Chapter 129: Conversation

Upon arriving at Windrunner Village, Patrick met with Alleria’s father, Bard Windrunner, and her mother, Virginia Windrunner. Patrick had already met Bard, the current patriarch of the Windrunner family, who oversaw all of the family’s affairs.

Alleria spotted her parents in the manor’s great hall. "Father! Mother!"

The two elders of the Windrunner clan had been waiting in their home for the arrival of Patrick and his party. Sitting to the side, Virginia Windrunner examined Patrick closely before remarking, "So, this is the Patrick Cabolone your father mentioned? Quite impressive."

Bard, occupying the seat of honor, remained silent, his sharp eyes fixed steadily on Patrick. Unfazed, Patrick bowed his head slightly in a gesture of respect. "Greetings, Uncle."

"Haha..." The stern atmosphere that had greeted their arrival vanished as a smile broke across Bard's face. "Please, sit."

Bard got straight to the point. "With no councilors from the assembly present in the hall, how do you intend to handle the marriage between you and Alleria?"

"Alleria and I plan to hold the wedding at the Floating City. We hope to invite guests from both the Cabolone and Windrunner families to travel to the Sun City for the ceremony. Furthermore, I have already placed the Sun City's ranger forces under the command of Galind Shalun, who is now serving as a standing committee member in my administration."

Bard nodded in acknowledgment. The Windrunner family had been rangers for generations, leading the ranger corps and Farstriders of the entire Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. It was understandable that the family would want a voice in the Sun City's affairs after Alleria’s marriage. By appointing Galind Shalun to the standing committee, Patrick had ensured she could begin her duties immediately, which served to put the Windrunner family at ease.

As Lord of the Sun Temple, Patrick did not need anyone’s permission to appoint an administrator. Moreover, he held no prejudice against non-magical classes; his direct appointment of Galind Shalun was something even the Silvermoon Council had no authority to contest.

"I propose that the specific details of the wedding be arranged jointly by the Cabolone and Windrunner families. What are your thoughts, Uncle?"

According to High Elf tradition, the groom’s family handles the wedding logistics while the bride’s family prepares the dowry. Once the Windrunners agreed, the Cabolone family would begin the arduous task of selecting a venue, inviting guests, and managing countless other details. Bard glanced at Virginia, and with both expressing their consent, the preliminary arrangements were settled. They would simply wait for the date of the wedding.

"It is getting late. Alleria, bring your husband and join us for dinner," Bard invited. He and Virginia then rose and retired to the rear dining hall.

Once the two elders had vanished from sight, Alleria leaned toward Patrick and playfully traced a circle on his chest. "No wonder you asked me to help manage the Sun Temple’s rangers back then. Once I brought Galind Shalun and the others to the temple, you didn't hesitate to appoint her as a standing committee member. You sacrificed a portion of the Sun Temple's administrative power to pay the political cost of marrying me. Had you planned this all along?"

Patrick chuckled softly, pulling the elf close and surrounding her with a faint, pure aura of arcane energy. "There is no 'yours' or 'mine' between us. Even you are mine."

The Windrunner dining room lacked the architectural style of Silvermoon City, favoring an aesthetic more aligned with the ranger lifestyle. Above the table hung a large crystal chandelier, casting a soft, elegant light over the aromatic spread of food, creating an atmosphere of warmth and tranquility. The decor featured white accents with red trim and green patterns, punctuated by artistic displays of ranger bows and arrows. Green potted plants filled the corners, imbuing the room with the scent of a natural forest—a perfect reflection of the ranger profession.

At the table, Bard and Virginia occupied the head seats, while Patrick and Alleria took the seats adjacent to them. A young elf named Lirath Windrunner sat further down. Lirath appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen in human years; to High Elves, who lived for three to four thousand years, he was still just a child. Lirath watched his future brother-in-law with wide, curious blue eyes, wondering how a mage had managed to captivate his sister.

During the meal, the conversation turned to the Windrunner family’s need to send ranger support to the Lordaeron Alliance. Bard sought Alleria’s opinion: "Regarding the troops for Lordaeron, I intend to have Zendari lead them. What do you think?"

Zendari, Alleria’s cousin, was a core member of the Windrunner family and a capable warrior. Alleria felt reassured knowing he would lead the forces against the Orcs; having a family member in command was far preferable to the Silvermoon Council dispatching a mage as a commander. She fully supported her father’s decision.

After the banquet, the old steward, Melaris, oversaw the exchange of gifts with the Windrunner family’s staff—arriving empty-handed was not the way of the nobility. Patrick and Alleria found a moment of privacy.

Reflecting on the deployment of troops, Alleria felt the Orcish invasion might be more complex than it appeared. "Do you think the invading Orcs will defeat the Lordaeron Alliance?"

"I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye," Patrick replied. "Setting aside how a foreign race managed to bypass our ley-line defenses to reach Azeroth, the fact that they began burning and looting the moment they arrived in the southern continent, attacking humans without hesitation... it suggests something is wrong."

Patrick paused before adding, "Perhaps there are internal causes within Azeroth itself. Bypassing the ley-line system usually strips invaders of their previous strength. There may be trouble brewing within the Kingdom of Stormwind."

"But hasn't their nation already been destroyed?" Alleria asked. "Would traitors truly help foreign enemies destroy their own country?"

Patrick said no more. He knew the Orcs had appeared because Medivh, the Guardian controlled by Sargeras, had opened a portal between Draenor and Azeroth, unleashing the demon-blooded Orcs upon the world—a catalyst for the series of calamities that followed.

"Perhaps there are deeper reasons," Patrick said simply. "The arrival of the Orcs is certainly no accident."