Akali took Anette's advice with significant consideration. What the girl had said was intriguing, as it would, more-or-less, fit the overall opinion she had been forming since her arrival. It would not have been far-fetched to assume that amongst the Du Couteau family, lying had long become a normality, something so common yet painfully artificial.

Looking at her mirror's reflection, the Ionian, not for the first time, felt trapped. The unfortunate comparison the maid had made was oh-so-fitting. Like an insect, Akali was thrown into a sticky web, waiting for her host to show up and decide her fate. Even though the head of the house played his cards well, leaving a positive impression on their first meeting, it would not suffice for long. Despite all his efforts, it was crystal clear that Marcus Du Couteau was the proverbial spider who had weaved this net. However, the question remained: why? What had happened? Why is there so much hostility between the man and his daughter?

Shaking her head, Akali decided to drop the topic. After all, if she had a reliable way of getting the answers she sought, it would no longer be a problem. Yet, here she was, conflicted and unsure of her next move. No … she knew exactly what needed to be done. For the foreseeable future, her fate was intertwined with this of Katarina. Even though keeping her promise meant being separated from her home and loved ones, it was a gamble worth taking. Even if, at the bitter end, she would have been bound to this realm forever, forbidden from returning to Ionia, her duty would have been fulfilled. For she would bring a long-sought and dreamt peace for her kin.

The dark-haired woman sighed heavily, suddenly exhausted with everything fate had thrown her way, feeling as if the world's weight was placed on her shoulders. Immediately after heeding gentle knocking, she stirred away from her thoughts, deeming them too complicated to deal with at the moment. Partially thankful for the interruption, Akali approached the door, not trusting her voice. With slightly trembling hands, she pulled them open, revealing a short, brown-haired maid.

"Good morning, Miss Akali," Anette cheerfully greeted the ninja as if what she had told her the previous night was all but a fabrication of her imagination.

"Please, do not call me `Miss`, Anette," Akali replied instantaneously, a tad embarrassed. "Good morning," she added, stepping aside.

"If that is what you wish, Akali," the maid commented, flashing a small smile.

"Do you want to come in?" the dark-haired woman asked. "I take someone requires my presence?"

"Yes, that is a correct assumption."

"Who, then?"

"Master."

"Hardly unexpected," the ninja commented, allowing her eyelids to shut momentarily. "Pardon me … what does the `Master` want?" she inquired a moment later after regaining her composure.

"I am sorry, Akali, but I do not know," the maid replied instantaneously, flashing an apologetic smile. "My position within the household is not that high to earn me such privileges," she added and cast down her sigh as if regarding whether what she said was an appropriate decision.

"Oh," a slight gasp left the Ionian's throat. "No matter; thank you," she hastily said. "Are you expected to lead me to the meeting?"

"It would be for the best," Anette retorted reservedly.

"No point in postponing the inevitable, then," a quiet comment was provided. "Lead the way."

Akali allowed her mind to drift off, preparing herself for whatever was to come. Led by the maid, she crossed corridors and walked down lengthy stairways before inevitably reaching their destination. When she finally regained her focus, a quiet gasp was barely muffled. The woman found herself in a relatively small and bare room. Aside from a round table placed near the sole window, there was no furniture there.

"Leave us," Marcus's voice filled the air, calm and steady, yet underneath this façade expecting complete obedience. "I will have someone noticing you when we are done here."

"As you wish, Master," was all Anette replied before hastily retreating and closing the door behind.

"Something happened?" Akali voiced her concern, deeming it crucial to delve into the cause of this rather unexpected meeting. After all, she had been in the estate for roughly a day, and not much time had passed for her to formulate any opinions regarding Katarina; well, she had nothing to report that the man had not known already.

"A few, actually," Du Couteau commented vaguely. "But … I will not bother you with all of them, as they hardly affect you or your people. However, my dearest daughter was invited to participate in a masquerade ball next week. Considering how … tense the political situation in Noxus is as of now, I would want you to accompany her," he continued. "During events like these, a lot can happen, starting from scandalous sexual intercourse, blood feud, poisoning foods or drinks, direct assassination attempt, up to subtle planning of open rebellion. I can not expect you to be a proficient player in such a complex court game. Yet, you are far more reasonable and pragmatic than Katarina," the man commented, pacing around the room painfully slowly. "Try to put yourself into her position; try to think like her and sway her from any harm. As a bonus … if you manage to stumble into anything interesting during the event … I would be inclined to pay for these slivers of information. I will have someone teaching you everything you need to know about these court intrigues starting tomorrow. Any questions?"

"More than a few," the ninja replied. "If you are concerned about Katarina's wellbeing, why do you allow her to participate? Would it not be easier not to tell her?" she questioned, puzzled and unsure what to expect. While awaiting any response, she approached the window, opening it without asking for permission.

"Unfortunately, Noxus is a far different beast compared to Ionia," the man retorted after a slight pause. "When you are amongst the elites here, you are expected to show up during various events. I know it is petty, but I did not invent this tradition. What is far worse is that our current ruler embraced it, even going as far as enforcing it. There is a slim chance that nothing important happens during the ball, yet it … would be foolish of me to let my guard down. As … me and my soldiers are required elsewhere, the questionable privilege of attending the petty party will be transferred to my daughter," he explained, allowing the tiniest of moments for his voice to be tainted with anger.

"I see," was all the Ionian said.

A few hours later, the dark-haired woman found herself running alongside a heavily huffing redhead, better known as Katarina Du Couteau. Even though she knew she needed to approach her regarding the ball sooner or later, it was not a trivial feat. Akali found a semblance of solace in the silence, allowing her overcomplicated mind to keep overcomplicating the matters that were outside her reach. Looking at the red-haired woman, she felt a stinging pity. Although Katarina could hardly be described as her ally, let alone friend, their fates were intertwined from now on. There was no profit to be gained from making this already difficult relationship impossible. No matter; she was not ready for a conversation of this sort. So … the raven-haired woman continued their shared training, constantly accusing herself of cowardliness inside her conflicted mind.

The Noxian was too tense, as Akali observed throughout the session. As if expecting to be stabbed in the back the moment her guard was let down, she clenched her palms into tight fists, allowing her skin to whiten due to sheer strain. The ninja had seen scenes like this many times before – it had never ended well.

"Slow down," the Ionian commanded a few moments later.

"Are we finished for the day?" Katarina asked, her face red and her breath rugged.

"Yes."

Author's notes section:

Please, note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2024-01-08]: A preview has been released.
[2024-01-17]: A minor update applied, focused on enriching the story.

References:
- Prisoner of your eyes - Judas Priest
- Fake it - Seether

End of the author's notes section.