A/N: Third Chapter! I hope you guys will enjoy, and thank you ImaginaryEngineer for being my amazing new beta! I'm sorry these chapters aren't coming out that much faster, but with school and work I sometimes find my attention is torn by multiple things. If you guys have any questions at all, please feel free to ask and all that! I've heard amazing feedback from guests and users alike so please keep it coming!
Mumbled voices started to fill her thoughts. Slowly Shyvana began to wake up, her mind registering the smells and noises around her. She felt like large rocks had been placed on her limbs and her eyelids had been glued down. Struggling to come to full consciousness, the past events slowly filled her mind as well. A black dragon that killed her father had broken into Demacian city limits to destroy her. She had fought him off as well as she could, but she wasn't strong enough. Jarvan. His name came to mind and her eyes snapped open looking for the man who had saved her twice now.
Her vision was blurred s she tried to differentiate the shapes into people or objects. To her right was a nurse, who was bandaging her arm as a fresh I.V. was put into place. Her smile was soothing, and Shyvana sighed out of content from the pleasant numbness of her body. To her left was the Prince. He was engaged in conversation with another nurse, his words spilling from his mouth in frantic fragments. Shyvana had trouble deciphering what he was talking about, but she was too comfortable to really care.
"Hello, my dear." The elderly nurse next to her said. Shyvana diverted her attention to her, and felt reassured by her big smile. "You gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling?"
"I feel good." Shyvana whispered, still exhausted from her injuries. She slowly started to see clearly the image of the woman tending to her as her eyes adjusted to the light of the room. She had pearl white hair and clouded blue irises, a common Demacian trait. She was dressed in white scrubs, with a stethoscope around her neck.
"Shyvana?" Jarvan asked, his voice interrupting their conversation. From his view, Shyvana looked to be pretty banged up. Her irises were a pale autumn, she had bandages covering her arms, legs, and forehead, and a larger one placed on her neck. Her usual healthy blue skin, was now pale and devoid from any vibrancy. The nurses hadn't had time to wash out the blood matted onto her hair, so they had piled it on top of her head. Jarvan ushered the nurses out of the room as Shyvana turned to look at him, her tired eyes which seemed to begin to doze off once more.
"Thank you." She said weakly. Jarvan smiled and brushed a small wisp of red hair away from her face.
"Don't worry about it." Shyvana smiled, slowly closing her eyes. "Shyvana," He said, shaking her shoulder gently to wake her. She struggled to open her eyes, still exhausted from the battle that had transpired. "Who was that dragon?" He asked, his voice urgent.
"I don't know his name." Shyvana whispered, her eyelids dropping. "He…" she paused, struggling to get her words out. "Killed my father." She drifted off, her exhaustion taking over her. Jarvan frowned. Seeing Shyvana this tired was disheartening. Not only that, Demacia's defenses have failed, not being able to guard against these kinds of attacks
The elderly nurse that had been waiting at the door, noticed the poor girl slipping into a deep sleep once more. She made her way over to them, tugging at Jarvan's sleeve, "The young girl needs to rest. Her body is experiencing the same wounds a warrior would have coming back from a war."
Jarvan reluctantly moved away from her bedside and walked outside the infirmary room. His mind still playing the events that had occurred in the past eight hours, from Shyvana's terrified face to the fearsome dragon that towered over her. How could the guards let something so monstrous slip past their defenses? He had promised that he would protect Shyvana!
"Prince Jarvan." A shy steward called him out. The impatient seventeen year-old looked down at the young boy who was hesitantly handing him a piece of paper. "Your father requests that you visit his chambers immediately." Jarvan read the message before nodding and made his way from the palace infirmary towards his father's chambers.
The King was informed of such the events early earlier in the morning. He was notified of the half-dragon's medical status as well as his son's. The King had been in no mood for such news, at first he was furious that they had a lack of defense. His thoughts roamed to the idea that Shyvana may have lead the dragon here, but those ideas lost some momentum when he heard of her injuries. Would she be a future threat to the safety of Demacia?
It wasn't long until he heard the heavy footsteps echoing from the hall, Jarvan has finally arrived. Adjusting his position, he faced the door as Jarvan entered the room. The King ushered for him to sit down in one of the lavish, leather lounge chairs. Jarvan sat down, irked by how casual his father looked. The pair stared at each other for a moment, the Prince analyzing his father's rigid posture, while the King addressed his son's exhausted expression. "So explain to me what happened last night." The King said after a moment of silence, offering his son a cup of tea
"A dragon broke into the castle walls! She could have been killed!" Jarvan said, his frustration growing at the tranquil setting. His grouchy mood, could also have been caused by the lack of sleep.
"Besides the girl, who else was there with you?" The King asked, brushing off his ill-tempered words, and took back the cup of tea, and took a sip for himself.
"I was alone. The dragon seemed too surprised by my actions to further his assault." Jarvan said, sitting back in his seat, one knee pulled up to his chest, and his head resting on his fist.
"How did you know that the young girl was in trouble then?" Jarvan froze at his words. He had been focused on the main events of the night, but had ignored the beginning. How had he known?
"I woke up feeling like something was off," Jarvan murmured, trying to recollect the moments before he raced into action.
"And you decided to roam outside, far into the woods, on a feeling?" The King's suspicious tone didn't go unnoticed. Glaring, Jarvan retorted back.
"Well it's a good thing I did, father. She would have been dead otherwise!" Raising an eyebrow, the King set down his cup.
"But how did you know Jarvan? How did you know she was in danger?" The king said in a very serious tone. Jarvan was speechless. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew. It was almost as if his body had sent him into action, leading him towards her dire situation.
"I don't know." Jarvan whispered, staring at his palm.
"When you first found her, how did you know she was there?" Jarvan's eyes flew up to his. What was the meaning behind these questions? Was he trying to suggest that he snuck Shyvana into the castle?
"I was looking for the Noxian thief!" Jarvan retorted, his pupils narrowing. His father didn't say anything, but looked down at the tea cup in his hand. Jarvan felt fury flow through him. Why was his father accusing him of such things? "Finding Shyvana last night was just an instinct that I followed, nothing more!"
"All I'm saying that it is very suspicious Jarvan." His father said, trying to speak reason into his son. "We have no idea if this girl can be trustworthy or what she is capable of." Jarvan was stunned at the bluntness his father has just displayed.
"You think that Shyvana wants to bring harm to Demacia?" Jarvan asked, exasperated. He felt like laughing for a moment, knowing how determined Shyvana was to bring honor to herself and Demacia. She had been nothing, but loyal!
"I'm saying that it is a possibility." The king said. Jarvan let out a dark, agitated laugh.
Jarvan made his exit after this, finding his father insufferable at this point. While he did find his ideas ludicrous, one stuck with him. What woke him up last night? A part of his mind acknowledged that something else had lead him to find Shyvana, to help her, but how was the possible?
Silence echoed throughout at the room, not even the sound of whirring machines could be heard. Small blue hands clutched the starchy, white blankets. A grimace crossed the scratched mouth of the girl sitting on the bed. Tears escaped from tightly shut eyes, and stifled sobs rocked her chest. The sun's heat beat down on her neck from the nearby window, but she didn't mind since dragons didn't feel heat. But besides that, she didn't feel anything except for the pain that she had in her heart.
Shyvana felt her nose start to run, and her eyes burning from the tears that she held back. Her hands starting to numb from her heavy grip on her blanket. She could feel the strain on her knuckles as they slowly started to lose color.
Memories from last night kept replaying in her mind. Those piercing eyes, that sickening voice, and most of all his deafening roar. That roar which haunted her ever since she had been born. His roar was the thing that kept her up in the night, the sound that would send shivers down her spine, but most of all, it was the roar that crippled her down from a mighty half-dragon into a terrified little lizard. How long was she supposed to be scared?
Her sobs were kept at bay for a short while, but as the horrifying dragon roar kept replaying her head, she couldn't hold it back. Shyvana had been so scared last night. She had accepted death, she welcomed it, and now she was still alive to be tormented another day. Sobs racked through her chest and she felt her limbs shaking. Opening her sealed eyelids, through watery eyes, she saw the bandages, the scrapes and scratches, the blood that was still smeared on her skin. Her blood.
Frustration took over her. I'm so weak. She wanted to scream, or lash out, or punch something, or anything that would release this frustration. Why was she so weak? Ever since her father died, she had grown weaker. Her strength was reduced faltered, her speed was a fraction of what it used to be, and her flames were dimming. Tears crept down her cheeks as she looked at her hands in horror.
"I'll never be able to defeat him..." Shyvana whispered, the words becoming true as she spoke them. The idea of always being in fear sent her into shocked silence. The tears ebbed and she felt her body still. "No..." She whispered. Her hands instinctively balled into fists. "No!" She shouted. Fire spread around her, filling the room, and scorching the sheets. Nurses rushed in with fire extinguishers and panicked faces, immediately one nurse went to the upset dragoness and checked her for burns. Shyvana cringed at her touch, snatching her arm away violently from the woman. More nurses continued to tug at her, but the more she resisted the more she became violent.
"Shyvana!" The head nurse shouted, grabbing her wrists violently and shoving them down onto the bed. Resisting, Shyvana thrashed around in the bed, furiously kicking her legs at the nurses that amassed to restrain that restrained her. Growling, fire began to exude from her being, igniting the soft cloth that surrounded her. "Fetch me restraints!" The head nurse said, glaring down at Shyvana.
"Release me!" Shyvana screamed glaring back at her, red eyes burning into the old woman's cloudy blue ones. Shyvana felt cold steel manacles surrounding her wrists, shackling her to the bed. Steel belts bound her to the bed, biting into her heated skin. Rage filled her and she screamed in fury. Nurses stepped away, avoiding the flames that lashed out at them. Shyvana's hospital gown began to disintegrate from the intensity of the flames, as well as the surrounding bed and sheets. Even with her violent outburst though, she remained constrained to the bed frame.
The more Shyvana flailed, trying to remove herself from her prison, the more she slipped into the rage filled haze. Shyvana felt herself observing her actions, ones that resembled the temper-tantrum of younger children. Her dragon self wanting to be free, to rip the precious lives out of the nurses who dare restrain her; while, her human self wanting to regain control, to become calm and collected.
And as she fought herself inwardly, both sides of her being, trying to gain control, she slowly felt exhaustion take over her. Her injuries becoming more noticeable and her sore muscles begging for release. The nurses watched empathetically as her violent tantrum slowly subsided. Her eyelids drooping and, finally, sleep overtaking her. The head nurse shook her head and turned to her youngest attendant.
"Warren, please bring the Prince to me." The boy lingered to stare at the dangerous girl in the room, before doing as he was told. Sighing, the head nurse moved in, her heart aching for the girl who was clearly scared. Her fierce ruby eyes had spoken to her in that brief moment. The pain she felt, the horror she experienced, and it must have been so overwhelming.
"Redress her wounds, make sure no additional damage has been done by her outburst." The elderly took a moment to move the red curls that had fallen into her eyes. "I'll be back to be sure she has been taken care of."
It was late in the day, the sun had just set, and most of the people were retiring to their homes and chambers. The infirmary had been filled with a few nurses to monitor patients as the night continued on. Rain had presented itself on this night to represent the upcoming fall. The small droplets would hit hitting the window rhythmically, creating a melody of clarity.
Shyvana watched the rain, finding herself enjoying it for once. Usually she was out in the rain, taking shelter under her father's wing. Dragons weren't bothered by temperature that much, but Shyvana hated being wet. She would rather be in the state she was in, bound to a bed by steel handcuffs than be drenched in the cold rain in the woods.
Diverting her attention from the rain pelting the window, she looked towards the door where she heard a knock. The Prince stood behind it, in his more casual attire, but still looking as princely as ever. Jarvan held himself elegantly, a posture that radiated royalty. Jarvan walked in gracefully, his black t-shirt silhouetting his lean frame, and was even more emphasized by the wetness of his t-shirt. His disheveled wet hair was pushed to the side, and he reminded Shyvana of wet dogs. Her steely gaze met his, and he noticed how much guarded she had become. Her eyes didn't embody the fire, but of rubies made of the hardest stone.
"Hello," Jarvan said, giving a smile. Shyvana didn't respond, her mouth pressed in a thin line and her eyes heavy as ever. Jarvan felt himself falter at her gaze. He had never felt so intimidated before such an innocent face. Even with her body restrained, he felt as if she would pounce at him. "I heard you went a little..." not knowing how to phrase it best, he blatantly spoke "Crazy." Shyvana let out a smirk. She looked away from him towards the rain. Hesitantly he moved towards the bed, like he would move towards an animal that was hurt or injured.
"I suppose I was." Shyvana said, her voice only a mere whisper. Jarvan moved himself on top of her bed, sitting calmly next to her. "I need to become stronger." Shyvana said, clutching the blankets. "I have to kill him." Jarvan could hear the rage in her voice. "It's been thirteen years, he won't stop." Shyvana spat. The more she spoke about the haunting dragon, the more she realized how impossible this task seemed. "Last night I couldn't even land a scratch on him. I'm lucky to be alive."
Images of her body crashing onto the hard ground crossed Jarvan's mind. He pressed his lips together as he listened to her, cursing silently at the Demacian guard for not protecting her. When he could see her relax, he spoke, "We'll train harder." He instinctively placed a hand on hers.
Shyvana laughed coldly at this, "I'm growing weaker. I can't even manage to stay conscious after releasing my dragon form." Shyvana shook her head. "No. Being here is affecting me somehow." Shyvana looked back towards the window. "Being out there, I was strong. I was something that people feared, but now I'm just…" Shyvana trailed off, her shoulders drooping. "I could never fight him in the condition I am now."
Jarvan fell silent. As he thought about her previous fights, he had always felt like she had been holding back. When he had first met her, he could feel the power radiating off of her, but now it was lessened, something had changed her. Jarvan thought for a moment, wondering if maybe Shyvana could have an idea of what was preventing her. "Why do you think you're weaker?" Shyvana shrugged.
"My father told me that being a half-dragon would give me different abilities than other dragons." Shyvana said, her throat tightening at the mention of her father. "Perhaps because I'm a half-dragon, I'll always be the weaker compared to the others."
"What kind of abilities?" Jarvan asked.
"Well for one thing, in my dragon form, I'm not a traditional dragon. I'm a wyvern." Shyvana sighed at Jarvan's confused face, before continuing to explain. "A wyvern has two legs, not four, also my claws are on my wings." Jarvan nodded, recalling the fearsome beast that Shyvana could morph into.
"Is there anything else?" he asked. Shyvana shook her head. Jarvan furrowed his brow at the little information known about half-dragons. "Do you know of anyone that could know more about your species?"
"I only knew my father." Shyvana said. "Most half-dragons that existed, were slaughtered as soon as he or she was born." Her eyes hardened at this. "My father told me that my mother hid in a cave to give birth to me, and once she died, he took me into the mountains."
"In Freljord?" Jarvan asked, and Shyvana nodded.
"No one knew I was alive, except for one dragon. A dragon that dwelled in the mountains, who somehow knew my father would be there. We've been running from ever since." Jarvan frowned.
"Maybe that dragon knows something about you." Jarvan said. Shyvana laughed at this before shaking her head.
"And if he did, how are you planning to ask him?" She asked. Jarvan giggled in return.
"There has to be someone who knows." Jarvan paused. "I'll ask Ilia!" Jarvan said, a small epiphany coming to him.
"Ilia?" Shyvana asked, raising an eyebrow. "What does she know about dragons?"
"Ilia used to be on alliances with Bilgewater, and I can imagine that dragons are a commodity there. If anyone knows about the existence of dragons, it's her!" Jarvan flashed Shyvana one last smile before grabbing a key from the nightstand. Moving over to her handcuffs, Jarvan unlocked them. Shyvana looked up at him quizzically.
"Why take me?" Shyvana questioned. Jarvan chuckled.
"You should know about dragons too." Jarvan glanced towards the door. "Try to look inconspicuous." And with that, Jarvan pulled on her wrist and they left through the door. Shyvana shyly moved behind him, trying to seem nonchalant and confident.
As they entered the older woman's room, he noticed how bare the walls were. Only a bed, dresser, and desk furnished the room. Ilia was currently sitting at her desk, writing a letter. She looked up at the young Prince, an expression of shock gracing the old woman's features. "Prince Jarvan? Shyvana? Is there something wrong?" Jarvan shook his head and walked towards her. "Shyvana, why are you still in your hospital gown? And look at your wounds! My dearest Prince, she should be in the care of the infirmary!" Ilia said, exasperated.
"Ilia," Jarvan said seriously, hoping she would stop with her questions. "I was wondering if you could tell me everything you know about dragons." Ilia gave a small chuckle at him, before setting the quill pen down.
"Ah, I see. I have been wondering when you were going to ask me." Ilia looked at the moon and gestured towards it. "What do you suppose the moon is made of?" Jarvan raised an eyebrow at this.
"It's an egg." Shyvana said.
"An egg?" Jarvan said. He glanced at Shyvana and was surprised to find that she was completely serious."An egg filled with a thousand dragons!" Ilia said with wonder. "In fact, dragons are believed to be the sons and daughters of the great moon. The sun of course, being their protective father. This is an important legend among dragons. Such prideful creatures. There are other theories, but this one has stood the test of time."
"So if we want to learn more about dragons," Jarvan said looked between the two. "We have to go to the moon?" Ilia laughed at this and patted his hand.
"No dear." Ilia's eyes turned serious then. "Dragons aren't a race you want to reckon with. They are cunning and cold, or at least, most are." Ilia sighed and looked at her hands. "The only dragons that won't try to kill you on sight are the ones that will ask for a price." Shyvana nodded at this. "The price can range from family jewels, your services, or, perhaps, something that you hold more dearly than money can buy." Ilia's voice trailed off at this.
"Is there any possibility that someone in Bilgewater owns a dragon?" Jarvan asked. Shyvana snickered.
"You can't own a dragon." Shyvana said, a hint of arrogance in her tone.
Ilia nodded at this, "People have tried, but a dragon chained, isn't a dragon at all, just a giant lizard." Ilia smiled at Shyvana then. "Half-dragons, from what I have heard, are probably the wildest of all dragons." Shyvana looked up at her. "I don't know much about your kind Shyvana, but I've heard stories. The one thing that remains constant though is that half-dragons are usually alone, either abandoned or forced that way. Loneliness is usually the cause of their death."
"Why? Why do they die from loneliness?" Shyvana said. Ilia shrugged at this.
"They are only stories. I have never heard a half-dragon being adopted by a human, let alone a Prince! Or of a half-dragon surviving like you are." Ilia said with warmth in her voice.
"Where have you heard these stories from?" Jarvan asked.
"Thieves, mainly ones who steal dragon scales, or dragon horns."
"So if we found someone selling dragon scales-" Jarvan started before Ilia cut him off.
"If you want to know more about half-dragons, I would suggest you find dragons. Thieves would tell you lies, or even take hostage the Prince of Demacia. There are dragons who would ask you for a price, but they would tell you truly." Ilia then reached down towards her dresser drawer.
After rummaging through it for a moment, she pulled out a map of Runeterra. Laying it out, she pointed a finger at the Freljord, "If you seek dragons, don't go to Freljord. Black dragons reside in the mountains. Ionian river dragons, though, are some of the more peaceful and wisest. It is rumored that the oldest dragons live near the Solari, maybe they will have answers for you, I do warn you though that dragons are more dangerous the closer they are to the sun. Those are all the stories I've heard about."
"Are there any half-dragons?" Shyvana asked, her golden eyes looking up at Ilia.
"One is rumored to live in the Ironspike Mountains. Too dangerous for you two though." Ilia looked at the map again. "Where do you think you will head to?"
"The Solari." Shyvana said instantly. Jarvan looked at her, surprised at her quick retort. "We should start with the oldest dragons." Shyvana said, looking at Jarvan for confirmation.
"That's reasonable." Jarvan said, nodding at her.
"When do you two plan on leaving?" Ilia asked.
"Tonight." Shyvana said, "Why wait any longer?" Jarvan's expression was one of disbelief.
"We have to gain permission from my father before we go anywhere." Jarvan said grabbing her shoulder, "There are rules here." Shyvana shrugged out of his grasp and looked at him accusingly.
"I'll leave tonight then." Shyvana looked up at him defiantly before heading towards the door. Jarvan threw Ilia a desperate look, hoping that the elder would reason with the girl.
"You best be going!" Ilia said, ushering him out of the door. "I'll explain it to your father!" A wicked grin spread across Ilia's face as she watched them leave. Jarvan sent a look of concern before following the stubborn red-head.
In the pale moonlight, the two figures moved silently through the gates exited Demacia. The forest alive with the sound of animals. Jarvan stood calmly next to the young girl, whose bright red hair could be seen even in the dark. She had pulled it into a high pony tail, large curls falling down her back. She dressed for the trip in a sleeveless black shirt, blue shorts, and black combat boots. Jarvan stood tall next to her, his disheveled hair let loose, while wearing a black t-shirt, green pants, and black combat boots. The two packed light, only having enough supplies for two days, planning to stop at local inns and stores.
Guards didn't stop them or interfere, their concern wasn't on those whom were leaving. Shyvana held the map that would lead them to the people of the Solari. They expected to arrive in two days, their trip taking them through the marshes and parts of the desert. Their only concern being on those who would wish to do harm unto them, or at least that was Shyvana's main concern. Jarvan was more worried about his father being furious with them him. He was on strict orders to not leave the castle without a guard. He knew that Noxians would love to take him hostage, but Jarvan had agreed to this trip on a whim. He couldn't find himself to regret it though. The freedom of the night sky was so exhilarating that he found himself happier than he had been in the past few months.
They took the main road, which was often used for merchants travelling back and forth, which meant that it also was a great place for people to hide and wait. Shyvana had warned against it at first, but Jarvan insisted it would be the fastest and they could defend themselves well enough. The moonlight barely illuminated their path as they marched out. Shyvana was resorted to use her fire to light the path. They said nothing for the first few minutes of the trip, mainly watching out for thieves or murderers.
"What do you expect to find?" Jarvan said. Shyvana was silent, taking time to think over his question.
"I'm not sure." She said, looking up at him, her amber eyes glowing from the fire. Jarvan felt himself admiring them once more, finding her eyes more and more astonishing as they spent time together. "I'm excited to see another dragon."
"Didn't you live with the dragons at one point?" Jarvan asked, his previous inclinations proving false at the shake of her head.
"My father and I, always travelled alone." Shyvana said, her voice light and casual. "He taught me everything I know about dragons. What they can do, what they eat, how they hunt…" Shyvana paused for a moment. "I always wanted to live with them. To see them fly with each other, to hunt with them, to just feel accepted." Jarvan frowned.
"Well you're accepted in Demacia." He said proudly, but found himself surprised when she shook her head once more.
"Everyone thinks I'm a freak." Shyvana said, glancing up. "All they do is stare and judge. No one has even bothered to say 'hello' or ask what my name is."
"I'm sorry." Jarvan said, turning his attention to the ground. He had assumed that people were accepted Shyvana as he had planned. She had never bothered to tell him otherwise.
"Don't be." Shyvana said, "You're my friend, right?" Shyvana asked, her eyes guarded. Jarvan laughed at this, holding his side. Shyvana's gaze turned into a glare. Insulted, she huffed and turned her attention to the road.
"Of course I'm your friend!" Jarvan boomed, "I thought that was obvious by being out here with you!" Shyvana, surprised, couldn't help but laugh at this as well. Together, in mirth, the two walked, talking about random things like the palace, gossip, battles, fighting, or anything that came to mind. They continued to talk until Jarvan decided it would be best to set up camp. Moving off of the path, they searched for a healthy cover of trees. Satisfied with a spot near a large boulder, Jarvan laid down his pack. Exhaustion slowly had taken over the pair, and sleep was an essential for this trip.
"We should start a fire-"Jarvan's sentence was cut off by the roar of flames, pluming upwards. "Shyvana!" He yelped. She looked up at him innocently as the flames consumed her hands.
"Don't worry, dragons are good with fire." After a moment of scorching heat, Jarvan looked back to see a small ball of flame hovering in front of Shyvana's hands. "Do you still have those sausages?" Jarvan nodded and pulled them out of his backpack. Grabbing a stick, he stabbed the sausage and held it over Shyvana's hands. They sat in silence for a moment before Shyvana spoke again.
"What do you expect to find?" She said. Jarvan shrugged at this.
"I'm also excited to see a dragon, the only one I've seen is you and your father's dead corpse." Shyvana cringed at the bluntness at his words, but took no offense. "What does it feel like?" Shyvana raised a red eyebrow at him. "You know, to be the only half-dragon."
"It's lonely." She murmured, "But I've always been alone, so I'm used to it."
"You aren't alone anymore." Shyvana looked up at him quizzically. "Remember? We're friends now." Jarvan flashed a brilliant smile at him. A shy blush crept up Shyvana's cheeks, her tummy suddenly jolting with the sparks she had felt the first time she had met him. Her savior… Don't fall in love with the Prince. Ilia's words came back to mind, and she fought down the blush.
"What is it like being the Prince of Demacia?" Shyvana asked, quickly changing the subject.
"It's a lot of pressure." He said, staring at the fire, his attitude changing from casual to indifferent. "I live under the shadow of the Kings before me. I'm under constant pressure from my father to do the best I can. The citizens look at me with awe, even though, I've done nothing!" Jarvan sighed in exasperation. "I'm turning eighteen in a month, and I'm supposed to be preparing for my coronation, looking for a queen, and trying to run a kingdom." Shyvana's forehead creased at this. She had never thought that being a Prince had been so taxing. "I don't think I'll ever be ready to be a king."
"I think you'll be a great king." Shyvana said. Jarvan looked up at her mildly surprise. She blushed once more at her outburst before explaining, "A King protects his people. You brought me in and fought off a dragon to protect me. What else could your citizens ask for in a king?" Jarvan smiled at her, appreciating her kind words. "Have you found a queen yet?" Shyvana asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Jarvan shook his head, "My father wants me to marry Fiora Laurent, a daughter of one of the proudest Demacian families."
"Do you like her?" Jarvan laughed and shook his head again.
"She's too…" Jarvan trailed off. "Well to be blunt she can be a bitch." Shyvana laughed, surprised by such foul language from a prince.
"Who do you want to marry?" Shyvana asked, her voice earnest.
"I have no idea." Jarvan said, staring back at her. "I don't care if she's beautiful or from a rich family, she just has to be…" Jarvan paused and looked back to at the fire, before smiling again. "She just has to be brave"
A/N: Getting cozy by the fire are we!? I hope you guys enjoyed, and if you were looking for instantaneous romance, it is only found in the crush of a small half-dragon (so far)! Please review, fav, and follow. I would appreciate that so much! Thanks!