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The moment the haul of the ship kissed the dock, Daelin was jumping over and rushing towards the Keep. He cursed everything and everyone. The war. The Orcs. Menethil. Everyone and everything under the sun.
He was supposed to be back three months ago. Just in time for the birth of his third child! But the war prevented it, ruined all of his plans of being by his wife’s side. He wasn’t there. Wasn’t there when his third son was born. Him and Katherine were both sure that it would be another boy. Considering that their first two were sons.
He pushed through the heavy doors, not letting the guards open it for him, waving off their salutes and proper greetings.
He didn’t have time for that.
His son was born two months ago and he wasn’t there.
He needed to see his child as soon as he could. As fast as his legs would carry him.
Daelin stopped before the door to his and Katherine’s rooms, catching his breath. Taking his tricorn off, he slowly opened the door, making sure to not make any sound and slipped inside.
Oh, the view that greeted him.
His wife. His beautiful, strong, loving wife. His Katherine. She stood next to a crib, clearly holding their child, who whimpered softly, probably just starting to calm down from a cry. And Katherine was humming. A soft melody to lull the babe back to sleep.
Daelin made a careful step forward, across the warm wooden floors of their rooms, dimly lit from the fireplace and a candelabra next to the crib. He stopped when Katherine started singing. Shocked not by the soft, sweet voice of his wife, but by the words that he was hearing.
“Ahoy, ahoy, sweet daughter o’ the Seas; Ahoy tis child be mine; The Admiral’s girl, ‘is ‘ole entire world; For as lon’, as stars do shine.” Katherine sang, swaying from side to side, a soft laugh escaping her when their child, their daughter, made a soft cooing noise. “Ahoy, ahoy, sweet daughter o’ the Seas; Ahoy tis child be mine; The Lady’s girl, ‘er ‘ole entire world; For as lon’, as sands o’ time.”
Daelin's legs shook and tears of joy stung his eyes. A daughter. Tidemother blessed them with a daughter. Oh, what a good omen. What a blessing. A daughter!
“Be stron’, belon’, me daughter o’ the Seas; Be brave, don’t ye forget yer seaside days.”
Oh, he couldn’t wait. How he yearned to take his daughter out into the open waters. To see her eyes shine with laughter as the sea sprayed at them as the ship cut through the waves. But first. But first he needed to hold his daughter. Needed it like the air itself. He felt as if he was withering away without holding his daughter in his arms. His daughter.
“Always the pride o’ our nation’s eyes; Ye will never go astray.” Katherine finished the lullaby with a soft hum, looking over her shoulder when Daelin couldn’t hold back his sobs any longer. Her smile was warm as she looked back down at the bundle in her arms. “Would ye look at tis, Jaina. Yer wayward father ‘as returned.”
He sobbed again.
Jaina.
Jaina. His daughter.
Katherine walked over to him, her bare feet soundless against the floor. He couldn’t move a muscle. He was rooted in place. Afraid to do anything for he feared it was all just a dream and the moment he reached out he would wake up. Back on the battlefield. Away from his family again.
“Come, ‘usband. Don’t ye want t’ ‘old yer daughter?”
His whole being was shaking as Katherine nestled the tiny bundle in his arms. Tears almost blinded him as he looked down. At the wide curious bright blue eyes. At the puff of blond hair.
“Tis yer da, me little star.” Katherine whispered, her hands rubbing Daelin's upper arms as he shook terribly. “Tis yer proud father, Jaina.”
“Jaina.” He whispered, afraid to be any louder than that.
And at that. At hearing his voice for the first time, the child smiled widely, squealing and reaching up towards him, hands grabbing at the air.
He couldn’t take it any longer. Daelin Proudmoore, Lord Admiral of the most powerful armada in the world sank onto his knees, sobbing in full as he pressed his daughter to his chest, whispering feverishly under his hiccuping breaths.
“Jaina. Me Jaina. Me daughter. Me guidin' star. Tidemother, thank ye. Thank ye for tis blessin’. Thank ye, thank ye, thank ye.”
He looked up at Katherine. A hand over her mouth as she cried as well. But her eyes shined with happiness.
He shifted, pulling his wife down to sit between his legs so he could hold them both. So he could hold and thank Katherine over and over again. Thanking her for this gift. For this blessing she bestowed on someone as undeserving as him. He held both her and Jaina. His daughter. The light he didn’t know he missed in his life.
Tidemother’s blessing it was a good sign. A good sign indeed.
Katherine arrived to Lordaeron almost as soon as she heard the news. The emotions that swirled in her were as violent as the storm. She didn’t know what to do. What to say.
First there was the peace. Then she finds out that the only friend and ally she thought she had turned out to be a traitor. After that the Kul Tiran fleet was returned home and she held her son she thought lost in her arms, sobbing in Tandred's shoulder. And the peak of it all, she learned that her daughter, her child she thought a traitor, gave birth to a child. And not just a child, but the child of the former Warchief. The famed Banshee Queen of the Forsaken.
The storm in Katherine’s heart threatened to consume her whole.
Although she was surprised at how easily Sylvanas Windrunner had agreed to her visit. So much so as to greet her personally at the gates of the mostly restored castle.
Katherine looked the elf up and down.
Dressed in some simple boots, breeches and a tunic with a leather vest over it. she couldn’t help but think that the woman looked… comfortable. And at home. And she met her alone. For whatever reason, Katherine didn’t know.
“I hope we can be civil, Lady Proudmoore.” Sylvanas addressed her calmly and politely. Without any haughtiness she was honestly expecting. “She’s expecting you in the library. Your escort is welcomed to come along. Although I assure you, there’s no danger for you here.” The elf gave her a sad smile. “But I do understand that you do not believe me.”
“Aye, ye right. I don’t. Now, may I see ‘er?” she couldn’t help the coldness, the rigidness. The Horde took so much from her. She wouldn’t just forgive them on the spot.
“Of course. This way.”
They walked down the hallways that Katherine vaguely remembered. There were a few guards on the posts. Mostly Forsaken. Men and women who greeted Sylvanas warmly, smiling at her as she smiled and nodded back. And giving Katherine a proper salute as she passed.
She saw workers mulling about in some rooms. Looking over some papers and pointing at things. Katherine couldn’t hide her shock when she saw Humans, Forsaken and Orcs in the same space. All talking animatedly and laughing. Perhaps there was hope. Hope for something better just over the horizon.
Sylvanas stopped before the massive double door, her hand on the handle and her ear twitching, smiling. She turned and looked at Katherine, finger pressed to her lips and motioning for her to follow. Leaving the guards outside, Katherine stepped in.
“…tis child be mine; The Admiral’s girl, ‘er ‘ole entire world; For as lon’, as stars do shine.”
The air was knocked out of her. There, next to the window stood her daughter. Jaina. Her back was towards them and her hair falling freely over her shoulders. White. Her hair was snow white. Why? What happened to her? Jaina was just about to turn thirty-seven. Katherine’s thought started to race anew when words reached her ears again.
“Ahoy, ahoy, sweet daughter o’ the Seas; Ahoy tis child be mine; The General’s girl, ‘er ‘ole entire world; For as lon’, as sands o’ time.”
She pressed her palm over her mouth to hold back a sob. Tears running in rivers down her cheeks. Tidemother, she thought she would never hear that lullaby again. thought she would never her daughter’s voice again. Tidemother, forgive her. Tidemother give her strength.
She almost forgot about Sylvanas Windrunner, when the elf spoke up softly.
“Dalah’surfal.”
Jaina stopped singing, turning around. Her eyes widened for a moment. She smiled then, bowing her head towards her mother.
“Forgive me, I thought I would be able to tuck her in before your visit. But Ellaria absolutely refuses to sleep today.” She gave a pointed look to Sylvanas.
“Why is that my fault?” The elf huffed, although with no bite to her words.
“From what Alleria told me—”
“And you believe her?”
“All the things match so far.”
Katherine took in a shuddered breath, barely pushing down a sob. Tidemother, forgive her. Tidemother, she couldn’t look at the woman before her and see a traitor. All she saw was her daughter. Her Jaina. Her Jaina that glowed with the joy of motherhood.
“May I see ‘er?” Katherine wasn’t sure she spoke loud enough for Jaina to head. She was afraid now. She though she would enter the room and there would be raised voices and accusations and shouts but— Tidemother, be her witness, she just couldn’t.
And Jaina smiled. There was pain and fear and hesitation behind that smile, but how could she? How could she deny this to her mother? Ellaria was her blood as well.
She walked over to Katherine slowly, deftly holding the bundle with one hand as she pushed some of the blankets back.
“Look, me darlin’. Me guidin’ star. Tis yer grandma.”
Katherine looked down and a sob finally did tear from her chest. Bright blue eyes were looking at her with a wide pure curiosity. Slightly pointed ears twitched as she took her in.
She trembled, her hand reaching out as her fingers just barely touched the soft woven green and blue blanket. And then she sobbed harder at the realization. It was the blanket she made. It was the blanket she woven for Jaina when she was born. Thick soft wool. Made by her hand. Katherine was afraid she would sink to the floor anytime soon.
“’ello me little one. Ellaria. What a beautiful name yer mothers gave ye.”
Her heart soared when the babe smiled widely, laughing and squealing loudly as she reached out for her. Jaina sobbed as well, smiling and looking at Sylvanas, who was smiling as well, slowly taking steps back.
The last things Sylvanas heard before slowly closing the door behind her was Jaina's soft whisper and Katherine’s another wet sob.
“Would ye like t’ ‘old yer granddaughter, ma?”