Wedding

At this moment, Sylvanas leaned closer, her voice a low purr. "If you don't treat us well, Galen...hmph!"

"I swear by Elune and Azeroth, my love, you will be treated like queens!"

"That's more like it!"

Sylvanas playfully slapped Galen's hand away as he reached for her abdomen. "Don't be ridiculous. High elven fetuses don't develop that quickly. You'll have to wait at least half a year before you see any...evidence."

Do high elven fetuses really take that long?

If Galen hadn't used the Red Dragon Queen's power to carefully sense the faint life growing within Alleria and Sylvanas, he might have thought they were teasing him!

He calculated the timeline. It must have been when the Windrunner sisters brought the Farstrider army to Howling Fjord, during those...uninhibited nights at Howling Harbor.

"I'll go see my father now, and I'll be back soon! Wait for me!"

After bidding farewell to the Windrunner sisters, Galen used the Violet Citadel's portal to reach the Tower of Arathor in Stromgarde City!

With Galen's growing influence, he had stationed many mid-level mages in Stromgarde. They served as magical advisors, enhancing the kingdom's arcane power, and maintaining the teleportation network connecting Stromgarde to the other Alliance nations.

As the Alliance's de facto leader, Galen understood the importance of a strong magical presence.

He arrived at the palace to find his cousin, Danath, reporting on the situation in Northrend to King Thoras, surrounded by a circle of Stromgarde's old nobility.

Galen waited outside, listening to their discussions.

It was mostly about post-war rewards. King Thoras was preparing to bestow Alliance-wide titles upon the generals, ranks that held far greater prestige than those granted by individual kingdoms. Galen and Turalyon had drafted the list, and Danath had brought it back from Northrend.

The nobles, for their part, were eagerly awaiting their share of the spoils.

They had financed and supplied the Northrend expedition, and now, with victory secured, they expected to be compensated.

The meeting dragged on until evening. After the nobles finally departed, Galen entered the council chamber.

The palace had been expanded, and the hall was far grander than the one where Galen had first attended the kingdom's council.

In fact, aside from the ancient city walls, the old church, and the Tower of Arathor, nearly every building in Stromgarde had been rebuilt, reflecting the kingdom's newfound prosperity.

"Galen! You're here!"

King Thoras, rubbing his tired eyes, greeted Galen with a weary smile.

"Father, you've been working too hard!"

"Enough of your platitudes! If you truly cared, you'd take this crown off my head sooner!"

The mention of the throne prompted Danath to speak quickly. "Your Majesty, Galen, I'll return to Howling Harbor. There are still wounded soldiers there who need to be transported home."

"Wait, Danath, stay. I have something to say," Galen interjected. With his current power and achievements, he no longer needed to tread carefully around the throne. He was not the insecure Galen of his previous life, and he had no reason to fear his cousin.

Danath looked at Galen with curiosity. He knew his cousin rarely visited the palace, usually to avoid King Thoras's persistent urgings about marriage and succession.

"Father, Danath, our Trollbane family is about to welcome new additions!" Galen announced, his voice filled with joyous pride.

"Oh? So you've finally come to your senses, have you?"

King Thoras beamed, a genuine smile lighting up his weathered face.

He had waited so long!

King Llane, younger than him, already had a grandson, and was preparing to abdicate, while he, Thoras, was still waiting.

Now, finally, the good news had arrived!

"Tell me, who is the lucky woman?" Thoras asked eagerly. "Let me guess...the Windrunner sisters? Queen Calia? Or perhaps young Jaina? Or maybe someone from the Barov family? I still feel guilty about that whole affair...but I suppose it's the Windrunner sisters, isn't it? You did publicly acknowledge them, after all!"

Huh?

Galen was taken aback. Am I really perceived as such a...such a playboy?

Do people think I have that many lovers?

"Enough, Father!" Galen interrupted, trying to contain his amusement. At his age, he's still teasing me like this? And I never even flirted with Jaina or Ilucia! He was the one pushing me towards them!

"It's Alleria and Sylvanas. They are both pregnant. I came to inform you so that you can begin preparations. I intend to hold a grand wedding!"

Galen's words left King Thoras speechless.

He leaped from his throne, his old body moving with surprising agility. Despite his advanced age, the Springs of Life had preserved his strength, and as a legendary warrior, his reflexes remained sharp.

"Is this true?" Thoras demanded, his voice filled with disbelief and elation.

"It's true. I have sensed the presence of two new lives."

Thoras's face lit up with pure joy.

What were Daelin and Varian compared to him? His son was about to give him two grandchildren at once!

And while they would be of mixed blood, who cared? His son loved elves, and that was all that mattered!

Danath stepped forward, grinning, and playfully punched Galen on the arm. "You sly dog! Our Trollbane line is about to flourish! My son will finally have cousins to play with!"

"I will summon the nobles immediately and begin preparations for the wedding, right here in Stromgarde!" King Thoras declared, his voice booming with excitement.

"That's wonderful, Father!"

Galen was relieved that his elders were taking charge. Weddings were complicated affairs, and he was happy to delegate. He could now return to Dalaran and focus on other matters.

Of course, Galen would not leave everything to his father. This was his wedding, after all. He meticulously prepared a vast number of invitations, inviting his friends and allies to Stromgarde.

The kings of the Alliance were King Thoras's concern, but Galen personally invited his comrades-in-arms – Varian, Derek, and Liam – as well as representatives from the Dragonflights, the Night Elves, the High Elves, the Nightborne, and the Tauren.

Azeroth was about to enter the nineteenth year since the opening of the Dark Portal, and Galen's wedding would be a celebration for the entire world!