Forbidden

Chapter 10

Happy Tuesday gang! Sorry I haven't been updating regularly (as normal, like once or twice a day..) School's starting, family vacations, and personal problems. But, I didn't forget about you, so here we goooooo!

Chapter 10:

The battle lasted all of twenty minutes. The Royal Vanguard had no problem shooing the Noxians out of their territory with no casualties. On the Noxian side, however, many were wounded and passed away within minutes of the fight. Talon was recovering from the serum he was given in one of the tents, as it had messed with his brain in a way that was unimaginable to anyone else. Katarina helped Garen clean up the bloody mess outside, scowling at the fallen Noxians. Petty, she thought. You're all just petty.

Garen could sense a conflict was going on within Katarina's mind. With every Noxian she kicked out of her way, a look of pure disgust came across her face. It was almost like she knew these people individually – maybe she did. But, if it was Garen kicking Demacians out of the way for the pride of Noxus… well, he wouldn't be able to do it. In a way, he was thankful she was on his side. But another part of him wished he never would have suggested the idea.

"Hey…" he put his hand on her shoulder to stop her kicking. She looked up to him, her emerald eyes gleaming. "You don't need to do this."

"Yes I do," she replied sharply and turned back around.

"No, you don't," Garen said. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him. He stared dead into her eyes, blue on green, hoping that she understood his sincerity. "Katarina – Jarvan rules over Demacia; he doesn't rule over you. You don't have a citizenship; you don't have to do what he says. I know how hard this is for you, and I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do."

Katarina stared equally as hard back. "Garen, you don't understand, do you? These people tortured and destroyed my childhood. They made me into a killer, and now they're raging war on the person I love." She bit her tongue at that remark. "Look: if Talon and I go back there, Swain will kill us and kill mom and Cass. I can't let that happen. As long as we're out here, Swain has something to keep him going. I'm not going back."

Garen ran his hands down her arms. "Kat… Demacia made me into a killer."

"But not like Noxus. You're not evil," she spat and sighed, with tears in her eyes. "I made my decision, Garen. You know I did."

It was true. When the Noxians had attacked, Garen's biggest fear was Katarina turning her back on him and the Royal Vanguard. Instead, she had attacked her own people and defended him and his army. She'd also rescued Talon from their clutches. And in every way – what she said was incredibly correct. They had ruined her, and now she wasn't brainwashed anymore, so she was well enough to admit that these people were monsters.

"I know," he whispered. "Come on – we need to leave the area before the ones that escaped tells Swain and he personally comes looking for us."

Katarina nodded as Garen left her and stepped into the middle of the tents, where everyone could hear him.

"Let's pack it up, ladies!" he yelled to his troop. "Only take what you need to take! We're moving it double time to Demacia!"

When the troop entered the gates, the people looked at the confused. They weren't due to back from the raid for days. They were even more surprised to see Garen and Katarina, bloodied and bruised, but back in one piece. But what caught them most off guard was Talon, the assassin walking beside them, taking in the golden surroundings. The soldiers went home – they deserved it. But, Garen, Talon, and Katarina went straight to Prince Jarvan's chambers, and weren't at all surprised to hear he was in his study.