Ashe X Tryndamere

Prologue: Avarosa

Don't let them see you. His words ranged in my ear over again. I pulled the cloak tighter about me, hiding my belly from any view. A young boy that was placed under Darken's order, held a horse ready for me. He held the small mare steady for me as I placed my left foot in the stirrup and heaved myself up on top of the mare. Adjusting my cloak, I reached inside my pouch and retrieved my letter with a few coins.

"Deliver this to General Darken when I leave. Tell him to make haste with preparations." The boy nodded as I placed the letter into his hand, along with the coins.

In exchange, he handed me the reins. Grabbing them, I pulled them to the left, changing my direction. Trotting away at first, I looked back to the camp. The tents were set up in rows, circled around a huge one. Where Darken sleeps, I thought bitterly to myself.

When the trees began to block my vision, I turned in my saddle, kicking my mare slightly, I set off into a gallop.

A week later

After arriving three days later, Darken had gathered everything needed for the birth of our child. I lay in bed most of the time, feeling to sore to move. Darken would come in, massaging my feet to my legs, relaxing me. I was asleep, dreaming of what our child would be and what they would look like, when I awoke at first to a sharp pain in my lower stomach. Thinking it was just cramps to use the chamber pot, I didn't pay attention at first. When the pain returned again, I knew that I had to wake Darken. Slowly getting out of bed, I shuffle across the floor, grabbing onto anything sturdy.

When I reach him, I gently pushed his shoulder back. When it doesn't wake him, I push his shoulder harder. His head snaps up as I grab his shoulder for support. His hand gently wraps around my elbow, leading me back to the bed. Making sure that I'm comfortable, he leaves me. For what seems like hours were just a few minutes. He came behind the midwife, unsure whether to wait outside or here with me. The midwife, Falistie, lifts up my nightgown.

She checks for signs, and says enthusiastically, "Maybe by morning we'll have a baby here." Though by morning, there was no baby. She had me walk around the room, when I sat back down, and there was still hardly any sign. "I can see a wee bit of hair."

During the mid-morning, she had me try different things and showed me how to do them. By mid-day she had me start pushing.

Darken held my hand while I pushed our child into the world. The wail of our child brought us to look at Falistie. Falistie wrapped the crying child in a silk blue cloth, handing the child to Darken, nodding her head. He held the child there, looking at its bloodied face.

Breaking the stare, he walks out of the room, taking our child with him.

A month later

I don't see Darken for another three days after I gave birth. When he did come back, he stayed by my side, never leaving me. After I recovered enough, I would walk through the maze, not going all the way where the forest would come in, but to a check point.

The last few days I would go for rides on my mare. Having my cloak wrapped about me, I made sure no one who happened to pass by me would recognize me or my bow.

The mare trotted to a small clearing that seemed to be very remote. I slid down the side, still holding onto the reigns, I pulled her to what looked like flowers. Brushing my hand across my neck, I listened to the sounds of the forest and the mare eating. Without warning, hunters came out into clearing from all directions. I pull my bow out from underneath my cloak, drawing the string back.

Arrows came from everywhere, my mare was the first to go down. Arrows hit me in my legs, sticking in deep. A blow from the back brought me down. I lay there, knowing I was dying, when Anivia came through the sky. She'll deliver the news.

Lissander's voice filled my ears. "You took away something that was important to me.. and the Freljord!" A knife was then being held to my throat. "Now you will pay." The knife slid across my throat, causing my breathing to be even more ragged. The stabs to my chest brought more blood to my mouth. They were heavy and long. When they did stop, Darken's face was the last thing I saw.