Author's Note: I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has left reviews and who have marked this and my other stories as a favorite. I really to appreciate it and it's nice to know that people like my stories. :)

By the time the boat had reached the shore, Dormir had pulled the small spear out of his daughter's side and healed her wounds. The night elf had to help Ileeya steady herself and he noticed how worn out she was. He wondered what had happened to them, but refrained from asking. "I saw what looked like an abandoned house just a little ways away. Let's go there to rest."

As they walked, Adam and Kristie relayed the story of what had happened to them. They had reached the house by the time they were finished and Adam knocked on the door. There was no answer. He stealthed himself and slowly opened the door to investigate, coming out a minute later to declare the place abandoned.

The sun was just beginning to make itself known when the motley crew entered. There was one bedroom upstairs with three beds. Amy was given one bed, Ileeya another, and Jelune got the third due to his need to recover still. Kristie said she would share with Amy. The rest would make themselves comfortable on the floor just outside the room.

…

Kirlothenin stared out over the lake from the porch of the abandoned house they had found. Although the sun's light sparkled off the gently rippling water, his mind was picturing it dark, and dangerous. Although he was relieved and grateful that Dormir had arrived to help Ileeya escape the murlocs, he found himself equally remorseful and guilt-ridden that he had not been able to do anything for her.

He had promised to protect her and Adorei. Yet, throughout this whole ordeal, he had been unable to do anything for her. This grated on him more than it should have. But he was realizing something that, frankly, he didn't want to. Ileeya was learning to protect herself, as well as those around her.

Kirlothenin rubbed his thumb against his chin in contemplation. He was actually proud of her that she was growing stronger and more skilled in her druidic abilities. But it also meant that more and more, she didn't need him. And right now, it felt that the only reason she allowed him to stay with her was because of his professed protection. Though they both knew he loved her, what else could he give her that would entice her to keep their family together if she didn't love him in return?

If he cannot protect her and she decides that she can protect herself and Adorei, would she send him away? She has never given him reason to believe her to be in love with him. Sure, she cared about him. He knew that. And he was grateful for that much. But with their harsh history, would she decide her feelings weren't enough and ask him to leave?

Kirlothenin frowned. He didn't like where his thoughts were taking him. Letting out a small sigh, he stepped off the porch and decided to take a quick walk around the house to make sure all was safe and secure. The sword he had acquired from the fight with the dreadguard was tucked into his belt.

His was the last watch before everyone had to get up. They didn't want to stay in the vicinity for too long because none of them believed they were safe yet. N'Lar- Kirlothenin scowled. No, Lara, would most likely come after them, not to mention this Gavor Lord Aron had mentioned. But most of them were in desperate need of sleep. Adam had taken the first two-hour watch, Dormir the second, Lord Aron the third, and Kirlothenin the last.

Ileeya had wanted to take a turn as well, but everyone else told her no. She needed her rest after all the energy she had expended in their escape. Kristie, as well, had wanted to take a turn, but Adam had proved to her, that she had more to learn before she could be effective enough, though he had a proud look in his eyes at her willingness to do so.

Kirlothenin froze when he heard a sound near the front door. He put his back to the side of the house, and peered around the corner, his hand on the pommel of his sword. Adam emerged from the house and Kirlothenin relaxed and came around the corner. "You're up early."

Adam turned to face him and held something up in his hand. It seemed to be a twisted piece of metal. "I found this. I want to see if I can open those shackles with it."

Kirlothenin stepped up to him eagerly. "I hope so. I'm tired of the constant clinking of the chain links." He held up his wrists for the rogue.

As Adam worked, Ileeya came out of the house with Adorei. Kirlothenin smiled softly at the sight. Even with her hair tousled from sleep, he considered her to be beautiful. "Good morning- erm, afternoon." He allowed the smile on his face to fade, however, as he saw some of the bruises from last nights fight with the murlocs. Dormir may have been able to heal her wounds, but she was still bruised. Another reminder of how he hadn't been able to protect her.

She looked at him and gave her own tentative smile. "Morning." She yawned. "I was in such a deep sleep last night, that Kristie had to wake me up when Adorei started crying to be fed."

"Do you need more sleep?" He was worried that she had overextended herself last night. She's not used to constant fighting.

Ileeya shook her head. "No. I'll be fine. Actually," she glanced at Adam, then at him. "I know you wanted to talk about N'Lar. I'm sorry that I couldn't-"

"Don't worry about it." Kirlothenin could hear his voice grow hard. He didn't mean to snap at her, but neither did he want to discuss what N'Lar had done. He didn't even want to think about her right now.

A hurt expression crossed Ileeya's face very briefly, but quickly disappeared. "But I just-"

"I said don't worry about it." Kirlothenin nearly winced at the expression on her face. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but he wasn't about to let go of the hurt his own heart was guarding from N'Lar's betrayal. He should have seen- Kirlothenin scowled at himself, mentally barricading his thoughts of the woman. When he looked at Ileeya again, she was disappearing back into the house.

A hand cuffed him on the back of the head. Kirlothenin glared at Adam. "What was that for!"

"You're an idiot."

Kirlothenin tested the shackles. Still locked. "And you're a worthless rogue who can't pick a simple lock!"

Adam's light brown eyes narrowed. "Those locks are not simple. In fact, they are the most complicated locks I've seen. Even with proper lock-picking tools, I'm not sure I could open those. And you're still an idiot!"

This time Kirlothenin looked him full in the face, his eyes narrowed in warning. "What is your problem, rogue?"

"You. The way you treated Ileeya just now."

"It's none of your-"

"Wrong! Ileeya is my friend, and you're supposed to be her friend as well! Just because you messed up in trusting someone who once was your wife in life and who is no longer the same person in unlife, doesn't mean you can take it out on her!" Adam's eyes dared him to deny it.

Kirlothenin turned away from him, knowing that the rogue had a point. He took a step away, his whole body tense. His blood was starting to boil and for the first time since finding out about Ileeya's pregnancy, he wished he could enter an arena just so he could release some of this tension. "I have but myself to blame. She almost died because of my irrational judgment."

"Irrational it may be, but also understandable."

Kirlothenin's head snapped in Adam's direction. "Don't coddle me, rogue." He subconsciously clinched his fists.

Adam seemed to be studying him for a moment as though trying to figure something out. "Calm down, Kirlothenin. The last thing we need right now is to fight between us."

The mage let out a low growl and began to pace back and forth, feeling his pent up emotions inside of him. "By the Sunwell! A fight is exactly what I need right now! If only there was an arena nearby!" He knocked a broken branch off of a stump.

Instead of asking why, Adam only watched him. After a minute of more pacing, the rogue finally spoke. "You let out your tension through fighting."

Kirlothenin didn't bother looking at him as he continued to pace. "I used to enter the arenas to fight. It was good money. I almost always won." He paused as he remembered the days leading up to his finding out about Ileeya's pregnancy. "But they never seemed challenging enough. I would handicap myself on purpose and taunt my opponents." Why was he bothering to tell this human about this? "I came close to death many times. Yet I went back for more."

"You must have really hated yourself."

Kirlothenin sent Adam an icy stare. "Wouldn't you if you did to Kristie what I did to Ileeya?"

Adam thought about this for a minute before slowly nodding his head. "I would. Though, I would never, ever do that to Kristie."

Kirlothenin sighed. Adam didn't understand what he was feeling. Another painful cuff on the back of his head caused him to turn with fists raised, the chain clinking against itself as he did so. "Don't do that again, rogue!"

"You want to fight?" Adam taunted him seemingly having changed his mind about fighting. He set his dagger aside and changed his stance to a defensive one. "This may not be an official arena, but it's you and me. Here. Now. Show me what you got, mage!"

Kirlothenin looked him up and down. This Adam was cocky. Yet... The corner of his mouth turned up slightly in a smirk. "Even without my magic, I can beat you. Are you sure you want to do this?"

In answer, Adam's fist slammed into Kirlothenin's jaw. The mage shifted his lower jaw from side to side as he quickly checked it, then turned back to Adam with a conniving grin. "You asked for it!" He quickly set his sword aside, acknowledging the unspoken rule of no weapons. He was clearly at a disadvantage with the rogue having more physical combat skill, and his own wrists being chained together. It was just what he needed.

His senses went into overdrive as he slowly sidestepped in a circular pattern, waiting for Adam to make a move. Adam's eye's locked with his, apparently intent on waiting as well. Kirlothenin feigned to the right. His opponent didn't take the bait. This time Adam feigned to the left, but immediately followed up with a swing from the right. Kirlothenin's hands went up to block Adam's fist, but found the man had pulled his punch and a quick jab from the left hit his ribs.

Kirlothenin grunted in pain before jumping back to avoid any more punches. As he did so, he heard Ileeya's and Kristie's voices from the doorway of the house, but not what they were saying. Ignoring them, he recouped and took a step forward, suddenly collapsing towards the ground to kick out at Adam's knees. His foot made contact and the man fell to the ground. Kirlothenin quickly stood to land another punch only to have Adam roll away fast and jump up as well. The man charged forward, tackling him to the ground.

The mage immediately felt his body slide on the ground further than it should have. He shoved Adam away only to notice the muddy field they had landed in. He glared at the rogue. "You would knock us into this filth!" Adam's only response was a broad grin as he stood up. Kirlothenin stood up as well, noting that the mud was slippery. His foot started to slip and he glanced down to check his footing.

That's when something hit his cheek. It wasn't Adam's fist. This was wet and almost slimy. Kirlothenin's hand reached up to wipe it off. He glanced at the mud in his hands and then raised a long eyebrow at Adam. "Very mature."

Adam shrugged and leaned over to pick up some more mud with a glint in his eyes. Kirlothenin couldn't believe the immaturity he was seeing! "I see. I should have known I was fighting with a mere boy." He turned to walk out of the muddy field when he was hit again with a clump of mud. He turned to glare at the rogue only to see, just in time, a clump of mud hit Adam!

He glanced to his right to see Kristie with a mischievous grin. Ileeya was standing a few feet away from her with a face full of mixed emotions. She looked to be part mad and part surprised. "Ohh-ho-ho-ho! You really want to join in the fight?" Adam's eyes almost seemed to dance as he looked at Kristie. He picked up another clump of mud, his eyes never leaving Kristie. But when he threw the mud, he aimed and hit Kirlothenin...again!

He'd had enough! "This is the last time I will say this, Adam! Do not throw that disgusting muck at me again!" It was like he was talking to thin air as Adam quickly threw a clump of mud at Kristie who laughed as it hit her. On impulse, Kirlothenin marched right up to Adam with no clue as to why he did so or what he was going to do. But just as he reached the man, his foot slipped and he wound up on his back once more.

By now, his robe was growing heavy with the muck. Adam guffawed at the mage's slip, but Kirlothenin took full advantage of his prone position, quickly pulling Adam's foot out from under him and forcing him off-balance. The rogue stopped laughing as the wind was knocked out of him, but he was obviously still amused.

Annoyed, Kirlothenin finally just picked some mud off the front of his robe and tossed it at the human. Something deep inside of him had to admit that there was a sort of satisfaction in that simple, immature act. At that moment, his eyes locked with Ileeya's. There was a light in her silver eyes and she seemed no longer angry as the corners of her lips twitched upwards. Was she laughing at him?

Oddly enough, it didn't seem to bother him as he stood up and carefully walked over to her. "Are you laughing at me?" He kept his facial expression neutral and he could see the uncertainty in her face now. Kirlothenin stood in front of her now. "Because, you do realize, that you have mud on your face as well."

Ileeya's eyes widened just slightly as her hands went to her face. "Where?"

Kirlothenin allowed himself to smile now as he reached up his mud-filled hand to brush her cheek, leaving a trail of muck where he touched her. "Right here." He then touched the tip of her nose. "And here."

Her jaw dropped open in surprise at what he did, but she quickly overcame her shock and shoved him back towards the muddy field. It was then that Kirlothenin tilted his head back and let out a loud, and honest laugh. Suddenly, he didn't care that he was covered in this slimy muck. He was quickly deluged in mudballs from Adam, Kristie, and Ileeya and he didn't care anymore. He began grabbing at the mud and tossing it at them as well. Amy heard the commotion and upon seeing the mudfight had gleefully joined them.

The only ones not involved in the mud fight were Dormir, who was holding Adorei, Jelune, who was still lying down upstairs, and Lord Aron. When they had finally expended themselves, Adam stood over Kirlothenin, who was lying on his back at the moment. The rogue offered his hand to help him up and Kirlothenin took it. When he had gotten to his feet, Adam said quietly so that only he could hear, "Feeling better?"

Kirlothenin observed a knowing look in Adam's eyes and recalled the conversation they had while they had been in the cage. He had told him that laughter let out the tension. And, remarkably, he did feel much more relaxed. His troubles were still there, but they weren't consuming him right now. And yes, he did feel better. But he only replied with, "I'll feel better once I wash all this mud off!" His face scowled, but a glint of amusement was in his eyes.

He turned to walk off the field so he could clean up, then stopped and glanced over his shoulder towards Adam. "Thanks." He then continued on his way.

…

Ileeya and Dormir remained in their aquatic forms to keep an eye out for murlocs as the others bathed to get the mud off. Fortunately, the island the murlocs occupied was far enough away that they were not really a threat here. Kristie and Amy had bathed first while the men had to wait their turn. Ileeya's mind drifted to the mudfight. At first she had been upset to find Kir and Adam fighting. But when the two ended up in the mud and Adam's attitude had obviously become more playful, she didn't know what to think.

Then Kirlothenin had done something she would have never expected of him. He loosened up and became more playful as well. Although he had made some light jokes in the time she'd known him, this was the first time she had ever heard him full out laugh. She decided she liked the sound. If only he could do that more often.

Once everyone was cleaned up, they all sat in the kitchen of the house where Adam spoke up.

"I tried to get the shackles off of Kirlothenin, but I simply can't without the proper tools. However, there's good news. Not too far from here is a place where I could not only get the proper tools, but it's home to probably the best lock-picker on Azeroth. We could reach there by nightfall if we leave right away."

"Alliance?" Kirlothenin asked. He wasn't sure if they should go near any Alliance towns or outposts. They wouldn't understand his current position. Which is what? he asked himself. Just where do you stand now? Kirlothenin had too many issues with the Alliance to join them, though the thought did cross his mind. But it would only have been for Ileeya's sake. Making such a drastic declaration, especially with her feelings for him unresolved, would only create more troubles for him.

So what about the Horde? Just where does he sit with them now? He had no doubt that Jerold would promote the idea that he was a traitor to the Horde, though technically, he had never betrayed them, nor had he personally even officially declared allegiance to them in the first place. For now, he preferred his temporary position of being neutral within the Cenarion Circle, though that is an organization for druids only.

He could maybe return to the Kirin Tor once his house arrest sentence is over and he is allowed to officially leave Moonglade. But that would mean leaving Ileeya and Adorei, or taking them with him. He wasn't sure Ileeya would be happy outside her homelands.

"No. Neutral."

Kirlothenin's mind returned to the present meeting and he glanced at Adam. "Neutral? Where are we going?"

"Ravenholdt Manor. It's a place for rogues, though they allow others to enter their domain once they have proven themselves."

Kirlothenin was about to ask what he meant when Dormir spoke up. "Funny you should mention Ravenholdt Manor..."

Adam turned to him with a little surprise in his face. "You've heard of it?"

Dormir nodded his head. "You have a partner named Maggie Strome?"

Adam's eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion. "Yes. How did you know?"

Dormir pulled out a stone similar to the one Adam had. "She gave me this to find you after it started glowing. She's in Ravenholdt Manor as we speak."

Adam's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Why is she there? She's supposed to be in Stormwind. Why didn't she come herself? And how do you know her?"

Dormir seemed to hesitate, glancing around the room. "I...think I'd better let her explain when you get there."

Kirlothenin furrowed his brow. He knew Dormir well enough by now to know there was more going on. He'd have to ask him about it later.

…

"Jerold Grimmort!"

The undead man turned from the vendor to see Lara walking towards him. "Ah. Did Faranell's package arrive safely?" He paid the vendor, only half paying attention to the mage. He was supposed to meet Gavor at the flight master on the upper level of Undercity in ten minutes. The two had split up to gather supplies before they headed out to track the missing prisoners.

"No."

This stopped him and he spun around with annoyance. It simply wouldn't do to have his promised package not arrive once again. "What do you mean? You were supposed to take them straight to him!"

Lara had a very brief surprised look on her face from his curt tone before her own anger set in. "If you hadn't wanted to play mind games with them and had let me take them straight there via a portal, they wouldn't have been rescued by those disgusting Hillsbrad worgen! And you shouldn't be one to speak since your own prisoners have gone missing!"

It was Jerold's turn to be surprised. "How did you-?"

"They showed up right when the mage and rogue were freed from the cage." She flipped her wrist dismissively.

Jerold's yellow orbs thinned as though he were narrowing his eyes. "And you survived?"

"You're not going to believe this..." She then proceeded to tell him of Kirlothenin's belief that she was his former wife, N'Lar."

Jerold smiled after she gave him all of the details, but paused before asking, "What do you believe?"

She gave a half shrug. "From what he has told me, I'm keen to believe him. It doesn't matter now, though. Who I was in life has no bearing on who I am now. I am Lara Blackspite, Forsaken."

Jerold rubbed his dry hands together. "Good! Now, let's see how we can use this to our advantage. Come. Gavor is waiting."