The Uncertainty of Memory

[Nykkolaia]

((OOC: Everyone say hello to my Pally, Kasharae. ^_^ Ardee is my baby Shaman, and Anaskya is Dee's twin sister and played by a very good friend of mine!))


Undoing one of the buckles over her collar bone, Kasharae let the pauldron drop to the floor. As it had fallen away, it had pulled at her shirt beneath it which had in turn pulled at the injured skin underneath that. She winced, gritting her teeth a little, and undid the buckles of her chest armor. It followed the pauldrons, making a dull clank at it hit the wooden floor boards of the Inn in the Howling Fjord.

The shirt was ruined. Even had she any skill with needle and thread - which she didn't - it was too stained to be cleaned. She peeled it away from her body and tossed it aside.

Somehow the Valkyr blade had dented her shoulder armor so badly that it had injured the skin underneath. There was a single puncture straight towards the bone and a horrific looking bruise rising. Kas made a discontented noise, thinking of the repair bill over that shoulder armor. There was nothing for it, though, so best to focus on what she could fix now.

Lifting her hand, she pressed it over her shoulder. Her fingers curled around the wound - it hurt, but was necessary. The Light filled her, spreading from her hand and passing into her body. The torn skin sort of ...seized for a moment before knitting itself back together, the injured muscle recouping and the the swelling going down before the discoloration passed as well.

When her hand fell away, her shoulder looked as it had before the injury, although it was still sore. The Light didn't help sore much.

Kas next took off and put aside the rest of her armor. She'd clean it here shortly, but wanted to wash up and get a change of non-bloody clothing first... It had been a very long day.

~*~

Anaskya and Ardee sat beside one another before a fire in the forests surrounding Azure Watch. It was a peaceful evening, but it usually was on Azuremyst. Ardee liked the forest and the trees. She wasn't so crazy about the large birds that liked to attack you, or the cats that tried to eat your face, but the rest of it she was pretty fond of.

It had been a full day, and it was nice to sit for a while.

Weaving copper wire into braided strands, Ardee would - every few moments - make a quiet squeaking noise when the end of the wire poked a finger. It was her only sign of this happening, though, and she kept going. Occasionally, she'd weave a gem in. It wasn't perfect, but she was still learning after all.

"I had that dream again last night," she said quietly.

Anaskya looked up from the axe she'd been studying. It was a tool of power, but there was power within the weapon as well. She'd started learning how to get to that power, but it took great concentration to pull the essence of it from such an item. Setting the axe aside, she cocked her head slightly. "Oh?"

Ardee sighed. "Aye," she said quietly, setting the copper wiring down. She looked up at her twin sister, although they didn't actually look alike. "Although father was in this one, too," she added with a rueful tone.

Ana's tail swished on the ground behind her. "You dreamed of both of them? What about?" It... was a dream, but one neither girl thought possible. Anaskya always did her best to put on a brave face. She and her sister survived the crash, but there was no news of either of their parents. It seemed unlikely that their parents would have survived. There'd been no bodies, though, and for that, Ana had always held some small hope that perhaps they were alive.

Setting aside the jewelry work, Ardee laid down on her side and faced the fire. It warmed her face as she rested her head against her hand. "You know, I don't really even remember," Dee replied quietly. "I think most of it faded when I woke, but I remember that they were both there. I have that feeling again, and I just know from that."

The tail swished faster though Anaskya kept her expression neutral as she watched the firelight bounce shadows over her sister's features. Truth be told, she'd dreamed of their parents as well, though it would be more apt to call them nightmares. Thankfully, she didn't have them often, but she kept them close to her, not sharing them as Dee shared her own.

Ana held on to Dee's dreams, for they were more pleasant than hers. She offered her sister a small smile. "It must have been a pleasant dream, Dee."

"Probably," the Shamanistic sister replied. "I mean, think I would've felt differently if it'd had been a bad one."

Looking to the fire, Ana wrestled with the maelstrom of thoughts that descended upon her as they tended to do when she and Dee discussed their Parents. "Do you... do you think your dreams mean something, Dee?" She sounded uncertain as she asked.

Ardee glanced back at Ana with a concerned frown. "Like what? I think they're probably just... memories. True, a lot got shaken loose in my head after the Exodar... well... after all of that, but I still remember most things. I think the dreams are just revisiting the ones that aren't as clear."

Shrugging, Anaskya didn't take her eyes off the dancing flames. "I don't know. I just sometimes wonder if our dreams try to... talk to us, as crazy as that sounds." When she heard of Dee's dreams, part of her always hoped perhaps Ardee's dreams meant their parents were somewhere out there, alive. On the other hand, though, when Ana had her own nightmares, she prayed that they were only nightmares.

Ana looked to her twin and gave a small smile, though she couldn't quite hide the sorrow in her eyes. "I am being foolish, sister." She heaved a sigh and picked up the axe again, wishing she hadn't brought the subject up.

With a small smile, Dee pushed herself up and crawled over to her sister. She wrapped her arms around Ana's shoulders and rested her chin on the shoulder. "It's not foolish," she said quietly. "I hear that sometimes dreams do talk to us... try to tell us things. Maybe when I dream of memories, it is trying to hint that maybe there's something we don't know but need to. Like about our parents..."

~*~

It was with a quiet sigh that Kasharae settled into bed. Everything hurt, from hoof-tip to horns.

Today had been a bad day for other reasons, though. Normally she was able to get through her day to day life and not think about the gaping holes in her mind; the spaces where memories of the distant past should have been, but weren't. She didn't even know how many there were, but she knew that there were many years that she had just forgotten. She remembered nothing before the moment she woke up amid the wreckage of the Exodar.

Kas pulled the blanket up to her chin and sunk into the mattress. It wasn't the most luxurious of Inn fare, but it was a bed and that was enough for her. She was asleep within minutes...

There was the sound of children laughing. Girls. Young. A deep masculine voice speaking. Loving. A woman was laughing now... the woman was her. She was laughing, and then he was laughing. Happy. Calling out. Maternal. Protective.

A rumbling from somewhere. Quickly. Suddenly. Everything goes awry. Unexpected... danger...

The dreams were chaotic and out of sync.

With a gasp, Kasharae sat up quickly and then her hand smacked into her forehead with a wince - for both the waking, the sitting up too fast and the smacking herself in the head. She groaned and grasped desperately at the shreds of dreams that were fleeing with great speed. There was something important about these dreams, and she knew it. She just couldn't hold on to it long enough!

Kas' hand slid down over her eyes, holding back silent tears and breathing out deeply before dropping back against the pillow. Trying to will herself back into a dreamless sleep.

~*~

Fragments of memories teased Anaskya. She rested her cheek on the top of Ardee's head, mindful of her twin's horn. She remembered laughter...remembered laughing a lot, but she laughed rarely these days, and only ever around Dee. These days, she was a more serious girl, studying everything and everyone around her, only ever opening up with her sister.

Gaze locked on the pulsing glow of fire's embers, Ana let her thoughts, as dark as they were, run as they may. "I miss them," she whispered. "What I remember of them, anyway." If dreams do talk to us, then I hope yours are the ones talking to us, sister, and mine are just the foolish nightmares of a scared girl. Ana took a deep breath and let it out in a soft sigh.

"I miss them too," Dee said quietly. "I remember mother. She liked to sing. I remember that. Dad liked to laugh. I can hear that in my mind, when I wake up sometimes."

Whereas I hear screams, went Anaskya's unspoken thought. A small smile crossed her lips. "I remember mother's smile." She gave a soft laugh. "Dad's laugh." The mage-in-training's smile faltered though. "I... I don't remember his face, and I feel I am fighting to hold on to the memory of mother's image." Only with her sister would she allow herself to sound so vulnerable. It is just us now... we have to be there for one another, strong for each other, and here I sit... scared of a nightmare.

Ardee let out a small sigh. Her gaze drifted off, but she didn't look at anything in particular. "These things can be easy to forget when the years pass," she said quietly.

Doing what she could to push the more negative thoughts from her mind, Anaskya picked up the axe again as she gave a small smile. "We have each other, and we can hold on to those memories we do have. Some of the other survivors were not so lucky." She thought back to those that were in triage at the crash site. "And... we are making new memories, too. Like helping the Night Elf find her father?"

Ana couldn't help the small smirk and slight flush at the thought. She'd been intrigued by these new people... the Night Elves.

Dee had leaned back when Ana picked up the axe again and now she sat back with her knees against her chest, arms wrapped around them as she watched her sister and her eyes caught the brief smirk and flush. Dee's eyes narrowed slightly. "I saw that. You blushed!"

Anaskya had been staring at the axe when the unexpected comment came. A swirl of emotions rippled through the young Draenei, followed by a very visible flash and a squeak from the enchanter-in-training. Ana shook her head in surprise and blinked. The axe was no longer an axe, but a pile of strange dust. She looked up to her sister, wide-eyed. "I think I need to learn to control my emotions or I will disenchant everything I touch!"

Staring at the dust for a few moments, Dee's eyes widened and her mouth opened. There was some silence, but then Dee giggled and pointed at Ana. "Don't touch me!" she said, but in good humor and both girls lapsed into easy laughter.

~*~

Kasharae had gotten back to sleep without any dreams, but the sound of young girls laughter followed her on its own, all the same.

[Nykkolaia]

((Riahana is played by the same player as Anaskya. ^_^))

The sun was nearly setting over the silhouette of Westguard Keep.

In the valley below it, a single Draenei woman grunted through her teeth with the swing of her axe and the slam of her shield. The shoveltusk fought with energy and tenacity, but the Paladin would prove to be the more headstrong of the two. A single final bash of shield and Holy energy brought about the death of the beast and it landed with a heavy thud.

Kasharae knelt beside it and said a prayer for its soul - for she believed even the animals had souls - and then cut off what she needed, preparing to head off again...

Hearing the unmistakable sound of battle and the grunts and snorts of a shoveltusk bull fighting for its territory, Riahana concealed herself to the shadows, using her surroundings to her advantage. She watched the Draenei down the beast and saw the offered prayer. It was an unexpected gesture, but one not lost on the Night Elf. Respect for beasts, great and small, was very much a part of the Kaldorei... something lost on many of the younger races.

Generally, Riahana would wait for the other woman to depart, but something within prodded her into action. She dropped her stealthy approach and cautiously stepped out from the trees. Hands empty and at her sides, Ria bowed graciously. "May Elune light your path, Draenei. Forgive the intrusion, but I wonder if perhaps you intend to use the skin or meat of the beast at your feet?"

Kas looked at the new arrival. She had seen and worked with a number of Night Elves, and being fellow inhabitants of Kalimdor - rather than the Azerothians that the Paladin usually found - she was not unsettled by them like many. Unless, of course, they did something to unsettle her. Shoving her axe back in its holder, she replied, also speaking in Common. "I've taken what I need."

With a slow, graceful bow of her head, Riahana asked, "Then would you mind if I were to help myself? I am not one to let good leather or food go to waste." The comment was not meant to pass judgment, but Riahana tended to be to the point rather than diplomatic when speaking. It was a trait that had gotten her in trouble more than once and was proving to be a hard lesson to learn. Hearing the words as she spoke them, the Night Elf winced inwardly. "And I mean no offense to you, Draenaei... rather I meant I will take advantage of the opportunity before me."

A Night Elf that apologized, Kas reflected, that had to be new. She resisted the urge to smirk and instead waved at the beast. "No offense taken," she said. "I would rather seen it used as well, but I fear I've little skill for such things."

Approaching the corpse of the beast, Riahana bowed her head to the Draenei before unsheathing her skinning knife. "Before I left Teldrassil, I learned how to feed and clothe myself from the land thanks to two of my mentors. I can turn the leather into armor and clothing as need be. The meat... I had not had shoveltusk before coming to Northrend, but I find it tasty.... a good source of protein."

She examined the beast, working on her best angle of approach for the skin, then looked to the other woman. "Both the leather and meat are also a good source of income if I find myself short of gold." Riahana didn't mention that she was rarely short of gold these days. Some details she need not share, and her current wealth was one such detail.

Kas found that hard to argue with. It had been a while since she'd had company, so she decided to not head off just yet. She slung her shield back around over her back and folded her plate-armored arms over her chest. "And what brings you to Northrend?"

"Why does anyone venture to Northrend from Kalimdor, or the Eastern Kingdoms? To seek adventure, and earn gold," Riahana answered. It was the easy answer, though the Night Elf was in Northrend for much more than adventure and gold. The longer answer, though, was saved for those she trusted, and being a Rogue... and a Night Elf... Riahana trusted few, and so far trusted none that she'd met in Northrend.

"Fair enough," Kas replied, being fairly easy-going in such matters. It seemed to be the reason most people were up here - adventure or gold - except for those few Kas had meant that found a personal war here. "My name is Kasharae," she introduced herself finally. Or, she gave her name as best she knew it for these past few years.

Before sinking her knife in to begin skinning the animal, Riahana offered a slight smile and bowed her head. "Well met Kasharae. I am Riahana Shadowmoon." She studied the woman before her, noting the plate armor, shield and axe. "And what brings you to Northrend? The same, or something more?" Normally, Riahana would have held off getting to work on skinning the animal, knowing some people were quite squeamish about such things. Given the woman before her was a fighter and had likely seen war, Ria doubted something so mundane would offend, and got to the task of skinning the dead shoveltusk.

It certainly wasn't a sought out experience, but Kasharae had seen more than her share and so didn't mind. Kas nodded. "The same," she replied. "There's always a bit of work to be done, so when I heard the call that there was trouble in the North, I came to see for myself."

Working the knife and her trade with grace that spoke to her masterful skill, Riahana was making quick work of the carcass. "Northrend is a far cry from Azuremyst Isle or Teldrassil, is it not?" Ria asked. She wasn't used to having an audience, but the company was a welcome change. "It is far colder here than it is in Teldrassil," she commented as she looked towards the sun. "The sun shines, yet bares so little heat. I find I look forward to my campfire when it is only mid-day... if only for the hope that it might get the chill from my bones."

"Aye," Kas agreed, idly pulling her axe from its hold and pulling a cloth from her pack - might as well take care of cleaning it while she was remaining still. "I must say, though, that one works up enough heat just existing in plate armor, so I don't often notice the cold so much." She smirked slightly.

Looking up from the half-skinned carcass, Ria gave a soft laugh. "I suppose you wouldn't. Leather armor does well enough when I am moving and active, but... does little to battle the wind." She continued separating skin from carcass. "Plate armor. What is it you do to warrant such heavy armor, Kasharae?" She looked down as she waited for the answer and continued her work. Soon, she would have the skin off the animal and would see about salvaging meat for a meal or three.

Kas chuckled. "I do whatever needs doing," she replied. "I'm in training as a Paladin," she added to the answer.

With a bit of effort, Riahana finished the job of skinning the dead shoveltusk. Steam rose off of the carcass from the beast's cooling body temperature. Setting the skin aside to let it begin drying out, Ria looked back to the Draenei. "Training to be a Paladin? I would imagine you and your skill would be in great demand here in Northrend."

"Finds a great deal of demand pretty much everywhere these days," Kas commented. "But aye, I've found plenty." Pausing, the Draenei's faintly glowing eyes over-looked the Night Elf before her. "I would guess that you... are training as a Rogue. You have the look." She paused, smirking slightly. "And there's no offense meant in that. I've nothing against Rogues. We all do our part."

If something phased the Night Elf, she was typically good at not letting it show. The Draenei, though, caught her off guard as she guessed Riahana's real profession, causing her to stop mid-slice. She looked up and smirked slightly. "You are observant, I will give you that much. It is not something I typically admit to as we do not have a good reputation... perhaps for good reason."

Looking back to the carcass, Ria finished slicing off a piece of the flank and started her next cut. "The path I travel chose me as much as I chose it. I could have become a Sentinel, though... the profession held little appeal for me." She opted not to get into what line of work her family intended her to follow, as it and memories of their argument were too personal.

"What, may I ask, calls someone like yourself to become a Paladin? Is it a true calling, or something you wake up and decide to do?" Ria asked. She usually wasn't one for small talk either, but... but she'd spent a great deal of time on her own since coming to Northrend. She found she missed companionship... missed having a conversation with someone other than her own internal debates.

"I wouldn't really know what calls to others," Kas replied, finding herself in a place to miss companionship as well... except that she had almost no memories of what it was like. She had been on her own most of the time on her own. "I guess for me it was a combination, but ultimately it was a calling, yes." That was about as far into it as she was going to go.

Glancing up from her weapon cleaning, she was caught by the way the setting sun shimmered dully off the leather armor curving around the Night Elf's shoulder. It surprised her and she looked away again, looking again at the ax instead. "We are what do, rather than what we are named."

Butchering an animal was not clean work, but Ria had removed her gauntlets and bracers so she was bare-armed up to the elbow. She was methodical in how she sliced each piece of meat from the carcass, careful not to get too much blood on her, and doubly careful not to get blood on her unexpected company.

Draenei were unexpected neighbors to the Night Elves, so they were not unfamiliar to Riahana as she began to explore the world. She found they were more trusting of her than humans, dwarfs or gnomes. (Not that Riahana was trusting of gnomes herself... all too easily they got under foot and more than once, the Night Elf found she had to be quick on her feet or trip over the little buggers.)

Looking up to Kasharae, Riahana allowed a slight smirk. "Then if you are what you do versus what you are named, what is it you do? I fight for gold, so some... most, I think, would call me a mercenary rather than rogue. Some, though, think mercenaries and rogues are no different than common criminals. I of course do not hold to this opinion. Mercenaries fill their purpose. Rogues... do as well, in our own way."

Ria pulled off her latest slice of meat and moved to her pack, where she pulled out a rag to wipe her hands before starting to wrap the meat in thick canvas cloth. As she fastened her pack up again, she watched the Draenei clean her weapon, appreciating the slow, methodical strokes... the sign of a disciplined warrior.

"War and times of trouble make mercenaries of us all," Kas said simply. "We do this work because we receive payment. Some of us make gold, others receive protection and others get some kind of goods or services. Criminals work against the law. We - most of us, at least - work for the betterment of these towns. Oftentimes, we work for the town itself and so we are not criminals, but perhaps are mercenary indeed. We are hired for it, after all."

Having gotten as much meat as she could carry, Riahana used the same rag she used to wipe her hands and began cleaning off her blade. She looked to the Draenei with an amused smile. "You are perhaps one of the few that would not class at least Rogues with criminals, Kasharae. Not that I am one to give much care or thought to what others think. I tend to keep to myself... more so since making my way to Northrend."

Kas nodded. "It's a lonely place," she said. She reflected on how much of her own time had been spent alone here. More alone than most, perhaps. Turning her head, she glanced back at the Keep and the sun setting behind it. "I should be heading in. A progress report is awaited by my employers." She smiled wryly.

Riahana followed Kas' gaze towards the keep as she ran a hand through her hair. It was hard for her not to feel home sick at twilight. She missed Darnassian architecture where trees provided shelter and a person could sleep under the stars without fear of freezing. Not one to be afraid of things that might go bump in the night, Ria would often opt to sleep under the stars, by a camp fire, than head back to an inn. She found, though, that Northrend was not so hospitable for such things.

Without realizing it, the Night Elf was debating whether to accompany the Draenei back to the keep, or continue on with her own task. Finding the lure of company too tempting to resist (though not quite ready to admit as much), Ria finally 'offered,' "Perhaps I will return to the Keep with you. Dark will soon be upon us and with it, dangers unseen." Dangers unseen, sure, but likely nothing the Night Elf couldn't handle. She said nothing more of it, opting to let Kasharae draw her own conclusions.

Although she was a little surprised, Kas didn't show it in anything more than a slightly raised brow which settled quickly. "If you wish," she said, inclining her head. "There is certainly no lack of dangers here, especially in the night." She re-holstered her clean ax.

Re-sheathing her skinning knife, Riahana pulled her bracers and gauntlets back on before slinging her back on her back. "I have been out in the wilderness three days straight now. I could use a hot bath, warm bed and a decent meal." She turned to face her companion. "And I find I am enjoying our conversation." She offered a small smile, then looked back towards the Keep.

Kas returned the expression. "I've not been in the field so long, but even a day of working in plate can make one feel like it was a week," she quipped with a smirk as they began the trek up the hill.

"I would imagine half a day in plate could feel like a week," Ria replied with a soft laugh. "Part of me is still not quite used to sleeping in an Alliance inn," she added, her eyes scanning their surroundings as they walked, and her ears listening for anything out of place.

"Darnassus is part of the Alliance, though," Kas commented. "Unless you just mean bein' in any Inn, rather than under the sky."

Ria looked to Kasharae. "I... did not mean to imply that Darnassus was not part of the Alliance, though our inns... even our homes are more open than those of the younger races." She would never consider herself an arrogant woman, but she couldn't escape her heritage, or the longevity of the Night Elves. Her comment was, to her, a simple matter of fact, but to a human, dwarf or gnome? Not realizing her misstep, she continued, "Being in an inn... with four walls and a ceiling. Sometimes, it can feel confining."

To this, Kas nodded. The buildings of Azuremyst were often open, although many were closed like those of humans too. It all depended on the area. "I've found the area of Kalimdor that your people call home to be very appealing, so I can see how it would be difficult."

"Difficult, though I can manage. I learned to adjust a bit more when I was in the Outlands. It was such a foreign place, I was never comfortable sleeping under the stars," Riahana explained.

Kasharae made a non-committal noise. Outlands had... particular meaning to her, and particular emotions. Both of which she didn't feel like considering for too long a time, at least not with a stranger. "Best to stay as safe as you can, in dangerous places like that, and like this."

"Indeed," Ria said simply. The pair reached the gates to the Keep and continued on their way to the inn. The Night Elf was about to enter, the doorway seemingly clear, when she felt something smack into her shin. "Watch where yer goin', you oaf!"

Looking down, Riahana saw a very unhappy female Gnome, who came up to just above her knee. Arching her brow, but doing her best to keep her expression neutral, Ria stepped to the side to let the Gnome pass.

"What, no apology?" the indignant Gnome protested.

The arched brow arched higher as the other brow dipped deeper. The flat tone matched Riahana's flat expression. "Is it not enough that I step aside for you to pass as opposed to stepping over you, little one? You are far from my line of sight and came around the corner. The entrance, as I approached, was clear and then it wasn't."

The Gnome pulled herself up to her full height. "So it is for us to watch out for everyone taller than us is it? There is a reason people do not trust Night Elves. Arrogant..."

"Ladies," Kas said. Her voice was deep and she'd been told her accent caught attention, though it wasn't the same to hear your own as someone else's. "I really don't think this needs to go there." Her shield dropped and hit the wood, making a dull thud and seemingly by no action of the Draenei and she made no reference to it. She simply let it be a... quiet ominous reminder of the numbers. "We all need to be a little more cautious as to where we step, Miss. Let's leave it at that?"

From all the way down below, the Gnome looked like she wanted to argue, but then looked at the shield - which was almost the same height as her, as was the axe - and seemed to think better of it. Something was muttered and then she was gone.

Kas looked over her shoulder in the direction the gnome had gone with an amused smirk.

Ria watched the Gnome leave with slightly narrowed eyes... a menacing look given their silver glow. She then looked to Kasharae, but instead of offering an apology for her part in the argument, muttered, "I do not like Gnomes. They have a tendency to get under my feet before I know it and blame me for not watching where I am going." Then... there was the entire experience at Gnomeragan... an experience Riahana would rather not relive, or talk about.

"It is what it is," Kas replied, unphased by Gnome or Ria's menacing muttering. "Come on, I'll buy you a bit of ale to help forget it."

Giving a smile that was almost a smirk, Riahana nodded once. "I like how you think, Kasharae. I was taught long ago... by a dwarf, in fact... that it is rude to turn down a free pint. Lead the way."

[Nykkolaia]

Part I...

Stars shone brightly, their reflection rippled in the fountain just down the road from the Dalaran bank. The change of seasons was near, but the silver moon spoke of chilly nights to come, and the northern breeze carried cold air. The Kaldorei pulled her cloak tightly about her as she made her way along the lane. The breeze brought with it the ever present scent of Northern spices. As Riahana's stomach growled, she slowly inhaled, and picked up the familiar scent of shoveltusk steak and fresh baked bread. With her business with Cinesra completed, the Night Elf made her way to Hero's Welcome, where she ordered the special and a pint of ale.

Riahana's stomach growled again, reminding her she hadn't eaten since she left the Storm Peaks that morning. It had been a hard day's travel to get to Dalaran, but worth it given the deal she'd just finished. The profit she netted would cover her costs for Dalaran four times over. Waiting for her food, the Rogue sat at the back of the inn, with her back to the wall and a good view of the common room. It was crowded, but that wasn't unusual. Dalaran was a popular stop for most adventurers to Northrend.

It didn't take long for the barmaid to deliver Ria's dinner, the smell of Northern spices tickling her nose as the steak, roasted vegetables and fresh bread were placed in front of her. She said a silent prayer to Elune before she began eating, taking her eyes off the copious crowd long enough to cut a few bite-sized pieces of steak. Rogues were cautious by nature, and Riahana tended to be more cautious than most when she was in a city. Satisfied that none of the patrons were paying too much attention to her, or purposefully avoiding her gaze a bit too much, the Night Elf turned her full attention to the meal, letting her long ears 'scan' the crowd for anyone wishing ill will.

Several minutes later, Riahana was nearly done with her meal when she heard, or thought she heard a familiar voice pass by the entrance to the inn. She looked up, and saw the profile of a Draenei female walk past, but she didn't get a good enough look to know if it was indeed Kasharae that she heard. It had been some time since Riahana parted ways with the Draenei Paladin in the Grizzly Hills, and she found herself thinking about the other woman more often than not.

The hint or mere suggestion that Kasharae was in Dalaran was more than enough for Riahana. Thankful she'd already paid for her meal, she left it unfinished, and dashed outside the inn, her eyes scanning the crowds.

There! About half way down the street, a Draenei was walking away from the inn. The way the hips moved and the tail swayed as the woman walked...it could well have been Kasharae, but if Riahana were honest with herself, she couldn't say with certainty.

Resisting the urge to rush the woman from behind, Riahana started to follow the Draenei, who was talking to a woman...human. Ria's long ears gave her snippets of the conversation. Something about armor and repairs and cleaning, but the breeze picked up enough to muffle every other word or so of the conversation. It was not enough to suggest whether the woman was indeed Kasharae.

Before Riahana closed the distance between she and the pair, they turned a corner to enter an alley, and were out of site. Cursing herself, Ria jogged to the entrance of the alley-way, but there was not enough foot traffic for her to follow without being noticed. Scanning the white stucco building, she smirked and climbed the trellis work to reach the roof-top. Being a rogue, Riahana could move silently, and she doubted the women would look to the roof, so she could follow without being seen.

You are following her....why didn't you just call her name out, you fool of a Night Elf? she chided herself. What will she think of you if she catches you?

Just...don't let her catch you, Ria added. If she did it right, she could follow the pair along the alleyway, get ahead of them and around a corner. . .then drop down, and casually walk into them.

And this is better than talking to her, how? Why is it so important that you follow this Draenei, anyway? She may not be Kasharae...and so what if she is?

So what if she is?

Riahana was used to butterflies before she embarked on completing an important contract, but she could not understand why her stomach was doing flips when she merely thought about Kasharae. What...what was it about the Draenei that drove the Night Elf to...

...Oh Elune shock sense into me...I am stalking her, Riahana realized. But...I just need to know if it is her. If it is, then I can follow her to her inn then casually walk in and talk to her.

Why she couldn't just walk up to her right then and there? The young Kaldorei was ignoring that particular question. Instead, she quickly, and quietly moved along the rooftop to get ahead of the pair of women. When she had enough distance she slowed and scanned the alleyway, looking for, and finding a dark corner that she could hide in. Using her agility and rogue-ish skills, she lowered herself into said dark corner, and slipped into stealth, letting the shadows envelope her, concealing her presence from any who might look her way.

The seconds ticked by, but felt like hours to Riahana as she waited. When the two women finally approached, she felt her heart pound in her chest. She could hear the voice first, and knew without a doubt that it was Kasharae. The husky, sultry voice talked quietly, but Ria's Elvish ears picked up on the conversation easily. Her heart pounded harder, and Riahana worried it might give her away. Taking a deep breath as she learned long ago, she calmed herself.

Just as she got her heart rate under control, Kasharae and the other woman moved out of the shadow of the building, and Riahana could see the Draenei's face. The Night Elf's breath caught in the back of her throat, and she stood motionless as she listened and watched the paladin slip by.

Long after Kasharae left Riahana's line of sight, the Rogue stood absolutely still. What...Elune what's happening to me? I...why does Kasharae have such an affect on me? The pounding heart, the butterflies, the...talking to herself. All of it was new for Riahana. She was an experienced Rogue who could hold her own most anywhere, but a certain Draenei Paladin made her weak in the knees, and she didn't have a clue as to why.

~*~

...Part II

It had been two days since Riahana spied Kasharae walking down a Dalaran street. She should have returned to the Storm Peaks, but she was still in Dalaran. The sun hung low on the horizon, ready to set and let night fold in over the great city. The Night Elf was crouched on a roof top, watching, listening, and waiting.

Why are you still here, fool of a girl? You should be back in Storm Peaks... finishing those contracts! Ria berated herself.

At that moment, Kasharae stepped out of the shop Riahana spotted her entering minutes ago. A small smile formed on her lips and those blasted butterflies were back. You could just go talk to her instead of spying on her.

Talking would have been too easy though, wouldn't it?

Or not... if you happened to be a young Night Elf named Riahana. She could face the Scourge head on, but for some reason, she could not bring herself to talk to a Draenei Paladin. She could only watch from afar and chastise herself for being so foolish.

The Paladin headed towards Riahana, so she moved slowly back, once again relying on her Rogue-ish skills to conceal her presence. As expected, Kasharae turned up the alley that ran along the building the Rogue was perched on. She silently followed the Draenei until she came to the building's edge. She'd made the leap before and had no doubt about her ability to make it, so she pushed off...

...and landed short. It was a scramble to try and get her hold on the rooftop, but any hope she had at remaining stealthy was gone. Ria cursed herself as she tried to pull herself up, but couldn't quite manage it and did her best to land as gracefully as she could on the pavement below.

Dalaran, like any city, had more than its share of oddities. This would go to include those who lived and worked in the mage city, and those who were just passing through... sometimes it was an occurrence, or just a little twist of fate that would lead two or more things to come together and form something... well... strange. It wasn't to say that it was a bad thing - at least not most of the time - but just odd.

Kasharae knew this, but it wasn't something that had been on her mind as she walked through the city streets. She'd just completed another task for the jeweler in town and was contemplating some work she'd have coming her way soon...

...and in the middle of this thought came a strange noise. (Doesn't it too often start this way?) It was like a scratching noise, very quick, and coming from above her, which was also odd. The Draenei looked up just in time to see a woman... a Night Elf, she thought... falling off the roof and landing on the pavement before her. It was so outside the norm, that it gave her pause. She blinked and then recognized the Elf.

"Riahana?" she asked, recalling the name from their meetings before. Stepping forward, her pale glowing eyes took in the figure and form to see if there were any obvious injuries. "Are you all right?" (How the Rogue came to be crawling around rooftops and then falling in front of Kasharae was a discussion for later, at present.)

Despite the fall from the roof, Riahana tended to be every bit as graceful as one might think a Night Elf should be. Standing to her full height, she faced Kasharae, but didn't quite meet the other woman's eyes as she brushed herself off. "Kasharae," she said feeling the heat on her cheeks. "I am... I am fine," she replied. Except for your pride, foolish Night Elf.

Riahana's skin darkened as she blushed a bit more. Embarrassment was not a feeling most Kaldorei were used to, and Ria was no exception. She forced a small smile as she raised her eyes to the Draenei briefly. "I have fallen from greater heights without injury." She moved a hand through her hair as she looked away, thinking of a way to excuse herself and escape the questions that were likely coming. Questions that would likely not do much for the Paladin's opinion of her.

Why could you not just talk to her? The butterflies that seemed to have plagued her each time she saw the Draenei these last few days reminded her why and she again she couldn't help but wonder what was happening to her. Hoping to deflect the conversation away from those questions she did not want to answer, she asked, "How have you fared since we last parted ways?"

"Well enough," Kas replied. She was... inwardly amused. She wasn't sure what was going on, but had the feeling that there was more going on in this moment for the Night Elf than was being let on. But then again, wasn't that always the way with the Elves? "I fear my roof climbing skills are not that good. With this much plate armor, it would be difficult." There was a small smile to her features to show the jest, and that it wasn't with ill intent.

Ria's silvery eyes looked to the Paladin as a small smile touched her lips. She was at once relieved at the joke and glad to take the conversation elsewhere. "Then it is perhaps a good thing that Paladins are not usually called to dance across roof-tops," she added her own jest. "What brings you to Dalaran?" See? It is not so hard to talk to this Draenei. Instead of scampering on rooftops, stalking the woman, you could have walked side by side, shared in conversation. Ria's inner voice was very good at chastising herself. The thought, though, of just approaching Kasharae sent those butterflies tumbling through her stomach and caused her skin to flush a slightly darker hue. Pull yourself together, fool of a girl. You are Kaldorei!

The Draenei chuckled. "You're telling me," she said. A curious Elf, she thought. Riahana didn't quite seem to act like most the Night Elves that Kas had met so far, although she hadn't really worked with that many. "Not that I couldn't, but climbing ladders with this much metal on my back doesn't sound like a pleasant way to spend an afternoon."

She could take the armor off, came the stray thought from the depths of Riahana's imagination. Instead of saying anything, she swallowed hard, pushing the thought back to the depths. What that stray thought brought with it, though, was sudden realization. Why Riahana felt heat on her cheeks, or butterflies doing flips in her stomach when she even just thought of Kasharae came painfully clear.

By Night Elf standards, Riahana was still very young. Though she looked like an adult, she would be considered a... teenager at best by the Kaldorei. She was painfully naive in certain matters and matters of the heart were no exception. Oh she knew about the idea of crushes and heard others her age (before she left Darnassus) talking of crushes they had on various other Night Elves, but she had never had a crush on anyone.

Until Now.

Elune save me from myself, Riahana mentally prayed. She couldn't help the renewed blush that warmed her cheeks or that her heart pounded a bit heavier in her chest. She must think me a dumbfounded fool, she thought, still without replying to Kasharae's last comment. She also realized she'd been holding the Paladin's gaze and lowered her eyes quickly... perhaps a bit too quickly. With a soft laugh and small smile, she managed a half-coherent reply, "There are certainly more pleasant ways to spend one's afternoon."

The poor Night Elf did not even realize the innuendo in her simple sentence.

For her part, Kasharae noticed the reactions... but she didn't quite put together the puzzle. It was not naivety on part, but simply that she didn't expect it. These weren't things she looked for and hadn't even thought about in... well. Years, perhaps. She focused on her duties and the path she was pursuing. If she had been paying attention to being alive, she would've noticed better and figured it out. Been flattered. Surprised. Perhaps felt the same...

...though she might have anyways. It was just hard to tell. As much plate armor was on her body on the outside as around her spirit on the inside.

The slight innuendo wasn't completely lost on the out-of-touch Draenei, however, and she laughed softly but didn't comment. "Aye that there are," she paused. "So, aside from lovely and slippery rooftops, what brings you to Dalaran?"

"Business with a merchant," Riahana answered, and was thankful she could answer truthfully (even if she did answer a bit... quickly). She didn't say who she had business with, since Cinesra was a somewhat questionable character, but she didn't have to lie. "And a break from the cold of the Storm Peaks for a few days," she added.

Realizing she was attracted to Kasharae was one thing. Sorting out what to do about it was an entirely different matter. Do you just tell the person? If not, then how do you know if they feel the same way? These questions ran through Riahana's mind, with no answers forthcoming. She didn't even know of anyone she could talk to about it since she'd been self reliant and running on her own since she left Darnassus. She would have talked to her mother about such a thing, but she and her mother weren't exactly on speaking terms. How would she even begin to explain it all, anyway?

Riahana felt uncertain... uncertain of what to say or what to do, and it was not a familiar feeling to her. Since the day she told her parents she was not going to serve the Temple of the Moon, she knew what she wanted. Doubt and being unsure about anything were new and not entirely welcome sensations for her.

"I will be heading back in a day or two at most," she added. Ask her to dinner, daft girl! You've seen women and men do just that across the realm. It is as easy as that! Except... it wasn't, and the otherwise accomplished rogue couldn't bring herself to ask a certain Draenei a very simple question.

"Can't say I've spent much time in the Peaks," Kas replied conversationally, unaware of the rather active inner monologue taking place in Riahana's mind. "I've been working primarily in Zul'drak, with the Argent Crusade. If I could not see another troll for a while, though, I wouldn't complain." She smirked.

The Night Elf furrowed her brows and nodded ever so slowly. "I have done my fair share of work in Zul'drak... and still have work there from time to time. I understand your sentiment about trolls, though could also say the same about the Scourge." The courage to ask Kas to dinner was not quite coming to the Night Elf, but her nerves and anxiousness were still ever present. It didn't help that her mind was once again imagining what the Draenei looked like without the plate armor. Ducking her head for a moment before raising her eyes, Ria replied, "I should probably let you be about your business. I am sure I've kept you long enough."

Kas shrugged casually. "It's been no trouble, though I do have some business to be about. I'm glad to see you're okay, but I'd be careful with those roof tops from now on." She smirked slightly.

Riahana blushed, though offered a warm smile. "I will make sure of it. Carelessness is not typical of me. Perhaps something distracted me this day." As in a certain Draenei? Silly Night Elf. "Good luck with the Trolls, Kasharae, and may Elune walk with you." She bowed slightly with the last bit of her statement, slowly turned and walked away. It took a great deal of will power for Ria not to look over her shoulder. And you did not ask her to dinner... coward, she continued silently chastising herself.

For a long moment, Kas didn't walk off. Instead, she watched as the Night Elf moved away and wondered after the rather strange encounter. She knew that there was more going on, but some part of her was remaining wholly oblivious as to understanding it.

After that moment, she shook it off. Maybe it would come to her later and she'd know. For now, she did have work to do.