I do not own any rights to Final Fantasy XV/15 or its characters. This work is not for profit.
Birthdays were nice, it was a time they tried their best to forget that the Niflheim army was constantly at their borders, that their so-called envoys and diplomats were constantly sent in to 'reason' with them and were always turned away with a firm, "Tenebrae is neutral in any and all conflicts. It is the home of Eos' Oracle and must remain a neutral party."
Lunafreya was turning eight today, her mother had commissioned her a new dress, white with sylleblossoms sprigged across the skirt. Lunafreya had been iimmensely/i excited about it. They all spent the day in the garden, viewing flowers, picking flowers, making flower crowns, which Ravus grudgingly wore ONLY because it was his little sister's birthday.
When lunch time came around, more people besides just her mother and brother showed up. Some were diplomats, bringing gifts for her birthday from Accordo, Niflheim, and Lucis; others were prominent people of Tenebrae coming to wish their Princess a happy birthday.
They had a rather lively lunch, with a band playing in the background as servants served the food to themselves and their guests. Once the food was cleared away Lunafreya opened the gifts from the diplomatic parties. From Niflheim she was given a watch that was a bit too big for her wrist; from Accordo she was given a miniaturized replica of her mother's trident which she hugged to her chest with a happy smile making Weskham grin; from Lucis she received a photo of the royal family: King Regis, Prince Noctis, and their closest retainers: Sir Clarus, Sir Cor, and young Gladiolus and Ignis. It was signed by all of them with a 'Hope you have a wonderful birthday, Princess!' across the bottom.
In a rather unladylike move she set the photo aside and ran up to the young Glaive who had brought it and threw her arms around his waist. "Tell them thank you for the birthday wishes!"
The Glaive was startled but smiled down at her, patting her back lightly, "Of course Your Highness."
Her biggest gift however, came just before dinner, as her father, away scouting for ways to stem the ever crashing tide of the Empire, came walking through the doors. "Daddy!"
He scooped her up as she flung herself at him, even Ravus was excited enough to run over and hug the tall man. "It seems I've made it just in time. I was hoping I wouldn't completely miss your birthday. I got you two gifts, technically, but, you'll have to be very responsible and learn to take good care of them. Otherwise they will disappear."
The words were cryptic and had Lunafreya scrunching up her nose in thought. Her father kissed said nose and placed her back on the floor before motioning one of his men holding a rather large box into the room. The man set the box down and the Queen's Consort dismissed him and gestured his daughter toward the open box.
Lunafreya moved over to it slowly, curious but wary. Peering into the box she found two puppies, one black and one white, sleeping peacefully there. She gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth, blue eyes going wide and whipping to her father's. "They're for me? Can, can I pet them?"
Her father nodded as her mother and brother joined them in peering into the box. Lunafreya knelt beside it and pet the head of each dog. As she touched them she felt their voices in her head, much like how Gentiana sometimes spoke to her, telling her their names. She blinked, turning her awed gaze back to her father, "They spoke to me."
Sylva glance from her daughter to her husband, watching as he nodded and spoke, "They are messengers. Much like Gentiana and the Oracle. They can help you and whom so ever you choose, to communicate with each other. You can probably train them to carry packages if needed, but mostly, they'll be able to find you and whoever you want, no matter where in the world they are."
All three of the others stared at him, Lunafreya getting over her shock first and glancing down at the two puppies again. She found the black one peeking at her with one eye. She grinned and tapped his nose, "Hello Umbra, Pryna. It's nice to meet you. I hope we'll be great friends."
Umbra closed his eye, and both puppies sighed and settled into deeper sleep. Lunafreya chuckled and tried to lift the box herself, biting her lip with the effort. Ravus shook his head at her and grabbed the other side, silently helping her bring the box next to her chair at the dinner table.
The puppies slept through the quiet family dinner, only waking when the chef brought out a cake with eight candles lit upon it, and everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. She made a wish, one she knew would most likely not come true as she'd seen visions of the future already, but she hoped it would come true. Wishing that things would always be this way, happy. Then she blew out her candles and they divvied up her cake.
Umbra and Pryna were awake enough by the time they finished that they could walk with her to their living room, where she opened the rest of her gifts. He mother got her a necklace with a crescent moon on it, clasping it around her neck for her when excitedly asked. Ravus gave her an ornately handled knife, sylleblossoms adorning it in graceful bunches, hoping that she would use it if the need for protection ever arose. It came with a soft leather sheath that could be worn on a belt or in a boot, whichever was her preference.
She hugged her family and thanked them all for a wonderful birthday before being ushered to bed. She slept with Umbra and Pryna on her bed with her, the knife near her pillow and the necklace still around her neck. The dress was hung up to be cleaned later, and Lunafreya closed her eyes feeling the gentle chill of Gentiana's presence as the Messenger left a kiss on her temple, wishing her happy birthday in her own way.
Her dreams were pleasant that night, no fires burning down her home, or men in armor killing her mother as there so often were.
