Former Trade Prince Mardi

Among the many branches of the Troll race, only the Ice Trolls and Forest Trolls naturally had green skin. No others did. Both groups were known for their savage, cannibalistic cultures, so the Goblins had thought their rescuers had finally arrived—only to discover they seemed more like harbingers of doom.

"They don't seem very happy." Zul'ra watched with interest as the short, dark-green figures were hauled aboard, shivering. This was his first time seeing Goblins. They had narrow noses, long, pointed ears, and panicked expressions. Each had four fingers and oily green skin, and they barely reached his waist.

"They're just a bunch of greedy, ungrateful wretches," Malacrass said darkly, tusks bared as he looked at the short figures, soaked through like drowned rats.

"Then what are we waiting for? Lock them up separately." Zul'ra waved a hand and ordered the sailors and soldiers in Common to separate the Goblins.

"Wait, wait! I'm Mardi, Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel. I demand fair treatment. I'll pay you in gold to ransom me." A fellow in a leather vest, fatter than the other Goblins, with brown hair tied in a ponytail, hurriedly spoke in Common, afraid that if he was too slow, the Trolls would toss him into a pot.

"If you still have any gold." Zul'ra looked at the fat Goblin and glanced over the sea, where the fleet had nearly sunk beneath the waves. It wasn't Gallywix's fleet—but who was this Mardi?

"Still, since you've spoken up, you can be held separately. As for the rest, lock them up apart from one another and question them. Anyone who doesn't cooperate goes in the pot at noon." Putting his questions about their identities aside, Zul'ra cut off Mardi's defense and ordered the sailors and soldiers to separate the thirty-two Goblins they had hauled aboard. Then he pulled Haimuxi aside and gave her a quiet instruction.

"Tell everyone not to treat these Goblins as food or hurt them without cause. Just find out who they are, what they're good at, and what's happening in Azeroth right now."

Haimuxi was a capable Troll woman who had worked with Zul'ra before. That had earned her a place in the group sent to Zandalar to study agriculture. She nodded and immediately went to make the arrangements. As for Zul'ra, he took Mardi into the cabin alone to question him.

"Name."

"Mardi. I'm Mardi, Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel. Honored Troll, you look just like an elegant Elf." The plump Mardi looked at the towering Troll before him with some surprise. His skin was pale blue, his hands were clasped behind his back, and his posture was ramrod straight. With his thick brows and wild mane, he was undeniably imposing. Mardi praised him in extravagant terms.

"Keep talking like that, and you might end up in the pot." Zul'ra rolled his eyes at the Goblin's over-the-top flattery.

"Oh, you must be from Zul'Aman, right?" Mardi asked, turning his eyes toward Zul'ra in a probing glance.

"Time is money, my Goblin friend. If you dare speak to me in that tone again..." Zul'ra looked down at Mardi and spoke slowly, pausing pointedly.

"Then you can look forward to becoming a fine soup. Or perhaps I should roast you whole!"

"..." Mardi looked at the fellow so casually threatening to make soup or roast him, and felt a chill shoot up the back of his head.

"Big guy, you can't treat me like this. I used to be a friend of the Horde." Mardi tried to sound defiant as he looked up at the tall Troll.

"Looks like you don't intend to talk to me properly." Zul'ra watched the fellow stubbornly hold his head high, narrowed his eyes, and turned to leave.

"Wait, wait! I'm Mardi, Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel. Ask me whatever you want to know!" Seeing Zul'ra turn and walk away, Mardi panicked.

"Who did you fight earlier, and why were you attacked?" Hearing the words behind him, Zul'ra turned around expressionlessly.

"It was Gallywix, that bastard. He wants to leave me with nothing." Mardi looked dejected, tears even welling in the corners of his eyes.

"Go on." Zul'ra watched the pitiful green-skinned fatso without interrupting his performance. He clasped his hands behind his back and listened.

"I'm the Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel. As you know, we made a fortune during the war between the Alliance and the Horde. But because I was careless, my colleague Gallywix, that despicable little man..." Mardi explained his past and the events that had led to the naval battle.

Mardi had been Gallywix's predecessor, the former Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel. He wasn't anymore, because Gallywix, his successor, had destroyed the fleet he used for business.

Through a long, bitter tale, Mardi explained his relationship with Gallywix. Besides being colleagues, Gallywix and his daughter Nisha had been fond of each other. They could have become father and son-in-law, but that was no longer possible.

Because Mardi had let his guard down, Gallywix had bribed his subordinates and built a mercenary army. Then he drove Mardi out of his own mansion and overthrew him as leader of the Bilgewater Cartel.

Mardi hadn't admitted defeat. He'd wanted to make a deal, earn enough money to buy everything back, but Gallywix hadn't let him go. He'd utterly destroyed Mardi's fleet in the South Sea.

"Who were you planning to sell to, and what were you selling?" Zul'ra frowned as he listened to Mardi's tearful tale. So Mardi really was Gallywix's predecessor, and Gallywix had taken him down.

"Some urgently needed supplies. I was going to sell them to the Kingdom of Stormwind to help them rebuild their homes. My daughter—my dear Nisha—is still waiting for me." Mardi wiped away his tears, looking utterly heartbroken.

"You've been in contact with the Kingdom of Stormwind?" Zul'ra raised an eyebrow at the fellow wiping his tears. To be honest, he didn't feel sorry for the Trade Prince, but he couldn't deny that the tears were real. Losing so much wealth and power was enough to break anyone's heart.

"Yeah. The Horde fought bravely, but the Alliance came out on top in the end. They paid a heavy price, though. Yes, as you probably know, the Alliance captured a lot of Orcs!" Mardi watched Zul'ra cautiously.

"And then..." Zul'ra raised a thick eyebrow as he studied the wary Goblin. Mardi was fond of playing games.

"Those Orcs are big eaters. Sure, they fight well, and they're decent workers, but frankly, it would make more sense to put them in the mines than keep them in internment camps. But the King of Lordaeron chose to keep them in camps and split the costs among the other Alliance nations." Mardi watched Zul'ra's expression as he described the Alliance's political situation.

"Gilneas, Stromgarde, and the Elves in the north are very unhappy about this. Oh, right, you might not know this, but the Orcs have come back through the Dark Portal. They fought a major war against the Alliance and even destroyed Dalaran. The Alliance is preparing to organize an army to invade their world..."

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