Cordana closed her eyes after she had listened to the other’s words. Those that Jaina Proudmoore had spoken and those she was keeping silently hidden for herself. A soft chuckle escaped the Nightelf’s lips, as she shook her head. “I feel like her wish right now is to pout and complain at me for not letting her work herself into a coma. But at the same time … she knows that not resting would prohibit jer from her duty even further. And one way or the other, the two of us share our roots. More than one to that.”
She closed her eyes and nodded slightly, before she took a sip of the still heated tea, pulling back her lips while her face twitched slightly at the heat. “I … apologize for that. I have spent the past days and weeks on high seas. I am not fully used to this form of heat right now.”, she said and rested the cup down onto the plate which Jaina had put under it in the beginning. “What I have meant to say by that is, that I may know about most of what Pained’s duties inquired, my lady. And I do fear that some of them might not be something that can just be laid to rest for a few days.”
Then Cordana stopped and turned her body to face towards the window here in the other’s chambers. The Warden’s eyes closed for a moment, before she shook her head, her white hair thrashing around slightly before a shrug ran through her shoulders. “I do appreciate the gesture of wanting to not burden me with anything. Yet this appreciation is outlasted by the knowledge of how our common friend would act if I were to accept your words, Lady Proudmoore. I am not here to replace Pained. I didn’t intend to even take such a spot. Though, I do fear that the feeling of duty is something many nightelves share.” Bluewhite eyes seemed to smile up to the younger woman, yet there was some form of determination in them which was very clear that Cordana did not intend to let the other run around without a bodyguard for the next few days or possibly weeks. Yet, what Cordana didn’t mention was, that not all nightelves would do such a thing. Many indeed probably wouldn’t. Still, she wasn’t part of many. Really … she was barely part of anything.
Slowly, Cordana closed her eyes as she tried to search for the correct words to address the other with. She remembered things she had heard of Jaina Proudmoore, things quite rare among the people of the alliance. And even more so she remembered how much the mage in front of her had attempted to build upon these beliefs, which Cordana did in part agree with. Possibly more than most others who surrounded the other, as Cordana’s eyes opened again, blinking for a moment, before they rested on Jaina’s figure, gentle and calm, while she smiled slightly. “I … understand your worries. Possibly at least. But for now, they are not worries, you should have. However … if I am allowed a question, mylady.”, she started and hesistated for a moment, before her smiel died down. “Why do you see yourself responsible for what happened to Pained?”, she asked, her hand reaching for the tea again, a finger gently cirlcing around the edge of the cup.
Jaina flinched at the question, finding it hard to move past her mistake. Pained’s personal sense of loyalty and duty was just that - personal. It remained to the archmage a priviledge she didn’t feel she was owed but had grown to be thankful for just the same. Still, Jaina always hoped she had earned it.
“I made an error in judgment,” she said softly, “one for which Pained paid the price.”
She started to say more on the matter of Cordana’s desire to help, but didn’t. Jaina had learned that no matter the stresses laid upon the kaldorei, they often showed more grace than many do in times of plenty. Brave, kind, always giving of themselves to their loved ones and allies. It was an odd request of a warden, though perhaps not of Pained’s friend. While everything she could possibly assign Cordana seemed almost demeaning compared to what tasks she was surely used to, Jaina trusted Cordana to know her duties better than she. If this was how she wanted to spend her time, then so be it. Jaina was suddenly reminded of Pained’s scowl and insistence any time she told her she wasn’t needed. The corner of her mouth curled up slightly as she sipped her tea. Her eyes flicked to Cordana.
“Something tells me that declining your request again would only continue to delay the inevitable outcome of you staying anyway.” Jaina set the cup back on its saucer and thought for a moment. She reached over and pulled a piece a parchment from the top of a small stack on her desk, glancing over it. The issue of Brackenwald still needed to be addressed, though it would have to wait.
“Regent Lord Bolvar has called a meeting in Stormwind. Pained often accompanies me when I travel. You’re welcome to come, if you wish. I leave tomorrow.”
Jaina leaned back in her chair and sighed, tossing the parchment back on her desk. “Aside from that I’m afraid I truly have little else for you. Unless you wish to escort Alliance supply caravans from Theramore to our outposts? It would appear our treaty with Brackenwall no longer stands.”
She didn’t wait for an answer. “Or, I have heard archmage Tervosh cursing more than usual about the rabbits in his herb garden, should you desire to stay here and help see to the matter.” Jaina tried, but failed not to smile at the thought of a warden standing guard over a plot of peacebloom and silverleaf. Truthfully, she was thankful for any amount of relative calm in and around the city. It was often short lived.
