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 was right without her； Jaina never would be able to find
anything。
Moments later； Kristoff arrived； several scrolls in hand。 Duree said you wanted to see me； milady。 Or did you just
want these？ He indicated the scrolls。
Both； actually。 Thank you； she added as she took the scrolls from him。
Kristoff was Jaina s chamberlain。 While she ruled Theramore； Kristoff was the one who ran it。 His capacity for
irritating minutiae made him ideal for the job； and had been the primary thing keeping Jaina from indulging in a
homicidal rage when being leader became too much for her notverybroad shoulders to bear。 He had been the clerk
to Highlord Garithos before the war； when his anizational skills had bee legendary。
Certainly； he did not advance in the military due to any physical prowess。 Kristoff was tall but rail thin； seeming
almost as fragile as Duree； who at least had old age to blame。 His straight； dark； justpastshoulderlength hair
framed an angular face and hawk nose； a visage that seemed to wear a perpetual scowl。
Jaina shared Thrall s story of the attack on ath ar and the nearby vessel doing nothing to help。
Raising a thin eyebrow； Kristoff said； The story does not seem credible。 Half a league off Ratchet； you said？
Jaina nodded。
There were no military boats assigned to that region； milady。
The fog was thick it s possible that the boat Captain Bolik saw was off course。
Kristoff nodded； conceding the point。 However； milady； it is also possible that Captain Bolik was mistaken。
It seems unlikely。 Jaina walked around to the other side of her desk and sat in the chair； placing the shipping
records on the only open space。 Orcs have keener eyesight than we do； remember； and they tend to use the most
gifted in eyesight as lookouts。
We must also consider the possibility that the orcs are lying。 Before Jaina could object to this notion which she
very much intended to do Kristoff held up a longfingered hand。 I do not speak of Thrall； now； milady。 The orcs
Warchief is an honorable man； it s true。 You do well to place your trust in him； and I believe that he is simply
relaying what he was told by his people。
Then what are you saying？ Jaina knew the answer to the question； but wanted to hear Kristoff confirm it。
I am saying the same thing that I have said to you all along； milady we cannot afford to blindly trust the orcs。
Individual orcs have proven honorable； yes； but orcs as a whole？ We would be fools to assume that they all wish us
well； and that they all will be as enlightened as Thrall。 He was a strong ally against the Burning Legion； and I have
nothing but admiration for what he has done but what he has done is temporary。 Kristoff set his thin hands down
on the desk； leaning toward Jaina。 The only thing keeping the orcs in line is Thrall； and the minute he is gone； I
can assure you； milady； the orcs will revert to type and do everything they can to destroy us。
Jaina barked a laugh； involuntarily。 Kristoff s words mirrored Jaina and Thrall s conversation yet it seemed less
rational ing out of the chamberlain s mouth。
Kristoff straightened。 Something amuses you； milady？
No。 I believe you are overestimating the situation。
And I believe you are underestimating it。 This citystate is all that keeps Kalimdor from being run entirely by the
orcs。 Kristoff hesitated； which was unusual。 The chamberlain had made a career out of being forthright； which was
one of his more useful characteristics。
What is it； Kristoff？
Our allies are…concerned。 The notion of an entire continent under orc rule is…disturbing to many。 At present；
little is being done； in part because there are other issues； but
But right now I m all that is preventing an invasion？
As long as the Lady Proudmoore great wizard； victor against the Burning Legion rules the humans on
Kalimdor； the rest of the world will sleep well at night。 The moment they believe that the Lady Proudmoore cannot
keep the orcs in line； that will change。 And the invasion force will make your late father s fleet look like a pair of
rowboats。
Jaina leaned back in her chair。 In truth； she had given little thought to the world beyond Kalimdor； busy as she had
been with fighting the demons and then building Theramore。 And her own father s attack drove home the fact that
those who had not actually fought alongside the orcs still viewed them as little more than animals。
But Kristoff should have known better。 What is it you are suggesting； Chamberlain？
That this Captain Bolik might be an agitator； trying to turn Thrall against you against us。 Even with Northwatch；
we are very much alone within Theramore s gates； and could easily find ourselves surrounded by orcs and more；
with the trolls already on their side and the goblins unlikely to take any side。
Jaina shook her head。 Kristoff s prediction was the worst nightmare of every human living on Kalimdor。 It seemed
like only yesterday that they were well on the road to making those nightmares an impossibility。 Trade with the orcs
was going smoothly； the Barrens neutral territory between Durotar and Theramore had been peaceful and
orderly； and the two species that had once despised each other had lived in peace for three years。
The question Jaina now asked herself was whether or not this was a portent of how things should be； or simply a
resting period while they recovered from the Burning Legion and just the calm before the inevitable storm？
Before Jaina could contemplate further； a tall； darkhaired woman with a square face； pointed nose； and broad
shoulders entered。 She wore the standard military uniform of plate armor with a green tabbard depicting the anchor
shaped emblem of Kul Tiras； the former home of the Proudmoore family。
Raising her right hand to her forehead in salute； she said； Colonel Lorena reporting as ordered； milady。
Standing； Jaina said； Thank you； Colonel。 Stand easy。 Duree told you what is required？ Jaina always felt short
next to Lorena and so preferred to stand in her presence； to give herself as much height as her smaller form