Invitations and Refusal

Sylvanas carried the scent of roses, and Nathanos was momentarily captivated. However, he snapped back to reality when the Female Elf's fingertips touched the back of his hand and instinctively backed away.

"What kind of magic is this?" Nathanos stared at those blue-gray eyes, which shone brightly in the golden light.

Sylvanas answered him with a smile, a smile that held a hint of mischief, yet also a touch of genuine warmth. How many times had she smiled at him like this? Nathanos was curious about what she was smiling about. It must be related to him, but he didn't like this feeling; he felt this way with Alleria, and he felt this way with her too. The setting sun illuminated her perfectly symmetrical features, Nathanos, before the Female Elf could answer, got a clear look at her face. She was truly beautiful.

The two didn't exchange many words. Nathanos then experienced the warmth of the Windrunner family that Sylvanas had described: a room with a magic lamp, a bed, and a few books to pass the time. But importantly, the door was locked, and two Ranger guards stood outside; it seemed Sylvanas had no intention of letting him leave.

'Excellent, let's see who wins!' he sneered. The Elf took his weapon but did not search him for anything else.

'I entered from the Windrunner Village entrance, walked straight for 1037 steps, and then met Lirath. When I was taken to the interrogation area...' Nathanos calculated in his mind, recalling Sylvanas's smile. He was angry; the Female Elf was constantly tormenting him, and even now she was interfering. He calmed down slightly. 'After two turns, a total of 349 steps, with two spires around. Finally brought here, four turns, 106 steps. Excellent, perfect.' Nathanos mentally sketched a simple map. His distance control was extremely precise because he had rigorously trained himself on how to control the distance of each step. He believed Sylvanas wouldn't notice this; who would notice a person's one-step distance? Next, he needed to plan how to leave. But before that, Nathanos couldn't guarantee that Sylvanas wouldn't come to see him. At least she would come again, today, and then he could carry out his plan.

Ten minutes later, Sylvanas came to see him as he expected, carrying some food: a large piece of freshly steamed bread, a glass of grape juice, and a few slices of apple.

"What a feast," Nathanos murmured, sitting in the corner as the Female Elf knelt down and placed the food before him. She returned his smile with a faint one, a facade that left Nathanos unable to decipher her thoughts. The Female Elf removed her daytime attire, and without her cloak, she appeared even more alluring, a distraction that only heightened his senses.

"When can I leave?" Nathanos asked. A voice inside him seemed to tell him: You can't leave. Nathanos seemed to hear that answer, but it wasn't from Sylvanas, and he didn't want the Female Elf to reply like that.

"Are you in such a hurry to leave?" The Female Elf stood up, looking down at him, a smile still playing on her lips. Nathanos was watching her expression closely, but he only saw a string of question marks.

"Yes, exactly." Nathanos nodded. "I have no reason to stay here."

"My sister Alleria mentioned you in detail in her letter, and I believe she is very interested in you. She has never described a woman in such detail before. She said that you shot an Orcs in the head from 500 meters away, saving her life."

"Is there a problem? It's very simple for me, and I won't Alleria for her praise; she deserves half the credit for my imprisonment here."

Sylvanas was somewhat skeptical of his confidence, but she also didn't believe that what Alleria wrote in her letter was false. She then asked, "Your abilities truly amaze me. Alleria also told me that you accurately predicted the Horde's actions."

Nathanos shrugged, completely unconcerned, because nobody believed him at the time, except for Larein. Sylvanas went on to talk about other things, but Nathanos felt the Female Elf had only approached him out of curiosity, and they hadn't gotten to the main topic yet.

"Speak frankly, Ranger-General."

"Alright, then I'll get straight to the point." The Female Elf sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, "I've examined your weapon." Her eyes suddenly softened. "This is yours, isn't it?"

She placed a small knife in front of Nathanos. The human, of course, remembered it; he had once used it to save Sylvanas's life. Nathanos turned his head away, refusing to look again, and remained silent.

"It seems it was you after all."

"I don't think you'd take such trivial matters to heart, after all, your duties keep you very busy."

"Yes, I won't." She nodded and continued, "Then let me ask you some more important questions: Would you like to join the ranks of the Farstrider?"

"What?" Nathanos looked surprised, which was exactly what Sylvanas had expected.

"Would you like to become a Ranger and serve in my army? I can give you a chance. I see from your bow and arrows that you have this inclination, except you are a human," Sylvanas said a second time, this time in more detail.

Nathanos felt as if he had heard a colossal joke. It seemed incredibly tempting; if he accepted, he would become the first Ranger in human history, a source of immense pride for his family. But Nathanos was puzzled: why was she inviting him?

The Female Elf saw through the human's thoughts and continued, "I will not bury any talented person, nor will I care whether he is a human or Elf."

"And what about your soldiers? What will they think?" Nathanos countered, testing the Female Elf's resolve, and it worked quite well; Sylvanas's attitude was clear.

"The soldiers' Will should be aligned with their leader. I don't care about their opinions; I only need your answer. Tell me, Nathanos, are you willing to serve me?"

"You seem confident of victory, but my answer will disappoint you." The human downed the grape juice in one gulp. "I will not join your forces; it's better for both of us. You won't suffer the gossip of others, and I won't serve anyone."

Would this answer make her angry? Nathanos wondered, but it didn't; Sylvanas's voice was as pleasant as ever. He suspected that even when she was angry, her voice would still be the same.

"It seems Alleria was right, you are quite stubborn." She smiled, even more pleased with him. "But your refusal has damaged my dignity, and whether out of personal feelings or duty, I cannot let you go."

"I don't understand why you did this."

"You can escape from here, by any means necessary, as long as you don't harm my Ranger. And I won't stop you. Let me see your abilities with my own eyes." The Female Elf rose to leave, glancing at him again at the door. The human had already closed his eyes, silently bidding her farewell. As she turned her head, the door closed.

"Until we meet again, Sylvanas." Nathanos stared at the leftover food and the cutlery on it.