Chapter 6:
Riven followed LeBlanc through the passageways that the woman had created until they ended up in the Ionian wing in front of the door to Irelia's quarters. The Institute had offered to give Riven her own quarters after she joined almost a year ago but she never took them up on it, she very rarely returned and if she did it was almost always with Irelia so she only stayed in the Captain's quarters. Irelia had given her a copy of the key to the room so she could come and go as she pleased.
LeBlanc waited in silence as Riven quickly unlocked the door and entered with the Deceiver following quickly to avoid being noticed in the Ionian wing, somewhere she clearly didn't belong. Riven locked the door and turned to LeBlanc, waiting for the woman to speak.
"So you have considered my offer?"
"I've come to find out more. Firstly, why?"
"Why what?" LeBlanc asked coyly.
"Why would you want to over throw Swain? Last time I checked you were his right hand and you never really cared for politics. So why the change?" Riven asked, narrowing her eyes at the woman in front of her. LeBlanc examined Riven's face for a moment before replying.
"Swain has become paranoid, he's limiting the function of the Black Rose. He chooses to make alliances with nations like Zaun and is willing to sacrifice our own men for his own goals. He continues to pursue conflict with Ionia which is a nation we quickly found out isn't as willing to lay down and die as we had previously thought. Why would I continue to support a man who can't even stay out of my way?" Riven worried her lip between her teeth, considering her reply. She was trying to see how LeBlanc was laying a trap for her but everything suggested the opposite, the woman was even taking the risk of being seen with Riven in the Ionian wing which if Swain was half as paranoid as LeBlanc was claiming, it would be enough for him to take her head.
"What is your plan then?"
"My sympathisers and I will assist you in replacing Swain." The Deceiver said bluntly, Riven blinked, wondering if she had heard that right.
"You wish to replace Swain with me?" LeBlanc smirked slightly.
"Yes, that is the plan. I wouldn't ask you to join in on a plan for you to just watch it unfold."
"But why me? I was just a commander before I left. There's no good reason why you would want me to replace Swain."
"You showed more potential as commander than you believe. There was a reason why Swain let you into far more than he should have. They were seeking to make you far more than just a commander. Besides, I need someone who will stay out of my way. There aren't many that would do that." Riven stared at LeBlanc for a few moments, saying nothing as she processed the information.
"You just want a pawn. Someone to stay out of your way while you do as you like."
"Of course." LeBlanc said with a look in her eye that Riven couldn't quite pin down, "Everything comes with a price and that is mine. The Black Rose will give you everything you need to take the position as Grand General and we'll support you when you are Grand General as long as you stay out of our way."
"So if I get in your way, you'll remove me?" Riven scrunched up her face at the idea, she wasn't sure if the risk was worth it.
"Something like that."
"So then how could I trust you?"
"Outsmart me then. Make it a challenge." The Deceiver said with a laugh. "Besides, what makes you think it's easy to trust you, Exile, when you willingly gave up Noxus' classified information in a heartbeat to your dead girlfriend?"
Riven pursed her lips, folding her arms across her chest. The offer was tempting for sure, and even with her reputation, the woman's honesty made Riven inclined to trust her. All she would have to do to avoid the Deceiver taking her down as well was to either stay out of her way or 'outsmart' her as LeBlanc had said.
"I'll accept on one condition."
"Which is?" LeBlanc queried, running her eyes over Riven.
"I want to meet the others who want to help first before I agree. I want to know what I'm getting into before we move forward. I also need time to think about it all." LeBlanc locked eyes with her, a few moments of silence passing between the pair.
"I will speak to the other sympathisers and see whether they'll come forward to meet you. I'll let you know more soon." LeBlanc then created another passageway, taking her leave quickly.
Riven sat down at the dining table, playing with the knuckles of her left hand nervously. Things had moved in a direction she hadn't expected. She thought LeBlanc may have wanted power for herself which turned out to be far from the case. Even though it wasn't ideal to possibly be LeBlanc's pawn, the possibility to change Noxus for the better and end conflict in Ionia for good would be worth the risk. She wondered if Irelia would agree, whether she would believe it were worth the risk for Riven to change things for good. She wondered how Irelia would react when Riven told her the truth and what she was planning, would she be supportive?
Riven unclasped her rune sword from her back, putting it and her armour on the racks by the door and heading for the bathroom. It was the first time in almost two days that Riven had the chance to shower so she took her time, something she didn't normally do. Once out of the shower, she applied war paint to the burn on her face. Irelia had told her countless times she didn't need to hide the chemical burns she had received, asking her to stop applying the war paint but Riven preferred to hide her past the best she could, not wanting to advertise what had happened in Ionia.
As she climbed in bed, she thought to herself about how strange it was to sleep alone. Before Irelia, Riven had never been in a relationship but she had quickly gotten used to Irelia climbing into bed with her even if the Ionian didn't actually sleep and usually got out of bed when Riven fell asleep. Irelia had kept the habit even after Riven found out that she didn't in hopes to quell Riven's nightmares and then Riven had gotten so used to Irelia being beside her, she didn't really sleep at all unless the Captain joined her. Riven hated to admit how attached she had become, how reliant, even if she openly admitted to being in love with Irelia. Riven's thoughts and guilt gnawed at her for a few hours until she finally gave way to sleep, waking up only an hour later at the sound of the window being forced open.
Riven made eye contact with the woman climbing through the window, her crimson hair being caught in the light and making her completely recognisable. She leapt up, forcing herself out of bed and backing away from the window, heading towards her rune sword. After all, the last time Katarina had entered a room while she was sleeping; she attempted to kill her and nearly succeeded.
"Come to kill me again?" She asked, picking up her rune sword and pointing at the assassin, earning her only a laugh from the redhead.
"If I wanted to kill you, I would have made a better attempt than that. Good assassins aren't loud, Exile." Riven watched the assassin saunter over to her with her classic arrogant stride, when Riven saw that Katarina was largely unarmed she began to lower her blade.
"What do you want?"
"LeBlanc sent me." Katarina started, hoping that Riven would figure it out from there but Riven remained silent. "She wanted me to reveal myself to you as someone who plans to help." Riven nodded slowly, still keeping her eyes locked on the assassin.
"Why would you want to help me?" Riven watched as the corners of Katarina's mouth twisted mostly into a scowl.
"Swain killed my father. I want to kill Swain. I don't particularly care who replaces him and LeBlanc wants you, so." The assassin shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"You want revenge badly enough to put an exile, a traitor, in charge?" Riven asked, examining the assassin harshly. As she did with LeBlanc, she was waiting for the trick, wanting to know how she was being deceived.
"Of course. I want revenge and to prove that the Du Couteau name is not to be messed with." Riven quirked her brow, she was both simultaneously surprised and not surprised by the assassin's simplicity.
"What about your sister? Is she in on this as well?" Riven didn't know much about Katarina but she knew enough that even though her and Cassiopeia bickered and fought, they basically acted as a unit when it came to things like this.
"Yes, her and Talon are willing to follow whatever I decide. I've decided to follow LeBlanc in order to get what I want." Riven nodded. "Do you know what you need now, Exile? Can I go back to my quarters?" The assassin added with a snarky tone as she headed back for the window. Riven shrugged, letting Katarina escape into the night.
Riven stood in the dark of Irelia's quarters for a few moments before putting her rune sword back on the rack and returning the bed, climbing back under the sheets. She sat with her thoughts until she managed to fall asleep again.