Kithic ran through the streets as fast as he could to get to his shop with his wife following him all the while. He threw off the clothes he wore to the Masque and quickly pulled on his mail armor. After pulling his bow and quiver from their neat box under his bed he ran down the stairs and out into the street followed by Geldria who was yelling after him.

"Where do you think you're going?" she screamed as he walked around the back of the shop to where his large black lion was sleeping, "Are you actually going after the assassin's they were trying to do us a favor you know," and that made him pause, he turned and looked at his wife with narrowed eyes with nothing but ill intent behind them. She instantly fell silent and took a few steps back,

"If I find out you had even the slightest in this dealing… I swear," he shook his head and pursed his lips before patting the Lion on the head to wake it.

"You swear what?" she narrowed her eyes back at him, the Lion growled at her and stood before stretching.

"I swear you will die an equally painful death," his voice was even as he said it, and afterwards he walked away like he had said nothing of importance at all.

Though he was an excellent tracker, it was hard to track people in cities and it got harder the busier the city was. So in a city like Silvermoon, on a balmy spring evening the city was alive and a light even at the first twinklings of dawn. Though he knew many things that would help him out, it was still a daunting task. But he knew they couldn't be in Murder Row, the warlocks of The Sanctum would never allow the harboring of someone who tried to murder their star. Though he picked up a bit of their trail here and there, oddities like the scent of Nightmare vine poison strengthened with Maiden's anguish; a scent he smelled just before Aluithian had collapsed.

And as he neared the huge barrier between the dead scar and the rest of the city he saw a familiar face that let him know he was on the right track.

"He's up there," Astyra whispered without even looking at him.

"Are you sure?" he inquired,

"Positive, it's why you're here isn't it? You smelled it too, anyone who can track worth their weight in kodo dung could have smelled it," she shook her head, "Though, I cannot figure out how,"

"You didn't see him?"

"I was chasing the other which our Dark Lady's Felguard made short work of,"

"She is not my Dark Lady,"

"Then why are you here?" she snapped as she scanned the wall,

"Because she is my Alu, and very dear to me,"

"And yet you will not support her cause, nor do you have the common decency to stay away,"

"I do not support her cause but I support her… and why should I stay away?"

"You do more harm than good, go away, go away never come back and let her forget you,"

"And if I don't want to?"

"Then you are a fool, why torture yourself with something you can never have?"

"She is the golden sun, and if I had known she still drew breath I would have never married that harpy, commander be damned,"

"And you'd have married her? Do you really think we would have let you a carpenter, an arena combatant favorite wed our sovereign?" she laughed and ran her fingers through her red hair,

"I doubt you could have kept us apart,"

"You do not know your beloved Alu as well as you think, she would give you up if you would hurt her case for th-" she grinned, "And there it is" she darted forward and jumped up some barrels that were leaning against the white walls, she then jumped on a canopy and climbed up a window and then onto the roof. He followed behind and the Cats her Lynx and his Lion were behind him.

When they were both standing on the roof what they found on the other side surprised them. The man in the dark cloak was simply waiting there; as though he though the large wall would have really stopped all comers.

"Now either he is very stupid or he knows something we do not," she whispered as she crouched down, he knelt beside her.

"He has no reason to think we would ever catch on to him up here," he shrugged,

"This is going to be a bit difficult we need him aliv-," she stopped mid sentence as a group of warlocks robed in black slowly filtered in from the barricaded door and surrounded the man with demons a plenty glaring down on him. "Or not, looks like the sanctum moved faster than we did," she laughed and he nodded slowly,

"Am I permitted to see her?" he asked as he swallowed some and looked over the one eyed huntress,

"I will permit you to see her, I am not heartless after all, but do give some thought to what I've said," she spoke softly as she waved to one of the warlocks below, she laughed a bit and pulled a bundle of letters from her pocket, "Oh, and these are for you," he took the letters but knew who they were from before he even glanced down at the pretty writing, it made his heart hurt, and yet all he did was nod to her and walk away.

There were numerous letters in the bundle, all from Aluithian, he read a few as he walked through the street. She had tried to tell him where she had gone and why; she had needed further training. The letters spoke of her loneliness, of her meetings with Sylvannas or her longing for him. He tucked the letters into his quiver as he neared the Palace.

The sun was well above the horizon now and the city had finally grown quiet. But the Palace was busy. There were nobles everywhere, some were in the foyer looking depressed, others were in the hall looking apathetic with red rings about their eyes, Kythyr was in the main hall leading prayers for Aluithian. It seemed as though no one had left since she had passed out; and the black guard was a looming presence everywhere, it seemed as though in the few hours their numbers had increased near to tenfold, you couldn't turn your head without seeing a black clad man or woman with a weapon.

Outside of the door to her room were four guards barring the doors with their bodies. He sighed deeply and looked them over,

"How is she?" he asked softly one of the guard shook their head.

"She is still unconscious, the priestess is still tending to her wounds," one of the male guards spoke in a slow deep voice he could almost place the voice,

"Astyra said I would be allowed to go to her,"

The guards looked at one another and then parted, they wouldn't have for anyone else but he was a well known friend of their Dark Lady.

Inside the lavishly decorated chamber reeked of Mana thistle, he covered his mouth and nose at the stench as he looked at the bed where Aluithian laid motionless. Beside her was a priestess busy mixings herbs with a mortar and pestle, behind the priestess stood Lorent.

"Are they dead?" Lorent asked as he glanced at the slightly taller man,

"One is, the other is in the custody of The Sanctum," Kithic spoke softly as he knelt beside the bed and took one of Aluithian's small hands, it was so cold, he tried in vain to warm it between his, "Why did you keep her letters from me?" he asked without taking his gaze from his friends still face,

"Most of her claim relies on her blood, She is a Sunfury, but not only is she a Sunfury, she is also a Brightdawn, two lines with direct ties to Dath'remar on both sides, She is the only other person at court with such a tie, the Dynasty of Sunstrider is over, it is time for the Dynasty of Sunfury and that cannot happen if she weds a carpenter; they may all say she would give up everything even you, but I know better, I heard how she cried this afternoon,"

"And my marriage, was that more political maneuvering on your parts?"

"No Geldria's asking was all her own, we simply mentioned it to the your commanding officer, after all with her family backing you , you now have a chance at being Ranger General some day,"

"I do not want to be Ranger General, the only thing I have ever wanted truly is in this bed dying,"

"Then would you two please be quiet so I may work," The priestess snapped before turning back to Aluithian's unconscious body. Kithic grew silent and Lorent scoffed.