Varian
Varian sat in his private chambers, enjoying a pleasant dinner with his son. He lounged back in his chair with a glass of good whiskey, listening to Anduin talk about his day. Anduin was an excellent conversationalist, and it was a simple pleasure to relax in a comfortable chair with a bellyful of succulent pork ribs as he listened to the Prince talk.
The bells of Stormwind Cathedral had just chimed seven o'clock when Varian's chamber was illuminated by a sudden burst of bright blue portal light. Varian wasn't initially concerned, knowing that there was only one person on earth who could directly access his rooms. However, his casual contentment quickly vanished as he smelled the distinct, acrid scent of gore.
He turned his head to behold Auriana, standing behind the dining table with her entire face covered in dark, sticky blood. Her left forearm was bound in a neat sling, and he could tell from the way she held herself that there was something wrong with her ribs.
"Hello, Anduin; Varian," she said lightly, as if she was unaware of her injuries and her horrific appearance. "Might I trouble you for a drink?"
Varian shot to his feet in alarm, with Anduin mirroring his movements.
"Auriana?" he said incredulously. "What happened? Here… sit down."
He pulled out a chair and ushered her into it with a steadying hand on her back.
"Anduin… would you mind?" he said, turning to his son.
Anduin looked rather shocked by Auriana's appearance, and Varian couldn't blame him, but he knew his son well enough to see that his son's interest was roused by the opportunity to use his healing skills.
"Of course," Anduin said swiftly. "That is, if you'd permit me, Auriana."
"You needn't trouble yourself, Anduin," Auriana protested. "Really. I appreciate the offer, but I've had some healing already. I wouldn't say no to that drink, however."
"Clearly not enough healing, from the looks of it," Varian said firmly. "Please, I insist."
He nodded to Anduin, and the Prince walked tentatively forwards to place his hands on Auriana's obviously broken arm. She accepted the healing with a reluctant sigh, but Varian distinctly saw her face relax as her arm was enveloped in a glowing white light.
As Anduin worked diligently, Varian went to pour Auriana a glass of firewater. Auriana normally preferred light elven wine, but from the look on her face it seemed that she could do with something stronger. The young mage was smiling at Anduin as they engaged in small talk, but Varian could see that her shoulders and back were rigidly set and her jaw was exceptionally tight. She was putting on an act for the Prince, but Varian knew there was something very wrong.
"What happened?" he repeated, placing the firewater down on the table beside her.
Auriana accepted the drink gratefully, draining half the glass in a single sip. She turned her keen gaze on Anduin, frowning slightly.
"I'm sorry, Anduin, I have a rather unfortunate habit of interrupting your dinners," she apologised, "But I need to speak to your father alone."
Anduin's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, clearly as impressed with Auriana's attempt to shelter him as he usually was with Varian's, but he nodded his agreement.
"Of course," he said, releasing his healing spell. "Let me know if you need me to look over your injuries further."
"I will," she said warmly. "Thank you."
"Goodnight, Father," Anduin added, giving Varian a very serious look as he made his way from the room.
Auriana watched the door out of the corner of her eye, and she waited until Anduin was well and truly gone before she finally spoke.
"We have a problem," Auriana said flatly, returning to her feet. "There's a traitor in Lunarfall."
"What?" Varian said.
"I ordered an attack on the Iron Docks, based on information confirmed by SI:7," Auriana explained. "We walked into an ambush. It was a bloodbath."
"Why do you suspect a traitor?" Varian asked. "Is it possible that the intelligence report was simply incorrect?"
"The information was only confirmed late last night," she said. "I acted on the report almost immediately, and we used portals rather than travelling overland. There is no way the Iron Horde could have arranged an ambush of those proportions unless they already knew we were coming. We managed to prevail, but only with some extraordinary luck."
"And what happened to you personally?" Varian said, wanting to know how badly she was injured.
Her arm was quite obviously broken, and she'd clearly sustained a head wound, but there was always the possibility that she had less obvious ailments.
"We were outnumbered two to one," Auriana said. "I went to commandeer an iron star, to even the odds, and an orc caught me. He threw me into a wall, cracked my ribs, and broke my arm. I managed to get him off me and set off a star, but I passed out for the rest of the fight."
"How long were you unconscious?" Varian asked worriedly.
"Three hours?" Auriana guessed. "Maybe four? The battle continued for some time after I lost consciousness, and it took my men awhile to find me."
"You're lucky to be alive," Varian said, managing to sound far calmer than he had expected.
"Yes," she said darkly. "I am."
"Have you spoken to Shaw? This is his problem as much as yours," Varian pointed out. "He often works late, I could escort you down there n…"
"Oh, believe me, Master Shaw is well aware of the issue," Auriana said sharply, cutting Varian off. "He'll have his operatives look into the matter. Not that it helps the men who died today."
She closed her eyes and breathed a heavy sigh, looking as old as Varian had ever seen her.
"You're angry," Varian said quietly.
"Of course I'm angry!" she snapped. "I can't keep watching my men suffer and die when it could be prevented!"
"Death is a necessary consequence of war," Varian reminded her.
"There is no honour in death by treachery," Auriana countered. "I have no illusions about the reality of war, Varian, but when I ask my men to take to the field, they need to know that their deaths will count for something. They need to know that there is hope."
Varian frowned and reached for her arm, but she pulled away to stand just out of reach. Her body was wracked with tension, and her eyes were bottomless pits of rage. Combined with the dark blood that stained her face, she looked entirely terrifying.
"I can deal with death," she added, "But I cannot abide traitors. Something you should understand better than most."
Varian frowned at the ring of truth in her words. He was no stranger to traitors and assassins. His father, Llane, had been assassinated by Garona Halforcen, and Varian himself had nearly lost his kingdom to the treachery of the black dragon Onyxia, in her disguise as Lady Katrana Prestor. He knew all too well the depth of Auriana's rage and pain, and he wished he could offer her more than base platitudes.
She finished her drink with a single, unladylike gulp, and placed the glass rather forcefully back on the table.
"Thank you for the drink," she said, stepping away from the table.
Varian recognised the telltale hum of magic as she began to open a portal, and moved swiftly to block her.
"Where are you going?" he asked urgently, gently grasping her shoulder on her uninjured side.
"I'm going back to Lunarfall," Auriana said, sweeping a long strand of her hair behind her ear. "Where else would I be going?"
"I thought… I thought you might like to stay here for a while longer," Varian said, struggling to keep his voice light and neutral. "With me."
He didn't know how to express to Auriana his fear for her safety. No matter how many times Varian had reminded himself that Auriana was strong, and smart, and capable, he couldn't quite shake the primal fear snarled in the pit of his stomach every time she left. The thought of Auriana alone in Draenor with a traitor on the loose chilled his blood, even though he knew she had entire army at her back. As far as Varian was concerned, the only way she would ever truly be safe was if she were by his side. Nothing else was good enough.
"Why?" Auriana asked, genuine confusion written across her face.
"You're hurt," Varian pointed out.
"It's just a broken arm and a bump on the head," she said, shrugging. "With the help of the healers, I'll be battle ready in a matter of days. The sooner we solve this intelligence crisis and take Blackrock Foundry, the more lives we save. I'll not delay the mission on my account."
"Nevertheless, you are injured," Varian argued, more forcefully than he had intended. "I'd much prefer that you stayed until you are completely healed. And… and then perhaps a while longer."
"I know you worry about me, Varian," she said consolingly, though there was a sharp edge to her voice, "But I have a job to do. Blackhand isn't just going to kill himself."
"No, but you don't have to kill him, either," Varian countered. "Certainly not with a broken arm and a serious concussion."
"Who else is there?" Auriana demanded. "Lunarfall is my garrison, and that makes Blackhand my responsibility."
She pulled roughly away from his grasp.
"I'm tired of this argument, Varian," she said, shaking his head. "I'm leaving. It's that simple."
Varian ground his teeth in frustration. It was like arguing with a stubborn mule. Auriana was entirely too reckless, and it was going to get her killed. He surged with protective adrenaline, and he had to clench his hands into tight fists.
"I forbid you," he burst out, though he instantly regretted the strength of his words.
"You forbid me?" Auriana said, her face twisting in sudden anger. "What are you going to do, Varian, lock me up?"
"I'm your king, I'll order you if I have to," he snapped.
Rationally, he knew he had no right to forbid her anything, but it did nothing to quell his overwhelming instinct to protect her, forcibly if necessary. His blood quickly boiled with fear and anger, even though he knew this was entirely the wrong approach to take with someone as stubborn and driven as Auriana.
"You'll order me? Really?" Auriana said, her voice icy. "You can't just suddenly throw your power around when it suits you, Varian. You certainly have no legal right to detain me."
"What do you expect me to do?" he growled. "You won't listen to reason."
"Reason?" she scoffed. "I'm not sure your rampant over-protectiveness counts as reason. I am going back to Draenor. You can find a way to live with that, or… or… well, I suppose that we'll be… finished."
Varian's heart froze. It had taken so much to win Auriana, and the thought of losing her cut him to the bone.
"I don't want that," he said, his voice dangerously low. "I... do you?"
"No! I… no," Auriana said forcefully, her blue eyes very bright. "Of course not! But… you need to learn to let go, Varian. Why is it so hard for you to trust that I can protect myself?"
"What do you expect, Auriana?" Varian said hotly. "How many times have you nearly died in the last two weeks, let alone in the last six months? You were nearly assassinated last week, and you've just walked in here with a broken arm and a concussion, looking like hell. You said it yourself, there's a traitor in Lunarfall. I don't care how skilled you are, you aren't invincible."
Varian moved so he was standing toe to toe with her, glaring down at her furiously.
"Don't try to intimidate me," she snarled, staring up at him implacably.
"I'm not…" he protested, but she ruthlessly cut him off.
"That's exactly what you're doing, and you know it," she said. "This is my career Varian, it's my command. I'll do what I have to."
"Lunarfall isn't all there is in the world. There are other things you could do," Varian argued.
"But I love it," she said, her pale cheeks ablaze with rage. "And I'm good at what I do! I thought you understood that better than anyone."
"I do," Varian said. "I am a warrior first and foremost."
"You're also a hypocrite, then," she accused him. "It's all well and good for you to go off to war, but I'm supposed to play the good little girl and stay home? The Alliance… the Alliance is my life! How could you possibly ask me to give up my command?"
Varian fell silent, knowing that he should never have said a word. Auriana put her good hand on her hips, a palpable fire in her eyes.
"Well?" she demanded angrily.
"Because I love you!" he shouted, the hot bubble of fear in his gut finally bursting to the surface.
For a single, electrifying moment, it seemed as if time stopped. Somehow Auriana's enormous blue eyes widened even further, as a deafening silence fell over the room. Varian swallowed nervously, shocked by his own abrupt admission. It wasn't that he didn't love her, quite the opposite, in fact. He had been certain of his feelings for quite some time, but it was quite another thing to actually tell her.
Or scream it at her, he thought ruefully.
"What?" she whispered, every last bit of fight gone from her voice as she took an uncertain step backwards.
"I love you," Varian repeated, realising there was little point in backtracking now. "I should… I should have told you earlier, but…"
He stepped back from her and ran a hand through his hair.
"You don't understand what it's like, Auri," he said painfully. "You show up here at random, smelling of blood, and pain, and Light knows what else, always with one injury or another... and I never know if each time I see you will be the last. It kills me, Auriana. I've already lost one woman that I loved. I don't know if I could survive losing another."
Auriana face had gone ghostly pale, and her expression was impossible to read.
"You… you love me," she repeated, as if she couldn't quite believe the words.
"Of course," he said tenderly. "Is it really that surprising? I've never met anyone who understands who I am the way you do. You're dazzling, Auriana."
"I… I don't know what to say," she stammered. "Varian… this… I... I'm sorry..."
She took another hasty step backwards, her face stricken, and Varian realised that she was opening a portal. Far too late, he lunged for her good arm, wanting to pull her back, but his fingers closed on empty air as she vanished without a trace.