魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第6部分

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ay　
from　the　politics　of　their　positions　as　leaders　or　if　they　simply　wished　to　talk　as　old　friends　and　rades　all　
they　had　to　do　was　activate　the　talisman。　Jaina　would　then　teleport　to　the　butte；　and　Thrall　would　e　by　airship；
since　the　butte　was　inaccessible　any　other　way。　

It　is　good　to　see　you；　my　friend；　　Jaina　said　with　a　warm　smile。　And　she　meant　it。　In　all　her　life；　she　d　known　no
one　as　honorable　and　dependable　as　the　orc。　Once；　she　would　have　numbered　her　father　and　Arthas　among　those。
But　Admiral　Proudmoore　insisted　on　attacking　the　orcs　at　Kalimdor；　refusing　to　believe　his　own　daughter　when　she　
said　that　the　orcs　were　as　much　victims　of　the　Burning　Legion　as　humans　were；　and　were　not　evil。　Like　so　many　
people　Jaina　had　known；　Admiral　Proudmoore　was　unable　to　accept　that　the　world　was　different　from　the　way　it　
was　when　he　was　younger；　and　fought　against　any　alteration　to　it。　That　included　the　presence　of　orcs；　and　Jaina　had
been　put　in　the　terrible　position　of　betraying　her　own　father　to　Thrall　s　people　in　the　hope　of　stopping　the
bloodshed。　

As　for　Arthas；　he　had　bee　one　of　the　greatest　evils　in　the　world。　Now　Jaina　found　herself　in　a　place　where　she
trusted　the　leader　of　the　orc　clans　more　than　the　man　she　once　loved　or　her　father。　

When　her　father　had　attacked；　Thrall　who　had　seen　the　pain　in　Jaina　s　eyes　when　she　told　him　how　to　defeat　the　
admiral　had　kept　his　word。　And　he　had　never　been　one　to　accept　that　the　world　was　the　way　it　was。　He　had　been
captured　as　an　infant　and　raised　by　a　human　named　Aedelas　Blackmoore　to　be　the　perfect　slave；　even　given　a　name
representing　that。　But　Thrall　threw　off　his　chains　and　rallied　the　orcs　first　to　freedom；　then　to　the　ways　of　his　people
that　had　been　lost　to　the　demonic　hordes　that　had　brought　them　to　this　world。　

Now；　Jaina　saw　a　different　look　in　Thrall　s　unusual　blue　eyes。　Her　dear　friend　was　furious。　

We　signed　no　treaty；　you　and　I。　　Thrall　started　in　immediately；　not　even　returning　Jaina　s　greeting。　We　made　no
provisions　for　our　alliance。　We　trusted　that　our　bond　had　been　fed　in　blood；　and　we　would　never　betray　each
other。　　

I　have　not　betrayed　you；　Thrall。　　Jaina　tensed　briefly；　but　with　the　ease　of　long　practice；　kept　her　emotions　in
check。　She　didn　t　appreciate　the　blanket　accusation　of　betrayal　without　even　the　conversational　niceties　or　even　an
acknowledgment　of　their　bond　beyond　his　outofnowhere　belief　that　she　d　broken　it　but　the　first　thing　she　had
been　taught　as　an　apprentice　mage　was　that　strong　emotions　and　wizardry　didn　t　always　mix　well。　She　increased　her
grip　on　the　ornate　wooden　staff　she　carried；　a　legacy　from　her　mentor；　Archmage　Antonidas。　

I　do　not　believe　you　have。　　Thrall　s　tone　was　still　belligerent。　Unlike　his　fellow　orcs；　gruffness　was　not　Thrall　s
default　manner；　no　doubt　due　to　his　human　upbringing。　However；　it　seems　your　people　may　not　hold　to　our　bond
as　strongly　as　you。　　

Her　voice　tight；　Jaina　asked；　Thrall；　what　are　you　talking　about？　　

One　of　our　merchant　vessels；　the　ath　ar；　was　harassed　by　pirates。　　
　
Jaina　frowned。　As　much　as　they　tried　to　prevent　it；　privateering　remained　a　problem　on　the　seas。　We　ve　increased
the　patrols　as　much　as　possible；　but

Patrols　are　useless　if　they　are　just　going　to　sit　and　watch！　The　ath　ar　saw　one　of　your　patrols　nearby！　It　was
close　enough　to　be　seen　in　dense　fog；　yet　they　did　nothing　to　aid　Captain　Bolik　and　his　crew！　Bolik　even　sounded
the　foghorn；　and　your　people　just　sat。　　

Her　calm　in　inverse　proportion　to　Thrall　s　anger；　Jaina　asked；　　You　say　your　lookout　could　see　them。　That　doesn　t
necessarily　mean　that　they　could　see　ath　ar。　　

That　brought　Thrall　up　short。　

Jaina　continued。　Your　people　have　better　vision　than　we　do。　And　when　they　heard　the　foghorn；　they　probably　took
it　as　a　sign　to　get　out　of　the　way。　　

If　they　were　close　enough　for　my　people　to　see；　they　were　close　enough　to　hear　a　boarding　party！　My　people　have　
better　vision；　it　s　true；　but　we　also　do　not　do　battle　in　stealth。　I　do　not　believe　that　your　patrol　did　not　hear　what
happened。　　

Thrall

The　orc　turned　around；　throwing　his　hands　into　the　air。　I　had　thought　that　things　would　be　different　here！　I　had
thought　that　your　people　had　finally　e　to　accept　mine　as　equals。　I　should　have　realized　that　when　it　came　to
taking　up　arms　against　their　own　to　aid　an　orc；　humans　would　abandon　us。　　

Now　Jaina　was　having　a　harder　time　reining　in　her　temper。　How　dare　you？　I　had　thought　that；　after　all　we　d　been
through；　you　d　at　least　give　my　people　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　　

The　evidence

What　evidence？　To　whom　have　you　spoken　besides　this　Captain　Bolik　and　his　crew？　　

Thrall　s　silence　answered　Jaina　s　question。　

I　will　find　out　which　patrol　ship　it　was。　Where　was　ath　ar　attacked？　　

Half　a　league　off　the　coast　near　Ratchet；　an　hour　from　port。　　

Jaina　nodded。　I　ll　have　one　of　my　soldiers　investigate。　Those　patrols　are　coordinated　by　Northwatch。　　

Thrall　tensed。　

What　is　it？　　

The　orc　turned　back　around　to　face　her。　There　is　considerable　pressure　on　me　to　take　Northwatch　Keep　back　by　
force。　　

And　there　is　considerable　pressure　on　me　to　keep　it。　　

Thrall　and　Jaina　stared　at　each　other。　Now　that　he　faced　her　again；　Jaina　saw　something　different　in　the　orc　s　blue　
eyes：　not　anger；　but　confusion。　

How　did　this　happen？　　Thrall　asked　the　question　in　a　quieter　voice；　all　belligerence　now　seemingly　burned　out　of
him。　How　did　it　e　to　where　we　bicker　over　such　idiocy？　　
　
Jaina　couldn　t　help　but　laugh。　We　are　leaders；　Thrall。　　

Leaders　take　their　warriors　into　battle。　　

In　times　of　war；　yes；　　Jaina　said。　In　times　of　peace；　they　lead　them　differently。　War　is　a　grand　endeavor　that
subsumes　daily　existence；　but　when　it　ends；　there　is　still　daily　existence。　　She　walked　over　to　her　old　rade　and
put　her　small　hand　on　his　massive　arm。　I　will　investigate　this；　Thrall；　and　learn　the　truth。　And　if　my　soldiers　did　not
do　their　duty　by　our　alliance；　then　I　swear　to　you　they　will　be　punished。　　

Thrall　nodded。　Thank　you；　Jaina。　And　I　apologize　for　my　accusations。　But　my　people　have　endured　so　much。　I　
have　endured　so　much；　and　I　will　not　see　our　people　mistreated　again。　　

Nor　will　I；　　Jaina　said　quietly。　And　perhaps 　She　hesitated。　

What？　　

Perhaps　we　should　draft　a　formal　treaty。　Because　you　were　right　before　you　and　I　may　trust　each　other；　but　not　
all　humans　and　orcs　will　do　likewise。　And　much　as　we　may　wish　it　otherwise；　we　will　not　live　forever。　　

Thrall　nodded。　It　is　often…difficult　to　remind　my　people　that　you　are　no　longer　our　slavemasters。　In　many　ways；
they　wish　to　continue　the　rebellion　even　though　the　time　of　orc　enslavement　is　long　past。　Sometimes　I　get　caught　up
in　their　fervor；　especially　since　I　was　raised　in　bondage　by　a　creature　as　foul　as　any　member　of　the　Burning　Legion。
Sometimes　I　believe　the　worst；　and　so　will　my　people　when　I　am　gone　and　can　no　longer　remind　them。　So　perhaps
you　are　correct。　　

Let　us　solve　this　crisis　first；　　Jaina　said；　giving　Thrall　a　smile。　Then　we　will　speak　of　treaties。　　

Thank　you。　　Then　Thrall　shook　his　head　and　chuckled。　

What　is　it？　　

You　are　nothing　like　her　in　any　way；　but　when　you　smiled；　just　for　an　instant；　you　reminded　me　of　Tari。　　

Jaina　remembered　that　Taretha　Foxton；　whom　most　called　Tari；　was　the　daughter　of　a　member　of　Aedelas
Blackmoore　s　household；　and　had　been　instrumental　in　Thrall　s　escape　from　Blackmoore　s　clutches　at　the　cost　of
her　own　life。　

Orcs　immortalized　their　history　in　song　form：　a　lok　amon　chronicled　the　starting　of　a　family；　a　lok　tra　a　battle；　a　
lok　vadnod　the　life　of　a　hero。　To　the　best　of　anyone　s　knowledge；　the　only　human　ever　to　have　a　lok　vadnod　sung　
of　her　life　was　named　Tari。　

And　so　Jaina　bowed　her　head　and　said；　I　am　honored　to　be　so　associated。　I　will　send　Colonel　Lorena　to
Northwatch；　and　as　soon　as　she　reports；　I　will　inform　you。　　

Thrall　shook　his　head。　Another　woman　in　your　military。　Humans　astound　me　sometimes。　　

Jaina　s　tone　grew　frosty；　again；　she　tightly　gripped　the　staff。　What　do　you　mean？　Can　men　and　women　not　be
equals　in　your　world？　　

Of　course　not。　Nor　would　I　say；　　he　added　quickly　befor