Val felt the smile creep onto her lips as she stretched out, feeling warm furs on top of her and silk sheets underneath, burying her face in the plump pillows that meant she was home at last and feeling evermore grateful for it.
She and Varian had docked at Stormwind Harbour late last night and taken advantage of the quiet night, both deciding not to wake anyone when they finished their city wide walk and got back to the Keep.
They chose instead to make their presence known this morning, doing it in small, familiar quarters with those that mattered most instead of making it a huge fanfare, which was the last thing they wanted.
She had admit, as much as she grumbled about the splendour she and Varian lived in, it was rather satisfying to come in from the chilly September air to a room warmed by a roaring fire and find all of their belongings there to just take instead of rationing out what they had.
Varian had fallen asleep almost instantly, not as attuned to sea faring as she was and finding it difficult to find as much as rest as he would've liked all the time they'd been on the ship, and if she were honest, she was a little glad of it.
Her sickness had kicked her in the arse for the whole two weeks of the journey and she found it near impossible to settle, so a little company had been nice.
He wasn't in bed with her, she could tell already by how much space she had to herself, and could hear splashes from the washroom, so she didn't exactly have to panic about him being gone.
She wasn't going to lie to herself and say she wasn't on edge about the very real fact that Varian could be called back to Northrend at any given time, but it was one of the many 'perks' of being a king's wife and she'd have to live with it.
"Varian?" She was sure he wouldn't hear her, her voice was practically a croak where the furs and quilt had swamped her and she hadn't had any water yet, and the silence following her 'call' proved that theory.
She sat up, digging the butts of her hands in her eyes and widening them at the small nudge she felt at the pit of her newly blossomed bump that meant she wasn't the only one awake.
They'd only been feeling the baby kick for a few days but it was already such a normal occurrence that anyone would think it'd been happening for months.
Varian had argued the roof down with Val, who thought he had just been a little too optimistic when he'd told her he'd felt the first, and it seemed their son wanted to settle the argument himself and continued with his little nudges throughout the night, making a smug king's palm not leave her belly unless it really had to.
They'd been sparse since then but she had to smile at how the babe kept reminding her that he was there, it was actually a little reassuring.
She winced as her bare soles touched the stone floor, but that was sorted soon enough with the slippers she was more than sure Varian had purposely left there.
The chair that had obviously been moved to the side of the bed with her robe draped over it was another sure sign and she had to chuckle to herself despite the dread creeping up her spine at how he was treating her like an invalid already.
She knew he meant well, and she deeply appreciated it, but he had to realise sooner or later that being pregnant didn't make her incapable of carrying on with her day; hells, when Priscilla had been in labourwith Harley she'd managed to finish her daily chores and cook dinner before she'd admitted defeat, and it'd done nothing to the boy whatsoever.
She wouldn't say anything just yet lest she look insane losing it over a pair of slippers, but she wouldn't let this get that much further.
She tied her robe and took a generous gulp of the water waiting for her on the bedside table, feeling her lips thank her for it.
"Varian?" Her voice sounded normal this time, so she got the expected response of a louder splash and the door being opened properly, with Varian's half foamed face sticking out to greet her.
"What are you doing awake? I was under the impression you were dead to the world."
Val shrugged, trying not to laugh at how she'd clearly interrupted him. "I need to get up at some point."
He scratched the smooth side of his chin, looking unnecessarily guilty. "I'll be out in a minute. Call Lee up if you want some tea."
She put her cup down and accepted his one armed embrace, kissing his chest so she didn't end up smeared with shaving cream. "I'll let my stomach settle a little first I think."
She tilted her head, watching him ready his razor again. "I thought you said you were keeping the beard?"
He chuckled, pulling his skin taut. "I said no such thing, you just took me not getting rid of it that way." His brow furrowed as her words set in. "You're still feeling sick then?"
Val shook her head, turning on the taps to the bath and rooting through the oils they had. "No, it's just your son decided to wake up at the same time as me, that's all."
Varian's smile was so genuine that it made her heart melt a little bit. "So you're admitting I was right?"
Val shook her head despite doing exactly what he was suggesting, pouring some lavender in this time and watching the water turn bubbly. "I'm not admitting anything Varian, not until It's been confirmed."
Varian was still looking smug about it, wincing as he nicked the cleft of his chin."Lee's already sent for the sister, she should be here at some point this morning."
Val grimaced, letting the steam clear her senses. "Any idea which one it is?"
Varian shook his head. "No, but I'm sure you'll be fine." His face fell. "I'm just sorry that I probably won't be here."
Val waved a hand of dismissal, taking her slippers off and dangling her feet in the rising water. "I'll make sure everything is written down so you can read it when you get back. You won't be missing much anyway."
His face didn't move. "It's not a very good start though, is it? Missing your first appointment doesn't put points on my 'good father' chart."
Val eyebrow cocked. "Varian, the fact that you even care that you're missing it is better than some men do."
He huffed, wiping his face and checking he'd gotten all of the whiskers that he'd given residence to over the past month or so. "I don't care what 'some men' do Val, I care what Ido. And having to put up with my council instead of being where I'm actually needed and wanted is a concept I don't take kindly to."
Val held a hand up, letting him pull her to her feet and gladly giving her the embrace that she was asking for, kissing the crown of her head. "Varian, I'll be fine. I'll tell you absolutely everything that happens at lunch, alright? Stop feeling so guilty."
His thumb stroked her shoulder, and she could hear the slow exhale through his nose that meant he was in no way content. "Those men don't deserve my attention."
She patted his chest, leaving his arm to turn the taps off, not really wanting to deal with a flooded washroom the first day they were back. "Varian, it's your duty to give them exactly that. I meanwhile, will have my Grammy to make sure I know exactly what's happening so I can put it in terms you'll understand."
His eyebrow rose in amusement at the small giggle breaking her voice, but that giggle dropped when he helped her in without her asking him to. "You make me sound like such a brain-dead animal sometimes."
She snorted, sinking down into the water and letting her shoulders relax. "Varian, I highly doubt you're versed in advanced midwifery, so don't take it as such an insult."
He went strangely silent, quietly stripping off so he could join her. "Varian?"
She turned around, seeing the faint hint of red on his smoothed cheeks. "Varian Wrynn!"
He growled, lowering himself in and bringing her to him without saying a word. "Don't you even start."
Val's brows snapped down. "Please tell me you haven't been reading. Nothing good ever comes of you reading."
Varian glared right back at her. "First of all, I heavily resent that. Second of all, I merely skimmedthe important parts, nothing more."
He looked down and saw a rather disgruntled Val glaring up at him. "Oh come now, you'd be the first one to tell me I was a bastard if I carried on ill prepared!"
Her jaw set and he barely felt the light thump to his chest. "As much as I want to admit that it's sweet of you to want to know about all of this…don't you dare use it to smother me, understand? I don't want you to become one of those husbands who follows me around with an open book quoting every little gripe I have as an emergency."
Varian scoffed, scooping some water onto her shoulders. "Fat chance of that happening. I was up all night reading that damn thing and I still didn't understand any of it."
She put the sweetest of smiles on her face and snuggled into his chest, scrunching her nose in the way she knew made any anger he had in his entire body melt away. "Good, so we're in the same boat."
Varian ran his fingers through the ends of her hair, looking rather put out by the whole scenario. "I just don't want you doing this on your own Val. I'm not the smartest of men, I know this, but I like to think that there's at least somethingI can do to help."
Val's smile wasn't mocking him anymore, Varian could tell she was being genuine this time. "You can help by just keeping things as much the same as possible Varian."
She turned herself around so she could straddle and face him, playing with his thick chest hair. "Though I wouldn't say no to a massage every now and then. And lots of walks." She chewed her bottom lip, trying to avoid his amused face. "And walnuts."
The amusement disappeared into confusion. "Walnuts? Since when have you liked walnuts?"
Val groaned, hanging her head and narrowing her eyes at her rounding belly. "Blame your son. I swear, they've all I've been wanting since we got back last night and Lee sent up that cake."
Varian knew he was awful for laughing but her utter annoyance at something so trivial made it impossible not to, and not even his palm clamped against his mouth managed to save face. "It's not funny!"
Varian snorted against his will, putting her hair behind her ear and looking genuinely sympathetic underneath his mirth. "I know it's not Sweetheart, and I'm sorry, I truly am, but I didn't realise one slice of cake could set off a craving, that's all."
Val huffed, falling forward and putting her forehead on his chest. "Neither did I, and it's absolutely abominable."
His rough palm felt lovely on her back as he rubbed it, and she found her eyes starting to close again. "I'll have a bowl brought up with breakfast."
She had to smile at how easily he'd accepted such an odd request, twirling the ends of his loose hair around two fingers. "Thank you….and apologies for any shit I put you through in the coming months."
Varian lifted her chin with a smirk on his face. "Rest assured I won't take any of it personally, and will keep in mind that you're at the mercy of your hormones when you call me all the names under the sun."
He was trying to get her to smile, she knew it, and Light damn it all it worked again. "Speaking of breakfast…"
Varian chuckled again, groping for the sponge and finding it, finding it more effective to get the still warm water on her shoulders and chest. "Anduin's not awake yet, I'm afraid, I've already had Lee check. But the minute he is, he, Minnie, Cillian and Thomas will be summoned to our chambers to eat with us in privacy."
He put his hand on her belly, looking a little too serious for her liking. "I'm leaving it up to you whether we tell them our news or not."
Val was the one to smile this time, cradling her bump in both hands. "I think it's impossible to hide it now even if we tried to. No, they're our family, they deserve to know."
Varian chuckled, feeling his heart lift with the nudge he felt against his life toughened palm. "I'm sure Minnie will immediately get the knitting needles out."
Val grimaced, which wasn't quite the reaction he'd hoped for. "I almost hope and pray that she will. Varian, if we've worked this out right and I am four months now, we need to get our arses in gear. We only have what, five months? We have no clothes, no napkins, no cradle to speak of, then there's the whole damn nursery to sort-"
Varian hastily shushed her, not enjoying how flustered she was getting and running his hands up her arms in an attempt to soothe her. "Val, all that will be sorted out with plenty of time to spare, I promise you."
She clearly wasn't placated by anything he'd said, but he figured it wouldn't take one quick conversation to content her, it would take actions more than anything, that had always been her way and he'd just have to accept that. "What if we went to the market later? Just the three of us, see if there's anything you like?"
She seemed to hate the very thought of it by how quickly her face paled. "But that means telling everyone in the city…"
He inwardly punched himself in the face for overlooking that one crucial detail. "Forget it, we'll do it another day."
Val surprised him once again by shaking her head. "I suppose they have to know at some point…but I want it done on our terms."
She wrung her hands, appreciating how he kept quiet so she could get everything straight. "I have no idea how this all works with royals. Do we tell the crier? Is it unfurled on a banner outside the Keep? How is this done?"
Varian gently shushed her, taking her hands and squeezing them. "It will be done the same way that it was with Anduin; a simple notice outside the Keep and a formal announcement ball." She tensed again. "…or we can skip the ball? Either way both our kingdom and Stormwind will know about the baby by the end of this week."
She was trembling, shaking her head too quickly for his liking. "No, we have to do this the right way."
Varian lifted her chin and held it. "The 'right' way is the one that keeps you as calm as possible Val, and if that means we nix the pomp and circumstance of it all then so bloody be it."
She took a deep breath, taking his hand away and hugging herself in an attempt to calm down. "No. You're still the king, we'll have the ball."
Her head hung again and he wasn't sure why. "But I want to do it as your wife. We have to tell the council that we married."
Varian withered, once again wishing to the Light that he could simply abdicate and live a life of simplicity. "I know we do. I wasn't planning to, but the baby has made me rethink our plan. I'll call Priestess Anetta in to confirm everything and Lee can find the documents that prove it. They'll know that the baby is legitimate and no word is to be said otherwise."
That brought a small smile to her face. "It seems the most sensible choice."
Varian slowly nodded. "Aye, it does. That doesn't mean I like it but it's the way it has to be."
She played with his chest again, drawing random patterns with her fingertips. "So we have another plan going."
Varian's nod was more certain this time. "We do."
She pushed back, stepping out of the bath and wrapping a towel around her. "Thank you for not passing my worries off as 'just being hysterical'."
Varian lifted himself out, taking the towel she passed him and roughly rubbing himself. "Val, I would never do that and you know it. You insult me by even insinuating it."
He threw it down and held her, kissing the crown of her head. "This is a major shake up in our lives, I don't expect you to know exactly what you're doing, hells, I don't have a clue and I've been a father for five years already."
She quietly laughed into his chest, still not looking up at him. "That's not filling me with confidence Varian."
He shrugged, feeling the chill bite at him now he'd left the water and ushering her into the main chamber. "You asked me for the truth Sweetheart, and that's all I'll give you, with no added sugar."
Her nose wrinkled and he had to strain to hear her when she disappeared into the closet. "Can I have a little bit of sugar sometimes?"
He easily caught the breeches she threw him, pulling his shorts on first then shimmying them up his legs. "If that's what you would prefer Sweetheart."
He heard a sigh coming from the other room and chose to investigate, leaning on the doorframe. "You're annoyed at something."
Val held up two dresses with a look of utter disdain on her face. "I can guarantee none of these are going to fit anymore."
Varian knew he'd be lynched for any answer he gave but decided to take his chances, gently guiding her arms so she put the garments down and squeezing her shoulder. "Wear one of my shirts for now and I'll have these sent to the tailor as soon as Lee gets here. Stop worrying yourself over silly little things Val, this can be fixed easily enough."
Her face relaxed. "I'm glad you didn't just say 'I'll buy you new ones'."
He passed her the shirt he'd promised, shrugging as if it were nothing, which now she really thought about it, was quite true. A few dresses were no concern to a king, no matter how humble she could praise Varian for being.
"I won't be ordering an entirely new wardrobe for you, I grant you that, but a few maternity dresses won't hurt to have. Once we have your measurements later I'll have them sent down, so make a note of what kind of thing you want."
She smiled, which was the last response he'd expected considering it was nearly always an inevitability that she'd become enraged whenever her spoke of treating her in some form of material possession. "I never thought I'd need them."
The quiet tone to her voice held every emotion that was running through Varian's head as well as hers. "I know, and you can't begin to believe how happy it makes me standing here and talking about getting them."
She looked down, running a thumb over the top of her bump. "I suppose I can think of worse reasons for my clothes not fitting me."
He passed her breeches to her, kissing her knuckles when he caught her hand. "Indeed, and I for one find it rather endearing."
He looked down at himself, finding himself to be rather under-dressed considering his son was about to see him after months on end. "May I suggest we finish getting ready so we can eat? I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
Val didn't hesitate to nod, ducking under his arm. "I can only presume it's my appetite coming back, but I could absolutely murder a full breakfast right now."
Varian chuckled, following her back into their room. "You and I both."
Val was just about ready when she heard Anduin chirping outside their door, and from the way Varian sat up straighter from the morning's missives, he heard it too.
She was never completely sure whether it was appropriate to smother Anduin with as much affection as she did, but for today all she wanted to do was scoop him up and cover him in enough kisses so that her lips bled afterward.
She fiddled with her knee length waistcoat, wondering whether it was even worth trying to 'hide' her bump at this point or make it abundantly obvious and break the ice early. Varian abandoned his task and reached back for her hand, linking their fingers and taking a rather shaky deep breath.
"I take it you're nervous too?"
He nodded, tightening his grip. "Children can change so drastically in such a small amount of time, he could be completely different."
She had to find it a little funny that as soon as he'd said it Anduin burst into their chambers, pelting straight for Varian, who gladly caught him as he flew and lifted him to his hip, letting Anduin's other arm pull Val in by the neck. "Father! Mum! Lee said you were back but I wasn't sure whether to believe him! But you're here!"
Val unlatched his limb from her, taking him from Varian and ignoring the King's look of concern and kissing Anduin's head. "We are Anduin, we're home baby."
Varian stroked his son's head, breathing in the smell of the light oil that someone had put through his tidied locks. "I take it you're glad to see us?"
Anduin nodded so quickly they thought his head was going to fall off. "I've missed you two terribly! Have you missed me?"
Varian knew he was facing the wrath of a 'mother' by plucking Anduin from Val's arms so he had him again but he didn't care, he needed to hold his ba- his oldestboy.
Light, that will take some getting used to.
"Of course we did, how dare you insinuate otherwise!"
Val pulled at the hem of Anduin's shorts with quite the amused grin. "You've shot up again Little Lion! I swear I can't keep up with these growth spurts of yours."
Anduin looked down with a creased brow. "And you look different as well Mum! Why's your belly like that? Did you eat too much?"
Varian swallowed, kissing Anduin's head. "We'll explain in a minute son, as soon as your Grammy gets here."
Val leant in as she heard Minnie's voice drift in. "What exactly have you told her?"
Varian tightened his grip on Anduin so the boy didn't flop onto Val. "About the entrapment, and that was why I was bringing you home. Apart from that, nothing."
She briskly nodded, deciding to do the buttons on her waistcoat for all the good it would do and feeling a lump in her throat when Minnie wasted no time in coming over to embrace her.
There was no need for anything to be said that couldn't wait until later, and Minnie's bony hands trailing up and down Val's arms and the look of relief on her lined face was enough to tell her all the older woman needed to.
"You look alot better than I thought you would, I'll admit. I was sure you'd still be blue from what Varian told me."
Val gave her a smile, holding her grandmother's hands tightly. "I've been well looked after."
She sighed, figuring it was now or never. "We'vebeen well looked after."
Varian took that as his cue to put Anduin down so the two of them could be told together. He put an arm around Val's waist and the simple gesture gave Val the strength she needed to spit it out. "I didn't come home because of the crash Grammy. Varian brought me home because a battlefield is no place for a pregnant woman."
There was a thick silence for a few seconds, and they watched Minnie's brows slowly draw in. "P-pregnant? You…you were pregnantall the time you were in that death-trap?"
Her glare snapped to Varian, with an accusatory finger pointing at his scarred face. "You lether go to that damned necropolis knowingshe was pregnant?! Varian Wrynn have you not a brain in your bleedin' head?!"
Varian's jaw set and Val could do nothing but pull Anduin to her, knowing full well that she wasn't going to be able to stop this argument even if she tried.
"Don't assume that I knew when I gave her troop their orders! Had I the slightest inklingshe was with child I would've made sure she'd gone nowhere near that thing! Don't you dare accuse me of putting my wife and son in danger!"
Anduin looked up at Val with the large, toothy smile that she'd been using to get her through the arduous days in Northrend. "It's a boy, Mum?! I have a baby brother?"
Val nodded, ignoring the two adults that had called an uneasy truce and bending to kiss his forehead. "Aye, Little Lion, you're going to be a big brother. Does this displease you?"
She could see Varian holding a breath, anxious to hear exactly what his son thought of the whole affair, but once again Anduin exceeded expectation and turned himself around, putting his arms around Val's waist and threatening to make her eyes water for the millionth time today by putting his head on her belly.
"Not in the slightest! I can't wait! When will he be here?"
Varian could see the same question on Minnie's face despite her not giving voice to it. "If we've worked the dates out correctly, he should be here sometime in March. But a midwife will be coming later this morning to confirm it."
Now Minnie relaxed, holding Val's shoulders and swallowing hard. "See, what did I tell you? 'Don't think about it and it'll happen'. One day you'll start listening to me."
Val's voice cracked and Varian's hand on her back only just helped stop her collapsing into tears altogether. "I suppose I should. It's still sounding rather surreal to me."
Minnie laughed, letting go of one of her hands to take Varian's instead. "It will do my girl, until you hold that boy in your arms you won't even believe that you're carrying him."
She squeezed their hands as much as she could. "May the Light be kind to you both and bring him into the world happy and healthy. Congratulations you two."
Val wiped her eyes, letting Varian put his spare arm around her shoulders. "Thank you Grammy."
Anduin was staring at Val's belly like he had a million questions. "So the baby is in there?"
Varian chuckled, letting Minnie do her usual fussing and make the bed despite it really being Nan's job. It made him realise that the servants hadn't been called and he'd have to remedy that in the next five minutes so the two women he was with didn't unite against him to do menial tasks. "Aye son, the baby is there, and there he'll stay until he's ready to be born."
Anduin's little brow furrowed. "Was I in my mama's belly like this then?"
Varian bent to Anduin's level, squeezing his shoulder. "Aye, you were. For a little over nine months you were in your mama's warm belly, then on Winter Veil night you decided you wanted to meet us."
Anduin gave Varian a small smile. "Were you excited to see me then, Father?"
Varian brought the boy to him, lifting him again and not caring that he was too big for it. "Of course I was, I don't want you ever thinking any different. From the minute your mama told me she was having you all I wanted to do was hold you in my arms and smother you with love, just as I do your brother."
Val brushed her fingertips over Anduin's velvet jerkin with a warm smile. "And we're going to make sure you know that we love you just as much as this baby, alright? There'll be no favourites here."
Anduin's quick nod didn't exactly fill them with confidence about how much he'd actually taken in, but they supposed it just meant they'd have to work harder to prove their promise was a true one. "Can I have first hold?"
Varian chuckled, patting his boy's back and gently pushing him towards the table, letting Val pull the rope and summon everybody. "Sorry son, but that privilege is all mine I'm afraid. I'm staying in the room with your mum this time around so I can do exactly that."
Anduin climbed onto his chair, swinging his legs and looking up at Varian. "Did you not do it with me then?"
Varian frowned, holding his little shoulders and glancing at his wife, hating that his conversation with his son was preventing him from saying a thing to her about how she'd started pottering with her grandmother. "No, I didn't, and I've regretted it every day."
Anduin's smile put Varian at ease about the whole debacle that had been his birth, but it wouldn't shift the guilt buried deep within the king's chest. "I know you would've been there if you could have been."
Varian bent to kiss his head, letting go of his shoulders. "Of course I would've been. I suppose I'm just going to have to make up for It, won't I?"
Anduin's head tilted. "And how will you do that?"
Varian shrugged, not thinking that far ahead. "I'm sure I'll be able to think of something once I wake up a little bit more."
Anduin started laughing, craning his head back. "Are you still sleepy then Father?"
Varian slowly nodded, letting Minnie and Val talk on the balcony and appreciating that she needed a minute with the only member of her family that was immediately present. "You'll soon learn son, that your old man and the sea are not a good mix. How your mum does it is beyond me."
Anduin gave him that delicate smile that all children seemed to be a master of, one that threatened to melt his heart every damn time. "I like going on boats. It means we're going somewhere fun."
It was like something sparked in Varian's head. "You know what son, that is a verygood point."
Anduin's face went blank. "What was?"
patted his shoulder. "I'm going to speak to your Uncle Nizaar at the ball about us all spending a few weeks in Bonan, how does that sound?"
Anduin's loud gasp threatened to give him away but Varian wasn't that fussed. "But father, isn't Winter Veil in Samarkand this year anyway?"
Varian had no clue, and he was sure it showed on his face. "I'm not sure son, I should think it is. It was in Ironforge last year, wasn't it?"
Anduin nodded, not realising that all it did was make Varian realise how long he'd been away considering they were already talking about Winter Veil again.
"Then I suppose it is in Bonan this year. I'll make sure of that and regardless, we'll take a trip depending on how mum is, sound good?"
Anduin nodded enthusiastically. "I would like that! I want to see how they do it with no snow!"
Varian chuckled, ruffling his hair. "You don't need snow for it to be Winter Veil Anduin."
His son's smile dropped like a stone and suddenly he looked rather worried. "Father…does you being home mean that Grammy has to go home as well?"
Varian could see the disappointment in his eyes and could do nothing but shrug dumbly. "It's entirely up to your Grammy, Anduin. If she wants to stay here she's more than welcome to, but if she wants to go home we can't stop her."
Anduin looked completely downcast. "I hope she chooses to stay. It's been really nice having her to myself for a while."
He seemed to realise what that meant before Varian could point it out. "But then the others haven't seen her…maybe it's better if she does go home."
Varian pulled a face, bending to Anduin's ear. "Or I could write to your Uncle Cillian about bringing them all here, that's a possibility as well son."
He heard Val's laugh behind him as Anduin practically vibrated in his seat, turning to find her petting Esme, who had apparently noticed that her mistress' window was open again and had found her way up to the balcony. "What have you just told him?"
Varian feigned innocence, giving Anduin a less than sly wink. "Nothing of worth Sweetheart, I can assure you."
He kissed the side of her head, taking advantage of the precious privacy they had before they were bombarded with servants. "You know him, he gets excited about anything and everything."
"I heard that!"
Anduin's small footsteps followed his father and despite Varian's grumbles they seemed to have all gathered on the balcony, with Minnie lighting a cigarette before he could stop her. "So who else knows about the baby?"
Val nestled under Varian's arm and let Esme jump into hers, raising an eyebrow at the little paw batting Varian's hand affectionately. "Only Lee and Ca-"
She stopped herself and Varian immediately took it as his cue to tighten his grip, sighing at Minnie's confused look. "Unfortunately we lost Carson to hypothermia hours before the rescue."
Minnie hung her head, pinching the bridge of her nose and putting the other hand on her hip. "Sweet fucking Light. Of all the things to finally take that boy."
She looked over to Anduin, who had run back into their chambers to let Gregor and the ladies in, enthusiastically hugging a hyperactive Alice and dancing around with the puppy.
"When are you going to tell him? He loved him like he was an uncle."
Val swallowed hard, stroking Esme's head a bit hard. "We know that Grammy. Soon. We need to wait until Carson's brought back with the others first. The ships-"
She floundered and thankfully Varian came to her rescue once again. "The ships that bring the dead home come monthly, and the latest hasn't left yet."
Minnie frowned, flicking her ash. "That boy was a grafter, so he had my respect. He'll be bloody missed."
Varian murmured an agreement, ushering them all back inside and rubbing Alice behind the ears once she noticed him and jumped up at his legs, bouncing on her hind ones and barking like nobody's business. "Alright, alright, calm yourself you little hairball."
Of course Esme slunk beneath Varian's armchair, catching Anduin's attention and making the boy flop onto the floor, ignoring his father's and Grammy's warnings not to, and attempting to coax her out while Varian brought Gregor up to speed and let the groom do the same to the newly returned king.
Nan ignored Gregor's pointed look and embraced Val at the same time Cathy did, pulling back and looking down at her belly with a large smile. "I knew there was a reason you were back Milady. Congratulations."
Val squeezed her hand, taking Cathy's in the other. "Thank you Nan. I can only apologise though, since I'm more than sure your workload is about to double whether any of us like it or not."
Cathy caught her glance at Varian and started laughing, folding her arms and making Val glad that they were here if she were honest; she didn't have any real 'friends' in the Keep bar Varian, so her little circle of Nan, Cathy, Lee and Wyll was rather precious to her.
"We remember what he was like with Queen Tiffin, Milady, we'll be ready for it this time and don't mind it at all."
Nan looked strangely jealous. "I think it's quite endearing that he cares so much. Not many fathers would show such an interest."
Val was watching him now, having the leg of his trousers pulled on by an borderline upset Anduin and immediately dropping what he was saying to Gregor in order to lower himself onto the floor where Anduin had just been and practically scoop Esme from her hiding place, handing the annoyed cat to the boy and dusting his doublet off like nothing had happened.
"I'm thankful for it every day Nan."
She hated how easily emotional she was getting lately but here she was doing it again. "We've wanted this child for so bloody long."
She glanced over at Varian again. "When we were teens we used to talk about how many children we'd have and it would always sound so surreal. Now here we are with two boys and it stillsounds utterly ridiculous."
She started, putting a hand on her bump again and starting to wonder whether the babe could hear her sometimes. "Varian, he's awake."
The king's face lit up and he lifted Anduin by the armpits, gently moving a still bouncing Alice away and thanking Minnie for calling the pup over to her and carrying the boy over to Val.
He guided Anduin's hand until it was flat on her belly and ignored the laugh when Val slid it a little bit to the left. "Oh!" Anduin reeled back, looking far more concerned than either of them had expected them to be.
"Anduin? What's wrong?"
The boy had shrunk in on himself a little. "Something moved!"
He probably had no idea and was most likely offended at how his father started laughing at what he considered to be a rather pressing matter, nor did he understand why everyone except Gregor was slowly joining in. Varian held his hand again and put it back, pressing harder when Anduin felt the strange sensation again and went to move back.
"Anduin, that's your brother you're feeling. He's just saying good morning, that's all."
There was a red tinge to the princes cheeks once he'd let his father's explanation sink in, and he looked coyly up at his rather amused stepmother. "Oh. Sorry mum."
He patted her belly. "Sorry little brother. You startled me, that's all."
His head tilted. "Does it hurt when he does that Mum?"
Val shook her head, running her fingers through Anduin's hair. "No Anduin, it doesn't. it'll get uncomfortable as I get bigger but for now it's fine."
Anduin looked rather perturbed. "Bigger? What do you mean bigger?"
Varian was grateful that Nan and Cathy needed no prodding to start bringing their breakfast in from the cart he could only just see sitting outside their door, it gave the family another precious few seconds of private time.
"Mum's belly will get bigger as the baby grows Anduin, that's all. There's no need to worry."
Val was gasping for the tea that Nan was setting out, so after Minnie stubbed her cigarette out the four of them sat down, with Anduin still clearly brimming with questions that they were more than eager to answer.
"Are you sure you don't mind me going? I can cancel if you want, just say the word and I'll stay put."
Val appreciated Varian's enthusiasm but shook her head all the same, brushing his doublet down. "Varian, I'll be grand. Sure, Grammy's here and I'm sure this won't even take that long. Go to council, have your meeting, then you can come back here and get caught up."
Varian's grimace deepened. "I can't say sorry enough times for the fact that we're going to have to tell them everything."
Val shrugged, feeling rather numb to it all. "I'm sure we can deal with whatever comes next. Now go, before you're late."
Varian sighed, wishing he had just put his foot down but knowing full well she'd never forgive him for it, leaning in the doorway again and flashing his son a pained smile. "Be good for mum Anduin, and let her listen to everything the midwife says, alright? It's important we know every little detail."
Anduin held up a sheaf of paper and his little quill in triumph. "I'll write it all down for you Father!"
Varian's chuckle lightened the mood and he waved a hearty goodbye, letting Val close the door and breathe a sigh of relief. "I love that man, but Light he worries like an old maid."
Minnie shrugged, pushing her glasses up her nose and choosing the right knitting needles, proving Varian right and already deciding to make the baby something without even knowing how big it was yet.
Thankfully she'd shared Val's concerns about not having anything prepared and chosen to actually do something about it, which was more than the woman actually expecting the baby had done. "Would you rather he doesn't give a damn? You'd be the first one moaning my ear off if he just let you get on with it Valerica, don't even start so."
Val plucked a walnut from the bowl, glad that Varian had made good on his promise earlier since it seemed the baby's appetite for the things had really kicked in. "I know, but if he's like this now, I dread to think how he'll be in even say, a few months. He'll work himself into a state and make himself ill over it, I just know it."
Now Minnie's eyebrow cocked. "Oh give over, that's hardly likely to happen Valerica."
Val was starting to get nervous now, gently holding Nan's arm as she went past. "Put some tea on the fire ready, I don't want to seem impolite. Cathy, close the windows, they're letting in a chill."
Minnie's brow furrowed more. "Will you stop worryin'? It's a midwife visit, not a feckin' interrogation."
Val stroked Anduin's head as he merrily sat with Alice on the floor in front of the fireplace.
"I just want to make a good impression Grammy. Remember, as far as she's concerned, I'm the partner of the king and nothing more, and that means I have to put in some effort."
Anduin tore his gaze away from his tin soldiers, holding a hand up and letting Val take it. "You'll be great Mum, you'll see. I bet she's really nice."
Val wasn't sure whether she was imagining Anduin's palm growing warmer or not but either way it felt pleasant, with a strange calm trailing up her arm.
She put it down to just having a child that had no sense of anxiety purely out of childish innocence try to cheer her up and damn it all if it wasn't working. "It's not quite her I'm worried about Little Lion, it's whether she and your father get on that I'm worried about."
Cathy tried to hide her snort and failed, putting a hand in front of her mouth as she sat next to Anduin, clearly acting as a stand in for Sofia, who would be coming to the Keep later on. "You think he'll argue with her?"
Val murmured an affirmation, coming close to biting her nails, something she hadn't done since she was about fourteen. "You honestly think he won't? And even if by the Light's bleeding grace he doesn't, he'll take every single little word she says literally. Think about it, he's being protective now, can you imagine if she says my temperatures a bit high, or my ankles are swollen? I'll be locked in here like fucking Rapunzel, begging people to climb up at get me."
Again Minnie's eyebrow rose. "Alright, now you're just being ridiculous. Varian cares, that's the end of it, and if he goes overboard just talkto the man about it, did ye ever think of that?"
Val had barely opened her mouth before she carried on. "No, of course you didn't. Do you know something, I would've killedfor a man like Varian when I was having my two. Your Grand-da thought 'helping' was wetting their heads enough that the poor little bastards would drown down at One eyed Jacks. You be grateful my girl, you could do a hells of alot worse."
Even though she was being berated Val has a smile on her face, finally coming around to the idea that Varian was just trying to help and didn't actually mean it when he took his smothering too far. Her nerves flared up again at a brisk knock at the door and Varro sticking his head in with his signature dopey grin on his face. "Sister Gertrude for you Milady."
Fuck, that means she's old. Sweet Light I'm doomed.
Apparently Nan felt the same, trying to straighten her grimace as Val gave Varro the nod to let her in, sending a woman who was clearly about Minnie's age in, clad in habit and wimple, showing everyone who she was and what she did with merely a glance.
"Lady Glenmore. Pleasure."
Val found her voice after a few seconds of strangled croaking, cutting grooves in her palms with her nails after clenching her hands by her sides to stop herself fidgeting. "Good morning Sister. Would you like some tea?"
A smile broke out on the older woman's face and Val could feel herself deflate in relief. "Yes please. No sugar."
Val gave instruction to Nan, coming to join the sister by the bed. "His Majesty not joining us?"
Val shook her head, wondering if that was a strike against him in her eyes and preparing herself to defend Varian should she need to. "No, he's been called away to council."
She seemed pleased to hear it. "Good. Just us women then."
Anduin sat up with a furrowed brow. "I'mnot a woman!"
That finally broke the ice, with Minnie putting her knitting down and ruffling Anduin's hair.
"Oh my apologies Your Highness, I didn't see you there."
Anduin got onto his knees, abandoning his toys and disgruntling Esme since she was rather comfy curled up on his lap. "I'm Father's stand in."
Val chuckled, trying to stop her cheeks warming. "He's not, but Varian and I like to include him in things like this."
The sister slowly nodded, eyeing the prince. "Alright young sir, come over here and help me then."
Anduin had probably never moved faster, perching himself on the bed and swinging his legs. Gertrude's leathery hand patted Val's arm, with her head inclining to the bed.
"Lay down and pull up your shirt Milady. First thing we'll do it check baby's heartbeat and see how far you are."
Val obeyed her, taking a deep breath as she watched the canopy above her like it held all the questions to life itself.
"His Majesty's letter told me you already know the gender?"
Val nodded, putting an arm behind her head to prop it up. "A little boy, yes. Though the priest that looked me over was half frost bitten by that point, so it's not confirmed."
She sucked in a breath and two rough palms lightly pushed and shaped her bump. "Are her hands cold Mum?"
Val raised her spare for Anduin to hold, but it was Minnie who opened her mouth first. "Hush Little Lion, and let her do her work."
Sister Gertrude shook her head, giving the prince a warm smile. "He's absolutely fine."
She opened the large leather bag she had brought in with her and rummaged around until she found a tape measure that looked exactly like the one Minnie used when she was measuring them all for tunics and shirts.
The metal end was placed at the top of her belly and the other at the bottom, with the rough cloth running in a perfect line down the middle. Sister Gertrude gently nudged a clearly intrigued Anduin, glancing at the tape measure. "Your Highness, would you please tell me what number is at the bottom of Her Ladyships belly?"
Anduin craned up, finding the spot she was talking about and pointing to it to make sure. Once she nodded again he peered down and straightened. "22."
Sister Gertrude turned her attention to Val, patting her bent knee. "Twenty two weeks along then."
Minnie's brow furrowed. "And what's that in months?"
The sister clearly didn't mind her interruption and merely smiled. "Four and a half. So she's almost halfway through already."
Val felt her chest tighten a little now it was confirmed and real. 'Almost halfway through'…it sounded absolutely ridiculous and made her question how the hells neither she nor Varian had noticed anything amiss. "I take it you only found out recently?"
Val nodded, swallowing hard. "Two weeks ago."
There was a look of sympathy on the Sister's face. "Must've been a bit of a fright for you, eh?"
Val wrinkled her nose, actually managing to look at her now she'd calmed down a little bit. "We've been trying for over a year. I suppose we just didn't think the Light would make its timing so undesirable."
Anduin patted Val's bump, more invested than she'd expected a five year old to be. "He kicked me earlier."
Nan was the first to chuckle as she gave the good sister her tea, putting Val's on the bedside. "Oh did he now? So you're feeling movement already then?"
Val gave her a wobbly smile, sitting up on her elbows and trying not to gag at the smell of the tea leaves wafting over. "I started feeling tiny little rolls last week, but the first kick was a few days ago. Safe to say His Majesty was as shocked as I was that it was so soon."
A liver spotted hand of dismissal waved in front of the elder woman. "Anything from sixteen weeks is pretty much normal to feel kicks Milady, but you'll soon realise that no two pregnancies are the same. I had a mother once who could swear blind she felt movement at three months, and another who felt not a nudge until she was six months gone."
Her brow creased. "Is this your first pregnancy?"
Val felt her eyes betraying her and watering without her wanting them to. "It is. Varian- His Majesty and I were told it would be difficult for me to conceive."
Gertrude seemed to know what she was talking about. "The growths, yes, I read the report from your old midwife. Damn those things to the hells below. I tell you, I treat more women with uterine growths than I have hot dinners."
Val's eyebrow rose. "Is it really that common?"
Gertrude nodded, sipping her tea. "More than you would think they were. His Majesty told me you were treating them though?"
Val sat up properly now they'd taken a break, pointing to her vanity. "Nan, pass me that blue bottle please."
The maid brought it over, letting Gertrude open the stopper and give it a sniff, recoiling slightly. "Good Light I can smell the Samark from here. Did they tell you what it is?"
Val laughed, stroking Anduin's head as he started measuring her belly purely for the fun of it. "They did, but it was so long ago that I can't remember for the life of me."
Gertrude shared a look of exasperation with Minnie. "You young girls wouldn't remember to put your shoes on if you weren't told, I tell you."
She held Val's arm and helped her back again, seeing that she preferred to sit up already and fixing the pillows accordingly. "Well, we can see the results, whatever the case. I would suggest not taking it for the duration though Milady, just in case."
Val took her tea from the bedside, glad that she could taste the extra sugar lump that Nan had slyly put in it. "We decided it the minute we found out."
She was rummaging in her bag again, and thankfully Anduin's curiosity asked questions she was truthfully a little embarrassed to. "What's that?"
Gertrude showed him the instrument that Val was sure she'd be using on her in a moment, putting her other palm on Val's belly."It's called a pinard, Your Highness. I'm going to use it to find baby's heartbeat and determine it's position."
The wider end was put on Val's belly and there was a polite silence as the midwife bent down and rested her ear on the flat end, furrowing her brow and smiling after a good few seconds. "There we are. Strong and well paced, just how I like them."
Anduin leant over, still trying to work the process out in his head. "Can I listen please?"
Gertrude moved out of the way with a large smile, instructing the prince as he copied her actions and his little face lit up, making his stepmother want to cry again despite feeling no sadness at all. "I take it that means you can hear it?"
He nodded, crawling up the bed and slumping next to Val with the most bright of smiles on his face. "I heard him Mum! I heard my baby brother!"
She put an arm around him and gave an affectionate squeeze, kissing his forehead. "You can tell your father about it when we see him after council then, can't you?"
Sister Gertrude's face turned stern and she beckoned Anduin to her. "Now then, apologies Your Highness, but this next part is just for us women."
Minnie, who was standing by the bedside with her arms folded and a sly smile on her face, noticed Val's grimace. "Don't look like that my girl. If you were that concerned about being comfortable and having your dignity, you wouldn't have let that boy near you."
Val narrowed her eyes at her all the while she shuffled down, letting the sister manipulate her legs and taking a deep breath, readying herself for another four months of this and finding a smile gracing her face despite it all.
Once the sister had taken her leave, Val had waited patiently for Varian's return, giving him the embrace he clearly needed when he did eventually come through the door, not seeing how he started in slight surprise. "Oh? And what have I done to earn this?"
She laughed so lightly he could do nothing but smile down at her, seeing a spark in her eye that circumstance and constant disappointment had almost extinguished. It was one he was glad to see back, and he was sure it was obvious on his face while he moved a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Am I not allowed to show my husband affection whenever I choose to?"
His chuckle was low but there was no exhaustion behind it like there had been since the war started, and to say it was refreshing to hear would probably be the understatement of the millennia. "Hm, I'm not sure, since it normally comes with the words 'can I have' afterwards."
Her swat only made him laugh harder, and he greatly appreciated the coffee Nan handed him as he pulled his gloves of and swapped them for the mug.
"So what did the sister have to say?"
Val patted Anduin's head, making him momentarily glance up from his schoolwork, work that Varian had told his tutor he could do in their chambers today.
Sitting across from him in Val's chair was a dutiful Minnie accepting Varian's kiss on her cheek and putting her glasses back around her neck, letting the lad take a break from the book she was helping him translate. "Why don't you ask her dutiful little assistant? I tell you Varian, you should've seen the lad, he was so eager to help with every little thing."
Anduin was apparently listening despite his concentration, bouncing on his knees. "I heard the heartbeat father! I used the pee-nard!"
Varian lifted him to his hip, expertly balancing him even with a steaming mug in his other hand. His eyebrow rose and Val quickly jumped in to tell him what Anduin had actually meant, making it lower again. "And? Was it good and strong?"
Anduin nodded, playing with the ends of his father's ponytail. "Sister said it was!"
Val leant up for the kiss Varian ducked down for and took Anduin from him so he could take his cloak off with steady fingers. "She said I'm four and half months along, and she's satisfied with everything at this point."
Varian put his mug down and kissed her again, showing her his look of relief. "That's good to hear Sweetheart. It's nice to have everything set solid, it makes it a bit more real."
She took the hand that he'd put on her cheek, holding it with both of hers. "How was council?"
Varian's light demeanour evaporated and his top lip curled. "Those men all deserve to be lined up and shot. The amount of problems I haven't been consulted on is actually staggering."
Minnie huffed, coming to join them and making sure Anduin was occupied. "No sooner had you set sail then that Prestor woman started throwing her weight around."
Val's brow creased and she took the lemon water that Nan passed to her. "What have they done?"
Varian's jaw set and he slumped onto his desk chair once he'd turned it around. "Remember how I told Ridgewell to fund the war 'by any means necessary', and you said it would bite me in the arse? Well guess what, it bit me in the arse good and proper."
His head snapped round to Nan. "Whiskey."
He ignored Val's look of disapproval and pinched the bridge of his nose. "They introduced a poll tax pretty much the minute I left Stormwind."
Now she was just confused. "Poll tax? What does that mean?"
Varian exhaled slowly through flared nostrils. "It means a tax is enforced with a fixed amount. It doesn't matter what class, creed or profession you are, everyone pays the same amount of gold."
Val swallowed, not really wanting to ask this but doing it anyway. "How much?"
Varian's eyes held the exhaustion she thought had faded. "Too much. It's been in circulation for the six months I've been away and bled every farmer, miner and merchant dry. I have petitions of complaint coming out of my ears and an emergency audience has been called for tomorrow…I can only begin to imagine the lynching I'm going to receive, and quite rightly so."
Val squeezed his shoulder, knowing full well that it wouldn't do anything to fix the colossal problem that a simple request being taken literally had caused, but there wasn't much else she really could do. "We'll fix this Varian."
He gave her a weak smile, putting his hand on her belly and letting the tiny kicks that beat against his palm every now and then soothe him more than the whiskey Nan put in front of him. "You'll not involve yourself in it all. Iwill fix it."
He took her hand and kissed it. "I won't let anything stress you that doesn't need to."
She gave him a cautious smile. "Just try not to do too much by yourself Varian."
Varian of course understood the hidden warning in her tone and rose, draining his coffee instead of the whiskey, still holding her hand. "Anduin, get your boots on and find Alice's leash. We're going to find something for your brother down at market."
He gave Minnie an apologetic glance and she put a hand up. "I'll stay here, start gettin' everything ready to go home. You three have fun."
Val let go of Varian's hand and embraced her grandmother, kissing her cheek and inhaling the smell of her lavender oils that she used on her life weathered hands. "Thank you for everything Grammy. We appreciate everything, you know that, don't you?"
Minnie tutted, pulling back and cupping her cheeks. "I'm not going right this minute, no need for sentimentality just yet."
Val scrunched her nose, putting her loose hair behind her ears. "I know, I just wanted to say it, that's all. Will you be alright here while we go?"
Now her Grammy rolled her eyes, patting her shoulder. "Oh no, a large Keep where I can go wherever and do whatever I choose, however will I survive. Sure, I'll be grand. Just don't go silly on clothes yet, you've no idea how big that boy's going to be."
Val wasn't as eager as Anduin to leave their chambers yet and of course Varian noticed. "Sweetheart?"
She seemed unsure of something, and Light blind him if he wouldn't end up dragging whatever it was out of her if he had to. "Did you tell them?"
His shoulders slumped and his large hand enveloped hers. "How furious would you be if I said 'no'?"
Both her eyebrows rose and she attempted to pull back but he kept his grip. "Varian we spoke about this, you said you would tell them about the baby."
Varian swallowed hard, trying to word something right for the first time in his life. "And I did. I told them you were with child, that you weren't to partake in your duties until the boy was born, and to put the notice up…I just didn't mention the wedding."
She was growing more vexed with each passing second. "But why? Now they're going to call our son a bastard Varian, what the hells were you thinking?!"
Varian didn't mean to shush her but it left his lips before he could do anything about it.
"Val, think about this from a king's standpoint; what does it normally mean when they marry their 'mistresses' in secret?"
Val resented the title being brought up again but knew where he was going with this. She folded her arms, avoiding his eye. "That they're pregnant, or the king doesn't care about what the people want."
Varian's pained look made him look ten times older than he was. "Exactly. The whole meeting was a discussion on how to placate the masses despite it being the council's fault, which means we need to be on the same side. I can guarantee that if I told them today, the gossip train would've careened into the city and the already angry people will see me as a king who kept secrets from them, and they'd start questioning absolutely everything. I need to keep everyone sweet, and if my son being a 'bastard' for a small while does that, it's just the way it has to be."
Val really, really hated agreeing with him, but if it did indeed make the people trust him just a little bit more, what could she possibly do or say? "If it means I'm not just a 'moonlit flit' then so be it. I'll trust you to handle this your way."
He kissed her hand, well aware that she was annoyed at him, but she'd realise sooner rather than later why he did it. "Thank you."
He held his other hand out for Anduin, gripping the boy's hand a bit too tightly but not noticing until he winced. "Until later, Minnie. We should be back for dinner."
Val hadn't really said a word in all the time it took them to reach the inner city, with the walk through the Dwarven District becoming more awkward by the second, only saved by Anduin's constant chirping about the most random of things.
Varian knew why he was getting the silent treatment, and didn't resent her for it at all, for he was more than sure it wasn't himshe was berating this time.
She had made a point to look at every single person that had passed them so far, clearly reading their faces and trying to work out whether they were smiling politely or using the gesture as a cover to stare, he knew her so well it was like clockwork at this point in their lives. "Val, none of them think ill of you, you can relax."
She didn't, and he'd expected nothing less. Instead she completely ignored what he'd said and looked up at Varro instead, feigning to both Varian and the world that she didn't worry at all about what people thought about her condition, or the newest blow that most of the people they were amongst were under the impression that she and Varian were still unmarried.
Varian, Varro and Jon all knew she was putting on a show, but also were very much aware that any attempt to point out that it wasn't necessary was a waste of precious breath. "How's Jorah been?"
Varro glanced at the king, who of course approved the subject avoidance, giving Val a smile that had something behind it. "Settled back into Silvermoon beautifully, according to his mother."
Val's brow furrowed. "Well, she wasted no time getting back there, did she?"
Varro shrugged, blowing a stray curl from his face. "It is what it is. Don't ask me how they rebuilt it so damn quick, but they did, and now my son lives there and I down here, that's the way it is and the sooner I accept it the better."
Val put a hand on his arm, looking so genuinely concerned that it took Varian no time at all to see she cared for the guard, meaning she trusted him, which was all he had wanted. "Are you still seeing him though? Or has she broken all contact?"
Varro didn't grimace, which was promising. "Every month he's going to come down here and stay with me."
Jon snickered to Varian's right, helping Anduin hold on to a rather peppy Alice's leash so the poor boy wasn't sent flying with a single tug. "Make sure you boil your sheets before he does."
Varro gave him a middle finger, making Val laugh as much as the veteran guard. "Ser Varro, you're not bringing women into the barracks, are you?"
Varro's pale skin went a dull crimson and she only laughed harder at Varian's raised eyebrow. "It was probably only once or twice…it was nowhere near as many as this bastard is making out."
Varian grimaced, gesturing to Anduin. "That's enough, both of you. Your love lives are of no concern to me as long as you pass the monthly medical."
Jon waved to those who greeted him, noticing Val stiffen again. "So we heard it's another boy?"
Val's stiff nod make Varian want to sigh, but he suspected that no amount of honeyed words from him would lift her from the cloud of anxiety surrounding her.
It wasn't visible to anyone that didn't know her, but to someone like Varian, who prided himself on doing exactly that, it was like an ugly smog enveloping her with each stare she received "It is."
Varro was determined to drag a conversation out of her come hells or high water, making Varian glad someone else had the same goal he did. "Thought of any names yet?"
Val's brow furrowed. "No. We haven't really done anything yet."
Varian put his arm around her shoulders. "I started the ball rolling in council today. A designer will be in next week to do the nursery with us."
Val's shoulders dropped a little, meaning they'd cracked her shell, which was a start. "I never thought we'd be thinking about a nursery. I have no idea what goes in one anymore. Lucian said I slept in a drawer when I was a babe."
Jon slowly nodded. "Same here. Never thought of having a whole room to myself until my brother moved out."
Varro shrugged. "The boy's to be a prince, it's got the right to at least a cradle."
Varian gave him a grateful smile. "Agreed, and by the end of the month he'll have one."
Anduin squeezed himself between his parents, passing Alice's leash completely to Jon. "Cathy said that some babies sleep with their parents in their bed Father. Why don't you just do that?"
Varian ignored how Varro started sniggering and looked down at his son. "Because that sounds like a terrible idea, that's why. Your mum rolls in her sleep, I don't want to wake up and find she's squashed the poor boy."
Val huffed with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "More than likely he'd be constantly woken up by the noise coming out of your father's face."
Varian's playful sneer made the smile appear more, making it impossible for him to take offence at the jibe to his snoring. "Either way, it's not a good idea. Your brother will have a crib, the same as you did, and that's the end of it."
Anduin's eyes lit up with what was apparently a better idea. "Maybe he can sleep in my room!"
Varian appreciated his enthusiasm but shook his head all the same. "No son, that's not practical. When he's born, your brother will need feeding every three hours, we can't keep having your mum come in and disturb you that much, it's not right."
His son's little brow furrowed. "Will I still get to see him alot, even when he's in the nursery?"
Val laughed, making Varian's chest loosen. "Anduin, I would be thoroughly shocked if your father put him down for a second once he's here, so you'll probably see him more than you think."
Varian rolled his shoulders in mild annoyance. "Well I'm sorry for wanting to smother my children in affection. Shoot me for it why don't you?"
Anduin pulled on his hand. "Did I have a nursery Father?"
Varian shook his head, expecting the confused look on his face. "No, you didn't. When you were born Anduin, the war had barely ended, and your Mama and I were…between living quarters. So, your mum being the opportunist she is-"
Val stuck her tongue out at him, accepting the kiss he quickly bent to give her regardless. "-offered us a place to stay, so while you were bornin Lordaeron Keep, your mama and I moved into Mum's house and we all lived there."
Anduin looked so utterly shocked that Varian couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's face. "We lived at Mum's house?! How long for?!"
Val had remembrance in her eye. "Until you were about two, if I remember rightly. Stormwind Keep didn't take that long to finish, and of course the council 'recommended' that he take you to live there as soon as it was completed."
Anduin gave her a lop sided grin. "So we lived with Uncle Carson too? And Uncle Arin?"
Val flinched at even the mention of the Kul Tiran's name, so Varian took it upon himself to answer the boy. They'd both agreed that they would sit him down at bedtime and tell him what had become of Carson, but for now they'd let him enjoy being involved in the preparations for his brother's arrival. "We did. It was a little cosy, but we got by."
Val inclined her head to Jon. "These poor sods had to stand outside by the steps day in day out."
Both guards shivered at the memory. "Now that, I do not miss at all."
Varro grunted in agreement. "I'm more than sure I got frostbite on my arse more than once."
He noticed Varian's glare the minute he'd finished speaking and cleared his throat. "Sorry Milady."
Jon swiftly changed the subject, not really wanting tension to ruin what had been by all accounts a rather sombre day already. "Least you don't have to think of girl names as well, gives you half the work."
Val smiled at last, putting her arm in Varian's when Anduin finally remembered that Jon wasn't the royal dog walker. "We always had a few ideas when we were teenagers, but now I think we need something that goes well with Anduin."
Varian frowned, taking the hand nestled in the crook of his arm. "Unfortunately I think that's going to be much easier said than done."
She leant up to kiss his cheek, ignoring Anduin's loud wretch. "I'm sure we'll come up with something. We have five months after all ." Varian chuckled, letting Alice jump up at his legs. "This imaginary list of things you want to do before the boy's born keeps getting longer Sweetheart."
Val wrinkled her nose as they crossed the bridge to the Trade District, hearing the comforting calls of market traders and merchants trying to entice people to buy their goods, a welcome change from generals barking orders to their troops all day and night.
"Yes well, you're not dealing with Tiffin this time around; as much as I loved her Varian, she let your court walk all over her. She had no say in anything, whereas I intend to be consulted on every last detail when it comes to this little one."
She patted her belly, snapping her hand back when the crowd started to part. "I wouldn't expect anything less Sweetheart, I just don't want you running yourself ragged doing things that I or someone else can easily do for you."
She tweaked his nose, momentarily fighting his hand when it started to bat hers away and ending up flicking his cheek with a grin. "I'm sure we could make use of you with the heavy lifting side of things."
She laughed again at his glare. "Oh yes, because that's all I'm good for isn't it?"
She was giggling, which was very much unlike her, tittering into his arm like a naughty child, and he wouldn't have it any other way considering her initial mood this afternoon. She straightened with a guilty smile, looking at the ground instead of him. "I'm being ridiculous about all this, aren't I?"
Varian fought a sigh, putting a lock of hair that had fallen from her barrette back behind her ear. "No, but that doesn't mean I approve of how much you're letting other people's approval get to you. As much as I say we should listen to our people, on this matter in particular, I'm going to tell you the complete opposite."
He held her shoulders and turned her so she was facing away from him, with her own groan telling him that she knew exactly what he was about to say. "Take one good look and tell me if there's anyone staring."
She saw a couple but she was sure that was probably because they were wondering why the hells the king had put her in this position. "There's not. But Varian-"
He squeezed her shoulders to cut her off. "No, no 'but Varian', not this time."
He turned her back to him, kissing her forehead and holding both of her hands. "All people will see when they look at you is a mother to be that's taking full advantage of standing upright while she can still do it for long lengths of time, nothing more, nothing less."
She chuckled again, meaning he'd gotten his point across. "So no more of this, alright? I brought you down here to get you out of the Keep, take advantage of me while you still have me."
Val didn't really appreciate the reminder that he'd have to leave for Northrend again soon, and apparently it showed on her face. "When?"
Varian gave Alice's leash to Jon and lifted Anduin, determined to fulfill the boy's earlier request on being involved as much as was appropriate. "Three months. Both Thrall and I need to train new recruits and put things in place first. But the assault on Wrathgate should happen in early January."
Anduin put his arms around Varian's neck, resting his head on his shoulder. "Are you going to Wrathgate, Father?"
Varian kissed his head, stroking Val's cheek. "Aye son, I am, it's only right. But we have plenty of time together until then, so let us not dwell on it too much, alright?"
He put the boy down, gently pushing his back towards the toy shop. "Come, you can pick something this time. You can be our chief toy advisor."
Anduin apparently was rather excited about the title, running as fast as his little legs could carry him and making Jon match his pace with only a millisecond of warning. "You know he'll take the role rather too seriously?"
Varian shrugged, putting an arm over her shoulder and snatching Alice's discarded leash up with the other so she didn't run off. "If it helps him feel involved and keeps his mind off me leaving him again, then he's welcome to."
He looked down at her with a look on his face that told her exactly what he was about to say. "I don't have to go Val."
She shook her head, which he had expected, but couldn't say he terribly liked. "It's not a case of whether you have to Varian, it's that you should. You're the leader of the Alliance, they look to you, it only makes sense that you head the charge."
She stopped him in his tracks and leant up, savouring the kiss he met her for. "The three of us will be right here when you get back."
They heard Anduin's call for them both to hurry up and had to laugh, linking arms again and reassuring the boy as they crossed the bridge.
Val had missed Stormwind Keep at night, and she'd happily admit it to anyone. The sound of the nightingales out in the grounds coming through the open window and the soft swish of the silk drapes were such a pleasant change to the biting wind-chill that were always peppered with the howls of the dead.
She was sure that noise would never leave her head, but she'd try and smother it with the gentle crickets and sway of the trees in the summer breeze despite that.
Varian had just put Anduin to bed, washing the dirt that an impromptu game of football in Stormwind Park with the lad had caked him in. It gave her a peaceful moment to finally untie the strings of the small package containing whatever he'd snuck off to buy while she and Anduin had been in the toy shop.
She'd been curious about it ever since he'd shoved it into the pocket of his cloak and tapped his nose when she'd asked him about it, and he'd conveniently 'left it' on the breakfast table while he was taking his bath.
Her fingers were trembling as she undid the neat bow and the tips brushed against the brown paper. She took a deep breath and opened it, feeling a smile spread across her face and small tears well up into her eyes.
Val picked up the tiny blue bootees with two fingers and placed them in the palm of her other hand, smoothing the ribbons tied underneath the cuff and merely starting at them as they sat there.
Now, now it felt real.
Now everything felt real and it hit her like the hardest of punches to the face that she was with child, and soon enough, five months into the future, she and Varian would be putting the tiny shoes sitting there like ornaments on their son's feet to keep them warm, it made the tears sitting in her eyes fall down her cheeks.
She barely registered Varian's hands on her shoulders until he gave them a good squeeze, kissing her neck and moving his arms to her waist, cradling her belly and putting his chin on her collarbone. "Let's hope he doesn't have big feet like his father, otherwise these may have to go on Anduin's bear."
Val wrinkled her nose, leaning back and kissing his jawline. "Glenmores' have always been small. He'll be just grand."
Varian's smile held just as much whimsy as hers did, and to be honest, he was entitled to it by this point. They'd been through so much strife in the past years that a moment of peace and unbridled excitement was well earned in her opinion. "I hope to the Light he ends up looking like you. All curls and dimples."
Val lightly elbowed him in the gut with a chuckle on her lips. "I do not have dimples Varian Wrynn."
He didn't answer her, but she didn't think him rude, she watched his hands reluctantly leave her belly and lift until they were cradling hers, making the bootees look even smaller. "I'm not thanking the Light for him, you know that, don't you?"
Val's brow furrowed. "Then who are you thanking?"
Varian's kiss left a warm spot on her cheek. "You. You fought for this. You told me you were seeing that priestess whether I liked it or not, and trust me, I was very much in the 'not' category."
His sigh tickled her ear. "And if we'd done what I wanted, we wouldn't be waiting for our son. Our sonVal."
She heard him choke and lifted a hand, letting the bootees slide onto his palm instead. She reached back to cup his cheek and kissed the other, putting her forehead on it. "He's all ours."
She turned around, pushing herself up and thanking him for helping her onto the table, putting her arms around his neck. "Are you happy?"
Varian's eyebrow rose and he ducked down for a quick kiss. "Are you jesting? I have you as my wife, a baby on the way, a son that's the most gentle boy I could ever meet, and the end of the war is looking in sight. I'm the most content I've ever been."
She bit his lip when he pulled back this time, scratching the back of his neck. "Good, it's about damn time."