Aqiang

Kael'thas walked out of Tranquillien with the written orders in hand. He saw Alleria Windrunner and her ranger squad waiting for him at the entrance.

She was indeed a woman charming enough to make one swoon, her slender figure delicate yet strong, much like her slim body. She was clad in forest green and oak brown, with light armor over her shirt, shorts, and a hooded cloak flung back behind her. Leather gloves covered her arms up to the elbows, just as her boots protected her legs up to the knees. A rapier hung at one hip, a small pouch and a horn at the other, and she carried a longbow and a full quiver on her back.

The standard equipment of a high elf ranger combined strength and grace in Alleria, just as it did in her younger sister, the future queen.

"You knew all along, didn't you?"

Kael'thas waved the orders in his hand, an odd expression on his face as he asked. The orders assigned him to serve under Alleria, yet she didn't seem surprised in the least!

"His Highness Kael'sala and I are good friends." Sitting atop her Hawkstrider and holding the reins, Alleria smiled, her answer clearing up Kael'thas's confusion.

Kael'sala was worried about his safety...

Kael'thas felt somewhat helpless, but he had no choice but to accept it. In fact, even if Kael'thas hadn't done this, he wouldn't have been sent somewhere dangerous. The reason was his surname: Sunstrider, the high elf royal family.

High elf society was relatively egalitarian, though it had its own noble class. Every noble, however, had started out no different from a commoner. In fact, all nobles had gradually risen from the common ranks through military exploits and other contributions, and their children received the same treatment as commoners. Only truly gifted high elves could become members of the high elf nobility or carry on a noble surname.

Thus, the surnames of the noble lords from thousands of years ago were different from those of the present, and thousands of years from now, they would be different again. There were exceptions, of course, such as taking a particular surname after becoming a noble.

So, in truth, the high elves had only one true noble family: the Sunstrider royal family. The Sunstriders had led the elves to this continent and founded Quel'Thalas, and in all the thousands of years since, the family had never disappointed the high elves.

All the more so now, when every high elf was loyal to the Sunstrider family from birth. How could they possibly let the family's young prince face any real danger?

Kael'thas followed Alleria in silence toward Suncrown Village, which lay in the upper-right part of the Ghostlands, a great distance from the front lines to the south. Although Kael'thas had never hoped to go to the front, he still minded being protected so closely.

The Troll Wars were now in their later stages, and he had heard that those evil Trolls would be wiped out in just a few years. The high elves controlled virtually all of the Ghostlands, and with the elves' magical barrier as well, Quel'Thalas was safer now than ever. Was it necessary to keep Kael'thas so far away?

Before long, they arrived at Suncrown Village. Kael'thas had not done many quests in the Ghostlands, but he vaguely remembered that Suncrown Village was supposed to involve fighting spider monsters. To his disappointment, the village now had beautiful scenery, singing birds, and fragrant flowers. Aside from a group of Initial Stage priests in cloth robes, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Most of the priests were lovely young women, though there were a few handsome boys as well. None of them were very old, and they seemed to be recruits who could not yet go to the battlefield. Kael'thas saw them looking at him with immature, somewhat fervent eyes, and he had a bad feeling about it.

"Your Highness, your first assignment is here: help these children gather herbs!" Alleria turned and spoke to Kael'thas, who had been helped down from the Hawkstrider.

Ding...

You have received the quest: gathering herbs!

Kael'thas's face darkened in an instant. He had come to level up and train, not to tend to his health. Even if he wasn't going to be killing Trolls, surely he didn't have to gather herbs with these priests!!

"Alleria, I believe an excellent captain shouldn't give a subordinate special treatment because of their status." Kael'thas looked at Alleria, slowly choosing his words as he tried to salvage the situation.

"Of course. That's why I'm leaving you here..." Alleria paid his objection no mind. Her blue eyes fixed teasingly on Kael'thas as she spoke at length. "I can't take a recruit who's never been on a battlefield to the front with my squad. That would be dangerous..."

"So I'm leaving you here. Gathering herbs here will be sacred work. You should know that the wounded coming back from the front need these herbs at all times. I think assigning you this task is also the greatest recognition I can give you..."

"I believe you can do it well!"

Alleria spoke, and her words echoed among the high elf priests. One by one, the Initial Stage priests began looking at her with admiration and respect. Perhaps they had only just realized how sacred gathering herbs was.

Kael'thas had no rebuttal. Now that Alleria had put it like that, arguing further would only upset the people around him.

"Then I'll come back for you in a while!"

Alleria waved to Kael'thas, then led her squad away from Suncrown Village. Although Kael'sala had asked her to keep Kael'thas safe, Alleria was a strict soldier. She would leave him somewhere safe, but she would never waste time she could spend killing the enemy to keep him company.

That would be an affront to every high elf risking their life on the front lines!

"Aldielshala." (Have a safe journey.)

Kael'thas called out his farewell in agreement. He saw Alleria's shoulders twitch, as though she had heard him. Only then did he turn around and look at the young priests around him.

How am I supposed to face them?

To his dismay, he found that a few of the young priests were familiar faces who had spent their time in the royal Trade District listening to performances a few years ago.

Meanwhile, at Sunfury Spire.

"Boo-hoo... sob..."

"Sigh... what are you crying about!?"

Kael'sala could no longer bear the sound of the girl crying behind him. He put down his pen, turned around, and asked with a sigh.

She was a pretty blonde girl, and she did not look at all out of place standing there.

"Boo-hoo... Your Highness, His Highness Kael'thas, he... His Highness Kael'thas still didn't recognize me!!"

Tears welled in the girl's eyes as she cried adorably. She had finally managed to spend time alone with His Highness Kael'thas and had escorted him all the way to the Ghostlands, but... Kael'thas still hadn't noticed her presence!!

"Uh..."

Kael'sala felt somewhat helpless. He hadn't expected his younger brother to be so useless, either. Feeling a little sorry for her, he patted her head and comforted her. "It's all right. He'll know one day!"

His voice was warm and clear, and especially effective at soothing a wounded heart.

"Boo-hoo... Your Highness, you're so much nicer..."

"..."

"His Highness Kael'thas is too much! I've been by his side ever since he was born, but he's never noticed me..."

"Uh... he was a little wrong about that! But come to think of it... who are you?"

"..."

The girl suddenly froze. She looked up at Kael'sala with wide, shocked eyes, then, with a wail, tears came gushing out. She pushed him aside and ran out!

"Boo-hoo... I hate you most of all, Your Highness!! I've been your adjutant all this time, but you don't recognize me!!! Waaah!"

Adjutant?

Kael'sala patted his forehead, at a loss for words. Lor'themar Theron!

"Aqiang... Aqiang!! Don't run away, I was joking!!"

With a wry smile, he hurried after her.

Leaving aside her lack of presence, this adjutant was very strong...

(Character note: Lor'themar was the adjutant of Ranger-General Sylvanas and the future regent of Quel'Thalas. Because of a complete lack of presence, players jokingly called Lor'themar "Aqiang." Originally male; why Lor'themar is female now is a plot point.)