A/N: OMG. I AM SORRY.
Long story short, I was burnt out. My schooling was all papers this last trimester. Over the last 2 months I had to write a 20 page research paper on a subject of my choosing for an advanced writing class. Needless to say I aced it but man that burned me out of wanting to even type a sentence for a long while.
I'm rested now and ready to continue. Thank you for ALL the patience and kind words you guys have shown and shared.
Please leave a Review, they do help and keep me motivated to write, both kind and critical are welcome.
Chapter 18: Don't Leave Me
The general cool air of the room was enough to make the Captain's skin prickle and crawl with goosebumps from the chill. Lazy emerald eyes rolled open from the disturbance of her body's reaction to the cold, breaking her sleepy meditative state. Irelia sighed softly and relaxed her shoulders and back from sitting up straight for as long as she did. The sun had long set and Irelia sat there in the exile's presence long enough that she had lost track of the time. The Captain silently rolled her shoulders and stretched her toned arms before relaxing again, her gaze lazy to the surrounding room dim with soft moonbeams. Moonbeams...and eerie green light. Irelia turned her attention to the sundered sword sitting next to her. The rune's glow was subtle and gentle...similar to the slumbering face of its master laying only feet away. The slow pulsing of the blade's rune intrigued Irelia's curiosity as she watched the sword with an intent to understand it better.
What are you...? The Captain couldn't help but ask as her eyes narrowed while tracing along the details of the shattered sword. There it was, that seeping ominous aura that made her blades shudder and her skin crawl. Irelia flinched away from the rune blade as a loud ring built in her ears the longer she observed it. The force of the sudden jerk from the sound caused the blade to slide. Oh Shi-
Thud!
Body tense, Irelia's weary eyes haltingly shifted toward the slumbering Noxian.
A bloody crimson glare was waiting.
"I-I'm sorry," the Captain stammered, gaze flinching away from Riven's as the exile slowly propped herself. Nervous and not thinking through her actions, Irelia started to reach for the blade to prop it back up against the wall where it rested before.
"Don't," Riven's voice wasn't as cold as the first time she had been curious about the sword but it was still far from friendly.
Irelia retracted from the blade, recoiling, feeling the exile moving close, grabbing onto the runic blade shard, and propping it back up near Irelia. She felt her spine lock up straight as she sat up, back pressed against the cold wooden wall. Despite the tension she felt, her eyes watched how gentle the exile was with the broken blade, her hardened crimson eyes softer as the green rune reflected in the crimson pools.
"What did you see...?" Riven didn't bother to spare a glance toward the uptight Ionian sitting in her presence, tone neutral and stiff. Calloused fingertips ghosted down the rough stone face of the blade. Growing frustrated with Irelia's silence, Riven did something she hated to do, "what...did...YOU SEE!?" Riven repeated herself.
"Nothing," Irelia breathed defensively.
Those once soft eyes of the exile hardened again as they shifted to Irelia, "you're lying."
Irelia frowned, "why do you always assume I am lying to you, Riven? That's hardly fair and a terrible display of character." Irelia's voice was stiff, trying to hold back her own internal frustration with Riven's constant poor judgement of her honesty.
"Back at the Institute you collapsed in my room after your...weapon... crossed mine. Something clearly happened. Even after the first time I ever faced you upon the Fields of Justice that was when you started to become more existent in my presence post match." Riven's eyes focused sharply upon the jade irises of this Ionian warrior that the League assigned to be responsible for her.
"That was then," Irelia's returning jade eye contact strong. She blinked.
For once, Riven was the one looking away from the intimidation test, her hand sliding along the stone of the blade again. "You have a way with weapons...an understanding that may run far deeper than even the owner of the blade. You wanted to understand why my sword is the way it is... didn't you? Isn't that why we defied the League and Soraka to bring it here?"
The Captain could feel her own enchanted steel shuddering uncomfortably within the rune sword's presence, that once ominous discomfort returning. "That blade is a curse..." Irelia turned her attention fiercely towards Riven once the exile answered her.
"Tell me something I don't already know, Irelia," Riven's gaze firm with the adjacent piercing pools of Ionian emerald. Was there anger in the Captain's eyes? Perhaps confusion? Something else entirely? Riven held Irelia's question riddled glare, her own facial expression just as firm as the Captain's.
"Then, why do you carry it still? If you know it's harmful to do so, Riven?" Irelia voice was low and laced with confusion and concern. Maybe the blade was the source of Riven's inner torment after all. Irelia was beginning to feel that the blade's presence here while they were attempting to help Riven heal was a mistake. Maybe she should have listened to Soraka.
Riven wasn't hesitant to answer, "I can't do away with it, Irelia. It is a reflection of my homeland...and myself. To abandon it would be to abandon my own cause to fix what is broken."
"Letting yourself suffer by keeping it won't help you accomplish that, Riven," the tenderness in the Captain's voice seemed to return. This was hard for the exile to handle. The truth.
Riven looked away from Irelia and out the window into the night, "I am, what I am. I cannot change that. I cannot just let it go. I will not hide it. To cast aside the blade would be permission to let all of the deaths of my people and yours be lost and labeled as nothing but a memory... to me... letting them become such a thing is an insult to their legacies, and I will not allow that... even if it means I cannot sleep at night. I will find a way to fix this mistake." Riven turned her head to look at the hand that gently came to rest on her shoulder.
"Riven," Irelia's voice was soft, "torturing yourself won't bring the dead back..." The Captain frowned as she watched the Noxian sitting before her hang her head down.
"In Noxus they teach us...that only the strong survive..."
Irelia looked down at the floor. Her attention flicked back up to Riven as a warm hand touched her finger's resting on the exile's shoulder.
"Does this survivor...look strong to you...?" Riven mumbled quietly.
"Yes," Irelia's response was confident, "and that is not a lie."
Riven lifted her head and turned around to see the Captain face to face.
Irelia was not hesitant to continue speaking while she watched Riven stare, "The statement isn't false; The strong do survive, but look how far you've come, Riven. You know...not all who wander are lost. You've faced your demons and you chose to live with your mistakes. You may not be a Champion of Noxus, but you are a Champion of the people. Even in self imposed exile, I am certain there are people in Noxus that feel like you and believe in the same things as you do. They need their Champion and you are there fighting in the League for them and those who were lost. There is no banner of a nation in all of Valoran that holds more glory than a hero of its common place." The Captain grabbed firmly onto Riven's shoulders in affirmation of her words, "So, no matter what, you keep fighting for what you believe is right, like you have been, even with some of your own countrymen wanting to drive a blade through you. If being able to do all that is not a sign of a strong heart... then I do not understand the definition of the word." Before Irelia could even smile, the Captain found herself being pulled forward. There was something different about the action of the woman before her that made this feel like more than just a simple hug from a friend.
This was an embrace, and it was genuine.
The Captain relaxed into Riven's arms, resting her head in lazy comfort against the exile's chest. Slowly, Irelia slid her hands from Riven's strong shoulders and wrapped them around the Noxian's ribs and back. There was a strange comfort Irelia felt being wrapped up in this once Noxian soldier's arms that just months before would have frightened her and made her question her own sanity, but, the warmth was enough to nestle those insecurities away. A soft smile pulled at her lips feeling Riven rest her cheek upon the top of her head and the captain nuzzled closer, the toned and muscular arms around her tightening slightly in response.
Riven slowly slid her cheek down the silken obsidian locks of Irelia's hair. The muscles of her throat tightened while she swallowed hard as the bridge of her nose came to rest along the curve of the Captain's forehead. The exile tried desperately to fight back the hesitation and the shaking that came with. She knew her face was hot as a furnace and she knew Irelia could feel the warmth of her flushed cheeks. This was far outside the boundary of how a friend would treat another. Surely, Irelia wasn't this naive to human interaction. Come on, you coward, express how you feel... Riven scolded herself for freezing up and giving into the hesitation creeping through her being. Painstakingly slow, Riven lowered her face more.
Irelia wasn't reacting like a person on the other end of this situation would. A look of confusion played at the Captain's face, not that Riven could tell, the exile had her eyes closed. This scenario was certainly different to anything she ever understood being involved in but she cared to do nothing. She definitely didn't want to insult the exile if behaving in such way was some kind of Noxian expression of caring. The Captain blinked, feeling the tip of Riven's nose barely ghost over her own and an idea came to mind. Without hesitating, Irelia nuzzled her nose against Riven's and chuckled playfully.
The exile pulled her head away and blinked in confusion. Riven crinkled her nose a couple times and her face was flushed bright red from the lingering sensation of Irelia's action. Her attention flicked back from her nose to the childish laughter in front of her. "W-What's so funny?" Riven grumbled in embarrassment.
"Your reaction," The Captain continued to lightly chuckle, "I thought you said you were semi-cultured," Irelia teased.
Riven scowled softly, "N-Not in gestures...What does that even mean...?"
"It's-" Irelia started but was cut off by the sound of knocking at the door, "...three in the morning? Who in their right mind would be here...?" The Captain slipped out of Riven's arms to get up from the floor.
The exile streched her arms out and exhaled a deep sigh after Irelia stepped out of the room. Feeling disappointment, Riven collapsed backwards onto the bedding and frowned. Why is this hard... it should not be this difficult...Then again...it's like being around a... Riven laid there for a couple more silent moments then rolled onto her side and looked at the door; A child... maybe Irelia just hasn't been around people enough, which Riven found odd, because Irelia was the Captain of Ionia's National Guard. She had to be more mature, even if Riven had seen Irelia's professionalism in the past. The exiled Noxian knew better, then again, Irelia was no more than an adolescent when her people were invaded. How terrifying it must have been. Riven could feel her fingernails biting at her palms from the tight fists her digits curled into recalling the terrible things both Noxus and Zuan had done to the people of Ionia. I never made it to the Placidium...Riven's thoughts were somber, "not until after you drove the beast back from your home..." the exile whispered in the silence.
The enchanted steel that followed close behind their master continued their nervous shuddering as timid fingers touched the door frame that lead out of the house. The Captain took a deep breath and opened the door, preparing herself for anything to be on the other side. Irelia flinched slightly in surprise, "E-Elder Mako," Irelia swiftly bowed her head in respect.
"Easy young one," the older woman smiled, "your respect is well placed." The Elder tapped Irelia under the chin so she would lift her head back up.
"For what do I owe the honor of your personal visit at this hour? Is something wrong? Am I needed? Would you like to come inside? What can I do for you? Do you need anything?" Irelia had nothing but questions rattling her thoughts. It wasn't everyday an Elder of the council shows up on a citizen's doorstep, though, Irelia was no ordinary citizen, the thought was still the same.
"The moon beams and stars are relaxing tonight, are they not?" Mako's voice was raspy. The sound of her wooden cane grinding the earth beneath it caught the the Captain's ears as the hunched over woman turned from the young Ionian. The Elder's long silvery-starlight hair, much like Riven's in color, had what looked like a gentle glow from the celestial light of the night sky. Her worn eyes had a clouded silver luminescence to them and the blue tribal-like tattoos upon her face were bright against the wrinkled tanned skin. There was no doubt Elder Mako was one of the oldest members of the council, but that was to expected as one of Ionia's last remaining true shamans that practiced the mysticism of the old kingdoms before the quest for enlightenment became a national practice. A gentle cool night breeze rolled passed both the women, "Ah,"Elder Mako smiled, "the spirits are at peace tonight." Mako took a half step back towards the quiet young Captain still standing in the doorway to her home, "Young one," Mako addressed.
Irelia perked her head back up, "yes, Elder?"
"Would you be so kind as to join an old woman on a nice walk?"
"Y-Yes, of course!" Irelia stammered and quickly sat on the floor to strap her leather shoes on. Irelia swiftly got back to her feet and stepped outside, sliding the door shut behind her.
Dark crimson eyes quietly watched Irelia leave from the door of their owner's room. The door to the room glowing with emerald light slid shut.
The sound of sifting dirt below her feet and the occasional tap of the Elder's cane was all Irelia could hear in the twilight silence as she paced her steps to walk next to Elder Mako.
"How is your Noxian?" The Elder's airy voice broke the serene silence.
Irelia nearly tripped.
"Ah, the dead want your attention."
A horrified look took over Irelia's face as she caught herself from falling and stood away from where she tripped. Ionian folk lore about the spirits of the dead grabbing at the ankles of the living, causing them to trip, wasn't an uncommon story after Noxus invaded. "Wh-What do they want?" Irelia's voice was shaking as she looked at Mako.
"To watch your step."
Irelia sighed, realizing she walked into a joke, "I was unaware you had a sense of humor, Elder."
"The world needs humor, or there would be no smiles," Elder Mako smiled, "you never did answer my question."
"Regarding Riven?" Irelia stood back up straight, "she isn't my Noxian. I'm just helping her. I guess she's making progress. Hopefully by the end of this visit she will be better than before." Irelia flinched when the Elder held her bony fingers only inches from her cheeks. The Captain blinked in confusion.
"My fingers were cold," Mako said, "good thing all that heat in your face is changing that."
Irelia's face grew even brighter in embarrassment and she fell silent, losing her ability to use words all together.
Mako chuckled, "hearts are nature's most misunderstood trickster." The Elder's cloudy eyes shifted to the floating steel blades. Irelia lifted her arm as Mako stepped under it and around her, "how have you been, Ire? I see you have better control. Adapting to your condition, yes?" Elder Mako plucked one of the blades from the other three and they remained calm, as did Irelia.
The Captain quietly watched Mako examine the blade closely as the woman touched the engravings and designs with her fingers.
"You are one of Ionia's greatest miracles," the blade retracted back to the others once Elder Mako released it, "and a blessing to us all. So keep that in mind when your thoughts turn dark. Soraka's sacrifice was not in vane."
The Captain nodded, still unable to find words. Hearing such compliments from one of Ionia's most respected Elders and Shamans was indescribable. Still, Irelia didn't understand the meaning of this visitation.
"I assume, you are wondering why I came to see you at this hour," Elder Mako stepped back around and stood before the Captain. "I came here baring a warning, Ire, so that you have better time to prepare yourself for the news that lies before you later this morn. The spirits of the wind like to sing, you know? It is why we give them chimes to play, but today they howled from the north. Something, or someone, has agitated them. Kind and gentle wind spirits do not like to commit harm upon anyone. Only when they are abused do we face the great storms."
A look of angered shock took hold of Irelia's demeanor, "you do not think that he has resurfaced, do you, Elder?"
Sitting across the table from Riven later that morning was nothing short of awkward for the Captain. They hadn't spoken a word all morning and those crimson eyes watching her every move was starting to bother her.
Riven jumped slightly as the Captain slammed her cup back down to the table top.
"It's rude to stare," Irelia finally managed to put an end to the silence.
"So is leaving in the middle of the night without a word," Riven retorted.
"What I do and where I go is no business of yours..." Irelia frowned.
"Yet everything I do and where I go is yours? What aren't you telling me?" Riven growled, "You know something, so just fucking say it." The exile's expression was one withholding great irritation, "who was that person you left with?"
"It's none of your concern!" Irelia got up from the table and walked out of the room, blades in close pursuit.
Riven scowled and sat back on her heels. The exile sighed deeply and ran a hand through her hair, feeling guilty of snapping at the Captain. She was behaving like a jealous teenager, which bothered her. Riven tapped her fingers quietly on the table top, something is bothering her... she thought, then got up to find Irelia.
It wasn't hard to find her.
Riven stopped and quietly stood in the doorway of the Captain's room, "I'm sorry," she finally managed to say after a couple more moments of silence and shrugging her shoulders.
Irelia lifted her head, acknowledging Riven's presence, "I to am sorry, Riven. I am just troubled is all, don't mind me any..."
Riven rolled back on her heels and slid her hands into her pockets, "you know...you can tell me anything," the exile's eyes shifted away as a tender flush painted her cheeks. Listening wasn't a trademark skill of hers, but if she could listen to complaining soldiers for most her life she could listen to Irelia.
Irelia sighed, "my duty to Ionia will never cease until I step down and hand the mantle off to the next warrior ready to answer the call and dedicate their life to serving the people of this land."
"Yeah, I understand how that feels," Riven rocked on her heels.
"I know," the Captain responded, "it is why being around you is much easier than others." There was a short period of hesitation before Irelia spoke up again, "there is something I have to take care of...plus, your treatment starts today."
Ah...maybe that is why she is bothered, Riven quietly thought as she nodded toward Irelia.
Walking through the Placidium during the light hours of the day was still as beautiful and serene as it was in the evening. The bright pedals of the various blossom trees combined with the traditional colors of cream whites, clay orange and red tiles, golds and greens made the city bright and pleasant. The patterned stone walkways still looked as perfect and intact as they did in the night.
The summer air was warm and comforting as Riven, dressed like an average Valorian, though she felt like the style belonged to Piltover more than anywhere else, walked quietly at the side of the Captain of the Guard, whom was appropriately donned in her full red and white regalia. The attention the difference in dress code and the various glances and stares of the people they passed by made Riven's muscles tight with discomfort. Regardless of the internal hurricane of nerves, she felt safe next to the Ionian Champion, almost as much as she felt with her rune blade. That feeling of security was starting to fade as they approached a busy market. The fingers of Riven's right hand began to twitch and grab at the empty air as she tried to stay close to the Captain while they squeezed their way through the bustling crowd of people. The exile began to feel panic ensuing, seeing the many faces of the Ionian people she was commanded to strike down in the past, no matter the status...no matter the sex...no matter the age... The loud noises of the shouting merchants, idle chatting of the crowd, moving of merchandise, laughter of children and shuffling of feet made it difficult to hear Irelia trying to calm her as they moved forward.
Keep moving forward!
The words were her own; shouting over the thundering torrential down pour of Ionia's infamous late summer storms. The dragging of feet through think, disgusting, mud and the clanking of armored bodies struggling to lift their boots clouded her thoughts as the exile's hand continued to nervously grab at the air, searching for something. The memory halted as something came to rest in her shaking hand.
Slender fingers quietly laced between the Noxian's battle worn digits of the hand used to the comfort of holding a hilt.
Irelia squeezed Riven's hand softly and tried to lead the now shocked Champion through the crowd.
"Look at me," Irelia's voice was calm as she continued to slowly back out through the crowd, "don't look anywhere else."
Her words were clear through the echoing chaos of noise in her head as Riven complied by doing just what Irelia requested of her. Before Riven could manage to blink, the sounds of the market place started to grow distant and once Irelia released her hand she realized they passed through.
"We are almost there," the Captain smiled kindly, a hint of relief behind her words that Riven managed to calm down in the crowd before a disaster could occur.
Riven remained silent and simply nodded, taking her place back at the Captain's left side.
A few moments of silence passed before Irelia decided to speak, "an Elder visited me last night."
Riven turned her head and looked down at Irelia. The exile knew something like that would be like the Grand General of Noxus standing on her doorstep and understanding Irelia's position of authority, it must have been very important. "What did they want?"
"My assistance," was all Irelia managed to say as the doors to the clinical facility were opened by a guard.
The guard was concerning, even Irelia was suprised to see one there.
That's odd...He isn't one of mine, Irelia thought as she looked at the large Ionian man that was easily comparable to General Darius in size.
The large guard's presence put even Riven on edge as she stood next to Irelia in the lobby of the clinic. Once the door was closed and only the outline of the man's large form visible through the fogged glass, Riven's eyes quietly scanned over the room.
The room was quiet and quite spacious with plenty of places to sit down. The front desk was unmanned and there were various pictures of Ionia's landscape lining the walls. The gentle trickling of water from a small rock fountain sitting upon the front desk could be heard in the quiet ambiance.
"Wait here," Irelia said, "I'm going to see if anyone is here." The Captain pat Riven's shoulder as she walked up to the front desk.
The exile quietly looked at the various pictures of Ionia lining the room. This country was nothing short of beautiful, even within it's cities. The temples in the clouds nuzzled on high mountain peaks, rolling hills, deep...valleys... a picture caught her eye. Riven quietly approached the familiar scene and stood before it in silence.
The large valley was green and lush from the surrounding mountain's base as far as the eye could see. The presence of the little village town stuck out from the green.
Calloused finger tips softly traced over the engraved tag marking the name of the location in the picture. It never looked as it did in the picture when she walked through those fields.
Coeur
" 'Ayyyyyyy, Lalooooooo!" A muffled female voice could be heard outside the glass as a much smaller figure approached the shadow of the large guard at the door.
Both Riven's and Irelia's attention turned to the door as it swung open.
" 'Eyyyyy, lil' sista, how ya doin'?" The large man's voice was deep and his accent relaxed as Lalo gave a toothy grin at the skinny female entering the building.
The young woman's hair was short, semi-spiked and tousled. The white coat she wore was open and the fabric round the collar was covered in various colorful buttons and pins with pictures. Underneath the open medical coat was a black tank top and various silver chains of different sizes hung loose from the woman's slender throat. Her black jeans clung tight to her thin legs and her untied, laced, black leather boots looked two sizes larger than her actual feet. Once she tapped her knuckles against the guard's and swung her leg around to turn, she noticed Riven and Irelia standing in different parts of the lobby. "Oh my! We got visitors!" She laughed and waved back at Lalo who promptly shut the door behind her.
Riven quietly walked back up to Irelia, whom was now accompanied by this young woman.
"Hey'a Capi-tan," the woman greeted Irelia, giving her a playful salute with her fingers from her forehead, "sorry for keepin' ya waitin'," she laughed. "Woah," she gaped as the much larger Noxian woman stepped up to them both, "damn! I haven't seen garb like that since I left the University in Piltover! By the way, love the do," she complimented with a laugh.
Riven's eyes shifted up to her own unkempt hair that was similar to the young woman's and touched it with her hands.
"The names Violet, like my hair," the young lady from Piltover pointed at her brightly colored locks upon her head. "The big brute outside is Lalo. Did you know he's part Freljordite?" Violent shrugged her shoulders non-nonchalantly, "who knew?" She chuckled. "Don't let him scare ya' though, he's from the So-Isles here in Ionia and he's like a big teddy bear on the inside. He's really only here in case someone gets outa' hand."
Both Irelia and Riven turned towards the desk Violet was now standing behind, both their expressions surprised that she was over behind it as fast as she was.
Violet pulled out a clipboard from under the desk and whipped out a pen from her coat pocket, "this is exciting, not everyday we have the Institute of War sending us a Champion," Violet lifted her head up from writing and looked off away from both Riven and Irelia in self commentary, "Then again, I'm kind of a dork and used to watch the match broadcasts while I was at the University." Violet shrugged then went back to writing.
"So, what brought you here to Ionia? If you're a University student, that is," Irelia asked with a smile.
The overly excited and semi-spastic young woman chuckled, "well, I wanna do criminal profiling and psychology for the PPD, that's the Piltover Police Department, just in case you didn't know... BUT I'm sure you do," Violet waved her hand dismissively, eyes still on the paper work, "considering the sheriff herself is in the League and all. What better place to get some experience than here? I'm an assistant. I mean, Ionian practices for understanding the mind is quite amazing and totally wicked, like, you don't even know. The Doc here," Violet set the clipboard down to use her hands to emphasize her next statement, "is PHENOMENAL."
Riven stiffened and jumped slightly when the doctor's assistant slapped the clipboard down onto the table in front of her.
"Just need you to sign on the line," Violet grinned, "it's a consent form stating all your information is correct and you're accepting the terms of treatment and so on. Basically do you wanna get better or not? I wouldn't worry about the information itself we got all the identification and health records from the Institute anyways."
Riven quietly looked at the sheets of paper still sitting on the board before her. The lines of the letters and words look jumbled and messy like jibberish even though it was simple Valorian common as her nerves began to get the better of her. Feeling a hand touch her left shoulder blade, the exile flinched slightly and turned her attention to Irelia standing next to her. The touch was re-assuring. It was enough to help Riven find the strength to write her name on the sheets with a shaking hand.
Violet took the clipboard back once the exile was finished, "not last name?" The assistant rose a brow while holding out the clipboard and examining it as if trying to find something missing, turning and rotating the clipboard around.
The exile shook her head quietly.
Irelia frowned somberly.
Violet's blue eyes flicked between them both, she shrugged, "last names are overrated anyways. I mean, what's even the point? Right? It's not like anyone calls you by that name anyways." Violet looked at the papers once more, "well, everything checks out. The Doc should be out anytime now. You're welcome to hang out if you want to Cap, but it may be all day."
"Oh, I can't stay. I have something to take care of," Irelia frowned after she finished answering.
Riven turned her head to look at the woman standing at her side, "so I will see you later tonight then? When they are done?" Riven's stomach began to roll uncomfortably when Irelia took a step back from her. "Irelia?"
"I won't be coming back soon, Riven," Irelia mumbled.
"W-What do you mean you won't be coming back? What the hell are you talking about?" Riven could feel the panic starting to set in. She knew anger was going to follow if she didn't get answers, and soon.
"Something has come up and I am needed," Irelia answered.
"You can't be serious...You can't just leave me here!" Riven shouted.
"I don't have a choice, Riven..." Irelia uttered.
"Yes, you do! Everyone has a choice, Irelia!"
"I have a duty to fulfill for the safety of my people, Riven! Why can't you understand that!?" Irelia yelled.
"And I am YOUR responsibility!" Riven yelled back.
"Would you do the same to me if Noxus needed you!?" Irelia stepped up to Riven.
The exile was lost for words. Would she? Would she do the same? Leave Irelia behind to help Noxus if they requested her aid?
The Captain shook her head and took a step back, "I don't want to leave you here but I don't have a choice...please try to understand."
Riven said nothing.
The silence was all the answer Irelia needed. She lifted her head back up and looked toward the purple-haired medical student behind the desk, who was smiling no longer, "Violet."
She perked up a bit, "yes, Captain Lito?" She knew better not to be informal with nicknames at this time.
"Please take care of her for me while I'm gone. It will be for about a week considering the location of the problem. Surely you understand that investigations take time," Irelia's voice was borderline sad.
Violet nodded, "don't worry, Doc and I will take good care of Riven," she gave an enthusiastic thumbs up, "we're on the case!"
The Captain nodded and looked back at Riven.
The exile's head was low and eyes hiding behind a shroud of starlight bangs.
Irelia wanted to speak, but couldn't find any words to say. Slowly, Irelia began to take steps back towards the door.
"Take care, and good luck!" Violet waved towards the departing Champion.
A simple wave was all that was returned.
Riven stood there like a statue, watching the door, not wishing to move. The exile stood there, even after Violet walked up and stood next to her.
"H-Hey, Riv," Violet said gently as she barely touched her fist against the larger Noxian warrior's arm in the form of a playful punch, "the Rivster...yeah," she frowned and looked back at the door. "Separation is never fun..."
The exile didn't react.