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"That banshee is up to something!" Genn Greymane railed, he had heard reports of the nefarious Warchief sneaking around different towns, Alliance and Horde alike, purchasing things. "Anduin, she could be buying ingredients for a new blight...or or...some type of weapons, its one of her tricks!"
Anduin sighed, he was exhausted when the older king rushed in the throne room. He had just got back from the orphanage where he helped set up a tree and decorations and dressed up as Great Father Winter for the children, they loved it and that was all he needed; now he just wanted to sleep. Genn approached the throne, "I am telling you my king, something is up."
Anduin rolled his eyes this time, Sylvanas could be biting her nails or fixing her hair and Genn would think she was up to something, "I will look into it Genn, but right now..."
"Also have you looked at the list I gave you?" genn asked, ignoring Anduin's eyeroll.
"I told you...no," Anduin was nearly at the end of his patience, he already had someone in his mind and heart and it was not anyone on the list of nobles given over to him, "I am not ready for this yet and it is Winter's Veil! Go and celebrate with your wife and daughter!"
"But--"
"No buts Genn, I have had it up to here! I know she's probably up to no good, what else is new?! You have a beautiful wife and lovely daughter, go. spend. time. with. them."
The Worgen looked shocked but he calmed down and nodded, he did buy Mia a pair of earrings and Tess a new set of daggers, "I will, my boy...in the meantime...take a rest, I am sorry to have troubled you."
"It's alright, my friend just remember who is more important right now, I do not think your wife is going to appreciate you going on about about the banshee queen, it's about family time...you atleast have one." Anduin said a little sadly but tried to maintain his kingly calm.
Genn's eyes narrowed as guilt hit him hard, "I...did not think...if you want you can spend winter's veil with us and I will not mention Windrunner. You are right, Mia threatened to make me sleep on the couch if I mentioned her again during the holidays." Genn winced as he recalled Mia's angry tone: "If you bring up Sylvanas again...I don't care if she is cutting holes in her hood for ear holes....but if you mention her even once during Winter's veil, you will sleeping on the couch! and not the comfortable one!!!"
Anduin grinned, "your wife is a force to be reckoned with, I would listen to her and I will think on it. Thank you, Genn now go."
Genn left the king alone and went out to fulfil his shopping list, he had alot to think about on the way home, that was rather selfish of you...his own voice reprimanded him.
Anduin rested his eyes after the worgen left, it had only been a few minutes when a familiar and much loved voice rang in his ears, "sorry sleepy head but remember that surprise we planned?"
"Yes Arator?" Anduin opened his eyes, "What about it? Wrathion said everything is a go."
"My aunt has sent me a letter," Arator's eyebrows were drawn together in concern.
"Which aunt? you have two?" Anduin drawled sarcastically but there was a playful glint in his tired blue eyes.
"The undead one, she sent me something that sounds worrying," Arator handed him the letter which had the Warchief's seal already broken.
"Nephew, I need your help. Something has come up, please hurry."
SW.
"That is concerning, what do you think she wants?" Anduin scratched his chin, the warchief could be cryptic and vague but this...was different, he reread looking for hidden meanings but could find none, it sounded very urgent to him. "Think something has happened? Greymane mentioned that she's been reported to have been acting strangely."
"I think we should investigate Anduin, I am worried, she might have gotten in over her head or something," Arator's golden eyes were filled with worry for his aunt, he saw her in secret rarely and mainly exchanged letters which Anduin did know of but allowed it. "I know it is Winter's Veil and my parents and Aunt Vereesa have something in mind but...Sylvanas will be alone, I think we should see if there is something wrong and maybe get her a present."
"Jaina?" Anduin suggested, he heard rumours of those two possibly being together.
"That's not bad, however I think we should see whats wrong first, she might just be lonely and want company, or she's plotting something..." Arator said, knowing Sylvanas it was probably both.
Anduin nodded and handed the letter back, "lets go and investigate, oh Wrathion is supposed to be around, we could always ask for his aid too, you know he has spies."
"Not a bad idea, I will get Jaina I saw her early near the jewellery shop," Arator was already on his way out as anduin yawned and rose from his throne, he now had a mystery and a dragon to find.
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Wrathion was enjoying a conversation with Merithra and Kalecos when Anduin appeared through a portal, "Anduin, my friend, what is it?" His smooth as silk voice was musical and pleasant to the ear.
"I...we...Arator and I need your help," Anduin gave a nod to the other two dragonflights present and then looked to his friend.
"Is the surprise a go?" the black prince asked curiously.
"No, his aunt left a very mysterious note and now he is worried she is in trouble," Anduin explained.
"He has two aunts, which are you speaking of?" Wrathion smirked.
"The undead one, who else would leave cryptic messages that have ulterior motives," Anduin quipped.
"Ahh yes, my spies have noticed her movements as of late, shes been very busy lately, you wish for my help yes?" Wrathion asked, it was a rhetorical question but he wanted to play around with the young king.
"No...Wration, I have no time for games now help me please," Anduin raised his voice, the tiredness showed in every syllable.
Wrathion nodded and dropped his snark, his red eyes looked anduin over, his friend looked tired and had his clenched his fists. He did not want to punched in the face again so he spoke again without the sass, "I will help, my friend."
"Thank you Wrathion, and sorry for interrupting Dragon time," he looked at the other two apologetically.
"Dont worry about it, your majesty," Kalecos gave a small bow of his head along with Merithra.
Anduin smiled and gestured to the portal that was still opened for them, wrathion adjusted his jacket and followed his friend back to Stormwind.
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Arator seemed troubled as he met with Jaina, she had purchased some earrings, a necklace, and a few other jewellery items as a surprise for her lover to which Arator knew very well. Secretly she was seeing the Warchief and Arator had kept it quiet along with a few others on the Horde and Alliance side, both women had been very grateful to him and even Anduin by an extent who turned a blind eye to his Aunt's love interest. He walked silently beside her as she explained each gift and what they represented, he was glad she was happy for once, she seemed to have a bounce in herstep or an agitated furrow in her brow when her and the banshee disagreed.
"Everything ok Arator?" jaina asked, noticing his quietness and low position of his small ears, "you seem worried."
Arator said nothing and handed her the note, "I am worried, Jaina, she's not like this."
Jaina looked at the small note that betrayed nothing at first but as she looked closer, "seems urgent, you think something has happened?"
"I do not know, all I know is we need to figure out what the problem is, I worry she has finally gotten into trouble even her large brain cannot get out of." Arator met her blue eyes with his golden ones as he spoke, "will you help?"
The mage nodded, "ofcourse, I have gifts for her anyway, but if there is nothing wrong...I will yell at her for worrying you."
Arator laughed, he kind of wanted to yell at his aunt now for now Jaina looked worried for her girlfriend. They started to head back to the Keep when Anduin and Wrathion appeared with equally worried faces, "Arator another letter!"
"Arator!!! I said Quickly!!!"
SW
"Come to this location! Now!!"
Arator blinked and looked over at the coordinates placed, "Not sure where this is but we need to hurry...wait when did you get this?"
"Valeera said a dark ranger fired an arrow at her with a note then vanished, it really seems serious," Wrathion sounded a little worried himself, what sort of trouble could the banshee have gotten herself into.
Jaina took the letter, "anyone have a map?"
Anduin pulled out his own map and handed it over to Jaina, he watched as she read the coordinates on the map and matched them with the ones Sylvanas gave, "Looks like its...Suramar?"
"What would she want there?" Arator asked, half to himself. He thought about why his aunt would visit; it was a horde ally, they had knowledge she could use, maybe she found something of value and got in trouble? or...he wasn't sure but his worry grew even more now. "Lets go and find out."
Jaina, Anduin and Wrathion agreed and once a portal was opened the four of them walked through and arrived in the beautiful ancient city of the nightborne. They marvelled at the structures that had since been rebuilt and the ice?
Jaina walked up to the edge of the harbour where she saw that the water was solid ice, not only that but there was a tree and several presents on it in the middle. "What is going on?"
"Oh, you all arrived good," a deep female voice grabbed the groups attention, "Jaina you are needed in this room, I am not allowed to say what it is, Arator and Anduin you are to stay here and...oh...Wrathion...stay with them."
"Hold on, first arcanist, we want an explanation, my aunt has sent me a few notes that are worrying, where is she?" Arator asked, ignoring the tree that kept getting closer every time he looked away.
"You will find out, Jaina, with me please," she said urgently and Jaina followed, she hoped Sylvanas didnt get polymorphed into a vase or something.
Arator and Anduin watched them go and then watched Wrathion, "What is it?"
"That tree...seems to be moving and I thought I saw a pair of elf ears," he pointed to the pine tree with gifts under it, it seemed to glide closer to the edge of the harbour.
"Hmm..." Anduin and arator said in unison.
Arator stared for a moment and then looked at the ice, he could sense the arcane energy from it, clearly the nightborne had really gotten into the WInter's veil spirit and made their harbour appear as a winter wonderland with ice skating, trees, presents, undead elves chuckling....wait...he then spotted two red eyes gleaming between the branches. He got closer and closer until:
"HAPPY WINTER VEIL MY FAVOURED NEPHEW!!!" The banshee yelled, she wore a green hat atop her head and actually smiled...SMILED at him. All that worry and concern...he was too stunned to say anything and then felt her arms around him, she ignored the looks of surprise this once, she wanted to show how much she cared for Arator.
"You scared us Aunty," he said, happy tears in his eyes that she was not in any trouble or had burned another tree, or started a war, no, her ultimate plan this time was obviously to surprise him.
"Sorry, I needed to get your attention, I searched everywhere to find gifts and mages and..." Sylvanas explained only to find herself in another hug, "I did this for you."
"Thank you, Aunty," He said then looked at the two young men who stood behind her, they had snowballs, he nodded and then he looked at his aunt. "However, for scaring me...I will have my payback!" and before she could react Anduin and Wrathion had launched their snowballs at her. Arator soon joined and the four of them had an all out war when an innocent bystander was hit.
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Jaina was brought into a large chamber with a fireplace, tea, and her favourite snacks, she looked at Thalyssra for answers, "There is a note for you, enjoy."
"Wait...I..." Jaina was soon left alone with a letter, coffee, and warm fire, she sat down to read and smiled.
"Dalah'surfal, I managed to get the first arcanist to give you access to the library, it is one of the largest and you are free to read to your hearts content."
Enjoy, I will be there shortly, sorry if I worry you."
Sylvanas Windrunner.
"A library? for a present? So you do listen afterall..." she sipped her tea and enjoyed a few moments alone when five wet figures enter all laughing and merriment. "It is about time you all showed up, I was getting lonely." Jaina teased.
"Happy Winter Veil, Jaina," Sylvanas said, she had her arm around her nephew and her other was rested on Anduin's head, Wrathion had snow in his black curls still.
"Happy Winter Veil, why don't you all sit down and I will read to you, I think you all could use a fire to warm up and I have tea," Jaina indicated the soft pillows surrounding her and the teacups by each, the roaring fire was a welcome sight to the three living men who required warmth but not so much the banshee who sat on the pillow nearest Arator.
They all got comfortable and listened as Jaina read, "A Winter Veil Tale," Arator looked over at Sylvanas and whispered, "Thank you."
Sylvanas whispered back, "Anything for you Arator, this was all for you...well...and Jaina."
"I will take it," the young half elf said and rested his head on his aunt's shoulder before she shrugged it off and directed him towards Anduin, truly this was the best Winter's Veil he had in recent memory where his king, his friends, and aunt could come together and listen to a story and have a snowball fight. Now how to get Anduin his precious nap...