As much as he came determined to win her undead hand at all costs, Anduin was still taken aback.
Did I just hear her correctly?
She stood there, menacingly alluring, the red glow of her eyes intent on his. The tautness of her ears had diminished somewhat and the bow in her arms was completely relaxed.
Anduin looked at her and gulped. "Does that mean you're accepting my offer?"
"It means I am giving you two hours to bring me a real proposal. Certainty, Wrynn. Not empty promises."
A strange feeling bubbled up inside him. Part of it was hope: hope that the world he dared to imagine with this crazy idea of his could actually become a reality. But there was another, more primal feeling looming behind it: a desire to possess. She could be mine. Mine alone.
He shook the thoughts away, surprised at the bizarre direction his mind took. This was not what this was all about. And he'd be a fool to think he could claim her in that way, professions of loyalty or no.
Plus, they weren't married yet. She could easily refuse him still, using an opportunity to make him - and his allies - look like a bunch of buffoons. But he had to take that risk.
Anduin squared his shoulders at the task ahead and nodded to her.
"I understand, Dark Lady. I will bring you what you ask for."
She smirked. "See that you do, boy king." Her voice took on that mocking drawl of boredom. "It would be embarrassing if after all this talk you fail to fulfill your promise."
If she thought his proposal unacceptable, wouldn't she have rejected him here and now? So if she was asking for certainty behind his proposal… surely she was willing to accept him?
In a spur of the moment decision, he bowed, reaching for her hand. Taking it in his, he brought the cold flesh to his lips for a few moments before letting go. When he raised his eyes to meet hers, he expected to see anger. But for the first time since their conversation, he saw puzzlement instead.
"Give me a ceasefire, Sylvanas," he blurted out, seeking to capitalize on that fleeting emotion. "How can I discuss this idea with Tyrande and Genn when they're busy fighting you at this very moment? Just for those two hours you've given me, call off your assault."
The banshee's crimson eyes peered into him for a few moments, then she inclined her head ever so slightly.
"Very well, little lion," she said imperiously. "I'll give you what you ask for. But if this is a delay tactic, know that I will personally ensure not a single Alliance fighter or civilian is given respite for the rest of the war. Now go."
"Thank you, Dark Lady. I fully comprehend. I will arrive at your camp within 2 hours." He reached for his hearthstone, squeezing it gently until it glowed. The last thing he heard before it transported him back to his ship were the banshee's words:
"I will be waiting, Anduin Wrynn."
He appeared in the middle of the kaldorei camp just as the sound of the Horde's horns began echoing through the forest. Night elves rushed to and fro, some carrying the wounded from the front lines, others delivering supplies and ammunition to the battle. Messengers between units darted among them. To add to the chaos, a few lone nightsabres ran amok in the crowd, their riders likely slain or incapacitated.
He stopped the first captain that stumbled into his way.
"Your majesty!" The night elf's eyes widened when he recognized who he was speaking to. Anduin grabbed the elf's shoulder firmly.
"Sylvanas gave us a two-hour ceasefire. I have no time to explain why. Hurry! Get as many injured and civilians out of the areas of fighting as you can. Inform the other captains. We have no time to lose!" He shook him. "Do you understand?"
"Y-yes, your majesty! At once!" He dashed off to fulfill his orders.
"Tyrande!" he shouted, his voice amplified by magic to rumble over the forest. "Someone here take me to Tyrande Whisperwind!"
"Anduin?" Tyrande jumped off her frostsabre mid-gallop, landing deftly in front of him and kicking up a cloud of dust in the air. "I was expecting you with your fleet. What in the world is happening? Why is the Horde pulling back?"
"Sylvanas gave me a two-hour ceasefire."
"Gave… you? You've spoken to her?"
"Yes, and now I need to speak with you. Privately." He glanced around the war camp. "Where could we talk?"
Concern furrowed the night elf's brows, but she ushered him on in the direction of a large tent below a massive tree at the northern side of the camp. Chaos reigned all around them, but Anduin was pleased to see that the evacuation he commanded was already beginning to take shape. Even if his plan failed, some lives would be saved through his actions.
The tent was a small war-room and several officers currently occupied it, bent over a map in the middle and debating something in Darnassian. At Tyrande's command, they quickly bowed and exited, leaving them alone in the tent.
She wasted no time and turned to him with eyes blazing. "Tell me! What in the world has happened? Why is the Banshee giving us a respite when she's about to overwhelm us?"
"Because I offered her peace."
Tyrande stared at him for a second. "And she accepted?"
Anduin scratched the back of his head absentmindedly. "I've agreed to certain terms for this peace. She wanted assurances that the night elves will respect them and gave me two hours to return with your approval. I begged her for a ceasefire in the meantime and she relented."
Her frown deepened. "I don't like the sound of this, Anduin. She has us up against the wall, what did you have to give up to satisfy her?"
He choked at her wording, causing her to frown. "I offered her Gilneas." She winced. "And… marriage."
"Marriage? What do you mean? Marriage to whom?"
"I offered her to be the Queen of Stormwind, Tyrande."
As a race of ancients, the kaldorei were generally known to be a quiet, measured people. But it took Anduin nearly a quarter of his allotted time, all of his diplomatic ability, and a repetition of the explanations he had given Valeera a few days earlier to bring Tyrande down from a boil.
"I made her think our fleet is about to reach the Darkshore, but we're actually still days away," he pleaded with her as she began to cool down. "I've been here for just a few hours, but it's already clear to me that you won't be able to hold them off for much longer. And there's still an entire force led by Saurfang that's unaccounted for, probably gearing up for a surprise attack somewhere! We had to call for peace, the situation is untenable!"
"Anduin, every single one of my people would rather die than force you to marry that witch."
"I know. I'm not doing it because someone asked me to. I'm doing it because it's what a king must do. I'm saving my people and this was the best - the only - idea I had."
"King Greymane will not be happy about losing Gilneas."
"No, but I already know that he will not give up on me because of this decision." He left it unsaid that he wasn't sure how Genn would feel about his choice of wife, however. "I had to give her Gilneas to make the offer irresistible."
She scoffed. "Yes, she is hungry enough that she would devour the entire Alliance if she were given it."
He kept silent for a moment to de-escalate the conversation. "Tyrande, if before this war started I'd told you that we've figured out the way to unleash the full power of azerite in weapon form, what would your advice be?"
She frowned at the unexpected question. "To strike the Banshee, I suppose."
"Where?"
"In Orgrimmar. If we eliminated her and her lieutenants, this war wouldn't be happening today."
"Exactly. Don't you see? Sylvanas had no other choice but to strike us before we had the chance to. If we had the opportunity, we would've done the same thing to her. It's like we're fated to fight each other, even when neither function is better off from it! Something had to be done! We need permanent peace, not a ceasefire that'll last us a couple of weeks."
"You make it sound so wonderful, Anduin. 'Permanent peace.' When in reality you are selling your soul to a banshee."
"I would sell everything I had, my soul included, if it meant a chance for real peace. I know you would've too, in my place." They both stared at the battle map in the middle of the room, their gazes unfocused. He sighed. "Look, what's done is done. I will not go back on my word, but I must know your decision: are we to resume fighting an hour from now, or will you ride with me to her camp to put an end to all of this?"
He felt the cool gaze of her starlit eyes on him. Damnit, Anduin. Did you have to back her into a corner? What if she says no?
She won't say no… she can't. You expect her to fight the Horde without the Alliance?
If you leave the kaldorei alone against the Horde, there probably won't be an Alliance -
That's ridiculous -
What's ridiculous is ruling half the damn world at eighteen -
Well that's for…
"Very well." Anduin startled at Tyrande's voice after a long silence. "I admit I was steeling myself for the loss of my homeland and the suffering of my people. You and I both know Darnassus would not have held out for long. I would have never asked you to do what you're doing nor advised you to do so if you've sought my counsel. But I know a Wrynn when I see one. Fine, Anduin. I will march with you to the Banshee and I will accept this peace you've brokered. I pray that your sacrifice is worth it."
"I pray it is as well." Somehow, having Tyrande's acceptance didn't make Anduin less anxious. Whether it was because a conversation with Genn was still to be had… or maybe because despite his outward confidence, Anduin had all the same hesitations as the night elf in front of him. She did have thousands of years of more experience than him, after all.
Well, it's too late to turn back now, Anduin. He steeled himself for the conversation he was about to have with the GIlean King.
A/N: Still looking for betas! Please DM if you'd be interested in having a look at these chapters before they go out. Happy to swap betas!