The woman's face was calming, almost serene in a way. Her skin was paler than most and tight against her bones. But color flushed with health in her cheeks in the most disgusting ways. Upon her forehead was a white symbol, a crescent moon with a full floating within it. To her, it was a shame that it was hidden behind the makeup that she was forced to wear. She gave a light sigh, pulling her shoulders back and praying for an eventful day in Demacia.
Diana already rued the choice she made by following Quinn and Garen to the city. As Lady Selene, she was treated with respect and honor by most. Prince Jarvan even gave her a glorious room in the castle though she has found it more of a fancy prison. She pushed her chair away from the mirror, glancing around with a frown. Large, lonely bed and a wardrobe of the most up to date dress styles. Her sword leaned against the wall near the side of the bed and her armor was taken for repairs days ago. It shouldn't take so long to fix a small dent.
"Hopefully," Diana growled lowly, her eyes casting out to the balcony of her tower room. "they will let me go. It would be a shame to see ashes here." She muttered, her lips tilting in a devious smile. Nothing will stand in her way of finding the Dawn.
A knock shook her back into her trapped position and slowly she raised herself. As Selene, she would have to wear the correct clothing for a woman of her statue. The dress was as confining as it was uncomfortable. It dragged behind her and loosely hung across her shoulders. The only thing she enjoyed was the color – almost as black as night. Diana cleared her throat before opening the door.
"Lady Selene." The young woman strummed against the ewthal lightly. Diana heard of the maven but never truly believed in it. Her hair flowed down in two tails, dancing slowly with the plucking of strings. Her feet did not touch the ground nor show. Her movements were graceful and the music divine. Diana bowed to Sona Buvelle,
"It is an honor to be in your presence Lady Sona. In Solari, as remote as it was, I heard of your gifts with music and was most intrigued. Forgive me for asking, but how can I hear you now if you have no voice?" Diana pondered to the young, blue haired Maven. Though, her body was full of grace and poise Sona was still a young girl at heart. She placed her hand in front of her mouth, as if to cover a laugh but there was no sound.
"Through the strings," Sona strummed at the golden instrument in her hand, "I can speak to only those I wish to speak too." Diana was awed and suddenly filled with a warm feeling. But before she could speak again, the Maven turned. "I would most enjoy it if you would accompany me today. Being cooped up in the castle for so long must be hard on you after all that you've witnessed."
Diana paused, emotions stirring. Sona was a gentle soul, one that would not chose a path of violence even if it meant her life. The lie was spreading and giving all the wrong impression of the Lunari woman. They thought of her as a survivor, a saint in black and armor. But in reality she was a murdered for hundreds. "I would love too." She forced out, knowing that now it was much too late to speak the truth. Not until the Dawn was found.
"Lady Selene, it is a pleasure to see you again!" The baby face Garen waved. He looked different without the hulking armor on. Diana and Sona paused, the sun filling the court yard with such a light it was hard to take eyes from it. The grass was a new shade of green, the building sparkling with the swirls in the marble. Laughter rose from every direction on the pathway, children play fighting and lovers strolling, it was so alien.
Sona did a silent giggle again as Garen stumbled his way over to them. Diana could tell, the Maven might have a crush on the large warrior. Only then did the feeling of dream vanish and the sinking reality came full. She was not this Selene and she had to remember that.
"Champion Garen." Diana said, her smile fake and light. "Lady Sona and I were about to head to the Smith to see if my armor was repaired. Then I will be able to continue my journey without worry."
Garen scratched the back of his head, sweat from a work out beading around his hair line. "You ready to leave so soon?" He muttered, almost as if he was a hurt puppy. Diana did her best to keep a straight face and her hands clasped. "You just got here a couple days ago and Prince Jarvan still needs your account for what happened."
"I gave him my account." Diana said, patience of the foolishness wearing thin. "My stay was never permanent and your Prince knows that. I must find the last of my people and return home. Hopefully, together we can rebuild Solari." She gritted out. Diana had no intentions of rebuilding the city of the Sun but rather lead the unsuspecting Dawn to it. Then she will strike the final blow and the Lunari will finally be at peace.
Sona gave a soft nod, "Lady Selene is correct Garen. Her loyalty to her people must come first." Diana was only then thankful for the Maven. Garen gave a curt nod, deciding that he should also tag along to the smithy. Diana wanted to roll her eyes at them both. She was truly not helpless!
Together they left the inside wall of the castle and back into the streets. People passed, bowed and waved to them. Men fawned over Sona while the woman gasped at Garen. Diana was stuck in the middle of it all, wanting to scratch out her eyes. As they walked, the afternoon sun vanished in the thick of clouds. It was then Diana could feel it. They were being watched.
Diana didn't care about Sona or Garen, they could take care of themselves for now. She made up an excuse to leave the group and after many minutes, Diana was alone. She snarled angrily, slipping into the alleys in between the buildings. Without her armor and her sword, she had no way of protecting herself from whomever the follower was. The smithy was only a couple blocks away, Diana could make it without being seen. Though, retrieving her weapon would be more challenging.
She pulled the skirt of her dress up, keeping to the power of her moon and with the sun covered it was more than enough to let her sneak around. The street was quiet, odd for the city she remembered walking into and dangerous for her. Diana dashed towards the back door of the blacksmith, the small patter of footsteps above her only gave her more reason to run.
Something in her knew that if they wanted to catch her, they could have. But instead, they let her slam the door shut and find the dark armor. Her dress was ripped off and quickly replaced by the repaired Lunari armor. Diana knew that she would need to find a weapon, even if it wasn't hers'. Her eyes found a long sword, sharpened and polished, it felt weird in her hands but that didn't matter now. All that mattered was her escape.
Diana pulled the front door open, just a crack and peered out. No one was there. The sunless day cast a dark shadow across Demacia, giving those who lurked there a large advantage. But Diana was fond of them herself. She moved swiftly from the smith home, keeping to the alley ways and in the dark. As she ran, her blonde white hair whipped around and strands fell over her eyes. Her jaw clenched, Diana bounced around the streets.
A buzzing behind her, Diana figured it could be only one thing. The star blade spun just across her face and took pieces of her hair. Assassins, Diana hated them with such a passion. Weak, vile humans that only fought with dirty tricks. The star blade stuck with a thump into the stone, leaving her only to guess where the cloaked figure was.
She skirted around a wall, dust kicking up from her boots. More blades descended upon her, only striking around her face and feet. Her eyes glanced up at the roof, fury pulsing. The hood was high, weapon wrapped around the right arm as if it was an extension. Diana narrowed her eyes, speeding up just slightly and throwing herself at the wall. Her foot caught and see hopped off one to the other, landing on a knee across the way from the man.
Diana gripped the sword, knowing the man hardly ten feet from her was more skilled at fighting with daggers than she was at defending herself from them. Another small dagger fell from his sleeve and he dispatched it. She hardly had time, relying only on her instincts to help guide her through the movements. The sword blade deflected the attack and the next one after that.
Together, they moved in a fluid and strange dance. He would throw and she would block or step aside. Sweat started to drip from her forehead and an ache throbbed around her shoulders but Diana was persistent. The assassin leaped and rolled to her only to throw more at her. One stuck in her thigh, her leg trembling with the pain as she pulled it loose.
The strange blade on his arm was more than it first appeared and he moved in. The blades sang as they struck, over and over again. The hooded man was silent, only grunting at her hits when she could land one. Diana was struggling to keep up with his speed. Without her blade and the moon in the sky, she was weaker than ever. His blade caught hers', spinning it and throwing it behind him.
Diana didn't care at the moment. She pulled back her stung hand and raised her left leg, kicking him hard across the face. The hood fell and a tousle of hair covered the cold face. She moved forward to attack again but something stopped her. Pain seared in her back and Diana stumbled forward.
"Why did I leave you alone again?" The woman purred viciously, glancing at the man and then back at her. "I'm so glad we found you. Now be a good mage and lay down." She said, eyes full of amusement. Diana pinched her eyes closed, reaching one hand behind her to find the source of her pain. A large dagger was hooked and dug deep within her skin. She fought through the blinding pain, pulling it out as best as she could.
The woman scoffed, her black boot slamming in her Diana's ribs. "Don't be stupid. We just want to talk." She said, "And if you behave maybe you can have this back."
Something cool rested against her neck, a familiar feeling rushing back into her body and for a moment she thought she was dead. But she wasn't. She knew the feeling and remembered it well enough. Somehow, the nasty assassin had her blade and was using it against her. Diana wanted to get up, to fight and win against her. But the darkness, lulled her into a sleep and Diana wondered for a moment what it would have been like if she never found the city of Demacia.