Chapter I: Tragic wedding
"Man I can't believe you're gonna be tied up after this. How about the gang?" Prompto said gloomily albeit the jovial face he's displaying.
"Why? You gonna miss me or something?" Noctis smirked. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm gonna go somewhere far. I'll still be living in the kingdom though."
Flustered, Prompto choked on his own words. "Y-you make it sound like I'm jealous! It's just that it feels weird when everyday there's us four and now it'll be reduced to three. It just won't be as much as fun now that you're gone. You know what I mean?" Prompto asked doubtful that his friend might get the wrong impression again.
Noctis just laughed at Prompto's doubtful face, his best friend don't have the slightest idea that he's just making fun of him. "Do not fret my friend, it's gonna be just like always, me with you, Gladiolous and Ignis. Nothing's gonna change, Stella is not the type of woman who wants her husband as near her 24/7."
"Now that I think of it, you're absolutely right. Well, best wishes then!" Prompto declared then ran off to Ignis' and Gladiolous' side of the bench while waving goodbye to his old pal.
With nothing left to do, Noctis fixed the ribbon on his collar although it was already perfect and searched in his pocket for particularly nothing. Just as he was about to ask the planner when will Stella arrive, his father, the King interrupted him. "So, my son is finally settling himself to a woman. Albeit it makes me proud as a father, I'm just gonna ask you one last time. Are you really sure of your decision? If you do this, there's gonna be no turning away now."
"Father, I'm more than certain right now. The treaty between Tenebrae and Lucis is not forcing me into this. I love Stella and her to me. This wedding will be the most blessed thing I can get in my whole life, there's nothing that can make me happier than this." Noctis said full of confidence.
Facing his soon to be wed son, King Regus scrutinized Noctis' eyes. He remembered back then when Noctis will go ballistic while hurting himself in the process. No one could stop him, not his friends and not even him, his father; only that person. It was a rough time indeed, oh how hard it was to look at his son's lifeless eyes full of nothing but sorrow for that person. But then when he met Stella, Noctis' attitude slowly change from worst to better and he's happy for that even though a small part of him felt guilty towards himself. Guilty for what Noctis did to himself and guilty for agreeing to go with his son's selfish decision. At least he's happy now. The king thought to himself. "What matters the most is if it makes you happy, then I'm happy for you." King Regus stated earning a confused look from Noctis which he only smiled at. "They contacted me that your bride will be here less than five minutes from now, stand tall and be proud of yourself Noctis." King Regus pat Noctis' back before going back to his appointed seat.
"Thanks dad." Noctis said more than himself than of his father.
Minutes passed by after Stella arrived. She walked elegantly in the middle of the church towards Noctis with an innocent smile plastered in her beautiful face. When Stella came to the altar Noctis became edgy. To say Noctis was nervous was an understatement, he was more than nervous; in fact the nervousness was making him sweat although of the cold air of the coming winter. He was so lucky to be wed to a beautiful and smart woman such as Stella, he wanted nothing more than to hear Stella's sweet yes.
An hour passed and the wedding came to its climax where the couple will say their yes and not to mention the kiss of vows. "Do you, the prince of Lucis, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum take the princess of Tenebrae, Princess Stella Nox Fleuret as your wedded wife?"
Although Noctis thought it was not necessary for the priest to declare the title of him and Stella but didn't inquire more since the wedding was literally an arrange marriage for the peace of both kingdoms, instead stated, "Yes" while looking at Stella's mesmerizing purple eyes.
"Then do you, the princess of Tenebrae, Princess Stella Nox Fleuret take the prince of Lucis, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum as your wedded husband?" without hesitation Stella also said a yes. "May the Goddess of death, Etro, bless this couple eternity towards the destiny the almighty Goddess has bestowed them. Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, you may kiss the bride."
Noctis looked at Stella and smiled at her, he then took the veil off Stella's face and flipped it to the back of her hair. Noctis stared at Stella's exotic purple eyes; it was so beautiful that he hadn't noticed that a minute passed by until Stella giggled making him blush. He thought to himself how dumb he looked right now so he held Stella's Face between his palms and as his lips inched closer to hers, a powerful force pulled him behind making him fly to the other side of the church.
~Noctis's POV~
'I was beyond happy, I was ecstatic. I can't believe the beautiful Stella Nox Fleuret will finally be my wife that I hadn't noticed that I was staring at her eyes for a minute now until I heard her giggle; and then it hit me. I can tell that I looked really dumb right now, so to ease the tension, I pulled her close to me and held her face between my palms. Just as I was about to press my lips to hers, a really strong force pulled me back sending myself to the other side of the church leaving a big dent in the process. I faced the altar and saw the priest with his head rolling off the floor no longer intact in his neck, I then saw a woman in front of Stella holding a sword, then it hit me; it was an assassin. I hurriedly ran towards Stella but within a second, the assassin was no longer in front of Stella but behind her with a stance I didn't like a bit. Just as I was gonna shout a 'no', the assassin's blade impaled Stella's body, right in the middle of her heart.
"Noctis." I heard Stella's faint voice slowly fading as each syllable of my name was said.
The assassin pulled her blade back at her side making Stella fall face flat on the floor. I saw the crowd panic but I just walked towards Stella and kneeled before her to pick her up in my arms. I looked to my right and saw my friends along with my father wide-eyed. Why weren't they doing anything? I thought but dismissed nonetheless and faced the assassin. She was looking down at me stoically yet a smirk plastered on her face with a hint of pity painted in her azure eyes.
"There's a grand wedding and I'm not even invited? Not that I care though, two weddings would be troublesome I suppose."
"Why? Why did it have to be Stella?" I asked her while tears poured down my face.
The assassin's smirk now gone, she took a step back and glared at me. "Now we're even"
"Even?!" I asked a little loudly, anger now evident on my face, my eyes turned into crimson while swords started to appear beside me.
"Now that my debt is already paid, I'm not obligated to you anymore…..in any way possible."
My swords started pointing at her direction one by one, for most people they would have felt scared right about by now but the assassin just stared at me with those stoic eyes. A lance then appeared behind her ready to strike at her direction but the assassin evaded it easily without a sweat. Seeing the assassin as a formidable opponent, I abruptly stood up and summoned all the swords I have for the first time, I wasn't going to show a little bit of mercy to this wicked person. I'll let her taste what hell she put me trough. I grabbed my favourite sword and posed a fighting stance.
"You'll regret even coming here." I told her with the most hateful voice I can muster. I threw my sword and teleported in front her and striked aiming for her head where she skilfully blocked.
"You should thank me instead you insolent prince." She said striking back at me the force making me tumble a few meters from her. I looked back at her to see her staring right to my eyes so I glared right back at her who in return didn't pace at all. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but you have to take your revenge on me the next time we meet. I'm not gonna go easy on you though since I'm not obligated to you anymore. When that day comes, it's either you kill me or I'll kill you. "She paused. "An enemy of Cocoon is a threat to my sister and a threat to my sister is an enemy to me." After that little speech the assassin made, she disappeared in a smoke. The guards then, along with my friends and father started heading to me.
"Why" I asked not looking in their direction feeling betrayed. "Why didn't you all help me kill her?" I shouted all at them at once without honorific to the king, right now I'm talking to him as a father. "We would have killed her together! I trusted you all yet you all betrayed me!" I shouted in agony, tears falling in my face again. Why? I trusted them the most; didn't they reciprocate my feelings at all?
"But Noctis, isn't she c-" just as Prompto was about to finish his sentence, King Regus interrupted him.
"Noctis," My father started "Please forgive us, we were just as shocked as everybody else in the church."
"Shut up!" I shouted back, I dismissed my swords and started heading back to Stella's dead body. I lifted her up and carried her in my arms, I should have been the happiest man today but instead it was the opposite. I was all ready to walk out but fatigue consumed my body and I collapsed down along with Stella on the floor. I looked at her dead body beside me and felt a stinging pain in my stomach; I guided my hand to my stomach and felt a thick but warm liquid oozing out of my body. I retrieved my hand back and gazed at my finger, blood. And then sleep overtook my body. With the last strength I can muster I said my last farewell. "I love you Stella."