❄️❄️❄️Part III❄️❄️❄️
"And we'll send some more blankets and some extra food. I'm sure they've been too stressed to really cook anything healthy," Rapunzel said, peering over Cassandra's shoulder at the checklist. "I know! We can send along some baked goods - cupcakes cheer everyone up."
"Not everyone," Cass pointed out, her eyes flicking to Sylvanas Windrunner and one of her Forsaken champions.
"I'm working on her." Rapunzel found the whole champion concept really kind of cool, but her friend was less than impressed.
"Are you sure she's not working on you?"
Rapunzel frowned, then shrugged. "She's complicated."
"I think she wants to eat you. Literally. I hear the Forsaken do that." Cass flipped the paper over and added a few more supplies to the list. She stared at it a moment, then sighed. "I hope this doesn't come back and bite us in the ass."
"What, helping them?" Rapunzel put her arm around Cass and squeezed lightly. "It was the right thing to do. Sure they look a little weird and might have bits and pieces falling off of them sometimes, but … you know how I feel about outcasts and the unwanted."
"Yes. Just let me plan for the inevitable assbiting."
"Sure, why not. Eugene can help you with that."
Cassandra wrinkled her nose. "Please no, he's already tried to give me romantic advice."
Raps grinned, eyes gleaming as she lowered her voice to conspiratorial levels. "Romantic advice? Is this about the dragon with no pants?"
She of course knew better but flustering Cassandra was always a good time.
Cheeks coloring, Cassandra shook her head and stepped away from Rapunzel, almost hugging the clipboard to her chest. "Not her."
"Who then? Is it who I think it is? Do you really like her? Is she an option? You know, into that kind of thing. I never thought I was, but I've been having second thoughts about what is and is not an option for me, though it's not really more than a thought exercise since, like…" Raps waved her hand, unable to imagine Cass with anyone who was a 'he'. It had to be that elf she'd been spending time with… "My heart has already been given to someone."
"Yeah." Cass said, tone dry and expression almost wistful, "I know how much you love Eugene, even if I can't imagine why."
"Cass."
"But I get it." Cass smiled at her. "I get it, meeting someone and then … they make your heart sing. But sometimes you don't get to have your first choice. Sometimes you have to learn to not wait for something that'll never be because if you do, you'll lose out on something just as good. Different. But good."
Cass was giving her a meaningful look that Rapunzel was reluctant to assign meaning to. If she did, she might realize something that she really didn't want to. Something that might hurt them both in the end. "So it's Vereesa?"
"Who it is doesn't really matter," Cassandra mumbled, in the sort of way that meant it was probably Vereesa Windrunner.
"Of course it matters. Does she feel the same way?" Rapunzel grabbed Cassandra's hands, ignoring the clipboard as it fell to the ground. "You can't just … I mean if there's a chance she feels the same way, you've gotta take that risk. You just said so yourself; you could lose out on that something good."
"So what are you saying, Raps?"
"I'm going to invite Vereesa to dinner tonight," Rapunzel decided, giggling delightedly at Cassandra's expression.
"I hear my sister's name."
Sylvanas's voice started Rapunzel, and her mouth went dry. Sylvanas's hand hovered near the small of her back, just like it always did lately. Close enough to be noticeable, but never so close as to accidentally touch. It was like the Warchief was testing her. Finding limits and testing them.
Ever since she'd grabbed her hair, Sylvnaas had kept something of a distance between them. Rapunzel couldn't quite explain why - she'd kind of liked it, though the thought of finding someone other than Eugene attractive twisted her stomach. It had been strangely alluring and yet the action had also sent an unpleasant chill down her spine. Images and feelings from the tower that she'd buried… Rapunzel shivered and pushed the thoughts away, and stubbornly stood firm. "Since she's working with the Sin'dorei I thought it might be fun to have her over for dinner."
"Fun," Sylvanas said, her eyes locked onto Cassandra. "I can't remember the last time I've had 'fun' and that may be one of those things Vereesa and I agree on."
Cassandra looked like she was torn between sinking into the earth or ripping Sylvanas's face off, and Rapunzel squeezed her hand again, before she turned and craned her neck to look up into Sylvanas's face. "What do you consider fun? Like, what do you do when you're not working or brooding? Cass here likes to play with swords and axes, and chess."
"I have been enjoying a game of chess with Queen Elsa," Sylvanas mused.
"Bet you I can beat you," Rapunzel said, before she thought better of it. She ignored Cass's eyes burning into the side of her face.
"You play chess?"
Rapunzel bristled. "What, you don't think I can?"
"Of course not, I just would have pegged you for someone more likely to pursue arts, rather than strategy."
"Raps is a woman of many surprises and talents," Cassandra replied, her expression only mildly less angry.
"Indeed."
Something about the look Sylvanas gave her made Rapunzel feel warm. It wasn't Eugene's Smolder™, no, but it was … like being on fire.
And, well, it made her feel guilty. Rapunzel sighed, and then nodded at Sylvanas. "Okay, come back to the castle tomorrow and we'll play a game."
She barely heard Sylvanas's affirmative as Cass tugged her away. Rapunzel chewed on her lip, her thoughts running a mile a minute. They were almost halfway up to her room before she stopped Cass. "Cass, can I ask you a question?"
"If it's about Vereesa I reserve the right to not answer."
"It's not, well, not entirely." Rapunzel folded her arms over her chest, and Cass's gaze softened.
"Okay, out with it, Raps."
"When did you realize you liked girls? Like when did that become an option?"
Cass stared at her for a long, tense moment, then lifted her hand and toyed with a strand of Rapunzel's hair. "The day I met you."
Raps blinked. "Oh." Then she blinked again, "Oh."
Before Rapunzel could spiral, Cass gently grabbed her shoulders. "I knew I was never an option, maybe even if Eugene wasn't in the picture. And that's okay. As long as I'm part of your life, as long as you need me, I'm content with that. And maybe, okay, Vereesa might have caught my eye. Which is kind of a relief."
"A relief?" Rapunzel wasn't sure if she was supposed to be insulted or hurt over that phrasing.
"Yeah." Cass nodded, then let go of Raps and pretended to brush herself off. "A relief that I could look at someone else."
Rapunzel almost fell over without Cass to support her. Her words and revelation only served to make her head spin more and her heartache worse. "I … I never wanted to look at anyone else."
"I know. I only ever wanted you happy." For once Cass had no acerbic remarks about Rapunzel's boyfriend. She knew that sometimes, when Cass didn't think anyone was looking, she actually kind of respected Eugene.
"So uhm." Rapunzel tucked some hair behind her ear. "I've never experienced anything like this before."
"What, being attracted to a girl?"
"Anyone who wasn't Eugene! I mean, not that you or others aren't attractive or anything but it's never crossed my mind like that before."
Cass glanced back down the stairs. "Over the creepy handsy bitch?"
"She's not exactly handsy." Rapunzel replied, then quickly added, "…now."
She grabbed Cass before she could run downstairs and commit Warchieficide. "Whoa! No Warchieficide!"
"Raps, if she takes advantage of you—"
"If she wanted to she could have already. Anyway I'm just … really confused, but you're helping a little."
Cassandra studied her a moment, then sighed, and started to pull her back up the stairs. "It's kind of normal, Raps. Most people, even when they're in love with someone, do in fact notice when someone else is attractive. They don't act on it, even if they're tempted, but they do notice."
That … actually made Rapunzel feel a little better and she resolved to sit Syvlanas down and tell her what was what, among other conversations that she thought the Warchief needed. In the meantime, there were more important things to worry about. "Even if it took a bunch of pretty elves showing up for you?"
"Even if it took a bunch of gorgeous elves, yes."
Gorgeous? A grin slowly spread across Rapunzel's face and she flicked some of her hair in Cassandra's direction. "It sounds like you have a type."
Cass didn't really have any response to that beyond shrugging her shoulders.
"Okay," Rapunzel rubbed her hands together. "So it's time to give you some lessons."
"In what?"
"Romance."
❄️
Once upon a time, there'd been a young mage from Kul Tiras, who'd absolutely adored the minutiae of meetings and found them anything but boring.
Once upon a time, there was a mage from Kul Tiras, who still adored the minutiae of meetings, only for once Jaina had somewhere else she really wanted to be. A giddiness consumed her, one that she'd finally, finally allowed herself to feel.
As the meeting droned on and the Council mages debated, Jaina held on to that warm spark deep inside her chest. And like a spark and the kindling of a campfire, it just needed a little care to grow.
Jaina just had to take the chance and let it grow, as terrifying a thought as that might be.
"What do you think, Lady Proudmoore? You've been uncharacteristically quiet today."
"Yes?" Jaina managed to not be caught completely flat footed as she looked to Archmage Lissibeth. "I think there is some danger in levitating Dalaran, but it has merit, even if we do it just long enough to find a more permanent position for the city to maintain her neutrality. Do we turn her into an island? Attach her to another land? I've of the mind of levitation, but that may give the appearance of us being above everyone else."
"I think," Khadgar said. "That we are all in agreement about moving Dalaran to stop blocking the fjords of Arendelle. The question remains of whether or not we keep the city aloft, or find a place to land it and cause the least disruption."
"A suggestion, if I may." The First Arcanist leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. The markings on her face glittered with the arcane and for the first time Jaina realized how beautiful they were. "If we are to keep Dalaran aloft, we should encourage the Earthlings to build a city beneath it, or at least nearby."
Khadgar rubbed his chin. "And if we were to be over the ocean?"
"They have the capability to build ships, with some modifications and perhaps a way to shelter the city in a storm, they could float buildings. A sort of sea town."
"Why not the best of both worlds," Jaina said. "Using Arendelle as an example. Have Dalaran about a mile off the coast, while the humans build a trade hub on land. I could design a system to transport cargo from Dalaran to ships waiting below, and vice versa. We'll be far enough away that should the worst happen, the people below will be safe."
There was always the resulting wave, but if the town was positioned well it would be shielded from that, and that was something Jaina thought could be worked out before implementing anything.
Khadgar clapped his hands together. "I suggest we all rest up, for we shall need all our energy when we make Dalaran fly again."
There were precious few mages left, but lifting Dalaran into the air required much less power than teleporting it, let alone teleporting it across worlds. Conserving their energy was probably wise. They might have to temporarily siphon energy from the portals to other lands.
"Then this council meeting is adjourned."
Jaina was already out the door before the last word was spoken, checking the sky for the location of the sun to try to figure out where Elsa might be right now. She was eager to see her, but it was a little early, and the Queen would be busy with her duties for a few hours yet.
Idly, she considered interrupting Elsa as she slowed her pace through Dalaran. No, she couldn't do that, not at least without finding out what the rest of Elsa's schedule entailed.
She listened in on conversations as she walked, appreciating the normalcy of the situation, despite everything. They were all traumatized, yes, but they could at least find a new future.
"—figured out how much the bloody crown owes me, with interest, and the gods damn world ends—"
"—think he'd like what you're doing with the place, if he could see it—"
"—hear the Warchief is sweet on—"
Wait, what? Jaina came to a halt but they'd already moved out of earshot. Frowning, Jaina realized that she wasn't going to find out who Sylvanas might be interested in by eavesdropping.
Oh. Oh gods, Jaina had the most horrible thought imaginable; what if Sylvanas was sweet on her?! She dismissed the idea out of hand.
"Lady?"
Jaina started, then realized she'd stopped in front of a flower cart. "Wow…Your stock is looking good."
The Forsaken woman running it smiled. "Thanks, Lady. Had a bit of help from Princess Rapunzel. Name's Lucy."
"Nice to meet you, Lucy."
"Thinking of purchasing something for the Queen?" Another woman appeared at Lucy's side. A living human this time, who slipped her arm around Lucy and kissed her cheek.
The sight sent Jaina reeling so much so that she didn't immediately register the question and kind of gaped a little.
Lucy grinned knowingly. "Ray, why don't you bundle up a bouquet of Asters and Gardenias to send to the castle in Lady Proudmoore's name."
"Why … those two flowers?" Jaina asked, rather than try to play coy.
"Asters can symbolize elegance, something fitting for the Queen of Arendelle, don't you think? And Gardenias convey joy and secret love." Lucy took the gathered bouquet from her partner, and added two roses; one red, one orange. "And a red rose, of course, means love. It's a little more involved than that. Admiration, devotion, longing and desire."
"And the orange?" Jaina felt her face heating up but felt like she was already in this deep and she might as well go full bore.
"Passion," Ray chimed in, "Ardent passion."
"I'm afraid to ask how you even know who I'd send flowers to," Jaina muttered, staring at the flowers as if they might somehow bite her. She was still trying to adjust to this couple, and wondered how long they'd been together.
Maybe … maybe everything could actually work out, if a human and a Forsaken could still love one another…
"I have my sources," Lucy assured her, "I'll get these delivered right away, okay?"
"Yes, thank you." Jaina pulled out her coin purse and counted out more coins than strictly necessary.
Gods, they still needed to figure out the exchange rate…
"No, thank you." Ray grinned broadly, then took the bouquet back from Lucy. "I'll deliver it personally!"
"Thank you," Jaina replied, still a little flustered. After Ray had walked off, she looked at Lucy curiously. "Have you two been together long?"
"We met a few years back," Lucy said. "Back durin' the Northrend Campaign. I was working with the Argent Crusade and Ray had come up from Westfall. Hit it off real well, though her family didn't exactly approve of the whole being dead thing."
"I suppose that's … not unexpected," Jaina admitted.
"It is what it is. We chose to help rebuild Light's Hope, then ended up in Dalaran during the whole mess with the Legion and kinda stayed here."
"Planning on staying here now?"
Lucy looked thoughtful. "Haven't given it much thought. I wouldn't mind moving somewhere else, long as it's with Ray. Corona is nice and maybe we can find a place that's neither here nor there and just for us. Maybe grow flowers instead of just sell them."
She sounded so wistful that Jaina felt her heart stir for her. "I am positive that Princess Rapunzel and Corona would be more than welcoming to such an idea."
"What about you?"
"I'm sorry?" Jaina stared at her a moment, not comprehending.
"Well, I hear that Whisperwind may have found a place for her new World Tree assuming all goes well with negotiations. Greymane and Wrynn are settling on places for their own people, least ways those not splitting up. Last I heard, Bloodhoof may have found a mesa somewhere. And we got that settlement in Tamrac and my people's in Corona. Heard an old friend of yours was thinking of just traveling. "Lucy gestured in the direction of Arendelle castle, partly visible from where they stood. "But what about you?"
"An old friend?" Jaina frowned, looking towards the castle, and Elsa, and Iduna and Anna. Then she looked back towards the Violet Citadel. She had responsibilities. But she also had wants and desires and just like that her happy bubble popped.
"Night Elf, purple hair, Yukale or something or other."
"Oh." Jaina smiled, even as she felt the tension draw her shoulders together. "One of the first adventurers to come through Theramore. Always ready to lend a hand. She was luckily out in the swamp with Feathermoon's sentinels when … you know. I can see her and her wife traveling, offering help and hope wherever they land."
Lucy smiled and kindly nudged her, "You're avoiding the question."
Again, her eyes picked out the castle. "I … I don't know."
"You … probably need to figure that out sooner or later, Lady. If you don't mind my saying."
Changing the subject, Jaina asked. "Is there a flower that means fuck you?"
"Monkshood, Tansy and Orange Lilies," Lucy replied, without missing a beat.
"Good, send those to the Warchief."
"I'll add a black rose or two, no charge."
