Braelyn regained consciousness slowly, at first aware only of a babble of indistinct voices and a comforting warmth around her right hand. Her eyes flickered open and she saw her father standing at the end of the bed, looking old and haggard. When he saw that she was awake he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank the Light!" he exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

Braelyn opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out but a hoarse croak. "Here, sweetie, drink this," her mother said from her left and held a glass out towards her. Braelyn reached for it, but was distracted by the warmth around her hand tightening and stroking across her knuckles.

She looked to her right and saw Lor'themar sitting there with a ragged look on his face. He looked so worn and tired, and Braelyn's heart constricted painfully. She placed her free hand on his cheek and caressed it. He leaned into her touch and let out a soft groan, his good eye drifting shut.

"I thought I'd lost both of you," he whispered in Thalassian, his voice full of anguish.

A wave of panic hit Braelyn and she cast her eyes down to her stomach, her free hand dropping down to sweep over the curve.

"The baby is fine," Andorien said, his calm voice a most welcome sound, "but you need to drink what your mother is trying to give you."

Braelyn nodded, smiling at the druid and her cousin, who grinned in return and gave her two enthusiastic thumbs up. Braelyn turned back to her mother, and allowed her to gently pour the potion into her mouth. It tasted sweet and cold, like a mouthful of snow. It tingled on the way down and left her breathing small puffs of icy air.

Braelyn felt much better for drinking it, less fatigued and more alert. She cast her eyes around the room; besides her family and Lor'themar, Lord Fordring and an unfamiliar woman were also present. The woman was a warlock, and quite beautiful, with black hair, pale skin, and lips so red they had to be coloured with magic.

"Do I know you?" she asked the stranger. Her voice was still slightly hoarse, but she was at least able to speak and make sense.

"Oh, don't mind me, dear," the warlock replied, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm not here for you." The strange woman never even looked at Braelyn, her eyes firmly fixed on Lord Fordring. A long, dreamy sigh escaped those ruby lips, and Braelyn could have sworn she heard the warlock mutter something about 'irresistible shiny things'.

"Yes, well... " Lord Fordring said with an awkward cough. "How are you feeling, Miss Hawke?"

"I feel much better now," Braelyn replied. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you all."

"I think we do," Lor'themar said, and she turned towards him. The look on his face was one of a man who'd walked through the Firelands naked and unarmed, and survived. Braelyn felt herself start to drown in feelings of guilt and remorse.

"Lor'themar," she said, "I am so, so sorry that I left without saying goodbye, and for not telling you about the baby."

Lor'themar winced, and Braelyn knew that her actions had hurt him deeply. Yet he soon raised his face to hers and smiled softly. "Do not worry about such things now," he said, continuing to stroke the back of her hand. "They no longer matter."

Braelyn shook her head. He couldn't forgive her that easily, could he?

"Braelyn," Lor'themar said, this time more forcefully, "it doesn't matter. I understand more than you think. All I care about now is seeing you and the baby taken care of."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness," she mumbled in reply, but allowed herself to be mollified, at least for the moment.

Braelyn jumped slightly as a loud scream echoed down a nearby hallway. "Not again," her father said with a scowl. "That ghoul of yours has taken to randomly sneaking up on people for spontaneous 'hug attacks'."

That last statement was directed at Odariah with a pointed glare. The priest grinned without shame and held up her hands. "I was just helping him acclimatise to life with normal people," she said. "I'm glad you didn't let us kill him, Braelyn; he and Mrs Fluffy are awesome!"

"He has rather livened things up," Lord Fordring admitted, a mischeivous twinkle in his eyes. "But I think you'd better go rescue him before he gets into trouble, Madam Starbreeze. I'm sure your husband will want to accompany you, as well."

Odariah nodded in aggreement, coming over to give Braelyn a hug. "We'll speak later, all right?" she said, and to her cousin's surprise, gave Lor'themar a friendly squeeze around the shoulders.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Braelyn asked. For everyone to have settled in so well meant it must have been a while.

"A week," her mother replied. "You were so exhausted, darling."

"I'll say!" Braelyn said, shocked. "You must have been so worried," she added with an apologetic glance at Lor'themar.

"Less worried than I was before I found you," he replied, placing a soft kiss on her hand. Braelyn started to feel guilty again, but then noticed the way her father was staring at the blood elf.

"Dad," she warned. "Don't."

Jasper somehow managed to look both sheepish and defiant. "Sorry, kiddo," he said, "but I can't help it. I'm your father."

"Well, Jasper, I'm sure the other father's of Azeroth would appreciate it if you put that concern to a higher purpose and gave me your opinion of Hearthglen's fortifications," Lord Fordring interrupted. "I heard from Eligar Dawnbringer that you are quite learned when it comes to the art of defense."

"What a good idea," Ellysan said, getting to her feet. She gave her daughter a hug, then walked over to take Jasper by the arm. "I could use some fresh air, and there are some questions I'd like to ask Crimson about shadow magic. I can't use it myself, but am interested in the theories behind it."

The warlock, who Braelyn realised must be the Crimson her mother mentioned, looked startled. It wasn't often a mage actually asked a warlock to discuss magical theory without some emergency hanging over their head.

Jasper did not look enthused by the thought of Braelyn being left alone with Lor'themar, but could only shoot a final, warning glare at the man before being dragged off by his wife.

"You're not going to be like that are you?" Braelyn asked, turning to the man beside her. He smiled, and shook his head, but there was an odd glimmer in his eye that she wasn't sure she liked.

"Oh, no," Lor'themar said, "I'm going to be worse."

Braelyn chuckled. She didn't know what to say, but wanted to spend time with Lor'themar. It was time to give him the answer everyone had been waiting for, but she didn't want to just blurt it out straight away. There were still things they needed to talk about.

She shifted over on the bed, patting the space beside her and inviting Lor'themar to sit closer to her. He looked surprised, but only hesitated for a moment before accepting her inviation. Braelyn leaned forward, allowing Lor'themar to slide his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest, and wrapping her arms around him.

It felt awkward being so close to him, even though they had spent a night together and were expecting a child. At the same time, however, there was something incredibly comforting about his presence, and Braelyn did her best to concentrate on that feeling.

"I really wanted to tell you about the baby," she whispered, "but I... "

"Shhh, Braelyn," Lor'themar replied, and kissed the top of her head. "I know. I read your letter in Halfhill. I know that you were frightened, that you were just trying to protect our child. I won't lie and say I wasn't hurt by your decision, but I do understand it."

"I was a fool to think that running was the solution," she said. "How did you find out about the house at Halfhill anyway?"

"Your cousin wrote a letter to Aethas," Lor'themar said, "asking him to give a character reference for me. When I sent him to testify in person, she got mad and my men ended up kidnapping her and Andorien."

"By the Light!" Braelyn exclaimed. "It's a wonder they're still alive. Andorien would have gone feral."

"Yes, Aethas was a bit shell shocked afterwards. Said something about maulings, a polymorph, and several arcane torrents," Lor'themar said dryly, and she couldn't help giggling.

"I'm not surprised that Odariah ended up contacting you," Braelyn said. "I'm amazed she held out as long as she did, actually. My parents are relentless when they want something."

"So I noticed," he said. "That determination and focus is what makes them such good parents, however, and why they were such excellent soldiers."

"Did you ever serve along side them?" Braelyn asked.

"No," Lor'themar replied, "but I did hear of them. They are very well regarded, Braelyn, even by the Horde. I am sorry that my relationship with them is so strained."

"They'll get used to you," Braelyn said, pulling his hand over her belly. "Everything is just so tense and unsettled right now, that's all. Mum has already started to calm down, and Dad... well, I don't think you'll ever be the best of friends, but his hostility will fade. He knows I won't let him act like that around the baby. I won't let him make our child think badly of you, even by accident."

Lor'themar made a non-commital sound and was content to rub her stomach for a few mintues. Braelyn sighed, and relaxed into him. Now that they had started talking, the awkwardness had disappeared, and she realised how much she liked being with him. She had always felt comfortable around him, even when she had been held captive in Silvermoon.

Braelyn stifled a yawn, fighting off a wave of exhaustion. She would sleep when everything was settled between her and Lor'themar. She felt him move her into a more comfortable position, and smiled.

"You were about to make a decision, weren't you?" Lor'themar asked. "Before Jaina made her appearance?" Braelyn couldn't see his face, but she heard the anger in his voice, and the fear.

"Yes," she admitted, "but there is still so much that bothers me. I want everyone to be happy, but neither choice really gives me the opportunity to achieve that. I lose my home, or you lose your child, and I know you won't allow that."

There was a long silence before Lor'themar answered. "I would fight for my child, yes," he confessed. "As much as it would pain me to do so, I would take him or her away if left with no other choice."

"But, Braelyn," he added after another lengthy pause, "there is room for compromise."

"Is there?"

"Yes," Lor'themar replied. "I won't force you to surrender your homeland if you really wish to raise our child there. All I ask is that you don't deny me access to my son or daughter. Meet with me here in Hearthglen, or your house in Halfhill. King Varian cannot stop you from travelling to neutral areas, even during times of open conflict, and right now we are at peace. He has no right to control who you speak to in those areas, either.

"We can spend time together there, as a family."

Braelyn was astounded by Lor'themar's offer. He was willing to sacrifice so much of his own happiness for her? Even after all that she had done? She felt tears gathering in her eyes, simply unable to process the emotions raging through her.

She tightened her grip on him, burying her face in his silk shirt. "You're too kind to me," she sobbed. Lor'themar did not reply, just held her as she cried, his arms warm and steady around her.

When Braelyn brought her emotions under control, she raised her head so that she could look up into Lor'themar's face. He gave her a reassuring smile, brushing the hair off her tear-stained cheeks.

"What do you want, Lor'themar?" she asked, voice waivering. "What would make you the happiest?"

Lor'themar did not hesitate. "I want to marry you. I want our child born in Silvermoon. I want to see you both everyday. I want more of this," he said, tightening his hold on her, face set in determination. "That is what would make me happy." He looked down to see Braelyn's stunned face and added. "I meant what I said to you down by the river. I love you, Braelyn Hawke."

"I... don't even," Braelyn blurted out. He loved her? By the Light, when did that happen? She knew that he was in a bad way when she met him in Shattrath, but thought that it was just lust. Hell, even simple curiosity or a love spell gone wrong seemed more realistic to her than what Lor'themar had just confessed.

His behaviour since then... well, she was pregnant with his baby.

Seeing Braelyn's dumbstruck expression, Lor'themar laughed and placed a kiss on her cheek. "It is all right, darling," he said. "I do not expect you to feel the same."

"Bdakefnekfnaasmd," was all Braelyn's overworked brain could come up with in response.

Laughing even harder, Lor'themar asked her if she would like to speak with her parents. "Mum... Odariah," she said weakly. "No men."

"As you wish," Lor'themar said, giving her one last kiss, this time on her lips. A sudden flash of heat brought Braelyn back to her senses. She watched him depart, his walk almost a swagger, and nearly called him back.

What the hell is happening to me?

"It seems I may have misjudged him a little," Ellysan Hawke said after Braelyn finished telling her mother and cousin about what Lor'themar had said to her.

"Just a bit," a stunned Odariah responded. "I mean he told me he loved you when I was in Silvermoon, but to offer to put aside his own wishes for yours... That's real devotion."

"He's certainly being more flexible than your father," Ellysan conceded.

"I know," Braelyn said, rubbing her tired eyes. "Dad is being so black or white about this."

"Don't let his opinions override your feelings," her mother told her. "In the end, all we want, all we have ever wanted, is for you to be happy."

"What do you two think of Lor'themar?" Braelyn asked.

"I think he is a very decent man," her mother replied. "More so than I originally thought. The fact that he loves you so much shows that he has good judgement as well."

"I like him!" Odariah declared. Seeing Braelyn's shocked look, she grinned and added, "I know. I'm just as surprised as you are. But, he did treat Andorien and I well when we were in Silvermoon, even though I wasn't very nice to him. He judges people by their actions, not their appearance, which is such a rare thing these days."

"What do you think I should do?" Braelyn inquired, but her mother neatly threw the question back to her.

"What do you want to do?" Ellysan asked. "What do you want for yourself and your child?"

Braelyn paused. Such an important question, the answer to which would determine the course of her life.

"I want a family," she replied, finally giving voice to her desires. "And I want to create a peaceful world for my child to grow up in. I want my child to be with its father and to know both its cultures."

"Then you should go with Lor'themar," Ellysan replied, and Odariah nodded in agreement. "You will have a family of your own, Lor'themar will not miss a moment of his child's life, and who knows, maybe you'll be able to help keep the current peace treaty going."

"Maybe improve it even," Odariah added. "Lor'themar might work to keep the more aggressive members of the Horde in line, with a human wife and a half-human child to think about. And you could do the same for our side, show people that we can learn to live together."

"But I won't be able to come home," Braelyn reminded her mother sadly.

"I know, sweetie," Ellysan said, "but that's not the end of the world. You did say that Lor'themar would allow us to visit you in Silvermoon, and Hearthglen is a lovely place. Your father and I could always build a house here."

"And I think that if we keep harrassing King Varian and remind him that the Horde and Alliance aren't at war right now, he might change his mind about exiling you," Odariah chipped in. "I mean, if we aren't at war, is it even really treason?"

Braelyn chewed on her bottom lip, as she thought about what her mother and cousin said. She was surprised that they both advised her to go with Lor'themar, but was also grateful for their honest advice. Her decision had been made earlier and she hadn't changed her mind, but she now felt more confident about it.

She felt like she was doing the right thing.

"Mum?" she said. "I've made up my mind. Will you get Lor'themar for me? I want to tell him first."

"Of course, sweetie," Ellysan said, getting to her feet. "Come along, Odariah."

Braelyn smiled as the two women left, and lay back against her pillows, gathering her strength for when Lor'themar arrived.

Lor'themar walked into the infirmary to find Braelyn sound asleep, her golden brown hair bunched up her around her face. Loathe to disturb her, he sat down quietly in the chair beside her bed. He took her hand in his, smiling when she started mumbling in her sleep about setting Bitey on people.

He was desperate to know what she had chosen, but would not wake her. Despite what Andorien had told her earlier, she had come very close to losing the baby while she was unconscious. She needed to rest, and take a special potion every few hours. It would be at least another week before she would be able to get out of bed.

Lor'themar closed his eyes. He'd promised himself he wouldn't think about how close they'd come to disaster, but it was difficult. In an effort to banish the painful thoughts, he kissed her hand, and recalled their time together, both in Silvermoon and Shattrath.

He had been by her side for roughly an hour when he heard her begin to stir. He opened his eye just in time to see her own flutter open, the ocean coloured orbs sleepy and confused.

"Lor'themar?" she asked with a yawn. "How long have you been here?"

"About an hour," he replied. He got up to help her sit up, then sat on the bed next to her. He was pleased when she snuggled into him, wrapping her arms around him. "I didn't want to wake you."

"All I ever seem to do these days is sleep," she grumbled.

"You need it," Lor'themar asked, laying his head on hers. "Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

Braelyn pulled back and looked up at him. She smiled, but he could tell she was nervous. "You've been so patient," she said, "but it's time I told you what I want to do."

Lor'themar's heart skipped a beat. He hoped... well, he hoped for so many things. He prayed that he would be granted at least a few of them.

"I want to return to Silvermoon with you, and marry you, and be a family, and show people that humans and blood elves can coexist peacefully," Braelyn said in a great rush, her words almost unintelligible.

Lor'themar let out a very loud, very relieved sigh, though what he really wanted to do was shout his joy out to the skies. The relief he felt was immense, as if he'd been carrying a mountain around on his shoulders without knowing it was there until it was removed. He swept Braelyn against his chest, kissing her wherever he could reach.

Lor'themar heard Braelyn giggling, and something she'd said made him pause in his celebration. He looked at her with a erious look on his face. "You said you wanted to marry me," he said, "but I don't want you to feel that you have to do that to make me happy. Just having you and the baby with me will be enough."

"I was only worried about that earlier because I thought you felt you had to marry me because I was pregnant," Braelyn replied. "Now that I know that's not the case, I would like us to make things official. I want our baby to have your name."

"But you don't reciprocate my feelings," Lor'themar said, "and I would not force you to marry where you do not love."

"I have always respected you, Lor'themar," Braelyn said, caressing his cheek. "You are such a good man, and I think of you with great fondness." She paused for a second, eyes darting to the side as a soft blush coloured her cheeks. "I'm sure that I will come to love you in time," she added, "especially if you keep wearing the Eyepatch of Seduction."

"My what?" Lor'themar asked with a startled laugh. Braelyn's blush deepened, and he felt her squirming in embarrassment.

"Your Eyepatch of Seduction," she repeated, her fingers tracing the edges of his eyepatch. She gave a self-conscious laugh. "It's very... attractive."

Lor'themar grinned, leaning forward to rest his forehead on hers. He saw her eyes widen in surprise, but she did not pull away. Instead, she nuzzled him.

"Is that what caused you to surrender in Shattrath?" he asked, grin morphing into a smirk. "Here I was thinking it was the way I undid your buttons with my teeth."

Braelyn let out an embarrassed squeak, but it was quickly cut off by Lor'themar claiming her lips in a kiss. It was a long time before he let her go.

AN - so much talking! Crimson, the paladin-obsessed warlock belongs to AMCM74. And Braelyn has popped up in another story, this one called Light of the Elements by Chelinkathearchmage. Go check it out. It features Bitey in all his boot chomping glory.

Next Chapter: Braelyn and Lor'themar embark on the next stage of their life together.