Jarvan opened his eyes and looked around, sitting up and groaning softly as he found himself on a familiar grassy knoll. Though it was cold, the shiver that ran up and down his spine was not from the chill in the air, there was something wrong. There was no one there on the knoll, the grass almost perfectly silent and still despite the chill that continued to run up and down his spine. Jarvan could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Suddenly a crow appeared on a tree and crowed. The sound echoed around him eerily.
Jarvan took a hesitant step forward and heard something crumble. He looked down and saw the ground crack beneath him. He jumped back and tumbled to the ground. A massive beaked beast exploded upwards, rising hundreds of feet above Jarvan. The beaked face was contorted in rage, the cruel face of Swain exploded out of the beak, sneering at him, his laughter echoing through the roar of the monster.
Feathery tentacles exploded from where Jarvan was crawling backwards, lacing around his limbs and chest and pulling his down to the ground like a vice. Jarvan felt himself getting dragged into the ground, something slimy tightening down around his neck. Swain loomed over him, blackening out the sky above them.
"Jarvan!" The voice was distant and hollow.
Jarvan could smell Swain's disgusting breath, and feel the heat and saliva that sprayed over him. Jarvan struggled with the bindings, but couldn't get free. He opened his mouth to scream and shout, but he felt his jaw fall open and no sound came out. He looked down and saw his jaw fall away, rotten and black. Jarvan was rocked back as lances exploded outwards from Swains chest and pierced him in the shoulders and thighs, holding him in place. Jarvan tried to scream in pain, but he couldn't form the words.
"Jarvan!" It was louder this time, closer.
Swain loomed just over his head and let his long black tongue hang out of his mouth. Jarvan tried to shrink down into the ground, but he couldn't seem to sink any lower. Like a great snake, the tongue curled around his neck and tightened down. The great beak and haunting face closed down around him. Jarvan began to fall, disappearing into a black abyss.
"JARVAN!" Shyvana shouted. Jarvan grabbed onto the voice and held on for dear life. He pictured her face and clamped his eyes shut, trying to escape the disaster.
Jarvan's eyes ripped open and looked about for the that same pair of gorgeous magenta orbs hovering over his face, but the dim light and the chilly air left him feeling empty. Jarvan lay on his back in a sea of his own cold sweat, his chest heaving, out of breath. Jarvan started to reach up to sweep his hair from his face and sit up, sweat streaming down his face, but pain cut through his body again and he groaned. Jarvan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, opening his eyes and looking up, breathing deeply. Gleaming blue eyes looked down at him, creamy pale skin framed by golden hair and a glowing smile. Jarvan gasped and jumped as she pushed a needle into his arm. He tried to back away, but the doctor's hand kept his arm secured.
"Shh, There's no escape..." She pressed a finger to her lips, smiling sweetly as she pulled the plunger on the syringe, drawing blood from Jarvan's arm. She filled the syringe, pulling it from the prince's arm and examining the blood and smiling down at the prince. "Surprised to see me?" She chuckled softly, flicking the syringe once to ensure it had filled fully. Satisfied, she slid a cap over the needle and slid it into her coat pocket.
"What happened?" Jarvan mumbled, his voice failing him and the sounds coming out a nothing more than a muddled mess.
"Patience, Prince." She mused, her voice sickly saccharine. She pressed a finger to her lips, kissed it tenderly and then pressed the finger to Jarvan's forehead. She smiled again as a wave of exhaustion suddenly began to creep up on the prince. The woman was backing away and paused just before the curtain. "I shall return… shortly."
She disappeared beyond the curtains, and Jarvan tried to sit up to call after her, but the simple exertion of trying to push himself up was enough to send a wave of exhaustion crashing over him. Jarvan sank back on the bed, closing his eyes and letting the darkness grip him and draw him back into the depths of sleep.
…
Jarvan opened his eyes and was greeted by the same blue orbs framed with gold as before.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Prince Jarvan." The woman said, producing a bright pin light and shining it in Jarvan's eyes one at a time. The prince clamped his eyes shut and tried to wave her off, but he doubled over in pain, his side aching. "Careful, careful, you're still injured."
"Where am I?" Jarvan said, or he thought he did. The sound that came from his lips was muddled mess of a grunts and groans. The doctor, dressed in a white uniform decorated with red accents sat on the edge of the bed and pressed a hand to the prince's forehead.
"Your fever has died, good." She mused, taking a hold of his arm. The prince yelped as she pulled it closer, holding several fingers over the inside of his wrist, looking down at a watch upon her wrist. "Your pulse is a bit high, but that's to be expected." She released his arm and sat back, letting the smile return to her face. "You've been through it, your highness. How do you feel?"
"You're..." Jarvan frowned slightly, struggling to remember the doctor's name.
"Doctor Elvarran Brightstorm, at your service." She said, bowing shallowly. "You took quite a bit of damage in your little journey outside the city. Does anything hurt?"
"Everything hurts." Jarvan worked his jaw, looking down at his bandages and shook his head. "I feel like I got run over by a horse."
"Good, good." Elvarran mused, pressing Jarvan's leg in several places watching at the prince jumped and squirmed as she worked. "Pain means things are still properly attached and functioning... usually. And getting run over by a horse would have been much easier to treat, I'm afraid." The doctor chuckled lightly, nodding and grinning ironically. She looked down as a small clipboard sat on the bedside table, looking over it and flipping to a second sheet of paper. "You suffered major damage and puncture wounds to your left arm, right leg, and lower right abdomen, there was massive internal hemorrhaging and bruising, and you suffered a large laceration across your chest. You were dehydrated due to blood loss, nearly hypothermic and had three broken bones and seven cracked ribs. You've suffered major bruising and a minor concussion as well. I'm surprised you're awake right now."
"What day is it?" Jarvan mumbled, his mouth dry as the desert. Elvarran handed him a cup of water from the side table. Jarvan fumbled with it, trying to accept the cup, but his wounded arm was sluggish and he knocked her hand, sloshing a bit of water over his blanket. He blushed slightly as the doctor gave his a stern, disapproving frown, forcing him to accept the help.
Jarvan downed the entire glass, leaning back and exhaling heavily as he finished, looking up at the ceiling and grunting as cool air caressed his face. He tried to blink the weariness he felt away, but he couldn't banish it immediately. I feel like I've been here before. Jarvan recognized the gentle curves of the ceiling and the darkened lamp sockets. It's some sort of infirmary.
"How long have I been out?" Jarvan finally managed to ask, forming the words properly this time. "Where am I?"
"You don't recognize it?" Elvarran said with a grin. "This is the same ward that your subordinates wrecked a few weeks back, in the south wing of the Demacian Martial Academy's Medical school. You've been out for three days."
Jarvan pushed himself up, pain rippling through his chest. Jarvan exhaled sharply and gritted his teeth as he managed to sit up fully. He breathed deeply, sharply as he looked around, the pale, sterile environment around him offering him nothing about what had happened in the missing days. Jarvan groaned as he ran a hand over his face and wiped his eyes.
"Do you want something for the pain?" Elvarran asked, watching as Jarvan propped himself up awkwardly.
Jarvan shook his head. "I'll be fine." He glanced over at the doctor as she stood up, stepping to the foot of the bed and retrieved a sheet of paper. She looked over it briefly and returned to the chair next to the bed.
What happened... Jarvan laid back slightly and sighed, resting his head against the pillow behind him. He closed his eyes and thought back to the events of the days before, frowning. If Kalamanda is where everything is going to go down... Jarvan frowned. With the trapped miners and both Noxians and Demacians holding such strong presences in the region, it's a massive powder keg just waiting to explode. If Swain manages to start a battle, there's next to nothing to stop it from becoming an all-out war. Jarvan looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists. His left arm protested, the bandages wrapped tight around the wounds. His entire chest was wrapped tight, and only the faintest pink splotches spoke of where the wounds were underneath the sea of white strips.
"The doctors tell me you're lucky you're alive." A voice growled as the curtains were brushed aside. King Jarvan III pushed through the heavy curtains that isolated the prince's bed from the rest of the room. He stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at Jarvan with a frown on his face, though his eyes were a clear crystal blue that betrayed no anger. The king glanced over at the doctor who was still tucked into her paperwork. She looked up and nodded to the king, simply flipping the page and continuing to scribble notes. "When we found you, you had just about bled out and you were nearly hypothermic. A few minutes later and I don't know if you would have survived the exposure. I can't say the same for the rest of the bodies we found."
"How did..." Jarvan shook his head, leaning forward, his heart now caught in his throat. "Bodies? What about Delancey, Argus and Forsythe? Are they alive? How are they!?" Jarvan tried not to let the urgency hurry his voice, but the thin grin on his father's face told him that things were better than he thought.
"They're all fine." The king said, nodding slowly. "A poor choice of words on my part, apologies. Doctor Brightstorm? You know their conditions better than I do."
The doctor looked up and then back down at her paper, pushing her clipboard down onto her lap as she sighed, sitting back slightly in the chair. "Sergeant Major Argus Perrywinkle is the worst of the surviving Demacians; he was exposed to one of those dark ice bolts for much longer than any of the others and his recovering is taking a similarly long time. I think that had he would have died long before had he not been such a stubborn old bastard." Elvarran snorted, there was obviously some amazement behind the annoyance, but she cleared the emotion from her face as she continued. "Your sergeant, Delancey was it? She hasn't woken up yet though. It seems her body was running on pure adrenaline by the time she reached the Palace, and she collapsed not long after arriving. She should be fine, the wound on her chest is taking longer to heal than we would like, but again, it's mostly a matter time till she wakes. Forsythe was in a similar state to you, low on blood and nearly hypothermic, but he's already up and moving about. We've had to subdue him several times to keep him from interrupting the sergeant's rest. He has a habit of sitting with her and talking and that drives the guards mad, but it's harmless. Delancey and Perrywinkle both are recovering from fairly grievous wounds and are recuperating slowly, but they're not in any danger." Elvarran shrugged and returned to her paperwork.
Jarvan exhaled heavily, holding a hand over his stomach. "I thought... I thought for sure they were all going to die..." He shook his head and looked up at the king. "What about the others? Quinn and Constantin?"
"The smithy, General Lorcan's son-in-law, was the only one who didn't make it." The king said gently, bowing his head. "And Quinn has kindly accepted a commission under Colonel Horrace Jerome to serve in his scouting battalions." The king grinned thinly. "We deployed an entire battalion to hunt down the last of the assassins who attacked you and killed Constantin Steelsword, but one of them made it through our net. Quinn's being lauded a hero for tracking down the leader, capturing him, and bringing him to justice. The people are already lauding her and her eagle as the next great heroes of Demacia, and her eagle serves as the perfect symbol for our military in these dark times."
"You're turning her into a hero, aren't you?" Jarvan said, raising an eyebrow and frowning slightly. "Like you tried with Shyvana..."
"They have earned the respect of the people, and they're now serving as living, fighting icons of Demacian strength and perseverance. Shyvana however..." The king frowned slightly and shrugged, taking his crown from his head, running his fingers across the golden ornamentation. He looked at his reflection in the metal, the gems glimmering brilliantly even in the dim light of the infirmary. "She is powerful, no one doubts that. However, she is not the symbol that Demacia needs right now. She is dangerous, and though you trust her intimately, it will take the people much longer to come to trust and respect her the way you do. I tried to build that trust by lauding her as a hero, but many are still hesitant about trusting a dragon, even a half dragon at that." The king sighed. "It is deeply ingrained in the common folk, in their lore and beliefs; they fear her power. Her strength will someday form a bastion of strength within Demacia, but right now the people need someone to look up to. This young woman, the ranger named Quinn, she is that hero. She rose from nothing, serving with the prince, tracking down a dangerous spy that eluded even the very best of Demacia. The citizenry can't get enough of her." He grinned and sighed, shaking his head as he returned the crown to his head.
"I see..." Jarvan said softly, frowning.
"You disapprove of my choices?" There was the slightest hint of indignation in the king's voice, but Prince Jarvan bowed his head, shaking it slowly.
"No, if Quinn and Valor accepted this mantle, I owe them the trust they have long earned." Jarvan sighed softly. "What of Shyvana, then? What happened to the fight?"
"She was not happy that you missed her fight." The king chuckled softly, watching as the prince cringed slightly. "When she finally chose to get serious, when she heard you were in trouble in fact, the fight did not last long. She shall serve as your bodyguard from this point until you decide otherwise, and she has earned her position within the Royal Guard." A grin cracked on Jarvan face as he sat up slightly. "It should also be known to you that General Lorcan has been reprimanded for his responsibilities in this fiasco, but he's admitted his wrong doings, and accepts responsibility for what happened with his son-in-law. He's been given head of the Demacian Security Brigade for now, a technical demotion, but he shall serve the post well. You will now be reporting directly to me, and I have decided to expand your staff, but that's not something you need to worry about right now, though I will expect a full report on what happened as soon as you are able."
"Of course. Thank you, father." Jarvan said, looking around, hoping to see brilliant red hair somewhere close by, but the absence was noticeable.
"Don't thank me." The king said, shaking his head almost disapprovingly as he turned away, pausing to look back over his shoulder. "You'll learn that I am a far more demanding superior than the general was." There was a brief moment of silence before the king sighed. "You should thank her though, she's already saved your life once. She is the only reason you're not dead from hypothermia."
"Who?" Jarvan's voice faded as the king smiled, turning and ushering himself towards the curtains. "Where..."
"The doctor will be returning in a few hours, and if you're up to it, I'd like you to debrief General Lorcan and I on what exactly happened." The king started to turn away. "Oh and you mother is worried sick, but I'm keeping her at bay till you can withstand that physical beating." A thin smile played over his face.
"You don't wish to hear about it now?" Jarvan asked. "In the past-..." The king held up a hand and shook his head.
"You look tired, and the information isn't going anywhere. Besides, I never said I didn't think your decision was stupid." The king said softly, patting the end of the bed, shrugging. "But I'm just happy you're alive... we can get into the details later." Jarvan nodded absentmindedly. "Rest well, and try not to reopen your wounds. The doctor will give you something to help you rest for now."
"But wait, what about Shy..." Jarvan said, recoiling back as the doctor sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed a finger to the prince neck.
"I suppose it would be difficult to try and prevent that, wouldn't it?" The king frowned slightly, tapping his chin in thought.
"It is rather difficult to lock up a force of nature, sir." Elvarran said tersely, a smile tugging at the corner of her pink lips.
The king snorted, sighed and then turned to the doctor. "Can you delay the onset of the sleeping spell?"
"I think so." Elvarran had already swept in, pressing a hand to the prince's wrist and tapped his arm twice. She wiped his arm clean with a cotton swab and then drew a syringe from her coat, pressing the blunt nose of the long cylindrical tube to his skin. Jarvan hissed as a sharp blast of air struck him and the injection of the cold liquid rushed into his arm. Elvarran drew away the syringe and tucked it back into a pocket. Jarvan massaged his arm slightly, looking at the syringe, glowering up at the young doctor. She offered a dimpled smile, reaching out and grabbing Jarvan's neck, squeezing it slightly. "It will leave you a bit disoriented, but you'll be asleep within the hour." Her hands glowed brightly for a second as she muttered a few words under her breath and then released the prince, the light dying down as she stood up. Jarvan hissed slightly and he already felt woozy, the world going slightly fuzzy as he let his head fall back and hit the pillow. "The initial disorientation will pass momentarily."
"What did you do to me?" Jarvan said with a frown, looking around, holding a hand up in front of his face and looking at his palm and the back of his hand in turn. His hand faded out of focus and then back into focus. Jarvan flexed his hand once and noticed that the pain had dulled.
"A concentrated cocktail similar to what you soldiers call a 'health potion'." She said, her mouth working slightly at the prince's reaction. Jarvan looked down in abject terror, but the doctor laughed, smiling.
"What?" Jarvan said, frowning ruefully looking up at the doctor.
Elvarran shook her head and turned away, moving past the king. "It's nothing." She stopped and looked back at the prince. "You should have about an hour before the medicine knocks you out. As for why I laughed... I'll let her explain."
"Her?" Jarvan repeated, looking to his father. The king smiled.
"I hope you feel better, Jarvan, my son." He pulled the curtains back and ushered Elvarran out and then ducked through the curtains. They swung shut behind the king, leaving Jarvan in the silence. Jarvan couldn't make out any of the voices outside, but he could make out the uniform sounds of armored soldiers turning in time with each other and their steady thunking footsteps clanking away from the doorway.
The curtains rustled slightly, parting to reveal Shyvana. She blushed slightly as she stood up, she was wearing a Demacian dress uniform without the jacket. The skirt's waist was high and dropped low to nearly knee length, and the blouse she wore was pristine white. Blue and gold Gunnery Sergeant's rank tabs could be seen glimmering on her shirt collar.
"Hello, my prince..." Shyvana spoke softly as sat down on the edge of the bed. She held something to her chest, the dim lights barely gleaming off the polished metal. Shyvana blushed and smiled as she handed over the weapon.
"My knife…" Jarvan said softly, looking at the dragon's head and smiling. "Where did you…"
"I found it in the ice and mud when I returned to check on the others." Shyvana said, ducking her eyes. "I cleaned it for you."
"Shyvana…" Jarvan said softly, the dragoness looking up at him. Jarvan grabbed her cheek and pulled her into a kiss, holding her head close as he took several deep breath. "Without this knife... Without you… I wouldn't even be here…" His voice cracked as he stared at the knife, looking back up to the dragoness. "Thank you… thank you so much…"
She laid her hands down on top of Jarvan's, accepting the knife from his grasp. She set it aside on the table, before turning back to the prince. "I know…" She mouthed, struggling to form the words as she smiled at him, her cheeks glowing brightly as her eyes clouded over with tears. Jarvan reached out and cupped her cheek in hand, wiping away a tear with his thumb. Shyvana wiped the tears from the other side of her face with her sleeve before she dropped down, wrapping her arms around Jarvan's neck and pressing her lips to his fiercely. Jarvan seemed surprised at first, but he soon returned the kiss in earnest, wrapping an arm around her and holding her close. Shyvana finally had to come up for breath, panting as she looked into Jarvan's eyes, a teary eyed smile on her face. She broke into a nervous giggle as she buried her face in Jarvan's neck, breathing in his scent and letting her racing heart slow. "Welcome back..." Shyvana breathed, holding onto Jarvan for dear life.
Jarvan smiled as he groaned a bit. Shyvana yelped and shifted her pressure to her side, sliding off his chest as Jarvan exhaled softly, looking down at the Dragoness. She wore an imp-like smile upon her face that said she was sorry but not really, though Jarvan couldn't help but chuckle throatily. Shyvana's face went from smiling to furious to distraught in an instant. Shyvana bounded forward as she looked him over, her hands hovering over his chest and the wounds below, unsure of what to do. As Shyvana swept hair from the prince's face. Shyvana searched his eyes for several long moments, the sadness on her face turning to a teary smile. Her smile cracked as she leaned in and kissed him deeply again, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him tight.
"It feel so good to hold you again." Shyvana said softly, pressing her forehead to Jarvan's, blinking her eyes several times, the warm, salty droplets falling on his cheeks. "I was so worried when Del arrived carrying your pendant..."
"I'll be fine..." Jarvan said softly, wrapping his good arm around her back and holding on. "So long as you don't open my wounds back up while you're hugging me."
"Shut up!" Shyvana shouted. "Just shut up, you insufferable idiot!"
"Ow..." Jarvan grunted as Shyvana finally released him, the dragoness peeling herself off of his chest and sitting on the edge of the bed. Shyvana sat up, shaking her head, wiping the tears away, the anger again returning to her face. Jarvan sunk back slightly, watching as she fit him with a stern glare. "That hurts you know!"
"I don't care." Shyvana said, taking a deep breath as she leaned back against Jarvan She buried her face in Jarvan neck, her shoulders shuddering slightly. "Just shut up."
"Yes, ma'am..." Jarvan said, leaning his head against Shyvana as she sat back up.
"What in the hell were you thinking?" Shyvana demanded, sitting up and glaring at the prince with fierce eyes.
"W-what?" Jarvan said sheepishly, sinking down in his bed. "I... I was trying to put an end to all of this. These mysteries and the assassination attempts... I was trying to put an end to it all. I wanted to finish it... so we..." Jarvan glanced down at his lap, putting a hand over his wounded arm. "So we could be together, Shyvana. No more war, no more fighting... just peace."
"I wasn't telling you that you shouldn't have gone." Shyvana said softly, the stern, annoyed expression finally cracking. A smile was growing on her face as she stroked Jarvan's hair, leaning against him. "Only that you should have taken me with you."
Jarvan chuckled hoarsely. "I'll keep that in mind from now on."
"See that you do." Shyvana snapped, leaned in and kissing Jarvan tenderly, resting her head against Jarvan's chest, taking in the warmth of his body and resting in the mere comfort of his presence. "You had to know though, this was never going to bring peace, Jarvan..."
"Not now..." Jarvan said softly. "Maybe not even in a few years' time, but eventually... I hope this will bring us closer to a lasting peace."
"How much are you willing to give up for that peace?" Shvyana said, closing her eyes. "Because this is not over, you know. The king is still preparing to march to Kalamanda, and in the past few days the entire city has been mobilizing. Demacia is not preparing for peace… it is preparing for war, Jarvan."
"I know." Jarvan said softly, looking down at Shyvana. "I have much to discuss with you in the coming days. I owe you an explanation for all the pain I've put you through in these last few months, and I'm sorry I've not be able to tell you before now." Jarvan hung his head. "Please forgive me, I only wanted to protect you."
"You're the one who needs protecting, not me." Shyvana said, a faint smile playing over her lips as she ran a hand over Jarvan back. "And I need no explanation… I trust that while a stupid decision, you did have a good reason for keeping me separate from all this…" Several moments of silence passed between them as they reveled in each other's presence. "It's 'L', isn't it?" Shyvana said softly, looking into Jarvan's eyes. "You've found your answer, the reasoning behind Kampf and Noxus and Katarina…"
"I do." Jarvan said softly, a frown creasing his brow slightly.
"What will you do?" Shyvana said softly.
"I'm going to Kalamanda." Jarvan said, clenching a fist. "I have no choice any more. Everything began in that city and everything will end in that city." Shyvana rested a hand on Jarvan's clenched fist. The prince took a deep breath and opened his fist, lacing his fingers into Shyvana's hand, giving it a squeeze.
"I shall be by your side, Jarvan." Shyvana said softly, nodding her head and giving him a brave smile. "And you have no choice in the matter."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Jarvan said firmly, returning the smile. He yawned, the ebb of exhaustion still weighing on his mind. Shyvana laughed lightly, shaking her head.
"It seems you need to rest first." She said, watching as Jarvan sank back against his pillows and exhaled slowly. He closed his eyes and his breathing began to deepen. Shyvana lay down next to him, an arm wrapped possessively over his chest, one tucked underneath her chin. "Can I stay here?" Shyvana asked nervously, blushing. "I don't want to leave you again... I've done that too often lately and it tends to end up with you getting injured."
"I'd like that." Jarvan said softly, letting the dragoness curl into his side, sliding over just a bit. He wrapped an arm around her and sighed softly. "You can protect me from my nightmares."
Shyvana gave him a rueful smile as she rose up to him, kissing him again, slowly, tenderly. "I love you, Jarvan."
Jarvan smiled back at her, his eyes half closed, wearing his crooked, cocky grin. "I know." Shyvana pouted slightly, but he mouthed 'I love you' as he closed his eyes, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.
Jarvan embraced the darkness like a long lost friend, holding Shyvana close.
...
The woman's appearance shimmered and faded, the golden blonde hair fading to a black sheen, a cruel smile twisting pale lips. She leaned against the wall, smiling as she watched a heavily armored patrol move past, the rattle and clank of their armor slowly faded down the hall. She melted deeper into the shadows, instantly disappearing and reappearing above, sitting atop a rafter. The rattle of further boots could be heard approaching, and though slightly more muted, the sound of voices carried over the noise of the boots.
"When do you plan to deploy our forces, your highness?" The voice was male, warm and robust. A wiry, white mustache decorated the aged man's face as he strode along next to the king. Armed guards surrounded the men on all sides.
"As soon as my son is fit and able, Elias." The king's voice was firm and confident. "It might take a few days, but Doctor Elvarran Brightstorm has ensured me that he will be up and on his feet as soon and possible. We leaving for Kalamanda immediately after."
"And his security?" The shorter, older man spoke softly, his pace slowing slightly. He stopped beneath the beam the woman sat on, a smile playing over her face.
"Shyvana is taking care of it right now." The king said firmly. "I'm also expanding his staff. I have a few people in mind, among them Doctor Brightstorm. As often as the two of them get injured, they will need their own doctor. Argus Perrywinkle, Valentine Isaacs, and Vivian Delancey will remain on his staff, in addition, I am pushing through the transfer of Ellington Forysthe to his unit. Captain Proudmast Vorscham will be given command of Victoria Company, and placed under Jarvan command. He won't be in direct command of the company, but Vorscham will report to him. "
"There is one more you approached, isn't there?" The shorter man said softly. "They say you're pushing to have Jorgun released from custody… do you really think it's smart to give him a gun and release him at Jarvan's back?"
"He knows more about espionage than anyone I know." The king said softly. "Jormander is desperate for one more chance… besides, I have someone who will be able to control him. We'll have to see, Elias."
"And the young ranger girl?" Elias said softly. "She will be going as well, yes?"
"Not right away." The king said. "If Colonel Jerome deploys her, then that will be his decision. I plan on transferring her to Jarvan's command in time, but for now she stands to gain much from Jerome's command."
"I see, very well." The older man mused softly. "Has the Institute offered any assistance? Surely they can see what is coming…"
"High Councilor Heywan Relivash is blinded by his attempts to rescue the trapped miners and his poorly veiled desires for the magical crystal uncovered within the city." The king said, shaking his head, trying to hide the disgust in his voice. "They are still struggling to manage the Noxian-Ionian withdrawal and the growing Noxian incursions into the Freljord. If it comes to blows… we will suffer no assistance from the Institute of War. Piltover will stand with us, but they have no standing army to assist us if negotiation break down. How goes your attempts to sway the Council to deploy more troops? I don't like walking into a fight with only the ability to bluff, high councilor."
"It goes well so far, I've finally managed to get Council approval for a full mobilization of the reserves." Elias said, nodding. "I've requisitioned another ten thousand troops to deploy in the coming two days, and I'm bringing in reserves from all over the country. Another twenty thousand will be armed and operational in two weeks' time, and in two months' time I can have another one hundred thousand troops available to you."
"Good." King Jarvan said softly. "We can at least hope to match Noxus on the field of battle."
"I hope you know, your highness," Elias started softly, dropping his gaze to the floor. "If you chose to meet Noxus in force, Kalamanda will be wiped from the map. The rancor and malice in Kalamanda is rising. Soon, not even you and the prince will be able to stop it."
"Pray." The king said softly, shaking his head. "Pray that we are able. Pray that it does not come to that." "Pray." The king said softly, shaking his head. "Pray that we are able. Pray that it does not come to that."
The high councilor nodded sagely as they moved off, heading down the hallway. As silence descended upon the darkened hallway once more, the woman laughed lightly, smiling to herself as she leaped off the beam, descending gently down to the ground.
"That's right, pray to your gods, Demacian." She purred softly. "No one else will be able to stop the rise of the Black Rose."
She rolled the vial of blood in her hand, her smile growing cruel and cold.
"With this… the blood of the Crown Prince of Demacia, no one will be able to stop us. Not even your precious dragon will be safe."
The woman faded into the shadows again, disappearing completely.