moonshadows

Tammis stands quietly in front of me as I brush his unruly hair. Hopefully it will be long enough soon to be tied back, but right now it’s a wild halo that tangles almost at a glance.

“Mamma? Serdene said today that I was named after your Da.”

“That’s right. You were named after my Da, a hard-working man who was always kind and tried to do what was best for me and my mother.”

“How did he die, Mamma?”

The brush falters as the memory of his head rolls to a stop in front of me, and tears prick my eyes. “He was killed by a very wicked man.”

Hanging on the edge of my chair, my daughter provides a happy distraction. “Who was I named for?” she chirps, tiny braid jiggling as she hops slightly.

“You were named for my mother,” Anduin says from the doorway. “A beautiful woman as clever as she was kind. She died when I was younger than you. Someone threw a stone, and it hit her in the head and killed her.” He drops to one knee as Tiffin launches herself at him for a hug.

“When I’m big like you,” she says seriously, “I wanna protect people from wicked men like the one who killed Grampa Tammis.”

Tammis squirms, and with one last stroke I pat his bottom to tell him he can move. He rushes his half-brother for a hug, as well. “Oh Yeah? Well…well…when I’m big like Anduin, I’m gonna protect people from being hit by rocks!”

“You can’t do that. Nyeah.”

“Can too. Nyeah.”

“How? Nyeeah.”

“Gonna tell the rock to stop. Nyeeeah.”

“Rocks don’t stop just because someone tells them to. Nyeeeeah.”

Above the heads of my warring offspring, Anduin’s eyes meet mine in a silent question. Slightly astonished that I hadn’t realized it before, I nod.

“Your uncle can make rocks stop,” Anduin says calmly, and both children run to me.

“Mamma! Mamma! Is it true? Uncle Thrall can make rocks stop?”

I give half-hugs to each child leaning on my knees. “It’s true. Thrall can make rocks stop, can make the wind tell him secrets, make fire dance, and make water leap.”

Tammis’s stormy blue eyes glow. “I wanna be just like Uncle Thrall!”

“Well then, talk to the rocks, and listen closely. Someday, if they talk back, you can go to Alterac Valley and learn how to be like your uncle.” I lean down and rub his nose with mine.

“What about me, Mamma? How can I learn how to protect people?”

Anduin kneels by Tiffin and puts his hand on her shoulder. “I was named for Andnuin Lothor, the Lion of Stormwind. He was Granmpa Llane’s Champion, and he protected the people and led them to safety when the Old Horde destroyed Stormwind. If you want to protect people, I can think of no better person to be like.”

A soft noise from the doorway catches my attention, and I look up just in time to see Varian brush a tear away from his eye. I smile warmly at him, and he smiles back, pride and joy in his family glowing in his eyes.

“Serdene is waiting, children,” he says in that warm, rich voice of his.

One final hug from me, one hug from Anduin, and it is my husband’s turn to drop down to one knee and embrace the twins before they run off to their Frostwolf nanny.

“Just when I thought I couldn’t be any more proud of the beautiful children you gave me,” he says as I meet him halfway across the room for a hug of my own.

“I recall you having something to do with it,” I tease. “Look at what a fine young man Anduin is. If our children are beautiful, they got it from you as well as me.”

“Don’t bring me into this,” Anduin laughs, but does not protest as we gang up to hug him.

“The two most beautiful women in the world have given me a king, a paladin, and a shaman. What more could any man ask for in his children?”

Now it is Anduin’s turn to blink back tears. “Mother may have given me her beauty, Father, but you made me a king.”