Jarvan blinked himself awake and looked around, grimacing in the dark, dank light of the prison cell. He sat up on the thin mattress of the provided bunk, his back and knees protesting as he hunched over the edge of the bunk. He ran a hand along his jaw, shaking his head and glowering as he ran a hand over his face. Two more days of stubble on my face. Jarvan had shaved the first morning when he had originally intended to go see Shyvana, making sure he had cleaned himself up to apologize to the dragoness. It had been his hope that she would let him make amends and if need be he would have begged her not to hate him for being a jerk as he explained things to her.
That was two days ago, if my sense of time is remotely accurate. Jarvan pushed himself to his feet and and stretched out the kinks in his back and neck that the mattress's pitiful springs had inflicted upon his body. Delancey had been allowed to wait outside his cell and walk with him in between interrogation sessions and bouts of sitting in his cell, but she had been whisked away, rather, threatened into leaving the day before by Jormander's goons. She had tried to threaten the general back but a quick mention of the possibility of treason had scared her off. The sergeant major had quickly gone to seek council from General Lorcan the first day, but Jarvan hadn't heard anything from the sergeant major or even from General Lorcan or his men, so the prince could only assume that they were being stonewalled by the Demsec security protocols and the general asinine reasons until he could find out what he wanted to know from Jarvan.
The questioning had started off fairly routinely, mostly standardized questions about Jarvan and the day before, leading up to his capture. The officer who had been doing the questioning had been intrigued as to why exactly Jarvan had been wandering around the city without his guard and without anyone knowing where he was.
Jarvan had explained that he was simply taking a walk and had gotten separated from his guard. The officer didn't seem surprised or questioning of the obviously false answer, simply moving onwards to the next question. Questions about how Jarvan had come to be drinking with the man, who the man was, who he said he was, what Jarvan had done afterward and questions about how he had run into Sergeant Lee had also be brought up, along with numerous other things. Jarvan had poised questions about why exactly the sergeant had been tailing him, but none of the prince's questions got answered despite his protests. Jarvan tried to explain what had happened, but with the standing problem that Jarvan didn't exactly know what had happened, his explanations turned into a mix of drivel and pointless conjecture.
They had tossed him into the cell and locked him up after they were done questioning him. At this point the sergeant major had gone for help, but Jarvan wasn't exactly optimistic. He had awoken the next day after a night of poor sleep feeling cranky and agitated. He was given nothing to eat and taken directly to questioning. The officer had turned the tables this time, snarling and fussing and screaming at Jarvan about the answers he had given the day before, throwing facts they had found out from various different 'witnesses' at the prince, trying to catch him off guard. But Jarvan was adamant and had provided truthful information. Even under stress, feeling tired and hungry, the prince's answers remained the same. Delancey had been chased off after this, and though she was apocalyptic in her shouting and threats towards the soldiers, she was eventually chased off under threat of impeding a federal investigation and treason, both of which could carry a death sentence if the charge was severe enough.
Jarvan took a deep breath and dropped to the ground, catching himself with his hands and lowering himself to the floor. His abdomen still burned and bruises cried out in pain, but with nothing better to do, Jarvan began to pushing himself upwards in a jerking motion, bringing his hands together in a clap with each exertion.
It will take a lot more than that to break my body, Jormander. Bruises dotted Jarvan's abdomen up and down, covering his stomach from where guards had tried to beat the prince senseless. When he hadn't been able to get the answers he had desired, Jormander pushed his men to drastic measures. While the soldiers had seemed hesitant at first to actually strike the prince, Jarvan's anger at the general and his underhanded thuggery was enough to cause the men to lash out. Jarvan paused, his chest now burning against the continuous motions of the push ups, a grin spreading over his face. The guards had stripped the prince down to his trousers and his boots, and many of them had simply stared at the prince's array of scars for several long moments. A captain finally had to snap the men out of it, their hesitation still evident. Jarvan had taken the chance and goaded the men into finally trying to hurt the him, questioning their masculinity, insulting their honor, and finally the first soldier had snapped when Jarvan had made mention of how Noxian women were better interrogators with just their lips while on their knees. The man had reared his hand back for a vicious underhanded strike to Jarvan abdomen, but the prince had expected it. He sucked in a sharp breath and flexed his muscles as the man's hand struck.
I think he managed to break his wrist and everything. Jarvan chuckled to himself and resumed his pushups. He did leave a decent bruise though.
The other men, compelled by their officers and the prince's confidence had lain into him with kicks and punches designed to wear down the prince's body, but after nearly two hours, the men had been left panting and exhausted while the prince breathed calmly, shaking his head in disappointment. This had sent Jormander into a fury. The man had descended upon the interrogation room fuming and yowling like he had been personally wronged. He had spat and threatened and snarled and bitched, but Jarvan's story remained the same. He hadn't killed the marksman. Jormander had Jarvan tossed back into the cell and locked back up, and there the prince stayed for the rest of the day until he had fallen asleep on the uncomfortable mattress. Jarvan rolled onto his back and started to do sit ups, but his stomach and abdomen screamed in protest.
"I suppose those bastards did manage to do a bit of damage to me after all." Jarvan grumbled, laying out flat as he breath heavily. He decided against sit ups and continued through what steady exercise he could to distract his mind and keep his body moving. He may have been ravenously hungry, but his body was not taking kindly to having been forced to stay motionless for so long over the last two days. The most exercise he had received was from walking from cell to interrogation room and he was getting anxious.
Jarvan lay out on the floor of the cell, his back against the cold stone, breathing deeply. He closed his eyes for a few moments. The image of Deadeye, slumped over, stabbed over and over with another matching dagger in his lap was enough to send goosebumps running up and down Jarvan's body. That same design yet again. Constantin is definitely producing more knives, or he sold a lot of them to this killer. Jarvan grunted as he rolled over and got into position to start another set of exercises. I need to figure out why he's making them and who they're going to. They're just taunting me now. Jarvan growled and shook his head, letting himself get adsorbed in his exercise, trying not the think about the weapon. It only made him restless.
A pounding resounded on the heavy wood and steel door. "Rise and shine, princess!"
"What do you want?" Jarvan shouted in between grunts.
"Step away from the door!" The guard shouted.
"Look through the damn window, moron, I'm nowhere near the door!" Jarvan shouted back. The thin wooden slot opened and shut again quickly, followed by the sound of a key scraping against the lock and turning in the bolt. Jarvan watched as the man walked in on what appeared to be the ceiling as he pushed himself up again with a grunt of exertion.
"I'm surprised you can even move after the beating we gave you yesterday." The soldier said a mildly impressed frown as Jarvan pushed himself up again, his hair hanging above the ground, his legs back against the wall. Jarvan lowered himself, his arms shaking slightly as the top of his head came within an inch of the ground. He pushed himself up with a grunt, holding himself up like that as he looked at the ground.
"What do you want?" Jarvan huffed, dropping and pushing up again, the entire weight of his body on his arms.
"Jormander says you're to be released to the custody of the Royal Guard." The guard growled angrily. "He also says that you're being dropped from the list of suspects and have been acquitted of all charges. So cut that out and get up."
"And I was just getting into my groove, too." Jarvan said, kicking off the wall and twisting his body about. He landed on his feet, his abdomen screaming in protest, but Jarvan didn't let it show. He walked straight past the soldier and stepped out of the cell, raising his arms above his head in a full body stretch.
"Apologies on the delay, sir." A gruff voice announced.
"I figured it was just a matter of time, sergeant major." Jarvan responded, as he twisted his neck from side to side, a loud popping sound coming from the prince.
"Those scars..." The sergeant major started to stammer, but Jarvan waved the man aside and shook his head.
"These are from a time long past." Jarvan said, pausing before the sergeant major as the soldier saluted. "The bruises however, are fresh." Jarvan muttered under his breath after he dropped his salute and glanced over his shoulder. The sergeant major handed over a fresh shirt and a pair of boots, which Jarvan slipped on with some effort. He had to fiddle with the bootstrap for a moment, but he managed to get it on without losing too much of his dignity. "Thank you, sergeant major." Jarvan said, settling the shirt over his shoulders as he stood up straight.
"Of course, sir." The sergeant major said, bowing. "They come with tidings of good health from Miss Noel." He dragged the word 'miss' out in a bit of a drawl.
"I'll have to get her a thank you present." Jarvan said with a grin, casting the sergeant major a sideways glance, which the officer ignored. Demsec personnel stood by, whispering among themselves until a officer with captain's rank tabs on his collar and a Demsec patch on his shoulder approached, saluted and gestured that Jarvan and the sergeant major follow. The prince nodded tersely, his jaw set as he followed along. The sergeant major followed beside Jarvan, his hand resting on his weapon. "I thought Demsec confiscated weapons before admitting entry to visitors?" The prince eyed the weapon with a curious gaze.
"I don't think you could call me a visitor." The sergeant major let a thin grin slip past his usually dreary mug as he glanced at Jarvan. "More like a unwelcome guest." The captain who was guiding them beckoned the sergeant major and the prince into the large, main working room of the Demsec command center. Jarvan glanced up and to his right to where the commander's office was and noticed with a huge amount of satisfaction that General Jormander was scowling, slumped on the railing that bordered the steps up to his office.
"Good morning, General." Jarvan said brightly, just a bit of cheekiness to be heard in his voice. The general shot him a poisonous look, but remained silent. Jarvan glanced back to the sergeant major with a grin growing on his face. "What's got him in such a good mood?" The sergeant major simply pointed forward to where an older gentlemen stood leaning on a cane as he peered around the room. Next to him stood an aged but sharply cut gentleman with a short trimmed white beard, only the faintest remnants of a deep brown showing in his now silver hair. He was flanked by a number of heavily armed and armored guards that looked none too welcome amid the Demsec personnel, and not exactly happy to be here either. They wore full combat armor, and their hands rested uneasily on their weapons as they looked around, watching for threats. Jarvan's grin grew even wider.
"Good morning, my young prince." General Holven Lorcan announced in a grand fashion. Though significantly shorted, his spectacles sparkled happily as he bowed his head in greeting to the prince. "And fair ye well this chilly morn?" His voice was a singsong tone that Jarvan believed was aimed at pissing off General Jormander. A quick glance over his shoulder told him that it was working.
"No worse for wear, general." Jarvan said, snapping to attention and saluting crisply despite the lack of uniform.
"I hope they didn't treat you unfairly down here, son." General Lorcan said, shooting a thin grin in the direction of General Jormander. Jarvan halfway turned to he could see the general without straining his neck, and gave the general a cold but pleasant smile.
"Not at all." Jarvan said, a bit of menace in his voice to let Jormander know that he didn't intend to try and throw him under the bus. As much as I wish to see you rotting in a prison cell, you have an ace and I don't even know what hand of cards I've been dealt. "Jormander was simply doing his duty and following through on a criminal investigation."
"I'm glad to hear it." The general said, cackling a bit too loud as the general's companion, slightly taller, though barely coming up above Jarvan's shoulder, stepped forth and extended his hand towards the prince.
"I'm glad to see my trust in Sergeant Major Perrywinkle was not misplaced." Haywood Spiritmight mused softly, his long graying-brown hair neatly kept, his sharp gray eyes glancing around the room. They settled on Jarvan and a smile spread over his face as the man took Jarvan's hand and pulled the prince into a hug. Jarvan reciprocated the hug, holding it for several seconds before stepping back and saluting the councilor properly. Though he was not military now, he had served with distinction, and it was not something that Jarvan wished to overlook. "He is taking care of you well?"
"He's pulled my ass out of the fire a few times already, grandfather." Jarvan said with a wry grin. "I take it this is your doing?" Jarvan said, glancing at the knights, who stood imposingly tall, even next to Jarvan. The elderly man's eyes twinkled as his grin grew wider.
"It took a little convincing, but when the sergeant major approached me asking for help, I couldn't say no." He nodded sagely as if he was agreeing with himself. "I spoke with my daughter and she managed to convince my son-in-law to lend me a few of his Valor Knights for a few hours. He did make me promise I wouldn't break anything, the spoil-sport."
Jarvan laughed, shaking his head in an attempt to appear jovial. "You're a sight for sore eyes, regardless."
"Enough with the family reunion." Jormander growled, looking down at the councilor and the general as they continued their laid back inspection of the general's facilities. "You've got what you want, now get out." He started to turn away with a sneer of disgust on his face, but General Lorcan raised his cane up and dropped it like a pile drive, the wood making a sharp crack that reverberated around the room. Jormander stopped and looked back at the short, wiry haired general.
"General, one of the beautiful things about our great state of Demacia is our military system. In times of peace like this all of the members of the King's Command, each of his generals, has access to the system of check and balances in place to keep the balance of power in check amid the King's Command. It is thanks to this system of checks and balances than I am allowed to, and required by law, to tell you to FUCK OFF." General Lorcan's tone of voice had shifted immediately, changing him from that of a aging officer who just looked happy to be there to a martial monster who wielded the weight of Demacia's entire military behind him. "Now, if you will be so kind and do so, we were just leaving." He bowed his head slightly and spun, starting away, the entire room dead silent.
"This way, prince." The smile on Councilor Spiritmight's face didn't betray a similar sense of wonder and the urge to point and laugh that Jarvan felt welling in his chest.
"Right behind you." Jarvan said quietly, struggling to keep his tone in check. He cast one last look over his shoulder towards the general and immediately had to straighten up to keep from bursting into laughter. The general's mouth hung ajar and his eyes were as wide as saucers, as if he had just gotten slapped by the king himself.
Jarvan walked with Councilor Spiritmight and General Lorcan along one of the balconies that was open to the large courtyard that sat almost dead center of the palace. Various different important locations within the palace were located around the courtyard, with flagon-paved walkways lining and crisscrossing the well kept area. Normally, flowers and fruit trees broke up the grassy courtyard's four quadrants, but in the winter, the appearance was much more subdued. There was a large 'x' across the pristine snow field and there were tracks that sometimes diverged from the pathways as young officers decided to step into the snow. It was a a strangely idealistic view as the two officers strolled slowly along, talking quietly amongst themselves. Jarvan and the sergeant major followed a few paces back, giving the officers their distance as they spoke in hushed tones.
"I never realized you had so much pull, sergeant major." Jarvan said, a thin smile playing over his face.
"It's not much." The noncom grunted. "But I served extensively under Councilor Spiritmight back in the day and he trusts me well enough that I was able to convince him of what had happened. You should be thanking him, he was the one who orchestrated most of this. I did have to call in a favor to see him, though."
"I am curious how he managed to pull it off, honestly." Jarvan said, running his hand over his jaw again, feeling the thick stubble that had built up along his chin. "I wonder if he has any hints for managing Jormander, cause frankly I'm getting tired of it."
"Jormander is an upstart who has to think he's in control." Spiritmight said aloud, casting a thin smile back over his shoulder at the prince. Jarvan grinned, surprised the aging general had actually heard him. "He also dislikes a lack of control. Forcing him into a corner or forcing him to react causes him to lash out with anger or violence, often indirectly at loved ones and targets who are decidedly more vulnerable. In your case he believes your dragon friend to be the vulnerable one."
"You've dealt with him before?" Jarvan said, raising an eyebrow.
"No, just someone exactly like him." He shrugging and grinned. "Jormander reads like an open book. That's his one flaw. If you attack him directly and corner him, he usually withers quickly. He's rarely a man of direct action. That's why he fits the Demacian Security Brigade mentality so well. He likes micromanaging and overseeing, but he knows to stay out of the way."
"I'll keep that in mind." Jarvan said nodding, trying to think about who the councilor could have been speaking about having experience with. Perhaps my father?
"Keep learning about how to deal with people and you'll be a fine king one day, young prince." Lorcan said with a cackle. "Think of it as practice!"
"I'll try." Jarvan said, nodding. Shouts could be heard from below.
"Looks like something's about to go down." Lorcan mused, gesturing towards the center of the courtyard. The general and the councilor stopped, looking over the balcony towards the quad below. Jarvan frowned, glancing down, stepping towards the railing and looking out to see what was happening. Down below, the king was walking slowly across the quad, a number of different personnel following in his wake as he talked with the high councilor. Jarvan frowned. I don't see anything out of the ordinary.
Something white and moving flashed and caught his eye, trailing after a deep red color. Wait... is that...
"Isn't that your dragoness friend, prince Jarvan?" Lorcan murmured, raising an eyebrow as he looked to the prince with curiosity coloring the smile that was starting to grow on his face.
"Shyvana, yes." Jarvan said, shaking his head. "I figured she would have still been resting in the hospital though."
"Perhaps her stamina is a bit better than yours, eh?" Lorcan cackled aloud, earning him a frown from both Jarvan and the councilor.
"She looks looks like she's on a mission to speak to the king." Councilor Spiritmight said with a hint of an entertained smile on his face.
"Perhaps she aims to demand she be allowed to whisk the young prince away, eh?" Lorcan cackled again, leaning forward on his cane, a broad smile now on his face. "Let's watch and see what she plans to do, It might prove interesting indeed."
"I need to get down there." Jarvan said, looking left and right along the pathway for stairs with a frown. A hand settled on his shoulder.
"Wait a moment. Watch and see what she plans to do, it may not be what you are expecting." Councilor Spiritmight said evenly.
"It's bad enough for us as it is." Jarvan grumbled, again looking left and right for the quickest way down to the quad. He started to tug away from his grandfather, but the elder man kept a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Watch and see." Her encouraged serenely. "If you do not give her room to grow on her own, she will never improve or learn." He shook his head as Jarvan looked back at him, almost distraught. "Patience, child. Watch and see."
Jarvan gripped the railing that protected the third story walkway, his fists white-knuckled along the stone as he watched the dragoness close with the king and his guard.
"...And with the tensions in Kalamanda rising steadily, moving into the region may not be a wise move, your highness." The high councilor wore a frown but his blue eyes did not lack for intensity as he watched the snow-cloaked branches of a bare apple tree get shaken by a gust of wind. "If we continue to provoke the Noxians, we may end up causing more trouble than we wish to deal with."
"I'm well aware of the dangers that escalation of conflict brings, Elias." The king said, sighing heavily, running a gloved hand over his beard as he glowered. "But these recent attacks upon my son have me worried. Someone wishes to force my hand and I do not want to be in the position of having to respond to the worst case scenario. If something like that were to happen, I don't know what Catherine or I would do."
"I know, but he takes after your grandfather." High Councilor Elias said, laughing. The high councilor had originally been given his position by Jarvan II, and he had continued his position in the legislative house under the king's successor. "He'd rather jump in head first and fight his way out than make a meticulous plan about how best to approach a situation. I do not mean to try and do the parenting for you, your highness, but I do think that you need to stop expecting the prince to behave as you did. He is no longer a child, and his time away from the kingdom has both hardened and wizened him much faster than you or anyone expected."
"I know, and that scares me, Elias." The king said shaking his head. "He's much stronger than I could ever hope to be, and he's far wiser than I was at his age... but..."
"But?" Elias said with a chuckle. "I did not think that statement needed addendum." The king shot the high councilor a scornful glare, but the high councilor chuckled softly and waved the kings gaze off as if it were nothing.
"He's still young and brash." The king said, shaking his head as he looked to the ground. "He is still impulsive and he doubts himself. He cannot lead a company of men, much less a nation if he still doubts his every move."
"Perhaps it is because you show him no faith, your highness." Elias said evenly. "You doubt even his choice of companionship. She may not be of the royal court, but you must admit, she is strong willed and of even stronger body."
"But I know nothing about her." The king said, shaking his head. "She is as foreign to me as raising a child was ten years ago." The king scowled, sighing heavily. "Besides, Catherine and I had an arranged marriage, and we turned out well enough."
"There is a substantial difference, though." Elias said, a thin frown forming on his face. "You and Catherine were close from the time you were wee children, and your parents made sure that you stayed close as you grew. You saw each other frequently because of her father's work in the council and your father being king. You two were in love for nearly as long a time as the arranged marriage was in place. Give the boy some space and call off this new engagement. Besides, she is only foreign to you because you keep her as such. Perhaps if you took the time to get to know her..."
"Enough." Jarvan III said gruffly, sighing and shaking his head. "I've heard this all before from Catherine. She would also see our son court the dragon-girl."
"She has both you and your son's best interests first and foremost in her heart, your highness." The high-councilor said evenly. "Is your maintaining control of the prince's life so important that you would completely drive him away? No father should ever do something so coldhearted as that, even the king of Demacia." The high-councilor slapped the king's shoulder. "He's a grown man. Let him be happy."
The king frowned thoughtfully, though the High-councilor noticed that his scowl had softened noticeably. "I'll give your suggestion some thought." The king said finally, shaking his head. "I don't know if Catherine would ever forgive me if I drove Jarvan away again, and I think she's only just recovering from the shock of the assassination attempt against him several weeks back."
"A king's wisest council is often his wife." Elias said with a grin. "Catherine only recently returned to the council meetings, not long after the attack, I thought. She looked to be handling it fairly well."
The king shook his head solemnly. "She's been completely torn up about Jarvan since he returned. The assassination attempt nearly gave her a heart attack, and she barely held it together when she saw him laying in that hospital bed. She couldn't face going back to see him like that, and after two sleepless nights she had to find something to take her mind off of it. For the first time since Jarvan left over two years ago she delved into the world of politics, and it has kept her occupied enough that she's been able to sleep some, albeit, fitfully."
"No woman should ever have to see her child brush so close to death so many time." Elias said gravely. "Did you ever figure out who was responsible for the attack?"
"General Jormander thinks aggravated Zaunite miners with all of the attention on Kalamanda recently, but my gut tells me there is more to it than that." The king shook his head. "I'm afraid that despite reports about a simple malfunction of Piltovan technology, the dragoness may have been targeted as well."
"Why target her?" Elias said, frowning. "The documentation for her commendations stated that she was passing through the area and was merely giving assistance to the Piltovans. You think it not a coincidence?"
"There have been too many coincidences aimed at her and my son for it to remain a coincidence any longer." The king shook his head and frowned. "An accident that occurs close after an attack... that is a coincidence. But with these new developments in the docks? No, someone is definitely behind this, whether or not the east gate explosion was an accident or not. Someone is trying to force my hand, Elias, and I don't like it."
"The woes of the powerful." The old man chuckled and shook his head. "How is the prince? I heard he had quite the shock when he found out who the dead marksman had been."
"Is there anything you do not know?" The king said, casting a wary glance at the high councilor.
"It pays to have friends who keep their ears to the ground, your highness." Elias said with an entertained smile. "I also heard that Jormander went a bit overboard and detained the prince as his primary suspect. I heard the prince ended up sending one of Jormander's men to the infirmary while he was still detained."
The king snorted. "Now that is something I haven't heard quite yet." He glowered and shook his head. "It seems about time I had a chat with Jormander about his methodologies. General Lorcan, with support from my father-in-law, apparently invoked a power check on Jormander because of this whole incident. It's been twenty years since the last time that happened."
"I'll hear more about this when it comes to the attention on the council, no doubt." Elias said evenly, something dangerous flashing in his eyes. "There has to be a serious breach of conduct for another general to invoke such a power..."
"I don't look forward to sorting it all out over the next few days." The king glowered. "I have enough trouble with my son already, I don't need Jormander turning my command on its head as well."
"Wait, Shyvana!" A voice called from across the open quad. "I'm telling you, this is a really bad idea!" The guards at the front of the king's small procession had come to a halt, their weapons drawn and pointed forwards along the path.
"Speaking of trouble, it appears to have found you." Elias said, chuckling lightly. "I wonder what storm drives this young one to move so quickly."
"Halt!" The guards ordered, crossing their spears in a menacing fashion to stop the red headed dragoness's forceful advance. "You are not permitted to be here!"
"Excuse us, your highness." A snowy haired soldier with gunnery sergeant's rank tabs said, bowing nervously. She turned to the dragoness and hissed: "We're leaving! This was a bad idea!"
"Enough, Sergeant." The king said, eying the dragoness's angry glare with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. "Captain?" He spoke to the lead guard of his procession, and though the officer looked hesitant, the lances were retracted and the dragoness approached, the gunny looking exceedingly nervous as she followed. Elias cast the king an encouraging smile and Jarvan III shook his head discreetly. He turned to the two young women. Despite the fire in Shyvana's eyes she snapped to attention and saluted crisply until the king returned it. "What business does a Royal Guard trainee have with the king at this hour?"
"You know full well why I'm here, sir!" Shyvana growled, her fists quivering at her side. "Jarvan is locked up in a Demsec prison cell and you act as if nothing has happened! Explain yourself!" The king hid his shock at her venomous tone well, but the gunny did not. The king took a deep breath and clasped his hands at the small of his back.
"First of all, my son was the principle suspect in a murder case, young woman." The king said, keeping his tone even. "Secondly, to my knowledge, he was released into custody of his commanding officer this morning. Thirdly, while you may be on fond terms with both my son and my wife, I am still the commander and chief as well as the KING of Demacia, and you shall treat me with the respect I am due."
"Apologies, your highness!" Alicia squealed nervously, bowing rapidly. She started to turn away, tugging on Shyvana's arm but the dragoness stood her ground. "Shyvana, let's go find Jarvan. Shy?" When Shyvana did not flinch or back down, fire blazing in her eyes, Alicia's already pale skin paled to that of the snow itself. "Shyvana!" She hissed. "What are you doing!"
"There is something else you wish to say?" The king said evenly, his temper still holding steady, though his eyes were on the verge of clouding over dangerously.
"You told Jarvan that I could challenge a man named Xin Zhao for the right to remain by his side. Is this true?" Shyvana demanded. The king watched her for a few moments, but he could already tell that she was not going to back down from her stance, now that she had gained this much ground.
She has guts, I'll give her that much. The king looked her up and down. She wore only a set of winter fatigues and light armor: a chest plate and faulds, vambraces and a set of greaves and matching sabatons. Her hair fell behind her in a thick braid, and her face was hard with determination, fire glowing in her magenta eyes. He frowned slightly. "That was not the exact words I used, but should you challenge and defeat Xin Zhao, you will be permitted to conclude your training early and I shall personally assign you to the prince as his personal guard."
"Where is he then?" Shyvana demanded, stepping forward again, bringing her closer to the king. "I wish to fight him!" Alicia imposed herself between the king and Shyvana, trying to calm the dragoness.
"Hold on, Shy." Alicia said softly. She turned to the king, and though her cheeks burned red she stood up straight and spoke firmly. "What conditions does this challenge carry, your highness?"
"You are wise to ask." The king said, his eyes remaining icy. "But there were no conditions. You are allowed to challenge him as you see fit. A loss carries no penalty, though I would warn you to ensure you are prepared for that eventuality."
"Don't be so confident!" Shyvana snapped, growling as flakes of snow swirled around her feet, the packed snow along the flagon-paved path melting as steam rose around her, swirling menacingly.
"I would warn you of the same." The king said, glaring at her. He finally shook his head and turned to one of the guards. "Captain, please summon the Seneschal."
"At once." The guard said, bowing his head and turning away, moving swiftly off.
"Has your wound healed sufficiently?" The king said, eying Shyvana's hip as her hand was drawn to it. She made a show of standing up straighter and forming a fist with her hand, jerking it to her side. She nodded defiantly, though the king could see a moments hesitation in her eyes.
"It is fine." She said quietly, her voice subdued slightly.
"Perhaps you should go and attend to the prince now, young lady." Elias said, finally stepping into the conversation. "You seem to still be hurt, and not being able to fight at your best against the Seneschal is not advisable."
"I refuse to abandon the prince." Shyvana said, anger lacing her voice. "I may not understand why he hates you so, but if I did not do everything within my power to help him, I would shame both myself and my father."
"If I could, I should like to know what the prince has done that has won such loyalty from you, young lady." Elias said, again interjecting himself into the conversation as the King's eyes turned a menacing and terrifying dark blue. "It seems to me that this is no ordinary bond you two share."
Shyvana's shoulders fell slightly as she blushed lightly, looking to the ground for a brief moment. She raised her head and met the king's glare openly, fire blazing brightly in her eyes. "He accepts me for who I am. He gives me the strength to believe in myself. He proved to me, that instead of being an outcast among humans and dragon-kind alike, that I have strength! I owe him for rescuing me from the bowels of self hatred and anger and for showing me that there is more to life than hatred itself!" She stood up straighter as fire and sparks now danced around her, billowing her hair slightly. Guards started to raise their weapons, but the gale of heat and wind grew stronger, forcing them to shield their eyes as cinder and ice alike were cast violently about as her voice steadily grew louder. She raised a finger and pointed it like a sword at the king's chest. "You can try to keep us apart, you can try to break our resolve and shatter us to the wind, but I will remain here, taking whatever punishment you can try and inflict until you realize that I will not be defeated! I don't give a damn about what you think about me, king or not! I love Jarvan and nothing you can say will ever change that!" The wind was instantly dispelled, leaving a large circle where the snow and ice had been melted away by the heat of the air and the sparks of flames that had danced around her but moments before. Her chest heaved as she glared at the king as if she wondered whether he had the audacity to reply.
Silence filled the courtyard, hundreds of soldiers, officers and staff all watching on, their eyes locked on the king and the dragoness.
Jarvan's cheeks burned a brilliant red.
"I must say, she's won my vote." Councilor Brightstorm said, the astonishment on his face fading as it was replaced with a smile. Lorcan stamped his cane on the ground as he cackled to himself, grinning massively as he turned to the prince. The councilor nodded to himself as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Lionhearted, that one."
"I told you this once before, boy: She's one of a kind." Lorcan hooted and laughed, shaking his head. "I'm curious what exactly happened between you to that drove her to this, but I'd be willing to bet-..."
"We had a fight." Jarvan murmured, gazing down to where Shyvana glared definitely at his father.
"Say what?" Lorcan said softly, a frown playing over his face. He snorted once, a bit of confusion. "That's not exactly what I was expecting..."
"It made you realize just how important she was to you, though, did it not?" Councilor Brightstorm said evenly, looking to his grandson. Jarvan nodded, still looking down at her in the courtyard. "It seems that she has come to the same conclusion as you. You are a good match for each other." He chuckled lightly.
Jarvan, his cheeks still blushed, nodded, a smile breaking over his face. Shyvana, you complete and utter fool... how I love you so.