The Ramblings of Orsino
All warfare is based on deception. Sylvanas had proven herself, yet again, to be an apt warrior, capable of deceiving her own people, even after disgracing them and their loyalties. To have the influence to have followers support you even after you decry the Horde was no small feat. Orsino had a great deal of respect for her as a warrior. She kept her allies close, reading their strengths and using them to her advantage. Equally, she was capable of reading the weaknesses of her enemies, though she would ultimately be undone by pride.
Not to mention, she had neglected how to be the Horde’s ruler. She had long been the Banshee Queen where none would challenge her authority. She did not make use of the other leaders of the Horde, who would act as hands. Hands that should reach up and take care of the head and also reach down and take care of the feet. Teldrassil was also a mistake, most notably. It was not the attack itself that was the mistake, but in her attitude towards carrying it out. It should have been a strike to end the war before it had truly begun. With a number of decisive strikes across the continents, making use of the experimental Azerite, victory would have been assured. She squandered in carrying this out and people all across Azeroth felt the consequences. None knew what was necessary and few could even support her actions. She would make the same mistake again in the Mak’gora. She could have, perhaps should have, struck down Saurfang and ended the rebellion there. The rebel forces, combined of both Horde and Alliance, would not find an easy battle and it would no doubt be an assault until morale is lost and a side surrenders, so he had speculated.
But things had gone differently. In truth, there was only one better way that the situation could have ended - with Sylvanas also dead. Saurfang, while a commendable hero of the Horde, had overstepped his boundaries and for him to have credit and achievements gained by overstepping his bounds of office would be detrimental to the future of the Horde. Who would be the next Warchief of the Horde was another point that Orsino pondered. Baine and Thrall were are the most likely candidates, given the roles they played. Would they undermine the office of Warchief? Perhaps, though it would certainly undermine any claims they had of being the true Horde.
He had pondered further on the similarities between Elisande and Sylvanas, where he had long spoken out that the two were very different. Despite Sylvanas exposing herself as no friend of the Horde, their differences could not be more clear. Elisande was never motivated by personal gain in siding with the Legion, she made the choice that had to be made for she saw no other way. Orsino himself saw no other way - nobody in their right mind could have predicted the outside world being involved in such a way.
No battle plan can ever anticipate all contingencies. There are always unexpected factors from the opponent’s initiative, the Mak’gora proving to be just this. A battle must be balanced between both plan and improvisation, and error and correction. While both Saurfang and Sylvanas walked this narrow line, it would be Saurfang who would prevail, unmasking the true thoughts of the Banshee Queen - or perhaps, now, she was just the Banshee.
Saurfang had what Sylvanas never could. Leadership and obedience. This proved to be her undoing. The Horde would live on and Orsino would continue in service to her replacement. However, the last words of the Banshee beleaguered his mind: “Toy soldiers in tin plate, beasts who howl for honour, standing as one - Savor it. Nothing lasts.” She had already fought against impossible odds and came out on top. What would it take for her to no longer stand against it? Here he could find no answer.
