Life in Kul’Tiras was actually better than Sunset thought. Sure, it lacked most of the charm and elegance that Dalaran provides, but there was a rustic charm to the place that she could appreciate.
She looked out at the cityscape from where she was standing on the battlements of Proudmoore keep. It was a magnificent view from where she was standing and Sunset had seen her fair share of cities during her time working for the Kirin Tor.
Of course, it was not as if her stay here was extended voluntarily…
Sunset’s mind returned to the time when Jaina, for some unbeknownst reason, decided to approach their respective masters to ask for permission for a vacation to Kul’Tiras. Sunset was not present when she spoke to Antonidas and as such did not know how Jaina got her stern teacher to agree, but Sunset was present when Jaina contacted Kel’Thuzad with a communication crystal and was extremely surprised when her master agreed so readily.
When asked why, her master had merely responded with:
“Even I know that one must take breaks from time to time to avoid burning out,” Kel’Thuzad had said, staying true to his hypocritical nature. Fixing her with an intense glare, “while I have no problems with you resting from your work, take care not to grow to lax in your studies. Use the chance to foster new relationships you otherwise would not be able to, understood?”
There was more to what he said than meets the eye. Sunset wasn’t stupid, and she did not like it one bit.
But still, what choice does she have in the matter?
“Lady Sunset! Lady Sunset!”
Sunset sighed. I thought I got rid of him already. She turned to see young prince Tandred Proudmoore, a young blond youth of barely sixteen years old running towards her, a thick leatherbound book in his arms. The teen, like most his age, was proud and overconfident and for some bloody, god-forsaken reason could not seem to leave her alone for the past two weeks, except when Jaina was around.
He had initially shunned her, but had opened up to Sunset when he saw the two older girls practicing magic. Of course, there was also the fact that the young boy was extremely attached to his older sister and obedient to a fault.
Tandred was carrying a couple of tomes in his arms and grinning widely. Sunset blinked in surprise, she did not expect him to actually find those tomes so readily. In fact, Kul’Tiras was the last city she expected to have any books on magic, especially those on portals.
Tandred must have read her mind, somehow, for he replied. “I told you that I was sure Jaina had this in the royal study.” He frowned. “You did say you wanted a book on portals, right?”
Sunset considered lying to the youth, but she decided against it. It wouldn’t be beneficial to get on the bad side of Jaina’s brother, after all, he was still royalty, and being friends of royalty had its own benefits. Besides, it was not like his offers were extremely outrageous, nowadays he was just asking her for magical displays, and the occasional training session where all Sunset did was fling arcane bolts at him while the prince tries to dodge them.
“Yeah, just leave them there.” Sunset gestured to the battlements wall beside them. At least his request was not that difficult to fulfill this time.
”Right,” Tandred smiled as he did as instructed before pulling out his dagger. “Your end of the deal, milady?” He offered it to her.
Sunset rolled her eyes at the remark as she accepted the weapon from the prince. Whispering the words of power, Sunset carefully drew a series of sigils on the blade in her hands. Taking the weapon by the handle, Sunset released her magic into the weapon and watched as the steel blade burst into fire.
“Here you go, Prince Tandred.” She passed the dagger back to the awestruck prince. He accepted it almost reverently and made a few experimental swings with it.
“Wow, I can feel the heat. But it’s not that hot.” Tandred looked at her, “why doesn’t it burn me?”
“I placed a ward on the handle to protect the wielder.” Sunset explained. “The blade will still burn anyone who it cuts.” Though I couldn’t see why it would be useful in combat. Having to cauterize the wounds will beat the point of cutting your enemies open in the first place.
At her words, Tandred hastily pulled his index finger back from the blade. He looked at the weapon in wonder for a few moments before giving Sunset a bow. “Thank you, Lady Sunset!”
And there he goes, Sunset thought as she watched the prince dash off. Somehow the sight feels a bit familiar, but she was not exactly sure where or when had she saw such a scene. At least he would leave me alone for the time being.
Sunset shook her head exasperatedly.
Still, it was good that he was merely asking for simple enchantments, not to mention… Sunset grinned as she picked up the tome that the prince had left her. Totally worth it.
Four years may have passed, but Sunset still remembered her roots as clear as crystal and one day, she will return to the place of her birth and have Celestia acknowledge her prowess. Still, she was missing a very vital step to return back home, that being, an actual way back. Of course, she had not gotten around to asking about where she had been found yet, not until she was sure that no one would be able to find out that she was from another world. However, Sunset would be damned if she did not at least figure out another way back should the first method proved to be a bust.
Sunset smirked, she could almost see Celestia asking for her forgiveness already…
“Someone looks like they are having a good day.” Jaina’s voice said suddenly.
Cursing her lack of awareness, Sunset turned and smiled. “Hello Jaina.”
“I saw Tandred running past me with a burning dagger,” Jaina said, her disapproving gaze set upon Sunset, “I don’t suppose that that would be your handiwork, would it?”
“Uh, yeah, that would be…” Sunset mumbled as Jaina’s glare intensified, “what? It’s not like it will hurt him!” She protested.
Jaina snorted before falling into a giggle, “sorry,” she said between laughs, “I couldn’t help it.”
Unable to decide whether to feel irritated or mollified, Sunset settled for a snort before turning back to the tomes that Tandred had passed her. No, she was not sulking.
“You know, you could have just asked me to help you get those tomes.”
But then I would owe you a favor. “I will do that next time.” Sunset’s eyes skimmed through the pages, before sighing and closing the tome.
“Nothing new?”
“Nothing substantial,” Sunset stressed. It was not as though that the tome she held in her hand contained anything different from Dalaran. Weren’t the fact that each of these tomes being penned by different magi supposed to mean that different techniques were used to cast what was supposedly similar spells? So why were all their notes the SAME?!!!! For a moment Sunset was tempted to burn the book she was holding there and then, but she forced the urge down. For the time being.
Another failure. Sunset sighed, and she was hoping to get something substantial out of her break here…
Pity.
“No need to look so down.” Sunset looked up at Jaina incredulously, who raised her hands in defense. “I mean, there are plenty of tomes out there, right?”
“Oh, like where?”
Jaina smirked and Sunset immediately frowned. She knows that smile. Multiple times of going out on mission with Jaina has taught her that wherever the older girl make that stupid expression, it meant that she knows something that Sunset does not.
And Sunset was sure that Jaina knows that she disliked being kept out of the loop.
“What is it?” She asked irritably.
“Well, you know Stormwind city?”
Sure she does. One must be completely ignorant to not have at least heard of the largest human kingdom in Southern Azeroth. Still, what was Jaina hinting at?
“Well,” Jaina smiled. “ Father had just received a letter from King Terenas. It was an invitation to his son, Prince Arthas’ induction into the Silver Hand.”
“Uh huh,” Sunset failed to see how this was relevant to her. King Terenas was the King of Lordaeron, the largest human kingdom in northern Azeroth and was a staunch ally of Stormwind. Not to mention, this was mostly Royal business, what with Admiral Daelin being invited, Sunset would be very surprised if the rest of the kings were not invited to such an event. Still, what does this have to do with her? Unless…
Oh no.
“Well, I was wondering if you would like to join us on this trip?”
The moon hung high overhead of the pride of Kul’Tiras, the battleship Shield of Boralus, the personal vessel of Admiral Proudmoore and the Flagship of the Kul’Tiran fleet. Most of the crew had retired for the night, save for the lookouts. And of course, Sunset Shimmer, who sighed for the umpteenth time as she gazed out at the endless expanse of water.
There was a sense of irony here that Sunset could appreciate under any other circumstances. Here she was, a once vaunted student of Celestia, who had the gall to reject her mentor, to challenge an immortal princess who could raise the sun when she had denied her student.
But no, she just could not find a way to reject a princess of a trio of islands in the middle of a sea. What a joke, Sunset snorted.
“Can’t sleep?” Sunset turned to regard Jaina’s father. Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore cut a very imposing figure when he was dressed as the commander of his ship. With a green coat over his leather armor, a broadsword slung across his back, a cutlass at his side and a pistol tucked in his belt, the bearded man looked every bit the master of Kul’Tiras that Sunset had thought he should look. Much unlike the man in a simple tunic and coat that Jaina had introduced to her some weeks ago.
“Yes, milord.” Sunset bowed in respect. Though it was mostly because she could not stand the odour emitting from the sea. Not that she would ever tell the good admiral that.
“Ah, ah, ah.” The older man waggled a finger at her. “I told you to call me Daelin.” He frowned as Sunset made to protest, “and none of that ‘I’d think about it’ excuses I hear you giving my girl. My ship, my rules.”
“Understood, Sir Daelin.”
“Huh, well, that’s certainly an improvement if I’ve seen one.” Daelin smiled before he looked out at the ever expanding ocean. “Can’t believe that this is actually your first time out at sea, I would have thought that you’d be down in the captain’s quarters sick with my daughter taking good care of you.”
“I’m surprised too, Sir Daelin.” Sunset shrugged, though in truth she already knows why. After all. the rocking and rolling of the ship was quite gentle compared to riding a chariot pulled by pegasi.
“Again with the ‘sir’.” Daelin let out a bark of laughter, “You make me feel old, girl!”
Sunset let out a small giggle. It would be impolite not to join a ruler in his joviality after all.
“Well,” the admiral said after a while. “As much as I dislike getting lectured by my girl, I have a few words I would like to share with you.” He turned towards her, expression serious. “It’s about my daughter, Jaina, and your relationship with her.”
Sunset stayed silent. She already had a good idea about what the admiral was going to say, if their first meeting was anything to go by. Hopefully this time, Admiral Daelin would not be as antagonistic as he was last time.
Really, the rumor that she had been ‘driven to tears by the Lord Admiral’ was still circulating around the Kirin Tor, despite her best efforts to assert that it was not true.
“I’ll be blunt, Jaina sees you like a younger sister.” Wow, it wasn’t like that was not obvious. “And I want you to swear to me that you’ll never take advantage of that.”
“I’ll never do such a thing.” Sunset replied coolly. She would have to stupid to do such a thing. Jaina was her senior in the Kirin Tor, boasting greater knowledge and practice of the arcane arts, for now. Not to mention she held considerable prowess. It would be stupid to take advantage of her and risk their relationship when just maintaining the status quo would bring her more benefits in the long run.
At least, until she exceeds Jaina in all those aspects. Where their relationship would proceed from then onwards would be a question that she would answer in the future.
“Good.” Admiral Daelin Proudmoore sighed before looking at Sunset Shimmer apologetically. “Sorry about that. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
Sunset watched in silence as the older man walked down to the lower decks before turning her gaze back to the sea.
“Really, what an awkward man.” She muttered under her breath. He could have just said that he cared a lot about Jaina and would do anything to protect her. In fact, Sunset had a feeling that the reason the admiral was so protective of his daughter was probably due to the death of his firstborn son in the Second War.
Derek Proudmoore, Jaina’s late eldest brother, had been painted in the stories as a hero in the Second War, a martyr to be precise. Songs and stories had been written about him and many a tavern in Boralus, that Sunset and Jaina had snuck into after their supposed sleeping hours, have bards singing his praises. Yet, despite only interacting with Admiral Daelin Proudmoore on a personal level three times, there was no doubt that he would rather have his son back then have him remembered in such a manner. Like any parent would.
Would Celestia do the same for me as well? The question rose, unbidden, in Sunset’s mind. She may have spent four years here, away from Equestria, but Sunset had found herself missing the company of Princess Celestia more than she normally would.
Still, would the Princess do the same for her?