**Music Panic at the Disco**
Two hooded figures stood on a sandstone cliff near the border to Durotar. One dressed in black with swirling mists of the spirit world surrounding him, he floated a little above the ground astough he were better than the world he tred upon. The other figure was shorter dressed in grey and paced furiously.
"Master, how do we get her out of the damnable city?" The city the shorter figure spoke could be seen in the distance.
"Be patient, I have eyes and ears all over this world and the world beyond." The one in black cackled with laughter as he spoke.
The shorter figured stopped his pacing and joined his master with a bone chilling laugh.
As dawn began to peek over the cliff faces the two seemed to disappear into the fading darkness.
***Chapter Break***
He awoke to an unfamiliar, female, voice speaking in a foreign dialect. Rajit'Kal was not immediately aware of where he was, a few things stood out, the dull ache in his head, that he had been sleeping sitting up and the voice though female put him on edge. Opening his eyes slightly to take in the scene, realization struck, he had moved the chair next to the bed early in the evening so as not to disturb the girl resting there. The elves mumbling must have woken him. She was no longer the picture of serenity, her face drawn as in pain and she spoke in a language unfamiliar to the troll.
Raj leaned down to remove the cloth from her neck, rinsed it in the basin and placed it back on her neck. She turned toward his touch, sighing as she nuzzled his hand and seemed to settle back into the bed once again. Raj jerked back as if burned by her actions, he told himself it was the fever for he would not venture to the warmth her touch caused him choosing to push that aside and pretend it meant nothing. Hell he had not even spoken to her other than the night of his escape, how could she be affecting him this way. "I have grown to fanciful in my thoughts during this peace with your people and even more so since meeting you" He spoke aloud to the sleeping elf.
The ache in his head had spread, to his neck, shoulders and even down to his toes. Faint light was starting to peek through the small window near the foot of the bed, the hour was early but the activity in his home and the streets below had already begun. Niabu was up, with the sun as always, he could hear her in the kitchen. A trip to the training yard would be a pain today after the night's sleep, if it could be called sleep, but it was needed and welcome at this time. Anything to get out of his room and away from his thoughts.
"Raj?" Niabu called from outside the door, she did not wait for him to answer but let herself into the room.
Rajit'Kal stood stretching his sore and aching body, the chair was not a forgiving bed where comfort was concerned. The other options were the floor, at least there was a nice thick rug on the floor or the bed with the elf, floor it will be from now on. He was already to attached for his own comfort, sleeping next to her could be his undoing.
Niabu had invaded the room with her herbs and potions "Come on in." he said to his sister who rolled her eyes and began tending to her patient.
"She still burns with the fever Raj." Niabu looked concerned a thought that did not sit well with the troll. "Dis fever is stronger than I thought. I need ya to get herbs for me at market."
It was hard to hide the small smile that tugged at Rjit'Kal's mouth, his sister tried so hard to improve her speech that her stumbling over words were a bright spot in this grim situation. "Make me a list Nia and I'll go by the market after I train" with that he left the room.
The market had always been such a busy place, rows of stalls packed in between doorways to shops and pubs. This morning was no different, the dusty streets were crowded with traveling merchants, mama's pulling along screeching toddlers, young soldiers and their mates, more people than Raj cared to see today. People greeted each other warmly, carried on conversations and haggled over prices all while he retreated into his mind thinking of the trouble that surrounded his life now. He had easily found the herbs Niabu wanted and had purchased food for the rest of the week now he found himself walking aimlessly through the city streets no real destination. His body seemed to know where to go even if his mind was in another place.
As always he returned to the fateful meeting with the elf, the day they met she had thrown her body over his to spare his life, the next meeting she had healed him and freed him. Then there was the the dream and finding her alone among death and destruction. The question of Why once again intruded. Since Raj had figured out that the alliance and horde were both targets of this nasty game, he did not think this was an incident tied to the others. Liana was well guarded and obviously meant something to the alliance, she would make a good target but with the disgusting Captain Selvan in charge the party as a whole was not a good target. Unless someone in that party was involved, treachery among the alliance would not be unheard of it had happened within the horde and no group of people could be immune to it. Someone would always want to rise in power. Figuring out the problem of the attacks could easily solve his quandary about the girl or he could ask her if, no when she wakes.
The attacks did seem to be getting worse, theft and the death of all involved, escalating to burning the encampments, who knew what would come next. The attacks always seemed to happen around the Barrens, Dustwallow and Ashenvale. The attacks were random hunting parties, travelers and merchants all having fallen victim to the chaos. Raj still went back to his belief that someone or some group was doing this to cause a full out war between Horde and Alliance. What would be gained in a war? power? land? or maybe a distraction from...
"Can I help you ?" A craggy old voice shook Raj from his thoughts.
He was in a strange shop, one he had not noticed before. The smell was very unpleasant, like rotten food. The walls were lined with bubbling cauldrons and shelves of vials, this had to be an apothecary. He finally located the shop owner a craggy hunched over orc, time had not been kind to this orc. He dressed in plain brown robes and held a cane in his right hand. His face bore many lines and creases showing age but it was the eyes that held Raj. The whites of his eyes were yellow but the pupil perfectly red in color, something about the orc was familiar. Raj shook his head, he was familiar as a face in a crowd nothing more. "I have the wrong shop" He said before turning to quickly exit the foul room.
The old Orcs hand shot out and grabbed Rajit'Kal's arm "Nobody enters my shop by chance, weather they seek me out of te spirits of a forgotten time bring them here."
"You are mistaken, I have made a wrong turn is all." Raj replied
The old orc raised a brow "Are you sure?"
Instead of answering the orc, Raj opted to leave and almost made it to the door before the orc stopped him once again.
"Wait, I have something for you" The orc handed him a small vial of green liquid.
"I don't need this" Raj said as he tried to hand it back to the orc.
"Ah but you do" The orc leaned heavily on his cane "It is a medicine of insight. Take it and you will stop worrying so much, your problems and their solutions will come to you in a deep slumber."
Raj looked down at the vial in his hand, almost for a moment he wanted to take the liquid and see what happened like the night of his dream, the night the elf haunted him "No"
"You are troubled but I will not force you to take what you need. In time you will come back to this shop and take the potion. I will be waiting for you." The old orc swiped the vial from Raj's hand and hobbled back to his cauldrons.
The sun was setting as Raj left the shop, He had left home early morning had he really been gone all day wandering the streets of Orgrimmar? He needed to get home without any further distraction.
***Chapter Break***
"How is she?" Raj asked as he set his bags on the kitchen table.
"Where have you been all day Raj, I was getting worried?" Niabu asked
He thought for a moment about the day and could not tell her the truth "I bumped into an old friend." He lied.
Niabu snorted and shook her head "Did ya get the herbs I need?"
Raj handed her a small pouch "You did not answer me about the elf."
"Not much change, now go tend her while I cook dinner, she has been restless today, I tink de dreams haunt her." Niabu felt for her brother, he seemed to care for the elf and though he had placed the mall in danger she still loved her brother and felt his pain as her own. "I will bring you a plate and medicine for the elf later."
Raj entered his room, though it was not really his room anymore, it belonged to an elf that might not come back to him. She was laying in the fetal position in the center of the bed, naked still and yet again uncovered. Was his sister trying to freeze her to death, her body trembled. Raj sat on the bed intending to pull a blanket over the elf instead she opened her eyes, looked up into his face.
"Make me warm." She whispered in his native tongue
He was so startled for a moment he did not immediately react, the elf reacted for him snuggling closer. Raj fought with himself for a moment but finally gave in and lay down next to her pulling her body against his, something felt so right in the feel of her in his arms. "What is your name little elf?"
No answer came from the girl, she was asleep snuggled into the curve of his body. Raj realized too late having her naked derriere pressed against his pelvis would cause a fever of his own. This was going to be a long evening.