Let the warnings they gave her about enemies be damned! She didn't care. After allowing the prince into the hut, Shayl proceeded to stomp about the campsite, glaring darkly at everyone and everything that offended her. Kael finally came to get her to take her back to the the hut where Shayl lived and slept, a result of her needing to be at Illidan's side in case he had a relapse. Quietly, the kaldorei settled down nearby, wondering exactly what Illidan and Kael had talked about.
Illidan lay on the pallet of furs, his mind whirling with what his lieutenant had told him about this female druid of a night elf. A blind night elf? Living alone? Well, he supposed that he could thank Elune for that. Thank her for the fact that Furion would not be hunting down this little lost lamb any time soon. A dark frown crossed over the lupine features as he kept his blind, magical gaze on her, his mind churning with wonderings on what he was going to do. Where his priests had failed, Kael said, this woman had succeeded in healing him. This woman who had no idea of the strength she possessed.
Even as the prone hybrid of a now night elf and demon looked the woman over, he could see the magic that throbbed through her body so easily. Kael had admitted that he'd been more then a little tempted to simply drain the female and leave her body for the wilds.. but he'd never touched her, knowing that it would have been almost impossible to find another druid so easily. Indeed, Illidan was half tempted to feed upon her himself for he had never seen any kaldorei, not even his brother, so strong with the magics of the earth. It was as if Azeroth had blessed this woman-child with such powers intentionally. But, what truly baffled Illidan, was the woman used so little of her power. There was certainly more then enough within her to heal Illidan, but it was like the girl herself didn't know of the power. Perhaps.. perhaps there was a block preventing Shayl from knowing of that power. It was always possible. Laying back on the furs, Illidan blocked out his sight, a technique he had learned long ago for sake of his sanity, what little of that remained, and began to sleep. Or at least he tried.. Until one sensitive ear caught the sound of distinctive rustling and a soft splash.
Shayl, on the other hand, remained awake. A murmur of thanks was given to the blood elf sorceress that brought her food. The druidess finished her meal and when she was done, the gentle druidess spoke to the female quel'dorei that returned to collect the dishes, requesting some supplies to clean herself off with. Soon, the elf, named Kaythlyn, returned with a bowl of steaming water, putting a bar of herbal soap down, along with a rough cloth. Thanking her, Shayl then dismissed the young woman, telling her that she'd put the supplies outside once she was finished with them and then, tying the fur door shut, Shayl proceeded to strip down and wash herself thoroughly and quickly.
Just as she was pulling on her new and fresh tunic, the strong scent of herbs rising from it, Shayl paused and slowly, her head would turn in Illidan's direction silently. Even though she could not see, Shayl was quite sensitive to the looks and feelings of others around herself and while she could not observe him with her own eyes, the woman could have sworn that Illidan was watching her. Yet, that was impossible, right? He was supposed to be blind, after all. However, Shayl couldn't shake off the feeling that Illidan was watching her. Even so, she would resume pulling on clothes, preparing for sleep. As a covering nightshirt, she wore a long, thin, yet quite warm dress made of elk skin. Moving to the pallet of furs that was her bed, close to Illidan's in case he needed anything during the night, the night elf would slip beneath the bearskin blanket and tug it up to her chin. Closing her eyes out of reflex, the girl started to fall asleep, not knowing that the sound of her breathing was a subtle, effective form of torture for the other occupant of the hut.
Illidan had been trying to sleep. At least until the scent of the soap and water had reached his nose. Then, allowing his vision to return, he had turned his head in time to see the kaldorei stripping. One eyebrow went up as he would survey her figure before just remaining silent as she bathed herself, watching the cloth move over her body. Okay, perhaps she was slightly attractive. Almost regretting the loss of the sight of her body as the woman pulled on the covering. But the sound of her breathing, the way she slept.. It was a slow, irritating form of torture for the blinded man. With a snarl, Illidan would turn his head away, forcing himself to sleep. And thus, another night passed.
