Pink Rose [1]

"Please Don't Use That Term at My Future Wedding"

Quest Objective: Avoid ill-mannered shots. 

"I strongly advise against this, Lady Strider, in the name of Prince Anduin," Sunwalker Dezco chided me.

I shushed his ever-booming voice, casting another worried glance around. Thunder Bluff was consumed by the realm of night, where shadows danced along the flaps of tents and stars watched in eternal silence.

I didn't know many that visited Thunder Bluff; it wasn't popular among most adventurers, and vendors found it cumbersome to travel to. I enjoyed the open landscape, etched with the scent of grass and wildflowers. It reminded me of Nagrand, and Mag'har camps, and times long lost. My heart burned in the presence of all-to familiar calmness.

"Lady Strider? Seriously?" I rolled my eyes as we walked along the outskirts of the structures made of leathers and animal hides.

"Given your close relationship with his highness, I think it applies."

"I think it's wildly inaccurate and way too formal for my taste," I remarked. I did feel a rush when Dezco called me that—like the violent delight of falling off a cliff.

"If you truly wish for this courtship to continue, I'd get used to it." Dezco muttered under his breath, barely heard over the massive stomps of his hooves.

I stopped where I was. My gaze was embroidered upon my massive companion's back.

Dezco finally noticed my absence a yard or two ahead and paused, looking back at me. I felt a soft breeze rush by, pulling at my hood and strands of my hair. The glow of my eyes and intensity of my stare was shrouded by my goggles.

"Strider—?"

"You think it's possible?" My voice was buried by gentle wisps of wind. When Dezco's brows furrowed, I cleared my throat and tried again, "You think it's a possibility...the two of us...?"

I tried not to think about my future. I treated it like my past: untouchable, and not worth lingering on. There were some aspects I didn't like to think about. But a future with Anduin...a few fantasies had crept into my mind. They weren't what most people would think. I didn't dream of blocky stone castles and pretty dresses and crowns. I thought about having dinner together, side by side. I thought about walking hand in hand down a crowded road, where no one cared if his fingers touched mine. I thought of him and his smile as he gushed over pandaren lore and recalled his father. And yet, even small dreams are more impossible than defying the laws of the Stars.

Dezco went quiet, and looked out upon a night sky twinkling with diamonds. "Who knows? More bizarre anomalies have occurred. Perhaps we will succeed in revealing Garrosh's misdeeds, the Horde makes peace, and you get your prince. It won't happen, but it could."

With that, Dezco turned away and resumed his attempt at a stealthy walk forward. I bit down on the inside of my cheek as I thought about his words.

It wasn't long until we reached a structure that appeared exactly like the others, all except for the two guards towering near the entrance.

"Wait here," Dezco ordered me. I planted my boots in the grass and nodded as he approached the two imposing figures. I inhaled deep as I waited, letting the aroma of soil fill my nostrils.

'It won't happen, but it could.' What the hell does that mean? I've never heard anyone say that ever in my life. Do the tauren stay up at night, thinking of weirdly-framed terms to confuse people? Is it a Light-obsession thing? Anduin has said some cringy lines when he's tried to flirt with me, but other than that, most things make sense coming out of his mouth.