Well...we're almost to the end of this part of the story...if you've read the book War Crimes, you'll know some of what happened during the trial. So, with that little tidbit of information...on to Part 9!
The three elven women sat in the empty training grounds, chatting and laughing.
Vereesa looked between Sylvanas and her lover, seeing something she had never thought she would. Sylvanas' eyes, eyes that had held many emotions growing up, and had hidden so much more...her eyes never left Aelwynn's face, a glint of love in her gaze. She could tell from Aelwynn's reactions that it was reciprocated, which made Vereesa happy, yet the melancholy still hung around her. Since Rhonin's death she had felt hollow, but having Sylvanas back in her life, knowing that she had her remaining family with her had eased that ache.
Aelwynn made a comment about avoiding the farms while they were back in such a cheerful place, to which Sylvanas threw her head back and laughed. Vereesa laughed and looked between them in confusion.
The Blood Elf narrowed her eyes, glaring up at her lover from her spot lying in Sylvanas' lap. "It isn't funny. I'm telling you, those ankle biters are around every corner. They must have a lookout, or some kind of warning that goes off when I land there."
Sylvanas chuckled, looking to her sister. "Little Moon, would you believe this fearless, illustrious hunter who has faced down demons and the Lich King and lived to tell about it, is afraid to go to the farming community here because of the...children that roam the area?"
Vereesa giggled. "Well...children can be intimidating..." She offered.
"They're not intimidating...they're everywhere!" Aelwynn scoffed. "I finally sent Loki off with a group of them because they kept begging me to let him play with them...and I still managed to drag one around with me."
"Speaking of, Surfal, where is your magnificent beast?" Sylvanas asked.
Aelwynn sighed. "No doubt up in the temple, acting adorable and sad for a few table scraps..."
Sylvanas whistled, watching the Spirit Beast poke his head out the door, a boar's leg in his mouth. He came trotting down the path, eyeing the Pandaren that passed and flicking his tail in warning.
"Come here, beast. No more begging for table scraps. You're gonna get fat." Aelwynn said, smirking as his ears pinned back and he dropped the boar leg.
Vereesa watched the beast in awe. "You...you tamed him?" She asked.
Loki turned his head, tilting it and looking at Vereesa.
"It was less of me taming him, and more of him bringing me out of unconsciousness by attempting to lick the skin off my face." Aelwynn said modestly.
Vereesa moved to a kneeling position, reaching hesitantly out to the beast. "May I?" She asked him, turning her hand palm up and allowing him to sniff.
He came up, sniffing her before rubbing his cheek against her shoulder.
"You are magnificent...I can't believe... You said you never needed to tame him?" She asked, scratching him behind the ear.
Aelwynn nodded. "He tamed me, more or less. I was in Scholazar Basin, after being unceremoniously dumped on a zeppelin headed for Northrend for insulting...well, insulting the intelligence of the accused at tomorrow's trial. He made a comment about forcing the 'lesser' factions of the Horde into submission, and I called him an idiot. Told him that the so called lesser races wouldn't stand for it, that slavery was not acceptable nor tolerated. At which point he grabbed me and got in my face. My companion at the time, a wolf I'd trained since he was a pup, came to my defense and Garrosh killed him. Right in front of me. I was heartbroken, but my reaction was nowhere near what I was feeling...I spit at his feet, so he picked me up by the throat and choked me. When I didn't struggle he hit me so hard I landed on the opposite side of the table. That's when they dumped me on the zeppelin and sent me off. I was gone for almost six months." She said.
Vereesa looked to her sister. "Did anyone confront Garrosh?"
Sylvanas glared at the toe of her boot and shook her head. "I tried to, but Lor'themar stopped me. He told me that if I were to go off on the Warchief in the middle of Orgrimmar, I'd either be killed, or my reaction would decide the fate of my race. We sent people out every week, looking for her." She said, tracing one of Aelwynn's long brows.
"I came back, eventually. I figured that I needed to let the heat die down before I tried to step foot in a Horde capital city, knowing that his guards were everywhere." Aelwynn said quietly.
"You still could have come home." Sylvanas replied.
Aelwynn cracked an eye open and looked up at her lover. "It was home to me then, I just didn't realize you thought of it as my home too..." She said with a smirk. "I thought you were annoyed with me hanging around the Undercity, taking up all of Darnell's time. And Ranger Clea's."
A flash of jealousy lit in Sylvanas' eyes. "Clea was mostly the reason. She was rather taken with you. Anytime anyone would mention you, her eyes would flare."
Aelwynn grinned. "I guess I just have that effect on people, don't I?" She winked and rolled, looking to her spirit beast. "Whatcha think Loki, do I have that effect on people, or what?" She asked, chuckling as the big cat chuffed at her. She grinned at the beast, rolling her eyes. "Spoilsport."
"You must truly have a way with animals...in all the years I've been in Dalaran, I've never seen a beast like him." Vereesa said quietly.
Aelwynn snorted. "You've probably never heard a beast like him either. He's extremely vocal in battle." She said, groaning when he came over and practically flopped over on her. He chattered at her, chuffing and grumbling. "Yes, you are...don't even try to lie to me."
Sylvanas chuckled as he rolled off of her, stretching out on his back and chattering again. She looked to her sister, watching the awe on her face.
"He's rather intelligent." Vereesa mused.
Aelwynn shrugged. "I think he just pretends to be...I'm sure he believes one of us has to at least appear smart. Gods knows I'm many things, smart-mouthed being one of them. But after some of the things I've gotten myself into...smart is not a label that's accurate."
Sylvanas snorted. "Yes, like heading off to Dalaran and being taken to Teldrassil as a prisoner of war."
"Or being bitten by a worgen while I was there...pissing off Malfurion Stormrage by telling him that if he was the good twin, I really didn't want to experience Illidan. I think I called Tyrande a coward, too, which I do feel guilty about." She said.
Vereesa's eyes widened at the worgen comment. "You were bitten? Did they give you anything to help control it?" She asked.
Aelwynn shook her head. "Ah, no...and that little display in there earlier with Zhu was pretty much proof that I need to work on my self control. That would not have been good."
The Banshee Queen scowled. "Your self control is flawless. Yes, you get heated, but that is part of your personality. If it wasn't, we wouldn't be sitting here."
Aelwynn smirked. "Is that a 'take it as you will' tacked on the end of that little comment."
Sylvanas scoffed. "Insatiable little beast." She chuckled.
Aelwynn batted her eyelashes jokingly. "Only for you." She said in a sing song voice.
Vereesa chuckled and shook her head.
They continued chatting until late afternoon, deciding it was time to leave for the evening.
"Are you going to be here for the trial tomorrow?" Vereesa asked.
Sylvanas nodded. "I will, knowing Baine, he will do his best to represent a solid defense, however I will not miss the trial for anything." She replied.
Aelwynn eyed the temple, shaking her head. "I probably won't. Knowing my last interaction with Zhu I'll probably be held up at the gate. I assume it's best if I'm not here. Besides, I don't think I should spend much more time here in Pandaria, even with the defeat of the Sha this place is-" She was cut off.
"Nightstrider, could you please join me?" Taran Zhu asked as he stood at the bottom of the steps.
Aelwynn stiffened, looking to her lover. Loki straightened next to her, feeding off of her reactions.
"Leave your beast." Zhu demanded.
"Of course." She said stiffly, turning to Sylvanas. "I'll see you back home." She said quietly, turning to leave.
Sylvanas grabbed her wrist, tugging her back. "You will see me back home." She replied, kissing her gently. "Go, Dalah'surfal. Don't keep him waiting."
She stalked back to their quarters in the Undercity, muttering obscenities under her breath. The Forsaken who usually greeted her respectfully, now gave her a wide berth, realizing that in this situation distance was needed.
She opened the door to their quarters furiously, tossing her broken bow on the ground before stripping off her cloak and quiver, hanging them up and completely ignoring Sylvanas and Loki as they watched her stalk to the bathroom. She slammed the door, going over and attempting to rinse the blood from her knuckles in the sink, hissing at the sting the hot water created.
Sylvanas opened the door, watching from the doorway. "What did he have to say?" She asked.
Aelwynn leaned on the counter. "It doesn't matter." She said angrily, flexing her fist and grimacing. She still had a piece of obliterated bamboo somewhere in the wound, and pulled her dagger with her left hand.
She felt a cool hand grasp her own, removing the dagger from her fist and turning her face. She met the crimson gaze of her lover and sighed, dropping her chin to her chest.
"I'm getting worse. He pointed it out, forced me to fight several of his monks in order to determine just how out of control I am, and then told me that if I was to show up at the trial tomorrow they would send me to Kun Lai Summit with no weapons and keep me there until it was over."
Sylvanas watched her face, frowning. "Out of control? Your control is impeccable." She replied, gently grasping Aelwynn's injured hand and removing the splinters of wood.
The hunter hissed and shook her head. "No, it was impeccable...four months ago I never would have acted like I did when we took Hellscream down. Being there did nothing to help my control, and having that monster so close to you made it worse. I've felt it slipping, little by little, it's gotten to the point where it's now a constant struggle to keep myself from changing. I don't know what to do." She admitted.
Sylvanas finished cleaning her wound, tipping her chin up. "If you need to take time to gather your strength, to regain control, then do so. You deserve to take a break."
Aelwynn glanced at her lips, nodding. "I probably should." She said, reaching up with her uninjured hand and stroking her thumb over Sylvanas' lips.
The Banshee Queen smirked, nipping softly at Aelwynn's thumb. "Was there something you needed?" She asked sultrily.
"I think you know the answer to that already." Aelwynn replied, kissing her Dark Lady deeply.
Aelwynn sighed in relaxation, her hand occasionally moving to stroke Sylvanas' back. The Dark Lady had her ear pressed to Aelwynn's chest, listening to the beat of the Blood Elf's heart. While her lover dozed, Sylvanas thought back to the night before. She could sense what Aelwynn had spoken of when she mentioned that her control was slipping. The hunter's focus had been far more intense than normal, and she'd used her teeth more often than usual. Not that Sylvanas was complaining. But it brought a worrying thought to mind. If Aelwynn was in fact losing control, if the mindless beast was close to breaking free, there was no telling what would happen.
She adjusted her position on the bed, leaning up and over her lover. Aelwynn shifted in her sleep, humming and rolling on her side. Sylvanas smiled softly, cupping her cheek and leaning down to kiss her. The hunter awoke immediately, rolling Sylvanas onto her back and kissing her deeply. She broke the kiss, smirking down at her undead lover. "Hi." Aelwynn said, smirking.
Sylvanas chuckled, winking. "Good morning, Dalah'surfal. How are you feeling?" She asked.
Aelwynn grinned, kissing her Banshee Queen's nose. "Much better. What time do you need to leave for the trial?" She asked, leaning down and kissing the side of her neck.
Sylvanas hummed as she felt teeth come into contact with her skin. "I'll need to leave in two hours. Why? Did you have something in mind for us to pass the time?"
Aelwynn chuckled. "I can think of a few things..."
And Part 9 has come and gone...the next part will be the final chapter to this story, but I have some of the follow up ready to go up. I'm also thinking of posting a few branch-off stories that follow quests that are in the game, as well as a string of letters that the two have written to one another while Aelwynn was trucking around Azeroth. If you think I should post them, let me know by reviewing!
