To be afraid was more than just an understatement. Sapphire was terrified. She stood at the peak of Icecrown Citadel. Death lurked everywhere. Behind her loomed the Frozen Throne. If the wind picked up and one were to stand too close to the edge, it was a long long way down. Death would not be quick.
In front of her, her father somehow loomed taller. She only stood at half Arthas's height and a fraction of his size. Wearing mismatched armor and armed to the teeth with many weapons, to compensate for the loss of Frostmourne, Arthas looked like a paid mercenary. Somehow, the slash she'd given him months ago had not healed, despite him being a deathknight. It looked painful.
He could have killed her mere seconds after her defiant refusal. His surprise at her action saved her. The fact that he asked her to move aside first indicated hesitation to kill her. Sapphire desperately clung to that idea.
"You don't have to do this," She begged the manifestation of Death itself.
Arthas's face hardened.
"Yes, I do."
She felt the anger rising from the entity behind her. Any minute frostwyrms and gargoyles would be reaching the top of the Citadel and Arthas would not be in the mood to talk. He paced around like a caged animal.
She sobbed. "I learned the truth. You didn't put the piece of Frostmourne in my heart! I'm sorry for thinking you did it!"
Arthas could have been wearing a helm and he would have been easier to read than with the icy stone expression he currently had.
"Who did it then? That bastard?" He said, gesturing with his sword back at Bolvar.
Sapphire shook her head. "I did."
That response caused a reaction. He stopped in his tracks, frozen. Sapphire continued to blurt out words.
"I couldn't remember, like when I first met Volugg I could not remember my own name…I tried to kill myself but the shard missed," Sapphire let out a sob. She had not let herself think too much of why she had done it, but now she couldn't stop the pain both physical and emotional. Her chest felt like it was being stabbed all over again. Alone, next to her father's dead body, Sapphire just could not think of any other options. Only after she was soaked in her own blood and still alive did she think that she could just…leave. Staying meant being found by the invading forces. Leave everything she knew. Death did not work out. The unknown would have to do. The terror of leaving Icecrown for the first time in her life still haunted her.
Arthas turned away from her. He lifted his hand to his face. When he looked back, his teeth gleamed threateningly. It felt like he knew her state of mind and spoke to that part of her.
"Then you should definitely move aside. If I return as Lich King, everything will go back just as before but better! I have changed."
His words sounded nice, but the memories conjured up were anything but. She thought her life had been great until he fell. Only through experience did Sapphire realize the horrors she endured. Such a sweet promise rotted quickly.
"I won't go back to that. You don't have to either!"
Arthas's mouth pulled up into a sneer. "There's nothing else I can do. If you won't step aside, then I'll just have to go through you."
Now fear reared its ugly head. She could not fight him as she was. Fur and claws sprouted as she turned into her bear form and lunged down on all fours. At least as a bear, Sapphire was larger and more of a threat.
She let out a roar as Arthas slowly unsheathed his weapon. It was no frostmourne, but it did not need to be to kill her just the same and as bloody.
Sapphire he will kill you just step aside!
Bolvar's words rang in Sapphire's head but she wasn't going to just Arthas do this. Nothing could go back to the way it was. Everything had changed. Arthas has changed, but he's still anchored to his past.
Arthas attacked, slicing his sword in a flash, but Sapphire swatted it away, only cutting her paw painfully. This did not make sense. Arthas was not fighting seriously. He did not want to hurt Sapphire. Something still remained of the Arthas that saved Sapphire from the lion, from Gorak Tul. The Arthas that gifted her a teddy bear.
Sapphire lunged at Arthas, snapping teeth the same size of Arthas's fingers. She only bit air. Being honest with herself, she didn't want to hurt Arthas either.
The wind howled as it started to pick up. Visibility started to lower. While it could be natural, Bolvar was more likely to be causing it.
"You think a little breeze will stop me?" Arthas taunted Bolvar, taking his eyes off Sapphire temporarily.
She took that chance and went for him. His armor, not nearly as protective as his heavy plate. The part around his stomach was flimsy mail. Nothing compared to the long claws of an ice bear which were made to slice through the tough skin of a shoveltusk or a mammoth. One quick move and rent metal rings flew into the air. Arthas recoiled defensively and looked down at his newly torn armor.
The look on his face changed drastically. He glared at Sapphire with rage. Sapphire backed up, suddenly feeling just how real the danger was. Arthas did not even bother with his sword. His fist slammed against Sapphire's muzzle, causing an explosion of pain. She did not get a chance to fight back. Arthas wrapped his arms around her neck and forced her to the ground. She tried to tear Arthas's face off with her paws but he let out his pent up rage out on her. Blow after blow fell on her as she flailed about. Her claws met armor and flesh but the assault did not relent. This was not the first time Arthas had hurt her. Doubt crept into her mind. Perhaps Arthas had not changed in the slightest. Had he truly just been manipulating her all over?
She blacked out briefly, crumpling into her real body. When she regained consciousness, Arthas's attention had refocused once again to his real target. Sapphire struggled to push herself up.
Sapphire, stay down. Bolvar said with a touch of fear.
"No. I won't," She hissed back. Though wobbly, she managed to get herself up. A chunk of loose ice sat inches away. As she forced herself to her feet, Sapphire grabbed the piece. With concerted effort, Sapphire pulled her arm back and threw the ice with all her strength.
It soared through the howling wind and shockingly, hit the back of Arthas's neck. Without a helmet, he definitely felt it. Sapphire's body trembled when he stopped mid stride.
Sapphire did not let her terror stop her.
"You haven't changed! Why would you? That's what everyone expects right?" She snarled through the pain.
Arthas turned back, face contorted with anger.
"Kiefer mentioned it before but I never took him seriously. You just want to do what he wants. So he's in charge now?"
That drew out a laugh from Arthas and he pointed the plain sword he had at her.
"I'm the one in control. Not that little rat, not you, not anyone!"
Sapphire picked up another piece of ice and flung it at him. She missed, which drew a smirk from Arthas.
"You've never had control over anything. Some King you are! Ner'zhul told you what to do, Kel'thuzad told you what to do. I bet even before you took up Frostmourne, all you did was do what your daddy told you-"
"Enough!"
Dark magic shot out from Arthas's hand and encapsulated Sapphire's throat. She gasped as it tightened and she reached up with both hands in an instinctive panic to free herself. It squeezed even tighter. Tears started to well up in Sapphire's eyes.
"You think yelling at me like a spoiled little brat is going to stop me?" Arthas roared.
Evidently it had been helpful. Bolvar's own background machinations were fulfilled when a gargoyle dove out of the stormy clouds and attacked Arthas with a piercing screech. Sapphire started coughing as she was let free from the magic while Arthas fought off the determined creature.
As soon as Sapphire caught her breath, she started up again. "Telling you the truth might stop you. Even if it kills me. You are running scared to the only thing that makes you feel secure. You can't ever be King of Lordaeron, you destroyed it. You can't be a paladin. All that is left is the Scourge. What happens after you get the Helm? All will be well? You haven't thought of anything that comes after! You think you will win this time?"
"This is my destiny!" Arthas snarled as he cut down the gargoyle. He aggressively kicked the beast.
"Your destiny? Or a destiny a ghost has forced onto you? I am begging you!"
The unshed tears flowed down Sapphire's cheek finally. A sob came out of her throat as she looked on as her father stood there, suddenly taken aback by Sapphire's accusations.
"Stop this!" Arthas weakly countered, barely audible over the storm.
She sniffled. "I think you should stop thinking of the past. Look inside. What do you actually want?"
Arthas stared at her, then out a massie snarl of frustration, throwing his sword down to the ground violently. Sapphire flinched at the metallic clang.
"How dare you judge me!" He tried to counter, but there was something else in his voice. Something seemed to break in his dark voice. Was he crying?
Arthas confirmed it by reaching up to his hand up to his face. Sapphire's eyes widened as he bent his head. This seemed like a trick. She was not about to fall for it and comfort him.
He sniffed in derision and whipped his head to glare at her. Reddish black tears were running down his cheeks.
"What choices do I have? Like you said, I can't go back to Lordaeron. I can't be a paladin! What, should I become a blacksmith, a farmer?" He lamented. He whipped around to Bolvar. To the burnt corpse sitting high above both of them, frozen and vulnerable.
"And you! You've taken everything from me! Even took my own blood."
Bolvar's voice had a dominating presence as always, but it seemed a touch gentler as he confronted Arthas.
I did not take Sapphire with the intent to spite you. I need that shard. As for the Scourge, you know why someone needed to take it.
That was not what Arthas wanted to hear. He aggressively spat in the Throne's direction. It would have been funny if Sapphire did not feel the sting of his fist on her still.
"I don't give a shit about your noble sacrifice. You stole it and I want it back."
Sapphire edged closer to Arthas despite the danger. He sent a quick glance at her and pointedly avoided eye contact.
The Scourge is no longer yours. Even if you kill me, take back the Scourge it will never be what it was. There are only two choices for you. Your daughter asked the truly important question. What does Arthas want? To fade into the past and yield to others' expectations. Or will you fight for yourself?
The wind itself seemed thick with tension. Even the ice under Sapphire's feet trembled in anticipation. Arthas waved tiredly at the sword at his feet.
"I already let it go. Let it be done with and kill me," Arthas murmured in despair.
Sapphire immediately looked over at Bolvar in alarm.
Death would be too easy.
A flash of magic whooshed behind Sapphire. She glanced back and saw Marwyn, bloodied and battleworn. The fighting down at the base of Icecrown must have ended. The deathknight was approaching at a fast, hostile pace. He rushed past her and just as Arthas turned around. Marwyn struck Arthas with one closed fist.
Arthas stumbled back suddenly, taken by surprise from the sheer power of the hit. The deathknight did not stop there. He alternated hitting Arthas with his fists. Like a feral animal, Marwyn raged on Arthas just as Arthas had done on Sapphire but somehow even worse. Her father fell to his knees and finally to the ground. Blood flew whenever Marwyn's fist contacted flesh. Something crunched in Arthas's face. Seemingly defeated in spirit, Arthas did not even defend himself.
After a few hits, she expected Bolvar to call Marwyn off. There were no orders from him. The Lich King just sat there and did nothing. Terror paralyzed Sapphire. She had never seen Marwyn so violent before. At times he showed violence, but nothing like this. Falric was always the one who scared Sapphire.
The pain and rage in Marwyn's eyes were not just because of what Arthas had done to Sapphire. This was years of pent up frustration. The horrors Marwyn had been forced to unleash on the word on Arthas's command. Falric once told Sapphire that Arthas had killed Marwyn with Frostmourne first. He then had Marwyn kill Falric, his own husband.
With each punch, Marwyn let out a grunt of fury. Sapphire wanted to cry for both of them.
Footsteps came behind Sapphire. Falric had finally shown up. He pulled Sapphire behind him protectively. It seemed her uncles' roles had reversed themselves.
"Marwyn! That's enough!" He yelled out.
Finally, Marwyn stopped mid strike. Blood dripped off of his fists. He looked up at his husband. He was streaked with gore and had a wild look on his face, but it changed when he saw Sapphire's frightened look. Marwyn pulled himself away from Arthas. He stumbled back.
Arthas, his face covered in so much blood, Sapphire would not have been able to recognize him. He reached up to probe his nose and there was a fleshy grinding sound.
Falric clasped both of Marwyn's shoulders. "Go clear your head, hun. I will deal with him."
There were no more words needed. Marwyn did not say anything to Falric or Sapphire. He shambled more like a ghoul than a deathknight to the teleportation rune. Both Falric and Sapphire watched him with dismay.
"Is he going to be okay?" She inquired to Falric.
The deathknight shrugged. "I do not know. Perhaps."
That did not reassure Sapphire, but she did not know how she could comfort Marwyn. Arthas seemed an easier challenge. She turned to the bloody mess of her father and held out a hand. He looked at it with an inscrutable expression. After some deliberation, he took it and she helped pull him to his feet. Falric let out a threatening grunt at Arthas. Sapphire expected Falric to take his own vengeance, but he did not.
Falric snarled instead of attacked. "I think the deepest coldest cell in Icecrown should suit you."
Suddenly, Arthas's hand dropped from his face.
"No, no I can't. There's…something I need to do! A mistake. I made a terrible mistake. I let Adalger take Ethan. Grendel. He's going to kill him."
You think you can just walk out of Icecrown after attacking? Perhaps I should kill you, Bolvar warned.
Would there be any end to the day's horror? Falric seemed ready to protest but Sapphire got between the two of them.
She pleaded to Bolvar. "You said Arthas has a choice. He needs to undo this! Save Ethan, my friend!"
There was great hesitation, which she understood all too well. If it was not Ethan, Sapphire would be expecting treachery. Arthas could easily just escape and lick his wounds, come back with a larger force.
Save this one innocent and there may be hope for you. If you are planning to weasel your way out of this, Marwyn and Falric both will hunt you down and make your current injuries seem pleasant.