Cool air slunk slowly over the city, freezing the very edges and shallow areas of the large lake in Darnassus. The night had been one of the few cloudless moments over Teldrassil, and in lieu of the elevation, and the lack of clouds to keep the heat in, the temperature had dropped like a stone cast wantonly into a river. Every door and window that could be shut had been, and not a soul could be seen walking the streets at such an early hour. Not even the baker, whose day had started hours before, was out peddling his wares.

The edges of an open-faced structure glistened with frozen dew, and from the bed, an issue of foggy white breath came steadily from a shivering, sleeping figure.

Shaking hands moved sluggishly across the bed covers that she had fallen asleep on hours before as a pair of glowing eyes opened into mere slits that were still partially gummed with sleep. Having located the blanket, the woman pulled the cloth over her and pressed backward, only to be halted by a solid mass curled close around her form. With a slight start, as her memory of the night before was rather foggy; she looked slowly over her shoulder to see what had hindered her motion.

All at once, she calmed. It was only Brace, curled around her as she slept. Her lips curled gently and she rolled over, carefully trying not to disturb his slumber. Where the glow of his icy eyes would hide it during waking, she could see as he slept the fatigued bags under his eyes. He always seemed to be pushing himself more than was needed in situations that didn't ever warrant being pushed. She disliked that.

As her eyes washed over his form, clothed in well-worn leathers, the Death Knight cracked an eye, having been awakened by the sparse movements of the Druid next to him. As well, he'd heard the changes in her heartbeat and breathing. Such perceptions were both a gift and a curse to the male, for as much as it served him in battle; it was very hard to sleep beside someone peacefully.

"Good morning, Eusane," he said, his voice, though distorted, showing pleasure at her company. He watched as her slender ears twitched just a bit at his words and she looked up at him, lower lip pouted just a little, the way he liked.

"Good morning, Brace," she replied softly, still smiling at him, even as he leaned in and captured her lips in a tender morning kiss. Her eyes closed at the simple contact and he was rewarded with her content sigh as he pulled away. Of all the various sounds the Druidess made, he liked her soft sighs the best. They were feminine and sensual, but didn't sound overtly sexual in nature. They were... gentle. Just like she was.

She was the perfect balance to him and his destructive nature.

His quiet contemplation of his new interest continued, his bright blue eyes traveling over her face, across her high cheekbones and slender nose above a full pout. It didn't take long for his eyes to meet hers once again. The Death Knight was pleased to find that his intent study of her features had elicited a small blush on her pale skin. Of all the wide array of skin colors that Night Elves could possess, Eusane's was certainly the closest to what one would expect of most other races. It was a pale pinkish-purple, and it went well with her bright, white hair. Then again, he supposed he would have thought the same about any other color combination. After all, as he'd once heard someone say, he 'didn't much care about the packaging'.

His hand was placed upon the small of her back, pulling her closer in a tender gesture, allowing her to pull the blanket over him so that she could remain warm, but also close. Brace knew that, even if it had been a balmy morning, she would've felt the difference in their body temperatures acutely. He glanced outside. It must be even more uncomfortable this morning. He could practically feel the ice in the air…

…and he could hear the screams. His eyes unfocused, listening to the sounds of ringing metal and shouting. His lungs forced air out of him like a punch to the gut as he looked down to find a rigid, wide-eyed body in his arms and blood on his hands. Outside, he could hear the rasping, grating cries of undead gryphons as they carried in their cursed riders. He felt the horrid, clutching sensation gripping at his still heart, compelling him to come out and help with the destruction of Darnassus. Brace shuddered and closed his eyes, trying to resist the unearthly gravity of the Lich King's call…

…Brace…

Come out.

Kill them all…

Brace…

…Brace…

Brace!

"BRACE!"

Eusane shook the Death Knight, worry coloring her silver eyes. At once, he blinked and gasped, crushing her to him and burying his face in her neck with a shudder. She was slightly confused, but more than anything, concerned, and she held him just as tightly as she could.

"Hush, Brace… I'm here," she soothed in her genteel voice, her hands rubbing slowly over his broad back as he shuddered and panted into the crook of her neck. The Druid didn't need to ask what had happened. She'd read the panic-stricken look in his eyes well enough, and she'd noted the far-away look he'd had, as a cold even more unnatural than the unseasonable frost had crept into the room. Even for Brace, who had been loyal to the Ebon Blade for quite some time, the pull of Arthas was not something that could be easily ignored. The terrible king in the Frozen North, betrayer of Lordaeron, would always have some sway over Brace, try as he may to resist…

Eusane growled softly in her displeasure…

…a sound that quickly morphed into a quiet moan. Her anger at Northrend had blocked all from her mind for a moment, but Brace's insistent lips traveling over her neck were hard to ignore for long. He seemed bound and determined to forget his worries in her skin, and the Druidess could find no reason to complain. Quite frankly, she was tired of his insistence on moving their physical relationship so slowly.

She'd already promised herself to him, including the maidenhead she'd long been saving. Long had she dedicated centuries to her work as a druid, years spent alone in the wilds of Kalimdor. She'd worked against the corruption in Felwood and Feralas, against the Silithid in the southern parts of the continent. She'd done a stint of time in the Outlands, fighting back the Naga out of a scarred and dying Zangermarsh… She'd even gone to Northrend and put her life on the line, going to combat against the living and undead foes of the Borean Tundra to save countless lives… None of that had ever provided the time, nor the opportunity, for her to develop a relationship of any kind, let alone one with enough investment to give herself to someone she cared for.

And now, she could see no better way to spend the immediate future than here with Brace, making up for a lifetime spent alone.

Her lips parted in a quiet gasp as his teeth nipped at the sensitive skin below her ear. The woman shivered and placed her hands on his chest, eyes barely open. His hand on her back applied a bit of pressure, lifting her up just enough to adjust their position on the bed. As her back touched the mattress, Eusane looked up to meet the eyes of the Death Knight hovering over her. There was a fire there that she'd seen hints of before, but never had she seen the flame quite like this. She felt a pleasant twinge in the pit of her stomach.

The two looked at each other for several long moments, their breathing quiet and measured, though Eusane's was a little quicker than Brace's. Outside, they could hear the first sounds of life from the street below; brave souls venturing out into the unusually-frigid city. As a hand traveled up her side, slipping beneath the light robe she'd worn to bed, Eusane wondered if the cold was really as bad as she'd originally thought. The temperature of Brace's skin was comparable to that of the outside air, but he made the cold infinitely more enjoyable.

Reaching up, the elf placed her hands on both sides of her lover's face and leaned up, sealing her lips against his. She closed her eyes as he exhaled. A gentle whimper was given as he nipped at her again, her cheeks filling with color. Her hands slipped off his cheeks, arms instead wrapping around his shoulders, holding their bodies close together. It only took a moment for her head to tip slightly to one side as she moved to deepen the contact between them. Brace gladly obliged her, teasing her lower lip with tongue and teeth, causing her to whimper again.

After a few extended minutes, Brace pulled his mouth away, watching as lovely color flooded her cheeks. She was panting and her tongue ran over her lips, clearly wanting more. He grinned and leaned down, nuzzling at her throat, causing her to shiver with pleasure. They'd gotten to this point many times before, so this was nothing new. He already had in his mind the expectations for this part of their tryst.

So it was not surprising to him when she gave a soft whine… nor when she arched impatiently against him as he kissed a slow, teasing line over her throat. Her fingers laced in his hair and tugged dully a few times at the strands, and his hands continued their exploration of her sides. He only allowed himself to wander as far as the tie of her robe for the moment, letting her work up a fierce need before he would even untie it. The elf knew very well that even the patience of a Druid had limits. Especially his Druid.

Caught again in his trap, Eusane attempted to look up at the other with hazy eyes, the glowing silver clouded with lust. She could see him grinning as he hardly touched her, fingertip just barely grazing the sensitive skin of her sides. Damn him.

A swift motion caught his hand, and the woman brought his hand to her lips. Each fingertip was kissed in turn, a slow process that started at the thumb. As she reached his pinky, her tongue curled wetly around the digit, letting her instincts guide her motions. She wasn't innocent of the mechanics of these things… She just hadn't actually done them. Suckling at the finger, she looked up at him with half-lidded eyes, taking it in to the knuckle.

Brace groaned then, eyes fluttering closed against the sensation, as if that action alone could protect him against the intensity of the sensation. It had been far too long since he'd last experienced anything of the like… Northrend was a busy place, and though he'd spent almost every moment with his fiancé until they'd been taken by the scourge, it had still been a long while.

Pleased with the reaction, she continued, moaning in a satisfied way around his finger. Her fingers wrapped deftly around his wrist, holding his hand in place as she moved on to another finger, giving it the same treatment. As she moved down his hand, he shuddered and gave a small, breathy groan, to which she made her own sound and intensified her teasing.

It was all the elf could take to not pin his lover down and have at her right then. Her tongue was a sweet torture as it worked. He knew she was a quick study, and he was willing to bet all the gold in his pack that she'd learned this simply by picking up on the conversations of other women that had been stationed around her during her various assignments with the Cernarion Circle. He grinned at the thought of the other things he'd be able to teach her.

As she finished, she let his last finger go with a small, wet sound and blew a bit of cool air across the tips. Her chest rose and fell at a slightly quickened tempo. Brace hardly gave her a moment to breathe as he pressed toward her once again, his lips catching hers. She whimpered and kissed back, eager to please and be pleased for her efforts.

Almost at once, though, she stilled, her cheeks flushing in the slightest once more. The Death Knight's hands moved with purpose toward the tie of her robe and his fingertips drug along her body the whole way. Eusane gave a quiet moan as his fingers teased her skin through the thin fabric. He leaned in, forehead pressed to hers, as he untied the strip of fabric and parted it, leaving her skin bare to his eyes.

At once, he noticed the goose bumps and felt a twinge of guilt. He could smell the cold in the air, and he knew she was infinitely more sensitive to it than he. But at the same time, he pondered on the fact that those little raised bumps could be from a very different cause.

"Are you cold…?" His voice betrayed nothing as he asked in a quiet tone. It was just another mark to signify Arthas' flawless creation. A voice without emotion. There was emotion there, but his vocal cords only worked in one tone…

"A l-little," she confessed, but as he moved to cover her up, her hands quickly stilled his. She shook her head. "N-no, I don't w-want to stop…" A kiss was given. "I'm ready, and th-this might be the o-only time we won't be in-interrupted for a while…" she chattered away, and he could tell that her stutter was just as much from the chill in the air as it was from the heat between her thighs.

He nodded, a slight smirk on his face. She might be cold, but his little Druid knew what she wanted, and he was more than happy to give it to her. All the same, he tucked himself closer to her and pulled the blanket tighter. His body would absorb some of the heat that she was giving off, quickly in the tight confines of the blanket, and it would quickly be more bearable for her to be pressed against him.

The woman wiggled against her partner, her arms going around him. A small hiss escaped her lips as she pressed herself against him. The leathers he wore were cold on her bare skin. Her fingers twisted lower, moving over each of the clasps of his tunic before letting the whole article fall open as well. She pushed it slowly off of him, still chilled as her body touched his; he was still cold.

He helped her remove the offending clothing, and then wrapped his arms securely around her, only to pull off her robe in a smooth motion a moment after. As soon as she was naked, he pulled her against him once more. She shivered, and he nuzzled softly at the skin of her neck, just below her ear.

"Shh, love… I know I'm cold, but if you let me hold you like this for a little while, I'll warm up because of you," he murmured softly, nibbling at her sensitive ear in the process. It earned him a moan and the slightest, impatient brush of her hips against his. Once more, he grinned. Eusane was so impatient when horny.

The sound of barely-contained breathing was all that could be heard for a few moments as the female did her best to rest as much of her skin against his as she could. She knew it would be best for her in the end, since he was trying to warm himself a little to keep her from freezing… But still, she wanted him now, not later.

Delicate hands lifted, trailing her fingertips and nails in a teasing way over the skin of his back. She traced nonsense patterns over the skin and, shyly, began kissing over his clavicle and shoulder. Her fingers move from his back up his sides, then over his abs in a slow dance of motion. Nipping and kissing, she made her way up his neck as far as she could, and then moved to repeat the motion on the other side.

Brace shuddered, hard, and grasped her chin, his mouth once again urgent upon hers. She responded in kind, all-too-eager for things to progress. As far as she was concerned, the blanket around them was all the more warmth she needed. Her hips gave an insistent twitch against his.

The elf's brow drew down slightly in contemplation as he ran his hand slowly down her body. It started from the chin and worked lower, caressing her throat, feeling the rapid, hot flare of her pulse as she whimpered into the kiss. Slowly, as if moving through some sort of sludge, his brain was bringing some disturbing news to the front of his thinking. His fingers spread wide as he moved from her collarbone down between her breasts, taking the slightest of detours to tease her nipples for a moment. She whined again and it beat sharper against his brain, throwing the thought into slightly better focus.

As he bent his head to nuzzle and kiss at the supple mounds of flesh, his brows depressed another notch. She moaned freely now, unhindered by the press of his lips, and the realization pressed at him, almost clear. With one last, smooth motion, his finger circling her navel, Eusane gasped and bucked her hips toward the source of the pleasure and it finally dawned on him. His forehead came to rest between her breasts with a sigh, and he placed the flat of his hand on her belly.

Becoming a Death Knight had taken more of a toll on him than he'd ever expected to. A soft groan was given as he let the magnitude of the situation settle itself upon his shoulders. True, he'd never expected to feel this way about a person again… He'd thought that his unlife would be spent fighting the scourge and Arthas, to repay him the unkindness of misery that had been done unto him and countless others.

Brace looked up slightly to see a pair of slitted, silver eyes that were filled with nothing but love and want… He sighed again and moved to kiss her, his motion full of the apology he couldn't yet voice. She kissed back, and he could tell she knew that something was wrong. At once, she reached up, her hands on his face, soothing and asking for answers all at the same time. Once again, his eyes opened.

"What's wrong, Brace?" she asked, her voice cracking a little with want. Her chest was still heaving in the slightest, her fold slick and waiting. But wait was the keyword, for the sudden change in demeanor of her lover had taken the forefront of her mind. A certain dejected look was present in his features, and at once, she wondered if she'd done something wrong.

"It seems, love…" he started, and she met his expression with curiosity and concern. His voice never faltered, but carried on in the same tone as it did with any other situation, though the words came slower than usual. "Do you remember, Eusane, when I told you that I've no pulse?"

She nodded and tried to piece together what this had to do with…

He arched a brow very slightly, waiting for it to resolve in her mind.

'Oh…'

All at once, she was kissing him with a fierce intensity, and Brace was thrown off track a little. He faltered for once, and it only served for the druidess to deepen the kiss further. Her arms settled around him, hugging him close. After a moment, he gained back enough sense to kiss her back, though in a subdued fashion. She pulled back enough to speak.

"Brace, it's ok…" Her lips were at his ear, her hands soothing along his back and neck, stroking through his hair. "I've lived this long without, and honestly…" She pulled away from his ear to rest her forehead against his, meeting his eyes with a tender expression. "I'll go my whole existence without if it means I can spend all my nights in your arms." The tip of her nose was rubbed affectionately against his. "I love you, and I don't need sex to know that."

The Death Knight felt floored. He forgot to breathe entirely, but as breathing was just something he did out of habit, rather than necessity, it didn't matter so much. This woman… She was so willing to give up a lifetime of pleasure that could be offered to her by whole, living men… Just so she could spend that time at his side… He knew that, had he been living, he would've been better able to express what he felt at this, but her couldn't. Instead, he simply crushed his lips against hers and hoped she could understand that just as well.

The muffled, happy whimper and her hands lacing in his hair seemed to mean that she did. After a moment, he pulled away, watching with intense fascination as she panted heavily. Again, his voice was flat, but he knew she could read the underlying emotion that they should contain. She'd been able to read everything about him from the beginning. Even the things he hadn't been able to read in himself.

"I'll do my best to give you what you need, Eusane. If in the future, you wish to find someone that can better satisfy your needs, I won't hold it against you. Your happiness is everything to me, and I'd give anything to see that you get it, even if it isn'—"

Her lips silenced him and he looked at her questioningly for a moment. There were small beads of moisture in the corners of her eyes, and he reached for them, catching them on his thumb. Concern colored his icy eyes, even when his voice betrayed nothing.

"Why are you crying?"

"Please… Don't speak of turning me over to someone else… I don't need that sort of pleasure t-to be h-happy…" She looked up at him, the tips of her long, dainty ears drooping sadly. He ran a thumb along her high cheekbone and cupped her face. Truly, she meant it.

"If… that is what you want, my love," he said slowly, his mouth working hard around the words, still taken by surprised at her level of dedication to him. One of his hands moved slowly to her hip.

"If you are not opposed, I would still like to do for you what I can," he said, a small upward turn tugging at the corner of his mouth, reassured by her words and actions. To emphasize his point, he dragged the hand slowly from her hip across her belly, watching her shudder with satisfaction. The muscles tensed under his fingertips and she whimpered just slightly.

"I-if you want… I wouldn't be o-opposed…"

Without another word, they were kissing again, but a change had settled into the contact. It was as if the exchange had fused something between them. As if nothing had even occurred, Brace's index finger circled her navel once more. Upon leaving the spot, the rest of his fingers touched skin, moving slowly downward. He teased the small patch of curls nestled between her thighs and listened with relish as she moaned and panted. He could certainly spend the rest of his time on Azeroth in this arrangement.

Panting and shuddering, and trying to moan all at once was quite the feat, the woman decided. She could feel every stroke of his fingers like the details of a painting. Even if she'd wanted to move, there was no way it would be possible. His attention to his body had pinned her more effectively than any means of physical restraint. She licked her lips to keep them from chapping.

His fingertips trailed down, avoiding her wet folds for the moment. Instead, he traced them gently along her inner thighs to make her squirm. And squirm she did, mewling in ecstasy as he teased her relentlessly. She nipped at his lower lip, her eyes barely open as she panted and pawed wantonly at him.

"Please… Touch me…" she urged, kissing him very lightly. His self-control nearly shattered with that. Kissing her fiercely, he moved his hand to cup her sex. The resulting gasp was delicious to his ears and he grinned once more, nipping at her ear as she writhed against his hand. He stroked feather-light touches over her folds, listening to each sound she made with pleasure.

"Something tells me you want this…" he murmured as she moaned, and the woman nodded in response, panting too hard to speak. Her teeth clamped down on her lower lip as he slid a digit into her slowly. It may not have been what she was expecting, but it still felt amazing and she wasn't about to complain. Rather, she rewarded him with another soft moan.

Shifting his weight onto his free arm, propping himself up with an elbow, Brace kept himself pressed close to her. His forehead was pressed against her temple, lips working steadily along her jaw and earlobe as his hand worked between her thighs. Her whimpers drove his hand faster, feeding the cycle. As he added a second finger, she stilled for a moment, trying to keep control of herself for long enough to adjust to the slight discomfort.

Eusane turned her head slightly to leave her lips a hair's breadth from his. Her eyes were forced open for a moment, though only half way, and she locked gazes with him. It caused her cheeks to flush. For a moment, all she could do was pant and tremble against him. The arm supporting his weight moved, pulling her closer, and she pressed her lips to his. With a soft whine into the kiss, her hips pressed against his hand, grinding into the contact.

"More…"

With a smirk, Brace obliged.

---

Quiet, subsiding whimpers and the soft sound of panting filled the close space, sounding at odds with the steady breathing of the second body in the room. Bright blue eyes were half-closed in pleasant contemplation as Brace surveyed his lover where she lay against him. Her white hair was fanned out against the pillow in places, while other strands stuck to her sweat-slicked body and brightly-flushed cheeks. As he watched her, she cracked open an eye.

"Now you've tired me out… We'll get nothing done all day," she complained lightly, her lips still curled into a pleased expression. He mirrored the expression, even though his voice didn't.

"Would you rather I'd not given you what you asked for, my love?" he asked teasingly, moving a hand to tease one of her breasts to emphasize his point. At once, her breathing halted and then resumed a little less evenly than before. "…even though you seemed to enjoy it when you clawed at my back and screamed my name."

"I never said that…" Her muttered words served to darken her cheeks. For a moment, she gazed outside over the crest of the blanket around her. "I suppose it's just as well we stay inside while it's still so cool."