A/N: Hey, everyone! I am back! It's been way too long, and for that I am so sorry. But, I did warn you. Thank you all for being so patient. It feel good to be writing this story again. I don't know what else to say, accept I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season, and everyone has a wonderful New Year! We are now going to slowly enter into the event of Legion, so I hope to stick true to that part of my story. I have big plans for these characters... I decided to keep this story going, mostly because I am too lazy to start a new one, So, without further adieu, here is Part II!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Katryn Silverbane. All rights for World of Warcraft belong to Blizzard Entertainment, including places, events, and characters.

Of Blood and Arcana

Chapter Thirty-One

Vitality

One Year Later

Pain.

It was all she felt coursing throughout her body. Her back arched, and she felt another rib fracture. Her scream ripped out of her throat, tearing at her vocal cords. Hot blood oozed from the slowly growing wound, and her world grew foggy. She groped blindly in the dimness, her hand coming in contact with a larger, more calloused one. It gripped hers in desperation, and beyond the veil of agony, she could hear words whispering to her. Another wave of pain surged through her, and a few tears leaked from her eyes. Another wail escaped her, as the pressure in her lower abdomen increased, and she writhed, sweat beading on her forehead. She felt a cool cloth place itself there, and it momentarily calmed her, before another jolt of agony came. Someone was stroking her hair, and another voice came through the fog.

"Keep going, child. You're almost there. It's almost over. You're doing well."

She felt another rib groan within her, and she cried out. The hand holding hers gripped tighter, and her eyes rolled back, her breath choking her.

"Greatmother, she's losing so much blood. What do we do?"

Garrosh. His voice drifted to her through the haze. Her lips were so dry, or else she'd call out to him. She grabbed for his hand with her other, and felt him take it in his. She rasped, struggling to say his name, but couldn't. Instead, she let out a horrible spluttering noise, before grinding her teeth in pain again

"There is nothing you can do, young Hellscream. I am doing everything I can right now, but it is up to her to pull through this." Geyah sounded exhausted, but determined. Katryn tried to find her face in the looming darkness, but couldn't. Another stab of pain. Another scream. It felt like it had been going on for years, now.

"She must be close now, isn't she? It's been hours." Garrosh sounded desperate. Katryn felt him squeeze her hands again. She whimpered, and through the pain she felt him gently brush her hair from her face. For an instant she was able to focus on his face, and saw it was riddled with fear. His yellow eyes were dull, and he looked like he had aged thirty years in a manner of hours. Nothing could have prepared them for this. They had known the risks, but had nonetheless been as ready as they could have been. But now, as it was happening, it was the worst thing Katryn had ever experienced. It felt like her spine was about to break in half.

Suddenly, all of the pain stopped. There was the briefest burst of sheer, unimaginable, blinding, white hot agony, and it felt like someone had run her through with a broadsword. Then, there was nothing at all. Katryn couldn't even scream, when suddenly another sound filled the air. A cry, but not hers. A cry so beautiful, so scared, and sounding so much like her own, she felt hot tears pour down her face. She saw the shape of Geyah move from near her head, to down by her feet. She saw the Orc slowly pick something up in her arms, a small smile on her aged face. She saw Garrosh, eyes no longer fixed on her, but on the small bundle. His face was a mixture of joy and terror, as he turned his gaze back to her. As she watched the bundle begin to stir, some of the blankets fell away, and she saw, for the smallest moment, two deep blue eyes looking back at her. Her eyes. It was the last thing she saw before another wave of pain overtook her. The world fell away beneath her, as she gave in to the darkness. She heard Garrosh scream her name as she did, but for the strangest reason, it did not bother her. Nothing did.

Katryn Silverbane was a mother.

Garrosh cradled the small bundle in his arms. The winds of Nagrand blew gently around him, rustling the nearby grass, and causing the rings in his lobes to shift. He exhaled with a snort, eyes downcast to the tiny figure in his arms. It moved slowly, opening its dark blue eyes, to look up into his yellow ones. He felt a small tug within himself, unlike any he had felt before, as he gazed down at the bundle.

At his son.

The tiny, half-orc, half-human gurgled lightly. He had small wisps of black hair, like Garrosh's, and his own father's, blue eyes like Katryn, and his skin was darker than that of a human, but paler than that of Garrosh's. He already had small, very small, tusks, protruding from above his lower lip, but Geyah had said they likely wouldn't get very long. Being a "half-breed", to put it rather crudely, meant his dominant features, in this case being those of the orc, wouldn't be slightly stunted. He would grow larger than a human, but be smaller than an orc. If he were lucky, he would inherit his mother's magic, and his father's warrior's blood.

At least, that was what Garrosh intended. His son would be a formidable warrior.

He heard Geyah moving around behind, within the hut. He looked back, exhaling slowly. He knew Katryn would be alright, Geyah had assured him. But, she needed to rest now, and to heal. She had lost a lot of blood, and the human body could only handle so much. He had held her as long as he had been able, before Geyah had handed him his son, and ushered him from the hut. Now there he sat, holding the tiny creature, while his mate was tended to by the Greatmother.

Garrosh exhaled, looking down at his son, who yawned. "Well, little one, now we wait. Your mother is strong, stronger than anyone I know. She will be back to normal soon, and then you can meet her." The baby cracked an eye, cooing up at him. He felt a small smile tug at his lips, before he wrapped the child up tighter in the blankets. The baby promptly fell asleep, and Garrosh leaned his head back against the hut, closing his own eyes.

So much had happened in the last year. Katryn had finally been accepted (well, mostly accepted) by the people of Garadar, and she had mostly begun to live there with him, in his hut on the outskirts of the village. They spent their days training together, and Garrosh had to admit: Katryn had become a formidable fighter. He had trained her with a spear, and two axes, mostly, and she had even bested a few of the orcs in the village while sparring. Mind you, they were on the smaller side, but even so, she was getting stronger. She had allowed her hair to grow out, and one of the female orcs had shown her how to braid it in traditional orcish style. Half her head was braided, and the rest was loose on the other side. She now wore orcish clothing, and carried orcish weapons; and now, she was the mother to an orcish child.

Words would never be able to express the fierce pride Garrosh carried for his mate.

They had discussed children a few times, before she had become pregnant. She had expressed interest, as he he, though with less gusto. When Katryn had become pregnant with their son, she had been ecstatic, and when she had told him, he had felt such joy... It had been indescribable. He had never thought he would become a father, not with the life he had led before, But now... Now he could see those things for himself, in his future. Their son had been a surprise, of course, but not unwanted. Katryn had adored being pregnant, despite the slight challenges carrying a child much larger than the average human. And, they had of course known the risks when the time came to giving birth to him. Katryn had buckled down, assuring everyone, especially Garrosh, that she could do it. That their son would come, and he would be strong and fierce, like them.

She had been right, thankfully.

She had written to her friend, the night elf, and Garrosh was pleased she had been supportive. Her mate, the troll, was also happy for them. They had visited twice since the announcement. The first time, the night elf had been pregnant, and the second time, they had brought their daughter, whose name Garrosh could never remember, with them. The tiny, half-elf, half-troll child had been purple in colour, with tusks similar to Garrosh's son, and bright blue hair, like her troll father's. Her eyes had been orange, but glowed like that of the night elves. An interesting child, to say the least, and it had only made Katryn more excited to be a mother.

Garrosh knew she missed Azeroth, every day since being told she could not go back. She'd never admit it, but he knew it hurt. He knew she missed the human prince, and her friends (he used the term loosely, since he had never gotten along with her companions in the Kirin Tor), and she missed Dalaran. She didn't mention Azeroth a lot, but when she did, he could see a profound sadness fall over her. It angered him that she had had to give up so much for him, and as such, he had striven every single day to make sure she was happy on Draenor. It wasn't much, but he tried, and she knew that.

Grommash had actually developed a strong bond with the woman. He had accepted Garrosh as his alternate reality son easily enough, and Garrosh knew with this new reality, he would not be born again. Perhaps a sister, or a brother, but not himself. Grommash had accepted Katryn, as well, and the two got along. They butt heads every so often, because Katryn had experience working with both sides of the factions on Azeroth, she was able to help negotiate with the Draenei on Draenor. Yrel was on good terms with them both, still, but it didn't mean everyone was as close as family now, either.

In the end, however, none of that mattered. All that mattered was Katryn, and their son, and their lives together. No trade deals, no faction wars, no old hatred. Just her; and now, just him, as well. Garrosh hadn't ever believed he'd reach a day where war, blood, and glory mattered less to him than family, but here he was. He was changed. She had changed him. This child had changed him...

"Garrosh."

He looked up, startled. Geyah stood at the door to the hut. He looked out towards the horizon, noting how low i the sky the sun had become. He did not realize he had fallen asleep, with his infant son in his arms. The baby stirred slightly, but did not wake. Garrosh felt the smallest smile pass along his face. He had never known such a love quite like this, and he knew he likely would never again. He rubbed an eye, yawning widely, before turning to the Greatmother.

"Greatmother, is everything alright?" He sat up, gently cradling the bundle, so as not to jostle him any further. Geyah smiled fondly down at the two, her eyes trained on the child. After a moment, she spoke.

"Yes. She is awake. You can see her."

Everything. Hurt.

Everything. Ached.

But she did not care.

Katryn didn't give one single fuck how sore she was, nor how nauseous she became easily, nor how her body was forever changed by what she had gone through. None of that mattered. Nothing. Except her child. The child she had almost died bringing into the world. The child she had carried for almost nine months, until her body could handle the stress no longer, and the baby had come into the world sooner than expected. The child she yearned to be with, sing to, and protect with every fibre of her being.

The child she hadn't even held yet.

Katryn lay on her back upon the bed, in the darkness. She could smell incense and salts, furs and leathers, and the scent of drying blood. She was barely able to turn her head, her body was so weak. She struggled to even speak, but found her throat was a dry as bone. She was able to twitch her fingers and toes, and was glad to see they still functioned. She wished she had her magic still, because if she had, she'd have been up and moving around in no time. However, for the last year, she had been a plain and simple human; no magic, no nothing. It was infuriating, but she was reminded every day why it had all been worth it. When she was with Garrosh, when she had found out she was pregnant, and now, knowing her child was close by. She could not see it, but she could feel it.

"Katryn."

She turned her head to the right, and saw a great hulking shadow in the doorway to the hut. Broad shouldered, yellow eyed, and gazing down at her. Her heart felt as though it would explode from joy when she saw him.

"Garrosh." Saying his name brought her so much peace. She put in as much effort as she could to sit up, wincing as the pain came rushing back, and her arms crumpled, her body falling back onto the bed. In an instant, Garrosh was at her side.

"How are you feeling?" He spoke quietly, something so foreign for the orc.

Katryn gave him a sardonic smile. "Terrible." He chuckled and she took a deep breath, "But, I'll live. Where's the baby?" It was then she noticed the child was not with him. She felt a stab of panic. Had something happened to the baby?

Seeming to sense her worry, Garrosh said quickly, "He's with the Greatmother."

All at once, the panic Katryn had felt died within her. Happiness unlike anything she had ever felt before filled her like rushing water. She had a son. They had a son. "He?" She whispered, not caring how her voice broke when she said it. She had a son.

Garrosh's face softened, something she was still getting used to, even after so long together. He reached for her, and took her hand in his. "Yes. We have a son, Katryn."

With every ounce of strength Katryn had, she managed to sit up. She reached out, taking his face in hers, and drawing him to her. Their lips met, and as they did, Katryn felt a few happy tears fall. She smiled against Garrosh's lips, her whisper carrying between them.

"We have a son..."

Garrosh gently took her hands from his face, taking her instead in his arms, and laying her back down. "I'm glad you're alright." She could hear the edge in his voice, and she gently took his hand in hers, squeezing with what little force she could muster. She couldn't wait to be back on her feet.

"I love you." She whispered. They didn't say it often, but Light knew now was the best time. Katryn actually hadn't been the first to say it, either. It had been Garrosh, after a long day of training, and Katryn had slain during her first hunt. One of the other orcs in Garadar had made some comment regarding her race, and just as Garrosh was about to defend her, she had turned on the spot, and punched the orc straight in the face. He had fallen flat on his back, amazingly, and Katryn later said it was likely because of gravity, or poor balance, or whatever. She called it a lucky shot. Garrosh had called it amazing, and absolutely hilarious. Later, in the hut, he had just looked at her, and told her he loved her. He said it was something had he never told anyone, not even the Greatmother of their timeline. Katryn had thrown herself at him, and replied in kind. She figured that had been the night their son had been conceived, but who knew, really.

Garrosh pressed his lips to her forehead, something she had told him she had liked once, and something he did almost all the time, now. "I love you, too." Katryn beamed up at him, despite she pain shooting through her again. Garrosh noticed, and quickly asked, "Have you thought of a name?" It was a good change of subject.

Katryn thought for a moment. Now that she knew it was a boy, she was actually able to answer the question properly. "One." She admitted, softly, almost shyly. "But I don't know how I feel about it."

Garrosh tilted his head. "What is it?"

Katryn chewed her lower lip, pausing. She didn't know if the name was good enough for an orc child. Then again, her son was not an orc. He was only half; he was also half human, and thusly his name should be unique, like him. She looked up at Garrosh. "Gar'nash. I picked Gar'nash."

Garrosh looked at her for a moment, before his face broke into a grin, one of pride. "It's perfect." He praised her, and she blushed fiercely. "It's strong, just like he will be."

Katryn felt her own face split into a large grin. Their son had his name. Their son. "We have a son, Garrosh." She whispered, and he drew her into a hug. A gente one, but still a strong one. Katryn buried her head in his shoulder, happy tears spilling out of her eyes.

"We have a son." Garrosh repeated, his voice muffled by her hair, and Katryn thought she felt a single tear land upon her head. She buried her head deeper, taking in his scent, and smiling into his skin.

"Gar'nash." She whispered his name again. Her son. His son. Their son. She couldn't even begin to process everything right now.

Nothing would ever be the same, now.

A/N: I hope you guys liked this! It was a little shorter than I anticipated, but here we are. It had been too long since I had worked on this story, and, honestly, coming back to it felt like shaking hands with an old friend. Feels good, man. Until next time! Happy New Year!