Swain paces, well, hobbles around the meeting room. The air of superiority didn't diminish even in the slightest with his injury. Well, not surprisingly. All those who did think he was weak were killed in twisted and unimaginable ways.

Katarina watches him pace, wondering what this meeting is going to be about. It isn't so uncommon to watch him pace. It isn't even uncommon for the Grand General to be muttering under his breath, even though it be normal on a raving madman. Katarina could sometimes swear he is, and Riven's current status is much proof of it. But it must not be forgotten that he is clever, and there will ALWAYS be method to his madness.

Like the majority of the Noxian champions in the room, she is ridiculously bored. It's not because the actual material of the meeting was particularly boring, rather that there was really no meeting, just a Swain making a show of his ability to frantically hobble across a room. The Deceiver was, surprisingly and unsurprisingly, not there. Well, she doesn't have to be there. She doesn't need to be there to know what happened in the meeting. Knowing her (relatively, because it seems that no one knows her), she already knows what would happen in the meeting, most likely way before the meeting itself happened. The how is beyond Katarina, but she is allowed to do what she wants, as long as she doesn't interfere.

Swain still doesn't stop.

Eventually, Katarina thinks, she will die from boredom. And at this rate, thirst and starvation too. She looks around the room, and sees the occupants of the room doing their own thing. Darius was sharpening his axe using a large white whetstone that she suspects may have been made from Carmen, Darius's (ex)superior. Draven is doing… whatever Draven does. All Katarina knows is that it involves his shiny axes, his ugly mug and other disturbing things that should never be let out into the daylight. Vladimir is having fun, she thinks, waving his hand around with a self-satisfied grin adorning his face. He may be having fun but someone out there, whose body will be found with multiple puncture wounds, is not.

Everything is fine, until Katarina's gaze lands on her serpentine sister. Cassiopeia is staring at her blankly, which is fine, but Cassiopeia NEVER does that. That kind of behavior is the actions of a possessed person or dead person. She scowled at the woman(?), and she scowled back. Finally. THERE was the Cassiopeia that she knew and loved.

Swain stopped. And turned. That's Katarina's cue to stop making faces with her dear sister and strap herself in. It was going to be interesting.

'You are are the faces of Noxus, and all of you are strong. If you weren't, you would be dead.' Katarina started to tune Swain's voice out. One can only hear this speech so many times before it starts to lose its meaning. 'But I know that someone here will kill me.' Katarina was back onboard again. This was new. 'And I will stop them. I am not here to dissuade you, but I am just a reminder. Once I am no longer strong, I will die. But until then, I will not hesitate to kill you'.

Well that's fucking ominous.

Katarina wonders what Swain saw, but then she realised that she's trying to figure out Swain. She's not stupid, and she knows he isn't either. She has no idea how many different scenarios Swain ran through his head before he came up with that observation. But what surprised her was that all of them ended with him dying, or he wouldn't have said it. And another thing that surprises her is that he knows he will be outplayed. But to her knowledge (key words being: to her knowledge), there is no human on this planet that can really outplay him. Swain thinks too much, so much it's basically impossible to surprise him. Shiny Boy and his golden fucking stripper pole can't hold a candle to Swain's genius, but then she's also sure Shiny Boy can have his brainpower outmatched by unintelligent rock (keeping Malphite in mind). He's tried, mind you, but failed.

Actually, she thinks she may know. The Black Rose have been 'servicing' Noxus for centuries now, so everyone knows them. However, no one knows anything about them. They only hear of the bodies and 'mysterious and unfortunate' disappearances of other leaders from the enemies of Noxus. Swain is good at chess, but not even Swain can beat an enemy where all of her pieces are invisible and have you one move from checkmate at all times. And by the looks of it, he knows.

Swain's pause unnerves everyone, especially Katarina. It's not that she's particularly scared of him, it's just that he's STARING STRAIGHT AT HER. What the hell is with everyone and staring at her these days?

Swain continues his speech. 'Noxus is a proud nation, and we are bright. We are bright enough to realise that we cannot take on the world by ourselves. Not yet. She will though, in due time. I have made alliances with some other countries that seem will aid us,' Zaun. Out of all the countries, Swain picks the country where batshit crazy was invented. Riven can testify. Seriously, we get it, Zaun sucks, you can stop screaming in your sleep every night now. 'and some people may be… unappreciative of it.' No fucking shit. 'Remember, the Institute immunity only applies if they can find the killer.' Well, he doesn't want anyone to meddle with his plans.

To the credit of the members of the meeting, none of even bats an eye. It wasn't as if none of them knew; half of the League would be dead if the immunity didn't apply. Actually, Draven would also be dead, courtesy of Katarina.

'Meeting dismissed'

Everybody slowly rose and stretches, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. No one in the room, except Swain, got into their position with politics and diplomacy. They killed hundreds to get to their position, so it was no wonder that a meeting about something that didn't include the mass slaughter of a nation would bore them senseless. They get up to leave the room before a cold voice stops them.

'Katarina.'

The ones that weren't Katarina shrug and exits the room, leaving Katarina to deal with the Master Tactician.

Swain waits until the rest of them leaves, before waiting some more.

'You can go.'

Well, fuck.

-LOL-

Katarina watches from her lane, mindlessly throwing daggers at the minions that clashed together. They actually look kind of cute, in their blue and red robes, with their miniature weapons of minimal destruction. She sort of admires them, staring at them with a temptation to hug them (in a way that Noxian assassin ought NOT to), before stabbing them through the face with her blade (in the way that a Noxian assassin ought to. Stabbing cute things in the face was something she did).

'Katarina'

For fuck's sake,

'Leblanc.'

Then she smiles. On someone as mysterious and creepy as Leblanc, the smile doesn't look happy, she looks pleased. But not the 'I'm having a pleasant day' kind of pleased, rather the kind of pleased a serial killer would be after they admire the body that they cut into pieces with a hacksaw. Knowing Leblanc, that would not be too far from reality. Well, no-one will know until somewhere into the next week or so.

Katarina shudders. Though she has assassinated plenty of people (she is a Noxian AND a assassin), the fact that no one knows how she does it scares her. People know how Katarina kills; she kills quietly, and the victim doesn't know, ever. But at least, there is the blade marks and other earthly signs that show her masterpiece. But with Leblanc… no one knows. She's like a magician, and a magician NEVER shows how she does her tricks.

God works in mysterious ways.

So Katarina doesn't respond, only to continue farming in lane. Katarina can see that Leblanc is still smiling eerily, so she avoids all eye contact with the illusionist. The Illusionist doesn't mind her. Why would she? Leblanc already knows everything she wants to know. But would it hurt to ask about…

'That's an interesting question. Why would I know anything about Markus?'

Katarina froze, head-bashing minions totally forgotten. How the fu…Katarina could do nothing but stare at the woman who still smiled pleasantly like she didn't just read Katarina's mind. Katarina was not even sure why she was surprised, because she's sure that centuries of first hand experience can make almost anyone psychic. And Leblanc isn't just anyone either. She's the mistress and the founder of the Black Rose, the one that did everything for Noxus, and somehow no one know what exactly what they did. They've heard, but everyone's heard something.

But she knows that Leblanc does what she does for Leblanc. She is a Noxian after all, and ALL Noxians knows this phrase like it's a prayer or something idiomatic: use others for your own benefit, and always assume they are doing the same. Selfishness is something that is indoctrinated to all Noxians and those who don't accept it die.

Katarina grits her teeth and keeps throwing her dagger, pointedly ignoring the other woman. Leblanc, however, did not care and continues to watch her, albeit a little disturbingly. Leblanc started to talk to herself, musing about unimportant things. It was loud and deliberate, like she wants Katarina to hear. Well, the only reason that she can hear Leblanc muse is because Leblanc is letting her and wants her to hear. Well, though Katarina is almost certain that Leblanc is lying to her, she still wants to know. Leblanc is possibly the only woman that knows anything about her father, save for THAT woman.

'If I was Markus, what would I do? Could I die, knowing that I can stop it? Maybe, maybe not. The member of the Du Couteau that houses two of the most renown assassins in the Institution, dead at the hands of an assassin?' Katarina continues to listen to the Deceiver's speech, both intrigued and irritated. 'How would it be possible? Who has the power to do so? One of the strongest in the Noxus, and the world. No-one can kill someone like that. Isn't that right, Katarina?'

Katarina nods imperceptibly, then stands stock still. She basically just shouted as loud as she could to Leblanc that she was paying attention to all that drivel that spewed out of Leblanc's mouth. Leblanc just smils cordially, with an apologetic smile while all the while making it obvious that Leblanc was just fucking with her. 'I'm sorry Katarina. I'm sorry to remind you of your father. He was lovely, -' Not how I would describe one of the most powerful assassins in Noxian history 'and would be sorely missed by most.'

'So how was your day, Lady Du Couteau? I have seen you around, and I have to yet to see you smile. You look prettier that wa- Touchy, are we?' Leblanc chuckled as Katarina's dagger bounced past her.

'What do you want? I know you want something from me. You tend to play around with your food a lot.'

Leblanc laughs, in a voice that echoes from around her. Strange. 'What do I want, child? I don't want anything from you. You see, I have a goal, therefore, I have a future. Do you? Your future cannot be restricted to your father, can it? You can solve it, but not by yourselves. Because the remaining two people who know are not just yours truly. And I'm not talking about Evangeline, who I'm sure you have acquainted yourself with.'

Leblanc knows. Of course she fucking knows. And who the fuck is Evangeline? Oh. Her. Wait, what does she mean, Evangeline doesn't know? Then, who else knows? Who else has eyes everywhere, and knows some secret shit that nobody knows?

Who the fuck do you think? Idiot.

A roar echoes as a great white bear runs through the lane towards Katarina. Leblanc tuts and snares the ursine in a magical cage. Katarina became both confused as to how on Runeterra she managed to both attack her teammate and use an ability that wasn't in her skillset. Actually, why is she even surprised? It's Leblanc. Shit happens around Leblanc.

'Please, I am trying to talking with a beautiful young lady. Please don't interrupt.'

Katarina stares at Leblanc, still slightly unbelieving. Leblanc chuckles menacingly, dismissively waving her hand. 'I'm not the only one who has killed a Du Couteau.'

Fucking Swain.