Disclaimer: The characters and settings created by Blizzard Entertainment Inc in this story are owned by their creators. I do not claim them as mine in any way, shape or form. I am not receiving monetary profit from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.
Note: It's not a big deal, but also kind of funny. A gamer friend pointed out that I've been spelling it wrong the whole time and it should be "Blood Knight", two words.
So, what happens next? A holiday party with Sylvanas! Will she wear a costume? Busting in and investigating Blood Knights in their own homes! Mama drama! Angry fiances, Sunstrider princesses, Tyrande and Malfurion, the magical Dwarf himseslf, Goblins galore… I'm excited. I'm also amazed that I crammed so much into a holiday story.
Chapter 22: Epiphany
"Turaho, honey. I do feel for you…"
My mother Akeisha Runestalker, and she's a ghost remember-Ma was perfectly serene after she popped me in the head. Typical shaman. Release the fury of the elements, and then—and only then—do you remember you're a mere mortal and can't actually throw god-like weight around. Because that would make you like… a horrible, sadistic old god with my mother's graying hairdo.
Don't worry. I'm really good at not saying things like that out loud, not in front of my mother at least.
"But son, this is getting ridiculous, isn't it? We're close to Winter's Veil eve now, by the skin of our teeth."
"Um, our?"
"Yes." My mother turned from the sunshine poring through bright yellow leaves on that side of the glen. Ma was another golden-hided Tauren like myself. White fur covered her hands up to her elbows, as well as her hocks, up to her knees. But she wasn't some holier-than-thou priestess sort. My mother was always hard-working and practical. She usually wore hide pants and a vest with all her jewelry and the spiritual bits and bobs hanging from her belt. This was a woman ready for action. I didn't see the large red-and-white staff she always carried, but tried not to worry. Mainly, it just meant Ma wasn't that pissed at me. Yet. In life, a lot of people always mistook that candy-colored cane for some giant, mystical accessory. But my mother liked to clobber people with it.
She re-arranged her now ethereal trinkets, then dusted off her hands. Ma was also able to hover off her hooves, just above the grass. She lifted her muzzle and announced with authority for all the denizens of the forest to behold! "One thing Mey was right about, from what you said. You being out here alone is stupid, and a huge mistake. So now, I am helping."
"Ma—"
"Shush." She had a seat on a rock. Her rainbow of bead fringe, sewn down the sides of her hide pants, trickled far more jubilantly than was in her nature.
"Ma. I appreciate you visiting me for the holiday. But I hate to have to keep telling you this, you're not actually qualified to help me on these matters. You're not trained as a Pathfinder."
"Nor are you, not anymore." She flashed an ironic, nasty smile before resuming her sage countenance. "You are a Sunwalker now. Even if you reached out to the Pathfinder lodge for help on Hunter Rise, they'd ignore the hell out of you."
"Mom."
"They have been eager and waiting for the chance. Son, it's just you and me."
My mother did not need to be in the middle of this. She could be vain, nasty, stubborn and heavy-handed. Saturna would sweet-talk and use Farseer Akeisha Runestalker's giant ego against her. Kael'thas would hate her instantly.
…What?
I'd heard the leaves moving for a while. Again. I wasn't surprised when my next guest showed up, though I was worried that Zoca had gone away to greet them. Had that ghost dog secretly befriended one of the Blood Elves out here? Please don't tell me Illidan Stormrage himself was about to roll up on my ma and I.
We were not prepared.
Ma cut eyes at me. "None of your jokes."
"I didn't even- I didn't say anything!"
Whatever was out there, it suddenly got agitated. Even footfalls kicking about dried leaves that fell during autumn a month ago, now sounded like a scuffle.
Drat. I still didn't have my gun. My mother eyed me, recognizing the same thing. "Aren't you at the least supposed to have a mace, or a shield? Aren't you supposed to have your glorious Light spells?"
I swallowed jibe against me, because now, it would have been clear to us both that it wasn't the right time. Tauren sense of smell is better than most other races, someone very important was coming.
Zoca re-appeared, barking happily.
"Ho… Meydiri. Darling, how lovely to see you."
Oh, but it was not happy.
My now fiancé Meydiri tramped out into our little clearing with a young Blood Elf girl wedged under her arm. And I mean that Mey had hefted her up off her feet and the poor thing was still kicking.
Mey was about as offended and disgusted with me as I sensed she should have been. Her weeks'-old letter I never sent, after I promised her back in Thunderbluff that I would write? It was crumpled in my pocket. My sweating hand kinda gripped it right then.
Yeah, Pathfinder Meydiri Ravenweld was the kind of dame to get hot on some offense then hoof it halfway across Azeroth just to have an argument. Note that she never had to ask where I was, and I wasn't even at the palace at the time. My mother and I have a spiritual bond, that's Ma's excuse. Meydiri is just… well an excellent tracker and a badass.
A badass with a great tail.
Meydiri was unphased by me checking her out. She had a very black hide with streaks of white down her muzzle. They could have been warpaint, she would have been born looking ready to do battle. What a mean little baby calf she must have made. Mey huffed at me through both nostrils, "Who is this uppity runt? She tried to jump me—Me? A hardened, real Tauren Pathfinder." And then she glanced around the naked space that served as my camp at the moment. It seemed a derisive commentary on how low I'd sunk to be sitting in the middle of nowhere in the Elves' kingdom.
And, after Mey told me not to go alone. I was starting to feel overwhelmed by all these women dive-bombing into my life.
Ready for one more?
I bowed my head, gentile. "Crown Princess Anthene'alas Sunstrider. So good to see you again, after our very sensitive debacle. And, with you in possession of the even more sensitive information I need for my investigation."
Mey could be crass, far worse than my mother. She leaped right over the critical parts and stuck with her own private, vengeful agenda. Hers and mine. "Oh? A sensitive debacle? Is that what you hot-shot Sunwalkers are calling it these days?"
"Put me down!" Anthene screeched. She dug her nails in. That finally got Anthene what she wanted. Mey near dropped her.
Anthene got back to her feet quickly. "Well! Maybe I won't tell you about being the last one to see Greatfather Winter alive, after all!"
Mey stalked right between me and everyone else, cutting a line. Or, circling in. Possibly marking her territory in front of the other females.
My mother huffed, "Meydiri."
"Farseer."
Wow, Mey even avoided first names with my mother. My mother gave a gracious nod to Anthene, "Your majesty. May the spirits guide, and all the elements be with you."
My mother's sage manners diffused it some. Old Farseer trick. I watched Anthene go from red to more her normal sun-touched skin tone. Hrmph, everything that wasn't a Tauren covered in fur could still seem odd to me at times. People with skin that could blush all over their bodies had no hope about hiding their emotions, did they? Also, Anthene was really able to look so like her mother with her curling blonde hair down over her shoulders… I got caught noticing that in front of my kinswomen.
Mey set teeth and crossed her arms. My mother rolled eyes at me.
Anthene explained that we only had a little while. She'd followed her mother's Blood Knights out this far into the forest, then was able to guess my location and ride ahead. They were slower, since they were towing all my gear and the camping supplies I asked Kael'thas for.
"I guess between a judgmental mother and an angry girlfriend, I can't ask for you for real privacy, about what we discussed." Anthene met my eye in a confidential way.
Ma adjusted one of her turquoise bracelets. She corrected, "Vigilant mother."
"I'm vengeful." Mey corrected for her part, "And on top of that, I'm his fiancée."
I cleared my throat a few times. Ma and Meydiri refused to budge and give Anthene and me privacy. I decided to just go into it as best I could, but even then, my voice still faltered. "So Princess Anthene, I'll tell you what Illidan, erm, implied…"
The Tauren women didn't like me talking in code to someone younger, attractive, and let's face it, elven. No matter how many times I tried to emphasize our mysterious conversation was about politics and not getting into someone's phoenix panties. Err, shouldn't have used the phrasing. Especially, not such specific phrasing—as if I even know! Soon after that, Anthene resented their assumptions about her. But then, it escalated to horrific. All three asserted that they were my only shot at finding Greatfather Winter and that I needed to work with them.
Did I have a deathwish, in that case? And was this us working together? It felt more like we were all caught in one of those steel bear traps and it was closing in and stabbing me and I was choking for some air…
"Ugh! Will you stop being so stubborn!" Meydiri flared at me.
"You have mere days left, Turaho. And you haven't been making your best effort, son." My mother tried to worry me again.
Anthene crossed her arms, and kicked a twig out of her way, "And less than an hour before the Knights of the Blood Nexus arrive on this spot. If they're not already listening in on our clandestine conversation. We need a solid plan from you, Tauraho. Now."
I tried to get past them fighting over me, which was really what it all was. Ma never got our mother-and-son holiday alone in Mulgore, Mey felt understandably slighted. Anthene? I think she just hates her father Kael'thas that badly. She's so desperate to be seen as independent of the Sunstrider family in her own right, a professional, and I was her only link to the big leagues of Horde spywork, I guess. She wanted to solve this case for her own reasons. So, before you accuse me of giving the women in my life a hard time, yes—there's the proof they were being ridiculous. On top of that, the holidays can make people so testy, too.
I leaned in, found my investigator's voice. "Anthene, tell me about the last time you saw Greatfather Winter."
She went into it quickly, almost happily. "You'll see at once that I'm not a suspect, either. I know that's your first line of questioning…"
"No questioning, just… please," for the love of Mu'usha above! "Please tell me when, where, what you saw, heard, all of it."
"He was suddenly in my room one night when I was up late, reading. Used magic to just… appear." To this, Mey rolled her eyes, and it was getting annoying for me. I mean, really, why would Anthene need to or even try to seduce Greatfather Winter of all people? "And he gave me this." Anthene reached down into her satchel and withdrew a folded piece of paper. She read, "Dear Turaho…"
What the—wait a second.
I had to raise my hand. I had to try and at least finally stop the madness.
I said this carefully, "Greatfather Winter… that old magic Dwarf… He gave you a letter addressed to me? And you had it this entire time? But you—"
"Shh!" My mother looked like I was interrupting one of her favorite fire-side stories. Likely, the potential for me being horribly abused and embarrassed by the cold truth, and all her warnings about me not doing this stuff (the majority of my life choices) right, it sat very well with Ma. Meydiri sighed and paced on those black hooves of hers. She had a kind of defiant, broody strut. I could tell she was working out her suspicious energy, rather than start another argument.
Oh, I can't help admiring that leggy gal. I also adore her usefulness and intelligence. Whenever Mey chooses to be calm.
We three were finally settled down enough for Anthene to read Greatfather Winter's letter all the way through…
Dear Turaho,
I have the power to traverse space and time—since those are the same—as you know. Or, you're as ignorant as you always seemed and I just proved it to you. Anyway. When I realized how late you were going to be, I arranged for my own prompt rescue. A feat that the Bronze dragonflight should learn from.
Nevermind about the gory details or how it all measures up this time around-It took you weeks to find me—though it felt like an entire year for some reason, I swear! Are you some kind of fat-headed idiot?
I was blindfolded at the time and even I know. Of COURSE Kael'thas kidnapped me! Of COURSE Saturna helped him and is covering up for him—and those horrible Blood Knights of hers are covering up for those two! They do have an oath to king and country you know, and going through that mess in Outland didn't dissuade them. Do you think a quaint lil' holiday kidnapping is gonna stop them? OBVIOUSLY, that skunk Alessandre lied about half the things he told you and is only covering up his own fool games—as he was back when I first met him and attempted to bail him out in Stormwind. SURELY Illidan Stormrage never should have been allowed to become involved because he only ever cares about himself, despite his selfless 'the world needs me' charade, and so he only ever cared to complicate this kidnapping matter further. I'm SURE Illidan's laughing it up right now in his secret barrow den hideout beneath some world tree. Another EVIDENT truth that doesn't require EVIDENCE—the Burning Legion is involved because it's KAEL'THAS for crap's sake. And the Twilight Cultists are always involved in every silly thing under the sun, let's face it—they think too much of themselves and their quest for world domination these days. They just keep trying though, don't they? It's at the point where it's starting to look, well, cute. I guess you have to be an immortal Titan like me to get a sense of that. Anyway, I'm rambling…
I confess that I was hoping to teach you a lesson about the magic of the season by going through all of this and letting you work out the moral of the story for yourself—
"That bastard, I knew it. He was wasting my time all along! I became a Sunwalker for his, selfish, ironic, fat butt—"
All the ladies at once, "Turaho, shh!"
Anthene resumed reading aloud…
But in every version of this horrifying Turaho adventure, in Winter's Veil past and present—again, your small mind wouldn't understand the timelines—I've been trapped here waiting, for ages, and the world just does not have that kind of time. Now. I've yelled at you, so let's cut straight to it. You can find me at the following address:
1206 Sun—
"After that it's… cut off." Anthene showed me the ripped page.
I lost it. I really did. "WHAT? He… The man wrote an address on the page, th-the actual… He's telling me, right now, right on that page where he's at and it's torn? TORN?!"
Anthene pouted, then couldn't look me in the eye. She said in a small voice, "Kinda."
"KINDA? Kinda?!"
Ma sighed with deep disappointment in me, "Turaho, please don't yell at the girl."
Mey loved it, "No, she's a princess."
Anthene slowly turned on Mey.
I shouted, "I will kill… all of you! Get out. Get away from me! And you—give me that letter. How did you even lose half of it when he gave it to you, into your own hands?" I slapped the back of one big hand into the palm of my other one, repeatedly as I made that essential point.
Anthene blinked and hopped back, "I stowed it away, at first. I skimmed it, since it seemed important. But father was coming into my room to tell me something and I didn't have time… I kept thinking I'd give it a good read later on, when father wouldn't notice. But it kept… uh, slipping my mind to do it. The thing is, it was on paper, it was written down, in Greatfather Winter's handwriting, and well-hidden. I thought things were solid and safe. I was always going to, I guess, fall back on that paper. Anyway, when I got it back out of the box today, half was just… gone. Someone must have done it."
My mother rubbed her chin, "My, I wonder who would do such a thing?"
"THE KIDNAPPER MAYBE?"
Mey couldn't stop herself from laughing finally. It was a decent villainess laugh, "Alright. This was great fun, I'll admit." She swatted me playfully in the arm, "Come on, let's go hogtie Kael'thas."
"It's NOT Kael'thas!"
They were astounded to hear me say that. What? Is all my investigative work so pathetic in their eyes? Is this not what I've been doing for a living for as long as any of them could remember?
"Not only do I have my own leads that tell me otherwise, Greatfather Winter was blindfolded when he was kidnapped. He was also on the inside of the operation, the object of it. He doesn't know the breadth, the depth of it. Who initiated, who is ultimately responsible and needs to get jailed? I won't say this again, Whoever's done it, I want them all locked up!"
Anthene tried to agree in the middle of my explanation, "Not to mention that my father would never do this. Definitely not a second time. He was a completely different person back then, in Outland. And he has far better things to worry about today."
I spoke more loudly, "Not just the supposed ringleader—I want them ALL! And I need the right people, don't I? If not, we'll put him… them away in jail, but then the same damned thing will happen again and I'll be stuck in Silvermoon for another year—few weeks of my vacation. It's only been a few weeks, I mean. But it feels like an eternity with you people!"
Mey shook her head at the whole thing. "It has to be Kael'thas."
"It is not my dad!"
I wasn't going to be derailed by bickering this time, "In his own writing, there on the page, Greatfather Winter says that he was blindfolded when they took him—this is his writing, isn't it, Mey?"
Mey would know. She'd dealt with old gods, Titans and the like before. She'd catch the… 'scent of the signature.' I don't know what that means exactly, but that's the phrasing the Twilight Cultists she works with use in the trade.
Mey stepped in and peered over Anthene's shoulder. "Yeah, it's an immortal Titan or better. Strokes are magically inclined, his hand would have pressed on the page as he worked his way down…" she sniffed it, and Anthene cringed, "Greatfather Winter falls in that range."
"Well, then. Greatfather Winter's own perception of the event isn't something we can rely on. Like I said."
Mey scowled on my behalf, "This stinks. I really does."
"It positively reeks." Ma gave Mey a subtle look.
I tapped the paper, "We've got the first part of the address, though."
Anthene was already shaking her head, "Lots of streets that start with… 'Sun'-something. But the number, we might be able to narrow down from there. Though, I guess it only tells us it's at the start of the street."
I covered my eyes. I turned my back on them and seethed.
I must have been out of my head with rage. I heard Mey saying to the others, "…Anthene, you'd better get going before the Blood Knights catch you here. And Farseer Runestalker—"
"I don't need to be told." Then I felt mother's hand on my shoulder after that haughty remark, "Son, all you need to do is think it and I'll be here for you again. Just ask me back whenever it's safe for you. And, in the meantime, just do your best. I promise I'll be closeby, keeping an eye on things wherever I can. Maybe something useful will even pass through the spirit realm..."
She said more, but my brain registered her pattern of voice as worrying over me like always. It melded into the regular sounds of the forest, I drowned it all out. Ma missed me, so she would ramble a little, I suppose…
Next, someone kissed my forehead. A lighter, Tauren muzzle. This was Mey, "Me being the sweeper, the hired muscle, the secret weapon? It only sort of works if they don't know I'm here yet, right?"
I half looked over my shoulder at Mey. She gave me another cuddle. I was too low to respond.
"Buck up, dear. I won't be far. I'll return when the coast is clear and we can…" she was either feeling amorous because I was suddenly so forlorn-looking, or anxious now about haranguing me for never writing to her. "We'll sort out the rest together, just the two of us. Like old times. Everything will be fine, Tauraho. Every dog has its day…"
Zoca barked and wagged her tail when Mey left. I heard Mey chiding the dog, to stay put.
Then, I know that the Blood Knights came. They unloaded crates, asked me about the exact location for my tent. They went by in a kind of red-and-black blur. I only stirred to tell them not to bother my dog when Zoca barked at all the strangers handling objects that smelled like me.
"I didn't know you had a dog, Turaho. What kind of dog is that?"
Sunthraze. I should have known Kael'thas—really, Saturna—would have sent the clever one. I knew Pyorin's annoyed grunts well enough. He was unloading the rest, with some others helping him.
Then Sunthraze, lower, "What's wrong with this dog, Pyorin? Tell me the holiday egg nog is still getting to me."
At last, silence. They must have drawn their own startled conclusions about Zoca behaving very much as if she was alive, but then appearing pretty blue and translucent, like my mother. Like their queen Saturna on one of her off-days. Like any ghost.
Pyorin let out a low whistle. Then he got nudged to shut up.
They asked me a few more questions about how I wanted the camp set up, but I didn't care. I think I was finally, properly depressed.
The Blood Knights went away. The sun began to set. I still sat, looking at the woods. I loathed myself.
Mother said I'd failed my mission. She was riding me, to get me to pull myself together and do right by my work. Yes, she was my mother. Yes, she could be annoying and she was no investigator like me, but...
Truth be told, any professional at my level would have walked in and said the same. Finally, I'd seen that about all that I had done.
Fatally compromised. I told Mey she'd done that with the Twilight Cultists. But here I was, alone. I'd been alone in Quel'thalas up until tonight, truly. I foolishly befriended Saturna—of course she was running distraction on me. I even knew it and enjoyed letting her do it. In the end, she realized that it didn't matter whether I was onto her game or not. It just needed to work, and it was working well, alright.
I gave Kael'thas Sunstrider himself half a chance because of his wife Saturna and it was more than enough for him to mess with me. While I was recovering from all that, the Blood Knights had a head start on covert briefings right beneath where I slept, I bet. Right in the Sunspire itself. Meanwhile, all this time, there had been a piece of paper, written by the Dwarf himself. His location, his address, what he had for seconds at brunch the day he disappeared… so much invaluable information was sitting right under my nose.
In a way, I should have never listened to Anthene, either, when we first met. She had an agenda. I let her have that agenda, have her youthful innocence, her indiscretions. Honestly, when she said she had a secret about Greatfather Winter, I should have searched her room, myself. Instead, someone, the real person behind everything, they had done it before me and hidden the evidence.
All this time… How did I ever get tricked out of it? I should have brought a proper team of investigators from Thunderbluff. I should have gone straight through a portal with Saturna instead of traipsing by zeppelin, and by sea…
They used me. They intelligently and ably used me, those damn clever Blood Elves. They did it by making me so comfortable, by letting me feel like a friend. Hell, I admired the men who came in and set up my camp, full of bugged equipment for Kael'thas to listen in, I'm sure.
And those Blood Elves were all correct—what had Kael'thas said when I listened in using my scrying orb? What Ihad accused Saturna of… Had I even got around to doing that yet, when she managed to remain so slyly elusive since I got here? All they had to do was wait for me to get demoralized, just like I was now, and give up.
I was tempted. My girl was here. We could run off somewhere, get married, have a well-earned honeymoon, and let Baine clean up the mess when it eventually reached Sylvanas… and Sylvanas! She was due here any day now, for that damned holiday party. I really should decide to leave in that case, get the fel far away from Silvermoon with Mey and fast…
At last, the cherry on top of my misery. I'd already been visited by the three so-called wise women. One brought me a ratty piece of paper dressed up as gold, the other had some smokey attitude, and the other gifted me a pop on the head. Well, I got that out of order.
Who else was left but the man himself, the most cracked-up holiday cracker?
No, this time I did not mean Kael'thas.
While I sat there, destroyed to the bone and too resentful to even get my hackles up properly over an enemy approaching-and he would have sensed that too-this big Night Elf man strutted right into my camp.
Alessandre kept away from the campfire light (or maybe he swerved around it when it reminded him of something, ha) and checked over his shoulder one last time to see if anyone was really there watching us. But yeah, it was him. Alive, well. Not a damn scratch. And still wearing that perfect leather, the fit bastard.
"Evening. May I sit?"
I felt like a miserable vagrant in my own home. I hated what my life had come to, where I was, and I felt empty. No hope for tomorrow getting better by any degree.
Alessandre sat on a stool set across from me. He lit his pipe. Smoked, waited. Then, he went into his vest and unscrewed a dark flask of something.
"Want a drink?"
I didn't think about whether I appreciated it or not. I knocked back as much as I liked, then handed it back to him.
Then I asked, "Would Tyrande Whisperwind like me stuffed with acorns or an apple in my mouth when you serve me up in Darnassus, roasted?"
Alessandre took his time answering that. He would have sensed how dangerous my mood was. I'd never behaved this way with him. Maybe he figured I might lose control, get violent if he didn't handle it precisely.
"You know, I never said—"
"That you'd died? I suppose corpses don't. You sure enjoyed letting me think it, though."
"Do we work together? I did offer that, once."
I was furious and also fatigued about him having made a good point. I wanted to throttle him though, slam his head into the ground a few good times. That ass! Technicalities and technicalities… He knew precisely what he did to me!
Then, something occurred to me. I flicked an ear at him, "You don't have the other half of that letter, do you?"
"No. I would have finished the whole mission by now, if I did. Like you." He offered me more liquor. I frowned, but went ahead and had some. "But when I heard Anthene say the other half was gone, I took advantage of the Blood Knights being busy out here setting up your camp. I back-tracked to Silvermoon, to her room, to search for it. She was telling the truth. It really is gone."
I let him have it. "How do you know where her bedroom is?"
Alessandre leveled with me. "I haven't been vacationing out here, you know. And I haven't been the puppet in some game with the Blood Elves, no matter what you think."
"Yeah, cause it's the other way around with her, isn't it?"
Alessandre kept his eyes right on me. Confident, unwavering. "Those women—no offense—one is your mother, the other is your girlfriend and it has to be said—probably a cultist…" he paused.
I was too upset to really think about that much. Meydiri has been accused of worse in her time. A lot of it by Fitz who simultaneously claims to adore her for being one of his loudest, drunkest customers.
"The last one, Anthene, is the damn kidnapper's daughter."
"We don't have solid proof yet that Kael'thas did it."
"Oh come on! Any court in the land would lock Kael'thas away."
"It's all circumstantial, it's not enough."
"He's Horde. That's what your problem is." Alessandre went back to his pipe. Puffed.
I don't know how, but I was appreciating the conversation. He wasn't complaining at me, whining or threatning me. Just straight up talk. I could trust Alessandre to be himself. A professional. And a jerk.
It was… refreshing.
I grunted, "If you listened in on that much of our conversation today, then you also know what I already told them. I have my own intel, and so I'm not comfortable just throwing Kael'thas right under the horse carriage."
He lowered his pipe, smirked, "I have my own intelligence as well. It says different. And yes, I have the help of the Night Elf camps in the Ghostlands."
Our next move was obvious. Painfully so.
"Turaho, I think we can find Greatfather Winter, nail Kael'thas—because he is the one responsible-and resolve this if we work together. I'm asking you one last time, Turaho."
I didn't say anything yet about how much sense it made now.
He winked, "Hate to say it, but just give the ladies some crap assignments while we two sort this out. I can even throw some red herrings out for them to follow, so they stay off your back. How does that sound?"
"I do need a partner but…" My own mother. The other woman, I was due to marry. I was afraid to argue with Mey or let her down again in any way, especially with our history. And… let's face it, Anthene was the woman I'd have on the side if I was young and spry enough to manage it—but I wasn't, and that was secretly ruining me. Also, Anthene looked too much like her mother. I was going to fail if I relied on those three. It was too demoralizing. Like being sent into battle with no pants on.
I might have smiled at that right then, my own joke.
Al missed nothing, "So, you don't outright hate me."
"Are we really partners then?"
He almost smiled like a boy, "Definitely. Sure—"
I cut him off, "Real partners share information. I want something real from you, first. Something useful. Tell me and then maybe I'll trust you, trust that you aren't yanking me around this time. Illidan Stormrage already warned me about you."
"Illidan…"
Ah. So the sneak-attack black cat didn't listen in at every keyhole did he? That would have been a hard one to overhear when Kael'thas would not have mentioned it to a soul, would not have needed to confide in anyone additional to get it arranged. In his head and Illidan's, that's where the appointment was kept. And it also meant Kael'thas' father-in-law, who was there in the room when I demanded to see Illidan, Lord Mageblade, he could keep a secret. I'd have to remember that too.
Alessandre was fascinated, and a little frightened too. I could pick that up from him. "What did Illidan have to say? Where was he—How did you even…?"
"I wanna know what Kael'thas is actually doing when he's so good at lying to me. Illidan works like a…"
"Scribe? A record-keeper. Because they used to work together, and Illidan knows Kael'thas well. Illidan would be a trove of information on Kael'thas. Damn, that's clever."
"I was going to say, a scrying orb or something. Illidan knows what Kael'thas knows. Even today. They're soul-linked."
"Still?"
It felt good, talking business. I filled Al in on what Illidan explained to me about the investigation, about the Kal'dorei Rogue Network.
"Sorry you had to find out that way, that I was still around. I did try to get some help to you, through your friend Bonnie. You know, that Kael has a fel addiction? But I also didn't want to leave any clues that might cause Kael'thas to think he hadn't finished me off. At least not for the time being."
"Hey. My skeleton would have jumped out of my hide when you showed up, otherwise." I sighed, slapped a hand on my leg. "Well. Your turn. And you'd better make it good in exchange. How about that old world tree you love so much? That lie you told me about wanting to… off Kael. But it's really been about that tree, isn't it?"
"The tree is sick."
Alessandre worked through something in his mind for a moment. It wasn't a lie. He was getting courage to tell me the truth for once. I've seen it before in plenty of people.
"…it would be terrible for the whole Horde to know. It's so much deeper than that. We've healed it a great deal, but Nordrassil is still suffering. The tree has a cancer."
I couldn't comprehend just how painful that must have been to the ones who knew. Alessandre, the rest of the rogue triumvirs, Tyrande, especially Malfurion. I wondered if Illidan was so ignorant. Playing games in the heart of the tree like that? Either Illidan didn't know or he didn't care.
"But Turaho, we think the Blood Elves have answers."
"The ley lines."
"I won't say that we're desperate."
But they were. I was no druid, but I had been in this game a long time. I've seen desperate. Another feeling. I could help with this. I could help shed light on this misery. The fog in me, it began to lift.
"…Turaho, we sought the assistance of someone powerful. Now that one, that is a strict secret. I will not say who."
I nodded, that was fair.
"But he was unable to assist us because, as we discovered, he himself was sick."
"Same problem?"
"He'd have to be a tree, Turaho, to have same affliction."
"Sorry—I'm not thinking. It's not been a good day for me."
"I'm sure it's been worse for Greatfather Winter." Alessandre looked like he felt bad, after getting his shot in. "Anyway, Greatfather Winter came along to Darnassus for the holiday. He was speaking with one of our priestesses about the tree's problem and the venerable Dwarf revealed that, in his long life, he might have some more information about… our first friend, the one we originally sought for help. Do you see?"
"You were going to have Greatfather Winter heal the friend, who could heal the tree."
"A slim chance, but one the Kal'dorei leadership is willing take."
"I see. No wonder that same leadership openly accused the Blood Elves of the kidnapping. If they know, what you just told me I mean, then holding Greatfather Winter hostage would have a direct, negative effect on your tree."
"I'm sure that Kael did it, in the marrow of my bones. But at the time we made the official complaint? We were only sure that the Blood Elves knew about our tree, and that they knew Greatfather Winter must have the magic to fix it, one way or another. He is a Titan, after all. We put two-and-two together about the Blood Elves."
"And you all did it accurately, at that." I might not have been convinced that Kael'thas was the one 'who dunnit', but the Night Elves were right that something fishy was going on, and the Blood Elves were to blame. At this point, we just needed to narrow it down.
I had to get things clear, "And you really are sure that Kael'thas, Saturna, the Blood Knights… they know that Nordrassil is suffering from a terminal affliction?"
"Potentially terminal."
No such thing. But I let Alessandre have his stubborn hope, in this instance.
On my side, I felt a twisted glimmer of pride. We, the Horde, were ontop of them. The Blood Elves knew and were handling it deftly, even if a kidnapping was involved. I wished they'd just told the rest of the Horde spy network, though. I did use to be a Pathfinder, I could have got a heads-up about the whole thing. Why did the Blood Elves keep so much strategy in-house?
I wondered aloud, "…Sylvanas doesn't know?"
"And just what do you think she'd do to our beloved world tree if she did? Her campaign to flatten Ashenvale, and Nightsong Woods as fast as possible? Sylvanas would only feel absolutely justified. She'd… burn the thing down, commit an atrocity, and claim she put it out of its misery."
Horrible truth. I kept my mouth shut.
Al finished with his pipe. A hurt look crossed his gaze. "So, then."
"Guess we're in this." I acknowledged his look.
He breathed out a stream of smoke, "I wish we'd done it sooner."
"You thinking about your well-earned tan lines?"
"Hey, Kael'thas could have melted half of me. My wife happens to be an excellent healer, however. And she was ah… very motivated to keep me as good-looking as I am."
"Ah. So while I was out here suffering, you were at home with your wife, and your feet up?"
"Opal says I have cute feet."
I snerked.
"I have a head start on you." Al stood and hooked fingers into his pants loops, straightened them out, and dusted off his lap. He checked his fancy belt buckle. "Go on and do the part I can't. Visit the Blood Knights, at their homes in the countryside, on the eastern ridge over there… Want a map? I'll draw you one. Question them, on their territory, not in the palace. Then, tell me what they say."
"Excellent plan. I'd be happy to."
It was a weird thing for someone in the Horde to say to someone in the Alliance.
I looked up to see Alessandre smiling down at me. I didn't like that, so I got on my feet too, and stood with him.
Alessandre offered me his hand. We shook on it.
He tried not to smile too much, "After that, I have a few more errands. You're more mobile than I am at this stage of the investigation. Don't resent me for it."
"Yeah, I was gonna say. It kind of feels like I'm working for you, now."
"Let's just follow this organically. Whomever needs to take the lead, he does. Okay? And no one can know that you're working for the Alliance."
"No. You, Night Elf, are working for the Horde."
We laughed together.
I shrugged, "It's funny. Horde or Alliance, the result will be the same, in your eyes. You think that you're going to get Kael'thas' head on a platter."
"Are you so charmed by their family still, that you're unwilling to even consider it?"
Cold. If you consider… Anthene.
I decided not to say anything more about that. I mean, I might have been wrong in my assumptions, but I have good instincts for a reason. I may be completely correct that Alessandre is, in addition to everything else, a giant womanizing arsehole. And I bet he says 'it's just business' to his wife and everyone else.
Me lusting after Saturna is completely different, so don't go there.
"It's more than that, anyway. I owe that old Dwarf. I really do. Meeting him… changed everything for me. I'm fighting to make sure that other people who need his help also get their chance at a new life. Greatfather Winter does it uniquely well. With this eternal love and compassion, even for hardened grumps like us. I was where you are now, about a decade ago? Maybe more? I was in chaos, but I was also on the verge of so many great and beautiful, peaceful things. I would have remained lost; I would have never got there, if not for Greatfather Winter. That's why we must find him and save him from Kael'thas, of all people…"
It was heartfelt and it came out of nowhere.
Al noted my surprise. "You okay?"
"No, it's just that… I kind of… I'm pretty sure I am the target of Greatfather Winter's next big miracle. But that's silly, right? And kind of up to interpretation. I mean, whether you believe or not. I've been asking each person I come across whether they believe."
"What interpretation? Greatfather Winter saves people. Saves their souls. He spreads love, Turaho."
I suddenly felt like I was in an old prayer circle at home, the village elder walking up to me, hands spread, intent on my spiritual healing while the rest shook gourds, chanted.
Al came in close, whispered, "The land must heal. Things must change. Aren't people the same?"
I saw it, "Yes, they are."
"Then, heal. Shed your old bark. Your shell, whatever it takes. After, the winter veil lifts and spring will come again."
The moment was just as soon gone. I blinked and saw Alessandre finish tapping out his pipe. He stuffed it back into his vest, then checked the rest of his clothing.
Al gave me a final nod, "I'll find you. I'll be the one in touch, just like in Mulgore."
Al gave half a salute, then looked around with a hand resting over his dagger. Satisfied that we were still not being watched, he began to stroll out of there.
"Hey, Al."
"Yeah?"
"I'm so glad you lived."
Alessandre paused. He gave a short wave. Then, I watched him meld into the forest, easy as that.
Well, well. I bet you didn't see that one coming.
