Lor'themar Theron: In the Shadow of the Sun - Blizzard Entertainment

In the Shadow of the Sun – Sarah Pine* * *Aethas had left graciously enough, sparing one or two mean looks in Rommath's direction.The grand magister had appeared resolute, but Lor'themar could see the sway in his step and thelines of exhaustion that had resettled heavily upon his face the moment Aethas had gone beyondsight. Carefully Lor'themar had noted Rommath's fragility; his will could be bent.Once, in the past, Lor'themar would have called it ignoble to even consider using such athing against another. Now he recognized its necessity.Alone, he sat by the window in his quarters and mulled over the afternoon's debates.Absently he twisted the long curtain between his hands as he stared across the spire's gardens,hearing Aethas's determined voice in his head. There are those who will go to Dalaran whether youwill it or not. Lor'themar could not deny that truth, but privately he agreed with Rommath'sdisdain. How could he trust Aethas to faithfully represent the regency when he already cloakedhimself in the dress of the Kirin Tor and stamped their seal upon his correspondence? Aethas wascommitted to the Nexus War: that much was clear. How many others would he convince to followhim? And how far was he, as regent lord, obliged to protect his people when they forged intoambiguous territory?The cloth stretched and began to fray beneath Lor'themar's ungentle, unconsciousattentions. He failed to notice.* * *"I am not sure," Halduron confessed to him later that evening. He had found the regentlord still sitting by the window, staring sullenly into the sunset. One glance had sent himwordlessly to the liquor shelf to generously fill a glass for his old friend. Now the ranger-generalsat across from him."I believe his intentions are honest," Halduron continued. "I just do not know how far wecan trust honest intentions, even among our own people."Lor'themar stood and went to the shelf to top up his drink. "I worry that if we give himauthority to act on our behalf, he would—intentionally or not—promise something from us that Iam not willing to give." Lor'themar paused and looked toward the carved ceiling. "Then again, if7