I thought about starving myself from arcane magic for a few days to see if my eyes would turn blue again, but they've been gold for a while and I kind of like it that way. There's also no guarantee that they will change back to blue again, unless I figure out how to take a Draenei to bed, and there was also no guarantee that that would work either. Oranio's form kind of came as a disturbing shock to me at first glance, the hoofs, the tentacles, the horns, and the large forehead, but after seeing him almost every day. After hearing his kind voice, seeing his large muscles wielding spear and sword, I saw him for the things I liked and ignored the things that bothered me about him. After a while I liked everything about him, maybe I was happy to spend time with someone that gave me a little bit more attention than the task rabbits that run about the city and the clients that pay me to do this and that job for a small amount of gold.

When you're in the Horde you don't know who could die tomorrow. You have to keep going, you need to keep yourself busy, not giving into despair, and that's just what you have to do. This road I'm thinking about is a funny middle ground, but it has been the few chances I've been able to let myself feel and not just blindly follow orders.

The task and the tranquility of repetition is something I've always longed for, but this isn't checking on a garden every day, this isn't collecting 20 of some supplies, or killing a handful of enemy soldiers, this is something completely out of my comfort zone.

I guess I understand why a lot of adventures choose a life with no connection to any real home. Going to inn after inn, town after town, looking for the next best job, but it does get lonely sometimes. Oranio, I miss you, we only had two days of being lovers, but several months of being friends. I guess my time as a pirate was just me trying to run away from all this like a carnival. Forgetting all my problems and having fun, but knowing that it was going to go away, and I'll be back to dealing with the day to day certainties. But I can't go back to that now, not after what I did. I can't go back to that day to day repetition of killing for the Dark Lady, it feels like something has been ripped out of my chest and no amount of gold, glory, or honor can fill it.

I came to Dalaran as it floated above the Broken Isles and tried to get into the Hero's Welcome but to my surprise it wasn't guarded by the Silver Covenant anymore. It was guarded by Worgen, beastlike wolf creatures that stood on two legs. I knew a few of them from the pirate ship, they were kind, most of the time, but had a ferociousness to them in combat and… other places. When I tried to walk into the Hero's Welcome Inn I felt for the first time that bloodthirst and anger as I tried to walk into their territory. I spoke in common, "Where are ze Silver Covenant, zey used to guard zese 'alls?"

He didn't look at me, just lowered his head, and growled, "Leave!" he snarled. "Oh my Light, that accent is awful."

"Calm down Fido, I'm looking for Vereesa 'ave you seen 'er? Maybe we can go for a walk and bov find 'er." I teased, bloodthirst and anger were nothing new to me.

The worgen slash at me cutting the side of my face, and there was a slight stinging feeling to the strike like it came from a hard slap on top of the ripping of my skin. It hurt. I placed my hand on my two-handed club for an overhead strike. The Worgen lunged back for a rip at me with his claws again, but it was caught by the Worgen next to him.

"Don't brother, we're not here to do that." He said as he held his brother's clawed arm. He looked over at me, "The Silver Covenant don't come to these parts anymore. We've replaced them."

I touched the side of my face with the back of my hand, looked at my arm and saw that he actually drew a lot of blood, and shook my head, "Do you know where I can find zem?" I asked.

The calm Worgen looked at me inquisitively, "You mean 'them' and are you really asking me for a favor? Isn't it obvious you don't belong here, go back to your Horde, savage!" He wasn't calm anymore.

I was about to argue, maybe start cursing, name calling, and challenging both of them, but I heard a familiar voice.

"Melfina?" I heard the familiar voice say. She stepped forward, it was Isirami Fairwind, a golden haired High Elf that let me stay in her inn, even after what I was was revealed, and one of the only people that didn't shame me for my interracial relationship with Oranio after he died. She was a good ear to speak to, even though her suggestions weren't always agreeable. "I know that voice…" She looked at me surprised, and she grabbed my hand, and pulled me inside.

The angry Worgen slashed down and hit me in my gauntlets but Isirami wasn't wearing armor. I saw his claws scrape her skin, leaving two red lines on her forearm. I saw her reach back in pain, I felt my blood run cold, and I clenched my teeth in a growl. I pulled my two-handed club from my back and pinned Worgen's neck against the wall, slamming his head, and choking him.

The calm Worgen pulled a sword from his back and held the edge at my neck, "Let him go." He snarled.

I knew a spell that could stun the Worgen long enough to press my club against the one I was holding to break his neck, but I knew there would be more.

"Stop, please. All of you!" Isirami pleaded, "It was my fault, we used to let her come freely." She continued, "Melfina, let him go."

I let him go and I heard him breathe in deeply. I looked over at Isirami, "Zis was a stupide idea, I'm sorry to 'ave bothered you." I said.

"Wait Melfina," She came toward me as she held on to her scratch, "There's a lot of Dalaran where we could speak, they have this really good coffee across town you have to try, maybe we could catch up?" She asked.

I smiled, but I looked down at her wound, "Zat wound needs to be purified by someone wiz evaporating skills or it will fester and become putrefy." I looked at the Worgen's face that scratched her, still wanting to kill him.

He looked down and made a doglike whimper. "I'm sorry Isirami, but she can't come here, no exceptions." He said.

Isirami shook her head, "It's okay, the clinic is on the way there. I'll be fine." She said,

Worgen nodded his head in shame, "Send me the bill when you get back, I'm sorry I hurt you Isirami."

"And Melfina?" Isirami stated as she gestured toward me.

The Worgen looked at me and looked away, "I'm sorry I struck you."

I nodded, "I'm sorry about ze 'fido' statement earlier."

He laughed slightly and shook his head, "Don't worry about it."

We walked through Dalaran city. I told her about the things I've done for the past four years in Draenor and my time at sea. We walked into the clinic and I don't know why I forgot but I heard someone call my name in glee. I looked over and gasped when I saw who it was, "OH MY LIGHT, CADENCE!?" I trotted over to her jumping and screaming and gave her a hug. "Oh my gosh I thought you said you were moving your place to Karazhan."

Olisarra nodded, "I did, and I was able to study and practice a lot while Khadgar was frequent but it's not the safest place and mostly desolate. I perform major surgeries when someone is willing to clear out the ghost and mechanize contraptions though." She put her hand behind her head as if recalling a bad memory, "It's a bit of a hurdle just to get to my lab. But if there is…" She looked behind me. "What is she doing here?"

Isarami showed Olisarra her wound but didn't say anything. "A Worgen scratched us, we're not going to turn into one of them, will we?"

Olisarra laughed, "Part of the Gilnean peace treaty is that the Worgen's will not use their fangs in any combat situation and keep their claws free of blood. No unauthorized conversion unless approved by King Genn Greymane, but there have been accidents. If caught early it can be treated. Let me see." She took Isirami's arm, looked for a few seconds, and looked up at her, "Was any blood transferred in?"

She shook her head, "No."

Olisarra rolled her eyes, sighed, and let go of her arm, "You should be fine." She walked away.

"What about infection?!" I yelled.

She looked at me strangely and back at her, "Are you two…?"

"No." I said quickly.

Isarami only shook her head.

"Good. Because those "medical procedures" you were doing, weren't sanctioned." She shook her head at Isarami, "After what you did to her you have the nerve to-"

"Cadence!" I yelled, "They call you Olisarra the Kind, don't they? You took a hypocritical oath, treat her."

She sighed heavily and nodded. She took a glass bottle and poured the contents on the wound and binded it with cloth. "I'd like to know if the bone grafts are knitting solidly." She asked.

I rolled my eyes now, "I don't have the time."

Olisarra shook her head, "Just an x-ray, ten minutes. I'm not asking you to escort me all the way to Karazhan."

I looked over at Isarami and she shrugged, "Fine." I said.

I went to the medical table and she examined my pelvis with her hands, but scanned all of my limbs and full skeleton. She put her hands on a strange textured black paper, shot white light from her palms, and shot an image on the black paper.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

She looked back at me, "I need to further examine these. I'll send you a letter if anything comes up." She smiled reluctantly at me, "It's good to see you again."

We finally left Dr. Olisarra's clinic and while there were things going on with the Legion, I was sure she was tired of hearing about that. We ordered a coffee at the Legerdemain Lounge. The place was kind of crowded, but we found some empty seats to drink coffee. I wasn't really a fan of the stuff, it was bitter and hot, and I saw very little use for it, but she put so much cream and sugar in mine it was actually pleasant. "Stay away from that overpriced stuff," She said, "They have everything you need for free to cure a hanger." She looked at me and smiled, "You still haven't lost the Thalassian accent."

I shook my head no, "Would you mind if we spoke Thalassian instead?" I said in Thalassian knowing she would understand.

She looked up, licked her lips, and took a few deep breaths, "No, I don't mind." She said back in Thalassian.

I took a drink and it did seem like that Isirami had placed her own personal brand of love into it, it was sweet and slightly bitter but in a good way, it made the most beautiful pink and red colors show in front of my eyes, "I was really worried when I heard your voice, I heard your drinking has gotten worse and I thought you would going to start stumbling in there and confessing your feelings for me like you uses to when you were on anesthesia."

I put my hands over my face, "Well I've never remembered what I said while on those drugs and I don't have a drinking problem."

She looked away and smiled as if recalling memories, "So why did you try to barge your way into Hero's Welcome, did you miss me that much? You could have just tried to talk like a responsible adult." She said jokingly.

I rolled my eyes, "When has that been my solution for anything?"

Isirami put her hand behind her head nervously, "So you didn't actually come to see me?"

I laughed at that, "Well I figured you would be around too, I remember I saw your schedule a few times. You really do take too many hours."

She nodded, "I quit drinking a year ago. So it didn't make sense that I kept working the bar, even if the tips were good. You know I heard about some of the things you did on the Broken Isles, why haven't you come by more often?"

I looked at her confused, "You quit drinking and you stopped working at the bar?"

"Are you disappointed?"

I looked downward, "No…" I totally was… I remembered her confidence up at that bar like she owned the place, how she could turn everything into a party, and when she got a little drunk she would get a little smart and sassy. "So… So you just pass out hearthstone's now?"

She just smiled and nodded. "I still do what I used to do. People want to be validated. I asked people how their day is going, 'what are up to today?', or…"She moved one shoulder up her cheeks and smiled, turning on the feminine charm she had, " 'Hi guys, how are you, my name is Isirami.' " Her pitch being a little more high and flirty, "Even when people are having a bad day you just bring it back to a positive." She looked down, "That's what I tried to do for you."

"I know, and I learned a lot from you." I looked up and thought back to our time together, "It's mostly because you refuse to leave the safety of your inn and I keep declining your offers to stay with you and live in your closet like some adorable boogeyman."

She looked around to see if there was anyone that was listening but there wasn't anyone that seemed to understand Thalassian, "You know I wasn't being literal about that, it was just something I said in the moment." She said in a whisper. She crossed her arms and looked away, "And turning something into a positive and turning it into a joke are different." She said aggressively.

Ouch…I nodded, "...I know." I shook my head, "I have missed you Isirami, but I came there to see Vereesa Windrunner. I thought maybe she might give me an audience if I…" I looked away, "…I don't know, yelled."

Isirami chuckled but I really didn't have a plan other than that, "Well you would have gotten some attention that's for sure, but the Silver Covenant that are left in Dalaran just run the inn. Most of them have left to Trueshot Lodge to fight the Legion."

I looked at her inquisitively, "I've been all over these islands, I've never heard of that place." I retorted.

Isirami breathed out, "It's kind of high up there and there are no flight paths, and you have to be a ranger or a hunter to be invited."

I took a sip of coffee and held it, "I've written letters, but they keep getting returned. She said to me once that at any time I wanted I could come back to the Silver Covenant."

Isirami looked away, "Was that before or after Garrosh's trial?" she asked

I sighed and shook my head, "Before." I answered.

"I don't think she'll be as compromising as she was before." Isirami explained.

I leaned forward, "You have to try, please." I pleaded, "As a friend, she may not remember me, but she'll know you." I asked.

She looked down and half smiled, "She definitely remembers you Perfectia," She called me by my real name. "You went through the same thing she went through, but she still had her children." She wiped her face and sniffed through her nose, "Did you fully recover from your injuries?"

I shook my head, "I'm not in pain anymore, but, well it's… "I paused and shrugged, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Have there been any other men since Oranio?" Isirami is still prying, regardless of objections. It's how she showed she cared.

I looked away and shrugged, "There were some pirates I was with…" I thought shyly, "I wasn't trying, but, I think there was some irreversible damage. Things that the Light can't heal."

Isirami looked away and shook her head disturbed, as she recalled the thought, "Garrosh took everything away from you."

I looked at her, "He got what he deserved." I quickly said blankly, "Even if he died believing he was the victim of his circumstances."

She had a sad look on her face and I saw her turn slightly red. She put her hand behind her neck and continued to look downward, "Have there been any... women?" She whispered that word softly.

I sighed and looked at her sadly. I looked away and remembered our therapy sessions to help with my dyspareunia, "No... Just you." I whispered.

She looked back in my eyes and nodded her head, "Are things different in the Horde? It's just... The Alliance barely tolerates 'normal' displays of affection. If I pursued what I truly desired, I don't think they would let me run the inn anymore."

I shook my head and remembered my developmental education from members of the Horde, "The Horde has a very primitive view when it comes to things like that. Men are allowed, but if you can't go into a battlefield, an 'alpha' could mate with you. He might not force himself on you, but you would be shamed for refusing, and if he did, there wouldn't be many repercussions."

She shook her head disbelieving, "That sounds like something orcs would do..."

I looked away and shook my head, "Blood Elves have reaped the benefits of that societal norm since our kind were close to extinction. It's why most women have taken up sword and magic..." I looked at her, "I could teach you how to use a sword if you want."

"I remember the process you went through to become as strong as you are now. Would I have to do that?"

I shook my head panicky, "No. As long as you could fight."

She sighed, "Would I be expected to fight and kill members of the Alliance?"

I only nodded, yes.

She shook her head, "I don't think I could fight for a faction that had beliefs like that. I could at least hope that the Alliance or Azeroth would change sooner or later."

I shrugged and shook my head, "You could be 'the alpha' you know."

She smiled, reached and touched my hand, "Could I force myself on you?" She said in her high pitched flirty voice.

I laughed, blushed, and shrugged nervously. She knew what her touch did to me.

She withdrew herself, laughed at the thought, and looked at me, "No thank you but, I'll get you an invitation to Trueshot Lodge. You should be able to find Vereesa there."

I reached over the table and hugged her, "Thank you," I said, "you have no idea what this means to me." I remembered holding her like this and she still smelled so good.

I felt her nod, "My break is almost over, I need to go back." She said and walked away. "Melfina?" She looked at me as I was about to finish my coffee.

"Did you ever think that maybe we could..." She shrugged uncertain what to say.

"You know I had to lock my heart away and I'm sorry I hurt you." I looked downward and remembered back, "If there was anything I could do to make up for your kindness I would give it to you." I shrugged slightly, "But I can't give you that."

She nodded, "I know, you know a lot of men…" She looked up and shook her head, "...Say they can take care of me, I've gotten gifts, drinks, and food, but I know what they want in return. I wish I wasn't disgusted with that, but I am. But I loved taking care of you, you were in so much pain, you just made me feel needed. I'm sorry I accidentally fell in love with you. Do you still…?"

I looked away, "I don't know, you still make me feel a curtain way, but it's not love, and in spite of what Dr. Olisarra said I was able to move on because of you."

She shrugged slightly, "I still miss you though, especially those hugs."

I stood from my chair and hugged her from her waist tightly but not too tightly, breathed her in, and felt one of her motherly touching as I felt her chest against my face and her arms and head gently wrap around mine that sent tingles up my spine, I put her down and let her go and she closed her eyes and leaned her head forward toward mine.

I withdrew myself and shook my head, no.

She stepped back confused and slightly embarrassed, "I'll make sure Vereesa gets my letters... I'm so sorry."

I shrugged slightly, "No, it's fine… I might come back if I need a pap smear, you know what they say, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." " I joked.

She looked away angrily, "I've told you several times not to make jokes about that! I don't miss THAT about you."

I put my head down in shame, "I'm sorry. You know you made a joke about-"

She rolled her eyes and she left the coffee house before I could finish my sentence.

There is hope. But I need something to eat. Like something really sweet. Like two pints of ice cream.