Chapter Twelve

"...ain.."

"...raine?"

"Larraine!"

Larraine let out a soft gasp as someone violently shook her with their grip firmly upon her upper arms, calling her name in a loud voice tinged with worry. It took another moment for her foggy mind to register that it was none other than Amber standing before her, and she slowly blinked as she took in her surroundings and realized she was back in the Jinyu village.

"Wh-Where's Anduin?" she asked, her eyes slowly taking in the concerned faces around her. Amber and Admiral Taylor were standing directly in front of her, Mishka hovering just behind them and looking over their heads with a frown on her face.

"Eh? Didn't ya jus' say 'e was off somewhere else?"

She slowly turned her head to look at Sully, who was still seated at Rell's bedside despite his hazy gaze being firmly settled upon her.

"Huh? I was just with him, though..." she muttered slowly, and she wondered why she was feeling more sluggish than usual. Perhaps she had passed out again.

"You came wandering back in here in a daze, rambling about Anduin and a veil..." Taylor stated in a leading manner, no doubt trying to jog her memory.

Sully chuckled. "Maybe you was daydreamin' 'bout marryin' tha prince!"

"No... that's not it..." she quietly said to herself, the lingering haze surrounding her mind finally starting to clear. "The vale... it's a place. Anduin wanted to..."

Her voice trailed off as her memory suddenly focused in full clarity and she recalled exactly what her last conversation with him had been like. He had wanted to go see the Vale for himself, but she'd insisted they return t the others. Then he'd heard her say her name, and everything after that was nothing more than a blank space until she found herself back with the others.

"Dammit!" she swore loudly, causing the three people in front of her to jump slightly at her sudden outburst.

"Larraine, what's going on?" Amber asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I did find him," she informed them. "I was about to bring him back here, but he wanted to go searching for the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, which is a place here that's supposed to be full of some sort of healing energy."

"So why isn't he-"

"He mind controlled me!" Larraine blurted out, cutting off Amber's question. "He used a mind control spell on me and sent me back here so I couldn't stop him from going."

"Why tha' cheeky lil'..." Sully muttered, sounding half-impressed. "I didn't think he had it in 'im."

"What?" Taylor said in a quiet voice, though Larraine could tell there was a barely-concealed anger boiling just beneath the surface.

"He what?" the admiral bellowed a scant second later, and Larraine winced as she brought up a hand to cover the ear he had just yelled into.

"That son of a..." he swore angrily as he began to pace about. "I swear, when I get my hands on him I just might kill him myself!"

"Get in line, Admiral," Larraine remarked, her voice full of disappointment. Letting out a heavy sigh, she crossed her arms over her chest and cast her gaze toward her feet. Not only had she failed to bring Anduin back safely, as she had planned, but she had also been deceived by the person she trusted the most in the world.

"I... need to be alone," she told the others as she began walking away, but the sound of a whirring propellor stopped her in her tracks. She cast her gaze upward, expecting to see Gardenia upon her flying machine, but instead she spotted a rather familiar blue and white cap.

"Admiral!"

Sky Captain Rogers jumped off the back of the idling gyrocopter and saluted Taylor, who gave her a slight bow in recognition.

"Catherine," he greeted her, his calm, authoritative tone belying his anger at Anduin's actions. "It's good that you're here. I was hoping that, with your support, we could push nor-"

"I'm afraid you'll have to push forward without us," she cut off his request, shaking her head.

"What?" Taylor growled, his earlier anger starting to quickly return to the surface.

"His Majesty is already on his way here, and I have been ordered back to the main battlegroup in order to provide his escort," she explained matter-of-factly, though beneath her professional demeanor she seemed genuinely regretful that she would be unable to provide Taylor with any further assistance.

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Taylor barked, no longer even attempting to retain his own professionalism. "I've got no men! On top of that, we don't know how many Horde there are or where they're located."

"Put on your big boy pants, Taylor," Rogers shot back, likely in retaliation for how he seemed to be blaming her for the orders she was given. "I will leave Shaw's people with you, so might I suggest a scouting mission?"

"A scouting mission? Rogers, are you blind? Their leader is lying right over there, barely clinging to life!"

"That is no longer my concern!" she shouted back, then almost immediately looked as if she wished she could take back those words.

"It is a regrettable situation, and I truly am sorry," she continued in a calmer tone. "However, these are my orders – our orders – and we should do our best to fulfill them, just as we always do."

"Fine," Taylor assented through clenched teeth. Rogers gave him a slight nod and returned to her transport, then paused before taking off and looked to him once more.

"Perhaps you could try recruiting some of the locals," she suggested, shouting over the sound of the blades spinning above her head. "I'll leave the situation in your capable hands. Admiral."

Larraine and the others remained silent as they watched Rogers take off, then all eyes turned to Taylor as they awaited whatever instructions he might have for them. Taylor simply stood there with his eyes closed, breathing hard and clenching and unclenching his hands at his sides. After a long, tense moment, he finally let out a heavy sigh and turned to address them all.

"Amber, Sully... Ask around the village and see if any of the jinyu would be willing to join our forces. Do not force them. I want them to only come if they're truly willing to fight for the Alliance. Meanwhile, I will attempt to devise some sort of strategy for tracking and dealing with the Horde."

"Yes, sir!" they both called out, then went in opposite directions in order to begin their recruitment efforts.

"And what would you have me do, Admiral?" Larraine asked, and Taylor merely shook his head as he looked her over.

"Nothing," he replied, then turned away and began to retreat toward the home of the village elder.

"Nothing?" she repeated incredulously, jogging a few steps to catch up to him before falling into step at his side. "But I can help! I'm the one who managed to track down Anduin, after all."

"Yes, and you let him get away!" Taylor pointed out, stopping mid-stride to turn his angry gaze upon her.

"That wasn't my fault," Larraine quietly argued, though she knew her meek response wasn't very convincing.

"I know," Taylor agreed. "However, I still think it would be best if you stay put and let the rest of us deal with the situation from hereon out. If you really want to do something, see if Mishka could use a hand with providing aid to the injured."

"You're really only concerned with the Horde, aren't you?" she asked as he began walking again. "What about Anduin? He's still out there."

"This is the best measure we can take to ensure his safety," Taylor called back without turning around, and she stared at his retreating back feeling a mixture of anger and disappointment welling within her. She would have expected Rogers to ignore everything in order to focus on the Horde's presence around them, but with how concerned Taylor had seemed when he discovered what had happened with Anduin she had thought he would be putting together a search party to go looking for him.

With a frustrated sigh, she turned on her heel and made her way back to Fang, who had taken up Sully's spot next to where Rell was laid out on a cot, still deeply unconscious. More guilt flooded her heart as she reached out and took his hand, only to find it practically as cold as death already. She had wanted to bring Anduin back not only in order to keep him safe, but so that he might also heal Rell's injuries and ensure his recovery. The only thing giving her any hope that Mathias' right hand had even the slightest chance of recovery was the almost imperceptible rise and fall of his chest as he continued to breathe.

After a few minutes of silence, she heard footsteps approaching. She listened carefully, trying to determine who is was, but the weight of the footfalls was unfamiliar to her ears, and she could tell whoever is was that came to stand behind her was hesitant to approach her. Once the person had stopped, they remained silent a good while, and Larraine kept her gaze upon Rell's unnaturally-pale face as she waited for them to speak up.

"Miss?" came the voice of one of the jinyu. It took her a moment to realize it was Little Lu was was addressing her, but when she recognized the voice she turned her head slightly to look at him.

"The admiral has asked that I watch over you for today," he explained, taking a seat next to her.

"He's that desperate to keep me from going to look for Anduin again, is he?" she scoffed, turning back toward Rell.

"I think he's more concerned that you might end up getting hurt," Lu remarked, gently placing one of his hands upon her shoulder. "He and your other friends were worried when you showed up the way you did. I'm sure he's only trying to protect you and keep you safe by asking you to stay here."

The two of them sat together in silence for a long while, and Larraine could hear Sully's loud voice as he talked to various members of the village and attempted to coax them into helping with offers of a drinking party following their victory. She shook her head and laughed a little, wondering how the dwarf could be so jovial given the situation they were all in, then gave Rell's hand one more gentle squeeze before standing up.

"Would you like to help with the fishing?" Lu offered, standing alongside her. "Or, if you like, we could assist in preparing this evening's meal."

"Why?"

"When I am worried about something, I find it is best to keep myself occupied," Lu replied.

"I need to get back out there to Anduin," she protested, but he grabbed her hand before she could walk away.

"Just for today, why not rest here?" he asked. "Even if you return to where you previously found him, he will already be gone."

"I can track him. It's what I do," she pointed out, gesturing toward Fang.

"And if you do find him? What makes you think he won't just trick you again?"

"He wouldn't..."

The protest died in her mouth and she slowly sat back down on the ground. She never would have believed Anduin would do something as underhanded as using a mind control spell on her, but he had proven her wrong. She doubted he would do it twice, but a part of her had to admit Lu could be right. Her head throbbed softly as she contemplated what would be her best move and she instinctively brought a hand up to massage her temple.

"Does your head hurt?" Lu asked, genuine concern in his slightly garbled voice. "Should I have a healer come to examine you?"

"I... maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea."

She wanted to say no, but she recalled Anduin telling her that she'd shown up to his makeshift camp with a concussion. She knew he was a competent healer, but he hadn't been eating or sleeping properly and while she didn't want to doubt his abilities even the slightest amount she knew that his powers likely hadn't been at their full strength. She also wondered if perhaps him using that mind control spell on her might be the cause of the headache she felt coming on, which was yet another reason she knew she was going to give him a very stern talking to when she finally tracked him down again.

Lu returned shortly with one of the jinyu who had taken up the healing arts in order to support the villagers who were fighting against their hozen enemies. The healer seemed nervous, and apologized in advance for not being very highly skilled, but Larraine assured him that it was fine and she was alright with leaving herself in his capable hands. The jinyu smiled and examined her, then gave a single nod and stood next to Lu.

"Well?" Larraine grumbled impatiently, and the healer blushed as he turned to instead address her.

"You seem to be in perfect health," he informed her with a slight bow. "I did not find any sign of injury. Might I suggest that your pains are being brought on merely by the situation at hand rather than a physical ailment?"

He sounded unsure of the diagnosis, though he'd been confident when he stated that there was nothing wrong with her health, and Larraine frowned and let out a heavy sigh as she looked back at Rell lying before her.

"It's what we call a 'stress headache,'" she told the novice healer. "When someone is deeply worried about things, it can cause them to experience a headache."

"Oh! You should not let things worry you so much!" Lu suddenly exclaimed, and Larraine turned her head to find both of the jinyu next to her staring at her with a mixture of concern and fear in their eyes.

"I will make you an herbal tea to help you relax," the healer suggested, prompting Lu to nod fervently. "Then you should rest."

Larraine was thoroughly confused at their reaction to her explanation. Surely, something as bad as a headache wasn't something to go so worked up over. Then again, she didn't even know if the jinyu even got headaches. They seemed to be blowing things vastly out of proportion, but her head was starting to throb more by the minute so she wasn't in the mood to protest. Deciding to just accept their hospitality, she gave the healer a nod and he immediately ran off to another part of the village.

"You should have a proper bed to rest in," Lu told her, holding out his hand. Larraine took it and he carefully helped her to her feet before wrapping her arm around his and setting off at a leisurely pace away from Rell's resting spot.

"Um?" Larraine muttered, looking from their linked arms to Lu's face.

"Is this not the way your people walk?" he wondered. "I saw Rell walking with Amber this way before, and then the one called Taylor also walked with her like this."

She let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head a bit. "Usually, it's only people who are close to one another who walk like this. But sometimes someone will do so for another if they seem unwell or unsteady on their feet, so... thank you, Lu."

His cheeks turned a soft shade of pink and he nodded as they quietly walked together, and after a moment Larraine realized they were headed toward the home of the village elder. She was about to ask him what they were doing, but then he spoke up once more.

"You may sleep in my bed," he informed her. "I doubt it is anything like your beds back home, but I hope it will provide you some comfort."

"What about you?" she asked, slightly worried.

"I am to help keep watch tonight, so it is of no inconvenience for me," he assured her, then he gave her a curious look after she let out a somewhat relieved sigh.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, peering at her curiously.

"Uh... No," she quickly assured him, shaking her head. "It's just that, in our culture, men and women generally don't share beds unless they're, um... involved."

"I see."

Silence fell over them, and Larraine looked over to find the color in Lu's cheeks had increased considerably.

"I did not mean anything by making my offer," he finally said after a bit. "I wished only to show hospitality."

"I understand, Lu," she said, standing on her toes a bit to kiss one of his blushing cheeks. "Thank you. You're very sweet and considerate."

"I have your tea."

Larraine turned around when she heard the voice of the healer who had looked her over, and he came over to them cradling a small bowl in his hands. She nodded in thanks once he reached them and accepted the offered drink, then stared at it for a moment before carefully drinking it down. To her relieved surprise, it tasted like normal tea, though perhaps a bit milder in flavor from the ones she'd had at home. Almost as soon as she finished it, however, she felt an increased sense of relaxation taking over her body.

"That's some effective tea, right there," she remarked as she handed the bowl back to the healer. "I'm already starting to feel its effects."

The healer seemed pleased by her words and gave her a bow before retreating back to his place among the villagers, and Lu resumed in escorting her to his bed in order to allow her to rest. Larraine still had reservations about whether or not she was doing the right thing, but she hadn't truly gotten a proper night's sleep since arriving in Pandaria and she knew she would need to be in top form if she ever hoped to track Anduin down again.

Once they reached the place where he slept, Lu gestured for her to make herself at home before leaving her alone. Larraine thanked him quietly as she took in the sight of the giant clam shell which made up the jinyu-style bed. The bottom half held a sort of large cushion which appeared to be made from large leaves, and she was pleasantly surprised to find they were filled with something soft – perhaps feathers from the local birds she'd seen flying around the jungle.

With a sigh, she laid down on the bed and reached out with one hand toward Fang. He immediately came to her side and nuzzled her palm before taking up his own spot on the floor next to her, and she smiled a little to herself as she closed her eyes. It didn't take long for whatever sedative properties the tea had to take their full effect, and soon she found herself sinking into the darkness of a deep sleep.

A scream woke her suddenly, her eyes snapping open as the sound pierced the air around her and rang in her ears. She bolted upright in bed, instantly recognizing the voice as Amber's. She wasn't entirely sure, since she had been asleep, but she thought she heard the other woman crying out Rell's name and it sent her heart racing even before the rushed out of the elder's home to go see what had happened.

She paused briefly when she saw the morning sun above her in the sky, registering that she'd managed to sleep through an entire night undisturbed, then ran to where Rell had been resting, expecting to find the other members of his scouting party standing around him in mourning. What she saw instead, however, caused her to stop dead in her tracks.

"Rell?" she said his name, her eyes going wide in surprise.

The night elf was awake, the color fully returned to his face, and he was embracing Amber tightly in his arms. At the sound of Larraine's voice, he turned his head – without letting go of the woman in his arms – and glared at her.

"You didn't bring the prince back, did you?" he asked sternly, though one of the corners of his mouth was turned slightly upward in a half-smile.

"I tried!" Larraine argued, stepping closer to the two of them just as Sully and Mishka arrived.

"He gave 'er tha slip," Sully added, his voice strained, and Larraine was surprised to find tears in the dwarf's eyes.

"Stop blubbering, Sully," Rell grumbled, though he was clearly touched by his concern.

"I'm sorry," Sully apologized, wiping his face with his shirt sleeve. "It's jus' that Mishka was sure ye'd..."

"It is a miracle," the draenei woman said, her voice filled with awe. "Surely, the naaru have been looking out for you."

"No..." Larraine said quietly to herself, realization dawning on her. "Not the naaru."

"I'll do whatever I can for him, I promise."

Anduin's words came to her mind, and she instinctively knew he was the reason Rell was sitting before them as he was now.

"Amber, get away from him," she said firmly, and both Amber and Rell gave her a curious look. "Just do it!"

Rell opened his mouth to protest, but Amber placed her fingers over his lips and shook her head as she pulled away from him. As soon as she had moved away from him, Larraine looked to Fang and nodded in Rell's direction. The wolf seemed confused for a moment, but then he suddenly let out a small bark of understanding before charging toward Rell and jumping up on him.

"What the hell?!" Rell exclaimed when he was knocked back onto the cot he'd been resting on by the wolf, who then began rubbing his nose all over Rell's chest and neck. "Call your mongrel off, Larraine!"

"No can do, Rell," Larraine protested, moving about the area to retrieve her things that she had left there the previous day. "I told him to do that."

"You what?" Rell practically roared, struggling a bit under the weight of the animal pinning him down.

"Stop moving!" Larraine yelled back. "Otherwise he won't be able to pick up the scent."

"What scent?" Taylor wondered, standing behind the other SI:7 members with the village elder at his side.

"Anduin," she informed them. "He's the reason that Rell is awake right now."

"How can ye be so sure?" Sully asked, sounding unconvinced.

"He promised me that he would help Rell when we got back. I think... I think he must have snuck over here sometime last night and healed Rell."

"Why didn't any of us notice this?" Amber finally spoke up, looking around at the others.

"Er..." Sully muttered, shuffling his feet and staring at the ground as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Sully?" Amber addressed the dwarf in a low, menacing voice.

"I, uh... I sorta feel asleep while I was watchin' over Rell last night."

"You mean you passed out drunk," Amber corrected.

"It doesn't matter," Larraine spoke up before they could start arguing. "The point is, he was just here not long ago and as soon as Fang picks up his scent I'm going to track him down and bring him back even if I have to knock him out in order to do it."

"I like your determination," Taylor told her, "but do you really think he'd let you get close enough to do that? What's to stop him from just mind-controlling you again?"

It was the same concern Lu had voiced the previous day, but this time she didn't give it a second's though. Instead, she shook her head and looked at the admiral with a determined gleam in her eyes.

"I have to take that chance. After all, he came here – to a place where he knows there are people who want to take him home – just to keep a promise he made to me. I have to trust that he won't do that to me again."

"At least take someone else with you," Taylor protested, but she shook her head.

"No time. Fang, you got it?"

Her wolf jumped down off of Rell and let out a howl, and Larraine smiled and patted him on the head.

"Right then, we're off!" she announced, already backing away from the rest of them as Fang took the lead and started to head in the direction Anduin had gone. She continued to smile as she gave them all a wave, then turned and rushed after Fang into the jungle. Behind her, she heard Rell angrily calling her name, but she knew she couldn't waste any more time.

"Sorry, Rell!" she called back, still hurrying after Fang. "I'll take the heat from Mathias when we get back. Promise!"