Unity - Chapter 7
This is the last of what I have prewritten, so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait for the rest, but I think I like where I left you guys. I hope you've all enjoyed it. There is more coming. *grins* Thank you for reading.
Title: Unity
Part: 7 of ? (I have no idea. They won't stop talking)
Word Count: 5158 (of this part)
Warnings: Implied sex, actual sex, orc/human, mentioned death and suicide, angst. Angst, violence and drama.
Pairings: Mentioned Thrall/Others, primarily Thrall/Jaina. Mentioned past Arthas/Jaina and past one-sided Kael/Jaina.
Summary: Thrall meets with Magatha Grimtotem, and Jaina follows up on a lead.
Previous Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Thrall inhaled, taking in the deep, earthy scent of Thunder Bluff. Despite some misconceptions about cows and tauren due to their rather unfortunate resemblance, the orc Warchief often found that it reminded him of the camps that the orcs had set up when they'd been traveling across first Lordaeron, then Kalimdor. Some places had fixed longhouses that were far larger and more open-air than anything an orc would live in, and in other places, there were tents, some large and elaborate, others only large enough to house a single tauren, and all ready to be taken down and moved in a matter of hours, if not minutes.
The tauren braves that escorted them wished the blessings of the Earthmother on himself and Garona -- Shandel'zare had declined to join them, but she remained with the Kor'Kron in Dustwallow, keeping them in line -- and Thrall blessed them in the name of the spirits. He did not know the tauren as well as his own people, but what had drawn them into an alliance of chance motivated Thrall to keep their relations friendly. Here were Runetotem and Ragetotem, Lightning Hoof and Windreaver, all living peacefully high atop the mesa that kept their capital safe from the centaur, gnolls, quillboar and anything else that would harm their children.
They spent millennia traveling across this continent to avoid the centaur, not because they were cowards, or pacifists, but because while even a toddler might be able to defend itself for a moment, an infant cannot, and they must protect their children, and their clan's future. Thrall felt a chill move across his back, between his armour and his shirt. Not now.
He felt Garona shift next to him, and wondered if she couldn't detect his thoughts. They moved across the rope and wood bridges that linked the main rise of Thunder Bluff to the Elder Rise, the residence of those that instructed students in the ways of druidism, shamanism and the home of the tauren elders. The Grimtotem compound was not difficult to find, since it was composed entirely of movable structures, unlike all of the other homes, which were built with a sense of permanence.
"Someone doesn't want to be here," Garona commented dryly.
"Maybe she's got a prickly temper, like someone I know," Thrall replied, his tone equally dry.
"If I didn't want to be in Orgrimmar, Warchief, nothing you could do would keep me there," the former assassin replied airily, but Thrall heard genuine emotion behind it.
"I wouldn't dare to try," Thrall countered, though he was touched. "What do you think she has hanging in her tent?"
"The skulls of her enemies, obviously," Garona replied, and then fell silent. An honour guard of Grimtotem braves stood outside the main, large tent that housed Magatha, elder of the Grimtotem tribe. While the orcs respected their elders, the Warchief's position hinged on personal strength and force of personality. The tauren, or Shu'halo as they called themselves, were a gerontocracy, with only the oldest and the wisest being qualified to lead. Cairne himself was very old, and his son would not take his place for many years. Rather than the young and ambitious, clan leaders were venerable figures such as Hamuul Runetotem and, of course, Magatha Grimtotem. The Grimtotem elder had taken over upon the death of her husband, and led what was known as a troublesome, quarrelsome clan with an iron fist.
A brave opened the tent flap to let Thrall and Garona inside. Despite Garona's pithy remark, Magatha's home did not have skulls, or anything remotely violent within it: there were cords that hung from one side of her tent to the other, and from each cord hung lengthy hanks of spun and dyed wool of various colours, which Thrall ducked around carefully as he moved. Here and there there were more balls of yarn in bright hues. Magatha sat at the back of her tent at a loom, and for a few moments, it clacked.
Disconcerted, Thrall exchanged a brief look with Garona. She gave him a slight shrug, and he knelt down, sitting quietly, and Garona did the same. More time passed, but Thrall let himself fall into a semi-meditative state. He would not misstep, not with this powerful, dangerous woman before him.
"You are Thrall, leader of the orc clans."
A statement, not a question. Thrall remained silent. The loom shifted, and Magatha set down her shuttle and stood, moving to where Thrall was kneeling, forcing him to look up if he wanted to meet her eyes. He noted that across each cheek were three marks, similar enough to the ones that were the sign of their enemy, and he tensed. Garona tensed as well, but less obviously. Thrall made a gesture, and she moved her hand from her side.
"What is it you want from me, orc child?"
Thrall forced himself to pause, because it was essential to appear both patient and deliberate and not spontaneous and thoughtless as the tauren elders believed so many of the young to be. I wish I'd brought Drek'thar, despite how he complains that politics disinterests him. He has a mind like a hunter's trap. "I want to speak to you about other members of your clan."
"I am not my children's keeper," the venerable crone said evenly, and moved to a chair. Like everything within her tent, it was simple: it was a glorified stump, both easily replaced and easily packed away. She sat, tucking her tail away safely. "What of them?"
"I wanted to know what interest Dustwallow Marsh holds for your children," Thrall began. "They do not speak to the other residents of the Marsh."
"There was a time we roamed all of Kalimdor, when what you call the Thousand Needles was a river, and Tanaris was a lake. My children will roam where they will." She gestured to Thrall. "Your people do not dictate to us where we may go. Nor do the..." Her lip curved in a sneer, "humans."
"Were it not for the humans, not just Kalimdor, but all of this world would have been destroyed when the Burning Legion came--"
"The demons came because of the Kaldorei being foolish and touching magic from the great Chalice of Life left to us by the Earthmother. I would be just as happy to see the arrogant elves pay for their foolishness." She made a soft, derisive noise. "I hope you didn't expect me to find this interesting, orc child. This is a waste of my time."
"Very well," Thrall said, and stood. Garona moved to stand, and he made a slight gesture that kept her in place, and moved to speak to her, meeting her eyes as an equal. He watched the tauren crone's lips curl back in anger, and let it fuel his own. "Your children, the Grimtotem, are responsible for the deaths of two humans and the destruction of an Inn that was built with the purpose of creating a bridge between the humans and the orcs."
"What proof do you have of that?" Magatha asked shortly, derisive laughter in her tone.
"The spirits themselves have told me that shamans were responsible for the fire that destroyed the Shady Rest Inn, and tauren hoofprints were found on scene. There were no guests in the Inn when it burned down, so only the owners suffered," Thrall returned. "Furthermore, I investigated the encampment that the Grimtotem have in northern Dustwallow, and I found these." He removed the scroll that contained the original copy of the battle plans he had taken. Nara Wildmane had worked quickly to translate them, and from his understanding, was heartbroken by what she had read. "There are more plans... more assaults on human holdings... and on tauren ones. Camp Taurajo and Mojache."
Magatha frowned at him. "I have no doubt you obtained this from my children peacefully."
"They didn't even know I was there," Thrall countered. "The spirits brought me exactly what I needed, and that includes this." Thrall took out a cloth, and carefully unfolded it. Garona and Magatha inhaled sharply at the same time. "We know that this is the symbol of someone who approaches malcontents and promises to make their problems go away. How badly do you want us gone from 'your' continent, Magatha?"
"We tauren believe in the spirits, not as ephemeral concepts, but as real beings and threats. One of them is named Arikara. She is the spirit of vengeance, and comes in on the winds of unfavourable change. She has been seen by my children in the Thousand Needles." Her lip curled into a sneer. "She appeared not long after Mulgore was established, and it is for that reason we refuse to join your Horde. It is wrong, and we should have never agreed to any kind of pact."
"So was it wrong for me to save Cairne and his forces?" Thrall asked, his voice angry, his volume increasing at the end of the question, and only got louder. "Is it wrong that your people -- all of your people -- no longer fear the centaur? That you have a real home, and not something you'll need to abandon on a moment's notice."
"This permanence is weakness!" Magatha cried, and waved around her. "We've survived for millennia traveling--"
"And mine survived by destroying every enemy we came across, burning their homes and soaking their lands in blood," Thrall countered, his voice now low with such menace that made even Garona look at him. He ignored her. "Just because something has always been one way doesn't mean that it should always be that way, particularly when it costs lives needlessly. Maybe you don't want us here. Maybe this Arikara doesn't like it. We're here to stay, and the tauren are the Horde's allies. Even you." He took in a deep breath, letting the spirits of air attempt to calm him, and not fan the flames that stirred within his heart. He had never been corrupted by the demons, but there was something different there. Passion. "So tell me, who was it that helped your 'children' murder two innocent people -- a young boy and a woman -- who could have easily been your child and mate?"
Magatha sat, quiet and still. For a moment, Thrall could only hear his own heartbeat, and his own breathing. Garona was utterly silent, and may as well not have been there at all. Even the spirits were silent now.
"At the beginning of the world, there were the golden mists of dawn," Magatha began quietly. "The Earthmother walked among us, and blessed our work. The green plains of Mulgore were our home, and that is the name we gave it -- Home. We worked as one, though some families became more powerful than others, but we all supported one another. The Earthmother promised to protect us from what could harm us." Her tone hardened. "She failed. There was something that lived beneath the world, a dark and terrible being. It touched the minds of some of the Shu'halo, those that lived on the edges of Mulgore, and they became discontent. Rage grew within them, and they took up the arms that allowed them to hunt, and turned them on their more fortunate brethren. We warred. Mulgore's grasses began to die, sickened by what we'd done. The Earthmother tried to stop the war. We didn't listen, and she became so upset that she tore out her own eyes rather than watch her children fight."
Thrall blinked. Cairne had told him as much, though it was different hearing it from the Grimtotem's perspective.
"With that, we were the Grimtotem. With that, we were damned. With that, we were driven out of Mulgore. We were the first to roam. The Ragetotem were once Grimtotem, but they left during the journey and returned to Mulgore to beg for forgiveness." She curled her lip. "The Earthmother was not the all-powerful protector that the others would believe. There are things beneath the earth that do not sleep, that overpower any protection the Earthmother gives when her attention wavers. Better to understand that now than be disappointed when she fails to shield us again." She stood, briefly, to select a drop spindle, and began to work. "The symbol is the mark of Awn-yee. She is the daughter of darkness and the earth. She can wear many faces. She came to my children asking for help ridding our home of intruders."
"So you said yes," Thrall began, but Magatha shook her head.
"I said no. Just because the Earthmother is weak doesn't mean the darkness is strong. We all have a piece of the darkness inside of us. Surrendering to that darkness means madness. I warned my son, Arnak, away from that path, but we are, as you know, a clan of troublemakers and rebels." She bared her teeth briefly. "If I've spoken my piece as the leader of the clan, if I strike him about the horns, and he doesn't listen to me, there is nothing more I can do except watch him die in an exceptionally stupid way." Thrall watched as raw, unspun wool moved through her fingers. "I can speak to them again, but if they will not listen, they will need to be dealt with."
"He's your son," Thrall said, his tone outraged. It was Garona's turn to put a restraining hand on him, and it startled him.
"I have other sons," Magatha said evenly. "And grandchildren. Sometimes, the herd must be culled by the wolves." Her eyes met his, and hers held no emotion and no regret. "If they are loyal to Awn-yee, they are no longer my children."
"What about the Forsaken?" Garona asked quietly, while Thrall was too stunned to say more. "There were correspondences with them, and the Warchief witnessed a conversation between the Grimtotem and a Forsaken assassin who recently killed a Theramore deserter named Paval Reethe, preventing him from being interrogated."
"There are Forsaken here in Thunder Bluff," Magatha said. "We correspond. They're here to rekindle their spirituality, to discover why it is they create such a blight on the spirit world. They are carefully warded. If there are others, they are not here as part of the cooperative effort between the Dark Lady and the Grimtotem. You should be aware, though, that there are Forsaken who resent their treatment by the living, regardless of what excuse they may use."
"They aren't mistreated by the Horde," Thrall said quietly. "We do what we can for them, but our allegiance to the spirits is no less important than our alliance with them."
"There is a reason why they are warded while they are here, and guarded within the most spiritually powerful place in Thunder Bluff, but their resentment is not cooled by logic."
"What about the ones that are here?" Thrall asked. "Do they feel this way?"
"They wouldn't be here if they did, child," Magatha said shortly. "There are also lonely Forsaken, who have lost everything they have known, and are resented by their former neighbours, and feared by them. They want to know why the Light has abandoned them, or want to cling to their faith, which failed them much like the Earthmother failed the Grimtotem."
"I don't believe that's the way that faith works," Thrall said evenly. "Not to the Light, nor to the Earthmother."
"The fault of the young is naivete," the crone said dismissively, and paused. "You may leave now."
Thrall gestured, and Garona stood, and together they walked out of the tent.
"That was more informative than I'd hoped," Thrall said in an undertone. Garona nodded slightly, replying with equal volume.
"We were being watched."
"I know," Thrall said. "The spirits fled, but it was subtle."
"So it could have been a Forsaken," Garona replied. "I heard no breathing, it would make sense. Do you believe her about their avatar of vengeance?"
"I might," Thrall said. "But the question is, when exactly did this Lady Awn-yee contact them? There are many mistakes that the tauren could have made, and if Arikara is angry with Cairne... why has it only appeared to the Grimtotem?"
"You make a good point, though it may not be one Magatha is willing to believe," Garona replied, and Thrall drew out his communication stone and thumbed it on. Some of the tauren gave him disbelieving looks, and he ignored them.
"Shandel'zare, we're finished here," Thrall said. "Has Jaina finished her inquiries about the Defias?"
"Warchief, Lady Proudmoore departed for western Dustwallow hours ago," his advisor replied. "She's not in Theramore."
She never said she wouldn't go... I warned her... "I need to go there. Now."
"Warchief--"
"Now."
"I'll be there momentarily, Warchief."
"Thrall--" Garona began, and Thrall turned on her.
"If you're going to tell me she'll be fine..." he growled, and Garona held up her hands.
"No," she replied. "What I'm going to tell you that if she's in any way under the effects of a disguise or invisibility spell, a large force arriving could tip off whomever she's managed to contact." Thrall was somehow unsurprised that Garona knew about the private conversation he'd had with Jaina, and reminded himself to lecture her about what privacy meant. Later. When she wasn't busy being right.
"So how do you suggest we approach this?" Thrall asked, and was surprised by the hint of desperation in his voice.
"Why, Warchief Thrall, with subtlety of course," Garona said, a slow, dark smile spreading across her face.
~ * ~
Thrall sat before the fire, just as he had before. The spirits of air caressed along the backs of his bare shoulders, and the spirits of fire watched him curiously.
Shandel'zare stood by his side, and as he fell into his trance, he saw the spirits of water around her, remembering that her calling, like Jaina's, was frost magic.
I'm going to sneak into the tower, Garona had said, braiding her hair tightly, the hints of grey in it gleaming in the firelight. You're going to follow me in by spirit walking. If you can distract our enemies, even for a moment, Jaina will teleport us away.
Assuming she trusts you, Thrall countered, but he'd already been undressing, which had caused Shandel'zare to roll her eyes.
Of course she will, Garona said, wrapping a cowl around her face, sweeping her hair into it, and showing only her eyes. The cloth muffled her voice, distorting it in a way that was almost magical. She loves orcs.
Thrall made a face at the memory, and forced himself to calm, to not simply sprint towards the tower that was within visual range. The Kor'Kron formed a protective circle around him, and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Spirits of air, carry me. Spirits of fire, guide me. Spirits of water, help me. Spirits of earth, protect me. There was a feeling of warmth against his thigh. She's in place.
There was a rush of power, and Thrall opened his eyes, stepping out of his body. He ran, though distance had little meaning within the realm of spirits. It wasn't difficult to find the tower, and sure enough, Jaina was there, bright with magic to his spiritual vision. He could also sense Garona, who was strong but muted, warded by the clothing she wore. There was one other powerful presence, and it was standing very close to Jaina.
"--the next stage is to properly drive out the ogres from Dustwallow. Their kind is filthy, disease-ridden, and disgusting," she was saying. Despite what Thrall could see, he could not tell what she was, and her voice sounded oddly distorted.
She must be using very powerful magic to distort her form, Thrall thought. Awn-yee, daughter of darkness and earth. He heard the soldiers cheer, and Jaina echo them. He moved to stand behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder. I'm here.
Jaina didn't react, though he didn't expect her to. The woman smiled warmly at the forces, and began to name soldiers, assigning them to different tasks. Momentarily, this left only Jaina within the tower, and Thrall tensed. He could see Garona lurking in the shadows, and knew it was only a matter of time.
"I'm afraid that I didn't catch your name," Awn-yee said, and Jaina hesitated. "Don't be shy, we're both human."
"Adalia," Jaina stammered. "Adalia Crestfall." He felt Jaina gather power, but it was still faint, nearly undetectable. "I'm sorry, this is my first time here."
"You don't need to be afraid," Awn-yee said smoothly. This close, Thrall could see her human features. She had brown eyes and long, black hair, and wore robes of red and black that were quilted in an odd way.
Almost like scales, Thrall thought, and missed Awn-yee's question.
"They murdered my brother, during the Second War," Jaina was saying, her voice strong with anger. "I don't see why we should just forgive them because they say they're sorry."
"You shouldn't, but Jaina Proudmoore will never see it that way," Awn-yee replied. "She's too blinded by her infatuation with their orc leader. What is his name? Slave... Serf..?"
"Thrall," Jaina replied. "His name is Thrall."
"It hardly matters, because all the orcs will pay soon." Awn-yee's hand rested on Jaina's shoulder, moving along the side of the concealing armour Jaina wore, and up her neck, fingering the bottom of her helmet. "Don't you agree?"
"Yes, of course," Jaina replied, and with one, swift motion, Awn-yee pulled Jaina's helmet off, and the human sorceress' hair tumbled out of its pinning to rest around her shoulders. "I--"
"That was a nice try, Lady Proudmoore," Awn-yee said. "But you're no soldier, just a very foolish, naive girl. Get out of my marsh."
"No," Jaina said steadily, and now her power was obvious. "You get out of mine."
Awn-yee laughed harshly. "You have no idea what you're getting into, little girl. You have no power compared to me." Her hand tightened around Jaina's neck, and pulled her close, her face inches from Jaina's. "You can't hope to fight me."
Garona, now! Thrall called through the spirit realm, and saw Garona leap through the shadows. He gathered power, preparing to channel spiritual energy into a burst.
"What are you--" Jaina began, and Awn-yee closed the distance, pressing her mouth to Jaina's. Thrall froze as Jaina made a panicked noise, but Garona didn't, and Awn-yee broke away from her with an angry, almost animal scream. Garona grabbed Jaina's wrist and spun her away from the other woman.
"Jaina Proudmoore, go, now!" Garona bellowed, and Jaina cast her teleportation spell.
Well, that was utterly stupid of me, Thrall thought numbly. He watched Awn-yee curse and gesture wildly, and Thrall sighed in relief. At least Jaina is safe, and I can--
"Do you think you can spy on me, you filthy orc?" Awn-yee hissed. "Your people are failures, and you will all come to the same end in death and fire!"
How can she--
Awn-yee gestured, creating huge glyphs in the air that smoked as they appeared.
Fire! Thrall thought, and retreated back to his body, and when his eyes opened, he gasped for air, feeling as if his skin was burning.
"Warchief!" Shandel'zare called, and knelt by his side. "Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Our enemy is more dangerous than I believed," Thrall mumbled. "I need to see Jaina... I..." He attempted to stand, and nearly fell again. She could have destroyed my spiritual self. What would have happened to my body? Would they have waited forever?
"You will calm down, and tell me what happened, or you will walk to Theramore," the troll mage said sternly. "What happened?"
Thrall told her, pausing only to drink the water she offered him from a flask. It was difficult for Shandel'zare to look grimmer than usual, but she managed. "We'll have to warn Brackenwall, proceed very cautiously, and prepare for the potential of a major assault."
"Contact the ogres, tell them what's coming," Thrall said, and with more strength stood. "I need to see if Jaina's alright. If she was harmed." There had been a strength to one of Jaina's statements, something that made it more than a lie, greater somehow. There is so much about her I don't know. It's difficult to start a conversation about her past when people like Arthas and her father lurk there.
Shandel'zare handed him his shirt wordlessly.
~ * ~
Thrall was amazed by two things. One, that Garona hadn't immediately fled the moment Jaina was safe, which meant that she felt this was slightly more than an inconvenience to her time. Two, that he had not yet seen Jaina at her angriest. He had seen her fury in several forms, but this was different. This was recklessness and anger that bordered on madness.
"I should go back there," Jaina was saying, waving off Ariana's offered blanket and worried look. "If she's managed to capture Thrall in his spirit form, he could die."
"Warchief Thrall is perfectly capable of defending himself," Garona said, her tone neutral. Her eyes shifted, and noticed Thrall. "Here he is." The guards with him bowed and left. Garona's posture shifted, relaxing from her tense, rigid pose.
Nice try, Thrall thought sourly. "Jaina, are you hurt?"
"Thrall!" Jaina cried, and moved towards him. "Did she hurt you?"
Thrall nearly laughed, but restrained it at the risk of sounding hysterical. "She couldn't catch me. Let me see your neck..." His hand moved to cup over it, checking for bruises or swelling. "Why did you go alone? She could have killed you."
"It was too dangerous to risk anyone else," Jaina said, submitting to his inspection. "If she hadn't... startled me... I could have gotten away in time, even without your help."
"She assaulted you," Thrall replied with a frown. While Garona's facial expressions were largely covered by her cowl, he could tell that she wanted to say something. He glared at her. Don't be inappropriate, Garona.
"I'll be fine," Jaina murmured. Thrall applied healing to her neck anyway. "Assuming that she didn't just make everything up, I can find, arrest and prosecute all of those soldiers, and they won't cause more trouble. I might not be able to stop her directly, but no more lives will be lost due to my oversight. I'll be sure of that."
"Jaina, I..." He made a slight gesture, and Ariana bowed and left immediately. Garona stared at him. Thrall glared back. Jaina seemed oblivious.
"What?" Garona asked.
"You know what," Thrall growled. "Go."
Garona snorted, the sound all but lost, and left. Thrall took one of Jaina's hands, and led her to sit.
"Thank you for coming to rescue me," Jaina murmured. "I do appreciate--"
"Was your brother really murdered by the orcs?" Thrall asked unthinkingly, and cursed mentally when Jaina stiffened. Orc child, indeed. Stupid, son of Durotan, very stupid.
"I..." Jaina began, and sighed. "One of them, yes. I had two older brothers. Derek wasn't so much murdered as... killed during a battle where he had no chance, and no way to fight back against what killed him."
"Murder," Thrall commented quietly. "What happened?"
"Derek was the captain of the Third Kul Tiras Fleet, under my father's command," Jaina said, her voice soft. "During one of the battles near Khaz Modan, the Third Fleet was entirely wiped out by dragons. No one survived."
"Jaina, I--"
"Most of the orcs here weren't even responsible," Jaina said, her voice trembling. "The Dragonmaw clan was wiped out by agents of the Kirin Tor during the Second War when they freed the Dragon-Queen Alexstrasza. I was a child when it happened... an infant. I don't remember what he was like at all. Tandred does, but that's because he's so much older than I am."
"What did your father do?" Thrall asked quietly.
"He ordered more ships to be built to replace the old ones," Jaina replied. "He fought until the end... but he hated the orcs so much. It's amazing that he supported Terenas' plan for the Internment Camps. There was a time when I was afraid that..."
"Afraid that?" Thrall asked quietly. Jaina shivered, and Thrall retrieved the blanket Ariana had left behind, and put it around her shoulders. Quite naturally, his arm stayed there, and she leaned into him a little.
"I was afraid that Terenas and my father had some kind of a bargain." Her lips twisted. "To sell me to his son. I asked Arthas about it once, he was surprised that something like that could even happen, and swore it wasn't true. I guess it wasn't, but... I was always afraid. Arthas' sister was nearly married off to a near-stranger, but something happened at the last minute, and it went away. Tandred told me about it. It's just so... frustrating. To think that you could be manipulated by forces stronger than you."
"You can't be," Thrall said, and Jaina looked over at him. He swallowed, conscious of how close their faces were. "No one is stronger than you are."
"Thrall, I..." Jaina began, and very slowly, he brushed his lips against hers. She flinched, and he pulled away.
"Jaina, I..." Thrall began, and stood. "I must go. I..." He moved towards the door, cursing himself and the control he seemed to be lacking. "I'm sorry. I'm very..."
Jaina blinked in front of him, and he was brought up short. "Thrall, wait." She put a hand on his arm, and the other reached up to snake around his neck. Very firmly, she pulled him down until their lips met in a kiss.
~ * ~
Thrall's arms moved around Jaina, and he tilted his head a little. He was conscious of a dozen things -- that Jaina had just been traumatized, so this was inappropriate; that humans had softer, more delicate skin and that she'd be bleeding if his tusks scraped the wrong place; that the blanket had fallen to the floor around them; that he was pulling her closer, and their bodies were pressed together; that he'd promised her friendship without burden, and this...
"Jaina..." he murmured against her lips, and reluctantly broke the kiss. There were a dozen things he could say, and they swirled in his mind, until they coalesced into one statement. "I wasn't lying to you."
Jaina blinked. "What?"
"When I said I wanted unconditional friendship, I meant it." Carefully, he thumbed over her cheek. "I didn't expect this. It just..."
"Happened," Jaina murmured. "It just happened." Thrall nodded, and kissed her again, and this time there was no hesitation, and her lips were warm and firm against his. "It sneaks up on you."
Thrall closed his eyes briefly, picturing every reaction he'd questioned, and some he hadn't. "I thought I would upset you. I didn't want to hurt you. I knew what you'd been through."
"I was afraid of offending you," Jaina admitted. "I don't know everything you've been through with humans, particularly not in regards to the Camps and... Blackmoore."
Thrall shivered involuntarily, remembering the bruises on Taretha's neck, the ones she'd tried to hide from him, and her staring, empty eyes... "Nothing quite that bad, but it was bad enough. We can take things slowly."
"Yes," Jaina agreed. Hesitantly, she let her hand rest against his wrist. "There won't be any obligations," she said, the reassurance in her voice almost forced. "We don't have to take this very far, and we can stop whenever we need to."
"That's just what I was going to say," Thrall replied, putting a hand over hers. "I have some time, if you wanted to talk."
"Let me give orders to my forces, and then we can talk," Jaina said warmly.
"I'd like that," Thrall said honestly. "A great deal."
Chapter 8
Title: Unity
Part: 7 of ? (I have no idea. They won't stop talking)
Word Count: 5158 (of this part)
Warnings: Implied sex, actual sex, orc/human, mentioned death and suicide, angst. Angst, violence and drama.
Pairings: Mentioned Thrall/Others, primarily Thrall/Jaina. Mentioned past Arthas/Jaina and past one-sided Kael/Jaina.
Summary: Thrall meets with Magatha Grimtotem, and Jaina follows up on a lead.
Previous Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Thrall inhaled, taking in the deep, earthy scent of Thunder Bluff. Despite some misconceptions about cows and tauren due to their rather unfortunate resemblance, the orc Warchief often found that it reminded him of the camps that the orcs had set up when they'd been traveling across first Lordaeron, then Kalimdor. Some places had fixed longhouses that were far larger and more open-air than anything an orc would live in, and in other places, there were tents, some large and elaborate, others only large enough to house a single tauren, and all ready to be taken down and moved in a matter of hours, if not minutes.
The tauren braves that escorted them wished the blessings of the Earthmother on himself and Garona -- Shandel'zare had declined to join them, but she remained with the Kor'Kron in Dustwallow, keeping them in line -- and Thrall blessed them in the name of the spirits. He did not know the tauren as well as his own people, but what had drawn them into an alliance of chance motivated Thrall to keep their relations friendly. Here were Runetotem and Ragetotem, Lightning Hoof and Windreaver, all living peacefully high atop the mesa that kept their capital safe from the centaur, gnolls, quillboar and anything else that would harm their children.
They spent millennia traveling across this continent to avoid the centaur, not because they were cowards, or pacifists, but because while even a toddler might be able to defend itself for a moment, an infant cannot, and they must protect their children, and their clan's future. Thrall felt a chill move across his back, between his armour and his shirt. Not now.
He felt Garona shift next to him, and wondered if she couldn't detect his thoughts. They moved across the rope and wood bridges that linked the main rise of Thunder Bluff to the Elder Rise, the residence of those that instructed students in the ways of druidism, shamanism and the home of the tauren elders. The Grimtotem compound was not difficult to find, since it was composed entirely of movable structures, unlike all of the other homes, which were built with a sense of permanence.
"Someone doesn't want to be here," Garona commented dryly.
"Maybe she's got a prickly temper, like someone I know," Thrall replied, his tone equally dry.
"If I didn't want to be in Orgrimmar, Warchief, nothing you could do would keep me there," the former assassin replied airily, but Thrall heard genuine emotion behind it.
"I wouldn't dare to try," Thrall countered, though he was touched. "What do you think she has hanging in her tent?"
"The skulls of her enemies, obviously," Garona replied, and then fell silent. An honour guard of Grimtotem braves stood outside the main, large tent that housed Magatha, elder of the Grimtotem tribe. While the orcs respected their elders, the Warchief's position hinged on personal strength and force of personality. The tauren, or Shu'halo as they called themselves, were a gerontocracy, with only the oldest and the wisest being qualified to lead. Cairne himself was very old, and his son would not take his place for many years. Rather than the young and ambitious, clan leaders were venerable figures such as Hamuul Runetotem and, of course, Magatha Grimtotem. The Grimtotem elder had taken over upon the death of her husband, and led what was known as a troublesome, quarrelsome clan with an iron fist.
A brave opened the tent flap to let Thrall and Garona inside. Despite Garona's pithy remark, Magatha's home did not have skulls, or anything remotely violent within it: there were cords that hung from one side of her tent to the other, and from each cord hung lengthy hanks of spun and dyed wool of various colours, which Thrall ducked around carefully as he moved. Here and there there were more balls of yarn in bright hues. Magatha sat at the back of her tent at a loom, and for a few moments, it clacked.
Disconcerted, Thrall exchanged a brief look with Garona. She gave him a slight shrug, and he knelt down, sitting quietly, and Garona did the same. More time passed, but Thrall let himself fall into a semi-meditative state. He would not misstep, not with this powerful, dangerous woman before him.
"You are Thrall, leader of the orc clans."
A statement, not a question. Thrall remained silent. The loom shifted, and Magatha set down her shuttle and stood, moving to where Thrall was kneeling, forcing him to look up if he wanted to meet her eyes. He noted that across each cheek were three marks, similar enough to the ones that were the sign of their enemy, and he tensed. Garona tensed as well, but less obviously. Thrall made a gesture, and she moved her hand from her side.
"What is it you want from me, orc child?"
Thrall forced himself to pause, because it was essential to appear both patient and deliberate and not spontaneous and thoughtless as the tauren elders believed so many of the young to be. I wish I'd brought Drek'thar, despite how he complains that politics disinterests him. He has a mind like a hunter's trap. "I want to speak to you about other members of your clan."
"I am not my children's keeper," the venerable crone said evenly, and moved to a chair. Like everything within her tent, it was simple: it was a glorified stump, both easily replaced and easily packed away. She sat, tucking her tail away safely. "What of them?"
"I wanted to know what interest Dustwallow Marsh holds for your children," Thrall began. "They do not speak to the other residents of the Marsh."
"There was a time we roamed all of Kalimdor, when what you call the Thousand Needles was a river, and Tanaris was a lake. My children will roam where they will." She gestured to Thrall. "Your people do not dictate to us where we may go. Nor do the..." Her lip curved in a sneer, "humans."
"Were it not for the humans, not just Kalimdor, but all of this world would have been destroyed when the Burning Legion came--"
"The demons came because of the Kaldorei being foolish and touching magic from the great Chalice of Life left to us by the Earthmother. I would be just as happy to see the arrogant elves pay for their foolishness." She made a soft, derisive noise. "I hope you didn't expect me to find this interesting, orc child. This is a waste of my time."
"Very well," Thrall said, and stood. Garona moved to stand, and he made a slight gesture that kept her in place, and moved to speak to her, meeting her eyes as an equal. He watched the tauren crone's lips curl back in anger, and let it fuel his own. "Your children, the Grimtotem, are responsible for the deaths of two humans and the destruction of an Inn that was built with the purpose of creating a bridge between the humans and the orcs."
"What proof do you have of that?" Magatha asked shortly, derisive laughter in her tone.
"The spirits themselves have told me that shamans were responsible for the fire that destroyed the Shady Rest Inn, and tauren hoofprints were found on scene. There were no guests in the Inn when it burned down, so only the owners suffered," Thrall returned. "Furthermore, I investigated the encampment that the Grimtotem have in northern Dustwallow, and I found these." He removed the scroll that contained the original copy of the battle plans he had taken. Nara Wildmane had worked quickly to translate them, and from his understanding, was heartbroken by what she had read. "There are more plans... more assaults on human holdings... and on tauren ones. Camp Taurajo and Mojache."
Magatha frowned at him. "I have no doubt you obtained this from my children peacefully."
"They didn't even know I was there," Thrall countered. "The spirits brought me exactly what I needed, and that includes this." Thrall took out a cloth, and carefully unfolded it. Garona and Magatha inhaled sharply at the same time. "We know that this is the symbol of someone who approaches malcontents and promises to make their problems go away. How badly do you want us gone from 'your' continent, Magatha?"
"We tauren believe in the spirits, not as ephemeral concepts, but as real beings and threats. One of them is named Arikara. She is the spirit of vengeance, and comes in on the winds of unfavourable change. She has been seen by my children in the Thousand Needles." Her lip curled into a sneer. "She appeared not long after Mulgore was established, and it is for that reason we refuse to join your Horde. It is wrong, and we should have never agreed to any kind of pact."
"So was it wrong for me to save Cairne and his forces?" Thrall asked, his voice angry, his volume increasing at the end of the question, and only got louder. "Is it wrong that your people -- all of your people -- no longer fear the centaur? That you have a real home, and not something you'll need to abandon on a moment's notice."
"This permanence is weakness!" Magatha cried, and waved around her. "We've survived for millennia traveling--"
"And mine survived by destroying every enemy we came across, burning their homes and soaking their lands in blood," Thrall countered, his voice now low with such menace that made even Garona look at him. He ignored her. "Just because something has always been one way doesn't mean that it should always be that way, particularly when it costs lives needlessly. Maybe you don't want us here. Maybe this Arikara doesn't like it. We're here to stay, and the tauren are the Horde's allies. Even you." He took in a deep breath, letting the spirits of air attempt to calm him, and not fan the flames that stirred within his heart. He had never been corrupted by the demons, but there was something different there. Passion. "So tell me, who was it that helped your 'children' murder two innocent people -- a young boy and a woman -- who could have easily been your child and mate?"
Magatha sat, quiet and still. For a moment, Thrall could only hear his own heartbeat, and his own breathing. Garona was utterly silent, and may as well not have been there at all. Even the spirits were silent now.
"At the beginning of the world, there were the golden mists of dawn," Magatha began quietly. "The Earthmother walked among us, and blessed our work. The green plains of Mulgore were our home, and that is the name we gave it -- Home. We worked as one, though some families became more powerful than others, but we all supported one another. The Earthmother promised to protect us from what could harm us." Her tone hardened. "She failed. There was something that lived beneath the world, a dark and terrible being. It touched the minds of some of the Shu'halo, those that lived on the edges of Mulgore, and they became discontent. Rage grew within them, and they took up the arms that allowed them to hunt, and turned them on their more fortunate brethren. We warred. Mulgore's grasses began to die, sickened by what we'd done. The Earthmother tried to stop the war. We didn't listen, and she became so upset that she tore out her own eyes rather than watch her children fight."
Thrall blinked. Cairne had told him as much, though it was different hearing it from the Grimtotem's perspective.
"With that, we were the Grimtotem. With that, we were damned. With that, we were driven out of Mulgore. We were the first to roam. The Ragetotem were once Grimtotem, but they left during the journey and returned to Mulgore to beg for forgiveness." She curled her lip. "The Earthmother was not the all-powerful protector that the others would believe. There are things beneath the earth that do not sleep, that overpower any protection the Earthmother gives when her attention wavers. Better to understand that now than be disappointed when she fails to shield us again." She stood, briefly, to select a drop spindle, and began to work. "The symbol is the mark of Awn-yee. She is the daughter of darkness and the earth. She can wear many faces. She came to my children asking for help ridding our home of intruders."
"So you said yes," Thrall began, but Magatha shook her head.
"I said no. Just because the Earthmother is weak doesn't mean the darkness is strong. We all have a piece of the darkness inside of us. Surrendering to that darkness means madness. I warned my son, Arnak, away from that path, but we are, as you know, a clan of troublemakers and rebels." She bared her teeth briefly. "If I've spoken my piece as the leader of the clan, if I strike him about the horns, and he doesn't listen to me, there is nothing more I can do except watch him die in an exceptionally stupid way." Thrall watched as raw, unspun wool moved through her fingers. "I can speak to them again, but if they will not listen, they will need to be dealt with."
"He's your son," Thrall said, his tone outraged. It was Garona's turn to put a restraining hand on him, and it startled him.
"I have other sons," Magatha said evenly. "And grandchildren. Sometimes, the herd must be culled by the wolves." Her eyes met his, and hers held no emotion and no regret. "If they are loyal to Awn-yee, they are no longer my children."
"What about the Forsaken?" Garona asked quietly, while Thrall was too stunned to say more. "There were correspondences with them, and the Warchief witnessed a conversation between the Grimtotem and a Forsaken assassin who recently killed a Theramore deserter named Paval Reethe, preventing him from being interrogated."
"There are Forsaken here in Thunder Bluff," Magatha said. "We correspond. They're here to rekindle their spirituality, to discover why it is they create such a blight on the spirit world. They are carefully warded. If there are others, they are not here as part of the cooperative effort between the Dark Lady and the Grimtotem. You should be aware, though, that there are Forsaken who resent their treatment by the living, regardless of what excuse they may use."
"They aren't mistreated by the Horde," Thrall said quietly. "We do what we can for them, but our allegiance to the spirits is no less important than our alliance with them."
"There is a reason why they are warded while they are here, and guarded within the most spiritually powerful place in Thunder Bluff, but their resentment is not cooled by logic."
"What about the ones that are here?" Thrall asked. "Do they feel this way?"
"They wouldn't be here if they did, child," Magatha said shortly. "There are also lonely Forsaken, who have lost everything they have known, and are resented by their former neighbours, and feared by them. They want to know why the Light has abandoned them, or want to cling to their faith, which failed them much like the Earthmother failed the Grimtotem."
"I don't believe that's the way that faith works," Thrall said evenly. "Not to the Light, nor to the Earthmother."
"The fault of the young is naivete," the crone said dismissively, and paused. "You may leave now."
Thrall gestured, and Garona stood, and together they walked out of the tent.
"That was more informative than I'd hoped," Thrall said in an undertone. Garona nodded slightly, replying with equal volume.
"We were being watched."
"I know," Thrall said. "The spirits fled, but it was subtle."
"So it could have been a Forsaken," Garona replied. "I heard no breathing, it would make sense. Do you believe her about their avatar of vengeance?"
"I might," Thrall said. "But the question is, when exactly did this Lady Awn-yee contact them? There are many mistakes that the tauren could have made, and if Arikara is angry with Cairne... why has it only appeared to the Grimtotem?"
"You make a good point, though it may not be one Magatha is willing to believe," Garona replied, and Thrall drew out his communication stone and thumbed it on. Some of the tauren gave him disbelieving looks, and he ignored them.
"Shandel'zare, we're finished here," Thrall said. "Has Jaina finished her inquiries about the Defias?"
"Warchief, Lady Proudmoore departed for western Dustwallow hours ago," his advisor replied. "She's not in Theramore."
She never said she wouldn't go... I warned her... "I need to go there. Now."
"Warchief--"
"Now."
"I'll be there momentarily, Warchief."
"Thrall--" Garona began, and Thrall turned on her.
"If you're going to tell me she'll be fine..." he growled, and Garona held up her hands.
"No," she replied. "What I'm going to tell you that if she's in any way under the effects of a disguise or invisibility spell, a large force arriving could tip off whomever she's managed to contact." Thrall was somehow unsurprised that Garona knew about the private conversation he'd had with Jaina, and reminded himself to lecture her about what privacy meant. Later. When she wasn't busy being right.
"So how do you suggest we approach this?" Thrall asked, and was surprised by the hint of desperation in his voice.
"Why, Warchief Thrall, with subtlety of course," Garona said, a slow, dark smile spreading across her face.
~ * ~
Thrall sat before the fire, just as he had before. The spirits of air caressed along the backs of his bare shoulders, and the spirits of fire watched him curiously.
Shandel'zare stood by his side, and as he fell into his trance, he saw the spirits of water around her, remembering that her calling, like Jaina's, was frost magic.
I'm going to sneak into the tower, Garona had said, braiding her hair tightly, the hints of grey in it gleaming in the firelight. You're going to follow me in by spirit walking. If you can distract our enemies, even for a moment, Jaina will teleport us away.
Assuming she trusts you, Thrall countered, but he'd already been undressing, which had caused Shandel'zare to roll her eyes.
Of course she will, Garona said, wrapping a cowl around her face, sweeping her hair into it, and showing only her eyes. The cloth muffled her voice, distorting it in a way that was almost magical. She loves orcs.
Thrall made a face at the memory, and forced himself to calm, to not simply sprint towards the tower that was within visual range. The Kor'Kron formed a protective circle around him, and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Spirits of air, carry me. Spirits of fire, guide me. Spirits of water, help me. Spirits of earth, protect me. There was a feeling of warmth against his thigh. She's in place.
There was a rush of power, and Thrall opened his eyes, stepping out of his body. He ran, though distance had little meaning within the realm of spirits. It wasn't difficult to find the tower, and sure enough, Jaina was there, bright with magic to his spiritual vision. He could also sense Garona, who was strong but muted, warded by the clothing she wore. There was one other powerful presence, and it was standing very close to Jaina.
"--the next stage is to properly drive out the ogres from Dustwallow. Their kind is filthy, disease-ridden, and disgusting," she was saying. Despite what Thrall could see, he could not tell what she was, and her voice sounded oddly distorted.
She must be using very powerful magic to distort her form, Thrall thought. Awn-yee, daughter of darkness and earth. He heard the soldiers cheer, and Jaina echo them. He moved to stand behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder. I'm here.
Jaina didn't react, though he didn't expect her to. The woman smiled warmly at the forces, and began to name soldiers, assigning them to different tasks. Momentarily, this left only Jaina within the tower, and Thrall tensed. He could see Garona lurking in the shadows, and knew it was only a matter of time.
"I'm afraid that I didn't catch your name," Awn-yee said, and Jaina hesitated. "Don't be shy, we're both human."
"Adalia," Jaina stammered. "Adalia Crestfall." He felt Jaina gather power, but it was still faint, nearly undetectable. "I'm sorry, this is my first time here."
"You don't need to be afraid," Awn-yee said smoothly. This close, Thrall could see her human features. She had brown eyes and long, black hair, and wore robes of red and black that were quilted in an odd way.
Almost like scales, Thrall thought, and missed Awn-yee's question.
"They murdered my brother, during the Second War," Jaina was saying, her voice strong with anger. "I don't see why we should just forgive them because they say they're sorry."
"You shouldn't, but Jaina Proudmoore will never see it that way," Awn-yee replied. "She's too blinded by her infatuation with their orc leader. What is his name? Slave... Serf..?"
"Thrall," Jaina replied. "His name is Thrall."
"It hardly matters, because all the orcs will pay soon." Awn-yee's hand rested on Jaina's shoulder, moving along the side of the concealing armour Jaina wore, and up her neck, fingering the bottom of her helmet. "Don't you agree?"
"Yes, of course," Jaina replied, and with one, swift motion, Awn-yee pulled Jaina's helmet off, and the human sorceress' hair tumbled out of its pinning to rest around her shoulders. "I--"
"That was a nice try, Lady Proudmoore," Awn-yee said. "But you're no soldier, just a very foolish, naive girl. Get out of my marsh."
"No," Jaina said steadily, and now her power was obvious. "You get out of mine."
Awn-yee laughed harshly. "You have no idea what you're getting into, little girl. You have no power compared to me." Her hand tightened around Jaina's neck, and pulled her close, her face inches from Jaina's. "You can't hope to fight me."
Garona, now! Thrall called through the spirit realm, and saw Garona leap through the shadows. He gathered power, preparing to channel spiritual energy into a burst.
"What are you--" Jaina began, and Awn-yee closed the distance, pressing her mouth to Jaina's. Thrall froze as Jaina made a panicked noise, but Garona didn't, and Awn-yee broke away from her with an angry, almost animal scream. Garona grabbed Jaina's wrist and spun her away from the other woman.
"Jaina Proudmoore, go, now!" Garona bellowed, and Jaina cast her teleportation spell.
Well, that was utterly stupid of me, Thrall thought numbly. He watched Awn-yee curse and gesture wildly, and Thrall sighed in relief. At least Jaina is safe, and I can--
"Do you think you can spy on me, you filthy orc?" Awn-yee hissed. "Your people are failures, and you will all come to the same end in death and fire!"
How can she--
Awn-yee gestured, creating huge glyphs in the air that smoked as they appeared.
Fire! Thrall thought, and retreated back to his body, and when his eyes opened, he gasped for air, feeling as if his skin was burning.
"Warchief!" Shandel'zare called, and knelt by his side. "Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Our enemy is more dangerous than I believed," Thrall mumbled. "I need to see Jaina... I..." He attempted to stand, and nearly fell again. She could have destroyed my spiritual self. What would have happened to my body? Would they have waited forever?
"You will calm down, and tell me what happened, or you will walk to Theramore," the troll mage said sternly. "What happened?"
Thrall told her, pausing only to drink the water she offered him from a flask. It was difficult for Shandel'zare to look grimmer than usual, but she managed. "We'll have to warn Brackenwall, proceed very cautiously, and prepare for the potential of a major assault."
"Contact the ogres, tell them what's coming," Thrall said, and with more strength stood. "I need to see if Jaina's alright. If she was harmed." There had been a strength to one of Jaina's statements, something that made it more than a lie, greater somehow. There is so much about her I don't know. It's difficult to start a conversation about her past when people like Arthas and her father lurk there.
Shandel'zare handed him his shirt wordlessly.
~ * ~
Thrall was amazed by two things. One, that Garona hadn't immediately fled the moment Jaina was safe, which meant that she felt this was slightly more than an inconvenience to her time. Two, that he had not yet seen Jaina at her angriest. He had seen her fury in several forms, but this was different. This was recklessness and anger that bordered on madness.
"I should go back there," Jaina was saying, waving off Ariana's offered blanket and worried look. "If she's managed to capture Thrall in his spirit form, he could die."
"Warchief Thrall is perfectly capable of defending himself," Garona said, her tone neutral. Her eyes shifted, and noticed Thrall. "Here he is." The guards with him bowed and left. Garona's posture shifted, relaxing from her tense, rigid pose.
Nice try, Thrall thought sourly. "Jaina, are you hurt?"
"Thrall!" Jaina cried, and moved towards him. "Did she hurt you?"
Thrall nearly laughed, but restrained it at the risk of sounding hysterical. "She couldn't catch me. Let me see your neck..." His hand moved to cup over it, checking for bruises or swelling. "Why did you go alone? She could have killed you."
"It was too dangerous to risk anyone else," Jaina said, submitting to his inspection. "If she hadn't... startled me... I could have gotten away in time, even without your help."
"She assaulted you," Thrall replied with a frown. While Garona's facial expressions were largely covered by her cowl, he could tell that she wanted to say something. He glared at her. Don't be inappropriate, Garona.
"I'll be fine," Jaina murmured. Thrall applied healing to her neck anyway. "Assuming that she didn't just make everything up, I can find, arrest and prosecute all of those soldiers, and they won't cause more trouble. I might not be able to stop her directly, but no more lives will be lost due to my oversight. I'll be sure of that."
"Jaina, I..." He made a slight gesture, and Ariana bowed and left immediately. Garona stared at him. Thrall glared back. Jaina seemed oblivious.
"What?" Garona asked.
"You know what," Thrall growled. "Go."
Garona snorted, the sound all but lost, and left. Thrall took one of Jaina's hands, and led her to sit.
"Thank you for coming to rescue me," Jaina murmured. "I do appreciate--"
"Was your brother really murdered by the orcs?" Thrall asked unthinkingly, and cursed mentally when Jaina stiffened. Orc child, indeed. Stupid, son of Durotan, very stupid.
"I..." Jaina began, and sighed. "One of them, yes. I had two older brothers. Derek wasn't so much murdered as... killed during a battle where he had no chance, and no way to fight back against what killed him."
"Murder," Thrall commented quietly. "What happened?"
"Derek was the captain of the Third Kul Tiras Fleet, under my father's command," Jaina said, her voice soft. "During one of the battles near Khaz Modan, the Third Fleet was entirely wiped out by dragons. No one survived."
"Jaina, I--"
"Most of the orcs here weren't even responsible," Jaina said, her voice trembling. "The Dragonmaw clan was wiped out by agents of the Kirin Tor during the Second War when they freed the Dragon-Queen Alexstrasza. I was a child when it happened... an infant. I don't remember what he was like at all. Tandred does, but that's because he's so much older than I am."
"What did your father do?" Thrall asked quietly.
"He ordered more ships to be built to replace the old ones," Jaina replied. "He fought until the end... but he hated the orcs so much. It's amazing that he supported Terenas' plan for the Internment Camps. There was a time when I was afraid that..."
"Afraid that?" Thrall asked quietly. Jaina shivered, and Thrall retrieved the blanket Ariana had left behind, and put it around her shoulders. Quite naturally, his arm stayed there, and she leaned into him a little.
"I was afraid that Terenas and my father had some kind of a bargain." Her lips twisted. "To sell me to his son. I asked Arthas about it once, he was surprised that something like that could even happen, and swore it wasn't true. I guess it wasn't, but... I was always afraid. Arthas' sister was nearly married off to a near-stranger, but something happened at the last minute, and it went away. Tandred told me about it. It's just so... frustrating. To think that you could be manipulated by forces stronger than you."
"You can't be," Thrall said, and Jaina looked over at him. He swallowed, conscious of how close their faces were. "No one is stronger than you are."
"Thrall, I..." Jaina began, and very slowly, he brushed his lips against hers. She flinched, and he pulled away.
"Jaina, I..." Thrall began, and stood. "I must go. I..." He moved towards the door, cursing himself and the control he seemed to be lacking. "I'm sorry. I'm very..."
Jaina blinked in front of him, and he was brought up short. "Thrall, wait." She put a hand on his arm, and the other reached up to snake around his neck. Very firmly, she pulled him down until their lips met in a kiss.
~ * ~
Thrall's arms moved around Jaina, and he tilted his head a little. He was conscious of a dozen things -- that Jaina had just been traumatized, so this was inappropriate; that humans had softer, more delicate skin and that she'd be bleeding if his tusks scraped the wrong place; that the blanket had fallen to the floor around them; that he was pulling her closer, and their bodies were pressed together; that he'd promised her friendship without burden, and this...
"Jaina..." he murmured against her lips, and reluctantly broke the kiss. There were a dozen things he could say, and they swirled in his mind, until they coalesced into one statement. "I wasn't lying to you."
Jaina blinked. "What?"
"When I said I wanted unconditional friendship, I meant it." Carefully, he thumbed over her cheek. "I didn't expect this. It just..."
"Happened," Jaina murmured. "It just happened." Thrall nodded, and kissed her again, and this time there was no hesitation, and her lips were warm and firm against his. "It sneaks up on you."
Thrall closed his eyes briefly, picturing every reaction he'd questioned, and some he hadn't. "I thought I would upset you. I didn't want to hurt you. I knew what you'd been through."
"I was afraid of offending you," Jaina admitted. "I don't know everything you've been through with humans, particularly not in regards to the Camps and... Blackmoore."
Thrall shivered involuntarily, remembering the bruises on Taretha's neck, the ones she'd tried to hide from him, and her staring, empty eyes... "Nothing quite that bad, but it was bad enough. We can take things slowly."
"Yes," Jaina agreed. Hesitantly, she let her hand rest against his wrist. "There won't be any obligations," she said, the reassurance in her voice almost forced. "We don't have to take this very far, and we can stop whenever we need to."
"That's just what I was going to say," Thrall replied, putting a hand over hers. "I have some time, if you wanted to talk."
"Let me give orders to my forces, and then we can talk," Jaina said warmly.
"I'd like that," Thrall said honestly. "A great deal."
Chapter 8