Author's Notes: I'm posting this one early so I don't forget on the way out the door in the morning. Notes at the end.

"Priestess Abilene?"

I paused in the corridor that led down to the gardens. I had always walked this path, since the first year I had given my life over to Elune, but never with the intensity that I now traveled it. Every evening and every morning, I paced down the white stone walkway, circled the koi ponds, and slipped past the silverleaf hedges to the secluded statue of Elune in the middle of a vibrant patch of peacebloom. High Priestess Saranell stood in front of me, unintentionally blocking my route. I was not as familiar with Bethaniel's younger sister as I was with the other residents of the Temple, but I did recognize her by sight.

"Yes High Priestess?"

She stepped to the side, giving me room to walk. "May I join you on your walk?"

I inclined my head passively. There was not much left inside of me for opinions. We continued down into the gardens, the first morning light shining brilliantly through the trees before us.

"We received the shipment of replacement silver candlesticks this morning."

I nodded, feeling my throat grow tight. I recognized immediately where this conversation was going. Saranell continued as we followed where my feet instinctively knew where to go.

"Three months is a long time to wait, I know, but they sent us proper ones this time, blessed by the High Priestesses at the lead Temple at the foot of Mount Hyjal."

I swallowed down the slight nausea that had become commonplace in my morning rituals. We had passed the neat silverleaf hedges, and the expansive peacebloom plot stretched out before us. It was too early in the morning for them: all of the blossoms were curled into tight buds, waiting for the light of mid-morning to open up.

We reached the circular clearing in the sea of peacebloom. The High Priestess paused at the entrance, turning back to speak directly to me. Just beyond her was the shrouded altar, nothing more than a carving of Elune Herself under a small archway. It was where I took my prayers every morning and every evening, and three months ago, under the light of the full moon, gave my innocence to a man that in the end, I knew nothing of.

"I know that I have asked this of you before, but some of the artifacts that the rogue took when he fled the Temple were priceless. You were in charge of his care: did he happen to mention to you any location that he was headed, family, any identifiers?"

I took a deep breath, and recited what I had already told them many times. "The night he left, we only spoke a few words of farewell. He did not disclose to me where he was going."

The High Priestess's face looked like she only half-believed me, and to distract myself from it, I pretended to examine the shrine behind her. It was a simple carving, and the only detail that made it stand out was the half-circle of moonstones that surrounded the Goddess's feet. Or at least it used to be a half-circle: the largest moonstone in the center was missing. I frowned, pushing past Saranell to get a closer look. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach as a realization hit me: I was here praying last night, like I did every day. I prayed, and I waited in quiet for a longer time, wondering with waning hope if this time was the time that he would return as he promised he would.

Last night the shrine was complete.

Someone had been here in the still of the night, and stolen a gem from the statue.

I will return.

To this very spot.

Saranell gasped loudly when she saw the hole where the missing gem had been. "Someone has broken in and desecrated the shrine!"

She reached down to feel the bare spot. There were dull knife marks around it, as if it had been pried out in a hurry. She turned back to me, her face turning red in astonishment. "Did you see anything out of place last night at prayers?"

I pressed my eyes shut so tight I saw stars as I shook my head, and wobbled where I stood. One tear ran down my face, and then I opened my eyes, refusing to let any more fall.

"High Priestess, I will be leaving the Temple."

Saranell had been inspecting the shrine for any other discrepancies in increased distress, and now she turned back to me, shocked.

"Abilene?"

I swallowed hard, and smoothed the front of my loose robe tight against my belly. The soft curve was unmistakable, and had been for a couple weeks. It would soon be impossible to hide, and I was anticipating my quickening at any time.

Recognition finally flickered across the High Priestess's face and for a moment she just stood there, her mouth agape. I rushed in to fill the quiet gap.

"I'd like to return someday, after...after my duties are done."

Saranell stepped to me and laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. Her voice was quiet as she spoke.

"Abilene, the rogue, he didn't-"

I shook my head, wishing to my now silent Goddess that this conversation was already over, or that it would never have to happen. "No. It was consensual."

Saranell's face flickered through a range of emotions. She took her hand from my shoulder and tucked them into her sleeves. "There will always be a place for you within the Temple of Elune."

Silence grew in between us as we grasped for what else there was to say. Saranell cleared her throat finally, and seemed to reach a decision in her mind.

"I am sorry for this situation you are in, Abilene." She glanced back at the desecrated shrine amidst the unopened peaceblooms. "Do you think that he would ever return, if he knew?"

I shook my head slowly, feeling acutely the hole in my chest where my heart had been, before a blue-haired rogue with pretty words had stolen it from me.

"No," I whispered, my tears finally getting the best of me. "He was, after all, only a thief."

End Notes: This is the end. You didn't miss anything. I feel that some of you might have some questions, so if you are all interested, leave me some in the comments or PM and I will answer them publicly in another chapter. I am fully anticipating returning to my house tomorrow with my email on fire :).