Solliden Farmstead. News of the Horde's attack had not yet reached here. The information lag was severe; magical communication was simply too expensive. Training mages was difficult, and crafting and collecting magical items was even harder.
When the dragon descended, all the farmers hid in terror. Only a few guards were still evacuating the civilians. Brigitte squinted and saw the man she had been longing for day and night.
"It's His Highness the Prince! Don't panic, carry on as usual!"
Whoosh! Arthas landed. Being carried by Emeriss like that was certainly a bit thrilling. Well, the last time he had put on a show for the people of Lordaeron and the orcs, it had cost him a great deal of Life Essence. Otherwise, no matter how good their relationship was, Emeriss would never have let him ride on her neck. That was a matter of a dragon's dignity! He had to pay extra!
"Brigitte, I've spoken with your father. I'll handle the Vallen family. From now on, you'll be with me. The Horde launched a surprise attack on Lordaeron from the Alterac Mountains. Perenolde betrayed the Alliance. The battle is over now, and the Horde has been defeated. I need you to help me stabilize Lordaeron's post-war efforts. We're on a tight schedule. We have three days to get things in order, then we'll continue our pursuit of the Horde."
Arthas leaned in and whispered, "You're my woman from now on!"
"Your Highness!" Brigitte cried out in pleasant surprise, her beautiful eyes shining. She desperately wanted to display her talents and not just become a breeding tool for producing offspring. But if the partner was Arthas, she was still willing to have his babies.
"Pack your things. We'll use Teleportation Magic to go back. Go make your arrangements. I'll give you half an hour." Arthas patted her shoulder. "We'll talk properly once things are settled."
"Understood." Brigitte turned to arrange her work, her heart leaping with joy. Was she finally free?
Arthas rolled his neck and looked at the smiling Emeriss. "You did that to punish me on purpose, didn't you!"
"It's your fault for forgetting about me," Emeriss said, her eyes half-closed, a smile she couldn't hide playing on her lips.
"How could I? You're my territory's ambassador, and my wife, my consort!" Arthas put on a smile to coax her. A jealous female dragon? Alright, this was already somewhat incredible. A female dragon had fallen in love with him!
"Who wants to be your consort! You're still very weak," Emeriss said, wrinkling her delicate nose. Her half-lidded eyes gazed at the distant sea. "That orc is performing an evil ritual!"
"He's looking for the Tomb of Sargeras. If there was anything truly valuable inside, Aegwynn would have taken it long ago. Why would it be left in the Temple of Sargeras?" Arthas wasn't interested in the Tomb of Sargeras. He had the system, and the system was an existence more powerful than the Force.
"A demon's body is a tonic for other demons, but just a poison to other creatures. Perhaps he wants to obtain something." Emeriss gently brushed back a strand of wind-blown hair, her ear cocked as if listening for something.
"It's about time. You should come back to Wyrmrest Temple with me. Their Majesties wish to see you."
"Alright, I'll go back with you after I've arranged things in Lordaeron. Let's wait for Brigitte. Emeriss, trust me, I will make you happy." Arthas took her small hand, his fingers rubbing her palm a few times. Then he intertwined their fingers, palm to palm, letting her feel his resolve and warmth.
Emeriss didn't pull her hand away. Instead, she squeezed his tightly. "Among dragons, if you want a consort, you must be stronger than them. That's the rule."
"Give me some time. I will become stronger." Arthas held Emeriss's hand, knowing this was her hint. As long as he became powerful enough, she would willingly become his consort—the official kind. Right now, it felt a bit like they were eloping.
Half an hour later, Emeriss cast a spell and teleported the group back to Lordaeron. The city was exceptionally busy, with the wounded being treated, supplies being transported, and order being maintained. Patrols were on high alert to prevent thieves and robbers from taking advantage of the chaos.
"Brigitte, I'm leaving this to you and Marlene. I have to make a trip to Wyrmrest Temple, but I'll be back in a few days." Arthas gave Brigitte her orders. These trivial matters were too troublesome, and dealing with them gave him a headache.
"I will handle it well. With Princess Calia's help, it will go very smoothly." Brigitte accepted the command with some excitement. It was rare for a woman to reach such a position. This wasn't the future, where women could hold important posts. Back then, the professional system was thoroughly analyzed, everyone had a few tricks for self-defense, and with the shortage of manpower, women gradually stepped onto the stage of command.
Taking the other two ambassadors, everyone except Chromie, he teleported back to Wyrmrest Temple. Chromie stayed behind to do what she wanted: open an inn! An inn that could gather adventurers. In the future, the territory could post quests at the inn for adventurers to accept. Some tasks that weren't quite suitable for the army could be handed over to these grunts. The army should be doing more important things; the peripheral tasks could be outsourced.
An inn was an excellent choice. It could sell goods and gather information. When the number of people grew, he could even recruit some decent talent from among them. Besides, this kind of non-combat work was most suitable for Chromie. Unless she was facing the Infinite Dragonflight meddling with the timeline, she would absolutely not make a move. This was a principle she inexplicably adhered to.
With another flash of white light, Arthas arrived at the snow-covered Wyrmrest Temple. Patrolling Dragonkin were all around. Each of these powerful Dragonkin could fight ten human cavalrymen. With their great strength and considerable intelligence, they were the servants and followers of the dragonflights, as well as their most important stewards.
"Come with me." Emeriss led Arthas through a portal once more. This time, they appeared in a sanctuary filled with forests and trees.
Birds sang amidst fragrant flowers, and the vegetation was wild, unlike anything he had seen before. It was an untainted landscape where even the weeds grew two meters tall and bent over, completely obscuring any path.
"This is the Green Dragon Sanctuary?" Arthas was a little surprised. This was the hatching ground for green dragons, a vital core area for the Green Dragonflight. They were just letting him in like this?