Every Family Had Its Own Troubles

Arthas watched Jaina clutch the star happily, her smile as bright as a flower. Yet to him, the whole world seemed to turn gray. He felt his composure crack. He wanted to run over and tell her, "That's all fake!" But he still managed to control his emotions.

Then he suddenly realized his father had been absolutely right! He should tell his sister the good news.

His brother-in-law's Aura was amazing!

Alonsus Faol quietly watched Taelan Fordring walk toward him. Smiling, he said, "You truly have earned His favor! Just as I did all those years ago!

"Child, from this moment on, you are a Paladin of the Silver Hand. You will study here for three years and learn the path of Holy Light. May you grow up healthy, keep your vows, and wield your power with care."

"Congratulations, child, and happy New Year! Taelan Fordring, Light of the Holy Light!"

After the archbishop finished speaking, warm applause rang out below the stage. A group of nobles gathered nearby immediately came over to greet Taelan Fordring.

In a world of the supernatural, some people were more practical, because power belonged to the individual. Strength meant authority and influence. The petty scheming and false pleasantries that people despised became straightforward transactions.

The supernatural world held even more temptations, making it easier to lose sight of who you were.

Karandra had just taken her son's hand and was about to say something when the Prince walked over ahead of the Princess. "Greetings! Taelan Fordring, knight of the Alliance, Light of the Holy Light."

Taelan Fordring stood face-to-face with the most famous Prince in all of Azeroth. He returned the greeting, then held out his hand. "Greetings, Your Highness. Thank you for attending the ceremony."

Arthas looked at Taelan Fordring's youthful face and said, "When you reach Lordaeron, be sure to visit the royal palace. My sister and I would be delighted to welcome you!"

...What was that supposed to mean? Calia Menethil was a good person! Her story began tragically, but she found true love and had a lovely daughter. Sylvanas was solely responsible for the tragic ending. Taelan sympathized with her, but he had no desire to disrupt the fairly happy life she had.

Some might say that she was resurrected later and became a senior leader of the Forsaken Council. Wasn't that a good thing?

But Taelan Fordring believed the dead belonged in their graves, and their souls deserved to rest!

A fate of neither living nor dying should belong exclusively to the Eredar and the Nathrezim.

He politely responded to Arthas, who had said something strange. Then Jaina walked over and hugged Taelan Fordring's arm.

...Arthas's young heart took ten thousand points of damage. But he was proud, so he said nothing more. Some might ask, what could a child of ten or so understand?

Not to mention that people in Azeroth all matured early. Jaina had gone to university at eleven. At twenty-three, she took part in the Third War, and a year later she joined the world war, Ragnarok, standing on the front lines against the Burning Legion as the representative of her people.

That was different from children in the Blue Star world, who only graduated from university at twenty-four and began entering society.

Princes and Princesses received advanced, strict educations, so their minds matured earlier. They thought about things from a completely different perspective than ordinary people.

Taelan Fordring knew that his friend Helen, who was fourteen, was still thinking about catching fish in the river tomorrow and roasting them. Meanwhile, Jaina, who was the same age, was already thinking about magic circuits and Arcane power levels, working hard to become Master Antonidas's apprentice.

Taelan Fordring had once asked Jaina why she liked spending time with him. Jaina told him that when she was little, her father was away at war for much of the year, while her mother stayed home to manage the affairs of Kul Tiras. Her favorite thing was to hide away with a pile of old books and surround herself with them. Only then did she feel safe. Reading was the only thing that gave her something to do.

Though she had maids at home and a steward and guards when she went out, the women either barely dared speak to her or lectured her endlessly. She knew her parents and brother would protect her, but still, she felt something was missing.

Only when she leaned against Taelan Fordring did she feel at ease. The scent of Holy Light on him made her feel warm. With him, she could get away from lectures and stop learning those tedious noble manners. She could speak loudly at the dinner table, hunt bears in the forest, and run wild in the wilderness.

Whatever came rushing at her, someone would stand in its way. No matter how deadly the danger, it could never break through the protection of the Holy Light and hurt her.

Just as now, no matter how cold Lordaeron's winds were, they couldn't blow into the realm of Holy Light.

Jaina had once gone to the harbor to see her father off to sea. There, she had watched the Tidesages bless the fleet. She gazed at them enviously as they commanded the power of the sea and lightning.

That made her resolve to become one of the supernatural. Later, her Arcane talent was discovered, and her mother began supporting her studies in Dalaran. At the time, her brother was still alive, and nothing could trouble her. Her father opposed the idea of his daughter leaving home for an unfamiliar place. They had a huge argument over it.

But they had no idea that Jaina had watched the whole scene from behind the door. Later, her mother not only supported her but also brought in a High Elf mage from Dalaran to teach her Thalassian. Her father eventually grew fond of Dalaran too, and often took her there to visit.

Taelan Fordring looked at Jaina and the dejected Prince before him, feeling as though time and space had somehow become disjointed.

The ceremony soon ended. Uther took the Prince away. Renault left with Old Mograine, whose face was dark. He hadn't even said goodbye to his old subordinates. Tirion Fordring could only shrug helplessly, then set off home with Daelin. They had originally planned to spend the night at Light's Hope Chapel and head home the next day.

Daelin and Tirion Fordring weren't afraid of the cold wind. They rode their warhorses slowly along the road. Worried, Tirion Fordring said, "Something felt off today. Were there really so many new faces in the Silver Hand?" Daelin lowered his voice. "I don't think they were with the Silver Hand! There was a trace of Shadow in their power."

"Were they from the Council or SI:7? Why were they here?"

Daelin said, "The Silver Hand isn't just the Church of the Holy Light's knightly order and the Alliance's military order. The Menethil family also sees it as the royal order of knights."

"You know Uther has no sons. Turalyon's fate is unknown, and Mograine has always been forceful. Gavlarad is an outsider. You're the only one who could lead the Silver Hand in the future.

"But among the young people who are ready to fight, all we have is someone like Garithos. The next generation will surely lead the Silver Hand. Bridget, for example, or Demitia! Though Taelan is the more likely choice, the king hopes it will be Arthas."

"You seem to have forgotten Renault, Mograine's son. He joined the Order of the Silver Hand early too."

Daelin didn't mince words. "He'll have to serve three years as a squire. Besides, his temperament isn't suited for it. Mograine is too stubborn and too biased."

What happened today had put Mograine in a difficult position. Things would be even harder for Renault. He happened to have some talent, but not enough. So he kept raising Old Mograine's hopes, only to disappoint him again.

"If he gave up completely, he might be better off. Wouldn't it be better to grow up happily as an ordinary person? That's what I hope for Tangred."

Tirion Fordring said, "Why not Jaina? Shouldn't she have a happy, carefree childhood even more?"

"She'll leave me. She has to be strong if she's going to avoid getting hurt. Kul Tiras isn't as nice as you think. Zandalar lies beyond its borders, and inside, several great families are restless."

Every family had its own troubles.

Thanks to Withered Violet, 暗夜的情怀, laiyueda, 饕餮蛋花汤, nzdark, 20200216231552488, YUckwt, 承诺碎了一地, and the other big shots for the monthly tickets. Thank you, everyone!

Penglai was extremely nervous inside, filled with trepidation.