Snyder's Headache

While Jarod and Naisha were still enjoying time alone together, Snyder had a headache.

He was troubled over how to handle the relationship between Maiev and Azshara, and his headache stood in contrast to the lively banquet.

Snyder sat at a table, drinking cup after cup of the fine wine before him, as though he meant to console himself with it.

What am I supposed to do? One is a friend who was once both a teacher and a companion to me, and the other is my lover.

Forget it. I already have a lover. I have to think of her in everything I do. The past is past; dwelling on it will only bring me more trouble, Snyder thought.

Having resolved his troubles, Snyder felt much better. He stopped drinking and began chatting with the returning warriors.

Meanwhile, when Maiev and Azshara returned to their respective rooms, each woman considered what she should do to keep a firm hold on Snyder.

"Your Majesty, what did you summon me for?" Azshara had used magic to contact Vashj, who was far away in Nazjatar.

After leaving Nazjatar, Azshara had instructed Vashj to use transformation magic to take her appearance and conceal her whereabouts. She had announced that Vashj had gone on a mission and would not return for a long time.

They hoped this would fool everyone, including the Old God N'Zoth.

But N'Zoth was not so easily fooled. No matter how sophisticated or lifelike transformation magic was, it was still a fake.

The reason N'Zoth had let Azshara leave without stopping her was that he wanted to see what kind of trouble she could cause Snyder. Ideally, she would spark a civil war and throw the world into chaos-that was what the Old Gods most wanted to see.

After all, Snyder had drawn the attention of everyone on Azeroth during this time. Every prominent figure in the world knew that an elf had brought new changes to the world.

"My head maid, is all well in Nazjatar? Has N'Zoth noticed anything?" Azshara had returned to her usual self, her queenly bearing on full display.

"All is well, Your Majesty. How are things on your end?" Vashj replied. Being asked to take Azshara's appearance had already left her deeply honored.

"You should be more commanding! I'm not as timid as you! Just as I expected, that little girl won't let him go so easily," Azshara said.

"Your Majesty, I'll keep trying. What do you plan to do?" Hearing the queen's dissatisfaction with her, Vashj hurriedly promised to keep trying.

"A plan? I don't have one for now. I'll take things as they come." Azshara showed none of her usual shrewdness here. Whenever it came to Snyder, she was always muddleheaded.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty. I'll help you look after this city. We'll await your return," Vashj said.

"I trust you, my head maid." Azshara was very pleased with Vashj's attitude, and it gratified her.

"All right, that's enough for now. I'll contact you if anything comes up." Azshara felt they had spoken long enough and decided to end the conversation.

"Call me if you need anything. I'm always here." Hearing that the queen wanted to end the conversation, Vashj disconnected.

After the call ended, Azshara walked to the window of her room. Looking out at the city at night, she marveled at how beautiful it was.

Meanwhile, over on Maiev's side, when she returned to her room.

Maiev was angry at first, then anxious, and finally resolute.

Maiev was angry at the appearance of the ever-persistent Azshara, not only because she had brought the Burning Legion here in the first place and done nothing when the nobles drove Snyder out, but most of all because she had come to disrupt their lives after Maiev and Snyder were already together, drawing Snyder into the turmoil once again.

Her anxiety came from fearing that Snyder still had feelings for Azshara. After all, Azshara and Snyder had once been called a match made in heaven. Although the Highborne believed Snyder was unworthy of their Queen Azshara, they had to admit that his talent was truly frightening. They could not imagine how formidable the talent of a child born to the queen and Snyder would be.

Azshara had done nothing to stop those rumors at the time. She had even encouraged them behind the scenes.

Unfortunately, Snyder had been absorbed in knowledge back then, spending all his time buried in the Highborne's books.

He had been somewhat dismissive of Azshara's overtures and had ignored some of them.

But in everyone's eyes, this must have been because Snyder was a little shy. After all, a declaration of love from the queen could leave a person feeling overwhelmed by the honor.

That was also why the Highborne had angrily driven Snyder out when he openly rejected Queen Azshara's love.

Her final resolve came from Maiev's trust in Snyder. She believed he would not betray her, and even if he did make a mistake, she would take action and win him back.

When Snyder married her, he had promised her that he would never betray her.

Right, I have to trust Snyder, trust my husband. I shouldn't scare myself. Maiev comforted herself inwardly.

After a while, Maiev felt she had brought her emotions under control and began to sort through everything that had happened that day.

She realized it was all Jarod's fault. If not for him, Azshara would never have come here, and she herself would never have returned to Nethergarde Keep for an inspection. It was all his fault for asking Naisha out and giving Azshara an opening.

Yes, it's all his fault! Maiev thought.

The next time they met, she would have to let her experience a little care from her older sister and remind him of his childhood.

At that thought, Maiev felt a little tired. The past few days had worn her out: first the excitement of her younger brother's impending return, then the change in her emotions upon seeing Azshara appear, and on top of that, her inspection of Nethergarde Keep.

All of it together left Maiev exhausted, so she lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

In the banquet hall, Snyder spoke at length with the returning heroes and learned a great deal of news and information about that continent from them.

Time passed quickly, and the banquet was drawing to a close.

Everyone had enjoyed themselves, for no other reason than that they were home. They could finally let their nerves relax. On that continent, they had even kept their weapons at their bedsides while they slept.

But here, they could finally sleep soundly.

Watching everyone leave, Snyder was glad that his warriors could finally get a proper rest.

Snyder also used teleportation to travel to the mountains where the four great Elemental Lords' stand-ins were located.

Since becoming king, Snyder had not sat down and communed with Azeroth's elements for a long time.

"It's been a long time, Snyder. What brings you here?" the four great Elemental Lords asked.