The mighty noble family of Barov, lords of Alterac, now found themselves caught in a dire dilemma.
As one of the most powerful noble families not only in Alterac but across all of human society, the Barovs once controlled the vast lands east of the Alterac Mountains and amassed unimaginable wealth.
Brill, Tarren Mill, Caer Darrow… Half of the Alterac Kingdom had been their fiefdom. In terms of land and riches, even the royal family of Alterac barely exceeded them.
The Barov influence had reached the very pinnacle a noble house could attain.
In addition, they bore the bloodline of the Arathi Empire's royal branch, the first human empire.
The family resided in Caer Darrow, an ancient fortress of the Arathi people, maintaining their noble and time-honored lineage.
At the helm of this family, which ruled half of Alterac, stood Alexei Barov, the sole Duke of Alterac.
His authority was second to none; even King Aiden Perenolde often sought his counsel on state matters, though what lay behind that relationship remained unknown.
Alexei's wife, Jandice Barov, was a Grand Magus of Dalaran, most skilled in the school of illusion.
In her youth, Jandice had been a celebrated prodigy in Dalaran, pursued by many, yet after marrying Alexei, she gradually shifted her focus to family life, returning to Dalaran only on occasion.
As a side note, Alaric, also a Grand Magus of Dalaran, had known Lady Jandice personally.
Alexei and Jandice had two sons and a daughter. The two sons, Weldon Barov and Alxas Barov, were close in age and had just reached adulthood.
Unfortunately, the brothers were not on good terms, constantly at odds over the matter of inheritance.
Their daughter, Illucia Barov, was of an age with Jaina Proudmoore, and coincidentally, she too showed great magical potential.
Once held in high esteem among human realms due to their vast wealth, the Barovs now realized that riches did not equate to true power.
In times of peace, wealth and reputation had maintained their prestige and earned them respect.
But in times of war, neither fame nor fortune compared to raw power.
Perhaps because of this, when the Alliance was formed, the Barovs donated a considerable fortune to support its cause, hoping it would hold back the Horde and protect their lands.
It might have worked, until Orgrim, manipulated by Alaric, broke through the Tirisfal Glades and entered Alterac territory.
The Barov lands fell with barely any resistance, forcing the family to hole up in Caer Darrow, the island fortress on Lake Darrowmere.
Thanks to the lake's protection, they were able to cling to survival amidst the Horde's siege, waiting for Alliance reinforcements.
Still, in defending their lands, they lost their patriarch and protector, Alexei Barov.
Now, Lady Jandice held command over the fortress. Traditionally, a noble widow would pass power to her rightful heir if her children had come of age,but Jandice was an exception.
For one, Weldon and Alxas were evenly matched in both age and ability.
Alexei had died without naming a successor, and the debate over inheritance now threatened to split the family. Jandice had no choice but to take charge.
Moreover, Jandice was not only a noblewoman but a powerful and respected Grand Magus.
This identity had helped her husband secure immense benefits in political circles and earned her considerable authority within House Barov, far exceeding that of an ordinary noblewoman.
With Jandice's magic, the Barovs had no need to fear the orcs in the short term.
However, a new source of conflict now gripped the family.
Just one day earlier, the orcs encamped by Lake Darrowmere, who harassed them every few days, sent a messenger.
The Horde emissary brought shocking news, King Aiden Perenolde of Alterac had decided to surrender to the Horde and aid them in their invasion of the Alliance.
The emissary also delivered a letter penned by Aiden himself, filled with justifications for his betrayal and urging the Barovs to follow suit.
As members of the Barov family, they immediately recognized the handwriting and royal seal,it was indeed genuine.
But unlike the average noble or officer blindly loyal to Aiden, the Barovs stood on equal footing with the Alterac royal house.
Their relationship with the crown was one of partnership, not subordination.
It had been the Barovs' support, thousands of years ago, that allowed the Perenolde line to break away from the Arathi Empire and found the Alterac Kingdom.
So when it came to surrendering to the Horde, the Barovs had their own stance.
This was not about good or evil. Nor was it about betraying humanity. For the Barovs, this was a wager.
A gamble on the fate of their house.
A wager on who would triumph, Alliance or Horde.
Because the matter was so crucial, Weldon and Alxas each saw it as a new chance to prove themselves worthy of succession. Their debate grew fierce.
Alxas leaned toward joining the Horde.
In his eyes, with the Alterac Kingdom's help, the Horde could easily break through the Alliance lines via the Alterac Mountains and strike directly at its heart, Lordaeron City, capital of the Kingdom of Lordaeron.
If the city fell, the Horde's victory would be all but assured.
Weldon disagreed. He believed the results of the many battles between Horde and Alliance proved that the Alliance held the upper hand.
The seasoned and steady Anduin Lothar, paired with the imaginative Turalyon, could surely defeat the savage orcs.
He also harbored no desire to align with barbaric outsiders.
Each held firm. Ever since the Horde messenger had left, they had been arguing non-stop,nearly coming to blows.
Jandice, as a Grand Magus of Dalaran, understood power more than most. She saw the true strength of the Alliance.
Even if Lordaeron City fell, she knew the Horde would never prevail, Dalaran and Quel'Thalas had yet to fully act.
The choice was clear.
But she was not her late husband.
The time would come when power over the Barov family must pass to one of the sons. And as a mother, she could not choose one and forsake the other.
Now, as the orc emissary returned again, her two sons began a new round of furious debate.
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