Auriana
Auriana permitted Tess to drag her from Varian's study, though she paused briefly to give instruction to the guards. She wasn't sure how long Tess intended to keep her out, and she didn't want Varian to return from his hunt to find her gone without a trace on the eve of their wedding. Tess tapped her foot impatiently the whole time, and she barely allowed Auriana to finish speaking before she grabbed her firmly by the elbow and whisked her out into the corridor.
Once outside, Auriana was rather astonished to see that Tess had not been lying, and that Mia, Jaina, Moira, Tyrande, Aysa, and even Valeera had indeed come to celebrate. They were all dressed more casually than Auriana ever had seen them, and yet they were still such a singularly powerful and impressive group of women that it almost hurt her eyes to look upon them.
"Er… good afternoon," she smiled shyly, trying to resist the urge to look down at her feet. "Thank you all for coming."
"You're most welcome, dear," Mia said warmly. "I hope Tess didn't have to twist your arm too much."
The Queen of Gilneas glanced briefly at her only daughter, who beamed back at her with an expression of almost believable innocence.
"Oh, no… not at all," Auriana lied. "Though she did neglect to tell me where we might be going."
"Well, we wanted to keep it a surprise," Tess explained.
She beckoned, and Valeera came forward with a length of blue silk cloth stretched between her hands. Auriana took a slight step back, uncertain, but the blood elf rogue was much faster. She slipped into Auriana's shadow in a blur of motion, and placed the blindfold about her eyes before Auriana could so much as squeak in protest.
"Is this really necessary?" Auriana mumbled, the silk cloth scraping across the sensitive skin of her nose as she spoke.
"No," Tess admitted, "But it is fun. Come on."
Auriana felt a sudden tingle run up her limbs as Jaina opened a portal somewhere nearby, and she was surprised to realise that they were leaving Stormwind. She had assumed Tess would have bustled them all off to a tavern in Old Town, or perhaps the Dwarven District, but it seemed that the Princess of Gilneas had much grander plans in mind.
A set of soft, warm fingers closed over Auriana's forearm, and she found herself being guided gently towards what she assumed was the threshold of the portal. Unfortunately, between her bad hearing and the blindfold, her awareness was now quite dulled, and she stumbled slightly as she stepped forward. The hand on her arm tightened, and a second later Auriana felt herself go weightless as the familiar, twisting magic of the portal spell took hold.
The sensation only lasted for a few fleeting moments, before Auriana felt her boots contact solid ground once more. The air was different here, cleaner than that of the city, and it had a fresh, pleasant smell that Auriana couldn't quite place. The ground was hard and rocky beneath her feet as her mysterious guide led her forward, and in the distance she could faintly hear the low, mournful calling of some strange bird.
It was rather disorienting, walking along the uneven path in pitch darkness, but mercifully the journey was short. Auriana walked perhaps twenty yards before someone pulled her to a stop and untied her blindfold, and she blinked as the bright afternoon sunlight abruptly hit her eyes. A hazy, grey-green landscape of stark rock and sparse, flat topped trees slowly resolved around her, and Auriana gasped quietly as she recognised a large, lonely wooden building rising from the low-hanging fog.
"I've been here before…" she murmured. "This is the Tavern in the Mists… we're in Pandaria?"
Tess nodded brightly, and tugged on Auriana's arm again in an effort to get her moving further up the hill.
"I thought you might prefer somewhere out of the way, where we are less likely to be noticed, or recognised," she explained. "Aysa was kind enough to make arrangements."
"I'm pretty sure this group is going to be noticed no matter where we go…" Auriana snorted, glancing over her shoulder at her unlikely group of companions.
In truth, they could not have looked more conspicuous if they had tried. Tyrande alone was so spectacularly lovely as to draw every eye, and it wasn't as if she were the only beauty in the group. The afternoon light glinting off Jaina's pale hair gave her the appearance of a silvery halo; made even brighter by her proximity to Valeera, who shone like the sun itself. Both Aysa and Tess wore identical, radiant smiles, while Mia and Moira looked every inch the powerful queens of their respective nations. Taken together as a whole, they were nothing short of dazzling, and they drew many curious looks from the other patrons as they stepped through the Tavern's arched doorway.
Fortunately, the Tavern in the Mists was not at all busy at this time of day - if ever, given its out of the way location - and Auriana counted only seven other people aside from the two Pandaren women tending the bar. It also seemed that they had been expected, judging from the sudden look of eagerness on the face of one of the barmaids, and once again Auriana wondered just how long Tess had been planning this event.
"Oh, hello!" the Pandaren woman said brightly. "On behalf of Innkeeper Tong, welcome to the Tavern in the Mists! We were very pleased to get your message, Master Cloudsinger."
She gave Aysa a short bow, before turning to Tess with a beaming smile.
"And you must be Princess Tess," she added warmly. "My name is Jing, and I will be your personal attendant today Should you require anything, you need only ask."
Auriana glanced sidelong at Ridley as Tess and Aysa conferred with Jing, before turning her head to inspect their surroundings more closely. In truth, she was rather surprised by the choice of venue. During the war, she had known the Tavern to be something of a haven for mercenaries and other unsavoury elements - including none other than Wrathion, the Black Prince - though it seemed that peacetime was another matter entirely. The Tavern was clean and neat, and much brighter than she remembered; far more akin to a travellers rest along the way to Kun Lai than the shady, back alley alehouse she had once known.
The Tavern's current customers were all exclusively Pandaren, and several sets of dark, ursine eyes stared at Auriana's little group curiously from over a wide assortment of rustic mugs and flagons. Still, it was not long before the Pandaren turned their full attention back to their drinks or games of jihui, having evidently deemed the newcomers acceptable, and Auriana had to grudgingly concede to Tess' argument. In a busy tavern in Ironforge or Stormwind, such a group would have likely caused a riot, whereas here they were little more than a passing curiosity. Clearly, while the Tavern itself may have returned to serving its more traditional clientele, it seemed the unspoken rule of 'no questions asked' was still in full effect.
"Come on, Auri, let's go!" Tess proclaimed; her loud, eager voice abruptly startling Auriana out of her quiet reflection.
"Go?" she repeated, confused. "But we just got here…"
"Out back," Tess said, nodding her head to the Tavern's far door. "We're going to go bathe in the hot springs, isn't that exciting?
"Ah… the hot springs? Really? I'm not sure…"
Auriana had heard rumours about the Tavern's legendary hot springs, though she had never personally indulged. She had been far too consumed by the war to so much as consider taking the time for a spa, and even now, in a very different time and place, she still couldn't picture herself relaxing in clouds of warm, swirling mists.
"Do not worry, Lady," Jing smiled, pressing her hands together over her chest. "We have provided you with amenities for both privacy and comfort, and I will personally ensure that you are not disturbed by any other patrons. We have excellent security here at the Tavern in the Mists."
"Aysa was the one who suggested the springs. We thought it might help you relax," Tess added, as if it were only that easy. "It's supposed to be wonderful for the skin, too."
"Wait… my skin? What's wrong with my skin?"
Auriana touched a hand to her pale cheek, prompting Tess to snort and roll her eyes. She locked her arm firmly through Auriana's, and wasted no time using her superior height and weight to manhandle Auriana towards the back door. At the same time, Auriana felt someone take her arm from the other side, and she turned her head to see Jaina staring down at her with sharp blue eyes.
"Auriana. I'm going to tell you something Kalec told me once," she said seriously, her voice low and quiet. "The world is not going to end because you decided to let your hair down and put yourself first for a change."
"I find it difficult to believe that a dragon would be familiar with that particular idiom," Auriana snorted, more to herself than anyone else.
"Would you stop being contrary? He didn't use those exact words, but that was essentially the point," Jaina sighed.
"And how has that worked out for you, Jaina?" Auriana growled stubbornly.
"Not as well as I might have hoped," Jaina admitted. "But… I've been trying. You should, too."
Her expression was at once soft and earnest, and Auriana found it very hard to say no when someone looked at her with such clear sincerity. It was also clear that her allies had gone to considerable lengths to arrange an afternoon for her enjoyment, and as much as she did not appreciate being being so thoroughly handled, she also had no desire to appear churlish or thankless.
"Alright," she sighed, shrugging her shoulders in surrender. "How does this work?"
She allowed Tess and Jaina to lead her outside, where a wooden platform and seating arrangement had been set up around a deep, steaming spring. The wood looked well used, and Auriana wondered just how long Pandaren had been travelling here to soak away their aches and pains. She also noticed a small, colourful red and gold tent beneath the shade of a tree about five yards south, and belatedly realised that bathing in the hot springs almost certainly meant removing her clothes.
"Ah… Jaina…"
"It's a hot spring. Surely you didn't think you were going to get in there wearing a dress?" Jaina pointed out, her pale eyebrows lifting in amusement.
"Well, no," Auriana admitted, "But…"
"Don't be a scaredy-cat, Auri!" Tess laughed, making her way over to the tent with a carefree swagger.
"Scared? I'm not… I'm never… might I remind everyone I fought Archimonde in single combat?" Auriana blustered, pointing a finger at Tess' retreating back. "I am not a coward…"
"Well, maybe that's cause ye didn't have ta fight Archimonde naked…" Moira suggested slyly.
Much like Tess, she seemed very eager to get things underway, and she paused only to give Auriana a teasing smile before she, too, disappeared into the darkness of the red and gold tent. Jaina, Mia, Aysa and Valeera soon followed close behind, leaving Auriana standing alone on the edge of the hot spring with Ridley on one side and Tyrande on the other.
"I thought this was supposed to be calming…" she muttered, feeling very much the exact opposite of relaxed.
"Hot springs have many curative properties, although I did not know it was traditional in Kul Tiras to bathe in Pandaren springs before one's wedding," Tyrande remarked slightly, clearly far too clever to have been fooled by Tess' very obvious lies.
"And yet, here we are…" Auriana sighed, not even trying to keep up the pretence. "Apparently I'm learning all sorts of things about my father's homeland today…"
"Princess Tess is indeed a very determined and resourceful young woman," Tyrande observed, her expression cool as she gazed out across the mist-shrouded landscape.
Given that Tess and her mother had been living in Darnassus, Tyrande probably knew her quite well, and she did not seem at all surprised by the way in which Tess had brought them all together. It was also difficult to tell whether she found the young Gilnean's antics amusing or annoying, though if Auriana had to hazard a guess, she thought Tyrande might have been amused. Tess' well-meaning duplicity had not dissuaded her from attending, at least, and she seemed to be genuinely interested in the quiet beauty of the hot springs.
"Still, we have travelled far," Tyrande continued, her pale eyes gleaming. "We should take advantage of the opportunity. In truth, being here reminds me of bathing in the Temple baths with the other priestesses when I was young."
Her voice warmed considerably as she spoke, and a fond smile flickered across her ageless face. Auriana watched her closely, and vaguely wondered what Tyrande meant by being 'young'. Was that ten thousand years ago, or 'only' a millennia? The High Priestess did not elaborate further, however, instead nodding thoughtfully at Auriana before she turned to join the others in the tent.
"We could return to Stormwind if you are truly uncomfortable, my lady," Ridley suggested, once Tyrande was out of earshot.
Auriana did not immediately reply, and bent down to pick up a few pebbles from the stone grey ground. Ridley remained silent as Auriana skipped them off the rocks, the soft crack of stone on stone echoing up the mountainous walls that divided the Veiled Stair from the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. It was quite beautiful here, in a stark sort of way, and Auriana supposed she ought at least try to relax.
"We should stay," she said finally. "It's quite sweet that they've gone to so much effort, actually. I'm just being… contrary, to borrow a phrase. Who knows, I might even enjoy myself."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes," Auriana confirmed, though her stomach gave a funny sort of hop at the thought. "You'll keep watch?"
Ridley nodded her assent, and stared around hawkishly as Auriana made her way over to the brightly coloured tent. Inside, it was surprisingly spacious, with more than enough room to house Auriana and her companions as they disrobed. The Pandaren innkeepers had also provided the group with a set of rough cut linen strips that could be used to protect one's modesty, though Auriana doubted that wearing them was traditional. She also began to suspect she may be the only one who intended to wear them, as the other women undressed and chattered amongst each other as comfortably as if they did this every day.
Flustered, Auriana turned her back, and stood as far forward into a corner as she was physically able, before reaching hesitantly for the laces of her bodice. It felt as if everyone were staring at her, though of course such a thought was plainly ridiculous. Each of her companions were far too busy removing their own clothes, and even if they had not been so distracted, they were all too polite to gawk in any case.
All, it seemed, except for one. Auriana jumped about a mile in the air as she suddenly felt someone's cool fingers run down the length of the scar on her back, and she clutched the top of her dress frantically to her chest. She whirled in surprise, narrowly fighting back the urge to call on her magic, and nearly knocked Tess back out the side of the tent.
"Dammit, Tess, don't do that," she muttered darkly, reaching out to steady the younger woman before she toppled over.
If Auriana had felt self-conscious before, it was nothing compared to how she felt knowing that Tess was actively staring at her scar, let alone touching it. She doubted that the Princess of Gilneas had meant anything poorly by it, but it nevertheless made her skin crawl. Aside from healers - and them only when strictly necessary - Varian was the only person she generally permitted to touch her back.
Tess did not not seem to find Auriana's scars horrific, however; her expression instead hovering somewhere between amazement and respect.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" she exclaimed. "I just… wow."
"'Wow'?" Auriana repeated, thoroughly baffled by Tess' response.
"Anduin said you were injured fighting Deathwing," Tess asked eagerly. "Is that true?"
"Yes..." Auriana said warily.
"Amazing…"
Tess very much looked as if she wanted to inspect Auriana's scar more closely, but she was too sharp not to have noticed Auriana's unhappy reaction, and she kept a respectful distance as she began to remove her own boots.
"I wanted to help in the campaign against him, you know," she explained. "The Cataclysm breached the Greymane Wall, and… well, you know what happened after. But Father said I was too young. Not that he would have let me go even if I were forty, mind you."
Auriana supposed it was only natural for Genn to be protective, given how he had lost his only son, though it was abundantly clear that Tess was not the kind of princess content to stay beneath her father's thumb. She had a brave, inquisitive temperament, and Auriana didn't doubt that she would be causing Genn all kinds of trouble in the years to come.
"I bet it was thrilling," Tess added, turning from her boots to the laces of her bodice.
"That's one word for it, I suppose…" Auriana snorted.
It had been thrilling to fight an Aspect, in a way, though Auriana could have happily done without the scars - or the heart-pounding, electrifying terror of having gone berserk for the first time. Of course, she wasn't about to tell Tess the whole truth of how it felt to go into battle. She admired the girl's spirit, but she certainly didn't want to be responsible for sending Tess off on some reckless quest to prove her courage.
"I wish I had a scar," Tess continued, her dark brown eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I mean, I know it must have been very painful, but I'm sure some smaller scars wouldn't hurt too badly..."
"Really?" Auriana asked, unable to comprehend how Tess could see a scar as something to be revered, rather than reviled.
A shiver ran up the line of her back as she remembered the molten agony of Deathwing's claws against her skin, and she looked away. Auriana would never deny that she loved to fight, but neither could she pretend that she had survived her long, bloody career without considerable damage to both her body and her soul. Scars - both physical and emotional - were a necessary consequence of her chosen lifestyle, but that didn't mean she was in any particular hurry to collect more.
Belatedly, Tess seemed to realise that her comments may have been inappropriate, and her eyes widened in chagrin.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive," she said hurriedly, "But… people look at me and see a soft, sheltered little princess. They look at you and see a warrior. A woman of strength."
For the first time Tess' affable expression slipped, and Auriana abruptly realised that her frustration had really nothing to do with scars at all.
"Your mother is a woman of strength; she doesn't have any significant scars… or at least that I know of," she pointed out, nodding her head in Mia's direction.
"That's different," Tess said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Mother is strong politically - and she's a wonderful woman, don't get me wrong - but you're a fighter. I just wish… I was, too."
Auriana sighed. She really didn't want to encourage Tess to go charging off on some foolhardy crusade, but nor did she want to discourage the girl from learning to defend herself, and her kingdom. No one would ever question it if heirs like Anduin or Liam Greymane wanted to be warriors, and Auriana quite frankly felt it was unfair that Tess would not be given the same opportunity.
"What's stopping you?" she asked finally.
"Father. I mean, I think he's always struggled to see me as anything more than his 'little girl', but it became so much worse after Liam died," Tess confessed.
She grew unusually solemn at the mention of her deceased brother, and Auriana could tell that she still felt the loss keenly. Auriana also abruptly realised that Tess' situation was somewhat similar to her own - being forced to take on a mantle of leadership when all she really wanted to do was fight to defend her people. Tess would do her duty, of course, Auriana had no doubt of that, but if anyone understood what it was like to feel stifled by the strictures of duty and position, it was Auriana herself.
"Tess…" she started, reaching out to touch the younger woman's shoulder, while awkwardly holding her dress to her chest, "This morning you manipulated arguably the most powerful group of women on Azeroth into doing exactly what you wanted. Whatever path you choose in life, I'm sure you'll do just fine."
Auriana certainly didn't feel qualified to be giving advice, but she appeared to have said the right thing. Tess' expression brightened and she squared her shoulders proudly, as if ready to charge off to battle right then and there.
"You'll get your chance," Auriana added quickly, "But you should know that battle isn't always a glorious adventure, like it is in the stories. It's difficult, and painful, and sometimes you lose a hell of a lot more than you gain. Just don't be in a hurry to get yourself killed, alright?"
"I won't," Tess promised, though her eyes still shone with the confident invulnerability of youth. "But I will be a hero, I promise. Just like you."
She finished shrugging out of her dark, formal dress, and gave Auriana a broad grin.
"Thank you, Auri."
"Ah… you're welcome?" Auriana murmured.
She wasn't sure what kind of terror she had just unleashed on Azeroth by encouraging the young Gilnean Princess, but she was nonetheless pleased to see Tess confident and happy once more.
"Still, a scar or two wouldn't hurt," Tess mused. "Maybe a facial scar, like King Varian. One down my cheek, perhaps…"
She mimed cutting her face with some kind of blade, and her already gleeful grin widened.
"Tess!" Mia called, beckoning for Tess to step away. "Stop harassing Auriana, she needs to get changed."
It was then that Auriana realised that the rest of her companions were almost entirely undressed, having shed their robes in the time that she and Tess had been talking. In a small tent, they were also very close, and try as she might, Auriana couldn't help but to compare her small body to the others. She had gained some much-needed weight since returning from the war Draenor, and her regular training sessions with Varian had ensured that this weight was mostly muscle. She was also quite notably scarred, and overall she couldn't help but to feel that her body was uncomfortably hard and warlike when compared to the supple femininity of her companions.
Both Tyrande and Moira were priestesses, and while Auriana knew that they could each hold their own in a battle, she doubted that either of them had seen much regular fighting over the last year or so. Tess had yet to shed the lanky, awkward slenderness of adolescence, while both Mia and Jaina possessed the gentle curves so typical of beautiful human noblewomen. Aysa Cloudsinger was one of only two other people present who would have likely spent a lot of time in physical training, though as with most Pandaren, it was difficult to tell what was fur, and what was muscle. And as for Valeera…
Nudity was apparently not a cause for embarrassment amongst the blood elves, at least not amongst women, judging by the casual ease with which she had removed all her clothes. She had also decided not to avail herself of the provided linens, and given the relative difference in their respective heights, Auriana suddenly found her field of vision entirely consumed by the sight of Valeera's bare breasts as the blood elf woman stepped toward her with a serious expression.
"Oh… um… hello..."
"I wanted to apologise for how we met," Valeera said bluntly.
"There's no need," Auriana muttered, awkwardly trying to look everywhere but straight ahead.
"Oh, but there is. It is clear that you have been avoiding me," Valeera insisted. "I should not have introduced myself to you in such a manner, but you must understand that Varian is a very dear friend. I would do anything to protect him."
"Well… I'm… I'm sure… ah... Varian is grateful for your loyalty," Auriana stammered, feeling her cheeks burn red.
It wasn't that she hadn't seen other women in the nude, of course, but in Valeera's case they were right there, and quite frankly, rather intimidating. Valeera seemed supremely unaware of her discomfort, however, and continued to talk as if she were not standing before Auriana with her impressive chest on full display.
"I know you do not require my blessing," Valeera continued earnestly, "But as one of Varian's oldest friends, I thought you ought to know that I believe you to be an excellent match for him."
"Well… consider the apology accepted," Auriana muttered hurriedly, willing to say just about anything if it meant that Valeera would move. "Really. I… um… thank you."
Of course, she appreciated that it could have been a nice moment, if not for the bosom bouncing only a few inches from her nose, and she genuinely tried to smile. Unfortunately, she suspected that the expression came across more as a grimace, though once again it seemed that Valeera remained blissfully unaware of Auriana's awkwardness. She broke into a wide smile, her brilliant green eyes sparkling, before turning to glide from the tent with a distinct air of satisfaction.
Auriana sighed with relief and turned her face towards the bright red cloth of the tent wall, dimly wondering who would make the next attempt to kill her with embarrassment, when she abruptly realised that she was standing alone. For a moment, she considered simply hiding in the tent until the others were done soaking, though as the somewhat reluctant guest of honour, she assumed her absence would be noticed.
It's just a hot spring, she told herself firmly. You can do this.
She allowed her dress to fall to the floor, and quickly replaced her soft bustier and undergarments with the linen wraps provided by their Pandaren hosts. In truth, they did not do all that much to protect her modesty, though she supposed it was better than nothing, and with a deep, steadying breath, she stepped into the damp, cool air outside the tent.
Auriana's companions had already settled themselves into the still, steaming waters of the hot spring, leaning comfortably back against the edges of the pool as they sipped from rough-hewn clay mugs. Tyrande, Valeera, and Aysa all remained bare-chested, as was most likely traditional, though like Auriana, Moira and the other human women had elected to wear the linens. They each appeared calm and contented, and even Auriana had to admit that it was rather nice to see such a diverse group of women make the effort to come together to share a moment of peace and friendship in an often chaotic world. She was still rather surprised to have been the catalyst for such a gathering, and she hoped that her shyness had not been mistaken for a lack of gratitude or care.
"Auri!" Tess exclaimed, the moment Auriana came into view. "We were starting to wonder if you'd been kidnapped."
She glanced over at Ridley, who did not seem at all amused by the joke. Auriana's bodyguard still wore her full plate, and was staring through the swirling mists with the keen-eyed glare of a hawk, as if she expected assassins to spring up from beneath the water at any moment. Privately, Auriana understood her concern, though she at least hoped that she would manage to make it through the afternoon without starting some kind of calamity.
"Ah… just getting changed," she explained, fighting back the urge to cover her bare skin with her hands.
"Won't you join us?" Aysa asked kindly, gesturing to the seat beside her.
Auriana gingerly climbed down into the water, keeping one hand firmly over the linens about her chest, and was somewhat surprised to find that it was the perfect temperature. She had worried that the springs might be too hot, but instead she found the water simply inviting as she sunk down up to her shoulders. The hot steam swirled over her skin, dampening her hair and obscuring most of her body from view, and all together she had to admit it wasn't nearly as bad as she had expected.
Once she was settled, Aysa smiled and offered her a mug of some hot, dark golden liquid, which Auriana accepted with a grateful nod.
"What is it?" she asked Aysa, taking a slow, tentative sip.
The liquid was surprisingly rich and earthy on her tongue, and it sent a pleasant warmth tingling throughout her body as she swallowed. The scent, too, was intoxicating, noticeable even over the sulphuric odour of the hot springs, and Auriana eagerly took a longer draught as Aysa explained.
"It's an herbal tea from the Jade Forest," she said, still smiling. "Brewed especially for relaxation."
"It's delicious," Auriana said honestly, sinking down a little further in the water. "I can't say I drink tea often, but it's very enjoyable. Thank you."
Aysa seemed pleased by Auriana's response, her soft ears twitching as she exchanged a satisfied glance with Tess. The Princess of Gilneas looked equally pleased, though there was a distinct predatory gleam to her eye as she stretched out her long legs beneath the water, and took a slow, contemplative sip of her own steaming hot drink.
The conversation resumed as Auriana made herself comfortable, quietly sipping her mug of delicious tea as the others talked animatedly around her. She did not participate overmuch, save for a murmured agreement here and there, but she nevertheless found it quite enjoyable to listen to her companions talk. They were each highly intelligent and interesting women, with a wealth of experience as leaders, warriors, and heroes, and even as quiet as she was, Auriana found it quite instructive to hear them speak.
Eventually, however, conversation naturally turned towards the wedding, and Auriana uncomfortably found herself the centre of attention as all eyes turned in her direction.
"Are you excited for tomorrow, Auriana?" Tyrande asked lightly.
Auriana blushed at her companions' sudden interest, though she supposed it was an entirely reasonable question. Unfortunately, with her wedding day now mere hours away, she was so nervous that she was all but certain she would pass out during her vows. She was excited, but more often that not it was the kind of edgy, restless excitement she felt right before a battle, rather than the gentle eagerness she assumed was typical of most brides.
"Ah… yes, of course," she said quietly, offering Tyrande what she hoped was a convincing smile. "It's been a long road, but I'm glad the day is finally here."
"At least you did not have to wait ten thousand years," Tyrande pointed out, her long eyebrows twitching with rarely seen good humour.
"Yes, I suppose that's true," Auriana conceded, chuckling.
She could barely fathom being alive for that long, let alone having loved someone for that long. She certainly felt as if she could love Varian for the rest of time, if only she were so lucky, but it was still a difficult thing to get one's head around.
"I have never attended a human wedding," Valeera chimed in. "In Silvermoon, weddings can last for a full week. There are feasts every night, and the bride wears a different gown for every day of the ceremony."
"Oh, yes, the dress!" Tess enthused. "Auri - you must tell us all about it!"
Thanks to Mia's patient efforts in wrangling the royal tailor, Auriana had finally settled on a design that she liked, though she wasn't sure how Tess expected her to explain what she was wearing.
"It's… um… white..." she said awkwardly.
The other women burst into fits of laughter at Auriana's admittedly sparse definition, and she took a hurried, overlong sip of her tea to hide her blush.
"In Pandaria, wedding dresses are actually red," Aysa said kindly, quickly interjecting in an attempt to spare Auriana her embarrassment, "With patterns embroidered in gold or silver thread."
"How lovely," Mia mused. "White is traditional in Gilneas, of course, as it is in Stormwind."
"Probably for the best that I'm human, then," Auriana murmured. "I'm not sure I can wear a red dress to marry the High King of the Alliance..."
This time, she joined in the wave of laughter that rippled around the small group, and the awkward tension in her shoulders lessened just a little bit.
"The best wedding I ever attended was a dwarven wedding in Ironforge," Jaina remarked, drumming her fingers thoughtfully against the side of her mug. "Lots of music, lots of dancing. And copious amounts of ale, of course. It was a fair few years ago now, however, though I assume a dwarven wedding is still much the same. Moira?"
"Oh, aye, though ye must remember, I was married as a Dark Iron. Our traditions do differ from those of our cousins in Ironforge and Aerie Peak," Moira replied.
A brief expression of sadness flickered across her face, and Auriana abruptly remembered that she had, in fact, once been married. Moira was still young enough that it was easy to forget that she was a widow, her husband and emperor having been killed by Alliance soldiers upon orders from her father. Auriana didn't pretend to know the full extent of Moira's complicated life history, but it was abundantly clear from the look on her face that whatever else Emperor Dagran Thaurissan have been, she had genuinely loved him.
"Still plenty o' ale," Moira added quickly, her brief bout of melancholy vanishing as quickly as it had appeared, "And plenty o' drums. A lot more fire, though. A Dark Iron wedding without at least three people havin' been set ablaze is considered a dull affair."
"Sounds exciting," Valeera said, her green eyes gleaming. "Elvish weddings are very beautiful, but they can be a tad boring. Certainly no-one would have the audacity to risk ruining someone's hair by starting a fire."
"Well, when my son finds a lass worthy o' him, I'll make sure yer invited," Moira suggested.
She gave the excitable blood elf woman a hearty little wink, and Auriana had absolutely no doubt that Valeera would take Moira up on her offer the moment Dagran the younger came of age.
"What about your wedding, Mia?" Jaina prompted. "I've attended human weddings in Lordaeron, Stormwind, Dalaran, and Theramore, but never in Gilneas."
"The Wall may have made that a little difficult," Mia quipped. "And you didn't miss an awful lot. My wedding was very… proper."
Her greying eyebrows quirked in amusement, and she swirled her tea thoughtfully around in her mug.
"You must understand that Gilnean society is very… just so. Especially before the Cataclysm. And this was not just any wedding, it was a Greymane wedding. No expense spared, and no-one with a hair out of place," she explained. "I was pleased to marry Genn, but I afraid it was a rather dry event. Perhaps we ought to have lit some fires."
Auriana snorted into her tea, and she was far from the only one laughing. As much as Mia presented as a calm and stately Gilnean lady, her outward decorum hid a sharp and surprising sense of humour that Auriana very much appreciated.
"I will say, however, that things livened up a bit once we departed for our wedding night," Mia continued. "As it turned out, Genn had eaten a bad piece of boar at the feast. He spent the whole night emptying his stomach out the window while I held back his cloak."
"Really?" Tess laughed, sending a spray of water arcing into the air as she slapped her thigh. "Father never told me that."
"Your father is a proud man, Tess, it's not the kind of story he would tell," Mia pointed out. "You won't tease him terribly, will you?"
"Oh, of course not, Mother," Tess said slyly.
It was clear to everyone present that she had absolutely no intent of keeping her word, even at risk of Mia's bemused disapproval.
"And you, Tyrande? You were married only recently, were you not?" Mia asked, in a vain attempt to distract her giggling daughter.
"A few years ago now," Tyrande confirmed, "Though somehow it feels both as if I have been married forever, and yet not nearly long enough."
The High Priestess had sat mostly silent as the rest of the women had talked, though she did not appear to find the conversation uninteresting. She certainly seemed eager to discuss her wedding to Malfurion, and her brilliant eyes glowed even brighter as she recounted her story.
"My wedding was wonderful," she said softly. "Darnassus has always been beautiful, but that night it was something truly magical… bursting with life, and colour, and light... Elune shone brighter than I have ever seen her... and best of all, of course, I was finally made one with my beloved. I could not have imagined a more perfect evening."
Tyrande's lips parted in a graceful smile, and the strength of her love was so palpable that Auriana could almost feel the warmth of it on her skin. She had a way of speaking that made Auriana feel as if she had actually been present that night in Darnassus, and her passion was so sincere and convincing that for the first time, Auriana actually began to wonder whether she might feel the same about her own wedding...
"What about you, then, Auri?" Tess asked, once again being the one to interrupt Auriana's quiet thoughts. "What was the best wedding you've ever been to? Something in Theramore, or Lordaeron, maybe? That would have been a sight, or at least before the fall, I mean..."
Once again, Auriana was struck by just how much Tess seemed to know of her, and she silently resolved to have a quiet word to Anduin about spreading gossip.
"Oh, well… ah... I've never actually been to a wedding…" she confessed.
"What?" Tess exclaimed, disbelief written into every line of her face. "Everyone's been to a wedding."
She looked around the group for support, and each of the other women nodded in turn.
"Not me," Auriana said, shrugging. "I've… never really been close enough to anyone who was getting married to warrant an invite."
Normally, she might have felt self-conscious about admitting such a thing, but something about the swirling mists was making her feel incredibly languid and carefree. It wasn't something she had immediately noticed, but she really was starting to relax, just as Tess had promised. The hot water was doing wonders for her tight, sore muscles, and the more tea she drank, the more she had begun feel strangely blithe and lightheaded. In a way, she even found it a little amusing that the first wedding she would attend would be her own, and she giggled quietly into her cup as the conversation gradually moved on around her.
It was then that Auriana caught sight of her slender fingers wrapped around the dark clay mug, and she was suddenly struck by how large they appeared. 'Large' was generally not a word she generally used to describe her own body, and she found it pleasantly novel to turn her hands back and forth as she studied them through the steam.
"Jaina… have my hands always been this big?" she mumbled, low enough so that only the other Archmage could hear.
"What?" Jaina said, looking baffled.
"Look," Auriana insisted, holding her hand inches from Jaina's nose so that she might see. "Amazing…"
"Ah… are you feeling alright?" Jaina asked slowly. "Auri?"
She exchanged a worried glance with Ridley, who immediately came down from her vantage point to inspect Auriana more closely. Her movement drew the attention of the others, and Auriana suddenly found herself the focus of a half dozen sets of worried eyes.
She giggled.
"Oh no…" Aysa whispered, wringing her hands in consternation. "I may have given her the wrong dose…"
"Dose?" Ridley demanded, instantly on high alert. "I thought it was just herbal tea."
"It is! Though the herbs can be rather… potent…" Aysa explained hurriedly. "The tea must have been prepared as if for a Pandaren woman, and given that she's a good deal lighter…"
She trailed off, and shrugged her furred shoulders helplessly.
"What about the others?" Ridley wondered, as she reached down to place a protective hand on Auriana's shoulder. "They don't seem to be quite so affected."
"They're larger, and they may have different metabolisms…" Aysa speculated. "And I believe she's had more to drink than any of us. She seemed to be enjoying it so much, I kept refilling her cup..."
Auriana listened closely as they argued, though she wasn't at all concerned. In truth, she felt better than she had in weeks, even despite the fact that she was half naked, and she wasn't quite ready to return home to Stormwind just yet.
"I feel fine, Ridley," she insisted, staring up at her bodyguard with wide eyes. "Good, even…"
"It won't harm her," Aysa added quickly. "She'll just feel quite... relaxed. A little hungry, maybe. And she might get… giggly."
Auriana tried very, very hard not to prove Aysa right by giggling, only to fail rather spectacularly as she caught sight of Ridley's face.
"S-sorry," she chuckled. "I really am fine."
"No more tea, though, I think," Ridley said firmly. "And we should get you out of the water, it's starting to get dark."
Her worried expression was uncannily reminiscent of Varian, and Auriana was forced to bite her lip to stop from laughing. Varian probably would have been just as concerned about Aysa's curious calming tea, though Ridley was doing a marvellous job of overprotectiveness in his stead. She leaned down to offer Auriana her arm, and gently pulled her charge from the water in a spray of hot droplets and steam.
"As you like. That just means it's time to start drinking!" Tess enthused, making it sound as if that had been her plan along.
She clambered out of the steaming hot spring, water sluicing down her gangly legs, and beckoned eagerly for the others to follow her up the path towards the tent. Moira, Valeera and Jaina were quick to comply, as was Aysa, though Mia did not entirely share her daughter's lighthearted enthusiasm.
"Tess…" she called warningly. "One moment, please…"
"You said I could!" Tess protested, stopping short as the others continued back up the path without her.
"I believe I said you could drink responsibly..."
"I am responsible," Tess huffed, with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Besides, it isn't me that I want to get drunk…"
She glanced pointedly at Auriana, and folded her arms tightly across her chest. It was clear that she was trying to remain cool and calm in front of the older women, though there was still a distinct, youthful petulance to her expression that she could not quite hide. Mia, however, was unfazed, and simply stared back at her daughter with infinite patience as she and Tyrande rose from the hot springs in graceful unison.
"Forgive me for mothering, but I would be remiss if I did not remind you to be careful," Mia said firmly, as she shook a hand through her dampened hair. "We are here to celebrate Auriana, not to get her into trouble. Or to get anyone else in trouble, for that matter. Including you."
"I know, Mother," Tess sighed.
"Good."
Mia gave Tess a swift, knowing look, before she and Tyrande turned and made off to join the others. Tess, however, remained standing on the edge of the spring with her hands on her hips, and Auriana hesitated; torn between her desire to reacquire her clothing and wanting to ensure that Tess was not discouraged.
"I don't know why she's getting so fussy with me," Tess muttered, scowling fiercely at her mother's retreating back. "This whole thing was Anduin's idea, anyway."
"What?" Auriana exclaimed, genuinely surprised.
She glanced over her shoulder at Ridley, but her bodyguard seemed equally stunned by the revelation.
"He thought you ought to get out of the Keep for a day, perhaps have a bit of fun, and he suggested this place," Tess explained, shrugging. "Of course, he knew he didn't have a hope of convincing you to go himself, so he enlisted my help."
"Anduin… I… really?" Auriana repeated. "Anduin?"
"He's been worried about you," Tess said quietly. "Worried that if you didn't relax you might start having second thoughts about the wedding. He'd never say it outright, but he's terrified you'll change your mind about his father."
Auriana's heart leapt into her throat, even despite the calming effects of Aysa's tea, and she felt a rush of guilt as she realised that she had misunderstood both Tess' motivations, and the depths of Anduin's concern. The Princess was here to have her fun, of course, but she was here for Anduin, too, and for Auriana, and for the simple reason that she cared. It was a thought that warmed Auriana's heart more than any hot spring ever could, and she was suddenly very determined not to let either of them down - even if that meant stepping even further outside her comfort zone than she already had.
"Well, in that case..." she said, grinning shyly as she gave Tess an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Let's not disappoint him, then, shall we?"
After having dried their damp hair and changed back into their assorted clothes, Auriana's little group made their way back into the tavern for a round of drinks - or six - while Ridley watched them closely from a position in the back corner. Auriana was normally quite able to hold her liquor, even despite her size, but tonight was a notable exception. Between the intoxicating effects of Aysa's herbal tea and the general potency of Pandaren drinks, she was soon thoroughly inebriated; her occasional bursts of shy little giggles greatly amusing her companions.
Auriana wasn't an especially talkative or excitable drunk, but she was nevertheless quite content to sit in the corner and sip her ale while the others discussed a wide variety of topics ranging from the weather patterns in Darnassus to the best way to kill a felguard. They were all very different women, each with their own vastly different histories and cultures and motivations, and yet they conversed as if they drank together every week. Tess had perked up considerably since her brief exchange with her mother in the hot springs, and her boundless energy was enough to infuse the entire room. Even Valeera was warmly integrated into the conversation, despite the fact that as a blood elf she was ostensibly a member of an enemy faction, and Auriana found herself feeling unusually touched to realise that such a powerful and contrasting group of women were so willing to come together in support of her.
After a several of hours of drinking, and several plates of delicious spring rolls and spicy vegetable chips, Mia was the first to declare defeat. She had kept up with women half her age surprisingly well, but eventually decided that it was time to turn in.
"Jaina - would you be kind enough to open a portal back to Stormwind?" she asked. "Time for these old bones to get some rest, I think. Can't have me yawning in the middle of the vows, now can we?"
As the designated portalmaster, Jaina had not drunk enough to affect her magic in any real way, though her cheeks still looked a little pink as she rose to comply with Mia's request. Auriana, on the other hand, was now just as likely to blow a hole in reality as she was likely to successfully open a path to Stormwind, and she quietly gave thanks for Jaina's restraint as the older archmage worked her magic.
"I think I may join you, Mia," Tyrande said, also rising gracefully to her feet. "Thank you for the invitation. Perhaps I ought to make events like this traditional in Darnassus the night before a wedding…"
Privately, Auriana was a little surprised that Tyrande had remained for as long as she had. Drinking ale in a dusky tavern was unlikely to be a common pastime for the High Priestess of Elune, and yet much like Mia, she had taken to the task with remarkable commitment. Auriana supposed that as the ruler of the night elf people, Tyrande would have considerable diplomatic skills, though she also suspected that the High Priestess had actually rather enjoyed herself beyond simply participating in the day's events out of respect for her allies. Still, the Tavern was slowly growing rowdier as the night wore on, and Auriana was certainly not offended by Tyrande's intent to retire.
"Thank you for coming," she managed. "Both of you. I… thank you. So much. For everything."
The alcohol was making her rather rambly, though she hoped that her sincerity was clear, even if her words were not. Fortunately, Tyrande seemed to have understood, briefly inclining her head in a gesture of respect before she stepped into the shimmering blue light of Jaina's portal, and vanished. Mia, however, paused, and turned on her daughter with a suspicious expression.
"Tess, dear, do try not to bring too much disrepute to the family name," she said seriously, though the corner of her mouth twitched slightly as she spoke. "Remember what I said."
"Shouldn't you be more worried about Father?" Tess snorted, eyeing her mother slyly over a very large flagon of ale. "The man can't even keep down a bit of boar…"
"Tess Greymane! You be careful!" Mia warned, though she seemed rather resigned to Tess' natural effervescence. "Else you'll have to be the one to explain to King Varian how you gave his future wife alcohol poisoning - or worse."
Tess had the good grace to look at least a little cowed by the threat of Varian's wrath, though the moment was very short lived.
"Not to worry," she said smartly. "Really, Mother, I'm here with two Archmages, a master monk, a queen, a gladiatorial champion, and an actual bodyguard. How much trouble do you think I could possibly get into?"
"Plenty," said Mia.
Mia stared at Tess for a long time, before her trust in her only daughter won out. She finally relented with a small shake of her head, and disappeared through the portal after Tyrande. Tess watched her go, waiting until the portal had snapped fully shut, then turned back to the group with a wicked spark in her eye.
"Let's play a game," she announced, slapping both palms eagerly down upon the tabletop.
"What kind of game?" Auriana asked nervously. "Think I'm a little too out of it for darts or cards or the like…"
As if to emphasise her point, she let out a small hiccup, and gave Tess a rueful smile.
"Don't worry, it's very simple… when it's your turn, you have to decide whether you want to complete a dare, or answer a personal question. If you fail or refuse to answer, you have to drink," Tess explained, clearly trying not to laugh at Auriana's very obvious intoxication. "On the other hand, if you do successfully complete the challenge, the person who tasked you has to drink."
Tess clinked her nails against the bottle of rice liquor on the table between them, and grinned. Auriana, however, was less convinced.
"A dare? What kind of dare?"
"Here, I'll show you," Tess said encouragingly. "Who wants to go first?"
"I'll take yer challenge, Princess," Moira offered.
"Fantastic! Alright. Ah… let me think… I dare you… to down that entire ale without taking a breath," Tess said, nodding towards Moira's very full tankard.
Auriana leaned forward in anticipation, trying not to spill her own drink, but Moira didn't seem even slightly fazed. A Queen-Regent she may have been, but she was a dwarf first, and she pinched her nose and began to guzzle her drink with an enthusiasm that would have won her a Brewfest championship. It took her maybe ten seconds to down the entire thing, and she finished the display by slamming her tankard rim-first onto the table.
"Try ta give me a real challenge next time, lass," she said triumphantly, rolling her eyes at a genuinely impressed Tess.
"Alright, alright," Tess conceded, dutifully downing her shot of the clear rice liquor. "I'll admit, I didn't really think that one through..."
"Very impressive," Auriana agreed, "Although I'm not sure how you're able to do that without taking a breath…"
"Ha! Dwarves don't need ta breathe," Moira teased. "Didn't ye know? Ale is a perfectly acceptable substitute for air."
Auriana laughed, though in the back of her mind she vaguely wondered if there was something about dwarven biology that allowed them to consume alcohol with such prodigious skill. She was soon distracted, however, as Moira turned her attention to Valeera and posed her the challenge.
"Truth," Valeera said confidently.
"Not a dare?" Aysa asked, clearly surprised.
"A dare is unlikely to present a challenge for a rogue of my skills," Valeera explained, without a hint of doubt - or modesty, for that matter. "And I am curious to see what you consider a 'personal' question."
Moira and Tess exchanged an amused look, and Moira tented her fingers with a sly, thoughtful smirk. She had taken to Tess' game as if she had been playing it all her life, and seemed to be genuinely enjoying the opportunity to socialise so freely with other young women.
"I've got a right good 'un, then. Valeera - you spent a good deal o' time with King Varian and that Archdruid as gladiators, correct?" she asked.
"I did," Valeera confirmed proudly.
Moira leaned forward over the table so that she could look Valeera right in the eye, and she stared up at the slender blood elf woman with a saucy grin.
"Tell us - out o' the two of them, if ye had ta choose one ta take to yer bed, which would ye choose? The King or the bear? Or… has it already happened?"
For a moment, there was stunned silence, until Jaina and Tess both abruptly burst out laughing at the horrified look on Valeera's face. Moira's eyes gleamed with satisfaction at having caught her so handily, while Aysa fluttered her hands with a kind of delighted anxiety.
"Careful, Valeera," Auriana muttered slyly. "One of those answers will put you squarely in the path of a firebolt…"
She honestly didn't know what she would do to any woman that tried to seduce Varian, though she suspected it wouldn't be pretty. Certainly, Valeera believed the threat to be genuine, judging from her expression, and Auriana smiled to let her know that she was kidding.
Mostly.
"I can't answer that! You may as well ask me to choose between my father and my brother!" Valeera protested, with a vehement wave of her hands. "And nothing ever happened, I swear to you on my ancestors."
"Ah, but ye still have ta choose, Valeera. Or ye have ta drink. That's the rules," Moira said seriously, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Valeera bit her lip, clearly warring between her desire to avoid the question and her desire to be included in the group, and after a few moments of internal turmoil she relented with a long, overdramatic sigh.
"Well, then - in the interests of my physical safety - I'm going to choose the bear," she huffed.
"Wise choice," Jaina grinned, with a playful, sidelong glance at Auriana.
"Don't tell Broll that, will you?" Valeera added, her pale brows creasing in a heavy frown. "He will be insufferable."
The group broke out into peals of laughter, their boisterous amusement making Valeera frown even harder. It was a very odd expression on her otherwise smooth and ageless face, and for a long while they were caught up in a cycle of laughing at Valeera and making her frown, which only served to make everyone start laughing all over again.
Eventually, however, their giggles subsided, and Valeera decided that Aysa would be the next victim.
"Do you see that stack of small kegs over there?" she asked, pointing to a very neatly arranged display along the back wall of the Tavern. "I dare you to take one from the bottom row without touching any other kegs, or collapsing the tower."
It was a very Valeera sort of dare. Not one that was intended to embarrass someone - although Aysa would most certainly be embarrassed if she were to fail - but rather a test. As a master monk, Aysa's outwardly calm and meditative personality hid a skilled and deadly interior, and no doubt Valeera wanted to see exactly what she could do.
She certainly seems to enjoy 'testing' people, Auriana mused idly to herself, as Aysa stepped forward to complete her challenge.
Auriana had always found it rather interesting to watch Pandaren fight. On first glance, they appeared bulky and cumbersome, and entirely incapable of moving with the precision and agility demanded by their traditional martial art. As Aysa was about to demonstrate, however, such an assumption was woefully inaccurate. Powerful chi energy pooled between the Master's hands, and she when she struck, it was with such incredible speed that she would have put a cobra or a hawk to shame.
Intoxicated as she was, it genuinely appeared to Auriana as if Aysa were standing empty handed one second, and holding a small keg the next. The rest of the tower did not even so much as wobble, and Aysa paused only to shoot Valeera a serene, confident smile, before placing the keg back in place with a victorious flourish. The whole display had taken perhaps thirty seconds, impressive even by a monk's standards, and even Valeera seemed happy to admit defeat to such a worthy opponent.
Aysa returned to take her seat at the table, and after watching Valeera drink her penalty drink, she nominated Jaina as the next to answer the challenge. The blonde Archmage considered her options very carefully, her expression as serious as if she were about to address the Council of Six, and eventually chose to accept a dare.
"Oh, darn," Tess huffed, "I was hoping we'd get to ask you some questions about your dragon."
"Yes, I assumed as much. Which is precisely why I chose a dare," Jaina said, her lips pursed in a knowing smile.
"Very well," Aysa smiled. "In that case… as you and Auriana share a homeland, I believe it is only appropriate that you demonstrate a traditional dance of the Kul Tiran people."
Auriana chuckled amusedly into her drink, sending a wave of small bubbles rippling across the surface of the dark amber liquid. Aysa may have appeared to to be the very picture of kindness and tranquility, but apparently she had well-hidden impish streak. Either that, Auriana supposed, or Tess' carefree enthusiasm and playfulness was especially contagious...
"You want me to… dance…?" Jaina repeated, her pale eyebrows shooting up into her hairline in surprise.
"Dance. Yes, please," Aysa confirmed, gesturing to the Tavern floor. "I am sure the other patrons would not mind."
For a moment, Auriana thought that Jaina might refuse, but the Archmage of the Kirin Tor was apparently made of sterner stuff. She gave Aysa a withering glare, though she nevertheless strode confidently out onto the floor, and stood tall and proud as she prepared to give them all a show. She scraped her toe experimentally along the dark wooden floorboards, and seemed just about ready to start dancing, when she paused and looked back across her shoulder towards the group.
"On one condition," she added, tapping her index fingers thoughtfully against her lips. "Auriana has to join me."
"What?"
Auriana inhaled in surprise as she spoke, sending bubbles of beer burning up through her nostrils, and she coughed violently for several seconds before she could clear her lungs well enough to speak.
"It's… it's not my turn!" she protested vehemently. "I… you can't just change the rules! I'm… well, I'm the bride, surely that should count for something…"
"Oh, Auri. We weren't asking," Tess sighed, yanking Auriana to her feet and pushing her hard in the back so that she went stumbling across the floor to collide heavily with Jaina.
Jaina smiled as she caught Auriana around the waist, and steadied her with a gentle pat on the shoulder. Her lips trembled with barely contained amusement, and Auriana realised that Jaina was quite willing to do almost anything if it meant that she could drag Auriana along for the ride.
"I'm sorry," she said, in a tone that suggested she was very much not.
"I'm not above emptying a box of mana wyrms into your bed, Archmage," Auriana muttered, her cheeks burning hot.
"If that's the price I have to pay to see you dance, then I would consider it a small one," Jaina grinned. "Archmage."
She leaned in closer and rested a hand on Auriana's forearm, and her expression sobered ever so slightly.
"I have seen you smile more tonight than I have in the entire time we have known one another," she murmured. "I know it's just a silly game, but I also know that you've needed this, too. Don't stop yourself now."
It may have been the alcohol talking, but Jaina's words made a great deal of sense. Auriana had been enjoying herself, too, far more than she had ever expected… and she did love to dance… She took a deep breath to gather her courage, then straightened her back and neatly stepped her right foot behind her left. She gathered her skirts up off her ankles so that she would be free to move, and began to tap her booted heels hard against the wooden floor to set the rhythm.
Kul Tiran dance was very energetic, and typically played with fiddles and drums. In the absence of such music, however, Auriana had little more than the enthusiastic and somewhat offbeat clapping of her companions. Still, she thought it might make her father proud if she were to recall the dances of his home on the eve of her wedding, and she soon found herself reeling across the floor as if she danced jigs for a living. Auriana may have been shy, but if she decided to do something, she would damn well do it right.
"Come on, Jaina!" she shouted.
"Oh… I'm not sure I can remember the steps…" Jaina laughed, tangling her feet in her skirts and nearly tripping over as she tried to keep up.
"It's easy!" Auriana insisted, her confidence growing with every step. "Close, side, hop, step, side, step, hop, side, close! Where are you getting lost?"
Every eye in the Tavern was drawn towards her, but for once in her life, Auriana didn't care. She felt giddy and free, Jaina's encouragement and her general state of inebriation having done wonders to overcome her natural shyness and reticence. It also helped that dancing was perhaps the one art expected of a noblewoman at which Auriana truly excelled, and she twirled about the room without so much a single care - even for the bar patrons forced to jump out of her way.
Auriana soon became so lost in the movement that it was some time before she realised that Jaina had given up on trying to dance, and instead had begun to sing along to the fast, rhythmic best of Auriana's boots. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she had a lovely voice, rich and melodious, though the song she had chosen was decidedly less pretty. Auriana vaguely recognised the lyrics of an old Kul Tiran jig called 'Salty John', and she knew that while the song was ostensibly about a down-on-his luck sailor who had lost his ship, its deeper meaning was considerably more salacious.
By the time Jaina reached the fourth verse, Auriana was laughing so hard she could barely keep herself upright. It was delightfully strange to hear Jaina singing about plundering booty with all the enthusiasm of the world's sauciest tavern wench, and Auriana found it very hard to keep her mind on her feet. She was determined to play her part in their impromptu duet, however, and she held her complicated rhythm just long enough for Jaina to end her song on a tremulous, ear-shattering high note.
Auriana finished her own performance with a twirl and a splendid flourish of her arms, her knees wobbling slightly from a combination of intoxication and effort. She felt delightfully breathless and invigorated, and she made no attempt to resist as Jaina came forward and caught her hand, raising it to a round of thunderous applause from the entire Tavern. The Pandaren patrons at the bar seemed rather confused as to why two human women were singing and dancing up a storm here, of all places, but they were certainly not going to protest a free show.
"Mother would have a fit if she heard that song!" Tess crowed, slapping her knee with great enthusiasm as Auriana and Jaina finally came back to take their seats.
"Didn't know ye had it in yer, Lady Proudmoore," Moira chuckled, tipping her drink towards Jaina in a gesture of amused respect. "And you, Auriana. Quite the fancy feet ye got there."
"I first heard that song as a child. I thought it was a nice little ditty about a sailor," Auriana murmured. "I think was in my twenties by the time it finally occurred to me that 'porthole' was a euphemism…"
The ladies burst into another round of raucous laughter, and even Auriana had to admit that her naivete was amusing. She shrugged her shoulders good-naturedly and took another drink, while Jaina rounded on Aysa with a beaming smile.
"So. Was that acceptable?" she asked.
"Oh, yes," Aysa agreed. "I do not like to lose, but in this case, I am pleased to make an exception."
She lifted her glass in toast, and cheerfully drank down a hearty gulp of the burning rice liquor.
"I'm glad you approve," Jaina said, watching Aysa drink with great satisfaction. "And now..."
She turned on Tess, and prodded the younger woman gently in the arm.
"I choose you, Princess," she grinned. "What'll it be?"
"Dare, of course," Tess said proudly.
"Of course," Jaina echoed, still smiling. "One moment, please."
Jaina slipped out of her seat with a mischievous smile, and made her way over to the bar. Auriana watched the other Archmage closely, though she had no idea what Jaina might have in mind for Tess' dare. Nor did anyone else, apparently, judging from the curious looks exchanged around the table, though their questions were soon answered as Jaina returned carrying a small glass of some horribly black liquid and placed it down between Tess' hands.
"What is that?" Tess exclaimed, her top lip curling in revulsion.
"Oh, a variety of things," Jaina said, waving a hand dismissively. "Some alcohol. Some spices, a few mushrooms, some kind of thick black sauce the innkeeper happened to have behind the bar…"
"Are you saying you want me to drink it?"
"Well, unless you've afraid…" Jaina smirked, her pale blue eyes widening innocently.
"I'm never afraid!" Tess declared, and without so much as a moment's pause, she drank the entire thing in a single, obstinate gulp.
For a moment, Auriana thought Tess might actually throw up. Her face went a peculiar shade of white, then red, before finally settling on an unnatural looking green. She screwed up her nose and closed her eyes, and it was only with a great deal effort and a lot of squirming in her seat that she actually managed to swallow.
"Done!" she gasped, sticking out her tongue to show that she was finished. "That was truly disgusting. You're a cruel and unusual woman, Archmage."
Jaina looked more pleased by the comment than insulted, though she nevertheless acknowledged Tess' victory by taking a delicate sip of liquor.
"Give me some, too, please," Tess added, waving for Jaina to give her the bottle.
"But you completed your challenge. I have to drink, not you," Jaina pointed out.
"Yes, but my mouth tastes like… sludge," Tess sighed. "With a hint of... peppers."
Jaina surrendered the bottle with a amused smile, and Tess quickly cleansed her palate with a rather lengthy swig.
"Urgh, I'm not sure that helps," she grunted, shaking her head. "Still, I won. Which means it's now Auri's turn, I believe?"
"Ah… well, I suppose I've sort of completed a dare… so... truth?" Auriana said, taking another tentative sip of her ale.
She regretted the choice almost immediately, as Tess' eyes narrowed like a cat who had just spotted prey. The Gilnean Princess pursed her lips coquettishly, and she glanced briefly around the Tavern before leaning in with a conspiratorial air.
"How… big... is King Varian?"
"What?" Auriana asked, thoroughly thrown by the question.
It was a good deal less personal than she would have expected, and she was rather surprised that Tess had let her off so lightly.
"I… um… well, he's never actually told me. Six three? Six four, perhaps?" she guessed. "Honestly, after about six foot everyone sort of looks the same to me."
Tess and Moira exchanged a look, and the latter burst out laughing; the rich, raucous tone echoing around the entire Tavern and drawing the attention of several other patrons.
"Auri…" Tess said patiently, patting her gently on the leg, "That's not what I meant…"
She raised her eyebrows significantly, but Auriana was entirely nonplussed. Valeera, too, looked confused, and she leaned over to ask Moira for clarification. The dwarven monarch chuckled and whispered something in Valeera's ear, making her clap a hand over her mouth as her brilliant green eyes widened in scandalised delight.
"I… I don't understand…" Auriana said warily.
She looked at Jaina, whose shoulders were shaking were barely suppressed laughter, and then at Aysa, who suddenly seemed very interested in her drink. Even Ridley seemed to find the question amusing, her lips twitching as she struggled to keep the stoic expression expected of a royal bodyguard.
"I wasn't asking about his height," Tess giggled. "I was asking about his… er… length."
Auriana frowned, still bewildered by the question, when realisation hit her like a bolt of horribly embarrassing lightning.
"Oh!"
Auriana knew she had a tendency to blush, but she didn't think she had ever gone quite so red as she did in that moment. Light, she still found it difficult not to blush whenever she and Varian were alone, much less when she was asked to describe his physique in intimate detail.
"I… that is… um... he's… uh…"
"Auri…" Tess laughed, "It's not that hard a question to answer…"
She put a strange, suggestive emphasis on the word 'hard', which only seemed to make things worse.
"How old are you, anyway?" Auriana mumbled, her ears burning as if she had lit them on fire.
She struggled within herself for a few seconds, when her eyes suddenly fell upon the bottle of rice liquor, and she quickly conceded defeat with a hurried shot. A round of over-exaggerated, disapproving groans rippled around the group, though it seemed as if her companions were just as happy to have mortified her so completely as they would have been with the actual answer.
Fortunately, they did not linger on Auriana's embarrassment overlong, and the game quickly moved on to other players and other questions. The dares gradually became more creative and more daring, and after several more rounds, everyone in the group was well intoxicated. Only Jaina had managed to maintain some reasonable level of sobriety, given that she was responsible for seeing them all safely back to Stormwind, and yet even she was unusually giggly. Tess' natural bravado had only been enhanced, and she and Moira appeared to be locked in an intense competition as to who could be the loudest. Valeera had begun to challenge random bar patrons to dares, while Aysa was practically bouncing out of her seat with energy and enthusiasm. And as for Auriana...
"Jaina! We should duel," she announced suddenly, cutting Aysa off in the middle of a very amusing story about three pigs and a hapless Pandaren farmer.
It was a marvellous idea, a duel between two of Azeroth's most powerful spellcasters, and Auriana vaguely wondered why it had taken her so long to think of it. Without waiting for an answer, she stumbled out of her seat and out onto the Tavern floor, her fingers tingling eagerly as she reached for her power. As drunk as she was, however, her magic flared only briefly before it slithered from her grasp, and she pitched forward with a faint squeal of surprise.
"And... that's our cue to leave," Ridley said quickly, stepping in to catch Auriana before she hit the floor.
She had remained mostly silent throughout the evening, save for a few small chuckles here and there, but unfortunately it seemed that she wasn't about to let Auriana burn the whole Tavern down around them for the sake of a dare.
"Oh, but they were going to fight!" Tess pouted.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of," Ridley snorted. "I have exactly one job, and that's to get her home safely. I won't have her showing up to her wedding missing her eyebrows because the Lady Proudmoore incinerated them."
"It is getting late," Aysa agreed, her furred nose twitching. "I wouldn't want her to sleep through the wedding. King Varian would be very displeased."
"The wedding!" Auriana exclaimed brightly. "Did you know I'm getting married tomorrow?"
"Indeed, my lady," Ridley said firmly, "Which is why we need to leave. You've all had your fun, but I think it's time we made our way home. I draw the line at duelling, I'm afraid."
"Oh, alright!" Tess huffed. "But next time… next time we stay out all night…"
Auriana thought she heard Valeera say something in reply, though was she was no longer really listening. Standing up had made her very dizzy, and while it was a pleasant sort of dizziness, it now took all of her concentration simply to remain on her feet. Auriana stared down at her boots, marvelling at the bumpy texture of the leather... when the very next thing she knew, she found herself stumbling down the stone corridors of Stormwind Keep with Ridley's arm firmly around her shoulders.
"Ridley?" she mumbled, thoroughly discombobulated by the sudden change of scenery and her apparent loss of time. "Where are the others?"
"They followed us through the portal, don't you worry," Ridley replied. "Lady Jaina will see them safely back their quarters. Or… I hope she will, in any case."
"I don't understand… I… we were in Pandaria? How did we get here?" Auriana gasped, reaching out to run her fingers along the stone walls to make sure they were actually real.
"Well, you are very drunk..." Ridley said patiently. "Lady Jaina opened a portal to the throne room, and then I brought you up here. Your rooms are right around the corner, Your Grace."
"Oh."
Auriana certainly couldn't remember walking through a portal and up several flights of stairs, but she supposed Ridley had no reason to lie. She was also hardly in a position to argue, given the way the walls and floor were now spinning wildly all around her. Instead, she happily surrendered to Ridley's lead as the taller woman guided her down the dim corridor, when the still silence of the night air was split by the echoing boom of a loud, angry voice from somewhere behind them.
"Ridley! Ridley!"
Even in her drunken state, Auriana recognised the speaker immediately, and she turned on trembling legs to see Varian stomping down the corridor in their wake.
"Oh, we're in trouble now," she murmured, fighting back a mad urge to giggle. "That's his angry voice."
Ridley looked down at Auriana with a bemused expression, though she was certainly not giggling as she straightened to face the furious onslaught of her King.
"Ridley! Do you have any idea what time it is?" Varian demanded. "I thought… I thought…"
He towered above the both of them, chest heaving, though his furious expression softened somewhat as his eyes raked over Auriana from head to toe.
"Well, nevermind what I thought," he muttered darkly. "Is she safe?"
"Perfectly safe, Your Majesty, as you can see," Ridley said smartly.
She was trying her hardest to keep Auriana standing upright, though Auriana knew she was not making it easy. Her head felt warm and fuzzy and her legs were jelly, though she did her very best to appear collected and sober in front of Varian. Ridley was a wonderful bodyguard, and Auriana did not want her getting in trouble for what had ultimately been Tess and Anduin's fault.
Unfortunately, Varian did not seem to find her efforts at all convincing. His eyes were narrowed, and his lips twisted downwards in a fearsome scowl as he glared between them.
"Is he angry with me?" Auriana murmured, glancing up at Ridley with wide eyes. "But we left word with the guard!"
"Not to worry, my lady," Ridley said, patting her gently on the forearm. "King Varian isn't angry with you. He's simply… er... very pleased to have you home."
Varian and Ridley exchanged a significant look, though Auriana was too far gone to deduce what it might have meant. He certainly did not look very pleased, however, no matter what Ridley may have said, and she dimly resolved to fix things before Varian got it in his head to accord Ridley some kind of punishment.
"Varian, please. It's not Ridley's fault," she slurred, straightening her spine and attempting to look as serious as possible.
Auriana reached up to place a conciliatory hand on his shoulder, but the alcohol had severely affected her depth perception, and she ended up awkwardly rapping him on the chin. Varian grunted slightly in surprise, and Auriana quickly moved her hand downwards as she tried to gather herself well enough to speak. The mere act of touching the rock-hard musculature of his chest was enough to muddle her thoughts even further than they already were, however, and she entirely forgot what she had been attempting to say in the first place.
"Um… what I mean to say is... d-do you know that you're very, very… um... big?"
Varian took Auriana's hand from where it rested on his stiff, inflexible pectoral, and looked back over her head at Ridley with an expression of utmost bafflement.
"What the hell is wrong with her?"
"She's a little… ah… intoxicated, Your Majesty," Ridley explained nervously. "She's perfectly well, she just needs to sleep it off."
"She's drunk?"
For a moment, Auriana thought Varian might start yelling again, when his shoulders abruptly slumped, and all the protective fury in his posture vanished. His rough touch softened, and he reached out to place a bracing hand on her hip. His expression grew contemplative, almost confused, and while Auriana still found it difficult to form actual words, she was able to coordinate herself well enough to give his other hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I've never seen her drunk," Varian murmured. "I didn't think she'd ever let her guard down enough to do so, even with me…"
"For what it's worth, Your Majesty, I actually think she had fun," Ridley said tentatively. "Though you might want to send your alchemist to attend to her in the morning, else you'll have a very bleary little bride on your hands."
Varian nodded, though he was no longer paying her all that much attention. His piercing gaze was fixed on Auriana, and she couldn't resist giving him a shy, tipsy smile.
"Hmph. Well, I suppose I can't begrudge you having a little fun, now can I?" he whispered, brushing an unruly lock of hair back behind Auriana's left ear.
"Shall I take her back to your chambers, sire?" Ridley suggested.
"No, I'll do it," Varian said firmly. "You should get some rest, I'll need you sharp and alert for tomorrow. Just in case someone decides to cause some trouble. Thank you for bringing her home."
Ridley said something in reply, but Auriana was thoroughly distracted as she felt Varian lean down and slide one hand behind the back of her knees. He swept her easily into the air, and the combination of his rapid movement and her already fluttering stomach left her feeling wonderfully lightheaded.
"Whoosh!" she exclaimed delightedly, unable to contain herself.
"'Whoosh'?" Varian repeated. "Just how much have you had to drink, hmm?"
He looked down at her with a mildly perplexed smile, but Auriana could not explain. Instead, she simply giggled and tucked her head against his chest, revelling in the warmth of him as he carried her carefully down the hallway to his chambers. He was strong and so hard, and yet reassuring and comfortable all at the same time. There was nowhere in the world Auriana would have rather been than in his arms, and she felt so safe and cozy that she was nearly asleep by the time he finally sat her on the edge of his bed.
Auriana slipped in and out of awareness as Varian knelt down before her and unlaced her boots, his large hands brushing tenderly against the soft skin of her ankles. She was not usually one to let herself go so completely, but between the warmth of the alcohol in her belly and Varian's touch, she couldn't help but to relax. Her fears about the wedding now seemed largely distant and unimportant, and for the first time in a good long while, she allowed herself to let go and simply enjoy being alone with the man who meant more to her than anything in the world.
By the time Varian freed Auriana from her boots and stripped her down to her silk slip, she was so drowsy that she could barely recognise him as anything more than a giant, dark figure that seemed to take up the entire room. Even as inebriated as she was, however, she felt perfectly safe in his arms as he lifted her up for the second time, and tucked her in firmly beneath the heavy blankets of his bed. She curled up immediately, revelling in the softness of the fabric against her bare skin, and let out a small, contented sigh.
"There," Varian rumbled, patting her gently on the backside. "Are you comfortable? Are you warm enough?"
His rich baritone sent tremors of happiness racing up Auriana's spine, and her chest felt like it would explode with the strength of her love for him.
"Vari… Varian… he's..." she started, only to trail off almost immediately as she struggled to find the words through her drunken haze.
"Auri…?"
"Varian… s'got... very large arms…" she managed finally, the words slightly muffled by a mouthful of pillow as she turned her head and giggled contentedly into the soft down.
For a moment, there was silence, then Auriana felt the bed shift as a great weight settled down beside her.
"Ah… is… is that a good thing?" Varian asked - or at the very least, Auriana thought it was still Varian, though she honestly now had no idea.
The voice was deep enough, certainly, though she was so warm and sleepy that she wasn't sure if she were dreaming, or whether he was a figment of her exceedingly drunken imagination.
"Mmm. Yes," she murmured. "Very good. But…"
"But what?"
Auriana pressed her face into the pillow, and for a second she almost completely blacked out. She felt as if she were floating, weightless as the rest of the world swirled slowly around her, but the sensation was not unpleasant. Her eyelids were heavy, and she felt herself being pulled inexorably down into the dark depths of a drunken sleep...
"Auri?" the deep voice prompted, jolting her back into consciousness.
A warm hand closed over the bare skin of her shoulder, and Auriana arched instinctively into the touch. She tried to lift her head, but doing so made her far too dizzy, and she flopped down bonelessly into the pillows once more.
"Can… can I tell you a secret?" she mumbled, more to herself than to anyone else.
"You can tell me anything."
The bed creaked slightly beneath her as the large form beside her moved, and she sighed as she felt gentle fingers slide into the lengths of her hair.
"Sometimes… sometimes I like to stare at Varian's back," she giggled shyly, somewhat surprised at her own boldness. "When we train in the arena and he's not wearing his shirt…"
Auriana could not deny that she spent an awful lot of time admiring Varian's physical appearance, especially when they fought, but she was not often forthcoming with her praise. She wasn't sure why, exactly, but she had always abstained from telling him just how much the sight of him left her weak at the knees, out of fear that he would laugh, or find her forwardness somehow uncomfortable. As drunk as she was, however, such fears were the furthest thing from her mind, and she soon found herself confessing her desires into the night.
"I like the way his muscles move… they're just so damn big, and warm, and nice…"
She tightened her hands in the sheets as she imagined running her hands over Varian's chest, and a warmth entirely unrelated to her drunkenness rose in her belly.
"Oh! And his arms! I love those, too…"
"Is that so?"
"Mmhmm," she whispered, scrunching up her nose in a futile attempt to hide her blush. "But… you can't… you can't tell Varian that. Can't have him getting cocky…"
"Oh, of course not," the deep voice rumbled.
Auriana thought she heard someone bark out a laugh, though in her current state, she couldn't really tell. She certainly didn't think she said had said anything amusing...
"You really promise not to tell?" she asked worriedly.
"I swear to you, your secret is safe," came the quick reply. "Though perhaps you could answer a question for me…?"
"Anything..." Auriana mumbled, yawning and stretching out her toes beneath the furs.
"Are you certain about marrying m… ah… Varian... tomorrow? Truly certain?"
Auriana certainly had not been expecting quite so serious a question, but even through her haze, she sensed that her answer was somehow very important.
"More… more certain than I've ever been about anything," she murmured, without hesitation. "Anything at all. Varian… my Varian… couldn't stop loving him if I tried. He's... "
Auriana trailed off as her focus wavered once more, and stars danced before her eyes.
"Yes?" the deep voice asked urgently. "Come on, Auri, stay with me for a second..."
"S'my whole world. I love him. Wish he knew just how much," she rambled drowsily. "I'm not good at it."
"Not good at what?"
"Telling him how I feel," she mumbled, the last vestiges of her concentration rapidly waning. "M'afraid, sometimes. Even after everything. All the things we've been through. What if… what if I love him more than he loves me? Can't lose him… can't live without him…"
The enormous figure above her growled deep in his throat, and a moment later, Auriana felt the brush of tender lips across her forehead.
"Hush. Something tells me he knows exactly how you feel. And that he loves you just as much… that he loves you more than anything..."
There was something odd about his voice now, though Auriana couldn't quite fathom why it had changed. It was somehow even deeper, and had grown rich and husky; now almost ragged in its timbre. It almost sounded to her as someone fighting back a great upswell of emotion, perhaps even tears, but she quickly dismissed the thought as another drunken fancy.
"Get some rest," the figure added, brushing her cheek with a calloused thumb. "It's a big day tomorrow."
"Mmm… big day..." Auriana agreed, and with a soft sigh, her entire body went limp as she finally surrendered to the siren call of a deep and dreamless sleep.
