The sun seemed bright but the atmosphere was somber. Residents of Aracnia were going about their day as usual when a bell rang out three times. Everyone paused what they were doing and bowed their heads for a minute of silence.
The day of a Viaticum has arrived. Only those close to the royal family or who held important positions, knew the names involved.
Two priestess walked down the hallway. They headed deeper in the palace, past the everyday kitchen, rooms, garden. They stopped once they reached the dungeon.
Kaelith was sitting in a cell, his posture rigid against the cold stone wall. He had a black silk robe on, the fabric smooth against his skin, a stark contrast to the roughness of his surroundings.
His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, tracing the cracks and imperfections in the stone above him. The dim light flowing through the small barred window cast shadows across the cell. The air was heavy with the scent of mud and the faint metallic tang of iron, a constant reminder of where he was.
The priestesses approached the cell, their footsteps echoing in the silence. They stopped in front of the bars, their faces hidden behind dark veils.
"Kaelith Avern," one of them spoke, her voice devoid of emotion.
His gaze shifted from the ceiling to the women. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips.
"Right on time," he said.
The priestess gestured for him to stand. Kaelith rose to his feet, the black silk robe flowing around him.
"Follow us," the other priestess said.
Kaelith nodded, his expression stoic. He followed the priestesses out of the cell and down the long, dark hallway. The silence was broken only by the sound of their footsteps.
As they walked, Kaelith's mind wandered back to his conversation with Corvus. He had left everything to his friend. The sigil, the notes, the chest. Deep down he wished Corvus would choose to overthrow the Matriarch. That would be the best revenge, to break the tradition that demanded his life.
The door sprung upon inside a cathedral. The air was heavy with the scent of incense and the walls were lined with intricate tapestries. The room was empty except for a single altar in the center of the room.
The priestesses stopped in front of the altar. They wrapped Kaelith's body in webs like a spider wrapping its prey. They left his face uncovered. Picking up his spider visage, they placed it on the altar. Then they left, closing the heavy doors behind them.
Kaelith was left alone. He was staring at the ceiling until the door opened and Lyssandra walked in.
"Matriarch, I thought it was against tradition for you to see the offering before the ceremony," Kaelith said.
Lyssandra chuckled and walked up the steps, one by one until she towered over him. Her eyes were cold.
"You asked me to let you befriend him, train with him, look out for him."
She pressed the tip of her heel into his face, using him to hold her weight.
"I put up with it when you went off to the whore house, practically disrespecting our heritage. I tolerated you dragging him with you to that place," she inhaled deeply.
"Yet you still had the audacity to involve my son in your schemes with that shell of a man?"
She removed her heel from his face.
He had a gleam in one eye. Her anger was music to his ear. However small, he still managed to get one over her. She can't kill him, can't punish him any more than what is already planned.
"That expression," she sighed, "You overestimate your abilities. You think I don't know about your research?"
Her smile sent shivers down his spine. She knew. She knew about the experiments. His toes started feeling numb. At first he wanted to use Corvus but he really wanted to give him a chance.
"You're not the first to try to use Orbweaver sigils against our lineage."
His muscles relaxed. His stress vanished because she found the decoy sigil he planted. He couldn't believe it worked. The real one was tucked safely in Corvus' possession.
"Goodbye Kaelith."
Lyssandra walked down the steps and exited the cathedral, leaving behind an offering that had a small smile on his face.
The Matriarch walked in her web palace towards her second favorite place. The throne room. It was empty aside from her and her thoughts. She sat down and closed her eyes.
"Bring me Ilyana," she said to the empty room.
A few minutes later the mute maid walked in and bowed.
"Arrange a request for a new ambassador from Noxian, preferably aNightshade. Oleanders are too troublesome."
Ilyana made a sign in the air with her web magic.
"Understood," she said and hesitated for a second.
Lyssandra stared at her.
She made another sign.
"Aurelia left the palace with a small black chest."
The Matriarch tapped her fingers on the armrest of her throne. She let out a sigh. She's seen Corvus interaction with the Oleander. It was obvious that they were fond of each other.
"She seems like a sweet young girl, probably being manipulated by her father."
Resting her head on her hand, she stared at the ceiling.
"Have Inquisitor Trina, interrogate her at nightfall. Return her before the sun is up. Tell her to be discreet."
Ilyana's eyes widened.
"Aurelia is just a girl."
The Matriarch glared at her.
"She stopped being a girl when she helped Cassian in his schemes."
Lyssandra didn't like this one bit. Corvus' Viaticum was soon, meaning Valerica would soon take her place as Matriarch. It would be disgraceful if she left the state of affairs in such a disarray.
Cassian was a problem that required delicate handling otherwise a war could start between Noxian and Aracnia.
However Grehm and his growing influence was another problem that needed to be dealt with. His brothel was a hotbed for dissenters, for spies and traitors. Her own son went there. The nerve of that man.
"Schedule a meeting with Grehm for tomorrow. In the palace. Make him bring that poppy with him."
The maid bowed and departed. Upon hearing the bell toll three times again, the Matriarch rose from her throne and returned to the cathedral. It was time for Kaelith's story to end.