Hello everyone who read this! Hope you are doing well! Tax season is coming and that is my most productive month (accountant) so better keep updating the fic as much as I can. Hope you enjoy it! The next fic on my update list is Befriending the two sides of the mirror.
Chapter 1: Of anger and fear.
Nighttime. The moment in which the fun people go out and make mayhem around, taverns get full ready for a nice story or a good meal with the friends, casinos come to life with their lights bringing everyone into them, the nights in Demacia are often full of sounds, sometimes those sounds are the famous music of the Maven of the Strings.
Normally I would not got to a place as packed as the amphitheater of Demacia. Too much people for my liking, but today I'm in hopes of just relaxing to the sound of the strings. Her instrument has always been weird to my eyes, but the music it makes reaches way too deep in my spirit, I guess that's why I'm willing to come here to listen to the concert.
As her music is carried by the wind and everyone enjoys in silence listening to the sound of her strings, the strings that can't avoid to make me remember that I got to see The Exile tomorrow. But tonight is just me and the music.
The concert is pretty much as it has always been, the beautiful sounds of the strings, the clapping of the audience and the fans in the end hoping to get her autograph. I'm always curious of the fact the fans seem to always forget she can't speak. I wonder, does she ever gets angry at the people for that? I guess I can't avoid to analyze people even when I'm out of the office.
Her body language shows the obvious signs of discomfort, she is not enjoying the crowd surrounding her asking personal questions; I guess security will take care of them soon. Her eyes look at them, yet they show she is obviously hoping not to be in the middle of a crowd around her, they seem to be shadowing her from the light… is she waiting for something? The way she is holding her instrument… is as if she is trying to hold to it the same way a kid takes his stuffed bear for security, is she afraid?
As I stand from my sit on the amphitheater I find myself humming to whomever listens out there in the night sky. "Music in her soul, but the silence her voice stole, the instrument is all she is got but it cannot make her whole, you are sleeping with the lights on…." For one second, I felt as if someone was staring me intently. Probably my imagination, and oh look at that.
"Okay everyone stand back, Sona does need her space" That strong voice and the imposing figure is always the best way to make people stand back, The Might of Demacia has arrived. Garen has always been a tower of a man, and at the side of Sona he looks more imposing making the fans disperse in fear of what could he make. He doesn't even need his sword to scare the people, for all I know he could punch them and break them in two.
The Might of Demacia starts to escort the Maven of Strings out. A normal concert indeed. I wonder, if they already know this kind of things repeats itself every time, why not add more security to the concert? Oh well, I'm a therapist not a member of the Foments of Arts and Culture Committee. Not like they would even allow me in the committee after my colorful expression with one of his members.
In my defense, the painting was horrible.
As I make my way to my home I see a tavern and think. How long has it been since I last drank something that wasn't water or juice? Tempting as it may seem. I know my own demons, and I need to be at my best tomorrow. After all I have a visitor who I can only face if I'm at the top of my game.
The morning sun has come and gone, when I'm awake is already the middle of the day. I wonder, if I knew I would wake up late by going to the concert at night, why even go? Ah yes because I wanted to relax, I think reading would have been better, but can't deny I do prefer to hear the concert. Oh well you can't have everything in life. As I pass a hand through my left leg I repeat that again. Can't have everything in life.
I open the office and go inside, I thought my dog drawing could use a few modifications. Maybe he could use a Demacian armor? Who knows but me the paper and oh…
"Took your time, I thought you would be here earlier, know I won't be paying if you are late" My appointment of the morning. The Exile sitting on my chair behind my desk. She doesn't look surprised of me being late, maybe she already suspected as I was a mess of a person? People think therapist are not often right on their heads.
"I'm guessing you were teleported here as the door was closed, and for starters, you aren't paying me, the Institute is the one paying" She looks unamused at my answer, and sits on the couch, as I take my place, I decide is better to go straight to the point.
"Riven, did you used your technique even though everyone was in front of you?" Surprise in her eyes, and all I can exclaim is Jackpot! Though surprise fades quickly and turns into anger.
"What do you know?! You weren't there!" Oh but I was, your honor! Proof A of the case. I take out the drawing "Riven, you drew this yesterday, and if things happened as you show here, you were in a position that allowed you to see everything clearly, but still attacked everyone" Surprise in her eyes. Your honor! I request that is written down the Exile showed surprise at my evidence.
Her eyes look elsewhere, she is trying to think of an answer. Better work fast "Who was the guy with the sword on the draw?" I take her out of her line of thinking and she answers. I notice a slight gritting on her teeth when she says the name "Yasuo, The Unforgiven" Whoever this Yasuo guy is, they are obviously not on good terms. Time to play the professionalism card.
"Riven I think I should have clarified this to you yesterday, even if the institute is paying. This is your time, your safe place you could say, you can scream, get angry, express anything you want, and I won't say a word of what happens in this office to everyone." I try to be as serious as I can while smiling honestly. In all goodness I want to be of help.
"What's your point?" Stern voice, but she looks a bit more relaxed in the way her body holds. Well even if she won't admit it is obvious she likes that fact. "That you can say anything you want and I won't say a word, so for starters, why are you angry at Yasuo?"
Surprise again, man Im on a roll a today, Im getting all the right words today. "Who says I am angry at him? Im not angry, he is the one who is angry at me" Riven, if your body language says anything is that you are pissed against him too. "Well your drawing shows you were angry at him, you almost tore the paper when you drew him" Riven doesn't really seems surprised at what I can tell from the drawing.
"He was being bothersome…we don't take each other presence well, I could care less of him, but he insists he being the Unforgiven is my fault" Okay, half-truth half lie. Good try though, the best way to lie is to put a piece of truth in there. Now if she wasn't so fond of taking hold of her elbow when she lies it would make it hard for me to know.
"Okay, still I don't see how his title is your fault. Mind telling me?" Riven looks awkwardly to the side. She holds her elbow and crosses her arms. Guess that door is close for now. "No need to tell me if you don't want to Riven. We can take all this slowly" As I said that I go behind me and get a book. Advance Strategy by Jericho Swain.
The book itself had been a gift from a secret friend on Noxus. Needless to say the book was something that gave him a bigger view of the world of Noxus. Still it wasn't a book he could share with everyone. "Now Riven, mind reading me the first page of the book?" Riven saw the book and her eyes took surprise, but not at the book contents, no it was at the request of reading.
"Why do I have to read it?" Defiance, a spark of anger, she holds the book with an iron grip, Im surprised people are bad at understanding her, she is an open book. Oh ironic, the book can't read the other book. "Reading is an exercise that both gives peace of mind and relaxes the reader. I think you lack both right now, so I thought this could help with your situation" I avoided saying anger issues as she would just get angry.
"Oh…I guess I will read it later" Oh no you don't. "I apologize Riven, but that book is not getting out of this room, so please, read out loud the first page" She shuffles in the couch "I would rather do it later, I feel tired" Oh goodness, are you really playing cat and mouse? "Is rather early, how come you are tired?" Anger starts to rise, expecting the shouting match in 3, 2, 1…
"I am just tired okay! I can read the stupid book later! I can read the stupid book anytime I want okay?!" She breathes heavily, looking tense, and oh there it is. Guilt. "I am sorry…I didn't meant to shout so loud" Well at least you know you are loud, even if sounds find it hard to get out of here I wouldn't be surprised if a neighboring business heard you.
"No problem Riven, this is therapy after all, and I said you could shout and do whatever you want" No need to cry on spoiled milk, I was hoping she admitted she couldn't read. I don't have much information on her, but so far I can see Riven clearly lacks a control on her anger. She just explodes when she can't handle anymore.
Being illiterate she seems to avoid any situation that regards reading and writing…just maybe.
"Hey Riven, you have yet to sign the contract right?" Her attention focuses on me for a moment "What contract?" Curiosity and fear, guess contract is a word she is not fond of. "Is an honor contract, I agree to help, and you agree to actually try to do your best in the therapy" Riven seemed focused at the idea "So what do I need to do then?" And the fish is caught "Sign here, just write your name"
For a moment Riven expression paled at the last part, write your name. She took the pencil and doubted at seeing the paper in front of her full of lines. "Can't I put a print of my hand in it?" A military protocol for the illiterates who wished to get in. "Sure" No need to pressure her, we will be seeing each other for a while and that means I got time to help her, steadily and slowly.
I gave her a bit of ink so she could put the print of her hand and gave her some paper so she cleaned the ink of her hand. As I saw the print I had come to understand something. She actually signed the contract, she did knew she was supposed to try to change and accept the therapy.
"Hey Riven give me a second" I started to write in a piece of paper. If she was willing to try, then I was honor bound to help. I wrote fast and steady. I had to be clear with my words and try to be as professional as I could in it. After all they wouldn't accept it if it didn't sound convincing.
"Okay done, by chance do you know how long where you waiting here?" before she could speak up a flash of purple appeared. "Champion I'm here to escort you back. Greetings sir." A summoner, so she was left waiting for me in here quite a while. "Greetings summoner, I would like if you could give this to one of your superiors" I gave him the paper which Riven tried to look but seemed she didn't got what was in the paper.
"What is this sir?" I smiled, I knew she would appreciate it. "Is my recommendation, part of the therapy for Riven is physical, so I would like if your superiors could give her a permission to use the training facilities. I know she is forbidden of matches, but I think is necessary to help her in the therapy" I may not be able to see the summoner face, but I know he was surprised. Riven was surprised.
"Will do sir. Champion let us go" I waved at them as they left in a purple flash. I think I might need to start using sunglasses to avoid the sensation the purple flash leaves me.
I chuckled at myself. Riven didn't knew how to read nor write. She didn't knew she just gave me a print of her hand on a piece of paper of a letter I was making. There was no contract. Now there was one, and I was going to fulfill my part, help her with those anger issues.
What did I learned today.
Riven was illiterate, her relationship with Yasuo was bad in the best scenario. She was full of anger, but I'm not sure of the root of the anger, is not Yasuo, not really. He was a medium of getting out the rage…her eyes sometimes look full of guilt, as if she suddenly wasn't in my office, but rather somewhere far away.
She needs the physical action to avoid thinking deeply, something lies deep in her mind, and she is also an open book regarding conversations. She is too easy to read in her body language, and has habits that reinforce that theory. Maybe exercise will help her clear her mind.
Also she hates confrontations regarding things she can't do. I guess she doesn't like to remember the fact she doesn't know how to do things that might seem simple. She is definitely a soldier in that sense, like my old companions of the battlefield…some didn't knew how to read and showed clear anger at the subject.
Okay I would dare say I know how to move from here on…
My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Curious, I was sure I had no appointments outside of Riven today.
I approached the door "Who is out?" knocking kept going "Look whatever you are selling I'm not buying it" more knocking "Okay, knock once if you are making an appointment, knock twice if you can't speak... Knock three times if both"
Three knocks in the door. I really need to add a hole to my door to look for people outside...maybe tomorrow. As I opened the door a hooded figure pushed quickly through the door, I must confess, I'm not strong. I ended up falling on my butt when the door opened and I kicked with my right leg the door to close it.
"Okay, whomever you are you should now you are making a horrible work at a first impression…" Any smart comments I had died on my throat when the hooded figure took his head out of it and presented a head full of blue hair and eyes that showed cold determination. The Maven of Strings was at my office.
"Oh…guess that explains why you didn't spoke" her eyes looked at me coldly, I didn't knew the Maven of Strings had it in her to look people with such eyes. She extended a note to me.
You are a therapist right? I would like to request your services then, gold is no problem, set your price and tell me when I can come.
I sighed and started using sign language, I must admit I thought it was a useless skill until I learned that in therapy sometimes people can't speak and you need something better than writing to communicate, and seeing as I lack any magic talent I found out this was the more effective way.
"Are you familiar with sign language?" Stupid question, I love making them, but better try to be polite, I'm already surprised she doesn't seem all pleased of seeing me. Though her eyes kept cold a smile formed in her face as she started using signs to answer me back "That's a stupid question" Oh Both can play that game.
"I wasn't sure seeing as you often don't speak" I made an emphasis on speak. Needless to say, I was angry I fell on the floor, my left leg was a good reminder that I shouldn't be falling down on the floor. "I heard you yesterday…" Crap…so she was the one staring at me. "What do you know of me? I know nothing of you, but…you saw something didn't you?"
As a professional I wouldn't lie to her "You were scared. You didn't like the crowd on the concert, and…you hold your…instrument as if to look for safety…like a child that is scared" A hard fist to my nose made me fall on the floor. Hopefully no one will ever know I had been knocked by the Maven of Strings, those hands are not as soft as people think.
Before she left through the door walking angrily I said what I had been thinking since yesterday. "You sleep with the lights on don't you? You are scared of the dark…when the crowd got near you they were making big shadows around you…that's why you were holding your instrument tightly wasn't it?"
I saw her stand still for a second, she looked at the door only, her hand waiting patiently at the handle. She made a small nod, one that could easily be seen as a simple movement of the head "If you really need help…I would gladly offer it, we will discuss the gold later. Feel free to come tomorrow at this hour." She didn't even looked at me nor gave me a signal she heard me as she left and close the door behind her. I let myself fall on the floor.
My nose was bleeding, goodness did I really became so weak? The Maven of Strings knocked me…what's next? A puppy will kick the lights out of me? Even better, maybe an ant will throw me to the floor and mug me. Goodness…that's a champion for you…
What did I learned? The Maven of Strings has a nasty left fist…she is scared of the dark for reasons I don't know yet, she knows sign language, her body language shows she is really uncomfortable with someone knowing something as personal as her fear…probably she hasn't spoke of it to anyone else…maybe the reason her concerts are often full of lights is by her own request…
I need a towel…
Hope so far you are all enjoying it! Have a good one!