The Lordaeron Imperial Administrative Manor was, as the name suggests, a place dedicated to the handling of government affairs. Transformed into a sprawling estate, it was designed not only for aesthetic beauty but to provide a more pleasant environment for officials; if they grew weary of paperwork, they could easily take a stroll through the gardens to clear their minds.
Recently, Queen Onyxia, who oversaw the treasury, had fallen pregnant. Her assistant, Sintharia, was in the same condition. Consequently, members of the Black Dragonflight were summoned to help manage the empire's finances. The candidates had to be sharp-witted, absolutely loyal, and—per the unwritten rules of the court—certainly not unattractive.
After much deliberation, the choice fell upon Nalice, who had previously served as the Black Dragon Ambassador at Wyrmrest Temple. After the War of the Ancients, Nalice had led a group of Black Dragons to settle in the temple, while others followed Queen Sintharia on various missions.
Now that the Lich King had been vanquished and Yogg-Saron—the Old God of Ulduar—had been resealed to serve as a glorified "power bank," the threat level in Northrend had plummeted to an all-time low. The once-mighty Wyrmrest Accord had essentially transitioned into a group of tomb watchers.
Historically, the temple also served to protect the dragon sanctums—the specialized hatching pools for the five flights. However, since the dragons allied with Lordaeron, they began utilizing the Gryphon Roosts, unique breeding structures perfectly suited for incubating dragon eggs and raising whelps. Most eggs were subsequently moved to the City of Hope in Lordaeron, with only a small number left elsewhere as a safety measure. As the saying goes: don't put all your eggs in one basket—especially when those eggs are literal dragons.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. Greetings, Princess," Nalice said, kneeling respectfully. She had taken on a human visage, sporting short black hair and smooth bangs that gave her a crisp, professional look.
No one was quite sure how Illidan had managed to convince Neltharion, but the Earth-Warder—his fate now altered—had abdicated his position to Sintharia. He then took a group of loyalists and a clutch of eggs and departed for Outland. Joining him was Malygos, the Spell-Weaver. Seeing that Arthas's power during the Ulduar incident meant the dragons were no longer strictly needed as world defenders, Malygos passed his mantle to Tyrygosa and left for Outland with his own family to explore new horizons.
Following their lead, Nozdormu and the Bronze Dragonflight—who no longer possessed the power to traverse time—also entered Outland. Nozdormu passed his leadership to Chromie, who maintained a much closer relationship with Lordaeron. This ensured that even if the Flight never regained its full temporal power, the race would continue to thrive under the Empire's protection.
Of the five aspects, three had departed. Only Alexstrasza the Life-Binder and Ysera the Dreamer remained on Azeroth. They certainly weren't leaving; both were carrying Arthas's children. Even without that factor, they felt tethered to the world's soul.
To better handle her pregnancy and the affairs of the Emerald Dream, Ysera had promoted the two surviving dragons of the Four Dragons of Nightmare, Emeriss and Lethon, as her deputies. This allowed her to focus nearly all her energy on the life growing within her. As Green Dragons are naturally prone to slumber, Ysera was now spending twenty-one to twenty-two hours a day in deep sleep—a state that minimized her energy consumption and fostered the baby's growth.
Alexstrasza, meanwhile, had simply handed the day-to-day operations of the Red Dragonflight over to Arthas. Whether he managed them himself or delegated the task was of no concern to her; if a problem arose, she would go to him and him alone. He was her husband, after all.
The departure of the three Great Aspects signaled the end of the old era of Dragon Aspects and the dawn of a new one.
Onyxia let out a yawn. While Black Dragons weren't as lethargic as Green ones, she still found herself needing fifteen hours of sleep a day. Managing the treasury was becoming an uphill battle.
"I have only one principle," Onyxia told Nalice. "It's fine if we don't make a profit, but we must never lose money. If someone tries to swindle us, see if you can swindle them back. If you can't, notify the Naga to stage a 'robbery.' We'll create an accident so no one can claim we broke a contract."
"Second," she continued, "if Arthas takes an interest in you, you don't need to report it to us. It's your choice. But mark my words: do not get pregnant until I have given birth and recovered. If you do... well, you'll be stuck working with a very heavy belly."
Nalice's professional composure faltered. "Princess, I... I have no such intentions."
Sintharia, the new Black Dragon Queen, stepped in to smooth things over with a knowing smile. She was perhaps the only Black Dragon to favor a High Elf form over a human one. "Don't be nervous. She isn't forbidding a relationship with Arthas. It's not your fault; Arthas is... formidable. He is in his prime, and we are currently 'out of commission,' so to speak. It's better to keep things within the family. Besides, a child born of Arthas won't be tainted by the Void; they will carry the blessing of a god."
"As you know," Sintharia added, "dragons usually lay eggs. But with Arthas, the children are born through live birth. It is a grueling process we have no experience with. We just want you to be prepared. You are the only one we trust to handle the Flight's affairs while we are indisposed."
Elsewhere, Shandris Feathermoon was equally busy. Her mother, Tyrande, was pregnant, and the thought of a new brother or sister had her overjoyed. Now a demigod herself, Shandris was busy adapting to her new powers while helping her father gather materials for a very special task: the resurrection of the demigod Aviana.
As the eldest daughter, she handled the legwork while her father took his "vacation" at home. Fortunately, Lordaeron's influence now spanned the Eastern Kingdoms, Northrend, and the Broken Isles. However, one specific material—Ancient Spiritual Bamboo—was proving difficult to find. It only grew in Val'sharah, and the specimens there weren't old enough.
Arthas had suggested she look toward Pandaria, a continent in the south shrouded in mists for ten thousand years. He pointed her toward Chen Stormstout and his niece, Li Li, who worked at the palace restaurant.
First, however, Shandris headed to the Timewalker Tavern to buy some aged spirits from Chromie. Even without the power to travel through time, the Bronze Dragons could still use time magic to accelerate the aging of wine—a unique skill that made their tavern the most popular spot in the city.
Chromie looked uncharacteristically sluggish as she handed over a barrel of hundred-year-old Fire-Lizard Brew. She yawned repeatedly.
"Take it. On the house. Just post some extra quests at the Adventurer's Guild later," Chromie said. She managed the Guild and lived comfortably off the commissions.
"Auntie Chromie, you look exhausted. Are you feeling okay?" Shandris asked, finding the symptoms oddly familiar.
Chromie flinched. She didn't want anyone—especially not Shandris—to know she was pregnant. It had been an "accident" involving a few too many drinks at the manor. She was still reeling from the shock. She hadn't decided whether she was going to have the baby... or have the baby.
"I'm fine. I'll just have your father check on me later. Go on, don't let me keep you."
At the Stormstout Restaurant, Chen was busy in the kitchen. Since arriving in Lordaeron, he had stayed out of the wars, focusing on cooking and brewing. He was a regular at the Timewalker Tavern, often spending his entire paycheck there, which frequently left his pockets "cleaner than his face," much to Li Li's annoyance.
"Hi, Li Li! Is Chen in?" Shandris called out as she entered. The restaurant was filled with nobles who scrambled to stand and bow at her arrival. Arthas hadn't purged all the nobility; those who were sensible had surrendered their lands in exchange for monthly dividends and a quiet life of luxury.
"Shandris! Uncle's in the back," Li Li chirped. She was a lively Pandaren girl, and everyone loved the "fluffy" Pandaren. "Want some lunch? We just got a shipment of Clefthoof—I can make you some tripe stew!"
"Sounds great. I need to talk to Chen. I brought some hundred-year Fire-Lizard Brew, too. Come have a drink with us!"
Li Li's eyes lit up. "From the Timewalker Tavern? People have to wait in line for months for that stuff!"
Of course, "waiting in line" didn't apply to the eldest daughter of the Emperor. In Lordaeron, the best business was a monopoly, and the Stormstouts and Timewalkers had cornered the market on joy.