Tell Me Your Secrets, Brother

A World of Warcraft Short Story By Nyxx

It was a cold night in the snowy, savage wastes of Frostfire Ridge in Draenor. Korraeth had been requested at a camp a few miles away from his garrison. And he was there to aid in dealing with the Legion's presence on the planet.
He was the only member of the Horde there, though he wasn't alone. His sister, Laeyarah, was sat with him as they, along with Cordana Felsong and Archmage Khadgar impatiently awaited dawn to make a move against the Legion.

The young High Elf was glad for these secret meetings with her brother. Yet she saw there was an element of stress playing upon his features as they sat by the fire, drinking their ale (or in Korraeth's case, water) and eating what food they’d taken with them as they exchanged stories and engaged in conversation.

Khadgar was stood a ways away. From what she could see, since two of the orcs from the camp were sat across from her and Korraeth and were rather in-the-way, he was talking to Cordana. She turned to look at her brother, seeing his long, red brows knitted together and his lips cast in an ever so slight frown as if he were deep in thought.

The paladin knew exactly where he was looking – Khadgar.

She knew her brother was fond of him. She knew he was happy to be within the human's presence. And that he had been since the beginning of their campaign on Draenor. But somehow, in the months they’d spent there, something about the Blood Elf changed.
This was the first she’d seen of him in a good long while, and he behaved differently to what she was used to. She knew he was trying to hide something - it was as if it were written across his forehead. However, she had no idea what, exactly.

And then it occurred to her, as they were sat here, in the cold, by the fire, sipping at their drinks and slowly eating the haunches of a smoked pheasant she’d smuggled over when they first left Azeroth.

The look on her brother's face wasn’t worry. At least, he wasn’t stressed. She’d seen the very same look before on many others. Especially her apprentice, a young human boy by the name of Lukaethros Brandyblade.
She saw how Korraeth was sat up straight, being careful not to drop any of his pheasant haunch as they ate, keeping his glowing, jade orbs on the human.

It was so blatant, yet so easily clouded.
He liked him.

Korraeth had initially been glad to become Khadgar’s ally and later his friend. But as time went on, he found himself growing rather fond of the human's presence, even craving it at times.

Of course, the Elf quickly understood what these feelings were, and so far had managed to hide them.
...or so he thought...

His sister now knew. And so, too, did two of his close friends. Not to mention, a third who was very close to figuring it out.

She wasn’t about to mention it, though, in fear she might embarrass him.
And so, she was to wait for the right moment, when everyone else was asleep and she’d taken him for a walk, along with their respective mounts, a Mystic Runesaber By the name of ‘Misty’ and a winged, lion-like Titan structure She’d named ‘Lightspirit’, to tell him.

When she did, Korraeth was terribly flustered, the pale skin on his face flushing a deep red. “Promise you won’t tell anyone? Especially not him!” He pleaded. “Of course I won't!” Laeyarah chuckled, “I won’t tell a soul unless you ask me to.” “Thank you... I love you, little sister.” A small, near indistinct smile appeared on the mage's lips as he spoke.

Soon, the siblings would be heading back to camp. A secret in one's heart and the other's mind that they wouldn’t tell, especially as they focused on ridding Draenor of the Burning Legion and the Iron Horde.

The End