Auriana
The next thing Auriana consciously recalled was a peculiar warming sensation emanating from the centre of her chest, and the muted sound of two people arguing somewhere nearby.
"You ought to have that arm looked at, Captain, I can feel your pain from here."
"I'm fine. It's been splinted, see?"
"A splint is a temporary measure. You need proper healing."
"It can wait."
"I assure you, she is in good hands."
"I swore an oath to protect her, Your Grace, and I'm not leaving until she wakes up."
"Varian?" Auriana groaned.
The protective refrain was familiar, though the voice was off; not nearly deep enough or quite so… growly.
"I apologise, Your Majesty, but the King is still in Ironforge - as you requested, I believe. You'll have to make do with us, I'm afraid."
The second voice. Clearer, closer, and most definitely not Varian. Auriana's eyelids fluttered open, and two blurry figures slowly resolved into view as her eyes adjusted to the low light: Ridley, her arm in a sling and her once-shining armour bloody and dishevelled, standing alongside a sylphlike woman with immaculately coiffed blonde hair.
"Laurena," Auriana rasped, the name coming to her in a jolt of recognition. "What… what happened?"
The High Priestess of Stormwind stepped closer; her intense, clinical gaze sweeping over Auriana from head to toe.
"You fainted. Do you remember?"
"I…"
Pain lanced through Auriana's temples as she forced herself to concentrate. Stormwind… Stormwind had been under attack. She had been fighting, she recalled, and then…
"I was in the water…"
Auriana took a deep breath, and awkwardly pushed herself into a sitting position. She was lying in her own bed, she realised, safely cocooned between layers of dark silk sheets. Someone had also removed her soaking wet clothes and replaced them with a short slip, dry undergarments, and a long, lacy robe, and as a result, she no longer smelled quite so much like a canal.
Unfortunately, whoever had assisted with Auriana's dress hadn't been able to do much about her hair, which still clung to her neck and shoulders in damp tendrils. A quick wiggle of her toes and a flex of her fingers confirmed that she had not suffered any broken bones, though she nonetheless felt as if she'd taken a beating. Worse, her arcane power felt like it was a distant memory, and she could not have summoned even the tiniest spark of magic had she tried.
"There was a warlock. Two warlocks." Auriana's throat felt like sandpaper, and her voice sounded pathetically faint. "Couldn't let them summon any more demons. I… I killed them… I didn't… they wouldn't have stopped, otherwise…"
Flashes of the morning came back to her with increasing rapidity as the fog of waking lifted. Fighting in the Trade District. Hiding in the barbershop. The shattered bridge… the infernal… the ice… and then…
Auriana turned her head to get a better look at her bodyguard, wincing as the small movement pulled at the back of her neck. Burned, she remembered. She had been burned by the warlock's felfire, though it seemed Laurena had already worked some of her healing magic on the wound.
"Ridley… your arm…"
She also recalled the brief conversation she'd had with General Clay and Mathias Shaw, now, including Ridley's broken arm. Ridley had at least seen fit to have it splinted and bandaged, though judging from Laurena's pursed lips and the snippets of argument Auriana had overheard, there was more that could have been done.
"As I was saying to the High Priestess here, I'm perfectly fine. Not the first broken bone I've had, Majesty, and in my line of work, it won't be the last." Ridley gave Auriana a reassuring nod, and flapped her elbow up and down a few times for emphasis. "I'm more concerned about you."
"Yes, the Captain here tells me you had quite the morning," Laurena added. "From the sounds of it, you were lucky to have escaped without worse injury."
The High Priestess didn't say the word 'again', though Auriana heard it loud and clear nonetheless. She quietly rankled, but refrained from making a sarcastic quip. It was Laurena's duty to tend to the wounded, and not one she took lightly. Auriana was also well aware that she was not the easiest patient, and on balance she figured it was best not to antagonise a woman who was simply trying to help.
"How long have I been unconscious?" she asked instead.
"Approximately six hours, though most of that was my doing."
Auriana had suspected as much. Waking from a Light-induced slumber always made her groggy in a way that waking from natural sleep did not, and it explained the echoes of powerful warmth she could feel still lingering beneath her skin.
"Six hours," she repeated. "Better than six days, I suppose. I'm improving."
Auriana offered Ridley and Laurena a weak grin, but neither woman responded in kind. Ridley's face was lined with worry – and pain, though she was doing her best to hide it – while Laurena seemed unwilling to look her directly in the eye.
"What? What is it?" Auriana asked warily, her smile fading. "Is something… wrong? I thought you just said I'd been lucky, that it could have been much worse…?"
Auriana knew she had pushed herself to the point of exhaustion, but she'd been exhausted before. It was hardly a life-threatening condition, in any case, and as best she could tell, she hadn't suffered any injuries worse than the burn on her neck and a few bumps and bruises. She was in pain, to be sure, but she knew the pain would fade, as it always did, and she couldn't fathom why Laurena was being so cagey.
"Perhaps we ought to speak in private, Majesty…" Laurena cleared her throat, and she shot a swift, pointed look at Ridley.
"No." Auriana shook her head.
Something in Laurena's expression unnerved her, and she very much did not want to face down whatever the High Priestess had to say alone. She would have preferred to have Varian at her side, of course, or perhaps even Anduin, but she held her bodyguard in high esteem, and even more so after fighting in defense of the city together.
"Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Ridley," she said firmly. "Assuming she doesn't mind staying, of course…"
"Not at all, Your Majesty," Ridley confirmed, her jaw set as if daring Laurena to argue further. "I'm not going anywhere."
Laurena pursed her lips, clearly uncertain, though she nevertheless conceded the point with a graceful tilt of her head.
"Very well, then." Her voice softened, and she took a deep breath. "Your Majesty… Auriana… I take it that you're not yet aware… but… you're pregnant."
Auriana blinked, and let out a high-pitched, nervous snort-giggle that was quite unlike any sound she had ever heard come from her own mouth.
"I… what?"
A loud buzzing filled the room and quickly became deafening, though Auriana had no idea where the sound was coming from. Her chest tightened and her hands began to shake, and she felt as if she had been entirely disconnected from her body. Surely, she had misheard. Surely.
"You're pregnant," Laurena repeated, barely audible above the strange buzzing in Auriana's ears. "Around six or seven weeks along, as best as I can tell. At this early stage, it's difficult even for an experienced healer to be more precise."
"But that's… that's impossible," Auriana stammered. "I can't be… I can't… I just… c-can't…"
"I know this is unexpected, Majesty, but…"
Laurena's lips continued moving, but Auriana couldn't make out the words. The High Priestess sounded as if she were speaking from very far away, though paradoxically, the walls of the royal chamber seemed to be shrinking inwards. For some reason, the soft silk of Auriana's nightgown suddenly felt as if it were on fire, choking her in a stifling heat. She fumbled for the collar, and was just about ready to rip the damn thing off when Ridley captured her right hand and squeezed it tight.
"Breathe."
At some point, Ridley must have come to sit on the edge of the bed at Auriana's side – though in her shock, Auriana hadn't even noticed her bodyguard move. Ridley's calloused hand was warm and strong, and the abrupt human contact was enough to jolt Auriana out of her increasingly panicked reverie. She took a few deep breaths, as suggested, though it was several long minutes before she felt she had enough control to speak.
"You don't understand…" she said finally, her voice strained but far steadier this time, "I take an herbal; I have for years…"
Auriana had always been very careful about contraception, even before she had started a sexual relationship with Varian. She had been a soldier all her life, and she had no illusions about what could happen to women that were taken prisoner in a time of war. She had chosen to maintain her routine after she and Varian had begun their affair, not wanting to complicate an already delicate situation further, and they simply hadn't had time to properly discuss the matter of children in the chaotic wake of their wedding. Varian had made a few offhand comments here and there, but that wasn't the same as making a decision, making a definitive plan…
"Oh, Light…" she breathed, in a sudden rush of realisation.
"Majesty?"
A nagging pain pounded in Auriana's temples as she performed some quick mental arithmetic. "The Tournament. With everything else going on… I… I must have forgotten..."
After a calculating pause of her own, Laurena nodded. "That would be consistent with my estimation - assuming you were… ah… intimate… with His Majesty around that time?"
Not for the first time that day, Auriana wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She released Ridley from her iron grip, and rested her still-trembling hands back in her lap.
"Um. Yes."
Try as she might, Auriana could not prevent a flaming blush from consuming her cheeks. Varian had been in a particularly amorous mood throughout most of the Tournament; in part because he had missed her, and perhaps in part because there was nothing like a good arena scrap to get his blood up. She certainly hadn't been one to argue at the time, and she hadn't even considered the possibility of falling pregnant.
"M-more than once," she admitted, staring straight up at the ceiling so that she might avoid looking at either Ridley or Laurena.
"And do you recall the last time you bled?" Laurena asked, mercifully matter-of-fact.
"I… don't remember exactly, though it must have been before the Tournament." Auriana shrugged. "Although that's not in itself unusual… given that I'm… ah…"
She fumbled around for the right words, only to be saved by Ridley once again.
"... so adventurous?" she supplied.
Auriana barked out a tense, self-deprecating laugh. "Something like that. The point is, I've never been exactly… regular."
"I suppose that's not surprising," Laurena agreed. "When you combine a high-stress lifestyle with frequent physical injury and a low body weight…"
"Well, it just sounds bad when you put it like that…" Auriana muttered.
She took another steadying breath, and lowered her gaze to look Laurena in the eye for the first time since the High Priestess had made her unbelievable diagnosis.
"You… you're sure?"
"I am. Not all healers are trained in matters of pregnancy and birth, but I completed my apprenticeship under one of the finest midwives in the priesthood." Laurena lifted her chin, and folded her hands primly behind her back. "Although I could send for one of my colleagues to verify…?"
"No, no… I… wait a minute…" Auriana blanched. "I can't remember taking the herbal during the Tournament, but I know I've taken several doses since returning home to Stormwind, so how am I… I mean... is that…?"
"Not to worry. Many women continue to take such measures before realising that they're already pregnant," Laurena said quickly. "It is unlikely that there's been any harm done, though you ought to abstain from further use. Assuming…"
Laurena took a step closer to the bed, and descended into a graceful crouch so that she and Auriana could speak properly face-to-face. Like most priests, Laurena radiated an aura that was somehow as aloof as it was compassionate. As she knelt at Auriana's bedside, however, her expression took on a far deeper warmth, and for a moment she was not a High Priestess addressing her Queen, but simply one woman counselling another.
"I don't mean to be indelicate," Laurena murmured, her voice as gentle as Auriana had ever heard it, "But this has obviously come as something of a shock..."
Auriana narrowly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll say…"
"As a healer, I took an oath beneath the Light to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those under my care, and to see that they are supported, free from judgement, no matter what decisions they make for their health. There is nothing I consider more sacred than that oath. So... if this is not something that you want…"
For a moment, Auriana wasn't quite sure what Laurena was trying to say, when it abruptly dawned on her that she was far from the first woman in history to have unexpectedly found herself pregnant… and while such a thing might have been a joyous surprise for some, for others it was decidedly not.
"Oh. Oh. Um. No… no… that's not it… I don't think it is, anyway…" she fumbled. "I'm just… a bit overwhelmed. First the demons, and now this… it isn't exactly how I thought my day was going to go when I woke up this morning."
Auriana vaguely wondered whether she was having an especially bizarre dream. It seemed a lifetime ago that her biggest concern had been tripping over the foot of the throne.
"I do not seek to push, Majesty, or to influence your choices. But you should understand that I am first and foremost your advocate, and I will respect your wishes – whatever they may be."
Auriana swallowed, surprised by a sudden lump in her throat. "I know. And… thank you. Really, I… I mean that. Any woman would be lucky to have so dedicated a healer as you."
Laurena acknowledged the compliment with a short nod, and held Auriana's gaze for a few seconds more. It wasn't the first time Auriana had wondered whether the High Priestess was plumbing the depths of her soul, but whatever Laurena saw, she declined to comment. Instead, she stood up and took a respectful step backwards, and their brief moment of intense connection passed.
Auriana looked down at her hands, and in doing so, her attention was drawn by the blankets resting across her stomach.
"Um… is there anything I should… do?"
As impossible as it was, she was pregnant. Pregnant with Varian's child; a child that neither of them had planned for. And a child that she had – albeit unknowingly – put at great risk through her actions earlier that day. Her heartbeat quickened, and the chamber around her once again began to feel oppressively small.
"Or… not do?" she added, trying to ignore the
"I would suggest you remain on bed rest for the remainder of the day, and that you minimise physical activity for the rest of the week," Laurena advised. "Stay well hydrated, and take small, regular meals."
Auriana bit her lip. "I suppose this explains my symptoms, doesn't it? Why I've been so tired and moody lately; why I've had no appetite?"
"Yes, it does."
Auriana frowned in concentration as she tried to remember everything she knew about pregnancy… which, she quickly realised, was shockingly little. Pregnant women were not a common sight out on a warfront, for obvious reasons. She'd had no sisters, either, and only a handful of female friends throughout her life; none of whom she had ever known to be pregnant.
"Am I going to be sick?"
Laurena's shoulders lifted in a delicate shrug. "Possibly. Some women become very ill, particularly in the early stages of pregnancy, while others experience few such symptoms - if any at all. Unfortunately, there's no real way to predict what your experience might entail."
Auriana thought back over the last few weeks. She'd mostly just been tired, with a little queasiness here and there, and she fervently hoped that was the extent of it. She hated being physically sick, almost as much as she hated…
Her breath hitched in her throat. "And… and my magic? What about my magic?"
Laurena's lips turned downwards in a resigned frown, as if she had been expecting the question and dreaded having to answer. "Magic in and of itself is not inherently harmful to a growing child, but as you well know, channeling puts a considerable physical strain on the body. As does pregnancy. Combined, the strain can prove overwhelming – and dangerous, for both mother and child. Especially if the mother is someone like you."
"Someone like me? What do you mean?"
Auriana exchanged a quick glance with her bodyguard, but Ridley appeared equally nonplussed.
"I'm no mage, but I have studied the effects of all kinds of magic on the mortal body," Laurena explained. "You are one of the strongest sorcerers alive – as I understand it, you can call on more arcane power than most mages could even dream of. The greater your magical potential, the more you can channel… and the more you channel, the more stress you put on your body…"
"You're telling me I can't use magic," Auriana muttered, her heart sinking as she deduced what Laurena was trying very hard not to say outright. "For how long?"
"Well, the length of a full-term pregnancy is forty weeks, give or take..."
Ridley was forced to scoot backwards along the edge of the bed as Auriana reflexively jerked her knees towards her chest.
"Forty weeks?" she demanded. "No magic for forty weeks?"
Auriana's magic was as much a part of her as her heart or her lungs, and just as essential. Having to forgo magic for a few days when she was sick or injured was bad enough, but nearly a full year? It may have seemed childish or overly dramatic to someone who had never known the precise, perfect beauty of the arcane, but to Auriana it was as if the High Priestess had asked her to hold her breath for the same length of time.
"If it's any consolation, Majesty, by now it's only about thirty-f…" Laurena offered, only to trail off beneath the power of Auriana's withering glare. "I am sorry. I'm no mage myself, but I understand something of what you'd be giving up. The Light is similarly…"
"... vital?" Auriana grunted.
Of course, it made sense why she had to abstain. Auriana had once given herself a heart attack by channeling phenomenal amounts of arcane power – and if a full grown adult could be hurt or even killed by the strain of too much magic, an infant wouldn't stand a chance…
"Damnit," she swore, hating that it had taken her so long to see past her own displeasure.
As much as Auriana loathed the thought of being deprived of her magic, that didn't mean she valued her power over the new life growing inside her.
"Laurena… I used a lot of magic today. Not to mention I fell into the canal, I was hit, I was burned…" she murmured, feeling like she was confessing to a crime. "Do you… do you think I hurt the child?"
Laurena shook her head, and her elegant features relaxed into a reassuring smile. "I don't believe so. At this stage, the child is very, very small – a tiny little flicker of burgeoning life – and small enough to be well protected by your body."
Auriana closed her eyes, and let out a sigh of relief. "Is there anything else I ought to know, then?"
"I'd like to monitor you regularly, if I may ‐ every second week or so. While I can tell that you're pregnant, even the Light will not allow me to make a more thorough assessment of your condition for some time yet."
"Is that normal?"
"I may be a touch over-cautious, but you are the Queen of Stormwind. And… I don't mean to alarm you, but I believe you may be at higher risk for certain… complications."
"Such as?" Auriana asked, raising an eyebrow. "And please speak plainly. I'm not… fragile."
"I know your history, for one. You've suffered numerous physical and magical injuries over the years – injuries that may have had lasting effects on your body. Bringing new life into the world is no mean feat; you may find this pregnancy as physically challenging as one of your adventures," Laurena explained, counting off her concerns on her fingers. "You're also quite petite, and very nearly underweight. In my experience, smaller women are at a higher risk of delivering prematurely, and may sometimes have a harder time of it during labour."
"Ah…"
Auriana gulped, suddenly more aware of the size difference between herself and Varian than she had ever been in her life. Ridley, it seemed, had come to the exact same conclusion at the exact same time, judging from the unusually bug-eyed expression on her face. Obviously, Varian hadn't sprung from the womb at a towering six foot five, but… still. Auriana doubted he had been a small baby, and she was a very small woman. A very small woman now carrying his child.
"Though - much like with nausea or sickness - these are only possible risks, not certainties," Laurena added quickly, noting Auriana's apprehension. "I would like to see you gain some weight over the next few weeks, though perhaps we can speak in more detail about such things after you've had some time to gather your thoughts."
Auriana gave a vague, noncommittal nod. Laurena wasn't wrong ‐ it was a lot to take in – and she felt as if she were one more revelation away from all-out panic. She wasn't even sure if there was a name for what she was feeling: a jumbled mess of butterflies and awe mixed with equal parts disbelief and sheer, unadulterated terror.
"Do you want me to send for King Varian? I know you told him to stay in Ironforge, but that was before…" Ridley asked gently, gesturing to Auriana's stomach. "His Majesty would be by your side in a heartbeat if you asked…"
Varian. Auriana squeezed her eyes tightly shut. On one hand, she was somewhat glad he was hundreds of miles away. She had no idea how to broach the topic of her pregnancy, and she appreciated having the space and time to untangle her complex feelings. On the other hand, however, she needed him so badly that it made her ache, and she secretly wished he had rushed to her bedside the moment he had learned of the demon attack. It was completely irrational, given that she was the one who had ordered him to stay away in the first place, but there was a small, unreasonable part of her that was deeply hurt by his absence.
"No," she said firmly, more to herself than to Ridley. 'I… you heard what I said. This wasn't… planned."
Ridley frowned. "You don't really think His Majesty would be displeased, do you?"
"I… I'm not sure. I know it's something that's expected of me as his queen, but… we've barely said two words to each other on the subject. My fault, really, I never knew what to say, but…" The words spilled from Auriana's mouth in a fearful, uncontrollable torrent. "Raising a child is hard, and he already has a grown son. What if… what if he doesn't want to go through all that again? And then there's Anduin! He's been so gracious towards me, but what if this changes everything? What if he starts to resent me, or the child? I've never wanted to come between Anduin and his father, and now I…"
Auriana pinched the bridge of her nose, hard, in a desperate attempt to shut herself up. No-one needed to listen to her inane, panicked babbling, much less her long-suffering bodyguard or Stormwind's High Priestess. Of course, neither Ridley nor Laurena were the type to judge, though Auriana nevertheless cut them off with a single, firm shake of her head as they simultaneously made to speak.
"Don't. Please. Forget I said anything. I just… I need some time."
"Quite right. We ought to let you rest," Laurena said smoothly. "And if you require anything, you need only to send word to the Cathedral."
She inclined her head in a polite, deferential bow, as if Auriana hadn't just poured her heart out in an awkward tirade.
"I… thank you. I'd appreciate that," Auriana murmured, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. "And… speaking of the Cathedral – could you please check on Anduin for me? He'll work until midnight if he isn't stopped."
"Of course." Laurena glanced down at Ridley. "Captain – perhaps we could tend to your arm at the same time?"
Ridley rose to her feet, though she did not immediately move to follow Laurena as the Priestess took her leave. Her attention remained firmly fixed on Auriana, and she planted her feet with a stubborn frown.
"Majesty… are you sure you're alright?"
Auriana squared her jaw. "I'm fine. I always am. And I'd feel a lot better if you had that arm treated properly."
"I suppose it does twinge a bit…"
Ridley wrestled with herself internally for a few moments, but eventually she acquiesced with a short bow. As she made her way over to the door, however, Auriana was struck by a sudden burning question.
"Ridley… Lana. Wait."
"Yes?"
"Have you ever considered having children?"
Ridley paused, her good hand resting lightly on the jamb, and looked back at Auriana over her shoulder.
"Thorin and I talked about it, but in the end we decided it wasn't for us. I have a half dozen nieces and nephews – who I love – but I can't say I don't appreciate giving the little scamps back to my brother or Thorin's sisters at the end of the day. And in my line of work, well…"
Ridley's expression grew pensive, and Auriana knew she was thinking of her friend and colleague Crowther, who had died defending Auriana from assassins. Crowther had left behind a son, Lukas, and while Auriana had seen to it that he had been provided for, nothing she could ever do could make up for the loss of his mother.
"You could always retire…?"
"Wouldn't suit me. I'm happiest with a sword in my hand - the life I have is very much the one I want. I'm perfectly content with spoiling my nieces and nephews rotten. And now your little one, too…" She grinned, and nodded towards Auriana's belly. "Not that a prince or princess of Stormwind will want for anything, I'm sure."
A prince or princess of Stormwind. Yet another angle Auriana had yet to consider. Her child would be a royal heir – second to Anduin, of course, but an heir to the throne nonetheless. The thought made her head hurt, and she let out a soft huff of consternation.
"Yes… I'd imagine you're right…"
"Is there anything else, Majesty?"
"No. Laurena was correct – I think I just need some rest." Auriana bit her lip. "You won't… you won't tell anyone, will you?"
Ridley shook her head, looking faintly offended that Auriana would even ask. "Of course not. Keeping your secrets is as much my duty as protecting you from demons."
"And I appreciate both… despite how it may seem, sometimes." Auriana bit her lip. "I know I'm not the… uh… easiest… charge."
"Never a dull moment, Majesty," Ridley agreed, though she didn't seem to consider it to be a negative. "Rest well."
The door clicked shut. Auriana flopped back against the pillows, and immediately regretted the action as the burn on the back of her neck flared with pain. She then rolled over onto her stomach, only to realise a second later that such a position was probably little better. Would lying on her stomach put the child at risk? She honestly had no idea.
It's probably less risky than throwing yourself into a canal to fight an infernal, whispered the nasty little voice in the back of her mind.
Auriana grunted in irritation, and shifted onto her right side. With her head propped up on the pillows, she could just see out through the window and across the balcony. While the morning had been bright and clear, in the time she had been unconscious, a blanket of heavy grey storm clouds had descended over the city and prematurely darkened the once-azure blue sky. She could have called for the servants to light the torches, but decided that the tempestuous gloaming better suited her mood, at least for the time being. Instead, she pulled the blankets up to her chin and closed her eyes, and allowed herself to drift into mindless oblivion. She didn't want to sleep, only to forget the rest of the world existed for a little while.
Unfortunately, the rest of the world could only ever be ignored for so long, and Auriana eventually decided that it was high time she ceased wallowing and cleaned herself up properly. She was also keen to assess her injuries for herself, and so she pulled back the blankets and gingerly swung her legs off the edge of the bed. Her back and shoulders twinged in protest, but she ignored the pain and hobbled over to the vanity.
It was still light enough that Auriana could clearly see herself in the mirror. She twisted around, and lifted up her long, damp locks so that she might inspect the back of her neck. Thanks to Laurena's expert work, the burn across her shoulders was little more than an angry red line… though she was missing a chunk of hair at the nape of her neck where the warlock's fire had scorched it clean off. Still, wearing her hair down for a few days was a minor inconvenience, and a damn sight better than a serious burn wound.
It was also a very minor thing compared to the fact that she was now, apparently, pregnant. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Auriana slipped her shoulders free of her robe and allowed the silken garment to drop to the floor, leaving her clad in nothing but her soft cotton undergarments with her legs and stomach bare. Her pale reflection looked especially ghostly in the dim early twilight, and there were several ugly bruises already forming on her ribs and She had never been wholly comfortable in her body, but nor had she ever felt quite so disconnected from it, either, and she almost felt as if she were watching someone else as she tentatively traced her fingers across the line of her collarbone and down between her breasts, before coming to rest on the flat plane of her abdomen.
She certainly didn't look pregnant – though at this early stage, she reasoned, no-one would. There was nothing to feel, either, though that didn't stop Auriana from folding her left hand over her right and pressing down on her stomach ever so slightly. She wasn't sure what she expected – some sort of sign or sense of connection that might make the pregnancy fell more immediately real – but all she felt was cool skin stretched tight over hard muscle.
Auriana let out a little huff, embarrassed by her own mawkishness, and swept both hands outwards to meet the twin prominences of her hips. She then slid her thumbs down the curves of her sharply arcing ilia, feeling for every minute bump and notch in the bones. She'd always had a rather angular figure, even as a child, though Laurena was right in saying that she could stand to gain a little weight.
Ever since Laurena had made her incredible, impossible proclamation, Auriana had been holding back a veritable flood of mounting emotion… and for some reason, it was the sight of her battered, rawboned body that finally broke the dam. Her eyes welled with tears, and try as she might, she could not hold them back. She folded her arms beneath her ribs and squeezed tightly, as if that might stem the tide, but she was too far gone now. They were not strictly tears of sadness, however, though neither were they tears of happiness – they simply were; a raw and visceral reaction to what had been a uniquely challenging and unexpected day.
Auriana had no idea how long she stood before the mirror, silent tears streaming down her face, but she was red-faced and out of breath by the time she finally regained some semblance of control. With a shaky sigh, she brushed over her face with both palms to clear the last of her tears, and was just about to continue on to the bath chamber when out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of an indistinct humanoid figure looming in the mirror behind her.
Already on her last nerve, Auriana reacted without thinking. She let out a furious snarl, and reached for the nearest weapon to hand – which, as it turned out, was a wooden hairbrush. Not the deadliest of objects, admittedly, though it nonetheless proved to be a rather effective projectile weapon as she hurled it across the room to collide with the head of the intruder.
"Ow! Auri!"
In Auriana's experience, assassins and demons didn't generally squeak… and nor did they address her by her nickname. In fact, there was really only one person who favoured her nickname over her full name more often than not, and that was…
"Anduin?!"
Auriana spun on her heel and squinted through the gloom to see a very confused prince staring back at her as he rubbed his left temple; his forehead crinkled in a quizzical frown.
"Did you just throw a hairbrush at me?" he asked.
He bent over to retrieve the offending item from where it had fallen, and placed it gently on the edge of the bed.
"I thought you were… nevermind. What are you doing in my room?"
It was at that exact moment both Auriana and Anduin realised that she was wearing nothing more than her rather scant undergarments. His eyes went as wide as saucers and he immediately turned away, while Auriana clumsily snatched for the robe still crumpled on the floor at her feet. Her cheeks burned hotter than felfire as she shoved her arms into the long sleeves of her gown as fast as she could, almost tearing the delicate material in her haste.
Anduin, meanwhile, seemed to feel that the awkward situation was best resolved by rapid babbling.
"Sorry! Light, I'm sorry, the guards made it sound like you were still sleeping. There were a lot of wounded, I was only just returning to the Keep when I came across Ridley and she told me what happened. I saw her arm was broken, it sounds like you two were really in the thick of it – did you really collapse a bridge? Although, I suppose that's not that difficult for someone like you. Anyway, I only wanted to see for myself that you were safe, and then… well, then you threw a hairbrush at me..."
Anduin's voice had risen half an octave, and he spoke so quickly that Auriana began to fear he was going to choke. She tied off the front of her robe, taking extra care to ensure that she was well covered, and made a cursory effort to neaten her damp hair by tucking it back behind her ears.
"You can turn around," she muttered. "I'm decent."
Anduin very cautiously glanced back over his shoulder, and only once he was certain that Auriana was dressed did he fully twist around to face her once again. Even in the low light, she could tell that he was blushing, and she pulled her nightgown a little tighter around her body.
"I'm sorry," he repeated, with a sheepish shrug. "I should have knocked."
"I'm sorry, too," she echoed. "It's dark in here, I didn't recognise you… though I suppose I should have known that the guards wouldn't have let just anyone in. Are you alright?"
"I'll have a decent lump. You've got quite the arm," Anduin said, his voice lowering to a more natural register. "And why is it so dark in here? There's a storm coming, you know, you ought to have the fires lit."
"I was… resting. I haven't had a chance to call for the servants yet, and I'm not allow…" Auriana coughed, fervently hoping Anduin wouldn't catch her slip. "I'm too tired to light the torches myself. My magic is still… recovering."
"I see. In that case, perhaps I might be of assistance…"
Encouraged, Anduin stepped forward with a burgeoning smile, only for his brow to immediately furrow in deep concern as he noticed Auriana's red eyes and the tear tracks staining her fair skin. His lips turned downwards into an uncertain, lopsided frown, and with the twilight shadows darkening his hair and intensifying the hollows beneath his cheeks, he suddenly looked so much like his father that Auriana had to do a double take.
"Hold on… Auri… you're crying…"
"No, I'm not."
It was a stupid denial, given that he was standing less than a foot away, and could obviously see her face.
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not!"
"Alright! Alright…"
Anduin raised his hands in a defensive posture, taken aback by her vehemence, though there was nothing but sympathy in his expression. He took a half step closer, and placed his hands on Auriana's shoulders with the same slow, hesitant care one might use to soothe a wild animal.
"Are you hurt?"
Auriana shook her head. Light, why did he have to be so nice? She didn't want to start crying again, but she suspected his kindness might break her.
"You don't have to talk to me," he added, his pale blue eyes boring into Auriana's own, "But I'd thank you not to insult my intelligence by insisting there's nothing wrong."
After a moment, Anduin slid his hands down her outer arms in a tentative invitation, and despite herself, Auriana allowed him to pull her into a firm embrace. He may not have been the Wrynn she really wanted, but he was gentle, and warm, and as much as she felt otherwise sometimes, it was neither sin nor inherent weakness to seek comfort every once in a while. She buried her face in his chest, and together they stood in cathartic silence for a long, long time.
"Auri…?"
Far too late, it occurred to Auriana that Anduin might be able to sense her pregnancy in some way, just as Laurena had. He wasn't as experienced a healer as the High Priestess, but he was talented, and remarkably intuitive. She abruptly broke his clasp, and took a few hasty steps backwards.
"Yes?"
"I thought I… hmm. Nevermind." Anduin cocked his head to the side, and looked down at her with a puzzled frown. "Are you sure you don't want me to send for my father…?"
"No," Auriana insisted. "I… it's just been a long day, that's all."
For a moment, it looked as if Anduin intended to press her further, but thought better of it at the last moment.
"You're not wrong. I could just about eat an entire kodo," he said instead, brightening. "There's nothing quite like healing to work up an appetite."
Now that Auriana looked closer, Anduin did indeed look rather rapacious, his dishevelled hair and dirty undershirt lending him an uncharacteristically wolfish air.
"I'm a bit famished myself," Auriana admitted.
"Perhaps you might join me for an early dinner, then?" Anduin ventured. "We could have it served in the western dining room and watch the storm roll in over the harbour."
"I… I'd like that."
Auriana didn't particularly feel like being social, though she didn't really want to be alone, either… and she knew she could hardly ask for better companionship than Anduin.
"Why don't you give me half an hour or so to get properly dressed?" she suggested.
Anduin nodded, and handed her back the hairbrush. "Here. In case you need to fend off any more intruders."
"Ha, ha." Auriana made a great show of rolling her eyes, though the smile she flashed at him a few seconds later was genuine. "Your sense of humour is almost as bad as your father's."
Anduin clasped his hands over his chest as if he'd been shot. "You wound me, Auri. I'll have you know, mine is much worse."
For what felt like the first time in years, Auriana actually laughed, and some of the cloying tension in her neck and shoulders released. It was almost impossible to remain in a mood around Anduin, bad jokes and all. She brushed the last of the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, and stood up a little straighter.
"Anduin. Thank you." Auriana let out a wry snort, remembering that it was not the first time that day that he had provided her with some much-needed succor. "Again."
"You're most welcome. Again." Anduin grinned. "I'll see you at dinner."
He turned to leave, and as Auriana watched him slip smoothly out the door, she felt a tiny shiver of excitement for the first time since she had awoken. After all, if her child was half as wonderful as its brother… she would be a very fortunate mother indeed…