"Fine, my daughter... you have a right to the truth. It happened like this." Daelin finally let out a dejected sigh, no longer attempting to hide it.
"It was before I met your mother. Finnall Goldensword—the mother—was a... very remarkable mage. We had a brief romance. But race, lifespan, our respective duties... we eventually chose to part ways peacefully.
When she gave birth to Finnall, she gave the child her own surname to avoid unnecessary trouble. I... I provided what help I could, but I did indeed keep it hidden from all of you. Please, Jaina, do not tell your mother. Let this stay in the past. If she finds out, you know what the consequences will be," Daelin said helplessly.
If Catherine knew, everything would go to ruin. She might very well divorce him, and their marriage wasn't just a matter of "free love"—it was a political union. Their joining kept Kul Tiras stable and ensured the four Great Houses remained loyal to him.
A divorce would make the future unpredictable; the Houses could split, and Kul Tiras would no longer be a unified force. This wasn't just a family issue; it was a matter of national security. He had steeled his heart against seeing that daughter for years specifically to protect Kul Tiras.
Jaina fell silent. Her father was right. Although Kul Tiras was called a kingdom, it didn't strictly have a "King." It functioned more like a large confederation with her father as the Lord Admiral; her mother also held significant power.
If her mother knew, she would be furious. The worst-case scenario was divorce, though there was a chance she might forgive him since this happened before their time. Strictly speaking, her mother wasn't the "other woman."
Looking at her father's face, which seemed to have aged years in an instant, Jaina's anger was replaced by a complex bitterness. The father she idolized wasn't perfect; he had a hidden past and had made mistakes.
"I think you should tell her. She has a right to the truth. And as you said, Father, this happened before you met her. She might forgive you," Jaina said, taking a deep breath.
"I actually think now is not the time to tell her. Kul Tiras cannot afford a schism. Let's consider it a 'white lie' for now, Jaina," Rhodes interjected, stepping forward.
Jaina turned a sharp, suspicious gaze toward Rhodes, her expression practically screaming: Are you defending him because you have a thing with an elf too?
"If you must tell her, pick a day of great celebration, when she's in a wonderful mood," Rhodes added, rubbing his nose.
"Jaina, your boyfriend is right," Daelin said. "When you two have your wedding, I'll invite your mother, and I will personally explain everything to her then."
Jaina finally sighed in resignation and nodded. As these two men argued, if her mother found out now, the damage might be irreversible. For the Alliance and for Kul Tiras, she had to help her "bastard" of a father keep this secret.
"Lad... using that kind of information to prove your 'prophecy'... that was cold," Daelin grumbled.
Indeed, this brat's prophecy almost sent him to an early grave. It was uncomfortable dealing with someone who seemed to know every skeleton in your closet. Rhodes simply smiled and said nothing. It wasn't an unsolvable problem; at the wedding, when the Mother-in-law was at her happiest, the truth would be easier to swallow.
"Fine. I admit, perhaps you really can see things we cannot," Daelin said, eager to change the subject. "So, about this Twilight's Hammer and Cho'gall—what specific intelligence do you have? Where are they hiding?"
"Cho'gall is a cunning two-headed Ogre. During the Draenor era, he joined a doomsday cult and learned shadow magic. His Twilight's Hammer consists of many races; their strongholds are usually hidden in remote mountains, caves, or marshes," Rhodes said, walking to a map of Kalimdor and pointing to the border between Dustwallow Marsh and the Barrens.
Tracking them wouldn't be easy. However, if a certain legendary mage nearby were willing to help, it would be much simpler. Aegwynn, the former Guardian, was currently living in seclusion near Theramore.
In the original timeline, she would die years later in a battle against Cho'gall. To Rhodes, the idea of the woman who defeated an avatar of Sargeras falling to Cho'gall felt "scripted" and sloppy.
He intended to change that—and ensure Jaina became her apprentice. Aegwynn's mentorship was what would eventually catapult Jaina from a regular mage to a legendary one.
"So how do we find them? Since your prophecy is so great, do you know exactly where they are? Just give me the coordinates and I'll flatten them," the Admiral demanded.
"Please, Father-in-law, it doesn't work like that. I can't just 'see' things on command. I am a prophet, not a time traveler who can witness every detail of the future." For that, you'd need a Bronze Dragon, Rhodes thought.
He had been wary of the Bronze Flight early on, fearing they'd view him as a "temporal criminal," but with his growing army of powerful creatures, he no longer feared them as much.
"Then what do we do?"
"Nothing for now. Act as you did before. As for tracking Cho'gall, leave that to Rexxar and his team. My main goal in returning was to stop this war," Rhodes said.
Truthfully, Cho'gall was likely a distraction. Rhodes suspected the real hand behind the recent skirmishes might be a certain Archbishop in Stormwind, or perhaps the Black Dragon Princess.
Shadow-worshipers didn't want a strong Alliance. Archbishop Benedictus, who served N'Zoth, could easily command Naga or human cultists. Cho'gall had few human followers; humans generally looked down on Ogres as beasts.
But Rhodes wasn't ready to expose Benedictus as the Twilight Father yet. He needed to handle this from the shadows.
"Leave it to the Orcs? Are you insulting me, boy?" Daelin was clearly displeased.
"I can't give you all the details yet, but trust me: it's better if you don't stick your hand in this hive. Let me handle it," Rhodes said, shaking his head.
"Rhodes, I think Uther was right," Jaina said. "You can't carry every burden alone. Sometimes you should trust us."
"I understand, but some things are better left unknown for now. Jaina, you're coming with me to Stormwind. I'll explain everything there."
Rhodes had saved his father-in-law and stabilized the Horde situation. Both sides now knew a third party was involved, which would prevent a full-scale war. To be safe, he left his hero Solmyr behind; with such a powerful Archmage nearby, Daelin would be safe. He also summoned a fourth hero from his Tavern: Krellion , a Stronghold barbarian hero who looked exactly like a green-skinned Orc. His mission: infiltrate the Horde.