War Crimes
Chapter Five: The Sepulcher and Undercity
Summary: Just another horrible Sylvanas/Jaina fic. Sequel to Atrocities.
Disclaimer: Characters, settings, etc. are the property of Blizzard Entertainment.
Pairings: Sylvanas/Jaina, some Vereesa/Jaina
Author's Notes: AU, assuming the Theramore scenario had affected Jaina differently. I don't know either.
"How did you bring me here?" said Jaina when she was done being overjoyed to see her lover again. She tangled her fingers in Sylvanas' hair, though she could barely feel what she was doing.
Sylvanas' expression would have seemed impassive to most, but Jaina could tell that she was on the verge of tears. "My sister made sure that you were always under heavy guard…imagining she was doing what was best for you, I suppose. She was marginally more lax about this after you were interred. I was able to send a contingent of rogues and warriors to exhume your body, although I regret that I was unable to be there myself."
Jaina tried to swallow and found that the muscles in her throat were slow to respond and that her throat was drier than it had ever been. "So I am…undead."
"Yes. You are one of my people now, Neph'a."
Jaina tried to sit up. She was lying on what appeared to be a cushioned stretcher, which had been laid down on the floor of a small pavilion. Her muscles worked slowly, as if complaining, and she half expected to hear creaking noises from her own body. Her vision was duller than she remembered it being when she was alive, before she had suffered damage from the mana bomb. "I…I can't see as well as I used to."
"But can you see out of both eyes?"
Jaina tried it. "Yes…yes, I can!"
"Unlike any form of healing, necromantic magic works by mimicking the normal processes and actions of a living body," Sylvanas informed her. "I imagined that if it can overcome death, it could overcome the damage to your brain." Sylvanas allowed herself a small smile. "But I did have my concerns."
Jaina looked around comprehensively for the first time. She and Sylvanas were alone but for a ghostly val'kyr hovering above, rhythmically flapping its wings. She supposed Sylvanas didn't want anyone else seeing her expressing so much emotion over their reunion.
Sylvanas gestured to the val'kyr. "This is Ragnhylde."
Jaina could honestly say that she had never been in this particular social situation. What did one say to a being that had just resurrected you? "Good evening," she tried.
"Welcome to the Forsaken, Lady Proudmoore," said the val'kyr. "Dark Lady, I believe my services are required elsewhere."
Sylvanas nodded. "You are dismissed."
The val'kyr flew off. Jaina wrapped her arms around Sylvanas again. "What am I to do now?"
Sylvanas chuckled, once, low in her throat. "Whatever you wish."
Sylvanas, being royalty, had something of a penchant for ceremonies. She also wanted to make absolutely certain that the Forsaken had no qualms about a former prominent member of the Alliance joining their ranks. It was too early to make an announcement about the opening of Undercity Library, so what ended up happening was best described as a renaming ceremony. Jaina had decided to cement her identity as Forsaken by renaming herself as so many undead did, changing not her given name but her surname. In a festive gathering in the courtyard of the Undercity, Jaina was presented to the assembled undead as Lady Jaina Proudspirit, Queen-Consort and future Undercity Librarian. Jaina had been surprised that Sylvanas was willing to confer the title of consort upon her.
"Am I to officially be your Queen-Consort?" Jaina had queried in surprise when Sylvanas first mentioned it. "Doesn't that title convey a certain amount of…intimacy?"
"Similar arrangements have been made for political purposes," Sylvanas had said with a delicate shrug.
"Not in this case," Jaina had edged.
"No, not in this case," Sylvanas had agreed. "But I believe the title appropriately describes our relationship. You will not be expected to perform any ruling duties, but I am providing you with authority should you need to exercise it in the face of some of my—our people taking exception to you joining us."
"What does the title say about any emotional bond between us?" Jaina had finally said, unwilling to continue tiptoeing around the subject.
Sylvanas had looked Jaina straight in the eyes and said, "that one exists", and Jaina had kissed her.
The response from the assembled Forsaken at Jaina's renaming ceremony had been overwhelmingly positive. Ziadosia and Orvynn Splinterwell had been there, as well as the rest of the staff of the nascent Undercity Library. Several mage trainers had also been in attendance and had struck up a conversation with Jaina about potentially joining their ranks. Several other professionals spoke to her about assisting them, having correctly deduced that she had no more stomach for political machinations. By the end of the celebration, Jaina had a plethora of options available to her regarding her new position among the Forsaken.
It was an easy decision for her.
Her days in the library were busy. The fierce debate over a system of organization had been resolved, the few people who remembered the old human library system compromising with the others who thought the human system was illogical to create a new one. Her main responsibility was cataloging, which many others tried to shirk, but she found it soothing. As a Forsaken, she never grew hungry or tired, but like many of the others, she enjoyed maintaining a semblance of a circadian rhythm for the sake of having a routine. Every three days, the library staff had dinner together at a time that most living creatures would consider to be reasonably dinnertime-like to discuss their progress.
Sylvanas' responsibilities as leader of the Forsaken occupied the vast majority of her time. She trusted few people and delegated little, and she traveled frequently. The first time she and Jaina were able to spend time together again, Jaina was ravenous.
"My Neph'a, what are you doing?" said Sylvanas, almost laughing, as Jaina hungrily unfastened her armor.
"Making passionate love to you," said Jaina in between covering Sylvanas' neck with kisses.
"I don't understand your need to be intimate with me, but I certainly won't protest," murmured Sylvanas, stretching as her body was freed of her constricting armor. "Have you always wanted me this much?"
"Mmm." Jaina nuzzled at her lover's breasts. "No."
"Would you say it took you until we had connected emotionally for you to want me this way?"
Jaina took one of Sylvanas' nipples between her teeth. "Mmm."
"My darling, that feels wonderful, but I am curious about your answer."
"That was an answer," Jaina protested. "It was an affirmative."
Sylvanas cradled Jaina's head in her hands. "You may be a nar'i…it comes from a word meaning 'half'. It refers to a person who does not desire others intimately without a loving connection."
Jaina sat up and kissed Sylvanas' shoulder. "Interesting…that does seem to apply to me when it comes to our relationship. When we first began bedding down together, I wanted it because I knew it would be pleasurable, and I was curious, and I was grateful. It's different now." Jaina paused. "I don't believe there is an exact translation in Common. Is there a word in Thalassian for…what you are?"
"Yes; that would be ar'i. There is also lo'ar'i, which is for those who do not experience need for physical intimacy as most do. Ar'i and nar'i fall under that description." Sylvanas traced Jaina's spine with her fingertips. "I don't believe any of those words have Common equivalents."
"They don't! I wonder why."
"Human understanding of sensuality is limited. Elves tend to know more." Sylvanas lay down.
"I'll say elves know more." Jaina sank her teeth into the base of Sylvanas' neck.
Sylvanas wrapped her arms around Jaina. "You've been learning quite a bit yourself, my darling Forsaken."
Jaina had previously been extremely sensitive to Sylvanas' loving ministrations, but now that she was undead, she and Sylvanas were on fairly equal footing when it came to difficulty reaching climax. Fortunately for Jaina, orgasm was not painful for her the way it was for Sylvanas. Neither of them cared to speculate aloud why this was the case.
For several months, Jaina enjoyed a pleasant existence cataloging materials, mostly books, for the Undercity Library. She and Ziadosia became fast friends, although they got into several friendly arguments regarding who should be head librarian once the library opened. After several of these arguments, Jaina finally conceded that she would take the position. In her cataloging efforts, Jaina occasionally ran across songbooks, which she brought to Sylvanas. The two of them developed a tradition of Sylvanas singing Jaina to sleep with lullabies or folksongs that she had learned from the songbooks.
The Undercity Library was shaping up beautifully. In addition to cataloging, Jaina had applied herself to the music section. One of the Forsaken involved in the library project, a former high elf warrior called Toryasong Blastlich, had been one of the original Forsaken, but had begun to tire of an unlife filled with battle and bloodshed. She had had reconstructive work done on her vocal folds to enable her to sing as she had done in life and devoted herself to collecting high elf music and translating it into Gutterspeak. Jaina liked her immensely and assured her that she would be head of the music department once the Undercity Library opened. Jaina had always enjoyed music, but considered herself far more qualified to organize the music section than to judge the quality and completeness of the Common music and songbooks she collected, so she had to put out a notice searching for musically inclined Forsaken to help her. She found two former humans, Meridel Cross and Rain Dartfall. Both of them immensely enjoyed life as Forsaken due to new opportunities being afforded them; Meridel had been a peasant who had had dreams of pursuing music in a big city, and Rain had not only had similar ambitions but had never thought keir gender fit keir body and was overjoyed to find how easy surgery was for undead. (Jaina had also begun teaching herself Thalassian and had discovered that "kei", a gender-neutral pronoun in Gutterspeak, had originally come from Thalassian.) Both Rain and Meridel had excellent voices and they often sang in harmony while they did organization work, and while Jaina occasionally chided them, saying that the library would be a completely inappropriate place to sing once it had opened, secretly she thought she would miss it.
Three weeks before the opening of the Undercity Library, Sylvanas received a message that she wanted to share with Jaina in private.
"My Neph'a, I believe this is serious," said Sylvanas solemnly, passing the parchment to Jaina. Jaina scooted closer to Sylvanas on the bed and wrapped one arm tightly around her as she read.
"Vereesa," Jaina breathed. One of her hands curled into a fist. "I know she…believes she cares for me. But she let me suffer. I asked her to give me a peaceful death before I had deteriorated to a point where I had no control over my body, where I was only suffering, and she refused because it would be too difficult for her."
Sylvanas reached over and touched Jaina's hair. "That was deeply unfair. You should not have had to endure that."
Jaina lay down with her head in Sylvanas' lap. "I will not go back to Dalaran with Vereesa to die…again."
Sylvanas stroked Jaina's cheek. "Will you grant her an audience?"
Jaina was silent for a moment. "I want you to speak with her first."
"What would you have me say?"
"Whatever you feel appropriate. I trust you."
Sylvanas gave a low, almost sinister chuckle.
It was a brisk fall day, though neither Sylvanas nor the assembled Forsaken brandishing long-range weapons could not sense the temperature. Vereesa was shivering slightly against the wind as she scanned the scene.
"My sister, you look like you may as well be one of my people," said Sylvanas with a tiny smile.
Several of the Forsaken guards present snickered. What Sylvanas had said was at least partly true; for a living being, Vereesa looked terrible. She was pale, wan, and disheveled, and her ears drooped slightly.
"One of your people. Is that what you have done to my dear friend?" There was an edge of hysteria to Vereesa's voice. "She told me what…passed between you two. If you care for her at all, let me bring her back to her home. To rest, for good."
Sylvanas raised her eyebrows. "Absolutely not. The opening of the Undercity Library is in a few short weeks. Have you any idea how much cataloging Lady Proudspirit has to finish today?"
"How dare you!" Vereesa railed. "How dare you make light of…of…"
"Lady Jaina Proudspirit is to be the head librarian of the Undercity Library," Sylvanas interrupted calmly. "She wishes to continue the studies she was unable to complete due to her political obligations in life, and to serve her community—her Forsaken community—by providing them with knowledge." She made a small gesture with one hand and Jaina stepped into the courtyard.
Vereesa swayed slightly on the spot; one of the attendants she had chosen to accompany her steadied her. Jaina's eyes glistened brightly with necromantic magic, and her skin was a shade of smooth light gray with a rosy pink hue underneath. While most of her hair remained white, the streak that had been left blonde by the mana bomb's damage was a lush blue-purple. "Jaina," said Vereesa weakly. "You're…"
"Exquisite," Sylvanas finished, laying a hand on Jaina's shoulder. There were murmurs from the surrounding Forsaken; Sylvanas had never made physical contact with Jaina in public before.
"I am Forsaken," said Jaina in a loud, clear voice. "I am Lady Jaina Proudspirit of Lordaeron, Queen-Consort of Her Majesty Sylvanas Windrunner, and soon to be the head librarian of Undercity Library. And my queen was not being facetious when she said I have much cataloging to finish." Jaina was grateful that her heart could no longer race, for it would have been hammering had she been alive; her former best friend was standing several feet from her, wishing final death upon her. Vereesa's heart was in the right place, and despite everything… "Vereesa, this is my choice. I know you don't understand. You didn't understand that I wanted a quick death, and you were not able to understand when I summoned Sylvanas to Dalaran, so she could bring me here and make a Forsaken of me."
"You summoned—!" Vereesa's eyes widened.
"Yes, Sylvanas gave me a necklace that allowed me to magically request that she retrieve me." Jaina stopped bothering to sound formal. "Vereesa, I'm happy." Sylvanas edged closer to Jaina, a subtle demonstration of support. "The mana bomb killed me, and nothing could be done about that, but I have a new…unlife now. I can dedicate it to the pursuit of knowledge, the way I always wanted. I can speak a little Gutterspeak and I'm learning Thalassian. I'm not only witnessing the birth of one of the most extraordinary libraries on Azeroth, I'm participating in it." Jaina paused, thinking of the nights she had shared with Vereesa, and decided it was unnecessary to add that she was happy with Sylvanas. "I know you care for me. I hope you can understand that I am one of the Forsaken by choice now."
Vereesa blinked and Jaina could see tears falling down her cheeks. She walked to Vereesa; Sylvanas made no attempt to stop her. Vereesa caught Jaina's face in her hands, examining Jaina's undead countenance with a mixture of horror, fascination, sadness, and resignation. "I do not understand why. But I believe it is truly your choice."
"Sylvanas would not force me," Jaina insisted.
Vereesa took a deep breath and stepped back from Jaina. "Sylvanas!" she called out. "Take care of her."
"She will want for nothing," Sylvanas replied solemnly.
Jaina walked back to Sylvanas and they watched as Vereesa and her entourage trooped off. "I will miss her," Jaina whispered.
After a long moment, Sylvanas said "I miss her too" in a voice so quiet that Jaina could barely hear.
The grand opening of Undercity Library was quite the celebratory affair. Everyone who had contributed literature or other materials, provided translation services, helped with organization, or been involved in the library's construction had been invited. It so happened that that included a large portion of Undercity's residents as well as many more adventurous types that had performed a few library-related tasks on their way to more exciting or combat-related pursuits. Eunice Burch could barely keep up with the demand for snacks. (It seemed that everyone, living or dead, expected food at large, festive gatherings.)
"This is wonderful," Jaina murmured to Sylvanas as two Forsaken passed in front of them, jovially squabbling about which of them had contributed more volumes to the library's stacks. "I had no idea the library would be intriguing to so many! Although…who doesn't love a good library?"
"That may be the single most mage-like thing I have ever heard you say, dear Neph'a," said Sylvanas. "But I agree…libraries are crucial to thriving cultures. I am glad that Undercity has one now. And I thank you for your efforts."
"You're very welcome. I loved working on it."
"I'm certain your days—and nights—will be exceedingly busy with your duties in the library," said Sylvanas with a small smile. "Will you be willing to shirk your responsibilities for the occasional night in order to spend time with me?"
Jaina laughed aloud. "Sylvanas! Was that a joke?"
"I suppose so, but I sincerely believe that you will have mickle responsibilities that will occupy much of your time."
"Couldn't you simply order me to spend the night with you?"
"If it comes to that, I may have to," said Sylvanas with a chuckle. "Now, come. It is time to open the doors."
Sylvanas led Jaina to the front of the library and raised her hands. "My people! Those who live and thrive after death!" she called in an imperious voice that made Jaina thrill. "Today marks a momentous occasion in Forsaken history. Libraries are instrumental to the pursuit of knowledge as well as the record-keeping of a culture's achievements. Behind these doors lie tomes in not just Common and Thalassian, but some of the first known stories and nonfiction accounts written in our tongue. I understand that many, if not all, of those who are assembled here contributed in some way to this library. Your efforts are appreciated and are to be congratulated. Now, to officially open the Undercity Library, please welcome the head librarian, Lady Jaina Proudspirit."
The crowd erupted in cheers; Jaina curtseyed deeply. She stepped forward and gave a quick speech that she had rehearsed many times. In it, she acknowledged her many colleagues and asked for applause for them as well. The crowd obliged, but not quite as enthusiastically as they had applauded for her.
"Sometimes I wonder if you could say anything and they would clap," Jaina murmured to Sylvanas as the assembled crowd began to hustle into the newly opened library. "They certainly responded better to you."
"Or perhaps they are more inclined to applaud for you than they are for your friends," Sylvanas demurred. "You're certainly the loveliest of them."
Jaina couldn't help but laugh. "It is strange to hear you talking that way in public."
"Indulge me. It is a joyous occasion."
"For me, perhaps. But for you?"
"My people have a new center of learning and culture. Of course it is a joyous occasion for me. Now, would you care to provide me with a tour?"
Jaina smiled. "I would love to."
"Are you going to call it a night early?" Ziadosia asked as she walked past Jaina's desk. "I heard that Her Majesty Sylvanas has returned from Northrend."
"Her Majesty understands that I am devoted to my responsibilities as the head librarian of the Forsaken's only library," Jaina replied with a smile, looking up from her scroll.
"Don't you have other duties, Queen-Consort?" asked Ziadosia, raising her eyebrows.
Jaina had long ago become accustomed to such teasing, especially from those she had come to realize were jealous of her relationship with Sylvanas. (The number of these individuals was very high.) "I wouldn't say that 'duties' is necessarily the right word," said Jaina breezily. "I am permitted to prioritize my position as head librarian."
"But why would you choose such a thing?" asked Ziadosia bluntly.
Jaina laughed at the typically Forsaken lack of subtlety. "I can enjoy my private time with our leader more if I know I have left nothing half-finished here."
"Well, I suppose such devotion to the library is why you are head librarian," said Ziadosia with a small shake of her head.
Jaina completed all of her work for the evening, but she would be lying if she claimed to not be rushing a bit. When she was finished, she hurried to the Royal Quarter. Sylvanas received her with her usual slightly cool, detached public manner, only a small smile betraying her feelings. Once they were alone in Sylvanas' bedchamber, though, it was a different story.
"I missed you so much," Jaina sighed as Sylvanas left a trail of fierce bite-kisses down her neck.
"I missed you too, Neph'a," Sylvanas murmured close to Jaina's ear. "I thought of you often during my absence from Undercity. You will have to tell me how things are progressing with the library."
"I will, later." Jaina squirmed, fighting with her dress. She mumbled a Gutterspeak curse under her breath.
"I see you are quickly learning our people's tongue," Sylvanas chuckled, unbuttoning Jaina's dress.
"I'll have to speak more to you, again, later. Now will you please just make love to me?" Jaina sighed, lying on her back and pulling Sylvanas with her.
"If you insist, my darling." Sylvanas kissed her lover hard.
"Thank you," Jaina whispered between kisses.
"What for?"
"For everything you have done for me." Jaina sifted her hands through Sylvanas' hair.
"You're thanking me now?"
"Yes, I am. I have been thinking about you quite a bit in your absence. Including how glad I am that we…we have each other."
Sylvanas trailed a hand down Jaina's face. "I would be lying if I said I didn't share your gladness." She leaned down and kissed her lover again, and this time it was a long time before either of them spoke again.
"Do you have many duties to attend to tonight?" Jaina whispered as she lay curled against Sylvanas' bare body, arms around Sylvanas' waist.
"You're asking me to stay the night with you." Sylvanas kissed Jaina's forehead.
"Yes."
"I knew you would. I will stay. Are you willing to let go of me long enough to get out the sleep-cense?"
"All right." Jaina reluctantly let go of Sylvanas and watched her dreamily as she dug through her bedside table for sleep-cense. "You're so beautiful."
"I could say the same," said Sylvanas with a tiny smile. "What would you have thought years ago if someone told you that one day, you would end up in bed with Sylvanas Windrunner? And not just in my bed, but as one of my people?"
Jaina chuckled. "I'd have sent them to a psylosopher. Mostly I would have been puzzled at the idea that I would have the opportunity to do anything besides negotiate with you, and even that would be unlikely. What about you? What would you have said if someone had told you that you would be bedding down with me as an undead?"
Sylvanas laughed outright. "I would have been deeply intrigued by that idea; I would have been right in thinking that you would make a lovely Forsaken. But I similarly would not have believed we would have the opportunity to interact besides at a negotiation table." Sylvanas placed a sleep-cense stick in an incense burner and lit it. Jaina reached for her and Sylvanas climbed into her arms again.
"Sometimes I still marvel at the fact that we are together like this," Jaina whispered. "But I'm glad. I'm happy here."
"I know how much you care about your library."
"And you." Jaina added. She nuzzled gently at Sylvanas' neck. Despite everything, Sylvanas had never outright said that she loved or cared for Jaina; the closest she had come was saying that an emotional bond existed between her and Jaina.
Sylvanas was quiet for a long moment. "I know, Neph'a." An even longer pause. "I feel the same about you."
Jaina buried her face in Sylvanas' shoulder, certain that if she could still cry like a living being, she would be weeping. She wrapped her arms tightly around Sylvanas. "Thank you for saying that. I know how hard it was for you."
Sylvanas kissed Jaina's hair. "It's about time I said it, I think."
The sleep-cense kicked in shortly, and the two women drifted peacefully to sleep. It was an unnatural sleep, but for two undead, unnaturalness was something they were quite used to. Peaceful sleep was also not something that came easily to either, but when they lay close, sometimes there were no nightmares.
A/N: IT'S FINALLY DONE. I just quit bench science to focus on science writing, so I have more time to write now. Hopefully I can polish off all my old fics I have been neglecting.