"My God, this is insane! Arthas, how do you know the dragons?" Muradin thought this experience would be something he could brag about later; it was so magical and incredible.
An adventure party composed of dwarves, humans, high elves, and even a dragon! Each one is a legendary figure: the brother of the dwarven king, the prince of the human kingdom, the ranger general of Quel'Thalas, and the Black Dragon Princess!
"Arthas, is everything you said true?" Aurelia felt a bit uncertain. She realized she really didn't know this human prince well.
"I can guarantee that everything I said to you is sincere. I won't deceive you, nor do I need to. This mission ended perfectly, and we even earned the goodwill of the red dragon. Without the red dragon's assistance, the orc's assault wouldn't have been so fierce. By uniting all available forces, we will surely crush the orcs!" Arthas chose his words carefully. It wasn't that he was unwilling to share, but there were many secrets better left unknown.
"Give me some time; I will explain everything to you."
Aurelia stared at Arthas, looking at this young human prince, a mist surrounding the man; she wanted to clear the fog and see what secrets he had. The more she discovered, the more curious she became. Why did he know so much? How?
Her curiosity compelled her to nod, "Alright, I'll wait."
Meanwhile, Muradin was paying attention to his surroundings, focused on adventure and combat, rather than romance. Besides, only female dwarves with robust arms and thick thighs were his type; this high elf didn't fit his aesthetic at all.
Onyxia cast a deep glance at her father, who was battling the four dragon kings in the distance, and turned to Arthas, "You knew from the beginning. Why didn't you expose me? Was it to humiliate me?" Her expression was a bit sorrowful; why was she so unfortunate, surrounded by bullies?
Human nobles wanted her body, her father exploited her labor as a tool, and her brother regarded her merely as a means to gather wealth—everyone was bullying her!
"No, I can understand your situation," Arthas said, holding Aurelia's hand with one and Onyxia's with the other, facing the distant dragon battle. "As the prince of Lordaeron, my pressure is immense. You can see that the alliance's nations have different thoughts. Some want to seize more land, others are wary of allies, and some are just afraid for their lives. Even within Lordaeron, the various lords have vast territories, and even the king cannot interfere. My father has high hopes for me; he revitalized the kingdom of Lordaeron, and I cannot let it fall apart. However, some treacherous lords have already begun to unite; what do they want? To overthrow the king's rule, or to circumvent him?" As Arthas shared his circumstances, the two women looked at the small hands he held, exchanged a glance, and then turned their heads to the other side.
Their thoughts were completely drawn into Arthas's situation. In Arthas's narrative, Lordaeron seemed fine, but beneath the surface, there was a rising tide; often, the king's orders only circulated within the city and nearby areas, failing beyond a three-day journey. With external worries and internal strife combined, the pressure he bore was enormous.
"You can't go too far, as you are not yet the king. But once you take actions that change noble power and institutions, even if you are a prince, you could be deposed. No one can oppose the nobles. The king is also just a higher noble, and the interests of the nobles are fundamental." Onyxia said calmly, "So what do you plan to do?"
"Power!" Arthas pulled the two women into his embrace, "I have a foreboding that the future will not be peaceful. The corruption of the nobility must be eradicated completely; even good noble lords will be forced to go along with the crowd. They enjoy everything handed to them, draining the kingdom's lifeblood. If this troop deployment didn't need the nobles' coordination, the orcs would have been defeated long ago. Divided groups cannot achieve great things. Once this war is over, I want to leave here and develop on another continent. I want to create my own kingdom, one that I will rule without the meddling of corrupt nobles, so in the future, even when faced with any threat, I have the capability to protect you. Now, I need your help; will you assist me?"
"I... I am willing, but you need to solve the issues with Silvermoon City first," Aurelia replied in Arthas's embrace. At that moment, she didn't care about sharing the man's arms with another woman. She had already shared intimacy with Arthas, and given the adventurous life they were embarking on, combined with the true nature of the Silvermoon nobility, she didn't want to go back at the moment.
However, the Windrunner family was one of the nobles of Quel'Thalas, and she couldn't just walk away. She hated how the council called upon rangers whenever in need but insulted them and cut their budget when not, yet regardless of that, it was still her home and people; she did not wish to become a traitor and hoped to marry in a dignified manner.
"What about my father?" Onyxia asked softly, feeling pitiful. She had been trained from the start as a tool; there was little warmth among her family. In fact, she held a sort of disdain for her father, who killed other female dragons and forced her mother away. Whether her mother was alive or dead remained a mystery!
"His sins can be judged by other guardian dragons. If death is fated, then that is his own doing. He could have done much better. If he wishes, I could illuminate a path for him. It depends on whether he wants to live or die; it's his choice." Arthas stated without a hint of insincerity. He held no extreme dislike for Deathwing, nor did he have any fondness. It was simply a matter of mutual use.
"I need to think about it." Onyxia said, hesitating to agree immediately; she needed to consider. If it was deceit, she would agree instantly. But she didn't express that due to her feelings for Arthas.
"Mission accomplished: save Onyxia from her crisis. Onyxia's favorability towards you has increased by sixty points, currently at sixty-five, and the reputation of the Black Dragon Flight is exalted."