Pink Rose [1]

"How Many Illidans Do You Know?"

Quest Objective: Face the terrors of rogues, scouts and thieves.

"No! I refuse to agree with that."

"Because I'm right?"

"No," I shook my head so hard my hair flew off my shoulders. I scowled at Anduin's amused expression. "The dwarves are much more friendly towards the environment than the night elves."

"How so?" Anduin's tone still held some of it's formal detachment, but I could pick out emotions in the syllables now.

"The dwarves are descended from the earthen , specifically created for living beneath the surface—I have a scholarly source, my mother was obsessed with the titans," I explained as Anduin and I left the dining hall side by side. I gestured with my hands as I spoke, "And look at the elves' history; Queen Azshara invited the Legion to Azeroth—"

"Invited?" Anduin's eyebrow rose, but his eyes were alight with humor.

"Yes, and she was a terrible host." I remarked. "There's Queen Azshara—and there's Illidan."

"Stormrage?"

"How many Illidans do you know? Yes, the Betrayer," I said. "But both had some sort of connection with fel magics—and there's their relation to the high elves. I don't know, I think dwarves are more friendly to the earth."

"Fair enough. I didn't think of that," Anduin replied as we walked down the halls. Our voices echoed, but people didn't stare as much as they used to. We waved and bowed to students we knew as we passed.

"Are you familiar with the dwarves?" I asked, trying to seem nonchalant as I questioned him. I didn't want to put Anduin on the spot, but I was determined to find out more about him.

"I would say so—some are like family to me," Anduin mused. We were at the entrance now. The sky was darkening and the wilds hid their secrets in shadows. Anduin and I sat on the stone steps as we watched the groundskeeper light the paper lanterns.

"I visited Ironforge once," Anduin admitted. When he sat on the steps, he was very poised, like he was posing for a painter.

"How was it?" I asked. I sat horizontally below him and let my legs stretch out across the step. Anduin leaned his back against the wall, but his stare was locked with mine.

"They didn't want to let me leave," Anduin joked, but the way he said it seemed to imply more.

"Hmm..." I looked out at the red lanterns, tiny scarlet dots against the night. Like stars. Like bloodstains. It was hard to tell which; it was the night, after all.

When I looked up at Anduin, his form was bathed in light from the temple entrance. I stifled a chuckle.

"What is it?" He asked. When Anduin turned towards me, half of his face was claimed by the night, the other by the light. A half moon.

"Nothing, I just think that priesthood suits you." I replied as his hair gleamed like sunlight.

"You do?" Anduin sounded surprised.

"Yes," I whispered. My tone was absolute. I didn't know much about priests—the few I had met were mostly draenei. They were wise beyond measure, kind, somewhat punctual. They were solemn, too; they did not share their burdens with anyone. They were enigmas who hid their darkness with purity.

We gazed out at the grounds. More lanterns were lit, some hanging from tree branches in the shallow parts of the jungle. The wildlife had remained oddly vacant since our hunting trip.

"This place feels so...different sometimes," Anduin admitted out loud.

I nodded. It was another reason why I was thankful for Anduin; he was some remnant of normality. I loved Pandaria. I'd fallen for its looseness and simple, natural beauty. But there was more to Pandaria than its surface. It was old, and from what I had gathered its history was colorful. Almost like the beauty was a distraction. Like a glittering gem in a cave of shadows.