Anasterian Sunstrider had to admit, despite how much he didn’t care for human politics, the recent developments had made things interesting and entertaining enough that he was less reluctant to be involved in the Alliance.

Terenas and his lunatic ideas about taming the orcs had put a strain on relations between the kingdoms, and if not for the excuse it provided it would’ve tempted the elven king to really pressure Lordaeron about it and remind everyone that the quel’dorei were not convenient lackeys at anyone’s beck and call. Hearing of Thoras and Genn going back and forth was also amusing, enough so that Anasterian had kept a few choice transcripts that were of particular amusement.

Yet, it was the humans’ latest and most clumsy game that had roused Anasterian from indifference. The Alterac affair had resulted in the kings seeking out and crowning what should have been a placeholder to buy Terenas time to figure out a compromise that would satisfy his allies. But instead of a gullible victim, Kyle Daelam had proven to be unsatisfied in being a puppet.

Anasterian had read the reports from his son, Kael’Thas, to know better than to assume that Kyle was being ‘led on’ as some humans might assume. Krasus was a mysterious and respected figure even back when Anasterian was still a prince. He had been one of the first wizards sent to enlighten the humans to the dangers of recklessly wielding arcane magic, leading to the creation of the Kirin Tor.

Even back then, the enigmatic archmage had a reputation of being reserved, aloof and highly learned, and the few students he did take on spoke of nothing but respect for their patient yet demanding master. Krasus was a mage who was beyond the care of intrigue and petty squabbling, caring only for the matters of the arcane.

It would be far more believable to say that a troll was pulling at Kyle’s strings instead of accusing Krasus. No, the boy’s initiative was his own. At most, his mentor might offer some insight into the intricacies (or the lack of it) of human politics, and let the boy decide for himself.

With that clarity in mind, Anasterian found himself highly intrigued by the choices that Kyle made. Halion Dawnsong was a reliable retainer, if he said that the boy had acted beyond his age to orchestrate the humiliation of the so-called regents, then the king believed it. Halion had spoken of how Kyle had been thorough in seeking advice from himself and the others who followed him, planning for the various ways the regents might react.

Which meant that Kyle was smarter for not only his age, but for a supposed peasant bastard.

Which meant that Kyle Daelam could be dangerous if underestimated.

With that in mind, Anasterian paid close attention to the boy sitting opposite him as the summit of Alliance leaders began. Kyle had come by himself, without a retinue, which reflected his status as a newly elected king and banished a good deal of assumptions of being puppeted.

Of course, the stalwart Antonidas sat several seats away from the boy’s side, with Thoras Trollbane and the Gnomeregan councilor between them, just in case.

Anasterian returned to the present just as Terenas finished his welcoming speech, and honed his senses towards reading the assembled leaders. He could feel Daelin scowling to his right whenever the lord admiral glanced at Kyle. In the same vein, Thoras didn’t hide his annoyance at being seated next to the young king-elect, while Genn seemed a few steps away from snarling rabidly.

Truly, things were becoming quite amusing.

“Now then, to the matters at hand,” King Terenas spoke in a calming, patronizingly gentle tone, “bringing forward the formal ascension of Kyle Daelam to the throne of Alterac.”

The kings of Stromgarde and Gilneas were not pleased by the announcement, but only Genn had the discourtesy to scoff aloud.

“Lord Uther?”

All eyes around the table turned to Uther the Lightbringer who stepped forwards from behind Terenas, looking utterly stoic and expressionless. “Your highnesses, as you all know, I’ve been tasked with discovering the truth about the goings on in Alterac.” Anasterian detected the slightest tics in the man’s eye as he turned to Kyle.

“I shall put it bluntly; Thus far, I’ve found nothing to suggest that King-elect Kyle has been under undue influence in his dealings in Alterac. From what I have gathered, his highness was justified in acting after the discovery of gross mismanagement from his regents.”

The human kings hid their squirming poorly at the implied accusation. Uther either didn’t notice or had the grace to ignore their discomfort.

“By all accounts, the advice King-elect Kyle sought and implemented were all reasonable and fair, with no sinister motives. If anything, perhaps some comment could be made that he should have reached out to Dalaran over some matters, but considering how he wished to avoid undue assumptions, it was an understandable decision.”

Silence followed after the report, heavy and awkward. Anasterian kept himself from grinning as he decided to banish it.

“So, Lord Uther, would it be safe to assume that the young king has conducted himself well, especially for his age?”

There was a flash of annoyance in the paladin’s eyes before he gave a slow nod. “Aye. King-elect Kyle discovered his regents…behaving against Alterac’s interest, and as his station allowed and demanded, he acted decisively to make up for their lacking, seeking solid advice and keeping within the boundaries of his power to do so.”

Anasterian let out a soft, thoughtful hum as he glanced at Kyle, and then to the other human kings. “So, the accusa- concerns about his…competency is proven false? Without a doubt?”

“Indeed,” Uther curtly answered, clearly not happy about being dragged into this.

The elven king broke into a placid smile. “Well then, it seems that apologies are in order…?”

“Y-Yes…” Terenas coughed out before drawing himself up to fix on a more regal posture. “On behalf of the Alliance, you have my sincerest apologies for the…insinuations leveled against you.”

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Anasterian did not miss his chance to scoff softly at the poorly-offered regret before nodding at the boy. “Please do note, young king, that the Convocation of Silvermoon was not involved in such unfounded claims.”

The impotent looks he received from around the table was easily ignored, though what intrigued Anasterian more was how Kyle seemed genuinely surprised at being addressed so.

Kyle came here expecting enemies on all sides perhaps? Curious.

The boy quickly recovered though, and returned the nod with one of his own.

“Aye,” Magni Bronzebeard, king of Khaz Modan, suddenly but predictably added. Considering how much the dwarves valued integrity, and Magni his stubborn pride as a king, he had to make his innocence known. “I admit, I shared some doubts, hearing of a mere boy making such decisions…but neither me nor my council thought of lurking shadows.”

Magni gave an almost theatrically exaggerated shrug at Kyle. “They were good ideas, yours. We just thought someone was showing you the ropes, is all.”

“Understandable,” Kyle replied cautiously, eyes narrowing just the slightest.

“Quite so,” the Gnomeregan councilor that Anasterian hadn’t bothered to remember added. “I have to say, the idea to repurpose obsolete warmachines for civilian use is quite inspired! It’s too early to make promises, but I’m sure that with ingenuity, Alterac will be rebuilt in little time at all!”

Terenas unsubtly let out another cough to get everyone back to the subject at hand. “Thank you, Lord Uther. Now then, as that matter has been cleared up, we might perhaps move on to the next related topic.” The human king had the decency to look embarrassed as he spoke his next words. “While his initial decisions were admirable, it also highlights the need for competent advisors for Kyle.”

“Alliance advisors?” Anasterian sniped, feigning bemusement.

“Of course!” Thoras came in. “We got rid of Perenolde, but his people who fed his treachery are still about. Can’t have them spreading their poison.”

Daelin gave a curt, if reluctant nod. “We’ll make sure that the candidates are properly vetted, of course.”

“Of course,” Anasterian finished with a smile, just barely masking his amusement.

Terenas gave his close allies an appreciative nod before he addressed them all again. “Now, the current pro-”

“If I may?” Kyle interrupted with a casual raise of his hand. The king of Lordaeron blinked but knew better than to stammer as he gave his younger peer a turn to speak.

“Perhaps, rather than deciding matters for me, you’ll allow me to seek out help and build a court by myself? At least I might have a better inkling on what expertise Alterac needs right now.”

Of course Genn was the one to scoff at that the loudest. “Pfft. The whelp makes one decent call and suddenly thinks he knows better than everyone.”

Impressively, Kyle slowly turned to level a heavy-lidded stare at the king of Gilneas. “I know enough that letting the same people who chose my regents would likely result in similar choices again, and I’d be stuck with lousy advice from people whose intent and allegiances are tied elsewhere.”

Genn gave a bark of laughter. “Hah! Boy’s got balls, at least.” He looked to Terenas, Daelin and finally Thoras before turning his gaze back on Kyle. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself, boy. Don’t forget who raised a dirty peasant like yourself into a king in the first place.”

“I do,” Kyle returned without missing a beat. “That’s why I have reason to worry about incompetence as they couldn’t deal with Alterac’s actual claimants and had to settle for me.”

The table shook as Magni kicked on a leg to hold back a snort or a cough, or maybe both. Thoras and Daelin joined Genn in glowering at Kyle, while Antonidas simply leaned back in silence and the gnome councilor’s eyes went wide with surprise. Terenas rocked back in his seat, and Uther seemed ready to physically intervene. Anasterian himself felt the urge to grin openly at the unfolding scene.

Oh, this was truly entertaining.

“You ungrateful little bastard…” Genn growled, about to rise up, and once more Kyle retaliated coldly.

“Grateful for what, halfwit?”

“HALFWI-”

Kyle raised his voice to speak through Genn’s outrage, leveling his glare at his human peers. “I was looking forward to being a student in Dalaran until you lot forced the damned throne on me. And now that I’m taking the job seriously, you’re all throwing fits over it. If you wanted a puppet, you should’ve told me from the start so I needn’t have waste my time trying to actually be a good king.”

“You insolent-”

“I’m not the one throwing threats and insults about, halfwit.”

“Your highnesses,” Uther finally cut in, much to Anasterian’s annoyance. “Gentlemen, please. Compose yourselves.”

Genn gave a huff. “I will, once the bastard’s apologized for his lack of respect.”

Before Anasterian could react to such audacity, the king-elect’s eyes literally flashed, startling everyone. “I’m not the one addressing others like ‘whelp’ and ‘bastard’ about, halfwit.” Kyle shot up, the chair falling away with a crash that accentuated his move and mood as he swept his glare across the human kings.

“I’m not the one who brazenly sent lackeys to fuck up Alterac over selfish political games, stopping its people from properly rebuilding and recovering. I’m not the one being condescending and offering nothing but dislike and distrust for breaking up your stupid games in trying to be a decent king. I’m not the one accusing another ruler of being truly incompetent and a puppet to some hidden power, only because they’re not my puppet in the first place.”

Anasterian found himself releasing his breath at the same time as the boy slowly exhaled to calm himself, and all about him, the others were tense. Antonidas seemed ready to cast a defensive spell, Magni seemed ready to flip the table as a shield, Uther was going for his hammer, the only weapon in the room, and the human kings looked like they understood the gravity of their impending doom if Kyle decided to lash out.

“Respect is earned,” Kyle finally said softly, but the words carried easily over the strained silence. “And none of you have earned enough for me to even think about pissing on you if you’re on fire.”

The king-elect of Alterac glanced back to the topple chair, and then looked back at the stunned and wary rulers. “If you don’t want me taking care of Alterac as a king should, then, as you’ve been the one who put me on the damned throne…” He fixed Genn with a harsh glare as he turned his words back on him. “...then take me off it. So I can go back to my studies, and be happily oblivious to further idiocies of kings.”

The tension grew along with the silence, until finally Anasterian decided to interfere before Genn and the others could rise up to throttle Kyle for his audacity and ruin the scene.

“Well said,” the king of Quel’Thalas calmly said. “Well said indeed, king-elect.”

Kyle’s surprise added rather nicely to the amusement.

“Unfortunately, Kyle is right,” Anasterian continued with just enough regal regret in his voice, as if he’d been party to the humans’ incompetence. “Mistakes and impropriety have been made against him. Mistakes and impropriety that should be addressed and corrected.”

He rose up to give the boy a supportive nod. “It’d be an embarrassment and a shame to have a king of such potential as yourself be cast out for our faults.” Anasterian swept his gaze across the table, and Antonidas thankfully didn’t need a pointed look to chime in.

“King Varian was barely 10 when he was forced to take the throne, and though he had good advisors at hand, the decisions he made were known to be reliable.”

“You can’t compare Varian to this b-”

“The lad- King-elect Kyle is right,” Magni cut in rather gruffly. Anasterian was surprised to find the dwarf being so moved. “He hasn’t been given cause to trust the Alliance, and good reason too! I say he deserves a chance. And a proper apology for the shite he’s forced into. Pardon the language.”

Interestingly, it was Uther who put the final touches to the scene and twisted the figurative knife. “King-elect Kyle has every reason to be distrustful, as King Magni has said. The actions of the regents of Alterac have not been honorable, righteous or just. Similar grave doubts are also cast on the conduct of those who appointed them.”

Huh. The paladin followed his principles, rather than his king. Interesting.

And with such an endorsement, the four human kings of the Alliance deflated in defeat and (barring Genn) shame. Terenas managed another half-hearted apology - which Kyle graciously didn’t kick up a fuss over - and from there it was a simple thing to not only confirm Kyle as king of Alterac, effective immediately, but for everyone to come to an agreement that he would rule over his realm free from the insistence of the Alliance. He was free to seek advice and aid just like any other king, and the decisions he made were not beholden to the interests of any kingdom outside his own.

“I’ll look forward to raising a toast when he buries himself in his own mistakes,” Thoras had softly muttered, but not soft enough for elven ears to pick up.

It was a fitting precedent to set, a decent first step. A more independent Alterac could be just the slope to lead towards Quel’Thalas’ peaceful and uneventful secession.

The meeting wore onto more bland matters, though Anasterian suffered through it so that he could congratulate the newly minted King Kyle Daelam and offer some overt support in rebuilding his kingdom at the end of it all. It was the least he could do for the amusement alone, nevermind for setting the first stone in freeing Quel’Thalas from the Alliance.