The past few years have been difficult, Braelyn thought as she gazed down at her newborn daughter, but to have my family was worth every second of pain. She reached out and caressed her child's delicate cheek, smiling as the action elicited a yawn, a tiny hand waving aimlessly in the air. Her daughter had her father's elven features but Braelyn's colouring. She looked like Braelyn would have, if she had been born a blood elf.

Braelyn thought of where her life had taken her; from the woods of Elwynn Forest, to the wilds of Hyjal, and the heights of the Redridge Mountains. Not one of them compared to the majesty of Silvermoon. This was home, the place she felt safest.

When she felt sure that Andoriah was asleep, Braelyn stepped out into the hallway outside her bedroom. She noticed a pile of letters sitting on one of the tables, awaiting her husband's attention. The one on top sported the seal of Dalaran; no doubt Aethas was needing Rommath's advice again.

After the battle at Kharanos, Warchief Vol'jin and King Varian decided that Dalaran should become a joint Horde/Alliance settlement. Aethas had been asked to take over from Lady Proudmoore, with Ellysan as his second-in-command. Things were going remarkably smoothly, though Braelyn's mother was talking about retiring again, 'for good this time'.

It seemed Dalaran was destined for neutrality.

Lorelai had gone to live in the floating city with Aethas, and the two were talking about marrying during the upcoming Winter's Veil celebrations. Braelyn missed her friend dearly, but who was she to stand in the way of her friends' happiness?

Ansara Belodiere and her husband, Solarin, the only survivors of the misguided attack on the Kirin Tor, had also returned to Dalaran. They had surprised everyone by aslo assuming the responsibility of caring for Vereesa Windrunner's young children, though Solarin made it clear it was out of respect for Rhonin and concern for the young ones that they did so.

Vereesa would never leave gaol. Her mental state had deteriorated to the point she no longer remembered anything of her previous life... except her hatred of the Sunreavers.

The tragedy of it all was enough to make Braelyn want to weep.

Jaina Proudmoore had been buried in the graveyard outside Theramore. People were doing their best to remember her as the peacemaker she'd been for the majority of her life, rather than the warmonger of her final days. The rebuilding of her beloved city was going ahead, with funding from Stormwind and Kul Tiras, though conflict was rising over whose territory it belonged to.

The orcs weren't too happy with it being rebuilt either.

Braelyn sighed before heading downstairs. The politics of Azeroth were no longer her concern. After her abduction by the Defias, Braelyn decided that the Ambassador's life was not for her. Returning to Silvermoon, she'd taken on responsibility for training the city's next generation of hunters. It was a fulfilling career, and it kept Rommath happy as well.

Approaching the library, Braelyn heard muffled laughter. It seemed they had guests. She paused in the doorway, fighting down her own giggles at the sight before her. Sitting in a circle on the floor, the three most powerful men in Quel'Thalas were indulging in a tea party, at the mercy of their tiny host.

"More tea, Regent Lord?" Bitsie asked in a very polite tone.

"Yes, please, Lady Bitsie," Lor'themar replied, as seriously as if he'd been addressing King Varian. "This is the most delicious tea I have ever tasted."

"Thank you! Daddy said it comes from Pandaria," Bitsie said as she poured the pretend tea into the tiny yellow cup Lor'themar was holding. The little girl was about to turn four years old, and had inherited Rommath's gorgeous black hair and her mother's dark blue eyes. Her personality, though, was that of her namesake; cheeky and bold, with an added dash of Braelyn's stubbornness.

Sometimes Braelyn thought that her little gnome friend had come back to her.

To Lor'themar's right sat Halduron, who was grinning from ear to ear, obviously having a grand time. He was one of Bitsie's guardians, and loved the little girl dearly. He had already claimed her as a future Farstrider, dismissing Rommath's argument that she was clearly the next Grand Magister.

Rommath was sitting to Lor'themar's left. He had noticed Braelyn's arrival, and was giving his wife a warning look, as if daring her to laugh at him. Braelyn just grinned at him as she moved to sit next to him. She snuggled into his side, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Mummy!" Bitsie cried, running over to sit on her mother's lap. "We're having tea!"

"I can see that, Sweetheart," Braelyn replied, hugging Bitsie, "but it's time to say goodnight and start getting ready for bed."

"Aw, really?" the little girl said, her pigtails shaking from side to side as she shook her head. "But I don't want to go!"

"I know, but you need your sleep. If you're lucky, Uncle Halduron might read you your stories tonight."

"Can I?" Halduron asked excitedly. When Braelyn nodded, he leapt to his feet, picked Bitsie up and carried the giggling child up to her room, Denaria the pig hot on their heels. He stopped just long enough to collect Rommath's worn compendium of children's tales.

"And you wanted her to sleep," Rommath remarked dryly, rolling his eyes at Braelyn, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'll take my leave, then," Lor'themar said getting to his feet. He bade Rommath and Braelyn farewell, saying that he'd see himself out.

"Is Andoriah asleep?" Rommath whispered in Braelyn's ear as he pulled her onto his lap. Braelyn nodded sleepily, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. She sighed with contentment.

"Do you need to go to bed, too?" Rommath asked with a low chuckle.

"I can sleep here just fine," Braelyn murmured, eyes already drifting closed. The last thing she was conscious of was Rommath getting to his feet and carrying her upstairs, his lips brushing across her own.

Life was beautiful.

AN - the end!

The first chapter of the third Braelyn story will be posted within a week, if not it will be a one-shot about how Braelyn came to meet Jack. The third Braelyn story is a what-if sequel to Watcher in the Keep exploring how her life would go if she did not join the Argent Crusade and reunite with Rommath. It is tentatively called 'Yesterday's Ghost'.