Five years had passed since the decisive battle between the Mogu and the Pandaren on the Townlong Steppes. Today, the mists enveloping the entire continent had been completely dispelled.
The Alliance of Lordaeron had also opened the borders for civilian entry, establishing outposts in every region to gather resources. With the Sha completely cleared out, this land was left a pristine paradise, devoid of any significant threats.
The original Imperial Manor had also been relocated from the Jade Forest to the Valley of the Four Winds, a region far better suited for vacations.
Five years had left no mark upon Jaina's face. Aside from a more mature bearing and a more voluptuous figure, she remained as stunningly beautiful as ever. She was now a mother of three, with her youngest daughter having just been born.
Her first pregnancy had yielded a son, who would inherit the administration of the Lordaeron continent in the future. Her second had also been a son, and it wasn't until her third that she finally welcomed a daughter, at last granting her heart's desire.
Seeing how vibrant and lively Shandris was, she had deeply yearned for a daughter of her own, and now her wish had been fulfilled. When sons grew up, they would each establish their own families and careers, making their relationships with their mothers less close. A daughter, however, was far better; no matter how old they grew, their shared womanhood naturally kept them closer to their mothers.
For a woman, the greatest happiness was marrying the man she loved. If that man treated her well, it was even sweeter. And if life was affluent enough that she never had to toil and scurry for the basic necessities of life, that was another massive bonus.
Not only did Jaina possess all of the above, but she now had three children—two sons and a daughter. In her eyes, she was already the ultimate winner in life. Furthermore, as her husband Arthas's power grew increasingly immense, her own lifespan had been indefinitely extended, making her virtually indistinguishable from an immortal.
Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen, was even more remarkable. Perhaps due to her superior physical constitution as a Ranger, she was already a mother of five children. Giving birth almost every single year, her body recovered exceptionally fast. Had she not firmly demanded a respite, she would likely be pregnant with her sixth child by now.
It wasn't that she was unwilling to bear children, but rather that she required time to rest. While being pregnant brought immense happiness, the actual process was not particularly pleasant. She had already forgotten how long it had been since she last picked up her bow; if this continued, she feared she might lose her true self.
She was the proud Banshee Queen, after all; while bearing children was something she could do, she couldn't do it continuously. Having one every few years was perfectly fine, but having one every year was fast causing her to doubt her life choices.
Vereesa was slightly behind her sister, having given birth to four children, which successfully fulfilled her long-standing wish. Having once hesitated and wavered over taking certain steps, she had finally obtained her heart's desire, effectively resolving her inner conflict.
Azshara did not have many children, bearing only three. All three were daughters. Her eldest daughter was just like her—cool, detached, and possessing a natural queenly demeanor. Her second and third daughters were far more lively, giggling all day long and turning absolutely boisterous whenever they played.
Vashj also had three, all of whom were daughters. It was unclear whether this was due to the Highborne lineage or the Naga bloodline. Even after these Highborne-turned-Naga reverted to their true forms, the children they bore with Arthas were invariably girls.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with that. Whether boys or girls, they were all their own children. As long as the children didn't turn out to be completely unfilial, they were free to have whatever personalities they pleased.
This was a living, breathing mortal world, not a cold and emotionless game universe. Everyone possessed their own unique personality, which was wonderful and incredibly authentic.
On the other hand, the Nightborne Grand Magistrix Elisande and Chief Telemancer Lyreth of Suramar City each bore only two children—coincidentally, a son and a daughter for each, making it a perfect double blessing. This was excellent, ensuring their lives were thoroughly complete.
However, these two women weren't particularly fond of raising children, so they sent them all to the Imperial Manor to be cared for by Arthas's older sister, Calia. As the eldest Princess of the first generation, she had always served as a member of the clergy, placing family above all else. Having never desired marriage or children of her own, helping her brother raise his offspring seemed to be her sole joy.
Aside from Shandris, Tyrande had only given birth to two children over these past five years, both of whom were adorable daughters. Beyond occasionally resolving a few difficult dilemmas, she left the vast majority of the Night Elf race's affairs to Shandris to handle.
She continued to serve as the High Priestess of Elune, while spending her leisure time acting as a doting wife. Recently, she had become obsessed with culinary arts, taking great pleasure in creating all sorts of gourmet delicacies just to keep herself occupied. Lacking heavy burdens yet avoiding total idleness kept her from growing bored enough to develop emotional unrest.
The handmaiden Jandice bore three children, while Ilucia bore five, effectively swelling the ranks of the House of Barov. However, their surnames had been altered to Menethil. One couldn't help but wonder if Aliden, that miserable cuckold, would be so enraged upon learning this news in the Shadowlands that his coffin lid wouldn't be able to hold him down.
The Black Dragon Princess Onyxia did not have many children, bearing only two, as she had no desire to have too many. She seemed to possess very little patience for infants, finding far greater interest in turning a profit.
Fortunately, Sinestra had also only given birth to two children. Possessing prior experience as a mother, she managed all four children personally, appearing thoroughly poised and never in a rush. She wasn't watching the four children alone, of course; a dedicated team of Dracthyr had transitioned into full-time nannies on standby. She never had to personally handle diaper changes or similar chores, which naturally made the task effortless.
Playing with young children wasn't difficult; the real headache lay in managing the endless cycle of messes, which was the ultimate source of frustration.
Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder, was truly staggering, giving birth to fifteen children over the five years—each time welcoming triplets. For the Queen who governed life itself, bearing triplets all at once was hardly a surprising feat. Similarly supported by a dedicated team of Red Dracthyr nannies, raising the children proved exceptionally easy.
Ysera, the Dreamer, was not to be outdone, giving birth to ten children over the five years. Aside from her first pregnancy resulting in a single child, all subsequent births consisted of twins and triplets. While she couldn't match her older sister, she wasn't far behind, though compared to the other consorts, her numbers appeared absolutely astonishing.
How many did Chromie have? Only two, and they were twins. After that, she stopped having children, preferring to manage the Adventurers' Guild. Furthermore, she did not move into the manor to reside, preferring to live on her own outside.
Concubines like her who lived outside the manor were not few in number. Princess Tess, Taelia, and several others had not officially married into the estate either; they simply moved to the Adventurers' Guild to reside alongside Chromie. Coincidentally, all of them had, to varying degrees, borne children for Arthas.
The Pandaren Li Li had also given birth to one child. One was quite enough, as Shandris was constantly grumbling about her lack of martial virtue. She had treated Li Li as a sister, yet her sister was actively trying to become her aunt!
As many years drifted by, Arthas's children increased from a double-digit figure to a triple-digit one, to the point where it was difficult to remember the exact count.
C'Thun had never been completely destroyed; it was merely penned up to serve as a punching bag, used periodically to train the troops and maintain their competitive edge. As for the Burning Legion and Sargeras, Arthas paid them no mind.
It wasn't until news arrived from Outland that they learned Kil'jaeden had fled there, only to be cornered and thoroughly thrashed by the combined forces of Outland led by Illidan. He was currently imprisoned, serving as a mere experimental tool.
As for what became of the Burning Legion? The response they received was that it had been utterly annihilated. Sargeras and the world-soul Argus had also departed for the Shadowlands. How did they get there?
Supposedly, they had been slapped to death by a stunningly beautiful goddess, resulting in their immediate journey to the Shadowlands.
Whenever Arthas expressed bewilderment over this, the long-awakened world-soul, the Goddess Azeroth, would merely cradle her newborn daughter, smiling in absolute silence.
Was it her doing?
If so, it was hardly surprising. Sargeras could crush other mortal entities, yet he could just as easily be pinched to death like an ant by the Goddess Azeroth.
The End.