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Ever since the creation of Quel'thalas, the Windrunner family family had always held the title of Ranger General, tasked with the duty of protecting their kingdom as well as Silvermoon city.
Alleria was the current reigning Ranger General, Lireesa Windrunner's eldest child and was thus considered the most likely candidate to inherit her mother's position.
All in all a very simple ordeal, If only it was so.
Lireesa was someone who had lived through the ancient wars 2,800 years ago when Thoradin declared war on the Beastkin, Black Iron Dwarves, Black Guilds and Orks.
She was one of the very few heroes who had survived against Grimgor Ironhide on his first rampage.
And many many more conflicts that would have broken lesser men and women.
In fact amongst the High Elves, she and her husband Verath were the only ones still alive from the generation of current ruling High Elven king, Anasterian Sunstrider.
Knowing full well the true scope of the dangers that inhabited Azeroth and the weight of the burden of protecting the only safe haven for High Elves, Lireesa truly did not wish to pass the burden to her children.
Sadly she knew having someone else take the position of Ranger General would not have only caused outrage to the High Elf nobility but also would have been a great insult to the many Windrunners who had died doing their duty.
Not to mention being Ranger Generals for so long meant that Windrunners were naturally more inclined to the training and had much past experiences they could learn from by their predecessors.
It's just that the way Lireesa went about training her daughter left much to be desired.
Alleria from her childhood onwards always had to show no less than exemplary performance if not she would only be met with disappointment and disapproval by her mother who she looked up to.
Even in the times she did do good or exceeded expectations she was rarely ever praised by Lireesa as to make sure she did not become arrogant or conceited.
This situation of excessive discipline and barely no validation or reward had ended up making Alleria more stoic and breeding frustration which she had to continuously bury.
Ironically it ended up making her similar to her mother Lireesa in temperament.
Verath naturally much more easy-going and kinder than this wife tried his best to act as a counterbalance to her but even his kindness did not have as much effect as was needed on his eldest daughter.
Alleria naturally loved her home, her people and her family's legacy so she did strive to be the best she could be unfortunately, the environment she was growing in had not done much favours when it came to being rewarded for her work.
The situation came to a head when her younger sister Sylvannas showed even more talent and capability as a Ranger of the Farstriders and became just as skilled and accomplished as her.
While a part of Alleria felt angry due to this since she felt whatever validation she had from her own hard work ultimately meant nothing but surprisingly enough she felt strangely relieved.
Thinking her sister would be much more suitable in being their mother's heir, Alleria formally gave up her position as Lireesa's heir and passed it on to Sylvannas.
Lireesa did not approve of this since despite her attitude she did have much expectations for Alleria and considered her, her successor.
This ended up causing friction between Lireesa and Sylvannas as well who was not happy seeing how against her mother was in her becoming the future Ranger General instead of Alleria.
Finally after a heated argument between Alleria and Lireesa, a week later Alleria would "temporarily" leave the Farstriders and go on travels around Arda.
This was in the advice of her father who was worried with the conditions of the family and found it prudent that Alleria be allowed time to clear her head and hopefully time would heal wounds enough to heal the rest themselves.
And so Alleria's travels began as she hoped that in them she would find a calling of her own instead of walking through paths already walked by others before her.
For decades Alleria travelled to different places across the continent, making contacts, friends and enemies
Yet not staying in one place for long. She not only travelled across Arda but also through a few of the smaller continents and islands.
She did not visit Quel'thalas much in this time and intended to continue back up to the north of the continent after going through the route near the borders of Stormwind and Stranglethorn Vale.
Where her plans would change after she had a coincidental meeting with the most special human she would ever meet.
Alastor Wrynn, Adoptive son of the King of Stormwind.
She would fight alongside him and through that ordeal develop a friendship with him as well and he would end up making a significant impression on her that she would soon meet up with him in Dalaran and stayed there in the meantime.
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Alastor nodded as she stopped talking and he finally understood the problem in her family more specifically between Lireesa and her daughters.
He understood both sides and their points, Lireesa had went through hell in her long life before she even became Ranger General herself and dearly wished to prepare Alleria for the potential trials ahead of her.
Yet the way she had went about it was wrong, children and pupils must be disciplined when they aren't giving a satisfactory effort but similarly they need some sort of Validation when they do good or exceed expectations.
It could be anything from rewards, praise hell even a proud smile would be enough.
Elves for all their gifts and advantages were also mortals, long lived ones but mortals nonetheless driven by the same emotions.
In fact for vast majority of people support was very necessary so that not only would they stay motivated but so they could do their best and even surpass their limits.
It was no wonder that Alleria decided to heed her father's suggestion and leave so that she could hopefully find a calling of her own as she journeyed across the continent.
"Now you know about my family's little dilemma, pathetic isn't it?" Alleria slumped a bit as if exhausted but also strangely relaxed as she leaned her back on a tree.
Alastor almost smiled as he knew she wanted advice otherwise she wouldn't have stayed like this instead of bouncing back to her usual state.
"Want my opinion?" Alleria flinched a bit but didn't reply but she also did not move away which Alastor took as his que.
"Talk to her"
"What?" Alleria looked at him incredulously expecting something well.....more?
Alastor smiled at her. "That's it, I can see that despite you and your mother's friction you two don't hate each other if anything you two were just at a roadblock"
"These past few decades were more than enough time for your mother to have reflected on her past actions as well since you were no longer there"
"Go to her not as her prospective heir but as her daughter tell her your grievances and whatever you have locked away in your heart, do not care for image, status or whatever forsaken rule and just be blunt"
Alleria's mouth opened and closed as she tried to articulate any counter argument only for Alastor to break it before she could.
"Yes Alleria, It is that simple."
"I won't pretend to know what you have gone through in your years while trying to live up to your mother's spartan regime but what I DO know is what it's like to bear the burden of expectations."
"Especially when it tends to come between the love of a parent and their child"
"So go and for once be a bit selfish in front of her" 'Light knows you both need it'
Alleria was silent for a moment before her expression grew firm and without saying any word she gave him a thankful nod and walked away to have a long due talk.
Alastor smiled as he watched her go hopefully this would go some way to fixing her situation with her family.
"I owe you thanks"
Alastor's eyes widened a bit as he looked behind him to see Verath Windrunner.
"How did you?--"
"1: You weren't alert, 2: You learn a thing or two when you are married to a Farstrider as long as I have and I am a Archmage of my kind as well"
"That...explains a lot actually"
"Haha by Isha am I starting to like you more and more" Verath wiped a tear as he chuckled at him.
"You are also far more easygoing than I would have expected a member of the Silvermoon council to be, Lord Verath"
"Please call me Verath, and to answer your question you can say I'm considered something of a outlier amongst most of them you know without the whole race supremacy"
This time Alastor chuckled as well finding Alleria's father very much to his liking.
"But back to what I said, I really owe you a favour for what you did"
"My wife has been beating herself over for her attitude towards Alleria shortly after she left not to mention her own strained relationship with our second daughter Sylvannas"
"Sadly both my daughter and my wife are just too prideful to just take half a step back or offer the other a small olive branch"
"Every time I broached the subject they would feel I was siding with the other so the fact that your talk had gotten through to Alleria has greatly relieved me since hopefully now those two can have a long overdue conversation and go back to finally speaking terms at the very least"
"Not to mention this would hopefully also ease Lireesa and Sylvannas relationship as well"
Alastor nodded at him. "Then I am glad to help but even without a thanks I would have still done it, Alleria is a close friend to me who I and my companions had even fought together with"
"Besides It's normal to help friends and loved ones when they are down"
Verath lips twitched a bit when he heard Alastor refer to Alleria as a "friend" finding the human Hero surprisingly innocent in matters of love not that he minded.
'You have a good eye my daughter haha Oh I just know fun days are gonna be soon upon us'
"I know we just formally met but may I make a selfish request? consider it one from a father"
"Depends actually if it is within my power and does not violate my code than I do not see why not"
"Take care of Alleria."
Alastor looked at him confused as Verath smiled.
"My little sun is all grown up but as a father no matter how capable my children become I can't help but worry for them especially when they are not in my sight doing their duties"
"So.....I hope that in situations when I can not protect them may I ask you to do so in my place?"
Alastor looked at him in the eyes with a serious expression looking every bit as the legendary figure the bards and merchants have spun tales about.
"I can not say I can protect her for Alleria herself is a strong and very capable women but I can promise that I will always have her back and offer support whenever she is in need of it"
Alastor put a fist on his chest and for a moment Verath was stunned as he felt the young man's figure overlap with some illusory figure for only a moment that he could not recognize before it disappeared.
But the feeling he got from it was unforgettable, Like if even the Sky fell the man in front of him would hold it up while stealing victory from fate's own hands.
"This I swear on my Honour and in the name of my house."
'By the Bloody handed one! Alleria....just who did you befriend down south?'
Verath quickly composed himself and gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you that eases me more than you would think, Now I shall be off to prepare some tissues for my wife and daughter"
"Don't be a stranger and if we do talk more privately I shall regale you with Tales of Alleria when when she was just a wee child"
Alastor's expression if possible became even more serious as he nodded at him. "Then I shall eagerly seek you out in the coming days"
Verath laughed as he walked away, oh yes he very much liked his future son-in-law.
Oh he knew he was to be his son-in-law, Alleria for all her quirks WAS her mother's daughter and let's just say he knew from experience how scary a determined Windrunner could be.
Then he remembered the Kul Tiras princess and how she looked at Alastor as well, considering he more or less knew how female Heroes tended to be and how Alastor was like as a person....
'On second thought Isha and Elune have mercy on that poor boy'
Alastor also walked away to find Jaina now that he was free remembering the frown she had when he accompanied Alleria to the dance floor.
'Let's see if I can cheer her up as well'
That poor, naive, stupid Demigod.
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From behind one of the trees where Alastor, Verath and Alleria were, Sylvannas peeked her head out as she looked at the direction the Primarch left in with a curious expression.
'So there are such humans amongst humanity'
"Sister I do think eavesdropping on Lady Sun, our father and the human Prince was a good idea"
Behind Sylvannas was Vereesa as she tried to advise her with a panicky expression for what her elder sister just dragged her in to do.
"Oh it's not that bad Little Moon, you can think of it as getting a feel of the man our sister is unknowingly smitten with"
"Now come on let's find mother and Alleria, I'll rather ne with father when those two talk and don't act like you weren't curious about this prince as well"
Vereesa blushed as she spluttered and tried to retort only for her elder sister to grab her from the back and drag her to find their parents and elder sister.
Vereesa "Meeped" as she was drag away.
"Sister!?"
"No excuses" Sylvannas had a shameless smirk as she dragged the pile of potatoes that was her sister away.
But regardless both the middle and younger daughters of the Windrunners also ended up intrigued by the human prince.
Similarly to the way their elder sister happened to be in their first meeting.
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