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warwaged-archive · 4 years

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The first time Tyrande is mentioned in the book, and most notable other than the two scenes she actually appears in, is this one:

Tyrande and Malfurion had fled to Nordrassil, and all of his missives went unread. A messenger had returned that morning with his letter to them unopened. The man looked shaken, more so when Anduin told him firmly to leave, return to Nordrassil, and try again.

Which is only confirmation of what we already knew of her by the end of BFA rather than new information, both in that Tyrande does not accept the peace treaty and is not really in agreeable terms with Anduin

Anduin: The armistice is signed. At long last, the Fourth War is over. Tyrande: No. Not while the Black Moon still cries out for vengeance. Not until the Horde has answered for its treachery. Anduin: Further bloodshed will not bring back the fallen. We must renew our hope and forge a future for those who survived. Tyrande: And when the next warchief musters an army, will hope save you if it is Stormwind that burns? Anduin: I know it's difficult to trust, but there are signs of change within the Horde. Anduin: In place of a warchief, there is now a council led by Baine, Thrall, and the others. I believe they can-- Tyrande: Your faith is naive, lion son. I will sign no treaty unless it is written in the Banshee's blood!

and that she’s left for Nordrassil, as she notes she will do in a conversation with Shandris following the above one

Shandris: You spoke harshly to King Anduin, Tyrande. The kaldorei can ill afford to shun the Alliance. They have provided aid and comfort to us in these dark times. Tyrande: The young king is foolish to trust our enemies. Harsh words should be the least of his fears. Shandris: The Banshee Queen no longer leads the Horde. Those who do seem more inclined toward peace than war. Tyrande: If the wolf is rabid, it matters not who rides it. Sooner or later, the beast will bare its fangs. Shandris: You are dearest to my heart, Tyrande. I beg you, let go of the Black Moon's rage and embrace the mother's light once again. I could not bear to lose you to darkness. Tyrande: Know this. My hunger for vengeance will not be sated so long as Sylvanas Windrunner remains free--and until I know why Elune abandoned her children. Shandris: Tyrande! Do not say such-- Tyrande: I will tarry no longer in this city of men. Let us leave for the boughs of Nordrassil. Tyrande: From there we will dispatch the Sentinels to every corner of Azeroth. Let no one rest until the Banshee is found!

What happens with Anduin by the beginning of Shadows Rising, then, feels only like a natural continuity from that, in that he’s trying to reach out but she’s uninterested and won’t hear of it. In my opinion, that’s not only coherent, but also justified; she feels like the Alliance has failed her people, repeatedly -- both in denying them help in Darkshore, and now in agreeing to peace before giving them justice -- all the while uniting their forces to aid the Horde solve their problems with the Warchief.

We don’t hear from her again until Thrall is discussing a visit to Nordrassil, in order to investigate the unrest the shaman are feeling with the spirits. Yukha, who’s been negotiating the meeting, tells him she agrees on the condition Thrall “must bring what is owed” and that he would know what she means. He doesn’t. Not entirely. He knows Tyrande and Malfurion will want retribution for Teldrassil, but he doesn’t know what he can give them, but he goes anyway, choosing to bring Baine and Calia with him. And then, when he actually goes, we finally see Tyrande. (And I liked a part of this one so much ! For the most part I liked it initially -- except for the very ending).

Tyrande is there, sitting with Malfurion, Maiev and Shandris behind them. While Malfurion stands upon the Horde’s arrival, Tyrande does not. Thrall and company bow and he begins to speak of what brought them there, and he’s rather unsettled by the cold reception and lack of response, noting that Tyrande locked eyes with him and did not look away, and that as he spoke, none of them did even blink. He starts to feel impatient and insulted (lol thrall) and tries to hold back from answering poorly.

He looked into Tyrande’s eyes once more, into the hypnotizing aura of darkness in the never-cool embers of her eyes. That moment in Nagrand returned to him, when he tasted smoke and sensed a far-off pain. That pain was not so far off for her, it was constant and as potent as the day Teldrassil burned.

I like this quote in particular a lot, in spite of it apparently being a tiny thing. It brings to light how although those close and far may have felt sorrow and pain when the World Tree burned, Tyrande carries it with her the entire time. Others may be moving on, concerned with other matters, but she isn’t, and how could she? It may have been a day or three hundred, it is still recent to her, still fresh, constantly fresh, not something she can set aside, not something she can let go of, and not something she would let go of, given the choice --- it is what she owes those who burned, and it is what she owes those who lived. I like this bit, and the initial part with Baine, Calia and Thrall arriving, because to me it did a good job of showing that. To everyone, it’s a great tragedy, it’s horrible, but they’ve moved on. Calia and Baine arrive there taken by the natural beauty surrounding the World Tree, and are initially quite insensitive to the aura of mourning still surrounding the Night Elves. To them that pain is still real. It isn’t something they can just let go of, specially when they have yet to get any justice that may give them some closure.

“I brought what you wanted, what is owed,” Thrall said, and at last he saw a spark of life in her eyes. “I bring you the sincere apology of the Horde. We are not a single voice now spoken through the mouth of a warchief, but a whole host of voices. We have formed a council, so that never again will one take power and abuse it as Sylvanas did. As…as Sylvanas used that power to slaughter your people.”

Then Thrall says he brought her what was owed, and Tyrande demonstrates some interest, but what he brings is apologies and excuses and a bunch of “we’re trying to do better” stuff that isn’t what the Night Elves deserve after what they suffered. He speaks of Baine opposing Sylvanas, of Calia and Lilian trying to do better by the Forsaken, but throughout it all, Tyrande is unmoved.

Was he speaking to a wall? Would nothing move Tyrande? Even Malfurion gave him the smallest nod of understanding, perhaps only indicating that he was listening.

Although Malfurion’s willingness to in the least hear shows (and side note: I do appreciate how in this moment and later on Malfurion is portrayed as, while no less imposing, considerably gentler, because that’s what I’m here for), it is Shandris who then removes her helmet and speaks to Thrall and tells him it’s hard not to be distrusting of promises when even allies have failed to come through with them. Maiev, then, is her counterpoint, proceeding to tell her to listen at her peril, because she’ll end with daggers on her back.

Although Tyrande doesn’t speak, Maiev is clearly more of her voice, here. It is when she says that that Tyrande shows some reaction again, an almost smile that suggests she’s in great agreement with Maiev’s distrust, with the voiced believe no matter what the Horde will end up betraying them again, hurting them again.

Maiev makes some very valid points, after that. That Sylvanas did not, in fact, act alone; that she acted for the Horde and spoke for them, that they are trying to disperse the blame and “hiding behind cowardly revisions of a history that will not be forgotten". This will be important later on, in comparison to Tyrande’s own stance on the matter.

The Horde gives the “mUsT iNnOcEnTs DiE fOr It To Be JuStIcE tO yOu” excuses a bit, although Thrall acknowledges Saurfang did indeed take part in planning the attack, if not burning the World Tree, but he is now dead by Sylvanas’ own hand and there’s nothing they can do in that regard. I like that it is at very least acknowledged, though, after we spent so long ignoring he had anything to do with it and blaming everything on Sylvanas aksjndfkajsndfkj

Shandris continues to be the most moderate voice from the Kaldorei side, suggesting they do not absolve the Horde for their crimes, but make a temporary understanding as to deal with the more urgent matters. Maiev continues to argue against her. Then we have this:

Tyrande, it seemed, still did not care to speak.

The elf began plucking her lute again, but Tyrande slammed her hand down on the owl-shaped arm of the bench, demanding a return to silence. Had the moon grown bigger in the sky? Was it somehow closer? Threatening?

“It was not yet time.” Malfurion’s grave baritone filled the clearing. He leaned down toward his wife, placing a furred, clawed hand on her shoulder. “This was folly. Let them go.”

Tyrande uncrossed her legs and sat back on the bench, shaking off her husband’s hand with a tight grimace.

Here we have what I mentioned before, of Malfurion being portrayed as gentler of the two. When he notices her reaction, he tries to appease her even before Tyrande has indeed said anything, intervening on behalf of letting the Horde people go, but she’s clearly displeased by then, and very much unwilling to listen even to him, as her reaction shows. And then we have the very best part:

And then, all at once, she cared very much to speak.

“When you have washed the bodies of a thousand kaldorei burned and broken, when you have fallen to your knees and kissed the feet of a thousand mourning souls, when you look into their eyes and tell them ‘our Horde has changed’ and they believe you, only then will I accept your apology and treat you as my equal.” Tyrande’s voice, edged as steel, pulled the air out of the clearing. “My brethren here may be willing to entertain your empty pledges of justice and aid, but I know better. I have learned better.”

Then she stood, and Thrall worried that the moon might truly fall from the heavens and crush them at Tyrande’s command. Her eyes, though black, somehow glowed, Elune’s fury blazing colder and brighter along her skin with each word. The glade itself grew gray and almost dead, as if by her will she had sapped the life out of everything around them, withering the trees and obliterating the flowers and grass to dust.

“How many orphans did your Horde create that day?” Tyrande sliced the flat of her hand diagonally across her body. “Those children will grow, they will wake each morning tasting ash, and one day they will come for you. Oh, they will come for you, and they will make you taste that same ash, and then you will know their justice.” She sat down again, as if winded. Light returned to the clearing, and the plants around them were green and vibrant once more.

“Quickly,” Yukha muttered, trying to gather them. “We must go. This was a mistake; I should not have brought you here.”

Baine and Calia allowed Yukha to corral them back toward the path of glittering solid water. Thrall remained, only taking slow, careful steps, never showing Tyrande his back. For his trouble, Tyrande directed her final words to him and only him.

“You will find that justice less sweet than the sorry excuse for punishment you faced, and when this justice comes, there will be no armistice to save you.”

Again, I love how it’s done because of how clearly it portrays that there is no healing for the Kaldorei as is, but I like Tyrande’s words most of all because of how they clearly say “You don’t get to decide what is enough justice. The victims are the only ones who can decide what is enough for them.” Apologies mean nothing to her, because she has no reason to believe they will hold true, and because even if they do, is it enough for those who suffered? Is it enough for those who survived, damaged and broken, their loved ones gone? Is it enough for those who burned? It may all be very honorable and just in theory, but what about practice? What did the Horde’s honor do to stop Sylvanas’ decision to burn the World Tree? If her own allies failed to heed her request for aid, why should Tyrande believe the promises of those who stood on Sylvanas’ side, and turned only when her actions begun to harm the Horde itself?

But even then, Tyrande’s mindset and her words are never about herself. It isn’t about her. Of course she mourns, and of course it wounded her; she is the leader of the Night Elves, and she failed to protect them. It is them, her people, her charges, they who matter --- those she failed, be it because they are dead or be it the survivors left with an everlasting mark and everlasting absences.

And because of them, because she cannot fail them like that again, because she’s so hellbent on doing right by them now, apologies just won’t do it.

I love how the atmosphere surrounding them reflects Tyrande’s feelings, the moon closer and fiercer, her tone so sharp as to take the air from the clearing, her fury so searing as to appear to suck all life from a place previously praised by its nature and vitality.

What she speaks next still carries very much the intent behind her former words. How can she accept apologies? Will apologies soothe those children who lived through it but lost so much and will have to live their entire lives with the memory of an unspeakable horror such as that? It won’t leave them. Apologies aren’t enough that they won’t remember the torment of hot flames, the taste of the ashes in their mouths. Apologies do not give them justice; but they’ll never stop wanting for it, needing it, to be able to, indeed, move on and perhaps heal. Until justice is done, however, that can’t be done. They can’t heal without it. There’s no moving on without it. And apologies are not justice. Promises of change are not justice.

She’s not making a threat. In a way, it is a promise, but not a threat. She’s not vowing to kill them all; she’s promising that they can pretend it’s all well and fine and they’ve done enough, but they haven’t and eventually that will catch up to them.

And it will, Tyrande has no doubt of that. A council instead of a Warchief may prevent the same of happening again, but it doesn’t change what was done, it doesn’t erase it, it isn’t paying for what was done and doesn’t give them compensation in any way. Calia and Lilian leading the Forsaken in a different way may mean a different future for the Forsaken, but it doesn’t help the Kaldorei’s future, it doesn’t help them heal, it isn’t paying for what was done, it doesn’t give them compensation in any way. Baine trying to oppose Sylvanas well after Teldrassil burned may have been a step on the right direction, but it doesn’t change that when Sylvanas gave the order, that the Horde burned the World Tree, that they stood by her even after, that they only changed sides later on; it isn’t paying for what was done and it doesn’t give them compensation in any way. The Horde thinks it did enough, punishing the loyalists and setting up the means to prevent it from happening again, but to the victims at Teldrassil, how can that be justice? The Horde deciding the punishment their own should face, the victims having no voice, the victims receiving no compensation in any way, nothing that would give them closure? Of course it won’t be enough. Of course there won’t be closure. And of course they’ll eventually try to take it themselves, armistice or no.

Lastly, we have the scene closing with this exchange, that follows Thrall’s realization he was (an idiot) wrong to think apologies would be enough:

“I will bring what is owed, then. I will not bring words or promises, I will bring you the head of Sylvanas Windrunner.”

The faintest trace of a smile appeared on Tyrande Whisperwind’s face. “Do it, then, or never seek to speak with me again.”

I don’t like it, because Thrall isn’t the one who has to kill Sylvanas. And here, I think it’s off that Tyrande would agree to these terms when it’s clear all throughout the previous part that it is important to her that the victims acknowledge it as justice, or it won’t truly be justice, and that the Horde doing it themselves isn’t it. Still, I don’t think her being agreeable is what’s wrong; I think it’s very much in accord to her stance throughout it, that she’d be agreeable to a promise she actually, truly acknowledges as possible justice for her people. If Thrall had promised her Sylvanas would face the Kaldorei’s justice, that he wouldn’t return empty handed not because he’d bring her head, but because he’d give the Kaldorei the opportunity to take it, then I think it’d be more coherent that Tyrande agrees to it.

And imo, if he really does it, meh. He shouldn’t be the one to do it, if Sylvanas does die. Nevertheless, my disagreement on that aside, Tyrande’s agreement is important: it shows she’s not unreasonable. She’s not refusing all compromise, refusing all chance to talk, vowing not to rest until every single Horde member is dead. She’s angry, and rightfully so; she’s terrifying, but she never threatened the Horde group there. She’s resentful and distrusting, and she does want blood, but she’s not after innocents, and she’s not even after those who could be implied alongside Sylvanas. Maiev earlier argued that Sylvanas didn’t act alone, and while I think she’s right, and while I think Tyrande thinks she’s right, Tyrande never voices that. Her desire for justice focuses on those who are to blame and unrepentant; spoken or not, this denotes she acknowledges the Horde’s attempt to change, in spite of her disbelief, and instead of focusing on the entire Horde as being guilty, she seeks justice to be taken from those who were direct cause, and who have taken no steps to make amends.

And I think that speaks a lot of her not being oblivious to Shandris’ point, that they need to not lose themselves, and that they need to heal. Tyrande is relentless in her pursuit for justice, and unwilling to let go of it, because that’s what the Kaldorei need. But her agreement that Sylvanas paying for it should be enough for her to be willing to talk to Thrall denotes that she knows they can’t pursue vengeance forever, that blood isn’t always the answer, that they need justice to heal but once it’s done they need to, indeed, try to move on and heal. (And I’m not talking about forgiving here, but merely turning away from bloodshed to focus on mending their own wounds).

Tyrande appears again in one more scene, by the end of the book, after the battle is done, and the Horde captures Sira, who Thrall then sends to Tyrande. It’s funny that here, he does pretty much what I said I think he should have promised in regards to Sylvanas: he captured her, yes, but he didn’t impose the Horde’s justice, and instead gave her to Tyrande so Tyrande did with her what she thought was suitable.

But yeah, she gets to Stormwind with Maiev and Shandris, who “had insisted on coming along, perhaps sensing that Tyrande should not be left alone" which I think it’s pretty understandable since they didn’t know what the ‘gift from the Horde’ was, and what reaction it may cause, specially when in spite of not being unreasonable before, there is something of volatile in her now, perhaps due to how the power she has received impacts so heavily Tyrande but also her surroundings.

They get there, see Sira, Tyrande recalls Thrall’s letter saying it isn’t yet what was owed but he hopes it’s a start, Sira rages and says Tyrande is a coward who does nothing even with the Night Warrior’s rage and power.

“I wish I could have done more to protect you,” Tyrande said, cold. “But some natures prove too evil to curb. Too ambitious to abide. Sylvanas has such a nature, and I will not forget that. You are her servant now, Sira, I have not forgotten that, either.”

This is a very important point because everyone else does not, apparently, care that Sira chose to serve Sylvanas.

Before I move on to that, it’s nice to notice that Tyrande shows no guilt in regards to Sira’s fate, which, in my opinion, is entirely understandable because of the before mentioned reason. She’s failed Sira, yes, and she wishes she could have protected her, yes, but Sira chose to side with the one who caused them all of that in the first place. She knew the horrors Sylvanas had already done, and she still followed. She knew her crimes were unforgivable, and she worked to further her plans. And because of that, Tyrande has no pity left for her, even though she was one of them before, even though she regrets her inability to have aided her in time.

But Maiev and Shandris disagree and have plenty of pity left for Sira, and both make a plea for Tyrande’s compassion, Maiev citing an occasion when she had witnessed it before, accompanied by her stubbornness to give up on something she believed could still be saved. Tyrande replies she failed.

“How long did you try?” Maiev asked. “And would you try again? If you continue down this path, Tyrande, you will find yourself no better than Sira. She is in pain, can you not see it? She is in agony. The only relief comes from spilling blood. Is this what you want? To find your only comfort in the suffering of others?”

“And so I should do nothing?” Tyrande seethed.

“That is not what I suggest and you know it. Listen, Tyrande.” Maiev went to stand beside Sira, a warden she had considered more than a friend. A sister. “I have lived as one consumed, and though there is no great love between us, Tyrande, I would not see you become what I was. What Sira is now. You are more than just rage and vengeance, you are more than simply the Night Warrior: you are a priestess and a leader. Can you not, as a priestess, take pity on this creature?”

I think Maiev throughout that scene sounds off, in that not only there’s this gentleness I have no idea where came from but just overall she definitely doesn’t sound like Maiev and her dynamics with Tyrande are also??? but other than Maiev, I have several issues with how this is played. The plea for compassion becomes a comparison between Tyrande and Sira, as if it was somehow comparable that this is the path she’s in, when the previous scene the book showed us, the meeting with Thrall, does not speak of it at all. Like I said, then she’s not portrayed as unreasonable, she’s portrayed as relentless in her pursuit of justice, disillusioned with promises, unwilling to forget, filled with righteous anger, but never unreasonable and lost to a dark path of blood and vengeance. Here, somehow, Maiev and Shandris argue that she is, because of her initial choice to end Sira --- ignoring that Sira, although a fallen comrade, became a willing follower of the one who initially caused them so much misery, the one they wish to bring justice to, the one who caused Sira to be what she became. Sira shows no remorse at all throughout the book, and is, in fact, considerably vicious and bloodthirsty, delighting in cruelty for the sake of it, only wishing for the death toll to be as high as possible (much more so than, for example, Nathanos, who should wish for it if only for how it strengthens Sylvanas, but never goes out of his way for the sake of killing or cruelty).

She doesn’t kill Sira, but she gives her a cut, and we have this:

She was the Night Warrior, revenge made flesh, but now with that one shallow cut, she felt suddenly, horribly alive again.

Which is???????? I don’t even know, given that the book itself shows Tyrande is clearly feeling, and not simply anger. How isn’t she, when you have Thrall himself notice her pain for Teldrassil never left, that is is as fresh as when the World Tree burned?

I think the pleading her for mercy, specially coming from Shandris, could be valid. I think Shandris showing concern that Tyrande is losing the softer side of her would be very valid, if it was coherent with what we saw of Tyrande so far speaking of it also. Speaking to her, asking her to look at things as a priestess, to remember how compassionate she was, would all be very valid; I just think this wasn’t the situation to do it, not how it was done, and not with the previous scene. Towards someone different, I may agree, but Sira has plenty of crimes of her own, beyond the fate she didn’t chose, and to say Tyrande’s decision here accounts for her loss of compassion doesn’t seem fitting at all, specially when the other scene has her willing to talk to a representative of the Horde and accept his offer of justice (no matter how much I disagree with that).

In spite of it, she shows herself very much capable of mercy still, and doesn’t strike Sira down. Again, her attitude is not that of one lost to a dark path of vengeance; she heeds those that are with her and ask her to be compassionate, even if her first impulse is not to be. She allows Shandris to take away her weapon, and ultimately turns away from the prisoner.

And given there is reason for her to feel about Sira as she does, I don’t know to which point her reaction can be blamed on her being the Night Warrior. Maiev remembers her compassion, in that scene, but forgets her ruthlessness; Tyrande has never hesitated to shed blood, specially in defense of her people or commitment to the course of action she believes right.

#* general: headcanons / WHO TELLS YOUR STORY?#* character study: tyrande whisperwind / MOON SOAKED AND DAWN FLAVORED.#* muse: tyrande whisperwind / MOONLIGHTED.#sr spoilers #long post cw #I think everything I wanted to say is here? both in regards to how I feel about it and how I understand Tyrande in those scenes?#I think?#kajfdjndskf #I threw this on docs to see how long it is #it was like 9 pages with times new roman 12 kjasndkjnasdkfn #I don't like maiev in the second scene :c

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thecandywrites · 5 years

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Zorroku and Peaches Part 6

And here we have the final part of this story. However upon requests I may write a follow up one shot or two or more. I’d like to tag @royale-skeleton-key enjoy.

Part 6

It took you a full week to find all the magical practicing people with Mama Arob’s help who managed to teleport you to all of them- so you wouldn’t have to travel the great distances between you and them so that you wouldn’t get attacked actually traveling between each one, just yourself, her and Ori making the journeys while everyone else moved your parents and all their possessions and the herds that belonged to them to the Thunder Herd Clan. All of the magical practicing persons were all too happy to agree to your plan and your terms as well as they all added even more blessings to you because you were so thoughtful so as to remember them and include them in this as they wrote down what they had blessed you with and that they would be there for the celebration-al feast.

Then you approached Baron Gonk who very happily agreed to it as well and once done with all your contracts, both warchieftesses and all their daughters and daughters in law who had come back after the week it took to move your family to the Great Thunder Herd Clan- sat down and wrote out all the invitations to each alliance clan, making sure they thoroughly got everything on each invitation before they were sent out, complete with not just Khagra’s signature but Bula’s, Yotul’s and Crowthu’s as well since they were the warchiefs and warchieftesses. Crowthu’s sons and Khagra’s sons then split into pairs and delivered the invitations themselves along with jars of a special salsa like sauce you had prepared as special ‘gifts’ to the other warchiefs. All of Warchief Khagra’s allied clans were overjoyed at the news that you had become eligible and immediately agreed that they would come and soon word spread and a week before the event, you learned that there was now a over a dozen more clans who you had never heard of before that would be coming and you adjusted things accordingly, sending even more invitations out to those clans so that they were formerly invited too.

The day of the festival however, Mama Arob as well as all the other magical practicing persons came to you with some grave news and they showed you that The Infamous Hand Clan, The Beserker Clan, and The Nightmare Mammoth Clan were coming as well and that they would surround everyone and kill everyone if you didn’t choose to go with them that night and they were coming in numbers to succeed in that quest. But you got an idea and it played out on the surface of all the cauldrons before you even had to say a word.

“You are brilliant child.” Mama Arob grinned in amazement as she and the others then began to work extra hard on special spells to make your idea reality. Usually one magical practicing person wouldn’t have enough magic to pull it off on their own but because there was 15 of them, combined, it was more than enough and they were all amazed at how your body was able to bear it all, but they also knew that your noble heart and good intentions were more than enough to convince your body that it was strong enough to bear it.

You got dressed in the same dress you thought made you look like a whore and hated before but now, you were wearing it with a purpose, you had to draw the three triplet warchief’s in along with everyone else. You had to look like the prize they all envisioned you to be. Mama Arob dusted you in special gold dust, while it would be harmless as long as you thought happy and harmless thoughts, the moment they turned sinister, the dust would then glow before it killed, you had to make sure each warchief touched you. Another one painted your lips blood red, again, while you thought happy and harmless thoughts, it was perfectly safe, you could kiss Ori all over if you wanted to and it would never hurt her. But kiss the triplet warchiefs, it was another layer of deadly poison. Still another put ribbons of gold in your hair, it made your hair particularly gorgeous and soft, so much so that everyone would want to touch it and keep touching it because it was softer than silk. And so on and so fourth, each one blessed your body and your beauty and your voice and your hands and gave you ability, after ability, after ability- with a wicked fun twist even if it was only temporary.

Soon after you nursed Ori so she wouldn’t be hungry again until after the celebration as she fell asleep in your arms and you passed her to your mother to continue to hold her for the rest of the night, the clans started to arrive and the band on the stage began to play their music and the dancers danced on special caged platforms to protect the dancers from grabbing hands on the stage and throughout the sea of tables and lanterns that were built just for tonight, a task the Black Wolf White Rock Clan and the Thunder Herd Clan had undertaken for the month leading up to it.

You greeted each clan excitedly and very respectfully and explained everything that was going on, shaking all the warchief’s hands and their sons hands and hugging and kissing all the warchieftesses and their daughters cheeks affectionately since you knew them best and had befriended them from the previous alliance feasts, talking with each clan’s own shaman as they got a good sense of you and smiled brighter when they realized you had more magic imbued into you than they did before they talked with Crowthu and Khagra about alliances before they went over to the magical practicing persons and they showed what you wanted them to show with teases of how their clan would become great if they could manage to bring you home that night.

The number 1 question you got asked was ‘What will it take for you to come home with us tonight?’ and your answer was always the same- ‘Make me an offer I can’t refuse,’ before you listed off what Crowthu had offered you in the beginning and what you had experienced in the Thunder Herd Clan’s care about how everything that was gifted you stayed yours and how you were going to be warchieftess no matter which son you would choose and how no one had ever touched you without your consent or beat you or raped you and that no one ever would and that you were servant to no one and left the clans to think it over and to decide if they wanted to put in a bid for you or if they wanted to put in a bid for the other daughters of the warchiefs and with so many other clans there that night and with each whole warchief family and extended family being there- there was a lot to choose from and almost every clan put in bids for you and bids in for the other daughters of warchief’s, which the other daughters were thrilled and so happy they now had sole control over such a thing rather than being told by their father what to do and soon everyone was relaxed and enjoying the feast and then soon your treasure pile was enormous and even bigger than what Mama Arob had showed thanks to the extra clans that had come.

And then you felt the air shift and a shivering, ice cold tingle went down your spine and a stone seemed to settle in your cut and make it knot and twist uncomfortably and you knew The Infamous Hand Clan, The Beserker Clan, and The Nightmare Mammoth Clan were closing in and surrounding everyone and you steeled your nerve and alerted Zorroku and his brothers and cousins and walked over to the magic practicing people to get reapplied with the traps before you walked over to the treasure pile and stood and braced yourself and smiled bravely as the other clans soon noticed who was strutting into the party, carrying chains to dozens of slaves behind them as Zorroku and his brothers and cousins soon came and stood behind you in solidarity and support.

“Greetings!” You called out welcoming-ly, with the poise of a proper queen as you stood tall and proud and the closer they came, the more you realized they were fucking gorgeous. Holy shit. But you hand to remind yourself that while they were handsome, their hearts were ugly and their attitudes were hideous and then one by one they introduced themselves.

“I am Umog, Warchief of The Infamous Hand Clan,” the first introduced himself.

“It is an honor to meet you Warchief Umog,” you greeted respectfully back with a low bow.

“And I am Yukha, Warchief of The Beserker Clan, brother to Warchief Umog.” The second introduced himself.

“It is an honor to meet you as well Warchief Yukha,” you greeted back as you turned to face him fully and bowed low again.

“And I am Gunag, Warchief of The Nightmare Mammoth Clan, also brothers to them too.” The last introduced himself.

“And it is an honor to meet you too Warchief Gunag, you honor me greatly by coming tonight to this feast of unity,” you began as you bowed low to him too, all of them grinning smugly at the sign of deep respect.

“We took offense that you did not invite us personally, it is when we intercepted this invitation during a raid that we came to know of this.” Warchief Yukha growled as he held up the invitation.

“Then please forgive me my lords, that was a grave mistake on my part for that oversight- the blame solely rests on me and please allow me to make things right. You are here now and please know that you are just as welcome here as any and all the other clans, please, eat and drink and be merry. Tonight is when I will choose a husband, you are welcome to go over to the magical practicing persons and see your future if I choose you and behind me is the purse that all the other clans have put in- in bids for my hand. You are more than welcome to make offers and bids for me and any other free young woman you see tonight but know that only the young women themselves hold the power to accept or refuse you without retaliation on your part and since this is a unity feast, you may enter into alliance with any clan you wish tonight to bolster the strength of your own clan as well. This large purse is what I can offer you tonight, you may write down what you can offer me in return.” You offered as you held out the pieces of paper to them but they simply took the pieces of paper and crumpled it up and threw it onto the ground.

“Our offer is you choose one of us or we have the entire party surrounded and we will kill every male here and take every female as our new slaves but you will be ruler of them all if you prove yourself capable to us. Here is a few of the thousands we possess.” They said as they yanked their slaves forward and you went over and inspected them.

“I see,” you began as you touched their bruises and cuts, your touch healing them before the three warchiefs saw your healing touch and grabbed your wrists and brought you over to them.

“Do not waste such gifts on slaves you stupid woman, heal us instead.” They demanded and you obeyed, touching their scars and their hands and immediately new fingers grew and they began to feel healed as they held you close to them, their hands roaming your body as the other clans watched in horrified jealousy because you had not permitted anyone else to touch you besides hugs and handshakes before then.

“Would you permit me to kiss you to taste you to help me determine who I should pick?” You flirted coyly with them and got to kiss all three of them and fought not to vomit into their mouths as Zorroku was holding onto his own battle axes so tightly his knuckles were white before you stood back and appraised them, all of them grinning smugly as their bodies were covered in so much gold dust, it rivaled yourself.

“I choose...death.” You announced with a wicked grin before everywhere that their bodies touched you as well as your own body began to glow bright gold then white as the gold dust then started to burn them alive, leaving their armor untouched as it fell off of them as if they had become ghosts themselves before it burned through their clothes as the kisses you gave them began to eat their faces and necks to keep them from screaming as you magically lifted them high into the air, hundreds of feet above everyone and stomped your foot and white lights raced all throughout the ground, everyone jumping up in alarm as the white lights on the ground spread out and multiplied and then lifted all those in all three clans up above the trees, all of them flailing, dropping their weapons on the ground as the white lights seemed to hold them in magical chains as their armor and all that was on them fell from them too, thankfully landing on the ground underneath them so as not to hurt anyone else as you lifted them so high everyone could see them before you turned each orc into a firework, starting with the three warchiefs, everyone oohing and awing at the beauty of them and when the last one exploded everyone cheered as you went up to all their slaves and touched their bonds so that they fell off from them and greeted them kindly and assured and reassured them that no harm would come to them and healed them and brought them over to the servant’s food tent and made sure they all started eating and would be taken care of, all of them pleading to be your personal slaves which you kindly corrected that if they wanted to, they could be your servants but that you would not keep slaves, only servants and that you would treat them all very well which they then swore their unending loyalty to you personally, which you accepted before you went out to the rest of the feast before you ran into Zorroku and just let him hold you for a moment behind the servant’s food tent away from everyone.

“You ok?” He asked worriedly as he held you as close and kept an eye out for anyone else.

“No, that was terrifying. I was ready to vomit and start shaking in terror the whole time, I never want to do anything like that ever again.” You confessed as you buried your face into his chest and inhaled his now familiar and comforting scent deep into your lungs and clung to him.

“Don’t worry, I would never ask or expect you to, that was far too close to danger than I ever want you to be ever again.” Zorroku murmured which made you both smile softly.

“Thank you, I love you.” You whispered before you kissed him quickly and sweetly but with promise, the taste of him now replacing the vile taste of the triplets and was a kiss you actually thoroughly enjoyed.

“I love you too.” Zorroku whispered back before you had to pull yourselves away from each other and attend to the rest of your guests.

“And that’s what happens when you touch me or kiss me if I don’t want you to.” You grinned at the other warchief’s and their families when they asked you how you managed to defeat all three clans like that before you let them in on the secret that all the magical practicing people told you that they were coming and so you had prepared yourself accordingly and that the magic to destroy your enemies like that would only last until sunrise the next morning and that you took offense to the way all three of those clans treated their women. To which they realized how powerful you really were and then added more things to their lists of what to offer you as well as realized that they would have to change their own attitudes towards women as well.

When it came time for you to choose someone you had all those who were competing for you get up on the stage with their lists, having to take groups at a time as you publicly read each offer, your voice magically amplified so that everyone could hear you easily without you having to yell or scream, the whole crowd cheering and booing as each clan and their rival clans offers were read and you picked out a few from each group who’s offers were the best out of everyone else’s, saving Crowthu’s sons, Nar and Zorroku for the last group along with the other few you had already chosen, Nar and Zorroku being the last two in the line as you re-read all the other offers first. Their offers beginning to sound all the same. ‘Warchieftess, the clan’s head shaman, revered as a goddess, sole control over everything that was yours, the warchief’s second in command and lead councilor, number one wife among all other wives with your children always being favored and even daughters that you would bear would all be recognized and never sold or traded.’ great honors and offers indeed.

Then you got to read Nar’s offer for the first time. “So here is what Nar, youngest son of Warchief Crowthu of The Great Thunder Herd Clan offers me.” You began as you unrolled it and placed it on the stack of other offers and smiled when you looked it over before you read it aloud.

“To be his best friend first and foremost before ever being his lover, to be his one and only wife, to never raise his hands at me in anger, to never raise his voice to me in anger either and to never hurt me or harm me in any way. To always let me win, no matter the argument, to lead him in life, to always listen to my council and obey my words of wisdom. And all 12 of his horses, awww,” You awed when you read it and put the paper over your heart and held it to your chest before you raised it high in the air. “Ok, this is now the number one offer, because he knows I’m a romantic at heart and this is very very close to everything I’ve ever wanted and this is becoming an offer I find really really hard to refuse.” You announced as all the other men of all the other clans suddenly groaned and started cursing as they realized they had offered the wrong kind of terms as you looked back over the line of potentials and all of them were in various stages of regret as they realized you hadn’t answered their question, you had simply told them what was offered to you, you never said that you wanted what was offered and they never thought to ask if what was offered was what you wanted and realized their mistake but one of the rules were once you had their offer, it couldn’t be retracted and changed once you took it while all the women and girls gasped and started laughing gleefully because you were living the dream because all of them secretly wanted those kinds of terms too but were often discouraged by their male counterparts from wanting them because they were “silly” and “nonconsequential”. But now that you pushed that those terms were now important, that gave the freedom and the right to demand those too and that they were only allowed to agree to terms after you agreed to yours.

“Now, this is Zorroku, first born of Warchief Crowthu of The Great Thunder Herd Clan, lets see what you offer me.” You announced as he simply smiled at you adoringly and handed over his offer as you looked it over and realized it was written on the front and back and started to cry a few happy tears when you realized he had written it in your mother tongue. And Mama Arob used her magic to show the paper up on the screen next to you. And so you read it in your mother tongue before you translated it into the common tongue so everyone could understand what you read, your family and most of the other humans who also knew this language however were already very moved as Mama Arob then used magic to translate the words into the common tongue so everyone could read it.

“He offers me... his whole heart, mind and soul. To share his future with me, to be one with me for as long as we both shall live, to walk beside me through life- hand in hand, arm in arm, to be his one and only love, one and only wife for as long as he lives and his fidelity that he will never lie with another other than me and that he will be loyal to me in all things. To be the mother of his daughter from his first beloved wife who was lost in bearing it to him and every other child he would give me and even if I can not bear any, to never ask me to risk my life in trying anyway, that no gift I could ever give him is worth my life which is precious above all else, that he would adopt any and all other children I would want until I was satisfied as a mother. And in turn he would never risk his own life getting me any gifts because he shares my views that life is sacred and shouldn’t be sacrificed for such things. That everything he has and everything he is- he will share without reserve, that he will always love me wholly and completely, knowing I am not perfect and will make mistakes but always forgiving me and the mistakes without judgment or resentment and with loving forgiveness if I will return the favor. To treat me as his equal in regards to respect in all things. But to try his best to be gentle, kind and loving with me always and to never underestimate me and to always believe me. To do his best to please me in all things, to be patient with me in all things and to consider all things with me first. To discuss all problems and to be patient in finding solutions rather than blaming. To take care of me, not just physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. To be my best friend first and my husband and father to our children second. And that all he asks in return is my whole heart mind and soul, my own fidelity, my own loyalty, respect and obedience as a wife first and a warchieftess second. To tell him what is on my mind and heart and he will do the same and will be unreservedly honest if I will be the same and to never let us go to bed angry with us each other and to share all that I am and all that I have with him in return and that all things will simply be ‘ours’.” You read as tears continued to run down your cheeks and your voice got choked with emotion.

“And this is the offer that I can not refuse, I choose you.” You announced as you reached out and got his hand and raised your joined hands as high as you could before he picked you up bridal style as everyone cheered, all the warchieftesses and daughters of every clan cheering the loudest as he finally kissed you publicly, all your kisses shared in the last month having had to be in secret.

“And to stop dropping you and startling you so bad you slip and fall or hurt yourself.” Zorroku offered with a laugh once you broke for air which made you throw your head back and laugh with him.

“Oh my gods, yes please, that should have been first on the list.” You cackled as he finally put you back down and got off the stage so the band could get back on it and continue to play their music before you finally got to get Ori back, kissing her all over her now chubby cheeks and hugged her tightly, having missed her all evening as she hugged you tight and laid on your chest, happy to have her mommy back.

The treasure was then covered with a tent, with Zorroku’s brothers and cousins standing guard over it for the night as Zorroku led you into his tent that he had set up at the Black Wolf White Rock clan village and let you put Ori to sleep first, making sure she was put into her bassinet by the bed and fully and completely asleep before Zorroku tried to get you out of your dress, both of you drunk with laughter as you both tried to peel it off of you.

“Fuck, were you sewn into this?” Zorroku asked as he tried tugging it off but it was like it was glued to your body.

“It feels that way huh?” You giggled as you tried wriggling out of it but the curves you had gained since you wore it last meant that it was even tighter than before but it had made your body look like an hourglass and had everyone looking at you lusting after you. Zorroku however could only grow playfully jealous but knew you were all his and that from this night on you would dress modestly for his sake, which he greatly appreciated.

“Fuck it, I’m gonna have to cut it off, you’re never going to wear this dress again.” Zorroku realized with a playful growl, pretending to bite at the dress to rip it apart with his teeth while giving you a licentious look which caused you to squeal and laugh but not so loud as to wake up Ori as he got a very small but very sharp knife and very, very carefully cut the dress off, both of you breathing in relief when it was finally off of you and both of you gleefully picked it up and put it into the raised metal fire pit next to you that was warming the bedroom chamber of his tent.

“There you are.” Zorroku cooed to you as he finally gathered you into his arms and gently picked you up and set you into the bed and you got to watch him peel his own clothes off which normally would have been exciting all on it’s own but thanks to the aphrodisiatic incense burning in his tent, it only amplified your own feelings for him, your whole body humming and buzzing in delightful arousal and giddy anticipation.

“Gods are you magnificent. You’re like a god carved out of blue marble and I need to pray at your alter daily, perhaps multiple times a day.” You flirted when he was finally bared to you, his cock hard enough to pound through iron as you knew you would never get tired of the sight of him. You also knew that tonight was your half way point in your cycle and that hopefully he would get you pregnant either tonight or tomorrow night.

“Really?” Zorroku asked as he flexed for your benefit and you felt your whole body flush and your womanhood drench the bed as you made the weakest sounding keen and nearly drooled on yourself as you literally had to fan yourself which got Zorroku to beam a proud smile at you, loving the fact that you were so pleased with him and were so affected by him. He didn’t need the aphrodisiatic incense, you had had this affect on him all month. Just a look his way from you or his lingering gaze on you or even an innocent and not so innocent touch and caress from you and from him to you in turn was enough to get him this hard and he had been hard for you most of the day, thankfully he was able to conceal it.

“And you’re my goddess carved out of Ivory and I’ll pray as often as you want me to.” Zorroku returned in a deep rumble of a purr as he finally stalked forward and finally covered your body with his, your legs parting eagerly as they wrapped around his waist and just kissed him earnestly as he covered you both in blankets. Then he aligned himself with your entrance and slowly then all at once entered you. You had to cry out because while it hurt, it was still all you wanted as you clung to him as he stilled and allowed you to get used to him. But once you did and he finally started to move, then the pleasure came and in abundance and all you could do was moan as loud as you wanted and Zorroku finally let himself do the same, his eyes nearly rolling back into his head because you felt better than he had imagined and to feel all of himself sheathe into you was a pleasure he was not expecting but loved and adored and when he was completely inside, the head of his cock pushed up against the top of your cervix and made love to you the way he had wanted to since he first met you because while his dreams and visions of you were good, this was so much better. You were so much better. Especially when your lower belly bulged like you were already pregnant which stirred such deep feelings into Zorroku he was nearly overwhelmed as he made love to you over and over again, both of you finally collapsing well into the early predawn hours, spent but supremely sated before you got Ori back out of her bassinet and you both cuddled each other and her in bed, Zorroku’s arm providing the best pillow for you while your arm was a pillow for Ori before you and Zorroku finally fell asleep.

That night in your dreams however you found yourself sitting down to tea in a mountain cave turned home across from Sharn The Magnificent herself on the Cipher plane, where dreams met the afterlife.

“Hello.” Sharn greeted you in Ragash as she handed you a tea cup.

“Hello.” You returned as you took it from her and began to sip it, it tasted amazing as she drank from her own tea cup as she sized you up.

“So you’re the Queen of Peaches who won my son’s heart.” Sharn gently teased you, her smile charming and her tone light and not malicious at all as you snorted a laugh and she laughed with you. You can not help but note how gorgeous she is and how modest and humble yet supremely dignified she was. Only her braids gave away that she had ever been warchieftess.

“Yeah...I guess I am.” You conceded. “And you are Sharn The...” you began before she cut you off.

“Just Sharn- Bella.” She corrected you gently and you nodded in understanding. “My whole life I spent building up a title and in the end I had a hard time living up to it.” Sharn revealed and you nodded sagely again in understanding. “It caused me division, hatred and jealousy just as much as it brought me honor and fame. I hope your title only brings you the later.” She bid you.

“Thank you.” You thanked her graciously.

“I must also thank you for taking to my granddaughter like you have, your kind heart has saved her life.” Sharn thanked you.

“It has been an honor becoming her mother. I would do it a thousand times over. I love her, as much as I love your son, if not more so.” You professed and she simply smiled more proudly at you.

“There are times I wish your mother would have stayed with me, I could have used a friend in the Thunder Herd Clan. But it seems fate had other ideas and now that things have played out, I’m happy your mother chose as well as she did and has given my son- you. I know you love him and I know you will be good to him and take care of him and bear him many children and that is all I could ever ask for and I know that my son loves you in turn and will do the same for you. But I have a favor to ask of you.” She began.

“Anything.” You returned, eager to hear her words of wisdom.

“You will be warchieftess, remain humble yet dignified. It was how I behaved when I was warchieftess and it endeared me to my husband and it will endure you not just to Zorroku but to the whole clan in turn. There will be many women who may try to topple you and try to steal Zorroku away, remain vigilant and as close to him as a hand is to a glove and he will wear your affections like armor for his heart. You will be looked up to as the example and this will weigh heavy upon you but do not bear this burden alone. Zorroku will help you carry it and in turn you will help him carry his own burdens. Never loose your closeness to him. I have worried about him since I’ve been parted from him but now I can rest easy and be at peace knowing he is taken care of thanks to you. And I know your brother Dastan will be good to Glasha as well. She is a bit of a silly girl but I know he will help her and I know Ryzen has fallen in love with Marn and I know he will be good to her too. I know Crowthu misses me greatly and you have helped him a great deal but continue to help him.” Sharn advised you and you took every word to heart.

“I will. I promise.” You vowed and she smiled proudly at you, knowing you would keep your word.

The next day was the wedding and you loved and adored your wedding dress, mostly because pieces of it had been used from Sharn’s own wedding dress. It was gorgeous and most importantly, comfortable and all the clans stayed behind to witness the wedding but in a surprise twist, all the other marriage agreements from the night before took place too so you shared your wedding day with dozens of other brides. One of them was a dwarf orc by the name of Lil who was barely 3 feet tall. She was tiny and a perfect minature orc woman and when you met her you instantly had to introduce her to Yar because you thought they would be a perfect fit and to your relief, as well as Khagra’s and his family’s relief, she literally was and Yar was beyond smitten and head over heels in love with her. Glasha and Marn were also two of the new brides too, their own wedding dresses having the remainder of their mother’s dress part of their own wedding dresses, having grown extremely close with your brothers Dastan and Ryzen respectively since meeting them and moving them to the Thunder Herd Clan and had letting them borrow their horses for the journey. Dastan’s and Ryzen’s own offers to them almost an exact copy of Zorroku’s offer to you since the three had helped each other in that and were the best offers the girls had ever gotten as well and it seemed Zorroku hadn’t been the only boy to sneak into a girl’s tent during that month. Your sister Grace however chose one of the clans of elves that had come to the feast and had bought a special blessing to make herself look as high elf as possible, between her already lithe body now perfectly slim, her ears perfectly pointed and she looked so dainty, delicate and beautiful and now instead of twins, you looked breeds apart, literally.

“How could your sister do that to herself?” Zorroku asked you and you got the notion he didn’t approve of her changing herself like that as you two danced to a nice slow dance as the dance floor was taken up by the other couples but Grace and her new husband having had a secret affair for over a year and also finally being able to be public about it.

“Wouldn’t you like me better if I was more orc-ish?” You asked curiously, as the thought had run through your mind.

“No, you’re perfect the way you are. I wouldn’t change anything about you.” Zorroku insisted.

“Aww, likewise.” You returned as he tightened his hold on you so that your front was pressed up against his.

Your wedding night passed the same way the previous night had but in the morning your new servants helped divide your treasure pile between Khagra’s clan and your own clan, you and Zorroku and your own parents. Your parents, Khagra’s clan and Crowthu’s clan getting equal shares but they favored your share with Zorroku- keeping the best things out of it for you while splitting the actual coin evenly, not that you told them to do that but they did it that way anyway and you were busy with packing up your things and Ori’s things to tell them otherwise and no one took notice otherwise either.

Once you were all packed up, you rode your favorite horse, Jaspar, who even though he was a stallion- was sweeter than the peaches themselves too, the one that was black with the white mane and tail ride back home, Zorroku riding right beside you, so close you could reach out and hold his hand if you wished to as Ori was in her special mother’s sling for riding on your chest. Shuzug and Nar were riding behind you, Shuzug had managed to talk his parents into letting him stay in the Thunder Herd Clan for a little while, the cover was to make sure the clan upheld the oath but he had other reasons for wanting to stay with you. Himself and Nar had met two young women, the younger daughters of The Fire Phoenix Clan and it was one of the few clans that always in alliance with The Thunder Herd Clan even though the two clans had not come together in over a decade and lived 9 hours ride on horseback one way- away, The Fire Phoenix Clan was matriarchal and the two girls they happened to really like were the younger daughters of Warchieftess Fasha and you were going to be helping Shuzug and Nar learn their native tongue Nofu so they could woo the warcheftess’ daughters. You personally instantly adored The Fire Phoenix Clan because they were matriarchal and if you had been attracted to women, you probably would have chosen them, you kept everything they had gifted you, more gold hair beads than you could ever wear in your hair and delicate yet robustly strong silks and a set of armor that was made to fit you including weapons and gorgeous combs carved out of abalone shells and mother of pearl and hairbrushes and just everything profoundly feminine in nature. They even gifted you a pair of freaking phoenixes and a pair of griffins who were all walking behind your horse because they all had immediately bonded with you upon being gifted to you and they wouldn’t let anyone but you ride them but they could take on a load so you felt a little bad for using them as pack animals but then again, they were the ones that had been carrying your gifts from the Fire Phoenix Clan so their load was unchanged.

Once back at The Great Thunder Herd Clan’s grounds, you were surprised when there was a new tent set up, it was huge, to the point it rivaled Crowthu’s and Yotul’s tent in size and luxuriousness. And bright blue.

“Wow, who’s tent is that?” You asked Zorroku.

“Ours,” Zorroku beamed at you. “Do you like it?” Zorroku asked.

“I love it! It’s so beautiful.” You praised in awe.

“Good, it was the tent my dad had made for my mother and what they lived in when she was warchieftess, so as long as you don’t mind a hand-me-down, it’s ours now.” Zorroku informed you as you rode over to it and when you went inside you saw that all the things that had been in your tent that you had left back at home along with all kinds of things that had all once been Sharn’s things were now inside and Zorroku’s things were now being brought inside and once your treasure and wedding gifts were put inside, it was dripping with luxury that you nearly pinched yourself because it was almost too good to be true. Your new bed was even bigger than before, it was bigger than if you took your old bed and Zorroku’s bed and put them together. And it had two super soft mattresses and piled so high with furs and blankets you would never get cold and the sheets were pure silk and heavenly soft, it was a bed fit for a king and the walls were three layers thick. The outer shell which was actually quite simple and acted as a waterproof layer for the outer walls and the roof and just plain bright blue, a super thick middle layer that was thick wool sewn to leather for when winter would set in and the third, a thin inner layer that was a cotton and silk blend and breathed like nobody’s business and that layer was painstakingly hand painted and embroidered, each panel a different design. You could spend years appreciating each and every single one and giant and rather thick tapestries, also decorated like the inner layer, but with gold and silver thread, which were on a special inner frame on the inside of the tent provided ‘walls’ and a ceiling for the inside so that you could have private rooms and public rooms and hallways as big or as small as you wanted and could be changed easily to suit your mood if you wanted along with thinner parted blankets that had metal plates in them so that you could knock on them like doors. On the inner frame it was also strong enough to support a second story and even third story within the tent. It was like this tent was it’s own house, but greater than anything you had ever known or encountered before. The more you explored it and were in it the more you loved and adored it and the more you could see yourself living here in this tent with Zorroku for the rest of your life.

But it felt like the moment you got settled, Zorroku, his brothers, his father and his clansman were going to leave again, they were going to go to The Beserker Clan, The Infamous Hand Clan and The Nightmare Mammoth Clan to rescue their slaves and finish off the clans for good and annex their lands as The Great Thunder Herd Clan’s lands which had been agreed upon at your wedding feast after you had defeated them. Thankfully some outstanding armor was gifted you in your treasure pile that fit Zorroku remarkably well while his clansman and brothers had cousins had quickly and easily plundered from the armor and weapons the triplets and their clansmen that your magic had left untouched but you still worried for him and the night before he had to leave- you clung to him desperately as the two of you laid in bed, even though you knew he would return, you still feared for him and you prayed and wished that your blessings could transfer to him, you wished and prayed with all your might and by a miracle, it worked. You felt the magic transfer to him as did he.

“What was that?” Zorroku asked as he peered down at you curiously.

“A prayer getting answered.” You cried happily as you kissed him deeply as you pulled him to lay over you to make love to you one last time before finally falling asleep and at daylight, he and his clansmen left. You were nearly beside yourself the whole time he was gone. You cooked up a storm and Yotul and your sisters and sisters in law were only too happy to help you eat it, all of you using food to comfort your stress and worry and did your best to stay busy, if only to keep you distracted and now your big bed felt so empty without Zorroku in it and you had packed him some special snacks, including dried and preserved peaches and the jerky that had been made from your bucks that you had killed that first day, since you had helped flavor and preserve that too, using techniques and flavors you had invented yourself.

One of your new favorite past times was to rearrange your tent until it was perfect. Your new servants from the triplet clans were amused yet understanding and did their best to help you in everything, no matter how many inches you needed the furniture moved over, often sneaking calming and soothing incense into all the burners without you telling them to do so and giving you soothing and calming teas too and even massaged you to sleep to help ease your own anxiety and worry because you were the best mistress they had ever had, you made sure they ate very well, were dressed really well, were treated unbelievably well and were never at the mercy of anyone but you and even then you were very kind to them and even allowed to have families of their own and that they had a whole section of nice tents connected to yours so that they were always close by to serve your every need. They even helped you ride the phoenixes and the griffins to pass the time, often letting you ride as high as you could but it was never high enough to see Zorroku and his army of clansmen.

A week later, Zorroku and his brothers and father and clansmen returned with over three thousand slaves and workman and all that had belonged to the three clans and all the slaves wanted to meet you personally and thank you for ending their suffering at the hands of their former masters and revered you as a goddess which was a little unsettling for you but you did your best to help them get settled and taken care of but only after you welcomed home your husband properly, nearly spending a whole day just in the bedroom chamber of your tent and had each other so many times your sex was getting a little raw and over stimulated in between nursing Ori and feeding each other. Zorroku stuffed you so full of his cum that you really did look a little pregnant because Zorroku had been saving it just for you and the blessings you had shared with him had saved his life a few times and he in turn got to save his brother’s lives and his father’s life even. The triplet warchief’s sons however, most of them under the age of 5, came to live at your clan and you worked with them and welcomed them just as warmly as their mothers and soon you were known as Auntie Peaches to a couple hundred kids and you started a school so that all of them would get educated.

Zorroku’s brothers, mainly Silag and Winug, Yalak and Grushnug taking all the concubines they wanted from the former wives of the triplet warchiefs and now had dozens of sons each. And dozens of women seemed to approach Zorroku so that he could take them in turn but he very politely refused them, insisting he would only ever have you which pleased you greatly and filled you with so much relief and you protected each other by gently refusing their personal service to you and Zorroku, thankfully the servants you had gained at your wedding understood that you were guarding your own heart and Zorroku’s heart and fidelity and they helped tremendously in weeding out servants who would want to elevate themselves by bedding either yourself or Zorroku. You were so proud of your brothers Dastan and Ryzen for not taking any concubines because Glasha and Marn deserved all of their love and devotion.

The kitchen tent then doubled in size simply because you had groups of 25 at a time, new groups every day for a few weeks, trying to learn how you cooked and what you liked and what the warchief’s family liked and you made sure they respected and obeyed Yotul just as much as they did you because she was the current warchieftess and with so many servants and slaves, all who were doing their best to anticipate your every need, want and desire, you grew a little frustrated because they were waiting on you hand and foot which your sisters and sisters in law and mother and mother in law and everyone else quickly got used to but you had worked all your life and so you didn’t take to it as easily as they did which to Zorroku was amusing but also a good sign. But now that all the work you usually did was now being done by others it did let you embark on a quest of your own. You wanted to create a book similar to Khagra’s. You wanted a book on every clan and a complete history of orc-dom and you started with The Great Thunder Herd Clan and made sure you noted both the paternal and the maternal lines because you wanted to guard against cousins unwittingly marrying each other like you discovered when you met all the clans at your feast.

And to no one’s surprise, by the end of the month, you didn’t have your moon blood and when Mama Arob tested you for pregnancy and it came back positive- everyone was overjoyed, especially when Marn and Glasha also tested and proved positive. However Zorroku’s joy was tempered with caution and worry and you found yourself beyond pampered and waited on hand and foot and your diet restricted yet expanded by full of new foods to nourish yourself and your unborn babe, your mother pushing you to eat just as many vegetables as you were eating fruits, breads and meats and you found you were eating almost constantly, your new servants making all kinds of treats for you and your body got even more curves, you felt like your ass doubled, even though it literally didn’t, it felt that way anyway and your hips got even wider and your boobs even bigger and you felt you looked further along than you really were. But Zorroku was practically insatiable and touching you constantly with either a hand on your lower back or around your shoulders or around your waist or on your belly when you were sitting down to all your meals as he and his father learned to trade with the other clans the way Khagra already had been which is something you and Shuzug helped them learn well and because of this the clan prospered better than it ever had been before. You knew Zorroku was nervous about your pregnancy, it being your first and he was terrified of his last experience repeating itself and was treating you like glass and made sure everyone else treated you like glass too- to the point he didn’t want to have sex with you for fear it would hurt the baby and you had to drag him to Mama Arob who showed how your pregnancy was already beyond stable and that as long as he was gentle, you could have all the sex you wanted and from there, he wouldn’t leave your side. You even bathed together, Zorroku washing your body with extreme care and reverence before you actually got to have sex in the tub once you dismissed the bathing attendants which was a wonderful new experience for you and one you delighted in so much, your servants asked the blacksmiths to create a new bathing tub just for you and Zorroku to enjoy which they did, also out of copper because of the purifying qualities copper had on water.

Four months later you found yourself in the warchief family tub again though, this time with the women of the family, you and Glasha sitting side by side with Marn on the other side of her, your pregnant bellies looking like you’ve swallowed little kettles already as your mother was on the other side of you fussing over Ori’s hair which had not only gotten thicker, like ridiculously thick, but so much longer and now naturally curly just like yours was and absolutely darling, as your little sisters were dipping under the water in the middle and your sisters in law, Grat and Rek were in similar states, only their bellies were much bigger since they were a month ahead of you, Glasha and Marn as you all relaxed in the hot water, welcoming the relief the water gave your bodies from the weight and strain of being pregnant as your servants braided your hair extravagantly as you and Glasha and Marn all had your hands on each other’s bellies to feel for movement and kicks as you wondered what you were pregnant with as you talked about dreams you had had, feeling that dreams often revealed what the baby was. You felt you were carrying a boy since your dreams revealed that to you while Glasha felt she was having a girl and Marn felt she was having a boy too. But Dastan and Ryzen both didn’t care if they were having either or, but they were nervous whether or not their girls would be having twins or not.

In your eighth and ninth month of pregnancy you finally weaned Ori, since most orc babies got weaned at just after turning one even though human babies usually got weaned at 2 and so you still felt guilty weaning her so “early” by your standards but Mama Arob assured you that she had gotten enough milk to be perfectly fine and healthy for the rest of her life, your last time nursing her, your milk changing again per your request of Mama Arob and it was back to the super rich first milk only it would set up her guts so that she could eat any food she wished and be fine, even onions and garlic and to your relief, Ori took a great interest in solid food at about this time too, thanks to you and your mother especially making babied versions of it, cooking meat especially until it was practically melting in the mouth and barely needed chewing at all. However in the last month, it both looked and felt like your belly and Marn’s belly and Glasha’s belly all exploded in size, to the point you couldn’t get up out of bed and everything had to be brought to you as you were put into a birthing bed that had a hole cut in the middle of it so you could still use the bathroom when you needed to and it took both Zorroku and Shuzug to lift and carry you to the birthing bed set up in your tent.

And then the births started to come. Rek and Grat giving birth only a day apart, both of them having boys, but a month later Marn was first and gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, both with bright red hair since your brother’s hair was closer to bright red rather than the dark auburn you and Grace had. Glasha gave birth only four days later, also to set of boy/girl twins. But it took another few days after that until you went into labor. Zorroku refusing to leave your side and held your hand through all of it when he wasn’t massaging your back, especially your lower back. He was more nervous and anxious than you were and you were the one assuring him and reassuring him that everything was going to be ok which the midwives thought was adorable if not amusing. You had Mama Borba and Mama Gak both helping you too, Mama Gak especially reassuring Zorroku how great you were doing and had Zorroku come and get between your legs when the baby crowned and he got to see for himself that while all women usually bled during the birthing process, it was a tiny fraction of the blood his first wife bled which helped his own worries. And Zorroku then got to help birth his first and then his second son since you, by surprise had been carrying twins too! You had thought you had been carrying a giant baby, but instead you were carrying two normal sized orc baby boys who were still a very hefty ten pounds each. You knew without Mama Arob’s blessings, it would have been very hard for you.

“Oh my gods! Bella! You were carrying two!” Zorroku exclaimed happily as he started crying tears of joy and gratefulness and relief as the midwives started to clean you up and the boys up as he cut the umbilical cords before you passed both sets of afterbirth and after that, you gladly took both boys as pillows were brought in so that both boys were at your sides and under your arms and propped up so that they could drink their first milk, their big bright blue eyes looking at you in wonder as you cooed to them, them recognizing your voice from all the cooing and singing you had done during your pregnancy.

“So which one do we name Zunli?” Zorrku asked as he came and sat next to you, looking down and marveling at his sons after he had gotten Ori from your mom and brought her in to see her new brothers, noting how they had dark red hair like you but the same dark blue skin he did and they were so cute. The most handsome half orc baby boys anyone had ever seen before.

“Li?” Ori repeated as she pointed the one closest to her and Zorroku and yourself gave each other a questioning glance and shrugged and nodded.

“That’s right, that’s your brother Zunli.” You cooed to Ori.

“What do we name him?” Zorroku asked you as he nodded over to the other one.

“Well Urzu was the runner up name, I would think since he was the second born...” You recalled.

“Urzu it is.” Zorroku nodded in agreement and you grinned because you preferred that name anyway so you and Zorroku were both getting your way.

“So that’s Zunli and that’s Urzu.” Zorroku repeated to Ori as he pointed to each one.

“Zu?” Ori repeated.

“Yup, Li and Zu.” Zorroku nodded in agreement and she smiled really big, showing off her little teeth that had come in just as you were weaning her the month before as all five of you rested and relaxed with your new little family of five.

#orc #orc romance #orc love story #orc lemon #Zorroku and Peaches part 6

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