"Hey," a man's voice boomed. That's how Orlaith woke that morning. The voice startled her, and fearing another raid from Illiadan she jumped from the bed. However she was still tangled in the mess of sheets and blankets from the night before, the priestess tripped, falling over to the floor with a loud thud. The paladin peered over the bed as he watched the night elf scurry around trying to get herself free, almost like an animal in a trap.
"Hey, calm down. There's no rush," Kay said steadily, while he walked over to the helpless night elf, caught in a cocoon. He heard her grumble something at him, and he knelt down beside her. His knee clanked on the ground as his plate hit the wood. He put his had on her shoulder to try and make her calm down. "Just stop for a minute." He ordered. The priestess obeyed, and blinked awake.
"K-kay," she sputtered. "Oh man," she pulled the tunic over her exposed shoulder. "Please never wake me up like that again."
"I guess not, I'll just let you sleep until the day is done. I just wanted to give you some herbs for the pain." Orlaith looked up at him, her hair white messy and sticking out in different directions.
"Oh it isn't hurting yet," she said softly, stifling a yawn.
"It will be." He held a flask out to her, and she stared at it.
"Well, shouldn't I be paying you for this?"
"Akken is a Grand Master Alchemist. He gives me all my potions for free." He smiled at her. A genuine, gentle smile. She was perplexed at his kindness, and also memorized at his- well, it was a little strange to admit it- but his beauty. He was very attractive on his own, but when he smiled, it was like Elune's eternal blessing. It was heavenly. "Just take it," he said, putting it in her hands. She held the flask gingerly, and then her face softened.
"Thank you," she smiled at him softly, and then opened the cork and downed the elixir. It tasted buttery like before, but then there was something bitter and different. She gagged. "By the light, this is awful!" She made a face in disgust.
"Akken warned me of that," he chuckled a little. "Here, let's get you off the floor." He put one arm under the bend of her legs, and the other on her lower back, and lifted her like she was the lightest of silk. He gently lowered her to the bed, and Orlaith's heart skipped a beat. He moved from the bed to his bag, and brought her a flask of water and some bread and cheese.
"By Elune's blood, I could eat a dragon." Kay laughed.
"Well, with those herbs, dragon would make you sick. Akken's orders are water, bread, and a little cheese. Nothing else." She frowned, but took the food from him and scarfed it down. While on her last few bites, she turned to the paladin who was monitoring her every move.
"Kay?" She asked. He grunted in response. She assumed that meant to go on. "Why are you caring for me like this?" The question made him stop in cold blood. He had been wondering that recently as well, but he didn't think she had the audacity to put it out in the open like that. His eyes narrowed, and a chill went up his spine. His scars on his back twitched, and he remembered the cruelty of the Alliance. Then he thirsted for Alliance blood, and the night elf lay before him, wounded and extremely vulnerable. Then he looked at the priestess wearing his own tunic, her long, white hair draped over her shoulders, and her dewy look that she gave him underneath those red leaf tattoos. In the few short hours he had met her, he already knew more about this girl than he really wanted to. He cursed angrily, and spun around, covering his face with his plated glove.
"K-kay? I'm sorry," she stammered.
"Finish your food," he ordered, and stormed out, leaving the priestess alone in the room with her thoughts.
The night elf rested her chin in her palm and blew her bangs out of her face in frustration. What a difficult, barbaric individual to get tangled up with! All she wanted to know was why he was being gentle with her. It was certainly unusual, especially when her intentions were to bring him to Darnassas. She felt a tiny prick of dread, thinking of what the Alliance would to Kay if they got his hands on him. She pushed the feeling down, as she remembered the look on the faces of her family when they realized the paladin had gotten a hold of the high priestess.
Orlaith felt dizzy, and even though she observed that the sun was high in the sky, she laid back down and curled up with a pillow. She moved the flask of water to the nightstand and sighed. The room around her began to spin and her breathing slowed. There was a small ache in her ribs, but it wasn't enough for her to be bothered by it. When she rolled on her back and looked at the spinning ceiling above her, it dawned on her that she was heavily drugged. I guess you'd have to be drugged intensely to deal with these ribs. She said to herself. Her mind drifted to the broken paladin. He was physically scarred, very reserved, and detached from the world around him. Her heart broke for him, feeling he had a hard life, especially since his family was already gone. A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away. Her vision blurred and started to fade, and then the last thing she could remember was the patterns of the tepee roof above her.
"Glad you could make it, brother," Akken patted Kayalos on his back, leading him into the small home where they grew up together.
"Is she awake?" The paladin asked, removing his plated gloves and setting them on the table.
"Yes," the tauren answered him, moving the plated gloves from the table to the floor where all of Akken's plate gear rested. "Stop putting your gear on the table. You know how much Mom hates it." The blood elf nodded, and he went to the back room, where his adoptive mother was sitting in the bed, reading a book. She put the book down when she saw Kayalos entering the room, and her face lit up.
"You are a sight for sore eyes!" She exclaimed, holding her arms out for him to come and embrace her. He walked to her and embraced her fondly. "Ouch, you really shouldn't wear your battle-armor in to see me. I promise that I won't attack you, dear." She teased.
"Mom," he smiled at her, and pulled a chair up next to the bedside. "How are you feeling?" The wise old shaman shrugged, but still kept her good spirit.
"Oh, I'm sure Akken told you of my mishap." She shrugged.
"It was a little more than that, so he told me. He said you had a stroke." His face grew serious. "But you look okay."
"Oh I'm fine, I just can't walk as good as I used to. But that's why I have my two sons to help take care of me in my old age," she teased again. "I just want to go out and garden, it's what the Earth Mother put us on Azeroth for."
"Well, don't push yourself," he warned.
"Kay, my son, I will be fine," she smiled warmly at the paladin. Amuuru was a gentle soul, and loved her adopted son just like she loved her own. Her husband passed away long ago when Akken was very small, during a bloody battle against the Scourge. It brought chills to the old shaman's spine when she learned that the Scourge gained power recently and started causing havoc in the faraway land of Northrend. "Now Akken tells me that you have a lady friend that you are nursing back to health," she chuckled, as the blood elf's jaw hit the floor. Betrayed by his own brother.
"Akken!" The blood elf boomed, and he heard his brother's roaring laughter from outside the room.
"Dear," she put her frail hand on his knee, giggling, "there's nothing to be ashamed about." The paladin swallowed hard, Oh yes there is.
"Mom, what exactly did Akken say about this female?" His blood ran cold, fearing what judgement his mother would place. To his surprise, his mother just kept her warm smile on her face.
"He told me everything, son." She lowered her voice, "I'm not surprised that a night elf caught your fancy though. Someone with gentle souls like the tauren and night elves really are a good fit with your personality." She winked. "And the night elves aren't too shabby to look at, either."
"She's just a lower rank," he shrugged, "I guess I feel bad for her and I'm helping her out." The gaze of the old shaman turned from kind to concerned.
"Be careful, Kayalos." She warned. "Thoughts like that are very dangerous to harbor."
"She can't hurt me." He rolled his eyes. "I don't think she's ever killed anyone in her life."
"That's not a negative quality," Amuuru pointed out.
"I'm just saying," he defended. "She's weak." Amuuru covered her face with her palm. The boy was so thick headed. Some things were harder to teach to Kayalos than they were for Akken. However, her blood son never had to endure the strife her adopted son had to.
"Just be careful who you pity, my son." Suddenly, they were interrupted by the tauren warrior, holding a ladel in one hand and lifting the leather curtain from the door with his arm he grinned.
"Well, who wants to try Surprise A La Akken?" Amuuru's nose wrinkled.
"I hope it's better than it was last week," she teased, and the male tauren left the room to get bowls for their dinner. He brought them each a bowl and morning glory dew, which was Amuuru's favorite drink. While the dinner was winding down, the old shaman was the first to speak.
"So," Amuuru began, as her sons sat around her bed in chairs, eating the strange soup, "when do I get to meet your female?"
"She's not 'my' anything, mom." The paladin protested. Liar. "Besides, you can't even speak common."
"I can manage," Amuuru said bravely, willing to take the social risks. "I'm an old lady with nothing better to do than help my single son learn to cook, garden, and bother my other single son." She grinned.
"Come on, Kay," Akken poked at his brother, snickering at him. "You can even hide her pretty well with Mom's old cloak with the oversized hood. She'll look just like another forsaken wandering around." The paladin glared at him.
"Kay, I know she's pretty badly injured, so we'll talk about this when she starts to get better." She smiled at her sons, and sighed. The Earth Mother truly blessed the old tauren.
A week had gone by, Orlaith had read in one of Kay's notes left on the nightstand. When the elixir would ware off and she woke up, she would always be alone. The paladin left her bottles of the sedative, along with food, and he even kept his promise of a real dress. Sometimes he would even leave a note. Mostly the notes were of Akken's orders for her health, and when it wasn't, it was warnings of not to go outside. Since it had been about a week, Orlaith decided it was time to stop relying on the potions of herbs and start healing herself. Meditation would heal her wounds faster than sleep. So she sat on the wooden floor, and closed her eyes. She thought of the deep woods, running water, and the sounds of the forest at home, and breathed deeply. She sat in meditation for hours, focusing on channeling her magic to her ribs. After the intense concentration, she felt the intense need to be in the forest at home.
"I swore I wouldn't leave the room," she said to the cloak lying in the pile of clothes building up. It was very tempting. She licked the corner of her lips, and her fingers started to tingle. She sprung up, snatched the cloak, and put it over her shoulders. She lifted the hood over her head, and went to the door and grabbed the doorknob and sighed. Hey, don't get cold feet now, she sighed, and turned the doorknob and pulled. She looked down the hall, and it was empty. She stepped out of the doorway, and closed it gently behind her, and daintily walked down the hall, making sure her face was covered well. She walked down the staircase, past the innkeeper, and she saw the sunshine and a small pond outside. Warmth melted in her heart as the sun glistened off of the water. Nothing would please her more than to sit beside it, or even take a bath. She quickened her pace towards the water, and then suddenly a large hand smacked her shoulder and gripped it tightly.
"What in hell," the gruff voice hissed softly, "do you think you are doing?" She froze, and peeked up from her hood. There stood Kayalos, looking more pissed off than usual. His eyes burned with the hottest of rage. But the most peculiar was a split-second flash of dread in his eyes, but it dissipated quickly. She opened her mouth to speak, when he spun her around and pushed her toward the direction of the inn. The priestess's heart sank, as she was led away from the water, but part of her was glad to see the paladin. He herded her up to the room, and slammed the door behind them. She removed the cloak, and set it with the other laundry.
"By the blood of the Earth Mother," he snarled, "what were you thinking?" She tried to speak, but he silenced her. "You foolish girl. You could have gotten us killed. You think that I am uninvolved? That the Horde couldn't trace you back to me and discover that I was hiding the enemy in a Horde City?" He stomped up to her, and grasped her shoulders. "That move could've even sent me to my death. How many times to I have to tell you it's dangerous out there? If you had the sense that even a cat had, you would have stayed here." She felt her eyes sting, and her vision went a little blurry. A tear rolled down a cheek, and Kayalos cursed, pushing her away and spinning around, facing away from her. His hand went up to his head in frustration.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just-" she swallowed and wiped her cheek with the sleeve of her dress. "I just love being outdoors. The urge just overcame me, and I had to answer." Kayalos was silent, and Orlaith swallowed her tears back. There was silence in the room for a few moments before the blood elf finally spoke.
"I understand your need to be outside." He turned to face her. "But, it's dangerous, especially unescorted. If you were discovered, you would have no way to defend yourself." She nodded.
"Again, I'm sorry," she said, fingering the hem of her dress. She bit her lip, and stared into his intense green eyes.
"I can protect you outside of these walls," he said, slowly, "but within these walls, even I will have trouble with the might of the horde." Orlaith's eyes grew wide.
"You would turn against your own people to protect me?" The paladin nodded.
"I know you'd never hurt anyone, and I know that you've never killed anything by your hand." His lips warped into a half-grin. "You lack a killer's spirit." The priestess's face fell. She looked at her feet, trying to keep silent. "Did I offend you?" The paladin asked, stepping closer.
"No," she admitted. "I-" she looked up at him, and took a deep breath. "I never had that spirit, you see. My mother's a hunter, my father and brother are both strong and powerful warriors. My family has produced very strong fighters since the ancient times." It felt good to get her story off of her mind, and just tell it to someone. She was always the quiet type, mostly because the men she met were already devoted to another, or they were not interested in the quiet healer. Some were interested, but for all the wrong reasons. "See, I never liked killing. When an animal breathed it's last breath at my hand, I couldn't stop myself from crying."
"You had no trouble trying to kill me a week ago," he pointed out.
"I know what it might have seemed like," she explained, "but I could have kept you alive long enough to sneak you out of here." The paladin scoffed.
"You were on your last leg that night," he crossed his arms.
"With no help from you," she shot at him. He frowned.
"You should've just stayed out there."
"Like I said. I have no where else to go." She growled, glaring at the paladin. His eyes widened, and then she realized that she hadn't admitted that part of the story.
"The Alliance abandoned you?" He asked.
"No." She turned around and started to go to her bags, where she could get some water.
"So why don't you have anywhere to go?" He demanded.
"Just drop it," she dug through her bag and pulled out a flask of water, and sipped it.
"I can't just 'drop it'." He mocked. He thought for a minute. "What did you do?"
"Nothing, really." She threw her water back into her bag. "Do you have anything real to drink around here?" He smiled, and got her some caraway burnwine. He tossed it to her.
"That'll take the edge off of anything," he said. She opened it up and chugged it down. The priestess sighed, and went to sit down on the bed, facing away from him. They were silent again.
"The Alliance hasn't banished me, at least I don't think they have. But my family definitely is disappointed in my chosen profession. They're even more disappointed in me staying in Outland for two years. When the crowds left to fight the Scourge two years ago, I stayed for the people who still needed me." She sighed. "I wanted to make a difference. I didn't want to go to Northrend because," she bit her lip.
"Because why?" Kayalos walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed. He handed her another flask of the burnwine. She gulped it down.
"Because I guess I was afraid," she handed him the flask and he took some himself. "I was afraid that I wouldn't measure up. I'm not talented like the other healers I know. If I had the gumption to become a druid, I would have chosen that over a priestess, but I had to learn feral combat. That scared me more than anything else. I'm just afraid of everything, afraid of not measuring up, afraid of hurting my comrades, and afraid of leaving the people I grew to love behind. Just because Outland isn't the biggest threat to Azeroth, it doesn't mean the problems there are solved."
"So why are you not in Outland anymore?" Kayalos asked carefully. He didn't want her to think he was prodding, but he was curious.
"They told me to take a break," she admitted. "You got anymore of that stuff?" He smiled. Finally, a woman that drank alcohol. He handed her another burnwine. "The captain said it was time for me to move on. To stop living in sorrow. That's what he said before I left for home. When I got sent home, all it did was send me back to the place where it all started. Don't get my wrong, I know my parents want the best for me, but I didn't want to go down their path." She was quiet. "I know they're disappointed. I see it in my mother's face even after these couple of years."
"Are you happy in Outland?" Kayalos asked. The priestess thought for a minute, and sighed deeply.
"No. I can't say that I am," she admitted. "I don't want to fight. That's why I won't go to Northrend."
"That's fine. You don't have to fight." She turned to him with hope. "I know you have spirit. I saw it in the forest a week ago. But I wonder, what will you accomplish with bringing me to Darnassas? Your parent's acceptance?" She froze.
"I-I don't know."
"You should know that after I'm dealt with, and I'm old news to the Alliance, someone else will take my place."She didn't speak. "Just think about that." Her heart sank. She knew in every fiber of her being that he was right, but she didn't want to think about it. Kayalos watched her eyes shift nervously, and fill with fear. Maybe he had pushed her too far. He was one to lecture about finding eternal happiness. "Orlaith, come with me. I think you should meet someone."
Orlaith firmly gripped Kayalos's bicep as he led her over the wooden bridge to Amuuru's house. She looked down and carefully matched the paladin step for step.
"Stop looking down, you'll attract attention," he warned. "Not to mention make yourself sick." Her head snapped forward to the end of the rope bridge. When they finally reached the other side, she groaned a little.
"Thank Elune that's over," she whispered. Kayalos felt himself smile a little. He led her into Amuuru's house, where Akken jumped up from his seat, and started speaking quickly in Orcish. He took her hand and made her sit down in the chair he was sitting in. Then he turned to the blood elf and chastised him. Kayalos looked over at Orlaith and winked. The paladin started talking calmly to the warrior to get him to calm down.
"Akken?" The priestess began, and the tauren's attention snapped to her. "I am feeling much better," she bowed before him. "Thank you for allowing me into your home." The tauren seemed surprised, and then he moved towards her. She stood up to him, for staying in a cramped bowing position still brought pain to her side. She smiled at him, and put her hand out for him to shake it. The warrior took her small hand in his extra-large, furry hand, then put his other one on her shoulder. He said something in Orcish, but his face remained strait and difficult to read. He's so similar to Kayalos, she thought.
"Akken says he thinks you should still be resting." Kayalos called from the kitchen chair, as he leaned back in it, so two legs were balanced while his feet were on the table. From a distance of a few yards, and in his casual leather attire, the priestess got a good view of his taut muscles. From the way his biceps curved, and his washboard abs, Orlaith felt her blood heating up. The paladin caught her eye and gave her a sneer. She snapped her head back to the warrior.
"Please don't worry," she shook her head, and bowed to thank him for his concern. "I heal very nicely," she smiled at him. The paladin said something in Orcish, and the warrior nodded to Orlaith. Then he walked to his large cabinet of elixirs, and she heard the tink-tinking of the small glasses hitting each other as he searched for what he needed. He brought her a small, blue vial.
"Hurt," he said, putting it in her hands.
"Why are you bothering, brother?" The paladin demanded in Orcish. The tauren smiled at the priestess.
"She has a good energy." He answered.
"Don't tell me you've gone soft," the paladin shot at him.
"Compassion is a noble trait that you should think about sometime." Akken pulled a chair out for the priestess and encouraged her to sit down. "You brought her here, brother, not me." Those words hit home, and the paladin glared at the priestess, who bit her lip in anxiety with the sounds of frustrated talk between the blood elf and the tauren. Then, the paladin stormed out of the home, leaving a perplexed night elf, and a calm tauren behind him.
Orlaith clenched the fabric at her knees and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She looked up at the Tauren, who was at the fire, and sorting through his herbs. She looked around at the nomadic-looking walls, and observed some of the finger paintings on the side. She looked towards the door and sighed. What a hot-tempered and difficult blood elf! She moved from her chair to the floor with the tauren, and sat in front of him. He smiled at her, and then went back to sorting. Orlaith touched a small red flower, and the tauren watched her interest in it.
He held it out to her, and motioned for her to take it. The night elf was surprised, and she held her hands up and shook her head, trying not to be a bother to the alchemist. The tauren smiled warmly, and took her hands, put the Talandra's Rose in her palm, and closed her fingers over it.
"Gift," he said, and she opened her palms to finger the flower. She smiled at him and bowed her head in thanks. She laughed a little on the inside, as it was the first flower a member of the Horde had ever given her. She was a little disappointed that it was the blood elf, though. Wait. What was that? Her mind spun, and she tried to silence it. Suddenly from the back room, she heard a woman's voice calling Akken's name. The tauren stood up, and started to go to the room, when he motioned for the priestess to follow him. She rose from her spot, and went into the back room. She saw an older female tauren, laying in her bed, and then the male warrior spoke in his language.
"Mom, this is Kay's," he turned to her and chuckled a little, "main squeeze." The female tauren sat up a little in her bed, excitedly.
"Oh my! The Earth Mother has blessed us, Akken. What a beauty!" The old shaman pleaded for the priestess to come and sit by her.
"She's very polite," the warrior added. "But she doesn't speak a word of Orcish."
"It's okay, I can say a few words." She nodded in approval as the night elf chose the seat closest to the bed. Then her smile faded as she looked to Akken. "Where is Kay?" The male tauren grunted a little.
"He got mad. I think he's still dealing with some of his turmoil from taking care of her." He explained slowly.
"Well, someone with his past, we must give him time," she said seriously, "but kindness isn't all lost with him. He spared this one's life, and even nursed her back to health." She looked at the night elf, whose white hair fell over her shoulders, forming curtains around her face, as she observed the gift Akken gave her.
"She's a night elf, so I guess she likes nature," Akken explained to his mother, while they observed the priestess concentrated on every inch on the flower.
"Ah," Amuuru grinned, "then we shall take her to the rooftop. A little sun should do this one good." She started to shift in her bed, and her son brought her a walking cane. "Do you know her name?"
"Orlaith," Akken said, as he helped his mother out of the bed. The priestess responded to her name, and she moved to the opposite side that Akken held his mothers arm. She gently took the old shaman's arm, and steadied her as she rose from the bed.
"Well, even though she's injured, she could help my heifer butt out of the bed," she chuckled, and they walked up the steps to the second level, which was a patio, covered in plants. The priestess gasped, and a huge smile crept to her face. "Ah, I was right," Amuuru's heart warmed, as the night elf wandered to each plant, and carefully touched their leaves. She knelt down and breathed in the earthy smell of the plants, and then threw her head back and laughed as she soaked up the sun's rays. Amuuru and Akken watched her for a while longer, and then Akken helped his mother down the stairs, quietly to not disturb Orlaith and her new friends.
Kayalos figured he'd left Orlaith alone in his mother's house long enough. He felt a little guilty, now, since his family couldn't communicate very well with her. However, his hot-tempered nature got the best of him, and all he could do was apologize to his mother. He should apologize to the beautiful priestess, too, but he would wait a little longer for that. He started for home, and once he reached the door, he was knocked from his feet.
"Kay!" A shriek called out, and he looked up to see Illissa, the blood elf rogue. He cursed. What horrible timing she had.
"By the blood of the Earth Mother," the paladin growled, "isn't there a better way of greeting me?" She giggled, putting a slender finger to her cherry lips.
"Oh, I am very sorry," she stated in monotone, as the paladin got to his feet. "By the way, I am loving your new outfit," she winked at him.
"What do you want, Illissa?" Kayalos demanded, and the rogue pouted.
"Why are you always so grouchy when I come around?" She put a hand on her hip. "Besides, what if I came here for another reason?"
"Like what?" He sneered.
"Well," she began, "I'm actually here to see Amuuru. I brought her some flowers to cheer up her room." The paladin's eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what the female was there for, and it wasn't to cheer up his mother. She was sneaky, using a friendship with his mother to get closer to him. But, Amuuru had always told him to use kindness toward the rogue. The shaman, like Orlaith, didn't have a killer bone in her body. He squeezed his eyes shut at the thought of comparing the two, and mostly how he was going to hide Orlaith. The rogue shoved her way in, and he followed closely at her heels.
"Oh Akken," the paladin said loudly, "Illissa is here," hoping that would give him enough time to hide the night elf from the dark-haired rogue's view. He looked over Illissa's shoulder to see him at the fire, brewing more potions. Akken's eyes grew wide with concern.
"Oh Illissa, come with me," he plastered a smile on, trying to hide his tension. "My mother has been wondering how you've been doing." He lead the rogue into Amuuru's room and while her back was turned, he pointed up the stairs to the porch. Kayalos nodded, as he coolly made his way up there, not to cause Illissa to follow him. He saw the priestess sitting in meditation, and she looked so peaceful. He almost didn't want to disturb her, but he knew he had to hide her.
"Orlaith," he hissed quietly. The priestess opened one eye and shut it again. Discontent replaced enlightenment on her face.
"Oh it's you," she said, nonchalantly.
"Priestess, you have to hide," he said desperately. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't flinch.
"If I go with you," she began, "you must apologize for reacting in such a harsh way." Anger boiled in his veins, but there was no time for reason. Difficult girl! He hissed.
"Okay, I apologize, I do," he told her, "I am sorry. Please, come with me." The priestess opened her eyes and stood up.
"Alright, let's do some shadowmelding!"
"Not good enough," he warned, and he took her hand in his, "come," he climbed to the rooftop, and helped her get up. "Please stay here, I'll be back." He jumped down from the roof onto the porch, and started to go downstairs. Orlaith's ears prickled, as she heard the sound of a female's voice.
"What are you hiding up here, Kay?" the female asked. Orlaith dropped flat, trying to not be seen.
"Nothing, Illissa," she heard Kay answer, "I just came up here to see the plants." The rogue's mouth twitched.
"You hate nature," she pointed out. "In fact, I don't think I've ever seen you come up here before."
"That just means you weren't over here when I was," he quickly spat out. He had to keep on his toes, for the rogue was sharp.
"Well," she shook it off, and then put her hands on his chest, "it doesn't matter. We're alone now." The paladin tried to move her hands off of him. He always hated it when females threw themselves at him. It was embarrassing for him. He also wondered if they were this easy with other males when they tried to lure him into romantic relations.
"Illissa," he began.
"Why do you always reject my advances?" She demanded.
"I'm sorry, I just don't feel that way about you," he said, telling her the truth.
"Kay, I've known you for years, and I don't understand." Orlaith heard a heartbreaking plea from the female coming on. She felt sick to her stomach, for this was not for her ears to hear. "Please, just hear me out."
"No, Illissa. It's time for you to move on," he instructed her. The female gasped.
"That's cold."
"It's the truth."
"You don't mean it."
"But I do," the paladin felt guilty for a minute.
"You are cold, Kayalos," she shot at him, "you know, everyone says 'poor kid, he didn't deserve what happened to him', but you wear it on your sleeve. Your heart is dead and cold as the Lich King's heart himself." She shouted. "You are the one who needed me, remember that," Illissa snapped, as she whirred around, and stormed out of the house. Kayalos was silent, her words haunting him. He hated to admit it, but it shook him up a little. Then he saw Orlaith climbing down from the roof, timidly. She walked to the paladin, and drew him into warm, innocent embrace.
"Are you okay?" She asked, and then pulled away. He looked into her sympathetic gaze, and felt his insides both twist and relax. The blood elf nodded. Her lips parted, as if she was about to say something, but then she stopped herself. She turned around and walked down the stairs into the house, to where Akken returned to brewing potions at the fire. Kay followed her, but turned into Amuuru's room.
"Hey Mom," he began, "did you like the flowers Illissa brought you?"
"Yes, they are nice," she said, "but that girl is missing something. I like her a lot, but it seems like she's not interested in the long run." The paladin chuckled.
"It doesn't matter, I'm not interested in anything long term either." The paladin enjoyed his women from time to time, but none could crack his interest long enough to stay until morning.
"It is a game to that one," she sighed, referring to Illissa.
"It doesn't matter, Mom," he informed her. "Did you have any problems with the night elf?" It was Amuuru's time to laugh.
"Dear son," she said, waving her hand, "you worry way too much."
"Yeah, I'm sorry for leaving her here," he said, "I guess my anger gets the best of me." The shaman stared at her son, wondering what on earth could cause such a difference in his mood.
"It's okay, son," she answered. Then the priestess poked her head into the room.
"Hey, Kay, I think Akken wants to know how much longer we'll be here. He's pointing to the kitchen, so I think dinner is sort of an issue." She bit her lip, "I don't think I have this Orcish thing down, but Akken is really patient."
"I guess if you want to stay we can," he shrugged. The priestess smiled.
"Can you tell Akken I'll cook? I'd be more than happy to!" She said, excitedly.
"Sure," the paladin answered, and turned to his mother. "Would you like her to cook for you?" He chuckled. "I think she wants to. It's probably some weird night elf food, but I guess a change in diet won't be too bad."
"I don't mind," the shaman smiled. "In fact, I think that would be wonderful. I think a change from Akken's bachelor meals would be great." The paladin laughed a little, and he wandered into the kitchen to tell his brother to take a break from cooking tonight.
"Thank the Earth Mother," the warrior sighed, "I'm running out of ideas."
An hour later, the kitchen table was covered in a delectable smelling cuisine that Orlaith prepared. There was boar ribs, spice bread, lobster stew, hot-smoked bass, and Akken had helped her prepare a chocolate cake for dessert. She wished she were in Outland so she had better materials to cook with, but they were in the old land. She figured she would make do.
"Oh my, I don't think I've eaten this good in fifty years," she smiled at the priestess, as they all sat around the table, eating her well-prepared food. "Please tell her that it is wonderful, and we are very grateful." She said to Kay.
"Hey, priestess," the paladin barked. "She says it's awful, and we should kill you on the spot for your awful meal."
"Lies!" Orlaith shot right back, smiling, "I can see how happy you guys are." The paladin laughed.
"Thanks," Akken said in Common to the priestess, and she beamed.
"Hey Kay, how do I say, 'you're welcome' in Orcish?" Orlaith asked. The paladin leaned over, and whispered it into her ear. Orlaith's heart skipped a beat as she felt his warm breath on her neck. She repeated it to Akken. The warrior's smile turned to a frown, and he stopped chewing. He turned to the paladin, and smacked him on his back. The paladin started choking on his food, in between roaring laughter.
"Oh Kay, you are rotten," Amuuru scolded. The priestess looked around the table at the three, confused.
"Um," she said, sheepishly, "what happened?"
"Don't worry about it, just don't ever say that again," the paladin laughed.
"You are horrible!" She exclaimed, realizing that whatever she said, it wasn't good. "I'm so sorry," she said to Akken, bowing her head. The tauren seemed to understand, and he nodded, holding back a smile.
After dinner, Akken and Amuuru said farewell to their guests. The old shaman embraced the priestess and said a blessing in Taur-ahe. The priestess smiled, and when Kay told her what she had done, Orlaith was surprised. The enemy blessing me?
"Ande'thoras-ethil." She said to the tauren, and they left, as Orlaith pulled the hood of her cloak up over her ears and covered part of her face so no one would see.
