Sire Crownguard - Blog Posts

@sire-crownguard :

He couldn’t help but sigh a little, smiling at her own stuttering and stumbling over her own words. She was truly doing her best, he knew this much, but many foreigners were wise enough to not go to Demacia when magic flowed through their veins.

Or, at least, they had the guts to risk it. For a moment, he idly wondered which it could’ve been, but seeing her face… how could he doubt? Her expression was so… innocent. Something he has not seen in a long, long time…

“Well, then let’s not worry about that for now.” He reassured, that same, gentle smile keeping itself upon his face. “You needn’t fuss too much, I’ll ensure you’re in a good state before I’ll leave your company. I can only imagine your… confusion, a harsh welcome like that in a new land is going to leave you a little frazzled.”

He gently pushed her hand back down. “Don’t worry about that for now. As for the time being, I’ll pay for your current expenses. It is… the least i can do, to apologize for your treatment.” He reassured. “… I, uh… yes. We are quite differently sized, after all.”

… Awkward was an understatement. Why would she point out such a trivial thing?

“Instead of dealing with that… how about we go get something to eat? I’m off duty by now, regardless… It’ll be my treat.”

Taliyah  couldn’t  help  but  let  out  a  sigh .  Her  hazel  eyes  examined  his  face  for  a  moment .  He  looked  kind .  Very  kind .  Does  she  deserve  this ? There  wasn’t  a  reason  she  should  turn  down  his  offer ,  so . . .

“  Thank  you ,  Garen .  Say ,  what  are  some  foods  you  eat  here ?  Shuriman  meals  are  different -  even  the  cities  Noxus  controls  in  Shurima  are  unique  to  both  countries .  Kinda  like  a  blend  of  both  countries !  “

Ah ,  there  she  goes ,  ranting  about  whatever  her  mind  thought  about .  Innocence .  That’s  what  Garen  calls  it , right ?  It’s  more  like ignorance .  If  ignorance  is  bliss ,  she’s  on  a  dangerous  level  of  bliss .  The  amount  good  in  the  world  she  sees  is  but  a  figment  of  her  imagination .  To  be  like  this  comes  with  a  price .

Hers  just  happen  to  be ptsd .

Was  Taliyah  too  trusting ?  Was  this  too  soon ?  Her  smile  slowly  fell ,  thoughts  running  wild .  Last  time  she  trusted  people  this  quickly . . .  That  wasn’t  fun .

“ A-Are  you  sure  you  don’t  want  me  to  help  pay ?  I  have  a  decent  amount in  my  bag ,  “  The  freckled  girl  mumbled .  She  forced  a  nervous  smile ,  hand  reaching  up  to  tuck  a  lock  of  hair  behind  her  pierced  ear .  “  I’m  sorry  for  acting  weird , “  She  apologized  quickly .

sire-crownguard:

For a moment, his gaze darkened as he looked upon the woman, as though she had revealed something dark, a betrayal in her so few words. How often was he able to feel safe, to be reassured by others? to feel… like he must not be so afraid? Too long. Far too long. His hands trembled, twitching by his sides, motionless for a moment… but then the realization came to him, enough to almost dust his cheeks with red by his own assumption, by his own embarrassment that felt very hot beneath his skin.

No one would be that blunt unless they wished to be ripped to shreds.

And before he could question it, she answered him with her words. So she holds a grudge? He couldn’t blame her–while he held no true hatred for Darius, the two nothing more than the same man on different sides of the table, one a decade older, another a decade more foolish.

“Taliyah,” He grabbed one of her hands with both of his own, being far gentlerthan he needed to, but his expression unsteady as he tried to find the proper words to speak, mouth feeling dry as he struggled, “There are many things I’d like to say, but this is… not the place.” He let go, and instead stood up properly, spine rigid and hands moved behind his back. The more they spoke, and the longer they stayed, the more attention it’d bring, and the sooner she’d say something that would put her, and himself, in a position where he couldn’t feign not knowing, with that charming smile and those kind eyes to draw the burning stared of hatred and turn them to himself, and to gazes of envy and trust.

“You appear to be worse for wear as well. Do you have a place you are staying while in Demacia? I could also have a temporary living arrangement put in place as a…. apology for our less-hospitable people.”

“I’d prefer to be able to speak somewhere without prying eyes and ears.”

Taliyah  was  a  thicc  girl  with  a  thicc  skull ,  if  you  understand .  However ,  her  emotions  were  always  hyper  sensitive .  One  wrong  word  could  leave  her  thinking  for  a  while .  One laugh  at  the  wrong  time  could  break  her  dam .  Any  tone  of  voice  could  make  her  utterly  embarrassed -  which  is  how  she  earned  the  nickname  ‘cherry  girl’ .  And  a  cherry  girl  she  was .  

The  shuriman’s  face  turned  a  bright  red  as  she  glanced  back  up .  Okay . . .  So  he  doesn’t  hate  her .  Yet .  That’s  good ,  right ?  Right .  Taliyah  sent  him  a  nervous  smile .

“  Well . . .  Food  is  more  important  than  shelter .  I  had  a  room  last  night ,  but  that  is  a  couple  cities  over .  My  master  told  me  where  I  could  stay  and . . .  Train  without  him .  “  Taliyah  explained  this  as  best  as  she  could ,  trying  not  to  sound  like  an  absolute  idiot .  Wait ,  does  Garen  know  how  fast  she  can  travel ?  Probably  not .

Her  free  hand  reached  into  her  purse .  It  was  full  of  her  accessories ,  being  warned  that  having  floating  stones  around  you  wouldn’t  look too friendly  in  Demacia ,  and  a  leather  pouch  full  of  coins .

“  How  much  Silver  Serpents  would  it  be ? Demacia  uses  those ,  right ?  Or  was  it  Valors . . .  “  Her  voice  trailed  off ,  inspecting  the  hand  that  held  hers .  “  Your  hands  are  pretty .  And  big .  You  could  probably  grab  my  face .  “

" The generals Darius and Swain , " Taliyah responded quickly . Two of the most feared men in Runeterra . . . Two of the three leaders of Noxus .

Taliyah's face showed no sign of a lie . Blunt was the best she could be sometimes . . . However , her serious expression quickly turned to shock then embarrassment at the realization of how it was phrased .

" W-What I mean is , General Darius refuses to fight me until I am able to bend this one stone . Apparently Demacia is famous for it — not that I like Noxus . " Taliyah was quick to explain what she had meant . Going around Demacia saying the two generals of Noxus sent you is basically a suicide mission !

" He ruined my life , so I wish to show him how . . . Displeased I am . However long that will take . " Once again , the mage grew nervous . Taliyah looked away from Garen , quite displeased with herself , before noticing how busy the street started to get . People of all ages , rushing to who knows where .

" You . . . Said you used to guard the prince ? At least one of my guesses were right . " Taliyah refused to look back up at the other . Those shackles might just go right back on her wrists . . . At that thought , she started to rub her injury once more .

heart-ofstones

Taliyah  was  always  a  fan  of  tall  people .  Big ,  strong , able  to  kill  her …  The  fear  was  always  replaced  by  curiosity .  Even  after  meeting  Sett ,  a  7′8  beast ,  she  was  interested .  And  Garen  definitely  got  on  her  good  side .

When  he  had  grabbed  her  small ,  cold  hands ,  she   knew  what  he  could  do .  He  could  easily  break  her  fragile   bones ,  yet  he  did  something  better .  He  crushed  the  binds .

Taliyah  let  out  a  surprised  gasp  when  he  had .  No  matter  how  hard  the  shuriman  had  struggled ,  they  refused  to  move  to  a  better  position ,  yet  Garen …  He  just …

The  short  woman  stared  up  at  him ,  eyes  wide  with  shock  and  excitement . “  Thank  you ,  sire !  That -  how  did  you -  hm … “  A  soldier  perhaps ?  Maybe  a  guard  for  the  royal  or  royal  himself .  Probably  why  he’s  referred  to  as  Sire .  And  that  build …

“ If  you  don’t  mind  me  asking ,  do  you  fight  with  your fists  or  a  sword ?  Strength  like  that  means  you  fight ,  no   doubt .  You  look  too  young  to  be  the  general ,  but  if …  No … “ Taliyah  rambled .  If  one  couldn’t  tell ,  she  enjoys  guessing   and  speaking .  People  in  general  was  something  she’s  good  at . Maybe  that’s  why Swain  had  spoken  to  her .

Taliyah  gently  rubbed  her  wrists  as  she  thought .  They  were red ,  probably  redder  than  her  cheeks  whenever  complimented .  The  stone  felt  rough …  Was  it  supposed  to  eventually dig  into  her  skin  and  cause  blood ?  Maybe  she  should’ve  heeded  the  warnings …

Wait ,  did  Garen  say  something ? Taliyah  looked  back  up  at  him ,  smiling  widely .  “  Please ,  call  me  Taliyah ! Or  Tali ! “ 

For a moment, he simply looked at her, perhaps she was thinking? She was not quite doing anything, but he didn’t really expect her to. For a moment, he pondered if she would simply run off in terror due to that, or now that she is no longer being held captive, would not wish to push her luck with remaining with the Crownguard himself. But he was patient, and a small smile rested upon his lips.

After all… Few could do that. What he did was, effectively, crush stone. While petricite was not quite simple, as it was often poorly crafted when it was smaller items, they were sturdy enough that it took a decent amount of force, such as a hard strike of a hammer, to break it. He simply knew his limits and his capabilities… And he pushed them very, very precisely.

“I fight with a claymore most of the time, but I am capable of hand-to-hand combat if my weapon is not available.” He explain briefly–It was not exactly classified information, so there was no reason to withhold it. Even the people of Demacia would speak of him and his capabilities, while most of the time they exaggerated rather severely, it did not mean some of the gossip held at least a nugget of truth to it.

“And, well, you’d be incorrect. My initial duty was to protect Jarvan Lightshield the Fourth as his personal guardian and protector, but as things have… Changed, I no longer reserve my talents simply for my Prince, but for military combat and many other warfare needs. It certainly made me a more… Ideal candidate due to my family’s ties to the Lightshields. First General Garen Crownguard, at your service.” He offered a small, polite bow towards her.

“Taliyah, then…? You may call me Garen, then.” He cleared his throat, trying to lighten the mood–if she was not stressed, there would be no reason for her trailing sentences, right? “Why would a Shuriman woman such as yourself visit Demacia?”

sire-crownguard:

 While he was not surprised that she already showed him such a display of respect, it brought a small pang of a prick to his chest. It was not that she was truly respected him, it was out of necessity… and perhaps… fear… Again, he did not blame the woman for such reactions, they were natural, but it did not stop the panging in his chest, and the guilt that went unseen atop his shoulders.

    A soft mutter to himself, a quiet curse of annoyance. Most pertricite shackles were unstable, but of course… they were not meant to be taken off. Their intention was to bind, and then… most would wear them to their grave, which was likely nothing more than a large hole away from the innocent and evil eyes of the world.

    He grabbed Taliyah’s hand with a delicate touch, unfitting of one which seemed as threatening as him. But, rather than the plain gesture, he turned her hand gently, so her palm faced down, and his other hand reached towards the shackle. Pinching a part of it between two fingers, he stared blankly, like he was considering something…

    And then, as though it was only as sturdy as a dried twig, it cracked from the pressure. Like when a single thread was ripped from a web, the rest seemed to crack, and it fell off of her wrist. He hesitated, not letting go quite yet, using the hand that broke it to gently dust off any of the remaining, small shards of petricite, that would be like burning embers upon a mage’s skin, should they remain too long…

    Without another delay, he did the same with the other shackle, and the pathetic remains simply clattered to the ground, forgotten, abandoned… and at this point, useless. A small triumph in his mind–a single less weapon against the innocent who are unfortunate to be… vulnerable.

    “I apologize for not doing that sooner.” His voice was low, strong and steady. A small smile found its way onto his expression, followed with a minute tilt of his head to the side. “But it matters not if they overreacted… That is not a topic I wish to delve in any further, however.” Likely, it would be best for both of them to not dwell on the things that happen here.

    How innocent must a girl like this be? He envied her, to a degree. Ignorancewas bliss, but too much bliss was toxin. Garen cleared his throat, and the next words he spoke were slow, but at least clear, and spoken in the native tongue of the unfortunate visitor.

    “It is a pleasure to meet someone like you, Taliyah Levy.”

Taliyah  was  always  a  fan  of  tall  people .  Big ,  strong ,  able  to  kill  her . . .  The  fear  was  always  replaced  by  curiosity .  Even  after  meeting  Sett ,  a  7′8  beast ,  she  was  interested .  And  Garen  definitely  got  on  her  good  side .

When  he  had  grabbed  her  small ,  cold  hands ,  she  knew  what  he  could  do .  He  could  easily  break  her  fragile  bones ,  yet  he  did  something  better .  He  crushed  the  binds .

Taliyah  let  out  a  surprised  gasp  when  he  had .  No  matter  how  hard  the  shuriman  had  struggled ,  they  refused  to  move  to  a  better  position ,  yet  Garen . . .  He  just . . .

The  short  woman  stared  up  at  him ,  eyes  wide  with  shock  and  excitement . “  Thank  you ,  sire !  That -  how  did  you -  hm . . . “  A  soldier  perhaps ?  Maybe  a  guard  for  the  royal  or  royal  himself .  Probably  why  he’s  referred  to  as  Sire .  And  that  build . . .

“  If  you  don’t  mind  me  asking ,  do  you  fight  with  your  fists  or  a  sword ?  Strength  like  that  means  you  fight ,  no  doubt .  You  look  too  young  to  be  the  general ,  but  if . . .  No . . .  “  Taliyah  rambled .  If  one  couldn’t  tell ,  she  enjoys  guessing  and  speaking .  People  in  general  was  something  she’s  good  at .  Maybe  that’s  why  Swain  had  spoken  to  her .

Taliyah  gently  rubbed  her  wrists  as  she  thought .  They  were  red ,  probably  redder  than  her  cheeks  whenever  complimented .  The  stone  felt  rough . . .  Was  it  supposed  to  eventually  dig  into  her  skin  and  cause  blood ?  Maybe  she  should’ve  heeded  the  warnings . . .

Wait ,  did  Garen  say  something ?  Taliyah  looked  back  up  at  him ,  smiling  widely .  “  Please ,  call  me  Taliyah !  Or  Tali ! “  

Fear . That was the main thing that overcame Taliyah . Fear and curiosity . Then , it all happened as she stood idly by . She felt like a mere object at that moment , a simple toy getting taken away .

But the frighteningly tall man the soldiers had called Sire . . . He was arguing for her . That's all she wanted . Well , that and to get these tiresome cuffs of white stone off her wrists . They drained her energy . . . And when Taliyah tried to will it off , it did nothing . The strangest thing ?

Taliyah can't hear it speak . Stones always spoke to her , but here . . . Demacia was a weird place .

Tali's thoughts were cut short when the strong , steady hands released her . The freckled woman was quick to stare up at her savior , him in his relaxed state and all . She blinked slowly before realization hit her , giving this man — Garen — a quick bow.

" E-Er , thank you . . . Sire . I truly think they were just over reacting . I go by Taliyah . Taliyah . . . Levy . " Demacia . It spoke such a complicated language . . . Her heavy accent was forcing her to have a LOT of difficulty speaking .

But Taliyah can manage .

" A meeting is a meeting , and you gave off a nice impression , " Taliyah reassured . Her head tilted to the side , dark brown locks revealing her other eye . A smile tugged at the corner of her plump , pink lips as she awkwardly stuck out both hands for a shake .

What ? It's a hard thing to do when you're cuffed !

Closed Starter for @sire-crownguard ♡

This … Was not the situation Taliyah had imagined she’d get herself in .

It had all started so innocent ! It’s really hard for her to believe that saving one clumsy kid from falling onto the hard ground would get her cuffed , yet here we are . A mage , clothes bright enough for everyone to know she was a foreigner , being grabbed at and shoved down the dull-looking streets of Demacia . Taliyah doesn’t understand what she did to deserve such treatment ! Maybe the Noxians on the ship were right … Maybe she should’ve avoided Demacia at all costs .

The young woman thought deeply , her chocolate eyes glancing towards the parting crowd . Looks of fear and hatred was all Taliyah saw . Fear , hatred , and … Sadness . Now THAT was a huge red flag . “ What are you doing - ? ! What’d I even do ? ! You - You can’t be serious ! ” “ Silence , woman , ” was the only response she had gotten from the questions . Well , that and a dirty glare .

The guards around her came to a halt , Taliyah tearing her attention to whatever had stopped the now saluting guards . Or … Whoever . A tall , masculine man stood there infront of the three . Maybe even Taliyah’s savior ! A glimmer of hope filled her mind . Maybe … Maybe HE would understand how ridiculous this is ? Whoever this man was , he had power . That must mean he’s reasonable and smart ! Right ?

Closed Starter for @sire-crownguard ♡

This . . . Was not the situation Taliyah had imagined she'd get herself in .

It had all started so innocent ! It's really hard for her to believe that saving one clumsy kid from falling onto the hard ground would get her cuffed , yet here we are . A mage , clothes bright enough for everyone to know she was a foreigner , being grabbed at and shoved down the dull-looking streets of Demacia . Taliyah doesn't understand what she did to deserve such treatment ! Maybe the Noxians on the ship were right . . . Maybe she should've avoided Demacia at all costs .

The young woman thought deeply , her chocolate eyes glancing towards the parting crowd . Looks of fear and hatred was all Taliyah saw . Fear , hatred , and . . . Sadness . Now THAT was a huge red flag . " What are you doing - ? ! What'd I even do ? ! You - You can't be serious ! " " Silence , woman , " was the only response she had gotten from the questions . Well , that and a dirty glare .

The guards around her came to a halt , Taliyah tearing her attention to whatever had stopped the now saluting guards . Or . . . Whoever . A tall , masculine man stood there infront of the three . Maybe even Taliyah's savior ! A glimmer of hope filled her mind . Maybe . . . Maybe HE would understand how ridiculous this is ? Whoever this man was , he had power . That must mean he's reasonable and smart ! Right ?