Alayne slunk down the stairs of the inn the next morning feeling exhausted. She hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, spending the night crying and feeling horribly guilty. When Ta’sia had said that she and Ger’alin had had an argument, Alayne had felt as if she were soaring, hoping that they would fight and the mage would leave. She’d squashed the feeling almost immediately and had spent the long night berating herself for wishing such a thing. “I wish they’d go back to Silvermoon where they could be happy where I don’t have to see it all the time,” she muttered.
“Who could be happy?” Callie asked, sitting next to the warlock.
“Oh, never mind,” Alayne sighed.
“I never do. What’s bothering you, Alayne? Who do you want to be happy?”
“The whole bloody world,” she grumbled. “Go up and get Jez’ral, would you? The sooner we take care of the orcs in the citadel, the better. Nazgrel is not going to be happy if we leave that particular wound festering.”
“What’s the matter with you?”
“I’m tired and cranky. I didn’t sleep well. Zerith and Dar’ja,” she muttered, hating herself for lying but knowing that if she told Callie the truth, she’d dissolve into a heap of tears and melt away.
“Ah. I’ll be right back down with Jez’ral, then. I’m assuming you’re going to take the pilgrims who came with us last night?” Alayne nodded sullenly. “I’ll round up Zerith and Dar’ja and Ger’alin and Ta’sia as well, then.”
“No,” Alayne muttered. “Leave Ger’alin and Ta’sia out of this.Zerith and Dar’ja as well. We’ll have more than enough fighters with the pilgrims.”
Callie opened her mouth to argue but a glare from Alayne cut her off. Shrugging, the rogue decided to let it lie for now. More likely than not, the four would follow after in short order. After all, Alayne was hardly going to be able to keep this a secret. Callie wished that she’d had time to return through the Dark Portal and rally the Disorder of Azeroth. Still, perhaps Alayne was right to keep the others out of it for now. The woman seemed to have something preying on her mind that she needed to work out and Callie had a feeling that it had to do with Ger’alin and Ta’sia. She woke Jez’ral and led him down to the inn’s common room where Alayne was sketching out what she knew of Hellfire Citadel.
“Where is everyone else?” he asked, seeing that the room was virtually empty.
“Asleep,” Alayne answered tiredly. “Battle plus victory equals celebration leading to sleeping in.”
“You sound like you could use some ‘sleeping in,’” Jez’ral said, glancing down at her.
“I’ll sleep later,” she sighed. “Let’s go.”
“Without the others? My dear, we may need…” Alayne shot him a disgusted glare that made him take an involuntary step backwards. “Okay, without the others,” he said, raising his hands in surrender. “You should leave a note for them, though, so they won’t think we’ve run off to parts unknown.” Alayne grunted and then walked over to the innkeeper’s desk. Scribbling a quick note, she folded it in half and put Zerith’s name on the outside. Dusting her hands and looking expectantly at her patron, she waited to see if he had anymore busywork for her to do before he quit stalling and got on with it. “Maybe you should go say hello to…”
“Jez’ral,” she interrupted, “I still know how to use a sword and I will give you a demonstration by cutting you into tiny pieces which I will then proceed to jump on while wearing those abominable heeled boots Mir’el gave me if you don’t get outside, summon your fel steed, and follow me to the Pools of Aggonar without saying another word in the next fifteen seconds.”
“Zerith and Dar’ja,” Callie explained as the woman stormed out of the inn.
“There’s more to it than that,” Jez’ral whispered. “I could hear her crying all night long.”
“Crying? I wonder what she was crying about. Do you think whoever she was with last evening…,”
“She wasn’t with anyone,” he blushed. “That was both of us getting rid of attention neither of us wanted. She’s made it pretty clear to me that she’s not interested in catching any attention regardless of what Mir’el wants.”
“Oh,” Callie grinned.
“Are you two coming or should I just go ahead and do this by myself?” Alayne snapped angrily. “Never mind,” she muttered, heeling her fel steed to a gallop and leaving them coughing in her dust.
~*~*~*~
Alayne studied the citadel from the rear, wondering just how they were going to manage to get inside without having to fight a small war to gain entrance. The pilgrims she’d gathered from Thrallmar and Falcon Watch were content to let her study the problem in silence. For a moment, she wished she had let Callie get Ger’alin or Zerith. Either of the men were better at figuring out how to storm a keep than she was. This was not anywhere near as simple as Shadowfang Keep had been. The citadel had several entrances. All she wanted to do was to keep the orcs inside from being able to move against them for a time. Still, taking control of the citadel would be a strategic gain for the Horde…
…only, it seemed virtually impossible without an army.
“This is not going to be easy,” she muttered.
“Alayne!” one of the pilgrims shouted, pulling the warlock from her thoughts. She turned to see what the commotion was. The man gestured to her and she walked over to the hill. Laying there was the corpse of an orc outrunner. Had they been lucky enough to have the one who escaped die before he could report that the demon gates were closed? Studying him, she grimaced. The orc was smaller than the one she had seen. He looked strong but less powerful than his brethren. Wincing as she turned the corpse over, she noted that he bore emblems in keeping with a more shamanistic bent. The orcs she, Jez’ral, and Callie had captured had carried idols of demon worship. Whoever it was, this orc was not one she had seen before.
“Uh-oh,” the pilgrim muttered, jerking Alayne from her thoughts.
The warlock glanced up and groaned. A progression of orcs was making its way down the rocky hillside near the Alliance outpost at the Temple of Tel’hamat. Alayne moved to stand in front of her group, making it clear that if the orcs wanted to speak to anyone, they would have to speak to her. The orcish procession ignored the sin’dorei though a few spat at them. Instead, they seemed interested in the corpse laying on the hillside.
“Did you kill our brother?” the orc in lead of the procession demanded angrily.
“No,” Alayne said. “He was dead when we got here.”
“Why are you here? Have your people not done enough?”
“My people have done nothing to yours,” Alayne replied. “We have come to Outland to study it. The Warchief of the Horde…”
“A tainted blood-drinker!” the orc spat angrily.
“Thrall is no such thing!” Alayne roared. “He’s a strong leader for his people and he has offered protection to those who are willing to abide by his ways.”
“Thrall?”
“Thrall, son of Durotan of the Frostwolf Clan. He was a friend to Grommash Hellscream who broke the demon-curse on his people.”
“Then he is one of the untainted,” the orc mused, “and a friend to you, if your defense of him is true. Come with us, then, and tell us why you watch the tainted ones in their twisted citadel.”
~*~*~*~
“We do not know how our brothers were tainted,” the chieftain of the Mag’har said. “We only know that they were promised great power for drinking the blood of demons once more. Those of us who refused this ‘gift’ were cast out. Our leaders in Nagrand sent us here to watch over the fel orcs and their twisted citadel. We do not want war, but we fear that war will come once again.”
“Who leads the orcs in the citadel?” Alayne asked.
“Kargath Bladefist is the one they have chosen as their Warchief. He makes his home inside the Shattered Halls.”
“And if he were dead?” she pressed.
“If he were dead, then the fel orcs would have only their stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley. They would pose no threat to us. Would you destroy them, then?”
“With your help, I believe we can,” Alayne agreed.
“Then you will have our help. If you prove to be worthy allies, I will send word of you to our leaders in Nagrand.”
Alayne sat back and relaxed a bit. She had not been involved in the negotiations with the centaur in Desolace, but she felt as if she had done well here. Without Ger’alin or Zerith, she had been able to convince the reluctant orcs of Outland to help her clean out Hellfire Citadel. With it firmly in Horde hands, the Alliance could not threaten them. And, by clearing out these fel orcs, Alayne might have the chance to find one who did know the name of the demon used to taint so many. To her side, she could hear Jez’ral muttering skeptically. He obviously thought the idea of heading into battle right away was too risky. But, if they gave the fel orcs time to gather…
“When will you move against the fel orcs?” the Mag’har asked.
“Is an hour too soon?” Alayne replied calmly. The orc stared at her in amazement before laughing.
“An hour will be fine.”
“Alayne,” Jez’ral said in Thalassian, “Zerith and the others…”
“Are probably still asleep,” she replied in the same tongue. “We can handle this. Besides, you didn’t really want them out here to begin with.”
“That was before…” Jez’ral said to himself. It was clear his student was not going to be budged from her position. Instead of arguing with her, he sighed and decided to try to work with her. Perhaps it was for the best if the others returned to Silvermoon sooner rather than later. “Or perhaps it would be best if we could get to the bottom of whatever it is that’s weighing on your mind,” he grimaced beneath his breath. Alayne stood across the room, giving directions to the pilgrims who had followed them. “At the very least, it might make living with you a trifle easier. But, have it your way, for now. Of course, if they come after me this time,” he promised her silently, “I’m blaming this one all on you.”
~*~*~*~
Zerith wondered at the sounds coming from Ger’alin’s tent. He knew himself that not everyone would do things in the proper order but he’d always thought more of the paladin than that. Still, it wasn’t as if Ger’alin were under his command. Deciding that the other man wasn’t going to be joining them for breakfast, Zerith headed back into the inn, wondering just why the town was so deserted this morning.
“There you are,” Ger’alin said as he came down the stairs. “Where is everyone?”
“Wait,” Zerith said slowly. “You’re here.”
“I am. I got drunk last night and wound up sleeping in Callie’s room. She stayed over with Jez’ral.”
“But if you’re here, then who’s out there?”
“Out where? The town is virtually deserted this morning.”
“There is someone in your tent.”
“Oh Light. I’d forgotten that I’d left it up. Probably just a couple of people who wanted some private time to judge by the blushes on your face.”
“I thought you were out there…”
“Oh. Well, I’m not. Let me go see who has borrowed my tent for their extracurricular activities and then we can be off to figure out where everyone is. The inn is empty.”
Ger’alin walked out to his tent to see who was using it. Zerith followed him. As the men drew near, Ger’alin’s face pulled into an angry scowl as he recognized one of the voices. Just how was he going to explain his way out of this one? He started to say something to the priest, to get him to go back to the inn so Ger’alin could try to salvage the situation.
The cries from within the tent faded and Ger’alin began wondering if the blush would ever leave his face. Before they could start up again, he tapped on the outside of the tent. “I’d like my tent back now, thank you,” he said loudly. He turned to lead Zerith back to the inn, not wanting to deal with the confusion. However, the priest was staring daggers at the tent. Obviously Ger’alin wasn’t the only one who had recognized the voice inside.
“What is going on here?” the priest demanded, outraged.
“It’s a complicated situation that I’m sure is entirely my fault,” Ger’alin sighed.
“If she’s in there with someone else, then that’s not your fault.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll find some way to blame it on me,” the paladin muttered bitterly.
“What is going on?” Zerith demanded angrily. “Something about the two of you does not fit right. I want to know the truth and I want to know it now!”
Ger’alin took a deep breath and tried to organize the story in his mind. However, at that moment, Ta’sia poked her head out of the tent and yelped when she saw Zerith and Ger’alin staring down at her. The priest’s outraged expression turned into pure anger and he clenched his fists at his sides, quivering as if he were ready to beat both of them senseless.
“Ta’sia, why don’t you get out here and tell him the truth about us?” Ger’alin suggested mildly.
“I was drunk,” she said lamely. “I was drunk and lonely and I did something stupid and I’m so sorry,” she continued, working up a good sob.
“I don’t care how drunk you got,” Zerith started to say.
“Neither do I,” Ger’alin said calmly. “Especially since I’ve never been involved with her to begin with. She can sleep with whomever she desires. It’s no concern of mine.”
“What?!” Zerith shouted. “Someone had better explain this to me and I mean now!”
“She lied to you,” Ger’alin continued. “She and I ran into each other in Stranglethorn Vale – that’s true. I was drunk and I was pretty torn up about Alayne being dead. When I glanced over at her,” he pointed at the mage, “I thought that she was Alayne. I smiled at her – it must have been one hell of a smile – but when I realized it wasn’t Alayne, I was as courteous as I could be considering I was drunk.”
“So, she made up a whole relationship over that?” Zerith asked skeptically. There was clearly more to the story than that.
“She made up the relationship because, even after I courteously turned her down that night, she snuck into my bed while I was sleeping, woke me up, and was upset that I couldn’t remember her name and that, come the next morning, once I sobered up, I expressed no interest in a repeat performance.”
Ta’sia pulled herself out of the tent and glared at Ger’alin. “Tell him what really happened,” she snarled.
“That is what really happened,” he said calmly.
“Tell him what you called me.”
“A tramp.A trollop. A few other choice names that while, not polite, were not inaccurate.”
“Get out,” Zerith said, glaring at Ta’sia. His teeth were clenched like his fists. “I should have known…Callie didn’t like you…and something about the way you acted told me that…get out of here,” he snarled.
Ta’sia stared at the priest in amazement. It wasn’t supposed to go this way! She opened her mouth to tell Zerith what Ger’alin had left out but the priest turned and stormed back into the inn. Ger’alin winced as the door slammed behind Zerith and began to wonder just how much trouble he was going to be in for letting this drag on as long as it had. “Go on back home, Ta’sia,” he said softly. “You’ve caused enough trouble here.” Then, not giving the woman another chance to argue, Ger’alin squared his shoulders and returned to the inn, preparing himself for another confrontation.
~*~*~*~
“I can’t believe we fell for it and that you let it drag on so long,” Zerith muttered angrily once he calmed down. Ger’alin shrugged uncomfortably. “Why did you let us think what we thought?”
“I had already embarrassed her enough,” the paladin muttered. “I was hoping she’d just pretend to break up with me and leave. I was trying to help her save as much of her dignity as I could. Granted, I don’t like the woman at all but…”
“Where is everyone else?” Dar’ja asked, changing the subject.
“That’s what I was wondering,” Ger’alin said, glad of the new topic. “Even the pilgrims are gone.”
“Maybe they went over to Falcon Watch,” Zerith suggested, growing calmer. He tried to think of what Ta’sia had done as just another prank. A very disturbing prank, but a prank nonetheless. “We should probably head that direction to see for ourselves. I wonder why they didn’t wake us to come with them.”
“Alayne and Jez’ral are probably doing some research and couldn’t be bothered to wait on us,” Dar’ja chimed in. “After all, they are out here on official business, not just to take in the scenery.”
“So, let’s get going,” Ger’alin said, rising from the table. “Oh, and please let me explain this to Alayne myself. I know she thinks that Ta’sia is wonderful and will be understandably upset about the whole thing so I’d rather she not know everything.”
“I’ll be more than happy to leave that explanation to you,” Zerith offered. “But, we’d better go see what they’re up to before they decide to leave us cooling our heels here in Hellfire Peninsula while they take care of their ‘official business.’”
“By the way,” Ger’alin asked, affecting an air of carelessness, “what is going on with Alayne and the new robes?”
“Oh, those were gifts from Mir’el, apparently. He really wants her to settle down. I think he’s hoping that if she finds a husband, she’ll stay in Silvermoon. He and Jez’ral are both oddly protective of her.”
“I see,” Ger’alin said evenly. “Well, let’s go get caught up to them.”
The three saddled their mounts, packed their gear, and then set out down the road towards Falcon Watch. As they drew near to Hellfire Citadel, Ger’alin signaled a halt and stared at the citadel walls. His ears pricked forward to catch the sound better and he began growling softly. “What is going on?” Zerith asked, concerned.
Before Ger’alin could answer, one of the pilgrims who had helped out with the attacks against the demon camps came running up. “Help us! Help us!” he shouted. “They’ve been captured!”
“Who’s been captured?”
“Alayne, Jez’ral, and Callie. They were trying to draw Kargath Bladefist out of the citadel so we could assassinate him but they were surrounded and captured instead. The Mag’har are doing their best to help us reach them but we need all the assistance we can find!”
“Ride like hell for the Dark Portal,” Ger’alin said calmly. “Once you’re through, head to Undercity and ask after Davril. Tell him that Ger’alin and Zerith said to gather the Disorder of Azeroth and bring them to Hellfire Peninsula as soon as he can.”
The pilgrim nodded dully and ran to obey. “What are we going to do while we wait for the others to get here?” Zerith asked.
“We’re going to go get them out of there. And then, I’m going to wring Alayne’s neck for this.”
“So am I,” Zerith muttered, anger masking the worry, “so am I.”
~*~*~*~
“I agree with you now,” Alayne muttered sullenly. “It was a terrible idea. Zerith’s going to wring my neck for this.”
“I told you we should have waited for them,” Callie replied. “But no, you had to go attack Hellfire Citadel right away.”
“I never thought I’d wish that they had left us gagged,” Jez’ral growled. “If the two of you don’t stop complaining and start helping me figure out how we’re going to get out of here…” he left the threat hanging in the air.
“They’re going to change the guard soon,” Alayne said after a lengthy silence. “That will be our best chance.”
“Best chance for what?” Callie asked.
“Best chance to break out of here. Jez’ral, would you prefer subtle or strong?”
“Judging by the size of our captors, strong is the way to go.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“What are you two talking about?” Callie demanded.
Alayne gestured for silence. She listened intently for the door to open and the next shift of guards to enter. The confusion of the change in shift would be the best chance they had to break free. Mentally, she readied her spell and felt Jez’ral doing the same. Luckily for them, the guards were warriors. Had a single mage or warlock been amongst them, Alayne’s plan would be doomed to failure. The door finally opened, creaking on hinges that had not been oiled in years. Alayne began to cast her spell but stopped as the sounds echoing down the hallway reached her. She placed a hand over Jez’ral’s mouth, silencing him, and groaned when she realized what was happening.
The door to their cell opened and Ger’alin was thrown in. The man looked far worse for wear. Bruises covered his face and his hair was matted with blood. He dragged one of his legs as if it were injured and his arm dangled limply. Before Alayne could act, the door was slammed shut again. She scrambled over to Ger’alin and turned him over. His eyes glared at her, boring through her face and making her flush in anger and sorrow. “What are you doing here?”
“Breaking you out of here,” he muttered sullenly, sitting up and straightening his arm.
“You look terrible,” Callie said, studying him. “What happened?”
“Pitch, clay, and a little play-acting,” he grinned, wiping at his face. He had to scrub hard to remove the bruise. Turning to Alayne, he forced himself to look calm. “The only reason I’m not wringing your neck is because your brother called first shot on that. Why in the name of the eternal sun did you just run off and leave us while you attacked an orc stronghold?”
“Because it was Jez’ral and I who created this mess so it’s up to us to clean it up,” Alayne snapped. “And, while your rescue attempt is welcome, we were just about to get ourselves out of here.”
“How might you be doing that?”
“Watch and learn,” she grimaced. Down the corridor, she could hear Ger’alin’s captors speaking with the other guards. They were preparing to take over the watch. Now was the time. Nodding to Jez’ral, she cast her spell and then grinned as she sensed a massive infernal forming outside their cell. Focusing on forcing her will on the being, she set it to attack the guards. Meanwhile, Jez’ral focused his spells against the cell-door, melting the metal hinges until they weakened enough that he could kick the door down. By the time the four were out in the hallway, only the infernal remained. Alayne renewed her hold on it and then peered the way they had been brought.
“It’s not very far to a window,” Ger’alin said. “Zerith and a few others are watching for us to signal them.”
“No,” Alayne replied. “We came here to do something and we’re not leaving until it’s done.”
“And what is that?” Ger’alin muttered angrily. He reached over and grabbed Alayne by the arms, turning her until she faced him. “What is it that you need to do that’s more important than getting out of here and waiting for the rest of the Disorder of Azeroth to arrive so we can clear this place out and turn it over to the Horde?”
“I need to kill the fel orc Warchief,” she said simply, freeing herself from his grip. “If you want to leave, that’s fine. I’m sure Ta’sia is worried about you. But I’m not leaving until I’m done here. Come on, Jez’ral,” she ordered, walking briskly down the corridor. “Let’s go.”
~*~*~*~
Ger’alin wanted to argue with Alayne but he had to admit the woman had a point. If they killed the orc who the other tainted orcs followed and then turned the fortress over to the Mag’har, the untainted orcs, then they would gain allies here in Outland and would earn the respect of the Horde on the other side of the Dark Portal. Not only that, they might stop the demonic invasion taking place in Hellfire Peninsula. At the very least, they’d slow it substantially. Even if the plan was insane, it still had its good points.
Callie eyed the man up and down. “Where is Ta’sia?” she whispered.
“Gone,” he grinned. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
“What did she do?”
“Zerith caught her in my tent with one of the strapping pilgrims she met last night. I told him the whole story and explained why I’d let it go on so long.”
“So, he knows that you…”
“That I’m such a gentleman that I let her make me miserable for a chance to save her dignity,” he replied smugly. “He has no idea about the other and I’m hoping to keep it that way. Especially since it seems that she hates me right now.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She’s angry at herself.”
“Could have fooled me,” he muttered. Up ahead, Alayne and Jez’ral had come to a halt. Down one hallway, they could hear the sounds of combat. Down the other, nothing. Alayne tapped her chin thoughtfully before turning and heading directly for the fighting. Ger’alin followed her, trotting to keep up. Alayne kept the pace up, following a twisting stairwell and then stopping so suddenly at the top that Ger’alin ran into her.
“What?” he hissed angrily.
“I am called Bladefist for a reason,” a deep, maniacal voice chuckled. “As you will soon see.”
Reaching behind her and shoving Ger’alin to the side, Alayne ordered her infernal to rush ahead and block the doorway that led into the arena. Jez’ral, seeing what she was doing, commanded his fel guard to join the infernal while the warlocks hurried to join the demons, sending their spells through the gaps. Jez’ral shouted something that Alayne seemed to understand and then the woman stopped casting her own spells at the scythe-fisted Warchief and instead focused on the demons. Ger’alin craned his neck, wishing he could see what was going on. He could tell that the Warchief was trying to fight his way past the demons and that dozens of warriors were lining up to join him. The two warlocks were doing well, preventing the orcs from reaching them. Ger’alin wondered just how they were keeping the demons under control and shielded. Then, he noticed what the effort of doing just that was doing to Alayne. The woman’s face had grown haggard and she looked as if she had not slept in weeks. Sweat poured down her face and she panted, trying to draw in enough air to keep going. She swayed unsteadily on her feet. Ger’alin knew that warlocks could use their demons as a linked shield of sorts, redirecting any injury inflicted on them onto the stronger demon. It seemed as if Alayne had reversed that and was instead taking the injuries so that the demons could keep blocking the path.
“Almost done,” Jez’ral shouted hoarsely. “Just Kargath left!”
Alayne’s knees buckled and the infernal vanished. The fel guard did not last much longer under the fel orc’s onslaught. Before the crazed Warchief could turn on Jez’ral, Callie and Ger’alin rushed him, shoving him over the pile of bodies that had stacked up at the mouth of the arena. Swinging and slashing, they cornered Kargath and, within minutes, slew him. Leaving the axe and shield with the fallen fel orc, Ger’alin walked over to see how Alayne and Jez’ral had fared.
Jez’ral sat, his back against the wall and his head thrown back sucking in air as if he had been strangled. His eyes were closed and sweat beaded on his forehead. Alayne lay where she had fallen. She had not moved. “Alayne?” he asked softly. “Alayne?”
“She’s out cold,” Jez’ral panted. His voice was hoarse as if he had been shouting. “She drained herself to keep the demon guards alive and functioning for as long as she did. She’ll need to sleep for a while and then eat something instead of moving it around on her plate and she’ll be all right.”
“I see,” Ger’alin said blankly. “Do you think you could make it back to the others with Callie? I think the fortress is cleared.”
“I can manage that much,” the warlock muttered. “Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath.”
“Then let’s get going,” Ger’alin said, pulling Alayne into his arms and carrying her out of the fortress.
~*~*~*~
“I’ll let you off this time,” Zerith said severely though his smile betrayed his true thoughts. “But, only because you actually pulled it off.”
“Thank you,” Alayne said tiredly. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and tried to stand. “He’s afraid I’m going to run off again, isn’t he?” she muttered, pointing at Ger’alin. The paladin was leaning against the wall, snoring softly and occasionally babbling in his sleep.
“He’s been worried about you,” Zerith said slowly. “I’m not sure why. After all, you’re such a rational and level-headed woman.”
Alayne rolled her eyes at the obvious sarcasm. “I need to move around a bit. I’m stiff as a board.”
“I suppose you can take a walk around Thrallmar,” Zerith said tolerantly. “Just don’t go running off again.”
“I won’t,” she promised. In truth, she needed to get out of the room with Ger’alin before she started sobbing. “Where is Ta’sia? I’m sure she would not be happy to hear that he’s decided to camp out in here with me instead of being with her,” Alayne sighed, pointing at the paladin.
“Ta’sia is…no, I promised I would let Ger’alin explain that to you.”
“Explain what to me?” Alayne asked, feeling her stomach clench and her palms grow clammy.
“Let me put it this way,” Zerith sighed, “Ta’sia is no longer concerned with where Ger’alin sleeps.”
Alayne tried to decipher what her brother might mean. Fearing the worst, she nodded blankly as if she had understood and then walked out of the room. Pulling her cloak tight around her and muttering to herself about where Jez’ral might have found another set of robes that was only slightly better than the ones she’d been forced to discard, she began making a circuit of the Horde settlement.
The town was quiet though the subtle thrum of celebration hung in the air. The Mag’har orcs had spoken with the forces gathered under Nazgrel and were preparing to send an emissary to Thrall in Orgrimmar. The Mag’har were impressed by the short work that the Horde had made of taking Hellfire Citadel. While Alayne and the others had been escaping confinement in the Shattered Halls, the Mag’har and the remaining pilgrims had managed to take control of the ramparts and the Blood Furnace. There was still a basement wing that no one had been able to penetrate yet. A strong warding had been placed over it by the fel orc warlocks. For now, a guard had been put in place to ensure that no one entered or left the basement.
As Alayne made her circuit of the town, she wondered why she didn’t just take Jez’ral and leave. After all, with the fel orcs defeated, it seemed unlikely there would be a need for the Disorder of Azeroth. Ger’alin and the others could return to Silvermoon and their lives while Alayne and her teacher completed their research. Perhaps by the time they returned, Ger’alin and Ta’sia would have left.
As if thinking of the woman had summoned her, Ta’sia stepped out of the shadow of the large building that dominated the town. She had been laying low, waiting for a chance to approach Alayne. She’d heard all about the attack. She wondered what, exactly, Ger’alin might have told Alayne. If he had come clean with the warlock, then Ta’sia’s plan stood little chance of working. However, given how timid the man seemed, she thought that perhaps she still had a chance to ruin this for him. After all, he’d humiliated her several times now. He deserved a bit of pay-back.
“Hello, Ta’sia,” Alayne said politely. She felt awkward. Zerith had told her that Ger’alin wanted to explain something about Ta’sia. Ger’alin, however, had been asleep when she woke up. “Did something happen?” she asked, taking the wolf by the ears.
“You could say that,” Ta’sia said softly. “I can’t compete with you, you know.”
“What do you mean?” Alayne asked, her mouth dry.
“I mean that your little game is over. You win. You keep dragging him into danger. You keep taking him away from me. Don’t stand there and pretend I’m an idiot, Alayne. You’re in love with him and you’ll do anything to keep us apart.”
“That’s not true,” Alayne protested. “I wish he would go back to Silvermoon with you and leave me alone.”
“No you don’t,” Ta’sia accused. “You say that but your actions speak louder than your words. You want him to follow you. You want him for yourself. I can understand that part, Alayne. After all, what woman wouldn’t want Ger’alin? But, you…you keep getting him almost killed. Well, I’m done with this. It’s breaking my heart to leave him and I’m praying he’ll come to his senses and come back home with me but I can’t stand watching him risk his neck to try to protect a woman like you. He feels a duty to watch out for you, you know. He feels responsible for you. He thinks of you just as Zerith does and it would hurt him so badly if something happened to you.”
“Ta’sia, wait…” Alayne pleaded. “I’ll talk to him. I’ll get him to go back with you. Or, I’ll just head off on my own again. I’ll tell Zerith not to follow and to keep Ger’alin back. I’m sure that…”
“No,” Ta’sia said firmly. “I told Ger’alin myself that either he follows you or he follows me. I’m sure that, in time, he’ll come to see you for what you are. And, he’ll hate you for leading him around as you have. But, until then, I want no part of this charade.”
Not giving the other woman a chance to respond, Ta’sia turned and vanished into the night. Alayne stood staring after her for a long moment, a look of utter agony on the warlock’s face. Then, forcing herself to calm down, schooling her features to stillness, she turned and headed back to the inn.
~*~*~*~
Ger’alin was relieved when he awoke and saw Alayne sitting at her desk. The woman was scribbling away in her notebook and had several vials spread out before her. She would lift one up to her face, stare at it, and then take careful notes on its reaction to whatever it was she was doing. The paladin was content to watch her, content to spend this time in silence. He worked over what he wanted to say to her, hoping that he could finally get it off his chest and at least know where he stood.
“I learned about what happened,” Alayne said, not even looking up from her research. “You have my sincerest apologies for the trouble I’ve caused you.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, confused.
“You did not have to follow me out here. I can take care of myself.”
“Alayne, I…”
“And you do not need to watch over me. I’m not going to do anything rash. Granted, yes, attacking Hellfire Citadel without an adequate number of fighters was foolhardy. However, it was a risk we had to take to keep the research Jez’ral and I are working on secret. Also, we had no desire to leave Thrallmar with a bigger mess on its hands while we skipped merrily on about our business.”
“Alayne, what did she tell you?” he demanded.
“She told me the truth. And now, I want you to leave. I want you to go back to Silvermoon. I want you to stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself. I’ve got Jez’ral and Zerith who will look after me. You need to live your own life, Ger’alin. Don’t keep following me out of some misplaced sense of loyalty.”
“Alayne, at least look at me and let me explain. I think she must have…”
“There’s nothing more to discuss, Ger’alin,” Alayne said coldly. “Now, excuse me. Jez’ral and I have some loose ends to tie up before we venture over to Zangarmarsh. I’ll be staying in his room from now on. You can remain here for the next week if you want. The room is paid up that long.”
Alayne swept out of the room before Ger’alin could so much as formulate a reply. She slammed the door behind her. A few minutes later, Zerith stormed into the room, his face dark as an approaching hurricane. “Okay, Ger’alin,” he growled, “I promised to let you explain things to Alayne. Did you or did you not?”
“She didn’t give me the chance to get a word in edgewise,” the paladin said defensively. “I’m not sure what her problem is today other than she’s made it clear she wants me gone.”
“She just told me she spoke with Ta’sia last night.”
“What? I thought she was gone!”
“Apparently not. Now, I can understand why Ta’sia might want to make you suffer a bit but why in the name of the Light would she drag Alayne into it? I know there’s something you’re not telling me and I have a very strong feeling it involves my sister.”
“Ta’sia…Ta’sia is the kind of person who gets a rise out of making others feel sorry for her,” Ger’alin sighed. “No doubt she told Alayne some sob story to make me look bad and to make herself look better. What she told Alayne, I don’t know. I wish I did, but Alayne just told me straight out to go back to Silvermoon and to leave her alone. She said I shouldn’t worry about her and that she can take care of herself.”
“What on earth did that woman tell her to get her so riled up at you?” Zerith muttered. “And why?”
Ger’alin shrugged helplessly. He had a feeling he knew exactly what Ta’sia had told Alayne. He also had a feeling that there was no way he was ever going to get to explain himself if he kept waiting for the right moment. “I’m going after her,” he announced. “I’m going to get to this once and for all. If she still wants me to leave after that, I’ll leave.”
“I’ll come with you,” Zerith nodded. “I want to know what has her so bothered lately myself.”
~*~*~*~
Alayne gazed out over the Pools of Aggonar. She and Jez’ral had been here several times already. The site of the defeat of a massive demon drew lesser demons to it and created a vortex of power that polluted the land. The stagnant pools bubbled from the heat of fel fires and doomguards wandered around at will. Still, something powerful kept the lesser demons from running amuck. Several times already, the two sin’dorei warlocks had sensed it. However, whenever they focused on it, the feeling slipped away from them until, finally, they had decided that there was nothing left to do but to check using mundane means.
“I’m going to take a bath that lasts a week when we get done here,” Jez’ral muttered sourly as they made their way deeper into the area. The stench of rot and decay was strong here, freshened constantly by the fetid pools. The two warlocks destroyed the doomguards as a matter of course. The demons were not very powerful and they needed to test to see if the dark vortex they’d both felt would rush to the defense of its minions.
“Nothing,” Alayne said, shaking her head. “Let’s move on.”
Continuing along the path and around the bend, they both came to a stumbling halt. Up ahead atop a massive darkstone platform stood a man’ari demon. One of the high-ranking members of the Legion, these demons were of the eredar race. This one stood proudly, surveying the area while his many-armed attendants patrolled the demon’s claim. “They’re close to the Mag’har,” Jez’ral muttered. “And that one looks like he could summon a gate on his own.”
“Agreed,” Alayne nodded. “But, we don’t really have the power to take him out on our own.”
“We do if we get those others to cooperate.”
“I don’t think I could handle that many minds at once.”
“We don’t have to handle those minds. Just the one.”
“You’re insane, Jez’ral,” Alayne grinned. “I like it.”
“Mir’el will bite me again if he finds out we did this.”
“I’m not going to tell him.”
“Good girl,” Jez’ral chuckled. “Now, let’s find a likely spot and get ready. This is going to be exhausting.”
“Like the rest of what we’ve been doing out here hasn’t been,” Alayne said ironically. Jez’ral barked a laugh and nodded in agreement. He’d been more tired more frequently in Outland than he had during the entire campaign at Mount Hyjal during the last invasion. The pair scanned the area and spotted a large rock they could lean against. Alayne unrolled their sleeping mats and set up a small fire-pit. Likely, they would fall asleep after this was done – provided they did not have to make a run for it. Settling in and clearing their minds, the two warlocks let their energies wander and merge together and then, taking the lead, Jez’ral slammed their will onto the massive eredar overseer.
The demon roared in anger as he felt the intrusion into his mind. He tried to fight it off but Jez’ral and Alayne had combined their strengths. Separately, he might have been able to fight them off. Paired together, however, he was soon overcome. The other demons sensed a change in their master as he struggled to keep some sense of his own will. Wandering in closer to him, the demonic gathering was quickly slain when Jez’ral ordered the eredar to summon the fel fire.
Uncertain of what was going on but knowing that their master no longer controlled them, the demons scattered. Over half of them began attacking the eredar, eager to slay him and take his place in the Legion’s hierarchy. The rest scattered. Soon, those who had not fled envied those who had. Jez’ral and Alayne used the eredar’s great strength against his comrades while preventing him from defending himself. The numbers of those attacking grew less and less as demons fell to their master’s enslaved might. Jez’ral groaned as the last demon fell. It was still too soon. The eredar was still relatively strong and unwinded. The warlock wondered just how they were going to manage to hold him off and make a run for it now that no other demons lurked nearby to be used as shields.
“What are you two doing here?” Zerith called out as he and Ger’alin rounded the bend. “What is going on here?”
Jez’ral shot a pleading gaze at them. He dared not speak lest that break his concentration enough to set the demon free. Alayne, knowing his thoughts as well as she knew her own, flung out a hand, pointing at the demon. Ger’alin understood almost immediately and sprinted past Zerith, racing up the ramp while the warlocks struggled to maintain control over the giant demon. Alayne felt a surge of panic as she saw Ger’alin unsheathe his blade and bore in against the demon. Ta’sia’s words from the previous night floated in her mind. Determined not to let Ger’alin put himself in danger, Alayne clamped down with an iron will, paralyzing the demon and forcing her own will to become more tightly enmeshed with that of the eredar. She bit her lip as she felt each slash of the paladin’s blade in her own mind. Next to her, Jez’ral cried out in pain and his own control slipped. Alayne forced herself to make up the difference, binding herself so tightly with the demon that its anger began to flow into her. She growled softly. Jez’ral, lifting his head and gazing at her, understood what his student was trying to do and the price she was paying for it. Throwing himself at her and wrapping an arm around her body while clamping his other hand over her mouth, he roared. “Kill it now!”
Ger’alin glanced back to see what the warlock was shouting about just as the eredar broke free of Alayne’s control. The weakened demon raised a fist and aimed a blow at the sin’dorei paladin. Ger’alin managed to lift his shield just in time but the force of the demon’s blow jarred his arm. He screamed, feeling the bone crack and give way. Swinging wildly with his blade, Ger’alin managed to cut the demon’s throat, killing it before it could kill him. He sank to his knees, clutching his battered arm to his chest, and then looked over to see how the warlocks had fared.
Alayne was unconscious once more and Jez’ral was not far behind her. Jealousy and rage surged through Ger’alin when he saw the black-haired man laying across Alayne with his arms wrapped around her. He managed to stagger to his feet, intent on killing Jez’ral, before Zerith reached him. “I know you’re upset with her,” the priest muttered, misunderstanding the look on Ger’alin’s face, “but you should be grateful. She kept the demon from killing you even though it almost took her over. Luckily, Jez’ral broke her hold just before you killed it else you might have been dealing with a seriously possessed and very irritated warlock right now.”
“Belore,” Ger’alin swore, “why can’t she just have a sulking fit like a normal woman?” Zerith opened his mouth to answer but the ground tilted and Ger’alin joined the warlocks in the darkness of consciousness forgotten.
~*~*~*~
Zerith finished setting Ger’alin’s arm and let the healing power of the Light flow through him. The break was bad – the bone had been shattered in several places. However, with time, it would heal cleanly. The priest turned to examine Jez’ral, nodding in satisfaction. There was nothing wrong with the man that a good bit of rest wouldn’t cure. Leaving the pair in Dar’ja’s care, he left the room and walked down the hallway to where Alayne was under guard. He smiled to himself when Callie rose up from the floor. The rogue was almost as upset as he and Ger’alin had been over Alayne and Jez’ral wandering off on their own again. She refused to let the woman out of earshot.
Zerith pushed open the door and walked into the room. He started to scold his sister for being out of bed. He had told her to remain there and let the medicine he’d given her take effect. Once she had regained consciousness, she’d had a fierce headache that left her with doubled vision and unable to hold down the tiniest bit of food or water. The room still smelled faintly of the narcotic he’d steamed to get her to relax at all. However, when he saw that she was hunched over weeping, his scolding melted away forgotten. Walking quietly over to her, he squatted down and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
“There, there,” he said comfortingly. “It’s all right. No one was hurt too badly.”
“I’m going to get him killed,” she moaned. “Why won’t he just leave me alone? I’m all wrong for him. He should go back to Silvermoon with Ta’sia. Back where he belongs with a woman who cares enough for him to keep him safe!”
“Alayne,” he gasped, “what are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about what’s best for Ger’alin,” she sobbed softly. “I’m just going to get him killed out here. And, as much as I try to get him to leave, he won’t. And,” she groaned, whimpering so that she could barely get the words out, “I really want him to stay. I’m being selfish and I’m going to get him killed.”
“Why would wanting one of your friends to stay with you be selfish? And isn’t it his decision what he does and where he goes in life? If he wants to follow you, then that’s up to him, is it not?”
“But I’ve driven off the one person he really cared about. All because I insist on putting him in danger…”
“Alayne, I don’t think he ever really cared about Ta’sia…”
“He did! He does! She told me…”
“She’s a liar and a tramp, Alayne.”
“How can you say that!”
“Because I saw her with another man with my own eyes. She was tormenting Ger’alin because he embarrassed her a while back. I’m not certain of the whole story – only he knows that – but apparently, she…well, actually, I’ll just let him explain the details,” Zerith blushed. “At any rate, the two of them were never involved with each other. But, she couldn’t stand that he didn’t want her. I guess, when she saw him in Silvermoon, she couldn’t resist trying to catch his attention. And then, you saw it and came across her and the next thing poor Ger’alin knows, we’re thinking they are involved because she’s lied to us and he didn’t have a clear way out of it without humiliating her further.”
“But…but…”
“But nothing,” Zerith snorted. “She’s gone now. What did she say to you that has you so upset?”
“I…I don’t want to talk about it,” Alayne muttered, wiping tears from her cheeks. “But still, he shouldn’t be out here.”
“Why don’t you want him out here? When we were traveling together before, you seemed to like having him around.”
“I…I can’t stand being around him!” she wept. “I can’t stand the way he looks at me as if…as if…”
“As if what, Alayne?” Zerith asked, mystified.
“As if I were his little sister!”
Zerith stared at the top of Alayne’s head for a moment while all the pieces of the puzzle lined up. “Oh Light…” he sighed. “You mean to tell me that Ger’alin is the one you’ve been mooning over the past few weeks?”
“It’s nothing!” she snapped angrily. “I’ll get over it! I’m all wrong for him! I keep almost getting him killed! He deserves better than me!”
“Sis,” Zerith said, dragging the word out, “he’d have to go some to do better than you.”
Alayne’s weeping increased, taking on a near-hysterical tone. Zerith sighed and placed his fingers against the pressure point on her neck just behind her ears. He hated putting someone under like this but if she didn’t calm down, she was going to make herself ill. Alayne trembled, shuddered, and then collapsed under his gentle touch. Muttering to himself and wondering just what he was going to do about this, the priest lifted her back into the bed, laid a cold cloth over her forehead and wiped her face clean. Pulling a chair close to her bed, he leaned back, letting his thoughts wander while she slept.
The door to the room creaked open and Zerith glanced over at it with half a mind. Callie stood in the doorway looking guilty. He waved for her to come in and she walked over to the chair. “I couldn’t help but overhear some of that…” the rogue muttered slowly. “Did she…did she just say that it’s Ger’alin she’s been pining over?”
“Yes,” Zerith said softly. “Light, what a tangle.”
“Actually, it’s perfect,” Callie whispered. “Ger’alin’s been in love with her almost since he first met her. The more he got to know her, the more he wanted to know her.”
“What?” Zerith replied flatly.
“Did you notice that Ta’sia looks a lot like Alayne? Did you ever stop to think about what it was that would have embarrassed her so much? I’ll tell you what it was if you haven’t guessed yet. Trust me, there’s nothing more humiliating to a woman like her than when the man you’ve just tricked into sleeping with you calls out another woman’s name and then begins weeping in gratitude to the Light for giving him what he’s been dreaming of. Especially when that happens in a very crowded in and the man is calling out at the top of his lungs.”
Zerith stared at the Forsaken for a long moment, grateful that Alayne was beyond hearing any of this. He wasn’t certain he wanted to hear it himself. However, a grin began tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Go,” he said before he could burst into joyous laughter, “get Dar’ja. We’ve got our work cut out for us with this.”
~*~*~*~
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Jez’ral asked, somewhat uncomfortable at being drawn into this conversation. “I mean, shouldn’t we let them work this out on their own?”
“That never works,” Callie replied. “I mean, just look at you and Mir’el. You two needed some assistance in that area yourselves.”
“Wait what?” Zerith said, startled. Jez’ral waved a hand dismissively and blushed. “Never mind,” the priest harrumphed. “Now, back to the original point, yes, this is a wonderful idea. We just need to figure out the details.”
“Well then,” Jez’ral said thoughtfully, “I suppose leaving them in the same room without a chaperone is a start. Two young elves who are just in the first surge of physical adulthood…well, that’s one way to let them work it out.”
“That’s my sister you’re talking about,” Zerith growled.
“If she’s anything like her mother, it’ll happen exactly as you fear,” Jez’ral sighed beneath his breath. “All right,” he said aloud, “what do you suggest?”
“We need to keep throwing them together. Remember how they shared that big tent in Desolace and how they were planning to make us think that they were…oh Light, I can’t even say it outright…”
“They were going to make all kinds of noises to make us think they were really enjoying themselves and then when one of us rushed in, they were going to douse us with cold water,” Callie finished for him. “It was all part of their plan to get back at us for teasing Ger’alin like we did.”
“Belore,” Jez’ral whimpered, covering his eyes with his hand. “So, you want us to keep putting them in the same room? What, exactly, is that going to accomplish? I suppose we could get Ger’alin drunk…”
“No,” Callie cut in, “we have to make it seem like it’s fate. They can’t think it’s a prank. They have to think that some extremely odd set of circumstances keeps throwing them together. Eventually, frustrated by that, one or the other will break down and explain why they’re so uncomfortable with the arrangements that fate – aided by the four of us, of course – keeps setting up for them. And then…”
“Then we have a wedding,” Zerith muttered. “Dar’ja, I hope you remember the exact vows we had to take because they’re going to be the same ones those two have to use.”
“So, how do we do this without being obvious?” Dar’ja asked.
“Well, we’ll be heading to Zangarmarsh next,” Callie grinned. “We leave them be here for a few days, let them recover and at least get back on friendly terms with each other. Zerith, I’m sure you can come up with a reason why the two of them have to be in the same room.”
“I can do that quite easily,” the priest nodded. “It does make checking on them easier. Ger’alin’s arm will need another few days of rest before it’s healed and Alayne has worn herself out. Still, they’ll both be up and about in a couple of days so…”
“Yes, but in a couple of days, the entire Disorder of Azeroth will be here and rooms will be something of a rare commodity.”
“That…that’s brilliant,” Zerith admitted with admiration.
“Good, then keep listening. Once we get to Zangarmarsh, we’ve got to figure out a way to…”
~*~*~*~
Ger’alin sighed and tried not to move his arm. Zerith had secured it in a sling but the paladin had to fight temptation to untie the ribbon and use his arm. Eating one-handed was annoying.
“Here,” Alayne sighed, turning on the bench and lifting the fork for him. He nodded his thanks and she sighed again. “It’s the least I can do after almost getting you killed. Again.”
“Yes,” he agreed, “though you could tell me what that was about. And, what was it Ta’sia said to you that had you so upset?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Alayne whispered quietly, refusing to look at him.
“You know that she and I were never together, correct? That she lied to you.”
“Zerith explained it to me,” Alayne continued, still not looking at him. “I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you. I honestly thought she cared for you.”
“No lasting harm done,” Ger’alin replied awkwardly. Alayne finished feeding him in uncomfortable silence and then left to return to Jez’ral’s room. The warlocks were finishing their analysis of the demon population in Hellfire Peninsula before they continued on to the Zangarmarsh. Their tests in the vortex fields had promising results though they both feared that the instability of the land in Hellfire Peninsula would cause further collapse if they attempted to press further with their research. Jez’ral had high hopes for Zangarmarsh or Nagrand. Alayne herself thought their best chances lay in the Netherstorm. Still, it was Jez’ral’s expedition and she would go where he ordered for now.
Ger’alin stared after the warlock with a woebegone expression. He wondered why Alayne would not speak to him. Casting his mind back over the time since her return, he tried to figure out just when she had quit speaking with him. However, before he had much time to contemplate the possible reasons behind her sudden silence, Zerith plopped down on the bench where Alayne had been sitting.
“How’s the arm?” the priest asked.
“It’s doing better. I think tomorrow I should be able to start practicing the forms again with Tau’re.”
“Good, good. Jez’ral was saying they’ll be going to Zangarmarsh in a few days. I suppose we’ll all follow them. I know I’ve been wanting to study some of the plant life in Outland. I read the most fascinating book on the botanical effects of…”
“Books,” Ger’alin snorted. “They’re rarely useful things.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Zerith chuckled. “Remember the book Alayne found?”
“The one that got her captured by the Burning Blade?”
“No, no,” Zerith said, waving his hand and shaking his face. “The one she found out here. The one we’ve not let you read.”
“Oh, that one,” Ger’alin muttered. “What’s useful about that? It was just some magister’s research notes, wasn’t it?”
Zerith glanced around the room guiltily before pulling the book out of his belt pouch. “Well, it’s not exactly research but it is fairly educational.”
“Let me see that,” Ger’alin grimaced, wondering what the priest was talking about. Setting the book on the table, he flipped it open and began scanning the pages. His eyes widened in shock. “I see what you mean,” he muttered. “Light, is that even possible? Without being a contortionist, I mean.”
“Well…” Zerith grinned, shaking his head. “I’ll let you figure that out yourself. I was thinking about heading over to the Mag’har Outpost to see how they’re faring. Being so close to the source of demonic energies is having a slight effect on them and their shamans want an outsider’s opinion. Would you like to come along or would you rather stay here and…be educated?”
“Oh, what?” Ger’alin asked absently as he turned another page. “Yes, of course. Have a good time then.”
~*~*~*~
Ger’alin tossed and turned uncomfortably in the bed. He had lost that particular argument with Alayne. She slept on the floor across the room. Zerith poked his head in every few hours after supper to make certain that both of the elves were obeying his orders to rest. Glancing out of the window, Ger’alin figured that Zerith must already be asleep. “Alayne?” he hissed quietly. “Are you awake?”
“Yes.”
“I want to talk to you.”
“You’re talking now, aren’t you?”
“I mean…well, I want to know why you’re so angry with me. I did offer to trade places with you…”
“You are not sleeping on the floor with a broken arm.”
“It’s not really broken anymore.”
“I’m fine on the floor.”
“So, that’s not why you’re upset with me?”
“I’m not upset with you.”
“You’re hardly speaking to me anymore.”
“What do you think I’m doing now? Knitting?”
“You know what I mean,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Ever since you came back…you’ve been avoiding me. Did I do something to upset you?”
“No,” she said quickly. “I was just busy with returning to my studies. You were busy teaching. We just never had much time to speak and then there was that whole thing with Ta’sia…”
“Let’s not talk about her,” he shuddered. “I’d like to wring her neck for lying to you like that.”
“Actually, I do want to talk about her,” Alayne said. “Why did you go along with it? I can understand why she lied about being with you…”
“You can?”
“Anyhow,” Alayne continued, glad of the darkness that hid her blushes, “but what I can’t understand is why you went along with it if you dislike her so much. One word from you and she’d have been out of luck.”
“I…I didn’t want to embarrass her again. I’d refused her once before and she swore she’d get back at me. I figured letting her have her revenge until she got bored would make us even.”
“That doesn’t sound very convincing.”
“Then give me five minutes to think up a more believable lie!” he snapped angrily. Of all the things he wanted to talk about with Alayne, Ta’sia wasn’t even on the list. “Look, it’s complicated and it involves a time that I really don’t want to think about,” he said lamely. “But, she got very upset when I turned her down. When she saw me again in Silvermoon, she was trying to embarrass me. She’s the kind of woman who doesn’t understand why any man wouldn’t want to be with her.”
“Why didn’t you want to be with her?” Alayne asked curiously. “Is there someone else?”
“What kind of question is that?” he demanded. “No, there’s no one else. And please, for the love of the Light, don’t even start thinking about playing match-maker.”
Ger’alin strained to listen for her reply. He heard fabric rustling and then careful steps moving towards the bed. Turning his head, he saw Alayne standing there, her pillow clutched in her hands and a strange look on her face. “Do you honestly think,” she snarled, “that I would set you up with someone? After all of the misery that people playing match-maker with me is causing me?”
“Wait, who’s playing…ow!” he hissed when Alayne’s pillow hit him full in the face. “I’m not doing it! Why are you hitting me?”
“Because I can’t hit my employer or his lover! And you would think that I would stoop to that level when…”
Ger’alin snaked his good arm out from under the cover and grabbed the pillow from her hands. Throwing it across the room, he grabbed her arm before she could go to get it again. Pulling her down on the bed, he sat up, pulled her into his lap, and held her there so she couldn’t get away from him. “I don’t think you would do that,” he said calmly. “However, I do think that if you mentioned it within a twenty-mile radius of Callie, I would wake up to find myself in the midst of one of her more elaborate pranks. Now, why is Jez’ral trying to find someone for you? Is there someone you’re interested in?” he teased, praying that the anxiety in his voice would not give him away. “Light, woman, can’t you have a civilized conversation with me?” he groaned as she continued to try to twist away from him.
“Your hair is tickling me!” she giggled nervously. “I didn’t realize how long it was.”
“Oh,” he said as he loosened his hold on her slightly. She started to dart away to get her pillow again but he grabbed her nightgown and pulled her back, Wrestling with her until he had her pinned beside him, he fought not to laugh himself. She seemed to be making a game of it and, while it confused him endlessly, he was happy to have her be so amused by his antics. “Ssh,” he shushed. “You’re going to get Callie or Zerith or both in here if you keep that up.”
“Oh, fine,” she sighed. “Let me get back over there so I can get some sleep.”
“You swear you’re not angry with me and that when we wake up, you’ll still be speaking with me?”
“Yes, Ger’alin. I swear,” she groaned.
“And you swear that you’re not going to give anyone any ideas about throwing women at me?”
“I swear that too.”
“Would you like me to do something to stop Jez’ral from throwing men at you?”
“No. I think I’ve convinced him to stop.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good, I suppose.”
“Why would he want to set you up with someone in the first place?”
“I have no idea.”
“No thoughts whatsoever?”
“None. Are you going to let me go so I can get some sleep? We’re supposed to be heading over to Zangarmarsh in the morning.”
“You’re tired?”
“I am,” she admitted. “What are you doing?” she hissed as he pulled her down so that she was laying in the bed next to him. He kicked the blankets over her and then made certain his hair was not tickling her as it had been earlier.
“I will not get any sleep at all knowing that you’re tossing and turning on the floor. So, you can share this bed with me…”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea…” she yawned and made a feeble effort to get free.
“Look, we both know that we talk in our sleep and that I snore quite loudly. However, you do have to admit that this is more comfortable than the floor even if I’m in here as well. Besides, I want to talk to you more and I don’t like talking across a room. So, just get your mind out of the gutter and… Alayne? Alayne?” he smiled softly and settled down next to her when he realized she had fallen sound asleep. “Good night, Alayne,” he whispered, relaxing his hold on her and closing his eyes. Contenting himself with that, he fell into a restful slumber.
~*~*~*~
Alayne blushed and giggled when Ger’alin walked past her. He grinned at her and winked as he took the end of his ponytail and waved it at her as if he were going to tickle her. She chuckled and nodded at him, pulling herself into the saddle and then walking her felsteed over to where he stood waiting for the rest of the riders to mount up and follow them to Zangarmarsh. Zerith watched the by-play between the two with curiosity. He wondered if they were beginning to work things out on their own. At the very least, the icy wall separating them had begun to melt and they laughed over a shared joke that neither seemed inclined to explain to him.
“Let’s get going,” the priest said loudly once he was settled in the saddle himself. “Zangarmarsh awaits.”