Episode Six:

Month two of our journey.

So…somehow I failed in my plan to seduce Wisthera and get the secret information from her. Well, I got the information alright, but what happened to the seduction part? We're ex-lovers. Where was the sexual tension? Where was the desire? Wasn't I supposed to drive her out of her mind with lust, and then be so confused by the thick musk of desire in the air that I began to doubt my own personal convictions and start to believe that I never stopped loving her? Right?

That was supposed to be the best part!

I just… ended up hating her even more for telling me she has to choose between saving my sister's life or using her to get information for the rogues in Darnassus. Why is that a choice? After she told me that, I pretty much stopped listening to her.

Oh, and I found out what she threw at the door to my cabin. It was my gauntlets. Maybe, if I was a normal guy, I'd be mad, but I'm not really. I'm a blacksmith after all, and I can just pretty much pound the dents out of any of my things that get damaged. I'm just glad it wasn't my sharpening stones. Oh, and I checked, the arcanite bars I decided to bring along incase the old Reaper gets hurt. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to the Reaper… but again, I diverge.

At least now I know that we need to get to Silithus as soon as possible because Opal is there. I'm really worried about her now. I don't like the possibility that her whole life was manipulated by agents of the Twilight Hammer. I just can't… imagine how I'd feel if someone kept causing me to fail at everything I did just so that I could become…what is the warrior equivalent? A warrior that specializes in defense? That doesn't seem as tragic as a shadow priest. Oh, well.

But, wait, I might have to give up the Reaper for that, and pick up a shield. Nevermind, I take the tragedy part back.

Okay, back to my sister. I need to figure out what to do once I get to Silithus. I realize now that I have no assurance that Wisthera will be helpful when we do find Opal. At first, I thought that Feathershine's hold over her would be enough, since the High Priestess acted as Wisthera's judge, jury, and now her jailor. But now I know that Wisthera is a woman under two masters. Nor, do I have the power to convince her to do what I would like, which is pretty clear from my failed attempt at seducing her.

But maybe if I had a talk with Willy…

"Onyx? Onyxbane are you awake? Did I wake you up? I'm sorry, honey, but I gotta wake you up."

Onyxbane almost dropped the stylus and inkwell onto the floor when he heard Willypearl calling out to him from his private thoughts.

"Um… ya, come in."

When the lovely human mage entered his cabin, Onyxbane nearly spilled the ink again. She was wearing a long silken nightgown with a low neckline that also showed off her arms and shoulders. The peach color of the silk reminded him of the heaven peaches they sold in Darnassus. Did she also smell like a peach? But maybe Onyxbane was just imagining that part.

Never, in his life had he seen Willypearl in something so alluring, and he had spent a great deal of time with her and his human friends in all kind of situations back in Westfall. As he watched her walk over to the bed, the only seat in the room, it occurred to him that Willy was an artisan tailor and she probably made it herself. There was something special in that as well.

"Can I… assist you?" Onyxbane hated himself as soon as he said it. He was making an effort to be polite, but he came out sounding like one of the over eager vendors in Darnassus. It was an old Kaldorei greeting, but recently, the male Night Elves had started to turn it into something perverted that suggested there was more than just flint and refreshing spring water for sale.

Willypearl blushed a dark cherry color that Onyxbane didn't miss.

"So… how did it go with Miss Wisthera? Did you… you didn't really… umm that's rude, ain't it? But I need to know if you actually… did your plan work, is what I mean?"

Onyxbane frowned. "No, it didn't. I got the information out of her, but I messed up the whole thing."

"Did you? Oh, that's good. I mean, it's too bad I guess, but I never thought you were the kind of man who would take advantage of a woman for information in the first place."

Onyxbane was suddenly ashamed of himself. "Uh… well, it's not like I could do any worse to Wisthera than she's already done to me."

"You didn't… intend to enjoy that compromising situation with Miss Wisthera, did you? I admit the girl has issues, but—"

"Oh, no. No, no, no. Even if I wanted to… I'm… apparently not capable of that."

Willypearl wondered at the handsome male Night Elf's words, but in the end, decided that he must not mean what her imagination suggested.

"Well, good. I'm glad you wouldn't treat a girl that way. I'm relieved, really."

"Oh? Why, what's that got to do with you?"

Then Willypearl really blushed. She readjusted the strap of her gown, which was slipping.

Onxybane felt awkward sitting while she stood, so he asked his friend to sit by him on the bed.

Willypearl fiddled with her hands as she stared into Onyxbane's softly glowing yellow eyes, and then eventually, her gaze wandered down his neck and to his bare chest. His heavy plate was placed neatly on a rack in the corner, and it was like one could see her thoughts. What did he look like in it?

"It's not much different than back in Westfall, Willy. The armor is just shinier, the shoulders larger, the axe bigger." Onyxbane shrugged, and then chuckled.

"Oh, my yes." Willypearl tucked a stray strand of her bob behind her ear. "I always thought you were handsome, Onyx. Then and… now." She stopped playing with her hands in her lap, and suddenly self conscious, scooted away from him on the bed.

Onyxbane pricked up his ears, as if to double check that he'd heard right.

"You… like me?"

Willypearl hesitated and then, "Yeah, I do… a lot, really. I never told you but… you see, it's not so pleasant to get rejected in a letter though. And that's why I'm glad you wouldn't hurt a lady like that."

Onyxbane found the girl so charming in that moment he wanted to just hug her to pieces.

"You thought I would reject you, why?"

"I… well, do you mean that you wouldn't?"

Onyxbane smiled wide. "I had a crush on you too. But… well, you know Sylvaen. I wasn't about to steal you from him."

"Sylvaen liked me back in Westfall?"

"Since we saved you on the farm. And… well, Mike and Hornsby did too, just like me, but Sylvaen was kind of the leader, you know, and he'd already claimed you."

"Men! I could've had a row over me and because of your sophisticated cock-blocking, I ended up doubting myself instead." Then Willypearl giggled.

Onyxbane laughed too. "I, for one, thought I'd have some kind of say… I was the one who found you after all."

"Yes you did." Willypearl nodded. "I remember how the Defias had me cornered, with his dagger pointed right at me, but then you slammed that axe of yours into the guy, and got your arm around my waist. Well, I didn't need to be thrown over your shoulder like that, but it was… sorta nice."

Onyxbane smiled. How many minstrels in Stormwind sang that kind of love story to the crowds?

"Of course, ya'll found out I was a decent mage once we got into the Deadmines, but it didn't matter by then. I'd charmed myself into a good group."

They laughed together for a while, recalling fond old memories of beating back the Defias in the golden, ever-autumn lands of Westfall, when finally Onyxbane couldn't take it anymore.

"Why was I so stupid? We could have been together, but I was so danged loyal to my friends."

"It wasn't just that, honey. It's only been about ten years, but it's more reasonable now for a night elf and a human to date."

"Oh, and there was that. Do you know, I've heard more stories about the women of my race going with humans, and dwarves, and gnomes even, than I've known male Kaldorei who did the same?"

"Well, those girls are bad competition for us, to be sure."

"No! Who told you that? Human women are… beautiful." Onyxbane said and he reached out and took the hand of his friend. "Dwarven women can actually hold their liquor, and gnomes… well, I'll admit I've never been attracted to a gnome."

"I have." Willypearl said and giggled. "They can be quite charming when they aren't going off on technical tangents."

Willypearl rubbed the back of Onyxbane's hand with her thumb, and then smoothed his pearlescent blue cheek with the palm of her other hand.

"I've… never been able to get you out of my mind, Onyx."

The confession was so honest, so pure and sweet, it was a relief compared to the fiasco with Wisthera of that morning. Onyxbane looked into the warm, earth colored eyes of his old friend, and decided he'd been wasting time with that infuriating woman.

"Me too," he said, and gave Willypearl the kiss she wanted. Onyxbane thought to himself that he should have seen it earlier. The desire had been plain on her face since she boarded the ship back in Stormwind, only he thought it was just a part of how kind she was. But, in truth, Willy had wanted to be with him since the start.