A/N: Please note that this is of course Fan Fiction, therefore the events described would be slightly deviated from the orginal telling.
And nope, I in fact do not own Warcraft or anything else I write about.
Chapter 17
That night the ceremony of Arlandria's promotion took place on the low stone stage within the encampment. Prince Kael led the procedure and did most of the talking. He formally informed all the Elves in attendence, (which was all the Elves) that Lady Sylvanas had been killed in action on her way to the encampment. Then introduced Arlandria as the new Ranger General, and spoke of her bravery and aptitude for the rank as she stood on the far side of the stage. Her armor and weapons gleamed with the firelight, polished and immaculate, but other then that she was very much the same.
Being praised so highly by the Prince and the crowd was new to her. The spotlight with all eyes on her was also very new and unnerving. Yet she stood confidently towards the crowd as her Prince spoke of deservingness to fill in Sylvanas's place. When at last the Prince stopped and called her forward she spoke only a little. Though the audience was overjoyed to hear it.
As she was officially ordained as Ranger General, the two Archmages came forward to present her with a new bow. This was far more than a powerful weapon, it was a symbol of status. Arlandria grasped it in both hands and admired its enchanted brilliance. The main color was red, which was metal that had been fused into the wood on the front. The rest was a dull but bright yellow of the wood which only the finest Elven bows in Quel'Thalas would be crafted from. In scope the weapon was quite large for her, at least a foot longer than her previous bow.
With many more praises from all sides Arlandria bowed before the crowd and the Prince one last time before moving away from center stage, with her bow held firmly in hand. Then Prince Kael went on to address the purposeful destruction of the Sunwell within the walls of Silvermoon. There were many shocked and awe-struck faces in the crowd soon after the Prince told them this. He continued on talking, explaining that this had to be done, now they faced a new need which they had to find to substain themselves, instead of a slow dreadful poisoning.
"There is hope for our survival still, but it perhaps may not be here in these woods," said the Prince.
The joyous enthusiasm of the crowd had rapidly died down by the time the Prince finished speaking. All seemed now more worried than ever of leaving Quel'Thalas in exile, a group of wandering nomads with no true place to call their own anymore. Not to mention the horrific Scourge that could be running rampant and surrounding them still. Prince Kael, Arlandria, and the others on stage stepped down to the reverence from the bowed heads of the confused and despairing crowd.
Two days went past with a community routine slowly beginning to take shape. The sun shined brightly over the area, and no signs of enemy contact were reported. Arlandria busied herself forming defensive positions around the area, as well as becoming better acquainted with the soldiers under her command. Vupila was named her second in charge during the first meeting of the unit (since the formation was no longer large enough to be called an army). Her fearless former Lieutenant grudgingly accepted the offer, still wishing that Arlandria would have picked anyone else.
Arlandria and the rest of the Elves did seem to generally feel better now. The drag on their entire self was less now that the Sunwell was completely gone. Though the painful addiction to magical energy would endure, and would still slowly drain and kill them if a solution was not found.
During this time Prince Kael was never seen, he locked himself away in the temple. Various other Elves of high stature were seen within from time to time, but they would emerge and the Prince would not. It was as the third day after Arlandria became the new Ranger General that the waiting ceased. The order came for her to step into the temple and have a serious, one on one meeting with the Prince for the future of the Elven people. Arlandria stood up from her makeshift desk at their newly formed makeshift military headquarters and walked quickly towards the temple.
End of Chapter 17