Bedtime Story
By BeeJang
"Can you tell us a story, Ignis?"
They were sitting by the fire and enjoying their dinner of cup noodles. The light from the bonfire glowed red but the lamp hanging in the pole in front of the tent glimmered faintly. Outside the camp ground was dark, cold and quiet until Prompto broke the silence.
"Hey, you are too old for the bedtime story!" said Gladiolus.
"Oh please! A tale around the campfire is so perfect for this kind of night. And nobody is too old for the bedtime story, right Noct?" Prompto tried to get the royal support from the Prince. But Noctis seemed to be busy sipping the soup from his cup noodle, and tried so hard not to eat those vegetables floating around the soup. "Noct?"
"Oh, yeah, good," agreed Noctis, without knowing full well what he just agreed with.
"Are you sure? I only know the tales from the ancient time and it's quite … terrifying," Ignis said and pressed his eyeglasses close to his eyes like he always did when he was about to say something utterly important.
"Ghost story? Wow, I want to hear it!" Prompto cried excitedly. Gladiolus raised one eyebrow interestingly to Ignis.
"Yeah, go on Ignis," said Noctis. It had been a long time he listened to a bedtime tale.
Ignis took a sip from his mug, cleared his throat and glanced at his companions. "We all know that each and every ruin got their own history, some from the ancient time, including the ruin we are going to pay a visit soon. Some said that an ancient ruin at Steyliff grove is a maze, built since the time of Solheim civilization, and this place also got its own history ..."
Ignis paused for a while to let the story sank in and glanced at the others again. Noctis just blinked. Gladiolus kept quiet, his face pondered. Prompto listened attentively with wide eyes. Ignis tried to hide his smile and continued his tale.
"Rumors said there were great treasure hidden deep inside this ruin. Then, came the hunters in search for it."
"Mythril?" asked Gladiolus.
"No, it was a knife," smiled Ignis. "A legendary knife, sharper than any blade, it could cut any steel. At that time, it was a great weapon every hunter wanted. But it seemed that there was a dark mystery about this ruin. All the hunters who went inside the maze, none returned, except one, but not his sanity."
Ignis sipped his water and checked on his audience again. They were all quiet and waiting for him to continue the story patiently.
"Many people tried to ask him what happened inside the ruin or what he saw, or the knife was real or just a tale. But only three words came from him: the lamp, the blade and the daemon. More hunters went to unveil the secret of this ruin, again, none returned. Some hunters hesitated to go inside and just wandered around the entrance of the ruin. They felt the darkness from the deep and heard the faint cries, believed that they were from the souls of the dead hunters. Suddenly, they saw a tiny light in the darkness. It came more clearer and closer to them in every passing second. It was the light from the lamp. The light reflected the tip of the blade. And then ... it appeared, surely and slowly, the daemon."
Ignis paused, his face turned pale, his eyes were on Prompto. "... B ... behind you!"
"Ahhhh!" Prompto screamed and jumped to Gladiolus's lap. The big guy cried out in alarm. Noctis was pale and stared behind Prompto's seat which was now empty. He saw the light. But it was just the faint light from the lamp that they hang in front of the tent.
No blade. No daemon.
Ignis tried hard not to burst out laughing, but failed.
Gladiolus was the first to realize the truth. He pushed Prompto away but the younger guy, still wide eyes with fear, wouldn't let go off him. "Oh come on! It's just a tale!"
"But the lamp …?" Prompto pointed to the lamp behind his seat. He thought he saw the daemon, but it was only the lamp. He even forgot that he was the person who hung it there. "What the … hey Iggy, you tricked me!"
"Sorry. No, I'm not sorry," said Ignis with a smile. "You asked for a story, I gave it to you as requested."
"But it's not a bedtime story I want to hear!"
"Be more specific next time, then," chuckled Ignis.
"You got me, Iggy. I'll be more careful next time," Gladiolus smiled. He slapped Prompto's head. "Stop weeping. It's late now. Let's go to bed."
"Alright, alright," sighed Prompto.
Ignis turned to Noctis who kept quiet for a while now. "Come on, Noct."
"Right," agreed Noctis, and he followed Prompto to the tent.
Noctis couldn't sleep. It was strange for him. Normally, he would fall asleep as soon as he hit his bed. But Ignis's story troubled him greatly. The lamp, the blade and the daemon, they were all too scary. He couldn't sleep with these three things still haunting his mind. Somewhere outside the tent, there might be a daemon with a lamp and the knife. They would be murdered in their sleep with that blade. How could he sleep thinking about that!
Noctis turned this body and pulled the blanket over his head. It did not help him to ease his fear at all.
"Can't sleep, Noct?" Ignis whispered with a soft and tender voice.
"Yeah, did I wake you?" asked Noctis. He turned to Ignis, saw the other lean on his side and looked back at him.
"No," answered Ignis. "Noct, what's on your mind?"
"I ..." Noctis did not know what to say that did not sound childish, but still, lying to Ignis was no used. He only couldn't sleep and Ignis already knew the reason immediately that something troubled him. "I'm scared," he confessed.
"It's just a tale."
"Scary tale."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Ignis, may I … sleep beside you?" Noctis asked uncertainly. He did not want to sound so childish, but in this hour, he needed someone to calm his fear.
Ignis just smiled and moved closer to Noctis. "Of course, if this helps you to sleep."
As soon as Noctis got permission, he leaped to hug Ignis tight. The older guy startled by the sudden act of affection but did not object. He returned the hug and pulled the smaller body closed to him. He felt Noctis burying his face to his chest and he knew that the young Prince would not let go until dawn.
Noctis sighed in relief. He felt the warmth from Ignis, so warm and gentle. It made him at peace and more confident that within these arms, he would be safe and nothing could harm him.
"You smell nice, just like mom," Noctis murmured, closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Ignis felt a sudden pain in his heart. He thought of Queen Aulea, sweet, gentle and motherly, always with a kind look of love to her son. She passed away many years ago, but before that fateful day, she asked him to look after her son, and he did. It would be his lifetime duty, from that day and forevermore.
Ignis closed his eyes, planted a soft kiss to Noctis's forehead, and fell asleep.
End
A/N : Thank you for reading my story. I hope you like it. It's been a while I write fanfiction. I'm sorry for the grammar errors you may find here. I don't speak English in real life. It's not my main language, and I know it's not an excuse for the grammar errors. If you want to correct my grammar and beta reading this story for me, please PM me. I'll be very happy for your assistance.