Chapter two:
Tink. Tink. Tink. Hisssssss...
Majiave slowly opened her eyes as they adjusted to the light. She looked around at the tall, stone city, a small smile on her face. Even though she had been in the Alliance for several years now, she was still marveled by the great city of Stormwind. She could hear the busy lives of the citizens. A few merchants selling leather, cloth, plate and mail armor to adventurers heading out to Northrend soon. The clink of the hammer against hot steel was like music to her ears, it was the sound of hope.
And they needed all the hope they could get. Majiave, Mariara and Saris started walking toward the keep, the two dragons looking around in awe.
"It's nothing compared to Wrymest temple, but it's still beautiful." Saris breathed out.
"If you think this is amazing, you should see Ironforge." Majiave replied, climbing up the stone steps of Stormwind keep covered in a blue and golden silk cloth. "The dwarfs managed to build an entire city, underground." The two guards standing at the entrance saluted smartly as Majiave passed them, not even moving as Saris and Mariara trailed slightly behind the night elf.
Her footsteps echoed through the throne room, and Varian Wrynn, the high king of the Alliance, looked away from Thrall, anger in his eyes. "Who would dare interrupt this meeting?" He growled, almost near to yelling.
"I'm sorry, your majesty, but I thought you had wanted to see me." Majiave replied, her arms folded as she walked into the large room, silver eyes sparkling with annoyance. Varian's eyes widened and his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Right…right. Just come over here along with your attendants and don't make a sound unless spoken to." Majiave rolled her eyes, walking up beside one of the many large wooden doors.
Like usual. Majiave thought.
"Exactly how are we supposed to deal with the Scourge, Varian?" Thrall said. "With each loss, their numbers grow. They've mastered death itself."
"If we attack their main leaders, the Scourge would fall into disarray." Varian snapped.
"And how do you propose we do that?" Sylvanas sneered. "We can't exactly waltz into Icecrown citadel and kick Arthas off his throne. And the Argent Dawn never received Kel'thuzad's Phylactery, so we can't destroy him permanently."
Damn right you can't. And really? Trying to dethrone the Lich King isn't a very good idea. You'll all just end up serving him. We all will…eventually. A dark voice laughed in Majiave's head.
Who the hell are you? And why are you in my head? Majiave hissed back.
Do you no longer recognize my voice, dearest sister? The voice purred.
Lindrith..?
Obviously.
"MAJIAVE!" Varian roared, "DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?" Majiave shook her head, snapping out of her 'trance.'
"W-what?" She scampered. "I'm sorry, I was just….thinking."
"I asked how you would propose we deal with the Scourge." Varian growled, anger shining brightly in his eyes.
"Hmm." Majiave thought, tapping her chin. "We shouldn't attack them directly. First we should try getting rid of that new Necropolis in the Plaugelands. Archeus, isn't it? Yes, I believe so. And we should also try to make sure Naxrammas stays under our influence, otherwise Kel'thuzad may transport it into his turf. It was hard enough defeating him once, just imagine if we tried defeating him when he could call upon the full might of Northrend in an instant…" The words tumbled out, and she had no idea where they came from.
There. Now you can no longer say I'm an evil, unhelpful sister. Lindrith said, Majiave could almost imagine her grinning as well.
You've probably only done that to make sure we're wiped off the face of Azeroth. For all I know, you could've set a trap for the Alliance and Horde.
Now why would I do that? Lindrith replied, sounding almost genuinely hurt.
Because you're an evil bitch who loves to torture people and massacre them as well.
You flatter me, Majiave.
"That's insane. But it might actually work…" Varian said, his eyes narrowed, deep in thought.
"Or it'll end up getting us all killed." A new voice beside Sylvanas replied. "But I suppose it's worth a shot."
"Alyria, you are not going out there. You're still injured greatly from the battle with Kil'jaden." Thrall said, looking behind him at the high elf. Alyria just snorted.
"I'm pretty sure I can handle a few wounds, warchief. I'm not helpless." She replied. Thrall sighed, shaking his head.
"Maybe we should just defeat the Alliance first, then the Scourge would know we mean business." A voice said loudly. Two small axes where sheathed at his sides, skin as brown as drying mud and red plate armor.
"Are you an idiot, Garrosh?" Majiave muttered, staring at the warrior. "You'll just give Arthas more warriors, use your brain if you even have one." Garrosh whipped around to glare at Majiave, hackles raised.
"What did you just call me?" He asked, a dangerous edge to his voice as he drew his weapons.
"An idiot, now put those away." She snapped, one of her hands on the hilt on one of her swords, ready to pull it out if she must. Garrosh's lips curled into a snarl, but put away his axes. Majiave smiled at him and took her hand off the hilt.
"Wait a minute…" Sylvanas growled, her voice low. "How did you know there's a new necropolis in the plaugelands!?"
Majiave's face flushed as she thought up something to say.
Boy, you're so dead! Lindrith taunted.
Shut up and help me.
Aw, that's no fun. But fine.
"I have my sources, Sylvanas. I know many things that you never even heard of before." Majiave replied.
Thanks…..sister.
You owe me one, Majiave.
Sylvanas didn't look satisfied but she shrugged anyway. "Very well."
"How do we know you're not working with the Scourge?" Garrosh snarled. "You could be leading us into a trap!"
"Are you calling my daughter a traitor!?" Tyrande yelled back at him. Majiave just looked at Garrosh then put her hand onto her forehead, shaking her head slowly.
"Garrosh, really, please use your head. I would never work with the Scourge after what they had done to Lindrith. I'd rather join the Burning Legion first than become a mindless undead pawn on a chessboard." She scoffed, looking up at him again, removing her hand from her forehead.
Aw, how nice of you! Lindrith cooed inside her head.
"I think that's all for today. This meeting is over." Varian said, eyeing the Horde with great distrust then turned around and left, heading for his own chambers.
"You we're talking with Lindrith again, weren't you?" A soft voice whispered in Majiave's ear. She turned her head and silver eyes met amber.
"So what if I was, Alyria?" Majiave growled softly back.
"You're gambling with death there, Majiave. She could be telling you information that would be leading us to our doom."
She's not wrong you know.
You're not helping your case, Lindrith.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. Her sister sounded detached and annoyed, and Majiave couldn't blame her.
"I trust her, Alyria." Majiave suddenly blurted out. "She helped me find you when you were captured by Illidan. She even saved me from a ghoul back in Lorderon...
Majiave looked around the plauged forest, dead pine needles littering the ground, her bowstring drawn. She heard a noise behind her and started. She whirled around on her heels, an arrow head pointed directly in Lindrith's face.
The younger elf scoffed and pushed the bow down with gentle pressure. "You could've poked my eye out."
"Maybe I intended to do that. Now get out of my way-" As she tried to push past Lindrith, the death knight put her hand out to the side, blocking Majiave's path.
"Uh, no. There's minions of the Scourge in this forest. You'd be ripped limb from limb the moment they saw you."
"I greatly doubt tha-" Before Majiave could finish the last word, a ghoul exploded out of the bushes suddenly, heading for the night elf huntress. Lindrith easily stepped in front of the ghoul, one clean swing of her runeblade and the undead crumpled to the ground, lying as dead as it should've been in the first place. Lindrith turned around to leave, facing her sister one last time.
"Don't expect me to do it again. Next time an undead comes to kill you, I'll gladly let them rip you apart." Then she left, the bushes rustling.
Alyria glared at Majiave. "One ghoul, and you suddenly forget everything she's done?"
"Of course not!" Majiave snapped. "But she could've just stepped aside and let it kill me, or kill me herself. But she didn't."
"Good point..."
A long, awkward silence passed between them. But a tauren decided to break it, crossing over to Majiave.
"Alyria," the tauren said, his brown eyes looking at the high elf. "Could you give us a moment?" Alyria simply grinned.
"Anything for you two love birds." She winked then turned on her heel, walking to the place her mother and father: the leaders of the Forsaken and Blood elves had left.
Majiave always thought that Hanaak's brown eyes looked like melted caramel chocolate, threatening to lead her into a maze and be lost for eternity. The druid planted a kiss into her gloved hand, but surprisingly didn't recoil from the metallic taste of her gloves.
"Hanaak, it's been too long. I've missed you." Majiave said softly, but loud enough for the druid to hear. Hanaak smiled at her then pulled her into a loving embrace, his eyes bearing into Majiave's own. He lifted a finger, brown fur tickling her slightly as his finger traced over her glaive like tattoo bellow each of her eyes.
"I've missed you too, Majiave." He whispered in her ear, "and I have something for you." He drew back, and lifted a hand. An explosion of small, white rose petals showered Majiave briefly. When the other petals flew away in the wind, a white rose was floating above Hanaak's hand. Majiave took the flower, careful not to prick herself on any thorns.
"Hanaak...it's beautiful. Thank you, I'll cherish it forever." Hanaak smiled at her once more and Majiave felt as if the temperature had gone up.
"Majiave?" Saris said, poking her head around the corner like an owl, "we need to go, Tyrande needs to speak with you." Majiave sighed heavily and nodded. She Raised herself on her feet and gave Hanaak a swift kiss on the lips before she dropped back down on her feet, turned around and raced out of the large chamber to her mother.
"I really do not approve of you talking to her, Majiave!" Tyrande growled at her once Majiave told her mother about the conversation that she had with Lindrith during the meeting.
"No matter how evil and how much of a monster she is now, she's still your daughter and she's still my sister." Majiave shot back.
"She tried to kill you."
"Because Arthas had ordered her to, she has no choice but to obey. And besides, she saw you while you were in Lorderon, surrounded by the undead. She could've killed you, she had the power to do it. But she didn't. She had killed some undead who got too close to you!"
"Except you're missing the point Arthas could've told her to do that too!" Tyrande protested at once.
"Maybe," Majiave started, her eyes narrowing into silver slits, "maybe not."
She's not wrong you know. Lindrith growled to Majiave once more.
I thought we already discussed this.
There is no 'we', sister. I'd kill you if I got the chance.
Good to know. Majiave smirked slightly as she felt Lindrith's confusion at her statement.
"What...what happened on that day anyway?" Tyrande questioned. Majiave's ears flattened, she already told Tyrande this at least a billion times. She knew what happened by heart.
"I already told you, Thassarian killed her then he and Koltira went after me under Arthas's orders. He resurrected her and she attacked me. End of story." Tyrande sat down and sighed, her head in her hands.
"I just don't like you talking to her again. You know what she's done!"
"I know fully well what she has done, mother." Majiave retorted. "But she had no choice. She can't question, she can only obey."
"She enjoys doing her duties though!"
"Driving a knife though Illidan's arm she enjoyed, but that's because he was mostly responsible for her death. Everything else she hates doing. She hates having to murder her people." Majiave bit her lip, pondering. "But I don't know how much she's changed." The elf confessed, hanging her head, "I don't know if she still regrets having to kill and torture people."
Tyrande looked up, eyeing Majiave with pity. "You need to get some rest. It's a long trip to Orgrimmar."
"But-"
"Go." Majiave sighed and nodded. There was no use arguing with Tyrande, it would get them nowhere. She whirled around and walked toward her chambers.
A door shone in the moonlight, a spear crossed with a crescent moon carved into the door. Majiave took a deep breath and pushed it open.
Cobwebs and dust was all that met her. Everything was still in that unused room. No one dared to go in after Lindrith had died, otherwise they would be overwhelmed with memories. Even now, Majiave's throat closed up and her eyes threatened to well with tears.
She would always blame herself. She thought she was the reason that Lindrith had been murdered and turned into a death knight. A small, silver gleam caught her eye. Majiave walked over to the object which was laying on the stone floor. She felt her eyes widen and collapsed onto her knees.
"That's impossible...this couldn't be here unless..." Majiave picked up the shard of Lindrith's spear, staring at it as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. She felt her eyes start to water, tears running down her cheeks. She tightened up her hands, the shard starting to cut open her palm and fingers, lavender blood splashing onto the stone floor.
She said nothing as she left, the shard still in her hand. She would bandage up her wounds later, she had to figure out why the shard was here.
And how it got here...