Mature content warning for this chapter.

Varian

Varian stared down at Auriana in shock, horrified to see an arrow protruding from the flesh of her right arm. He was, regrettably, used to seeing her injured, though he had typically only seen her after she had already received healing. It was a different thing entirely to feel her hot blood slippery against his fingers as he gently guided her into a chair, and even he was surprised at the strength of the visceral surge of fear that raced down his spine.

"You've been shot!" he exclaimed.

"Your… observational skills… are… astounding," she panted.

Varian pointedly ignored her sarcasm, and quickly set about inspecting her wounds. Aside from the rather obvious arrow imbedded in her arm, her ribs had clearly been grazed by a second shot, though how badly he couldn't tell. There was a fair bit of blood, though that didn't necessarily mean that the wound was deep.

"How's the pain?" he asked her.

"Bad," she admitted. "But it comforts me… to know that… my king is so… perceptually gifted…"

"Funny," Varian scowled, quickly tearing a strip from the bottom of his cotton tunic and pressing it to her side to staunch the bleeding.

Auriana let out a low moan and closed her eyes, instinctively flinching away from his hand. Her skin was somehow even paler than normal, and her breath came in short, ragged gasps as she tried to control the pain.

"Easy," he said quietly. "I'm going to call for Anduin. Here, keep the pressure on. I'll only be a minute."

Varian moved her good hand over his makeshift gauze to hold it in place, and gave her a worried kiss on the forehead before striding off towards the door. He shouted loudly for the guards, and immediately sent them off running to fetch Anduin. Fortunately, Anduin's rooms were only just down the corridor from Varian's own, though there was always the possibility he was off in the library or the Cathedral. There were other healers in the Keep, of course, but there were few people Varian trusted with Auriana's safety, and his son was the first name on that very short list.

After giving the guards their orders, Varian hurried back to Auriana, not willing to leave her alone for a second longer than necessary. She was still conscious, which was encouraging, though he could see that she was struggling with the pain. In the time he had been gone, she had nevertheless managed to divest herself of her boots and belt, and was now half-sitting, half-lying on the chair in what Varian assumed was an attempt to take some of the weight off her left side.

"Anduin will be here soon," he assured her, moving in to help her maintain pressure on her wounded ribs. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I'll be… fine…" she groaned. "Not… the worst… I've ever had."

"Very convincing," Varian growled drily, nodding pointedly to her trembling hands. "Really, Auriana, you…"

"Father!"

Varian's reprimand was interrupted by a sudden shout from Anduin, and he turned his head toward the door to see his wide-eyed son come skidding around the corner. Anduin practically tumbled over in his urgency, and his mouth fell open in shock as he beheld the arrow through Auriana's arm and the blood on Varian's hands.

"Auri!" he gasped, immediately rushing over to her side. "You've been shot!"

Auriana barked out a strange sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a cry, and she shot Varian a darkly amused look.

"Apparently... observational skills… run in the family…" she coughed.

"Quiet," Varian ordered sternly. "Your strength is better spent on things other than sarcasm."

He beckoned Anduin forward, stepping back to give the young priest room to work. Although he still looked rather shocked, Anduin gave her a swift, expert once over, gently pulling her hand aside to check the wound on her ribs. His eyebrows drew together as he worked in determined silence, and his hands flashed bright gold as he began to channel his powers. Auriana sighed as the Light entered her body, and Varian was heartened to see the stress on her face begin to fade as the healing spell began to take effect.

"Well, you're not going to bleed to death… but I'm going to have to cut you out of your tunic to get at better look at those ribs," Anduin murmured finally, blushing at the thought. "I'm sorry, I'm not going to be able to pull it over your head with that arrow in your arm."

"Do what you have to," she replied, somehow managing to give him a weak smile. "It's just… a tunic."

Anduin nodded, and turned to the satchel of basic first aid supplies that he had brought with him into the room. He quickly withdrew two neatly rolled bandages, gauze, and lastly a pair of long-bladed healer's shears, which he used to cut away at the sides of Auriana's fitted shirt. His ears turned dark red as her simple cotton undergarments were revealed, but he pressed on despite his bashfulness.

"What happened?" Varian asked, folding his arms across his chest as he watched. "I thought you were hunting warlocks."

"I was," she said, wincing slightly as Anduin raised her arms so that he might bandage her torso. "Quite successfully, I might add."

"And yet…"

"And yet," Auriana growled irritably, "I was not expecting the two assassins who showed up out of nowhere and started shooting at me."

"Why weren't you armoured?" Varian wondered, gesturing to her thin leather breeches and the remains of her loose cotton tunic.

"Good question," Anduin agreed, glancing up at his father briefly before turning his attention back to Auriana's ribs once more.

"I was expecting to fight some poor runaway apprentice, not a pair of trained assassins," she retorted, her brow furrowing heavily. "I didn't see the need for armour at the time."

"Auriana…" Varian sighed, unable to hide his exasperation. "I gifted you a set of armour for precisely this reason."

"But it's so beautiful!" she protested. "I don't want to ruin it. You know I'm not exactly… gentle… on armour."

"Better it than you!" Varian snapped.

He stared down at Auriana with a fierce scowl, though despite her weakened state she met his gaze with a steely glare of her own. For his part, Anduin shifted uncomfortably at the sudden tension in the room, and he looked incredibly awkward as he finished securing the bandage around Auriana's ribs. He then turned his attention to her arm, making her wince as he gently probed the impact point.

"Ah… on the bright side, it looks as if the arrow has gone right through your arm, and hasn't imbedded in the bone," he said, purposefully changing the topic. "If we can break the shaft here, I should be able to pull it straight out."

He gestured to a point between where the shaft left Auriana's arm and the arrowhead, and glanced across at Varian.

"Do you have a saw or an axe handy?"

Varian shook his head, but nevertheless went over to the small weapons chest he kept at the back of his study to withdraw a heavy bladed hunting knife. He didn't have a saw in his rooms, nor an axe small enough for such a delicate task, but fortunately the arrow shaft was thin, perhaps half an inch thick, and he figured the knife would do just as well.

"Close enough," Anduin shrugged. "I'll hold her arm steady, you cut the arrow."

He frowned at Auriana, and took a firm grip on her arm above and below the wound.

"I'm so sorry, but this is going to hurt," he warned her.

"Just get it done," Auriana grunted warningly.

Anduin nodded reluctantly, his mouth drawing into a thin line as he looked across at his father. Of course, Varian was equally reluctant to cause Auriana further pain, though he knew the arrow was far better out than in. He grasped the wooden arrow just behind the head, and cut through the shaft as quickly and as gently as he was able. Despite his care, however, Auriana cried out in agony, and her eyes brimmed with tears as Anduin slid the divided shaft from her flesh.

"Sorry… sorry," he winced, clearly distressed by her pain. "I'm so sorry…"

Auriana's wound began to bleed heavily the moment the arrow was removed, and Anduin had his hands full trying to patch the gaping hole in her arm. She whimpered softly, and Varian looked away. He was not squeamish about blood, but he hated to see Auriana cry, and he paced testily back and forth as Anduin continued his efforts. More than anything, he hated feeling useless, though of course there was little he could do save for to watch and wait.

Finally, after what felt like an age, Anduin tied off the bandage around Auriana's arm, and sat back on his heels with a sigh. Fortunately, it appeared that he had been successful in not only treating her injuries, but also relieving her pain. Some of the colour had returned to her cheeks, and her breathing had slowed to a normal rate. Straightening, she brushed some of the unshed tears from her eyes, and she gave Anduin a grateful, if somewhat shaky, smile.

Abruptly realising that she was essentially half-naked, Varian quickly pulled off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, and she crinkled her nose shyly.

"Thank you," she murmured, looking down at the bandages on her arm. "Both of you. Anduin – I must say, I'm impressed. The pain is already fading. I'll be up and around in no time."

Anduin practically glowed at the praise, but he gave Auriana a stern look as he clambered back to his feet.

"Don't push yourself," he said warningly. "Both wounds were clean, but that doesn't make them insignificant. I'll need to come heal you a few more times over the coming days, and I don't want you doing anyting strenuous for at least a week."

"And before you get out in the field again, I want you to resume your combat training with me," Varian added. "Although I understand that the war in Draenor took priority, I was displeased that we were unable to continue our sessions."

"What?" Auriana exclaimed, exchanging a confused glance with Anduin, who looked equally nonplussed. "I… what?"

"You need to be able to defend yourself," Varian said firmly.

"Have you forgotten that I'm an Archmage?" she argued, looking rather affronted. "I'm perfectly capable of defending myself."

"Magic has its limitations, and the more resources you have to defend yourself, the better. You never know what might happen on the field of battle, and I'd rather you be prepared," Varian insisted. "I want you trained in the sword."

"How would a sword have helped me today? I was shot," she pointed out, gesturing somewhat sarcastically to her arm.

"Today is not… the best example," Varian conceded, "But I have been considering this for some time now."

He looked over to Anduin for some support, but the young prince simply shrugged and raised his eyebrows. It was clear that he had absolutely no intention of taking a side, and he very pointedly busied himself with clearing up his healing supplies.

"Is it your plan to have me trained on every weapon imaginable?" Auriana snorted. "Perhaps I should just take up druidry and shamanism while I'm at it."

"Is that possible?" Varian asked seriously.

"No…"

Auriana gave him a very strange look, and slowly shook her head. She stared at Varian as if he were touched in the head, but after a very long, silent battle of wills, she finally shrugged her shoulders in surrender.

"Alright, alright…" she sighed. "So long as we train privately. I don't need half the Alliance watching me flail around in the dirt with a pointy sti…"

Auriana trailed off abruptly, and frowned over at Anduin. Varian followed her line of sight, and realised she was looking at the remains of the arrow that he and Anduin had pulled from her arm.

"Wait… can I have a look at that?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Nonplussed, Anduin nevertheless surrendered the broken arrow shaft, and Auriana slowly ran her finger along the orange, white and silver fletching.

"I've seen this before…" she murmured thoughtfully.

"It's an arrow," Varian said drily. "They're actually rather a common item."

"That's not what I meant," she growled, giving him a withering look. "The fletching is familiar. I've seen this arrow somewhere before."

"Where?" Anduin asked interestedly.

"I can't remember…" Auriana sighed, placing the arrow back on the desk in frustration. "Unfortunately, a lot of people have tried to kill me… trying to recall any one incident when I've been under fire is rather… difficult."

"It'll come to you," Anduin assured her, "But in the meantime, you need to rest."

"I'll have the arrow sent to Shaw," Varian added. "Perhaps it might help his investigation."

He realised his mistake as soon as the words had left his mouth, but Auriana was far too clever to have missed the implication. Shaw had been quietly investigating Auriana's collapse during the time the night elf delegation had been in Stormwind, and while he had not yet found any evidence of foul play, he had continued to investigate the possibility that Auriana was under threat.

"Shaw's investigation…? Son of a bitch…" she swore, lunging to her feet. "You believed me?"

She swayed unsteadily from her blood loss, but she righted herself with what Varian suspected was pure stubbornness. Her eyes blazed with sudden fire, and as much as he wanted to force her back into the chair for her own sake, even he didn't dare touch her when she glared at him like that. Meanwhile, Anduin looked as if he wanted to disappear into the floor, having lately developed the unfortunate ability to be present whenever Varian and Auriana got into a fight.

"I believed it to be a theory worth pursuing," Varian said sternly, folding his arms over his chest. "Not that anything has come of it thus far."

"How could you not tell me?" Auriana demanded. "We're talking about my life, Varian."

"Precisely!" he snapped. "Look how much trouble you get into when you're not looking for a fight… I cannot and will not allow you to go off hunting for the very people who are trying to kill you! You are far too reckless."

"Er… I should… um… leave…" Anduin mumbled, though his words were all but swallowed up as Auriana launched into a furious tirade.

"I am not a child!" she roared. "I am one of the most powerful magi on Azeroth, not some swooning damsel. What are you going to do, Varian, lock me up?"

"I just might!"

Anduin had been trying to sneak toward the door, but at Varian's shout, he paused, and turned back to face the two of them with his hands on his hips.

"Would you two stop? Please?" he urged, his voice unusually heated

"Anduin..."

"No! I've had quite enough of your... bickering!" he huffed, his cheeks burning bright red. "You're both far smarter than this. Father… you know all too well the consequences of trying to protect someone beyond all reason. I would not think you would have to learn that particular lesson twice."

Anduin frowned knowingly, and Varian's chest tightened with guilt. Of course, he knew all too well that Anduin was alluding to his own difficulties with Varian in the past. Varian had been so desperate to keep his son safe following the loss of Tiffin that he had practically smothered the boy, and in doing so had nearly brought about the very disaster which he had sought to prevent. Their relationship had slowly improved over the years, though it had taken great effort on Varian's part, and great patience on Anduin's.

"That's exactly what I…" Auriana began.

"Oh, no," Anduin interrupted, thrusting a surprisingly aggressive finger in her direction. "Don't you start; you're just as bad as him! People are allowed to care about you, Auriana, and they are allowed to look out for your wellbeing. Do you have any idea what it would do to him to lose you? What it would do to me?"

Auriana opened her mouth to argue, but even her legendary fury seemed to burn out in the face of Anduin's wide-eyed earnestness. She appeared genuinely shocked to learn that he cared about her so deeply, and equally surprised in general by the fact that her life had so much value to others. It was something Varian had repeatedly tried to impress upon her, but something in Anduin's unusually passionate delivery had apparently convinced her where Varian could not.

"I… I apologise…" she muttered reluctantly. "I didn't…"

"Don't apologise," he insisted. "Do better."

Anduin stared down at her fiercely, though there was no anger or censure in his eyes. He was genuinely concerned, almost pleadingly so, and for the first time Varian truly appreciated what Auriana might have meant to Anduin. She, too, seemed to have been struck by a similar thought, and she tapped two fingers pensively against her lips, before eventually conceding the argument with an odd twitch of her head.

Anduin then turned on Varian, looking at once both resolute and apprehensive.

"Father?" he asked pointedly.

"Your point is taken, son," Varian growled, his jaw cracking. "I assure you, you will not need to make it again."

Whatever force had possessed Anduin to speak his mind faded as quickly as it had arisen, and he turned a brilliant shade of crimson as he realised what he had just done. He was not usually one to resort to such forceful measures, though it seemed there was more of his father in him than any of them might have thought.

"Well… good," he murmured awkwardly, staring down at his feet. "That's that, then. Auriana, I'll come by tomorrow to check on your bandages. Er… have a good afternoon, Father."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and hurried out of the room, accidentally smacking his shoulder into the doorway in his haste. Varian made no attempt to stop him, and nor did he move to engage Auriana. He was not used to being shouted down by anyone, let alone his son, though he knew full well that Anduin had spoken the wasn't that he didn't trust Auriana, of course, but rather that he didn't trust anyone else.

Varian eventually glanced sideways, and was unsurprised to see Auriana staring straight ahead, with a rigid set to her posture. Nevertheless, she was clearly making a concerted effort to remain calm, and she ran a hand through her dishevelled hair as she took several deep, steadying breaths.

"He's right, you know," she muttered finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over the room. "We're both far too stubborn..."

Varian sighed and reached for Auriana's good arm, and cautiously pulled her toward him. She resisted slightly at first, but with a glance towards the place Anduin had been standing, she relented with a slight sigh.

"He's almost always right," Varian agreed, cautiously sliding his hands around her waist. "It's… incredibly annoying."

"Whose fault is that? He's your son," Auriana accused him, her blue eyes sparking.

"He is indeed," Varian nodded, "Though he's a far better man than I."

He frowned down at Auriana, and hoped she could see the sincere regret in his eyes. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed that he was unable to resist the urge to wrap her up and lock her away from all the terrible things in the world. She was so incredibly precious, and Varian greatly feared what might happen if he were to lose her.

"Well… that's not true," she said softly.

"What?"

"You're the best man I know," she elaborated, glancing up at him shyly from beneath long, dark lashes.

Varian snorted.

"Well, you obviously haven't met many men," he told her drily, and she let out a derisive chuckle.

"I mean that," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I know. And… I am sorry," he murmured, gently cupping her pale cheeks. "I try to be better, but… when I think of losing you… I can't breathe."

"Varian…" she sighed wearily, turning her head to kiss one of his palms. "Nothing and no one is going to take me away from you."

"It seems that there are more than enough people willing to try," he snarled angrily.

"Let them do their worst. You'll protect me," Auriana said firmly. "Of that I have no doubt."

Her eyes were very bright, and Varian could barely believe the depth of her faith in him. He had done very little to earn her trust of late, and yet somehow, she was willing to forgive him all his considerable flaws. Anduin's little outburst had no doubt helped her to see his point of view, though Varian reminded himself that he might not be so lucky as to avoid her wrath a third time.

She shivered slightly, and instinctively moved closer to the warmth of his chest. Varian hadn't really noticed, but in the time since Auriana had appeared in his office, it had begun to rain heavily outside, and the temperature in the room had dropped considerably.

"Are you cold?" he asked, gently rubbing the small of her back.

"A little," she confessed. "I lost a fair bit of blood."

"Come," he murmured, offering her his arm and leading her over towards the large fireplace at the back of his chambers.

Varian kept an enormous bearskin rug in pride of place before his hearth, and he carefully helped Auriana settle herself down into a comfortable position on the soft fur. He then turned away to the fireplace, and had soon kindled a warm, crackling fire that brightened the otherwise darkened room. Auriana pulled her knees up to her chest as she stared thoughtfully into the flames, and leaned back ever so slightly as Varian sat down behind her and pressed his chest against her back. He stretched out his long legs around hers, using his vastly superior body size to ensure she was warmed from all directions.

"Better?"

Auriana nodded wordlessly, and rested her head back against Varian's shoulder. A profound silence stretched between them, despite their physical closeness, and Varian wondered what she was thinking. As time wore on, however, the lingering tension in her back and shoulders gradually started to fade, and together they began to breathe in slow, perfect unison.

"You know…" Varian said tentatively, gently running his fingers through the lengths of her silky hair, "Only you could go hunting for an apprentice warlock, and wind up the target of multiple assassins."

"I'm fairly sure they followed me from Stormwind," Auriana remarked drily. "They weren't just… waiting out in the Blasted Lands for a target to walk by. They knew who I was, judging from how quickly they ran when I got in close."

"I doubt there would be too many people willing to fight you one on one," Varian observed.

Auriana twisted slightly in his arms so that she might look back over her shoulder towards him, and a very small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Well…" she said slyly, "You certainly weren't… if my duel with Broll the other week was any indication…"

"Don't kid yourself, woman," Varian rumbled, lowering his head to growl directly in her ear. "I am Lo'Gosh! The Ghost Wolf, champion of the Crimson Ring, slayer of dragons... I could take you."

He gave her his best mock glare, and Auriana shook her head in amused exasperation.

"Are you quite sure about that?" she scoffed. "Khadgar believes that when I fought Archimonde, I was the most powerful mortal being in existence on Draenor – or Azeroth, for that matter. I'd like to see you try."

Her eyes blazed with challenge, and she smirked confidently as she turned back to face the fire. Encouraged by her response to his teasing, Varian ran his thumb over the soft skin at the nape of her neck, smiling inwardly as she broke out in gooseflesh. She was so damn small, it was sometimes easy to forget how incredibly dangerous she really was.

"Khadgar said that?" he asked seriously. "You're really that powerful?"

"Well… for all of about two minutes, at which point my heart gave out," she said, shrugging her slim shoulders slightly. "And I had help. I had Nithramas, and I was draining every living mage in the vicinity."

"Still, it must have been an incredible feat. You are strong," Varian remarked proudly.

"Yes," she agreed quietly. "Stronger than I was when we first met, I think."

Varian knew that Auriana did not like to consider the upper limits of her potential overmuch, having spent most of her recent life trying to contain her magic, lest she inevitably lose control. Her work with Jaina Proudmoore and Kalecgos had given her far greater mastery over her rage, though deep down she still feared what she could possibly become.

"What did it feel like? To fight Archimonde, I mean," he asked cautiously. "I doubt I could even imagine."

"I don't really remember much," she replied, with a short shake of her head. "I remember… being angry, angrier than I've ever been… but at the same time, I don't think I've ever seen things more clearly. I simply… willed the universe to change, and it did."

Auriana finally relaxed properly against Varian's chest with a soft sigh, and thoughtfully entwined her fingers with his.

"I wish I could explain to you what it feels like to channel magic," she added, her gaze drawn once more to the fire. "It's beautiful, really. It's dangerous, and free, and... perfect."

"Just like you," Varian murmured, pressing his lips against the pale, graceful curve of her neck.

"Such flattery," she said quietly. "I didn't know you were so charming…"

"What?" he said gruffly. "I'm not allowed to be romantic?"

"You can, if you like," she assured him, "But you should know - I don't need romance, or flowers, or trinkets. I need… scowls, and… and overprotectiveness, and unnecessary sword fighting lessons. I need Varian Wrynn."

"Hardly unnecessary…" he protested, only for the rest of his objection to be cut off by a passionate kiss as she twisted around to face him fully.

Varian fell back lightly against the bearskin rug, being very mindful of Auriana's wounds as he pulled her down against his chest. She came with him unresisting, her dark hair tumbling across his shoulders as she caught his lips with her own. Varian could feel the rapid, excitable beating of her heart as she kissed him fiercely, and he could tell by the way she pressed her body against his that she wanted him to take her. She was always rather anxious to be intimate after they had fought, as if afraid that he might one day decide that she was more trouble than she was worth.

"Auriana…" Varian mumbled, trying and largely failing to ignore the heat building deep within his loins. "You're hurt… perhaps we shouldn't…"

"Varian," she said flatly, sitting up slightly so that she could look him in the eye, "If you had to wait until I was completely injury free to make love to me, it would never happen."

Her cheeks were flushed prettily, and her impossibly soft lips were full and swollen from the passion of her kisses. Varian loved how wild and otherworldly she looked in the firelight, with her skin aglow and her eyes steely and golden. If anything, the bandages about her arm and torso only served to add to his impression, and he vaguely wondered why on earth he was trying to refuse the attentions of such a beautiful creature.

"Unfortunately, I think you might be right," he conceded.

"I suppose that means you'll just have to be especially careful," she suggested shyly, running a featherlight hand across the hard ridges of his chest.

Her already enormous blue eyes widened hopefully, and Varian realised he would not have been able to resist her even if he had wanted to.

"Hmph," he rumbled. "In that case…"

Varian growled deep in his throat and rolled, cradling Auriana with the utmost care as he pressed her back into the bearskin rug. He then set about removing her clothes as quickly and as gently as possible, until she finally lay beneath him in all her bare-skinned glory. The reflected flames danced across her skin, alternately highlighting and shadowing her every supple curve. She had filled out a little since she had returned from Draenor, having lost some of her hard muscle in favour of a lithe softness that Varian found immensely pleasing.

"Light, woman…" he grunted heatedly. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

Auriana smiled shyly and lowered her eyes, still as flustered by Varian's blatant appreciation as she had been the first time they had made love. Despite everything that had happened between them, she still seemed to find his desire for her somewhat unbelievable, and Varian wondered if she would ever truly understand the effect she had on him. The honeyed scent of her lust was at that very moment making him feel lightheaded, and he hungrily pressed her legs apart with a broad palm. He was no healer, but he strongly suspected that there were other ways to ease Auriana's aches and pains, and he was eager to put his theory to the test.

"Varian…" she stammered, her strong muscles tensing as he trailed a line of passionate kisses up the soft skin of her inner leg. "What are you…?"

Her trembling hands moved nervously to still his head, but Varian would not be swayed from his path.

"Hush…" he murmured reassuringly. "Trust me…"

Varian had always taken great delight in pleasuring a woman, but he was also very cognizant of Auriana's relative inexperience when it came to intimate matters. Her confidence had been slow to develop, and while Varian had been more than happy to proceed according to her comfort, he could not deny how much he longed to taste her. On any other day, he might have resisted, but there was something about the fire, the bearskin, and the rain outside that had awoken a very particular desire within him, and he wanted nothing more than to dive deep in between Auriana's silvery thighs.

His heart pounding almost out of his chest, Varian slowly lowered his head to her waiting sex, only to be utterly overwhelmed by the sudden rush of sweetness that flooded his mouth. The taste of her was far beyond anything he had imagined, and it was all he could do not to devour her like a wild animal. The spirit of Lo'Gosh howled fiercely within him, but Varian forced himself to remain calm, intending to prolong Auriana's enjoyment for as long as possible.

"Oh…" she gasped softly, a faint note of surprise in her voice.

Varian paused his efforts briefly, unsure whether her exclamation was good or bad, when her hands found their way to his head once more. This time, however, she did not push him away, but instead tangled her hands in his long hair so that she might pull him in closer. Her hips instinctively lifted so that he might better find her most sensitive areas, and Varian smiled inwardly to himself as he teased her with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue.

Auriana's breath soon came in short, ragged gasps, and her hands tightened almost painfully in Varian's hair as she surrendered completely to his ardent attentions. Varian, of course, didn't care, so enraptured was he by the taste of her arousal and the way her body tensed and trembled at his touch. He never felt more powerful and virile than when he forced Auriana to lose control, and he growled with deep satisfaction as he worked her to her peak.

She came for him more quickly than he had perhaps intended, though Varian was certainly not disappointed to feel her body abruptly arch and hear her softly cry his name. A great shiver rolled down her spine and all the way into her toes, and she balled her hands into the thick fur of the bearskin rug as her body shook uncontrollably. Varian did not stop there, however, instead greedily drinking her down until she could take no more, and she was left utterly finished beneath him.

He sat up only when he had was satisfied that she had been thoroughly pleasured, and he looked down at his handiwork with immense pride. Gentle tremors ran along the length of her entire body, even after he had pulled away, and her brilliant blue eyes had darkened to a shade of lusty near-black.

"Light… Varian…" she moaned, her soft lips parting enticingly as she fought to catch her breath. "Need you… please…"

Never one to refuse such a lovely plea, Varian hurriedly divested himself of his clothes, and stretched out languidly on the rug alongside her. Bringing Auriana to completion had made him incredibly hard, and he was sorely tempted to simply throw her onto her stomach and have his way with her. He was not an especially gentle or sensual lover, being more passionate and animalistic by nature, though in this instance he remained determined to take his time. It was not only because she was injured, but also because he wanted to apologise; to say the kind of things that he could never hope to express in words.

Varian ran his weathered hand up the smooth skin of Auriana's outer thigh, and carefully raised her buttocks so that he might ease himself into her still-trembling body. He moved slowly, deliberately; savouring every second of their joining before he finally buried himself to the hilt within her. A powerful shudder ran down his back, and for a moment he simply cradled her close, silently marvelling at the way they fit together so perfectly.

He could have happily laid there forever, feeling the warm of her all around him and staring deep into her fathomless blue eyes. Auriana, however, seemed to have different ideas, and she began to move eagerly beneath him, clutching desperately at his broad back as she attempted to drive him to the edge of control.

"Now now, Auri," Varian murmured huskily, nipping at her neck to hide his wolfish grin. "There's no need to rush…"

He found her enthusiasm immensely pleasing, of course, but he nevertheless pressed a large hand against the curve of her hip, and held her firmly down against the bearskin. While Auriana had seemed to have forgotten about her injuries, Varian had most certainly not, and he would not see her come to harm, not even for the sake of their passion. Fortunately, she was exceptionally light, and it took barely any of his strength to keep her within his control.

Varian slipped his other hand beneath Auriana's lower back and lifted slightly, angling her hips so that he could drive himself as deep as possible within her. With a low growl, he pressed his cheek against hers and closed his eyes, and took up a steady, commanding rhythm. Auriana made delightfully soft noises every time he reached the zenith of his thrusts, and Varian's world slowly shrunk until there was nothing truly real to him save for the fire, the bearskin, and Auriana.

He found it sweetly torturous to take her so slowly, when every movement of her body and every sound that left her lips begged him to take her faster. She was exquisitely tight and wet, perhaps even more so than Varian had ever experienced, and despite his best intentions, he was only able to hold out for so long before his lust spiralled out of control. He was dimly still aware of the need to be cautious, but it wasn't enough to stop him from increasing his pace; slow at first, and then faster and faster as Auriana's soft cries urged him on. Varian reached out to catch her chin, turning her face upwards so that he might look her in the eyes; and as the incredible heat between them became suddenly overwhelming, he let out a last, exultant roar, and was finally spent.


For a long time afterwards, neither of them moved; the only sounds in the room the crackle of the fire and Auriana's soft breathing. It was warm, though not uncomfortably so, and Varian felt a wave of contented drowsiness wash over him. Auriana had closed her eyes, and she too, seemed perfectly happy to remain where she was, lying bare-skinned on the floor before Varian's hearth. Outside, the rain had given way to a proper late-afternoon storm, and a massive thundercrack sounded somewhere off in the distance.

Eventually, Varian lifted himself clear of Auriana and lay down beside her, knotting his fingers possessively through hers as he stared thoughtfully up at the ceiling. He perhaps should have returned to his work, but he supposed that Stormwind could get by without him for a single afternoon. He was not a frivolous king by any means, and for all that he had given for his people and for the Alliance, he figured he was well within his rights to be lazy, just this once.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, glancing pointedly at Auriana's bandages. "We don't seem to have ruptured anything, at least."

"You were very careful…" she assured him, turning her head to the side to meet his gaze. "And very… thorough. I suspect I'll sleep well tonight."

Auriana smiled shyly and lowered her gaze, and Varian smirked with a quiet pride.

"I love you," he murmured, reaching out to stroke one of her pale cheeks.

"I love you, too," she replied, leaning languidly into his touch.

She was so trusting, and some of the warm glow in Varian's chest faded as he remembered all that happened that afternoon.

"Despite everything?" he asked seriously. "I've not been my best for you lately. I…"

She cut him off with a swift, fierce kiss, and the sudden intensity of her gaze left Varian's mouth dry. Auriana may not have been the most open or effusive person, but her emotions ran deep, and there was absolutely no doubt in her eyes as she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his own.

"Oh, no…" she whispered, placing her hand over his heart with great reverence. "Not despite. Never despite. Because."