Lestallum's theatre

Lestallum's theatre, two thousand years ago

Ardyn is perched on the last step of the stairs leading to Lestallum's theatre. He seems to be waiting for someone. It is the beginning of the evening on Lestallum; the sun hasn't set yet.

Ardyn catches sight of a woman going out of the theatre. She is blonde and wears a long black dress, as well as a hat of the same colour. She goes down the stairs hastily.

When she has nearly reached the bottom of the stairs, Ardyn teleports behind her, a couple of steps up.

'Miss,' he calls. 'You've lost something.'

The young lady stops and turns around. Ardyn looks at her with a smile, turning her hat between his fingers. Mechanically, she raises her hand in her hair. When she realises that her hat is truly missing, she takes a step forward, frowning.

'Must be the first time that it happens to me,' she mumbles. 'Thank you.'

She stretches her arm to take her hat, but instead of giving it back to her, Ardyn raises his voice :

'I like this hat a lot,' he says puckishly. 'Does it bother you if I try it on?'

'Well, it would bother me, indeed,' she answers, looking definitely exasperated. 'Listen, I am in a hurry, so please, give it to me.'

'By all means. Here it is.'

Ardyn stretches his arm to give it to her, but at the moment that she touches it, he teleports once again behind her. Marlys gasps, looking for him, and finally finds him by turning around. Ardyn puts her hat on and wears a wide smile. Marlys looks intrigued.

'Ok, how did you do this?' she asks suspiciously.

'Do what ?' he retorts, amused.

'Do not take me for a fool, I was just talking to you and you were on the other side of the stairs.'

'Oh! That! It's a little trick. How do you find me, with your hat?'

Marlys stares at him, her hands on her hips.

'So, it is not just an impression. You really take me for a fool.'

'It would be really rude of me,' he retorts, pouting. 'I doubt that an idiot could possibly aim a talent like yours on stage.'

'Did you see the play?'

'It is the third time that I come to see you,' he answers, illustrating the total with his fingers. 'I wanted to talk to you.'

'Oh, really?' she says, sarcastically. 'And yet, you seem far more interested by my hat than by me.'

Ardyn didn't leave his smile:

'Only a bit more.'

Exasperated, she stretches her arm to grasp her hat, but he teleports once again behind her and puts the hat on her head.

Marlys turns around, definitely surprised, and adjusts the position of the hat.

'Are you a magician?' she asks very seriously.

A light of interest is appearing in her eyes while pronouncing these words.

'Sort of,' he answers with modesty.

'Can you teach me?'

'I'm afraid that this trick is limited to my own use. But you do not need that to impress.'

A charming smile appears on his face. Marlys pretends not to understand, though her cheeks become slightly red.

'Who are you, anyway?'

Ardyn has a little sigh:

'A man of no consequence.'

'Oh, really,' she retorts with sarcasm. 'And does the man of no consequence have a name?'

'I will tell you mine if you tell me yours,' he whispers with a beguiling expression.

She smiles for the very first time.

'Marlys.'

Ardyn bows, curtsying elegantly:

'And I am Ardyn Izunia, your most humble servant.'

When he straightens up, he raises his voice again:

'Would you care if your servant was to take one of your precious minutes to offer you a drink?'

Marlys rolls her eyes. She had already turned around to leave. However, although in a real hurry, she finds herself in the incapacity to refuse. She doesn't know if it is again a trick of his, but she's got the curious impression to be attracted to him.

'Do not expect me to grant you a special treatment just because you have magical powers,' she mumbles finally, without turning in his direction.

'I take that for a yes,' he says enthusiastically.

He comes closer to her, the smile still on his lips. He makes eye-contact for the first time with her. There is a peculiar glow of fascination in his stare.

'How about my place, for instance?' he asks, leaning his head in her direction.

'Are you serious? I've just met you, I mean… you! A complete stranger! And you expect me to go to your place as if we were the best friends in the world?'

'Well, by all means!' he shouts out. 'What are you afraid of?'

'Oh, come on, don't play the innocent now. Listen, I've known dozens of guys like you who just want to hook up. And I tell you that if it is what it is about, you'll have to open your wallet because I'm not cheap for freaks like you.'

'Name your price, then,' he replies very simply, seemingly not bothered in any way by any of her words.

A bit unsettled by his quick response, she seems to think a bit, then she raises her voice again:

'A hundred bucks. My place. No exception.'

'And what if I say… two thousand gils, my place?' Ardyn suddenly asks softly.

She turns her face to him, completely abashed:

'Are you kidding me?'

'It that a yes, or a no?'

Ardyn's smile disappeared. He maintains eye-contact with her to make her speak. She gulps uncomfortably. Not willing to lose face, she mumbles:

'Well, yes. Ok.'

'Please, follow me, then,' Ardyn gives tit for tat, finding his smile again.

They cross the street next to each other, finding their way out of the city centre. Ardyn is walking fast, and Marlys finds it a bit hard to keep up.

'Where do you lead me?' she asks after a moment, surprised to arrive on the main road.

'To my car. I am parked a bit further.'

'Your car? Where do you live?'

'In Leide.'

'In Leide?! Are you joking?'

Ardyn stops all of a sudden, just in front of a cart dragged by two chocobos. He turns to Marlys with an inquisitive expression on his face:

'Didn't you give me your agreement?'

'Well… I was not expecting you to live so far from here. How am I going to get back?'

'I will simply drive you back.'

'Honestly?'

'Honestly. No fare to pay.'

They finally arrive to the main parking of the city.

'Is this a Constellation?' she asks in awe as they get closer to his car.

'Indeed,' he responds very calmly. 'I see that you're a connoisseur. Please, get in.'