Chapter 59

(Kael'Thas POV) 

Flying over the ruined city of Silvermoon, he was pleasantly surprised to see the removal of more than half of the Dead Scar from the city. 

'Varrus had done well.' Kael thought to himself as pride in his best friend swelled. 

He was still sour that they hadn't aimed straight for Arthas, but the explanation of Demons and the idea of charging blindly into the enemy did make for a cautionary tale. 

Regardless, Kael was eager to join the fight. Tomorrow he would set out with the Sunfury, and finally take the fight to the enemy. 

He would have set out earlier, but that same dastardly friend of his had tempted him with armor for his army, and informed him that he was catching traitors from within their ranks. 

Varrus wasn't specific, but the idea of traitors sent Kael's blood to a boil. 

Clenching a fist, Kael accidentally plucked a feather from his mount. 

"Oi, easy with the plumage Goldilocks, if you want to tug on something else, we could always find a secluded corner at this party and~" Jan'alai-transformed into her Loa dragonhawk form-chirped from beneath Kael. 

"N-nonsense! I can barely get a wink of sleep as it is with you around, Jan'alai!" Kael said in complaint as he felt the soreness of his hip. 

It was an embarrassment, such that he had to discuss the restoration of the Sunwell with Varrus. If his friend could make it whole once more, the sooner the better. Then Jan'alai would see why he was called Sunstrider! 

"You're not having any lewd thoughts up there, are you?" Jan'alai mocked. 

"Preposterous. I am a Prince of the realm. An Elf of my caliber does not let his mind wander towards such depraved activities. My thoughts are solely focused on the safety of my kingdom." Kael huffed. 

"Really? Then why are your ear tips so red?" Jan'alai was quick to respond. 

"My ear tips are not red!" Kael snapped back. 

Jan'alai suddenly picked up speed, and rocketed up above the cloud line, fast like a jet. 

Kael was left breathless from the sudden motion. A moment later, the dragonhawk transformed into a muscular, buxom green Troll. 

Grinning down at him whilst their momentum still carried them upward, Jan'alai embraced his head between her breasts, then whispered huskily in his ear. "Yep, still red." 

Kael felt her warmth, and sighed in gratitude from the surprisingly tender embrace. He had never been hugged like this by anyone else since he had been born. His mother was a mystery to him, and his father, while loving, was always busy in the palace. Besides his tutor, and best friend, none had shown him the slightest modicum of affection. Only sycophants, and those seeking to use him for their own political gain sought him out. Which is one of the reasons why he ran away to Dlaran, and joined the Human mages of the Kirin Tor. 

But now he had more than revenge on his mind. 

What was this warmth spreading throughout his body? 

Kael silently stared into Jan'alai's wild grin. It was an honest smile, one that told Kael exactly what she wanted. Compared to the double speak of most Elves, it was refreshing.  

"There's no satisfying a girl like you." Kael eventually replied with a small smile of his own. 

"You know it, Goldilocks!" Jan'alai grinned once more, and stole a quick kiss. 

Kael didn't even flinch, or attempt to move away when he felt her tongue enter his mouth. Instead, he responded with a slap on her buttocks, knowing that she enjoyed physical reciprocation from their time spent together. 

She gently dragged her teeth across his tongue, then winked and transformed into her dragonhawk form as they had started to fall towards the ground. 

He was slowly letting his guard down around this outgoing and bombastic girl. 

Maybe it was what his heart told him it was, but his brain wanted to deny it. 

Maybe it was. 

Love. 

Kael felt the hilt of his ancestral, broken blade Felo'melorn from its sheath by his side. However, he no longer needed to hold onto its burning blade to see if he could still feel. 

Looking off into the horizon, Kael wanted to feel melancholy. Wanted to wallow in the despair of his lost father. But when he clung tightly to the feathers beneath his thighs, and felt her warmth, the melancholy diminished to a respectful sadness. 

He recognized that he had lost his father, and accepted that fact. The wound was still raw, and he felt like he could go mad just thinking about it. But now, he had more than revenge to look forward to. 

"You're not moping up there, are you Goldilocks?!" Jan'alai called up to him. 

"Hardly. I'm simply admiring the, ah, greenery, as my friend put it. Thank you Jan'alai. Thank you for being my Greenbeak." Kael gently patted her on the back, and allowed himself a genuine smile. 

"O-of course!" Jan'alai sputtered. 

"Good, then let us alight, we are here." Kael said with confidence. 

Transforming into her humanoid form, Jan'alai had her arm linked with Kael's, and he cast a levitation spell, allowing them both to fall gracefully in front of the Vandercross Estate. 

Many Elves quickly began to whisper amongst themselves that the Prince had arrived, along with a few unkind slurs directed Jan'alai's way. 

He couldn't pinpoint the exact people who had spoken ill of Jan'alai, but that didn't mean he would take it lying down. 

Kael was about to speak up, when Varrus-who had been standing near the entrance-cast a thunder spell into the sky, deafening those voices of protest. 

"My Prince! Welcome to my humble abode!" Varrus clapped, to which everyone else-including those who had disparaged Jan'alai-joined in. 

Kael smiled at his friend's defense. Whilst Kael had looked forward to protecting Jan'alai's honor for once, and show Varrus that he had gained new confidence. However, this feeling of being wanted. Of genuine friendship. It was nice. 

Kael found himself smiling once more in a rare display of affection. So accustomed to maintaining the stoic poise of a Prince, the muscles around his cheeks began to hurt from long disuse. 

However, when he spotted a lady next to his friend tightly clinging to his arm, Kael's eyes narrowed, and he felt a bout of jealousy. Varrus had been his friend for decades, and now he was stolen away as soon as Kael had returned from Dalaran? 

"Hey, no moping." Jan'alai reminded with a squeeze to his hand. 

Kael rolled his eyes at her, then held his hands up at the crowd to pause their clapping. 

"Thank you friends, thank you. I see that the First Seat has opened his vaults, and Mana Stones are aplenty. Please, do not allow my arrival to diminish the festivities. Enjoy yourselves!" Kael said in faux confidence, eager to push the attention away from himself. 

He may have accepted the role of leader, but that didn't mean he suddenly became a social animal. 

As the crowd began to converse amongst themselves once more, a gaggle of the wise and other social elites came to bother him. 

He stared murder at Varrus through the eye holes of his phoenix mask, but his friend was quick to look away. 

"My friends, I apologize for wasting your time, but the Highlord promised me new armors for the Sunfury. I beg your leave, as I must inspect the goods. Good day!" Kael hastily spoke to the rapidly forming circle, and spoke up towards Varrus. 

His friend replied with a knowing grin, yet saw fit to play along. 

"Tis true, the Prince has been promised masterworked armor. Armor smithed by my hand. Why, we are holding a competition now to see the toughness of this armor. Rho'dan!" 

Kael watched on in confusion as a spot in the square just outside the mansion was cleared out, and 3 different armors were set up on stands. 

Next to the armor, a pallet of bricks was also carted out, much to Kael's confusion. 

Varrus's smirk had Kael roll his eyes. 

His friend always had an air for the dramatic. But this was simply ridiculous. Kael had already received the test reports from the armor, at this point, Varrus was simply showboating. 

"Masterworked armor? How do you intend to outfit the Sunfury when barely a week has passed since its creation?" An Elf scoffed as he stood out from the crowd, and began to circle the gear. He would rap on it with his knuckles, as if he was testing it for something. 

"In order of weakest to strongest, these armor sets are glass, mythril, and thorium. And I invite everyone to test their toughness. Anyone who can piece the thorium set in one attack can take an entire Mana Stone home." Varrus declared, pointing at one of the boulder sized crystals. 

Excited muttering spread throughout the crowd as many an Elf began to test their mettle against the armor. 

With the crowd's attention sufficiently distracted, Kael made his way to Varrus, and took up a glass of wine along the way. 

"A toast to the host and hostess!" Kael nodded at Varrus, then bowed towards the lady as etiquette demanded. 

"None of that! It is good to see you Kael! And Jan'alai, you have kept him out of trouble?" Varrus cockily returned the toast with some merriment. 

Kael wanted to scowl at his friend's antics, but he found it impossible to hate on the trouble maker. In all of 5 seconds, Varrus had diffused the tension from Kael and Jan'alai's arrival. 

No verbal admonishment or warning necessary. A simple show of force, followed by the offer of Mana Stones had the crowd run to Varrus's tune. 

"He's making it difficult, but I think I have it in order." Jan'alai slapped Kael on the back, and roared in laughter. 

Varrus chuckled at his expense, and nudged Syra from the side, however, she remained silent in their presence. 

How rude! 

His friend's wife seemed to stare Kael down for a moment in distrust, and from his POV, the feeling was mutual. 

He had been corresponding with Varrus via letter for decades, and he never heard of this girl, not even once. Then suddenly, on the most tragic day in their history, his best friend just so happened to get married to this violent woman? 

Kael wasn't buying it. The fact she was the daughter of the notorious witch, Faedra, was no help either. 

"Ah, there you are! I hope I am not intruding on anything?" Lor'Themar came up behind Kael and Varrus, and wrapped his arms around both of their necks in a choke hold. 

Jan'alai and Syra both bristled, seemingly ready to attack at any moment, but Lor'Themar simply laughed it off, and released them, and pushed them forward. 

"Look at you, all grown up. So serious at such a young age! This is a ball, a gala of the social elite! Live a little today, because once we're on campaign, you'll wish for moments like this." Lor'Themar said, raising a glass in toast. 

Kael looked down at his goblet introspectively for a moment, then clicked his glass with Varrus's and the Ranger General's. 

Today was the last day of peace. The last day he would be amongst his friends. The nerves, the waiting, it had steadily begun to eat away at him when all he wanted was to take the sword to the Scourge. 

But as he took a sip of his drink and he saw Varrus happy with his wife, Lor'Themar's knowing smirk, and the tight hold of Jan'alai's hand, perhaps the Elder Elf was right. 

As much as he hated being the center of attention, he would miss this feeling of comradery once he left for war. 

"No pouting, Goldilocks, this is a frown free zone! You see what I have to deal with, Varrus? He is, what do you say?"

"A drama queen?" Varrus supplied. 

"Yes! A drama queen!" Jan'alai said in excitement. 

"Queen Sunstrider. I like the sound of that." Syra laughed. 

Kael narrowed his eyes once more, but a quick clap on his back broke him out of his fugue. 

"It appears the Sunfury will be well supplied, my Prince, I am jealous!" Lor'Themar said in good cheer, yet directed a savage grin towards Varrus all the same. 

Kael took this as an opportunity to dogpile upon his friend. See how he liked it! 

"Yes, yes, Varrus, it is a pity that you do not see the value in your fellow councilman. Are you so corrupt that you see fit to only equip your Prince, and best friend's army, disdaining all other forces within Quel'Thalas?" Kael said, arching an eyebrow in faux disdain. 

Varrus's twitching eyebrow, and slight opening and closing mouth made coming here worthwhile. 

"We can always distribute the weapons and armor to the Rangers, Ranger General. I am sure the Prince wouldn't mind. After all, we would be cutting down on corruption. I heard a rumor that he's locked up in his room all day anyway. Armor isn't the sort of protection he needs." Syra said whilst looking to the side. 

Kael was at a loss for words, and now it was his turn to look askance. He turned to Jan'alai, hoping she would hit Syra with a burn of her own, but no, what was this?! Laughter?! 

"Bwah hah hah hah, she got us good, Goldilocks!" Jan'alai belly laughed, and held out her hand for a fist bump with Syra. 

Varrus's wife seemed to consider it for a moment, before reciprocating with a fist of her own. All the while, she was grinning like a maniac at Kael as if to say 'see, even those closest to you like me.' 

Kael felt betrayed, Varrus, Jan'alai, and even Lor'Themar were actually laughing at what Syra had said!

He wanted nothing more than to squat down and bury his head in the sand, such was his embarrassment. 

"Well, I won't keep you four long, but I came over here to tell you that after this little test of strength against your armor, we're holding an archery contest, participation is mandatory." Lor'Themar raised his goblet for another sip, then turned to walk away. 

"Damned Old Man." Varrus muttered. 

"You have a problem with Lor'Themar?" Kael raised an eyebrow in curiosity. 

"You'll see. The Old Man is a devious prankster at heart." Varrus shook his head to the side, refusing to elaborate further. 

Kael didn't know what to make of that, but he was sure to enjoy the show. 

Lor'Themar was right about one thing, whatever this party had in-store for him, Kael was determined to make the most of it. 

Tomorrow, he would go to war. 

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