Author's notes section:
[2023-02-06]: Hey, here is a preview of the story's next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.
[2023-03-03]: Hey, I have an update for you.
[2023-03-27]: Hey, the chapter is finally concluded.
Info: As I promised, the preview of the next `Last Christmas` chapter. Enjoy, and don't forget to tell me what do you think.
Info: Ok, let me start with what I promised in the last chapter of `My home is where my heart lies`. So, I often find myself not motivated enough to progress through the story, to write something refreshing and good. And thus, I feel like I will be splitting the story into 3 parts, aka the initial story will be split into 3 separate works. It will allow me to finish one part, re-read it, and think about changes that are necessary to take place. Furthermore, I feel like I have made a lot of mistakes throughout these nearly 3 years of writing this story. And... a lot of these come from a simple concept; I have started too many stories, and I have not been able to conclude virtually any of these. Moreover, my writing style and English proficiency drastically changed/evolved throughout this time. As you might know, I'm a perfectionist; I would love each and every one of my chapters to hold the same standard, to be simply the best. And... yet, with my knowledge of language broadening, it would require me to completely rewrite the story to maintain more or less the same level. And, as you might expect, it would take me ages to do so. So, as I have said, I will try to conclude the first part of this series as soon as possible. Nevertheless, I expect that I will need at least 3 - 5 chapters to do so.
Don't forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.
Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.
As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)
Changelog:
[2023-02-06]: A preview has been released.
[2023-03-03]: I have managed to update the chapter, adding around 700 words.
[2023-03-27]: The chapter's final version is finally ready and released to conclude the piece. I have managed to add around 1100 words.
Schedule:
- The silence of the shackles (new chapter)
- The Breaking Point (finish the WIP)
- My home is where my heart lies (finish the WIP)
- Some new story
Info: As promised, here is the preview for the next chapter. I will try to finish it asap, but as nearly always, I can promise you when the piece will be finished. Anyway, Enjoy :)
Info: Overall, the current plan is for me to write 'My home is where my heart lies' and 'Family tree' alternatively. Between the updates of these stories, I will try to upload other texts. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to finish some of the short stories. However, I truly doubt that. It seems that most if not all of the stories will be extended both in terms of the time and the number of chapters.
Info: I will try to rewrite some of the older chapters between releasing new ones. I expect to start working on that goal in the middle of January. So, please be informed that the new chapters might take a bit longer to be finished and published.
Bonuses' section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even 2 stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?
References:
Judas Priest - Prisoner of Your Eyes
*bonuses will be worked on when I don't feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D
End of the author's notes section.
It took Katarina more than an hour to walk her new instructor through the chambers she used to call home. Throughout that time, the conversation between the women was kept to a bare minimum as they both did not find comfort in pointless chatter. However, when the exchange took place, Akali was the one asking the questions, whilst the redhead was responsible for providing satisfactory answers.
"It's all, satisfied?" the Noxian assassin said when they finally finished their route.
"Yes," a simple response was provided by the Ionian. "It was an interesting stroll, thank you," she added, offering a short bow as a sign of gratitude. "Still, I wonder where can I sleep?"
"Pff," Katarina scoffed, shaking her head. "Pick whatever room you see fit," a vague comment was offered. "I don't care which one you'll end up choosing. You already know where mine's, so that's the only one you can't claim as yours."
"Perfect," the Ionian summed up. "I am going to bathe, and then we can start our first training session."
"Pff, let it be your way, at least for now," Katarina responded, somewhat unsatisfied with Akali seemingly taking the lead.
"I do not like to repeat myself, Katarina," the ninja said emotionlessly. "I have my end of the bargain to fulfil, and I intend on keeping my word."
"Whatever you say," the redhead hissed, then left the room.
"It is going to be a complicated relationship to maintain," the raven-haired woman thought.
Nonetheless, Akali would need to adapt to the new situation. As much as she disliked the idea of wasting the next 3 years on babysitting the said redhead, she did not have any other options. Hence, without overthinking, she headed out.
It was rather challenging for the raven-haired ninja to contain the excitement. After all, it has been a while since she could have taken a proper bath. To some extent, she found it amusing that people usually only value what they have once they lose it. However, that newfound amusement was allowed to manifest in the form of a quiet chuckle. It could be how to deal with what had been thrown her way. Finding comfort in details and fleeting moments would make that pact bearable.
After a quick stroll, the Ionian found herself in the spacious bathroom. Like almost everything in the estate, the tiles, the furnishing, and even the tub screamed with splendour.
Everything must have been bigger, better, and more expensive. The luxury surrounding Akali was difficult to deal with and somewhat overwhelming. The mostly snowy-white marble tiles were arranged in complex geometric and floral shapes. And, even though the ninja could appreciate the final effect, she found it excessing. In her eyes, all of this spending was unnecessary. Still, the more she delved into the matter, the further she would sink. Hence, it was for the best to simply quit the fruitless contemplation.
The bathtub was enormous. From where the woman stood, it seemingly occupied three-fifths of the room. Its boundaries were made of some polished onyx-black stone that partially reflected the light. Thanks to the earlier tour with Katarina, she knew how to operate the magical mechanism responsible for filling the tub and providing the soap. So, without overthinking, she closed in and turned on the water. In the meantime, the Ionian stripped from her clothes, arranging them neatly on the nearby shelf. Still, she needed to wait a few extra minutes before the water level reached the minimum. All things considered, the ninja did not need nor want to fill the tub entirely. It would have been an utter waste of time and resources. But, apparently, Du Couteau did not share her vision of the world.
Soon enough, Akali's bath was ready. The raven-haired woman stopped the mechanism immediately, not wanting to use more than was necessary. Then, she slowly immersed herself in the water. Momentarily, a pleasant warmth surrounded her, as if she wrapped herself in a warm blanket during a cold night. Then, possibly for the first time in a long time, the ninja could relax, allowing her guard to lower.
After a minute or so of virtually doing nothing, Akali reached out for a sponge. Nextly, she soaked it with a decent portion of soap before thoroughly cleaning herself. The Ionian swiped her skin with such intensity that it left many red marks across her flesh. But honestly, she did not care in the slightest. It felt too fantastic to finally clean herself properly after all that time.
The process took her more than a few minutes, but the woman was in no hurry. After all, her new student, Katarina, could have been less cooperative. Giving her more time might ease up what was inevitable.
"Do you honestly believe in that, Akali?" a half-muffled whisper left her slightly parted lips. "It feels surreal to call her my student. But, here we are, apparently," she continued, closing her eyes. "Whoever is currently ruling over these heavens, please grant me strength, for I am not sure I can pull that on my own," she pleaded.
Then, as unfortunately expected, Akali's mind was flooded by waves of memories. But, regardless of how hard she tried, it was inevitable. So many things have been left unconcluded in Ionia. Of course, some of these were more bothering or straight-up painful than the others, but right now, all the raven-haired woman could do was to fulfil her part of the bargain. When some vivid memory played out before her eyes, she gritted her teeth, mustering the strength not to tear up. But, despite these tries, the pieces of memories began chaining, replaying some of the sincerely protected moments from the ninja's life.
Soon enough, Akali found herself sitting under a cherry blossom tree. It must have been late summer, but she could not say with certainty. Occasionally, singular petals started their last dance, slowly yet gracefully descending onto the ground. The ninja forced herself to look around, for she was unprepared to face what was before her. She was sitting on a small island, barely spacious enough to fit a lone tree. Under its shadow, the Ionian rested, but she was not alone. Her nostrils would always recognise the smell that surrounded her. Akali felt her eyes glassing when she finally decided to cast her sight down.
On her lap, there was a girl, no, a young woman, soundly asleep. The woman's long, straight hair was the same colour as hers. Akali had some of these delicate stands inside her left hand, combing them gently. Her fair face currently expressed nothing. She was like an empty sheet of a book waiting to be filled. But unfortunately, this expression was only reserved for rare moments like this, for the times required both of them to fulfil a seemingly different yet essential role for their nation. If Akali was asked when she had fallen in love with Irelia, she would not have been able to precisely pinpoint the moment.
Nevertheless, there was something between them that had pulled them together. But, what was it, the ninja could not name. Again, though, the reasoning behind their relationship mattered not to her. It would have been an instantaneous decision if she was to put her life at stake for her lover's wellbeing. Still, her feelings for Irelia were a double-edged sword. In times of doubt, they would give her a reason to adapt and endure. But, on the other hand, someone could play on these feelings to gain something from her. All in all, it was a difficult topic for Akali. And because of that, only a few selected people knew about this love.
It did not take long for the tears to start rolling out. But, the seemingly occupied assassin only noticed that minor detail once one fell upon the dancer's fair face, stirring her from her dream. Just a moment later, Irelia woke up, immediately focusing her sight on her lover.
"What happened?" Irelia asked slowly. "Why are you crying, Akali?" she whispered another question when she spotted the glassy eyes. This time, however, her voice was filled with raw emotions such as care.
"Nothing," the assassin whispered back. "I am simply happy you are here with me," Akali lied.
"Pff," the dancer scoffed. "Even though you're an assassin, you don't lie all that well," she commented. "But that's fine. You'll tell me when you're comfortable with sharing whatever is on your mind," she added, then pulled Akali into a short yet sweet kiss.
But then, unexpectedly, the raven-haired woman heard the sound of the doors opening, which allowed her to return to reality. With her mind on a run, she grabbed as much soap foam as possible to cover her naked frame before looking at the sound's source. But, in all honesty, it was a pointless action. She would not have had to turn around if she had considered all the available possibilities. Considering that where she currently was, it could have only been Katarina. And, the reality proved that speculation rather quickly.
"Do you need something?" the Ionian assassin asked, trying to keep her voice as calm and emotionless as possible.
"It's my home," the redhead simply commented while standing in the doorway. "Here, I can do whatever I want; remember that," she added.
"Still, it is rather rude to bother someone when they are refreshing themselves," Akali responded with a comment of her own. "So, let me repeat: is there something you need of me?"
"Hurry up," Katarina uttered. "The degenerate, aka my father, wants us to participate in dinner. And, apparently, he doesn't tolerate refusal. So, hurry up. And, before I forget, here's your dinner outfit," she added, dumping a pile of clothes onto the nearest shelf. "Someone will retrieve your old clothes. But, honestly, I wouldn't expect you to see them again. After all, they're rather smelly, old, and cheap."
"Thank you for the information, Katarine," the raven-haired woman responded. "So... if it is all, would you mind taking your leave as I finish my bath?"
"Do whatever you like," the red-haired woman scoffed. "But, you better be ready in 5 minutes. I don't intend on waiting for you!" she added venomously.
"It will not be required," the Ionian woman responded emotionlessly.
Thankfully, once the short conversation was concluded, Katarina left the room as requested. For a moment, Akali feared that the Noxian would stay for whatever reason. But with that bothering point scratched from the list, the raven-haired woman immediately exited the bath, wiping herself dry before approaching the dumped pile of clothes.
All of these pieces must have been expensive, the assassin concluded before even touching them. After all, the woman could already spot the gold glittering. In truth, there was a hesitation of sorts residing in her, but there was not the right moment to address these voices inside her head. So, after a brief internal fight, she simply put on the given outfit. It took her a moment or two, but the woman approached the mirror once she was done. Well, the end result was, as expected, mostly thrilling.
The primary part of the offered outfit was a long, elegant, deep-green coloured dress that was unexpectedly styled to merit typical Ionian clothing. Underneath it, Akali had an extremely short silken vest that only reached her upper abdominal muscles and a matching lingerie set. Additionally, she was given a leather belt with some jewellery attached.
However, even though the initial impression was relatively positive, there were details of which the woman was frankly not a fan. For example, the cleavage was too ample for her liking, or her sides and legs were constantly exposed. Nevertheless, as Akali exhaled heavily, a thought came to her mind. If she were to guess, this outfit would be Katarina's pick.
Nonetheless, it was utterly pointless to delve deeper into that matter. Hence, as quickly as possible, the raven-haired woman put her hair into the usual ponytail before leaving the room. Though, she made a mental note to clean up the bath once the dinner was over and she was allowed to return to the redhead's quarters.
"Fuck," the raven-haired woman heard a familiar voice grunting. "Why do you look so good in these clothes?!" the same voice added relatively aggressively.
For a brief moment, the Ionian woman was confused, seemingly unable to locate the voice's source. The conclusion was simple: she got caught unaware. But, after a moment or two, she spotted Katarina, who stood mostly covered in the door's shadows. With no real intention to respond to that unexpected revelation, Akali glanced at the Noxian woman. As it seemed, the redhead did not change the outfit for dinner, which slightly puzzled the Ionian.
"What was that?" Akali asked when the latter refused to pick up the topic. Again, though, she tried her best to control her tone. After all, it would be pathetic for her to lose her composure that easily.
"I... I...," Du Couteau began mumbling. "Nevermind!" she stated afterwards. "I take you're ready. So, let's not keep the degenerate waiting. He'd probably start complaining about stuff like this if we were late. So, we better hurry," the redhead continued, her voice chaotic and filled with conflicted notions.
The raven-haired woman wondered whether to push the topic or let the conversation die. As in many aspects of life, there were advantages and disadvantages to both of the solutions. However, Akali was somewhat unsure if she wanted to be the one making the decision. Hence, she chose the easier of the two, opting to follow the Noxian.
Well, it would not have been the first time for Akali to think about this relationship of theirs as a difficult one. Still, in time, she might be able to see the real Katarina. Unfortunately, there was something artificial about the way the redhead behaved. And, maybe, there was more to discover there. Even though there would certainly be a price to pay for such knowledge, her curiosity took the better of her. After all, in Ionia, Akali was widely known for that.