Thrall,” Jaina said, being completely honest.
“Your opinion matters to me. It always does. Nonetheless, I will not grovel before Varian, nor play down the desperate survival needs of my people.”
Jaina was silent for a long moment, her arms folded tight across her chest, looking down at the ground. “I think I understand,”she replied finally, the words coming slowly, bitterly. “Light, how I hate to say that. But one thing
you
need to understand is how very badly the Wrath Gate incident harmed your relationship with the Alliance. We lost almost five thousand at the Wrath Gate alone, Thrall. And in particular, the loss of Highlord Bolvar Fordragon was personally felt by so very many.”
“As was the loss of Saurfang the Younger,” Thrall said. “The best and brightest sliced down in his prime, then raised to … well. Do not think the Horde escaped lightly from this conflict.”
“Oh, I don’t. But—it is hard to bear. Especially when so many of the fallen died at Horde hands and not Scourge.”
“Putress was not of the Horde!” Thrall growled.
“It’s a distinction that not a lot of people make. And even now, there are doubts. You know that.”
Thrall nodded, growling a little in the back of his throat. Jaina knew it was not directed at her but at Putress and the rest of those who had been behind the attack. Those who had claimed allegiance to the Horde while plotting behind its back.
“First that, and now this. It’s going to be hard for the Alliance leadership to trust you,” Jaina continued. “A lot of people, Varian included, felt that you didn’t do enough to address the situation after it happened. Publicly decrying all aspects of this incursion would go a long way to mending the Alliance’s image of you and the Horde both. And let’s face it—it wasn’t a little scuffle. This was horrific.”
“It was. And turning over suspected criminals to Alliance justice would be a horror that my people would never recover from. It would shame them, and I will never do that. They would seek to overthrow me, and they would be right in doing so.”
She regarded him evenly. “Thrall, I don’t think you fully appreciate the direness of the situation. It’s not going to do much good for you to tacitly approve something you deplore if it brings war upon the Horde. And Varian—”
“Varian is a hothead,” Thrall snapped.
“So is Garrosh.”
Thrall suddenly chuckled. “Those two are more alike than they know.”
“Well, their hotheaded similarities may end up getting more people killed, far too soon after Northrend.”
“You know I do not wish war,” Thrall said. “I led my people here to avoid senseless conflict. But truth be told, from what you have said, it does not sound like Varian is inclined to listen to me anyway. He would not believe me even if I
did
publicly denounce the attack. Would he?”
She did not answer, her brow furrowing deeper in her unhappiness. “I … I would encourage him to.”
Thrall smiled sadly and gently dropped a huge hand on her narrow shoulder. “I will condemn the breaking of the Horde’s word … but nothing more.” He looked around at the dismal swamp environment in which they stood.
“Durotar was the place I chose to give my people a fresh start. Medivh told me to bring them here, and I chose to listen to him, though I knew nothing of this place. When we arrived, I saw it to be a harsh land, not verdant like the Eastern Kingdoms. Even places with water, such as this, are difficult in which to dwell. I chose to remain here despite that, to give my people a chance to pit their spirits against the land. Their spirits are still mighty, but the land …” He shook his head. “I think Durotar has given all it can. I must tend to it, to my people.”
Jaina’s eyes searched his. She brought her hand up to brush a lock of golden hair out of her eyes, a girlish gesture, but her expression and words were those of a leader. “I understand that the
“Your opinion matters to me. It always does. Nonetheless, I will not grovel before Varian, nor play down the desperate survival needs of my people.”
Jaina was silent for a long moment, her arms folded tight across her chest, looking down at the ground. “I think I understand,”she replied finally, the words coming slowly, bitterly. “Light, how I hate to say that. But one thing
you
need to understand is how very badly the Wrath Gate incident harmed your relationship with the Alliance. We lost almost five thousand at the Wrath Gate alone, Thrall. And in particular, the loss of Highlord Bolvar Fordragon was personally felt by so very many.”
“As was the loss of Saurfang the Younger,” Thrall said. “The best and brightest sliced down in his prime, then raised to … well. Do not think the Horde escaped lightly from this conflict.”
“Oh, I don’t. But—it is hard to bear. Especially when so many of the fallen died at Horde hands and not Scourge.”
“Putress was not of the Horde!” Thrall growled.
“It’s a distinction that not a lot of people make. And even now, there are doubts. You know that.”
Thrall nodded, growling a little in the back of his throat. Jaina knew it was not directed at her but at Putress and the rest of those who had been behind the attack. Those who had claimed allegiance to the Horde while plotting behind its back.
“First that, and now this. It’s going to be hard for the Alliance leadership to trust you,” Jaina continued. “A lot of people, Varian included, felt that you didn’t do enough to address the situation after it happened. Publicly decrying all aspects of this incursion would go a long way to mending the Alliance’s image of you and the Horde both. And let’s face it—it wasn’t a little scuffle. This was horrific.”
“It was. And turning over suspected criminals to Alliance justice would be a horror that my people would never recover from. It would shame them, and I will never do that. They would seek to overthrow me, and they would be right in doing so.”
She regarded him evenly. “Thrall, I don’t think you fully appreciate the direness of the situation. It’s not going to do much good for you to tacitly approve something you deplore if it brings war upon the Horde. And Varian—”
“Varian is a hothead,” Thrall snapped.
“So is Garrosh.”
Thrall suddenly chuckled. “Those two are more alike than they know.”
“Well, their hotheaded similarities may end up getting more people killed, far too soon after Northrend.”
“You know I do not wish war,” Thrall said. “I led my people here to avoid senseless conflict. But truth be told, from what you have said, it does not sound like Varian is inclined to listen to me anyway. He would not believe me even if I
did
publicly denounce the attack. Would he?”
She did not answer, her brow furrowing deeper in her unhappiness. “I … I would encourage him to.”
Thrall smiled sadly and gently dropped a huge hand on her narrow shoulder. “I will condemn the breaking of the Horde’s word … but nothing more.” He looked around at the dismal swamp environment in which they stood.
“Durotar was the place I chose to give my people a fresh start. Medivh told me to bring them here, and I chose to listen to him, though I knew nothing of this place. When we arrived, I saw it to be a harsh land, not verdant like the Eastern Kingdoms. Even places with water, such as this, are difficult in which to dwell. I chose to remain here despite that, to give my people a chance to pit their spirits against the land. Their spirits are still mighty, but the land …” He shook his head. “I think Durotar has given all it can. I must tend to it, to my people.”
Jaina’s eyes searched his. She brought her hand up to brush a lock of golden hair out of her eyes, a girlish gesture, but her expression and words were those of a leader. “I understand that the
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