Christie Golden - Jaina Proudmoore - Tides of War

But for now, she was content. She drew back and looked up at him. He gazed down at her, one hand brushing back the single lock of golden hair that yet remained.

“Rhonin,” Jaina said.

He nodded. As they drew apart, Jaina felt cold as air moved between them, but Kalec’s hand in hers was warm. They walked, slowly, reverently, toward the crater. Jaina winced as she recalled the archmage’s last moments—his shoving her through the portal, the tower tumbling, the purple ash that the wind had doubtless swiftly snatched away to blow to the four corners of Azeroth.

“It was not in vain,” Kalec said, reminding Jaina. “Had the bomb not been at least somewhat offset by the magic of the tower, the effect would have been much worse.”

“He wanted to save Vereesa,” Jaina said. “He wanted her to live… he wanted his children to have their mother, even if they couldn’t have their…” She couldn’t speak the rest of the words for a moment, then said, “He came… because I asked him to.” She turned to face Kalecgos. “I was struggling so very hard just a short time ago. I felt so out of place, trying to push for peace when no one else seemed to care about it.”

“Do you still care?” Kalec asked.

She thought about it for a moment, tilting her head to the side, her brow furrowing. “It isn’t that I no longer care. I do. I’m not what I was—I don’t burn for vengeance anymore. But… neither am I the woman who longed so much for harmony between the Horde and the Alliance. There… can’t be harmony, Kalec. Not while Garrosh leads the Horde, not after what he has done. I don’t believe peace is the answer anymore. Which means… I don’t know where I belong.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “I think you might, actually.”

Jaina gave him a quizzical look and then realized that he was right.

She wanted to go home. Home to a place that had once been a nourishing sanctuary, one she had left reluctantly to follow her destiny. Jaina recalled what Kalec had said, about there being a rhythm and a pattern to things. Perhaps she had come full circle.

“Dalaran,” she said. “The Kirin Tor. I did train very diligently, once upon a time. It feels right for me to be there now, in a way it never has before.” She looked again at the rubble. “Rhonin thought so. He made sure I survived. He told me that he thought I was the future of the Kirin Tor. I should at least give them the chance to politely tell me to go away.”

“You have become extremely powerful in your own right without them,” Kalec said. “I think they would be lucky to have you—and I believe they would consider themselves so as well. Rhonin could not have been alone in his sentiments.”

“And you, Kalec?” She braced herself for his announcement that he would leave her, return to the Nexus. He was, after all, the leader of the blue dragonflight. There was no place there for a member of the younger races.

“I think… if you have no objection… that I would like to accompany you to Dalaran.” She couldn’t hide her pleasure, and he smiled to see it, his eyes warm with affection. “I take it you don’t?”

“No, I… I would like that very much. But what about the blues?”

His smile faded. “The flight has dispersed,” he said. “We are all individuals now. I feel that we have a great debt to pay the Kirin Tor, for all that our poor stewardship has done to the world. I’d like to be the one to at least start repaying that debt.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “They already permitted one dragon membership in their ranks, even though many didn’t know exactly who Krasus was. Do you think I stand a chance?” he asked. Then he added, his voice unsure, “With them and… with you?”

Change, Jaina thought. It brings pain; it brings joy; and it is completely inescapable. We are, all of us, our own phoenixes, if we choose to be. Out of the ashes, we can be reborn.

She stepped forward and lifted her face for answer. With a gentleness that did not surprise her, and an intensity that did, Kalecgos of the blue dragonflight cupped her cheeks in his warm hands, searched her eyes, then leaned forward and kissed Lady Jaina Proudmoore… mage.

When Jaina and Kalecgos arrived in Dalaran and requested an audience with the council, she fully expected to be turned away or given a date in the future. Instead, the mage who greeted them assured Jaina and Kalec that the council would see them. At once. A very few moments later, Jaina and Kalec found themselves in the ever-changing, beautiful Chamber of the Air. Kalec could not help but glance around, marveling at the sights.

“The council welcomes Kalecgos of the blue dragonflight and Lady Jaina Proudmoore,” said Khadgar, his voice aged and yet strong. “The world has wagged on since we last saw you here, Lady. Why do you and your friend come to see us this day?”

“For many reasons,” Jaina said. “First… I owe you all an apology. This does not belong to me.” She held out the tome that had enabled her to make use of the Focusing Iris. “I took it without—” She shook her head. “No. I won’t mince words. I stole it, and I forced open the seal in order to utilize a dreadful weapon against my enemy.”

“You did not use the weapon, though, did you?” asked Khadgar. “For unless my news sources have become uncharacteristically derelict in their duties, Orgrimmar still stands—with a shamed Garrosh Hellscream sulking in Grommash Hold.”

“I did not use it against Orgrimmar, that much is true,” Jaina said. “I was brought to my senses by Kalecgos and by Thrall. But I did use it to defend the Alliance fleet. I now return the book to you, and I have returned the Focusing Iris to Kalecgos.”

“And I,” said Kalec, unexpectedly, “would like to donate the Focusing Iris to the Kirin Tor.”

A murmur went around the room. Even Jaina was startled. “Kalec—that has ever been the treasure of the blue dragonflight.”

“Which is scattered now,” Kalec said, “and no one is left to protect this treasure. We failed to keep it safe, to my shame, and I do not deem myself a fit guardian. Please—will you take it? I know there are many valuable artifacts in Dalaran. I can think of no safer place for it.”

Modera stepped forward and accepted both the stolen book and the Focusing Iris, bowing slightly to Kalecgos. “Your concern is for the safety of others before your own ego, Kalecgos. This is duly noted.”

Karlain drew himself up to his full height and regarded Jaina with folded arms. “Lady Jaina Proudmoore,” he said, “you did not come here to simply return a book.”

“No,” she said. “I am… I humbly request permission to become a novice member of the Kirin Tor.”

The council had to have been surprised, after she had stayed away for so many years, but they did not appear so. Khadgar gestured, and the other four approached him. They spoke in soft whispers. Jaina turned away politely, to give them as much privacy as possible. Kalec reached for her hand.

“I’d tell you not to worry, but that wouldn’t do much good,” he said.

She smiled a little, then said, “I’m… not sure what I’ll do with myself if they refuse me. Even though I stopped short of destroying Orgrimmar—and I am glad that I did—I still believe Garrosh needs to be removed as warchief. That’s not exactly neutral.”

“You are skilled and intelligent and great of heart, Jaina,” Kalec said gently. “There will always be a place for such as you.”

“Lady Proudmoore?”

The voice belonged to Khadgar, and Jaina turned, her heart racing. “We must deny your request to be a novice member of our august body.”

Jaina felt a sharp stab of disappointment, keener than even she had expected. “I understand,” she said quietly. “My actions cannot be excused.”