Chapter 8

We landed on the beach, and I let go of Teir to help Anduin stay on his feet as he turned to empty his stomach into the sea.

"Easy there, princeling." I said quietly, helping him up when he was done and offering him my water flask.

"Thanks," he said, gulping it down, "God I hate hearthstones."

"Jadearra!"

I turned, and my heart exploded.

Mother.

I abandoned Teir and Anduin, racing forward and nearly sending both mother and myself to the ground.

"I missed you Mother," I said into her hair, hugging her so tightly I thought I might break her.

She hugged me back just as hard, and so much of my strain and stress from Pandaria just melted away.

"Oh I see how it is-"

I turned and tackled Father, hugging him hard and pressing my cheek against his chest.

"I missed you two so much," I said, and Mother joined the hug again.

We finally separated, and I saw that Teir and Sylvanas were speaking in quick, hushed Forsaken. Teir looked pissed.

Sylvanas caught me watching and gave me a nod of gratitude, and I nodded back.

"You have to tell us about Pandaria, darling," Mother said, but our reunion was interrupted by-

Him.

I growled low in my throat, scary face and raw fury mixing at the sight of Varian Wrynn, who was hugging Anduin. That in itself was a punch to the stomach, but I ignored that.

"I want to kill him," I said, not quietly, and the two men turned to see me watching.

Anduin put himself between me and his father, watching me warily.

"Jadearra, no-Now is not the time dear," Mother whispered in my ear, wrapping her arms around me protectively and watching the King.

"I've waited years to get close enough-"

"Jadearra."

I froze, refocusing on Anduin, who was staring me down with a fire in his eyes.

I saw the celestials blessing there, and mine reflected back, and I snapped my teeth at the king, backing off.

"What was-what was that with the boy?" Mother asked as I stood.

"Nothing, mother, where are we staying?" I asked, hoisting my bags and following behind them.

I had to get out of Anduin's sight before I blew it completely.

My parents had set up camp in one of the empty troll huts on the island, and I placed my sleeping mat down, Bandit settling on the windowsill to sleep in the sun.

"It wasn't to cold, I hope?" Mother asked, sitting on her and father's mat, which was across the small room.

"It was alright, Mother. Now here is what you requested," I took the branch out of my pack, handing it to her, and she laughed.

"You remembered! Tell me the story behind it darling," she asked, and I smiled, telling her about the temple and showing her my pack of scrolls and maps, telling her about the grounds and cloud serpents and the Arboretum.

"Later in our travels, after the ordeal in Krasarang, Anduin and I-"

"Anduin?"

I froze for a moment, feeling her acute gaze on my head as my cheeks heated, oops.

"The human, mother," I said, looking at her cautiously.

Her lips were in a thin line, and her hands were clenched around the branch, squishing it a little.

"Um…anyway," I said after an awkward moment, "We came upon the Halfhill marketplace, which was amazing. I brought you Pandaren good luck charms from a race of people called the Grummies, they're called Luckydos" I handed her the quaint charms, and she grinned.

"How very peculiar! I shall use them every day, do they have meanings?" She asked, and I leaned forward, explaining.

"This one, the ballerina, is for luck when traveling, and this one here-the turnip-is for luck when sickness is near, and this one is for luck with family gatherings."

"I quite like them, thank you darling," She said, and I noticed she tucked the turnip charm into her breast pocket.

"And I found this dress that I quite liked in the market, and Andu-the shopkeeper, gave it to me as a gift," I said, showing her the blue gown, and she gasped.

"How exquisite!"

"But I spent the day with her, working off of this to make you this," I stood with her dress in hand, showing off the red gown, and Mother stood, in awe.

"Oh Jadearra! It's amazing! The skirt reminds me of-"

"The sky above the Palace," we finished at the same time, and she threw her arms around me in another hug.

"Thank you, darling, it's perfect." Mother said, and I just smiled into her hair.

By the Sunwell I had missed her so much.

Father soon joined us, and after I re-explained the gifts to him, I was in trouble.

"I know you, Jade. You wouldn't accept a gift like that from a stranger," He said, and my insides stiffened, oh no.

"Lor'Themar, don't be silly. I'd accept a gown like that from anyone!" Mother said, and I laughed nervously, trying not to have a heart attack.

There was a knock on the wall, and Teir was standing there, hood pulled over her face, expression one that bespoke of grave news, "Can I borrow Jade?"

"I'll see you at dinner, Mother," I kissed her cheek, before standing and leaving the hut with Teir.

"Beach?"

"To sunny," we answered my question at the same time, and she laughed nervously-Teir doesn't get nervous.

We walked the paths along the raptor training pits of the island, silent for a while, until Teir cracked.

"There's um…there's something that I think you should know," she said, not looking at me.

"Teir, what happened? Turns out you tortured more people than that Taylor guy?"

"No, no…" she trailed off, before closing her eyes and getting it out, "It's about your mother."

I stopped, that tone was not good, "My mother?"

Teir gave me a sympathetic look that worried me, "I think she's-"

There was screaming from the camp, and part of me wanted to ignore it and hear what Teir said, but Teir was already running.

We made it back just in time to see Tyrande Whisperwind and Sylvanas Windrunner lunge.

Tyrande's child-Kenlora, I think her name is-darted out and immediately started trying to separate them, but Teir ground her teeth in and shut her eyes and ears, groaning.

"Teir no, not here. Stay back," I said, knowing a sanity strain when I saw one.

Nothing got Teir going like violence.

I moved into the fray, wedging myself in between the two Elvin women, who were throwing slurs and getting worse.

"Sylvanas stop! It's hurting Teir!" I shouted in the Windrunner's face, and she stopped, her face going from one of fury to motherly guilt.

She saw Teir over my shoulder, and fled, running to her, kneeling by her side.

Teir didn't look to good.

"We have to get her away from the others," I ran to stand across from the Banshee Queen, "Her hearthstone! I can teleport us, run out as far as you can, shadow travel. I can contain her for thirty seconds tops here," I said, and the Queen nodded, fading into shadow.

"Jadearra no-!"

"Get back!" I shouted over my shoulder, nostrils flared, before I turned back to Teir, "Listen to me, you don't want to-"

"She's hiding from me!"

Fuck.

I dodged the clawed hand, struggling to keep the now off the brink death knight pinned, and I found her hearthstone in her pocket.

Teir's eyes were flashing like a stressed horse, and whatever is going on between her and the Dark Lady is going to get us all killed.

"Why is she hiding?!" Teir roared in my face, biting my hand, and I cursed.

"Let's go find out right now!" I activated the stone.

There was a sucking sensation behind my belly button, and then we were on a different beach on a separate island.

"Teir. Enough of this."

Sylvanas stood, armed, a few feet away, and Teir reacted.

"What aren't you telling me, Windrunner?! What do I not know?!" Her voice held power, and insanity, and I was thrown off, landing in the shallow water.

"Teir this isn't you-"

"Oh it's her. This is how she controlled her troops. She can scream like the best of them." Sylvanas approached, and Teir charged.

It was a fight that put gladiator brawls to shame. Screaming and slicing and blood and cursing and two fighters moving so fast they were a blur.

It ended with Teir pinned, spitting in Sylvanas' face, "Teir, find your mind! You are letting that time come back. Push it away," Sylvanas growled in Teir's face, their positioning spoke of a history between the two that I didn't know.

"Give me back my memories, Banshee! Give me back my mind!" Teir screamed back, and it clicked.

What Teir was screaming about in the Pass, why she has psychotic breaks. She has a gaping hole in her mind, and Sylvanas won't fill it.

"I can't, you're not ready for them, Teir! And you'll never see a single moment of them if you don't find your sanity!" Sylvanas screamed back, and I stepped in, hilt of my dagger raised, and Teir was out.

Sylvanas jumped, then stood, scowling, "Is that how you do it?"

"Enforced recalibration, time saver." I said, lifting up the literal dead weight and dragging her to the shallows, then dropping her again.

She woke up with a gasp, flailing for a moment, before looking at Sylvanas and I with confused panic, "What happened?"

"Something about memories?" I turned to Sylvanas, who looked ready to kill me.

"Oh. Right. Those." Teir stood, shaking off the water, and coming to stand beside me.

"We will speak of this later. We're three islands from the camp. Walk back," with that, Sylvanas faded, and I growled.

"Explain what happened there," I said, and Teir sighed, pulling off her cloak to use as a towel while we walked.

"I overheard her communing with a ranger about my memories-she acquired many of the memories that he had stolen, after he died. I approached her about them, but she denied me. We…disagreed. Next thing I remember is you soaking me in the Pass," Teir said, eyes cast down and away, and I bumped her shoulder reassuringly.

"If this all ends and you two are still at a disagreement, the spire is always open," I said, and she gave a weak smile, her flaky lips stretching thin.

"Thanks but…it's almost like he did a dirty job of removing the memories, and I can remember…places. Names. After this all ends, I'm going to try and piece it all together myself. But free run of the realm is always welcome," she grinned, and I laughed.

We entered the camp, and all eyes went to Teir, who shrunk back.

I put myself between her and the rest of them, "Come on, I want to show you what I had made for Mother," I said, eyeing Sylvanas across the camp.

If you don't tell her now, she'll find them herself.

Then you'll have hell to pay.

The time of day that no one liked had arrived.

Dinner.

As we were offered stay on the already overcrowded Echo Isles, we ate in the typical Troll fashion. That is, we sat in a large circle all together around a bonfire.

It seemed that none of us liked the other, and it made itself known in such close quarters.

"Does this smell off to you?" Tess Greymane held her fork up to Genn Greymane of Gilneas, who inhaled then swatted it away, "Don't eat it, it's poisoned. Ala forsaken," he growled, throwing a nasty look at Sylvanas, who smiled fakely.

I sat between mother and Anduin, which was slightly awkward, and every time our shoulders brushed I jumped out of my skin. The circle was tense, until the tension came to a head.

I heard Varian speak to Anduin quietly, "It seems you civilized one and it caught on."

I turned my head slowly to glare at the King, "The blood thirsty gladiator calls me uncivilized? How ironic," I said, and the not threatening king bared his teeth at me.

"At least I don't swarm through towns and murder innocent villagers-"

"Nope, just through churches, hothead-"

"How about I show you-"

"Oh please-"

"HEY!" Anduin shoved his way between us, and I noticed that he had his back to me, protectively, and growled.

"Shut. It." He growled in Thalassian, and I cut my growling off, getting a good grip on my Fork-I'm going to stab that man.

"Back off, Father," Anduin said, and I felt everyone's eyes on us.

"Why do you protect her? She's a savage just like the rest of them-"

I growled, shoving my hands down on Anduin's shoulders and moving him out of the way fast, before lunging for the King fork in hand.

"Oh Azeroth-"

"Separate them-!"

We rolled, my fists pounding into his middle as I tried to get the fork into his eye, and he crushed me with his immensely larger body, and I growled, scary face sliding on.

"Let's see if stone is contagious," I growled, getting a hand on his bare skin and thinking of ice.

His skin started to grey, and I bared my teeth maliciously.

"By the bloody light-"

I was yanked away by Anduin, held by the collar, and before I realized what was happening he was marching us away.

"Put me down!" I snarled, slipping into Thalassian as I swung around to face him.

"We need to talk," He snarled, and I realized that we were on a bridge.

Once we were on the other side, he dropped me on my ass and set a nearby brazier ablaze with light.

"Did you just try to assassinate my father in front of me?" He snarled.

"Do you forget what he did to my family? To me?" I held up my still warming hand, the traces of grey still visible, "I was only trying to repay the favor."

"God dammit Princessling. It's a little difficult to try and keep peace for this fucking rebellion with you as...as hot headed as the Warchief we're overthrowing!"

I froze, guilt and horror sobering my blood lust, and I realized he was right.

"I-"

"Oh no. You don't get to try that on me. Not. Happening!" He got in my face and I bolted.

I crashed through the jungle, flashing back to Krasarang, and just like Krasarang, he caught me, pinning me to a tree with his body.

"Come on Princessling. You've got talk to me if this is going to work," Anduin said, and I sagged against him, letting my head lean on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I Just-I've been waiting for years to get a shot like that." I said quietly, and he set me down gently, and we stood there for a moment in silence.

"Find those blessings the celestials gave you, use them to keep some composure, okay?" he asked, and I nodded, "Okay."

He turned and walked away, and I slid down the tree until I was sitting on the jungle floor, pain and mind numbing guilt eating at me.

I missed my sister and my life before all of this insanity.

I heard a twig snap, and saw Teir's eyes in the darkness. Panic ate at me, "Teir- "

"I saw it all," she was deadpan silent, coming closer and sitting in front of me.

I thought I might vomit, "I- "

"Why, Jadearra? Of every man you could have, why him?" She asked, and I sighed.

"I don't know…. please, please don't tell. It'd be a massacre," I pleaded, and she sighed, running a hand through her lanky hair.

"I'll keep quiet, Jade. Just...answer me this. Is he the one who gave you that dress?" Teir asked, and my cheeks heated, and I nodded.

"Oh." She was quiet for a while, until she noticed my hands, "Easy, stony. You'll be my colour if you don't get warm, come on."

We walked back into the camp, where dinner had ended and we had all separated. Teir didn't leave me until we were at the hut my parents were in, "Good luck with them, they're pissed."

"Oh goodie," I said, waving and walking inside.

"Jadearra!" Mum was up and hugging me in seconds, and I hugged back gently, until she sniffed and gagged.

"You reek of human. What did that boy do to you?" Mother held me at arm's length, scanning me for injuries.

"I'm alright, Mother. He reminded me of a few responsibilities, as ambassador." I said, and she hmmphed.

"I don't like him."

"You don't like any humans, Elynae," Father quipped, and I snorted.

"Ladies, I was thinking…when this all ends, and we get to go home, what would you think of a court ball? Open to anyone you wish to invite, you can wear your new dresses, and we can celebrate freeing ourselves from that tyrant," Father said, and Mother clapped excitedly.

"Oh, and Jadearra could dance with Lo'Daras!" Mother said, and I groaned quite loudly.

"I am not going near that snake, Mother," I said, and she and father both pinned me with a look.

"Jadearra, dear. You're 28 in human years, you're near the age of bonding, and it should be with a nobleman who can help uphold the Realm-"

"Oh like, Father bonded with a border guard?" I quipped, and she sneered.

"That's different!"

"How so?"

"Because your mother and I were already bonded when I was appointed Reagent Lord," Father cut in, and I sagged, he had a point.

"I know you still have that independent spirit raging darling, but there are times when you will have to do things for the good of the Realm. You could learn to love him," Mother tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, and I leaned into her side, resting my head on her shoulder.

"But…Why do I have to bond as soon as I'm of age? It's not like you and Father won't be around for a while," I said, and they shared a look that scared me.

"Well…sweetie, with this war, nothing is for certain-"

"Father!" I exclaimed, sitting up fast, startled by this subject.

"I'm being a realistic, Jade," Father said, leaning on the opposite wall, "I want to see the Realm and my family safe."

"It'll be safe because you'll be here to protect it!" I fired back, and he sighed, sagging against the wall.

"We don't know that for certain, daughter. This rebellion is going to be bloody-"

"Then why are we here?" I snapped before I realized what I was saying, "If your first priority is the family and the Realm safe, then why are we on the front lines?"

"Because it is our duty to protect our Realm, Jadearra. You know this more than anyone," Mother said, and I sighed, laying on my mat in a fit.

"I know Mother, but…all this talk of losing each other is stressing me. I don't want to lose you, either of you," I said, and Mother stroked my hair in response.

"We'd always be in the Mist, Jadearra," Father said, and I was silent.

They didn't know that Thessali refused to show herself to me, and that's how it would stay.

"No more talk of loss, Lor'Themar. Let's speak of good things." Mother said.

I told stories about Pandaria to the ceiling until I was yawning and my parents were snoring softly.

I smiled, carrying Mother over to the mat she shared with Father, and placing her in his arms, which curled around her instinctively.

I smiled, looking down at them, my chest aching for a certain blonde boy, and I dragged my mat up to the roof, settling under the stars and falling asleep.

This wasn't a dream.

I was in the dead clearing, but I was in my wear from the Echo Isles, only black. Someone was calling me.

The Mist swirled around, spitting out two spirits, which took the forms of-

Oh hell.

"Sister," Thessali said, nodding to me appraisingly, and my voice got caught in my throat as Tiffin Wrynn took form beside her, smelling of Lavender.

Her hair glowed with the memory of golden locks, and her entire body was beaten and bleeding, her gown torn. She died in a riot.

"Deathspeaker," the imposing woman nodded, and I nodded in return to both of them.

"Why have I been called?" I asked, looking around-this doesn't happen often, if ever.

"We have information that you might want to know," Tiffin spoke, and I eyed her cautiously.

"You tried to possess me last time I saw you," I accused, and she nodded

.

"You protect my son-you try to murder my husband but you protect my son. So I help." She said, and I nodded.

"A fog rolled over the Krasarang battle where Garrosh is, Sister," Thessali said, her neck twitching with the name.

"He intends to return in a month, as do the alliance forces, to back up the revolutionaries," Tiffin filled in, and I nodded, hoping I'd remember this when I woke up.

"Anything else?" I asked, and Thessali thought for a moment, and her face grew grave.

"Be careful sister. Something is…wrong. Speak to Teir about Mother. And…please, be careful about that boy," Thessali said, and Tiffin stiffened.

"That boy is my son, elf-"

"Please, don't argue, you're both at peace, and I am extremely grateful for your assistance, thank you." I said, and they nodded, appeased for now.

"Protect our parents, Sister."

"Protect my son, Elf."

"We will fight with you, when the time comes."

I woke up in a cold sweat, jumping into a crouch automatically as my head pounded.

I shook father awake, "Where's Vol'jin?"