Lunch was a rather haphazard affair for the two of them; Anduin was merrily clearing the plate sitting in front of him, but Val and Varian's sat barely touched as the two of them finally sat down and went through the paperwork from the last two weeks.

"So do we still have Brill, or is that Horde territory again?"

Varian growled, writing out a list of whom he wanted to attend the upcoming war meeting. "I'm going to recall my troops as soon as possible. As much as it's a loss, when it's on the doorstep of a Horde stronghold, I don't feel comfortable leaving my men vulnerable."

Val put a large cross through the town's name on the map she was marking. "And what about Southshore?"

Varian felt across the table for his plate, ripping some bread apart and dipping it in the melted cheese bowl next to it. "Put it on the 'maybe' list for now. While I've conceded to the idea that the Horde have Lordaeron, the territories around it remain open. And we need a new entrance to the north if my plan with the Anvilmars goes well."

Val's lips thinned as she wrote more notes on the maps. "I still don't think they'll agree to completely destroying the thing, Varian."

He brushed his hands off, handing the list to a waiting Gregor, who took it and sat down at their desk to start scribing. "I can't think of any other way to do it, Sweetheart. If we merely raised it and Light forbid the Forsaken took Thandol Span, that bitch would have a path straight to all Alliance Kingdoms. It's not worth risking that in favour of preserving a lump of stone."

Anduin looked up, tilting his head and threatening to spit half of the boiled egg he was eating across the table. "What bitch, Father?"

Ignoring the glare Val was giving him for breaking his own rule on cursing, Varian merely took an apple from the basket in front of them and cut it into segments."Sylvanas Windrunner, Son. She's on my list of 'ones to watch'."

Anduin frowned, thanking his father for the slice he gave him. "Because of what happened at Wrathgate?"

Varian's jaw tightened. "Aye, because of the Wrathgate."

Val cleared her throat, eager to get the conversation back on track so they weren't at this all day. "Alright, so let's theoretically say that Thargas agrees and the bridge is destroyed. If we make Southshore an Alliance territory again, doesn't that make it morevulnerable to attack by the Forsaken?"

Varian shook his head, pulling a face like he'd just had a lemon stuffed in his mouth. "No, because Sylvanas is already on thin ice with the Horde, that much is clear. Her numbers are dwindling and according to the green bastard himself, she's been forbidden from making any more blight. She doesn't have the means or the gall to attack an Alliance territory so far south."

He poured Anduin another juice, noticing how Val hadn't argued with him. "We need at least one Alliance territory secured in the North, and since we can't have Lordaeron, Hillsbrad is the next logical solution."

Val made a noise of what he could swear was agreement, jotting a line around the area he was talking about. "It would make alot of sense to get a town with an easily accessible port. As long as the Gilneans don't suddenly decide they don't like us sailing within stone-throwing distance of them, it should be easy enough."

Varian huffed, signing off the latest supply order sent over from Wintergarde Keep. "Greymane wouldn't dare to try it. I'd personally kick his arse across his damn wall if I had to."

Val snorted, scratching Esme behind the ears as she curled onto her lap. "You'd kick him for a sandwich, let alone an act of battle, don't even lie Varian."

He knew that Anduin didn't quite understand why his father was chuckling to himself enough to make his shoulders heave, but that wasn't going to stop him.

"What's funny?"

Varian mussed his hair, still wondering whether Val had been telling him the truth about the boy wanting to grow it when it barely held between his fingers. "You wouldn't understand son, it's a long and complicated story."

Val seemed quite relieved that he hadn't gone into a long rant about his hatred for the Gilnean king, instead turning her map around for him to study. "So would you aim to take just the town itself, or the whole area? Because if it's the latter, you might have to wait until after the war."

Varian grimaced, taking her quill from her. "For now, it'll be merely Southshore. The Stormwind Navy hasn't really been utilized during this war, so we have plenty of ships left to lead the initial assault. Anything else can probably wait until afterwards so we can assess and prepare."

He circled a spot on the shoreline. "There's where they'll probably land."

Val gave him a small nod. "It makes the most sense. And it gives us eyes up there."

He gave her a faint smile, finally realising how relieving it was to simply discussthese things with her instead of give her a recap in the middle of the night. "Aye, it does. I'll send word for the navy to retreat and sail for Hillsbrad."

Val's brows drew in. "I take it we're not sailing to the final assault then?"

Varian shook his head. "No, I've been over every map we've managed to scrounge of Icecrown and there's simply no other way through. There's a thousand foot high wall around the thing along the coast, so even if we did have enough gryphons and mages to get us over, it means less men on the boats, which is the opposite of what we want."

Val put her chin on the palm of one hand. "And if we use Mages, we don't know what we'll be faced with when we re appear."

Varian was immensely glad she was on the same page. "Precisely. It takes away any strategy we might've had."

Val drummed her bottom lip. "Will you go by air then?"

Varian straightened, fiddling with the quill that he was still holding. "It's something we'll discuss at the meeting, yes. Don't worry too much about it as of right now."

Anduin knelt on his chair, trying to crane himself over to see what they were looking at despite it having nothing to do with their conversation. "Will the battle be soon, Father?"

Varian saw no reason to lie to him when he'd asked in such a way that told him that Anduin already knew the answer.

"I'm hoping so, son. There's a few more details to iron out, but it shouldn't be that far away."

Val watched Anduin's face as he sank back down. "Oh. Alright then."

Varian's brow creased with the same concern that Val had etched in her features. "Anduin, what's wrong?"

The prince shook his head, playing with what was left of his food. "Doesn't matter."

Val's eyebrows were pretty much touching the bridge of her nose. "It does when you're clearly not happy. Talk to us, Little Lion."

Anduin looked at the both of them, realising they weren't going to let this go, and sighed heavily. "Mum's going away too this time, isn't she? I heard you talking at dinner yesterday."

Varian cursed his lack of volume control, starting to clear the table of the correspondence. "If she's given a clean bill of health by the doctor later on today, than more than likely yes, she will be going away too."

Sadness was so seldom marked on Anduin's face that it perturbed Varian to even see a hint of it. "I don't want you to go. Either of you."

Val held her arms out and Anduin scrambled from his seat, perching himself on her lap even though he was just over the line of being too big for it. "We don't really want to go either, Anduin, but it's what we have to do. Remember we spoke about 'duty'?"

Varian helpfully carried on, showing the boy that they were on the same page. "Well, it's your mum and I's duty to lead the charge when the final battle comes. So we have no choice but to go."

Anduin swallowed, holding on to Val's arm. "But what if you don't come back? Like Fia's father didn't?"

Varian had been dreading ever having to answer awkward questions like this, but he supposed the older Anduin got, the more of an inevitability it would be. Val looked as out of her depth as he felt, so all he could do was take a deep breath, stand up and place his chair next to Val's, telling Gregor to go and waiting until the door closed to sit back down, holding Anduin's shoulder.

"Anduin, you're old enough now to not have things fed to you covered in sugar. There is a chance we might not come back. A slim chance, but a chance all the same."

Val's brows snapped down and she started to glare at him. "Varian, I don't think-"

He didn't mean to shush her and would apologise for it later, but he needed to make sure Anduin was completely on the same page as them. "And if, Light forbid the worst case scenario does take place…youwill become High King."

Anduin was beginning to tremble, clinging to Val's shirt and curling up in her lap. "I'll be in charge? But aren't I too little?"

Varian's nod both confused and relieved him. "Yes, you are. Which is why there will be something called a 'regent' chosen to rule on your behalf."

Anduin's brows drew in. "Who will be 'regent'?"

Varian's grimace didn't fill him with confidence. "That…is something I have to sort out before we go. But if you'd like, you can help me decide?"

Anduin shyly nodded, strangely glad that his father was being straight with him. "And they'll do everything?"

Varian firmly nodded, appreciating how Val was letting him speak to their son so plainly. He was more than sure he'd get an earful for his lack of warning about the sombre approach later but he'd accept it if it meant the boy felt reassured. "Aye, so you won't have to worry at all."

Anduin still didn't look too sure, and Varian couldn't blame him. "I can still play?"

The King had to word this carefully, which wasn't really his forte, but he'd give it a damn good go. "You'll be like any other child. The only thing that will change for youis that your lessons will get a little bit longer, and you'll learn things that might be a bit confusing at first, but they'll help you once you get older. And yes, you can still play."

Val stroked his head, giving him a small smile. "You'll be King Anduin in title alone until you reach eighteen. So no one will expect anything from you before that point."

Varian didn't want to completely overwhelm the lad, not when they hadn't even decided a departing date yet, so he left his seat, bending in front of him instead so they were at complete eye level.

"But your mum and I will do absolutely everything we can to come back so you don't even have to think about any of this. Won't we, Mum?"

Val didn't hesitate to nod, noticing Anduin's grip on her shirt loosen. "Damn right we will. Even if we come back with no arms or legs, we'll be home before you know it."

And there was the smile they'd been hoping for. "But you won't be able to do anything without arms or legs!"

Varian chuckled, squeezing his shoulder. "It doesn't matter, we'll still be here and that's all that counts."

Anduin all but fell into Varian's arms and put his little arms around his thick neck, nuzzling into his shoulder. "I'd be so sad without you two here. I don't want you to die."

Val almost flinched like the punch she felt to her gut was real,and even Varian's face dropped as the two of them sat in an awkward silence, letting the fact that their six year old had really just said that sink in.

"We're not going to die, Anduin, not for a long while."

Varian gently pushed him back so he could look him in the face, sighing deeply and holding his hands, giving Val an apologetic look. "Anduin…we know you're still hurting over your brother."

The way Anduin instantly looked down told him all it needed to. Val put a shaky hand on his shoulder once she joined them on the floor, letting Anduin step backwards and end up on her lap again. "And a loss like that…it makes you scared for the people still here."

Anduin slowly nodded, leaning back into Val more. "But just because Elliot died…it doesn't mean we will. Is that what you're scared of?"

Anduin nodded again. "Elliot and mother."

Varian started, not expecting Tiffin to crop up in this little talk. "Your Mother? What about your mother?"

Anduin's eyes started to water again. "Nan said that she went away, and then she died before she came home. And that's what's going to happen to you and mum! You're going to go away and never come back!"

He started to bawl before he'd even finished his sentence, flinging himself at Varian and letting the stunned King cradle him. "Anduin, what happened to your mother was devastating, but it doesn't make it prophecy for anyone leaving you to die, sweetheart."

Varian knew she meant well, but all he could think about was how his son had come to that conclusion…and how horrifyingly logical it was.

It pained him to say it, but the idea that people leaving home was a death sentence had a sound basis in fact, at least in Anduin's mind.

Tiffin went away, Carson went away, Bolvar went away, Fia's father went away…

"Please don't go Father."

Varian snapped from his trance like state, pressing his cheek against Anduin's and gently shushing him. "Let us show you that it's not a sealed fate, Anduin. Your mum and I are going to Northrend, but we'll come back. We promise you, we willcome home."

Val's look screamed 'you can't promise that'- and normally, he would agree, but his boy was in tears and needed nothing but reassurance, and by the hells below that's what Varian would give him.

Anduin's mood was marred with the after effects of his outburst for the rest of the day. He stayed practically glued to Val and Varian's sides, even during the most monotonous of tasks, always holding on to an arm, or a skirt, like they'd disappear if he didn't.

Eventually he'd given in to exhaustion and let Varian carry him to his chambers, but both adults had a funny feeling he wouldn't stay in there long, and if they were perfectly truthful with themselves, they wouldn't mind in the least.

His confession to why he didn't want them to go had shook Val to her very core, and even now she could feel her throat tighten as she thought about the tears that had stained such a normally happy face.

She didn't know about Varian, but it had hit her like a brick to the head just how luckythe two of them had been to have had a childhood coated in peace.

They hadn't had to worry about whether their parents were coming home, or whether they themselves would be safe, they'd blissfully frittered their days away with no regard for how differentit could've been.

The quill in her hand started to quiver again and she ended up having to put It down, reaching for the glass of gin sitting next to her and taking another long sip of it.

She'd finally bitten the bullet and started a letter to Minnie, having her indecision resolved for her through Anduin's pleas and figuring her stubbornness wasn't worth depriving the boy of what little family he had.

She knew she'd most likely get an earful from the matriarch when she arrived about how Val had been actively avoiding her but she would bear it if it made that boy smile.

She turned in her seat, giving Varian a small smile once he closed the door despite his thunderous look telling her that it wouldn't be appreciated.

"How was he?"

Varian's eyebrow rose as he clocked the bottle waiting for him on their table, taking her nod as permission to indulge himself despite everything.

He uncorked it and poured in silence, waiting until he'd drained the thing and grimaced to acknowledge that she'd even said anything. "How the hells do you expect him to be? He was still crying until the second his eyes closed-I don't think there's a tear left in his body."

He lifted the bottle, finally realising why he had a dull after-taste coating his tongue. "Gin? What, are we already on rations?"

Val shrugged, carrying on with her letter. "I fancied a change, that's all. The whiskey's in the cabinet if you want it."

Varian was well aware of why she was suddenly so accepting of his need for spirits, but it didn't make him feel any less guilty for it. "Are you sure? I know I said last night…"

She looked up once again, giving him a stronger smile this time. "We've had a shithole of a day. I'm sure we can just pretend tonight doesn't count."

Varian appreciated it, bending to kiss her cheek as he passed, noticing the parchment she'd barely made a mark on. "What's this?"

Val stared down at the few words she'd actually managed to scrawl simply to avoid watching him take out the crystal decanter she'd hoped would be locked away for good after yesterday. "An attempt at writing to my Grammy."

Varian's brows drew in and he put the decanter next to the gin bottle, using every ounce of strength he had to stop himself downing this glass as well. "Are you finding it difficult?"

Val lamely nodded, leaning back in her seat. "I think it's because I have no idea how awkward things are. I mean, I haven't exactly been the best Granddaughter in the world for the past eight months, have I?"

Varian put his glass down so he could start undoing his doublet, with his tired fingers scrabbling over the ties like they were physically fighting him. "If I may voice an opinion without being beaten?"

Val knew damn well that he'd said it just to make her laugh and damn it all if it didn't work again. "You may, but I hold no promises on withholding the beating."

Varian finally managed to get the thing off, tossing it onto the bed and sitting next to it. "I don't think there's any awkwardness whatsoever. She knows we've been through hells, and anyonethat knows you is well aware of how you prefer quiet instead of having people swarm you with sympathy. So in my view, Minnie will be nothing but relieved that you're finally feeling strong enough to get in contact."

While she'd been expecting him to say something to that effect, she had to admit that he was probably right regardless. "I'll get it finished tonight, so we can send it tomorrow. The sooner they get here, the better, I think."

Varian grunted an agreement, throwing his boots into the closet and rolling the sleeves of his shirt up, making himself completely comfortable after a day of nothing but tension. "It may take Anduin's mind from our presumed demise, you never know."

Val was strangely glad not to hear a shred of humour in his voice considering the subject matter. "I wasn't expecting him to say that at all. It sounded so strange, coming from him."

Varian's passive face was so hard to read that she wasn't sure whether to be annoyed by it or not. "It was bound to happen at some point Val. I hate to say it, but the boy had a shred of truth in his argument."

Val frowned, abandoning her letter for the moment and twisting in her seat so she could see him properly. "Have we really been that ignorant to how this is all affecting him?"

Varian said nothing, but she could see the cogs turning in his mind while he got up and took his drink again. "Can we really be called ignorant when he made absolutely no indication to his feelings on the matter? He's always so damn happy, I don't think even the most eagle eyed parent would've noticed something was wrong."

Val rested her chin on the frame of her chair. "Maybe that's what we should've seen? We've said it ourselves that we've been shocked at how well he's handling the war, maybe that was the alarm bell we should've heeded?"

Varian's glass was empty before he knew it, which he wasn't thrilled about. "I'm starting to wonder if this whole trial mess was the straw that broke the ram's back for him. It seems more than a little coincidental that they both happened on the same day."

Val had been trying not to say it. "He's been trapped in here for two weeks with people outside shouting about how many have died. It would make alot of sense for him to think about who he's lost."

Varian slumped into his armchair like a discarded sack of potatoes. "I don't think there's anything we can do to fix it short of drugging him to the eyeballs, that's the most infuriating thing."

Val's brows snapped down. "We're not sedating our son, Varian."

The offence dropped onto his face like a stone in a pond. "I'm insulted that you'd even think that I'd consider it."

He sighed angrily, but she was sure it wasn't anger aimed directly at her. "The sooner this damn war's over the better."

Val left her spot before her back started to protest, pouring herself another gin. "Now the trial's over we can focus on making that happen."

Varian ran a hand over his face, scratching the short whiskers on his cheeks. "You know our free time will go out of the window for the next three weeks, don't you?"

Val sat in the armchair next to his, bringing her legs up and turning to face him. "I almost hope it does. We need to go back to Northrend as prepared as possible, otherwise this is never going to work."

He put his glass on the floor next to him, staring into the fire like it held all of the answers. "If there's anything this mess has taught me, it's that we can be as prepared as we like, but something will always throw a wrench into the works."

Val reached out and he took her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Our armies are practically ready, Varian. We just need to iron out the details."

Varian admired her optimism, lightly pressing his lips to her knuckles. "If it makes my son happy again, I'd start the assault tomorrow, ready or not."

As if by magic summons, there was a small rap at the door and they both turned to find Varro poking his head in. "Apologies, but there was a little loiterer in the hallway."

Anduin seemed so meek when he shuffled in, clutching his bear and blanket like they were the most precious things on Azeroth. "Decided you couldn't sleep, son?"

Anduin shook his head and Varro's brow furrowed. "Johanna needs a few minutes to change his sheets, Your Majesty."

Val's face fell and she left her seat, coming over and merely pulling Anduin into an embrace.

"He had an accident?"

Anduin started sniffling into Val's shoulder before Varian had even finished asking the guard, telling him all it needed to. "Very well. You're dismissed, Varro. Tell Johanna that Anduin will be staying in here tonight. Have her bring a fresh set of nightwear and some warm milk."

Varro bowed and closed the door without a word, letting Varian scoop the boy up and kiss the side of his head.

"I'm sorry, Father."

Varian shushed him, hearing the washroom taps beginning to run already and thanking the Light that he had a woman who took situations like this by the horns. "Don't be sorry, Anduin. It was an accident, nothing more."

He sat him on the bed, peeling his wet trousers off and stripping the rest of his clothes in complete silence, wiping Anduin's eyes with his thumbs. "Am I in trouble?"

Varian shook his head, holding his cheek and feeling his heart begin to break already. "No."

He forced a small smile onto his face. "Mum and I are going to clean you up, get you nice and snug, then we'll have another story-time, how does that sound?"

Anduin's nod didn't hold much enthusiasm, but really, Varian hadn't been expecting any. "Where's Alice? Is she still in your chambers?"

Another nod. "Well then, I'll get Johanna to bring her in here so we're all together."

There was a wobbly smile on Anduin's tear stained face, which Varian would take right now over nothing. "I'd like that. And Esme too?"

Varian looked around him, seeing if there was any sign of the tabby. "I'll have someone see if they can find her."

Val kissed Anduin's head as she came back in and sat next to him, smoothing his hair back. "Bath's ready when you want it, Little Lion. I've put plenty of bubbles in."

Varian lifted him down from the bed even though it wasn't necessary, wishing he was in the mood to laugh when he dashed off the second his little feet touched the floor. "Keep the door open and don't touch those taps!"

He stayed silent until he received the usual reply of 'yes father', and as soon as he did, he put his face in his hands, feeling Val's own firmly rub his back. "Just when I thought it couldn't get any fucking worse…"

Val kissed his temple, putting her head against his. "He's upset. He's had a rotten day and is exhausted. He probably just forgotto go, that's all."

Varian raised his head just to glare at her. "I've been exhausted plenty of times, Val, I've never managed to piss myself."

She angrily shushed him, glancing towards the washroom. "Keep your voice down before he hears you! He's probably feeling ashamed as it is, he doesn't need you acting like it an' all!"

Varian's jaw tightened and he hunched over in a vain attempt to keep things quiet. "He's six years old Val. Children that age don't have night accidents."

Val's knees started bouncing. "A child that has been through what that boy has just bloody might."

She pointed a finger at his face, with a clear warning in her eyes. "You are notto make him feel any worse than he already does, alright? I won't have you upsetting him more."

Varian growled before he could stop it. "Then what the hells do you expect me to do, woman? All the milk and cuddles in the world won't explain why he's suddenly wetting the bed like a bloody toddler."

Val was close to strangling him and they both knew it. "We are going to gentlyspeak to him once he is cleaned up and comfortable, and not a second before."

Varian's anger simmered to basically nothing and he looked down at his wringing hands. "Do you think this is the first time?"

Val looked as unsure as he did, which didn't fill him with much confidence. "I don't know. If it isn't, I certainly want to know why we weren't told."

Varian's face hardened enough to resemble stone. "Maybe we were, but we were just too busy to take notice."

She ran a hand through her hair, sighing loudly enough to tell him that she was thinking the exact same thing. "If that's the case, then we have alotto make up to him."

Varian looked back at the washroom, hearing the slap of water that gave them another minute or so before Anduin would emerge. "I don't suppose you have any idea where the cat is?"

Val's brows drew down. "Esme? Why do you care all of a sudden?"

Varian pointed in the same direction he'd just been looking. "Anduin wants her. Kiss goodbye any hope of having the bed to ourselves for the foreseeable future, it's about to be invaded by children and animals."

Val actually managed a small but noticeable smile at that one. "I can live with that."

Her smile faltered and he had a faint idea as to why. "It's not as if anything would happen anyway."

Varian didn't really enjoy having it confirmed that they still weren't completely back on track in a manner such as this, but he slowly nodded anyway. "True."

"Father? Mum? I'm ready to get out, can I have a towel please?" Varian rose at the same time she did, giving her hand a squeeze when she slipped it into his. "Coming, son."

It was near silent all the while Val got Anduin re-dressed.

Varian had left them to 'find the cat'; Val knew that was a complete lie, in reality he'd left her to try and get information from the boy, information that she wasn't really sure was needed.

"Father's angry at me, isn't he?"

Val shook her head with surprising confidence. She shimmied his shorts up and let him tie them as loose as he wanted, giving him a small smile. "He's not angry at you, Little Lion. He's just…upset that we didn't know about this."

She gave him his nightshirt, fixing the sleeves when he put it on. "I'd like to know why that was, if you want to tell me?"

Anduin's brow furrowed and he looked down at his bare feet. "Cause I'm supposed to be a big boy."

Val lifted him onto the stool of her dressing table, taking the brush and gently running it through his freshly washed hair. "And you think this doesn't make that true?"

Anduin nodded, making her need to smooth over the top part again. "Big boys don't have accidents."

Val used her fingers to move it out of his face. "Well that's funny, because I'm more than sure some of them do."

That piqued his curiosity and he looked up at her with the biggest eyes she'd ever seen. "They do?"

She was well aware that she was technically bending the truth, but if it made him feel any better, she'd lie as much as she needed to. "Oh yes."

She figured it was now or never. "Anduin, is this about earlier?"

He stiffened, meaning she'd cracked the case already…not that there was much of a case anyway. "Maybe."

He took her hand, dropping from her stool and padding over to where a sponged down Merlin was sitting by the fireplace.

She sat on the floor by the mild flames, crossing her legs so he could curl up on her lap. "How long have you felt the things you told us about today?"

Anduin moved Merlin's arms up and down, trying to avoid her gaze.

"Anduin."

He had no choice but to acknowledge the stern tone to her voice, peering up with absolute sorrow in his eyes. "A while."

Val felt her gut clench, but she knew she had to keep her voice steady. "Why the hells didn't you tell me? I thought we told each other everything?"

Anduin sat up, putting his bear down. "Cause it was when you were sick, and I didn't want to make things worse."

Val sat in a stunned silence for a few seconds while she tried to really process what he'd just said. "Anduin…did this start when we lost your brother?"

His timid nod only made her need to hug him worse, so she did exactly that, glad that he returned it and squished his cheek against hers. "I don't do it on purpose, Mum, I swear…"

She shushed him, kissing his head. "I know you don't baby, and your father and I are going to do everything we can to make you feel better, alright?"

She gave him a squeeze, pulling him back so he was looking at her. "But you have to promise me that you'll tell us if you ever feel this bad again, understand?"

Anduin nodded with a small smile. "Yes Mum."

He leant his head on her shoulder, draping his legs either side of her. "Feeling sleepy?"

He nodded, and she looked down to already find his eyelids fluttering.

"Want me to sing our song?"

Another nod with a sweet smile. "Please. Father doesn't do it when he does bedtime."

Val snorted, rubbing his back affectionately. "That's because your father can't sing for toffee."

She leant down even though Varian was nowhere near them. "Don't tell him I said that though, eh?"

Anduin's light giggle made her own smile widen, gladdened to hear him sound so genuinely happy after a day of nothing but sorrow from him.

She started singing as softly as she could, dropping it to almost a whisper as she stroked his head and stayed on the floor with him, too anxious about him finally getting some sleep to put him through the slog of moving him.

She would tell Varian what he'd confessed to her when he got back, and no doubt she'd have to calm him as much as she had herself, but she knew it'd come from a place of love, which was exactly what this boy needed right now.

It was the most 'motherly' she'd ever felt with Anduin; these little moments where he made it abundantly clear that he needed her, when in reality it was much the other way around.

Since she'd lost Elliot, she had found solace in the boy that was lightly snoring on her chest, clutching him like he was the puzzle piece that would make everything fit in her scrambled heart.

She'd loved him since he was born, there was no denying it, but now she had no son of her own to nurture, it only made her more determined to funnel that energy into Anduin.

Some would call it compensation, and to a certain degree, they were right, but her affection for Anduin was genuine enough for her to want to protect him from the things that had made him cry into his father's shoulder earlier on.

She wanted to make all the bad things go away for him, she wanted to keep him safe from the dangers of the world, and Light blind her, she'd do her best to fulfill that promise.