Thank you to everyone who put forth kind words today! I appreciate it so much! I'm so happy that so many people enjoy my writing. It makes me feel like it's worth it to keep working at it :)
Mythene paused to pinch the bridge of her nose, as Cassene fussed beside her.
"Look what you've done to your beautiful hair," She whined, "You've chopped it all off. Why would you ever do such a thing?"
"It was cumbersome," Mythene sighed as she swatted her sister's hands away from her hair, "Can we please focus on the task at hand, sister? I have to find my student. Zami must be very-"
"You looked much prettier with your hair long," Cassene grumbled, crossing her arms.
"It is still quite long," Mythene pointed out, "It still passes my shoulders. Now, will you-"
"So does Malfurion's but you would hardly call his hair long."
Mythene sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose again. She'd never realized how annoying her sister was. Or maybe she had, but had previously been just as annoying and therefore unable to notice? If this was what her company was like, she was beginning to feel that she owed Zami another apology.
"You know, Daras isn't going to find your new hairstyle to be very attracti-"
"I have no interest in what Daras thinks," Mythene snapped.
"Oh? You don't?" Cassene perked an eyebrow, setting a gloved hand against her hip, "Then you surely won't be bothered that he's approaching us right now."
"What?!" Mythene looked up hastily, panic visible on her face.
As soon as her silver eyes locked with Daras' golden ones, she felt an anchor drop in her stomach. Dread simmered through her veins and she quickly found herself locked choosing between whether to flee or faint. But before she could decide, Daras was already kissing her hand.
"If it isn't the lovely Moonshadow sisters," Daras said as he then turned and kissed Cassene's hand, with much less investment.
"What sort of greeting is this?" Cassene laughed, pulling her hand away just before his lips could make contact.
"Ah, forgive me. It is a habit among the humans I must've picked up during my stay in Stormwind," Daras chuckled, standing up straight, "It is custom for a human man to bow and kiss the hand of a woman he finds beautiful."
"Always with your flatter's tongue, Nightwing," Cassene shook her head in amusement, glancing over at Mythene with a mischievous smile, "Isn't he charming?"
"...Sure," Mythene clenched her jaw, "Very quaint."
"Sister, you've been so eager to see Daras again, haven't you?" Cassene teased, making Mythene hiss quietly.
"Truly?" Daras smiled, not catching onto the mockery going on behind the scenes, "I've been very eager to see you again, as well, Mythene. It has been far too long since we've spoken."
Two centuries wasn't long enough, Mythene thought to herself as she smiled politely.
"Why, Mythene was even just talking about you, in fact," Cassene elbowed Mythene's side, barely holding back a snicker, "She was wondering what you'd think of her new haircut."
Mythene glared daggers at her sister, not even bothering to hide it, and Daras laughed at the sight of the little exchange.
"No need to tease her so, Cassene," Daras said in a faux-stern tone, "Mythene knows I would find her beautiful even if she shaved her head bald."
Mythene held back the desire to cringe. Goddess, why did he always have to be like that? It hadn't always been so dreadful between them. Once, so long ago, they'd been friends. Back before he began his ceaseless and terribly annoying quest to claim her for himself.
"Ah, the flower of romance never blooms so sweetly as it does for young lovers," Cassene said in a dramatic tone, as though she was reading off a line of poetic verse.
She then shot Mythene a dastardly smile, clearly having no intent to stop her mockery any time soon. Cassene knew full well how uncomfortable Mythene was with Daras' heedless advances. He was so graceless in how he went about it, as well, that it was no wonder his only friends were animals. And as skilled a tamer as he was, Mythene had no desire to join his little menagerie.
"Since you're so taken with him, sister," Mythene squinted at Cassene, "Why don't you simply take him? I have more important matters to attend to."
"Sister, don't be rude," Cassene tsked, "Your little pet can wait."
"Ah, you've gotten a pet?" Daras perked up, "What sort? A frostsaber? Do you need any help training it, perhaps?"
"Oh, her pet is far too stupid to train," Cassene laughed, "I don't know why she even bothers to try. That beast is far too savage to-"
Mythene didn't realize what she'd done until she withdrew her hand. Once the gravitas-and the red mark upon Cassene's cheek-truly set in, her eyes went wide. She nearly gasped in surprise, but instead found her jaw clenched in anger. Both Daras and Cassene stared back at her in shock. Mythene cleared her throat and quickly regained her composure.
"Never insult my student again," She ordered quietly.
"You would strike me, your own sister, for the sake of that… that beast?" Cassene wrinkled her nose, "Don't you remember what it is?"
Mythene was a bit surprised by her indignation on Zami's behalf, but found it was much easier to ignore that in favor of her irritation, considering she was in the poor company of the two people she disliked the most.
"I know full well what he is," Mythene furrowed her brow, "And I also know he's far more sufferable than you."
"Wait, what's going on here?" Daras quirked an eyebrow, "I'm a little lost. Are you two talking about an animal or a person?"
"I'm not sure Mythene knows anymore," Cassene hissed, rubbing her cheek, "Perhaps her druid brain has become confused. She can no longer see things clearly."
"If your vision is what's true, then I'd rather be blind," Mythene huffed, turning on her heel, "Now, if you will excuse me, I have far more important business to attend to."
"Finding your little troll is important business now?" Cassene scoffed, even as Mythene began to walk away.
"Ah? Troll?" Daras blinked, "What's this about a troll?"
"Mythene here believes she could actually teach a troll to become a druid," Cassene revealed, loud enough for Mythene to clearly hear, "Isn't that just a laughable notion?"
"I don't know," Daras said with a shrug, "Mythene is quite capable. If anyone could do it, I'd say it would be her. She's really quite an amazing woman."
Mythene rolled her eyes so hard that she thought they might roll into the back of her skull. Always, always, always with the lines. Yet for all his pretty words, he could never just speak truly. He would never be able to say what he truly thought, or truly felt. It was so sickeningly like her father. Better to keep quiet and not make too much of a fuss. Nevermind with foolish emotions or silly little sentiments. That lack of openness; she hated it. And as much as she struggled, she couldn't resist falling victim to it herself. It was suffocating.
