Chapter XIV

Chaos surrounded me. I found myself squinting, then widening my eyes, but every time I did so it was useless. I always found myself succumbing to the dark abyss which was all that my eyes could muster. However, my ears stayed alert. I attempted to keep track of what was going on but I was failing terribly.

I didn't know who had walked in. I had an idea, but it seemed egregious and I refused to get my hopes up. Whoever it was, they weren't Lissandra's friend, as they seemed to be trying to kill her. There were thuds as one of them was thrust against the ice walls, again and again, one painful hit after another. Then, the sounds of icicles crashing, or being smashed by a weapon that I knew only too well, but refused to recognise.

My head jerked from one side to another, trying to follow the sounds as if it could see them, but it was useless. There was a scream from Lissandra, but the noise didn't fade, it only intensified. I struggled against the chains, but to no avail. Even if I did break them, what then?

Amongst the battle, I could make out the heavy gait and uneven breathing of an animal that seemed familiar, and I begged to whatever God listened that I was not wrong. Said animal crashed through the ice that Lissandra created so effortlessly, hurting my ears with each persistent crash. There were more thuds, followed by another scream. It was not Lissandra.

I almost instinctively tried to break free again, startled by the voice that cried at that moment, but again my efforts were nothing. If my eyes were not scarred then I am sure that tears would have made their way to them.

Shortly after, there was another, more powerful thud as I felt the wall to my left shake slightly. Lissandra's breathing was cut short as a strained grunt escaped her throat. Silence followed, and somehow, I could picture the ice witch backed up against the wall, begging for her life...

I panted heavily as I gathered my strength to finally kill her. I had her. I really did. The damned so-called ice witch had her back to her own cursed ice wall, her neck clenched in my grip. I smiled. I was taken by surprise when she smiled back.

"Go on," she said in her usual surreal voice. "Kill me. It would be too late anyway."

Anger rose within me as her grin only widened. This was one of her games. One of her games to make me let her go. No. She would die. Today. I tightened my grip and watched her squirm as her breathing was cut off more and more.

"It's... too... late..." she said with her dying breath.

I let go off her and she collapsed next to my feet, her body lifeless before me. I let out an involuntary sigh of relief.

I turned to face Quinn and quickly rushed to her. I broke away the chains and let her fall into my arms. She was weak and feeble, but clung to me for dear life. I allowed myself a couple of quiet sobs as I wrapped my arms around her.

"S...S...Sejuani..." she whispered in a scarce voice, as if it hurt her to talk.

"Yeah, I'm here. It's alright." I leaned back a bit in order to see her, but her gaze was fixed onto the ground. My hand attempted to lift her chin, but stopped abruptly as I noticed her wince, as if in pain. She lifted her head anyway, and I gasped as she looked up at me. "Q-Quinn... you're..."

She nodded slightly. "Blind. I know."

Her eyes were covered in scars that looked a lot like scratch marks, which would never have had time to form in the couple of days that she was gone for. I assumed it was all Lissandra's magic and immediately blamed myself.

"And... your jaw is... broken?" I asked noticing the her angled mouth and hesitant voice.

She nodded again. I had no idea what else to do so I stood there for a few moments, paralysed. Her hand reached up my arm, just below my shoulder. I flinched and jerked it away. She had most probably felt the blood which soaked my armour.

"You're hurt. Quick, get something to bandage it with..." she muttered almost inaudibly.

"It's just a cut." I didn't care at all. All that ran through my thoughts was the guilt that blocked my senses. "Quinn, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper... I'm sorry. I should have been there to help you..." I was surprised to discover tears running down my cheeks, but instead of wiping them, I simply pulled Quinn deeper into my embrace.

I knew that she found it difficult to talk, so I didn't expect a reply. However, the one that I did receive stopped my heart right in its tracks. Weakly and unevenly she whispered, "I love you."

Her words sent a ripple of a feeling that I didn't recognise through me. Suddenly, the world around us seemed to vanish as I instinctively uttered back a few words that warmed my throat. "I love you too." Gently, I partially broke away from the embrace and kissed her forehead. "Let's get you back home." I said.

As I helped her to stand up, I noticed that a lot of her clothing was gone and that she was shivering from the cold that she wasn't used to. I let her rest against one of the walls as I removed my own armour in order to let her wear my fur undergarments. The steel dug into my skin without a protective soft layer under it, but it was a very small price to pay. Quinn had stopped shivering.

I slowly and gently picked her up and led her away to Bristle who stood patiently and waited for us. I lifted her up onto his saddle before mounting him myself. Once up and ready to go, I took hold of her hands and placed them around my waist, smiling as she leant forward and rested her head on my shoulder, her warm breath against my neck sending shivers down my spine. If I didn't feel guilt and remorse, I would have enjoyed that moment more than anything.

"If you lose your balance, tell me. Or just hold on tightly." I told her, and she gave me a reassuring nod.

If the weather allowed it, we would be back in the Winter's Claw by dusk. Fortunately, there were no more dark beasts to worry about. They vanished along with the cursed ice witch, anything but forgotten.

Obviously, I had no way of telling where we were, but I soon started feeling excited when I started making out the voices of people. A sigh of relief escaped my chest as I assumed that we had arrived back safely, although the flow of said air put more pressure on my aching jaw. Above everyone else, I could make out a French accent approaching us, and another voice accompanying her, along with the relieved shrieks of an eagle.

Sejuani brought Bristle to a halt and dismounted, then helped me do the same. As soon as I felt my feet touch the soft snow, I felt two pairs of arms around me.

"Quinn... are you alright?" I heard Fiora ask.

I tried to mutter something but my jaw wouldn't allow it. I clenched my teeth in pain, which only made it worse.

"Her jaw is broken and Lissandra blinded her." Sejuani answered for me. "Come on, we'll get you to the healer."

We began walking, and in order for me to stay in the right direction Sejuani had put her arm around my waist, and I placed mine around her shoulders. Her warm touch made me forget all about the bitter wind.

As we walked, I found it strange that I heard four sets of foot steps and not three. I figured that someone else had joined us other than Fiora, but I hadn't heard them speak yet.

When we reached the healer's hut, one of the other two companions held the door open kindly as Sejuani led me in and sat me down on the solitary wonky chair in the healer's room. Olava greeted me, and I answered with a slight nod and a weak smile. The stinging smell of herbs suddenly made me remember.

"The necklace..." I muttered as loud and as clear as my jaw would allow. "The cure... for Shyv... I know it..."

"Don't worry, Quinn. She's not off your chest just yet." The familiar voice rang like music in my ears.

"Shyvana?"

"Standing on two legs and breathing all on her own." She replied.

"How?" I managed to ask.

"Ashe came by to see if everything was alright after your confusing behaviour at the inn." Fiora explained. "She told us what we did wrong."

"Thank you, Quinn." Shyvana added.

I shook my head. "Thank Sejuani."

"Thank you all." She said.

I chuckled as happiness overcame me, but winced at the pain that my jaw brought once more.

"So what can you do?" I heard the tribe leader ask the healer, who chuckled at the question.

"I don't need to do anything." I heard the sound of something being picked up off the table, and shortly, I presumed that it was Sej that slid something over my head.

I recognised the object to be the necklace, and immediately felt the warm feeling that the glow would emit. I closed my eyes as I felt the nasty scars recede and my jaw straighten. The frost marks that were left on my arms and ribs soon melted and vanished. Relieved, I opened my eyes.

I was never greeted by the sight of what I expected to see. I never saw the people standing before me - Fiora probably embracing the now healthy Shyvana and Sejuani staring back at me with her beautiful blue eyes. Instead, I saw an interminable and obscure void, acting like a barrier in between me and the others.

I blinked several times, but nothing changed.

"Are you alright?" Sejuani asked, her tone shaken by worry.

I shook my head, unable to believe it myself. "I still can't see."

I felt Olava's bony and wrinkly hands take hold of my face as she held my eyelids apart with the thumb and index finger. After a while, she let go and sighed.

"Though the scars have cleared and her eyes are back to normal, Lissandra's magic is still more powerful than any other mage's. It cannot be undone. I'm sorry, but things will stay that way." Her voice was shaking more than usual.

"Quinn, I'm so sorry..." Sejuani whispered, and I realized that she was closer to me than I thought. She put an arm around my shoulders and I stood up in order to fully embrace her.

"It wasn't your fault. It's me that should be apologising."

"Lissandra was my enemy. I never thought that she would harm you."

The ice witch's last words were all too clear. It was indeed too late.

For a few moments we just stood there as I buried my face into her neck. I heard the door open and close and I assumed that everyone had left in order to leave us alone. The silence felt comforting.

I lifted my head away from Sejuani's shoulder and faced what I assumed would have been her face. I longed to look into her eyes once more, to feel their icy blue seep into my soul and steal it away... But there was nothing more than darkness staring back at me.

I felt her breathing draw closer as our lips were sealed. She held me closer by the back of my neck as my arms entangled around her waist. The pleasant feeling didn't take long to spread throughout my body and it was then that I realized that maybe I didn't need my sight for everything.

"I love you." Sejuani said when we parted. "And I really am sorry for everything that I've done. I will never yell at you again, I will never tell you to leave again and I won't ever let you get hurt again, I promise. You are welcome to stay for as long as you like, and if you choose to go back to Demacia along with Jarvan's troops, then I will be right here waiting if you ever want to return." She planted another soft kiss on my lips.

"I love you too, Sej. And there is nothing that you should be sorry for, I swear. In fact, I'm sorry. Sorry for saying that you don't know the meaning of `can't`, sorry for making you seem stupid... I know you're not. You are a great and respected leader. And regarding my stay... I don't think I'm ready to return to Demacia just yet." I smiled, and although I could see it, I knew that she smiled back.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

"Are you two done yet?" I heard Valor shriek through a crack in the window. "Quinn, I'm hungry. The food Fiora was feeding me is terrible! I hate French cuisine."

I laughed at him.

"It's not funny, I could have starved." He replied.

"I gathered that we should be going." Sejuani said. "I'll get some proper clothes for both of us as well."

"Thank you." I said as I realized that I was still wearing her furs and that her armour was probably extremely uncomfortable without them.

Once outside, I received a hug from both Shyvana and Fiora, who were relieved to have me back. Remorse slowly filled me as I would never get to see either of them again, and I wondered just how hard a blind world would be.

That question was no longer valid when Sejuani held onto my shoulders and safely led me away. She directed my every step without a single word, her firm yet gentle grip becoming my only connection with the world as I relaxed at her side.

And all of a sudden, as my head rested on her shoulder, the cold of Freljord became nonexistent.

Note - Not done with you just yet :D

I had so much fun writing this chapter it's almost unbelievable XD More fluff next chapter and some lose ends will be tied up. I really don't want this fanfic to end, so I might do more chapters of just aftermath stuff XD

I swear Valor is getting cuter by the minute...

Btw sorry for slow update! Exams ADSLKDJSFAISKHDFJN