Chapter 10: Star-cross'd Lovers
A/N: Hello readers, welcome to Chapter 10. The pairing of one-shot is RivenxIrelia, set Modern!AU. I've been thinking of writing Rivelia for quite a while, and it was only yesterday that the idea stroke me. I hope you enjoy reading this
Disclaimer: I don't own LoL nor do I work for Riot Games.
A sound of clashing steel was heard on the morning streets of Valoran; it was another feud between the servants of house Noxus and house Ionia. Those on the scene was not bothered by the fight, for it was an everyday scenery for them. House Noxus was always at odds with house Ionia; their rivalry was so old the reason was forgotten, but the feud never ceased.
The fight lasted for a while, but then came the Prince of Valoran: Prince Marcus. The fighters quickly halted their strikes the moment they realized Prince Marcus was among the onlookers. The prince had a very serious look on his face, and after a brief silence, he cleared his throat and issued the final warning.
"For so long I have seen you two families fighting to no ends, and I quite frankly have had enough of this foolish rivalry. Cease your feuds, lest death is what you after, for I hereby declare that those of the family of Noxus and Ionia who started another bout shall be sent to death! Do I make myself clear?"
The servants could only nod in fear for their dear lives, and immediately scampered around, returning to their respective house.
On the house of Ionia, its doors welcomed a distinguished guest of the family. It was Count Singed who came under the invitation of Lord Ionia. The Count was well-known throughout Valoran for he was the kinsman of the Prince of Valoran. Lord Ionia himself greeted his special guest, and led him to one the house's many living room.
When they reached their destination they sat down and Lord Ionia ordered one of his servants to prepare beverages for the Count. Then the Count straightened himself and proceeds to discuss the matters of his arrival.
"Lord Ionia, I thanked you for inviting me over. It was an honor to come at your summons." The Count opened the conversation in a dignified tone with a small smile formed on his face.
"The honor's mine to have the esteemed Count Singed to grace my house with your presence."
"You're too kind. And now, if I may, let's discuss my proposal. I would like your permission to marry your daughter, and have her bear my children. She shall be my joyful bride."
"Ah yes, about that. I know of your intentions, and I have no qualms about it. However, Irelia is still too young to be married. At least wait for another two years."
Singed was about to voiced his displease when Lord Ionia signaled that he wasn't done talking. "However, you are more than welcomed to join us in our family ball this evening. You may attempt to woo and attract her. How does that sound?"
Singed furrowed his eyebrows and wasn't really content with Lord Ionia's offer. Nevertheless, he agrees to attend the ball, and soon left to prepare himself for the evening.
Meanwhile, at house Noxus, a girl was being comforted by her cousin and best friend.
"Come on Riven, you must cheer up. She's not the only girl in the world now, is she?" Talon said to her with a bit of worry painted across his face. The girl in question, however, was still in depression.
"I know, but I just can't stop thinking about her."
Riven, the only daughter of Lord Noxus, was still in distraught after her love for another woman, Katarina, was unrequited. Beside her was her cousin, Talon, who attempted to lift her spirits to no avail. He was running out of ideas when something crossed his mind.
"Listen, this evening a ball will be held at the Ionia house. Why don't you go there? I'm pretty sure Katarina is going." Her best friend, Sion, also agrees with Talon and encouraged her to attend the ball. Thinking there's nothing to lose, Riven slowly nods and agrees to come to the ball with Talon coming along.
That evening, the Ionia house was filled with many esteemed guests personally invited by the master of the house. Though there were a lot of guests, Riven and Talon kept their guard up and donned disguises to prevent any unnecessary incidents. At the ball, Riven kept looking for the red-haired woman, but gave up after a few hours of fruitless search. Just as she was about to leave the house, Riven felt as if she had to turn around to take a final glance at the ball, and that's when her gaze met the heir to the Ionia family; Irelia.
Irelia was something else, unlike anyone Riven has ever met; she was something unfathomable. Riven could feel her breathe halted as she examined the girl who piqued her interest. Long black hair, clean features on her face, porcelain-like skin, and lithe body clad in an exquisite dress that accentuates her regal appearance. This girl, Riven thought to herself, is akin to a bright angel among dark clouds.
Riven was hopelessly captivated by the divine beauty before her eyes. But Riven wasn't the only one who felt this way, for Irelia had also fixed her gaze upon Riven, and she too was instantly smitten.
Irelia was fascinated by Riven's silver hair that stood out like a jewel sparkling in the night, her face was more handsome than any man she had ever met, and Riven's male disguise completed Irelia's image of her as someone who is strong yet carries a kind and gentle heart. Irelia was falling in love with the daughter of her family's nemesis.
Unknown to Riven, amidst the guests was an Ionian who could recognize her beyond her disguise: Irelia's cousin Zelos. Zelos, who was filled with rage from discovering a Noxian in the Ionia house, was about to confront Riven when a hand tugged his shirt.
"No, you mustn't. This is a ball, not an arena for you to duel to your heart's content, and I will not stand for any blood shed upon my house. Understand this, Zelos." Lord Ionia said with a threatening tone that betrayed his calm exterior. Zelos calmed himself down shortly, and heed the older man's command. 'Opportunity will present itself' he thought to himself as he turned around and decided to enjoy the ball.
After the ball, Riven couldn't forget the beauty that had enamored her, and she braved herself to sneak into the Ionia house once again, in hopes of meeting Irelia again. At the same time, Irelia felt like she was drawn to the balcony, as she gazed upon the starry skies above, her mind filled with the silver-haired Noxian.
"Oh Riven, Riven! Where are you, Riven? Abandon your loyalty to Noxus, or if not, swear your love to me and I'll be an Ionian no more."
"Should I let you continue, or should I speak my mind?"
"Riven, it's not you who is my enemy, tis your name. If you let go of your name, I shall give you my all."
"Then I'll take your word for it. From now on, I am Riven no more."
"Now hurry, you must go, lest they found you and kill you."
"I will, but promise me you will take my hand join me in holy matrimony."
"But of course! When shall we have our wedding?"
"Tomorrow, I shall ask Friar Soraka to wed us. No one will know, no one but us."
"Then, I bid you a thousand good night, my love."
"Sleep well, my sweetheart."
Riven then swiftly returned to her house, and was excited that she will be wed to her love tomorrow. She trusted Friar Soraka with her secret wedding for Soraka was also grew tired of the constant feud between the two families, and seeks to unite them through their heirs' marriage. But alas, the next morning, Zelos, still filled with rage from last night, took to the streets and openly challenged Riven to a duel.
Words of Zelos' challenge reached Riven, and she hurriedly went to the streets to meet him, with Talon and Sion accompanying her. "You Noxian bastard, you dared to come to our ball and think you'll get away unscathed? No, today Valoran shall witness the death of cur that is the child of Noxus!" shout Zelos at Riven, full of vigor and raw hatred.
Riven, on the other hand, had considered Zelos as her kinsman after the vow she and Irelia took last night. And so she tried to calm him down. "Look, Zelos, I thought of you as my kinsmen, and because of that I refuse to duel you. Please, calm yourself, don't let hatred and wrath consume you."
Before Zelos could reply, Sion stepped forward and stared at Zelos and taunted him. "If she won't fight you, then I will. Let's see which of us is the better fighter, o Prince of Cats."
Enraged, Zelos immediately lunged forward and tested his steel against Sion's. They fought evenly, but Riven, who didn't wanted this feud, attempted to intervene and stop the duel. This action, however, was a chance for Zelos to fatally injure Sion, and upon witnessing her friend felled by the Ionian, Riven was overcame with guilt and vengeance, and swiftly took Zelos' life.
Word of the duel has reached the ears of Prince Marcus, and he summoned the lords of Noxus and Ionia to discuss the recent turn of events. "Riven was not guilty, she was challenged by Zelos and she killed him out of self-defense!" argued the Noxians. The Ionians also argued that, "Zelos would've never dueled with her if she weren't at the ball, yesterday!"
The prince was silent as the two family's arguments dragged on, until suddenly he stood up, and all the commotion quickly died.
"I have decided, based upon what I've heard, that I hereby declare Riven Noxus to be exiled from Valoran, and should for any reason I found you here again, I'll make sure your demise will be swift. Now, begone!"
Before Riven left Valoran, she came to Friar Soraka and was wed with Irelia. That night, they both spent their first night together in Irelia's chambers in secret, and then Riven left at the break of dawn. Irelia grieved over her lover, but her grief was mistaken by her father as grief over the loss of Zelos.
"Do not be mournful, my child. To cheer you up, I have arranged your marriage with Count Singed. I am sure he will be most pleased to have you as his joyful bride."
Irelia instantly stopped her tears, and her expression changed from sorrow to disgust. "I do not desire to be wed to that foul man! My life is my own, and I refuse to marry him!"
Her father's face changed at a moment's notice from comforting to that on intense anger. "You foolish, ungrateful child! You are but to obey me, and I will not tolerate another rebellion from you! You are to be married to Count Singed and that's final, otherwise, I'll have you disowned and thrown into the streets at once! Do you understand!?"
Her father doesn't allow her freedom, and her mother was no different. Having no clue what to do, Irelia sought out help from Friar Soraka, who gave her a potion. "If you drink this, your body will be put into a death-like coma, and once they believed you are dead, I will have a messenger to inform Riven of this plan, so that she may join you by the time you woke up, and you two can be reunited once again." Irelia nods at the Friar, and soon after she left, Soraka sent a messenger to find Riven.
On the night before her wedding, Irelia drank the potion and it took effect quite fast, as not long after she took it, she was discovered to be apparently dead, and was laid in the Ionia family crypt. Things seemed going as planned, but alas, fate was cruel.
The messenger failed to reach Riven, and instead she was informed by her servant Cassiopeia that Irelia was found dead. Riven could felt her heart breaking down, body shivered and covered with cold sweat. She just couldn't believe that her lover was claimed by death. Stricken by grief, she visited Warwick's apothecary and bought a lethal poison.
Deciding that she would die beside her love, she came to the crypt only to find Singed was there, apparently also mourned the 'death' of Irelia. Singed, who had never met Riven, thought she was a vandal and confronted her.
"This is where my beloved is laid to rest, and I will not have mercy on a vandal such as yourself who seeks to desecrate this crypt!"
Riven wasn't given the chance to explain herself as Singed immediately charged at her with strikes fueled by fury and sadness, emotions Riven knew well as she felt them when she killed Zelos after he killed Sion. However, Riven wasn't going to let herself die at the hands of the Count; no, she wished to die peacefully at her beloved's side.
The fight didn't take long as the Count wasn't as skilled as Riven in swordsmanship, and he was soon brought down. On his dying breath, he wished that he were to be laid beside Irelia, a wish Riven granted. Before drinking the poison, Riven took a final look at Irelia, and was once again found herself captivated by her.
Even in death, Irelia's beauty was still overwhelming, as Riven declared, "Oh my love, your beauty transcends death; death may have your soul, but your beauty still lingered, and it illuminated this dark domain with a shining light."
Riven gave Irelia a final kiss, and was about to drink the poison when a sudden wave of warmth crept up her arm: it was Irelia. Riven was at loss for words at the sight of Irelia, alive and well, gently smiling at her. She hastily wrapped her arms around her lover and embraced her tightly, with stream of tears rolling down her eyes and she cried her heart out. She had never cried like this ever since her mother's death.
Irelia kept quite as she slowly stroke the back of Riven's head, silently comforting the other woman. She was extremely fortunate that she woke up at the right moment, seconds before Riven ended her life. She could feel tears swelling up in her eyes, but decided not to shed a tear for she intended to be the stronger of the two, at least for now.
After a few moments of silence, Riven was the first to break the silence. "I-I was so sad, I thought-I thought I would never see you again. I was so scared of being alone." Riven said as she sobs, tears still rolling down her cheek.
"There, there. Friar Soraka had sent you a messenger with information about this plan, but judging from your sincere cry I guess you never got the word. It doesn't matter though, what's matter is that you're here, and we are reunited once more." Irelia calmed Riven with a soothing voice that worked effectively.
"I-I'm okay, I'm okay. Now, what do you propose we do?"
"We are free from the feuds of our family; we have severed our bonds with them. Now, we are free to choose our path, and live our live to fullest. What are your thoughts of that, my dear, sweet Riven?"
"Sounds perfect."
A/N: That's it for this chapter. I based this one off Romeo and Juliet (obviously) with some altercations just because. Next time, a mad scientist attempts to revive her dead lover! Can you guess the pairing?