Part 18 – Friends and Family

Zangah roamed the streets of Orgrimmar rather aimlessly, thinking of where to go, where she was the most likely to find some of her friends. Vengeance clattered at her feet happily, if a bit over exited to have so many people around her. The crowed parted at the sight of the pink Silthid, making getting though the Valley easier.

She suddenly stopped still, raising her abdomen high in the air as when sensing danger. Zangah whirled around to see a tall, broad shouldered troll dash towards her. She just had the time to sign for her pet to stay still before she was caught in a bone crushing embrace.

'I can't believe it!' she gasped when he finally let her go. 'Me little brother! What'ya doing in Orgrimmar? Have you grown still since I last seen ya?'

Desta grinned as he stepped back, straightening his back from the usual hunch. She was admittedly partial, but Zangah thought he looked really smashing.

'Me couldn't stand in da village any longer,' he said somewhat abashed 'and Orgrimmar holds so much more potential for me training.' At Zangah's questioning look he added, 'Finally started to train on da way of da Shaman. With Gorrum. You remember him, right?'

Zangah remembered Gorrum the orc, who had been best friends with her brother as a scrawny green skinned kid who had always been embarrassed in her presence. To imagine him as a shaman wannabe was rather hard, but she nodded nevertheless.

'Me so proud ya little Desta! A shaman, as Mama has been!' she said and been awarded with another charming smile.

He accompanied her, asking about her adventures and helping to find her old friends. It was good to be back and meet them again. The day was spent with talking, recreating the bond that has been shaken over the years spent apart. When, at late afternoon she told them she had to get back to the inn by nightfall as she was meeting with "someone" it got their immediate attention.

'You have never brought back home anyone before,' exclaimed Agra, who had become an Officer with the City guards since they last met. She was a forceful orc woman with her skull shaved bald expect for a long braid. 'We're going with you to meet him!'

'You can't get rid of us,' added Rayma, the tauren, who was expecting her first baby to be born within weeks. Her large, soulful eyes twinkled kindly as she pestered Zangah for more information. She had always been a big believer of "one and true love" and looked upon Zangah's escapades with slight desperation.

'Taurens,' she had said on Zangah's last visit with a frown as she had been listening to the recap of her encounters 'mate for life. This world would surely be a better place if the other races would do the same.'

They gathered around her, her brother, Agra, Rayma. Gorrum met them as well, looking just as shy in Zangah's presence as he had been as a kid, although he was now a fully grown orc. To the troll's slight annoyance, they seemed more interested in the turn in her love life then they have ever been in any of her adventures.

There was no getting rid of them – as she refused to elaborate who was her "someone" they accompanied her to the tavern. Zangah wasn't sure this was a splendid idea, but she reasoned that the sooner they were over with the first encounter the easier will it become.

'But he be a Darkspear, right?' Desta pressed as they sat down in the inn.

'You'll see,' she just said, which of course just earned her a lot more questions.

'Is he a warrior?'

'He's not from another tribe or something, like a Raventusk?'

'Is he a he at all?' prompted Agra grinning, making Gorrum and Desta cough into their drinks.

It was a relief when the elf appeared in the doorway and she could at last introduce him.

There was a very tense silence. Rayma broke it in the end, standing up with difficulty because of her round belly and extending her hand to the elf.

'A pleasure to meet you Ardel. We have been waiting all day to find out… who are you,' they shook hands solemnly and Rayma introduced the others as well. Curiosity started to get the better out of them as they, with the exception of Desta, who was still scowling at the elf, and they started to bombard them with questions again.

It wasn't what one could call a pleasant dinner, but it didn't involve bloodshed at least. Zangah would have swapped it for fighting her way through the jungle of Un'Goro without a second thought.

The elf knew how to be charming if he wanted to be, and he got Agra and Rayma wrapped around his finger pretty soon. Agra confessed to Zangah with a slightly tipsy giggle –she had kept drinking her ale steadily- that she found the elf very charismatic.

'But ain't he a bit… you know… small?' she asked. Desta overheard and it seemed to be the last straw for him.

He stood up so suddenly that his chair hit the ground with a bang, shoot a dirty look at the elf, the type, if looks could kill, would have left him lying dead, muttered, 'We need to speak about dis in the morning, sis,' and stalked out of the room.

That pretty much put an end to the evening.

Later, lying face down on their bed in the inn, Zangah muttered into her pillow, 'I hate family gatherings.'

'Wait until you meet mine,' replied the elf with a grim smile, 'and this will look like a walk in the park.'

She lifted her head at that.

'That means me gotta visit Silvermoon?'

'You might.'

'Oh good. Let us be gone as soon as we can. I'll give Desta a bit of a sisterly beating, as he seems to forgotten his place and we can be off.'

'You think that will solve the issue?'

'Will certainly make me feel better,' she muttered, burrowing her face once again in the pillow. Bloody bed was too soft – she was too used to sleeping on the ground. They had just arrived to the city, but she longed to be out in the open already. She felt the elf's gaze upon her, but she refused to look up.

'Make room for me,' he said at last, as he dropped down next to her. 'Let's improve at least the end of this day,' and pressed a gentle kiss at the nape of her neck.

She couldn't help but smile at that. 'Sounds like a good plan for me, elf,' she purred, turning over. And indeed, the end of the day greatly improved from there.

Part 19 – Sen'jin Village

Ardel leaned against the side of the hut and eyed the splendid beach longingly. The shouting in the building was picking up volume again. It had been going on for a while, and the inhabitants of the village stopped to stare at him and comment the shouting. Ardel sighed and looked out at the sea again. He was here to support Zangah, but he didn't feel that he could do much.

He shot an evil glare at Desta, who seemed to have been banished from the hut as well. He looked back at the elf questioningly.

'This is all your fault, you know,' Ardel accused. 'She wouldn't have come to visit him, if you hadn't insisted.'

'Dats not fair, mon,' the menace denied. 'Dey don't get dis bad usually. And he's our uncle. He raised us and all, even if dey don't be on da best of terms…'

The shouting suddenly died down and Zangah stormed out, radiating so much fury that her brother stepped back from her. Ardel had the urge to do the same, but got hold of himself just in time.

In the door of the hut, the oldest troll the elf has ever seen appeared. His hair once must have been just as shockingly red as was his niece's and nephew's, but now it was heavily streaked with white. His face was wrinkled and his back so hunched that he appeared to be bent in half. He still looked powerful though, with his stringy muscles. At the sight of Ardel, he stopped dead, then raised his hands to the skies and cried loud and long something. The elf wondered if he had been just cursed – his knowledge of the trollish language being still very limited – and made a mental note to cleanse himself on his next mediation, just in case.

Zangah spun on her heals and screamed back. The villagers started to gather around and chat excitedly. The elf wondered if this was a regular entertainment for them when Zangah visited. He wished they would use Orcish though, as he felt really left out. Although to think of it, maybe it was better if he didn't understand their argument after all.

Obviously making a point, Zangah pointed at him and banged her own chest with her fist. 'My barbarian princess,' thought the elf fondly. The onlookers gasped. He glanced at Desta, who stared back at him with wild eyes.

'What? What did she say?' he asked in an undertone.

'Uhm… Let be go far a walk, eh?'

Not averse to be farer from the shouting, he followed. They went down to the beach in silence, Ardel feeling the troll glance at him occasionally.

'So she be really serious about you mon, right?'

'Why, what did she say?'

'Me should 'ave guessed,' the troll went on, ignoring him. 'She never took anyone home before and all, but still…' he sighed and continued to mumble under his large nose.

Ardel felt murderous.

'Troll,' he said in a low voice, 'if you don't want me to tear down your blue ears and feed it to you, answer my question.'

He looked at him more surprised than offended.

'Chill out, mon. She just said… stuff… about you, me not expected he hear. Ya know. Serious stuff.'

'What "serious stuff", pray tell.'

'Dats not my place to tell, mon. Ya probably know anyway.'

Ardel was contemplating just doing what he promised when Zangah arrived, looking a bit disheveled but much calmer.

'Sorry 'bout this love,' she said and gave him a light kiss. 'Told ya, that you'd be better off if ya don't come with me to visit.'

'Don't worry about it troll, I'll think of something so you can make it up for me.'

Desta crouched down, suddenly very interested in a seashell he found in the sand, so Ardel could kiss his sister properly. He didn't straighten up again until they were finished, and the elf's opinion on him got just a little bit better for it.

'So hows uncle?' he asked when they separated.

'Said he will pray for the spirits to end his life early as he can't stand the scandals me causing any more. Told him I can help him if he wanted to pass from da word. I guess we are as we always are.'

'I wish you'd be getting on better,' the younger troll sighed wistfully. 'And dat you come home more often.'

She ruffled her brothers Mohawk fondly, probably the first affectionate gesture the elf saw her make to her brother.

'We are as we are bro, we won't get any better with uncle. And ya know me don't like to stay at da same place. And like even less when they try to tell me what to do.'

Desta just snorted at that. 'So ya be leaving soon I guess?'

'Zeppelin to da Undercity leaves in three days. We got da tickets from da goblins.'

'But ya afraid of flying!'

'I not be afraid,' she said indignantly, 'Just don't like it much.'

Ardel had to bite his mouth to fight back his smile. This explained a lot, like why she never visited Eastern Kingdoms yet, despite her mania of travelling constantly.

The ride back to Orgrimmar was uneventful. Desta was much more friendly with him than ever before, although when Zangah went to croon over the Silthid, stabled at a safe distance from the mounts, he took Ardel's arm to draw him away and murmured, 'Ya be good to her elf, or I will stuff up dat fancy sword of yours to ya know where.'

'You are welcome to try, troll. Don't expect to succeed though.'

Later, sitting on the bed in their room in the tavern, watching Zangah undressing he asked her what was that she had said to her uncle.

'Lot of things,' she replied, surprised. 'Which do ya mean?'

'The one when everyone gasped and your brother stopped looking at me like I was a mass murder.'

'Ah, that one!' she laughed, 'told him that I be madly in love with ya, and there's nothing he, the spirit of the elder or Vol'jin himself can do to separate me from ya.'

Ardel kept his face blank. She was smiling and it was impossible to tell if she was joking or not.

'Just that? I expected something more groundbreaking after all the fuss.'

'Just that, elf.'

'Good.'

'Good.'

A short silence followed, where she continued to smile and Ardel tried not to look too pleased with himself. She broke it after a while, obviously changing the subject.

'So ya still think your family is worse than mine, elf?'

'Hmm… yes, I actually do. They are just as terrible, although not as loud as your uncle.'

'Really? Somehow me doubt it.'

'Is this a competition, troll? Let me just tell you this – your uncle and my mother together would be capable to tear down Dalaran stone by stone if they set their mind to it.'

She laughed at that, shed her remaining clothing and slid into the bed. He rolled over and kissed her flat, blue stomach then laid his head on it. They stayed like that for a while, caressing each other.

After a long time, when he thought she had fallen asleep, he heard her murmur, 'At least elf, I know why are ya with me.'

He didn't question her – probably she didn't even mean him to hear it. He was sure however that she couldn't know the full reason why he was with her. He himself couldn't quite reason why a Sin'dorei knight from a noble lineage did not only fucked a troll, but taken on to travelling with her and seriously considering to introduce her to his uptight and racist family.

Whatever was the reason though, it felt right, and at the moment that was enough.

Part 20 – Zeppelin

With an alarming lurch the Zeppelin separated from the tower and started to rise. Zangah clutched the banister as if her life depended on it. Orgrimmar below them become smaller and smaller.

'Oh, spirits,' she moaned. Why did she ever agree to this? She wanted to move away from the edge of the Zeppelin, but her legs didn't obey her.

From the corner of her eyes she saw the elf coming toward her sure footed and confidential as always and she hated him for it.

'I hate you,' she groaned for good measure and was awarded with an elegantly raised eyebrow.

'You know, the Captain actually sent for me, as the crew was concerned you are going to jump, the way you are grasping that barrier and bending over it. Why don't you move away?'

'I'm gonna be sick,' she was dying here, and would have expected him to show more remorse over making her attend this trip.

'You can do it in our cabin, won't make any difference, the way it stinks,' she let him encircle her waist and led her away. It was actually better in the cabin where she at least couldn't see they were flying.

'What keeps this thing up anyway?' she asked when calmed down a little.

'They fill the balloon with some gas that is lighter than air, and the ship got some engine as well… I'm not too familiar with goblin technology…'

He stopped at Zangah's horrified stare. 'What?'

'Gas lighter dan air? Couldn't it be some old fashioned levitation spell or something?' She could still feel the ship swaying slightly. Panic rising again, she buried her face in her hands.

'I'm gonna die here, and it will be all your fault.'

'This,' he sighed 'will be a really long journey, I can see it now.'

'Got only yerself to blame elf,' then a bit later 'Why don't ya tell me again of yer home?'

He did, and her terror ebbed away listening to his soft words. For the first time since that day, she could look ahead and await the new adventures.

A whole new continent to explore, with a mate on her side. It will be great, she was sure of it now.

Everything was bound to be all right.

THE END – for now