Chapter 12

"I can get us into the city," I said, Anduin helping me to my feet.

"You're still shaky-picture it, talk me through, I'll lead," Teir said, and I looked at her odd, what?

"I have a life grip on you-we share a mental state, emotional state, and right now physical state. We'll work on some sort of hatch to control it later-right now we feel everything the other feels," She said, giving me a look that made me realize just quite how close to Anduin I was.

I nodded, closing my eyes and imagining the passageway I found years ago-briar salve, climbing…

"Of course it involves climbing," Teir whined, and I huffed a laugh as we followed her, and I felt Anduin steadying me as I kept my eyes closed.

"Climb…" I mumbled, and she snorted something that sounded like 'yeah I know'.

"Do you need me carry you up?" Anduin asked quietly, and I felt my father's eye on me, intense and filled with questions that I would have to answer later.

"I got it," I said, opening my eyes and picking out the handholds easily enough, "Teir-"

"Spotting you, go."

I climbed fast, knowing that we were laid out like sitting ducks here, and soon I found the construction door, kicking it in and slipping onto the semi fragile platform there.

"Belts off everyone," I said, taking off my own and hooking it around the taut cord there, "Watch the walls."

I took a deep breath before jumping, kicking chaotically off the walls as to make sure I didn't match the dark stains that painted them already. I was on the ground fast enough, and I stepped out of the way as Teir, then Anduin, Then Father, Then Varian, Then Sylvanas, and then Kenlora came in.

"Jaina?"

"Stayed back to assist in breaching the gate," Varian said, and I glared at him, hatred coiling like a viper in my stomach.

Not now-maybe after I take Garrosh.

An axe was suddenly level with my throat, just close enough to almost cut skin, and I threw my hand out to stop the rest of the party, who had all drawn weapons. I glanced over to my right to see a furious Tauren, whose nose ring shook with his breath.

"You are not forces of Garrosh."

"Hail, Gamon. Stand down," I pushed down on the handle of the axe, taking a breath as it fell, "Vol'jin's revolutionaries are taking the gates now. We're moving ahead to clear a path into whatever he has down in the chasm."

"I will join You-I shall clean my axe with the blood of our enemies," He said, and I nodded, casting a look over our battered but ready party.

"What's the situation in the Valley, Gamon?" I asked, before realizing that it wasn't my voice alone. I stared at Teir, who watched back evenly.

We need a way to block that off, and fast.

"Four units are in the valley now, and all are hungry to fill Garrosh's bounty for the Prince and Princess. They have dark shaman in the hold, torturing Etrigg for no reason other than pleasure. They are over confident that your forces will fall."

"Good, we shall crush that swiftly then," I said, standing at my full height even as muscles ached, "I know the way through the wall-weapons at the ready."

I slipped past Gamon, Anduin right behind me, and eased over to the wall plating, hooking my finger in the gap and silently pulling it away, bow already out and four arrows nocked Loosely-I can fire when I get a shot.

No orcs noticed yet, but a breeze caught, and I bit my lip as the smell of burnt flesh tickled at my senses. Other orcs inhaled, and eyes went to us.

I shot first.

We launched into a bloody, violent, and screaming battle. Father and Varian beheaded many, Teir ripping apart whatever they missed, while Kenlora healed their wounds and Sylvanas took down the ones in the rear. Anduin and I launched in as a unit, moving around each other like water and keeping the other's back safe.

"Down," I moved as he blasted two full in the face with light, angling over his back to stab the approaching two in the throat and kick the other away, rolling off the other side of his back on my feet again.

"We make quite the team, Princessling," He said, ducking as I got one in the eye, arms going around my waist to cut off another's hands.

"Focus Princeling," I said, risking a quick peck to his cheek as I stabbed an Orc in the shoulder, following it with a sweep through the muscle to remove the arm.

He laughed, a strangely light sound amongst the chaos, and I grinned savagely, launching into battle with a roar.

Soon we were scrambling over bodies to get at whatever lived. I struggled not to vomit as bones and cartilage crunched under my boots.

After what felt like a lifetime of blood and gore and screaming, the four units were dead, and we were all alive.

The valley was silent, spare for our panting, and the fighting at the gate was quiet compared to the havoc we just reaped.

I gasped, the breath knocked out of me by what felt like an invisible stone fist, falling to my knees atop my body pile, and I heard Anduin faintly calling to me.

Freezing wind buffeted me, and I felt my body stiffening quickly.

"I do hope you won't get to cold."

The Shaman.

"Let go of her!" two men roared that-Anduin and Father.

I heard fighting, and the wind faltered momentarily, but my vision was tunneling and I couldn't breathe. The wind was roaring in my ears.

I was turning.

Suddenly, Anduin was there, his skin like fire as he breathed hard, his voice low with fury and desperation "Don't you dare leave me."

I was whole again, and I was pissed.

"Lor'Themar-" Sylvanas yanked Father out of the way as I roared savagely, blades drawn as I landed on top of the male shaman, blades slicing into him so quickly that his throat and chest were bared for the world to see. The woman began to utter a spell, and I jumped, landing on her and stabbing into her belly button with my sword, piercing her robes, and drawing upward so hard that I cut through her jaw, and she fell, gutted like a fish.

"I am no statue," I growled down at the now corpses, rage running hot through my veins.

I looked up, seeing the rest of the group standing there, a few of them looking vaguely ill, while Teir looked like she was restraining rage of her own.

"Calm down, kid. I don't want to break here." I could feel her shaky mental state in the back of my mind, like a weird, muffled screaming that she shoved down constantly. It was unsettling.

"They're dead. You're okay. We're okay," that was Anduin, and I nodded, sheathing my bloodied blades and walking away from my gutted prey-let the vultures have them.

"We need to keep moving. Carve the path for the rest of the armies." Varian said, and I nodded, going to wipe blood off my mouth, only to realize my arm was covered in blood too.

I am a creature of war, in all of my gory glory.

"The drag is littered with siege machines and about half of a unit around them," Teir said, her eyes seeing farther and glassing over, and I focused in on her death sight to observe.

"They're Orc made, not Goblin-middle lever on the right side is what stabilizes them. Rip them off," I said, and I nodded with Teir as though she had control of that one.

"That is severely unnerving," Father said, and I smiled weakly at him, only to see that his facial expression was strained and clipped.

Yeah, I'm in for it.

"Let's go then," Sylvanas said, and we charged.

I drifted partially as we carved a path through the drag, slaughtering and firing and pulling apart, and I think I found my way into Teir's head.

Go back to your body, kid. There is no autopilot for that.

I jumped, startled all to hell as I realized that Teir just thought that, and I heard it.

I focused on staying in the moment for the rest of the fight, and soon we held the drag.

"Rangers are taking the rest of the ground level. We have water here-drink and wash what you can, take a quick rest," Teir said, and I just sat in the small little pond that was beside me, scrubbing off layer upon layer of blood, dirt, sweat, and gore.

"Would you look at that, you do have a skin colour," Anduin sat beside me, scrubbing his face with the quickly browning water, and I snorted, continuing to scrub at my arms and neck.

"Thought I might've been stained Orc blood red, did you?" I quipped, and he laughed, flinging a little water at me as he shook his head violently, getting dirt out of his hair.

"Though this feels like heaven right now, I can't help but feel that there's a little left to be desired, compared to-"

"The Krasarang bathhouse?" I finished for him, and he nodded, smiling, and I rolled my eyes, standing and shaking out his cloak, the poor thing so stained that I couldn't tell it was blue anymore.

"The view's still nice, though."

I looked down at him, from where he was sitting in the water still, watching me, and stuck my tongue out at him, earning a laugh.

"Let's move!" Father shouted, and I sighed, holding out my arm for Anduin to stand up.

"Come along Princeling, we have about a trillion more Orcs to kill," I grinned at him, and he grinned back, taking my arm and pulling himself to his feet.

We drew our weapons, and I waved at the sun, looking up wistfully.

"Why do you wave?"

"In case I don't come back up…I'll miss the sun," I said, and Anduin was solemn as we entered the cleft.

The passage we had chosen was dank and dark, but within moments I felt the presence on my chest.

"Dae'mons," I whispered harshly in Orcish, the sound guttural and choked. Demons.

"Doom lord-summoned by a warlock before he died. Smart Orc." Teir was using her death sight, but I didn't want to see this.

"Can the elves tolerate this?" Varian asked, and I snapped my teeth at him, offended.

I felt a golden film coat my skin, and looked down to see a veiny, glowing, golden bubble surrounding me, and the intimately close smell of mint.

I looked back at Anduin, whose eyes were glowing in the darkness.

"I have seen what fel magic does…you would slaughter us in minutes if you got to close." He said, and I gave him a silent nod of gratitude, turning and pushing forward.

We rounded the corner, and I felt the bubble flare as a wave of fel energy washed over us, and I struggled not to lap it up-it smelled like power.

Kor'Kron were fighting with the doomlord, which was not pleased, and the entirety of the cleft shook as it roared.

"Into the chasm, quickly," Sylvanas said, and it was easy to tell that she had ceased breathing, to block out the magic.

We jumping down from the ramp into the chasm, sneaking past the Kor'Kron, and we were in the fire.

Anduin released me from the bubble, and I gulped in thankfully mintless air, and that's when the shadows moved.

"Assassins!"

Previously drawn weapons sliced through them, but just as the wound was made, it was sealed again. They weren't dying.

"Anduin toss me," I grunted, and he gave me an odd look as he grabbed my waist and threw me upwards.

I spotted the shaman, furiously mumbling healing spells, and I nocked an arrow fast, letting it fly and hit them in the throat as I came down. These enemies will not be healed.

They fell in the blink of an eye after that, and I had landed in a crouch, bow still drawn.

Look ahead Teir, what's waiting for us? I decided to try this whole telepathic thing, and I saw her stiffen, her eyes glazing over, and I felt her death sight tug at my own eyes.

"Nothing…not until the back of the chasm. The way is clear," Teir said, returning to herself, and I nodded, taking Anduin's hand to bring myself to my feet, bow still at the ready.

The chasm was eerily silent, our footsteps echoing, and I squirmed as the deadly heat scoured my filthy skin, making my eyes water and my ears twitch chaotically.

Wait, that wasn't what was unsettling me…

I focused in, coming to a stop and staring straight ahead, listening.

Clink…clink…clink…

"I hear it too," Teir whispered, and I noticed that every elf in the party was concentrating, leaving the two humans in the dark.

"It's coming from below us-that must be the Warchief's compound," Sylvanas said, and I shook myself, unnerved.

"Whatever it is, it's bad. We need to keep moving," Kenlora spoke up, and I felt a foreign wave of affection move through the back of my head, and looked at Teir in confusion.

We will speak of that when this is over.

I'm never going to get used to someone in my head.

We kept moving, and we reached the two steel doors at the end of the path, which were standing slightly open.

"Nazgrim," Teir and I said in unison, and I nodded solemnly.

We entered the cavern, and the honorable Orc had his axe drawn, looking forlorn but determined.

"Ah, Nazgrim," Gamon said, a shadow of sorrow coating his tone.

"I suppose it has come to this then. Lor'Themar. Sylvanas. Teir…" his eyes went to me, and I nodded stiffly, forcing myself not to mourn my friend, "Jadearra. What we do now, we do for the Horde…all of us."

With that, he charged.

Nazgrim has always been a formidable opponent, dodging blows from Varian and Father and landing nicks here and there, but whatever he landed Kenlora healed quick. Sylvanas and Teir fell back, watching me.

I was to land the killing blow.

I nocked an arrow, scanning his armor for a chink, a gap, anything-

There.

The arrow flew, lodging itself into the spot where his neck connected to his jaw. Varian and Father fell back, watching as Nazgrim stiffened, falling to his knees, eyes on me.

"Stop...him..." he died.

I walked forward slowly, eyes burning as I took my arrow from his neck, salvaging it, and I closed his eyes as he continued to bleed out.

I heard thundering.

We all looked up, to see the rest of the armies moving in.

Vol'jin and Baine were in the lead, and they were the first to see Nazgrim.

"Ah, Nazgrim…he was loyal to da end." Vol'jin said.

"He gets a proper burial, when this is all over," I said, standing from where I had knelt beside his head, and Baine nodded, gathering the body and carrying it away.

Healers came through with sleeping mats, and I silently took one, going to the farthest corner of the cavern and curling up on it, missing Mother and Bandit and home.

I watched as families and units found their places, settling in to mourn or to joke or to eat.

I simply leaned on the wall, watching through blank eyes as people moved about.

Your father's coming.

I came back to life, realizing that Teir was warning me, and I saw Father walking towards me quickly, looking angrier than I had ever seen him.

"Let's talk, daughter."

He sat down across from me, and I shrunk back slightly, my stomach clenched.

"Hello, Father," I said cautiously, and he sighed, running a gloved hand through tangled, gore covered hair.

"What is…what is there, between you and that boy?" Father asked, and I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

I felt my eyes burning, and he saw it too, "Jadearra-what is going on?"

"I-" I closed my mouth and eyes hard, a lump forming in my throat as I struggled to find the words.

"I…I don't know, Father," I said, my voice cracking, and I wouldn't look at him.

"Jadearra…he's…he's human," Father said, and I nodded, my eyes burning so much that it actually hurt.

"He's…he's his son," Father said, and I snapped.

"You think I don't know that?!" I snarled, feeling my face dampen finally, and I looked at him with wet eyes and a face of pain.

He's only punching home the facts that have been torturing me since I met that human in the jungle.

Father studied me, his face pained and tight, before he said, low, "How far does this go, Jade?"

I thought back to my time in Pandaria-the dress, dancing through the Jungle, curling around him night after night. His face when I woke up in Krasarang, and he brought me back from stone. The utter fear in his eyes when I fell off that kite. The utter adoration that washed off of him whenever I didn't turn him away after that first kiss…

By the Sunwell, I love him.

"Jade?"

I came back to myself, feeling slightly nauseated as I focused in on Father again, and I knew I was crying full on now.

My face seemed to answer whatever question he had asked, because he sighed, reaching forward and hugging me hard, "Be careful with who has your heart, little Jade."

I nodded into his shoulder, terror and shock and about twelve more emotions ricocheting around in my chest so fast that I felt sick.

Father left me to think, and I drew my cloak-his cloak-around me, shaking. I can't believe-

"Jadearra."

I jerked, looking up to see Teir there, and I knew with a sinking feeling that she just felt and heard all of it.

She sat beside me without a word and hugged me as I shook in her arms, my mind racing.

I can't love him. He's human; he's the son of my sister's murderer, he's-

He's kind, he's warm, and he's mine.

"Is this what its supposed to feel like?" I whispered to Teir, and she hummed, rubbing her thumb in circles on my shoulder.

"It…. you get used to it, Kid. It is not always so scary," Teir said, and the shadow of Kenlora's face washed across the back of my mind.

"Do you love her?" I asked, and Teir stiffened beside me, emotions that mirrored my own, only watered down, pooling.

"Yes."

We were silent after that, until she gave me a final squeeze and moved away-she was going to see Kenlora.

I ran a hand through my hair, which was stiff and disgusting from gore and dirt, and tried to calm down.

I'm in love with a human.

The cavern was dark, spare for torches here and there, but I could see fine. Most of the armies were sleeping, as a scout reported that it was nighttime outside. I crept through the mass of sleeping mats and snores, eyes on the mats where Anduin, Jaina, Varian were sitting. They were arguing.

I crept close, ducking behind a tarp wall that they had constructed, and listened.

"Anduin, it's for the good of the kingdom-" Varian started, but Anduin was breathing hard with anger.

"I will not marry her!" Anduin snapped, and it felt like a punch to the gut.

They're talking about the betrothal again.

"Anduin, she really is a very nice girl-" Jaina tried, but he somehow made her stop.

"I want to marry for love, not advantage," he said, and I felt that very emotion pooling in my stomach.

"It's the elf, isn't it?"

I froze, eyes widening in the darkness, and Anduin's breath hitched, but he remained silent.

"You've been all over her since you came back from Pandaria, and I don't want to know what happened over there- "

"Father-"

"Does she have you under an enchantment? Jaina, does she?" I wanted to rip him to shreds, my eyes were burning again, and I heard Jaina do a spell or two.

"Nothing, Varian…Anduin, what is going on?" Jaina asked, and I slumped over, bitter and hurting from listening to this.

"I'm not dealing with this right now."

I heard Anduin get to his feet suddenly, and I darted back across the cavern, dodging limbs and avoiding lights, and I fell onto my mat as his outline became visible.

He sagged onto my mat beside me, his posture slumped, "You're a horrible spy, by the way."

I huffed a laugh, leaning on him out of habit, "They think you've gone mad," I said, heart heavy.

"I saw you talking with your Father earlier-similar consensus?" Anduin asked, and I nodded, sighing heavily.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," we spoke at the same time, and I smiled weakly, feeling his laughter hum through his chest, warming me.

"Do you…do you regret it?" Anduin asked, and I looked up to see his eyes watching me intensely, filled to the brim with emotion.

"No," I whispered, straightening a little, "Do you?"

"I don't think I could if I wanted to," Anduin said, arms wrapping around me and pulling me to him.

I looked out in the cavern in silence as we just laid there, soaking each other up, and I felt a matching wave of warmth and affection wash through my head-Teir.

I decided to drift out of curiosity, and I found Tier with Kenlora on a mat in another corner of the room, Teir tracing patterns along Kenlora's thigh while Kenlora ran fingers through her hair.

This isn't your partner, Kid. Teir's voice echoed, and I phantom nodded, drifting back to my own body again.

Anduin had fallen asleep, his chin on my head, and I smiled to myself, drifting to sleep myself.