I will explain the collar and Frostmourne shard thing better later, but yes. The collar and the shard have messed up Sapphire a lot.

Rot sniffed the piece of toast. Jaina was busy reading, and had not touched her food. The puppy crouched, and picked up the cooked bread with his teeth. He dragged it away, padding on silent paws. Terra did not do the same thing. She grabbed the plate with her teeth, and dragged the entire plate of food away, out of view. Rot stared, but eagerly shared the spoils with her.

The door opened, and Ethan came in. He was scowling.

Jaina looked up, and shook her head.

"What happened?"

"Autum. She suggested I take Karanda out to the Park as soon as it stops raining. I said no, and we got into a fight."

The mage gave him a look of pity. "I have no advice to help with that..."

The boy growled, and slumped into a chair. He propped up his feet, and crossed his arms. He looked at Jaina unhappily. She began reading again, but the boy would not stop fidgeting. He moved his feet, sighed, and groaned.

Jaina looked up at him. "Why don't you just go walk Rot?"

Ethan tilted his head. "In the rain?"

"Yes!"

The boy blinked at her tone, and nodded. He grabbed the puppy, who yelped and growled as he was taken away from his food. Terra laid down smugly, and continued eating.

The undead ripped themselves apart. Bit each other, slashed at each other, tore limbs off of others. There was two groups on a battlefield. Snow fell, and a necropolis floated above. The smaller part of undead was getting smaller slowly. The rebel undead were winning.

Sapphire was encased in ice. She was worried. Her power...was slipping. Something was taking it. The large group of undead wanted a new Lich King, and were killing off her charges. If she was killed, they would put someone who would be just like Arthas.

Some wanted Arthas Menethil back, but it was a miniature group, that believed only Arthas could be the Lich King. Apparently, they had been looking for his body, but have not found it yet. The largest group, led by Kel'thuzad, did not want such a leader that would be killable. Most wanted whoever was stealing her power. A subgroup wanted Sapphire Menethil. She remembered Sapphire, a young girl that had once interrupted a torture session. Too innocent looking to possibly be a threat, but susceptible. Kel'thuzad would use the girl as a puppet if he got his hands on her. She had sent some undead to look for her, to protect her, but she had avoided them for two years.

Bolvar felt a small presence, in the back of his mind listening in. Bolvar mentally jerked in surprise.

Who are you?

Sapphire woke up gasping. She sat up in the bed, and trembled. The raven had its head under one wing, but it looked up at her distress. Her head throbbed from the hangover from last night. The dream disturbed her, and she wished she had someone to share it with.

The girl drew a bath, and she slowly stripped off her clothes. She was sweating and grimy. Her hair was greasy. Sapphire looked at herself in a mirror, and saw her slender frame. It was just on the edge of emaciated, her bones not yet showing.

She lowered down into the water, and grabbed a bar of soap. She scrubbed herself as hard as she could, her skin rubbed raw. Finally, the girl submerged herself completely, holding her breath. She stayed there until her lungs were bursting. Then, afterwards she tried out her new clothes. Loose sleeves on the shirt with a low cut neckline, and a short skirt, that showed an odd amount of skin showing. She felt much better in less clothes in the heat of the south. She put her cloak around her, and pulled the hood over her.

She took breakfast in the inn, and heard people talking about a couple of murders in the city's graveyard. They were very concerned about it, because the victims had been guards. Sapphire ignored them, and asked for something called an omelet. The serving wench asked her what to put in it, and Sapphire asked for everything, and also a glass of tea.

When the omelet came, Sapphire ate it eagerly. She recognized cheese, meat, mushrooms, and tomatoes. But the rest was a mystery to her. She ate it anyway.

The girl ventured out of the inn, the raven flying out of her room's window to join her. It was raining again, so Sapphire had a better excuse to pull her hood up. She saw people trotting to get from one place to another. The bird landed on her shoulder, and ruffled up its feathers. Sapphire went to the Canals. She saw the Cathedral of Light poking up above the roofs of the houses in Cathedral Square. She hesitantly went that way.

The Cathedral of Light was impressive, but she refused to enter it. There was no telling what would happen if she went into it. The sky was cloudy above, as the rain came down. She splashed her boots into the puddles of the water, and explored more of Stormwind. She went around into the Park, and enjoyed the nice natural area, with trees and flowers being drenched by rain.

She mainly walked around the Canals, and saw a place rising on the east side of the city. Apparently, it was Stormwind Keep. Where King Varian lived, and the throne room was. Sapphire wondered what a real throne room looked like. She went over a bridge, and the raven flew off. She gasped, and watched it leave.

Furious barking caught Sapphire off guard. She looked around, and saw a puppy running toward her. A deathknight had been walking him, and the animal had tugged free of his grip.

"Rot?" She said. The plaguehound was crazy, hopping furiously. She gasped happily.

"Rot! Oh, Rot!" She ran toward him and bent down. The puppy jumped into her arms, licking her furiously. She laughed sweetly, the first time in a long time. She nuzzled Rot.

"Sapphire..." The girl looked up. Ethan stood there, mouth gaping. He looked just like Sapphire remembered her. Smooth black hair, pale grey skin, stern jaw and caring, glowing eyes.

Sapphire backed away, trembling. She whimpered. No. Not him.

"No! No, go away! I..." The girl ran off, breathing hard.

"No, Sapphire!" The boy chased her, and tackled her before she got very far. They fell to the cobblestones, and Sapphire cried out in pain. She squirmed, and tried to grab her knife. Ethan had her pinned though. She started panicking, hyperventilating.

"Sapphire...Shush, my love. Sapphire, Calm down," He purred softly. The boy hugged her tightly, and pulled her hood down. Sapphire heard him take in a breath at the sight of her hair, but felt him kiss her cheek. Her body twitched, and she clenched her fists.

"Ethan...I'm so sorry!" She whined. She started crying. The deathknight slowly helped her to her feet, and took his cloak off. He pulled it around herself.

"I love you Sapphire. Please, please. Never run away without me," He said, pained. Sapphire was sobbing hard. She had missed him so badly, but not enough to ever want to see him again. She did not want to hurt him.

"Your mother will be-"

"No!" Sapphire screamed. Ethan winced as other people looked at them. He looked at Sapphire, and then took her to an alley.

"Okay. Okay, Sapphire. Shush...I love you. I will...send her a letter. Do you want to go somewhere?"

"I want to be alone...I'm so sorry, but I can't have you near me."

The boy's eyes flashed dangerously. "I am not losing you again."

"No...Leave me alone. If you don't...I will hurt you."

"Try me, little girl," Ethan said, smirking. He squeezed her arm, and gave her a threatening look. There was nothing that made her feel worse than Ethan finding out about her. But what could she do?

Rain fell down. Arthas sneezed, and sat unhappily against a wall. He was in a filthy alley, and feeling miserable. Water dripped down his hair, and he was soaked through into his bones. He had looked around for the truth desperately. Getting news from a bartender was horrible, but he had asked others. All gave him the same information.

He was a monster. Some undead monster called a Lich King. He had killed his father. Arthas could almost see blood dripping down his fingers.

The man sighed. Heat radiated from him. Somehow, even though he was dead, he had a fever. His hands shook and twitched. He felt numb in some places too.

Arthas heard footsteps splashing in the puddles on the road. He looked up.

One of these night elf creatures, but undead like the ones in the graveyard.

"Well, well. You are alive after all. Too bad for you."

He was grabbed, and quickly hauled to his feet. Arthas cried out, and struggled. But Arthas did not know what his strength was like now, and the elf punched him in the face. Pain exploded. Arthas grimaced.

"I think Queen Sapphire will enjoy the gift of you being tortured. Your screams will be music for her ears."

Who?

Arthas tried to jammed his elbow into the elf's stomach, but he was unfazed. He waved his hand, and a purple mist materialized in front of them. Arthas recoiled at the unholy mist. The night elf pushed him through.

Arthas fell and hit the ground. Smoke and ash flooded his nostrils. He coughed violently, and looked up, eyes watering. He was in a burning city. Flames erupted from buildings everywhere. Undead circled around him, and bared rotting teeth at him. They leered.

"Welcome back to Stratholme."