Ethan stood there stoically as screams reverberated in the room. Bloodcurdling screams, if you were alive. Even so, the boy did not like it. He watched his master torture the foolish paladin.
The Lich King was pissed. He had questioned at least a dozen prisoners, freshly caught. None of them knew where Sapphire was. Not one. Ethan did not even know. Ni'kua knew, only because of his undead sense of smell. And it was better that way. If Ethan knew where Sapphire was, he would have to tell Arthas.
A twinge of pain raced up his spine. He had suffered greatly after tipping off Sapphire about the Frostwyrms. He had confessed to his Master. Blood still oozed from the gouges on his back. It was hard to walk without feeling the pain.
And now he had to watch as Arthas tortured the poor people from the Argent Tournament. Ethan did not pity them. He was almost angry, for they did not suffer as long as he would. The Master had killed them eventually, snapping their necks or stabbing them in the heart. The boy almost wished for that.
He heard a fleshy rip, and one more, horrible scream. Then silence. Ethan looked over with contempt. Arthas had cut open the woman's chest cavity. The boy saw glistening organs. He looked at his Master.
"Sire, should I dispose of the body, and bring another prisoner?" He asked.
The Lich King looked up, and growled. That would be a no.
"Where is she?" He roared. He grabbed the knife he had been using, and threw it to the wall. Shards flew everywhere as the knife shattered.
The boy watched his master blankly. If he reacted, Arthas's anger might go onto him. He saw the Lich King take his helm off, and he raised his arm to lean against the wall. He looked almost human, looking so disheartened. Ethan knew better though, and a second later, Arthas was once again violent, wrecking the torture room completely.
"Boy, Come here."
Ethan winced, and went to the Lich King.
"Yes, Master?" He asked. Arthas grabbed him, and a knife. The boy stood frozen as the Lich King ripped off his glove, and sliced open Ethan's wrist. Blood welled up, and soon dripped down on the ground.
Arthas grinned. "Tell me, Does this hurt?
"Yes, Master," The boy said, grinding his teeth.
"Good."
Arthas let him go, and ordered Ethan to clean up the mess he had made, the body of the prisoner and the wreck of the torture racks and instruments. Now, he wanted the boy to clean.
The Lich King growled, and tortured another. He questioned the prisoner, asking everything that might lead him to Sapphire. Ethan thought it was a twisted, perverse show of love that Arthas was so concerned about his daughter that he would waste his time trying to find her.
The prisoner, a dranei, sobbingly mentioned Tirion's daughter.
That was not good. Arthas grinned.
"He has a daughter? I wonder how he would feel to have his daughter stolen from him…"
Ethan would have prayed for the girl if he could. That girl was going to be tortured worse than any of these prisoners, and most certainly turned into undead.
Rot padded over to Sapphire. She looked up from the book her mother had let her borrow. She sat near Tirion Fordring, and the fluffy disguised plaguehound was carrying a boot. He trotted along happily. Terra followed him, and woofed at Tirion.
"Hello," He said, reading some letters. Terra wagged her tail. The man lowered one hand and pet the little puppy. She barked happily.
Sapphire scowled at the boot Rot had, and took it from him.
"Whose boot is that?" She questioned. The puppy tilted its head. Well, she wouldn't get an answer from him.
Sapphire put the book down, and went closer to Tirion. She watched him.
"What are you doing?"
"I am looking at reports from the field."
The girl sat down next to him. He looked up from the letters, and raised an eyebrow. He was smiling kindly.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
He was a much nicer father than Arthas was. Fake father at least.
"No, thank you. The tournament will be started today, won't it?" She eagerly questioned.
"Of course."
Sapphire was fidgeting. She was eager for the tournament to start. It sounded much more entertaining than watching tortures with her father.
She made Tirion uncomfortable for a couple of minutes more, and then they left for the arena. Sapphire was wearing nice clothes, light blue thick clothes and white fur trimming. Her boots were soft, and warm. The cloak she wore was darker blue silk.
Sapphire had asked for armor, but Tirion had told her she did not need any armor.
Snow was trampled all over and compacted, creating paths for easier access. Sapphire bent down and made a ball of snow.
Tirion Fordring cast her a sidelong glance. The girl kept the snowball. Rot and Terra both followed, hopping in the snow like two bunnies.
They went to the entrance of the arena, and the paladin stopped. Sapphire tilted her head.
"What are we doing?"
"Waiting to greet King Varian, and Lady Proudmoore."
Sapphire nodded, and picked up Rot. They did not wait too long, and Sapphire could a group come up. King Varian, her mother, and an escort of guards arrived at the entrance.
The King came up, with Jaina at his side.
"Tirion," King Varian stated.
Tirion greeted them, "King Varian, Lady Jaina. Welcome to the tournament. Your place in the coliseum is waiting."
Sapphire held Rot watching them. They talked for a little bit, and then the King looked at her. She shrank back, suddenly fearful.
"Who is this?" He asked.
"My daughter, Sapphire," Tirion lied. Sapphire thought that lying was bad, but right now it was necessarily. She smiled at the King, and did the bow Jaina had taught her to do. He scowled.
"I did not know you had a daughter. Hello, Sapphire."
"Your Majesty."
He did not look at her again, and the girl breathed easy. She walked next to her mother. Jaina pretended to not know her, and introduced herself. Terra woofed confidentially.
They went into the arena, and Sapphire sat with Jaina. Rot and Terra stalked away, off to terrorize people. Crowds sat down, and combatants entered the arena. It started with Tirion standing up, and went off into a speech. Sapphire lost interest until the end.
"-The victors will take their rightful place in the assault upon the Citadel. We will stand together in the face of evil, andArthas WILL fall!"
Sapphire tensed. That was this tournament was about? Some kind of sick contest to decide who was going to kill her father?
The girl left, apologizing to her mother. She was not going to watch now. She felt sick. She returned to her tent, and did not talk to anyone.