When Tirion discovered about the daughter idea, he had a stern talking to Darion Mograine. Sapphire sat near the fire where they stood talking. She was watching. Rot pushed his nose out of her bag. The deathknight had given it to her, and shoved the puppy into it. Apparently, undead animals unnerved people. The plaguehound then tried to paw his way out. The girl heard him woof and gasped. She quickly pressed him back into the bag, receiving a protesting growl in reply. She laced up the bag, and sat in front of it.
Tirion looked back at her.
"Sapphire, tell me you are not happy about this."
The girl shrugged. "I am not happy, but not upset. I would rather have you be my pretend father than…him."
She said, pointing accusingly at Mograine. The deathknight gave Tirion an amused grin.
"Someone confused me for her dad. It's quite funny."
Sapphire piped in, "If you don't like the idea of me being your daughter, it is all right. I'm used to it…"
Darion Mograine just found respect for Sapphire. The pitiful sigh she made worked for Tirion. He nodded wearily.
"Fine. I will go along with this, but I am not happy with you, Darion. It's not you, Sapphire."
Tirion patted the girl on the shoulder. Sapphire beamed.
"I am a rather good daughter. Just ask my father!"
Tirion stared, and shook his head.
"At least you have a sense of humor," He said incredulously.
The girl nodded. Darion Mograine smacked her on the back of the head, then left. Sapphire scowled, but she did not say anything.
Tirion gave her a small pile of gold coins, and told her go buy whatever she wanted. The Argent Tournament was not yet finished, but heroes and adventurers had already set up tents, and signed up. Opportunistics had set up places to sell things and to make money off of the tournament The girl asked him what the tournament was for, but Tirion just looked at her with a pained expression.
"I'll just go."
She walked off a couple of feet, then remembered her role. Tirion was supposed to be her "father." She ran back, and hugged the old man. He was so surprised, he did not even have a worded response.
"Bye...Dad!"
Sapphire ran off.
Buying sausages and hot cider from a tauren, the girl found a nice place to sit down and eat. She heard angry roaring in a large tent. She was tempted to go look at whatever made that noise, but remembered what her real father said. Always getting in trouble. She did not go investigate.
Jaina Proudmoore sighed. She was trying to read, but she just could not concentrate that day. The puppy, Terra, barked and wagged her tail. She stood up on her back legs, and put her front paws onto Jaina's legs. The woman picked up Terra, and cuddled with the animal. She pushed the books aside, and decided to not do any work today.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," She called unhappily.
An apprentice came in.
"A letter for you, from Highlord Mograine."
Jaina groaned, and held her hand out. She took the envelope, and cut it open with a letter-opener. She pulled out the letter, and read it. Then, she read it again.
"Impossible…" She whispered, and read it once more.
"My lady?" The apprentice asked.
Jaina stood up, and adjusted her hold onto Terra.
"I need to get to the Argent Tournament. I will be back soon, I hope."
Sapphire was alive. The mage felt like crying, but she kept herself in control. She performed a teleport spell, and made it for the Argent Tournament fields. She took the puppy with her, for she did not leaving the puppy alone.
They got there quickly, thanks to magic. Jaina did not even stop to take in the sights. The mage put Terra down, and walked straight to the Knights of the Ebon Blades' camp. She strode confidently, puppy hopping in the snow after her.
Darion Mograine was there, and saw her immediately. He went over to her.
"Get my letter, I take it?"
"Yes. Where is she?" Jaina demanded.
"With Tirion. Disguised as his daughter to avoid questions."
Jaina looked at him, shocked.
"Is she all right? How did she escape?"
The deathknight nodded.
"Quite healthy. And I caught her. You are highly welcome."
Jaina thanked him grudgingly. She went off to go find Sapphire. She saw paladins drilling, and adventurers practicing for the tournament.
Approaching the Argent Crusade's area, she looked for Tirion Fordring. She found the paladin talking with others in a pavilion at a table. Jaina looked for Sapphire, but could not see her. She grew worried.
"Moth- I mean, Jaina!"
The mage turned around, and saw Sapphire run toward her. She almost could not recognize Sapphire, with her cut, darkened hair. The girl ran up, and hugged her mother. Jaina hugged her back, happy. Her daughter was alive.
"Oh, Sapphire! Sapphire. Oh, I thought you were dead! I am so sorry."
"It's all right! I am okay. Dad saved me from the rocks."
The woman frowned.
"Really? But...why would he do that?"
Sapphire bit her lip, and looked down. She saw Terra.
"Aw! Who is this?" The girl said, picking up the puppy. The animal yipped, and licked her nose. Jaina smiled.
"The deathknight boy was going to give her to you as a present. Where is he?"
Wrong thing to say. Sapphire's eyes teared up. Jaina put her arm around her daughter.
"Why don't you tell me about it?"
Sapphire nodded, and told her what had happened. The capture of her, her father's attitude, Ethan being made into Scourge, and the incident in the Cathedral of Darkness. Jaina listened with horror, and then looked at her daughter with pity.
"I'm sorry, Sapphire." That was all she could say.
They talked for a little bit, and Jaina talked to Tirion. He seemed relieved at her coming. Mother and daughter got a tent together. People asked, but Sapphire was said to be Jaina's apprentice. As long as no one was suspicious, the ruse worked.
They had been there for a week. Sapphire was much healthier, weighing like a normal girl her age. Her mother taught her a little about magic, and anything she wanted to know. Rot and Terra hit it off, both of them liking each other instantly. They could always been seen together, a magic spell over him that made him look like a puffball dog of white.
Matthew came to the tournament, and Sapphire was forced to hide any time she saw him. It was getting very annoying, but she had received a message beared by Ni'kua. It said that Arthas was going to send Frostwyrms at the tournament, but not because of her. Her father still had no idea where she was, and was completely furious about everything. The next day, the Frostwyrms were expected, and fended off.
Arthas was getting angrier by the day, and the tournament started.
The King of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn came, and Jaina spent some time with him, as leader of Theramore. The girl had looked at him, to compare him with her father. She was not impressed. He looked like a king, and was intimidating indeed, but not nearly as much as her father. He looked rugged, and not really regal. Arthas was more noble looking.
She also saw the Warchief of the Horde, an orc called Thrall. He came with an orc named Garrosh Hellscream. Both were impressive, and Sapphire would have happily met them. But she was human, and orcs did not really like humans. At least, most do. She did not want to take the risk, and watched from a distance. The tournament would start soon, and Sapphire could hardly wait.