Legends of Runeterra

The Illuminati seem to truly embody the values ​​I've been taught as a Demacian, and my time with them has opened my eyes and heart to a life dedicated to justice. While the Illuminati have secular members who can balance work and family, those who dedicate their lives to the order lead a life of celibacy and seclusion. This is my plan, too.

"I know it well." Barrett knew it; we had discussed justice and how to uphold it many times, and I had mentioned my intention during that time. But he always believed that love could conquer all, even a stubborn girl's desire to do good.

His persistence, not only in his pursuit of me but also in his actions, constantly demonstrating the sincerity of his love for me, had begun to wear away my resolve. I, too, began to develop feelings for him—an unexpected surprise for me, a profound test for him. So, each rejection weighed heavier on my heart, and it was easy to imagine that I could have lived a fulfilling life with this man, if only I let myself.

My hands trembled, my eyes burning as I turned away from him. "You'll have to find another good wife, Barrett, or all the good women will be taken."

"I will marry you."

"Your family wouldn't agree," I said with a wry smile. From what I could see, the Bouvier family was forcing Barrett to marry quickly, hoping to produce an heir.

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you."

"Do you believe that I love you?"

"I do. You've made that clear."

"Then let me clarify one other thing." He paused. "I hope we can...look at each other while I'm talking about this. If possible."

I shook my head because I knew if I looked at him now I would burst into tears.

"Very well." I heard him take a few deep breaths, perhaps stretching his shoulders, trying to relax. "My family has amassed a great deal of wealth and power over the past few hundred years. If you wish... I can invest it all in the good cause you cherish. Help the people of Demacia. All of them."

I immediately held my breath. The Bouvier family's entire wealth, used to help the poor? Even if I played a greater role among the Illuminators, it couldn't compare to that.

I turned around, suddenly furious because he was trying to buy my marriage with money. "But only if I agree to marry you? This isn't an honorable act of kindness, Barrett. This is coercion."

Barrett blinked at me in confusion. "When did I say it was conditional on you marrying me? All I need is for you to ask me. I just want your guidance, to help me see how I can do the greatest good."

I looked at her, and all the anger I'd just felt melted away. Barrett had just pledged his life to me, unconditionally. And his words were his strongest bond to himself—if he said something, he would keep it.

How can there be such a person?

He smiled again, his eyes full of tenderness and love. "But I have to admit, I'd be happier with you."

So he proposed to me for the fifth time.

This time, I do.

At my request, Jarvan III first held the Marshal's funeral. Citizens and soldiers from all corners of Demacia came to witness the martyr Percival Bronze's entrance into the Hall of Valor, the hall of heroes and martyrs. The streets were filled with lines of mourners, and the people Bronze had once protected now bid him farewell with great respect.

Xiongdu is not big enough to accommodate all the people who came to mourn my husband.

The taverns were packed. Thousands of tents were pitched outside the city walls, each housing a life that had been touched in some way by my husband's kindness. The funeral procession was redirected twice, winding its way between the streets and the city walls, giving everyone a chance to touch his coffin and weep for him.

The only reason I stayed where I was was for my two daughters, who held my hands, one on each side. I could feel their heartbeats through their palms, and that steady heartbeat comforted me, telling me that they were both well by my side.

Normally, the palace would be packed with mourners coming to pay their respects to the martyrs, but today the king had to further restrict the number of people. He generously opened the Hall of Valor to the public for a week, but today only a small crowd filled it. I recognized almost all the faces, but not all of them were my friends.

The powerful. The prominent families. The politicians.

At my request, Jarvan allowed a member of the Illuminati to conduct the ceremony. Sister Maytear, a renowned healer and mentor to my daughter, Kashina, began to recite the familiar hymn:

The once bright flame has dimmed.

Recall its brightness and cherish its warmth.

Even if only embers and smoke remain,

But the true light never goes out.

Light up others, pass on the spark,

The light shines and the passion burns.

The warmth continues to spread, the light remains bright,

The living keep the fire in their hearts, and the heroic souls continue the faith.

The words brought no comfort, but they were all too familiar from decades of recitation, so I recited them along.

I must admit, I was a little distracted during the ceremony. My eyes kept wandering to the urn. Barret's armor had been modified to hold his ashes, as it was for all warriors who died in battle. I could still see him in those shining shoulder plates, but I couldn't imagine him there. The armor had shrunk too much by now to hold Barret. Perhaps he wasn't there at all.

I didn't feel the time passing, but it was already time for the guests to give their speeches.

"Lord Bouvier is a great man of Demacia."

"A skilled warrior."

"A loyal servant of the throne."

"A defender of rites and good customs."

My face flushed with rage. Barret hadn't seen the battlefield in nearly thirty years, and he was more interested in helping the common people of Demacia than upholding the "moral code" of the nobility. Most of those who rose to speak acted as if they had never met Barret, speaking only hearsay and boasting. Yet, I knew well that many of them saw him almost daily. How could they be so unfamiliar with him?

However, the most inexplicable words of praise came from Eldred of the Demon Hunter Corps.

"Lord Bouvier's heart is dedicated to eradicating Demacia's worst ills."

Eldred wasn't my husband's friend, yet he spoke as if he knew Barret well. While I knew Barret truly wanted to make Demacia a better place, that wasn't what Eldred was hinting at.