Dying Starlight
Author Note: Features a charcter from Bleeding Hearts, but its a sequel to it considering Noctis is still alive...Oh I have no idea why Stella and Noctis aren't together in this piece considering they are both royalty and such.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy Versus XIII
He knew she was dying.
Rumors of the Tenebrean Queen probably won't live long enough to see the spring had filled the kingdom, and he silently the entire kingdom is in mourning for their queen.
The Queen who had led her kingdom to a kingdom of peace which would was nicknamed as the golden ages because of the peace and justice that has filled the kingdom.
He silently supposes a part of him is afraid of what he would see when he approaches the Queen bedroom. Would he still see the princess who was so insecure of becoming Queen fearing that she would do more harm than good to her kingdom?
The princess that had once captured his heart four decades ago, when they had been so young, although he can't deny the fact that a large part of him is still in love with her.
He silently knows that it was theorize that it was because of her undying feelings for him that she had never married despite the fact that she was given quite a few proposals.
He even knows that Geoffry had had proposed to her, her loyal knight who had stood by her side since the very beginning, although he silently knows that the blue haired knight was living happily with his wife who had given him a child.
Although the knight who he had once fought alongside even went as far as saying as he was grateful for her turning down his proposal even going as far as saying that he had a chance to reevaluate his feelings for her and realized that he loved her as a little sister. Of course it might have been due to Stella's influence admitting that she only felt sibling love for him.
"King Caelum," he hears a vaguely familiar voice called out causing him to glance at the woman guarding the door. "I see that you finally made it."
"I made a promise to her," he replies causing the woman to nod at that remark her lips curling into a slightly bittersweet smile.
"You know she has always loved you," Arene admits softly. "You and only you."
"And I have always loved her," he admitted, and it was the sincere truth. Sure he has dated quite a few females in the past (mostly because his council pressured him into it) but they could have never quite captured his heart the same way that Stella did.
Arene nodded before opening the door that lead to the queens to bedroom. Forty years has changed her quite a bit. Her once vibrant blonde locks were now gray; her once youthful and beautiful face was now full of wrinkles.
Yet she looks beautiful to him.
He instantly moved to sit in the seat next to her bed which was probably used for the doctor or the guest that come to visit her during her last days, probably old friends.
"Noct?" she questions weakly, starring at him with hazel brown eyes although he can see her pale lips curled into a soft smile.
"It's been awhile Stella," he replies softly taking her hand into his.
"Only twenty years but who is keeping track," she replies, and he can the humor in her voice that caused him to smile slightly. "But I'm glad you kept your promise."
"You know that I would always keep my promises to you," he replies causing the dying Queen to nod lightly.
"Tell me of your life, the life of our friends," she requests softly. "It has been quite awhile since I have seen either of you."
He nods before telling her the stories of their friends, how Prompto married a girl in the castle and has two children, how Gladiolus married a flower girl while running a sword smith, even mentioning a few members who died such like Ignis because of some sort of disease a couple of years ago. He even mentioned a bit about her childhood friend.
He had notices a small bittersweet smile present on his Queen's face at the mention of her old childhood friend who had died ten years ago.
"I'm glad he was able to find happiness," Stella muses lightly with a soft smile on her face.
"He was happy," Noctis replies remembering his conversation with the knight. "I think he also realized that he loved as you as a younger sister."
She nods weakly, "Were you happy?"
"I was," he replies and at his former lover's slightly curious look decided to continue. "I never married I guess I could never quite get over my feelings for you even though I tried, but I was happy. The times were peaceful. I guess really did live in the age of the golden ages."
"I still remember the time when I felt so insecure about ruling," she replies causing Noctis to smile at the remark and the memory of her seeking reassurance from him.
"You did just fine like I knew that you would," Noctis says.
"I'm glad that you have so much confidence in me," she utters.
"Of course you are my queen," he replies his lips curling into a slight grin and for the moment he forgot that she would probably be dead by morning.
Even though he knows that she would be missed greatly and he can only silently be grateful for the fact that it was simply her time compared to the alternative where she is murdered.
Soft chatter filled the room some of it had to do with the past and the adventures that they had partook, while some of it had to do with their relationship.
He gently presses his lips against her forehead slightly noting the fact that her eyes were closed shut probably for the last time.
Stella died sometime during the night, although she had died with a small smile present on her face. Some say it was because she was able to see her former lover again, other says it is because her soul had finally find peace.
As for Noctis, he had disappeared shortly after the funeral for the beloved Queen never showing his face in Tenebrae again.
He had died a couple of years after the Queen and his two "brothers" Prompto and Gladiolus knew that he died happily.
Maybe it was because they knew he would be able to see his love again in the afterlife.
-the end