what happens in bilgewater…
genre: romance/ drama / trauma / smut
main characters: Lux & Talon
summary: There's a saying that goes like 'what happens in Bilgewater, stays in Bilgewater'. Those are the words a certain light mage and a lone assassin will go by as they run from the Black Mist and the Harrowing, seeking refuge on a safe island. Sounds more like a quick beach vacay, despite the horrors happening on the mainland. Or is it?
Amber eyes circled the daytime market, as all sorts of merchants were selling their goods – legally or otherwise. He was walking amongst the masses, perfectly blending in with the locals, despite his initial reluctance on leaving his outfit of choice behind. Nevertheless, he was well aware just how important it was to survey the area both during the day as well as the night.
But if he were to give his two cents, the scorching sun seemingly burning through his straw hat and the mass of people was not something he'd ever get used to. He was more keen to working in the shadows, unseen, unheard and undetected by anyone. That and the fact that he was never one to prefer the spotlight.
Despite being the mighty Marcus du Couteau's adopted son, Talon du Couteau was a nobody. Perhaps that was why he preferred the company of moonless nights and eerie silences. In darkness, he could move however he wanted, he could do whatever he pleased, and nobody would suspect him.
And yet, nobody believed in him either from the higher ups, since, apparently, they sent him on such a suicidal mission.
Shaking his head and stopping by a vendor, he bought some shaved ice to cool his head. Despite the proximity of the sea and its salty gusts of wind, walking through a packed marketplace didn't do much to ease the heat.
Noxus received top secret intel that Piltover was supplying Demacia with their latest high tech weapons of mass destruction, and the shipment would go through the Bilgewater port, that very night. Now, everyone knew that Noxus and Demacia were at war, but this hidden agreement between Demacia and Piltover raised quite a few eyebrows, given the secrecy of it all. Which led many to believe that said weapons were to be tested on the battlefield. Which was very inhumane in itself, if Talon could say so himself. Those damned Demacian lunatics were capable of stopping at nothing, not even jeopardizing their own forces, if it meant winning the war against Noxus. And even if Noxus wasn't known for fair play, there was no need for any hazardous weaponry to be introduced into the already-messy conflict.
And so, his mission was to get rid of everyone taking part in the trade and blow up the weapons, but bring back some for analysis.
Quite the standard, non-suicidal mission, perfect to assign an assassin to. He was good at going on killing sprees and blowing things up, that was his signature move. Talon rolled his eyes as he pushed such ironic thoughts out of his head. He was a nobody, so it wouldn't matter to the higher ups whether he could bring back a sample or not, for as long as he killed those involved. And if he died in the process, it'd be one less assassin they'd need to worry about.
Talon had arrived to Bilgewater a few days prior, but as meticulous as he normally was, whenever he was on a mission, he'd check out the playground a couple of times beforehand. Knowing the layout and any possible places to strike was quintessential for an assassin, after all. Security would be especially high for this particular shipment, also. It made little sense as to why they'd do the trade in Bilgewater instead of sending it from Piltover straight to Demacia via a ship, but Talon wasn't there to ask questions.
Amidst his patrol, Talon realized that something was off. The winds carried… something different. It felt heavy, and foreboding. Stopping in his tracks and taking a look at the sea, nothing could be seen over the horizon. Yet there was something pushing down on him, some sort of doom that nobody could escape from. His brows drew together as he couldn't quite figure out what his sixth sense was telling him.
And the very next moment, a faint but sweet floral fragrance tickled the surface of his skin. It was one of those scents that didn't belong there, that stood out from the crowd. Amber eyes were drawn to the source of the scent, where, in front of him stood motionlessly a woman wearing a beige sundress and a straw hat, her long, golden locks the wind's playthings. She was a few steps ahead of him, so there was no logical way he could inhale her scent, yet he somehow did. That and the fact that she was also staring at the horizon. He couldn't really see her face as she was with her back at him, but as if feeling his gaze on her, she turned around while holding onto her hat and it felt as though his entire being shattered at her baby blue eyes bearing into him.
Later on during the night, Talon, wearing his usual getup was prowling on dark alleys, moving through the shadows, waiting for the trade to happen. He sniffed out the exact port where the cargo would arrive and from then onwards, all he had to do was wait. His black cloak covered the upper half of his face, and he made sure to wear light but flexible clothing to avoid scorching himself. Despite it being nighttime and by the sea, it was still summer, and the heat was still prevalent in the area.
Blending perfectly with the shadows, he slid off a wall soundlessly and made his way closer to the gateway where some people, probably Demacian soldiers were waiting for the ship to arrive. The area was poorly lit, probably to keep the whole exchange as low-key as possible, so it only added to Talon's advantage.
He stalked closer between warehouses and waited another half an hour, until a ship pulled up. More movement indicated Talon that he was at the right spot, and the men began to unload the wooden barrels in which the weapons were probably hid. He shook his head as he realized they tried to make it seem as though they're shipping whiskey instead of smuggling weapons.
Talon waited a bit more, until most of the cargo was unloaded from the ship and as the men in charge of the deal shook hands, the one from the ship heading back. Talon followed suit and quickly took care of everyone from the ship.
Sneaking back towards the warehouse where the barrels were taken, he got inside and made sure to silence the few men inside, and hid their bodies also. Then he waited for more to come, and used the same tactic.
More steps could be heard and a soldier called out to his comrades.
"Where the hell have they all gone to? We're not done with the job yet." The man said loudly and annoyed.
"Beats me. Let's just finish with the cargo first." Another chimed in and hurried to the barrels.
Talon welcomed them both with his swift daggers.
He stepped out from the shadows to examine his handiwork and was thinking which barrel to open, when he realized that he omitted one thing. All the soldiers were counted for, except –
"Oh, so you've been the one taking out our soldiers one by one," a feminine voice rang through the still darkness, and as Talon turned around, a figure appeared in front of him.
His pulse quickened while his breath caught.
Sitting on a barrel was a tiny woman, wearing a dark hoodie and loose clothes with knee-length boots, her long, golden locks finally set free and baby blue eyes burning themselves into his very being.
It was the woman he saw in the marketplace earlier during the day.
Talon was also well aware of her identity. He hesitated only once with pushing through this plan after recognizing her. She was none other than Luxanna Crownguard, Demacia's darling and coincidentally the only soldier who was a mage. The most annoying spy to walk the earth, while in the public's eye, the noblest and most refined young lady.
"How long have you been here?" Talon readied his blade as he took a fighting stance, his voice grave.
She smiled at him sweetly and hopped off the barrel, landing with a faint tap. Then she dusted herself off as she took a few casual steps in his direction. "I decided to hide and see what you were up to ever since you killed the merchants from Piltover on their own ship."
That annoyed him. She had been there the whole time then, from before he entered the warehouse. And she'd watched him kill her comrades without stepping in. That was fucked up.
But there was an even bigger question he needed an answer to. "How did you mask your presence?" There was nobody – and by that he really meant nobody – who could go undetected by him, yet this small woman did just that.
"I turned invisible," she replied with a nonchalant shrug.
She was grinding his nerves, that much was obvious.
Although it was his very first interaction with Luxanna Crownguard, Talon, much as everyone else living in Valoran knew who she was. Being the only daughter of the Crownguards, who were akin to royalty, exceeded only by the actual royal family in terms of rank and nobility, she was much like a princess in Demacia. Women wanted to be her, while men wanted to own her, in order to elevate their own status and power through marriage.
But what the common people did not know, was that their fair lady was a mage, and not just any mage, but a light mage, which were as rare as they come. She would also partake in many diplomatic missions to boost her overall image, but behind closed doors, she acted as a spy and a soldier. Few knew how many times she blew Noxus' plans simply by showing up.
Talon despised her for all of the above, but also for her attitude. She was nothing but an ignorant girl, not knowing anything of the hardships of the world, but still had the audacity to look down on others while flaunting the assets and money she owned not by hard work but sheer luck.
Sheer luck Talon seemed to very much lack, since he had to run into that insufferable spoiled brat.
"Perhaps I can kill you here and send another blow to Demacia tonight," he provoked with a grin, lunging at her.
Shadows became him, and he disappeared in a split of a second, only to reappear behind her, ready to bring his blade down on the thin of her neck.
Lux looked at him over her shoulder, chuckling softly, and the next moment, his blade clung against an invisible barrier.
The force of his attack pushed him back, and Talon landed gracefully on his feet.
"There are many ways light can be used, but invisibility is surely my favorite." She then replied casually with a sweet smile.
Talon felt like he was getting diabetes. Less than five minutes he'd been in close proximity with her, and he already couldn't stand her.
"Surely that's how you also mute your presence." Talon bit back with sarcasm and a roll of his gorgeous eyes.
Something skipped in Lux's chest at the sight.
She chuckled after pulling herself together. "I'm assuming it's the same method you use to dim yours."
Talon heaved a sigh and ran his hand through his long, dark locks. His hood had long fallen off his head.
Lux took the sight of him in for a moment too long. He was tall, oh so very tall, and lean, with sinewy muscles. And yet he made no sound, his presence gave nothing away, even though he didn't try to hide much. If not for that deep, gruffly and annoyed voice, he'd look like a perfect killing machine. And those eyes, those honey and cream colored eyes so unapologetically scanning her upside down with a scowl, and those features, strong, sculpted, and with long dark hair, he truly looked like a god who had come from the other side to stake a claim to her life.
Lux felt giddy, as ripples of excitement raced through her whole body. She knew danger when she saw it, but this man, this Talon du Couteau of whom she'd heard bits and pieces, this mysterious man nobody ever saw and was considered a ghost instead, he'd be her ruination.
"I'm sure spoiled princesses living in big castles need to mask their presence on the off-chance of getting noticed by the wrong suitor." His deep voice vibrated against her skin, and even though his words were dipping poison, she did not feel afraid.
He disappeared again and this time, blades were flung at her from the darkness at a terrifying speed. Yet Lux took a step to the side and instantly vanished. Talon reappeared a moment after and looked around with furrowed brows. He couldn't feel her at all. But a light tap on the back of his shoulder and her sweet voice dripping honey echoed around the warehouse.
"Got you." She chuckled lightly and took a few steps back as Talon swung around rapidly.
She was driving him to insanity.
She was calm and unbothered, unlike his raging self. Oh, the satisfaction he'd feel when he'd slice her throat. Talon was already imagining the red of her blood coating his blade and shivered at the mental sight.
But just as he was about to pounce, they both felt it.
A distorted howl could be heard from the distance. Momentarily forgetting their play, both Lux and Talon looked towards the exit, form where, far away a dark mist was already visible, rapidly approaching. Lightning and thunder crashed within the mist, and as it was nearing the shore, more distorted cries could be heard.
"We have to go." Lux said in a serious tone, her previous playfulness long forgotten.
"Like hell I'm going anywhere." Talon protested, and he was about to dash to a nearby barrel to take out a weapon, when something shot out from Lux's direction, instantly binding his arms and feet in place.
"You wouldn't make it." She then said using the same uncharacteristic tone, took out a teleportation scroll from her small bag and recited an old spell.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" He yelled and tried to get the binding off of him, but it wouldn't budge. He never thought he'd see the day he'd be caught in a light binding.
After finishing with her spell, Lux stole a glance at the mist, which was devouring everything in its path.
She hurled Talon along via the light binding just as a portal opened on the ground and threw him inside.
"I'm saving us both." Then she jumped in as well, just as the Black Mist got into the warehouse and destroyed everything in its path.
When he opened his eyes, Talon was disoriented. The light shone brightly in his eyes, and his entire body felt numb. There were all sorts of cricketing noises and birds chirping all around him, and as he waited for his eyes to adjust to his surroundings, and for the world to stop spinning, he managed to slowly grasp onto things. There was a lot of greenery around him. Tall trees, bushes, vines and flowers. The air also felt fresh, so much different from the air he'd been inhaling on the shores of Bilgewater.
When he trusted his legs, he got up to survey the area. He had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was being thrown into a tunnel of sorts then he blacked out.
His blades were all on him and his clothes were still in one piece, so he began walking about, trying to figure out where to head exactly, to reach civilization – if any.
But the more he walked, the more a silhouette of a certain blondie began to show. She had her back turned at him, as she was busy with something, so Talon, accustomed to always masking his presence, prowled towards her slowly, blade drawn and at the ready.
Lux, on the other hand was busy trying to find her way using the help of her prismatic compass. In a hurry to escape what they'd call the Black Mist, she used a teleportation scroll to get them to safety. But unable to get the exact coordinates, they somehow ended up somewhere in the jungle, on the Winddrake Isle. This small island was renowned for its intricate jungles and strong winds, and as it had been the first thing she could remember to escape to, she had tried her chances.
Access to the island was difficult using regular ways, given the tornadoes and strong winds permanently circling the waters. It offered a sort of natural protection to the area and its inhabitants, and Lux hoped that the Mother Serpent would indeed protect this small island from the incoming doom.
Her compass wasn't functioning properly, perhaps due to the heightened wind magic of the area, but she still tried to make it work, for them to be able to climb down the jungle without getting lost.
Just as she was about to smack her compass, she felt the kiss of cold steel against her neck. A strong arm sneaked around her shoulders and collarbones and she was pushed into his strong front. But Lux wasn't fazed by this, she knew he'd been approaching.
"Glad to see you awake and well." She then spoke nonchalantly, her eyes not leaving her compass.
"Cut the crap. Where are we?" His voice vibrated into her ear and Lux had to suppress a shiver.
He was turning out to be more than she'd initially give him credit for. If her body's reactions to him would give anything away, of course.
"On Winddrake Isle. I'm trying to look for a path to the settlement, but the wind magic is jamming my magic."
His grip on her front tightened and he pulled her into him. Lux held a breath because the contact of her back to his front was doing things to her insides she'd rather not feel.
"And, do tell, why did you teleport us away from the warehouse?"
She swallowed hard, because she just realized how much power a man's mere presence can wield. Not to mention the way his deep rumble of a voice seemed to seep into the deepest, darkest crevices of her core.
"Something evil was headed our way. If I didn't get us out of there, we'd be dead."
"You didn't have to take me with you. Why did you?"
Ah. His musky, earthly scent was the one she'd been sensing all along, infesting her every sense.
"It was on reflex. Now, would you mind releasing me so I can get this thing to work?"
She heard him let out an exasperated sigh behind her then he leaned forward, to get a better view at what she was doing. The motion of him brushing his chest against her shoulders and the back of her head made the small hairs on her nape rise.
"What's that even supposed to do?" He released her and stepped in front of her, his blade still in full view.
"It's a prismatic compass. I made it." She gleamed as she showed it to him.
Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of him. He was so much taller, broader, stronger than her. His skin was much darker than she initially thought and the amber in his eyes looked like honey. His hair was pushed back and out of his face, which made his strong features stand out more. Her thighs clenched involuntarily at the sight.
Clearing her throat, Lux gave him a short explanation. "It allows me to project images and stuff by catching light from a specific position, which the prism takes in, breaks it down and reflects it in the form of images. But it doesn't work right now." She finished with a pout.
Talon looked at her for a second too long.
He didn't give a fuck about her weird mechanism, but was quite curious about what was going on in that spoiled head of hers. And the more he looked at her, the more he noticed her perfect, milky white skin, how long and thick her lashes were, the way those rosy lips moved when she spoke, how high her cheekbones were, how cute her nose looked and – 'Snap the fuck out of it!' He mentally slapped himself.
"So we need to find a village." He stated deadpan instead.
Lux looked up at him through those thick lashes, baby blue eyes shining like large diamonds. If he kept staring into them, he'd be blinded.
"You can make the compass work?" She asked hopefully.
Talon stole a glance at her gadget and grimaced.
"No. we're doing it the old way." He said and turned his back at her, putting his blade away into his cloak as he started walking.
Lux was left to follow him in confusion.
He was no scout, but during the years when he was trying to find the General, he had picked up a thing or two. So all he did was look around, at any broken branches, and mended plants, or a naturally forming path where grass wasn't really growing. It became much easier to spot these hints as they started to descend what seemed to be a mountain, and a while later, they spotted leaf roofs of houses made of wood.
To his surprise, she followed him without making a fuss, without asking many questions.
And by his guess, by the time they reached the small village, it had to be around noon. It had been around 2 am when he ran into her, or rather, she blew his cover, early morning when he awoke, and noon when they got to the village.
They didn't have any water or food, since they weren't familiar with the fruits either. So their only hope was that the villagers would let them in and not poison them or kill them in their sleep.
Their path was soon crossed by a few guards, riding sea horses.
They spoke in a weird language.
'Crap.' Talon cursed inwardly, wondering what to do next to explain the situation.
But he needn't do anything, as Lux stepped forward and spoke in the same foreign language.
Talon hoped she knew her words, and wouldn't say something bad by mistake. But then again, whatever she did, it was on her. It's not like he owed her anything. He didn't ask her to save him, after all. So if she said something to get herself executed, that'd be on her.
Instead, she turned to him and motioned in his direction while speaking, a pleading look on her face. One of the guards who did the talking looked at Talon, nodded at him and Talon nodded back in acknowledgement.
The guard then said something, to which Lux got super happy. She then hurried back to where Talon was standing, with his arms folded around his chest.
"They're gonna let us stay!" She squealed with excitement.
Talon lifted a brow questioningly. Lux rolled her eyes at him. Talon sighed and unfolded his arms.
"What did you tell them?" He then gave in and asked.
The guards began walking towards the village and the two followed suit. Talon eyed the area, in case they'd be under a surprise attack. It wasn't uncommon for outsiders to be lured in and killed when most vulnerable.
"Apparently they knew that the Harrowing was approaching, so when I told them about how we escaped the Black Mist, they agreed to take us to the Village Head, to see what we can do to stay." Her excitement seemed way out of place, especially given the circumstances of whatever Black Mist was wreaking havoc on the land.
He had no idea what that was. He could only hope that his sister was safe, wherever she was.
The walk to the village itself was short, but Talon could notice the weird glances everyone was giving them. From what he could gather, this wasn't a touristic spot, so they were regular people living everyday lives. Technology also wasn't a common occurrence, as though they were cut off from the rest of the world.
They didn't even have a single teleportation pillar, which was all the rage, ever since Piltover invented and industrialized them for transport.
Lux was walking up ahead of him, chatting with the guard she spoke to earlier, while he was walking behind. He still couldn't quite figure her out. She was so annoying, from the way she carried herself, to the way she spoke, but some things weren't adding up.
She watched her fellow Demacian soldiers get killed one by one, but she chose to save him. She could have killed him while he was unconscious, but she chose not to. And when his blade was kissing her throat, she didn't as much as flinch.
That wasn't the usual behavior one would expect from a lady of high nobility.
They stopped in front of a large wooden cabin, in the middle of the village. People gathered to see what was happening, curious and probably not used to outsiders.
From the cabin, an old woman stepped outside. Everyone bowed in front of her and so did Lux, following suit. Talon, hesitantly, did the same.
The guard spoke to the old woman in that same foreign language, and she listened quietly. Afterwards, she turned to look at Lux and Talon.
"I hear you ran from the Black Mist, and found yourselves on our humble island." The woman spoke in the general language, much to Talon's relief.
"Yes, Old Mother, we hope that you can allow us to stay for a while, in fear of our lives." Lux replied sheepishly.
Talon raised an eyebrow at her sudden change of demeanor.
"And what of you, young man? What is displeasing you so?" His eyes whipped back to the old woman.
Lux quickly turned her head at him and made some weird faces, out of the villagers' sight, trying to get him to be respectful.
Heaving a sigh, Talon gave in. He bowed, before speaking. "Nothing, Old Mother. I also hope you can give us temporary shelter."
She looked at Talon for a second longer then spoke in their native language and an aide next to her rushed inside, only to come outside a few moments later and hurried to Talon.
The aide held out a necklace, which was woven entirely of fishbone, with the skull hanging in the middle.
"It's a magical item, it allows the wearer to communicate in other languages." Lux told him, making those faces again, looking at the necklace and then at him, ushering him to take it and put it on.
Talon had no energy to argue. He was hungry, thirsty and absolutely exhausted. So he took the fishbone necklace and put it around his neck. If he were to die, he only hoped that his sister would somehow find out how it happened.
"Good." The old woman spoke again, but this time in her native language. To his utter surprise, Talon understood every word. "Now that we got that covered, I will allow you to stay until the Harrowing passes. I will provide you two a place to stay, clothes to wear and food to eat, but I will expect you to work for your own share during your stay." At her words, the villagers started to speak amongst themselves. "We only ask that you do not stray from the Sea Mother's teachings while here."
Lux bowed in gratitude and so did Talon.
The old woman asked another aide to assist them, and she was about to head back in her cabin, when she stopped and turned around. "Don't leave anything behind before you go." She said, pointing at Talon.
He rolled his eyes inwardly but bowed regardless. He caught the old woman shake her head disapprovingly as she clicked her tongue, heading back into her cabin.
They say beggars can't be choosers, but when the aide guided them to a small house, Talon could only curse his bad luck. The house contained a single bedroom which housed the kitchen as well, and a small bathroom. It wasn't spacious, having only the necessities, but the main issue was that he was supposed to share that space with her. Deep down, he hoped that the spoiled princess would make a fuss about the place being too modest, or the furniture being too lacking, or the house too rundown, or anything, just so he wasn't going to be stuck with her.
But much to his surprise, what Lux did instead was to thank the aide and the villagers for providing them with a roof over their heads, clean clothes and fresh food. To his knowledge, that was not how noble ladies acted.
"My daughter, Aleena will stop by shortly with food. You can find some clothes in the closet." The old man, Malek was his name added. "This place is not owned by anyone anymore, so we often lend it out from time to time to those in need."
Lux nodded appreciatively, while Talon lay against a wall next to the entrance, arms folded around his chest and legs crossed at the ankles.
"Make sure to come by later so we can let you know how you can help out around here."
Soon after, the daughter arrived bringing them food and fresh water. The father and daughter excused themselves, and Talon was left alone in a closed space with the spoiled princess.
"Come, let's eat something." Lux beckoned as she took the items out of the woven basket.
The dishes were simple but fresh, mostly made up by fish and sea fruits.
"Are you seriously calm in this situation?" Talon went for the head as he asked her directly, eyes narrowing at her.
Lux looked up at him with her brows drawn together. "What do you mean?"
Talon's response was a gorgeous roll of his eyes as he pushed off the wall and stalked to the table. He slammed both palms on its surface, and the contents shook, some almost rolling off. "Do you seriously plan to stay here until whatever is happening outside passes? And what, am I expected to just stay in the same space with you, without you killing me in my sleep?"
Lux leaned back against the wooden chair, as she crossed her legs and folded her arms. "Well, I could say the same thing. I'm obviously at a disadvantage here, since you're the master with the weapons while I'm just a mage. And it's not like I wanted any of this to happen. I don't control the Harrowing."
"What the fuck even is this Harrowing?!" His cold anger flared.
Lux pouted before sighing. "The Ruined King is leading an army from the Shadow Isles as vengeance for losing his wife."
Talon groaned audibly as he straightened his back, running a hand through his hair. "Get me back to Bilgewater. I can't waste time here pretending I'm on a getaway vacation with you while those dear to me are in danger." His sister. He had to make sure his sister was fine.
Lux remained silent. That couldn't be a good sign.
"Aren't you worried about your family, friends, comrades, pets, whatever?" He insisted.
She remained silent.
He was losing his mind. "Don't tell me you can't." He warned.
At long last, after moments which felt like an eternity, she dared to look up at him.
"I can't." He could almost swear that her voice shivered when she spoke. But if it did, she masked the afterthought pretty well.
Talon was close to losing his mind. "And why, can't you?"
"Because of the wind magic blocking off the whole area. I can't read any coordinates or locations because of it."
"Wonderful. Fucking wonderful." He huffed in annoyance as he paced about. "How long is this shit of a Harrowing going to last?"
Lux simply shook her head.
"So you leave your demacians to die, but drag me with you to some isolated island to escape some death mist, but you can't get off the island and you don't know how long it's going to take, while my people are dying out there." His words were harsh, harsher than they should be, and he didn't really have that many he cared about – except for his sister and a few other close companions – but his frustrations were only growing by the second. And he was taking them out on her, because he decided to hate her before he even got to know her, then hated her more after interacting with her briefly.
Talon knew deep down that he was being unfair to her, she was practically a stranger. She did what she had to do in order to survive, and it wasn't her fault that she had things out of her control. It also wasn't her fault that he felt below her. In terms of power, knowledge, wealth. She had everything while he had nothing.
"It's not just your people who are dying." She spoke eventually, her voice cold and dangerous. Baby blue eyes were icy cold as they locked into his raging ones. It sent shivers down his spine. "But you don't see me complaining left and right. I'm trying to simply even out my odds and use whatever I have at my disposal. I'm not the one having to go to sleep with one eye closed for the unforeseeable future, out of fear that I might get killed because I can't freely use my magic. So if you've stopped being a whiny ass, I suggest you sit down and eat, before we go out and earn our living."
Talon felt like a vein might pop in his temple. There it went again, that superior air she was regarding him with. He knew where his roots were, knew he was nothing, but at the very least he was working to be someone. As he did for years after being adopted into the du Couteau household, as he did while he was trying to find the whereabouts of the General for years, as he did while trying to track down Cassiopeia to bring her back, as he did while trying to soothe Katarina's broken heart and soul.
But no Demacian princess is going to speak to him like that, look down on him like that.
"You can earn your fucking living. If I see your disgusting face for another second, I'll throw up." And with those harsh words, he turned his back at her and stormed out of the tiny house.
Days became blurry as they both settled in their own activities. Lux would go to the village to chat with the women and girls, while learning how to weave, how to clean fish, how to cook the local dishes, while Talon helped with construction, fishing, as well as carving fish.
They rarely ran into each other, despite living in the same house. Lux would wake up first, as she slept inside the house and leave early, returning in the evening. Talon instead would either sleep in and return much later, or wake up before her and return after nightfall.
He never went inside the house while she was there, and he slept on the terrace. The weather was nice and warm, so it didn't bother him at all.
Lux did have a few attempts at mending things at first, as she left him some dishes to eat and extra blankets and pillows, but she soon gave up on those when she noticed that he never touched the food, nor the pillows.
She did sleep in terror in the beginning, stressed that he will show up in the middle of the night and kill her in her sleep, but seeing how blatantly he was ignoring her, and tried to be as far away from her as possible, that fear subsided a bit.
All in all, they stole glances and danced around the other.
That day seemed like any other day, as she was cleaning out fish with the other villagers. She had become quite the center of attention with her fair skin and long, golden hair, not to mention her striking blue eyes. The loose, airy clothes were to her liking as she felt free in them, and she also got slightly tanned since arriving.
"The Old Mother said that the Harrowing shows no signs of stopping. It has taken up the most of the land…" An old widow spoke with fear in her voice.
Lux's brows drew together. She had been well aware of the dangers when she escaped. She had read the story of the Ruined King and the love he bore for his wife, to the point of madness. The kind of love where he'd burn the whole world, if he couldn't bring her back. Deep inside, she had always craved to experience such a love. To love and be loved by someone to the point of being capable of setting the whole world ablaze. Yet in her golden chains, the most she could hope for was an arranged marriage in which she'd be respected and treated as a human being, at the very least.
But perhaps even that was too much to ask for.
She was aware that she had been selfish. When she allowed Talon to kill those Demacian soldiers, when she chose to escape instead of going back to her country and fight, when she didn't try to open another portal when the winds would die down.
But despite her regrets, she wanted to live these precious moments to the fullest, hoping deep down that the Harrowing would destroy everything that made her suffer.
Over here, she was nobody, just another young woman. She didn't have to carry out inhumane orders, or bend herself until the point of breaking. She didn't have to endure torture or malicious comments, didn't have to attend public events and be flaunted by her parents like a doll, waiting for the highest bidder.
The women all squealed and gasped as they noticed someone walking to them. Lux also lifted her head to look, only for all color to drain from her face. Talon headed to where they were, accompanied by some other men. He had gotten tanner, leaner, despite doing minimal workout. Yet the way his hair was tied at the back of his head, and wearing the local clothes, there was an air about him that drew people in.
She had heard about him, prior to their encounter. Prior to their first official encounter, so to speak. She had met him once before, while she was disguised and he was roaming the earth searching for his missing father. She had stolen glimpses of him here and there whenever she noticed him in the shadows. To Lux, it seemed laughable how nobody could sense him or see him. She would always know when he was hiding in the shadows. And she never gave his presence away.
Lux tried her best not to look his way, even though his presence was quite impossible to ignore. Not to mention all the ladies fawning over him and his brooding personality.
"Oh, what brings you here, young man?"
"I was asked to help you clean the fish today." He replied neutrally.
The women all giggled and made enough room for him, somehow clearing up the area so he was left alone with Lux, somewhat.
They didn't acknowledge each other though. There was no reason to. She knew how much he despised her, that he didn't want to have anything to do with her, so she wouldn't bother with a man like him. Or that was the lie she'd tell herself.
They worked in silence, each of them doing their own thing, and the women couldn't help but be disappointed at the lack of interaction between them.
They were currently preparing for a small festival that night, to ask the Great Mother for protection and to end the Harrowing as soon as possible. And ever since the villagers found out about Talon's talent for the knife, they kept asking him to prepare food aside from cutting fish and his usual activities.
As night fell and the villagers carried out their traditions and set a campfire after following the teachings of the Mother Serpent, a feast was held in which everyone danced, sang, prayed and ate.
Talon was sitting on a bench, farther from the crowd around the campfire, taking in the sight. The princess was dancing with the locals around the campfire, learning the different dances and having fun.
At first, he had put off slicing her throat until he would know for sure that she was the only one capable of getting them off the island. So he asked around for a few days, wanting to know for certain whether he was at her mercy or not. Unfortunately, the villagers had no ways of leaving the island – why would they? So he had to keep her alive, until the dangers of the Harrowing passed and she could use her magic again.
That absolutely did not mean that he had to be anywhere near her, though. He'd spend his nights in the company of the villagers whenever possible, and when he returned to the small house, he'd never go inside unless she was out. That floral scent of hers was enough to push him to madness.
Sipping from his beverage, he looked at the people dancing around the campfire, drinking and eating, when a young woman walked up to him and asked him to join. He hated the way everyone sought him out, the way those women would fawn over him, but he didn't have much of a choice. As ruthless of an assassin he was, he was well aware that he needed them to survive.
But being dragged into all sorts of activities… that was another sort of hell he had to survive.
More of them joined the first woman and Talon ended up letting them drag him to the campfire, as he unenthusiastically imitated the dance movements.
The rhythm of the music picked up, the twirling and the dancing and the clapping, the fire around him burning its flames into his core. Talon kept up, even though he was starting to feel under a spell. The drums were pounding in his ears, his partners switching to the rhythm, and he had a hard time keeping up. The music reached its crescendo and then with a loud clap, it all stopped just as he turned and someone bumped into his chest.
That sweet floral scent infested his senses and he was met with baby blue eyes, a fire literally and figuratively reflecting in them as she looked up at him.
His heart was beating erratically in his chest as he realized he held her by her shoulders, from the moment of impact.
She wasn't moving much, her eyes never left his, and her plump lips parted slightly, her chest rising and falling erratically, her small hands flattened on his chest out of reflex as well.
The spell she cast on him was in full effect, he couldn't move away from her. His damned heart was giving him away, but the way her lips were parted, her heavy breathing and the close proximity, it was the best setup to make mistakes one would regret after.
All of a sudden, a cold shower fell upon them both, as rain started to pour. It was the calm, summer rain that brought nothing but relief over the land, chasing the heat away.
It should have woken them up, but the spell was still too strong.
Instead, all it did was wash to the surface feelings long tucked away in the darkest pits of their beings. Seeing her getting wet, with droplets caught in her eyelashes, then rolling down her beautiful skin, her clothes drenched and clinging to her body… It did something to him. Just as it did something to her, seeing his muscles through the wet clothes, every outline in the now dim light.
Everything that happened afterwards was a blur.
Someone handed them a makeshift umbrella – a large leaf – and he found himself holding her hand as they hurried back to their small house. He couldn't look at her and she had her eyes cast down during the short walk, but somehow her hand in his felt like a perfect fit.
Hers was warm and soft and small, his was big and rough and cold. Yet he held her gently as they headed back.
Her heart wouldn't stop pounding and she didn't know if it was the alcohol, the festival vibes or if they were spellbound after all.
Yet when they arrived to the house, he put the umbrella away and guided her to the main entrance of the house.
He remained behind on the porch, her hand still in his, eyes on her small figure.
He hadn't considered her physical appearance much before, wasn't truly drawn to her, but that was a moment he couldn't quite make sense of, the way his whole body was burning for her. He couldn't put any rational thoughts into his head, as if he were under the strongest of spells. All he could see, feel and think about was her.
It made no sense.
Another thing that made no sense was the gentle tug on his hand and the way she spoke in a whisper, her voice meek but the words grand. "Come inside."
She opened the door, and he stepped inside after her.
When the door closed after him, his hands went to her cheeks, cupping them roughly and his mouth was on hers. She let out a whimper but kissed him back, getting on her tiptoes and fisting at his clothes.
His kiss was urgent, raw and held no signs of gentleness or sweetness. That's what she needed right then.
His tongue was hot and demanded entrance to her mouth, and her lips parted with a whine, an opportunity he took to lay his claim on her mouth. She was shuddering against him as she kissed him back feverishly, so he sneaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him and keeping her steady.
He had to lean in while she had to reach up to him.
Her hands found his wet locks and nestled in them, tugging at his hair, and he took it as a sign to kiss her deeper. He pushed his hips into her stomach out of reflex and she moaned into the touch. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and she shuddered at the feel of it.
He parted from her for a moment and she already mourned the loss of warmth, leaning into him.
Something shattered inside of him, probably his sanity, when her blue eyes shone mischievously as she looked up at him. Her parted lips swollen, cheeks rosy and eyes begging for something only he could give.
Then he felt her hands go to his waist, sneak under his clothes and begin to tug.
The fire in his eyes returned, all thoughts and doubts chased away as he kissed her intently, as she lifted his shirt and he broke the kiss only for a moment, for long enough so he could get his shirt off.
She pushed him against the door then, and he let her do whatever she wanted with him. Her hands roamed over his body, taking in the hard muscle of his arms, his shoulders, his collarbone, and moving over his abs, all the while the places she touched ignited and burned with desire.
She placed a gentle kiss on his chest and forearms as her curious hands roamed lower on his hips.
With a groan, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to look up at him through a surprised cry, taking her mouth again, that sweet, devious mouth that showed to be his undoing.
His hand went to her clothed breast and gave it a light squeeze, to which she melted against him in response. It fueled him to want to taste more. Breaking the kiss, he removed her shirt, revealing her small, perky breasts and her first reaction was to cover herself, but he grabbed both of her wrists with his hand and shoved them behind her.
"You're beautiful," he whispered instead, as he lowered himself to take a breast into his mouth. His tongue swirled around the soft flesh and bit into the hardened peak, all the while his hand from behind her back served as a steady pillar.
She moaned against his touch and leaned herself into it, her thighs clenching and knees going weak.
Giving the same kind of attention to her other breast, he bit harder this time, and she cried out, her entire body jolting from the sensation. He could feel her shaking, barely standing anymore, so he dropped to his knees in front of her, guiding her hands to his shoulders as his mouth drew lower all the while. He kissed her stomach and she shook, leaning forward, her nails digging into his shoulders.
He grabbed the hem of her shorts and panties and dragged them down in an expert move, his hands worshipping her thighs all the while guiding her to step out of her clothes pooling on the ground.
She shuddered as the cool air came into contact with her most private area, but could do nothing other than whimper.
He placed a kiss on her front as he expertly moved them around, so she could lean against the doorframe. She let out a surprised gasp, but at the very least she had something to lean back against.
His teeth bit into the soft flesh of her inner thigh and she let out a shaky moan. He parted her legs, rough fingers tracing her softness.
One of her legs was swung over his shoulder as he placed his mouth on her lower lips. She cried out as electric shock went through her entire being at the contact and her hands fisted his hair for support.
"N-not there, please!" Her protests were weak and he hummed them away as her buried himself deeper into her, tasting her sweetness.
His tongue lapped at her core, parting her further. His teeth grazed her sensitive flesh and she bucked her hips against him, crying out pitifully.
"Let me," he pleaded and moved from her just enough to look up at her flushed face, her body trembling underneath him.
He moved back and placed another gentle kiss on her sex, his hold on her leg tighter, his fingers digging into her flesh. His mouth worked on her again, eating her up, tongue draping over her sensitive flesh. Her hips were rocking against his face despite herself and her cries were becoming erratic. He grazed his teeth over her hardened nub and took her soft flesh between them, and she could only clench and moan. Her thighs were shaking and she was trying to close them, to cut his oxygen supply, but his hold on her was firm, she couldn't escape anymore.
He dragged his tongue lower, showering her entrance the same love and attention, as her lower lips were parted by him, and his tongue went over the opening. She jerked against his mouth and he chuckled darkly, something that sent shivers down her spine.
His mouth went up to her swollen lips as his finger patted her opening gently. Her moans became louder as he inserted his finger slowly, all the while his mouth was giving her bliss. The position made her feel everything stronger, deeper, as his finger drew small circles inside of her, parting her tight walls. His mouth was sucking and licking on her sensitive flesh and she was close to losing her mind.
Then he did a thing that made her scream, when he craned his finger inside of her, hitting a sensitive spot, making her nearly topple forward. Luckily, his hold on her was steady, so she just bent over his head, her nails digging into his scalp as her breathing was erratic.
He picked up his pace, his finger driving her crazy, all the while his mouth was sucking the remnants of sanity out of her.
She nearly lost it when he inserted a second finger, her walls clamping down around them, yet he masterfully stretched her, lapping at her overstimulated flesh with his mouth. He grinded his teeth over her flesh and she shuddered, his fingers moving erratically in and out of her.
Her legs nearly gave out as she felt a pressure building in the pit of her stomach.
"Talon, please," she begged, holding onto him for dear life. "I think I…" but she couldn't finish her sentence as he bit into her nub while driving his fingers deeper inside of her, crooking them just there, where she needed him to.
She came with a deep, throaty moan, and her whole body shook uncontrollably, yet she still held on to him with all the strength she could muster up. He wasted no moment and drank up everything she had to offer, handling her overstimulated flesh gently as she rode out her orgasm.
When he had nothing left to take from her, he lifted his head to look at what he'd done to her, and his fire burned dangerously close to the surface, as he looked at her shaking, her face filled with tears and flushed a deep shade of red, her mouth gasping for breaths, completely fazed and unfocused.
He rose to his feet, his hands going under her ass and lifting her up, her shaky legs linking around his waist, her arms dangling loosely around his shoulders. Her head was against the doorframe and she could barely look up at him. He held her by her thighs as he looked at her pleased.
The cocky smirk he gave her, with his chin glistening in her juices sent more waves of shock through her body and she felt herself clench against him.
He kissed her again, in a lazy, sloppy kiss, and she could taste herself on him, something that only added more fuel to the fire. She would combust soon.
She held onto him for dear life, but it still wasn't enough. Her body was spent from the orgasm he gave her, from the way he found her weak spots almost instantly, but her hunger wasn't yet satiated. "I want more," she moaned into his mouth, and his hold on her tightened in response.
"You'll collapse." He warned as he drew back from her for a second. She hungrily took his mouth for herself.
"I need all of you." She demanded, although her pleas were weak and shaky.
"Next time," he insisted, his kisses gentler this time.
"Now." Her voice was shaky, and her hips involuntarily grinded against his stomach, proving her need. "Please? Take me, Talon." Her eyes were tear-filled and she was a mess of his own making.
The remnants of logic told him to put a stop to it, to not push her anymore, yet his blood was boiling, he needed to feel her tight around his cock, needed to feel all she had to offer.
He blamed the damned spell they were put under, when he cursed under his breath and turned them both, walking to the bed.
"Damn you, Lux." He cursed again as he placed her gently on the back and removed his last pieces of clothing. "Damn you indeed." He climbed on the bed above her, towering over her.
She shuddered at the size of him, but instead of fear, her insides clenched excitedly, some twisted part of her looking forward to the way his cock would stretch her to her limits.
Lux wanted to hold onto his cock and to give some of the pleasure she received from him back, but just as she leaned forward, he held her hand and moved it away.
"Later," Talon whispered, as he gently pushed her back on her back and took her mouth in his.
For a second, only a second, he had flashbacks he'd rather forget, at the sight of her reaching for his cock, but he quickly pushed the images of his other sister tormenting him in all sorts of ways before disappearing out of his mind. He focused on the woman in front of him instead, kissing her with need, as his fingers found her wetness and traced gentle touches over her flesh.
Lux moaned into his mouth, her arms locking around his neck.
Feeling her still wet and wanting, he took some of her juices to rub over his cock for easier access, and positioned himself at her entrance.
Lux's breathing was erratic, she was still drunk on pleasure, but he could see a sliver of fear in those beautiful eyes.
"We can stop, Luxanna. Say the word." His voice was dark, heavy and he forced himself to sound as composed as he could at that moment.
"I want you," she whispered as she pulled him closer to her mouth, and as she kissed him, he slowly inserted himself inside of her.
She winced and her body tensed, but his kisses took some of the pressure away, as she managed to slowly relax. The resistance he was met with was more than he initially expected, yet with a swift movement, he pushed inside as much as she would allow.
Lux arched her back at the sensation of being filled by him, even though it wasn't fully in, yet his kisses were all over her, teeth grazing her lips, kissing her jaw, her neck, biting into her collarbones, then moving to her perky breasts. His thrusts were slow and shallow, and she gasped each time he stretched her more. She held onto him for dear life, as he filled her more and more, her walls slowly loosening.
Fresh blood marked the bedsheets as he broke down her walls, and when his free hand went down to her aching lips, she shuddered.
Pleasure she never felt before raced through her whole being as Lux cried out loudly, her nails digging into Talon's back.
He picked his pace up a bit, still careful about the way he was thrusting in her. Short and shallow thrusts weren't giving him what he chased, but he didn't want to hurt her.
But as she arched her back, her moans growing louder and she clung to him with desperation, he thrusted in her deeper, in the same controlled manner. When she spoke next, all his remaining composure shattered.
"Harder, please," she pleaded through tear-filled eyes and Talon lost something of his own.
He leaned back in a kneeling position, parted her legs further and picked up his pace, thrusting in her faster, harder.
Lux screamed as she held onto the sheets, her hips trying to meet his each movement. Her insides were melting around him and he managed to fully sheathe himself in her, to which she tensed immediately. She felt so full, torn apart to the max, yet she needed him to keep moving.
She clenched around his cock and he shivered, a low groan leaving his lips.
His hand sneaked back down where they were connected, flicking her hardened nub and Lux cried out his name, as he moved inside of her relentlessly.
Her walls clamped down around him and squeezed him to the point where he'd almost lose his mind, but with another throaty moan, her body shuddered and she came around his cock. The sight was heavenly, the way sweat and raindrops glistened on her tanned skin, yet he still leaned forward and kissed the tan lines around her stomach, to which Lux's eyes rolled to the back of her head and hips jerked involuntarily.
Suddenly, she found herself on her stomach, as he lifted her ass and she had only a mere moment to mourn the loss of his cock inside of her when he plunged back, earning another loud moan from her. She held onto the sheets and the pillows, head against the bed as he held her by her hips and was fucking her harder.
She screamed his name like a mantra, each thrust splitting her apart but bringing forth so much pleasure. Her mind was a mess, her body soon to follow, yet she couldn't think straight anymore, the only thing she could focus on were Talon's rough hands holding her hips in place while he was fucking her from behind.
"Oh goodness, what are you doing to me," she cried into the pillow before her body gave in to the pleasure again and she came around his cock for a second time.
All she could hear was a dark chuckle as Talon leaned forward, the shift of his body somehow making him reach deeper inside of her and Lux arched her back despite herself. Then he bit down on her shoulder, his weight slightly pinning her down, despite her hips held in place and his thrusts became short and deep, rolling into her much faster. His hand went back to her clit, teasing her and she was done for.
She turned her head to the side, just so she could take his mouth for herself, as another orgasm was ripped from her, his mouth drinking in her cries and gasps.
Talon lifted himself from her after leaving a kiss on the shoulder he bit, but he was also close. Lux was spent and a crying mess due to the hypersensitivity he put her through with his ministrations, so he chased his own orgasm.
Just as he was about to pull out to come, Lux protested meekly as she forced herself to look at him over her shoulder. "Please fill me with your seed. It's safe."
Something snapped inside of him at her words, combined with her pleading eyes, so his last thrusts were rougher, more forceful and less controlled than before. Soon enough, Lux felt him fill her up with his warmth as he groaned and she shuddered at the sensation, her body jerking at it.
Yet, she was left hollow and cold when he pulled out and laid down on the bed next to her.
He was on his back, with the back of his hand covering his eyes as he was catching his breath.
She stole a few glances at him, while his warmth leaked out of her and her core clenched at the sensation. She was well spent, and still spellbound.
Sensing her eyes on him, Talon turned his head to look at her and his heartbeat quickened at the way she was looking at him, with that silly smile on her face, sweat glistening her skin and eyes unfocused, cheeks rosy.
He was well and thoroughly fucked. Whatever power pushed them to do what they did, it doomed him for an eternity, of that much he was aware.
Yet, despite his logical side slowly creeping in, he pushed it aside for the moment and instead put out his arm, and, as if the most natural thing to do, she snuggled closer, lying her head on it. She wiggled closer to him, and he covered them both with the thin blanket.
"Let's clean you and the bed up in a bit." He then said, his voice tired and eyes closing slowly.
"Mhm…" Was her half-hearted response, as she was slowly drifting off to sleep.
Outside was still raining.
He's had many regrets in his life. He'd regretted not being strong enough to prevent the General's disappearance, he'd regretted not being obvious enough to his other sister's schemes before she succumbed to madness, which caused a rift between the two sisters. He also regretted not noticing sooner that his other sister was drugging him and doing deranged things to him. Regretting the fact that his only remaining sister had to find out and she took his side, over her blood-related one. He regretted the tears she had to shed because of his foolishness and weakness.
But Talon's biggest regret was probably taking Lux to bed, and seeing her bleed over his cock and the sheets.
They were worlds apart, nobodies like him had no right to breathe the same air princesses like her did, not to mention sleeping with them, and taking their virginity.
Many more questions followed. Did she expect him to take responsibility for her? Was she going to ask him to walk into Demacia and confess to sleeping with her, and then atone for his sins with his life? Did she think they'd be secret lovers until she got bored of him and threw him aside?
Just… what was going to happen from then onwards?
Many more regrets and questions swam in Talon's head as he awoke later in the night, threw on some shorts and headed to the bathroom, to fetch a warm towel.
He wasn't one to care for the women he'd slept with – granted, she was the only one he willingly took to bed, after… well, the experiences with his other sister – but a part of Talon realized that those actions weren't his own. Did she cast a spell on him? Was it a love spell? A lust spell? But then, she was under some magical high as well, last night. Did it backfire and it ended up affecting her as well?
Against his logical judgement, Talon sat on the side of the bed as quietly as he could, and began to gently clean up her body. That was so out of character for him. He couldn't help but flinch at every bite mark and every hickey and every bruise he found on her soft body, courtesy of his frenzied state from earlier. But then, a deeper, wicked part of him reveled in the sight, knowing that he was the first to see her come undone like that, to take her like that, and that nobody else would reach the height he'd reached by being her first. It was a twisted thing to take pride in, but male ego worked in mysterious ways.
And he even defiled her with his seed. Or claimed her? He was walking on a tight rope at that point, unsure of where the path would lead.
Moving in silence, he returned the cloth to the bathroom and took a nightgown from one of the drawers, hoping that he'd manage to dress her up without awakening her. She must be very sore. He had lost himself to pleasure. She will probably regret her choice after waking up.
But those were worries for the morrow, and he placed his arm behind her sleeping frame, lifting her slightly off the bed and pulling the nightgown over her arms and head. He the lifted her waist as gently as he could and pushed the cloth down her thighs.
Lux mumbled something in her sleep, but luckily her eyes remained closed.
Should he leave in the morning, so they didn't have to spend awkward moments together? Would it be better if he stayed, so they could figure out where they stood, and more importantly, what she wanted?
Talon was well aware of his social standing. He had no money, no fame, nothing. He'd spent most of his life chasing shadows, mending broken dreams, living off of scraps. Not much changed even after being adopted into the du Couteau household. And he doubted she'd want to stay with him, when she had everything he would never own in this lifetime or the next.
He would stay in an intimate relationship with her, despite his demons. He had to let go of his past and move on from his trauma, but was Luxanna Crownguard the right one to hire for the job? No, she probably wasn't. She wouldn't even see him as a human being, but only chase the highs and pleasures his cock could offer her. She was that sort of woman. Was she though? He was her first in that regard, so what would she know about the pleasures of the flesh? What did he know of those pleasures? It was the first time he experienced such an otherworldly feeling, and it was with her of all people.
Talon's head was a mess, contradictory thoughts swimming in a sea of confusion and uncertainty.
He knew very well that he was not good enough for her at the end of the day, and he would never become someone worthy of her.
His heart ached at the thought, even though it had no right to.
Heaving a sigh, he laid down in bed next to her, covering his eyes with the back of his hand.
What he failed to notice were the baby blue eyes filled with sadness, witnessing his inner turmoil.
Squeezing her eyes shut so no tears would fall, she pretended to be asleep, until she knew for sure that he was.
Shy rays of sunlight peaked through the drawn curtains, the rain having stopped not long ago.
The sleeping form of the man took up almost the entirety of the bed, his face contorted in worry. She knew he had been a light sleeper, so she was extra cautious when moving about not to wake him.
With her magic returned, it made things a bit easier. That, and the fact that her whole body was sore, so if she had to sneak around the house, she'd most certainly wake him.
Lines of regret filled her beautiful features, as she stole one last glance from him. It wasn't his fault, he got caught in her antics. The magical properties of the island affected them both last night, and the festival had been a success. The Mother Serpent listened to their genuine pleas to put an end to the suffering, and so she comforted her children with a rain shower. It was also her promise to aide in stopping the Harrowing.
Which had happened last night indeed.
That meant that it was time for her to leave and pay for her actions. Her punishment would await her within the high gates of Demacia, or whatever was left of it.
The winds were weaker, so she was able to open a teleportation portal.
She stole one last glance at him.
Her heart broke at how cruel she was being to him. He had been an asshole to her during their stay, but at the same time more honest and gentle than anyone else she ever met. His actions from last night and all the marks he left on her body were ardent proof of it.
But she could never rise up to his expectations. He had wounds he needed to heal, and she had a life of torment waiting in front of her. She would only be an obstacle in his life, preventing him to grow and reach unprecedented highs.
Lux shuddered at the thought of what would await her once she returned home.
But she had to return, nevertheless. She wished she could stay with him instead, and spend her time entangled with him. But she also knew that he'd never claim her as his. The gust of magic from last night was a push to reveal one's deepest wishes, a shove towards action, removing all doubts and what ifs. She wouldn't have acted on her attraction towards him otherwise. And she was well aware that he wouldn't either.
Lux turned her back at him as she left a scroll with instructions on another piece of paper on the table and left the house as quietly as if she were never there.
She knew that he wouldn't have acted without that push, but she was leaving with the consolation that at the very least, she took up a small part of his heart for a night.
Lux opened the portal, wearing the same clothes she first arrived in and glanced back at the house for one last time. She had said her goodbyes to the villagers earlier.
She stepped through the portal, knowing that it was the end, taking with her the precious memories of being cared for and treated so gently by someone like him, albeit for a night. For she had been his for a night, just as he'd haunt her dreams for the rest of her life.
"Goodbye, my Shadow King. May I become a nice memory." Her last words were carried by a gust of wind, floating away unheard, unseen and undetected.
He awoke with a start, cursing himself upon realizing that he had actually slept in. The sun seemed to be high on the sky, so the early hours of the morning had long passed.
The first thing he felt was panic, as he realized that he was alone.
Talon stumbled out of bed and began walking to the bathroom, to check if she was in there. She wasn't.
His heart was drumming in his chest, throat held in a chokehold. He hurried to the porch, to see if she might have gone outside.
Not there either.
His worries and insecurities from last night came back to haunt him as his worst fears seemed to have come to life.
Lux was gone.
Maybe she went to the village, as she always did.
A bit unfair to leave him there all by himself without saying anything, without waking him up, but he'd take it.
Talon was about to change when he saw a scroll and another piece of paper on the table.
Air was punched right out of his lungs.
He recognized the scroll, she had used a similar one when teleporting them to the island. The writing on the other piece of paper must have been the chant needed to activate the teleportation scroll.
Talon wasn't sure what happened to him at that moment because multiple things happened at once, or in quick succession? He wasn't entirely sure. His already broken heart shattered into thousands of pieces as dark thoughts and feelings took over his mind.
You were never good enough.
It's obvious she'd leave you, you're nothing compared to her.
At least you got a taste of royalty, unlike other scum.
Putting the paper and the scroll back on the table, he stalked to the dresser, opening every drawer, every shelf.
Just as he had guessed, she had left, wearing the clothes she arrived in.
He was blinded with fury, hurt and betrayed. He shouldn't have expected anything from her. Spoiled princesses had no regards for the feelings of others, especially those below them. All she knew was to take and take, without any intention of giving back.
Lifting a floorboard where he'd hidden his clothes and blades, he changed quickly, putting every blade back into its place.
Talon felt as though he got some control back, that he was his usual self again, before Luxanna Crownguard. He knew he could never be the same after what happened with her, but her betrayal and selfishness would be the starting points of him becoming stronger.
Fury blinded his eyes as he took off the fishbone necklace as well and threw it on the bed. He never got to change the sheets, her blood still on them.
With another fit of anger taking over, he pulled the sheets off the bed and threw them out, setting them on fire in broad daylight. He pulled the hoodie low over his eyes.
Then he took the scroll and began chanting the words.
A portal opened next to him and with one last glance at the burning sheets, he stepped through it.
As he walked inside, he could hear a ghost of a whisper wearing her voice but he couldn't make out the words, and the sweet, floral scent infecting his nostrils.
Then the portal closed behind him and he swore to never speak nor think about what happened on this island, in Bilgewater.
Hi loves, how have you been? I can't believe it's been 2 years and a half-ish since I last posted something lol. Shame on me for that.
Just a couple of things I want to make clear... This oneshot is actually a prequel to a story I'm currently working on. They do cross paths a few years after the events in this story, and it does come up in their conversation. So I thought it'd be fun to write this one first before I go back to the main story.
Let me just say that it was a challenge putting enough content and information so the story and plot make sense, but without revealing too much of the main one. So all the hints at trauma and whatnot you caught, those are things tackled in-depth in the main story.
That's it from me for now. Hope you enjoyed and have a nice day! Baiiii 3