The fine white strands of Eliana's hair whipped around her face in a frenzy as her Nightsaber carried them back to the Square. As she and Illidan rode, her heart pounded in her chest and she tightly clenched her mount's fur between her fingers, not knowing how else to express her anxiety. From the tense muscles in Illidan's arm, she could sense that he was just as upset at Tyrande's actions as she was—if not more.
She couldn't blame him.
Tyrande had, unfortunately, put them all at risk when she deviated from the plan and returned to the Square. Eliana wasn't sure whether the other priestess had truly thought about all of the consequences of potentially exposing the entire group; any and all rational thoughts were overshadowed by her concern for Malfurion.
If the tables were turned and Illidan was the one who was in danger, Eliana couldn't say how she would've reacted. So, truthfully, she couldn't blame Tyrande for her rash behavior either. Although, she did wonder how differently Tyrande would've reacted if Illidan had been the one out there, not Malfurion. Judging from Illidan's posture, Eliana wondered if the same thoughts had run through his mind.
After dashing through the residential district, they flew underneath the stone archway, and back into the plaza. Eliana's Nightsaber began to skid to a halt but Illidan didn't wait for it to come to a complete stop before he hopped off the back of the beast.
He raced ahead and Eliana scrambled off of the sabercat once they'd stopped. The absence of Illidan's arms around her waist caused a shiver to run through her. The feel of him against her back had been so warm and comforting, if only for a short, blissful moment. Now, as the wind blew past, her back seemed exponentially colder than before. She shook out the stiff joints in her fingers before she instructed her mount to remain by the post on the edge of the pathway.
Up ahead, Illidan was frantically glancing around the Square, his high ponytail swinging back and forth each time he turned his head. Once Eliana sidled up to him, she laid a hand on his upper arm, questioning, "Do you see her?"
In lieu of a real response, Illidan let out a frustrated grunt and continued to scan the plaza for any sign of the navy-haired priestess. Eventually, his gaze fell on the now-empty cage in the center of the Square and he narrowed his eyes. So that the sound didn't carry, he mumbled to Eliana, "The guards. They are gone. Only two remain and they weren't part of the group that was here earlier."
Eliana turned sharply to face the cage and then glanced away immediately after, so that she didn't appear to be staring. Softly, she replied, "You're right. Cytheas is no longer here either. The guards must've gone after Malfurion and Broxigar."
"Damn it all...Where is Tyrande?!" Illidan muttered, his eyebrows pinched together.
His irritation was contagious and Eliana bounced in place, impatient to locate their friend. Her gaze flitted over to the Temple as she tried to prevent them from seeming suspicious by keeping her eyes roving over the area. A flash of silver-streaked, cobalt hair caused her to do a double-take. She tilted her head up to the Temple's veranda, spotting the very female they were trying to find.
Tyrande was standing beside a colossal marble column, attempting to look nonchalant as she paced back and forth. From their place in the Square below, it looked like Tyrande was staring at the edge of the forest off in the distance, as she weaved in and out of sight. Eliana thought that her friend seemed nervous; whenever she stepped into view, she was either fiddling with the ends of her hair, or tightly gripping the fabric of her skirt.
Eliana tightened her grip around Illidan's bicep to gain his attention and he glanced down at her, his forehead creased in question. Surreptitiously, she slid her gaze over to the Temple, hinting for him to follow her eyes. He looked up and his eyes widened when he spotted Tyrande. He grabbed Eliana by the wrist and tugged her along as he rushed over to the staircase leading up to the Temple.
His frantic speed caused her to stumble on a few of the steps and when they reached the top, he let her go, immediately rushing over to Tyrande. Eliana brushed off her skirts, trying to ignore the pain that lanced through her chest at the sight of Illidan running to Tyrande's aid. She paused for a moment, focusing on regaining her composure before she trailed after Illidan with a neutral expression on her face. When she approached the two, she could hear Illidan's baritone voice—he was already berating Tyrande for her behavior.
"...cannot just run off like that, Tyra! I know that you are concerned but—"
Tyrande held up her hand and interrupted Illidan, her eyes wild and fierce. "But nothing, Illidan! Your brother is out there somewhere, with a whole group of guards chasing after him! Who knows what will happen if he is caught? He needs our help!"
"We had a plan for a reason! If you hadn't rushed off like that, we would have been able to finish this discussion. We only risk Malfurion more if we make stupid decisions!" he shouted, albeit at a slightly lower volume than Eliana was sure he wished to use. Thankfully, the Temple's veranda was less occupied than usual since the sun had begun to rise.
Tyrande vehemently shook her head, brushing past Illidan as she headed for the stairs. With an intense scowl on his face, he darted after her and wrapped his fingers around her upper arm, pulling her back. She stumbled backwards and pivoted on her heel with her mouth open, ready to retort, only for him to beat her to it.
"Stop, Tyrande! Stop this...this foolishness! Malfurion thought it best that you remain here, and I am inclined to agree with my brother for once!"
"I will not just wait for something to happen, Illidan. I cannot," she stated, ripping her arm from his grasp. She turned back around and headed for the stairs once more, but froze in place when she saw Eliana at the top.
"Eliana! What...you both followed me? Isn't it even more suspicious if we're all gathered in the same place?" Tyrande retorted.
Eliana stepped forward and grabbed Tyrande's hand. In a quiet voice, she said, "We were concerned, Tyrande. You ran off so quickly and we needed to catch you before—"
Illidan sauntered up to them and finished Eliana's sentence. "Before you did something stupid."
Immediately, Tyrande's eyes narrowed and she faced him again. "My concern for your brother's safety is not stupid, Illidan."
With that, she sprinted away and down the stairs, her hair flying behind her. Illidan rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. He and Eliana locked eyes for a brief moment before he jerked his head towards the departing priestess. She nodded in response and the two of them sped after Tyrande, who was now at the bottom of the stairs.
Once they reached the bottom, Tyrande pointed at the archway that led out of the plaza. In a firm voice, she announced, "I should ride after Malfurion. If I catch up with him, we can—"
Illidan rushed in front of her and roughly grabbed her shoulders, his face tight with anger. "Tyrande, no. How many times do we have to say this to you?"
Before Tyrande could reply, the thunderous reverberation of multiple paws padding against the ground caught the group's attention, and they whipped around to face the sound.
Lord Ravencrest—in all of his turquoise and silver-armored glory—was leading a squad of soldiers into the Square. The raven plumes of his headpiece matched the shade of his hair almost exactly, and with each step his mount took, the feathers swayed from side to side. He wore a great billowing cape edged with gold trim, and it fluttered behind him in the breeze. His violet skin was close in shade to Cytheas', though much of it couldn't be seen under the bulky plates of his armor.
His mount was equally as unique in appearance as its master, in comparison to the rest of the population. Most Night Elves rode Frostsabers, like Tyrande, or Nightsabers, like Eliana. Lord Ravencrest's mount was a sleek, midnight panther, with fearsome, sharp, elongated teeth. There were no markings on its fur, which only heightened its dark, majestic countenance.
Rattling and clanking of both weapons and armor alike filled the Square as the unit trekked towards the trio. From where they stood, the squad appeared to be on high-alert: their eyes scanned the plaza, and their postures were rigid as they sat perfectly upright in their saddles. Illidan, Eliana and Tyrande bowed respectfully as Lord Ravencrest moved to pass, when he unexpectedly came to a complete stop, commanding his squad to halt.
As the deafening clatter died down, he stared down his aquiline nose at them and when his amber eyes fell upon Illidan, he tilted his chin upwards as he studied the male. Illidan shifted under the commander's intense gaze, and it was then that Lord Ravencrest finally addressed him.
"You...You are Illidan Stormrage, are you not?" His voice was as intimidating as his appearance: low, gravelly, like the deep rumble of a thunderclap that demanded your attention.
Illidan's head shot up and he froze momentarily when he realized that the commander was indeed speaking to him. A second or two later, he'd recovered enough to stammer, "Y-Yes, my lord. I am Illidan. We met once before."
Eliana glanced at Illidan out of the corner of her eye, before dropping her gaze to the ground again. How does Illidan know Lord Ravencrest?
Ravencrest nodded, as if satisfied that he'd been correct in identifying Illidan. He glanced at Eliana and Tyrande and gestured to them when he asked, "And these ladies would be?"
Both of them inclined their heads again in acknowledgment of Lord Ravencrest and when they straightened, Tyrande stated, "I am Tyrande Whisperwind and this Eliana Starhelm. We are novice priestesses at the Temple of Elune."
The mention of their goddess prompted the soldiers behind Lord Ravencrest to perform the usual respectful gesture: they drew a moon symbol in the air and bowed in reverence to the priestesses. Lord Ravencrest was the only person in the squadron that didn't do so, and once his soldiers had finished their ritual, he looked at Eliana.
"Eliana Starhelm...I've heard your name before. Do I know you, priestess?"
Eliana stepped up to stand beside Illidan and bowed again before she responded, "We have never met personally, Lord Ravencrest. I am...I know Cytheas Nightfeather, one of your soldiers."
At the mention of Eliana's former friend, Lord Ravencrest looked up thoughtfully before his eyes widened incrementally in recognition. "Ah yes, Cytheas. That is why your name sounds so familiar. He speaks of you often. I hear you're rather close."
Not knowing what else to say to that, Eliana nodded, and her shoulder brushed against Illidan's bicep. She felt his muscles tighten at the mention of Cytheas, and she pinched her eyebrows together in confusion at his reaction.
The commander turned back to Illidan, showcasing that he was finished speaking to Eliana, and asked, "Say, Illidan. Last we met, you were studying the art of sorcery, yes?"
Illidan nodded, unsure as to where Lord Ravencrest was going with his question.
Ravencrest continued, "You are not yet a member of the Moon Guard, correct?"
"No, my lord," Illidan replied, with caution in his tone.
Ravencrest held Illidan's gaze, tapping his fingers against his mount's reins. "As such, you are not held to their regulations, correct?"
Eliana looked over at Tyrande, who met her gaze with lowered eyebrows. It seemed as if the other priestess was equally as worried as to why Lord Ravencrest would be asking Illidan such questions.
Why would it matter if Illidan was not restricted by the same rules? What is Lord Ravencrest planning to do with him? Does he...does he know about our involvement with Broxigar and is simply maneuvering his way into having Illidan admit it?
The Moon Guard was a separate entity from Lord Ravencrest's soldiers. They answered only to the Queen herself and as a result, Lord Ravencrest had no direct authority to give them orders. He could try, but they would likely laugh them off and wouldn't make any attempt to acquiesce. Besides that fact, the soldiers under Lord Ravencrest were exactly that: soldiers. The Moon Guard was comprised of sorcerers. Warriors on opposite ends of the spectrum didn't tend to get along too well.
Illidan narrowed his eyes at Ravencrest as he finally began to understand the commander's intention. Slowly, he answered, "No, I suppose I am not."
A pleased expression spread across Lord Ravencrest's face. Eliana was hesitant to call it a true smile, considering the commander didn't seem to be the type to smile often, if ever. "Good. Ride with us," Ravencrest commanded.
Illidan glanced back over his shoulder at Tyrande and Eliana, hesitant to accept Lord Ravencrest's invitation because of the situation. How were they to know whether he was including them because he actually knew of their part in the prisoner's release, or whether he genuinely was interested in Illidan's skill?
In a spur of the moment decision, Tyrande stepped up and began to say, "We would be honored to—"
Lord Ravencrest held up his hand to interrupt Tyrande. "No, sister. I speak only to Illidan, now."
Illidan clenched his jaw and tightened his hands into fists at his side. He sidled up to Tyrande and laid a hand on her shoulder as he replied, "I would be honored to accept your offer, Lord Ravencrest."
"Fantastic," Ravencrest deadpanned, as if he had already expected Illidan to accept. He waved to one of the soldiers behind him, and a few seconds later, the soldier led a spare Nightsaber to the front of the line. The soldier handed the reins to Lord Ravencrest, who then passed them on to Illidan. "Here you are, lad. Hop on. We ride for Black Rook."
Illidan, no! What if he knows and throws you into a cage the second you reach Black Rook?!
As Illidan climbed atop his mount, Eliana was overcome with the urge to reach out to him—to stop him. Her body lurched forward as if she couldn't control her own actions, and Illidan looked down at her, shaking his head almost imperceptibly to reassure her. Tyrande grasped Eliana's arm in a comforting gesture and both females stared up at Illidan with concern etched on their faces.
Lord Ravencrest signaled for the squad to continue on and the line of soldiers shifted as they moved forward. Illidan nodded at Tyrande as well before he left them behind, and the two priestesses watched the group head towards the Square's exit.
At the last second, before they reached the archway, Illidan turned back around and his gaze flitted over the both of them before settling on Eliana. As the group left the Square, he held Eliana's gaze until he was completely out of sight.
The duo stood there for a moment, waiting for the rumbling ground to still. Eliana twisted her fingers together with tight lips, staring at the now-empty archway, until Tyrande pulled insistently on her arm.
Softly, the other priestess suggested, "Let us return to the Temple until we hear news of either of them. I cannot stand here any longer. I feel as if my anxiety will overwhelm me."
Eliana nodded, completely agreeing with Tyrande. She could stand there all day, waiting for Illidan to return, but it wouldn't guarantee his return. When Tyrande tugged on her arm again, she turned and allowed the other priestess to pull her back towards the Temple.
All they could do now was wait.
The next few days crawled by.
Every single morning, Tyrande and Eliana would stand on the Temple's veranda and stare out at the forest, hoping for a sign of movement—of anything that would give them a hint as to what was going on.
They'd taken to following opposite schedules than normal—Eliana could barely keep her eyes open at all times of the day now—and when the sun rose on the third day and they still hadn't heard anything, Tyrande expressed her frustration.
"Even if we do not hear from them directly, at this point, I would gladly take any sort of news. There has been no gossip floating around, no one has seen either of them...I cannot take much more of this."
Tyrande paced back and forth and she toyed with the fabric of her robes. Every few seconds, she'd pause and her gaze would return to the treeline, only for her to shake her head and resume pacing.
Eliana shifted in her seat, reaching down to pull the fallen strap of her sandal back up around her heel. After a few tense, silent moments, she looked up at Tyrande and replied, "I know. It is frustrating. I wish we knew where they were, if they were okay...it is some relief at least, to know that if Malfurion had been caught, we would've heard about it by now."
Tyrande nodded but didn't respond, content to simply continue walking back and forth. Eliana sighed and stared down at her hands in her lap. The past few days had consisted of only this: Tyrande worrying and Eliana attempting to comfort her, while inside, she was just as worried as the other female.
All she could think about over the past few days was the way Illidan had held her gaze as he left the Square.
Did he not think that she could handle the stress and anxiety of his departure? Did he think her to be a weaker female than Tyrande? She liked to hope that that wasn't true, but she didn't know him nearly well enough to say for certain.
The day that she and Cytheas had sparred together ran through her mind. Her former friend had teased that Tyrande was better at something than she was, and that sent a searing hot spike of anger through her. It hadn't made her upset at the time, simply defensive. However, now, in light of Illidan's actions, the overly obsessive part of her personality was going back through her memories, connecting the dots that would justify her negative train of thoughts.
With a slight shake of her head, she dismissed the notion and glanced up at Tyrande, opting to watch the other priestess traipse from one end of the veranda to the other, rather than wallowing in her thoughts.
After a few moments, Tyrande paused and murmured, "Oh Elune, please let Malfurion be alright…"
Eliana pinched her eyebrows together when she heard what Tyrande had said, though she wasn't sure whether the other priestess had intended for her to overhear. In a voice that clearly stated her displeasure with the other female, she said, "And Illidan?"
Tyrande whirled around and faced Eliana, her luminescent eyes wide. "O-Of course I am concerned for Illidan as well. You just...you know how worried I've been for Malfurion—and Illidan, too."
Eliana hummed and mumbled, "Of course."
A commotion sounded from the plaza below and Tyrande, already on edge, raced to the precipice, resting her fingers on the marble columns that lined the patio. She pivoted on her heel and glanced at Eliana, hastily announcing, "They're back!"
Eliana shot to her feet, rushing after Tyrande as she made her way down the stairs and into the Square. Lord Ravencrest's squad, albeit more dirt-ridden and travel-weary than before, trailed into the plaza at an exhausted pace. Tyrande stood at the base of the stairs, wringing her fingers as she frantically searched for Malfurion in the group. Much to Eliana's excitement—though to Tyrande's disappointment—Illidan and Lord Ravencrest were front and center, while Malfurion was nowhere to be seen.
When Lord Ravencrest spotted the two priestesses at the other end of the Square, he lifted his hand into the hair, calling the squadron to a halt. He nudged Illidan, who glanced up at the two females in surprise, and the duo steered their mounts in the direction of the Temple.
They finally neared the priestesses and Illidan dismounted, while Lord Ravencrest turned his mount back towards the squadron, calling out, "We must return to Black Rook shortly, Illidan. I'll give you a few moments though, hm? Make it quick." With that, he nudged his mount and the commander trotted back towards the group.
Eliana stepped up to stand beside Tyrande and Illidan hurried over to them. A wide, elated smile was on his face, which in and of itself shocked Eliana. Whenever she saw him, his face seemed to be permanently etched into a slight frown. Though it was a surprising sight, she couldn't say that it was a bad one; the grin did wonders for his features, however overshadowed it may be by the fact that he was grasping Tyrande's hands tightly in his own.
In a low, clipped voice, he gushed, "Tyrande, I've finally found my calling!"
The navy-haired female shook her head, confused at his choice of topic. "Illidan, I...I am happy for you. Truly, I am. But what of Malfurion and Broxigar?"
He waved his hand in the air dismissively before continuing. "They are fine. We came across a strange and foul beast in the forest and I was the one, the only one, who could dispatch it!"
Eliana shuffled in place, uncomfortable at the knowledge that in his excitement, he only had eyes for Tyrande—even though Eliana was standing just behind and to the right of the other priestess.
With her movement, Illidan turned sharply to face her and his eyes widened in astonishment. "Eliana! Have you been waiting with Tyrande for me to return this whole time?"
In the background, Tyrande mumbled, "Yes, we've been waiting for news of you and Malfurion, Illidan."
However, Eliana held Illidan's gaze and slowly nodded. In a quiet tone of voice, she replied, "Yes, I have. I'm glad to see that you are safe. And I am glad to hear that you have found the path that you were always meant to follow. It is...difficult sometimes to find the direction we are meant to go."
Beside Eliana, Tyrande's gaze dropped to the ground and Illidan glanced over at her, before locking eyes with Eliana again. His expression softened, though his eyes were still bright with anticipation at whatever it was he'd yet to share with them. "Thank you, Eliana."
Tyrande piped up and noted, "Then your lessons with Cenarius were worth it! If you were able to use the same powers as Malfurion to—"
Illidan shook his head—a sharp, singular motion—before he interrupted her. "No, not that. Those ways are far too slow and cumbersome for me to wield as quickly as I did our people's sorcery. Lord Ravencrest himself even complimented me on my skills."
Tyrande's expression fell slightly as her mouth formed a small 'o'. She snapped it shut and muttered, "I see."
At that, Illidan grasped Tyrande's hands once more. "I was even able to best the creatures that seemed to focus on those who use magic! It was incredible, Tyra. It was as if—"
Unbeknownst to any of them, Lord Ravencrest had approached from behind Illidan and it was during Illidan's recounting of the events that he cleared his throat to gain the young sorcerer's attention. Illidan glanced over his shoulder at the commander, before turning back to Tyrande.
"I have to return to Black Rook with the soldiers. They'll be showing me where I am to be set-up to aid them with the efforts. Tyrande, I...This is truly the sign that I had been waiting for." He glanced at Eliana and finished with, "I will try to keep you both informed. Stay at the Temple for now, and stay safe, alright?"
Eliana nodded in return and Illidan mirrored the gesture as he climbed atop his mount, looking to Lord Ravencrest when he was ready to leave. Lord Ravencrest gestured to his squad to ride out and over the deafening rumble of multiple sabercats traveling out of the Square, Illidan turned to Tyrande and muttered, "Now I can finally be worthy of you."
Though the words had been meant for Tyrande only, Eliana had been looking at him when he'd said it and her near-constant focus on him, paired with the fact that she'd been staring right at him when his lips moved, meant that she also heard what he'd said. When they'd spoken all those days ago, sitting at his kitchen table, he'd hinted at his feelings for the other priestess, but hadn't admitted it outright.
Here, now, he had done just that.
Like a knife to the heart, his words killed any and all hope for Eliana and she quickly averted her gaze to the stones below her feet. Tears pooled in her eyes and she refused to look up, for fear of a single one escaping. She didn't hear Tyrande say anything in response and soon, the sound of Illidan's mount faded into the distance.
Despite how much she fought it, the moisture that now blurred her vision streamed down her cheeks. With bitter, harsh anger that was directed at mostly herself—though a small percentage of it was aimed at Illidan—she wiped away the tears that betrayed her emotions, that showcased her inner turmoil for all the world to see.
I am such a fool.
A/N:
Ugh, it broke my heart to do that to Eliana. Events need to follow canon for now though, as it's farther down the path that things will change and shift towards her instead of Tyrande.
First off, I apologize for the long wait. Finals are finally over and I'll have time to focus on writing for once—at least until the next semester starts at the end of the month. I've updated my profile with new update schedules, so hop on over there if you're curious.
Second thing: a huge thank you is owed to angelacm for beta-reading this chapter for me. Arenoptara will be stepping away from writing endeavors this month, and Angela has graciously offered to step in. Her advice is so helpful and I love knowing that she's as invested in the story as I am!
Many thanks to qweenashleyfox, MilleniumEarl, Bohmzawe, NynaeveAl'Mera, KHandFF7fanforever, and angelacm for the reviews. You all had wonderful things to say and it's always great to hear your guys' thoughts. Thank you to those who favorited and followed, as well.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Also, KHandFF7fanforever brought up a good question. Will we ever get to see other POVs in this story? The answer is yes, and very soon. See you guys next time!
EDIT 8/6/15: DID YOU GUYS SEE THE TRAILER FROM GAMESCOM, OMG. Looks like Illidan will be making a return in the new WoW expansion, Legion. Which...probably means that there will now be a fourth story in The Betrayer series, not just three. Oh Blizzard. You kill me.