Revenge of Kael'thas

Chapter Four: The Unmaiden (this is not a corny title)

"I will prove it to you!" Arthas announced when they arrived. He tossed Frostmourne onto his bed like a careless freed schoolboy, and when an armored soldier peeled off from the white wall to catch it, Saturna shrieked.

"Oh, that's a pretty voice you have. Banshee siprano? We have a chorus, actually. You might want to audition with Headmaster Soulnote in your spare time… Zabran, close the door please."

Saturna watched the Troll Deathknight saunter past and work several heavy clicking mechanisms on the studded ice-frosted door. Then he smiled at her with all his yellow, jagged teeth. One tusk was chipped, and a tuft of amber Dwarf hair was stuck in a snag of bone.

"Now then, sugarlump." Arthas itched his head idly, and yawned. "As I said, I'm a big fan of yours. I've seen the kind of work you can do with Kael'thas, I already know about the Illidan seducing you bit, and the brainwashing… but believe it or not, this is different. I want to help you, paladin to paladin."

"Excuse me, but paladins and Blood Knights and Deathknights are all completely—"

"Wow…" he gasped. "You are annoying. Sit down, woman, before you give yourself a heart attack. Give me a chance, alright? I'm still sworn to the Light, aren't I? Or, at least dependent on the Unholy aspect of it. I can't fight if I don't believe, and I did die with some moral code, or else my impulses would be crazed and disorganized. I'd be like some limber string puppet of nightmare." And he started dancing about, flailing arms and limbs. Saturna almost laughed, but then snatched a hand over her mouth. He crouched and she scrabbled backward. "Paladin to paladin, Saturna Whiteblade, that the King of the Blood Elves was able to undo one of us so completely is an embarassment. It makes me angry. Now, I don't just want to make you into a weapon against him, I want to make it hurt, I want to make it last. I want Kael'thas and everyone else in this life to remember that they had better not try and cross one of us ever again. Paladins have honor."

"You can't possibly care."

"Magnus the Unmaker is a Blood Knight too, isn't he? Kael'thas spoke to him immediately after the two of you were married."

Saturna touched a finger to her mouth. "But we're enemies."

Arthas rolled his eyes. Saturna tried again, "Why would Kael'thas speak to an enemy of my order?"

"I see, so there is a secret sect of Bloodknights even within the bad crop of bloodletters the Alliance has been pained with making acquaintance of. And you are one of them. That makes even more sense. And Magnus is a rogue sort?"

Now, she feared to say anything good or ill.

"Put two and two together, sweetie. Kael'thas…" and he placed his hands far to the left, walking her through every stage of it, "conspired with an enemy of your special little group in order to screw you—and literally, I mean. Which makes Kael'thas… your…"

Saturna made Arthas regret waiting for it. "My… husband?"

Zabran breathed heavily through his nose. "I go put on some coffee, Masta Arthas."

"Tanks, mon." Arthas watched Zabran bristle at the impersonation first, and then the Troll went. "Saturna, maybe we're missing a big piece of this. I promise it won't take long, if you pay attention. Do you know what sort of power Magnus has? I'm fairly sure that I do."

The ghost woman blurred a little, in an invisible flicker of otherworldly reception. Arthas played at adjusting her long ears until she slapped his hands away. "I'm thinking, but I don't know for sure what Magnus does specially, none of us do!"

"And yet you gave him a fancy name. Though no one in your sect knows what it even means or where it comes from."

My apologies, it was a plot device for quick and dirty character development. Back to the story…

"Lookit. You're giving me a headache, Saturna. Let's go back even further, back to the beginning. If you won't believe that Kael'thas is your enemy, then at least admit you came here with me because you sensed he was doing wrong?"

Saturna bit her lip and turned as pale as a blue ghost could get. Arthas took the coffee cup and saucer Zabran offered, pursed his lips and blew on it as they all waited. But she was taking too long. "Geez… you still don't see that you truly came here of your own volition? Because you hate that man? Though I'm flattered by what it indicates you think of my abilities, this won't do at all. Here." He forced the hot drink into her floating hands. "Warm up, okay? Then tell me what's really got you so frazzled, because it isn't me. I've never come across a woman so completely relaxed in my presence after I became Lich King, to be honest."

Saturna warily had a sip of coffee. It was incredibly bitter. "But this feels so wrong."

"Yeah, I know. I feel wrong all over, baby."

Saturna raised her eyebrows.

"Mrs. Sunstrider, I think I may have the answer to your most desperate questions."

"Why am I still drinking this coffee?"

"I had twenty more minutes to think on the flight over; you bet I do. But it's already been demonstrated once this evening that you are mule-stubborn on any topic regarding Kael'thas. So, let's disprove this unnatural loyalty first. Then, once I win your trust, I will attempt to, once and for all, fix you. Now, in your own words…"

Saturna sipped and became bubbly, though the coffee wasn't. She was frighteningly well-suited to bursts of energy, hyperactive passion…

Arthas, I don't know where to begin, this has all been so frazzly, like you said! But, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a fangirl in possession of a Prince, must be in want of more Princes.

I mean to say that, Kael'thas and I just started our real lives together. He'd finally become King, but I just wasn't happy. Only about a day or so into our marriage, I began to wish for those times when he was something of a bachelor, and I chasing him innocently from one adventure to another. At least those struggles were more concrete: save Kael'thas from evil. I could see where he was going, and I knew enough to identify where he should be instead. And then I would push him, or with the help of other Bloodknights, we'd all nudge him into the right moral direction. This was intensely hard all of a sudden after we were married, though. I sensed that something sneaky was going on with him, but I had no idea where the dark meddling was coming from. It was as if evil was all around us, even in our bedroom between the sheets. Why, I tried to convey my feelings of misgiving to Kael'thas just this morning.

"Mister Sunstrider," I said, because I so like hearing our new family name, "Do you look forward to Warchief Thrall bringing a company of Orcs to Silvermoon? There is going to be a new government for sure, and lasting peace for all of Quel'thalas. What a nice time to become King."

"I rather don't, Mrs. Sunstrider." said Kael'thas. "You're adorable as always, but any strain on my power will only serve to encourage the enemies of this family."

"Surely, however, it will benefit our little Belorim, who is close to christening age. A proper family name would very much suit him in these trying times when tradition is oft challenged. And it won't be too long now, before he is ready to be crowned in the very pattern of his father. I am thinking of providing our boy a proper kingdom and wife someday!"

It took my Kael'thas far too long to answer. I tried again, "Perhaps, a happy balance could be achieved if you went to wait upon Thrall and then applied to him for a shared government, half-Orc and half Blood Elf? Or, I suppose we could always throw a ball. Balls solve everything. Especially your royal balls, Mr. Sunstrider."

"Woman, don't be so ridiculous. The Sunstriders aren't known for their balls." Well, he called me Starshine, he always does, but 'woman' has more effect, I think! "Unless… I could re-institute the Convocation of Silvermoon."

"Why that's splendid—"

"Before Thrall can even complain about it. I'll stack the seats completely in my favor, Mrs. Sunstrider."

I was shocked. He'd taken one of my ideas and twisted it to his sole advantage. And then, the King began to apply to me, for some romantic entertainment.

"This is most unnecessary, Kael'thas, when you've already proven yourself worthy in my eyes." I removed his arm from around me, and seized more of the sheets to cover myself. Arthas, what are you scowling at? This is how Sunshine and I really talk when we're alone.

Mr. Sunstrider glared at me, completely agitated at my eluding him for the second, um, opportunity for romantic entertainment in our marriage. "Are you my wife or are you not, Mrs. Sunstrider?"

"I am," said I.

"Me too," said Miss Ruthsalia. Ruthie is Kael'thas' succubus, and she always sleeps with us. Really, Arthas, groaning is very rude, over a story.

"Then why do you insist on rejecting me, Saturna?" and now you're laughing at him, Arthas. Shh!

"There's an entire lifetime between us it seems, Sunshine. Suppose you won't like me, as a ghost? I couldn't survive the shame."

I will suffice it to say that Mr. Sunstrider gave every assurance of my worth to him as a woman, ghost or no, until he tried to… er… consummate our married relationship and found getting it on with a ghost to be quite impossible. He made some frustrated excuse, snapped for the succubus Ruthsalia to follow him, and they both went from the royal bedroom. Oh, I had nothing to do but stare at my Kael'thas doll collection in the meantime! I had all my figurines and Kael'thas paraphenelia shipped over to the castle from home, you see. I felt so utterly worthless and it was all I could do to feel close to my dear husband.

I busied myself with dusting, polishing, and kissing the heads of many blonde dolls until, around noon, our son Belorim entered his parents' chief residence in the Sunspire.

"Mommy," said our cute little babe, "I said 'hello' to Daddy dis morning, but he ignored me."

I remarked to Belorim that perhaps Mr. Sunstrider had not heard, little Bim Bim being so close to the fine carpeted ground, and the shining palace walls being so wonderfully tall.

"No, he's being mean." Belorim sat at a little handcrafted table with red and gold tea-cups. I'm sure that I pouted too, poured him an imaginary fangirl tea—still piping hot and sweet from when I was a girl—and we discussed the problem at length. As Bim stared into his cup, the golden inset reflected all his hurt features, there was a fair growl in the cherub face. Ever since Tempest Keep, when General Blaize got the Sunfury troops ready, his Daddy had changed, Belorim worried. They weren't friends anymore. I scolded him, how could his father ever not be friends, that was just impossible. Bim Bim meant too much to both of us.

"He told me I was going to grow horns like my real father. But why he said dat?"

Kael'thas was being as mean to our son as he had been to myself this morning. I resolved to settle this once and for all, immediately!

Arthas interrupted…

"What have you been reading lately, Saturna, you naughty girl?"

Her hands shook, as she drank a fourth cup of Zabran's specially brewed coffee.

"An ancient Thallassian classic where the g-girl gets the Prince. Th-there was nothing else to do, with my Mr. Darcy so busy with Orcs all day, y-y-yesterday."

"No, I be tinkin' Mr. Bingsley be more of a man, mon. Least he cut his losses early on, dump dat plain Jane like I woulda'. And dat Elizabeth be too much of a Mary Sue, fightin' zombies and such wit her bare hands. Ugh." Zabran was on his fifth cup.

Arthas refused more coffee for her or any of them in the room, really, and waited with interminable patience for Saturna to compose herself.

She began again after a time, twittering more sensibly…

Kael'thas was in the throne room, doing exactly as he had indicated earlier. "Sorn… whom do you think we should assign, after Lorth'remar? There are two spots left."

I was still chiefly invisible. It was my intention to spook my husband out of his wits and then demand the truth behind his cruel comments to our son.

"Lord Byron Whiteblade, of course. He would be a very safe selection, and pleasing to the Queen."

I honestly recanted, when I learned that my father might be granted a seat on the Convocation of Silvermoon.

"One more space…" Kael'thas passed his gaze over the remainder of his court. Several soldiers stood at attention, checked their medals and capes in enchanted lanternlights. All of the King's Bloodknights, Lady Liadrin, and General Blaize were there as well, waiting for the next order of business. "Liadrin, you're the head of my royal protection force. How would you like the last seat?"

"Why, my King, I'm speechless, what an honor!"

"I SAY THAT IT IS NOT!" went Mr. Wickham. Blaize, I mean. General Blaize said it. "I was going to hold my tongue when you were packing our most honorable political body with sychophants and aristocrats like yourself. But, if you are going to put a military leader in the Convocation of Silvermoon, it should be none other than your General."

"I beg your pardon, Blaize, but the Matriarch of the Blood Knights has every right in this case, as well. I daresay more right, considering what a blunder your Sunfury have long been."

Mr. Blaize turned to Liadrin and they argued on the matter most intensely. He cited many instances where her Blood Knights failed King Kael'thas. Most recently, Tempest the Raven and Sunthraze the Sly failed to protect Kael'thas from Warchief Thrall, before even then, Tempest Keep burned almost to the ground when a rogue Legion Ranger set his sights on Kael'thas and her knights failed to prevent the perverted ruse, and the first most awful offense was when a certain deceased Saturna Whiteblade—oh, that's me!--failed to save Kael'thas from the manipulative clutches of Lord Illidan.

I was consumed with passion and revealed myself, if I was going to be the subject of debate. "I gave Kael'thas hope, and I loved him desperately while at the Black Temple. When have any of your Sunfury ever done that?"

Lady Liadrin had covered her face. General Blaize dropped his sword. Kael'thas stood beside me, and Advisor Sorn raised his clipboard and stylus at the ready.

Even now, I am unsure whether or not Blaize was astonished to see that I had lived, or if he was devastated to see how I had suffered. He applied for, and was given my air-light hand. "How?"

I attempted to explain my miracle of existence, though I surely mouthed words untenable to his ears. Survivor of survivors, the General of the Sunfury army surely realized that he had outlived Outland, Lord Illidan, the Legion, and his Majesty's wrath all to be cruelly abused.

"Kael'thas, even for you… man to man, this is the worst offense I have ever experienced. She is your Queen as well, I presume?"

For I did not go anywhere without my fifteen-pointed diamond tiara. Arthas, please do stop snoring!

Kael'thas replied that we had been married, first thing, when I was resurrected.

"I came here to represent my soldiers' concern that no land nor Hawkstrider had been given them—to make good on your conscription promise so many years ago, but I see now that will be impossible to satisfy, when your pride drives you to do such cruel things to a gentleman's honor!"

"What I do to Saturna, nightly, is hardly cruel. And it is all my pleasure too."

I must have snapped. I was shouting that I received no such sexual generosity from him, and faces going very red, when Blaize came forth and kissed me quiet. Kael'thas drew the sword of a guard, and tore us apart.

"You will have no place on the Convocation of Silvermoon, nor do you have any place in my beloved's life. You'll get no inheritance from me, nor my forefathers. And that is as it should be!"

At last, Blaize got his sword again and he faced off with Mr. Sunstrider. Such a blow to the General's honor could not go unchecked, but I felt for them both. Kael'thas had set out to comfort me when I first revived. I made desperate pleas, and he satisfied every single one, to my present knowledge. It can't have been a swift or simple effort, either.

"Gentlemen with such perfectly good manners should not go on in this way." Lady Liadrin warned, touching the Whiteblade. Blaize shouted something which turned her exactly off, however. She paled when he threatened to use her own secret trespass against Kael'thas' father to make her recent assignment to government impossible.

But, curiously, Kael'thas did not ask what that was. Advisor Sorn came forward, and adjusted the green monacle he is so used to wearing. "Are you willing to commit regicide, to satisfy an old feud over a lady, General Blaize? Surely, to secure his standing with the lady, his Majesty was inclined to ask first for her hand in marriage and do so, deftly. Nor is it ever proper to inform a stranger of one's personal life, especially if that person is lesser."

"Me?! Lesser than Kael'thas, and a stranger to him! What can you possibly mean, you old fool?"

"And do you further insist, that you have a right to claim the King's power as well as his woman? That is a threat of treason in its most primal state. Could you be more determined to unseat the alpha male!"

Blaize was forced to parry, when suddenly Kael'thas thrust mightily at him with the borrowed blade. I feared that my ex-husband was being antagonized. And guilt came along with it, that I should still feel so protectively toward an old love. But he was surrounded on all sides by those who suddenly did not like him, and then the weight of present events of Silvermoon bore down upon us all as well. For Warchief Thrall's peaceful intervention in the city, Blaize was no longer needed by Kael'thas either.

"You have struck the King." Sorn motioned for guards. I moved quickly to Kael'thas' side and begged him relieve Blaize of consequences due to his own royal misconduct.

"Oh, my wife has an excellent point. Here, Blaize." And my ex-husband did draw near, trusting that I had resolved it. Kael'thas grinned evilly, however. "I shall take your advice too, actually. So very many times, you've tempted me to do as much, in fact, fell short of ordering me around on this point. Now, I feel completely guiltless. You were born for this fate, weren't you? Your very name suggests it." Then, Kael'thas snapped, Sorn got the cape from across Blaize's back, and then handed it to the King. We all watched in horror as Mr. Sunstrider ripped it in two pieces. "You're fired."

And a worse blow, Kael'thas informed the guards that Blaize was banished from all of Quel'thalas too. The old General had a mere hour to get his things and vanish.

I wailed, true to my newest nature. Kael'thas tried to amuse me, at how wonderfully fiendish it all was, but I saw the veins and edges of my husband's hair go black. I must have imagined there were horns coming from his head too, massive black goat horns. For, I was soon engaged in vanishing from the room myself. In a blur of blue, I caught up to the fleeing once friend of mine.

"Kael'thas is upset, please don't go."

My voice startled Blaize, I think. He backed into a wall, and pulled a knife from his belt. We were alone in this anterior passageway, and he had been moving hastily.

"What is done, is done. I heard him say it…" though Blaize seemed more haunted than even I was.

We argued back and forth on Kael'thas' temper, how it was sometimes a warranted anger. Perhaps Blaize should apologize? But we both knew it was Kael'thas at fault, and Kael'thas in need of making amends, when it was his royal and final word against any of ours. It was at last determined that Kael'thas would never give it. Blaize was sure this day was meant to come.

"Only, I never expected to see you again, when that cruel and selfish once-Prince did me in. I expected to be wiser, and wealthy. Moved on and settled with a title before I incurred his Majesty's inevitable wrath. Oh, Saturna… are you truly happy?"

I could not deign to answer, being Queen.

"I know that you are meant to be happy beside him, but if you are not... If in any way at all, you are unsatisfied with your choice, now is the time to be honest about it. Saturna, you do realize that we will never see one another again? I am moved that you are even still in this life, but moved more sorely that you have chosen to spend eternity with Kael'thas, knowing full well what he is capable of. How have you even made peace with his disgusting affiliation with Lord Illidan?"

I could not answer this either, for I entrusted my husband with that painful business being resolved.

"My Queen, Illidan was not slain by Kael'thas. Rumors abound that the Demon Lord is once more alive and at the Black Temple in Outland. Didn't you know?"

"Mr. Nathaniel Blaize… I had not known this."

"Then you have been lied to."

All the power that was within me should have raged, but, I found my fear quelled. A numbing came over me. I wanted Kael'thas, only, in that moment, beyond enduring. I leaned along the wall but Blaize held me, I think, because he misunderstood.

"I have always loved you. You were the soldier I always mourned most. The loss of your life was senseless and priceless. Come away with me, Saturna Whiteblade. Let's end this trespass of Kael'thas in our lives once and for all."

I lingered long enough for the guards to catch us. Long enough for Blaize to realize that I preferred his capture by my unfair husband, to any kind of life with him on the run.

And that was when you found me in our royal bedroom, Arthas. After going back to Kael'thas, trying to reassure myself that his temper with Blaize was just a fluke. Even after Jaina Proudmoore ambushed us curiously... Later, I still found myself thinking on all the ways in which I have been made so weak to Kael'thas' hard way of loving.

Arthas raised eyes to Saturna now. Zabran was asleep on his master's shoulder…

"Saturna, you are not the one who is pitiful. Remember, I told you that I had all of the answers, but first, let's see if any of this was worth listening to."

"You didn't like how I told it?"

Arthas smiled. "You are sort of charming, in a way that only Kael'thas would truly appreciate. But that, in itself is the problem. Back to Magnus the Unmaker. What is your history with him, before I make any real underinformed proclamation?"

"I… I made him what he is. He is manipulative, he can convince others to follow his will. Lady Liadrin asked me to beat that out of him long ago, but he used his strange power to escape the Knights of the Blood Nexus."

"I see, so that is the name of your sect. Well that matters a heap of nothing now, Saturna Whiteblade. I'd been keeping tabs on this Magnus for years before Kael'thas got involved. Magnus is a Deathknight without the middle man, I assumed you knew. I'm the middle man, the Lich King, and nearly a Deathgod, by the way. Magnus has found a way to capture his enemies, without my help, and remake them according to his own design. I was tempted to kill or recruit him, but it was never clear whether or not he would amount to anything, the hopeless letch."

"I still don't understand what connection this has…?"

Arthas touched her cheek, then patted it gently. "You are one of his creations."

Saturna didn't believe it.

"If you are truly free of caffeine's evil influence on your altered conformation, then I can trust what you just told me and fill in all the blanks. I'm surprised none of your friends considered it earlier. Once upon a time, a young woman named Saturna Whiteblade was given far more accolades and responsibility with a sword than she'd yet earned in life. In her eagerness to correct such a terrible mistake, Lady Liadrin, the Blood Knight Matriarch, ordered Saturna to go out and recruit more Blood Knights—this time, older and more capable ones—into her order. Perhaps some of the other ones came out… alright, so I find all your friends to be disgustingly incompetent from what I've been hearing. But one of those recruits, a precious talented one, turned out to have more sense than all the others. As soon as he realized the zealous foolishness Lady Liadrin was up to, he tried to get the hell out."

"Have you no shame? What are Deathknights but opportunistic killers, doing anything in the name of spreading the Plague and misfortune, in your name, Arthas. Your Zabran and your… your Jaina and everyone else are more guilty victims of a personality cult than I am, or any of my brothers and sisters."

"Death is a practical instrument of control. And by eliminating the weak, I am honoring life. Making the truest sacrifice, pouring out their blood as pristine libation. Besides, Saturna, the surest difference between myself and your Mister Sunstrider Darcy or whomever, is that I am going to win this game. There's nothing wrong with my royal balls."

Saturna flushed with shame.

"Now, I dare you to try and say it isn't true. It's not that Magnus merely sweet talked you and escaped your beat-him-to-submission session, sugarbeet. He turned you into something that would hold the door open and help him get away forever. And why not make it an amusing state of being, a true torture, an ironic shackling to your fervent and misguided beliefs as a teenaged paladin wannabe. He unmade you as you were, and then re-made you into this vapid, Sunstrider-hungry creature, who would even dismiss a practical and safe love, time and again, to cling to a man who hurt and tortured and betrayed you just as reliably. Magnus hasn't been in hiding, plotting revenge, Saturna. He's been relaxing on the sidelines and enjoying the show this entire time. And, my oh my, what a spectacular disaster you made out of your life."

What else was there left to do?

"You can leave now, hon." Arthas leaned back against the edge of bed, then shouldered Zabran aside and closed his eyes.

"No, I can't just… leave. How can you do this to me?"

"Hate me much?"

"Very much!" Saturna stood.

"Do you know whom you should hate more? Kael'thas. He told you that he brought Illidan to justice, but I'm pretty sure that bastard got resurrected some days ago. Who else could do that but Kael'thas, because he couldn't kill Illidan singlehandedly, ever! Illidan has become Kael'thas' warlock pet. And remember what I said about Belorim…"

"My own son told me the truth, and I refused to see it. Kael'thas knows Belorim is not his son, but Illidan's… how could I have ever failed to see that!"

"Nerdboy didn't want you to. He's still so hard up after never being laid consistently at University. Not like me." A flex, "I was a stud."

"And Kael'thas is taking out the selfish choice he made on an innocent child he is supposed to love. How can he continue indulging Illidan's lies when we are supposed to protect and raise Belorim together—" Saturna continued to build herself up into a precarious rage. For, the icy door had been left open by Zabran before he dozed off some time ago.

"I'm telling you, babe, Kael'thas saw this whole thing coming. He worked you and Blaize and everyone else into this elaborate plan of deception and revenge. He's not learned a damned thing. It was when I got involved, and when Thrall got involved that Kael'thas got thrown a coupla' curve balls. He couldn't adapt fast enough."

"He and Magnus met on our wedding night, you said… Kael'thas knows the truth of how I was cursed. Kael'thas wanted me to stay this way and keep indulging this sick addiction to him! Oh by the Sun. By all the old gods, and the absent mercy of dragons. How could you do this to me, Kael'thas? Arthas, I can't forgive this much."

Arthas hugged Saturna and rocked her back and forth. "Now you're catching on. Oh, there there, peach-pie. It's going to be fine. Perfectly fine."

"How?!" Saturna mourned.

"Because, this is just step one of my plan. And I still have an Achievement left. One last little quest to complete. If you stick with me, then we can see this through and finally get that bastard back for what he did. Wanna stay a couple days and hang out, have some pizza, or sushi or something? We can be evil together—or make do-gooder plans, whatever you wannabe paladins are into these days. I suppose, evil folks would eat pizza and good guys would have sushi. That, or angel food cake."

Saturna could only stand there and sniffle. But, even so, it takes a certain amount of resolve not to flee, when the Lich King himself offers you freedom from his wrath forever.

"ZABRAN! Wake up, and go get us a pizza."

"Ungh, what's a pizza, Masta Arthas?"

Arthas' temper exploded suddenly, and the kicked Troll limped out of there, shouting orders for someone in Icecrown to get Prince Arthas a pizza.

"I knew you would stay, afterall. Aren't you sweet? And I sure know how to treat a girl who's cursed, just ask Sylvanas." Arthas took her by the waist and began to waltz. Something deep inside made Saturna take Arthas' hand. A twisted courage rose up, and she found herself following his lead.

"Tell me more, about this Game of yours."

In Silvermoon…

Kael'thas responded to the destruction in his bedroom as any vain Blood Elf might. One can only take so many beheaded likenesses of one's self thrown all about the floor and replaced by Lich King dolls on the shelves, old 'Savior of the Blood Elves' edition tea cups smashed, etcetera. Arthas had been in his very bedroom.

Several Blood Knights arrived soon after the yelling subsided.

"Where is Saturna?"

"How would any of us know that, she's your pet." Sunthraze crossed his arms. Everyone else hushed. Kael'thas closed in on the short redheaded man…

Pyorin defended his old friend, "Seriously, though, Kael'thas, how do you know this isn't some act of vandalism? It's just windows broken out, and a few things smashed. Perhaps even from a servant inside the castle."

And now, murderous royal guise was turned on the Tank.

Daphne tried third, "Please don't blame us for this. We were all vacationing in Undermine and just now got back. Eheh, funny story, Kael'thas… did you know Sunthraze was Lady Vashj's heir all this time? He was planning to cash in whether you got saved or not…"

Back to Sunthraze. "Shit, Daphne, you're not supposed to tell him that!"

Tempestraven yelled, and sounded tipsy still. "Daphne finally got laid!"

Fennore and Mavia blinked. Lady Liadrin shoved Tempestraven out of the way and appealed directly to Kael'thas. "Forgive them. Please, I beg you one last time to forgive them. They were all dropped on the head as babies, and when I recruited them, they were all stupidly young. But one thing they say holds true. What proof do we have that Saturna is truly missing?"

Kael'thas continued to search the room. He pulled across the last window-curtain.

Dear Nerdboy, I have your woman, and she knows everything. Nanner-nanner-boo boo.

Then, the King of Quel'thalas turned back around, seething. "Do you think this is funny? Because it is not! That woman is all I had. And she is the only reason why the few Blood Elves who have returned to the city aren't complaining to Thrall. Because of the Whiteblade, because of her sword, because of her example… Saturna is the only reason I survived anything these last few years…" he began to wander in circles. "You don't know. You just don't know how desperately I need her joy and love her silliness… She is the only one who ever truly cared about me, my life is tumult and cruelty but she was sweet relief. And that monster, that manipulative liar and chronic seducer, he has her? Listen to me, you upstarts. Don't ever trust the Lich King, don't ever even speak to Arthas. He's a user, he's stealthy—"

Fennore wasn't trying to be ironic, it was in his nature. "Like Illidan?"

Kael'thas, if only you would let me help you manage your new power, you could have safeguarded against this attack. Illidan spoke in Kael'thas' mind, through their Soul Link. Did you think this childish plan of yours would fix everything? She was going to learn of your lies eventually. She was going to realize her mistake in choosing you, in time. And what is the result of your trying to settle everything on your own, without your friend? Arthas has come in and fooled you, in the same way that I fooled you so long ago. Your acumen is, in fact, slipping. Summon me. You need me. Reveal our bond to the others.

Kael'thas blanched and struggled to stifle Illidan's voice. "No one has been able to defend against Arthas. He knows how I think. He knows what I eat, he knew where I slept this night! Sorn! Ready my fastest ship, we're leaving for Northrend."

The Bloodknights armed themselves.

"Not you incompetents, don't you touch me, don't you go anywhere near this! I can't lose her again. Fennore, and Mavia, come."

Liadrin took Fennore aside and gave her blessing. "I will not question why Kael'thas has chosen you and your warlock pet above all the others. It is to the benefit of the Blood Nexus that at least some of us go, and he clearly trusts you two. But you must not fail us, Fennore. Here, take the Whiteblade. I have faith that, when you find Saturna with Arthas, you will know what to do."

Fennore looked down at the shimmering sword and its flanged blade, countless rays of a hopeful sunburst. "Yes, Matriarch. I shall… I will cut her down, if she has become one of Arthas' pets."

Liadrin squinted an eye. A crow's foot just there sharpened and threatened to rip. "You IMBECILE! I meant for you to show it to Saturna, and remind her of her lifelong mission to King and Country, not for you to kill her with it!"

Advisor Sorn grabbed Liadrin in a hug then, and she broke down crying on his shoulder. Oh, feckless Blood Knights. He shared a conspiratorial look with Kael'thas. "I will continue as we planned. Thrall will be satisfied and Blaize will not get far…"

Kael'thas waved Sorn off. Belorim came to hug his father goodbye, but Kael'thas flagged at the sight of the boy. He lifted him up and granted a stiff hug, but then handed him to a servant on the way out, kept going.

Daphne was upset to see it. "What in the world has happened to Kael'thas? It's like we went to Undermine to celebrate, came back, and then the whole world fell apart."

Tempestraven had begun smoking. She nudged Daphne and they both started whispering about Lady Liadrin and Advisor Sorn.

Liadrin composed herself and parted from him. "Sorn, your compassion for me was… exemplary. Thank you. And as for the rest of you maggots! Your King rejected your aid, in such a desperate time. If there was ever a clear indicator of your collective failure…" Liadrin couldn't finish. She shouted for them to line up and then followed her soldiers out of the room.

Sorn paced about, looking at all the things done in honor of Kael'thas smashed or destroyed in favor of Prince Arthas.

"I have served three Sunstrider Kings, and never seen such a perfect retaliation to an attack that has yet to be birthed. If Arthas is truly this man, who would come and act alone, ruin so much on a whim… then we have no chance." Sorn could not say more out loud, when he had promised and trusted Kael'thas with everything, even believing that Anasterian's son was above all the rumors and lies against him. These were rumors that Arthas clearly believed, and bothered to act on, as if they were facts. But Sorn remembered Arthas too, when he was a boy, and came as far as Silvermoon with King Terenas, his father, in order to pay homage in friendship to the High Elves. That the young boy had seemed so Human then, but now ruled the fears of the world with barely an effort… No. Sorn would still believe, to the last, that Kael'thas was good.

"If he is not my god, then Arthas is doing a damned good job of stepping in. My Sunwell is destroyed. My Queen is dishonored and gone. And now my King has again left the country, lost all heart."

Sorn left then, unsure if he would go to one of the ancient altars in the woods and have a deer sacrificed, or beg Anveena to intervene. Sadly, the old ways seemed more viable, when the Sunwell herself was presently less powerful than a man who claimed to be the god of Death. Why not just give in, believe Arthas, and give up? There was already news that the forces allied with Dalaran in the North were failing.

But then, Sorn focused on the last piece of Kael'thas' plan. The only thing still holding it all together.

"Magnus, you had better not ruin this for us now. Or I will go to Terrokar Forest kill you myself."

Author's Note:

Jane Austen, please forgive me for butchering your lovely novel in this tiny section I whipped up in homage, as so many writers after you have sought to 'improve' and 'add zombies' to Pride and Prejudice (omg the zombies were awesome, btw). But yours really is a lovely story, so I spoofed it to the backdrop of Warcraft a bit. Also, thank you for writing Mr. Darcy. He is so hot, broody and awesome, Amen.