Face to Face

The woman smiled as she placed the last carton of food goods near the front entrance of the orphanage. She straightened up, looking at the pile of boxes from beneath her jet black hair. A smile played across her lips as her green eyes seemed to take a count of what she'd left. Ten cartons in all, the donated food would be a boon to the orphanage throughout Winter's Veil, and the children would eat well for the holiday.

With a self-satisfied smile, the woman smoothed out the folds of her plain dress and began walking away, not bothering to knock on the door or get the attention of the Matron of the orphanage. The objective was not to get credit for the donation, which had been made in Chelody Smallwing's name anyway, but instead it was to ensure that the children didn't want for anything this season.

The woman nodded to herself again, making her way across Cathedral Square and losing herself in the depths of the city.

She never saw the pair of silver eyes watching her intently from a distance.

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Malandrae had been horrified to discover that she'd left some of her things in the Dawn last evening. It had been bad enough that Florinai and Varenna had seen her out of bed, but if everyone did she would get scolded severely for not taking care of herself. She had quickly gone to retrieve the items she'd left behind, crucial evidence of her presence in the building, before making her way back towards her house and the bed she was supposed to be confined to.

Her eyes came to rest on a black-haired woman who was standing near the orphanage door and placing the last of a number of cartons down near it. While it was not unusual to see people leaving donations, especially at this time of year, something about the woman piqued Malandrae's interest, and she paused, studying the other intently.

As the woman walked away, the Highborne almost instinctively followed her, noting that the woman took extra care not to bump into anyone or speak to other passersby as she made her way towards the canals. In fact, to Malandrae's eye, it seemed as if she was going out of her way to avoid contact with others, to the point that it was suspicious if one was watching her all along like the Highborne had been doing.

Concern for the orphans began to build in Malandrae's mind.

She hurried after the woman, who seemed to realize someone was following her and picked up her own pace. Malandrae frowned, hurrying faster, realizing that her thick chunky heels were probably making about as much noise as a draenei's hooves and that the woman would know her location even around corners. Even as the elf thought this, the woman broke into a dash, running around a corner and into an alleyway. Malandrae smiled to herself; the woman had made a wrong turn and was in the dead end known as Cut Throat Alley. Now she could get to the bottom of the mystery!

Panting and out of breath from the exertion that she should not even be engaging in, Malandrae dashed into the alley, only to find the woman leaning against a wall and clutching her side, also panting. Upon seeing the elf, the woman reached to her belt and pulled a wand out. It glimmered with deadly light as she pointed it at the Highborne.

Malandrae paused, studying the woman and the wand for a moment before taking a step forward and smiling, "Hi! I'm Grand Apprentice Malandrae Moonwhisper, Former Second Advisor to the Queen's Research Council, at your service."

The human gave no response, she merely perked up one eyebrow as if to say 'what kind of idiot walks directly towards a wand pointed at their chest...?'. Malandrae's smile widened and she nodded at the woman, "Who and what are you? I know that's not your real form. I can tell."

The woman said nothing, but lowered her wand slightly, studying the elf closely. Her green eyes came to rest at the hollow of Malandrae's throat, and the necklace there. "I have a friend who wears a necklace like that. In fact, it is identical. How did you come to have such a thing?"

Malandrae blinked in surprise and touched the triple moon pendant she always wore, "U-uh...well only me, Eldre'nor and Tyavel have them! So unless it's a copy you must know one of them!"

The woman's eyes widened in surprise, "I do in fact know Tyavel Moonblade. She never mentioned anyone named Malandrae however."

The Highborne waved a hand dismissively, exctied now. "She wouldn't have! I'm supposed to be dead! Please, who are you miss? I can sense the magic around you. You are not who you appear to be."

The woman studied Malandrae intently for a moment, before nodding and lowering her wand. "You must have some skill in the art to know that." Her form began to shimmer as she talked, the smile never leaving her face. "My name..." Her body shrunk in size, becoming shorter and more dainty. Her ears grew in length, until they were almost the size of Malandrae's. Green eyes blazed with magic power, glowing fel green from beneath hair that was dyed jet black. Her face, still lightly colored, now had a pattern of runes across the right cheek that glowed softly with the blue light of arcane magic.

"My name is Biara Dayfire."

Malandrae's eyes widened so much that Biara thought they might pop out of her head. In place of the plain looking woman stood a blood elf dressed in elegant clothing that had perhaps seen better days. Even so, the cut and style of her dress and the way she held herself gave the Highborne the impression that she was talking to someone quite competent in the social circles of the elite.

In turn, Biara's eyes wandered over the Highborne, noting that she was dressed in THE latest fashions of Stormwind, her tightly cinched navy blue vest and form fitted white pants accentuated by outrageous thigh high leather boots. Biara smirked as she realized she was likely talking to a Highborne, especially given the fact that the elf had knowledge of magic.

"B-but M-miss Varenna said you kill people!" Malandrae sputtered. "W-why are you in the city! Are you going to hurt those children?!"

Biara's eyes narrowed and she glared at the other elf, "I do NOT hurt children. I was donating food, as I have come to do once per year as repayment for the kindness paid to me by an elf named Chelody Smallwing. How dare you imply that I would harm the children in an orphanage?!"

Malandrae's hand came to her mouth in shock, "Oh. My. Heavens. I am SO SORRY! I d-didn't mean to say...that is, I didn't know what you were doing... a-and I was t-told...a-and you're in disguise..."

Biara sighed, starting to feel the slight pain of a headache coming on. "And how exactly did you think I would be able t donate the food if I didn't come in disguise, hmmm?"

Malandrae nodded as the other spoke, her face brightening, "That's true! A-and the only other place you pink elves can go is Dalaran! I mean, if we want to meet you! I met one of you! The Archmage Vomher Wyrmcurse! We had tea together! A-and he helped me do research on your kind! And...he yelled at me a little bit!"

Biara's eyes widened as the other elf sputtered out the stream of words at her. She walked slowly around the Highborne, who fell silent during her examination. "I do believe you did meet the Archmage. He loves his tea." She sighed a little. "I wish that I could have tea with him again, but...times have changed, and it isn't safe."

Malandrae nodded sadly, "I could tell him you said hello... or give him a letter!" She trailed off as Biara stood in front of her again, her eyes widening as she focused on Biara's head. "Y-you s-shouldn't...h-have that. It's d-dangerous..."

Biara watched with curiosity as the Highborne pointed at the circlet on her head. The circlet containing the bound essence of a demon. Her green eyes narrowed. "How can you see that? It's invisible."

Malandrae shrugged, "Y-you didn't c-cast the invisibility spell p-perfectly..."

The blood elf looked at the Highborne as if she'd sprouted a second head. "Of course I did! I used a most elementary mathematical equation to ensure that the arcane magic was sufficiently woven around the core matrix of the circlet..." She continued on in this manner for a minute or two, describing the formula used to create the spell. Malandrae nodded, and then nodded some more, and then became glassy eyed as the other elf continued her explanation, a vapid look on her face.

Seeing that the attention of her audience was drifting, Biara stopped and shook her head. "How can someone so powerful not understand a simple mathematical formula? How do you even CAST magic properly?"

The Highborne shrugged and giggled, "I don't know! I just do! At least I know not to put demons in metal circlets and wear them on my head!"

Biara scowled, "Difficult times require difficult decisions. Magic can be dangerous, and I've learned that lesson far too well. I don't need to be lectured by someone who likely has never seen real magic or it's consequences." Biara gently brought a hand up to her own face as she spoke, looking haunted.

Malandrae's eyes mirrored the look on Biara's face as she replied softly, "I have seen many great works of magic. And also a great disaster. I know well how dangerous it is, better than you can ever understand. You will never know the terrible position that my choices with magic have put me in, or the consequences I'll pay for the rest of my life."

Both elves fell silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts about the past. At the same time they both looked at each other and spoke with bitterness, "My own mother wishes I was dead."

Silver eyes and green eyes met each other's gazes, both wide in shock. Slowly, Biara nodded respectfully. "Perhaps you do understand."

She looked past the elf, to the busy street at the end of the alley, "I should not linger here long. If I'm found...they wouldn't understand."

Malandrae smiled softly, "That's alright. I could explain it, but if you must go then I will make sure that Chelody knows you came to bring the food."

Biara shook her head, "No, I don't need credit for what I've done. But...there is someone...if you could maybe tell them something for me?" She paused, seeing the Highborne tilt her head in curiosity. "Do you know Jazari Mechavolt?"

"Jazari Swiftblade now," Malandrae said with a smile. "I know him!"

Biara smiled softly and nodded, "Swiftblade. Yes, that seems about right to me. That seems more than right. I hope...I hope that he's very happy, and well. Can you....just tell him that our time...there in the Stormspire. It was one of the best times of my life. I visit it still sometimes, to remember. I hope...I hope that his life is as happy as those moments of friendship he gave me."

Malandrae smiled and patted the blood elf's arm. "I'll be sure to tell him Miss Biara. I'm sure he'd like to hear that."

The Magistrix smiled sadly and then stepped back, "Time for me to go. Take care of him for me Malandrae Moonwhisper, and make sure Chelody Smallwing remains safe."

Malandrae waved a hand, watching as the blood elf began to chant. In a second a swirling portal opened to the distant outlands, and Biara walked towards it. She paused once, her gaze taking in the Highborne again, shaking her head in amusement at the encounter. "Farewell Highborne."

"Bye bye pink elf!" Malandrae said happily as the portal closed, leaving her alone in the alley.