Author's Note: Thank you all for your patience. This chapter is actually the longest one thus far. We are only getting closer and closer more drama and, well, the Rivelia. (of coarse.)
Also, I'll also be periodically writing and posting another Fanfic titled Echoes in the Wind featuring our favorite exile and the ever so patriotic red-head. ;) That one's gonna be rated M though.
Enjoy, (sorry if people find errors)
Chapter 10: Operation: Exiled Elegance
A long and drawn out silence lingered between Lux and Diana. As much as the Lunari Champion enjoyed being in the company of another to discuss intelligent subject matter, there was still a massive pile up of returned books at the front desk that needed to be accounted for and shelved.
"Lux, as much as I have truly enjoyed our time together and discussing various things; I must be on my way. I can't shirk my duties to the books too long," Diana sighed as she stood up from sitting at the table. A soft shudder tickled her spine as she thought of the stacking pile of books she left at the front desk.
Lux looked up from the foreign tome and tried to give her friend a kind smile; the notion was obviously forced. "Alright, Diana," she said in a shaky tone. The Demacian mage's attention turned back down to the pages of the Ionian book as she resumed her thinking. The subject of her mind was far from the details of the book that she had already admitted she couldn't read.
"Hey."
Luxanna looked up at Diana once more. One golden eye brow cocked slightly in confusion.
"So, Zilean floated into the bar last night," Diana said calmly.
"Oh, did he?" Lux asked feeling rather confused as to where this conversation was heading.
"Yeah, and he looked around at all the ladies and said 'What up ladies? I got a huge clock.'"
Both Diana and Lux stared at one another in complete silence for a brief moment. They both desperately attempted to hold back the creeping smiles pulling at their lips but their efforts were for naught as they both busted out into wild, uncontrolled, fits of laughter. Both Champions knew the joke was terrible and cheesy but that only made it all the more funny in the end.
Riven blinked a couple times hearing the all too familiar laugh reverberating off the walls. The exile sighed in relief at the sound of the laughter. It not only confirmed that she was in the right location but also made it easier to find Lux in this vast labyrinth of books and best of all, she was close. Riven followed the source of the laughs and peeked around one of the book shelves to see the open study area where, to her surprise, she found Diana laughing along with the person she had been hunting for.
The Scorn of the Moon continued to chuckle as her hand came up to wipe away the gathered liquid in the corner of her left eye. "You liked that one, huh?" Diana attempted to ask through her laughter.
"It was so cheesy!" Luxanna laughed out loud in response.
"That's the entire point!" Diana chuckled. "I do need to get go—oof!" Diana gasped slightly as she backed into someone. The Lunari warrior turned her head slightly to find out who she bumped into. "Oh, hello… Riven?" Diana continued to fight back her snickers as she rolled off the Noxian and out of the exile's path. Diana's silver eyes shifted to the broken rune blade tucked tight to Riven's side.
Riven coughed; feeling the wind being forcefully knocked from her lungs as Diana slapped her back between her shoulder blades, a friendly gesture intended.
"I got one more joke before I leave," Diana announced. "Riven, why shouldn't you fight with a broken sword?" Diana tried to hold back another snicker as she waited for an answer.
Riven shrugged her shoulders as a response while she tried to catch her breath.
"Because…pfft…there's no point!"
Riven stood there awkwardly as both the other Champions roared in new fits of laughter over yet another one of Diana's terrible jokes.
"It's funny because it's both figurative and literal!" Lux giggled as she spoke. Her head dropped to her arm resting on the table as she continued to laugh.
Diana was bent over standing next to the awkwardly horrified exile. Her hand found its way back to Riven's back as she patted the exile once more. This time, it was gentler. "Well, that's all the jokes I have for now. Have a good day you two!" Diana said as she stood up straight and left Riven and Lux to return to her extracurricular activity as the library's book and record keeper.
Once Diana had departed, Riven stood there quietly waiting for Lux to speak. The Demacian kept her head down on the table. Riven didn't have time to waste so she cleared her throat in an attempt to get the light mage's attention.
Lux didn't budge. "Don't let Diana's attempt to make me feel better fool you into thinking that I haven't held onto your words…I still feel the sting."
Riven stepped up to the chair Diana had previously occupied. "May I?" she asked calmly.
Lux lifted her head just enough to shift her eyes up towards the exile. The Demacian mage watched Riven for a few moments before she sighed and sat up straight, crossing her arms tight across her chest. Even though Riven was wearing her typical "emotionless" blank persona, Lux picked up on the deep guilt and sadness that lurked behind the crimson pools of the exile's eyes. A couple more moments passed until Lux sighed and gave in and extended her hand towards the empty seat.
Riven propped the blade against the table and sat down quietly, gaze focused on the table top. Her eyes mindlessly traced along the natural patterns of the wood as she gathered her thoughts. The exile took a deep breath before mumbling to Lux. "I need your help…"
Despite the fact that Lux completely heard and understood what Riven asked of her, the Demacian wasn't about to let Riven ask just once. "What was that?"
Riven's fingers nervously tapped on the table top. She wasn't used to asking someone for help. Her inner-Noxian screamed at her for this act of weakness only further causing the exile to grow more skittish and her fingers continued their nervous tapping. "I need your help," she stuttered softly.
"I'm sorry, can you speak up?" Lux asked, lifting her hand to her ear in the process.
A hint of annoyance played at Riven's expression. "You heard me," she grumbled. Riven's patience started to run thin as Lux continued to hint at her to speak louder. "I said I need your help!"
"Why didn't you just say so!?" Lux replied cheerfully.
Riven grumbled a bit louder than before.
"I will help you, under one condition," Lux smirked at Riven, putting the exile completely on edge.
"Name your condition," Riven muttered, accepting that she had no other choice but to honor Lux's…terms.
The usual innocent looking light mage's expression turned playfully sinister and her lips curled into a wicked smile.
Riven swallowed hard; not liking Lux's expression.
"I will help you find clothing and prepare you for your trip. The condition is, I choose what we do and where we go," Lux said as she stood up from the table. "Are you okay with this?"
Riven sighed. Lux knew more about the surrounding city than she did and Riven was running out of time. "Yes…"
"Well, what're we waiting around here for!? Let's go!" Lux squealed as she got up from the table. She grabbed Riven's arm and half yanked the exile from her own chair. "Let Operation: Exiled Elegance commence! To the bathtub!"
"To the what!?"
Lux exaggerated a diabolical laugh that even Veigar would be proud of as she marched the exile out of the library.
"Come on! We don't have time for this! The water is getting cold!" Lux whined.
"No," Riven grumbled from behind the dressing room curtain.
"We had a deal, Riven! Come on, you pansy, we are both women! We have the same body parts! No need to be embarrassed," Lux exclaimed as her armored foot tapped impatiently against the tiled floor. "Okay, I'll even cover my eyes! Hurry up! You're not even naked!"
With a growl, Riven ripped open the curtain with a towel still wrapped tightly around her figure. The exile wore an extremely grumpy expression as she stepped past Lux and towards the prepared bath. Riven paused quietly at the edge of what the Institute qualified as a single even though multiple people could fit. The Noxian scowled in displeasure as her eyes scanned over the murky soap water.
Lux quietly peeked through her fingers. "Don't slip!" Lux yelled as her hand grabbed the edge of the towel between Riven's shoulder blades and pushed the shocked warrior into the water.
Riven slightly squeaked in surprise when she was shoved into the bathwater.
Lux held up the towel as a makeshift shield from the splashing bathwater and chuckled softly as she anticipated the incoming flood of profanities. Lux had come to accept that this was the kind of relationship she shared with Riven. She herself was playful while Riven was uptight and serious; in the words of the Ionians, "things would balance out."
Riven threw herself up from under the water and spit out the soapy liquid so she could breathe. The disgusting taste of soap plagued every inch of her mouth and her sopping hair stuck to her face in thick layers. She hissed slightly; realizing how cold the water was.
Lux crossed her arms and knelt down near the edge of the bath. She chuckled softly. Reaching out to Riven, Lux parted the snowy soaked hair that covered the exile's face. "The water would have been warm still if you weren't being slow and stubborn," Lux spoke with a gentle tone. "I'm sorry for pushing you but daylight is burning and we have a lot to do, okay?"
Riven didn't respond. Her eyes were slightly puffy and agitated due to the stinging from the soapy water that filled those only moments ago. As much as Riven wanted to be absolutely angry with the Demacain, she couldn't bring herself to find the right reasoning to be. Besides, she had treated Lux with disrespect on more than one occasion over the past few days; even if the mage was being a little invasive of Riven's "problems." All she did was care…Care…why would someone ever want to care about a disgraced Noxian soldier like herself; especially a Demacian and… an Ionian of all people. An Ionian…it wasn't uncommon that recently Riven caught herself thinking about the Captain of the Guard.
"Now quickly finish cleaning up so we can get going," Lux said while standing back up straight. The chipper mage made her way towards the door to the bathroom and stepped out. The Demacian paused then turned around and leaned back into the bathroom from behind the door. "By the way, Riven," she addressed the Noxian.
Riven's attention turned to Lux.
"You have a cute butt," Lux teased Riven and winked while sticking her tongue at the exile like a child.
The exile's face flushed instantly and she shouted at Lux; chucking the wet sponge at the mage.
Lux quickly pulled herself behind the door and the sponge made a loud splat as it struck the wood surface.
Riven grumbled under her breath; her face bright with embarrassment. She could hear the light mage laughing out loud in the hallway outside the door. She sat there in the water for a few moments longer. The streak of red that colored her cheeks had begun to fade and her body adjusted to the cool water. Vigorously rubbing her eyes, Riven tried to relieve herself of the stinging sensation that continued to linger. An uncomfortable silence hung uncomfortably static within the bathroom. It was times like these, she hated the most. Riven's entire being locked stiff in place as the distorted voice began its unbearable taunting.
Those hands will never be clean!
A maddening laughter echoed in Riven's mind as she pulled her hands away from her eyes. Horror took over the exile's face as the water from her hands trickled red down her forearms. Riven bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as she quickly got out of the bath. She silently wrapped herself up in a robe and looked back down at her hand only to see tanned skin. Her hands were simply damp from the bath water. Regardless of the truth, Riven was still really shaken up as she stepped out into the hall to meet Lux.
"Wow, that was faster…than…I thoug-," Lux stopped talking and noticed the thin trail of blood drip from Riven's chin from the split lip. "What happened?" The Demacian asked slightly worried as she tried to reach up to get a better look.
Riven grabbed both of Lux's wrists gently and held them away. "I'm fine," she said plainly and stepped past Lux to retrieve her clothing. The exile wiped the blood away from her mouth using the sleeve of her robe. Quietly, Riven shook the off-white cloth she usually wrapped around her body. She could feel Lux's gaze upon her and twitched in discomfort.
"Don't EVEN think about it!" Lux exclaimed and quickly closed the gap between herself and Riven, grabbing the clothing article from the exile. "You just got all clean! Don't even think about putting those dirty cloths back on! Now, back to your room, it's just down the hall and the robe is fine to wear out of here you know," Lux sighed and collected the rest of Riven's discarded clothing.
Riven frowned and exited the bathroom with Lux in close pursuit. The Noxian looked distracted and distant as her shaking hands fumbled with the key to her room.
"Are you su—
"I'm FINE," Riven growled, half frustrated with her inability to unlock her own door. After a couple more seconds of struggling, the exile grew irritated and backed away from the door.
"Here let me—
Riven roared in frustration and pulled her leg up. She drove the heel of her foot right into the center of the wooden door and kicked it. The loud snapping sound of wood splintering echoed down the hall as the handle of the door and the lock broke free from the doorframe. The door swung open and Riven stormed into her room.
"Help…" Lux quietly finished her offer and sighed as she stepped into Riven's room. Something was obviously eating at Riven. The light mage looked around the setting. Despite its simplicity, it was still very Noxian in nature. A color scheme of dark greys and deep reds, even the floor was made from a deep tiger wood. Lux wasn't quite sure how to feel in this environment. It brought back the memories of her days in the Demacian military, when she was tasked to work in internal intelligence. She didn't miss those days one bit, especially the days she spent in the outer city of Noxus and the underground. A thought slightly tugged at her mind, just what kind of life did Riven have back in her homeland. Surly being the old poster child of Noxus couldn't have been too terrible; could it? Lux quietly watched Riven wrapping her arm with bandages. Catching nothing but a glimpse of the marred skin hiding beneath the wrappings was enough to make the mage twitch.
Riven narrowed her eyes feeling Lux's gaze upon her once more. Shifting slightly, Riven put her back towards the Demacian and hid her scars protectively as she paced its concealment a bit faster.
"Riven, I know now that it's not my place to ask personal questions…but may I ask one?" Lux's voice was riddled with nervousness.
"No."
"Fair enough, I'll let you have your space. Where do you want me to put these?" Lux asked, holding up Riven's clothing and un-matched armor plates.
The Noxian warrior blinked in surprise when Lux dropped the subject of personal questions. She turned a little bit and pointed her hand at the dresser where parts of the broken mirror still stuck to the wall. Riven quietly looked at the Demacian folding her cloths neatly and putting them back into their respective storage space. Riven sighed deeply, "What did you wan—
"Oh my goodness, Riven! Where are your other cloths!?" Lux gasped, frantically looking through the exile's drawers. "No, no, no! This won't do at all," Lux shook her head. She turned and pointed at Riven, who blinked in surprise in return. "How much is available in your Champion's Account?"
"What…exactly is a 'Champion's Account?'" Riven looked extremely confused.
"WHAT!?" Lux screamed loud enough that from a distance people could probably see the birds flying away from the institute in terror from the noise. Lux grabbed the borderline terrified exile's shoulders. "How did you NOT know about your Champion's Account? We don't fight here for FREE, Riven!" Lux shook Riven's shoulders slightly. "How long have you been a Champion?"
Riven placed the palm of her hand on Lux's forehead and slightly pushed the mage's head back so she would release her shoulders. "Let go… and I've been here for almost three years," Riven mumbled in slight irritation. "Besides, what does it matter if I di— Riven was interrupted as her sleep shirt hit her in the face.
"Get dressed," Luxanna commanded swiftly. "We need to get to the Institutional Exchange quickly; they close earlier than usual today."
Riven grumbled and dressed herself in her shorts and shirt she usually only slept in. "May I at least wear my sandals?" Riven could barely finish her question as the sandals landed on the floor near her. While Riven was strapping her shoes she couldn't help but be the one full of questions at this point. "How exactly does this Champion's Account stuff work?"
"Every Champion that participates in the League is given a form of credit for their participation in matches. The more matches a Champion participates in, the more a Champion will earn. The credit we earn is called influence. When a Champion needs something the Institute doesn't already offer them, you can trade your influence credits at the exchange here in the institute for money of all currencies available in Valoran. It doesn't matter if you win or lose the match; your participation is still accounted for. Influence credits differ for certain Champions though," Lux shrugged.
"How so? What exactly is the difference?" Riven asked.
"Well, for example purposes, Champions that are imprisoned at the Institute don't exactly need spending money. I mean, what would a creature like Kog'maw do with influence credits? Champions with city-state affiliations also earn less than an Institutional Champion because representative Champions have sponsorships from their affiliated homelands. I earn less influence credit than you do per match because Demacia provides for its Champions. As long as Noxus isn't providing anything to you, then you are still an Institutional Champion; you fight under the Institute of War's banner," Lux explained in hopes that Riven fully understood. "The fact that you've saved up three years' worth of Influence means you have a LOT of spending money…which is good. You will have plenty of both the standard coin to spend here and you can also exchange for some of the Ionian currency as well," Lux smiled. "A little pocket money never killed anyone."
In Noxus it did, especially in the outer city. To have even the slightest sound of coins in one's pocket made them a huge target for a cutpurse. It also wasn't uncommon to die over what little coin people could get their hands on; it just depended on how desperate the thief was. Despite Noxian laws that did protect its commonplace from acts like senseless murder to gain status, those only applied within the city walls; everyone else, was on their own. Riven lived in that environment for most of her young life before becoming of age to enlist in Military service. For almost everyone in the outer city, the Noxian armed forces were the only future they had. To avoid having pocket money was a developed survival mechanism from long ago. This was probably why Riven never looked into what she made as a Champion of service to the League. Everything she ever needed was already provided to her by default, food, a place to train, a roof over her head and having the privacy of her own room. Since her self-imposed exile, there was nothing more outside of redemption she had wanted other than…a home, but this was still not the home her heart longed to stay. Plenty of times over the last few years of her life she had fought with herself over returning to the only place she had ever truly loved unconditionally and plenty of times her beloved Noxus would sting like a festering wound; a reminder of the senseless betrayal it wrought upon its own sons and daughters. Riven would engage in never ending mental arguments with herself over the subject of her return to her homeland. How could she blame Noxus for the incident, it was the Zaunite's weapons…but Zaun was hired as mercenaries by the Noxian High Command… the truth in this case, had too many faces; who was really at fault for the destruction of Fury Company? Who was to blame for the destruction of her life…of her mind?
"Riven? Are you alright?"
Riven shook her head slightly as Lux's voice broke her concentration, "Sorry, I was just a bit distracted."
Luxanna smiled, "Are you ready to go then?"
"Almost," Riven replied flatly as she grabbed the tin containing her face paint. The exile quietly opened the container only to find that she was fending off the grabbing hands of Lux. Between the fumbling hands of both parties, the tin slipped free from their grasp and hit the floor. Riven's shoulders shook and her hands balled into fists as she took a deep breath to try and keep her cool. A grumble of deep frustration vibrated in her chest while Riven turned her attention to the petite Demacian. The grumble faded to a depressed sigh as Riven knelt down to collect the tin from the floor, its contents pooled onto the hardwood surface. Riven blinked in surprise as a white cloth waved in her field of vision. She looked up to find Lux offering the handkerchief to wipe up the spilled paint from the floor.
"I'm sorry…I didn't mean for it to spill," Lux's tone was genuine as she didn't actually intend for the paint to spill, "However, there is this amazing invention called concealer, and I know for a FACT that I can mix colors to match your skin tone perfectly." Lux smiled in reassurance.
"As in…make-up?" Riven shuddered.
"Precisely!" Lux giggled and clapped her hands together.
"Please, no," Riven sighed in complete disdain. Riven flinched slightly at Lux's reaction.
Lux's hands balled into fists and they were placed firm against her own sides. Her cheeks puffed as she took a deep breath and her demeanor forming into one that was supposed to look "tough." "Now, you listen here you…you…bullheaded, adamant, cantankerous, obdurate, contumacious…Dohhhhh, stop being so difficult! How do you know you don't like it if you've never even tried it?! You could be so attractive with a little guidance! Look good; feel good! It's not about aptitude! It's the way you're viewed! Confidence is strength to you know!?" Lux's shoulders heaved as she finished her little rant.
Riven sat there silently and blinked in complete surprise as Lux finished ranting at her.
Lux quickly straightened up, one hand covering her mouth slightly, "O-Oh, my…"
"Heh…" Riven shook her head slightly, "Do you feel better now?" Riven felt slightly entertained from Lux's little outburst, even if she didn't really understand half of Luxanna's colorful vocabulary.
Lux couldn't suppress the laugh any longer and she chuckled while nodding her head. "Surprisingly yes, I do."
"Well," Riven said as she wiped up the paint from the floor, "I guess we should get going." Her eyes shifted to Lux as she stood up from the floor. "I'll give your logic a try, if you truly believe it will help."
Luxanna squealed in delight, her body bouncing slightly and her hands waved in front of chest as she tried to contain her excitement. "Let's go! Let's go!"
"Okay, Ryze…"
Luxanna paused for a short moment and then she giggled, "So you DO have some sense of humor after all." Lux smiled at the exile.
Riven rolled her eyes while following the bubbly blonde down the hallway, a repair request slip held tight in her hand for her door.
It had been a long while since Riven had set foot outside of the comfort of the Institute of War's hallways. Riven stopped just before the doorway that led out the front gates to the vast cascading stairways of the Institute. She closed her eyes, struggling to find the power to walk outside. Her body remained stiff. Come on…Don't be a coward, Riven mentally scolded herself. She didn't understand why this was so difficult. If she couldn't even set foot outside the League…how would she ever survive returning to…Irelia, she shook her head in an attempt to rid her thoughts of the Captain. Why did her mind retreat to thinking of her? Was it envy? To see someone who had suffered from a war still be so strong, collected and confident? Unbroken… Accepted…
Sane.
Riven flinched from the mental jab. The inhabitants of her skull liked to share their two cents a lot as of late, even if their opinions were completely unwelcome. I'm not insane… I'm not insane… I'm not in—
"You can do it."
Riven's eyes shot open as the friendly voice's encouragement broke her concentration from her thoughts.
Lux smiled gently at Riven and slowly waved her hand toward herself as a gesture for her to follow.
The exile inhaled deeply and stepped through the gates of the Institute and descended the stairs with her company.
The small market town outside of the Institute was still bustling with life as the two Champions made their way through the crowds. The atmosphere was thick with conversations between people and the occasional shouting from merchants advertising their products.
"Ah ha, here we are!" Lux announced to Riven as they walked up to the decently large building. "They have everything here!" Lux continued as she half dragged Riven through the doors.
Riven looked around the store as they stood in the doorway.
"This way!" Lux half sang as she pushed Riven toward the section of the store that specialized in women's apparel.
Riven became significantly harder for Lux to push as her attention fell upon a dark green jacket with a white fur trim lining the hood. The way the fabric folded across the chest and buttoned down the one side reminded her of the way she wore the dark purple wrap she used in her typical outfit in the League. Riven had never really held much of an interest in clothing but that jacket certainly kept her attention.
When Lux finally got Riven to the dressing room she asked the exile to wait there while she wondered off to collect various outfits. She stood there quietly, wondering just what would Lux have in store for her. It was almost terrifying to think about.
A good half an hour passed and Riven found herself sitting down at this point still waiting for Lux to return. Just what is taking that girl so—
"I'm back!" Lux exclaimed as she returned with nothing but one outfit. Lux handed the outfit to Riven and smiled. "I think this one is perfect. The colors work well with your hair color and skin tone! Which reminds me, I got you some concealer."
Riven quietly looked down at the clothing articles in her arms, the color choices actually didn't bother her.
"Well, don't just stand there! Try it on! I wanna see!" Lux cheered.
Riven nodded nervously while she walked back into the dressing room to change. A couple minutes later she walked back out and stood before Lux.
The light mage gasped, "Oh my goodness, I am a fashion genius! Riven, you look fantastic!"
Riven looked down at the outfit. She wore a pair of black jeans that weren't skin tight but still semi-fitted fit comfortably around her legs. An off-white, cream colored sweater covered her upper body. The fabric was soft to the touch and fit in a way that displayed her natural strength while still emphasizing her feminine curves. Last but not least was the boots. They were black leather and fit loosely around Riven's feet. Riven actually liked the boots. She couldn't remember the last time she wore a heavy pair of boots, but one thing was certain, she missed the feeling.
Lux smiled, "Do you like it?"
Riven nodded quietly.
"Good! We can find similar things then!" Lux cheered.
As Lux and Riven were finishing up their shopping and preparing to leave the exile's attention was caught by the jacket once more. "W-What do you think of that?" Riven quietly asked Lux as she pointed at the jacket.
"Hm?" Lux looked at the jacket on the display mannequin, "It's alright, not really your color though."
"Ah…" was all Riven had for a reply as the two Champions exited the store with the new clothing for the exile's trip.
Riven was a nervous wreck as she walked next to Lux. The realization that soon she was going to be departing back to Ionia of all places was shaking the exile to her core. Despite Lux's attempts to keep Riven calm, the mage was clearly failing. Riven about jumped out of her skin when the sound of young voices came from behind them.
"Woah!"
"League Champions!"
"So cool!"
Lux turned to see the group of four young kids consisting of three boys and a girl, who was clearly much younger than the others. She smiled at them all, "Well hello there!"
Riven's spine remained straight and tight as she refused to turn around. She almost fell over when Lux nudged her. Riven stiffly turned to face the children, her body shaking with nerves and her crimson irises shifted down to scan over her little group of onlookers.
"Toby totally has a huge crush on you Ms. Lux!" One boy teased another.
"I-I do not!" The little brunette boy whined, his face bright red in embarrassment while the other little boys laughed.
Riven stood there silently as the kids teased one another in some strange attempt to keep Lux's attention. The little girl standing behind the boys quietly watched Riven, her arm wrapped around a blanket and thumb promptly resting in her mouth. The exile didn't know how to feel as the child's unemotional eyes continued to stare at her.
"So, do you all have a favorite Champion?" Lux asked the group of kids.
"Mine is Lee Sin! He's all like 'Hiya,' 'Ha,' 'Hikku!'" One little boy was throwing fake punches and kicks in his innocent little attempt to imitate the blind monk. One of the other boys whined as the playing boy accidently hit his shoulder with a wild fist.
"Okay, Lee Sin is a great Champion to like," Lux laughed and tried to stop the child before he hit someone else.
The little boy with scruffy black hair pointed at himself as he pushed himself in front of the "mini Lee Sin." "I like General Darius! He's so big and cool! I swear he has like… the biggest weapon in the WHOLE League!" The boy spread his arms out to emphasize the large aspect of Darius' battle axe. "Noxus!" The little boy jumped up in the air and swung his arms as he tried to imitate the infamous Noxian Guillotine.
Lux shook her head and chuckled at the child, "I know a Champion with an even bigger weapon than the General's."
"What!? No way!"
"Who is it!?"
Riven's eyes shifted to Lux, who was smirking at her.
"You're my favorite, Ms. Lux," the little boy Lux assumed to be Toby said bashfully as held his arms behind his back and rocked back and forth.
"Awwwww," Lux smiled and cupped her cheeks with her own hands. "Well, you're my favorite little fan!" Lux smiled and knelt down. She kissed the top of Toby's head and the little boy's face turned an even brighter red. The other two boys made sounds of disgust, as most young boys do. Lux assumed they still believed in cooties. Lux looked at the little girl behind the boys, "What about you, little one? Don't be shy."
The little girl said nothing.
"That's Maggie, she doesn't talk…like ever," Toby told Lux.
Lux smiled softly at the little girl. "It's okay, Maggie, you don't have to tel— Lux blinked in surprise as the little girl pointed at Riven. "Oh? Riven? Is she your favorite?"
Riven looked just as surprised as the rest of the group while the little girl kept pointing at her. "M-Me?" Riven stuttered, "Why me?"
"S-Strong," the little girl managed to say the word with a very thick Noxian accent.
Now Riven understood, it instantly all made sense. The little girl didn't talk much because she couldn't speak outside the language of Noxus, but, why was she here of all places? Riven knelt down onto one knee and looked at the little girl. It had been a long while since she talked to another person from her country in her native tongue but she did so to the little child.
The little girl silently responded to Riven's statement as she dropped the blanket and wrapped her little arms tightly around the exile's neck and hugged her.
Riven froze for a short while, taken completely by surprise by the little girl's reaction. A couple more seconds passed by before the Noxian warrior tucked her face closer to the child and closed her eyes, embracing the little girl in return.
A bell rang loud as a woman's voice could be heard calling out to the groups of children. The children began to run towards the building the woman was calling. The boys waved at Lux and Riven as they left with the other children.
Riven quietly let go of Maggie and pat her head. The little girl grabbed her blanket and trotted off towards the same building the boys had gone to.
"The Orphanage…" Lux's tone was sad as they watched the woman pick up the little girl and pass through the doors. "That one's a little different; it accepts children from all over Valoran."
Riven frowned. "That explains why a Noxian child is there."
"She's probably the only one," Lux frowned sadly, "Noxus doesn't exactly send children there to try and find a home like some of the other city-states. She was left there likely by a parent."
"Noxus isn't known for its compassion, Lux," Riven's tone was cold, cold enough to make the Demacian flinch.
"What did you say to her?" Lux asked quietly.
Riven remained quiet for a long while as the two Champions made their way towards the stairs to the Institute. Upon reaching the top of stairs, the exile looked up at the sky. The clouds looked as if a paintbrush had been streaked across them in vibrant pinks and oranges due to the setting sun. Riven closed her eyes and repeated what she had said to the little Noxian girl once more in the same language.
Lux quietly looked at Riven as the Noxian spoke.
"You were given this life…because you are strong enough to live it."