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Two Winter Veils have passed since Jaina Proudmoore broke her engagement to Arthas Menethil. Two Winter Veils since the discovery of the Forsaken in Lordaeron. The spring of the following year introduced Arthas to his eventual wife, Amaryllis Ashvane. In the fall, they were wed. By that next Winter Veil, the Scourge were pushed into the Alterac, but still maintained hold on the Silverpine Forest and Tirisfal. The months that followed had the united front of Lordaeron’s remaining forces, the quel’dorei -or sin’dorei depending on who one asked-, the Wildhammer dwarves, the trolls, allies from across the seas, and the survivors pushing through the Scourge lines and slowly driving them back. It was only a half of a year ago during the summer months that the united front finally reclaimed the Capital City and a majority of Tirisfal. Soon, the resettling of the lands by Lordaeron's people -both living and undead- commenced.
In those days, King Terenas Menethil the Second abdicated the throne and crowned Athras and Amaryllis as the new king and queen as his health and mind had begun to decline. He would simply act as an advisor for his son and his daughter-in-law while he lived out the remainder of his days. While Arthas felt he was not ready, he was grateful to his father for remaining at his side.
In that time, King Arthas elevated his brother-in-law -a soldier called Clarence Carlisle- to the rank of noble and gave him land in Hillsbrad to ensure that his niece, Cynthia Carlisle, was able to take the throne if he and his wife did not produce an heir. While such a political move was controversial, it was a wise move as it would legitimize Cynthia's right to the throne should something happen to the king and queen and they had no heirs.
Another controversial move was raising the two Forsaken leaders -Dark Lady Sylvanas Windrunner and Uther Duskbringer- to a near equivalent status to the royal couple. Arthas claimed that this was to ensure that the Forsaken were heard as a part of Lordaeron’s people. Many suspected there were ulterior motives, but did not question their leaders as the Forsaken had aided in reclamation of the majority of Lordaeron and continued to aid the push into the Plaguelands.
As the Winter Veil holiday approached, the royal couple announced that there would be a gift giving ceremony along with a feast at the castle on Winter Veil’s Eve and all would be invited. The folk of Lordaeron rejoiced as they had been far too busy rebuilding to celebrate Hallow’s End or the Pilgrim’s Bounty. It was not long before the snow began to come down and the winter holiday decorations went up. Finally, Winter Veil's Eve arrived and with it, the event that the people were promised came to fruition. A pity that the royal couple was not as excited as their people…
Arthas knew that the moment he and his wife Amaryllis entered the grand hall, they would have to pretend to be a happily married couple. It was what was expected of them since they agreed to marry each other. It wasn't that they didn't care for each other, they both did in their own way. It was simply a fact that they were not in love with each other.
Arthas and Amaryllis walked quietly next to each other through the darkened hallways to the feasting hall, their expressions more or less neutral as they barely acknowledged each other's presence. They both had servants carrying their gifts to each other as they walked, knowing that the time to pretend would soon be upon them and they would have to hold hands.
They didn't pretend in front of their servants. The servants knew they were not in love thus did not expect them to pretend they were. It was oddly comforting to say the least and even gave the king and queen some relief to act as they were.
Arthas glanced at his wife, taking in her form. She wore a lovely royal blue ball gown with silver embroidery and hemming that looked like snow fall and snowflakes and matched his own outfit which was a fancy royal blue tunic, pants, and cloak. Her long black wavy hair was tied back in a half braid, half loose style that held the gold crown upon her head with little effort. Her makeup enhanced her natural features more beautifully with a dash of more rosy cheeks and a subtle deep pink lipstick. She walked with a strict stride that exuded a calm confidence that could quiet entire crowds as she walked by.
“Arthas. You are staring at me again.”
Amaryllis’s voice pierced through Arthas’ train of thought, causing him actually look at her. Her equally piercing blue eyes stared at him, as if ensuring that she was correct in her assumptions.
Arthas simply stared back before he said, “Yes, I was. You look very lovely tonight.”
Amaryllis raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement crossed her face. She then said, “You look quite handsome yourself.”
“Thank you, Amaryllis,” Arthas said quietly.
“You're welcome, Arthas,” she replied, turning her piercing gaze back ahead of them. She then asked, “You are not looking forward to this celebration, are you?”
“No, but the people deserve to celebrate their hard work thus far. Plus, it will be the first Winter Veil celebrated here in the Capital City since Lordaeron fell,” Arthas answered honestly.
Amaryllis smirked. “You are also relieved that my mother will be thoroughly distracted with potential partners and clients for the Ashvane Company.”
Arthas smirked back. “I won't lie. It will be nice not having Priscilla on my back about expanding your family's company into Lordaeron. It has been a wild ride just getting her and your father to agree to a single harbor location until we have established a better hold on Lordaeron.”
“It will also be nice to not have to deal with both of our fathers bugging us about having children soon as well,” said Amaryllis softly.
That made Arthas wince. It was a subject that both he and Amaryllis had talked extensively about when they first became engaged. As their union was one of convenience and not of love, they agreed that outside of consummating their marriage that having sexual intimacy for the sake of producing children would be on both of their terms and was thoroughly talked to death. If a child was conceived during their marriage consummation, it would have been the only child and heir apparent regardless of gender. As that had not occurred, they had agreed to hold off for a year or so until it was for certain that the Capital City and Tirisfal Glades were firmly in their grasp. However, that did not stop both of their fathers from pushing for grandchildren.
“True,” said Arthas, quietly nodding in agreement.
Amaryllis frowned a little. “I still think it should have been obvious that we are not in love.”
“That's fair, but I doubt our fathers want to see that,” he said sadly. “At least your mother seems to not be interested in us having children.”
“Oh, please. The woman could see that a mile away. She and my brother both know that this was a marriage of convenience,” she said grumpily.
Arthas nodded quietly. Though they had never point blank asked Priscilla about how much she actually was aware of, it had been obvious that she was aware there was no love between Arthas and Amaryllis. The woman knew Amaryllis was not a romantic and in fact knew that Amaryllis found romance a bit unappealing. The same could be said for her brother James the Younger, who Amaryllis was close with.
It was for the sake of both of their fathers and the people of Lordaeron that they pretended to be in love. Though his own father thought he was diving into the relationship a bit too soon after his broken engagement with Jaina, he had been estatic to see his son finding a woman who made him happy enough to marry her quickly. He did not want his father to lose the light in his eyes when he saw them together so the ruse of love was continuously played in front of him.
Amaryllis’s father -James the Elder- was a romantic to the core and was thrilled to see his daughter find her soulmate so quickly. He and Priscilla had fallen in love quickly when they first met and worked off of each other as they brought the best out of each other. They were thick as thieves as far as he was concerned.
Arthas pondered if it had been the same for Lady Priscilla Ashvane back then, but did not doubt the love she had for James Ashvane the Elder now. It was obvious that her love for her husband was a deep one and she would do everything in her power to keep him alive. The thought of her losing him was terrifying and Arthas was grateful that he did not have to deal with Lady Ashvane as an enemy.
Arthas admittedly was a bit jealous of the fact that both his parents and the parents-in-law had fallen in love with their spouses. He and Amaryllis would never have that. As stated previously in his thoughts, they did not love each other but they did care for each other. Their marriage was never about love, but convenience.
“Anyway, we are almost to the great hall. Time to pretend that we are in love,” Amaryllis whispered, her voice only loud enough for Arthas to hear. She raised her arm for him to take and Arthas looped his arm under hers, gently intertwining his fingers with hers. She leaned against his shoulder, her usually hard neutral expression softening to one of utter contentment.
As they came into sight of the door, the young blonde haired herald dressed in a green and red outfit with gold trim smiled widely. He seemed jittery with excitement as he leapt from a chair next to the great hall and happily said, “Good evening, my good lord and lady. All the guests have arrived and have been seated. They are awaiting your arrival. Do you wish for me to announce your entry?”
“Yes, please do, good herald. We have kept them waiting long enough,” Arthas said with a gentle command in his voice.
“As you command, my good king!”
And with that, the overly enthusiastic herald rushed to the door which was now opening. As the herald entered, he cleared his throat loudly.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I now proudly announce that the good King Arthas Menethil and his lovely wife Queen Amaryllis Ashvane-Menethil have arrived! Please welcome our good hosts with the merriment of this holiday!”
The crowds sitting at the tables in the great hall cheered as Arthas and Amaryllis walked in. Arthas saw many allies and friends old and new sitting at various tables. Alliance, Horde, elf, troll, dwarf, gnome, goblin, Forsaken, and various other groups sat either as residents or as allies who had aided him in the past few years. They were all here to celebrate this Winter Veil with him. It was to be a joyous occasion as he and Amaryllis had promised and they would make it so.
As they sauntered down the aisle to their own table, Arthas glanced over the crowd. He spotted Jaina easily enough as she was sitting at the main table beside her mother Katherine along with her father and brother. They were clapping quietly as the crowd roared.
Arthas looked away. He knew if his eyes lingered too long, the people would notice his longing for a woman he could no longer have. He did not need to add another item to the list of problems he had concerning Jaina and her family. It was already too long.
Willing himself to focus, he stared at the four grand chairs sat in the middle of the main table. The outer two seats were already occupied by the two Forsaken leaders. Sitting on left hand side next to Amaryllis’s seat was the former high elf general turned Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner. She wore a black dress with silvery white detailing and a black cloak with a hood that cast a shadow over the upper half of her pallid face. Her red eyes glowed intensely from within the shadow, making her an intimidating sight to behold. The woman terrified Arthas a bit, but her skills as both a general and a leader made her a valued ally and fellow ruler. It also helped that Amaryllis had become good friends with her, making the undead elf less intimidating.
In the seat to the right of his own sat Uther Duskbringer, formerly Uther the Lightbringer. His skin was ashen and his graying hair and beard were now completely white. He wore a dark blue suit with gold trimming and a matching cloak instead of his usual darkened armor. His face was softer in expression than Sylvanas’s, bearing a soft smile instead of an intense frown. His gold glowing eyes were kind as ever.
Arthas felt a pang of sorrow as he approached their seats. The memories of Uther talking him down from completely decimating Stratholme to chasing down Mal’Ganis in Northrend to the older man sacrificing himself to ensure that Arthas, Jaina, Muradin, and the rest of those who survived Northrend’s horrors made it away safely came crashing through his mind. It was one of Arthas's biggest regrets getting his mentor wrapped up in all of that, made only worse when he found him again as almost a ghost of his former self. He wept when he learned what the Lich King had done to Uther after he and the expedition had fled. The torments the older man endured would have broken most men, but Uther clung to the Light tightly and in turn It had not abandoned him in that dark, twisted land. He was more somber now, but the mentor he knew lingered.
The royal couple soon reached the front of the hall. They released their hold on each other and turned to the crowd. Arthas then began the speech he had spent the last month preparing and rehearsing.
“My good family, friends, and allies,” Arthas began, gazing over the crowds, “I humbly thank you all for coming here on this Winter Veil’s Eve to celebrate my people's return home and the first holiday that is to be celebrated since. I hope your journeys here were safe and sound.”
The crowds were calming now that the Lordaeronian King was speaking, all of their gazes upon him as they listened. Arthas continued, “I will now explain how this event will go. A single gift is to be presented to a family member, friend, or ally of your choosing. Most of you have already chosen which person they will present their gift to so there is no overlap to another guest. Then, after the gift opening is concluded, we will begin the feast. I will begin with my beloved wife.”
Turning to his young servant who had followed him in, Arthas reached out and took the gift from his arms. It was a beautifully wrapped gift with shimmering red paper and a golden ribbon and bow. The box was long, at least four feet in length. He thanked his servant quietly for carrying the gift and turned to Amaryllis with a warm smile. Holding the gift out, he waited for her to open it.
Amaryllis carefully began to unwrap her gift, taking care to not tear the paper. As ribbon and paper fell to the side, a wooden case made of a dark oak with silvery gold hinges and latches came into view. Arthas saw the glimmer of glee dance in Amaryllis’s blue eyes. She knew what it was even before she opened the lid. Unlatching the lid, Amaryllis smiled as she pulled out a rifle. The stock was engraved with the Kingdom of Lordaeron crest, the Kul Tiras crest and the Ashvane crest entrapped within a circle of roses. The stormsteel that made up the flintlock mechanism were also engraved with roses. The barrel had no engravings. The rifle in length was roughly four and a half feet. This was the gift that Amaryllis had requested and Arthas had obliged.
Most people were not aware of this prior to her aiding in the reclamation of Lordaeron, but Amaryllis was an avid guns woman with the skills to back it up. The skill to wield such weaponry was actually something she was quite proud of and had been a saving grace in many ways. It showed Arthas that he had not married a dainty noble woman but a true queen capable of defending and fighting alongside her king. She definitely deserved the best in the way of weaponry and definitely deserved it in her requested style.
Amaryllis placed the rifle back in its case and latched it closed before taking it out of his arms. She smiled softly and said, “Thank you, Arthas. This is a generous gift.”
Arthas returned the smile and said, “Anything for my beloved queen.”
Amaryllis chuckled. She then said, “However, it would be rude of me to not present your gift.” Leaning her new weapon against the table, she turned to her own servant to retrieve Arthas's gift. Her gift was wrapped in a beautiful dark violet cloth with elegant gold cords holding it in place. The gift itself was obviously a sword as it was not in a box like hers was. Arthas gently took it from his wife’s hands and pulled at the golden cords.
As Arthas revealed his gift to the crowd, the first thing Arthas noted was its weight and length. It was obviously a hand-and-a-half sword given that it was roughly forty-seven inches in length and the hilt of the sword was able to allow both hands an easy grip. The weight of the weapon seemed solidly around fourteen to sixteen pounds by his own estimations and -at least for him- could easily be used single-handed. As he pulled away the cloth wrapping, the next thing he noted was the hilt. The guard seemed to be made of steel, though it held deep magical properties that would enable him to use the Light through the weapon if necessary. There was a vague familiar sensation also emanating from the metal as well, though Arthas could not explain why. Engraved upon the rain guard, were seven flowers that were Lordaeron’s Tears -formerly known as Stratholme Lilies- circled around the Lordaeron crest. Each flower had small, light blue sapphires at their centers while the crest maintained its usual colors. The pommel -which also had a light blue sapphire embedded at its center- was in the shape of a Lordaeron's Tear.
Arthas gazed upon the weapon with surprise and awe. It was indeed a beautiful weapon, but if he had to be honest he had been expecting his old paladin hammer to be forged anew. As he pulled the sword out of its leather scabbard a few inches, the feeling of familiarity increased. It then hit Arthas why: The sword had been forged with the remains of his broken hammer.
Sheathing the blade, Arthas wrapped Amaryllis in a warm embrace. She returned the embrace as he whispered into her ear a “thank you”. She replied with a “you’re welcome” into his own before pulling away from the embrace. She then looked over the crowds and said, “You may begin giving your gifts, good people.”
And the event started. Arthas and Amaryllis went and sat down in their seats, watching their guests start to move to where their gift partner was. Arthas saw Jaina head towards Thrall who was on his way over to her from the far right. Meeting at a halfway point, Jaina and Thrall smiled happily as they instantly traded their gifts, opening them at the same time. From what he could see, Jaina had given Thrall a compass and Thrall had given Jaina a blue colored stone. He smiled gently as he watched the interaction between the two friends before turning his attention elsewhere.
And by elsewhere he meant turning his attention to the rest of the Proudmoores. Daelin was glaring daggers at Thrall for a moment before Katherine distracted him with a kiss. They then traded their gifts. Tandred had walked over to Artemis Marris, the young half elven daughter of Sylvanas Windrunner and Nathanos Marris, and they traded gifts while Artemis's white raven watched and cawed expectantly. Artemis opened her gift first, revealing a set of training swords for her and a small golden bell attached to a string for her raven. Tandred received a set of gloves that Arthas believed were for bird handling.
Speaking of Sylvanas and Nathanos, Arthas looked over to where Sylvanas had walked off to and immediately saw the undead couple trading small velvety boxes and both revealing gold rings with some sort of script engraved into them. They both placed the rings on their fingers and Arthas saw them whisper some words to each other before turning their attention to the rest of the hall.
Arthas blinked. Did the couple just propose to each other?!
Arthas shook his head softly and turned his attention to Uther. He had chosen Janielle -a lady paladin who Uther had chosen to lead the remnants of the Order of the Silver Hand in his absence during the Northrend Expedition- as his gift partner. They presented each other holy tomes. These were quite special items because they also acted as journals of lessons learned during some of the darkest moments in the aftermath of the Northrend Expedition Disaster. These were lessons learned.
Amaryllis touched Arthas's hand, causing him to look back at her. She was smiling as she indicated with a nod towards the far right from where Thrall's entourage sat. Arthas followed her gaze and watched as Kael’thas Sunstrider walked glumly over to Grom Hellscream. Arthas smirked a little at that. Kael'thas had originally tried to get Jaina to be his gift partner, but Jaina had already talked to and chosen Thrall by the time he had offered. And Grom, while he celebrated the holiday with his people, was not originally going to come to this celebration as he felt he had no real reason to come. Arthas suspected that Thrall had talked the older orc into coming as it was rare he would do so on his own any other time. As the options were limited for the both of them, Arthas suspected they had mostly chosen each other mostly because they knew the other via reputation.
Arthas watched the pair begrudgingly exchange gifts. Kael'thas received a dagger made of bone and metal while Grom received a beautiful fire enchanted crystal. The grumpy elf king seemed to give a brief explanation on how the crystal worked with the less-than-enthusiastic orc chief. Then after another few words, Kael'thas took leave back to his entourage while Grom watched him do so.
Arthas quickly hid his smile with his hand and snorted. Amaryllis, still smiling, jabbed him with her elbow. Despite trying to look reserved, he saw the glimmer of amusement in her blue eyes. Arthas was grateful that he could read her so well. He then focused his attention elsewhere and continued his watch of the other guests.
As the final gifts were given and everyone returned to their seats, servants began serving food and drinks. Despite some doubts of some of the undead servants, the guests soon forgot their worries as the feast began. Arthas was grateful for how peaceful -if a little chaotic- this first Winter Veil's Eve for Lordaeron had begun. It would no doubt be something people would remember and talk about for years to come.
Despite the joy of the celebration and the people gathered however, Arthas could not help but feel a little sad. Most might have not known it, but he wished that it was different in many ways. Trading love for convenience had a price and the price was happiness. And that made this celebration feel hollow.