"Didn't think I'd see Noxus from this point of view..."
Fiora hummed quietly under her breath at Lux's comment. When Baelhar announced their approach to Piltover-Zaun, the blonde parked herself permanently at the bow of the ship long before the sun rose. Despite the salty ocean air whipping and stinging into her face, the duelist bit through discomfort and stayed by her side until the skies turned from dark blue to a soft, pink glow. It gave them just enough light to spot the sandy beaches forming Noxus' southern shores.
"I suppose all those stories I heard as a child were too far fetched to be true."
Fiora raised an eyebrow. "Stories? Of Noxus?"
Lux nodded and folded her arms, leaning against the railing of the ship. "Beaches full of black, iron sand – a testament to the darkness that corrupts the veins of every citizen. Tales regaling the skies above its capital shining nothing but red and covered constantly in clouds so thick, not even the brightest light can pierce its veil. A lot of them fell apart when I started infiltrating Noxus, especially the last part."
Hearing her speak about her experiences grew easier to stomach over time. Disgust and contempt were always the first things to come to mind when it came to matters involving their long-standing neighbor. Noxus was their oath-sworn enemy and she would gladly put her steel against the soldiers who dared raise a sword against Demacians, but Lux changed Fiora's mind enough for her to at least listen and weigh the worth of the words coming from her mouth.
She earned that respect and trust from the duelist. "What made you change your mind?"
"Time, and reason." The blonde leaned into her companion and rested her head against a shoulder. Fiora had no need to ask that, considering their stances towards their missing Noxian friend. Lux cupped her hands together and produced a small orb of light. "Noxus isn't all made out to be. Sure, they've acquired plenty of territory from expansion but one can only get so big before it collapses in on itself. And I've seen the cracks – missing soldiers, hesitant Noxian assassins, deserting commanders."
She learned all of this, but nothing fully sunk in until Lux confirmed it herself. In some ways, Fiora understood the world outside of their borders better through those blue eyes. She supposed a large amount of trust attributed to her inclinations. "You've met them, I suppose?"
Lux winced, pressing closer. "I would be fooling myself if I tried to be dishonest with you."
"Oui."
She sighed. "I've met the famed Noxian Assassin, Katarina du Couteau and Commander Riven. Or at least since the last time I saw them. I've just been reading stuff on the Pilto-net. Rumor has it that Katarina has infiltrated the Freljord in attempts to silence the self-proclaimed Avarosan Warmother. Another one has Commander Riven sighted with an Ionian Captain, and no less the one responsible for halting the entirety of the Noxian Invasion."
"Do you believe those rumors?"
"I do, and I don't. I do believe Katarina is deep in Freljord territory, but I don't believe she would commit to killing someone who is her equal," explained Lux. Fiora believed this – she wouldn't, couldn't, bring herself to cut down someone worthy of her blade.
"And Riven?"
"Leave that silverwing raptor alone." Lux pinched her arm and the duelist faked a quiet groan of pain. "Anyone mad enough to try and confront those two together ask for unnecessary bloodshed. Take away their nations, they are still two highly trained and skilled leaders."
Fiora averted her gaze. "I don't know. Have they met Demacian steel before?"
"Fiora."
The raven-haired woman laughed. "I jest, mon amor. I don't have a weapon anyway." She pressed a soft kiss to Lux's forehead, smirking at the pink dusting the blonde's cheek as a result of that
"If only most the crew were half as conscientious as you both are, we'd be sailing far more often." Another voice joined them, surprising both women as Adele climbed up the stairs to their post on the bow of the ship. "You're awake before me, that's an impressive feat."
"Bonjour," Fiora greeted, though the sentiment received had her eyes narrowed. "Did you not sleep well?"
The deckhand shook her head, a deep sigh leaving her lips. She looked worse for the wear compared to a couple days ago. "Slept like shit, always have and always will. Doesn't help I'm not much a sea person, so being on this ship makes me uneasy."
The question that burned in her mind came out before she could stop herself. "Why do you sail then?"
"I have my reasons."
Adele glared out towards the sea, jaw clenched and nostrils flared. With all her experience dealing with people, the duelist couldn't pierce through the strange veil that seemed to perpetually surround the deckhand. One moment, she appeared amiable – brash, but not unkind – and the next she seemed ready to erupt.
When she saw a flicker of red in blue eyes, Fiora nudged Lux back a fraction of an inch. She reached out and placed her hand gently on the deckhand's arm. The flinch as a result was warranted. "I did not mean to-"
"Not your fault." Adele brushed her off. "Just drop it."
Fiora didn't press. Footsteps echoed behind them and she wondered if they caught wind of their conversation.
"You guys are up early..." Kepi droned, clearly unaware of the tension between everyone at that present moment. She ambled right to the deckhand and hugged her tightly around the waist. Like snuffing out a fuse, the anger simmering in Adele's eyes flickered out. "Morning, Chris."
Chris? Fiora blinked owlishly at the strange choice of nicknames, but considering Kepi there was a reason for it.
The brunette rolled her eyes, combing her fingers through dark hair. A faint smile graced her features. "Good morning kiddo."
For a brief moment, Fiora was stunned by her soft beauty when her face wasn't twisted in a perpetual scowl. So caught off guard by the endearing gesture she hadn't realized she stared at Adele longer than necessary. Teals met eagle, sharp blues and as quick as the moment came, it vanished. "So what were you guys talking about?"
Adele pointed behind the other two women. The duelist had to admire her ability to remain composed. Reminds me a lot of myself, in some ways I suppose. "We're almost there."
The warmth at her side left when Lux rushed closer to the front of the ship. Fiora joined her shortly after, chuckling quietly at her unabashed awe as the cities drew nearer. The beaches had long given way to verdant, green-gray cliffs leading to the sprawling figures in the distance. She could see why the 'Sun Gates' were aptly named – as the sun rose higher above the horizon, the twin arches were perfectly positioned to capture its entirety like a disc and propagate radiance for miles around. They bathed the land around it with a soft glow and illuminated the cities.
"Most of what you see is Piltover," Kepi explained when she parked beside the duelist. "Zaun is primarily sunk into the canyons and crevices of the remaining isthmus."
"There's more?" Lux whispered excitedly. "You told us about Piltover, but not much about Zaun."
"Adele can tell you better stories than me, but there's a lot more than meets the eye." She waved her hands up and down. "Piltover-Zaun aren't afforded the luxury of space, so if you can't expand out-"
"-you move up and down," the blonde completed. "High Silvermere is a testament to that kind of thinking."
Kepi grinned. "Yeah, though inefficiently. Demacia tries to innovate, but they're decades behind. It's a world of difference when you're actually in it, you'll see what I mean. Speaking of, since we're close we should probably prepare. You guys ready to see Piltover for the first time?"
Probably not, Fiora mused silently, but she had no other choice.
The moment they passed the first set of gates into the port, Fiora was hit with an endless din of noise even this far out from the nearest dock. The smells, however, slammed into her harder than the commotion.
She never did appreciate how clean Demacia kept its streets.
"Ugh, what is that smell?" Lux bemoaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. Fiora didn't fare much better, her face scrunched in response to the stench.
"Stagnant water combined with the toxic runoff from Zaun," replied Adele as she covered the lower part her face with a bandanna. "It's not long before we get to cleaner airs."
"It's a lot better than when I arrived." Fiora wasn't entirely convinced by the teenager's comment, her face just as taut in a grimace as theirs. Thankfully however as they sailed further from the gates and towards the other shores, the putrid air did lessen enough for them to take lungfuls of cleaner – and saltier – ocean air.
As they cleared the small peninsula, the sight that greeted them stunned the duelist in complete silence.
"Welcome to Piltover! You two should see the looks on your faces."
Neither Demacian women witnessed a massive gathering of sails in such a small location before. Colors flew everywhere, bearing those of red and gold while others sported green and black. Fiora pointed to a rather ornate and rarer one among the others. It drew the blonde's attention immediately, finding the pink and white banner flapping lazily in the gentle breeze. "That is the same flower as the ones Nera grew. She kept them in the water all the time.."
Adele leaned on the railing next to the women, humming quietly to herself. "Interesting. This, Nera person, she's the Ionian friend you mentioned, right?"
"Oui."
The deckhand canted her head curiously at Fiora. "I know that symbol. She must have been some important person."
Fiora's jaw locked. "What does that have anything to do with her?"
"Nothing malicious, I assure you, mademoiselle." Regardless, she found herself sensitive about matters involving the snowy-haired woman. It hadn't been that long since she parted with Nera, with each passing day making her miss the older woman terribly. "The lotus is a highly respected and revered flora in Ionia. It is so important, one of Ionia's highest organization is named after it, the Order of the Lotus."
"'It is a symbol of many and my homeland,' Nera explained to me once before." Fiora frowned. "You are surprisingly knowledgeable."
"We're a rescue ship," the deckhand continued quietly. "The reason why Baelhar picked up rescuing folks is because people were fleeing Ionia. A land supposedly full of peace, being burned and stamped out by the invading Noxian forces." She grabbed some cables on the other end of the deck and hefted it over her shoulder. "I didn't join their crew until the second trip there. There was one person they told me stood out from the rest.
"'Hair as unsoiled as a white lotus with crimson eyes darker than the red lotus. Never seen someone so earth-shattering beautiful yet tainted with the fouls of humanity. When I asked her if she was okay, she uttered not a cry, not a plea like the many I'd taken aboard my ship. Only one word.'"
"Demacia," they concluded in unison.
The duelist pulled her lips in a thin line. "It was Nera, wasn't it?"
Kepi grinned. "Told ya, Miss Fiora. The hands of Fate sure are interesting."
Fiora didn't answer, lost in her own thoughts.
Red eyes...
She had never seen them before.
The multitudes of voices and colors swarming around them practically deafened the duelist as they stepped down from the ship and onto the wide, metal plank leading to solid ground – or close to it anyway. A crew already waited for them, parting ways to let them through before boarding themselves. Most of them appeared to be from different nationalities, some Shuriman, others Ionian, and even a Noxian was among them.
"Odd," Fiora noted. "I thought-"
"-they come from primarily one nation?" Baelhar came down from the ship, joining her shortly after they stepped down themselves. "Where did you think we originated from?"
"I-" The duelist paused. It never occurred to her what kind of crew Baelhar had on deck. "...did not have any notions."
"You're honest, I like that." Baelhar pat Fiora's back solidly. "The entire ship is comprised of rescues. All of them volunteered their time and loyalty as long as they passed Adele's trials. If they could handle her, they can handle anything the seas toss at them."
Fiora frowned. The more she tried to piece together the deckhand, the more blurry her image became. "I don't understand her. She is..."
The captain seemed to understand her frustration. "Read too far into her and you'll lose yourself. Adele's a simple gal. You're better off just watching what she does rather than ask why."
"Mon dieu," the duelist murmured. "Confusing as it is, I don't think she would actually harm us."
"No, she wouldn't. Which is why she stays port side, to keep an eye on you."
Fiora scowled lightly. "We are capable of handling ourselves."
Baelhar folded their arms over their chest. "You need someone to watch your backs. You might have insight from Kepi on matters involving Piltover, but without a sword Miss Fiora you are disadvantaged. And Miss Lux's light will draw undesirable attention. Adele is a Zaunite native – between Kepi and her, you both will be safer."
"Not to interrupt this heart to heart," Kepi interjected, coming to a skidding stop before colliding into the two. "But we gotta move. People are starting to notice you two- wait. Where's Blondie?"
Fiora's heart stopped dead cold. Usually aware of her surroundings, she realized then the blonde was nowhere to be found. Nor was Adele.
How did that escape her notice?
"Don't worry." The deckhand's voice cut through her panic. "Caught her before she could get very far."
Lux ducked her head, face red with embarrassment. "I uh... saw something interesting and wandered a bit farther than I anticipated."
Panic melted into relief, then into disbelief. "I swear, you will give me gray hairs before I reach thirty."
Kepi waved her arms frantically. "Alright, let's get going before my contact vanishes. She doesn't have much time to wait."
Baelhar nodded, face turning grim. "We need to set sail for Bilgewater soon anyway. Our goal was to get you guys here safely, but that's the extent of power I have. You will be on your own from here on out."
Fiora stuck out her hand and nodded at the captain. "Merci, for getting us this far."
The captain accepted her hand and shook it firmly. "May the light shine upon you both. Good luck."
Getting through the throngs of people proved easier here than when she first met Lux. The crowds parted way for the two Demacian women, their mismatched clothing making them stand out like a sore thumb. Fiora fit in a little better with her odd suit, but the blonde didn't escape the notice of many and she grit her teeth at the whispers filling her ears.
'Oh my god, they would let a commoner come through here?'
'My, how have times changed. Never would I think to see rags in such prosperity.'
'Where is the law when you need them to deal with this scum?'
"Stay close, mon cher," Fiora whispered as she slipped her hands into Lux's, pulling her against her side. "Kepi, how much longer-"
"-not much." The teenager was oddly quiet and focused, forging a path up the streets. Similar to the Commercia, the plaza here reminded her of all the bustling and trade going on around them except a hundred times nosier and packed. Keeping up with Kepi proved difficult and they lost track of the deckhand at some point.
Where is Adele?
"Hey, watch where you're going!"
Lux yelped quietly, stumbling forward when a rather burly man shoved into her. The duelist caught her without skipping a beat. She snarled and whipped around, fist slamming into his arm out of sheer instinct.
He turned on her and grabbed her wrist, yellowed teeth showing. "The fuck you doing prissy bitch?"
"Apologize," Fiora demanded, undeterred by his threat. She stood her ground despite his grip tightening.
"And what are you doing to do about it?"
She remained calm even as the people around them gave some space. "I may be unarmed, but I am no fool. You dare touch her again-"
Lux tugged on her sleeve, eyes wide and begging. "Fiora, it's not worth it."
It took all her willpower not to spit in this man's face. She narrowed her gaze, but kept her tongue still. Fiora let herself be led away when he released her, following Lux's retreating form and staring down at their joined hands. The echoes of cryptic warnings from their companions up to this point drowned out everything else.
The man guffawed, folding his arms over his chest. "Whipped cur."
The blonde stopped dead cold and spun on her heels. Fiora blinked when she stormed past her and right back at the man, who looked just as surprised as she did.
"Excuse me?" Lux jammed her finger dead center of his chest. "What did you just call her?"
He snorted. "Oh, now the blonde bitch wants to fight too. Typical carpet munchers."
Unfazed by his disorderly commentary, Lux took a couple of steps back from him and scanned the gathered crowds. "Does anyone have a sword? Rapier, preferably?"
The duelist grabbed Lux's arm and yanked her close. "What are you doing?"
The Crownguard smiled mischievously. "Helping you make your mark. Didn't he just insult your name twice?"
Fiora's eyebrows lifted when someone handed Lux a rapier and subsequently to her. "I thought-"
"I do not take kindly to people harming my friends," she began. "And I'm not about to let some scum trample my lover. We may be out of Demacia, but you can't take Demacia out of us."
The duelist felt the corner of her lips curl, unable to help the overwhelming urge to grin. "Honor, valor -"
"-pride." Lux stepped back as Fiora brandished the rapier, testing the weight of it in her hands. "Your house motto, wasn't it?"
"Oui." She spun on her heels and faced the man again, eyes steeled and smile gone.
She would give them the grandest of shows.
"I am Fiora Laurent, the Grand Duelist of Demacia." Her voice echoed clearly and spurred the crowds into excited murmurs. "Everyone present has bore witness to your insult of House Laurent by slandering the name of its Matron, myself. I would slay you where you stand, but we are not in Demacia and I will not stain this blade that is not my own with your blood."
She leveled the rapier nonetheless in his direction, the point glimmering in the sunlight. "However, I will make an offer to you I have only made once before for someone far less deserving of such. I will not take your life. Apologize to Lady Luxanna Crownguard, sworn defender of future King Jarvan IV, and you shall walk away with your dignity intact. Reject, and I will ensure your vile behaviors never pass on to future generations."
Fiora played with her words carefully, uncertain if news of the sabotaged marriage made it to Piltover. But it seemed to not matter as she ducked under a swinging fist, barely Lunging out of way as he came charging at her shortly after. Unlike in Demacia where she expected a response before the duel, he gave not even a moment to consider it.
He fought like an uncontrolled beast, trying to expend all of his strength into punches that only met the air where she stood. She rolled her eyes and danced around him, taunting him with minor taps of the point of her rapier against his clothes. "You'd be dead here. And here. And here."
It went on like this for nearly two minutes – Fiora nimbly avoiding his blows while he staggered around and fell a couple of times from his own weight. She caught Lux's eyes during a particularly impressive display of clumsiness, smiling at the blonde's failed attempts at hiding her laughing behind a hand.
He had to have been drunk to fight this terribly.
He witnessed their exchange when he righted himself, muscles straining in his neck. "Bitch!" He roared as he barreled towards Fiora. When she made to dart around him, he predicted her trajectory and caught her arm. Pain bloomed across her face and she saw stars when his fist came crashing across her chin, rattling her teeth and sending her across the clearing.
Lux gasped – never in all the time she heard and knew Fiora did anyone manage to land a hit on her. It didn't seem to faze the duelist whatsoever as she jumped back up on her feet, nimble as a cat.
In truth, Fiora's chin radiated with pain. Her training only gave her enough resilience to tamp down its intensity. Maybe I should have let Nera hit me a few times.
He gave her little time to recover. She only had a couple of precious seconds to end this before it got worse.
"I'm not done with you, you fucking cunt!"
Well this is Piltover, not Demacia. I guess a little trick wouldn't hurt me.
Fiora curled her hand as magic coiled in her palm. Violet coated every inch of her arm and swirled with an unusual vibrant intensity. She gambled on the hopes that her intuition was correct – if her magic could protect her entirety normally, then a concentrated portion could-
Her fist came up and met with his.
Riposte.
The sounds of bones cracking filled the air as he screamed, clutching his hand when the force of his punch ricocheted back. Fiora took advantage of his momentary confusion and pain to flip the weapon in her hand and slam the pommel into his face.
The sickening crack of cartilage joined his wailing. She watched him stagger backwards, blood flowing freely from his face.
It wouldn't be enough to kill him nor was it removing him of his capability to reproduce. She would have never let a Demacian walk away in shame, offering them a way to redeem and keep their honor. But this was Piltover and she had not a care for their pride.
Especially if they proved as reckless as he was.
"I thought you said you wouldn't draw blood," Lux reiterated, taking the rapier from Fiora and handing it back to the owner with a smile and thanks. The owner looked happier that she hadn't snapped it in half.
"I said I would not stain the blade with blood," she stressed. "I never said anything about the hilt or pommel, nor did I say I wouldn't draw blood."
"Well isn't that cheeky." Lux grinned and caressed her jaw gingerly. She retracted her hand when the duelist winced, frowning at the purple bruise blooming. "Will you be alright?"
Fiora waved her off. "It will be better in a couple of days."
"Well, well, well." A shadow cast over them as someone approached them from behind. Still jittery from the fight, Fiora kept Lux behind her as they came into focus though seeing Kepi behind said person alleviated some of her worries.
"Looks like you took care of a few problems in one go." The teenager stepped around the man dragging behind the newcomer, already restrained and subdued.
The duelist grimaced when the towering woman pat his head like a dog. "He's been wanted for a while now. Known to cause public disturbances and aggravated assault. Didn't think he'd be picking a fight with you though, but he saved us a lot of hassle doing so."
"You're welcome?" Confusion permeated through every fiber of her being.
"Maybe you should enlist in the Piltover Police Department instead. Piltover could use a fast hand like yours." A shock of pink hair sat atop her head with eyes mirroring the color of Fiora's own. She had a wicked grin and markings all over her skin with metal gauntlets larger than her head and torso combined.
"Who are you?"
"Name's Vi," she answered, patting a hand on her chest. "And you lot are coming with me."
A/T: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. With the move coming up, it's been harder to sit down and write without stress. I will try to get at least one or two more chapters out before the year's end, but I make no promises.
I had to put in another fight - I just like making Fiora a little devious in her fights. She's capable of being quite honorable and skilled in dueling, but she ain't in Demacia no more.
