Disclaimer: Varian Wrynn and all recognisable characters belong to Blizzard entertainment. Valerica Glenmore and characters not from Warcraft or it's associated games cannot be sold or used without express permission from the author.
"Hurry Papa, we're going to be late!" Varian shook his head in exasperation at the fourth declaration of their tardiness that Anduin had chosen to grace them with, lifting the hem of his coat from the snow crunching underfoot and helping Val as she stumbled.
"No we won't Anduin, it's barely dark! Don't run off too far!" Val couldn't help her laugh at how Anduin completely ignored him, bouncing in the white powder like it wasn't as thick as porridge and calf height. "You asked for this really Varian." He raised an amused eyebrow, catching Nan as she too took a tumble by hitting a hidden rock.
Once she'd thanked him she moved forward to help Jon and Varro set up the tents that were to be their homes for the night. "Oh? And how exactly did I do that?" She reached up and pulled his scarf down from his mouth so she could hear him properly, glad she'd chosen to wear her father's coat instead of her cloak since it clung more, in theory giving her more warmth seeing as it was two sizes too big for her, meaning more wool was wrapped around her.
"You gave him three weeks to get excited about this, and you know damn well it's all he's been talking about." Lee snorted before he could stop it, looking rather ridiculous in every item of winter clothing he could fit on his small frame.
"You watch, the lights won't even appear now." Val looked heartbroken at even the idea of it. "No! Don't say that, I've been looking forward to this as much as Anduin has!" Varian looked behind them, swearing that he could hear a distant hoot. "Did Whitlock say whether he was coming or not?" Val nodded, fishing for her gloves in the large pockets either side of her.
"Aye, he said he had a bit to do then he'd come and meet us." She picked some snow from her hair, putting it behind her ear. "You really thought Anduin hadn't asked him every single day to come with us and made him promise?"
Varian made a face, relieving Lee of the firewood he'd been carrying and starting to arrange it on what looked like someone else's campfire from a previous visit, which made his task alot easier. "That's true, I honestly forgot who I was talking about for a second there."
Anduin span on the spot, stomping his feet and not caring a bit about the snow falling into his boot. "Barney!" Val opened the satchel she had brought, letting Varian scoop some snow into a small pot that had been brought up earlier to make hot water for their drinks.
"Barney? What made you think of him Anduin?" Anduin continued bouncing, only stopping to bat at the snow in his blonde hair. "Seeing him couple of days!" Varian patted his head as he passed him, quickly glancing around the hill they were all perched on to assess what little defence they had.
"That's right lad. I take it you're looking forward to seeing him?" Anduin tilted his head, clearly thinking about it. "Yes and no." Cathy dusted off her breeches, laying down the last pelt with Susan. "Why both, Your Highness? Are you not looking forward to going home?"
Anduin sat down on the bearskin, laughing when Jon started to drag it with him on it, ignoring the look of anger Cathy gave the guard. "And-e-win want to go home….but like Ironforge too." Varian stuck a pinky in the water to make sure it was warming since the fire wasn't that substantial as it fought against the chilly air, drying it on his own trousers and rubbing his hands.
"This doesn't have to be the only time we ever come here Anduin. We can come again." Both Val and Anduin were apparently ecstatic about that.
"Promise?" Varro finished putting the tent pole that had battled him for the past ten minutes up, catching the rolled up cotton that was to be their shelter. "When will the Deeprun be ready Majesty? You never know, next time we might be coming by train."
Varian could do nothing but shrug, doing a few more clasps of his coat up and fixing his scarf again. "I have absolutely no idea Varro. From what Magni showed me of it, it's still got a long way to go. But three years of construction has bore quite the fruit, so I'm optimistic."
Susan looked thoroughly confused, scooping powdered cocoa into eight mugs. "But how will it run, Your Majesty?" Val answered for him since she had more knowledge of it; Whitlock had shown her the plans for the actual train cars that were to be made once the track was lain, filling her in on every detail concerning the things since he knew she would love it.
"It's all steam Susan. They run on pistons attached to the wheels, and heat makes them move, it's the most fascinating thing you'll probably ever see in your life." Cathy looked more dubious than her mistress.
"I'd be worried about it breaking down. Imagine being slap bang in the middle of the cities and getting stranded." Varian waved a hand of dismissal, sitting back and looking up, grateful that the sky had decided to stay clear tonight.
"There's walkways being built either side of the tracks should Light forbid that happens." Susan looked strangely excited. "Is Mister Ferris working on it?" Val couldn't help but notice the lilt to her voice, a very familiar tone that she would know anywhere.
"Yes, he is. You really expected him not to be?" Susan's freckled, pale cheeks flushed a bright pink, and suddenly her hair was proving to be a good shield since she was hiding efficiently behind it. "No, I just wondered, that's all." Jon was still dragging Anduin around on his makeshift toboggan, only stopping to tease the teenager.
"I take it you like Mister Ferris then Sue?" Susan's pink cheeks turned red this time. "W-well, of course I do, but I know exactly what you're talking about and that's a fi-firm n-no…shut up Jon!" Val folded her arms, trying not to snicker since Jon had gotten his answer in spades.
"Stop teasing her Jon, she's allowed a crush." She understood perfectly how it had happened; since the three women had to be with Val practically all day every day, they had been with her for her daily visits to the forge, where she would normally meet Whitlock and the two of them would work on the sword that was now propped up against her satchel.
She had been under the impression she'd been imagining the little looks Whitlock had kept giving the girl, but soon a blush not unlike hers would creep along his thin cheeks and she finally realised why.
"It's not a crush…Milady." Varian was well aware that it was indeed a crush no matter what the maid told them, but could see she was getting rather upset with the impromptu interrogation and decided to save her further embarrassment.
"Alright, that's enough, both of you. Jon, put that pelt back where it was, I'm not getting frostbite on my arse because you wanted to play." Val beckoned Anduin over with a grin. "Come and make a snowman with me Anduin while we wait for the lights."
Of course he jumped at the chance, wading through the snow and sitting across from her. Lee took the distraction for his lady to sit next to the king and give him a smile. "I received a missive from Lord Gregor this morning Your Majesty." Varian leant in a little, wary of the woman five foot away. "And? What did he say?" Lee's reasurring look made Varian want to smile himself, but he knew Val would be suspicious of it in an instant.
"Everything is ready for Your Majesty's return… and he wondered if during the day you'll be doing anything with Lady Glenmore so he can make preparations?" Varian grumbled, pulling up the collar of his coat. "I'm taking her out before dinner, she wants to see that damn ballet, you know the one about toys and fairies?" Lee snickered, playing with the snow near his hand.
"Oh I bet you'll have the time of your life Sire." He ducked to avoid Varian's swat, trying to keep his laughter down. "Gregor told me the Glenmores have already arrived, and Mrs. Glenmore is ready to whisk Anduin away for the day when we return so you can have some 'privacy'."
"Mrs. Glenmore what?" Varian cursed as Val called them, obviously hearing the surname and becoming curious, making him pray that had been all she'd heard. "Nothing sweetheart, Gregor has written telling us she's in Stormwind already, that's all." Anduin looked like he was about to explode as he shook with excitement.
"Gamma at home?!" His pure joy at the news made everyone in their group happy be default, and it was made even better when Nan started ladling hot chocolate into the mugs and passing them around.
"Yes, Gamma's at home, so you'll see her as soon as we get back." Anduin made an inhuman noise of happiness, running in circles around the camp and nearly running into Varro's legs as the blonde continued to put their tents up, snapping at Jon to 'get off his lazy arse and help' and chuckling when snow was thrown at him, despite Jon heeding the call.
"Alright calm down son! I'm sure she'll be happy to see you as well." Val patted the bottom of her snowman until it was smooth, furrowing her brow. "But why are they there so early? It's still four days till Winter Veil."
Varian floundered, remembering he as horrible at bluffing, but thankfully Lee jumped in. "Something about the house Milady. Gregor wrote something about Mrs. Glenmore 'wanting to make the house habitable before you came back because she knows what pigs men are.'" Varian had to admire how quickly the boy had spouted the story, and Val's laugh meant that she believed it, which was even better.
"Oh, I'm sure it's not that bad. Carson's hardly there and Arin's in Gilneas!" Cathy sat next to Val, helping her with her new friend by passing her little stones that they had already packed in preparation. "Thank you." Varian's whisper made Lee nod. "It's alright, I don't mind lying for a good cause."
"When are the lights coming Papa?" Varian patted his lap and Anduin plopped onto it, stretching out and looking up at him. "It'll get a bit darker soon, then I can guarantee that they'll appear." A hooting noise caught the prince's attention and within a millisecond of sitting on his father he jumped up, running towards the sound despite Varian's angry calls and jumping into Whitlock's arms, not letting the frazzled engineer breathe before babbling away to him. "Alright, alright, let me sit down at least Anduin, I'm absolutely knackered."
He practically fell next to Varian and thankfully Archimedes was keeping Anduin entertained by flying in the same circle he was running, so Nan could pass him a fresh mug and get a grateful grin in return. "Long day?" His head flopped to look at Val, nodding lazily.
"Hit a bit of a snag with the Deeprun." If Varian were a dog his ears would've pricked up, but his eyebrows were the culprit instead. "What kind of snag?" Whitlock leant back on his hands after putting his mug down, making steam come out of the wrist when the piston compressed.
"Nothing major, something about going under a lake and how we're going to do it without flooding the place. I'm sure we'll sort it soon." Even Varian noticed how he was looking round at Susan, who in turn was trying to do everything but return the glances, with her head down and her cheeks redder than he'd ever seen them. "Actually, that was what I was to propose to you Whitlock." The dark haired boy threw his hands up. "Your Majesty, I am flattered, but I've already told you I don't swing that way!"
Jon had to turn his head to spit his hot chocolate out, competing with Varro for the crown of loudest, inappropriate laugh. Varian on the other hand, grimaced like he'd just noticed a bad smell. "All jesting aside, what say you to actually spending Winter Veil with humans this year?"
Whitlock pushed his glasses up, making Val give Varian a pointed look at how he was supposed to be wearing his, but he didn't take any notice. "Oh, you mean in Stormwind? I don't know Your Majesty..I don't know anyone there for a start…" Val pushed one of her snowman's buttons in, shaking her head.
"You know us! And my room at the house will be going spare, so you have a bed." Whitlock mulled it over. "I'll think about it, but it's going to be hard this year already with not being able to see Cassie." Finally, Susan's little voice broke through her nervousness around the man. "Why won't you be able to see her? I thought there were ships from Menethil Harbour to Lordaeron?"
Whitlock whistled to call Archimedes over to sit next to him, which the bird did. "No one's allowed in Lordaeron, they've put it under quarantine." Val's eyebrow rose as she lifted the body onto the larger snowball.
"I though Arthas said they were 'considering' it." Varian's face straightened, not filling her with hope. "He wrote me a couple of days ago saying it's been confirmed as a plague." The king noticed how Whitlock had gone quiet and realised his error.
"Apologies my friend." The younger man waved his human hand. "No, it's fine, it needs to be discussed." Varian caught Val's eye and without a word she understood how he told her that he'd talk more about it when they were alone later.
"Anduin, since we've brought you up here, you need to promise Papa and I something, alright?" Anduin stopped playing a game of 'who can hop the furthest?' with his new 'feathered' friend, looking at her like he'd done something wrong even though all of the adults knew that wasn't the case. "You have to stay in your own bed tonight, Papa and I have some important things to do." A childish whine made Varian's jaw set. "Anduin, listen to your Mum. I have duties tonight and all we'll do is make noise, so you won't sleep anyway."
Surprisingly it was Nan who snorted before anyone else, making herself the centre of attention once Anduin had given Val a solemn 'yes Mum'. "Nancy Dorvelle, I didn't take you for the dirty minded sort." Nan pointed an accusatory finger at Jon.
"Blame this one for rubbing off on me. Six years is a long time to listen to his crap jokes." Jon was trying so hard not to laugh that Varian could see his shoulders shaking. "Excuse me? I'm the master of comedy." Val abandoned her snowman, letting Cathy finish it since she was clearly more eager, shuffling to sit next to Varian and put her head on his shoulder.
"Have you told Gregor that we're going to be away Winter Veil Eve?" Varian smiled down at her, kissing her temple. "Don't worry Sweetheart, I've told him. We'll only be away a few hours, I'm sure he'll be able to cope." Val grinned at Whitlock's curious look. "Varian's taking me to the ballet." Whitlock couldn't help his dopey smile.
"That's just too sweet. Which one?" Varian wasn't sure whether to be shocked or not at the fact that Whitlock clearly knew of more than one, unlike him, who had to research this one just to know what the hells was going on before they went.
"The Nutcracker, I've always wanted to see it but we could never afford the tickets, and this one-" She pointed to Varian's bemused face, "-Was adamant he wasn't taking me." Whitlock's brows drew down. "So why the sudden change of heart?"
Varian licked his lips, really not wanting to be too obvious but knowing he was about to fail. "I just wanted to thank Val for all she's done, that's all, and it's something she likes." Thankfully he was as smart as Varian thought he was and made a quick face to tell him he understood. "Ah, I see. You'll have to tell me how it was then."
"PAPA! The lights are here! The lights are here!" Val's head snapped upwards so violently Varian was more than concerned, and once he joined her at albeit a slower pace, he found that his son was right, and three large ribbons of green mixed with hints of blue, purple and red stretched across the sky.
Whitlock quickly extinguished the fire with what was left of their drinks and scrambled to his feet with the rest of them, laughing lightly when Anduin practically scrambled up the back of Varian's coat, making his father do nothing but grunt until he finally managed to bend down and let his son put his legs either side of his head.
"Pretty!" Varian put his arm around Val, keeping one hand on his son lest he leap off at a second's notice. "Happy we came here?" Val smiled up at him, kissing his chin. "Are you jesting? A break from Stormwind, a chance to work at the greatest forge in Azeroth and topping it all of with this? I'm the happiest I can probably be."
Val couldn't help her uneasiness as she sat wide awake once everyone had decided to retire, watching the sky through the gap in the tent flap and resting her chin on her hand, listening to Jon and Varro's laughter as they partook in what was probably their fifth drink across the way and the snoring beside her, which abruptly finished, telling her Varian had once again sensed her insomnia.
"Go to sleep love, we have a long day tomorrow." She looked down, seeing nothing but the back of Varian's head. "Easier said than done. The last time I slept outdoors I was at war, it makes sleep hard." She heard his small snicker.
"Now that I can relate to. Nothing will attack us Sweetheart, we're safe." Val sighed and it made him roll over despite his fatigue. "You're thinking about something else. What is it?" Val hated keeping him up on the nights where it actually looked like he was going to get a decent sleep. "So what was so bad that you couldn't mention it in front of Whit?"
Varian furrowed his brow, half asleep by this point and trying his hardest to figure out what she was talking about. "About what?" Val put a hand under her head to prop it up. "About the 'plague' up in Lordaeron."
Varian's fogged brain cleared enough to remind him of the conversation he'd admittedly had hours ago by this point, making his stomach turn as it had when he'd first read Arthas' report. "It's a little far-fetched, but you have to trust that it's the truth, understand?"
Val's bedroll made movement limited, but she turned onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. "Sounds serious." Varian ran a hand down his face, wondering how to put this delicately when being delicate was the last thing he was good at. "When was the last time Whitlock heard from his sister? Do you know?"
Val shrugged, very much wary of his tone. "He said he saw her last during midsummer, then got too wrapped up in everything to write, why?" Varian linked his fingers on his stomach, only moving his head to look at her. "Stratholme, you said?" Another nod. "Good. He needs to write to her before it's too late." Val's brows drew down, not liking this guessing game. "'Too late'? What do you mean, 'too late'?" Varian took a long, agonizing breath.
"The 'plague' isn't an illness Val. It was man made. Arthas and Jaina found the culprit…it was a necromancer, trying to turn the citizens into the undead." Her face dropped and she looked annoyed if anything. "Varian, if you're not going to talk to me seriously, I'm just going to go to sleep." Varian held her arm and the agony in his eyes told Val this was no jest.
"…Honestly? Necromancy? Why though? For what purpose would you need to turn innocent people into the undead?" Varian didn't have answer for her and it killed him. "Have you heard from Chantelle and Ruth?" Val slowly shook her head before she realised why he was asking. "Varian, they lived in Tarren Mill….how far has this spread?"
Varian finally sat up, hating the fact that he was ruining what had been a good night so far. "We don't know. Arthas said the cause of the plague was tainted grain distributed from Andorhal….so this could be the whole of Lordaeron we're talking about." She looked like she was about to be sick.
"And what are the Alliance doing about it?" Varian's brow furrowed. "The Kirin Tor and the Samarkandans are trying to concoct a cure, and Daelin has sent ships to transport those not infected to Kul Tiras." Val wasn't entirely placated.
"And what about us?" Varian put his arm on his bent knee, understanding her worry. "I've sent as many soldiers as I can, but Arthas and I agreed that we want to keep this as contained as possible, so there's not that much I can do. The men that come back to us will be put in their own quarantine until we deem them safe."
There was one point Val still didn't understand. "But why create a plague that turns people into the undead, and not just kill them?" Varian tried to mentally sift through the five page report Arthas had sent to him to remember if he had answered that very question.
"Apparently the bastard behind it is working for a higher power, that's all Arthas could get out of him before they destroyed him. The last I hear he was on his way to Stratholme to confront this 'master'." Val ran a hand through her hair, trying to come to terms with all of this.
"Do you think it's the Horde?" Varian shook his head, not filling her with confidence. "No, the Horde aren't this calculated with their attacks, and have shown no interest in necromancy before." Val huffed before she could stop herself. "So we're under attack from something else now? Brilliant." Varian put a hand on her knee, squeezing it hard enough to show her he was there no matter what. "We'll find a way to stop is just as easily as we did the Horde."
Val mustered a smile for him, shuffling up and letting him put his arm around her shoulders. "Speaking of those bastards, any word on what they were regrouping for?" Varian had been hoping to tell her this another day, but had to sate her curiosity. "It's actually good news if looked at from a certain point of view. They've all left the Eastern Kingdoms." Val started, wondering if she'd heard him right and bringing her legs from under her bedroll to scoot even closer. "Really?! All of them? Why? For what purpose? Are you completely sure?"
He shushed her, well aware that she was being far too loud and if Anduin heard her he'd insist on staying up with them, leaving them no privacy to talk about these delicate matters. He processed all five of her questions and tried to come up with an answer that covered them all. "We have absolutely no idea, but right now, I don't really care. All we know for sure is that they're going west, to a land called Kalimdor."
Val started bouncing on her bottom, clearly knowing what that was. "That's the land of the Night Elves! I've read about it in that book about the War of the Ancients that Arthas lent me." Varian grimaced, enjoying her enthusiasm but not liking the fact that he'd just learnt that the orcs were going to the land of peaceful elves.
"Then I'll keep a troop on standby should they need us." Val's nose wrinkled. "I don't actually think there's any left. After the last legion invasion there's been hardly any record of them, it's like they disappeared. Hells, even Kalimdor has been inaccessible because of the fog wall they put up." Varian chuckled, kissing her temple and squeezing her. "Well, if it turns out they're not dead, then I'll keep a troop on standby." He took advantage of the little knowledge bank that was his partner, reaching back and grabbing his coat, putting it around them both since they'd left the warm sanctuary that was their bedrolls.
"What else do you know about the land?" She clearly either didn't notice his ulterior motive or didn't choose to acknowledge it, getting up and putting her boots and her father's coat back on, digging in her pockets and getting her cigar case out, beckoning him outside once he'd put his own on. The wind had died down somewhat but the biting chill was still there as they went on an impromptu constitutional down the hill. "Want one?" Varian weighed up the morality of it and shrugged, figuring it would keep him a bit warmer, so he nodded, holding two fingers out and holding the thing whilst she cut and lit it.
"Don't tell Anduin, he'll want to do it." Val shivered at the very thought. "A sweet young thing like him? I doubt it." He nudged her, reminding her of his question and making her grimace. "To be honest? Not alot. I just know that the elves and Tauren have lived there pretty much the same amount of time, ruled by a demi-god." She took a drag, pulling it away from her lips. "They were the first instances of Druids apparently." Varian's eyebrow rose and he flicked some of his ash away.
"What's a druid?" Val licked her lips, trying to think about how to put this. "It's when…they're basically the guardians of nature; they're trusted with maintaining balance and peace in the world." As she expected, he huffed, taking a long drag and letting a small cough follow it.
"And just where were they during the war?" Val gave him a look and the corners of his mouth turned upwards. "Peace woman, I know you just told me." He looked out at the still landscape, with only a few boar and the distant howl of wolves in the distance breaking the silence.
"Hopefully it'll be the last we hear of the Horde." Val lifted his spare arm, wedging herself underneath it. "I must admit, it does make me feel alot safer knowing they're not in the Eastern Kingdoms anymore." Though her smile dropped somewhat. "Do you really think Arthas can find who's behind this plague quickly?" Varian shrugged, rubbing her arm.
"We can but hope Sweetheart, but at least one thing is crossed from our list." Val snickered, putting her hand under his coat and running her hand up and down his shirt. "You want to know something hilarious?" Varian looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. "Go on then, I need a laugh." Val put both arms around his waist and her head on his chest. "Whitlock and Varro convinced me that you brought me here to propose."
She noticed him stiffen and looked up at him. "You're so obvious Varian, it's adorable." He sighed, choosing not to look down. "When did you guess?" Val grinned. "When you practically froze at the dinner table the first night we were here." She bit her lip. "And Anduin never keeps secrets from me unless it's ridiculously necessary." Varian grumbled, hating that his surprise had been ruined. "So when are you doing it?" Varian smirked. "Oh no, I'm not letting you know every little detail. If you haven't guessed that part, I'm keeping it to myself."
Val gave him what he could swear was a pout. "Tell me." Varian chuckled, not feeling as disheartened about her knowing his intentions as he thought he would be. But then again, they had been through this dance before and actually spoken about it this time, so of course she knew it was coming anyway. If anything it made him alot less nervous about the outcome now she knew and was as excited as he was about it, and he had the one surprise no one apart from him knew about…the ring.
He hadn't told a soul that it was the same ring from before, so that was at least one detail she didn't have any clue about, which would make the proposal all the sweeter. "No, I want at least a little bit of a surprise." Val shrugged in defeat, standing on her toes to kiss him. "It feels too good to be true, standing here talking about getting married and actually doing it this time."
Varian gently pulled her forward, wanting to take advantage of the peaceful night while they could, with the darkness only being broken by the lights still weaving through the stars above their heads and the full moon, drowning out the small flames the torches lining the path brought.
He watched the multitude of colours cross Val's olive face, lighting it up in ways he could only imagine sometimes. "If I had the ring on me I'd do it now, you know." Val shook her head, wrinkling her nose and making him realise her freckles were showing because of the lights.
"I would be a little annoyed if you did, considering we just spoke about it. No, I want to be completely caught off guard with when you do it." She narrowed her eyes, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "And you are not to do It at the ball. I swear to the Light Varian , if you do it somewhere that public I will say no just to spite you."
Varian only made her laugh with his salute, keeping his face as straight as he could. "Yes Ma'am." Val worried her lower lip, knowing she was opening a box of worms. "Do you promise that you're marrying me because you want to and not because it's the right thing?" Varian stopped in his tracks, glaring down at her and threatening to make her inappropriately laugh.
"What?" Varian's nostrils flared as he realised that she hadn't been jesting. "Are you being purposely dense, or have you been drinking?" Val plucked at the wool on the cuff of her coat, really trying not to grin.
"I will admit to sharing a swig or two from Varro's flask earlier, but that's not relevant." She let her arms drop, trying to make him believe that she was being serious. "I have a right to ask Varian. It's been seven years since you last proposed, and so much has changed since then." He held her shoulders like he always did when he was comforting her, since he hadn't completely mastered the art of being delicate with people yet, but she didn't mind, she never did.
"How much I want to spend my life with you hasn't changed Val, surely the past seven years are a testament to that? I'm just as eager to marry you now as I was back then." Val couldn't help her small smile and the scuffing of her boot in the snow. "Promise?"
Varian almost laughed at how exactly she sounded like Anduin when she said it, telling him in an instant where the boy had gotten it from and not caring in the slightest how much of a bad influence it made Val. He cupped her chilled cheeks, regretting not finding his gloves before they had left their tent so he could warm them, having a strange vision of the girl from all those years ago standing in front of him, with sweet ignorant bliss in her eyes and longer hair framing a girlish face.
"Varian?" He snapped back to the present and realised that her eyes stayed the same even when the rest of the vision had faded, bringing a small yet poignant smile to his face. "Val, I promise you to the ends of Azeroth that I probably want you to marry me ten times more than you. There, soppy enough an answer?" Val thumped his chest, not being able to stop her chuckles.
"I swear, how you managed to woo me is beyond comprehension." Varian watched her move a few steps back and stoop, knowing her too well and bending himself, gathering as much snow in his palm as quickly as he could without looking at what he was doing.
"Oh please, I was the epitome of prince charming." He ducked just in time, hearing the splat of her projectile on the tree behind him. "Yes, and the rest of the time you were like a shaved gorilla." He wound up his wrist, waiting for her to put down her guard.
"I'm the best looking gorilla you'll ever meet though, so that's something in my favour." That made her laugh, which was just what he had hoped to happen, and soon that laugh turned to a squeak caused by a sharp, sudden coldness smacking her in the head and covering her hair in white powder once condensed.
"A gorilla with impeccable aim, it seems." Val glared at him through the damp curtain of hair obscuring her face, swooping her arm down as she back-pedalled, jumping behind a tree and attempting to hide from him. "Come and face me, you coward!" Her snowball hit him in the shoulder, so he barely felt it, but feigned a horrific injury none the less, since he was more than sure that she was pretending this was a real battlefield as much as she was.
A few of guards on night patrol gave them funny looks as they went past, probably wondering what the hells the King of Stormwind was doing holding his arm and bellowing in agony when they could see quite clearly that he was fine, with his partner on her knees keeled over with giggles like this was considered normal, but neither of them cared about that. If anything, the only thing Val was remotely cautious of was the fact that Varian was getting far too loud the more fun they started to have.
"Varian, be quiet! If Anduin hears you-" It was too late, a little body was watching them from the top of the hill with a less than happy expression. Varian jogged up there before Val could, letting her catch up as the boy looked rather cross with them, which was unlike Anduin.
"Anduin, why aren't you asleep?" He looked as betrayed as anyone could be, looking up at both of his snow covered parents like he was about to cry. "You said bedtime for everybody! But you're playing!"
Varian couldn't help feeling guilty despite the fact that it was perfectly fine for them to do whatever they wanted when the boy had been put to bed. Thankfully Nan had kept his boots on, so his feet weren't freezing, but Varian didn't like the fact that a boy of three was in snow that went practically to his knees with just a shirt and breeches on.
"We were only playing because we couldn't sleep son, it's nothing to be so angry about." Anduin stomped his foot, surprising the both of them since in the three years he'd been alive, they could probably count on one hand how many tantrums the prince had thrown, so to have him snap over something so simple was a bit of a shock.
"You play without And-e-win! And-e-win want to play!" Varian knew he wasn't going to go back to bed in this mood; all it would end in was tears and stress, so after a minute of deliberating in his own head he did what all parents would heavily protest against, and to be honest he would probably regret later, by striding over to Anduin's tent, ducking inside and coming out with the boy's coat. "Varian! It's the middle of the night!" Varian hated shushing Val, but he did it anyway, letting a now bouncing Anduin put the blue garment on and stand diligently while his father buttoned it up.
"It's our last night here Val, he's allowed one late night." He ruffled Anduin's hair with a grin. "Now then…last one down the hill gets pelted!" Anduin grabbed Val's hand as he sped away, making her cautious look at the whole idea get lost on the wind, dragging her down the hill and squealing when she took over and lifted him, putting him on her hip and ducking behind the same tree as before, where she'd already assembled a small pile of ready made snowballs.
"Well Anduin, this is your first battle. Are you ready?" Anduin nodded enthusiastically, throwing as many as he could at Varian, who true to form, made the boy think he was winning instantly even when half of them didn't even hit him. "Go home tomorrow." Val lobbed another one, smiling down at him and feeling strangely content with life. "Aye Little Lion, home tomorrow." back to real life tomorrow.