The Ivory Ward... but why the Ivory Ward? What or who was there that could have caused him to disappear?
Katarina Du Couteau frowned as she leaned backwards at her desk, propping the chair she was perched upon back onto two legs. She stared up at the opulent red ceiling, the color a deep, deep red in flickering light of the hextech lanterns upon the wall and the orange light that show through the window. A violently orange sun began to set over the top of the Darkbourne Hold, the mountain fortress the dominated Noxus' skyline. Katarina stared at the fortress with her mind drawn to those held within.
"Someone within that keep is responsible for what happened to you father." Katarina whispered under her breath. "I won't rest until I find out who..."
Katarina picked up the picture that was sitting on her desk, running her hand across the photo held in the frame. With red hair as violent and bloody as her own, and emerald green eyes that gleamed as bright as the smile that dominated his face. Katarina hadn't been more than fifteen or sixteen in the photo, but she rose up to just above her father's elbow, her arms crossed over her chest and her cheek puffed out in a look of indignation that fit the younger reflection of herself a bit too well. Sitting on one shoulder, Cassiopea's dark brown hair gleams and a bright smile shown on her face as she wrapped her small arms around her father's head to hold on. Talon was hanging under his father's arm, anger marring his face at the way he was being treated like luggage.
They were twelve here... Talon and Cassi, and things were so much simpler.
It had been so long since Katarina had seen her father. Work and assignments had kept them from seeing each other for so long and now this. She shuddered as her shoulders sank.
What couldn't you tell me that was so important you have to completely vanish from this air?
She let the chair fall forward as her hand snuck the the blade upon her thigh. Hidden by the desk as the chair landed on all fours, she turned towards the door, her eyes narrowed to vicious slits.
A knock came at the door as she sent the chair crashing to the ground, jumping to her feet. Katarina jumped when the chair hit the ground, her heart racing.
Easy self... easy. She took a deep breath and let her heart slow, picking the chair up and setting it at her desk. "Enter."
"Katarina?" Talon pushed the door open and stepped in, his purple cloak sweeping in around him like a billowing shadow. "It seems Cassi has finally fallen asleep." His hood was pulled low over his brow, his face lost amid the darkness of the room.
"And the maid didn't die?" Katarina's hand slid away from the blade as she exhaled and dropped back to her seat and kicked the chair back up onto two legs.
"For once." Talon nodded. His gaze landed upon the picture that lay in the middle of Katarina's desk. "Kata..."
"I thought I told you not to call me that?" She snapped and raised an eyebrow as she shot him a perturbed look. "We're not kids anymore you know."
"Then why do you let that Demacian call you by that name? The knight... Garen, wasn't it?" Talon smirked, barely visible in the dim light. Katarina glared at him, anger sparkling in her green eyes. Talon chuckled and then raised his hands apologetically. "Sorry. A courier just arrived with a letter for you." He produced a heavy parchment envelope from within his cloak, the glittering blade upon his forearm clattering as he moved. Katarina accepted the letter from him and turned it over, the rough parchment paper weighty in her hand as she ran her eyes over the red wax seal that decorated the back. Simple red text read 'Katarina Du Couteau' on the front.
A frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Did the courier say anything about the letter?"
"He said it was urgent, but nothing more regarding the letter." He grinned, showing pearly white teeth. "He was insistent that this be delivered to your hands, but I managed to convince him I was... trustworthy."
Katarina rolled her eyes as she broke the seal. "There's a reason the courier is never the same more than once in a row." Talon chuckled, the deep sound nearly as sharp as his blade. Katarina unfolded the letter and let her eyes fly over the text, written in a fitting blood red color.
"What's it say?" Talon growled after silence settled over the room.
"It's a summons..." Katarina murmured, a frown continuing to mar her brow. "They're going to announce the replacement to father within the High Command this evening. I've been cordially invited and I've been given privilege to invite a friend." The sting in her voice reflected just what she thought about the summons.
"I thought you had convinced them to suspend their decision till something definitive had been determined. To my knowledge, still nothing has been uncovered." Talon stood up straight, unease tightening his shoulder blades. Katarina pushed herself up from her chair, sliding the leather jacket from her shoulders and moving towards her closet, shrugging. The leather jacket ended up on the floor next to her bed, amid a sea of other clothing articles, pieces of parchment and books.
"So had I." Katarina mused as she pulled the door open and stepped inside, starting to toss shirts and jackets out onto her four-poster bed. "Apparently the High Command has amended their decision." Katarina emerged from the closet with a red jacket of a vague military styling held over her chest with one hand. She stepped in front of the mirror on her vanity and frowned at the red jacket. She let it fall away and then held an emerald green Jacket to her chest. Katarina looked at herself in the mirror.
Red hair framed her face, swept back behind her shoulders and green eyes glittered in the dim light. A faint pink scar ran vertically over her left eye, starting high on her forehead and then curving gently down to end below the crest of her cheekbone. Katarina had never disliked the scar; she thought it made her look menacing and dangerous, something that had saved her trouble many times and earned her more in others. She sighed and turned to Talon, holding both jackets in hand.
"Which one?" She said, flipping back and forth between the two.
"You're kidding me right?" Talon blanked, blinking several times before he ran a hand over his face with a groan. Katarina shrugged and then tossed both garments over her shoulder, one landing on the bed, the other the floor. She disappeared into the closet again. "What about the uniform you were issued? I thought you had been given that for occasions like this." Katarina frowned as she stared at her wardrobe. Her father had bought her a few dressed here and there for special occasions, but this wasn't an occasion of the sort. She wanted to make an impact, but she didn't want to send the wrong message. Her usually clothes would have been fine but it wouldn't serve to send any message at all, and that itself could send a bad message. She dug around and finally uncovered a box that held the uniform she had been given.
"Kat, you alright?" Talon frowned; silence this long usually ended in corpses, and as he looked around again. This much of a mess will make it difficult to clean up all the blood. Katarina stepped out, tightening a belt on her hip. She tugged one glove up her arm, and then tugged the other on, smoothing the high collar out and then tugging her red hair from the jacket, letting is cascade behind her. Though a bit overly decorative, the tight fitting purple and black Special Forces uniform fit her well. Talon let his eyes run over her once and then had to turn away to clear his mind. Katarina picked her black jacket up off the floor and raised it up around her shoulders. She looked to the frosted windowpanes and grimaced.
"You might want something a bit warmer." Talon echoed her thoughts, shrugging as he smoothed his cloak over his shoulders. Katarina nodded as she disappeared, producing a heavy black cloak that she wrapped over her shoulders.
"No reason to over dress, I suppose." Katarina said sarcastically as she grabbed the two swords hanging by leather belts from a coat rack near the door. She belted them in place, adjusting them till they were within easy grasp.
Katarina turned towards Talon. "Ready for trouble?"
A thin lipped grin slid onto Talon's face. "Let's finish this quickly."
Katarina swept out the front of her estate with Talon in tow, moving towards the center of Noxus. Though an evening haze has settled over the city, Darkbourne Mountain rose up over the city imperiously. Katarina looked up at the hollowed out mountain that dominated the landscape. An entire side of the mountain had been torn away, leaving several holes in a pattern that looked decidedly like the face of a skull. Though no official record had been made by the mining foreman who had originally hollowed out the mountain centuries before, Katarina had never been able to shake the feeling that it had been intentional for the sole purpose of frightening any enemy who dared approach. Perched atop the mountain was a massive fortress with towering walls adorned with spikes, its spires reaching up higher than any other point along the visible landscape.
Darkbourne Keep.
Hidden deep within those mighty walls was the quarters of the current Grand General of Noxus, Boram Darkwill, who ruled over all of the Noxian Empire. Consisting of the twelve highest ranked generals in the Noxian command structure, the High Command of Noxus served as an advisory council to the Grand General on all of the actions and operations of Noxian interest Stretching from Ionia and the Freljord, all the way down to Bandle City and the Blue Flame Isles, Noxus had agents and agencies all across Valoran. With so many potential leaks and problems that could crop up at any moment, only the most trusted and powerful of figures were summoned to the depths of Darkbourne keep.
Katarina shivered as a gust of wind swept down the street. If we've been invited, both of us, things must be truly dire.
"It feels like we're walking into a trap, doesn't it." Talon murmured, his voice low and lost upon the wind.
"Since when could you read minds?" Katarina glanced over a Talon as she turned her collar up against the December wind.
"I don't need to be able to read minds to be able to tell what you're thinking right now." Talon said with a smirk. Though barely a few inches taller than she was, for a brief moment Talon seeed to tower over her. Her fears of the worst served to amplify how vulnerable Katarina felt at the moment, leaving her sinking into his shadow. She hid the pain with scorn, glaring at the assassin, but the damage has already been done. "Kata..."
"I told you to stop calling me that." She hissed, hurrying her pace and hiding the pain away with indignation. "You may have been adopted into our family when you were still just a boy, but others will see that as weakness. Never show a Noxian your weakness."
The cold tone of her voice cut through Talon like polished steel. His face blanked and then returned in a mask of anger. "Fine, I'll drop it."
Katarina watched as he strode ahead, his shoulders again bunched up in anger beneath his cloak. Talon had been a rough cut little boy when her father had brought him home. Similar in age to Katarina's younger sister, the young man had proved almost as adept with a knife as Katarina and despite the trouble, he had come to fit right in. Katarina let a smile slide onto her face for a brief moment before she pushed up to match his pace again.
I miss him too, Talon. You have no idea how much I miss father.
The sun had set and the lantern lighters were roaming the streets, the soft orange orbs glowing across the city that stretched out below them. Standing outside the main entrance to Darkbourne keep, atop the mountain that it was perched up, Katarina had a supreme view of the lands that surrounded Noxus, despite the evening haze that had settled upon the landscape. The rivers that spread out in every direction were haunting ribbons of silver, haphazardly strewn across the landscape. Mountains rose up in the distance, melding with darkened sky above, the snow capped peaks barely visible in the darkness.
"Mistress Katarina Du Couteau I presume?"
The voice was pompous and nasally, as if someone had shoved a sock so far up their nose it had lodged in their forehead. She turned and was met by a man in a military uniform with a nose so large it looked as if he had been born the son of a parrot. His cheeks were red against the sting of the wind and though his cloak bore the green and gold colors of the Noxian Military, he also wore the red and black accents of the Darkbourne Elite Guard. Captain's rank tabs gleamed upon the collar of his jacket, showing just inside his hood.
"Yes, Captain." Katarina nodded, finally acknowledging his question.
"You've been expected, ma'am." He looked down at a parchment scroll before he rolled it up and tucked it away into his jacket. "And brother?" Talon frowned but nodded, his arms crossed over his chest beneath his cloak. Where it had been cold in the streets of Noxus, atop Darkbourne mountain it was absolutely frigid. "You may come as well. This way please, Grand General Darkwilll is waiting."
"Did he now?" Talon snarled, rolling his eyes at the man's back as he turned to follow. Katarina shot him an angry look and Talon snapped his mouth shut before he could make another sarcastic remark.
"Oh yes." The officer glanced over his shoulder with a smile so greasy that Talon refused to open his mouth. "We should be quick, the council is waiting as well."
They swept in past the huge number of Guards posted at the main entrance and into the inner courtyard of the hold. Green and Golden banners hung all around the courtyard, though some looked decidedly worn against the weather. More guards stood stock still, as if they were statues. They stopped briefly outside the gate, and the captain presented the paperwork he held to the Guard of wore a crimson officers sash to inspect. They weren't waiting long before they were allowed to move through on though. A short stop marked another check point, the officer sweeping past them this time, only the guards eyes moving as they moved past. A pair of guards opened a massive, steel reinforced wooden door, granting the small party entrance to the main hall of the hold. Soft golden light flickered in the large entrance hallway, a worn statue standing sentinel at the far end of the hall. Towering nearly a hundred feet tall, the statue was a grim monolith to Noxian power.
Grand General Howadin Berentheld, the first Grand General of Noxus.
They moved around the statue, the heavily polished stone gleaming even in the dim light. They entered a large doorway that had been hidden by the statue's width, more guards standing sentinel. The rest of the journey into the hold was a confusing maze of lefts and rights, up flights of step and down flights of steps, until both Katarina and Talon were thoroughly lost.
"Where the hell are we going?" Talon grumbled as they pressed deeper into the depths of the hold. Their guide's boots clopped on endlessly though, memory leading him through the maze without fault. Talon groaned as they passed more guards, each one towering over Talon and Katarina, their golden armor gleaming in the dim torch light. Their journey deposited them in a unsuspecting looking hallway that led further on, disappearing behind another corner, but the two guards that stood outside the door on the left side of the hall marked their destination.
"Go on in, you're expected." The captain motioned to the door, blocking the path deeper into the hold. The guards pushed the door open, granting Talon and Katarina entrance. Katarina shot a fleeting glance at the hook-billed man before she stepped into the darkened room. As they both moved into the darkness, the door slammed shut behind them, leaving them in a sea of darkness.
Motes of flame burst to life around the room, revealing a high desk of darkened wood that stretched around the circular room. Standing closer on towards the center of the room, a man clad in the Noxian colors stood patiently, a cane held at his side and a bird perched upon his shoulder. With oily black feathers, the bird's head rotated to look at Katarina as she moved forward to stand next to the man, watching her with a row of three glowing orange eyes.
"Swain." Katarina acknowledged the man with a curt nod, watching as he turned his head ever so slightly to look down at her.
"Mistress Du Couteau." His voice was hard and gravelly, but there was an oiliness to it that matched his Raven's feathers. "Your father's disappearance has struck a great blow to Noxus. He will be missed."
"He isn't dead yet, Swain." Katarina shot back, the look in the man's eyes dialing back from cold and calculating to an even simmer. "I suspect that when he returns, you'll be the first to know."
"I eagerly await his return, then." Swain said, bowing his head ever so slightly in respect. Katarina forced a tight smile upon her lips.
"Where are the generals, this is the High Command's normal meeting place, right?" Talon leaned in and whispered, his eyes darting about the high desk that circled the room, the thirteen seats of the Noxian Grand General's advisory council empty.
"These chambers are used primarily for inquiries and trials, young man." Swain growled, looking up at the high desk. "Getting invited in here is a rare honor you should relish, not question." Talon shot Swain a dirty look, but the Lieutenant General wasn't paying attention. High above them, behind the desk, a door had opened with a creak and the members of the advisory council had begun to file in. Each was escorted by a guard of varying stature, each decorated with an array of colorful armor and trophies.
"I recognize most of these men." Talon said under his voice, just loud enough for Katarina to hear him. "That's General Darius and his brother, Draven, known as the Blood Brothers of Noxus. And that's Chancellor Malek Hawkmoon, reigning general of the Ionian Occupation Campaign... if he's here then something really is up." Talon fell silent as he watched the council file in.
"It'd be best if you keep your mouth shut unless spoken to." Katarina hissed, turning slightly towards the assassin. Talon simply nodded, watching as twelve older men filed in and took their seats atop the desk, each looking down across the room. The door closed marking the end of the procession, leaving a single seat midway around the arc to the right absent.
Perched in the center most seat, the eldest of the group sat regally, looking down at the desk in front of him. With a mane of grizzled white hair, a short trimmed beard that gave his jaw a hardened edge, and piercing ice blue eyes, Boram Darkwill read over a piece of parchment. His quill danced over the parchment briefly before he set it down before him and then laced his hands together, staring down at the three Noxians who stood patiently waiting. Though his face was marred by wrinkles and showing the signs of his advanced age, Grand General Darkwill's eyes were as sharp as steel and gleamed almost white, even in the flickering golden light surrounding them. He pulled the spectacles from his face and set them gently upon the desk before him.
"Wecome back from the front, Lieutenant General Swain." Swain bowed his head in the general's direction and a smile slipped into his eyes. "I've heard great things about your recent exploits within the Institute of War, and your record speaks for itself." He waved a hand at his desk, gesturing to the piece of parchment he had set down there.
"The pleasure is mine, Grand General." Boram's gaze moved to Katarina.
"And the prodigious heir to the Du Couteau name." Darkwill's eyes darkened for a moment as he sat back and looked down his nose at Katarina. "And your adopted brother I assume?"
"Yes, Grand General." Katarina bowed and then shot a glance at Talon. The younger assassin looked surprised but bowed as well after a moment.
"How fares your younger sister? Cassiopea?" A smile began to spread upon his face at the look of surprise Katarina wore.
"She is fairing poorly still, Grand General." Katarina said reluctantly. "She stays trapped within her room at all hours of the day. Many of the servants that try to attend to her tend to end up... dead. Finding hired help has become... troublesome." Darkwill nodded, rubbing his palms together gingerly.
"A shame, she was the jewel of the Noxian court." Darkwill nodded. "Speaking of... Swain, I was told you were coming with an old friend of mine?" He glanced down at the Lieutenant General.
Swain nodded, and met the Grand General's gaze. "I was, but unfortunately she wasn't able to arrive on time." Swain bowed slightly in respect. "She sends her apologies and wished for me to convey a message that she would be running slightly late."
"Unfortunate." Darkwill nodded slightly, as if it had been expected. "But not unforeseen. We'll proceed then." He turned to look down at Katarina for a few moments. "I'm sorry to say, no news has been gleamed from our investigations into the disappearance of your Father, General Marcus Du Couteau. I understand you've been preoccupied with your duties to the Institute of War as well as your cooperative efforts with the affairs in Kalamanda." He glanced down at the sheet of parchment in front of him, and then his eyes strayed to another sheet. "Have your own investigations led to any new leads?"
"No." Katarina shook her head tersely. So my absence was not wholly unmissed.
"Very well." Darkwill sighed softly. "That brings us to the matter of tonight's business." He paused a moment, looking left and right along the high desk that lorded over the room. "The Noxian High Command has suggested and I have decided unanimously that with the absence of General Marcus Du Couteau for this extended period of time, the promotion of a new General must be made for the good of the Noxian people." Darkwill paused a moment and met Katarina and Swain's gaze before continuing. "Unfortunately, with the absence of General Du Couteau coming close to nearly three months now, and the tense situations developing in Kalamanda, a new general will be promoted to fill the vacant slot."
"An appropriate move given the situation." Swain said, nodding. "With the prospect of war upon the horizon, and the aggressive actions of Prince Jarvan recently, in addition to their apparent alliance with the dragons, the odds are starting to stack against us."
"He has a point!" A voice emerged from the darkness of the council desk. "We can't fight dragons under the Institute of War, not without using ancient rune magics."
"We need someone strong to take decisive action against these threats!" Another, deeper voice suggested. "To cut them off from the source!"
"I asked Lieutenant General Swain to attend the meeting tonight with the intent of volunteering his name for this position." A deeper growl of a voice echoed from the far side of the room. Darius stood as he gestured to the seat that sat vacant towards the center of the half circle along the desk. "His long history of service to Noxus and gilded service record proves he is more than competent on the field of battle. His service within the Institute of War has proven he is a capable diplomat and representative of Noxus amid her sister nations. He is by and far the best suited choice to the successor to the late Marcus Du Couteau right now." Darkwill slammed his hand down onto the desk several times, silencing the chatter that had started amid the members of the High Command.
"Order." He practically shouted, his voice booming over the group. "Order." The room drifted to silence as the council regrouped and calmed itself. Darius, a smirk riding on his face, resumed his seat. Darkwill frowned, glaring at the relatively young general. "While you still maintain the junior most position upon this council, General I will accept this nomination, if the Lieutenant General accepts his name being put forth."
All eyes settled on Swain.
"It is a high mantle of responsibility, but I will gladly accept this challenge." Swain nodded sagely.
"Very well." Darkwill said, putting his hand down on the table firmly.
"Are there any qualms amid the High Command?" Darkwill glanced left and and right, looking for one of the eleven other voices to speak up amid the group.
"Perhaps the children of General Du Couteau will have something to say?" A female voice prompted, though deep, it rung true amid the silence. "This has substantial bearing upon them as well, and that is why you had then brought here, correct?"
"Isn't it normal for a waiting period of at least six months before a new general is nominated in the case of a murder?" Talon snarled, stepping forth and spreading his arms wide to get his point across. "Why the hell is this going so fast?"
"Talon!" Katarina snapped, glaring at him. The younger assassin frowned and took a step back, frowning but bowed his head.
"Apologies, I was out of place." Talon said quietly.
"Though poorly put, he has a point." Katarina said, glancing over at Swain. "I'm surprised High Command has advanced this fast without proper notification or ceremony. The High Command is usually on top of things like this."
"You may not be completely clued in to things right now, but there is more than meets the eye with Noxus' current political situation." Swain growled.
"I can answer for the will of my own council, thank you." General Darkwill said, looking down at Swain, the wrinkles tightening around his eyes.
The balding lieutenant general looked to the ground and bowed his head, taking a step back. "Pardon me for my outburst, Grand General."
"See that you mind yourself from now on." Darkwill said evenly.
"Sir." Swain said quietly.
"To address your concerns, Misstress Du Couteau." Darkwill looked back to the red-haired assassin. "Swain wasn't lying when he said that things were not as they seem right now. Demacia, Ionia and Piltover are all pressuring the Institute of War for a rematch to determine whether or not Noxus has the right to remain occupying Ionia. With the fear of losing our main source of minerals and a large portion of our food producing capability gripping the population, we will be forced to further our trade alliances with other nations, many of which are not supportive of the Invasion of Ionia seven years prior. That is why you were given the important task of securing a claim in Kalamanda. Those resources are going to be very important to Noxus soon. " Kataraina grimaced but silenced her complaints. "With such dark prospects in the future, we must show even the smallest mote of weakness to our enemies. Do you have any qualm with this logic?"
"No." Katarina grumbled. "I withdraw my argument, Grand General Darkwill."
"You say you withdrew your opinion, but your begrudging tone suggest otherwise." Darkwill said, looking down at Katarina with a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You may have grown, little Katarina, but I remember when you were barely up to my knee." Darkwill chuckled. "We won't stop our efforts to find your father. Marcus was a loyal friend and as loyal a son that Noxus has ever seen."
"Ahem." A voice coughed, and then Darkwill looked surprised.
"Apologies, I seem to be getting a bit nostalgic in my old age." Darkwill said with a soft chuckle.
"Thank you, general." Katarina said softly and took a step back. "I have no further qualms with the Lieutenant General's nomination.: She turned slightly towards Swain. "Congratulations, Lieutenant General." Swain nodded coldly, but he at least tried to appear gracious.
"We will now hold a vote." Darkwill said with a nod. "All in favor?"
Eleven purple motes of flame burned around him, one above each of the other eleven members. A red mote of flame burst to life above Darkwill's head. All of the flames swirled about above his head, coalescing into a single swirling ball of blue fire. It lowered down in front of Darkwill, settling on his hand, held before his face. His lips moved beneath his beard as he whispered into the flame. It burned bright for a second and then fizzles out into a charred piece of paper that fluttered to his hand. He returned his spectacles to his nose and then his eyes glanced at the parchment scrap. He sighed and then looked down at swain, return his spectacles to the table.
"Very well, the votes are unanimous." Darkwill stood up and looked down at Swain. "Congratulations on your promotion to the High Command. With your promotion comes the rank of General. It is long overdue that we recognize your many accomplishments, your cunning, and, above all, your unwavering loyalty to the Empire and to the High Command."
A round of applause started with Darius and slowly carried through the room. A smile carried through Swain's eyes as he looked up as if he had won a great victory.
"Thank you all for your vote of confidence." Swain crooned. "I swear upon my life as a son of Noxus that this will be the beginning of a period of good fortune and untold strength for Noxus." His Raven cawed and then settled back onto his shoulder.
"Well put." There was a chorus of agreements before Swain settled his cane in front of him, still smiling.
"I know this was rather short term, but I hope all of you will be able to stay and enjoy some refreshments." General Darkwill said as a piece of parchment was placed in front of him by a soldier in a Noxian guardsman's uniform. Darkwill's eyes raced over the text and then he nodded, picking up his quill, scribbling something across the bottom, nodding definitively. "And with that, it's official. A proper ceremony will be arranged for the following week."
Katarina shifted uncomfortably, looking at Talon. He growled, but stared at the ground, his hand clenched into fists.
I know the feeling.
"So what happened to our guest of honor?"
A single voice echoed the groups thoughts in the small reception hall that had been prepared for the aftermath of the events of that evening. The head cook of Darkbourne Hold had been rousted from his slumber to prepare some food for the guests. Lain out about the room on opulently dressed tables, massive plates of food covered every surface, and a small bar was fully stocked to serve those who need to quench their thirst. Many of the attendees now carried wine in golden goblets and some stuffed their face with Hors d'oeuvres. Darius and Draven spoke boastfully with the other generals, many who surrounded the brothers desiring tales of their exploits, hoping to with their favor and avoid the fell of Darius' ax.
Off to the side of the room, Katarina leaned against the wall and Talon stood sullenly by, watching as the bureaucrats went about their mixing and mingling. Idle chattered drifted around the air, a roaring fire warding off the winter chill on the far end of the room.
"I feel out of place." Talon grumbled, looking about with disgust rife upon his expression.
"You used to attend social functions like this with my father, didn't you?" Katarina said, switching feet, raising one and pressing it against the wall as she glanced around the room. She wasn't at home amid the politicians either. She had attended balls before, but it usually ended in blood. Her sister was the one adept in the subversive art of politicking and seduction. Katarina preferred methods that were a bit more... direct. She sighed, feeling uncomfortable.
"I did." Talon said quietly, his hand hovering over his forearm where his blade was. "But I was there as protection, not a somebody's plus one. I sat in the shadows or the rafters, watching... waiting."
"Hmmph." Katarina nodded towards the door, her cat like instincts as sharp as ever. The doors cracked open and a guard pushed the door open as in hobbled Swain, his raven on one shoulder and a woman on his free arm.
"Who is that?" Talon murmured under his breath, standing up slightly straighter than before.
"I don't know, I've never seen her before." Katarina narrowed her eyes as she glared at the woman. Clad in a skin tight green dress that clung to her body and stretched from her neck to the floor, she was was a sight to behold. Though tight, the dress was slit high on each thigh, revealing long legs perched upon tall heals. Black hair gleamed in the light, and her supple chest bounced with every step. She wore long gloves that ended high on her arms that were the same color as her golden eyes. Purple lipstick marked her lips and marks just under eyes gave her an exotic look, and she wore a single black rose tied back in her bun.
"I don't know either, but damn if she isn't good looking." Talon wore a grin on his face, leaning back, pulling his hood back on his head to get a better look.
"Is that so?"
"YEEOUCH!" Talon snarled, bouncing up on one foot as Katarina turned away and stalked off, her arms crossed over her chest. He hopped after her, holding a foot in both hands, the steel boot mashed down, a pattern distinctive to Katarina's boot matching it. "What the hell was that for?" Katarina ignored him, moving towards the group that had started to form. She stepped up next to Boram Darkwill who leaned heavily on a cane of his own.
"Ah, young Katarina, how are you enjoying the party?" General Darkwill said, looking down at the red-headed assassin. She shrugged.
"It is not to my tastes, to be perfectly honest, but your chef is quite the master." Katarina said, smiling a politely as she could.
"Succinctly put, young one." Darkwill said with a chuckle. "Your father was the same way, all business and never able to enjoy the... finer things in life."
"Speaking of, who is that woman, I don't believe I've ever met her before." Katarina posted a fist on one hip and frowned.
"She was a peer of mine at the Noxian Military Academy." General Darkwill said, letting a frown cross his face for a moment. "Though for years, she hasn't bothered to come out of seclusion."
"She was a peer?" Katarina raised an eyebrow, frowning. "She hardly looks a day over twenty."
"Yes, indeed..." Darkwill's voice trailed off as his gaze darkened for a moment. The mood seemed to lightened as a smile spread over his face and he moved towards her. "Emilia LeBlanc, you truly are a vision."
Leblanc?
Katarina looked to Talon, his pain gone, a hardened mask sliding over his face, the realization washing over him as well. He nodded quietly at her, and she knew it was time to go. Darkwill pushed through the small cluster of people and spread his arms in an inviting gesture. He took her hand in his and kissed it once, smiling back and forth from Swain to LeBlanc. "How many years has it been, Emilia?"
"Twenty, easily, Boram." Emilia said, a smile settling upon her purple lips.
"How did you and the new General here come to be acquainted?" Darkwill wore an easy smile, some of the age washing from his face, though the years still showed heavily upon his face compared to his academy peer.
"I think it's about time we left." Katarina growled under her breath. Talon nodded and they slowly began making their way to the door.
"...It wasn't long after that when we met." Swain recalled, looking up at the ceiling as if he were summoning a long lost memory. "We exchange mail every once in a while, and have remained friends since the occasion."
"How grand." Darkwill boomed, a smile still dominating his face. He glanced around the room and spied Katarina moving slowly towards the door. "Leaving so soon, Miss Du Couteau? The party has only just begun!" Katarina was frozen in her tracks but she put on a smile and turned to look towards Darkwill. Her gaze swept across LeBlanc's eyes and Katarina felt electricity run through her veins as the entire world around her froze. Flames froze mid flicker, chatter froze in the air without tone, mouths ajar mid sentence, actions completely stalled mid action.
Silence and utter stillness filled a void around her.
"You may wish to watch out in the future." LeBlanc purred, an imperious smile upon her face.
"What'd you do!" Katarina snapped, glancing around. Talon's face was frozen mid snarl as Leblanc moved towards her, circling her slowly like an animal on the prowl. Katarina was unable to move anything but her eyes, watching as LeBlanc moved around her, drifting in and out of reach. Katarina tried to move her arms but she felt like her entire body was made of lead, getting dragged down, weighed down by solid lead upon her arms. "What is this?"
"It's simply a little trick I picked up in the Institute of War." LeBlanc swept in and ran a finger over Katarina's cheek. Her finger ran over the scar that marked Katarina's left eye, drifting down along her jaw. LeBlanc tapped Katarina on the chin once with her finger tip and paused slightly, looking down her nose at her fellow countrywoman. Her gaze lingered on Katarina for a moment before she moved on, looking to Talon with hungry eyes. "Such a handsome young man... what a treat he would be." LeBlanc took a step back and smiled, her gaze moving up and down the frozen assassin's form. "It would be a shame if something were to happen to him..."
LeBlanc's smile sent ice coursing through Katarina's vein and caused dread to pool in her stomach.
"You're going to threaten me by trying to get at me through my family..." Katarina hissed angrily.
"I always hated veiled threats." Leblanc examined her gloved finger tips, working them slowly. "While I do prefer the fun of smoke and mirrors myself, sometimes you must cut a problem off at the roots."
"What do you want?" Katarina growled after a snarl of anger died in her throat.
"Oh, but I haven't even said what I was going to do to him." LeBlanc reached into his hood and brushed a lock of his long brown hair from his face. "Such a strong, firm young man like this... he's right where I want him."
"I can only imagine." Katarina snarled, her voice dripping with disgust. "What do you want?"
"Not even going to play a little bit?" LeBlanc pouted. Katarina rolled her eyes. "You're no fun at all."
"Bite me, you old hag!" Katarina snapped, fire now burning in her eyes.
"There's the fight I so enjoy." LeBlanc hissed, her voice wavering, her breathing growing heavy as if she enjoyed this torture far too much.
LeBlanc's glare turned to stone.
Suddenly it was gone, pure ice in her expression. Her eyes darkened and her gaze was like that of a gorgon. Katarina felt the anger in her heart turn to fear in an instant. "Stay out of our way, little girl. Noxus is now embarking on a road to success and you can't do anything to stop it."
"Where is my father!" Katarina shouted, her body jerking as she struggled against the powerful magic spell.
"Ah, wouldn't you like to know..." LeBlanc laughed, the sound chilly and cruel. "Behave and I might tell you."
"Fine!" Katarina growled, her anger muted. "Just tell me where he is."
"I will when this is all over." LeBlanc smiled as she pulled the rose from her hair, telling her black hair cascade around her face, veiling it in a darkness that was inhuman. She slid forward and slid the black rose into the lapel of Katarina's jacket. She patted it fondly, smiling cruelly as she did. "Until then, you'll do your best not to meddle in our plans." Katarina's gaze strode to Swain. "Oh, and regarding the idiot prince... I'll take care of him, don't worry." LeBlanc's smile cut through Katarina as she moved back to Swain's arm. "And young miss Katarina, just so you know... there's no escape."
The world around her began to move again.
"Miss Katarina?" General Darkwill looked concerned. "Are you feeling well?"
"Ah." Katarina felt sweat beading upon her brow. She looked to LeBlanc, who feigned a mask of concern like the others. I see how it is.
Katarina forced a smile onto her face, though she hand to clench her hands behind her back to hide the trembling. "I feel a bit under the weather, honestly General. I was going to retire to my family's manor for the evening. I'm afraid this winter weather doesn't agree with me."
"A pity." General Darkwill said, nodding. "I wish you good health."
"Thank you, general." Katarina bowed. "And you as well. If you'll excuse me." Katarina spun as Talon bowed and swept after her, Katarina's pace threatening to break into a run as she stepped into the hallway.
I need to get out of here...
"What was that all about?" Talon grumbled as they emerged outside of Darkbourne Hold.
I can't tell him about LeBlanc... about what she threatened to do to Talon... to Jarvan... Katarina forced a smile onto her face.
"It's nothing, I just needed some fresh air." She said striding towards the cliff and stopping at the low wall the protected pedestrians from the sheer cliff. "I find social functions like that so stuffy and unbearable." Katarina spun and collapsed on the stone wall, looking down at her hands, each quivering in a mix of hatred and fear. She let her head rest in her hands for a moment, shivering.
L is LeBlanc... She was the one who was orchestrating all of this A frown darkened Katarina's brow as she pulled her hood up against the wind. What interest does LeBlanc have in all of this? And what of Swain? Surely he's involved as well...
"So this LeBlanc character, you really think she's the one?" Talon said with a low voice, standing off to one side and staring out over the city.
"She might be, yes." Katarina said, putting on a fake smile, that was marked with anger. "Though I don't have any evidence."
"A pity." Talon grumbled, he paused and growled, scratching his head. "There was something I forgot to mention earlier because of the courier. My digging for information finally turned something up on that wannabee assassin from a month ago, the one who tried to silence Prince Blockhead and his pet dragon." Katarina looked up at him, and though she could see anger on her face, surprise dominated her expression. She shook her head and then looked back at him, her eyes sharper than before.
"What'd you find?" Katarina said, looking up to meet Talon's gaze with narrowed eyes. I might not be able to do anything now... but it won't hurt to have hard proof when I need it.
"Turned out his was actually from Zaun, a disgruntled miner." Talon shrugged. "When the ore ran out the mine he worked in closed down and his family ran out of money. Not all that out of the ordinary, right?" Katarina nodded, it didn't seen all that strange. "Well I got to thinking, and it wouldn't be too difficult to tie the miner's motives to that of the rising tensions in Kalamanda. You saw how easily Swain used The Prince and his Pet for his own motives." Katarina's glare darkened as she recalled the words Swain had twisted about.
"Why would a miner have motive though?" Katarina frowned. "The target was Jarvan IV, not a mine executive."
"I highly doubt he knew that when he attacked." Talon said with a shrug. "And besides, with all of the talks in Kalamanda right now, it wouldn't be impossible for the miner to try and disturb the efforts there to decide who gets the mining rights. It be easy to spin it as a crime of passion."
"That is true..." Katarina sighed as she pushed herself to her feet, opening and closing her fists several times.
"Shall I follow the lead up and keep digging?" Talon asked, looking over at her.
Katarina shook her head. "We've got enough to worry about right now. Leave it." Talon looked surprised for a moment but then shrugged it off.
"Fine by me." He looked back over the city, spots of light illuminating the city below in a soft orange glow. "But what about...?"
"Prince Jarvan and Shyvana can take care of themselves." Katarina started walking down the cobblestone walkway, her hands buried deep in her cloak to hide her nerves. She paused and looked out over the westward sky.
...At least I hope they can...