Chapter 25
"I need you." Varian had finally said it. He waited for Fox's reaction. Tiffin would have kissed him on the cheek, and snuggled closer. Katrana would have thrown herself all over him. So from experience that is what he was expecting.
Fox leaned away. Not trying to break his hold, she stared curiously. "You need me?" She was thoughtful for a moment. Then let loose peals of laughter.
Varian waited for it to abate. Just when he thought she would stop, it would start over again. Tears rolling from her eyes. The chest struggling for air as uncontrolled spasms hit her. The blue eyes narrowed. "I fail to see what is so humorous about my confession."
Fox shook her head wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, "Your Majesty, I have read over your file, and you don't need anyone. You do quite well on your own, and we only guard you because its a precaution and a ceremonial duty to relieve us from field work."
"I am not talking about combat and protection, Fox!" Varian growled, "I am concerned with physical, emotional, and mental base lines that a diligent gnome spent hours charting. Just for her little companion to blurt out, You need laid. While I stood in the corner of this very room in nothing but a robe!"
Fox laughed again, This time it was only Varian's arm holding her up. If not for the support she would have rolled to the floor. "You are messing with me, aren't you! Oh this is rich. Was it your plan to kill me with laughter, your Majesty. Because you are succeeding masterfully at it."
"It's Varian!" He stressed the name this time. What was he going to have to do for her to say it? Fox was not cooperating, so he pushed her down on the bed. Climbing over her to trail tender kisses over her neck. That stopped the laughter cold. In a motion, he was becoming very good at extracting form her, Fox arched toward him. Her hands going right for his hair. She let loose a sharp cry of instant arousal. Certain that he had quelled her laughter, Varian pulled his head up. Looking down at her in expectation, "You may say it now."
"Say what?" Fox's eyes never leaving his lips. She was wondering what he would do if she bit the lower one.
"My name. I am getting a bit tired of telling you to do so."
Fox looked into his eyes and let out a tired sigh, "My King, you are a very, very stubborn man."
Varian dropped his forehead to touch hers. "I do not believe you have the nerve to say that. Fox what am I going to do with you?"
"You could revoke my punishment, and let me leave Lion's Landing at will again?" Fox smiled as she snuggled down on the bed. The motion causing a slow roll of her hips that triggered a definite reaction in his own.
"You are an evil woman." Varian almost purred. By the Light, she could only keep this up so long before one of them broke. He was trying to wait her out. Knowing she wanted him, and that desire was only growing stronger.
"How am I to argue with that? Considering your history," Fox made a jab at his relationship with Katrana, "You would know exactly what evil looks like."
"You are nothing like her." Varian sat up. That subject was an ice bath. Realization that Fox was already privy to many of the more intimate details of his life. While he knew so little about hers.
Fox set her attention on him, "I should say not! Have no fear of me going all black and scaly on you. I admit the breathing of fire would come in pretty handy."
"Fox, I do not want to talk about Katrana." He shot her a cold look.
"You brought her up."
"I did not. I said you were evil, and you are! Distracting me like this." Varian felt his eyes go wide. Suddenly caught up in the knowledge of just what was happening here. "By the Light you did it on purpose."
"You want me to tell the truth?" Fox sat up and rolled off the bed.
"Don't bother you manipulative sneak! When did you learn to twist things like that. I could really use it in some of my public relations." Varian watched her move across the room. Strategically setting distance between them, and taking control of the situation.
"It's natural to me. I don't try at all."
"At least your truthful." Varian didn't catch himself before he said the statement.
She turned to face him. A slender eyebrow rising. Neither of them admitting the sheer wrongness of that statement. Truthfulness was only used by Rogues when lying held no better benefit.
"Fox, I do not want to push you into something you don't want. But it's fairly obvious you do want the same thing and are holding back."
Silence ruled as she crossed her arms over her chest and nodded.
"You say we are poorly matched." Again the only answer was a slight nod. "That may be true, but I will never understand unless you give me a chance. Accept my affection for you for what it is. Allow me to call you a friend , and let's see where this can go?"
Fox lifted her hand and ran it over her face. Shaking her head slowly, "Fine. I submit! You are my friend, your Majesty. Does that make you happy?"
"Varian."
"I gave in on one point. Can't you even try to be happy with that?"
"I'd be happier if you would come over to this bed."
"Your my friend, your Majesty. Benefits are earned later." She move cautiously around the room. Keeping as great a distance as she could. "I have to go back and see to my students. Adian probably has them all sprawled out in the grass looking at Dwarven blade catalogs."
"I didn't dismiss you!" Varian stood up. Not ready for her to leave him just yet. They had been at odds for over a week. This short repreval just didn't seem enough.
"Friendship doesn't observe protocol, your Majesty." She opened the door. Staring back at him she added, "I will see you tomorrow morning for fishing."
O0O0O0O0O0O0O0
The next morning, Fox was beyond angry. She made her way through the silent keep in Lion's Landing. She had stormed through the main gate. Walked right up to the counsel chamber door without slowing. Typically, she would be questioning why there were no guards stationed. To be honest, she didn't even notice they were gone. She had one goal. It was to openly and brutally beat the ever loving hell out of her beloved new friend, the King of Stormwind.
She turned the knob and threw the door open. It slammed off the wall so hard it shook on it's frame. "Where is my gryphon!" She scanned the room. It was dark. The only light streaming through the windows. Fox felt her mouth drop open. Not only were the sconces not lit, almost everything was gone. The desk stood stark before empty book shelves.
The man that stood in the room was not King Wyrnn. But he looked up at her with authoritative eyes. "Fox."
"What is going on Shaw? Besty has been removed from the stables. The Flight master said it was by royal decree."
"Besty is with the King in Stormwind. They portaled out last night with Lady Proudmoore." Shaw set his hands on the desk, and leaned forward. "They will not be returning to Lion's Landing for the foreseeable future.
Fox snarled angrily, "He stole my Besty!"
"He appropriated her for royal service. Told me, she was the only gryphon highly trained enough to meet his needs." Shaw informed Fox in a matter of fact tone. "Not many things can stun me to silence, but that statement did ."
"So this is a perk of accepting his friendship? He takes your stuff?"
Shaw lifted a scroll and held it out to her. "We received reports from Vol'jin's forces last night. They are preparing to attack Orgrimmar. The King had to return to Stormwind and rally the armies, and prepare the fleet to sail."
"What is this?" Fox took the scroll and looked over the broken seal.
"It's a private message from the King to you." Shaw motioned toward it. "Excuse the seal. I didn't bother myself to re-affix it."
Fox let out a short laugh. Of course he would have read it. Opening it she felt her heart grow heavy.
Fox – I wish I had time to tell you myself, but the situation has grown most dire. I am needed back in Stormwind immediately. I have taken Besty with me as a precaution. Only the finest trained gryphon can aid me. I will leave you with my personal mount. He is young, and will surely gain much from your skill at instructing him. I have left orders with Shaw as to the rest. - My very best regards, King Varian.
"He can't fly Besty! She would never be able to lift him off the ground in all that plate." Fox tried not to smile at the thought. "So he found a loop hole that gets me on a new gryphon. I should have seen that coming."
"True."
"So when are we shipping out to meet up with the Fleet in Durotar?" Fox refolded her message.
"We aren't. He instructed me to make up some story as to why we need you to remain and watch over Lion's Landing." Shaw was in rare form to be so curt.
"You are kidding me! Shaw you know that I should be there. My skills are needed."
"If you had succumbed to the King last night, I would have actually considered his wishes." Shaw stepped around the desk. Moving his hands in a complex series of motion. It was a rare gesture, but one she knew well.
"What do you need of me?" Her entire body movement changed the moment Shaw signaled for a Stormwind Assassin.
"The King has expressly ordered me not to send you to Orgrimmar. He said, he needed his mind on the task at hand. However, he has requested the rest of my force, and trust me, you will be the only one whose absence will not be questioned. That means you are the only one I have in my service at this time."
Fox observed as he grew more somber. He was vastly concerned. Not much worried Mathias Shaw outright. She watched as he moved to the empty war table. All the figures had been removed and only a few maps remained. Shaw went through them silently. Rolling and unrolling until he stretched the image of Azeroth before them.
"Garrosh isn't the brightest Orc out there, and for Orc that's saying something. But he is strong, and that is why he leads the Horde. Unlike Thrall, who actually has a brain to draw wisdom from, Garrosh is highly reliant on his advisers to keep his Horde together." Shaw looked up at Fox, "That is how we are going to take him down."
"Isn't that what the Alliance siege is going to do?" Fox walked over and looked at the map.
"Outwardly, yes. But only as long as you manage to do what I ask. If you fail, it's more then likely no one from Vol'jin's rebellion to our Alliance forces will leave Orgrimmar alive."
Fox could not stop the look of horror that came over her face. Shaw would not tease about the complete destruction of their people. "Okay you have my attention."
A finger pointed to the map. "Here is one of the best goblin engineers in all of Azeroth. He is a master of explosives. In fact, he is so dangerous that they will not keep him on Kalimdor for his experimentation. You have to take him out. It won't be easy. Garrosh keeps him heavily guarded." Shaw turned his hand and set another finger down. "And here are troops that he has been training to reenforce the gates of Orgrimmar. I have been over the reports of their fighting styles. He gets these crazies at the door, and we ain't got a chance."
"How am I suppose to take them out alone?" Fox waited for Shaw's direction.
"Like I am suppose to have any clue? All I really know is everyone I have sent recently, have not returned, and I doubt they had much choice in the matter." Shaw dropped another finger down, "Not all of the Forsaken bows knee to Sylvanas. Sure they make a good show of it. Putress's men are all gone. I have no doubt of the thorough job the Dark Lady did on that. But she has others whose minds are so decayed they actually support Hellscream. Hear me when I say this Fox. I want to be completely clear. Look at me." Shaw's eyes locked on Fox's, "You will not fail to take out this target! I have no desire to encounter any more undead goo, slime, mist, acid, or toxins. Especially when I am in Orgrimmar. Got it? No nasty undead alchemist farts bent on taking me out. I can't stress this anymore then I am."
Fox knew he was being perfectly serious. So Shaw actually did have some kind of phobia., but after Bolvar Fordragon, didn't they all?
"Now the next one." Shaw moved his finger to another spot
"How many of these points are there? And why haven't we moved before this?" Fox reached out to slap a hand down on the map. She dropped low to look up at Shaw.
"There are two more, each just as bad as the rest." Shaw tapped the other spots. "We haven't moved because I was waiting for opportunity. Sorry to say now, it's just not going to happen. I know how much you rely on Besty to watch your back, Fox, but you are going in this alone. Unless you count the King's Gryphon. He is unmatched in speed and power. Something Besty couldn't offer."
"Super expensive bird." Fox grumbled. She had almost forgotten that she had lost Besty's aid. This was going to be hard without her gryphon's wisdom.
Shaw sighed, "Fox, take out at least three of these targets before you go down. Preferably the slime canons, or what ever they want to call it this time." Shaw drummed his fingers in agitation.
There is was said out right. No bravado. No supportive pep talk. Shaw really believed she was not coming back. The best she could hope for was to prove him wrong.
"Any last requests of me?" Shaw's expression was tormented. He did not like what he was doing. Knew that he would have to answer to King Wyrnn for it someday.
Fox remained silent. Dark eyes moving over the map.
"Do not worry about your parents. I will see to their care. Even if they do not realize where the aid comes from, they will have it. The King will hold Besty until she departs without question. So you really have no final worries."
"I have one thing for you to do." Fox took a deep sigh, " When you get back to Stormwind, tell his Majesty, that I accepted my duty to the Alliance without question. That I called him my friend, and used his given name."
"But you still haven't used it."
"Lie, Shaw. It's what you're good at."
End
Author Note: This is where I am leaving it, since Fox has moved on from her time in Lion's Landing. You can find the next part here on FF. Echo of the Lion's Roar - rated M.
Please leave me some feedback on what you thought. If you enjoyed my efforts, let me know! It keeps me motivated to write more.