Chapter 693

Chapter 693: Meeting the Parents

In Stormwind, by seven or eight o’clock, the sky would be completely dark, even in winter.

But in Dalaran, the sky was still gray and bright, with a gloomy mist over the lake and lush pine forests in the distance.

This was the day-night rhythm he knew well, after all, he’d grown up in the northern royal city and Brill. Yet after just a few years in Stormwind, he’d nearly become a stranger to it all.

Maybe the unease from these once-familiar things came from Jesse’s own jitters.

He didn’t know if his parents would accept an elf in their home. Old Vickers couldn’t stand even the folks from Stromgarde, and the Arathi people had ears and hair almost like Lordaeron’s… Elves seemed like aliens to him.

But still, this was a happy kind of trouble.

Finally stepping back into his home—a right he’d gambled his life for—shouldn’t have brought this much worry.

The next evening, the boat reached the royal city’s base. High above, Lordaeron’s white flags fluttered over walls unchanged for over a decade. Following carts and travelers through the gate, no mages or guards from Dalaran or Lordaeron stopped him. Only curious citizens and soldiers watched as a young human led an elven woman along the street’s edge—a far rarer sight in Lordaeron than Dalaran.

Snow from some earlier fall hadn’t melted yet, leaving the ground cold, wet, and pocked with icy puddles. Jesse walked ahead while Vereesa followed, craning her neck to study the dark brown walls, towers, and the palace’s distant gold-and-green domes.

As they went, her skirt—worth who-knew-what in Stormwind—got streaked with slush. But she seemed not to notice, never bothering to lift its hem off the ground…

Jesse was sure now: this elf had never traveled like this before, at least not dressed this fine all the way from Quel’Thalas to his door. He pulled off his hood and knocked softly. "Dad, Mom, I’m back."

Vereesa watched Jesse take a deep breath, her long ears pinned back as she stared at the door. He thought she’d been less tense facing hordes of Dragonmaw Orcs in the Red Dragon Queen’s prison.

The murmurs inside cut off. The door opened, spilling out the smell of stew. Henny gaped out.

"Jesse… they let you come back?"

Jesse nodded. Henny rushed out and hugged him. "I didn’t know how long I’d wait to see you… Jesse, your father and I… uh."

Then his mother spotted Vereesa beside them. "This is… an elven lady?"

"Yes, I’m an elf," Vereesa nodded, then shot Jesse a sideways glance. "I’m from Quel’Thalas, Mrs. Seso."

Jesse cleared his throat awkwardly. "Her name is Vereesa Windrunner."

Vickers poked his head out. "Vereesa? Is this that Mrs Vereesa Windrunner?"

"The only Windrunner of Quel’Thalas named Vereesa would be me, Mr. Seso," Vereesa smiled.

"You two…" Henny’s eyes darted between them, lost for words.

"We’re together now, Mom," Jesse said.

"Then hurry inside… Jesse." Henny stepped aside. "Come in, Ms Vereesa."

"Just Vereesa, ma’am, sir." She lifted her skirt over the threshold, then noticed the dirt smeared on it, tracking mud indoors. "Sorry…"

"It’s nothing," Henny said quickly.

Amid the family’s stiff, polite air, Jesse squirmed.

His father studied him. "Jesse, you’ve shot up. Feels like you’re taller than me now. Never thought you’d grow this much past twenty."

Jesse rubbed his head, then stretched to touch the doorframe—yes, clearly taller. All thanks to the Red Dragon Queen and those two unlucky black dragons.

"Better food in Stormwind, maybe?" Jesse grinned.

"Away a few years, and you’re vouching for southerners," Vickers sighed, hands on hips. "But I’ll admit, recipes from those Elwynn folk… have their charm."

As Henny shut the door, she added, "Makes sense. The Kingdom of Stormwind deals closely with Khaz Modan’s dwarves. Dwarves know how to live, Vickers. Anyway, we’ve cheese and bread left. Have you eaten?"

Mother had been about to head to the kitchen when Jesse glanced at Vereesa. "We ate already, ma’am," Vereesa said. "In the city."

"Ah." Henny nodded, looked back and forth, then simply clasped her hands. "Jesse didn’t send word ahead… left us completely unprepared. We’re terribly sorry."

Jesse hung up his cloak. "We got back a bit late, Mom."

"Open that wine barrel, Henny." His father glanced toward the stairs. "Remember that one?"

Mother nodded and hurried to the stairwell. Vereesa watched her go, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I can help—"

"Just sit yourself down. You’re our guest, Vereesa," Vickers said, clearing the table.

Jesse was helping stack the bowls and plates, hoping his father would warm up to Vereesa. He hadn’t expected him to be this friendly to an elf.

Just then, Vickers looked at Vereesa sitting quietly nearby. "Heard every Windrunner’s a formidable warrior."

"Not all of us," Vereesa replied. "It’s mostly family tradition, easier to follow the elders down that path. Specifically, to become Farstriders."

Vickers said, "I know the Farstriders well. Long ago, patrolling the mountains north of Hillsbrad, I saw those Elf Rangers in green. By the way, is Alleria Windrunner your sister?"

"My eldest sister, sir. She raised me," Vereesa said.

"She’s a true hero to us folk of Lordaeron, Vereesa," Vickers said. "Hunted Orcs through the woods and hills of Tirisfal and Hillsbrad, slowed the Orc Legion’s march. Without her and your elven warriors, countless towns and villages would’ve been slaughtered. Whatever quarrels we had before, the Orc War brought us together."

"True, Mr. Seso," Vereesa said. "Now we’re close allies. May nothing ever break that bond."

Her tone slipped into something formal, like a Farstrider leader on a diplomatic visit.

"I recall…" Mother returned with wine, looking at Vereesa. "The words on Jesse’s marker in Brill—you wrote those, didn’t you, Vereesa?"

"I did," Vereesa confirmed.

"So you were there when Jesse fought at Nethergarde?" Henny asked as she sat down.

"I was beside him when he got hurt," Vereesa said, lowering her head. "Hard to believe he pulled through, did all that. He saved Nethergarde. That’s no lie."

"As a soldier, hiding here while Nethergarde burned…" Father said. "Men older than me fought at Hillsbrad, but I just guarded walls. Always regretted that. Now my son’s fighting on the front lines."

Henny’s expression visibly tightened at these words.

The room grew heavy. Jesse spoke up: "It’s over, Dad. What matters now—I kept my promise. Bought a house in Stormwind. Size like this one, inside the walls, not tucked away, near the Cathedral of Light. I came to say you can move south anytime."

"Made enough coin?" Henny asked, surprised.

"Ask Vereesa," Jesse said. "Helped Quel’Thalas lately. Earned a bundle. Enough for the house."

"True," Vereesa explained. "Jesse found vital relics for the Reliquary. Great help against the Horde and their summoned demons. The Reliquary paid handsomely."

"Only five years in Stormwind?" Vickers said. "Impressive, Jesse. Your mother and I lived decades in the royal city, never saved enough for a second house. But we’ve things to settle here. Can’t just pack up and leave for Stormwind this winter. Remember, I hold a kingdom post."

"No rush," Jesse said. "When you’re ready, send word. I’ll come help."

"We’ll tell you, Jesse," Henny promised.

Vickers added, "King Terenas took ill lately. City affairs are tangled. No telling when he’ll recover."

"What sickness?" Vereesa asked.

"Unknown. News broke suddenly," Vickers said. "King’s old. Might not pull through. Heard the last Orc hold in Khaz Modan, Grim Batol, fell. Wonder if Orcs sent warlocks to curse the Alliance king in revenge…"

"Impossible," Jesse said.

"You heard about Grim Batol?" Vickers asked.

"Jesse was part of that," Vereesa said. "Led it, actually, Mr. Seso."

"What?" Father stared at the elf, bewildered. "Jesse? But the Dalaran mages ordered him… to pretend he was dead! How’d he join such a risky mission?"

"Vereesa…" Jesse scratched his head. "No need to be so blunt."

"Exactly," Vereesa pressed on, ignoring him. "So he agreed to the Kirin Tor’s task—scout Grim Batol’s defenses—to reclaim his name and see you properly. Inside, they found the captive Red Dragon Queen… learned the Orcs enslaved all Red Dragons by capturing their mother. Rescuing her broke Grim Batol’s defenses."

"Truly, Jesse? You really… I can’t fathom it," Vickers said, amazed. "So the enraged Red Dragons crushed the Orc army? Heard Grim Batol’s a sea of fire now."

Vereesa added, "Black Dragons tried to interfere. Fought inside… left the fortress as you see it."

"So Jesse… rescued… the Red Dragon Queen?" Henny asked haltingly.

"Not alone," Jesse said. "She was there."

"And a dwarf, Greed Thunderfist," Vereesa said. "That’s… well, us three. Without Jesse, we’d never have escaped."

"Greed Thunderfist," Father said instantly. "Know the name. Many soldiers here call him a Nethergarde hero. A Mountain King…"

"Glad I didn’t bring him," Vereesa smiled. "Hearing Mr. Seso call him a Mountain King? He’d have torn the house down in excitement."

"Not quite," Jesse propped his chin on his hand. "Just smashed this table, maybe."

The family burst out laughing. Jesse and Vereesa shared how they’d met the dwarf… Vickers asked curiously, "Jesse, how’d you get into that Orc fortress? Three couldn’t just storm it, even with a Mountain King."

"Used a little magical trinket from the Kirin Tor," Jesse explained. "Turned me into an Orc. Slipped right in. Studied Language Orcish ages in Stormwind, Dad. That’s why they picked me. Hey, want to see?"

Vereesa frowned suddenly. "What? That orb isn’t—"

"Turn into an Orc?!" Henny gasped.

"I want to see," Vickers said.

"Dad wants to see," Jesse told Vereesa.

"Uh." Before Vereesa could object, Jesse chanted, "Valastrazalnos!" Nothing happened.

"Forgot." He grabbed the dark brown cloak off the wall, threw it on, stepped back, and shouted again, "Valastrazalnos!"