Leaving Talon was difficult for her. She didn't want to, not after that nightmare he had to go through. He never told her what had actually happened in his dream, but she could tell that it bothered him deeply. She'd tried to persuade him a few times on their way out of Noxus, hoping he'd open up. But he refused, either changing the subject or not responding at all.

He'd escorted her to the Noxus border where they met Valor, who was more than a little annoyed about the whole situation. Quinn going into Noxus was bad enough, but taking her so far that he couldn't follow only frustrated the eagle more. He greeted Quinn excitedly, managing to shoot a quick glare at Talon before the scout noticed. The assassin rolled his eyes, keenly aware that there was probably nothing he could do to make that damn bird like him.

Quinn assured him that she'd return within the next few weeks, as she assumed Jarvan would return to sending her to Noxus after he heard about the Freljord incident. He didn't know if he'd be able to bear being alone that long, but he didn't dare tell her that. He'd been alone most of his life, a few weeks wouldn't kill him.

She kissed his cheek in farewell, smiling when she saw a light blush form on his cheeks. He tried to play it off, rolling his eyes and looking away, but she'd already seen it and couldn't help but giggle. After one more kiss, she departed for Demacia, Valor flying slightly ahead of her to ensure the path was clear.

Talon waited until her figure disappeared before turning around himself, dragging himself back to the hellhole he called home to wait for her return.

There were few things Quinn despised more than Demacia's lavish parties. She hated the feeling of being locked in a cage, Garen's constant criticism and the way no one in the Vanguard (aside from Lux) seemed to take her seriously. With one of Demacia's galas, all three of those were wrapped into one, awful present.

She'd be forced to talk to people she didn't know (or want to know), have to deal with Garen's constant watch on her and the fact that she didn't really have any friends to be with. Most of the time, she'd been able to talk her way out of going, insisting that a mission was far more important. But this time Lux had begged her, assuring her that the two of them would have fun together. She wasn't sure why she'd said yes to be honest, though she blamed it mostly on the puppy dog eyes that Lux gave her.

People from every corner of Runeterra were invited to these balls, though usually it was limited to a select few elite from the other kingdoms. Even a few Noxians were invited, though Grand General Swain was never on that list as he and Jarvan had a less than friendly relationship. It was mainly used as a way for Jarvan to discuss politic without actually calling for a political meeting, since those always seemed to end up leading to war.

Regardless, Quinn hated having to be surrounded by so many people. The only saving grace was that she could just hide off to the side or go out to the garden to avoid socializing or worse, dancing. Quinn was a terrible dancer, as she had grown up in the home of simple farmers, not aristocrats that were bred for etiquette like Lux. The thought of being asked to dance made her nauseous and she was grateful that she was plain looking in comparison to the other ladies of Demacia. At least she wouldn't have to worry about men falling over themselves to get to her like Lux and Sona.

"Quinn, stop moving, I'm gonna mess up," Lux scolded.

The scout was pulled out of her daydream by the blonde's playful voice, straightening her back to sit up properly. Lux had insisted the two get ready for the gala together, Quinn only accepting since Lux offered to do her hair and makeup, something she had no idea how to do herself.

"Sorry," Quinn sighed, "I'm not used to this."

"And that's why I'm here!" Lux laughed, "Just finishing your eyes and then we can move on to your hair. Any idea what you want to do with it?"

"Uh…"

Quinn reached up to take a strand of hair in her hands. She'd always kept it short, as it was easier to maintain and more suitable for being out on the field. The unusual dark shade of purple was also rather eye-catching, so the less of it there was then the less likely she'd be spotted. Was there anything that could even be done with short hair?

"We'll figure something out," Lux assured.

The blonde had already gotten ready, her golden hair curled into ringlets that framed her face perfectly. Her dress was short and white, the skirt reminding Quinn of a cupcake. She did look quite beautiful, and Quinn had to hold in a snicker at the thought of Garen fighting off all the men that would swarm her.

"So," Lux said as she began to work on Quinn's hair, "How are things with your boyfriend?"

Quinn inhaled sharply. She'd been hoping Lux wouldn't bring this topic up, but she supposed there was no way around it. She distinctly remembered Lux saying that she wanted to talk about boys with her, as most girls seemed to enjoy that topic for a reason Quinn couldn't understand.

"They're fine," she said quickly.

Lux furrowed her brows as she ran the comb through Quinn's hair. That was hardly what she'd wanted to hear.

"Is he coming here tonight?" she asked.

"No," Quinn chuckled, "He's not exactly nobility, so I doubt he received an invitation."

"That's too bad. I was really hoping to meet him."

"What about you? You said something about a boy, if I remember correctly."

Lux squeaked nervously, accidentally pulling too tightly on Quinn's hair.

"Sorry!" she apologized, "I just… Yes, he is going to be here and I'm really nervous."

"About what?"

The blonde heaved a sigh, stepping back from Quinn, satisfied with what she'd done to her hair.

"What if I embarrass myself?" Lux asked, "Make myself look like an idiot. Or worse, what if I reveal my-"

She bit her tongue, mortified that she'd almost told her secret. Quinn looked back at her, head tilted in confusion.

"Reveal your what?"

"Nothing! Really, it's nothing! But, uh, you're done! All ready to go!"

It certainly didn't seem like nothing, but Quinn could tell that Lux had no intention of explaining herself.

With a sigh she stood up, turning to look at herself in the mirror. Her dress was long, almost too long, and a deep blue that reminded her of the Demacian flag. It was the only dress she owned, as she had never really gone to such events before joining the Dauntless Vanguard, so it would have to do for now. She prayed that she wouldn't trip over the fabric and draw attention to herself. Her hair had been styled in a more feminine manner than she was used to, the purple locks framing her face nicely. It felt like she was looking at a completely different person.

"You look great!" Lux gushed, "That color is really pretty on you."

Quinn found herself blushing at the compliment, not used to being called pretty in any sense of the word.

"Thanks," she muttered sheepishly.

"Well, we better get going. You know how Jarvan wants us to be there early so we can greet all the guests."

Unfortunately, Quinn was all too familiar with this. While she didn't have to stand there and individually greet every person, she and the rest of the Vanguard were expected to be there before the guests arrived so that they could start the conversations and dancing as quickly as possible.

"Ready?" Lux asked.

"As I'll ever be."

It was just as awful as Quinn had imagined. She'd been able to avoid dealing with the guests at first, taking to a table in the corner of the ballroom where she could hide. Lux came to join her several times, but she was quickly stolen by a new suitor, who would then be scared off by a nearby Garen when he caught his sister dancing. This lead to her sitting alone for a while, sipping on champagne and doing her best to avoid eye contact when possible.

She'd lost count of how many men had approached Lux, though she supposed she couldn't complain. The more men that went after Lux the less likely one would approach her.

Speaking of Lux, the blonde had returned to the table Quinn had made herself comfortable at, sighing heavily as she sat in the chair across from her.

"Garen scare another one away?" Quinn asked as she took a sip of her drink.

"Of course," Lux groaned, "This guy seemed nice, too. At least before Garen threatened to rearrange his face."

Quinn chuckled as the blonde rested her elbows on the table, holding her head in her hands and pouting.

"Have you seen your guy yet?" she asked, "You said he'd be here."

Lux blushed and hid her face in her hands to avoid Quinn's amused expression.

"That's the worst part!" she groaned, "I haven't! What if he's not even here?"

"I'm sure you'll find him," Quinn assured, "And if not, there are plenty of other guys here dying to speak to you."

Lux looked back up to reply, but froze, something behind Quinn catching her eyes. Most likely another suitor, Quinn thought. She began to take another sip of champagne when Lux leaned over, keeping her voice as low as possible.

"Don't look," she warned, "But a super cute guy is coming over here right now."

Exactly as Quinn had expected. It didn't seem to be the boy Lux was looking for, but judging by the look on her face, Quinn could tell that the blonde was flustered just by this one's appearance.

"Want me to distract Garen for you?" Quinn joked.

"He's not my type," Lux whispered, "But he is definitely easy on the eyes."

Quinn rolled her eyes. She didn't think Lux really had a type, but perhaps she was too focused on the mystery man to give anyone else a chance. As she was about to lecture her on being open to more possibilities, someone cleared their throat beside her. Great, another arrogant asshole.

Reluctantly, Quinn turned to greet Lux's next suitor, only to nearly fall out of her chair.

"Terribly sorry to bother you ladies."

Talon looked like a completely different person. His hair was tied back and he wore a well-tailored suit, not a blade to be seen. This couldn't be the same man, there was no way. But that wolfish grin he shot her confirmed it and she used every ounce of self-control she had to keep herself from blurting out his name.

"Not a problem at all!" Lux assured, glancing at Quinn's shocked face.

She'd never seen the scout so flustered before. It was kind of endearing, she thought.

"I'm Luxanna Crownguard," she continued, "This is my friend, Quinn, a fellow member of the Dauntless Vanguard."

"A pleasure," Talon said smoothly, "You can call me Marcus."

Talon took Quinn's hand, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, and pressed the back of it to his lips, a spark of electricity buzzing up her whole arm. If she didn't so something soon, Quinn felt like she was going to pass out.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, quirking a brow.

If her face wasn't red before, it certainly was now. She had no idea how Talon had even gotten here and now he was asking her to do the one thing she'd been trying to avoid all night. There were questions that needed to be answered, there wasn't time for dancing.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, "But I d-don't –"

"She'd love to!" Lux interrupted.

The blonde could tell that her friend was enamored with the man and she wasn't going to let this opportunity slip through her fingers. Sure, Quinn had a boyfriend, but it was just a dance. Besides, judging by her reaction, maybe this was love at first sight. It was her job as Quinn's friend to make sure she didn't mess this up. That's what friends were for.

Quinn began to protest but Lux elbowed her, nodding her head towards the man.

"I'll wait here," she said, "Don't keep this nice man waiting."

Before she could try and argue further, Lux had nudged her out of her chair and into Talon's arms. The scout blushed furiously when she saw Talon's smug grin, looking back at Lux as he pulled her out to the dance floor. Lux seemed thrilled, her eyes bright as she mouthed words of encouragement to Quinn.

Once they arrived on the dance floor, Quinn felt like she was going to puke. This was all way too much. Talon wasn't supposed to be here, what if someone recognized him?

"Hey."

She looked up at the sound of his voice, which had lost the fake charm he'd been using when speaking with Lux. He was eyeing her, confused as to why she seemed so flustered.

"I thought you'd be happier to see me," he muttered, taking one of her hands and placing her other on his shoulder.

"I can't dance!" was all she managed to say.

He rolled his eyes as he placed his other hand on her waist pulling her closer. Quinn may not have been a good dancer, but even she knew this was probably too close for two supposed strangers to be.

"Just follow my lead," he whispered, "And don't step on my feet."

Almost immediately, she stumbled and stepped on his foot, causing him to stifle a groan of pain as she repositioned herself.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked.

"You're drawing attention to us."

His tone was darker than before and, having avoided his gaze for so long, looked up at him, noticing that he eyes were scanning the dance floor carefully. Garen had noticed her little misstep and was now eyeing them, trying to decide if the man she was with was familiar or not. Quinn felt the captain's piercing gaze on the back of her head and almost tripped again, Talon managing to keep her upright this time.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, panic lacing her words.

"Isn't it obvious?" Talon scoffed, "I came to see you."

Quinn's heart fluttered, not expecting such a blunt response.

"Really?" she asked nervously.

"Of course. I hate these kinds of things, but I thought you might be here and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see you in a dress."

The blood rushed back to her cheeks and she had to look away from him for a moment, feeling his chest rumble as he laughed softly at her embarrassment.

"Isn't this a little… dangerous? You're kind of a wanted assassin."

"People don't know what the Blade's Shadow looks like, aside from the blue cape and hood. No one's exactly seen my face and lived to tell the tale."

Quinn shuddered involuntarily when he squeezed her waist, reminding her how dangerous he was and that she should consider herself lucky to be alive.

"Then how'd you get in?"

"The Du Couteau received an invitation. Of course, I'm not here as Talon. I'm just Kat's date for the evening."

He tilted his head to the side and Quinn looked that direction, seeing Kat's familiar blazing red hair. She'd caught the attention of many men in her slinky black dress, though Quinn was able to notice a very territorial Garen keeping watch.

"You left your date to the wolves," Quinn remarked.

"Kat can handle herself, trust me," he assured.

They had fallen into an even rhythm with the music and Quinn couldn't help but be impressed with his dancing abilities.

"I never imagined you to be a dancer," she teased.

"Cass made me learn," he admitted, "Said it would make me more of a gentleman. Look how that turned out."

Quinn laughed, truly laughed and the sound was enough to make Talon's stomach flip, though he was a master at hiding his feelings, just smiling fondly at her without making a fool of himself. A few beats of the music passed as they danced in silence, Quinn concentrating on not stepping on his feet and Talon simply admiring her face.

"You look beautiful, by the way," he said.

The compliment caught her off guard and she went weak in the knees, but Talon's grip was firm and he was able to prevent her fall. That was the first time anyone had ever called her beautiful. Her heart was pounding violently against her ribcage as she regained her footing, looking down at her feet to hide her shame.

"You clean up pretty nicely yourself," she managed to reply.

Talon laughed as the song slowly came to an end, Quinn surprised to find herself wishing that it would never end. He released her, to her disappointment, and bowed, to which she replied with an awkward curtsy.

"I need to speak with Kat," he said, "But I expect another dance."

Quinn nodded sheepishly as he took her by the hand, kissing it again, letting his lips linger there far longer than he should've.

"Be right back, birdie," he murmured.

With that, he turned to go find Katarina, leaving Quinn stunned in silence on the dance floor.

This had to be a dream. There was no way this was actually happening. She couldn't get her hopes up like this.

After a moment, she managed to drift back to her table where Lux was waiting for her, a pleased grin on her face as she watched her friend sink into the chair beside her.

"So when's the wedding?" Lux teased.

"What?" Quinn asked, finally snapping out of her daze.

"Don't play dumb," Lux continued, "If that wasn't love at first sight, then I don't know what is."

"Lux!"

As it had so many times this night, the blush returned to Quinn's face, causing Lux to burst into a fit of giggles.

Love? That was ridiculous, she wasn't in love with Talon. Was she?

"I saw the way you guys looked at each other," Lux gushed, "It was so romantic! I thought for sure that you'd kiss."

Quinn's face was on fire and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She knew that she cared for Talon, more than she probably wanted to admit to herself, but she wasn't in love with him. That was absurd. She needed to change this conversation and fast, lest she dwell further on her feelings for the Noxian. Luckily, fate finally let her catch a break for this night.

"Lux!"

The girls turned to look at the source of the new voice, finding a young man who appeared to be about Lux's age. While he wore typical formal attire in the form of white jacket and black slacks, Quinn found herself staring at the unusual gauntlet on his left arm, wondering what it could possibly be for.

"Ez!"

Now it was Lux's turn to be embarrassed. Her voice had shot up a few octaves and her face mirrored Quinn's moments before. The scout assumed that this was the boy Lux had been going on about and was more than happy for the tables to have turned.

"Who's your friend, Lux?" she teased.

The girl seemed too embarrassed to speak, so the newcomer took the liberty of introducing himself.

"Name's Ezreal," he said, "I'm an explorer from Piltover. You've probably heard of me."

"Afraid not," Quinn admitted.

He deflated a little, but only for a moment, quickly perking back up and directing his attention to Lux.

"I've been trying to find you all night," he explained, "I was hoping you might like to dance."

"She'd love to," Quinn answered.

The scout thought she was clever, using the same line Lux had used earlier, but the blonde girl didn't give her much of a reaction.

"Of course," she said, "It would be my pleasure."

She took Ezreal's outstretched hand, shooting a grin at Quinn as he led her to the dance floor. Quinn gave her a thumbs-up before returning back to the champagne she'd been neglecting. It was cute seeing Lux so stricken with him like a love-sick puppy. But then again, she'd acted the same way not too long ago when Talon had arrived.

She took a large gulp of the champagne, trying to calm her nerves. There was no way she was in love with Talon, it was impossible. Though the more she thought about it, the more she saw his face, the smile that was for her and her alone and his eyes she found herself getting lost in.

A tap on the shoulder yanked her from her pleasant thoughts and she jerked around, surprised to see Jarvan IV standing there.

"Your Highness!" she gasped, quickly standing up to bow.

"That's not necessary, Quinn," he assured, "I just wanted to see how you're doing. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Despite the fact that he was royalty, Jarvan truly was thoughtful and showed a deep appreciation for the members of the Vanguard, particularly Quinn. He had believed in her when others had not, and she had more than proven herself since joining the ranks. She admired him greatly and had always been grateful for his confidence in her.

"Yes," she replied, "The night has been wonderful."

"Excellent!"

He hesitated a moment, unsure of what to say to her. Their mutual respect ran deep for one another, and he didn't want to overstep his boundaries.

"I've managed to sneak away from all the political talk," he said, "And I thought it might be nice to take a break and dance. Would you do me the honor?"

That was the last thing she'd expected to hear.

"Pardon?" she asked.

"You don't have to. I'd just prefer to dance with someone I know rather than some strange aristocrat."

Quinn gulped nervously. She couldn't refuse the prince, that was unheard of. But Talon said he would come back for another dance, something she'd been anticipating since they'd parted ways. There wasn't really much of a choice for her though.

"I'd love to," she said.

Jarvan beamed and extended his hand, returning her out to the dance floor yet again. He was much more proper in his form than Talon, keeping a comfortable distance between their bodies as he began to lead her in time to the music.

It was different than when she had danced with Talon. Jarvan was broader than Talon, intimidating in his size and stature. His hold on her was firmer, but there was no tenderness to his touch. Quinn tried to ignore it, but her mind wandered back to Talon as it so often did. She wound up stumbling a few times again, though Jarvan just laughed it off and assured her it wasn't a big deal, continuing their dance without any alterations.

This was wrong, she thought. Something wasn't right. She looked to Jarvan's face, but it was clouded with visions of Talon and she imagined his arms around her waist and his lips against her neck.

I love him.

The thought had crossed her mind before she could stop herself and the realization made her knees buckle, Jarvan quick to catch her.

"Quinn, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes," she lied.

She was not alright. She was hopelessly in love with a Noxian assassin and all she could think of was him as the Prince of Demacia held onto her, blissfully unaware of her crime.

As she steadied herself, the song came to an end, much to Quinn's relief. She had to get out of there, she couldn't stay any longer, fearing that she'd confess her love right there for everyone to hear. For Talon to hear.

"May I cut in?"

Her heart soared at the sight of Talon, who had tapped Jarvan's shoulder somewhat impatiently. His expression seemed friendly enough, but there was a darkness in his eyes that made Jarvan suspicious.

"Quinn, do you know this man?" he asked.

Still trying to suppress her feelings, Quinn could only nod, offering her hand to Talon so that he could whisk her away and she could get lost in his eyes all over again.

"Are you well enough to dance?" Jarvan interjected, "You seem rather faint."

"I'm alright," Quinn managed to answer.

Talon took her hand and began to pull her towards him, his free hand quick to rest against the small of her back.

"Quinn –"

"I believe that the lady has made her decision clear," Talon hissed.

To Quinn's horror, Talon yanked her even closer, far too close for anyone who wasn't a lover. Jarvan's eyes blazed with rage, disgusted by this man's cocky attitude. His hand hovered over his sword, something he always kept on hand regardless of the occasion.

"No!" Quinn gasped, "It's ok, Jarvan."

Jarvan reluctantly dropped his hand, a wicked smirk playing at Talon's lips. The prince wanted nothing more than to punch that smug grin off the man's face, but Quinn had made it clear that violence wasn't necessary. He bowed to her in farewell, feeling the bile raise in his throat when the man's grin grew wider. The bastard even had the audacity to wink at him before leading Quinn away.

"Noxian," he growled.

Once they'd put some distance between them and Jarvan, Quinn leaned over to whisper in Talon's ear.

"You're actually insane! He could've killed you if he wanted to!"

Talon scoffed unimpressed as he led her towards the door that led outside to the gardens. Some people had come out here for fresh air, and the music could still be heard so others were dancing beneath the stars, though it was mostly older married couples.

Once outside, he took her tightly in his arms, not allowing any space between them. There were a few couples dancing in this way, held so close. It seemed far too intimate, but Talon showed no signs of releasing her, and so she warily reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. His body was tense despite their intimacy and Quinn noticed that the darkness from before had not left his eyes, reminding her of his rude behavior.

"I can't believe you acted like that in front of the prince," she huffed.

Talon scoffed again, turning his head to the side.

"He's not my prince," he spat.

Quinn scowled.

"It doesn't matter, he still could have killed you right there! Why were you such an ass to him?"

His head snapped back to face her, the cloudiness in his eyes replaced with a burning frustration.

"I told you I was coming back to you," he growled, "If you wanted to dance again so badly you could've just asked."

The realization dawned upon Quinn and she finally understood. No wonder he'd been so irritable. She brought a hand from his neck to his cheek, cradling it gently.

"Talon… were you jealous?"

The Noxian scoffed, jerking his head away from her hand. Quinn caught him biting his lip and knew that she'd hit the nail on the head. He was jealous. It was sweet, she thought. It certainly proved that he did care about her, that was for sure.

"Talon…"

She took his face in both her hands, forcing him to look at her. His brows were knit closely and his eyes fell downward, avoiding her gaze.

"Idiot," he grumbled.

Not the reaction she was expecting.

"Idiot!" he repeated, "Why didn't you just wait for me?"

"Talon, he asked me. I'm not going to say no to a prince."

He finally looked back up at her, still biting his lip.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, "A prince?"

They'd drifted away from most of the others by now, off in their own corner of the gardens, the music merely a hum in their ears.

"Talon, you're being ridiculous," she sighed, "I care about you."

"I saw how you looked at him," he sneered, "You had that stupid dreamy grin on your face and then you almost fell."

Quinn wanted to argue, but he was right. She did have a stupid grin on her face when she was dancing with Jarvan, but it was because she'd been thinking of Talon. Realizing that she loved him.

He let go of her waist, taking her by the wrists and pulling her hands away from his face. This was wrong, she thought. She belonged in his arms, he couldn't push her away now.

"Good thing your prince was there to catch you."

She couldn't take it anymore.

"I love you, you idiot!" she cried.

The silence that followed was painfully heavy. She was grateful that they'd wandered away from the party, knowing that no one could hear her pathetic confession. Tears of frustration had begun to well in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any second.

Talon was staring at her blankly, his lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something. But he stayed silent, which only infuriated Quinn more. She'd just declared her love for him and he didn't even seem to care. How had she fallen for him in the first place?

"You're so difficult!" she exclaimed, "Just because you're jealous doesn't mean you can be a dick!"

"Say it again."

The fury died on her lips at the sound of his voice. It was soft, barely above a whisper, but she'd heard him.

"What?" she breathed.

He stepped closer to her, forcefully taking her face in his hands. There was a desperation in his eyes, something that sent a shiver down Quinn's spine.

"Look me in the eyes," he demanded, "And say it again."

She wanted to punch him in the face. To kick and scream and yell and call him the worst names she could think of. Yet, all she could do was give him exactly what he asked for. His eyes bore into hers and she took a deep breath before speaking, a lone tear managing to escape and roll down her cheek.

"I love you."

Her tears began to flow freely, despite her best attempts to hold them in. Talon remained silent, rubbing his thumbs against her cheeks to brush the tears away, his face vacant of any emotion.

She knew that he wouldn't say it back, that he would probably never love her, no matter how much she wanted him to. But damn him for not even saying anything, her heart couldn't take it. The least he could do was reject her properly and not leave her there waiting and hoping.

"You asshole," she breathed, "Say something."

His brows furrowed together, staring at her more intently.

"Again," he said.

"What?"

"Say it again."

Quinn could feel the anger boiling inside her. How long was he going to keep this up? Just making her say the words over and over without any kind of reaction would drive her insane. He drove her insane. And it was about time he knew that.

"You stubborn, arrogant, pigheaded son of a –"

She was cut short when he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was softer than she'd expected, gentle and tender. There was nothing forceful about it and she couldn't help but lean into him, weak at his touch. When he pulled away, her lips lingered close to his, not wanting the moment to end.

"Talon, I –"

"I know."

He kissed her again, so sweetly that she thought she'd melt into a puddle. When her knees trembled, he brought a hand down to her waist, pulling her closer as he helped support her weight. They stayed like that for quite some time, holding each other and sharing gentle kisses as the party carried on in the distance, the music a soft buzzing in their ears.

Not far from them, a bird was perched in a tree, watching the two lovers curiously. It cawed loudly before taking off from its branch, startling the couple and bringing their kiss to an abrupt halt as they looked for the source of the sound.

They scanned the area, but there didn't seem to be anything or anyone around.

"Not yours?" Talon asked teasingly.

"Nah, Val's probably out hunting," Quinn replied, "Plus, that sounded more like a raven…"

Funny, she thought. Ravens weren't particularly common in Demacia.

"Quinn."

She quickly looked back to Talon, heart fluttering when he said her name. Everything about him seemed so soft and relaxed as he smiled at her, so unlike from when they'd first met.

"Where's your room?" he asked.

"Talon!" she gasped.

While it was true that she did live in the castle, as did many other members of the Vanguard, she didn't think Jarvan would be too happy to see her bring a Noxian back for the night.

"We can't," she breathed, "There's a party going on…"

"After."

He squeezed her waist tightly, running his fingers through her hair as she blushed furiously.

"I'll kill everyone here if I have to," he said, "If that means I can be with you tonight."

It wasn't exactly the most romantic thing a man could say, but Quinn knew that, coming from Talon, those words meant quite a bit.

"We should probably avoid that," she teased, "But it's dangerous for you to stay here."

"You can't say those words to me and expect me to do nothing."

She tried to look away, but he took her chin in his hand, turning her head back and pressing their foreheads together.

"I can't…" he breathed, "I can't say those same words to you. Not yet."

Her heart stopped. Not yet. So there was a possibility that he could love her? She didn't want to seem blindly optimistic, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling at the thought.

"But," he continued, "I can make love to you. I can give you my body… Let me have you tonight. I'll go mad if I don't."

"Talon –"

"Please. I… I need you."

One look into those desperate eyes and she was his, body and soul. There was nothing she could do to stop him. She glanced around to assure they were still alone before she raised herself on her toes to whisper in his ears.

"It's on the south side of the citadel on the second story… There's a small balcony. I'll have Valor wait there so you can find it easily."

Talon grinned, tightening his grip around her waist before lifting her in the air, causing her to gasp in surprise. It was over too quickly for her liking, but the warmth of his hands on her back kept her from complaining.

"I'll be there as soon as this awful party is over," he said, "Wait for me."

Quinn nodded excitedly, suddenly overcome with giggles as he kissed her again and again, more passionately than before. She had to push him off of her after a moment, aware that they couldn't get too carried away. Not yet.

They returned to the party with their arms linked, Talon quick to put on his gentlemanly façade the moment they stepped in the ballroom.

In the garden, a lone woman walked away from the festivities. Once she was far enough away, she let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Demacians," she groaned.

A squawk filled the air and she glanced to the bird that had flown close, taking rest on her shoulder. The raven was horribly ugly, but she smiled at it fondly, reaching up to stroke the top of its head.

"Yes, Beatrice?" she asked.

The bird cawed a few times and the woman's lips twisted into a devilish grin.

"Really?" she asked with a pleased hum.

Another squawk of confirmation and the woman let out a maniacal laugh.

"How perfect," she sighed, "I'm sure your master will be delighted to know that the thorn in his side can finally be cut."

As she began to move further from the castle, she slowly allowed the magic to dissipate, shedding her disguise.

"Who would've thought?" she said to herself, "Just some stupid Demacian girl. How pathetic."

Author's Note: It only took thirteen chapters, but we've got a villain guys! Woo! Anyways, hoped you guys liked this chapter, it's the longest one so far and I put a lot of work into it. Let me know what you think, if anyone seemed out of character or something seemed off. I'm worried I might be rushing things with Quinn and Talon, but I'm trying to get to the central plot point of the fic (yeah, that hasn't happened yet). Working on the next chapter now, but it might be a while cause there may or may not be smut which I have never written before. Please be patient with me cause I have no idea what I'm doing ^^ Until next time!