Chapter 8 – Sundown
"Love makes you weak."
"Do you understand? All of you? It is unnecessary for you. Consider it a disability. It is something you must overcome. Train yourself to abandon it."
The general paced back and forth along the line of soldiers as he instructed. He stopped in front of her, and looked directly into her eyes. She watched him study her silently.
He smiled. "You've already learned this lesson, haven't you?"
She shook her head, unspeaking.
He struck her across the face. "That's 'No, sir!', cadet!"
"No sir." She responded quietly in monotone. The pain from the blow was meager.
He glared at her, then moved on. "You'd all do well to learn a little from Riven here. She may be stupid, but at least she knows a soldier needs no feelings."
Riven might have felt glad at the slight praise, had she known that was as much as she'd get.
The ferry departed soon after Lux arrived. Riven continued sitting where she was. Her meeting with Lux had been cut short by some children who encircled her and bombarded her with loud questions and cries of excitement. Riven could see Lux's enjoyment as she hand-motioned an apology and a 'We'll talk soon' before being dragged back into the crowd.
Riven had nodded in understanding then, but her patience was wearing out unusually quickly. Her mind was burning with questions for the Demacian.
'What are you doing?'
'Why are you here?'
… 'Did you come here for my sake?'
She knew she wouldn't actually ask the last one, and didn't expect an answer. But for some reason she felt happy at the possibility.
"Riven."
And there she was. The questions she meant to ask tumbled away as Riven took in the sight before her. Lux stood at the opposite side of the ship, bathed in the orange light of the sunset. Her golden hair shone brightly in the accentuated glow, and her blue eyes gleamed with their unnatural fierceness, creating a stark, offsetting contrast. Her smile revealed not only relief, but a sincere happiness.
After a long moment, Riven remembered her words.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. She kicked herself mentally at the tone of her voice. Did she sound inconsiderate?
But Lux just continued smiling and walked closer. She stopped when she reached Riven's seat.
"Lux?" Riven uttered unsurely.
Gently, Lux tugged Riven's hand, pulling her away from her seat. Riven followed her, confused and dazed by the action, towards the other end of the ferry.
There were a number of people gathered here, and Riven quickly realized why. The sun was setting directly behind Piltover. The burning light reflected off all of its skyscrapers and glass buildings, and most significantly the central tower. It looked like fire.
She turned to Lux to say something, but lost her voice as she saw tears running down the girl's face. She seemed unaware of it, herself.
"Lux…?"
Lux turned her head and their eyes met. Her expression seemed blank, but Riven noticed a deeper sadness in it, and suddenly felt concerned.
"Lux, what's wrong?"
Lux's expression changed to embarrassment as she went to wipe away the tears. "Sorry," She apologized with a shaky voice, "I guess I was just a bit overwhelmed by the sunset."
Her tone seemed different from usual. Like she had lost the casual confidence she normally spoke with.
Riven tightened her grip on Lux's hand, causing her to look her in the eye again in surprise.
"Lux, what happened yesterday? Why are you here?"
Lux smiled sheepishly through her sadness. "I…" She started, then shook her head and pulled away. She walked to the railing, and Riven followed.
Lux sighed heavily, and as she spoke again, her voice returned to its normal strength.
"I was going to pretend that everything was okay." She said, looking out to the ocean as the sky darkened above them. "I had this big elaborate story to explain why I was here, but…"
She shook her head again and looked to Riven. "I think I… ran away from home."
"I know, what am I? A teenager?" She laughed softly as Riven displayed her surprise.
She paused and looked away. "I just… I'm tired of pretending."
Riven squinted, trying to understand. "Pretending?"
Lux nodded, biting her lower lip. Riven could tell she was struggling with her words, which seemed odd. The look in her eyes reminded her of their first meeting.
"Why are you here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
It was the same expression. Like she didn't have an answer she wanted and had no way of finding it.
"Riven," Lux said abruptly, "Have you ever felt like your life is a lie?"
Riven considered that it was a rhetorical question and she couldn't quite figure out what Lux meant, but still she answered. "Once."
Lux nodded slowly, a small, conflicted smile creeping onto her face. "And what did you do to fix it?"
Riven closed her eyes. The conversation with Katarina was still fresh in her mind, and the answer came to her immediately. "I started living. For real."
Lux glanced at her, astonished.
BOOM
Both girls jumped at the sound of an explosion. Several people screamed, followed by shouting from all over the ferry.
Riven glanced around quickly, trying to assess the situation. Her eyes caught on Lux. She had a serious look on her face as she analyzed the area. Riven's worry faded for a moment as a thought crossed her mind.
'She's the same.'
"Pirates!" Came a shout from the second level of the ship.
Riven pushed through the scrambling crowd. All she saw was panic. It reminded her of the war. She didn't want to think about it right now, but she didn't have much choice. The fear on civilians' faces all looked the same. She'd seen enough of it to last her a lifetime. She didn't want to see it ever again.
She came to the opposite railing, and saw the pirate ship closing in. It was a large one, and was much closer than she'd expected. It flew no flag on its mast, save for a tattered black sheet. It was easily catching up to the ferry and approaching its broadside.
BOOM
Smoke erupted from one of the many cannons. A plume of water erupted in front of the ferry.
Warning shots. They were planning to board.
Riven glanced up at the ferry's bridge and saw the captian frantically calling for help through the Piltoverian radio. But she knew it would be too late for any help from the city. The pirates were here now.
Lux put a hand on Riven's shoulder, and locked eyes with her. To Riven, they seemed cold, calculating. She felt a shiver run down her spine.
Lux nodded. Riven understood. It was unlikely the ferry had any defenses. If they wanted to continue on, they would need to protect it themselves. But against an entire ship armed with cannons, Riven wasn't sure how much they could do.
Lux pulled out a small baton from her waistbag. With a flick of her wrist, it telescoped to three times its size and began to glow at the ends. Riven felt a small boost of confidence, seeing her like that. Lux could use her light magic. Maybe they had a chance after all.
"'Tention all passengers!" A booming voice announced from the pirate ship. A large balding man with a red goatee stood on the edge of the ship, sneering. "This is the part where ye forfeit yer valuables.. or yer life!"
He laughed at his own joke, and then yelled something to his crew. Several others appeared at the edge of the boat holding weapons and ropes tied to the mast.
They were coming.
Riven reached for her sword. But her hand found nothing.
'Shit!'
She looked to the bow, where she had left her travel bag.
"Riven! Keep them busy! I've got a plan!" Lux said urgently as she ran off into the crowd. Riven didn't get the chance to respond, but decided to trust in the mage. She turned to dash to her bag, only to be cut off by the first arrival of the pirates. A gangly man landed in front of her, wielding a dagger.
"Hold it, luv. Where do ya think yer goin', eh?" He said as he pointed his dagger loosely at her. Too loosely.
Without a word, Riven grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her, bringing her other palm forwards into his face. The blow shocked him enough that he dropped the blade, and with a swift maneuver, Riven twisted his arm behind his back and pushed him down onto the deck. Still holding his wrist, she brought her other arm down heavily on the back of his elbow, snapping it, and pushed him aside as she rushed past. From the sound of his scream, he had fallen overboard through the railing, but Riven didn't waste any time to check. Within seconds, she made it to her seat and found her bag.
She reached in and grabbed her sword's hilt… only to feel the pressure of a gun against the small of her back. She froze.
"In a hurry to be first? Alright then, hand it over." Said a new, gruff voice.
Riven considered her options. She had her sword, but it would be too slow to counter a gun at this point. Unless… She grimaced.
Slowly, she made to pass the bag over her shoulder. The pirate chuckled and moved in to take it. Before he could touch it, however, Riven sent a fully-charged Ki Blast at him, tearing her bag to pieces in the process. The pirate was knocked away by the blast and landed on his back a few metres away. Immediately afterwards, a foot landed violently on his wrist, breaking it. He yelled out in pain and looked up in terror. Riven loomed over him, fuming.
"I liked that bag."
She brought her foot up again, and kicked him in the chin. Hard. His jaw made a loud crack, but he blacked out before he could scream any further.
Riven turned her attention to the other pirates. Their comrades' yells had been noticed, and two more were headed her way, swords drawn. Riven readied herself. With a studying gaze, she took a deep breath, entering her focus. Every detail of her vision, her hearing, her every sense awakened, sharpened. She calculated the intentions of the two charging her, their eyes and feet telling her everything she needed to know. She waited a long second for her opportunity, and it began.
She stepped into her slash just as the first pirate attacked. Their blades made contact, shattering his clumsy shortsword. In the two seconds it took him to realize and recover, Riven pushed past him, kicking the second pirate back. In the three seconds it took for him to catch himself and charge again, Riven had swung the blunt end of her sword backhanded at the first. He managed to get his arms up to shield his head, but the impact was enough to break them and knock him away. He was lucky. A direct hit would have killed him.
The second was upon her again, scimitar raised high above his head. He was roaring, as if it would intimidate her. She swung upwards to deflect his incoming blow. He lost his grip on his sword and it flew far into the ocean. The sudden panic was apparent on his face, but Riven didn't see it. Not in this state. She stabbed forwards, impaling him. He crumpled and fell as Riven withdrew.
And it was over.
Riven stood up straight, scanning the area for any more around her. Seeing none, she studied her work. One unconscious, one incapacitated, one dead. And one overboard, she recalled. She made to move on to another area, but stopped at the sound of Lux's voice.
"Attention pirates!" She yelled brightly from the top of the bridge. She was at level with the captain of the pirate ship now, and she twirled her baton between her fingers. "We have here two League champions, protecting this ferry from injustice!"
She paused, waiting for a response.
"This is the part where you run for you lives," She continued with a dark grin, "Before I blow your ship to pieces!"
All eyes were on Lux now. But no one made a move. Her grin faded to a frown.
"Alright. I understand. You need a time limit. I'll give you ten seconds."
She stood up straight and released her baton in front of her, where it floated on its own. She clasped her hands behind it, murmuring something quietly. The baton began spinning in place, and from its centre a dim red light shot forth, marking a spot on the pirate ship's hull.
"Ten."
There was an intense scramble on the ferry as the leftover pirates began fleeing back to the ship.
"Nine."
"Hold it, ye cowards!" Called the captain from the ship. Riven watched as he drew a pistol and pointed it at Lux.
'No!' She bolted towards the wall and vaulted herself up to the second level.
"Eight." Lux called out, oblivious to the threat.
Riven realized she wouldn't make it. "Lux! Gun!" She yelled. Lux didn't make a move.
The sharp crack of gunpowder pierced any other noise on the ships. A loud 'clink' followed immediately afterwards, and then a small 'thud'.
'He hit the baton,' Was Riven's first thought, relieved. But she saw Lux flinch, just slightly, and noticed her left sleeve was beginning to turn red. The bullet had only been put off course. He must have been aiming for her head.
"Five." Lux continued, a hint of unsteadiness creeping into her voice. Her baton was spinning faster and glowing brightly. A steady hum was building in strength.
The captain, meanwhile, was busy loading his pistol again, muttering curses audibly. Riven knew she had to act quickly. Lux was still in danger.
The pirate took aim. "Lights out, mis- Oof!"
He recoiled as he was hit by a flying life preserver, knocking the pistol out of his hand.
Riven smirked triumphantly. Ranged weapons weren't her forte, but her aim wasn't bad, apparently.
"Two."
The pirate staggered back to his spot and realized the situation. He looked back to the inner quarters of the ship and yelled "Captain!"
Riven saw a flash of blue light from the windows of the captain's quarters.
'What the-'
"One."
Lux opened her eyes and stopped chanting.
"Demacia!" She yelled as an enormous beam of light erupted from her baton. It tore through the pirate ship's hull, then moved to slice it, bisecting the entire vessel on a sharp angle. The reaction was swift, and the halves of the ship rapidly listed and groaned as they took on water, the wood snapping everywhere. The pirate on deck had disappeared in the chaos.
A cheer erupted from the ferry passengers, and the stranded pirates dropped their weapons and knelt in defeat.
Lux dropped to the floor, causing a bout of worry inside Riven, in place of the confusion she felt from the odd spectacle.
"Lux!" She called out as she made for the ladder to the top level, clipping her sword at her waist. When she arrived, Lux was holding her baton tightly, a grim smile plastered on her face. Riven rushed to her side and put an arm around her for support. She made to inspect the gunshot wound, but was stopped as Lux gently collapsed into her.
"It's alright, Riven. It's not like I've never been shot before... I'm just tired."
She looked up at Riven with puppy-dog eyes, "Carry me?"
Riven sighed. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or just giving up. "Fine, but just this once." She conceded.
"Eh? Reall-Eep!" Lux squeaked as Riven hefted her into her arms without difficulty.
'She's so light,' Riven thought humourously.
Lux looked away quickly. "I was only kidding…" She muttered. Riven noticed the other girl's cheeks turning red.
"Are you… embarrassed, Lux?" Riven taunted, feeling bold.
"W-well of course I am!" Lux stammered. "Besides… I'm heavy, aren't I?"
Riven smirked. Part of her wanted to tease Lux the same way she teased her. Her conscience won over, though, as she answered honestly, "You're light as a feather, Lux."
Lux's blush deepened as she gave a look mixed of shock and relief. She bit her lip, like she was considering something. She reached her uninjured arm around Riven's shoulders and leaned her head against it.
"Keep treating me like a princess and I might start treating you like my knight in shining armour." She said quietly.
It was Riven's turn to blush. She realized how this situation might look to others, and only then became conscious of Lux's proximity to her. With her cradled in her arms, nearly the whole length of Lux's body was pressed against her.
Her chest felt tight. She tried to ignore it, but she met Lux's eyes, and the feeling extended to her gut.
And that was when she knew.
Despite never having experienced it before. Without ever wanting to know, or having the slightest inclination in searching for it. Without the smallest wonder of what it was like… She knew in that moment.
'I'm in love with this girl.' The thought raced through her mind, over and over, a hundred times in a mere second. She wouldn't let herself believe it, but she already knew her body had decided this for her.
"Riven?" Lux's voice came distantly, even though she was right there, "Is something wrong?"
"No…" She replied absent-mindedly, "I'm just… having trouble thinking straight."
Lux frowned. "I think we should both go sit down for a bit."
Riven clicked back into reality. "Your arm! We have to get it treated!"
Lux chuckled. "Just take me to where you were sitting earlier. I'll show you a little trick."
Riven nodded. What could she possibly have up her sleeve now? "Hold on."
"What fo-eeep!" Lux cried as Riven hopped down to the level below. When they landed, Lux was gripping her in a near-stranglehold.
"I wish you'd warn me before doing things like that," She gasped.
"I did warn you." Riven stated, glad that Lux was holding onto her tight enough to not see her face turning red. Her heart was throbbing.
Riven continued on towards the stairs that led to the lower deck. She was met with a crowd of passengers and crewmen, cheering and applauding.
"I guess they're glad you were here," Riven said to Lux.
'I am too,' She continued on in her mind, but dared not say it.
Lux shook her head. "They're cheering for you too, you know."
Riven paused, and viewed the crowd. A little girl ran up and hugged her leg tightly.
"You were so cool!" She cried with eyes full of admiration.
The effect was stunning on Riven. She had never been thanked like this, by so many people. It felt… good, in a way she was unfamiliar with. She smiled, and looked to the girl in her arms, who grinned back.
Riven walked through the crowd, and they parted to let her pass, still cheering as she made her way back to the bow. They passed by the pirates who'd been captured. The ferry crewmen were busy tying them up with spare rope.
When they reached the seats, Riven carefully placed Lux down. She was still concerned about the wound, but Lux seemed entirely indifferent. She silently hoped Lux wasn't just putting on a brave face for the crowd.
Lux motioned for Riven to sit down beside her, and she did. The cheering died down a bit as the passengers wondered what was going on.
"Watch." Lux directed to Riven.
She watched. Lux closed her eyes and put her right hand over the wound on her left arm. She quietly murmured a chant, and winced slightly as a small glow enveloped her hand. She drew it away, releasing a small object onto the deck. Riven realized it was the bullet, bloodied and dented.
Lux placed her hand on her arm again. The chant changed, along with the glow. The strained look on her face faded away and her body relaxed. After a minute or so, her hand dropped to her lap and she swayed slightly. Riven swiftly reached out to support her. As she did, she took a peek at the wound, only to find it completely gone.
Lux breathed deeply. "I'm fine," She said quietly, seemingly more to herself than to Riven, and stood up.
"Thank you for your wondrous appreciation everyone!" She called out in her cheerful voice. The crowd applauded again, and she had to wave her hands to calm them down.
"We are glad we were able to be here to help you today. Who knows what would have happened otherwise." She paused. "But know this! Where there are Demacians, there is justice! We do not falter, we do not forgive. Retribution will be served!"
Riven recognized the line. It was straight from The Measured Tread, Demacia's handbook. She had studied it in her travels, in case she ever needed to pretend to be Demacian. It had worked, to some extent. She wasn't the best of actors, but the countryfolk of Demacia weren't the most suspicious of people.
The clapping after Lux's piece quieted, and the ship's captain stepped out. He thanked Lux and gave her a hearty handshake, then turned to Riven.
"You fight well, miss…"
"Riven." She finished for him.
He nodded. "My sincerest thanks, Miss Riven. You saved my ship and my passengers. I don't know how I can repay you."
Riven suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed. She was elated at the praise she was receiving, but it was a bit too much, wasn't it? In Noxus, she might have been congratulated, and that would have been the end of it. Here, she was overwhelmed.
The captain seemed confused by her silence. Lux put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, she's not used to getting this much attention."
The captain looked at her, and she continued, "As for a reward, none is necessary. Though… A trip back in a week's time might be nice." She grinned.
The captain shared her smile, "Of course! Any time!"
Lux nodded and turned back to the crowd, "Now, ladies and gentlemen! We'd like to have some time to ourselves. We're a bit exhausted after the events today. It's getting late, so be careful walking around on deck!"
The crowd began to disperse to the other areas of the ship. A few people approached Lux asking questions, but were shooed away by a kind elderly lady, much to Lux's amusement. Finally, Lux returned to her seat beside Riven, and immediately set her head on Riven's shoulder.
"Just stay there for a while, 'kay?" She said with a sigh. Riven wanted to protest, but she let herself give in all too quickly. She had that feeling again while Lux was this close. She couldn't decide whether to distance herself or get closer. She was happy, but aching. And she was frustrated that she was enjoying it. This went against everything she'd been taught.
Lux was quiet. Riven glanced down to see that she'd fallen asleep already. Her face was so close. Her heart started throbbing again. She recalled seeing couples in this sort of situation. The boy would put his arm around the girl at this point and pull her closer…
"Fuck." She whispered to herself, wiping her face with her free hand. She got up slowly, being careful to lay Lux down across the seats. She didn't wake, but Riven thought she looked a little uncomfortable.
She glanced around. There were very few people still out on deck as the night set in. Good enough. She took her shirt off and bundled it up to make a pillow, slipping it under Lux's head.
She shuddered as the cold nipped at her arms. Her undershirt wouldn't give much protection, but… she couldn't help but smile as she watched Lux sleep so peacefully.
Riven stepped out to the front of the ship and looked over the waters. The ocean was nearly still, and the full moon cast a bright reflection across the surface, broken by small ripples.
She took a deep breath to clear her head. She needed to think straight. What was she doing? What was the goal here? She couldn't figure anything out.
She looked back at the sleeping girl. What would she think of this? Did she feel the same way? No, that would be ridiculous. She said she wanted to be friends. Just friends. Nothing more.
But the way she talked to her… The way she held her hand, hugged her… and that kiss. How could she ignore all that? Was it possible…?
'No!' She yelled in her mind, 'Stop it. There's no way. It can't work. She's Demacian. You're Noxian.'
But… She said she fell in love with a Noxian before.
Riven growled and slammed her fist on the railing. This wasn't helping. Why did she have these feelings? Things were so simple before. Before the damn war, she'd known her purpose. Everything was right. Nothing bothered her. Why did it have to be so complicated now?
She unclipped her sword and walked to the centre of the bow. She took another deep breath, forcing everything away. She needed to focus. She needed her training. She needed to relax.
'Five…Six…Seven…' Riven counted in her mind, keeping track of the repetitions. It was the same every day. 10 cycles of every set. 20 sets in total. Every motion of swordplay accounted for, every muscle needed, worked and toned to its full potential. People asked her why she was so small. She replied to them that she didn't need to be any bigger.
She stepped forwards, swinging her sword in a long, slow stroke. Her arm burned as it kept her sword fully outstretched during the exercise. She finished that set and switched arms. She was naturally right-handed, but had made a point to train her left hand as much as possible, in case it became necessary. Just as she was about to start again, she heard a voice.
"Riven?" Lux called from the seats. Riven looked over, wiping the sweat off her brow. The cold of the ocean breeze had long since disappeared from her senses. Though it was dark, the moon shone brightly enough to illuminate the deck. Lux was already standing, holding Riven's shirt in her hands. She walked over, shivering.
"How can you stand it out here like that?" She asked, forcing the shirt into Riven's hands.
Riven shrugged, "I kept myself warm."
"Didn't anyone tell you that's not healthy? You'll catch a cold!" Lux scolded her.
Riven smirked. "I haven't had any issues so far. I think you're making that up."
Lux pouted and crossed her arms in mock anger, "Fine, but if you get sick, don't come crying to me for help."
Riven laughed, and Lux smiled again. "How about we go inside and warm up? I'm still pretty tired." She suggested.
Riven shook her head. "I'll be in when I finish. I hate to leave it halfway."
Lux looked disappointed for a moment, but then pursed her lips in thought. "Okay. I'd like to watch, in that case. Is that alright?"
Riven hesitated. "Are you sure? It's not very exciting…"
Lux grinned, "I don't go by what's exciting. I go by what's interesting."
Riven made a note of that in her mind, and nodded in consent. "Stand back."
She made to get back into position, holding her sword again in her left hand. Lux didn't make a move, though, and Riven looked back. "What's wrong?" She asked.
Lux broke out of the trance she was in. She'd been looking at Riven's sword. She grinned back apologetically, "Nothing, nothing. I'll go sit down."
Riven squinted, confused, as Lux went back to sit and observe. Once again, she made to continue her exercises, but a glint on her wrist caught her eye. It was the bracelet. She'd forgotten all about it. She wondered if Lux's gaze was actually directed at it, instead of her sword, but didn't ask.
Both were silent as she worked. Riven passively considered that Lux had fallen asleep again, but when she got the chance to sneak a look, she saw the mage was attentive and studying. She felt a little embarrassed by the procedure.
The night moved on, and Riven finished in a little over an hour. She breathed deeply and clipped her sword to her belt. She admired the device for a moment. She'd have to thank Nigel again when she got back. It was already showing its worth.
Lux was walking over to her by the time she'd finished. "That was beautiful, Riven."
Riven was caught off guard by the remark. That was the first time she'd heard it described that way.
"I think if it were you, you might be able to make a dance out of it," She continued, pacing, with a finger on her chin, "You could call it… The Sword-Dance of the Exile."
Riven raised an eyebrow. Just what was she going on about now? Instead of responding to Lux's fantasies, she decided to ask a question that had been bugging her for a while.
"What are you going to do now, Lux?"
Lux turned back to Riven, her attention grabbed. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you've run away from home, jumped on a ferry to Ionia, and destroyed a pirate ship," Riven explained as she walked back to the railing of the ferry, "So what's next?"
Lux followed and leaned backwards against the railing, looking up at the stars.
"Oh, I don't know," She said whimsically, "Maybe I'll just follow you around for a while longer. It's not like I'll be deeply missed."
Riven looked at her worriedly. "You know… Things might get… complicated when I reach Ionia."
Lux smirked, her eyes gleaming brightly in the moonlight. "I like complicated."
When their eyes met, something stirred in Riven.
'This is the point where you're supposed to tell her.' A voice said in the back of her mind.
'But… I can't. It's not worth the risk.' She argued back.
'Just do it. What's the worst that could happen?'
'You know as well as I do…'
Lux looked back to the stars. Riven tried to calm herself. Her mind wasn't working. This was too difficult. She should just forget the whole thing and move on. But… That would make her feel worse, wouldn't it? She had heard of such a thing. Unrequited love driving people to despair. Shouldn't she just get it over with?
"Lux," She started before she could stop herself.
Lux's eyes returned to Riven, "Yes?"
Riven felt on the spot all of a sudden. She tried to continue, "I…"
Lux's stare was intense, even if she didn't mean for it to be. Riven's panic was rising. She couldn't do it after all. Not now.
"I think we should go inside now." She finished.
Lux looked at her a moment longer. Riven feared she'd realized what she was going to say and would call her out on it. But instead, she pushed herself off the railing. "Alright, let's get warmed up. I forgot how cold it was out on the ocean."
Lux walked towards the entrance to the lower decks, where their room awaited them. Riven watched her take the lead for a little while before following. She was disappointed in herself. The goal was right in front of her, but she couldn't reach it.
Riven woke to excited chatter and a ringing bell.
A man's voice called down the hallway as he walked by, "Everybody up! We'll be arriving in Ionia within the hour! Please take this time to pack your belongings and assemble on deck. Thank you!"
Riven glanced over to Lux's bed. She was already up and out.
She sat up and got dressed lazily. While putting on her shirt, she noticed it smelled of Lux's perfume. After a small mental debate, she decided it was a good thing.
Riven stepped out of her room, ignoring the call to pack. She didn't have a bag to pack anything in anymore. Instead, she headed straight upstairs to the deck. It was bright outside, probably halfway to noon. She looked around, but didn't spot Lux right away.
She continued her search to the bow of the ship, where she found Lux right at the front, looking ahead. Her golden hair sparkled just like the ocean around her. And beyond her petite figure, the colossal mountains stretched across the horizon.
Ionia.
Riven stretched widely, trying to get any morning aches out of her muscles.
As she walked forwards to meet with the other girl, she imagined that in this sort of situation, Lux might say "Things are about to get interesting."
Author's Note: May 22nd, made a minor change or two. Nothing too important, just QoL. :)
