MEL

Once, she confided to Jayce that the Medardas usually took from the world, and rarely gave anything back.

Now, there she was, within that cold cell, not even a blanket to shield her body from the cold nightly winds, her back to that equally cold stone wall.

Everything taken from her. Everything she took years to build and make.

And all in a mere matter of days.

Some would call it poetic justice weren't for the circumstances which afflicted her, because it was anything but. Having been in the midst of a rocket explosion which triggered the special properties of her Solari ornaments, saving but only one, her beloved, as his friend was burnt beyond belief and then transformed somehow, thanks to the Shimmer within him. Everyone else, fellow colleagues in deciding the best course for Piltover, had perished. Then, the burdens of trying to reestablish the city in vain, when most were pressuring for retaliation against the Undercity, two in particular, one of which her own blood. Then the events that were out of her control and only served to undermine her and her attempts.

And now the tragedy itself, which landed her at that place.

The screams proved useless and her tears had ran their course, her body feeling hollow, almost like a dying star. Remaining there was all that she could do now, the body fighting the cold and even starvation. She herself had never been to prison, but did see some imprisoned people in some turns in the encampments with... her blood, but was told not to put her mind on it. But now she couldn't avoid it, and the reason why the prison is how it is - it wasn't just about confining the person in body, it was about breaking the spirit, from the isolation.

And then she heard lone steps, in a slow, but firm manner. Somewhat soft, increasing in decibels, indicating they approached her cell. It increased until the steps stopped, the hearing perception indicating the newcomer was just standing in front of her cell.

She raised her head, and saw the visitor - the sight she expected the most yet desired the least to see.

The grizzly hair complementing the matured face, the militaristic attire with the red scarf. The serious expression, though one of subtle, solemn sadness as well.

The sight of her... blood origins.

The sight that made Mel Medarda charge her mother, General Ambessa, *in abject fury*, clashing the bars and trying to extend her hands, attempting to grab the figure before her in vain, groaning and growling in silent rage, awing the warlord for a second before that one retained military decor. It kept like that for some seconds, until Mel's arms tired, and she lowered and retracted her arms to behind the arms, grabbing them, wishing she *now* had indeed her Noxian heritage to bend those bars wide, if she could. At least that'd be the one she'd appease Ambessa's wishes to see her daughter's original roots.

Mel's eyes deadlocked with her mother's, the expression saying enough for itself.

"The wrong time to bare your teeth...", Ambessa said, all stern disappointment and no satisfaction.

"I won't forgive you.", Mel said, bitter. "Ever."

"Don't you finger me as the one whom dragged you here.", Ambessa replied, in a warning tone.

"And don't you pretend to be dense!", Mel retorted. "I *know* it was you!"

Ambessa dared say nothing, eyes darting aside for a moment before returning to her daughter's.

"You don't even say a 'no' or 'what are you talking about'...", Mel shook her head, disgusted. "But then, I've only myself to blame, I should've remembered how far you'd go..."

"You talk about me as if you knew me so well, child...", Ambessa said. "I'll give you this, though, you are right, you can only blame yourself.", she then gestured the cell.

"I did nothing to warrant this!", Mel retorted, angrily.

"And that's why you're there, and I'm here.", Ambessa stood firm.

"You would've tossed me here earlier...", Mel coldly remarked.

"You did nothing!", Ambessa stated, firmly. "With every red flag around you and every sign of danger! I told you, 'just like rain does', and it *did* came, and you *still* preferred to stay your course!"

"That course was working just fine!", Mel retorted. "Before you interfered!"

"Of course, Mel, go ahead.", Ambessa shook her head, disappointed. "Lay all of it on me."

"And shouldn't I!?", Mel pressed. "You might've not been the only one pressing for war, but you were the *loudest*! All to lay hands on Hextech weaponry, all to get yourself all the prestige of the-"

"With the courtesy of not confusing our delicate situation with petty ambition!", Ambessa retorted.

"Is there even a difference?", Mel then pointed an accusing finger at her. "And it's your delicate situation, that you dragged all the way here!"

"Again, talking about me as if you knew me.", Ambessa deadpanned. "I told you - I'd set the world ablaze to protect our family."

"And stop using Kino as your excuse crutch for-", Mel started.

"This isn't about Kino, it's about you!", Ambessa raised her tone. "And some of it IS your fault, even before all this, long before I came here!"

"I wasn't the one whom killed people in droves to push some agenda!", Mel retorted.

"You remember what I told you and Jayce, the last time we met, Mel?", Ambessa asked, a second later. "To watch what you've both been washing your hands on, ever since you sat on those chairs? YOU let all this issue with the Undercity flourish, on YOUR watch."

"We were addressing those issues.", Mel replied, baring her teeth.

"Too late!", Ambessa retorted. "When you should've years ago."

"By turning the Fissures into a slaughterhouse, just as you'd want it?", Mel mocked.

"I couldn't care less if you picked the sword yourself or not...", Ambessa replied. "But you're mistaken if you thought your hands were *clean* on all this, all along. Words on a chair draw either green, gold or crimson, often *both*."

Mel wanted to reply to her... own blood, but apparently she saw that it'd be fruitless and would just drag the bickering on and on. She let her breath out. "Why you're here, anyways?", she asked.

"Can't a mother see her child, now?", Ambessa asked back a couple of seconds later.

"If you hoped to see me on my knees, begging for you to get me out, then sorry to disappo-", Mel started, a second later.

"Even if I wanted, I can't.", Ambessa cut her, a subtle tone of sadness in her. "It's not up to me."

Mel's eyes remained deadlocked with Ambessa, not understanding that answer, and could see the glowing, stark honesty in mother's eyes when staring at her. And if indeed wasn't up to Ambessa, who would be? That's when Mel drifted a bit, eyes and mind, to her memories of whom would do such a thing.

The realization took only a second to draw up on her face as the most obvious name came to her mind.

"Ferros?", Mel asked, the blood freezing, Ambessa's eyes darting off a bit. "You and her? Have you lost your mind!?"

"No.", Ambessa said, bluntly, staring at Mel. "You lost the game. It was ours and you let her take it from us."

Mel grabbed the cell's bars again. "Listen to me, you don't know who're dealing-", she started again.

"But you knew!", Ambessa cut her, controlling her breath. "You knew and still you took no side, when the situation demanded it! Now look where you put us both, Mel!"

Mel's grip on the bars became more tight. "Help me out.", she said, a subtle plea tone coming through the cracks. "I might help us out of this."

Ambessa, however, simply remained there, eyes as much hurt as her daughter's were. "I *did* come to help, Mel...", she said, the tone a sad one. "You didn't even want to listen. I can't help you, anymore."

The Noxian general remained silent for a second before she turned. "You weakened me, again.", were her final words, in an almost soft, silent tone, as she started walking back out.

As Ambessa walked out, Mel's grip on the bars became lighter and lighter, as her hands naturally let loose of them, and she turned her back to the bars, letting herself drag down and sit on that stone cold floor again. Feeling empty, unable to do anything, feeling alone. Just like she was on that day, on that throne room, something she didn't think she'd feel ever again, and that haunted her sleeps every night.

Feeling weak.