#aksjdfnakjsdnfkajndsf

[deathdxnces]

i know i joke about irelia being willing to look away from kayn's murder business, but i honestly think that's what she's been doing about the yanlei as a whole for a while now. because we know they are an Issue for a bunch of people, the vastaya but also the monks and honestly whoever stands in their way at all, but there's no indication they've clashed with ionia's ruling council and their representatives — and while we don't know who is part of the council other than irelia and karma, i think given irelia's interactions with zed and kayn in game being the one about finding redeeming qualities in them, and her interaction with zed in lor being the 'pledge yourself to the shadows' 'noxian tyranny has already forged our bond', i think it's made pretty clear irelia doesn't have as much of an issue with the order of shadows as other 'good' ionians do.

i think it makes a lot of sense because whatever terrible things they're up to, she knows ultimately they mean to protect ionia (and that the yanlei were some of the only ones to take a stand the first time, as well). zed is considered honorless and evil by most but i think that's not what she'd think of him, because irelia understands being willing to do terrible things for the sake of their homeland. she didn't have to (yet), but i do think she feels very certain she would if it came to that. i think she respects him more than most people who aren't part of the order, even if she doesn't agree with all of the yanlei's methods.

which extends to the order as a whole, regardless of and even before any relationship with kayn. and which leads me to the willfully looking away and letting them do their thing mostly unbothered — i think that's the result of several things, but it can be summed up as irelia thinking that's the more benefitial course of action in the long term. i think she'd believe what resources they have to face threats and keep ionia safe better employed against the leftover noxian forces, and that even when it comes to dealing with ionia's inner problems, she'd sooner turn her attention to the brotherhood, considering they're much more extreme than the yanlei. but i think it's also... not wanting to make enemies of the only other faction she's mostly certain would ally with her to defend ionia. because, as is always relevant to point out, irelia never truly completely left the war behind. even when others are at peace, she's preparing for war again. and i do think she sees the yanlei as likely allies more so than a threat to be dealt with.

of course the usual disclaimer applies, it's my take and my portrayal etc etc. but yeah i think whoever is part of the council, it's very likely the rest of them aren't as willing to use violence, even to deal with dangerous groups (karma is certainly reluctant, and she is still the greatest religious leader in ionia). irelia, of course, doesn't deal with things like that, but she's not interested in turning her blades against the yanlei. so they're mostly left alone when it comes to the council taking action against them in any way.

and i'm not saying she's right or anything, i think it's just one of the many things that highlights how flawed she is (and how ruthless she can be, as well, if it's to protect ionia; because ultimately she is willing to let them get away with harming other ionians to some extent :/ ). but yeah irelia expects absolutely nothing useful from the kinkou, and she knows not all of the monks would want to join the fight, and she knows the yanlei aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. so she definitely sees them as possible (and likely) future allies, regardless of how unsavory some of the things they do might be.

and when it comes to kayn specifically i think it's just worse lmao because on top of all that there's the personal bond and the loyalty and devotion and the fact there's. very little he could do she'd not stay by his side regardless, even if she doesn't like it/disagrees with it. she can criticize, but ultimately she'd stick with him. and it's not like she didn't know what she was getting into from the start. he was an assassin and he was part of the order already; it's part of why she sought him for an alliance. she wouldn't really turn around and expect him to change or condemn him for what he already was.

the tldr is while i don't think she's willing to do what they do or act like they do or get involved in kayn's murder business most of the time (there are exceptions), she's very much prone to not taking issue with it, both because of her views on the order as a whole, and because of how she feels about kayn specifically. it's not a good look, i know, but it is the way it is aksjnfkfn