Episode 3: The Romancer Onyxbane: the story of a male Night Elf with perhaps, one too many women in his life.

Onyxbane liked to think of himself as the most human-friendly Kaldorei there was, but even now, keeping to a diurnal cycle was difficult. Night Elves were nocturnal, and most comfortable in the quiet starlit forests of Darkshore, Ashenvale, Teldrassil, Feralas, and at one time, Felwood. The burning bright morning sky was harsh on his eyes, but he gripped the deck rail fiercely. Even if he could not see very well, he would not fall if he just held on. The dark blue ocean below was a comfort to his eyes, and he let himself get lost in the waves that brushed up against the gentle swell of the ship.

Onyx

It was hardly more than a gentle whisper. Perhaps it was just a breeze. But there it was again,

Onyxbane, my Onyxbane,

The voice was as light as air itself. Onyxbane smiled despite his disappointment. Maybe this is what enchanted human men years ago, when they first saw Night Elf women. Night Elves had long ears that were more sensitive to sound, which meant certain lower tones were easy for a kaldorei to hear, but a human man, or a dwarf… A beautiful young woman could walk right up to a man, shadowmeld, and speak so softly that it might feel like it was a voice inside one's head. Seductive, entrancing, like a Siren. He heard stories that many of the Kaldorei women thoroughly enjoyed themselves teasing and flirting with the newcomers with what seemed like new power all that time ago. Siren was the word humans had for it, an exotic woman who could drive you mad with desire and wonder, steer you across the ocean and crash against the rocks, to your doom.

Oh dearest, how I miss you.

"You're not a very good rogue, Wisthera." Onyxbane said simply. He kept holding onto the rail, though his shoulders sagged with laughter.

"Huh?" this was clear as a bell.

"I may have my back turned, but I'm almost certain that if I was looking in the other direction, I would be able to see you as well as hear you. You're really not very good at all."

"How dare you Onyxbane! I'm pretty darned good." And then Wisthera's silken voice trailed off into a purr.

Onyxbane was fairly certain that she was looking at him, the way she always used to. The woman could turn into a nightsaber when she got excited about something she wanted.

"It's not like that anymore, Wisthera, you know that." Onyxbane responded, sadly.

I still want you, Onyxbane. I still need you.

"For what? And can you even do that with your jailor lurking around?"

And so you would come to me if not for the priestesses? The voice surprised the tall male Night Elf. His large shoulders trembled when he felt her breath on his cheek. She had stealthed in a lot closer to him than he thought possible.

Onyxbane was afraid to turn his head, lest he brush her face with his lips. He wasn't sure if he wanted that or not…

Yes you do. That didn't exactly surprise Onyxbane, after being raised around priestesses. They could use mind visions to look into your thoughts whenever they wanted. But Wisthera wasn't a priestess.

"How are you doing tha—"

I know you. I know you too well, my love. You feel what I feel. Onyxbane shuddered. He felt something warm press up against him, and it forced his arm out of the way. He lost his balance for a moment, but then Wisthera slid past him, and he found himself pressed up against her, and she was pressed up against the deck rail now at her back. Onyxbane could see through her, see the rail, and the ocean beyond, but she was not exactly invisible. He could feel her all over him.

And then,

You see what I see. The trick of her voice startled him now that she was directly in front of him, and he focused for a long moment before he saw her. Wisthera was barely visible, but the dark splotches of ivy green around her softly glowing eyes helped. It was like looking into the night sky. Her face was inches before his own.

Wisthera wrapped her invisible arms around his waist and held him close. Onyxbane was afraid to breathe. Nor did he dare let go of the rail that kept he and his ex lover from going over the side of the ship. In the bright morning light, the young rogue had achieved a new kind of stealth, one difficult for a kaldorei comfortable with the shadows of darkness to detect.

Wisthera fluttered her long dark lashes at him, and smiled coyly as she roved her hands up Onyxbane's bare back.

"How can we be here like this, when my sister may be in danger?" Onyxbane asked Wisthera.

Wisthera looked him over, not talking for a long time. With the rising of the waves and the white light of morning, she wavered in and out of the horizon, threatening to disappear with each rocking of the boat.

"I am worried about her too." Onyxbane was grateful that Wisthera gave up with the flirtatious tone. To keep it up now would be insensitive.

"Why are you still stealthed?"

Wisthera looked to her right and then her left absently. It was a very natural movement, but Onyxbane knew that she was checking over both of his shoulders.

"I don't want to get you into trouble, Onyx." Wisthera said.

Onyxbane forced himself to forget how much he loved her use of his nickname. She hissed the end, turned the "x" into an "s". It opened her mouth, and he longed to kiss it…

"I won't be in trouble." He tried to push away from her, but Wisthera, held him tight around the waist. It made him feel like he might lose his balance and fall, so he kept helding onto the ship, and pressing her back against the rail.

"You've been sentenced to what? A life without ruining men's lives, I hope."

"Now that's mean." Wisthera pouted. "I couldn't have ruined your life."

"Let's save musing about how badly you hurt me for another day, shall we? So, you're not allowed to be around me, is that it? How else did Priestess Feathershine punish you?"

Wisthera's long blue ears wilted, but she maintained control of her stealth. Onyxbane was starting to feel silly talking to an invisible woman.

"They said I had to learn to work, and made me take up a profession."

"Oh, how terrible." Onyxbane mocked her. "It must be bad at that. What is it? Mining? Tailoring? You seem to hate it."

"I have to hunt… animals and… clean their carcasses and then… skin them." She cringed.

Onyxbane roared with laughter.

"It's not funny, Onyx." She withdrew one invisible arm from around his wide back and slapped his shoulder playfully. She was quick to hold him fast again, though.

"So you are a skinner and a leatherworker? That's not so bad. It sounds a lot like what I chose for myself. You'll be able to make better armor than you have."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I tricked a lot of pretty well to do people for the stuff I have now."

"That is exactly what you need, to be forced to be a hardworking and honest person." Onyxbane frowned and tried to pull away from Wisthera, but she scowled darkly at him and refused to budge. She had him trapped. If he tried to get away at all it would mean pushing Wisthera overboard, and though she was a little thing compared to him, Onyxbane didn't doubt that she might try to take him with her.

"I also have to help with this mission, and there's something for Shadowstep in Darnassus."

Onyxbane balked. Which was worse? His ex lover admitting that she lied about really caring for his sister and helping him selflessly, or the fact that she was on a secret mission from the rogues of the Cenarion Enclave as well? She had not come of her free will at all.

Wisthera looked away from him and bit her lip. She knew she had misspoke.

"I didn't meant that. I am very sorry about Opalbane, and Willypearl, and—"

"Onyx?" Priestess Feathershine's voice rang out. Onyxbane froze, embarrassed of the way he was holding a woman he was supposed to hate. "Have you seen Wisthera? She was supposed to help me finish the reports, but I dozed off, and—" then the priestess' eyes narrowed, and it was clear she was focused on something not too far in front of her.

"Wisthera!" the ageless priestess shrieked. Some of the Darnassian sailors perked up at hearing a priestess cry out, but she waved them off. It wasn't exactly an emergency.

Wisthera didn't budge. Onyxbane shot the priestess an apologetic look. This was not his doing.

Priestess Feathershine began to roll up her long sleeves. "You know that I am a priestess girl, and I do not take kindly to people ignoring me. You step away from my Onyxbane at once, or so help me Elune, come the Legion, or high waters!"

Wisthera arched her back and pressed in close to Onyxbane, still stealthed. She held onto him fiercely, jealously. Onyxbane wasn't sure if he should be flattered, turned on, or frightened for his life.

Cover your ears dear, the priestess' silent warning spoke clearly in Onyxbane's mind, only a moment before he let go of the railing and Wisthera fell back.

Don't you dare—Wisthera whispered to him angrily, but her threat was abruptly cut off.

A piercing scream filled up Onyxbane's mind, and surprisingly, covering his ears did little to help, but it kept him from running around like a scared rabbit the way Wisthera did.

Wisthera screamed and her blind fear caused her to push the man she loved out of the way. Once past that lone obstacle, she went running around the ship as if the Legion itself was chasing her. The psychic scream in her mind kept the young rogue from focusing on her subtle efforts, and she broke stealth immediately, then… slammed facefirst into a wall.

The sailors had been warned as well, and when it was over, they dropped their hands from over their long ears, laughing.

"That is not funny!"

"Oh, I think it is dear. Now, you are here to work, not to seduce my Onyxbane. Now, get down in that hull!"

"No! You can't treat me like this. I have a right to talk to the man I—"

Calmly, Priestess Feathershine raised her bright pink hands to the sides of her head and placed her forefingers to her temples. Then, the priestesses' eyes flew open, and the gentle moonglow of the female Night Elf's eyes was suddenly spooky. Her mouth moved, but she didn't talk.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Onyxbane." She made Wisthera say. Then, Priestess Feathershine made Wisthera do an elaborate curtsey, too old fashioned for the young woman to know herself, and then marched her back down the length of the deck, and then through the portal below deck. After a moment, the Priestess dropped her hands, and almost simultaneously, Wisthera could be heard shouting,

"I hate you!"

"As do I." Priestess Feathershine smiled smugly.

"Was it really necessary to mind control her, Priestess? She wasn't really hurting me." Onyxbane tried to sympathize with his ex girlfriend, but he was laughing too hard. The ship's crew was still laughing as well.

The priestess chuckled herself. "I just worry about you is all. I know how easy it is to get carried away by a handsome beau. I don't want you getting back involved with her unless you really mean it; or else you'll get hurt, dear."

Onyxbane smiled sadly. "Just who, exactly, are you protecting here?"

The priestess smiled too, and then said, "Opalbane, really. It helps all of us to have clear heads, so I'd save any semblance of a reconciliation until then, if that is what you desire with Wisthera."

"I would have nothing to do with her at all if she wasn't forced to be here."

"What makes you think she was forced? I gave her a choice you know." The priestess said quickly before rushing back below deck. Onyxbane didn't have a chance to ask her what she meant.

"Hi honey, how are ya? You're up early, you know." Willypearl came on deck then. She had brown skin, and eyes as dark as ebony wood. Onyxbane loved her Westfall accent. She came up and kissed him on the cheek and then stood nearby to watch the ocean as well.

Onyxbane watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was definitely a country girl, unlike many of the humans who lived in Stormwind. One could never forget that Willypearl came from a small farm out west… that is, until the Defias came and took what little her family had. But, unlike his big sister, Willy didn't let herself get bitter about it.

Some human men were addicted to Night Elf women, Onyxbane knew from experience. How many times had they gone off topic in a raid of some villain's dungeon when the other males in the party started bragging about 'this Night Elf chic', or 'that purple girl last night'. It was unthinkable to many of them that their Kaldorei comrade could find a human woman more attractive. But maybe they just didn't understand the precious treasures they had just next door. While Kaldorei certainly had a range of personalities, especially the women, there was a certain kind of arrogance that came through, no matter what the situation when one dated a Night Elf woman. Making love to a woman who was more in love with herself was horrible, for example. Just try fishing for a compliment or encouragement in that situation. A man couldn't hope to get a break.

But human women were a bit more humble, and hopeful. While lots of female Night Elves dismissed a lot of Night Elf men offhand as arrogant, and self absorbed, a lot of human women were more open to learning about a guy's personality. And as far as personality was concerned, many human women were absolutely adorable. They giggled, and teased you, and they were the hardest to impress. To them, every man was a stalwart warrior. A man had to be more than that. And charming men were a dime a dozen when one had to live by his wit in such a dangerous world. One had to go above and beyond to really get the attention of a human woman and that made the chase exciting. Besides, many of them weren't afraid to get their hands dirty and help out in everyday situations, not just epic world-threatening battles. Onyxbane never dated Willypearl, though he tried to flirt with her a bunch of times, but nothing he ever said or did seemed to get a rise out of her. For now, all he could do watch, and wish, and wonder. A part of him was burning up to know what it would be like to love a human woman.

"It was hard to sleep; it's been a few years since I was out questing in Westfall." Onyxbane began to ramble, "Since then, I've been living in elven lands, and sleeping during the daytime. Oh, and you look nice this morning, like the sun." And she did. Willypearl was wearing a gold robe that she had made herself. It complimented her curves very nicely, and the enchantments she put on it gave it a hint of blue glow. She was dressed like a princess though they were on a humble voyage.

"What was aaall that screamin?" She yawned, and then smoothed down her cute little bob haircut with her fingers. Night Elves were much bigger than humans. Willpearl only came up to his mid chest.

"Wisthera." Onyxbane frowned a little that she missed his compliment.

The young mage folded her arms up into her long sleeves, and began to laugh. It was musical, pleasant laughter.

"That girl's got issues, I'd bet my bonnet on that. You really think she'll help us find Opalbane?"

The way she said his sister's name was so cheerful, all slurred together like it was the name of a flower, or a local bird, not a mad little girl's declaration of war on the demons who destroyed her homeland and murdered her mother.

"I hope so." Onyxbane shrugged.

"You got it bad honey. I wouldn't trade places with you for all the hammers in Ironforge."

"What a strange thing to say."

"It's them dwarves that'r strange." Willypearl said, and they both shared a laugh, but not a very long one.

"Onyxbane, Willypearl, please come below deck. The rogue has found your sister." A young priestess dressed in green robes alerted them and then disappeared into the hull as quickly as she had come.

The human and Night Elf rushed into the darkness as well, frightened. The young priestess's tone had been bleak.