**Listening to some Breaking Benjamin (sooner or later, Breath) while writing this chapter**
Daybreak came much too soon for Liana, she had lain awake on her pallet most of the night. Listening to the sounds of the camp packing up to leave she continued to just lay... too many thought swirling through her mind. The many what ifs fighting for answers, what if Selvan had not stopped, what if she had defied him and healed the troll, what if she and Gyran ran off with him... what stopped Captain Selvan from striking, hatred had distorted his mind but something had shaken him to his core. This was the first party of horde they had encountered while traveling, this surprised Liana considering the tone of the mission. It was also not unusual to see them since the barren grasslands were horde territory, thankfully they would be through them in a few days. The troll had seemed to further anger Captain Selvan, or well the fact that he was not taken down easily. The cold indifference Selvan had shown at the suffering and possibly death of the troll bothered Liana.
Was it really her safety that caused the death of the horde, the needless suffering of the one they had prisoner? or was it the need for bloodshed that she had seen in Selvans eyes? No matter what it was she felt responsible. Her job has always been a diplomatic one. She was well versed in all languages spoken by the horde and knew much about the customs of its diverse people. Liana felt the horde were people just as her and her allies and deserved respect and kindness. She was not alone in these thoughts others felt the same though it was not widely spoken of.
A young knights voice came from outside the tent "Priestess Liana, Captain Selvan has requested your presence outside ma'am"
With a heavy sigh Liana started her day...at her pace. Brushing her hair till it snapped and taking extra care with the long rope like braid. There was also all the bedding that needed folding and clothes packed into her valise. She also vowed to talk with the Captain about their captive. The situation was not settling well with her and she was sure there was a better course of action.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting" Liana said as she exited the tent and ran smack into Selvan. " I did not sleep well last night and I needs speak with you about it."
"There is not time to talk now, we must be on our way." Selvan spared a quick glance up at her face before stepping around Liana, directing the knights to break down her tent." The little diversion yesterday cost us precious time, almost a full day."
Liana looked around then seeing the entire camp was broken down and ready to go, everything that was not hers that is. Not only had she made him wait she had inadvertently reminded him she was taller than he. Another small amusement of hers was the Captains ire at her height. Having lived most of her life with humans she was used to being tall, in fact she was a little taller than most elven females. Selvan's dislike of her taller stature was something he could hide well except in his eyes. She smiled to herself at the small triumph until she noticed the troll. He was bound hand and foot, tied to the back or the supply wagon as though the Captain planned on dragging him along.
"I knew you would get angry over the troll" Gyran said as he walked up beside her.
She gave her friend a brief smile " How can he treat others this way? Of course I am angry angry?"
"Its noticeable, had I no known why you are mad I would no have come up to ya." Gyran took her hand pulling her along to the back of the wagon.
Liana knelt down placing a hand on the troll, soft light emanated from her palm. Hatred was something she could never abide, how could hate overtake the decency of ones soul? The question plagued her as she silently spoke the words of a spell, a few more minuets and the troll would be eased of some pain. " How can Selvan treat him this way?"
Gyran was sure she did not even know she spoke the words aloud, his voice broke her thoughts" You are the only one who can fix this, he can not go against a direct order from you."
Doubt showed on her face and Liana shook her head for emphasis "He does not respect anything I say, his refusal to allow my help last night is evidence of that. The Captain leads this party, with an iron fist at that, he would not relent."
"Aye Lassie he leads and you are not a soldier or knight to be ordered around, you are also the diplomat, ultimately this decision should be yours." Gyan replied
Gyran was right, she was not under The Captains charge, he was here to protect her but diplomatic decisions were hers and this Troll was being mistreated on her watch. Selvan claimed to have her safety as a top priority, on the other hand she had stopped trusting him after his cruelty had shown its ugly face. In the end her anger won out.
"Help me, we will place him in the supply cart and I will sit with him." She did not wait for Gyran's agreement,trying to lift the troll herself.
They placed the troll in the cart among the tents and bedding. Liana laid her hand on the Trolls face and mumbled some long forgotten words or a prayer. Light shown around them for a moment before she moved off to find Captain Selvan and an outlet for her anger.
He was not hard to find standing by his horse barking orders and tapping his foot. She waited till he was just about to mount before speaking "I hope you did not plan to drag the Troll back to Theramore."
"That was my plan." He answered calmly
Liana took a few more steps toward him, forcing Selvan to look up at her. "I doubt Lady Proudmoore would be happy with this arrangement. I will not stand for it he rides in the supply cart and just to ease your mind about his possible escape I will sit with him."
His face went from calm to livid, he fairly shook with the anger boiling inside. " I fear for your safety alone Priestess if he escapes. He is a nothing more than dirt beneath your feet and I am sure knows it. Such filth would do you harm... rape you, kill you without a second thought."
Liana held her ground unaffected by Captain Selvans rage. "Then find someone to ride behind the cart. This is not a matter I am willing to give in. Until Lady Proudmoore has a chance to talk to him he will be treated kindly."
"Arnulf!" Selvan bellowed "Ride behind the cart. Priestess since you insist on taking needless risks with your life you will ride with me." He mounted his horse and snatched Liana up to sit before him." Mount up We ride hard today."
She opened her mouth to protest but Selvan tightened his hold on her waist. "You have caused enough trouble for me this trip. You forget who is really in charge here."
The day wore on in a tedious fashion. Liana sat sandwiched between The Captains sweaty thighs with his arm wrapped under her breasts so tight she could hardly breath. Whenever she tried to adjust her position he would squeeze hard causing Liana to gasp for breath. Captain Selvan was also not in the mood for conversation, this left Liana with lots of time to think.
Liana had never thought of herself as sympathetic to the horde just a firm believer in being just to all races. They had certainly caused their fair share of problems in her opinion. War with the horde had been at a great cost over the years. The campaign in Drainor had changed things and a very uneasy peace had been in place since the days of endless battle at the footsteps of The Black Temple.
Those were battles Liana had never seen, she had in fact never left Kalimdor. Not for a lack of trying on her part, the mage's she spent her days with seemed to think she was breakable. She could count the number of times she had been outside Dustwallow on one hand, none of those times had she been alone either. Brought to the mage's as a young maid and left in the care of Linniset. Oh Linniset, or Linni as she had become known, Liana's constant companion, teacher and friend. She had taught Liana some of the ways of arcane, forbidden among her people, but the knowledge was stored away for future use. She had also learned of healing but not from Linni. Lady Jaina's dearest friend was a half breed, she was also a healer and was pretty good with a dagger. Pailia, a priest in residence also had daily lessons with Laina on the healing arts. Sometimes she thoguh her education wasted if all she was to do was sit in a tower room, gossip and sew with the mage's. Recently though she had been asked to help when land battles were fought in the nearby swamp, or to take herb picking trips with Pailia. She was even allowed to travel to a small goblin encampment, with Linni, on her first diplomatic venture.
This mission was very important, Liana had been chosen to go, she assumed, because she is an elf. Of course one of the mage's in Lady Jainas council could have gone on this mission and another had been chosen over Liana for it. Upon further thought Captain Selvan had suggested she go in place of Lady Jaina's mage's. He had been confident in her abilities and after much thought the council decided to let Liana go. Why then was he acting so strange now. Was it her defense of the Troll? Maybe something had happened in the Captains life to make him very fearful of the horde. His strange behavior over the trip was something of a concern or possibly her imagination run amok. The cold hatred and menace in his eyes continued to haunt her and yet again her mind returned to thinking the worst of Captain Selvan.
Her mind always returned to the Troll and how to help him. She needed to heal the wounds and if possible help him escape. It seemed like a treasonous thing to do, let the troll go but nothing good could come of him being brought to Jaina, she may let him go but it was all to risky. The troll on hi way home to wherever he came from would be the best option. Tonight she would wait for the camp to sleep and the night watch to let their guard down. Healing would come first, a way to release the Troll could be thought through later. Between the blistering heat, her thoughts, the captains arm and something hard pressing against her rear Liana was in a horrible mood by the time they broke camp that evening.
The call to halt startled Liana from her thoughts, Selvan slipped off the horse and assisted her to the ground. Liana's legs were shaky after the long hard ride but she would not show her discomfort. She took in the surroundings, for all the barren land they had seen today this was a beautiful thicket, tall trees formed a half circle around a small patch of dirt and moss, she even heard a stream nearby.
" Sleep well tonight Priestess, tomorrow will be another long day." Selvan paused and looked at the knight approaching. " In the morning you will ride with Bronwyn, I can not have you squirming and fidgeting in the saddle again all day."With that he walked off leaving Liana with the horse and the young knight Bronwyn.
The knight smiled at Liana as he took the reins, leading the horse away. That suited Liana just fine, she did not wish to ride with Selvan in the first place. Maybe Bronwyn would have a better saddle and possibly talk to her as they rode.