Author's Note: IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT! Hey so for everyone who had previously been up to date with my story, I need you all to do me a favor. I am changing up the plotline of the story, and taking a different turn instead of the one I had originally planned. In doing so, I changed up chapter 2, so if you had read the original version of it, please go back to chapter 2 and go about halfway down and see what I did. Then come back to chapter 3! I find this change of plot to be more enjoyable to write and also hopefully more fun for the readers to write. Sorry for the confusion, and as always, tell me what you think and feedback would be greatly appreciated.
The sun slowly rose, peaking through the vast, luscious green mountains and shining through her crystalline clear window. The rays were warm on her soft, smooth skin, a sensation that felt welcoming and set her body ablaze with life. She couldn't help but roll over, letting the rays wash over her face. The soft, cozy blanket slowly tossed to the side in favor of the friendly sun, her body feeling rejuvenated and elevated.
For a while she laid in bed, simply staring out the window as she watched the sun slowly rise, watching as the vast turquoise sky turned from a bright pink to a peachy orange color. It took her a good while before she mustered the will power to roll out of bed, making her way to the kitchen in the next room over, nearly tripping on the plethora of clothes scattered about. The white marble floor was ice cold to her barren feet, sending shivers down her spine as she walked, making her regret coming out of bed.
She stopped in front of a light brown cherry wood cabinet, opening it to grab a small iron pot and filled it halfway with water. Next, she reached for the knob on the oven, watching as blue flames ignited from the stove. The tea bags were by three green containers filled with sugar, salt, and flour on the counter, which she happily plucked two and placed them in the now boiling water and patiently waited.
After a few minutes passed, she poured the steaming pot of tea into a clear pitcher, filling it to the brim with water and scooping a few cups of sugar, mixing it all together. She poured herself a glass and took her cup to the table where she was sitting last night, continuing to watch the sun slowly rise. The sky was a beautiful combination of pink and orange, the morning still young.
She set the tea down on the table for a moment, quickly taking notice of yesterday's newspaper. The headlines had been the same for days, the focus all on one thing; the engagement. This one in particular was especially daunting, talking about the prince's long return from his campaign in the east. There had been much speculating going on about when the two would officially meet, and speculation about how the two families would handle the tension.
The paparazzi was an absolute mess these days, like news starved vultures that desperately needed to milk the wedding like it was some sort of cow. What bothered her the most was not all this talk about the engagement, but the poor choice in pictures. They just had to choose ones that made her look bad or made her look like some skimpy fat cow in a dress. Next thing you know they will catch her mooing or clucking like a chicken.
She didn't try to let this bother her though, deciding instead to enjoy this calming morning. It had been the first morning in a long while that she was able to wake up so peacefully, especially recently. There had been a lot that went on due to the engagement, everyone flocking in to get her ready and presentable. The royal duties were also still there for her to do every morning, a lot of greeting and a lot of pretending to care, which she excelled at very well.
Still, the news about the prince had proved to become irksome, spoiling her jolly mood. The kingdom had been in a constant uproar about his return after a year away. Normally it would have been the Lightshields making a ruckus, while the Crownguard plotted in the shadows about what this means for them. This time, however, all eyes were toward her. She needed to be perfect, the sweet princess awaiting the charming prince.
It was all due to the fear, the fear about how Jarvan would react. He had sent a letter to the Lightshields agreeing to the terms before the family had even reached out to them, but there was much speculation about how he would react when he officially saw her. On normal circumstances, the two rarely met, attending to their own royal decrees but never coming together face to face.
While the media speculated their own outcomes, she knew the reality before it would even happen. The poor little prince would fall madly in love with her drop-dead gorgeous looks and do anything to win her affection. If she was lucky, his princely sword will be longer than the javelin he carried around. Then again, maybe his preferred choice of weaponry was to overcompensate for something else, which hopefully wasn't the case at all.
Lux reached for her cup, setting aside the newspaper as she began to sip away at the still piping hot tea. The man she would spend her future with would be coming soon. He would come through the castle doors and they will finally meet face to face. She will exchange rings and vow eternity unto him, and him alone. Through these doors would they come in together, one day, and seal the deal, tying the knot to their loving future.
It was like some fairytale, a dream of some damsel in distress being swept off her feet by the dashing prince charming. Well maybe not a damsel in distress, but still nonetheless a magical moment between the two, so why did she feel so empty. This moment was bound to happen, she knew, mother preparing her for this occasion. After all, royalty was never permitted to love whoever they pleased, no such romanticism was never allowed.
It was for the good of the crownguard family. For the bloodline to prosper. The wellbeing of the crownguard future. A security measure for the family, a backup if all else fails. It was always about how to advance the family, for the family, but solely everyone else in the family that wasn't her. This is how she had grown up, listening to the same reasons, always in preparation to marry someone of their choosing, their selection, but never her own.
A soft knock came from the door, nearly making Lux spill her tea all over the place. She did not have time to answer, the door already pulled ajar as the woman had made her way inside. Her movements were graceful and quiet, her charcoal grey trench coat fluttering behind her as she made her way towards Lux. Beneath her trench coat was a white oxford shirt which was a little too big, loose on her body, while wearing a small black vest with thin white vertical stripes over the oxford. Her emerald eyes fixated on the princess, eyes like a cunning snake hunting its prey.
They did not need to converse for her to already know what the woman had come here for, the reason of the sudden arrival being obvious. It was for preparation, to be ready for the prince's long-awaited arrival when they were to actually meet. Today would be no exception, her royal duties must always be upheld, but the arrival had come earlier than normal, usually waiting until ten to begin.
"Your mother had requested me to escort you to the merchant district to get you a custom fitted dress to wear for the upcoming ball happening in a few days," the woman spoke, voice low and hushed.
"Not even a good morning?" Luxanna pouted, "but having such a cutie so close to my body to keep me safe, I may die from excitement staring at you Vayne."
Lux quickly flashed Vayne a wink, taking great amusement as the woman's eyes quickly widened, almost immedietly averting her eyes to avoid eye contact, burying her face in her hands. Her cheeks were quickly flushed red from embarrassment, not being one to handle such flirtation well. What she did handle well on the other hand though is being an excellent protector, a skilled warrior and knowledgeable of her most dangerous enemies.
Vayne had grew up in nothing, living in a wasteland of corruption, plagued with witches and beasts, pirates and thieves. To survive, she needed to be cunning and selfish, thieving and pillaging in order to see tomorrow. Then came the purge, a land ravaged by the empire, forcing the fiends out. It was there they took in the young girl, sparing her life in service of the kingdom.
Vengeance is what drove her for years, a desire to cleanse the world of the darkness haunting the land. She sought to travel when her service was up, cultivating her knowledge of the realm and its inhabitants. Here, she learned about black magic, the transformation of beasts, and understanding the fundamentals of alchemy. More importantly, she began to understand the darkness of the world. The most fearful enemy, the enemy common within all of us, greed and lust.
This is where she had come back from her travels, offering to pledge loyalty to Demacia once more. After enlisting in the military, her rank quickly escalated, nearly reaching the pinnacle in such a short time. Many were in favor of nominating Vayne to become Luxanna's personal protector, winning the vote nearly unanimously. However, the two started off as natural enemies at first, the woman wanting to hunt evil down, not stand watch in the castle.
Slowly, the two began friends, coming to terms with their differences, with Vayne discovering a new means to combating evil her way. Together, they made quite the team, despite being very opposites in nature.
"A-anyways, we are to go after your meeting with the prince," Vayne stuttered, cheeks still bright red and flustered as she grabbed a hairband to wrap her long, silky black hair into a pigtail.
"The Prince?" Lux raised a curious brow, "I didn't think you told jokes."
"I'm not, he has returned earlier than planned. Surely you have read the news by now?"
Lux simply stared at her blankly, not knowing what to say. Vayne came prepared, taking out today's news and showing it to her, the headline visibly announcing the prince's return. It was expected to happen at around nine in the morning, two hours from now. Naturally, proceeding the announcement were several speculation columns about the meeting between them. The media was having a field day deciding if someone would end up dead afterwards or if little Jarvan and Lux babies were on its way.
"The papers were delivered earlier than normal today to accommodate the enormous occasion," Vayne had murmured, "I'll help you get ready."
"I wouldn't mind having you undress me," she murmured back, getting up out of her seat, "I am going to shower first."
Luxanna walked past the increasingly embarrassed Vayne, making her way quickly to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The blissful morning had cascaded into chaos, her mood spoiled. There was many things coursing through her mind, many questions which tormented her, yet questions which spurned no answers. Instead, all she could do was submit and get ready to see her fiance.
Once inside the bathroom, she pulled her white tank top over her messy, golden blonde hair, letting her chest be fully bare as she slid down her long grey sweatpants. She let her white, lacy panties drop to the floor, kicking them to the side, out of the way. Completely naked now, her body was engulfed by the cold, nothing left to protect her as she lay defenseless and in the open.
She pulled back the blue colored curtains, reaching for the facet knobs and twisted them, watching as warm water began to fill the green tub. After waiting for a moment for it to fill up, she stepped inside, closing the curtains behind her so no intruder could peak. The immense heat was impactful, making her body quiver in pleasure as she slid down into the tub. The sensation was a thrill, rejuvenating her aching body and revitalizing her mind, helping her to think properly.
There were many thoughts which began to plague her mind, but all of them ran a common theme; the prince. It was coming to reality; the wedding, and the idea of it began to leave her in disarray. For awhile now she had come to terms with the marriage, agreeing to the conditions. Rather, for years she had accepted this would ultimately become of her fate, whether it be Jarvan or another prince.
The fear had never dissipated, the fear of the revelation before her. Acceptance was always easy, easy to come to terms with when it hasn't actually happened yet. However, once she met him, once she laid eyes on him for the first time, it would finally be the reality. The wedding would commence in a matter of months, everything being set in motion, and she was powerless to cast her feelings, tossing them in favor of the family.
Luxanna reached for the coconut butter shampoo, squirting some in her palms as she deeply scrubbed it through her long, silky hair. Water coursed through her hair, trickling down her face and body as it cleansed her hair. She grabbed some of her pomegranate body wash and began to scrub it through her body, getting rid of all the dirt. She felt a lot cleaner, and also a lot more alive now, ready to tackle the day.
She let out a large sigh of frustration, splashing the water around in annoyance. Her fate had been sealed already, and nothing was going to change that. She must look to the positives, like perhaps the prince being a nice, charming man. Maybe he would be a gentle guy, compassionate and loving to her. Maybe he would be a skilled warrior who knew how to wield his javelin, or hopefully just have a big javelin. A big javelin would honestly do, just not a dagger.
Positivity was offering her no solace, the emptiness still left to shackle her mind. The family would be prosperous, but what would become of her caged fate? The harmonious luxury known as freedom was undeserving of the daughter whose birth was paved to greatness. To dictate the lives of the lesser, to control the will of others, she must also offer her will to those who placed her here. To rule within the confines of stoned walls with clipped wings, she possessed little desire of, but a desire she must possess.
Time was running short, she knew, hesitantly getting up as she was quickly greeted by the cold air, the warmth the water offered dripping back down into the tub. She grabbed the two cotton white bath towels hanging by the bar railing on the wall, covering up her barren body and wrapping the other around her soaked hair to dry. Vayne would be waiting still, probably impatiently tapping away pacing back and forth, especially as time was surely catching up to them, but she did not leave just immediately yet.
Instead, she wiped the fog from the mirror from which the steam had left, taking quick notice of a pair of large, vibrant sky-blue eyes staring back at her. Her skin was a fair silky pale white, cheeks flushed red offering a beautiful contrasting complexion. She brought up both her hands, watching as the mirror obediently mimicked her actions. Then, she lightly slapped her face from both sides at the same time, never averting her gaze from her reflection.
"I am a big noodle now," Luxanna told herself, a desperate attempt to boost her confidence, "big noodles are positive noodles."
She reached for the brass doorknob, her confidence regained. As soon as she grabbed the knob though, her confidence was gone in the blink of an eye.
"I'm not a big noodle, I'm a wimpy noodle," she squeaked to herself, "No no no, you are Luxanna Crownguard, big noodle who will marry an even bigger noodle and make small noodlets. This isn't even the scariest thing I have to face."
She reached for the door knob again, confidence restored. She slowly began to twist it opened, but then stopped.
"Come on Luxanna, stop being an angsty noodle already and push open the door," she pleaded with herself, making a last-ditch attempt at the door. Before she could even touch the knob again; however, the door had slowly swung open. Standing behind it was Vayne, arms crossed with a look of mild irritation and concern for her friend.
"So," Vayne's voice quickly trailed off, not fully knowing how to respond back, "can you become a big noodle a little faster for me now?"
"For you, my noodle is always big," Lux blurted out from habit, immediately regretting what she had said and becoming even more flustered than she already had been.
They both had awkwardly stared at each other in silence, clearly both overwhelmed with embarrassment. It was already bad enough that Vayne had caught her talking to herself, but also caught calling herself a noodle of all things. The final thing she said was just icing on the cake, even worse being out of habit too. Teasing Vayne was absolutely a blessing on this planet, but she was too embarrassed for something like this.
Lux hung her head low in shame as she walked out of the bathroom, passing Vayne as she made her way to the bedroom, stepping on a small pedestal laid out in a spot surrounded by three mirrors on all angles. It had not taken Vayne long to follow, her emerald eyes narrowing as she searched through the closet for a presentable dress to wear.
Those eyes she could recognize anywhere, this being her in the zone. Nothing else mattered, nothing else existed savor the task at hand. The woman who was easily teasable became an impenetrable steel wall devoid of all emotion in this state.
A moment had passed before Vayne had pulled out a small white dress in satisfaction, walking over to Luxanna with the outfit clutched firmly in her arms. Lux slowly unwrapped the towel that had covered her body, fully allowing herself to be exposed in the open to change.
"Don't worry," she muttered to herself, "you won't find a big noodle down there."
The woman paid no heed to her as Lux proceeded to lift her legs, letting the woman scoot the dress underneath her body. Then, she pulled up, the silky fabric gracing her as it was slid up her body, leaving only two small straps at the top to support the dress from falling. From the neck to the top portion of her breast, skin was left showing, the bottom portion down safely tucked away.
"Do you think I will become a kind ruler?" she found herself saying, gazing at the reflection in the mirror.
"Of course," Vayne responded, not even taking a moment to ponder the question, pushing Lux's small, frail hands in a bracelet encompassed by seven white roses, "the people already adore you."
"I guess I am just afraid," Lux murmured, "the conflict among families has raged for centuries, and now I am the fan to sunder the flames, but I'm afraid. Will the winds of change blow back the flames, and with it, me?"
"Perceive as a queen and thus you become, fall to the deception and you become the illusion of your own fear," Vayne murmured, working on the final pieces.
Luxanna didn't say a word as the woman attached a set of matching bows to the side of her hips to be left dangling. She did a small spin, watching as it twirled around with her. The silky material canvassed her body perfectly, highlighting her sexy hourglass figure. The Prince was sure to die in excitement if he saw her in this. Hopefully he would be squirming in his seat unable to just stop thinking of her.
"Big noodles have even bigger hearts," Vayne said, nodding contently to herself as she examined her up and down.
"S-Shut up," Lux got all flustered, the embarrassment from earlier creeping back in, "but thank you. I needed that. I'm just a little angsty today."
Ever since the marriage proposal had happened, she was left on edge and afraid. An unsettling nightmare had grasped her, a fear that she may become merely a toy of the Lightshield's, or a pawn for the Crownguard's to use. She was terrified that this could change her, perhaps for the worse, making her the enemy of what she despises most. Now, suddenly she had to confront all the fears, and hope for the best she could control them, rather then let them control her.
"Positive noodle, positive noodle, positive noodle," Lux said to herself, slapping herself on the cheeks. Vayne held back a smirk, about to make a comment when she stopped dead in her tracks. It had come.
Ever so softly, distant echoes that reverberated through the entire kingdom. Then it slowly grew louder, the applause and cheers erupting from beyond the castle walls. First from the outer level they heard it, but it was creeping its way closer. Vayne ran to the balcony to check, but Luxanna didn't need to see it to know. Jarvan had just came home, and his next destination would be here to see her. He had come back to claim his bride.
"It's the prince," Vayne murmured, closing the balcony doors to shut out the cheers as best as possible, but the noise never ceased its rupturing excitement, "we must finish quickly."
Luxanna nodded, standing still as the woman began to fix her hair, wrapping her long, silky honey hair in a nice, tight bun, tying it together with a small string that had a singular white rose on it. She closed her eyes as she let the woman apply makeup, nothing extraordinary or over the top, just something simple like lipstick and mascara.
"Are you ready?" Vayne said, finishing up the final details.
"I have to be," Lux replied, lowering her head for the woman to put a sapphire necklace on, zipping up the dress from behind, "I grew up for this moment, and now it's time to fulfill my duty."
"It's just dinner between the families for now," Vayne said softly. For a moment she thought she could hear a hint of concern, a fear, but the woman continued, "I don't know what devious schemes they are plotting, but you are a beautiful woman inside and out. You won't be consumed by their game, so make it yours and show them what a true heir to the Crownguard name is capable of."
Lux nodded, flashing a weary smile as she proceeded to the door, Vayne walking side by side to escort her safely. Once they made it to the dining room, she knew, her friend would have to sit outside and patrol, no guards allowed to be inside with them. The encounter would be discreet, away from the pryful eyes of the media and the nobility. Only the Lightshields and Crownguards would leave knowing the details. She would be entirely alone, alone with her future husband.
They stopped in a large empty room savor for the angelic paintings and sculptures of kings of yore and statues of knights lining the wall. Before them was two oak wooden doors which towered over the room, the main entrance into the castle. Here is where he would come through, the chanting already at its peak. In minutes he would come strolling through, and she would have to be ready.
"Lux," Vayne said, grabbing both her hands in her own, "I don't care how big the noodle is. If I see you having little baby noodles I will kill you both".
"You're no fun," Lux pouted, "don't worry, I think you're way cuter than the prince."
"Better be," Vayne muttered, "not just any man can taint my sweet little princess."
"Well, aren't you the kinky one," Lux smirked. Vayne face flushed red, about to retaliate when the doors began to creep open.
There he stood, prince Jarvan IV, heir to the Lightshield dynasty. His golden yellow armor shone brightly within the sun's radiant gleam, his crystalline smile even more bright as he merrily waved to the flocks of citizens who came to see him. By his side were two royal guards, clad in red and gold armor, knights who probably ventured through the depths of the prince's journey with him. Jarvan let out a hearty laugh, taking great amusement in the conversation he was having with one of them.
Behind the prince was five of the highest-ranking nobles of the Lightshield family, members of the council of ten. They had probably ridden out from the castle this morning, opting to meet the prince by the kingdom's border. No one else came from the family, no one needing to come either, so they remained in their homes in the western territory. The same could be said of her family, opting to stay in their eastern territory rather than coming to the heart of the empire, where the king and the council of ten elected to stay.
Due to this separation, the families hardly ever saw each other, aside from major meetings that were always held within the confines of the capital. Otherwise, each family stayed within their region, no point in traveling to see one another. Luxanna was permitted to leave a few weeks ago to prepare for Jarvan's upcoming arrival, having to stay here until the wedding had finally ended. From there, she did not know where she would be traveling next, or if she would need to move.
Lux watched as the prince ran a hand through his short, milky brown hair, their eyes momentarily locking together for just a moment. Her face grew red as she quickly glanced away, but the man had never looked away, keeping his hazel eyes directly on her as he strolled across the white, marble covered floor.
The man had paid little attention to the media's constant craze, of which suddenly grew silent with cameras at the ready as the prince lifted up her right hand, bringing it close to his lips as he kissed it. The media became a frenzy of excitement, flashing pictures left and right. Even Vayne, who was normally cold and distant, seemed to raise a curious eyebrow, trying her best to hide the irritation on her face as she saw the kiss.
They both knew of the formalities, no one able to the blame the prince, but Vayne's jealously was absolutely adorable.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Luxanna Crownguard," he said, letting go of her hand, "your beauty exceeds the rumors."
"Naturally," Lux perked up at the compliment, doing her best to put her training to good use, "and you have grown into quite the fine-looking young man since the last time we met. I hope you have had a wonderful trip coming back home."
The prince grinned, making her want to just melt in his arms, "coming home to you is something I could get used to."
They could hear footsteps coming down the stairs behind them, the crowd pointing as the media flocked around like wild geese, focusing their attention to the Crownguards who came to greet them. Five were present, three male and two females, all among the king's council.
"Let us head to dinner, shall we?" he leaned his head down a little to get closer to hers, his smile never fading.
"We shall," Lux returned the smile, "we have plenty of guards, so can you work to safely disperse the citizens from the parameters Vayne?"
Vayne nodded, but not before flashing a dozen hand signals to her as if trying to say, "you better not do anything with the prince just because I am not there." Lux simply returned a wink in response, grinning as she saw Vayne pout in annoyance.
The prince and princess walked side by side together, the two families behind them intermingling together leaving the young ones alone. They made their way down the long, narrow hall, each step drawing them to the enchanting aroma of food which plagued their nostrils. The pungent only grew stronger, enticing the hungry dwellers to dine upon its succulent scent, begging to be satisfied.
"You must be quite famished," Luxanna found herself saying, "coming back from such a long trip and all."
Jarvan smiled at her as he responded, "living off roasted deer and duck, with my cooking, it was quite the drag. Unless of course you enjoyed burnt meat."
Lux laughed, finding that her fear had suddenly diminished as she was no longer in a mass panic like she was earlier this morning. She had been afraid the man would be cold hearted, that he would completely despise her and be absolutely boring. That perhaps he would torment her or do far more sinister things.
Instead, the prince had seemed to be a very kind and compassionate individual. He had handled the media with relative ease while also handling the citizens, who seemed to absolutely adore him rather quickly. Even the Crownguards didn't seem to dislike him either, which is saying a lot because they normally hated everything. More importantly, he did not seem boring at all and was actually incredibly sexy, which was a definite plus in her book.
Quickly, Luxanna's stomach began to growl in anticipation, hungering to be filled up. It would not take much longer, she knew, as the two stopped outside two small doors which would lead into the dining area. Two guards of the king's personal army greeted them at the entrance, opening the door for them to enter as they left to go stand watch and patrol. None were permitted to enter except for the royal families.
They were immediately greeted by a wide array of dishes, many of which were an enormous selection of meats, vegetables such as salads and cucumber, and her favorite, the assortments of sweets and desserts. It did not take everyone long to get settled in, the Crownguard filling all the seats to the right of the table while the Lightshield sat on the opposite end. Luckily, Jarvan had sat across from her, so she would at least be close to someone her own age rather than some grumpy old noble
No one sat to her right as that is where the table had ended, but of course mother had sat to the left of her. They needn't say a word to understand each other.
Cynthia Crownguard, a naturally cold-hearted woman who did not tolerate such tomfoolery. Her hair matched her heart, an icy white blue, and eyes of chilling sapphire. She still had fair skin despite her age of forty-two, but still retained the attitude of one. Mother had merely laughed at a comment from the opposing family, but she did not hesitate to flash Lux a sharp glare as well, eyes like sharp icicles slicing her sides, her eyes saying it all.
Remember to be graceful, to be enchanting and elegant, obedient but never submissive, to trust no one, or to simplify, "don't mess this up."
Lux did not need to hear mother persecute her, to listen to her divine judgement on her actions. She was a princess, and more importantly, the potential heiress to the throne. Messing up was not allowed. Besides, she was quite excellent when it came to charming people. After all, having these drop-dead gorgeous looks did have its merits every now and then.
"So tell me," a member of the Lightshield family had spoken, "how was the campaign in the south?"
"Mostly a success," Jarvan had responded in between bites of his steak, "Piltover is willing to pledge their allegiance to the empire, and Shurima has promised me an audience with their emperor in the near future, most likely seeking a trade agreement."
"Probably want us to reduce tariffs on imported goods," someone had chimed in, "and what of Zaun and Bilgewater?"
"Bilgewater wants tariffs nullified for all exported goods, and wants two ports in Ionia, and the canal that surged through Shurima," the prince answered, "Zaun refused my invitation and does not wish to talk."
Lux merrily dug into her pork chop, contently listening in on the conversation. She was quite well versed in global politics and economics, fully understanding what they were talking about. Piltover's allegiance was no surprise to anyone, more than likely an exchange between the two. The nation's technology would prove pivotal for war, and they would probably be given a large sum for such weaponry and money for research expenditure. While also the promise of protection from the empire, the nation would most likely expand Demacia's military tech arsenal.
Shurima was a large wasteland of sand, meaning they needed a lot to import and needed cost to be reduced, whereas they were bountiful in specific materials that could only be harvested there due to the harsh climate proving optimal. Not only this, but the canal that coursed through the nation would expand the empire's reach of the seas into the south.
Bilgewater was the reversal of Shurima, its main profits deriving in exports of goods produced and imported little. Aside from being the largest industry in fishing, its naval command of the seas was overwhelming. Demacia more than likely sought to expand their fleets and prowess in the ocean waters. Zaun was the ultimate wildcard, the empire hoping to obtain their knowledge in chemicals and alchemy, more specifically chemical warfare.
"What of Noxus," someone from the Lightshield family had asked, "have you managed to seek an audience with the high general?"
For a moment Lux thought she saw Jarvan take an unusually long pause in between bites, his eyes narrowing for a second, but only for a second.
"No, I've been too busy with the other nations so I have had little time," he responded, his voice low and harsh, "but is seeking an allegiance with Noxus really wise? Why waste time there when we should first focus on Bilgewater and Shurima."
"They are growing at an alarming rate under the new high general. If they see us plotting with another nations, they may grow fearful and seek to our enemies in other countries," the man had responded.
"Which is why we must expand our ports and gain the naval advantage of the seas, so our enemies cannot traverse through our lands," Jarvan retaliated.
"But the current problem is we are unable to offer up our ports in Ionia, lest we start a war. Furthermore, we cannot promise the canal in Shurima when we have yet to acquire it. Besides, the seas hardly mean anything when we will have to expend resources to fight the Noxian fleet on land," Lux had decided to chime in now, offering a voice on the matter, "If we align with Noxus now, we can seek to obtain the canal that courses through the lands north of there to offer to Bilgewater. Shurima will surely join after in fear of two mighty kingdom's from both sides of them. Also, our enemies would have to get through Noxus first, crushing their forces before they reach ours, weakening them."
"My my, aren't you quite the intelligent one," a Lightshield woman had spoken, "Jarvan could learn a thing or two from you."
"Thank you," Luxanna smiled, noticing mother sighing in relief, "I'm sure Jarvan is quite well versed in such matters as well."
The rest of the evening was relatively quiet, no one hardly talking aside from idle chatter among one another. The meeting was mostly just a reunion for the two tributes anyways, to meet each other before the wedding. However, Luxanna couldn't help but feel Jarvan was a little off, somewhat distant now. Had she said something to upset him, or was he feeling tired from his long venture home?
Time continued to linger on, everyone finishing up their meals when one of the knights patrolling the door had stumbled inside, explaining that the king had summoned the ten to his chambers. Naturally, everyone had gotten up, mother giving her a sharp glare before leaving, as if to say behave, leaving Luxanna and Jarvan all alone together now.
"So," Lux said, becoming suddenly flustered, "wh-"
"I'm sorry, I'm a little tired from my trip home," he said, interrupting her mid-sentence, "do you mind if we talk later? I want to rest for a little bit."
"Oh, okay," she responded, flashing him a bright smile, "get some rest then."
Luxanna watched as the man got up from his seat, strolling out the door and into the hall. A numerous pool of citizens had begun to crowd him, wanting to see the long-awaited prince. Even in his tired state, he offered many warm-hearted smiles and was filled with laughter as he greeted everyone while still trying desperately to make it to his room. All her fears about the wedding was were, and suddenly she grew restless. This man, she would spend an eternity with him, and for once she was excited for it.