Author's Note: Hello again and thank you for clicking on this chapter! This is just a quick note of warning that this chapter contains some elements of non/reluctant consent. If this is something you are uncomfortable with, please skip those bits.
That said, the story is really firing up now. This chapter has twists and turns aplenty. Enjoy.
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It took Kalendras over an hour to find Belcarm's house in the woods. In the end he only spotted it because, with his keen hawk eyes, he saw Borris stalking a deer outside in the woods. With a loud caw he circled down, losing altitude quickly, and coming to land near the big cat. He transformed back to his normal form and stretched his arms and legs. It was always a bit uncomfortable to change forms in a rush.
"Borris!" Kalendras called, breaking the silence of the woods and sending the deer running. Borris turned and glared at him with obvious annoyance. "Bad news buddy, Liv's been taken... Belcarm too."
Borris stared at him for a moment before letting out a woeful howl.
"We are going to need to get them back, are you with me?" Borris bounded over to him and nudged him in the side roughly.
"ROOOAAARRR!" Borris called through the trees, his deep growl echoing off the trunks and setting a flock of birds fleeing from a nearby tree. Kalendras grinned and looked forward to having the big cat take down the Swiftspells with him.
"For now though, I think we need to talk to Aegon," Kalendras said, he gave the Springpaw a scratch between his ears and then made his way to the house that he had passed as he landed. When he got there the door was unlocked, so he decided to let himself in.
The cottage was small but homely. From what he could tell there was a main living room combined with a kitchen and a door that led only one other room. The walls were all made of the dark wood of the surrounding forest and it smelt like earth. Kalendras approved. This is a much nicer place to live in than the cold stone city of Silvermoon. It surprised him that this was where Belcarm had grown up- after getting to know the Paladin a bit better he could've easily been led to believe he had grown up in the thick of the city.
Time passed slowly in the cottage. Through the shaded glass windows all Kalendras could see was the muted green light of the forest beyond. He wasn't sure if he had been waiting there for five minutes or five hours. All he knew was that his entire being was suffused by the extreme desire to find Livinia and make sure she was safe. The waiting was terrible, and he had to turn to meditation to avoid his imagination steering him down a dark path. Just as Kalendras had thought he made the wrong move, that he should have gone elsewhere first, the front door swung open.
"What in the name of the Sun Well?" Aegon swore as he swung the front door open to see Kalendras sitting on his kitchen table (the chairs did not look sturdy enough to hold his weight). His hand reached for his sword belt but Kalendras held his own hands in front of him to show that they were empty.
"Peace, Aegon, I come in peace and to ask for your help," Kalendras said slowly, using an even and calmly paced tone. Aegon eyed him suspiciously, and it made Kalendras think of Belcarm again; the two were so similar it was eerie. To prove his point, Kalendras unsheathed his weapons and slid them across the rough wooden floor.
"What do you want?" Aegon asked, stepping over the weapons and watching him warily.
"Belcarm has been arrested."
"Pardon?"
"A host of Guardians approached us and said they had orders to arrest us for treason," Kalendras said.
"Treason?" Aegon 's eyes were wide, clearly very shocked.
"Lies. All of it," Kalendras dismissed the idea with a wave. "I have diplomatic immunity for such matters, but they took Belcarm into custody and..." He trailed off, not sure whether Belcarm's father liked Livinia, or whether he would be angry if his son was arrested because she was involved.
"And, what, Totemrunner?" Aegon asked sharply.
"I think they have Livinia too," Aegon frowned at this news and then scrutinized him for a moment. With a deep sigh his shoulders hunched at he made his way over to one of the dining chairs.
"Start from the beginnings" Aegon sighed, and Kalendras was only too happy to comply.
Kalendras told Aegon about Livinia's decision and that she mentioned something about a betrothal to Rioden Swiftspell. He explained that she had left shortly afterwards, and that they assumed that she had returned home. Kalendras spoke of how he and Belcarm had both arrived to claim her heart, only to be approached by the Guardians and accused of treason.
"The Guardians are my men," Aegon said angrily, clearly annoyed that he had no idea of what was happening under his own nose, "Did they say who gave them their orders?"
"Mitrae Swiftspell," Kalendras replied, watching as Aegon's face turned to stone. The room was silent for a moment before Aegon got to his feet and begun to pace up and down the room angrily. "You're not surprised?"
"No," Aegon confirmed thoughtfully. "Do you know where they have taken Bel? Or where they are holding Livinia?" Kalendras shook his head.
"Unfortunately not, to avoid being arrested myself I had to leave Silvermoon immediately."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because the portal guards were looking for a big Tauren, now a small grey hawk," Kalendras laughed, Aegon seemed impressed. "I wanted to go and find them straight away. I think that Swiftspell would be holding Liv in his manse or in the Warlock's Guild but-"
"No, Kalendras, you did the right thing," Aegon interrupted, shaking his hand. "What would you have done if you found her? He probably has several guards stationed around her, and killing your way through would only make this a political nightmare... Well, more than it already is," Aegon explained, and for some reason Kalendras felt pleased by the Blood Elf's praise.
"So what do we do?" Kalendras asked, hoping that the older man would have some idea of how to proceed and save Livinia... And Belcarm too.
"I will go into the city and talk with Swiftspell. And some of the Guardians as well- they are my soldiers, and I want to know who turned their cloaks. I want you to go and talk to Livinia's parents. Find out if she came home, or where she last went. I want you to tell them about Mitrae. Even though I've never known the Sunspeakers to deal with them, you need to let them know what we are up against," Kalendras nodded, Livinia's parents certainly had a right to know.
"Where will we meet?" Kalendras asked.
"Back here; it's safer than inside the city. Be careful that you aren't seen, the last thing we need is for you to get arrested. Oh, and if you get a chance you might want to let your guild mates know what's going on. We'll need all the help we can get," Aegon paced over to Kal's weapons and leant over, picking them up, then walked back over to him. "Thank you, Kalendras, for trusting me," He said, handing the weapons back to him before swiftly leaving the room.
~*~
