Jarvan shivered as he opened his eyes and blinked a few times, staring up at a sterile white ceiling. He groaned as he sat up and pushed himself up in the small bed, glancing around. An IV was dripping from a clear bag that hung on the head of the bed, the clear line leading somewhere under his sheets. He tried to move his arm and felt something tug on his forearm, telling him where the IV went. He grumbled and pushed himself up, shuddering as he pushed himself into a sitting position. His head swam for a few moments, the room spinning about before it settled and sank back to normal, wobbling only slightly as Jarvan shut his eyes and rubbed them with his right hand. He opened his eyes gingerly, letting out a sigh of relief when the room wasn't spinning. The sterile room was a mix of disorienting and overly clean. It smelled of antiseptics and stale blood. He glanced down, a sleeveless hospital tunic tied loosely over his chest, he opened it and glanced over his body. His chest was wrapped with bandages, mostly over his left shoulder and winding down his left arm in a sling, all the way down to his finger tips.

He tugged back some of the bandages on his hand, his stomach flip-flopping at the color of his skin. There was a dark shade of pale bluish-black instead of the pale mix of pink and tan, his veins standing out in a horrifying shade of black, spread out like spider's web under the surface of the skin. He sucked in a gasp of breath, biting back bile, tugging the bandages back into position, his hand brushing against his arm. He hissed as pain shot up his arm, arcing through his shoulder, striking his chest, biting at him like a hundred knives being forced into his chest from the stump of a shoulder. He took a deep breath, letting it out softly through his nose as the pain slowly subsided, leaving a cool burn in his chest.

The center of the largest swath of bandages over his chest was tinged a pale pink, damp to the touch. He brushed his fingers along it, a sharp bite of pain sending electricity cutting through his body like a blast of lightning. He gasped for breath, laying back slightly, sinking into the bed. He tugged the edge of the bandages back along his collarbone, black veins coursing out from where the color turned from a pale blue to the warm tan of his normal skin. His hand went to the edge of the bed, grasping the first thing he could get his hand on.

"What... the... fu-..."

"Feeling better, captain?" A cheeky voice said from the side. Jarvan tugged the bandages back over his chest, hissing as he accidentally brushed his hand along the skin. He blinked a few times, and then wiped the sweat from his face.

"Forsythe?" Jarvan said, blinking and shaking his head. He looked over and felt a grin spread over his face. He chuckled once and then gasped, biting back some of the pain. "Not really." Jarvan muttered with a lopsided frown-turned-grin. "What are you doing here?"

The tow headed soldier shrugged and grinned mischievously at the prince. "They needed security on target. Someone you knew, but most of your staff is too busy being debriefed. I've been in 'recuperative therapy' for the last few weeks." He made the motion of the quotation marks with his fingers, rolling his eyes at the same time. "Plus, the doc wanted someone to keep an eye on you two to keep any hanky-panky from happening." Jarvan glared at Forsythe, but the younger soldier sniggered and smiled, gesturing to the padded chair next Jarvan's bed. The prince glanced down, surprised at the blanket wrapped lump that was topped with a mound of ruby red hair.

"How long has she been here?" Jarvan said, a soft smile forming on his face, as he ran his hand over the hair and smiled.

Forsythe shrugged, still grinning. "All night. For the last week." Jarvan's hand froze on top of Shyvana's head.

"A week?" Jarvan said, frowning.

"Yep." Forsythe said with another shrug. "Better part of one at least. From what I've heard, you got stuck in the shoulder with a poison bolt or something and ended up in a coma."

"I don't remember any of that..." Jarvan frowned. An ache in his shoulder seemed to subconsciously tell him that what Forsythe had heard about the bolts was true. It also served to explain the black and blue coloration on his chest and arm.

"The question is: what exactly do you remember?" Forsythe asked. "I've heard a few rumors myself but I don't know how much I should tell you."

"Why wouldn't you tell me everything?" Jarvan's brow furrowed.

"You'll do something stupid." Forsythe said with a knowing grin that mocked of how true he was. Jarvan gave him a resigned glare. "The doctor told me to let them know when you got up, but I doubt you want to deal with that right away so I'll hold off till you want."

Jarvan's brow slackened and he sighed, wincing as his shoulder fell. He ran his free hand over his chest, skirting around the wounded shoulder, his other arm held in a sling to keep it immobile. Bandages wound all the down his arm, and though he could feel a tingling in his arm, it was mostly numb. He grimaced as he tried to move his fingers, but couldn't get the to move. "How about my shoulder, can you tell me happened to my shoulder?"

"I wish I could." Forsythe said, raising his hand to forestall Jarvan's protest before it could be voiced. "I don't know anything. I'm fairly certain that none of the doctors know what exactly you were hit with, because they don't have any idea how exactly to treat it either." Jarvan glared at the arm and felt his eye twitch as he continued to try and move his bandaged fingers. "Between that and the coma, you've been stuck here with me. Shyvana visits in the evenings after her training is done for the day, but she usually spends most of it sleeping, she's pretty much exhausted." He chuckled, wearing an oddly affectionate smile, like that of a brother looking after his sister when a boy came around to take her on a date. "She does what she can to try and take care of you, but all she ends up doing is fretting the nurses usually."

"Sounds like her." Jarvan said chuckling. He had heard the stories about how she and Quinn had been at odds about treating some of Jarvan's wounds. Jarvan winced as he laughed at the memory. "What about this damn arm? Anything at all?"

"Sorry, boss." Forsythe said, a troubled frown slipping onto his face. "Like I said: No clue on that one. Doc doesn't seem to know much, and as such, I can't tell you anything about it either."

"So your telling me I've lost all use of my right arm?" Jarvan felt frustration building in his chest, his right hand contorting into a fist. His knuckles were white as he raised his fist up and started to bring it down on the arm of the bed, but the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the warmth of a hand on his fist caused him to slacken his frown. The blanket shrouded lump stirred as Shyvana sat up, blurry eyed and pink faced, a mark along her cheek showing where she had been laying on her arm. She wore a tight fitting undershirt and the bracers for her trousers ran over her shoulder as she blinked a few times looking up at him.

"Jarvan..." Shyvana's voice was small as she rose up out of the chair, tears welling in her eyes. "You... you..." She rubbed her eyes as she sat up, pulling the blanket around her shoulders. She glared at him furiously, blushing slightly as her lower lip quivered, her brow furrowing as her magenta eyes burned through him with an accusatory glare. "You complete idiot!" The volume of her voice took Jarvan by surprise, and while he had been expecting sympathy, she hadn't been expecting such a scathing attack.

"W-w-what?" Jarvan stammered, trying to hide this surprise.

"You know what you did!" Shyvana spat angrily, turning away and tugging the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Jarvan looked to Forsythe out of confusion and desperation, but Forsythe simply grinned and shrugged, leaning back and sinking slightly deeper in his bed, lacing his hands behind his head and whistling to himself.

"Shyvana..." Jarvan said, gently resting his good hand on her shoulder. "I understand if you're angry..." His voice trailed off and he sighed, running his hand through his hair, clearing it over his head. "Actually, I can't." He said with a soft chuckle. "I can't remember anything."

"...What?" Shyvana said with a small voice. "You mean don't remember anything? Like nothing at all?" She shook her head and then pushed herself up onto the edge of the bed, shoving her face into his and glaring at him. Desperation wracked her face as she searched his for some explanation. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, her gaze dancing over him. Jarvan could feel the heat from the tip of her nose against his cheek as she searched his eyes as if some sort of answer was hidden away. "Who am I? What is my name!?"

"Easy, easy." Jarvan said, grinning and pulling her face a bit closer and then pressing his lips gently against hers and then released her chin with a smile. "I remember you plenty well, my love, Shyvana."

"Oh." Shyvana said blushing furiously. "I-I-I... Well then, what do you remember?"

"Well I remember spending the evening with you and Del and then coming back to my rooms, falling asleep and waking up with you in my arms after a really bad nightmare." Jarvan ran his hand over his face, shaking his head. "I remember the window breaking and that's it." Shyvana was silent for a few moments as she stared at Jarvan's shoulder and then blush slightly. "Hmm?" Jarvan tried to prompt her to speak, but she shook her head.

"You protected me while I was trying to transform." She frowned and then dropped her gaze to the ground. "I was still so weak from the day before and I couldn't transform. I wasn't paying attention and would have taken the bolt but you jumped into the way and saved me." Her blush deepened slightly and then she looked up at Jarvan. "I just wanted to say thank you. I don't know what would have happened if I'd been hit."

"Of course." Jarvan said with a smile, tapping her on the nose. "But why would you be mad about that?"

Shyvana sighed and then glanced away. "You could have just knocked me out of the way, you know... I'm not so frail that I can't take a fall on my own."

"Chivalry is such a pain in the ass, isn't it?" Forsythe chimed in, chuckling.

"Oh, be quiet." Jarvan said, sitting back with a sigh and a wince as pain shot through his arm. "Chivalry is a Demacian responsibility, and not to mention a man's obligation." He glance over to where the tow headed soldier relaxed on his bed. "Not that you'd know anything about being a man."

"Yeah, yeah, screw you." Forsythe said, waving the prince off. "I know when to be formal and when to not bother."

Jarvan blushed slightly when he saw Shyvana sit up a bit straighter, as if she were about to state something about how it was her job to screw Jarvan. He felt a grin tug on his face. Jarvan snorted and glanced back down at Shyvana, lacing his fingers through hers, holding onto her hand tightly. Jarvan looked back to Forsythe. "How come you're still in the hospital? I would have thought you would have been released by now."

"The doc wanted to hold onto me just a little bit longer." Forsythe said with a shrug. He covered the socket of his left eye and his brow creased ever so slightly. "They tried to get me a replacement eye but the socket was too damaged to replace it with an artificial eye. They even brought in a Yordle inventor from Piltover who said that he could fix me up, but when he got to talking about it, turned out he wanted to install a bunch of hextech stuff in my head." He gestured to the side of his head all the way back to his ear. "I didn't want that, so I politely refused. Nice guy, he tried to convince me that it wouldn't be even remotely invasive or barely noticeable, but still, the thought of hextech machinery in my body..." Jarvan watched him shiver.

"So what are you going to do?" Jarvan said with an uncomfortable frown.

"The surgeon said that without two function eyes, be them hextech or human, I probably wouldn't ever be able to fill a military combat position ever again." Jarvan watched as Forsythe's hands convulsed into fists, white knuckles gleaming as he sighed. "I don't know if I'd ever really fit in to a normal lifestyle though. The doctor has been trying to help, but unless I let them put all those gadgets in my head, I don't really see an out here."

"So what are you planning on doing?" Jarvan said, a sense of dread descending over him, pooling in the pit of his stomach.

"I've decided to go ahead with my retirement." Forsythe said, his voice slightly detracted as he glanced out the window that sat beyond his bed.

"But surely they don't know if your wounds are inoperable..." Jarvan started to say, trying to stay optimistic.

"I'm not dumb enough to think I have a chance." Forsythe spat, anger slipping into his voice. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, but Jarvan could see where he gripped the blanket with white knuckled fury. "I'm useless."

"You're wrong..." Jarvan hissed, trying to fight the sick feeling in his stomach. Forsythe turned towards him, giving him a full view of the massive scar that ran from deep in Forsythe's hair line, down across the ruined eyes and down his cheek to his jaw. The eye was closed, hiding the empty socket, but it had been stitched up along the cheek, the scars of the surgery still visible where they had tried to correct the eye.

"Look, don't try and tell me you need a soldier who can't see or fight." Forsythe snapped, glaring at Jarvan. Jarvan felt desperation, anger at the situation he had forced upon his follower, anger that something like this could happen to his friend. He glared at the bed with a mix of anger and confusion. He glanced over at where Forsythe still sat in his bed, a look of anger now clear upon the towheaded man's face. "And don't you look at me like that!" Forsythe leaned towards the edge of the bed, his left eyelid fluttering open to give Jarvan a gruesome view. "Forget about me! Move on already, you don't have time to worry about me!" His eye grew wild as he gripped the edge of the bed with a vice like hold. "Two and a half years ago you made Issacs a promise! Don't tell me you forgot about it!"

"Forsythe!" Jarvan shouted, snapping the man out of his desperation crazed state. Forsythe slowly sat back, a look of depression washing over him. Forsythe let out a pathetic chuckle that sounded like a half choked sob.

"How did you..." Jarvan said quietly, watching as Forsythe's head slumped and his shoulders fell.

"Just let me get on with my life." Forsythe said, resignation filling his voice. "I beg you." Silence filled the room as Forsythe waited for his commander to cut him loose, so that he wouldn't be dragged down any further.

"Surely you're not just going to roll over and take a defeat like that." Shyvana said, a mix of anger and disgust in her voice. "You're a soldier of Demacia, are you not? What happened to never retreating in the face of battle?"

"I can't fight if I can't see!" Forsythe snarled, bringing his fists down on the bed hard, frustration putting venom into his voice. "I'm not a soldier anymore! I'm nothing but a liability!"

"Shut your mouth!" Shyvana snarled. "Who says you can't fight?" She pulled herself to her feet and glared down at him, her fists posted on her narrow hips. "You fought Kampf, who only had a single eye, with your eye gone. You did fine. You survived. Now you must overcome." A look of anger settled on his face. "What would Isaacs think if he saw you moping about like this?"

"It's out of my control!" Forsythe said, his voice growing weaker, his voice starting to falter.

"Bullshit!" Shyvana snapped, still glaring at him. "You know that's rubbish as much as I do."

"Shyvana." Jarvan said, evenly, trying to defuse the situation. "If he's made his decision then there is nothing we can do." Jarvan paused, looking over at Forsythe as the younger soldier attempted to glare a hole in the blanket that covered his bed. His face burned from having been called down and being attacked so, but he had a look of resignation on his face that belayed the anger. Jarvan felt a frown forming but he tried to shut it aside with a sigh. There was fire in the young man's eyes, anger at having been talked down to, but there was no retort, no bite back, no fight. Maybe there is no fight left in him after this... Jarvan shook his head, refusing to accept that possibility yet. "I'll wait for you to catch up, Forsythe. Be it upon the Demacian throne or in the middle of the conflict in Kalamanda."

"Yes, sir." Forsythe said with a somber nod, as if his mind was somewhere else right now. He shook his blonde hair out slightly, running his hands through his tangled locks as he sank back in his bed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Jarvan waited for the young soldier to respond with a confident 'I'll be right behind you,' but Forsythe's chest began to rise and fall slowly. Jarvan felt a mix of anger and disappointment in his chest. Perhaps Exemplar Company is truly dead. Jarvan groaned, as he sat back in the bed and exhaled slowly. "Before the doctor finds out I'm awake, perhaps you could bring me up to date on what's been happening in Valoran, Forsythe." He ran his hand through his hair, clearing it from his face again and then ran his hand over his face, brushing the bangs that had fallen back over his brow apart so he could see. "To think I was out for a whole week..."

The young man opened his eyes, glancing over at the prince, and then met his gaze for a few moments as if to say 'Not going to give up, are you?' Forsythe glanced away and shrugged, sticking his legs out to lever himself into a sitting position, turning to face the prince. "The better part of six days to be more precise." Forsythe said, pointing out the window as the sun started to set. "There's been all sorts of news and events happening but the biggest one of all was the results of the Rematch for Ionia."

"How long was the occupation extended?" Jarvan asked with a frown, his brow furrowing. He remembered all of the excitement building up to the match, the city had been abuzz with rumor and hype.

Shyvana shook her head. "Ionia is free. The occupation has been lifted."

Jarvan raised his head and his mouth fell open. "Wait, Noxus was defeated?" He blinked a few times and then shook his head. "But how... how did that happen?"

"Nobody is really sure." Forsythe said with a darkening frown. "The Ionian Champions were strong and their strategy was played out perfectly. The Noxians barely stood a chance against Udyr's blitz upon the Noxian lines. He ran circles around them."

Jarvan shook his head. "But that can't be possible..." He clicked his jaw shut and his brow creased in thought. "The Noxians were favored in every way moving into the battle. Why would they give up such a strong position in Ionia?"

"You're asking the same questions as everyone else, Jarvan." Shyvana said with a frown. "The men in my unit have been talking about it since the battle ended." She frowned. "Though it is half the reason the city didn't go up in arms after what happened at the palace."

"You mean when we were attacked?"

Shyvana nodded. "The excitement surrounding the battle at the Institute of War allowed for an easy coverup."

"There are only a few people who know you're here outside of the Royal Guard, your family, and a select few hospital staff." Forsythe said evenly. "Anyone who does known has been sworn to secrecy and threatened with treason for even mentioning you. The timing on the rematch and the excitement surrounding it couldn't have been better."

"I suppose that is true." Jarvan said, running his hand along the thin beard that had formed on his chin. "But the question still remains... why?" He glanced to Shyvana and Forsythe beyond her. "Why was I attacked? Why all this cover up?"

Forsythe shrugged. "I've heard almost nothing other than what she's been willing to tell me, so I wouldn't be able to answer any questions." He gestured to Shyvana. "I've kept up with the news, but that's about all I'm good for right now." Jarvan looked to Shyvana but she blushed and shook her head.

"I apologize, Jarvan." She said, looking down at her lap, twiddling her thumbs. "I've tried to find out what happened on my own, but no one will answer my questions. Lieutenant Vorscham and Gunny Juniper have been quiet about it. The Lieutenant just pours on more training whenever I ask and June always dodges the question. She keeps changing the subject. I haven't been able to talk to Sergeant Delancey either. The Sergeant was taken for questioning by men in Demacian Uniforms but they didn't say much."

"What did they look like?" Forsythe said, raising an eyebrow.

"They wore dark blue and gray uniforms that were similar to regular fatigues." She said, frowning. "The patch on their shoulders showed a lightning bolt and a hammer, I think."

"Military police?" Forsythe suggested. "But what would they want with this 'Delancey' person? Surely the MPs couldn't have jurisdiction over the investigation of the attack at the palace. That's the Royal Guard's terrirtory."

"It was within the city walls." Jarvan pointed out with a shrug and a wince of pain as he attempted the motion. "Though they have been known to work with the DSB from time to time. That would certainly make more sense."

"Who is this Delancey anyways?" Forsythe said, frowning. "I've heard the name a few times, but never a face."

"Part of my staff." Jarvan said shrugging. "Assigned to keep tabs on me after I returned."

"What he means to say is 'bodyguard.'" Shyvana said, fitting Jarvan with a disapproving look.

"That too." Jarvan said sheepishly, grinning. "Bit of a weapons nut. You'd probably hit it off, Forsythe. Haven't seen anyone carry that many weapons other than you."

"I look forward to the meeting." Forsythe said, grinning.

"What of the attackers?" Jarvan said with a frown. "Everything is still kind of fuzzy."

"Don't worry." Shyvana said, shaking her head to discourage the frown he wore at his faulty memories. "There were three total in the room, and one more, the marksman, from what I remember. Del captured one and one was killed by the same marksman who shot you in the shoulder. The third got away."

"Got away?" Jarvan repeated. "You just don't disappear into the city like that."

"Well if they found him, they're not telling me." She frowned. "Delancey and Vorscham wounded him, though so I wouldn't have thought he couldn't have gotten far."

"One would think." Jarvan mused, a sour expression settling on his face. "And the marksman?"

"Same story." Shyvana said glumly. "No word, but I suspect he made a clean escape as well."

"Damn." Jarvan said, sighing. "And you don't know anything about the prisoner?"

Shyvana shook her head again. "I don't." She looked down at her lap as if she had let him down. "They refuse to answer any of my questions."

Silence filled the room as Jarvan realized his frustration with the lack of knowledge and answers was starting to force an edge to his voice. He had been out for almost a week, and Shyvana had been coming here every evening she could to spend time with him. He glanced at the bedside table that sat between his bed and Forsythe's. There was a pitcher with some water and several glasses, a clock, and not much else. As he looked around the sterile white room, he realized that Shyvana was by far the most vibrant thing in the room, her lustrous red hair gleaming in the setting sunlight that shone though the window. Jarvan felt a mix of giddy and sick as he thought about the fact that Shyvana had been worrying about him. It was both reassuring and painful to think about. He could feel the affection in his heart growing, but he also felt regret for putting her through it at the same time.

"Jarvan?" Shyvana stared up at him with large magenta eyes, flecks of gold shining and glimmering amid the soft glow of her big eyes. He felt a grin start to spread on his mouth as he reach out and took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She blushed slightly but didn't look away, pulling his hand closer to her chest and enveloping it in both hands, pressing it against her collar bone and holding onto it, resting her cheek against it with a gentle smile. "I will say, I'm not really enjoying this habit of our reunions where you've got your arm in a sling." She grinned as a look of surprise settled on Jarvan's face.

"I had completely forgotten about that." He said, shaking his head as a cheeky grin slid onto his face. "I suppose this is twice that I could blame my arm getting injured on you."

"You jerk!" Shyvana said with a scowl that couldn't hide the smile on her lips.

"I do recall that being your exact reaction before." Jarvan said with a snort.

"Valoran to lovebirds." Forsythe chimed in, ruining the moment. "Don't get all mushy just yet." He snorted, pointing at Shyvana. "I really don't want to get bitched out by the doc when you make your injuries worse while fucking yonder princess."

Shyvana's face turned ruby red, her hair line indistinguishable as she backed away, dropping her head. She grabbed the blanket on her lap and balled it up, beaming Forsythe in the head and sending him tumbling off the edge of his bed, landing with a loud thump on the far side of the bed. Jarvan burst out laughing. He ended up slumped on his back, tears streaming down his face as Forsythe grumbled, picking himself up off the ground and slouching on the bed, with a dejected frown.

"I'd like it if you don't give me another head injury." Forsythe grumbled as Jarvan clutched his shoulder, hissing as the laughter subsided and pain set in. "You okay, cap?"

"Damn, that hurts." Jarvan muttered as he wiped his face free of tears and pushed himself up in bed. "I feel inclined to pop you in the jaw after that comment, but I don't think my shoulder would like that. It hurts like hell just to laugh."

"Serves you both right." Shyvana said, crossing her arms over her chest dejectedly. "You for the comment," She said, glaring at Forsythe, "And you for laughing." She said, wheeling on Jarvan and spitting him with an accusatory glare. "The discomfort of your companion is hardly a laughing matter."

"Yeah but his discomfort is damn funny." Jarvan said with a lopsided grin. Shyvana tried to retain her cross disposition, but with Jarvan's smile and his laughter still ringing in her ears, it wasn't long before it was replaced with a smile and a soft blush. Jarvan and Forsythe chuckled.

"I will say, it feels good to laugh about something." Forsythe said, pushing himself up onto the bed, his shaggy blonde hair in a mess that resembled a mop.

"Doesn't it?" Jarvan said with a grin. "Hows your head?"

"Fine." Forsythe said shrugging with a grin. "I may have broken a tile on the floor though."

Jarvan snorted and a grin spread back over his face. "That's on your bill, not mine. Things your hard head breaks is your fault."

"Oh bite me." Forsythe snarled, though it lacked the vehemence to make it sound threatening. The grin offset it as well, but Jarvan simply grinned victoriously as Forsythe rolled his eyes.

"I refuse to let him bite anyone else." Shyvana said, almost pouting. Both Jarvan and Forsythe had deadpan looks on their faces as they stared at her. She blinked a few times, glancing at them in turn, notice as color rose in Jarvan's face. "What..." She said slowly, thinking about what she had said. Her face turned a furious red again and she raised her hands in front of her, waving them wildly to try and ward off the stares. "NONONO!" She blurted out nervously. "Not like that! I just... I..." She dropped her gaze to her lap again as steam began to pour off the top of her head. "Sorry." She said with a small voice.

Jarvan wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her over, grinning and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Don't worry." He chuckled. "Teasing just comes with the company." She blinked a few times and then nodded, a smile replacing the nervous frown. "Now, back to the point, I'll see what I can find out later." He paused then shrugged. "Has anything else happened?"

"There was an incident in Kalamanda." Forsythe said gravely, his brow darkening broodingly. Jarvan felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

"Is it war?" Jarvan said with a husky tone, the shift of the room's atmosphere was almost palpable.

"No, not yet at least." Forsythe said reverently. "There was a cave-in of one of the Loadstone Mining Consortium's shafts after an earthquake. Word on the street says twelve men are trapped deep underground." He paused, his brow furrowing in thought. "No one knows if they're dead or alive right now, but tensions are nearing a breaking point."

"Earthquakes?" Shyvana murmured. "I don't ever remember there being earthquakes in Kalamanda during my time there."

"That what's causing so much of the uproar." Forsythe growled with a curt nod. "There have been accusations flying everywhere in the paper, tabloids are spewing the usual rubbish, and a whole host of other issues have been raised, from Zaunite mining practices to claims of espionage."

"Who could want to start a war, though?" Jarvan muttered, fire in his tone.

"Anyone who wanted the mineral who didn't think they would get the contract, of course." Forsythe said, poking the air to make a point.

"But why?" Jarvan said with a frown. "It'd be years before anything could be mined if war were to erupt." The thought of war in Kalamanda brought a shiver to Jarvan's spine as images of his nightmare flashed through his mind.

"You've got me there." Forsythe shrugged and glowered, looking at the ground. "Someone could be playing the long game, but things have been hectic since the announcement yesterday." He glanced out the window, darkness settling over the city skyline. "I haven't heard any news from our forces though. They're probably swept up in the emergency and all, but I would hope that word would reach home soon. Kalamanda is a black hole as news goes. Nothing has come out since yesterday."

"My father will probably know more." Jarvan said firmly, throwing the sheets down the bed and then pushing himself up and around.

"Hold on now..." Forsythe said, getting up and starting to maneuver around the bed to stop him. "You still need your rest."

"Nonsense, I've been resting for six days." Jarvan growled, pain shooting through his body as he twisted his torso around to try and get his feet on the floor. Shyvana was now by Forsythe's side, trying to keep the prince from getting up.

"Jarvan, be careful..." She protested, but Jarvan tried to wave them both off.

"Just help me up." Jarvan said, frustration hurrying his voice. He yanked the IV from his arm and tossed the lead aside, letting an ambitious smile slide onto his face. "I feel fine!"

"I warned you..." Forsythe said ominously as Jarvan pushed himself up. He stood tall for a moment, but his legs wobbled and the room started to spin as Jarvan staggered forward. He blinked a few times to try and stop the room from spinning, but his knees wobbled and collapsed under him and he started to fall sideways.

"Jarvan!" Shyvana shouted as she grabbed his chest and tried to catch him before he hit the ground. Jarvan yelped in pain as she grabbed the wounded arm, releasing him in surprise and then watching as he hit the ground, though his fall was much lighter than it would have been. Shyvana dropped to the ground next to him and pulled his head onto her lap, looking down into his face. Jarvan looked dazed but uninjured, though tears welled in his eyes from his arm. "Jarvan, are you alright?"

"Ow..." Jarvan mumbled.

"Get the nurse!" Shyvana said urgently. Blood had begun to stain the bandages that wrapped his shoulder. Forsythe nodded, pushed himself to his feet and then moved to the door, pulling it open and then coming face to face with a Demacian officer. She looked surprised at the urgency on his face, but she blinked once and then her expression hardened.

"What's wrong?" She said, starting to push past him.

"Jarvan—the prince—the patient needs help!" Forsythe blurted out, stumbling over his words. "His injury is bleeding again." The woman, her blue forelocks swaying, glanced in and spied the prince on the floor next to the bed confirmed the reports and she nodded.

"Stay with him, I'll be right back!" She sprinted away to find a nurse. Forsythe turned back to where Shyvana was holding the prince, but the large red spot was starting to spread.

"We need to get pressure on the wound." Forsythe said, dropping down next to Jarvan.

"But what about..." Shyvana began to say but Forsythe shook his head, pulling off his jumper. He balled it up and then hesitated over the princes shoulder.

"You might want to grab his hand." Forsythe said grimly. He looked back to the prince, his face now pale and drenched with sweat. "Sorry, Jarvan... this is gonna hurt like hell." He pressed the balled up sweater onto the wound and Jarvan screamed in pain. His hand tried to jerk towards Forsythe to swat him aside, but Shyvana held onto his hand firmly as he struggled, his cries of pain enough to bring tears to her eyes. "Hold on, help is coming!" Forsythe did his best to reassure the prince, but his voice was hoarse as he tried to keep himself together.

"Jarvan!" Shyvana pleaded, still holding onto his hand, straining against the prince's thrashing. He tried to buck, but Shyvana was pressed firmly against his good shoulder, trying her best to keep him from hurting himself more. "Please, Jarvan! Stop! Your thrashing is only making it worse!"

"It's not helping!" Forsythe said, applying as much pressure to the wound as he could, still getting bounced about by the prince. He looked over his shoulder, desperation now marring his face. "Nurse!" He shouted. "NURSE!"

Two massive orderlies, each bigger than Jarvan, lumbered through the door, followed by a short doctor with a massive, bushy beard and a pair of nurses who looked almost as young as Shyvana. The doctor was nearly knocked over as he struggled to get a look at the wound, but when he saw the blood stained bandages and the small pool that was starting to form underneath the prince, his eyes went wide.

"Get out of ze vay!" He shouted. "Get him up on ze bed! Qvickly now!" The orderlies complied, brushing Forsythe aside and grabbing the prince and heaving him onto the bed in a single go. His hand was ripped from Shyvana's hand and it flailed rapidly, striking one of the nurses who was trying to help lower him onto the bed. She yelped and fell backwards, the orderlies muscling the prince down.

"Hold him down!" The doctor shouted, his wiry mustache now standing straight on end as he ducked another blow from Jarvan's arm. "I can't vork like zis!"

"We're trying..." The larger of the two orderlies grumbled, his bald head now gleaming with sweat from wrestling with the prince. "He's too strong."

"Bah!" The doctor snapped, glancing down at Forsythe. "You two, qvickly now, grab his head and legs and hold onto him!" Shyvana and Forsythe still sat on the ground with a mix of shock and terror playing across their faces. "Now, you fools! Hold him before he makes it vorse!" Shyvana slowly nodded, a dumbfounded look on her face as she pushed herself up, almost slipping in the pool of blood. She hauled herself up and then glanced around, slowly.

"You, girl, grab his head!" The doctor ordered. "Keep him from zrashing."

"All right..." Shyvana stammered, barely able to understand the doctor's accent, lowing herself over Jarvan's bed, her arms now covered in blood. She looked for somewhere to hold Jarvan, but she finally just had to settle with lacing her fingers together and holding his forehead against the pillow.

"And you, ze feet!" The doctor ordered, snapping at Forsythe. The corporal nodded lamely and pushed Jarvan's ankles against the bed firmly. "Good!" The doctor said, nodding his head once. "Shears." He held his now gloved hands out to a nurse and accepted a large pair of scissors. He slid them under the edge of the blood soaked bandages and then started clipping them away, folding them back to reveal a crimson splattered hole in Jarvan's chest the was profusely oozing blood.

"Dear gods..." Shyvana breathed, blinking rapidly.

"Now zis is something new..." The doctor said, swallowing and tugging his collar a bit looser. He blinked a few times, looking at the wound, shaking his head. "I've never seen anyzing like this before." He murmured, wonder and fascination filling his voice.

"Now's not the time, doc." Forsythe growled.

"Yes, yes." The doctor said, as if he was pestered by the man's hurrying him. He pondered the wound for a brief moment before he handed the scissors back to the nurse. "Forceps and gauze." He was provided with both. "Be prepared to hold him, zis may sting a bit. On zree. One... two..." He pushed half the gauze into the wound, sopping up as much blood as he could. He pulled the gauze free as Jarvan screamed in pain again. He discarded the first swatch of gauze and then pressed the second swatch deep into the wound again, continuing to sop up the blood. He pulled the gauze out, getting a look at the wound as it slowly started to fill with blood again.

"Shush now..." Shyvana cooed, tears now actively streaming down her face. "It's almost over, the pain will be gone soon..." She tried to comfort Jarvan, rubbing her cheek against his head, trying to keep herself from bawling. "Please Jarvan... shush."

"Now vhat is zat down in zere..." The doctor murmured. He paused, pressing his hand against the blackened skin. "How curious, he's as cold as ice. It's almost as if it's frostbite."

"What are you going to do about it?" Shyvana begged. "You have to do something!" She shouted over a scream as the doctor prodded Jarvan in the shoulder. "Not that you bastard!" She snarled. "Help him!"

"Shut your mouth, girl." The man snapped, pressing his glasses further up his face with the heel of his palm. "I'm doing my job; you just hold him vhere he is." Shyvana looked just about ready to punch him but the doctor had already dismissed her and turned back to the wound. "Gauze." He held his hand out and back, accepting several more cuts of gauze from the nurse. He poked and prodded the wound, sopping up the blood and then tossing the gauze onto Jarvan's chest. He took the forceps in his hand and then started peering into the wound. "Light." he demanded impatiently. "Hurry."

"Yes, sir." The other nurse produced a hextech spot lamp and held it on the wound.

"Good." The doctor murmured as he lowered his head closer to the wound and then started mumbling and humming to himself. "Now vhat is zis? Vhat do we have here?" He pushed the forceps into the wound and clamped them down. "On zree..."

"Fuck that!" Jarvan snarled. "I heard you last time..."

"Good point." The doctor said, nodding. He ripped the forceps out, pulling a thin sliver of black and blue crystalline looking material. The blackened skin started to pale and then it became pink rapidly. "How curious. I must have missed zis ze first time vhen I was cleaning ze vound." Jarvan fell silent, his breathing deepening. The doctor took a quick look at the prince and then looked back to the sliver, trapped in the forceps. "Vhat a curious piece of material..." He tapped his chest with a bloody hand, thinking as he glanced around. The nurse's mouth hung open as if she had intended to keep him from touching his chest, but she simply sighed, shook her head and turned back to the prince. "Zere is certainly no vay I missed something zis large..." he murmured, holding the sliver up to the light. It gave of a malignant blue smoke, its color darkening as he held it up. "Perhaps it grew? But zat's impossible... perhaps? No, no, no... to ze lab, yes. More tests to conduct." The doctor began to move the door, but Forsythe stepped in between the doctor and the doorway.

"Will he be alright, doc?" Forsythe growled, standing up straight, looking at his bloody hands and then letting them fall to his sides. He stared down his nose at the doctor, easily towering over the little man.

"I believe so." The doc said, nodding, annoyance in his voice as he continued looking at the sliver of transparent material. "It's almost as if it's a shard of ice..." He glance back at the towheaded barrier that stood in the door way.

"Is he going to be alright?" Shyvana said glancing down at the wounds as Jarvan fell still, and then back at the doctor.

"I believe so." The doctor repeated, sighing, meeting her gaze finally, pushing his glasses up his nose again. His eyes were distant and cold, but there was a sharpness to his gaze that was unnerving. His benign looks and habit of muttering had hidden the man's intensity before. "Ve vere confused vhy he vasn't getting any better despite the medicine and all ze bed rest." The doctor glanced back to his shard of ice and then back to Shyvana, his mustache quivering in annoyance. "Vhile unfortunate we missed zis sliver vhen ve removed ze main bolt, he should start rapidly healing, at a normal rate anyways." He glanced down at the wound and then shrugged. "Ve'll provide him with anti-inflammatory and medications for the infection, among other zings, and he should be better in several days time."

"Oh... alright." Shyvana murmured, looking around for something to wipe her arms free of Jarvan's blood.

"Come along now, ze nurse vill show you vhere you can get cleaned up." The doctor said, still holding the shard of ice in the forceps and bloody gloves as he walked towards the door. "Zis way."

Shyvana didn't stray from Jarvan's side, holding her hands slightly away from her body. "But what about..."

"Don't worry, miss." The taller of the two nurses said with a reassuring smile. "We'll take good care of your boyfriend."

Shyvana blushed. "But..."

"If you don't come along now, I shall have ze orderlies forcefully remove you." The doctor said, his voice even and lacking all menace. Shyvana glared at the doctor with fire in her eyes, but she removed to budge.

"He's in good hands." The second nurse said, bowing and gesturing to the door the doctor had disappeared through. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to a ward where you can wash up and change. Please."

"Come on, Shyvana." Forsythe said, prompting her. Shyvana's defiant gaze faded slowly as she looked down at Jarvan, a mix of relief and regret pooling in her stomach. She slid off the bed, but kept a hand resting on Jarvan's shoulder. "Shyvana." Forsythe said gently, steering her towards the door. "Let's get cleaned up, we don't want to get in the way. That will only make things harder on Jarvan."

Shyvana paused in the doorway and glanced back at Jarvan as the nurse started to direct the orderlies, removing the last of bandages and then began to tightly wrap him with the bandages, the orderlies pushing him up and holding him steady, wiping up the blood away and then placed a large patch of gauze over it, holding it in place and then beginning to wrap it with a long bandage.

Forsythe gently pushed Shyvana forward, moving her out of the room. "Let's go, Shyvana."

She closed her eyes, nodded somberly once, and then let herself be guided out of the room.