Darkness... so dark... so cold...

So alone...

Shyvana opened her eyes, looking around, quickly realizing that the pressure she felt on her chest was water crushing down on her from all sides. She twisted about as she looked for Jarvan, the prince nowhere to be seen, his warm embrace absent from around her. She realization that if she was underwater then she was going to die slowly dawned upon her.

Shyvana suddenly felt as if she was getting twisted about in a whirlwind, the water swirling about her as she thrashed about, trying to get to the surface of the water. A light shimmered above her, but no matter how hard she thrashed, she couldn't get any closer to the surface; it only got dimmer and dimmer. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest, the pounding like thousands of drum of her heart in her ears was only drowned out by the roar of the murky water that seemed to toss her about like she was nothing. She kicked her legs frantically, the sensation of being surrounded by water simply overwhelming her. She clawed at her throat as it started to burn, but she only got a mouthful of water when she tried to gasp for air.

Only once before had Shyvana felt this panic; the water trapping her, invading her space and caressing her skin with that deathly cold embrace. She tried to cry out, but she could only hear the sound of herself screaming in her own head. The burble of the last of her air drifted out of her mouth as she tried to scream in terror, the icy claw of death slowly beginning to wrap its fingers around her as her legs began to burn. She felt her body growing heavier and heavier as she began to sink, her throat burning as water rushed through her open mouth. Her chest began to burn as her lungs filled with water and her arms slowly stopped moving, the weight of the water around her dragging her down like so many demons dragging her down to hell.

As her entire body began to feel heavier and heavier, a certain sense of peace descended over her, and memories began to flash before her eyes. Her father, Jarvan, Noxus, and the dreams of Demacia all raced past her as her vision began to grow dark, the shimmering surface like that of a broken mirror where rain drops still fell. She felt as if she could still simply reach out and touch it, if only her arms weren't made of lead.

Shyvana closed her eyes and felt at peace with the world as darkness embraced her with open arms.


Jarvan surfaced, spluttering as he treaded water, the cold piercing deep into his bones. He wiped his long black hair from his face and swiped the water from his eyes as he rode the wash as the ship moved on down the canal. He coughed again, clearing the water from his lungs from where the wake had dragged him down. White surf washed at the shore as he looked around, scanning the reeds and the surface of the water for the ghostly white skin or brilliant red hair that belonged to Shyvana.

"Shyvana!" He tried to shout, the fear of what his stupidity had caused clenched around his chest like the icy water he tried to stay floating. His voice caught in his throat as he coughed and spluttered as he struggled to stay afloat in the dirty water. He paused, listening to the sound of the water lapping at the shore in the wake of the ship, hoping to hear some reply or have her break the surface and frown at him.

"SHYVANA!" Jarvan cried again as the surface of the water finally began to settle. He looked about, becoming frantic. His chest was beginning to burn, the cold water sapping the life from him, but the thought of what he had just done was already setting in. He began to panic as he thrashed about, looking along the banks, further down the canal. He wasn't sure if tears were stinging his eyes or if it was the water he floated in as he bobbed on the surface.

"Fuck!" Jarvan snarled, his voice cracking as he struggled to stay calm. "No, no, no..." Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, the placid gray clouds above beginning to turn an angry black as if the heavens above were cross with him. He scanned the surface as the water became placid, looking for anything, anything at all. Only the ripples from his own movements and the smallest of raindrops disturbed the mirror like surface.

Then he saw it.

A small cloud of bubbles rose to the surface, their ripples gently breaking the water.

Jarvan felt as if he could simply run across the surface of the water as he raced to get to the spot where the bubbles had surfaced. He took a deep breath and then dived, his eyes burning against the murky water as he looked for any sign of the dragoness. He kicked and stroked as hard as he could, struggling to get deeper and deeper into the water, his chest began to burn as he continued searching the murky depths.

One hand hit mud, but the other hit something solid. He grasped what felt like wet silk, ghostly pale skin standing out against the brown water like the moon breaking through the cloudy night sky. Shyvana sat upon the bottom of the canal, her body listing just above the mud, the water swirling her hair around her face like fire upon the bottom of the canal. Jarvan grabbed the fabric of Shyvana's tunic and pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her chest before putting his feet on the mud and kicking off, propelling himself towards the surface. He saw the glassy surface shimmering, the rain drops starting to pick up as his vision began to grow dark, his chest on fire, screaming at him to gasp for breath. He resisted the urge, the shimmering surface just above him as he kicked and stroked with one hand, the other wrapped protectively around Shyvana's torso.

Jarvan broke the surface and gasped for breath; the air tasted like a gift from the gods as his heart pounded and he pulled Shyvana's head clear of the surface. He could feel his teeth chattering, but he pushed it to the back of his mind and began slowly paddling his way towards the shore. Shyvana's body was cold and still, and there was a sense of dread that had settled in his stomach like he had been punched right in the gut. Still treading water as best he could, Jarvan tilted Shyvana's head back and pinched her nose, cupping his mouth over hers. He blew cool air into her mouth, and then quickly repeated the action, watching as her body rose out of the water slightly. He released her and felt the air slowly release, her body starting to drift back down. Jarvan quickly took two massive strokes with his left hand, his right still wrapped protectively around her body. He continued kicking rapidly, trying to get as close to the shore as he could. He paused, continuing to tread water, though he could feel the mud just out of reach below him. He pulled Shyvana forwards again, tilting her head back and blowing into her mouth till her chest inflated.

Jarvan repeated this process till he finally dragged Shyvana from the canal, his arm wrapped around her chest as he struggled up the muddy shore, his teeth chattering as he tried to stand in the knee deep water. He could feet mud squishing up around his ankles as he grasped at the razor weed, trying to slog his way through the mud and onto dry land. He felt a sticky warm sensation on his hand as he struggled onto the shore, his hand sliced by the weeds. He grunted as he finally made it onto solid ground, the reeds stabbing and slashing at his body as he pulled Shyvana up and out of the water. He grunted; his arms and legs felt as if he had been running for hours, not treading water for only a handful of minutes. He pulled Shyvana clear of the razor weeds, trying to keep her from getting sliced up too much, but he could already feel a hundred little cuts forming on his skin.

"Okay... okay..." Jarvan muttered to himself, dropping to his knees next to Shyvana as he laid her flat on her back, the pain in his limbs getting shoved aside as he struggled to keep a calm head. "I need to continue the rescue breathing..." He recited to himself quietly. He checked her mouth and throat for anything that could be blocking it, but there wasn't anything in her throat. He carefully checked for any blockages with one finger, but he couldn't feel anything: no sticks, seaweed, or anythign of the sort. He leaned over Shyvana and tilted her head back, cupping his mouth over hers and held her nose shut, blowing a breath into her mouth, her chest not rising up. He held three fingers together and pressed it into the left side of her neck, trying to find a pulse. He tried for several seconds, but the icy claw around his chest tightened down when he couldn't find anything. He resumed the rescue breathing, waiting for five seconds to pass between every breath. He continued on for a full minute, repeating the cycle over and over. He watched for her chest to rise, but when nothing happened, he sat back on his haunches.

"Okay... next is… compressions..." Jarvan was desperately fighting to keep himself calm. He ran a hand through his hair, clearing the dirty black locks plastered to his face. He tilted Shyvana's head back so that her chin was pointing straight up. He placed his right hand on her chest directly between her breasts and laced his left hand through his right hand. He took a deep breath, calming himself before forcing her chest down almost the thickness of his hand. He repeated this rapidly for twenty seconds before he paused and administered two more deep breaths. He laced his hands together again and had just compressed her chest again when Shyvana coughed up a mouth full of water and gasped wildly for breath. She rolled over and coughed deeply, hacking up more water as she continued gasping desperately for breath.

"Shyvana!" Jarvan gasped, falling backwards onto his arse, blinking rapidly. He wore a look of surprise as she finally lay back, breathing deeply, looking into the sky. "Oh god." Jarvan clambered up onto his knees, watching as Shyvana's chest rose and fell as rain began to fall around them. Shyvana pushed herself up with one arm, and though her breaths were slow and ragged, there was a fire in her eyes as she met Jarvan's relieved smile.

"Idiot!" Shyvana greeted him with a slap that snapped his head about, her scorn easily hot enough to melt steel. "You are... You are an idiot." Shyvana roared as she rolled onto her haunches and dived at the prince, nearly tackling him as she wrapped her arms around his chest. Jarvan felt lightheaded as lay back, just letting the warm sensation that had begun to melt the icy hand around his heart spread through his body. Shyvana nuzzled his chest, as her shoulders shook.

"I know..." Jarvan said solemnly, letting the burning sensation on his cheek sink in, the pain serving as a reminder as to the price he had nearly paid for his recklessness.

"You are utterly insufferable!" Shyvana hissed, her entire body shaking. He could hear her voice wavering as she beat her hands against his chest. "I will end you myself if you ever do something so... so... so stupid again!" She practically bawled, her face all screwed up as she tried not to burst into tears.

"I know." Jarvan said, dropping his gaze to the dirt in front of him as he shook his head, anger at himself beginning to well up as he started cursing his stupid plan. "I didn't think about it... I just... I assumed..." He fumbled over his words as he tried to keep himself from tearing up. His shoulders started to shake as he ducked his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry... you have no idea how sorry I am..." Jarvan tried to form more words, but his voice got caught in his throat.

"Idiot!" Shyvana said, softly this time, her stifled sobs slowly dying down as she wiped at her face on her arm. Jarvan stroked her neck gently, hoping the gesture would help calm her. The very act of touching her, and feeling the movement in her body was enough to calm him; the thought of her pale, unmoving body still burned vividly in his memory. He shivered as rain started to fall harder, washing mud and sediment from his face. He was content just to sit there, still stroking her neck quietly, her body pressed against his.

Shyvana wiped tears from her face as she pushed herself up into a sitting position atop him, sniffing as she tried to wipe the water from her soaked hair and face. "Next time, can we avoid the water? I don't like water."

"How about I just teach you to swim?" Jarvan said, chuckling as she looked down at him with large eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted as the adrenaline finally subsided from his system. Shyvana tried to frown at him but a smile wormed its way onto her face; she couldn't help but smile. The adrenaline draining from their bodies left them both giddy, both of them riding the feelings and the swirl of emotion that followed. Shyvana shook her head and sighed heavily.

"Almost all of my eighteen years of life was spent wandering Valoran getting chased by a bloodthirsty dragon and even then, never was I in as much trouble as when I am with you." Shyvana sat up and slid from Jarvan's lap. She wrapped her arms around her legs as she hugged them to her body, shivering, still pressed up against Jarvan as he sat up. "In barely two months you've managed to get yourself into multiple brawls, nearly burned to a crisp, captured by the Noxians, almost assassinated, and not to mention, I thought you had actually DIED during all this. I buried you." Shyvana spit him with a molten glare, and Jarvan could only grin sheepishly. "You've gotten me chased about Noxus in a city wide manhunt, captured by the Noxians, forced into almost killing you and now I've nearly drowned twice in less than a week..." Her voice tapered off as she shook her head and looked at Jarvan. She wore a sour expression but she struggled to keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Jarvan hung his head. "If you have a problem with all of that..." His voice trailed off as he felt Shyvana wrap her arms around his neck. She held him tightly for a few minutes, her face nuzzled against his neck. "We can always just head to Demacia now if you..." Shyvana leaned further over his shoulder, pushing his face towards her. She pressed her lips to his, taking him by surprise, but she held him fast.

"Don't say something you might regret." Shyvana purred, finally pulling back. She tasted spicy, though her skin and lips were still cold to the touch. She smiled softly at him. "And next time... just tell me if you're going to do something so foolish." Shyvana smirked at Jarvan as he tried to give her an innocent expression. She tapped him on the head as she tried to stand, her legs collapsing underneath of her. "I guess that really took more out of me that I thought..." She chuckled weakly, leaning against Jarvan.

"No kidding." Jarvan muttered, getting to his feet, supporting her as he did. He grunted, his legs still felt like lead. "Come on, up we go."

"Wait, what are yo—whoa!" Shyvana queaked, surprised as Jarvan swept her up in his arms.

"There's another reason I wanted to get off here." Jarvan said with a small grin. He started moving inland as Shyvana wrapped an arm around his shoulder and looked backwards to the shore line. "Not all of this plan was quite as foolish as my departure method."

"What about our armor and gear?" Shyvana asked, looking at Jarvan and then up at the sky. The rain had picked up slightly, though it was still hardly more than a heavy drizzle. She pouted when he simply grinned at her, ducking as he pushed through a wall of willow. He paused, looking over the hidden pool, the spray of a waterfall disturbing the surface of the water. "What is this place?" Shyvana said quietly, almost reverently, as she looked around the hidden sanctuary. Jarvan lowered her to her feet, supporting her with an arm around her waist, a soft grin on his face as he looked around taking in the beauty of the falls. Wildflowers still grew along the base of the rock walls, and the water looked like crystal compared to the murky brown canal.

"One of the old hunters I talked to told me about this spot." Jarvan said, watching the look of amazement play over Shyvana's face. "It's a fishing spot mostly, but the water here is spring fed and sometimes people use it to swim in during the heat of the summer."

"It's not exactly Shurima out here." Shyvana remarked, raising an eyebrow at Jarvan as he chuckled. The sky was still overcast and gray, but Jarvan was happy to note the storms in the distance had skirted around the area towards the south, and the rain didn't look to be getting any heavier.

"Yeah, but at least it's not the Freljord either." Jarvan said with a smirk. "We can get cleaned up and then stay here tonight without having to worry about the Noxian Guard finding us." He grinned as Shyvana looked up at him with a smile on her face.

"After that little dunk in the canal thanks to you," Shyvana said, the smile turning into a smirk, "I'm starting to miss the desert in Shurima." Jarvan chuckled as he shook his head.

"These rainstorms are just Valoran telling us that she's preparing for winter." Jarvan grinned. "When winter comes... that'll be fun. Have you ever been ice skating before?"

"What's ice skating?" Shyvana repeated, looking up at him, blinking. She brushed some of the muddy locks of red hair from her face as Jarvan grinned. Jarvan led her around the falls, to where a cave went back a short ways into the rocks. It was dry, with soft moss covering much of the rock along the bottom.

"Just one more thing I'll have to show you in the future." Jarvan said with a grin. "Here." He helped her down, easing her onto the moss. "I'll be back shortly with our gear."

"I can help you with that." Shyvana said, grabbing his arm and trying to pull herself to her feet. She nearly made it, but her legs still felt like jelly beneath her and she frowned as she nearly tumbled back to the ground. Jarvan caught her by the waist and then hauled her up, carefully.

"Steady now..." Jarvan said gently, helping her stay standing. He started to move his arm away but she yelped and nearly collapsed. Jarvan grinned as he lowered her to the ground. "Just take it easy." He kept a hand affectionately on her shoulder. "I got you into the mess, the least you can do is let me try to start and make it up to you."

Shyvana puffed out a cheek as if she was pouting, but she couldn't keep the sour expression long. Jarvan matched her smile and then turned and headed back towards the shore in search of their gear. Shyvana shivered as she hugged her legs to her chest again as she watched him disappear through the wall of willow. She turned her gaze back to the cave and the sanctuary that was laid out around her. Seeing all this, it was hard to believe they were so close to the abominable city of Noxus.

The small pool was protected by the cliff behind and above her and a wall of trees around the rest of the area. Thick undergrowth kept most of the pool completely hidden from the canal and the outside world, the cool spring water coming from some of the mountains off in the distance. The cool spray sometimes hit her toes as she wriggled them in the soft moss that grew underfoot. The entire area was cold; the shade and the cool breeze was comfortable though, if a bit chilly. Shyvana felt her eyes grow heavy as she shivered.

"I hate water." Shyvana muttered as she stood up carefully and closed her eyes. She concentrated on raising her body temperature, and she could feel the air around her begin to warm. She felt the tickle of flames dancing along her skin as the flames she summoned warmed and dried her. She pulled the braid from her hair with some effort, and then let it get carried about by the warm air, the heat causing it to billow about her like it was dancing. Shyvana could feel the air around her swirling like the warm Shurima winds. The cotton fabric against her skin that had been cold and clammy was now dry and warm. She smiled to herself as she lowered herself down to the moss again, her knees still shaky, the simple act of being dry serving to keep her much warmer. Shyvana wrapped her legs to her chest again to preserve her warmth, and let her cheek rest against her knees as she waited for Jarvan to return. Her skin was blue, and her palms were a similar color as she looked down at her hands. The color was slowly fading.

Am I human or am I dragon? Shyvana shivered as a gust of cool air swept under her shirt. She formed a fist and shunted the thought aside. It doesn't matter to me so long as I have Jarvan by my side. She closed her eyes, imagining the Prince's warm embrace, color warming her cheeks.

Shyvana sighed happily, her breathing growing long and slow as she felt herself drift off to sleep, letting her mind wander to stave off the loneliness she felt without Jarvan.


Shyvana awoke to find the warm sun above her, shining down upon her pale skin and warming her through. She rolled onto her back, shielding her eyes as she watched the few thin clouds in the sky above roll lazily past. She closed her eyes again and sighed, writhing about happily in the warm sunlight.

"Is it the sunlight that you enjoy or is it that feeling in your heart?" A deep voice said from somewhere behind her. Shyvana opened her eyes, surprised by the voice. It was familiar, one she had heard many times, but it sent a shiver down her spine. She sat up, brushing sand from her shoulders and shaking it from her hair as she looked about, the orange hills and the jagged yellow peaks of Shurima rising up around her. Clouds of dust writhed in the distance along the horizon, a towering dust twister spinning voraciously as the sands of the desert shifted in the wind.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Shyvana asked herself, shaking her head and looking about. "Surely..."

"Surely what, child?" The dragon rumbled a small chuckle, the sound enough to cause the massive sandstone plinth to shake beneath her rump. Shyvana spun, the look upon her face that of shock.

"Father?" Shyvana gasped, blinking rapidly. "But... how..." She breathed, slowly getting to her feet. Her father grinned at her, baring massive teeth, each as large as her head. He laughed happily as tears welled in her eyes and she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his scaly neck. "Oh father!" He held her close with one massive, clawed arm, his leathery wings sweeping along through the dust as he drew her close into a hug.

"Now, now." Faust rumbled, chuckling, the deep rumble slowly dying and turning into a deep bass timbre, very easy on the ears, a voice that Shyvana had heard many times before. "Calm yourself, child." He stroked her hair with a strong hand. Her father stood not much taller than she did, though he was solidly built as a human. His skin was almost a bronze color from the constant sunlight that shone down upon him, and his dirty brown hair was tousled back like it had always been. I looked like a lion's mane as it glimmered in the sunlight. "How have you been?"

"I've missed you father." Shyvana said, shaking her head as she tried to hide the tears. She wiped them upon her tunic, shaking her head as her father held her at arm's length, looking her up and down.

"You've put on a little weight." Faust remarked, smiling affectionately. "There is also something else... something different..." He looked her up and down a second time, his piercing red eyes looking through her as if he could read everything about her.

"I've been traveling father." Shyvana said, shaking her head, blushing slightly. "The foods I've eaten, the people I've met... It's been overwhelming to say the least!" She blustered as she tried to stand up taller, as if she wanted to hide something. Her father met her gaze though, and she could feel him reading her like a book.

"Our journeys about Valoran were not as such?" Faust chuckled. He gestured towards the stone as he lowered himself down to the ground, leaning back to take in the sun.

"Hardly, father." Shyvana said, shaking her head. "Human society is fascinating; I wished I'd had the chance to experience it before." Her father frowned, the glimmer in his eye dimming slightly as he suddenly looked very haggard, as if the years had suddenly settled upon his shoulders. Shyvana only caught it for a brief moment, but she immediately regretted saying it. She was overjoyed at being able to see her father, and she didn't want to ruin it with a callous comment.

"It was one of my greatest regrets in raising you the way I did." Shyvana said softly. "That I was unable to let you experience the many beauties and eccentricities that humans are able to provide."

Shyvana shook her head, sighing sadly. "It's not your fault, father..." Shyvana started to say, but he held up a hand to forestall her comments.

"There was much I was unable to do for you, my daughter." Faust murmured as he sat up, his shoulders rising and falling in a silent sigh. "I just hope that you've found someone that can provide for those many things that I was unable to provide."

Shyvana blushed deeply, averting her eyes. "He is a good man." She said, quietly, as if she was seeking his approval. She chuckled nervously. "A prince, if you can believe it."

"And surely a brave one if he is willing to face the heart of a dragon so willingly." Faust said with a grin. Shyvana blushed again, and he chuckled deeply. He cast an arm around her shoulders, watching her carefully as she squirmed beneath his firm arm. "Love is a powerful emotion, Shyvana." Her father said, looking up at the sky. "And while it is powerful, and can warm the heart, it can also burn, just like the flames you wield, young one." Shyvana nodded her head quietly, looking at her open palms.

"I love him, father." Shyvana said quietly, still looking at her palms. Hearing herself say those words caused color to flood to Shyvana's cheeks and her heart to swell. "Is it so wrong of me to love a human?" She looked up at him with large eyes, unsure of herself. Faust looked deep into her eyes though, and within the swirling magenta orbs that sought his approval, there was a fire. He had to look deep past all the other emotion that she let swirl forward, but deep within those eyes he could see the burning defiance, the anger just beneath the surface. Part of him was proud for this defiance, that ability to question the world and defy the authority that would have her simply become a trophy or pet to some rich business man or noble. He was glad to see that she wouldn't be just another one to get abused and pushed about by the humans. He smiled as he shook his head.

"I loved your mother, young one." Faust said, laughing fondly. "And she was very much human." His gaze seemed to settle somewhere far off in the distance, as if he was looking through time at some fond memory. "Humans may not always share our strength or wisdom, but they are a passionate race." Shyvana could see the memories were conflicting him as he watched the sky.

"He is strong, father." Shyvana said, smiling to herself. "Much stronger than I. He is proud and good of heart, despite the quarrels he has with some." Her father nodded, smiling.

"I'm sure, child." Faust said, tousling her hair gently. She grinned happily, glowing at the affection her father showed her. "He sounds like a good man... but..."

"But, father?" Shyvana said, shriveling up her nose as she watched him. "You doubt my love for him?"

"Heavens no, child." Her father said, laughing. "I can read it in your eyes, your face, and your stance when you speak of him." He shook his head, looking at her as she watched him intently. "There is much you need to know though. There are things that other men will hate you for, despise you, hunt you. And they are things that you cannot control." He paused, watching the shadow of a cloud cross the barren desert. "He is one man, and no matter his heart, power, position... he is still only one man. Humans are afraid of you, afraid of the power you possess, simply because they cannot control it. That is human nature; they are afraid of the power they cannot control or possess, and your strength, child, it is one of great power."

"I know, father." Shyvana said, quietly flexing her hand. She had come to realize just how frail humans were compared to the likes of herself, but she also knew that she had her own weaknesses. She shivered at the thought of the watery grave she had been so close to assuming.

"I only hope your heart is ready for the pain that this may bring." Faust said quietly. "It won't be easy... not at all."

"I know, father." Shyvana said, looking up at him with fire in her eyes. She shook her head, crimson locks bouncing around her. "And I don't care." He looked at her, a proud smile on his face.

"That's my girl..." Faust said quietly. "I'm proud of you, young one." He slowly got to his feet, as if he was beginning to feel the thousdands of years of wear and tear that he had put his body through. He looked down at his daughter, a smile on his face that carried into his eyes. It was a serene, peaceful smile that Shyvana had never seen upon his face, not while he was alive. The thought made her sad, but at the same time, she was also proud of herself. She got to her feet, looking up at the hardened features of her father as he looked off into the distance. She followed his gaze, but there was only sand and dust. Faust, a celestial dragon, her father, stood quietly watching the rolling desert.

"Shyvana?"

She looked up at him, but his gaze was not upon her, his jaw firmly set. She blinked, trying to figure out if she had been hearing things.

"Shyvana!" The voice came again, this time, more distant, though it seemed to echo around her, bouncing back and forth around the mountains in the distance. She rubbed her eyes, looking up to her father. He looked down at her and smiled, as she opened her mouth to speak.

"He's calling for you, young one." Her father said quietly, gesturing upwards. She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. She started to tear up as she reached out towards him, trying to wrap him up in another hug, but he was gone, the orange and gold sands replaced with dark stone and moss, the sound of the winds of Shruima replaced with the crashing water hitting rock. She blinked as she rubbed her eyes, looking around for her father. Her hands came away wet, and she blinked again, a tear streaming down her cheek.

"Shyvana!" Jarvan said, a worried look on his face as he gently shook her shoulder. She blinked a few more times, pushing herself into a sitting position. A blanket fell forward off her chest, and she looked about, confused. Her gaze settled on Jarvan, the gentle orange flicker of a fire illuminating his face against the dark sky beyond him.

"I... I..." Shyvana shook her head. "I'm fine... it was just a dream." She exhaled as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Jarvan said, a worried frown crossing his face. "You were murmuring and tossing and turning…" Shyvana shook her head as she closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose as she breathed in and out. "Was it a nightmare?" She shook her head, clearing her mind and trying to put the sadness aside as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She took the blanket that was lain over her and wrapped it around her shoulders, the chilly night air swirling around her. She breathed deeply, the warmth of her father had felt so real, but part of her had known that it wasn't true. Her shoulders sunk as she looked up and smiled at Jarvan. The gesture didn't do much to calm the worried look he still carried; he could see through the gesture.

"It was just a dream." Shyvana said quietly, hugging her legs to her chest. She stared into the fire for a few moments, letting the dancing flames calm her nerves. She sighed, the rise and fall of her shoulders seeming to placate Jarvan slightly. He sat back, still frowning, but he was silent. He turned his gaze from her and back to the fire. Silence followed, only the sound of the last summer crickets, the crackle of the fire, and the pounding of water on the rocks below to break said silence.

Shyvana watched Jarvan's face as he stared into the fire, the sad feeling she still felt slowly dissolving the more she watched. Her father's warning played out in her mind, about the warning of men who would follow in his wake, how society would view her as what she was, an object to be feared and cast out. She shivered. It was a very real fear she felt, and despite the desire she felt to remain by his side, there was little doubt that she would eventually lose him, be it to old age or another woman. She tried not to let tears form in her eyes, but she could feel her heart take a dive. She shivered at the thought, knowing that someday, Jarvan would be gone and she would be alone again.

Shyvana stared intently into the fire, the flames prancing about like firehawks circling above their prey in the Shurima desert. She stared at the blue flames that licked the wood and the orange tendrils that rose up, strands of pale smoke drifting up into the sky.

There was an unease that followed her now, a doubt about their future. It felt like darkness in her heart, uncertainty about what was to come.

Fear...

Shyvana shivered, drawing the blanket closer around her shoulders. She closed her eyes and tried to banish the fear that seemed to surround her heart, but part of her was unable to banish that fear. She opened her eyes and looked to where Jarvan was. She froze, blinking a few times, surprised.

Where'd he go?

The dragoness got to her feet and looked about, the unable to find him amid the harsh shadows that the firelight cast upon the rocks and the water. "Jarvan?" She called, drawing the blanket closer around her. She rubbed her eyes with one hand, the other still holding the blanket around her shoulders as she gazed about. "Jarvan!"

The crunch of leather on rock caused her to jump, nearly toppling forward into the pool. Jarvan dried his hair and face with a towel that he had produced from somewhere, wrapping it over his shoulders, holding an end in each hand as he gazed up at her from the water's edge. "Shyvana... what-whoa!" The dragoness practically tackled him, his arms flailing about as he struggled to keep himself from going over backwards into the pool as the dragoness wrapped her arms around his neck. He plucked both the towel and the blanket from the air and then wrapped his arms around Shyvana's waist, holding her tight as she buried her face in his neck. "I only stepped away for a moment to rinse my face..." Jarvan murmured quietly, chuckling softly to hide his surprise.

"I just..." Shyvana whispered, her voice muffled as she spoke against his neck. "I just... I'm scared, Jarvan." She loosened her grip on his neck, sliding down his bare chest. He was warm to the touch, and his battle scars looked worse for wear in the dark light as Shyvana shook her head, trying to hide her tears as they welled in her eyes.

"Scared?" Jarvan said, blinking, confusion settling upon his face. "Scared of what?" He lowered Shyvana to the ground, letting the dragoness stand on her own as she clambered up the rocks to the cave. He sat down on the moss, tossing a few sticks into the fire as he did, looking up at the dragoness.

"Us..." Shyvana said, trying to hide her face behind her hands.

"Us?" Jarvan repeated, frowning. "I hardly think that's something to be afraid of..." Jarvan said, his shoulders slumping as he glanced away from her long legs and back to the fire. She could see him blush and she shook her head as she dropped to the soft moss next to him. She leaned against him, wrapping the blanket around their shoulders and pressing up against his side, laying her head in the crook of his neck.

"Not like that..." Shyvana said, her father's words echoing in her mind. "I... I'm afraid of what's to come. Kampf... Demacia..." She shivered, despite the warmth that Jarvan seemed to radiate as he looked down at her. "When I was laying at the bottom of that canal... I realized that I was never going to see you again." She paused, her voice trailing off. "That terrified me. I felt so alone..." Her voice cracked as is trailed off again.

"Sometimes I wonder if we'll actually be together in the future." Jarvan said quietly after a few minutes of silence. "I'm afraid too, afraid of so many things." He shook his head, looking at his open palm, wriggling his fingers and then forming a fist. He struck upward, punching the air, frowning at the gesture and looking back at his hand.

"What could you be afraid of?" Shyvana asked, looking up at him. The firelight danced in his eyes as she stared intently at the flames.

"Hurting you again, losing you..." Jarvan shivered, but a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he tore his gaze from the fire and met Shyvana's stare. "Hardly becoming of a prince, right?" He said, trying to laugh it off. Shyvana simply shook her head, smiling at him as she felt the doubt and fear she had held in her heart before begin to melt. "But I know with you, I'll be able to sunder any army, crumble any mountain, and leap the great divide in a single bound..." He trailed off sheepishly, looking down at Shyvana. He grinned stupidly, scratching the back of his head as he did. "Sorry, I just... I don't know how else to say it."

Shyvana smiled, shaking her head. "Even I know a word for that..."

The dragoness pushed up closer to him, drawing his head down with a hand upon his cheek as she pressed her lips against his. She closed her eyes and could feel a tear stream down her cheek. She pulled back slightly, looking up into Jarvan's eyes.

"Love."