It seems everything was just getting better for him. As if problems were solved and nothing is in his mind other than her, who was casually reading a book, occasionally staring back at him before focusing her eyes once more to the book. It has been a week passed since their event alone, yet it still lingered in the man's mind like as if it was just yesterday, and even when he was in his battle readied armor with his enchanted axe on his sheathe, late to his service in the barracks, he just couldn't help himself on staring at her, admiring her beauty.
"Hmm master, I must say the woman has completely had taken over your thoughts since you have deflowered her. And you have not stopped yourself on laying your hands on her everyday, I must say it is not healthy for the longevity of your health. And now you will be late and the captain will be angry once more with you."
"Oh shut up and let me admire this beauty. Captain can take coins off my purse for all he care, I'm already a rich man financially, but I'm richer now with her." Galvane muttered under his breath as Shadowmourne once more glowed, as the voice chuckled to what he said. "As you wish Master Galvane." Shadowmourne affirmed before his voice fades away once more.
For the first time in seven years he finally had found something that made him happy, and it's something that he could take pride off, to gloat and show off to people how beautiful she is, and she is his. Though his line of thoughts disappeared when Nilsha finally noticed his stares and along with his smiles, her lips curled as she glanced back to which the man who didn't even bother to hide it but raised his brow once more and smiled wider. Their eyes meeting, then hers glancing back to the book, but he does not relent as he comes closer to her.
"What are you reading?" He asked, his smile never wavered, his eye brows raising in curiosity.
Nilsha's brows also raised as she gave him a teasing look. "And you are curious because?" She replied. Then her attention returned back to the book as her reply made the man quiet yet he does not stop admiring her. Concealing the answers to his curiosity, she read about the book of human height, still wondering how he was tall compared to other humans, after all everyone is different and there would always be some humans that would be taller than your average Kal'dorei. And now Kul'Tiran and Stormgarde were the tallest nations of humanity. "To have your curiosity sated, I'm just looking at a book on human anatomy, it says here the tallest nations were Stormgarde and Kul'tiras, Stormgarde, because of their close borders of trolls forcing them to be bigger and stronger and Kul'tiras, because of the demanding monster hunting tradition? More like wild life extinction I would say." She said, finally looking at him.
"Oh? My father is from Ku'Tiras he's a seafarer in his younger days, and the navy in Kul'tiras was quite tall as he is." He told, at least shedding a conversation with her instead of just aimlessly admiring her. Oh how he loved small things like this, and to know that talking about his family no longer hurts for him finally brings closure that he needs, knowing he had something to move on now, and it is with her.
Nilsha then looked at him and raised her brow. "I see now why you are tall. Kal'dorei tall. And if you ask why am I so curious on this I want to know more of your heritage, more transparency." She chucked lightly before going back on to the book. "And how about your mother? How tall is she? She has to be tall I believe, in human standards, same as mine I believe?" Nilsha asked once again, watching her mate shake his head.
"Short."
"How short?
"On the level of your neck short."
Nilsha then chuckled loudly. "Ouch..." Her face crumpled up humorously. She looked at her mate's face now a bit confused to her reaction. "I mean Galvane, you're unnaturally large on the size of your...ahem, and there were pain that I felt there that hadn't gone away and made me sore after, and I'm Kal'dorei, your mother is a short even to human standards it had to-" Suddenly she felt him wrap his arms around her, never minding that it basically had crushed her breasts, her ears then twitched as his breath husked on it, teasing her.
"Come on, let's spend the entire day just making love. You really aroused me now." He seductively whispered, chuckling at the end of it as he held on her tightly, yet to this disappointment, Nilsha pulled away and hastily put the book in his hands and stood up. Galvane sighed, but yet still his smile emerged, his brows was raised as he looked at her reaction.
Her arms crossed to each other, still feeling his lingering kiss. "I guess being together works like this, the mate asking all the time to just make love? Hmmm? Or is this a human thing?" She snorted in a teasing manner.
Galvane chuckled. "I guess it's the latter." He replied as he stood up and put the book away. Then turning to her, wrapping his arms around her, oh how he would love to get used to this. He is just leaning over to her shoulder and rocked themselves back n' forth, and usually when he was very young also he saw his mother and father do this daily, just in each others arms why they looked at the window admiring the view, while smiles were imprinted on their lips. And it seems that for him, he finally found something that's the same.
3 months later...
Galvane knocked on the door to the captain. Time had passed now so slightly, and nothing seemed to bother him except for the one thing that nagged him at the back of his mind, yet it seems he can't remember it. Whatever it maybe he'll confront it in the future but as of now, he was set for his life. And his day around this small Darnassus village being the only human garrisoned. Occasionally he would see adventurers of his own race and others come about, but they would be so brief that it felt like they had never come at all. But he got used to it. So are the other Kal'dorei guards who began to at least respect him as a fellow guard, not as rude as before, but still as aloof towards him on everything that mattered in a social conversation.
But the captain on the other hand was much more open to him and much more forgiving. It seems there's a pattern to it, wizened players like his current captain and the captain on the boat that they took in their trip were conversing and can see beyond ear shape and skin color while young Kal'dorei's are easily triggered by all things unrelated to themselves.
"Galvane..." The captain gestured for him to enter as he set out a map sprawling across the table. His eyes wholly focused on it as it bear some circles and exes at some parts of the area, assuming it to be some sort of targets. "I want to talk to you." He said as he sat down behind the table while the human followed suite, grabbing a nearby chair for him to sit on in front.
Galvane with a nod responded. "Alright, I'll bite since I'm here now, what do you want to talk about captain." He respected the man because probably he's the only one who respected him in the entire garrison.
"I need a leader to lead some of the garrison around the village surrounding the village, it's getting dangerous around seeing how some of the Darnassus garrison are in at open war with Twilight Cultists and we're lucky that-"
"No." A stern reply cuts him off. Galvane's demeanor changed quick as it resigned to a very defying state. Shaking his head, narrowing his brows. "You know me enough in these last three months to know why I cannot lead anyone at any point in my life anymore." He said, his voice was thick with indignation, it was bad enough to witness the tragedy that happened because of his incompetence, but to do it again is a matter that he won't accept.
The captain didn't seem to be surprised to his response. "Ah yes of course, you're afraid that it might happen again? I would say that is what you fear but look around you Galvane. Things changed, you ran away in that fight because it was a lost cause-"
"I ran away because I was a coward!" Galvane interrupted with a shout as he stood up. It has been sometime since he raised his voice this high to someone.
"You ran because you want to live to fight another day!" The captain yelled back, but his tome was much calmer, even relaxed. "And the rest of the men that followed you." He then take out a map. It was a map of Icecrown, and he pointed at Scourageholm, the area where Galvane led those men to their demise, and he would never forget that day because right now it is all coming back to him again. His head aching once more at the memories. "Look at this map! Scourageholm, you and your men were dead before you started your mission to trek there. But you managed to save what remained of them and some were very young, boys that just took their first swing of the sword." He put down the map as he watched the human sat back to the chair.
"How do you know this about my men, and Scourageholm?" Galvane looked at him, his eyes half lidded, seemingly recovering from the reminder of that place.
The Night Elf chuckled at the human's ignorance. "Do you really thing a captain like me whose experience in leading far surpassed your own wouldn't search to whatever secrets you have been hiding? Or to anyone's? You're one of the warriors in Icecrown that fought the Lich King." But he quickly changed the topic. As he approached a table and took out a token."This isn't just for the good of the village Galvane, this is also for the sake that the Ebon Blade wouldn't be coming for you again." Galvane's eyes widened at the mention of the Ebon Blade, it seemed that he has forgotten in the last three months about the quest that he must set out, doing something to stop them from taking him. Galvane shivered at the thought of it, while he was busy thinking everything is perfect, on the other and the clock was ticking down for him to do something about this before they come for him and in that time she will see it in full circle of his deceit, and he would not want to see how broken she would be after.
The captain approached him and gave the token, and the human's eyes moved in fear as he watched that markings of the Ebon Blade. "The leader spoke to me, he said that you need to do something fast because it seemed that you have forgotten the deal again." he warned, watching the human's reaction, his brows narrowing sharply at he stared at the token, reminding him of the deal that they had agreed. "What will she do and what will you do when the Ebon Blade will come for you and she watches?"
Galvane bit his lip as the reminder of his deal affecting Nilsha came again. He looked the Kal'dorei and stared down at him. "Please don't involve her with this." His voice came out softer than he anticipated.
"I'm not, because of you mingling with my kind, which I mean her you indirectly involved her with this." He gestured at their surroundings, he then folded the map from the table and gave it to Galvane. "Let me help you Galvane, he said you have a debt to pay and it requires you do something but you don't know what to pay, I'll help you in anyway I can by listing you in the garrison as a member of the Ebon Blade, but help me also by leading the men and protecting the villages because it is getting very dangerous with a lot of cultist coming out from their caves and fighting the other garrisons who got their hands full. And in that way you maybe recognized by the village and the they may recognize the generosity of the Ebon Blade through you, and through that the Ebon Blade might be favored by the king or anyone of note and they-"
"And they might think it's enough..." Galvane cut off, his voice was excited as his hope is renewed at this revelation. Indeed that he was right, that he will be able to gain their favor by going about, trying everything to be known by the people and to represent them so that their views on the Death Knight's will be softened, to become more acceptable and that had always been what the Ebon Blade seek.
But yet his eyes wandered down on the token, leading a group of people once again is a task that will require him to go to the lion's den, and he had gone through it back in Icecrown where only he and a few others survived. It might not be the same for him again because he is in the area of Darnassu inside a small village compared to the unforgiving north, but its the same concept once more, their lives is in his hands once more.
Galvane looked at the captain and nodded. "I'll do it...for her sake, because I lied to her that everything is going to be alright. Right now I have bitten off more than I can chew...and also captain, don't let anyone know of this conversation." Galvane said as he clutched that token and put it inside his pocket. He'll be an Ebon Blade for now.
The captain nodded back as he pat his shoulder. "I won't tell anyone, the Ebon Blade leader also didn't show himself to anyone, he knew well enough to not make it more of a burden to you. And I assure you also that your mate won't know, but I'll not be able to defend you from your admitted lies to her." He turned and sat back down behind the table ."I'll just say this that: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Especially if she is of my kind." Even in the wake of serious matters , the captain had to let out a jest for the human warrior. "I wish you well Galvane." He waved as he watched the man leave.
All she does now is hear the sermon's of the priestesses. Watching the priestess utter beautiful words about the grace and love from their Goddess Elune and how she is mighty and benevolent. Those sermon's are music to her ears and she had vowed that she would serve and worship Elune to all the days of her life with goodness and grace in her heart. To share love not just to herself, to her friends or even to just her race but the rest of the world, regardless of racial background. And to her, that always seemed to be what most of her predecessors lacked.
But who is she to say that also. "I gave up my position as a priestess...I am a priestess in name but no longer I am a priestess to any church." She said to herself, stopping herself to have the heart to criticize or voice it in her heart about generosity or grace towards the other priestesses. All she can do now is just close her eyes, pray and listen to their sermons, ignoring the whispers behind her back about her relationship to Galvane. Everyone in the village knows her through their relationship. This is what she had been experiencing in the past months since she had arrived here.
Nilsha was so focused on listening to the priestess' sermons that she didn't even notice a familiar face sitting beside her. Having the stranger put a hand on Nilsha's shoulder to have her attention only to reveal that her mother Alteria, had come to see her unannounced. "Hello Nilsha..." She announced softly to her daughter's surprise.
Her eyes widened as she struggled to find her words. "M-Moth-" Her mother then stops her, putting a finger to her lips before standing up. Nilsha didn't even hesitate as she followed her outside the temple. Her mother's former occupation as a high ranking priestess gave her some privacy between them as other fellow priestesses bowed in respect to her, nodding to their direction and respecting her request of being alone with her daughter. And already Nilsha's expression was sour, her brows narrowed, her lips tight to each other. "What are you doing here mother?"She asked, her hands on her side curled, and in her tone she wasn't interested.
"I just wanted to see you..." She told softly, her eyes narrowed but it wasn't of irritation but of concern to her. It has been three months, three months past since their sour encounter at their table. Scanning her daughter's face, she could just feel the heated irritation that radiates from her and she doesn't blame her. "Nilsha...I'm just-I'm." Alteria tried to put a hand on her shoulder but Nilsha begrudgingly pulled away.
"Sorry? Mother I came back home to reconcile, because something happened back in the human capital, when I had the option not to but I did, and I took him. I wasn't expecting any acceptance from you or father on him being my mate, but I was expecting at least-" She tried to explain but her mother then shooks her head and cuts her off.
"How could we? Nilsha you left and for seven years you hadn't shown your face to us and when you came back, suddenly you have a human mate into our doors. How could we even consider that when it is so sudden? Think my daughter!" She raised, her voice still low, not wanting to disturb the sermons or the other priestesses because of this.
Nilsha admits that she has a point, and she can't deny that. To just come with a human mate after disappearing for seven years is a surprise to their family even if she had indeed mated with one of their own but still, her point stands. "You don't understand mother...I understand your reaction because my sudden introduction but when I heard you and father won't even consider meeting him is just something I can't hold to myself." she told as she shook her head, walking down the stairs from the temple, forcing her mother to follow.
Following her daughter she puts a hand on her shoulder forcing her to stop and look back at her. Her eyes soft with concern as she traced her hand to her cheeks. "Nilsha just come back home, leave that human! We can start all over again with your father and your life will be for the better...with us." She said, watching her daughter's reaction turned sour as she slowly pulled her hand away from her cheeks.
"I don't want to start over...I want to move on. With him." Nilsha softly replied with finality, her voice was yet so gentle as she turned her back to her. And judging from her mother's reaction, her words absolutely had effect on her. Seeing that there is no reason to continue their conversation she prepared to move out, back to the inn and wait for Galvane.
"And what happens when it is time for you to move on from him?"
Her mother's words immediately shattered her world for a moment. Her body frozen as she tried to take in her question. It seemed that she had forgotten, that he was human and how short her life would be compared to hers, just a fraction in the millennia of years to come in her life. She had confidently said to him that she wouldn't be able to moved on from him and she would take the brunt of widowhood, but now that they have been in each others arms and tasted their love, the thought of it had become much more painful for her. She blinked a couple of times, her heart beating very fast, though it is just words it seemed like she is watching Galvane fade away before her very eyes as the years aged him before the kiss of death separates him from her til they meet in the after life.
She turned around facing her mother, though her eyes lacked tears, the way her face contorts says it all. Even Alteria could see the hurt in her eyes, her daughter just trying to suppress it. Somewhere inside of her, Alteria felt pain to her daughter's decision, about the fact of how limited her daughter's time would be to the one she had loved. And she just wants to protect her daughter from the inevitable pain that she would endure if she does this to herself.
"I don't move on..." She croaked, looking at her in the eye. Seeing her mother was about to reply, she cuts her off. "Because that's nature and I won't be afraid nor would I be covered in grief because I'll see him, Elune be blessed, through my children's eyes..." Tears started to come out from her eyes, yet she was strong. "And I'll see my children through my grandchildren's eyes and their children's eyes and so on. So long I'll see him through them and it is enough for me to be satisfied, to know that he never left because he remains in here through them and till it arrives, my day when we will be reunited." Nilsha ended, her hand softly wrapped around each other's grip, looking down, afraid to look at her mother now.
Nilsha expected to hear more sermons or voices of disapproval from her mother on how delusional she would be, but all she felt is her warmth as she wrapped her arms around her. Her slightly taller frame allowed her to take her daughter in her arms. "Oh Nilsha...why are you different from us? Why are you too kind to the younger races?" She asked softly, her voice filled with maternal gentleness, her hands softly caressing her cheeks, watching her details of her face, her hair and everything about her daughter is beautiful. Yet she feared her naivety would haunt her back. "Nilsha you have grown to be so beautiful so...so mature yet naive at the same time. Can't you see I am just trying to protect you from the inevitable pain that you would endure if you continue your venture of love with this human?"
"It's a cost I'll gladly take in..." She replied, her amber eyes staring back to her mother's silvery ones.
Shaking her head slightly Alteria surrendered. It is of no use to convince her daughter, she had made her choice. She could only smile to her daughter as she tried to accept it. "Oh my daughter, any male of any kind would be the happiest person in the world to have you as mate, or wife. It is unfortunate that it had to be a human whose years won't be long, but I won't question you anymore on that matter as long as you are happy my child..." she remarked, her words causing Nilsha to smile, knowing the tension between mother and daughter eased greatly. "Oh Nilsha, I just hope your father could see you right now, how beautiful you are. I hope he'll see favor one day and see that he was wrong."
Nilsha couldn't take it anymore as she wrapped her arms around her, wanting to embrace her mother once more just to ease the flutter in her heart. Her mother's finger tapped her chin, making her look up to her. "Now, Nilsha. In this past six months since you came back to Darnassus the only encounter we had is at home and it is an encounter that I want to forget and atone to. I'm just asking Nilsha to please allow me to see your mate, I want to see for myself, the human that had took your heart."
If she insist, Nilsha can do nothing but agree.
Galvane stood tall as the captain introduced him his squadron. Twenty of them and half of them were females. Most of them were young and new faces, having to only wield a sword in the training area and had never fought a battle. Save for a few that actually had fought in the third war in the way of defending a few villages and bases from the Scourge and the Legion. He was walking back n forth around his new squadron. And their young faces made him remember about the young faces also that he had been with at Scourageholm. And he remembered them, especially the young boy that went to Northrend only because it was the quickest way to get money for his only remaining family member in his sister. He survived and he gladly sufficed him with more than enough money to accommodate him and his sister of their needs and start. And he would wish that if ever these new faces have the same situation, he would never have to let them get in the line of fire like the young boy did just for money.
"Everyone, good afternoon." Galvane started, still is walking around, the captain was at the distance, observing the event. "All of you probably knew me out from the rumors of interracial relationship to which it is true. And also of the fact that I am the only human that reside here for the moment. And I'll begin by saying that I came here in Darnassus along with my mate just to wait out the dangers in Stormwind because of the Defias Brotherhood. But going back home now is not yet an option despite it seemingly safe now back in the capital. Because this place here needs help because of new danger. And before you ask, who am I to say what is danger in the native homeland of yours? Just know that I am trying to help, just cooperate because I don't lead the garrison, I'm just here to lead you group while the captain is the brain of all this." He ended watching their reactions and judging from their faces, were a bit uncaring.
"I'm younger than all of you by hundreds of years-"
"Actually I'm just seventy-six years old." A voice in the squadron suddenly interrupted. And immediately all eyes were on a young night elf, he was taller than Galvane by just a hair. Rather than to be scolded about interrupting Galvane rather pats his shoulder and smiled at him. It's the same as always for him, it's always the youngest of the bunch that interrupts a higher official.
"What's your opinion on a human fifty years younger than you to be leading this group?"
The 'young elf' seemed eager to answer. "There's nothing to feel sir." He replied, his face filled with young pride. "Age doesn't automatically mean experience and I haven't fought a battle before but I held a sword and knows how to wield it." His answer seemed to make Galvane chuckle as he pat his shoulder again and lightly punched his shoulder in a good gesture.
"I really like neophytes like you, be it a dwarf, human or night elves. You'll do good here." He smiled as Galvane walked away from the group. And he was about to make an another speech but the captain suddenly interrupted him. And it was something that Galvane wasn't prepared for. And he knows that she wasn't Sheandre, yet she was identical in every way but had such maternal aura. Having to meet the matriarch of the family personally made the man shiver. He had seen in the distance six months ago when Nilsha bitterly severed ties from her family, but meeting her now personally was such much different.
He gestured at his new squadron and dismissed them, letting them leave from the garrison.
It seems the captain would be seeing something interesting as he watched Galvane nervously approach the older Night elf. He smiled, no matter who you are and of what things you have went through, everyone is the same in terms of meeting the parents of their lovers. He had been in this situation before with his mate, and to see young love blossom is a sight to see always in his very long life.
Nilsha herself was nervous, her eyes down cast before looking at her mother's very fierce silver eyes, her brows narrowing down as Galvane approached her. Despite being much shorter, it seemed Galvane was the one feeling small compared to the older Kal'dorei. Nervously he reached out his hand for a shake, but yet did not recieve an answer as Alteria then turned Nilsha. "It seems this is your human mate, he's tall I would say in terms of human stature but I'm...unimpressed." She told her, her voice thick with authority, her head held high. "I thought this human would something special my daughter."
"I'm just your common human, ma'am." Galvane nervously replied, retracting back his hand.
Alteria lightly chuckled. "Oh no, for my daughter, a common human is never worthy. No human, high elven woman is more beautiful than my daughter and I would hope that you would be more than a 'common' human young boy." She replied, then looking back to her daughter who was just quietly and nervously watching the events, then to Galvane, as if comparing the two. The difference is so clear, the man was very rugged, yet she felt her daughter would be safe under him judging from his appearance, his stature, and from his weapon, it looked to be eerily enchanted, so it would answer that he must have met the battlefield more than enough times. "Though I would have to say I do not know you yet boy-"
"Galvane Hilt." He suddenly cuts off.
"I beg your pardon?"Alteria reacted. The man's interruption somewhat surprised her.
I would prefer to introduce my name first for the sake of not having to call me a boy. With all due respect Mrs. Moonlit." His reply made the older Kal'dorei smile. At least she knows that he doesn't let himself be intimidated by everyone, it's one of the things that she would want assurance for her daughter, that the person she maybe with would not crumble and he has that at least.
With a soft sigh she continued. "I was just going to say Galvane, that I do not know you yet, so there is something in you that had caught my daughter's heart. Most humans that had come around this village, mostly soldiers and adventurers would be drunkards before moving on to their endeavors." She said before adding. "I like your attitude young man. You give respect to the parental matriarch of my daughter yet you would not allow disrespect. Your parents must have taught you well in attitude."
"Umm-thank you." The warrior was tongue tied for a moment, did he actually heard that? He had impressed a Kal'dorei parent. Oh such an achievement for him. "My parents did teach me good manners."
Alteria nodded to him and looked at her daughter. She had a hopeful face yet it didn't register to the Kal'dorei parent yet knowing she needs to see more of the human than just a few moments of introduction. "Nilsha, I wouldn't say I approve immediately of him as a mate yours as I have need to see more of him. But, I would see why, even just a little that the hint of possibility to why you chose him." She said.
"Thank you mother. I knew you would see it." Nilsha said. "This reconciliation is so needed for me."
She leaned down and kissed her forehead. And then looked back to Galvane. "I'll see you more often Galvane. I wish to know more." She said as she waved her goodbye to him, then back to her daughter, before walking away, leaving them both alone. Nilsha could only think so much at this moment, the happiness inside of her were ever growing.
Galvane was happy, to have a hint of a approval from her, especially knowing that the bitterness from Nilsha because of their bitter depart at their home was finally extinguished, but for him it is not yet to celebrate. He needs to do more, and having her approval is just the first chapter and the chapters that succeed it, he must get past on, especially about the Ebon Blade. He could only squeeze Nilsha's hand, unconsciously seeking for comfort.
"This is a start."