Chương 62: Chapter 51

Krivax wondered if there had ever been a time in Capital City's history during which the Cathedral of Lordaeron had been so occupied. The nerubian delegation had been given prime seating near the front of the cathedral, a testament to how crucial Azjol-Nerub's efforts were in fighting against the Horde. He was certainly glad for it because there was no chance that Krivax would have been able to get decent seating otherwise.

Every single seat in the massive cathedral had been taken as the people of Capital City arrived to attend Archbishop Faol's funeral. The man had already been revered in life, but the sacrifice he had made to kill the C'thrax had turned him into a legend. The cathedral, which was already the largest in the Eastern Kingdoms, had actually needed to be spatially expanded to allow more people to pay their last respects to the Archbishop.

There were even people gathered outside in the square in front of the cathedral who were listening in on the sermon and the funeral rites fervently through the open door. Krivax had no doubt that processions of ordinary citizens would continue through the church to pay their last respects to the Archbishop for several days. Every important person in Capital City, from the founding members of the Knights of the Silver Hand to the various rulers of the Eastern Kingdoms, made speeches after the funeral rites.

Currently, the newly appointed Archbishop Benedictus was giving his own passionate speech as he sang praises about his predecessor and mentor. It was a miracle that the Church of Holy Light had been repaired and cleansed of any Void corruption in time for the funeral. The effort involved clearly showed that the rulers and bishops were deeply concerned about the morale of the citizens of Lordaeron.

After suffering an attack severe enough to shake the foundations of the kingdom, Krivax assumed that the leadership was searching desperately for a way to reassure the people. Countless lives had been lost, Lordaeron's economy was nearing a state of collapse, and King Menethil was still comatose and unable to lead his people.

Apparently, he had become severely contaminated by the spheres of concentrated Void thrown at the palace when the C'thrax attacked the city, and he had then become further injured by one of the many eldritch monstrosities it had created. The efforts to heal him were inhibited by the Void contamination, but he was lucky enough to have survived thanks to specially prepared potions supplied by Azjol-Nerub and the careful administration by priests wielding the Light.

Krivax was glad that the Order of Kal'tut had put a lot of effort into creating methods of healing Void-inflicted injuries, but there was a limit to what could be done. Krivax was also affected by the low morale of the citizens in the city and had mixed feelings about the consequences of his decisions. He had kept going over what he could have done differently in his head and had been unable to come up with a clear answer.

"Krivax."

"Huh?" Krivax snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see the troubled gaze of Masruk staring up at him.

"I was going to ask for your opinion of Archbishop Benedictus, but you failed to respond despite several attempts to gain your attention," said Masruk, his expression one of worry.

"You have been very inattentive recently. Are you unwell?" Krivax didn't really want to think about Archbishop Benedictus. He was another person who had become a villain in the original timeline, but as far as Krivax was concerned, he would handle the Archbishop in the same way he had 'handled' Kel'Thuzad, Kael'thas, and Malygos. Keep an eye on him and only worry about him when he actually became a problem. Krivax already had enough on his plate as it was.

Besides, considering all the changes in the timeline, there was no guarantee that the Archbishop would be corrupted by the void cults.

"I'm fine, Masruk. I've just found it hard to sleep lately," said Krivax, attempting to reassure his friend.

"Queen Kithix has forbidden me from using any enchantments or alchemical products on myself until she performs the ritual to regrow my missing leg. Once that is done, I'll be able to get a full night's sleep again and I'll be as good as new."

"It's not good that you require such things to properly sleep, Krivax," Masruk said disapprovingly.

"During my training, I was taught that Warriors shouldn't become reliant on items or external forces that we might not always possess. I believe that lesson applies here." I know that… but it's not like there's much that I can do about it.

"You're right, Masruk. I'll try my best to use them sparingly," Krivax lied. He appreciated that his friend was worried, but he had more important things to worry about than unhealthy sleeping habits. Krivax could tell that his words hadn't convinced Masruk at all, but he was thankfully spared from having to talk about the matter further once Queen Regent Lianne Menethil stepped up to the podium and the cathedral fell utterly silent.

This was the first public appearance of Lordaeron's new ruler since she had taken on the regency, and everyone wanted to hear what she would say. Her hair was silver with age and her face showed signs of deep weariness, but she also held an air of dignity that had been cultivated over several decades of being a queen. Young Arthas, the future king of Lordaeron, was seated next to the podium with red eyes from tears.

Krivax didn't know much about Lianne Menethil as she was a character who hadn't been particularly expanded upon in the lore, but he could see the determination in her eyes. He couldn't imagine what it must feel like to be called upon to rule over a kingdom facing such catastrophic circumstances, but he hoped she would be able to rise to the challenge.

"Dear citizens of Lordaeron and honored guests from across the Eastern Kingdoms and beyond," The Queen Regent began, her voice steady and regal.

"We are here to mourn the loss of a great man, Archbishop Alonsus Faol, who gave his life to protect this city from a threat that would have been unimaginable to us a mere few weeks ago. His compassion, courage, and faith in the Holy Light will be forever remembered and honored by the people of Lordaeron." Similar words had already been spoken several times during the ceremony, but Krivax could still see many people being deeply moved every time.

He could even feel the Light surge around Anub'rekhan faintly at times during the speeches.

"He was a man who dedicated a lifetime of service to the people of the Eastern Kingdoms, regardless of what nation or land they may have hailed from," Lianne Menethil continued solemnly.

"Whether that service took the form of providing aid to the refugees of Stormwind or forming the Knights of the Silver Hand so the faithful might have the means to fight back against the Horde, his influence can be felt throughout these lands. Although the Horde has now been defeated, there are many who would not have lived to see this day without the efforts of Archbishop Alonsus Faol." Krivax turned his attention to Prince Varian Wrynn and saw him nodding along with tears in his eyes.

It was difficult to overstate how much the Church of the Holy Light had done for the people of Stormwind since their kingdom was destroyed.

"The end of the war should have been a joyous occasion, but I have personally experienced how difficult it is to feel joy when your life has been upended by forces beyond your control," said Lianne Menethil, her voice wavering slightly as sorrow crept into her eyes.

"I know many of you feel as I do, and I would like to offer a word of advice that was once offered to me by Archbishop Faol, 'It is when times feel darkest that we must most seek the Light.'" Krivax was slightly startled as the Light around Anub'rekhan flared more than it ever had during the ceremony. Ever since the mission to secure the Dragon Soul, the Spiderlord had been much more attuned to the Light, and Krivax couldn't help but find it distracting.

"If you cannot find the Light then find your neighbors, because it is during times like these that the people of Lordaeron must stand united," the Queen Regent said with determination in her voice.

"I knew Archbishop Faol for my entire life, and I know he would believe in our ability to rise above these challenges. As your Queen Regent, I intend to do everything I can to honor his memory, protect my people from harm, and help those hurt by the Horde's cruelty. I intend to live my life such that when I rejoin the Light, I can greet Archbishop Faol and truthfully say I did all that I could, and I know the people of Lordaeron will do the same. Thank you all."

As the Queen Regent retreated from the podium, the audience immediately broke out into cheers. Krivax could see many people crying throughout the cathedral, from the poorest of peasants to the richest of nobles. The C'thrax's attack on Capital City was one of the most devastating events in Lordaeron's history, and there were few people who hadn't suffered as a result.

"She's a talented speaker," Hadix observed as he scanned his gaze over the crowd.

"I wonder if she will be as skilled a politician. Though, I suppose you'll have the opportunity to learn first hand, apprentice." Krivax groaned at the reminder. The political discussions over everything that had happened had been pushed back until after the funeral, but they couldn't really wait any longer. There had simply been too many important things that had happened.

The war with the Horde had been ended by the Aspects, a dragon had been outed as a member of Dalaran's ruling body, and a monster of unknown origin had upended the Eastern Kingdom's political landscape by attacking Capital City. The consequences of the events of the last few weeks would be immense. There were some matters that couldn't be decided upon without the inclusion of Ironforge and Gnomeregan, such as the final fate of the captured members of the Horde, but there were still many things to discuss.

The Red Dragonflight had sent a few dragons to break the siege on the two cities, but there were simply too many matters to attend to after a year of being besieged for them to prioritize diplomacy. Last Krivax had heard, they were still in the process of reasserting control over Khaz Modan and clearing out any remnants of the Horde that might still be in their territory.

The High King had made it clear that Krivax would be sent down south to establish relations between Azjol-Nerub and the two nations in the near future. That coincided well with Krivax's plans, as the Titan facility of Uldaman was buried deep within the mountains of Khaz Modan… The ceremony didn't last for much longer after the Queen Regent concluded her speech.

The citizens of Capital City continued to pour into the cathedral to pay their respects to Archbishop Faol, but Krivax made his way out of the building with the rest of the nerubian delegation. It was a bit annoying to walk with only three legs, but he had learned how to do so well enough that his pace was only slightly slowed. Most of the nerubians left to return to their enclave in Dalaran, but Krivax and Anub'rekhan split off and started heading toward the palace so they could attend the meeting.

Hadix and Queen Kithix had both been offered invitations, but neither of them cared at all for diplomacy and simply refused to attend. Anub'rekhan was a fair bit more personable with non-nerubians, but Krivax wouldn't be surprised to hear that he was only attending because Azjol-Nerub needed someone to watch over him. Once they arrived, Krivax was surprised to find the palace's halls already large enough to accommodate the Spiderlord, presumably thanks to Antonidas.

One of this King's Guard arrived to escort the two of them to a seldomly used meeting room, as the Imperial Chamber where such discussions were usually held wasn't currently available. Krivax could see that much of the building was still damaged as they walked through the palace's halls, but the servants continued to go about their business as they did their best to keep everything running.

Krivax and Anub'rekhan reached their destination after a few minutes and the King's Guard announced their arrival before opening the door to the meeting room. Once he was inside, Krivax immediately swept his gaze through the room to see who was attending as he made his way to the section set aside for Azjol-Nerub. He wasn't particularly surprised to see that the rulers from each of the human kingdoms were present, including a peg-legged Daelin Proudmoore, along with Archbishop Benedictus.

Krivax was sure they all had important matters to attend to in their own nations, but the funeral of Archbishop Faol was an event of such diplomatic importance that none of them could afford to miss it. The Church of the Holy Light was the predominant religion in every human nation aside from Kul'Tiras, so the reverence felt toward the Archbishop was one shared by most of humanity. In addition to the human rulers was an elf man who Krivax assumed to be Grand Magister Belo'vir.

Although King Anastarian was busy attending to his people in the aftermath of the war, Krivax had heard that the high elves would be sending over Belo'vir to represent the Convocation of Silvermoon. As the Grand Magister, he was the second most powerful individual in Silvermoon's politics, which showed the seriousness with which the elves were now treating these matters. Krivax didn't know much about Quel'Thalas' internal politics, but he had no doubt that the war had left a deep impact on the elves.

Also present was Kurdran Wildhammer, High Thane of the Wildhammer clan and Aerie Peak. While not as isolationist as the high elves the gryphon-riding dwarves were a rare sight outside of the Hinterlands, but their presence had done much to help the Alliance counter the Horde's undead dragons. Aside from the elves and dwarves, there was only one other party being represented in this meeting, although Krivax felt like they were probably the most consequential.

Alexstrasza, Queen of the Dragons, was sitting quietly around the table placed in the center of the room with Krasus by her side. Krivax couldn't help but notice that Krasus and Grand Magus Antonidas were very deliberately not looking in one another's direction.

"Vizier Krivax, Spiderlord Anub'rekhan, thank you for joining us so promptly," said Queen Regent Liane Menethil, smiling politely as they entered the room.

"With your arrival, everyone is here and we can begin the meeting. I know that everyone is busy given all that has happened, so I shall refrain from wasting all of our time by skipping the pleasantries."

"That sounds wise to me, Your Majesty," said King Perenolde of Alterac, nodding toward the Queen Regent.

"But if I may ask, is it truly wise for your son to be in attendance for this meeting? He is quite young and these matters can become a tad dull for someone his age."

"As there is a significant likelihood that Prince Arthas is destined to take the throne sooner than we had anticipated, I have decided that he will be present to observe my diplomatic meetings," Liane Menethil said firmly as she laid a hand on her son's shoulder before gesturing toward Prince Wrynn who was seated next to the delegation from Stormwind.

"Besides, my son is hardly the only young person observing this meeting." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The boy looked clearly overwhelmed by everything that was going on, but Krivax didn't blame him given the circumstances.

"Of course, Your Majesty," said King Perenolde, smiling genially as he leaned back in his seat.

"Before we begin this meeting, I'd prefer if we could all agree on the topics of conversation for this evening," said Queen Regent Menethil, her voice becoming regal as she addressed the room.

"Subjects for discussion are a proposal to formalize a more permanent and expanded Alliance through a new treaty between its member nations, addressing the ongoing food crisis plaguing our nations, and determining the future course of action regarding the retreating Horde."

"Are we not going to decide what we should do with those already captured?" asked King Trollbane, earning a rare grunt of agreement from King Greymane.

"Such a decision cannot be made without representatives from Ironforge and Gnomeregan," Queen Regent Menethil explained.

"I recommend that we organize a more formal political summit between the nations of the Eastern Kingdoms in the future to decide on the fate of the Horde, and what actions we should take in regard to the Dark Portal."

"I'm sure my fellow dwarves would appreciate that," said Thane Wildhammer, nodding approvingly. That… was not going to be an easy conversation, and Krivax was very much not looking forward to it. His personal feelings toward the orcs were more than a little complicated. As a fan of the Warcraft franchise, he'd had an okay impression of the orcs and the Horde in general.

Most of the events in lore took place after they were freed from the blood curse plaguing their people and generally depicted them in a favorable light. Krivax had always known that they did and would do bad things during their history, but he had always just seen them as people. After seeing the aftermath of the Second War with his own eyes, it was much more difficult for Krivax to look at the Horde in a neutral light.

He sympathized with them as he understood that their actions were significantly influenced by the Fel magic coursing through their bodies, but did a lack of agency excuse their atrocities? Did it bring back the men, women, and children who had been mercilessly slaughtered or soothe the anguish of those who had lost everything to the Horde? It was a complicated ethical dilemma to which Krivax wasn't sure a correct answer existed.

No matter what choice was made in regard to the Horde, there would be those who would be left unsatisfied. He didn't believe they should all be just killed, but Krivax couldn't find it in himself to particularly blame those who would no doubt call for such actions. Especially since he knew the chances of the orcs being systematically exterminated were practically nonexistent due to Alexstrasza's continued intervention.

The people of the Eastern Kingdoms didn't know the orcs as anything other than murderous savages incapable of even the slightest kindness, so it was understandable. On a more pragmatic level, Krivax thought that the orcs could be used as a powerful military force against the various threats that Azeroth would face, if their race could be… rehabilitated. But that was a matter that Krivax intended to address later.

Any attempt to turn the Horde away from Fel magic and properly integrate them into Azeroth would be a project that spanned years, so Krivax still had time to make plans.

"What is there to decide? Just kill the savages and be done with it," Daelin Proudmoore said with a scowl.

"I understand that the Horde has committed many unspeakable acts of evil against your people, Admiral, but to return one atrocity with another will do nothing but set us all on a path of madness," said Alexstrasza, her expression one of empathy as she turned toward the Lord Admiral.

"You don't understand shit, 'Dragon Queen,'" said Daelin Proudmoore, spitting out Alexstrasza's title.

"While you were off doing who knows what, my people were fighting and dying to stop those animals from slaughtering innocent people. Just because you decided one day to fly down from wherever you came from and grace us with your presence by ending this war with barely any effort, doesn't mean you get to lecture me on morality. I don't care about any so-called 'Fel magic' that was corrupting them, we would be better off with them gone."

After the C'thrax's attack on Capital City, the Dragonflights had already provided an explanation about Deathwing, the Burning Legion, and the orc Fel corruption to the various nations. Krivax wasn't certain how everyone was reacting behind the scenes but was glad that everyone now knew about the greatest threats to Azeroth. The nobility in Lordaeron and Alterac, at least, had publicly disavowed House Prestor and everyone was keeping an eye out for Deathwing's children.

"That is enough! I would remind you that these matters will be discussed once Ironforge and Gnomeregan are able to join us," Queen Regent Menethil said firmly, ending the argument that had obviously been brewing.

"They have suffered from the Horde as much as anyone else, and thus deserve to have a say in the matter."

"Of course, Your Majesty. It is the mortal races who have suffered the most from the Horde, which is why you should all have a say in their fate," said Alexstrasza, subtly reminding everyone that it was her Dragonflight who still held the Horde's leadership captive.

"If I may interrupt, are we not going to address the dragon in the room?" asked King Perenolde, glancing toward Krasus.

"The fact that a member of Dalaran's ruling body was secretly a member of the so-called 'Red Dragonflight' seems like an important matter to discuss.

""The Council of Six considers that matter to be an internal one," said Grand Magus Antonidas, his expression not giving away any thoughts on the matter.

"Be that as it may, I would quite like to know if any of my advisors are secretly dragons," said King Perenolde, glancing toward Alexstrasza.

"To the best of my knowledge, they are not," Alexstrasza assured.

"There are some among my Flight who choose to live amongst mortals, but Korialstrasz's circumstances were an exception." Krivax didn't know how true that was, but there was nothing any of them could do to prove or disprove the Dragon Queen's words.

"Hmm. Very well," said King Perenolde, his eyes thoughtful.

"If there is nothing else, then I suggest we begin addressing the previously mentioned topics," said Queen Regent Menethil. After pausing for a moment to make sure there would be no more interruptions, she nodded and continued.

"Let us first begin by discussing the fate of the Alliance, and what should be done with the organization now that the war has come to an end."

"Your majesty, Azjol-Nerub has a proposal that it would like to put forth on this matter," Krivax said immediately, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Once he received a nod of acknowledgment from the Queen Regent, Krivax took a deep breath as he prepared himself. Shortly after the mission to secure the Dragon Soul, High King Anub'arak had contacted everyone involved and personally expressed Azjol-Nerub's gratitude for their service through a scrying crystal.

When he spoke to Krivax, the High King had specifically informed him of his intention to create a dedicated department for diplomacy and that Krivax would be assigned there as a high-ranking member. Azjol-Nerub was highly meritocratic and wasn't shy about rewarding those who performed exceptional deeds in service of the kingdom. Apparently, participating in a mission that helped save the Azjol-Nerub from an insane dragon powerful enough to collapse their underground kingdom around them was a big deal.

At least, Krivax had gotten the impression that it was significant enough to wash away any residual distrust that came from being exposed as a member of the Order of Kal'tut. It was sort of annoying that he would be transferred to a new department again so quickly, but the High King had made it clear that he would still be working closely with the Anomalous Magic Research Division.

The best part of it all, however, was that Krivax's position as a diplomat was now much more formal and he could send regular proposals to the High King. Now that his political power was much more secure, there were many options that had opened up for him that were previously impossible, his plan to change the Alliance for the better being one of them.

"With the war won and the Horde's threat drastically diminished, Azjol-Nerub believes it best if the Alliance was repurposed into an organization that would benefit us all in the long term," Krivax said once he finished gathering his thoughts.

"To be more specific, we propose to create a regular council in which we can exchange information on any threats, determine solutions to crises faced by multiple nations, and negotiate future defense treaties if such a thing ever becomes needed." Krivax knew that if left to its own devices, the Alliance in its current form would inevitably break apart without an external threat to justify its existence.

In the original timeline, the Alliance had continued on for a few more years due to the worry that those who had escaped through the Dark Portal into Draenor would launch a second invasion. After the intervention of Alexstrasza and the Red Dragonflight, such a worry simply didn't exist. A large majority of the Horde had already been successfully captured, with only a few scattered remnants fleeing into the countryside.

In addition, any attempt from the orcs on Draenor to invade Azeroth would be swiftly ended by dragon fire. If Krivax didn't do something about it, he was confident the Alliance would swiftly fall apart once they began arguing over what to do with the orcs, as it did in the original timeline. Therefore, his solution was to change it into an organization with much looser commitments that everyone could agree with.

It had taken some effort to convince the High King that joining such an organization would be in Azjol-Nerub's interest, but he was ultimately swayed by the fact that the commitments were minor and the benefits obvious. Once it became time to deal with the Lich King or any other threats to Azeroth, Krivax was certain that the Alliance could be easily and quickly repurposed into a military alliance to deal with the threat.

"I doubt Quel'Thalas would benefit much from such an agreement," said Grand Magister Belo'vir.

"Despite the unexpected danger poised by the Horde, our defenses were more than capable of halting their advance. Committing ourselves to intervene in the squabbles of foreign nations seems like it would be against our interest."

"Mutual defense agreements would only be negotiated once a new threat became clear," Krivax said calmly.

"Quel'Thalas would face no obligation to involve itself in foreign conflicts if it chose not to do so."

"The High King would have not proposed such an arrangement otherwise," Anub'rekhan added.

"I have the opposite concern," said Anduin Lothar, speaking in his role as the regent ruler of Stormwind.

"The Alliance should be strengthened, not weakened. It has only been a month since the Horde was routed and we're already prepared to discard the organization that allowed us to come together and defeat them? What madness is this?"

"The nerubians are merely being proactive, Supreme Commander," said King Perenolde, sounding pleased.

"I understand you don't have much experience with politics, but it's perfectly clear to those of us who do that the Alliance must change if it is to continue in the long term and beyond a mere military alliance." Krivax was pleased to see both King Greymane and Admiral Proudmoore nod in agreement and turned to address the concerns of Stormwind.

"Prince Varian, if such an organization had existed when the Horde first arrived on Azeroth, your kingdom would have never been forced to face them alone," said Krivax, looking toward the future king of Stormwind whose expression fell at the reminder of his kingdom's destruction.

"Similarly, Lordaeron and the Church would have benefited if the danger of Deathwing and the Void was communicated more clearly in advance to such a council. I firmly believe that Azjol-Nerub would have intervened in this war far sooner if we had been informed of such an existential threat. Grand Magister Belo'vir must surely agree that the news of Zul'jin's escape and alliance with Horde would have enabled Quel'Thalas to better prepare for their invasion of your lands."

After he had presented his case, Krivax could tell that many of the rulers seemed receptive to his arguments, and those who previously weren't at least looked thoughtful. The discussion got heated at times as they argued over the details, but the various rulers at least seemed favorable to the changes and agreed to negotiate the matter further through their diplomats.

Alexstrasza in particular seemed interested in having a method to easily keep informed on matters happening throughout the Eastern Kingdoms, and share information with the mortal races if necessary. Krivax was happy with the progress, even if nothing definitive had been agreed upon. Such a significant matter couldn't be decided in a single day, after all. Afterward, the discussion quickly moved on to the ongoing food crisis, which was already dire even without taking the Horde into account.

Predictably, many of the rulers were more than a little reluctant to spend their citizen taxes on feeding the orcs while their own people were going hungry. Alexstrasza and Archbishop Benedictus offered to use their resources to cleanse the Void corruption left behind by the C'thrax during its rampage toward Capital City. In addition, the Dragon Queen would send her Flight to promote the upcoming harvests of the various kingdoms, although she made it clear this wasn't a permanent solution.

There were a lot of people to feed, and the dragons weren't going to suddenly dedicate themselves to being farmers.

"I believe that the Harvest Witches and Thornspeakers contacted by Dalaran to control the jormungar can also help improve the harvest," Krivax suggested. There weren't all that many of them, but every little bit helped. Archmage Antonidus nodded with agreement and said, "There are also several specialists in Dalaran in nature magic and conjuring food who can help research a more long-term solution."

"Some of my folk practice shamanism, so we can help make the soil better for growing crops," Thane Wildhammer spoke up.

"Quel'Thalas has long been self-sufficient by feeding its people with food created through arcane magic," Grand Magister Belo'vir said pridefully.

"We can perhaps open our food to foreign trade in light of these trying times." It was fairly easy to get everyone to agree on promoting any method that might improve food security across the continent. Nobody wanted to experience the chaos that would occur if a famine swept through the Eastern Kingdoms while they were still reeling from the effects of the Second War. The final topic of discussion was how everyone intended to deal with the Horde forces that had not yet been captured.

Alexstrasza categorically refused to deploy her Dragonflight against the trolls, explaining that they were natives of Azeroth and not corrupted by the Burning Legion as the orcs were. She was willing to help with any particularly large groups of Horde remnants, but it was the Alliance who would actually need to find them. The kingdoms quickly agreed to organize scouting parties that would be dedicated to searching for any groups of orcs, which reminded Krivax of another matter he wanted to mention.

"Before this meeting is concluded, there's one thing that Azjol-Nerub would like to announce," said Krivax once the discussion was about to end.

"Our kingdom has decided to create two settlements in the Eastern Kingdoms, and has negotiated agreements with Alterac and Stormwind to do so." Ignoring the shocked exclamations of some of the gathered rulers, Krivax retrieved a map marking the proposed settlements from his spatial bag and placed it on the table. After several moments of examination, King Trollbane was the first to react.

"You intend to construct a settlement on the border between Stromgarde and Alterac?" King Trollbane asked pointedly.

"The settlement in Alterac will be smaller than the one in Stormwind, and will primarily be used for the purpose of facilitating trade and mining," Krivax explained.

"This agreement will be very beneficial to the economies of both Stromgarde and Alterac." It was he who argued to the High King and the council that Azjol-Nerub should focus on the settlement in Stormwind so that they could avoid political entanglements as much as possible. It hadn't taken much convincing, as the High King seemed to be of a similar mind.

He could have perhaps been able to argue for scrapping the Alterac settlement altogether but there was some benefit to keeping it despite the potential entanglements it would cause. If Azjol-Nerub had a settlement in Alterac, then it would be much easier for Krivax to make contact with the only orc clan on Azeroth who hadn't entered into a pact with the Burning Legion if he needed to.

After all, he knew that the Frostwolf clan had abandoned the Horde early on and settled in the mountains of Alterac without anyone noticing. Krivax could tell that a few of the rulers were dissatisfied by the news, Trollbane most of all, but there wasn't anything they could really do about it. Azjol-Nerub had already concluded negotiations with Stormwind and Alterac, plus they had earned a significant amount of political capital through their contributions to the war effort.

As everyone said their farewells and agreed to continue the relevant discussions through their diplomats, Krivax couldn't help but feel a little bit good about how things were going. Until now, he'd been unable to implement many of his ideas due to his lack of official diplomatic status. Now that Krivax had more solid authority and a direct line of communication with the High King, there were suddenly many more options available to him…