Allerian Stronghold
Night had fallen in Shattrath, signalling the end of the first day they had all arrived in the city. When Khadgar returned to them, he told Sylvanas and Athrodar that the being in charge, a Naaru named A'dal, would like to speak to them in the morning after they had found a place to stay for now and rested up for their meeting the next day.
They had been taken to one of the higher levels of Shattrath, a huge difference in quality of life compared to the Lower City, but also one reserved for resting armies back when Shattrath had a full sized one.
Sylvanas found herself wide awake laying in bed and in the arms of her husband who had drifted off to sleep almost an hour ago. She was hugging his arms that were wrapped around her, finding comfort in the action and looking out the window in front of her.
She didn't quite know why she couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the excitement of the meeting tomorrow and what she could potentially be told about her sister. Or if it was that she missed her children, Victoria not really being hers but she had come to love her like a daughter in their short time together, and wished for them to be together again.
Whilst she began to think about her children, she found herself stroking circles on the back of Athrodar's hand that she was holding. A simple action that slowly woke him up when he felt it and realising Sylvanas hadn't yet fallen asleep. "Something on your mind?" He asked her, kissing her shoulder and feeling her lean back against him a little.
"A couple things actually. Our children and the meeting tomorrow. I'm hoping this Naaru being, whatever it may be, has answers to my sister's whereabouts." Sylvanas closed her eyes and smiled when Athrodar went from kissing her shoulder to her neck and moving up to her cheek. "After we've spoken to her, I hope we can bring our little ones here where it will be the safest place for them whilst we're out here."
"And in the meantime, I think we should send a squad back to that marsh we went through to help out the Kaldorei." Athrodar suggested.
"I think so too." Sylvanas agreed. "Might as well help out our relations with them as well as whatever problems they are facing there." She began to move around in the bed, laying on her back so she could face Athrodar, looking him in the eyes and finding it impossible to not smile at him the moment she saw him. "I'm thinking we send Viraleth's squad to the Cenarion Expedition whilst we send Clea's squad to find our kin with Tamaria."
Athrodar smiled and kissed his wife and General on the lips. "Now that, I can agree on. It would leave us with a lot less interruptions."
There was a slight giggle from the General, kissing Athrodar in return before moving around so she was facing him completely. "Clearly someone is thinking with their head." She poked his forehead with her finger. "And I'm not talking about this one."
"Maybe not." Athrodar agreed, wrapping his arms around his General again and smiling at her. "But that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about us just laying here, or being alone somewhere in general and enjoying each other's company." He moved one hand up to her face, placing it on her cheek and watching the General close her eyes at the simple action. "I don't think we've had a day alone together since the day you told me about the arrangement and your feelings towards me."
Sylvanas opened her eyes and looked into his, trying to think about a different day where they had spent it alone and away from distractions and coming up short. "I think you're right." She said, surprised that was the case. "We definitely need to change that then."
"That's what I'm saying." Athrodar said, pressing his head against the General's and closing his eyes. "We get a couple hours at best, not including sleep, before we're interrupted by someone. A couple days alone, that's all I'm suggesting. My mother can look after our little ones, Clea and Viraleth can run the company for a couple days until we return."
Sylvanas placed her hands on either side of his face, closing her eyes too and smiling at his suggestion. "When do you want this to happen, hmm? We don't have the time during this campaign, so I would suggest once we return home. But who knows when that will be or if we'll be busy once we do."
"Well we have the rest of the night." Athrodar told her, opening his eyes and looking at the General who kept her eyes closed, stroking her hair lightly and watching her smile at the action. "I'm sure we can sleep uninterrupted."
"I can try." Sylvanas said, opening her eyes just to gaze lovingly at her husband. "I haven't slept since we went to bed, but I think I can fall asleep if you hold onto me and I cuddle up as close to you as possible."
Athrodar chuckled when the General shuffled as close as she could get to him, feeling her forehead press against his chest and wrapping his arms around her tightly in return. "Deal." He whispered, pressing his lips to the top of her head in a soft kiss and keeping them there just to feel a little closer to his wife. "I won't be going anywhere unless we are called upon."
"Just how we like it." Sylvanas muttered, closing her eyes and trying to will herself to sleep in her husband's arms.
Over a week had passed since they arrived in Shattrath and both the General and Lieutenant had been getting reports from the locals or even their own rangers, about demonic activity or in the case of the Kaldorei to the north, Naga activity. "Clea's squad have been engaged in fights with the Naga." Athrodar said out loud, reading through one of the many reports they had received. "Along with your sister's rangers, they seem to be pushing them back towards some sort of giant construction in the middle of the lake."
"I think I saw that on our way through there." Sylvanas said, standing behind Athrodar who was sat at the desk in their room, snaking her arms around him and pressing her cheek against the top of his head. "Do we have anything from our scouts? Melonara and Viraleth should have reported in by now."
"We do... Ah, here it is." Athrodar handed the General the report they received from Viraleth, looking over to their bed and smiling when he saw Tahnir sleeping in it. He had a nightmare only an hour ago, telling his parents what he saw. He was lost in the forests of Quel'Thalas and couldn't find the two of them, ending up trapped and alone in the dark forests and thinking he would never see his parents again. "Have we heard anything from Khadgar?"
"Only the usual." Sylvanas said, sitting down on Athrodar's lap and reading the report from Viraleth, smiling when she saw Viraleth had written it for her eyes only. "Nothing to do with my sister, but a lot to do with what is happening in Shadowmoon Valley. Apparently the Wildhammer Dwarves are having a hard time with the demons there, as well as the fel orcs and sometimes skirmishing with the Horde."
Athrodar moved his arms around his wife whilst she continued to read Viraleth's report, kissing her back and working his way up to her shoulders. "We've been given strict instructions from Kael'thas to not give the Alliance or Horde any help in their war with each other. Especially with Halduron and his company in Lordaeron, keeping an eye on Nathanos and his undead and trying to get a feel for his allegiances."
"I do not envy the King at all." Athrodar said, kissing the General on her cheek. "To be wary of everyone around him because one wrong step would plunge us into a war we do not need to be in." He caught a glimpse of the report Sylvanas was reading and raising an eyebrow at it when he saw some of it wasn't about scouting in Zangarmash. "Why does a scouting report talk about me?"
"Because Viraleth knows you're nosy and will read things not addressed to you." Sylvanas told him, leaning back against her husband. "Plus, the one I sent her was about you too, so she's carrying on the conversation."
"I don't like you having a secret conversation about me through reports." Athrodar told her, getting a light chuckle from Sylvanas who placed the report down and looked at her husband.
"It's nothing mean. Mostly it's me talking to her about my love for you and what we've been doing whilst she is asking about her daughter whom we are looking after. Seeing as she is out there scouting for us, it's the least we can do after all." Sylvanas told him, not that he needed reminding as to why they were looking after Viraleth's daughter.
"And because you're trying to get Talanas to like her." Athrodar said, watching Sylvanas roll her eyes. "Prove me wrong. You want our son and her daughter to marry each other so you can be sisters with Viraleth."
"Yeah, well... Shut up." She said, hearing Athrodar chuckle and kissing him to hopefully stop him from laughing at her. "We're going to explore the city today, right? Victoria seems excited to do so and to be fair, so does your mother."
"Yes, we're exploring the city today." Athrodar said, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around his wife tightly when she buried her head in his neck and under his chin. "Once we're done being comfortable and enjoying each other's company... For an hour longer."
Sylvanas chuckled and held onto her husband tightly. "Maybe two... But I think we'll be interrupted by then." She said softly, closing her eyes and stroking her finger in circles on his chest. "Do you miss our bed as much as I do?" She asked him, focusing on her finger that continued to trace circles on her husband's chest.
"I do." Athrodar told her, kissing the top of his wife's head. "It was a lot more comfortable than anything we've been in since we arrived here." He began to smile when she nodded her head in agreement. "Then again, that might be because it's home and no matter how nice something is, it's never home."
"Very true." Sylvanas agreed, pulling back a little to look at her husband. "And home is always better when you have someone you love there." She said, pulling his head down and kissing him. "And I love you."
"I love you too." Athrodar replied, pressing his forehead against hers. "Now it's time to distract ourselves for at least an hour before we have to do anything important."
"Oh, this is very important." Sylvanas told him, chuckling when Athrodar laughed. "Staying in the comfort of each other's embrace is the most important thing we can do."
"Any news from Athrodar?" Larysa asked, looking over to Dael'Thaelas who came to visit his daughter-in-law. "I can't imagine he is very busy since I've heard no reports of extra rangers or mages going over there to help them out."
"They've found the city of Shattrath and have set up camp there." Dael'Thaelas told her, looking over to his son Aerinan who was holding his daughter in his arms. Larysa had given birth to her a month after she was replaced on the Convocation by her grandson Athrodar and was now looking to keep her daughter out of public eyes and even away from her family, minus Dael'Thaelas and her husband, until she was of age or at the very least, could look after herself and understand the role she would play in the future. "Still looking to make her into a politician?" He then asked once Aerinan handed over his daughter to his wife.
"I am." Larysa confirmed, kissing her child on the forehead and smiling at her. "My little Alane Sunblade. Future head of the Convocation and replacement for when Athrodar inevitably fails in his role."
Aerinan, overhearing his wife, began to frown whilst be tidied up the room a little. "I think Athrodar's doing just fine as joint head of the Convocation." He said, looking over to his father and wife who were both now looking at him with mixed reactions. Larysa gave him a cold glare as she will still furious about losing her position to her grandson whilst Dael'Thaelas raised an eyebrow at him for backing up Athrodar. ""I'm just saying. He has proven you wrong and hasn't really put a foot wrong since he took on the role."
"He will, soon enough." Dael'Thaelas told him. "He was thrown into the role of head of the Convocation without even spending at least a decade in its ranks." He looked over to Larysa who looked annoyed by that fact. "Unlike your wife, he is not made for politics."
"We will see." Aerinan muttered to himself, not believing for a second that Athrodar would do something to jeopardize his position in the council.
"So tell me. What has happened since we left Azeroth all those years ago?"
Sylvanas smiled and looked over to Athrodar who was keeping Victoria and Talanas company whilst she spoke to Khadgar. "Other than me finally being with him, a lot has happened." She told him, her attention turning towards the mage beside her. "Lordaeron is gone. There was an outbreak that turned its citizens into the undead. Uther and many other paladins tried to fight it, along with their Prince, but Arthas became corrupted and fought beside the undead, killing his father, laying waste to countless towns and cities and almost taking Quel'Thalas out too."
"That's... Horrifying." He told her, watching the Ranger-General nod her head in agreement.
"We stopped them, but only because he tried to corrupt one of our own to drop our defences so he could walk i without much resistance. Thankfully the person he chose told us, otherwise we might not be here to talk to you." Sylvanas looked back to Athrodar and placed a hand on her chest when she felt her heart begin to ache. "I don't want to imagine a world where we lost to him and I never got to be with my now husband."
Khadgar smiled when he saw the love in Sylvanas' eyes for her husband, placing a hand on her arm. "I'm glad that didn't happen. As I'm sure your sister would be too."
Sylvanas' smile began to fade into sadness when her sister Alleria was brought up in their conversation. "And you say she is nowhere to be found?" She asked the human beside her, hearing him sigh.
"I'm afraid not." Khadgar told her, shaking his head and looking over to A'dal in the center of Shattrath. "A'dal would have felt Turalyon's holy light from here, but she can't feel him at all." He looked over to Sylvanas and saw she didn't need to hear this piece of news. "But I don't think they're dead." He told her, trying to reassure the Ranger-General. "They are resourceful. They know how to survive and I am sure we will find them again soon."
"Yeah." Sylvanas smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "We will, I know it."
On their walk around the city, they were interrupted by Anya who had returned to the city with some news from the High Elf outpost outside of the city. "My mom needs help." She said, taking hold of the General's arm. "There are demons attacking their outpost daily. They have been holding them back for now, but their scouts have noticed a demon camp nearby and it's growing in number daily."
Sylvanas turned to Khadgar who smiled a little at her. "Go." He told the General, making her smile back in return. "I was never going to keep you around, you have a duty to your people first."
"Thank you." She told him, looking over to Athrodar and her two kids. "Do you think you can have someone look after our little ones? Athrodar will be coming with me."
"Of course." Khadgar told her. "It shouldn't be a problem."
"Thank you so much." Sylvanas said, taking hold of Khadgar's hands and smiling at him, quickly moving over to Athrodar and placing her hands on his shoulders. "We need to leave." She told him, looking down at their kids and smiling at them. "Anya's mother and the high elf outpost are going to be attacked soon and they will need our help." She then said.
"You're leaving?" Victoria asked, getting a smile from both Athrodar and Sylvanas.
"We are, hun." Sylvanas told her, moving over to Victoria and placing a hand on her cheek. "But it's okay, Khadgar over there will look after you." She said, pointing towards the human mage in the distance. "If not him, then someone he trusts. And if Khadgar trusts them, we trust them." She looked back to Victoria who looked unsure, kissing her on the forehead. "We won't be long, okay? We'll help out Anya's mother and return as soon as possible I promise."
Victoria stepped forward and hugged the Ranger-General tightly. "Okay." She said, not wanting them to go, but understanding their job. "Just don't get hurt."
"We won't." Athrodar told her, being hugged by his daughter tightly soon after. "We'll come back and we'll show you we're fine. I promise."
Victoria smiled, keeping hold of her father and being hugged from behind by Sylvanas too, putting her worry to rest for the time being. "I love you both."
"I love you too sweetie." Sylvanas told her, kissing the top of her head.
"And so do I." Athrodar told her shortly after, keeping the hug going until they had to leave.
Two hours after leaving Shattrath, Sylvanas, Athrodar and the Ranger-General's squad arrived in Allerian Stronghold and came face to face with Alleria's company for the first time since they had heard about them. "Wow..." The Ranger-General said, looking around the Stronghold. "I didn't think there would be so many of you left."
Tamaria looked over to the Ranger-General and smiled at her, making her way over to Sylvanas and stopping in front of both her and Athrodar, grinning at the Lieutenant and joint head of the Convocation. "So. You're here to help too, huh?"
Athrodar smiled at Anya's mother and nodded his head. "I am. I'm still a ranger first and our kin needed help."
Tamaria placed her hand on Athrodar's arm and bit her bottom lip. "I'm glad." She purred, ignoring Sylvanas when she cleared her throat.
"Do you mind?" Sylvanas said, raising an eyebrow at Tamaria.
"Oh please. You used to share your dates with me and some of your company whenever you got bored of them. I'm just trying to put my name first before the rest of them ruin him." Tamaria told the General, moving her hand to Athrodar's chest and then up to his face. "By the time the tenth one gets to him, he'll be used up by then."
Sylvanas, feeling jealousy boiling up inside of her as well as anger, took hold of Athrodar's arm and pulled him away from Tamaria and behind her, standing in front of him now as some form of a wall blocking her from him. "Nobody is touching him. I married him, the rules of our people haven't changed in that department and I will never get bored of him."
Knowing she had succeeded in her plan, Tamaria began to smirk at the glaring General. "Relax, Sylvie. I remember the laws. I just wanted to see if you were still as jealous as you were back then whenever you introduced someone to all of us. How you would fight us off him for days if not weeks on end until you threw him to the wolves."
"Enough!" Sylvanas snapped, keeping hold of Athrodar's arm whilst he stood behind her, gripping onto it tightly so he wouldn't leave her grasp. "Just go get your Captain and I'll discuss the defences with him."
Tamaria chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine."
Watching Anya's mother walk away, Athrodar looked down to Sylvanas who was standing as close to him as possible without stepping on his feet. Her back was still turned and one of his arms had remained in her vice like grip, deciding to use his other arm and wrapping it around her. "You have just made me insanely happy, you know that? Showing me how jealous you get if someone else comes sniffing around me and how protective you are of what you've got." He chuckled and kissed her on the temple, not noticing the glare that remained on her face as she watched Tamaria move further and further away.
"You're mine, Sunblade." She told him. "Nobody is taking you from me ever again. No Magister, no Ranger, no Priestess or Paladin. You are mine and mine alone." She looked back to him for the first time since she moved him behind her, quickly avoiding eye contact when her conversation with Tamaria sank in. "And it wasn't a lot of men..."
"Huh?" Athrodar asked, tilting his head a little.
Sylvanas closed her eyes and sighed. "It wasn't a lot of men that I brought back with me. What Tamaria was on about with me sharing them with my company or friends whenever I met someone new. It... It wasn't a lot of men."
Athrodar smiled a little wider, enjoying the sight of his General going back to that awkward phase she had when she first told him her feelings. "Okay." He said, making her look up at him and placing a hand on her cheek now. "I'm glad it wasn't a lot."
Sylvanas stepped forward and pressed her forehead to his chest, trying to hide from him the best she could. "I don't want to ask you how many you were with. Everyone knew how much traffic the young Sunblade bed had. I mean, look at Victoria. She wasn't from a relationship, more of a one night quickie because you couldn't keep it in your pants."
Athrodar chuckled and moved his arms around the General now. "But I love her no less than our son, even if she was conceived by accident, during a one night stand."
"Although that's the truth and I think she knows that, I don't think it would be wise to remind her she was a mistake." Sylvanas told him, watching Anya make her way over to them. "Although the horny mother has been told to get her Captain, her teasing daughter has come to grace us with her presence."
"Thank you again for coming so quickly, General." Anya said, acting a lot more formally than either of them expecting and being thrown off a little. "I know they would have been overrun if we don't do something here."
"O-of course." Sylvanas said, tilting her head a little and frowning at the ranger who made her way back over to where her mother was. "I forget how mature she is when her mother is around."
"I think everyone is more mature with Tamaria around if that recent interaction is anything to go by." Athrodar muttered, getting a quick laugh from Sylvanas before they both made their way further into Allerian Stronghold.
