Chapter Text
"There's no chance you really think this is going to work, your Majesty. Subtlety isn't something your daughter's especially talented at," Sevika says, grip tight around her sword like enemies are going to jump out and kill them any second. Jinx pretends she misses the all-too-obvious insult. "It would be smarter to--"
"To what?" Silco asks. His voice has that weird quality that Jinx has never liked, all the more dangerous in its quiet. She prefers when Sevika's angry at her; it's always, so it's easy to predict. She never has to worry about missing a step and finding herself in deeper shit. "We've tried your way. Unless you have some knowledge of Piltover's plans that you've failed to share, I don't see how any new maneuver or stratagem will be enough to secure Zaun's future. If all other options are exhausted..." His voice trails off, confident he's made his point.
Sevika sighs. "I'm not saying the idea of espionage is itself terrible. I'm saying Jinx isn't--"
Silco looks up from the map between them for the first time tonight, and Sevika stills entirely. "You would do well to remember your place, ser." (The title sounds like an insult when he says it like that. Jinx never been able to master it, though not for lack of trying.) "She is as much a part of the royal family you have sworn to protect as I."
Jinx tries to look dutiful and polite and princess-y. Sevika's seen her grow up, though, so it doesn't work, just rolling her eyes at Jinx and turning back to Silco. "Then you shouldn't put her in danger. Piltover is better armed than us. They have more soldiers, better-trained than ours, strongholds all across our territory, allies across the world. We have only ourselves."
"Of course," Silco says. "Which is why we'll need both parts of this plan to work. Jinx."
"Father," Jinx says, startled. She doesn't usually get spoken to during these meetings unless she's done something wrong.
"Are you up to the task?"
"Of course," Jinx says immediately, almost before he's finished speaking. Still, he doesn't look satisfied. "Anything for my kingdom."
There's the pride she's looking for, even a small nod of appreciation. She has to fight to keep herself from beaming at him, knowing it'll just be another lecture about keeping her emotions hidden, that they need to hold onto any advantage they can get, even between each other. "Then tell them to send the missives."
To her Majesty Kiramman, the Royal Family, and Council of Piltover:
His Majesty Silco Wulfgrimm of the Kingdom of Zaun humbly requests an end to the war that has plagued our people for countless generations.
In exchange for opening a discussion towards peace in good faith, we offer the hand of her highness Princess Jinx, much beloved by the people of Zaun and its king.
Zaun guarantees the safety of any diplomatic envoys as long as diplomatic talks continue. If these boundaries are crossed by Piltover first, all such promises are revoked.
We humbly await your reply.
"It's a trap," Caitlyn's mother says critically.
"But if it's not and we ignore it, morale will plummet," Mel argues. Not for the first time, Caitlyn offers a quiet prayer of thanks for whatever power brought her from Noxus to Piltover. "This war is costly. Anything we can do to end it is an avenue we should look into. All our intelligence suggests that Zaun has exhausted its forces simply protecting its borders. Even if they were to trap us, our knights would be able to safely extract a small group of us from their lands."
"You forget one of the people we would need to send is my daughter, Councillor," says her Majesty, the Queen of Piltover.
Her Highness, Princess Caitlyn Kiramman of Piltover, First of Her Name, Duchess of the Gates, Heart of the Realm and whatever other titles they're adding onto the end of it nowadays, scoffs. "I'm hardly defenseless."
"You're used to duels," Cassandra says. "Not war. The two are only superficially similar, and I would not risk you finding that out through some trencher slitting your throat."
"We don't even know why this war started," Caitlyn argues, ignoring Mel's warning look. "If my hand is to be traded away no matter what, do I not get a say in the matter?"
Her father puts a hand on her mother's. "Let her speak."
"This meeting is hardly the place for this discussion," she mutters, but nods at her daughter, letting her speak.
"I know my duty to the kingdom involves being wed," Caitlyn says. "I have made my peace with that. What I haven't made my peace with is that my hand would amount to nothing more than a trade deal. This would mean something to our people. And besides, Jinx is heiress to the kingdom of Zaun. That's a stronger political match than the Kiramman family has negotiated in generations. If that also brings peace at last, I don't see a way we can refuse their offer. A way I can."
Mel nods at her, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Her Highness makes a strong argument."
"This assumes the offer is made honestly," Cassandra says, dropping Tobias hand to study the piece of parchment. "And after the rumors from the battlefield--"
"--only ever rumors, Mother--"
"--I find that very difficult to believe."
"If I may, your Majesty," Jayce interrupts. Cassandra breaks the glare at her daughter first. "I am willing to personally accompany her Highness to Zaun and ensure her safety, along with the knights Councillor Medarda wishes to send. We can determine if this is an offer we'd like to take once we're there and have more information."
Cassandra's lips thin. Caitlyn knows that look well; it means she doesn't have a counter-argument and doesn't want to admit it. "Hm."
"Mother," Caitlyn says. "Please."
For long moments after that, the only noise in the room is the sound of breathing, and even that seems quieter than usual until the Queen speaks again. "Ser Talis, please be sure that the construction of siegecraft can continue without you. Councillor Medarda, you have my leave to draft a reply. Caitlyn...think on this for the day. We will have a private discussion about this before sending a response."
"Thank you," Caitlyn says, wanting to run up and hug her in a way she hasn't since she was half her current height.
"Don't thank me for this," her mother says, a tiredness in her voice that hasn't been there. "This meeting is dismissed."
Caitlyn waits until she's in the hallway to punch Jayce in the shoulder, between the plates of his armor so it actually hits. "Ow! What the hell?"
"I don't need defending!"
"Obviously," Jayce says. "But you clearly wanted to go, and I thought that argument would work! Correctly thought, I might add!"
Caitlyn huffs out a sigh. "Fine. But you owe me a new blade from your forge in exchange."
"Not a new ring?" Jayce says.
Caitlyn narrows her eyes at him. "I could tell Mel how our last sparring session went, if you like."
"A new blade it is! You should see Viktor's latest design." The conversation between them is the same as ever, and Caitlyn feels oddly bereft at that, like something should have changed. She still feels the same as she ever does, though. Maybe once a response is sent will things shift to whatever the new normal will be, or when the agreement is signed. Maybe when she meets the Zaunite princess for the first time, maybe when there's peace between their people, maybe when this thing falls apart like her mother seems to be sure it will.
But for today, there's the rare day where she has nothing to do but speak with her oldest friend.
Silco won't let Jinx see the response, just assures her that they are sending a small party, that they'll be there within a fortnight. Sevika's sent away to go do whatever she does when she's not ruining Jinx's day, and Jinx finds her time occupied with lesson after lesson.
For once, they're not on statecraft. They're on Piltover's princess, everything they know about Caitlyn Kiramman. By all accounts, absolutely lovely, just a wonderful fucking person. A talented archer, winner of every competition she's ever been a part of. Compassionate, visiting the poor areas of Piltover (hell of an oxymoron there) and giving away her food, jewels, and money. A renowned duelist. A fan of the opera, which she goes to when she's not kissing babies or whatever shit she's normally doing. She manages three days of lessons like this before she storms into dinner and says, "This is all bullshit."
One of the servants looks shocked, but the rest are all used to her, quickly leaving the room and giving her and her father privacy. Silco doesn't even respond to it, continuing to eat and only gesturing at the seat Jinx is supposed to sit in. Knowing he won't respond until she does, she sits, glaring at him all the while. "Of course it is."
"Wh--" That's unexpected. "Then why am I doing it? Aren't there better things I could be working on?"
"You need to understand what lies they tell us," Silco says. "And you need to be prepared to act as though you believe them."
"Yeah, I know, nod and pretend every word out of her mouth is gold," Jinx mutters. "I just don't know why I have to read about it."
"They have to think you want this to happen," Silco says, an edge in his voice that make Jinx bite back a retort. "That you're as desperate for peace as they are, that you find the idea of marrying into and moving to Piltover agreeable, even pleasant. You need to play that role."
"I will," Jinx says. "I already said--"
"And you need to earn her trust," Silco says. "It will make everything much easier."
"I know," Jinx says. "One of the first things you taught me, remember?"
Silco sighs, disappointed. Jinx shrinks back in her chair. "What I need from you is to learn how she presents herself and then pretend you believe it. I need you to stop causing scenes and pretend you can act like they'll expect a princess to. Can you do that for long enough to pull this off?"
"I can," Jinx says. "I'll make you proud."
Silco nods. "Good. Now eat quickly. You've a lot of material to get through."
"Jayce," Caitlyn says in a low voice. The stars above them are the same as when she sneaks out for a nighttime stroll back in Piltover, but the air smells different this far out from the city. Cleaner, maybe nicer, but she finds she can't quite appreciate it.
"Mmf," Jayce says, clearly half-asleep on the other side of the campfire. "We being attacked?"
Caitlyn snorts. "No. Do you think I'm making the right decision?"
Jayce is quiet for enough time that Caitlyn considers throwing a pebble at him to see if he's passed out. "You seemed really sure of things back in court. If you're not..."
"I'm not suggesting we renege on our word," Caitlyn says. "Forget dishonorable, it's just rude. I just..."
"Weren't expecting to miss it so much?" Jayce asks.
"Oddly insightful, for you."
"Mel may have threatened me to keep an eye out for more than just your physical safety."
Caitlyn tries to laugh, but the sound comes out too hollow. "That sounds like her."
"You know, there's no deal your mother would agree to that means you leave Piltover. You'll get to go home. You just...might be engaged," Jayce says. "You know, I don't think it really struck me how bizarre that's going to be until now."
"You've been to Zaun. What do you know about her?"
Jayce sits up. "I've only really been to the borders, and there wasn't a lot of talking." He gestures towards the warhammer at his side, as though Caitlyn would miss the implication. "I know she was a princess even before that whole, uh, regime change. But we still don't really know what happened there."
"Really?" Caitlyn asks. The coup in Zaun had happened practically overnight, from what she remembers, though it was long enough ago that the details are fuzzy. It had made her parents very nervous. The war seemed worse, after. But that's likely as much due to her parents finally helping her to understand the reality of war, the death and destruction and abject misery of it all. They'd lost Grayson that same winter; it had helped the lesson stick.
"You should probably think about it in the morning," Jayce advises. "We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow." He yawns. "And I'd rather not fall off my horse halfway through the day because I stayed up late talking."
"Of course," Caitlyn says. "Good night, Jayce."
He falls asleep quickly. She doesn't, trying to remember whatever she can about when the old Zaunite king died. But she gets too caught up in old grief to really remember anything of use, her sleep fitful and fractured as a result.
Sevika hates this place.
The dungeons under the castle are terrible, damp and dark and occupied by all manner of monster. The man who lives down here is even more unpleasant than that. But her king had sent her here, so here she stays until she's done what's necessary. (And then she'll leave as soon as she possibly fucking can, but she doesn't need to say that part out loud.)
Still, much as she's loath to spend another second breathing in whatever horrors are down here, she's...relieved. Of course Silco isn't relying entirely on Jinx. There's a reason she chose to forsake her oaths and follow him all those years ago. Whatever questionable decisions he makes for his heir are a problem for a Zaun that's won its war. What she sees down here will certainly help with that, assuming it doesn't kill them first.
"They arrive tomorrow, yes?" asks the man. He hasn't volunteered his name; Sevika hasn't asked.
"Yes," she says. "Will this be ready?"
He scoffs. "No. But negotiations take time. As long as the supply of subjects stays constant, I don't anticipate we'll have any trouble."
Sevika makes a wordless noise of acknowledgement. She's spent enough time fighting this war that she knows not to assume anything involving Piltover to be easy. For that matter, anything involving Jinx. But if Silco can keep her in line, then they might be able to pull this off.
And if not, maybe it'll finally be the leverage she needs to get Silco to renounce her as heir, pick literally anyone else in the world.
Jinx can't sleep the night before the diplomatic envoy is supposed to arrive, though not for lack of trying. She's been tossing and turning for what feels like hours before she gives up, rolling out of bed and hoping that the bags under her eyes aren't a dead giveaway tomorrow. Unless she can spin it in her favor? She was so nervous, she just couldn't sleep, meeting the woman she's going to marry. Is that too early to say? She wants peace so badly, after all.
Ugh. No matter how much she practices saying all that, it never feels any less fake coming out of her mouth, doesn't look any less fake in the mirror.
But what Zaun needs from her--what her dad needs from her--is more than just playing dumb. It's something she can do. Hiding the knife is easy, after all the practice she's had the past few weeks. Even Silco can't spot it now, and he knows her, knows where to look, knows she has it on her always, now.
Piltover's not like Zaun. If Jinx can get close enough to the royal family, get their trust, she can end this war. They can win. It can't be that hard to win some Piltovian princess's trust, anyway. Silco's counting on her to do this, so she can.
She has to.