Year 3 of the second war
The crowd was walking busy through the busy streets of Alterac. They nervously bought supplies in local markets whose prices kept growing. Meanwhile, the news that the horde had advanced through the highlands of Arathi destroying everything in its path despite the iron resistance that Stromgarde's forces had imposed was echoed.
The forces of the Alliance had saved several families of farmers behind the walls of Stromgarde or displacing them to Alterac, but hundreds more had perished at the hands of the horde that was advancing steadily towards the Capital City of Lordaeron. Just mentioning its leader's name, Orgrim Doomhammer, towards a feeling of terror and fury flooding inside the human's hearth.
The high command of the alliance had foreseen that the horde would continue advancing through the steep places of Alterac. It would be only a matter of time before winter arrived and hundreds of warriors of the horde would die because of the cold in the mountains, all of this of course, if the walls of Alterac held the siege.
Aiden Perenolde, King of Alterac watched from his window the first snowflakes fall while tasting a glass of wine. The wine was imported from the lands of the north, Lordaeron; lands that he had always coveted, but whose ambition he had postponed since the Alliance had been suddenly imposed among the human kingdoms. Even so, distrust was still part of his plans.
"Damn it Terenas. I know what you're playing." He clenched his fist tightly trying to contain his anger "first you force this 'alliance' with those barbarians of Stormwind, then you induce us to this and hide in your palace while Stromgarde and Alterac take away the ravages of the green skins."
The generals of Alterac listened patiently to the King's arguments.
The captain interrupted after clearing his throat "My lord, we have to organize the defenses. The Horde is at three nights away from reaching the foot of the mountains. Our explorers, the few who have returned, confirmed this."
"There is not much more to plan captain" interrupted Aliden, the prince and heir to throne of Aiden, who entered the council hall. He had long, braided hair with a small mustache typical of puberty that he wore trying to tell everyone that he was no longer a child. "The harvested wheat is already in the silos. If we resist the attack we should have the support of the Alliance in the spring."
"The alliance... you are a fool Aliden!" said the King turning to his son and leaving the glass of wine that minutes before playfully stirred on a table by the window, "Do not you realize it? After the horde is crushed by the winter we will be so weak due to casualties that Lordaeron will fall on us without us being able to defend ourselves. Stromgarde will follow then... or what remains of it. With all those lands neither Guilneas nor Kul'tiras will be an obstacle to Terenas' ambitions."
An uncomfortable silence flooded the room. Everyone knew that there was some truth in the words of the King and yet everyone wanted to continue believing in the covenant.
"I refuse to believe that King Terenas acts so dishonorably father!" Aliden yelled, banging the table with both hands. "Until now he has been respectful of all our men and has even taken the Stormwind refugees you refused to receive when they arrived begging for help at Southshore!"
"And that's why you're the prince and I'm the king, boy. Do you think I want to see our people dying at the hands of these beasts and then put our kingdom at the mercy of Terenas? Not only a fool would act that way... there must be another option."
The generals bowed their heads. They knew what the King was trying to say but none dared contemplate that option; not after all they had faced with the Alliance. In a way they felt powerful, like in the times of the Strom Empire, when men were legends and fought with the elves against the troll. As a kingdom they had become weak, subject to internal quarrels among humans themselves.
"What you suggest is treason!" Aliden finally said, breaking the silence.
"Treason? Senseless! Do you dare to accuse me of treason when I'm foreseeing one?! Your sister, Beve would at least have the decency to keep quiet. "
"Leave my sister out of this!"
Aiden raised both hands. "Everyone, get out! I need to talk to my son... alone." Aiden said after an uncomfortable pause. The generals joined in seeing the poor boy. The captain placed his hand on his shoulder and nodded as he left the room. He had trained him hard but he knew that his father was a less tolerant man.
Once he closed the door, Aiden walked towards his son. "Fa-father ... I ..." Aliden said stuttering when the king hit him with his mesh gauntlet.
"You have disavowed me in front of my men, you have accused me of treason and you have challenged me openly. If you were not my son, I would throw you to the orcs to be dismembered as reckless."
Aliden was silent. He knew that his father could get much more violent. Aiden made an abrupt movement and laid his son on the ground, stood on him and started to hang him. "So, are not you going to say anything? Are not you going to even defend your argument? Surely you would lower your head to Terenas also if I asked you, would not you? All for the damn Alliance" Aliden grabbed him with both hands on his arm while feeling like he lacked oxygen.
It was not the first time that Aiden had hit his son and he had learned to control his impulse, so he released him just before he lost consciousness. His hands were marked on the neck of that boy who was struggling to catch his breath.
The king got up and wiped his hands with a cloth. He pushed his hair back with both hands and stroked his mustache lightly as he took the glass of wine he had been drinking minutes earlier.
"Disappear from my sight," he finally said to Aliden before taking a sip from his glass and fiddling with his fingers on it.
Aliden was on the floor with red, watery eyes bulging. He wanted his father to die but not his hand. No, he was not a murderer, but he wanted it. His father was a monster and he feared becoming worse if he did not control that impulse. He left the council chamber and walked through the corridors of the palace holding his neck. He ran to his rooms and threw himself on the bed. A shadowy figure was behind the door.
Aliden was startled and instinctively pulled out a dagger he wore with his ornate jacket. His sister Beve was waiting for him hidden in the shadows.
"It's you... what the hell do you want?" said Aliden, relaxing and letting himself fall back onto the pillow of his bed, covering his eyes with his arm.
"I see that father has blown up with you again." she said with a malevolent smile, it was almost as if he enjoyed it.
"He is the king; he can do what he pleases."
"Do you think so of all the kings?" she scolded, throwing himself next to him on the bed.
"No, only of those who wield power like animals."
"It's not very different from the orcs. I think they would get along pretty well. "
"The orcs... you seem fascinated with them. When did you return from Dalaran? I thought you would continue studying. "
"Oh but I'm doing it right now... I'm studying what our future king will be like," she said with a laugh.
"If we survive the orcs, you mean. Orgrim Doomhammer has already submitted Stromgarde, the siege by sea and land will make the city fall in a few days. "
"I heard that the Kul'trias army is coming to their aid."
"You also believe in the Alliance, do not you?"
"Do not take me for someone as naive as your little brother. I don `t believes. It is a fact. "
"I should have guessed. After all, Dalaran like Guilneas also remained neutral; you would think the same as your Kirin Tor masters. "
"What the Kirin Tor decides to believe is his own vision of the world. I have mine."
Aliden turned to see his sister's face. He had the eyes of fire proper to one who has practiced the arcane arts. He stroked his face and smiled.
"You would be much better at reigning than me."
"Do you have so little faith?" She said turning to her brother.
"No, although like you, it's what the facts make me see."
Beve climbed on top of him and stared into his eyes. Aliden felt very light but her senses were still upset by the meeting she had suffered with her father minutes before.
"You can count on my advice whenever you need it, your majesty."
She moved to his lips and stopped a few inches away, only to see the incredulous agony in his eyes and then he smiled. Aliden nevertheless squeezed her against if in desire looking for his lips. Then Beve vanished.
"Mirror image spells?" Aliden said watching the shadow drain between his fingers closed his eyes as he thought "very like you, sister."