All this time I felt so lost, lost and needed help.
Incomplete, out of reach, All alone by myself.
It all becomes so clear, when I see your face.
And it's only when you're near, I feel I'm safe.

~To Love Again-Alesha Dixon~

The Archmage had a rather difficult time keeping the Warden in her bed. Cordana resented her weakness and continually tried to get up, which hurt her, aggravated Khadgar, and made them growly with one another. She wanted to resume the mission, he wanted her to lie there and recover.

Khadgar conjured food for them, as he did not trust that leaving to retrieve anything from the garrison would see her remain ensconced beneath the covers.

"Cordana," he said, after her last failed attempt to get out of bed on her own. "If you keep this up, I shall be forced to conjure away your garments and turn this room to ice, ensuring you stay beneath the covers and rest!"

She scowled at him. "You would, too. Annoying old man!"

"Indeed I would, stubborn female!"

She huffed and turned painfully over onto her side.

Khadgar loved the routine of taking care of Cordana. He had spent his entire life engrossed in tomes and the practice of magic, and never had he extended himself to such a role as he was currently involved in. He had never even had a dog as a boy to look after. It surprised him that his single minded focus on his craft could turn so easily to other matters.

Cordana was vulnerable and could do little for herself at the present time. He would draw her bath in the evening, carry her to it, and wash her hair and her body, doing his best not to think of anything but the task at hand. She was so beautiful to him, her skin so perfect and so soft, the dusky purple reminiscent of a twilight wood. His blood turned to fire in his veins and his heart would race so fast that he wondered why she could not hear it. All he wanted was to take her to his bed and make love to her, but since the one and only night they had tried, there had been no time, and now she was convalescing.

Cordana, as much as she hated being weak and vulnerable, enjoyed Khadgar's attention. He was gentle and careful, and did his best to please and entertain her. She would laugh at his stories and listen to him sing, which he did beautifully. He would sketch her and dance for her, another thing he did so well. She wondered if there was anything he could not do.

"You are truly a wonderful man, no matter how annoying you can be, Archmage," she said. "I am glad I was assigned to you after all."

"Oh? There was a time when you did not like being with me?"

She listed off all the horrible qualities she had perceived in him, and her immense frustration.

Khadgar laughed. "I admit to all those things, I have never had to answer to anyone since Medivh, I simply did as I wished to do and that was that. Then along came this fierce little Kaldorei woman, who put me in my place time after time!"

Cordana reached for his hand. "You know, I went to Jarrod and asked him to reassign me."

Khadgar's eyes widened. "You were that unhappy with me? I am sorry, Cordana!"

"Jarrod saw right through it. He told me that I was in love with you, and that I must tell you my feelings."

The Archmage was surprised. "You were in love with me that early on? How was it that I did not detect it?"

"Because I did not wish you to," she responded simply. "The very day at the fire, when you realized you had feelings for me...was the day I knew I had them for you as well. It was the expression in your eyes when you looked at me. I had never felt anything like it before. However, I was sure that no one could ever have intimate feelings for me and forced myself to focus on the mission. It just became too hard and I felt I needed to leave your service."

Khadgar said nothing to her, just held her hand and stroked it. "You know, Cordana," he said softly after a time. "I would have gone to the Enclave and brought you back. If I had to declare my love for you right there in front of everyone, I would have done so. And hoped that you felt the same way. Understand, I have never loved anyone this much and this strongly. It is a wonderful, yet terrifying feeling."

She felt warm inside, and smiled at him, which made him catch his breath. Light, this woman is beautiful.

"I am not sure I would have gone back with you. I could have been reassigned by then, you never know."

"You could have turned off your feelings for me that easily, Cordana?"

She sighed. "No...I would have changed my mind after a few hours and asked to come back, I am sure of it!"

He kissed her hand.

She felt drowsy and wished to rest but the mission was on her mind. "Khadgar, have you made any progress towards finding Gul'Dan's lair?"

He nodded. "I was going to share this with you once you were sufficiently recovered, but I see no reason not to at least discuss the matter. Jaaral and I have been working on it."

Cordana's eyes were instantly filled with curiosity. "Tell me," she said.

"Have you heard of an Observer?"

She nodded. "It is a demonic creature is it not, a large floating eye?"

"Yes. With my magic, I would be able to locate such a creature. If we are successful in finding and capturing it, there is a chance it could pierce the veil at the village of Gul'Var which I found. There are scryers there who may be able to show us where Gul'Dan is hiding, and we need to be able to watch them without them knowing. However, it will not be easy to catch such a demon. They are wily and strong, their magic can be considerable. But like most magical entities it is weak against physical attacks. I had thought to travel with the Commander and set up a small camp, and use it as a base of operations for this task, while you are recovering. I did have the sneaking suspicion though that you would never have allowed me to do so without you at my side."

Cordana gave him a wry look. "How astute of you. I would force myself to join you no matter what condition I were in. You cannot go off without me, Khadgar. I must be allowed to carry out my mission too."

He bent down and kissed her softly. "This is why I am telling you about it now, so that when you are strong enough we can set this up. And Cordana, it will be up to the physician to decide when you are ready to work again. Knowing you, you would crawl from this bed barely alive and say you were fine! You are too proud, Kaldorei. Proud and stubborn."

She put her arms around his neck and gave him a squeeze. "That makes two of us, Archmage. Two peas in a pod, as you yourself once said."

"I believe you are right, Cordana Felsong," was his reply.

She smiled and closed her eyes.