I'm super excited about FFXV. This fic will be updated as soon as I can put out the chapters, and will not stray from the cannon storyline. I usually won't write out quests, but I can try if some one requests one and I'll post it as a oneshot.
NOTE: So I went on the Final Fantasy Wiki (yes wiki, I know. Reliable, right?) and Crowe is described as the sole female member of the Kingsglaive. However, when I read the Kingsglaive article (about the group) I read that the Kingsglaive is split into two branches: mages (as seen at the start of the movie) are all female and the soldiers are all male. The mages in the movie all seem to be female, so I'm going with the two branches thing.
Yes this chapter is very long- I apologize. I'm working like five days a week and going to school, and I just really wanted to go ahead and get through Kingsglaive in this chapter so I can start on the FFXV part of this fic.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns- feel free to contact me. Enjoy.
The loading bay was alive with chit chat so loud Rebecca thought her ears might bleed. At first she tried to gently calm everyone down, but when that didn't work, the young woman resorted to her least favorite method of catching everyone's attention.
"Everyone! I need your attention!" Rebecca shouted. When she was ignored, Rebecca cupped her hands around her mouth. "LISTEN UP!" Her voice raised slightly, but her sharp tone was enough to quiet the crowd. All eyes were on her. Rebecca sighed and ran her long, slender fingers through her auburn hair. She really didn't want to be there. Of all places, she should have been with her fellow glaivesmen, fighting the Niffs at the border. Instead, she was stuck in Insomnia, readying the new Kingsglaive Mages to do medical recovery on the glaives when they returned. Rebecca eyed the new recruits. There were about twenty new mages, and ten seasoned mages that had been assigned to stay behind and help. There was really no reason for Rebecca to be there, considering she wasn't even a skilled mage. She knew some magic, sure, but her skills were invested in warping and physical combat.
She sighed again, trying to think of something to say. The other girls were visibly nervous- some were fidgeting with their hands or shuffling their feet. She had to make them feel confident while reminding them of the importance of staying focused.
Finally, Rebecca spoke in a strong, confident voice. "You girls are the back bone of this operation. Without you, those guys in the field would be goners." She began to walk to the right along the front row, her heels clicking against the smooth concrete. "Everyone needs to be on guard and focused when our comrades come through that door. Now, everyone knows what squad they're in and who their squad leader is?"
Murmurs of affirmation and confusion floated around the crowd. Rebecca managed to get everyone to settle down again. "Alright, alright. Here's the plan; When those doors open, follow your squad leader to your designated battalion, understand? There was a report of a daemon in the vicinity. That means there will probably be a lot of injuries, maybe even casualties." She looked at the youngest members of the group, some girls who were probably not even eighteen yet. "You're going to see some nasty stuff, so brace yourselves. Be strong, girls. If you all fall, they fall with you."
Rebecca placed her right fist over her heart. "For hearth!"
"And home!" All thirty girls echoed, the smack of their fists against their chests resounding loudly.
For an hour, the group waited in silent torture, until Rebecca heard a sharp beep in her right ear. She pressed the button on the side of her earpiece. "Status?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"Lauwry, how soon can you ready the mages? It's bad." It was Drautos, her captain.
"On your word. We're ready, sir."
"Three minutes."
She lowered her hand and crouched, taking one of her Kurkis and gripping the handle hard. "On my mark," She instructed. Behind her, the mages grabbed their own Kurkis and posed for battle.
One minute went by. Then two.
Three. The giant door began to open, and Rebecca held out her hand to the side, motioning for everyone to wait. Six trucks entered in and skidded to a halt almost in line along the sides of the loading bay.
"Go! Go!" Rebecca suddenly screamed. She stood and threw her Kurkis to the nearest truck, disappearing in a flash of blue light. The long blade lodged into the ground by the door, where she reappeared. Behind her, a squad of mages appeared. She pulled open the door and ushered the uninjured glaives out, directing them to the right before climbing in the van to help get the injured on stretchers. When she was done unloading the wounded, she grabbed her Kurkis and threw it to another truck and did the same. Rebecca moved quickly, warping from one truck to another until all wounded soldiers were out on stretchers. In her hurry, she couldn't look around for the one person she was hoping and praying to still be alive. When she had a spare moment, her green eyes searched the loading bay frantically, scanning every soldier, every mage, without any luck. Rebecca's heart almost stopped until she spotted him helping a mage to carry a fallen glaive.
The Kingsglaive's hero, Nyx Ulric. Her husband of barely a year. She could breath again.
Nix glanced up and saw matched her gaze. His determined frown broke into a crooked smile and he gave her a thumbs up. She nodded to him and turned just as Drautos walked up to her.
"Have a report ready for me by the end of the night. I'll want it in tomorrow morning," Drautos said without looking at her.
Rebecca nodded. "Yes, sir."
For the next three hours, Rebecca warped from truck to truck, checking off the names of those who survived without any injuries, those who were injured, the glaives who died at the loading bay, and the ones who were still MIA. As she neared one truck, she noticed a good friend of hers, Libertus, laid out on a stretcher. He was pushing away a mage who was trying to cast cure on his leg.
"Dammit, that hurts!" Liberties shouted, grimacing in pain.
The mage was a teenager, one of the youngest. Rebecca could tell she was trying hard to handle the situation. "P-please, it'll help with the pain-"
"Liberties Ostium," Rebecca announced, checking off his name on a clipboard supplied by a fellow glaive. She walked forward, interrupting the young mage's shaky spell. "I'll handle this one."
The mage rushed off to another member. Rebecca crouched down next to Libertus, tucking her clipboard under her arm, and held her hands over his chest, preparing to cast a scan spell.
"What's with the leg, Libertus? Don't tell me you tried dying on us."
"Hey, Bec," Libertus greeted her by her nickname through gritted teeth. "It's just a scratch. I got caught under a boulder when we were retreating."
Rebecca began to cast cure on his leg. It wouldn't fix it, but it would give him some relief until he could see a doctor. "Just a scratch, huh?" She laughed a little bit. "I don't think you'll be on active duty for a while, Libertus," She tried to be gentle about it, but then again, it was news he certainly didn't want to hear.
Liberties groaned, but Rebecca couldn't tell if it was because of what she had said or because of the pain. She stood, straightening out her legs. "Just rest now," She ordered him, knowing that he would try to stand, "I'll send someone over shortly to take you to the hospital."
She hadn't even taken a few steps before someone was calling out her name, asking for assistance. Rebecca sighed. It would be a long night.
Rebecca flopped onto her bed, exhausted. As soon as she had entered the small apartment she shared with her husband, all the adrenaline from earlier disappeared. Their apartment had only two rooms- the bathroom and the living room. Their bed was on the right side of the apartment against the wall, a desk and a chair sat adjacent to the door and a TV stand with a small outdated TV stood directly to the left of it. Against the wall to the right of the door was Nyx's chair. A small coffee table was to the right of that. It wasn't much, but it was home.
Rebecca sighed. She hadn't done one bit of that report. Thankfully, there hadn't been many casualties, which was surprising given that there had been a daemon on the field.
Nyx hadn't gotten home yet. Rebecca couldn't find the strength in her to cook, so she pulled out her phone and texted him.
Grab some dinner on your way home?
She tossed her phone aside. It was time to get to work. The glaive walked over to the desk and sat down, picking up a pen, just as she had done many times over the past five years. Rebecca hadn't been in the field for so long, it was hard to remember what actual combat was. In the city it was peaceful, so she had to rely on rigorous training to stay in shape.
She groaned and laid her head on the desk. It was one thing to write about the mission, but another to have actually been there. Ever since she was assigned the role of serving in the Prince's Crownsguard five years ago, all she had done was help with medical work, train, and fill out medical reports. It was grueling. Not that Rebecca minded serving the Prince; She owed the Lucian Royal family a lot for taking her in as a child, and Noctis was a childhood friend of hers. What she did mind was Drautos giving her mindless busywork, making her do paperwork and other trivial things. She was a Kingsglaive, not a secretary.
After a few minutes of contemplating her telling-off-Drautos speech, Rebecca began to actually write the report. She was halfway through the first paragraph when her hand began to cramp.
The door handle jiggled, signaling that her husband was home, and she jumped up, happy to have a distraction from her gods-forsaken work.
"Hey, baby!" Her voice rose in pitch and she hugged Nyx tightly.
Nyx laughed and hugged her back. "Hey," He said casually, shutting the door behind him. Rebecca was beaming- every time Nyx came home from a mission, she could feel all her stress melt away, mainly because he was home and safe. The thought of losing him was her greatest fear, but losing him while he was away was enough to make her knees cave in and her chest feel as if it would explode. But there he was, safe, and totally unharmed.
Sort of.
"What's this all about?" Rebecca asked, frowning. She ran her fingers over a cut on his lower lip, which she hadn't noticed when she spotted him earlier.
"Don't worry about it," Nyx quickly responded. When he saw her skeptical glare, he shrugged and briefly kissed her on her forehead, pushing past her to set two bags of take out on the desk.
"Nyx."
"Rebecca."
She sighed, "You got in a fight."
"It wasn't really a fight-"
"Nyx!"
He threw up his hands, a crooked smile on his face. He loved it when Rebecca got worked up. Her face turned red and her Galaian accent was really prominent, unlike when she was calm. Her accent was hot, and it was too bad he only got to hear it when she was angry. "It wasn't that bad, Bec! Look, I swung and he swung and that was it-"
"You swung first?" Her expression was priceless. Jaw dropped and wide-eyed, Rebecca looked like she had seen a ghost. "Nyx!"
"He started it," Nyx laughed.
The young woman placed her hands on her hips. "You are a grown man, Nyx Ulric. What are you, twelve?"
Nyx stepped closer and place his hands on her hips, smirking in a way that could only make her face redder than it already was. "If I was twelve, then our relationship would be completely inappropriate...Rebecca Ulric," His voice was deep but playful, making shivers go up and down her spine. This was a side of Nyx that he used whenever she was made at him.
Coming back to her senses, Rebecca pushed him away playfully. "Well, then, who was it that made you revert back into your prepubescent days?" She asked, moving over to the bags of food. The delicious smell of the greasy hamburger heaven that was the ChocoFoco food stand wafted through the room, making her mouth water. She was so focused on the sound of her stomach and the smell of the food that she barely heard what Nyx said.
"-Lazarus like always."
The female glaive spun on her heel, fire in her eyes. "Luche? That stupid, pompous son of a bitch- What did he say? Did you give it to him good?"
Nyx almost doubled over in laughter. Rebecca and Luche Lazarus had a shared hatred for each other strong enough to rival that of King Regis and Imperial Ruler Aldercapt. Everyone knew it, and the two did nothing to hide their distaste for one another. Luche hated Rebecca because of her position as the Prince's Kingsglaive, and the fact that, even though her home country of Galaia was untouched by the Empire, she still chose to fight under Lucis. Rebecca hated Luche because, well, because he was Luche.
"Gave him a black eye. Hand over a burger, will you?" Rebecca complied and pulled out a burger, handing it to him. She sat down on the bed and began to chow down. Nyx found a spot in his chair.
After a while of silence- save for the sound of the pair chewing -Nyx swallowed his food and reached for the TV remote. "I was reassigned," He said with a strange tone to his voice. It was a mix of disappointment, embarrassment, and exasperation.
This caught Rebecca's attention. "Wait, what? Reassigned? Why?" She questioned.
"We were on orders to retreat and Libertus's leg got caught under some falling debris. I went back to save him." He sighed, running a hand through his light brown hair. "Drautos put me on west gate duty."
She sighed and moved from her seat to stand by his chair. She rubbed his back. "Oh, baby, that sucks. But you couldn't just leave him there. I'm glad you saved him."
Nyx shrugged. "I'm not exactly looking forward to gate duty, but I can't complain. Libertus is home safe and sound; that's all that counts."
Rebecca smiled. That was why Nyx was the Kingsglaive's hero. He was always thinking of others, even when his job or his life or his wellbeing was in danger. Some people might have seen him as arrogant, but he was honest and trustworthy, and selfless.
"If the gate guys give you any trouble-"
"They won't, Bec. Well, not too much."
"Good. Cause I don't want to have to rough someone up." She winked at him and went back to the desk to finish her burger.
One thing Nyx loved about Rebecca was that she was brutally honest about herself. The young woman never pretended to be someone she wasn't, even when they were dating. She loved food, for example, and didn't hide it. For someone who was only five feet and three inches tall, the woman could put away enough food to put a family of growing boys to shame. Rebecca was physically fit, however, filling her days by training for hours on end. No wonder she ate so much.
Nyx was transfixed, staring at her auburn hair pulled in to a messy bun and her mismatched eyes, which was almost unnoticeable; The splay of light brown freckles on her nose and shoulders, barely visible against her olive skin. The black tribal tattoo wrapping like a ring around her right upper arm was a stark contrast next to her white tank top. There was no doubt about it; Rebecca was one hundred percent Galaian, though her accent was hidden by years of living in Insomnia and speaking English.
"Wha arms moo looing ah?" She asked with a mouthful of food.
Nyx laughed again, "I'm sorry, what was that?"
Rebecca smiled and swallowed. "What are you looking at?" She giggled, rocking back and forth on the bed.
"Nothing. Just remembering," He replied, smiling softly at her.
She wadded up her hamburger wrapper and threw it at him. "You're such a sap!"
He caught it and threw it back, that crooked smirk back on his face. "At least I get my work done!" He exclaimed, gesturing to the papers on the desk.
"You distracted me!"
"Whatever, just get to work!"
Rebecca's heels tapped against the tile floor of the palace, keeping in time with her rushed paced. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, her bangs framing her heart shaped face. She wore the same Kingsglaive uniform as Nyx and Libertus, although it was more form fitting to her figure and had a high collar that clasped together at her throat near her chin. Draped across each shoulder were two cords, one red and the other white, and on her lapel was a silver pin with a medical insignia pinned there. In one of her gloved hands she held the report that was finished earlier that morning. Rebecca was searching for Drautos- he hadn't been in his office, as he had said he would, nor did any of the glaives know his whereabouts. She couldn't even contact him via her ear com.
After some searching, she heard his voice around the corner. Rebecca jogged a little to the end of the hall, and then turned to go around the corner-
-and bumped right into someone. The result sent her to the floor, though the other person seemed to be alright.
"I'm so sorry!" Rebecca scrambled to her feet, picking up the black fedora that had been knocked to the ground.
The man she had bumped into was probably middle aged, with strong facial features. His red violet hair was striking, and there was a tint of curiosity in his strange, ember eyes. He bowed his head to her. "Fear not," He spoke, his voice smooth and inviting, "I should be the one apologizing, my dear. I wasn't watching where I was going."
Rebecca handed him his fedora, and noticed Drautos standing a few feet away. He wouldn't look at her. "Commander. Do you need something?" Drautos asked. His voice was hard but wavering, as if he was unnerved at her presence.
"Ah, yes..." She reached out to hand him the report. He took it awkwardly. "I've finished the report, sir. It's ready to be reviewed by His Majesty..."
"Captain!" The mysterious man exclaimed, "You don't mean to tell me this is one of your famed Kingsglaive?" He looked her up and down, but not in a creepy, checking-her-out way. More like he was appraising her worth. She shivered. "Certainly not such a poised, beautiful young lady as this is one that fights everyday on the battlefield!"
Drautos seemed to be even more uncomfortable. "This is Rebecca Lauwry, current commander of the Kingsglaive Medical Brigade. Commander, this is-"
The man waved off the introduction, "Now, now, no need to get into that." He smiled at Rebecca, and once again she shivered. "I'd love to stay here and chat, but unfortunately I have business to attend to. It was lovely meeting you, Miss Commander. Perhaps we will meet again."
Rebecca nodded, "Perhaps."
Drautos went to follow the strange man, who had already began walking down the hallway. Rebecca spoke up, "Sir?"
"What?" He asked, almost snappily.
She frowned. Yes, she had seen him irritated, edgy, and downright infuriated before, but never so on edge. "Is something wrong, sir?"
Drautos was silent for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to tell her. Finally, he said, "It's none of your concern, Lauwry."
Rebecca watched his retreating form as he progressed down the hallway. She stood there for a moment, dumbstruck. That man had given her a bad feeling, even though he was polite enough. The way he looked at her reminded her of someone looking at an object they coveted. But who exactly was he? From his attire, she could only assume he was somehow affiliated with the royal family. But there was something malicious in the way he spoke and acted; like he owned the place and everyone in it. There was curiosity in his ember eyes, but also a deep, dangerous, almost sinister gleam there. The thought of it made her want to draw her kurkis and chase after him. Rebecca shook her head. If he really was dangerous, Drautos would have done something, right? But Drautos seemed nervous, and that made her nervous.
Still very much confused, Rebecca exhaled and shifted her weight, wondering what it was she could do next. All that just happened considered, she needed some fresh air. So to the gardens she went.
The Lucian Royal Garden was one of the most beautiful places Rebecca had ever known. The large open area was home to many beautiful flowers and foliage, many of which had come from places all around the continent. Not only that, but it held many of Rebecca's most treasured memories. It was in the garden that she had first met Regis and his son, where she made her first friend, and later where she had her first kiss. She'd spent days there learning and training.
Rebecca walked over to a large potted plant. It's huge leaves were large enough to hide her fully, and they reached out to her, stretched out from stems that seemed to sink into the soft soil. She reached out and touched a large flat leaf, feeling the smooth, somewhat rubbery flesh of the plant in-between her fingers.
Rebecca couldn't help but smile. It was behind this plant that she had first met Noctis. The young prince, who was only seven at the time, had found her hiding spot and called her out. When she refused, scared and alone, he had crawled under the large leaves and sat with her until she was calm enough to come out and meet his father. Since then, she and Noctis were inseparable. They did everything- sleep, eat, play, learn -together until they were forced apart for obvious reasons. Noctis, being two years younger than Rebecca, didn't understand the concept of this at first. Even years later, the two remained as close as siblings.
The stone path wound deeper into the garden, and Rebecca found herself wandering into it's vastness, lost in her own memories.
Like next to the water fountain, where Cor had once trained her to fight after finding out she had skipped her history sessions. The Moon Lilies, where she and Noctis were caught watching the stars after midnight by the palace guards. The butterfly bush, where she had first met Nyx. But a sweeter memory was right under the Galaian Hibiscus tree. Rebecca walked over to admire the tree, which was given to the Lucian royal family as a symbol of good will and peace between Lucis and the Althaean royal family that reigned over Galaia. There was one very special memory that was kept under the exotic pink and red hues of the hibiscus blossoms.
Rebecca smiled softly and closed her eyes. It was a long, long time ago, right when she had turned sixteen. She had just joined the Kingsglaive, and a long day of training had led her to sit against the huge, sturdy trunk. It was that evening an old friend of hers and Noctis' had sat with her after hours of studying, and the two talked for hours- on what, Rebecca couldn't remember. All she remembered was the feeling of his hand on hers, and the quick, spontaneous pressing of one's lips to the others. And then he was gone. Gone to tend to the needs of his young prince. So quick, it was hard to tell if it had actually happened or if it had just been a dream her mind had made up and convinced her to be true.
She stood still for a few moments with her eyes closed, feeling the wind ruffle her ponytail.
The click-clack of stones being disturbed behind her made her flinch and in an instant, her right hand was at her waist, drawing her kurkis.
"You're quite sharp, Mrs. Ulric." A calm, collected voice resounded behind her. She smiled and turned to the source.
"You're the only one who calls me that, even after all these years, Ignis." Rebecca sheathed her kurkis and crossed her arms in mock offense.
Ignis pushed his sharp glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger. "Yes, well," He said curtly, "that is your name now, Mrs-"
"My name is Rebecca, sir," The young glaive quipped, smirking coyly.
Ignis seemed reluctant. "Be that as it may-" In an instant, his glasses were off of his face and in Rebecca's hand. Ignis blinked dumbly for a moment and she laughed, never having seen him look so confused.
"Mrs. Ulric," He said, not once letting his irritation show, "I will inform you that those corrective lenses, while not necessary, are still a fundamental part of my daily activities and therefore-"
Rebecca laughed and warped to the other side of the tree. "Enough with your trivial long sentences and overly dramatic way of describing objects!" She exclaimed gallantly in an attempt to mock him. "If you want your corrective lenses back, you'll just have to fetch them, won't you?"
Now he was starting to crack. This was man of fine breeding, education, discipline and honor. Rebecca would be damned if she didn't make him squirm.
"Mrs.-" Ignis reached out to grab his glasses, but she spun out of the way.
"Hmm? Did you say something, Ignis?" She smiled wickedly and dodged him again.
Ignis was getting irritated, but of course it was hard to tell. He had been trained all his life to avoid showing too much emotion, as emotion could hinder his own better judgement. However, the way his old friend's eyes lit up and how her laughter rang out made something in his chest swell. He had to end the crazy red-head's game before it got the best of him.
"Rebecca!" Ignis suddenly snapped, his strong voice thundering through the garden. She only smiled. Sure, the Prince's advisor was cool, collected, and composed, but he had quite a short temper if one pushed the right buttons.
Rebecca walked up to him and handed him his glasses. "Thank you," She smiled at him, and he glanced away as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Are you busy? Why don't we take a walk and catch up?" It had been forever since they had seen each other, but Ignis was still the gentleman he was when they were kids.
"I'm always a busy man, but I suppose I can spare a few moments. If you will," He held out his arm.
"What are you doing here?" Ignis inquired as she took his arm. They began to walk along the stone path. "Surely a commander's work is never done."
Rebecca shook her head. She thought about telling Ignis what she had seen, but couldn't find the words. Instead, she explained she had needed some air.
The pair walked for a bit and talked some, but mostly they just enjoyed each others company. It had been four long years since she had talked to her childhood friends. She actually hadn't seen Ignis, Prompto, or Gladiolus since she graduated high school, and even though she was Noctis's kingsglaive, they rarely got to see each other, much less talk.
A sharp, abrupt beep brought her attention from Ignis to the earpiece in her right ear. She let go of his arm and walked a few paces ahead, signaling to him with one finger to hold on.
"What's up?"
"The king wants to see you for your reassignment, Lauwry." Drautos's voice sounded course over the com.
"My reassignment, sir?" No one had told her about any reassignment.
"Yes. Get to the Throne Room immediately."
"Yessir." She sighed and turned to Ignis, who was waiting patiently. He had said he was busy, but he seemed to be in no rush. "I'm sorry, Ignis, but His Majesty wants to see me for something."
He briefly lifted his shoulders in what Rebecca could only describe as a polite shrug. "Do what you must; Don't let me interfere with your work."
She smiled and patted his arm. "It was so nice seeing you again, Ignis. We should catch up sometime."
She thought she saw a brief smile flicker over his features, but his facial expression hardly changed. "It was nice to see you as well, Rebecca. Hopefully our next meeting will not be as far off it was this time." He told her, smiling again briefly.
Rebecca honestly felt a little awkward about leaving him there, in the garden alone. When she and Nyx got married, she could tell it had affected her and Ignis's friendship, but couldn't figure out why.
As she made her way to the throne room she pondered over the differences in her friendship with Ignis pre- and post-marriage, but nothing added up. At first, he would barely speak to her after the wedding and only nodded to her in the hallway to show his acknowledgment. However, as time passed, he began to open up more again. Ignis was skilled at hiding his emotions, which made it hard tell how he felt about her.
She pushed this thinking out of her head as she approached the throne room. Just as she did, the mysterious man from before was exiting the room. Rebecca didn't say anything to him, but as they past each other, he turned his face to her and she thought she had saw his face contort into something...unreal. His eyes were black and he had yellow irises. But when she blinked, his eyes were ember instead of black and his face was back to normal. He simply smiled at her and nodded his head. She nodded back, but didn't smile.
Inside, she walked until she was at the bottom of the steps that led to the throne, and bowed down to one knee. Rebecca stared at the marble floor and the way her face reflected in it like a mirror. She knew the king was staring down at her. King Regis was a fair, understanding king, but he did not take any crap from anyone.
"Rebecca Lauwry Caelum." King Regis's regal voice boomed through the throne room, making her flinch.
A long time ago, just after she left Galaia, some kind hunters had found her walking down the road in Duscae, and took her to Hammerhead, where she lived for a while before the owner, Cid, contacted Regis to take her in, as the damage done by her previous captors ran too deep for the mechanic to help her. It was hard enough to take care of his granddaughter on his own, and a little girl who didn't speak English and couldn't read or write in either language proved to be too much for him. Regis, after hearing her story, had decided to adopt her to keep her legally in Lucis without having her as apart of the royal family, which would have caused international controversy.
Of course, there was more to the story, but Rebecca repressed those memories.
That was why she didn't hold the royal name of Lucis as her middle name, and used her legal (given to her by his majesty) middle name, Lauwry, as her maiden name. Regis never called her by her full name. Nervousness began to build up in her stomach.
Was he planning on sending her back to Galaia? Had the Galaian government finally found her? Now that she was twenty-three, she was legally a citizen of Insomnia, but she had been smuggled illegally into the country as a child. There were no birth records in Lucis of her.
Regis spoke. "Raise your head, child."
She did as she was told. Regis was smiling gently at her. He extended his hand to her, "Come. There is something we need to discuss."
Rebecca stood and walked up the center stairs, her boots clicking against the marble. She took his hand and let him guide her to the tall window. Regis seemed to be limping worse than usual; the humid weather must have been making his bad leg ache. At first, Regis didn't say anything. Then, he spoke, but it was not what she was expecting.
"My son is to be wed."
Rebecca's eyebrows shot up, her pink lips parting slightly. "Noctis? Married?" She questioned, baffled. Noctis was the shyest person on the whole continent, if not the world. It was hard enough to get him to talk to any girl that wasn't Rebecca or the maids in the palace. When they were teens, he would freak out even if he saw a bikini-clad girl on the beach. How was he supposed to...?
She shook her head at the thought, even though it was hard to imagine Noctis hooking up with someone. The thought of him proposing to some girl was unbelievable.
"Yes. There is no other way to end this gods-forsaken war." It was a joyous thing, but Regis didn't sound enthralled. Instead, he sounded exhausted and concerned.
So that was it. Noctis' marriage was arranged. The thought crushed her; She wanted him to be happy, not married to someone he didn't know. Noctis was a shy, intelligent young man, and many people misunderstood his quietness for apathy. He needed someone who could crack his hard exterior and love the gentle soul underneath.
"So the Empire seeks peace, then?" Rebecca asked, turning to face the window. Her reflection betrayed her, revealing all the emotions she would rather keep secret.
Beside her, Regis sighed heavily. "I fear it seeks more than that..." Something in his voice made her turn her head and look at her, and she noticed how there were more lines in his face than there was the last time she saw him, how the bags under his eyes were dark with endless nights without sleep. Always carrying the weight of the crystal on his shoulders.
"Regis..." She began softly, momentarily forgetting her place and who she was talking to.
"...I am strong, Rebecca, but I am tired. I can no longer keep the Empire at bay." The old king placed a hand on her shoulder. He squeezed it gently. "Noctis will depart from Insomnia and go to Altissia. There, he will wed the Oracle, Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret-"
Rebecca gasped. "Lunafreya? She's alive!"
Regis nodded, but didn't expand on the subject. Instead, he said, "I want you to go with him." She opened her mouth to protest but he interrupted her, "Please, Rebecca. I fear dark times are coming. Someone needs to stand by him, help him remember himself in times of darkness." He turned to face her fully and took both of her hands in his own. "I know the past years have been hard, Rebecca. I have denied you your freedom for too long. No more will you wander the halls of this city, bound by the Old Wall. I-"
"Your wall has protected me from the demons of my past," Her voice was quiet, barely an echo in the spacious room. "For that, I am ever grateful. I will accompany Noctis, and stand by him."
A warm smile spread across his face, and Regis squeezed her hands. His eyes sparkled with mirth and a little of the old Regis (the him from when the war had first started) began to show through. "I am grateful to you, Rebecca. Please. Make sure you go with him, and keep him safe."
"You have my word, your Highness." Rebecca nodded and bowed. After all, how could she deny her king? All these years, he had protected, educated, fed, clothed, and loved her as his own. She was flattered that Regis wanted her to go, but why her? Why not Nyx, or Crowe? She was only a medic, not really even that. Doubt coiled itself in her belly. She needed to talk to Nyx that night.
The Empire wanted peace, huh? But Rebecca had a bad feeling about it.
As she turned to leave, Regis spoke once more.
"And Rebecca?"
"Sir?"
"Keep this to yourself, please."
"...Yes sir."
The streets of Insomnia were lit brightly with colorful yellow, red, and orange lights as the Lucian night life came into full swing. The streets were crowded with food vendors, bars, and clubs, and people filled the pathways and roads as they made their way to go party or eat and drink. Music played loudly from all around, a mixture of fast guitar strums, deep drumming, and the click of heels and soles on the concrete as people danced and walked and ran.
Nyx was walking to the food stand he and his friends frequented, his Kingsglaive coat slung over one shoulder and a beer in the other hand. He hadn't seen Rebecca all day, but she had sent him a text message telling him they need to talk when they got home.
He walked down to the few steps to the platform where the food stand was. Libertus, Crowe, Rebecca, and Pelna all sat around the single table on the little veranda. Luche was standing near the railing, observing silently.
Libertus was the first to greet him. "Hey! Rough day down at the gate, eh?"
Nyx shot him a look, but Crowe was the one who spoke. "You jerk! It's your fault he got stuck there!" She exclaimed, shoving his broken leg and making him groan in pain.
"Not a very nice welcome for a big hero," Nyx smirked, catching Rebecca's eye. He winked at her.
Crowe stood and gave him a once over, raising her eyebrows at his disheveled appearance. She commented, "Not a very nice outfit for one, either."
"It brings out my eyes," Nyx shot back, making her chuckle. He walked around Pelna to the other side of the table. Rebecca stood and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before sitting down again. He slung his jacket over the railing, moved Libertus' jacket that was in his seat, and sat in-between her and his childhood friend.
Libertus made a strangled sound and spit out the shiksa bob he was eating. He turned to the food stand owner with his face twisted in disgust. "What'd you put in this? Tastes like a Chocobo turd!"
"Hey, shut your trap!" The owner said angrily, pointing at him, "This ain't Galahd; that's the way folks around here like it!"
Libertus's eyes got wide in mock surprise. "Oh, well, I'm glad to see your willing to sell out our heritage for a few extra gil!"
Before things could escalate, Rebecca reached across and smacked his arm. "Libertus, shut it!" She looked up at the owner with pleading eyes, "Seriously don't mind him. He's always an asshole."
"Hey-" Libertus protested.
Nyx looked down at Libertus' jacket, which was dropped across his arm. A bottle of pain medicine was stuffed into the pocket. He frowned, looking up at Libertus, who had begun to argue with Crowe.
"Hey, Libertus, you thank Nyx yet for saving your life?"
"Oh, c'mon, Crowe, Nyx and I are too close for that. He helps me, I help him; that's the way it's always been."
Rebecca rolled her eyes. Nyx and Libertus were childhood friends, having known each other from Galahd. Nyx tried to be a good influence on him, but Libertus was trouble all his own.
Nyx gestured with Libertus' jacket, "Looks like you got some help from something else, huh?"
"I need all the help I can get," The other Glaive said, grabbing his jacket.
Pelna walked over and handed Nyx a drink before sitting down next to Crowe. "For hearth," He said, lifting up his glass.
"And home," The the others chorused as they lifted their drinks.
Nyx glanced at Rebecca, who was surprisingly relaxed even though Luche was only a few feet away. Normally the two couldn't stand to even be in the same room together. He noted her half empty glass of scotch. She was never much of a drinker. Luche must've gotten on her nerves already.
After a few minutes of silence and eating, Pulna spoke. "So, Nyx the Gatekeeper," He chuckled, "How's the new post treatin' ya?"
Nyx took a bite of his shiksa bob and chewed before shaking his head. "Oh, it's amazing. You guys would love it. The gate watchers are real sweethearts," Nyx said sarcastically.
Pulna laughed, "Yeah right." His voice was suddenly serious, "We all know they hate us outsiders more than anything. They're so bored, they got nothing better to do."
"Well boredom's not so bad. Means there's peace, at least." Nyx shrugged. He knew the gate watchers hated them. He tried not to let it get to him earlier that day, but one of the guards had mentioned Nyx's wife in a particularly crude racist joke and he almost snapped. Nyx turned his head, speaking to everyone. "I'd fight a hundred more wars for it to stay this way."
Rebecca couldn't help but smile at him softly.
Pelna smirked, "Yeah, well, fight all you want, but just don't go dying yet." Beside him, Crowe's jaw dropped before she began shaking her head. Rebecca chuckled. Pelna raised his glass to Nyx. "I still owe you. A lot."
"I think you all owe Nyx, hmm?" Rebecca said, taking a bite of food. Pelna raised an eyebrow, amused.
"And you don't?"
"I'm the one who said, 'yes'. If anything, he owes me."
Nyx elbowed her in the side, almost making her choke on her food. She kicked him under the table.
"Where would the Glaive be without it's hero." Libertus muttered bitterly.
"Libertus!" Rebecca gasped at him.
"Can you not talk like this while we're drinking, please?" Crowe snapped at him. She gestured with her hands in the air. "Besides, we sent the Niffs running with their tails between their legs, right?"
Suddenly Luche, who had been observing quietly, spoke up. He walked away from the railing to them. "They weren't running from us. They were toying with us."
Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Rebecca inwardly groaned, having forgotten that Luche was even there. She took another shot of whiskey as Nyx spoke.
"Don't be such a buzzkill, Luche. We all...saw what happened."
"Some of us saw what happened," Luche said pointedly, glaring at Rebecca. She slammed her glass down on the table with unnecessary force, turning in her chair to look at him. The owner of the stand stopped what he was doing to glare at both of them.
"You really wanna go there tonight?" She challenged.
Luche stepped forward, making her stand up from the table. Nyx reached up and grabbed her wrist. "If you weren't too busy being Drautos' pet, you'd have been there to fight like the glaive you're supposed to be," Luche said loudly.
"And if you weren't too busy being the resident asshole, you'd stop being such a coward and lead the glaive like you supposed to be!" She shouted. Luche lunged, but Pelna stood, grabbing his shoulder before he could do anything.
Simultaneously, Rebecca moved, but Nyx gripped her wrist and pulled her down, pinning her to his side with one arm. "Babe," He muttered neared her ear, "You know he isn't worth it." She didn't answer, but he felt her relax against him.
Ignoring Rebecca, Luche continued talking to Nyx. "Well did you know they sent an envoy to the citadel after that?"
"What for?" Libertus asked, "To offer their surrender?"
"More like demand ours."
Nyx shook his head "What?" He asked incredulously.
"Demand? My ass!" Libertus exclaimed loudly.
Rebecca's thoughts went to the strange man that had been with Drautos, but she dismissed the thought. What business would the captain have with an envoy from the empire?
"Think about it," Luche challenged, "The Empire has Lucis on it's last legs. It's the perfect time to make demands."
He was right, and everyone knew it. Rebecca took another shot, making Nyx frown. She only drank when she was stressed, which seemed to be more often, and he was worried about addition. He pushed the flask of whiskey across the table. Pelna shoved his bowl away, no longer interested in eating.
The rest of the night went downhill from there. Lucie's little spiel had put a damper on everyone's mood, and no one felt like joking or drinking. Eventually they all said their goodbyes and goodnights, and went their separate ways. Nyx and Rebecca walked home, with her leaning on him more than usual due to how much she drank. She wasn't drunk, but the alcohol in her system made her giggly and Nyx didn't want to risk her getting hurt.
When they got home, Nyx helped Rebecca set down on the bed and then went to change into some clothes to sleep in. When he exited the bathroom, Rebecca was already dressed for bed; a tank top and some shorts. Her head was in her hands, an unusual act for the Galaian. He nudged her head with his elbow and sat down next to her.
"What's wrong?" He asked, rubbing the space between her shoulder blades with one hand. It was something he found calmed her when she was stressed.
She sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging with the weight of her burden. Nyx watched her with eyes full of concern. Finally, she spoke. "I have to leave soon."
"Some kind of mission?"
"You could say that."
Nyx waited for her to say more, but she didn't. Rebecca was always so open with him, it sent little shocks of pain through his chest that she wouldn't tell what was on her mind. "If Drautos said not to say anything-"
"Drautos didn't. The king did."
That stopped him. His eyes focused on the dark T.V. "...What for?"
She was silent. His hand rested in one spot, the center of her back. Rebecca only got this silent when she was questioned about her past, something he had stopped long ago, or when she awoke in the middle of the night, screaming from nightmares of her childhood. The silence between them was too much. "Becca, please. What's going on with you?"
She shook her head, wiping at her eyes. "Noctis is going on a trip, and Regis wants me to go with him."
"That's it-"
She suddenly turned to him, her eyebrows draw together in a mix of concern and fear. "Nyx, this is happening for a reason. Something bad is coming; you heard Luche."
"Luche is a cranky, ornery guy with too much time on his hands," Even as he said it, he was trying to convince himself that it was true. Rebecca rested her head on his shoulder, tucking herself under his arm.
"I'm scared, Nyx." Her voice was quiet.
Nyx kissed the top of her head. "I am, too, Becca. I am, too. I promise everything will be okay. How long will you be gone?"
"I don't know. But Nyx- what if something happens while I'm gone?"
He turned to her, making her look up at him. "Nothing will happen. You'll go on this trip, have lots of fun, relax, and when you come home, I'll be here waiting for you."
"You're not going to run off with another woman, huh?" She said, laying her head back on his shoulder. A smile cracked her sad face, breaking some of the tension.
She felt his chuckle vibrate through his body. "I wouldn't dream of it."
He leaned his head onto hers, breathing in the soft mint smell of her hair. Her hand found his and their fingers tangled together. For the longest time, the two sat like that, knowing it would be next to the last time they spent together.
The next few days passed by in a blur. Rebecca had to make arrangements; as the Kingsglaive Medical Brigade's commander, she couldn't just take off without assigning someone to take over her position in her absence. She also had to pack, but she wasn't going to take much: a change of clothes, one being her Crowsguard clothes, and the other being casual street clothes. She had to remember how to summon weapons; after all, all she really needed since being a commander was her Kurkis.
Without warning, the day came.
She wasn't wearing her Kingsglaive uniform, opting for her Crownsguard clothes instead. Unlike her Kingsglaive uniform, these clothes were more causual; a dark navy corset/vest under a black leather jacket, dark skinny pants, and black boots. He hair was up in it's signature pony tail, tied back by a velvet green ribbon.
"Rebecca!" Prompto almost screamed, hugging her tightly. "I haven't seen you in ages! Are you coming with us?"
She laughed and hugged the blonde back. They were standing in the Citadel, waiting for King Regis. When she pulled away, she poked his chest, examining him. "I am. Look at you! Been working out?"
Prompts stepped back and flexed his scrawny arms. He had muscle, but it was more of a lean, almost lanky kind of look. "You noticed, huh? Pretty impressive, right?" He smiled crookedly at her, his sharp face softened by the spray of freckles that spotted his skin. She rolled her eyes in a sort of mocking way.
"Oh yeah. I'm going to swoon."
"Just don't faint," Gladiolus smirked, crossing his large arms. Although he was younger than her, he towered over her small frame in a menacing way, but she only gasped mockingly.
Rebecca put her hands on her hips, "You mean you wouldn't catch me?"
He laughed, a deep sound that rumbled through the room. "You're a big girl. I'd laugh when you hit the floor."
She clicked her tongue, turning her head away. "Some gentlemen you are. Iggy? Noct? You two would catch me, right?"
Noctis, who was standing closest to her, shrugged. "If Prompto is why you're fainting, you deserve to hit the floor." His striking blue eyes and piercing gaze looked at her hard for a moment before he smiled dazzlingly. The crown prince of Insomnia truly was a sight to behold, but his charm did nothing to Rebecca.
"Gee, thanks," She elbowed him, hard. Looking at Ignis, she asked, "Iggy?"
"I couldn't say," Ignis commented, pushing up his glasses. "I'd do my best to keep you from sustaining any harm. Though his highness might be right in his statement..."
She threw up her hands, exasperated. "I can't believe you guys!"
Prompto winked at her flirtatiously. "You can fall into my arms anytime, Rebecca," He said with that crooked smile that would have sent any girl into a fit of giggles. Rebecca only sighed and shook her head.
"Thanks, Prompto."
Noctis nudged her and began walking up the stairs that led to the platform directly in front of the throne, where Regis was to sit. It was good timing, too, because not a second after the five took their places did Regis walk into the room from the door to the right of the throne, Drautos at his side. Everyone waited in silence as the king limped slowly up the stairs and took his seat. He waited a moment, carefully looking over each of them. Then, he spoke.
"The decreed hour is come," Regis looked down on his son sternly, "Set forth with my blessing, Prince Noctis."
Noctis bowed deeply. "Thank you..your...majesty," He said awkwardly. It was strange to address his father so formally. He couldn't meet his father's gaze.
Regis paid no mind to the blunder. "Take your leave, and go in the grace of the gods."
"Right," Noctis breathed, almost nervously. He turned and began to walk down the steps. His Crownguard stared at each other, confused. They had been expecting something more, a speech, maybe, or some kind of ceremony. As Noctis continued to walk away, all four quickly bowed to the king before following the prince with rushed footsteps.
As they exited the Citadel, conversation broke out once more.
"Well, princes will be princes," Prompto said, resting his arms behind his head and stretching the muscles in his back.
Ignis sighed, "So much for royal protocol."
Gladio, who was walking next to Rebecca, shrugged. "Not like you had to deliver a formal address," He commented, rotating his shoulder.
"It wasn't too bad," Rebecca reassured Noctis, patting him on the back.
Suddenly, Drautos called out from behind them, making everyone turn around. "Your highness!"
Regis was trying to come down the stairs quickly, but his limp made the process painfully slow. Noctis sighed, slightly annoyed. "What now?" he muttered before rushing up the steps to his father's side. He held out his arm to help Regis, but the old king waved it away.
"I fear I have left too much unsaid," Regis said quickly, taking a few steps forward, "You place a great burden on those who would bear with you."
Noctis laughed a little. He gestured to Regis. "You're one to talk."
Regis didn't answer him, instead turning to Rebecca, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus. "I ask not that you guide my wayward son, merely that you remain by his side." Noctis glanced back nervously, embarrassed by his father's choice of words.
Ignis and Rebecca both bowed. "Indeed, Your Grace," Ignis said.
"We'll see the prince to Altissia if it's the last thing we see," Gladiolus stated firmly.
Prompts agreed with him, "Yeah, what he said."
Noctis turned to them. "Hate to break this up, but Cor's got the motor running," he said quickly, embarrassed by all the attention. He started back down the stairs. "Drautos, he's in your hands."
Rebecca noticed a shadow pass over Drautos' face at the comment, but when she blinked it was gone.
"...And another thing," Regis suddenly said. It was almost as if he were trying to say something but couldn't find the words. Instead, he only smiled and said, "Do mind your manners around your charming bride-to-be."
Noctis smiled at the jab and walked back up the steps to his father. He bowed deeply and said, in an almost mocking way, "Your Majesty, as well. Try to mind yours around our esteemed guests from Niflheim."
Ignis nudged Rebecca's elbow and she nodded. She followed him, Prompto, and Gladiolus to the Regalia so that Noctis and Regis could have some time alone. As they neared the car, Cor nodded at Rebecca. She nodded back, knowingly. Cor had taught her all she knew about fighting, since he had trained her from a young age. Prompto practically bounced to the car.
"Can I drive? Please?"
"Absolutely not," Ignis replied instantly. Prompto pouted.
"Oh, pleeeeeeease? Just to Hammerhead? Pretty Please?"
Ignis sighed and rubbed his temples. Rebecca looked at the gunslinger warily, "Prompto, do you even know how to drive?"
"Sure I do! I just don't have a car."
"Fine," Ignis agreed begrudgingly, "But as soon as we get to Hammerhead, your assigned seat is the passenger or back seat. Understood?"
Prompto punched the air, a wide smile on his face. "Yes! Thanks Iggy!"
By that time, Noctis had joined them, and the five all piled into the car. Noctis took the window seat behind the driver seat (the look on his face when Prompto got behind the wheel was priceless), Rebecca slid in next to him and Gladiolus sat next to her. It was a snug fit, but not completely uncomfortable. Ignis sat in the passenger seat to keep an eye on Prompto.
And they were off.
-_-A few hundred miles outside of the city-_-
"It's been some while. Do you remember the last time you saw Lady Lunafreya?" Ignis asked Noctis.
"About...twelve years ago?" Noctis looked over at Rebecca for confirmation.
She nodded, "It was just about a year after I went to live in the city, so yeah. Twelve years."
Prompto spoke up, draping his hands across the top of the steering wheel. "That would make you..eight? You were kids-" Prompto turned around in the seat to face them but Ignis pointed ahead, giving him a stern look. The blonde settled back in his seat, facing forward.
"Hope she hasn't gotten her hopes up," Gladiolus said, looking at Noctis. Rebecca and Prompto both laughed.
The raven haired prince shot him a look. "Why not?" To Prompto and Rebecca, he gave a curt, "Get a hold of yourselves."
Gladiolus shook his head, "Just try and keep it together when you meet her."
Before Noctis could retort back, Ignis stated, "She'll expect to see a fine young prince-"
"Tell me something I don't know."
"We don't have time for all that." Rebecca laughed loudly. Noctis elbowed her in the side. Ignis continued, "But...This is your wedding we're talking about, Noct."
"I knew that, too."
"Did you really?" Rebecca smirked.
"Would you pipe down?" Noctis snapped, but he was smiling. Prompto laughed, but it was cut short by several loud popping sounds. His laugh turned from gleeful to nervous as the car slowed down without him easing off the gas.
"Uh..uh-oh."
"What do you mean, 'uh-oh'?"
"I think I know..."