Jeez, been awhile since I wrote anymore to this. I've been meaning to write more but every time I try to, I fall asleep. Hope you don't hate me and once again, I apologize for the lack of any real progress in this chapter.

Sylvanas lay in bed, strangely feeling content. Something she hadn't felt since...

'What have I really done? Have I given him a chance to make amends or to recover and return to his ways?'

She closed her eyes as she sorted out her thoughts. Either way, she regarded her decision not with trepidation, but simply wonder.

'I'm not a monster... I gave him something he would never have given me. I gave him my mercy and I received my retribution. He could kill me now and I would smile for him.'

Sleep came quickly as she rested her head on the soft pillow that she now had the luxury to appreciate. Unfortunately for Arthas, sleep did not come. Memories of the past year were playing themselves over and over in his mind blindingly fast and every emotion he should've felt then, he felt now. The shock on his father's weathered old face, the dissapointment in Uther's eyes, the disbelief in Jaina's voice, the barely audible wheezing of Muradin as he lay bleeding to death in the frozen tomb of Frostmourne. It all struck him like an epiphany. He didn't know how long he'd been down there. The room was completely void of light and ventilation and it reeked of mold. He crawled around slowly, feeling carefully in front of him in search of a way to escape. The door creaked open as a dark figure illuminated only by candle light entered the room. Arthas covered himself in alarm and curled up in a dank corner.

"Hello sir. My name is Lira. Lady Sylvanas sent me to nurse you," she greeted shyly, carrying a tray of food and candles.

--

"Kel, open the door!," Sylvanas screamed over the low hum that filled the lich's tower. She shivered from the chill that he generated to convince intruders to leave. The door was replaced by a wall of opaque black ice that prevented her from peering inside. 'What's wrong with him now?' she clenched her fists in frustration while descending the stairs back down. She slumped on the cracked throne, burying her face in her hands and grumbling.

"This place, has gone absolutely crazy," she rubbed her temples while talking to herself. She heard soft foot falls ascending the stairs behind her. Turning to see Lira returning from the basement, she jumped from the seat and intercepted her. "How is he," she asked immediately.

The servant girl snorted," I can't believe you have me watching such a bore. He won't even talk to me. So stubborn too. He keeps putting out the candles and eating food like a dog. I can't believe that's the prince down there," she finished complaining with a hint of irritation. "Anyway, physically he seems fine, not that I can get a good look at him in the dark. I'd be more worried about what's going on up there," Lira rolled her eyes and knocked on her skull. "I'm not a priest so you'll have to get someone else to find out what's wrong with him."

Sylvanas nodded silently in understanding. The only person in Lordaeron that would have remote idea of Arthas' ailment would be Kel'Thuzad, and he had chosen to isolate himself in his tower. "Visit him once a day, just make sure he doesn't rot down there," she ordered the servant girl as she flopped on to the throne once again. Lira eyed her friend worriedly.

"Is something troubling you, sister," she asked timidly. Usually the ranger woman kept quiet about her troubles, but the recent events boggled her to no end. "Everything's been so strange lately. What is there to do now? I'm actually considering living in the Undercity to pass the time until I can get some answers out of someone or something."

Lira scoffed at the idea," Skeleton man banned you from the city ever since you decided to bad mouth it out the window of your tower. I remember your exact words when I first told you about it being built: 'what idiot thought up of that city? Even slaves wouldn't want to build that.' She flailed her arms around mocking Sylvanas.

"Well, why can't I go down there? Arthas is locked away in a moldy room and Kel turned into some kind of recluse overnight."

"Who's Kel?"

She sighed,"... skeleton man."

"Oh."

Jumping from the throne, she paced back and forth. "I'm practically queen of the Scourge right now. I'll do whatever I feel like doing and right now, I feel like going down there." She prodded her friend towards the lift that would take her down to the Undercity.

"But you can't go down there, Chaz knows who you are and he's one of skeleton man's guards."

Sylvanas drove her forward forcefully," and do tell Lira, who is Chaz?" Lira spun around and bewilderingly whispered," How could you not know who Chaz is? He's as big as a castle drawbridge!" Spreading her arms wide to illustrate his size.

She glared irritably at the servant girl and growled,"Forgive me for not being Miss Social! I don't know who Chaz is, what's the big deal and why the hell are you whispering?"

Lira cocked her head towards the lift and put her finger against the Ranger's lips to silence her. Sylvanas turned slowly to see what Lira was trying to show her. A small gasp escaped her as she stood gawking at the conglomeration of flesh sleeping soundly against the entrance to the Undercity.

The servant girl leaned close to whisper in Sylvanas' ear," He's not very hospitable when you wake him up, so I suggest you don't." She nodded slowly in agreement.

"How do you get down there when he's asleep?"

"Well, I usually bring him food. He'll basically eat anything. Almost everyone who goes down there doesn't come back to the surface like I do, sister. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Sylvanas applied a paralysis poison to the tip of a dart. "Most definitely."