A collection of vignettes that take place during the course of the 'Lion of the Alliance' series. These are short scenes that didn't necessarily have a place within the flow of the main storyline, but that still wanted to be told. They are mostly fun and fluffy, and may not be presented in chronological order.
The current chapter takes place around three weeks after the conclusion of Lion's Triumph.
Eggnog
A light snow fell upon Stormwind Keep as Varian sat down to Winter Veil dinner in his private dining chambers. The room itself looked magnificent, the walls decked with holly and the enormous oak table set aglow by the light of hundreds of candles. It was a warm, happy place, and although Varian was one to be especially moved by the spirit of the season, even he felt heartened to have his friends and family sitting all around. Stormwind's Winter Veil Ball would be held the following night, as was tradition, but tonight was a far less formal affair. This was a dinner for those closest to the King of Stormwind alone; a time to forget war and duty, and to instead celebrate the simple pleasures of good wine and good company.
In attendance were Genn and Mia Greymane, along with their daughter, Tess. Mia and Tess typically spent most of their time at the worgen enclave in Darnassus, and it was a rare pleasure for Genn to have the company of his family. He was clearly overjoyed to have his wife and only daughter by his side for Winter Veil, and he had been as genial and animated as Varian had ever seen them. Tess, too, seemed excited to be visiting Stormwind. She was a few years older than Anduin, and from all accounts she was a sharp and adventurous young woman. She and Anduin had been getting along famously, much to Genn's delight, though Varian wondered how much it had to do with personality, and how much due to the fact that they were the only two living royal heirs in the Alliance. Anduin had never really had any peers his own age, and Varian suspected Tess may have suffered from a similar problem. It was nice to see the two young people so bright and happy around the Keep, and Varian was immensely glad that he had extended both Tess and Mia an invitation.
Jaina and Kalec had also arrived in Stormwind a few hours before the dinner, and would be staying to attend the Ball. Jaina had come bearing mountains of presents, chief amongst them two very lumpy Winter Veil sweaters that Varian strongly suspected she had knitted herself. Anduin had been gifted a cream coloured sweater adorned by dopey, lopsided lion, while Varian had received a dark blue sweater embroidered with a rather sad looking white wolf. Anduin had donned his sweater immediately, delighted by the gift, though Varian had taken considerably more persuading. He had eventually relented under the combined assault of Anduin's pleading and Jaina's wide-eyed pouting, and had reluctantly pulled the sweater on over his otherwise plain tunic. The sweater was somehow even uglier when stretched across his enormous barrel chest, but he rather felt it was worth wearing the thing after he caught sight of Auriana failing to hide a broad grin behind her hand.
Varian had also invited his old friends Broll Bearmantle and Valeera Sanguinar, though sadly neither had been able to attend. He had wanted to introduce them both to Auriana, though on reflection, it may have been better to leave such introductions for a later time. Ever since the Draenor victory parade, when Auriana had kissed him in front of the entire city, she had been caught up in a whirlwind of attention and rumours. She had handled herself well, Varian felt, though he knew being suddenly thrust into noble life had put a great strain on her. Strangely enough, however, the private dinner had seemed to worry her more than any public appearances. She knew Anduin very well, of course, and had at least worked with both Jaina and Kalec, but she was less certain about the Greymanes. It was clearly very important to Auriana that she was well received amongst Varian's friends and peers, and in the end he decided it was probably best that she were not overwhelmed by too many new faces all at once.
Still, Auriana had risen to the occasion, despite her fears, and Varian could hardly take his eyes off her from where she sat opposite him at the dinner table. She had worn a gorgeous, dark green velvet dress that emphasised her tiny waist, and showed off her figure to great effect. Her hair was wound about her head in a series of elaborate, shining braids, and she had even chosen to wear a stunning set of jewels in her ears. She looked quite simply radiant, and as the night wore on, Varian found himself concentrating less on his meal and more on what it might be like to kiss her soft, rosy lips...
That was not to cast aspersions on the hard working men and women in the kitchens, of course. Dinner had been wonderful; a simple but sumptuous feast of roast beef, potatoes, vegetables and rich, delicious gravy. The meal had been accompanied by a generous supply of red wine and a creamy, brandy-laced eggnog, and everyone in the group was more than sated by the time they retired to Varian's parlour to drink and talk the night away.
It was warm and comfortable in the salon, and Varian was pleased that he was able to afford his friends and family a space where they could relax and enjoy themselves, free of their troubles and safe from the biting cold outside. He had even asked some of the Keep's gnomish engineers to rig up a gramophone, which now livened the room with a light, cheerful tune. Kalec had pulled up a chair by the roaring fire, and was now chatting animatedly with Jaina, who had unabashedly taken a seat in his lap. The blonde archmage was surprisingly giggly, and Varian suspected that she had drunk more than her fair share of the rather alcoholic eggnog. That said, seeing her happy and carefree had been a rare sight of late, and he did not begrudge her letting her hair down in the slightest.
Anduin, Genn, and Tess had immediately settled down around the table to play a round of cards. They had offered for Auriana to join them, but she had instead decided to take a seat off to the side so that she could observe the game. Admittedly, there was very little to watch, as there was soon far more laughing and excitable shouting than there was actual card playing, but Auriana seemed content to watch the others just the same. Much like Jaina, Anduin had clearly taken the opportunity to avail himself of the eggnog, though it had taken considerably less of the stuff to lower his inhibitions, than hers. Tess, especially, seemed to find his intoxication hilarious, and she egged him on at every turn.
Mia Greymane had not joined either group, and instead stood by the Winter Veil tree as she observed the proceeding with a warm, gentle smile. She was a tall, handsome woman, and she looked every inch the queen as she stood sipping her wine by the light of the fire. Varian had met Mia only a handful of times, given that she spent most of her days in Darnassus, but he had always been struck by her quick wit and regal demeanour. She was proud and passionate woman, as Gilneans tended to be, but her passion had always struck Varian as being cooler and more considered than her husband's. If Genn were the raging fire, then she was the smouldering embers; a slower burn, perhaps, but one no less dangerous. They were a complementary pair, the King and Queen of Gilneas, and more than that, Varian knew their marriage was one of love, and not merely one of politics.
"Mia," he acknowledged her warmly, as he came up to stand by her side. "I trust you've enjoyed your evening thus far?"
"Very much so. The night elves have been incredibly generous in their hospitality toward Tess and I, but I admit, it is good to be reunited with my husband once again," Mia smiled. "You will forgive us if Genn and I leave a little early tonight, yes?"
She gave him a sly, bawdy little wink, and Varian wondered if Jaina and Anduin were not the only two who had been enjoying the eggnog.
"I would never dream of standing between a wife and her husband," he assured her. "Especially not when it's so cold outside."
To Mia's evident surprise, Varian returned her wink, and she let out a soft laugh of delight.
"You are a man of great honour then, King Varian. A toast to your good health," she replied, clinking her wine glass softly against his.
She glanced affectionately over towards her husband, before her clever gaze met Varian's once more.
"Quite a delicate little thing, isn't she, your archmage?" Mia remarked.
She nodded towards Auriana, who was smiling shyly as she watched Anduin and Tess gleefully flick playing cards at one another's heads across the table.
"I would advise not calling her 'delicate' to her face. You may find yourself on the receiving end of a well-placed fireball," Varian said, grinning wolfishly. "But… yes. She's very little."
"She seems to be handling things in Stormwind quite well."
"I think so, too, though I won't deny it's taken some… adjusting," Varian admitted.
"Well, it's a rather large change, isn't it?" Mia mused. "She's gone from being an anonymous commander to the consort of a king - quite literally overnight. It would be enough to give anyone pause."
Her expression was kind, and Varian suddenly realised that she was one of the few people in the world who might understand the position in which Auriana had so suddenly found herself. Mia had been a noblewoman since birth, of course, but it was another thing entirely to be the wife of a king.
"I… worry about her," Varian muttered.
"I can tell. You've hardly looked away from her all night," Mia noted, though it was clear that she did not disapprove.
"Perhaps, though that might have more to do with that dress anything else," Varian confessed, unable to stop himself from admiring the contrast between Auriana's silvery skin and the dark green of her dress, or the way the firelight caught her hair.
Mia let out another soft, charming laugh, and patted his arm with a motherly air.
"You've lead a very lonely life, Varian. It's nice to see that change," she said brightly. "Genn and I were very pleased to hear of your relationship. And I'm sure she'll get along just fine. From all accounts, she's brave, and clever… and she has you."
Varian nodded in acknowledgement of Mia's kind words, though they did not bring him as much comfort as he might have hoped. Auriana had been quiet for most of the evening, preferring to listen and watch than to contribute to the conversation more directly. Even now, she was simply a quiet observer to the gleeful, boisterous card fight going on between Anduin and Tess; the two young royals having completely abandoned any pretense of trying to play cards properly. Not that there was anything wrong with Auriana's silence, of course, but Varian worried it was symptomatic of a deeper issue. He frowned, wondering whether he should have an encouraging word with her, when she suddenly leaned forward in her chair and spoke.
"Do you want to see a magic trick?"
Anduin and Tess paused their frantic card battle, and they both turned to look curiously at Auriana.
"A magic trick?" Tess repeated, pulling a stray ace from her hair.
"Hold on, Auri, you're a mage! It's not a really a trick if you can use actual magic," Anduin huffed, with an exaggerated roll of his eyes.
"I promise, I won't cheat," Auriana said seriously. "Besides, you would know if I had. These days, I light up like a Winter Veil tree if I even so much as think about using my powers."
To emphasis her point, she called upon her magic, and her arms and eyes flashed briefly brilliant white.
"See? I am no longer a subtle mage."
"You were never a subtle mage, Auri," Jaina chimed in, smirking wickedly over the top of her glass as she took another sip of eggnog.
Auriana scowled, and Varian was forced to hide a smile behind his own drink as a wave of gentle laughter rippled around the room. Not everyone present had seen Auriana in action, but her reputation was both well known and well deserved.
"I won't cheat," she repeated firmly, turning her attention back to Anduin. "Does anyone have a coin?"
"I do, I think," he replied, and he quickly dug around in his pockets.
Auriana held out her right hand, and Anduin placed a gold coin firmly in the centre of her palm. Her lips quirked in mild amusement, and she kept her eyes firmly trained on the prince as she began to roll the coin back and forth across her knuckles with increasing speed. The dexterity and finesse with which she performed was undeniably impressive, and even Varian found himself being drawn in by her act. He had seen quite a few tricks in his lifetime, but he had never suspected that Auriana, of all people, would have had any particular interest in prestidigitation - especially when considering what she could do with real magic.
"Keep your eyes on the coin," she instructed, grinning shyly. "If you're not watching closely, it might… disappear."
She suddenly flicked her wrist, and turned her palm forward towards Anduin to show him that the coin had vanished. He gasped in surprise, and reached forward to grab her hand so that he could see for himself that it was empty.
"That's easy. The coin is in your other hand," Tess said confidently, folding her arms across her chest with a satisfied smirk.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Auriana raised her left hand as requested, then turned both hands back and forth so that the entire room could see that the coin was nowhere to be found. Tess scowled slightly as she tried to figure out Auriana's trick, but Anduin was simply captivated. He clapped his hands excitedly; and so too, surprisingly, did Kalec.
"But where did it go?" the dragon demanded curiously. "You didn't use your magic! Even if you had somehow glamoured your scars, I would have felt you cast."
He seemed genuinely amazed, and Varian snorted in amusement. Evidently, sleight of hand was not a common pastime amongst the dragonflights, and Kalec's expression was simultaneously one of bafflement and delight. He was clever and well-educated, but no matter how mortal he may have looked in his current form, it seemed that there were still some aspects of the human experience that had entirely eluded him. Varian looked towards Jaina, and he could tell from the redness in her cheeks and the slight tremor in her shoulders that she was trying very hard not to laugh out loud.
"It's a mystery," Auriana murmured, her voice low and strangely hypnotic. "Sometimes in life, however - if you're really lucky - the things that you thought you had lost… manage to find their way back home."
This time, she flicked her left wrist back, and the coin appeared out of nowhere to roll across the top of her knuckles once more. The movement of the coin was just as smooth on her left hand as it was on her right, and Varian couldn't help but to wonder how long she had practiced to be able to perform the skill ambidextrously.
"How?" Kalec repeated, thoroughly entranced. "It's magic, it has to be. Some kind of illusion charm, or perhaps a modification of a translocation spell…"
"There are many kinds of magic in this world," Auriana smiled, her eyes sparkling with good humour. "You, of all people, should know that better than most."
She flipped the coin high into the air, and watched it tumble end over end as it fell back towards her. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and she clapped her hands together at the last second to catch the coin between her palms. She paused, allowing the tension to build for a few long moments, before she pulled her hands apart with a graceful flourish to reveal that the coin had completely vanished once again. Anduin laughed in open admiration, and even Tess looked suitably impressed. Kalec, however, was more taken than anyone else, and his eyes lit up as he searched for any sign of the wayward coin.
"Bring it back!" he cried eagerly.
"I don't know if I can," Auriana grinned teasingly. "The coin goes where it pleases, you see... but wait… what is that?"
She rose to her feet and walked the few steps across the room towards the dragon, her forehead creased in an expression of mock concern. Kalec leaned forward in anticipation, almost knocking Jaina off his lap as he did, and his eyes widened in curiosity as Auriana reached over to brush a lock of his blue hair back behind his ear. Her fingers lingered for the briefest second, and when she pulled back, the shining gold coin was pinned triumphantly between her middle and index fingers.
Kalec was the first to applaud, but this time the entire room joined in as Auriana accepted his approval with a small, graceful curtsy. Anduin's eyes were as wide as saucers, though that may have had more to do with the amount of eggnog he had consumed than Auriana's trick.
"Bravo, my girl!" Genn said, lifting his brandy glass high in the air. "Very clever."
"Really, though," Tess asked excitedly, "Where did you learn to do that?"
"My father taught me," Auriana explained shyly, suddenly very aware that all eyes were on her. "I spent my summers on his ship as a child. His crew were… interesting fellows, to say the least, and they taught me all sort of tricks with coins and cards. Mostly because they thought it was funny to take me into taverns, and have me use my skills to swindle other sailors out of their money."
Varian chuckled as he pictured Auriana as a tiny child, taking drunken mariners for all they were worth. It was an amusing image, and he was evidently not the only one who thought so, as Anduin, Genn and Tess all roared with laughter.
"Your father taught you how to hustle sailors?" Anduin exclaimed.
"Not his… ah… finest… parenting moment, I'll admit," Auriana said wryly. "But it was… fun."
Her face grew slightly wistful at the mention of her late father, but the expression was so fleeting that Varian doubted anyone else would have noticed.
"Here," she said kindly, placing the coin in Kalec's hand and carefully folding his fingers up around the cool metal. "A magical coin, for a master of magic. Happy Winter Veil."
"Thank you, Auriana."
Kalec accepted the coin with an air of great reverence, and he immediately turned to show off his prize to Jaina. She listened patiently as he spoke, her eyes warm and soft with affection as the dragon enthusiastically detailed a number of wildly complex and improbable magical theories to explain what he had just seen.
Anduin also seemed determined to figure out Auriana's secret, and he pulled a second coin from his pocket so that he and Tess might make their own attempts at replicating the trick. Mia came to join her daughter and her husband, smiling brightly as she and Genn chimed in with a few suggestions of their own, and soon the entire table was caught up in a lively but amiable debate. Tess clearly loved a good argument, while Anduin was now so tipsy that he had become unusually loud and energetic.
Varian didn't mind, of course, and in actual fact was pleased to see his son in such high spirits. He watched the small group argue for a few minutes, before he turned away with a small smile, and went to pour himself another drink. His sense of satisfaction was short lived, however, as he turned back to the small group to see that Auriana had vanished. He frowned, wondering how Auriana had managed to slip out of the room unnoticed, when a slight movement from Mia caught his eye. The Queen of Gilneas smiled enigmatically, as if reading his mind, and she subtly tilted her head towards the balcony.
Varian silently nodded his thanks as he made his way across the room, when he was struck by a stroke of sudden inspiration. He paused by one of the large wreaths that decorated his walls and broke off a sprig of mistletoe to tuck into his pocket, before he stepped outside into the bracing night air.
Auriana was leaning up against the balustrade, her slender arms wrapped around her body against the chill. Her dark hair was lightly dusted with snowflakes, and she looked as pale and as beautiful as she had when Varian had approached her in the gardens that first Winter Veil. This time, however, he did not hesitate to slide his arms around her the soft curve of her waist. He pulled her firmly against the warmth of his body, and rested his chin affectionately on the top of her head.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.
"I'm fine, I just… needed some air," Auriana assured him, though he caught the slightest note of melancholy in her voice.
"I could leave, if you would prefer?"
"No. Please stay," she whispered, leaning back into his embrace and gently entwining her fingers with his. "I like having you close."
"I like being close," he murmured, and he leaned forward so that he might place a lingering kiss against her dark hair.
Varian felt vaguely self-conscious, showing his affection for Auriana so plainly when the others were so close by, though he certainly had no desire to let her go. Below them, the cheerful lights of Stormwind twinkled in the darkness, and he could distantly hear carollers singing songs of winter cheer. It was a beautiful, joyful scene, made even more so by the beautiful woman in his arms, and Varian felt an unfamiliar sense of peace and contentment wash over him.
They stood silently for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts, when their quiet moment was interrupted by a sudden peal of bright, lively music from the gramophone. Bemused, Varian looked back over his shoulder toward the shining lights of his parlour, and was thoroughly surprised to see Anduin now standing atop the table, dancing a jig like his life depended on it, as the others clapped and cheered him on. Tess' idea, no doubt, though Anduin did not seem to have been coerced in any way. The jig itself was not especially well choreographed, though Varian supposed he had to give the boy points for enthusiasm.
"What in the world…" he growled.
"Your son appears to be a little drunk," Auriana observed lightly, turning her head to follow his line of sight.
"Evidently."
Varian sighed.
"He's only had two eggnogs, Auri. I counted…"
He felt Auriana's body tremble against his as a burst of laughter took her, and she shook her head.
"So he can't hold his liquor. At least he's having fun...?" she suggested lightly, as she turned to look back out over the city once more. "I mean, better here than in a tavern in the Dwarven District. You'd never get him back..."
Auriana snorted in wry amusement, and even Varian couldn't help but to bark out a short chuckle. She was right, he thought, Anduin did deserve a little fun. They all did, really. It had been a long year for everyone, what with the war on Draenor and the looming threat of the Legion, and he supposed he could not begrudge Anduin a drunken jig of celebration. After all, what were they fighting for, if not for the little moments of joy and laughter that made all the suffering worthwhile?
"What about you, then?" he asked, gently stroking the curve of her stomach with his thumb. "Are you having fun?"
"Yes, of course," she said quickly. "It's been a wonderful evening. Thank you for inviting me."
"I was worried, you know," he confessed. "It's hard to tell with you, sometimes. You've been quiet."
"I know," she sighed. "I'm sorry."
Varian felt her body tense anxiously beneath his hands, and he immediately regretted raising the issue.
"Don't be sorry," he insisted firmly. "I know your life has been turned upside down these last few weeks."
"It isn't that," she said quietly. "I mean, I won't deny that it has been a somewhat... interesting experience, suddenly being the talk of Stormwind, but…
"That's not what's upsetting you," Varian finished.
Auriana nodded slightly, and she pulled his arms even tighter around her waist. Varian did not press, instead allowing her the time to gather her thoughts. She often struggled to articulate her feelings, and he did not want to discourage her from talking to him when she was still only just learning to open up.
"It's too... quiet."
It was somewhat of an odd comment, given the upbeat tune now blaring from the gramophone behind them, though Varian began to suspect that he knew what is was that concerned her.
"There's no... artillery," she continued quietly. "No patrols passing through at every hour of the night. No soldiers, no fighting… no bombs, no Legion… no one trying to kill me every time I step outside my door… it bothers me, and I have no idea why. It doesn't make any sense."
She sighed sadly, and her shoulders slumped forward in shame.
"Is… is there something wrong with me?"
"No," Varian said quickly. "No, Auri… not at all."
He grasped her gently by the hips, and turned her around so that they were now standing face to face. He slid one hand along the line of her jaw, and turned her chin upwards so that he could look her in the eye.
"After I returned to Stormwind from my time in the Crimson Ring… I experienced something very similar," he confessed. "I was so used to living every day as if it might be my last, that Stormwind seemed… slow. Boring, even."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Really. War is… addictive, I think, in a way. The rush… the urgency… the thrill of living on the edge… it can consume you."
It was not something he had ever discussed with anyone else, even Broll, but talking to Auriana was different. She needed to know that she was not alone, and in a strange way, Varian also found it cathartic to acknowledge the restlessness that dwelt deep within his own heart.
"How long did it take for you to stop feeling that way?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"A long time," he admitted. "Part of me… part of me will always crave that life, I think, but… it gets easier. I promise."
"Was there anything that helped?"
Varian glanced back inside, to where Anduin was now dancing an awkward, enthusiastic quickstep with an equally uncoordinated and enthusiastic Jaina, and he couldn't help but to smile.
"I realised that being a good father to my son… being a good king for my people… was more important to me than any thrill," he murmured.
Auriana considered his words seriously, turning around to look back out over the city as she did. Varian had been so overjoyed to have her back in Stormwind that he had somewhat failed to remember that she had been fighting a war not even a month ago. He had been so focused on helping her to adjust to life as a noblewoman that he hadn't really considered how she might have felt about the end of a long war, and his stomach twisted with guilt at the thought.
"It just… takes time," he reminded her gently. "And I will be with you, every step of the way."
"I suppose I could have it worse," she agreed, leaning back to rest her head against his chest. "Stormwind may be 'too quiet', but it is beautiful."
"Not nearly as beautiful as you," Varian growled.
He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, and placed a tender kiss on the top of her left ear.
"There is nothing wrong with you," he repeated firmly. "You're just perfect, Auri."
He had meant to be comforting, but if anything, his words seemed to have broken something within her, and her shoulders began to shake ever so slightly beneath his hands. Concerned, he turned her back to face him once more, and frowned to see her eyes swimming with unshed tears. He absolutely hated to see her cry, even more so when he suspected that he might be responsible, and he prayed that he had not inadvertently said the wrong thing.
"Auri…?"
"Dammit. I'm sorry. As you said, it's been a long year," she muttered, ducking her head so that she might wipe away her tears. "And then… tonight. It's been a long time since I've a Winter's Veil like this. With affection, and joy, and… well… friends."
She placed a small, tremulous hand against his chest, and Varian reached out uncertainly to take it in his own. Her words had suggested that she was happy, but he could not reconcile them with the tears in her eyes.
"No need to look so worried," she added hurriedly. "I have never been happier than I am with you. I'm just… overwhelmed, I suppose. I've been lonely for a very long time, and then you give me… all this..."
Auriana gestured to the parlour, and the laughter and warmth contained therein.
"Not something I'm used to. That doesn't make it a bad thing."
"I understand," Varian said, nodding. "And I promise, you will never spend another Winter Veil alone."
He reached into his pockets for the mistletoe, and lifted the small sprig up above her head. Auriana looked up, surprised, only for a small, slow smile to spread across her features as she realised where they were now standing. She didn't have to say a word, but he knew she was remembering the last time they had stood under mistletoe together, when he had kissed her for the first time. Even now, Varian could not have said precisely what it was that had possessed him to take that impossible, heart-stopping step, but he thanked the Light every day that he had. He slid his hands into Auriana's hair, and kissed her with all the fierce, uninhibited passion that he wished he had given her that very first time.
"Happy Winter Veil, Varian..." Auriana whispered, her breath sending small white clouds of vapor misting through the frosty air.
She pulled away, breathless, though the warmth of her lips lingered on his as they cradled one another close beneath the gently falling snow. She was achingly beautiful, he thought, shining and ethereal beneath the winter moon, and Varian had never been more thankful that she was his.
He smiled.
"Happy Winter Veil, Auriana..."