Chapter 12: Before the Storm

When Jaina awoke, she stared blankly at the ceiling of her room in Dalaran. "How..."

She bolted upright in a panic, the last thing she remembered...

"It's about time you woke up, Jaina," came the thin voice of her Prince.

She turned her head to see Arthas standing by the door of her room...

...his eyes narrowed dangerously at her, anger on his face. "This makes the second time I've been here to see you wake up in the aftermath of your lies."

Jaina pursed her lips, so many emotions and questions on her mind, before she banished them and steeled herself, moving to cast off her blanket and stand. So be it, she knew the risks, knew deep down that if she was caught in a lie again she'd lose what little trust she had left. She's done trying to be her younger self, trying to hold onto that lost little girl. She is a fully trained Archmage, who went through events that could have ended the world multiple times. "I do what I must Arthas, without regrets."

He stormed up to her, pointed a finger in her face. "You let us believe you were a cultist! Why? What could possibly..."

"What happened in the Sunwell?" she snapped out.

He glared at her. "I asked you a question first."

"And I'm not going to answer it," she said, narrowing her eyes in defiance, not backing down.

He stared at her in disbelief. "Jaina, do you understand just how much trouble you are in right now?"

"Do I look like I care?" she snarled, making him pause, "There are more important things to deal with than politics and reputation. What happened in the Sunwell?"

Arthas kept his eyes narrowed, his lips thinned. "The elves took you and fled from Kel'Thuzad. They began to evacuate their city and their lands, your mother, last I heard, was helping to do so while your father coordinates strategy."

She closed her eyes, bowed her head, and let out a shaky breath. "Kel'Thuzad is alive then. Dammit, dammit all to hell."

A hand gripped her shoulder hard. "Jaina, why did you lie to us? And what exactly are you lying about? I don't believe you are a traitor, even after this, but I frankly don't know who you are and what your goals are."

She drew on her power, backhanding his hand off her shoulder, pointing a finger in his face as she opened her eyes. "Don't play games with me Arthas, I'm sure Kael told you and others everything that was said in the Sunwell."

He looked away for a long moment before looking back, conflicted. "Saving me was your only goal. Jaina... I love you, but... how can you be so selfish?"

She let a growl escape her lips; the unknowing hypocrite. "Just because you were my only goal does not mean I did not try to save others, Arthas."

More than she could say for him in the original timeline.

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to work back his emotions before turning. "I was told to bring you before a gathered council when you awoke. This time Jaina, you had best be truthful."

Jaina didn't answer, just fell in behind him, walking through the hallways towards the Violet Citadel. She wondered faintly if she was about to have a repeat of her trial and banishment from the Kirin Tor, past (future) and present seemed to be funny that way. Would the current Council of Six be there? Or just those who already knew about her supposed transgressions? She considered what to do when questioned. Reveal the truth? No. She wouldn't do that... well... there was a chance they may believe her after all her future knowledge appeared to be of use, or they may just think she's making things up since she was already caught in a lie. She didn't really know. She wracked her brain for a solution, and she hated herself for seeking out more lies. She was always terrible at politics. What she wouldn't give for advice right about now, some of the dragons she had known perhaps, or the elder magi of new Dalaran even if she resented them, perhaps Aegwynn...

Oh.

Aegwynn.

Now there was an idea.

She kept the smile off her face as she followed Arthas into the main room of the citadel. There was a war table set up. Gathered was King Teranas, Uther, Antonidas, Daelin Proudmoore, and Kael'Thas. She was a little curious where Sylvanas and Saiden were, probably still out on the field or helping evacuate Quel'Thalas. The group turned when Arthas cleared his throat, and then many eyes narrowed in on Jaina. She kept her back straight and stared at the group without flinching.

"A truth spell, now," snapped Antonidas, eyes flickering to Kael who did so, a buzz of magic in the air.

The elder archmage drew himself to his full height and looked at Jaina with suspicion and disappointment. "Who are you truly, Jaina Proudmoore? How long have you been so manipulative and treacherous to weasel around a truth spell with such a carefully forked tongue?"

Jaina felt a spike of hurt flash through her, at the accusation from her Master. That look in his eyes... that she had seen from so many others in her own time... it hurt so much... to have it from someone she respected so...

She let none of that pain show, just glowered at him, dropping her deference, and speaking to him as an equal. "Are you accusing me of being a traitor, Archmage Antonidas?"

Accusation flickered in the archmage's eye. "So, you drop pretenses then?"

"I asked you a question first, and your answer will determine whether I even bother with this," she said flatly, earning a shocked 'Jaina!' from Arthas, and an ill-look from her conflicted father while the others watched impassively.

Antonidas pursed his lips. "I don't know what to think, Jaina. Your actions tell one story, your deceptive words another. Has any of your years as my apprentice been in earnest? Or just a lie?"

Jaina closed her eyes, fists clenching, struggling to keep the pain off her face before opening her eyes, feeling tears well up that she battled to hold back. "You are my Master, that was never a lie. I drop pretenses because you accuse me so brazenly of treachery when I have done nothing but try to save lives! If you wont talk to me as my Master, someone I deeply care for, then I'll talk to you as a fellow archmage, nothing more."

Antonidas stood there for a moment, a mixture of anger, sadness, and pain on his face. "What do you expect of me Jaina? How can I trust you when you lie to me, lie to all of us? When all we've ever wanted was to help you."

"Have you considered, Archmage Antonidas, that I may have my reasons to do so?" she asked, voice struggling to be plain.

"And what reason could it possibly be?" he asked harshly.

"You are my teacher," she said softly before going hard, "But hardly my only one."

"And who else has taught you Jaina?" asked Kael, "I watched you fight across Lordaeran, face off against the lich atop Scholomance, fight through the Sunwell and briefly against Kel'Thuzad. Your spellcraft and control is years above what it should be, and full of impossibilities if I dare to say."

She stared him down for a long moment, saying nothing.

"I will speak for Quel'Thalas at least," said Kael, "In that I doubt you are a traitor. You have your own goals, selfish perhaps, but that does not make you evil. Your focus may be on your prince, but you did try to save our people, and the memory of the High Elves is long to recall who tried to aid us so. Thus I am asking you Jaina, as someone who would be a friend, someone who cares for your well-being and reputation, give us something to trust in you. Why do you disregard us so? Go off on your own without seeking the council of your allies, deceiving them? For what purpose? To what end?"

Jaina put a hand on her hip and sighed, putting up her half truth (another lie, when would they stop?), after all, Aegwynn had taught her, just not in this time. "You act as if I'm the only archmage in history to do so, one of my teachers who taught me so much is well known for doing her own thing, and she certainly isn't evil."

Kael narrowed his eyes, thinking. "Her? I'm not particularly aware of a rogue female archmage..."

"Does the name Aegwynn ring a bell?" asked Jaina, eyebrow raised.

Bait set.

A purely astonished look crossed both Antonidas and Kael's face, both of them echoing, "The former Guardian?!"

Bait taken.

Arthas turned his head back and forth between them. "Guardian...?"

Uther exchanged a long look with King Teranas, who pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "There are many things you are not aware of yet, my son. The Guardians of Trisfal is one of them. They are a now broken line of incredibly powerful spellcasters that were empowered to safeguard our world."

The King leveled a scowling gaze on Jaina. "Suddenly, your actions make far more sense than I would have ever wanted them to. You act just as recklessly and carelessly as your teacher did, of her own will and desires. Somehow, I wonder if this is worse than you being an former cultist."

Jaina didn't hide the offended bristle, glaring at the King.

Kael seemed to recover from his shock. "I'm more surprised that Aegwynn is still alive. I thought she died in the battle against her son."

"No," said Antonidas quietly, "She had an audience with King Llane Wrynn before she vanished, never to be heard of again."

A lot of the hostility had gone out of Antonidas's stance and eyes, most of it was now replaced with exasperation. "All this time, the former guardian has been corrupting my apprentice under my nose. She probably did it to get back at the Council."

Jaina crossed her arms and huffed. "I'd hardly say she's been corrupting me."

Antonidas's exasperation didn't fade, it only grew. "Yes Jaina, she has. It's in your every action."

Was that a hindsight thing to explain what she had done thus far, or did she really act so much like the old Magna? She had spent years with her would be chamberlain, its more than possible she rubbed off a bit. Jaina liked to think it would be her own personality and steel more than anything, her own experiences...

"I'm probably missing the context, but," says Arthas quietly, "That still doesn't explain a few things. You admitted to killing innocents in the initial gathering, under a truth spell, if it wasn't as part of the cult..."

Jaina looked away for a moment. "I've done things I'm not proud of Arthas, that I won't ever speak of. Some accidents, some not."

She glanced at Uther. "I wasn't lying about seeking redemption, just... not for the things you thought I was."

Uther gave her a contemplative look. "You are not going to tell us anything we really want to know, are you Jaina? About how you know what you know?"

She returned a strained smile. "I've already told you more than I want to."

"Then all I ask is this: Are you a threat to Lordaeron or it's people? To the Church of the Holy Light?" asked Uther.

Jaina tilted her head in thought, aware of the truthspell in the air. "I don't want to be, and so long as you don't endanger those I cherish deeply, I wont be. My goals are to see Arthas, and my family, safe. Consider me selfish or uncaring if you wake, in the wake of your kingdom and church, even Dalaran and the Kirin Tor not being my primary aims, that's fine. It's not like I wont try to save them, that I haven't already tried to save them. I am not some cold, indifferent monster..."

"I care about people," she stressed, "I care about my Master, about the Kirin Tor, about the people of Lordaeron, all the innocents and more. I want to save them, I just..."

She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "I understand that trying to reach for everything, to save everyone is impossible. I'll only set myself up for failure and burn out when I do. So I focus on what matters most to me, but still keep reaching for more."

"Aegwynn had that same outlook Jaina," said Antonidas tiredly, "And it cost us much."

"She never set out to harm anyone," countered Jaina.

"No, but she still did, unwittingly through her son," said the Archmage, "I am still troubled Jaina, deeply troubled, but I will put my concerns aside and ask that you trust in us."

"How can I trust in those who don't understand?" she countered, "I understand what is coming in a way none of you do."

"Then perhaps you should enlighten us, Jaina," said her father, clearing his throat, "There is a discussion we will have, between you, your mother, and I later, but for now, we have a war against the Scourge to manage to preserve Lordaeron."

Jaina ground her teeth. "You see? You still don't get it."

Arthas put a hand on her shoulder. "And what exactly don't we get?"

Jaina pursed her lips. "You are stuck on the threat infront of you without seeing the bigger picture. It's not about the Scourge, it's never been about the Scourge. They may have the potentially to be more than they are down the road, but the Burning Legion is the true threat, and they are literally two steps away from bringing an apocalypse to Lordaeron."

"That's ridiculous," exclaimed Arthas, "Jaina, the Scourge has been mostly beaten in Lordaeran, and we will be moving to help the High Elves reclaim their lands soon..."

"You are not listening," she snarled, pulling away from him, "You don't get it. You don't understand the situation you are in. You think we're winning? If anything, we're losing. You have no idea just what it means that Kel'Thuzad became a lich. If the Scourge fulfill their purpose, Lordaeran is lost."

Arthas frowned. "Lost? Lordaeron is arguably at its strongest since the beginning of the Second War..."

"And none of it matters if the Kel'Thuzad gets his hands on the Book of Medivh," she said.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Antonidas. "How do you know of that spellbook?"

"I'm not going to answer that," she said flatly.

"Jaina," began Antonidas in a raising tone.

"I'm not," she repeated harshly, "Going to answer your questions on my knowledge. Either you accept what I'm trying to tell you, or you don't and I will do what I must on my own. I'm done playing games, playing by any rules or care for my own standing or reputation. If by the end of this the entire world hates me, my own family and Arthas included, I won't care so long as they are alive. But I will do what I must, and I won't let anyone stand in my way."

The entire room went silent, staring at her.

"Jaina," whispered her father, "When did you become like this? What drove you to this?"

She gave him a pained smile. "I'm sorry papa, I can't answer that."

"Why?"

She just shook her head and turned to gazing at Antonidas.

The Elder Archmage was pulling on his beard in disturbed thought. "You are far more than you appear Jaina. That will and a spine of steel do not come from nowhere. I dread what must have driven you to this, but, if you will not speak of it, so be it, we have other concerns so long as you are not a threat. You and I will speak when this is all over, about your future here."

Jaina pursed her lips tightly, but said nothing.

Antonidas refocused. "How is the Burning Legion two steps away from destroying Lordaeron, and what does that have to do with the Book of Medivh?"

"The Book has incantations powerful enough to breach a hole to our world from the Twisting Neather," said Jaina, "Getting the book is step one, step two is using it to summon the Demon Lord Archimonde."

Antonidas's eyebrows furrowed. "And who is Archimonde exactly?"

He briefly glanced at Kael who simply stared at Jaina intently.

"Archimonde the Defiler is the right hand of Sargaras, current co-Lord of the Burning Legion alongside Kil'Jaeden the Deceiver with Sargaras currently out of the picture," she answered.

Kael's eyes were sharp. "Well, your knowledge of the Legion is quite impressive if you are aware of that. I only know what was told based off tales from well before my time. I knew of Archimonde, but I've never heard of Kil'Jaeden."

"I don't think he was personally involved in the War of the Ancients," said Jaina, "He was busy chasing the Draenei and recruiting other demonic races at the time I think."

Kael's eyebrows climbed. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you know the war by name, but what are 'the Draenei'?"

"Potential allies down the road," she said vaguely.

Kael sighed at her evasion.

"Okay, so, how is a Demon Lord being summoned the end of Lordaeron?" asked Arthas skeptically, "We would fight him..."

"Arthas," she said wearily, "You could have the entire Kirin Tor amassed alongside every Paladin in Lordaeron and Archimonde could kill them all with hardly a struggle."

Arthas gaped at her. "You're not serious."

"I am deadly serious," she answered, her voice stressed, "If Archimonde is summoned, Lordaeron is lost."

She turned to King Teranas. "If the Demon Lord is summoned, if you want your people to survive, you must flee across the sea to Kalimdor."

The King's eyes narrowed. "You expect me to trust your word?"

"Honestly?" she said, "No, and you'll get your people killed for it."

"Jaina!" said Arthas in strangled outrage.

She stared down the King. "Doubt me personally all you wish, but do not doubt that I am trying to help you."

"Prince Sunstrider," said Uther slowly, "Is there any validity in what she says about this 'Archimonde' and his strength?"

"Our legends of our homeland speak of him," said Kael quietly, "Of him being able to fight the demigods of old. It was said he personally slew the White Stag, Malorne. One of our old patron gods before the High Elves were banished and made their own culture."

Arthas gave him a skeptical look.

"Demigods are more than real Arthas," said Jaina softly, "If we fail here, seeking out one of them, Cenarius, might be our only hope."

And since they were months earlier in the timeline than before at this stage, there was a great chance they might actually be able to get to him in time to save him from Hellscream.

Kael regarded her with... an expression Jaina couldn't quite figure out. "Far more than she appears..."

He shook her head. "I agree with her. If Archimonde is summoned, the High Elves..."

He sighed. "We will flee across the seas and seek out our ancient brethren, whether they will tolerate our presence or not, I do not know."

The Night Elves and the Blood Elves thought ill of eachother in general, but... this was before the High Elves started drawing on demonic magic to survive... there was a chance...

"It's been ten thousand years," said Jaina softly, "There's always a chance..."

"This is preposterous," said King Teranas, "Are we truly willing to abandon our lands without a fight? To the words of this woman?"

"Make no mistake your majesty," said Jaina, "I will fight with everything I can to stop this from happening, but if we fail, then the fight has already been fought and lost."

King Teranas's jaw was set. "The fate of Lordaeron is for it's people to determine, not you."

"Then go determine it then," she snapped at him, shaking her head and turning to Antonidas. "There is one way to greatly delay the Legion, destroy the Book of Medivh."

Antonidas frowned. "The book is a relic Jaina, a trove of guarded spellwork..."

"And not worth the potential destruction," she said, tone rising, "Destroy the book, and the only other method I know of them to use would be the Sunwell."

There was the possibility of the Dark Portal and the Tomb of Sargaras as well if they are empowered the right way, and she sorely doubted a Guldan from an alternate timeline was the only one able to manipulate those portals to do so. But that was a danger for another time, the Book and the Sunwell were the current and immediate threats.

"The Sunwell?" questioned Kael, frowning.

"It's a place of immense magical power, if used the correct way by the person with the correct knowledge, it can become a gateway," she answered.

Kael'Thas gave her an ill look. "Your knowledge on such matters puts me ill at ease, Jaina, rather than reassure me."

She gave him a dark smile. "The Legion, and by extension the Scourge, are my specialty."

Not to mention Old Gods, the Horde, Twilight's Hammer Cult, ect...

Antonidas sighed. "I will speak on the matter with the Council of Six, I am going to assume however that they would prefer to provide extra security for it rather than destroy it."

Jaina gave him a long, silent look before shaking her head. "Do what you will."

She turned her head to regard Arthas. "I suggest you try to speak reason to your father. Or at least precaution. I've done what I can, if we fail to stop Archimonde's arrival, if you didn't heed my warnings, then the loss of life is on your head, not mine."

With that, she turned away from the group and walked out, all the while, the back of her mind was screaming that it was over. That next time she saw them they'd throw her out, look at her with that same distrust everyone else did, pass off her warnings as hypocrasy or warmonger of something of the like, they'd turn on her, and leave her alone, all alone, all over again...

Arthas watched her go, watched that brief glimpse of a shattering face turn away, a solid lump in his throat.

"Light preserve us," muttered Uther, "How can someone so young be so jaded and cynical? Is this the real Jaina Proudmoore?"

Daelin sighed, running a hand down his face. "I didn't recognize my daughter for most of that conversation. I just... I don't understand what happened to her."

Arthas closed his eyes for a moment, trying to... come to terms with what just happened. The Jaina he saw just now VS the Jaina he had known since the beginning of this madness VS anytime before them seemed like three different people to him. He always known Jaina to be kind, studious and intelligent, beautiful woman, gentle at times, but not afraid to give people a piece of her mind if they asked for it. When he had met back up with her investigate the Plague, she had first seemed... fragile, afraid, a bundle of nervous energy. That had quickly faded into grim determination, and a hardness she hadn't had before. He felt that he had personally brought that on by how he had mistreated her, and had mentally kicked himself over and over again for his stupidity. Of course when he had thought her an escaping cultist, his heart had ached for her to have been put through that, wondered if it was his fault for her not reaching out for help before.

Then there was this. Caught in a lie, back to a corner, and suddenly Jaina stopped acting almost anything like she had before. She walked like a person who had power and knew it, her back straight, her eyes focused, her jaw set and strong. She was no-nonsense, and held an absolutely commanding presence, something that screamed 'attention'. A will of steel in order to argue down her own teacher and trade unsheathed words. Unafraid do whatever she had to do, and unbending in her refusal to reveal how she knew what she did. She's strive out against the entire world if she had to, and as much as it scared him, it also impressed him beyond words. A bit condescending, stressed, and extreme as well. Uther wasn't wrong on her seeming jaded. She had little to no trust in them, and it frustrated him.

Though, he did admit...

He kind of liked Jaina acting strong and in charge, having the will to do what she felt mattered. Just... all the negatives on top of that...

He wished she'd trust him at least.

Especially since...

"I think... shes not indirectly lying, but... her being a student of this 'Aegwynn' isn't what made her like this," spoke up Arthas, saying a truth he feared, "Its not her primary motivation or drive behind her actions, just another evasion. Dodging the truth spell again."

Antonidas glanced at him sharply, a frown on his face, pulling on his beard in thought.

Kael tilted his head, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Aegwynn, for all her faults, wouldn't turn someone so calloused and jaded. We are missing something, something drastic that happened to her. Without knowledge of this, I feel we will not properly understand her."

The elven prince regarded Arthas. "I feel, Prince Arthas, that you are the only one who may be able to convince her to come clean on whatever it is she is hides."

"She wont," he said, sighing, "Not to all of us, not with so much at stake at the moment if her words are to be taken at face value."

"I wasn't saying all of us," corrected Kael, "But to you and you alone."

Arthas frowned. "Are you asking me to abuse what little trust she has in me? To try to..."

Kael held up a hand. "No. Learn the truth if you can, and tell us only if it makes her trustworthy or not. Do not betray her trust, for it is hard won. Of all the things I do believe, it is that turning Jaina Proudmoore against us would be a terrible decision that would have drastic consequences. She has to much knowledge for us to risk losing access to, and is already, despite her youth, a powerful and advanced sorceress who will only grow stronger."

"I'm not sure she'll tell me," admitted Arthas glumly.

"There is to much riding on what is going to happen," said Kael, "For us to put blind faith in what she says. I feel, not as a leader or a mage or logically, but personally, that we should, she has acted on behalf of my people putting her own life on the line in an impossible situation. She tried to face down Kel'Thuzad, empowered directly by the Sunwell, knowing full well how strong he was, that..."

Kael shook his head. "That takes something very few people have."

It both chilled Arthas to the core, and filled him full of admiration, both when he first heard it and now, to hear of that, not to mention, "It's not the first time either. Hearthglen she fought till we lost, Scholomance she almost died for me. She gives everything she has, her life among what she is willing to sacrifice. I am concerned for Jaina, I am frustrated and a bit angry she wont trust in us, but I have faith that she is trying to help us."

King Teranas shook his head. "My son, even if she is, such secrecy and deception only serve to undermine us. To create doubt where we need none."

Arthas sighed. "I'll try to talk to her, but I promise nothing."

He turned to go before pausing, "If my word has any weight, Archmage Antonidas, I agree that the Book should be destroyed."

He didn't wait for a response, leaving the violet citadel in search of Jaina. He recalled so many of her favored spots in Dalaran, but each one he went to, she wasn't there, until there were none left to check, not even the gardens. Her room was vacant as well, leaving him just a tad flustered on where she could possibly be. He took to walking the city, until he finally found her as the sun started to set, standing alone atop one of the walls near one of Dalaran's entrances, staring out idly into the hilly and forested landscape, a small lake to the south rather than the large Lordamere lake to the north.

She was gazing out there with such intensity, "Jaina?"

She slowly raised a hand and pointed off in the distance, toward a barely visible large hill, her voice was ashen. "That's where they planned to do it initially. The summoning. I don't know if that still stands true."

"Rather arrogant to do it so close to Dalaran," said Arthas, moving to place his arms along the railing, leaning forward to squint off into the distance.

"Wouldn't have mattered if they made a bloody mess of Dalaran and already slew most of the magi," she said quietly, with such loss.

Light, she sounded like she had already lived through something similar. There was only one honest question he could ask. "Who did you lose Jaina?"

Her family was still alive, he was alive, Kul Tiras was still standing, he might not know of all her acquaintances and friends in Dalaran, but he didn't think they had suffered any massive losses. He couldn't understand it, understand her.

She shook her head.

He sighed and pushed off the railing, moving to stand behind her. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her to his chest, away from her deathly stare off into the distance. She didn't react much, her body still tense. He rested his chin on top of her head, and perhaps it was childish, but he enjoyed that she hadn't ended up tall enough that he couldn't do so. He listened to the sound of her rasping breath. She didn't sound to good, not ill, but not emotionally well. What cost did she pay acting as she did?

"I'm not asking for them, Jaina," he murmured, "But for me. What happened to you?"

She didn't answer, but he felt the beginnings of a shake in her limbs. He wondered, was she reliving whatever happened? Part of him wanted to banish it, carry her away from here to someplace more comfortable where she could relax away from her worries. The other part, that even he still had trouble with himself, trained as a paladin, understood that the weakness of the heart and the mind was just as severe a vulnerability as the weakness of the body or the soul. A compromise of any of the four could destroy a person.

Perhaps he had asked the wrong question initially, not who, but, "What did you lose Jaina?"

"Everything," she whispered back, her voice cracked.

He pulled her to him tighter, even as confused as he was. "Everything?"

She tensed, going rigid, and tried to pull away. "I shouldn't have... forget it Arthas, forget I said anything."

Arthas wasn't one to forget something like that, and kept her firmly pinned to himself. "I can't, Jaina."

She stood there in his arms, no longer trying to pull away, but just as rigid as before.

"Let me help you Jaina," he asked softly, reaching a hand up to brush a lock of hair leaning over her face away, "I'm a Paladin, Jaina, I know a suffering soul when I see one."

Jaina huffed under her breath. "Hypocrite."

He raised an eyebrow, glancing downward at what he could see of her face. "If I have been, then I'm sorry Jaina. I listened as well as I could to you during the initial investigation of the Plague. I can't help who I am, my heart bleeds for me people, even if it makes me do things, unwise."

She shook her head, her hair tickling his chin. "You were suffering yourself, but you didn't let any of us in. You shoved us aside at Stratholme, refused to listen..."

Arthas frowned. "Stratholme? Jaina, we never reached..."

Her breathing hitched and this time, she really tugged to try to escape his arms, shaking. "I can't... Arthas let me go, please."

Arthas did, kind of, a bit alarmed, and spun her around, his hands on her arms, looking down on her jittery and panicked face, tears in her eyes. More shaken than he had ever seen her, even when they first met up again. Kael'Thas was right, Arthas was probably the only one who could pull the truth from her, but only because of how vulnerable he made her. He knew he would hate himself for taking advantage of this moment later, but he tilted her chin up, leaned down, and kissed her as gently as he could manage, his hands rubbing her back carefully with his gauntlets.

He slowly broke away, looking into childlike wide eyes. "I care to much to let you go Jaina. I did so once at the Winter's Veil, and I won't make that mistake again, ever again. You will be my bride, my queen, and we will have all the children you spoke about wanting back then, I promise you, and no undead nor demon nor even my father will stop me from being with you."

She clung to him, crying into his chest, shaking. "But they did... they did... the undead took you... made you a monster..."

He frowned intently. "Jaina, I'm right here."

"But you weren't...," she whispered, her voice wasn't right, "You weren't before."

"You're not making any sens..."

"I'm... I'm from the future."

Arthas blinked. What now? What did she say? "You're..."

"I... my soul was sent back in time with all my memories into this body," she said, shaking, her voice so scared.

He frowned, eyebrows furrowed. "I've...never heard of such a thing, but... that... would explain a few things." More like explain everything...

Everything...

I lost everything...

He went rigged, a suckering in of breath as he finally understood. "Oh Jaina..."

She HAD lost her family, him, her people, and so much more, hadn't she? He clutched her tightly to himself, as if to hug all her sorrows away, before what she had said really hit him, his breath leaving his body, "The... I was turned into one of them? Wait... what you said in the first meeting..."

Now it was Arthas whose legs felt like buckling. "They made me a Death Knight? Had me slaughter my father? My... my people?"

That had happened? Things went so badly she had to find some way to come back in time?

It was like a switch had been flicked, and suddenly Jaina pulled herself together with do-or-die effort while he felt like his world was cracking. "Arthas, Arthas! Shh Arthas, it wasn't... we should have done things differently. Shouldn't have left you to that..."

She glanced around nervously. "We... we can't speak here."

She waved her staff, and then in a burst of magic, they were teleported to her room. She closed the door with a *thunk* and aimed her staff at it, a glow of magic illuminating the doors, and going to briefly cover the walls before fading away. A spell for privacy if he had to guess. He slowly sat down on her bed, staring at his gauntlets silently.

"I killed my people," he dully, quietly.

"No, Arthas, no," she said, moving to sit next to him, "You... you were already gone by then. Frostmourne stole your soul, and the Lich King twisted you into a monster without enough good in you to stop it."

Arthas swallowed. "Frostmourne?"

Jaina tensed, a hiss escaping her lips. "A demonic runeblade bound to the Lich King. Wielding the sword, or being killed by it, will steal the soul of the victim. Muradin told me later, of everything that happened in Northrend..."

Arthas's eyebrows shot up. "Muradin? Muradin Bronzebeard?"

She smiled sadly. "Yes, him. He... was in Northrend following a rumor of a powerful runeblade."

A sinking feeling hit Arthas all the sudden, it only took him a moment when combined with what she said about soul stealing for him to understand. "It was a trap, wasn't it?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, a strangled breath escaping her lips. "You were to lost, to confused, to tired, to consumed to see it last time. How the Lich King had set you up to fall the entire time. You saw Frostmourne as your salvation, when in truth, it was your damnation. Muradin... he said the closer you got to the blade, even before you touched it, the more you changed, the more consumed you became. When only a moment before you had been seeking the blade to save your people, when you drew closer, it became about seeking revenge."

"So is that it then?" he asked quietly, "I became a monster, killed my people..."

He dreaded to ask. "How many people important to you did I murder?"

She looked away for a long moment. "Personally? I only know of Antonidas. You... the Death Knight, killed him for the Book of Medivh."

"Oh light...," he said harshly, "You weren't joking about Archimonde because you've already experienced it. I was complicate in a demonic invasion that killed who knows how many people..."

He closed his eyes for a long moment, swallowing hard, feeling the bed shift behind him as Jaina moved to embrace him from behind, her arms around his shoulder, her head resting against his. "You were gone Arthas, what little good was left of you wasn't enough to break free."

"How could there have been anything left in the monster that would butcher his own people?" he asked bitterly.

"Do you... still have the locket?" she asked quietly.

He gave her a look of surprise, and then couldn't help the shy expression that crossed his face as he took off his gauntlet and reached under his armor, pulling out locket he kept on a cord around his neck, always hanging over his heart. Golden, with a ruby center, he held it close to his heart, always.

"He kept it as well," she said softly, making Arthas start in surprise, "Even after he was so far gone, he still had the locket at the end, when he died..."

Arthas clenched his hands over the tiny trinket, brushing a thumb over the ruby, lost in thought.

They stayed like that for a time, until dusk turned into night.

"If...," he began, "If it wasn't me that made you come back, if I was beaten... was it the Legion?"

Jaina slowly separated from him, sighing. "It... it was everything Arthas. I... had no one left. Lordaeran was gone. My father was dead because I... because I chose trying to achieve a permanent peace with the Horde and... and stood aside..."

Arthas stared at her, more than shocked. "The Horde? How? Why would you even think that was possible?"

Let alone that she would choose those barbarians over her own father.

"Because of Thrall," said Jaina quietly, "He... is the only Orc I have ever truly trusted, considered a friend. He kept his kind's savagery in check, he wanted peace, to rise above his past, for his race to be better. He and I both fought against Archimonde and the end of the world. He was the Warcheif of the Horde until shortly after... after you were put to rest."

She growled with hate. "Then he left his position to a monster. Who ruined every ounce of progress Thrall and I made towards a true peace. Who... who..."

Her voice turned to ash, her body shook, tears were streaming down her face. "Who bombed Theramore into oblivion."

He turned and drew her close. "Theramore?"

"Its... its where the non-zealot survivors of Lordaeron who followed me across the sea settled down," she whispered hoarsely.

Non-zealot survivors...? There was most likely a story there, but that was for later, he merely held her tighter. "I'm sorry Jaina."

"I had felt like I finally had a chance to start a new life," she whispered, "Then the mana-bomb dropped, and everyone I had got to know for those few years was just gone."

She buried her face in his shoulder. "Dammit Thrall... why? Why that brute? Why have him your successor instead of Cairne? Just because he was the son of your friend?"

Arthas ran a hand through Jaina's hair all while pressing the names 'Thrall' and 'Cairne' to memory. "Do you truly think they would have accepted peace with the Alliance?"

"Those two, sure, the Tauren had no issues with our race until things got out of hand," she answered shakily, "But my father, he never listened to me. He took over Theramore, and sent us to war against Thrall. I... I had to choose family or years of strife, that the survivors of Lordaeran wouldn't survive. But... they died anyway in the end..."

"You put the needs of your people over yourself and your family," he said softly, with a hint of hushed, if but sad wonder, "Is that not what every leader should do? A sacrifice they should make?"

Light, how stupid was he to have turned away from her at the Winter's Veil? Jaina would have been an amazing queen, she had such a capacity to care, to give for others... how much had the life she had lived ruined that?

She scoffs. "A leader exists to have blame thrown their way when everything falls apart. That's how it was with the new Kirin Tor, with New Dalaran. I threw the Horde out after their betrayal, and then they welcomed them back in, and it just degraded from there. If it hadn't been for yet another Legion invasion, things would have come to a head much sooner."

It took Arthas a moment to read between the lines, at multiple different things. "Dalaran was destroyed..."

"By Archimonde," she murmured, "I... Antonidas had ordered me to flee just before... before the Death Knight..."

"Jaina," he said softly, grasping her hands, "Don't try to spare me the pain. You can call him me."

Jaina swallowed. "Before you came for Dalaran. With Kel'Thuzad at your side, you managed..."

"Kel'Thuzad?" he asked, confused.

"Erm... before that you...," she trailed off, unwilling to continue.

Arthas's heart sank, bitter anger and self-loathing filling him. "Was it not enough to kill my own people? Did I have to butcher the elves as well?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He sighed. "It's nothing you need apologies for, if anything Jaina..."

He reached up to caress a cheek. "I should be thanking you, I'd be the Scourge's thrall by now if you hadn't came back."

She gave him a tired, sad smile, but there was deep happiness in her eyes. "It's one thing I at least managed to do right."

"I dunno, if they put you in charge of the new Kirin Tor I think you must have done a wonderful job," he said.

"They did put me in charge after Rhonin died," she murmured; but there was no look of fondness, just pain, grief, and bitterness, "I tried to live up to Master Antonidas's legacy... but I failed... I tried to make them see reason, but they all turned on me..."

She started shaking, "They called me a warmonger, warped, damaged, they stripped me of my rank and cast me out of the last home I had left..."

"You were gone, Lordaeran was gone, old Dalaran was gone, Theramore was gone, my father was gone and my homeland banished me, new Dalaran banished me, none of the other factions trusted me anymore despite everything I had done for them," she said, her voice cracking, "I had no one and nothing left, and its starting to happen again..."

"Jaina, look at me," he said, cupping her chin, waiting for her to do so, "Right here, and right now, you have me. I will never turn away from you again, we will always be by eachother's side."

He wondered if this was the first chance she really had to grieve for her life in its entirety. Not for the specifics, she must have had chances to grieve already for so much. Because she just started sobbing uncontrollably, holding him as tightly as she could. "Arthas... Arthas... my prince..."

He rubbed her back, and whispered into her ear. "Jaina, my queen."

He smiled at the shiver that ran down her back at his words. She wouldn't technically be that for some time, and he imagined he'd be having many an argument with his father, with Uther, and many others, but he would not be dissuaded. She would be his, and he would be hers. And no one would get in the way of that.

"Don't ever leave me again Arthas, please."

"I won't if I can help it."

She pulled away, wiping at her eyes, before staring at him with such longing. She reached up and cupped his face, her fingers softly pressing his cheeks, before she leaned up into him, kissing him with a passion held onto for years. He wrapped his arms around her in turn, returning the favor. She broke it briefly, her mouth inches from his, her face heated. "I... take your armor off, Arthas."

He did nothing for a moment; he had the desire himself, and years ago that would have been his cue to instantly do as she commanded, but, in her state, would this be taking advantage of her emotions? He didn't want either of them to have any regrets, wanted them to be sure this time. "Are you sure Jaina?"

"I've never been more sure."

He hesitated for only a few seconds longer, his eyes searching hers, before unceremoniously dumping his armor off by her bed, unhinging and taking off one peice at a time, before he finished. His mouth was on her's again the moment he was finished, gently pushing her onto her back on the bed. He stradled her legs, staring down at her blushing face, before he sank down onto her and made love to his queen long into the night...

Author's Notes: Still rated T for Teen, no lemons for you!

So yeah, Jaina had a rough day, then spilled the beans, kind of, to Arthas. It's not nearly a full disclosure, but an emotional one.

Review Responses:

Draconic: Sylvanas won't be a banshee queen this time around. Whether she lives or dies though, who knows. This train is about to go places though, next chapters is baaaaaaaaaaad thiiingsss happeningggg.

Ander Arias: Wait for it, Tichondrious is coming next chapter, :D. Jaina's kind of done trying to play along, throw them off the trail a bit, but mostly just done answering questions, except for her weakness to a certain prince. As of this chapter, it should give you an idea of where I'm going with the High Elves. And nah, Alexandrous already left for Ironforge to help them with their Scourge, there will be an Ashbringer, but unlike last time, I have little plans for it to be passed out of his hands.

Kelmoria: The shield wasn't in the game, it was in extended lore, I didn't even know about it until I started reading WoWpedia about the Invasion of Quel'Thalas.

Australian Dealer: I c wat u did thar.

Reality Deviant: Arthas will not be Scourge in this story. Tichondrious does know of the Lich King's betrayal, that is true, but ultimately don't forget that Tich wants Archi and KJ gone, and himself taking their place as the Hand of Sargares. Sometimes holding onto your cards rather than revealing them is the strategically sound choice to make.

Firedragon99: Mmm... I don't really want to reveal what's going on with Stormwind, with Varian and Co until later. But, according to her wiki page, she died in year 15, which was roughly 5 before WC3. I can't say any more on the subject unless you want potentially huge spoilers later on.

MajorHangover: Mmm, there are many things that don't require Arthas specifically to happen, not to mention, if the LK can't have Arthas as his host, he's going to find someone else, especially since Ironforge and Stormwind are also being invaded...

Hellscythe: Sorry, there are no remnants of that timeline left, only Jaina. You'll have to find (or write) another story that has Sylvanas meat her other self. Know of her though? She might eventually learn from Jaina what her original fate was. Or Jaina might keep that under wraps as to not risk tension. Who knows...