Zuldazar during the Blood War
After all the truly odd sights found in Zandalar, the sight of a goblin stepping out of a portal over the port and strolling casually on top of the water shouldn't really have made anyone on the Banshee's Wail bat an eye but it did. Particularly Jastor Gallywix, who grimaced in dislike. "Perzha."
The Farseer paused and looked up at him, grinning. Normally, Gallywix would have loved being in the power position and able to look down at her but it kind of lost some of its impact when you knew the person you were looking down on could flip the entire ship over with very little effort.
He honestly didn't know how to deal with Perzha Silvesocket anymore. It wasn't that she was more powerful than he was or anything...certainly not...but she'd come a long way from the little upstart of a shaman trying to pretend she could overthrow him back on Kezan. Back there, shaman had mostly been seen as eccentrics who couldn't truly make a profit because of some nonsense about balancing work with environment. Perzha in particular had been careful about it and had still managed to build a pretty good enterprise, which had always annoyed him. More, people actually seemed to like her for it, which annoyed him even more. Still, her belief she'd be a better Trade Princess than he was a Trade Prince had been ridiculous then and he was firmly convinced it was ridiculous now if she ever tried it.
But she hadn't. Perzha hadn't made any move against him since the Bilgewater Cartel had joined the Horde, sticking close to the Earthern Ring, but she remained irritatingly popular amongst their people. That loser Hardwrench practically worshiped her even though she hadn't been her personal assistant in years. And while still considered pretty eccentric- by everybody -the goblin shamans had risen to a certain level of respect for their help during the Cataclysm and fighting against the Legion- and Perzha was their de facto leader.
Somehow, some way, she'd risen to power behind his back in a place and way he could do little about. Which was the most irritating thing of all.
She smiled up at him now: a striking figure of dark green skin and electric blue hair styled into a tall mohawk, dressed in black leather robes studded with gold, a line of diamond studs going up the curve of each ear. And around her neck...
Gallywix stared greedily at the amulet that hung around her neck, the only thing in the world Perzha had that he wanted.
The Heart of Azeroth.
Even from his vantage point, he could see the way that it gleamed like no other stone ever had or could. He didn't care why that crazy dwarf had been stupid enough to give it to her, one day he'd take that thing off her corpse.
Perzha cocked her head, staring up at him like she could read his thoughts, and he shook them away. "What are you doing here, Silvesocket, I don't remember inviting you."
"I have a message for the Speaker of the Horde from everyone's favorite walking diamond. He makes people nervous so he sent me. I just wanted to stop by and annoy you first."
"It's flattering the way you're obsessed with me, Perzha, it really is, but I told you long ago you're just not my type." Gallywix smirked.
"Also Nessa wanted me to send her regards."
His smirk vanished and Perzha shot him one instead. "You haven't sent her one of your pretty paintings lately. She's a little hurt."
"I'll have one made," he said sourly.
"You're a darling, I'll pass that on." She gave him a little wave and moved around the ship, heading for the docks, still walking on top of the water.
Gallywix hadn't noticed Nathanos Blightcaller had come up to the railing as well and jumped a bit when he spoke. "Exactly what is it he wants with the Speaker of the Horde?"
Perzha made a motion as if she were mounting a set of stairs on the air, rising up over the water. She didn't even glance in Blightcaller's direction. "It is solely and completely in regards to that gigantic hole that's been ripped into the planet. So it's nothing that need concern the Warchief's snugglebunny, since she's made it clear she doesn't give a shit about that."
"How are those healing efforts going?" Eitrigg's voice came from another part of the ship.
Perzha landed on the docks and glanced briefly over her shoulder. "Not well."
Then she was gone.
Perzha had every intention of being properly polite and respectful in her real purpose for coming to Zandalar and she lucked out by coming across Jama in the marketplace. "Ah, two for two!"
The tauren turned at the sound of her voice, blinking. "Perzha?"
"Hello, sweetie. Heard you took down an Old God. Again."
Jama grimaced. "A manufactured one this time around which is...unnerving. I'd hoped we were starting to run out of them but that seems too much to hope for." She cocked her head. "What brings you here, Farseer?"
"Everyone's favorite diamond dwarf has a request he thinks you can help greatly with and felt I'd be best to explain." She lifted gleaming eyes the color of gold coins up to meet Jama's. "One link to another."
Jama nodded and motioned for her to walk, listening intently as she explained what they needed done.
The Chain of Azeroth.
Magni Bronzebeard had coined that term, which meant maybe Azeroth Herself viewed it that way as it truly did hold Her together. Not a physical thing. It referred to the world's greatest champions, that vast network of heroes across the planet that played a direct part in its existence. It went beyond factions, beyond race...who are what they were didn't matter. Sometimes they were great leaders or great heroes, sometimes they were unknown and unsung. Sometimes they were made aware of what they were, like Jama and Perzha had been (rather against their will to be honest) sometimes they went through their whole lives completely unaware. Whatever they were, however they lived their lives, wherever they came from, they had one thing in common: they were touched by Azeroth.
Perzha whistled as they mounted the stairs to the palace. "Nice digs."
"The Zandalari know their architecture."
Perzha raised her eyebrows as the guards merely nodded to Jama as they passed. "Speaker of the Horde. How's that for a title? Jama, sweetie, who'd have thought you'd end up being the most politically astute among us Chain Babes."
"Well, my lover is also my chieftain and in this Horde, that means I kind of had to learn fast."
"Hey, I get how weird that can be. Technically speaking, my wife works for me. But don't tell her I said that."
Jama snorted. "How is Nessa? And Hayley?" she asked, referring to Perzha's wife and stepdaughter.
"Rolling along quite nicely. Nessa's been working with Rowen Anmare's husband to help keep us supplied in Silithus and it's lucky for us they're so damned good at it. I knew Nessa was a genius, of course, but Ethan's almost as good."
"That's what he did back in Gilneas, working for Rowen's father," Jama commented. "Organizing supplies, hunting food for everyone."
"Nessa too, once she was exiled." Jastor Gallywix, Jama knew, had exiled Nessa Maldy and her father after he'd overthrown him, destroyed their fortune and taken control of the Bilgewater Cartel. Perzha had reached out to her while in Pandaria to hire her and her people as 'independant contractors', pointing out that she'd been exiled from Kezan. Which didn't exist anymore. She'd done it mostly to piss off Gallywix but had ended up falling in love with her.
That, Perzha was happy to declare, was the very definition of a win/win situation.
Perzha let out a low whistle, eyeing some of the Zandalari discreetly. "Mm. So many of your new Horde pals are so nice and tall. Some of those Highmountain shamans and druids that have come to help...and now these lovely trolls." She gave Jama her patented leer, looking her up and down. "You know I like 'em big."
Jama didn't even bat an eye. "So do I."
Perzha clapped a hand over her heart dramatically, laughing.
"Don't proposition the princess," Jama warned.
"From what I hear that one might be too much for me anyway."
They found Talanji talking quietly with Baine in the Great Seal. Jama's gaze immediately went to her chieftain as it always did, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of him. Perzha nudged her leg. "Man, I always forget how big you like 'em."
Jama flicked her tail. "You hush."
Perzha's snicker caught Baine's attention and he turned his head to look at them. He met Jama's eyes for a moment and gave her that warm, quiet smile of his that always sent a thrill though her heart before he looked at Perzha. "Farseer?"
Jama stepped forward and bowed to Talanji. "Your highness, may I introduce Perzha Silvesocket, the Farseer of the Earthern Ring."
Perzha bowed. "A Farseer of the Earthern Ring now, actually. Once we beat back the Legion, I mentioned I wasn't really suited for running the Ring on a day to day basis and there was a ringing silence in reply that was no one disagreeing with me. It's an honor to meet you, your highness."
"Perzha is part of the effort to heal the wound Sargeras left behind," Jama explained.
"Welcome to Zandalar, Farseer." Talanji sounded neutral but she was eyeing Perzha curiously.
"I apologize for bothering you, your highness, but I have a rather odd request on behalf of that effort," Perzha said, on her absolute best behavior. She glanced at Jama.
"They want MOTHER," Jama said quietly when the princess looked at her in question.
Talanji blinked. "Dat titan thing from Uldir?"
"They think she can help analyze the damage in Silithus and figure out a way to help heal it. It is kind of what she does." Jama was careful not to mention any names and she saw Talanji pick up on it, meeting her gaze for a long moment. Brann Bronzebeard was, strictly speaking, part of the Alliance but he had helped them cleanse Uldir.
"However, it's just rude to come into someone's kingdom without warning or permission and take stuff from their titan vault, so I'm hoping we can gain you and your father's permission to take the titan watcher to Silithus. I give you my vow it won't put any of your people at risk. They probably won't even notice."
Talanji was silent for a long time, studying Perzha as she thought it over.
Baine had made his way across the room to Jama's side and laid a hand on the small of her back in a show of silent support.
"I suppose with G'huun dead, we don't really need her dere," Talanji finally ventured.
Jama nodded. "And if I might add, Princess, this might discourage her from trying out any...ah...experiments."
Talanji winced, her expression twisting into a look of disgust that Jama absolutely shared. The things they'd seen in Uldir had been sick and twisted even by Old God standards. Jama still felt like she needed to take a bath every time she thought of G'huun. Talanji nodded. "All right. You have permission to take her as long as the Speaker accompanies ya."
Perzha beamed and bowed again. "Thank you very much, Princess. You did a fine service to Azeroth by ridding us of G'huun's rot in the first place and now you've done it another great service!"
Talanji looked amused rather than insulted. Perzha had that effect on people. The princess looked at Jama. "I'd like to hear back after it be done."
"Yes, your highness." Jama glanced up at Baine and squeezed his hand lightly.
Baine bent his head and spoke so only she could hear. "Are you sure you'll be all right going back there?" He knew better than anyone how much these fights cost her.
"I'll be fine," she assured him.
"And I'll be waiting for you, beloved." He stepped back reluctantly and let her go, his eyes never leaving them.
Perzha informed her that the dwarven brothers were waiting for them. She managed to control herself for as long as it took to leave the palace before she simply couldn't help it: "I've worked with fire in pretty much every form it comes in but, damn, that animal heat..."
"Shut up, Perzha."
"I'm just saying you two could melt the snows of Northrend. You know, I've always kind of wondered..."
"One more word and you can save the planet on your own."
"You don't fool me but I'll hold myself back. It's just your ears go flat against your head when you're embarrassed and it's so cute."
"You know what? I hope there is something left in Uldir. So I can feed you to it."
Perzha caught a glimpse of a dark figure out of the corner of her eye. Blightcaller. He watched them go silently and didn't approach but Perzha wondered how much he knew or had heard. It didn't matter to her but she felt a twinge of worry for Jama.
Speaker of the Horde, she reminded herself uneasily. She was too important a champion for him to try and harm her. But she thought maybe when she got back to Silithus she'd talk to Rowen- another link in the Chain -that Jama needed someone outside the Horde watching her back.
AN: All that about Nessa Maldy comes from "Trade Secrets of a Trade Prince" by Gavin Jurgens-Fyhrie