Namue's door flung open and slammed into the wall behind it. Growling, Peridaous leaned on Namue as the two tumbled into the relative safety of her room. She left him leaning on the wall so she could close and double lock the door before casting a protection spell over it.

"We should be safe for a minute." She said, and knocked on the connecting door between her room and the next.

Larthis was already coming through, his hand glowing. Jael slipped to Namue's door, splaying his hand across the wood and closing his eyes.

"I told you, I'm fine!" Peridaous snapped. Namue turned from the door to give him a look. The elf blinked at her and allowed Larthis to heal his jaw.

"Cute." Larthis deadpanned, and Tavain sniggered.

Jael opened the door suddenly, his hand engulfed in fire, but it extinguished as Dagrian rushed in, already saying, "I'm so sorry sir, I should have handled the situation better. My head was all muddled and I couldn't think about-"

"Hush Dagrian."

His mouth snapped shut and he sat on Namue's bed, staring at the door glumly.

"She worth it?"

Dagrian looked at the calm Jael, who was still studying the door. The others watched Dagrian as his face screwed up. "Maybe. I hope so. Ma'am." he nodded, seeing that Namue had listened to his response. Her eyes were glazed though, a look Peridaous had seen all too often on his commanders face.

"Where is she?"

Her paladin sat up straighter. "I don't know exactly. She apologized and went to her own house after the fight really started."

"She has a house here?"

Dagrian was silent.

"You knew her before we got here."

"Like I said the other day," Dagrian explained, his cheeks reddening as the situation unfolded, "I've been out here before-"

Peridaous groaned and let his head fall back. Namue's eyes flicked to him and back to Dagrian. "You've been in contact with her."

"All this time," Peridaous wheezed, "I've been running in circles in my head, wondering how the hell the Alliance knew we were headed here before we even left. Spies? We were being watched? But no, our lovesick friend had all the answers she needed-"

"Hey!" Dagrian huffed, on his feet and beet red, "She isn't like that. She's not bloodthirsty!" he stood for another moment, then added, "Sir."

Namue began to pace. Larthis had finished with Peridaous and allowed the captain to stand and retrieve water from a pitcher.

"Did you tell her anything?" Namue finally asked. Dagrian shook his head.

"No, ma'am. I said… I said I'd really like to meet with her again, when I had the chance. Here, possibly, but I was going to surprise her when I got here. She didn't know- I hadn't talked to her since we were in Silvermoon."

Peridaous watched his commander pace, "She knew you were coming?"

Dagrian's brow furrowed, "I don't think so. She was genuinely surprised when I showed up on her doorstep. Downright excited too."

"We don't need to hear about your conquests, Dagrian." Keplue cut in, and grinned. The tension was cut from the air, though Jael was still feeling the door.

Namue collapsed on the bed next to Dagrian and, in a rare show of unprofessionalism, fell to her back with her hands pressed to her eyes. Her men stared at her, caught off guard, for the most part. Larthis and Peridaous eyed her.

"Are you… alright, milady?" the Priest asked. He edged towards his fallen commander, hand engulfed in warm Light.

"Just fine, Larthis. Relieved that there is no leak from inside our group."

Peridaous nodded at Larthis when he looked back at his captain. With all eyes watching, the priest placed his fingers on Namue's brow and closed his eyes.

At first there was nothing. She continued to breathe normally, her foot kept its rhythmic tapping. Then, quite suddenly, she froze and her leg kicked out.

Nobody in the room dared to move. This was beyond their comprehension- Namue less than one hundred and ten percent? Never. Even Jael had diverted his attention from the door to watch the outcome.

Then, a flurry of movement, and shout of surprise, and Namue had pinned Larthis on the ground. She was panting, and Larthis was cringing away from her.

"Out." She rasped. Without pausing to question, Keplue, Dagrian, Tavain, and Jael headed into the other room. Peridaous stayed sitting where he was, leaning on his knees and watching his priest and commander. When it was apparent no one else was leaving, Jael curled his hand and the connecting door slammed shut.

"Milady, I'm sorry, I was not trying to pry, I was concerned for your health-"

"What did you see?" She interrupted.

Larthis licked his lips and took a deep breath. "Everything you had seen. I… took partial control of your mind. Only to search it for the problem, to find the source of stress! If I had known you-" but he stopped when Namue tensed.

"Known what?" Peridaous asked mildly, and Namue glared at him.

"Nothing." She replied, and let Larthis up. "You cannot catch me off guard." She scolded lightly. "We can discuss this further later. Until then-"

"I cannot say what I have seen, ma'am."

She allowed the priest to retreat from her room. When he was gone, she rubbed her forehead and sat on the bed- properly, this time.

"Want to talk?" Peridaous finally mumbled, keeping his voice low.

Namue shook her head. "It does not concern you. My own problems-"

He stood and strode to her side, sitting close enough their legs touched. She felt cool. He slung his arm around her shoulders, acting nonchalant.

"Tell me."

"Your fears of your marriage are mine as well,"

Talk of wedding always made Peridaous cringe, though this time his heart pounded as well. "I shouldn't have troubled you, Namue."

She shook her head. "I'm glad you did. I'm glad you informed me more. I just worry now, more than ever."
"Because you know of your sisters' fate?"

"No."

He paused, and his voice dropped. "Because of my fate?"

She was silent, her jaw clenched. "I would miss-" she inhaled sharply and shook her head, "I do not know how well I would get along with another as my captain. I do not want to think of her keeping you caged."

Nodding, he leaned on her a little more. She was not one for the mushier feelings- opening up would be awkward.

"I was thinking about…about leaving behind my position."

Now Peridaous could almost taste his heart, it was so far up his throat and pounding so hard. "Why?" He managed.

Namue looked into his eyes. "Kael'thas has to be taken care of," she stated, "He must be put away, gotten out of the way. He is a threat, and-"

"Why do you have to leave your position for that?"

When she didn't answer right away, he nudged her. "I thought you weren't worrying about your sisters."

She stood and walked away from him. "My sisters can take care of themselves. I just…" her hand clenched for a moment as she bit her lip, but then she relaxed and her hands fell to her sides. "Something is bothering me. I need to sort it out."

He nodded, his mind racing, trying to puzzle out what could knock her so off guard. She sighed and began removing her armor, laying the pieces on her bed and getting out her polishing kit. Peridaous was used to her being so free with what she wore- now a mere linen tabard that clung to her form in all the right places. However, never before had he found himself so enamored with her.

He bit his lip and studied his hands. This was far too distracting. He was a paladin for Light's sake! Such thoughts of his commander-

At this he froze, his heart pounding in his ears.

Was this what would drive Namue away from her life? Had she developed… feelings?

His eyes flicked to her face. It was closed and distant, as it usually was. Her mind was elsewhere, analyzing and replaying things over and over until she fully understood every angle.

The next thought that came to Peridaous was backed with restless anger. Who? Who dare throw Namue off balance, force her to leave?

Resisting the urge to growl, he brought his attention back to his hands, forcing himself to stop staring as her chest bounced with each rub of the cloth on the metal. He had to find out more. He had to talk to Larthis, get it out of him in order to gain enough information. He had to return Namue to her regular way of life- life as his commander.

Slim fingers caught under his shoulder pads. Startled, he looked up. She was smiling lightly, though waveringly. "I need to keep my hands busy," she admitted.

Or what? Peridaous queried silently. What would she do?

Then, it came to him, as her helped her remove his armor, and he took over the polishing cloth while she buffed the new scratches. They worked side by side in harmony, in silence, in perfect understanding. This was when they were most comfortable with each other, when they were no longer Commander and Captain, no longer Sundragon and Goldenlight, no longer woman and man. They were Namue and Peridaous, smiling at each other, helping and leaning on one another. She handed him a particularly deep scratch, he traded it for a particular nook his fingers couldn't reach.

"Are you alright, Peridaous?"

He blinked and shook his head, clearing it. "Yes… just… worrying."

Namue's eyes softened. "I'm sorry." Her hair was like liquid copper, just out of the forge, streaming over her shoulders. It had grown, he noted belatedly. "This isn't like me, so helter-skelter."

"I understand," he replied, blinking. "You know I am always here to help."

Her smile was like a warm sunrise on a clear day. Peridaous' heart fluttered.