Heresy

Selwan stood between Reilara and Roseatte, her heart pounding.

She thought this would be easy. It wasn't.

Gaeri curled lazily at her feet, his lithe serpent's body coiled around her ankle, half-dozing in the gentle warmth of the wooden planks of the dock as the Darnassus sun hung low in the sky. And before her, the Commander, his back turned to her to address the crowd before him, bidding on each of them, a date for an evening, she supposed in some cases simple company or even some assistance with missions.

But it didn't feel quite like that.

She had agonised over what to wear, finally deciding on her old beloved gladiator's armour, black and silver, with a black leather hood and the shoulders gifted to her by the Consortium. She saw no point in wearing a dress; if anything, for the first time in her life, Selwan was self-conscious. She had always dressed to please herself, no matter how much, or how little - and now, standing before them, seeing the normally conservative Reilara next to her in a barely-there golden gown, she suddenly winced and thought.."who is it for now? For them? Will I bring more gold if I do? If so, is it for the Commander? The Guard?"

Selwan's normally calm mind spun frantically and with a frustrated growl she pulled out what she knew and felt best in - the armour she and Rose had ripped from countless Dark Iron hands, together in night after night in the mountain. And it was like this that she stood, staring ahead into the crowd, trying to stay calm in what steadily felt to be a tense moment without really knowing why.

The little gnome female she had seen so often in the city, who glared at her face and stared at her tail sat on a post, jeering. Elves and humans alike crowded not far away, jostling for a view of them all, ordering drinks from the hawkers. The elven and Draenei heads towering over the humans on occasion, and gnome and dwarf alike clambering to the front for a view.

One gnome in particular kept shouting from the crowd that he was there to bid on her.

She remembered him.

"Sex for science" he'd said. And then the marriage proposal...in the mail.

Selwan had sent him the ring back, with the politest of letters, trying to make him understand why she had to refuse. And yet he was here again, a determined grin on his face as he shouted out that he was here to buy her.

"For what.." she thought, eyeing Reilara's dress again nervously.

And where was Ledgic?

She'd sworn he would be here, the blessedly familiar face in a sea of strangers, surely he would show. Ledgic, with his relaxed swagger and persistent smirk, and for all her comforting and protection, gave her as much of the same. Ledgic, with his delightful funny accent and warm heart. Why wasn't he here? He knew...surely he knew she had volunteered..or did he? Had she forgotten to tell him?

She saw Seiken at the back, and the Prince smiled slightly; he knew she was uncomfortable there, but she also knew he was in no condition to bid himself. She smiled back, a worried tilt to her eyebrows, before kneeling down to stroke the snake's head again, his tounge flickering lightly out to her hand.

"SELWAN NEXT!" the shout came up. She cringed inwardly.

Why?

Countless women of the Guard stepped forward, even a few from other regiments and associations; she recognised Narazen among the faces. Sanaje, even Saruuni. She started to relax slightly. Though Sana walked with her typical unconcerned swagger, Saruuni wasn't known for being particularly brazen; and surely the Commander would let none come to harm.

If he did...

If he did, I'd throw that Gurubashi book at his head next time. some part of her hissed. She wondered where it came from, it didn't even seem to be her that spoke it, and yet she knew it was.

Lost in her thoughts she never saw the rogue walk up and stand next to Seiken near the centre of the pier.

She never heard the Commander's patient voice call her twice.

"Miss Selwan.."

"MISS SELWAN....could you step forward please?"

Her head shot up as his voice grew louder. A shiver of fear raced through her; she swallowed it down and took a deep breath. This was stupid. She was a gladiator, a shaman, well-trained, secure. Nothing would be beyond her control unless she allowed it. Her chin lifted with renewed pride and she met his gaze calmly.

"Certainly, Commander."

She stepped foward, and Gaeri slithered beside her obediently, remaining close to the heel of her greaves. She stopped and stood on the dock and surveyed the crowd more closely. The gnome stood there, and yes - it was without a doubt the one from the city. Seiken seemed to have been lost in the crowd; a tall green-haired elf of unmistakeably fine features observed nearby, smiling gently. She smiled back at him awkwardly, reassured slightly for some reason but not knowing why.

"Dunno why anyone would wanna buy a squid anyway." she heard the gnome female grumble from the post. She'd seen her before in Stormwind, a rogue, always staring at her tail..and when she wasn't staring at her tail she was inevitably saying something rude. Selwan turned her hooded head slowly to gaze at her, perched there, and narrowed her eyes.

I do not know what your problem is, gnome...but one day, you're going to say one word too much. My tail is made for one thing. Leverage.

Maxus' voice resonated over the buzz of the crowd, and they fell silent.

"I believe this next volunteer needs no introduction..shall we start the bidding for Miss Selwan Rogash?"

Her heart knotted up tighter than a fist and with a sharp intake of breath, Selwan's focus turned back to the crowd. Swallowing nervously she stared over their heads, gazing out at the elven wilderness, seeking some inner calm and focus to hold herself together.

Ledgic...I would give anything to see that face right now.

It had been days though. Days without a single sign of him, one word. Aeron awaited her response on the journey to Stranglethorn; she was reluctant to go without Ledgic knowing...but Ledgic seemingly had fallen off the face of the earth.

"DO I HEAR 400?" Maxus's voice had raised slightly.

"450!" the gnome shouted.

"475!" another voice was heard, unknown to her.

And it continued..until a voice, rough and warm boomed "One thousand gold!"

A gasp ran through the crowd and the sound of boots..two pairs..stepped forward.

Seiken smiled at her and next to him stood another face, as familar as any she knew. Green eyes pierced a tan face that never gave away very much...little more than a slight laugh, or resigned sigh.

But they were a friend's eyes, unshrouded by an armoured hood, he was dressed simply in town clothes. Still, there was no mistaking him.

Aeron..

She could scarcely believe what she was seeing..or hearing. Was he mad?

She peered at him, shaking her head in disbelief. It was too much...too much! This had gone past sense and well into madness.

Not to mention what Ledgic would think if he saw this!

"ELEVEN HUNDRED!!" the gnome shrieked, glaring at the human before gazing at her again. "She's mine!"

Selwan looked at him, then at Maxus and back to Aeron again.

"Twelve hundred." The spoke quietly.

"Twe...twelve..hundred and..." the gnome started rummaging in his pack and raised a fist triumphantly in the air..."thirty-seven!!!"

"Twelve hundred and fifty."

There was a pause that lingered a moment, as long as the day, it felt. Selwan looked at Aeron, her mouth hanging open slightly in shock and wonder.

"You did not have to do this.." she whispered under her breath, to nobody in particular.

As she did, the gnome threw down his pack in frustration.

"Going once.." Maxus spoke calmly, as if nothing really of consequence was happening around him.

Selwan looked at Aeron and Seiken both and smiled.

"Twice..?"

"Miss Rogash to Aeron for twelve hundred and fifty gold..."

Aeron and Seiken stepped forward together. She peered at them suspiciously as she saw Seiken slip some gold into Aeron's hand.

He helped him.. she thought, wonderingly.

"Your cut, Miss Rogash." the Commander handed her a hundred and twenty-five gold pieces; she looked at it shocked a moment before shaking her head and giving it to Aeron.

"Take this....and..how can I thank you? Both of you?"

She hugged the paladin hard, and then the rogue, before glancing over at the gnome who had now begun walking away.

Hayes. She remembered the name now. She still didn't understand why he'd done what he did.

Seiken had dissapeared into the crowd somehow, and as she sighed and stepped off into the cool grass, Aeron walked up to her and took her elbow politely.

"Care to walk, Miss Selwan?"

She nodded slightly, relieved to be away from the chaos. He calmed her. He always had. Ledgic never trusted him, and it bothered her because she trusted Ledgic.

But Aeron had never harmed her, never so much as touched her. Granted, he wasn't one for telling her very much either.

But Selwan would not judge until she had a reason to; Ledgic would have to trust her.

And Ledgic...was not here.

She sighed. How she wished he had been. How much easier it all would be. Something about this was unsettling her, but she couldn't pinpoint why.

She looked at him, waiting patiently for her and smiled.

"It would be lovely, Aeron. Thank you."

And with that, they walked along the shore of the lake for awhile, talking as they had done countless times before.

But as they walked, something twisted inside of her restlessly, anxiously. She felt nervous.

She chose to ignore it.

************************************************** *****

"The question remains.." she said, her head on her knees staring at the water, "what to do with a twelve-hundred and fifty gold evening."

Aeron only chuckled slightly. "You are under no obligation to me, Miss Selwan."

Selwan turned back and smiled at him, as he sat back against the sturdy oak, its branches dipping low over the water.

"I know. But...all the same, what you did was nothing short of extraordinary....just if only Ledgic.."

"If Ledgic had been here I'm sure he would have done the same." the rogue ventured, carefully.

She nodded, and sighed. "I don't know where he is. Its been days. No word at all...if he's injured, or detained in Karazhan, or..." she let the words trail off, her eyes flaring slightly.

"I'm sure he's fine...he's a smart man."

"Yes."

Silence reigned a moment between them, the water lapping quietly at the shore and the sound of birds still sang through the glade, even as the afternoon had peaked.

"Silithus." she finally whispered.

"Pardon me?"

"Let's go to Silithus. Or..rather...the coast. At least it would clear my head, and it is a grand adventure..there's so much to be seen on the ocean..caves and...there is this amazing abandoned farm, and a trail into the mountains behind Un'Goro that most do not even know about....it is mad place..! Have you ever seen it?"

"No.." he smiled gently."I have not. How do you know about it?"

She laughed a moment. She wasn't sure why it had even come to mind now; it had been so long since she decided to ride the entire coastline to simply explore it.

"Waterwalking gives me a taste for adventure? What can I say...I have always enjoyed knowing the land I tread well. Perhaps its all that time on the Exodar, I cherish the ground beneath me."

She let her mind wander back for a moment..back to her earliest days on the Isle, so traumatised by her parents death that she wouldn't speak. It seemed forever ago now. She shook her head slightly and returned to the present.

"So..shall we go? That's how I can repay you..I warn you, the journey is a long one. But...I promise there's must to see. We can even take some food and firewood and make an entire afternoon and evening of it. I think we could be back by nightfall."

She peered at him anxiously, not sure what he had expected of her, but he only nodded and smiled, his eyes glinting slightly at her with amusement.

"It would be a pleasure, whatever you decide, Miss Selwan."

Grinning, she jumped up and grabbed his hand, pulling him up. "Then come on! We'll get to Feralas in time if we leave now....I'm sure we are not needed at the auction."

He let her pull him to his feet and they walked to their waiting mounts; Aeron's horse idly grazing and Romathis, Selwan's frostsaber, dozing calmly on a rock. As they approached, both animals lifted their heads, knowing was was most likely about to happen.

"Feel good to be on your homeland, Roma?" Selwan said, patting his broad forehead fondly as the big cat stretched and slowly stood up.

"Roma?"

"Short for Romathis, it is Draenei for 'snowball'. I named him after a gift I once got from the Commander..an extraordinary thing, an everlasting snowball that came out of a machine! I daresay it broke after he made it though..I'm not sure he's quite mastered the element of water...."

She stifled a giggle, remembering the Commander handing her the frozen orb in the Lower City.

"An interesting present.."

"Yes, I still keep it in cold storage in the bank. Though most of the Aldor think me rather strange for saving a ball of ice, I'm just holding onto it until the right day."

"The right day?"

"To throw it at him." she winked playfully and mounted up just as he did.

"Feralas!" she grinned and spurred the saber to race alongside his horse, step by step, towards Darnassus, and the awaiting portal.

********************************************

A brief flight later, they landed in the elven outpost in relentless, pouring rain. Selwan rushed into the inn to find Aeron waiting, shaking out his cape and grinning at her.

"I hope you don't mind rain."

Selwan chuckled as water dripped from the front of his hood onto his nose. "Only as a ghostwolf, I can assure you its not so fun being a wet dog, even in a spirit realm. Shall I get some provisions here? I suppose I should..where we're going, there's nothing, trust me."

Aeron tilted his head and nodded.

Selwan sighed at the innkeeper; some bracing bourbon would have suited her tastes but they only offered their local fare. Not entirely sure she would like kimchi...she bought some peaches and bread and moonberry juice and stuffed them in the pack.

"I hope you like fruit." she smirked as she walked back to the waiting rogue.

"Love it." he grinned. "The rain has backed off, not nearly as bad now..." he stuck his head out of the inn, glancing up into what was now a light rain, steady but nowhere near as heavy as that which they'd landed in. "I reckon we can move on, if you're ready?"

They mounted up and riding slightly ahead of him, Selwan stopped and gestured south.

"We'll head south on the island as far as we can go, its a short waterwalk to the bigger southern one. Once we reach the tip, we'll walk across..."

"Across...the sea? Isnt' it too far?" he sounded vaguely surprised.

"Nope," the shaman grinned. "Trust me, we'll just make it."

Aeron sat back in his saddle slightly and grinned. "I'm in your hands."

Selwan turned back to him and laughed. "You should be so lucky, sir."

A part of her wondered why she even said that. Humans had changed her somewhat, with their casual language and double meanings for seemingly everything. But Aeron also made it easy...his company was readily given and painless. Conversations flowed freely and easily. Maybe too easily. It occured to her that sometimes she was actually grateful that he wasn't closer. But she had never figured out why.

Laughing they set back on their way. As Selwan had promised, just as they felt exhausted from the waterwalking, the sea grew shallower and they made the mainland easily. From here, they mounted again and rode into remote coastal mountains; sea birds and the occasional fish their only companions.

And when the mountains edges reached the sea, it was time to waterwalk once more.

"I am sorry its so long.." she smiled gently, and anointed his nose with fishoil before casting the spell upon him, and then repeating it on herself.

"I'm enjoying the adventure, Miss Selwan."

Miss. Always, and without fail.."miss." Narm called her Lady, or Milady, and despite a thousand attempts to get him to stop, he simply never did. It was one rare simliarity between the brothers...and one that always made her smile, that without fail..their manners were ...natural, and superb. But other than that, the sandy-haired, friendly and mellow mage that was her constant fighting companion and the dark-haired elusive, secretive rogue had little in common.

She nodded, and they began running alongside the shore once again. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, a black leather outline against the sea, still running slightly awkwardly as the magical effects allowed him to run along the ocean's surface. She knew he hadn't quite gotten used to it.

It was some time later that they neared the southernmost coast, somewhat tired and ready to rest. And in the distance, as promised, lay the farm that Selwan had mentioned; the rooftops of the tents revealing it to be of Taurahe design.

"Uninhabited." she said, simply, as they reached the land and began walking towards it. "Perhaps it is a ....holiday home, or was abandoned...though it always looks so...pristine. I love it here." she said, running a hand along the hide walls of the largest tent.

"You do?" he replied, somewhat shocked, as he stepped inside, wooden planks beneath his feet resounding warmly. Oblong and dimly lit by the light filtering in from outside, you could make out several beautifully crafted native rugs and firepits, unused but clean.

"Mm-mm...in fact, I shall tell you a secret.."

As she spoke, Selwan stood over one firepit and waved her hands briefly. Immediately both pits sprung to life, a rich warm flame warming the area and filling the tent with light.

"What's that?"

"I prefer this type of home much more than our fancy Draenei ones. I feel quite at home here! I fit in better here..I'll prove it, if you'll give me a moment.." she gestured, reaching for one pack, "I'm going to change."

The rogue promptly turned away and walked to the door, studying the sea.

"There." she spoke. "You can come back now."

She had put on one of her favourite things, a simple kodohide short leather top and long skirt, decorated with bands of turquoise and coral stones, feathers of hawks, and strips of painted leather. In her hair a feathered headdress had been fixed, one she had once worn long ago, with the feathers of many birds laced into it, large and small, falling around her face and ears.

"This is me, not some....sterile space, devoid of nature or life. There is a reason why, when in Exodar, I sleep on the rugs near the water. It is the only place which feels natural to me. I think too much of my life was spent on a ship. I crave natural things."

Aeron watched her a moment and smiled. "It surprises me."

"It does? That I like it here?"

"No..how well you fit in here. How well you belong."

The fires flickered on either side of them for a moment, and a silence fell between them.

Fires reflect in the eyes of a rogue staring back at her, and these flames grow larger, and extend out from him, to her...burning everything between them for a moment. Aeron is earth..and fire. She blinks. The vision is replaced by Ledgic. Warm, familar, the voice and face she knows means 'home' to her. Earth and water. Ledgic. Ledgic. Where are you? She shakes her head as if waking up.



She smiled slightly, awkwardly, before continuing. She hoped he hadn't noticed. "Come on, I'll show you the rest of the farm..we'll relax a bit then its time for the caves and Un'Goro..there's much ahead of us still."

************************************************** *********************

The journey to the caves was short; a walking distance, easily done in minutes. The two of them made their way along the shore, leading their mounts.

Here was a place of utter peace and wilderness; silent, save for the sounds of the ocean, the slight rustle of wind in the grasses that struggled to live in the sandy ground around the farm, and the distant flapping of one of the tent panels, slightly loosened over time by the relentless breezes that blew on this corner of the continent. In the distance, the blue of the ocean grew ever darker, fading finally into the horizon in a haze of fog and distance.

At one point, Aeron stopped and stared out over the water.

"I could stand to be in places like this more often..."

Selwan regarded his expression carefully.

The story behind the story. What he's not saying. What he is worrying about, comes to him now.

"You sound like a man with something on his mind."

"Mm."

She didn't press the issue. He looked back at her and smiled slightly, and they continued on in silence to the mouth of the caves.

The network of caverns was relatively deep; Selwan had found them some months ago, and explored them fairly well. Her senses guided her easily enough and even the littered piles of bones and rotting carcasses had not detained her until she had encountered some human remains. Even then..they were old...she didn't dwell on them for long.

Caves near the sea could be many things...hiding places, for people or belongings...an animal's den, or simply a place once filled with seawater, and as such full of whatever the ocean had chosen to leave in its' wake.

As she stood at the entrance, noting the long-dried meaty remains of some poor creature, she realised Aeron had dissapeared.

She froze, detecting movement behind her, to the left.

Her right hand slipped smoothly and silently into the sharp talon-like weapon at her waist; the thick axe hanging on her left side obscuring her movement.

She swallowed.

"Aeron?" she spoke calmly and clearly, motionless, at the cave's mouth.

A shadow crossed her eyes and she stepped backwards, calling down a lightning shield and unsheathing both weapons swiftly.

"Easy.." he said, stepping out from the shadows suddenly.

She leapt back in shock, an arm upraised to slash anything within her reach before she felt a gloved hand wrap around her wrist smoothly.

Before she had time to react, the familiar voice stayed her axe hand, still free and able to swing.

"Sorry, Miss Selwan...just thought it best to be careful before we went inside."

"Aeron..." she sighed, the adrenaline screaming through her with nowhere to go..."You could have warned me.."

She peered at him a moment. She'd never considered him in this light before. It was easy to forget what he was...what he could be, in the relatively civilised world of Stormwind. She knew, just as she did with Ledgic, that these men did live - or once had lived - very different lives than the ones she saw. For all Selwan's growing love of battle and challenge, she had never been a creature of subterfuge; there is nothing subtle about a shaman, or at least their art; the elements make their presence known. Perhaps it was only air that worked with a less obvious hand; no secret that it was the element so aligned with the assassin, no secret that she had chosen to ask Surussus to aid Ledgic in some way.

But the truth was Aeron..was a rogue. And she knew nearly nothing about him, only sketches. She stood at the cave, the view of its interior blocked only by his form.

Did she trust him?

Her own pause angered her. For her to judge him without reason was no different in her eyes than the persistent judging of Ledgic by others. Aeron had never given her a single reason to doubt him.

She turned her head slightly and looked directly at his eyes, jade green, but shrouded in shadow by the hood.

"Half visible in every way, aren't you." she thought, without malice, gazing back at him. Nothing there frightened her. Nothing felt...menacing.

She chose to step forward.

"Shall we?" she spoke brightly, maybe a bit too much so, as she pulled a torch from her pack, and they made their way into the cave.

*****************************************

Footsteps echoed softly as they made their way deeper inside; Selwan's torch flickered brightly, giving plenty of light for them both to pick their way down thru the tunnels. The ground was fairly smooth; indicating perhaps at one point that the sea had created it...and the walls glowed a faint green in the dim light...perhaps some phosphorescent mineral caused it, maybe related to thorium. Selwan wasn't sure, but it helped their journey downwards.

"I've been through most of it, I think.." she said, picking each footstep carefully, one hand braced against the wall.

"I never even knew it was here..." he said, smirking as he kicked a legbone aside.

"Oh...well..I stumbled across it myself! I think few do, to be honest....here..the path goes down...let's go this way..." she indicated a path to the left with her torch that sloped gently downwards before pausing.

"Human.." she said, dismissively, as she lowered the torch. Near her boot lay a skull, and what seemed to be the rest of the skeleton to whom the legbone had belonged. Long since reduced to mere bone, it had been there for some time; no scrap of flesh or clothing remained.

"Doesn't bother you?" he ventured.

"No.." she smiled and shrugged. "I detect nothing here...and the death was long past. I imagine we are all as much at risk in Stormwind as anywhere."

She remembered a distant day, being chased by a persistent, rude woman on a horse in her early weeks in the human city, sprinting in ghostwolf form as the strange rider bore down on her....

The cave wound down to a low point, low enough that faint water drips could be heard sliding down one wall; the torch showed it gleaming in the light.. It was almost circular in shape.

"I'm ready for a break, I think...you've got the wood I hope." she smiled and turned to him.

"Indeed", he answered, simply, and swung his own pack around, pulling out some tinder and two slim logs. Selwan thought of calling upon the elements to ignite it then winked. "We'll do it the old-fashioned way..I think.." and let the torch linger against the delicate twigs a moment.

It wasn't long before the fire had sparked, and the cave was now lit by it rather well; the roof of the cavern was high above them. Walls gleamed with water, green with the minerals that sparkled beneath; the ground was smooth, stony and chilled beneath them, but dry. They both sat on their capes, across from each other, the flames separating them.

"Hungry yet...? I've got some peaches, they should be just fine I think. Not sure the bread made it so well though..." Selwan winced, as the slightly damp, soggy bread poked out mournfully from her satchel. The peaches however, were fine; plump and cold, she took two out and crawled to his side, handing one to to him.

"Dead bread." she shrugged, winking.

He chuckled, pulling off his hood, before reaching for the peach, holding it to his nose a moment and inhaling the scent of it.

She smiled at him, at the gesture, and how he savoured the smell before taking a bite out of it, and chewing slowly, nodding in approval.

"I can smell it from here.." she laughed, as the sweet, fresh burst of its scent filled the cave and mingled with the smell of damp stone and water, and earth.

She took a bite and grinned, chewing. "Wonderful.." she managed, before wiping peach juice off her chin apologetically.

Aeron sat back a moment, leaning on one hand, his legs crossed, just eating quietly. Occasionally he would glance up and smile at her.

"Enjoying yourself?" he finally ventured.

His eyes sparkled now, brilliantly against the flames. He was relaxed. His hair slightly mussed from the hood being removed, he was as mellow as she'd seen him.

"I am." she responded, taking another bite and wiggling her hooves near the fire contentedly. "I must say..Aeron..again..thank you."

"Thank you?"

"For...this. It was an insane sum...I will insist on repaying you, at least in part..?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "The pleasure was mine, Miss Selwan. I enjoy your company, surely you know that by now."

"As I do yours, I have always done so. But this was truly beyond expectation."

"It wasn't to me. I saw how uncomfortable you became up there."

"I did not think it would be so..difficult. But in truth I found it quite...unnerving, not knowing what would occur, or what was expected of me."

"Of course."

"I just wish.."

"Wish?"

"He trusted you..."

"Ah." his voice dropped slightly. "If...my being around causes you problems.." he began to speak.

"No.." she cut him off, midway through another bite of peach, swallowing first. "No, it..does not..it will not..I have a right to my friends, and you have always been so..dear to me. It is just that Ledgic has been..hurt so much, I think he expects it from others..maybe? I do not know why he doesn't trust you, Aeron."

Her movements were casual, but she felt...

What did she feel? Her stomach tightened like a fist.

Something in her did know, at least..guessed. Something that didn't want to admit it. Something that refused to pay attention. Something that was about to insist on being acknowledged.

She looked back up at him again to find him staring at her intently, an open gaze without any clear emotion.

"I..." she began, then stopped.

"Perhaps he understands more than you do, then."

"More...than.." her words faltered, and she blinked.

"That I have feelings for you."

"Feelings?"

"Why wouldn't I? You do not seem to see your own beauty, Miss Selwan..."

"Beauty?" she frowned slightly. "Its of no importance..its..impermanent.."

"There are many levels to beauty. Some last a lifetime."

She knew he was looking at her then. Right at her. Her heart raced and she blinked, unable to respond to his words.

It is a feeling of panic, elation, fear. It is disharmony and harmony, hearing this. As if you know but you do not want to know, because it will open doors that will complicate everything, forever. Selwan could remain blind as long as she didn't speak it, or write it. She did not lie but she might turn away from the truth, if it suited her.

Her loyalty to Ledgic ran deep, it was no surface affection. Her determination to aid him, to convince Aramus of his little brother's merit and worth, her affection for the wily, easygoing and unpretentious man was no passing folly. She was devoted to him.

And yet still this mysterious man lived in her mind, in his own way. How much she liked talking to him, and how much - despite her best efforts to ignore it - she felt exhilarated around him, invigorated somehow.

Selwan still gazed ahead for a moment, staring into the fire, stunned and for a moment..silent.

"I..." she started again, feebly. She was not good at this, this moment of sheer confusion and emotion. Selwan pondered things, worked them out slowly in her mind. This was, by contrast, an explosion of thoughts, shapeless, knotted together, tangled beyond repair.

"Aeron.."

"No, I know...I..understand." he smiled gently. "And I swore I would not feel this again after she died.."

"She..?"

"My fiance..."

"I didn't know..." she mumbled, still staring into the flames.

And still he watched her. To look at him now...

Look at him and the door opens. Look at him and truth..truth...this pounds at the mind now. Truth. Layers of truth, folded away like pages one doesn't want to read. Maybe if you hide the words you will never know them.

She looked anyway.

She wasn't even sure why.

******************
******************

In truth, Selwan had never had a problem looking anyone straight in the face. But then again her issues of honesty were with herself, not others...perhaps that's why she felt the pang of warning before she had turned her head to gaze back at this man, in a dark, firelit cave, so very far away from everything...it might force her to be honest with herself as well.

She knew he sat, looking at her, wordless, with those glowing and intelligent eyes. She could feel the heat of him, above and beyond the fire's warmth, smell the faint lingering rain that had long-since dried on his armour, and worst of all the faint, sweet remnants of peach juice upon his lips.

Adrenaline raged through her, and she blinked, staring at the flames one last moment before she finally turned to him in a flash, and in some malformed emotion burst out in sharp, frantic tones...

"Why MUST you look at me that way?"

..before turning to face the fire again.

His eyes opened wider, sitting back, surprised perhaps at her words. His head tilted ever so slightly, black hair glinting dully in the light. Shock soon was replaced by the faintest wave of..

..pain.

She'd hurt him. How hard it was to see it; something she hadn't seen on his face before then...and she had caused it. She almost felt something in him scurry back to his centre, retreating silently and immediately from the moment.

"I'm..sorry." he mumbled, blinking with shock and turning away.

"No..I.." she had turned again, looking back intently at the face of her friend, slightly worn and tired suddenly, for all his mystery and elusiveness he'd given something away in that moment. In truth he'd given something away the moment he outbid the gnome. He'd risked something then, and since. She felt it, hovering between them.

Truth.

"I..." she stumbled once more; it seemed he didn't even hear her.

And then, perhaps in a need for him to understand, perhaps curiosity, perhaps desire, perhaps sorrow..or all of them combined, Selwan heard herself whisper to him..

"Remember this."

In a flash of movement, she raised to her knees, reached out to the rogue and pulled his face to hers with both hands and kissed him fiercely.

Leather and peach juice and his skin and rain and the smoke of a fire and the damp chill of a cave hit her mind like bricks, caving in around her until nothing else existed for a moment. She felt him respond, his hand at the back of her head, caught up in her hair. He pulled her to him slowly; it was as if he was wrapped around her suddenly; his breath warming her cheek as they lingered against each other.

You have done this now....how will you atone? How will you handle the consequences? Will you lie to one you profess to adore? You cannot lie to Ledgic, you know it already. So, Selwan. Consider now what you do, as you will face it all again - soon.

.............it was a faint..faraway voice in her conscience. And suddenly something seemed to grab her mind, yanking it back to reality, forcing her to see clearly the price of what she was doing.

She pulled away from Aeron, stunned at herself, her breathing slightly ragged, still reeling from the taste of him on her mouth and the raw emotion of the entire moment.

"I can't..do this to him..I can't...I am sure this is wrong! Some promises need not have words....."

Ledgic. She closes her eyes and sees him clearly in her mind, back to Telaar, on a hillside, where he awkwardly and cautiously tried to tell her how he felt. He didn't have Aeron's articulate confidence and grace..but she loved his grinning, sweet face and his warm, rough accent; how he always bounced between the murderous ruffian and the awkward kid so naturally, for in fact he was both - and yet he was infinitely more. If only someone would BELIEVE...she remembered arguing with Aramus, the guarded conversations with Lucas, the menace and mystery that consistently threatened Ledgic's welfare. He needed her. Someone had to stand up for him; someone had to be there for him. After all he had suffered, hadn't he been through enough? How could she even...

She blinked back tears of confusion and thwarted hunger... and gritted her teeth.

"What have I done.." she whispered, her fingers moving to her mouth a moment...first looking at nothing, and then back to Aeron.

His eyes glittered, staring at her with what seemed that same nervous energy, and perhaps shock, and now..curiosity as he watched her battle her emotions internally.

**************************
**************************

"I shouldn't have done that." she finally whispered, looking at him with eyes that reflected a tangle of emotions.

"I didn't mean to cause a problem." he responded, his smile faint, his expression slightly dulled now, and guarded.

"You didn't." she looked at him, then looked away, speaking the rest of the sentence to the floor. "I did."

She could not blame him for his emotions, or even for expressing them, however controversial it might have been to some ears. She wouldn't even blame herself for her own confused feelings where he was concerned.

But actions - actions were another matter.

Atone. How will you atone?

You will have to make it right, Selwan.

They left the cave somewhat more quietly than they came into it; She was still shocked at what she had done, and worried about how she would deal with it. Following close behind her, Aeron was simply quiet; she could not imagine what he was thinking, and what had just transpired. She fought off a continuous urge to turn and look back at him, to say something to him...but what?

Apologise? What would she say...what could she possibly say to him now?

And so - as was her way - she said nothing.

When they reached the entrance, it was obvious that little time had really passed; the saber and horse relaxing calmly underneath a lone tree just off the shore, dappled sunlight filtering down through the trees.

"Well." Selwan finally said, cautiously. "We have plenty of time to continue, if you wish..?"

Aeron had walked to his horse and strapped the bags back to the saddle. For a moment, his back remained turned to her, his arms upraised, holding the packs against the horse's broad back as his black hair caught the the afternoon sunlight. By the slight movement of his body, she knew he had sighed, appearing to be considering what she'd asked him.

I've made this worse..for him. For me. For all of us.

But when he turned, he smiled at her. "Of course I do."

And so they rode onwards, along the far southern coast some distance, until the terrain began to change, and steep rocky coastal cliffs and ledges gave way to long slopes of glittering white sand streching from the mountains' base to the sea. Here the water lost its foreboding midnight blue colour, and took on a brighter, turquoise hue; at one point they dismounted, letting the animals lope along the beach while they ran, stretching their legs along the water.

Selwan was running ahead of him, her hooves lightly splashing as she traversed the surface - the splash came suddenly behind her, followed by a brief sound of water being spat out, and a shocked "Hey!".

The effects of her spell had worn off, consequently plunging the man, armour in all, right into the sea where he now swam, black head drenched and bobbing above the surface, eyes narrowed.

"I'm.." she tried not to giggle and swallowed, keeping a straight face as she looked down at him.

"You know what this means, don't you?" he smirked, water dripping from his lashes as ebony locks of hair hung wet about his features.

"No..?" she peered back smiling slightly, still amused at the wet, bedraggled man swimming in front of her. So much for dashing..he looked like a very charming well-built vaguely annoyed seal.

"Well...you cast mine right before..you cast your own so I imagine...."

"right.."

"about..."

"now..."

There was a pause. The kind of pause that says "Stuff is going to happen now. You have been warned."

"Yeep!"

Without warning, Selwan shrieked in surprise as her own cast wore off, and she too was plunged into the water a few feet away. Slowly rising back out of the water, a spluttering dishevelled Draenei shaman's eyes met a human man's who was now absolutely beside himself with laughter.

"Charming..." Selwan eyed him levelly, trying not to laugh.

"Wet enough for you?" Aeron's shoulders began to shake with surpressed laughter before he coughed, trying desperately to hold onto a straight expression.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?" he grinned, still bobbing in the sea like a black-leather buoy.

With one arm extended Selwan smacked water towards his face and splashed him directly.

"Oh, you think that's how it goes?" he grinned playfully and repeated her own gesture, sending a short wave of water directly at her.

They both laughed a moment, swimming and looked at each other.

"We better..." she blinked, smiling slightly, nodding towards the shore.

"Yeah." his response was quiet, the emotion of it hard to read. But he smiled, and they both began swimming to the shore to continue the journey.

************************************************** *****************

The path was one she'd found many months prior, on one of her random exploring trips. Climbing up through the mountains, she'd found a path to a bizaare and barren plateau, stretching endlessly before her. In the distance, landscapes of brutally jagged mountans and canyons lay ahead; she knew this from her previous visits to the place. She'd taken nobody here; it was a place she knew she could go in peace, to be utterly alone. Why she chose to show Aeron she wasn't quite sure except that they were so close by, and besides - he had seemed to need the solace just as much somehow.

For a moment it occurred to her that she had given Ledgic a sort of temporary peace as well, if only with Surussus' aid. It still bothered her, though, that it wasn't enough - that despite her help, the wily rogue was still plagued by Kaden.

Kaden Caan, how I grow to hate this name. And hate is a word I must not use, an emotion I must not feel...yet how can I feel differently?

She sighed, brushing off the thought as as Roma picked his way gingerly up through the foothills.

She turned in the saddle as he did, looking back to see if Aeron's horse was handling the climb as well, the rogue nodded as if to say "fine, go on"...and they continued upwards.

The hills peaked, and as they climbed up over the summit, the land before them levelled out into a vast, featureless expanse of browns and greens, devoid of plant life or even animals, the barren desolate plain was nevertheless entrancing in its own way, with an afternoon moon hanging low overhead even as the daylight still struggled to remain. In the distance, in the direction of Silithus, the molten sun had begun to lower, casting a red glow across the landscape, further enhancing it with an unreal quality.

Selwan pulled Romathis to a halt and waited for the horse and rider to pull up beside her.

"Of course this is only the beginning of it, it goes on for quite some time, and if you wish we can ride into those mountain ranges ahead...though its dangerous. The features play tricks with your eyes, and what seems like flat ground actually is revealed to be an endless abyss...but its worth seeing if you'd like to have a look."

"Whatever you wish." he smiled politely.

And there it was. The polite Draenei, the polite human.

A sort of lingering formality had taken hold between them once again; where one forbidden kiss could be put aside, or a charged moment soaked in the ocean could be forgotten in the name of civility. His face, unreadable, the sun struck his leather armour with a dull gleam as he spoke.

Selwan merely nodded and smiled slightly, before urging the sabre forward towards the jagged spires and strange, rugged canyons.

True to the shaman's word, the landscape was unpredictable, severe and utterly desolate; not one scrap of life survived here, not one bird flew overhead. The silence was the type that made your ears throb in their futile attempt to find some sound. All that existed was the gentle steady crunch as their mounts walked along the rubble, and the faint whisper of their own breathing as they rode silently along.

"Its extraordinary." he ventured, peering down over the edge of one of the canyons, unable to see the bottom. Selwan smiled. "I thought you'd like it. Its so barren and yet..so peaceful. I find the isolation quite relaxing somehow."



She'd sat with him a moment, both mounted, before riding off to one cliff's edge, that reached out over another wide plain far below, reining in Romathis just inches from the edge. Aeron saw her dash for the cliff and came after her, "Careful there.." he chuckled.

She turned back to him and grinned. "Don't worry, I know the place well. Its just this one point..its such an amazing view."

The sun now was a raging red-gold orb, hanging low, just above the horizon. Silithus haze only marginally affected its glow. The mountains around them gleamed like gems as the light struck gemstones lodged within their surface. Entirely surreal and beautiful, the land lay in utter silence around them.

"Mm-hmm."

"Look there.." she pointed north now, far below, where the rugged landscape changed colours slightly and the horizon dissapeared into a foggy mist.

"What is it?" his gazed followed her hand to the horizon.

"The edge of Un'Goro. We're far, far above it now."

Aeron shifted in his saddle slightly, as if pondering her words, drawing the map in his head of where they'd ended up. And as he did he barely had time to open his mouth when Selwan shouted "Follow me!" suddenly and urged Romathis forward.

Before he had time to protest, the shaman went flying off the edge of the cliff, plunging completely out of sight.

What is it like, to fly?

We know what its like to crash, don't we.

Romathis trusted his mistress completely and had extended his wide strong body in a furry white arc as he leapt out into the air, over the plains below. Selwan felt the air fly through her hair, whipping at her garments as they began to descend. Unhooking her feet from the stirrups, she let herself fall away from the big cat, knowing he'd land safely even from such an extreme distance. As for her..

She clutched the ankh in her hand and smiled to herself as the ground raced ever closer.

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her head, ready for the impact.

The distant plains suddenly are a speeding landscape, distant pebbles become nearby boulders, with hard and uncompromising surfaces.

A crunch.

Then nothing.

Aeron's horse picked his way to the cliff's floor - horses being perhaps more sensible than sabers - and Aeron rode up to where the Draenei had fallen. Romathis stood nearby, a bit shaken by his tumble but unharmed, licking his paw to clean his massive head.

The shaman lay still, clutching something in one hand. He reached down and touched Selwan's shoulder.

"Miss..Selwan?"

She rolled over on her back and looked up at him, her hair full of dirt and pebbles, laughing softly and smiling before holding up the ankh to the light, its polished silver surface like a tiny star in the now-encroaching evening light.

She looked at Aeron and stood up promptly, and winked, dusting herself off.

"Cats aren't the only ones with extra lives."

He chuckled, his green eyes sparkling again.

"Do you always live so dangerously?"

"Its only dangerous if you don't know what the consequences will be." she responded, before thinking to herself.."Far less dangerous..say..than letting myself get too close to you."

The rogue narrowed his eyes slightly at her comment, and smiled before digging out two more slender logs.

"Another fire?" he ventured.

Selwan nodded.

"A perfect place for one. Our time is nearly done anyway."

As she said it, some part of her sighed inwardly. There'd been a certain freedom here, with him. A particular peace she herself rarely had enjoyed, and certainly had never shared with anyone else. Selwan spent a lot more time giving other people peace than finding it for herself. Somehow here, she'd recovered a bit of that with the mysterious but polite Aeron Morieth.

"I've got..a bit of bourbon left..want a sip?" she offered.

"Sounds nice." he reached out and took the flask from her hand, helping himself to a good drink before wiping his mouth and returning it. She took a drink herself, feeling the rich warm flavour strike her chest.

Warmed and relaxed by the bourbon and perhaps some exhaustion from the now-long journey, they sat in silence together for awhile, with only their mounts and the crackling fire for company.

The sun had begun to evolve into a rich palette of violets, deep reds and blues as the night sky exploded overhead into millions of silent stars, partially obscured by the glowing white moon. A night that was clear and bright, unobscured by Stormwind torches and free of any distractions, they were lost to their own thoughts, focused on the beauty of the world around them, so easily unnoticed in the chaos of civilisation.

Selwan had become so entranced by the moments that she hardly noticed when Aeron had moved to stand behind her and began rubbing her shoulders. Nobody had done that before, and after the initial shock of his hands on her skin, she closed her eyes to the contact, letting her head roll forward slightly towards the warmth of the fire.

Its only dangerous if you don't know what the consequences will be. the words echoed in her head again.

Don't turn around. Don't...look at him.

And still his hands moved slowly across her neck and shoulders, and she relaxed slightly more, leaning back against him, against that insanely fragrant leather and the sound of his heartbeat against the back of her head.

"Tell me if you would prefer me to stop, Miss Selwan."

She opened her eyes and stared into the fire, a small sigh escaping her lips, fighting the pounding of her heart. Just..don't..turn around.

"No.." she finally spoke softly. "Its lovely, thank you."

His hands trailed gently along her neck, tangled in her hair a moment, caressing the tender skin behind her ears, near the delicate tentacles that extended from the sides of her head. She felt one finger graze them lightly as he moved his hands, and nearly shuddered involuntarily at the sensation.

"I wish I could be two of myself." she whispered.

He chuckled softly. "And why is that?"

"So that one could remain here forever." she responded, almost without thinking.

Aeron sat down then, and hesitated a moment before reaching forward and wrapping his arms around her.

The sun had finally dissapeared; the night sky had claimed its victory over day.

The evening was over.

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"I wrote the story myself. It's about a girl who lost her reputation and never missed it." - Mae West
Fireflower's Words of Wisdom: http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...ompilation.jpg