All through the night, Kael'thas was relentless in his search. He could go several days without sleep, and so could the rest of his people, too. But, he knew that rest would have to come in time. For now, he was wide awake, and his thoughts were fueled with the need to reclaim stolen property. He had left just moments before Mataris got mildly drunk. And Mataris, being as grateful that he was for the wake-up call, granted permission for the false Blood Elf worker to become a part of the next scouting team. It worked perfectly to plan.

"Our Lord is already on the trail. All you need to do is ensure nothing follows him," Mataris ordered the small group of five warriors.

"What's he doing with us?" a warrior asked about the false man.

"He's a worker. If you need something made or cut down, who else would be better for the job? Anyways, you'd better get a move on," Mataris nodded. Up in the north where the Scourge was coming down to clash with the first defensive barrier, Arthas and Kel'Thuzad were able to split away to start tracking where their internal spy was. They would keep themselves just under a quarter of a day behind when they caught up to avoid suspicion.

In the protective forest, Rosalia and Perhin were making due with a few of the morning chores before heading into the village to find her parents. The guardian was now a white sparrow on her shoulder for easy traveling. Perhin was uneasy, though. He knew something was going to happen. Once again, he was wearing a cloak to hide his figure. It couldn't be helped.

"Dala'surfal, I don't want us to linger here for long. We will need to see about defenses. If Kael'thas is on his way here, he won't hesitate to turn this place into a pile of burning rubble to reach you. Then the Scourge would just pick off whatever was left as they ate our dead," he said. "I'll feel much better with you in the forest. Even you know it's safer for you."

"I know," she nodded and let him kiss her gently. He let it deepen just a touch before pulling back. She pressed into him and said in her whisper voice, "Let's go find my parents."

He nodded and pulled the hood over his ears. He held her close to his side, as he walked with her. She led him to her mother's shop. When she walked in, her mother was already rushing over.

"Oh, my dear! I missed you! What happened?" she asked.

"We need her father here, too. It's...too much to say in a repeat. We may also want a town meeting. There is going to be an intense attack soon," Perhin frowned. He placed a hand on Rosalia's shoulder, and her mother now noticed something.

"You are wearing the ring?" she asked.

"Rosalia put it on me. When I know it's safe to wear it, I will wear it. She and I..." he paused.

"I agreed to marry him, Mother," Rosalia smiled. Her mother was actually quite surprised at this. A Blood Elf and human pairing was not yet something that was openly done. "We may have a very quiet ceremony when it's done. But...if it wasn't for him...I likely wouldn't be home."

"Kael'thas only sees her as an item. Something to charge up his energies with," Perhin frowned. "I see her as the one I was searching for in life."

"And is that a new pet?" Morissa asked when she saw the white bird.

"No. He's a part of the forest. My personal guardian," Rosalia beamed. "He helped me get home, too. I'd be locked away, if it wasn't for either of them."

"A guardian?!" her mother paled. "And when the guardian appears, the balance would shift..."

"What?" Perhin frowned hard.

"Wait here. Both of you. I need to get your father," she said and put them both in the back room of the shop. Rosalia could only shiver, and Perhin kept her incredibly close to keep her calm.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about that."

"What do you think?" Rosalia asked the white bird. A worried chirp was given back.

:I could fly and see, but I feel I need to remain.: he admitted. She moved to lightly pet between the small wings, and the bird seemed to sigh with his own form of comfort. :There is something I want to do, though. Let me think.:

"Okay. He wants to think over something," she said. Perhin nodded and simply held her. The guardian took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he closed his red eyes to focus.

He searched for one that could hear the forests in a specialized wind. Within seconds that could be hours, he focused his mind on where a Druid was meditating with the land. It was far off, and a rather great distance away. But, he reached out to touch the mind of this one. The man he reached was in a meditative dream. He broke into it to speak.

:Can you hear me?: the guardian whispered weakly.

:Who is this?!: the response was given.

:One that needs you to listen closely.: the guardian said carefully. Now the visions were sent in a dream-like sequence. The Druid saw what happened with the guardian. He saw the girl the guardian was protecting. Everything the guardian felt, saw, and heard was now given in full.

:I...yes. You do need my help! This child...she can heal everything if trained correctly!: the Druid gasped. :She cannot be used as a simple item! She, herself, is but a seed!:

:Please...hurry! Come help her! Teach her! She needs to learn. To grow. Evil...it seeks...to keep her...and harness her! Hurry! Make haste...: the guardian sighed and was forced out of the link.

When he opened his eyes, he ruffled his feathers. :I may have found a teacher for you, child. One that can help you hone your powers with life. We may not be able to defeat death, as both life and death are a necessary cycle. But, it will help balance whatever comes at you. Now we just need to keep you from harm long enough for him to reach you. He is a great distance away, but he will come.:

"Who did you reach?" she asked. She had been telling Perhin what was being said to her.

:A Druid of great power. You will know him when you see him.: he said softly.

"You will have me apprentice to a true Druid?!" she gasped.

"Good! We'll do all that we can to make sure it's done," Perhin nodded.

"What's going on?" Bruen asked when he walked in with Morissa. Rosalia moved to get hugged tight first before Perhin explained everything that transpired. "No one will use my little girl like that! Ever! Perhin, thank you for saving my daughter from that."

"I also asked her to marry me," Perhin smiled softly.

"I wouldn't trust her with any other. I approve of you," Bruen nodded.

"We're not out of the woods yet, so to speak. She's being searched for. Kael'thas already stated that she was his Queen. He's coming back here to reclaim her," Perhin sighed.

"What?!" Bruen seemed to hiss.

"But, the wedding isn't true. She never acknowledged it or agreed," Perhin said calmly.

"Rosalia, never agree to such a thing!" her father growled.

"Don't worry, Father. I never will," she nodded.

"She has a guardian!" Morissa said fitfully.

"What?" Bruen blinked. Then he saw the bird. "It...can't be starting now..."

"Father?" Rosalia frowned.

:Child, help me find a mushroom.: the guardian sighed. She went to where her mother was growing a small pot of them.

"Will one of these work?" she asked.

:Hmm. We can test.: he nodded. Now her parents stared with shock at how she made one of the mushrooms glow rather brightly. The bird flitted down and managed to eat it. Then he landed on the floor and grew into the stag. :I am testing something. It requires a bit more focus. Can you all hear me? I want to ensure that it can be done for emergencies.:

"Oh!" Morissa gasped.

"I can hear you," Bruen nodded. Perhin and Rosalia nodded together to show he was heard. Now the stag moved to settle on the ground. Rosalia frowned at this and went to sit next to him. His regal head settled in her lap, and he sighed when she gently pet along the space between his antlers. Perhin sat next to her to let her lean into him. They both knew he was quite exhausted, but he couldn't rest yet. He had to talk to them in full.

:It is time to reveal the truth about the power in her soul. As always, I knew who she was on the night she was birthed. It had nothing to do with stars or alignment. It was just...chance, really. She was simply chosen, as she was the most likely candidate. Let me explain how.

:We all know, or at least those with intense magical focus, that the true Sunwell was destroyed. It nourished the High Elves of Quel'Thalas for centuries. For over ten thousand years, they lived and sustained themselves from it. When the Sunwell became corrupted, it did not die. Instead, it split.:

"It split itself?" Perhin frowned.

:Yes. Into several pieces. It was able to rebirth itself this way. Our child here has gained a piece of it. It cannot be extracted from her, and, if she dies, it will simply shift to find another to inhabit. That is how this particular piece works. It takes life to sustain life. There may be other pieces that are different and become different as they grow. They are known as the Children of the Sunwell. Each piece is just as powerful as the other. As long as she lives, the Sunwell part is infused to her. For three years after her birth, it was nurtured in silence. On the night she was left alone, however, she was discovered.

:I must admit, it was a very small burglary being done. Her soul was still hidden as a secret, but she didn't know the one that entered her room. She had woken with fear, and the intruder was going to try and silence her. She didn't know what was going to happen, so she did the only thing she could. She instinctively guarded herself. Once the power came forth to protect herself from harm, well...she was too young to control such raw power. What else would have happened?:

"But, that crazy lady that came up to us! What did she mean?" Morissa asked.

:It is true that she knew of a possible prophecy. That she was able to sense the power within her. She was warning that, if our child was led on the wrong path, she would lead the world to ruin. But, since that was not the case, she will help bring peace to those that seek it. However, since her soul is one that is made to nurture and support life with growth, she must be kept safe at all times. She can bolster both life and death. Both sides of the coin will benefit from her. Sometimes, death is good. It can be used to quicken the means for life to come forth. But...if death is used to destroy life in full...:

"I had one other question," Perhin said. "If she has children, would this gift transfer?"

:It...might be possible for her offspring to gain intense magical aspects. But, to fully gain a piece of the Sunwell within her? Likely not. If anything, as I believe, the children she brings forth will have very powerful magical enhancements if they are trained properly.: the guardian nodded.

"Now, I have a question," Bruen said. "Where do you come in?"

:I am the awareness of the forest she lived in. I was able to manifest myself to help guard her. The longer she stayed within my boundaries, the more of her power seeped into the land. The moment I saw the young prince appear, I knew I had to act. I willed myself to become more than just a simple forest spirit. I gave myself a shape and a purpose. I am sure that other forest spirits can do this, too, the more the child lingers with them. That is the power of her soul. She empowers everything around her. That is her gift. Her true blessing. I do know that certain areas with death also have spirits. But, not all are evil.

:We must remember that both life and death are a necessary balance. You cannot have one without the other. Life comes to an end for new life to emerge. Much like the shifting seasons, if you see it that way. The trees shed their leaves to conserve strength. Berries fall and create new life in case the parent plant fails. It is the same with new generations in living organisms like yourselves. The one thing we cannot have is for one to overpower the other. That creates an imbalance that can hurt more than anything else. Everything will fall apart in the end.:

"And that is very true," Bruen agreed in full.

"Now I need to ask this," Rosalia smiled and pet his fur a bit more. "When I would ask for things in the forest...was I asking you?"

:That you were.: he chuckled and sighed at the scratching he got behind his ears. :As much as I do enjoy such attention, there is a war afoot. We need to start preparing this village. Child, you must return to the forest with me. I can guard you better, and I can start to show you how to empower things to help with the defenses around us.:

"But, I am still confused about that thing the woman said. That when the guardian appears, the balance would shift. What does that mean?" Morissa asked.

:What that means is that the powers of death tried to overpower life. She was in danger. I appeared to keep the balance in check.: he explained lightly, as he rose up. :Child, get on my back. I cannot risk shifting right now. I will take you back to the forest. Young warrior, accompany the others to prepare for war. You still have pieces of that pinecone on you. Keep them. I'll know where you are. Give one to each of them, too. I can keep track of them, if need be.:

"Here," Perhin said and handed over two pinecone parts. "Don't lose them. Rosalia, I'll join you when I can. O'ana surfal."

"I love you, too," she smiled and let him kiss her before helping her up onto the stag's back.

"If we do have a child," he whispered to her. "you know I will help in raising it up properly."

"I know you will," she beamed at him and kissed him again before letting the stag take off with her. He loped past several stunned villagers with her, and many could only point and stare. Bruen was already heading straight to the village leader to have an in-depth discussion with him. Perhin was also at his side. Morissa was now preparing some of her strongest healing poultices and brews.

:There is a reason I need a Druid here.: he said, as he loped along with her.

"Why is that?" she asked and held on easily.

:Not only can he train you, but he can help me, too. To work with your powers better to protect you. Worry not, child. I see you as my own form of daughter. Without you, I would not have been able to succeed in achieving what I have become now.:

"So, I'm not the only one like this?" she asked.

:You are not. And we must keep this a secret.:

"But...if there are parts that were brought up badly, and they know how to find me..." she cringed. At this idea, he went still. That thought didn't agree with him at all.

:Hopefully, the pieces cannot find each other. Especially if vile tendencies fuel them.: he snorted. She nodded, and he let her down when they reached her hut. :We need to work on defenses, and we need to ensure the village of your birth is protected. I will try and show you what to do. I hope this does not tax you too much. I will guide you as much as I can.:

"Okay," she nodded. He had her focus on the ground and gently instructed her to think of pushing into it with her mind. He informed her that she was going to charge up the land. When he felt there was sufficient energy given, he had her focus on the trees.

:Let them come to life. They will act as sentries for us, and they will uproot themselves to help attack the enemy. After this, focus on the rocks. Let the rocks underneath us rise up to form a good circle around us as a natural barrier. You can do this.: he nodded.

"I'll need to eat after this," she sighed.

:You will. Let's do this first. It is too important.: he chuckled. She nodded, and he leaned over to place a soft lick on her forehead. He really did see her as his daughter. She blushed at that and focused to help feel out where the rocks were. With the ground shaking, several of the large, hidden boulders were pulled to help form a formidable wall around the village. Then the stag had another idea. :Let me take you to a place I know of. Hop on.:

She was quick to do just that, and he took her to a place where various boulders were lying about. The odd thing about them was that they seemed to be purposely carved out. "What's this? I never knew about this!"

:This is an ancient stone golem. Its power has long gone, but it chose my forest as its resting place with my permission. Can you try and bring it back to life?: he asked. She smiled at this and moved off his back to study it. She started to touch small lines and spaces that looked like symbols carved into its arms, hands, chest, and feet. When she touched a large, runic carving on its forehead, it flared in response with a brilliant, white light. She backed away swiftly when each part she touched started to levitate and piece back together. She was in shock that she held so much power. In many ways, she wished she never knew that such a thing existed within her.

"COMMAND?" it asked after it fully formed. It towered over most of the tallest trees. Her guardian took over to respond to it.

:It is I. The spirit of the forest you chose to sleep in. The child here brought you back. A war is coming to find her and harm her. Will you help protect her?: he asked. Now the golem knelt down on one stony knee to regard her. Its chiseled in eyes were glowing brightly with new life.

"I...ACCEPT..." it nodded. Then it paused when it noticed that several of its rocks were worn down and chipped with age. It looked at her now, and she could sense the sadness it had.

"Let me help you," she said. It nodded and let her gently touch the base of its feet. More energy coursed through her to fuel the golem. Old cracks flared out white and sealed shut. It was the same thing that happened with any chips and marks that happened to it while it was inactive. It followed her easily through the forest when she got back on the stag's back, and they paused at the brink of the forest.

:I would follow the stone wall that was built around the village. You will know the enemy when you see them. The village is where she was born. We hope to protect it.: her guardian said. It nodded and moved to stand guard in front of the village entrance. When she was taken back to her hut, her parents were waiting for her with Perhin.

"I just saw a giant stone monster. What is it?" Bruen asked carefully.

"Um...a golem," Rosalia seemed to blush with a shy smile. "My guardian asked me to bring it back to life to help us. So...it works for us. It agreed to help."

"We may just have a chance to live through this," Perhin said with a chuckle and shake of his head. She moved to his side and got hugged to him. "You are absolutely amazing, my heart. We have the village rallied for arms. We were all rather shocked to see the forest come to life! And that wall of rocks that came up! How did that happen?"

:I had her charge the land. She is learning how to control her soul at last.: the guardian nodded. :She needs nourishment now. I shall stand watch.:

"Thank you," Morissa said. The stag nodded and walked off. Rosalia was now fed and cared for to help her recover her strength. She would need to be at full strength if she needed to help defend the village and forest she called home even more.

**Author's Note**

Soo...I did a little wiki digging and discovered the Sunwell actually DID get reborn as a form of a young girl. But, she eventually died. :( I had to twist up my story to show that the Sunwell split into parts (thus the Children of the Sunwell) to make this work. If it goes well, then yay! Otherwise, I must be doing good if no one has any suggestions/objections to anything that's going on. :P

Thank you all for continuing to read and support!