The Romancer Onyxbane

Episode Nineteen:

Opalbane did not smile when Onyxbane told her she was free. She sat in silence for a long time, and then her head lilted back slowly. Her gaze fixed on the ceiling and she no doubt said a silent prayer of thanks. His pale sister was white where Onyxbane was a pale blue. Both had long braided white hair. Onyxbane's twin locks fell over both his shoulders, but Opalbane had only one long braid that she always wore over her right shoulder, never down her back the way the dwarves did. On her face were black markings, like tiger stripes that accented the slant of her glowing eyes. Her mouth was dark as well, but her perfect lips never smiled. Though she seemed exhausted, at least this wasn't the angry shadowpriestess who stood over brother, enjoying how he died at her feet. Onyxbane did not wait for his sister to show emotion. He didn't care if she was in too much pain to move or speak. He got up from his stool beside the bed and hugged her.

Slowly, after much hesitation, Opalbane reached her arms across her little brother's wide back and hugged him too.

"I love you sissy. I'm glad you're back."

"As am I, Onyx."

He sat back down. "How do you feel?"

"I am alright. The priests here use the blue candles around the room to burn off my fel mana. My mana was tainted when I joined the cultists. I would compare it to having a cold. First, the cold must be defeated before the body can recover. And, in a way, the candles help to teach my body that the fel mana is not the proper mana for me, and it will be forced to regenerate the pure reserves I once had."

Onyxbane nodded eventhough he wasn't fully sure he understood. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better."

"You want something from me. Tell me what it is."

To anyone else, Onyxbane might have denied it, but this was his sister. She knew him best. Also, she was being very polite about it. There are about a million other mean ways she could have put it.

"Alright, so I have this problem…" Onyxbane sighed. "I feel like I've finally reached a point in my life where I want to settle down, but I'm not sure whom to pick."

"You have a choice?" Opalbane managed without much sarcasm, but Onyxbane caught how she insulted him and laughed for the both of them.

"Yes, sis. I actually have choices now. Maybe you sensed some of the tension on that boat—"

"Indeed. Most of it came from Priestess Feathershine."

"Ya, about that, I—"

"It was cute when you were five years old, but not any longer. Leave it be." Opalbane said simply, the corners of her mouth delving into disappointed frown. Onyxbane instantly felt better. His sister was very direct, and he needed that.

"Ok, so there's that. Next is Willypearl. It turns out that she's been in love with me for years but I didn't know that and—"

"Onyx, I don't want you bothering Willypearl. She has a good thing going with a paladin named Elec. Don't be an imbecile by destroying that for her."

"You know about Elec?"

"Yes. We exchanged letters, remember? She is my friend. And yes, I knew she had feelings for you."

"She told you?"

"No, but it was obvious."

"Well, I'm glad that you finally understand that she really cares about you."

"Yes, it did take some time, and a vampiric embrace spell on a few hapless Stormwind Guards some months ago, but eventually, I discovered her true intentions."

"Okay, and the last woman you know. Please don't hate me because of this. I went after Wisthera, eventhough you told me not to, and—"

Opalbane started laughing. It wasn't a sound Onyxbane was used to hearing, and it was so girlish, so unlike her that he started to wonder if laughs aged. This laugh hadn't been used since his sister was a child in Felwood.

"You tried to capture Wisthera, the rogue, and she eluded you, didn't she? And in the worst possible way, I take it."

Onyxbane began to object, but his sister insisted, "You silly prancing male elf. You believed that after she fooled me and Willypearl, that you could outwit her? And you of all people."

"Hey, I'm getting tired of people saying us warriors don't have brains."

"Dear brother, I never said you did not have a brain in your head. I only mean that you aren't clever enough to try and use it." Then Opalbane smiled cruelly.

Onyxbane shivered. "Now, you eventually found her, and I say eventually because you did not have much to go on. That in itself is to be commended, but then you had a tryst and fell in love by mistake?"

"Yes, I guess that's how it went."

"You know, I like Wisthera."

Onyxbane gagged a little. "What did you just say?"

"I like her. She fooled me, but for a good reason. How clever. And she took advantage of Willypearl, which is easy, but failed to get on her bad side… unless I am reading the situation incorrectly?"

"Well, Willy did say she was annoyed with Wisthera, but never that she hated her."

"An impressive con artist. And you of all people should hate her the most, but you do not. You are taken with her."

"I want to hate her so much, but it's soo hard." Onyxbane whined like a little boy. His sister laughed again.

"Oh Onyx. Life is not so simple. You love who you love. It is for Elune to know if the person you love will die, or desert you, or turn into a wisp. That you cannot help. But, what you can do, with the mortal lives we've been given, is love that person as fiercely as you can, while you can. You do love her, don't you? Or is this something purely sexual?"

"Umm…" Onyxbane floundered. "Well, she is very hard to resist, and I can't stop thinking about her."

"Yes or no, Onyx." Opalbane rolled her eyes.

"No, it's more than that. I can't get enough of her because… I want her so bad. I need her in my dreary life."

"I thought so." Opalbane said simply, and folded her hands in her lap.

"What should I do? I've really hurt her, ruined her career, made her answer to Priestess Feathershine and crawl through the sands of Silithus with a scorpid stinger in her foot."

"I take it she hates you then?"

"No, actually, she said I could come back whenever I want."

Opalbane stared at her brother for a long time, and then shook her head slowly. "I don't understand you men."

"But I can't do it that way. She'll think that she owns me."

"But she said the opposite."

Onyxbane blinked in surprise but then he remembered that his sister was a priestess who could read his mind afterall. Opalbane winced and rubbed her head.

"I should not have done that. The candles are punishing me for using my mana right now."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. Are you a man or not?" she demanded.

"Umm… yes?" Onyxbane felt his sister flaring back up again, and it reminded him of his frightening childhood with her.

"Then go and get her you IDIOT!"

Onyxbane flinched, but then smiled. What a wonderful sister he had. But when he reached over to hug her again, she slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me, you buffoon! Go now!" and she pointed at the open doorway.