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“Huntin’?” Derek asked as he watched Jaina gather a bag for the upcoming trip.
“Aye. Sylvanas is takin’ me to the West of Quel’Thalas.” Jaina hummed, putting some change of clothes into a small leather bag.
“Not to be an arse,” Tandred began, “but ye are… um...”
“Bloody terrible at it?” Jaina supplied with a smile, turning and looking at her brothers.
“Aye, that’s the one.” Tandred laughed. “Why huntin’?”
“Sylvanas enjoys it.” Jaina said with a shrug of her shoulders. “And we wanted to spend some time together.”
“Well, then,” Derek pulled her in a tight hug. “‘ave fun. And tell ‘er that if ye get ‘urt, she’d be dead.”
Sylvanas met Jaina when the human stepped out of the portal, immediately jumping into the elf’s arms. They held onto each other tightly for some time. It had been three months since they had seen each other last.
“Belore, I’ve missed you so much.” Sylvanas whispered, burying her nose in soft golden locks.
“I’ve missed you too.” Jaina smiled widely, her face tucked in Sylvanas’ strong neck.
Their little bubble was popped when the door to Sylvanas’ room, where Jaina had teleported to, slamming open as Sylvanas’ father stepped in.
“Ah! I knew I’ve felt a familiar trace of arcane!” Velendeyn smiled widely, pulling Jaina in a hug, that she returned happily.
“Good to see you again, Velendeyn.”
“You know that you don’t have to wait for Sylvanas to visit, yes?”
“I know, but I’ve been busy myself.”
Jaina was immediately pulled downstairs, smiling as Vereesa all but jumped at her and melting when Lireesa pulled her in a long hug. Alleria sadly wasn’t there, planning to visit only in a month. Considering that Alexstrasza was expecting their first child, everyone was nervous, especially the whole of the Dragonflight. The first half breed child. A lot of hopes were placed on that pregnancy but that was a whole other story.
Sylvanas had to wrestle Jaina from her family and pull her outside, grumbling as they headed into the village. After all, Sylvanas wouldn’t hear the end of it if she didn’t bring Jaina to say hello to everyone. Jaina laughed, allowing to be led to the small square and almost immediately crowded by every single resident of the Windrunner village. She smiled and greeted people, shaking hands and being pulled into hugs.
Children demanded her attention next, asking for stories and displays of magic. She promised to indulge them tomorrow, as Sylvanas pulled her back towards the Spire.
Jaina couldn’t help but laugh at the look on the elf’s face.
“Why are you so grumpy?”
“I’ve asked you here to spend time together, not to share you with everyone.”
Jaina smiled, stopping Sylvanas and pulling her down by the collar of her tunic, kissing her long and sweet. “You know that I’m only yours.” She whispered against the elf’s lips, giggling when she noticed the tips of her long ears twitch.
They returned to the spire and Sylvanas quickly rushed in, telling Jaina that they would depart right away before someone else tried to steal her attention.
Jaina's eyebrows furrowed when Sylvanas returned with two bows.
“This is a terrible idea.” Jaina mumbled, taking the offered weapon.
“New experiences are always frightening, Dalah'surfal.” Sylvanas smiled, taking her hand and leading her to the forest.
“I’m going to be terrible at this!” Jaina whined. “I thought you were going to hunt and I would just hang back and not get in your way!”
“But where’s the fun in that?”
“Relax your shoulders,” Sylvanas guided Jaina into a proper stance. “You don’t need to tense them like that. It’s your elbow that will do most of the work.”
“Tis bloody ridiculous.” Jaina grumbled, as she tried to hold the bow up. “Not to tense me shoulders, me arse. Tis thin’ is ‘eavy!”
Sylvanas laughed, resting her hands on Jaina's hips and kissing the top of her head. “It becomes easier with practice. As everything else does.” She stepped back and picked up her own bow and handing a smaller quiver to Jaina. “Let’s move, there’s a place where elks herd not too far from here.”
Jaina followed Sylvanas, looking at how her feet moved and trying to mimic it. Where Sylvanas’ steps were gracious and almost inaudible, Jaina was like a mammoth in a store full of crystals. She managed to step on every single dry leaf and twig in the forest. And every time, Sylvanas would stop and turn, step besides Jaina and explain to her how to properly place her foot and how to spot and avoid things that would make noise and scare away the game.
At some point Sylvanas grabbed Jaina's hand and pulled her down and into the bushes, shushing her down and pointing forward, to the sizable herd of stags. Pushing a finger against her lips, Sylvanas helped Jaina back up to her feet and helped her get the bow and an arrow.
“Aim for the one closest to us.” The elf whispered, directing Jaina's arms into the proper position. “Remember, it’s your elbow that’s doing all of the work.”
Jaina nodded, setting her eyes on the stag closest to them. She pulled the bow up and pulled the string. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she released.
The arrow made an arc…and landed weakly near the animal, effectively scaring the whole herd. And just as all the stags took off, Sylvanas followed.
“Don’t just stand there! Chase after them!” On instinct, the human followed, barely managing to toss the bow over her shoulder.
“Chase?!” Jaina yelled as she tried to keep up.
“We might corner one of the animals!”
Jaina tried to keep up, she honest to the Gods did. But the animals were damn fast, as well as Sylvanas. The elf weaved through trees and bushes and jumped over obstacles with ridiculous amount of grace and ease. While it took all of Jaina's concentration not to trip over her own feet.
She didn’t know how long they had been running, but she stopped at one moment, wheezing and trying not to pass out as she leaned against the tree, half way to sitting down.
“No-no, don’t sit.” Sylvanas caught her fast, pulling Jaina into an upright position. She was annoyingly not out of breath. “It will take you longer to resume breathing properly.” Taking Jaina's hand, the Ranger pulled her to walk along. “Come, there’s a stream nearby. Walking will help you catch your breath more effectively.”
“How are you not out of breath?” Jaina whizzed, holding onto Sylvanas’ hand for dear life.
“I’ve been running since I could, my heart,” the elf chuckled, pulling Jaina into her side. “It’s second nature. Maybe we should start on your training? It’s not too late yet.”
If Jaina pushed Sylvanas into the water later, it was completely by accident.
Jaina smiled as she watched Sylvanas interact with her family.
It's been another two months after Jaina's visit to Quel'Thalas and their hunting trip. And they finally had some time to see each other again. That time Sylvanas traveled to Boralus, being greeted warmly by everyone. And when she said everyone, she did mean everyone.
And so, there they were, at the Proudmoore Keep, in one of the smaller dining rooms, sitting at the small round table, eating, chatting and drinking.
Sylvanas held Jaina's hand the whole time, running a thumb over her knuckles absentmindedly as she talked to Derek and Tandred and laughed with Katherine. Daelin asked about training and what was going on politically in Quel'Thalas.
"I 'ave been approached with a preposition recently." Everyone turned to him with surprised and confused looks.
"And why, pray tell, do I know nothin' of that?" Katherine asked, leaning towards her husband.
"Because I wanted to confirm if 'tis was true or nah." He said with a smile, taking his wife’s hand and kissing her knuckles. Daelin turned back to Sylvanas who was just taking a sip of her wine. "Whispers say ye and me dear daughter might be getting married soon."
And Sylvanas promptly inhaled her wine, sputtering and wheezing as she tried to breath. Jaina, after a moment of shock started patting and rubbing her back.
"Who in Belore's fucking name told you that?" Sylvanas wheezed, looking at Daelin through watery eyes.
"Can ye guess with one try?"
And without missing a beat, the elf growled. "Kael'thas." Coughing some more.
"Aye." Daelin said, looking way too pleased with himself. "So, I wanted t' know, when is the ceremony?"
Sylvanas choked on her own spit.
"Don't listen to papa." Jaina huffed, brushing her hair as they were getting ready for bed that same evening. "And if Kael'thas is going to try some political scheme, he's going to be thoroughly disappointed."
Sylvanas on her part, sat quietly at the edge of the bed, staring at her hands.
"Wouldn't you want to?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Want what?" Jaina put her brush down.
"Get married. Someday, perhaps."
Jaina went quiet as well. She expected herself to panic. To have her thoughts run haphazardly all over the place. Expected her brain to tell her 'you're still young', 'you haven't been seeing each other for that long', 'you're going to regret it'. No. Nothing like that.
Instead, a sense of calm and excitement settled over her. She imagined the ceremony. The dress, the flowers, the people. Imagine them sharing a home. Them settling into a comfortable rhythm. And it didn't sound all too bad.
With a smile, Jaina walked over to Sylvanas, tilting her head up and settling into her lap. "One day." She whispered against soft familiar lips. "I think I would like that very much." Jaina was happy about the perk in Sylvanas' ears, the shine in her eyes, the wide grin. The elf's arms settled around her waist, holding her close. "Would you?"
"With all my heart."
“Jaina?”
“Hhm?”
“Can we go home?”
“We only got here about thirty minutes ago.”
“And we’ve been doing nothing but sitting!”
Jaina lifted the wide brim of her straw hat, looking at Sylvanas, a pipe between her teeth. “That’s the point, my love.”
The elf groaned, falling back against the warm wood of the lower dock she and Jaina were settled at. It was Jaina's idea. Of course it was. She was Kul Tiran for Goddess’ sake. Though Sylvanas would have much preferred going out sailing, Jaina said that because they’d gone hunting the previous time they saw each other, this time it was going to be fishing.
So there they were, hidden in the obscure labyrinths of Boralus’ harbor on the lower levels, floats bobbing on the gentle waves.
Jaina was unbothered by it all. Settling against the support beam and lighting up her pipe, her eyes closed as she relaxed and waited.
Sylvanas just sat there, staring at the floats and hoping that every time she looked up to the sun it would have moved enough for her to suggest for them to head home. No such luck. The sun seemed to be stuck in one position every time the elf looked up.
Suddenly there was splashing and Sylvanas turned to see her floated dipping under the water. Jaina jumped, pushing Sylvanas towards her rod.
“Don’t just sit.” She urged, watching as Sylvanas fumbled, grabbing the rod. “Don’t reel it in all at once. Loose a bit when you feel it’s tugging way too hard, otherwise the line might snap.”
Sylvanas nodded and tried to follow the instructions. She reeled the fish in, feeling more confident with Jaina's palm at the small of her back. The fish seemed to be big as she was having a lot of trouble reeling the sucker in. And Jaina seemed to be excited as well.
Only to double down laughing as Sylvanas finally pulled the bastard out, ending up being some tiny lane snapper that was the size of her hand. The elf’s ears pinned back and cheeks flared with embarrassment as she stared at the fish.
“Oh, my love.” Jaina finally caught her breath as she took the fish off the hook and tossed it back into the water. “It wasn’t bad for your first try.”
“It was absurd.” Sylvanas grumbled. “Waiting a few hours for that?”
“Sometimes you don’t catch anything. That’s just how fishing is.”
They both watched as Jaina's bobber went under the water and the reel was making a ringing noise as the line was pulled at hard. The human quickly grabbed the rod, catching the handle of the reel and rolling it back. They both watched the end of the rod band dangerously, but Jaina seemed unbothered.
“Oh, nay ye don’t, ye bloody bastard.”
After what felt like an eternity of struggle, Sylvanas watched, wide eyed, as Jaina pulled a sea catfish the length of her leg onto the boards.
She watched as the human panted and wiped her brow, smiling widely as she looked up at her. “Tis also the whim of luck.”
Sylvanas huffed, cheeks and the tips of her ears still warm from the embarrassment of her catch. Though she forgot all about it when she carried Jaina's game back to the Keep. When she saw how everyone patted her back and congratulated her on the good catch. How proud Daelin was when he saw the fish.
“So,” Derek asked, nudging Sylvanas’ side, “what about ye?”
Her ears fell and she looked at him with a stare that said it all.
“Don’t even ask.”
Jaina sat comfortably on the loveseat in the library, a book in her lap, when she heard footsteps rushing towards her. Without taking her eyes off the page, she lifted the book, letting Elaria fall across her lap.
“We’re back!” The girl announced. Jaina smiled, resting the book on her daughter’s back and continued reading, one hand going to young elf’s hair, fingers running through soft locks.
“How was the hunt?”
“I’ve managed to get two rabbits!” The girl said, pride prominent in her voice.
“She’s getting better by the day.” Sylvanas hummed, stopping behind the back of the seat and leaning down, kissing the top of her wife’s head.
“So proud of you.”
Elaria smiled, relaxing at her mother’s touch. “Can we go fishing tomorrow?” she asked, turning her head and looking at Jaina.
“Of course, my little star.” The Mage looked up at Sylvanas. “Want to join us?”
Sylvanas looked at both her wife and daughter. Belore, she never understood the appeal of fishing, and probably never would. But if that was what her girls wanted; she’d be willing to oblige.
“Only if you join us on the next hunt, Dalah'surfal.”