Warcraft 3: Broken Blessings

Chapter 10

All through the night, Kael'thas was relentless in his search. He could go several days without sleep, and so could the rest of his people, too. But, he knew that rest would have to come in time. For now, he was wide awake, and his thoughts were fueled with the need to reclaim stolen property. He had left just moments before Mataris got mildly drunk. And Mataris, being as grateful that he was for the wake-up call, granted permission for the false Blood Elf worker to become a part of the next scouting team. It worked perfectly to plan.

"Our Lord is already on the trail. All you need to do is ensure nothing follows him," Mataris ordered the small group of five warriors.

"What's he doing with us?" a warrior asked about the false man.

"He's a worker. If you need something made or cut down, who else would be better for the job? Anyways, you'd better get a move on," Mataris nodded. Up in the north where the Scourge was coming down to clash with the first defensive barrier, Arthas and Kel'Thuzad were able to split away to start tracking where their internal spy was. They would keep themselves just under a quarter of a day behind when they caught up to avoid suspicion.

In the protective forest, Rosalia and Perhin were making due with a few of the morning chores before heading into the village to find her parents. The guardian was now a white sparrow on her shoulder for easy traveling. Perhin was uneasy, though. He knew something was going to happen. Once again, he was wearing a cloak to hide his figure. It couldn't be helped.

"Dala'surfal, I don't want us to linger here for long. We will need to see about defenses. If Kael'thas is on his way here, he won't hesitate to turn this place into a pile of burning rubble to reach you. Then the Scourge would just pick off whatever was left as they ate our dead," he said. "I'll feel much better with you in the forest. Even you know it's safer for you."

"I know," she nodded and let him kiss her gently. He let it deepen just a touch before pulling back. She pressed into him and said in her whisper voice, "Let's go find my parents."

He nodded and pulled the hood over his ears. He held her close to his side, as he walked with her. She led him to her mother's shop. When she walked in, her mother was already rushing over.

"Oh, my dear! I missed you! What happened?" she asked.

"We need her father here, too. It's...too much to say in a repeat. We may also want a town meeting. There is going to be an intense attack soon," Perhin frowned. He placed a hand on Rosalia's shoulder, and her mother now noticed something.

"You are wearing the ring?" she asked.

"Rosalia put it on me. When I know it's safe to wear it, I will wear it. She and I..." he paused.

"I agreed to marry him, Mother," Rosalia smiled. Her mother was actually quite surprised at this. A Blood Elf and human pairing was not yet something that was openly done. "We may have a very quiet ceremony when it's done. But...if it wasn't for him...I likely wouldn't be home."

"Kael'thas only sees her as an item. Something to charge up his energies with," Perhin frowned. "I see her as the one I was searching for in life."

"And is that a new pet?" Morissa asked when she saw the white bird.

"No. He's a part of the forest. My personal guardian," Rosalia beamed. "He helped me get home, too. I'd be locked away, if it wasn't for either of them."

"A guardian?!" her mother paled. "And when the guardian appears, the balance would shift..."

"What?" Perhin frowned hard.

"Wait here. Both of you. I need to get your father," she said and put them both in the back room of the shop. Rosalia could only shiver, and Perhin kept her incredibly close to keep her calm.