Chapter 37: Coming Full Circle

Now, I know many of you are going to ask what happened between Circi and I after we kissed in the fountain. Well, to be perfectly honest...

I'm not going to tell you. It's none of your business and we have more important things to worry about. Stop asking about it!

The morning started in Circi's living room, standing in front of a large, full body mirror. I was buckling my cufflinks on my robes and staring into my reflection. I wondered how the meeting would go and if the Blood Elves I'd seen so far were really what these new elves had to offer, or if there's more to it that they haven't shown yet. Nevertheless, I was determined to try and I would do my best to not come home empty handed.

"Hey." I heard a voice from my right, causing me to start and look over. Circi was standing there in a bathrobe, just staring at me.

"Good morning." I said, and then looked back at the mirror.

"You're going to meet with the Regent today, aren't you?" She asked, approaching me and pushing my hands away to keep from fiddling with the cufflinks.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Well." She said, straightening my cloak and robes. "Father will be there."

I looked at her, and frowned harshly. "I take it he hasn't changed."

"He has." She said. "Just maybe not for the best, at least since mom died." She huffed. "He's the only legitimated business owner left. He still owns Dawnshatter Imports."

"Do you know who else will be there?" I asked.

"If I had to guess, probably the major head honchos of our military. Least what's left of it, anyway." She chuckled. "Lady Liadrin of the Blood Knights, Andris. Halduron Brightwing, he's the Ranger General that took over for Sylvanas when she kicked it."

I shot her a look but she shrugged and smiled. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Who else?" I asked.

"Grand Magister Rommath, probably. Some of the Farstriders, at least one other, anyway. Aethas."

"Aethas?" I asked quickly. "Aethas is here."

Her eyebrows raised in acknowledgement. "In the flesh. He now runs The Sunreavers. Elite caste of spell slingers. I…think that's it."

I rubbed my face before putting on my mask. "Very few of those names am I actually excited to see."

"Why? I thought you'd be stoked to see Aethas." She asked.

"I am." I sighed. "Or, I would be, were I not convinced that he isn't the same Aethas that I knew before."

She nodded. "I guess Andris taught you that, huh?"

"And a few others. And no, I'm not referring to you. You're just the same."

She giggled and nodded. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She showed me out the door and I looked back once stepping off of the landing. "I'll see you again soon?" She asked.

"Of course, though I'm willing to bet that my secret identity will no longer be a secret here shortly."

She watched me leave and didn't return inside until I had rounded the corner in the direction of the Court of the Sun. I was a jumble of emotions and shuffled as slowly as I could without simply standing still. Aethas would be there, Andris, and his father. I'd wondered how they had changed or if this was how they'd always been. Did becoming the Blood Elves let them show their true colors? I couldn't possibly believe that. Not because it couldn't be true, but because if I believed it, I'd lose hope. In these trying days, hope was often times the only thing we truly had to cling to.

I entered the Court of the Sun and saw that it was populated with quite a few more spell breakers than normal, as well as rangers and a few of these so-called Blood Knights. I saw Serg and Tengiu waiting on the bridge connecting the Court and Sunfury Spire.

"Dare 'e is." Tengiu said, prompting Serg to approach.

"Ma…Ahem. Arthur, where have you been?" He dropped his voice. "What have you been doing?"

I sighed. "Getting to know the locals." I looked up to the Spire. "Have they been waiting long?"

Serg shook his head. "No, thankfully. Let's get on with it."

I nodded and the three of us entered Sunfury Spire. Immediately, I felt on edge as all eyes turned to me.

"Ah. Arthur, I think it was." Said the Regent as he turned away from his fellow elves to address us, and I could tell his smile was mocking me. "Taking in the pleasures of our fair city?"

I looked around at the group of people assembled. Some of the faces were ones of utter contempt, others of muted indifference, and others seemed a tad relieved, perhaps if nothing else than to get this over with.

"Something like that." I muttered.

The Regent chuckled. "Let's get to business then, shall we? Can I offer you, er, gentlemen anything to eat or drink?"

"I think both of those things are in rather short supply around here." I remarked. "So let's save it for those who need it."

The Regent's smile flickered and I could tell I gained points with some of those in the room, and lost some with others.

"Yes, well." The Regent puffed his chest out. "Hard times and all that."

I grunted and took a seat at the assembly table that was set up for this particular meeting.

"Let's start with introductions, shall we?" The regent said.

"I know enough of you that that isn't necessary." I said, reaching up to remove my mask. More losses and gains, but I knew these elves would require a heavy hand.

"But maybe your orcish friend does not." Said the regent.

"The orc, as much as I respect him, is not the one you're here to impress." Serg placed his face into his hand and then gave me a sidelong look. "This meeting was set up by Sylvanas, was it not?"

"But I thought…" Said the regent, his smile finally winking out entirely.

"I'm certain that all will come to light when the time is right, Regent." I said. "The horde is prepared to offer enough gold and resources to complete the entire restoration of Silvermoon, let's start there."

Halduron choked on his wine and Liadrin looked as if her eyes were going to pop out of her head, but all eyes were on the Regent.

"Excuse me, who are you?" The regent said.

"That isn't important yet." I said.

"And so." The regent laughed. "You are trying to buy the elves' loyalty."

"Yes." I said. "I have something you need and you have something I want."

"And that is?"

I shook my head. "That isn't important yet either."

Serg looked ready to strangle me and Tengiu looked too shocked to be able to say anything, and I knew he was more likely to say something than Serg was.

The regent stumbled over his words. "You haven't even heard our terms yet nor what we are willing to offer in return. Is it wise, Master Forsaken, to open with such a strong hand?"

"In Hearthstone, you're forced to open with your weaker cards, and then your stronger ones. Consider this my weaker card." I said, and I knew the tide was slowly shifting in my favor, even if I was going to get a lecture from Serg by the end of it.

The elves all shared a look among themselves and all of them looked too stunned to be able to say anything. It was Lady Liadrin who broke the silence.

"The horde is at a disadvantage." Said the woman. "The Knights of the Silver Hand, at least what is left of them, the Paladins, are among the alliance's rank. The Blood Knights are prepared to serve the horde as necessary, until such a time that…"

I interrupted her. "Such a time that what? You can complete your great exodus and retreat with Kael'thas across the portal to a dying world?" I leveled my gaze at her. "You'll need to do better than that."

Her lips formed a thin line. "I don't expect our exodus to be done in a night. We won't simply abandon those who helped us. We know what that's like. The alliance did that to us already."

I nodded. "Good. I'll expect to see the elven Blood Knights supporting the horde forces in Arathi and Alterac before long."

It was Reseius who would speak up next. Circi was right, he father hadn't changed a bit, but I figured that the man was hiding something. He looked at me in life with contempt, and now he looked at me in death with the same distaste.

"Dawnshatter Imports is in a standstill." Reseius said. "We have ships with cargo that we don't need. Textiles, household goods, and things of that nature, and we've no use for them here, but our trade agreements are null with our membership to the alliance revoked."

I nodded. "Establish new ones with the goblins of Booty Bay, Gadgetzan, and Ratchet."

"Goblins?" Reseius said. "You can't be serious."

"How do you expect to repay the horde if you're not ready to do what is necessary?" I said.

Reseius was silent for a moment, and then shared a look with his son. Andris shook his head, but thankfully, Reseius had more sense than that and nodded. "Very well."

Aethas was next. "We need food."

I couldn't help but laugh. At least Aethas could bring some semblance of normalcy to the elves, but even then, I could tell that of everyone present at this meeting, he was the closest to figuring out my ruse as well as the person who had changed the most, aside from Andris.

"Yes you do, don't you?" I nodded. "Take a cut of the profits from the agreements with the goblins and turn it into an agreement for trade instead. Actual trade. Get them to supply food to Silvermoon. Work with Reseius to achieve this."

Aethas nodded, but kept his eyes on me at all times.

"We'll need workers." Said Katarai, who sat next to Halduron. "The Farstriders have been taking shifts in helping with the repairs, but it makes retaking Eversong and the Ghostlands that much more difficult."

"We'll send peons from Orgrimmar, as well as arcane constructs to assist." I said.

"We need equipment. Bows, arrows, arms and armor." Said Rommath. "Our spell breakers and Farstriders are rather poorly equipped these days."

"I'll have the tauren send raw supplies over so that the smiths can work on resupply your needs." I said.

"Enough." Andris suddenly said. "You keep making these promises." He stood up. "Is nobody seeing that these promises are empty? Goblins, tauren, gold and supplies, and we've not seen a shred of it to be able to even believe you. Why should we believe you?"

"Do you have a choice?" I asked.

"Andris, sit down." His father ordered.

"No, but the alternative is better than being fed lies just to get us to trust you."

"Tell me." I said. "I've offered of the horde and I've asked for nothing in return but elven Blood Knights to assist the horde in its efforts to stem the tide of the alliance. Which one of us, in your opinion, is truly benefitting from my proposed arrangements?"

He stopped and just stared at me before slowly sitting down and shrinking under his father's steel gaze.

"Well." The Regent said, and then laughed awkwardly. "You can make these arrangements happen?"

"I can." I said.

"I'm smart enough to know that these things do not come without a catch." The Regent said.

"Ah!" I said and grinned. "You are quite right, Lor'themar. I'm prepared to play my card now."

The room went silent for a moment, and the elves looked at each other, prepared for something dastardly to unfold, but thankfully, I knew better than to take meat from a dying animal.

"Five offers. Equipment, soldiers, food, supplies, and workers." I said and held up my five talons. "I'll let you have one pass as a show of good faith. So four. Four elves will accompany Serg, Tengiu, and I across the Dark Portal and into Outland."

"For what reason?" Asked the regent.

"Research, of course. I want to see this place for myself and the horde struggles daily with the new threats from across the Portal. I also have a vested interest in returning someone there. For close."

Serg looked at me and nodded, and Tengiu put his face in his hands.

"Why do ah get dah feelin' we're about to be volunteered for something horrible?" The troll muttered.

The elves all exchanged looks, and then finally nodded. "Very well. When can we expect the arrival of these goods?"

"Within the week." I said. "Wouldn't want anyone to think I was making empty promises."

"I will create a list of volunteers to take with you." Lor'themar said, but I shook my head.

"No, I will be picking the volunteers myself. Apologies, perhaps volunteers is the wrong word."

"Then I have a secret card I want to play." The Regent said. "Two, actually."

"Play them and we'll see how it pans out."

"The first one is to tell us who you are. No average Forsaken would be bending so many rules and offering so much because you think it will pay off for the horde." Lor'themar said. "And the second is to get you to tell us what it is that you wanted from us that would cause you to offer such lavish arrangements in the first place."

I smirked and chuckled and then nodded. "Fair enough. I have no cards to counter that, so let's start with the second one. I spent much of my time in Silvermoon during my life. It pains me to see it so. What I want, Lor'themar Theron, is to restore the elves, and by proxy Silvermoon, to its former glory. It is still within all of you to do that, and so I want you to show me that."

The elves all shifted uncomfortably in their seats, and I knew that I had won the room. It was a difficult match, but I had won in the end.

"And now." Lor'themar said. "Who are you?"

I stared at the Regent, then at the Dawnshatters, Katarai, and then Aethas. Serg looked at me, and Tengiu looked anxious.

"I was present at the fall of Dalaran. I was slain by the Scourge and raised as this. One of the first generation of Forsaken raised to serve the Banshee Queen." I said, looking down at my talons. "It was a long, painful road to where I am now. I watched as the orcs tore across Azeroth in the First and Second War, then the Scourge, and now, here we are."

"That doesn't…" Aethas said, then stopping and narrowed his eyes at me.

"Because who you are is not just your name or a title, but the very essence of you are you. It's the most profound question you can ask another being." I said. "I am more than name. To know me is to know where I come from. I come from the same painful and anguished path you all came from."

"It can't be." Andris whispered.

"My name is Matthew De'tylmarande." I said. "Former member of the Council of Six, hailing from the town of Hearthglen and now, Magister for The Banshee Queen Lady Sylvanas Windrunner. The pleasure is mine."

"The ruse was necessary, I see." Serg said. "Matthew wanted to ensure that your motives were pure. He needed to ensure that you would serve the horde without the pressure of an old face and friend."

The room was silent for several minutes. Liadrin, Rommath, Lor'themar, and Halduron didn't seem to grasp it, which was fine, but the others…I won't lie, I took some satisfaction from their shocked and horrified faces. Katarai sat staring at me with an unlit joint between his fingers, Aethas looked like he would lose his lunch, and Andris looked on the verge of tears. Reseius looked rather impressed.

"As for the four volunteers." I said. "I want those two." I pointed at Reseius and Andris. "Him." Then at Katarai. "And I also want Circi Dawnshatter."

I stood up and prepared to leave, with Serg and Tengiu following suit, when I heard the ringing of steel, and the room was suddenly in chaos. Andris had drawn his weapon and tried to leap over the table towards me, but he was luckily restrained by Liadrin and Reseius at the last moment.

"Restrain him!" Shouted Halduron, but I knew Andris, and if all these years had done anything, it was make him stronger.

"Liar!" He shouted.

"Circi said the same thing." I said.

"Do not antagonize him." Reseius warned. "Andris! Andris, calm down!"

"Matt would never live as a Forsaken!" Andris shouted and I couldn't help but sigh heavily. I didn't have the energy to do this with another Dawnshatter, so I took the initiative and pulled my cheek to the side to show him my missing tooth, and thankfully, that seemed to be enough. He seemed to calm down enough, and I took the chance to turn and leave the room.

"Matthew." Aethas shouted after me, and I looked at him, but he didn't speak. I only nodded and there seemed to be a mutual understanding. I turned and exited the Spire. I saw Circi waiting across the bridge, and I approached her and she looked hopeful.

"Do you have tea?" I asked and she nodded.

Later that evening, Serg, Tengiu, and I were sitting in Circi's living room. Serg was sipping some tea, and Tengiu was eating a plate of biscuits. I was nursing my first cup of tea from the evening that had long since gone cold.

"And they agreed to all that?" Circi said, taking a sip of her wine.

"Only because Matthew brow beat them into it." Serg said.

"I didn't brow beat anyone." I said. "I simply didn't give them a choice."

Circi scoffed. "I would have done the same thing. I learned that from you, Matty. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile."

"Yeah!" Tengiu said. "Matt was just doin' what 'e t'ought was dah right t'ing."

"Still." Serg said. "Was being so unkind to them necessary?"

"We're both in a position now to prosper from the arrangement. The horde gets an ally that owes them everything and they get to survive. Everyone wins."

Serg grumbled and there was a knock at the door a few moments later. Circi answered the door and I took a deep breath. I watched Katarai, Aethas, Andris, and Reseius enter. They all looked very uncomfortable and filed in to quietly sit down across from where Tengiu, Serg, and I were. Aethas set down a pan of peach cobbler in front of us.

"Some things never change." I said with a chuckle.

"It's good to see you, Matt." Aethas said. "I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Can I just say…?" Katarai held up his lighter and a joint and Circi nodded, which prompted him to light it. "That was brilliant. Coming in with guns blazing, telling it like it is. You haven't changed a bit. Well, besides being a bit less living."

I looked at Katarai and nodded. "I could say the same of you, Katarai, but now you have green eyes. It suits you." That made the Farstrider laugh.

"Matthew." Reseius said. "You said you had a vested interest in taking someone back there. To Outland." I didn't answer, I just looked at Serg, and that seemed to satisfy Reseius. "I feel like I should say something." He said with a laugh.

"There isn't anything you can say now that you hadn't said years ago." I said.

Reseius cleared his throat. "I suppose you're right."

"As Katarai said, I'm not much different than then. Just a bit less living."

"Is it safe to say you know that Ti'tanya is on Outland, with the Sunfury?"

I nodded.

"Then I've a favor to ask of you." Reseius said. "I can't fight. Bad leg. But I want to see Ti'tanya come home. She isn't needed there, she's needed here. I want to bring her home."

"Still playing cards?" I asked, but I nodded. "I will do what I can, Reseius."

I looked at Andris, but his face was stony, impossible to read. "Andris?"

"Still processing." He whispered.

"Get your panties unbunched." Katarai said. "He's still Matt, inside and out. I don't know you like the rest of these blokes do, Matt, but you seem like an okay guy. Sorry about, uh…"

"I've a feeling you're terrible at apologies, Katarai." I said with a chuckle. "Let's call it even and see where it goes from here."

"Matthew, what are your intentions on Outland?" Reseius asked. "And why bring me?"

"Because we share the same idea, in that I do not believe Outland is the place for Ti'tanya. I was hoping a familiar face would make it more likely to come home."

Reseius nodded. "I told you I can't fight."

"I don't need you to. I'm sure I'll need you for other things." I said.

We spent the rest of the evening catching up. Katarai, while abrasive, rude, crude, and mostly unpleasant, had a certain charm about him that I liked. I knew he would be invaluable in the future, and I could tell he had a certain level of respect for me after the meeting. Reseius was still…well, Reseius. Quiet, brooding, only saying something when he knew it would matter. He stuck close to Andris and barely acknowledged Circi's existence, which I was certain she was fine with. Aethas had changed very little. Once he opened up, he was his same jovial, hungry self. I was surprised when Tengiu offered to share his biscuits when Aethas' stomach grumbled loudly. Andris, though, stayed silent and stared at his feet almost the entire time. Aethas and I played a game of Hearthstone for old time's sake, and the strategy of the game intrigued Reseius and he talked more during the game than I had ever seen. He asked many questions about the game, and it got him to talk with Serg a bit and I could tell the two would get along well. Katarai and Tengiu got into a proverbial pissing contest, Tengiu talking of his various kills, and Katarai doing the same. They developed a friendly rivalry and it was rather heartwarming actually.

A few times, I would look up and catch Circi smiling at me, and I'd only smile back. It made Reseius frown harshly, but I tried my best to ignore it.

Still, Andris remained silent and sometime late into the evening, abruptly stood up and headed for the door.

"Andris." Circi said, but I shook my head.

"Let him go, Circi."

I waited a few minutes and stood up. "Can you show our guests out? We'll leave early tomorrow. Best get your rest now."

We all headed for the door together and said goodbye, but I saw Andris standing nearby and I went to join him.

"Fine night, isn't it?" I asked, but he said nothing. "Am I so different, Andris?"

"I thought you were dead." Andris said. "And I was right."

"You were." I said. I looked back and motioned for Circi to go inside.

"And you expect me to just be okay with that?" He asked.

"No. I don't expect you to be okay with anything. These are hard times." I said.

"Hard times." He said, and scoffed.

"What would you have me say, Andris? What would you have me do?" I said, and sighed. "I cannot change what I have become."

"Neither can I." He muttered.

"I'm not asking for you to pick up our friendship where it was left off. I am merely asking you to respect what was."

"How can I?" Andris asked, turning to me. "Whenever I look at you, I just see old, painful scars."

"Then stay here." I said, shrugging. "Stay here and wallow."

"How can I?" He asked.

"You have a choice, Andris." I said and sighed. "Stay here and wallow and brood or go with me and see that things can maybe, just maybe, be like they were."

"They'll never be the same." He muttered.

"Not if we don't try."

We were silent for several moments before he turned to me. "I'm going to go, but first, a word of warning."

I looked up at him and he looked down the street. "She's not the same. Not even close. She's worse. Much worse. So when we find her, try not to be surprised."

"Nothing surprises me anymore."

Andris walked away without another word and I saw Circi peek out of her front door. I stared at her for a moment before I went to join her, alone once again.