(Jaina) Sharing Sorrow

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Requested by: Cybertron343
Art by Onyrica from deviantart.
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The shores of Kul Tiras were in sight now. The boats, the wooden bridges and the bells could be seen from the ship. The city had changed and yet it seemed like it didn't. So many memories she had of this place, it felt unreal to her that she actually had arrived here after so many years. Jaina was eager to step in her home and meet her mother but she knew that after what she had done, she would be far from being welcomed.
The mage sighed and steeled her heart for the worst.
(Y/n) was aware of the nervousness that Jaina had felt, he couldn't even blame her for it. But a part of him wanted to tell her to stop blaming herself. But he already knew the answer she would respond with; 'I'm fine' she would say with the weakest of smile and look away, obvious that she wasn't.
The ship stopped, docking at the docks of the city. The mage took a deep breath and looked at (y/n) "here we are, Kul Tiras" she sighed
"Cheer up now admiral" (y/n) found it sort of ridiculous that how scared and worried Jaina looked. It was her home after all. "It's your home, you grew up here and there's nothing for you to worry about" he laughed
"You make it sound so easy" Jaina slightly smiled at the word 'admiral', (y/n) didn't care if she actually was an admiral, she had a ship under her command and it made her the admiral to him.
"Because it is, try to see it that way" (Y/n) encouragingly held her hand that was resting on the railing
Jaina sighed and smiled to him "I don't know, I'll try" she said
"That's more like it, now let's go, we won't get allies by just standing here" he laughed and began to walk towards the stairs that lead to the docks. Jaina furrowed her brows and took a good look at the city "you can do this" she sighed and took long strides out from her ship.
At the gates that lead into the city, Jaina and the Alliance emissary were halted.
The guards of the city knew who Jaina was, to them she was a murderer, a traitor and a criminal. They didn't take her arrival well and would've immediately arrested her if she didn't ask for an audience with her mother, the Lord Admiral Katherine Proudmoore.
Knowing that the admiral had the complete rights to decide Jaina's proper punishment, they agreed to take her to her mother.
It wasn't unexpected to the mage, but it shamed her that she was to be arrested in her own homeland.
"I suppose I deserve it..." she muttered to herself
(Y/n) looked at Jaina, her once slightly happy expressions were now entirely replaced by grief and embarrassment. He sighed and wished that her mother doesn't order an execution for Jaina, it would be devastating. "Why the hell am I even thinking this?" (Y/n) frowned at that thought, it was absolutely ridiculous to think that her own mother would order her child's death.
Jaina looked around her, as a young lady when she left her home in the intentions of returning much later, she imagined the opposite. Jaina dreamed that someday she would return as an accomplished wizard and would be welcomed with open arms by her people and most importantly her mother and...father. But look at the cruel fate, her own people feared, hated and were disgusted by her presence in the city. How could she murder her own father and turn against her own people? Now she's returned to mock them?. This is what they said in whispers, and they wouldn't be entirely wrong either. In a way Jaina had done all of that.
Jaina felt heartbroken by such scorn, she had expected much worse and yet it managed to take her by surprise.

Soon they stood before the Lord Admiral Katherine. Jaina greeted her most courteously but in return she received a cold silence.
"And so she returns after betraying her own homeland... asking for aid" the Lady Katherine said indifferently "Do you even realize the harm you have done and the crime you have committed?"
"I do... but I'm willing to do everything in my power to reverse that harm! Just give me a chance... mother" Jaina pleaded
Her mother glanced at the locket that Jaina wore and pulled it out from her neck, not even caring if she had hurt her
"You are no daughter of mine... I banish you for this treason..." the lady Katherine turned around and intended to leave. However the emissary objected "if I may, Lord Admiral" he calmly stated.
The lady Katherine turned her gaze to him and so did everyone present at that place.
Jaina looked at (y/n), her gaze riddled with confusion, questions and dread "what are you doing?!" she mouthed the words to him. (Y/n) only signed her to watch.
"What is it emissary? You do understand that if you don't have anything useful to say then you too will be sent with the traitor?" Lady Katherine replied
"I'm aware Lord Admiral" (y/n) said "do you not think that it is a little hasty to sentence the Lady Jaina to death?" he questioned
"What is it that you mean to say?! Questioning my laws while standing in my land?!" Katherine replied, angered
"I see that my statement has angered you, allow me to elaborate. Firstly Jaina is your daughter and sentencing her to death isn't the most wisest or the most morally good thing to do" (y/n) slightly glanced at Jaina who was surprised at his bravery, however fearful would be the correct term
"Ask your 'Lady Jaina' that where was her morals when she killed our people and slaughtered her father. You know nothing outsider" the Admiral glared at them
"I do not mean to interrupt on your family matters so I will not let that point go any further... however, you could give her a chance and let her prove her loyalty to her home, can you not?" (Y/n) soon was interrupted by Jaina
"That's enough (y/n)! I will not be held guilty for the death of an innocent, do not fight my battle" she shouted.
The Lady Katherine didn't speak for a while, she thought something before responding "send the emissary to prison, and the traitor to her rightful place" she turned around and left.
Jaina sighed and looked at (y/n), she smiled with gratitude before they were both taken away. (Y/n) was determined to get his admiral out from wherever she was being sent to, it was a promise.

The lady Katherine stood alone by the grave of her deceased husband. In silence, she suffered from grief, she was lost and confused. Her dearest of friends had stabbed her in the heart, her own daughter had betrayed her and the flame of Kul Tiras was flickering.
"Lady Katherine Proudmoore?" a familiar voice sounded from behind her. She looked to find the same emissary whom she had sent to prison.
"You?" Katherine was surprised "you are too brave for your own good to show your face here after breaking from prison" she sighed
"If you send me away again then you would've lost your final chance on saving this city" he spoke "Lord Admiral, I only wish the same as your daughter would... the well being of Kul Tiras" (y/n) said
"Stranger, this battle isn't yours to fight... return home and stand by your people when they will need it... unlike your friend" Katherine spoke with visible disgust
"I beg to differ, this battle is just as my fight as it is to Jaina... she wanted nothing more than Kul Tiras to be restored to her former glory" (y/n) replied
"This again?" Lady Katherine appeared irritated "Fine, go on and say what you have to say... but don't expect me to agree with your opinions" she looked back to the grave
"My thanks, Lord Admiral" (y/n) was relieved that he was able to get Katherine to listen at the very least "Jaina arrived all the way to here just to see her homeland again. Even though she was expecting something like this" he paused "you need to give her another chance, she is the final hope for a better future for Kul Tiras... she would want nothing more than to see her city become whole again"
Katherine pondered on the emissary's words for a long while, before she looked at him
"very well but what if she instead did the opposite? What if she destroys whatever hope is left for this city?" Katherine questioned
"Then you may punish both of us with death penalty whenever you sense the slightest hint of it" (y/n) confidently replied.
The Lady Katherine sighed and agreed to his suggestion, she would give Jaina a second chance.

Among the misty forests of this isolated island, she wandered hopelessly. "They call it the Fate's End... now I see why" she muttered to herself as she walked deeper into the forests. Soon Jaina began to hear disembodied whispers, first it was inaudible and then it began to stand out until it started to form words. The mage was frightened, she tried to ignore them but it would only grow louder and louder "you did this to us" she heard
"N-No..." her voice was shaking
"You killed us... you've killed us all" the voices grew louder
"Stop... I only did what was right!" Jaina shouted and began to run
"Where will you go? You cannot run from us" Jaina kept running until her feet slipped and she fell on the ground, a vision emerged in front of her eyes; she stood laughing with the Horde while they killed her father and her people.
Tears began to run down her face, guilt seared through her heart like a molten blade.
"I have... f-failed them all..." she sobbed "it's all my fault... I cannot run from them... I can never run from them" Jaina covered her face in her hands.
"Jaina?" she heard a familiar voice, she jolted her head towards the direction of the voice
"Arthas?" Jaina was surprised to see her lost lover standing in front of her, and he wasn't lost to Frostmourne.
The prince reached to her lovingly "were it not for you leaving me..." his eyes soon turned from gentle to raging "we would still be together, won't we?" Arthas's gentle hand on her shoulder became a painful grip "it's all your fault! Why didn't you stand by me when I needed it the most?!" he shouted.
Jaina gasped and ran away from the vision, but where would she go?.
Devastated and tired, Jaina sat down by an abandoned grave. Weeping bitterly.
When she thought that the voices and her guilt would push her to the brink of madness, she heard the soothing words of a familiar voice.

"Forgive yourself..." she looked up to find (y/n) kneeling beside her "this was never your fault, you did what was right, and did everything in your ability to stop a war" he smiled gently
"(Y/n)? Is... t-this real?" Jaina muttered and soon heard her mother call to her
"Jaina!" Lady Katherine said, pulling her daughter in her embrace "oh forgive me child, grief had blinded your foolish mother" she muttered in grief.
Jaina sighed of relief and hugged her mother, weeping quietly "thank you... mother".
"Don't linger in this cursed island any longer, arrive at the ship with the emissary here..." the Lady Katherine smiled at both of them before she left for her ship.
Jaina sighed and looked at (y/n), who had been glancing around the trees with great admiration
"If not for this cursed mist, this place would make quite a vacation island" he said happily "Don't you think?" as soon as he finished his words, Jaina wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest
"I have you to thank for everything" she looked up at him and smiled "were it not for you (y/n) I wouldn't have been standing here with you" she said with gratitude
"When did we become so formal?" (Y/n) laughed "cheer up now admiral, we have a long way to sail" he smiled and bowed his head...

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