Blood, Ice & Steel

- Chapter Four -

Daniel was in his office when he heard the bell ring once again, but this time he knew why. The sun had settled over the horizon, and thus the sky above was covered in thousands of stars. He knew why the bell had rang; Jacob must've returned. The news of what occurred at Castle Highrock had finally arrived, and Daniel felt a high relief wash over him. Now Prince Arthas could get what he wanted, and then if needed, Squire Ethan could be punished for his crimes.

Daniel strode out of the town hall, heading to the gate as two guards began to open the gate. After the huge, wooden gates opened up and revealed the man outside, Daniel patiently waited next to Prince Arthas. Sure enough the man was Jacob, and he jogged up to them before kneeling to Arthas.

"No need for that, knight," Arthas said, gesturing his hand to tell him to rise back up. "I should be kneeling to you if this information is worthy enough that Breynth has betrayed us. However, I highly doubt that."

"Wait! Where are my men?" Daniel asked.

Once the two stopped speaking, Jacob instantly responded, "M'lord, Squire Ethan tells the truth. My crew was attacked by a small band of Breynth soldiers, and I am the sole survivor. The whole camp was slaughtered, and I believe the Breynth army posted there has made Castle Highrock as theirs. They have locked themselves inside, and could be even planning to march to the Radour capital, and if so then that means they would have to cut through Steelfrost."

Silence filled the air. Guards had their mouths open like Daniel, while Prince Arthas looked shocked but not by that much. It seemed that his thoughts were more focused on that he now could believe that two of his brothers were dead.

"Impossible!" Arthas shouted. "My brothers wouldn't die from the likes of Vuriean-"

"It was not Vuriean. Breynth has betrayed Radour, and if messengers aren't sent out to report this tragic news, this whole kingdom will fall; too surprised to repel the attacks," Jacob interrupted, looking at the prince.

Arthas turned around, looking down at the white snow. Everybody there just stood there, looking at him as if waiting for a command.

"I want them found. I want to know for sure," Arthas said, looking up the sky. "I want to know if Erick and Matthias are truly dead. Erick was the next in line; heir to the throne. He wouldn't die like this. He can't! Alert everybody that we're moving out to Castle Highrock in an hour! I want physical proof of this!"

Prince Arthas began to walk toward the barracks, though it housed only a few Radour soldiers, Jacob supposed he just wanted to be alone to think over things.

"What about my friend, m'lord?" Jacob asked, yelling over at the young prince as he walked away.

However, Arthas did stop once for a few seconds before replying and going back toward the barracks," Release the squire. Send him to me. Now."

The guards, including Jacob, were ones to know that nobody could stall Arthas's command. They got up and ran over to the prison to tell the guard posted there to let him out. The darkness of the night covered most things, including the Breynth soldiers that were marching their way toward the walls of Steelfrost with their banner high in the air, gently moving with the wind.

~-=-~

Back at Castle Highrock, the rumble of the ruined castle laid about the area. Walls were blown apart, being fortified with crude barricades made of the broken stone and of wood. Breynth soldiers proudfully raised their flag in the air of the castle that overlooked the massacre below them. The soldiers there rejoiced in their victory in their surprise attack against the unsuspecting Radour soldiers were ran among their ranks until the previous night, their blood spilled on the snow while their bodies were now being partially hidden by the falling snowflakes.