Jarvan rose early the next morning, Shyvana still sleeping peacefully against his chest. Jarvan felt well rested, something that had eluded him for the longest time. He rose carefully, trying not to disturb Shyvana, who still slept soundly end as Jarvan lifted her off his chest. She moaned gently when Jarvan lay her carefully against the stone, but the stone was still warm from where Jarvan had sat. She stirred for a moment and shifted an arm under her bead before she continued her slumber.
Jarvan stood and stretched, his knuckles brushing against the stone of the overhang, his back wincing as he started to bend over. He hissed the pain away as she slumped his shoulders, sighing. Jarvan stepped into the sunlight and raised his hand against the radiant light, looking up at the distant peak that rose up to the west. The massive slopes of Mount Targon rose nearly to the heavens above, the white peaks gleaming like polished silver in the morning light. Jarvan had heard the tale of the warriors there, but Targon was one of the few places he had dared not tread in his time
The sounds of approaching steps caused Jarvan's stomach to turn. No one should be awake this early… Jarvan reached towards his boot, making a show of messing with the leather straps silently drawing his knife.
"I assume we're going after the beast?"
Jarvan looked back over his shoulder and exhaled heavily. He nodded a greeting to Isaacs as he slammed the knife back into its sheath, tucked into the lip or his boot and stood up.
"Valin. You startled me." Jarvan muttered with a brief shake of his head, the prince having to brush some of his black hair from his eyes. He dropped to a knee and pulled a tunic from his pack, tugging it down over his head.
"Many pardons, Liege." Isaacs responded with a faint smile, bowing his head.
"To answer your question, yes." Jarvan growled, his voice suddenly steely and cold. "Wake, Forsythe. We depart at once."
"And the Dragoness?" Issacs said, raising his eyebrow, the faint smile upon his lips growing slightly more playful. "I assume you two did manage to get some sleep last night?"
Jarvan had been taking a swig from his bottle and he spluttered, spraying water in a fine mist out into the air. He coughed and wiped the water from his chin. "Surely you jest." Jarvan said, brushing water from his tunic. He spitted Issacs with a furious glare. The old man cracked a wry smile and shook his head as he turned away, shrugging. Jarvan shook his head, watching the lieutenant step away. Jarvan could hear the humor in his voice, but the pain in his eyes and the slack in his shoulders spoke of the pain he was shielding.
Jarvan sighed, he could feel for the man, losing his company had been like losing his family. He turned to the young dragoness and considered the other problem. She had ripped what little clothes she had to bare tatters when she had turned into a dragon and Jarvan had wrestled her to the ground. It hadn't been too much of a hindrance over the past few hectic days, but it would prove to be problematic on the road. Shyvana squirmed underneath the blanket and rose sleepily. The blanket fell to her waist as she yawned. Jarvan blushed at the view, and it sent a jolt of lightning up and down his spine. Shyvana looked up at him and smiled pleasantly as she tried to rub sleep from her eyes. Jarvan covered his mouth with his hand and coughed, glancing away. Shyvana glanced down.
"Eep." She squeaked, grasping at the blanket. She blushed deeply as she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. Jarvan covered his eyes, catching a view of a tuft of red hair. Shyvana's entire face was crimson now as she tried to tug the blanket down to keep herself covered. Jarvan chuckled and smiled, his face red. Shyvana looked up at him and giggled, soon laughing hard at her own bumbling.
"Here let me." Jarvan said, carefully. Shyvana stopped her struggling as Jarvan pulled a Demacian Emblem pin from his own cloak that had been draped over his shoulder. He pulled the blanket around Shyvana's shoulders and clipped it over her collarbone, pinning the clasp together. He gave it a brisk tug, but the blanket did not give way. He handed her a pair of armored boots and some armor plates, and helped her clasp them into place. Shyvana belted several smaller scraps of blankets around her waist that formed a sort of loincloth and layered a few of the armored plates over her waist. Jarvan helped her to her feet, hauling her up with both hands. He overestimated and sent her flying up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him. Jarvan was surprised by the action, but her warm embrace was more than enough to bring a smile to his face. She hung to him silently, holding him tight, his own arms enfolding her.
"Thank you." Her voice was extremely quiet, barely a whisper. Jarvan merely held her close, feeling a bit of dampness growing on his shoulder. She held onto him for the longest time, and Jarvan was content just holding her in his arms. It was comforting to him to hold her close, and it wasn't a feeling he wanted to forget anytime soon. He stroked her hair gently for a few minutes. Her hands touched the top edge of the burns on his back and Jarvan sucked in a breath. Shyvana froze and released him, falling down to stand firmly on her own two feet.
"Sorry…" She said, brushing some hair out of her eyes.
"It's fine." Jarvan said, standing to his full height carefully. His skin felt leathery and sticky where the burns were. He couldn't feel pain around much of it, just the edges where the burns weren't nearly as bad. He pulled the tunic carefully back over his head, hissing as the leather peeled off the sticky burned tissue.
"Here, little lady." Shyvana turned and was just barely able to catch the pouch that Isaacs had tossed. She looked at it and then back to Isaacs. He gestured to the pouch. "Crush those leaves up with a bit of water and then apply it to the burns. Then wrap it with this." Shyvana plucked the roll of gauze from the air as Isaacs tossed it. He winked at Shyvana with a knowing nod and then turned to prepare their packs.
"Here…" Shyvana said, pushing Jarvan down into a sitting position. He begrudgingly did so, still bare chested. He hissed through his teeth when Shyvana poured cold water over his back. She used a small strip of the gauze as a rag as she used more water to clean the burned areas as carefully as she could. Jarvan grunted occasionally but he kept quiet for most of the work. When she finished, Shyvana emptied to contents of the small pouch into the pot and ground the leafy material into a fine dust with a rounded off rock. She cupped her hands and dipped then into the pool of water and then carefully filled the bottom of the pan. She mixed the powder and the water to make a fine paste. Using her fingers she applied the paste to the worst of the burned areas. She stood back and considered how to wrap the bandage for a minute. She finally made her mind up and began to wrap the bandages around him. "Raise your arms."
Jarvan did as he was told. She wrapped the bandages around him carefully, pulling it snug but not too tight. She tied the bandage off carefully and took pause and looked over the scars and bruises that decorated his body. Of the many that marked and marred the prince's body, the most ornate resembled a dragon. There was a long snaking scar that wrapped up his right arm and crested his shoulder like a dragon, the spines of the horns decorating his neck. Shyvana ran a few fingers carefully up and down the long scar.
"It came from a tangle with a Dragon in the Ironspike Mountains." Jarvan said looking down at the ground. "He was small, but he had sharp claws and they left a nasty mark when I took him down." Shyvana stroked the scar slowly, taking in its curves and the odd shapes that accented it.
"I see…" Shyvana murmured. "Scars from a dragon…" She stared at it and a few other of his nicks and scars, but there weren't any others that were nearly as interesting. She turned her attention back to the bandages. Giving them a cursory examination, she made sure the last of the knots was firmly in place. Satisfied with her work she tugged his hair gently. Jarvan struggled to his feet and carefully stretched his back. He could feel a tingling sensation already from the ointment. He smiled at her and she blushed, ducking her eyes.
"Consider us even." Jarvan said, going to turn away. As he went to turn, he felt Shyvana's small hand clasp his, keeping him from turning away. He looked back. Shyvana stood there, her eyes on the ground, her hair pooling around her face.
"What happens now?"
Jarvan paused at her question. When he had first arrived at the monolith he had never considered all this could have happened in a few days' time. He had arrived with most of his men still alive and now he was left with only two left alive, one of which was impaired. Jarvan had never considered what could have happened, but now, things just seemed to stretch out in front of him, and the young dragoness was set deep in the midst of all of those plans.
"Now…" Jarvan paused. When he had arrived, he had been lost, but now he had a new guiding light. He was ready to return to Demacia and discover what awaited him, but he had never truly considered how the young Dragoness would fit into that equation. He had just assumed she would follow him home, and he hadn't even thought to ask her if she wanted to some. "I hunt that draconian bastard down, and then head back to Demacia. I figured out what I needed to find in myself and now… I'm ready to head home and face the responsibility I abandoned when I set off on this useless journey."
"I don't think it was useless…." Shyvana said softly, tears welling in her eyes. She was afraid she was going to lose Jarvan, just like she had lost her father. She didn't think she could bear something like that again. "I got to meet you…" Her hand dropped away from his to her side and she began to take a step back.
"What was that?" Jarvan grabbed her hands in his and pulled her close to him. She shook her head, trying to clear the tears that clouded her eyes and hide them from his sight. "Why cry?" He raised a hand to her face and cupped her cheek. She nuzzled his hand and smiled weakly. He wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek and he frowned.
"Nothing… I just…." She tried to turn away but Jarvan held her hand and her face. Shyvana averted her eyes. "My father has always told me that it's okay to cry if it makes you feel better… I've always tried to avoid crying because it makes me look weak."
"It's not smart to keep it bottled up." Jarvan said softly, chuckling. "Keep it close, and only let those closest to you see it. Find someone to share your grief with, someone to share the burden. At least that's what someone I know told me once. " Jarvan shrugged, though he still head the dragoness in his arm. "I've never had the time or interest to court the women of Demacia."
"They're too damn soft for you, prince!" Isaacs snapped with a cheeky laugh. "You might prefer something a little harder. Maybe a little fiery? Ahem." Jarvan froze as Isaacs coughed. Shyvana more or less jumped out of his arms, blushing furiously. Isaacs grinned knowingly at Jarvan, who couldn't help but blush and glance away nervously. Isaacs chuckled and waved a hand at them, turning towards Forsythe. "Get up, you bum!" Jarvan blushed as he made a show of watching the Lieutenant try to roust the young soldier.
"Shyvana, I have a question for you… well… a request." Jarvan muttered, nervously, running a hand through his hair. The young dragoness blinked a few times, looking up at the prince. "Please, return to Demacia with me. I have some sway there. I can secure you a position in the military. A commission if you wish… Your strength will be invaluable." Shyvana stared at Jarvan, taking several long moments to process the request. She realized her jaw was hanging open and she clicked it shut, nodding absent mindedly.
"Thank you." Shyvana murmured softly, trying to hold her tears in. She had already cried so much in front of Jarvan. A frown started to form as "I have no other choice…"
"Forsythe, get your ass up!" Isaacs shouted, growing impatient as he kicked the trooper's leg.
"If you would rather remain here…" Jarvan muttered as he started to turn, but Shyvana reached out and grabbed the tail of Jarvan's tunic. Shyvana shook her head, looking up towards the remains of her father.
"Anything but that." Shyvana said softly. "I don't want to be alone any longer. It's not that I don't want to. I just… I…" She shook her head and turned away, taking a deep breath. She turned and nodded her head once. "Thank you. I accept your offer." Shyvana said, smiling, her pale cheeks tinged pink.
"For fucks sake, Forsythe! WAKE UP!" Isaacs kicked the trooper in the side, the youth sitting up abruptly and trying to shake himself awake. He fumbled with the hilt of his sword, trying to draw it. He finally managed to draw the weapon and dopily waved it about. Isaacs shook his head, Shyvana hid a giggle and Jarvan sighed, running a hand back through his hair and looking skyward.
"Where's th' nemy." Forsythe mumbled. He paused, looking up at his comrades standing around him and then sighed, laying back, grabbing at his head. "I feel like I just got kicked in the head." He groaned as he lazily rolled to his feet.
"No, just the side." Isaacs mumbled as he rolled his eyes and hauled Forsythe to his feet. He patted the soldier on the shoulder. "The gash the prince patched up was pretty bad. Take it easy now." Isaacs hefted his pack and handed one to each Jarvan, Shyvana and Forsythe. Jarvan took the pack and set it at his feet, pulling the canteen from his belt. He motioned Shyvana closer and unhooked the soft sided canteen from her pack and then filled them both. He handed it back to Shyvana who fumbled with it for a few seconds and then managed to get it to hook onto her good hip. She was still a little bit unsteady on her feet, but from what few glances Jarvan had seen, the wounds were healing fast. Maybe a day at most and they'd be fully healed.
Forsythe yawned and tried to rub the sleep from his good eye. The large bandage still covered his face, and unlike Shyvana, his scar would take a few weeks to heal because he lacked the draconian blood in his veins. Isaacs helped the young soldier into his pack and then shrugged his own pack on. Jarvan helped Shyvana with her, then carefully pulled his own pack onto his back. He picked up his lance and nodded to himself.
"You young'ns ready finally?" Isaacs groused. He paused and shook his head at how crotchety he sounded. Shyvana smiled, and Jarvan and Forsythe chuckled. Isaacs had always acted like a father to the unit, and though he appeared cheerful and happy, Jarvan knew he was still devastated from the loss of his comrades. His eyes were still dark and cold despite the smile and joking attitude.
"One moment." Jarvan said, pausing and turning. He bowed his head and raised his free hand in a fist across his chest. He took a deep breath, exhaled and raised his head to the sky. Shyvana paused and noticed that Forsythe and Isaacs had done the same.
"Brauch uns, hilf uns, führe uns, leuchte uns.
Denn wir laufen, laufen jederzeit.
Wir ziehen weiter - immer weiter.
Wir gehen vorwärs - immer bei dir."
Though Shyvana could not understand the ancient words, she understood their meaning. She kept silent as the three soldiers prayed for the fallen comrades and cast them into the heavens. The silence that followed was swept away by a gust of wind, and after a few hallowed moments, Jarvan, Forsythe and Isaacs spun on one foot and headed for the stairs. Jarvan led the way with Isaacs bringing up the rear. Shyvana fell in just behind Jarvan as he maneuvered his lance down the under a rocky overhand. The dragoness adjusted the pack on her shoulders as they proceeded to finally leave the monolith behind.
When they reached the bottom of the pass, Shyvana paused and looked back over her shoulder. She looked up at the ruined watch tower, now merely a sand blown testament to the Rune Wars and her father's legacy. Though she was not leaving it behind, she was now embarking on a new journey in her life, one that she believed would keep her busy for many years to come. She couldn't help but smile at Jarvan, the bandages she had tied peeking out from under the edge of the tunic and armor.
It's nice not having to constantly look over my shoulder. Shyvana thought, still smiling to herself as she tried to keep from skipping. To be no longer alone… Life is looking up.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jarvan paused, looking at the ground. So far the trail of black blood had been fairly easy to follow, but as he and his party neared the northern entrance to Mogron Pass, the trail was becoming faint. It was going to prove difficult to track Kampf down. He frowned and looked up at the sky, raising his free hand to shield his eyes from the brilliant sunlight.
Jarvan had lost the trail of the dragon's blood almost a day prior, and he had been following the path in the direction the blood had pointed, following what they could. Jarvan and his party had been on the trail for two days and were within half a day's walk to the entrance of the pass. Massive steps wound down around the edge of the Mount Targon, each step hundreds of feet wide and hundreds of feet deep. Through much of the pass Jarvan had been able to track the beast by the stains of blood and the drag marks along the ground and even some claw marks in the stone. The injured dragon had been unable to take off, but he had a day's head start. Jarvan frowned and bent down, running a hand through the dust. He couldn't find any of the blood darkened sand.
"Blast." Jarvan spat, shaking his head. Their best tracker had been killed by the beast himself, almost securing his own escape. Jarvan scowled as he brushed dust from the steps, looking for any trail of the beast, hoping some of the blood may have darkened the stone beneath the dust. "I've lost his trail." Jarvan stood, frowning at his own incompetence. Tempers were beginning to flare as the endless steps stretched out and the dust began to swirl around them, little twisters taunting as they danced about aimlessly. Jarvan groaned and cracked his neck, taking a deep breath.
Shyvana crouched down and began sniffing, her nose out, trying to pick up the scent. Jarvan didn't want to ask, but he suspected that she would be able to pick up the scent if it was there. She could probably access some sort of heigtened dragon's senses even in her human form. She was down on all fours now, her nose almost in the dust. She was still sniffing.
"What do you want to do, sire?" Isaacs frowned, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed the dragoness. Forsythe continued moving forward down the steps, headed further towards the entrance to the pass, possibly to find a better view. Not that there was much to see till they exited the pass, but they were getting close. The pine forests and bogs of the Demacian wilds would stretch out to the west of the sleepy mining town of Kalamanda, only a few miles north of the entrance to Mogron Pass. East were the rocky, forested plains of Noxus and the water ringed city beyond.
"Achoo!" Shyvana sneezed and ended up sitting in the dust, rubbing her nose.
"Alright there, missy?" Isaacs asked, shifting the weight from one leg to another. Shyvana nodded as Jarvan helped haul her to her feet, the heavy pack giving her a bit of trouble.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said, brushing dust from her rear and her clothes. She shook dust from her hair, sending a storm of dust cascading to the ground. Satisfied she had removed most of the dust from her person, she turned to Jarvan, a frown clear on her face. "I have a faint trace of the scent of dragon's blood. Shyvana sniffed the air a few more times and then sneezed again, grumbling as she rubbed her nose. "Infernal dust. The wind is blowing what little I can smell from the northeast."
"We head north for now then." Jarvan said. "We might be able to pick up a tracker in the mining town."
"We also need some supplies." Isaacs said frowning. "The extras we were able to scrounge from our fallen comrades wasn't enough to account for our several day… uh… stopover at the watchtower." Jarvan knew Isaacs was choosing his words carefully around Shyvana. In the past few days, Jarvan had seen the hard old lieutenant soften towards the young dragoness. She may have been half dragon, but she was already growing on him. Jarvan feared that it may because of the loss of his own son, but he wasn't about to say anything. The lieutenant's eyes had softened as he had warmed towards the young dragon. Jarvan could appreciate the sentiments, he knew he cared for the dragoness already.
"Agreed." Jarvan said, nodding his head. "We make for Kalamanda then. Tomorrow we head northeast into Noxus."
"Woohoo, Civilization!" Forsythe shouted from ahead, pumping his fists in the air as he started down the steps at an accelerated pace.
"Wait, Forsythe!" Jarvan shouted after the young soldier as he rounded a corner and disappeared. "Blast, I'm going to explain we're just stopping for supplies."
"Go." Isaacs said, grinning. "We'll catch up." Jarvan stepped off the step he was perched on and tromped off down the steps to catch and explain to Forsythe. As he jogged off, his long strides carrying him forward at a great pace, Shyvana hung back. Isaacs took one step down and paused, not hearing the crunch of Shyvana's boots next to him. He turned and saw the young dragoness looking nervous.
"Problem, young one?" Isaacs asked.
"I…" She frowned, looking down at the ground and ground her boot in the dirt. "I don't think I should go into the village."
Isaacs furrowed his brow, and scratched his head. "Now why would you think something like that?"
Shyvana looked up at him with a small smile, she blinked a few times, and looked up into Isaacs eyes. He involuntarily took a step back, the long reptilian slits reaching up and down across her deep orange irises, her cheeks lined with small blue scales. She blinked a few times, her brilliant magenta irises returning and the scales fading away. Isaacs gasped for breath; he hadn't even realized he had been holding it, stepping back and shaking his head. Shyvana's eyes were sad, they didn't have their normal aggressive sheen. They almost seemed dull. Isaacs breathed deeply, trying to calm his heart. "You scared me young one…"
"Exactly." Shyvana said, sadly. "People tremble before the power of a dragon. There's no way I can make my way into civilization. I'll be nothing but an outcast again..." Tears began to well in her eyes as she began to turn away. Isaacs grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Shyvana looked down at him and tried to yank her arm free.
"Wait…" Isaacs struggled as her anger flared and the tensions snapped.
"Let go of me!" Shyvana roared and turned to lash out at Isaacs. He parried her arm and ripped her wrist up and spun her about. He reared his hand back and slapped her, back handed, full on. He let her go, and she stumbled back, falling to her tail. She was stunned, her cheek burning the same shade as her hair.
"Shut up and listen." Isaacs said, kneeling down next to her. She opened her mouth to protest, but Isaacs glared at her. "I said listen. Not talk."
Shyvana frowned, but shut her mouth. Tears began to well in her eyes.
"No!" Isaacs said, grappling her shoulder and shaking her gently. "You musn't cry! A warrior of Demacia does NOT cry!" Shyvana brushed the tears from her eyes, shaking her head and blinking a few times. She screwed up her face and took a deep breath, blowing steam out of her nostrils. Isaacs sighed heavily. "If you wish to stay by the Prince's side, you must become strong. You must grow strong and stand proud. A Demacian Warrior does not know fear and does not know pain. Justice is a right to every citizen of Valoran and as a Demacian, it is your job to help him to bring it to them." Isaacs gestured to the prince who was in the middle of a heated discussion with Forsythe, some ways distant.
"I don't know how clearly you understand it, but we don't just call him 'prince' for his regal attitude." A smile played over the lieutenant's face. "Our prince yonder is Jarvan IV of house Lightshield, and Crown Prince of all of Demacia. He will someday be king of the most powerful nation in all of Valoran." Isaacs paused, and noted with satisfaction that Shyvana's eyes grew a bit wider and her mouth hung open a bit before she realized and clicked it shut. "If you wish to remain at his side, young'n, you're going to have to work hard for it and not be afraid of what others will think of you. Humans can be ignorant and stupid, but we are also capable of great compassion. If you prove your worth, no one will doubt you." He tapped her on the chest. "You have that strength inside of you. All you have to do is prove it."
"But I'm…" She began to say.
"What, half dragon?" Isaacs poked her in the shoulder again. He wiped a tear from her cheek with a thumb. "You're also half human, young'n." Isaacs grinned as a smile began to spread onto her face. "You're as much human as any Demacian I know; we all tend to have a bit of a beast inside of us." He clicked an armored gauntlet off his chest plate. Shyvana nodded at him, the gleam having returned to her eyes. "Hell, as strong as you are, someday I might have to salute you."
"I don't know if I want to be an officer…" Shyvana said, shaking her head. "But I will fight. My strength… it's the only thing I have left."
"Entrust your strength to him, then." Isaacs gestured to the prince again. "He may be young, but the prince is a great and just man. He will never betray you and he will never leave you hanging. I may be nothing more than a lowly Lieutenant, but I'm proud to serve the prince and call him a friend. I know I can trust my life in his hands, and he seems to think that he can trust his life in yours so…" Isaacs stuck out a hand. "I'll put my trust in your hands as well, young one." Shyvana looked hesitantly at his hand but after a few brief moments, she clasped his hand and he hauled her to her feet.
"Please, my name is Shyvana." She said, smiling prettily.
"You can call me Valin if you wish." He said, brushing some dust from her cloak. "Or 'El-Tee', 'Isaacs' or even just 'Val' if you wish." He stepped off at a slow pace, making sure Shyvana fell into step beside him. She did, matching his strides with a bit more of a spring in her step than before.
"As you wish, LT." She said with a mischievous grin. The aging Isaacs quickened his pace, already wondering if he was going to have to defuse another situation between Jarvan and Forsythe. As they closed the distance with the prince and the soldier, he could begin to make out parts of the argument.
"…and that's why we should head straight through town and continue on tracking the beast after a brief stop." Jarvan growled, forcing his voice to stay calm, his temper threatening to flare. The younger soldier stamped a foot angrily. Jarvan wore a calm and collect expression, but underneath his anger was threatening to boil over as well.
"Why the hell can't we stay a few days in Kalamanda?" Forsythe growled. "We've been away from any sort of human civilization for almost three months!"
"We are going to head into the village, find ourselves a tracker, get some supplies and then I want both you and Shyvana to get your wounds checked out by a healer." Jarvan said, prodding the younger soldier in the chest. "Then we're headed out."
"It's not like we'll lose the dragon's trail!" Forsythe blurted out, his brow furrowed. "Everyones dead, Jarvan! We're not in any hurry." Isaacs could see the fury building in Jarvan face.
"Oi! Cool it you too." Isaacs interjected with a sigh as he stepped up to the bickering soldiers. Isaacs said, turning towards the prince. "Everyone's wounds are severe, yours included prince. One night, and we leave early in the morning. A little rest will do us all a little good. Besides, we might not be able to find a tracker right away either." Forsythe turned and gave Shyvana a haughty look before turning to Jarvan with a victorious grin. "And you!" Isaacs glared at Forsythe, the young man glaring back at him with just as much intensity. Isaacs frown turned sour, the younger soldier not one to act so brashly normally. "I don't know about you, but you're no tracker and we've already lost it. Any time wasted is time he spends getting further and further away, so as soon as we have a tracker, we leave. Agreed, your highness?" Jarvan nodded tersely. "Good. Forsythe, do yourself a favor and bite your tongue before you say something you really regret."
"If only Shore hadn't and gotten himself killed." Forsythe spat angrily. "Cause you're not a trac-…" Forsythe tumbled end over end, ending up sprawled in the dust. Isaacs stood with his feet shoulder width apart, his eyes wide and his nostrils flared as his chest heaved with heavy breaths, his fist extended to its full reach.
"And neither are you!" Isaacs snarled. Forsythe was taken aback as he lay on the ground, clutching at his cheek. Even Jarvan stood by, stunned by the elder man's actions. The lieutenant may have been the most senior of the small party, but in his entire martial career with Jarvan, the prince had only seen him lose his temper a handful of times. Isaacs scowled and stormed off down the steps, his long strides now driven by anger as he left the group in his wake. Jarvan sighed, running a hand down in face.
Shyvana frowned, but extended a hand towards the young soldier to help him up. Forsythe looked up at her and with a sneer, he batted away her hand and pushed himself to his feet. He spun on his heel and stormed off down the steps, following in Isaacs' wake.
"What just happened…" Jarvan muttered, shaking his head and taking a deep breath. He cracked his knuckles and picked up his lance, a frown on his face. He stepped off, headed down towards the foothills that led towards the village.
"I'm not quite sure." Shyvana said, falling into step with him as they moved off towards the village. She raised her hands above her head, clasping them together on the back of her neck and kicking her feet out with each step, a smile on her face, despite Forsythe's foul mood.
"What did you and Isaacs talk about." Jarvan asked after a few minutes of walking.
"Not much." She said, smiling sweetly at Jarvan. "Just a few words of encouragement I guess you could say." Jarvan frowned but shrugged it off. He hissed at the effort, the pain from the burn on his back still considerable. "Besides, I think you need a healer more than I do." She said, gingerly tapping his shoulder. She turned sideways, sidestepping as she leaned forward to look up at him from closer, frowning. Jarvan tried to keep his frown, but he cracked a grin at Shyvana as she stumbled sideways. She covered her mouth as she broke into a fit of giggles. Jarvan tried to hold his own chuckles back, but he soon broke into a full on fit of laughter. Shyvana did as well, the sound sweet and wholesome in Jarvan's ears. After those tense moments, the sounds were like a healing salve that filled his veins.
Jarvan could feel the tension in the air left from both Forsythe and Isaacs, but Shyvana, her laughter and very presence, seemed to cut through the mirth and hatred that hung in the air. It was captivating.
She was captivating. Jarvan strode with a bit more confidence as he thought about it. About her.
Jarvan nearly fell forward as he stepped off the last step into the foothills surrounding Kalamanda and realized something.
I'm falling for her.