Dragon's Calling

Chapter I

Shyvana sat in the mess hall of the Institute of War, home of the League of Legends. She had a plate of food before her, heavy on the meat and smelling delicious. However, for the past ten minutes, it had sat untouched, and the half-dragon had a far-away look in her eyes.

Her thoughts were inward, reflecting on her life so far. She was a champion of Demacia, named so by the crowned prince of the City-State, Jarvan Lightshield the Fourth, and by his grace, she fought first on the fields of battle and then again here in the league. She enjoyed her work, battling for and beside her adopted home, but she still had a feeling of emptiness.

It was not because people thought she looked strange; a recent spell invention from the league allowed her to change her look to something more human looking, hiding her horns and making her skin a more normal shade of flesh. She'd even commissioned a new set of armor to go along with her new look. It had been well received in the league, and even better by the citizens of Demacia, who no longer shied away from her when she walked in public. Someone had even remarked that when she transformed, her scales looked made of iron, and so her new look was dubbed Ironscale.

No, her look was not what was on her mind. It was as if there was something missing inside her. She felt incomplete. Her heart longed for something, someone.

"You need a search party?"

Shyvana's thoughts were interrupted as the Frost Archer, Ashe, sat down across from her, a plate of her own particular palate before her.

"You looked so lost in thought, I thought you'd want a search party sent after you," Ashe explained, noting Shyv's bewildered look.

"Oh," the half-dragon replied, feeling a little foolish for getting so deep in thought. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"So what were you thinking about?"

"It's… it's nothing," Shy said, taking a bite of her food finally.

"Really," Ashe asked, a hint of disbelief in her voice. "I've never seen anyone think so hard on nothing. Come on, Shyvana. What's bothering you?"

Shyvana chewed her food to delay answering. "Ashe, why is it so hard to meet someone?"

"Meet someone," Ashe asked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… romantically."

Ashe's eyes widened in further surprise. "But I thought you and Jarvan…"

"Everyone does," Shyv replied, exasperated. "Just because he helped me avenge my father's death and personally accepted me into Demacia, everyone thinks I'm either with him or pining for him. The truth is he's too much of a noble for me, always so proper and polite and ugh!" Shyv's head collapsed next to her plate, making the table jump. "Sometimes, I wish I'd never met him."

"Shyv," the Frost Archer exclaimed. "You can't mean that!"

Shyvana sighed and straightened, putting her head in her hands and her elbows propping her up on the table. "No, of course I don't, but the rumors keep away anyone who would be interested. And even when I tell them they're not true, they still keep their distance on the off chance that Jarvan does fancy me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ashe replied, genuinely concerned for her friend.

"Yes, well," Shyv said, poking at her food, her appetite gone from the outburst. "Sadly, I see no way to change any of it."

Ashe bit into her own meal, a light Cesar salad with blue cheese dressing, and chewed thoughtfully. "Perhaps I could help you out. Maybe set you up on some blind dates?"

"I wouldn't be adverse to it," Shyv replied. "But I still have the problem of the rumor."

"Let me worry about that," Ashe said, waving her fork dismissively. "So, you'd be alright with it?"

Shyv looked at her plate. She trusted Ashe implicitly. The Frost Archer wasn't given to making promises she could not keep. She looked back at Ashe, who smiled bright enough to make Lux's jaw drop in amazement at the confidence it radiated. She couldn't help but grin back as she nodded her head.

"Excellent," Ashe said, happily. "Now, I just need some preferences from you."

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, what's your preferred date's sexuality?"

Now it was Shyvana's turn to have her eyes widen. "What kind of… I mean… I've never even…"

"Oh come on, Shyv," Ashe chuckled. "We may fight with swords and sorcery, but this isn't the dark ages. Even I've experimented with a few women in the league."

"You? But you and Trynd-"

"It's a marriage of politics," Ashe responded immediately, cutting off any further word of her relation to Tryndamere. "We got together for our people, not for any attraction to each other. Besides, he's had his own 'adventures' in the bedroom too."

Shyvana couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd honestly never considered it, but the more she thought about it, she realized she had no idea how she felt about it. The only interactions she'd had with women were either in conversation or on the battle field.

"Well… I guess I wouldn't mind trying it once or twice…"

"It's good to keep an opened mind," Ashe said, making a note on a small notepad she'd pulled from her armor's pocket. "What else? What do you want your ideal date to be like?"

"Well," Shyv started as she scratched her neck, suddenly nervous. "I guess I'd like him or her to be good looking…"

"Rules Trundle out," Ashe smirked. "On that note, would you prefer they stay humanoid?"

"As long as they don't look like Kog'Maw, I'm alright with someone outside my species. Well, half my species."

Ashe nodded again, making more notes. "How about personality?"

"Somewhere between sane and sweet," Shyv replied. "But not too sweet."

"Let's out Lux. I think I can work with this." Ashe put the notepad and pencil away and went back to her salad. Both women continued the meal, talking more about what Shyvana would like to see in her dates, before Ashe's body started to glow blue.

"Looks like I'm up," she said, standing and picking up her plate. She still had a moment or so before she was summoned; the glow was just a warning that she'd been chosen and to finish whatever activity she was engaged in. "I'll get back to you later today, Shyv."

The half-dragon nodded, looking nervous again. Ashe smiled warmly. "Don't worry. It'll be fine. I promise." With that the Frost Archer turned and ran over to a garbage can to dump her disposable plate and silverware before she disappeared in a blue burst. Shyv looked back down at her plate. Was she ready to date someone? She'd barely gotten comfortable with being in one place for so long. Maybe she should tell Ashe she'd changed her mind…

No, she told herself. You're not going to chicken out on this. You've never shied away from a challenge, you're not about to start now. You WILL find someone. Or die trying.

She nodded to herself and, after finishing her meal, disposed of her leavings. This was a new beginning for Shyvana, the Half-Dragon of Demacia.