Ch 7 – Aggression
The once peaceful settlement of Astranaar now burned.
The very earth seemed to be rebelling against the relentless onslaught by the Horde army to rip down the old growth forest for wood for the great siege vehicles they were making for Northrend and for battling the Alliance.
Nebuyleh, Druid and friend of the Wrynns surveyed the destruction from the air on the back of a hippogryph.
Varian Wrynn knew his wife well enough that when she did not wish to be found, she would not be. However, he needed her advice and calm spirit now. He had searched the gardens of the castle as well as her rooms.
He finally found Helene who was carrying a load of shirts to be mended back to the Queen's still room. She bowed awkwardly over the pile and he smiled reaching to steady it for her. "Your pardon, Helene, but have you seen the Queen?" He asked formally as he noticed others within ear shot.
She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "She said she had to speak to someone after hearing the report." She said.
"Did she say whom she needed to speak with?"
"No, but she said she was going to the cemetery grounds."
"Thank you." He said and walked past her.
He walked quickly along the canals with his personal guard with him. He walked over the bridge skirting the Dwarven District. Even so he could smell the acrid smells of the forges and metallurgy that the dwarves were perfecting. He went through the great arch that connected Cathedral Square to the canal belt system. He walked quickly through the square and entered the beautiful gardens of the cemetery. It seemed so ironic that such beauty could be wrought from death, but at the same time it was a good thing to remember the fallen in a beautiful light not sadness.
He looked about and did not see his wife, but he noticed something purple in the small partitioned shrine area devoted to his first wife, Tiffin. Her memorial had been expanded due to the wishes of the current queen. Her tomb was below the ground, but a stone carved sarcophagus was on the stone slab beneath it. Behind the sarcophagus was the plague Rhenn herself had placed on a pillar behind that bore a stone lion on top. Ivy and a climbing rose snaked up a trellis behind the pillar. Varian had commissioned the plague on the sarcophagus that listed her full name, titles, and survivors.
The townspeople laid wreaths of flowers at her grave and the priests kept the four candles burning so, according to legend, her spirit would be at peace and be able to find its way home. Knelt before the memorial was a purple cloaked figure whose face he could not see. A fresh wreath had been laid on the top of the sarcophagus.
Varian stepped forward and the figure heard him. The pale face turned to him with tears in her eyes. Varian immediately went to her, but she waved him off as she levered herself to her feet. He looked at the grave of his first queen before lifting his gaze to his current consort. "Why are you here and not resting?"
She scoffed at him and then pulled the cloak about her. "I had to speak to her."
"But she is dead."
"Yes." She said. She turned to leave.
"Rhenn." He said. "I know you received a letter from Nebyuleh. What did it say?"
She sighed and nodded to him to follow. He walked behind her as his guards fell in behind them at a discreet distance. He found it almost amusing that she would leave her honor guard to go be alone. Though he did not like her being alone, there was little he could do and so he had learned to accept it.
She sighed. "The Horde have devastated Ashenvale, the Night elf ancestral home. There are reports of earthquakes and the trees have become sick and sad. The sentinels have requested aide." She said. "Neb reports the destruction has taken the very life blood of the elves." She looked up at him as she paused. "Those trees remember and now the history is lost." She said.
He nodded slowly. "I have called council. Will you join me?" He asked. His queen present would ensure that the tempers did not flare. No one wished to upset the queen or have her deliver prematurely. She took a breath and nodded.
He took her hand and walked with her slowly. The weight of her baby made walking hard for her, but she managed and often without overtiring herself. He held her hand to steady her as they walked into Cathedral Square, to the canals, and along the cobblestones to the Keep. The Home Guard fell in behind them watchful for threats, but everyone stopped what they were doing and bowed to the King and Queen as they passed.
The King and Queen entered the Keep and then walked to the council chambers. The House of Nobles seats were filled with the exception of the Duke of Westfall and Redridge's seat. Rhenn gave a silent nod to Helene who went to the place and sat down.
Count Remington Ridgewell and the others rose as the King and Queen made their way to the dais. The Queen removed her cloak and Ellsa quickly took it from her as she dropped into her seat. The King sat down as well and the nobles followed.
The count rose and walked to the middle of the floor. He stood waiting to be acknowledged in order to be heard as was customary. Varian kissed his wife's hand and rolled his eyes playfully at her before nodding to the count.
"Count Ridgewell." The King said. "What do you wish to say?"
"The Duke's chair is for the duke after the Queen married your majesty. Yet it has remained empty and now a handmaiden now occupies the place?" There were other chairs empty as well. They were the chairs of the fraction leaders of the United Alliance. Each had the banners of their people next to them. They stood empty unless the King called the leaders to council for military action or deciding what path to follow.
Rhenn frowned and Varian rose to his feet. "That handmaiden, though she is dressed so is a High priestess of the Light and a Duchess in her own right. She is the Duke's twin and has full permission from him to act in his stead."
"And yet the duchess dresses as a servant in court." The count said turning to Helene who turned red. Her dress, though muted, was still for the court. She had richer clothing she wore to balls and when she was in her full capacity as a duchess and stepdaughter to the King, but today she served the Queen and should not outshine the queen whom herself wore everyday court apparel, though would to many be higher quality than their best clothing.
"The duchess has my permission to dress according to the Queen's household standards. If her dress offends you, by all means leave the council room." Varian said.
Helene rose to her feet and dipped her head to the King. "I will change, your majesty, if this is going to cause a problem with…"
The count whirled on her. "You are out of order and it is not me that that dress offends, but the King's majesty."
Helene clamped her mouth shut and stood still as her stepfather rose took a step forward. He glowered at the Count whom he felt was outreaching his place as a noble once again. He then walked to Helene who he could see was trying her best to be stoic. He leaned down to her ear. "Don't let him bully you. You outrank him." He whispered to her. He then kissed her cheek softly. "You are dressed fine. Be easy."
She nodded and he turned to face the count. "No, you are out of line, count." He said. His voice dripped venom. "According to council law "if a member of the council of higher rank wishes to speak, they are given right of way to do so. As a duchess, the Lady Helene has that right." He said.
"But your majesty, she is only a woman." The count said. "How can she…" He did not have a chance to finish the sentence before Varian had him by the collar and pushed his face inches from his.
"You would dare say that a woman cannot out rank a man?" Varian growled tightening his grip. "What if I was away in Northrend and I had left the Queen as regent. Would you outrank her?"
"Well to be fair, majesty, she could not make decisions without an act of the House and…" The rest of his sentence was lost in a gargled choking sound as Varian lifted him off the ground and pressed him against a pillar.
"Do you really think you have such power?" Varian growled. His eyes burned with anger and his face looked fearsome with the large scar that marred his otherwise handsome face.
Count Ridgewell was turning purple from the grip the king had on his throat. Varian may well have choked the life out of him if it had not been for the soft calm voice of the Queen that permeated his murderous haze before his eyes.
"Varian, no, please." Rhenn was standing on the dais her hand on her belly. "We need allies not enemies least of all within our own court." She said.
Varian turned his head and saw her standing her hand cupping her expanding womb and leaning back to support it. In the sun from the windows she her skin glowed softly like that of an angel. He let the count drop. The man fell to the floor in a heap heaving for breath.
Varian walked to his wife and pulled her into a hug. Had she not been there, he very well may have killed the man who lay at the base of the pillar now. He pressed a soft kiss to her hair and sighed as he felt his rage leave his body.
He pulled back and looked down at her as the guards helped the count from the room. "Are you well?" He asked softly letting his hand press to her belly softly. He lived in fear that something would happen and start an early labor. She was still several months off from her due date, but still he worried.
She shook her head and smiled. "We are well. Stop fretting." She said.
He nodded and she sat back down looking up at him. He was made all the more larger and imposing by his armor. He had long abandoned court clothing much of the time finding the need for his armor and the military look he had with it was what was needed in this day and age. His broody nature made him even more imposing. Rhenn seemed to be the only one who could quell the brutal and vengeful side of him.
The chamberlain rapped the tiles near the door. "Broll Bearmantle and Valeera Sanguinar."
Varian's head snapped up sharply as the night elf and the blood elf entered the room. Rhenn smiled. She liked the pair that had been her husband's companions many years ago. Valeera was still young and hot headed, but had become more circumspect with age. She now was the enforcer of the New Council of Trisfal.
Broll shifted his staff in his hands and bowed to the King and Queen. "Majesties." He said.
Rhenn smiled at Varian and rose to her feet. It was growing more awkward to do so, but she managed and waddled down to the pair and smiled as they bowed to her. She waved it off and hugged the druid. He stiffened a little but then lifted a hand to her and embraced her back. She smiled up at him radiantly.
"You wife is bountiful." The druid remarked.
Varian chuckled. "Welcome. What brings you two to Stormwind?"
"The druid Nebyuleh asked us to come. The destruction of Ashenvale has escalated." Broll said.
"Escalated how?" The Queen asked.
"The Horde have reached a new level of savagery." Valeera said. She sounded disgusted. Being a blood elf she had no real ties to the Night Elves other through Broll and Varian. She had a permanent home in Stormwind, but rarely was at the home of her friend. Broll also had his home here, but again since he was often doing the Council of Trisfal's business he was rarely in occupancy.
Broll looked like he was tasting bile in his mouth as he spoke. "The Horde killed a group of sentinels." He said slowly.
Varian's look darkened.
Broll continued. "They looted the bodies and left them tangled in a shallow grave so the animals of the woods would find them." He paused. "The worst was what they did to defile the bodies."
Varian lifted his chin. "How?"
Broll looked to the queen and then continued. "They skinned the bodies and left the fragments to wave in the breeze in a tree."
Rhenn pressed a hand to her mouth a she gasped in horror. Surely even Hellscream would not countenance such a barbaric act of…
Varian scowled his anger returning to him in a rush. "They must answer for this…atrocity." He said. He looked at his wife who had her eyes closed and was pale. She looked ready to vomit or pass out. He beckoned to Helene to come to her side and help her leave the chambers.
Valeera took the queen's other arm to steady her as Varian looked at Broll. "This goes beyond the natural acts of war." He growled.
Rhenn took a breath and looked up at Helene and then turned slightly as they began to walk her toward the exit. "I am afraid I must retire, majesty." She whispered formally.
Varian's shot up in sudden concern for his wife. Valeera smiled at him. "We will see her safe Varian. I will return shortly."
He nodded and moved with Broll toward another room where maps were held. This was his war council room. He looked back at the nobles who were very confused as to what had happened. "Council is dismissed." He barked.
They scurried away in a hurry as Varian turned to Broll. "I grieve with you friend." He said, his voice surprisingly soft for how angry and hostile his stance was.
Broll nodded his thanks as Varian moved aside some papers to begin to talk to him about making a strike back in retaliation for this latest offense. He knew his wife would utterly be opposed to a violent solution, but there were times when violence had to be met with violence and this was one of those times.
Nebyuleh stood on the outer edges of Astranaar looking at the flames on one of the buildings. She merely shook her head watching the destruction wrought before her eyes. Her ears caught the sound of something or someone approaching.
She turned to face the intruder. The intruder appeared with three others. All were worgen and all were in wolf form. They stood up on their paws and regarded the druid a moment before changing into their human forms.
"Greetings." A female said with a smile. She too was a druid by her clothing.
Nebyuleh nodded. "Have you come to aide my people."
"The night elves heeded our call, it is time to return the favor." The apparent leader said, a male with graying hair. He smiled. "Even now King Genn is sailing to see King Varian Wrynn and offer assistance since the retaking of Gilneas City has proved a challenge, but that is not a mark on our allies, but a mark of the defiance of the enemy."
"Your name?" Nebyuleh asked.
"Jarle Windcurse." He said.
"Welcome." Nebyuleh said. "The Horde are coming back for another go at the buildings." She said looking up. She transformed into a large hawk and looked at them. The female that had spoken first transformed likewise and the two flew up to try to distract if not kill the pilots of the goblin planes. Below the Worgen and some of the Sentinels fired arrows.
After two passed only one of the machines of three survived. One dropped into the lake surrounding the town. Nebyuleh quickly dove and transformed yet again into a long eared seal beast. She swam to the crash site and saw the pilot become loose from the wreck. She swam quickly and bodily pressed him down. He tried to fight, but was unarmed, his weapon was twisted in the wreckage. Neb pressed him down until he stopped struggling and still she held him a few more moments to make sure the orc was really drowned not just playing that he was.
She surfaced and blinked as a bright flash lit the sky. Another bomber exploded in midair from an arrow meeting the fuel tank and causing it to leak near the hot engine.
Nebyuleh nodded in satisfaction as she pulled herself onshore and was her night elf self again. She smiled. "Well done friends." She said to the Worgen.
King Genn Greymane was a tall imposing figure. Much like Varian Wrynn, the king he was coming to see and offer support to in exchange for help in retaking his capital, he was tall and burly. His hair was long since gray and his features were worn, though many would regard him as handsome still despite being close to seventy years. The Worgen Curse expanded the lives of many of the Gilneans making it some several were well passed a hundred and twenty.
Beside him were his wife, Mia, a woman of grace and demeanor with silver hair, and his two daughter Tess and Bess. Tess was now the heir apparent since her brother had been killed saving his father from an assassination attempt. For that offense Genn's hatred ran deep and like an icy river in his veins for the Forsaken and Sylvanas, their leader. He would aid the Alliance in all things as an act of revenge for the murder of his son.
For now, he would do as he had been welcomed to do and make Stormwind his home with his family until he could be restored to his rightful place as King of Gilneas. For now Darius Crowley was in charge of the Gilneas Liberation Front. The guerrilla warriors were in no better hands than Lord Crowley and his daughter. For now, the King had to play at politics, something he had not done in some time. Lord Crowley had lost ground when his daughter had been kidnapped, but once she was free and the Forsaken had been lulled into a false sense of security, he had struck again and hard, and this time with his Alliance allies.
Gwen Armstead, another very capable woman and worgen, was the leader of the Worgen in Darnassus where the Night Elf allies were being generous in sending aide and supplies to their age old allies. It was up to Genn to work out with Varian Wrynn how to divide the small, but well able forces the Gilneans had among the problem areas for the Alliance.
The King smiled as he noticed several grooms holding the reins of horses for them to ride up the steep embankment of Stormwind Harbor and into the city herself. Once there they would ride to the Keep where they were told the King and Queen of the Alliance were waiting.
It took nearly an hour to accent the windy path to the top and then navigate the great capital city bustling with commerce about them. Bess took the lead knowing the streets slightly better than the rest from her visits here to see her daughter Emily, who was working for the Queen and Ellsa, her distant cousin the Queen also had in her employ.
They arrived at the Keep and the steward, Lord Vasey, greeted them. "Welcome to Stormwind. The King and Queen will meet you in the throne room." He said. He nodded for them to follow him up the tiled floor to the circular main throne room. Once they had arrived he quickly moved off to find refreshments for the newly arrived guests.
Varian Wrynn was standing before the great throne. To the right in a bowl chair dressed in regal robes and her hair pulled back severely to and in twin braids was the queen. Her dress did not disguise her expanding belly where Varian's child was growing. Genn was surprised to see her sitting there watching them approach with a smile on her face. Mia had been confined to bed with all three of her pregnancies after the first trimester. It was clear the queen was of a stronger disposition. He wondered if the lack of gloomy weather and sunshine had anything to do with it.
To Varian's left sat the Crown Prince Anduin. The young man was always watchful and he waited for the formal greeting to finish before rising as was customary.
Varian smiled as the Chamberlain rapped the tile with his staff and called out formally, "Genn and Mia Greymane of Gilneas and his daughters, princesses Tess and Bess."
Bess noticed her daughter was standing behind the Queen next to Helene and Kallin Jonathan. Emily gave a delighted cheer as she ran to her mother forgetting all sense of decorum. She had not seen her mother in months and the King of the Alliance turned hearing the noise as he was about to greet the King of Gilneas formally.
Varian's eyebrow lifted as the small statured girl ran to her mother and they embraced tightly laughing. He looked back at his wife who was smiling in amusement. He turned back to Genn who looked apologetic before he straightened to his full height. "Forgive my daughter and granddaughter, your majesties." He said. "It would appear they need a lesson in decorum and etiquette for the high court." He said turning to face the pair with a fierce glance. His voice had a barking tone to it and they both looked up startled and scarlet of face when they realized what they had done.
Rhenn sighed and chuckled in amusement and rose to her feet. The formality of this meeting was lost and so she walked to her husband's side. "There is no need for forgiveness. It is a happy reunion is it not?" She asked as Varian took her hand in his gently. He looked at her again with a raised eyebrow and she shrugged at him.
Varian sighed and shook his head. "My lady wife is correct. I am sure many would react that way if they had not seen their parent in such a long time. Anduin also ran to me when I first returned to Stormwind."
Genn smiled slightly. "I am glad you did not take offense."
Rhenn laughed merrily. "It takes much to offend me sir and that is not something that would."
He nodded. "Good."
Varian chuckled at how easily his wife took the situation in hand. He lifted his hand. "Come let us retire. It is near supper time and I am sure you are famished after such a journey."
"We are, but may we be shown to our rooms to freshen ourselves first." Genn asked.
"Of course." Rhenn said leaving her husband's side. "Come with me." She said. The Handmaidens followed wordlessly as Rhenn led the way.
Varian stood at his throne and looked to his son. "I am not sure if that went well or poorly."
Anduin shrugged. "Everyone is smiling. I count that as a win."
Varian nodded and chuckled then.
After an hour the guests were directed by the somewhat flustered steward to the formal dining room. Rhenn was seated at one end and Varian was standing at the other. Anduin was standing to the left of his stepmother.
The Greymane's were not the only guests. There were three Tuskarr shaman also dining with the King and Queen. Rhenn had called upon them to come to Azeroth and aide the Earthen Ring in its struggle to pacify the Elements and stabilize the Maelstrom. They were for the most part silent, though they occasionally spoke to Rhenn or Anduin remarking on the quality of the fish they were served.
When the meal was nearly complete Genn rose to his feet and the men rose as well lifting their glasses. The Tuskarr looked to Rhenn who nodded to them to join the others. They did so. Genn looked to Varian. "You have grown from a lad to a man to a King who is worthy of the title you possess." He smiled. "You are a good ally and friend and thank you on behalf of my family for the welcome you have given us." He then turned to Rhenn. "May the baby be strong and healthy." He then lifted his glass. "To friendship and Stormwind."
"To friendship and Stormwind." Everyone echoes and drank.
The boat that was to carry the shamans to the Maelstrom was docked and ready. The Queen was about early to speak to them and tell them of their errand. It was at the personal request of Thrall that she was sending these Tuskarr men to help him. There were few left of her people who remembered the old ways since many had adopted the way of the Light, but those who remained were powerful and in tune with the elements they served. Thrall had even remarked in his letter that he wished that she, as he had, could give up her place of station and join the call and heal the earth. But it was ludicrous to ask such a think of her now, he had continued. She was carrying a child and the pressures wrought by the angry elements would either break her in her weakened state or cause her body to reject the child that was so precious to not only the King of Stormwind, but the Alliance as a whole. The baby was hope and gave everyone a focus to fight for. If they had nothing else to fight for it was for the Queen and the coming prince or princess that would be born into another age or so they hoped.
The boat departed and the Queen stood watching it sail following the shadow as the early morning light caught the sails. She hoped soon Thrall would be able to come and speak with her. She missed his company and his powerful, but compassionate ways.
"To friendship and Stormwind." She said softly. "May you arrive soon and aide my friend for all our sakes." She told the morning air before she turned to walk to her mare that nickered softly. The docks were quiet and part of her soul felt at ease, but she could not shake a feeling of impending trouble. Light be with them all.