The trees
Aveleigh sat on the ground, her back pressed to one of the oldest trees in all of Lordaeron. This tree had been standing since before her birth one hundred and sixteen years ago and when she closed her eyes she could remember her mother chasing her around it when she was a toddler while they both laughed.
The laughter was ringing in her ears as she opened her eyes this morning, turning her head up to the sky and letting her mind go.
Kael'anth Bloodray was back and this time she knew he wasn't going to simply let her be.
There were dried tears crusted at the edges of her eyes. Had she been crying in her sleep?
"Dammit...even in my sleep I find no peace from him." Her words a cold and strained muttering to the silence of the forest as she kicked out her knees which had been bent up close to her chest as she slept. Long ago she had trained herself to sleep sitting up in full armor, letting a few hours at a time slip by so her muscles didn't become strained or overly tired.
I have to stay strong. I can't kill them if I can't run....but I can't hunt now.
Her head fell forward once more, her jaggedly short hair falling over her shoulders and placing her face into shadow.
Kael's back and I can't just leave him at the manor.
Slowly she pulled herself to her feet and tightened the leather straps along her armor which had become loose in her sleep before finally sheathing the long polearm across her back. The woman looked more than deadly to outward eyes with nearly every inch of the tight leather armor she wore strapped with some form of blade. She had abandoned her robes and dresses and returned to her armor of old, pulling nearly every blade she owned to fit on the armor. She was out for blood and yet this day she could barely make herself move from where she stood.
Why now? Why did he have to come back now? Were my sacrifices not enough? Dear Light...Shadows...Elune? Do I not pray enough for peace? Do I not devote myself to good and justice enough to earn my happiness?
Finally she pushed herself from the tree and started her way south. Where was she going? The last lead she had on the location of the circle had turned up dry. They had been gone for days and she had nowhere left to look. What was next?
Vayleon.
Her son's name pulsed in her mind. She knew she had to let Kael see his son. It was the only right thing to do. No matter what Kael had done to her and put her through she would not deny her son the right of knowing his father.
She took in a slow deep breath and set her shoulders before she kicked herself forward, pushing herself to her top speed as she weaved through the trees and heading south.
Light, please don't let Xin be there. If he figures out that I'm taking Vay out of his protection to see Kael...I don't even know what he'll do...but it doesn't matter.
She pushed herself faster, her hair whipping behind her as she vaulted over a fallen tree. Deep even breaths. She could keep this speed up for a little while. Could she make it all the way to Hillsbrad at this speed? She was going to find out.
If I can make the morning boat then the time to get to Elwynn will be cut in half. Hop from the Horde boat to the Alliance boat with the help of the Shadows and I'll be -in- Stormwind. I can do it.
Faster. Faster! Chillwind pass. Almost there! Her legs started to burn with the strain of pushing herself so hard for so long. Don't stop. I can't slow down. Her heeled boots slipped down the side of a hill before she took off once more, not wasting the energy to conceal herself in the shadows.
I made it!
She skid to a stop on the docks and walked onto the deck of the ship, trying to conceal her labored breaths. Now it was time to wait, pay off the deck hands and profit from her impure blood.
Time to pretend I'm human again. This should be fun.
By late afternoon she had retrieved her youngest son and rented a gryphon to fly them back to the north.
Kael...you will see your son today...but I swear to all that is holy I will find a way to be free of you.