At first Kelset tried to track Illidan down within the Temple, but there were so many corners that she didn't know about it was near impossible of a task to complete on her own. In a way, she felt like Illidan knew she was there, knew she was calling for him, just didn't answer. It was frustrating. Frustrating because she didn't want to abandon him all alone. Then however, she couldn't just stay and leave Lucen either. Soon enough, she gave in to Lucen and went with him back home.
Their first stop was Stormwind. During the time she was gone, some of the Horde and Alliance seemed to have made strides. There were only a few Horde members around, and they looked very tense and out of place within these walls. Lucen informed Kelset that the King and Vol'jin really were trying, and as a result a few Horde were sent here just as a few Alliance were sent into Orgrimmar to reside and help to further build relations. Each factions leaders also sent out an order that said no harm was to come to members of the opposing faction, no matter what. Should anyone cause a problem, they would be sent to their respective leader for a trial to keep peace.
Lucen took her to the very back of Stormwind, behind the Cathedral where many good and important men and woman, including the Queen, were buried. Kelset knew of only man who would have had the right to have been buried back here, and the thought made her stomach churn nervously, that only grew worse when Lucen set her in front of a fresh grave that was marked with the name Allen Thorn.
"Your teacher passed away last month. It was ruled to be by heart attack."
She didn't say anything as she kneeled before the white marbled headstone. There really wasn't much of anything left to say now. He was dead, and he wouldn't hear her pleas and cries. As she ran the pads of her fingers over the words engraved, her shoulders shook as Kelset bowed her head. Tears stung the eyes persistently until she allowed to spill over. The strange old man had practically been a father to her. Always kind and caring, and stern when she would try to get away with something she knew was wrong. He instilled more values in her than any of her family ever had. Her father only showed how to betray trust, her mother mostly taught how to seduce and use others for one's personal gain. Allen balanced that out very nicely for her.
"I am glad we met..." She whispered through the sobs, lifting her head to find Lucen had knelt beside her. With the pad of his thumb, he wiped a few tears off her smooth, pale skin. In his eyes was understanding even though there were no outward signs of his sorrow. Kelset forced a sad, weak laugh as she started rifling through some of the better memories of her old teacher. "He did a lot for me, and I failed in making back to him." Lucen shook his head, not wanting her to start placing any sort of blame upon her self.
"He knows you cared. He told me so many times." One arm slid around her slender shoulders while his free hand cupped her cheek as he pulled Kelset to him in a warm embrace. Her fingers gripped his clothes tightly as she fought against the desire to cry even harder now that Lucen offered his comfort to her.
"It's okay..." He cooed softly to her as he rested his cheek against the top of her head and just rubbed her shoulders while holding on tightly, promising silently to himself that he wouldn't let her go far from him again.
They sat there for a while longer until the crying had stopped and the redness left her eyes. The sun was setting and most people were headed inside for the evening. The days were getting shorting and cooler as the warmer seasons were leaving and the colder ones were rolling in. This was something Kelset had missed during her time in Outlands. The temperature there was pretty constant, which wasn't bad, but change was also nice. Lucen helped Kelset up to her feet and invited her out for a few drinks, which she eager accepted. It had been a while since she last had a good, strong drink in her hands. Of course, there were also a few reasons as to why she hadn't done it, either.
The two of them sat at a small table that was a bit secluded from the rest of the pub. Mostly so that they could chat with just each other and catch up without worrying much about someone else wanting to but in. As their order arrived, she fingered the rim of her mug, watching Lucen a bit suspiciously as he wasted no time in gripping the handle of his own mug and gulping a good bit of it down. Noticing the looks she gave him before touching her own, he simply shrugged his shoulders and stared back.
"What?" He asked, almost looking a bit annoyed by this.
"Looking for a repeat of last time I drank?" Her brow lifted sharply as she accused him of unspoken motives. "I'm on to you, Elf!" Kelset lifted the mug to her lips, all the while watching him carefully and crossing her legs in a lady-like way, as if to make a point.
"Ha!" Lucen blurted out, leaning back in his chair. "I wouldn't need to push alcohol down your throat to coax you out of your clothes. Remember the first time I kissed you? I'm pretty certain you would have laid with me had I wished it."
Kelset grumbled, becoming a little miffed at his arrogant tone and the fact he seemed to truly believe it. "Yea, I do remember it. I also remember you," she pointed at him sharply as she emphasized the word 'you' "nearly begging me at a certain point just so you could get a damn mana fixed." With that, she tossed the mug back again, taking several gulps before slamming it down against the table.
Her words hit a sore spot, causing him to flinch as she said them. They had both gotten out of line already, and the fact she was beginning to raise her voice had made several other patrons turn to eye the pair curiously. Ultimately, he didn't want to fight with her, not now, not when she had only just returned to him.
"You really hurt my feelings, Lucen..." Kelset voiced cracked as if she was going to start crying again.
"I know, that was never my intention. I made a mistake." Lucen lowered his voiced to a more humbled tone, breaking eye contact from her to look down at his half empty glass.
"I'm talking about in Feralas."
Lucen winced. That hadn't been a proud moment. "I know..."
"No ,you don't know, and you wouldn't know unless someone pulled that shit on you." Even though Kelset was still of sound mind at this point, the anger she had kept locked up for years was beginning to bubble a little more than it usually does.
"You want to know why?" Lucen was calm even as Kelset looked like she was ready to completely lose it. "I'm afraid of hurting you. Or worse, killing you in the heat of the moment. Most of the time, I can keep my own addictions at bay. It becomes really hard to control it with you, though. Especially now. You don't understand just how much etheral energies pour out of every word you speak. I can nearly feel it against my skin when ever you breath too close, when you speak at me, and the feeling is only magnified when your skin touches mine, especially in a kiss. So, please. Forgive me. I wanted to do what was safe by you, but these days I just want you."
"So you want to use me?" She crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, only to be met with a frustrated glare by the devilishly, good-looking Lucen. Physically appearances alone were enough for her to stick around for some time. Who wouldn't want to be escorted around like that? That didn't mean she would allow herself to be in a one-sided relationship, though.
"Now you're just being pig-headed."
"I just find it really hard to believe that you never moved on."
"Did you?" Lucen leaned forward, elbows on the table as he watched carefully for any change in the expressions on her face.
"Completely different situation. You had no way of knowing whether I was alive."
Lucen gave a small grin as she effectively gave him enough of an answer without directly acknowledging it. "I didn't wander about alone. No. I had friends to keep my company. I also had a few girls, and things just never seemed to work out. They found more interesting toys."
Lucen went on to explain how he visited Shadowmoon Valley once a year on the day she went missing. The only reason he came across her to begin with was because of the flashy display her and Illidan had put on during their mock fight. The glare of magic was obvious in the otherwise dark place. All the while insisting he didn't have intentions of just draining her and tossing her to the side once he grew bored or found a bigger pot to stir, but that he wanted someone with compassion by his side. A woman who would support him when he felt at his weakest and one who could put up with the awful nightmares that often plagued him and help keep them bay. Someone untouched by the cruelty of war. Someone soft and vulnerable, but in their own right strong and capable.
"I've went through the trouble of renting out a room at the Inn next door. Would you like to go? There is something I'd like to ask you in private." Reluctantly, Kelset agreed to leave and go with Lucen. It was hard to not over think all of his actions, but she really couldn't say he seemed like the sort of person to play this sort of game with others. Most men his age wouldn't still be in that sort phase of their life. Kelset might have thought differently if he had been younger or closer to his teens instead of late twenties by now.
As they entered their room, Lucen immediately began to settle in. He sat on the edge of his bed, pulling his shirt off and tossing it aside. Kelset just shamelessly watched the way his muscle stretched and contracted as he slipped the shirt above his head, admiring the way they relaxed once he set his elbows on his knees, slouched over a bit. His hair was oddly silky and gorgeous for a man. It was hanging loose around his shoulders and chest. The form-fitting pants really didn't do much to hide things. Yes, he was covered decently, even though she could trace a good part of a small trail of hair leading down from his bellybutton, but she could easily see the outline of everything, and it had it flustered.
Lucen chuckled softly as he felt her eyes scanning him from head to toe. It was especially amusing after all the big talk. At least for once in a very long time was someone staring at him for all the right reasons and not just based on his race.
"Careful that you don't trip over your own jaw." He jested lightly before kicking off his boots and laying back in the bed.
Kelset cleared her throat as that smooth voice pulled her from within the little daydream she had slipped into. Glancing across the tiny room, she noticed a window and another bed. With a sigh of relief, knowing she wouldn't be forced to share anything with him, Kelset slipped out of her own tattered clothes, careful to leave on the pair of shorts and undershirt just before slipping under the blankets of her little bed. While the bed springs creaked and squeaked, softly protesting her weight against them, the sheets a bit rough against her satin skin, it wasn't really all that uncomfortable. Turning on her side to face Lucen, who was looking up at the ceiling while on his back, she spurred him on, asking what he needed to discuss.
"I would like you to travel with me to various Horde outposts and major cities. Even now it isn't often our territories get visited by your faction, and perhaps them seeing that we travel and exist together peacefully could be good. Unless you wanted to stay close to home for a while to clue your parents in on your being okay?" Lucen barely glanced at her even though the blankets covered her body entirely.
She shook her head quickly, causing several strands of hair to fall against her face, not wild about the idea of seeing either one of her parents. "I really don't think it would make a difference to either one, Lucen, but I would love to travel."
They ended the talk on a light note by discussing light hearted moments that could potentially occur during their travels, and the idea of people of Azeroth being united and at peace for the first time. It didn't take much before Kelset was lulled off to sleep with Lucen talking to her. His was voice was quite soothing and gentle compared to Illidan's, and put her at ease. Lucen had more troubles than she did falling asleep. The dream world was a realm he wanted nothing to do with, and things were only getting worse lately. Each time a nightmare occurred, it was getting hard and hard to decide what was reality and what was fabricated by his own mind. Things had escalated to the point where he was casting spells in his sleep. He feared one would be thrown at her without him realizing it. Despite his anxiety about falling asleep, after hours of fighting it, he finally slipped off.
Ever since Illidan had been allowed to meddle with her body and the energies kept inside, Kelset had her own disturbing visions and dreams, though she wouldn't classify them as unbearable, just partially unnerving. For the most part, her night wasn't bad, and she wouldn't have started to stir if it wasn't for the sun shining through the single window. Lazily she kicked at the blankets until they slipped off the bed. Her legs spread and straightened as she stretched every muscle within them. Next, her shoulders pushed back into the mattress as her back arched in, lifting off the bed and rousing every muscle in the core, saving the arms and hands for last. Opening her eyes for the first time, she was greeted by the sight of Lucen standing in between their beds with his back to her. Even through unfocused eyes she could see that he swayed slightly, not completely balanced.
"Lucen? What are you doing" She asked in a sleep tone, getting onto her feet she reached out for his wrist, tugging it gently to gain his attention. "Lucen?" He didn't move nor answer and that made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. Needless to say this was a creepy sight to watch one shift their weight from one foot to the other and they not be aware of it.
"Lucen!" Kelset tugged his wrist harder and nearly yelled to him. This caused him to lose what little balance he had as his mind jerked awake. Out basic instinct and reflex, Lucen pulled away from her hand harshly that made him stumble forward and turn quickly on his feet with a hateful look in his eye. The quick and abrupt action caused Kelset to curse softly under her breath as the heart inside her chest beat against the ribs for a few moments.
"Are you tying to give me a heart attack!?" Kelset gripped her shirt while leaning forward and taking a few calming breaths. Lucen still looked a bit lost as he slowly sat down on the edge of his bed.
"No, Sorry..." He whispered, covering his face with his hands to block out the world around him and spend a moment gathering himself into one piece again.
If this is how most of his mornings went, then yes, she could easily see why Lucen never really kept a young woman in his life. Even though Lucen was the one battling demons, some side effects seemed to pile onto those around him, and it would be a lot to bear, especially over a length of time. When his hands lowered, revealing Lucen's pale face, Kelset noticed he still didn't look like he was present. Careful not to make any sudden movements, Kelset crawled the short distance between them, wriggling her way to sit between his thighs. Lucen refused to look at her, shame and sorrow present on his face, but he didn't fight her off. Sitting on her knees, the young Mage reached her arms around his neck, nuzzling against his jawbone. Every muscle was tense like he was expecting something bad to happen from soft and gentle contact their skin made. After a few moments Lucen was clinging to the shirt on her back, his own face buried in the hair against her small shoulder with his eyes closed. The light scent of a woman that was unique to her filled his senses and began to anchor him down precisely where he wished to be.
"I'm sorry..." Lucen repeated himself, clinging just a little tighter and holding their bodies just a little closer.
Kelset simply pushed some of his hair back behind his ears and shoulders so that she could place a small kiss against the exposed skin tenderly. For as long as Lucen needed her to, Kelset would sit there and be as comforting as was humanly possible to the man fighting essentially himself. It was frustrating to feel him quiver and shake in her arms, knowing there was nothing to be done other than support him as he rode out the hallucinations gripping his mind.