Belorell

"Hold its reins, don't hug its neck, open your eyes, child!"

Venaistella, the Hawkstrider keeper of Silvermoon City, kept calling out, but the Sin'dorei boy riding on the back of a white Hawkstrider was too nervous to hear a word. Belorell Windrunner, the only son of Regent Alleria Windrunner, was yelling and clinging tightly to the Hawkstrider's neck.

This beautiful and elegant creature was thrashing about, emitting long cries. Its white fur was standing on end in fear, as if it wanted to throw the young Blood Elf behind it off.

Belorell quickly said, "Oh, relax, good boy, everything will be alright. I won't hurt you."

Venaistella grumbled quipped. "You're the one who should relax." She sighed, wondering if her decision to have the young prince start learning to ride Hawkstrider was the right one. He seemed... utterly lacking in talent.

Belorell shouldn't actually be here. Silvermoon City is under martial law; he should be in the royal court studying the language and etiquette, not here interacting with the mounts. At least until now, Regent Alleria has strictly forbidden him from handling any weapons, not even touching them. The reason is: he's not old enough to wield a sword.

Finally, the epic battle between the Windrunner family members and the Hawkstrider reached its decisive moment. Surprisingly, the white Hawkstrider collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, and Belorell's screams ceased.

Alleria's son felt the smile spreading across his face and said to Venaistella, "I have defeated a Hawkstrider."

The Female Elf laughed. Was this a battle? She couldn't help but clap her hands. "Uh, Your Highness, you don't look very good right now."

Belorell glanced down at himself, his heart sinking instantly. He was covered in white feathers, his left sleeve stained with mud, and his trousers clung to grass roots. He shrugged and chuckled, "Just the price of a battle. Nothing." Then his expression turned serious. "Don't worry, I'm seven now. I'm not a child anymore. I can do what I want..."

A flurry of bird calls and a loud female voice came from behind. Belorell's face immediately fell. He vigorously brushed the mud off his sleeves and the feathers from his body, but to little avail. Then, he turned to face the person.

"Your Highness Belorell, please return to the Sunfury Tower with me immediately."

"Lady Saracena, can't you see I'm learning how to ride a Hawkstrider?" Belorell said to his guard with a straight face.

Saracena, a highly skilled Warrior from Silvermoon City, was entrusted by Alleria with the safety of Belorell, serving as his guardian. Belorell didn't know much about her, nor why Alleria had her by his side; he only knew that her husband had died in the war against the Scourge Undead.

The female Warrior glanced at the Hawkstrider lying on the ground, frowned involuntarily, and replied with a half-smile, "I can tell you're working hard, and your studies are going very well."

Belorell blushed, immediately feeling embarrassed, while Venaistella behind her was secretly chuckling.

"But you can't just learn this one skill," Saracena said seriously, glancing again at Belorell's disheveled appearance. "You'd better get yourself cleaned up before the Regent sees you like this."

"Could you tell me first what you're going back for?"

Saracena sighed helplessly. She bent down, reached out and grasped Belorell's arm, pulling the reluctant boy close to her. "Look, if you want Hawkstrider to carry you around, you'll have to learn to hold the reins tight!" She waved the rope in front of Belorell, then nodded politely to Venaistella.

"I apologize for the intrusion, madam. Please do not tell anyone that the young prince has been here," Saracena said. She touched her forehead with her red-armored hand, gave the Hawkstrider keeper a friendly salute, and then nudged the Hawkstrider. The swift Hawkstrider, dressed like its master and clad in the Kay family attire, immediately raised its claws, turned, and ran toward the Sunfury Tower.

Saracena's arm was like a steel pillar, wrapped around Belorell's waist. A sense of resentment churned within the boy, but he struggled to suppress this turbulent emotion. "I'm almost there," he said, his frustration expressed in words. "I'll be a rider soon."

"Please do not reveal your whereabouts today to the Regent, or you will be reprimanded by her," Saracena said, without moving her arm away. Belorell realized that there was no way to escape.

"Did Mother return to the Sunfury Tower?"

"Not yet." Saracena mentally prepared a more tactful way to put it. "His Highness the Regent has some... tricky political matters to attend to, but I think what she'll want to see most when she gets back is you listening attentively in class."

"Forget it." Belorell rolled his eyes. He had more and more to learn, but none of it was of any practical use. "My mother told me that I could do whatever I wanted and become whoever I wanted to be. Whether I became Ranger, a mage, a Warrior, or Priest, she would fully support me. But she never let me touch anything related to these professions."

"You're only seven years old, Your Highness," Saracena pointed out, filling Belorell with a deep sense of frustration.

He had thought that once he formally learned to Sauras language, he could finally begin his real training, and perhaps even have a match with the training dummies in Farstrider Square. But the reality was quite the opposite; he was assigned much more bizarre learning material. He had to learn tedious history, how to salute, shake hands, and greet people.

Saracena understood what Belorell longed for. Although she wanted to help him, in the end, she could only sigh and look at the back of Belorell's head with pity.

"Your Highness, I didn't mean to upset you, but..."

"My mother must think I'm terrible."

Saracena's expression darkened. She understood Belorell's feelings and knew that this descendant of the Windrunner family craved more recognition.

"Please don't say such things again, Your Highness. The Regent... only wants to protect you."