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It was a few hours before she returned, in the company of Donaby and Penn; Penn had suggested waiting until Othmar had returned from his errand, but Donaby shook his head.

"He's had his go, and now Stoneheardt is confessing. We'll get the details he couldn't."

Donaby wasted no time in laying those questions on Kordrion. "You wished to confess?"

"I'll say whatever you want if you leave my order out of this."

Vallandi frowned and looked at Donaby, but the man didn't seemed at all perturbed by Kordrion's statement, battering him with further questions about his dealings with the Horde: who were his contacts? Who arranged the meetings?

I don't have a specific contact sir, I work with various members or organizations as fits my need at the time… if it is important enough I go to them directly, otherwise I send word through AAMS, as they are a neutral group who are confidential in all dealings, up to delivering letters still sealed. They do not know the messages I send… I never send the letters directly to their recipients, sir...

She grew unsettled as she noticed the pattern to Kordrion's answers. He was always the one taking the initiative. He took information without other's knowledge. Every thing he said put the blame solely on himself, and no one else.

Donaby continued his questions, anyway, interrogating him about his military connections. "You say you listen to people around you. Do you mean you are spying on the military?"

“Yes, sir.”

"Then the incident last year when Arlston Cross was discovered spying upon a prisoner interrogation was under your orders?"

"No sir, that was his own choice. Had I wished to I could have simply asked my father to include me," Kordrion continued to answer simply and tiredly.

Donaby latched onto that. "Do you use your family connections for spying purposes?"

"Only if I have no other way of getting the information."

"Have you been intentionally ingratiating yourself with member of the military to gain information?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a slight pause before Donaby asked with deliberate care, "And how did this factor into your relationship with Lieutenant Ketlan Jancis?"

Kordrion abruptly stiffened, snapping to full attention. "It did not," he replied tersely. "At the time I chose to start courting her I had a much more lucrative source of information through my father."

"And what about now?"

Vallandi grit her teeth; the commander was intentionally provoking him, she was sure. To catch him off guard? Or for some other reason?

Kord gave Donaby a quiet stare. "When she chose to enter my service in lieu of renewing her military contract she ceased having access to things that would be of use. I love Ketlan. She and my son are the two people I would never endanger nor use for anything."

"No," Donaby said with disdain, "You would simply endanger their future by aiding our enemies."

The questions didn't last much longer; Donaby was finally growing irritated at Kordrion's refusal to name anyone else culpable for crimes against the Alliance. "I'll have some paper brought to you, and you can write down the names of those you've been in contact with," he said. "I expect you to be more forthcoming the next time we meet. Or there are ways we can use to 'improve' your memory."

Kordrion paled, but nodded. "Yes, sir."

Donaby jerked his head at Penn, and the two filed out of the room. Vallandi lingered behind, placing a bedroll by Kordrion.

"If you're lying," she whispered, "they're going to find out."

"Nothing I said was untrue," he replied, unnervingly calm. "He will take it as he wants to take it. They will hang me as a traitor, and my people will be safe."

She retreated from the room, the resigned expression in his eyes haunting her steps.

The stars in Azshara’s sky were not as bright as those back home.

Vallandi had, quite often, as a younger girl slipped out of her family’s home in the middle of the night to watch the sky. There was a magic about them that never bored her, as well as the thrill of sneaking outside. She had learned how to navigate and find her way home by those stars. Yet, here, in the outskirts of Azshara, they seemed dimmer. Fewer. She closed her eyes to the sight.

The stars had been lovely in Pandaria. So far south from home, it was almost as if she were looking at a new sky. One night, there had been a crystal clear sky, and Commander Donaby had them spend an evening star gazing and listening to their Pandaren guide relate stories about their constellations and the Celestial spirits. In turn, they had shared their stories with him.

John Penn had told the story of how he’d once met a fortune teller who claimed the stars could tell their future. They spent the night joking about how constellations reflected people’s personalities; if someone were born under a particularly dim star, did that mean they were never going to be intelligent? It was one of her fonder memories of those months.

“We all need a break now and then to relax, and to remember what we’re fighting for,” Donaby had said. “Pandaria is a land of beauty; they have the opportunity, and we the responsibility, to protect it from the Horde’s influence, before the land is ruined. The way the Black Morass was ruined. Before Lordaeron... Alterac... Stromgarde... were destroyed. We will not fail.”

It had been a surprise when they had been called back to Kalimdor, but Vallandi hadn’t questioned the Commander’s word. No one had; it was enough that he believed it to be the right thing to do. It was his job to lead, and her job to follow.

Haywood is the good sort who’ll do as she’s told and trust what I tell her. You needn’t worry about her.

A few months ago she would have been pleased at Donaby’s faith in her. Now she was beginning to feel sick to her stomach.

Earlier, she had gone to speak to the commander about her next foray into Horde territory, only to find he was in conversation with the new addition to their team, Leo Othmar. The man unsettled her, so she had lingered before approaching, not intending to eavesdrop.

“The Forsaken woman is either very devious, or her mind has drifted off completely,” Othmar said in an oily voice. “I am having trouble finding any of her memories.”

“Keep working at it, but it hardly matters now that we have her conspirator.”

“Yes,” Othmar seemed quite pleased. “I’ve learned quite a few interesting things from skimming his brain. Although I must warn you against allowing Haywood any further contact with him. It’s clear that he’s trying to turn her against you.”

“I’m aware,” Donaby replied without concern. “Haywood is the good sort who’ll do as she’s told and trust what I tell her. You needn’t worry about her.”

“Are you certain of her loyalties?”

“You’re here to interrogate the prisoners, not question my command,” Donaby warned him.

“Yes. Of course.” The smooth reply. “I apologize.”

Othmar’s head had turned slightly in her direction after that; Vallandi quietly retreated before she was discovered.

She wandered outside of the camp’s edges, until she found a clearing through which she could see the stars, as few as they were. She lay in the grass, silently counting and naming each one. All the important ones were there, if she needed to find her way.

If only she knew where to go.

((note: I have been slow in updating, but the following happened shortly before 5.4 dropped))

The blood elf in grey armor, sans tabard, waited on the slope in Ratchet, looking for her contacts to arrive. Grey was not a color usually associated with her profession; most people were more familiar with the bright white and gold uniforms. However, Koudo was a Shield Bearer of the AAMS.

Koudo was more than just a courier. She was a shield who protected the regular members of the AAMS while they did their duties, the courier who volunteered to take the dangerous missions, the one who saw that her charges were safely evacuated in case of danger.

She was among those who most felt the pain of Arrayah’s capture.

At last, a group of travellers matching Derscha’s description approached. Two humans, one male and female, and a tall undead Draenei.

“Where are we supposed to meet her? Him? It?” she overheard the woman speak. Tirini looked around, eyes alighting on the nearby Koudo. “Oi, Miss Elf, you with the AAMS?”

Kaellar grumbled under his breath, unperturbed by the look Tirini shot him. “Might as well start somwhere, no harm in askin’ for AAMS to strangers, right?”

Tirini nodded. “We’re looking for a …. Kouda? Koudo? She’s with the AAMS.”

Koudo tilted her head at them. “I am Koudo.”

Ethansus, the last member of their group, rollled his eyes. “Oh, good job, everyone, job half over.”

That earned him a sharp elbow from Tirini. “We’re with Kord’s people.”

“Does anyone want to fill me in?” Koudo asked.

She motioned to the edge of town. “Oi, follow us, as our resident compatriot doesn’t wish to die by goblin rocket. He’s the man with the info.”

They travelled outside of Ratchet, beyond the patrols of the resident bruisers, where a worgen, Jon Harmarth waited for them. He quickly introduced himself.

“Koudo. I’m Jon. I’ve been working with Kordrion in this. How much do you know about the current situation?”

“I am afraid not much,” Koudo answered with a frown.

Jon quickly filled her on what they had learned; Arrayah was being held prisoner by Quinton Donaby, a member of the Alliance military who had forged documentation to fund his own personal mission against those who deemed to be ‘traitors’ to the Alliance, including the AAMS. They had tracked his new friend Leo Othmar to Azshara, where he was presumably holding both Arrayah and Kordrion prisoner.

Leo Othmar was assuredly not a member of the Alliance military, nor the Church. What they knew of him was grim: a man who would have been at home with the Scarlet Crusade, and ruthless in his techniques.

“I imagine Arraya would have a wealth of information,” Koudo said. “But I don’t know if any of it would pertain to anything significant. We do many deliveries. Some are known, some not- some only by her, I would imagine.”

“Donaby's hired someone who's skilled in extracting information." Tiri looked between Koudo and Jon. "We need to know what you're willing to do to get Kord and Arrayah out. And eliminating Donaby and Leo."

“I am a sworn protector of the couriers of the AAMS. My shield and my sword are at their disposal.”

Ethansus muttered something about the effectiveness of the shields in protecting Arrayah in the first place; Tirini rebuked him, “Quiet.”

Koudo reached into a pouch to retrieve a small glass vial with a rolled up paper inside. Jon immediately eyed it with interest.

“I have this, it was delivered to us. I know not the code.”

“Let me see,” Jon said. “I might be able to figure it out.” He took it from her and unrolled the small scrap of paper. A note, written in one of SI:7’s ciphers. I’ve seen with my own eyes. Below it were a set of coordinates.

His face slowly broke into a smile. “It says that we have someone on the inside.”

“It does? Who?” Tirini looked curiously.

“This is the same vial I handed the woman under Donaby when Kord and her met up. I was his backup. She left a message for me at the bottom. She left coordinates... they're in Ashenvale. She may want to meet up... but there's no time or date. She may have left something there.”

“Or set a trap,” Ethan pointed out.

Kaellar grunted. “Bah, traps. Where are we headed, then? I can send a ghoul to check for a trap.”

“I know the spot. It's near the Azshara border.” Jon looked around them. “We need to check it regardless... do we send someone stealthy, or go as a group?”

Tirini glanced to Koudo and her plate armor. “Some stealthed, some not. Gives the ones who are sneaking a better shot.”

“I take it I would be the non-stealth,” Koudo said dryly.

“You and me both,” Tirini replied with a grin.

The Shield Bearer raised an eyebrow. “Not like I can climb a tree in this.”

Their course was set: to Vallandi’s coordinates to see what she had left them, and then, to hopefully find and rescue their friends.

There was little to differentiate the spot on the map from anywhere else in the forest except a small clearing. "Should be right around here…" Harmarth informed the group.

"Where'm I being pointed, lad?" Kaellar asked.

"Something's here. Might be hidden, but we need to find it."

The group dispersed through the area, checking the ground for disturbed dirt or a hidden sign. Koudo checked along the edges of the clearing, while Harmarth sniffed the air.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Tirini asked, glancing up into the tree. "Think she hid whatever it is in the branches?"

Even as she asked the question, she spotted an odd shape in the branches. "Ethan," she called. "Need to borrow your height for a minute."

"What? Fine." Ethan came over to her side, Kaellar close behind. "You. The acrobat. Need help getting up?"

"What d'y'need, lass?"

"Someone who isn't likely to fall apart when I climb on them. Hold still, Ethan."

Ethan grudgingly complied, allowing Tirini to climb up on his shoulders to reach the lowest branch and climb into the tree. A minute later, a bundle of armor sailed down to the ground. "It's Kord's," she called out. "There's a map in there."

"How do you know it's Kord's?" Ethan asked. "You undressed him before?"

She landed on Ethan's shoulder a bit harder than necessary. "No, he's always wearing that armor. I don't undress everyone I meet."

"Lemme see that map," Harmarth said. Kaellar picked up the armor, handing Harmarth the map tucked inside. He held Kordrion's leathers in his hands, frowning faintly at them.

Harmarth looked slowly over the papers. "This is perfect. I like this girl. This map is exactly what we needed. It shows where they're camped, and she put details on the layout on here."

Tirini set her feet on the ground and leaned against Ethan. "Why is this woman being so helpful?"

"I guess she's seen Donaby for what he's become," Harmarth speculated. "He's had a prestigious career, and he can handpick his subordinates. It's blinded most of them to what he's really up to. It was me and Kord that showed her that he's forging the documents to keep his expedition funded. He's lying to his own soldiers, and we proved it to her."

He laid out the map for the others to see and they poured over its details. They were a small group, but the camp itself wasn't very large, either, though it was centered around an abandoned tower where Kord and Arrayah were being held. What they needed was a distraction.

"So," Tirini summed up, pouting at a spot on the map, "Kae and Ethan wait here, you and Koudo go in for the prisoners, and me and the ghoul set things on fire?"

"Koudo should wait outside, too," Harmarth said with a nod at the elf. "They'll attack her on sight, I need to move in quietly and unseen as much as possible. I'll signal if I need help getting them out, and Kaellar can tell them."

"I can wait closer t' th' camp in case I need t' help," Kaellar nodded.

"Everyone know what they're doing? Speak now or hold your peace." Harmarth gazed at the group. "Alright, then... move out."

There was no warning before the fire erupted.

Vallandi raced back toward the tower as the rest of the unit scrabbled to responded to the Horde attack; she suspected otherwise, for she'd never seen a sign of any Horde scouts nearby.

And if it were a Horde attack, neither of their prisoners was in any position to defend themselves. There was no way she'd be able to move them herself, but she could at least be ready.

"I got your message," a vaguely familiar voice surprised her. "Thank you."

She had not noticed Jon Harmarth following her into the tower; she couldn't help but be slightly relieved. "So you're the one causing the commotion."

"I have friends causing a distraction."

"Better come this way, fast." She started ascending the steps to the the upper floor, keeping a careful watch. "Good, he's not here."

"Who, Donaby?"

"Worse. Othmar." She stopped before a door, pulling a small set of keys from her pocket.

"I'll ask about him later. We're gonna need to carry them out, I guess?"

Vallandi hesitated to answer. "Yes… it's why I couldn't just take them out of camp myself."

She gave the door a shove, allowing him to see inside. The windowless room was bare, save for a bedroll, lit by an unblocking magelight in the corner. Kordrion lay curled in the corner; his shoulders twitched, but there was no other sign that he was aware that someone had opened his door. He was unbound, save for a heavy manacle on one arm that was attached to nothing.

Jon swiftly moved to check on him; the man didn't respond to his touch.

"He's been like that since the last time Othmar visited," Val explained quietly.

He shook his head. "We'll have to carry him. We're on a time limit within the camp." He had little difficulty in picking Kordrion up; the man was dangerously thin and lacked any of his usual armor. "Where's Arrayah?"

"Next room over."

Vallandi quickly opened up the door to Arrayah's cell. Without a word, she went to Arrayah's side; the AAMS manager tilted her head in recognition of her presence.

"Time to go," Vallandi whispered in her ear as she leaned over to scoop her arm around Arrayah's shoulders. Greyson rose to unsteady feet, leaning heavily on Vallandi for support.

She met Jon back in the hallway; he was talking on the hearthstone, coordinating their exit from the tower. He nodded at Vallandi. "Let's move. We're on our way out. Our inside person is helping extract, both are being carried, cannot move on their own."

Vallandi followed Jon back down the steps, noting that the guards stationed at the tower had been knocked out. The far end of the camp, where they had constructed stables, was in flames; as she watched, there was small explosion. Her heart froze, wondering if any of her friends had been caught in the fire. She didn't have much time to worry, however, as they hurried to what she presumed was a pre-arranged meeting point outside the camp borders.

They were shortly joined by a young athletic looking woman. "Behind you, Jon," Tirini greeted, falling into step. "Give me Kord. Can't carry him, but can drag him with me." She moved forward to loop Kord's arm over her shoulder.

There was an instant reaction. Kordrion snapped to life, pulling one of Jon's daggers free, plunging the it into his chest. Jon yelped in surprise, dropping Kordrion to grip at the dagger's hilt. Vallandi jumped in surprise, unable to react while still supporting Arrayah.

Kordrion hit the ground limply, rolling back into a defensive curl.

Tirini flinched in sympathy, handing Jon a small cloth from her pocket. "Here, use this. I'll take Kord. Chavo?" She knelt beside him. " 's Tiri, we gotta go. Don't stab me, okay?" He made no reaction to her voice. She pulled his arm over her shoulder anyway, muttering, "Please don't stab me, please don't stab me…"

He was lighter than she expected. "Help me get him on my shoulder and I can carry him."

Jon gritted his teeth and pulled the dagger free, resheathing it before helping Tirini with his good arm. The group continued on their way, Jon pausing only momentarily to send out a signal over the hearthstone for support. Kaellar was waiting for them. A large raven circled above.

"Lass," Kae greeted Tirini, checking on Kordrion.

"I've got Kord, help Jon. Kord stabbed him." Tirini looked around the meeting zone. "Where's Koudo?"

Kaellar snorted, easily taking Kordrion from her and laying him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "I can get them both. Scout ahead. Don't know where the elf is."

Tirini nodded agreement and set out to search for their missing party member.

A glint of metal.

John Penn paused in his rush to reach the fire, searching for the source of the glint. Koudo Belora'alah crouched low, slowly drawing her sword.

He snarled, drawing his sword, discovering armored blood elf. "Filthy Horde."

Koudo smirked. "Bring it on, flea vomit."

The two swords clashed; despite his much larger size, Penn staggered in surprise, not expecting the elf to attack with such ferocity. She took advantage of the hesitation, raising her shield to slam hard into his chest.

Penn was not surprised twice. He refused to retreat, deflecting her to the side, swinging his blade for a follow-up. She gasped and desperately tried to bring her shield back into position to block the oncoming blow, but was a heartbeat too slow. Penn's blade raked across the left side of her armor, sending sparks and blood across the ground.

Penn grinned at his success. The wound was serious; there was little hope that the elf would be able to maintain her stamina. He looked behind her, grin widening. His attacks shifted into a series of quick, light blows, aimed at driving her back toward the waiting cliff edge.

Slowly Koudo found herself being pushed back. She continued to defend herself, the wound at her side making it increasingly difficult. She almost missed the movement behind Penn; the man was so focused on Koudo that he failed to noticed the other person's approach.

Tirini lingered back, her small swords drawn and ready for the first opportunity to strike.

Koudo cursed, driving her sword into the ground, sending waves of consecration in all directions. He backed away, allowing a quick respite for her to catch her ragged breath.

He grinned again and lunged forward, inadvertently dodging Tirini's surprise attack. He faltered, swinging around to face the woman.

Koudo, wheezing, hurled her shield at him before falling into a sitting position. The shield struck home, hitting Penn in the back. He fell to a knee in a daze and Tirini darted in, one sword slicing toward his neck, the other aiming for his lower abdomen.

Perhaps against a lesser man, that would have been enough, but Vallandi could have warned them that Penn had not become Donaby's right hand man for no reason. Even dazed, he automatically dodged at Tirini's movement and rolled to safety.

Tirini staggared for the briefest instant, surprised at the miss, then called to Koudo. "Up. Gotta get up, c'mon."

Koudo nodded, painfully rising with the help of her owns sword. She took it with two hands and charged at Penn, swinging low. He blocked with his own sword, easily keeping the injured elf at bay.

Tirini growled in frustration. "I meant for you to run Koudo! The other way!"

Penn laughed derisively. It was time to get serious. He focused on Koudo, determined to take her out of the fight.

Tirini considered her options. She let out a truly bloom curdling scream, launching herself at Penn, throwing her entire body into it. She slammed into his side, luck finally with her as he lost his footing. They tumbled to the ground, Penn's sword sliding on the ground just out of his reach.

Tiri reared back and swings both blades down at him, using her position on top of him for leverage. There was a surprised grunt before Penn at last stilled beneath her.

There was a long moment of silence, broken by the flapping of wings. A large raven landed beside them, shifting into the form of a night elf druid, Felanis. She quickly took in the situation and Koudo's injured state. She whistled a soft melody of healing, filling the air with soothing healing spores.

Tirini scrambled off the dead man to Koudo. "Koudo? Hey, we need to go, come on."

She looked at her, wheezing, "Are all safe?"

"Just us left, come on." Tirini retrieved her swords, wrinkling her nose at the spray of blood that accompanied it. She sheathed them before turning to offer Koudo a hand. She smiled at Felanis. "Thanks. But we need to go, before Leo finds us."

Felanis finished the melody and smiled back. She took her raven form again, launching into the sky and heading back toward Jon and the others just as Ethan arrived with mounts.

Koudo's eyes narrow as she stubbornly rose, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

"Tiri, you still with Koudo?" Jon asked over the stone.

Tiri rolled her eyes and moved over to carefully wrap an arm around the woman's waist. "Yeah, she's hurt something bad. Stay with Kord. Ethan's got us."

"We're moving out to Darnassus. We'll get Arrayah to Ratchet once we've got her treated."

Vallandi bit her lip in worry as Tirini left to find Koudo.

"Kaw!" The circling raven alighted to the ground, shifting from leather to skin and hair and armor. Jon nodded as the druid Felanis appeared; presumably whom he'd been calling over the hearthstone earlier.

Jon continued to clutch at the wound in his chest, collapsing to one knee. Felanis kneeled beside him, pulling a seed from her pouch. She placed it over his chest, focusing on healing him.

Vallandi set Arrayah on the ground to rest while the healer worked. She turned her eyes back to Donaby's camp, where the fires were being extinguished. They had to have noticed by now that she wasn't among them. She could already hear Othmar denouncing her to Donaby as a traitor...

"Found 'em," Tirini called over the stone. "She's getting hit hard. I'll help her, you guys get Arrayah and Kord out of here."

"Make it fast," Jon replied as Ethan arrived, the group's mounts wrangled behind him. "We need to get out of here."

Kaellar scowled as Felanis continued her work, a small flower-like object blooming over the wound, binding the flesh. "How long, lass?" Kordrion began twitching across his shoulder, muttering incoherently to himself, lost in whatever demons were haunting his head still.

Jon slowly stood. "That'll help me get moving, at least. Let's go. We've got Kord and Arrayah... we can expose Donaby when we get back, and get them both treatment."

Felanis nodded agreement. "I wonder if the others have need of healing."

"Can you handle yourself enough in a fight to grab them?" Jon asked.

"I'm unsure...I could summon a small squall if the winds would let me help…"

"Go find Tiri and Koudo and tell them to get out."

The druid nodded and kept into the air, her form instantly shifting into a great raven. She flew off in the same direction Tirini had taken. Ethan followed without asking.

Kordrion squirmed again, swinging the arm with the heavy manacle against Kaellar's head. The death knight snorted at the blow. He resettled Kordrion, slinging him under an arm and reaching up to rub his skull with his free hand. "That wasn't very nice, lad."

Kordrion's prompt response was to make use of the Kaellar's blades that were suddenly within reach. He appropriated another dagger, stabbing at Kaellar's thigh, making very little damage against the iron plate.

Jon stared at at Kordrion. "Damn it. Fine." He reached into a pocket for a vial of knock-out drugs.

"Make sure it's extra strong," Vallandi remarked dryly.

"It is."

Kordrion shuddered as the drug was administered, but finally went limp.

"Tirini, you still with Koudo?" Jon called over the stone.

"Yeah, she's hurt something bad. Stay with Kord. Ethan's got us."

"We're moving out to Darnassus. We'll get Arrayah to Ratchet once we've got her treated."

Jon looked inquiringly at Vallandi. "You good to come?"

Vallandi looked one last time at the camp, then reached down to help Arrayah back up. "I'm good."

For better or worse, there was no going back.

With as much travel as the AAMS did, it was not uncommon to have rooms set aside for couriers at the various offices for those needing a place to rest between jobs. One of them at the Ratchet office had been claimed for Arrayah's use, and another for Koudo.

It had been with great relief, and profound worry, when the report from Mirtadel Whitesong from Darnassus came in. Arrayah had been rescued; Mirta had arranged for her to quickly be moved to Ratchet, before they attracted too much attention. Derscha was not dealing with any more zealous Alliance authorities if she could help it.

Koudo had shown up at the Ratchet office with Tirini and Ethan, gravely wounded, though she was now recovering, as well. And Kordrion! She owed him many, many pies if he ever recovered.

But first things first. It did not take long before Derscha was bursting through Arrayah's door in Ratchet.

Arrayah looked at her, smiling, looking very drained but ultimately doing well.

"Arrayah!" the gnome practically ran to her side, a large, genuine smile on her face. "I'm so relieved."

"I'm glad to see you. Is everyone well?"

"On or two stuffy noses, and incident here and there, but nothing we can't handle," Derscha dissembled. "I'm more concerned about you."

"I am fine."

Derscha whipped her head about until she spotted a stool to pull up by Arrayah's bedside. "I'm… Well, I missed you."

"I missed you, too. Did you receive my…" she trailed off, unsure of how to continue. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"No! It was my fault."

Arrayah frowned, giving Derscha a stern look. "It is not your fault."

"You're not well," she replied airily. "I'll not argue."

"You will listen, though." Arrayah would not let Derscha dismiss it. "I knew what I was getting into, I knew what might happen, and I made the decision to do as I did. That is not your fault. Hopefully in time, you will accept that I speak the truth. Do not blame yourself."

Derscha made a small 'humph' sound, neither agreeing nor not. "Anything we can get you? And don't you dare suggest paperwork."

Arrayah's mouth opened, but no sounds emerged. Derscha grinned in triumph. "A book? Some flowers? A new pillow?"

"Are you sure there is nothing I can help with?" Arrayah asked.

Derscha glanced aside, clearly not wanting to mention something. Arrayah waited expectantly.

"Has anyone filled you in on our investigation into the men holding you?" Derscha replied at last.

"No, I suppose they thought that was best left to you."

"Long story short, that wasn't the Alliance military. Not entirely. Donaby was working without official approval from Stormwind, but he's causing problems. We've got evidence to prove that, but if we bring it to light, it won't be long before everyone hears about the AAMS was being investigated for spying." She sighed. "It's going to cause a few problems."

"What are our options?"

"Well, the first, is nothing. Not many people, at least on the Alliance side, are aware of your absence, and the Horde's too much in an uproar to care.

"The second is that we've got to do everything we can to allay people's suspicions. That means letting our records be examined, and well… Owryn's offered to be a third party investigator."

Arrayah looked at Derscha in confusion, "Surely you would want to allay people's suspicions, and expose Donaby. He is a risk to the company and could cause problems without whatever evidence you have being brought to light. What makes you hesitate? Is it the records they'd need access to?"

"He wants to put you in the Watch's custody. You'd be back in Alliance hands."

A look of understanding crossed Arrayah's face, then acceptance. "I take it from your reluctance, there would be no way to avoid going into custody if we chose this option?"

"Of course there is. We could simply refuse. You were never legally detained, to begin with."

"And the ramifications of that...?"

Derscha sniffed in disdain. "There'll always be those who think we're hiding something."

"Indeed, but we do try our best to assuage such fears. What is our best case in this instance? I notice you didn't exactly answer my question before."

"Right now, the best case is for you to recover," Derscha side stepped again. "I'll… see what I can do about damage control. If what we're hearing from Razorhill is true, there might be something more pressing on people's minds, soon enough."

Derscha refused to speak of it any further, instead making sure her friend was comfortable and not to be bothered by anyone.

Over the next few days, the truth about Donaby came out, the man himself going into hiding with his most loyal followers. Derscha doubted the Alliance would try very hard to find him, a man whose crimes were largely against the Horde, for her words were right- something far more dire had focused everyone's attention on Pandaria and Garrosh Hellscream…

((An apology for how long it took to post the rest of this; the log wasn't easy to edit and other distractions crept in the way! So much new content… not to mention more RP going on!

I would like to say thank you to everyone involved in this story, particularly Arrayah, who gave us permission to use her as a MacGuffin. This forum thread was created in a large part to keep her updated on what was happening to her character, as what was meant to be a temporary absence from WoW has turned into something more permanent. I miss having my Co-GM.

I'd just like to say I don't think enough people know what a great player Arrayah is. The characters of Derscha and Arrayah did a good job of mirroring what it has really been behind the scenes at AAMS: Derscha's been the face of the organization, but Arrayah was the one keeping everyone running smoothly, though she shied away from publicity.

Likewise, while I know I've been the one who's been the most visible, it was truly Arrayah who stepped in over a year ago and started making friends and building connections in the RP community. I could not have run the AAMS by myself. She claims to be shy, but every time I turned around, it seemed she had someone new on her friends list, to the point where I called her the AAMS Telephone Operator because she could contact just about anyone. She's the one I credit for collecting the wonderful RPers we have now in the Horde Branch.

If Arrayah had not been here, the AAMS would not be what it is today, if it would have survived at all. I'm glad she's not completely gone- the guild still pesters her plenty outside of WoW- but I'm going to miss having someone in game who's had Derscha's back for so long.

Thank you, Arrayah, for everything you've done. ))