Somehow we've ended up at the last chapter of Lion's Torment! Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story, and I sincerely you have enjoyed the saga so far. Anyone want to read the next one?

Auriana

As the days passed by, Auriana slowly felt her strength returning, and she knew that it would soon be time to return to Draenor. The thought filled her with a creeping sense of dread, though her trepidation warred with her sense of duty and responsibility to her garrison, as well as her desire for vengeance against the orcs who had taken so much from her.

It was not an easy decision to return to Draenor, however, and she wrestled with it for some time. Miraculously, Auriana had withstood the Foundry with her mind and magic intact, but her survival had come at a great cost. Blackhand and his torturer may not have broken her, but her body and soul were most certainly bruised, and in her darker moments she had come to doubt whether she would ever be brave enough to stand on the front lines again.

Moreover, leaving for Draenor would meaning leaving safe, beautiful Stormwind behind, and with it, Varian Wrynn. Despite how it had started, her time in Stormwind had been unexpectedly unobjectionable, even pleasant, and she had been given a rare and precious glimpse into what life with Varian might really be like. Even with all her injuries and the pain of her recovery, Auriana had discovered that a life away from the front held far more appeal than she had ever expected. She had been sorely tempted to leave the horror and bloodshed of Draenor for the happiness of life in Stormwind several times, and yet somewhere deep down she knew she would never forgive herself if she walked away now.

It wasn't just leaving Varian, either. Much to Auriana's surprise, Anduin had become a regular fixture in her temporary quarters over the past few weeks, for which she was immensely grateful. Although she had been initially reluctant to see the Prince, horrified by the fact that she had threatened his life, Anduin had been quietly persistent, and she had eventually relented. He was fine company, and Auriana found that she could almost forget her trauma in his ebullient presence. The Prince soon became her primary source of amusement during the day, though of course her nights belonged to the King of Stormwind alone.

Auriana had used much of their time together continue Anduin's education on magical theory, though more often than not they had simply played games or traded witticisms. Most notably, Anduin had attempted to teach her the pandaren board game jihui, which demanded both patience and careful thought from those who played. Unlike most other games, however, the aim of jihui was for both players to win, and Auriana found the game incredibly frustrating and rather pointless. While Anduin was extremely skilled, she had never quite picked up the hang of it, and more often than not their games ended in impasse. Fortunately, Anduin seemed to find her poor skills somewhat comical, and he had a seemingly endless supply of patience when it came to her fumbling attempts to play properly.

They played again the day that Auriana finally resolved to leave for Draenor, though Anduin was not aware that it would be their last game for some time. Auriana had quietly arranged with Khadgar for transport back to her beloved garrison, and had kept her departure a secret from everyone save for the Archmage and her physician. High Priestess Laurena hadn't exactly been pleased by Auriana's intentions to return to Draenor, though after Auriana had assured her that she wouldn't immediately throw herself into a skirmish up on return, she had reluctantly given her blessing. She had also provided Auriana with very detailed instructions for Lunarfall's healers, so that she might continue her steady recovery.

Auriana had hoped to disappear without anyone noticing, save for Khadgar, though it was a decision she had questioned many times. It was cowardly, she knew, but she also knew that Varian would inevitably ask her to stay, and she didn't know whether she had the courage to deny him. Instead, she had intended to slip out while Varian was attending a meeting of the House of Nobles, only to have Anduin show up at her door, a jihui set tucked under his arm. He'd arrived around lunchtime, and given that Khadgar was not scheduled to arrive for another few hours yet, Auriana decided to put her plans to leave on hold for one final afternoon of simple fun with the Prince.

Anduin quickly set up the board on the small table that had been provided for just such an occasion, and soon they were deeply embroiled in a contemplative yet intense game. Auriana sincerely tried her best, wanting their last game to end on a high note, but after yet another abysmal attempt on her behalf, she finally threw up her hands in surrender.

"I just don't get this game," she exclaimed, in slightly exaggerated exasperation. "Why bother to play if you can't win?"

"Not everything is about winning, Commander," Anduin said, with mock sternness in his voice.

His seriousness was somewhat belied, however, by the playful sparkle in his eyes, and the half-stifled smile on his lips.

"Says you," Auriana grumbled good-naturedly.

"I don't know if I told you, but I tried to teach my father jihui once," Anduin said casually. "Once. His reaction was much the same as yours, come to think of it, though you've at least shown a bit more patience."

"I've been stuck in the same bed for three weeks," Auriana pointed out. "I haven't had much of a choice."

Anduin laughed at that, his nose crinkling in amusement.

"You two are astonishingly similar in some ways, you know," he told her. "You and my father, I mean."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Auriana teased, folding her arms across her chest.

"Good question," Anduin mused, considering the question very seriously. "Though I rather suppose it depends on your point of view."

"Shall we say it's both?" Auriana suggested, grinning broadly.

"Very well," Anduin agreed, chuckling slightly. "It is true, however. You're both stubborn as mules, you could find a way to make afternoon tea competitive, and you both have the kind of eyes that always make you look as if you're hunting something."

"Maybe I am," Auriana suggested, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

Anduin rolled his eyes at her dubious humour, and made to reset the board for another game.

"Another?" he asked. "You're a clever woman, Auriana, I'm certain I can teach you eventually…"

"Ah, no," Auriana said. "As much I'd like to, there are other things that require my attention this afternoon."

Her eyes darted towards the door, and Anduin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. He really was remarkably perceptive for someone so young, and Auriana knew there was no keeping the truth from him.

"You're going back to Draenor," he realised suddenly, his earlier enthusiasm vanishing in an instant. "I don't understand. How… how can you go back? After everything that happened?"

Auriana sighed. It was a question that she'd been asking herself for a while now, and even she didn't have a real answer.

"I… I have to go, Anduin," she said finally. "I don't expect you to understand, but I can't stay. I have a war to fight."

Anduin frowned, and he reached out a tentative hand to touch her own.

"Have you told my father?" he asked.

"No," Auriana said. "I was somewhat hoping to sneak out before he realised I was gone."

"You've got to be kidding," Anduin said flatly, giving her a very disapproving look.

Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Auriana smiled slightly to herself at the expression on the Prince's face. Anduin resembled his late mother far more than his father, but as he stared down at her reprovingly, he all of a sudden became the splitting image of Varian.

"To be honest with you, I'm not sure if I am," she said slowly. "I can't imagine that will be a pleasant conversation. He's going to fight me on it."

"Can you really blame him?" Anduin asked seriously. "You… you nearly died. It isn't unreasonable that he wants to keep you here."

"You sound exactly like him, you know," Auriana said, raising her eyebrows. "Though I'd wager that's the first time anyone's told you that."

Anduin smiled faintly at her gentle ribbing, but his youthful features soon fell into seriousness once more. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, and Auriana strongly suspected that there was something he wasn't telling her. Thus far, she had avoided discussing her torture with Anduin, save for her a hurried apology over their first game.

"What's wrong?" she said. "I expected this kind of objection from Varian, but not from you. I know you don't approve of war, but I thought you might understand why I need to leave. I have responsibilities."

Anduin ducked his head, suddenly unwilling to meet her gaze.

"You don't understand," he started slowly, "Auriana… you should know… when I healed you, I saw what was done to you. I saw everything."

Auriana inhaled sharply, her heart suddenly in her throat.

"Everything?" she whispered.

She wasn't so much concerned for herself, or her own dark secrets, but rather what consequences such knowledge would hold for Anduin. He was wise beyond his years, but still so innocent in so many ways, and she hated that he knew the truth of her torture and assault at the hands of Throk'gar.

"Yes," Anduin confirmed. "I… I don't know how you survived."

"To be honest, I'm not sure how I survived either," Auriana admitted quietly. "Anduin… I'm so sorry."

"Wait… you're apologising to me?" Anduin asked, confused.

"It's bad enough that I had to live through it, but you… you're young. There are some things in the world that I would still keep from you, if I could," she said sorrowfully. "I hope… I hope it hasn't put you off healing… after seeing that."

"No," Anduin said quickly. "I… I won't pretend that I wasn't… shaken, but if anything it reminded me how important my work can be. I was wondering, though… are you… are you alright? I know we don't talk about it much, but if you're going to leave… I thought I should ask…"

"No," Auriana said truthfully, "But I will be. I'm tough, and I have good people around me. People like you."

She patted Anduin kindly on the arm, and he gave her a genuine, if sad, smile.

"Did… did you tell your father?" she asked worriedly, having very deliberately concealed the specific extent of her torture from Varian.

"No. It's not my story to tell," Anduin said simply. "Though I had wondered if you would."

"I can't tell him," Auriana said seriously. "Not for me… but for him. You know why I was taken, Anduin. The Iron Horde used me to get to him. If Varian… if Varian knew what really happened in the Foundry, he'd charge off to challenge Blackhand to single combat, or do something else equally foolhardy, and I couldn't live with myself if he did."

"His anger would be a terrible thing to behold," Anduin agreed ruefully.

"Then you understand why I can't ever tell him. He's so defensive when it comes to you and me, but it never occurs to him that he's the one who really needs protecting," Auriana continued. "He's the heart of the Alliance, and I will not have him risk his life on my account."

"I believe he thinks you are worth the risk," Anduin said slowly.

"I know," Auriana said softly, closing her eyes. "Which is why I must keep my secrets. At least until after this terrible war is over. Do… do you agree?"

Anduin considered the question thoughtfully, his expression measured and grave.

"Yes," he said finally. "We must protect my father, though I still don't understand why you must return to Draenor."

"For precisely that reason, Anduin. Blackhand threatened your father, as the Iron Horde war machine threatens all of Azeroth. I cannot let that stand," she said fiercely, some of her old fire kindling in her belly. "No matter what it costs me personally."

Anduin frowned, and scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"There are other options," he said distantly, his eyes almost seeming to look past her.

"You don't think Blackhand deserves to die?" Auriana wondered, very cognizant of Anduin's peaceful nature.

"I… I don't know," Anduin said, speaking very quickly now. "I know there are people - many people - who consider me weak for my beliefs, but I'm not sure anyone is beyond redemption. Even someone like Blackhand."

"We might have to agree to disagree on that point," Auriana said darkly, recalling Garrosh Hellscream, and Deathwing, and all the others who had done indelible damage to the peoples of Azeroth. "Though I certainly don't believe you to be weak. I'd even go so far to argue that your position takes considerably more courage to defend than mine. It's far harder to save a life than it is take one."

Anduin's eyes flicked back into focus, and he carefully studied her face.

"It's more than that, though…" Anduin said heatedly. "Even if I thought that Blackhand should die, I certainly don't believe that taking the Foundry is worth your life. You've given more of yourself for the Alliance than almost anyone I could name, and yet here you are, ready to rush headlong into a war… and for what?"

Auriana inhaled sharply, struck by Anduin's words as she realised the true root of his fears.

"You think that if I die, you'll lose your father," she said quietly.

"Do you disagree?" said Anduin painfully. "You yourself just argued that he'd be willing to throw himself at Blackhand at the mere thought of what was done to you - and you aren't wrong. How do you think he would react if you died? He's a strong man, but he's not made of stone. I think… I think losing you would destroy him."

Anduin suddenly looked very raw, no longer a wise young prince on the cusp of manhood, but a concerned boy terribly afraid for a beloved father. Auriana's heart twisted, and she finally gave voice to a thought that had been bothering her ever since she had learned of Blackhand's intent to trade her life for Varian's.

"I would stop," she said slowly, "Certainly… if you asked me. I would never stand between you and your father."

"What do you mean?" Anduin said warily.

"Your father was put at risk because Blackhand was willing to exploit our relationship. That wouldn't have been possible… if there wasn't a relationship to exploit…" Auriana said heavily.

She couldn't quite believe she was having this conversation with Anduin, of all people, but he had a way of getting her to talk without even really trying.

"Is that what you want?" he asked seriously.

"No," Auriana said emphatically, "But I would do it, if it would keep him safe."

"Except it wouldn't," Anduin countered. "You should have seen him, Auriana, when we thought you were going to die. I've only seen genuine fear on my father's face on one other occasion, after I was crushed by the Divine Bell. Whether you were involved with him overtly or not, he'd still care for you. He'd still fight to protect you."

Auriana paused, wondering what had really happened while she had been unconscious. Varian had given her the broad details, but it had always seemed to her as if he had been downplaying the true gravity of the situation.

"As usual, you've seen to the heart of things, Anduin," she said finally. "I would prefer to think that the good of our relationship outweighs the risk, but I wasn't sure if I was simply convincing myself of something that I desperately wanted to be true."

She bit her lip, and surprisingly Anduin reached out to grip her arm tightly.

"If you must go, promise me you'll be careful out there," he said worriedly, "And not just for my father's sake. I'm rather fond of you as well."

Auriana smiled, touched by Anduin's concern.

"You know… storming the Foundry with Lunarfall isn't exactly a suicide mission…" she said, in a lame attempt at reassurance. "There's a good chance I would survive an assault."

"There's also a good chance you wouldn't," Anduin said quietly. "People like to treat me as if I'm a child, but I can read a garrison report as well as anyone. I know that taking the Foundry is an uphill battle."

Auriana nodded in agreement. The Prince was quite correct, though she'd had a long three weeks of recovery to carefully plan her strategy.

"I had an idea about that, actually, though Varian isn't going to like it…" she said thoughtfully.

"What is it that I'm not going to like?" came a sudden booming voice from behind them, and both Anduin and Auriana turned to behold the King of Stormwind, his face set in a thoughtful frown.

"Varian!" Auriana exclaimed in surprise. "I thought… I thought you were meeting with the House of Nobles."

"I was," Varian said, looking carefully between Auriana and his son. "We finished earlier than I expected, and so I came here. What are you two talking about?"

"Er… I have to be… um… elsewhere," Anduin said quickly, practically flying to his feet. "Thank you for the game."

The Prince exchanged a quick look with Auriana, and she gave him a brief, thankful nod as he bade a hasty retreat from the room, clearly unwilling to be a part of the conversation that would inevitably follow. Privately, Auriana wished she could follow him, though she knew that talking to Varian was the right thing to do.

The King watched his son leave with a hawk-like scowl, before finally taking a seat in the chair that Anduin had vacated.

"What am I not going to like?" Varian repeated, tenting his fingers on the table.

His voice was light, but Auriana could see a grim concern building behind his eyes. She sighed, and for a brief moment she considered lying, before realising there was very little point.

"I'm going to back to Draenor," she said firmly, as much to herself as to him. "This afternoon, in fact."

"You most certainly are not!" Varian roared, leaping back to his feet barely seconds after he had sat down.

He towered over her, his face clouded with dark emotion, but Auriana would not be swayed.

"Are we really going to have this argument?" she said calmly. "What's the point? We're only going to end up at standoff... again. Sit down."

Varian didn't move, glowering down at her fiercely. If Auriana hadn't known his fury was borne of fear, she would have found the King of Stormwind entirely terrifying, but as it stood she knew him far too well to be truly intimidated.

"Varian, stop looming over me like an angry bear," she said, rolling her eyes. "Sit down."

He grunted in frustration, but nonetheless resumed his seat.

"How could you possibly want to go back?" Varian asked urgently, unwittingly echoing his son's earlier question.

"It's not about what I want to do, it's about what I have to do," she said.

Auriana reached out and stroked Varian's muscular forearms gently, as if it might offer him some consolation. He shivered slightly under her touch, and she suddenly felt like a fairy-tale maiden trying to soothe a wild beast.

"Varian…" she started slowly. "I'm going to admit something to you that I've been trying very hard not to admit even to myself… I'm… I'm afraid."

Varian leaned forward urgently, opening his mouth to speak, but Auriana squeezed his arm tightly.

"Please," she said. "Let me speak. I've never been afraid of battle, or of war. You know me, I love a fight… but Blackhand… Blackhand made me afraid, and I know that if I don't go back to Draenor now, I might never have the courage to do so."

"Would that really be so bad?" Varian asked. "To stay in Stormwind, with me?"

"No, not at all," Auriana said, smiling sadly. "That's the problem. It would be far too easy to stay here, to have this life… but I think I'd lose a part of myself in the process. An important part."

She rose gracefully to her feet, ignoring the slight twinge in her leg as she began to pace about the room.

"I'm a fighter, Varian," she said, trying to articulate her jumbled thoughts, "And as much as I know it vexes you, I also know that my fight is what you love about me. If I stayed in Stormwind I wouldn't be staying so much as running away. I'd lose myself. Blackhand would win… and I can't let that happen."

Wordlessly, Varian stood, crossing the room swiftly to pull her into his impossibly warm embrace. Auriana came to him willingly, tucking her head against his broad chest with a long sigh. Although her ordeal had made her quite fearful of being touched by others, Varian's strong arms had a way of quickly overcoming the twinge of fear she felt whenever someone reached for her.

"I understand, Auri… really, I do… but surely… you're still healing…" Varian murmured.

"I'm fit enough, and I don't intend to throw myself into a fight straight away," Auriana said. "But my responsibility to my garrison remains unchanged. The Alliance needs me more than you do right now."

"Impossible," Varian countered, cradling her close. "No one could ever need you as much as I do."

"This is who I am, Varian. This is all I am," she said, a slight note of pleading entering her voice. "And I need you to let me go."

Varian considered her very seriously, taking her face in both his hands. Auriana could clearly see that he was at war with himself, torn between his powerful instinct to keep her safe and his belief in the importance of her freedom. He looked tired and careworn, and Auriana was suddenly overwhelmed by guilt.

Why do people do this? she wondered. Why do people fall in love when it causes them so much pain?

Of course, deep down she knew the answer, though she hadn't ever expected to experience such love in her lifetime. She would have walked through fire for Varian, and she knew that he was worth any pain the world had to offer.

"I've been thinking about this a lot, you know. I don't want to lose you, Auriana," he said slowly, his voice strained, "But… I understand why you need to go back, perhaps better than anyone. I know you need to face Blackhand, and as much as it kills me… I would never stand in your way, if it's what you really wanted."

He closed his eyes painfully, and Auriana could see how much the admission had cost him. His obvious turmoil stirred her very soul, and she knew then that she had to offer him the choice to walk away, no matter how much it might hurt her to do so.

"We could end this," she suggested thickly, her heart all but breaking. "If it would make it easier on you, I… I would let you go..."

Even before she'd finished the words, Varian's eyes had flown open, and he suddenly looked very alarmed.

"No," he growled fiercely. "It would not make it easier. You're mine, Auriana, and you will always be mine, whether we're in a relationship or not. I will not have this end, and certainly not on Blackhand's account."

His arms tightened around her protectively, as if he could physically shield her from the world.

"That said…" he added sternly, his heavy brow creasing with thought. "If this is going to work between us, I need to accept who you are. I need to accept that you are a fighter, as you say, and that you will sometimes be at risk as a consequence of your chosen career. But you also need to accept who I am. I am going to argue with you when you are being reckless, and at times I will be overprotective. I will never stop fighting to keep you safe, and you need to reconcile yourself to that. I can't change my fundamental self any more than you can, and while I will do my best… you're going to have to be patient with me. Can you do that?"

For a second Auriana was certain that she had misheard, so surprised was she by Varian's response. It seemed as if he really had been considering their conflict deeply, and he had finally decided to trust in her abilities. Moved, Auriana nodded emphatically, blinking back sudden tears, and buried her face into his chest. Encouraged, Varian wound his hands into her hair and breathed in deeply, as if trying to commit the scent of her to memory.

"Varian?" she murmured, overwhelmed by her own emotions. "I… I know I should have told you earlier, but… well… you know me. I… before I leave… I thought you should know… I… I love you."

"What?" he asked, turning her face upwards with gentle fingers. "Say it again."

"Varian…" she said, blushing lightly. "You know I'm not good at this… you heard what I said…"

"Say it again," he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "Please."

"I… I love you," she repeated firmly, confused by Varian's insistence. "Really, I do… I… I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me..."

To her surprise, he suddenly brightened, and a slow, broad grin spread across his handsome face.

"I know you love me," he said gently. "I was just making sure you knew it, too. For a smart woman, you take an awfully long time to figure things out…"

Auriana opened her mouth to protest, but Varian lifted her slightly and silenced her with a bruising kiss. He held her close for a long time, gently exploring her mouth while his hands tenderly cupped her cheeks. Auriana didn't resist, knowing that it might be the last time he'd kiss her for a long while, and she vaguely wondered why she'd ever been so eager to leave without saying goodbye.

"Just… promise that you'll come home to me," he said eventually, his face growing serious once more.

"That's precisely what I intend to do," Auriana said determinedly, "And I'll be bringing Blackhand's head with me."

"Well, in that case, you'll need a plan to take the Foundry," Varian pointed out, releasing her from his crushing grip.

Auriana stood back and regarded Varian thoughtfully, more grateful than she could ever say for his support. She could see that it was hard for him to be openly encouraging of her return to Draenor, but he was trying, and that was what mattered.

"As I was about to explain to Anduin…" she started, "Mathias Shaw sent me the intelligence his agents gathered when you all came to rescue me. Based on your information, as well as my own, I have a good idea of the interior layout of the Foundry, and the best points from which to coordinate a siege."

"You lack numbers, however," Varian said gravely. "Since you've been here, Blackhand has had weeks to prepare his defenses. He knows you're coming."

"He'd be a fool to think otherwise," Auriana agreed. "But I don't intend to go it alone. I… I had thought to approach the Horde. Our Horde, I mean, from Azeroth…"

"What?" Varian said, his jaw tightening.

"The Horde Commander has saved my life twice now. I think he'd be amenable to a combined assault," she explained. "The Horde need Blackhand dead as much as we do."

"I'm grateful that he saved your life," Varian said slowly, "But there's a very big difference between him acting to spare you, and agreeing to a temporary accord. They're still the Horde, Auriana, and a single honourable troll does not a strong alliance make. How do you know they won't turn on you?"

"I don't, but we've worked together before, at the Siege of Grommashar," Auriana countered. "The Commander took a very big risk to join that assault on the scant information I gave him, but he came anyway. Why would he do that, if he wasn't willing to cooperate?"

"I will admit, that the Horde have honoured our ceasefire so far," Varian said begrudgingly, "But you can't trust them, Auriana. Not ever."

"I didn't say I trusted the Horde," Auriana said. "I'm not about to invite them for tea in Lunarfall, here, but I think I can put them to our advantage. With the Horde at our side, we'll have more than enough troops to storm the Foundry. Of course, I'd need your permission to make any official overtures to the Commander of Frostwall..."

She raised her eyebrows imploringly, but Varian looked less than moved.

"Are there other options?" he asked.

"We could delay, of course, and move more of our troops north, though we would risk losing our hold on other areas of Draenor. There are still pockets of orc resistance in Nagrand and Talador, as well as other dangers, and of course there is always the potential for the Iron Horde to move their troops by magical means," Auriana said thoughtfully. "We also can't forget that the Foundry is not only a stronghold, but a weapons factory. If we delay our assault, or engage Blackhand in an extended siege, our losses will be severe. We don't have the means to produce war machines on the same scale that the Blackhand can."

Auriana sighed.

"I also suspect time is against us," she added.

"Why is that?" Varian asked.

"I'm almost certain that there's something very wrong in Tanaan Jungle. Grommash Hellscream hasn't been seen since his brief appearance at the gates of Tanaan, and we've been unable to gather any intelligence from beyond the wall since our base was destroyed during your visit," Auriana explained. "I fear that if we wait to invade Tanaan, the situation will worsen beyond control, but we can't go up against Hellscream with Blackhand at our backs."

Varian began to pace around the room, rubbing a hand deliberately over his chin as he walked.

"You still have the issue of a traitor within Lunarfall," he said. "You said you'd had word from Master Shaw?"

"I asked one of the guards to contact him for me last week, I hope you don't mind. He gave me the intelligence gleaned from your assault on the Foundry, which has been of great use," Auriana confirmed, "Though he still doesn't know who sold me out to Blackhand."

"You'd be willing to go back out there, without knowing?" Varian said, his eyes narrowing shrewdly. "It could be anyone."

Auriana looked down at the floor.

"No," she admitted quietly. "It scares me… but I'm not sure I have a choice. As I said… we're running out of time. It could take months to find the traitor, and we've lost enough ground with me being out of commission. Shaw was able to confirm that Lieutenant Thorn and my bodyguard are loyal to the Alliance… as… as was Lieutenant Gale, the young officer who was killed by the Blackrock to lure me out."

Her voice caught as she recalled Gale's horrific death, and she could still faintly recall the feel of his shattered skull beneath her hands. He had died with her still believing that he was a traitor, and Auriana hadn't been able to shake a gnawing sense of guilt over his loss. Varian frowned as he noticed her sorrow and moved instantly to her side, placing a bracing hand on her shoulder.

"On balance, I think our best chance is for me to return to Draenor, and to coordinate our assault with that of the Horde. Blackhand won't be prepared to defend against a combined force," she said softly. "You know I'm afraid, but you know I wouldn't suggest this if I thought there was another way."

Varian closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

"You're asking a lot from me today," he said ominously. "First you tell me that you intend to leave for Draenor, and now you want me to trust the Horde. If it was anyone else but you, Auriana..."

"I'm not asking you to trust the Horde," Auriana said. "I'm asking you to trust me."

Varian stared at her for a long time, unblinking. Auriana could practically see his mind turning over, calculating every possible outcome. She could also see that he sorely wanted to argue with her, but that he was an experienced enough commander to see the wisdom in her strategy.

"Fine," he grumbled finally. "Do what you must, Auriana, you have my permission. To that end, I will also send a missive of my own to Warchief Vol'jin… and I'll even be polite."

"Thank you," Auriana said sincerely. "Varian… I can't tell you…"

She was cut off by a sudden loud knock on the door, and the sound of a guard announcing the arrival of Archmage Khadgar.

"What's Khadgar doing here?" Varian asked curiously.

"He's here for me," Auriana explained, striding forwards to open the door.

Moments later, Khadgar swept into the room, bowing to Varian respectfully and smiling down at Auriana.

"Hello," he said warmly, looking between Varian and Auriana with interest. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"Not at all," Auriana said, though from the look on Varian's face it was clear he disagreed.

"Khadgar is here to teleport me back to Lunarfall," she added. "I'm not quite up to opening a portal on my own just yet."

"I see," said Varian flatly, folding his arms across his chest with a scowl.

"Don't look at me like that, Varian," Auriana said warningly. "I'm perfectly fine, and I have healers to attend to me at Lunarfall."

"And yet…" Varian said, gesturing to Khadgar.

"There's a very big difference between being well enough to return to my post, and being well enough to open an interplanetary portal," Auriana said drily.

"She's perfectly safe with me, Varian," Khadgar assured the King, placing a fatherly hand on Auriana's shoulder.

"I should hope so," Varian said darkly. "I'm placing Auriana under your protection while she's on Draenor, and I'll have your head if any further harm comes to her."

"Varian!" Auriana snapped, but Khadgar waved her off with a tolerant smile.

The Archmage had been around Varian long enough to know that his threat had not truly been serious, and he seemed entirely unperturbed by the King's harsh words.

"I will do everything in my considerable power to protect her, Varian," Khadgar promised. "You're not the only one who needs her alive."

Varian harrumphed in what might have been acceptance, if not precisely satisfaction, and strode over to gently grasp Auriana's shoulders one last time. He kissed her softly on the mouth, apparently heedless of Khadgar's presence. Auriana leant into him longingly, her resolve to leave crumbling, and she had to force herself to step away before she was so firmly entrenched in his arms that she would never leave.

"Auri… good luck," the King murmured heavily, touching her cheek one last time before he strode abruptly from the room without another word.

Auriana watched Varian's departing form wistfully, realising that it had taken him just as much strength to walk away from her as it had taken her to walk away from him. She let out a bittersweet sigh, before turning back to face the Archmage. Khadgar was smiling faintly, his bushy grey eyebrows raised somewhat suggestively.

"Not a word," Auriana warned him.

"I wasn't going to say anything," Khadgar said, raising his hands defensively.

"Oh please, Khadgar, we both know you're a gossipy old woman at heart," Auriana said drily, moving to gather her few personal effects.

It felt good to tease the Archmage, and more than anything else it helped to distract Auriana from what she was about to do.

"Can you blame me? Here you are, all quiet and unassuming, and yet next thing I know you've gone and seduced the King of Stormwind," Khadgar said.

"I hardly seduced him," Auriana argued, blushing slightly. "It just sort of… happened."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Khadgar prodded gently.

"Because it was supposed to be a secret," Auriana said quietly, "And for good reason, too."

She turned back to face him, cocking her head slightly to the side.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Of course not," Khadgar said seriously. "Your secrets are your own, Auriana."

"Thank you," she said appreciatively, still somewhat surprised by how willing people seemed to be to protect her relationship with Varian.

Auriana slung her pack of possessions over her shoulder, wincing slightly as she took the weight. Khadgar evidently noticed her discomfort, and offered to bear the burden for her, but she gently refused. Her muscles had atrophied slightly in the weeks she had spent in Stormwind, and she needed to start rebuilding them as soon as possible.

"Let's get out of here," she said firmly, "Before I change my mind. Or before Varian changes his."

"Am I taking you directly to Lunarfall?" Khadgar asked, as he began to gather his power.

"Yes, please," Auriana said, "Though afterwards I have a mission for you, if you'd be amenable."

"A mission for me?" he asked curiously. "What do you need?"

"You have contacts among the Vol'jin's Horde, do you not? I need you to speak with the commander of Frostwall Garrison, and propose that we storm Blackrock Foundry together," she explained. "If we're going after Blackhand, it's going to take everything we've got."

"You wish to ally with the Horde?" Khadgar asked, genuine surprise crossing his features. "I didn't think you were so… progressive."

"I don't love the Horde, Khadgar, but the time for petty differences has passed," Auriana said firmly. "We aren't fighting for Stormwind, or the Alliance, we're fighting for Azeroth. We will stand together, or die alone."

Khadgar smiled, a distinct hint of pride behind his eyes. Behind him, a portal flared to life, and through it Auriana could just about glimpse the familiar buildings of Lunarfall.

"I agree," the Archmage said seriously, "Though how on earth did you convince Varian?"

"I seduced him," Auriana said, her deadpan expression making Khadgar laugh. "In all honesty, though, he isn't incapable of listening to reason. He's pigheaded, but he isn't an idiot, and he's come a long way."

"As have you," murmured Khadgar thoughtfully, looking at her as if suddenly seeing her for the first time.

He gestured gallantly towards his portal, inviting her through. Auriana swallowed, her heart suddenly pounding in her ears as she gathered the courage to return to untamed Draenor.

"I will make contact with Frostwall immediately after I've returned you safely to Lunarfall," Khadgar assured her as she passed, "Though I am curious as to your strategy. What are you going to do, Commander?"

Auriana paused before she entered the portal, narrowing her eyes as she prepared to take the final step.

"What am I going to do?" Auriana repeated, her voice ringing with a determination that belied the frantic beating of her heart. "Khadgar… I'm going to win the war."