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Thrall tensed。
What is it？
The orc turned back around to face her。 There is considerable pressure on me to take Northwatch Keep back by
force。
And there is considerable pressure on me to keep it。
Thrall and Jaina stared at each other。 Now that he faced her again； Jaina saw something different in the orc s blue
eyes： not anger； but confusion。
How did this happen？ Thrall asked the question in a quieter voice； all belligerence now seemingly burned out of
him。 How did it e to where we bicker over such idiocy？
Jaina couldn t help but laugh。 We are leaders； Thrall。
Leaders take their warriors into battle。
In times of war； yes； Jaina said。 In times of peace； they lead them differently。 War is a grand endeavor that
subsumes daily existence； but when it ends； there is still daily existence。 She walked over to her old rade and
put her small hand on his massive arm。 I will investigate this； Thrall； and learn the truth。 And if my soldiers did not
do their duty by our alliance； then I swear to you they will be punished。
Thrall nodded。 Thank you； Jaina。 And I apologize for my accusations。 But my people have endured so much。 I
have endured so much； and I will not see our people mistreated again。
Nor will I； Jaina said quietly。 And perhaps She hesitated。
What？
Perhaps we should draft a formal treaty。 Because you were right before you and I may trust each other； but not
all humans and orcs will do likewise。 And much as we may wish it otherwise； we will not live forever。
Thrall nodded。 It is often…difficult to remind my people that you are no longer our slavemasters。 In many ways；
they wish to continue the rebellion even though the time of orc enslavement is long past。 Sometimes I get caught up
in their fervor； especially since I was raised in bondage by a creature as foul as any member of the Burning Legion。
Sometimes I believe the worst； and so will my people when I am gone and can no longer remind them。 So perhaps
you are correct。
Let us solve this crisis first； Jaina said； giving Thrall a smile。 Then we will speak of treaties。
Thank you。 Then Thrall shook his head and chuckled。
What is it？
You are nothing like her in any way； but when you smiled； just for an instant； you reminded me of Tari。
Jaina remembered that Taretha Foxton； whom most called Tari； was the daughter of a member of Aedelas
Blackmoore s household； and had been instrumental in Thrall s escape from Blackmoore s clutches at the cost of
her own life。
Orcs immortalized their history in song form： a lok amon chronicled the starting of a family； a lok tra a battle； a
lok vadnod the life of a hero。 To the best of anyone s knowledge； the only human ever to have a lok vadnod sung
of her life was named Tari。
And so Jaina bowed her head and said； I am honored to be so associated。 I will send Colonel Lorena to
Northwatch； and as soon as she reports； I will inform you。
Thrall shook his head。 Another woman in your military。 Humans astound me sometimes。
Jaina s tone grew frosty； again； she tightly gripped the staff。 What do you mean？ Can men and women not be
equals in your world？
Of course not。 Nor would I say； he added quickly before Jaina could interrupt； that they are unequal any more
than I would say that an insect and a flopletely different purposes。
Grateful for the opening； Jaina said the same thing to Thrall that she had said to Antonidas when as a brash young
woman she had insisted on being his apprentice。 Back then； the archmage had said to her； It is no more
women s nature to bee wizards than it is a dog s nature to pose an aria。
As then； she now said to Thrall： Is not what separates us from animals that we can change our nature？ After all；
there are those who would argue that an orc s nature was to be a slave。 Then Jaina shook her head。 However；
there are many who think as you do。 It is why women have to work twice as hard to achieve the same position as a
man which is why I trust Lorena more than any of my other colonels。 She will learn the truth。
At that； Thrall threw his massive head back and laughed heartily。 You are a fine woman； Jaina Proudmoore。 You
remind me how much I still have to learn about humans； despite having been raised by them。
Given who raised you； I d say that was more because you were raised by them。
Thrall nodded。 A fine point。 Have your female colonel investigate the matter。 We will speak again when she is
done。 He moved toward the rope ladder that still dangled from the hovering airship。
Thrall。 He stopped and turned to face her。 She gave him as encouraging a look as she could。 We will not let this
alliance fail。
Again； he nodded。 No； we shall not。 With that； he climbed the rope。
Jaina； for her part； muttered an incantation in a language known only to mages； then took a deep breath。 Her
stomach felt as if it were being sucked out through her nose； as the butte； the airship； Thrall； and Razor Hill shifted
and altered around her； growing indistinct and hazy。 A moment； and then everything coalesced into the familiar
surroundings of her chambers on the top floor of the largest of the castles that made up the tallest structures in
Theramore。
She did most of the work of state here； in this small room with its desk and thousands of scrolls； rather than in the
throne room； an ostentatious title for a like space。 Jaina sat in that throne as little as possible even during the
weekly occasions when she saw petitioners； she generally paced in front of the embarrassingly large chair rather
than actually park herself in it and used the room sparingly。 These chambers felt more like Antonidas s study；
where she learned her craft； plete with disanized desk and badly sorted scrolls。 That made it feel like home。
Something else the throne room had that the chambers didn t was a window with a view。 Jaina knew she d never
get any work done if there was a view of Theramore she would be distracted alternately by wonder at what they d
built here and fright at her responsibility for it。
Teleporting was always an intense； draining process； and while Jaina s training allowed her to be battleready
instantly upon pleting a teleport； all things being equal； she preferred to give herself a little time to recover。 She
gave herself those moments now before calling out to her secretary。 Duree！
The old widow came in through the main entrance。 The chambers had three entrances。 Two of them were known to
all： the one Duree had just used； and the one to the hallway and staircase that led to Jaina s private apartments。 The
third was a secret passageway meant to be an escape route。 Only six other people knew of it； and five of those were
the workers who had built it。
Duree glared at Jaina through her spectacles。 No need to shout； I m sitting right outside the door like I always am。
How d your meeting with the orc go？
Sighing； Jaina said； not for the first time； His name is Thrall。
Duree waved her arms about so much that the frail woman almost lost her balance。 Her spectacles fell off her nose
and dangled from their string around her neck。 I know； but it s such a stupid name。 I mean； orcs have names like
Hellscream and Doomhammer and Drek Than and Burx and the like； and he calls himself Thrall？ What self
respecting orc would call himself that？
Not bothering to explain that Thrall was more selfrespecting than any orc she d known since the explanation had
never worked the previous hundred times she d tried it Jaina said instead； It s Drek Thar； not Drek Than。
Either way。 Duree put her spectacles back on her nose。 Those are good orc names。 Not Thrall。 Anyhow； how d it
go？
We have a problem。 Get Kristoff in here； and have one of the boys find Colonel Lorena and tell her to put a detail
together that s traveling to Northwatch； and then to report to me。 Jaina sat at her desk and started sorting through
the scrolls； trying to find the shipping reports。
Why Lorena？ Shouldn t you get Lothar or Pierce？ Someone less I don t know； feminine？ They re a rough bunch
in Northwatch。
Wondering if she was going to have this conversation every time Lorena s name came up； Jaina said； Lorena s
tougher than Lothar and Pierce bined。 She ll be fine。
Duree pouted； a poor sight on such an old woman。 It ain t right。 Military ain t women s work。
Giving up on finding the shipping records； she instead glared at her secretary。 Neither is running a citystate。
Well； that s different； Duree said weakly。
How？
It just is。
Jaina shook her head。 Three years； and Duree had yet to e up with a better answer than that。 Just go get
Kristoff and send for Lorena before I turn you into a newt。
You turn me into a newt； you ll never find anything again。
Throwing up her hands in frustration。 I can t find anything now。 Where are the damn shipping records？
Smiling； Duree said； Kristoff has em。 I ll tell him to bring em when he es； shall I？
Please。
Duree bowed； which caused her spectacles to fall off again。 Then she left the chambers。 Jaina briefly considered
throwing a fireball after her； but decided against it。 Duree