Dalaran

As soon as they emerged from the portal in Runeweaver Square, Elsa and Anna ran for the infirmary with Talriel and Honeymaren in tow. Oliserra watched with amusement as the party came crashing in, almost stuck together in the doorway.

"I trust you had some success, Apprentice Jansen?" the high elf smiled, a twinkle in her eye.

"We did! This… is Honeymaren. She has some… uhh, experience with the poison in question," gasped Elsa as she caught her breath from running halfway across the city. Even with her blink spell, Anna and Honeymaren had managed to outrun her, and Talriel in his stag form was fastest of all.

Honeymaren stepped forward, her eyes downcast. "This poison is native to Northrend, to the vrykul. To counteract it, you will need two parts mageroyal to one part lichbloom, steeped in a tonic," she offered, writing down the procedure on a piece of parchment.

Oliserra brought her palm to her face. "Of course! Lichbloom - why didn't I think of that? It's not like we don't have bottles and bottles of it here," she laughed, pointing at the apothecary shelves stuffed with different herbs from around Azeroth. "I'll get started; I believe you should see your master, Apprentice Jansen."

Elsa nodded in agreement. "Anna, why don't you stay here with Mama, Honeymaren, and Talriel. I'll go visit the Archmage," she said.

"And I shall take my leave of you now as well, Apprentice Elsa Jansen of the Kirin Tor. You have my thanks again for freeing me, and I have these bloodvine seeds to bring back to the Cenarion Circle," Talriel rumbled. "It's fair to say it will bring me quite some distinction, so I shall remain in your debt."

Elsa hugged the Night Elf. "Thank you, Talriel. Your debt of honor is fully settled, and I wish you the best. Try… not to get too near trolls again, all right?" she giggled, "And maybe human hunters!"

Talriel gave her a long look before bursting out laughing. "I shall indeed, Elsa Jansen. Should you ever find your way to Mount Hyjal, seek out the Cenarion Circle there and we shall reward you in some way." The druid shapeshifted into his stag form and bounding out the door.

A quarter hour later, Elsa walked in the doors of the Violet Citadel, a massive, imposing tower in the corner of the city. Elandra appeared out of thin air, teleporting into the foyer as her magic lit up the deep blue crystals inlaid in the floor. "Apprentice Jansen, I trust you were successful in your quest?"

Elsa nodded, excited. For the first time since she'd become a novice, she felt like she belonged here. She'd always felt inferior, almost an imposter compared to the power of the magi who ran the Kirin Tor, but after her adventures, she felt as though she'd earned her small place within the order. She was worthy to set foot in these halls as a mage.

"I was, Archmage. We found the bandits who raided the farms in Westfall and the assassin whose poison coated the blades," Elsa said as she bowed before her teacher.

Elandra inclined her head with approval. "You did well, Apprentice Jansen. And I suspect you learned quite a bit more about your own magic in the process. I can feel the arcane energy dancing around you. For now, however, we have another matter to attend to."

Elandra thumped her staff on the crystal floor, making it ring like a wind chime. Five other archmages teleported into the room. "Apprentice Elsa Jansen, you have rendered great service to the Cenarion Circle, the Order of the Pathstalkers, and the Kingdom of Stormwind. In recognition of this service, and your obvious aptitude for magic far above your station, the Council of Archmagi hereby names you Adept of the Kirin Tor. Step into your power."

Arcane energy filled the room as each mage infused Elsa with a cast of Arcane Intellect, signaling their approval of the new mage. Elsa's head spun with the infusion of power, crystals of arcane energy swirling around her, embroidering her robes with new crystalline patterns. Her heart sang as her mind expanded, connecting with her power in entirely new ways. "Thank you, Archmage!" she cried with tears of joy. "I- I couldn't have done it without your guidance!"

"You are strong in the arcane, Adept Jansen, but your heart belongs to the frost. As an adept, you will continue your studies in Dalaran, but will go out into the world more often as you grow yourself and your skills into a full-fledged conjuror," Elandra pronounced to the room with a sweeping gesture of her arm. "You are familiar with the privileges of an adept?"

Elsa grinned and nodded vigorously. Since coming to Dalaran, she'd envied, as many a novice and apprentice had, the freedom adepts had. They only needed to report to their archmages monthly, or when they needed assistance with a particular challenge. More of the library was open to them. They were permitted to learn more complex spells. And most important, they were free to come and go via teleportation without needing permission.

"Now go forth, Adept Jansen, and take your family home. I believe Oliserra should be about done with your mother," Elandra kindly dismissed her new adept.

Elsa practically floated with joy on the way back to the infirmary. The infusion of arcane power the council had given her opened her eyes to all the spells and magic floating in the air around her. She could see the powerful spellwards protecting the city in much greater clarity, feel the dull thrum of arcane energy being used and summoned everywhere around her.

"Mama!" she shouted as she walked into the infirmary. Iduna was sitting upright in the bed, looking much healthier. The color had returned to her skin and the pale greenish tinge had left her, though dark circles still remained under her eyes. Anna and Honeymaren sat next to her, the redhead holding her mother's hand.

"Elsa," Iduna offered a tired smile, "I understand it is in part due to your efforts that I'm back among the living?" She leaned forward to pull Elsa into a tight, warm hug.

"We did it together, Mama," Elsa smiled, clasping Anna's hand and joining it with her mother's. "It was a group effort, but we did it."

Iduna relaxed against the pile of pillows and yawned. "Well, I am very grateful to all of you, then, for the lengths you went for your poor old mother. When we get home, you'll need to tell me the whole story."

Oliserra wandered over and took Iduna's pulse. "Speaking of home, Mrs. Jansen, you should be able to leave when you feel ready. The last of the poison has been dispelled from you, and the mageroyal has accelerated the remaining healing that needed to be done. You'll still need rest, so take it easy for the next few days, but there should be no permanent ill effects." Oliserra looked at Elsa's robes with approval. "ADEPT Jansen," she said, emphasizing Elsa's new title, "you and your family are free to return to Westfall at your leisure."

Elsa bowed as Anna did a double-take, noticing the new violet embroidery on Elsa's robes. "Thank you, Master Oliserra. I'll be back in a little while, just enough time to get my mother settled in and take care of a few things."

"Adept?" Anna practically shouted. "When did that happen? Did that just happen? Did the Archmagi finally realize your brilliance?"

Elsa blushed. "Y-yes. Just now, Archmage Elandra and the council conferred it on me."

Anna leaped on her sister, pulling her into a crushing hug and, mindful of her mother watching, kissing Elsa on the cheek. "I'm so proud of you, sis! Let's get home so we can celebrate!"


Half a day later, Anna, Elsa, and Honeymaren stood before Knight-Captain Danuvin on Sentinel Hill. After getting Iduna settled back into her house and cleaning up the mess left behind by the battle, Honeymaren, overcome with shame, had asked to face judgement for her crimes. Anna had put on her cadet's armor and tabard, and walked back down to Sentinel Hill with the two women.

"Knight-Cadet Jansen," Danuvin sighed heavily, looking up from the paperwork strewn all over his desk. "Please tell me you have something more interesting for me than supply requisition paperwork."

Anna saluted. "Yes sir, I do, sir. My sister and I, with some help from a few friends, have taken care of the bandits in Moonbrook." She opened her satchel and placed 20 red bandannas on the table.

Danuvin raised an eyebrow as he counted the masks. Westfall for years had placed bounties on the Defias, their distinct red color and pattern as good as proof that an adventurer had managed to kill a member of the bandit gang. "This… this is twenty Defias masks, Knight-Cadet. How in the Light did you manage twenty Defias bandits?"

"I had a lot of help," Anna grinned, looking at Elsa.

"I see. And who is this?" he asked, pointing his pen at Honeymaren.

"This… is a prisoner of war," Anna breathed. "I captured her in our attack on the Defias bandits."

"My, my, Knight-Cadet. You've been busy indeed." Danuvin motioned, and two guards stepped forward, manacles in their hands.

"WAIT! Sir, there are extenuating circumstances. She was coerced into helping because the Defias held her son hostage," Anna urged, sudden concern overwhelming her. She knew what the penalties for taking up arms against the crown were, and while Honeymaren may have hurt her loved ones, she didn't do so out of malice. Justice. Justice is the fourth virtue. Is condemning Honeymaren to life in prison just? she asked herself.

"Knight-Cadet, atonement or not, the law is the law. This woman must be placed under arrest and tried," Danuvin said, motioning the guards forward again. "You claim she is a prisoner of war. What crimes do you charge her with?"

Anna froze momentarily as she thought through all she'd learned in her training about Stormwind's laws. What could she say that was truthful but also wouldn't condemn Honeymaren to the Stockades for years, if not threaten her with summary execution for treason against the crown? An idea sparked in her mind; she had no direct proof that Honeymaren had stabbed her mother. Neither she nor Elsa had witnessed the act directly. "I… found her in the presence of the Defias, held at knifepoint by their leader, wearing this mask."

"I see," Danuvin said, looking over his shoulder as he saw the leader of Sentinel Hill, Marshal Stoutmantle, emerge from the tower dressed in his finest gold and steel armor, looking every bit the part of the great veteran war hero he was. "So she is a member of the Defias bandits, but you offer no other proof or claim of crime beyond that. That is the statement you make?"

Honeymaren stared at Anna, speechless, her expression one of pure shock. She was certain Anna would tell the whole truth, that it was her dagger and her poison that nearly killed her mother and several other farmers. Why would Anna conceal the truth for her benefit?

Anna continued. "Yes sir. I did not witness any other crimes firsthand. But I would ask clemency for her, Captain. Once she was freed from the Defias gang, she did the right thing. She was coerced into cooperating with the Defias."

Marshal Stoutmantle spoke up. "Knight-Cadet, wouldn't it have been easier to not bring her here at all? You said beyond being in the presence of the Defias and being dressed like them, she has done nothing else that you know of, so instead of involving the kingdom and creating more paperwork for poor Captain Danuvin here, you could have just let it slide?"

Anna blinked. "I- I could not sir. We pledged to courage, honor, courtesy, j-justice, and compassion. I… I declared in front of witnesses that she was my prisoner when we first captured her, so I have to honor my words. But you speak correctly otherwise, sir. I have no other proof to offer beyond what I witnessed."

Stoutmantle rubbed his grey beard, lost in thought for a few moments. "Knight-Cadet, you'll learn in the field that sometimes, the letter and the spirit of the law don't always agree. King Anduin has made it clear that when we must choose, we should choose the spirit and be guided by the Light." He cleared his throat and announced in his command voice, "By order of the Kingdom of Stormwind, this prisoner is put on probation for her crime of association with the Defias bandits. Should she break the laws of the kingdom again, the penalties for her transgression shall be doubled. I remand her to the custody of the injured family to make amends privately. For Stormwind! For the Alliance!"

The soldiers nearby all raised their fists and shouted the same oath before returning to their duties, while Honeymaren alternated staring at Anna and Marshal Stoutmantle before quietly crying into her hands, relieved at being spared.

"There's just one other thing, Knight-Cadet," Stoutmantle rumbled. "Danuvin, this is one of yours?"

Knight-Captain Danuvin nodded. "This is Knight-Cadet Jansen. She's in the fourth year cohort right now."

"Twenty Defias?" Stoutmantle chuckled.

"Yes, Marshal."

"And she asked clemency for her prisoner?"

"Yes, Marshal." Danuvin rolled his eyes, thinking of the amount of paperwork that was coming next.

Stoutmantle clapped Danuvin on the shoulder, their armor clanging together. "Well, Danuvin, I spared you the paperwork of prisoner transfer, but I'm going to make some different paperwork for you instead." He drew his sword. "Knight-Cadet Jansen, kneel."

Anna looked in shock, taking a knee before the Marshal, while Elsa beamed with pride, knowing what was about to happen.

"For your service to the Kingdom of Stormwind and your elimination of no less than twenty Defias bandits, and your strict adherence to your pledge of courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and compassion, I hereby name you a Knight of Stormwind." Stoutmantle tapped the blade on each shoulder of Anna's armor and then on the crown of her head. "Rise, and declare yourself, Knight Jansen."

Anna flushed with pride, barely remembering the words of the Knight's Oath. Her face colored and her hands shook as she stood, holding her sword in front of her and imagining her father watching this moment.

"I swear fealty to the Crown of Stormwind. I place my faith in the Light, serve my Kingdom with courage, live and die by honor, show courtesy to all citizens of the Kingdom, fight for justice, and extend compassion to all, in the name of King Anduin Wrynn. This I swear before the Light. For Stormwind! For the Alliance!"

All present raised their fists and shouted the same, then clapped and cheered for Anna's knighting, none louder than Elsa. Even Honeymaren, broken free of her daze, clapped along.

Captain Danuvin dug out a clipboard and sighed, sifting through stacks of papers for cadet graduation paperwork.


That evening, the three women sat around the table at the Westfall Inn. Heather stopped by, and as was tradition, poured a tankard of ale over Anna's head to welcome her in the service of Stormwind, much to the boisterous cheering of the patrons.

After she dried off, Anna took a sip of her Barleybrew and looked around the room with a laugh. "Who would have thought that this crazy adventure all started here?"

"I know, right?" Elsa smiled, sipping a glass of Dalaran red wine. "You got knighted, I was made an adept… we rescued a druid, solved a mystery that rogues were searching for, rescued a hostage of sorts, and took on the Defias. That's quite a list for a few days of adventuring."

"OH!" Anna gasped, spilling a little of her beer, which Honeymaren had to dodge. "You're an adept now, Elsa! You can teleport wherever and whenever you like!"

Elsa regarded her sister carefully. "Yes… I can." She pinched the bridge of her nose, remembering the conversation she'd had with Anna a few days ago.

"Stonefire Tavern! In Ironforge! Elsa, you have to take me there! I've heard they have the best beer in all of the Eastern Kingdoms!" Anna said excitedly, practically jumping out of her seat.

"Shh! Keep your voice down, Anna," Elsa gently scolded. "Maybe, okay?" Elsa looked at Honeymaren, who was staring silently into the untouched Shimmer Stout. "And what about you, Honeymaren? Now that you're free of the Defias and not under arrest by the Kingdom, what will you do next?"

Honeymaren fixed her gaze on her drink as she spoke softly. "The Marshal made it quite clear I am indentured to your family to make amends for what I've done," she sighed. "It would seem I have traded one kind of servitude for another."

"What? No!" Anna squawked in disbelief. "You're not our servant. Marshal Stoutmantle just said that you'll figure out how to make amends, that's all. The Alliance forbids slavery and involuntary servitude of all kinds. You're a free woman!"

A tear pooled in Honeymaren's eye. "Free? Free to do what, Anna? I lost my boy. I lost my home, my family, my village. There's nothing for me any more in this world. I don't even know where I'll go. And the things I've done… I'm still so ashamed of myself, no matter what you said to your Marshal. We both know the truth, the whole truth."

"Hey, hey…" Anna said, covering Honeymaren's hand. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. Look - you, you're welcome to stay at our farm for as long as you need - NOT as a servant - while you figure things out. And if - IF! - you feel like helping out, we can certainly pay you. Now that I'm a knight, I can help Mama with the bills on my stipend and we can afford to pay you to help out."

Elsa nodded in agreement. "I can help out too, now that I can come home any time I want. Adepts don't make much of a stipend, but we can start going out in the world and earning a living as mages."

Tears, equal parts sorrow and gratitude, ran down Honeymaren's cheeks. "A-all right. Just for a little while, I don't want to be a burden to your family." Both sisters hugged her tightly as she let out the pain she'd been holding onto.

"Then it's settled. Let's seal it with a toast, shall we?" said Anna, holding up her beer stein.


The women arrived back at the Jansen stead, carefully opening the door in the candlelit house. Iduna was sitting quietly in her armchair near the hearth, reading.

"Mama! We thought you might have gone to bed already," Elsa said softly, sitting on the couch across from her mother with Honeymaren on the far end of the couch.

"Mm. I took a nap earlier while you were out. It reminded me of when your father would head down to the tavern for an officer's night," she smiled, her eyes quickly flitting to the painting over the fireplace. "How was the Inn?"

Anna grinned. "Other than having a beer poured over me, it was great."

"A beer? Who would have done such a thing?" Iduna asked, mildly concerned.

Elsa facepalmed. "Anna, she doesn't know!"

"Oh! OH! I- it's been such a crazy day, yeah. So, Mama, guess what?" Anna beamed.

Iduna quirked an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"I got knighted today!" Anna squealed, jumping up and down. "I finally did it, and I didn't even have to sit before a board!"

"Oh, my baby girl, I'm so proud of you." Iduna rose from her chair to hug Anna and ran her fingers through the auburn hair. "Your father would be so proud of you, too. Becoming a full knight at only 20 years old! This has been quite a day, with Elsa becoming an adept as well." She motioned for Elsa to join the hug, and for a long moment, they savored the successes of the day.

Iduna broke away from the hug to look at Honeymaren, who was watching the family gathering with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. "So… I'm not sure what to say. On the one hand, you did stab me in the back, but on the other hand, my daughters tell me you helped to save me as well."

Honeymaren nodded softly. "I… I was forced to do many things I deeply regret." She took almost half an hour to tell her story to Iduna, the two mothers finding much common ground and sharing many tears while Elsa and Anna prepared a light evening supper in the kitchen, giving the women as much privacy as a small house permitted. By the time the sisters peeked back in at the two women, they were amused to find them squeezed together on the couch.

"I… understand," Iduna murmured. "I would do anything for my children, too, so I forgive you for your role in this adventure."

"Thank you, Mrs. Jansen."

"Please, Honeymaren, call me Iduna. You're barely two years younger than I am! Calling me Mrs. Jansen makes me feel positively ancient," she laughed, her hand lightly caressing Honeymaren's shoulder.

"Very well… Iduna. Is… is there a stable or barn?"

Iduna looked confused. "Yes, we've both, though there's not much in the stable at the moment, just my horse. Anna tends to walk everywhere and Elsa just… magically appears. Why?"

Honeymaren stood up and looked out the window to the darkened fields. "I need a place to sleep, and your daughters said I could stay on the farm while I figured things out so… I'll make use of the stable. It should be comfortable enough, certainly better than my accommodations in the Deadmines."

"Absolutely not!" snapped Iduna, rising from the couch. "You are our guest, and I will not have you sleeping like an animal in a stable. We don't have a large home, but we can make room."

Anna leaned her head in from the kitchen. "Totally! Elsa can sleep in my room, and Honeymaren can have Elsa's old room!" Behind her, out of sight, Elsa snickered and ran her fingers gently down Anna's spine as her sister tried to casually swatted her hand away.

"Then it's settled. You'll stay here as a proper guest, Honeymaren," Iduna said firmly, pulling Honeymaren into a hug. "Welcome to our home."


Author's Notes

And so we wrap up this tale for Elsanna Week 2021. Thank you for reading it! There will be an epilogue at some point, once I figure out the last few threads I want to wrap up, but I hope you enjoyed it and every submission for Elsanna Week 2021!

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The Usual Disclaimer

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