After Rommath left, Braelyn had little to do but sit down and try and calm her raging emotions. So many things she had to think about, still so many worries pushing down on her shoulders. She rubbed her stomach absent-mindedly, thoughts of her baby the only thing keeping her grounded.
"Was that as horrible as I imagine it was?" Lorelai asked from the doorway, a concerned look on her face.
"Worse," Braelyn replied, giving her friend a sad smile. "You and Aethas will look after him, won't you?"
"Of course," Lorelai agreed, walking over to sit next her. She handed Braelyn another potion. "I want you to drink this. You've been under too much stress today."
"Thanks, Lorelai," Braelyn said, before drinking the vial. "You're such a good friend." She paused briefly before saying, "I told Rommath about the baby."
"I thought you might have," Lorelai replied softly. "He looked very distressed when Lor'themar and Halduron went to speak with him."
"Oh, gods!" Braelyn exclaimed, a new worry taking root. "He won't tell them will he?"
"I don't know," Lorelai answered. "But don't panic! They will keep it to themselves, I'm sure. You know they consider you a friend, both to them personally, and to our race. In fact, if it had been a Sunreaver that had found you, Lor'themar would have sent you back to Stormwind straight away."
"Really?"
"Yes," the priestess said with a nod. "Apart from the grief it caused Rommath, we were happy to know you were going to be Queen of Stormwind. We thought you might bring some balance into the Alliance, and counteract some of Jaina Proudmoore's influence."
"I've tried," Braelyn admitted, "but Varian is a bit overprotective of me, and doesn't like involving me in Alliance/Horde affairs."
"Does he know about Rommath?" Lorelai asked. Braelyn nodded.
"Yes. It's kind of how we ended up getting married, actually," she said, and told Lorelai about the events leading up to her wedding.
The blood elf sat in shock for a while before gasping, "By the Light, Braelyn! How do you manage to keep finding yourself in such situations?"
"I honestly don't know," Braelyn sighed. "It seems to be some sort of skill."
"Are you happy?" Lorelai asked, taking her hand. "Aethas and I have been worrying about that. Does Varian treat you well?"
"I am happy, Lorelai," Braelyn said with a small smile. "In the beginning, things were difficult, and there is much about being queen that I don't enjoy, but Varian is a good man."
Lorelai stared at her with narrowed eyes. "You love him, don't you?"
"Very much," Braelyn confessed, her smile growing as she thought of her husband. "I never thought I would love anyone besides Rommath, but Varian... he's my world."
"I'm glad to hear it," Lorelai said. "I hated the thought of you trapped in a loveless marriage."
"Do not worry about me, my friend," Braelyn replied. "I am pleased with how things have turned out. Well, except for being held hostage and having to pretend that my husband is dead. I assume Aethas told you?"
Lorelai nodded. "We don't keep secrets from one another," she said, blushing when Braelyn grinned at her knowingly. "I wish you could attend our wedding."
"Me too, but I'll be there in spirit." Braelyn squeezed her friend's hand again. "Now, I think I need to lie down for a while, Lorelai. I'm so exhausted."
"Of course," Lorelai said, standing up and helping her lie down. "I will see you in the morning. Do not hesitate to send for me if you need anything in the meantime."
Braelyn laid back and watched her friend leave, smile still on her face. All the stress was worth getting to see her friends again, even if it did involve crushing Rommath's heart. She ran her fingers over her stomach as she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to claim her.
"It's all right, little one," she murmured. "We'll be back home with Daddy soon enough."
It was dark when Braelyn woke up, her senses tingling. "Who's there? Lorelai?" she asked, then gasped as a leather clad hand slammed over her mouth. She started struggling as panic set in.
"Your Majesty! It's Fox!" a female voice whispered in her ear. "Please calm down."
Braelyn did as she was told, though she glared at the female rogue when she came into view. "Fox, what are you doing here?" she hissed. "The Horde are negotiating my release. If they find you here... "
"They won't. Not if we act quickly. Now follow me, as close as you can. And hurry, before Learen decides it's Stab the Blood Elf Day."
"What are you going to do?" Braelyn asked. "We're miles away from Violet Rise."
"Chelinka's here," Fox replied. "She and Learen are going to create a distraction while I sneak you out."
"Why didn't you just sneak Chel in here so she could open a portal?"
"Can't. Portals take time, and the Sunreaver's have alarms set up all over the place. Anytime anyone other than a Hordie tries to use magic they go off. We don't have the manpower to defend her while she summons," Fox explained looking tense. It was clear the rogue thought the queen was being difficult.
"All right," Braelyn muttered, "but I really don't like this."
Fox nodded and went to the front of the tent. She leaned out carefully, and waved her hands about in some sort of weird sign language. She then looked back at Braelyn, waving the queen forward.
Braelyn walked, as quietly as she could, to where the rogue was. Fox enveloped them both in her Shroud, and they began moving forward. When they got outside the tent, Fox paused, and Braelyn could see her shoulders tense.
"Be ready," she whispered to Braelyn, and drew one of her daggers, her free hand taking hold of Braelyn's arm.
Braelyn nodded, then almost jumped out of her skin when one of the nearby tents exploded into flame. She didn't have time to say anything, as Fox began running, dragging Braelyn along with her. Any of the Sunreaver guards that noticed them were cut down with a flash of steel, or found themselves on fire.
Braelyn looked back over her shoulder as she followed after Fox. There, in the centre of the camp, stood Chelinka, cackling madly as she rained destruction down upon the Horde forces.
"You think you blood elves know fire magic?" the mage taunted. "I'll show you fire magic!"
"She's going to die!" Braelyn cried to Fox, attempting to turn around and go to her friend's aid.
"Please!" Fox replied, exasperated. "It's Chelinka! She'll outlive us all. Now come on, Your Highness!"
With great reluctance, Braelyn did as Fox asked, trusting in the older woman's judgement. But as she fled into the night, the sound of war and flame ringing in her ears, she couldn't help but think that her life was a poor substitute for those of her friends.
"No, Your Majesty!" Lady Jaina Proudmoore said, firmly. "We will not be teleporting you back to the Shrine immediately. You must rest here for what remains of the night."
"But Varian... "
"His Majesty is currently undergoing treatment," Jaina said, "and I'm sure he wouldn't want you rushing about after such an ordeal."
"I understand and appreciate your concern, Lady Proudmoore," Braelyn said, biting back a more colourful response, "but I intend to be there when my husband wakes up, and it does not take long to make the Bride's Mantle potion."
"I'm sorry," Jaina said, not sounding apologetic at all, "but my decision stands. I will summon a portal for you in the morning. Until then, please sleep."
Braelyn swore as Lady Proudmoore departed. "What part of 'Queen of Stormwind' does she not understand?" she asked Fox.
"She doesn't like the fact that you're gaining influence with the Alliance, especially considering your mother's past with Aethas Sunreaver," the rogue responded.
"Yeah, well, if she hates me now, let's see how she feels when I tell Varian she kept me here against my will," Braelyn hissed, clenching her hands into fists. "He was already angry enough over her attack on the Sunreavers, but this? Oh, boy."
"That's quite manipulative of you, Your Highness," Fox replied, approval evident in her tone.
"All you rogues are beginning to rub off on me," Braelyn retorted, before sighing with frustration. "I just... Varian needs me."
"And you need the king," Fox added. "Don't worry, Chelinka and Learen should be back soon. Chel will take you to the Shrine."
"Chel will do what now?" a happy voice called out, and Braelyn turned to see Chelinka walk into her room with Learen tucked under one arm and the queen's bow under the other. The gnome was cursing wildly, yelling about blood elves and trolls that needed to be stabbed.
"Proudmoore is keeping me here against my will!" Braelyn declared, tears gathering in her eyes. She marched up to the mage, grabbed Learen and held him tightly to her chest as she stared at her friend with desperation. "Please open a portal to the Shrine for me?"
"Okay, Braelyn, no problems, but I better come with you. Jaina will be pissed, and I don't want to have to deal with that," Chelinka said with a flick of her black hair. "Stand back and let me work my mojo."
"Thanks, Chelinka, you're a lifesaver," Braelyn said, putting Learen down. The gnome immediately disappeared. She hoped he wasn't going back to stab any more blood elves. "And you recovered my bow!"
"Sure did," Chelinka replied, handing the weapon to Braelyn as she started to summon forth her magic. Braelyn slipped the bow over her head, and smiled with childish glee as she imagined Jaina Proudmoore returning in the morning to find the queen gone.
"Fox, are you coming with me?"
"Of course, Your Highness," the rogue replied. "It's my duty to stay with you." She paused. "I don't want to be here when Lady Proudmoore returns either," she added with a small smile.
"Okay, ladies," Chelinka said, "portal's up! Let's go."
Braelyn stopped to hug both Fox and Chelinka before she stepped through the portal. "Thank you both so much for this," she said. "I will find a way to repay you for this."
Hold on Varian, I'm coming.
"Little star, I need to breathe," Varian laughed as his wife hugged him tightly. She lessened her grip a fraction, but did not stop holding him. Her face was buried in his neck, and he could feel her tears trickling down his skin. "Do not cry, Braelyn," he added, kissing the top of her head. "I am awake, and my wounds are healing. I will be all right."
Braelyn had been there when he woke up, holding his hand and staring at him intently, as if willing him to wake up. When Varian had opened his eyes, she had gasped and thrown herself around him, and they had not parted since.
He was overjoyed to see her, but worried about how stressed she looked.
"I was so afraid we wouldn't get the herbs to Broll in time," she whispered, nuzzling his cheek as she finally pulled herself away from him.
She hopped on to the bed and tucked herself into his side, and Varian wasted no time in wrapping his arm around her. He smiled as she sighed happily.
"I'm sorry to have worried you so," he murmured. "But you need worry no longer."
For a while, he was content just to hold her to him. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was the desire to see his wife one last time, to see the radiance of her smile. To wake up and see her beside him was a blessing that Varian would never take for granted again. He would thank the Light every day for returning him to her.
"When we get back home, we're going to have a discussion about you running off into danger like that," Varian said finally. Braelyn had told him what had happened since the attack on the Shrine. "Anduin could have lost us both."
"Oh, hush," Braelyn said firmly, and when Varian looked down at her he could see a stubborn glint in her eye. "You would have done the same for me. Besides, we didn't have much choice in the matter."
"Hmmm," Varian replied ambiguously. "I shall take your word for it, little star, though I am not happy with the idea of you being held hostage by the blood elves again."
And it was the truth; the idea of his wife around Rommath, especially, made him more afraid than he'd been in a long time. He tightened his grip on Braelyn and kissed her temple, reassuring himself that she was really there with him.
"Do not worry, Varian," Braelyn said, kissing his shoulder, her hand coming to rest on his chest, over his heart. "I'm glad it happened, actually."
"Oh, why is that?" Varian replied, a sudden fear gripping his heart. He couldn't lose his little star. Not to that blood elf. Not to anyone.
"I discovered two very important things while I was at Dawnseeker Promontory," his wife continued, and he saw a smile on her face. He relaxed slightly. Women didn't smile like that when they were planning on telling their husbands they were running off to join the Sin'dorei.
"And what are they?" Varian asked, genuinely curious.
Braelyn sat up and turned around so she was facing him. She smiled, one of those breathtaking, starlit smiles of hers, and all he could do was stare at her like a fool while she cradled his face in her hands.
"Well," she said softly, "the first is that I love you, so ve... "
Varian didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence. He leaned forward and kissed her, wrapping one arm around her waist, the other moving up to cup her head. He had waited so long to hear her say those words, fearing that she would never come to reciprocate his feelings.
When Varian finally pulled away from Braelyn, he lay his forehead against her own. He made a happy sound, halfway between a growl and a purr. "As I love you, my beautiful little star."
He grinned when his wife's face lit up. She kissed him softly, fingers tracing his scar. He began kissing down the elegant column of her neck, chuckling when she began to giggle and squirm. Varian sighed in contentment. He was the happiest of the men, and surely the luckiest on Azeroth.
"I thought I told you to take it easy, my friend?" Broll said from the doorway, an amused glimmer in his amber eyes.
"This is me taking it easy," Varian said, laughing when Braelyn buried her blushing face in his neck.
"Do you want me to come back later?" Broll asked grinning.
"No!" Braelyn said, sitting up. "It will be good to have a healer on standby when I tell you what I else I learned."
Varian tensed. "What is it, Braelyn? Are you injured? Ill? Did those bastards hurt you?" If they did, so help him he was going to storm their pathetic little camp and end them all.
"Relax, darling," Braelyn said, kissing his cheek with smiling lips. "It is nothing bad. I promise."
"The what is it?" he demanded, glaring at her. To his surprise, Braelyn simply took his hand and placed it over her stomach. She grinned up at him, but said nothing.
Varian just stared at her, and she raised an eyebrow at him in amusement. What was she do... oh.
Oh.
He grinned, and the hand that was on his wife's stomach caressed her softly. He felt himself catch fire with the intensity of his joy. A child. A little bit of him and his little star made manifest in another living being. He could think of nothing more beautiful, or glorious.
"Are you ready to be a daddy again, Varian?" Braelyn asked, tears forming in her ocean blue eyes.
"Most definitely," he said softly, then laughed, holding her to his heart. "Anduin is going to be overjoyed to hear the news."
"As is Genn," Braelyn replied. "He'll finally have a little one to watch frolicking around the Keep."
"With you as their mother, they'll be a natural frolicker," Varian said, smirking. He turned to Broll, who was watching the royal couple with a grin on his face. "Come, my friend, tend to my wife so I can rest knowing that her and my child are well."
As the druid stepped forward to check Braelyn over, Varian could not stop grinning.
Daddy. It was truly the most wonderful word in existence.
AN - we're in the home stretch now. Another chapter and an epilogue to go.
I will try and write as much as I can over the weekend, as I am most likely going to be having my gallbladder removed on Tuesday, and will be visiting my surgeon on Monday in preparation. I am not sure when I'll be writing again after that.
Next Chapter: Jack makes his final play for Braelyn, and it is more disastrous than anyone could have predicted. Is Varian's nightmare about to come true?