Theramore's twilight filtered through the stained glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting mottled light across the oak floor of Deren's manor. Flames burned quietly in the hearth, occasionally spitting a spark into the delicate tension filling the sitting room.
Onyxia sat before a gilded tea set, her slender fingers holding a silver spoon as she poured a third cup of black tea. The amber liquid swirled, its steam blurring her golden slit-pupiled eyes.
"Lemon or honey?" Her voice was as sweet as melted honey, though her fingers had unconsciously left a fine claw mark on the spoon.
Sylvanas stood with her back to the windows, her backlit figure like a blade drawn from its sheath. She did not even turn around, merely tapped the window frame with her fingertips. She had become a frequent presence here, silently watching Deren.
"It seems our guest doesn't care for tea." Onyxia pushed a cup toward the empty seat. Its base struck the saucer with a challenging clink.
Across the room, Chromie was sunk deep into a velvet sofa, her bronze Time Sandglass hanging crookedly from her waist. She held a gilt-edged copy of Secret History of the High Elf Court. The cover proclaimed in florid lettering, "Top Secret · For Royal Eyes Only." She had probably received it as a reward after the rescue at Silvermoon City. After all, it would only have been destroyed by the fighting if left there. Better to let a Bronze Dragon keep it safe!
"Pwahahaha—" The little Gnome-shaped Bronze Dragon kicked her short legs and accidentally knocked over a teacup. One glare from Onyxia sent her hurriedly casting a spell to clean the sofa and carpet.
Deren sat in a rocking chair beside the hearth, a hefty volume of Gnomish Engineering spread across his knees. Firelight reflected in his eyes, hiding his expression. Whenever the chair rocked forward, the flames illuminated a distinct scratch on his neck—a trophy from last night's "heated discussion" with Onyxia. He was far too weak!
"Darling." The Black Dragon Princess suddenly brought a cup of tea to his lips. "You've been on page seven for an entire hour."
Deren's fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly. You lot turn this place into an Asura Field every day. How am I supposed to read? he grumbled inwardly.
"I'm thinking about a new plan." His expression did not change as he sipped the tea.
A blinding burst of blue-white light exploded in the center of the room. Arcane Energy shook the air, setting the silverware on the tea table rattling. Chromie frantically stuffed her book into her clothes, only to scrape her chin on a gilt corner.
"Ow! By time—"
As the light faded, Jaina Proudmoore came into focus. Her left hand still held her staff in the closing motion of a Teleportation Spell, while her right gripped Vereesa Windrunner by the back of the collar like a kitten. The young ranger's feet had not even touched the floor. She hung in midair, tear tracks still wet on her face.
"Look what I found in town." Jaina's voice was deliberately breezy, but the frost glittering at her fingertips betrayed her feelings. "A lost kitten asking everyone she met whether they'd seen her sister."
For one second, time seemed to stop throughout the sitting room.
Onyxia's cup hung in the air, a drop of tea slowly falling from its rim. Deren's page froze halfway through a turn. Even the flames in the hearth became strange amber crystals—a brief pause caused by Chromie unconsciously leaking the power of time.
Only Sylvanas moved.
She spun like a flash of silver lightning, her quiver swinging in an arc as two arrows instinctively found her bowstring. Then she saw her sister's face and froze.
"Vereesa?"
Vereesa's lips trembled, and the tears that had gathered in her blue eyes finally broke free. She pulled out of Jaina's grasp and stumbled forward, only to trip over the carpet on her last step.
Sylvanas opened her arms without thinking.
The force of their collision drove Sylvanas back half a step. Vereesa clutched her sister's leather armor so tightly that her knuckles turned white, like a drowning woman grasping the last piece of driftwood. She buried her face between Sylvanas's pauldron and collarbone, and hot tears immediately soaked the silver armor.
"I was wrong... All of it was wrong..." Vereesa's sobs shook her whole body. "Kael'thas... Dalaran has already..."
The broken words pierced Sylvanas's ears like shards of glass. Beneath her palm, she could clearly feel the bones of her sister's spine. Vereesa had grown far too thin.
Jaina quietly took two steps back, stopping beside Deren's rocking chair. Behind her back, she traced a rune with her fingertips, and a soundproof barrier silently spread around them.
"She's been wandering the old town's alleys all day," Jaina said, her voice reaching only Deren. "Every time she saw a golden-haired elf woman, she ran up to check."
The embracing sisters were reflected in Deren's spectacles. "What's happening in Dalaran?"
"Yesterday, some elf mages broke into a materials warehouse to seize crystals." Jaina's mouth tightened. "Antonidas has started binding Mana Addiction sufferers with Arcane Chains and executing them publicly, but it isn't doing much good."
Meanwhile, Onyxia had somehow moved beside Chromie. The two dragons traded looks—
Should we throw them out? Onyxia raised a brow.
Touch them and Deren will be angry! Chromie glared back.
Vereesa's crying gradually subsided into hiccuping sobs, but she still clung to Sylvanas as though her sister would vanish the moment she let go. Tears and snot smeared across Sylvanas's pauldron, and some of it even ran into the gaps in her armor.
For once, Sylvanas looked shaken. She raised a hand, hesitated, then gently rested it on her sister's golden hair. The comforting gesture was so awkward it might have come after centuries apart.
Onyxia rolled her eyes, but at a look from Deren, she reluctantly drew a black silk handkerchief from her sleeve. A tiny dragon was embroidered in one corner; it was clearly hers.
"Here." The Black Dragon Princess held it out by one corner with two fingers, as though discarding something filthy. "Wipe your face, little ranger. Your tears are about to soak through my carpet."
That finally made Vereesa lift her head. Her reddened eyes blinked as she looked from the handkerchief to Onyxia, wearing the expression of someone watching a Murloc perform ballet.
"Now." Sylvanas tipped up her sister's chin with a fingertip, her voice firm enough to brook no refusal. "Tell me what happened in Dalaran."
Vereesa swallowed. She began describing how High Elf nobles, desperate for Arcane Crystals, had taken to robbing, stealing, and wandering the shops of Dalaran. Everyone's jaws dropped.
"What is Kael'thas doing?" Sylvanas cut in, her voice as cold as a frozen spring in Eversong Woods.
Vereesa's bitter smile looked worse than her tears. "He... he hasn't done anything. He just posted a notice banning the sale of that ridiculous Arcane Gas."
The flames in the hearth suddenly leaped higher, lighting everyone's stunned faces.
"And people in Dalaran are saying His Majesty the Sun King escaped too." Vereesa clenched her fists. "Anasterian hasn't appeared in public. He may be hiding somewhere, treating his Mana Addiction."
Deren raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected, but it made sense. The evacuation of Silvermoon City he had organized really had affected Arthas's attack. Perhaps the old Sun King had managed to escape with his life after all. And with a king above Kael'thas, things would be even more interesting.
"The Arcane Gas that appeared in Dalaran last week—the kind made here—was popular for a while before it was banned," Vereesa said, her voice growing quieter. "After that, the robberies and thefts got even worse. More women from noble families have started wandering the shops. It's an open secret."
"What will you do now? Go back to Dalaran?" Sylvanas asked her sister.
"No! I'm never going back to that awful place. I want to stay with you." Vereesa hugged her second sister tightly, as though afraid Sylvanas might send her away.
"The ranger unit still needs a deputy commander, doesn't it?" Deren winked at Jaina.
"Yes. Lady Sylvanas has a great deal to attend to. An assistant would suit her perfectly," Jaina said at once. A great deal to attend to? She keeps coming here to bother Deren.
"Then join Theramore's ranger unit, Vereesa," Sylvanas said to her sister.
"Mm. All right!" Vereesa's nose began to run, and she hurriedly wiped it with the handkerchief.
"You can take the oath tomorrow. Any objections?" Deren pressed while the moment was right, afraid the young elf might storm off again.
Vereesa paused, uncertain. Last time, she had felt that swearing loyalty to Theramore meant betraying Quel'Thalas.
"Everyone else has taken the oath, and they're doing just fine. You wouldn't want to be the odd one out, would you?" Deren sounded like a big bad wolf coaxing a little girl.
Vereesa looked at her second sister. Sylvanas nodded, and Vereesa finally lowered her head. "All right. I'll take the oath."
"Good, good. The three of you are reunited now. That's something to celebrate. Come on, smile." Delighted to have recruited another historical figure, Deren suppressed his urge to gloat and took a long drink of tea. The Black Dragon snorted, while the Bronze Dragon gave a helpless grimace and wiped imaginary cold sweat from her brow.
"Settle down and live well in Theramore. Here's another piece of good news: your eldest sister, Alleria, should still be alive. Maybe one day all four of you siblings can reunite." Deren was in such a good mood that he got carried away, letting slip a little news about the eldest Windrunner sister to give them hope.
"Do you even know what you're saying? Shut up! Shut up!" The Bronze Dragon sprang three feet into the air, landed on his chest, and tried to cover his mouth before he revealed any more.
Sylvanas rushed to Deren and yanked the little Gnome aside with frightening strength. Staring into his eyes, she demanded, "You have news of our eldest sister? Tell me. How is she?"
Before Deren could speak, Onyxia stepped between them, forcing Sylvanas back. "Mind your manners," she said coldly. "This isn't Windrunner Spire. Deren isn't your prisoner."
"I'm sorry. Hearing news of her overwhelmed me." Sylvanas apologized sincerely.
"Put me down!" Chromie protested. Sylvanas hastily released the Bronze Dragon.
Chromie hopped to the floor and straightened her clothes. "You can't say much more. You've already interfered with the Timeline."
"All right, all right. Don't get so worked up. Just remember what I said: everything will turn out fine," Deren said at an unhurried pace.
The day's revelations had left Sylvanas's head in a muddle, and she now had a younger sister to settle in. After talking a little longer, she rose to leave. Jaina also had a mountain of work to handle and teleported away. Only Deren and the two female dragons remained.
Onyxia gave a cold laugh. "Well, my man? Anything you'd like to explain?"
Deren spread his hands. He had nothing.
"Hmph!" the Black Dragon Princess scoffed. "You're awfully good to those two elf sisters. Who'd believe you don't have a motive?"
"Sylvanas is part of my plans, but Vereesa has someone else she's destined for," Deren explained. He winked at Chromie, signaling for help.
Chromie coughed. "It's true. Deren's right. Sylvanas being alive is good for Azeroth, and Vereesa has someone else she's destined for." She paused, tugging at her hair in frustration. "It's just that Deren has made such a mess of the Timeline, there's no telling whether Vereesa will still marry that person."
Deren's face fell. So it's all my fault?
Onyxia folded her arms and watched her man with a cold smile.
Second update. We're back to Vereesa's storyline. Let me know what you think. I've heard the rules on Qidian don't allow both sisters, so which would you prefer, Queen Sylvanas or little Vereesa? Leave a comment!