Chapter 6 – Refraction Pt. 2

As Lux guided Riven down the hallways towards the Mess Hall, Riven couldn't help but wonder why the Demacian girl was being so bold today. Last night, she'd left in a somewhat downcast state. Yet here she was, bright and cheerful as usual. She couldn't understand it.

"Hey Riven, your hands are really rough, you know that?" Lux grinned, looking over her shoulder.

Riven instinctively drew her hand back away from Lux's grasp. She hadn't really thought about it, but she realized now how relaxed she'd gotten around Lux, where she could easily take her by the hand like that.

"Now now, Riven. I didn't mean it like it was anything bad," She winked, "I just thought it was a sign of your hard work. My brother's hands are the same way."

Riven turned her head away. Hearing that didn't make her happy.

"Hmmm?" Lux leaned closer, "Does Riven want silky smooth hands like mine?"

Riven leaned back and avoided the question by looking away. She could feel her face growing warmer from a blush. Why did she allow Lux to tease her like this?

"Hehe, you're too cute, Riven." Lux giggled as she pirouetted and continued walking down the hall.

Riven's face was burning now. Cute? What did she mean by that?

She shook her head and breathed deeply. It meant nothing. She was just teasing again.

'You can't get so worked up over every little comment like that,' She told herself.

'But why do I care so much…?'

She mulled over the question. Lux was the first person she could call a friend, rather than a comrade. They had more differences than similarities, but somehow, Riven felt a connection with her. It wasn't because she'd given her her first kiss, was it? The thought made Riven's gut tighten. Was that a mistake? Had she just been too slow to react? She might've been able to stop Lux if her mind was clearer. But it wasn't… bad, to put it simply. It was merely… odd. She wasn't sure what she felt about it.

She watched as Lux walked away, her golden hair swishing back and forth, shining in the light as she walked so effeminately. There was something about her… Riven couldn't let herself dislike her, no matter what kind of embarrassing things she said. Maybe deep down she just found it amusing that such a fragile girl could make her weak as well. Was she really that much of a masochist?

She smirked. Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever the case, she felt it was worth the hassle to put up with it. Lux had the power to heal her wounds with only her presence. She quickly jogged to catch up. Lux looked back at her delightedly.

They entered the Mess Hall together. It was much more crowded than the last time she'd been here. Lux explained that there was a large match coming up, and all the candidates were here training. The match was a rare dispute between Bandle City and Piltover over trading agreements. Overall it was a rather small issue, but rather than settle it with diplomacy, the two cities decided to make a League Match out of it. It was more for commercial reasons than ethical ones. Riven knew that this was practiced on and off by the city-states in a sort of sporting nature. It kept people entertained and created revenue for both the cities and the League.

But as such, she saw many yordles around the room, along with the more notable Piltoverans such as Caitlyn and Ezreal.

The boy in question was sitting nearby, and noticed the girls entering. With a small flash, he teleported over to them, causing Riven to jump a little at the suddenness of it.

"Good afternoon, my lady Lux," He greeted, "And friend." He said, glancing at Riven.

"You too, Ez," Lux responded kindly, "This is Riven, the new champion."

Ez nodded, "I've heard about you. You're causing a bit of a stir among the summoners. Crazy kooks, all of 'em, if you ask me. I'm glad to see 'em worked up about something."

His attention turned entirely to Lux, "So, are you doing anything this weekend? I've scavenged some tickets to a cool research exhibit you might like."

Feeling ignored (and actually thankful for it), Riven observed the two. Were Lux and Ezreal… dating? She felt a slight pang in her side. What was that about? She usually only got that feeling when she was nervous.

"Hmm…" Lux considered the proposal, "I believe this weekend would be no good. I've got my duties to take care of."

Ezreal seemed to deflate a little, but perked up again right afterwards, "Well, if some free time opens up, let me know! I'm absolutely certain you'd enjoy it!"

"Will do, Ez," Lux said cheerfully.

Ez winked at her, nodded to Riven, and teleported back to his table, where Caitlyn was waiting. She seemed to reprimand him for something, but he just scratched the back of his head and smiled.

Lux turned to Riven, "He really is a simple one, huh?" She giggled. Riven gave Lux a lopsided smile. She was a little confused, and Lux didn't bother explaining.

"Come on, we're just over there," She said, pointing to the far corner of the room. Riven followed her lead.

Eventually they arrived at a table where three other women sat. Riven recognized one of them as Kayle, and another as Ashe. The third woman was foreign to her. Lux scurried over to the other side after positioning Riven beside Kayle.

"Alright! Now, Riven, I'm sure you've at least heard of Kayle and Ashe," Lux began. Kayle nodded at Riven. Ashe didn't respond, and simply continued eating her meal while reading a novel.

"And this," Lux continued, "is Leona, the Radiant Dawn."

Leona waved off the formal introduction. "Just Leona," She corrected to Riven, "A pleasure to meet you."

Riven nodded. She was dazzled by the way Leona shone, as if she really were radiating a glow. It was similar to Lux, in a way.

"I wanted you to meet them since you all have some things in common!" Lux explained gleefully, "See, Kayle is here because she left her home in order to save it from corruption. And Leona was exiled from Mount Targon because she found her true calling."

As Lux explained, Riven only felt pangs of discomfort. She tried her best to hide it. She knew Lux was doing this for her, and was trying to help her cope. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to understand it wasn't what Riven needed.

"I'm noticing a pattern here, Lux," Leona commented with a wry smile, "But what about Ashe?"

"Ah!" Lux wagged a finger, "That's because they both have white hair! I thought that since it's pretty rare, they must have some things in common!"

Leona burst out laughing. Even Kayle chuckled a little. Ashe, however, seemed to not notice the remark, making no reaction. Riven made a note in her mind that Ashe seemed either very cold or very sturdy. In either case, she felt unapproachable.

"Lux, why don't you find some food for yourself and Riven?" Leona suggested.

"Okay! What would you like, Riven?" Lux asked eagerly.

"Whatever you're having." Riven answered with a shrug.

Lux seemed to burst with happiness at the idea, and took off towards the buffet with a small skip to her step.

As Riven took her seat beside Kayle, Leona leaned over the table to speak with her.

"So you're the next target of Lux's interests. What did you do to acquire it, I wonder. I haven't seen her this bubbly since I arrived," She said with a laugh.

Riven smiled uncomfortably. She hadn't really done anything to capture Lux's attention.

"Relax," Leona smiled back, "We've all been through it. She loves trying to figure people out. Find out what drives them. She particularly likes the new champions. Fresh prey." Her smile turned into a devious grin.

Riven's smile faded. Was it really just that? Her gut felt tight at the thought of it. The way Lux spoke to her made her feel like she wanted more than just information. Or was it just a false hope she felt?

She felt Leona's eyes on her, studying her.

"You like her, don't you?" She asked curiously.

Riven's eyes met with hers in surprise. She opened her mouth to deny it, but she realized doing so would only make her look foolish. She was being too obvious with her emotions.

"Hmm… That look in your eyes. Perhaps it's more?" Leona suggested.

"It's not-" Riven exclaimed, only stopping when she noticed Lux had returned. Their eyes met. Lux looked curiously at her for a moment. Riven quickly averted her eyes, her face flushing completely.

Lux's eyes darkened as she set down the plates. "Leona, are you bullying my Riven?"

Leona laughed loudly, "Of course not, Lux. I'm just teasing her a little. Allow a woman her pleasures, dear."

Lux glared at her. Leona's smile faltered and she sighed in defeat.

"Alright, you win. If it will make you feel better, I apologize to 'your' Riven." She said, winking at the person in question.

Riven sank into her seat. The conversation was out of her grasp.

"Well now, I do hate to leave so early, but I have some business to attend to," Leona explained as she stood, "I hope to see you again soon, Riven. May the light guide your way."

Riven's gaze followed her as she left. She walked swiftly and gracefully out of the hall. Riven's attention was brought back by a loud thump in front of her. Lux had taken Leona's seat and set Riven's food down in front of her – a salad of some sort.

"Really," Lux pouted, "That woman might have given up on physical prowess, but she still loves her mental victories."

"Luxanna," Kayle spoke up, "You too may want to consider your words more carefully. You're causing much distress to our guest."

Lux gave a shocked glance to Riven, which quickly fell to a disheartened stare. Riven felt her own heart grow heavy at the sight of it.

"Riven, I-"

Riven held up a hand to stop her. "I… don't really mind." She muttered. She wasn't sure why seeing Lux so dismayed had the same effect on her, but if she could solve the problem with a little bit of humility, she could handle it. That was part of being a friend, right?

Lux seemed genuinely touched by the small response and whatever sadness she showed vanished. She beamed back at Riven.

"You don't have to say that if you don't want to… But I guess you aren't the type to say something you don't mean, are you." She reasoned. Riven didn't answer. She wasn't sure if Lux was talking to her or herself.

"Nevertheless, thank you Riven."

Riven attempted to smile, but was still uncomfortable in this situation. The amount of people around her was making her feel claustrophobic. And she was sure she could feel someone watching her, observing her every move. She didn't know who it was, or where they were in the room. She just felt it.

Lux, meanwhile, had turned her attention to Kayle, asking her how her search for a person named Ashram was going. Riven could vaguely recall the name, but couldn't quite remember who it was. Kayle shook her head slowly, explaining that she didn't even know where to begin.

Riven felt the eyes on her again. She glanced around in an attempt to spot whoever it was. But the hall was too crowded to pinpoint a source. She went back to eating, and listening quietly to the conversation. She thought Ashe was probably listening as well, even though her head still didn't raise from the book.

Before Riven realized it, she had finished her salad. It wasn't very filling, and she considered going for seconds.

"How was it, Riven?" Lux asked.

As she looked up to answer, Riven noticed a dark figure lurking behind Lux. She instantly recognized it and kicked Lux's chair. It was knocked into him, while her own chair was pushed backwards. She jumped onto the table and launched herself over Lux to tackle the still-reeling figure. By the time they landed on the floor, Riven had pulled out one of the many knives he held on him and brought it to his throat. The man coughed, making no attempt to struggle.

"Riven," Said Talon, the Blade's Shadow, plainly.

"What are you doing here?" Riven growled lividly, keeping her hold on the blade.

Talon looked away, seemingly bored, "That's none of your concern."

Riven increased the pressure on the blade. It made an indentation on his neck, but didn't cut through.

Talon sighed, with some difficulty, but didn't answer.

"Riven!" Lux exclaimed as she rushed to her side. She put a hand on Riven's forearm.

"Please," She whispered urgently, "You can't do this here."

Riven glanced at her and back to Talon. Still frowning, she released her hold on him and stood up, dropping the blade beside him. It rang with a metallic clang as it landed.

As she began walking away, Lux backed away for a moment, afraid to get too close. Talon got up and brushed himself off, "So it looks like I'm no longer the only dog here."

Riven stopped as she felt her anger rising, but took a deep breath to keep it down. She could tell by the sudden quiet in the room that she'd attracted the attention of the entire hall. She didn't need any more, and continued walking away.

Lux glanced back and forth between Talon and Riven, and decided to chase after her.

Talon glared vacantly at the two girls as they exited the Mess Hall, "I forgot to tell her about Katarina." He rubbed his back where he had hit the floor, "Oh well."

He sat down in Lux's former seat at the table and picked away at what was left of her salad.

"I take it you're having as much luck as I, Talon," Kayle stated tersely.

Talon regarded her for a moment and muttered something inaudible.

Ashe closed her book and dropped it on the table with a loud thump, attracting the attention of the others.

"So, what did I miss?" She asked, looking at the others expectantly.


Lux caught up to Riven shortly after they entered the hallway. Riven wasn't walking very quickly. But Lux didn't say anything, instead choosing to walk alongside Riven quietly. Riven felt it was odd of her to do so and being irritated already, it bothered her enough to ask.

"Why do you not talk now, of all times? Where's your curiosity? Your need for information?" She spat. She hadn't meant to say anything beyond the first question. It all just tumbled together.

Lux didn't seem hurt by it. "You didn't seem like you were in the mood for talking," She replied quietly.

"And since when has that stopped you before?" Riven countered bitterly.

Lux's complexion darkened a little. Riven immediately regretted saying it. These weren't the words she wanted.

"What do you want then, Riven?" She asked, the slightest hint on anger in her voice.

Riven faltered. Her frustration welled up even more. Why couldn't she explain anything right?

"Would you like to talk about it Riven?" Lux asked more sternly.

Riven shook her head furiously, "No. That won't help at all."

"Then do what you always do. Fight."

Riven was taken aback by the girl. Her anger changed into surprise. Just what was she saying?

"I know you don't put value in words. I get that!" Lux professed, "So if you want to get your point across, then fight me!"

Lux put her fists up and took on a standard fighting stance, one she'd probably learned in the military. But Riven could tell it wouldn't do her any good with her physical strength. Was this really what she wanted?

Riven sighed and covered a side of her face with her hand. "I'm not going to fight you, Lux."

Lux lowered her fists, seemingly disappointed. Riven stifled a laugh at the display. She couldn't imagine why Lux would want to fight in order to make her feel better. "I don't get it, Lux. Why do you care so much about me?"

"Because I like you," Came her quick response, followed by a coy smile.

Riven did a double-take. "What do you… mean by that?" She asked slowly. Her gut had tightened, and she wasn't sure of how to interpret it.

Lux giggled, "And this is why. You never fail to keep me interested."

Riven stood there, waiting for an explanation. Lux just grinned, her eyes flashing mischievously.

"Come with me. We're gonna have a private talk," She said as she grabbed Riven's hand and walked down a separate hall.

The entire way, Riven's mind was chaos. Were her overreactions actually correct? What would Lux's answer be? Why was she taking her to a 'private' talk?

The feel of Lux's hand on hers now was different. It tingled in an odd way. She wanted to let go to be free on the sensation, but she was afraid of offending Lux. She'd done enough of that already.

What seemed like an excruciatingly long time later, Lux pulled Riven into the same courtyard they'd met at the other night.

Lux let go of Riven's hand and motioned towards one of the benches, "Have a seat."

This felt like the beginning of bad news. Riven sauntered over and sat down. Lux positioned herself beside her, waiting a few moments before speaking.

"Riven, I'm going to be very straightforward with you. Do you mind?" She asked.

Riven shook her head slowly. In some way, she could appreciate the thought.

"Alright then, here goes," She declared.

"Riven," Lux started, making sure to look her in the eyes, "Do you like me?"

Riven recoiled so much she almost fell off the bench. "W- What?"

"I'm serious. Do you like me?" Lux insisted.

Riven knew her face must have been bright red. She didn't know how to reply.

"I… I don't know," She managed.

Lux frowned, apparently not satisfied with the answer, "Then… Do you love me?"

"No!" Riven blurted out. Seeing Lux's shocked expression, though, she tried to explain. "I mean… I don't know. I don't know anything about this. It's all new to me."

"Hmm," Lux pondered, "Perhaps a better question would be: Do you know the difference between 'like' and 'love'?"

Riven scrunched her eyebrows. The truth was, she didn't. How could she tell? She'd never felt strongly about anyone for any reason, aside from disgust towards a couple particular Zaunites.

"So you've never been in love, Riven?" Lux asked quietly.

Riven shook her head.

"I should have guessed that much, I suppose," Lux mused.

Riven studied the other girl. Should she just have said she liked Lux? She knew she did. But to what extent? It was just as a friend, right?

"What… about you?" Riven asked nervously.

Lux averted her eyes, a shy smile creeping across her face. This was the first time Riven had seen Lux truly embarrassed. "Yeah… I've fallen in love before. Well, just once."

Riven remembered Lux's conversation with Ezreal earlier, and she anxiously anticipated the continuation of the answer. Her own curiosity had gotten the better of her.

She glanced at Riven, but didn't hold the gaze long. She really was embarrassed. "He was a Noxian," She stated.

Riven's look of surprise must have been clearly visible, because Lux laughed.

"And what's with that reaction?"

"Well, I don't know…" She said, flustered, "You just… seem like the kind of girl who'd go for the straight-and-narrow Demacian guy."

"You mean someone like my brother?" Lux asked unenthusiastically.

Riven got the feeling that was the wrong answer. Lux just smiled wistfully and shook her head. "I couldn't imagine dating someone so… boring. I don't get why people think I idolize him in some way. I barely know him. When I was young, he was already part of the army. And when I arrived there, he was already busy with his duties. And then he disappeared to the League, without even contacting me. Now, even when we get the chance to spend time together, he's completely silent and absorbed in his obligations to the royal family."

She stared off into the distance for a moment before continuing. "I don't really feel any sort of connection with him. It's like we live in separate worlds, even though we're supposed to be family."

Riven listened quietly. She didn't have anything to offer to the girl. But from the sound of it, it seemed like Lux just wanted to talk. The least she could do was hear her out.

"You were adopted into the army when you were young, right Riven?" Lux asked.

Riven nodded slowly. Had she mentioned that before?

Lux's smile faded a little, "I guess I'm the same. My parents gave me up to the military when I was thirteen. Of course, this was after they'd learned of my abilities. They thought it was the best thing that could have happened to me. They just shipped me off without asking my opinion."

Riven noticed Lux was digging her nails into her palm. She wanted to reach out and grab her hand to stop it, but… wouldn't that be too forward? She decided not to.

"I kind of envy you, in a way," Lux's voice cracked as she continued, "You never got to know your family. You didn't have to bear the pain of having your life taken from you."

A tear escaped Lux's eye and she quickly made to wipe it away. Riven's heart sank. She hadn't seen Lux cry before either. It seemed unnatural. Worse, it made her upset as well.

She reached out and grabbed Lux's free hand, despite her mind's objections. She wanted to help. Lux quickly looked up in shock.

"You seem to know a lot about me," Riven complained, smirking in an attempt to change the mood.

Lux chuckled through a sob, "Yeah, I do. I'm sorry. It's a bad habit of mine. I just think you're-"

"Interesting?" Riven interrupted. Lux grinned bashfully and nodded.

Riven shook her head, "I don't mind it that much. I haven't had this much attention since military school. But in return… I think I'd like to know more about you, Lux."

Lux touched her chin in thought for a moment before responding. "Deal," She agreed. She was looking happier already.

'I'm glad,' Riven thought to herself. Lux was at her best when she was smiling.

"Now about that Noxian…" Riven started.

"Lux," Came a stern voice from across the courtyard. The girls both jumped a little at the sound of it, and Lux quickly pulled her hand away. Riven turned her head to see who it was. It was the man she'd seen Lux with the other day. She recognized him now, as he was standing in his full suit of armour. It was Garen, the Might of Demacia.

She looked back at Lux, whose eyes were on the ground, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Sorry," She whispered to Riven as she stood and strode towards Garen. Neither of them said a word as she walked past towards the hallway behind him. Riven watched silently as Lux disappeared from sight. Garen stared at her threateningly for a moment longer, before following behind Lux.

As soon as they were gone, Riven sighed and rested her head in her hands. How could she forget something so simple? Of course there were going to be issues with her, a Noxian, being friends with Lux. Why had she felt so hopeful that everything would work out just fine?

"Riven," A familiar voice called out to her.

She quickly looked up to see Irelia approaching, her floating blade at her side as usual. Riven's stomach lurched. Why did she always show up at the most uncomfortable times? She already felt ashamed of her actions, and now she felt the dismay of realizing her stupidity as well.

"I'm sorry about before," Riven said glumly.

Irelia gave her a puzzled look, "What for?"

"What I did… in the duel. I went too far."

Irelia just smiled, "Nonsense. I could see your conviction in your actions. It was very impressive. Do you expect to harm my feelings so easily?"

Riven didn't answer. Irelia walked over to the bench and placed a hand on Riven's shoulder. Riven regarded her carefully. What did she want?

"You seem to be the type of person who likes the direct approach, so I'll state this simply, Riven. I'll be leaving for Ionia tomorrow for our country-wide harvest festival."

Riven nodded slowly. What did this have to do with her?

"You're coming with me," Irelia finished with a smile.

Oh.


Elsewhere within the League, a man sat in an armchair, reading a book in near darkness. The only light came from a lamp on his desk a few feet away. There was a knock on the door to his room.

"Enter," He called out calmly.

A dark figure opened the door slightly and slid in, closing it behind him. He stayed in the entranceway.

"It's progressing just as you planned, aside from the small mix-up before."

The man waved his hand in dismissal. "A slight casualty in the greater scheme of things. It was more for convenience's sake than anything. We needn't worry about it."

The dark figure nodded in understanding.

"How long until they find him?" The man asked.

"I'd say at least a day, but less than three."

The man in the armchair was silent for a moment.

"Yes. That'll do. Thank you for the report, as always."

"Yes, Lord Falnic," The figure said as he exited again.

"Lord…" He muttered after the figure had disappeared, "No, that doesn't sound right at all. Perhaps Master… Yes, that would seem more appropriate. Master Falnic."

He chuckled to himself as he closed the book shut with a thud, "The time is drawing near."