It had been barely a week since the Lich King's fall, but life had already returned to a normal routine within the Crusade's encampment. The Ebon Blade had withdrawn to the Shadow Vault to the northwest, and to Archerus in the Plaguelands. Even with the death of Arthas, Highlord Fordring had emphatically resisted dismantling the Crusade.
"The Scourge remains to be dealt with. The Argent Crusade will continue until the day Azeroth is free of its taint."
Lightbane had ghosted around the encampment. Once Hilde's recovery had been announced, the fifth legion had been very strict in keeping all comers away from her. Their dranaei commander had been particularly sharp in ordering him out. And so he'd been relegated to one of the posts across from the medical tent. The legionnaires respected his space, and rarely troubled him with random conversation.
He managed to catch sight of her a half-dozen times, including during the arrival of an envoy from Stormwind. After the envoy's departure, word ran rampant throughout the camp. The Lady Hilde had been summoned by King Wrynn. She was to leave within the next few days.
The bitterly cold morning of her departure, Lightbane was roused by one of the fifth legion. Most of the warriors were scurrying around, already beginning to line up in formation. The messenger saluted stiffly.
"The Lady Hilde requests your presence, m'lord."
Lightbane nodded and followed him into the medical tent. Most of the inhabitants had recovered, leaving it quiet in the early morning light. Hilde was standing at the far end, her rich green dress lighting up her eyes. She was still pale, but authority blazed from her in waves. Her hair was brushed straight down in an ivory waterfall over her back, save for small braids on either side of her neck. She dismissed the guard with a flick of her head. She captured Lightbane's eyes, gazing silently at him until the last tent flap dropped into place.
"I'm sorry we haven't been able to talk until now. The fifth is a bit overzealous," she chuckled softly.
"Well, there really isn't anything connecting us except that I happened to be the body that brought you here."
"Even so, I wanted to thank you. If it wasn't for you, I'd have died on that wall, or in the upper spire."
Lightbane snorted. "That was your paladin ghost, not me."
"If there wasn't some shred of who you used to be in there, it wouldn't have mattered. So thank you. Even if it was against your will."
Hilde smiled and stood on her tiptoes to place a small kiss on his cheek. Lightbane snapped his eyes forward; trying to simultaneously shrug off the gesture and savor it.
"You are leaving."
Hilde's eyes darkened, and she turned away. "Yes. King Wrynn demands an accounting of what happened in Icecrown. He asked for me specifically, I'm not sure why. But Highlord Fordring believes it would do me some good to spend some time in the south again. The warlocks there may be able to help me. Since the citadel…" she clenched one hand and drew in a long breath. "Anyway, I haven't been to Stormwind in years, since before I joined the Crusade." She patted the bag at her side. "Besides, I have a final duty to perform there."
Lightbane eyed the bag. It could only be one thing. He could sense the Light seething inside the fabric.
"Is that what I think it is?"
Hilde nodded. "It's time I think. Christof's hammer needs to be returned to the Cathedral of Light. I only hope he's finally at rest now that Arthas is dead." She tilted her head slightly. "What will you do?"
Lightbane glanced at the tent walls. "I've spoken to the Ebon Blade, but I'm not like the others anymore. They can hear our new Master, but I can't. I've thought of trying to find where I died, to discover more about who I used to be."
Hilde nodded as the trumpets blasted from outside. "Well, if you ever find yourself in Stormwind, please look me up." She smoothed back her hair with a sigh. "Take care of yourself, Alexander."
She'd gone a few steps past him when Lightbane cleared his throat loudly. Hilde paused, her eyebrow arching in his direction.
"You gave your paladin something once to remember you by," he growled, focusing his eyes above her head. Hilde smiled gently, reaching down and pulling out her small casting dagger. She brought it up sharply; the blade winking in the light as it sliced through her hair. A quick motion and she was holding one of her braids out to him. Lightbane took it gently; their fingers barely touching. He nodded at her in thanks. The braid curled around his fingers like a living thing, still warm.
The trumpets blazed again, and she was gone. As Lightbane stood in the empty tent, he could hear her speaking to the gathered troops, and the wild cheers of the fifth legion. His fingers moved of their own accord to lightly stroke the length of hair. The cries outside grew louder, punctuated by fanfare, before slowly dying away. Lightbane shook his head at the quiet, absently tucking the braid around his arm and down into his gauntlet.
Hinterlands first, and then…perhaps I should see Stormwind again.