Title: Holding My Thoughts In My Heart
Author: Fullelven
Summary: The young prince Kael'thas Sunstrider has spent far too long chasing the unattainable, namely Jaina. Coming to the terms of their everlasting, though somewhat awkward friendship, he allows Jaina to convince him to pursue another young mage.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kael'thas Sunstrider, Jaina Proudmoore, or many of the other characters and places mentioned in this fanfiction. The only that I own are Raineigh Dravenholdt and Jeremiah Ravenscar, along with their histories and bloodlines. This was written as a writing exercise to practice the 12 Steps To Physical Intimacy.
The fall of long blonde hair down the middle of his back, crystalline blue eyes shining within his angular face, drew Raineigh away from her book. There was a confidence that he held himself with, in those regal robes of white, red, and gold, though it was likely she was the only to see how it faltered around the lady Jaina Proudmore. For all the strength that her Prince Kael'thas had, it seemed to all vanish in an instant when she walked by. Or spoke. Or existed.
Uncharitably, Raineigh slid back down in her seat, lifting the magical tome higher to block out the both of them as they chatted about whatever they would. They could just...go talk all they wanted, she decided. Talk until they fell in love for all she cared, because it wasn't like he even realized she existed whatsoever. The only daughter of House Dravenholdt, royal retainers to the Sunstriders, and she couldn't count a single time he'd ever spoken, or looked at, or otherwise acknowledged her presence.
She missed entirely how he smiled at the way she so blatantly hid her face with the book, knowing all too well the blush she wore on her caramel cheeks. There was a way her hair fell nearly perfect on either side of her heart-shaped face, though a cowlick in the front caused a couple of disobedient strands to curve haphazardly in the middle of her forehead.
It was when she was trying to disappear that he could really see her for who she was. While she thought she was hiding, that she was putting up a facade, she dropped the one that status imposed upon her. She slouched a little, she chewed her nails, let her elbows rest against the table. Those blue eyes tinged with the slightest hint of green held such a sadness, a longing...
"Did you hear me?" Jaina's prodding tone roused both of the other mages from their thoughts, Raineigh looking up from behind her book and Kael'thas realizing that he was yet still staring at the young high elf. Those eyes met, and Raineigh visibly startled, closed her book and began packing her bag. The prince's reaction was schooled beneath a cool facade as he merely turned to the woman he was conversing with.
"Forgive me, I've been rather distracted as of late."
The blue-eyed human gave him a knowing smirk that almost looked mischievous on the lady's soft features. "If you wish to speak with the Dravenholdt girl, I can find you later at the Council meeting where I know I'll have your ear."
It was a small reaction, but there when she knew what to look for. Surprise in the way that those ethereal glowing blues widened just a touch, a certain rigidness to the way he stood. "It's unimportant. I'm sure I will find her later."
The poor prince. Jaina sympathized with him on a level knowing that his apprehension came likely from the numerous times she herself had turned down his advances. "It's no trouble, I've a few things of my own to take care of." She touched his arm softly, in that gentle friendly way that used to fill him with a sort of sadness. Now though...it was soothing.
"I haven't an idea where I would find her," he admitted softly, though he knew the moment that those words left his lips he was reaching. So did she, and those crystalline eyes of hers said so as she laughed in that delicate way she did. He was out of his element with these things, and Jaina pondered if his apprehension wasn't on some part from her turning down his advances.
She glanced toward the doorway with a turn of her head, her golden strands falling over her shoulder to shield her face from him just slightly. "Lady Dravenholdt attends private lessons until around meal-time. You're likely to find her by the fountain where she meets Jeremiah."
"Ravenscar?" The lady nodded. "Thank you Jaina."
"Anytime. You might want to hurry along before she gets too far into them, you know how he gets when he's interrupted." She suppressed her smirk just a bit, but it still showed in her eyes. With a nod of her head in farewell, she headed off, leaving him to his own devices.
Just as Jaina had said, Raineigh sat on the edge of that fountain nearly nose deep into her book satchel as she searched for something in the bottom of it. So immersed she was in it, that the Prince was able to stand before her for quite a bit without her even noticing once. A soft clearing of his throat, however, startled her into looking up, those eyes wide.
This close, he noticed the light blue eye shadow against caramel skin, the dark of her lipstick, the couple of sparse freckles that graced her cheeks. "Oh, my Prince," She bowed quickly, awkwardly, spilling her pack onto the ground. "I didn't hear you."
"Please, Lady Dravenholdt," he crouched before her, beginning to pick up the things couple of books that had slid out of her bag. Appalled that he was picking up her things like a common servant, and that she couldn't get her voice to work again, she stared still looking rather surprised with a slight pink in her cheeks.
"Er...Raineigh, m'lord. If you please. I-I'm not quite...a lady yet." She found herself stammering, gaze set on the ground. He handed her the book bag, which she sheepishly took to scoot out of the way, moving to sit on the fountain's edge once more.
"Raineigh," he said with a smile. She felt her insides melt. "Then please, Kael'thas, so long as we're dropping titles." He knew that she had just said she wasn't a lady, and she knew too. She didn't correct him, and that slight smile she gave him was reward for the 'oversight' on his part.
The timid girl could scarcely believe that he was there speaking to her, fairly sure that she wasn't dreaming because she wasn't getting wrapped in the head with a staff for sleeping. She opened her mouth to speak, but found she didn't know what to say, what to speak of. She'd taken etiquette lessons, and each said that she was to speak when spoken to, to laugh at the right times...she didn't know what to do when she was the object of the conversation.
Kael'thas sat beside her, a careful brush of his cloak to be sure it didn't fall into the fountain. He too was at a loss for words. The words he'd milled over, the improved conversation he'd held in his head, on the way to meet her seemed forced and unrealistic now that he was here.
"So-"
"So-"
They looked at each other, having both started to speak at the same time, Raineigh ducking her head with a shy and embarrassed blush and quickly uttered apology. He shook his head. "I should apologize. I fear I'm at a bit of a disadvantage of what to say."
To hear that he shared too was having trouble with that soothed her own anxiety some. "I am as well."
Another several moments spanned, both silent while they simply sat within another's company, looking anywhere but at each other and feeling painfully awkward until a gruff voice interrupted them both. "Prince Kael'thas."
He looked up in time to see the dark-haired male mage bowing to him, wearing the typical purple and gold of the Kirin'Tor council. Quel'dorei, like the both of them, he knew just exactly who that was and knew that the slightly over dramatized bow was likely only done to annoy him. Too bad for the man, it didn't work. "Ravenscar. Here for Raineigh?" Kael'thas didn't bother giving him permission to stand.
Jeremiah Ravenscar didn't need it, or at least so he thought, as he stood himself. "Indeed I am." Then to Raineigh who seemed to just want to shrink and disappear from the both of them. "Did you practice your last lesson?"
"Yes, Master Ravenscar."
"Come along then."
"I'd like to attend, if you don't mind," the prince spoke suddenly, standing and straightening his robes. They both looked at him, though Raineigh all too quickly turned her head and began gathering her things. Jeremiah continued staring at the prince who stood there as if nothing at all was amiss.
"Am I under evaluation by the council?" He questioned suddenly. Prince Kael'thas shook his head, those long golden strands following, but not a one moved out of place.
"Not at all, I'm simply curious about Lady Dravenholdt's progress."
She nearly dropped her book-bag again. Jeremiah looked between the two of them, Raineigh not at all meeting anyone's eyes before nodding. "Fine. Come along, Raineigh."