Despite Camnath having said he believed in her, Tiene could no longer see her way forward.

Enveloped in grief, she drifted aimlessly every day through the rooms of the Spire. She would barely acknowledge any of the servants or anyone who passed through on state business. She wandered like a lost spirit.

Muttering, Tiene often sat in the gardens, her fingers toying with the wooden butterfly, gifted to her years earlier by Louvel, and with the lock of Camnath's hair. Her eyes would drift to the meadows in the desperate hope of seeing Camnath, waving, waiting.

Sometimes, her grief escalated to the point she wailed, mournfully for hours, crying out for her beloved husband. Her sorrow also led to frustration and anger, where she would start throwing things around in her room. Camnath should not have died. Belaen should have listened to Brett, but instead, he led his squad to a grim and grisly end.

Such thoughts were endless, tormenting her every waking moment. The silence which followed such incidents was deafening; her despair swallowing her whole.

Several times, Lor'themar had ordered her room broken into for fear she had sunk so low as to take her own life. Eventually, he ordered the locks removed from inside her room for easier access. And for good measure, he also insisted her weapons were kept secure in his study; that door was locked and guarded during his absence.

Called upon to attend important meetings throughout the land, the Regent Lord was often away from Silvermoon. His responsibilities were extensive, with the absence of the elves' monarch altering the direction of Lor'themar's role extensively. 

Tiene, however, was glad of the peace - her brother fussed so much when he came home. She knew he meant well, but she just wanted to be left alone.

Regularly, she refused to join him for dinner, closing herself off in her room, leaving plates of food barely touched outside her door. 

The maids, while sympathetic, were frustrated. Under strict orders from the Regent Lord to make sure Tiene ate, the widow wasn't making their task easy, which earned scorn from Lor'themar. Try as they did, their efforts to keep her strong and healthy were futile.

Camnath's family visited frequently, but Tiene would rarely spend time with them. She knew they suffered terribly from losing a son and a brother. She excused her refusal to meet as an attempt to spare them from seeing how low she'd fallen, therefore sparing them her misery, too.

Not even her friends could reach her. Fyn, Louvel, Lexie and Brett would arrive and try to force her out for walks and picnics. She would go sometimes, at a push, but she barely spoke and never ate much, only enough to sustain her, which was pitiful. 

She would accept a glass of wine, but it too remained unfinished, tipped over in the grass as she sat, staring out over the meadows before the never-ending tears flowed again.

Tiene was becoming painfully thin; her pallor was grey, her once lustrous hair lank and dull.

Lexie eventually took it upon herself to deliver some cold, hard home truths. Her actions would either jolt Tiene out of her depressed state or finally drive the dagger home to end it all. One way or the other, the ghost which Tiene Firefury had become was about to be exorcised.

The leather-clad undead approached the Spire, a bag over her shoulder, fully prepared for a showdown with her best friend. 

Staff, now very familiar with seeing her visiting, nodded a salutation as she strode through the corridors to Tiene's room.

When she reached the door, Lexie hesitated before she turned the handle. This was going to be cruel, she thought, but it needed to be done. She took a deep breath, then opened the door.

Tiene, as usual, sat on the window ledge overlooking the Great Sea, twirling Camnath's lock of hair around her fingers. The elf turned her head slowly when she heard someone enter. Her eyes had lost their lustre entirely; she looked almost as undead as Lexie herself.

For once, Lexie was thankful for the mask she wore. It prevented Tiene from seeing the semblance of a vexed expression which played on the undead's ruined face. 

But she missed her friend, the feisty Firefury, whom she believed in, loved and revered. This shell before her was not the girl she once knew.

Now that she stood before Tiene, she felt loath to say some of the things she planned. Lexie loved Tiene very much and didn't wish her more hurt, but the woman could not be allowed to continue wandering in a shroud of grief and misery for the rest of her days. 

Camnath would not wish this for his wife. Nor did anyone else who loved her. With a deep rattling breath, Lexie turned, closed the door, and stepped into the centre of the opulent room. Her eyes scanned the floor; bits of broken ornaments and crockery dotted the floor and the plush rugs. Books, once cherished by Tiene, were torn, bent out of shape or stacked in messy piles. Even looking at the windows, some panes were missing - although that could have been attributed to the blast from the Sunwell months before. 

But generally, the room was dressed in traditional red-and-gold drapes and matching soft furnishings; its colour scheme mirrored the Silvermoon standard. Fine golden voiles over the open windows billowed, the breeze carrying them in ghostly dances - a few were torn, no doubt Tiene's contribution to the decor.

Lexie approached her and took a seat on the nearby chaise longue. 

No greeting was offered. No "Hi friend!" or "How you doing Lexie?" Nothing. Tiene's eyes, if not wet with tears, seemed to be set in a perpetual stare, sunken and never blinking.

There was no point trying to make small talk, Lexie decided; it never worked anyway, so straight to the crux of the matter.

Music: Let Me Fade by composer Adrian von Ziegler

https://youtu.be/bfumLOZeXgY

 "Just what does that even mean to you, Tiene?" Lexie said in as sarcastic a tone as she could muster, pointing to the lock of ebony hair in Tiene's hand. "Anything?"

Tiene's eyes narrowed, slid askance, but then turned back to the window and the fields beyond. Silence.

The undead rogue tried again. "What do you think Camnath would be saying if he stood in front of you, right now?"

Tiene's eyes welled, but they looked at her hands, to the hair she so possessively clung to. Her fingers were furiously knotting and twisting it. She resorted to staring out the window once more.

Lexie shot to her feet. Determined to get a reaction, she invaded Tiene's space, leaning against the window frame facing her. "He'd say, 'Who the hell is this woman? Because she isn't the one I married!"

Still nothing - other than the tightening of Tiene's jaw to indicate she'd heard the words.

"What was it he called you that night when he lay bleeding against that tree?" Lexie persisted, tapping a leathered forefinger on her chin.

"Stop it!" Tiene hissed, barely audible. Her eyes darted back and forth, agitated, but she did not look at Lexie.

"You were the brightest star amid my darkest skies.' That was it! Well, you sure as hell ain't shiny and bright now, are you, Tiene?"

The blonde's eyes crinkled.

"Look at you! You see when your time comes, how is Camnath meant to find you if you are as dull and lacklustre as you are now? Huh?"

Tiene turned away, her shoulders starting to shudder with suppressed sobs.

Lexie closed in on her, taunting her, desperate to get a reaction. "Can you picture him? Is he still handsome, with his bright green eyes and long black hair? Or is he torn, shredded, oozing blood and pus, with half his face gone..."

"Stop!" Tiene's voice rasped.

"Whatever he looks like now, he must be wondering, 'How come Tiene rapidly sought revenge on Sauren Nightflame for what he did to her three friends, yet here she sits, doing nothing for me..."

"Stop it!" Tiene thumped her fists on the sill. A sharp cry ripped from her throat.

It was killing Lexie to utter such cruel things, but it was a last resort. So, undeterred, she continued. "...moping, wallowing in self-pity, doing nothing, I repeat, nothing, for the one she claims to love!"

Tiene slid from the window ledge and crumpled to the floor. She started to rock back and forth; her arms wrapped tight around her knees.

"Yes, go on!" Lexie said, scornfully. "Cry some more, why don't you? You're no longer part of a reputable rogue family - no longer do you honour the name with which you were born!"

Tiene trembled, her head shaking, wanting to shut out her friend's words. "Leave!" she demanded.

Lexie crouched. She was not going to give up this time. She was so close. "And what of all that training, Tiene? You worked alongside some amazing individuals. What was the point? They, too, thought you were someone to look up to, someone who could lead, inspire. And no one believed that more than Camnath - your dead husband!"

Tiene folded into herself, shaking, hands clasped to her ears, still trying to shut out Lexie's words.

"Maybe Camnath thinks marrying you was a mistake!" Lexie's voice caught in the back of her throat, sharp, painful. She hated being like this, especially to Tiene, but all other efforts had failed miserably. 

Then, Tiene glared from under her limp hair.

Time for the tools of the trade, Lexie decided, and she fished about in her bag. 

She pulled out a jar; in it was a butterfly. She thrust it in front of Tiene's face. "Did he not collect these for you, every year, Tiene? No matter where he was, he faithfully returned to Quel'thalas to get them. For you! Even when he didn't know if he'd ever see you again!"

Tiene gasped, her eyes wide. She stared at the jar and the little wings rapidly beating within. 

A memory flitted across her tormented mind, one of the gift Camnath brought for her at the Gathering many years ago - how it had moved her. But they died. 

"Every. Fucking. Year." Lexie spat. "They were his hope! A way home for you! Had he wasted his time doing that, too?" 

Tiene had heard of Camnath's annual trek; Brett had told her. 

Shakily, she took the jar from Lexie's hand. "Yes, I know," she whispered.

Lexie felt a spark of hope. "He never gave up on you, did he, Tiene? Never! Even all the years you were with Sauren."

Tiene clasped the jar to her breast. "Stop! Please, Lexie!" Fresh tears flowed, but at least she'd found her voice, broken though it was. "I'm lost without Camnath. I can't take this pain anymore."

These were the most words Tiene had spoken in months.

"I know," Lexie said, placing a consoling hand on her friend's shoulder. "But you need to do something to help ease it, Tiene. Camnath wanted you to make a difference; he believed you would. So do it! For him."

Tiene looked up at her, sniffing and wiping away the tears. "What can I do, though, Lexie? Nothing seems to make a difference; the Scourge keeps coming back. The Legion sits on the perimeter, just waiting for an opportunity to rise again. What can I do?"

The elf's pain was indeed tangible. Lexie had never seen anyone bear so much sorrow. Yet, fortunately, Tiene had just demonstrated that the resilient Firefury spirit did indeed reside -  somewhere  - deep within.

Lexie put her arms around her, pulling her close, relieved she had finally managed to fracture the wall of misery surrounding Tiene. Now they needed to work on bringing it down brick by brick. 

And then Lexie dared to try a little humour, "Firstly, we have to get some meat back on those bones of yours, woman. I mean, I know I'm beautiful and obviously a model for you to aspire to, but trying to emulate me is really not a good look on you."

Tiene made a small sound which could have been a half-hearted laugh. She pulled back a little and looked through her red-rimmed eyes at her friend. "You are beautiful, Lexie. Truly. In more ways than you know."

Lexie would have smiled if she could, but the crinkles around her eyes showed she appreciated Tiene's kind words. 

"Come on then, let's get started. We'll discuss what needs doing once we have you healthy and strong again."

It had been the medicine Tiene needed. Gradually, over the following weeks, the Rogue Firefury re-emerged, rising from the depths of blackest sorrow. 

Now revitalised, Tiene's focus honed on matters at hand. She took on board that which Camnath had instilled in her: the will to fight on, to make a difference.

One evening, Lor'themar, Tiene, Lexie and Brett sat around the dinner table. Much had been happening during Tiene's 'self-incarceration', and a conversation arose that piqued her interest: events involving Prince Kael'thas and the somewhat enigmatic Illidan Stormrage.

Brett introduced the subject, albeit, Tiene noted, a little reservedly. A contingent of rogues had travelled to Outland on a covert operation; their findings were intriguing. "This Illidan Stormrage is proving a bit of a mystery. His people still consider him as a betrayer and have even named him such, but his actions have started to interest others."

"How so?" Tiene asked.

Brett eyed Lor'themar before continuing. "This demonic elf is perhaps not all he seems. Although the Kal'dorei assumes he is operating on behalf of the Burning Legion, there is low-key supposition leaning toward him hiding in Outland from the Legion's leaders."

"Hiding? From the Legion?" Tiene dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin and reached for her wine. "One of their own surely would not hide?"

Lor'themar stabbed at a piece of boar meat on his plate. "As you say, Brett, it is merely supposition. There is nothing conclusive," he commented. "Perhaps Illidan is power-drunk after association with the Legion and now sources magic to meet an agenda of his own. He is, or was, after all, a powerful sorcerer in the use of arcane."

"But my understanding is that the Betrayer gave Prince Kael'thas the means to help us thrive once more." Tiene inquired.

Lor'themar stared at his sister. "That, too, is supposition. The Betrayer had no involvement in that exercise; I'm pretty sure of it." His voice aired annoyance and something akin to regret.

"Stormrage still carries out the orders of the Legion, though," Lexie intervened. "How, therefore, is it even up for debate that he is anything but a willing servant?" She swallowed some wine. "And he's been none-too-successful at carrying out their bidding either, from what I hear."

Brett sighed. If Tiene was not mistaken, it appeared Brett was one of the minorities who found this Betrayer 'intriguing' and possibly considered he was not as black as he was painted. 

Her guild master was not prone to wasting time considering things which did not show potential or definite possibilities. "Before Kael'thas betrayed him..."

Lor'themar coughed. "Prince Kael'thas," he said, reminding the human rogue he was referring to a member of the once-great Sunstrider dynasty. Regardless of the events unfolding, the Regent Lord still didn't approve of any disparaging inference toward the monarchy.

Brett's lips thinned, but he nodded respect. "The Betrayer is rumoured to be forming an army; some super-soldiers, if you will, to fight the Burning Legion."

"Wait a minute! Illidan is amassing numbers to fight against the Legion? And you said Kael'thas betrayed him?" Tiene sat forward.

Again, Lor'themar grunted displeasure.

Tiene looked at her brother as no one else would have dared. "Prince Kael'thas then. Denying developments will not change the fact if they are true, brother," she said.

Lor'themar raised his one eyebrow. "If - being the decisive word here," he said before replenishing his glass.

Tiene redressed the subject, a note of the old frustration in her voice. "It sounds to me this Illidan is either exceptionally clever or just downright devious; either way, it is unclear what he is plotting. But our prince's loyalty is under question."

Lexie and Brett shared a knowing look – the girl was back.

Lor'themar uncharacteristically thumped the table with his fist. "Prince Kael'thas has sent us the means to regain our vitality, Tiene. He must still care enough for his people to do that. He has sent word he wants some of us to move to Outland, where he promises we can flourish."

"So he says - maybe!" Tiene fired back, petulant. "I know you didn't want to be Regent Lord - and I still see the mantle sits uncomfortably upon your shoulders. But even you have to question some of Prince Kael'thas' decisions."

Lor'themar flinched, but only Tiene noticed. Feeling compassion for her brother and his torment, Tiene reached out to Lor'themar, placing her hand over his.

He curled his fingers around her hand and smiled wanly. With a sigh, he spoke. "Yes, you are right. I do not enjoy this office, and never will; however, it is something I must do, and as honourably as I can. Nevertheless, I want to believe Prince Kael'thas has our interests at heart."

"I understand," she said. "And I believe the prince did too - once - but how can we truly tell what goes through his mind now, especially when he is so far away in Outland and associating with those whom the world looks upon with scorn?"

"He did try to do battle with Arthas, though," Lexie pointed out. "I'll give him that!"

Tiene's blank expression told them this was all still news to her. Brett looked to Lor'themar, awaiting his approval. The Regent Lord nodded.

"I'm relating what has come through the network," Brett explained. Again, he waited for Lor'themar to comply before he continued. Again, the Regent Lord nodded. 

"According to sources," Brett began, "the demon hunter - for that's what Illidan has become - led his allies to Northrend. It was to appease another servant of the Burning Legion -"

"Demon hunter?" Tiene interrupted, confused.

Brett nodded and took a deep breath to carry on when Tiene suddenly added another comment. "He hunts demons? Well, what is the Burning Legion but demons? Does this not confirm his true intentions?"

Lexie shrugged. Brett cleared his throat, and Lor'themar held Tiene with a look of quiet temperance. She was absorbing everything like a sponge and questioning it all too. "Sorry," she mumbled. "It's been a while. I'm just trying to grasp everything..."

Brett smiled, understanding, and proceeded. "Illidan was allegedly seeking to regain favour with the Burning Legion and ordered to topple the Frozen Throne, unseating the Lich King, who was sorely testing the Legion's patience."

Brett drained his goblet before continuing. "The naga, along with Prince Kael'thas and several of his elves, converged at Icecrown. But who did they meet? Arthas."

Tiene glanced at Lexie, assuming this was the fight she had referred to earlier. Lexie divulged nothing more; she just kept nibbling some meat from her plate.

"Arthas is also under the influence of the Legion. He was the Lich King! So, why was he there to help with this overthrow?" Tiene asked, the cogs of her analytical mind cranking up.

"He was not king at that time. Someone else was - Ner'zhul, an orc. He was the one who coaxed Arthas with the cursed blade. But Arthas wanted the throne for himself, make no mistake."

Tiene looked around the table. "So the worm turned, and sought to take up the mantle of Lich King?"

"Yes," Lor'themar voiced with a deep sigh. "However, it was an opportune moment for Prince Kael'thas to claim vengeance upon Arthas for destroying our home. But..." The Regent Lord rose and went to fetch another bottle of wine from the sideboard.

His timely shift was all the understanding Tiene needed. "He failed then; I take it?"

"Oh, yes!" Lexie mumbled with a low cackle. "Quite spectacularly too." She held up her glass for Lor'themar to fill as he rounded the table. With a degree of torpor, the Regent Lord obliged.

Brett carried on. "The location was to Arthas' advantage; he is a Death Knight, and the cold served him well. Plus, that cursed sword of his is a powerful weapon indeed. He was the victor - not only did he fend off Prince Kael'thas, but he also took the Frozen Throne."

"Your prince then removed himself from the scene, however..." Lexie said, not caring about the look of annoyance from Lor'themar. "...and that left Illidan to try to kill Arthas. Result: new Lich King - One - demon hunter - Nil. The fish things took Illidan's injured body back to Outland."

"Naga, Lexie - not fish," Brett corrected.

"Same difference," she mumbled. "I'm sure they taste the same."

Tiene sniggered a little, but she was starting to see the cracks in the so-called enemy's ranks. "So what of the Prince? Where did Kael'thas go?"

"Netherstorm in Outland," Lor'themar said. "From there, he was able to extract a substantial amount of magic from the creatures in the area. Thus, he sent Rommath to us with the method, so our people could recover from the loss of the Sunwell."

"But, Lor'themar," Brett injected. "He is undoubtedly taking orders from someone, and it is unlikely to be the Betrayer, for the Prince believes the demon hunter has gone mad following his defeat by Arthas. Illidan's failure will be another notch on his tomb, so a new puppet is required."

"Supposition," Lor'themar grunted, irked.

"Fact!" Brett responded. The burly rogue was not one to vent frustration often, but his tone indicated the Regent Lord's reluctance to accept the monarch's defection was trying his patience. "My agents do not fabricate reports, Lor'themar. And keep in mind, some of them are Sin'dorei who, like you, want nothing more than their Prince to be wholesome and good. But the hard, cold fact is, he has turned away from you. His allegiance most likely sits with the Burning Legion now that Illidan is lying wounded, holed up in some temple in Shadowmoon Valley."

Tiene saw the fire in Lor'themar's eye. 

She stood and moved behind his seat, where she started to massage his tense shoulders. "Relax, brother," she said, empathy abounding. "Brett would not be telling you this if his sources were not reliable; you know this. Bitterly disappointed though you are by the news, you must try to accept that our people look to you now for leadership. Prince Kael'thas is out of the picture."

They all fell silent as house staff entered to take away the empty dinner plates. The clink of china and cutlery afforded a small reprieve from the tense atmosphere. Once the door closed, conversation resumed where it left off.

Lor'themar patted Tiene's hand as she rubbed his shoulders. "I know, Tiene. And apologies, Brett, I did not mean to imply your agents' skills were questionable. I'm tired and disappointed, to put it mildly. First Sylvanas, now Prince Kael'thas... I guess I didn't want to believe it."

Brett nodded; he was sympathetic. "It's quite all right, Lor'themar. I understand. We all want to believe our leaders and nobility are indeed working with honourable intentions. Still, the Burning Legion is one mighty foe, able to topple kingdoms by manipulating those in power."

The reference to the War of the Ancients did not go amiss on the two Sin'dorei.

With a deep, resigned sigh, Lor'themar gestured for Tiene to sit again, offering her a reassuring nod. Once she settled into her seat, he told her the latest news. "An attack was orchestrated on Shattrath, a city of Nagrand in Outland."

"To what avail?" Tiene asked.

"It is base to the Sha'tar; divine beings - Naaru. And it is home to the Aldor, a division of Dranaei, whose people also inhabited Tempest Keep - Prince Kael'thas' new seat of power. The belief was that Illidan had ordered the assault. But, His Highness, according to Grand Magister Rommath, had assumed, as Brett also mentioned, that Illidan had gone mad following his defeat by Arthas. And so one question ensues: would the Prince follow the orders of a defeated madman?"

Silence swept around the table. Tiene and her two colleagues waited for her brother to continue.

Grabbing his goblet, Lor'themar swirled the contents as he contemplated the evidence. "Rommath became wary of the Prince, stating he suspected he was answering to the Legion after consuming fel energy while sourcing the arcane for us to use here. Rommath hastily accepted the task of bringing the extraction method back to these shores. His loyalty, it appears, is more for his people than it is to his prince."

"The source of our vitality - " Tiene said thoughtfully. "Perhaps that was the bargaining chip the Legion offered Prince Kael'thas? They would ensure we, as a nation, prospered if he swore allegiance?"

Lor'themar stared at her. "That could indeed be feasible, and it could also explain why those whom the Prince sent forth to lay waste to Shattrath laid down their arms, offering fidelity to the Naaru. It was the preferred option rather than becoming a party to the Legion's design."

Tiene took a few moments to go over what she'd just heard. In effect, Prince Kael'thas had been seduced by the very power which had instigated the decimation of Quel'thalas; this was a truly devastating turn of events.

She looked across at her brother. He was profoundly troubled, and a look in his eye plus the way he postured told her he had been hoping against hope. 

Poor Lor'themar, it seemed like all the responsibility of governing Quel'thalas was going to end up on his shoulders, alone.

As for the Betrayer, this Illidan Stormrage - his loyalties were still being questioned. It was understandable that his people might see him as another puppet of the Burning Legion, after everything he had done. But others, like Brett, for example, saw hairline fractures in their assumptions.

Rumour now had it that volunteers were being trained in Outland to fight the Legion, and they were part of this "specialised army". If this were the case, then perhaps - just perhaps - Illidan Stormrage was the leader Azerothians needed to defeat the Burning Legion. Maybe, all this time, he had infiltrated the enemy in order to learn how best to defeat them.

As far as Tiene and Lexie were concerned, Illidan Stormrage possibly had some excellent skills in espionage.

With a glance at Lexie, she raised her glass. Lexie could have been smiling; Tiene didn't know, but she made a silent toast to her good friend for having brought her back from the brink of despair. 

There was work to be done, and for the first time in a long while, Tiene felt something akin to hope.

Lexie inclined her head, winked, and also raised her glass.

                                ____________________________________________

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