19 Affairs

"All in favor to remove Camson as Council and have him and his rebels thrown into Stillwater?" Shoola voice sounds in the council room. 

Every council raises their hands without a thought.

The council meeting ends with a heavy sense of finality in the air. The vote against Camson is passed, and I can't help but feel a mix of relief and satisfaction as the decision is made. He and the people who helped him will suffer the consequences of their betrayal in Stillwater, far away from the influence they once held over us. 

The council is firm, their voices united in making sure this isn't just a one-time action but a step toward greater change. The word has spread, and people are beginning to understand that those who seek to manipulate and destroy the balance we've worked so hard for will be dealt with swiftly and decisively.

With Camson's punishment decided, the weight of the moment sinks in, but my focus shifts back to the council's next resolution. The changes we've agreed to implement in Zaun under Sevika's term are bold, sweeping. She's been instrumental in pushing for reforms, and today feels like the first step toward real transformation. Zaun will no longer be the forgotten, neglected city it once was. Under Sevika's leadership, things will change—for the better.

And somehow, amidst all this chaos, I find myself back in the council room, taking my seat as a member once again. I'm allowed to return, to rejoin the conversation that once felt so far removed from my life. They've accepted me back. 

My time as a member of the council feels like a fresh start, a new chapter. But the biggest change is the freedom I now have. I'm not just tied to the city of Piltover. I'm free to move between Piltover and Noxus for my Medarda clan duties. There's a strange mix of relief and dread in that freedom. Leaving Piltover means stepping back into the politics of my family, the weight of my legacy. It means going back to Noxus—to my past.

But there's also a part of me that's grateful. Grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in both worlds, to bridge the gap between my heritage and the life I've come to know with Sevika.

~

After the council breaks up, and the bustling noise of the hall fades into the background, I find myself walking through the hallways, the weight of the day settling onto my shoulders. I can hear Sevika's footsteps behind me, soft but sure. She catches up to me with ease, her presence grounding, steady. Her hand slides into mine as we make our way toward the gardens, a private space where we can be alone—away from the demands and the politics, where we can just exist together.

The moonlight glows softly as we step into the gardens, and I breathe in the scent of the flowers that surround us. The purple trees are in full bloom, their petals like soft wisps of cloud. The air is cool but not cold, the kind of night that makes everything feel peaceful, like time itself has slowed down just for us.

"Its a shame I won't be here to enjoy this view everyday."

"Mel," Sevika says, her voice a quiet murmur in the night air. She stops beside me, turning to face me fully, her hand still holding mine. "Are you sure you have to leave? The council... it feels like it's just beginning, like there's so much more we could do together. Why do you have to go back to Noxus?"

I can see the concern in her eyes, the slight frown on her face that's always there when she's worried about me. I know she wants me to stay. She wants to keep me here with her, where it's safe, where we can be together without the weight of our respective worlds pressing down on us.

"I have to," I reply, my voice quiet but firm. "The Medarda clan—my family—they need me. There's work to be done in Noxus. I can't turn my back on them, Sev. Not completely. But it won't be forever. I'll be back before you know it. I promise."

She sighs, her fingers tightening around mine, but she doesn't let go. There's a sadness in her gaze, but also a glimmer of understanding. She knows that duty is something that runs deep in me, in both of us. We both have our responsibilities, our obligations. She's never been the kind of person to ask me to abandon mine, even if it means being apart for a while.

"I don't want you to leave," Sevika says, her voice barely above a whisper. 

Her words hit me harder than I expected. There's a vulnerability in them that she rarely shows. Sevika, the woman who's always been fierce and unwavering, is now standing in front of me with a tenderness that takes my breath away. She's not asking for much, just for me to promise her that I'll come back.

"I'll come back," I assure her, stepping closer, my free hand gently brushing her cheek. The moment stretches out between us, and for a brief second, it feels like time has stopped. Like it's just the two of us, existing in this small pocket of the world where nothing else matters.

Sevika's hand comes up to rest on my wrist, her thumb brushing lightly over the skin. She leans in, her lips brushing softly against mine. I kiss her back, slow and steady, like I'm trying to memorize the feeling of her against me. The softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath, the steady beat of her heart. It's everything I need, everything I want.

When we pull apart, Sevika doesn't say anything at first. She simply looks at me with that familiar intensity, her eyes searching mine like she's trying to gauge my soul, to make sure I'm truly here with her. That I'm not going anywhere.

"Then let's make this moment last," she says, her voice low and filled with a longing that matches my own.

And I nod, unable to find the words to express everything I'm feeling. I don't want to leave her, not now, not ever. But there's a world outside of this moment, a world that calls to me, that needs me. And I know, deep down, that I can't avoid it. Not for long.

But for now... for tonight... I'll let myself be here with her.

We walk deeper into the gardens, the moonlight casting shadows on the ground, making everything feel otherworldly. The purple trees seem to shimmer in the darkness, their petals glowing like soft stars. I breathe in the air, the sweet fragrance of the flowers mixing with the cool night breeze. It's peaceful here. It's safe.

Sevika takes my hand again, and this time, I let her guide me, following her lead as we find a quiet spot beneath one of the trees. The leaves above us rustle gently in the breeze, creating a soft melody that fills the silence around us. We sit down on the cool grass, our legs tangled together as we lean into each other, the weight of the world momentarily forgotten.

I rest my head on her shoulder, feeling her warmth, her steady presence next to me. She wraps an arm around me, pulling me closer, and for a moment, I forget about Noxus, about the council, about everything that lies ahead. All that matters is here. Now. With her.

"I'll be here when you get back," Sevika says softly, her voice barely a whisper, as if speaking the words too loudly might make them disappear.

"I know," I reply, my voice steady. "And I'll return. I promise."

She leans down and kisses the top of my head, her lips warm against my skin. We sit in the quiet for a long while, the weight of everything outside of this moment slowly fading away. It's just us, here in this space, under the moonlight and the purple trees, a moment suspended in time.

And for tonight, that's enough.