Negotiating Abroad, Consolidating Within

"Negotiations? They invaded our land, slaughtered our people, and now those Orcs actually claimed to love peace and wanted negotiations?"

The one shouting loudly in the reception room of Theramore's City Hall was Tyrande, the High Priestess of the Night Elves. The moment she received Theramore's notice, she teleported over. Then she heard that the Orcs were demanding peace talks and was so furious she laughed.

"Calm down, please calm down!" Jaina advised helplessly. "They're only negotiations. Whether anything comes of them is hard to say, so we can start talking first. For instance, the Orcs must have captured quite a few elves. Shouldn't we exchange them back? And the bodies of the fallen need to be handed over as well. We can settle those matters first. It benefits both sides. Besides, your war preparations are far from complete. Starting negotiations would also help buy time."

Hearing this, Tyrande finally calmed down. She tested the waters. "Then we should talk to them? I'm afraid the soldiers in the rear won't agree. They paid a terrible price in casualties to drive back the Orcs, yet now we have to negotiate with them."

Deren laughed. "It's probably not just the rank-and-file soldiers, is it? It's those people who can't win a fight but are Invincible when it comes to talking, right? The moment you begin peace talks, they'll crawl out again."

Deren had pierced her thoughts, and Tyrande's old face reddened. "You're right. Now that I'm overseeing the bigger picture, I don't know how many people are waiting to see me make a fool of myself. You know about Malfurion too, don't you? He drove away those High Elves. Later, after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of the Orcs, he was too ashamed to face me and ran straight back