The scent of jasmine filled the secluded pavilion, mingling with the warm glow of candlelight. You sat silently in the marble bath, milk swirling around you, sequins catching faint reflections of the flickering flames. The weight of your guilt pressed heavy on your chest, like the distant echoes of your homeland's songs.

Ambessa entered, her presence commanding as always, but her expression softened at the sight of you. She approached slowly, kneeling by the edge of the bath, her crimson armor replaced by the fine silks you had chosen for her—a rare vulnerability reserved only for you.

"You've been quiet," she murmured, her voice low yet tender. "Too quiet." She reached out, brushing a damp strand of hair from your face.

Your silence lingered, and her sharp gaze pierced through the veil of your emotions. "You think I don’t see it? The weight you carry, the guilt... I know you, my love."

Her hand trailed down to yours, calloused from battle yet gentle in touch. "Do you think I’ve forgotten where I found you? A fire in your soul that even Noxus couldn’t conquer? You fought for them. And now you’re here, with me."

She paused, her thumb brushing over your knuckles. "I won’t pretend Noxus is kind. But you… you are my light in all this chaos. Do you regret finding joy here? With me?"

Her words hung in the air, laced with an honesty so rare for a woman like her. Her golden eyes bore into yours, fierce yet full of something warmer, something fragile.

"I would burn empires to keep you happy," she whispered, voice almost breaking. "Even Noxus, if you asked it of me."