Maybe this time tomorrow
I'll discover this ain't really real
'Cos it struck me like lightning
Like a bolt out of the blue
Emotions inside me, all over you

~Shocked-Kylie Minogue~

Cordana had made Khadgar promise he would not leave the Tower. She had planted a very amused Jaaral outside to ensure that the Archmage kept his word.

"I need to go and speak to Jarrod," she had told Khadgar that morning. He surmised it was to do with their trip to the World Tree. It was part of it, but it was not all of it. Cordana had come to the conclusion that something was indeed wrong with her, and it needed attention.

She had wondered if someone had been compromising her food, causing her such discomfort with it. Could a spy be among them trying to poison her? That thought didn't go far. If someone was indeed able to get to the food supply that easily, why not directly poison Khadgar, since he would be the obvious quarry. The only way it could be a poison issue was if she had accidentally come into contact with it the day he was stabbed, but she had been having trouble well before that. No, the poison theory did not work out.

She considered stress, boredom, over work. None of those ideas made any sense either. She considered the fact that maybe the air, the water, everything on Draenor was affecting her because she was Kaldorei. But no other single Kaldorei, even the children, had had any issues.

The only solution was to go and seek out a Kaldorei healer in Darnassus. Her people would know what to do to get to the root of the matter. Cordana knew that her kind did not fall ill as humans or other races did. Something else was causing her symptoms.

That morning she had been unable to eat, and had suffered more than one dizzy spell during her morning rituals. Thankfully, Khadgar had not seen it.

She had rushed off as soon as possible, hoping to be back by the afternoon.

As it turned out, Cordana was gone far longer than that.

"No!" she cried. "You must check again! There is an error in your assessment! There must be!"

She was trembling, standing before a healing sister named Rashana in the grove of Sanctuary.

"I have checked 3 times," said the healer. "There is no error, I assure you. This is such a wonderful event, and I am very happy for you!"

Cordana felt as though she would lose consciousness right there on the soft mossy ground. Rashana took her arm and helped her to sit. She smoothed back the Warden's hair gently and sat beside her, taking her hand.

"Why are you so upset dear sister? By Elune you are trembling like a leaf in the wind."

"You don't understand!" cried Cordana, her face pale and her eyes devoid of their happy glow.

"Then please help me to," said Rashana.

"This can't be happening, it just can't be happening!" repeated Cordana over and over, covering her face with her hands and bending over, wanting to scream, cry, run...anything to get away from it.

Cordana Felsong was pregnant.

Rashana gently stroked her back. "Please...sister...tell me what is so terrible about such happy news!"

Cordana raised her head and looked straight at her. "My mate is a human!" she almost wailed the words.

Rashana looked quite puzzled. "Alright, he is a human...I still fail to see any problem here. Unless...oh you are no longer together? Has he abandoned you?" Her face registered sympathy.

"No, we are together," said Cordana, tears now filling her eyes, and she had no desire to stop them. If anything in her life had ever warranted her tears, it was this very thing.

The one thing she had never wanted, the one thing that terrified her, that unnerved her, was now her reality.

"You are together...do you love him sister?" asked Rashana.

Cordana nodded. "More than anything, and he loves me as much. We were going to make our declarations at the World Tree!"

"And why would this change anything? Does your mate not want a child? Will he be against this?"

Again Cordana shook her head. "He has always loved children and this...this...situation...will please him more than anything I could think of."

Rashana shook her head. "Your mate is a human who loves you, and whom you love, who has always wanted children and wishes to make his declarations with you...and you are beside yourself with grief? Forgive me sister but I cannot understand your reaction."

"I told him I never wanted children. I made it clear to him that this is not something I ever desired in my life. He told me that he was unable to father a child. He lied! He looked in my eyes and lied to me!"

She covered her face with her hands and sobbed as though her heart would break, and truly, to Cordana at that moment, it was. She felt betrayed, angry and terrified. The healer comforted her for a few minutes, until Cordana's tears had run their course for the moment.

Rashana stood up, and walked to a small moonwell. She retrieved two hand sized moonstones from it, each carved with a tiny rune. She spoke a few words in Kaldorei, and touched first one, then the other, against Cordana's belly.

One of them began to glow softly. Rashana smiled and thanked Elune.

"Cordana," she said, pulling the Warden's hands away from her face. She handed her the softly glowing stone.

Cordana looked at it, then looked at Rashana who nodded happily.

"Yes sister, your baby is a little boy. A son to carry on your bloodline! Elune be praised!"

When Cordana heard those words, the situation was suddenly no longer remote and far removed from her. It was up close and personal.

A son.

She stood up. "I...I need to go," she stammered. "Thank you, sister."

She returned the moonstone to Rashana and ran from the grove. She ran across the waterways, through the Craftsman's Terrace and past the training hall. She was not looking where she was going and nearly crashed headlong into Jarrod Shadowsong.

"Cordana!" he exclaimed catching her. He saw the redness around her eyes, the lack of healthy glow and was instantly concerned.

"My dear child, what has gotten you so upset? Has something happened to the Archmage?"

His soft, kind voice brought more tears to her eyes and she haltingly told him about her relationship with Khadgar from the day she had last seen Jarrod to that very moment. Jarrod embraced her while she cried, and suggested they return to the Enclave to speak privately.

The walk had calmed her and she felt more in control of herself. He sat her down, and brought her a soothing herbal tea.

"I...I don't know what to do," said Cordana as the effects of the tea began to set in. "I cannot carry out my duties anymore. I am already compromised! We are at such a crucial junction in this mission, and this completely ruins everything. It is terrible!"

Jarrod shook his head. "Cordana, a new life is never terrible! It is a sacred blessing from Elune. Your son will be a great gift to both of your lives."

She looked horrified. "He will be half elven! Unwanted by our people and by Khadgar's! What a horrible life we have brought him to!"

Jarrod looked at her sternly. "You must stop this at once, Cordana! You seem to be clinging to the old ways, ways which have not existed in decades! Your son will not be ostracized by our people or by the Archmage's. Humans and Kaldorei have joined together for so long now, no one notices. Half elven children are everywhere! I blame myself for this, for not teaching you more about the world as it changed. Our lengthy lives leave much to be desired it seems."

His voice dropped lower, and he kindly patted her hand. "This little one does create a difficulty with your mission, but there are others who can take your place until you are ready to resume. The Archmage is powerful and strong. He can take care of himself if need be."

Cordana was not happy. "No. He cannot. He is reckless and obstinate and takes too many risks. No one else can care for him the way I do! But how can I do that now?! Jarrod, I never wanted this! I don't want this!"

"Do not say such things!" he admonished rather harshly. He took her hand and lay it on her belly. "Your son's spirit already dwells within his tiny body, do you wish him to hear such thoughts? This is your child, a wonderful gift, a touch of the sacred. Creating new life is such a precious event. Think of the joy it will bring to your mate!"

Cordana removed her hand and sat on it, sat on both of them.

"He lied to me, Jarrod."

"About what?"

"He told me that the curse placed on him by his master had rendered him unable to partake in conceiving a child. He lied."

Jarrod frowned and stood up. He retrieved a large tome from a bookshelf and began to leaf through it. He shook his head. "There are indeed curses that siphon life in all forms. Curses that can mimic the effects of undeath, and curses that can alter appearances and pretty much anything you can imagine, a practitioner of dark magic can carry out. That much is true. However I do not know exactly what was done to the Archmage to give you an exacting assessment. I know what history has told us, and I can make a guess but it may not be correct. What I do know is that he has always presented himself as a very honest and forthright soul. I personally do not believe that he deceived you knowingly in any way. You must speak with him, Cordana. He deserves to know about his child, do you not agree?"

Cordana was silent for a time. "I cannot compromise the mission. Failure is not an option!"

"You have not failed, Cordana. Not in any way. You have simply delayed completion, and that is not an unusual thing. Your mission is to keep the Archmage alive. It was not stated he must remain unscathed."

She gave him a small smile, and he was encouraged that she would be just fine. It was a known fact that Kaldorei parents of half blood children sometimes became despondent and abandoned their child. It was an issue in days of old, when being ostracized from their own people became too much for a Kaldorei. He did not fear it in this case. Cordana was far too much in love with Khadgar. He had known it the first time she returned to him, saw it in her eyes now and heard it in her voice, behind her fear and anger.

"I wish to stay here awhile," she said softly. "I am not ready to go back yet. Will you please send a missive to Khadgar and let him know I have...Enclave business to attend to?"

Jarrod nodded. "You may spend some time here. But your place is with your mate. You must tell him about his son."

Cordana stood up. "I was originally going to come and ask you if you would witness our vows at the World Tree..but now I am not sure..."

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Dear Cordana, if you love one another, you must make your declarations and ask for Elune's blessing. I would be pleased to witness this. It is all I ever wanted for you, to find love. With the birth of your child, you will realize a love that cannot be described in mere words. It is a magnificent thing, to be able to hold in your arms the physical manifestation of a great love, a part of each of you."

Her eyes suddenly began to glow, albeit softly. He smiled warmly. Something had clicked. Perhaps it was his words, or perhaps the wonderful gift of nature that bonded a mother to her child from the very beginning of life.

Cordana looked down and lay her hands on her belly. This child...is a part of Khadgar, she thought. A part of him that is with me all the time, at least for now. A gentle warmth flowed over her and she smiled softly.

Cordana's warden sisters were filled with joy for her. Each one came up from the Vaults to greet her and give her child a blessing. The Vaults were the prison system, where the worst of the worst were kept in stasis, a Warden always nearby to ensure they remained that way. Cordana shuddered at the memory of what was imprisoned in the Vaults. She never wanted to return to duty in that dismal and horrible place, not now that she had experienced so much more on the outside.

Her sisters asked her if she and Khadgar would make their declarations at the World Tree and if they could attend, they asked if she would return to the Enclave after her assignment ended, they asked what Khadgar was like in real, what life on Draenor was all about...they flooded her with questions until she was too tired to answer. Jarrod came and shooed them all away and took Cordana to a quiet place to rest.

She did not see her sisters after that, they returned to their duties and she spent a few days in quiet contemplation. She realized that her deep love for Khadgar made it possible for her to love the tiny baby that was growing inside her. Thinking on it, the entire situation was beyond belief. Truly it was the last thing she ever imagined would comprise her reality. She was still unsure on her feelings about motherhood, but beneath every fear she had was the love she felt for Khadgar. How often was a person able to make another's most profound dream come true? If he truly had always believed that he would never be a father, than news of his son would be as a miracle to him!

But, as always, the mission weighed heavily on her mind. The assassin still needed to be captured. For that, Khadgar would need her assistance. The Warden realized that she would need to remain on duty for a while longer, until the assassin situation at least was under control. Cordana had great faith in her abilities. She could protect Khadgar and their unborn child, but if he knew about it, he would forbid her from any involvement. No, she thought. I cannot tell him just yet.

Khadgar was ecstatic when she returned. He picked her up and spun her around, which she hated, but could not say anything. He told her he had been studying, and that he had discovered some more relics that could aid them with the mission. He said that poor Jaaral had nearly died of boredom standing outside the tower and had asked for some men to take turns with him so he could be with his wife for a few hours a day. No matter how hard Khadgar tried to convince him that a guard was unnecessary, Jaaral would not hear of it.

Cordana hid her tiredness and her difficulty with food as best she could, and the Archmage seemed pleased with her return to health after her visit to the Enclave.

However, other issues soon presented themselves. Making love was one of them. No matter how tender and gentle Khadgar was, it hurt Cordana. The first few times she had endured the pain, but the thought that it could be harming their unborn child stopped her. She had carefully begun avoiding the issue after that, citing tiredness or other reasons for not wishing to make love.

After a while, Khadgar grew worried. He had noticed, that while Cordana seemed to be back to normal health wise, at least from what he could see, she was distancing herself from him. At first, it was just her hesitation in making love, something they had always enjoyed. Although she often tried to please him that way, she always stopped him after a few minutes. Then Cordana began to withhold affection from him, not letting him hold her or kiss her as he used to. She spent all of her time in stealth, wearing the encounter suit. He had tried to ask her if something was bothering her, but she always replied to the negative and changed the subject. I love you, he thought sadly as he watched her emerge from the bath barrel one morning. But I fear I am losing you and I do not know why!

That morning, after she emerged from the bath barrel, he approached her slowly. "Cordana, I wish to hold you," he said gently. She held the towel around herself tightly. Oh please Khadgar, she thought. Don't make this harder on both of us! My desire for you is driving me to distraction, but I can't lie with you!

The love in his eyes, and the tenderness of his kiss crumbled her resolve, and she melted into his arms. He picked her up and carried her to their bed, divesting himself of his small clothes. Usually slow and gentle, Khadgar was drowning in unrequited passion and entered her quickly, already lost to his emotions. Cordana felt the initial pleasure as he pushed deep inside her, but the pain began right away and she tensed up.

"Khadgar, please...you are hurting me," said Cordana, pressing her hands to his chest. There was pain in her eyes.

"What am I doing wrong?" he asked her.

"I do not know, it just hurts inside me."

"I do not believe that I have changed anything in the way we make love, Cordana. You seemed ready!"

She looked away. He rocked against her, and she snapped her gaze back to his, pushing her hips down away from him. He sighed, partly from frustration and partly from unrequited desire. He removed himself from her body, and tried to gather her into his arms, but she resisted, and got out of the bed, heading to the bathroom.

She closed the door and stood there, leaning heavily against it. She could see and feel Khadgar's confusion and unhappiness. She loved him so much, and it tortured her to see his pain. He was affectionate and kind, but if she showed him too much attention he became aroused and wanted to make love, and the fear of what it might do to their child froze her up, caused tension and made the experience even worse for her.

I want to tell you about your son, she thought. But I can't, not until the assassin has been captured. We must keep our focus!

Everything had been moving along so well, between them and their plans to visit the World Tree, and with the mission. Now the mission was in jeopardy, likewise their relationship. Knowing how overjoyed he would be at the news of her pregnancy, how could he concentrate on what they needed to do to stop Gul'Dan and the Iron Horde? Everyone was counting on them. No, she could not tell him, not when the next phase of their plan had already been set in motion. She resented the complication the situation brought to her life.

Cordana lay her hand on her still flat abdomen. She could scarcely believe that there was a tiny life inside her, and she felt like a dark and evil person for thinking such negative thoughts about it. Jarrod was correct: their fragile unborn son was a physical proof of their love, a part of each one of them.

"I'm sorry, little Khadgar," she whispered. "I am ever so sorry. You deserve a better parent then me and your father deserves a far better mate."

She wanted to curl up in Khadgar's arms and be comforted, but she knew he would have that questioning, hurt look in his eyes. She was keeping a secret from him and the guilt ate away at her.

She wiped her eyes and relieved herself, then returned to their bed. Khadgar watched her and tentatively reached out a hand. She took it and lay down beside him. She reached down for him, wanting to satisfy him in a different way, expecting to find him still excited.

He wasn't.

Khadgar didn't say anything to her, but took her hand away and held it instead. His eyes were not questioning, but they were full of sadness.

My beautiful Cordana is pulling away from me, he thought. I have done something, or not done something to keep her interest in me. How do I fix this? I cannot lose her.

He didn't want to touch her in an obviously sexual way since it seemed to be disconcerting to her now. He did not want her to feel obligated to bring him to release either.

He conjured a rose for her and touched it to her cheek. It made her smile.

He drew two hearts in the air that sparkled and turned slowly. She poked it and it dissolved, the sparkles coating her hand. He raised himself up on one elbow and caressed her cheek, her lips, and her hair.

"I would do anything for you, you know that do you not?" he softly asked her. "You have but to ask, Cordana, I would deny you nothing."

She nodded. "I know, Khadgar."

I am worse than a lying human, she thought. I know you would deny me nothing yet I am denying you the greatest gift your life could possibly hold.

She closed her eyes, feigning tiredness. He moved his hand down her body and as he reached her waist where he meant to rest it, she instinctively curled up.

Light, thought Khadgar. What have I done to her to make her react this way?

"I love you, Cordana," he said sadly.

"I love you too," she softly replied.

Confusion filled his mind as he fell asleep.