Stormwind Volunteer Army
Instead of taking Sanra and the others directly back to Durnholde, Tyrion Lannister first took a detour along the road from Alterac Valley to Durnholde and caught up with the group Sanra was escorting. 💙☹ ☯🐺
The group was escorted by Kalecgos and the Syndicate assassins without incident. However, when Tarecgosa arrived carrying Zul'ra and the others, it startled everyone. Following Zul'ra's instructions, Tarecgosa reverted to human form before rejoining the group, thus keeping her identity a secret except for Kalecgos.
Back with the group, Tarecgosa and Kalecgos went to talk, and Zul'ra specifically warned Ge Gaoli not to gossip. She also took Anveena with her. Seeing that there were no unexpected incidents on the road, she led the group back to Durnholde on foot.
The way back was safe. After crossing the Darrowmere River, there were more pedestrians on the road. However, Zul'ra noticed that there seemed to be many Dwarves carrying weapons among the pedestrians, as well as quite a few humans. They were armored and armed, and moved in groups. They were obviously not adventurers.
Zul'ra, noticing the unusual pedestrians, sent Ge Gaoli to inquire about the situation. The human Syndicate assassin quickly returned with information: these unusual pedestrians were volunteers from Stormwind.
"They certainly know how to pick their timing!" Zul'ra looked at the humans coming and going and couldn't help but curl her lips. Lordaeron had been ravaged by the the Scourge for three years, and now Stormwind was sending volunteers. She wondered if they were here to help or to seize territory.
However, upon further reflection, the main objective of the Stormwind Volunteer Army should not have been to oppose the Horde, but rather to seize strategic positions and to win over the remnants of Lordaeron's forces, much like how Rhonin and Vereesa sent a letter to Krasus inviting him back to Dalaran.
Upon encountering the volunteers from Stormwind on the road, Zul'ra dared not linger any longer and quickly led his men back to the office in Durnholde, as the New Alterac would also be a force the Alliance sought to win over.
Zul'ra was right. He returned to Durnholde and had just settled Anveena and the others. Before he could even ask Puskin about the situation, he received news that Duke Foulcrest, the Syndicate leader, was requesting an audience. The Syndicate leader brought the latest news: the Admiral of Kul Tiras had sent an envoy to see King Aliden Perenolde.
After speaking with the envoy, Aliden Perenolde issued his decree as King of Alterac, ordering the Treasurer to provide supplies for the Stormwind Volunteer Army. Although he did not announce joining the Alliance, his ambiguous attitude was self-evident.
Aliden's ambiguous attitude was not a problem, but it terrified Duke Foulcrest, the leader of the Syndicate. If the king's ambiguous attitude allowed Alterac to return to the Alliance, then a scapegoat would inevitably be needed for the past, and the Syndicate would be the most suitable group.
"Why did you make him king in the first place?" Zul'ra looked at Duke Foulcrest speechlessly. The Syndicate had put in tremendous effort to revive the Kingdom of Alterac, so why did they have to support such an unknown guy and create this trouble for themselves? Wouldn't it have been better to just make him king directly?
"Because he carries the blood of the Perenolde, he can rally our people." Duke Foulcrest said matter-of-factly; the Perenolde Family were the recognized legitimate rulers of Alterac.
"And now?" Zul'ra asked with amusement. If they respected the theory of bloodline and maintained loyalty to the monarch, then why were they now angry about the king's ambiguity and seeking her help?
"Aliden has lost his honor as king, betrayed our expectations and efforts. He has favored treacherous officials and is superstitious about those mages." Duke Foulcrest's face turned red as he recounted Aliden's evil deeds, indicating that he had misjudged him.
"There's no use saying all this now, Duke. How do you plan to handle this matter?" Zul'ra waved her hand to stop Duke Foulcrest's angry outburst. Regardless of Aliden's character, the Syndicate had gotten itself into trouble and needed to be dealt with.
"Aliden has no heirs, but we have found the offspring of another illustrious family, descended from Emperor Thoradin, two descendants of the Barov Family." Duke Foulcrest carefully crafted his words; he had now found two more men who could become legitimate rulers.
"So, you've decided to support one or two more guys like Aliden?" Zul'ra asked Duke Foulcrest in an inquiring tone, as this guy wanted to create another king.
"No, no, no, we will strengthen our control over this country, but Kul Tiras, Stormwind, and the shattered Dalaran pose too great a threat to us." Duke Foulcrest quickly shook his head. He wanted to stage a coup, install an obedient person in power, and tighten his grip on the country, but this required Amani's help.
"If that's all there is to it, I don't recommend you go through with this plan." Zul'ra shook her head at Duke Foulcrest, rejecting his plan.
"Zul'ra Jin, Alterac's return to the Alliance will not benefit the Horde." Upon hearing Zul'ra's words, Duke Foulcrest couldn't help but eagerly try to stand up.
"But the situation isn't as bad as you think, and besides, your idea isn't good. The puppet is obedient; he can listen to you, and he can listen to the Alliance." Zul'ra pressed Duke Foulcrest back into his seat.
"But what should we do?" Duke Foulcrest, a little anxious.
"Are you willing to listen to me?" Zul'ra asked.
"Of course, there's no doubt about it. You've given us a lot of helpful advice in our business plans." Duke Foulcrest nodded immediately. In the current situation, his approach to Zul'ra and his disclosure of the coup plot already spoke volumes.
"Then listen to me. Put your ideas aside. Supporting a puppet is not conducive to your control of this country. You need to step forward." Zul'ra patted Duke Foulcrest on the shoulder.
"Go to the front of the stage?" Duke Foulcrest was a little confused.
"Yes, step forward, represent your king, and express goodwill to the Alliance, offering support. However, the goal of this support is to help the volunteers fight against the Scourge and restore stability to the North as soon as possible; that is all."
"Why would you do this?" Duke Foulcrest looked at Zul'ra, his gaze shifting slightly as he quickly considered her intentions. He wondered if this was Zul'ra testing him, sending the Syndicate to make peace with the Alliance —wasn't that stabbing the Horde?
"It's simple. If you want to be safe, the most important thing is to hold onto your own power and make sure you're in the right place." Zul'ra looked at Duke Foulcrest meaningfully.
"What position does the Horde need us to stand in?" Duke Foulcrest wasn't stupid; his anxiety was driven by the situation. Now, facing Zul'ra's words, considering certain circumstances, he asked Zul'ra hesitantly.
"Horde needs to consider now is world peace. Our world is threatened by many things, and Alterac should contribute to these matters. However, Alterac must also consider the situation and not become an ally in the war," Zul'ra put it bluntly.
"This..." Duke Foulcrest hesitated for a moment. He understood what they meant: the Horde wanted Alterac to remain neutral, and they wanted to remain neutral too, but given the current situation, was it permissible?
Thank you for the tip from Juice Gum, thank you for your support. That's all for tonight.