Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited! Here's chapter 2 ENJOY!

Lux was so fucking tired.

At the moment she found herself alone in one of the palace's bathrooms, leaning over a sink filled to the brim and holding her face under the cold water until she came back up, waited, and did it again.

She honestly couldn't remember being so all around tired in years. Between governing a city, maintaining her own goals, and taking care of her fiancé she was already straining herself mentally and physically.

'Oh god I'm thinking about him as my fiancé already…'

As if too make matters worse, Ezreal had arrived in the city a few days ago, he was on his way back north after a long expedition, he was investigating something called an Aatrox Lux had made a mental note to ask more about later, but decided to stick around for a couple days and relax after his long journey.

'He really just wants to be around me…' She thought, while normally she liked having Ezreal around as he far too amusing to tease, right now she was walking on thin ice already. Ezreal was her friend, he was staying at her family's manor, and all of his actions would cast a light on her as well.

And by the gods Ezreal was good at getting in fucking trouble.

The last thing she could afford right now was him causing any incident by "exploring" places he damn well shouldn't be. She'd all but locked him up in her home for the past few days in an effort to prevent anything from occurring under her watch.

Still, Ezreal brought some good things with him as well, giving her an excuse to head home for a night and get some actual work done unlike in Jarvan's office where things got… distracted…

'I need to add "Never told me to only agree to marry a man AFTER I know the limits of his libido" to the list of reasons to hate my mother.'

Lux raised her head from the water now that she'd collected herself. She took a moment to inspect herself in the mirror to make sure ruling wasn't taking a toll on her yet. 'Pity on the first person I see the day I get bags under my eyes…' Vanity was a part of being in the high class, since she was pretty then that meant everything she did had to be pretty because people assumed as much. Which meant perfecting her handwriting from chicken scratch to an elegant flowing, walking without trouble in high heels, and wasting away an hour on her post-sex hair every morning.

People expected things of her, big things and small things, they all were part of the illusion. She had to seem like a perfect little blonde goddess made flesh never like she was as flawed and human as everyone else. But the moment people started seeing through the little flaws the big ones became more and more clear.

'And things like daddy issues, mommy issues, bouts of self-loathing, long jaded trust issues, and perhaps a bit too much of a dependency on alcohol all seem like things best kept to myself.'

Luxanna was honest with herself, not very honest with anyone else however, but honest with herself.

Ezreal always brought out a tiny level of guilt Lux kept hidden away in her subconscious mind. He'd been in many ways the first person she'd ever manipulated way back when the both of them were 14. She still remembered her first time in Piltover, it'd been a little over a year after her parents had given her away. Her father had been temporarily appointed Chief Ambassador after Lord Vayne had died. In an effort to halt the growing coldness between them he'd taken Lux along to see the City of Progress.

It'd gone a long way to repairing their relationship on the surface level. Marcus Crownguard truly thought he'd succeeded but in reality any love Lux had for her father was barely alive and well suffocated beneath all the resentment. Naturally in her state of teenaged rebellion Lux was enjoying every chance to embarrass her strict and dignified father. She really did go out of her way with that everything from falling asleep at important dinners to wardrobe malfunctions.

Ezreal at first was supposed to be the icing on the cake. They'd kept bumping into each other during her stay. He was nice enough, pretty enough, important enough, all the things easy to make a scandal out of. But man, he was so damn easy to manipulate she felt bad. If there was one thing for certain it was that Lux had made an impression on him.

It'd started out innocent enough. He hand or shoulder brushing past him. It'd turned into an affectionate friendship with both pulling each other into tight hugs to greet each other. Ezreal wasn't much of a womanizer at 14 however. He didn't have any moves so instead he listened to all her problems, jumped through whatever hoops necessary whenever she asked for a favor, and played the role of the gentleman who'd never push her boundaries.

Lux just couldn't bring herself to use him so selfishly… even if she knew he'd very much enjoy being used…

So instead at the party the night before she'd be leaving Piltover when the prodigal archeologist approached her with his hastily combed hair, and suit that wasn't properly tailored to his slight frame, how could she say no to one dance. She could almost reach out and feel the nervousness when he tentatively grabbed her hand and led her to the center of the dance floor, not realizing until their bodies were pressed together that he could smell the pulsing wetness just one layer of clothing away under her dress.

Lux was a crafty girl. Subtly pushing herself against him in the rhythm and laughing inside at all the confusion written all over his face. Bringing her moist lips millimeters away from his ear as she whispered a joke or two to keep him from locking up in nervousness. Then right before she said the words that'd stick with him for years, Lux would look over his shoulder with an idle stare that'd convince anyone nothing was happening. Then right as the music dipped and began to pick back up and it was hardest to catch someone's words she leaned in and whispered. "I can feel that hard thing in your pants." He'd second guess what he'd heard for years after— had she really breathed that sentence into his ear? He'd been so certain of what he'd heard. The blonde boy stammered out. "W-Wh-What was th-that?"

Gleaming blue eyes turned to look directly into his confused blue-green orbs, hazed over in teenaged lust. Lux threw her mask back on so smoothly with a smile far too shy and innocent too have possibly sai— "I said I'm glad you asked me too dance."

He'd let her go after the song and disappeared, likely to compose himself. Lux only felt a little bad for toying with his emotions the way she had. She really couldn't help it though. Ezreal appealed to the narcissist in her. That vain little girl she kept locked away that thought she was smart and pretty enough to get away with anything.

Lux met up with him in Piltover again, some years of covert operations later. She considered finishing out that scandal she'd plotted years ago but felt it was benign. With some very useful advice she'd gotten past the stage of fucking people as a way to get back at her parents. The fact that it was an almost sure-fire way to blow a chance at one's own inheritance, which you can really use to get back at them, was enough to convince her to stop after only that one Noxian girl she'd met on her first undercover mission at 17. She still caught Riven giving her lovestruck looks on occasion, she'd long ago put together who she was, Lux never had and never did plan on explaining what'd happened between them. Besides, that little crush might come in handy one day.

She'd gone to Jarvan's office to collect some work to take home promising to get it done after dinner with Ez, unexpectantly, he'd kissed her goodbye. He did it in one swift motion after handing her the bag of papers he swept his arm around her to rest his hand on the small of her back and pulled her into the simple kiss that said far more than any other goodbye could have. This was real. They were engaged. From this point forward they'd have to think of each other romantically to pull it off. People couldn't know this marriage was a contract they'd worked out after 15 minutes on her knees.

Lux realized why Jarvan had gone through the trouble of vetting her for the position rather than trying to woo her. It was the opposite of what she'd done with Ezreal, he hadn't tried to make her fall for him. Love was a wildcard in politics, it overwrote logic. Love made people feel accepted no matter what, and like her mother they then begin to break the unspoken rules. Lux had a much clearer understanding of the conditions hidden in the fine print of it all. Jarvan would want her to stay beautiful and in shape, too make a show of her love for him, to play the role of a benevolent queen.

Well it was a good thing she'd learned to act some time ago… there was quite a long show ahead of her.

Lux made no effort to silence the loud groan the realization provoked.

Home at last. Lux barely shut the door behind her when she got pulled into a bear hug.

"Welcome home, Blondie."

She didn't bother to suppress the giggle. "Thank you, Blondie."

"So. Tell me all about what you've been doing. I hear you're practically running the city while everyone's at the Institute. How'd that happen?"

There were at least three dozen responses involving the words "Jarvan" and "fucked" but none seemed appropriate.

"Well I just can't help being the best so letting anyone run the show would've been pretty stupid."

Ezreal was genuinely fun to hang out with. They'd spent the evening catching up and showing off their newest tricks, that damn amulet of his gave him an unfair advantage.

"Y'know I've never understood how you could copy spells so quickly."

"It's all from understanding the basics really. By watching a spell I can put together to source of the magic, what it's supposed to do, and how it's supposed to do it. Everything from Morganna's shield to LeBlanc's clones answers all three of those questions whenever the spell is cast. Mimicing something in the moment is really easy but retaining those tricks and putting them together myself is hard. It's why I stick to my own spells mostly."

"Well if you can repeat everything crazy fast how come all those times in bottom lane I've never seen you throw my trueshot barrage back at me?"

"For one, the summoners don't let me use my full talents, and two, my badass laser trumps your silly random sling of magic every time." She stuck her tongue out at him to add insult to injury.

"Oh you did not just go there!"

Once they were finished eating he told her how happy he was to see her. Just like in so many similar moments before he didn't say the other things he was thinking. It was better this way, if he'd confessed his feelings to her now she'd have had to shut him down. He could go on thinking she'd have picked love over power if he'd only had the guts to tell her. He'd always believe that the two of them really had a shot together. She could spare his feelings.

He did deserve a treat for his long reign of the friendzone. After working away in the living room for a bit he returned to discover her tipsy from wine and barely keeping from passing out. She wrapped herself all around him as he picked her up and carried her back to her room. She made a point of trying to mumble things out and brushing her lips across his neck, hugging him, letting her shoulder straps stray down her shoulder in the most tantalizing ways.

When he tried to lay her down in bed she immediately sat back up and called to him as he was leaving the room. "Ezreal." He turned right as she was making a show of taking off her dress, slowly removing every article of clothing and exposing herself to him in full glorious nudity. She let him see everything, perky breast, clean shaven cunt, he even got a nice view of her ass as she bent over to pull down the covers and crawl into bed.

"Don't forget to close the door…" Was the last thing she'd said before pretending to fall asleep. She'd played the role so he'd feel almost certain she was too drunk to remember this moment. It'd keep him from being too embarrassed around her for the next few years.

Lux was only partly surprised when she awoke the following morning to find her underwear missing from the pile of her attire from the prior night. She knew she wouldn't see them again.

Lux decided to visit Jarvan in his office that morning rather than greet him in the throne room. It seemed important to update him on what she'd gotten done but before she could speak she found herself pressed against the oak door with his lips coming down on hers. Wet tongues wriggling together as he brought his hands low to pick her up from the bottom of her thighs. Luckily she'd chosen a short dress that morning as he sat her down atop his desk. The prince hooked one finger in her panties to move them aside as Luxanna wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss while he entered her.

Jarvan moved like he was running a marathon, they both knew this couldn't go on very long. He kept her close against him while her head rested on his shoulder and sweet noises escaped her throat with every thrust. Their end was announced only by a throaty, primal groan from one participant and a impossible to suppress scream of delight from the other. By the time they'd came together both of them looked tellingly exerted. Jarvan had planted both elbows down on either side of her in an effort to not collapse atop her. Lux on the other hand was a mess with her sweaty limbs and damp hair splayed out all across the desk.

For a moment the room was filled only with the sounds of their shared panting before Lux started giggling. "I guess you missed me…" Jarvan moved to gently grasp her by the sides of her face and pull her into another kiss. This one longer and less frantic. "I guess we both have to shower… again. We've got appointments in an hour.

The day went by rather smoothly, everyone in the city had been waiting in shared anticipation for the night.

After weeks of waiting while terms were negotiated the match between Demacia and Noxus was at last going to take place. A massive newly discovered iron mine had entrances on the territories of both city-states. Needless to say both Jarvan III and Swain were drooling to get their hands on it. As is custom for these more high profile matches the Institute of War had sent along a few of its junior level Summoners to broadcast the match in public places via channeling magic.

It's a very important thing to make sure the citizens who practically worshipped their home's champions got to see them perform and bring pride to their nation. Also it made for a very useful distraction for the commoners, leaving the ruling class free to observe the violence as well. Luxanna Crownguard was standing beside Prince Jarvan IV greeting the varied nobles and members of the Demacian Legislature who hadn't been invited to negotiate the terms of the match. The palace's assembly hall was nearly packed with every high profile citizen of the city was here, along with some of Lux's favorite guards she'd arranged to be on shift so they could watch too.

Lux didn't really consider herself manipulative but it only seemed fair to reward the people who competed for her affection. The one who didn't just happened to get left out.

That was thrown to the back of her head when Jarvan signaled his men to close the doors and began moving over toward his seat. Lux turned and followed after him without a word taking the seat beside him as the hooded summoners made their way to the front of the room normally reserved for the speaker and began channeling a huge window glowing with runed edges broadcasting the view of fields of justice.

Recently the summoners had mastered a way to link the window with the mind of whoever is looking at it. Everyone in this assembly hall was seeing a different image on it of whichever of Demacia's representatives they wanted to view. Ezreal had enlightened her that in reality the window was blank the magic simply linked you to the mind of whichever summoner was responsible for any given champion.

Things all started well enough, it looked to be a pretty even match with Quinn and Valor taking responsibility for the bottom lane with Sona to assist them, finding themselves against Draven and Morgana. Dominance in the jungle was going to be a race between Xin Zhao and that nutjob Warwick. Shauna Vayne had claimed the middle lane after finding out she'd be up against Vladimir. She said something along the lines of "leaving enough bolts in that worthless coward he'll never change back from a puddle." Dominance in the jungle was going to be a race between Xin Zhao and that nutjob Warwick.

And in the top lane, along with all of Lux's attention, would be the matchup that had nearly all of Valoran on the edge of their seats, Garen vs. Darius.

Jarvan looked over just in time to catch Lux mumbling to herself.

"Beat him brother… the whole world is watching…"

He could almost see the tension in her nerves as the battle truly got underway, the way she stared forward without blinking a dead giveaway how heavy this match weighed on her mind.

Suddenly she felt a strong hand wrap around her own as Jarvan wordlessly attempted to comfort her. The unexpected side effect however was that plenty of people happened to be looking at Jarvan just in time to catch the gesture.

And just like that the rumors started… and all eyes were on Lux.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Reviews and PM's welcome!