I got a little ambitious. Here's a three-for-one- Talon, Swain, and Darius! More Noxians coming soon.
Lux looked down, pretending to make a note in the small planner on her desk. It was bound in black leather, worn by the dozens of hands to touch it before hers, and petite for the sake of being carried around. Small enough to be tucked into a suit pocket or held in one hand. Small enough that any writing in the pages couldn't be read over one's shoulder and, oh, the magic that emanated from it. It was an enticing little spell, one she committed to memory upon grasping the book but never repeated in this city. She couldn't risk anything this time; her cover was paper-thin. She was too close, far too close.
Lux was sitting in the High Command and she found reasons to avert her eyes from each general that passed by her open door, strategically making phone calls or taking notes to convey respect without appearing weak. It would be weak to show fear of her superiors. It was a death sentence to be arrogant enough to meet their eyes.
She had been walking that tightrope for weeks, now, and it was already paying off.
No high ranking official in Noxus wanted to do their own work. Lux was fifteen- strictly organized from her training with the military, tactful from two years as a spy… and still hopelessly out of her depth.
She hadn't actually been assigned to this position. Her task in Noxus had felt worthless before- there was an invasion across the sea, people dying in droves, real work to be done, and there she was, sent to track letters. Handed a practically useless job as a courier. Close enough to know that important work was being done just outside her reach and being told that it would be too dangerous to maintain a cover within the High Command itself. It simply wasn't done.
Well, she had shown them! One particular general had made himself known as impossible to please- he'd been pulled out of the field and forced into desk work at the prime of his career. Of course, he had taken it in stride, showing no disloyalty in the form of discontent. Instead, he took it out on his many, frequently retiring secretaries.
Lux had applied as a joke. She didn't actually think it was possible that she would get the job without an insider of some sort to secure it (that was how they'd arranged the postal gig).
But, well... there weren't many applicants. Lux presented herself as soft-spoken (but firm), diligent, level-headed, and organized. But most importantly, she did not show the slightest interest in politics. She kept her head down, as a rule. She was merely biding her time before her turn in the draft. She was looking forward to it! This was the closest she could get to serving Noxus before the military pulled her name. Honestly, all she really wanted was to be in Ionia.
...at least the last part was true!
And, well, she was small. Pretty, small, and unthreatening. He looked at her like prey, like the next thing to break. He had been looking forward to sending another weakling crying from his office.
But it turned out that Lux was pretty good at this.
So for two months, close to three, she answered his phone, brought him coffee in the morning, won the favor of the eerie black bird on his shoulder, and managed his calendar. After some time, she was asked to open his letters- a General was too busy to sort through his own mail, after all.
The Demacians had been furious. They'd nearly pulled her from the field on her first day before realizing it might tip off the Noxians.
And then, when she was granted access to the archives, they warmed up very quickly.
Someone stopped in front of her desk. Lux had been distracted, doodling spirals in the margins of her planner. Oops.
"...Is there something I can do for you?" She forced a disinterested tone into her voice, glancing through her lashes at the lithe, dark haired man and snapping the planner shut. He looked uncomfortable in formal attire, and his hair had been recently cut. His eyes didn't meet hers for more than a second, too busy surveying the room. Was this another spy? Maybe they could have tea sometime!
"I'm delivering a message for Swain." His voice was low and gruff. It might have been attractive, on a Demacian.
Lux raised her eyebrows, setting her pen down on her desk.
"From who?"
"That's none of your concern."
"Actually, it is." She flashed an unfriendly smile, all teeth. She wanted to seem threatening, impatient, rude. Like an actual Noxian! "Or else he would be sitting here to take his own messages."
The slim man grit his teeth. Lux looked boredly up.
"Fine." He looked like he wanted to hurt her. "Tell him that General DuCouteau has news."
"And you are...?" Her tone hinged just slightly on demanding. Every word seemed to irritate the Noxian more.
"Someone he trusts." He snapped, slamming a hand against the desk and glaring openly at Lux. She didn't flinch. "What difference does it make?"
She was already reaching for the phone, and raised a finger to her lips in a clear command: Quiet. Talon's eyes narrowed.
"One of General DuCouteau's to see you. ...yes, how did you know?" She smirked up at Talon momentarily, and then looked back towards the phone, "Mhm. Just a moment, then."
Lux set down the phone.
"Go right ahead." She tilted her head towards the closed door behind her desk.
Talon perched in a leather chair across from Swain, uncomfortable without a blade on his arm. He'd shut the door and a muffling spell of the General's creation hung in the air; it was a common practice within the High Command, simply protocol.
"That girl has more of a backbone than your last one." They had finished discussing business, so the blade's shadow finally let himself sound irritated.
"Hm." Swain grunted. "A fine quality, as far as I'm concerned. I've had enough nonsense paraded through my doors- Boram made sure of that."
"I'm not worried about the Grand General, Swain."
He looked boredly at Talon and then glanced at the raven perched on the desk between them. Beatrice was preening. "Fine, fine. What are you getting at?"
"She's educated enough to do this job, no one has heard of her..." He rubbed his wrist where a blade should have been. "...and Katarina says she's seen eyes like hers before." He said the let part grudgingly, not wanting to admit conspiracy.
Swain's eyes narrowed. He stroked Beatrice's head with two fingers, an unusually gentle gesture for the general.
"What do you think is the greatest threat to Noxus today, Talon?" He asked abruptly. Talon leaned back. Nothing was ever abrupt with this man, not really. He was calculating to the core.
"...I don't have time for this. The DuCouteaus are expecting my return," He was already halfway out of his seat, eager to escape what he thought might be a long lecture.
"Has that coward in the Grand General's seat convinced you that Demacia is an actual threat?"
Talon paused. What Swain had just said, and so casually, was an executable offense.
...well, not executable. But he would have to duel for it, and what was a duel against a Darkwill but an execution?
"The girl out there is the only thing standing between me and another one of Boram's pawns. If I thought she were more a threat than the vultures he sent to read my notes, she would be gone." Swain paused, glancing idly at the cane against his desk.
"...Besides. She makes better coffee than they did."
Talon blanched.
"What if she is a spy?" He pressed.
"Then I can finally get some exercise." Swain waved a hand. Talon scowled.
"I'll inform General DuCouteau of your response." He said stiffly, glancing at the door.
"Excellent. Send Marilla in when you go."
Talon cast a suspicious gaze at Swain, but nodded before he left.
He passed the Demacian again on his way out, pausing momentarily at her desk. She was folding a bit of paper in no particular way, just smaller and smaller squares.
She didn't look like much. But in Talon's experience, the best never did.
"He wants to see you." He tapped the desk in front of Lux and, this time, she jumped a little. It was almost too... Deliberate.
She shot him a disapproving gaze and rose to her feet. Talon had seen fear- she was not afraid.
"Thanks." She muttered, turning her back on him to walk through the doorway.
...Thanks? What the hell was she playing at?
Lux felt her pulse rise as soon as she turned to shut the door. That was a mistake. A slip of the tongue- a completely understandable accident!
No one showed gratitude in Noxus, not in passing, not as a gesture of good upbringing or well-meaning or…
Oh god,was she going to die for being polite?.
"...you wanted to see me, sir?" She forced ease into her voice and smoothed down the front of her skirt, turning to look into the room. Swain was standing, leaning heavily against his cane.
"I did. Come, have a seat."
Instantly a bad sign. If he actually wanted something, he would just tell her so she could be out of his way. Was something wrong? Did that stranger say something?
...did he hear her say thanks? (Okay, that was a little paranoid.)
"Is there something you need?" She couldn't help sounding a little suspicious but crossed the room, settling silently into the leather chair Talon had just occupied. Swain remained standing.
"Yes, but that isn't important." He seemed to smile, but it was impossible to tell. "Are you familiar with General DuCouteau?"
Why yes, I stole from his library, during my first week in Noxus! How ever did you know?
"...not personally, sir. I know his house's legacy, of course." She knew more about Noxian aristocracy than she cared to mention. It was simply part of the job.
"Of course." He echoed. "That was Talon- his newest protege, as I understand it. Though they have been keeping quiet about it." Lux remained silent. She could tolerate a lecture. Maybe he was just bored.
"He noticed something odd." Oh no. "How long have you been dying your hair, Marilla?"
"W-what?" She could handle this. It was a perfectly reasonable question- she wouldn't be alarmed if she weren't a spy. "Oh. I thought it was more... Subtle. I don't know, a few years?"
Swain was unreadable. No news there.
"I see." He paused. He was giving her the opportunity to slip up. To say too much. She refused to take the bait. "In any event. There are several things I'd like you to fetch from the archives, when you have the opportunity. Now would be best." He finally sat down, leaning the cane against his desk, and slid a sheet of paper across the wood.
Lux plucked it up between two fingers, glancing briefly at the names. "Would you like me to forward your calls, then?"
"No need. You won't be that long."
"As you say." Lux stood quickly, folding the square of parchment in her hands. "Ah- is there anything else, sir?"
He was staring at her. Just how much did he know?
"No, not for now."
There was a very tall person standing in front of her desk. Lux had to crane her neck to look at him properly, and even then found herself seeing more breastplate than face.
She could probably wrap herself three times in the width of his cloak.
"...What can I do for you, sir?" Lux had made a rule of being polite to the larger ones, and the ones that came in armor. The grumpiest Generals usually had either quality.
"I'm here to see Swain." He had a harsh, gravelly voice, and already seemed to be in an unpleasant mood.
"...do you have an appointment?" Lux knew that he didn't. She managed them, after all.
Darius stared down at Lux. Lux looked boredly up at Darius.
"He's expecting me."
"Fair enough. Give me one moment and I can check on that for you." She barely had the chance to lift her phone.
"I don't have time for this." He began to circle the desk, and Lux leapt out of her seat. She found herself standing between the very unhappy Noxian and the door to Swain's office.
Darius looked coldly down at her. "What do you think you're doing?"
"If you can just give me your patience for a minute, I can see if General Swain has time for you." Her voice sped up, and she reached back to touch the frame of the door. She couldn't back down now, she'd look like a coward!
...oh, she was starting to think like one of them.
"I told you, he's expecting me." Darius growled, leaning down to look her in the eyes.
His breath was... Less than pleasant.
"Showing me what you had for lunch isn't going to make me open this door any faster, sir." Lux raised herself to full height.
Someone snorted behind her.
"Darius! I see you've met Marilla." Lux hadn't ever heard Swain sound so... Friendly. She turned slightly, finding herself mere inches away from the elder General, and carefully maneuvered from between the two. "She's right, you know. Was Ionia so dull that you have to pick fights with my secretary?"
Ionia? Lux perked up.
"...I didn't come here to waste our time, Swain."
"No, just to bully eighteen year olds. I understand."
"You're one to talk." He looked pointedly at Swain- down a bit, Lux noticed. Maybe it was just the hunch from the cane.
"Fair, fair- Do come in. Marilla, you should join us for this. I know how... Interested you are in Ionia." Darius glanced skeptically at Lux.
What was Swain doing? Did he know? Was it a test? Or was he just commenting on her cover?
"Absolutely, sir, I would love to."
Even if he did know, she couldn't pass up an opportunity like this.
"I take it you don't plan on eating this one." Darius looked skeptically across the table, more at the raven than the General.
"She does her job." He sounded immediately disinterested, and made a point of arranging the papers on his desk.
"Explain something to me."
"Haven't I always?"
"Ha. When the master of spies is suspicious of your newest pet, why keep her at all?"
Swain stared at Darius, unreadable.
"She makes very good coffee. You should try it."
"You would not overlook a spy outside your door for her skill as a Barista."
"If I thought she was a spy, would I have let her overhear sensitive information about Ionia?"
Darius scowled. "That's another thing. She's too curious. Like a Piltovian- even I can see that."
"Is this all you came for, Darius?" Swain looked boredly across the desk. "To accuse me of being an idiot?"
"Your words, not mine." He leaned back in his seat, "...I know you don't want to be here. If you explain the girl's part in all this, I might be able to help."
"You're putting far too much weight on a pretty receptionist. Haven't I always told you exactly as much as you need to be aware of?"
For a moment, neither General was willing to break eye contact. Then, finally, Darius slid back his chair.
"Fine. Keep her. It isn't my problem." He stood easily in the heavy armor, glancing at the door. "I'll see you when I see you."
I swear to god Swain isn't keeping Lux around for the coffee. I promise, guys.
Once again, feel free to leave a review to request another character! Give me a challenge and I will find a way.