Note- YAY ITS A REVIEW! 3 Thx Waddlebuff

so, just for the dual epicness of dual reviews, I got this chapter out.

-oh also, I forgot the disclaimer. *looks at Rammus on a leash*

me: I don't own anything here except for the (rather finicky -.-) plot. Riot owns all champs places blah blah blah, right rammus?

Rammus: ok.

The Institute of War was divided into 4 residential sections: the Western wing for Demacia and her allies, the Eastern wing for Noxus and her allies, the Northern wing for neutral countries, and the Southern wing for the Summoners.

However, a design oversight resulted in the Eastern and Northern wings sharing a corridor to the main building. The corridor, although ornately decorated and quite wide, had been the scene of more than one tense standoff.

It was though this corridor where Ashe was thinking, as she slowly meandered her way to the Mess hall for the morning's breakfast, a thoughtful, yet extremely sad expression on her face.

Ashe wanted children. It wasn't simply because Freljord needed an heir, but simply for the contentment of seeing little bundles of joy bounce around the Freljord palace. She and Tryndamere had been trying for a few months now, but Ashe still hadn't concieved. In desperation they had sought out a doctor, and the result was something any aspiring young mother dreads to hear.

Ashe was barren.

Ashe simply couldn't conceive. There would be no children running around, no heir.

She was devastated.

Ashe had sat sobbing in the bed that the royal couple shared, Tryndamere trying but failing to calm her. He'd finally managed to convince her to perhaps, eat some breakfast. Maybe she'd feel better.

Yeah, right.

But Ashe, playing the dutiful wife, obeyed her husband, got up, made herself semi-presentable (at least Tryndamere said she was beautiful as ever), and slowly made her way out of the Northern wing.

As she thought her melancholy thoughts, Ashe slowly became aware of intense crying coming from far off into the distance. She narrowed her eyes, and retraced her steps back to where the corridors diverged, one leading to the Northern wing, and one leading to the Eastern.

It was here that Ashe realized the crying was coming from the Eastern wing, as well as a distinct wail.

"Waahhhh, Tibbers!"

That could only mean one thing. Annie was in trouble.

Suddenly breaking into a sprint, Ashe ran towards the commotion, garnering wary looks from other champions who'd ignored Annie's plight.

After running what seemed like miles through the Black and Red hallways, Ashe came to find Annie's room, where the noise was coming from. There, she found a horrifying sight.

Katarina and Shaco were tossing Tibbers in teddy bear form between them, with Annie scurrying around trying to catch him, but Katarina and Shaco simply tossed him again. Judging by the scorch marks around the room, Annie had tried tossing fireballs, but it seemed Katarina and Shaco had just teleported out of the way. Tears were streaming out of Annie's now red eyes, while Shaco and Katarina were laughing- cackling in the case of Shaco.

None of them noticed Ashe. That is, until Ashe's hand swiped upwards and snatched Tibbers out of the air before Katarina could catch it.

Katarina turned around, preparing to see Cassiopeia join in the fun, but narrowed her eyes as she realized who'd come to ruin her fun.

"Frost Archer," she spat out, "What gives you the right to trespass in Noxus' quarters?"

Ashe's eyes narrowed as well, giving her the appearance of a hawk. "How about the torture of a little girl."

The two women glared at each other, emerald to sapphire, for what seemed like hours but was really minutes until Katarina uttered a short "bah" and stomped out of the room. Shaco, likewise muttered something about ruining fun, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Annie, however, was sitting on the ground, staring up at Ashe with wide emerald eyes, before starting to sob quietly. Ashe knelt down and gently gave Annie Tibbers and fished around for a hankerchief, before finding a small piece of cloth on Annie's table and handing it to the little girl, trying to stop her tears.

Annie stopped after two minutes, although she still sniffled a bit. She looked up at Ashe again. "They come here every morning Miss Ashe..." she said. "Every morning, they come and take my Tibbers!" With that, Annie burst into tears again, with Ashe having to find another cloth to dry Annie's tears with, seeing as the last one was already soaked. Finding a second one, Ashe knelt by the little girl and patted her back at the same time, crooning nonsensical words, desperately trying to calm the girl down.

Annie was still trying to force words out. "They, they *sniff* 're gonna come *sniffle* tomorrow morn *sniffs* morning too..." Tears still streamed down Annie's face.

Trying to think of something that would make Annie calm down, Ashe said, "Well I could take Tibbers to my quarters in the Northern wing, and those meanies won't be able to get at him then."

Annie's eyes widened as her tears abruptly stopped. "really?" she asked in a high pitched voice.

Ashe nodded. "really," she said with finality.

Annie brightened up immediately. "Thanks so much that's the nicest thing anyone's ever done here I love you you're awesome the awesomeest person ever and- wait." Annie now scrunched up her brow deep in thought. "I can't sleep without Tibbers."

Annie thought some more, before looking up again. "Can I sleep in your quarters tonight Miss Ashe?"

Ashe, still trying to sort out the massive amount of words Annie had thrown at her moments before, suddenly froze. "Okay... sure, come up after dinner, alright?"

"Yayyyy! Thanks Miss Ashe!" Annie exclaimed as she skipped down the hallways, smiles on her face- so happy she started scorching the floor beneath her.

That evening, Tryndamere, after a night of drinking, opened the doors to the bedroom he shared with Ashe.

The first thing he saw was a pile of slightly scorched bedsheets in a corner.

The second thing he saw was two figured curled up together on the bed.

He was about to yell at Ashe for cheating on him, when he realized the second figure was much too small for Ashe to cheat on, unless she was into midgets.

He threw open the curtains, and allowed the moonlight so shine in. What he saw was a sight that could melt any man's heart, even of the heart of a ruthless barbarian king.

Ashe was sitting up on a pillow, holding Annie tightly, with a contented smile on her face. Annie was quietly drooling, her face resting on Ashe's chest, but with one arm- holding Tibbers- slung around Ashe's neck, and the other tugging on a lock of Ashe's silver hair.

But what really put the icing on the cake was the words Annie were muttering in her sleep.

"I love you mommy."