Half an hour later, he left Lothar's residence with Turalyon. All along the way, he pondered one question. Had Lothar summoned him this time to have him compete for the adjutant's position, or merely to favor one person over another?
More than once just now, he had detected the pressure Lothar faced in his tone.
As he saw it, Lothar had become the Alliance's supreme commander and Grand Marshal not only because of his enormous prestige and noble bloodline. His appointment also represented an important compromise among the Alliance's members.
In reality, Lothar did not wield as much power as Grand Marshal as he had imagined. There were probably quite a few constraints on him. He had vaguely sensed this during the military conferences he had attended, even though Lothar had consistently concealed it behind his tolerance and willingness to accept advice, showing nothing amiss.
But a little thought made it clear just how awkward Lothar's position in Stromgarde was. As Grand Marshal, Lothar had almost no troops directly under his command there. Most belonged to Lordaeron and Stromgarde, while the forces that truly belonged to Stormwind City were still being secretly assembled in Lordaeron.
Circumstances were stronger than any individual, as the saying went, and that probably described Lothar's situation. But Lothar was a clever man. Through his conduct, he had completely concealed this awkwardness and even strengthened his authority.
Yet the selection of an adjutant this time was entirely different. Although Lothar had ostensibly said it was to convince the others, he had heard something unusual behind those words. The marshal's adjutant's real duty was to assist the marshal in handling military affairs.
"Assist"-what a sensitive word. It meant the adjutant would very likely become involved in the military affairs of the entire Alliance, and might even exercise