Author's Note:

Sorry everyone! I'm on holiday, and not writing quite as much as I want to! That and, while I've had these particular events in mind for months, I'm finding it difficult to put them all on paper, which is really frustrating. So I hope I've done a good job here, though I suspect it stutters in a few places (I actually had to restart the whole chapter twice).

Happy reading!

Lunarelle,

People were filing into the raised stands, taking their seats for the trial. There were enough chairs to accommodate at least two hundred spectators, and Faith was positive that every spot would be taken.

The first two rows were reserved for witnesses who would be testifying against Garrosh. Members of the Horde and the Alliance would be separated to avoid any scuffles, and Faith could feel something weighing down against her, a dampening shield that would prevent anybody from using any kind of magic. To be cut off from magic was something Faith had expected, but she hated it.

She was standing to the side, watching as people came in, while keeping an eye on Sylvanas, who was with the other leaders of the Horde. Whatever they were discussing was making her lover agitated, and it made her feel ill at ease. Everything in her told her to go over there and smooth over whatever was causing Sylvanas to look like that, but she knew better.

She can take care of herself. Better than you can, actually.

Shaking her head, she looked towards the entrance to the temple, where Alliance leaders had converged. Greymane was the most prominent of them all in his wolf form, but he certainly wasn't the most vocal. Even from where she was, Faith could hear Moira Bronzebeard complaining about her treatment.

"What's she complaining about?" Hamu asked her quietly, having come up behind her.

Faith smirked, "Apparently she wasn't happy with the carriage she had to ride in. It wasn't grand enough, I don't know."

"Grand enough? For what?"

"For a royal."

Hamu blinked at her, "Nobody else seemed to mind."

"Therein lies the problem. She's not 'nobody'. Didn't I tell you the way she behaved when I was in Ironforge?"

He shook his head, and listened while Faith gave him a quick rundown of what had happened there. More than once, her brother burst into laughter, which caused several people to look over to them quizzically.

"And I thought blood elves were picky."

"Hey!" exclaimed Faith. "We're not picky! We're just, well, particular is all."

"We? Aren't you a Forsaken now?"

"Semantics. They're still my people."

"You have a lot of people, Faith. The blood elves, the Forsaken, the tauren…" Hamu put an arm over her shoulders, "Father calls you a child of many races."

Faith smiled, "I was born a Quel'dorei. After the Scourge hit, I became a blood elf, and the tauren welcomed me into their midst, as did the Forsaken, once I found Sylvanas again. I feel loyalty to everyone there."

"Do you think that Baine will question that in order to make his case?"

"I don't know. I just hope that my testimony won't be necessary during the trial. It looks like there will be enough witnesses there without me. But if it is, I was told that I'll be called sometime tomorrow." She watched as one of the pandaren guards went to the small gong sitting on the judge's table, ringing it once.

Hamu squeezed Faith close for a moment, then moved away from her as everyone who had been standing around finally made their way to their seats.

Sylvanas watched as Faith went to sit in the first row of the witness stands, directly behind the table where she knew Garrosh would be sitting.

Directly in her line of sight.

She found her gaze constantly drawn to her. Faith sat utterly still, focusing on what was about to happen. To everyone, she appeared completely calm, almost detached.

Are you all right, my love?

Faith's gaze cut to her once in acknowledgement. She gave the briefest of nods. I'm fine, Sylvanas. I miss you.

Sylvanas nearly smiled.

One of the doors of the temple opened, and four people came in. Sylvanas had never met them before, but she knew exactly who they were, even though they had chosen to appear differently than they normally did.

Chi-Ji, the Red Crane, had chosen to look like a Sin'dorei. His long red hair and features were so familiar that, for a moment, Sylvanas thought she was seeing things, because he looked like Estelien Everstone, Faith's brother, but with folded golden wings protruding from his back. One look at Faith confirmed that she wasn't mistaken. Her lover's face, so composed a mere second previously, had turned an ashy color.

It's probably a coincidence, baby. Get a grip on yourself, please.

She saw Faith run a shaking hand over her eyes before she turned back to the August Celestials.

Xuen was the second one to enter, and he was looking like a human, although it wasn't any kind of human that had ever walked Azeroth. His body was pale blue, and both his skin and hair had been streaked with black and white stripes. It was striking to behold.

"There's no mistaking them for anybody else," said Lor'themar to her as Niuzao walked in, appearing as a tauren with a white head and blue eyes.

Sylvanas said nothing, merely staring as the final Celestial, Yu'lon, appeared as a pandaren cub, her magenta eyes distinguishing her from all the others who were gathered with them.

The four of them would be the official jury, as agreed to by the Horde and the Alliance, and Sylvanas was almost positive that Baine's defense would cause them to keep Garrosh alive. She put a hand on Baine's shoulder as he walked past her, "Please don't defend him so well that the verdict will be to give him flowers."

Baine snorted, disengaging himself gently. "Do not make the mistake of thinking that you're the only one who wants to see justice done here, Sylvanas," he told her. He walked away from her, going to sit down as, on the other side of the room, Tyrande Whisperwind did the same.

They weren't alone. Tyrande was accompanied by someone Sylvanas recognized instantly. A creature who looked like a gnome, but who was wearing the tabard of the bronze dragonflight. This was Chronormu, better known as Chromie whom she knew Faith respected immensely. Likewise, Baine was accompanied by a dragon who looked like a handsome high elf, and who appeared to be in good spirits. Too good, in her estimation.

"What are bronze drakes doing here?" asked Lor'themar.

"I suppose we'll find out," said Sylvanas.

Everyone quieted as someone else walked in. Taran Zhu, wearing formal pandaren robes, looked at the people assembled, making his way to the judge's seat, which faced the two areas reserved for Baine and Tyrande, who had been named as Defender and Accuser respectively. He sat down and began to speak.

"As agreed by the leaders of the Horde and the Alliance, I will be Fa'shua during this trial, the judge. As such, I welcome you all to the Temple of the White Tiger, and thank Xuen for allowing us to use his sanctuary for these proceedings."

He paused, his eyes traveling around the room.

"This is the first time in the history of Azeroth that all of the leaders have assembled in one area. I therefore hope that you all can control yourselves and keep the peace as the trial goes on. Make no mistake, any outbursts, and you will be forcibly removed from the temple, and confined for the duration of the trial."

People shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Sylvanas saw Faith licking her lips. She was seated next to an orc who bore the traces of brutality inflicted on him by Garrosh's forces. As she watched, her lover looked up, catching her eye.

"We will be hearing from witnesses," continued Taran Zhu, "but we have members here of the bronze dragonflight who have graciously agreed to help us see what went on, by using the Vision of Time." He gestured towards a corner of the room, where several pandaren monks were carrying a table on which sat a peculiar object.

It looked like an hourglass, but around both its bulbs were twined two exquisitely crafted bronze dragons. They looked completely real, and even seemed to breathe as though they were asleep. Magic radiated from the object, and Sylvanas suddenly felt queasy at the thought of what she might be forced to witness.

"See what went on," she repeated quietly. She looked at Faith, whose face was ashen again. "Why do we need people to testify if they can just use that thing to show us everything?"

"I suppose it's to make more of an impact," answered Lor'themar, glancing at her sideways.

Almost everyone in the room looked uneasy now. All of them had heard of what Garrosh had done, and many of them had witnessed some of the atrocities firsthand. But to see everything again… nobody had counted on that.

Taran Zhu got to his feet, "I now call for Garrosh Hellscream, former warchief of the Horde, to be brought to us."

There was a collective intake of breath as Garrosh walked into the room. Even without his customary armor, he was a monstrous orc, the tattoos on his body altered by his dealings with the sha. Evidently, he was being treated well by the pandaren, much better than he had treated his own prisoners.

As soon as he came in, several people began screaming at him. Insults in every language echoed across the room, so much so than Xuen had to get to his feet.

"I will have order in my temple!" He sounded perfectly calm, but the power behind his voice quieted most everyone down. The few who were unable to restrain themselves were taken away by the pandaren monks who had immediately sprung to action.

"As I said," Taran Zhu told them, "any outburst will see you removed from the proceedings. So if you would like to be here, please control yourselves."

"We should put the entire Horde on trial!" called a spectator furiously.

Faith stopped herself from rolling her eyes with difficulty. Of course the Alliance wanted the entire Horde put on trial. She looked to her right, where the leaders of the Alliance were seated. Most of them, including Vereesa, looked ready to jump.

Taran Zhu rang the gong once more, "Enough. We are here to ensure that justice is served in the interest of all the races of Azeroth, not to put everybody on trial."

He waited until people had simmered down before continuing, looking now at Garrosh, who had taken a seat next to Baine.

"Garrosh Hellscream," he said. "You have been charged with war crimes, and crimes against the very essence of sentient beings of Azeroth, as well as crimes against Azeroth itself. You are also charged for all acts committed in your name, or by those with whom you have allied."

Faith glanced at Sylvanas, wanting more than anything to hold her hand. Below them, Garrosh was merely sitting still, not saying a word.

"The charges are as follows: genocide. Murder. Forcible transfer of population. Enforced disappearance of individuals. Enslavement. Torture. The killing of prisoners."

Faith couldn't listen anymore. At every charge, memories flashed through her mind. She saw the way children had cowered before her as they'd tried to escape Theramore. Saw the explosion that had taken her mentor.

Felt the pain of the stab wounds that had killed her.

She shook her head, banishing the images as Taran Zhu finished with the list of crimes Garrosh had committed.

"What say you to these charges, Garrosh Hellscream?"

For a moment, Garrosh said nothing. But then, he brought his hands together and began to clap slowly, "A masterful performance," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "The show has barely commenced, and I give it an ovation."

"Unbelievable," hissed Faith. "He could be executed, and he's making jokes."

She wasn't the only one to say something. Others, absolutely furious, started screaming again, and Taran Zhu was forced to remove several others from the room before he began to talk about the way the trial would be conducted.

Baine and Tyrande would both be allowed to call upon various witnesses to bolster their case. Each could question the witnesses on the stand, and use the Vision of Time to enhance the testimonies. The trial would likely go on for several days, and after the final witness, the August Celestials would render their verdict.

"Let us begin," he said. "You may call your first witness."

Tyrande stood, looking ravishing in an ethereal dress that seemed to be made of woven moonlight. She made everyone else look drab in comparison. But no matter what she looked like, her voice was strong, confident as she began to speak.

"Thank you, Fa'shua," she said to Taran Zhu. "I am here today because, while we all agree that Garrosh Hellscream is guilty of heinous crimes, we all need to agree on what his punishment should be. He should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, so that justice may be brought to the people he has wronged." She cleared her throat, "I would like to call Prophet Velen as my first witness."

Prophet Velen? Faith sat up straighter, wondering what he had to do with anything. Sure, the draenei had been affected by orcs in the past, but as far as she knew, they hadn't really been affected by Garrosh, except for those few who had been in Theramore.

And from what she could tell, Tyrande simply wanted to show how orcs had been barbaric from the start. She showed them a vision from Draenor's past, and the way a young Durotan had been befriended by some draenei, who showed them their city, hidden by magic.

Faith remembered learning about Durotan's betrayal after the orcs and draenei had begun to war against each other, but seeing it in front of her was something else entirely. She averted her eyes when Durotan showed the orcs how to get into the city of Telmor and the carnage began. The most disturbing part of the vision was the murder of a draenei child. Her blue blood looked so vivid that Faith could nearly feel it.

What does this have to do with Garrosh? He's not responsible for what the orcs did before he was even born.

"Not every orc is like that," she said as Taran Zhu ordered an hour of respite. She and Sylvanas had immediately found each other, grasping hands the moment they were outside.

"You have to admit that a lot of them are bloodthirsty. They're worse than we are in some cases."

"Sylvanas, the only orcs who have ever betrayed me personally are Garrosh and his forces. Nobody else would do that. All of them have a notion of honor that Garrosh has forgotten."

"I know that." Sylvanas shook her head briefly, "I thought you wanted to see Garrosh dead?"

"I do, but not if it means putting every single orc's head on the chopping block."

Sylvanas turned her red eyes to her face, "He had you assassinated, Faith."

"I don't argue the fact that he shouldn't be put to death. I'm just saying that we shouldn't paint everyone with the same bloody brush, love."

"You painted the Scourge with the same brush."

Faith recoiled, letting go of Sylvanas' hand, "That's not a fair comparison, and you know it. How could you even bring it up? Are you saying that Thrall is like Garrosh? What about Garia and Vilak? And Eitrigg? What about Varok Saurfang?"

"You can't blame me for being wary of them all."

"You can't be! Sylvanas, the only reason they would all turn against you would be if you were to literally turn into a lich queen. But as things stand…"

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"They're certainly not going to kill me. What reason would they have to kill me? Garrosh had a reason, even if I don't like admitting it."

"He asked you to kill my sister, how were you supposed to react?! You wouldn't have done that even if I'd asked you to do it!"

"You wouldn't have asked me to kill Vereesa." Faith turned away, her eyes on one of the cherry trees below her. Sylvanas came to stand next to her a few seconds later, putting an arm around her waist. "I'm the one to blame for what happened to me."

"Don't say that."

"Baine will say it, and you know it. There's no way he's going to spare me there. Garrosh gave me a specific order, and not only did I not follow his orders in a combat situation, but I helped members of the Alliance escape."

"That makes you honorable, not a traitor. They were children."

Faith laughed without a trace of humor, "You've put soldiers to death for deserting you."

"If Garrosh had found you guilty of treason, he would have executed you himself, publicly. He wouldn't have sent two thugs to do the dirty work."

"When's the last time you publicly executed someone?"

"It's been a while. Nobody's betrayed me since Putress did." She kissed Faith's temple, "Look, nobody who knows you doubts your loyalty to the Horde. You were against what was happening in Theramore, so you didn't kill children. You and I mean everything to each other, so you didn't follow the order to kill a member of my family. I don't blame you, and I don't think Baine, Thrall, or Vol'jin find fault with what you did."

Faith shook her head, "Would you mind if I spent some time alone?"

"I'll be alone with you."

"Sylvanas –."

"You're not getting rid of me. I'm not about to allow you to sit by yourself and feel guilty about what you've done. As a leader of the Horde, I would have probably reprimanded you for disobeying orders. But as your lover, and as Vereesa's sister, I thank you for not killing her."

"I wouldn't have managed to kill her and Shandris anyway. I would have died there."

"Then I'm definitely thankful that you didn't try it."

"The outcome was the same, though. I still died."

Sylvanas shook her head but didn't voice her thoughts. Faith would have left her forever had she died in Dustwallow Marsh. She would have never come back to her. "I love you," she said after a while.

Faith didn't verbally answer. But the kiss she gave Sylvanas was enough to rock the Banshee Queen to the core. She felt Faith's love coursing through her as the kiss intensified. Arms wrapped around each other, they didn't notice the pandaren watching them, until he cleared his throat, embarrassed.

"You had better have a good reason for interrupting this," muttered Sylvanas, unimpressed. "Because that was one hell of a good kiss."

"A thousand apologies," he whispered. "I was told to give you something."

Sylvanas barely turned her head towards the pandaren, holing out a hand to take the small parcel the pandaren handed her. "Who is it from?"

"I was told that you would know." The pandaren bowed and left quickly.

Faith licked her lips, "You want me to leave you be?"

"No. But I would appreciate a portal to Undercity, if you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all." Releasing Sylvanas, Faith began to cast her spell, and the air began to shimmer in front of them distorting the peaceful landscapes of Kun-Lai Summit. A minute later, Undercity appeared in front of them, and Sylvanas stepped through the portal, dragging Faith with her.

They landed in the Undercity throne room, which was absolutely deserted. Sitting on her throne, Sylvanas opened the parcel, and a note fell out.

"Once, we were on the same side," she read in a low voice. "Perhaps we can be again."

Faith cocked her head to the side. That could have been written by anybody who had befriended Sylvanas when she'd been alive. She came closer and Sylvanas showed her the note. "Do you recognize the handwriting?" she asked.

"It looks familiar."

The parcel itself was a roughly hewn wooden box that had been engraved with Thalassian symbols. Sylvanas opened it.

A pendant rested on the velvet lining of the box. It was a ruby that Faith recognized instantly, because she'd seen it on the wearer's neck on more than one occasion. On the back of it, she knew, was an inscription that read: "To Vereesa. With love, Alleria."

"Little Moon," said Sylvanas, using the nickname Alleria had given her years ago.

Faith started moving away to give Sylvanas some time alone, but the Banshee Queen shot out an arm to grab her hand. "Will you go to her?"

Sylvanas nodded slowly, considering. "Of course I will… She's my baby sister." She pulled Faith to her, needing her close. "You'll come with me?"

"You should go to her alone. Every time I've been around the two of you, you both spoke to me, but not to each other."

"I think I'm going to need you by my side," said Sylvanas, displaying a vulnerable side of herself.

"Then I'll be there. When do you want to meet with her?"

"After court tomorrow. I think we'll both need a distraction after you testify. Speaking of which… is there anything you want to tell me about what I'm probably going to see? Something you might have kept from me?"

Faith shook her head, "I think I told you everything that happened. And if there's something I forgot, well… I guess we'll find out."