Not as long as my recent chapters but should be decent. Thanks all for your reviews, I really am trying to update as fast as possible…sadly it's still not that quickly.

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own WarCraft…never will


"What is going on?" Carya asked a panting Illyath. He was bent over, hands on his knees.

"Guards. Waking up." He managed to get out between breaths.

The powder was so strong that it should have lasted for at least an hour; surely she had not talked to him that long. "How?"

"How what?" Illyath managed to straighten himself.

"They should have been affected for an hour or more."

"It was an hour…" he was looking at her with a funny expression.

"Surely I did not speak with him that long."

"The healing bit took a while, and then you collapsed. I had half a mind to run over there, but I thought it best to stay back. I know you can handle things on your own, and if you had needed me I would have known it."

Carya was glad that Illyath had been with her as opposed to Agraelith. If he had come instead, then there was a high possibility that the orc would be dead and she would be listening to an extremely long and painful rant. Agraelith…she would have to face him when she got back, after she had stormed out on him. She hoped that he had calmed down or else she was not sure she would be able to deal with him.

"What did he say?" Illyath asked finally.

"I can not tell you…not yet," she said. What she had found out was not something that she was ready to tell anyone. Her thoughts were tangled and she was not sure if she understood it herself.

"All right…well, I'm here when you need me…"

"Thank you."

They could hear shouts behind them, it was clear that the guards were fully out of their stupor and no doubt groggy and angry. Not the best combination. "Back to the inn?"

"But of course," Illyath answered with a grin. "Where we were the whole time, correct?"

"Never set foot outside," she said with a smile, understanding what he was getting at. "Hurry now."

By the time they made it back Illyath looked ready to collapse, on the other hand Carya seemed quite pleased with all the exercise. She had not run since, well, for a long while and her muscles were craving something to do.

"By the gods," Illyath grunted, flinging himself on the steps. "I am never helping you again if it involves running."

Carya sat down beside him, "If I recall correctly, you graciously volunteered to accompany me."

"Yes well, that was before I knew that we would be sprinting through the entire town in the dark." He rubbed his leg that he had hit against a small stone wall. "Some of us can't see so well in the dark."

All right, so perhaps the pace she had set had been a little hard…and perhaps she should have warned him about the wall, but it still should not have been as bad as Illyath was making it out to be. They sat for a while staring up at the night sky before Carya finally accepted her fate.

"I should go now," she said, dreading having to go back to the room that she shared with Agraelith. She prayed to the moon goddess that he was asleep.

"Yes, it is getting just a tad late. I should be heading off to my lonely home as well…you know, you could come stay with me for the night, I have more than enough room." The words came out without thought. His motives, for once, were completely innocent.

"Illyath," she said warningly.

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way. Just that…I can tell that you're a bit…ah…skeptical about going up there after what happened tonight. Although I'm sure that he's passed out by now and so it should be all right, forget that I asked."

She nodded, "I will see you tomorrow."

"All right, goodnight then." He smiled at her then leaned over to give her a hug. It surprised him a little that she did not pull away, though she did not return it. When he was gone she was left sitting alone, gathering her resolve to go back to the room.

What was she so afraid of? It was not because of Agraelith's rage, it had shocked her and angered her, but it had not scared her. His rage she could handle and she had proven that by walking out on him, no…it was something else. It was because of his jealousy, the fact that he was jealous because she had been talking to other men. She supposed that they would have to face it sooner or later; this was not something either of them could run from.

The room was dark when she entered and she saw Agraelith lying across the end of her bed, Star curled up by his ear. Closing the door behind her she quietly slipped beneath the covers of the other bed, not wanting to wake him. It was a relief that she would not have to talk to him yet, the nights events had tired her and she did not think that she could face him yet. Hopefully her head would be clearer in the morning.

It felt like someone was beating him over the head and the sun in his face did nothing to help the situation. Growling slightly he rolled over, it was time for him to face the consequences. He had not heard Carya come back last night but he was sure that she had, his thoughts were confirmed when he felt a cool hand brushing his hair back.

"Are you okay?" He wondered for a moment how she could ask that after how he had behaved the night before. "Agraelith?"

"I'm sorry," he sat up and took in her tired appearance. "I should be asking you if you're all right."

"I am fine, just tired…" she was debating whether or not to tell him what exactly she had done last night. He would no doubt be angry but getting it over and done with seemed the best thing to do. "Last night…"

"I don't know what happened to me Carya, I don't even remember half of it….but I know that I have a lot to apologize for…" That was an understatement and he knew it. "When I drink heavily, something happens to me. I can feel myself changing and I can't stop it. You've fought before; have you ever gotten blood lust?" She shook her head and he went on. "It happens to me sometimes in battle, where you can't think because a red haze seems to take over. It's a brutal lust for blood; all you can do is kill and kill and kill. That's what it's like when I drink, I can't think because of the haze. Don't get me wrong, there's no lust for killing but I honestly find myself in the same situation, not being able to control myself." He sighed and rubbed his face, he had sworn off getting drunk and now he remembered why. "That's the last time I'm ever drinking, ever, at all," he said at last. He was not quite done yet. "I'm so sorry Carya, I really am. I should never have interfered in the first place and I shouldn't have yelled at you, or accused you, or—"

The elf knew that he was killing himself over this and she could not stand it, "I forgive you, and I know that Illyath forgives you as well."

That was right; he had hit his friend in the face…and broken his nose. He lay back on the bed a hand over his eyes. Surprised when he found them lifted away and Carya looking down at him. "Stop this," her tone was commanding. "Do not do this to yourself, it was a mistake and while you must take responsibility for your actions it was not entirely your fault."

"I shouldn't have done it, I knew what would happen. I think in a way I wanted it…that's what makes me feel so guilty…" There had been that piece of him that had wanted it, he could have stopped long before he knew what was happening, but he had not. He had not because he had been so frustrated with everything, he wanted to get away, wanted the haze to take over…and in a way he had wanted to let all of his anger out. Something he could not do because he would not allow himself. Maybe that was the reason blood lust would grip him in battle and when he drank his anger would lash out. It took his mind from reality and he was replaced by the side of him that he would let no one see, no one know about. The side of him that was not really him at all but rather some dark monster clawing and ripping to be freed. One that he kept chained unless something cut it free and when that happened there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Do not feel guilty. I…I know that you have been through times that others would not have lasted through."

"What happened last night, what did you do when you left?"

She had thought that they would never reach the subject but now that it was here she decided to tell him the truth. "I healed Illyath…and then I went to speak to the orc…Illyath went with me so you would not be as angry as if I had gone alone."

He bit back his temper at this news, after last night he did not think that responding angrily would help matters. "Carya…that was…dangerous," he said at last. She knew that he was controlling himself carefully, scared of what had happened.

"I know, but it needed to be done and everything worked out, no need to worry."

Of course he was going to worry, how could he not? She saw the way that he was looking at her and made a move to stand, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He reached out and grabbed her hand, gently pulling her back down. Part of her wanted to protest but the other part of her won and she sank down next to him.

"Listen to me, what you did could have gotten both you and Illyath arrested, jailed, and possibly executed. Talking to a prisoner, especially an orc, in the middle of the night does not look very good."

"We knew what we were doing," she mumbled but decided to let him talk if it made him feel better.

"You may have but what about your safety? I told you that we would go together, then I could have assured the fact that nothing would happen."

She did not mention that fact that it also would have assured the fact that he would not have let her within feet of the orc. "Nothing happened, no one saw, and we are both perfectly fine." Excluding Illyath's bruised shin that was.

He sighed; there was not much else he could say about the matter. "Next time, promise me that you won't do anything rash."

She did not think that what she had done was what you would call rash but she promised him anyways.

"Well, what did you find out?"

Now was the time to lie, though she regretted it, she simply could not tell him that Arthas was coming partially because of her. Agraelith would no doubt go into guardian mode and not give her a moments rest. "He confirmed the fact that there will be a war soon, an army of undead will march upon Thal-Morian, possibly accompanied by Arthas."

Agraelith cursed, this was not the news he had wanted to hear. "Is that all the orc could tell you?"

"I think he had something else he wanted to say, but the guards began waking up. We can go back together."

"All right then, promise me though that this time we will go together. No leaving without me or that sort of thing."

"I promise," she said at last. It could not be that bad she reasoned, besides, since she had already spoken to him and no harm had befallen her, Agraelith would have to trust her judgement.

Now that they had covered most of the night before there was one more thing Agraelith needed to address. He did not want to do it, he wanted to avoid it, he had tried to convince himself that he did not love her…but it had not worked. Now that they were laying everything out he knew that this was another thing that needed to be out in the open…they needed to talk about it or else he would drive himself mad. She was looking at him, her expression unreadable.

Carya knew what was going on, knew what he wanted to say. She wanted to run, to hide, and not face it. There was nothing that she could do, she could not lie anymore, she did not want to nor did she want to confront it. It could change everything; shatter her carefully constructed wall against it. They had told her that she would never love, had warned her against it. This feeling though, she knew what it was, and it was the one emotion she had never wanted to face and thought that she would never have to.

"I…I think that we need to…uh…I think we need to talk this over…" he stammered. This was not exactly something that he knew how to go about.

"What is it?" she had no idea how to make it easier for him…or for her for that matter.

"Carya, listen…I…" This was not going at all how he had hoped.

"Agraelith…I know…" abandoning her normal composure she reached over and wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms immediately circled her waist.

"I know that you can't love, but I can't help it."

"They were wrong about it, they were wrong…because I do know what love is." She pulled back and he looked at her quizzically, "You showed me what it is," her voice had turned to a whisper.

"You…you what?" he wanted to be sure that he had heard correctly.

"I think I know what love is…"

He could only stare for a moment, this was…amazing. He had already hardened himself for her to reject him in some way, tell him that she could never love him. Cupping her face in his hands he leaned in, only partially surprised when she gently pushed him away.

"I want to know first…"

"Know what?"

"You know of my life, my friends, my parents…but I know barely anything about you…" she had not realized it until Illyath had told her about Agraelith's family, and now she wanted to know. Rushing into something as big as this was not something she wanted to do. There was a reason night elves had given up on love, she wanted to be careful.

For a moment it seemed like he was not going to answer but then he lay down, and pulled her down with him. "All right then…where do you want me to start?"

"Your family…tell me of them."

"So you know if I'm some dirty ruffian or not?"

"Exactly," she smiled at him and he laughed.

"Well you'll be happy to know that my father was a Paladin Knight, my mother the daughter of farmers. My father was a good man and a powerful knight, ever since I was little I knew that I wanted to make him proud…not sure if I ever managed that. I'm glad that he never knew that I deserted the King's Guard...although I suppose that if it meant him being still alive…"

"What happened?"

"What happens to most knights…he died in battle…"

"I am sorry," and she truly was, she could tell that he had loved his father.

"It's all right…what else? I have a brother, older then me…and I had a sister…"

"Illyath told me…"

"Ah…yes…"

For over an hour he talked and Carya listened. Listened to his guilt at not being there for his sister, his pain at becoming so removed from his brother, and his anger at himself for not being able to protect his niece.

"They sent her to me when she was old enough, thought that she should be with family. My brother was nowhere to be found, still have no idea where he is or what he's doing…don't even know if he's alive. I didn't want to take her at first, what kind of life could she live with a soldier? But my sister made it clear before she died that she wanted her to be raised by family, and that left me as I was the closest." He sighed, "She was the most willful and charming child, you would have loved her. That day…the day of the attack…I had sent her to friends house, they were old and their son was off fighting so they were watching their grandchildren as well…I thought it was the safest thing to do…" he broke off into chocked sobs.

"It was not your fault," she turned on her side so she could hug him, he welcomed her embrace.

"Sorry about that," he said as he rubbed his eyes. It was rather embarrassing tearing up in front of her, but he knew that she would understand.

She was so close to him now, her head next to his. He breathed her in and without thinking closed the distance between them. She did not pull back this time and he kissed her, emotions exploding within both of them. As quick as it had started it was over and he sat up, "I…I didn't mean to, I know that I shouldn't have." Agraelith avoided facing her, unsure of how she had felt about it.

Carya was surprised, not only had she enjoyed the kiss but it had felt so…right. The connection that she felt with him had seemed to come alive. Without saying anything she ran her hands through his hair and smiled, grinning he pulled her closer. Her eyes closed as he kissed her again and suddenly she knew that everything would be all right…


I can't believe how hard it was to write that last part…and it still didn't turn out that great. sigh I tried. Please review :-)

Next chapter: more talking with orc, non understanding people, and other things