This is a really long one, there will be a lot of Taki/Sophie affection going on by the end of this one, be warned. Do not own SC or Warcraft characters unfortunately.
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Chapter 5: Partners in Hand
The rather exasperated Mina held onto Taki as if it were for dear life. Her gaze shifted to a certain dryad who was trying her best to guard herself against a tall orc with a broad chest. Her eyes widened when she noticed that the half-woman half-deer was using her Zanbatou to fend him off. Mina's eyes narrowed as her gaze swept to Taki, who was trying her best to keep herself from falling over from Mina's body weight.
"Taki..." Mina spoke in a soft tone, although Taki could see the suspiciousness in her eyes. "What was the highest price for my Scarlet Thunder? I'm dying to know."
"I didn't sell it!" Taki shouted, wondering why Mina took Taki seriously about selling her weapon.
"Then why is it in the hands of another?" Mina shouted back as she tugged on Taki's body suit. Taki couldn't take anymore of Mina's childishness so she grabbed Mina's sides and pulled her up so the she was actually standing on the ground. Taki looked at her sternly.
"Look, you want your beloved weapon so bad? Then go get it yourself and help us fight these orcs!" Mina just looked as her as she spoke. With narrowed eyes she walked over to the dryad and took it from her hands. The leafy-haired dryad looked at her with an expression of surprise.
"This is how you use it properly." Mina spoke then quickly started whacking and slicing the tall orc at an incredible speed. Mina whacked the butt of her Zanbatou against his head and stomach then swung the blade of her weapon horizontally at the orc's chest, making him grunt in pain at the burning sensation. He looked down in surprise and anger at his chest now being coated in blood. He looked up at Mina with uncontrollable rage.
"A mere sever cannot dispose me so easily, you wretched and misguided human!" The orc spoke in a deep, grunt-like voice with eyes that still portrayed pain and rage. He swiftly took his giant-bladed axe within his hands and swung it above his head preparing to slice Mina in half. "I will cut you into ribbons fool!" The orc raised his voice to a point that it nearly echoed within the woods that seemed endless.
Mina's eyes widened as she looked at the size of his axe, but then narrowed as she had an idea. She dodged the axe when it became inches above her head and taking the advantage of his slow recovery to a guarding position and once again swung her blade horizontally at his right side. "Look, if you're going to kill me, do it and don't keep talking about it!" Mina retorted as she ripped the blade out of his side.
She cut deep into the orc's side, more than half-way through his stomach and noted that she had used the whole of her blade. The orc hunched over, grabbing his side feeling the blood pour through his fingers her howled with pain and collapsed to the floor on his knees.
"Damn you..." The orc uttered as he fell over and landed upon his unwounded side, his eyes becoming lifeless as his dark red blood flowed and soaked the ground beneath him.
Mina sighed in slight exhaustion and leaned on her Zanbatou as she turned to the dryad who had raised her eyebrows in surprise at the fallen orc. "Sorry, but you'll have to be weaponless."
"Who said I had to be weaponless?" The dryad spoke with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk as she raised her hand and formed a spear with vines of leaves at the neck of the spear. "Nice spear though." The dryad complimented as she galloped over to her sisters to help fight against a group of orcs. Mina wanted to correct her about her Zanbatou not being a spear but ultimately decided to not to; there wasn't really a point in doing so at the moment.
"Humph, well obviously your ability to balance yourself has recovered." Taki suddenly spoke behind her with her arms crossed, eyes narrowed and putting her weight on one leg as if she was a bit peeved at her. Mina broke out a nervous smile and laugh as she rubbed her nape while having problems looking Taki in the eye or, to be better put, glare.
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The last of the orcish horde, who happened to be the leader of the group, laid upon the leaf-scattered ground gripping his right arm as it lay limply next to him, to which he had Taki to thank for when she had wrapped her arm behind his and sharply pushed his arm forward, causing the elbow joint to break. Around him were the bloody and beaten bodies of his brethren, staining the grounds and trees with blood. He raised his head from the ground from time to time as he slow gasped for the air that he was trying to catch, although he knew that that would do him no good considering the physical state he's in.
One arrow stuck out of his shoulder while the rest of his body was nearly covered in bruises and blood slowly streamed out of the corner of his mouth and his side. His boar-skin leather vest and pants were severed near the hems and upon the thighs, making his blood visible beneath the slits. His red-golden eyes swept to the remaining six archers that stayed crouched upon the limbs of the trees. They looked back at him with patient and unwavering eyes.
"Damned wenches, the lot of you." He spoke out in shuddered breaths as he laid his head back upon the ground due to exhaustion.
"Say what you might orc, you deserve your fate for desecrating our grounds." Diana replied in a stern tone as she kept her eyes fixed upon him.
"Fool... we had no choice." The orc shut his eyes but only in hopes to regain his strength.
"What nonsense do you speak? We fought in our defense!" Diana retorted, thinking that his loss of blood was beginning to get to his head. The orc let out a shuddered breath and opened his eyes.
"True, but we came to bid you no harm believe it or not, only when you attack did we have to fight in defense. We were ordered by our chieftain, Thrall, to find your... w-whatever you call your highest rank in your race..." He began to feel and see his surroundings become hazy as well as his breaths become slower.
'Tyrande.' Diana instantly thought when he spoke 'highest rank in your race'.
"We weren't told why, but all we were given was a letter for the highest rank of your race. We were ordered to give it to her." The orc explained as he began to feel lightheaded. "It's in my vest pocket."
Diana hesitantly walked over to the fallen orc, unbuttoned his leather vest pocket and found a piece of parchment. She opened the letter in curiosity only to find, to her bemusement, confusion and annoyance, that the whole letter was written in red-colored orcish runes, which she couldn't read; only those who have educated themselves well enough to become someone of a very high rank could read this.
"What kind of game are you playing at orc? Your chieftain encoded this letter." She turned to the orc with a look of suspiciousness only to find that his eyes were now lifeless and his well-built chest no longer shakily rose and fell. Diana sighed and slowly lifted herself from the orc's corpse. Her eyes squinted as she examined the runic-written letter again.
"What do we do know Diana?" An archer came forward. Diana looked at her briefly then folded the letter and stuck it underneath her waist band.
"We'll give this to Tyrande; surely she can make heads or tails on this letter." Diana spoke simply as she headed in the direction of the capital city. "We'll take a few flasks of Moon Well water on the way back for those of you who still have wounds." Diana spoke as she looked upon the six archers, three dryads and single ancient protector even though, being a tree, it didn't need the healing water.
Taki and Mina looked at each other. "Do you feel left out?" Mina asked as her eyebrows lowering with question. Taki merely shrugged.
"Well, either way, it'll be interesting to see what happens." Taki spoke as she turned to follow the crowd of Night elves.
"Well, I can tell you something even more interesting, to me at least." Mina stated, not turning to look at Taki.
"What might that be?" Taki raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm walking next to a tree!" Mina leaned towards Taki and whispered rather loudly in a tone of stunned surprise as she slowly looked up to the bearded ancient protector, who followed the others with his eyes fixed on the path ahead. Taki couldn't help but chuckle.
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'Damn that Arthas! He sends me on this meaningless mission and doesn't even give me the peace of carrying it out alone! I mean I can't believe he sent his little necromancer along with me, most likely the foremost reason being to keep an eye on me.' Sylvanas rubbed her hand down the side of her face in aggravation as she walked through the forest of thin trees, making sure to stay out of the main road in the case that a human might see her. 'I wish I could just kill my little watchful sidekick just so that he won't get on my nerves as easily as Arthas does. I know that to really kill one who is undead is to stab them with all your strength through their lifeless heart, but who knows what Arthas and his little bone-bag of a buddy might do to me next if I disobey.' Sylvanas kept her eyes fixed on the dirt path as if there was nothing left to do.
"Lost in thought Banshee Queen?" The white bearded necromancer broke her from her thoughts. His green, white and purple flourished robes just barely covered his toes as he strode at her side although a bit behind her due to her fast pace. The thing that Sylvanas hated about necromancers was their cocky self-righteous attitude. Not to mention the idiotic 'headdresses' that was the skull of a sable as part of their stupid ensemble that also includes a tall casting staff that had outstretched wings of a bat and a dead snake that wrapped itself up the head of the staff.
Sylvanas gritted her teeth at the necromancer's sarcastic remark. "I was and I liked it that way." She stated while trying to sound as calm as possible.
"Um-hm, well if I were you I wouldn't do that otherwise your thoughts will become an obsession and you'll slowly slip into a deeper state of insanity and self-loathing." The necromancer explained simply.
"And just what is 'slip into a deeper state of insanity' supposed to mean?" Sylvanas' words began to have a harsher tone as if she was offended as she turned her head slightly to the necromancer, who smirked.
"Oh nothing a queen of a damned race should worry about, for the moment." He stated simply. Sylvanas' hands formed into tight fists.
"Look!" Sylvanas spun around and faced the necromancer that had a green glow that took up the whole of his eyes and even appeared to drip gently upwards. "It isn't exactly a thrill for me to be stuck with you on a mission involving an assassination, so if you don't mind I'll leave you to walk to our destination while I take the higher, faster road." Sylvanas turned and leapt up to a high tree branch. She leapt swiftly from tree branch to tree branch heading in her original direction. She suddenly turned to the necromancer who just watched her with a look of annoyance. "Catch up if you think you can!" Sylvanas challenged as a grin slowly spread across her face before she quickly spun around and continued to hurtle from branch to branch.
The necromancer continued to watch her until she completely disappeared from his view. "What a child." He spoke to no one in particular as he looked down and closed his eyes as he continued to walk at his normal pace, not bothering to catch up, he'd just cast a spell to make him teleport to her whenever he'd felt that she stopped.
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Sophitia sat herself upon one of the many steps of one of the tall ziggurats, just because you had a better view of the sky and it was better than being lost in a mass of fall trees. She sighed as she slowly lifted her gaze to the soft twilight sky. Normally this would bring anyone's mind to ease but for her it was much more difficult. She became increasingly nervous and worried, even to the point that she took out one of her most cherished items, which she knew would be strange to others but she loved it nonetheless; Taki's blade-polishing rag.
It was old with edges that unraveled slightly and was still well-used with spots of tarnish still within it. To Sophitia every inch that was Taki showed itself through her rag; all of Taki's determination when demon hunting, her love for her blades and her love for her job which others dared not do, even all of Taki's confidence and pride showed within her rag and even her oath of protecting all that she could from evil's grasp.
Sophitia now felt as if she was holding Taki in her hands and after gazing at it with belief and love in her eyes she brought it to her chest and held it there tightly and affectionately as she closed her eyes. In a way she looked as if she was drawing the essence of Taki into herself and loving every moment, passed the nose-tickling stench of tarnished steel she could even smell Taki's wonderful and enchanting scent of cherry blossoms. 'My love...' Sophitia heard her own love-struck voice suddenly enter her head. "Oh, Taki... where are you?" Sophitia's same love-struck voice came through her throat as she slowly looked back up to the sky with a look of longing.
"Erm, excuse me?" A rather youthful and timid-sounding voice spoke at her side. She hastily rose herself to her feet, shoved the rag back within her sac that she still carried and brushed off her skirt as she turned to find a woman in a purple cloak with a golden hem and was holding a long wooden staff. Sophitia wished she was wearing a cloak at the moment due to the fact that she could feel herself blushing.
"Uh-erm-yes?" Sophitia mentally kicked herself for her stuttering response, although she smiled pleasantly. She heard the woman giggle softly before she continued.
"I-I'm supposed to be meeting with Tyrande Whisperwind and I was wondering if you knew where she was. I'm Jaina Proudmoore." The woman smiled warmly through the hood of her cloak. Sophitia's eyebrows rose in intrigue.
"Oh really? I've heard quite a bit about you from her, you're a sorceress are you not?" Jaina's smile widened as her own eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Yes, of the Human Alliance. I'm surprised that Tyrande spoke of me to you, seeing as to how she didn't used to like humans." Jaina explained all the while her smile as wide as ever. Sophitia blinked.
"Human Alliance? You're human?" Sophitia almost hoped she was right, it would actually seem comforting to know that a human from this 'new' world would be helping them during these times of growing darkness. She watched as Jaina nodded and pulled down her hood. Sophitia noticed that her ears weren't long, her skin was the same color as her own and the pupils of her eyes were black like as her own so she was indeed human. She took the time to notice Jaina's long blonde hair although it was half as long as Sophitia's so it draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were a powerful royal blue color and wore a white and blue flourished pants and shirt.
"Something wrong?" Sophitia suddenly heard her say, making her jump a bit and realizing that she had been staring. Jaina looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh-nah-nothing." Sophitia cleared her throat. "It's just that you're the first human that I've met since I came here and it's actually kind of refreshing." Sophitia explained as she rubbed her nape and looked at her nervously.
"Um-hm, I know the feeling." Jaina stated with a simple smile.
"Although, in truth, I didn't expect for a sorceress with a reputation such as yours to be so..." Sophitia paused as she looked up and down Jaina briefly. "Young." Jaina couldn't help but laugh at that comment.
"Yeah well, just because most of my life had to do with my studies of magic and becoming a real sorceress, it doesn't mean that I have to dress like one as well." Jaina stated with a rather charming grin. She looked down at her feet briefly as if looking for words to say. "But enough about that; do you know where Tyrande might be?"
"Oh, you came here this quickly? I'm impressed." They both turned to find Tyrande and Starstrider walking casually up to them.
"Tyrande, your runner told me about the task at hand dealing with Arthas, but I have a feeling you know more about the threat than I do." Jaina explained. Tyrande was about to speak but was interrupted by someone calling her name. They all turned to find Diana and her group of archers, half-women half-deer, and a walking tree, which Sophitia had trouble keeping her questionable eyes off of.
"Tyrande, the leader of the orcish group told us that you were supposed to be given a letter from an orc chieftain named Thrall, do you know of him?" Diana raised an eyebrow as she gave Tyrande the letter.
Sophitia's focus on the walking tree was taken away as she felt someone place their hands on her shoulders from behind. "It's been too long a day without seeing you, love." Sophitia felt her heart lift inside of her as she knew the only person that would call her that. She spun around to find Taki smiling warmly at her. With a wide, grateful smile she pulled Taki into a warm hug, which Taki happily returned as she nuzzled that soft golden hair she loved so much as it glistened with the colors of the twilight sky.
"Those two are quite smitten aren't they?" Mina heard the hippogryph rider speak softly. At the point Mina wasn't really paying attention to Taki and Sophitia's long-awaited meeting, but then the rider mentioned it she couldn't help but glance at them every few seconds.
"I don't know; I don't really take much notice into the matter. I let them do and think what they want, to a certain extent of course but they can continue once I'm not present." Mina stated simply as she turned back to Tyrande and Diana as well as this cloaked newcomer. Mina raised an eyebrow as she turned and met the starlit gaze of the rider, her bangs still covering her left eye and half of her cheek.
"Why should a Night elf like yourself care about love between humans?" Mina asks out of curiosity. The rider shrugged.
"It just catches my eye every once and a while, human or not." She stated simply as she turned back to Tyrande, who appeared to have some trouble reading the letter.
"I will translate this in my quarters, I can focus more intently in there." Tyrande stated softly to Jaina, who nodded in agreement. Tyrande turned to face her warriors and veteran. "You have done well. You are dismissed to your housing trees, I will announce the meanings of this letter surely by tomorrow." Tyrande proclaimed as she turned and headed up to her quarters. "Jaina, follow me. You three may follow me as well if you wish, this letter might have something to do with this 'Soul Edge'." Tyrande spoke to Mina, Taki, and Sophitia, who looked at each other.
"Why not?" Taki spoke up. "Better then finding things out later I suppose."
Mina turned to the rider. "Should I be nervous?" Mina didn't look her straight in the eye.
"Nervous? You fought orcs, you're on a mission to destroy two evils, you've met and are going to meet many races, and you've ridden on a hippogryph and quite well might I add." The rider spoke as if they were incredible feats for a human, Mina tried to hide her smile from the rider's compliments. "Well, despite the fact that the place that you held on to the hippogryph now has crumpled feathers because you clutched them so hard." The rider spoke simply by the time it came to the only bad part of her bravery.
"Thanks." Mina slowly turned to her with narrowed eyes as she spoke sarcastically, as if she was thinking 'you just had to mention that didn't you?'
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The room was quite dark; you could barely see the dark wooden boards of the upper half of the room. Tyrande went through the letter making sure she had every translation correct; it had been a long while since she had to reuse this kind of knowledge. Mina, Taki and Sophitia sat in the three wooded chairs by the wall, waiting for Tyrande to finish. Taki and Sophitia, of course, sat next to each other, trying to not fall into the tempting habit of wanting some sort of interaction at the wrong time. Jaina stood next to Tyrande's desk, arms folded, hugging her staff to her chest.
The only light within the room was four long-handled torches that hung on the lower walls and was bright enough so that the floor and dark ceiling could just barely be seen. Jaina took a quick look around the room.
"Where's Malfurion?" She asked Tyrande with a look of curiosity. "Isn't he always with you, unless put back to sleep beneath the earth?" Tyrande merely blinked rather slowly but didn't lift her eyes from the parchment.
"He's not here." Tyrande spoke simply although Jaina could hear the sigh escape her lips. "He's tending to the lands near the World Tree and doesn't know when he might be back."
"Oh." Jaina had no idea how to reply to that; she was familiar with love but it had been a long while since she had experienced it. She no longer needed to worry about it when Tyrande finally raised her eyes from the parchment.
"To put his letter simply, Thrall's homes and lands have become corrupted and have asked us and the Alliance to help him eliminate the threat. He has very few bases left and asks for our aid. Has he spoken to you Jaina?" Tyrande announced as she turned to Jaina, who nodded.
"I've received a letter from him much like the one you hold in your hand. An alliance would be a wise thing to do seeing as to how if we help him he may help us against Arthas and this new sword you speak of." Jaina explained.
"It isn't new." Sophitia suddenly spoke, feeling her hand being stroked by Taki's. Jaina turned to her with a look of intrigue. "I've fought against it and its power of destruction and corruption is immense. I'm sure you believe the same about this Frostmourne."
Jaina's eyes softened. "Its power of corruption is..." She looked down as if trying to recall a memory. "Unfair." Tyrande raised an eyebrow at Jaina's statement. "I will go to Thrall and if you could send some of your elves as aid it would most certainly be helpful." Jaina stated sternly.
"Alright-"
"It is certainly not alright!" What looked like another Night elf burst through the doors and yelled into the once silent room. The four humans all raised their eyebrows at the woman; her long aqua hair was in a ponytail and was one foot away from the ground. Her black helmet covered everything but her mouth, half of her cheeks, long lavender ears which poked through the helmet's sides, and her eyes which had a green tint to them unlike the other night elves' blue tinted starlit eyes.
The part of her face that was showing alone made her look as if her personality had no room for mercy of any kind. Her huge armor covered her shoulders and a dark green material draped around her beneath the guards. Her black armor looked as though it was all one solid piece of metal. The weapon at her side made Mina's eyes go wide; a large hoop-shaped piece of metal with what looked like blade tips along the outside.
Tyrande sighed and rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand as if she knew this was going to be a long night. "I was waiting for you to show up Maiev." Tyrande spoke simply. "Actually I'm glad you came because while I was translating a letter given to me I had already made arrangement of who should go and speak to Thrall." Tyrande stated.
The woman named Maiev straightened herself up, keeping her eyes locked on Tyrande's. "Oh yeah? And what might these arrangements be?" Maiev folded her arms over her chest and had a look on her face as if she had no beliefs in Tyrande's ideals.
"You, actually, will be going to Thrall's along with Jaina, Taki and Mina. Sophitia and Shandris Feathermoon will go to find Kael'Thalas of the Blood elves. Perhaps Shandris and Sophitia can better tell them of the matters at hand since my runner didn't tell Jaina all that was needed to be said." Tyrande explained simply. Maiev seemed unmoved.
"Um-hm. And you expect me to keep an eye on both of these outsiders?" Maiev turned and gave a rather cold look to Taki and Mina. Mina was a bit nervous by this but Taki seemed unmoved then slowly returned a dark look to Maiev.
"No, I don't even think they need to me watched at all, but to make you feel better you can watch over Taki, or to put it better, be partners in hand." Both Taki and Maiev's eyes went wide with shock.
"What?" Taki and Maiev both shouted in unison. Taki leaned towards Tyrande in her chair while Maiev's crossed arms dropped while both Taki's and Maiev's mouths slacking open.
"Well since Taki is a demon huntress and you are a warden I think that you two will get along just fine. Mina and Naisha I will leave in partners in hand as well." Tyrande stated as if it was nothing.
Maiev's eyes went even wider. "WHAT?" Mina was surprised that the windows within the dark brown upper walls didn't shatter at the sound of Maiev's scream. "But Naisha's MY faithful watcher! She's MY second in command!" Maiev shouted as she pointed at her upper chest with a shaking hand.
"Well, you should be pleased that you two will be on the same mission together. If I were you I'd trust in my command Maiev." Tyrande's voice softened as she leaned on her desk towards Maiev.
"Yes well I don't." Maiev spoke harshly as she crossed her arms again and looked away stubbornly. She paused for a moment. "Fine...Fine, I'll go along with this for now, at least someone can keep an eye on those two outsiders." Maiev kept her harsh voice as she spoke and gave another dark look to the two who would be coming with her and the Watchers, her own group of Night elves devoted to Maiev alone unless told to trust another, which was a rare thing.
Taki returned Maiev's dark look and was about to stand and face her but was brought back down by Sophitia.
"Uh-erm-it's been a long day for us, do you mind if we leave you to carry out your commands?" Sophitia asked Tyrande quickly as if trying to save Taki from doing something drastic.
"Of course, go ahead." Tyrande smiled as she watched the three of them leave, ignoring Maiev's look of distrust.
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"Nice one Sophitia." Mina spoke as they walked down the many steps of the ziggurat. "I'm tired enough as it is without knowing that we have to go to that orc chieftain's place." Mina stretched her arms and back as she spoke.
"Me too." Taki rolled her shoulders and neck.
"Taki, before we sleep, and since the possibility of us splitting again tomorrow is very high, can I show you someplace quickly?" Sophitia had a glint of hope in her eyes, which Taki could very well see.
"Erm, sure, of course." Taki smiled charmingly.
Sophitia turned to Mina. "Sorry Mina but-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Mina turned and headed deeper into the capital city, wearing a smirk on her face; she knew that Taki and Sophitia needed to make up for lost hours.
Sophitia turned to Taki and smiled widely as she took her hand and brought her into the woods and to the very same place that Tyrande brought her, only it seemed ten times more beautiful than before.
The moonlight dripped through the open patched of leaves and reflected itself upon the rippling movements of the two waterfalls and even upon the lush grass that was soft enough for them to sleep upon.
Dozens if not hundreds of both silver and gold colored butterflies flutter though the air, upon the waters wherever it was calm and into the trees, which had blue colored lanterns hanging at an even distance from each other.
"Mesmerizing, isn't it?" Sophitia spun around to meet Taki's almond brown eyes which were reflecting the moonlight as well, making Sophitia lock eyes with hers. Taki grinned as she suddenly swept Sophitia into a warm embrace.
"Not as much as you." Taki whispered in a deep, soft voice that sent shivers down Sophitia's spine as Taki took her lips upon her own. Sophitia closed her eyes as she leaned into her love's kiss and wrapped her hands around Taki's neck, feeling Taki's hand run up and down her back while the other was on her nape.
They pulled apart but their embrace didn't break, letting their foreheads touch and lean on each other. They both smiled affectionately at each other before Sophitia looked down at her lips again and gently brushed them with her own, she felt Taki return it.
"Come." Taki spoke as she took Sophitia's hand went to a tall tree near the rivers edge. The plain of grass around the tree was shaped more or less like a small hill. Taki sat down upon the small hill and brought Sophitia down with her, letting Sophitia lay herself upon her. Sophitia grinned as she snuggled on top of Taki, wrapping her arms around her waist and her head resting on Taki's neck.
In turn, Taki stroked her side softly and undid the tie of her braid, watching as Sophitia's golden hair gracefully slipped from her fingers. Loving the feeling of Sophitia's hair on her fingertips, she ran her fingers softly through her hair, making Sophitia sigh from the soothing feeling Taki was giving her and slowly running a hand up and down Taki's ribcage, making Taki breath deeply.
"Hmm, the Greek boys you're surrounded with missed their chance of getting to you before I did, poor them." Taki noted as Sophitia smirked.
"Before I had to carry out Hephaestus' bidding I was always known as mild-mannered and meek. I haven't changed much since then in that perspective." Sophitia spoke simply. Taki suddenly burst into giggles.
"Oh please!" Taki continued to laugh at Sophitia's statement. Sophitia rose herself from her living pillow and raised an eyebrow at Taki.
"What's so funny?" Sophitia became utterly confused since Taki had some trouble stopping herself from her laughter.
"Oh come on! (Giggle) You may have a face like an angel but I can see the devil in your eyes at times." Taki noted, her giggles slowly dying down. Sophitia was about to say something in defense but stopped as she realized that she didn't know what to say. Sophitia blushed as she looked down.
"Well... ahem, it's just because of your influence." Sophitia stated in a low voice as she looked at Taki in a sheepish way she tried to hide.
"Um-hm." Taki smirked at her then gestured for her to lie back down upon her. Sophitia shifted herself slightly as she laid her head back down on Taki's shoulder. Taki kissed her forehead.
"I don't really care about them; a lot of them can be so immature sometimes. They just don't see me as a woman but as a warrior who'd stand up for them when told to and they don't have the nerve to do it themselves or even call one of the guards of the town." Sophitia felt the soft white skin of Taki's upper chest slowly with her fingers as her gaze softened at the memories. "They don't care about who I am inside or how I look; they only care about me as a protector and sentinel." She felt Taki slowly lift her chin with her fingers and met Taki's focused eyes. Sophitia's emerald eyes stared into Taki's chocolate eyes, neither wavered, in looked like bare trees looking at its own leaves or the trees in autumn and spring.
"If they truly believe that then they are all fools. They obviously just can't see the epic-beauty that lives in both inside and outside of you." Taki slowly let her fingers trail down Sophitia's cheek and the side of her neck, making Sophitia gasp silently and blush at Taki's words.
"E-epic beauty?" Sophitia's voice turned into a whisper.
"Um-hm." Taki nodded softly. "And a beauty such as yourself deserves a gift from one who's deeply in love with you." She spoke softly as she reached for her money sack tied to the belt of her body suit. Sophitia's eyes turned into one of surprise.
"A gift? Really?" Sophitia reached out for the small object in Taki's closed palm but Taki pulled her hand away.
"But, I want to see how badly you want to see it." Taki got out from underneath Sophitia and stood in the center of the open area. She placed her hands behind her back and smiled coyly at Sophitia, who looked both intrigued and confused. "You have to take it from me." Taki grinned widely.
"Oh?" Sophitia's eyebrow rose as she stood herself up and walked slowly over so that she was a foot away from Taki. "You promise to really give it to me?" Sophitia asked as if she was suspicious.
"Of course, and then some." Taki ginned as she saw Sophitia's eyes travel to her stomach as if she thought she could see the gift right through her and was trying to figure out strategies to get passed Taki.
Sophitia suddenly lunged out at Taki and reached behind Taki's back. Taki immediately jumped out of the way, grinning as widely as ever. Sophitia tried again only to have Taki jump in the other direction. Sophitia pulled back her loose hair behind one ear. She stopped and acted as though she was catching her breath then jumped at Taki again, who knew what Sophitia was trying to do.
"Faking me out won't help you, love." Taki winked at Sophitia playfully as she stood in front of the two waterfalls and shallow stream. Sophitia thought of another tactic, one that she'd never used until now but she figured it'd be worth it to see Taki's reaction.
"Alright, then I suppose I'll have to try something different." She pulled her hair back so that her loose hair was behind her back and pulled it up again only she kept it there and let cool night air touch her neck. Of course this also had a second affect of raising her breasts a bit higher, some access sweat from lunging at Taki made her skin glisten from the moonlight. She also took the idea of half-closing her eyelids in a sensual way and biting her lower lip. Sophitia tried not to giggle as Taki's jaw began to slack as she stared intently at this goddess of a woman standing before her that was surrounded with gold and silver butterflies.
Finally having the opportunity, Sophitia jumped right onto Taki, making them both fall onto the ground.
"Oh ho ho." Taki laughed within her throat. "Appropriate strategy, I really like it you should use it more often." Taki smiled suggestively, realizing that Sophitia was stratling herself on top of Taki. Sophitia returned a playful smile as she reached for Taki's enclosed hand. Taki quickly pulled away and started squirming hastily to get out of in between Sophitia's legs but stopped as she heard Sophitia gasp rather loudly.
"Taki don't do that." Sophitia spoke in a low, deep voice. Taki noticed that her face was a bit flustered. Taki grinned naughtily.
"Well that's what you get for trying to seduce me you lovely temptress of mine." Taki slipped out between Sophitia's legs. Sophitia caught this and pounced on her again, Sophitia's arm trying to catch Taki's.
"Well the seduction I gave you to lower your guard is what you get for being so stubborn and mischievous!" Sophitia defended as she came closer and closer to her target hidden in Taki's hand, feeling both their bodies squirm on each other.
"Yes but from I remember you once thought that that's what you found charming about me." Taki noted coyly as she slipped completely out from underneath Sophitia's body and ran a few feet away. Sophitia growled dully at Taki's sneakiness and slippery ways, although all these attributes just made her more excited.
She ran forward and took Taki's hands within hers, Sophitia smiled triumphantly but it faded as Taki jumped slightly and, using Sophitia's arm strength to hold her, swung herself between Sophitia's legs. In shock, Sophitia let go of Taki's hands and pulled her skirt tight against her thigh as she backed away and blushed. After a few short seconds she raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"See anything good?" She asked coyly.
"Oh, nothing new." Taki grinned widely as she spoke simply. This was Sophitia's last straw; she ran forward and tried to grab Taki. Taki jumped out of the way but, to her surprise, Sophitia caught her, swung her around and pushed her to the ground, Sophitia on top and her legs were once again stratled. Sophitia took her wrists and pushed them into the lush grass.
"Okay." Sophitia huffed. "I have you; no more slippery escapes, squirming, dodging, or talk from your distracting tongue." Sophitia's hand slowly slipped to Taki's enclosed hand. "Now give me the gift that you say a... epic-beauty like myself deserves." Sophitia huffed in a soft tone.
"Okay." Taki was a bit out of breath herself. She stopped Sophitia before she could open her hand. "Kiss me first. It isn't a trick, just kiss me." Sophitia blinked as she moved herself down a bit so that she could better angle herself and while keeping her hand on Taki's wrists, pressed her lips against Taki's, taking a minute to feel Taki's breath caressing her cheek. She sighed as she leaned more into the kiss. Taki deepened the kiss making Sophitia gasp slightly in surprise, but sighed again as she returned with the same passion. She moved her hands up to Taki's, cupping them within her own.
After what seemed like eternity, Sophitia slowly and reluctantly pulled away, leaving with one brief and bare kiss on Taki's lips. "Can I have my gift now, besides you?" Sophitia smiled lovingly. Taki returned the smile.
"Of course, love." Sophitia let Taki sit up a bit so that she can present her gift to her better. "Give me your hand." Sophitia did as she was told. Taki held her hand gently within her own as she stroked it with her thumb. She brought the ring from her hand and heard Sophitia gasp and she slowly placed it on her middle finger, what a feeling it gave the two of them, it was pleasurably indescribable.
Taki took the time to admire the way it looked on her finger, the aquamarine stone matched her skin tone beautifully and the moonlight made it look even better. "It looks stunning on yo-" Taki stopped as she noticed that Sophitia's eyes were watering up with tears, her fingers covered her mouth gently in shock. She couldn't take her eyes off of Taki's gift of love to her.
"Taki I... I don't know what to say..." Sophitia choked out a small sob. Taki smiled warmly as she took Sophitia's hand within both of her own and held Sophitia's fingers close to her chest.
"It's a promise ring, the promise being that I will love you for always and when I say 'I love you' I'd say it a million times because saying it once just doesn't match the strength of my love and affection for you. All you have to do is accept it." Taki could feel her own eyes swell up with tears and crying was something she hardly ever did. She didn't have to wait long for Sophitia's answer; Sophitia wrapped her arms tightly around Taki's neck.
"Of course I accept!" Sophitia could feel the tears streaming down her face. "I love you! I love you! I love you so much Taki! Please stay with me always!" Sophitia sobbed, rubbing Taki's cheek with her own, feeling her own desperation within her words.
"I promise you, that's a promise that I'll never break." Taki wrapped her arms around Sophitia's back and nuzzled her neck. She picked Sophitia up and carried her over to were they originally laid by the tree. She gently placed her down and laid herself down right next to her, letting Sophitia snuggle up to her as tightly as she wished, the tighter the better, Taki felt. "I love you, a million times, my Sophie." Taki spoke softly in her ear as she nuzzled her hair. Sophitia leaned into Taki's nuzzling, enjoying the opportunity of smelling Taki's soft hair.
"And I you, my Taki." Sophitia spoke softly as she rested her head upon Taki's upper chest, each loving the feel of each other's warm body, never wanting to move and never wanting this night to ever end. A wistful-sounding flute suddenly echoed softly through the trees. Taki wanted to get up and see who or where it was coming from but she felt so content in Sophitia's arms and Sophitia looked so peaceful with her eyes shut and in her own dream world that she didn't care who played it, she just let the soothing sound lull the both of them to sleep, hoping that she and Sophitia could meet in each other's dreams and the music would make them stay in their dreams.
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Wow, this was a long one. Well, I hope it was alright. I hope the scene wasn't too perverted to you I tried to even things out between perversion and love. I tried to make Jaina as youthful and likable as possible and I always thought of Maiev as being stubborn at least when around people she didn't trust like humans and sometime Tyrande. I couldn't do much with Sylvanas although I wanted to, I can't have her do too much just yet.
BTW: If you readers happen to come by my name on another author's review page as 'anonymous' or if you see Silvermoonlight GJ and her anonymous review doesn't label her as Silvermoonlight GJ (not logged on) or if we sound like we're nonshoujo-ai mashers and are very lashy and rash, let me know. People who don't like us are putting up bogus reviews in our names and are lashing out at other author's work, the author at this point being Jadephoenix84. Yeah, we're having a wonderful time with this mess .
