After a couple of minutes, Xanna went back and ready to go. Noxian soldiers travelled using horse. It's half day travel from the village to the nearest Noxian town. Xanna was assisted by the steward and they rode one horse together. The ride was long and silent. After a couple of hours, Draven suddenly fell off his horse. He was pale and he was really sickly. Darius stopped the troops. He asked 1 of the man to carry Draven. But since Draven was so big and muscular the horse would be tired. The General's stewards was slim built. He happened to be his steward because of his intelligence and his loyalty. Darius asked the steward to take Draven with him. "Do you know how to ride a horse?" He looked at Xanna.
She was thinking Of Course , I know how to ride one. We have like a lot of em in our stables.,
"Never mind , How would someone from Bilgewater surrounded by the sea knows how to ride one" It was a trick question. "I'll just ask one of my soldiers to assist you." Draven immediately retaliated and had instant strength to grin."No! She's a wench, she should be closely monitored by strong ones." She touched her forehead forming a facepalm and she came close to Draven. She opened her satchel and rummaged through it. Draven was closely looking at her and her satchel. He was still in amazed with that satchel. Finally she got 1 red glowing vial."Here take this. It will give you enough strength for this travel." Draven took the vial and looked at her "Hmm. Are you trying to kill me?" She took the vial back and opened it for him. "Just take it. It's a sustain spell good enough for you to be checked by Noxian Doctors, I don't know what you have and I don't want to heal you from whatever you have. You deserve it. so I'll just sustain you." She put the red glowing liquid on his mouth and he felt instantly better. "If you are in doubt I'll accompany you to your doctor or mage in Noxus so you're sure that I did not poison you. Anyway killing someone with poison is cowardly. I'd rather scorch you to death." She immediately stood up "I think he's okay so the steward and I can still ride the same horse." Draven was irked. "I still can't ride on my own" He smirked at Xanna. "Her sustain spell is weak." Xanna closed her eyes and kept her calm. "Maybe you're just too weak." you can see the veins on Darius' forehead ticking. Before anyone can retaliate Darius breathe deeply and shouted. "Stop. both of you! This constant bickering needs to stop. It's not even 24 hours and I feel like i gained 5 years stress from both of you. It made me feel like I'm baby sitting and not on a mission!" He hit Draven with his Axe's hilt. everyone was silent as this means that any chuckle would mean there necks cracking. "Assist Draven and I'll take Lady Xanna with me." The steward immediately followed his General's orders. He assisted Draven from climbing the horse. Draven was thankful that Darius was just kidding when he said that he'll have him bound and pulled by the horse. Darius on the other hand just held Xanna on her waist and just like a kid he put her on the horse with ease. Xanna was just silent the whole time. She was so close to the General that he can feel his hard and cold armor but somewhat it felt warm to her. She can smell him. She was amazed to know that he smelled good. He smelled fresh like some sort of creamy sandalwood. It's faint and not too strong. It felt like you can only smell it if you are up close. It looked like he has good hygiene. They stopped for a quick lunch and because it's too hot. Instead of a tent , they had a canopy that would save them from mid day sun's heat. It's the first time that she's alone for the day. She was just sitting when she was called by the steward. "Lady Xanna, Lunch is now ready " He bowed his head. She looked at him "You can just call me Xanna , I am no noble lady. And thanks." The steward curtly nodded at her and showed her the way to the canopy. Darius was already seated in the table and so as Draven , but this is the first time that she saw Draven covered up, he covered his upper body with something that looks like a miniature blanket.. Since she saw him she was sure that he was all flashy and showy. There were no snide remarks from Draven. They had a quiet lunch. She was delighted by the food. She had some lamb chops with herbs and buttered vegetables and to top it off they had strawberry yogurt. She really liked the strawberry yogurt. Draven didn't eat that much during lunch and already close to passing out too.. She looked at him again and she noticed that his legs are swollen, red with some yellowish green liquid "General Darius " She called out. "May I have the permission to look at Draven's leg?" She politely asked. Darius looked at Draven's leg. He inquired. "Why, Would you happen to know what happened to him?" She stood up and came closer to Draven. Draven was in no mood. He did not respond or anything at all. He was just to weak that moment. "By the looks of it , it looks like it was pierced and got infected , If you give me permission. I'll look into it." He nodded. She started to rummage her satchel. She got a small bottle and some cloth. She started to wipe off the affected area and put some of the liquid., Draven just twinged in pain. She then took vial from her satchel. Before she does anything she explained to Darius what's happening. "It looks like he got pierced by some kind of poison Ivy. Let me try if I can heal this." Darius observed her, "I thought you don't want to heal him?" She was getting something from her satchel, it was a book. "I don't like him but I can't bear to see anyone in pain or worse , dying." He looked alarmed and he let her do her thing. She held her hands towards Draven's legs. "I'm having a hard time to heal this. I've never seen anything like this. We can't move him much as it will hasten the poison to spread all over. What I can do is double sustain. How long can we go back to Noxus?" he was alarmed of what he heard about after all even Draven is such a pain in the arse , he is still his brother and the only one left for him. Draven already passed out by this time. "It would take us another 2-3hours. How do we go about it? " Xanna put all her things in her satchel. "I'll ride the horse with Draven , I'll sustain him." She didn't mind if he's gonna ask cause she already had a brilliant lie to cover for it. He looked at her and wondering. "Are you sure you can do it?" She was finished packing her things. She stood up and told him "I'm a mage, right? I can sustain him with my magic. I just need you to tie the horse with one of your man's as I can't manage doing 3 things at the same time. I can sustain and balance both of us but I can't direct the horse. " Xanna knows that she can do all these 3 things. But she needed to pretend not to know how to direct a horse. She put her hands in her pocket. She held on to something. She had one more shot of teleport portion that Ezreal gave her. They used it before on their exploits to Noxus and Zaun Once she use this it would take her 300 days to a year before it cool down. She looked at him as if she hit the jackpot. "Do you have a map of Noxus with you?" Darius raised his eyebrows, "I think my steward has one." He asked his steward and luckily he does. She looked excited. "Alright , This might be really weird beyond explanation. Does Noxus has a magic resist barrier?" She already knew the answer but she pretended not too Hello, i've been there a couple of times and I know this would work.. He looked like he doesn't want to answer but he did "I believe none as there are no threats." She asked for the map. "Can you tell me where are we going in Noxus? Are we to go to your base or do you have a manor that we can crash at?" Darius is now beginning to get annoyed. "I have a manor yes and It depends on how Draven is on where we go first." She then said with bright eyes and with a smile. "I know how to go there in less than 5 minutes. I have a request for you to do. " Darius looked a bit perplexed She whispered to him "I need you to carry Draven on your back. And I need you to hug me like really tight." This request sounded really preposterous to him but she continued to explain "I have a spell here that my friend gave me, It's still under licensing in Piltover so it isn't out yet for general public, It works as I tried it a couple of times . I used to have 3 of these and this is the last one. It works but you need to be really close to me, physically close as it can only transport from a small portion to another. Are you ready now?" He stopped for a minute and commanded his troops to be back to Noxus and report in no less than 5 hours. As soon as everyone was on their way he carried his brother on his back and he was hesitant to come near Xanna. He realized that she was really small as she was just as she was no taller than his shoulders. He thought that she was fragile as she has a petite frame and he was afraid that he might break her. Same as Xanna, This is the first time that she'll stand beside him. He was really enormous. He was as big as her brother. This made her miss his older brother more. Both men are muscular and made her feel safe. I hope he's just fine besides he's on a mission far away and prolly doesn't know that I ran away. and I hope my family can still accept me after helping a Noxian. She told him if they can move further as this is not something that no one should see. He carried his brother to where Xanna feels comfortable to move. "It'll take less than 5 minutes to be in Noxus." She asked where is his manor on the map." This might make you feel a bit dizzy. you might feel some tinge. Hold on to me and never let go during the ride I don't want you to be gone" then she hugged him and used the potion. Purple light started to envelope them. It was surreal. It felt like out of this world. he held on to his brother and hugged her. She hugged her back as well. He opened his eyes and he saw things that he never saw before. He felt like he was out of the universe and he felt this warm feeling from her. For the first time in years he felt at peace in comforts of a it's true that he had lots of woman who can entertain him and accompany him but at the end of he day he still felt cold and empty, now somewhat he felt weird and he liked the feeling of being hugged. The same way Xanna was never hugged by anyone before aside from his family members now she was clinging to a Noxian General. This is really weird but I really like his embrace it feels so warm and I feel that I am safe. Draven gained conciousness but he immediately spaced out when can't understand what's happening. True to her word in less than 5 minutes they were in Noxus, In a large Manor couple of minutes to the city. She asked Darius to bring her and Draven to a private room. They entered and they were greeted by his servant. He ignored them , Xanna acknowledged them by a polite nudge. She was escorted to a large guest room. Darius put Draven slowly and with cautious in bed. She then rummaged through her satchel again and immediately tried to sustain him. "Do you know someone who makes potent poisons? They might know how to cure this." She had her hands placed in Dravens chest. Good Thing, He knows someone from a prominent family. He immediately went to that person and left her and his brother. He went to the du Couteau's manor. One of the noble and prominent families in Noxus. He knew General du Couteau and he knows that one of his daughters are poison du Couteau was the youngest daughter of the General. She looked just like Katarina but she was different she looks sweet but deep inside she's like a snake waiting to shed her skin. She agreed to help him because she was curious about the said unknown poison. They immediately went back to Darius' manor. They arrived with a du Couteau couch and all of his servants immediately bowed down to her. She was such a beauty, her elegance and her beauty was a deadly combo. When they entered Cassiopeia immediately examined Draven. She asked Xanna to stop sustaining him to check how severe his case was. It was true. It was something that she hasn't seen before. "I doubt that even Singed knows this poison." She murmured. "By the way, New recruit? " She casually asked Darius. He responded "Is there any antidotes? And yes, My personal assistant " He looked at Xanna like he was passing a secret. Xanna immediately understood. "Well it's a long shot. There is this certain berry that can only be found in Frejlord. If I am not mistaken it can counter or cancel any deadly poison as this." Xanna immediately remembered. She read this in Zaun when Ezreal brought her to one of his missions. "Oh yes, that's true. They're rare pinkish purple berries It can be found on the southern most part of Frejlord, we could reach it in 3 days if we take the Ironspike Mountains but that's full of Bandits from Zaun and Piltover." She immediately impressed Cassiopeia. "You are smart, do you want to be my apprentice? You'll gain more from me than this battle hardened General who only knows to chop things.." She teased both of them. "Thank you for your offer my Lady, I must remain loyal to my master" she pretended , Though Darius knew that it was just for show he felt good hearing it.. "We don't tolerate relationships in the army so it would be better if you stay with me." With that final blow she blushed. The heavy awkwardness was cutshort "How long can Draven's body endure this?" He was more concerned about his brother than Cass' tease. "I know what we can do. I'll have him in a solid form. He's still alive breathing, heart pumping, lungs working but everything will stop functioning for him. I call it my latest invention. My petrifying gaze potion. It's basically the same sustain as your assistant but this one can last longer and I don't need to be here all day to do it., If your assistant's calculations are right i can give him a dose good for 7 days so that you have enough time to gather the berries and enough for me to concentrate the antidote" Determined Darius said "I will go to Frejlord. Just tell me what it looks like. I don't want to bring other's as it will just drag me." Cassiopeia was looking at her fingernails appreciating her manicure. "Bring your assistant with you. She knows what it looks like and I don't want you coming back with wrong berries. Imagine it as a date." Xanna can't look at Darius as she was really blushing to her neck. Darius ignored what Cassiopeia said but deep inside he really wanted to spend more time with her.You're nuts why would you like to get to know her when you fully know that you can't commit to anyone. "Fine, I'll bring her. She's small and I can just carry her."