Kel'Thuzad lead his company of necromancers down the long dirt path towards Lordaeron. The absence of Ner'zhul's whispers left the lich feeling hollow and the world now seemed all too silent. He could still sense his master, though he felt detached. He stopped abruptly as he could see a figure sagging beside a broken fence post in the distance. Holding up his hand, he motioned for his men to hold as he glided towards the lone being. Halfway to it, he realized even from the distance it was Sylvanas. 'She never puts that hood down,' he noticed.

He silently closed the rest of the distance between them and stood over her. She sat still, her hands resting on her knees and her chin resting on them. Kel'Thuzad made slight growling noises in attempt to get her attention. His lack of a flesh body left him with little means to make conventional sounds. Sylvanas continued to stare at the ground and ignore him. The lich sighed, blue haze flooding out his jaws. He took a seat on the opposite side of the fence post and leaned against it. Sylvanas growled like a feral animal to an intruder as she felt the post push against her back.

"What might you be doing out on the road, child?" Kel'Thuzad inquired, not really expecting a response. "I will assume Arthas left you here like an abandoned kitten," he teased, trying to get a reaction from her. She glared at a gnarled tree root in front of her but kept her lips sealed. "I can see why, no one likes to bring dirty creatures home with them," he chuckled. Sylvanas spun around swung her hand to cuff the bothersome lich only to recoil in shock as she met with an icy blue barrier that caused the muscles all the way up to her shoulder to lock up. Examining her arm, she scowled at him and turned back around as they resumed their former positions.

"Fucker," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that," he threatened.

"I said it out loud," she retorted full of contempt.

He laughed getting in the spirit of her game," Elven women were such frigid bitches even back when I studied at Dalaran. Who knew their temper and sass would carry on with them even past death."

Barring her teeth, she snapped to face him and withdrew her dagger, but stopped as she knew what would happen if she tried to strike him. He turned to look at her, his jaws lining up to what she would guess was a smile. She turned back, sheathing her dagger and crossing her arms over her chest. Something about the lich disturbed her. She had never before heard him curse or tease and rarely did he laugh about anything, but he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself right now. As if he read her mind, he explained,"You have more than likely taken notice to my strange behavior as I have noticed yours. There is no need to act as if nothing has changed. I no longer hear the Lich King and I'm quite sure with your attempts to assault me, nor do you. So, one must ponder, Lady Sylvanas: why not take advantage of your freedom?"

"I think you know damn well why I'm not running. Why don't you ask yourself the same question?"

"Because like you, I have a job to do; and it is the only job I have to do. Spend one and a half lifetimes in subservience and you will understand. Life has very little meaning without purpose. The Lich King no longer requires to make me obey for I simply will to give myself one. I imagine vengeance is yours. For you, life will end when Arthas is dead," he replied plainly.

"Life?" she scoffed," This is not life lich. I would think you of all people would understand at least that much about being an—this—abomination of nature," spitting out the last words with such despair she startled Kel'Thuzad," How do you live with yourself when I can hardly stand to see my own reflection?"

He laughed condescendingly, "So you wish to tell me that you seek revenge, not for the shame of defeat nor for the great loss of your people, but because he took away your physical form? Your vanity disgusts me," he turned to face her as he raised his voice in frustration," Can't you even see that without Ner'zhuls influence, you are the same Sylvanas Windrunner that sacrificed her own soul in attempt to save Quel'Thalas the day the Sun Well fell to the Legion? Impudent—" Sylvanas snarled as she grappled the skeleton, ignoring her freezing limbs as she pinned his shoulders down to the dirt.

"If I am Sylvanas Windrunner, why does my skin and hair look like decay? Why do creatures fear me and not admire my beauty? Why can't I taste sweet fruit or smell the scent of fresh air? Why do my eyes glow blood red? Why can't I stop thinking for one moment about killing the man that took my life away from me? Why am I never happy? Is it conceited for me to yearn the things I no longer have?" she screamed almost incomprehensively at the lich under her. Growling, Kel'Thuzad touched his hands to the earth as frost exploded into the air and sent Sylvanas flying off him into the brush. He rose up and dusted himself off before checking on her. She lay crumpled in a ball shaking from his spell and could hear her teeth chattering. He sighed, dispelling his magical shield before cradling the ranger in his arms as he carried her down the road, signaling the necromancers behind to follow. He eyed the young woman through his empty sockets with pity she could not see.

"At least you can still feel the cold," he smiled as she continued to shiver in his arms. They turned silent for a moment, deep in thought. Sylvanas' had asked valid questions, however, Kel'Thuzad knew without outside influences, she had only become a victim to her own emotions. "If you care to hear this wise man's thoughts, I think you're not happy because sometimes we choose a purpose, and it turns out it's not the one we wanted. At least, I feel that way sometimes... I try to remember what I still have and dismiss what I've lost to be what I am now. If there is one thing I seen in every being, it is that they are never fully content on a decision; there will always regret, no matter how minute." Another uncomfortable silence came over them as she considered his words, her anger gradually subsiding.

""K-kk-Kel?" she stammered through her shuddering.

"Yes?" he answered slightly annoyed by the awkward usage of his name.

"Thhh-thankkss K-kel," she grinned at his cross yet perplexed expression.

"For what? Nearly freezing you?"

"Ffor t-telling mme what I nneededed t' hear, f-for a long t-ime"

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Notes: I actually finished this a day after I wrote chapter 4. That's right, I've been holding out :0) but alas, still no reviews :(. I must have some big problem with only being able to make chapters around 1000 words long. It happened with my EQ story too :- Bad habit. Oh well, hope you like my story for its short little chapters. I wish I could be like other people and make those 10,000 word chapters filled with good material. So jealous TT Rewind and return! I mean review.