A Dance With Daggers

Falling

Katarina waited anxiously outside of the Crownguard estate and watched Garen exit the front door; she knew a lot was hanging on his cooperation. She noticed he seemed like he was sincerely bothered, the assassin imagined it could have been because of how she ambushed him, but he didn't look like the type to get rattled by something like that. After thinking about it, part of her felt bad for the way she 'convinced' him to help.

Katarina watched as he moved to the stables, pulling out his beautiful black destrier, with a long mane and feathered hooves. The way he was tender with the animal as he pushed the saddle over the horses back and attached the bridle. Garen was never rough or mean to the creature; it was a softness that she did not expect in a hardened soldier. She ducked a bit further into the treeline as he rode down the dirt patch from his estate, watching him as he rode past. She caught herself staring as he took off into the distance and shook her head.

The assassin spent most of the day exploring the countryside and hunting small game with her throwing knives. Never straying too far from the Crownguard estate so she could keep an eye on it.

As dusk approached, Katarina began to grow restless poking at a smoldering fire used to cook her unsavory meal, when an idea popped into her head. She looked over to the window to Garen's bedroom. She had decided that she had nothing better to do anyway, and maybe she can find something interesting inside.

She snuck her way down the path of the estate, using the small stone walls lining the road as cover. Upon reaching the front entrance of the estate, she could hear what sounded like two women yelling at each other inside; perhaps it had to do with the troubled look Garen had just a moment ago? She shrugged and looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was there before scaling the side of the manor.

Upon reaching the window to Garen's room, she pushed it open and slid inside. The place was nice, the sun shining onto the mahogany wooden floor gave it a warm glow. She sauntered over to his bed, she noticed by its edge on the floor, discarded pieces of armor lying around, and the blankets on his bed were a mess. She smirked, the notion that someone with such prestige could be so messy. She tilted her head to the side slightly, noticing the mail hanging from his pauldron was damaged and stained with blood. She knelt down and took the pauldron in her hands, rubbing her gloved thumb over the damaged material. Katarina figured it must have been from her, the cut she landed on his arm during their fight, she frowned, why? For some reason, she felt troubled by it and set the piece of armor back down on the floor before rising to her feet.

She noticed a picture on his nightstand and reached down, wrapping her slender fingers around the frame, lifting it to get a better look.

It was Garen, though he was younger and not quite as built as he is now, he was standing next to a man that was just as tall as him, the man had his arm around Garen's shoulders pulling him in close. The two were grinning widely at the hextech camera as if they had both just done something mischievous. The man had the same russet brown hair and bright blue eyes, she figured it must have been his father, a genuine smile formed on her lips, and the memories of times she had with her own father pushed into her mind. After a few moments, she fell out of her reverie and set the picture gently back down in its original place.

She made her way towards the bedroom door, even with her boots, she didn't make a sound. The Noxian's fingers wrapped around the lock beneath the handle and twisted it, clicking as it pushed into place. Deciding this was probably a better place than most to get some rest, she climbed onto the bed over the blankets and laid on her back, resting her hands behind her head.

Closing her eyes, Katarina's thoughts rested on the events of yesterday. She finally had a lead on her father, however slim it was Katarina at least had reason to believe he was alive. As much as she wanted her father back, she wanted something, someone, stable in her life that she could always rely on.