I burst through the heavy oaken door and searched frantically for Talon, winter winds clawing at my back as the cold invaded the comfortable atmosphere.
"Talon?" I called out. Pulling my cloak tighter, I searched throughout the living room and kitchen, seeing if he left any traces of his whereabouts. His clothes and blades were absent from the spare chest I'd given him. I entered the bedroom, hoping to find a note he might have left. After turning up nothing, I felt myself begin to panic. Memories from the previous night came to mind, and the thought of losing Talon now was a painful one.
Typical, I thought, spitefully. I don't know why I expected him to stay. It could have been Katarina's plan all along to trick me. I knew she wouldn't just let my betrayal of Noxus slip by. Maybe Talon wanted me to fall into a sense of security, then draw the Noxus army to take me. Katarina was probably behind the whole thing. The sense of betrayal sept into my heart, and my anger swirled dangerously, and I went to go grab my sword from my closet. The only way I could get out of this situation was to fight, there wasn't anywhere where I could hide. That would endanger the village. When threw open the doors to the closet, I was pulled inside. Muscular arms bound me in a snug embrace, a hand covering my jaw, silencing me. I could smell Talon through his winter coat.
"We have to wait here for a while. We won't be caught, I promise-" he quietly informed me. He stroked my hair and we stood noiselessly in the dark confines of the wardrobe, listening to the rampage of the Noxian army outside. I couldn't tell who the commander was, or how large the army was, but from the frightened screams of the Freljordians in the village, I could only imagine the terror they would cause. Talon continued to hold me, and I stood wordlessly, listening to chaos beyond my control. I thought that the screams of the people I cared about would someday end, and I could move past my life in Noxus. It seemed that Noxus would forever haunt me. I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I couldn't help but let them go. My appearance in the village would only make things worse. The Noxian army was here for Talon and I. They weren't here to raid, and hopefully they would leave the innocent unharmed, but if Talon and I showed our faces, they would be annihilated for housing traitors. Therefore, Talon and I remained, hoping that the army would soon move on, perhaps to look in the next village. As the soldiers came closer to us, the cries grew louder, and Talon gripped my cloak in anger. His breathing became sharper and I knew he wanted to act. I wasn't any different. In the corner of the closet, the runic symbols on my blade were glowing. It was as if the blade was calling for me to wield it, and slay all those who threatened to harm Talon and I or the villagers. I wanted nothing more than to take the sword and kill every one of them who brought harm to the innocent villagers. I resisted though, the thought of any more harm coming to the people I cared for was too much to bear.
Suddenly, I heard the door crashing down, hitting the floor with a loud thud. The clamoring of soldiers came into the room, and they began to ransack the place. The doors of the wardrobe flew open, and I wanted to scream as the Noxian soldier seemed to look right at us.
"They can't see us, don't worry," Talon whispered into my ear, barely audible to myself. Talon firmly kept a hand over my mouth, and the soldier motioned for the others to check out the closet. I held my breath and Talon seemed to hold me so tightly I could suffocate. Reaching in, the soldier pulled out a handful of simple clothes.
"This is definitely Riven's house." He said holding up bunny ears. A few soldiers stopped and gave a giggle. The soldier holding the bunny ears placed them on his head and put a hand on his hip mockingly. "Do you think I can take down Darius or Swain now?" The group of men started chuckling then. I watched, my irritation slowly rising. "Typical Riven, can't hurt a man unless they're looking at her ass." Now I was angry. I would execute him on the spot if I could. I thought, humiliated. Talon seemed completely stoic, which added more to my irritation.
"Hey! Knock it off." A louder man said, and the soldier ditched the bunny ears and continued to search my room.
I slowly calmed myself as the soldiers left the house. Talon released me from his hold and set to work packing clothes for the two of us. He was silent as he moved swiftly and gracefully through the bedroom. I stayed inside the closet, a little stunned, wondering how we were invisible to the soldiers. Talon returned with a stuffed satchel, drawing me from my reverie.
"Riven, we have to go-" he urged. I nodded, grabbed my blade, and followed him into the snow. It was convenient for us that the Noxian army weren't known for being the most attentive of armies. Since they had already pillaged my house, we were able to simply walk out the door without much trouble, so that's what we did- sneakily, of course. Talon carried our things, and I flanked him as we crossed the road, careful not to be seen. Soldiers littered the streets, but Talon was, of course, a master assassin, and they were taken easily with a blade to the throat. I could only follow him. I wasn't as silent or subtle as him, so I took it upon myself to watch our backs. As we reached the edge of the village, Talon handed me the bag.
"Riven, I need you to secure a horse. I'll protect you," he said, and then vanished into the shadows without another word. I couldn't see where he went, so I started to look for a horse without the slightest clue where to begin. The stables were on the other side of the village, but it was too dangerous to go back now.
How am I supposed to get a horse? I thought.
I climbed on to the roof of the nearest house, hoping it would give me a better vantage point over the village. As I ascended, I could see the destruction of my home more clearly. I had never felt this sort of rage. In Noxian training, we learned how to control our emotions in battle, because they could get in the way of completing the task at hand. I never understood that until now. In my mind, I knew that escape was the only chance of saving the village, but in my heart I felt that killing the ones responsible for their suffering was the only way to truly solve things.
As I strode past various shops and houses, I saw furniture and marketable goods thrown carelessly in the roads. Windows were broken and shattered glass littered the streets. Some of the villagers huddled together in alley ways to stay out of the way of soldiers, and the crying of children could be heard. Some houses had smoke coming through the windows, and villagers ran to escape the building. I could feel my blood boil, and I almost ran out to help them. Focus, Riven, I said to myself. And I continued to move through the roof tops.
I moved quickly toward the center square, whilst running on the rooftops. I managed to keep myself out of sight for the most part. I hadn't realized how silent I could truly be- I must be learning from Talon. Eventually, I was catching up to the main bulk of the militia. In the center, there were several cavalry on the backs of horses, bulls, mules, etc. There was no chance I could steal any of them, as much as I wished I could. I crawled on my stomach to the corner of the rooftop I currently occupied, and peering over the edge, I could see their commander: Darius.
How did he know I was here? I thought. I maintained composure as I watched him barking orders to his men. No one seemed to be harmed, which I was very thankful for. It was unlike Darius to allow people live, but he was on a mission as well. I continued to scan over the army in search of an unattended horse. Soon I spotted the stables just a few hundred yards away. Moving quietly, I closed the distance. The soldiers seemed distracted with their current search and seizure, so it was relatively easy to continue along the rooftops until I was forced to return to the ground. From there on, I walked swiftly, eager to remove myself from sight. It wasn't until then that I considered the noise that the horse could make.
Shit. I thought. I entered the stable, and searched inside for a harness or reins. Finding none, I decided to go with a rope that was wound on a post. I approached first horse I could see, and it was a brown stallion. He seemed like an able steed with his winter coat still intact, so he would make it through the snow with ease. I gently tied the rope around his neck, and tried to coax him to move out of the gated area. He refused to budge, because of course that would make things easy for me, and decided instead to continue eating his hay as if I wasn't there. Becoming frustrated, I gave a strong tug on the rope, hoping he would give in. The horse just gave me a look of distaste and carried on its business. I sighed, and reached up to remove the rope and find another horse.
"We've got to go," Talon said behind me. I gasped in surprised as he lifted me up onto the animal's back, placed there like a child. Talon sat himself behind and grabbed the mane of the horse. "Hi-yah!" He cried, and with a jolt the horse launched across the icy landscape. We jumped the fence and continued to gallop into the Freljord. I was still recovering from the shock of his sudden appearance, but his arms were easy to relax into. His scent through his clothing gave me a feeling of safety, though I continued to look behind us to make sure we weren't being followed. We rode for a long time without saying anything.
Soon we were in the low parts of the mountains, where the trolls lived. It was dangerous territory, but we would only stay for the night. We came across a medium sized cave, descended from the horse, and brought him inside. Talon seemed totally prepared for these events, in which he brought out a large piece of canvas fabric, and strewed it across the opening of the cave. He hung it using a hunting knife on each side, driving them in between the crevices with his strength alone.
"I'll be right back," he said, and left. I sat inside by myself, watching the sun dip under the horizon and darkness overtake the cave. In that moment, I hated being left by myself. My thoughts filled the silence, and the screams and sounds of destruction filled my ears. I looked up at the uninviting rocks above and I tried to stop myself from crying. I had to be stronger for this. I couldn't let myself get worked up every time something went wrong.
I'm a warrior, I thought. Warriors fight when something goes wrong, they don't run and hide. The horse whinnied, drawing me from my thoughts, and I looked towards the great stallion. He was probably hungry. I got up and searched through the bags, hoping something would be there, but I don't remember grabbing any oats or carrots. I looked at the beast hopelessly.
"I'm sorry," I said, stroking his snout. The horse was quiet after that, as if he understood there was nothing I could do. I sighed in defeat and sat down again. When Talon returned, hopefully we could come up with a battle plan. I wasn't certain how I long waited until he came back carrying firewood, and another bag of things.
"Where did you find all of this?" I asked. He placed the firewood on the ground and pulled out some flint stones.
"I went looking for them," he answered simply, "I also found some food." He motioned to the extra bag. I had no idea Talon could be so resourceful- it left me feeling somewhat inadequate.
"I'm sorry I haven't been much help," I said, glumly. Suddenly the fire was ablaze, and the cave lit up. I sat close to it, warming my hands. Talon settled in next to me and bumped my shoulder.
"You can't do everything," he said.
"I haven't done anything. though," I argued. He shrugged and put an arm around me.
"You've done enough." He rested his head on mine and I felt myself beginning to relax, but then I felt something in my chest, telling me that this wasn't okay.
"No I haven't," I said, moving away from him. I stood up and I felt angry- everything at that moment seemed to make me bitter, especially Talon. "You have done everything for me, and I haven't given you anything in return. You gave up Noxus for me!" Talon only eyed me steadily, which infuriated me even more. "Well- say something-!" I stammered.
"Noxus was never mine to lose," he responded frankly. I balled up my fists and I felt like hitting him. How was he always so calm?
"Why are you here?" I pressed. He smirked then and poked at the fire.
"Would you rather that I not help you?" he questioned, staring into the flames. "I thought you liked having me around?"
"I do like you being here, but I don't understand why you stay here." He stood up then.
"Because I want to be, Riven. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be." He got in my face then. "Why is that such a problem for you?"
"Because it doesn't make sense!" I snapped back at him. "You are the prince of the Du Couteau family. A family so loyal to Noxus, yet you can stand to betray them- just like that."
"I haven't betrayed anyone," he said. He was becoming irate as he spoke, his eyes slitted. "General Du Couteau is missing- he was the only one I cared about."
"What about Katarina?" I asked. He laughed at me.
"Katarina means nothing to me. If anything, she was a sister, but when she abandoned us, I couldn't care less." I was silent for a moment, surprised by his words. "Is that all?" He asked.
"Yes," I said. He ran his hands through his dark hair. "So that's it? That's why you stayed?"
"No."
"Then why-"
"Because I've wanted you since I first saw you." He looked me dead in the eyes. "I have never wanted the jewels that lived in the Du Couteau's, I wanted a sword that had been forged in Noxian fire." For a moment, his eyes held that same look again, and I fell silent. He then broke off in a childish grin. "You had no idea did you?" I shook my head. He then erupted in a real laugh, one of amusement and shock. "I thought you just didn't want me."
"I had no idea..." I said quietly. Talon was still laughing and I felt my anger toward him return.
"God damn it Riven, I wanted you the moment I saw you take command of your first army." He said, falling into a serious tone. "You were a queen among grotesque soldiers, and you took control of your armies like a rider to a horse. General Du Couteau never saw you as anything more than a sword, because his daughters were his prizes, but to me, you were everything. At first, when I visited the training grounds and saw you train as a soldier, you interested me. You held swords that were twice as tall as you were. You were determined, you had conviction, and I couldn't stop watching you.
You were the most graceful soldier on the battlefield, and you defeated all those who stood in your path. Riven, you went into battle without a single doubt in your eyes, you could command an army like no other general could, and you did this all before you were even 21." Talon's eyes were lit in admiration. "I didn't realize how I felt about you until you held this sword in your hands. I watched as this sword was being forged, and when I saw the size, I was shocked. I didn't think any warrior of Noxus could wield it- but you did. You took it on and made it truly yours." He hand covered my sword hand. I could see the excitement in his eyes.
"Talon, this is so-" I started, but he cut me off.
"I knew I had to have you, when you took down Darius and Swain. I knew that you were mine when you called out for me in your sleep. I knew I loved you when you had me that night." His face came close to mine, and I could feel the warmth of his breath. I felt overwhelmed. He loves me? I thought. I felt my heart race in my chest and I didn't know how to process all this information. He kissed me then, and it took me back to that night, but now there was a gentle affection. There was a new kind of passion in the way he held me and I wasn't sure how much I returned the affection. And then it came back to me, the love, the passion, the intensity. I felt my heart become overwhelmed and I knew I was in the right place, with the right person.
"I'm sorry." I said, breaking away from the kiss. And when I broke away, I realized how ridiculous it was that I didn't see it in his eyes. No other person in Noxus had the same look that he did. The people of Noxus had the look of war and violence in their eyes, they walked with strength and an intimidating presence. Talon had the strength and the presence, but his eyes possessed the passion of a sun. This love was so new to me. I hadn't known love from anyone before, not even my parents. My mother and father trained me to be a soldier of Noxus, and had never shared the words of appreciation of affection. "I'm not used to this." I said.
"Neither am I." Talon said, giving me a small smile.
"What if it doesn't work out?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow. "What if something happens, like I die?" I asked. He laughed for a moment and leaned his forehead on mine.
"I would never let you die." Talon smirked.
"Well what if you die?" He gave a low chuckle and raised an eyebrow. "Fine, but what if we grow to hate each other?" I asked. He shook his head and leaned away from me.
"I intend to have you, Riven. If you don't want me then that's too bad. I had you one night, and I intend to continue having you for the rest of my life." Pulling me close to him, his face became serious and his voice matched. "I haven't wanted something like I want you, and I don't see myself wanting anything like you in the future." And my heart grew warm, and it slowly spread to the rest of my body. I hadn't felt anything like this, even in Noxus when I received sex from other men. Even then it was just fucking, there wasn't any affection, just self-gratification. With Talon and I, from the time we made love, it was different. It was something that should be written down in books as the first time a couple from Noxus truly loved each other. I smiled warmly at him, and I hadn't felt this happy in a long time. He smiled back at me, his eyes glowing in the firelight.
And so it became silent in our cave. The horse was calmly laying on the floor nearby, keeping warm by the fire. Eventually, I broke away, exhausted, and began to lay out the small blanket Talon had packed. The assassin gave the horse some food he had found while gathering the firewood.
Without saying a word we both laid down, facing the flickering flames like stacked spoons. We used our winter coats as blankets, and quietly slipped into sleep.
Edited: After seeing some major errors, I decided to fix and resubmit this chapter. Please forgive me :) Hopefully this error won't happen next chapter. Thank you galio for taking the time and helping me out, I greatly appreciate it!
Thank you everyone! I appreciate all reviews and favorites and all that jazz! I'm sorry this chapter took a while to come out, hopefully things will work out and I will have a new chapter out soon. If you guys have any questions, please just ask. Thanks again!