Chapter 3
Hypocrisy, the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another.
Varian had escorted Anduin to the Cathedral. Knowing the chance on running into Fox was slim. If he were honest, had Anduin not mentioned the dress, he would have rode on when he saw the lady across the canal. It was the kicking of her skirts that drew his attention. The basket she carried with both hands before her was huge. Varian was astounded she was holding it up at all.
Then she had turned to come across the bridge, and his world moved in slow motion. Fox in a dress. She looked beyond noble, and he was qualified to make that call. The bright blue commanded attention. The black hair, longer then he remembered, was still tied back. She was talking to herself. The expression on her face, told him it was nothing good. Transfixed, he could only sit there upon his horse.
Varian knew the moment she was alerted to his presence. The swift gait halted. The basket moved to one hand. Dare he suspect Fox was going to throw it and run? The slight turn of her head back the way she had come suggested it as a possibility. Not that he was worried for a moment about the ability to catch her. He was on horseback, and Fox was not.
She cast a glance around at the people who were gathering to see the King. Moving up before him, "Your Majesty." Then dipped low in a respectful bow.
Your Majesty? He had known Shaw lied. Felt it right down to his toes. Curse her impish little heart for trying to play him the fool. Varian reacted. One might have called him foolish, but there was nothing about his action that wasn't carefully calculated. The audience was a trivial matter when it came to dealing with Fox. A few words could curtail his people. Fox, on the other hand, had yet to be reined in.
Pulling her into his arms he leaned over, and kissed her. The way he knew she liked, warm, demanding, almost toxic need. He could feel her respond. Felt the exhilaration of almost evil glee. When he put his lips on her it was the one time she was truly under his rule. Pulling back he reminded her for the countless time, "Varian, you stubborn woman. My name is Varian."
She stared up at him in silence. Slowly nodding her head in acceptance, damn if she said his name though. Seriously! What was it going to take? The sound of the crowd forming and their ramping excitement made him look up. Staying here wasn't an option.
"Guardsmen!" He commanded, "One of you take the Lady's basket." Taking Fox's hand he moved over and mounted his horse. Varian reached out, but Fox stepped back.
"I can't go with you, your Majesty. I was running an errand for..." She stopped. Eyes growing large as he ignored her entirely. Drawing her up on the the mount. Side saddle, of course.
'So, my Lady, where do you need to go. Because, I am most generously willing to escort you."
Fox pulled away. "I would like you to set me back down on the ground, first off."
"I can't in good conscience do that. We seemed to have drawn a crowd." Varian smiled brightly as she looked around. The brown eyes growing wide. "Although if you wish me to, I can let you down to deal with their endless curiosity. I am sure they all want to know more about the woman who kissed their King in broad day light."
"Or I could start screaming for help, and claim you are kidnapping me." She shifted on the saddle, at her laughable retort.
Varian wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. "Fox, that would not amuse Shaw or myself at all."
She drew in a deep breath, and Varian felt his confidence die. Clasping a hand over her mouth in all due haste. He turned his mount, and pushed it toward the harbor "Do not! I will take you to the Harbor, and your seafarers. So tell me, Fox who are these men your dallying with now? Family, friends, or maybe a soon to be deceased lover?"
Fox was stunned. Turning sharply to look up at his piercing blue eyes. "How do you know about them?"
"You need to answer my questions first."
Fox clamped her mouth shut. At that moment the idea of introducing King Wyrnn to her mother was very appealing. She basked in the idea for a moment, and then realized there was a chance the two could team up for unscrupulous gains. No. Varian Wyrnn must never meet her family. "Fine, I was soliciting a male prostitute if you must know. After the gold and deed are exchanged, at least they go away."
Once again Varian had the urge to turn Fox over his knee, and give her a good thrashing. One of these days he just might. Something to curb her barbed wit. "I can assure you that if you want the man to go away after the deed, he is doing it wrong."
They entered the harbor and Fox started to panic, "Please let me down here."
"Why?"
"You know why! Being in your company will cause so many questions." She tried to appeal to his good sense.
"There isn't anything that could possibly cause me to let you go down there, dressed like that, alone. Sailors do have a pretty wicked reputation." Varian shook his head in a definite no.
"When it comes to fearsome reputations, so does the SI-7."
"Do they know who you work for." She remained silent, and he nodded. Mind made up. "Then you see why I am offering you my escort. There is nothing you can say that will deter me."
Fox was absolutely and completely desperate to keep him from her father. She put a hand on his chest and looked up. Mind going blank as she futilely tried to grasp a reason he would accept. In the end she cried out, "Varian, please!"
The horse was drawn to a sudden stop. The arm around Fox grew painfully tight. They stood there for a long moment before he looked down, "Say it again. I want to make sure I heard you correctly the first time."
She let out a little breath and rolled her eyes, "Must you do this to me?"
"What I do to you? That is nothing. If you would be so kind as to remember, I was the one who is so in lust with you that Admiral Rogers called in gnome priests to medically document the fact I need laid!" Varian complained openly.
"You are the one who had to leave Lion's Landing, before I had a chance to do anything to rectify the situation." Fox pointed out. She rubbed her hands together in a pleading motion. The large brown eyes shining up at him.
Varian dismounted. Fully aware that she was pulling out all the stops on purpose. She did not want him meeting these people. It was possible she was fearing exposure. Reaching up to help her down. Although he did not let go of her right away. "I have just found you again after months of separation. Can you not see why I am so hesitant to relinquish your company? Even to others that love you."
"You will have my company for the next three months. At the end of that time you will fairly be begging Shaw to take me back." Reaching up to run her finger tips along the scar over Varian's face.
"I never have shared things well." The blue eyes moving down to where one of the ships was lifting anchor. Wavering between what would make her happy and what he wanted.
Fox smiled up at him. It was a gentle expression that almost took his breath away. "I know that's not the truth. You had no problem handing over your fishing pole to me."
Varian got an evil twinkle in his eyes, "Maybe I just like seeing my rod in your hands."
A guardsman behind them was unable to hold back his sharp burst of laughter. Then sputtered about trying to control his humor. Fox blushed and pulled her hand away from Varian's face.
"You men heard and saw nothing today. Got it?" He looked over at the guards as they saluted in unison. Then looking to Fox he added, "Take your basket down to the lucky sea dogs. I can contain myself for one more day."
Fox squealed with girlish delight. Then paused. That was completely out of character for her. But seeing the happiness reflecting in Varian's eyes. She could not help, but pull him down into another kiss as a tender reward for his benevolence.
"Are you sure I can't just send one of my men down there with the basket? We can return to the main keep. Maybe, I could even give a full tour of what you will be guarding?"
"I'm to be watching you, not the keep." Fox hefted the basket into her arms.
Varian gave a wickedly seductive smirk. "I know."
O0O0O0O0O0O
What could have been an impossibly horrible day, had become one of the best. Fox met up with her father. The lunch, she had brought, was shared throughout by the few crew members still aboard the Storm Seeker. Captain Stormblight was proving to be wonderful and witty. Jacen Stormblight had stepped back from his aggressive pursuit. She admitted, she was finding his company rather enjoyable. Not nearly as much as her King, but over all he was a decent man.
Myles Fulbright forgo the offer of escort back to their townhouse. Jacen was openly disappointed but nothing that could be considered obnoxious. It was clear to the Sea Captain and his son, that the old dock hand just wanted some alone time in the presence of his only child.
Fox remembered many nights like this. The warm sea air as she strolled the lamp lit streets hand and hand with her father. Of course, she was no longer reaching up to grab that hand. Myles didn't have to slow his pace to a crawl for her to keep up. Still he did slow his step. Not eager to be home and sharing his daughter with Gracie.
They talked of old times, and Pandarian adventures. Fox was careful to leave out any mention of the dangerous parts, or her activity within the SI-7. It was in this warm comfortable state they arrived to see Gracie standing outside with a man. A man, Fox knew all too well.
Gracie barring the entrance to the house as she said in a scathing tone, "I do know exactly who you are, Mathias Shaw! What I do not know, is why you feel the need to try and force your way into my home to speak with my Eloise?"
"What is going on here?" Myles stepped forward. Moving ever so nonchalantly before his daughter.
Shaw turned, and seeing Fox rolled his eyes, "Eloise, I have been looking for you for the better part of the day."
"The leather tunics you ordered are not prepared yet. I was quite clear they would not be ready until at least this time next week, good sir." Fox lied easily from behind her father.
"I am not here about tunics. I am here about other orders. Ones, that I have been getting all day. Thanks to your splendid job doing exactly what I asked you not to do!"
"Whoa, whoa!" Myles put his hands up. "There is no need to raise our voices." Moving past Gracie and Shaw to open the door, Myles motioned for Shaw to enter, "I am sure we can settle this over a nice mug of ale."
Shaw tossed Fox a warning look before entering her home.
"Let me settle him down some before coming in, Gracie." Myles whispered to his wife before heading after the Master Rogue.
Gracie turned to Eloise with large green eyes, "Tell me, please tell me, that one is not the unacceptable from Pandaria?"
"No. He is not the unacceptable."
"Praise the Light!" Gracie put a hand on her chest, and heaved a sigh of relief. She looked almost as if her legs were going to go out from under her. "I was scared to death of what you might have fallen in with."
"No, I never fell anywhere with Mathias Shaw, in a romantic respect. Although, the other one is much worse." Fox muttered just loud enough for Gracie to hear before entering the house. She did not bother waiting for a reaction from her mother. She found Shaw sitting quietly at the table. Her father was handing him a large tankard of ale. Leave it to Myles Fulbright to take the bull by the horns. "Dad, he wants to talk with me. Could you take mom for a stroll around the Trade District? Maybe get her something pretty to sooth her nerves."
"Eloise, I am not sure that is a wise idea." What he was really saying was, Daughter, do you have any clue who this man is?"
Shaw hefted the mug. "She will be fine. I give you my word."
Myles stood unmoving, and probably would remain that way no matter what Shaw said to him. Fox walked over and patted his arm. "I have dealt with him before in Pandaria, without your assistance. I can do so now."
"Very well." Myles looked at Shaw with threat in his eyes, "But if anything happens while I am gone, I will be blaming him. I promise, I will take the complaint to the King if I must."
"If he isn't half the problem already." Shaw grumbled lifting the ale to his lips.
"What?" Myles asked, but Fox ushered him to the door.
"I will find out what this is all about and explain when you return." Fox watched her father argue for a bit with her mother. Then in a rare act of dominance, he took his wife's arms and fairly dragged her out of the house. "They are gone. Care to tell me what this whole thing is about? I am pretty sure that our contact directly prohibits you from coming to my home."
"Unless it is a matter of life and limb." Shaw slammed his tankard down. "Which it is. Since at least four Stormwind Nobles arrived to the SI-7, personally to inquire to whom has taken up the position of the King's mistress ever so publicly."
"Oh Gods." Fox moved to sit down in the chair across from him.
"You know, I would rather an Old God whispering in my mind, then have nobles flocking to my doors with their whiny complains and vapid conspiracy theories. Tell me, Fox, are you pregnant with a bastard prince, that was conceived through dark demonic magic, that you plan on enslaving with Deathwing's spirit to seize the throne, with an immortal evil so great you will undo the universe, if left unchecked?"
"That bad?" Fox scowled.
Shaw raised his eyebrows. Took a huge swig of his ale before saying "Worse. Nobles only breed one thing in Stormwind, and that is crazy. Can't get enough if it in the family gene pool, or so it would appear. Thank the Light we are commoners."
"I'll drink to that." Fox rubbed her face.
Shaw spit his drink across the room drenching Fox. She glowered in response as he smiled, "I have expressly forbidden you to drink, Fox."
"I know. I know. I'm a mean drunk." She rubbed the ale off her arms.
"Mean is one thing. The one and only time I knew you to drink it took five of us to chain you down. In fact Learen comes to mind as a comparison."
"I can't possibly be that bad,"
"We are getting off the topic. What ever possessed you to throw yourself in to King Wyrnns arms in public?" Shaw leaned on the table.
"He came to me. He kissed me. I," She smiled wistfully, "responded like any sane woman would, and allowed it."
"Fox!"
"Far be it for me to refuse him openly! Not that I could. But either way, Shaw, this is your fault." She reminded him quite forcefully. "You are the one who set me in his way for just this sort of reaction."
"While we were in Lion's Landing! Where the affair could be discrete and ignored. You two are the ones throwing your relationship out to the public."
"I stand by my statement that he came to me. I am innocent."
"I will tell that to the Nobles when they come demanding your life in forfeit." Shaw leaned back. "You have to break this entire thing off. Nip it in the bud, now!"
"I already tried that. King Wyrnn doesn't seem to be swayed by my refusals."
"That is because you are not openly refusing him!" Shaw stood up and slammed his hands down on the table, "Damn it to the nether Fox, I do not want to see you dead, least of all by my own hand."
"Then removed me from the rotation." Fox crossed her arms, "Because the moment King Wyrnn touches me my mind goes all to mush."
" I can't do that. Then I will have the King on my back as well as the Nobles." Shaw moved to the door saying, "Be stronger, Fox."
Fox rested her head on the table. She wished she could just storm into the main keep tomorrow. Throw herself in Varian's arms, and tell the rest of the world to go straight to the nether. That there would be no consequence to any of them. But there were always consequences for playing with Royals and Nobles. Fox would know. Quite a few lay cold in their graves, at her own hands, for the same crime. Over stepping their place in the social pecking order.
O0O0O0O0O0O
Catherine Harper and Iggee Spinbolt stood conversing with the Royal Guardsmen. The Royal Guard was the opposite of the SI-7 rotation. They were an open visual deterrent with one constant job. Guard the King, that simple. The SI-7, who rotated their guard duty, were to remain unseen. They surrounded the High King from a distance. Taking up observation points where ever they felt danger could come from. These task forces worked together in a two layer defense, camaraderie and unity were imperative.
Fox nodded in approval of the agents under her command. They were doing well socializing with the Royal Guards. They brought up points of concern while discussing strategy for possible events. Cat would have no trouble. She was a veteran agent herself. Iggee, was just silently listening. The little gnome absorbing everything he could about the new and exciting assignment. That left one more thing to be done. Fox had to collect Learen.
"I will go see if we can get Learen over here." Fox moved from the small informal room with a quick wave.
"Good luck!" Cat shouted before going back to her discussions.
Fox made her way the the SI-7, and to her surprise found Learen outside working on a target dummy. The poor thing was nearly hacked to sawdust. What she could partially make out was that it had an orange mo hawk, and one remaining tusk stuck to it's face. "Stab the Troll day, Learen?"
"Yes, and I am missing it. No thanks to that do nothing but bark stupid orders Shaw." The gnome shouted and flipped through the air. The chainsaw blades of his daggers carving off the arms of his defenseless target dummy.
"Come on, Learen. It's an honor to have Royal Guard duty." She sat down and watched him jump up and kick the head off the dummy. It sailed through the air, then bounced off the wall. Learen vanished. Reappearing where the head was about to land and kicked it again. This repeated a few times before he finally followed a kick with a fierce throw of a dagger. Tacking the straw filled sack to the wall.
Learen turned and wandered over to Fox. He swiftly lifted his goggles off his face. Staring at her hard, in this position they were eye to eye. Both hands pulling on his tabard so that the Lion's face was stretched out proudly. "You know what this is?"
"An Alliance tabard."
"Exactly. It bears the crest of Anduin Lothar, may the Light grant his soul peace." Learen was actually talking in a calm tone for one rare moment.
"I am well aware who founded the Alliance, and why we are fighting." Fox replied with careful words. She had no desire to infuriate the little man into another fit of rage.
"Then you know that protecting the King Wyrnn is pointless. As a human you must realize that he is only a fleeting symbol of our current state of affairs. First they took King Llane and then Lothar. It's a matter of time before they successfully take out King Varian. Excuse me, for trying to get rid of as many of our enemies before Prince Anduin assumes power. It will only be a matter of time before his kind heart goes the way of the former peace peddling Proudmoore. The only Hordie I trust is a disintegrated Hordie"
"That's a pretty grim outlook for a faction we are currently holding an informal truce with." Fox pointed out.
"Yeah, Learn your history, woman! Truce with the Horde means, frame the Alliance for some evil shit. That way they can tear us a new one while we aren't looking. Because of this, I adapted a new strategy! Stab first, burn bodies second, then hold peace talk with their ashes. Since implementing this procedure, guess how many Horde had betrayed me?"
"Ouch! That's some pretty nasty stance to take."
"How far has hugging ever got you in a battle ground?" Learen crossed his arms. "Okay, enough of Life Lessons by Learen for one day. Let's go guard the walking bull's eye."
Author Note: I know I left Fox's missions unwritten, but someday I will get around to that. It's more a Horde Based story though. Yes, Fox has a few Horde friends after her adventures scrambling to stay alive.