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Chapter 24: Like Shattered Glass
Okay. Ugh. I checked the scrying orb one last time, but some crazy sounds were coming out of it. Weird to have to roll it around and see it at a lot of fun angles before I could get it small enough to be quiet and stow it away. I hoped being at the bottom of my bag would be enough to… unsee that. Not that Kael and Saturna getting it on was so bad, it just… didn't involve me.
Well I mean, I don't want Kael'thas in there… okay, moving on.
"So, those two are back together. Blargh."
Then a woman's voice, "They were never estranged, or divorced. One of them tossed in a jail cell or locked away…"
You might think I would be embarrassed, being walked in on like that. But I was mostly relieved it wasn't my mother. Being a ghost—being a ghost who'd made the decision to come back and haunt me this time of year, Ma could appear at any time nearby really. It was Meydiri this time, though.
The beautiful black-hided Tauren lady had a seat on my bedroll. A look of contained laughter stretched the smile on her muzzle.
She crossed her legs, bounced a hoof in the night air. "Do you know what's funny? That's the main purpose of those little things." And Mey took the glass ball right out of my satchel without asking. "Oh, don't look so innocent. I always know what you're up to. Watching Elf porn are you?"
"Royal Elf porn."
She didn't like it, however cool and forgiving she was playing. I finally picked that up. "So…" she lingered a while. I knew she was submerging that temper of hers, "Who'd have thought. Kael'thas didn't kidnap Greatfather Winter."
"Well, he helped. Or knew about it. And now he's covering it up."
"Covering for who, though? One of his Blood Knights, I bet."
"But that doesn't make sense. There's nothing that any of them has to gain from it…"
I recalled that Kael'thas was probably spying on me now. Well, not at exactly that moment, as he was erm, otherwise engaged in the royal bedroom. However, Kael'thas would know soon. He wouldn't miss an opportunity to bug all the belongings in my camp with tiny magical spying devices. So Mey and I would need to say little and work fast.
And, hopefully, it would take additional time for Kael to work out just exactly how I'd overheard him and Saturna.
Shyte. If he found that little marble I placed in his bedroom, then I really would die in a fire. I wouldn't blame him for showing no mercy over that. I needed to gather damning evidence against him and the one was covering for. Fast.
It also meant I needed to get Meydiri out of my way. She would only interfere if I told her I had decided to work with the notorious Night Elf Alessandre. And then that would be the end of our alliance; Al really didn't trust Meydiri.
Yeah, I guess it did feel like I was choosing the Night Elf over my woman. But without him, I'd be lost at this stage in the investigation. I imagined myself charging in with no pants on. Again.
Meydiri was thinking through other possibilities, "Rommath, then? Halduron? Maybe Lor'themar? They all have to be friends with Kael'thas too. And he needs them as well, whether Kael'thas likes it or not."
"Hrmph. I don't think that one has any problems getting what he wants for the holiday."
"Oh, Lor'thremar? Yeah, he's pretty sexy."
"Well. Thank you very much."
I silently decided to follow Alessandre's advice. Yes, it had to be one of the Blood Knights. So I needed a good red herring for Mey to chase, out of the way.
"Mey… Actually, can you check those leads for me?"
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
It was flimsy and foolish, and she'd see through it in about another five seconds. I silently prayed for a miracle.
"Son!"
Mommy! Thank you so much.
"Look who I ran into, these very famous, very wonderful people have invited us to dinner. But you completely forgot? I'm so sorry, Prince Belorim. If my son Turaho isn't being an ass, he's being an idiot."
"Mom—"
"I hope you don't mind." Prince Belorim had his beautiful wife with him. The stunning Tauren shamaness. My mother was about as thrilled as if she'd found me someone better to marry than Meydiri. Eventhough Dharka was married to someone else already, a Sunstrider at that. Mey picked up on Ma's jubilant mood and instantly hated this new, third Tauren woman.
I kinda hated it, too. I wanted to sleep. Or at least pretend to need sleep so that I could get away from everyone.
Al had been right. I needed to keep these ladies of mine, my little Tauren herd, mooooving.
No, don't be like that. I can make just one of those jokes, I'm sure.
I got sarcastic, I was feeling it anyway. "Oh, how could I ever forget dinner at the estate… How rude!"
"You love being rude." Mey accused.
Dharka Sunstrider bowed her white horns, curtseyed beautifully. "We are not far from here. We were worried about you missing us. But now that we see you are safe and the camp is set up well, Turaho, let us show you the hospitality that Quel'thalas originally intended."
Don't you love Tauren? Not afraid to talk about bullshit going down. All us Tauren shared a look then, that this whole Quel'thalas adventure had been a fiasco and our people deserved better.
Belorim smiled sadly, fully aware of his father Kael'thas' social blunder as well. Though I suspected Belorim was also actively covering for the other, criminal one.
I considering questioning Belorim about the kidnapping, but he wasn't going to rat out his own father. Prince Belorim had already made the decision to cover for Kael'thas, as had everyone else. Belorim had as much to lose as any of the Sunstriders. Yeah, I might catch him out in a lie and trip Belorim up. But if Kael'thas told his own wife next to nothing, and it took a fiery saber dance in bed to get Kael'thas to chirp up a sliver of another detail about it, there was no way the son knew any more than he was supposed to. Another thing, Illidan might not like me messing with the boy he'd once claimed and raised as his son, for a time.
Yeah, I know. That's me injecting foresight into the hindsight. I think. More on that later…
Belorim and Dharka's estate was… well, it was an estate! A proper castle in the forest. No wonder Kael'thas wasn't too concerned, in the end, about me camping in that part of Eversong. I was kind of on his son's vast front lawn. There weren't any walls around it that I could see, but possibly some magical barriers?
Dinner was delicious. Roasted vegetables, Mulgore plainstrider… Dharka had it very good as Tauren royalty in Quel'thalas. The house was Thalassian on the outside, but major parts of it were defiantly Tauren. The main gallery for one. It made our jaws drop to see sacred woven hangings form Mulgore set next to ancient Thalassian ones. Belorim and his Tauren wife had mingled their tastes well, managing to make everything feel raw, real, tribal. And then, in the dining room, Dharka excelled at showing off how elegant our people could also be. The finest modern carvings rested atop Thalassian red marble columns.
Belorim looks a lot like an um, Illidari, by the way. I suppose. He has horns like Illidan and hooves. But I had to keep reminding myself that Belorim wasn't a Demon Hunter. It made me sad that all this investment in their home, far away form court, also probably meant the Sunstriders preferred these two to stay out of sight, though they kept them close.
I didn't expect to enjoy myself. But there we were, well fed, in pleasant company by the time dinner and drinks were done. Mey was cozied up against my arm, hugging me by the end of the night. It was obvious what she really wanted to do once this was all over. I think she was showing me off in front of Dharka, who clearly didn't care—though I did get the tiniest inkling that she missed male Tauren company and found me fun, even attractive. And then there was Ma who had settled for angling me as the new best friend of Prince Belorim if Dharka's real, legally binding marriage to Belorim, a Blood Elf, hadn't fully sunk in for her earlier in the evening.
My mother finally rolled her eyes at Mey and sipped from her glass of wine.
We all lowered our conversation when loud horses' hooves could be heard from outside. There was a dusk blue ribbon of road at the brink of Belorim's property that we could just make out from the window.
I worried, "Those aren't Hawkstriders?"
Hooves usually meant the Alliance were coming. They weren't padded wolf paws, or booming kodo feet.
A very black carriage, four of them, were racing along like there was a war on. I'd seen skeletal warhorses before, the kind the Forsaken use, but it freaked me out to suddenly have them going down the road in the perfect forest around us. Night covered the golden land. It was presently a deep, sleepy green.
Now that I was free of the castle, I had my gun back with me, finally. I checked for it, but it was against the far wall.
Belorim laughed at our reaction. Us Tauren were almost clogging up the window, trying to look out at what we supposed was Arthas' second coming. "Oh, don't bother with that. It's just Warchief Sylvanas' holiday costume."
Prince Belorim Sunstrider's voice was getting musical. He'd been drinking very big glasses of wine all evening. I was lingering by the window of his home, imagining myself outside of it. Far, far outside of it and away down the road. By that… strawberry patch, just there.
Mey went, "Hrmph. She's not that pretty, you know."
No one dared speak against the current warchief. Especially because it was Warchief Sylvanas.
Mey tickled my elbow. But she was also getting very irritating. Mey also smelled sweet, and she was warm. I loved that I'd made her into my fiancé. Mey had started out as the embodiment of Mulgore spice bread for the evening, but she now wanted something real from me. Affection, more information… something. Now she looked up at me, and her dark eyes were intense. She was beginning to suspect that I couldn't have opted into this dinner unless I had a more practical reason.
Hours ago, when the Blood Knights came to set up my camp, Mey had evidently gone off and hiked in a large loop around the spot to ensure nobody picked up her scent—old, excellent Pathfinder trick. First, downwind of them, and by the time they left, she'd be downwind of them again. And, as luck would have it, this also made it easier for me to avoid telling her that Al was still alive and around somewhere. She might have picked him up later, but I doubted it. Mey would have laid into me, big time, if she knew I'd talked to Al and didn't have a problem with him. It would have implied our partnership.
Another dangerous thing—Mey's careful cover had been blown because Belorim and Dharka had found her in the woods and invited her to dinner. So, word would reach all of the king's Blood Knights and all the king's Magisters that my terrifying, gun-slinging Pathfinder fiancée had arrived in town to kick their asses and take names. And Mey was a pretty good sleuth too, in her own right.
Belorim stayed at the table, pouring himself another drink. Darkah offered to guide Ma through the next room, pointing out all the ceremonial objects from her travels. It was gone now, but I think the sight of the skeleton carriage, whatever-you-call-it, had upset Ma. Spirits have peculiar tastes. Sometimes, they don't like to be reminded.
I could hear from the next room that Darkah owned shamanstic objects from different groups she had met through the Earthen Ring. Only a Tauren shaman with a deep appreciation for her vocation could arranged it so well. Dar'kah had impressive access at levels few Tauren had experienced in their lifetime, being the wife of the first son of King Kael'thas Sunstrider. Belorim hadn't been spoiled as a child, but Kael'thas seemed to be making up for lost time, still, now that Belorim was older. Illidan had raised him, I learned over dinner. Tyrande and Illidan had him for a while, but then Belorim sought out his true roots—sorry, I'm rambling again. It's an even longer story than this one.*
As for the other Sunstrider prince? Prince Chao'thas had strange legal restrictions on his spending account at the Royal Exchange in Silvermoon City, though it was sickeningly generous, so don't feel sorry for him… but Belorim was free to do whatever he pleased in order to enjoy his position and keep up appearances. Probably because Belorim was humble by nature, and so was his wife.
From the other room we three heard Dar'kah saying, "Belorim doesn't agree, but I think this house would do better as a museum. We're rarely here, and this is such a profound collection of spiritual symbols, isn't it?"
Yep. It felt like a museum alright. But there was a magical Dwarf man in a cage somewhere and Kael'thas' friend didn't need to get away with it. I needed to get the fel out of there, so fast.
"Turaho… Tell me what it is. What's really out there?" Mey prodded me again, sidling up against me to kind of hem me into the window and the romantic view of the night outside. I smiled fondly at her, but then stepped away, back into polite company.
Okay, any other topic of conversation. How about the uncomfortably familiar one, "What's this Prince Belorim? Sylvanas is wearing a holiday costume? That's laughable."
"Oh no, don't tell her that. All my father's reports say the holiday invitation went straight to the Banshee Queen's head. She's delighted to have a special invitation, and to Silvermoon no less, for a royal do."
"She'll dress up as something spooky." Was I really having this conversation? I tried not to scan the room in an obvious way that Mey would notice. There had to be a discreet way out! My mind ran through the other quiet rooms of the house we passed through to get to the dinner table. Too many watchful servants in those. Too many watchful servants for only two people who probably told them all 'not to bother, I'll get it.' The things gentle souls like Belorim and Darkah would do.
"Actually, rumor has it that Sylvanas wants to appear as something fun and… erm… fetching."
"It's slutmog." Mey made everyone shudder.
"Mey, she's still our Warchief, ya know."
"It's her one chance to dance under a free moon and feel like a princess with that… Nathanos thing. And Kael'thas is technically an ex so he'll be stuck there, having to watch her. The only key players missing in the charade are her sisters."
My mother the ghost floated back into the dining room. She could do that. Darkah wasn't far behind, and she had a curious smile on her muzzle.
Ma spoke over Mey, "Forgive her, she forgets that your people nearly faced extinction that horrible day, and it's more than just some schoolhouse reunion for Sylvanas." Ma narrowed eyes at Mey to cut it out.
Mey lashed her tail once, defiant and happy to be getting on her hackles, "It'll be like old times for Sylvie, you'll see. She'll try to outdress everyone. Bits and… bobs. Bobbing everywhere…" she rolled her eyes, then smirked.
I did actually enjoy imagining it. The mean way Mey put it. Few people have the balls to take shots at Sylvanas.
My mother repeated my initial complaint, "She is our warchief."
I mediated, "Warchief doesn't mean what it used to these days, Ma."
"No, Turaho. It certainly doesn't." That clip in tone was actually for Mey. Mey still seemed happily oblivious, whisking her tail.
"Well, I shouldn't say as much but…" Darkah placed a hand on Belorim's shoulder, then she patted down the blonde hair between his coiling horns. I had to keep reminding myself that he was not Illidan, looking like that. "I did get a chance to peek at the sketches as well. I helped to arrange the party with Princess Anthene and you know how the Queen of Silvermoon usually gives people instructions on how to dress. But Sylvanas told Saturna what she intended to wear, not the other way around. We ladies of the court are going to have to turn down our own garb to not outshine the guest of honor. Red and green—No, scarlet and emerald. And… there were wings involved."
"Wings!" Mey and my mother complained at once.
"What has wings and is red and green?"
I mumbled, "I don't want to know."
Belorim smiled and had more wine. "Turaho? You're not drinking any of this?"
His father Kael'thas probably intended me to get drunk on that stuff and start confession things, but I wasn't going to allow that this time. And Belorim wasn't a good spy, either. He was doing a very good number on himself at the moment instead.
Ah well, it had been a nice meal. Also, it brought me closer to the Eastern Ridge, that area Alessandre had been talking about. The Blood Knights lived in the area. If he was good, then Alessandre was keeping an eye on me and waiting for his chance to get back in contact. That made me anxious all over again. I needed to leave.
I glanced back at Mey, who was still whipping her tail playfully. At the edge of the window, I saw a shadow. A scant look at it, but as soon as I noticed the yellow eyes, it was gone.
Yep. I knew it was my new Alliance partner.
Alright, this time, go for the obvious. "I need some air."
Mey put a hand on her round hip. "And I will go with you."
"Or, I should just stay here. Maybe get another look at that shaman collection…" that room had windows, and one of the servants just left it, since Ma and Dharka were done in there. Maybe I could get one open.
Mey huffed, "How funny. I also want to get another look at that particular room."
Mey must have seen it, too. But I don't know why it didn't disturb her, if so. The news about Alessandre still being alive nearly gave me a panic attack, when Illidan told me.
"Mey…"
"I'm about as bored as you, why not?"
My mother, just as I warned when she showed up and tried to run my investigation for me? She was not good at this game. "Well! I am not moving an inch from Princess Darkah's side. I want this evening to last forever, this is all so fascinating and charming!"
Yeah, a real investigator would never say that or miss a cue like that. Ever. At least she was having fun.
Belorim waved absently. "Oh! Let the lovebirds go off and be alone. We don't mind. We do it all the time…"
"Shush—Belorim, we have polite company!"
Ugh, both of them were starting to annoy me. They were so… nice. I imagined someone like Kael'thas being secretly nauseated by them ontop of everything else.
Mey walked ahead of me through the door to the display room, she winked. "I get the feeling Prince Belorim is a black sheep in his family in a whole other way."
"How so?" I played dumb, or into her conversation, I didn't know. I just needed to get one of these windows open or something. Didn't want to have to run out of the obvious front door if I could help it. Then they'd start complaining about how long I was taking and worse, start looking for me. Mey and I making out alone in some random room would keep them busy for a while.
All the windows were locked, I noted. Curtains drawn at the back. No second door…
"Belorim's too nice. He'll rot your teeth out. And I hear the Sunstriders are also rumored to be related to the Black Dragonflight."
"Who says!" that shocked my hocks off.
"It was a joke, Turaho." Mey reached up and flicked one of the locks on the window. These kinds of windows had the locks at the top. I didn't notice. She slid it open in the next moment. Evening outside and raining gently. "…After you?"
"You're one hot Tauren lady."
Mey went first anyway when I met her at the window, winking at me. Once I stepped outside she pulled me over and started kissing me instantly.
Ah! Now she made more sense.
"Honey, I…"
"When have I ever been your honey, Turaho? Come on, up against the wall of this snooty house will be just fine. I can't wait to soil their reputation."
She was feeling good. It had been a while.
"You're driving me crazy, Mey."
She licked my neck.
"Heh. Good girl. Wanna try that a little lower?"
"Alright. I don't mind being obedient for once."
The bushes rustled nearby us. Mey stopped, immediately started checking around.
I played along, "I… wonder what that was?"
Then, the bushes rustled on the other side.
Meydiri wasn't impressed at all. "Oh, someone's throwing stones in the bushes. We're being spied on."
So she hadn't seen the big Night Elf outside. How do you abandon a hot moment for something in the trees, and not have the woman get mad at you?
"Probably one of Saturna's Bloodknight stooges. I'll handle this."
Mey grabbed me. She didn't want me to go alone.
I lied to her, when Kael'thas would know within hours anyway, "Mey. You don't want your cover broken, remember?"
"Well they've probably already seen me."
"No, please. Let's keep up the secret sexy spy girl act a little longer. Anyway, I don't want them looking at my woman without my explicit say so."
Mey enjoyed giving me a lustful look. "However you want to play it. Player."
Oh, it was tempting to stay behind then. I slipped an arm around her waist and indulged one last kiss. The next pebble was angry and whipped past my backside. I hopped.
"I'll go and come right back. Keep it warm for me."
She crouched down and hid herself, eyeing me the whole time.
I almost tripped over my own hooves, watching that special look of hers.
When I passed into the shadows, someone nabbed me by the elbow and pulled me into some trees. It was Alessandre.
"Uh-I'm free now." I tried to whisper.
Alessandre just shook his head at me, grinning.
"Look, it's fine." I took the rolled up paper he offered, then nudged him to start walking. He agreed, though he kept checking back at Meydiri. "Is she gonna still be so friendly when you get back this time tomorrow afternoon?"
Ah, sweet, sweet, antisocial avoidance. I smiled at the idea.
"Alright, don't give me any details." Alessandre started hiking uphill. He went more smoothly in the darkness then I could. He held branches out of the way for me that I didn't know where there until I was almost ontop of them. Without him, I would have been a bumbling fool. I'dve fallen and twisted my ankle or something.
We got to the top of a moonlit hill and were able to look down over the area from there. Al waggled fingers at me and I handed the map back. He unfurled it and raised it up so that it matched our view from high up.
"Darkweavers live there, furthest out. That's Kael'thas' chief advisor." Alessandre checked to see if I knew that already.
"I hated that guy. He was so damn spooky when I first met him. And he was wearing eyeliner for some reason."
"And that's precisely why you've not made a move to question him. It'll have to be done."
"But Faltheriel is odd and makes my skin crawl beneath my fur. And that's only after I talked to him, barely, the one time." I paused, realizing it had been a front. That's what Alessandre was really getting at.
"Yes." Al didn't look like he was going to say anymore, then, "He's all kinds of wrong."
"Wait, it's something else isn't it?" Al refused to respond to my prodding him, "You have history with Kael'thas' weird advisor! You do, don't you?"
"I'm not questioning Faltheriel. It'll serve no purpose—"
"Oh, but I'm the one who has to? Why do I get stuck with it? You're not going to tell me the story, are you?"
Al moved on, "South of there, you see all these fields? Those are remnants of the Hawkstrider ranch that are still included with the Sunthraze Estate."
"Gods, imagine going there first."
"It's closest."
I dreaded facing Tempest or so-called Sunthraze the Sly again. And at this time of night.
"Then you have Lord Pyorin and Lady Daphne… Lord Fennore Hallowmare and his wife, over on that side. They're closest to the Ghostlands, though it's all good land. A crime that all his Blood Knights got doled out ancestral land when there's such a crisis. And a lot of it just sits. No farming, just lawns to look at. Animals don't even graze it—"
"Alright, you tree-hugging Night Elf. I understand what needs to be done."
"Actually, I was thinking of the Void Elves who had every right to forsake this crappy-ass system."
Right. He's Alliance.
Alessandre smiled at me. "You sure you can handle this alone? It's risky, but I could do the other half of the houses-"
"No. Kael'thas thinks your dead. It needs to stay that way. You're my only edge."
"I thought that shady Pathfinder Meydiri was your edge."
I kept him focused regarding Meydiri, "Yeah. How are you going to keep Mey and my mother off my back once they realize I'm gone?"
"Don't worry about them. I've got it covered-"
"These are women in my own family we're talking about, now. Don't get stupid."
"I won't. I promise I won't."
"Eh, if it helps… I kind of nudged Mey in the direction of Rommath, Halduron, those guys. She might go for something like that."
"No, I don't think so. Your cultist girlfriend is going to just run the other way, from Rommath."
"Alright, stop calling her a cultist. Yes, she's got hooves and horns, blah-blah, and a bad temper too. She gets accused of being a Grimtotem all the time. But that doesn't make her some demon, okay?"
Why was I trusting him with this again?
"Fine. We don't have a lot of time. Remember, hit the Sunthrazes first. They're having a little house party, so I think you can get them with their pants down. Nobody expects you to be wandering free tonight. And also be sure to ask them-"
"About the night Greatfather Winter disappeared. I know."
"No. I was going to say, ask them where the toilet is. Then, search the house. Helps if you feign some… discomfort beforehand." Al handed me a pouch of something.
"What. Are you suggesting… Is this seriously about to happen? This low-tech, sorry excuse for a—"
"Indigestion works. And if you smell, nobody's coming after you."
"I thought you were too posh and snooty for something like this, even if you are a Night Elf-Al, no. This is gross." I tried to hand whatever it was back to him.
"And, it's infallible."
Finally, I started laughing. He grinned back in the dark.
"Ah, funny… But if this is poison Alessandre, while you get some tricky Alliance lead on me, you know I'll gore you with my horns."
He raised his hands up, looking innocent.
"Fine, I'll do it." Then I lingered. Al could tell that I had more information that I was keeping back. "Al."
"Yes?"
"He… He didn't do it."
"Oh, I see. Because Kael'thas told you so?" Al hadn't needed more information, we were already on the same wavelength. That still felt good, even though he was still playing for the other team. "Well, one of his Blood Knights was told to tell you, I bet?"
I would have to explain about the scrying orbs if I was going to prove it to Al. That would've been why my gut insisted I not say anything too specific. Instinctively, I knew it would be impossible to get him on board with my proof.
"I just believe in Kael'thas, Al. So much."
Ho my gods! I'm… still laughing about how I actually said that with a straight face at the time!
"Al, I really think we should pursue this the other way, as if there's another ringleader and not Kael'thas. It'll save us time, or else we'll go around in circles. Right?"
Alessandre crossed his arms tight, and narrowed glowing yellow eyes at me for a long time. Then, he simply promised to meet me afterward. After my… ordeal.
And the way he put it, too. I think that bastard secretly felt I deserved horrible gut problems for my stalward Horde beliefs.
As fortune would have it, after I was going pretty well for the while, hoofing it through the underbrush, keeping the moon above my right shoulder in the east and all that, I tripped and tumbled down a pretty little hillock and then twisted my damn ankle.
I did a very unprofessional thing and just howled about how much that hurt. I think it was really existential rage at how none of this was working out at all. The pretty Blood Elf woman that asked me to take this mission was married to the biggest bastard on the planet and she wasn't leaving him. My fiancée was actually someone I couldn't work with. My mother was here. I was being forced to work with the Alliance. Sylvanas herself was finally here. Worst of all—that damned Kael'thas! I'd have to invent something to get him locked up. So how could things possibly get worse? Things stupidly got worse anyway!
I presumed I was too far out for anyone of importance to hear me. I really should have been.
But then, I was shocked to look up after a while and see a Night Elf man and a Blood Elf standing together closeby me. They had been whispering. After I noted the green hair on the Night Elf and was sure it wasn't Al coming to help, I decided on them being spies in some giant Blood Elf-Night Elf conspiracy that would better explain Al's kindness, something I had scarcely considered in my wild imagination at points during this horrifying experience. I knew they had come to kill me.
"You must be Kael'thas' Tauren!"
"I'm not…" I winced in pain and was suddenly too tired to correct the Blood Elf man with graying red hair.
"Rach!" the Night Elf man called back behind him.
The Blood Elf waved him off, "Don't call the ladies, Dannox. Let's do this ourselves."
Louder, "Rachel!"
I sat there, wondering why the first man was being ignored.
The mature Blood Elf gentleman bent down to help, after a groan. "Don't mind him. He's… on something."
I don't think that the second Night Elf we met in this thing needed to be 'on something' like a stereotypical Night Elf you might trip over in a forest, but okay.
Then, a Human woman joined them. She covered her mouth. "By the Light, this is a real Tauren."
"It's Kael'thas' Tauren…" the Night Elf called Dannox started to come over to me. Rachel—I guessed she was a wife—clawed his arm and yanked him back as if she had every entitlement to do so. Yep, that's a wife. What was the Alliance doing out here? I could tell by then that they weren't super spies or anything. They were far too silly for that. Reality had started to seep back in.
Night Elves are funny. Alessandre had been so searing at times, and at others, cruel. Kindess was something he chose to do if it suited his purpose. This new guy was all sunshine and actually seemed like he was running over to hug me.
"Dannox, will you stop!"
The Blood Elf man attempted to wedge his shoulder under my arm and get me up, "We should introduce ourselves. I'm General Nathaniel Blaize. These are our neighbors… Rachel and Dannox."
Dannox grinned like a fool and broke loose from his wife. He stepped over to me again. This time, Blaize lashed a free arm back to get him away.
Rachel had brown skin, her husband Dannox was very dark purple, similar to Alessandre. I let myself hope, for a little while, that maybe those two could be related? That would certainly help my investigation, a very deep-cover Kaldorei Rogue Network plant... But it would have been a longshot. And why would Alessandre be so desperate for me to team up with him if he already had a relative or a fellow Night Elf in the vicinity that he could pressure? Likely, Al hadn't known about this guy. So, Dannox was… well, a random, high Night Elf in the middle of this stupid, STUPID story!
Rachel cut in, "And this is Dannox. Dannox Darkweaver—Cut it out, you weird, horny druid!"
Hokaaay, that's all I needed to hear. I was getting up, twisted hock or not.
"You're injured." Blaize cautioned me to take it easy, though it was clear I'd been frightened. Yes, I'd heard about this one. Blaize had been in charge of the Sunfury Army back when Kael'thas was being wayward in Outland. Good general, worked hard. Happened to have the worst boss in all of creation who ritually embarrassed him and once nearly dropped him off the roof of the Black Temple for fun. To top it off, that was after Kael'thas also stole Blaize's wife. Saturna, you know. Mostly everyone knew that story.
The cynic in me decided there had to be a good reason why Kael'thas reacted to Blaize like oil to water all those years ago. The hand up was definitely appreciated, but I wasn't going to jump all in and trust him just yet.
He was strong for a Blood Elf. He got me moving on my hooves pretty quickly.
"Lean on me, all the way."
I was glad to.
I caught my breath, eyed giant Dannox. If I thought Alessandre was a big guy… "And what's his problem, exactly? What's he on?"
"I think that what you really want to ask is why there are members of the Alliance living in Eversong Woods?"
Smart man, Blaize.
"I'm a Sunstrider by marriage, and they are linked to Chief Advisor Faltheriel Darkweaver by marriage."
"Oh? Wait-"
"I'm married to Celestia Sunstrider." Blaize already knew I was starting to link him back up with Saturna, though that Outland scandal was ages ago, "People who are very close to Kael'thas get special privileges."
Dannox complained instantly, "I defected from the Alliance because Malfurion is a giant ass."
His wife Rachel tried to shush him.
"And you, Mrs…?"
I love being nosey by trade.
"Faltheriel is my husband."
I couldn't follow that. I wondered if it was the pain, or if I should continue prying.
Blaize watched me take that in. Or, attempt to. He smiled at me, but didn't say anything more about it.
"Alright, people. Let's get him back home."
"Whose home—" Dannox got shushed again.
It was the longest walk of all time, I think. Me leaning on a Blood Elf more than I ever wanted to, and Dannox finally becoming sensible enough to join in on the other side and help. Rachel was on edge the whole way, and I didn't want him touching me. But we three men managed it.
The Sunthraze Estate was somehow grander than Belorim's place, but not because it was larger or anything like that. A Sunstrider wanting a brand new estate in Eversong Woods would be sure to dwarf his neighbors. Belorim and Darkah had the money and connections for it. But the Sunthraze Estate was ancient. It was quiet, solid, waiting. Golden accents in the stone shone even in the darkness as we passed by.
Old torches flared in a long line, lighting our way up the back garden path. The servants weren't really ready for what all their guests were bringing home. Men in orange striped livery hesitated for a bit, but then the head man came out and confidently pointed, directing them.
A team effort of servants and Blaize giving cool, confifent orders got me on the couch in the main room, I think. Dannox was told to go to bed in one of the guest rooms, but he didn't want to… leave me. He was delivered some very black coffee that he didn't ask for.
Rachel controlled her Night Elf while Blaize and the others said they had to leave the room. I had this feeling… I could easily get sort of stuck here, right?
Rachel the Human woman had a polite seat on Dannox's knee, but then put an arm around his neck, too. I found it a little threatening.
I liked her.
"Dannox thinks you're another druid, that's why. He thinks you're friends, in a way."
I swiftly told him, direct eye contact, "I am not a druid."
Dannox sank back into the chair. "So you weren't in the Emerald Dream when…?"
"No. Never."
Dannox leaned his chin in palm. Absolutely sullen.
His wife was happier after that, "You're Turaho Runestalker? You're the one who arranged to get letters sent through from the Horde to King Anduin?"
"Mhrm. Do you make it to Stormwind ever?"
"I'm friendly with a few powerful newspapers in both factions. I'm one of those rare, modern sorts who is making a lot of money off this new, runaway, reunited Azeroth."
"Hrm."
Dannox said, "He's sleepy."
Rachel turned and swept her husband's green hair back, lovingly. "You sound tired, too."
"Is… he going to be alright?"
"Oh my, darling Dannox gets wild sometimes. It's nothing." Then, when I didn't buy it, "Mushrooms. He found some while we were out walking, and then, thankfully, we found him before he could be a total idiot."
Dannox now watched me silently.
"So, then. You two are also good friends of Kael'thas?"
Rachel only smiled goodnaturedly. Blaize came back then, with a primmer-than-most servant who offered me a hut cup of tea. I noted that it was because this guy was anxious. Probably one of those snooty sorts who never dreamed he'd be force to serve a Tauren. I eyed the orange jacket while I took my cup from him. The color made me think of Sunthraze's crazed red hair. Maybe Sunthraze the Sly thought this was funny, too.
"Our healer is down, I'm afraid." Blaize gestured at Dannox who was now sulking. "Or else, we'd fix your ankle right away."
"And I stopped being a priestess long ago." Rachel winced for me.
Blaize wondered, "There's Faltheriel?"
"No, he's not at home. And his powers tend to be more on the destructive side."
Phew! Imagine being healed by Kael'thas' frightening lapdog!
But, somehow, Blaize spoke as if he was organizing something far bigger. I worried, but it might have been just his background as a military leader, a comfortable tone of voice for him. "Faltheriel's skilled, though. I saw him switch out while we were in Outland, a couple times. I'm sure your husband could do it if he really wanted to. Let's send for him-"
"It's alright, why don't you just send for a physician? If you don't mind."
Blaize crossed his arms though, didn't do it.
No physician? Really? I felt a fool. I should have realized there would be something assholic about this man. Kael'thas and Blaize. Oil and water. Kael'thas would have been irritated by him for a reason, right? If I could reasonably argue that I needed to use the restroom and take Alessandre's weird concoction while I was at it, I decided that I wanted to lose my expensive supper all over this guy.
"Of course…" Rachel trailed fingers down her husband's arm, "There are two Blood Knights here who could probably help you, Turaho. But they're still asleep. None of us wants to wake them. Full disclosure, in case you're putting two and two together about whose house this is."
"None of you have lied to me, yet." I smiled back, feigning to be just as neighborly.
Blaize explained, "It's Sunthraze's house—it's the Sunthraze Estate, as the sign said when we all passed by it. But my son lets Queen Celestia run it, really. It's because he's really a lazy punk."
"Two queens?" I eyed Rachel, "Just like you seem to have two husbands? Is that another Blood Elf thing?"
Rachel winked at me, "It's the same as Blaize still being called general—Celestia was married to King Anasterian Sunstrider, so she keeps her title until she dies."
"You didn't answer my other question."
Rachel nuzzled into Dannox's hair, "You don't think I'm lovely enough to hold the sustained affection of two men?"
I was starting to be convinced. Rachel knew exactly what to say, and when. No, she hadn't lied to me yet, but she was doing it in the way a good scribe might, by not disclosing the edges of the story. For instance, how she knew about the courier system organized by some Tauren. Me. It made sense for Kael'thas' Blood Knights to know. Security was their business. A normal Human woman? She wasn't supposed to have an inkling.
I decided on another thing. Rachel Darkweaver knew too much, she was positioned well in both factions, Horde and Alliance, and nobody bothered her. And she was clever enough to keep two husbands, somehow. You know what I mean, not that she tricked them. But she was compelling in some other way, the kind of woman who could be sparkling and make that kind of thing happen. So she had deeper talents, a powerful sort of personality. So? She was definitely a spy. Or at least, she had great potential to become one, when called upon. For someone like her, it was probably situational. Not threatening enough for Kael'thas to have Faltheriel do anything about his wife, either. So then, Kael'thas had to know about Rachel Darkweaver and he also benefited in some way.
Double-agent.
The only thing that boggled me… Why would you want to be married to Faltheriel? Twice? The Night Elf, I think I understood. I didn't like how he tried to jump me for unsolicited hugs earlier, whatever that was, but absconding into wild mushrooms when he got in a mood, or was stressed? And letting the people who knew him, run around in the dark acting like fools? All while he, the druid, could shift into his cat form, hide, maybe sleep up in a tree for hours while getting his lazy revenge… Okay so Dannox did seem like fun.
"Turaho Runestalker." Dannox said, out of nowhere.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
"Filthy is actually very sweet, when you get to know him. Please don't judge him..." Rachel patted Dannox's shoulder for him to stop.
I only had to wonder about that for a moment. It was a nickname, beginning with the letter 'F'. Filthy, Faltheriel. I decided not to let my imagination wander.
"Earlier, you said he was 'not at home.' Why not just say he's at work, at the Sunspire?"
Rachel smiled again, no words.
A woman in a red dress waltzed into the room.
"Oh. Here's your healer, then." Blaize had been perched on the armrest of a chair, "Tempest, we didn't realize you were still up. This is Turaho Runestalker. We found him walking closeby in the um, garden. Lost. And he twisted his ankle in the process."
She came and sat next to me on the couch, placed a hand on my leg.
'No.' I mouthed.
"I know him already, Blaize."
She wanted to kill me. I could feel it. Tempest and I had already argued, badly. Now I was injured and in her house. I had been prepared to match words with her, but I was not prepared to be lying there like a baby bird with a friggin broken wing, before the hungry crow.
"We'll go…" Rachel began to get up.
"No. Let's get him something to drink... Didn't you have your tea?"
I was still holding it. I had a sip, I needed to calm.
They talked about the upcoming ball, about the evening. About the weather changing and then back to the holiday, how Sylvanas' costume was supposed to be amazing.
I was able to contribute that it took four carriages to deliver the thing over to the Sunspire, that Prince Belorim confirmed it. They liked that.
Tempest was patient, kind. I didn't believe I misjudged her though. Things still weren't right, somehow. I wondered when she was going to heal my leg, but then again, I also didn't want her touching me.
I also wondered when would be a good time to put the strange dried leaves Alessandre gave me into my tea, or chew one. I'd have to claim they were something else. But what if the Night Elf druid smelled them and could tell I was lying?
Well, knowing Dannox, he might see it coming but find it funny. And it's not like he'd expect me to wander all over the house after having something like that.
If I lied, maybe. If I said someone gave it to me for medicinal purposes? Dannox might go along with that if it came to it. He might let me get sick.
Tempest patted my leg again, "Something else to drink? I think our Tauren needs more…"
The wine was good. No, it was champagne. Sun-Touched special reserve. I remember Cousin Brunho warned me to watch out for the champagne… At last, Tempest felt my ankle with her little manicured and. I sensed the Light magic flowing through it. I wanted to like it. She was a very good looking woman, and she leaned in to whisper something to me.
"So, you wanna play a little game with us?"
"Hunh?"
"Don't worry. You're going to love this one."
Hours later, I woke up strapped to a bed. Things were fuzzy. I knew that she was still there. I knew that the room was small, with the windows shuttered. My Pathfinder's instinct was searching for ways to escape. But the door clicking closed, that brought me to.
Sunthraze the Sly stepped in, dragged a chair by the door and sat guard. He was in a house robe and fine navy blue, monogrammed pajamas. House shoes. Classu color, it did manage to cool him down a bit—Why was I admiring his pajamas!
Tempest paced. She tossed something from one hand to another, a glass globe. That was mine. And it was how I acted. I lurched forward in my binds, wanting it back.
Something was wrong, I know better than to dead giveaway my intentions, to give off such blatant tells.
"Ah, so you do recognize it? Took me a while to figure out how to make it larger, to actually use it." Tempest grinned at me. It was the one, very shiny seed-bead on your vest there. But this can't be the only one if it is what I think it is. Where's the other one? Back at your camp? In your kit bag?"
Shit.
Sunthraze sighed at his wife, "Don't do anything stupid, Tempest." Then she angrily turned and placed the thing in his hands, almost dumped it in her husband's lap. Sunthraze stared at it.
Sunthraze was soon offended, "How does Turaho have a spyglass in Kael'thas' bedroom?"
Kael'thas seemed very innocent now, not like before. He and Saturna were quietly discussing something. Sounded their children, then the upcoming holiday. The party. I hated them for that, where was the arguing and swords, and fire about the crime they were surely covering up! Just hours ago?
Tempest flashed anger, snatched the globe back.
"Tempest, now don't do anything—"
She turned and threw it on the floor to smash everywhere.
"…Like that." Sunthraze shook his head, sat back.
She turned her temper on me next. "So. You came here to ask us some questions?" She sounded thoroughly threatening, her voice soared like she might lose it. I looked to Sunthraze, he wasn't helping at all.
It hit me then. I'd been drugged. She'd put it in the champagne. The tea, also. 'The Tauren needs more…' she was practically bragging about it in front of me. Or, she asked one of the pumpkin-colored servants to do it. I remembered the nervous, snooty guy. Yeah, that'd be the one.
I managed to try and keep my dignity. "I did come here to find out more. I intend to. I know that one of you Blood Knights has Greatfather Winter."
But I was also in a lot of damned trouble and we all knew it.
So… two angry Blood Knights, they just learned I was spying on their king, in his bedroom. They knew I came in to question them, probably search the house.
"Sunthraze. You think he knows everything?"
Sunthraze crossed his leg, stretched out with arms folded behind his head, against the wall. "Probably does by now."
"What are our options, then?"
He was all business, as bad as any Goblin mob boss, "Thing is, love? I don't know how far even I can drag a Tauren body."
What the-How to get out of this one alive, Turaho?
