Chapter Three
Roj'kah woke shortly before dawn, a habit he found difficult to break even when on holiday. But this morning he was filled with anticipation at the thought of seeing the beautiful rogue. He had lain awake for quite some time the night before, her lovely smiling face filling his mind. He had thought of how pleasing the sound of her laughter was...and how he'd wanted to keep doing whatever he could to keep hearing it.
Roj shrugged on his favorite leather pants and vest, relieved to be free of his heavy battle armor for a week. He then pulled his old goggles over his head and shoved them on his forehead. He frowned, thinking of his new little acquaintance, and felt the urgent need to spend as much time with her as she would allow before his next deployment started. He shook his head, pushing unpleasant thoughts of being apart form her out of his head. They'd just met, and they had the rest of the week to get to know one another, if she would allow it. He intended to win her heart by the end of it. He would worry about next week when the time came.
His next tour would be a doozy. He was a sergeant stationed out of Conquest Hold in the Grizzly Hills of Northrend and they were expecting a whole new group of trainees when he arrived back at base from leave. He wasn't looking forward to the prospect of getting them to a place where they would be efficient and effective with whatever task needed doing, which would likely be extremely dangerous and dirty work. Sergeant Nazgrim would take great pleasure in breaking the new bloods in. He rolled his eyes. At the moment, those tasks included securing whatever resources could be found before the Alliance found them, all while neutralizing the vyrkyl threat to Horde holdings. Sergeant Nazgrim would be relentless.
The warrior stooped over and peered at his reflection in a small mirror that hung on the wall over the washbasin. A sudden and unwelcome wave of self-conscious fear overtook him. He'd been with many troll and orcish women over the years. Hell, there was even an elf that he'd met back in basic training with whom he'd taken a tumble or two. She'd been a wild one, that was for sure! He chuckled at the memory. Most of the women he'd been with had admittedly been troll women, though, and so as such he had never felt shy or insecure about his appearance with them. But Zahri was no rugged troll woman. She wasn't even remotely like that one elf gal from boot camp that had seduced him behind the barracks. That girl hadn't been picky and had warmed the beds of most of the boys in his division, regardless of their racial heritage.
No…Zahri was nothing like that. In fact, he could instinctively tell that she was not one for casual encounters. Roj'kah thought maybe he'd be disappointed if she were. After their time hanging out last night he no longer felt any interest in conquest or luring her into his bed, though his attraction to her was undeniable. He simply enjoyed her company. She'd made him laugh and they'd talked about weapons, raptors, and compared notes on their favorite pubs in Northrend to find really good beer. They'd talked about the rigors and daily grind of military life.
They'd strolled through the crowded drag, threading through shops, and even stopping in the engineering section of the city, spending an hour looking over gadgets and talking about their various uses. He found the elven woman to be interested in the same things he was, with an affinity for all things mechanical and technical. The kiss had been an added bonus that he hadn't really expected to happen, or even be something she allowed, but he had welcomed all the same.
Roj'kah was surprised to find himself thinking of being with her for more than just a week; she was the first woman that he had ever spent time with that actually opened thoughts of what a future with her would be like...instead of just fun in the moment. She was funny, had a sharp sense of humor, was intelligent, and her experience in the military gave them something else in common…she was everything he'd ever dreamed a woman should be. But could she feel the same way about him? He was more than twice her size. He worried he'd break her! He could be loud, obnoxious, and was an incurable flirt. He had huge tusks and a big nose and hair that stuck up in all directions regardless of his best efforts to make it presentable. Elf men were so…pretty. He sometimes had difficulty telling the difference between elf men and elf women. He sneered arrogantly at his reflection and recalled the feel of her fingers running through his sideburns and the eagerness with which she responded to his kiss. Clearly the girl had a taste for the forbidden.
Their people may be allies because of the Horde, but the peace between their two species was tenuous at the best of times. He thought briefly of his cantankerous father and sharp-tongued sisters and let out a shudder at the thought of bringing Zahri home to meet them. Then there were her friends Veya and Jarkal. How in the world did they possibly make it work? To go by Jarkal's attitude from earlier, they were often on the defensive and were constantly justifying their relationship to others.
He shook his head and snorted at himself in the mirror.
"Ya be getting' way ahead of yaself, mon. Jus' go pick her up and have a good time. Ya got dat part down at least." he muttered to himself as he hurriedly tied half of the thick mass of dreads in a tail on top of his head and left the rest trailing down his back. He tried without success to tame the spiky shorter hair around his face by licking his hand and running it through it…without success. Giving up, he shrugged with a grin and was out the door.
The sun had just made its appearance over the horizon, lighting the the sleepy city in a pink post-dawn haze. He chuckled to himself when he saw festival-goers straggling and stumbling through the streets, having no doubt partied all night. Other than the few, die-hard revelers, the city was peaceful and quiet.
"Ey, mon, hard night?" Roj called out amiably to the sleepy stable hand upon arriving at the public stables. The bleary-eyed orc merely grunted in response, half-awake, waving him through. Roj grinned widely when he saw Ajia stabled right next to Sefu, his larger, orange raptor. Both beasts chirped a greeting, looking expectantly at the troll. He laughed and gave them each a hunk of jerky. He stroked his mount affectionately on his neck.
"I see ya found ya a lady friend, Sefu...I gotta say, mon, ya got good taste." He quickly saddled and bridled his companion, checking his saddlebags for supplies that may need refreshing. He would need to make a stop at a supply vendor before heading out. With a murmur and a scratch on the nose to Ajia, Roj led Sefu into the crisp morning air, swung a long leg over his back and headed for Zahri's inn.
Zahri sat on the bed absently brushing out her hair. It was still very early and she was already anxious to see the grinning, amber-eyed troll. She sighed and looked down at her clothes, wondering what they would do today, if they did anything. He may not even come over today! He'd never said if he would, and they'd just met! It was entirely possible that he had other things to do today. She touched her fingers to her lips. If that kiss was anything to go on, she felt almost positive he'd wish to see her. The question was, what to do with herself until then. She got up and looked out the tiny round window that overlooked a tranquil little enclosed courtyard nestled at the center of the inn. She huffed at herself, disgusted for how desperate she sounded, even if only withing her own mind. She knew she wanted to find Veya later that day and hear all about what she and Jarkal had been up to since she'd seen them last. She sighed and fidgeted, impatient and wondering if she should just go to the main room of the inn when she heard a soft knock at her door. Her heart leaped in her throat.
"Who is it?" she said through the door. She bit her lip and smiled, squeezing her eyes shut when she heard his deep, accented voice on the other side.
"Ya tour guide for da day, m'lady."
Giggling, she swung open the door, inhaling a small breath when she took in the troll's massive height. TALL! She smiled shyly when he handed her the most perfect fire bloom she had ever seen. She was utterly charmed by such a quaint yet courtly action.
"Thank you. It's beautiful." Zahri looked up at him, holding the fragrant flower to her nose, struck again by the intense warmth of his striking amber eyes.
"Well, I wanna say dat it not be half as beautiful as you, but dat would just be silly and predictable." he teased with a lopsided grin. And then he added with cool seriousness, leaning on the doorframe, "And I gotta protect my mean rep, ya see."
"Oh yes, of course you do." she deadpanned with mock solemnity. Then, feeling bold, she stepped up to him and stood on her tiptoes, the action causing him to lean down so she could reach him. Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she made an attempt to kiss him on the cheek but couldn't quite reach and ended up brushing her lips along his jaw. She blushed and stepped back quickly. The warrior flushed as well, shoving his hand within the mass of green dreads and rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously.
He didn't want her to know that he needed to do something with his hands to keep from grabbing her so they could resume the snog from the night before.
Yeah, there was definite chemistry there, it fairly crackled between them. But Roj did not want to scare this little one away if he followed his urges. He could wait.
Zahri bit her lip when he made no move to answer her chaste kiss. She relaxed and smiled brightly. His gentlemanly restraint was surprising and refreshing. She bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "So where are we going?" The warrior flashed an impish grin.
"Well, I was tinkin' I wanna show ya a really beautiful place...an' it's a bit of a ride from here, but we both got fast mounts, so what do ya say, elf-girl Zahri? Up for a leetle road trip?"
She giggled, "Lead the way, tour guide!" He snorted and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the inn.
She gasped when she saw Sefu. "He's gorgeous!" Roj beamed under her praise, genuinely proud because he knew how she appreciated raptors, and lovingly slapped the reptile on the flank. The over-sized rust colored beast swayed lazily from side to side, tossing his head as if preening at her praise.
"Ey don' be makin' dis ole lizard's head all beeg ..." the troll grinned.
Zahri snorted and bumped him with her shoulder, "Only one person who he would learn that from."
He grabbed his chest as if mortally wounded, and staggered. He said dramatically, "Ya really know how ta get a mon right here."
Zahri laughed and shoved his shoulder. 'Whatever! I have gotten quite the lesson in troll arrogance in the last twenty four hours."
"Hopefully, ya been payin' attention, mah lady. Charm's extra but I won't charge ya nothin' fo' it."
"How gallant of you!" she snorted with a sparkling eyes.
"Ladies first," he growled lowly as he gave her a leg up before swinging into the saddle behind her. They loped the short run to the stables so Zahri could retrieve Ajia and she couldn't help thinking how she wished she could just ride in front of Roj on his raptor, loving the feeling of his arms around her and his body against her back. She giggled to herself, knowing how impractical that would be.
After getting her raptor ready, they both mounted up and headed to the main commerce center of Orgrimmar. Once Roj'kah had made his stop at a vendor, they were ready to go. She reined Ajia to a halt just inside the gates of the city.
"Hey, you think we will be back by this evening?" she asked him as he pulled up beside her.
"Yeah, mon, I dun see why not. Ya got plans?"
Zahri nodded with a shrug. "I'm supposed to meet up with Veya later. She and Jark are one of the reasons I came to Orgrimmar for my leave." She glanced at him, her cheeks coloring. She wondered if he'd want her to elaborate about her friends. It was almost unheard of for an elf and a troll to be so public with their affections. Even more so for the pair to basically make their union official. Zahri admired Veya's bravery to face their people with her choice of life mate. It hadn't been easy for either of them. But they didn't care what anyone thought of what they had. They were desperately in love and they had both gone through hell to get to the point where they were today.
Zahri didn't know how Veya and Jark did it. They took a ton of grief from all sides. She fidgeted as she furtively glanced at the handsome warrior. What did he really think about it?
"Oh yeah, ya friend from yesterday wit da Darkspear brotha. Dey sure be somethin' alright." She gazed at him through her lashes to try and discern his thoughts. His easy, relaxed posture in Sefu's saddle made for an arresting sight of effortless grace.
Sun save her, is this how Veya felt when she'd first met Jarkal? She'd never been this close and personal with anyone of Darkspear heritage that wasn't of a professional nature. She became even more curious about them after meeting Jark and getting to know him. His presence filled a room, overwhelming and powerful, yet quiet and watchful. She found Roj to be much the same in terms of sheer presence, though he seemed leagues more light hearted and jovial than serious and solemn Jarkal. She cleared her throat and smirked. "Yes, indeed they are."
"C'mon, elf. Let's get a move on so I can have ya back befo' ya beeg troll brotha come and hunt me down."
The rogue grinned wickedly as she squeezed Ajia's sides with her knees. The raptor let out a loud chirp and shot forward right out the gate, leaving Sefu in her dust. The blood elf looked over her shoulder, laughing merrily. "If you think you can keep up!"
The warrior roared at the challenge, taking off like a shot after her.
The sun was steadily moving higher in the eastern sky but it was still way too early for most of the Brewfest revelers and so the troll and the elf sprinted swiftly on their raptors down the road leading south toward Razor Hill.
Once he'd beaten the elf at the impromptu race she'd started, they rode in companionable silence for the first half hour of the trip, the raptor's swift strides eating up the miles in the shaded cleft that led to Razor Hill. Zahri observed the troll sitting hunched over in Sefu's saddle. She thought he was certainly an agreeable sight in his worn, snug-fitting leathers and engineer's goggles, his wild hair swept back, the well kept dreadlocks tied in a thick tail on top of his head. Roj wasn't the first troll she had found extremely easy on the eyes. Jark was about as good looking a troll as she had ever seen, and she had surreptitiously checked out many males of the Darkspear variety over the months. They captured her in such an uncomfortable way and intrigued her greatly.
Perhaps it was her time spent in their village observing them in their own element. She'd never gotten to know any of them. They'd steered clear of her, the women and children distrustful of her presence. The men who had had no direct business with her simply ignored her. It didn't mean she didn't feast her eyes on them whenever they'd amble past. Their easy grace, love of laughter, and obvious affinity for their families fascinated her. That was some time ago and she had closely guarded her…preference. She never told Veya or Kredis or anyone else. Bloody sunwell, especially NOT Kredis. He'd definitely croak.
She felt a bit ashamed to be so taken with this particular troll, and was afraid that he would discover her...preference...and think that she simply wished to satisfy a kink. That really wasn't it at all. She liked this guy. As a person.
His being big, blue and sporting ferocious tusks certainly didn't hurt matters. She stifled a groan. She was such a shallow hussy.
This latest little adventure with the fun-loving warrior really couldn't be helped or avoided, truth be told. Sure, he had irritated her yesterday but his clear efforts to chat her up had been more than she could resist. She'd never had any troll take any notice of her to her knowledge, and to have one this sharp witted and handsome not only notice her, but FLIRT with her was exhilarating. She rolled her eyes slightly when she thought of Kredis, the thought of the paladin unwelcome at this moment. Light bless him, he was so sweet and such a good man and a dedicated paladin, but...she felt no attraction for him. And he was her own kind! She should want to be with him!
No, she didn't want to be with her own kind, or any specific kind. She wanted to be with Roj'kah…whatever that meant. She'd only known him for less than a day and she was already thinking that she wanted to be with him. Heavens. What was the matter with her?
He didn't just have a warm personality, he fairly radiated warmth. His sense of humor was wicked and he understood her dry wit when it usually went over most people's heads. And from the moment she met him, aside from his inadvisable teasing during her foul mood, he had shown her nothing but kindness and consideration, even draping his overshirt around her shoulders last night when the air of the drag became chilly. He'd had several opportunities to take advantage of her, but hadn't taken them. She glanced over at him and he turned his head right then and flashed her a crooked grin, nodding his head. Her stomach fluttered. The raptors were slowing to a walk as they reached the outskirts of the Horde outpost of Razor Hill. Roj'kah's gravelly voice cut into her thoughts, startling her.
"Whatchoo tinkin' bout all serious, Zaaaahri?" his lilting drawl releasing butterflies in her belly. Light preserve her, she'd heard the accent before from others, but to have it directed at her…wow. He'd reigned Sefu closer to her, so they were walking side by side.
Zahri blushed and looked away in embarrassment. Oh this was definitely making it worse. She just knew he was going to tease her because she was blushing red as a tomato. Her face was burning up. She replied in a small voice, "Oh, I'm just letting my mind wander..."
She turned her head to look at him, and he was grinning even wider now. Reaching over to take her hand in his, he leaned over gracefully in the saddle and kissed her palm but did not release her hand when he straightened. The gesture was something more reminiscent to a paladin in shining armor on a Thallassian charger. In fact, Kredis had done the same thing a time or two. It was endearing, and she found she liked the sight far better with Roj doing it, than the elf paladin.
"Where could dat mind of yours be wanderin', dis troll must ask."
Zahri was torn. Part of her wanted to just shrug him off and say it was nothing and keep her thoughts to herself like a good girl would. The other part of her wanted to see how far she could push this male's apparent chivalrous nature to continue being chivalrous. She blushed and shook her head, glancing at him and biting her lip. He was a predator through and through. Taunting him to see how far he would go would be playing with fire. The thought of the heat that had flared in his amber eyes last night as he'd leaned down to kiss her made her shiver. She didn't know how she would ever be able to handle such intensity directed toward her for any length of time.
Yet, here she was, alone with a man she'd just met, letting him take her to Light knew where.
He swung their joined hands together to get her attention and leaned down, peering into her face. "What it be ya tinkin' elf girl? Ya gonna leave me in suspense aren'tcha?"
She giggled and hid behind the curtain of her hair. "Yep."
Zahri wanted to laugh out loud at her own girlishness. When had she ever deemed it ok to flirt with strange men? When that man is a troll, apparently, she sneered at herself. She was asking for it! Playing with fire, indeed!
"Fine den, keep ya secrets, girlie. I have mah ways of extracting information."
Zahri raised a brow at him and primly took her hand back. Though her eyes danced mischievously, she retorted, "And I have my ways of neutralizing overly confident trolls who try to chat up innocent elves."
Roj'kah laughed hard, delighting in her sense of humor that seemed to be showing itself the longer he teased her. He reached up and tweaked her ear causing her to squeak and jump in the saddle, nearly causing her to lose her seat. He dodged her good-natured swat and lowered his goggles, reining Sefu just out of her reach. He smirked wolfishly.
Her laughter sent a jolt of warmth through him. With a firm kick he urged Sefu into a gallop, grinning wildly when he heard the elf's voice yell a sharp "Yahh!", her own raptor close on his heels.
Neither of them said much over the rest of the ride to the Darkspear Strand, both lost to their own thoughts. Zahri kept glancing over at the troll, her mind buzzing with anticipation over what the day would bring, and also looking forward to seeing just what he was up to. She was shocked by her own bold actions, being a highly practical elf who always thought all decisions through very carefully. Especially the decision to just run off into the blue with a troll she had just met.
She didn't do these types of things. Ever.
She had taken very few lovers in her lifetime, and had never been in a committed relationship. She had tried, really she had, to like Kredis, to give him a chance to 'wow' her...but it was just never there. And then out of no where, Roj'kah barrels into her life, and managed to infuriate her, arouse her, charm her, make her laugh, and make her swoon...all in under twenty four hours. And he did it with such alluring deftness that wanting to see what would happen next with him was almost automatic, regardless of the fact that she was stepping way out of her comfort zone. She smiled slightly, cutting her eyes surreptitiously to the warrior.
They finally arrived in the quaint village of Sen'Jin, which sat on the Darkspear Strand. The village was quiet. Zahri wondered if that cranky raptor handler was around. The only activity she could see were a gaggle of giggling young troll girls feeding some chickens outside of a hut and a couple of wizened old-timers in bare chested in ratty leather kilts, smoking something suspicious that seemed to settle in a cloud around them. One of them wore an awful, wide-brimmed fishing hat. Zahri huffed quietly in frank disapproval. Would it kill them to finish getting dressed in the morning? It wasn't so hot out here that it warranted walking around half clothed, in her opinion. She rolled her eyes and squared her shoulders, bracing for unwelcome commentary about an elf riding a raptor, or some such criticism that she had heard before a million times when coming through this village.
Zahri just prayed that Ajia would not pick now to act up.
Both of them watched the elf and warrior pass through the village puffing away on their long pipes, though the one wearing the fishing hat stood up and shook his head with a grin and stretched to his full height, rolling his shoulders and wincing as joints popped. The two old troll men spoke something in their own language and laughed raucously, then the one with the hat called out something she had no way of understanding. She quickly looked away, nonplussed by the knowing grin that this old witch-doctor looking guy had shot her. She scowled. Roj'kah looked back at her and she turned her attention away from the old geezer, who probably was just moments away from critiquing the way she sat on her mount.
Roj heard what the old trolls had said, and he knew Zahri wouldn't be amused. He ran a hand over his face, stifling a laugh. He called back to the old troll something in answer, waving cheerfully as they passed. Zahri directed her scowl at him.
"What did he—"
"Nevahmind, elf. Ya dun wanna know."
Her mouth dropped open and she snapped it closed again, casting a furious, indignant glare over her shoulder to the still laughing old shaman.
"Hmph. He probably was mocking the way I sit a raptor because I be ah silleh elf girlie." She turned in her seat and stuck her tongue out at the old trolls. They only laughed harder.
"Yeah elf…someting like dat." The troll snickered and rubbed the back of his head as he reined the huge raptor toward the edge of the village. He offered no other explanation or translation.
She huffed again, skeptical. She let it drop, however.
Roj continued to chuckle to himself. That old timer was right…Roj was indeed lucky to have such a…pretty…lady friend. But what Roj had overheard him tell his buddy that he was expecting his son and his elf for a visit was certainly too much to be a coincidence. Azeroth was a big place, but apparently not big enough. A grin spread over his face. This would prove to be an interesting and informative day if his hunch was correct.
The elf looked around, remembering all of the errands and tasks she had done for these people just to prove to them she could be trusted with one of their beloved raptors. She smiled to herself…even after all of the aggravation that raptor trainer had caused her, she still loved it here.
He lead them directly to the pristine white sands of the strand and she couldn't remember a time in her life being in a more tranquil and beautiful place. The troll called out to the sleepy guards who apparently had watch over the tranquil stretch of beach. They took no notice of them other than a lazy wave in acknowledgement of their existence. She noticed several shallow fishing canoes pushed into the sand and wasn't surprised when the troll led them to one and gracefully dismounted. She did the same, and began to unload Ajia of her burdens.
"So, isn't there anyone here you wanna say hi to?"
"Nah, anyone I be knowin' not be livin' here no mo'."
"Oh. I see."
He quirked a grin at her as he worked freeing Sefu from his burdens.
"Ask ya question."
"You spoke to that old guy back there. Who is he?"
"I dunno. Just a friendly old timer dat probably be talkin' ta everyone dat pass through here."
Zahri huffed. "Except elves, apparently. I swear, trolls can be just as bad as my people!"
Roj'kah laughed. "If ya tink dat ol'mon be lookin' down on ya because ya an elf, ya wrong."
Zahri pursed her lips, perturbed. "What did he say that makes you think that? From where I was sitting, I was the butt of a hilarious joke."
"Nah, girlie, he was wonderin' where a scrub like me found such a gorgeous jewel of a lady. I told 'im I be in da right place at da right time." Roj'kah continued to tend to his mount. He shot Zahri a crooked grin.
Zahri's mouth dropped open and she whipped away from him and busied herself with Ajia's saddle, her face on fire. Her hands shook. She was sure her ears were burning up. She was not expecting him to say that, and the look Roj just gave her made her insides turn to mush.
"So I'm thinking we are getting in one of those…boats…" she said, finally turning around and clearing her throat. Her eyes hooded at the pleasing sight of him, watching the hard muscles of his arms and shoulders shift under his sweat slicked skin as he tossed their packs and the raptors' tack onto the skiff. Her heart still thudded in her chest from his words.
"Well, yeah mon, unless ya wanna get to da island da old fashioned way….although truthfully it be an easy swim."
Zahri's jaw dropped as she looked out toward the small island he was referring to, easily a few miles away. She plucked up her courage and flashed him a tongue in teeth grin. "And I suppose you would be able to make the journey no sweat owing to your superior troll stamina."
He grunted a laugh and made a show of flexing his muscles. Zahri in turn made a show of being unimpressed as she tried not to look too hard at the way the hard muscles moved and shifted under sinews and flesh. There wasn't an ounce of fat on this guy.
"All part of da package, baby." he waggled his brows at her, fully acknowledging her unintentional innuendo though his eyes reflected mirth. "Won't charge ya fo' dat eitha." he rumbled good-naturedly.
She shook her head with a red-faced laugh. She was impressed. His gentlemanly manners remained unshakable. A teeny tiny part of her was a wee bit disappointed.
"I jus' be tinkin I didn't want da packs getting wet." he explained innocently.
"Mhmm, sure…" she teased, boldly allowing her eyes to trail the muscular lines of his bare arms. "So what kind of boats are these, anyway?"
He rubbed the back of his neck in a gesture Zahri was quickly beginning to associate with shy nervousness. "Dey be fishin skiffs my people use in dese shallow waters. See, all ya gotta do is use a really long pole ta push off from da bottom. Dat's how we gonna get ovah to dat island ovah der," The elf bit her lip and took a slight step back as his gaze became hooded with the knowledge that she had been checking him out. She mentally slapped herself a few times. Bloody Sun, her mind was certainly taking her places today!
"Well, then let's go!" Zahri said excitedly, doing that little bounce on the balls of her feet, smiling brightly at him, snapping Roj out of his distracted thoughts. He cocked his head slightly, smiling faintly down at her, looking into her eyes that were shining with mischief. He glanced at her lush lips for a moment before grabbing her hand and helping her into the shallow skiff. She perched delicately on the edge as he pushed it into the clear blue-green water. He leaped inside and deftly pushed off the seabed with a slender pole.
"Be good, Ajia! Stay with Sefu and don't stray too far!" the elf called out to her reptilian companion. She giggled when the raptor squawked noisily from the beach, she and Sefu already snapping at crabs in that skittered in the sand.
She looked up at the troll apprehensively. "Will they be ok by themselves out here?"
Roj'kah laughed. "Dis be where dey both born, girlie. Dey in a familiar place, and besides, Sefu will watch over her." He flashed her a suggestive grin, making her stomach flutter.
It only took a couple of minutes to reach the shore of the island. Roj had the boat gliding swiftly through the water as Zahri removed her shoes and rolled up her leggings to her knees. When they floated into the shallows, she stepped out into the crystal clear water and helped Roj pull the little fishing raft into the warm white sand. Zahri was blown away by the majestic beauty of the place. The island was dotted with massive palm trees and blanketed by a carpet of lush verdant vegetation. It was a paradise teeming with exotic plants and animal life. She felt Roj'kah's finger on her chin in an effort to close her gaping jaw and she realized she'd had her mouth hanging open in awe as she stared wide-eyed at her surroundings. She snapped it closed and grinned at the troll sheepishly.
"It's just the most beautiful place I have ever seen!" she laughed.
He teased her, "Even more beautiful den ya great beeg Silvahmoon?"
She scowled and swatted his arm playfully. "It's a different kind of beautiful. Wild and untamed. SIlvermoon is a showy place, full of beauty of its own kind, but it is a meticulously controlled environment that is perfectly manicured and ordered." She let out a sigh of pleasure and turned around a few times, turning her face to the sky. "This…is paradise."
Roj enjoyed her obvious pleasure. "Dat be why I wanted ta bring ya here...it be my favorite place to come, always has been." He shouldered their packs and grabbed her hand. He pulled her along, the elf still looking around in wonder.
"So why is this gorgeous place deserted? It would seem to me that there would be at least a few people living here."
"Dere be a lot of superstition dat surround dis place." He stopped and pointed to a much larger island to the southeast. "Ole Zalazane and his group of brainwashed followers stay out der. I suppose dis island be too close to da crazy bastard." he growled bitterly.
"Oh," Zahri said softly, noticing a hint of melancholy in his voice. They walked in silence for a moment. It didn't take long for them to reach the eastern side of the little island. She tugged her hand free from his grasp and put a bit of distance between them, though truthfully she didn't know what such an action would do to protect her if he had it in his mind to try anything. They were now on a secluded island, she thought sardonically. If anything happened, she had only herself to blame for allowing herself to be swept along on this mad little jaunt. He'd made no move to repeat the kiss from last night and she was starting to wonder if that whole episode was an aberration, and that he had no intention of repeating it.
She bit her lip and glanced at him with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity.
The elf sat on a fallen log and indulged in wriggling her toes in the sand. Roj'kah leaned against a palm tree and watched the pretty female through half-lidded eyes. He felt the silence between them stretch to several minutes as they both absorbed their idyllic and peaceful surroundings.
Roj blurted what was probably a stupid question, but his grin made up for any uncertainty he might feel as he pushed away from the tree and crouched in front of her. He rested his elbows on his knees, intentionally getting just close enough for her to lean back a bit.
"So tell me who dis Kredis cat be. Boyfriend?"
Zahri blushed crimson and looked away, her stomach fluttering with the intensity reflected in those amber eyes. The laughter behind his gaze calmed her a bit, but only because she sensed no overt predacious intent. The naughty rebellious part of her growled in frustration at his continued manners and refusal to make any sort of move on her.
Zahri cleared her throat and distracted herself with twisting her hair into a messy knot on top of her head. She fanned herself with one hand when he continued to stare at her.
"Kredis and I have known each other since childhood. He and Veya and I remained friends even after Veya was assigned to a different company in Northrend. Kredis and I ended up in Warsong Hold, Veya somewhere in Zul'Drak. Kredis just got transferred to Conquest Hold in Grizzly Hills from Warsong." She picked at her thumbnail and huffed a sigh. "We always managed to meet up in Dalaran every so often. He's a good honorable elf, but to answer your question," She examined her fingernail. "no…he isn't my boyfriend."
"But he wishes he be ya boyfriend." Roj pressed. He took the information in stride about where his rival for Zahri's affections was stationed. Conquest Hold, eh? Interesting.
"I am pretty sure he believes he is close to becoming such." She pursed her lips with a guilty look. "I probably don't do enough to discourage him when we do see one another."
Roj couldn't help the surge of jealousy. He schooled his expression to reflect cool indifference and deadpanned, "Wonder what he'd think if he knew ya run off wit strange trolls ya just met."
She couldn't help giggling. "He'd probably be pretty mad, not to mention worried about my sanity."
Roj growled lowly and leaned forward a bit, invading her personal space a bit more. She smelled really good. His nostrils flared and she bit her lip. "He'd be right ta worry, sweetheart," was growled out so low that he wasn't sure she even heard him.
He suddenly stood up and in one smooth motion peeled his shirt off revealing a finely defined torso and powerfully broad corded shoulders that looked to be carved by the master stone cutters of Silvermoon. She nearly fell off the log and gasped, pressing her hand to her chest, her eyes wide as saucers.
He tossed his shirt carelessly on top of his pack and then turned back to her, raising a brow innocently. "What be da mattah, elf? Don'tcha wanna go for a swim?" His expression went from intense to jovial in the blink of an eye. She gaped at him. Light save her. "Da watah be perfect right now. Surface smooth as glass, it be!"
Zahri gulped and recovered quickly, seemingly relieved to have his intense focus on her momentarily and suddenly diverted. The warrior snickered softly at how easy it was to get the reactions he desired from the beautiful elf. Yep, definite chemistry. She cleared her throat again and stood to her feet, grabbing her pack and quickly ducking behind a cluster of vegetation. Her head poked out, a disarming scowl on her face. "I'm trusting your honor as a warrior of the Horde, troll! No peeking!"
He laughed and turned his back. "On mah honah as an officer of da Horde, girl. Dis troll will not peek." Then he snickered in a low voice, too low for her to catch, "Even tho you be peekin'. Dis troll'd be lyin' if he said he minded…"
"What was that?" she shot primly albeit suspiciously.
"Nothin' nothin' at'all, girlie."
"Hmph."
He could hear rustling and shifting of fabric as she struggled to change as quickly as possible. She asked from behind the bush, "So what about you? Girlfriend?" She mimicked his thick accent as she threw the question back at him.
He laughed at her poor attempt at speaking with an accent. It was cute. "Nah.. Been wit plenty o' women, had a few girlfriends in mah time...nuthin' serious." His voice trailed off as he glanced behind him just as she stepped out from behind the bushes. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
She wore a modest black one piece that was functional and plain…but the curves that were incased within were anything but. There was a filmy sheer scarf thing tied loosely about pleasingly flared hips that fluttered to her knees. She truly possessed the body of a seasoned warrior, evidenced by the scars adorning her thighs and upper body. Her delicate beauty was enhanced with the scars and markings of a woman who was not afraid to face death on a regular basis. The lines of her physique were sleek, svelte and battle hardened. He swallowed hard as his mouth went dry.
"What was I sayin'? Seems I got distracted…" he rumbled once he'd mastered himself.
She snorted a nervous grunt and bent down to grab the blanket he'd brought because she'd neglected to bring a towel. "You were telling me about all of the women you've bedded." she replied sardonically with a twinkle in her green eyes.
Roj'kah was mesmerized by the lovely swell of her hips. He blinked and shook his head. "Da beach be dis way," he said roughly, his eyes following her as she headed in the direction he pointed and the direction of the sounds of gentle surf. He blinked again as she sashayed past him, her expression amused. He remembered their current discussion and followed.
"Ey, dere haven't been DAT many women." he supplied defensively.
"But you just said you'd been with plenty of women."
"Yeah, but dat's not realleh what I meant…"
"I'm sure it's no concern of mine," she drawled dismissively, attempting to be the one to fluster the constantly cool-headed troll. Turn the tables on him for once! "Though I suppose you did confirm a suspicion I've always had about trolls."
"Oh yeah, what dat be?" He looked comically offended.
"That they have, how shall I put this? Loose morals?"
He didn't miss a beat. "Dat how ya friend's mate be?"
"Of course not! And if he were, I'd skin him myself and turn his fuzzy blue hide into a rug!"
"But ya jus' said ya thought we all had loose morals. Aren't ya worried about ya friend?"
Zahri pursed her lips and turned to face him as they waded into the gentle surf, well aware that he had her…again. "Is this normally how you go about chatting up women? By never letting them win an argument?"
"I can't be helpin' it if I be right, elf girl." his grin was unabashedly wolfish. Before she could think up a clever retort, he turned and dove gracefully into the surf. Zahri covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. She could not deny it. He was adorable.
They floated in the shallows for a while, just enjoying the coolness of the water and the warmth of the sun. Roj'kah asked her questions about her family and learned that she was an only child and her parents lived in Silvermoon and that her father was a tinkerer and engineer with his own custom built mechano-hog. Roj'kah's eyes had lit up at that bit of information about her sire. Though Zahri noticed that he was decidedly tight-lipped about his own family. They chatted about this and that, the easy rapport between them strengthening. He was wildly curious about Veya and Jarkal and wanted to hear more. The circumstances behind how the two of them came to be together was truly amazing.
"When I found out that Veya was having a relationship with a troll, my first thought wasn't, 'Oh gods, how could she be with a troll'...my first thought was I sincerely hoped she would allow herself to be happy with him. He clearly adored her. I knew how afraid she would be about what the world, and especially other Sin'dorei, thought of her choice. I knew she had it bad for him." Zahri floated in the buoyant salt water a few yards away from him, idly digging her toes in the sand at the bottom.
Roj looked expectantly at her and sank down to his knees so that he was submerged completely except for his head. "But I take it something happened wit dem..."
Zahri smiled faintly at him. "Yes...that very day she broke things off with him, telling him that there was no way that the two of them could ever be together, basically pushing him away without giving things a chance. She was utterly convinced that it would just be too hard and both of their lives would be ruined."
Roj snorted. "He be a Darkspear brotha...no way dat he let his woman jus' walk away like dat..."
She grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "Well...sort of."
Roj'kah gaped at her. "Dey obviously got tings worked out if dey be together yesterday."
"Yes, they did eventually. I will never forget the day that Jarkal hunted me down wanting to find Veya. He was a wreck. After two months of being absolutely miserable he finally decided to grow a set and go after her," she giggled, "She was a mess, depressed and pining for her love, no matter how well she tried to pretend there was nothing wrong. Kredis and I were so worried about her. So when Jark came to me, I told him exactly where to find her and demanded that he fix things because she was too stubborn to admit she needed him." She snorted. "I also threatened to string him up by those fancy dreadlocks if he didn't go get her."
Roj laughed. He had no doubt Zahri would have made good on her threat, too.
She had a faraway look on her face when she spoke next. "I have known Veya all my life. She knows me better than I know myself and yet she still assumed I would disapprove of her choice to be with a troll. In fact, I couldn't have been more thrilled for her, even though I was aware of the hardships they faced, not least of them being the face that Veya would long outlive him."
She looked at him, her head tilted to the side and her eyes shining fiercely. "Veya told me later that Jarkal made her feel whole, and she didn't care about his shorter lifespan, she just needed him desperately. I told her all I wanted was for her to be happy, and if Jarkal made her happy then I was happy for them. I couldn't care less that he was a troll. She came to understand that not all elves are prejudiced, and to the rest she now says, 'screw 'em'," Zahri lightly ran her hands over the surface of the water as she floated on her back.
She added without looking at him, though she was blushing, "I tend to agree with that sentiment."
Roj growled in acknowledgment of her words as he sank lower into the water, only his eyes and the top of his head visible as his gaze stayed glued to the female a few yards away from him. He had a feeling he was going to fall hard for this woman. It was already happening. He hoped he was reading her right. She was telling him that she would be proud to stand by his side, if there was a future for them. His heart thudded in his chest because he didn't know what next week would bring when they returned to real life.