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Mystrum assumed his position in the imperial hall as the representatives of the Alliance nations began to enter. Knights of the Silver Hand flanked the entrance to the hall, having searched the heads of state for arms. Though the monarchs hadn't met ever since the mysterious disappearance of Lord Daval Prestor, the matter of the internment camps and the reconstruction of the realm of Stormwind was enough of a concern to the various monarchs that they were all present today - and the discontent was palpable, especially with the lords of Gilneas and Stromgarde.
However, there was a tension in the air this time that was not present in previous meetings. The elves of Quel'Thalas, balking at the taxes levied for the sake of the internment camps and blaming the humans for the burning of the Eversong Woods at the hands of the orcs, had brusquely left the Alliance.
At the head of the table was King Terenas Menethil of Lordaeron. Seated to his right, recognizable from his weathered skin and green naval uniform, was Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore; and to his left was the young King Varian Wrynn of Azeroth. Also seated were the bearish Lord Genn Greymane of Gilneas, his heavy graying beard still holding flecks of black, and the quiet Lord Thoras Trollbane of Stromgarde, who remained ever clad in leather and fur as he always was. Mystrum noted that Archmage Antonidas was also in attendance.
"My lords, gentlemen," Terenas began, "I am pleased to announce that the reconstruction of New Stormwind is progressing swiftly. A report from the Stonemasons' Guild estimates that the Azerothien refugees should be able to begin properly resettling their homes within the month."
There was a low grumbling amongst many of the leaders; while healing the damage done by the orcs was at least a laudable cause, many were not pleased at the price that their nations had paid for it.
"Now, onto other matters... As a result of the expansion of the internment camps, the latest expenses have proven more costly than expected as more wayward orcs are being captured."
Whatever qualms they had with paying for the restoration of Stormwind, it did not compare to that of the price put on the incarceration of the orcs. Mystrum had heard that there were even murmurs in the Gilnean and Stromic camps about following in the elves' footsteps, and even Terenas' stalwart ally, Admiral Proudmoore, had made his displeasure about the orcs' fate known. Already, Greymane raised his voice, the large man speaking what many of them were thinking.
"The addition of Alterac's treasuries to our own has relieved some of the pressure, but our wartime economy has already begun to fall apart. Reconstruction is one thing, but we cannot continue sustaining these costs for the sake of your personal schemes, Terenas!"
"For once, we are in agreement." Proudmoore nodded at Greymane's statement. "These camps are stretching our coffers thin as it is. Why must we levy further taxes upon our people for the sake of the creatures that sought our destruction?"
"I've long spoken with the orc warchief about the benefits of a treaty between our peoples. I do believe that, given reasonable time, they can be released and we can make peace with them. However, the major issue on this matter remains the strange lethargy that has afflicted the orcs. On this, Archmage Antonidas has more to say." Terenas gestured to Antonidas, inviting him to speak.
The venerable archmage cleared his throat before addressing the leaders of the Alliance. "We've made progress on researching the orcs' lethargy. It does not appear to be any form of disease, either natural or magical, as was believed by some of our esteemed lords in previous meetings. My researchers believe it to be tied to a withdrawal of the demonic magics that they summoned against us in the war. This has been corroborated so far through deliberations made with the captured warchief and our own additional source."
"Yes, this 'lethargy' again. And how do we know that they will not turn back upon us, now free of the limitations of their demon masters?" Greymane demanded. "Shall we wait for them to be at our doors again and the cost of your decision being the lives of our people? They are helpless now. We should end this threat to humanity once and for all while we can."
"Our hopes," Antonidas explained, "are that without the influence of demonic magic, they will have lost their lust for conquest and we may very well be able to resolve the matter through diplomacy. Already, we are seeing that the orcs have stopped fighting the internment."
"How do we know we can trust this source?" Thoras Trollbane asked, having remained silent thus far.
Antonidas appeared reluctant to share his source, but Trollbane's question had the other lords nodding in agreement. Mystrum noticed that the archmage's eyes darted towards young Varian, who suddenly seemed quite uneasy in his chair. "...This information has come from reports of a Kirin Tor agent who has already spent many years studying the Orcish race," Antonidas answered. "I have verified the veracity of her statements personally."
"I've heard enough of your agents, mage," Greymane interrupted. "Your kind are not above employing even half-orcs - and do not try to deny it!"
Antonidas paused, choosing his words carefully. "...Yes, King Greymane, my agent is indeed a half-orc. But a loyal, and reliable woman, who should not be made to bear the sins of her heritage."
"My lords, gentlemen, please-" Terenas attempted to interject, but Greymane spoke over him.
"And what of the sins of her deeds? You are abetting the assassin Garona - dare you still deny the truth?"
Antonidas' evasive hesitation at Greymane's accusation was enough for the table to erupt in chaos.
"Garona? Was she not the assassin who killed King Llane?" Proudmoore alarmedly queried. "She is your source?" The revelation of the Kirin Tor's source on knowledge of the orcs provoked the reaction that Antonidas and Terenas had feared.
"And now we are supposed to take an assassin who killed one of our own for these monsters at her word, because a wizard has said so?" Greymane huffed, incensed.
"My lords," Terenas begun, trying to bring the conversation back on course, "if we may-"
"No!" Mystrum jumped in surprise and almost dropped his quill as Greymane bellowed, his voice echoing through the hall as he interrupted Terenas and stood up, slamming his fist on the ivory table. "Damn the orcs, damn the Alliance, and damn you! The last thing Gilneas needs is sponges from other nations drawing from our resources, Dalaran wizards meddling with our affairs, and someone else's enemies killing our soldiers! Gilneas is its own nation and it always will be. This is the last time I'll ever talk to you, Terenas, so I hope you were listening."
With that as his last word, the lord of Gilneas departed from the imperial hall. The gruff King Trollbane wordlessly followed shortly. Terenas looked to Admiral Proudmoore, desperate for assistance. His expression turned to dismay as Proudmoore shook his head.
"Terenas... Those monsters butchered innocents by the thousands. Their dragons killed my eldest son Derek and countless others on the orders of their orcish masters. And you think that not only they can be rehabilitated, but that our people, who suffered at their hands, should be the ones to pay for it? This is folly," he said as he rose from his seat, "and I cannot abide by this any longer."
As the Lord Admiral left, King Terenas slumped over in his chair. Only the young King Varian and Archmage Antonidas remained in the hall.
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For a time, King Terenas despaired. With the departure of Quel'Thalas, Gilneas, Stromgarde and Kul Tiras, the once-mighty Alliance had been reduced to an echo of itself. But hope remained, as he still had many stalwart allies remaining. Stormwind and Dalaran remained staunch in their commitment to the Alliance, and King Magni Bronzebeard of Ironforge vowed to remain pledged as well in recognition of its actions in the liberation of Khaz Modan.
Stromgarde continued to maintain its garrison along the borders of Alterac, continuing to enforce martial law over the traitor Lord Aiden Perenolde's lands, and his nephew Danath continued his duties as the overseer for the internment camps in New Stormwind; but it maintained no further commitment. The destruction of their garrison by the Horde and Danath's loss in the expedition to Draenor saw the end of Stromgarde's last pledges.
But the Alliance endured. In time, Admiral Proudmoore would eventually reach out once more, rejoining the Alliance some time after Kul Tiras came under attack by the Shadowmoon clan of the Horde of Draenor and the city of Boralus was raided during their hunt for the Book of Medivh. Terenas welcomed back his old friend without rancor, and Proudmoore's mighty fleets would patrol the trade lanes hunting pirates and marauders, maintaining order on the high seas.
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Tales of the Alliance and Horde:
- The Splintering of the Alliance
