Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The Gloomy Heart

"No - neither I nor any of my men would do such a low thing!" Genn announced aloud, clearly struggling internally. "The bravery of the Gilneans—" "'Brave'?" Varian Wrynn interrupted him.He is tall and majestic, with a dignified and slightly gloomy appearance.To his people, the King of Stormwind has long been a hero beyond legend.In fact, he has lived an unusually dangerous life, not only separated from the people he loves for several years, but even lost his memory for a while.The ordeal he suffered was written into a popular story by the bards, and was repeatedly eulogized in front of the ladies and noble ladies.There are two long scars on his face, one across the cheek and the bridge of the nose, and the other runs from the left forehead to the cheek - these are the souvenirs left by his several narrow escapes - but these legends are even more vivid. Flavor... though Varian himself has little interest in any of these stories. "Guilneas must have a different definition of bravery than elsewhere... quite the opposite, I'd say."

Calling Genn and his people utter cowards is too much for the old king.His expression darkened, and several of his followers let out low growls, as if they were about to pounce on Varian.But Genn glared and stopped them from advancing. Malfurion hurried up to intervene. "King Varian! We didn't know you and your entourage were here..." "I'm happy to do it," replied the former gladiator, dismissing Genn as if he didn't exist.Varian reached out and brushed aside a strand of unruly dark brown hair on his forehead, and his hunter-like eyes swept over everyone present in turn.Varian Wrynn always instinctively assesses the potential threats around him.

The archdruid deliberately stood between the two of them. "Where is your son? Did Anduin come with you?" "Naturally," said Varian in a tone that made Malfurion feel like he was asking a silly question, though many kings would rather keep their only heir safe at home than in a Walking by your side. The king tilted his head back slightly, and the night elf looked behind Varian.There were four king's personal guards surrounded a slightly short figure, and the gorgeous blue and gold costumes were the symbol of Stormwind City. Prince Anduin bowed his head to the archdruid.He had short blond hair, and a chain shirt over a high-necked shirt emblazoned with the kingdom's golden lion's head.The prince was unarmed, save for a dagger pinned to his belt, but with the protection of numerous guards in the Stormwind embassy, ​​his safety could be guaranteed almost anywhere, let alone Darnassus.

Although his father was a warrior through and through, Anduin was a frail youth.Besides, there was an air of selflessness about him that Malfurion could only remember seeing in one other person.So Malfurion turned to Velen without thinking. To his surprise, the seer's eyes also revealed his interest in the human boy.Velen felt the same way Malfurion felt... maybe more. Gene was taking long, deep breaths, trying to control his emotions and calm himself down.Varian, on the other hand, seemed completely unimpressed. The archdruid still tried to relieve the tension between the two. "King Varian. Forgive us for not being there to welcome you! We welcome you and your son, and your entourage, to the banquet. Seats are ready, if you wish, and food and drink will be served shortly— —”

"I don't intend to stay here." The monarch of Stormwind said bluntly. "I sailed to Darnassus for the Alliance, not him." He pointed at Genn. "If you think that's the case, Archdruid, I think I'm going to retire after a long journey." Genn walked up to his nemesis again.He said in a low voice. "Varian... let's talk. You have to understand; I was doing what I thought was best for my people at the time! When I decided to build Greymane Wall, I never Realizing how stupid my arrogance was, let alone what it meant, cutting off Gilneas from the outside world..."

Varian couldn't take his eyes off the archdruid.He didn't answer Gene at all. The King of Gilneas, however, made further courtship efforts. "I swear, we will treat all members of the alliance as brothers, and we will provide our help in any way! Gilneas will never shirk his responsibility! There will be no more loyal allies than us, especially To our fellow humans Stormwind-" "Stormwind City doesn't want this kind of brother standing behind!" Varian blurted out. "Varian..." Malfurion whispered. The young king trembled with rage.He lowered his gaze and rolled his eyes at Gene with hatred. "I never took the initiative to ask to take over the mantle of responsibility and carry the banner of humanity! For me, being able to manage Stormwind and protect my son is enough! But I did it because I had no choice! Who else? Not Gilneas! Only Stormwind, with Theramore's backing to face danger together...and now you want to come to seek our refuge, pretending that this time you will stand by our side?"

"We will stand—" "You don't have to worry about yourself, Greymane! Stormwind and I have made it through, not on you, not on Gilneas... certainly not on any werewolves... and we will continue to do so! You really want Yes, it is redemption for your betrayal, and I will never give you this chance!" "Gilneas is a self-contained nation. We left the Union in peacetime, not war, and for our own reasons. You know that. As for the next vote—" Varian had turned his back on him, however. "Sorry, Archdruid and High Priestess. See you later..." Before Malfurion could reply, Varian had turned and strode back in the direction he had come.His entourage followed behind.

Malfurion glanced at Tyrande, who had signaled the two priestesses to hurry after King Varian. When the high priestess looked in Malfurion's direction, her eyes widened. From where Genn was standing came a low, bestial growl.The archdruid hurriedly turned his attention back to the human. Gene bared his teeth, which is definitely beyond what ordinary humans can do.His body swelled up... Then again, the king regained control. "B-sorry, Archdruid." He whispered, sweating profusely. "I should have known it was going to be like this. I should have known." "I suggest you go back to your seat and—"

"No. No, I can't do it." Genn gestured to Idric and the other Gilneans, and led them away from the table silently towards the forest. The other guests whispered.Tyrande instructed the musicians to start playing again, but it was clear that the party would soon be over.The conflict shattered all hope in the hearts of the participants, and Malfurion had to work hard to make up for the loss. However, when he turned to discuss with his lover, Malfurion noticed that another member of the Stormwind Mission hadn't left: Anduin was whispering to Velen at the moment. As the night elves walked towards the two, they heard the draenei saying, "...you're right about the Light, but that's just a sneak peek, young Anduin! To fully understand The mystery of the Light, you have to see through to its full place in the universe and how it is part of our being. It takes patience and learning..."

"I can do it, but I want to—" "Prince Anduin!" The king's two guards turned back again.Evidently their lords had scolded them severely after discovering that their son had not been with the embassy, ​​as was evident from their flushed faces and hasty movements.The two burly soldiers rushed past the night elves and charged at their prince on both sides. The guard who called for the prince—a resolute veteran whose nose seemed to have been broken more than once in battle—reached out to grab Anduin.But the prince stood up and faced the guards, not hiding the frustration on his face. "Prince Anduin! Your father was very angry when he found out that you didn't go with us! The king orders you to go back immediately!"

Anduin looked like he was going to yell at the unfortunate guards - who were known to be just doing their duty and probably worried about being punished by their masters - but he held back.The prince nodded resignedly, and he turned to the night elves and the others, bowing to each envoy.Only after this did he make a silent gesture, signaling to two anxious guards to take him to see his father. "Young Anduin has a quiet power," Velen remarked after the boy was gone. "It's a pity that when he wanted to realize himself, his father and king treated him like a bird in a cage." "Varian nearly lost him more than once," said the archdruid. "It's not unfounded for him to worry about Anduin's disappearance or being taken away." Malfurion frowned deeply. "I have to say that the harsh words he said to Genn Greymane are not without reason." "Gyn will make amends for what has been done," Tyrande interjected. "You and I know that as well. We've also seen how much he sacrificed to get this far." "But was it worth it in the end? They almost got into a fight. Gene almost lost control, and he had a reason!" "Perhaps we should discuss this another day," the High Priestess said. "Vaylon, can you—" But to the surprise of the two night elves, the Prophet quietly left at some point, as if he already knew that the next topic between the two was best discussed in private. "Well, we may trust Velen, that's for sure," Malfurion grunted.Then he added gravely, "Tyrande, before you speak, I must tell you—" "He's the one, Ma." "I know Elune told you so, and I know it should, but you see it too! Varian may be the leader the Alliance needs, but he could well lead it to disaster!" "Varian's upset, I agree—" "It's not just upset, even though it happened for a reason." The archdruid stroked his beard thoughtfully. "His rudeness to Genn hit me hard, it was too much, especially for the King of Gilneas. There was more remorse in his tone..." "I heard it too." The high-ranking priestess glanced at her side as if nothing had happened. "The other guests are starting to leave. The party is over." "The party was a fiasco. Everyone else saw Varian publicly declaring werewolves unfit for the Alliance! We can't let the notion..." "I'll talk to the others. Maybe you should talk to Varian." "Perhaps." Malfurion could hardly hide his concern at the remote possibility. She takes his hand. "Elune guides us. Be confident." He grunted. "Everyone should be like that, shouldn't they?" "Go. Talk to Varian." Malfurion knew best not to argue with her when she used that tone.They kissed each other, and then the archdruid bowed to the rest of the guests, and made his way to the King of Stormwind. For a man who had been a slave and a gladiator, slept in a cage full of bedbugs and in a cell full of blood, the cabins in the woods offered by his hosts were too comfortable in comparison. .Even the bedroom in Varian High School is not so quiet and peaceful.The king considered leaving Darnassus and returning to his more accustomed cabin, but decided to respect his masters' arrangements so as not to offend them...at least, not to offend them further after publicly denouncing Genn Greymane . Varian didn't regret it.In fact, he was extremely satisfied.He knew he had behaved inappropriately, but he found that the unquenchable anger in his heart was unleashed on Gene. Someone tapped lightly on the door.Night elves go out of their way to make their guests feel at home, so the rooms for Varian and his entourage are laid out and furnished in a human style.Unfortunately, Varian can still feel the "natural" style of the Archdruid's people as always.And he preferred the thick stone walls of the fortress. A guard opened the door vigilantly.Not to be taken lightly, even in Darnassus.Varian had already heard that something was wrong, and it happened just before his arrival. Anduin entered with the two guards who had been sent to look for him.Varian was overjoyed and walked straight to his son. "You worry me to death!" he yelled at the two men. "Such a thing must never happen again! If my prince should be harmed in any way, I will—" "It's all right, Father." Anduin spoke softly, but his calm words immediately did what no one else could: quiet the king. Varian calmed down and continued, "Anduin, you must understand! You are the prince of Stormwind! There is no place, not even here, where you can wander around safely! You must always be accompanied by at least one guard .” "Yes. I can't protect myself," retorted the prince. "I am not a strong fighter like you. Both you and Magni have seen how badly I am with the sword, even in training." "That's not what I meant—" The prince sighed.Varian heard that voice often, usually when he did something out of concern for his son. "No, you didn't. You never did, Father. I'm back, safe and sound. As always." "Anduin—" In the face of any strong enemy, the king can remain resolute and decisive.But facing his own son, he was always helpless. "Good night, Father." The prince continued on, following the guards to his room. This conversation undoubtedly disturbed the guards, but so did Anduin.In fact, Anduin took the initiative to end the conversation before making things worse.Varian knew this—he was even grateful for it—but that didn't calm the sting of his son's apparently condemning words. Now this quiet night elf hut finally made him unable to stay any longer. "You stay here," he ordered the guards, knowing that he was putting them in an awkward position, similar to what Anduin had been before when he wasn't with the embassy.And they are equally aware of this. "I need to go for a walk." They did not contest.Varian paid no attention to them, but strode out the door.However, as in the room, the tranquility of the capital did not ease his mind.On the contrary, he couldn't help quickening his pace when he looked towards the distant forest.The wilderness called to him. "King Varian! I'm coming to visit you." The king concealed his disappointment, though his eyes lingered longingly for a moment among the woods on the outskirts of the city. "Arch Druid," he promised, finally finding a chance to thank his host. “Thank you for the accommodation, the room was very nice.” "Good enough to go outside every chance you get," the night elf replied with a smile. "We don't need to be so polite. Please call me Malfurion." "Then please call me Varian." "As you wish. I want to talk to you, if you don't mind." The Lord of Stormwind City let out a sigh of relief. "I sincerely apologize for screwing up your party." "The banquet isn't important. What's important is the summit. You like to cut to the chase, Varian. Let me be blunt then, I'm more worried about your conflict with Genn." Just the mention of Greymane's name sent him into a rage.Varian's pulse quickened. "I don't want to talk about it, Malfurion." The night elves did not back down. "Varian, I must ask you to consider the impact of the Cataclysm on Azeroth before, during, and after the summit. Every choice we make must be carefully considered. measure." "You mean admitting them into the League." "Of course. I hope you can see why—" The king no longer longed to go to the forest.Is there no place where I can be free? Malfurion clearly intended to repeat his claim.So Varian knew there was only one way to end this conversation. "I assure you that I will give fair consideration to the situation of Jean and the werewolf." Malfurion recognized the meaning of his words, and wisely accepted the answer. "Thanks, Varian. All I'm asking is—" Another figure suddenly appeared and walked towards them.Things seemed to go on and on, and Varian suppressed impatience in his heart.His practiced gaze caught the arrival, despite being a night elf, wearing a brightly colored robe.The king thought Malfurion must have found the attire gaudy, too. "Arch Druid Stormrage," the man saluted gravely. "Valdin." Varian's keen ears noticed the slight shift in the night elf's emphasis, as if the archdruid not only knew what the man was trying to do... but was afraid of it for some reason. Varian finally remembered exactly who the other elf was.He remembered reading it on the report.Then this is a Highborne. The Highborne didn't seem to notice the humans in front of them at all.Varian remembered the report mentioning the apparent arrogance of Valdin's kind.He also remembered that they were all mages... reckless and thoughtless mages. The archdruid said, "Thank you for taking the time to speak and respond, Varian. I look forward to speaking with you again." The king took the opportunity to say goodbye, "Of course. Excuse me then, but I must go. Good night." He didn't even say goodbye to the Highborne, thinking that the Highborne wasn't worthy of it at all.Varian was glad to be away from them, wishing secretly that he had never sailed from Stormwind in the first place. There was a slight movement in the nearby bushes past the corner of his eye.Varian didn't pay attention, he knew that as soon as he turned around, the other party would immediately escape out of sight.Besides, the king was perfectly sure what was lurking at the edge of the forest. His face was even more angry.He said in a low voice, "Damn werewolves." It wasn't until the human being walked away that Valdin spoke.Malfurion has been waiting solemnly, he has not yet had a chance to tell the Highborne what happened.Therefore, the archdruid wanted to listen to Valdin first to see what he knew. "I'm here about the disappearance," said Valding, straight to the point. "You know." Malfurion waited for the Highborne to continue, but that was obviously all the mage wanted to say at the moment.Instead, Valdin looked expectantly at the archdruid. What should come will come, and there is no point in delaying it, Malfurion thought. "So Maiev Shadowsong has told the Highborne everything—" He didn't say any more.Valdin's bewildered expression had told him that the mage knew absolutely nothing about Maiev—or her discovery. "What should we know, Archdruid?" "Serablin is dead. Murdered." Valdin's tone became tougher. "tell me." So Malfurion told him the whole thing.The mage remained expressionless as a statue of stone, but his hands clenched into fists revealed the growing anger inside him. "Return the body to us immediately," Valdin announced after Malfurion finished speaking.There was no expression in his voice, and his eyes seemed to be looking far away through the other night elf. "No one shall desecrate it for any reason." "That's exactly what we mean. Maiev—" "Yes...the watchman. She can continue to investigate the case, but we will not engage with her. If we know anything, we will communicate with you directly. It is up to you to tell her what she needs to know." It wasn't the most logical route, but the Highborne were suspicious -- and Malfurion couldn't blame them all at this point. "I'll tell her as soon as possible," he assured Valding. The mage didn't answer, his eyes looked into the distance again.The corners of his mouth quivered slightly, and Malfurion began to feel uneasy. "Valdin, I swear that I will thoroughly investigate Serabrin's death, and the killer will get justice! I only ask the Highborne to be patient—" "We cannot be patient, Archdruid," said Valdin abruptly.He finally looked directly at Malfurion again, and the archdruid saw fear in those eyes. "You see. I didn't come to tell you about Serabrin. Another one of ours has gone missing."