Setting Sail For The Island

"So what happened?" Tanadia asked, watching several sailors prepare the ships for the Dragon Isles with her sister. "How did they take it?"

Little Alleria smiled and hugged her sister's arm. "They were fine. They said they knew for a while which surprised me."

Tanadia tilted her head and looked over to her sister. "They knew for a while?" She asked, watching her sister nod. "How? I haven't told anyone."

"Turns out I'm not very good at hiding it. They said the first time they knew was after the Forsaken were pushed back and I went home with them for a couple months." Little Alleria looked over to her sister and saw her slowly nod her head. "They still love me and said they will help me move on from this." She began to frown now that she said it out loud. "Not that I have any idea how they would do it. But I have a scary feeling mom is going to try to find someone for me."

Tanadia let out a small laugh and nudged her sister. "At least it's Sylvanas." She said, noticing the frown that had remained on her sister's face. "You have the same taste in men as her, so I would think she knows what to look for."

Little Alleria sighed and let go of Tanadia's arm. "I hate you. How are you the mature one out of all of us?"

"Because I act mature when our parents are around. Same with Li Li, but that's because someone has to be the mature one when she's around." She smiled at her sister and took hold of her hand. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Well, I'm returning to my company later today so I suppose I'll have to be." Little Alleria said, noticing the same warm, calming smile on her sisters face. "I'll have to tell her the same thing I told you, by the way. She also knows about my... Problem. Though she was a lot more understanding than I thought she would be."

"That doesn't surprise me. She knows more than most what it's like to be different. Saying that, so do mom and dad considering the whole undead thing." Tanadia smiled when she saw her sister begin to think to herself. "You're lucky we have three people in this family who were shunned by everyone who didn't already love them. Or in Sylvanas' case, had a group of like minded people who were just seeking refuge." Tanadia looked back to the ships down at the harbor. "The only people who will cause problems for you if they find out are those who don't understand. And even then, just ignore them. After all, you're technically a princess still and you don't have to worry about anything they say."

Little Alleria let out a small laugh and leaned against her sister's arm once more. "That is true. Although Victoria was the last Queen, we are still Princes and Princesses." She let out a small laugh when something crossed her mind. "Do you think she will allow Tahnir to be the next King if they marry? She would get to be Queen whilst he rules and we all know how much she wanted to be Queen with Victoria."

"I don't think it's the same." Tanadia said, looking down at her sister and smiling when she began to think about it. "But it wouldn't surprise me if she did do something similar. After all, she is the head of the council and can just as easily appoint a new King as she can deny anyone from sitting on that throne as a royal."

Looking to her left, she watched Tanadia pick up her staff that was leaning against the half-wall they stood beside, standing up straight and stretching her arms above her head. "I best get going to the barracks. No doubt auntie will want an update too."

"Well you are her second in command." Tanadia said, hugging her sister and kissing her on the temple. "If she does start something however, just tell me. I'll make sure to get close enough to her that my light starts hurting her void."

Little Alleria chuckled and nodded her head, holding onto her sister tightly. "I will."


"Mom still asleep?"

"She is." Athrodar confirmed, looking over to Cedani who was the only one joining him for breakfast this morning. "She has been sleeping in a lot these last few years, so I just left her there." He watched his daughter push her plate over to him, stand up and then make her way beside him, only to sit down and continue eating. This time sitting beside her father. "Not that I don't love it when you sit beside me, but why does your mother sleeping in change that?"

"Because now I can ask you about the Dragon Isles and get an idea on how excited you are to explore it." Cedani said, smiling up at her father.

"Exploring the Dragon Isles? I don't have much of an opinion on it. But, to be with our family on a new island, being one of the first to explore it and knowing that we will all be there to experience that, just makes the whole trip worth it in the end." Athrodar kissed his daughter on the temple and saw her close her eyes at the action. "Plus, I get to see how much you have all matured and how you all react in whatever situations we find ourselves in on that island."

"I will show you how good I am!" Cedani said, standing up when the excitement of the whole trip got to her and making Athrodar smile when he saw how excited she was. "You will see me and be like 'Cedani, you're so much better than I thought. You are clearly the best child we have and nobody can change our minds.'"

Athrodar began to laugh and shake his head a little as his daughter. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! And you know it will happen because of how awesome I am." Cedani cast an ice spell on her hand and showed it to him. "I can control this like it's nothing and I won't have any problems using it to defend myself."

"Really?" Athrodar asked, standing up and facing his daughter. "Then what would you do if I do... This!?" He asked, wrapping his arms around Cedani and hugging her tightly, making her drop the spell in her hand and forcing a giggle out of her. "Not so confident now, are you, little one?"

Cedani struggled against her father's tight hug, stopping the struggles when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. "Whoever is behind me, please help. Dad has lost his mind."

"Oh I don't know about that. He looks to be giving our little girl a hug." Sylvanas said, standing behind Cedani and hugging her tightly too. "I have missed holding you."

Cedani rolled her eyes and sighed. "I was away for a couple months."

"That's too long." Sylvanas told her, momentarily letting go of Cedani when she felt her try to turn around, hugging her again when they were face to face and feeling her daughter hug her back tightly. "My baby can't be gone for more than a month." She whispered to her.

"I won't, not now." Cedani whispered back to her, not wanting to admit it, but she she actually loved being in this position. Stuck between her parents as they both took turns hugging and telling her how much they loved her. It was no secret between the five children that she was their favourite, but that just made these moments much better as she had their full attention. "Like I was saying to dad. After the Dragon Isles, I am coming home for good."

Sylvanas pulled back from her hug and tilted her head a little. "Does that mean you're no longer with that boy?"

"Please say yes." Athrodar muttered under his breath, though he knew they could hear him as Sylvanas chuckled and Cedani sighed.

"No, I am no longer with him." Cedani told them, looking back to Athrodar. "Not for a year or two now."

"And I'm only just finding out about this!?" Athrodar exclaimed. "I would have taken you away from here if I knew you were not seeing anyone. That way, nobody can come sniffing for my daughter as she will be safe and protected at home."

"This is why I said nothing!" Cedani cried. "I love you, papa, but you're overprotective sometimes." She folded her arms and pouted, looking away from him. "I can scare the boys away myself, I don't need your help."

Athrodar smiled brightly and hugged Cedani tightly. "I have never been so proud in my life." He said, watching Sylvanas roll her eyes and pulling her in for a group hug. "My daughter has taken over the roll of scaring away boys. And what's better is, she is scaring them away from herself."

Cedani melted into the group family hug and closed her eyes. "This is nice." She said after a minute of silence had passed. "Now all that's missing is one more sibling to ruin everything."

"I take it that's my cue." Talanas said, having watched them hug for a few seconds and keeping his arms folded across his chest when they all looked over to him. "Do I get a family hug, or is it only for the second golden child after Vic?"

"Only for me." Cedani told him, feeling empty when she felt her parents let go of her and make her way over to Talanas. "Hey... I was enjoying that."

"You'll get more when we set sail, calm down." Sylvanas told her, hugging her baby boy. "My youngest missed his mommy."

"You didn't have to say it like that..." Talanas muttered, moving his arms around his mother now. "But yes, I did miss you."

"Have you found out what company you're in yet?" Athrodar asked, standing behind Sylvanas with Cedani standing next to him, both of them looking over Sylvanas so they could see Talanas.

"I did." He told them, grinning at the pair of them. "Take one guess."

"Auntie Alleria?" Cedani guessed, watching Talanas smile wider at them and nodding his head shortly after. "That was the most obvious outcome."

"She can't really do that, right? She is showing every sign of nepotism." Athrodar told them.

Sylvanas shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think anyone is going to complain. It think it's much easier to keep track of our children if they're together than to spread them out and have them all cause havoc in different companies. Present company excluded of course." She pulled back from her hug and cupped her son's face in her hands. "This one is too well behaved to do that."

"Tahnir isn't exactly a ray of sunshine and Alleria is just a bundle of energy that even this company might have trouble keeping her under check sometimes." Talanas told them, looking back to his father. "I need to go meet with them today anyway. To get ready for the Dragon Isles."

"Then I wish you all the best." Sylvanas told him, kissing him on the cheek and hugging him once more before letting him go and watching Talanas make his way out of Stormwind Keep.

"Great, more me time now." Cedani said, hugging her mother from behind. "Whilst the rest of them are preparing for the voyage out, how about we all do something today?"

"I wouldn't mind spending the day with my wife and daughter." Athrodar said, making his way to the front of Sylvanas who was just soaking up the hug she was receiving. "Would you?"

"Not at all." Sylvanas said blissfully, melting into the hug and leaning back against her daughter. "If I get more hugs like this from my children, I might stick around some more too."

"Tanadia is more than willing to hug you like this too." Cedani told her, letting go of her mother and smiling at her when she heard her sigh. "Relax. I have something planned anyway."

"Now I'm intrigued." Athrodar said with a grin.


"Everyone! Get on board now, or miss out on being the first to explore the Dragon Isles!"

Tahnir looked up at Auntie Alleria who stood on the top deck of their ship, hanging on by a rope and beckoning her company onto the same ship. "She does know that the Admiral is the one who gives the orders to move out right? And only when she has been given the all clear by the Council."

Little Alleria shrugged her shoulders. "She's in a good mood. I think she is just excited to explore a new place."

Tanadia walked through the group of sailors, trying to find her father and almost walking into him without realising. "Oh, there you are!" She said, smiling at him when he turned around to see who was talking. "I feel like I haven't seen you at all since you arrived in the city."

"There's my little priestess." Athrodar said, hugging her tightly when she threw herself at him. "Liadrin still making your life difficult?"

Tanadia chuckled and shook her head. "She never has. But if you mean is she still clinging onto me? That would be a no. At least, not as much as she was a few years ago. She's been focusing her attention on Talanas whilst you and mom have been at home."

"Has she now..." Athrodar pulled back from the hug and saw the innocent smile on his daughter's face. "Have you tried to stop her from corrupting him?"

"Constantly." Tanadia told him, looking over to Sylvanas who had spotted the pair of them in the crowd and hugging her next. "Hi mom." She whispered to her.

"Oh how I will never get tired of hearing that." Sylvanas whispered back to her, kissing her on the cheek. "Ready to explore this new land with us?"

"Of course!" Tanadia said, excited as everyone else when it came to this new land. "I really want to see a dragon in person. Preferably one that isn't undead or corrupted by the nightmare or an old God."

"Same for the rest of us, I'd presume." Sylvanas agreed, looking over to Athrodar who smiled a little. "Although, your father doesn't look as excited."

Athrodar looked down at the ring on his finger before returning his attention to his wife and daughter. "Let's just say, I don't have a good history with dragons. At least, not the ones that were on Northrend."

Sylvanas placed a hand on his arm, making him smile at her and smiling back to her husband. "I'm sure they won't have any hard feelings towards you." She told him, glancing over to Cedani who was making her way towards the three of them now. "And here's the final one."

"I'm late, I know." Cedani said, looking towards the ship they were going to take to the Dragon Isles. "At least the military ships are still here, so I am not that late."

"You're just in time." Tanadia told her, smiling at the relief that washed over her little sister's face.

"Good." She looked around at their small group, noticing a big someone missing and realising something at the same time. "I have been meaning to ask. Is Hroki not coming with us?"

"He's spending time at home with his newly married wife." Athrodar told her, making both Cedani and Tanadia raise their eyebrows in surprise. "Yes, he is married now."

"No way..." Cedani muttered, smiling at the news after a few seconds. "Congratulations Hroki then. Who is the lucky lady?"

"Funny enough, you know her." Sylvanas said, hugging Athrodar's arm whilst she rest her head on the same arm.

"I don't know any Tauren women?" Cedani tilted her head at her parents who continued to smile at her. "Who is it?"

"Your Pandaren gardening master." Athrodar told her, making Cedani smile brightly at the news. "Turns out, they were talking to each other for a long time and because you weren't distracting her with your constant questions about growing vegetables, Hroki took up most of her time when she wasn't gardening and the next thing we knew, they were getting married."

"Well, I am happy for him." Tanadia said. "I say we get onto the ship and try to persuade the Captain into giving us the cabin."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow at the High Priestess. "Have you forgotten who we are? We're Windrunners, we have our own ship." She nodded towards a ship at the end of the harbor with what looked to be elven guards standing beside it. "We've been busy these last five years, little one. We may not ever want to step foot into Windrunner Village again, but we still have loyal followers. So much so that it didn't take much to get them to come with us when I told them about the island yesterday."

Tanadia nodded her head slowly, smiling at the amount of elves on and around their ship. "Alright. I am impressed and have clearly forgotten how much pull our family really has."

"Can I look around?" Cedani asked, watched her mother nod her head. "Great! I'll see you on our ship then!"


After departing three days ago, the ships heading to the Dragon Isles, most of them from Stormwind and Orgrimmar, had almost made it to the new land with Stormwind's military leading the way. Next were the rest of the ships from Stormwind that held the Explorer's League and the Reliquary as well as the Windrunner ship as they were not military. Behind was Orgrimmar's civilian ships and then bringing up the rear were Orgrimmar's military, consisting mainly of Trolls, Orcs, Goblins and Tauren.

"The rest of them should be arriving by portal, correct?" Cedani asked, looking over to Tanadia.

"They should be, yes. Darnassus and Exodar were too far away to make the trip, Ironforge have no nearby ports and our harbor was too packed to bring them with us and Silvermoon, well, the Regent Lord wanted to wait with the Nightborn as he has recently married Thalyssra and I can only guess what they want to do at this moment in time." She glanced over to Cedani who went a shade of red, laughing at her reaction. "You really are adorable sometimes, Cedani."

"Yeah, well..." Cedani covered her cheeks with her hands. "Shut up."

They continued to sail for a few more hours before they saw a landmass in the distance. As they got closer, the sky began to darken as black clouds began to roll in overhead. "They are not natural." Sylvanas muttered, looking up at the clouds above them from the wheel of their ship. "Something has definitely made them." She said, looking over to Athrodar who stood beside her. "Keep an eye out for anything unusual."

"Will do."

The closer they got to the island, the darker the clouds seemed to get, so much so that everyone had to employ a fire mage or a priest to light the way for them. "Not the way I was expecting to use the light on this voyage." Tanadia said, standing beside her parents. "But I suppose it's better than sailing in the dark."

"Did they say what we'll be facing here?" Athrodar asked, looking over to Sylvanas and then Thalina, both of them shaking their heads. "Brilliant. I don't suppose they said it's only stormy on the sea and it's actually a paradise once you land?" They both shook their heads again, making Athrodar sigh. "Nice..."

Cedani looked up at the sky and watched as lightning flashes lit up the clouds. "Uhm... Guys." She said, watching the lightning flash again and noticing something within the clouds. "There's something up there. In the clouds."

Looking up at the clouds too, they all noticed several somethings up in the clouds when the next bolt of lightning flashed in the skies. "That's... Not good." Athrodar said, signalling for the Captain of the guards on their ship to look up at the sky and get ready, having them nock arrows in place on their bows and casting spells on their hands, ready to defend themselves.

"Dad." Cedani said, standing beside Athrodar. "I don't think we're the only ones to notice." She said, pointing towards the military convey at the front.

"Hopefully that's enough to scare them off." Athrodar told her, looking over to Tanadia who continued to light the way for them.

And it did, for the first few minutes. It was only when a bolt of lightning hit one of the ships in front of the Windrunner did they all realise that they were about to be attacked. "That was not a natural lightning bolt." Sylvanas told them, letting go of the wheel and letting the ship Captain take control. "It was too precise and hit directly on the helm of that ship." She picked up her bow and quiver, slinging the quiver over her back and taking an arrow out to nock in place. "Be ready for an attack."

That attack came only seconds later as several bolts of lightning hit many ships around the Windrunner, followed by what looked to be proto-dragons dive bombing and breathing lightning onto the ships too. When another began to dive down, it targeted the Windrunner ship and opened its jaw wide, letting out a bolt of lightning that crashed down onto the middle of the deck, setting the ship ablaze. "Extinguish those fires!" Sylvanas commanded, watching Cedani help the handful of mages they had with extinguishing the fires by using ice and frost spells.

Tanadia looked up at the sky when she saw several dragons clash with these proto-dragons, erecting a holy barrier to try and stop any fire or lightning landing on their ship again. "It looks like we have reinforcements." The Priestess said, stopping a few rogue bolts of lightning from hitting their ship again.

Athrodar made his way to the main deck to help extinguish the fires too, finding himself beside Cedani as she cast an ice spell over the fire nearby. "Good job." He told her, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking up when he heard another proto-dragon make for a strafing run across their ship and the many ships around them. "Look out!" He yelled, taking hold of his daughter and diving out the way when the lightning breath came towards them.

"Dad!" Tanadia yelled when she saw the breath create an explosion on every ship it had hit, sending sailors flying off the edges of their ships and noticing Cedani, Athrodar and the handful of rangers and mages near them had been knocked off their ship too. "Cedani!" She yelled this time, trying to find either her or Athrodar in the water. "We have to go back!" She cried, looking back to Sylvanas who was too stunned to have listened. Realising she wasn't getting through to her, Tanadia made her way to the ship's Captain and stood directly beside her. "We have to go back and get them."

"We can't." The Captain told her, looking at the ships beside and behind them. "We can't turn around, not in the middle of this. We risk losing everyone here if we don't aim for the land."

Tanadia let out a frustrated groan and made her way back to Sylvanas who was just staring at the hole in their ship. "Mom." She said, placing her hands on her arms and shaking her a little to try and get her out of her stupor. "Mom!" She yelled at her again, snapping Sylvanas out of it and making her focus on the High Priestess. "They're alive, okay? Cedani and dad are tough, they will make it to the Dragon Isles and we will see them again very soon."

Sylvanas nodded her head slowly, feeling her chest tighten but taking a deep breath to try and calm herself down. "We'll see them again." She said, her voice shaking as she was seconds from losing her mind. "Athrodar is strong, he will make it to the island."

Tanadia smiled when she saw Sylvanas was going to be okay. At least, as okay as she could be considering the circumstances. "The dragons seem to be dealing with those proto-drakes." The High Priestess said, looking up at the sky. "I think we may have found our new big bad. Or at least, the minions for our new big bad." She looked back to Sylvanas and saw she wasn't doing too good, hugging her and feeling Sylvanas lean her whole body onto her. "He's fine, mom." She whispered to her, noticing the area was brightening up as the sky cleared. "He will find us." She told her again, knowing that was about as much as she could given the circumstances.


Alleria, Tahnir and Talanas all made their way to their mother when they heard what had happened. They had already set up a camp and had made contact with the natives of the island, they just had to escort the civilians towards it. "Are you okay?" Tahnir asked watching Sylvanas' eyes begin to water and pulling her in for a hug. "It's okay mom. We'll find him and Cedani."

Tanadia made her way towards her sister Alleria who began to walk off when all she saw was Sylvanas, confirming the news that Athrodar and Cedani and been blasted off the side of their ship by an explosion. "Hey." Tanadia said, placing a hand on her sister's back. "Dad's going to be okay, alright? He's alive, with Cedani and the handful of rangers that were knocked off with them. They're somewhere nearby, on a different part of this land. I know it."

"I'm just worried for them." Little Alleria muttered, leaning against her sister who hugged her. "We should have all been on the same ship. Perhaps they would be here with us and not out there."

"Or maybe we would be there with them." Tanadia told her. "We can't control the past, so we just have to focus on now and getting sorted here. Then we will search for dad and Cedani and then we can all be together again and explore this land as a family."

"How's mom doing?" Little Alleria asked her sister.

"Struggling, but I think she is slowly coming to terms with what has happened and is now looking to get a group together to try and find him." Tanadia looked down at her sister who pulled back from the hug. "I'm taking it you want to go with them?"

"I do." Alleria said, looking over to the rest of her company in the distance. "I will have to talk to auntie though."

Tanadia smiled and looked over to auntie Alleria in the distance. "I'm sure she'll let you leave if you tell her."

"Maybe..." Little Alleria muttered, letting out a long sigh and dropping her shoulders. "Their first week away from home and dad has already gone missing."

"I know." Tanadia said, pulling on her sister's arm to get her to walk with her. "All we can do now is be there for mom until we find both dad and Cedani."


"We're almost there dad." Cedani said, straining as she pulled Athrodar along the path of ice she had created. "Then I can take a look at your arm... Find us cave or something... And try to find some food."

Shortly after being blasted off the side of their ship, Cedani found herself in the ocean with her father and a handful of rangers. She had gone through the attack with minor injuries such as a scratch and a couple of splinters in her leg, whereas Athrodar looked to have taken most of the damage from the blast as he shielded her from it. He had many cuts, scratches and a few too many splinters of wood sticking out of him. On top of that, she was certain he had a broken arm as it looked to be bent out of shape.

The rangers that were around them were all killed by the blast as they were closer to it, hating that she was now on her own with her father who had yet to wake up. She knew he was alive because she could see his chest rise as he breathed in. "I don't know if we can make it through this if they don't find us within the next week or two, papa." She then said quietly, pulling him off the path of frost as she reached the beach. "What I do know is, I need to see to that arm." She then said, pulling him across the sand and collapsing when her legs gave out. "Damn it.." She said, feeling too exhausted to pick herself up and deciding to remain sat above his head.

She stayed like that for half an hour before regaining some of her strength and began to pull Athrodar further up the beach until she found herself near a few trees and placing him down beside one. "The cave... Will have to wait." She breathed, collapsing down beside him and resting her head on his arm. "I'm.. I'm too tired." She muttered, falling asleep soon after.

A few hours passed before either one of them woke up. Athrodar being the first and was only joined by Cedani when he began to groan at the pain he was in. "Fuck..." He muttered after he tried to move his arm that Cedani wasn't sleeping on.

"I think it's broken." Cedani said, looking at his arm and wincing a little when she saw it was bruised as well as a little bent out of shape. "Of course, I think only you or a healer could say for sure."

"I think it's broken too." Athrodar agreed, gritting his teeth when his body began to wake up and he felt all the cuts, scratches and lacerations. "Did anyone else survive?" He asked, looking over to his daughter who shook her head.

"Nobody that fell off the ship at least. I didn't see anyone we know amongst the dead." Cedani stood up and stretched, looking around her immediate surroundings and noticing grass, trees and hills behind them but nothing in terms of a cave. "I don't even know where we are or where the ships had gone. By the time I woke up, we were alone on the water."

"I think everyone was just trying to get out of the fighting." Athrodar told her, trying to stand and being helped up by Cedani when she saw him struggle. "Thank you."

"No worries." Cedani told him, smiling at her father and placing a hand on his back to help him steady himself. "I think we need to head further in land. It's getting dark and the tide is coming in."

"A good plan." Athrodar agreed, keeping his wounded arm held against his body whilst he used his good arm to hook around his daughter to use her to keep his balance. "Knowing your mother, she is probably gather a group to come find us."

"And if I know Alleria, she is probably helping mom gather that group." Cedani said, laughing a little and helping Athrodar walk. "She loves you the most after all."

Athrodar laughed with her, knowing Cedani had no idea how true that really was. "Tanadia is probably helping them too just because it gives her something to do. Liadrin too when she leaves your younger brother alone."

"I feel sorry for whoever tries to stop them." Cedani said, looking forward and noticing a cave nearby that was hidden away in the mountains. She then rolled her eyes when she realised that was the same for most caves and helping Athrodar walk towards it. "This should do as a place for the night." She told him, both of them making their way towards it shortly after.

Once inside, Athrodar had noticed a night elf in the cave, sitting up and alive, but they were staring off into the distance. "Hello?" He said out loud, having Cedani let go of him and make her way towards the night elf. "What are you doing?" He asked her when she crouched down in front of him.

"He's in the Emerald Dream." She said softly after waving her hand in front of his eyes. "I read about it in a book. Their eyes glaze over as they meditate into that realm. Or, if done comfortably and closer to Darnassus, they normally sleep with their eyes closed." She frowned and tilted her head. "I'm surprised he can do that from all the way out here. And that he's even here to begin with."

"Perhaps he flew here the second he heard about this island." Athrodar told her, making his way towards the opposite side of the cave to give the druid some privacy should he wake up. "Come here, we should rest up for the morning."

"Okay, papa." Cedani said, standing up and looking at the druid for a few more seconds before making her way towards her father, sitting down beside him and resting her head on his arm again. "They'll find us. I'm sure they will."

Athrodar smiled at her optimism and believed it himself. "Without a doubt."