Over the course of three days, fifty of the ancient, glowing spirits were found. Rosalia had recovered enough to help them gain small forms, too, with the guidance of the guardian. Malfurion was overjoyed, and she was already proving herself in her training with him. However, Kael'thas did find his way to them. He was forced to stay in a small area away from her.

"I should be staying close to her!" he argued.

"Not while she is training," Malfurion said calmly. "It is too much of a distraction. Remember this, young Kael'thas. She needs to hone her skills with complete calm."

"I know. I'm just worried about her," he admitted.

"Then show your support for her by watching her advance herself," the Archdruid said. Kael'thas could only agree. He had been keeping in constant touch with his small kingdom. And, as much as Rosalia was unsure of it, Malfurion did have her charge up various reserve crystals for Kael'thas to send back to his people. The magic infused in them would help them in the fight. It was also good practice for her to test her strength and mental focus.

Arthas had landed so far north to avoid detection that it was going to take him at least a week or two to reach her. It could be even longer from all the obstacles in his way. The Scourge was never taken lightly. It was a proven fact at all times.

Illidan, however, was calmly learning everything he could from afar. He was waiting for an opening to talk to Rosalia face to face. He would get that opening when she was advised to try some self-taught night training. She was definitely safe enough, and the wards around her would react the moment she came to any form of harm. As much as Perhin wanted to be there for her, he was needed to help place some strategically done towers to help guard over the forest. It simply had to be done.

When Illidan sensed her, his entire body was tingling from the raw power that simply came from her in waves. This was a very dangerous and uncontrolled power. He now had an idea of what he could to get close to her. The only question now was...how should I approach her? He had several options to choose, but he knew she would be quite guarded from all she had been through.

He decided to play it safe and wore a cloak over his form to cover the runic tattoos on him. It was large enough to go over his wings, too, and he managed to fold them in carefully. He couldn't give himself away like that. At least not yet. He also made the decision to hide his weapons. He had to be as non-threatening as possible. His horned head would be fine, though. Malfurion had antlers. Seeing a set of large horns on my head wouldn't alarm her at all.

Also, as an added measure, he added a double layer of a tattered bandage over his eyeless sockets to keep them as dimmed as possible. He knew how much they could glow, if he wasn't careful. He found her sitting in the center of a protective circle. It not only protected her, but it helped her focus her power. She clearly had no idea how to start. When he stepped foot out of the sheltering trees and bushes, she looked over with surprise. "Who are you?"

"Someone that can help you train," he chuckled and sat on the ground in front of her, but well away from the warding. He didn't want to be detected.

"Can you?" she frowned. "Why haven't I seen you before?"

"You could say that I'm not very well liked around here," he sighed.

"And...you cannot see?" she asked when she saw the blindfold. At the sight of him getting tense about it, she cringed. "I'm sorry. It is not my place to ask..."

"No, it is fine," he smiled and relaxed again. Of course, she needed some form of an explanation. "I can see. I just don't need my eyes to see. Sometimes, it helps to go off of other senses to see more than what your eyes can tell you. If you think of it this way, looks can be deceiving. And, as you have asked about my eyes..."

"I was almost killed in a fire as a babe. My vocal cords are permanently damaged, but Malfurion thinks he may have a way to reverse it," she said. That had him rather surprised. He wasn't informed of this bit about her. It had him rather curious now. He was also impressed that she knew what his question would be. It made him feel a touch giddy. That confused him.

"Hmm..." he thought. "Personally, I would stay with the whispers. It ensures that you cannot speak too loudly to reveal your location."

"Of course," she nodded. That did make sense to her. "So...who are you?"

"If I tell you," he said with a bit of caution. "you need to vow that you won't say that we met. As I had first told you in the beginning, I'm not very welcome here. I can teach you things, but it would need to be kept a secret. Also, I do know that you are being hunted by various individuals. I can teach you how to shield yourself from them. To keep yourself safe."

"Hmm..." she frowned. "I'm not sure, really. To keep such training a secret. There is only one other that I would have to tell. I..."

"I understand. But, I cannot risk that the one you trust would be able to keep me a secret, too," he said softly. "I'm sure you understand how I need to protect myself."

"Because you are not trusted. I can only wonder why that is," she admitted.

"I'm sure that...in time...I may be able to fill you in," he said with a softer smile at her. She found herself blushing, and he sensed the heat that flooded her form. He knew that this was what he was aiming for. He was gently seducing her to trust in him. To let him get close. She was young and naïve to the ways of romance. He was using this knowledge to his full advantage.

"Then I...will not ask you for your name just yet," she said softly.

"Would you speak of us talking?" he asked.

"I...I should..." she swallowed and licked her lips. "But...for now...no. I will not."

"Good!" he smiled a bit more and sat up straighter. "I'll give you a few tips to help you focus. We'll work our way into the harder parts. For now, you need to learn how to see your power. If you can see it, then you can utilize it."

"Oh!" she blinked. "But...I can't use my eyes, right?"

"Exactly," he said with a light grin. He was actually surprised. She is very intelligent. She may be the pupil I was looking for all this time...

"I did have a small question to ask..." she said with a hesitant breath.

"Ask away," he said.

"Um...how old are you?" she asked now with a hint of a smile.

"I'm over ten thousand years old," he said with a small grin at her.

"What?!" she gaped. He actually found himself laughing softly at her. He found that odd.

"Malfurion is the same age. So is Tyrande. Yes, I know who they are. I'll tell you what," he said casually. "I'll tell you a bit of our history here after a successful round of training. Of course, it would depend on how much time is left before you have to go back. Sound good?"

"I think that would be a fair trade," she nodded. "And, I would not expect you to tell me of yourself. I'm sure something like that may happen in time."

"I'm sure it would, too," he agreed. After that, he got into his instructing mode. He was getting excited at how quick she was to take to his tutoring. He was able to sense her power slowly becoming a touch more focused. It wasn't something that would happen overnight. It took time for such a thing to happen. When he felt she did enough, only an hour had passed. He judged she had one hour left before she had to retire to the safety of the others.

"I actually feel a bit more in control," she admitted with a sigh and a smile.

"That's the intention. If you can control where the power needs to go, you can do that much more. I do wonder how you came to such power, though. It does have me curious," he said.

"I was simply born with it," she shrugged. It was truth enough. Of course, he knew what power it was, but he had to pretend that he didn't know. "And...how did you find me here?"

"I sensed you. The power in you. And I knew that, if I didn't step in to help you control it, there may be a chance that it could destroy you," he said with a light frown. There was complete truth in his words. "I've seen much, you know? If not seen, then I've felt things."

"I don't understand why you would feel the need to help me," she said.

"Because you're...different. It sounds like you've been through much," he said.

"Couldn't be more right at that," she muttered.

"Is that so?" he asked. At her sudden hesitation, he held up his hand. "Don't worry. I won't press you for anything. Do you plan to be here tomorrow night?"

"It's possible. I'm not sure who will be with me, though," she admitted.

"Well, if you're alone, I'll definitely be here. I have very keen hearing," he chuckled.

"Then I...well..." she said with a softer blush. "I look forward to speaking with you again."

"The very same," he said and lightly reached over to offer his hand. She paused at this, but she gently reached out through the warding to show that this was of her own free will. They shook hands carefully, but he found himself holding on for a second longer before releasing it. Just from the merest form of contact, a feeling of raw power coursed through his skin. He had to steel himself from it. Others would never sense this. Perhin was simply immune to it from loving her as she was. He had no need to draw on her power. She would always cure him of his need for magic from her.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Sorry..." he muttered and took in a deep breath to recollect himself. "Just by...that slight touch...the power you gave me caught me by surprise."

"Oh! I'm sorry..." she frowned. "I didn't know..."

"It's fine," he said with a soft smile. "In time, you'll learn how to control that."

"I hope so," she said and sighed. "I wish...I never had this power..."

"Why is that?" he asked. He was genuinely curious.

"Because it's this power that I have that is making me a target for everything around me!" she cringed. "All I ever wanted to do was simply live out my life in a peaceful way. Then I save Perhin's life, and my whole world gets turned upside down. I would never want to go back to not save him. I just...never expected so much to happen in such a short time."

"Perhin?" Illidan asked.

"Oh! Um...he's the one I trust..." she said with a redder blush. "He's really the only one I trust. He rescued me from a lot..."

"I can understand that," he nodded. Why do I feel jealous?! This has no concern over me!

"Ah, I should be going. I'll see what happens tomorrow night," she smiled and rose up. Then she paused when he stood up tall to regard her with his blindfolded sense of assertion.

"I do hope we get talk again. It is...refreshing...to speak with another that can so easily take to what I have to offer. It's been a very long time that I've been granted such an opportunity," he said softly. He sensed her blushing again, and he found himself smiling softly.

"And I do thank you for the training. I don't want this...power...to destroy me..." she shivered.

"No. We don't want that," he agreed. "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you," she said. At that, he nodded to her with a bit of respect before turning and leaving the way he came in. As much as he would have liked to have followed her, he didn't. He had to prepare a good training regime for her now. He was also fighting the urge to run to her side. She sent a wild spark of desire through him that he hadn't felt since meeting Tyrande all those years ago. And it was all because of her complete innocence to me. It felt as though he was fighting off a magnet.

"It appears..." he muttered to himself at her retreating form. "that Kael'thas is out of his league on this one. He doesn't deserve her."

"Master?" Lady Vashj asked when she slithered over to him.

"I met with Rosalia. She is..." he seemed to pause to find the right words. "I'll put it bluntly. She no longer belongs to Kael'thas. She now belongs to me."

"Really?" she asked with a chuckle.

"The power she gives off...it's raw. Undiluted. A form unlike anything I've felt before. It's as though she got the main part of the Sunwell. The unrefined portion that can be hard to control. I'm going to teach her how to control it. Through this, I will gain her trust. And, quite possibly, her affections."

"This is new of you," she said.

"I know it is. I'm still unsure, too, but I can see a bit of...myself in her. Learning how to control my new powers for the first time. It's...just like I told her. Refreshing. It's almost as though I'm teaching myself all over again. It's a challenge. And I revel in that."

"I have felt the power she gives off. Perhaps I can also offer my aid," she chuckled. "I would not mind it in the slightest."

"Maybe in the future. She still has to trust me in full first. Do we know of the surrounding areas?" he asked now. "If we do, I want to set up distractions. I want to ensure she has time to meet with me on each night she has this...solitude training. It's important."

"I can assist with such diversions," she nodded. "That is not a challenge at all."

"And do the same thing for Kael'thas. I won't have him meddling with her life any longer," he snorted and revealed the orb. "Rosalia made this for him as a test. I claimed it when he finally admitted her whereabouts to me. He's not getting this back."

"I see...!" she gasped. He let her place a single webbed finger on it. He sensed her shiver for control. "This power is...dizzying..."

"I'm surprised this crystal hasn't shattered," he said. "But, that is the power she gives off."

"It will kill her," she frowned.

"Why do you think I want to train her on how to use it? Malfurion can teach her how to use it when the power is refined. I don't think he realizes how deadly she is to herself right now."

"And this concerns you?"

"It does. Why do you think I'm going through such lengths to ensure her training? She has a...pure soul this way. Something I haven't seen since..."

"Since you were trapped, Master?"

"Yes. Exactly. So, I will go over my first trainings. I will make a plan for her. To train her. To get close to her. And, maybe..."

"To claim her?" she smiled softly.

"Maybe," he said with a shadow of a smile.

"There is something I want to bring up," she sighed. "Some of my spies have informed me that she has been hinting odd signs. Of bearing possible offspring."

"What?!" he said with a hiss. "No! I can't allow that!"

"Then what are we to do? If we try to intervene, it may damage her internally," she said.

"I know what to do. There is an herbal tea we can give her. It will...halt the process. And it will remain in her system for a good length of time. I can bring this up to her, but if she refuses to take it..." he frowned. He really didn't want to see her hurting. She wouldn't be able to focus.

"Tell her that, if she doesn't wish for any current offspring to be harmed, that it may be best for her to delay herself for future offspring," Lady Vashj said. "That it could interfere with her training. At the same time, you would think that any child from her would be exceptionally powerful."

"I want her to..." he started. Then he caught himself and shivered.

"Master?" she asked softly.

"Her first child..." he muttered softly. "should be from me..."

"This is not like you," she said.

"Trust me. I'm well aware," he grunted and moved from the spot he stood in for so long. All she did was smile and follow after him. Back in the main tree house, Perhin was hugging Rosalia to him with a form of intense relief. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her.

"How was it?" Perhin asked her.

"I think I have a little more control. Not much, though," she frowned and let him rock her. "I'm trying to get a better grasp on it with focus."

"That would be wise," he agreed.

"And...I do worry about a possible pregnancy. If what I'm doing may hurt it," she winced.

"Hey," he whispered. "If you learning how to control your power does stop what's there, then we know there is no control over it. If children never happen, then it's fine, too. As long as you're safe. Children can happen later. And, with everything that is happening now, I honestly don't know if a child is safe to bring up. As much as I would be overjoyed to know that I would become a father, I also know how difficult it can be if we aren't stable. We'll do what we can."

"Okay," she nodded and pressed into him with relief. "I am getting hungry, though."

"It's about dinner time, isn't it?" he chuckled and led her down to the main eating hall of the place. They sat down and were able to place their orders from the waiting Night Elves.

"There you are!" Kael'thas sighed and moved to sit with them. Perhin gave a mild glare at him, but kept himself calm. "How was your training, my dear?"

"It goes well," she smiled with a nod.

"So, have you heard," Perhin said with a small chuckle. "that she may be pregnant with my child?"

"Oh? Wait. What?" Kael'thas blinked.

"It's not certain yet," she said with a smile. "I've just been feeling off lately."

"I see. Ah, I need to check on a few things..." Kael'thas muttered out and rose up to leave swiftly. Perhin could only grin slightly at his retreating form and kept an arm around her. It was why he said it. It was to make him leave. He knew that Kael'thas was pissed off.

The young prince moved to stand outside and shudder out his rage. It was then that he felt something, and he turned to find Illidan standing a distance away. He was being gestured to. Kael'thas let out a deep breath and managed to walk over casually to get out of sight.

"What is going on?" Illidan asked.

"Not much, Master. Rosalia appears to have learned a thing or two. She may also be pregnant," he growled in distaste. Illidan remained thoughtful in his neutral way.

"She learned a thing or two, because I am secretly starting to train her," he said. Now Kael'thas looked at him with shock. "Yes. I met her. I like her. I will continue to train her. And I don't want you to interfere with her any longer. Do we have an understanding?"

"You're training her? And you don't want me near her?!"

"Do. We. Have. An. Understanding?" Illidan asked again with slow, precise words.

"Yes, Master," Kael'thas sighed.

"The power in her soul is so strong that it can rip her to pieces. That sphere she charged up can easily explode at any given moment. I'm surprised that it's still holding up. I'm surprised that anything she touches still remains intact! If she is able to harness her own powers, then she will be able to become something even more than a simple Sunwell. But, if she can't even do that, she can kill herself."

"I didn't know..."

"I'm sure you didn't. So, for now, you let me train her. Do not do anything to upset her. She has to remain calm and willing to learn. I am telling you this so that you understand why I am telling you to back down. Let her train from me in secret. I was going to have Lady Vashj distract you, but I decided to tell you this now in advance. You report to me of anything strange. Especially if it's with her."

"I can do that."

"Good. Also, you are to help with distractions, if any try to interfere with my training with her. If she's focused on something and loses focus, it could be damaging all around. As much as I would prefer to train her somewhere else, Malfurion's wards are strong. As much as it's a hindrance, it would also protect her, if something did attack her. I have to use complete caution around the wards."

"Of course, Master."

"That's all for now. Treat her with respect. Do not get in her way. If you want her to build trust with you, then this is how it can start."

"She did want me to treat her as a sister."

"Then do that. Because, if something happens, and I'm not there, you will need to be there for her. Build that bridge of trust. You have to," Illidan warned. Kael'thas bowed slightly and turned to leave. "And remember. You do not get in my way."

"I understand, Master," Kael'thas said and was soon gone.

"Keep an eye on him," Illidan muttered to Lady Vashj from where she was in the background.

"Already done, Master," she chuckled softly. He nodded and retreated with her to where they had set up their base camp. He had a training schedule to plot out.