Wind gusted over the city. The few stragglers on the streets fled home, and businesses were closed. Gargoyles hunkered down on the walls, and Glacier, who lay in the courtyard, sniffed the air eagerly. She looked keen to ride the fierce winds.

Arthas stood on a balcony, the wind caressing him. He felt his hair tugged by the wind, trapped by the Helm. His cloak was flung over one shoulder, the fabric writhing. He looked backwards, toward the windows. Through the thick glass, Arthas saw the furnished living room. A fire burned in a hearth, and the man longed for that warmth. Ethan was reclined out on a couch, Sapphire on top of him. Arthas narrowed his eyes as the boy held out a piece of candy, and fed it to Sapphire. The girl ate it, and kissed Ethan on the lips, wrapping her arms around him.

Bolvar was gone, already retired to his chambers. He pleaded weakness, for his body was still not that strong. Sapphire had been experimenting on a concentrated version of her blood powerful enough to heal Bolvar, but it wasn't finished yet. Medivh gave her leave to work on her own in his tower, very near Icecrown Citadel. So, she experimented. A lot. Arthas did not like the idea of Sapphire messing with her own blood, but he couldn't do much to dissuade her.

The two plaguehounds were curled up on a rug, fast asleep.

Thunder roared. Arthas looked up to the stormy sky, eyes narrowed. After a while, he left the balcony, rejoining Sapphire and Ethan. The two sat up instantly. Sapphire smiled at her father as he sat down. He pulled his Helm off, and sighed. He brushed his hair out of his face.

"Hey, Dad. Here. Try some Frozen Hearts." Sapphire held out a box full of chocolate covered snowberries. The Lich King scowled.

"Is that supposed to be some kind of joke about me?"

"I guess so. You want them?"

Arthas stared at the box, then reached up for them. Sapphire gave him the whole box, not really liking snowberries anyway herself. The man ate them without thinking. Sapphire picked up a Sugar Bone, and sucked on it. Ethan yawned, and then stood up.

"Well, I think I am going to bed. Good night, Arthas. Sapphire?"

The girl leaned her head back, smiling demurely at him. "I will come later."

Ethan nodded, and left. Arthas saw the young man scratch the hairs on his face as he left.

"So, Ethan is growing a beard?"

Sapphire sucked on her candy without comment, just smiling. The Lich King shook his head, and grabbed a handful of Frozen Hearts. Rot and Terra woke up and looked at the two humans. Jaina had left them, too angry to retrieve them. The little plaguehounds saw a pile of candy on a low table, and went for them. Sapphire yelped, and put her arms around the candy.

"No! Bad dogs. This is my candy. All of it!"

Arthas frowned. "All? That's too much. You'd make yourself sick."

Sapphire sniffed. "Not really. I eat lots of sweet stuff like this. Ethan trades with those Furbolgs for honey. I love honey. I put it on my bread, in my tea...Oh, and the cook once cooked a honey baked ham! I also love strawberries. Living my entire life on plain food makes me appreciate this stuff more, I think. Oh, and fudge...And donuts from Dalaran."

"Oh, really? Is that why you are rounding out?"

The girl jerked back in surprise. "Did you just call me fat?"

The Lich King leaned back with a dark look. "No. But you look better than you used to. Your ribs are no longer showing I bet. Light, why do women always think that when someone comments on their bodies?"

"Because men are idiots."

That made Arthas roar in laughter. Sapphire grabbed some Sour Flies, and munched on them. Her face was red, and she refused to look at her father. He grew silent, and then growled.

"You are right...I am an idiot. I should apologize to Jaina..."

Sapphire did not answer, her mouth full of candy.

"Are you happy with Ethan, Sapphire?" Her father asked.

The girl frowned, and swallowed her candy. "Of course! Why?"

"...Part of our argument was about you. Are you happy being around undead and cultists?"

Sapphire knew where this was going, and she did not like it. She looked at her father sternly.

"Dad. I am happy. More than that. You raised me around undead. Normal people are weird! I don't like them, and if you try to convince me to go live with Mother...I will turn into an owl, and peck out your eyes!"

"Ah, yes. Medivh told me about your studies. Snowy owl? Beautiful birds. I felt like you ought to have turned into something else. A bluejay, or a swan."

"Neither of those have talons sharp enough to pierce bone."

Arthas rolled his eyes. "How lovely-"

There was a knock on the door. Sapphire sat up, and answered. "Come in!"

Her father scowled at her, but could not chasten her when the deathknight came in. She was a tauren, who bowed respectfully at both of them.

"Master, There are...emissaries from the black dragonflight. Outside waiting in the courtyard."

Arthas looked at the deathknight in surprise. There was silence for a moment, then the Lich King grabbed his helm and put it on. He stood up. Sapphire did likewise, pulling her fur cloak around herself tightly. She went over to grab her staff, a simple one of birch, with white feathers dangling on it, and a green crystal on top.

Her father stopped her from following. "I think it would be best if you stay here. Deathknight, go wake Governor Fordragon and Sir Ethan."

"But Dad! I want to see some black dragons. I've never seen living dragons before."

"Sapphire..." Arthas warned, but she slipped past him and the deathknight and walked toward the entrance of the house.

Arthas turned to the deathknight. "Get them, please."

Then, he chased after his daughter. He wanted to Deathgrip her, but she was immune to it. It irritated the Lich King to the extremes.

Sapphire got to the doors of the main hall, and opened them. Wind blew in, and the chandelier above swayed, the candles blowing out. Sapphire bent her head down, and left outside.

Arthas caught her, but did not grab her or demand her to go back inside. He grabbed his cloak, and wrapped his arm around Sapphire's shoulders, the cloak covering her.

"Thank you, Father."

They saw the dragons, and Sapphire shrank back. While Glacier was impreesive, and indeed, all the Frostwyrms scared Sapphire when she was younger, they did not prepare her for the great monsters in the courtyard.

Sleek, muscular and reptilian. The dragons were covered in black scales, their wings and bellies shades of orange. Sharp teeth bigger than her fingers jutted from their jaws. Their claws were large needles, shining black. There were three of them, all staring at Sapphire and her father. Their wings jostled in the gusts of freezing air. Sapphire thought they were amazing, if terrifying. Several cultists stood in a half-circle, waiting patiently.

One bowed to the Lich King. Sapphire thought their robes looked odd, but would not comment about it. It did not seem that important.

"Do what do I owe the pleasure?" Arthas growled, his voice darkening. Sapphire was glad that tone was not directed at her.

"Great and powerful Lich King, Master of the Scourge," The one cultist spoke. He seemed to be the leader, "Our master bids you greeting, and expresses wishes to...create an alliance with you."

Arthas gripped his runeblade tightly. "And who would be your master?"

Sapphire wanted to know too. If the cultists were with the dragons, and they obviously were, then was their master the dragons' as well? Who could be a master of dragons? Another dragon, maybe?

Bolvar and Ethan came down the steps, and stood by Arthas. Ethan took Sapphire's arm reassuringly, and smiled.

"Our master would be anonymous for the time being, but do not worry, Your Majesty. We just wish to give you a peace offering for the time being," The cultist said. His face was obscured by a hood, and Sapphire did not like the sound of this...peace offering.

Bolvar leaned over to the Lich King, and Sapphire could hear his whisper. "Do not trust them. Nothing good comes from black dragons."

There was a hiss from the smallest of the dragons, and Bolvar stared at the large reptile with his glowing yellow eyes. And growled ferally back.

Arthas held up a restraining hand, and looked at the cultists.

"What is this offering?"

"A gift...for your daughter," He said simply.

Now Ethan growled, moving to stand in front of her. The cultist held up his empty hands, but that did not calm Ethan. He was bristling with anger. Sapphire grabbed his arm, and squeezed.

"Relax. It's fine," The girl said, and pushed forward past him. "What kind of gift?" She asked, her voice steady.

One of the dragons moved, but it was just to lower its head to a wooden crate, and push it forward toward the girl. Sapphire stared at the crate in confusion. The cultists all left to the dragons. They started to mount the reptiles, and the one that had spoke looked back.

"A more important representative will be coming to you, with the details to the alliance. And a better offering to yourself of course, Your Majesty. Great Lich King, I'm sure you will be very eager to see your sister after all these years...if you accept."

The dragons sprung up into the air quickly, before any of them could react. When they did though, Glacier roared in fury and leapt into the air after them.

Sapphire paled, and with a spell, sent the top of the crate splintering off, and looked inside. She stared in amazement. A large egg, a shiny metallic color with spikes on it, sat in the wooden crate, with wool protecting it. A dragon egg.