Tsage had taken his advice, thankfully. He hadn't seen her around the Vanguard in quite some time. Things around Northrend hadn't exactly settled, however. More adventurers came into the continent daily. They were still leaving the citadel alone, for the most part. And, with the other races of Northrend being targeted by them, the citadel, itself, was getting back on track. According to Wolfe, they were able to build back their defenses and fleshwerks was no longer being targeted by the Vyrkil, allowing for more production of abominations and constructs. Wolfe had become the messenger, really. Anything he or Drakkon learned about the crusade's plans he would relay back to their father, and action could be taken from there. Wolfe had stopped trying to get Drakkon to return, after a while, realizing he would do so in his own time and on his own terms. He was never that easily swayed. In all honesty, any desire Drakkon had to return to the citadel was minimal. Having to deal with accusations and orders didn't sound like an appealing thought. And, with it being more secure and under control, he had no reason to return. The leaders of the other races obviously weren't planning to forgive him, and it was easier to let his father handle the things that needed to be done, there.
"You know my mother wants you back to cook for her again." Faiyte commented, earning Drakkon's attention.
"It worked so well the last time.." He muttered.
"I already told her she needs to stop being so intrusive." She said. "It won't happen again." She paused, looking over to him. "Any chance you'd want to tell me the real reason it bothered you so much?" She asked rather cautiously, and Drakkon shook his head.
"Not at all." He said. Faiyte nodded.
"I thought not." She shrugged. "Well, she wanted me to bring it up to you. She says she'd pay you, if you wanted."
"I don't need her money." Drakkon commented. "And why is it so important, anyway?"
"Something about reminding her of her younger days. When she used to eat at that restaurant in Stormwind. She watches my children for me while I'm here, during the day. I know they can be a handful and this is my chance to repay her." He still looked reluctant. "Honestly, I haven't seen you leave this place, other than for missions, in a long time. You could use some time away, my mother, and my children, would appreciate it, and, like I said, it's not like you're obligated to do this for free." She tried.
"I'm perfectly content, here, you said your mother is a good cook, and like I said, I don't need the money." He retaliated, and Faiyte gave a sigh.
"Well, I could make it worth your while. My offer still stands, you know." She announced.
"And I already told you that it's a bad idea."
"I'll pay you with a nice bottle of wine, then." She suggested, running short on ideas.
"I'm not that big of a drinker."
"Drak!" She huffed, agitated. Drakkon rose a brow, amused by her efforts. "You're being an asshole. What the hell are you doing, tonight, that is so damn important that you can't just come do this one simple thing for me, as a friend?"
"Since when are we friends?" He asked, and she frowned.
"Since I said so." She said sternly. "You'd rather just sit here, alone, all night?" He gave her a pointed look. "Use it as a distraction, then. Whatever the hell it is that's going on with you.. I can see it getting worse." She was talking about Kil'sha. Was it that obvious, to others? He had been bothering Drakkon more, recently, but he thought he had a better handle on masking it. At seeing the hesitation, Faiyte smiled. "Just come back with me, have a nice meal with us, and forget about it for a night." She paused, and Solara called to her from the infirmary, motioning her over. "Just, think about it, alright?" She said, looking back to Drakkon before heading for Solara. As she did, Drakkon noticed Wolfe return from the citadel, where he'd been reporting the most recent events.
"Everything is still going smoothly enough." Wolfe said as he approached. "It's been re-enforced and they've got more forces guarding it, now. The horde adventurers have been getting close, but nothing to be worried about, yet." Drakkon gave a slight nod. While Tsage was doing well enough to keep the Alliance distanced, he didn't have the same sort of support from anyone in the Horde. "Oh, and here." Wolfe said, holding out a small bag Drakkon recognized immediately as the one he used to hold his pipe. "Tonik found me, said you would probably be wanting it back."
"About time.." Drakkon muttered, snatching it away.
"She thought you'd eventually come back for it. And, of course, once Mum heard that thought she wouldn't let Tonik give it back. She figured it would lure you in, but finally decided it wasn't going to."
"There's nothing they need me for." Drakkon muttered, wasting no time in opening the bag, withdrawing the pipe, and packing it with the familiar herb. "You said yourself, they've got it under control."
"Well, they still want you there to be involved.." Wolfe sighed. "They want you there, tonight."
"No." Drakkon replied, simply enough, before lighting the pipe and taking a satisfying drag.
"You do realize this is only going to make everyone more upset with you, right?" Wolfe tried. "Why won't you just go back and get it out of the way."
"Not yet." Drakkon shook his head.
"I'll haul you back there kicking and screaming if I have to. All the anger at you is getting directed at me when I go back. You have to go back there tonight." At this, Drakkon sighed.
"Well, I already have plans, so it will have to wait." He said pointedly.
"What plans could you possibly have?" Wolfe frowned. "You never do anything."
"I don't have to report everything I do to you, no matter if everyone seems to think I should. I won't be here, so just drop it."
"Mum's worried about you, you know." Wolfe said. "The way things were left, the last time you were there. She doesn't think you're going to go back at all."
"I will, eventually." Drakkon shrugged. "Like I said, nothing is that pressing that I have to be there, immediately." Wolfe said nothing, only gave a slightly disapproving look before moving off, through the Vanguard. He had to go with Faiyte, now. He'd never hear the end of it, if Wolfe saw him staying in the town, that night. The decision had been made for him. Though, honestly, he'd rather go to Darnassus and deal with Faiyte's family, then go back to the Citadel and deal with his own.
He hadn't been warned, and certainly hadn't anticipated the way things would be, however. Apparently, word had traveled quickly through Faiyte's entire family. A rather large group of them had shown up, upon knowing Drakkon would be there. Faiyte's mother was hovering like a hawk the entire night, as well. Watching as Drakkon cooked the meal and asking questions like an attentive student. They had made an entire event out of it, and honestly it was quite nerve wracking, compared to the last time he'd come to Darnassus. However, Faiyte had been right, it was definitely a distraction. Not necessarily in the best of ways, though. Luckily, for Drakkon, anyway, Cypress had created a fuss among the other children present, and Faiyte's mother had stopped obsessively watching Drakkon cook in order to sort it out.
"Sorry about this." Faiyte said, giving a guilty sort of smile as she came into the kitchen. "When I told my mother you would be coming she decided to tell everyone." There wasn't even a proper response that came to mind, and Drakkon could only give her a slightly exasperated look. "Most of them should be leaving after they eat, don't worry." She assured, leaning against the counter beside him.
"I'll be going once I'm done. And, for future reference, don't ask me to do this again." Drakkon said, glancing to her.
"Oh, don't be like that." Faiyte sighed. "Like I said, I didn't expect it to be like this. I know it's a bit hectic, at the moment, but it will get better." She said. "You know my mother won't let you just leave, anyway. The rest of the family will be going home, and it will be more calm."
"And why would I be expected to stay, after I've done what's been asked of me?" He rose a brow. "If I'd known this would turn into a hostage situation.." He began.
"You still would have come." Faiyte said, earning his attention. "Your brother's got a big mouth. He was complaining about you, earlier. Saying something about you refusing to go home?"
"What else did he say?" He knew Wolfe would eventually ruin everything. He never could keep things to himself.
"Just that you'd been avoiding going home for quite a while. And he said, when you were finally being forced to, you told him you already had plans. I just drew the conclusion from your blatant reluctance to accept my offer, then your sudden decision to accept it.." She shrugged. "If you don't want to go home, it's none of my business." She clarified. "But you chose to come back here, over going wherever it is that you and your brother call home.. So clearly, this isn't as bad as what you could be dealing with, right now, right?" Drakkon gave a short nod, then went back to cooking. With Wolfe's apparent gossiping problem, and Faiyte's deductions and rationalizations, it wouldn't be long before she knew things she shouldn't. Faiyte was momentarily distracted by Evangelin rushing into the room, fleeing the commotion in the sitting room and climbing her way to sit on the counter between the two. "Eve, hun..." She began with a sigh.
"Please let me stay, mum!" Evangelin whined, grabbing hold of the counter's ledge as if to anchor herself to the spot. "Cy won't stop picking on me! I'm the youngest one here, they're all being mean."
"Your grandmother is already scolding him for it. The kitchen is too small for you to be in here on the counter. I'm sure Drak doesn't appreciate being crowded when he's trying to cook." She said pointedly, giving a nod towards him.
"She's alright." He said, causing Evangelin to grin triumphantly.
"See, he doesn't mind!" She said, looking back to her mother. Faiyte rose a brow, looking from her daughter to Drakkon.
"Are you sure?" She asked, after a small pause.
"Yeah." He nodded, glancing over to her. "She isn't hurting anything."
"Can I help?" Evangelin asked, leaning over to look into the pot. Faiyte, feeling as though her point had been made, began to reach to remove Evangelin from the counter. Drakkon, however, simply handed the young elf the spoon.
"You can stir."He announced, and Evangelin happily began to do so. Faiyte smirked, resting back against the counter, again. She watched, rather intrigued, as he directed Evangelin through cooking, explaining what to do, and allowing her to add in a few ingredients as she went. Soon enough, the food was done, and Faiyte's family began to file in to grab plates upon Evangelin's announcement and boasts about helping. Though, Cypress immediately gave a wild accusation that she'd poisoned it, upon hearing this. Drakkon had no real desire to eat, though it wasn't like it was uncommon. He simply stood back against the wall in the kitchen, thinking. He wanted to leave, to just return to the Vanguard for the night and be left alone, but that wasn't an option. He wouldn't be left alone. Faiyte had been right. Wolfe was probably waiting, expecting it.
"You have kids." Faiyte's sudden accusation made him instantly look up to her. She was still in the same place, leaning against the counter. It hadn't been a question, she sounded sure. There was no point in arguing with her about it.
"One." He said, and she smiled, moving away from the counter to approach him.
"I knew it." She grinned."A daughter?" She asked, and he took a short pause before nodding. "You know, when I first met you, I would never have believed it." She announced. "How old is she?"
"Twenty six." He honestly hated talking about Valeah . The less people who knew she existed, the safer it was, for her. Faiyte looked a bit shocked to hear the number.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes, really." He said, a bit confused by her surprise. "Why?" Her small chuckle didn't help his wonder.
"Nothing, I just assumed she would be younger." She answered, a bit defectively. "Alright, listen, how about that wine I promised you?" She smiled, before heading across the kitchen.
"I told you that wasn't necessary." He tried.
"But you're stuck here right?" She asked, casting a smirk back over her shoulder."Or you'll have to face the wrath of your brother? You may as well make the best of it." She continued, pulling a bottle from the cabinet and pouring him a glass before returning to hand it to him. After a small hesitation, he took it. She was right.
Though Drakkon remained in the kitchen, Faiyte was eventually called away to socialize. Having no reason not to, he took advantage of the bottle she'd set out. Of course, this only disproved his earlier statement to her, that he wasn't a heavy drinker. The truth of the matter was that he was used to a bottle a night, when he was still back at the Citadel. Or a half, at least. Though, his own collection of alcohol far surpassed the quality of what he was drinking, at the moment.
~ It was a rather bold move, telling the priest about Valeah.~ Drakkon cursed under his breath. Of course now would be the moment Kil'sha decided to creep into his mind. ~I'm sure that won't come back around to blow up in your face. Honestly, boy, do you even think, at all, anymore?~ He cackled, taunting. It was only going to get worse, and Drakkon knew it. He would rather not have an audience when it did. He moved from the wall, setting his glass on the counter before slipping out of the house, unnoticed. He still couldn't go back to the Vanguard, however. He knew Wolfe would just drag him back to the Citadel. That would never go over well. Instead, he simply sat outside, attempting to block Kil'sha from his thoughts. ~Oh, don't get upset with me, just because you're afraid to return to your precious Citadel. It isn't my fault you've ruined everything.~ Yes it was. Kil'sha was the root of all his problems. ~Now, now, that isn't fair.~ Kil'sha huffed.~ How is it my fault that you trusted the wrong person? Allowed her into the Citadel and let your guard down. She's the one that pushed you over the edge, remember? You were fool enough to think she wouldn't ruin it all?~ He said. ~It seems like something someone in their right mind would learn from, doesn't it? But, clearly, you didn't. I mean, you are trusting her again, aren't you? Against all proof and your own better judgment?~ He snickered.~No matter. If she does rat you out, the Crusade will do away with you. Which, of course,is just fine by me. Though, I would be jealous I didn't get to do so, myself.~ He was right. Drakkon knew it was a foolish choice to believe Tsage wouldn't, eventually, tell the crusade who he was. Though, the only other choice was to leave the Vanguard before that happened, and return to the Citadel. ~But you won't do that, will you?~ Kil'sha retorted to the thought. ~Because you're a weak, cowardly failure who can't face what he's done. Can't face the damage he's caused, own up to his mistakes. ~ Drakkon grit his teeth a bit. This was getting old, very fast. ~You've always been pathetic. And you always will be. You can't actually face anything like a man. Like me, for example. How much longer are you going to keep running away? Why don't you just sleep. Come in here and face me so we can finally put an end to all this nonsense. I've waited far too long for my revenge, as it is~
"Drak?" Faiyte's voice called over Kil'sha's taunts, and he heard the nightmare druid hiss angrily. Then, he was gone."What are you doing out-" She paused, looking over Drakkon with slight concern."Are you alright?" She tried. "Don't lie to me." She interrupted as he was about to speak, giving him a pointed look. He regarded her a moment, calming his nerves.
"I still don't want to talk about it." He said. Faiyte nodded, though she looked reluctant to drop the subject.
"Everyone's headed home, it isn't crowded inside,anymore." She announced, gesturing to the house."Why don't you come in, instead of sitting out here to be stuck, alone, in your thoughts?" She suggested, and gave a smile as he complied, getting to his feet. When she'd said everyone had left, she wasn't joking. The house was deserted. He sat on the couch, looking to Faiyte as she retrieved what was left of the wine bottle.
"What happened to your mother, and the kids? I thought they all lived here, with you." He asked.
"They do." She nodded as she returned from the kitchen, taking a seat beside him. "They've gone back home with my uncle." She announced."He's got a place in Stormwind. The kids like it up there. They asked me if they could go,and... Well I figure if you've got to stay here, at least it could be peaceful and quiet." She shrugged, handing over the bottle. Drakkon gladly took it. After just having to listen to Kil'sha, he could do for a drink. "So.." She attempted, after a short pause. "I know you don't want to tell me whatever it is that's bothering you.. But it's getting harder to ignore. Can you give me something, at least? Anything? No matter how vague?" She asked,earning his attention.
"There is no vague way to explain it." He said."The best I can offer is to say I just get stuck in memories. But they aren't actually memories." She looked confused. "See?"
"And the... Memories... They're bad?" She asked.
"You have no idea." He muttered, taking a swig from the bottle.
"Trust me, I know all too well about bad memories."She argued, under her breath. "The point of you coming here, having something to do to preoccupy yourself, was so you wouldn't have to deal with it for a night. Seemed like you needed it."
"I thought the point was for me to cook for your mother." He said.
"That, too." She nodded, smiling. "Is it bad that I was trying to help you out, too?"
"As one person who despises being shown sympathy to another, yes." He said. "And your distraction method of having me cook for your family and handing me a bottle of wine doesn't work as well as you may think, compared to what I'm needing distraction from." He added, though he took another swig, anyhow.
"Well, you refuse to take me up on my other offer to preoccupy your thoughts, for a while."She commented with a smirk.
"So, when, exactly, can I expect you to drop that?" He sighed, looking over to her.
"I don't understand why I'm being met with such a reluctant attitude about it." She said. "Honestly, I never thought I'd have such a difficult time convincing a man to have casual, no-obligation sex with me." At this,he rose a brow.
"Why me?" He asked outright.
"Why not you?" She retaliated, and he gave a short huff of laughter, as though there were a clear answer. "What?"
"You can't be serious." He said. "Just to clear something up, you do realize what you look like, don't you?"
"Oh, so you do find me attractive then?"She smirked, looking victorious.
"Everyone finds you attractive." He said pointedly. "And you know that. So, to my original question... Why me?"
"And I still say, why not you? I already explained this to you. Clearly, your issue in this rests with yourself." She paused. "You believe your brother, don't you? When he implied you weren't attractive, and you didn't fight him on it. It wasn't because you're used to it, like you said... You really believe it." She cocked her head a bit, watching him. "Am I right?"she asked, and he sighed.
"Half my face is scar tissue, Faiyte, what do you think?" He muttered." But, quite honestly, I couldn't give a damn. I never have." He announced. "Still, it makes absolutely no logical sense, what you're suggesting, because of it."
"So, you're sticking with that, then?" She asked, earning a questioning look. "Your scars?" She clarified. "And you think I'm that superficial, just because I'm pretty?"
"It's the way the world works, isn't it? Perfection and imperfection don't mix,"He said.
"I don't know whether I should be offended that you think I'm that shallow, or flattered that you called me perfect." She chuckled. "To be clear, everyone has scars. Whether they're worn on the outside or the inside. It's what makes people real and true, and they're nothing to be ashamed of. They're badges of survival." She shrugged. "Well, you admitted that you think I'm attractive, and I'm the one suggesting this. So, that should tell you something." She said pointedly.
"It still doesn't make this a good idea." He argued.
"Why not?" She asked. "I already said, I'm not looking for any long-term, emotional connection." She said. He seemed to be out of valid argument. Her smirk grew a bit, and she moved forward,slinging a leg over him to sit in his lap, facing him. She had his full attention then, and it was clear she had stunned him. "It's not like we don't currently have the perfect opportunity." She said, leaning forward against him. "What do you say?"
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." Drakkon tried. "Why is this so damn important to you?"
"Because it's a great way to relieve stress."She breathed, running her hands up his chest and over his shoulders to link her arms around the back of his neck, pressing against him farther. "Because it's a distraction from the chaos and pain of reality." She continued, resting her forehead against his. "Because it's pure, unlimited fun... Because it's the only way to feel completely free, anymore." She moved, brushing her lips against his in a quick, light kiss. "Because, for me, it's been four painfully long years, and you have no idea what that can do to someone." She said, a slightly pleading groan behind her voice. "Because it's not just something I want, but something I desperately need." She continued, pressing her lips to his in a more prominent, hungry kiss."And because I know you want it, too." She breathed, breaking the kiss with a smirk. "It's not like you can hide that from me, right now,"She said bucking her hips against him a bit, in emphasis.
"Four years?" He rose a brow, and she gave a nod. "And when, exactly, are you expecting your mother to come back with the kids?"
"Not until after we have to leave for the Vanguard, in the morning." She grinned. "So.. should we head upstairs, then?" She asked. To this, Drakkon smirked, giving a nod towards the hallway.