Orbis Unum
"Two peoples, one world."
"That is what Medivh said?"
"That, and little else. Only that he could only speak the facts – that these creatures are called orcs. That they are ravaging the south of the kingdom. And when asked, he did nothing to alter my perception that we are potentially headed for a larger war, one that could threaten the entirety of Azeroth."
"…walk with me."
Lothar followed Llane along the walls of Stormwind Keep. Before them was the city of Stormwind – capital of the Kingdom of Azeroth, largest city of the south, second-largest human city in all the Eastern Kingdoms, rivalled only by the capital of Lordaeron. Behind them was the courtyard of Stormwind Keep itself Nobles, servants, state soldiers, some of whom were training Varian Wrynn himself. Tutelage expected of any king.
And will it be required? Lothar wondered, as he and Llane continued walking. The king had left his servants behind, as the two friends walked alone along the walls. Will such an hour come to pass where the prince himself is required to wield his sword in defence of the realm?
"Tell me," Llane said. "What is your assessment of the…problem, we face?"
Lothar didn't answer at first – he noticed Llane's hesitation in the selection of his words.
"My friend?"
"Only what I have told you, my king. That these are invaders. That so far, they have yet to display a cohesive strategy. That they are divided into clans, each in competition with the other."
"So not a unified front then," Llane said, sounding relieved. "Not what could be called a war."
"But, as I have also stated, at risk of becoming one," Lothar said, continuing to follow his king along the wall. "And there are talks from the survivors of the southern villages. That there is an orc among our foe – Doomhammer, is what the beasts call him. That orcs outside his own clan respect him. That he may even make a powerplay."
"Weakening their ranks."
"And unifying them. Rule of the strong, my king, there are many parallels in the cultures of our world. Whatever losses the orcs may take in intercine strife would pale to the threat they posed if they were united."
Llane had no answer this time. The king of Azeroth was no fool, Lothar reflected. He watched as the king's gaze lingered on his son. Currently in the midst of picking himself up from the grass.
Llane silently began walking again, and once again, Lothar followed. Llane was no fool. But he was an idealist. He regarded Medivh's counsel as sacrament, even while Lothar's doubts continued to grow. He walked in his state robes rather than the armour that Lothar wore – a display for the people that Stormwind was safe, that its king had nothing to fear. That these invaders were no more a threat than the troll bands that popped up from time to time, or on even rarer occasions, a rebellion. That all was well.
"These creatures," Llane began. "They come from another world, do they not?"
"Rumours claim such a thing," Lothar said. A small smile began to form – Llane was asking the right questions. "Know thy enemy," as the saying went. "My scouts report the existence of some kind of portal in the Black Morass. They have reported orcs appearing from the portal. But from whence they came? Another world is a possibility, as far-fetched as it might be."
"I have heard other tales," Llane said. He stopped walking, and met Lothar's gaze. His features full of worry, and hope. "That their world is dying. That they have come here out of necessity."
"Don't," Lothar said.
"Lothar?"
"Don't," the Lion of Azeroth repeated. "My friend, you are the king, and I hold no rule over your heart. But this is a question you cannot answer. Whatever straits these creatures may find themselves in, it is not our business. This is our world. Our land. These creatures threaten what is ours."
"Know thy enemy," Llane said. "Your words, are they not?"
"Words said by me, but not written," Lothar said. "But what of them? Know thy enemy – again, the straits the orcs may or may not be in does not affect our strategy in dealing with them. Not unless we can exploit it. And in lieu of our inability to do so, we can only focus on our immediate options."
"And?" Llane asked. "What would you-"
"Ride out and meet them," Lothar said. "Summon the Knights of Azeroth. Rally the Grand Army. Conscript men, boys, Light willing, request aid from the North if needed."
"You would have me go to war."
"We are at war!"
Silence dwelt between the two men. Llane's gaze was steely, impenetrable. Lothar spared a glance at the courtyard below – some of the soldiers were looking upwards. But seeing the Lion looking down at them, they quickly returned to their own duties.
"Two peoples, one world," Lothar said. "Those were Medivh's words."
"As you told me."
"And he's wrong. Because there are many peoples that inhabit this world – humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes. Light, dragons, trolls, gnolls…they are beasts, but still native." He took a step forward. "So no. These are not words I can repeat in good faith. Because these orcs are alien. They are the enemy. And as your knight-commander, as your friend, I urge you, to treat them as such. For yourself. For your kingdom." He paused, before saying, "for your son."
Silence dwelt between the two men. Llane returned his gaze to Stormwind. Lothar's lingered on the keep. No enemy at ever taken the keep. The House of Wrynn's history went back to the founding of the Kingdom of Azeroth himself. But these…times were different. Medivh grew distant. Creatures from another world had appeared.
"You may take your leave, my friend," Llane said.
"My king-"
"You shall, take your leave."
"…as my king demands."
Lothar obeyed his king's commands. Llane Wrynn, his friend, would have welcomed his company. Llane Wrynn, King of Azeroth…Lothar shook the thought aside. Llane was king. He was bound to his command. From his first day, to his last.
Yet he could not forget Medivh's words. And the fear that grew in his heart from them.
Two peoples. One world.
What would happen to the people who lost?
A/N
So, the tagline of the Warcraft movie is "two peoples, one world. Course I could nitpick and point out that not only humans live on Azeroth, and ogres were in the Horde during the First War as well, but meh. Why nitpick when I can write a oneshot instead?
Or did I nitpick anyway?