Chapter 25 Chapter Twenty-Four

"What is this—" the tauren growled in a low voice, his Common Tongue accent was thick, but clear and easy to understand. "Bane, Anduin—listen to me first!" Jaina held out a hand to each of them. Bain? "Bane? Bloodhoof?" Anduin understood. "Anduin? Wrynn?" "Listen to me, everyone!" Jaina yelled, louder than before. "Bane - I gave Anduin a gift, a stone that would allow him to visit me at any time. From what we've heard from Ironforge - or rather, from Ironforge Got the news—I'm very, very happy to meet you." She gave him a quick, hearty smile. "And Bane—I apologize for his uninvited presence, but I trust you can trust Anduin."

"His father didn't like the Horde," Bane said. "I'm sure you didn't see this coming, Jaina, but—" "I am not my father." Anduin said softly.Now that he has calmed down, he is beginning to gradually understand what is going on.Baine? Bloodhoof is the son of the tauren patriarch Kane.Cairne and Thrall are good friends, and the tauren are not as hostile to the Alliance as they are to other Horde members.If Jaina had a good relationship with Thrall, she wouldn't mind meeting with Caine's representatives—even in secret. His composure seemed to impress the Mavericks.Now Baine is a little more relaxed, looking at him with more curiosity than hostility. "No," he said, "none of us are our fathers. As much as we wish to be them."

Something was off in his tone, and Anduin noticed it.He gave Jaina a questioning look and found her tense and sullen. "Sit down, both of you," she said, pointing to the fireplace.Bane was too big for any chair. "I think you both have plenty of stories to tell." "I don't mean to offend," Bane said as he continued to stand, "but I have taken great risks by coming to meet you, Lady Jaina. Now you want to tell the truth in front of the Crown Prince of Stormwind? I'm afraid you are asking too much." Too much." "I understand your unease," Jaina said, "and I know you're both preoccupied with your own problems right now. But remember, you're all under my umbrella at the moment, so you've got to learn to play well." get along."

"Why would an alliance member ask you to take shelter?" Bane snorted. "Because Magni Bronzebeard died; his daughter Moira Bronzebeard returned to Ironforge with a group of Dark Iron dwarves from Shadowforge. She declared herself Queen and sealed off Ironforge; And she will be very, very upset about my escape," Anduin said bluntly.Baine is right, he has no reason to believe Prince Anduin of Stormwind... unless Anduin gives him a reason.Besides, if he hasn't heard of it yet, he will soon.Moira couldn't hide her intentions forever.Bane turned his huge horned head, blinking at Anduin.

"To some it would be treachery for you to reveal such information, young prince," he said softly. "Even if Moira was the rightful heir, what she did was wrong," Anduin said. "Some of her goals and plans were justified. But the way she accomplished them—I don't agree. She's a dwarf , the daughter of a friend. But that doesn’t mean I have to support her blindly. Just like you’re a tribe member doesn’t mean I won’t support you.” He continued to watch Bane, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed Jaina relax hopefully. "He'd met Thrall once, and they liked and respected each other," Jaina said. "There's no better guarantee, Bane."

Bane nodded, though his ears flapped in distress. "I don't need your help, though, if Thrall isn't gone, and..." He paused to take a deep breath, which he exhaled through his nostrils. "And my father will still be alive." Anduin gasped, turning to look at Jaina.She nodded sadly. "Bane has told me," she said softly. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely.No matter what everyone thinks about the Horde, everyone agrees that Kane is a kind and decent leader, and a good... person?Good cow?But that's not surprising.Kane is old.It was strange that Bane looked so sad.No, not sadness—anyone who loved their father would be saddened by his passing—but...anxiety.

sorrow. "What's wrong?" "Sit down," Jaina said sternly.This time Anduin and Baine sat on the floor as promised.Jaina poured them all tea, placed the cups on a tray, and sat down cross-legged herself.Anduin held up a cup of tea, and Baine followed suit a moment later.He looked at the small teacup in his huge palm, and chuckled a few times - Anduin guessed that it might be the first time he had laughed since he learned of his father's death. Jaina glanced at the two of them in turn. "You don't know how much I wish the three of us could meet in a different atmosphere." She said softly, "Especially you, Bane. But at least we have met .Maybe our meeting tonight will lay the groundwork for more formal talks between the two parties in the future."

Anduin raised his teacup. "Cheers to better days," he said.Jaina also raised her glass and gave him a light touch.Bane joined in a moment later. "I think . "I am all ears," replied the Crown Prince of Stormwind. "Are you listening to me?" Moira screamed. "Yes, sir, I—" "How did you let him escape?" "I don't know! We've arrested the mage... perhaps a sorcerer summoned him from somewhere else?" "We're prepared for this!" Moira began to pace.It was still early in the morning, and she didn't like to be woken up by such bad news.Her little pet had escaped, and she threw a scarf hastily over her shoulders when Drukan brought the disturbing news. "No, it must be another way. Maybe he just slipped away while you were drinking and falling asleep."

Drukan frowned and suppressed the retort, "I don't drink when I'm on duty, sir. Besides, even if he slipped away from me, he couldn't pass the guards guarding the exits everywhere." Moira raised a hand to her aching temple and rubbed it gently. "It doesn't matter how he did it. We..." There was a sly smile on her lips. "Perhaps we were mistaken. Perhaps my sweet caged prince didn't escape at all." Drukan looked at her in bewilderment.She sighed. "He obviously left his place, yes. But maybe he's still in Ironforge, just hiding. There are plenty of hiding places in this city for a man."

"It's true—ah." She smiled softly, "I'll send as many people as you need to find him, but don't attract unnecessary attention! Don't let anyone know he's gone. You called the old shambling man who waited on him for questioning ?" Drukan cheered up a bit, "Oh, that's true." "Make sure he's not being mistreated. We want Anduin to...cooperate." "certainly." "This has to be done quietly. We have to spread the news that Anduin is sick... no, no, then Rohan, the bastard, will insist on visiting him. What to do, what to do..." Moira said in Pacing up and down the room, she stopped by her son's cradle, rocking it absently.

"Ah...we'll announce that he's visiting Dun Morogh. Yes! Exactly." Doing so would kill two birds with one stone.On the one hand, it provides a reason for people not to see Anduin; on the other hand, it also makes people think that, at least in some cases, Moira allows contact with the outside world.She continued to rock the cradle, waving to Drukan. "Go, shh, do your thing. Oh, yes, Delukan?" She looked away from her son and looked at him coldly. "You have to make sure that no one knows about Anduin's disappearance, that no one knows what happened here. I will make my purpose public on my own time, in my own way. Understand?" A grunt came from Drukan's throat, "Yes-yes, sir." Palka returned to the residence with fresh meat, ready to make dinner for himself and Drek'Thar.He saw a drenched tauren courier waiting for him.The Messenger is one of Kane's Farstriders, which means the message he brings is quite important.He looked dusty, with dried blood stains on his clothes.At first glance it was impossible to tell whether it was his own blood or not. "Hello, Farstrider," he said, "I am Palka. Please come and dine with us, and then tell us the news you have brought." "I am Perris Thunderhoof," answered the Farstrider, "and I have a letter with me that cannot be delayed. I will see your Master now." Palka hesitated.He didn't want to mention Drek'Thar's decay to anyone. "You can tell me the news. I promise to let him know. He hasn't been well lately, and—" "No," Perris said dryly, "I was ordered to bring the news to Drek'Thar, and I will do as I was ordered." There is no way out now. "I noticed that Drek'Thar's sanity has deteriorated a lot. If you only tell him one person, he will forget your news." The tauren shook his ears, and his stern expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry to hear such news. You may listen, then. But I must speak to him myself." "I understand. Come on." Palcala opened the curtain of the tent, and Peris stooped and walked in. This tent door was not designed for a big man like him.Drek'Thar was awake, looking sober and alert.However, the place where he sat was a full six feet away from the leather mattress. "Drek'Thar, we have a distinguished guest. He is one of Kane's Farstriders, Perris Thunderhoof." "My leather mattress...why did you move it? You keep misplacing my things, Palka," he replied, puzzled in his voice. Palka gently helped the old orc stand up, walked him to the leather mattress, and sat down in a comfortable position. "Now," Palka said to Perris, "you can give us your news." Peris nodded. "The situation is serious. Our beloved leader Cairne Bloodhoof has been murdered, and the Grimtotem has taken control of most tauren towns with bloody means." Drek'Thar and Palka looked at each other in horror.This shocking news seems to have sent Drek'Thar into a sane phase. "Who killed the mighty Cain? How did this happen?" asked the old orc, his voice surprisingly clear and powerful. Perris recounted the tragedy of the druids being attacked in Ashenvale, and only Hamuul? Runetotem was spared. "When Cairne heard of the atrocity, he challenged Garrosh Hellscream to a fight to the death in the arena. Garrosh agreed—but only if Cairne followed the old-fashioned rules. He demanded a fight to the death. It's a fight to the death, and Kane said yes." "Then he fell in fair duel. And the Grimtotem saw an opportunity," Drek'Thar said. "No. There are rumors that Magatha poisoned Garrosh's ax blade so that noble Cairne died from a small cut. I saw her oil the weapon; I saw until Cairne fell. I don't know if Garrosh knew of the plot or was deceived as such. But I do know that the Grimtotem did everything in his power to keep word from reaching Thunder Bluff. I escaped their net only because of caution and the earth Mother's blessing." Palka looked at him a little dazedly.Kane assassinated by the Grimtotem matriarch?Either Garrosh had been tricked, or had been part of it - both were equally bad when you thought about it.And now the Grimtotem rules the tauren. He tried to gather his thoughts, but Drek'Thar was alert and focused now, far before he could ask. "Where's Bane? Is there any news about him?" "They attacked Bloodhoof Village, but Baine escaped. No one knows his whereabouts yet, but we believe he is alive. If he dies, Magatha will make a public announcement—and take his head As proof." Palka suddenly felt a little uneasy, more serious than this terrible news.Perris had just said— "There is hope, then. Has Garrosh chosen to side with the usurpers?" "There's no evidence of that yet." "If he did take part in the shameless murder of Cain," Drek'Thar continued, "it's unlikely he wouldn't go out of his way to silence Bane and help those he supports take power. What's going on This must be reported to the warchief immediately." Must report to Warchief... I have to see Thrall...he has to know... Patriarch...he was right! Sweat dripped down Palka's brow.Two months ago, Drek'Thar had a wild vision in which he announced that a peaceful gathering of night elves and tauren druids was under attack.Palka believed him and sent guards to "protect" the assembly, but nothing happened.He had thought this "phantasm" was just one of the signs of Drek'Thar's aging. But Drek'Thar was right.Even though the old shaman was talking soberly with Perris Thunderhoof now, he could not recall seeing the vision at all.But it happened, exactly as he predicted.The peaceful gathering of night elf and tauren druids has indeed been attacked - with disastrous results.The accident just happened much later than people expected. Palka frantically recalled Drek'Thar's most recent dream, screaming, "The earth will weep, and the world will break!" Was this "dream" also a real illusion?What if it was a dream come true, like that dream of the Druids' Gathering? Parka the idiot!It's best to tell Thrall about this dream, and let the warchief decide whether it should be taken seriously.Palka clenched his hands angrily, he was not angry with Drek'Thar, but himself. "Palka?" Drek'Thar said. "Sorry - I was thinking - what did you just say?" "I asked if you could write me a letter," Drek'Thar said in a tone that sounded like he had repeated the request several times.As far as Palka knew, it should be. "We must inform Thrall immediately. Even so, it will take some time for the Farstriders to find him. We can only hope we have time to help Bane." "Of course," Palka replied, getting up and doing as he was told.He'd write down whatever Drek'Thar and the Farstrider wanted to say.And, at the end of the letter, he will confess to the warchief all the information he has concealed and why, and then he will be punished. He couldn't afford to risk Drek'Thar being right again.