The Love that Never Died

The Death of the Lich King

It was with dread that I watched the elf approach; she was quite beautiful – it was easy to tell even under all of the filth – with long, shimmering gold hair that stood out in sharp contrast with her dark, bloodied armor. Her surviving companions were equally striking, and equally filthy; I didn't stare too long at the dark stains on the armor and the implications, though my feeling of terror intensified nonetheless. A cold pit formed deep in my belly, making me feel frozen and nauseous, as I watched her approach my companion beside me, Muradin Bronzebeard. He seemed to be caught in the same, horrified trance as I was, his small eyes transfixed. She leaned down, and I found myself holding my breath as she murmured something to the dwarf, smoothly passing something to him and gracefully straightening. I pulled my cloak tighter around myself; Icecrown was cold. Very cold. But tonight, it was not the temperature that was freezing me solid.

My heart further sank when Muradin's lined face, half-obscured by his elaborate helm, crumpled. I watch him silently as he brushes away the tears with one of his thick hands, before saying something throatily to the elf –Ysabeau, I think her name was. Her cold, angular face softened slightly at the response, though she glanced back at her exhausted companions, exasperated. Ysabeau's green eyes then turn to me, as if in slow motion; her hand disappears beneath her tattered cloak momentarily, withdrawing something gold from its depths. I don't look. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Muradin take one look at the object, and his wet blue eyes turn pitying as they fasten on me. The elf is now directly in front of me, and with great reluctance I raise my head to stare directly into her eyes. Her stare is unwavering, and she proffers the object to me without breaking it; my hand opens reflexively to catch it as it tumbles from her grasp.

"The Lich King is dead," Ysabeau says gently to me – well, as gently as a warrior of her caliber can. I see sympathy flare briefly in her cool green eyes, but it does nothing to help stay the wave of agony and denial that wash through me at the words. The object is cold in my hands.

"Thank you, heroes," I manage to get out, my voice nearly cracking at the last word, before my eyes finally find the object in my shaking hands.

The object was a locket of gold, the fine chain encrusted with ice. The engraved initials – J.A – were nearly illegible. I mutter a quick, choked incantation under my breath, and the ice siphons away. Trying to control my trembling fingers, I fumble with the latch on my locket, but eventually it snaps open, revealing a picture of a blonde woman and a blonde young man, embracing one another. Grinning. Hopelessly and happily in love.

Arthas. Lovingly, I touch his captured, unlined face with my forefinger, almost able to feel his skin as it had felt back then. His face blurs, and one of my unshed tears escape unbidden and tumble down to splash all over my poor prince's face.

He...kept it. I make a strangled noise from deep within my throat, trying to stem my myriad of emotions. I...knew there was something, some part of him still alive in there. Alive, and fighting for his freedom. I squeeze my eyes shut, curling the locket into my fist, and taking a deep breath.

When I am under control again, Ysabeau's angular features were twisted down with sympathy, watching me, and I realize I had spoken aloud. I clear my throat awkwardly.

"May he finally find the rest he deserves," I add on hastily, miserably.

This was a good thing, I remind myself harshly in my mind, the reason we came to the Citadel. Our champions had taken down the dreaded Lich King, terror of the land, and we were victorious.

The elf was still waiting expectantly, and I clear my throat again before withdrawing a small satchel of gold, handing it to her. Making a split-second decision, I murmur a second incantation, and add the newly formed duplicate of my locket to her reward. She smiles at me coolly, before moving past me to speak with Sylvanas Windrunner.