"Of course."
'You have seen enough to know that the elements are deeply disturbed. The strange waves you encountered coming home from Northrend. The fire that raced through Orgrimmar."
'Yes, I am aware of these things. But how can I possibly change them?"
'You cannot. But I can."
Garrosh narrowed his eyes. "Then why do you not do so? Warchief?"
"It is not as warchief that I can do these things, Garrosh. It is as a shaman. And you ask the very question I have been wrestling with — why do I not do it? The answer is, to do so would mean I would need to leave Orgrimmar. To leave Azeroth altogether."
Garrosh looked alarmed. "Leave Azeroth? I don't understand."
"I intend to travel to Nagrand. The shaman there deal with elements that have suffered terribly, yet there are places where the land is still verdant. Perhaps I can learn why that is… and apply that understanding to our troubled elementals here."
Garrosh smiled around his tusks. "My homeland," he said. "I would like to see it again. Speak with the Greatmother before she leaves us to walk with the ancestors. It was she who healed me and so many others when the red pox was upon us."
"She is a great treasure," Thrall agreed, "and one whose wisdom I would seek."
"You will be returning soon?"
"I — do not know," Thrall said honestly. "It may take time to learn what I must. I trust I will not be gone too long, but it could be weeks — even months."
"But - the Horde! We need a warchief!"
"It is for the Horde that I go," Thrall said. "Do not worry, Garrosh. I do not forsake it. I travel where I must, to serve as I must. We all serve the Horde. Even its warchief does so — perhaps especially its warchief. And well do I know that you serve it loyally too."
"I do, Warchief. You were the one who taught me that my father was someone to be proud of, because of what he was willing to do for others. For the Horde." Garrosh's voice was earnest, the naked emotions plain on his face. "I have not been part of it for long. But even so, I have seen enough to know that, like my father, I would die for it."
'You have already faced and cheated death," Thrall admitted. 'You have slain many of its minions. You have done more for this new Horde than many who have been part of it since the beginning. And know this: I would never leave without appointing someone able to take care of it, even during so brief a sojourn."
The younger orc's eyes widened, this time in excitement. 'You — you are making me warchief?"
"No. But I am instructing you to lead the Horde on my behalf until I return."
Thrall had never expected to see Garrosh lost for words, but now the brown - skinned orc seemed struck dumb for a moment. "I understand battle, yes," he said. "Tactics, how to rally troops — these things I know. Let me serve that way. Find me a foe to face and defeat, and you will see how proudly I will continue to serve the Horde. But I know nothing of politics, of… of ruling. I would rather have a sword in my fist than a scroll!"
"I understand that," Thrall said, slightly amused that he found himself reassuring the normally proud Garrosh. "But you will not be without sound advisors. I will ask Eitrigg and Cairne, both of whom have shared their wisdom with me through the years, to guide and advise you. Politics can be learned. Your obvious love for the Horde?" He shook his head. "That is more important to me than political acumen right now. And that, Garrosh Hellscream, you have in abundance."
Still Garrosh seemed uncharacteristically hesitant. Finally he said, "If you deem me worthy, then know this. I shall do all that I can to bring glory to the Horde!"
"No need for glory at the moment," Thrall said. "There will be enough of a challenge for you without any extra effort. The Horde's honor is already assured. You just need to take care of it. Put its needs before your own, as your father did. The Kor'kron will be instructed to protect you as they would me. I go to Nagrand as a shaman, not as warchief of the Horde. Make good use of them — and of Cairne and Eitrigg." He paused, and amusement quirked his lips. "Would you go into battle without a weapon?"
Garrosh looked at him, confused at what, to him, seemed a sudden change of subject. "That is a foolish question, Warchief, and you know it."
"Oh, I do. I am making sure you understand what powerful weapons you have," Thrall said. "My advisors are my weapons as I struggle to always do what is best for the Horde. They see things I do not, present options I did not know I had. Only a fool would scorn such things. And I do not think you a fool."
Garrosh smiled, relaxing slightly as Thrall's intention became clear. With a touch of his former arrogance, he said, "I am not a fool, Warchief. You would not ask me to serve so if you thought me one."
"True. So, Garrosh, do you agree to lead the Horde until such time as I return? Taking advice from Eitrigg and Cairne when they offer it?"
The young Hellscream took a deep breath. "It is my true longing to lead the Horde to the best of my ability. And so, yes, a thousand times yes, my warchief. I will lead as well as I can, and I will consult with the advisors you suggest. I know what a tremendous honor you do me, and I will strive to be worthy of it."
"Then it is done," Thrall said. "For the Horde!"
"For the Horde!"
Ancestors, Thrall thought as he watched Garrosh stride away, chest swelled with pride and pleasure, I pray I am doing the right thing.
Eleven
Two weeks later, his things already having been sent ahead on an earlier train, Anduin Wrynn stepped off the Deeprun Tram and was immediately almost crushed by a pair of powerful, short arms.
"Welcome, lad!" exclaimed King Magni Bronzebeard. Anduin tried to reply but was unable to actually take breath into his lungs and so stayed silent for a moment more while Magni continued. "We've been excited about hosting ye. Ye've sprouted up right tall, ye have. I barely knew ye!"
Magni released Anduin, who gasped in air with a whooshing sound. Even so, he was smiling at both the king and the young dwarf lady who stood next to him. He suspected that his reasons for coming here were not the same as his father's for sending him, but it didn't matter. He was away from home, a boy being exposed to an entirely different culture after having been confined to the city of Stormwind for far too long.
"It's good to be here, Your Majesty," he said. "Thank you for agreeing to host me."
"No thanks needed, me lad. I think we needed a wee kick in th' pants. Place has gotten too stodgy." Magni clapped him on the back. "Come now, I've got yer chambers all ready. Now, I know ye've sent ahead a few servants, and they've been made most welcome. But I'd like to assign Aerin here," and he indicated the young dwarf woman, "tae be yer bodyguard, though I doubt the folk o' Ironforge will be bothering ye much."
Aerin gave him a cheerful grin. "Great tae meet ya," she said, bowing politely.
She was a fine specimen of dwarven womanhood, curvaceous and pink - cheeked with a long brown braid running the length of her back. She wore her armor as if it were no more of a hindrance than a frock, and as she stuck out her hand to shake his heartily, Anduin saw that most of her curves were muscle. "Aerin is one of my personal retinue. She'll take good care o' ye."
"Aye. and I'm also an Ironforge native, born an' bred," Aerin said with pride. "I'll be happy to be yer guide while ye're here as well, Yer Highness."
"Thank you," Anduin said. "And please—call me Anduin." While the dwarves were fiercely devoted to their royal family, there was a pleasant ease in their attitude toward them that Anduin liked.