Aelana kept being silent on our way to Silvermoon. I don't think she felt comfortable on a horse at all, but I could feel she was feeling more secure now.

Shaestra rode next to us on Aelana's original mount, Nora was running beside her and didn't seem to have any difficulty keeping up. I came to know that she was a friend of my priestess too, which made sense. I mean, when an arrow flies past your head, you are bound to panic, unless you get to know Shaestra, then you get used to it. She had turned it into a habit to randomly shoot arrows next to her friends' heads when you were not paying attention, 'you need to stay alert' is what she would always say. Then again, having her do it so often to me certainly seemed to have lessened its desired effect. I got to see it as a greeting of some sort after a while.

There was no way I could avoid the subject of what happened 'that day', meaning the day Quel'Thalas fell. How could I? She explained how she had been at my funeral, how she had seen my body encased in eternal ice. I explained her what I knew, or at least what I could tell without breaking down. I could feel Aelana holding on to my arms tighter as I told my story again.

She told me that she met Aelana shortly after the scourge attack. They met when the huntress required healing on the wounds inflicted by some of Arthas's minions. She seemingly talked Shaestra out of the suicidal thoughts she had after losing her family and home. She pointed out that she still had Nora and that she was practically family too. Her words pained me, partly because I realised how close it was or she would have been dead as well, and also because It made me think about my family. I could remember their faces, my ann'da and minn'da, but their names were lost, as were most of my memories regarding them. much of what I knew about them had been stripped from me and I didn't seem to have recovered that part. I didn't have any brothers or sisters, maybe that was for the best, they would have died anyhow.

Apparently, she had heard about our actions at Zul'Aman, which wasn't such a surprise in itself. But in the messages she heard Aelana being mentioned, which is why she was waiting for us on the way to Silvermoon. When I asked what was said about me she shook her head.

"All I heard is that some 'Val'kyr' aided our troops, how was I supposed to know it was you?"

I sighed, they didn't even bother remembering my name. I had thought they would be happy to have me back.

"Maybe the messenger didn't mention your name on purpose so you could come here without having the entire blood knight order looking for you."

"Why would they go looking for me?" I worriedly asked.

"I didn't say that was the reason, but I could imagine that there is some people that would like to see you."

"I doubt they would be happy to see me like this."

"I think they would be happy to see you, even in the form you are in now, just knowing that it is still you would mean a lot to them."

I sighed deeply, "Shaestra, I have raised one of my own kind a few days ago. A lady who got killed by a scourge leader. I brought her back from the grave after seeing her lover weep over her. He was a human for Light's sake. I brought back an elf to be with a human! What would they say about that?"

She was visibly shocked at my words. I had tossed them about without even thinking. I was sick of people pretending nothing happened. People just didn't trust me anymore and I would have to deal with it.

"You are still you, you would have done that if you could when you were still alive, I am sure of that, your heart has always been pure, you haven't changed one bit," she almost whispered.

I didn't know if that was true. I was quiet when we reached Silvermoon. The dead scar continued through the city, littered with ruins of our capital. It had been sealed off and was guarded by a regiment of farstriders who killed the scourge that still rose from the scar and was trying to get in.

"The only way in and out of the city is the Shepherd's gate nowadays. The western part if the city lies in ruins and has been closed off from the still standing east side, which is our entire city now," the huntress spoke.

We reached that specific gate a minute or two later and left our horses at a stable master there, he would make sure they got to their destination. I could feel Aelana's relief as I helped her off the horse. I don't think it would be a good idea to try that again. Releana on the other hand seemed to have enjoyed it very much and was disappointed that we got here so fast.

"Well, If you don't mind me, I'll be at the bazaar, my supply of herbs from Kalimdor is almost empty after that incident in the Ghostlands, good thing Sylvanas paid me well for the materials I used. Now I can do some actual shopping for fun stuff!" Releana seemed overjoyed.

"As if you haven't had enough fun yet," Aelana sneered at her.

"I would so pay to see you on a horse again," the mage grinned.

"Tough luck, you will never see me on one again."

"Maybe I can create something to make you do it," Releana laughed, and with that she disappeared into the city.

Aelana sighed, "so childish."

Shaestra smiled, "so, how did you two meet then, I still haven't heard it."

Aelana's face became extremely red from that question.

"Well, uh," she started, "she saved my life."

"I thought that was your job, what happened?"

We walked through the gate and into the city before Aelana came up with an answer. She stayed close to me for which I was thankful, I could help but feel a familiar sadness as I walked through our capital.

"I was lost in Icecrown. I had just helped the wounded inane of the camps of the Argent Crusade. I was on my way back when a blizzard hit and I got lost. Then I was ambushed by ghouls. I ran from them only to trip in the freshly fallen snow. They walked past me without noticing me and the rest is lost to me."

"I saw light reflecting from her staff and decided to check what it was. When I found her there I couldn't leave her to die, so I took her to a cave and kept her warm."

"How did you manage to do that in Icecrown?" she looked baffled.

I turned red too now and flapped my wings twice as a response.

"You got to be kidding me, no way, you actually used those to keep her- unbelievable. "

She touched my wings and I shuddered at the unexpected touch.

"They do feel really soft, I'd like to try that too once," the huntress playfully mentioned.

"I am sorry, they are already taken."

It was difficult for me to say as Shaestra had been one of my interests in life, but now I had promised my heart to another.

"Yeah, I figured as much."

I had to admit, it was pretty obvious that Aelana and I had a thing. Hiding that from the huntress was pointless.

"You two need to see Lor'Themar right?" Shaestra managed to change the topic in an instant.

"Yeah," Aelana answered.

"Any idea what he has to say?"

"I expect it to be some formal thanks for clearing aa large amount of scourge in Southern Quel'Thalas," I answered.

"Seems about right, say, I have nothing to do, mind if I come along?"

"I don't know, I guess it should be fine."

Something felt off as we walked through the city and neared the Sunfury Spire, I was not the only one feeling it, I could feel it from Nora as well. Shaestra's lynx showed this aura too. She herself didn't seem to notice this, as deep as her bond with the animal may have been. I knew for sure I was not the only one now, something was off...