Reaping What You Sow

[Xaraphyne]

“Good girl.”

Xara straightened with one last pat on Dionagar's head, letting the wolf settle down to her haunch of meat for dinner. To her surprise, there was a very familiar Blood Knight standing across the table from her, looking at her with some bemusement.

“Hey Kean!”

“Hey, Xara,” said Zuffid.

He was one of the crew's officers, but she hadn't spoken to him a lot lately. They'd been closer before... then he had started to drift away. Not exactly an occurrence she was unfamiliar with. Studying him, she tilted her head. Something about him was strange, but she couldn't place it. “Ya look different... What is it?”

“Uh... I'm sure it's you're imagination, Captain.”

She waved him to a seat, which he took. “Huh, I guess. Ya don't have any booze, do ya?”

“Not on me.”

“Guess I'm buyin'.” Xara waved down the barmaid and had her refill her mug, and leave a few bottles as well. They joined several that were already empty on the table. Zuffid eyed them dubiously, but didn't comment.

“So I've been called to arms, Captain,” he said.

“Mmm,” said Xara, picking up her drink. Then she snapped her fingers. “It's your armor! It's different, isn't it?”

He paused, then looked down at himself. “No.”

“Huh.” She took a drink.

“You really haven't noticed...?” he asked cautiously.

Xara blinked. “Is it a different tabard?”

“Not quite,” he said.

Xaraphyne put her chin in her hand, leaned her elbow on the table and looked at him lazily. “Your eyes look brighter than usual.”

“Here... let's see if this helps.”

He got up and walked off. When he walked back in, he was wearing his more casual clothing in place of his armor, and he'd put his eyepatch on over his replacement eye. Xara blinked again as he took a seat.

“Ya weren't wearin' the eyepatch!”

Irked, Zuffid shook his head. “How long have you been drinking?”

She looked down to count on her fingers, but didn't have nearly enough.

“Honestly, I suppose it's better you don't notice,” he sighed.

Xaraphyne tilted her head and smiled, lifting her drink to her lips again. The mug was almost empty, so she went ahead and refilled it.

After a moment, Zuffid spoke. “What's got you concerned, Captain?”

“Hmmm?” She blinked at him over the rim of her mug.

“You're drinking a tad heavily.”

“I am?” She drew back from the mug and looked at it. There still seemed to be plenty left to her.

“It's not even nightfall yet,” he said.

“It isn't?”

Zuffid shook his head again.

“Oh.” She paused, then nudged a bottle toward him. “Want some?”

“Not particularly,” he replied, folding his arms as he looked at her.

“Mmkay.” Xaraphyne tapped her fingers on the table, looking back at him.

“So it doesn't appear you're planning to tell me what's bothering you,” he said presently.

“Did ya lose a necklace or ring or somethin'?” she said thoughtfully. “I can't figure it out.”

He ran his palm over his face. “The hair, Captain.”

She squinted at him, then exclaimed, “OH! Ya started stylin' it again!”

He'd been wearing it down for awhile rather than arranged in its usual perfect spikes like it was again now. Xara giggled.

“...Yeah, we'll go with that,” he said.

“Looks better this way anyway,” she told him, raising her drink.

There was a pause before he answered. “Pleased you think so.”

“Of course ya are. Sure ya don't want a drink?”

“Positive.”

“Ya can barely taste the alcohol in these,” she assured him.

“I'd rather not stumble home reeking of booze tonight.” He shook his head and spoke again before she could say something else. “Since I haven't seen you in some time, I'm going to tell you now, even though you likely cannot process the ramifications of this.”

“Hmmm?” Xara blinked.

“The Horde is going to Northrend soon, and I'm going with.”

“Right.” She looked at him, waiting for him to get to the point. He hesitated a long moment.

“... That's all, Captain. I'm going to Northrend.”

“Right,” she said again, expectantly. There was another long pause.

“... Despite your orders to the contrary.”

“Oh, that.” She waved a hand. “Ya should really try the mead here, it's fantastic.”

He looked at her. “Is that what's bothering you?”

“That everyone I care about is striding into the maw of madness and death? Not really.” She raised a fresh drink to him with a smile.

“Cute, Captain.”

“Port's not so good,” she said speculatively, eyeing the bottle.

“If you're incapable of having a competent discussion, I'll be taking my leave.” He put his hands on the table. Xara reached for another bottle.

“G'luck,” she said.

He rose from his seat with a sigh. “Good luck, Xaraphyne.”

After he'd walked away, Xara waved down the barmaid again. “Refills please!”

[Xaraphyne]

Some time later, Xara was going for another round of refills when she heard a voice behind her. “Xara?”

She craned her neck around to look. “Oh, you,” she said, not uncompanionably.

Fhenrir smirked at her. The face of her best friend, companion in adventures both harebrained and deadly, was a welcome one. “Yes, me.” He walked over to her table, noting the shortage of free space on its surface.

“Wanna drink? I have plenty.” She waved at the bottles and mugs.

He smirked wider, pulling up a chair. “I just bought some, thanks.”

“Better and better.” Xara grinned and raised a drink to him. He did the same to her and they both drank. Xara sighed happily. “Mead here's great.”

“It's all right,” he said. “So how's your day been going?”

“Fantastic. Yours?”

“Well enough, considering.” He tilted his chair back and put his hooves on the edge of the table.

“Considering?”

He took another drink. “There's not much time left before the Horde gets the zeppelins operating.”

“Oh right, that,” Xara said.

He nodded once, and they both sat in silence for a moment. Then Xara raised her drink again.

“Cheers.”

Fhenrir snickered and took a drink. Xara smiled.

“How's Kali?”

“She's all right. I haven't seen her today though, I've been a little busy. I take it you're not looking forward to the call to arms?”

“Doesn't sound like you are, 'considering',” she replied.

“I'm resigned to it by this point.”

Xara nodded a bit, her gaze dropping to her drinks. “Me too.”

“Oh really?” He took a long look at her. “Are you sure about that? Nothing you'd like to talk about?”

“Uhh...” She drank from her mug again. “Like what?”

The remainder of his amusement vanished entirely. “What's on your mind.”

She couldn't help the irritation that flickered across her face. “Gods. I think I'm bein' tag-teamed.”

He just looked at her, and she shook her head.

“I just wanna drink.”

“... All right. You tell me if you change your mind and need someone to talk to, Xara.” Fhenrir leaned back slightly more and took a drink.

It'd be easy to brush him off like she had with Zuffid, but she didn't have the heart for it. She looked into her drink and spoke quietly. “Thanks, but it doesn't matter...”

He quirked a brow under his hat. “It doesn't?”

She just shook her head slightly.

His mouth opened, but then he stopped himself and just took another drink instead. They sat in silence for a short time before Xara spoke again, still not looking up.

“How's your daughter?” she asked.

“She's been good,” Fhen said. “I'm looking forward to seeing her progress, though I admit the thought of her in Northrend scares the hell out of me. Still, when they're all grown up... all you can do is hope you did a good job as a parent.”

“Yeah...” Xara said quietly.

He gave her a puzzled look. “You know, that's really odd to be saying whi--”

It was more than she could take. All the people she wanted to take care of, who didn't take seriously what she had lived through when it came to Northrend. Xaraphyne burst into tears. She dropped her head onto her arms on the table began to sob.

“Eh--?” Completely baffled, Fhen put his hooves down and reached a hand toward her, but didn't make contact. “Xara...?”

Xaraphyne continued to cry, with broken, heaving sobs. He put a hand gently on her arm, and eventually she calmed a little, although she continued to sob quietly.

“I, um...” Poor Fhenrir was clueless.

Xara took a breath, finally getting ahold of herself, though she couldn't bring herself to raise her head.

“I'm... sorry,” Fhen said.

Xaraphyne nuzzled her face against her arm, rubbing at the tear tracks, and not responding.

“I'm here if there's anything I can do, Xara...”

She spoke, her voice muffled. “I don't want you to die... or Zuffid... or anyone... but I can't stop you...”

“I'm not planning to die any time soon here.”

Her shoulders hunched. “It'll kill you too...”

“'It'?”

She nodded against her arm.

“And what is 'it'?”

“The evil in Northrend...” She looked up at him, her eyes still bright with tears. “Don't go... please...”

“I've been considering staying,” he offered.

Xaraphyne planted her hands on the table, knocking over empty drinks as she pushed herself half over it. “Please stay!”

Fhenrir looked taken aback, blinking at her. “I... haven't decided either way, yet.”

She reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt, clenching tightly. “...Please...” she said.

His gaze dropped to her hand for a moment before rising back to hers, all the more off-guard. “Uh...”

“Please...” Her head drooped and her grip relaxed. “Please...”

“I'll... probably stay behind as long as Kali does.”

Her head drooped a little further, but she didn't move for a long moment. Then, slowly, she slid back into her chair, dropping her head back to her arms on the table. “...Sorry...” came her muffled voice.

“You don't have to apologize. Believe me, Xara, I understand,” Fhen said earnestly. He hesitated, then continued. “The decision to stay or go isn't any easier for me to make. Do you think I haven't considered the dangers? How many people I would let down if I died in battle? Or hell, how many I'll let down if I don't go? Either way, I'm completely screwed.” He took a large gulp of his drink.

“..Sorry... that was.. selfish of me...” Xara mumbled.

Fhenrir wiped his mouth and put down his empty mug. “Like I said, I understand. You don't have to apologize.”

Xara heaved a sigh. Her thoughts had become too heavy to put into words anymore.

“I want to stay. But... I want to do my part for the Horde,” Fhen was saying.

“I know...”

“So, I'll see if I can't figure it out soon. I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I've decided, all right?”

Xaraphyne nodded against her arm again. There was a moment of silence; then Fhenrir shifted awkwardly. Slowly the trolless pushed herself up, not looking at him though he watched her, still looking a bit out of sorts.

“I'm gonna go... Take care, Fhen.”

“Be safe, Xara... I'll see you soon, all right?”

She nodded and turned away, walking out of the tavern and into Shattrath. Dionagar lifted her head to watch her go, but didn't follow.

[Xaraphyne]

"...Xara?"

It was a voice she hadn't heard in some time; not that that wasn't due to a definite lack of trying on her part. Possibly the last person she wanted to see right now had just found her. Slowly, she tilted her head up to look at the troll on the ledge above her who was gazing down at her with all evidence of concern.

His face, his eyes, his body were all very familiar to her. Xaraphyne had met Tetsuju by chance some time ago and hadn't minded the troll's petty, small-minded nature, because it wasn't his friendship she was interested in. But that had changed a short time ago, and changed into something she was ill-equipped to handle.

"I've been looking all over," he said.

His smooth voice, the intelligence in his gaze, they didn't belong to Tetsuju.

"Oh, you..." she said faintly.

"Yes, me," he said. He tilted his head, regarding her. "Are you preoccupied?"

Xara slowly dropped her gaze and looked around the small, stony nook she'd tucked herself into in a corner of Shattrath. The sounds of the city were muffled here; how he'd found her, she had no idea. "Very busy."

There was a pause. "Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding, but... you're kidding, yes?"

Tetsuju wouldn't've understood sarcasm because he wasn't too intelligent, but he didn't understand sarcasm because he was such a literal person. It was almost disconcerting at times, when he revealed the shallowness of his understanding of social interactions, but Xara just sighed. "Yeah..."

"Would you care to travel with me for a bit? I wish to speak to you somewhere private..."

Of course he did. Xara's shoulders hunched imperceptibly. He'd give her any space he asked for, he'd leave her alone forever if she told him that was what she wanted... but she'd just never been able to say it. His circumstances weren't his fault. And he cared about her. He'd changed because of her. Why couldn't she just accept him?

It seemed to take forever to get to her feet. He smiled softly.

[Xaraphyne]

Apparently Tirisfal was their destination. By the time they rode out of Undercity, Xara was almost glad he'd found her. At this point, she would be glad to lose herself in his arms, to not have to think, only respond.

They stopped at a small camp that had already been set up near a cliff by the ocean. Xara noted with some surprise that it wasn't far from where she and Fhen had spoken only a few nights ago. She'd told him about disbanding the crew as a guild then; and he'd understood, as she'd known he would.

Her attention returned to her companion as he dismounted, then came over to her to offer her a hand down. He was strange like that, offering courtly mannerisms while never being able to ascertain when someone was being sarcastic. Another soft smile came to his lips as she slid down from her mount into his arms. But he released her and turned away, moving over to the campfire.

"Thank you for coming all this way," he said.

Listlessly she followed him over, stopping by the fire to remove her outer gear. She dropped her bow and spear on top of the pile before taking up a seat next to the fire. "Mmhmm," she said. She noted rather clinically then the lack of a bedroll; well, that had never stopped them before.

From his pack he produced a bottle and a wineglass. Xara watched him pour the wine and then offer it to her with a flourish. "Drink up, m'dear. I find you'll rather enjoy the taste."

"Doubt I can taste anything at this point..." she muttered too low for him to hear. She accepted the glass and tossed the wine back.

Her gaze strayed as he didn't respond, falling to the campfire. There was a cool breeze blowing off the ocean and the fire was too small to keep them completely warm. But it was so difficult to care, really. If he wanted to sit in silence, she didn't give a damn. It took too much effort to try and direct her life's path.

He got up to walk over to her, but she didn't look up at him, absently toying with the empty wineglass and watching the flames leap. Then he spoke. "Tell me, Miss Nawe... what do you assume we're doing right now?"

It seemed an odd question, and his tone was a little strange too, but she couldn't be bothered to figure out the right way to answer it. "Hookin' up," she said idly. After a moment she rose to her feet since he didn't seem to want to sit, glancing at him to see a wicked smile on his face. He was definitely in a strange mood.

"I'm afraid your libido is unjustified this time. Since when do pirates not notice they're being handed a poisoned glass of wine?"

"...What?" Xara turned her head, confused, as he slipped close behind her. Was he trying to make some sort of joke?

"I can't imagine a potion designed to cripple you would mix very well with so much liquor," he went on. "Too bad for you."

She turned her head a little more to look at him, and she saw that his expression had taken on more than a hint of madness. Confused and disturbed, she tried to step away, but a sudden crippling pain in her middle made her stumble and drop the wineglass, wrapping her arms around herself. "W-what... are you..."

Lazily, he planted his free hand at the small of her back and shoved her away from him, toward the ground. She fell to her hands and knees, slipping to one shoulder. The pain in her stomach was rapidly killing her buzz and bringing with it a growing awareness of the wrongness of her companion. Shaking her head, she turned to face him, tucking her legs underneath her and not trying to get up just yet.

He had a dagger in his hand and his expression had become sly. The dagger began to spin around his fingers. "I am exactly who you think I am. Fhenrigo Darkstorm. The part you misunderstood was my intentions."

"Why...?" she said in confusion, looking up at him.

He had spoken to her so gently; he had bared his neck to her, offering his life to her to take if that was what she wished. All in the name of his love for her which had blossomed after he'd been put in Tetsuju's body. She hadn't been able to bring herself to hurt him despite knowing that Fhenrir wished for nothing so much as the end of his brother; a desire Fhenrigo had explained to her as more of a blind rage than anything else. Xara hadn't wanted to believe it, but they'd both told her different stories, and she had been incapable of acting either way. She hadn't spurned Fhenrigo, but neither had she told Fhenrir, who would never forgive her for keeping the secret.

"Why?" He simply scoffed. "My brother has taken everything from me. Look at me! I'm in the body of a fucking troll." His eyes drifted over himself with an expression of disgust. "And I've been reduced to sleeping with the woman he longs for to get back at him. I think it'll bring him more torment now to simply kill you and tell him what I've done." As he spoke he drew closer, the end of his sentence finding him standing over her.

"You..." She stared up at him, speechless. "You.. said you loved me... You took care of me... You wanted me..."

His eyes met hers evenly. "Have you always been so gullible?"

Everything she'd endured for him, the mockery of right and wrong, of hiding things from Fhen, in believing in someone Fhen hated, and all along he'd just been using her. It was ludicrous. If she hadn't been in so much physical pain, she might've started laughing; as it was, her expression changed to one of pure bemusement. "You just wanted me because you think Fhen--" She cringed a little in pain before continuing. "Fhen 'longs' for me? And now you're harming me to get back at him? What the hell's wrong with his wife, she too good for you?"

"Don't mistake me for a fool, woman. If you think I wasn't observing your interactions with my younger brother, you're more a fool than I thought. Then again, maybe you were too distracted making out with him to notice me?" His lips curved again into a twisted grin.

Her eyes went distant, remembering; probably not exactly what he was going for. The pain in her midsection was too weakening for her to fight back, but the memories gave her strength. Her eyes closed. "Fhen..." she said softly, under her breath.

He simply chuckled at her reaction. "That's what I thought." She heard him walk away and the sound of him digging through her equipment. "Remember that scar I've seen so many times? The one my younger brother wishes he might've seen? You told me how you got that..."

Her eyes opened, focusing on him again. He'd picked up her spear and was walking back over to her. But... the ridiculousness of it all made it too hard to care. "...So you're really going to kill me to get back at him? Isn't that going to ruin your chance to prove to him that you've been screwing me every imaginable way for months now?"

The words might have come from someone trying to find a way to save their own skin; but from her, they were merely there to be thrown at him in scorn.

"Let him disbelieve me. It will be far more damaging for me to bring him your dead body, even if he can't comprehend that you would willingly give yourself to his older brother, not to mention a scumbag troll which he seems to have no strong feelings for. Remember when you slept with 'Tetsuju'?" He started laughing.

As he closed the distance between them, she couldn't help but pale. Barely, she managed to stagger to her feet, one arm still wrapped around her middle. "Tetsuju didn't deserve... this... whatever happened to him. And Fhen..." She paused, speaking softly then, and not to him. "Fhen deserved more... than me... anyway."

"The thing about what people feel... they often do not consider what they deserve when they decide misery is a good choice. Fhenrir will be no less shattered."

Fhenrigo stepped toward her quickly, one hand on the spear while intending to push her back to the ground with the other. She launched herself at him with an ungraceful headbutt coupled with a desperate grab for her spear; caught off-guard, he nonetheless managed to keep the spear out of reach, angrily shoving at her. She latched onto his arm, trying to knee him between the legs and claw at his face with her other hand.

But another wave of pain hit her just then and she weakened. He twisted away, her nails only barely scoring his face, and roared in anger. Forcefully he pushed her back, sending her stumbling until she collided with a tree. Pinned by his arm, she grabbed at him, trying to wrench free. "Stay put, damn you!" he shouted.

It happened too fast for her to see, the only warning that the struggle had gone horribly wrong the blossom of a breath-taking pain sharper than she had endured in a long time. Her grip went slack, her eyes impossibly wide on him.

He paused, looking at her as his expression relaxed into one of satisfaction, then stepped back to admire his handiwork. Xara's hands rose to wrap around the haft of the spear protruding from her midsection, blood already dripping down to coat the handle.

"Hmm... I didn't have time to line it up with the scar, but it'll have to do..." His eyes scanned her over once more. "It probably would've been more insulting to have my way with you one more time first, but I can't have everything I suppose."

Xara coughed, and the spasms of pain the movement caused made her gasp and arch into more pain. He chuckled until she finally got control of the pain, bowing her head so that her hair fell in front of her face.

It was so impossible... that this was happening. With such a bitter, ironic, stupid betrayal to top it off. And the stupidity was all her fault. Now one of her worst nightmares had come true again, as blood dribbled out of her mouth and her every breath made the haft of the spear grind against her insides. He'd driven it into her with such force that she was impaled to the tree, and would never be able to pull herself free; and this time, there was no one here to help her. None of her crew, none of her friends, not one of her past lovers to witness her death; except for the one who had never loved her at all, for whom she had thrown away that which was so much more precious and which she would never be able to get back. Fhenrir.

All the world went still a moment for her. Then she spoke, quiet, but clear.

"...Thank you."

"Excuse me?" He sounded understandably confused.

Her gaze rose, fixing on his with a terrible, cruel smile, tinged with blood. "Fhen will make sure he kills you now, completely sure... It's the best present I ever could've given him."

[Fhenrir]

Fhenrigo waved his hand lazily. "Let him. It will never erase the pain I have cau-- oof!"

As if out of nowhere, a heavily-plated Fhenrir barreled into Fhenrigo at top speed and sent him rolling across the ground, bouncing off of it a few times before grinding to a halt. As Fhenrir approached him he lifted his sword up over his head and charged, slicing toward the ground in an attempt to cleave the troll in half. Fhenrigo barely dodged away as the sword whipped into the ground, dirt kicking up from the blade's impact.

Fhenrir turned a wide eye on the troll, staring him down harshly. "You little bastard! I'll kill you!" Was all he yelled as he continued his pursuit.

Fhenrigo snickered and drew a dagger, hurling it towards Fhenrir's hooves as he spoke. "Ahaha, I'm not who you think I am! How've you been, little brother?!"

Fhenrir stumbled over the dagger and paused, the speech patterns familiar to him despite being spoken in the voice of the troll Tetsuju. "You... you're..."

"Yes, little brother. It's Fhenrigo... how are you?"

Fhenrir's brow furrowed and he bared his teeth, snarling loudly and charging toward him at full speed. Fhenrigo was caught offguard at Fhenrir's sudden burst of speed, and Fhenrir smashed into him with his shoulder low. The spikes on Fhenrir's shoulderpad caught him in a few places and knocked the wind out of him, sending him smashing into the short cliff face behind him.

Fhenrir's sword came quickly, in a straight jab aimed to impale Fhenrigo against the cliff. However, Fhenrigo was ready and dodged away and upward, climbing up the small cliff face as Fhenrir's sword bounced off of the rocky surface and sent pieces flying in a few different directions. Fhenrigo drew another dagger from his belt and hurled it downward toward Fhenrir, who was only able to partially dodge it and caught the dagger in his shoulder.

"Yes, yes! How does it feel, Fhenrir?! Chase after your brother's ghost while your little troll bleeds to death! Have you told Kaliera about her yet?!" Fhenrigo taunted, taking advantage of Tetsuju's nimble limbs to stay just out of reach as Fhenrir climbed up after him.

"I'll KILL YOU!" Fhenrir snarled as he reached the top of the small plateau, quickly rising to his hooves.

Fhenrigo was standing at the other side of the dreary hilltop, overlooking the ocean below. Fhenrigo turned to look at Fhenrir, a twisted grin plastered on his features. "You said that last time, too."

Fhenrir grabbed onto his sword's hilt with both hands, his eyes setting on Fhenrigo before he charged toward him. "DIE DAMN YOU!"

Fhenrigo dodged and rolled behind Fhenrir quicker than his eyes could follow, effortlessly finding a hole in his armor and slipping his dagger into it. Fhenrir winced in pain, but spun around on his hooves and smashed his elbow into Fhenrigo's face. Fhenrigo's nose spouted blood and he stumbled back, but Fhenrir wasn't finished with his offensive. He let go of his sword with one hand and smashed his plated fist into Fhenrigo's stomach, making him cough up blood and lurch forward. Fhenrir then grabbed him by the neck and lifted him from the ground, turning slightly and extending his arm out to hold him over the nearby edge of the plateau, over the ocean below.

Fhenrigo looked down at Fhenrir from his prone position venomously. "G-go ahead then, brother... kill me. I've got nothing left."

Fhenrir simply stared at him. Fhenrigo continued, a slightly twisted smirk forming as a little blood dripped down the side of his mouth. "Would you like me to tell you about everything you've taken from me...? Or would you rather... ahah... I go into detail about all the things I've done with your little sweetheart fir-- hnk!"

Fhenrigo's sentence was cut short. Fhenrir had driven his sword through Fhenrigo's stomach, his fiery eyes staring into him. Fhenrir let go of Fhenrigo's neck then, letting him hang from the blade for a long moment. Fhenrigo coughed and sputtered up blood, one hand desperately grasping at the blade.

"Goodbye, Fhenrigo." Fhenrir spoke quietly, planting his free hand on Fhenrigo's chest and brutally removing the troll's body from the blade in one gruesome push. The sickening sound of Fhenrigo coming off of the sword echoed slightly as his body plummeted into the water below, and Fhenrir simply watched.

After only a moment, Fhenrir dropped his sword on the plateau and raced back to Xaraphyne quickly, throwing off his helmet and letting it bounce away as he eyed her in horror. "Oh gods, Xara! We've got to get you some help!"

[Xaraphyne]

By the time Fhenrir returned, Xara wasn't sure she could hold out much longer. The pain was taking her sanity, and every beat of her heart caused a slow but steady loss of blood that made her feel colder and dizzier. Her hands trembled around the haft of the spear as she tried to hold it still to reduce the pain.

Nonetheless, she lifted her head to focus on Fhenrir when he spoke. The terror in his eyes and voice made her smile. If only it didn't take such drastic circumstances to see the depth of his care for her... She shook her head a little. "I've.. lived through... this once before," she rasped, then started to cough again. The pain wrung her until she went limp, defeated. Fhen moved forward, afraid to touch her, and she lifted her head again to look at him.

"Oh gods, Xara," he said again. He had attacked his brother with nothing but fiery rage, but looking at her, he was transfixed by horror and fear. Fear for her life; horror at what had happened, and, she realized, that he might be responsible. The realization struck her like a blow; that he should be feeling guilt when all the responsibility for this situation was her own made her guilt immeasurable.

She shook her head again. She had to focus, difficult though it might be. Without a healer, she wouldn't survive this, trollish regeneration or no. A nearby healer, at that. A face flashed in her memory then: when she and Fhenrigo had come through Undercity, she'd seen someone she knew. Knew well in fact. But rather than call attention to the company she kept, she'd avoided him, turning away so he wouldn't see her. Now he hoped he was still there.

"M-maithanet," she said. Fhenrir blinked once at the name. "He was in.. Undercity earlier. He can..." She lowered her head, fighting off the pain and dizziness, and the urge to cough at the blood in her throat. But she didn't miss Fhenrir's quick nod.

Hopefully he would be quick enough.

[Xaraphyne]

He turned away and was oddly silent for a few moments. Xara raised her head to look at him, curious; then she felt a faint stirring of some kind. She wasn't very in tune with any kind of magic, but she had a hint of a talent for the element of nature, and that was what she sensed now. Vaguely, she remembered Fhenrir once telling her he'd studied to be a shaman at one time. That had to be what he was calling on now.

When he turned back to her, his expression quickly filled with dread again. Xara tried to smile reassuringly and was pretty sure she failed. "Is he coming...?" she asked.

"I hope so." He glanced away. His fists were clenched.

How much longer she could stay conscious, she didn't know. But as long as she focused on him, she could hold out against the pain. Her eyes stayed on his face as she lifted a shaking hand to wipe at her mouth. It almost wasn't worth it, though, seeing what he was going through just looking at her. "Fhen... I'm sorry," she said, her voice a near-whisper.

He looked at her, a hint of confusion underlying the strong lines of worry on his brow. "What are you apologizing for? Just... don't die..." He turned back to her and took a step closer.

The breath she took made her wince, and she found herself shivering. The adrenaline was wearing off and the blood loss was rapidly making her feel colder and colder. "...It's so cold," she muttered.

He took another step closer. Moisture shone in his eyes. "Please... don't die, Xara."

A touch of a wry smile came to her lips. "I t-told you, I lived through this once already... You know that's why he did this to me... He thought it'd be nice and..." She coughed, then held her breath for a moment to calm the urge. "...Ironic."

Fhen's eyes were drawn to the spear protruding from her stomach, a grimace crossing his features before he looked back to her. He did his best to show her a smile, but it was weak.

"Fhen..." Xara's smile faltered. "Why... did you come here?"

He paused for just a moment. "I was worried about you... I asked around Shattrath to see if anyone had seen where you'd went. I was directed to the Undercity, and from there I found someone who said they'd seen you heading toward Tirisfal..."

"Worried...?" she said faintly. "You shouldn't... worry about me..." The idiocy of those words hit her as soon as she'd spoken them, and she started laughing, but the sound quickly turned into gasps of pain. She bit down on her lower lip.

"You shouldn't be talking so much. Help will be here soon..." He seemed to be attempting to console himself as much as her.

"Fhen..." She struggled through the pain. "Don't blame yourself for this... all right..?"

He turned away to scan the plains, not responding.

The pain receded as she watched him, studying the creases of worry on his brow, the tension in his shoulders. He was nothing but concerned for her, but he had no idea yet what had truly led to this. It wasn't right... She didn't deserve his concern.

Her mouth opened, then closed. Silence reigned. She couldn't bring herself to tell him.

The world began to slowly spin under her feet as her consciousness waned. She turned her head away, her voice quiet. "Fhen... come here..."

He turned to her, looking rather off-guard. He didn't hesitate a moment, though, walking to her slowly. "Of course... what is it, Xara...?"

She held out her hand, the other still wrapped around the haft of the spear, and her fingers worked their way into his mane. Her features gentled, all the kinds of pain lessening. "Just... be near me..."

His hand curled around her arm, his teeth biting into his lower lip as he nodded to her, just as concerned as before. "As long as you need me to be..."

Just concerned.

One word, she wanted to speak; one simple word. Always. But it wasn't hers to say; he wasn't hers. His concern was deep, but it was only platonic. At times the call of his instincts swayed him, and at times she let herself think it might be otherwise... but his heart had never, never longed for her as Fhenrigo had thought it had.

Her head lowered as she pulled him against her gently, burying her face in his shoulder. She couldn't see the sadness in his own eyes as the darkness crept over her consciousness.

~~~~

On the ground I lay
Motionless in pain
I can see my life flashing before my eyes
Did I fall asleep?
Is this all a dream?
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare

I will not die (I will not die)
I will survive

I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive when you're beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying

On this bed I lay
Losing everything
I can see my life passing me by
Was it all too much?
Or just not enough?
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare

I will not die (I will not die)
I will survive

I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive when you're beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying


Three Days Grace – Time of Dying

[Fhenrir]

Fhenrir turned his head at the sight of the elves riding up to greet them; Evanthe and Maithanet, though Fhenrir knew neither of them by name. He paid no heed to the warlock, but noticed immediately that the other was a Blood Knight. The expression he wore across his face was one of pure horror by this time.

The Blood Knight spoke first as he hopped off of his mount. "Well hello there."

Fhenrir huffed and couldn't bring himself to speak normally, the words coming out as more of a snarl directed at Maithanet. "Don't just stand there, help her!"

"Yes. Let's." was all he had to say as he moved over to Xaraphyne's position.

Xaraphyne coughed, eliciting a gasp of pain as fresh blood dribbled from her lips. "Hi..."

"Hey you... in trouble again?" Maithanet spoke as he ran his hands over the shaft of the spear.

Xaraphyne flinched, the spear moving slightly at his touch. "Y-yeah... a little..."

Evanthe spoke then, eyeing the gruesome scene. "However did this happen?"

Maithanet turned to Fhenrir, whose visage was still completely horrified. "Hey Fhenrir... You need to pull this out." he said as he pulled off his gloves and put his hands on Xaraphyne's shoulders.

Fhenrir nodded once to Maithanet, stepping forward and grabbing the handle. The thought of pulling the spear out made him cringe, but he knew he couldn't delay. "Sorry Xara..." was all he could bring himself to say as he ripped it out of the tree and Xara alike. Maithanet made sure to hold Xara in place, grimmacing as Fhenrir tossed the spear away.

Xaraphyne staggered against Maithanet's hold, her legs giving out, and her eyes rolling up into her head as she passed out. "Gah!" Fhenrir exclaimed, taking a step toward Xara.

If Maithanet had become more concerned, his outward appearance didn't show it. "I'm well aware of how this looks," he responded stoically and kneeled down by Xaraphyne. He put his hands then over the large wound, and his eyes began to glow golden as he hummed softly.

"Fhenrir, happen to know an orange haired Troll?" Maithanet asked after a moment, not taking his eyes off of Xaraphyne.

Fhenrir's gaze turned to Maithanet, his brow furrowed in confusion. "... What?"

"However did little Xaraphyne end up with a spear through her?" Evanthe wondered aloud.

Maithanet continued to cover Xaraphyne in a golden light, stopping his melodic humming only to speak. "Fhenrir has a friend, if you will. A Troll. He used Xaraphyne to get to him." he paused before finishing the statement. "Love'll do funny things with trust."

Fhenrir blinked a couple times, utterly lost as to how this elf he'd never seen before seemed to know more about the situation than he did. Always one to speak his mind, Fhenrir didn't delay in asking. "How do you know all of this? Have we met?"

Maithanet paused. "It's a long story."

Xaraphyne stirred a little then. The golden light appeared to be knitting up her flesh, but her brow was furrowed in pain. Maithanet pulled his hands away, his eyes burning brightly as he blew light out of his mouth. Sighing and holding his hands, he spoke again. "It is done." Maithanet closed his eyes. "I can't see again. I hate this part."

Ignoring the foreign style of healing the Blood Knight seemed to implement, Fhenrir turned his attention to Xaraphyne. "Did it work...?"

Maithanet nodded. "She'll be fine. If you found her, you found her just in time."

Evanthe similarly responded, her eyes on Xaraphyne. "She's not dead. Obviously it worked."

Xaraphyne blinked, pushing herself half up and looking around. She lifted a hand to wipe at her mouth before speaking. "Ah... Fhen... Maithanet..." she paused, blinking again. "Evanthe?"

"Mmhmm." Evanthe nodded.

"We're quite the partnership nowadays, dontcha know." Maithanet confirmed.

Xara shook her head a little. Suddenly, her eyes went wide and she lurched to her feet. "Fhenrigo!"

"Orange haired Troll." Maithanet spoke quietly.

Fhenrir looked over to the nearby cliff, where his battle with Fhenrigo had taken place. "He's dead. Or at least he should be..."

Xaraphyne started to walk toward the cliff. "Make sure this time!"

"Well he definitely just stabbed her with a spear." Maithanet added.

"He fell into the ocean." Fhenrir added, his eyes drifting toward the nearby ocean. He didn't sound very sure of himself.

"He's survived worse..." Xaraphyne said bemusedly.

Fhenrir caught up with Xara, looking at her with nearly the concern he had earlier. "Are you sure you should be walking around?"

"She shouldn't be." Evanthe nodded once, and Fhenrir turned to nod to her.

Just as he did, Xara stumbled and grabbed onto Fhen for support. "M-make sure..."

Maithanet finally opened his eyes, speaking stoically. "She needs a day of rest. One day will be fine."

Fhenrir turned to look at him, appreciation noticeable in his eyes as he spoke to him. "Thank you for coming to help."

Xaraphyne shook her head in frustration, falling to one knee.

"Yer welcome." Maithanet spoke to Fhenrir. "Though, I don't even know how I knew."

"Knew?" Fhenrir asked Maithanet, vaguely realizing that his attempt to call out for help must have been successful. Xaraphyne and Evanthe walked slowly to the edge of the water, falling out of earshot as they spoke to each other.

Maithanet nodded. "It sounded like a voice, as though from a far distance."

"That was me." Fhenrir turned his attention toward Xaraphyne.

Maithanet tilted his head, but didn't pursue the question further. "I'd be careful. Whoever this Fhenrigo is, he's cunning, deceptive, and will do anything to get at you."

"I'm well aware, but thanks for that." Fhenrir spoke bemusedly, not turning to face him.

"She also seems to be in love with him."

Fhenrir paused. A thousand different thoughts flew through his mind at that time. She knew he was Fhenrigo? She was in -love- with him? After everything he had told her? All the pain Fhenrigo had caused him in his life, and she could love him regardless? What did Fhenrir even mean to her?

His only vocal response to Maithanet was after a deep sigh. "Fantastic."

The two exchanged no words for a time, and then Fhenrir began walking toward the edge of the cliff. "I'm going to see if I can spot the body."

"Why did he do this?" Evanthe asked Xaraphyne.

"Because... of Fhen."

Fhenrir caught the end of their conversation as he approached, keeping a good distance away from them while approaching the edge and looking out into the water.

Xaraphyne's expression became pained and guilty, and Evanthe glanced at Fhenrir. "Spit it out." she said. Fhenrir wasn't sure if she was speaking to him or Xaraphyne, but he chose not to respond regardless.

Xaraphyne looked down. "Something to worry about later..."

Maithanet approached them then, atop his Warhorse. "I have a last minute meeting to attend at the Academy. I will look for you tomorrow, Xaraphyne. We'll talk more then."

Xaraphyne looked to Maithanet, nodding once. "Thank you..." Her hands passed over her stomach, a faint shudder running through her.

"A word of caution, though. My magic is healing you still. Get yourself injured and it'll heal that, instead leaving you with one very painful stomach." he warned. With that, Maithanet turned and rode off into the Glades.


Fhenrir remained silent, only looking over his shoulder briefly to watch Maithanet depart. His thoughts overwhelmed him then, and he wondered why he hadn't simply returned to Mulgore...

[Xaraphyne]

Evanthe didn't follow Maithanet right away. Her cool, evaluating gaze moved between Fhenrir and Xaraphyne again. Xara thought that while the warlock wasn't the type to put a lot of stock into things that didn't affect her in any way, she did hold some interest in the goings-on of this evening.

"Because of him?" Evanthe asked. She pointed at Fhenrir, who remained turned away. Only a flick of his ear gave away that he heard her.

Xara hesitated before responding. "...Yes."

An eloquent arch of an eyebrow was Evanthe's only response. Xara sighed.

"I was a fool." She should never have trusted Fhenrigo for a moment. Her gaze drifted to Fhenrir's back. He hadn't met her gaze since she'd come over to the cliff. Neither of them had been able to spot Fhenrigo's body, which disturbed her, but there had to be only so many times that he could survive a run-in with his brother.

"You were played for the fool."

Xara looked back to Evanthe. "Among other foolish things on my part," she said. She couldn't help it, she looked toward Fhenrir again. Evanthe did as well.

"He doesn't have much to say for himself, does he?" the warlock said after a moment.

Chuckling made Xara wince. "He's a quiet guy."

"I don't have much to say," came Fhen's low rumble.

"Pity," Evanthe said.

"I don't think you'd have much to say in my position either." He sounded unaccountably irritated.

Xara's attention was drawn to the sound of an approaching mount. She squinted into the mist.

"Tell me your position and I'll tell you if I would," Evanthe said evenly.

"Nothing personal, miss, but I don't even know who you are." Fhen's arms crossed.

A very familiar rider drew up to the small group. The blood elf hunter's gaze swept over those present as he reigned in his mount. "She is Evanthe, my ex-wife," he said.

"Skafloc..." Xara said faintly. She glanced to Evanthe, who didn't react to the presence of her ex-husband at all. How he'd found them, Xara didn't know; maybe he'd caught wind of it somehow from Maithanet and Evanthe's hasty trip out of Undercity to the shores. Fhenrir snorted.

"Good for her. I'm sure you'll have fun talking about it without me here." The tauren walked away. Xara looked after him, hugging herself more tightly. The freshly healed injury ached.

"Xaraphyne, have you lost another drinking game?" Skafloc inquired amusedly, looking her over.

"I..." Her attention was on the tauren warrior fading into the mist.

"My my. So very cranky," Evanthe mused.

"...I lost something all right," Xara muttered.

Skafloc dismounted and stepped forward, looking at her with concern. "What happened?"

Evanthe responded, succinctly. "Xaraphyne was played for a fool and stabbed on account of Fhenrir."

Fear was rising in her. Xara shook her head and started to walk after Fhenrir. "I have to go."

"Are you sure you are up to it?" Skafloc asked, following her.

She smiled weakly. "Maithanet patched me up..." When she realized what she'd said, or more importantly to whom she had said it, she stopped, glancing back at him and then the warlock they had left behind them. However, Skafloc didn't seem bothered by Maithanet's name.

"Maybe you should rest a while longer? Set up camp here?" He moved up to her, still looking at her with concern.

So much concern from so many people. "I'll be all right," Xara muttered, glancing back over her shoulder at Fhenrir's figure. He'd stopped a distance away. Skafloc followed her gaze and nodded.

"All right. I sense he is waiting for you in any case. Maybe when you feel up to it we can talk, yeah?"

Her gaze returned to him and she summoned up another weak smile. "Yeah... That'd be nice."

"Don't strain yourself," he told her.

"I won't," she said as he turned away to call his mount. She watched him go before turning back toward Fhenrir.

Why he was upset, she didn't know; but she would have to tell him how she had ended up in this position. And the whole truth, even that she had known Fhenrigo's identity all this time and not told him. The weight of it made her weary, and after the evening's events she was surprised she was still able to walk. But she wasn't ready to stop yet. Not with things left unfinished.

She started walking.

[Xaraphyne]

"Interesting way to find out that not only did my brother survive, but you're in love with him. Quite a bit of knowledge for one night, especially considering I learned it from some random elf."

Xara stopped short. Fhen's back was still to her, and he stood a few paces away, his arms crossed. But his words hit her like ice water even without seeing his expression. She stared at him, trying to understand why someone -- it must have been Maithanet -- would tell him such a thing.

"I wasn't... in love with him... exactly..."

He shook his head. "So what was it? No... you know what? I don't care." He started to move away. Xara stepped forward.

"Fhen..."

He stopped. She reached out, but hesitated, and drew her hand back before touching him. The ache was incredible; and not the one from her recently healed injury. Unable to bring herself to speak, she stayed silent until that became too much to bear.

"I'm sorry... You were right... all along..."

A long moment passed before Fhen spoke. "I know I was."

Xaraphyne hunched her shoulders and wrapped her arms around herself, pressing her fingers into her sides. "I was stupid for believing a word he said... over you..."

"Did you...? No... don't tell me."

She cringed, knowing exactly what he almost asked. "I... He..."

With his next few words, Fhenrir seemed to be speaking more to himself than her. "You can do whatever you want, Xara..."

Fresh tears begin to fall from her eyes, silently this time. "No... I can't..." she whispered.

He paused. "Hmm...?"

"I can't do whatever I want... I can't have whatever I want... It hurts too many people..." She ducked her head, wiping at her eyes.

"What are you getting at, Xara?"

"W-what do you think?" He was so stupid. She was so stupid.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you," he said.

"I guess so..." she murmured. He shook his head again.

"If my brother survived, and you wanna get back together with him? Fine, be my guest. But you'd be better off not coming near my family if you have anything to do with him. Personally, I'm hoping he bled to death at the bottom of the ocean."

Xara blinked in shock. Was that what he thought she meant? "He's not... I don't want him... I didn't want him... I just..."

"You what? Felt like...? Ugh... I can't even say it..." He started walking away again.

"No...!" He stopped, but she just shook her head helplessly. She couldn't find the words, any words, to explain it to him; why she continued to be with Fhenrigo even when she didn't want him, why she had betrayed Fhenrir even though it was the last thing she'd ever want to do. Was there any explanation? She didn't know. And her inability to explain was killing her as silence stretched between them, unassailable.

Fhenrir spoke. "I... can't take this. I need to go home."

It all felt so unreal. Xara hugged herself more tightly, her voice almost inaudible. "Y-yeah... you should... Go back to your wife..." She hesitated, and her last words were barely a breath. "I'm sorry..."

"Take care of yourself, Xara," he said.

She turned away, unable to watch him go.