Chapter 10 – Family feuds
They had slept all night uninterrupted. Only talked and slept. They had the opportunity to get to know each other and they had talked for hours. It had felt so natural, so good, so wonderful. There was nothing in the world that could touch them now. They had laid all cards on the table and been open and honest with one another. But there was one subject they had not yet visited.
Jaina slowly opened her eyes as she could hear knocking on her bedroom door. She had fallen asleep in Sylvanas' arms and for the first night in three months, she had slept the whole night through. The knocking continued. "Jaina, my friend are you there?" Jaina shot up. Shit! It was Vereesa! Surely Sylvanas knew Vereesa lived in Dalaran and that she and Jaina were friends. But did she know how close they were? When Vereesa lost Rohnin, Jaina had been Vereesa's rock. When Jaina found Sylvanas in Ashenvale forest weeping, it was because of Vereesa. Shit! Jaina whispered again. "Just a moment!"
Jaina cracked the door open to peak out at Vereesa. "Hi Jaina, I came by to see how you were? I mean after yesterday being your first day back. I know the break up with Kalec must have been really hard for you since you have taken all this time off". Jaina opened her mouth to answer. Answer that Kalec wasn't the reason she had isolated herself, wept and drank. But if that was what everyone thought, it would probably be better to stick to that story. For now… "Yeah uhm… Terrible. I've been so upset you know…" Without really focusing on Vereesa, Jaina mumbled the words to her. "You seem distracted, Jaina. Did you not sleep well, did you come back to work too soon? Was it hard seeing Kalec?" Jaina frowned and she almost wanted to laugh. It sounded pathetic and the fact that nobody knew anything made excitement flush through her. "Yeah you're right, it was just too hard to see Kalec and having people stare and stuff you know" said Jaina almost ironically while she pretended to look sad. "I think I'm going to take today off again as I realised my heart is still mending". Vereesa looked suspiciously at Jaina, like she read her lies out right. Vereesa kissed her teeth. "You're not sad at all are you?" "Excuse me?" Jaina swallowed. "Is there another man in your room right now? It's not Varian Wrynn is it?" Vereesa asked teasingly. "No! Stop! There is no man in my room!" Technically, Jaina wasn't lying. "Hmmm, I'm on to you Jaina Proudmoore. I will find out who this new mystery man is!" "Please just don't tell anyone okay? Especially not Kalec". "Hey what do you take me for, we are best friends right". Vereesa smirked at Jaina and gave her a wink as she walked away.
Jaina shut the door behind her and exhaled in relief. "Vereesa is your best friend?" Sylvanas stood in the middle of the room. "I knew that you were friends of some sort… However , I didn't realise you were that close…" She ran her index finger over Jaina's desk. Jaina sighed. "Yes, one of the things we didn't cover last night… I am sorry I didn't mean to keep it from you or anything. I know that you two aren't… Exactly speaking right now". Jaina looked at Sylvanas. Sylvanas' expression remained unchanged and she didn't look in Jaina's direction. "Are we kidding ourselves here, Jaina? Thinking that we could actually have something?" Jaina froze and sudden anxiety entered her body. "No! What we have is real. I'm sorry I didn't remember to tell you the extent of mine and Vereesa's friendship. I mean we have only had one night to talk about literally our whole lives!" Jaina was firm in her speech. "I don't mean that". Sylvanas sighed. "What will the world think, Jaina? Especially of you. I am who I am. Can you really defend your feelings for me to the world? To the Alliance?" Jaina had to admit she hadn't really thought that far ahead. She didn't answer and Sylvanas cuffed. "I thought so…" She headed for the door. "NO!" Jaina stretched her arms out blocking it off. "Don't you dare walk out on me Lady Windrunner". Sylvanas stepped back. Jaina was no weakling and she knew how to stand her ground. "I will ruin you, Jaina. I was being selfish when I came her last night. But the truth is everything I touch gets destroyed sooner or later. "Yeah well I don't know if you have noticed Sylvanas, but I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself, you don't decide for me!" Sylvnanas stared at her. Jaina was right. If she genuinely wanted her to stay and take that risk. Sylvanas would definitely not stand in the way as she wanted to stay more than anything. Sylvanas put her hands up.
"Tell me about you and your sisters". Jaina looked firmly at her. "What?" said Sylvanas with a fixed expression. "There are three of you right? Me and Vereesa never really talked about you". Sudden emptiness filled Sylvanas. Her and her sisters had been so tight growing up and now their relationships were non-existent. "There isn't anything to say… Vereesa is alive and well. I am dead. And then there is… at least… I think I still can refer to her as is… Alleria…" Sylvanas looked down. "Alleria has been gone for years now". Jaina walked over and placed her hands on Sylvanas' cheeks. "Why don't you try and mend things with Vereesa? While there is still time?" Sylvanas sighed. "I tried that. We rekindled our sisterhood after Garrosh fell in the Siege of Orgrimmar. We were going to poison him in prison. Punish him OUR way for his atrocities. But Vereesa decided to go behind my back and change those plans". Jaina stroked Sylvanas' cheek. "Because she knew it was wrong. She didn't have it in her to kill him. But you feel betrayed". "I do not feel anything. I am over it. I left it with the rest of my self-pity in Ashenvale forest". Sylvanas moved Jaina's hands away and walked towards the door again. "Sylvanas… We were doing well here. Please don't leave. Talk to me?" Sylvanas' expression went cold. It was too much for her. Too many emotions that could surface. She had just opened up to her feelings for Jaina. There was no room for anything else right now, she was not made for this anymore. "I'm sorry, Jaina but it's just too much". With that said, Sylvanas Windrunner walked out the door. Once more she left Jaina in the room alone.