Disclaimer: I do not own World of Warcraft.

"Common."

"Assigned language."

Vael blinked slowly at the sight of rain pouring down. He had woken up a couple of hours ago due to another nightmare, which had become a daily thing for him. This one had served as a reminder of his inability to save the people that actually mattered. Like all the other ones, but not as straight forward. He couldn't remember half of it even though it left him covered in sweat and goosebumps.

He hummed thoughtful and rolled to his side, frowning when a dull throbbing sensation awoke. The sin'dorei immediately froze when his blue eyes fell on the form sitting across him. Rivanis had his arms in front of his chest, but other than that his slumped and relaxed form indicated he was sleeping. Or pretending to be.

"Pst."

Silver eyes snapped wide open, unsure and startled, Vael fought back a chuckle. The week had ended without further incidents and the two elves had even come to a truce of sorts. Vael had stopped putting up a resistance by the second meal, his hunger usually winning and the food was exquisite. In return Rivanis actually talked to him, which might have been nothing really but it kept him sane. After long weeks of being confined to a dark, cold dungeon it was highly welcomed.

Rivanis stood up groaning and rubbing the back of his sore neck. He rolled his shoulders to ease the muscles and then yawned. Vael noticed he had fangs, actually long and pointy ones, and he unconsciously ran his tongue over his own teeth to compare. They both stared at each other for a second before resuming what had become the daily routine.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

Vael didn't answer and Rivanis knew better than to expect one. The past couple of days had been like pulling teeth. It was as if the blood elf had resolved to make every moment difficult. The night elf did not threaten to poke him with a needle as often as he should, he was not that kind of person, and that alone made him wonder if that's why the High Priestess had asked him to take the job.

"Bath time," he announced out of the blue. Vael cocked an eyebrow and then afterwards looked at him questioningly. "You need it."

"I can manage that," he replied. "By myself."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them, it wasn't uncommon to share those moments but lately they formed when habits, like eating and getting dressed, proved too difficult to manage in his current condition.

"I'm sorry but I can't risk that."

Vael gave him a dirty look then, if he had a dagger he would have gone for the throat.

"What do you mean 'risk?' I can groom myself without your help." He unconsciously began to creep away from the kaldorei.

"What I mean is, I don't know what your mental being is like at the moment. You may look lucid but I can't risk any... unfortunate accidents."

"I'm fine, and I won't kill myself if that's what you're suggesting." Though he had thought about it recently. Rivanis patiently shook his head and grasped Vael's arm, taking advantage of his healthy strength to drag him out. He then proceeded to half-drag half-carry the blood elf to the next room, where a large tub full of water awaited.

Vael struggled every step of the way, knowing that it was in vain and briefly rejoiced as a well aimed kick to the knee connected and threw the night elf off balance. His victory was short lived however as he lost his balance too and ended up splashing into the bathtub with his legs sprawled over the side. He resurfaced sputtering a string of curses in Thalassian, mainly aimed at Rivanis but the kaldorei ignored it.

Holy hell the water was freezing. His teeth started chattering soon afterwards and every time he started crawling out the tub Rivanis simply pushed him back into it.

"Cold," he whined pitifully, holding his knees tightly against his chest. He was going to kill this night elf one day.

"Ah... woops," Rivanis gave him a sheepish smile and threw a tiny red sphere into the water. Nearly instantly the temperature rose to a comfortable warm level.

"Wo-o-ops? S-s-eriously? I could have died from sh-sh-ock and that's all you s-s-ay?" He rubbed the side of his legs to attempt to create warmth but all he got were small waves and loosened bandages. "Eck." Vael started to forcefully unbind the cloth, small flakes of dried blood chipped off onto the water.

"You're worse than my brother when he first got his cat form," Rivanis massaged the bridge of his nose. "Stop that," he slapped Vael's hands off the bandage. The sin'dorei swung at him in return and Rivanis easily dodged it. He tossed the blood elf a quick soothing spell and was pleased to find it didn't bounce out. "Do you know the purpose of these runes?"

Vael ignored him after that and Rivanis did not push the question. The druid gently scrubbed the other elf's back, taking his time to go over the patterns and symbols. They glowed a faint blue with the same substance that had clouded the fel green from his eyes. And it was everywhere.

Vael had felt a similar helplessness back in the citadel and while his current situation was not terrible he wanted to be the one in control, the one to decide what to eat and how to do it and definitely the one to scrub the grime off his own skin. It was as if his body had stopped belonging to him the minute he got captured, or kidnapped.

Brief memories from the wretched day resurfaced. His sister's perfectly sculptured face lit into a mischievous smile as she pointed to somewhere on a map. "We'll be traveling in a caravan isn't that cool? How often does that happen? I can't believe they agreed to this," she bursted into laughter, showing her pearly white teeth. Who agreed to what?

As if responding to his question his memory shifted to a new story. He recognized his own voice as it replayed in his mind.

"It will only take a week, just in time for your match. Besides portals are boring."

The orc in front of him rolled his eyes.

"I prefer portals. It's unnecessary suffering, lots of bugs as you pass Terokkar," he replied as he loaded bags onto a large drake. A large blue skinned troll came forward with a large toothy grin on his face.

"I'll go mon, how ya got Cass to come though? Thought she too upity mighty for da good stuff,"

"Her younger sister." Vael replied and simply left it at that. They both shared a knowing grin.

"Vael!"

He was abruptly brought back to reality by a persistent voice. Startled he looked around, completely disoriented.

"I insisted they come," he whispered, his voice dry and monotone.

"...what?"

Vael stared off into space, unaware that he was lying on the bed now fully dressed in light clothing. His mind kept haunting him in a way that was worse than his nightmares. He could hear his companions scream in fear, pain, horror...

"Take a deep breath," Rivanis told him gently. The blood elf shook his head and avoided his gaze.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, staring at the door as if it held the answers he sought.

"Then why are you shaking?"

He was right, he had been shaking. In a violently obvious way. Vael closed his eyes and willed the echos silent. He opened them again to find the druid patiently waiting for him with a genuinely worried expression.

"What?" he asked him tiredly.

"Don't act like nothing is wrong," Rivani started. "Trauma is more common than you think."

"You think I'm traumatized?"

"..."

Vael fidgeted in place, wiggling his toes in order to avoid looking at him in the eye. He was so utterly confused and lost in his present being.

"How did I get here?" He asked, running his hand on his arm. The bandages were off, he had stopped oozing blood a day ago but the balm had stayed in order to prevent an infection. He didn't recall the moment Rivanis had applied it, too lost in his miserable flashback.

"My brother dropped you off," he told him again. "After a successful raid in the Citadel."

Gaps had been left in his memory, some of it was fuzzy and other parts were completely blank or very clear. He remembered being injected with a blue liquid that was so cold it had burned his veins. Vael instinctively glanced down at his arm and frowned. He had not been tattooed with a codename but instead branded with a serial number. G.. A desire to hide it overcame him but he did not act on it.

"Who else is alive?"

Rivanis's expression remained blank. He did not like to lie but he also did not feel the need to keep the sin'dorei informed as his brother did with him.

"I don't know."

Vael exhaled, preferring that answer than the one he had in mind. He didn't want to know the answer to that, yet part of him was dying for it. To hope his cousins and sister to be alive was childish and far too optimistic.

Lighting rolled far off in the distance and the rain started coming down harder. Time slowly trickled by and before he knew it dinner had arrived. The food that came in were things he could hold and chew, like bread and cheese or fruits. Much of it had been fruits, though Rivanis was carefully introducing meat. That part he was being fed of course as Rivanis clearly did not trust him with a knife. Vael didn't trust himself with a knife either, the temptation was too great to ignore. Given the chance he would quickly join his teammates.

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