"I love her."

"The baby?"

"Yes."

"Ileeya?"

Kirlothenin hesitated.

"One." Shandris let go of the arrow and the blood elf found he couldn't breathe for a couple seconds. When he finally realized he was unharmed, he looked down to see the arrow had landed between his feet. At the last instant she had lowered the bow so that she would miss. She then approached him. "Oops." She reached down and pulled the arrow out of the floorboard. "Shall we try again?"

He knew she had missed on purpose. What he wasn't sure of, was what she wanted to hear from him. "She is the mother of my-"

"-I know who she is." She notched the arrow again.

He narrowed his eyes. He'd had enough of this game. "Just shoot me and get it over with, General."

She let loose another arrow that whizzed past his shoulder. It took all his will not to flinch away. Shandris drew another arrow. "Why are you here?"

"As you've been told. I'm here to protect Ileeya and Adorei."

"Why?"

"Because I made a promise."

"Why?"

"Because I made a mistake that needed fixing!"

Shandris lowered her bow. "And have you fixed it?"

He looked away. "Not yet."

Her silver-blue eyes studied him for a moment before she returned the arrow to it's quiver and lowered her bow.

"Tell me about yourself, Kirlothenin Dawnwhisper." Her voice had lost its hard edge as she leaned back against a table and crossed her arms.

Kirlothenin was surprised at this abrupt change in the general. He could see her mind was as sharp as her aim. "What exactly do you want to know?"

...

Ileeya followed the sentinel to the inn located at the top of what looked like an archway. She liked this inn as there were no full walls around the sides so that she could feel the fresh air at all times. There were no individual rooms. The beds were positioned around one large room. Privacy came only in the form of partitions that others can set up around the bed they have chosen for the night. There were some stairs that led up to a balcony of sorts where tables with bowls of fresh fruit provided refreshment.

Ileeya chose a bed near a corner and set Adorei on it. The infant was awake and squirming. She asked the innkeeper where she might find supplies such as diapers. Innkeeper Shyria said they didn't normally have babies in the stronghold, but said she'd see what she could find. Left alone, Ileeya played with Adorei as her mind reviewed her conversation with General Feathermoon.

She had told Shandris that Kirlothenin had changed. Ileeya hadn't really thought about it or acknowledged it until that moment. But what exactly had changed? She thought about the trip in the ship to Booty Bay and other times when she feared him. Did she still fear him? Ileeya tried to search herself, but where he was concerned, she was only confused. The only thing she seemed to believe right now was his claim to protect them. When he had spoken of it, she could see the earnest in his eyes.

Of course he wanted to protect his daughter. And she assumed he wanted to protect her because Adorei needs her mother. A memory came forward that night on the beach. At the time she was too raw and embittered to acknowledge the fact that he had apologized. A portion of that bitterness returned at the memory. It wasn't a simple matter of apologizing for something like that. Still, according to the memories he had shared with her, the whole thing had not been intentional.

"This is all I could find." The innkeeper had returned and set a stack of cloth on the end of the bed. "I hope it can be of some use." She smiled then walked away. Ileeya took one at the cloths and sighed. She'd need some scissors to cut it down to size. She didn't have any. She tested the fabric to see if she could rip it. Nope, it was a stronger material than her tunic. She sighed again.

Her stomach growled and she decided she'll look for scissors after eating. Ileeya picked Adorei up and went over to a nearby table with a bowl of fruit on it. She chose an apple and crunched into it, enjoying the sweet juice and crisp taste. Laughter in the distance drew her attention to outside the inn. She moved up onto the balcony and looked around. A short distance away, there was a small river that started at a waterfall and eventually lead out into the Veiled Sea. A couple of off-duty sentinels were swimming around in a calm part of the river. Ileeya smiled.

She finished her apple and walked out of the inn, approaching the swimmers. "Mind if we swim here?" The two sentinels shook their heads and Ileeya set Adorei down on the grass to remove her boots and belt. She had no swim suit with her, so she opted to just swim in her tunic and slacks. She then undressed Adorei and entered the water. The river's current was gentle in this section and the water was cool, but not freezing.

She felt herself relaxing as she had not felt in a long time and even began to laugh as Adorei automatically kicked her legs once she was placed in the water. She swam and chatted with the sentinels, even allowing one of them to hold Adorei while Ileeya swam up to the waterfalls and back. Finally, she saw the infant start to shiver and knew it was time to leave. She thanked the two sentinels for their company and exited the water. She bent to pick up her boots and belt.

When she stood up, she saw Kirlothenin standing there leaning back against a tree. There was a smile on his face. This wasn't the self-confident smirk she had at first been accustomed to. Instead, it was a simple, calm smile. She noticed he was holding a couple towels and she approached. "Here, make yourself useful," she said almost playfully, handing him Adorei to dry and took one of the towels for herself.

She dried her face and hair, but could do nothing about the rest of herself because of the wet clothes. Kirlothenin dried his daughter and they both went back to the inn. "What happened with General Feathermoon?"

"Oh, we've come to an understanding. I keep my promise to you and she won't shoot me."

Ileeya felt a smile crawl across her face. She was beginning to like Shandris Feathermoon.

"What about you? You looked troubled when you came out."

Ileeya shrugged, not wanting to discuss it with him. "She just asked some unexpected questions, is all. We need to find some scissors so I can cut this cloth down to size for Adorei." She quickly changed the subject as they got to the bed with the cloths still on it.

Kirlothenin gave her a sidelong glance then went off in search of the scissors. Keeping at a distance, but always within sight, a sentinel assigned to both guard and protect him followed.

...

Shandris Feathermoon watched the small family for a few minutes before approaching. "Good evening." Ileeya and Kirlothenin looked up and then stood up from where they were trying to cut some cloth. "I would like to invite you to join me for dinner."

Ileeya frowned as she glanced down at her torn, wrinkled, but dry clothes. "I hope it's informal."

Shandris smiled. "Very. In fact, I'm expecting a couple guests you may know."

"Who?"

Shandris smiled. "You'll see." She bid them follow and as they walked outside the inn and down the steps, she inquired after the infant. Ileeya replied and was surprised when Shandris asked to hold Adorei. Shandris took the baby and cooed. They were standing at the bottom of the steps when a couple hippogryphs landed.

"Ilee!"

Ileeya spun around. "An'da!" She rushed over to her father and gave him a great big hug. "You're awake from the Dream early, Father!"

Kirlothenin instinctively stepped back and away from Shandris and Adorei, tensing up. Sure enough, Dormir's eyes fell on Kirlothenin. "You!" He rumbled out before gently pushing his daughter aside and suddenly transforming into bear form, growling.

A confused Ileeya looked around and then saw who her father was looking at. "Father! Don't-"

A hand on her shoulder tugged her away and she looked at Shandris. "Let him be. It's his right. Kirlothenin knows it. He's ready for it."

Ileeya looked at the blood elf and saw that he was indeed ready to defend himself. Dormir charged Kirlothenin who quickly blinked away. He cast a frost nova spell to stop the bear but Dormir quickly shape shifted to cat form instead and was able to easily step out of the ice. He took a great leap and pounced on the mage who at the same time blasted him with a cone of cold spell.

Dormir roared as he backed off and shifted back to his regular self to cast a healing spell. He stayed in this form as he launched himself to the blood elf, pelting with his fists instead. As though acknowledging this switch to hand-to-hand fighting instead of using their special abilities, Kirlothenin stopped casting spells and raised his own hands to fend off Dormir's fists.

Jelune stood beside his foster sister smiling and silently cheering on Dormir. Ileeya threw him a dirty look. "You're not helping here, Jelune!" Jelune only shrugged and went back to his silent cheering. Ileeya rolled her eyes and watched the fight until she saw them step away from each other. At that instant, she cast her roots spell over both of them. She had had enough.

"Stop it!" Ileeya took Adorei from Shandris and walked up to her father and put Adorei in Dormir's hands. "Father, meet your granddaughter, Adorei." Dormir held the baby with a surprised look on his face. She turned around and walked back to the inn muttering, "You can't fight if you're holding a baby!" The roots went away a few seconds later.

Dormir just stood there with Adorei dangling between his hands. He saw her light violet skin and shorter ears. But it was her eyes he was drawn to. Blue eyes. He threw a glare at the blood elf who had harmed his daughter. Then looked back at Adorei and slowly shifted his arms so that the infant could rest more comfortably in the crook of his arm.

Kirlothenin just stood near, but out of reach of the elder druid. He remained silent as he glanced from Dormir to Jelune to Shandris and back to Dormir and Adorei. Shandris decided that the moment had come to an end and approached all three of them. "I allowed you to get that out of your system. I expect you three will be more civil from this point forward." Although she spoke cordially, there was an underlying warning they couldn't miss. "I suggest you sit and chat before coming to dinner in one hour." She then walked off in the direction of her headquarters.

"You hurt my daughter, sin'dorei." Dormir kept his eyes on Adorei, not wanting to look at the blood elf just yet. There was no response. "Well?" He finally turned his head and glared at Kirlothenin.

Kirlothenin didn't know what to say. There seemed to be no point in saying sorry to him. After a moment, he finally opened his mouth to speak, paused, then went ahead and said it. "I am guilty of that, yes."

Dormir let out a low rumble from his chest. "You will pay for that mistake."

"I am already. And always will."

"I doubt that!"

Kirlothenin finally moved, taking his chances and stepping closer to Dormir as Jelune positioned himself to grab Adorei out of harms way if need be. "Believe it or not, I will always suffer with the memory of what I did to her. It wasn't something I intended to happen, but it happened and I can't change that no matter how much I want to!"

"You suffer? Why should you suffer? The whole thing was your doing! Why are you here still? Why don't you just leave? Go and leave her alone?"

"I...can't. I made a promise to protect the both of them."

"We can do that."

"I'm still bound to my promise."

"I release you from it, now go!"

"I'm sorry, but you can't do that. Only she can, and only for herself. I will never give up my daughter."

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO HER!"

Kirlothenin paled slightly at the thought of this night elf taking his daughter away from him. His voice rumbled out his own warning tone. "She is my daughter and I WILL fight for her just as you fight for your daughter!"

"I didn't rape her mother to have my daughter!"

"And I'm at least taking responsibility for my misdeeds!" Kirlothenin's voice had grown cold.

Sensing the tension, Adorei started to fuss and then cry. Kirlothenin started to take her to calm her, but Dormir stepped back, glaring at the blood elf. Adorei began to cry harder. Jelune intervened by taking the infant himself and stepped away to find Ileeya, leaving the two elves with eyes locked on the other.

Seeing that this conversation was going nowhere fast, Kirlothenin finally broke eye contact and walked away.

Dormir walked in the opposite direction until he could calm himself down.

The dinner with Shandris later found the two elves being civil, but only because they did not want to displease their hostess. Shandris seemed to take this in stride and did not try to force conversation. Instead, she sat back and just observed the whole group for the evening. Ileeya had been a bit surprised to see Shandris in civilian clothing instead of her armor. Of course she wouldn't wear her armor all the time, but it was something new. She had to nudge Jelune and asked him how Tamlia was. The hunter gave her a look then said she was fine.

When it was time to go, Shandris pulled Dormir aside to speak with him. "He's not evil."

Dormir gave her a hard look, but out of respect for the general did not walk away. "Are you taking his side?"

"No. I'm just sharing my observations about him. I've seen evil, Dormir. He's not." She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned against the door frame. "I might suggest taking some time to get to know him before you consider denying him access to Adorei."

Dormir wanted to turn from the conversation. With just about anyone else, he would have. But he had a high respect for the general, especially since his wife had been a sentinel. "Have you done this, yourself?"

"I have. And if I had found him to be a worthless little imp who was looking out just for himself, believe me, he would be missing a vital piece of his anatomy right now."

Dormir gave her a slight nod of his head. "I thank you for your, insight, Shandris. I will...consider your words."

...

Dormir sat down on the edge of Ileeya's bed. Adorei was asleep next to her. Dormir had claimed the bed near hers and Jelune opted to sleep in the bed that was between Dormir's and Kirlothenin's. Jelune was the only one asleep. "Got a minute, Little One?" He kept his voice low so as to not wake Adorei.

Ileeya sat up and leaned against her father, glad to feel his arm around her in a half hug. "How did you know I was here?" She asked him. "How did you know about...all that had happened?"

Dormir removed his arm and took her hand instead. "After you disappeared from Theramore, Broll Bearmantle was contacted by Stormrage. It seems he had heard about your story from Tyrande. After learning of your disappearance, Stormrage suggested using the Emerald Dream to find you. Apparently, he had done something similar a long time ago. You can imagine my surprise when I saw him approach and tell me you were in trouble. Because you were my daughter I had a certain tie to you. I followed that tie in the Dream and was able to find you."

Ileeya gave a small intake of breath. "I thought it was a dream."

"It was...sort of."

"And so you told him where I was and he in turn sent the Cenarion Circle to come after us."

"Yes. They also wanted to retrieve Onyxia's egg...which, by the way, is now safely in the hands of the dragonflights. Broll told me that he had sent you here and Stormrage gave me permission to suspend my duties in the Dream so that I could come to you."

"I'm glad you're here, An'da."

They fell silent for a few minutes before Dormir spoke again. "Ileeya. Why...Why are you putting yourself through this...this torment?"

She looked at him with mild surprise. "I'm not in torment, father."

"How do you tolerate him after all he's done to you?"

Ileeya sighed inwardly. She supposed she would have to answer questions like this for a long time to come. "I...didn't at first." She then went on to tell him how Kirlothenin had shared his own memories, including the dream that involved how his wife and unborn child had died. Then his request to keep their child for personal reasons and her decision to have the baby. She had to stop and reassure her father that it wasn't just because of Kirlothenin's request that she had kept the baby. She did it for her own reasons as well. Ileeya then told him of her plan to catch the blood elf and his seemingly simple acceptance of the fact. Then she spoke of how he had tried to help her and Adorei when the intruders came, and his choice to save her or save himself. And he chose her and Adorei instead.

"There were other moments while we were held prisoner that I had no choice but to accept his help. And that's when, I think, I started to not hate him as much as I had."

"Ileeya." Dormir gave her a concerned look. "You've heard of cases where people under duress..."

"I know. I didn't say I was in love with him. I just don't hate him anymore." She was silent for a minute then spoke again. "He loves Adorei. I can see it when he's holding her. I believe him when he says he wants to protect her, and by extension me." She thought something over for a minute and looked at her father. "Twice he told me that we don't have to be enemies. I think..." She sighed. "I think perhaps he's looking for a truce between us for Adorei's sake. Perhaps he's even wanting a friendship."

Dormir frowned. "You want to be his friend after..."

"Papa. I can't change the past. I can't change the present. I can either go on hating him and thus transfer my own bitterness to Adorei as she grows or I can-" She stopped herself. She hadn't realized what she was saying. This was something she hadn't really allowed herself to think to much on and now that she's talking about it, it seemed to just rush out. She was about to say she could try to forgive him. But could she really do that? "I can accept the truce and just accept he's going to be in my life as the father of my daughter."

"Do you trust him, Ileeya?"

"I...don't know." She glanced in Kirlothenin's direction. He was sitting on his bed across the room, meditating. "Sometimes I think I can trust him, sometimes I find it hard to do so."

"I can understand the confusion." Dormir gave her a kiss on the forehead and then got up to return to his own bed for the night.

...

He hated night elven architecture sometimes. Thorion Nightblade sat on the cliffs to the east of the new Feathermoon Stronghold. The old stronghold on Sardor Island had been overrun with naga after the shattering of Azeroth. He had arrived earlier and found out that the whole family was eating dinner with the general. He gave a quick perusal of the inn to determine they were staying there, then left. With the open style of the inn and no private rooms, it was going to be harder to do what he needed to do.

Now, he watched through the open walls of the inn as two sentinels stood guard inside. He could take one out, but the other would be on him faster than he could do anything. He would have to wait for a more opportune moment. Perhaps in the morning. He had noticed that there was only one sentinel standing guard when they were awake.

Although night elves were nocturnal by nature, some have been able to make the adjustment to night sleeping and day wakefulness due to their allies schedules. Darnassus, especially, had vendors that were open both in the daytime and the nighttime hours. It seems that Shandris had her sentinels keep the same hours as Darnassus. They were active at both times and thus more prepared if there were any sort of invasion by the Horde. Being a rogue, Thorion naturally preferred the night to do his activities. However, it seems he will have to settle for the morning.

This was going to be tricky with the whole family there. He would need to watch for an opportunity to present itself. He may not be able to both kill Kirlothenin and capture Ileeya, but he could always come back for the mage and do the job later. Who knows, maybe an opportunity will present itself for him to do both.