The Tea Party

Lelliel was impatiently tapping on the table, her head resting in her other hand.

They were late.

With a smile, she remembered that coordinating meetings with the Horde could be hard, she just had to be patient. The young priestess looked to her right and was relieved to see Jazari Mechavolt sighing as he watched his personalized pocket watch. Meeting with the people of The Trust alone would have been simply foolish if she had come alone.

"Lelliel, asked Jazari, do you know why they want to meet you?"

The mage was obviously nervous, and she could easily understand it. They were meeting their enemies, the ones that had mercilessly slaughtered countless innocents citizens, and even attempted to kill a few Guildwatch members, Lelliel and Jazari included. There defintaly would be trouble, but as hard as she could try, the draenei simply couldn't find -what- they wanted.

"I don't know, mister Jazari. In fact... I think it's Catty they want to see, more than me. Do you remember how mister Fenshire was "interested" in observing Catty, last time? And... as much as I'm willing to trust lady Kyliska I doubt she is the kind to play with dolls. There is something else going on."

Lelliel was patting her backpack, which was carefully placed beside her chair. Catty was of course the first thing anyone could see, if they were to open the backpack. The second a heavy book, bound with smooth leather, the word 'Guildwatch' beautifully calligraphied on the cover. For today, specially, there was a second doll in Lelliel's pack. She have had a bad feeling, and made a quick visit at the Stormwind orphanage to borrow another doll, very similar to Catty. 'In case of emergency'

Sighing once more, the little priestess felt more than she saw Kyliska entering the Legendermain Lounge. The proud Blood Knight was walking straight to their table, a corner of her lips lifted in a half mocking smile. She did came, as Lelliel was expecting, fully clad in her battle armor, her heavy axe strapped on her back, very accessible should any trouble arise. With a gulp, she rose to greet the Blood Knight.

"They came, mister Jazari! This is good! Hello lady Kyliska!"

Lelliel smiled, as best as she could with the warning signals the reasonable part of her tried to send her. This meeting might have been born of some stupid juvenile wish for everyone to be happy. She still bowed and waited for Kyliska to speak, hoping and praying that everything would go smoothly. Before anyone else could talk, though, Hauk Fenshire joined them, and flashed a smile at the small group assembling. Kyliska and him shared a few words, and Lelliel looked questioningly at Jazari, who in turn shook his head.

"It's orcish, I do not unerstand it."

Lelliel's happiness level dropped a little, and she began to be worried when she saw another Blood Knight, Resiyn, joining them for the little tea party. They had brought more, and even if she knew they were under the protection of the Kirin Tor, it placed her and Jazari in a delicate situation. Making sure that there was guards nearby, Lelliel noticed another Sin'dorei walking toward their table. Noxu was his name, she remembered, and she smiled and greeted him. He smiled back to her, and of course smiled to the other Sin'dorei. The priest probably wouldn't be as gentle as he was last time, if things turned wrong.

"This does not look good. Mister Jazari, can you tell them to sit and make themselves comfortable?"

While Jazari was speaking the strangely musical Thalassian, Lelliel poured hot water in the huge teapot on the table, congratulating herself to have picked a biggest one. When Sandra Bartan, the Legendermain's barmaid, passed by their table, Lelliel motioned her to come closer, and asked for enough cups for all of them. When they arrived, she picked the teapot and filled the cups, the air smelling of rose, jasmine, tea and a little hint of cinnamon. Handing the cups to everyone, she quietly sat back and distractedly listen to the conversation between the Sin'dorei, waiting with patience for a translation. Jazari looked up at her and spoke of the expressed desire of Kyliska to see Catty. Then, she felt, was the most important moment of the meeting, everyone was silent and looking at her. Taking a deep breath in, she nodded and turned her chair to her backpack, opening and searching for the fake-Catty doll in her packs.

Jazari, sitting on the opposed side of the pack saw very well Catty sitting on the top, and he looked curiously at Lelliel. After a few seconds of searching, she was holding both dolls in her hands, and her eyes went from one to the other. With an inward sigh, she decided to play honest. If they discovered she was lying, the meeting would -definately- go wrong. Putting down the second doll, Lelliel sat Catty on the table, right in front of her. Smiling at the many elves, she waited, not completely sure what she expected now. The Thalassian talking was fast, excited, but not happily excited, from the behavior of the others. Lelliel was suddenly feeling incredibly worried, and she took a hold of Catty, making contact with the doll gave her back some of her courage.

"Hm... Lelliel? Kyliska says the necklace is hers. I... I think you should give it back to her."

Jazari seemed pretty worried, and the few Sin'dorei faces around her were mostly frowning, she was obviously going to be pointed at if the meeting went wrong. Responsabilities were raining on her lately, and the draenei took this one with as much strenght as she could. Nodding to Kyliska, she unclasped the necklace from around Catty's neck, and looked at it one last time before rising from her chair and offering it to the Blood Knight. Kyliska reached for it and gently rubbed the red stone on the necklace.

The moment Kyliska touched the necklace, Lelliel's vision faded, and it blurred into a new scene. She saw the wonderful forest of the Eversong Woods, a dying Sin'dorei lady in the hands of a younger Kyliska. A few words were spoken, but she didn't understand them. Thalassian, of course. Someone was forcing these images on her mind, someone was playing with her, tricking her. Closing her fingers over the necklace, she took a few steps back, screaming as her free hand covered her eyes in an attempt to free her mind from the vision, but it simply made it more clear, more precise. She knew the name of the dying lady, knew it was Kyliska's mother. Jazari's voice broke her free of the vision, temporarily.

"M...mister Jazari. They have enspelled me. I... see things!"

The world around Lelliel was bursting with screams, battles, flammes as both the Legendermain's main room and images from the past flickered before her eyes. Freeing herself from the circle of people around her, she ran around, avoiding Fenshire's first reflex of grabbing her, she slipped out of the inn and ran in the Dalaran's streets, guards looking at her and the Sin'dorei following her. Running in no particular direction, she knew she was turning in circles, but directing her mad run was hard, seeing both the Sin'dorei lands and the magical city. The images stopped flickering as soon as she got in front of the doors of the Violet Hold. Apparently the magic of the necklace didn't want to fight against the magical protections of the Kirin Tor prison. Grabbing the key ring at her belt, Lelliel nervously searched for the right one and she was about to insert it in the lock when someone grabbed her arm and roughly turned her around. The hunter Hauk Fenshire was there, breathing loudly but slowly. For a moment the priestess wondered how he was not out of breath, but right now was -not- the time for such questions.

 "What are you thinking? Give back that necklace to Kyliska, or this is just going to end bad. Give it to me, I'll hand it to her."

The biggest part of her panic faded, Hauk was not here to simply kill her. He was -helping-? slowly opening her fingers, Lelliel noticed she was clinging so tightly on the necklace that it's shape was now imprinted on her hand. She heard Jazari's voice, he was trying to communicate with her, lightly touching her hearthstone, she tried to answer but couldn't form complete words. She was still shaken at what she had seen. Lifting her eyes to those of Fenshire, she slowly shook her head.

"I... can't."

She wanted to say more, but the feeling she had was nearly impossible to explain. How could she say that the necklace didn't -want- to be touched by someone else? The red stone was resting in her hand, and for her explanation, she just turned her hand, her palm toward the ground, and the necklace between her hand and her feet. Some invisible force was keeping the jewel just an inch under her hand, in the air. The golden necklace, floating under her hand, was proof enough that she didn't have full control on the situation, she hoped. Taking it back in her hand, she showed it to Hauk, who tried to touch it. Only to get a small yet efficient electrical shock.

"I... can't." Repeated the priestess.

Jazari and Kyliska arrived at that moment, the Blood Knight definately unhappy, and the mage panicked. Lelliel explained, and showed to everyone, once again, that the necklace couldn't be taken from her, and she couldn't simply just drop it for someone else to pick it up. Jazari tried to pick the necklace too, only to get shocked by it. She felt this was an hopeless situation. Looking at the few guards, which were observing from a respectful distance, she whispered to Jazari.

"M... mister Jazari, flee. Please." The gnome shook his head, and tried to protest. "Then... tell her I know her mother's name." The gnome spoke a few words, but this definately didn't calm the Blood Knight, she was so angered that her mount felt it and was hard to keep in place. Lelliel took that as a cue and spoke the name softly. "Sassariel". The effect was instant, everyone froze, even the restless steed. Lelliel stood straight and proud in front of Kyliska after a few seconds of immobility, and spoke with a steadier voice than she had in the last minutes.

"You cannot kill me here, the guards will prevent you to do so. The necklace can't leave me, for now. You either wait, or kill me for it when you see me outside the city. Tell her that, mister Jazari."

"Lelliel! No, I will not."

"Do it." said firmly the priestess, never leaving the Blood Knight's eyes.

There was a bit more talking, and Kyliska left.

"She will hold Catty's head, until she have the necklace back..." Jazari took a step back, and casted a portal, almost pushing Lelliel through it. "Darnassus. Now."

The gnome's voice was hard, and Lelliel had never heard him speak to her that way, she followed him with only a weak protest. As soon as the magic of the travel faded, she found Jazari, on his chopper, waiting for her to get in the side car, which she obediantly did. The mage's face told her arguing would only delay the inevitable. They traveled not too far, and walked only a few steps away from the chopper after Jazari turned the engine off.

"I... I'm sorry, mister Jazari. It didn't really went well."

Jazari sighed, looking at Lelliel. "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself for not seeing it was magical before. Let's check it again."

Lelliel slowly nodded and showed the necklace to her mage friend. Jazari placed his hand over hers, careful not to touch the necklace again, and focused on it. After a few seconds, he shook his head.

"This thing is very powerful... By the Titans how can I have -not- feel it earlier?"

"I can feel it's power too now, mister Jazari. What are we to do now?"

"I need to make some researches about it, for now. Little Sis, he said, grinning for the first time in a little while, be careful. If anything happens to you, I'll be devastated. You should hide for now."


Watching the gnome leave on his mechanostrider, Lelliel felt her throat constricting. All this trouble was happening, because of her. Now, what would happen?


********


She was hiding at Maestra's post, wishing dearly she could cling to Catty, but the corpse of her doll was probably still at the Legendermain, and her head was lost, being carried by Kyliska. For long hours, the young priestess had cried. Her friends would be in trouble now, because she had upset Kyliska. Lelliel was not stupid enough to think the Sin'dorei would quietly wait until the necklace was ready to be handed to her again. There would be a very upset Blood Knight that will seek revenge. Sitting at the tower overlooking the Ashenvale forest, the priestess was wiping away her tears when she heard the alarms. She had cut off her connection to the Guildwatch's communication spells, if she was to be hiding, fighting the various attacks might not be the best idea. She was still hearing the alarms, and she panicked when she heard the first ones in Astranaar. The city was dangerously close to her hiding spot.

Alarms went on and off, sometimes strong, sometimes not. Lelliel was considering leaving her tower when she saw someone, running from Astranaar, on the road. Her heart missed a beat. Had some stealthed rogue traveled here and pointed Kyliska at her? Had the 'Watch already heard of the events and were scouting the woods in her search? Before getting in more trouble, Lelliel traveled to the other side of the tower, where she would be hidden from the incoming person, and jumped down, casting a quick levitate spell on herself to slow her fall. Landing gracefully between two tall oaks, she instantly crouched and waited. She heard the passing of mounts near her, but no one found her. She was saved, for now.

I need a much better hiding place she thought.

Before she could move, images were back. Not in flashes, like previously in Dalaran. The magic flow of images of the past was much smoother, as if it was aware now, that the current owner of the necklace was not the one it was supposed to be. The forest was again the Eversong Woods one, but it was dusk. The sun slowly sinking behind the hills, covering the land with shadows. Lelliel could see the lady she knew as Kyliska's mother walking to a tree that was much larger than the others. Once at the tree's feet, the lady whistled like a bird, three times, and waited. A shadow moved from the one of the tree to head to the Sin'dorei lady. The shade took another step, and Lelliel saw it was someone, but the cowl and heavy cloak didn't show much of who it was. Sassariel and the other talked for a long time, they seemed to laugh, and after many minutes of talking, the hood slid from the head of the second person, and both Lelliel and the lady Sassariel discovered with surprise the Kal'dorei man that was hiding under the cloak.
He was very serious, a hint of worry moving his face into a placid mask as he waited the reaction of Sassariel. It surprised him and the silent observer to see her laughing, waving her hand in a dismissing gesture as she took a few steps closer and kissed the Kal'dorei. The vision blurred back into the Ashenvale woods, and Lelliel could hear, as if one of the Naruu was speaking to her; Beginning.

Shaking her head violently, she couldn't fully understand the meaning of what she had seen. It definately was not something Kyliska would appreciate to know. Rubbing both sides of her head, she found herself crying again. She desesperately needed Catty's comforting touch and was denied it. The draenei headed deeper into the woods and easily found the place she had hidden her newly crafted mechanostrider. She needed to move, Ashenvale was not a good hiding spot, she needed to stay on the move. She was wondering where she would head next when she had an idea. It was dangerous, her next location was to make her travel through the lands of the orcs, and she would be an easy target. But she would be safe, once at her new destination. Sitting on her metal and gear mount, she started the engine and carefully walked out of the woods to get on the road, making her way south.

The images, always fighting to get the control over her mind. Or was it the minds that were fighting for her eyes? Lelliel was laying on the ash covered stones of the Deathwhisper Gorge, there was demons all around her but after she felled the first ones they elected to ignore the priestess. She was laying there for hours (probably days) barely breathing, coughing from time to time when some ashes entered her lungs.

She remembered parts of what happened to her. How she traveled from the Maestra's tower to the ruins of Dire Maul. She moved the the ogre infested place, remembering her trip with Jazari only a few weeks ago, and hoped it would be a much better hiding place. But she heard alarms for the Mist's Edge. Only a few of them, a small group, or a single one. Not much risk in sneaking in there to see what was the problem. She had grabbed her hearthstone and made her way as discretly as she could. She arrived too late, as it happened a lot lately, and found a good number of hurt or killed Kal'dorei. She did her best to help the wounded, lowering the cowl of her dress as much as she could. The citizens of the Auberdine would say a kind hearthed traveler helped them after the fury of the attackers, but no one would be able to say who it was. A young draenei who seemed to be mute, her eyes filled with sorrow.

After... what came after?

Images flashed in the mind of the priestess, as she tried to sort her life from the ones the necklace was showing her. Yes, after, she left Auberdine. There were chances she was already being chased, and the lands of the Kal'dorei had been the theater of enough violence for now. She quietly directed her mechanostrider out of the town, not sure where she would head next, but knowing she -had- to move. She was at the crossroad just out of Auberdine, her eyes seeing the signpost as well as a small pond, the water rippled by the two elves playing in it. She had now came to the conclusion that Sassariel really liked the Kal'dorei man, since most of the visions featured both of them, in happy times. In any other circumstances, Lelliel would have been happy to be shown a story, rather than being told one before bed time. But that story was not a bed time one. No matter how young Lelliel was, there was things that were obvious, and the magic of the necklace, pouring a portion of the feelings Sassariel was experiencing at the moment of the visions, Lelliel knew there was love (a powerful one) shared between these two.

With the time, the priestess has been able to focus on the visions when she wished it, to hear what was said, and of course with each vision, she understood a bit better the singing Thalassian used by both elves. The bathing two were whispering, but she was close enough to listen to their conversation, if she willed it. Lelliel also felt someone physically walking to her, the time for the vision was very poorly choosed, and she did her best to push it back. It probably was one of the people of the city, coming after her for thanks and such. Turning her mount to the sounds of walking, she saw instead a Sin'dorei male walking out of the shadows. Slightly confused at first, it took her some time to recognize Noxu. He smiled at her. Panic froze her in place, but it also wiped her mind clear of the vision, for now.

"... You! Don't come any closer!"

Frantically looking for some way to protect her, Lelliel realized she was in the open, vulnerable, and that more Sin'dorei could be ambushed behind the trees.

"Ah, little Lelliel. I was looking for you."

Pulling back her mount a few steps, the young draenei was ready to run for her life the second the Sin'dorei would take any agressive actions. Her last running away didn't go very well, she remembered. Avoiding to run blindly might be a good idea. She observed him and noting his relaxed stance, she took a breath in. He didn't want to hurt her, but she still couldn't trust him. He was friend with Kyliska and the others, after all.

"I wanted to offer you my help, with the necklace, Lelliel. I heard it's magic was glueing it to you, have Jazari found a way to unstick it, yet?"

Lelliel was stunned to see hom much the elf knew. Jazari and her barely had talked of what to do next, before he left to make some researches. Since that time she didn't talk to -anyone- after this, running from one place to another, avoiding cities, avoiding other intelligent beings. How could Noxu possibly know that much?

"I... the magic of the necklace is powerful. It was undetected by mister Jazari, before lady Kyliska and I met. Before... "

She didn't finish her sentence. She didn't want to talk of the visions with someone she barely knew. She had thought of going to Reinnea for help and guidance, or Silveria, the beautiful Kal'dorei huntress had always been kind to her and very protective. But that would mean troubling them, and possibly attracting the people of the Trust to hurt them. Lelliel couldn't take the risks. Noxu was still there, though. Smiling as always.

"Mister Noxu, I'm sorry, but I'll have to go. I need to keep on the move. Your... 'friends' could be hunting me, and I'd prefer to not be too easy to find."

The Sin'dorei laughed, bells in the misty air of the Darkshore.

"Oh, no mister here. Call me Noxu, or Doctor."

"... Doctor? You are working on healing people?" she said, relaxing a bit. If he was a healer, she was not in as much danger as she thought.

"Yes, I work to save people. Just like you. If you fear to be attacked, maybe you should head to the Moonglades. I know for certain that no one would attack you there, or the Cenarion Circle druids would slay them on the spot."

The Sin'dorei's proposition did make some sense. Lelliel slowly nodded.

"Thank you, I think I will make my way there. Farewell..."

"I could escort you. There are many dangers on the way to the Moonglades, and I can work some magic to make you travel safely through some of the Horde territories."

The draenei thought this over. Of course, if his intentions were true to his words, some company would be welcomed. But he could be a spy sent by the others. Finding out her hiding place, and sending a group to easily pick her. Offending the Sin'dorei wouldn't be wise, either. She remembered fighting him, and even if he was claiming to be a physician, she knew he was more than able to hurt her.

"I would enjoy riding with you, and talking. But only to the cavern in northern Felwoods. You must understand that I cannot truly trust you. You already will know where I will be hiding, the exact location will stay a... secret only known to me. I hope you understand."

The Sin'dorei nodded, and whistled for his hawkstrider. They rode the lands of Darkshore, Ashenvale and the Felwoods, chatting quietly. Lelliel learned a bit more about the strange elf, and she couldn't help but to smile. Having been alone with the images of the lives of others, she have feared to get lost in the visions. The company of Noxu was keeping the magic of the necklace quiet, for the moment. It was with a hint of sadness that she saw the cavern of the furbold folks. Turning to Noxu, she was to thank him for the company, and the safe travel when he spoke.

"I have to warn you, Lelliel. I might be a friend when we are alone, but my main concern is to keep my friends alive. If your friends are attacking, I can't promise that I will stand by and watch the slaughter."

Lelliel perfectly understood that feeling. In fact, she was sharing the same one. She simply nodded.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go further?" Noxu asked, a frown of worry marking his forehead with a vertical line.

"No... " Lelliel said. She had already prepared an answer, but the necklace chose this time to send another vision. Sassariel and her Kal'dorei lover were talking, laying on the grass just below the tree where they first met. "The... necklace will guide me."

After the last whispered words, she pushed her strider into the caverns, leaving a puzzled Noxu staring at her back. The visions and her acutal surroundings melted and she blindly ran, following the side of the cavern with one hand, bumping in more than one furbolg. Of course, she ended up in Winterspring, not in the Moonglades. And of course, panic pushed her to run further, not back.

 And now there she was, laying in ashes, where the elves of her mind vision were on green grass. She finally was able to focus back on the vision, listening to the voices.

You will be endangering yourself, said Feh'menthar.
I know, answered Sassariel. I just want to make sure you will be safe. I will warn you of the planned attacks.
Silence.
Not much more a noble lady can do without getting too much attention.
My love, this is already risky. But I thank you. This is more than I expected. Feh'menthar was smiling while saying this. You didn't ask me to betray my people.
You didn't ask anything. I just don't want to lose you.
There was a long kiss, both elves having their arms wrapped around each other's waist. The vision subsided, and the Naruu-like voice in Lelliel's head whispered; Betrayal.

Painfully rising from the rock she had been on for so long, Lelliel rubbed her stiff muscles. Sassariel have been playing the spy, for her Kal'dorei love? That barely made sense. Why would anyone betray their land? She needed to move, before the next vision took control of her. Thinking fast, she decided on her next destination, climbed on her mechanostrider and leaned on it's neck as it bounced out of the Deathwhisper Gorge. She would need to disguise, and ask for the help of old friends. The way to the Wyrmrest Temple would be a long one without using any registered gryphon rides. She could quite possibly buy silence of the captain on the boat, but the idea of crossing the sea made her sick.

The sea had always been her greatest fear, but there was no other way to travel anonymously.

"Let's get lost in time, a little bit..."


This was a beautiful sunset. The forest was quiet, no animals aside a few squirrels, jumping from one tree to another. The tall and healthy pines were towering over the resting place of Lelliel. The young priestess was laying on a comfortable moss matress, the soft breeze coming from the not so distant sea caressing her skin. But she didn't notice any of these. Once again, she was taken into another time and place. Once again, her mind was not hers to command. Sassariel and Feh'menthar had many more meetings; at the pond, at the tree. Sassariel sometimes brought plans, and explained battle tactics to her lover. Lelliel now had no doubts that Lady Sassariel had betrayed Silvermoon City.

Today's meeting was different. The Sin'dorei had mixed feelings; an undescriptible joy was lifting her heart as well as having heavy concerns clawing at her heart. The young priestess felt all these, and more. She felt the changes, the different balance of the Sin'dorei.

"My love," whispered Feh'menthar as he left the shadows to join her. "Why have you been silent for so long? It's been months since I've seen you."
Unlike every other meeting, Sassariel didn't move toward him. She stood there, her head lowered, her shoulders low and her hands in her pockets. The shades over her face were hiding her watery eyes. Feh'menthar finally noticed there was something new, and he looked at her for a long moment before speaking.
"Sassy, what happened? You are pale and thinner!" his voice was vibrating with concern.
The Kal'dorei moved toward the Sin'dorei but she hastily stopped him with a hand motion. A single ray of sun was caught by the golden ring encircling the fine finger of Sassariel and reflected back to Feh'menthar. They both stood silently, watching each other with more passing in their eyes than could be expressed with words.
"Since when?" asked Feh'menthar with a toneless voice.
"A week after our last time together" whispered back Sassariel.
"Is he a good man?"
"He treats me well. My parents planned this all without telling me. I'm sorry."
Feh'menthar's hands tightened in fists. He dared not to move, probably afraid the new husband of his lover would be spying them. Sassariel sighed and placed a hand over her belly, tears falling anew over her face.
"This is not all. A new heir to House Sunblade will soon breath. A heir to my new house... and to yours, Thar."
The news froze the Kal'dorei in place. His face was a mask of surprise, he was speechless. Sassariel's worries only rose with her partner's silence. He was rejecting her, he would simply flee and never return. The Alliance would send another one in his place, and she would get killed. Lelliel could 'hear' all these thoughts crossing the mind of the Sin'dorei. Anxiously, Sassariel waited for a reaction, and when none came, she slowly turned and walked away from Feh'menthar. She only had done four steps when he suddenly was behind her, wrapping his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Sassy. These news... were unexpected. I have something to tell you first, though."
Sassariel fred herself from Feh'menthar's embrace and stared questioningly at him, her lips staying resolutely sealed. His face was hidden by his cowl, his hands slightly shaking as they brushed against Sassariel's arms.
"I first was sent here to kill, but I couldn't kill you, I fell in love with you at the first sight."
He lifted a hand as she tried to speak.
"Please, let me finish. I returned to my commander and was honest. I have been seduced, and have seduced the enemy. I only escaped death because my commander saw some use to my 'unrealistic love' as it was called then. I was to convince you to betray your people. I disagreed with the plan, but it would allow me to see you again, Sassy. I could wish for nothing more than to witness your beauty again. I accepted, knowing that without results, I would sooner or later die. But I didn't have to ask anything of you. You did exactly what my superiors were asking of me."
He sighed before speaking again.
"What I am trying to say is... I am not worthy of you, Sassariel Spellfury. Or rather.... Lady Sunblade, now. This commander is my wife. I am tied to someone else, as well. I was told by the druids I will never be able to have a child. Are you... are you sure...?"
Feh'menthar was unable to finish his question, his eyes glowing with hope. Of course, Sassariel had already forgiven the Kal'dorei of all he had done the moment he confessed it. Without a word, she simply grabbed his hands and kissed his fingers.

"Oh, Thar. As long as you didn't lie on your love for me, the rest is unimportant."
The two elves stood there as the vision faded from Lelliel's mind. The Naruu like voice that she now almost found comforting, since it meant the end of a vision, whispered another single word; Revelations.



Shaking her head, the young priestess looked at the sky. She had never fell in love herself, and couldn't understand well the motives of the two elves. Was love really strong enough that it would make you break your promises? Was it strong enough to shatter the barriers between enemies? Was it strong enough that you would betray your family and friends? So many questions she had, yet no one to ask them to. The pine she had elected was very close to the village of Southshore. Now that most problems the Bronze Dragonflight were having were focused in holding the History true in the time pocket of Stratholme, the commonly called Old Hillsbrad area was a quiet one.

The citizens were walking the land, unaware of the great changes that would come. Of course, her kin was unknown to the Azerothian at that time, so the young draenei had to get herself magically disguised as a human. She quietly walked to the biggest pine at the limit of the small town, and leaned against it, slowly falling to sit between the tree's roots. The visions were coming more frequently, now. As if the story was about to end, and the storyteller was rushing to the punch. She was wondering what that punch would be when sleep insidiously jumped on her.

Her sleep was not natural, of course. You didn't really need sleep when you were stuck in a temporal pocket. No sleep, no drink, no food. The sleep was only design to avoid her the worst of the pain. The complex magic of the necklace was sharing not only the feelings of the previous wearer, but all of what was lived at the moment of the scenes exposed. Giving birth was very difficult when you had nine months to get ready for it. With only a few minutes preparation, the young draenei would probably have had a heart attack.



The Eversong Woods were dark, and a few stars were dotting the deep blue blanket over their heads. Sassariel and Feh'menthar were half immersed in the waters of a little pond. The waters were still warm, and Sassariel's magic was soothing some of the pain. Feh'menthar was holding her, his arms wrapping her from behind. The Sin'dorei's hair were wet with sweat.
"Oh, Thar... the pain is... so terrible."
"Hang on, Sassy. It will all soon be over, and will be able to hold our child in your arms."
The Sin'dorei only nodded, speaking was requiring too much energy. Her breath was short. Lelliel was panting in her forced sleep, small beads of sweat covering her forehead. Sassariel pushed with all her remaining strenght and gasped as she felt the baby leaving her. Feh'menthan held his lover with only one arm as he quickly searched the waters with the other. A large smile grew on his lips as he lifted from the waters the small shape of a rossy skinned infant. Turning the child and gently masasging it's back, it gasped for air and cried in protest to be so abruptly removed of it's safe heaven.
"It's a baby girl, Sassy. She is as beautiful as her mother."
The Sin'dorei was about to talk when another jab of pain made her clench her teeth. Fen'menthar tightened his hold around Sassariel and carefully held the newborn against him, her head resting in his hand.
"Sassy, what's happening?"
"There's... another! AAAAH!"
With the painful cry, a second child was born. The two elves washed the babies, they were breastfeeded, and the new family slept under the trees.

Lelliel was wide awake the moment they all fell asleep. Twins. Kyliska... had a twin sister! This had the young priestess longing for some siblings. She was daydreaming about what would have been her life if she had a brother or sister and didn't notice the Sin'dorei hunter walking toward the town.

Her escape fromthe Caverns of Time was a fast one. When she entered the place, Erozion gave her some gift the draenei never expected. It was not something as enjoyable as the bottle of bubbles mister Rollandren gave her, but it was much more useful. The great bronze dragon had somehow befriended the priestess on one of her stay at the Wyrmrest Temple. He graciously offered her a time-stop spell in the form of one of his own scale. It worked the same way the temporal pockets did, but only for one individual. "In case of need" he did say. Lelliel had almost used it when she met that man with the big hat, but she simply declined his persistant offers to fight.

The visit of Hauk Fenshire has troubled her more than she could have expected at first. He was not hunting her. He did not try to attack or capture her. More importantly, he did not recognize her, he had no idea who she was and despite her human disguise, he was friendly to her, a member of the Alliance. If Lelliel would have paid a bit more attention to History classes back at the Cathedral she probably would have remembered the high elves, and understood a bit more what had just happened.

The world was only a distant reminder from there. The sky, the sun, the clouds and the mountain were the only distractions around. The winds were pretty bad this high above the coast of the Barrens, but even the birds were not visiting. Lelliel was pretty much alone, and hoped this time no one would come and distract her. The last vision has abruptly ended, and then Hauk Fenshire visited her. Since that moment, she had seen nothing. The small package of food she had brought with her was long gone, and she drank her last drops of water in the morning. She knew Ratchet was very close, but she was afraid to return to any city. She knew when she would become delirious, and she knew she had to return before that. She had plenty of time.

Just as she had this thought, her own mind was wiped and her body fell on the hard rock of the mountain, her head luckily landing on the beheaded body of Catty she had been able to get back on a very short trip to Dalaran. High over the Barrens, a lone draenei was unconscious, assailed by what could be the last things she saw before death would slowly come to pick her.



It was the morning. The sun had just appeared over the hills surrounding the quiet pond in the Eversong Woods. Two elves were laying there, with two little baby girls. The Sin'dorei woman was protecting a pale skinned and pure white haired one, the two were still sleeping and from the other side, the Kal'dorei male was smiling at them. He was sitting, the second baby girl on his lap. This one had the same white hair, but her purple-ish skin was definately inherited from her father. She would never be accepted as a pure Sin'dorei. Feh'menthar understood the difficulties this child would meet in her mother's society. He gently brushed the sleeping girl's hairs away from her face. Both girls were born with more hair than he had ever seen on a baby, and they looked much older than a few hours old.

Sassariel was stiring in her sleep, she was exhausted. Feh'menthar was still looking at the three woman of his life. He came to the realisation that the younger of the twins would have to go with him. Sassariel's husband would slay her on the spot, her Kal'dorei lineage too obvious to be forgotten. Separating the twins was probably the most cruel thing Feh'menthar could think of. And he knew Sassariel would take it very harshly. He knew the beautiful spellcaster had enchanted her necklace with some powerful magic. He didn't understand much to it, though. He was no practitionner of this art, but he did know it was designed to transmit messages. He knew it was tied to feelings, memories. With a deep breath, he brushed his fingers against the red stone.

In a blink, it was done. His message was preciously held by the necklace, it would be precisely transmitted to the beautiful Sin'dorei. Feh'menthar looked at his love and the baby girl now sucking on her thumb. He rose with a sigh, wrapping carefully the purple skined baby in a silken cloth before taking her with him. He left silently, without a word, without a last glance. He knew it would break his heart to do so.

Two hours later, Sassariel was crying, the little girl sleeping on her lap. She understood Thar's reasons, and knew he was right. But his quick leave was a betrayal. He left. She was alone, now. He would never be back. Deep in her, she knew it was their last time together. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and gently laid a hand over the baby's forehead.
"Kyliska. You are my only child..."
The Sin'dorei lady sent all of her memories into the necklace, and sealed it with a very complex spell. One day, young Kaliska would learn all this. One day, she would know who she truly was. Until then, the masquerade would have to be perfect. A new noble was into the world, and she would require all of Sassariel's energy. The lady would refuse herself to her husband, saying that they already got a heir. This plan would have been perfect, if only a Kal'dorei commander hadn't slaughtered Sassariel to get the necklace back. If only Thar hadn't tell his wife that the child he claimed was found, abandonned in the woods, was in fact his and his Sin'dorei lover's. If Kyliska hadn't lost the necklace in passionate fighting against the Guildwatch at Astranaar. Maybe then, maybe Lelliel would have been spared all these visions.

But the magic of the necklace was unpredictable. It refused it's magic to Kyliska, the intense hatred of the Sin'dorei (no, the half Sin'dorei) was too deep to entrust her all these secrets.



Lelliel was crying, her face burnt by the sun. She had no idea how long she had been laying there, but all her muscles were stiff, and her tongue felt like a huge potatoe in her mouth. Water. She needed some water. With an incredible effort, she picked her hearthstone and whispered to it. "Home."

The innkeeper of the Legendermain was surprised to see the little priestess appear in his establishment. Her robes were torn, every breath she took dropped more sand on the ground around her. Her lips were crackled and she definately got some serious sunburn, little white bumps covering her face. After a long week without seeing Lelliel, Sandra Bartan rushed to her and with the help of a patron, brought her to one of the rooms on the upper floor. There, they called for the city's physicians to tend to the draenei.

The first conscious thought of Lelliel was that somehow she was alive. But not for long. When Kyliska would learn all she had to tell, the priestess better had to run fast, or she would spend a very bad time under the Blood Knight's axe. She had to contact Kyliska. Now she knew the necklace was ready to accept it's new owner. It was time.

The sound of the icy cold wind rushing as she flew over the scarred land of the Icecrown was almost covering the alarms as Lelliel was guiding her gryphon into a high dive to a frail plant, it's roots running over the land. A giant skeleton almost stepped on the plant before Lelliel could snatch it, her mount screeching in protest at the abrupt landing followed by the fastest soaring it had ever made to avoid being stepped on by bony feet. The priestess carefully placed the leaves and roots in her herb pouch.

"I'll have time for this after I check on the Skybreaker," she told herself. "It's probably someone that is confused and landed on the wrong boat. These things happen all the time!" 

The priestess was quite wrong. As soon as she landed on the Skybreaker, she was charged by an orc. His massive axe was swinging wildly, but stopping on the protective shield she barely had time to call before the assault. It was mere seconds before the others joined the orc in the melee. Spells, axes and arrows were raining down on her. Biara, Kyliska, Covanin, Hauk and the orc were all there, and practically all of the Skybreaker's crewmen were already out of combat or dead. There was not much Lelliel could have done, also in panic she ran to the side of the boat and jumped to the frozen land. Dodging a few arrows, she was barely able to slow her fall enough to survive the impact with the ground. There was victory cries from high above, and the broken Draenei heard them, and it helped her gather some of her strenght to patch herself goodly enough to call on her gryphon and fly back to the Skybreaker.

Grabbing her hearthstone, she passed the message that the Skybreaker was under attack by a large group, but the silence that answered her call was definately not what she expected. There was no support to be expected from the Guildwatch. Returning her stone to her pockets, Lelliel guided her gryphon back to the flying boat, and landed lightly on the upper deck. Nodding to the Captain of the ship, and to Thassarian, the three of them watched desesperately at the slaughter below.

"There's not much I can do. I'll be back!"

The young draenei didn't stay on the upper deck long enough to hear the protests of the two men, slowing her fall, she protected herself with another barrier and landed in the middle of the Sin'dorei and orc, screaming at the top of her lungs, she startled them enough to realize the idiocy of her action, and she hurried back to the upper deck, dodging some attacks but suffering quite a few injuries. Nursing her wounds, she smiles apolegically at the worried two humans. There was no hopes, all she could do was hear the screams of pain and the yells of victory.

Another form flew over the Skybreaker, and when Lelliel looked up, she was surprised to discover Silgathien was there. 'He definately is the last one I expected to come to my rescue...' With a smile, she rose to her feet and prepared for a desesperate assault... which was abruptly stopped by the strong defense of the people of The Trust and their new ally. Broken, the Kal'dorei and the Draenei climbed back to the upper deck. Listening to some unheard voices, Silgathien said he had to leave, but before he did so, he spoke with authority on the Guildwatch spells and a few others signified they were on their way to help, to the greater relief of Lelliel. Once the Kalimdor General left, the priestess stood over the main deck, watching the Sin'dorei bunch looking up at her. They dared not come to the fortified place, and Lelliel knew how foolish it would be to jump back in them, they would be ready this time...

Other came, they were crushed, again and again. Until Biara and her companions were bored out of their mind and flew out, laughing over the half conscious bodies. Lelliel caught the murdureous glare of Kyliska as she left, knowing that the next time, she better had to hand the necklace or she won't survive.