Daughter of the Sea.
Jaina didn't remember arriving after she was teleported away from Dalaran, as the fatigue from the fight with Khadgar, especially after using the Eye of Aman'thul to give the Kirin Tor archmages the upper hand, caused her to pass out moments after the spell was cast. She awoke to surroundings she had not seen in nearly two decades, since her magical talent was discovered and she left to study in Dalaran under Antonidas.
"I'm home?" she breathed, sitting up and looking around at her childhood bedroom.
The first thing she noticed was that her adult body was slightly too big for her childhood bed, her feet poking out over the foot of the bed. She then looked around again, smiling at seeing how nothing had really changed since the day she left for Dalaran, except there were fresh candles in the holders, and her sheets smelt freshly laundered.
"It seems silly now, but not redecorating made it feel like you were still my little girl," a familiar voice said with a laugh.
Jaina turned to see her mother standing in the doorway, dressed rather simply for the wife of the Lord-Admiral of Kul Tiras.
"Mom?"
"Hello Jaina, welcome home." Katherine Proudmoore smiled as she stepped into the room.
Jaina sat up properly, noticing she wasn't wearing her magi robes anymore, instead finding her wearing a very soft dark blue silk nightgown, with the Kul Tiran anchor stitched in silver over her chest.
"I redressed you, like when you were little," her mother explained gently, seating herself at the foot of Jaina's bed. "I knew none of your old clothes you left would fit, so I let you borrow one of my old gowns."
"How did I get here?" Jaina rubbed her head, feeling it throb just behind her ear, indicating she'd bumped it recently.
"I don't understand the intricacies of how, but you appeared out of nowhere on the steps of Proudmoore Keep, right in front of your father who was giving a speech to the people about the impending conflict. We thought you knocked yourself out on the steps when you landed badly, but the doctor assured me it was simple fatigue, and that someone else got you here."
"Archmage _ sent me home after..." Jaina recalled, before urgency brought the most important fact blurting from her lips; "The Legion are here! I must speak with father and the other lords immediately. Kul Tiras must make sail immediately to aid the Alliance!"
She made to leap out of bed, but her mother placed a hand on her leg, and all urgency seemed to be washed away by the calming gesture.
"Your father is away right now, personally inspecting the latest additions to the fleet, when he returns you can speak to him and perhaps the other nobles," Katherine said slowly, sliding perfectly into her role as Jaina's mother again. "Right now you need your rest."
"The Legion..."
"I know, and time is no doubt of the essence. But if you go rushing back into the fray in this state you'll only be making it easier for them. Just relax, you're in your old home here, you're safe."
Jaina adjusted herself and allowed herself to relax, feeling the tension from her recent troubles properly for the first time in what felt like months.
"Now, I'll fetch us something to eat and drink, and then you can tell me all about your recent adventures," her mother gave a conspiratorial smile. "We've heard pieces from passing traders, and letters from Terenas and the other leaders, but your stories will no doubt put them all to shame."
"Well, I was there for most of the major stories recently..." Jaina admitted, smiling at her mother with glee. "I'm not the girl who left here all those years ago, I've done things that may surprise you."
"Hold your secrets a little longer, I'll go fetch us some things and be right back," Katherine leapt to her feet and darted from the room with surprising speed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When Jaina entered the council chamber inside Proudmoore Keep, she stopped in her tracks and just stared at the room she had only glimpsed as a little girl.
'It hasn't changed!'
Four ancient oak seats were arranged behind a large angular table, which perfectly mirrored the crown of the large anchor that was inlaid into the stone floor. The maritime symbol of Kul Tiras represented the heart of its culture, so its council chamber was designed around it as a constant reminder. She moved so that she stood on the head of the anchor, facing the four leading figures of her homeland, with her mother standing some distance behind her for emotional support.
"Jaina..." Daelin smiled, leaning forward in his seat to get a better look at his daughter. "You've grown into a very fine young woman, and I suspect the Kirin Tor are glad to count you among their number."
"They are, father, but this is not the time to talk idly of how times have changed us," she cleared her throat.
"Indeed, Terenas sent word that the Legion has come again," James Ashvane stated plainly, rubbing his thick black moustache. "He calls our ships to war, to honour the pact made during the First War."
"This is not simply a war for the survival of the Eastern Kingdoms, if the Legion are not stopped, no where on Azeroth will be safe, no innocent will be spared a fiery end."
"I doubt even the Legion could burn the seas to steam," laughed a deep, sonourous voice from the left of Daelin.
"But our ships can, Benedict," Daelin reminded him. "Even the greatest of Stormsages could not keep us safe forever."
"Perhaps." Lord Stormsage rubbed his beard thoughtfully, clearly harbouring other ideas.
"If we send the fleet off to fight the Legion, who will defend us should they fail? Or the Legion attack Kul Tiras while the ships are away?" the other lord at the table worried. "We don't really have a standing army..."
"Calm yourself Arthur," Daelin raised a hand. "We have enough ships to hold some back to protect our lands."
"Father..."
"To commit fully when there are still threats on Azeroth would be foolish."
"Indeed, we'd be turning our back on creatures that can't be trusted." Ashvane added. "Regardless of the acts of 'heroism' certain members of their species have performed."
"The Horde are not our enemies!" Jaina snapped, not caring that James Ashvane and her father were long-time friends. "When they invaded they were the pawns of the Legion, driven into a state of madness by demon blood coursing through their veins. Surely you've seen that since the war ended they haven't been as mindless or aggressive?"
"I haven't left Kul Tiras since I married Meredith, I'm afraid sea travel doesn't agree with her." Arthur said meekly.
"I take it you have while you've been travelling?" Stormsong laughed.
"I was saving Azeroth from terrestrial threats on parr with the Legion while you were cowering in your precious valley communing with water." Jaina growled. "I fought alongside Thrall, Son of Durotan, and Grommash Hellscream against those threats, and never did I worry they would betray the trust I had in them while fighting together. I have also 'travelled' across Kalimdor, meeting many more kind, friendly Orcs and Trolls who showed no hostility toward me, nor I them."
Jaina looked to her father for support, but she noticed his gaze was far away, and she also found it difficult to read his facial expression.
"The Orcs slaughtered our people, Jaina," Arthur said hesitantly. "Men, women, and children were killed without mercy by them during the war, for no other reason then they viewed us as weaker than them. You have to understand why we're concerned that they may turn on us if we show any weakness."
"And did we not imprison Orcish men, women, and children after the war? Treating them like animals in cages, and in some instances, making them fight each other for our amusement? Both sides commited crimes against the other, Lord Waycrest, do not sully their hands and pretend yours are clean."
Arthur looked at his hands uncertainly, but Lord Ashvane jumped back into the argument;
"Not all Orc camp leaders were as vile as Blackmoore, Lady Jaina," he said quickly. "While its true that gladiatorial games were not uncommon, they were not a standard feature of the camps. Their primary reason for being was to hold the Orcs in a confined area while a suitable course of action was decided upon; with the Portal back to their home closed, and resources scarce after the war, tough decisions were needed."
"This conversation is drifting from its original heading," Stormsong rolled his eyes. "We were discussing whether or not to send our ships to assault the invading demons."
"Indeed." Daelin seemed to snap out of his thoughts and looked to Jaina again. "We shall send half our ships to assist the defences from the sea, one quarter will remain behind, and the other will help to move civilians away from the southern half of the Eastern Kingdoms; the last thing we want is more women and children being slaughtered in their homes because no escape route was open to them."
"One quarter will not protect us from being..."
"I do not hate the Orcs as I once did!" Daelin interrupted his friend, the statement surprising everyone into silence. "I will not deny that after the war I despised the greenskins for every atrocity they commited, and took some pleasure in knowing how they were treated in the camps..." he saw the look of horror on his daughter's face; "but recent events... Helped to open my eyes to the truths my daughter has brought up again today."
"Daelin, I must object..." Ashvane began, but Jaina's father raised a hand for silence.
"You remember that slave ship we came across off the coast of Tol Barad?" he asked his old friend, Ashvane nodded and Daelin continued; "After you took out its protection, I moved my ship in to board it, believing it held human or droid prisoners. I led the boarding party, and we made quick work of the token resistance force naturally; but instead of humans in the cargo hold, I found Orcish men, women, and children in iron chains."
Jaina put a hand over her mouth to stiffle her gasp of surprise.
"Naturally seeing the men in chains reminded me of the camps, and I couldn't stop myself from enjoying seeing them suffering... But the women and children..."
"What did you do with them?"
"I... I was about to return above deck, when one of the crew tried to ambush me," Daelin leant on the table before him, and Jaina saw her father's eyes watering with suppressed emotions. "One of the male Orcs broke his chains and defended me from the crewman, blocking his first attack, and then bludgeoning him to death with his bare hands; only after the man was dead, did the Orc realise the initial attack had mortally wounded him... The Orc died in my arms, repeating something I couldn't understand."
"What was he saying?" Jaina breathed.
"Moyniham."
"It means... It means family." She cleared her throat.
"Hard to see them as bloodthirsty when one dies in your arms begging for his family." Daelin smiled weakly. "I ordered Taldred to sail the ship to Kalimdor, with two ships as an escort, before returning home; the pirates were all but destroyed, their power nothing compared to the Alliance's combined fleets."
"I have warned you Lord-Admiral, the tides whisper of betrayal." Benedict muttered. "You would be wiser to heed my council than trust the word of the greenskins who thrive on betrayal, and have shown a fondness for slaughtering our people."
"Have they shown this 'fondness' since the war ended? Thrall has shown his people a better way than their violent past." Jaina snapped at the Lord of Stormsong Valley.
"Our settlements on the shores of Kalimdor, the ones you established, were recently attacked and razed by Orcs." Stormsong rose suddenly to his feet and slammed his fist down on the table. "Humans were either killed or dragged off to fates I can't imagine."
"What? How do you know this to be true?" Jaina was taken aback by this reveal. "Did the tides give you any details about these Orcish attackers?"
"Only that they were well-armed, and hungry for blood." Stormsong smirked. "Blood as red as their skin."
"Red skin? Thrall's people are green skinned, as you yourself have described them," Jaina brightened at this, realising that in gloating about describing the atrocity, he'd slipped up. "They only have red skin if they've consumed demon's blood. Clearly the Orcs that attacked our settlements weren't Thrall's people, they were servants of the Legion, maybe an advanced party."
"You seem to know a lot about Orcs and these 'advanced parties'," Arthur noted.
"I was there when the Portal opened, I saw the Legion sent out scouts before their armies invaded," Jaina said coldly. "I also know that the Lich King sent out agents to sow discord..."
"Are you saying these red-skinned Orcs are not..." Ashvane began, but Jaina rolled her eyes.
"No, this is all part of the Legion's attempts to weaken us and make their invasion easier."
"Ashvane, send word to the fleets, we make sail at first light tomorrow." Daelin announced without further counsel. "You will lead one quarter of our ships to Stormwind, and assist in ferrying innocents away should the worst happen. I and Taldred will sail for the southern tip of the Eastern Kingdoms, and assault the invaders from the sea."
"What of the home fleet?" Katherine asked, stepping up to stand beside her daughter. "Who will rule in your absence?"
"You shall, my darling wife." DAelin smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "You led admirably during the war, and I have absolute faith that you will do so again now."
"What would you ask of me, father?" Jaina straightened her back.
"Sail with us tomorrow, we have much to discuss and catch up on," her father replied simply, letting his fatherly persona shine for a moment, before the Lord-Admiral returned. "Plus, our fleet could benefit from your potential knowledge of our enemy."
"I know as much as you do, maybe less."
"I doubt that." Arthur spoke up, surprising everyone. "We've all heard the whispers of your tales, you are every bit your father's daughter, together... I suspect the mighty Legion will not stand a chance."
"You are being reckless, Lord-Admiral," Stormsong stepped out of his seat. "And I will not watch as you lead our people to their doom on foreign shores. I have warned you of deceit and betrayal, but instead of heed the whispers of the tides you listen to the prattling words of women and let emotion steer you away from the great man of action you once were."
"Do not lecture me Stormsong!" Daelin roared, but Benedict Stormsong simply strode out of the room without looking back.
"Whispers of the tides, the man has been listening to the words of water so long I suspect his brain to be in a similar state." Daelin growled, "The people of Stormsong Valley will not follow his madness when it is clear he stands alone."
He looked his daughter in the eyes and stated boldly;
"Kul Tiras will not fail Azeroth in its hour of need by letting fear rule our hearts."
Just then a messenger burst into the room.
"Lord-Admiral, apologies for intruding, but there's urgent news from Lordaeron!"