Chapter 1

It was a warm evening in the streets below Nordrassil. The light of the moon gently spilled into the council chamber as Tyrande finished signing the last few orders of the day. Troop movements, promotions and building approvals. The population of the city grew with each day and it was necessary to commission new buildings and facilities to house everyone.

She had to press the nobles a bit, but in the end, they bowed to her demands. New city districts will be raised to house those living in tents. This will be their new home and it will become more than just a shadow of Darnassus.

On her way home, she took a different route than usual and walked around the tent camp that housed many of the refugees. The conditions were not as bad as she had feared, but not as good as she had hoped. Living there was rough, but her people were strong, they will manage for a while.

The tents were of good quality, they were gifts from the high king, brought after the fall of Darnassus and they saw much use since then. The blue fabric was not so bright anymore, and one could smell the smoke and sweat from the fabric, but no one seemed to notice or pay any mind to it. Maybe because the entire campsite was filled with the smell of cabbages they were preparing in the camp kitchen.

Only a couple of weeks and they will all get better accommodation.

Tyrande walked off, in the direction of the new Temple of Elune. Will her people ever truly heal? The trauma they endured, will they overcome it, or will it consume them? Tyrande didn’t know, but she believed, that with the help of Elune, she could heal her people and guide them to a better future.

The Temple was almost complete, its main chamber already serving the public and Tyrande knelt by the moonwell, underneath the shining moonlight that entered the room through the large circular hole in the ceiling, and prayed.

She was looking for answers all day, now she just wanted comfort. Her mind was tired and she felt the slow build-up to a new headache. But that was only temporary as suddenly she felt Elune’s touch, her soothing, calming presence as she bathed in the silver light.

She smiled. Elune was still here, still with her, with her people, after everything that had happened she still guided them. After all that changed about Tyrande, she was still there, accepting her, soothing her when she needed it. It was nice knowing that despite everything, she never was truly alone.

Her visit to the Temple calmed her nerves and gave her strength to continue, as it always does. She was walking through the park behind the Temple, heading towards her home, deep within the inner sanctum.

With a smile on her face and a spring in her steps, she pondered the fact that in the past days and weeks, she haven’t had time for herself, and her little pleasures. Maybe she should visit the Emerald House again. It has been some time.

Her gaze fell upon a figure, waiting in front of her home. She frowned. What the hell is Saerion doing here? He was a bit taller than he seemed in the dim light of the council chamber. His dark blue hair fell on his shoulders. He was dressed in expensive black and red robes that shined with golden threads in ornamental patterns across the length of the robes.

“Lord Saerion? To what do I owe the pleasure of your visitation tonight?” she asked, startling him a bit as he didn’t notice her approach.

“Oh, sorry I know it may seem improper, but I believe, we should talk, privately, you know.” he said, watching her intently with his golden eyes.

“Very well then, let me get you something to drink.” Tyrande forced a smile as she opened her door and guided the man to her lounge.

“That would be wonderful, I am quite parched!” exclaimed the elf and followed her. His movements were measured, and deliberate, they reeked of military training, although Tyrande didn’t remember whether or not did he actually get one. She looked at him, pretending to be casual and knew something was going on beneath the surface. She felt no fear, as even with training one man was nothing compared to her power, it was, to her own surprise, a bit of admiration, as she was forced to acknowledge that even though he usually seemed so weak and plain, there was more to him.

He was clearly hiding something, wanting to seem weak, but it seemed as if it was all a game. But what could such a man want? Maybe he wanted to weasel out of the new arrangements they made tonight, maybe he wanted to spend less on the agreed projects. He would find a silent, unmoving and unwavering wall of silence and disdain if that were to be the case.

Whatever it was he wanted, he gave her a soft smile, when she brought them water and a bit of red, Auberdine wine, her favorite. For a while, they spoke of nothing. It was casual but guarded as if they were in the beginning stages of a duel, testing and prodding the opponent’s defenses.

He spoke of the squalor of the refugees and how her speech today moved him and he chose to donate some of his personal wealth to ensure that they get better food and cleaner accommodations if possible. She heartily agreed and mused about how if they all worked together like this, they could build a new future for their people.

He smiled at her, but his gaze went cold. He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out into her private park, walled off from the rest of the Temple complex.

“A new future, you say,” he spoke with intent, slowly, deliberately highlighting each word “What kind of future will it be, Tyrande?”

Did he just casually use my name, thought Tyrande. What is going on? She wanted to jump up and force him to answer her to use her might to solve the enigma that was this man, but instead, she kept sitting and waiting. He took a deep breath and after a moment, continued.

“Do you know, that here, inside this glorious city that we are going to build together, there is a nest of vile, corrupt and treacherous beasts, that skulk in the darkest corners and slither into the purest of minds to spread their vicious tendrils?”

Tyrande felt her heart beating in her throat. What is he talking about? Group of traitors? Why hasn’t he said anything during the council? Or was there someone he could not speak in front of?

“You know of that place, the one I am speaking of?” he turned and looked into her silvery-blue eyes.

“I do not, what is it, tell me.” she said.

He chuckled before turning back toward the window “It is called the Emerald House,” he said, “Not officially, of course, it has no official name as such places tend to be ... secretive.”

Tyrande felt the blood rush into her cheeks. Her heart stopped beating for a moment as a dark thought appeared in her mind.

“You are sure you don’t know of this place? Because I have it on very good authority, that it is actually you, they call Mistress, and that it is you, who owns the place.” he turned back toward her, smiling at the confusion and fear he saw appear in her eyes for the briefest instance.

“What do you want?” she asked him with a voice that was pure ice.

“Oh yes, of course I haven’t come all the way to your home, to just talk, you are quite right. First, let’s say, that you make me leave this place, or even kill me, which you could, I am sure of it. Do you know what happens next? The Emerald House will burn down and every one of you little whores, will be run out of the city, shunned and exiled to live on the outskirts of our society as an uncomfortable memory of a darker time in our history. Your part in this, while I cannot prove now, I am sure would be revealed either during interrogations or after finding some documents in the House. Our laws do not permit such houses to run without scrutiny. What would your priestesses think of you, when they learn the truth?” he paused for a moment, before turning back toward her “That you use some of your priestesses as whores, that you whore yourself out for amusement. They would still probably follow you, although not all of them, certainly, but would the people? When they find out, that while they lived in tents, you built yourself a pleasure den. Would they follow you still?”

Tyrandes mind was racing. First, she thought of saving face and denying the accusations, but he knew way too much, she had no doubt he could prove everything he said.

“And your little whores. Even if I cannot connect you to the House right now, would they keep their mouths shut, if they saw their mistress abandoning them? As we exile them, would not at least one of them turn and say – hey, it was her, she was the one who built the house, exile her with us! – or do you think even after the sharpest of interrogation they would still keep your secret?” he approached her, slowly. It brought him immense pleasure, to see Tyrande like this.

Shocked, confused, afraid.

Tyrande thought of the girls. She cannot give them up. Not only would they be shunned, but undoubtedly tortured and abused until they would reveal her part in this. How did he find all this out?

“Who told you?” she asked as calmly as possible given the circumstances.

“You think you are the only one with a net of spies? Don’t fool yourself, even if I don’t have anyone that fucked you, I know much of what goes on inside that house. Ever since I learned of its existence and its mysterious owner I followed the threads, the scraps of information. I learned a lot about you, Tyrande.”