Alright guys, chapter 3. Little hint as to what to expect... Next chapter, Lux is going to go a little rogue! I know it isn't strict lore, and I told my husband I was a little worried about it and he reminded me that this was my story and I can write whatever I want, so HA! :3 I think Lux mains are really going to like how her character grows and the struggle that she goes through. She is gonna be a badass, I promise! Let me know what you guys think in a review of PM me :) This chapter is kinda boring and it's a lot of set up but I am SUPER excited for the next chapter. Hope you enjoy and Keep it Classy!
Garen was worried about Lux. She took the death of her students hard. She didn't go to her classes at the College of Magic where she taught. She barley ate and she was trying to convince Garen to spar with her, and teach her to use a sword. He was nervous just to be around her. She would go from sulky to angry faster then he could keep up with. He was pretty positive he didn't want her to have a sword in her hands when she was like this.
So, when Prince Jarvan sent for her, he of course insisted that he come along. And Lux begrudgingly let him. "I don't want to take a carriage though, I want to walk," she huffed before disappearing to collect her things. He opened his mouth to stop her, but decided that a commander knows which battles are wise to fight, and this was not one of them.
Just as he was finishing lacing up his boots, she emerged from her room. Her Hair was pushed back and a red beret with the Demacian Imperial Guard symbol was placed gracefully on her head. Her gold name tag over her left breast was freshly polished and the engraved Crownguard shimmered under the light. Her coat was red and gray and it flowed around her even though there was no wind and her leggings were black with gray stripes. Her gantlets and shin guards were her only true armor. They were almost black with red accents. Her staff was also freshly polished and sat naturally by her side. It was rare she went anywhere with out it.
"Ready?" he asked. Her staff glowed softly as she tested it and nodded before pushing past him out the door. He sighed before following her to their front gate.
In the inner ring of Demacia was building of sleek white stone with tall pillars reaching toward the sky, the royal blue flag of Demacia atop everyone. The houses they passed had their crest displayed proudly y their doors. The Spiritmight crest, a dove mid-flight, flew across the street, the home of the late prince's mother. Garen's mother, a powerful political figure named Loretta, introduced the King to Lady Catherine Spritmight when they were in their late 20's. The Laurent House, where mistress Fiora resided was not to far south of them either. Many of Demacia's champions in the League resided here in the inner circle.
Lux was silent as they walked, her eyes never leaving an invisible point in front of her. Her face was tense and her eyes were tired.
"Lux, can we please talk?" Garen asked.
"About what?" she asked suspiciously.
"About the fact that you've hardly eaten? How you toss and turn in your sleep? Or maybe about the fact that you've been a mess these past few days and I'm concerned about you. Mother is too." Lux raised an eyebrow and scoffed disbelieving.
"Mother is probably so embarrassed that her perfect daughter had a moment of weakness," she spat.
Garen grabbed her arm and turned her toward him but she pouted and turned her face away. She struggled against his grasp. "Come on Lux, don't be like that. Please talk to me. You've been in battle before, you've seen men die. Why is this affecting you so much?" Garen asked softly, trying desperately to make eye contact.
"Because, none of those men were my responsibility!" She spat in his face, her eyes shining. "The College trusted me with those student's lives and now they are dead because of my laps in judgment. Their mother's will never see them again, their father's will never hear them laugh again. They are gone, and that's on me. Now let me go."
"Lux, it wasn't your fault. You didn't put the knives to their throats..." Garen assured her. He had never seen her so angry before, and quite frankly, it scared him.
"No... but I know the woman who did... And I will not-" the tired lines in her eyes deepened "-cannot, rest until she feels the same pain that they did." Her eyes were like ice and every word was clipped in anger. He hugged her tight and she relaxed for just a moment in his arms.
"I understand Lux, I really do. I want her as dead as you do, but she is a Champion and the League would never let you kill her," he said when he released her.
"I would like to see the League try to stop me," she said coldly before turning on her heel and storming up the stairs to Jarvans palace, "And if they do, it will already be to late."
When they approached the tall stone doors, the guards standing at attention saluted them but Lux gave them no attention. Garen nodded to each in turn, he recognized some of the men that he had trained himself.
When they walked in, neither were surprised to find out that Jarvan IV was in his study. They walked the familiar palace halls before coming to a very unassuming door. There was muffled voices and Lux raised an eyebrow.
"He WAS expecting us? Right?" she asked, harsher then needed. Garen nodded and knocked softly.
"Enter," was the singular reply he got.
He opened the door into a large library-like room. Shelves full of books surrounded them on all sides, save for the wall that was almost entirely window looking out into a courtyard. To the right was a doorway leading into a reading room with a fireplace. Shyvanna looked over her shoulder and relaxed when she saw who had appeared. Jarvan was sitting at his desk by the windows with his fingers laced.
"I apologize your majesty, are we interrupting anything?" Garen asked as they entered.
"Nothing at all, please come in and close the door behind you," Jarvan replied as he stood and came around to the front of his desk. He gave Shyvanna a quick kiss on her cheek and she left without a word.
"You sent for me?" Lux asked impatiently.
Jarvan looked at here questioningly. "Yes..." he said slowly.
"Sir." she corrected herself.
Jarvan raised his eyebrow, "Well, since you don't seem in a mood for pleasantries," he trailed off and retrieved a file from his desk.
"Have either of you heard of a town called Kalamanda?" He asked casually. They both shook their heads. "I'm not surprised. It's a small, run-down town at the edge of the Shurima Desert. It almost pathetic except there has been a recent discovery of gold and Sing-Stones. And two nexuses..." he said. Surprise flashed across the Crownguards faces.
"Two? There has never been two in the same place until the Institute was created!" Garen said.
"And the Institute was built where it is because of those nexuses." Jarvan replied as he closed the file.
"As interesting as that is, sir, I don't understand why I have been called here," Lux replied.
"Councilman Reyes has agreed to give mining rights to Kalamanda, but only to one city-state." Jarvan continued. "I want you to go as a representative for Demacia, and petition Councilman Reyes to allow us to mine there."
"Do we know who will represent Noxus?" Garen asked.
"I'm not sure, I'm assuming one of the Du Couteau's. Cassiopeia knows the area, but she isn't exactly 'charming' in her current form... So if I had to bet gold, it will most likely be Katarina. Why?" Lux's face flashed something but it was to quick for Jarvan to catch.
"It shall be done," Lux replied and turned on her heel. She looked back at Garen. "Are you coming?" she asked.
Garen hesitated. "I'll be there in a moment."
"Fine," she snapped, narrowing her eyes and closing the door behind her.
Jarvan looked at his friend, "What troubles you Garen?"
"With all due respect Jarvan, I don't feel like Lux is up to this task right now."
Jarvan dropped the file on to his desk before crossing his arms and leaning back, "What makes you say that?" He asked.
Garen hesitated again. If Lux knew what he was about to say... "Lux is in a bad place right now. There was a battle in neutral territory a few days ago-"
Jarvan nodded, "I received your reports."
"Yes. It wasn't supposed to be anything to big, it was a small encampment of Noxians. Lux thought it would be a good opportunity to take some of her more senior students for field experience." Garen continued. "They didn't make it."
Jarvan mulled over his words for a few moments before responding. "I understand your concern Garen, but your sister is stronger then you give her credit for. Grief can be difficult, but I believe your sister can still perform her duties regardless of her personal matters." Jarvan walked around his desk and was just about to sit in his chair.
"Katarina was the one who killed them," Garen said and Jarvan froze over his chair. He sat down with a heavy sigh.
"This does change things..." he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Do you believe she would attempt revenge during a diplomatic assignment? What about the League?" he asked.
"She has already made her intentions when it comes to Katarina clear, sir," was all Garen could reply with.
Jarvan appeared torn. He was only in his mid-twenties, but his light brown hair was already showing strands of gray. His eyes were tired and he appeared weary with the weight of a kingdom on him. "She is our most favored diplomat and Champion in Valoran, she is obviously ideal... But I trust your judgment Garen, and if you think that it is to risky, I will not send her. But I will need someone to go in her place. Would you be willing to take her spot?" He asked. Even though Jarvan was his Prince, Garen felt no obligation in his tone. Jarvan knew that Garen hated everything political, it practically bored him to tears. But Lux was his sister. He couldn't let her kill Katarina, or risk her life trying. Let alone her stance in the League, and he didn't want a war to start because of her. Garen nodded and Jarvan stood.
"It is decided then, please have your sister return. I wish to speak with her alone." The look on Garens face must have made his concern obvious because Jarvans expression softened.
"There is no reason to worry my friend, I just want to inform her about my change in heart and also give her some time off of her duties so she may recover from her stressful ordeal. I care about her as if she were my own sister, you know that." He said and he gave him one of his rare smiles which Garen returned.
"I appreciate it, I will let her know." He replied.
When Garen looked in the hallway, his sister was standing not far from the doorway, with her arms crossed and her foot taping impatiently.
"Are you ready now?" she asked.
"Jarvan wishes to speak with you again," He said and her face became guarded, but she smoothed her expression into one of neutrality before she marched back into the study she had left not but 5 minutes earlier.
Garen took a deep breath before hurrying home. He had a trip to prepare for and he wanted to give Lux some time to cool off before he was anywhere near her.
Katarina wasn't quite sure what to expect when she dismounted her house in front of the Noxian High Command center. It was a tall building, carved into the side of a mountain. It's jagged spires rose above all others in Noxus and the black stone glistened.
She had been inside a hundred times, and seen it hundreds more, but it still made her skin tingle. With pride or fear, she could never be certain, but maybe that was the point.
Her boots echoed loudly off of the obsidian as she confidently walked through the almost palace-like structure. It used to be a citadel, that was claimed long before Noxus or Demacia every even knew of each other. Legend says that it was built long ago, by an immortal, a warrior made of metal who crushed all who opposed him. Noxian tribes saw it as a symbol of power and strength, so claimed it as their own and expanded out from it into the large city-state it was today. Kat scoffed of the legends, if an immortal truly lived here, then where did they go?
The Council Chambers was a large throne room. A large black table taking the place of the throne. At one end sat a large, high back chair. A raven called from the rafters above before landing on the back of the chair, staring at her with to many large, red eyes. The man in the chair looked up from his work and looked at her evenly with eyes of similar color.
"Katarina, sit," Swain said and gestured to a chair to his right. She swallowed but sat at his direction.
"Kalamanda is a city outside of Shurima that has two nexuses and plenty of gold and Sing-Stones to be the boost our economy needs. Councilman Reyes, who resides over the pathetic town, has offered to let some city-states mine there, but will eventually give exclusive rights to just one. Go, and ensure that Noxus is the one he chooses," Swain said. His voice was unnatural and hearing it made her arms flair up in goosebumps. It was similar to nails on a chalkboard.
"How much force am I authorized to use sir?" she asked.
"None, for the time being," Swain looked up at her from his paperwork.
Kat grunted, "So, how do I convince him?"
Swain set the paper down he was reading. "I figured you could use some of the Du Couteau charm and convince him that having us as a friend, will do more for him than being enemies."
Kat nodded, "I'll do what I can."
She got up a little quickly and the raven let out a horrifying shriek after her.
"Calm yourself Beatrice... You will have your time soon enough..." Kat heard before she all but bolted out the door.
After the door closed behind Katarina, the shadows in the room seemed to shift before melding into a final form. The figure was slender, and looked young. Her skin was a light purple and her hair a few shades darker. Her outfit was revealing and the crown on her head held a large ruby that glowed with its own light. Her staff was silver and gold with purple gems hovering on their own accord.
"I find your choice in representatives... interesting," she mused with a honey voice.
"She is one of the most famous and less hated Champions of ours in the League," Swain said casually.
"But an assassin, on a political errand?" LeBlanc questioned, raising her eyebrow.
Swain waved off her concerns. "If all goes according to plan, it will make no difference. I am assuming that you have done your part?"
She narrowed her eyes before revealing a vial from thin air. The thick red liquid inside was unsettling still. "Did you have doubts?" she asked dangerously.
"Just want to make sure everything is in place."