The song was pushed out of the Lich King's mind for a time as he attended to more important business. The Argent Crusade had set up camp in Icecrown, as had the traitorous Knights of the Ebon Blade. Arthas had no doubts that his undead army would crush them - but still, their presence required his attention.
Shouts from within his citadel distracted the king from his battle plans. Irritated, he rose up from his throne, ice cracking upon his armor as he moved. Frost gathered around the Lich King as he strode ponderously towards the disturbance.
Eventually he found the source of his annoyance. A trio of abominations stood before Blood Prince Keleseth, looking sheepish as he yelled at them. Arthas quirked a snowy eyebrow, curious despite his annoyance, and waited for the San'layn to notice him.
He wasn't sure what tipped his lieutenant off to his presence - was it the freezing cold that accompanied him into the room, or the beaming faces of the abominations as they spotted their beloved master? Whatever the case, Keleseth stopped mid-rant and turned, bowing low before the Lich King.
"Master, forgive this disturbance," he said in a cloying, obsequious tone. "I was simply disciplining these oafs for an unforgivable offense. I did not intend for the matter to reach your ears- "
Arthas cut him off with a wave of his plate covered hand. "What, exactly, did they do?" he asked. His voice was hollow, like the howling winds of a snow storm, and it chilled the Blood Prince to the bone.
"They were...singing, my lord." The vampire elf was obviously disgusted.
The Lich King, however, was curious. He had always had a soft spot for the abominations. They were simple creatures, but fiercely loyal to him; besides that, they were one of a very few groups of beings that seemed truly glad whenever they saw him.
Arthas turned to the abominations, his face speculative. The trio were torn between smiling at their maker and looking ashamed of their actions. Their hideous faces were enormously expressive, and they wore their emotions honestly. Surrounded as he was by lieutenants that masked their feelings and used deceit in an attempt to manipulate him, the Lich King found the change refreshing.
As he looked at the abominations, Arthas found himself becoming curious. They were very simple creatures - the fact that they remembered a song surprised him. "Sing to me," the Lich King commanded, relishing the look of horror on Prince Keleseth's face.
The abominations immediately broke into a horrendous cacophony of noise. Each seemed to have started at a different point in the song, and none of them seemed to know the words very well. They hummed what they did not know, their exposed guts vibrating as they did so. The Lich King found himself fighting a smile. It was obvious that Keleseth wanted to leave, but he didn't dare interrupt to ask Arthas' leave to go. As such, he was forced to stay - and listen to the "music".
Much to his surprise, Arthas realized that he recognized the tune. The realization came to him after one of the abominations, his three arms waving off-time from the music - all three versions of it, impressively - growled "Let it go," in a wavery, gravelly voice. Shocked, Arthas raised a plated hand for them to stop singing.
It took a moment. One of the abominations had been shyly watching his master, and stopped straight away. Another was attempting to dance, and it was a few seconds before its bloated body swiveled around and saw Arthas' raised, frost coated hand. The third abomination proved more difficult to halt. Its eyes were closed as it hummed with reckless abandon, its intestines and dangling eyeball quivering with the fervor of its efforts. Arthas watched, amused, as the other two "surreptitiously" attempted to make it stop - which involved much obvious kicking and grunting that the abominations clearly thought was subtle.
Eventually the abomination took the hint, stopping in the middle of belting out a verse. As soon as it was quiet (after the saronite fortress had finished distorting and echoing the sound), the Lich King spoke. "Where did you hear that?"
The abominations looked at one another, shrugging - which looked interesting with three arms - and grunting. "Dunno," said one. "Him," said another, pointing at the first. It was the third answer that caught the Lich King's interest. "Da walls," the final abomination mumbled.
Arthas nodded slowly. Sounds carried well in this place - he was sure that most of the castle had heard the abominations' performance. "And you remember the song?" he asked, still surprised that three of his simple-minded servants had managed to retain the tune.
They shrugged again. "Is catchy," one said, and the others nodded their agreement.
Arthas fought a smile, not wanting Keleseth to see such an emotion from him. "Very well. Dismissed."
Prince Keleseth turned to him as the abominations shuffled happily out of the room. "But, Master - shouldn't we punish them?"
Arthas allowed himself a small smirk as he clapped Keleseth's shoulder, the cloth where his hand touched freezing upon contact. As he strode out of the room, the Lich King called back, "Let it go."