A/N

After watching this epic cinematic trailer Battle for Azeroth on Christmas by accident (my nephew LOL) - I fell hard. And I don't even play WoW!

But the mutual smirks of Sylvanas Windrunner and Anduin Wrynn got me and didn't leave me alone. I had to write about this rare pairing. This was planned as a one-shot, an intimate play, but I'll continue.

I would like to thank Wowhead and gamepedia, a treasure for a lot of quotes and descriptions to stick true to the characters.

And Grand Phoenix, who's the most objective expert concerning the Warchief of the Horde I could find. I took the liberty of quoting the title of her story "A flame that refuses to be extinguished" in my work; I highly recommend reading it!

Also Windcage, who was help, motivation and reviewer all at once. You are a lovely friend. Thank you! (I will post her brilliant analysis in the next chapters.)

Lok'tar ogar! For the Alliance! (And for Lizzy who fights a battle as well.)

Disclaimer: I don't own or make any money from World of Warcraft/Blizzard.

WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

The door of the cell rattled, and the Warchief of the Horde looked up. Put in chains, she was given enough room to move around. However, she stayed in her corner because the person entering wasn't worth the trouble to stand up for.

"Lady Sylvanas Windrunner."

The clear and bright voice – almost childlike – suited the High King of the Alliance who must've been approximately eighteen years now. It contributed to his young appearance as well.

Yet, a close and sharp look showed Sylvanas a pale face. Eye rims, bruises and cuts. The wild blonde hair held back in a braid. A simply dressed young man, wearing only trousers and a tunic. No weapons.

A bit different from the person she had seen on the battlefield with a shiny, golden-plated armor, his father's sword in the hand and the ridiculous big lion helmet.

She didn't even nod to acknowledge his presence. What did he want from her, here? To threaten her? To have a cozy chat?

The Leader of the Alliance ordered the guards to unchain her and leave them alone, which they did after a slight hesitation. Apparently, they didn't endorse their kings' behaviour.

He really doesn't think I'm at his mercy while nobody's watching, Sylvanas thought disdainfully. You'll be surprised, boy. Your guards should've better stayed. She rested where she was, at least without chains now.

But to her utter astonishment, he just took a chair and sat down, opposite to the bench she was hunched up. They were at eye level now. Piercing red ones met tired blue ones, interestingly a symbol of each faction's color.

Sylvanas remained silent, though. Not quite knowing what to expect. Watching him watching her.

"Enjoying your stay?" He finally asked.

She shrugged her shoulders and leaned her head back. "I had it worse."

There was a moment of silence.

"You might be interested to hear that..."

Anduin started but was cut off immediately by Sylvanas' sneering voice.

"Ours is a cycle of hatred. Alliances forged and broken. So let's get this over with, boy-king."

She put all her contempt in the last words, Anduin noticed it well. He needed a moment to collect himself, a bit reminded of the sudden violent outbursts of his father. What had he expected, coming down here? He knew Lady Windrunner was anything but reasonable beforehand, but meeting her in person he had hoped they would come to an agreement. Maybe she understood the direct approach better.

"It's not too late to end this war. I came bearing an offer to..."

"Talk about peace?" Sylvanas interrupted him, again. "The Horde wants nothing to do with the Alliance's sissy. We will slaughter anyone who stands in our way."

"I..." he wavered a bit but found back, "...will you hear me out?"

Sylvanas looked back at him. Her mouth twitched. How far could she provoke him?

"What for? You and your petty followers will lose. The Horde will be victorious."

Anduin inhaled deeply. "I am well aware of defects on each faction's side but..."

"Defects?" Sylvanas escaped a snort of incredulity. Then, she suddenly scooted forward, right into his face. "Let me deliver a message to your puppy and allies, boy: the Horde will never give in."

Anduin didn't flinch back. Instead, he remained only a small inch away from her face and the piercing red eyes. This was wrestling with oppositions, indeed.

Calmly, he replied: "Are you now done with talking in platitudes so we can talk like true leaders of our factions?"

Sylvanas almost smirked at his remark. Look, the boy can react after all, she thought. And being so close to him, she couldn't help but notice how young he was.

She leaned back. "As I said before, you can go and leave, boy-king. The Forsaken will never stop fighting. Lordaeron belongs to us."

Anduin was almost giving up on having a normal conversation with her. "You know very well what happened in Lordaeron."

She rolled her eyes. "That's why I'm telling you to get lost, Alliance prankster."

He was offended again. Did she always act like this? He wondered briefly how the other Horde Leaders dealt with her as Warchief. Maybe she acted differently, then.

Extreme fatigue crept over him and he couldn't hinder himself to rub his eyes. After this exhausting day, all he wanted was to sleep, so what had driven him down here? Was he still convinced that enemies could speak one language, like Thrall had quoted a few times?

The Dark Lady eyed him, somehow amused by his tiredness. It was obvious that the young boy belonged in bed. Benefit for being undead, she thought.

"Hadn't enough hours of beauty sleep?" Making fun of him once more, her former abrasive tone was a little tempered, though.

Anduin stopped and lifted his head, surprised by the change of her tone. "No, I...," he realized too late that he was teased again, "...just tired, that's all."

"Your first battle?"

His surprise deepened, clearly shown on his face. What was the meaning of this break in her course now? He hesitated first but decided to answer her. "Not the first one I attended but the first one I was upfront."

Didn't know that I'm able to make conversation, Sylvanas thought, still somehow entertained. She continued. "Congratulations on your first victory, then."

In anticipation of his reaction to her good wishes, she tried to sound as cynical as she could knowing she would hit home, sort of angel of peace he was, obviously.

Anduin shook his head. Her choice of words told him she was very well aware that he didn't like to be congratulated on a victory that was in fact none. In the face of a possibly imminent threatening disaster of their world, Azeroth, this faction war was nothing he was proud of. He himself wanted to have peace, not to go into battles. It was time to put differences aside and to remind her of why he came down here again.

"Isn't there anything we could try to come to terms, Lady Windrunner?" He resumed his proceeding.

"Let's see." He's too stubborn for his own good, Sylvanas thought, like the flame that refuses to be extinguished*. Her reply was brusque. "There's no offer available to make me accept your terms of peace."

"I'm not talking about peace, but about a truce, Warchief of the Horde." Anduin shot back, getting a bit angry about her refusal to deal with him.

"A truce?" Sylvanas leaned forward. Her pale brows drew together in an intimidating frown.

"Which allows you to strike again whenever you please?"

He repelled her attack. "The Alliance will stick to my word, Lady Windrunner."

"You believe that, don't you."

"Why are you doubting my word?"

"Because you're a fool and someone ought to teach you a little military strategy."

That was the limit! Anduin leaned forward, too. "You try my patience. I think I just proved that I'm no fool."

"By healing your whole precious army?" Sylvanas sneered, hiding well that she had been quite impressed by his move on the battlefield.

"Aren't you the one who ended down here?" Anduin couldn't stop himself from doing a small dismissive gesture towards her surroundings to underline his words, although he had never wanted to display such a behavior in front of a prisoner. But then, he had never been provoked like this before. He took a deep breath, trying to get a grip on himself.

"Could we return to the topic at hand?"

"There's no topic we could possibly agree on, young king. How often do I have to repeat myself?"

Sylvana's cutting words made Anduin abandon his reserve and retort. "Are you certain we can't agree on wanting the best for our factions? Why waste your warriors and resources in battle when a few words will bring you greater profit? A truce would give time to heal wounds and rest, even a withdrawal from the battlefield. We don't have to keep fighting. Don't you see?"

She fell silent upon hearing his offensive words. Yet, the red piercing eyes were still glowing and her long brows moving. Did this mean he had finally succeeded in making her listen and go over the situation?

But her next biting remark crushed all of his hopes.

"The Alliance must be at the end of its resources if you were to come up with such a thing. - This is war, after all."

Anduin stared at her, not wanting to believe the words of the Banshee Queen. Was there no way to convince her otherwise? Disappointment shot through him like a well targeted arrow. Was he laying too much honor on her in appealing to her conscience or was it the other way round, that there was no honor and conscience at all?

"I have always heard that the Horde was honorable." The young king concluded, quietly.

Tiredness overwhelmed him again. He was at the end of his wits, so what was he to do? A part of him still refused to give in.

There was silence.

Sylvanas understood Anduin's thoughts very well; it was written plainly on his face. Yet, it astonished her that he wondered whether he was mistaken about her – which meant he gave her much more credit for than she really deserved. Lesson learned not to underestimate your enemy, she thought, but then, his continued expression of wondering started to stir something in her.

"Didn't anybody ever tell you in the past you won't get far with being stubborn?"

Unexpectedly, her sarcastic comment forced him to smile a bit. "You'd be surprised to hear."

A joke? Did this young boy possess some sense of humor, at last?

Sylvanas leaned forward a bit more. "Tell me."

Anduin sighed, noting for the first time a peak of interest from the Warchief of the Horde. "Too many people in my life, I'm telling you."

He admitted with disarming openness, almost grinning. Only to add boldly at the same time: "Much like you are called 'bitchy'?"

"Bitchy?" Sylvanas rolled her eyes, but had to smirk against her will. It wasn't that a part of her felt spoken to be called like that. Deep down, she knew, she had done a bit to deserve this catchy phrase. Yet, she hadn't expected such a phrase from the young king.

"Is this coming from puppy Greymane or your father?"

Anduin looked away for a moment, feeling a pang of loss. Of course, she had to mention his father whom he had already missed the whole day. Asking himself incessantly if he was doing 'what a king must do'.

And of course, his reaction didn't escape her notice.

"Ah, did I touch a weak spot? Who would've guessed. Having daddy issues?"

Woah. He had heard of her sassy and belligerent nature but wasn't expecting it here. Anduin didn't bother to hide his hurt and decided to return blow for blow.

"Aren't you having sister issues?" Was all he responded, risking a direct look at her.

Sylvanas, unprepared for such a quip showed a short shadow of sadness – which Anduin saw - then anger crept quickly over her face.

"That's none of your business, boy-king."

Of course. As if she had every right to tease him constantly, but he had to behave. Well, he was drilled in better manners, so he passed her comment. Sighing, he brushed his hair behind his ears.

"Lady Windrunner." He paused a moment.

"Someone's eager to go back to his beauty sleep. "Sylvanas commented dryly in realizing that he was just about to leave.

"Someone waiting for you?" She held out.

It started to bother Anduin that he seemingly was nothing more than a joke for her in this conversation. He definitely wasn't used to being permanently mocked. Before he knew it, he replied irritated: "No."

A short derisive laugh was his answer and Anduin understood she had meant it rhetorically. Despite calling himself inwardly a fool, her following question threw him off guard.

"Wasn't your early proposal aimed to come to terms?"

Confusion followed, Anduin could not help but stare in disbelief. Did she seriously speak of 'proposal' in the way he meant it? The way it was intended to be? By all means, he was too tired for another exchange of blows.

"Was it?" Was all he responded, somehow not certain but trying to get the meaning.

Sylvanas smirked. Teasing the young king varied refreshingly from the usual Horde politics and wasn't boring at all. Drawing the young boy out of his formality and control felt like a challenge for her... and that was something she hadn't had in a long time. It looked like there was something to him, after all. Perhaps she could use his constant offer of talk to her advantage...

"You were very eager to plead for ceasefire – are you up to discuss what you are willing to do for saving your precious Alliance?"

Anduin just looked at her. There. It was back. That smirk of hers which told him she was up to something. But his curiosity was piqued. He slowly understood that in order to get a concession from someone such as her, he had to change his tactics. Was it worth another try? He felt compelled – almost pushed – to get another chance to convince her of what he thought was the right thing to do. However, in playing along, he wanted to know what this was really about.

"Stormwind will endure, besides, what exactly are we talking about here, Lady Windrunner?"

"You mean what is at stake?" She rested where she was, eyeing him.

"All I'm asking the young king is what he's prepared to offer me."

"Offer you?" Anduin was perplexed, still guessing which direction they were heading.

"The Alliance won through, and yet you dare ask me to make an offer?"

Her smug answer came right away. "No risk, no fun?"

Anduin shook his head, doubting whether he should take her seriously, but Sylvanas wasn't done with following up the matter, taking delight in Anduin's confusion.

"So... what kind of a commitment to me might the young king have in mind?"

Was she flirting with him or was he completely mistaken?

"None. And this is not going anywhere if you are talking in riddles."

"Let's state my business."

Sylvanas stood up and came closer. Now she stood in front of his chair, bowing forward and laying both hands on the back of his chair so he was trapped between her arms. Those red eyes were smoldering down on him. Anduin had to swallow, feeling almost a little intimidated. A tension - induced by the sudden closeness - was palpable that hadn't been there before. Had he underestimated her? Had he made a mistake in freeing her from the chains?

Her voice changed to an alluring tone he hadn't known she possessed. "Dear King, if I were to leave Lordaeron in your hands, which part of you would you allow to be on my hands?"

Anduin stared speechless at her. Was this a bad joke? His look must've spoken for himself because the corner of her mouth went up.

"I'm not a monster. I won't make you an undead. Besides..."

She left the rest open and glanced invitingly at him, amusing herself with his response and thinking about how she could provoke another reaction.

Amazed to no end, Anduin realized that her magic started working on him. He held his breath when she eyed him up and down in a way... he couldn't describe other than a predator would watch a prey?

Attack is the best form of defense, Anduin thought and jumped up, forcing Sylvanas to move back a bit. Yet, she remained within his grasp and that flustered him. He wasn't used to such physical and personal closeness. It struck him for the first time that, with the way the dark eyelashes and long elegant eyebrows accentuated the intense red eyes and the pale, porcelain-like face, the Warchief of the Horde was nothing short of 'hauntingly beautiful'. Not to mention the well curved lips. There was something about her he couldn't explain. Which appealed to his fascination?

"Lady Windrunner." He inhaled deeply. "This will get us nowhere."

He made an effort to move, but she still got in his way.

"Heed my call."

Anduin turned his head towards her, simply watching her with raised eyebrows. The tension wasn't gone. On the contrary, it intensified the way she looked back at him.

"I have taken note that the messenger on behalf of his king is the king himself. To see me?"

Still teasing him with that alluring voice made Anduin weigh his answer. It gradually dawned on him that she was playing a cat-and-mouse-game. Be careful, he thought. This is no playground where you know the ropes.

In fact, all Sylvanas had wanted to do was to toy with the young king but even she couldn't deny the sudden tension that was there between them that had risen from them being so close. How long had it been that she allowed someone to get this close to her? She was quite certain there was more beneath the formal behavior of the young king. What she had observed in the previous battle was that the young man wasn't to be underestimated at all. Hell, she had really to admit that his massive dome of light to heal on the battlefield had left a lasting impression. He had shown a tendency to challenge her, not only by copying her rallying cry 'For the Horde' and putting it on the same level with his call 'For the Alliance' but also with that smirk at the end.

Sylvanas' mouth twitched while she leaned forward to him and whispered in his ear: "What other sort of plans could you possibly have when you had me unchained?"

The way she breathed her question sent a shiver down Anduin's spine and made him shake a little. The innuendo was more than obvious now. There were only two questions: was she to be trusted? Would he like to follow to observe to which length she would go to do whatever she wanted? He was torn apart.

"Lady Windrunner..."

Her twitch turned into a hint of a sassy grin when she watched his hesitation. "Did you think I would not notice the way you look at me? Come forward and you will be rewarded..."

Yes, no doubt about it. Anduin closed his eyes, not being able to move an inch, electrified from head to toe. But that was the whole point. When he was thinking straight her last remark indicated she knew very well how to play him. Which left the only conclusion that she did it on purpose to get him into trouble. There was no other way to interpret her approach, wasn't there?

Anduin came rapidly to his senses and thus prevailed over his crazy desire to get into a game with his tempting opponent. Opening his eyes and looking straight towards her, his voice turned cold and the tension was gone in an instant.

"So you could do what, Lady Windrunner? - Spread word that I abused my authority over a prisoner? Even make it look like a sexual assault? You try my patience again."

Sylvanas stepped back. Gone were her sassy behavior and her dangerous allure by his accusations when she straightened up to her full height. The red eyes glowed.

Anduin wondered if that had been her plan all along or if he had assessed the situation completely wrong. He had come down to negotiate with her. Where did it end? This situation was such a mess. He had never thought her to be as ruthless as it was told, but he seemed to be incorrect. Did she really think so little of him?

Sylvanas had sensed a bit of all the mixed emotions her young counterpart went through. It made her react. It wasn't that she just had him where she had wanted him, seconds ago. However, she had missed the right moment for action, for getting him into a situation where the outcome was ambiguous. Deliberately? Upset with herself, how she had stumbled upon her own game, she turned around and snapped an angry reply at him before she realized what she'd just said.

"I've thought about how it would've made my plans easier, but decided against."

Was it his obvious mistrust that had made her speak openly? Somehow, his accusation had triggered something in her. That even he – the only person Sylvanas knew to think in fair and honorable terms - would assume first and foremost the worst of her... would she be judged her entire life? Wasn't Anduin Wrynn the one who should give her the benefit of a doubt? But he did not. And this was clearly Greymane's doing! She gritted her teeth.

Anduin's only reaction was to shake his head. Had she really admitted the truth, she, the master of cover up?

"So what else has the Warchief of the Horde planned for the Alliance?"

Silence followed.

He knew he wouldn't get an answer and he was confused and annoyed at himself. Enough of the games that she played with him. Or didn't play. What was he thinking? He had offered her ceasefire and would have liked to let her go, yet all she offered him back was ridicule and mockery, taking nothing seriously. Had Genn been right... concerning her? Good thing he didn't know that Anduin himself was here. There was no point in staying any longer because she wasn't really interested in any offer he made.

Sylvanas, having not answered yet, found herself struggling. Hadn't it been her wish all along, from the first moment on the High King of the Alliance entered her cell to make him immediately leave of his own accord, although the Horde had lost the battle for Undercity? She would've triumphed about him – but that was before this whole verbal exchange. Now it felt different... as the Warchief of the Horde, did she owe him at least an explanation as to why they couldn't come to terms? Sylvanas caught herself wanting to persuade him of her true intentions, confronted with such honesty and strong beliefs, with the stubborn will to make it right – even she couldn't turn a blind eye to how hard he tried.

"We will bring the Alliance to its knees. Our true work is just beginning."

A pause followed.

She was back to talking in platitudes? He'd thought they had gotten to the point where some truth came to pass. Was he wrong?

After a long moment, Anduin decided to question her again. "Tell me why you will not reconsider my offer. What have I done to offend you besides being the son of my father? Or is it because I stand for the Alliance and all you despise?"

There were so many things that had gone wrong between the Horde and the Alliance. So many things done against her Forsaken, Sylvanas thought. Yet, they both stood here – the Leader of the Alliance and the Warchief of the Horde, this time without their entourage. Was this the reason why the King of Stormwind came to her all by himself?

"Tell me. Why won't you listen to my offer of a truce?" Anduin insisted.

"Because the Horde should never trust the Alliance."

"You think I'm the one who's not to be trusted here?"

Trust. Such a general topic, yet one Sylvanas was vulnerable to so she tried to smooth over the sensitive moment quickly. "I don't care. Overall, you're all to blame. You question our place in this world. - I only want to secure my faction's survival. And you're standing in my way."

Anduin stepped closer, his eyebrows raised once more, surprised about his own courage. "I am. How unfortunate for you, really."

Sylvanas stepped closer, too. "Did the boy-king find back to his humor, at last?"

"Cutting words from the Warchief who was once a glorious figure, I dare say."

"I am still a glorious figure. I was at least made Warchief. You, on the other hand? Not promoted by your actions, simply by your heritage, boy-king. Not worthy of your father's legacy so far."

She really had a talent of making him furious. "Leave my father out of this."

"Having daddy-issues again? You should work on overcoming them, otherwise you will be reunited with your father soon – in the afterlife."

"Threatening a king although you're the one who ended in a cell?"

"Am I threatening a king? More a boy-king to me."

"Stop treating me as a boy."

"I see no reason to do so."

Anduin tried to control his growing temper. Why had there always to be a fight with her? Why couldn't she partake in his perspective of things? Why?

Sylvanas could see it, the emotions in Anduin simmering. Maybe she succeeded in the end, loosening him up?

There was silence first, when his next words were spoken bleakly with a hint of... regret? "I see no reason to deal with you any longer, Warchief of the Horde, if you won't even listen to my options."

He turned away from her. Hurt, sadness and bitterness tried to overwhelm him and he didn't know whether it was about her not accepting him when all he wanted was to be acknowledged by her - a freaking Banshee queen, he told himself but it couldn't be helped – or about her showing no sign of comprehension or compassion at all.

If he wasn't able to convince her, then so be it... in the end. Anduin was giving up. Besides, his extreme tiredness took slowly its toll. Standing on his feet was already a torture. Arguing with her all the more. The taste of his whirling emotions made him almost choke.

Sylvana's next harsh words, however, cut him off. "At long last, the ceaseless posturing between the Horde and the Alliance is coming to an end. You really wish to weigh your options, despite this being a time of action?"

If not this question, then nothing else would've explained better what Lady Windrunner was thinking about this faction war. Should he answer her?

Anduin fought to find his voice back. "Only one of us... wanted this war."

"I am not to be an outcast in my own land."

After a moment, Anduin turned back to her, not wanting to leave that sort of comment unchallenged. "I know that sometimes we must fight for what we believe in, Lady Windrunner, but I would've never stood in front of the gates of Lordaeron and waged war if the actions of your Horde hadn't forced me into it."

Her voice was sneering again. "Yes, what else were you to do besides striking back?"

He frowned. "Then what else, as a leader, was I expected to do other than defend my people? Stand up for my people? Even you would do it. Isn't your history full of such examples, you who were once the Ranger-General of Silvermoon? Don't think I'm clueless."

"I said before that you're a fool. Your father should've taught you a little military strategy." Sylvanas retaliated, not liking to be remembered of her past at all.

Anduin tilted his head and tried to maintain an iron grip on his kindling fury, ignoring her cruel and mocking answer. "What are you living for, Lady Windrunner? Is it war? Nothing else but war? What about your faction, your Forsaken and your family?"

"I haven't lost any love for my homeland or its people, as you know. I've fought tooth and nail for Silvermoon to be allowed a place beside Undercity and Orgrimmar at the negotiating table."

"Well. We both know that Undercity lies in ruins now and is in its current state not defensible. You took care of it."

His remark made Sylvanas' glowing eyes pierce right through him. "You came to destroy us, showing no mercy! - You won't own my city!"

Anduin shook his head, becoming dangerously quiet. "I came to make you answer for the actions of your Horde. By the Light, I came for you. I thought in capturing you there is a way to end this war. - But I was mistaken."

There was a dead silence, both of them scrutinizing each other.

Anduin on the one hand could not help but ponder his earlier fascination for her. The Banshee Queen was a woman of war in her dark ruby-colored leather armor with the pale blue skin underneath, emphasizing with every part that she belonged nowhere else than on a battlefield. Had he been blind?

Sylvanas on the other hand noticed once more how young he was, watching him closely. The bright blue eyes were focusing on her, a mirror of his vivid emotions in an otherwise contained body language. Not once had he crossed a line although she herself had done everything to aim for breaking his reserve. She had heard of his nickname 'Manduin' somewhere along the Horde gossip, yet for her he was still on the threshold of growing up. It was not as if she cared but she thought it to be her duty to make him understand and to teach him another lesson.

"There will be a new future for the Horde. - It's pretty clear that it wouldn't take long after this last forced peace attempt connected to the Legion's defeat for us to be at each other's throats again..."

She stepped forward. Closer to him. She couldn't resist it. And the tension was palpable once more.

"For me being at your throat again."

Anduin just eyed her. For the first time, he was pretty sure, he understood her kind of dark humor. Her way of provoking him. And the best way to react was to do the exact opposite. He imagined joking back that he may have liked having her at his throat at other times, but he suppressed it. In no way... was he flirting back? Instead he decided to give her an appropriate answer – may she deserve it or not.

"Believe it or not, I would've let you go... in case you'd surrendered."

Her incredulous stare was his answer. Red eyes going right through him. Had he made her speechless in the end?

"You would've let me go?" Sylvanas had a hard time to digest that he'd actually wanted to let her go, not doubting his honesty for a moment.

Anduin simply nodded.

"Why?"

"Why would I not?" Anduin replied, slowly. - The sudden opportunity to finally tease her back was indispensable. "You know I'm king now, right?"

She shook her head but remained silent.

Amazingly, they had suddenly gotten to the point which Anduin had aimed for the whole time and had the possibility to speak out loud at present.

"What if... I were to trust you?" He made a significant pause. "I would have taken your word of honor. After all, I've always heard that the Horde is not without honor. You, Lady Windrunner, included."

He tried to emphasize his next words as well. "Although I know this could very well be a lost cause. And I am losing anyway in the end."

Sylvanas kept silent while her long brows were moving, indicating she was thinking. His willingness to trust in her when all the others more often did not stirred something in her. Was he to trust one who was his enemy? She, who others had made responsible for his father's death even though it had not been her hand to strike the blow? She, who had just told him to expect nothing from her? His last remark implied that he viewed the Horde as a whole loyal bunch – it wasn't right now, but that was another story – and that amazed her to no end. Yet, she had to disappoint him. She wasn't here for a cozy chat.

"A friendly warning, you have no idea what you're up against, boy-king. We've only just begun!"

Back to boy-king. Anduin didn't know whether he should grit his teeth or just laugh her off. But dead tired as he was, it was time to go. Maybe – maybe he would have a new opportunity tomorrow.

"Let's agree to disagree." Anduin finally answered, and not wanting to allow her to get away with saying something like an admonition as the final part of two worlds colliding. He bowed.

"Goodnight, Lady Windrunner." Were his parting words when he called for the guards and left the cell, the door of the cell rattling again.

"Goodnight."

Was all she offered as he left. Yet, it was something when he recollected he hadn't even been greeted by her in the beginning.

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