Chapter Eleven: Where Do We Stand?

Darnassus

Having Brunen in Darnassus was like taking a gnome to the Lion's Pride Inn: a lot of jokes about drinking and far too much excited running about all over the place, but still adorable. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen him so happy, not since the first night they met. Mostly, she sat off to the side and watched him go from store to store, buying Darnassian cheese and bread and drinks, while she took care of their spider hatchling, which still didn't have a name.

Finally, he came running back to her, grinning from ear to ear. He lifted her by her sides and spun her, and then gave her a long kiss. "I love it here!"

She smiled broadly at him. "As do I. I'm glad you like it."

"Can we stay here for a while? I've never loved a city so much on the first day. I'd like to start fishing again."

She laughed, because it was such a domestic thing to say from such a strong, formidable warrior. Honestly, she had seen the man one-hit an ogre, and he wanted to fish. "Whatever you prefer, sweetheart."

He smiled at her. "Come on, I've been running all day- let's go meet your mentor."

She nodded and they started down the path, idly commenting on the scenery and the life and the wisps. She had just finished explaining the wisps when she reached the druid tree. Reminiscence and the feeling of being home coursed through her. She had to resist sprinting up the ramp, and Brunen noticed.

He laughed and invited, "Go, I'll meet you there."

That was all the invitation she needed.

Delaeda took off at a full sprint, resisting shifting, and very soon after reached her mentor on the second-highest side platform. She raced over to him and bear-hugged him, and he hugged her back warmly.

"Delaeda!" He greeted her.

"Shadorin!" She replied, and ended the hug. He looked at her with a light and warmth he hadn't previously held for her.

"You've grown since I last saw you," he commented. "You're… Older, somehow. You weren't gone for very long, but something changed."

She shrugged. "I'm not sure."

In truth, she knew what it was. She didn't let on to Brunen that he was her first, but he figured it out quickly enough. She supposed picking such a large mate for the first time may not have been the best idea, but she didn't regret it- not at all. Perhaps twenty-seven was a little old for her first time, but given the lengthy lifespan of night elves, she had never felt rushed.

"And where did you go?"

She stepped back and sat on one of the benches. "To Goldshire, where I met a draenei man named Brunen. He then accompanied me to Silverpine to find my wayward brother, and we stayed to observe the war and make sure they didn't need our help. In truth, the Gilneans needed all the help they could get, but refused to say so until we received news that they lost."

"They lost?"

She nodded. "The Horde was better prepared, and had better fighters." Like Lynissara, but you can't know that.

Brunen joined them then. He nodded Shadorin and stepped over Delaeda. "I'm guessing he's your mentor?"

"No, the shadowy figure over there is," Shadorin said. Delaeda laughed, but Brunen looked annoyed. Shadorin stepped forward, smiling. "You must be her draenei friend."

Brunen shot her a glance; she knew the word 'friend' would bother him.

"I'm Shadorin Cedarstorm. You are..?"

Brunen stood taller. "Brunen Taas."

They shook hands, and Shadorin kept his friendly smile in place. "You're very lucky to have a woman like Delaeda."

Brunen stared him down. "That I am."

"Anyone would be honored to have her. Make sure you don't lose her."

Delaeda glanced between the two. She couldn't very well speak on behalf of either- what kind of apprentice turns on the mentor for a man she's known two months? But also what kind of woman would she be not to defend Brunen to Shadorin?

"I won't, no matter what you're implying, elf."

Slight offense there. Okay.

"Do you have a problem with my pointy ears?" Shadorin cocked his head to the side, his smile now a smirk. "Afraid they might gouge your pretty face? You realize she has the same ears, don't you?"

Brunen narrowed his eyes. "I'm aware. She wears them better."

"She still has them. Don't spit the name 'elf' in front of me, and especially not in front of her."

"Don't threaten what she and I have."

"Oh, I won't. Only she has the power to choose one of us, and I'm not asking her to. Get the idea that I'm an enemy out of your mind, draenei, before the druids here kick you out. This is not a battle you want."

Brunen stepped back. "Only for her."

"As you wish."

Delaeda sighed. This is going wonderfully.

x~x

The wind ruffled through the tent and Aladey shivered in her sleep. Faradin pulled the blanket closer to her chin. The sun had risen hours ago, and still she slept. His mother had woken her at one point to feed her, but she had not truly woken yet, not since the brief moment that morning. A letter had arrived for her shortly after, from Lynissara, but hadn't been opened. Faradin was worried sick.

Yellow afternoon turned to bronze and then fiery sunset, setting the planes ablaze with light. Soon after, indigo dusk settled over Bloodhoof. The tribe was celebrating the heroism of the group that had saved them, and the fact that Bloodhoof Village was secured once more. But Faradin couldn't celebrate until Aladey was okay.

Worry had him at the end of his wits. His heart had not stilled since the halberd had crossed her chest; his mother had stated it was a miracle that the halberd had gone at the angle it did, as even a fraction of a degree could have killed her. The idea of never seeing her face light up again, of never hearing her voice… That would kill him as surely as the halberd would have. He still wasn't sure if it was worse to be killed then or to live without her.

It had been awkward to explain to his mother the whole situation. She had known from the moment Faradin walked Aladey into the tent that Aladey was the girl he had talked about before, and she hadn't seemed surprised when the betrothal was ended. She only wanted his point of view on it, which was that Reagana was unreasonably jealous and Aladey was far more honorable. He wouldn't marry a woman with such a frivolous personality- she agreed with whatever suited her, be it that Aladey is wrong or Aladey isn't being rescued. If the situation had been reversed, Faradin knew he would have swept his feelings aside to save the person who was trapped trying to save their tribe. It wasn't fair to her. And it wasn't fair to him to have to marry such a woman. So he refused. The only problem now was that Reagana's father had already paid a dowry, and his mother had already spent it. He didn't have the money.

Aladey stirred suddenly, her eyes opening, and his eyes shot over to her. She moved to sit up, and he placed a firm hand on her shoulder to hold her down, and she smiled at him.

"You stayed," she said, her voice faint.

"Of course," he replied. "You saved my tribe, and… You're you. I couldn't leave."

She seemed to notice the celebrations then, and her dimly-glowing eyes turned to the tent entrance. "You should be celebrating. I'll be alright."

He looked down at her. "No. I can't leave you here alone, and the best celebration for me is just being around you."

She smiled at him. "I just need rest, Faradin. Go- have fun. You deserve it. You saved your tribe."

"No, Aladey. You did that."

She only shook her head. "Faradin, I… I'm so weak right now. I feel like all of my strength has been pulled out of me."

"You had a halberd in your chest."

"Hmm. Fair point. Still," she yawned, "It's no fun being stuck here. I wouldn't force you to be as well. But I will force you to go enjoy yourself. Stop sitting vigil, I'm not dead."

"You almost were."

"But I'm not."

He chuckled softly, and then leaned close. "Can I tell you something?"

"Hmm?" She was growing sleepier, he could see it.

"Part of the reason I'm staying in here is because I'm being shunned by the tribe. I guess breaking off my betrothal to a pretty taureness woman for a blood elf mage wasn't a wise move if I want a good reputation."

Aladey chuckled, and then coughed once. Still grinning weakly, she looked over at him. "Who says reputation matters?"

"Aren't you the hero of the blood elves?"

"Basically, yes, but not for reputation. I just want a safe home for my people."

"Not just pretty dresses?"

She sobered some at that. "Oh, yeah, I have to make another robe." She turned to him. "You don't happen to have, like, a whole crate of linen cloth, do you?"

"I can find some. Oh, your cousin wrote to you- Lynissara- and I thought you'd want to… You're asleep again. Alright. Sleep well, Aladey." A smile lifted his lips. "My Aladey."

Her hand squeezed his.

"My Faradin."

So that's where he stands to her, then. A hand to hold, someone to call her own. He could accept that.

x~x

Northern Stranglethorn

"You love me, right?"

Lynissara looked over at Aldonn, completely baffled. They were sitting in a cove, their backs to the stone wall. "Of course!"

Aldonn stared at the rushing waters. "Hmm."

She sat up, looking at him. "Why do you ask?"

He looked over at her. "Where do we stand?"

Caught in his yellow gaze, she was frozen for a moment, uncertain of how to reply. "I… I love you, and you love me. That's all that matters, right? We don't want anyone else."

"I want to be with you for as long as I can. But I don't want to just be the man you spend time with in secret coves in the shadow of night."

She shrugged, her eyes searching for a reasonable answer. "Aldonn, I don't know what you're asking-"

"We have to choose. One of us has to choose. We can't keep carrying on this way, in secret, on opposite sides of a losing battle. Something has to give, Nissa."

She recoiled. "Are you asking me to leave the Horde?"

He stared at her. "Do you really think Garrosh Hellscream is going to take me in? No. But I know Tyrande Whisperwind will accept you, and vouch for you to King Varian Wrynn. The odds are higher that you can join the Alliance than that I can join the Horde."

Lynissara scoffed. "Okay, first you're trying to tell me that the only way we'll last is if I abandon my people, and then you tell me that your oh-so-sweet leader is going to take in a Horde war hero? I won Gilneas for the Horde. I won a war against the Alliance. They aren't going to take me. And even if they do, what will I do? I can't very well sign up for the Stormwind army and go fight my former brothers and sisters! You can't ask that of me, Aldonn. I wouldn't ask you to fight Delaeda, and nor should you ask me to turn against my cousin. I never had any family, and only just now discovered my cousin, and still haven't gotten to go see her. If we settle down, it'll have to be after I retire. Don't ask me of this now. I want to have you in the future, but I can't settle down now. If you love me at all, please understand this."

Aldonn stared at her for a long moment and then swallowed. "What do you want from me, Nissa? What future do you see for us?"

She stared at him for a long moment, feeling her heart sink with uncertainty. "I… I don't know. I want to see us settled down somewhere, a house of our own, maybe start a family. But I don't know how that would work; I don't know if a blood elf and a night elf can even have a child."

He took her hand. "That's all I need to hear, Nissa, just that you want a future with me." He took a deep breath. "I'll wait as long as you need me to. Go, meet your cousin, and then return to this cove in two weeks. Leave in the morning, and go see her."

Lynissara nodded, brightening. She put a leg on either side of Aldonn and placed her hands on his wrists, holding him in place. "Aldonn, I love you. I'll be back in two weeks' time, but for now, we have tonight."

He raised his eyebrows. "Are you proposing..?"

"That we make the most of it. If I'm not going to see you for two weeks, then I'm going to enjoy this last night as much as I can."