Varian
Varian had anticipated returning to Auriana soon after she was done with the tailor, but had been sidetracked by an issue with the Stormwind merchant's guild that consumed his entire afternoon. Lately it seemed as if everyone on Azeroth needed his attention, even more so than usual, and he was counting down the days until he could whisk Auriana away for a few days of much needed solitude. He was especially anxious to return to her after her antagonistic encounter with Duke Anguile earlier that morning, and he found himself walking very swiftly back through the Keep towards his chambers.
He wasn't sure whether Auriana would still be engaged with the tailor, but he thought that his study was as good a place as any to seek her out. As he rounded the hallway that joined his bedchamber to his study, however, he heard a series of muffled banging noises, followed by several low, throaty grunts. Frowning, Varian exchanged a curious look with one of his equally nonplussed guards; but before anyone could provide him with an explanation, the air was split by an unmistakably furious, high pitched shriek.
"Auriana!" he bellowed, his heart leaping suddenly into his throat.
Varian ripped a polearm from the hands of the closest guard as he charged flat out towards his study, and forced the door open with a single powerful kick. He raised his weapon threateningly, practically foaming at the mouth with rage as he prepared to strike down whoever it was who dared to threaten his woman...
And stopped.
His study looked as if it had been hit by a small bomb. Auriana was standing in the centre of the room, surrounded by a pile of scattered books and papers. Her hair and her dress were slightly dishevelled, as if she'd been rolling around on the floor, though otherwise she appeared unharmed. Her right arm was held rigidly at her side, her hand clenched into a tight fist, while her left was stretched out towards the back of Varian's study. Arcane magic glowed brightly about her fingertips; the unremitting force of her power pinning a very surprised blood elf to the wall.
Varian's mouth fell open, and he unwittingly allowed his polearm to drop to his side as he tried to comprehend the bizarre scene arranged before him. There was no mistaking the familiar shimmer of the elf's fine blonde hair, nor her fitted red and gold armour, or the distinctive green eyes of her people. Varian was not, however, used to seeing her bound to his wall by ropes of shimmering magic, and it was some time before he could gather himself well enough to speak.
"Valeera?"
"Varian!"
Along with Broll Bearmantle, Valeera Sanguinar had been one of Varian's companions during his time in the Crimson Ring. She was a talented, cunning fighter, and had proven her personal loyalty to Varian many times. Admittedly, she could also be brash and headstrong, though he could not quite fathom why she would want to pick a fight with Auriana. That said, he could not think of any other explanation for the state of his study, nor the fierce, defensive anger in Auriana's posture.
Varian shook his head, vaguely wondering whether he was dreaming, when he heard the clatter of boots on stone as four royal guards burst into the room behind him. They all had weapons raised defensively, even the man from whom Varian had appropriated the polearm, though they paused in surprise to behold Valeera pinned beneath Auriana's power.
"Stand down," Varian ordered quickly.
"Are you sure, sire?" the captain asked, his eyes darting nervously toward Valeera. "We permitted Miss Sanguinar to enter your quarters, as per our standing orders, but…"
"It's fine, Captain," Varian insisted, passing his stolen polearm back to its original owner. "Everything is well in hand. You may leave, and close the… oh."
Varian glanced back over his right shoulder, and realised that there was little point in ordering his men to close the door behind them. In his frantic panic to get to Auriana, he had kicked the door clean off its hinges, and it now lay in splinters on the floor.
"Ah… belay that order, Captain," he amended. "Though I would appreciate if you could alert my chamberlain about the door. He'll have it fixed."
"Of course, Your Majesty," the captain said swiftly. "We'll be right outside if you need us for anything."
He glanced skeptically at Valeera one last time before he left, ushering his men ahead of him as he stepped gingerly across the ruined door and back out into the corridor. Varian waited until they were well out of earshot, before he stepped forward and placed a calming hand on Auriana's shoulder. She had not so much twitched a muscle in the time since he had entered the room, merely staring up at Valeera with the cold, implacable glare that she typically reserved for her enemies.
"Friend of yours?" Auriana asked drily.
She opened her fist, and a handful of long blonde hair tumbled down onto the floor. Varian snorted.
"Ah - Auriana Fenwild, meet Valeera Sanguinar. I consider Valeera a close friend, when she isn't breaking into my rooms. Valeera, Auriana is…"
"Your betrothed," Valeera finished, cutting him off with her typical spirited bluntness. "Yes, I know,"
Curiously, she did not appear overly concerned by her current predicament. Her brilliant green eyes were fixed on Auriana's face with a penetrating intensity, and she made no attempt to escape from her magical bindings. Her calmness made Varian suspect that he knew what was going on, though he couldn't believe Valeera had been so foolhardy.
"You can let her go now," he told Auriana, squeezing her shoulder to emphasise his point. "Please."
For a moment, he thought she might refuse, but she simply shrugged, and released her magic with a wave of her hand. She did not lower Valeera gently to the ground, however, instead simply cutting off the spell and allowing the blood elf to tumble rather gracelessly to the floor.
"Always good to see you, Valeera," Varian sighed, stepping forward to help her back to her feet.
She was breathing heavily, as was Auriana, but otherwise seemed unharmed.
"And you, Varian," she replied brightly.
The moment she was standing, Valeera threw her arms impulsively around his neck; moving so quickly that he did not have time to dodge. Varian patted her shoulder awkwardly, but only endured the uncomfortable embrace for a few seconds before he gently but firmly prised her arms away.
He glanced back over at Auriana, and was unsurprised to see her lips drawn into a tight, thin line. Her expression was flat and unreadable, though Varian could practically hear her teeth grinding, even from across the room. Certainly, he could hardly blame her for her irritation, especially given what she had been through over the past few months, but he hoped she would not be too upset...
"Auriana…"
"I… I should leave you two to get reacquainted," she said stiffly. "Excuse me."
"Wait… Auri!"
He lunged towards her, but by the time he reached the ruined door, she had already slipped out into the corridor, and was gone.
Varian swore under his breath, and rubbed a hand across his eyes. He wasn't sure whether he should chase after her, but eventually decided that it was probably best to give her some space to cool off. Auriana was fiercely independent, and if he chased after her now, Varian knew he would likely do more harm than good. He would speak to her later, of course, but for now he turned his full attention to the more immediate problem of Valeera.
"What were you thinking?" he snapped. "She could have killed you."
"I had the situation under control," Valeera said blithely, sounding surprisingly confident for a woman who had been entirely incapacitated only moments ago.
Of course, lack of confidence had never been Valeera's problem.
"I can see that," Varian growled, narrowly resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"She has quite the reputation, your betrothed. I wanted to get her measure for myself," Valeera explained, confirming Varian's earlier suspicions.
He supposed he could see the logic in her plan. Valeera prided herself on her formidable combat skills, and she could ask for no fiercer opponent than Auriana. Of course, that didn't change the fact that sneaking up on Auriana was a spectacularly bad idea, and that Valeera was lucky to be alive - even if she didn't realise it.
"So this is how you make friends?" he asked wearily. "If you wanted to get to know her, why not just talk to her?"
"And where is the fun in that?" Valeera said archly, as she bent down to retrieve one of her signature daggers from where it had fallen under Varian's desk.
"If you know Auriana by reputation, then you know what she can do! What if she had lost control? You could have endangered the entire Keep!"
Varian tried not to sound like he was lecturing a child, but it was a very difficult thing. Valeera's eyes narrowed.
"Says the man who keeps her in his bedroom!" she retorted hotly.
"I don't go out of my way to provoke her! Valeera…"
"Please, Varian, if she can deal with you on a regular basis, she can certainly handle me," she continued. "Besides, I've never seen a berserker in action, it would be fascinating…"
"No," Varian growled. "It wouldn't."
His voice was flat, and hard, and even Valeera would not dare to argue with him when he used that tone. She gave him a swift, penetrating look, but conceded the point with a twitch of her long, delicate eyebrows. She turned away, and resumed her search for her second missing dagger.
"I spoke with Broll before coming here. He said he got to fight her in the arena," she added quietly.
Ah, Varian thought. So that was it…
Valeera was fiercely competitive, and it would have rankled her to no end that she was the only one of their little trio who had not yet tested her strength against Auriana. She hated to be left out, to be left behind, and was willing to do whatever it took to prove herself.
"Did Broll happen to mention that she beat him? Quite handily, in fact," Varian pointed out.
He suddenly spied Valeera's second dagger behind his chaise, and held it out for her to take.
"We both know that I'm better than that old bear!" Valeera insisted, accepting the proffered dagger and tucking it firmly into her belt.
She waved away his concerns with a flick of her slender wrist, and Varian couldn't help but to let out a low, dry chuckle at the sheer absurdity of the situation. Valeera could be a lot to handle, but he could not deny that he had rather missed her audacity and boundless energy.
"Don't let him hear you say that," he said warningly.
Valeera laughed, the sound as high and bright as clarion bells. Besides fighting, there were few things she enjoyed more than ribbing Broll, and Varian hoped the Archdruid was well prepared for the blood elf-shaped storm that was surely heading his way.
"Thank you for deciding to pick fight in my study, by the way, I was worried that it looking was too clean and organised," he said, nudging a fallen book with his foot.
Valeera ignored him.
"I have decided that I like her. Your mage, I mean," she said, with a decisive nod.
"I wasn't aware I needed your approval," Varian said wryly.
He leaned back up against his desk, watching Valeera closely as she smoothed her tousled hair, and pulled her armour back into place.
"Of course you need the approval of your friends!" she insisted fiercely. "We are friends, are we not?"
"Right now, I'm not entirely sure…" Varian needled her, hiding a smirk as he gestured to the chaos that had once been his study.
"You know, Broll said something very similar…" Valeera said sullenly. "I'm starting to believe that neither of you are happy to see me."
She pouted prettily back at him, widening her bright green eyes in an attempt to look as innocent as possible. Anyone else might have been fooled by such a display, but Varian knew Valeera far too well to fall for such an obvious ploy.
"And what did you say to Broll before he questioned your friendship, hmm?" he asked.
Valeera's pout vanished almost instantly, and her lips spread in a sly, cat-like grin.
"I'm not here to talk about the old bear…" she said slowly.
"No," Varian rumbled drily, "You're here to attack my betrothed."
"I underestimated her," Valeera admitted, which in itself was a rare thing. "She's quick; very quick. I had heard rumours that she was one of the most powerful mages on Azeroth, but she's more than even I expected."
"You have no idea," Varian assured her, his chest warming with pride at the thought of Auriana's abilities.
"Actually...I'm fairly sure I can see what she is better than you can," Valeera said, tilting her head to one side. "I'm a blood elf, remember? We have a certain affinity for the arcane."
"You can… sense her power?" Varian asked, genuinely curious.
Valeera nodded.
"Her magical aura is… unbelievable. Trust me when I say that you, in fact, have no idea."
Her voice was calm, but Varian was not blind to the sudden spark of pure hunger that ignited deep within her bright green eyes, and he was starkly reminded of something Auriana had once told him long ago.
Magic is addictive.
"Drain her energy, and you'll answer to me," he growled."Friend or no."
He could recall all too well the disastrous consequences of the time she had drained Broll in a fit of pique, and would not stand for such a thing to happen to Auriana.
"I wouldn't even think of it, Varian!" Valeera exclaimed, looking thoroughly affronted. "Well, I mean, I would probably think about it - the woman is practically a walking Sunwell - but I'd never actually do it. I don't do things like that any more."
It was so typical of Valeera, he thought; the bout of passionate, impulsive behaviour, followed by an enthusiastic, earnest act of contrition. To other people, her abrupt vacillation may have made her appear insincere, but Varian knew that she felt each contradictory emotion as deeply as any other.
"You know that my loyalties lie with you and your family. That includes her, now, too," she whispered.
"I know," Varian said seriously. "Thank you."
It suddenly seemed to dawn on Valeera that her actions may have put Varian in a rather awkward position, and she glanced worriedly towards the door.
"I hope I didn't cause any trouble for you," she said.
"No. Auri's just… er… shy," Varian assured her, though he suspected it would not be that simple. "Although, you could have chosen a better way to introduce yourself."
"I think I chose the perfect way to introduce myself. You're Varian Wrynn. I can't have you married off to just any woman, you know," Valeera insisted.
She was clearly apologetic for any trouble she may have caused, but Varian doubted she could be convinced that her actions had been anything other than warranted.
"Hmph," he grunted. "Where have you been, anyway? I needed you here. I don't know if you've heard, but..."
"Broll explained everything. I am sorry, Varian. I've been… elsewhere," she said evasively. "I came as soon as I heard there was trouble, but by the time I reached the Eastern Kingdoms, it seemed as if everything was over. Next thing I hear, there is to be a royal wedding. I didn't even know you were courting!"
She looked at him askance, and Varian realised that she was probably hurt that he had not confided his feelings in her earlier.
"It wasn't planned, Valeera. It just sort of… happened. Believe me, I am the last person who ever expected that I would fall in love again," he confessed.
He scratched his chin awkwardly, not entirely certain that he wanted to discuss his intimate feelings with Valeera, of all people. She was a good friend, but there were still some things that were not up for discussion.
"In any case, I'm glad you're here," he offered.
"Some of your people might disagree," Valeera said flatly, her lip curling upward in a delicate sneer. "Your guards were reluctant to permit me access to the Keep until Broll vouched for me. They still look at me with suspicion."
"Everyone has been on edge lately, and you know how it is, with the Alliance and the Horde," Varian explained, though he sympathised with her frustration. "They look at you and see a blood elf."
"My loyalty is to you, not to the troll! Or to Silvermoon, for that matter," Valeera said, her small fists balling emphatically.
"I know. And I am grateful," Varian said. "Though I would appreciate it if you could refrain from attacking Auriana again."
"Testing her. I was testing her," Valeera corrected sternly. "But… as you wish."
It was quite remarkable, Varian thought, how she managed to make it sound as if she were doing him a great favour by not assaulting the woman he loved.
"Thank you," he said, somehow allowing only the slightest hint of sarcasm to enter his voice.
Of course, Valeera was too sharp not to notice, and he could practically see her fighting back the urge to stick her tongue out at him. A small frown flickered across her delicate features, and she seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, before settling on an expression of grudging contrition.
"Should I apologise?" she asked finally. "I could go after her…"
"I think an apology is warranted," Varian agreed, "But I would suggest waiting until after I have had a chance to speak to her."
He pushed off his desk, standing up to his full height, and gestured towards his dining room.
"We typically take dinner in about an hour, if you wanted to join us. Anduin will be there, and you could invite Broll, it if you wished," he proposed. "You could take the time to get settled, while I talk to Auriana?"
Valeera considered the question thoughtfully.
"An excellent plan," she concluded, looking mollified. "You will find your consort, and I will harass the old bear."
She gave Varian a mischievous smile as she turned on her heel and made her way towards the door, stepping delicately around the fallen papers and debris as if she were not the one responsible for them having been there in the first place.
"Don't antagonize Broll too much," he called warningly.
"Do you doubt my skills, Varian?" Valeera asked, pausing in the ruined doorway and arching an elegant brow in his direction. "I will antagonize him precisely the right amount."
After Valeera had departed, Varian sent for a few of his chamber maids to clean up his study, before he made his way swiftly down to the Stormwind arena. There were a few places around the Keep that Auriana favoured, but if she were angry, the arena was where she would most likely be found; taking out her frustrations on a defenseless training dummy. Of course, there was always the possibility that she returned to her quarters in Dalaran, but Varian had hoped that she was not so upset as to run quite that far.
The arena was usually empty at this time of night, most soldiers having retired to their homes or back to the Stormwind barracks for the evening. For the past few months, Varian had taken advantage of the quiet and private evenings to continue Auriana's education in swordplay. She had initially found Varian's insistence that she learn to defend herself with a blade somewhat ludicrous, given her powers, but over time had come to enjoy the discipline in its own right.
Today, as he had hoped, Varian found Auriana hacking away at a practice dummy, her forehead already beaded with sweat as she drilled the same three or four forms over and over again. As little as she was, she would always be at a disadvantage in a fight, both in terms of physical strength and reach, but she made up for her shortcomings with a fierce determination to be the best. She was fast, too, and clever, and Varian didn't doubt that she could one day become a very fine swordswoman if she continued to permit him to train her.
Auriana glanced up as Varian approached, acknowledging him with a brief nod as she finished her last movement, before stepping back and allowing her wooden practice sword to drop to her side. Her hair was loose and wild around her face, and she was breathing heavily with effort. She was still wearing her formal boots, but had stripped off her dark grey dress in favour of her form-fitting undershirt and soft leggings. It was not the most ideal training outfit, perhaps, but it seemed to be holding up well enough.
"You overextended on that last pass forward," Varian said, by way of greeting. "Widen your stance, and soften your knees. Don't let your blade get that far away from your centre of balance."
"Noted," Auriana replied, wiping the sweat from her eyes with the back of her hand.
She drove her blade point first into the dirt, and turned her back on Varian as she made a half-hearted attempt to tame her unruly hair. She was obviously tense, though whether it was because she was intently focused on her exercises, or because of Valeera - or because of something else entirely - Varian couldn't tell.
"Are you alright?" he asked, reaching out to place a gentle hand on the small of her back. "You're not hurt?"
Auriana started at his touch, and glanced up at him over her shoulder with cool reluctance.
"I'm fine. It's just been a weird day," she muttered, turning back to face him as she finished tying off her hair. "Though Jaina did agree to be my bridesmaid, so that's something."
"That's wonderful," Varian said, smiling down at her warmly.
He knew she had been fretting over the asking, and had been putting it off for weeks. He had eventually offered to ask Jaina on her behalf, hating to see her so stressed, but Auriana had insisted that she be the one to do it personally.
"It is," Auriana said faintly, though she did not look especially pleased.
"I'm sorry about Valeera," Varian said quickly. "I know she can be…"
"Impulsive? Reckless?" Auriana supplied drily. "Stupid?"
"All of those things," he admitted, shaking his head.
"Why did she jump me, anyway? I thought you two were supposed to be friends?" she asked, scowling darkly. "I had just returned from Dalaran, and went to wait for you in the study when she comes out of nowhere, waving those shiny daggers of hers about."
"Ah… over-enthusiasm and poor judgement?" Varian suggested. "Apparently, she had heard of your martial prowess, and wanted to test her skills against you."
"That is the single worst idea I've ever heard," Auriana said flatly.
She flexed the muscles in her shoulders slightly, and Varian could tell she was struggling to resist the urge to call on her magic.
"Well, impulse control isn't exactly Valeera's strong suit," he admitted. "I'm sorry, I had no idea she would even be here today, let alone that she would try to… test you."
"Testing me? Is that what we're calling it?"
Auriana grunted deep in her throat, and rapped her fingers against the hilt of her practice sword.
"She's lucky I realised who she was before I gave her a real thrashing," she added softly.
Varian cocked an eyebrow.
"You knew?"
"I had an inkling," Auriana said. "I wasn't completely certain, but it seemed the most reasonable explanation. How many other blood elves are allowed to walk freely in Stormwind, much less make it all the way to your chambers? I'm sure she's skilled at her craft, but it seemed unlikely that she was able to bypass all our protections. Therefore - someone let her in."
She stepped clear of Varian's reach, pulling her sword free from the dirt and testing her grip with a thoughtful scowl.
"Ah… for what it's worth, she approves," Varian ventured. "Of you, I mean. For me."
He had honestly meant to make things better, but he regretted his choice of words almost immediately as Auriana shot him a look of cool, skeptical disdain.
"Oh, great," she muttered witheringly. "Now I feel all better."
Auriana rolled her eyes, before turning away to focus her attention on the practice dummy once more. She was clearly not in the mood to talk, though she did not protest as Varian leaned up against the arena fence nearby to observe as she began a series of steady, deliberate passes. His eyes narrowed contemplatively as he admired her form, and for a long while the only sounds in the arena were the scrape of Auriana's boots in the dirt and the short, sharp whisper of her tightly controlled breathing.
As slowly as Auriana moved, however, she struck at the dummy with an unusual aggression. Her blows were precise and measured, but she put far more strength behind her swings than was strictly necessary. Her muscles were rigid and strained with the effort, and Varian didn't doubt that she would be sore in the morning if she maintained such an intense pace.
"So... that was you going easy on her?" he asked, finally breaking the long, heavy silence that had arisen between them.
"Well, you didn't have to scrape pieces of her off the ceiling, did you?"
Auriana paused in her exercises, and she suddenly seemed very interested in inspecting the dull wooden edge of her practice blade. Her brows drew together in a heavy scowl, and she took a few moments to gather her breath before she spoke once more.
"She's very beautiful," she murmured, not looking Varian in the eye.
"Valeera?" he queried, thrown by the unexpected comment. "I suppose. I've never really given it that much thought."
Auriana snorted.
"Somehow I find that hard to believe..."
Varian stood up straighter, and folded his arms across his chest as he carefully studied Auriana's tense and wary expression. Was she jealous? He had thought her merely irritated by Valeera's poor choice of introduction, but perhaps there was something deeper at work. He had seen Auriana lose herself to a jealous rage once before, but in that case she had been provoked by the actions of one Cathelora Anguile. Valeera, on the other hand, was quite obviously just a friend, and Varian couldn't understand why Auriana would feel threatened.
"Valeera is like my sister, and my little sister, at that," he said firmly. "When I met her, I couldn't even remember my own name. And by the time I did… well, that was just about the last thing on my mind."
He approached Auriana cautiously, the way he might approach a wild animal, and very gently took the practice sword from her hands. She released the blade to him willingly enough, and made no attempt to argue as he dropped it carelessly to the ground. She also permitted him to slide his hands around her waist and draw her against him, though he could feel the rigid tension running through the muscles in her back. Emboldened, Varian leaned down for a kiss, but at the last moment, she turned her head slightly to the right so that his lips found her pale cheek instead.
He frowned.
"Auri… I don't give a damn whether people think she's the most beautiful woman on Azeroth. She isn't you," he whispered huskily, the warmth of his breath sending faint clouds of vapour into the air.
He brushed a finger along the line of Auriana's lower lip, and was gratified to feel her tremble beneath his touch. She still seemed conflicted, however, as though she wanted to both be close to him, and to run away at the same time. When they had first begun their relationship, she might have even done exactly that; though for now, at least, she remained standing in the warmth of his embrace.
"Look at me," he murmured, gently turning her chin upwards so that she was forced to meet his eyes. "Are you mad at me?"
Auriana sighed, and her entire body suddenly seemed to sag in his arms.
"No. I'm not mad at you. Simply… not the best day," she muttered tiredly. "First Anguile and his stupid threats, then that damn tailor of yours talking at me like I didn't even exist! Jaina had a lead on the magebane, by the way, but even though we figured out how it was stolen, we still have absolutely no idea who, or why, and it's all just… irritating. Then your blood elf friend shows up and scares me half out of my skin, and she's all blonde, and tall, and…"
Auriana broke off abruptly, and pinched the bridge of her nose very hard.
"Sorry. I'm rambling."
"Don't be sorry," Varian insisted, sliding his hand down to stroke the pale skin of her neck.
Her unexpected burst of jealousy suddenly made a great deal more sense, and Varian felt his stomach clench with guilt. In truth, he now doubted that any of Auriana's irritation really had anything to do with Valeera herself, and everything to do with the fact that she felt both uncertain and overwhelmed. He doubted his having sprung a the tailor on her had helped, either, given her frequent bouts of insecurity about her appearance. Varian had intended for the gesture to be supportive, though in hindsight he realised he probably should have consulted her beforehand. Auriana had been under a great deal of stress of late, between the repeated attempts on her life, and her continued preparations for taking on the mantle of Queen, but he had been so eager to finally have her as his wife that he he had not, perhaps, given her feelings of hesitation his proper consideration.
"If anyone should apologise, it should be me," he added quickly. "I've wanted to see you in a wedding dress for a very long time, and I think my excitement got the better of me. I shouldn't have pushed the tailor on you like that, especially after your run in with Anguile. And Valeera… well, 'poor timing' doesn't even really begin to cover it…"
"Not your fault. You can hardly be expected to control her actions," Auriana conceded. "And as for the tailor… well, as you said. I can't show up to my own wedding naked."
"Still. I could have prepared you better. I know he can be… blunt…" Varian said, with an apologetic scowl.
"That's one way of putting it," Auriana scoffed, with a rueful shake of her head. "I have no arse to speak of, apparently."
"Fortescue said that?" Varian asked incredulously.
"Among other things," Auriana confirmed. "I have pretty eyes, though, so at least we have that."
"I'll have him executed in the morning, obviously," he rumbled, only half joking.
That, at least, earned him a small smile, and Varian took advantage of Auriana's brief moment of relaxation to draw her closer against his body.
"I happen to have a great deal of affection for your arse," he assured her, running his broad hands appreciatively over her smooth curves.
Varian wasn't lying. If he had thought he had found Auriana attractive before, it was nothing compared to how he felt about her now. Ever since she had accepted his proposal, he had found her nearly irresistible, and he found it very difficult to keep his hands to himself when she was around. The slightest movement of her hips was enough to send fire burning through his veins, and he was quite frankly insulted that the tailor - or anyone else for that matter - would consider her anything less than perfect.
"Ah… if it makes you feel any better, the first time he met me, he told me that I ought to lay off my exercise routine a bit, particularly when it comes to my legs. Apparently, when I wear a fitted pair of trousers or breeches, I look like I'm 'trying to smuggle two large smoked hams'."
Auriana's lips twitched.
"He didn't…" she breathed, her eyes going wide in disbelief.
"That's a direct quote," Varian confirmed.
"He's either the bravest man in the world, or the stupidest…" Auriana marvelled. "Why do you put up with him?"
"Because he's actually the least annoying tailor I've ever met," he explained, shrugging. "Twice as good as the others, and finishes in half the time. He nearly never bothers to measure me anymore, either. He knows what I like - and that means less time I have to spend telling him."
Auriana's eyes narrowed, as if she wasn't quite sure if he were telling tall tales, but it seemed as if Varian's little story had done the trick. Her expression had softened, and she no longer looked quite so ready to set the entire arena on fire.
He kissed the top of her head.
"Do you want to spar? We still have an hour or so before dinner…"
He bent down to retrieve Auriana's practice sword, and handed it back to her hilt first.
"I suppose you invited Valeera to dinner," she said warily, though she nevertheless accepted the sword.
"I did," Varian confirmed, "But if you would prefer to dine alone…?"
For a second, he wondered if Auriana might take him up on the offer to take dinner privately, but she eventually conceded with a shake of her head.
"No. Valeera is your friend. It might be nice to talk to her when she isn't trying to stab me," she said wryly. "But first…"
She gave him a small, effortful smile, and nodded towards the rack of practice swords. Much like Varian, it seemed that she preferred to work out her feelings through physical means, and he was more than willing to oblige her. He quickly jogged over to the weapon rack, stripping off his heavy coat as he ran, and in no time at all they were were locked in a fierce but well-controlled duel.
Varian did not go easy on Auriana - he never did - but he could tell almost immediately that she was not fighting nearly as well as she could have. He had come to know her style almost as well as he knew his own, and while she was clearly trying, it was also clear that she was still distracted. A misplaced foot here, a weak block there, and in a real fight she would be dead to rights.
"You're losing focus, Auri…" he admonished her gently, taking advantage of an awkward hitch in her rhythm to slip beneath her guard and force her body to body.
Up this close, Varian had a clear advantage of both height and weight. He used his superior bulk to force her backwards, before he snatched for her right wrist and twisted it, forcing her to drop her sword. With his other hand he brought his sword around with a practiced flourish, smirking triumphantly as the dull wood kissed her throat.
Auriana was not one to easily surrender, however, even when held in such an untenable position, and she glared up at him with eyes of pure fire.
"Oh, I'll show you focus, Wrynn…" she muttered.
Varian started in surprise as she suddenly reached out and grasped his sword hand tight with her left, and he cried out in alarm as he felt tendrils of pure ice race up his arm. It was as if his entire right arm had been suddenly been doused in freezing water, and it was such an unexpected shock to his body that his hands reflexively twitched open. His practice sword tumbled to the dirt, and his grip on Auriana's left wrist loosened.
Sensing weakness, she wrenched herself free from his grasp. Her eyes now blazed bright white, and Varian barely had time to brace his muscles before she drew her hands together and sent a powerful wave of arcane magic slamming into his chest. He was thrown a good forty feet across the arena by the strength of the blast, and it was only by virtue of his incredible reflexes that he landed more or less on his feet.
Auriana did not give him a mere second to recover, using a second burst of power to summon her sword back to her hand as she hurtled towards him. As her fingers closed around the hilt, she blinked, only to reappear in front of Varian in a flash of blazing light. He had been knocked to his knees by the power of her initial arcane spell, and Auriana now took full advantage to force him into the same position that she had been in only moments ago.
There was a distinct glimmer of pride in Auriana's eyes as she stared down at him, her sword at his throat, and despite his compromised position, Varian found it hard not to grin. As he had hoped, the simple act of sparring had been enough to dull Auriana's edge, and he could tell from the spark in her eyes and the flush of her cheeks that she was actually rather enjoying herself.
"No fair," he teased, never taking his eyes off her blade. "You used magic."
"Real battles are very rarely fair," Auriana pointed out, pressing the point of her sword ever so slightly into his neck. "Though it has been a while since you've been in the field, perhaps you've forgotten? They say the memory is one of the first things to go…"
She stared at him through her long lashes, her face the very picture of innocent concern. It seemed that she, too, was now fighting back a smile, though her blade never wavered.
"Oh, now you're in trouble…"
Varian's muscles coiled, and he abruptly struck out at Auriana's left knee. He knew exactly how to apply enough pressure to make her knee buckle, without causing her any real harm. Surprised, she pitched forward, and tumbled into Varian's waiting arms. He quickly wrenched the sword from her grasp and threw it clear, then yanked her down so that she went flying over his shoulder into the dirt. She rolled sideways immediately, trying to get back to her feet, but Varian had the upper hand now, and he did not intend to give Auriana an opening.
After a brief struggle, they both ended up sitting in the dirt, with Varian's long legs stretched out along either side of Auriana's body. From a distance, the pose might have even looked romantic, if not for the fact that Varian was using his superior physical strength to keep Auriana trapped against his body.
"I may be getting old, my dear Archmage, but I'm still the king," he rumbled, sliding one hand to her throat, while the other pressed firmly against her taut belly.
The muscles of Auriana's back were rock hard against his chest, and her boots scrabbled in the dirt as she fought to get some purchase against him. Of course, she had little chance of prevailing against him with her arms pinned so tightly that she could barely breathe, but she struggled on determinedly nonetheless. She was a fighter, in every sense of the word, and Varian loved her for it.
"You're magnificent…" he whispered, burying his face in her hair and drinking in her scent.
Varian had not planned the words; they had come tumbling from his mouth unbidden, but for once it seemed he had said the right thing. For the first time that day, he felt Auriana truly relax, softening in his arms and leaning her head back against his chest. She ceased her attempts to escape his grasp, and finally surrendered the fight with a low, quiet sigh.
"You win," Auriana conceded, her tone only the slightest bit begrudging.
"We could go another round?" Varian suggested, nodding towards her lost sword.
"No, I think I've had enough for the day. It's kind of nice just sitting here, actually," she murmured.
Auriana stretched out her feet in the dirt, and wiggled her toes in her boots as she stared up at the darkening sky. The last rays of daylight had well and truly faded below the horizon, and the first stars had ignited overhead. A cool breeze ruffled her dark hair, and for a single previous moment, Varian felt as if they were the only two people in the world.
"I'm sorry," Auriana whispered. "I shouldn't have stormed off, I shouldn't have…"
"Hush," Varian said, interrupting her before she could start rambling again. "You have nothing to apologise for."
Auriana twisted slightly in his arms, and stared up at him with wide, dark eyes. All traces of anger and frustration had faded from her expression through the course of their fight, and now she seemed almost hesitant. She was often such a stark contrast - at once both a confident, deadly warrior, and a shy, wary woman still struggling to figure out her place in the world - but Varian wouldn't have her any other way.
"I know we have dinner soon, but… d-do you think we could stay here for awhile?" she asked hopefully. "I've had just about enough of other people for one day…"
Varian let out a low, dry, chuckle, and gently intertwined his fingers in hers.
"Auri… we can stay here as long as you like," he assured her firmly.
He adjusted his weight slightly so that he was more comfortable, and gathered Auriana close as they stared up at the stars. It may have seen odd, perhaps, the King of Stormwind sitting in the dirt in the middle of his arena while the night closed in around him, but Varian didn't care. He had Auriana, safe and warm in his arms, and that would always, always be enough.
