ACT 11
Sleep is usually sought whenever someone is tired, both physically and emotionally. Sometimes, people also sleep because they want a quick escape from the whole world and go to a place where they have no problems or responsibilities whatsoever.
Whenever Ashe slept, her dreams would always be filled with scenes either conjured up by her imagination or her mind would have her dream something extraordinary, only for her to forget it once she opens her eyes.
It's the latter this time. A rather cold breeze from outside intruded in the warmth of the room and brushed her awake. It was quite ironic since she resides in the coldest nation ever known and had always slept through countless harsh snowstorms, yet it took only a small and chilly breeze to bring her out of her sleep.
Her eyes first cracked open before fully opening, showing her a room that is only lit by the moonlight that was pouring through the doorway leading to the balcony. She figured that it's only been a few hours before she and Katarina decided to sleep after their little 'stress-relieving' session. Ashe blushed just by the thought of it.
Sitting up from her position, she let the blanket fall to her lap, not minding the fact that her torso is exposed to the cool night air. She let out a quiet sigh as she brushed all of her hair back and away from her face.
The raunchy experience she had just a few hours ago was running in her mind. She was a bit disappointed in herself that she had given in to her lust, knowing that the deed that she had done with Katarina was irresponsible, especially for a Queen like her. She isn't too bothered about the whole 'infidelity' thing married people would usually trouble themselves with when they have slept with someone they're not actually married to.
The hard thing there is how she's going to tell this to Tryndamere. She knew that her husband won't get angry at her for cheating on him, but he'll surely get angry at her for doing something so... forbidden.
She had to ask herself though, why did she choose Katarina, of all the people in Runeterra, to be her first? To be the one to take her virginity?
'Maybe because she's the first person who made an advance towards me.'
Ashe is beautiful, she knows that, but, except for her husband's sometimes perverted teasing, no one has made any move to her or showed even a pinch of interest. Not even a single man òr woman, in and out of the League.
She refused to believe that she had just succumbed to Katarina because of all the stress that had invaded her. Don't get her wrong, she was absolutely satisfied with Katarina's pleasuring and she enjoyed it to the fullest. Of course, in the end though, a moment like that can never happen again between them.
They were already pushing their luck when they decided to fornicate where they currently are, which is a Demacian royal guest room. Ashe rubbed her eyes, stressed. Now she has to think of a way to explain whatever it is that's probably staining the sheets of the bed. She can't really outright tell the Demacians that she and Katarina had a 'tussle' on the sheets.
"Demacians..." She whispered quietly, almost unawarely.
The so called 'chance' Jarvan had told her about passed her mind. To be able to accomplish the task of solidifying the alliance of Freljord with Demacia, she had to kill Katarina. Just by that thought, her eyes darted to the bedside table at her side, where she found one of the belts of Katarina's blades.
Blades that are made to kill, to murder, to spill blood.
She averted her gaze from the weapons and directed it to her sleeping bedmate, who is currently facing upward, one arm on her side and one arm over her head, and is still enjoying a nice slumber. The peaceful expression on Katarina's face looked so far from her usual glaring and scowling self. It almost made Ashe smile, but Jarvan's words loomed over her like some ghost that won't stop haunting her.
"You're becoming attached to her." This time, Tryndamere's words joined Jarvan's inside her head.
At first, she was getting attached to Katarina in a friendly kind of way, but now that they had done something friends don't usually do, Ashe was becoming a tad bit afraid, not of Katarina, but of herself. There's a reason why she rarely followed what her heart tells her, and it's because it usually makes her choose the wrong decision. It's always her mind that ruled over her, but right now, those two are battling within her. Both sides showed no signs of withdrawing anytime soon.
Throughout all the memories she made involving Katarina, though not all of them is good, it was still enough for her to build more than just a simple base of their friendship's foundation.
What Tryndamere had said to her, it's at least half-true.
Why just half?
She is already attached to Katarina.
No matter how much she denies it, no matter how hard her mind told her she's being delusional, she knows herself too well. It's psychologically proven that if one person were to spend most of his or her time with another, he or she will soon form a bond with that specific other.
What they had done last night just amplified everything, and it became all too worse for Ashe to handle.
Ashe knows that it needs to end.
Turning back to the blades at the side, she reached for the belt and unsheathed one dagger from its place. She placed the belt beside her before directing her attention back to the Noxian with her in bed. She stared at Katarina, who still looks like she's in deep sleep, not knowing she's about to be murdered.
Ashe gripped the handle of the dagger with two hands, the tip of the blade facing downward. She plans on either stabbing Katarina on the chest or on the head, and she has to make that decision, now.
Her heart had began to race, threatening to burst out of her chest. The deafening silence echoing in her ears, hands trembling in the slightest way and breathing becoming a bit uneven.
She had executed Katarina in the Fields in more than just a few times, but if she were to go through with what she's planning, Katarina won't respawn. In the end, the Sinister Blade will cease to breathe once she sinks the blade into her flesh.
'Do it.' A voice, it sounded almost like Jarvan's, ordered her through her thoughts.
The blade was hovering over Katarina's head now. Yes, Ashe has decided to give the assassin an instant execution. The only thing left for her to do is to thrust the blade down.
"Katarina..." She breathed, lifting the dagger up and preparing to bring it down upon the Noxian.
Her teeth clenched, her grip tightened and her form shadowed over Katarina's.
"Please..."
She was preparing to whisper an apology to the sleeping assassin.
"Please forgive me..."
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...
...
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...
The bed creaked lowly.
Katarina, remaining alive and unharmed, turned and faced Ashe, still asleep as her hand unconsciously pulled on the blanket for a moment.
Ashe turned away, letting her legs dangle over the side of the bed, back facing the redhead. The dagger she was wielding a moment ago was now on top of the blanket, forgotten. The Queen buried her face in her palms as the tears that had gathered in her eyes spilled. She quietly sobbed in her palms, trying her best not to wake the assassin in the process.
'I can't do it!' She screamed inside of her head. 'I can't kill her!'
Her fingers twitched, threatening to curl up and form her hands into fists.
'Why!?'
Every time she tried convincing herself that killing Katarina is for the best, her brain would suddenly remind her of hers and Katarina's recent nightly activity. It made her mad.
Was it actually her lust that's stopping her?
If it is, then she would shame herself. She doesn't know what to do anymore. Jarvan had made sure that Katarina were to stay with her in the same room, because, not only he didn't trust the Noxian, but also because of the opportunity for Ashe to eliminate the redhead.
She pulled her face away from her palms, wiping the tears away and making her sobs as soundless as she can. She honestly can't deal with Katarina waking up and finding her crying, for it would be too hard for her to explain why.
Once she managed to clean her face and rid away her tears, she took the dagger and slipped it back to its sheathe, putting the belt of blades back to the bedside table.
As much as she wants to strengthen Freljord's alliance with Demacia, she will not resort to murder to do so.
That's her reason. That's the reason she wants to believe, the reason why she stopped herself from taking Katarina's life.
She just hoped that she can convince herself to believe it and ignore the unidentified feelings that was stirring within her chest.
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Katarina's face twisted into an irritated expression, the annoying knocking that came from the bedroom's door being the one to blame. She rubbed the sleep out of her right eye as she propped herself up on her left elbow, her other eye focused to the door.
Ashe, who is already wearing her royal dress again, had answered the door, the voice of the blonde mage reaching her ears. Katarina groaned and laid back down, grabbing a pillow from the side and slamming it onto her face.
"Good morning!" She heard Lux greet Ashe. "Breakfast is all ready, would you two like to join us?"
"Good morning to you as well, Lux. And, yes, we would. Please, just give us a few minutes to fully prepare."
"Alright, I'll have the maids set up a place for you both."
Once she heard the almost soundless click of the door being closed, she lifted the pillow off of her face and searched for Ashe in the room with her eyes. She instantly spotted the archer.
"Well, I see you're awake." Ashe said with a small smile as an added greeting.
"Yeah, thanks to that brat." She muttered, rolling off the bed and vacating it in a sluggish manner.
"Get yourself ready, we'll be heading to the dining hall in a few."
"Mm-hm."
She was already sitting on the edge of the bed, displaying her stark naked body for the Queen to see. It nearly made her smirk when she saw Ashe's gaze flicker away from her face and down to her body before reconnecting their gaze.
"See something you like?"
Ashe quirked an eyebrow at her before turning away and walking towards the vanity, where her crown is waiting for her. "Nothing worth mentioning."
Katarina left the bed and entered the bathroom, instantly turning the switch of the shower once she was beneath it. While she let the warm water soothe her body, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to what had happened last night. Everything, including the more serious moment between her and Ashe, flashed in her mind, all recalled with perfect clarity.
Hers and Ashe's steamy moment had really relieved her of all the stress she had been experiencing from the past few days. She had almost died more than just once and having a time to let out some of the tension was well-needed for her. When hers and Ashe's body touched, it felt like her body was on fire, but in an extremely good way. She is sure she won't forget any detail of that very memory.
Now, she began to think of the moment when Ashe had planned on killing her.
She was awake. All those seconds that passed that Ashe had thought she was asleep, she had always been conscious of everything. If Ashe can be awakened by that gentle breeze, why can't Katarina be as well? She had only peered through the extremely thin cracks her eyelids offered her.
Katarina was watching Ashe, completely prepared to shoot her hands up and intercept the blade to put a halt to the execution if the Queen had went through with her plan. She was somewhat curious why Ashe halted her attempt of assassination. It made her think that night. She didn't know what to say about it. She had heard Ashe cry, then stop after a few moments.
The fact that Ashe hadn't went through with it was what captured her interest. It made curiosity sky-rocket. There are these questions that remained in her head, questions that wouldn't leave her mind.
What was in Ashe's mind during that moment?
Why did she stop?
Why did she cry?
What are her true intentions?
What is she hoping to gain from all of this?
And most of all, why didn't she, Katarina, react against it?
Katarina expected herself to actually draw one of her blades and kill Ashe as soon as the archer had fallen back asleep, but she didn't.
Know what she did?
Katarina opened her eyes, staring at Ashe's back for a few seconds, observing the pace of breathing. When she was sure Ashe was asleep due to the calm and steady breathing, she crawled towards Ashe and whispered in the archer's ear.
"Thank you."
After saying those two words to the sleeping royal, she had placed a quick and featherlight kiss on Ashe's temple before returning to her side of the bed and drifting back to sleep.
Katarina couldn't even believe that she had done that. It wasn't something that fits her supposedly ruthless character. She wondered and now asked herself, why was she thanking Ashe?
Was it because of the night of sex?
Was it because of all the care the Queen had given her?
Or was it something else?
Her emotions, something she's not well-acquainted to, was going crazy inside of her, wanting some sort of acknowledgement. It's something she neglected to give ever since her father had began to train her.
"Emotions are weaknesses." That's what her father told her in the very first day of their training.
She had always been taught that she didn't need emotions, that it makes a person weak, but every time she looked at Ashe, she can see a Queen full of emotions yet stands so undaunted and determined to accomplish her goals.
How can someone be weak and strong at the same time?
Katarina wanted to ram her head to the nearest tiled wall. All of this thinking was giving her a headache. She doesn't want to think anymore. She wants to go back to the time when she didn't give a fuck about anything or anyone.
She wants to go back to the time when her life was peaceful, in some way, that is.
The life she wants is where Ashe isn't involved.
She has made her decision.
A decision she'll soon regret.
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The Demacians were gathered in the War Room again, Piltover's Finest and the Queen of Freljord present along with them. Just like last night, Katarina is waiting outside again.
"Vi and I will have to return to Piltover to run more tests about the poison."
"You found the poison?" Garen asked.
Caitlyn nodded in reply. "It was in his drink. Unfortunately, Vi and I hadn't brought any tools that can determine what kind of poison it is."
"Keep us posted, then." Jarvan stated.
"Give us probably two to three days with the poison and all is good, no promises though." Vi said, leaning back and placing her hands at the back of her head.
"Is that all there is to be discussed?" Fiora asked, fingers tapping impatiently on the table.
The Demacians have been scheduled for matches in half an hour and the summoners are already waiting at the Institute, waiting for their clearance of summoning them.
Jarvan gave out a few more closing remarks before dismissing the meeting, but the Lightshield ordered his fellow Demacians to wait outside, while he called to speak to Ashe in private. They went back to the balcony they had previously conversed at, giving themselves privacy their topic requires of them.
"Either you have made your decision, or you are still waiting for the correct time." Jarvan said, his voice and face sounding and looking displeased.
"I've already made my decision."
A frown occupied the prince's face once he heard her answer.
"You chose the Noxian over your own nation's stability?"
"No, I chose humanity over insanity."
"Insanity?" Jarvan nearly shouted, but he managed to hold himself back from doing so. "Isn't that what you have decided? Do you actually believe that Noxus will aid you when a war is instigated between the two Great Nations? Lend you assistance in your people's time of need?"
"Is Demacia even different?" Ashe questioned back. "During the Barbarian Pacification Campaign the Noxians had started, did your nation assist mine?"
Jarvan clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing but not uttering anything.
"If I do recall correctly, you yourself sent a letter that Demacia will not offer its men to aid us in battle."
"I prioritize my people and Demacia's safety before anything else."
"You didn't even offer any shelter for the refugees." Ashe pointed out, her voice close to hissing. "Please, do enlighten me. How is Demacia different from Noxus?"
"Demacia has never done Freljord wrong."
"You actually believe that? Is that what helps you sleep at night? That very moment when you refused taking the innocent victims of my nation under your protection, that's when Demacia had wronged Freljord. The blood of all those people that were slaughtered, it does not only stain the Noxians' hands, but it also stains the Demacians', mostly yours."
Jarvan, whose eyes are still narrowed, straightened his posture, trying to prevent himself from clenching his fists and showing his anger more openly.
"Watch your words, Freljordian," Jarvan said warningly, almost threateningly. "You will regret them."
"Watch your character, Demacian," Ashe coldly threatened back. "It becomes your destiny."
"I had always thought you were better than this, but I was wrong. You're not as wise as I thought you were."
"And you're not as honorable as I thought you were."
The two of them harshly stared at each other, gazes filled with negativity and such. If another person were to look at them now, they would actually think the two rulers were about declare war right then and there.
"My plan to execute the Sinister Blade is a tactical move in this war."
"A rather cowardly move, if you ask me." Ashe said, crossing her arms in front of her. "Besides, there is no war, yet you seem to be interested in initiating one."
Jarvan crossed his arms, suddenly looking vainglorious. "When a war begins, and I assure you that it will, Freljord will soon run back to Demacia. Do you know why, Your Majesty?"
"Why?" She dryly humored.
"It's because Freljord needs Demacia," Jarvan leaned close, a smug smirk on his lips. "And you, Queen of Freljord, need me."
They exchanged equally oppressive gazes, both showing no signs of backing down from each other's unspoken challenge to one another.
"Do not be so boastful. Do you not recall all the information and sights you have told and shown me? The mechanism of how Demacia's impenetrable defense lines operate? The confidential underground passages you had so arrogantly presented to me at my first visit here?"
The look of realization that crossed the Lightshield's face almost made Ashe flash a triumph smirk of her own, but she decided to just settle with her already intimidating expression.
"You claim that Freljord needs Demacia, but from my perspective, Demacia needs Freljord and you, Prince of Demacia, need me."
It was silent between them for a few tensed moments, but it was broken when the two rulers noticed the approaching Sinister Blade. Lux can be seen trying to stop the redhead, but the assassin seems to be determined to get to them.
"I think it is time for you and the Noxian to take your leave, Queen Ashe." Jarvan said in a hard tone.
Ashe nodded once, face remaining blank and cold. "I offer you my thanks for the accommodation you have given my companion and I, Prince Jarvan."
"Not necessary."
She turned away from Jarvan and headed back to the War Room, only to stop at the doorway of the balcony entrance when she heard Jarvan speak again.
"Is it unusual for me to hope for Noxus to start another pacification campaign against Freljord?"
Looking over her shoulder, Ashe met the prince's eyes.
"Of course not," She smiled, but it isn't like the genuine smiles she always presented. "I would actually be surprised if you're not hoping for a hole to just open beneath me and swallow me whole."
"If I am?"
"Keep your fingers crossed, then."
Ashe continued on with her walk, meeting Katarina and Lux halfway, the mage looking quite relieved with the little rescue.
"What were you two talking about?" Katarina asked her.
"Whatever the Queen and the Prince discuss in private is not our business, Sinister Blade." Lux scolded, only to earn a glare from the Noxian.
"Mine and Jarvan's dicussion holds no relevance." Ashe said, dismissing the matter with a wave of hand.
Lux seemed to accept the dismissal, while Katarina, who wordlessly accepted as well, looked skeptical. Ashe knew that Katarina would ask her about it on their way back to the Freljord, and internally, she was already preparing the words she's going to say to the assassin.
"Luxanna," Came Jarvan's voice entryway of the balcony. "Lead our guests to their carriage."
"Of course, Prince Jarvan." Lux bowed before ushering the two females to follow her.
As they exited the War Room and trailed after the blonde with silence accompanying them, Ashe let herself think about what had transpired between her and the Exemplar of Demacia. Hers and Jarvan's conversation isn't really leaning on the friendly side, because last time she checked, threatening your own ally isn't considered friendly.
She glanced at the red haired female at her left before focusing her gaze back in front of her. She had originally ventured to Demacia to, not only respond to their call, but to also strengthen their alliance in some way. Looking back now, what she had done is nowhere near her original plan.
All of the changes she had made came from only one reason and one reason only, and that reason is the Noxian assassin walking alongside her.
Katarina had kept her word, she did become a headache to Ashe.
Although, Ashe won't admit it now to herself, or Katarina, or anyone else, but she's willing to put up with all the mess and problems Katarina will cause and bring to her.
Something within her though, it's telling her that she'll soon eat her own words, the words she had told Jarvan earlier.
Why would that happen?
Maybe because she's putting too much faith in a Noxian.
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Based from Katarina's estimation, they had just left Demacia probably twenty to thirty minutes ago. Within those minutes, she's been pondering about how she's going to bring up what's on her mind to Ashe.
She isn't really known for well-timed talks and all, so she decided to just tell Ashe now. After everything she had already done and all the understanding Ashe had shown to her, she's confident that what she's going to tell Ashe won't come as much of a surprise to the archer.
"I spoke with Vi earlier," She began, eyes flicking to the straight-postured Queen seated at her right.
"About what?" Ashe asked, tilting her head slightly.
"We talked about this program and how it works. She explained to me that when the mediator thinks the person they're mediating has improved with their behaviour, then the mediator can report that to the High Council."
Ashe stared at her with an unreadable look for a moment and the blue eyes that gazed at her made her feel a bit uneasy. Katarina knows that Ashe knows what she's trying to say, and the auditing look the archer gave her made her nearly squirm.
"I'll personally submit my report to the High Council after the ball this week."
Katarina was taken a bit surprised. She expected Ashe to lecture her about the things she had done from the past few days, tell her that her behaviour had not improved even the slightest, and even decline her request in releasing her from this program the Institute created.
"You're serious?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Aren't you?" Ashe asked her back.
"Of course I am. I wouldn't joke about getting out of this stupid program."
"Hopefully, you won't betray the trust I have in you."
"Here we go again with this 'trust thing'," She muttered.
Ashe had a small gleam of amusement in her eyes. "Why can't you come to terms that I actually trust you? This is the third time we're going to discuss my trust to you."
"No one trusts me, Ashe." She stated, speaking as if it's the most obvious point there is to be said. "Like I said before, I'm a Noxian, an assassin. How many times do I have to remind you that?"
"You speak as if me trusting you is some sort of curse."
"I don't want you to trust me."
"Why?"
It's a simple one-word question, yet Katarina's vocabulary, which contained thousands of words, was wiped out in a heartbeat. The patient gaze Ashe currently gave her is something she felt like she doesn't deserve.
She had seen Jarvan and Ashe conversing earlier, and the two of them were giving each other glares and cold stares. Those gazes are the ones she expects to receive from the Queen herself, yet she keeps getting the complete opposite.
"It's worthless." She uttered after a moment filled with just her staring into Ashe's eyes.
"How is trusting you worthless?"
"Noxus and Freljord aren't allies, first of all. Second, after this program, we would probably return to what we had always been, strangers to one another, no one to each other."
"What makes you think that your view of me is mutual to my view to you?"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"You are like a puzzle, Katarina. A complicated one at that." Ashe told her. "And I believe that here in my hands are the pieces I can complete you with. The only problem here is that I'm becoming too confused that I don't know if I can still complete you."
"..."
"They say that when you attempt to piece a puzzle together, you use your brain to do such thing."
Katarina nodded slowly, not really knowing what to say and feeling too curious to know what Ashe means to tell her.
"My mistake here is that I thought letting my heart assist me would be a much better way in solving it."
Ashe then smiled at her. It wasn't really happy and it wasn't really sad.
"But, all it did was confuse me."
"How?"
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"I developed feelings for the puzzle."
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Author's Note: Let's all face it, happily ever after is in the horizon... in the FARTHEST horizon, if that even makes sense. XD
Well! Ashe had finally confessed, umm, indirectly? Yeah, let's call it that. :P
She and Katarina are still confused with their feelings, so I still have a lot to write about and explain in the story. ^_^
Next chapter begins at the start of the day of the party/ball that's going to be held at the Avarosan castle, so maybe expect a few appearances of a few champions, maybe? Still not sure. :3