Chapter 6 Chapter Six

Jaina Proudmoore walked through the gardens of Dalaran humming a tune.She has been here for eight years, but she is still amazed by the city.Magic was everywhere, into her smiling breath like the fragrance of all things. Of course, some of the scents come from the blooming flowers themselves.Like everywhere else, the garden is drenched in magic.She had never seen such beautiful and colorful flowers, never tasted such delicious fruits and vegetables.Not to mention those wonderful lore!Jaina felt she had learned more in the past eight years than she had in her entire life—especially the last two since Archmage Antonidas formally took her as his apprentice.

There's nothing quite like curling up in the sun with a glass of iced honey and a stack of books.Of course, some precious ancient sheepskin scrolls need to be carefully protected from direct sunlight or splashed with honey.So sitting in one of the many rooms, wearing gloves so as not to damage the fragile paper, carefully leafing through the impossibly ancient documents became her second pleasure. But for now, she just wants to walk in the garden, feel the living earth under her feet, the indescribable fragrance, and then—when hunger strikes, climb up the treetop to pick a ripe golden-skinned apple and eat it.

"In Quel'Thalas," came a mellow and elegant voice, "the trees are tall, with white skin and golden leaves, and the evening wind blows, singing softly. If you see it with your own eyes some day, your heart will be enraged." Send." Jaina smiled and bowed deeply to Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider, son of the Quel'dorei King Anastarian. "Your Highness," she said, "I didn't know you were back. It's an honor, and yes, I'd love to go." Even if she wasn't born royal, Jaina was the daughter of nobility.Her father was Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, ruler of Kul Tiras Castle.Jaina grew up accustomed to dealing with nobles.However, Prince Kael'thas made her uncomfortable, and Jaina wasn't quite sure why.He was so handsome, with the grace and beauty of an elf.

He was tall and slender, with long hair that hung down half his back like pure gold. In her view, he was like a legendary statue rather than a real person.Even now in the plain purple-and-gold robes of a Dalaran mage, rather than the finery of a formal occasion, his unapproachable formality is no less. Maybe that's the problem, he's kind of—old-fashioned red-tape.Besides, he was much older than she, despite appearing to be of the same age.Kael'thas is a wise and powerful mage with outstanding talents.Some students also rumored that he was one of the six members of Dalaran's highest-ranking mages.Therefore, Jaina decided that she was not such a country bumpkin who was easily scared.

He also climbed up and picked an apple for himself and bit it. "I think food from human lands has merit." He smiled slyly. "Although the food of the elves is delicious and tempting, they have to rely on something more solid." Jaina laughed.Prince Kael'thas was always trying to make her feel more at ease, and she only wished he could do better. "There are few things better than an apple and a block of Dalaran cheese," she agreed.The two were awkwardly silent for a moment in the warmth of the sun. "So... are you coming back for a while?" "Yes, my affairs in Silvermoon City have been temporarily closed. I don't have to leave anytime soon." He looked at her, took another bite of the apple, the handsome Unhappy on the face.Jaina knew, however, that he was waiting for her reaction.

"We're all glad you're back, Your Highness." He shook his finger at her, "Ah, I told you, I'd rather hear you call me Kyle." "Sorry, Kyle." He looked The look of disappointment on her perfect face was so fleeting that Jaina suspected it was her hallucination. "How's your academic progress?" "Fine," she replied, getting excited about the subject of academics. "Look!" She pointed to a squirrel gnawing on an apple sitting on a high tree branch, and silently recited a spell.Suddenly, it transformed into a sheep.The branch snapped under the weight, and it fell downward with a comically surprised expression.Jaina immediately extended her arms, and the squirrel sheep stopped in mid-air.She carefully lowered it to the ground unharmed.It bleats at Jaina with quivering ears, reverting to a confused squirrel a moment later.It sat up, barked at her a few times angrily, swung its tail and jumped back up the tree.

Kael'thas chuckled softly, "Nice job. I guess you won't be setting the books on fire now?" Jaina blushed suddenly, remembering the commotion that had occurred.She was a newcomer at the time, and her mastery of fire needed to be honed.While working with Kael'thas, she accidentally set a tome on fire—actually the one Kael'thas was holding.In response, he insisted that she spend the next few months practicing all of her fire spells by the pond in the prison compound. "Uh...no, not in a while." "Glad to hear that, Jaina..." He dropped the half-bitten apple and approached with a soft smile. "My invitation to Quel'Thalas is not a formality. Dalaran is a remarkable city, and it is home to some of the greatest mages on Azeroth. I know you have benefited greatly. But I miss you Should be happy to visit a country where magic is part of the culture. Not limited to one corner of the city, nor limited to a few elite-educated mages. Where magic is the birthright of every citizen. We are all in the You will be very interested in it." She smiled at him: "Of course. I am looking forward to one day going there in person. However, I think this is the best place to study at present. She grinned slightly, "At least everyone knows what to do when I light the book." He smiled softly, but there was frustration in his voice. "Perhaps you are right. Now I beg your pardon—" he smiled wryly at her, "Archmage Antonidas has asked me to give a detailed report on my trip to Silvermoon City. Nevertheless, the prince and mage deeply look forward to I hope I can further discuss the training courses with you...and spend more time together." Kael'thas raised his hand to his chest and bowed.Jaina didn't know how to answer, so she could only curtsey and watch him leave.He strides across the garden with his head held high, as bright as the sun, and every inch of his body exudes confidence and grace.Not even the dust seemed to want to get on his boots and the hem of his robe.

Jaina took one last bite of the apple and tossed it aside as well.The squirrel that had been transformed just now sprinted down the tree trunk in pursuit of the ready-made prize. A pair of hands suddenly covered her eyes. She was taken aback, but not frightened—no one could pose a threat under the omnipresent and powerful defenses of this magical city. "Guess who I am?" a man asked quietly, with a suppressed smile in his voice.Jaina was blindfolded, suppressing a smile and speculating seriously. "Well, your hands are a bit rough, so you are not a mage." She said, "You smell of horses and leather..." His small hand gently touched the other's strong fingers, and touched a huge ring.She sensed the shape and design of the gem above it - the Seal of Lordaeron.

"Alsace!" she exclaimed, and suddenly turned to face him, surprise and surprise in her voice.He immediately let go and grinned at her.His appearance is not as perfect as Kael'thas: he has the same yellow hair as the elf prince, but does not have the golden luster of the latter.He was tall and burly, and Jaina felt more reliable than flowing elegance.Though he was practically equal to Kael'thas—and she suspected Kayle privately disagreed with this, since elves always felt superior—Jaina felt more at ease with him. She resumed her proper manners and curtseyed. "Your Highness, this is really an unexpected surprise. Can I ask what you are doing here?" A thought suddenly woke her up, "Is everything okay in the capital?" "Alsace, thank you. In Dalaran, the mages are in charge, and we mortals shall obey." His sea-blue eyes shone with joy. "Besides, we've been good mess-making buddies since we sneaked off to see the shelter, haven't we?" She smiled easily, "I think so." "As for your problem, everything is fine. Actually In fact, there is nothing important at all, so my father agreed to my request to come here to study for a few months." "Study? But——you are a member of the Silver Hand. You will not be a mage, right? He laughed and walked towards the student area, taking her arm.She easily kept pace with him. "Nearly impossible. I'm afraid this kind of mental effort is beyond my reach. But it really is the best place in all of Azeroth for me to learn history, magic and other things. Dalaran has what a king should be Knowing knowledge. Fortunately, my father and your archmage agree with this." As he spoke, he took Jaina's hand and placed it on his arm.It was a friendly and courteous gesture, but one that sparked a spark in Jaina.She looked up at him, "I remember clearly. The boy who took me out to watch the orcs in the middle of the night was not so interested in history and knowledge." Arthas smiled slyly, and put his head close to Jaina. . "Want to hear the truth? I'm still the same. I mean, I'm interested, but that's not really why I'm here." "Well, now I'm confused. So what the hell are you in Dalaran for?" They were back at her quarters, so Jaina stopped, let go of his arms, and faced Arthas.

He didn't answer right away, but responded to her gaze with a meaningful smile.Then he took her hand and kissed it—a courtly courtesy, many aristocratic gentlemen did it.But his lips lingered for a moment longer than the etiquette required, and the hand he held didn't let go immediately. Her eyes widened.Was he trying to imply that... he came to Dalaran to barely stay for a few months (it would not be easy, Antonidas was notoriously cunning in the eyes of outsiders) just... to see her?Before she had time to ask, he had already winked and bowed to leave. "See you at dinner, my lady." It was a formal dinner.On the same day, Prince Kael'thas returned and Prince Arthas visited, which made the people serving the Kirin Tor busy suddenly.

Dalaran has a large banquet hall reserved for special occasions, so the dinner is held there. A table large enough to seat two dozen stretched from one end of the room to the other.Brightly burning candles flicker on the three chandeliers above the head, complementing the bright candles on the table.Candlesticks on the four walls are lit with torches, providing effective lighting and a gentle atmosphere at the same time.There are also several spheres floating in the corners of the room, ready to be summoned for additional lighting.There are almost no waiters in the banquet hall, they are all sent to usher the guests and sweep the way.With just a flick of a finger, the wine bottle will be filled automatically.Flutes, harps, and lutes played an elegant and peaceful background, driven by magic rather than human fluting and singing. The rarely seen Archmage Antonidas presided over the banquet.He was quite tall, actually taller because he was surprisingly thin.Although the long brown beard had been tinged more with gray and the crown was completely bald, his eyes were still sharp and alert.Also present was the upright and alert Archmage Krasus, whose hair shone like silver in the firelight, streaked with red and black.The other attendees were all high-ranking mages.In reality, Jaina was much lower than the other lowest-ranking attendees, merely an apprentice to the Archmage. Jaina comes from a military background, and her father instilled a clear awareness of her own strengths and weaknesses from an early age. "Underestimating yourself is as wrong as overestimating yourself," Daelin once told her. "Inappropriate humility is as bad as improper pride. At any time, know exactly what you are capable of and do what you can. Any other path is Stupid—and stupidity on the battlefield means death." She knew she was skilled in magic.She is smart and focused and has learned a lot in the short time she has been here.But obviously Antonidas would not just love an apprentice so much.Not out of the arrogance her father had warned against, but out of good sense, she knew she had the potential to be a powerful mage.She wanted to earn her place on her own, not because an elf prince wanted her to be there.To hide the annoyance on her face, she scooped up a large spoonful of turtle soup and swallowed it down. The conversation at the dinner centered on the orcs.This is not surprising, although Mage City would rather think about itself, after all, the orc shelter is just a short distance away. Kyle stretched out his slender and elegant hand to pick up another piece of bread, and began to spread butter on it. "Spirited or not," he said, "they are dangerous." "My father, King Terenas agrees with you, Prince Kael'thas." Arthas smiled kindly at the elf and said: "That's what shelters are for. It's unfortunate that they're so expensive to maintain, but there's no doubt that a little money is nothing compared to the safety of the people of Azeroth." "They're beasts, brutes!" Kay said. Ersas said, his usual tenor voice sinking in disgust. "They brought their dragons and wreaked havoc on Quel'Thalas. It was only the power of the Sunwell that prevented them from doing more damage. You humans don't have to tax your people like this. To protect them, simply Just kill the creatures." Jaina recalled the orc she had seen that time. They looked sluggish, powerless, and depressed, and they were accompanied by children. "Have you ever been to the shelter, Prince Kael'thas?" She blurted out a sharp question, "Have you seen their current situation with your own eyes?" Kael'thas' cheeks changed color for a moment, but he controlled the friendly wording. "No, Ms. Jaina, I haven't been. I don't need to. Whenever I look at the burning embers of those magnificent giant trees in my hometown, and whenever I remember the victims of the attacks, I know what they did What. And you, it is impossible to see them. I can't imagine that a noble lady like you will visit those shelters." Jaina answered, carefully avoiding looking at Arthas. "Your Highness is so flattering to me, but I don't think dignity can block the sight of justice. In fact, I think a noble individual would rather not see intelligent creatures being slaughtered like animals." She also started with a friendly smile. Continue to drink her soup. Kael'thas cast her an inquiring look, puzzled by her reaction. "Lordaeron has the final say on this matter. As long as he thinks it is beneficial to his own country, King Terenas can decide what to do." Antonidas interjected. "But their maintenance costs will also be shared by Dalaran and other alliance countries." A mage Jaina didn't know said: "As long as we are still paying, we should have a say in this." Antonidas He waved his bony hand, "Who will pay for the shelters, or whether these shelters are necessary, this is not the crux of the problem. What I am concerned about is the strange laziness of the orcs. Having done a little research into the history of the orcs, I don't believe this distress is the result of confinement, nor is it a disease—at least not the kind we need to worry about catching." Antonidas never misplaces Rumors, so everyone stopped arguing and listened to his words.Jaina was amazed, it was the first time she had heard a mage talk about the orc situation.She had no doubt that Antonidas had chosen the timing of his discovery deliberately.With both Arthas and Kael'thas present, the news was able to reach Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas quickly.Antonidas is not aimless. "If it's not a disease, and it's not the result of confinement," Arthas asked kindly, "then what do you think it is, Archmage?" Antonidas turned to the young prince, "My personal understanding is that the orcs are not Always so bloodthirsty. Khadgar told me he learned from Garona—" "Garona was the half-breed who murdered King Llane," Arthas said, the good mood gone. "With all due respect, what the creature says is far from credible." The people began to whisper agreement, and Antonidas made a quiet gesture. "This information is from before her betrayal," he said, "and has been confirmed." —Other ways.” He smiled slightly, deliberately avoiding the truth about the so-called “other ways”. "They made themselves under the demon's influence, turning their skin green and their eyes red. I believe that at the time of the first invasion, they were filled with this alien dark energy. Now, the supply of energy has been cut off. I think we What I saw was not a disease, but fading. The magic energy is extremely powerful, and it will take a terrible price to get rid of it." Kael'thas waved his hand disapprovingly, "Even if this theory is correct, why should we care about them? ...they are foolish enough to believe in demons, they are reckless enough to indulge in this corrupt energy. I, personally, think it would be foolish to 'help' them find a cure for their addiction, even if it would bring them back to peace. Now , they're crippled, and that's what I—and anyone in their right mind—would like to see, after they've done so much to us." "Ah, but if they can return to peace, we'll There is no need to lock them up anymore, and the money can be used elsewhere." Before the whole table arrived and fell into a quarrel, Antonidas said gently, "I believe that King Terenas will not just I put the money in my own pocket. Prince Arthas, did your father and family have a good trip? I'm sorry I couldn't attend your initiation ceremony, but I heard that the scene was very spectacular." "Stormwind to me It's a good place for me," Alsace smiled kindly, moving his knife and fork to the second course, grilled trout with green onions. "It's a pleasure to see King Varian again." "His lovely queen has just borne him an heir, I hear." "Yes. If little Anduin could hold his sword as well as my finger someday, He'll be a good fighter." "It's been years since we prayed together for your prince's coronation day, and I guess it's almost time for a royal wedding." Antonidas continued, "Which one have you set your sights on?" Are you a young lady? Or are you Lordaeron's chief bachelor?" Kael'thas turned his attention to the dinner plate, but Jaina knew he was paying keen attention to the conversation.She was careful to keep her face calm. Alsace picked up the wine with a smile and didn't look at her at all. Is there anything interesting to say?Anyway, time is still long. " Jaina had mixed feelings in her heart.She was a little disappointed, but also a little relieved.Maybe it's best to just be friends with Alsace.After all, she was here to learn how to be a great mage, not to make love.A magic apprentice needs to be disciplined and rational, not emotional.She has a responsibility and needs to go all out to fulfill it. She needs to learn. "I need to learn," Jaina refused when Arthas came to her a few days later with two horses. "Come on, Jaina." Arthas smiled. "The most diligent student also needs to take a break from time to time. The weather is so beautiful today, you should go outside and have fun." "I'm just outside," she said.Indeed, she was in the garden with her books, not bored in some reading room. "Exercise helps sharpen your mind." He reached out to Jaina, who was sitting under a tree, and she laughed. "Arthas, you'll be a great king someday," she said jokingly, taking his hand and letting him pull herself up. "It seems that no one can refuse any request of yours." He smiled, took the rein and let her mount.Today she was wearing a pair of linen breeches so that she could sit astride her legs instead of sitting sideways on the horse's back as she had in her gown.Soon, Arthas rolled onto his own horse. Jaina glanced at the horse he was riding, a laurel mare, not the white stallion that fate had taken him from. "I never got around to saying, I'm so sorry about the invincibility," she whispered. The laughter on Alsace's face disappeared, but the gloom was fleeting, and he smiled brightly again, only a little restrained. "That's all right, thanks. Now—I've got a picnic ready, but time is running out, so let's go." Jaina will never forget this day, a perfect late summer day, golden and honey-like in the sun.Arthas was fast, but Jaina was a skilled rider and easily kept up with his pace.He took her away from the city and along the endless green grassland.The horses are as happy as the riders, with their ears pointed forward and their long nostrils full of nature's breath. A picnic is simple but delicious - bread, cheese, fruit, some light white wine.Arthas lay back, dozing with his head resting on his folded arms.Jaina, on the other hand, kicked off her boots and stepped barefoot on the thick, soft grass.She sat down and read a book with her back against the tree.The book was very interesting—a treatise on the mechanics of teleportation—but the drowsy summer sun, the exercise, and the whisper of the cicadas made her fall asleep too. Jaina woke up a moment later, feeling chilled; the sun was setting.She sat up, pushing the tiredness out of her eyes, and saw that neither Arthas nor his horse was in sight.Her own gelding was tied to a branch, grazing in peace.She stood up, frowning. "Alsace?" No answer.Perhaps he had just decided to explore the neighborhood and could return any minute.She listened nervously to the hooves of the horses, but still found nothing. There are still orcs hanging around, or so the rumors say.There are also mountain lions and bears - less exotic but equally dangerous.Jaina checked her spells silently in her mind, making sure she could protect herself if attacked. Anyway - basically sure. The attack came quietly. The back of her neck was hit, and there was a cold and clammy feeling.She took a deep breath and turned around quickly.The assailant was a vague figure darting like a deer to the next hiding place, pausing only for a second snowball toss.It hit her right in the mouth this time, and she could barely breathe—and laughed at the same time.She grabbed a handful of snow, panting slightly from the cold that slipped into her shirt. "Alsace! It's not fair!" Four successive snowballs answered, and she crawled to pick them up one by one.He had evidently climbed the mountains to retrieve the spoils where winter had fallen early.where is heWhere! —a flash of his red jacket—the fight went on for a while until both sides ran out of ammunition. "Truce!" Arthas yelled.Jaina agreed, she was almost speechless with laughter. He jumped out from between the rocks and ran to Jaina.He laughed and hugged her, and she was happy to see that there were still traces of snow in his hair. "I've known it all these years," he said. "Know what...what?" Even though it was late summer, Jaina felt chills from being hit by so many snowballs.Arthas felt her trembling and wrapped his arms around her.Jaina knew she should push away, and it was one thing to hug innocently out of friendship, but quite another to be in his arms all the time.But she remained motionless, resting her head on his chest, her ear close to his heart, listening to its rapid and powerful beating. She closed her eyes, allowing one hand to climb up her hair and brush away the remaining snow on it.Arthas said: "The first day I saw you, I thought this was the girl who would make me happy. Wouldn't mind going out for a swim in the heat of summer, or—" He took a small step back, brushing the melting lips on her cheek. He smiled and said, "Or a snowball that hit your face. I didn't hurt you, did I?" She smiled back, feeling warm in her heart. "No, no." Their eyes met, and Jaina felt her cheeks burn.She backed away, but his arms wrapped around her like an iron ring.He continued to caress her face, his rough and strong fingers stroking along the curve of her cheek. "Jaina," he whispered, and she shivered again, but not from the cold this time.This is not appropriate and she should back off.But she just raised her face and closed her eyes...