Chapter Text
Luxanna Crownguard felt bone deep tired. Even years after the fall of Eldred there was more work to be done than people that could handle it. The biggest problem wasn’t the labor shortage. Tens of thousands of Demacians had returned home after the Shadow was lifted, and even more people who wanted work or a fresh start had signed on to rebuild the city. It wasn’t even a lack of supplies. Sure, there was barely enough food to go around at times, even with assistance from other nations. But they had made it work. Fields were beginning to grow food, once again, and they were on track to be self-sustainable in a few years.
No, the most finite resource was competence and patience.
It wasn’t Jarvan’s fault, she knew that. He’d risen to the challenge and proven to be a capable leader. He inspired those around him and made difficult decisions many would have struggled with. Shyvanna had proven to be a capable queen at his side with her ability to cut through other’s attempts at subterfuge and greed. But now that they were expecting a child, her ability to step in would be lessened and others would have to pick up the slack.
‘Thank the Light for Cithiria,’ she thought. Now that Garen had new duties as the Aspect of Justice he could not be around to lead in the way he would be needed. The new captain of the Dauntless Vanguard, who had studied Garen’s methods and created many of her own, had been a godsend. She led from the front and inspired soldiers and civilians alike.
Even Sylas was behaving himself, which was a shock in many ways. He had been so fervent and adamant about how things should be. That mages would rule over Demacia and the common person would serve them. His time being used by Eldred and captured alongside her must have softened his views. Jarvan being adamant about protecting mages and following through on that promise had helped. The former fugitive paid him back by ensuring other mages worked with the rebuilding country. Slowly, his reputation and the reputation of magic had grown from being feared, to cautiously accepted.
Others had learned to step up, and there was progress. It didn’t feel like enough. Not yet. Lux did everything she could to fill in gaps and push things forward. To ensure safety and equality to all citizens, unlike the Demacia of old. She felt helpful, and full of Light at what she accomplished. But she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her family.
The light mage collapsed into her bed and didn’t bother to remove her clothes. Face down on a pillow she sighed and struggled to shift enough to move her face enough to breathe better. Lux’s eyes closed and for the moment she reveled in the silence and solitude that surrounded her. She knew she’d need to get up soon and find her wonderful wife to give her a kiss. She owed Jinx at least that. She also needed to find…’Wait? What was wiggling against her?’
Lux propped herself up on her elbows and finally noticed a lump under the comforter of her bed. She smirked a little, a guess at what might be, preceded by her hand pulling back the sheets to see her young daughter. The child, no more than five years old, stared up at her mother with wide eyes at having been caught. She didn’t whimper or pull away, but instead moved to curl up against her mother tightly.
“Felicia Crownguard,” Lux said with a sigh, “What are you doing in my bed?” Shortly after the fall of the Shadow, Lux and Jinx had adopted two young children. A pair of twins who had been left orphaned by all the violence. They had named them after Jinx’s parents, Felicia and Vander and loved them deeply. The mage loved being a parent, though she often felt in over her head and was grateful that Jinx was there to help her. And to keep an eye on the kids while she tended to her duties.
“Hiding,” came the innocent reply. Lux wrapped an arm around her daughter and gave the child a hug.
“What from?” She asked gently.
“Mama’s mad at me,” Felicia said as she used her title for Jinx. The small child kept her face buried in Lux’s chest. The mother could tell her daughter was truly afraid of what might happen.
“And why is mama mad at you?” Lux asked evenly. The girl was quiet for a long moment before she answered.
“I pushed Vander,” was the brief response.
“Is that all?” Lux asked for details that she knew the girl didn’t want to offer.
“I pushed Vander after he took Mr. Bunny,” Felicia added. A moment later she added, “Into one of mama’s machines and broke it,” and there it was. Lux hugged the little girl closer and stroked her hair.
“It’s okay, little one,” the mother coo’d to her daughter, “Mama is probably just mad at the moment and not at you,”
“But she yelled,” Felicia protested, “and Vander was crying. She seemed extra mad at that,”
“Did you apologize?” Lux asked her daughter. The little one was quiet for a long moment before she shook her head. Lux smiled lightly and squeezed her daughter again.
“You know you shouldn’t push someone, right?” Felicia nodded. The mage could feel her shirt grow wet at her daughter’s tears, “And that if you do something wrong, you should apologize right?” Another nod after a moment’s hesitation, “So what should we do?”
“Go apologize to Vander and mama,” Felicia finally said after a moment’s silence. Lux kissed the top of her daughter’s head and pulled them both out of the bed. Her body protested and desired to stay there. To sleep and recover from another day of stress and expectations. There was something more important, though, and that was the emotional well being of her young child. Thankfully, it was not hard to find where Jinx and Vander were since the latter had shouted for Felicia to appear. Lux walked around the corner and stood before her wife and other child with a trembling bundle in her arms.
“Felicia!” Jinx ran over and rested a hand on the child’s back, “Are you okay?” That caught the little girl off guard as some of the trembling stopped, “I’m sorry I yelled at you, I just was so surprised, and Vander was crying, and that was going to be a gift, and then you ran off and…” she was cut off as Lux wrapped an arm around Jinx at the same time and pulled her in for a hug.
“It’s okay, honey,” the mage coo’d at her wife. Once the Zaunite had calmed enough she pulled back and turned Felica to face her mama. Lux gave her daughter a look and the child turned to hold her arms out to Jinx. She took her child after a moment’s hesitation and hugged her.
“I’m s-sorry, mama,” Felicia said with a quiver in her voice, “I…I…I didn’t mean to break y-your thing!” the poor little girl started to cry again as Jinx joined her. The two hugged it out for several moments as Lux peeled off from them and went to find Vander who watched it all quietly. She wasted no time and pulled the boy up into a hug and carried him over to the blubbering duo.
“Felicia, honey,” Lux said once the two had calmed down some, “What do you have to say to your brother?” the little girl turned to face the dark-haired boy. She didn’t say anything at first but instead twisted in her mama’s arms to extend her own for a hug. Vander hesitated for a moment before he reached back out and the two parents brought their kids closer together so they could embrace. The children hugged it out as their eyes closed.
“I’m sorry for pushing you, Vander,” the little girl said as she tried not to cry any more.
“I’m sorry for taking Mr Bunny,” her brother responded and didn’t want to let any tears out.
“I’m sorry for scaring you both!” Jinx added as she held her children. Lux quietly smiled and wrapped her arms around all three of them. She didn’t know she needed this little crisis to help her refocus on the future. She looked at her two darling children and knew they were why she ran herself ragged. They were why she fought so hard for the future, to make sure the new Demacia embraced them both no matter what might happen in the future. Them, and every other child born noble, common, mage, or magicless. She was still bone deep tired, but this gave her light and life that she had needed for some time now.
“Tell you all what,” Lux finally spoke up, “I’m going to tell Jarvan that I’m taking tomorrow off and we’re going to go on a picnic,” their kids’ eyes lit up at her promise and let out happy giggles.
“You sure?” Jinx asked, “You’re kinda really important right now,” Lux smirked and leaned over to sneak a quick kiss from her wife.
“You three are kinda really important too,” she pointed out, “And he can deal for one day without me,” Jinx grinned at her words.
“Getting you to take a day off,” she teased, “I must be a bad influence on you,” Lux just rolled her eyes.
“Love you too,” she muttered and then motioned with her head towards the kitchen, “Let’s go get some dinner and then mommy is going to take a very long nap so she’s not snippy at the picnic tomorrow,” the kids giggled again as Jinx laughed before they made their way to get some food. Lux continued to smile at her small family and was grateful for the reminder they gave her.
Things were going to continue to be hard, but so long as she kept in mind that her children, her nephew, and all the kids of Demacia counted on her…she was certain she’d get through it all.