Chapter Text
“No.” Sylvanas’s voice was dark and even as she surveyed Maiev from across her desk. She didn't need to be told the world was falling apart around them. She didn't need to be told they would soon come for Undercity. She knew. And she'd be damned if she'd abandon it to pilot a fucking Warden with Jaina Proudmoore of all people.
“Sylvanas...you must listen to reason.” The fatigue and wear in the Night Elf’s voice was grating to the would-be Warchief. If there had been a Horde left to lead.
“Listen to reason?” Sylvanas demanded as her eyes narrowed and she stood from her chair in agitation. “To what reason, Maiev? She’s already let her kingdom fall in all her infinite power. Why should I walk away and allow the same thing to happen to mine?”
Maiev was nonplussed at her attempt at bowing up. “It is an inevitability if you stay. You have seen the Kaiju. Seen what they are capable of. Experienced it, yourself. They are undefeatable...by anything save us. And our numbers are dwindling. Kul Tiras has fallen. Stormwind is still burning. Orgrimmar lays in ruins. Despite how depleted she is…she has the potential to be one of the strongest halves of any pilot team we have. If anyone could manage to drift with her for longer than a moment or two.”
Sylvanas plopped back down in her chair and stared at her desk - empty of parchments for the first time in as long as she could remember. There was just no point, anymore. “Her physical combat skills are lacking where mine are not. Her mage-powers are nearly non-existent. What makes you think in a million years we would be in any way compatible?”
Maiev sighed heavily from behind her helm and Sylvanas watched the glow of her eyes disappear as she shut them for a moment. “Spar with her. Just once. See what she is capable of.”
Sylvanas looked back up at Maiev slowly, tapping her fingertips against the wooden surface they rested upon. God, it would be nice to knock Proudmoore on her ass a few times. And humans fought with so little grace...they were so easy to counter…
“Once. And then I return to where I am needed when you see this is a fruitless endeavor.”
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Maiev’s head still reeled as she forced the Warden she piloted to stand from where they had been knocked back to. Her instrument gauges flickered in front of her eyes - the lights in her cockpit dimmed and brightened sporadically. What was worse - her comm was down. She’d lost contact with Cordana in their struggle with the Kaiju Illidan. He was stronger than any of the previous beasts Aszhara had sent their way. And exponentially more intelligent. And that was a significant short-selling.
Rain pelted the metal hull of her powerful monstrosity as she walked forward, rolling down along the surface towering behemoth that mimicked the armor she wore for her lesser duties. A bolt of lightning suddenly illuminated the night sky and she turned - not seeing anything in her immediate vicinity.
“Come in!….engaged in…outmaneuvered…”
Cordana…
Even as seasoned as she was she felt her heart rate begin to rise long before her failing instruments alerted her to the change.
“Bodyguard, this is Watcher. I need your location. Instruments have failed. Over.”
Her voice was steady - steeled against the worry she felt as she prayed some of her message got through.
But the next time she heard her second in command’s voice...her lover’s voice...all her carefully schooled responses went to hell.
“DUE NORTH FROM…CORRUPTED...I CAN’T...I REQUIRE…”
She ran.
The feet of her Warden broke the very earth beneath her as they pounded into it - cracking the dampening stone beneath and shaking the trees of the quick-approaching forest. She didn’t stop. Every tree in her path was felled as she ran with her Glaive outstretched - larger than any obstacle in her way.
But she was too late. She slid to a stop as she watched Illidan’s fist slam through Guardian’s helm into the cockpit. And her comm decided to work just in time for her to hear her lover’s body breaking in his grasp...her anguished screams as sickly green energy rippled over the battered surface of her crippled Warden…
Maiev darted up in her bed, gasping for breath as sweat dripped from her face down against her already sweat-dampened sheets and her grey hair fell down around her shoulders as she clenched her teeth. As the moments passed she reigned herself back in silently. But not quietly enough for Delaryn’s sensitive ears to miss the sounds she’d made from the room she’d been working in.
The tall, well-muscled elf walked into the room and leaned against the doorway, assessing the situation for just a moment before making her way closer. “Cordana again?” She asked as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed near Maiev. She hadn’t bothered to change when she got in - just removed her uniform shirt, leaving her in a black, rather utilitarian bra and baggy duty pants that tucked into the tops of her half-laced combat boots.
Maiev didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. Delaryn had seen it all. Heard it all. So many times, now. This woman knew everything about her...and still she’d accepted it all. She’d stayed. Why couldn’t she move past this for her? It had been nearly ten years since the Draining of Azeroth’s magic...nearly ten years since Cordana’s sacrifice had taught them these monsters weren’t like the ones from before. When Wardens had been the only protection Azeroth had known. Ten long, painful years since Cordana showed them they could no longer face the beasts alone.
“A ghost I don’t envy you, Commander.” Delaryn murmured, leaning forward with her arms on her knees as she looked over at her. “Company? Solitude?”
“Stay.” Maiev husked suddenly, reaching out and finding Delaryn’s hand already heading for hers. It was rough against her own as she gripped it tightly. The life of a Warden Mechanic was, in some ways, rougher than that of a Pilot. At least it was less dangerous, for the most part. Even in the relatively short time since they’d found themselves drift compatible Delaryn had sustained almost no injuries. Whereas she had plenty of scars across her knuckles and forearms from a careless nearby welder or her own rare fumbles with her tools.
Maiev was another story. But she'd been the first. And that was thousands and thousands of years ago.
“What do you need, Maiev?” She asked quietly as she drew one of her legs up onto the bed and pulled the older woman’s hand into her lap.
“To be near you for a while.”
“Of course. You were asleep when I returned. I didn't want to wake you. ...How did your visit to the Undercity go?”
Maiev almost laughed at that. “She’s agreed to spar with Proudmoore.”
Delaryn actually did laugh. “She's in for a surprise.” She responded as she lifted a hand and stroked over Maiev’s hair, but only for a moment. The woman wasn't overly fond of affection. Not for long, anyway. And it suited Delaryn just fine. But...still. They cared for one another deeply. And they were both uniquely suited for what they shared between them.
“You should know. You've trained her every day for weeks.”
“And you've trained me for years, now. You would know even better than I.”
“The only thing I know for sure is that I'm going to be in that training room tomorrow when Windrunner arrives.” A very rare smile graced Maiev’s lips, smoothing the scar that ran up the side of them for a moment.
“But...anyway. Jaina is probably there, right now. Perhaps you should go give her a refresher...and a head’s up.”
Delaryn pulled away in response to the admittedly gentle order - but an order nonetheless. And then Maiev caught her wrist strongly in her hand before she could walk away. “And then come to bed when you get back. I'll wait up.”
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“Come again, now?” Jaina wiped the sweat from her brow as she panted quietly and let her training blade hang at her side. She'd been at it for hours...maybe she’d misunderstood.
Delaryn went for a nearby weapons rack and chose a blade similar to Jaina’s. Elven in nature - what she'd always trained the woman with.
“Sylvanas Windrunner. I know it sounds crazy. But Maiev has her reasons. She's convinced the Banshee may be the only person left that could withstand Drifting with you.”
Jaina frowned but readied herself for Delaryn’s first attempt at landing a blow - a feint that she dodged easily.
“There you go.” Delaryn praised as she took a few steps back and spun the handle of her weapon in her palm. “She's been doing this for many of your lifetimes. And this is how she fights. How we all fight...Night Elf, Blood Elf, High Elf...as much as we've despised each other over the years. It's a dance. It's fluid and effortless. If you try to counter it with brute force you'll find her blade at your throat and your elbow broken more than likely.”
Another lunge and Jaina caught the would-be cutting edge of Delaryn’s sword with the top of hers, rolling to the side quickly to spin the weapon away from herself, though she stumbled forward a few feet when she caught an elbow between her shoulder blades.
“And we don't always fight fair. You won't get an honor duel out of a Windrunner. That is a family trained for generations in the art of killing. And not with kindness.”
Jaina rolled her shoulders as she turned but showed no signs of the pain she must have been feeling. Delaryn knew that hit would bruise.
“It took me forever to beat that noble-bred sword work out of you that you learned as a child. Don't find yourself falling back into it with her.”
Jaina narrowed her eyes and began circling Delaryn slowly as she listened to her, feeling herself getting angrier by the moment. She was frustrated. She had nothing left. And now they were bringing her sworn enemy here in an attempt to force her to pilot with her? And Delaryn was mocking her on top of it all?!
“Are you mad?” The Night Elf asked as she tilted her head and smiled a bit. “You should be mad. Make sure you use that properly when she shows up tomorrow.”
The next time she pressed an attack she hadn’t even seen the upper-cut coming she was so focused on the way the former Lord-Admiral was gripping her blade. Until the palm of her free hand cracked against her face audibly. She winced and walked away, bringing a hand up to her jaw to pop it back into place as Jaina dropped the practice weapon she was still holding and jogged over to her. “Delaryn, I didn’t mean to-”
“Hey.” The Night Elf worked her jaw to make sure it was functioning properly and rested a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder. “I goaded you on. And you landed a damn good blow. Keep that in mind tomorrow and get some rest.”
Jaina released a tired sigh of relief and nodded, taking Delaryn’s weapon from her and heading for the racks to put them where they belonged.
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“Damn, Del.” Maiev exclaimed lazily from their bed as she turned her head slightly to look at her. She was splayed out along it with her arms crossed behind her head and instead of worry she only looked faintly amused at the darkening bruise forming on the younger woman’s jaw.
She moved slowly to sit up as Delaryn peeled herself out of her clothing and collapsed into the bed next to her and despite her nonchalant attitude she reached out to turn her face towards her gently and ran her thumb over the injury. “She got you pretty good, gorgeous.”
Delaryn reached up and stroked along Maiev’s arm, kneading the hard muscle of her bicep and turning her head to kiss her palm. “I’m glad she did. I don’t know how well I’d hold up against Sylvanas...but if she can manage anything at all against her maybe she’ll be convinced.”
“We can only hope. We’re running out of time. Morale is low...we have more Wardens than pilots...the world needs a beacon.”
Delaryn looked up into Maiev’s eyes as she spoke, stunned by the deepness and honesty of her words. It wasn’t often they talked like this. And neither of them really knew how to handle it. Not yet. “Is this why you wanted me to come to bed, then? To rasp me into depression?”
Maiev laughed softly - if you could call the sound that came out of her throat that. “That depends. How much more of a beating can you take?”
Delaryn merely released a breath through her nose and settled into the comfort of what they were best at outside of the Drift. Leave the emotions for the fight and the frustrations for the bedroom.
"As much of one as you can give."