Honor, Oath, & Blood

Chapter 6

The conversations around the fire ceased the moment Varok appeared, and when Gylledra stepped out from behind him, there were a myriad of reactions ranging from relief to surprise. She wasn't sure what to expect, knowing only that there was a small company of orcs and three tauren waiting for them. Off to the left there was a strangled yelp followed by clattering wood as Nasorya dropped her armful of kindling. She emitted another incoherent sound then hurled herself at Gylledra, crushing her in a hug that nearly cut off her air supply.

"I was so afraid! I have never been so worried!" She cried in Shalassian.

"Nas...Nas, I cannot breathe." Gylledra gasped and was released at once.

"You look...fine...as though you weren't about to die!" She exclaimed, on the verge of going to pieces. "I was left alone with strangers without knowing if I would ever see you again."

"That must have been a very terrifying one entire day without my company. It would have shattered anyone I suppose." Gylledra shook her head but smiled.

"It was TWO! Don't mock me!" Nasorya pouted. "It could have gone very badly."

"There is no point dwelling on what might have been when what is, is much better." She hugged her upset, but relieved friend who then did go to pieces, sobbing onto her shoulder. Gylledra looked up at Varok who wore a rare smile. "I will be along shortly, I imagine you are hungry."

"If there's anything you need..." He started.

"Your stomach was talking more than you were on the way up." She gave him a pointed look. Go away. He got the message, his stomach growling in response. With a smile curling one side of his mouth upward he gave a nod and shuffled off toward sustenance.

"I am not leaving you with strangers, Nasorya." Gylledra sighed, her attention back on the matter at hand. Nasorya stepped back, wiping at her wet cheeks, giving her head a shake as she pulled herself together.

"You were down there for two days. Everyone else seemed fine with it. Though...there was a fair amount of speculation." She glanced at the orcs and tauren at the fire where Varok now sat, inhaling a large bowl of probably stew.

"I'm sure there was, and they'd better hope he doesn't hear about it." Gylledra watched the old orc; a tauren, who could only be Baine Bloodhoof, was talking with him and judging by the various gestures that were vaguely aimed in the direction of the cave, she could guess the conversation topic.

"What did happen down there?"

"A good deal of magic, considering that the arcane dependence is gone, but I wasn't conscious to witness it." She smirked. "I woke up a little while ago in the water with Varok, we...talked, he told me where we are and why, then we got dressed and here I am."

"You paused, why did you pause?" The violet eyes narrowed at her.

"Pause? I didn't pause..."

"Oh, come on, Gyll, you're the only one pretending there is nothing! You've been denying and denying and just...you don't have to." Nasorya pleaded. Gylledra sighed heavily. "You've told me nothing since we met the orcs. I want to see your face light up, I want to see what you look like when you're happy." Tears brimmed in Nasorya's eyes again and Gylledra was taken completely aback. The words had struck her like a blow, and for a long moment she didn't know how to reply, or even how to process the fact that in all her years, all the people she had met, even the ones she had genuinely enjoyed the company of...she never let herself truly experience joy. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she didn't believe she deserved it. She had never kept anything from Nasorya before, but these private things, they were more intimate than she knew what to do with.