Chapter One: The Defense of Grand Hamlet

In the age of Chaos, two factions battled for dominance. The Kingdom of Stormwind was a prosperous one. The humans who dwelled there turned the land into a paradise. The Knights of Stormwind and the clerics of Northshire army roamed far and wide. They served the Kings people with honor and justice. The well-trained armies of the King maintained a lasting peace through many generations.

Then came the orcish hordes.

No one knew where these creatures came from, and none were prepared for the terror that they sparked. Their warriors wielded axe and spear with deadly proficiency. Others rode dark wolves as black as the moonless night. Some said the beasts had been born from the fires of the underworld.

With an ingenious arsenal of weaponry and powerful magic, these two forces collided. And the victory would gain dominion over all of Azeroth...

King Llane was a great man, of great height, with great expectations and a great blonde beard. He had a stern look about him as he gazed over Aiden, who shifted uneasily beneath the King's gaze. This was the first time he had been alone in the same room as the King for many years. The last time he had seen him he'd been twelve and his mother had still been alive.

Finally, the King spoke: 'I hope you do not expect me to favor you. Were my own heir Varian standing before me today, I would not give him special treatment.'

'I do not need to be coddled sir.' said Aiden. 'Give me a task, and I swear to you by my honor, I shall complete it or die in the attempt.'

'Very well, I like that answer.' said Llane with a smile. 'The task I have for you is of supreme importance and will take a great deal of time and effort. Indeed, it is so important, that I dare say our entire war effort depends on its completion.'

Aiden's eyes widened. He had meant it when he said that he would do any task to prove himself, but this was beyond his expectations. 'If you believe I am capable of it, then I will make the attempt.'

'Excellent.' said King Llane and he opened a drawer and drew out a sheet of parchment. Unrolling it, he set it on the table to reveal a map of Azeroth. 'As a test of your abilities, I am assigning you as regent over a small parcel of land. Since we must keep our armies in the field well supplied, you are to build the town into a farming center. I also advise you to train a militia with the funds assigned to you, as my scouts have reported orc patrols in the area.'

The sound of shattered dreams was almost audible, and the smile on King Llane's face told Aiden he had heard it. Aiden felt a surge of anger, which he beat down. He was the king, even if he seemed to be having fun at Aiden's expense. 'I will do as you command, Father.' said Aiden, bowing his head.

As he departed the room, he sensed a presence. 'Stop skulking in the shadows, Garona. I know you are there.'

'…You remain observant, as always.' said a smooth voice. Garona emerged; she was a tall woman with green skin that marked her as a half-orc. Her hair was dark, and she was very beautiful. 'I suppose you were sent on some glorious mission of supreme importance.' She drew closer, and he turned to walk away. She kept in step with him; however, face holding amusement. 'Or, perhaps not.'

Aiden lost patience and turned to her. 'Listen to me, you whore.' he said. 'I would sooner take my own life than trade words with King Llane's pet animal! So kindly remove yourself from my presence.'

'Such harsh words,' reflected Garona, without apology. 'I've heard harsher though. Tell me, do you hate me because I share the same bed your mother once did?'

Aiden did not take the bait. He knew perfectly well that Garona was far more dangerous than she would first appear. He would only be humiliated if he attacked her. Without expression, without so much as a reply, he turned and walked away. This time Garona did not follow him any further.

It was something of an open secret that Garona had found her way into King Llane's bedchambers. Though Aiden doubted she limited herself to that. Being the bastard son of the King, Aiden found her particularly infuriating.

'You know she's just trying to get you angry, don't you?' asked a voice.

Aiden paused and looked to Prince Varian Wrynn. The Prince had dark hair, and tan skin, taking far more after his mother than his father. Aiden vaguely recalled a beautiful, beloved and graceful women who had despised him. 'Of course, I do. That doesn't make me hate her any less.'

'A lot of people hate Garona,' admitted Varian, 'but she is on our side though. She has been giving Father information about the orcs. And she is only a half-orc, after all, that means she's half human.' He spoke with a naive tone which caused Aiden's defenses to drop for a moment. He looked at Varian for a moment.

'…That remains to be seen.' said Aiden after a moment. 'Good day to you, Prince Varian.'

Farming reports. On Aiden's desk were farming reports. The lean, brown-haired man searched through them little by little. They were there every week with an endless stream of efficiency. It seemed that his entire life revolved around farming, which, in a way, it did.

He had been specifically assigned by the King to create a thriving farming community. That and train a militia. He was expected to ensure that his subjects could feed themselves, feed the armies of the King, and pay taxes. And by god was it dull.

Aiden leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. Not for the first or last time lamented that his life had come to this point. He had joined the armies of Stormwind to battle the forces of darkness. Instead, he spent his days organizing supply lines.

Or so the town criers would have one believe. In reality, the front had been rather quiet for the past ten years. Both sides had mustered their forces for the second round. Which left Aiden out in the cold, so to speak.

There came a knock at the door, and he glanced up. 'Come in.'

The door opened to reveal a short, red-haired woman, clad in battered armor. She had a helmet under one arm, and at her side was a sword. She saluted smartly as she came into the room and stood to attention. Aiden wasn't in the mood for this.

'Stand down, Serena.' he said. 'What have you to report?'

'My men and I have slain many orcs in the forests.' said Serena 'Thirty-six heads in all. I've piled them in the town square, to show the locals these borders are well protected.'

'Excellent,' said Aiden with a sigh, 'and our casualties?'

'Three men dead, sir.' said Serena 'Five wounded, I've sent them to Northshire Abbey in a wagon to recover. I'm sorry I didn't consult you first but-'

'No, you don't need to apologize.' said Aiden as he rose. 'I've just about finished my reports for King Llane. Judging by his letters, I believe he is satisfied with my work thus far.'

'So do you think we'll be reassigned sir?' asked Serena eagerly. 'I mean, not that hunting orcs isn't fun, but I want to see the real battle!'

'I'm sure you'll get your chance.' reflected Aiden 'Word is that Lord Lothar burned an orcish village to the ground. They seem to be building closer and closer to our border; no one is quite sure why. Soon enough war will come.'

'Great!' said Serena 'I mean we'll finally get to murder the entire species!'

'Yes, well, one can only hope.' reflected Aiden as he rolled up his report and sealed it. He could not help but be slightly disturbed by his second in commands chipper demeanor. 'Walk with me.'

They made their way out into the open sunlight, and past the disfigured heads of the orcs. As they did so, Aiden put on his face of benevolence as he approached a soldier, who saluted. 'Soldier,' he said giving him the letter. 'take this to King Llane. It should satisfy him.'

'As you wish.'

At that moment a horseman arrived, carrying a letter. 'Sir Aiden, I come bearing a letter from King Llane!' He halted and dismounted, before offering it to him.

'Give it to me.' said Aiden, taking it in his hand and breaking the seal.

Unrolling the parchment, he read it:

'The orcs around Grand Hamlet are becoming increasingly brazen in their attacks. Our spies inform us that they are amassing a large force to march against the town. I am sending you to rally the people and defend the town against all opposition. I have sent a contingent of archers to meet you there.

You should leave at once.'

Aiden smiled. 'Finally! Serena, gather our forces and prepare to set out for Grand Hamlet! The time for war has come!'

They arrived in Grand Hamlet without incident. The troops were received with cheers by the local populace. Aiden reined his horse to a halt before a well-dressed man who came to meet him. The man bowed his head. 'Greetings to you, Sir Aiden, I am the mayor of Grand Hamlet. I have come to meet you. How may we assist you?'

'I was led to believe that a troop of archers would be here to meet us.' said Aiden.

'Yes,' said the Mayor, 'they went into the wilderness and have not yet returned.'

'Wonderful,' said Aiden, 'and with our luck, they will all be dead before the day is out. No matter, Serena, begin establishing a defensive perimeter. Scout the surrounding area for any sign of-'

At that moment a group of men, clad in leather armor with steel skullcaps came into view. They walked in an irregular line, carrying many bows and crossbows. Aiden looked at their approach, noting that they carried many orcish axes on their backs. Trophies, perhaps? He moved his horse towards them. 'You would be the archers I was told to meet.'

'Yes sir.' said the leader.

'Where is your leader?'

'That would be me.' said a voice, standing beside him. Aiden's horse nearly took fright, and his hand went to his sword as he looked down.

Standing by him, having escaped the gaze of all his men was a figure clad in a green cloak. She was clearly female, with long legs and a curvaceous figure of the sort which drew the eyes of men. Aiden narrowed his. 'Who are you? Take off that hood.'

'As you wish.' she said, before pulling off the hood.

Revealed were beautiful features, golden hair, and long pointed ears.

'An elf?' Serena asked as she came up from behind. 'What is your kind doing this far south?' The distaste was evident in her voice and shared by Aiden.

'I am Sylvanas Windrunner,' she said, 'and if you must know Quel'thalas has been in a dull period. I came here to offer my services as an archer to King Llane, and was offered a command over a contingent of them.'

'I am something of an archer myself.' said Aiden in irritation. 'I don't see why we need an elf to train our men for us.' There were murmurs of agreement from the troops.

'Well then perhaps you would demonstrate this vaunted skill.' said Sylvanas. 'That I might exceed it.'

Aiden narrowed his eyes. 'I would love nothing more. However, we have a mission to complete. What have you to report?'

'We've hunted down some twenty orc scouts on this side of the river.' said Sylvanas. 'They are clumsy, and without skill in the wood.'

'I don't care about that.' snapped Aiden then looked to the archery range. 'Are the bridges taken?'

'Bridges?' asked Sylvanas.

'Yes,' said Aiden, 'there are two primary bridges that lead to the orcish side of the river. If the orcs already have them, we must fortify our defenses here. On the other hand, if they are not occupied-'

'We might cut them off at a chokepoint.' finished Sylvanas for him. 'The answer is no. I doubt these simpletons even comprehend what a chokepoint is.'

'What are your orders, Aiden?' asked Serena.

'We'll divide our forces.' said Aiden. 'Serena, take half the men and go with Sylvanas to the northern bridge. Take up a defensive position there, and block any attempt to pass through. Sylvanas, pick half your archers. The rest go with me.'

'I take it you will be guarding the other bridge.' surmised Sylvanas. 'I don't suppose anyone ever taught you that dividing one's forces is a bad move.'

'If we did that, it would hamper our counter assault.' orcs will slip through to Grand Hamlet.' snapped Aiden. 'Leaving a garrison would have the same effect as guarding both points.'

'Then why not cast down one of the bridges?' asked Sylvanas.

'If we did that, it would hamper our counterassault.' said Aiden. 'It may not matter to you, but I have no intention of letting our enemies hold sections of my nation indefinitely.'

'As you wish.' said Sylvanas.

Preparations took an hour or more. Aiden managed to recruit a number of forces to bolster his defense and then they set out. The sun was shining above, and there were few clouds to mar the sky above. A brisk wind blew through his cloak as he led his forces towards the southern bridge. They saw no sign of the orcs as they did so. It seemed that the elf had been quite effective at destroying their presence.

Before long they came to the bridge, a great wooden structure built from many felled trees. It had been enchanted by Medivh to never rot away. One more act of goodwill between him and the King when he had awoken.

Or so it was said. Privately, Aiden had his doubts.

'Look Sir Aiden!' cried a soldier. 'The orcs are approaching!'

Aiden looked across the river, and sure enough, a great host of hundreds of orcs approached the bridge. Their leader must have seen them as well because a great cry rang out from the orcs and they broke into a run.

'Onto the bridge, quickly!' cried Aiden. 'Footmen in front, archers behind!'

A shield wall was formed upon the bridge mere moments before the orcs reached the bridge. Arrows were launched over the shoulders of the footmen. The massive seven-foot brutes rushed forward. The front rank of the orcs was slain in moments. But behind them came still more. They crashed against the shield wall with savagery and valor.

It wasn't enough. The men of Stormwind fought as one, their shields protecting one another. As still more arrows were launched into the enemy, still more orcs fell. The footmen waited for their enemies to tire, then quickly stabbed with their swords. Orc after orc came against the wall, and orc after orc died before the defense.

For his part, Aiden took no part in the actual action. He remained on his horse, watching things play out. He had half a mind that someone needed to have a clear head and give commands. He had another half a mind that he had no great desire to fight a seven foot tall monster with muscles as large as his head. He was the commander, his job was to command the men, not fight with them.

Even so, he felt a sense of guilt for not fighting with his men. Drawing his bow, he notched an arrow and aimed it. Seeing a footman fall to the ground beneath a particularly strong blow, he launched an arrow. The arrow plunged into the orc's chest, and it fell to the ground dead.

Satisfied that he had participated, Aiden waited for his men to finish the job.

The numbers of the orcs dead lay in the hundreds. Their corpses had piled up into a great wall. Those who sought to continue the assault had to clamber and stumble over. Finally, their strength waning, the orcs turned and fled back. A cheer sounded from the men, as Aiden watched in satisfaction.

'Well done men!' said Aiden. 'That should teach the black bloods the cost of testing human steel! Let us return to Grand Hamlet, and see how Serena fairs.'

As they turned to walk away, however, Aiden dismounted and took two archers by the shoulder. 'I need you to stay behind. It's possible this was only a vanguard. If so we must have some warning of their assault.'

'Yes sir.' said the man.

Drawing out a flask of whiskey he never drank, Aiden offered it to him. 'Don't drink it all, keep your head clear. Keep watch until I send someone to relieve you.'

'Thank you, sir.' said the man.

The journey back to Grand Hamlet was made in good spirits. Only a few among the defenders had fallen. And they had cost their enemies greatly. When they returned, they found Serena there as well, along with her forces.

A cheer came from the townsfolk as they approached, far greater than before. Aiden dismounted and approached Serena.

'Victory is ours, Aiden.' said Serena. 'We must have killed hundreds of the bastards. It was the best kind of fight. Just enough to give us a challenge, but without any insane difficulty.'

Aiden scanned the faces of those here. 'Where is Sylvanas?'

'Who knows?' asked Serena. 'She ran off chasing after the retreating orcs and disappeared into the woodlands. If she gets herself killed, so much the better.'

'Your words do not become you.' stated Aiden coldly. 'Send men to watch the bridges, and make sure no more of the orcs come through.'

'Yes, sir.' said Serena. 'Sorry, sir.'

Sylvanas did not come back for a day and a half, during which the watch was replaced several times. Nor did the orcs returned, it seemed the beasts were busy licking their wounds and dared not approach. They had just about given her up for dead when she appeared in the midst of a planning session.

'I followed the retreating orcs. I've found the orcish base of operations.' she said, tossing a map on it. 'I've mapped out its general location. It's a large town, maybe a thousand or so residents. Only a fraction of those will be combatants of course. It's quite heavily guarded though, beyond our means to break with these forces.'

'…I'm impressed,' said Aiden, 'you did all this in a day and a half?'

'Yes,' said Sylvanas, 'I made my reputation as a scout in Quel'thalas before I came here.'

'I'll make a report of this to Anduin Lothar, and my- and the King.' Aiden corrected himself swiftly, but Sylvanas caught it. 'I will be certain to include your contributions as well, of course.'

'My thanks,' she said, 'now I believe we had a contest planned.'

Aiden blinked. 'Contest? Oh yes, the contest, Serena, get me my bow.'

They made their way out to the archery range of Grand Hamlet. They were observed by the men and the townsfolk who gathered to watch things play out. Aiden walked to the first of the target, strung the bow, aimed for only a moment and launched the shaft. It flew swift and true and embedded itself into the center of the red.

A great cheer rang out from the townsfolk and soldiers who were watching.

'A perfect bullseye.' he said in satisfaction. 'There is no beating that.'

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. Then glanced to one of her subordinates. 'Remember those orc weapons we collected. Grab me twenty of their axes.'

'What are you-' began Aiden.

'One moment,' said Sylvanas. 'I am trying to make a point.'

The axes were brought forth, and Sylvanas took one by the shaft and raised its butt. There was a ring at the bottom of each one, perhaps two inches around. 'Have these stopped up with wax.'

'I don't see what you are trying to do.' said Aiden.

'You'll see.' said Sylvanas.

Before long the axes were stopped up, and Sylvanas set them up in turn, all in a line. The butts of the axes were arranged. When sighted downrange their loops overlapped. There was only a very small window where the arrow could pass through.

'I am going to shoot an arrow through all of these axe heads.' said Sylvanas.

'That's impossible, even for an elf!' said Serena.

Aiden glanced at her in annoyance. 'Your implication is not appreciated.'

'Impossible is it?' asked Sylvanas, before drawing her bow and sighting it. In a split second, she had launched the arrow. It tore through the wax in the twenty axe heads, before splitting Aiden's arrow in two. 'Then what would you call that?'

There was a stunned silence as everyone stared. Finally, Aiden looked to Sylvanas in a new light. 'And I am to believe you were just a scout before you came here?' he said with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled. 'Well, I may have held some small positions of command before I came here. But it is nothing that will interfere with my service to Stormwind.'

Aiden suspected that there was far more to her than met the eye. And he doubted he would ever find out any more than that.

For his part, Orgrim Doomhammer watched from the window of the town hall. The few survivors of the assault on Grand Hamlet limped back in. They were very few in number and a pitiful lot. A few of them were even crying, a hint which clued him in on their true nature. He looked to the rest of those within the hall. Blackhand and Gul'dan sat at a wooden table. Blackhand looked grim. Gul'dan looked calculating as if their casualties were merely numbers to be counted.

'So,' said Orgrim, 'it seems that our assault on Grand Hamlet was a failure.'

'It is only a small inconvenience.' said Gul'dan. 'Our purpose was to test the mettle of the humans. Now that we know their strength, it will be easier to destroy them.'

'And how many warriors died that you could test the human's mettle?' asked Orgrim.

'It is of little concern.' said Gul'dan. 'Those that fell here today were among the weakest and least experienced of our warriors. More like them bolster our forces from Draenor by the day.' By this he meant, the warriors who died were children he forced to grow up prematurely. Then sent into battle with little more than an axe. How Orgrim wished to see this man dead.

'And what will we do then?' asked Orgrim.

'Simple enough.' said Gul'dan. 'We will gather our forces and prepare for a proper assault upon Grand Hamlet. And this time the humans will not stop it.'

'Gul'dan has not led us astray thus far, Orgrim.' said Blackhand. 'Let us trust his guidance. And when the assault is launched, I want you to command it. You are the only one I would trust with such an important task.'

'Very well,' said Orgrim, 'but we must be on our guard. I doubt the humans will simply wait for us to launch another assault.'

It was only the beginning of things, but it did not bode well for the orcs.

Authors Note:

Okay, so here we have an adaptation of Warcraft 1. I can't find my copy of the Last Guardian, so I'm not going to promise that this won't completely break canon. As for why I've changed Garona's personality, she was raised by Gul'dan. Or at least spent most of her life as his agent.

I don't care how much of a woobie she is, that is not going to result in a well put together individual. Also, I think that a much more logical use for Garona is as a double agent between the humans and orcs. As opposed to… well… breeding stock for Medivh's custom-tailored mary sue. More on that later.

As for Aiden, I decided to make him a contrast to other heroes of Warcraft. Aiden doesn't lead from the front. He commands from behind, which makes him practically unique as far as good guys go.

By the way, this takes place in the Mercyverse.