Stars under Ashenvale - A WarCraft 3 fanfic

Written by Spiritblade

Disclaimer: WarCraft 3 belongs to Blizzard. The characters in this story belong to me. And be forewarned, this is my (very pathetic) attempt to an erotic fanfic. I lack experience in that particular genre, and need (a lot of) practice. Many of the writers I admire (my friend included!) have that in their skill set…and here I am without it. Envy, Ambition and Pride – by the Prophets, what a mix of sins to live with! :)

Without further ado, let us begin. And please forgive my amateurish attempt. I fired this from the hip – and as such, expect a firing squad in return. I have not played World of WarCraft (but I have played WarCraft 3), and as such, I must ask your pardon for any discrepancies – and the liberties I have taken – in the crafting of this story.

(O)

The first time I met him, it had been when the world stood on the brink of being devoured by the Burning Legion. He had been younger then, hot-blooded and fiery as was the way of humans who had yet to learn wisdom. But, it had been those same flaws that had drawn my sisters – including those of the Quel'Dorei and the human females – to him. To see him fight, to feel his arms around you, was to know hope and strength, to find faith and courage. I know him better than most, as I was by his side the longest.

I have seen the tears that flowed down his face as he mourned for his comrades and the innocent and despairing. I remember the anguish as he fought his brother, the formidable Death Knight known to human, elf and orc-kind as the Angel and cut him down. I remember the anger in his eyes as he cursed those who had driven his older brother into the waiting arms of Evil. I remember how passion could turn his storm-grey eyes silver, and reflect the hunger that burned within his heart.

He is as untameable as the storms, my Larras. It was that one trait he shared with his older brother. Both loved fiercely.

Perhaps introductions are in order. My name is Alessa Solarglade. I am a Night Elf, or Kal'dorei, in the tongue in the tongue of the Quel'Dorei, the High Elves. I have lived for over seven thousand years, and have been part of the Sentinel Army for the better part of five. In that time, I have fought battles, laughed and loved under the sun and stars that have blessed my ancient homeland of Ashenvale. My body is sleek, lithe and strong, a testament to the centuries I have spent pursuing the way of the warrior. Whether by blade or bow, I have known few equals. Even Larras could not match me.

No, only in one field has he ever conquered, and only there will I ever yield – and yield gladly. I run my hands over my human lover's well-built, powerful frame. I knew every scar on his body, as he knew every curve of mine. It is hard to resist temptation. It caresses like a soft flame, the heat not searing, but comforting. It whispers like the soft desert wind, fragrant with the scent of spices and the chime of crystals. I lower my head, allowing my soft, purple locks to fall over his body, and breathed in the scent of my human lover. Mingled with the scent of herbs and medicines applied to his wounds was an earthly scent that caused a warm heat to pool in my loins. Lower I went, till my head rested on his chest, to hear the strong, glorious sound of his heartbeat.

I smile. Had he been awake, the loose robes I wore would have revealed enough to send him back into unconsciousness. My mother had raised an eyebrow when she saw what I wore, and asked if I had plans to ride my beloved while he was still out cold. That, she had added in mock displeasure, is not as fun as riding him when he is awake and able to enjoy both the view and the ride. My father, who had been downing a cup of warm tea made from the leaves in Larras's satchel, promptly spat out his drink…stared at me, at my mother and started laughing uproariously. My siblings had the courtesy to look bashful at the sexual innuendos that flew hot and heavy.

Yes, my race had few equals in the arts of love – or war. And I have every intention of showing Larras all that I had learnt. When he opens his eyes, our time together would begin. I kissed him, and left him to rest.

X X

Larras had once told me, a blade swung with a purpose is a weapon that sings with joy; it reflects the spirit and the conviction of its wielder, no matter how brief that moment may be. The adage holds much truth, especially when I look at my friend and rival, Myssa Shadowborn, cross swords with my peers within the training halls of Kal'Aceras, the Ancient of War. I could sense that the Ancient was watching the match held within itself with interest. It had been a long, long time since one of the Quel'dorei had trained in its halls and the Ancient wanted to know how far his former students had gone.

Myssa was a mariner, a soldier of the sea. She had been part of the Quel'dorei armada that had tried desperately to fend off the Scourge's – and later on, the Burning Legion's – naval forces. The elaborate tattoo of a sword and an entwined winged serpent marked her as a member of Jaina Proudmoore's Vermillion Legion, the infamous and daring mercenary band who had earned the personal enmity of the Lich King himself for their temerity to launch an assault on his seat of power. Myssa's long, silver hair was a stark contrast to her tanned skin, a result of a life spent at sea.

I clapped as she disarmed Ashya, my lieutenant. Kal'Aceras gave a soft rumble of approval before returning to its meditation.

"Alessa," Myssa nodded, "Is Larras awake?"

I shook my head, and handed my friend a towel, "He's still sleeping."

"I see."

Myssa is both beautiful and seductive. Her body was made for earthly pleasures and the contest of wills, both of which she indulged to the fullest. Before I met him, Myssa had been one of Larras's companions. The two had known each other in the days when the human kingdom of Lordaeron was still whole, and had been lovers. Larras is, Myssa had told me, one of many she had taken into her bed. But, unlike most others, he was a gentle lover – and was more insatiable than any she had ever known.

Myssa had once told me that should she give birth to her first child, there was no doubt in her mind that Larras would be the one responsible for siring it. She warned me that once I drank deep of his chalice, I would want more. More than once, he had tipped it over my body, to drench it with life-forging fluid, to mark me as his own. And many more times, he had drenched the walls of my womb with it, filling it beyond capacity, causing my body to convulse in ecstasy and my heart to stop as it comprehended what was taking place.

I will write the destiny of our unborn sons and daughters in my body. And long before they are born, I will sing to them. And when they are, I will tell them stories that have spanned centuries of life, and impart to them knowledge that was meant to endure eternity. The image of my and Larras's daughters, perched on his knee, sleeping against his powerful frame, was an enthralling image in itself. A woman can bind a man in many ways, but the strongest chains, I realize, are affection and devotion. Let him regard his children, let them regard him, and watch as all his strength is devoted to them.

"Will you stay…?" I asked Myssa.

The silver-haired Quel'dorei smiled, and shook her head, "No. Our wager is over, Alessa. You won. I will return to rejoin my comrades and continue our fight against the Scourge. And I will tell them of how we defeated the Angel, if they have yet to learn of it."

I did not speak for several minutes, before asking, "How is Aliera…?"

"She has made plans to return to her clan. You should speak to her while you can. I will warn you…she has not taken losing Larras well."

I nod. It is time to close this chapter in our lives. Myssa was easy. To calm the hot-tempered female Draenei whose skill with magic and blade equalled my own would not be. Nonetheless, it must be done. As I walked out of Kal'Aceras, I caught sight of Myssa rubbing her lower belly in an unconscious gesture of affection. Was she…?

Yes, she was.

X X

To say Aliera Stormfury was not pleased to see me was an understatement. Beautiful in an inhuman, primal way, sensuous and regal, the female Draenei who had been both my friend and rival, stood up from the desk in which she had occupied for the past week, studying the lore of my race. Soft, dark locks cascaded over her shoulder, a contrast to the light blue skin and the horns that curved gracefully over her head. Aliera was clad in an ornate bustier and girdled loincloth adorned with the sigils of her clan. The long, curved blade that was belted around Aliera's slender waist glittered with starlight, the magical weapon having been roused by its mistress's anger.

"So, I take it you are here to gloat over your victory, Alessa?" Aliera's voice was icy and cutting, causing my kin nearby to wince and many more to quickly depart. The air was thick with thunder and hostility, and the sound of Aliera's hooves on the wooden floor as she strode towards me reinforced the image of an impending clash. One of my kin immediately whispered to the Head Librarian to quickly get the guards before the two of us reduced the Library to kindling. A glance in their direction froze them both in their tracks.

"No," I replied as I met Aliera's glowing eyes, "This is a victory where both the victor and the vanquished reap the rewards of their efforts. You have not lost, Aliera. On the contrary, I'd say you won a prize that was meant to be shared…" And I looked left and right, making a smooth gesture of dismissal to my kin, "And it is one beyond price."

"Stop speaking in riddles, Alessa. I have no time for your wordplay."

"You're with child, aren't you…?"

Aliera flinched as if struck. I chuckled, and strode past her to the desk she had occupied moments before. I picked up one of the books, and browsed through it briefly before returning it to the pile in which it had rested. By then, my comrade had regained her composure.

"How did you…?"

"How could you not be?" I countered Aliera, my lips curving into a playful grin, "Considering how many times you have lain with Larras, I think the chances of you NOT getting pregnant are low. But, that aside…" and I turned to look out the window, "Aliera, what will your family think when you give birth to a half-Draenei, half-human child? Will they accept him?"

"Her," Aliera corrected me, "And yes, they will. And do not worry. I will deal with my father the same way I will deal with you when I return from my world. Larras is mine, Alessa. He is the father of my child. I will not let some elven hussy run away with my man. Especially when she has yet to conceive…"

One big opening there…

"Oh, don't worry about that," I gave Aliera a playful scowl that stoked the furnace of her ire all the more, "That can be remedied…"

"You are going to regret those words," Aliera drew her sword.

"Make me," I said before tracing a mystic circle in mid-air and calling my weapons and armour from their resting places in my room, "But let's settle this elsewhere…"

X X

Ouch, ouch, ouch! I had known beforehand that taking Aliera on in a duel was a bad idea, but the pain of my bruises told me just HOW bad. Aliera could fling an orc twice her size – and she was no taller or bigger than me, mind you – across the room (and reduce him to bloody ruin in half the time) with ease. Had it not been for my Charms, I would be sporting more than just a few broken bones. Thankfully, a quick trip to the Moon Wells had healed us both of both bruise and broken bone. The Moon Wells' caretakers had been horrified; my subordinates who had been there paying their respects to our Goddess, more so.

There was no doubt in my mind that my parents and siblings would get wind of this soon. The friendship between Aliera and I had been strained for a long, long time. The clash between the two of us had been long in the coming. But what surprised me was the way the duel had ended. Not with either of us sending the other to the afterlife, but with an agreement that had left me wondering if I had drunk too much wine from the night before. I cursed myself inwardly for spending too much time around Myssa; that damned Quel'dorei had fired one suggestion once, months ago, on how to end my rivalry with Aliera.

I looked up at the moon that hung high above Ashenvale, its warm, gentle light illuminating the ancient home of my people and guiding those of many others to their rest. A soft tinkle of chimes caused me to turn and look at the entrance of the Grove, and a warm wind caressed my skin. It brought with it the scent of roses and myrtle…and soft, approving laughter I knew to be the voice of my Goddess.

"The gods have a sense of humour…."

I chuckle and walk towards my home. That they do, beloved, that they do. And now, you must live with their judgment.

X X

Larras had woken from his slumber some hours after I had left, and had gotten himself acquainted with my family…and a horde of adoring children who practically swarmed him, begging him for stories of distant lands and for another song on his lute. My neighbours had taken the chance to sit around and listen as well, for the lands beyond the Great Ocean were as mythical to them as they were to the newly-arrived humans who were cast out from their homeland.

The magical moment, however, was broken when the daughter of one of my neighbours, barely thirty years of age (a baby, in the eyes of my race), asked Larras a question that left him red and my kin around him laughing. I took that opportunity to make myself known. My beloved could fight himself out of a corner; I had seen the end result of those who thought they had the upper hand severely regret their bravado seconds later. Children – especially children with sharp minds and mischievous intentions – would do Larras's enemies could not: render him helpless. Upon seeing me approach, my kin and their children parted, many of them bowing in respect. More than one, I saw, had a playful glint in their eyes as they greeted me. I turned red when one of my female neighbours whispered softly to her husband that tonight would be a noisy one, and that they should shut the windows tighter than usual. I shot the culprit an annoyed look; the latter's grin would have put a Burning Legion Doom Guard's to shame.

It seems that I will have no choice but to take my beloved elsewhere.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Sore. And the others…?" he asked.

"Their wounds were less serious than yours. I swear, had my parents not chased them away, Aliera and Myssa would still be standing guard over your bed, if only to prevent the other from taking advantage of you. You really need to choose your companions better, Larras."

"I know," Larras replied, before looking around him, taking in the sight of my beautiful, mystical homeland and burning its image into his soul, "And I did. Thanks to the three of you, my brother can now rest peacefully, knowing that the wrongs done to him were made right. I only wish…I could have freed him of the Lich King's clutches."

"You did what you could, Larras. The Lich King is a demigod; few in this world are his equal. For you to be able to stand up to one of his generals is an act worthy of a hero."

"Hero…?" Larras's voice took a bitter edge, "I don't feel like one, Alessa. I broke the hearts of the two girls my brother loved. I made his comrades in the Vermillion Legion realize that there is nothing left of the man they once knew, even though I promised Sheila that I would bring him back. I…"

I put a finger to his lips, "Even if you say and think otherwise, to me, to Aliera and to Myssa, you are one."

"Do you know," I traced my finger down his jaw, "what I thought of you when we first met? I thought you the worst kind of fool to challenge the Angel. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you were his younger brother and that his desire to bring you into the Abyssal Order of the Death Knights was motivated by nothing more than his duty to you. I am more than willing to take up the mantle."

"Eh…?" I could hear Larras's thought processes come to a crashing halt.

My lips curved into a playful smile, "I am willing to take up the mantle your brother left behind, Larras. And I am more than willing to share its weight," and I leaned forward, allowing him to see down my cleavage, "And more, besides…"

I saw the hunger in his eyes, the furious radiance in them making the blood pool in my loins and my heart to race. I thirsted…and the craving could only be sated in one way, by one person above all others.

"I can show you more of Ashenvale. Including," I moved into his arms, allowing him to savour the feel of my warm flesh against his, "where we can see the stars…"

(O)

Silver Lake was the place where my friends and I would gather after training in the Ancients of War – and it was here I buried many of them after the titanic clash between the races of this world and the demons of the Burning Legion. Eleven gravestones, each bearing the name of friends I had grown up with and who had died for a noble cause, gleamed in the light of the stars. It was as if the souls of my friends were welcoming me home. I had introduced Larras to my parents. Here, I would introduce him to my comrades who, though long past hearing, would be glad to know I have found someone worth loving. I smiled; if Xeria was still alive, she would never let me hear the end of it.

Larras walked to my side, gazing down at the gravestones, "So these are the graves of those you told me about?"

I nodded, and knelt down, "It has been a long time since I took time to visit them. Always, I wondered what I could have done to preserve their lives. But I knew that the victory we won could not have been won without sacrifice. My parents had always told me that our lives are measured by what we have done with the time that is given to us. Your people, no doubt, see the wisdom in such a proverb, as your lives are but a fraction of our own. Enough of this; let me show you where Xeria, Shera and I used to bathe…"

I took Larras's hand and led him to a secluded grove, where warm waters flowed. Steam rose from its milky surface. Larras looked at me in askance.

"These waters are warmed by the heart of a dormant volcano. The minerals in the water are excellent not only for the skin, but for aches and pains as well," I explained, as I released the clasps of my breastplate and cuirass, allowing me to remove them and revealing the undergarments I wore beneath, "And it is private enough for what we intend to do next…"

I turn towards Larras, a playful leer on my lips, as I slowly removed the last of my clothing, allowing the moonlight to play over my lavender skin and over the purplish aureoles of my breasts, tracing a gentle path to my stomach and to the juncture of my thighs. I did not cover them. Instead, I reached behind and lifted my thick mane of hair high and turned a full circle slowly, sensuously, so that my beloved could see what he would soon touch. I was no shy woman of the human court; I am a warrior and a general. My body is a weapon, made into one by my teachers and hardened by years of war and travel. I could feel his excitement and lust, and it stoked mine as he ran his eyes over my naked body.

I glide closer to him with the grace of my kind, my hand touching the enormous erection beneath his trousers, rock hard and pulsing. I undid his trousers, allowing them to fall to his ankles, before guiding him into the pool, beneath the waterfall, allowing it to crash down upon the both of us. There, Larras pulled me into his arms, kissing me hungrily, his phallus hard against my belly as he ran one of his callused hands down my back to my buttocks. Slipping it to my inner thigh, which was already drenched with fluids, he lifted one of my legs, parting the last barrier to his taking me. I closed my eyes, taking in the sensations. Though Larras knew every curve and contour of my body, though he had touched and kissed it many times, my body trembled as if it was the first time he was doing so. I felt like a young maiden again, experiencing the first taste of passion. The sound of my racing heart was thunder in my ears, and the molten fire that suddenly shot through my veins as he entered my body caused me to give vent to a gasp.

I felt my internal muscles grip the massive intruder that filled me, as it kissed the entrance to my womb and threatened to penetrate into its sacred interiors. My eyes widened. No, he was about to! By the Goddess, what did my mother slip into with his salves and food? I knew Larras was…big, but not THIS large. It did not take me long to know the answer: Aehr-Karalis. It was an aphrodisiac which improved the stamina and performance of men during copulation. It also aided in the healing of wounds (and the healers ALWAYS made sure that a dose of Sephralis was administered an hour later to cool the libido of their patients – something I am CERTAIN my mother did not do!). My mother had set me up! And my father and siblings had gone along with it! How could I have missed it? Regardless, I could not help but applaud the manner in which they had gone about trapping me.

Larras lowered me on the small outcropping of rock Xeria had once planed smooth with her magic. It had once served as a place where my comrades and I would put food and drink…or a bed in which to make love. I looked up at Larras with my silvery eyes, and nod. There is no point eluding the inevitable. Larras smiled, and ran a hand down my jaw, before thrusting his hips forward. My eyebrows shot to my hairline, as I felt the crown of his phallus pierce the gateway, and lodge itself deep within my body. My lips parted to give voice to the pain and pleasure that suffused my body, and Larras quickly put one finger in my mouth, and I instinctively bit down on it.

I knew that if I had, Bloodtalon would come charging in to kill whomever it was that was doing me harm. My Frostsaber tiger mount was fiercely protective of me. Understandable, since I raised it from when it was a cub. And the last thing I wanted was for this ecstasy to end. Larras started to thrust into my body, and each stroke caressed sensitive areas that made me shiver in pleasure. That pleasure became incandescent when my human lover pressed one hand down on my lower belly, increasing the sensitivity further. I moaned, almost begging him to not end his torment of me.

The world dissolved into a haze of sensation and yearning, and the only things I was aware of was of Larras within me, of the fierce hunger that did away with what little control and pride that remained, and of myself reaching with outstretched hands to that which laid spiralling peak of sweet passion.

Larras's thrusts started increasing in speed and his hips slammed against mine with more force, indicating that he was close to release. He pushed my legs further apart, so as to allow himself better leverage and penetration. 'Oh Goddess,' I prayed in my lust-addled mind, 'bless our union. Let our daughter laugh under the firmament of your grace…'

"I'm…coming, Alessa."

My voice was hoarse, my mind barely able to form the words, "Inside me, my love. Breathe…life…into our daughter…"

Larras needed no more encouragement. Not, my mind whispered treacherously, that he needed any. The first, ferocious eruption within my body slammed against the walls of my womb with the force of a thunderbolt. The second and third was just as strong, and the lesser four drenched the lower walls of my crucible, filling it to capacity. This time, Larras did not stop me from screaming the sky down. The light of the stars flared brightly, as if in celebration, as if to welcome the new soul that would soon walk beneath them. The warmth of my lover's seed within my body spread sensuous tendrils to every part of my body, causing me to tremble. The stone upon which Larras and I had made love was no doubt slick with the fluids of our coupling.

But I wanted more.

By the Goddess, how I wanted more.

And looking into Larras's eyes, I could tell that so did he. Grinning, I pulled him close, till he was over me, and rolled him over so I took the ascendant position. I kissed him long and passionately, stroking his still-hard phallus with my internal muscles. Then, I raised myself high, so that I straddled him, allowing him to slip deeper into my body. I took Larras's callused hands and laid them over my full breasts, inviting him to play with them. As he did so, I lifted my mane of hair high and began to swivel my hips, imitating the seductive dance of the dancing girls of Port Town.

The effects on my beloved were as I had hoped but in this position of lovemaking, I had given the advantage to Larras. It wasn't long before he spilt his seed into me once more, and it spilt from my body to leave white trails down the lavender skin of my thighs. I tumbled into his embrace, drenched in sweat, my strength all but spent. I heard my beloved's breathing and the sound of his heart, a magical sound that served to lull me to sleep. He stroked the back of my head, singing softly to our unborn child. I smiled, and closed my eyes. Neither of us would hear Bloodtalon come, hours later, dragging a blanket and pulling it over the two of us, purring happily as she leapt to the far edge of the small pool.

(O)

In the Solarglade house, the mother of the Solarglade House smiled as the spirit-owl she had sent to spy on her daughter returned. Everything was falling into place. She had managed to convince the Quel'Dorei and the Draenei female to remain. Now, all that was left was to find a domicile for her daughter's family – preferably one large enough to hold three women, their man, and his offspring. Standing up, she turned to her grinning husband, who shook his head in mock-disapproval, "You are a frightening woman, my wife. I cannot believe you would set up our daughter and her friends the way you had!"

"As if you are any different, husband," the woman's voice was amused, "You wanted this outcome, did you not? Our daughter has found a good man, even if he is not one of our kind, and sisters who will stand by her even if the world does not. After all…" the matron's expression became gentle, "It is the last favour we owed the Angel. Larras Iceblade now has a home, friends, and a family."

Her husband nodded, "And nothing can ever be more important."

Fin.

Author's afterword: Okay, now you have my permission to draw the knives, swords and guns. But before you proceed to skin me alive, my last words (or questions, as the case might be): Did I set the temperature of the story right? Did it flow well? And is a second draft advisable? Do leave a review behind to tell me if I screwed up or otherwise. Thanks.

Also, a selfish request: can someone draw a picture of this story's characters?