For Riven it was a constant reminder of her own weakness. All her years of living or dying by the strength of Noxus, and Riven had accepted their fragile offer of hope, let herself be clothed in it and in a family that could have been."When she regained her strength, she wanted to work in the fields," the old man went on. "My wife and I are old. We welcomed the help."
"You and your wife did not fear for your lives?"
"The girl wants nothing to do with Noxus. She hates Noxus."
"She said this to you?"
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"No," he said. "She said nothing of her past. Shava asked her once and she said nothing. We saw that it pained her, so we did not ask again."
"If she said nothing, then how do you infer her feelings about her homeland?"
Master Konte wiped at his old eyes. Riven watched the trouble pa.s.s over his face, like the words were not his to give. He spoke quickly, conscious suddenly of the audience surrounding him.
"Fevered dreams, magistrate," he said. "The night she came to us. Something that belonged to her, something she had cared for greatly, had been broken. For that she cried out against Noxus."
"Do you know the thing she spoke of?"
"I believe so, magistrate." The old man nodded slowly. "The pommel of her weapon has been bound into her scabbard. Four days ago I saw her undo the laces. I saw the blade was broken."
Riven had thought she had only been watched by the fat mousing cat that day in the barn.
A few snide comments about the quality of Noxian weapons pa.s.sed like handshakes among the crowd.
"And what did you do with that knowledge, Master Konte?"
"I took the blade to the temple."
The judge c.o.c.ked her head to one side, looking down her predatory nose at the old man. "To what end?"
"I hoped the priests might be able to mend it. That if the blade was made whole, she might be relieved of some of the ghosts that haunt her." Even as crowd erupted behind him, the old man looked at Riven and the chains that bound her hands. "That she might have some peace in the present."
"Thank you, Master Konte, for sharing your knowledge with the council," the judge said, coldly staring the congregation into silence. "Your attestation is finished."
She looked down at an unrolled parchment and back to the bailiff.
"Bring in the weapon."