魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第21部分

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Colonel　Lorena　to　see　you；　sir；　　the　old　woman　said　meekly。　

What　is　it；　Colonel？　　Kristoff　asked　without　looking　up　from　the　scroll。　

Private　Strov　has　disappeared；　　she　said　without　preamble。　

Now　he　looked　up　from　the　scroll；　an　eyebrow　raised。　Is　that　name　supposed　to　mean　something　to　me？　　

It　is　if　you　bothered　to　pay　attention　to　meetings　in　the　lady　s　chambers。　　

Setting　the　scroll　aside；　Kristoff　straightened　in　the　throne。　Modify　your　tone　when　speaking　to　me　in　this　room；　
Colonel。　　

Lorena　looked　aghast　at　the　chamberlain。　I　ll　speak　to　you　how　I　please　in　whatever　room　we　re　standing　in；　thank
you　very　much。　Lady　Proudmoore　asked　you　to　manage　Theramore　in　her　absence。　That　doesn　t　mean　you　get　to　be　
the　lady。　　She　smirked。　You　haven　t　the　equipment　for　it；　for　starters。　　

Kristoff　s　eyebrows　tented　into　a　frown。　Until　Lady　Proudmoore　returns；　I　am　empowered　to　act　in　her　stead；　and
you　will　treat　that　office　with　respect。　　

Your　office　is　that　of　chamberlain；　Kristoff；　which　entitles　you　to　be　an　advisor　to　Lady　Proudmoore；　same　as　me。
So　don　t　go　getting　delusions　of　grandeur。　　

Leaning　back　in　the　throne　and　picking　the　scroll　back　up；　Kristoff　asked　in　a　bored　voice；　You　came　in　here　for　a　
reason？　　

As　I　said；　Private　Strov　has　disappeared。　He　s　the　one　I　sent　to　investigate　the　Burning　Blade。　I　ve　talked　to　his　
brother　Manuel　says　they　arranged　everything　in　the　Demonsbane。　Strov　sat　in　a　corner；　Manuel　talked　to　the
person　they　thought　was　with　the　Burning　Blade；　and　Strov　followed　him。　That　was　the　night　before　last；　and　I　
haven　t　heard　a　thing　since。　　

And　why　is　this　my　concern？　　Kristoff　still　sounded　bored。　

Because；　you　gibbering　imbecile；　he　was　investigating　this　Burning　Blade。　The　same　Burning　Blade　that　attacked
me　and　my　people　in　Northwatch。　I　think　it　s　suspicious；　don　t　you？　　

Not　particularly。　　He　set　the　scroll　down　again。　People　desert　the　military　all　the　time。　It　s　a　sad　reality　one　that
I　would　think　you　d　be　aware　of；　Colonel。　　

Tightly；　Lorena　said；　I　am　aware　of　it；　Chamberlain；　but　I　also　know　Strov。　He　d　sooner　hack　off　a　limb　than
desert。　He　s　the　best　soldier　I　ve　got。　I　want　to　tear　the　island　apart　and　find　him。　　

No。　　

Lorena　s　hand　went　to　her　sword　hilt　instinctively；　but　she　knew　it　would　be　foolish　to　stab　the　man　sitting　on
Theramore　s　throne；　however　much　he　didn　t　deserve　the　seat　and　did　deserve　the　stabbing。　What　do　you　mean
no　？　　

I　assume　the　colonel　is　familiar　with　the　definition　of　the　word…。　　
　
Very　funny。　　She　took　her　hand　away　from　the　sword　hilt　and　walked　over　to　the　room　s　large　window；　as　much
so　she　wouldn　t　have　to　look　at　Kristoff　as　anything。　The　skies　were　so　clear　that　she　could　see　Alcaz　Island　to　the　
northeast。　This　Burning　Blade　has　me　concerned；　Chamberlain。　They　have　use　of　magic；　and　they

Right　now；　Colonel；　the　Burning　Blade　is　little　more　than　a　rumor　one；　I　might　add；　that　you　cannot　substantiate；
since　your　private　has　gone　missing。　I　m　afraid　I　cannot　devote　Theramore　s　resources　to　finding　a　deserter　not
when　those　resources　are　needed　elsewhere。　　

Whirling　around；　Lorena　asked；　　What　are　you　talking　about？　　

Your　arrival　has　saved　me　the　trouble　of　summoning　you；　　Kristoff　said。　

Lorena　had　to　wonder　why　he　didn　t　bring　this　up　in　the　first　place；　and　said　so。　

Sneering；　Kristoff　said；　It　is　not　your　place　to　question　the　person　who　sits　on　this　throne；　Colonel；　merely　to　obey　
that　person　s　orders。　Right　now；　that　person　is　telling　you　that　I　have　just　received　word　that　orc　troops　are　massing　
at　Kolkar　Crag。　That　s　the　nearest　portion　of　Durotar　to　Northwatch。　　

Not　bothering　to　point　out　that　she　knew　damn　well　what　Kolkar　Crag　s　location　was；　she　asked　with　a　frown；
When　did　this　happen？　　

Just　this　morning。　Major　Davin　needs　additional　reinforcements；　and　I　want　you　to　lead　them。　　

While　Lorena　s　job　description　did　not　include　supervision　of　all　troop　movements　within　Theramore　and
Northwatch；　it　did　include　her　being　apprised　of　them。　Additional　reinforcements？　When　was　Northwatch
reinforced？　　

Yesterday。　There　have　been　several　incidents　along　the　Merchant　Coast；　involving　orcs　provoking　humans。　Some
have　even　led　to　arrests　right　now　a　human　captain　is　being　held　in　Ratchet　because　an　orc　attacked　him。　　

Lorena　nodded；　having　seen　that　particular　report。　　What　of　it？　The　goblins　have　the　right　to　stop　brawls。　　

This　wasn　t　a　brawl！　　Kristoff　was　shouting　now；　a　state　of　affairs　that　surprised　Lorena。　The　chamberlain　was
often　supercilious；　condescending；　arrogant　and；　she　was　occasionally　willing　to　admit；　brilliant　and　very　good　at
his　job　but　she　d　never　heard　the　thin　man　raise　his　voice　before。　

Whether　or　not　it　was　a　brawl；　　she　said　in　a　quiet　tone　deliberately　chosen　to　belie　Kristoff　s　increasing　volume；
is　not　the　point。　Why　was　Northwatch　being　fortified？　　

I　told　you；　orc　troops

I　mean　the　initial　reinforcement。　　

Kristoff　shrugged。　Major　Davin　thought　it　necessary；　and　I　agreed。　　

Lorena　shook　her　head　and　turned　back　to　the　window。　Major　Davin　doesn　t　think　the　orcs　are　worth　the　time　of　
day；　Chamberlain。　I　wouldn　t　trust　his　statements　on　the　subject。　He　s　probably　exaggerating。　　

I　don　t　believe　he　is　certainly　not　now　with　troops　massing。　　Kristoff　got　up　and　stepped　down　off　the　throne；
walking　to　stand　alongside　Lorena。　Colonel；　if　Northwatch　is　to　be　the　front　of　another　war　between　humans　and
orcs；　we　need　to　be　ready。　That　s　why　I　sent　the　two　garrisons；　as　well　as　the　Elite　Guard。　　

At　that；　Lorena　s　jaw　fell　open。　Shifting　her　position　both　so　she　was　facing　Kristoff　and　also　so　she　was　a　bit
farther　away　from　him；　she　said；　The　Elite　Guard？　Their　function　is　to　guard　Lady　Proudmoore。　　
　
Calmly；　Kristoff　said；　Who　is　presently　out　of　contact　and　can　take　care　of　herself。　Better　they　be　used　at
Northwatch　than　be　allowed　to　sit　uselessly　here。　　

Again；　Lorena　shook　her　head。　You　re　making　an　incredible　leap；　Kristoff。　Right　now；　we　ve　got　a　few　tense
situations。　That　doesn　t　mean　another　war。　　

Perhaps　not　but　I　d　rather　be　prepared　for　one　we　don　t　have　to　fight　than　not　be　prepared　for　one　we　have　to。　　

The　logic　was　sound；　but　Lorena　still　didn　t　like　it。　And　what　if　the　orcs　interpret　this　as　a　hostile　act？　　

It　s　how　I　am　choosing　to　interpret　their　actions；　Colonel。　Either　way；　we　need　our　best　troop　mander　onsite。
That　is　why　I　want　you　to　lead　the　regiment　that　reinforces　Northwatch。　Speed　is　of　the　essence；　so　you　may　take　
your　senior　staff　on　the　airship　to　set　things　up　the　rest　of　the　troops　will　travel　by　boat；　arriving　in　time　for　you　to
give　them　their　assignments　when　they　catch　up　to　you。　　

Lorena　sighed。　If　the　airship　was　already　prepared；　Kristoff　had　made　this　decision　before　she　ever　walked　in　the
room。　Still；　she　had　one　last　card　to　play。　I　think　we　should　wait　until　Lady　Proudmoore　returns。　　

You　re　entitled　to　think　that。　　Kristoff　walked　back　over　to　the　throne　and　sat　in　it；　placing　his　arms　rather　
theatrically　on　the　flared　rests　on　either　side　of　him。　However；　Lady　Proudmoore　is　busy　helping　her　precious　orc　
friends；　while　they　mount　defenses　and　prepare　to　destroy　us。　I　will　not　allow　what　she　has　built　to　be　destroyed　by　
her　own　shortsightedness　when　it　es　to　Thrall。　Now　then；　Colonel；　you　have　your　orders。　Kindly　carry　them
out。　　

Kristoff；　this　is　a　mistake。　Let　me　try　to　find　Strov　and　find　out

No。　　Then　Kristoff　softened；　and　lowered　his　arms　to　his　side。　Very　well；　Colonel；　I　will　grant　you　one　
concession：　you　may　assign　two　soldiers　to　search　for　Private　Strov。　I　can　spare　no　more　than　that。　　

She　supposed　that　was　the　best　she　was　going　to　get　from　the　chamberlain。　Thank　you。　Now　if　you　ll　excuse　me；　it　
seems　I　have　to　put　a　senior　staff　together。　　

Picking　up　the　scroll　once　again　with　his　right　hand；　Kristoff　waved　dismissively　with　his　left。　You　may　go。　　

She　turned　on　her　heel　and　angrily　left　the　throne　room。　

Fourteen　

A　s　Aegwynn　told　the　story　of　how　she　was　made　Guardian；　Jaina　found　surprise　piling　upon　shock。　The　histories
she　had　read　had　always　painted　the　appointment　of　Aegwynn　in　nothing　but　a　positive　light。　The　notion　that　the
council　was　reluctant　to　appoint　her；　and　did　so　despite　misgivings　about　her　sex　and　that　they　would　have　
resisted　her　methods　so　thoroughly　was　pletely　alien　to　her。　

Of　course；　Aegwynn　s　memories　of　those　days　were　several　centuries　old。　Your　account　of　matters　does　not　match
what　is　in　the　history　scrolls；　Magna。　　

No；　　Aegwynn　said　with　a　sigh。　It　wouldn　t。　Better　to　let　you　young　mages　think　that　all　wizards　function　in
perfect　harmony。　Figure　you　might　learn　from　their　lack　of　example。　　She　shook　her　head　and　slumped　a　bit　farther
in　her　seat。　But　no；　they　didn　t　want　a　girl　there；　and　only　appointed　me　because　they　didn　t　have　a　choice。　I　was　
the　best　qualified　certainly　more　than　the　other　four。　And　they　regretted　it　every　minute。　　She　sat　back　up　straight。
In　the　end；　we　all　did。　If　it　wasn　t　for　me…　　

Jaina　shook　her　head。　That　s　ridiculous。　You　did　so　much。　　
　
What　did　I　do？　I　insisted　that　Tirisfal　be　m