Cold fury ran through Sylvanas as she took in the scene, drawing another arrow and aiming it towards Vereesa's heart. She let her taunt hang in the air.

"Sylvanas-"

"Silence, wife." Sylvanas gripped her bow tighter, eyes not leaving her sister's face. "Get out of my city, sweet sister. The fact that spilling your blood would upset Lady Proudmoore is the only reason you are still alive."

It was tempting to actually shoot her. Nowhere vital of course, that would have repercussions she just didn't want to deal with. But her kneecap or maybe her shoulder? Certainly.

Sylvanas often wished she could raise her sisters into undeath alongside her. The urge had returned with a vengeance just now, but the political implications made it an unwise decision. Maybe a plan for another day.

Vereesa looked like she was going to say something, a flash in her eyes that might be anger or fear or probably a little of both. But Jaina pushed Vereesa behind her, unfurling her arms wide as if inviting Sylvanas to shoot her instead.

The cold fury turned to hot rage and Sylvanas very nearly loosed her arrow. She grit her teeth, then lowered her bow, eyes blazing and voice deadly calm. "Do you understand the seriousness of what you've just done?"

The tenuous trust that had started to form between them strained like a frayed rope drawn taut and threatening to snap. Vereesa remained unmoving even as Jaina lowered her arms. "It wasn't as though I left Orgrimmar. I didn't even teleport and we discussed nothing classified to either the Horde or the Alliance."

"I do not care if you meet with my sister. I don't even care if you meet with Wrynn's overgrown puppy. I care that you went behind my back to do it." Sylvanas moved her eyes back to Vereesa. "Get her out of here. Now. Or sister or no I will have her head on my walls."

"I did nothing wrong," Jaina insisted. Her attempts to calm the situation only made Sylvanas angrier. She let the rage flow through her as Jaina called up a portal.

Jaina murmured a quiet assurance to Vereesa before she literally shoved the protesting elf through it.

Sylvanas almost growled the words once the portal faded. "Nothing wrong? You lied to me."

"I was trying to respect Vereesa's privacy."

"You are my wife. My consort. A representative of the Horde." How many times did Sylvanas have to remind Jaina of that before it got through her thick skull? Did she have to tattoo it to her forehead? "You lied. To the Warchief of the Horde, you lied to cover up meeting an Alliance representative, alone."

"Fine." Jaina folded her arms, lifting her chin defiantly. "I shouldn't have lied."

"That is not an apology." Sylvanas approached Jaina, grabbing her by the shoulder and shoving her against the wall.

"I did nothing wrong! But I shouldn't have lied about it." It was like pulling teeth to get Jaina to admit to it, but she finally unbent her pride enough to say through tight lips, "I agree that lying was inappropriate. It won't happen again."

That was nowhere near good enough, but it was better. Sylvanas was almost willing to concede that much. Almost.

And then, because she apparently just couldn't help it, Jaina said, "... Wait a moment. You're jealous."

Vindictiveness rose in Sylvanas. If this was the game Jaina wanted to play, Sylvanas was going to twist the knife. Hurt for hurt, pain for pain. "I'm curious. Has little Vereesa given up yet, or does hope spring eternal?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Oh. You didn't know?" Sylvanas's voice was like hardened honey. "She has this adorably vain hope that you'll realize she's in love with you one of these days. She's so very desperate for you to warm her bed."

Jaina's expression was one of confusion as she absorbed Sylvanas's words. "That's not possible. She's never… "

This was better. Feeling much more in control of herself, Sylvanas stepped back, enjoying the stark realization in Jaina's eyes and letting it soothe her. The truth could hurt, and she let a bit of her anger slip through into her voice again.

"I assumed she'd gotten her taste years ago. That makes me feel better. You weren't unfaithful, you were just committing treason." Jaina's nostrils flared, and Sylvanas cut her off before she could speak again. "If anything like this is ever repeated, you'll never leave Grommash Hold again. Trust, Lady Proudmoore, is like life. It can be lost at the slightest provocation."

And then, because she was just that kind of petty, Sylvanas purred and reached out, running cool fingers under Jaina's chin.

"Nathanos is right. You would look lovely collared and chained at my feet."

Sylvanas could predict what happened next. Jaina's magic flaring, Sylvanas reacting with all her power as their bedroom was destroyed and the fight took to the streets of Orgrimmar. And she was ready for that, ready and willing for them to beat each other bloody-so she wasn't prepared for Jaina to grab her by the back of the head, jerking her in and stopping just before their lips touched.

There were no contingencies for this. Sylvanas actually took a step back, Jaina following her and pressing the advantage. She expected the pain of Jaina's forehead breaking her nose, or a knee to her stomach, but it never came. Jaina almost snarled, yet her lips still looked warm and inviting, almost burning Sylvanas from the heat even without the contact. Desire flared through her, the same as their wedding night a year ago; Sylvanas pushed Jaina back, pinning her against the wall, biting her lip as that unfamiliar feeling confused and exhilarated her. Her desire was colored by anger and she bit Jaina's lip again, harder, a demand, tasting blood in her mouth.

And then Jaina slipped under her arms and away. Out of the corner of her eye, Sylvanas could see Jaina's flushed face, her lip swollen and bleeding. She felt that desire only grow, drowning out her anger. Sylvanas almost revelled in feeling something that wasn't-

Jaina's words hit her like a bucket of cold water. "I should have fucked your sister."

Sylvanas's voice was calm as she replied, despite her fingers digging deep gashes into the stone wall. "Shall I call her back?"

"Why, so you can watch?"

Crushing the chunk of stone still in her hand as she turned, Sylvanas replied coolly, "Get out."

"And if I went home?"

Fixing her with a glare, Sylvanas didn't have to threaten to turn Kul Tiras to ash; the threat was writ on her face. "Get out."

Jaina stared at her a moment, then turned on her heel and marched to the door and out into the Orgrimmar night.

Sylvanas stormed over to shut the door, then stepped outside as she noticed a light powder of snow on the ground. Looking up, Sylvanas saw more falling from beautiful, glimmering runes scattered throughout the city. It was just after midnight; they must have activated the moment it technically became Winter's Veil, and they must have been in place for weeks to achieve that level of coordination. It was a display of power, careful preparation, and whimsy that could only be the work of one mage in Orgrimmar.

Holding her hand out, she couldn't even feel it as it landed on her skin and got caught in her hair. Sylvanas stood there, crushed bits of stone still cutting into her fist. Touching her chest with her previously outstretched hand, she rubbed it, unable or unwilling to understand why it hurt.

Though the snow fell all day, it never got thicker than an inch, and the temperature never dropped below the norm for Orgrimmar this time of year. Jaina had wanted to give Orgrimmar a silly treat without giving people hypothermia or interfering with mobility in the city.

Happy Winter's Veil.

Tyra had provided her a healing potion for her lip, and Jaina had taken it. While she was angry enough to leave her lip swollen and bloody, she'd already damaged relations enough; there was no need to make things worse.

After wandering for hours, Jaina noticed that what she'd suspected proved to be true; the Dark Rangers indeed followed her, and had spontaneously stopped hiding the fact that they were doing it.

She had a bitter laugh at that, thinking that ignorance really was bliss. While most of her watchdogs kept to high perches or 'random' passes in the street, one in particular appeared to have been assigned to be her direct shadow. Perhaps she always had been.

While Tyra preferred to be on Jaina's left behind her, this Ranger walked on her right. She said nothing, simply moved into position and proved to be impossible to shake, never going more than thirty yards from her. It was roughly the same distance Tyra usually kept.

Anger made magic crackle along her arms and in her eyes. Jaina folded her arms, pausing in the Valley of Honor. "Tyra, why don't you go fishing. I'm going to stay nearby in my usual spot."

Tyra shrugged, then glanced at the Dark Ranger. "She ain't goin' go nowhere."

"I'll make sure of that." The Ranger's voice was softer and higher pitched than Jaina expected. She wondered how old she'd been when she'd died.

Jaina frowned, then teleported to her favorite people watching spot. She watched as the Ranger jumped gracefully to a rooftop and then stepped through the shadows to arrive at Jaina's side. Her expression darkened as the Ranger sat next to her. "Could I at least have a little space?"

"My Queen is displeased," was the only answer she got, and Jaina dug her fingers into her robe.

"What's your name, then?"

"Kalira."

That was something. Jaina's eyes flitted in the direction of Grommash Hold, even if it wasn't visible from here. "Windrunner can shove her displeasure where Nathanos's teacup resides."

"She's not the one that committed treason by inviting an Alliance spy into her home."

"A spy!?" Jaina stared at Kalira in disbelief. "Vereesa is not a spy. She was here as my friend."

Kalira held up a finger. "Secrecy." A second finger. "Cover of night." A third finger. "No witnesses." She gave Jaina an almost smug smile. "Explicit intent to gather information without the Queen's knowledge."

Jaina pinched the bridge of her nose, then turned her attention back to the Valley. There was a small party of goblins playing a dice game near the water and Tyra put her fishing rod down to join them.

Kalira leaned back on two arms, stretching her legs out in front of her. Her eyes fell to a faint bruise on Jaina's lip. "For someone who is supposed to be very smart, you don't always think through your actions. You're impulsive."

"The Dark Lady is displeased," Jaina said, mockingly. She made note that Kalira didn't call her Warchief. There were some among the Forsaken devout that preferred to think of her as their Queen and Lady. If Jaina wasn't so upset, she'd almost respect it.

The Ranger shot her a sharp look. "Was it worth it?"

"Was it worth what?"

Kalira simply reached over and tugged loose a thread in Jaina's robe. She dropped it into Jaina's lap, and turned her gaze to the dice game below.

By mid-afternoon, Jaina had finished wallowing in her own misery, returning to the Valley of Strength in time to watch an Orc dressed as Greatfather Winter handing out presents to a line of children that stretched on as far as she could see. She stopped at that, and found herself smiling; even if she hadn't recognized him under the beard, she would have recognized the attractive Sin'dorei dressed up as his helper. It was kind of adorable.

The champions had both been on the Windwhistle at the initial meeting and she'd seen them frequently in the Hold meeting Sylvanas for one matter or another, as champions were wont to do. Jaina had been striving to learn the names of every Horde champion she could, much like she knew most of the Alliance Champions.

Galnir and Minuial. She knew they had two children and a reputation for being handsy with each other in inappropriate places. Jaina's smile faded, as it usually did when she considered the state of her own love and sex life. Something that she'd managed to make immeasurably worse. She twisted the thread in her hand around her finger, eyes lifting to movement at a window above the hold. Sylvanas looked down at her, then closed the shutter pointedly.

"Really?" Jaina almost threw her hands up, but didn't want to draw attention to herself. "That petty … "

Burying her feelings, Jaina approached the 'Greatfather' and gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Is there anything I can help with, o' Greatfather Winter?"

Galnir grunted, then gave her a toothy grin. "Snowball fight."

"Snowball fight?" Jaina tilted her head, and this time the smile did reach her eyes. She waved her hand and the snow in the Valley of Strength started coming down a little harder and as cold as snow should be. A snowball formed in her other hand and she looked directly at Kalira as volleys of snowballs between children (and one at Galnir from his mate) began to fly.

An alarmed look crossed Kalira's face just before Jaina's snowball knocked her onto her rear end.

By the end of the night, Jaina's robes were soaked through from the snow, but she'd managed to make everyone think that everything was okay. Everyone but herself, at least. Even after she'd had dozens of children dogpiling her and had been lifted and thrown by Greatfather Winter into a snowbank, her good cheer was only skin deep. She could feel Sylvanas watching her, could feel the anger and disapproval and something else that all but oozed from the woman's eyes. When Jaina looked, she couldn't see her, but she knew she was watching.

She trudged up the stairs with her shadows in tow, letting herself in. Sylvanas wasn't in, and something told Jaina she wouldn't see her wife in their quarters for some time.

Kalira followed her in, shaking snow out of her cloak and hanging it up, before sitting in a chair to pull off her snowcovered boots. Jaina stared at her a moment, then sighed and removed her own cloak. "How long."

"Until my lady says differently," Kalira said, looking up as she set her boots neatly aside.

Jaina pointed at the couch, then stormed to the bedroom and slammed the door behind her. It was loud enough to rattle the frame, and Jaina hoped Sylvanas could hear it from her sanctuary.

Sliding down the door, she pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. Jaina felt so tired, so worn out, and she welcomed the chill that seemed to go straight to her bones. Pressing her face into her knees, she wondered if she got sick and died, if Sylvanas would allow her a much needed eternal rest; and if not, would that be considered a breach of the compact.

A small head butted against her hand. She stroked Varian's ears, then pulled him into her arms for several long minutes until the kitten squirmed and she let him go.

Rubbing fresh tears from her eyes, she forced herself to undress and then forced herself into a warm bath. She could hear Kalira settling into the living area, and gripped the edge of the tub until her knuckles turned white.

How dare Sylvanas? How dare she treat her like this? Like some untrustworthy pariah over a single action? Jaina had made a mistake. A serious one, but her actions hadn't been out of malice or hatred; something that said a lot about how far she'd come.

Jaina touched her lip, the thing she'd tried very hard to ignore all day. She couldn't say what had sparked it. She couldn't even say what she'd been planning to do. Her actions were as inscrutable to herself as they likely were to Sylvanas.

But no, she didn't regret it, and she especially didn't regret twisting the knife the way she had. Sylvanas deserved that for assuming the worst so easily.

And Sylvanas deserved a lot more than that. Anger flaring, Jaina rose from the tub, in such a righteous hurry that she barely remembered to wrap a towel around herself before teleporting to Grommash Hold. Sylvanas was alone in the sanctuary, laying on one of the couches and reading a document. Jaina's presence registered, and then Jaina's state of undress registered.

Something sparked in Sylvanas's eyes, before she returned to her document. "I know you're desperate, Lady Proudmoore. The Goldshire offer still stands."

Jaina ripped the paper from Sylvanas's hand. "Look. At. Me."

As if granting Jaina a great favor, Sylvanas turned her head towards her and ran her eyes up Jaina's body. "Where should I start?"

"At my face." Jaina closed her towel tighter and fumed when Sylvanas tilted her head back and laughed.

"It's hard to take you seriously when you're dripping wet and wearing a towel."

Jaina lashed out, but Sylvanas caught her wrist before the slap could connect. She stood, pushing Jaina back until her arm was at a painful angle as she pressed her against the wall. Jaina grimaced, the pain drawing her attention from how her towel fell from her body.

"If you're done with your tantrum," Sylvanas whispered, lips brushing Jaina's ear. "You should return to our quarters until you're ready to talk like a fucking adult. While wearing clothing. I hear that helps."

"If I was acting like a child," Jaina gasped. "That would have been a frost bolt." She turned her head away from Sylvanas's mouth, trying to remember why she was here. "I made a mistake, Sylvanas. That's no reason to treat me like a leper gnome."

Sylvanas's hand rested on her hip, burning like a cold fire as it moved up her side. When Sylvanas said nothing, Jaina continued in a tight voice, focusing on her anger and wounded pride.

"I won't be treated like a prisoner because you had a fit of insecurity over a puppy crush that was never acted on. Can you honestly say you would be this upset if I'd spent an evening talking to Anduin?"

"This has nothing to do with fidelity, you stupid woman." Sylvanas's hand stopped, but her nails dug into Jaina's ribs.

Jaina squeezed her eyes shut. "Your hand begs to differ. I always suspected you were territorial."

"Your actions reflect on me," Sylvanas hissed, canines flashing in the candlelight. "You lied to me, with intent and purpose. You betrayed the Horde. You have placed me in the position of concealing that betrayal, because I cannot risk the peace by allowing you to face the legal consequences of your actions. And you did this for what? Girl talk? This time, your intentions were pure. What of next time? How can I trust that there won't be a next time?"

Throat bobbing, Jaina forced herself to look into Sylvanas's eyes. She should have been terrified of what she saw there, but instead her emotions were a complex jumble of sadness, want, anger, and pity.

Acting the adult, Jaina bit back her initial response. She let the energy thrum in the air around them, let it sink into Sylvanas that she was just as angry and hurt and holding back in how much she could do, just like Sylvanas was obviously holding back her own power. But it was a reminder that despite appearances to the contrary, Jaina held more power than Sylvanas.

And then she spoke, voice even. She refused to apologize, but she could admit, just a little, that Sylvanas was not entirely wrong. "It won't happen again."

Sylvanas glared, and she stayed too-close for just a moment longer before she stepped away. Jaina was unprepared for the sudden loss of support and nearly fell to her knees. She steadied herself.

"Go home, Lady Proudmoore. And if you would be so kind as to confine yourself there, I'll consider it a gesture of good faith."

"Until when?" Jaina asked, but Sylvanas had already left the sitting room. Jaina picked up the towel, looking down at it. No matter what Sylvanas had said, this had been far more personal than she'd let on.