Arthas's plan was grand; establishing a domain was just the beginning. All things are difficult before they are easy, and what he needed to do was develop every important department. Especially in commerce, with his aunt's support, his fleet of ships could also grow rapidly. Only with gold coins could the subsequent plans proceed. Otherwise, without money, what was the point of talking about ideals? Ideals needed to be fed too!
Amya was in charge of making money, Edwin was in charge of construction and technological development, Vanessa controlled espionage, and Marlan served as the commander, with Brigitte and Alleria assisting. For the time being, the foundation was set.
That night, he had a round of sex with the Green Dragon Ambassador, Emeriss. When he asked why she was helping him so much, Emeriss didn't answer. She just clenched her fleshy passage tightly, squeezing out Arthas's seed. She never responded from beginning to end, only showing her support through her actions.
It was Emeriss who had said not to cum inside, and it was also Emeriss who clenched her passage and wouldn't let Arthas pull out to ejaculate. Women were truly strange creatures, whether human or Dragon.
The next day, Arthas led a troop towards Stratholme. He wasn't departing from here but was on his way to settle a score with someone. His enterprise now required a great deal of resources, and gold coins were in short supply, so he had to find a way to get money.
"Take the manor. Kill every member of the Shangke family. Leave no one alive," Arthas commanded Marlan, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
Shangke Manor was just a name; in reality, it was an ancient castle with sturdy outer walls and watchtowers for archers to stand guard and shoot from. Taking it would not be a simple matter. While Marlan was still contemplating how to proceed, the roar of a dragon echoed from the sky.
A massive green Dragon roared as it swooped down, spewing a mouthful of dragon breath onto the sturdy city walls and bunkers, engulfing a large section of the outer wall in a sea of fire. Screaming soldiers struggled, burning even in their armor. The complex armor caused them to be fused alive with molten iron. This way of death was incredibly cruel, yet satisfying.
"I am Arthas. I hereby declare that Sir Shangke has colluded with the orcs and assassinated a prince, committing the crime of treason. Everyone, kneel and put your hands on your heads. Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!" Arthas used a Magic Missive to broadcast his voice throughout the entire manor.
Terrified servants immediately knelt with their hands on their heads. Only the management and members of the Shangke family looked at each other in bewilderment. They had been hoping for Roden to die so that Sir Shangke would be left without an heir, giving them, the collateral branches, a chance to inherit the estate. But who would have thought a charge of treason would suddenly be brought against them? It completely baffled them!
"Shangke Manor has attempted to assassinate His Highness the Prince and intended to rebel! All units, attack!" Marlan quickly reacted and gave the order, her understanding of Arthas deepening. Wasn't this prince supposed to be gentle and refined? How had he become so ruthless?
Arthas didn't move. He stood at the command post, not directing the battle himself, but leaving it entirely to Marlan.
The Dragon descended from the sky and transformed back into her elven form. Her skin, once violet, now had a purplish hue. Her beautiful face radiated a look of satisfaction, her rosy cheeks so delicate they looked like they could be broken by a puff of air. It was Emeriss! A female dragon conquered by a dragon rider!
"Are you hurt?" Arthas asked with concern, having seen several spells and arrows hit her.
"It's nothing, just a scratch," Emeriss replied. Arthas still used the Holy Light to heal her. Even though she wasn't injured, she felt a warmth in her heart. A man's care and display of dominance could make any woman fall for him, getting trapped before she even realized it.
Aside from Emeriss, the other three Dragon ambassadors did not act. Tarecgosa wouldn't help Arthas, at least not proactively; they weren't that familiar with each other yet. Chromie was even less likely to help; she wasn't even very good at fighting. It wasn't that she couldn't win—on the contrary, her power was approaching that of a Demigod—but as a wielder of the Power of Time, she didn't want to act, as it would give her the illusion of changing time.
The only one left was the Red Dragon Ambassador, Keristrasza. She was good friends with Emeriss, her bestie, and knew why Emeriss was helping. Setting aside the Dragon Aspect's command, there were also personal feelings involved.
"I reckon once Her Majesty Onyxia is done dealing with the black dragons, she'll be even more ferocious when she acts!"
Having inherited the Power of the Earth and the power of a Titan, Onyxia's strength had indeed reached the level of a Demigod. She still needed more combat to adapt to and master her new powers. The Titan's blessing also protected her from the whispers, so she wouldn't fall like Deathwing. She was different from other Dragons; she was Arthas's consort! To move against her husband was to provoke a Demigod, was it not?
Emeriss merely glanced at her best friend and continued to rest with her eyes half-closed, saying nothing. Her quiet demeanor was like that of a water narcissus. If one hadn't seen her display her ferocious might, one would have thought she was a quiet homebody!
With the Dragon's breath clearing the way from above and Arthas's reputation as a prince intimidating them from below, the army quickly brought the manor under control. Vanessa followed behind her father, learning about management. Their first task was to map out the layout of Shangke Manor, take it over, and turn it into His Highness's territory. The expedition to Kalimdor required a lot of resources, and gathering them needed a stable base. This place was perfect.
Three days' journey north of Shangke Manor was Stratholme, five days' journey south was the royal capital of Lordaeron, and to the west, a clear river flowed into the Endless Sea, with a branch flowing into Lordaeron's largest clear lake and Lake Mereldar. The transportation was extremely convenient. In an era without Teleportation Arrays, its geographical location was too superior, second only to Lordaeron itself.
Arthas hadn't planned this initially, but since he knew Sir Shangke had made a move against him, he wasn't going to let the opportunity slip. He struck with the force of a thunderbolt, taking down his enemy's home base in one fell swoop, pulling him out by the roots. He would kill his entire family, not even leaving behind the seeds of hatred. As for the other nobles connected to the Shangke family, their tangled relationships were irrelevant. Revenge required strength. A daughter married off is like water splashed out—is she important? Not at all, just a tool!