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cautotelic · 1 month ago

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Chapter 2: Friend or Foe?

Ambessa Medarda x Reader

Synopsis: When you get taken away from your home land and thrown into the palace of the infamous warlord, will things be as bad as they first seemed?

TWs: past abuse, blood, violence

A/N: this is definitely longer then the last chapter but I love my war crimes committing, questionably older wife:))

“Again,” I instruct the warriors. They go to the drill again, doing one on one with the techniques that I taught them. I walk amongst the pairs on the training mats, stopping to critique when needed before moving on to the next. After a few minutes of letting them spar I bring them to a stop.

“Okay, you’ve proven to be able to handle yourself in combat with each other. Now lets see how you manage against a legionnaire,” I announce with a quirked up eyebrow.

I look over to the guard overseeing my training hours. With a look of urgency he takes off running down the corridor. I click the timer on my watch. “New guy, huh?” I say motioning towards where he just took off running. “Well I don’t have all day people, who wants to go?”

“I will,” a voice says from behind me. I turn around and see it’s one of the female warriors. Nodding her way in acknowledgment, she tips her head to me.

Before I know it she’s surging forward quickly, but I’m quicker. I easily turn out of her path and she goes stumbling on the mat where my body once was. I bring my staff to the floor and lean on it slightly. “Is that all you’ve got? I expected more from someone under the Generals command,” I mock yawn.

That riles her up and she’s back on her feet. Again she comes at me head on but this time drawing her twin battle blades. With the possibility of injury on the line, I focus more on the fight. I deflect her attacks using my staff being both agile and quick. I go to block one of her overhead attacks and fail to notice her other arm coming down to take a low blow. A stinging sensation blooms just under my rib cage and I hiss. Looking down at my watch. 2:45, 2:46, 2:47. I only have a little while longer.

I grab the arm that sliced me and I tug her close before twisting our bodies so that we fall. Her back hits the mat and I’m on her. Using my staff I press it down onto her throat. I feel cool steel against my neck and freeze. I look the girl in the eyes and know that neither of us will be conceding anytime soon.

“Exactly what is going on here?” A familiar voice booms. The warriors part way for Ambessa to walk through, Rictus not too far behind. I get off of my sparring partner and help her to her feet.

“General,” the woman lowers her head in respect. “I can explain this I-“

“I thought I made myself very clear when saying no one is to lay hands on her,” she interrupts as she begins to stalk over to the warrior.

I get in between the two and shove Ambessa in the shoulder with my staff. “Hey, if you want to punish someone, punish me. I’m the one who told them to fight with me.”

I watch Ambessa roll her shoulders back and press her tongue on the inside of her cheek before looking down at me. “This doesn’t concern you, get out of my way,” she orders as she tries to push past me, but I hold my ground. She looks down at me clearly irritated.

“Well I guess you're just going to have to make me because I’m not letting her get punished,” I say as I point to the warrior. “For something I did.” I take a second to look around and see that all of her warriors have backed up and are now watching this whole interaction.

Ambessa looks behind me at the female warrior with a glare. “Everyone, out,” she orders and the sound of shuffling footsteps fills the room. Once everyone is cleared out she stalks up to me. “‘Make you’, huh?” She says in a condescending tone.

I crane my neck slightly to look up at her. “Yes, ‘make me’ because god knows how many times I’ve been punished because of someone elses faults,” I state as I jab my finger into her chest. “So… if you want to punish someone, punish me. Right here, right now.” I say as I take a few steps away from her, holding my staff at the ready.

Ambessa looks at me and I can’t tell if she wants to kill me or…. well kill me. She looks me up and down. “Your bleeding,” she points out as she motions to my stomach.

“Scared of blood, General?” I ask.

She huffs as she goes to grab her weapon of choice from the weapons rack. Twin daggers, great. “Hardly. Although you might be considering you don’t even have a real weapon,” she insults.

“I refuse to draw blood in a sparring match but,” circling me she goes out of my frame of view. “I see that isn’t the case here.”

I sink down to the floor as I watch her arm swing where my head was a second ago. I extend my leg out and swing it behind me, hoping to knock her off her feet. I hear a solid thud behind me and I’m immediately on her. Climbing on top of her I straddle her waist as I pick up her daggers and throw them across the room. While I was too busy focusing on the dagger, Ambessa took the opportunity to wrap her hands around both of my arms. I struggle in her hold as she pulls me down to look at her.

“You will not win this fight- stop fucking moving,” she demands coldly as she glares up at me. “For over a month you have been a thorn in my side and I expect nothing but obedience from you of all people.”

“Sorry to disappoint, General. But I’m not gonna be one of your obedient bitches you keep on a tight rein.”

That pisses her OFF.

She pulls me down to her chest and twists me around so that my back is to her front. Her arm comes around and wraps around my neck and she starts squeezing. I claw at her arm as I gasp for air to no avail.

“Let this be a lesson. Don’t let it happen again,” she murmurs in my ear before releasing me. My hand goes to my neck as I cough, inhaling deep breaths. I watch as Ambessa walks out of the training arena, disappearing into the hallway.

•••

The sun has just set on the horizon. I watch as the guards make their rounds outside as I sit perched in the window seat. Deciding I’m hungry, I pad over to the door of the room, opening it slowly. The hallway outside is eerily quiet. With a furrow in my brows I summon a newt and release it to let it creep down the hall silently. A few minutes go by in silence before it returns to me, scurrying down the hall. It climbs its way up my body until it reaches my shoulder where it perches itself.

“Well? What is it?” I ask calmly. The newt makes a quiet chirp sound before biting down on my hair and tugging. “Okay, okay I’ll go check it out…. Sheesh.”

I walk down the hallway and round the corner. All the lanterns in the hallway are out which is unusual because they are always on. Being cautious I continue down the hallway when all of a sudden I’m grabbed by someone. I go to let out a scream but a thick hand comes to cover my mouth. I struggle in my captor's arms but they are too strong.

Out of nowhere another person, wearing a mask that covers the lower part of their face, comes and binds my hands together. With my mouth covered by tape, the two intruders hog carry me through the halls and out of the palace into the gardens. I rub my mouth against my arm and am able to remove the tape from my mouth.

“Help!” I yell as loud as I can. The people quickly drop me and climb on top of me trying to put the piece of tape back.

“Shut her up,” the bigger one hissed as he looked around anxiously.

“Get off of me,” I say as I try to kick my feet out from under the smaller guy who’s on top of me.

The dudes attempt to put the tape back are halted. When he goes still I look up at him quizzical before he slumps on top of me, dead with an arrow sticking out of his back. I look in the direction of where it came from and almost sigh in relief. Ambessa.

She has a cross bow and steps out into the snow, it crunching beneath her feet. “Why didn’t you stay put, child?” She asks, running a hand down her face. The other intruder I watch from the corner of my eyes starts to slowly back away from us. Ambessa without looking raises her crossbow and shoots him, her eyes never straying from mine.

I shrug. “Free will.” She helps me stand up and takes out a knife to cut through the ropes on my hands. As she does I look out towards the edge of the palace property where the clean cut land turns to overgrowing forests. I turn my attention back to Ambessa but I can’t stop glancing back at it with a bad feeling in my stomach.

“Someone’s out there,” I say quietly just loud enough for her to hear me.

“Hm? What are you talking about?”

“There's someone, a lot of someone’s, past the tree line,” I repeat. When I say that it’s like a stampede as 15 or 20 people come running out of the trees armed at the ready. Out of nowhere, some of Ambessa’s soldiers come charging towards them. The two groups clash and fighting ensues.

The intruders start dropping like flies but the warriors are severely outnumbered. Ambessa joins in the fighting and I’m left to watch. I watch as more and more of the warriors start to fall and realize why. The opponent is using sorcery. I take off running towards the fight and quickly turn into a shadow myself. I move swiftly and silently through the masses of people, returning back to my physical form to kill the intruders before shadowing and moving on to the next.

In less than 2 minutes I’ve decimated all of them. I return back to my physical form, covered from head to toe in blood. I look down at my watch and stop the timer with a shaky hand.

I went over my time limit, completely exerting myself.

I watch as the Noxian soldiers dust themselves off and as Ambessa finishes off her last intruder. She looks over at me with both shock and intrigue. What she doesn’t notice is the lone straggler aiming a spear at her back. Using all that’s left of my energy, I throw my arm up and erect a wall behind her.

The spear deflects off of it, clattering to the ground. I sway on my feet and feel myself falling, my body going limp. My breathing is shallow. I watch as Ambessa breaks someone’s neck. I blink and she’s kneeling beside me. I blink and suddenly I’m being carried inside. When I close my eyes I don’t open them again.

••• The smell of eucalyptus and a rubbing sensation of my arm brings me to. Slowly opening my eyes the first thing I notice is that I’m in a bathtub. Second, I’m not alone. I go to sit up.

“Don’t even think about it, you’ve done enough today,” I hear Ambessa say from behind me.

Looking down I see that my bindings and my underwear are still on. I also note the murkiness of the water. Despite how much I want to get away from her, I can’t bring myself to get up because of how much my body aches.

I go to move and groan. Ambessa sighs and gently readjusts me into a more comfortable position. “Oh how stubborn you are,” she mutters as she runs the washcloth over the back of my neck.

I don’t say anything and neither does she. We sit in silence. As she cleans me her touch is tender but firm. For the first time in years, I’m being taken care of instead of being left to lick my own wounds. Why? What does she want from me? Everyone always has ulterior motives for stuff like this, right?

“Your tense,” she notes as her hands run over my shoulders.

“Why are you doing this, Ambessa?” I question, my voice coming out raspy.

I can tell this takes her aback as her movements on my body halt. “What do you mean, child?”

I huff. “I mean,” I say as I once again try to sit up from laying back on her and I hiss. “Why are you sitting in dirty bath water cleaning blood off me?”

Ambessa’s brows furrowed together and her eyes softened at my pain. “Is it so hard to believe I care for you to some degree?” She states calmly.

I chuckle. “Kind of. I mean I guess not, I’m surprised you haven’t killed me yet with how much I’ve been a pain.”

Her laugh reverberates in her chest and my body feels warm. “Trust me, I think about doing it more than you’d think.” I know she’s talking about killing me but the way she said it, makes my mind go back to our encounter in the kitchen. “Do you do that often?”

“Do what?”

“The turning into a shadow thing,”

“Growing up I never really had a choice,” I admit as I try to relax in Ambessa’s hold. “I didn’t like doing it though. I end up like this and…never exactly had anyone to do this for me. So thank you.”

“Anytime.” We both stay silent as she finishes cleaning me up. When she’s finished she gets herself out of the tub and I sneak glances as she wraps herself in a towel. I can’t tell if I’m sad or relieved that she was also wearing some kind of covering.

She comes over to me, moves my arm to wrap around her neck, and lifts me out of the tub. The movement causes me to whimper. “Forgive me, little one. I have to put you down to dry you off, can you stand?”

I nod. She places me down on my feet and I wobble slightly, her arm is there to steady me. Holding eye contact with me, she lowers herself down to my level, places my hands on her shoulders and starts drying me off. “I can dry myself off. You don’t need to-“

“No you can’t and you're right, I don’t need to do this, but I want to. So stand still.”

For once I listen to her.

She dries me off making sure every inch of my body is dry. Leaving me to lean against the bathroom counter for a moment she goes and gets me some clothes, before leaving me to get dressed. I change my underwear and take off my bindings before dressing in the clothes she brought me: a loose fitted top and lounge pants.

Once I’m dressed I use the wall to keep myself up as I make my way to the door. When I open it I’m startled at Ambessa standing right there. “I see the clothes fit.”

I hum in acknowledgment. “Can you take me to my room now?” I ask anxiously, not trusting myself in such close proximity to her.

She appears to be mulling it over for a second. “No.”

“Why?”

“Seeing as you can’t even walk without being supported, you're staying in here.” She says with finality in her voice.

I look at her dumbfounded. “I don’t want to stay here.”

She leans in close to my face. “Frankly, I don’t care what you want,” she admits as she scoops me into her arms.

“Ambessa, put me down,” I protested.

“Stop squirming, you’re going to hurt yourself more,” she states as she places me down on what I assume is her bed.

I roll my eyes. “I don’t even sleep so being in here is pointless.”

Ambessa ignores me as she goes to sit at her desk in the corner of the room and begin writing on some papers. Now that I’m sitting on it, this bed is very comfortable. The pillows and blankets make it seem even more inviting. After the events of today, I am exhausted so I lay down covering myself with the comforter.

•••

Unbeknownst to you, Ambessa quietly watches you drift off to sleep. She would never admit to it, but having you against her chest in the bathroom had her heart pounding. Ever since you’d arrived she couldn’t keep you out of her mind. Suddenly filled with the urge to take care of and provide for you. Every time she was reminded of you father and what you’d been through, she was filled with rage that made her want to break their agreement and go to war. Never would she think of putting her own children through harm so… why would he?

She’s brought out of her thoughts when she hears you groan. At first she thinks it’s your body aches and that you're probably just moving in your sleep. But when she looks at you, you're not moving. In fact you haven't moved from that position in the hour that you’ve been asleep.

Standing up from her desk she makes her way over to you, concern written on her face. She takes a knee beside the bed taking note of your labored breathing despite being asleep and the furrow in your brows. Her hand comes up and gently caresses your cheek, her other hand rubs at the tension between your brows. Slowly your face relaxes and your breathing evens out.

Even though you're fine now Ambessa sits and stares at you for a moment before getting up and going to the other side of the bed, laying on top of the covers.

#ambessa medarda x reader #ambessa medarda #league of legends #arcane #slow burn #angst #im too gay for this

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cautotelic · 22 days ago

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Chapter 4: The Fall

Ambessa Medarda x Reader

Synopsis: When you get taken away from your home land and thrown into the palace of the infamous warlord, will things be as bad as they first seemed?

first tag-list!!: @trexsuit @lez-zuha @pearldaisy

A/N: don't mind me just pulling at your heart strings... again :))

I walk down the corridor, my steps echoing off the walls as I enter the training arena. All the warriors are rushing around getting weapons and putting on their battle armor. I see Ambessa donning hers. She momentarily glances up at me, expressionless before turning to one of her soldiers. Someone steps in front of me.

“What’s going on? Where is everyone going?” I ask as I try to get around her.

Wherever I move, the girl moves to get in my way. She looks at me. “I can’t tell you anything, ma’am. I’ve been ordered not to.”

“Like hell you aren’t, what's going on?” My voice raises on its own accord grabbing the attention of a few of the warriors surrounding us.

In just a few seconds Ambessa pushes her way through the crowd, grabbing my arm and pulling me from the crowd. We stand outside in the corridor.

I cross my arms over my chest. “What is going on?”

“We're going to battle,” she says like it’s nothing.

“With who?”

She huffs annoyed and irritated. “With your father.”

My heart sinks. Although I don’t particularly care for my father, I know a lot of bloodshed will come from this battle, innocent lives lost. “Is this because of what happened in the library last week? If you're upset with me, be upset with me. But don’t send your soldiers out to get slaughtered,” I plead.

She narrows her eyes at me. “You doubt my army?”

I sigh. “You don’t understand, they,” I say motioning to the warriors. “Are not ready for the sheer magnitude of magic that you are throwing them into. They can train with me all day and night and never know the full extent of it.”

It’s clear that my words go in one ear and out the other. She scoffs and goes to walk past me and I get in her way. “Ambessa, please.”

“I have to defend Noxus. Get out of my way,” she says harshly.

She tries to push past me again but I hold her at arm's length. “You’re going to get yourself killed and you can’t defend Noxus if you’re dead. So I urge you to reconsider,” I assert. Something in me bubbles up, something I’ve repressed for so long it aches.

She lifts her head. “I have to go,” she murmurs.

Her hand comes up and wipes a tear that I didn’t know I had shed as she cups my chin in her hand. I pull away from her touch. She opens her mouth to say something.

“General, we’re ready to depart,” one of the soldiers announces from behind me. Just as quickly as it was there, the soft, tenderness is gone from Ambessa as she steps back into her General role.

She looks down at me one last time. “Good, the faster we get there the faster we get to come home,” she says as she passes me. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was keeping. My back hits the wall behind me, I slide down as I stare at the wall across from me. Lost.

•••

“When you attack your opponent, you need to be quick and quiet. So absolutely-”

“No giggling,” the children say in unison as they sit on the training mats.

I nod, pleased. “Exactly. Man you guys are quick learners,” I praise, my hands resting on my staff.

One of the younger children of the group comes to me and tugs at my pant leg. I pick her up and rest her on my hip. “What do you need, miss ma’am?” I ask with a warm smile.

The little girl giggles and points at my hands. “Do the thing,” she whispers. Her whispering isn’t that good and the rest of the children hear what she says and join in, urging me to use my magic.

With the little girl still in my arms I kneel down on the mats. “Fine, fine,” I chuckle. I flick my hand and a newt appears on the mats in front of the children. A series of ‘awe’s’ comes from them as the newt rolls over and jumps around, even at times jumping into the children's laps. Seeing the children enjoy the power I was gifted and not be afraid of me, heals something in me, an old wound not forgotten.

Someone clears their throat by the door of the small training area, Mana. “Ma’am, it’s time to go,” she informs with a sorry smile.

I get up from the floor and the children look at me sadly. “Now you guys don’t get into too much trouble, alright? I’ll see you all on Wednesday next week.” They all get up and give me a big hug before Mana and I walk out of the small building.

Stepping outside I shiver before donning my coat as Mana and I walk back to the palace. “Ma’am that is the 3rd time this week that I’ve found you at the children's training center,” she notes worriedly.

It’s been nearly a month since Ambessa and her forces left for battle and I’m worried to say the least. For the first week or so nobody would tell me anything other than ‘they’re alive’ and now I don’t even get that.

I turn to Mana. “It helps distract me. I feel… useful.”

She only smiles. On our way back to the palace we stop and buy some fresh fruit and a light snack.

I help Mana prepare dinner and we eat together in the kitchen. Once I’m done eating I head off to bed.

•••

A loud bell startles me from my sleep. Getting up I make my way out of my room and into the hallway. I follow the noise of rushing footsteps and loud voices to the training arena. The doors leading outside are wide open as soldiers rush in from the cold. They settle down on the mats and await medical treatment from the physicians on standby.

My eyes flutter across the room going from one person to the next unknowingly looking for someone. My heart starts to pound as my search comes up empty. I see Rictus being helped in by another soldier and that’s confirmation enough.

If he's alive, she's alive. He wouldn’t let her die.

I’m pushed out of the area by the physicians telling me that I can’t be in there right now. Right before the doors of the arena close I look one more time.

The walk back to my room is filled with dread.

Did she really go out there and get herself killed? I hope she is alive so I can kill her myself.

I slip into my room and close the door before turning around and freezing.

Ambessa stands in my room silent as she quietly takes me in from head to toe. “Hi,” she says softly as if talking to a wild dog, waiting for me to bite.

I look at her, really look at her. Her eyes are soft but her body is battered. A small cut is seen on her cheekbone and by the way she’s holding her side, she has a big injury.

“Why didn’t you go to the physicians to get patched up?” I ask, my voice wavering slightly.

She looks down at herself. “It’s nothing. I wanted to come see you.” She makes a move to come near me and I step back. “You're angry.”

I don’t reply to her comment. “And you're filthy, take a shower,” I say as I go to my bedside table, not sparing her a glance.

I hear her sigh before hearing heavy footsteps and the bathroom door close shut. Exiting the room I walk the short distance to her bedroom and get her some clothes to dress into before heading back. When I walk in she’s still in the shower so I open the door to the bathroom and place the clothes on the counter.

I rummaged under the sink for the first aid kit I’d taken from the medical wing, back from when I didn’t trust anyone here. As I place it on the counter the water to the shower shuts off. Without looking I hand Ambessa something to cover her chest, underwear, and cover shorts. Without complaint she gets dressed.

“When you’re done sit down on the edge of the tub,” I say as I finish gathering all the supplies I need.

With a deep breath I stand up and turn to walk towards her, her eyes follow me. When I come to stand in front of her I sigh and look her over. There’s not many injuries but it’s enough to be concerned. I shake my head and get started.

Slowly and attentively I work on patching her stomach up, removing any dirt and scrap metal. Ambessa doesn’t make a sound, the only way I know she’s in some kind of pain is her stomach tensing and relaxing. I’m focused as I work.

Once her stomach is bandaged I begin working on the smaller cuts that litter her arms and legs before moving to the one on her face. I inspect the cut, turning her head from side to side, my thumb absentmindedly rubbing over her other cheek. I pull away and get the iodine to clean it up.

“Say something,” she mutters. I ignore her and move to put the solution on her wound and she grabs my hand. I shut my eyes and take a breath before looking down at her.

“What exactly do you want me to say, General?” I spit out bitterly.

My tone clearly surprises her and she looks at me sternly. “Watch your tone.”

I scoff out a laugh. “Watch my tone? No, how about you watch yours, you…” I stop myself from continuing, not wanting to say anything I’ll regret. Ripping my hand from her grip I finish patching up her cheek before turning to put my stuff away.

I feel her eyes burning into my back but I don’t spare her a glance. I wash my hands scrubbing more than I should and I don’t notice my hands going raw, beginning to burn until much larger hands come from behind me and pull my hands away from each other.

I huff, hanging my head as I feel Ambessa’s sturdy frame behind me. “You could have died,” I mutter as I remove myself from her, walking into my room. She follows behind going to sit on my bed.

“But I’m here now, alive and well,” she admits nonchalantly.

I look at her in disbelief and shake my head. “You call that big gash on your side ‘alive and well’?”

Her eyes trace my face, taking in every detail. “Come here,” she says.

“No, you can’t just brush that kind of thing off like that you could have-“

“Stop being stubborn and come over here. Now,” she orders, her voice growing stern.

I stare at her for a second, challenging her. She clicks her tongue and tilts her head towards me, her eyebrow quirked up. “Don’t make me come over there and get you, child.”

I roll my tongue on the inside of my cheek, huffing before walking over to her. I stop a little bit away from her and she grumbles something under her breath before hooking her finger into the waistband of my pants and pulling me to stand between her legs. I cross my arms as she looks up at me, her hand moves to my waist, her thumb rubbing small circles into the exposed skin.

I don’t look at her as she speaks but she moves to try to find my gaze. She takes my hand, grasping it in hers as she guides my hand to her body. Placing my hand on her chest she holds it there with her own. I feel her heart beating, strong and unmoving, undoubtedly her.

She gently turns my face to look at her. “See? I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere…”

My facade drops for a split second as I let myself feel what I’ve been bottling up for months before I come to my senses. I pull my hand away from her. “You should get some rest,” I say quietly as I walk into the bathroom to retrieve her clothes.

When I come back I hand the clothes to Ambessa and she takes them before setting them on the bed beside her. I huff and run my hand down my face. “Put the clothes on.”

She sighs. “I won’t apologize for leaving, it needed to be done and has been a long time coming.”

I huff a laugh and look down at the floor. “And you say I’m the stubborn one…” I mutter under my breath. I walk towards the door opening it. “Get some rest,” I finalize quietly before slipping out of my room, leaving Ambessa.

#ambessa medarda #ambessa medarda x reader #slow burn #ambessa league of legends #angst #arcane ambessa #im too gay for this

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