Hello everyone! Thank you for reading this far. For a quick question and answer moment, I would like to clarify a few things. No, Swain and Darius didn't die. I didn't mean to imply that, sorry if you were confused by this. Anyways, thank you for your time and continue on with the story!
Also there is some lemon ahead, BE WARNED.
"Riven," a voice said. As my mind grew more alert, I could feel the stiffness of my body and the dull, aching pain. "Come on, Riven, wake up," the voice insisted. Groaning, I slowly opened my eyes. In front of me was the shriveled form of Mrs. Ravonski. "Atta girl." She gave me a yellow-toothed grin. I made my best effort to smile back, but my body was quite injured, and the smile was short-lived. I took my time in observing my surroundings, and it seemed that I was back in my old home in the Freljord.
"How are you feeling my dear?" Mrs. Ravonski asked. Her familiar face made me feel more at ease. When I came to the Freljord, I was very malnourished and emotionally drained. She had been a local medicine-woman for most of her life, but had retired to her gardening. Once I arrived, she took me in instantly and had provided food and shelter until I was able to provide for myself. She was the grandmother I never had, but always wanted.
"Tired," I answered. I heard a low chuckle from the other side of the room. I moved my head to see Talon leaning against the wall. He hid in the darkness of the room, almost becoming one with the shadows. His face was silhouetted by his hair and I couldn't see his eyes. Noticing my gaze on him, he walked towards the bed.
"Hello," I mumbled once he seated himself nearby. He seemed a little relieved to see me awake and talking. Flashbacks from the rough night in Noxus came flooding back to me, and I became curious to how I was so injured. I usually healed very quickly or was rarely injured, even in war I was quick on my feet.
"Hey," he returned, coolly. Mrs. Ravonski seemed to notice the moment became a private one, and she left the room. I was grateful for her attentiveness, it's probably why I admired her so much. While it was a small gesture, she always seemed to notice my needs and tend to them. She was a mystery though. Mrs. Ravonski had been in the village for as long as anyone can remember, the only few members that were older than her, didn't say much and tended to stay in their homes. She didn't have a husband or children, but also never seemed lonely. I watched her leave the room, and once she did I turned my attention back to Talon.
"What happened?" I asked. Talon moved his hand to lightly to touch my stomach, as if the wound brought back his memories of the night. His touch was as light as a feather and I felt nothing from it.
"Darius took his axe to your stomach," he said. "He wasn't gentle about it either. It ripped through your skin and blood was pouring out of you." He touched lightly across my sensitive skin, the clumsy stitches were still there, but a light scar was forming, which meant it was healing.
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked.
"About four days, but you've been in and out of it." He looked back at me, taking his attention off of my wound. "Every time you woke up you would ask if I was here, and I would talk to you, but you would fall asleep again as soon as I said hello." He gave a small smile.
"I'm sorry I wasn't more attentive," I joked. "What about Katarina? Is she here?" I asked. Talon shook his head.
"She was supposed to help you once you attacked Swain, but I guess she couldn't go through with it," he sighed. "I don't think she could bring herself to betray Noxus." He leaned back in his chair and watched me with a stoic expression, as if Katarina's betrayal didn't bother him in the slightest. I suppose if I knew Katarina as well as he did, I would understand, but I didn't. I shouldn't say much either, I did exile myself.
"What happened after I was attacked?" I continued, deciding not to press him about Katarina, "I remember you stitching my wound, but after that things got blurry." At the mention of my stitches, Talon cringed.
"You were unconscious for the trip, so I had to carry you out of Noxus. Riding a horse was difficult- I had to make sure you wouldn't fall off." I gave a small smile. The image of him struggling to manage a horse and my limp body was amusing to me. "I did my best getting to the Freljord, but I got lost in the mountains a few times, and we didn't get here until a member of your village recognized you. They took you and brought you back here, and Mrs. Ravonski took care of you. They didn't let me in here for a while, but you're neighbor, Mrs. Ravonski, took charge and commanded that I see you. The village had to accept."
"She must like you." I said. He smirked, then stood up and began walking to my bedroom door.
"I'll leave you here to rest, don't exert yourself too much. You are very injured." I nodded.
"Thank you for taking care of me," I said. He nodded back and left the room, closing the door behind him. I laid there for a while, then slowly went back to sleep, my thoughts drifting to Talon. Back in Noxus, we rarely talked, and now it seemed we were closer than ever before. Not much was said between us, but when I woke up, I felt it, and I knew he could, too. Everything between us had changed.
I didn't know how much time had passed or if it was night or day. Curtains covered my bedroom windows and there was no light emanating from them. I was very thirsty, and I felt strong enough to get up, so I moved my legs to the side of the bed and took tentative steps. When I stood, I could feel the soreness in my abdomen. Clutching my stomach, I walked towards the door. I felt a chill spread through my body as I moved, and when I looked down, I found myself flooded with embarrassment. I was completely naked, other than the bandages covering my torso. This led me to the conclusion that Talon had seen me in the nude already. In the military, soldiers are accustomed to seeing mangled corpses, but the rest of the army is covered in full battle armor. I remembered being unabashed about my body back in the tent at Noxus, but now I felt like a shy schoolgirl who was too afraid to wear a swimsuit in front of the boy she liked.
I gently put on some flannel pajamas. Now satisfactorily clothed, I walked out of my room with the intent to pour myself a glass of water. Once I stepped out, I heard a soft snoring coming from the couch. Creeping over, I found Talon sleeping on the cushions, curled up in a blanket. A smile crept on my face, seeing him sleep so soundly. I tip-toed over to the kitchen and went to reach for a glass to fill with water. Once I completed my task, I turned to walk back to my room. Turning around I came face-to-face with Talon. He regarded me groggily and took the glass of water from my hands.
"You shouldn't be walking around," he scolded. He placed a hand on my back to guide me back to my room.
"I'm a warrior of Noxus, I should be fine," I argued, snatching the glass of water.
"You were a warrior of Noxus," he corrected. The blow stung a little, but I let it slide. Talon was blunt, he couldn't help it. He again grabbed the water from my hand and this time put it on the table. "I'm going to help you get back to bed. I'll let you have the water when you're laying down." He pulled my arm around his shoulder and lead me to bed. I gently sat and laid back down. Talon brought back the glass of water. Watching him, I noticed how askew his hair was. It made me glad that my hair was kept short. "Here." He placed the glass of water on the bed stand. "Please ask me next time you need anything." He turned around and returned to the couch. I took a sip of the water and fell asleep again.
The next few days I stayed in the Freljord, trying to rest and regain my strength, Talon and I really melted into the village scenery. He joined the hunting squad in my place, and I stayed home helping Mrs. Ravonski with her gardening. She taught me how to grow herbs in the snow and how to tend to my own wounds so she could stay at home. Talon had become my stay-at-home nurse instead of Mrs. Ravonski, but I wanted to learn more about medicine and how to treat wounds, just in case. Every night, I would stay at home and cook meals for the two of us, and Talon would return with some meat or supplies, provided by the village. We would share stories about our day and laugh at the jokes. It felt like we had lived like this for forever, and it was wonderful, filled with a kind of completeness.
On some rare mornings, he would wake up and make breakfast. The only thing he knew how to cook was meat and eggs, but it was delicious none-the-less. Other mornings, I would wake up to the smell of tea brewing in the kitchen and a note saying that he would be back later. Talon was an early bird, and I never really got to see him in the mornings unless it was a Sunday. That was the day where the hunting group would spend time with their families and have fun in the village. Talon and I would spend those days roaming the village, visiting the various sights of the Freljord, or visiting Mrs. Ravonski.
The village slowly grew to accept Talon as one of their own as well. He was becoming an honored member of the hunting group, and became one of the leaders in their routine scavenging. Some nights he would be in the town with the men, but most of the nights he came home and spent time with me. He wasn't much of social butterfly, a trend I thought would break once we left Noxus, but has continued anyways.
I wasn't stuck at home either. I had my own friends in the village, one of them was Rosanna. She was one of the only female members in the hunting group and we had become quite close. We didn't do much gossiping or talking, but we did talk about strategy and more efficient ways to kill. I taught her the ways of Noxus, and she showed me the ways of the Freljord. Rosanna had immediately picked up on my roots and she gave no judgement on them.
"Noxus, is just another country, and Freljord is the land of free people." She said. "As long as you're here, you aren't bound by anyone." Those words were the words that set me free. She didn't know who I was though. She had no idea about the people I tortured, or the sinister things I had seen. No one knew about it, only Talon knew. Talon knew exactly what I went through, and he probably gone through the same, or even worse, kinds of things I had been through.
One night, he caught me screaming from a nightmare. I woke up in a cold sweat, the haunting screams bounced throughout the room and I couldn't seem to escape them. Talon rushed in and caught me by my wrists and pulled me close to him. He was wearing a simple shirt and flannel pants. His hair was messy as usual and he didn't seem at all bothered by my screams. Talon pushed me into his chest and ran his hands up and down my back.
"Shhh... Shh..." He whispered as he stroked my back. Slowly I relaxed and just ceased my screams to sobs. He rocked us back and forth until I calmed down. His head rested on top of mine and I felt myself succumb to a sense of comfort. Talon's arms continued to hold me even after my sobs died down. "They're just dreams, they can't hurt you." He said. I nodded in his chest. Slowly he laid down on the bed with me, his arms still wrapped around my frame. We laid there for a while until I fell asleep in his arms. I wasn't sure if he stayed the night with me, because when I woke up he was gone. And our days continued to blissful like that. His presence had begun to make me feel safer than I had ever felt in my entire life.
"… And this group of trolls came, but luckily I knew how to deal with them," Talon said, telling me about a dangerous hunting trip he'd been on today. He was animated and passionate about it. His eyes lit up like a young boy's and he would smile and laugh when he finished his story. I joined in on his laughter and I couldn't help but admire his smile and the way he was beginning to look at me as of late. Slowly, his eyes slipped into that trance. He stared so deeply into mine and his face started to show an emotion you wouldn't often find in the people of Noxus. I began to feel it as well, and I abruptly stood up.
"I'll clear our plates and start the dishes," I said intently. Talon's face became stoic again and he nodded.
He thanked me as I took his plate. His eyes continued to watch me as I cleaned the table. He didn't get up to help as he usually does, but that was okay, because I needed the space. I started cleaning the dishes and grabbed my sponge. I was busied rinsing them when strong arms encircled my waist. I could feel Talon pulling my back into his chest and I could feel his heartbeat reverberating in mine.
"What are you doing?" I asked. I dropped the sponge and plate I was holding and placed my hands on his, moving them away. He only pulled me tighter. "Talon, what-?" I was cut off when his lips reached down to kiss mine. His hand tilted my head back so he could kiss me better, and soon I was entranced. I hadn't realized how much I longed for this until it was happening. I turned around in his arms and wrapped my own around his neck. He lifted me up onto the counter and we were in bliss. I had been with other men, but Noxian men were aggressive and insistent. Talon's kiss was more passionate, his lips patient and gentle against my own. It was refreshing, and enticing.
"Riven," he said, breaking away from the kiss shortly. I broke away and eyed him. He smiled and leaned his forehead against mine. His eyes were filled with a fire, and momentarily I felt intimidated by the way he was looking at me, but I knew we were both warriors of Noxus, and I was brave. "Are you okay with this?" he asked. I nodded eagerly and couldn't help but return his smile. He resumed the kissing, but this time there was more passion and more intensity, our tongues danced with each other and I pulled at his hair. I hadn't been kissed like this before. I hadn't felt this way about anyone before, and I was totally involved in it. There had been other encounters in the past I felt myself only wanting for it to end, but with Talon, I wanted it to last into the morning. I wanted him every night and day. The thought of stopping wasn't even an option in my mind.
Talon picked me up and he carried us to my room, laying me down on the bed. Talon stripped away his winter cloak and only left his pants on. In that time, I pulled off my own clothes and lay naked on the bed. This time, I didn't feel self-conscious or shy, I felt confident and beautiful, and the way he was touching me only strengthened that feeling. His body was mesmerizing as well. He had a perfect, chiseled figure, scars littered across his chest. They shone on his skin like badges of honor. His skin had become more pale due to the snow and lack of sunlight as of recent, but that only made his black hair seem more dark in contrast, and I loved it. He leaned over me and we kissed once again. His hands roamed my body, from my breasts to my thighs and back up again. This was different from the other times I had sex. This was so much more intense. I could feel every nerve in my body responding to his touch, and when I touched him back I felt him quiver in pleasure. I touched each of his scars tenderly, and made it known how sexy they were to me. I traveled my fingers from his hair down to his pelvis and entertained him. His breath quickened and I knew I had him where I wanted him. I unbuttoned his pants and lowered his clothing just enough to reach him easier. As I pleasured him, I looked at his face. Most men close their eyes and focus on themselves, but Talon didn't. He looked back at me, he met my gaze, almost challenging me to continue. And I did, until he moved me away and pushed me back down on the mattress. He smiled wickedly and we continued to please each other. We didn't say anything, because we didn't need to, and the only thing I could hear was the sound of our love-making.
His hand reached my breast and he played with me for a while, my breathing becoming more ravaged. I could feel an unfamiliar passion building in my belly and I knew then and there that I wanted this man in my life. He broke away from our kiss and quickly removed what remained of his garb. His erection stood proud, and he leaned over me again, trailing kisses from my neck to my womanhood. I purred for him to continue, but once I finally felt ready for him to claim me, he hesitated and our eyes met. His hands were resting on both sides of my head, his mouth looking delectable from this angle.
"Are you sure?" he whispered into my ear.
"Yes," I said, running my hands through his hair. Then he entered me, and I couldn't stifle my moaning. He kept his mouth on my neck, his breathing in time with my own. His thrusts began slowly, but he steadily built up pace, and soon, I was melting into him, and he was melting into me. As our fervor intensified, he began to bite me. Not hard of course, but enough to leave small marks. Some were on my neck, others on my breasts and ear, and I loved all of it. As I was beginning to near, I placed my hands on his back and crushed our bodies together and screamed out. He came with me and we both fell into an ecstasy. It felt as though we were truly one at that moment, and I felt like I knew everything about him, and he knew everything about me. I was breathless and we were tangled together in the blankets. My legs encircled him and his arms held me close, his head against my chest. We were both sweaty and panting, and for a while we simply listened to each other breathe. Finally, he lifted his head to look at me and laughed.
"I can't believe we just..." he trailed off. I laughed along with him. We laid there for a while, enjoying the simple bliss of being in each other's arms. The Freljord's most deadly blizzards couldn't cool our passion. I was curled into his side, his hand resting on my back, trailing lazy circles with his fingers. We didn't say anything else for the rest of the night, we just fell into a peaceful sleep to the sound of our breathing.
The next morning, I woke to an empty bed. I didn't panic, because I didn't expect Talon to stay. I rose from the bed, put on my normal attire, and walked out of the room. I was going off to meet Rosanna. I was well enough to join the hunters and I was excited to begin training with her again. It had been a while since I had wielded my knife and I needed practice. When I grabbed my winter cloak, I felt arms wrap around me and Talon's mouth on my neck. I smiled and turned to face him.
"Good morning," he greeted me, pulling me into his chest. He was still naked, and I could feel that he was rather happy to see me.
"Good morning," I returned, smirking at him.
"Where are you going?" He asked. His voice had a hint of teasing behind it and I knew where he wanted me to be, but I had plans and just because we had a new romantic aspect to our relationship, didn't mean I could forget the village I had come to love.
"I'm meeting a friend," I told him. He leaned down for a kiss and let go.
"Okay, I'll be here," he said, and I left.
As I walked outside, I noticed that the Freljord was much more quiet than it usually was. The streets were eerily empty, and it was odd that nobody was commuting at this time. My mood was too elated to be bothered by it, though. I continued walking towards Rosanna's house, holding my knife under my cloak, anticipating my practice. I was at the center of the village when I heard a horn blast. It wasn't a Freljordian horn, however- it belonged to Noxus. I remember the sound very well of this horn, it was another scream from my flashbacks and dreams. It haunted my nightmares, and I felt myself tremble at the sound. I immediately turned around and sprinted for my house to get Talon. I had no idea how Noxus found us, but I knew I needed to run. For myself and the village.
Thank you for reading! Please follow/favorite/review! I would love to hear your feedback and continue to improve the story. And thank you galio for helping me edit and create this chapter so effortlessly! Also any questions you may have, also send me a message and I'll be free to answer any of those for you.
If you had any issues with the sex scene, I'm sorry, I tried to warn you!