Flint couldn't enter the negotiation tent. He paced back and forth in front of their camp, his eyes fixed on the gray-green tent peak. Nehari and Jorgen had left their weapons outside, but who was supervising the Bloodscar Crusade? What if their people were hiding daggers? Or what if they had a decoy sitting at the negotiation table, stalling Nehari, while they launched a direct rocket attack on the tent? He knew these were extreme thoughts, but if he didn't entertain them, he would have to assess the enemy's forces and consider the possibility of secretly commanding a small team to launch a flanking attack while they had a chance to detain the Bloodscar representatives inside the tent.
Inside the tent, there were only four individuals. Jorgen focused on the Bloodscar Inquisitor Demitria, who appeared to be under thirty, showing almost no facial expressions and avoiding direct eye contact with others. Her gaze wandered aimlessly around the throat of the person she was conversing with, lacking focus. If prophecy was an elusive and ambiguous thing, then this woman, who obtained power through prophecy, embodied that characteristic perfectly.
Another Bloodscar representative beside her was Chief Prosecutor Ethenrion. He seemed like an eloquent noble, providing various supplements to Demitria's words. His hands bore scattered burns and cuts, and Jorgen suspected they were the result of prolonged use of torture instruments. He observed both of them directly, without any reservation, knowing that they were doing the same.
At the beginning, Nehari had asked why the Bloodscar Crusade only sent two negotiators. Ethenrion replied, "Because Jemar is one of Lady Demitria's Nine Guardians, her opinion represents the Bloodscar Crusade in this negotiation. My presence is merely as a witness."
"Lady Demitria, it seems you have significant influence within the Bloodscar Crusade," Nehari remarked.
"As a prophet, I have my freedom, but what is more important is my loyalty to the Crusade," Demitria replied.
After a series of official rhetoric, the negotiation got down to business. The Crusade's stance was clear: Jemar must be retrieved, and the only thing up for discussion was the conditions both sides would have to meet.
"Bishop Nehari," Ethenrion said, "what are the prerequisites for you to return Jemar? The more detailed, the better, so we can make reasonable considerations."
"I believe we can adopt a safe, effective, and less resource-consuming approach. I am willing to return Jemar to you, but it also requires your cooperation."
Throughout their journey, Nehari had not discussed the issue of "conditions for return" with anyone. Now, it seemed he had simply abandoned the question and went straight into determining the mode of return. It was an initiative on the part of the Bloodscar Crusade, and Jorgen couldn't fathom why Nehari chose to do so, but he was not going to miss this excellent opportunity to face the Crusade.
"I think it's premature to discuss this matter," Jorgen said. "We have always regarded Jemar as a captive, and it is on this basis that the possibility of 'return' exists. However, I do have some questions regarding this."
Ethenrion spoke with both palms flat and raised chin, resembling a confident academic. "Questions? What questions do you have? He fell on the battlefield and was then taken to your prison. That makes him a captive—my apologies, Lady Demitria, I didn't mean to mention that word in front of you."
What was this about? Avoidance? Or was it to maintain the peculiar pride of the prophet, as she couldn't accept the fact that her "saint" could also be a captive? Jorgen noticed that Demitria nodded almost imperceptibly in response to Ethenrion's statement.
"We have questions about why he appeared on the battlefield facing Arlaki," Jorgen continued. "He fought alone, without any reinforcements. Was your operation against Arlaki so crude and superficial? Such absurd circumstances make it hard for us to trust his actions and intentions, leaving us with various conjectures. For instance... perhaps he intentionally allowed himself to be captured, maybe he betrayed you, and so on. In this situation..."
Jorgen had originally wanted to say, "It's hard for us to acknowledge him as an ordinary captive," but Nehari raised his hand to stop him.
"For the greater good and the future fight against the Scourge, we may have to put these questions aside. We agree to return Jemar unconditionally," he interjected, altering Jorgen's intended meaning.
Demitria remained composed, but Ethenrion sensed the conflicting opinions between the two. He smiled slightly and said, "Ah, yes, the fight against the Scourge... always of the utmost priority. Jemar's actions should not be the focus of this negotiation, and I assume it's not the time for us to escalate tensions, correct? Please wait a moment while I discuss with Lady Demitria."
He leaned in to whisper something into Demitria's ear, and they began talking in hushed tones. Jorgen could catch a few individual syllables, but the overall meaning eluded him. During their exchange, Demitria's expression changed for the first time; she furrowed her brow.
"Bishop Nehari," Jorgen initiated the conversation again, "why didn't you discuss the conditions for return before arriving here?"
Nehari looked at him. "I've carefully considered it, Jorgen. As I mentioned earlier, the greater good demands that we listen to each other's opinions first. I know you're thorough and insightful in your thinking, but for now, let's not be too hasty."
He slowed down his speech, adopting a humble and instructive tone, as if he had already skillfully handled the conflict of opinions between them. Jorgen began to understand why this young man became a bishop at such a young age: he was adept at ensuring the direction of the conversation remained under his control. For a bishop in the business of winning hearts through words and guiding those lacking determination, Nehari was competent.
The conversation between the two representatives of the Bloodscar Crusade concluded. Demitria lifted her head, looking directly into Nehari's eyes as she spoke, "Our demand is this: you send a small escort to bring Jemar here. In return, our forces will withdraw, leaving behind myself, Grand Prosecutor Ethenrion, and a small group of guards. We will retreat to the east side of the Sodorielle Bridge and await your arrival. At that time, we will receive Jemar on the bridge."
"I will explain," Ethenrion said. "This is a serious matter, but we don't want to escalate it further. If the handover process becomes too cumbersome or draws too much attention, it might lead to unfavorable consequences. From our side... well, not many members of the Bloodscar Crusade know about the plight of Lady Demitria's escort, and we'd prefer to keep it that way. I imagine you may have similar concerns, as if this information were to reach the Horde, it could create new disputes. So, I suggest we handle this as a private affair and avoid alarming too many people."
Jorgen only then realized that he had overlooked the issue with the Horde. A secret deal between Stormwind's forces and the Bloodscar Crusade could raise questions about the Alliance's control over Andorhal, especially considering the higher hostility between the Horde and the Crusade. Ethenrion's words carried a veiled threat - if this matter were to blow up, the Alliance would be the biggest victim.
"I believe we can take half an hour to consider these demands more thoroughly," Ethenrion stood up, his head held high. "Come, Lady Demitria, let's take a rest outside."
He proactively set the break time, confirming that he held the upper hand, Jorgen thought. Subsequently, they both left the tent. Flint hurriedly approached them, asking, "How did it go? Are you going to release the prisoner?"
"They're asking us to send Jemar here with a small escort," Jorgen replied.
"Don't tell me you agreed to that...?" Flint sounded astonished.
"It's not up to Detective Jorgen, and we haven't decided to accept the demand," Nehari stated.
"They're either too arrogant to find their heads, or there's something else behind this."
"Flint, go back to where you were. Detective Jorgen and I need to talk in private," Nehari said.
The group dispersed, leaving Jorgen and Nehari to discuss the matter in seclusion.
After sending Flint away, Nehari turned to Jorgen and asked, "What do you think?"
Without mentioning their conflicting opinions earlier, Jorgen now had to admit that unconditionally returning Jemar was the most sensible course of action. After all, there was little they could gain from him.
"While the terrain on both sides of the Sorrow Hill Bridge doesn't allow for hidden ambushes, I don't believe acting according to their demands is safe," Jorgen said.
"This is the Plaguelands, and nothing here is absolutely safe."
"Nehari, your outlook is quite pessimistic. It sounds as if you have already decided to agree to their request, regardless of my opinion."
"Jorgen, as you've seen, Andorhal is still in the early stages of reconstruction and is quite vulnerable. At a time like this, we should avoid unnecessary burdens. Of course, the likelihood of the Horde using this incident as a reason for an attack is small, but that doesn't mean the trouble doesn't exist. I made a mistake by not discussing the matter with the Horde from the outset when we sheltered Jemar, and I will willingly accept punishment once we return to Stormwind. However, the reconstruction of Andorhal cannot be affected by my personal oversight."
Jorgen carefully chose his words, not revealing too much information to Nehari. He replied to Nehari's question about his thoughts on the Bloodfangs with a non-committal response, avoiding giving away any critical intelligence.
As he observed the Bloodfang representatives, Jorgen found it difficult to decipher their true intentions. High Inquisitor Ethanlion was grooming his horse and talking to it as if he were a leisurely aristocratic rider enjoying a Sunday morning with his beloved steed, hardly resembling a bloodthirsty Bloodscar Crusade commander about to launch an attack during negotiations. Jorgen couldn't make sense of this man.
On the other hand, the Bloodscar Oracle Demitria was an enigma of her own. Standing at the bridgehead, she gazed at the flowing, ochre waters of the Sorrow Hill River. While she had made most of the primary demands during the negotiations, it was evident that Ethanlion was the one in control. Jorgen had heard rumors of her uncanny abilities to predict enemy forces, tactics, and even react to ambushes, which contributed to some of the Bloodscar Crusade's victories. However, she showed no signs of her prophetic powers during the recent negotiation.
When they re-entered the tent, Nehari announced that they would accept the Bloodscar Crusade's demands. At that moment, Jorgen noticed something peculiar: according to protocol, both parties should have stood up and shaken hands simultaneously, but Demitria was a half-beat slow. Her brow furrowed slightly, as if she hadn't anticipated the negotiations ending so quickly. She only stood up after Ethanlion and Nehari had shaken hands. As Jemar was her charge, she should have been the most eager to see him return, but at that moment, Jorgen couldn't sense any of that enthusiasm from her.