Her warm fingers … yes, hold on tight, Luna. A little squeeze and a complacent smile. I see Ravus flustering when mother tells him to hold out his arm so she can hold both her children. He's turning red, looking about nervously at the other Tenebrae officials gathered.
"Come, Ravus," Mother grips his arm tightly and teases him like she would when he cried as a child, "Don't tell me you're too big a boy to be seen with mommy?"
"Mother...! I'm almost a knight! I should be protecting you with them-!"
"And you'd do such a better job next to me then, won't you?"
The skin around mother's eyes crinkle as she smiles infectiously. Ravus cannot help but crack a small grin. We jubilantly descend the steps together. It's a wonderful day for the King Regis of Lucis to visit. The day could not be any more perfect.
As always, the ivory white towers of the Tenebrae palace glisten with the wet dew dripping from the emerald trees and the select rays of soft sun through the treetops. It's a little chilly, so I've made care to don my gray cloak. Ravus insisted I leave my hair combed and undone. Maybe I'll grow it out and braid, and pin it up like mother someday.
The King walks toward us slowly from the forest path. He parks his limo at the road in respect for the natural surroundings. Mother says he comes alone so the Niflheim cannot easily detect his absence from Insomnia.
Niflheim … The mention of the empire only makes me feel cold and empty. They began seizing lands that held a crystal, adding to their maniacal, insatiable hunger for land and power. There used to be many Crystals, but now, only the one of Lucis is free of Niflheim. It scares me sometimes, to think the empire just beyond our walls may come bearing down upon us with their horrible demons and formidable machines at any given moment. Tenebrae would not stand a chance. We and Lucis are the only nations still free of their tyranny. It's no secret, their plebiscites and oppressive reigns are well known to us in the royal family.
"Lady Sylva, Lady Lunafreya, and Sir Ravus..." King Regis takes my mother's hand, "It has been too long."
"Yes, you silly old man," My mother smiles gently, "What kind of a father are you to visit your son so little?"
"I trust he is well in your care," He laughs, "He's more fond of Luna than of me."
"That's not true, your highness," I quip, "He speaks highly of you quite often."
"Ah," A pleased tone is evident, despite him trying to hide his paternal pride, "I'm … very glad to hear that."
"Luna? Go fetch the young Prince, will you?" Mother ushers softly, "I'm sure he must be tiring of Gentiana by now."
"Ah, no, some scholarly talk will do him good..." I hear his majesty say as I walk back inside.
I push open the door to Noctis' convalescence room. Pryna and Umbra run up to greet me eagerly, their tongues out and panting. Noctis rolls up to me in his wheelchair.
"Dad's here?"
"Yes."
"You … didn't say anything … weird did you?"
"No," I chuckle, "Gentiana, we'll be going now."
She nods as I wheel him off.
"So, what did you two talk about today?"
"Mm, she had me reading a book on the Caelum dynasty. Then I told her I was bored, so she gave me a book on legends instead."
"You can't just be bored! Those lessons are important! You're going to be king!"
"Yeah? Well what about you? You're an oracle!"
"That's less of a job than what's cut out for you," I reply, "Governing a country! However will you amount to that if you don't start shaping up-"
"... Yeah, I know! I know!" He growls a little impatiently.
I clamp my mouth shut. He gets like this when the coming of kingship is mentioned. Mother has told us to stop talking about it once it makes him uncomfortable. I would rather he face this episode of angst head-on, but I don't want him to clam up and go sulking.
"... I didn't mean to yell," He says more quietly. But he doesn't apologize. Typical Noctis.
"... I know, my anxious prince," I get in front of him and run my finger upwards on his nose, making him flinch, "And I haven't told anyone of the little vow either."
"Good," He smiles a little childishly, "That'd be embarrassing."
"Hm..."
He holds out his pinkie, and I grasp it with mine, in ancient ritual.
And I stake my life … upon this vow!
Our fingers part. The touch fades. A mere moment lost in time upon time.
I resume transporting him to the courtyard, where the small gathering awaits eagerly to assess his health. King Regis chats colloquially with mother, and Ravus seems just so foolish trying to look like mother's guard.
"Dad!"
"Noctis!" He bends down to embrace his son, "How have you been? How are you feeling?"
"Lots better in the last few days. I may be able to return to Insomnia soon! Right, Lady Sylva?"
Mother nods graciously. The king breathes a sigh of relief.
We laugh and banter. Mother, me and Ravus, Noctis and King Regis … You couldn't find a more beautiful scene. Or one more foolish.
Just as slow as it had built up, how swiftly it all came down! Like a sudden storm, Niflheim soldiers came barreling in, dropped from their airships. They began spraying bullets and I watched many Tenebraen's fall like dominoes before the onslaught. I quickly grab Noctis and retreat towards the far end of the yard, where the castle entrance is. Sudden heat makes me turn my head and I see the fire of napalm scorch several servants. A single knight emerges, unscathed from the flames. The dreaded Knight Glauca.
"RAVUS!" I cry out feebly as I see my brother on the ground clutching his arm. A mechanical soldier raises the muzzle of a blaster at him. Save him, save him, I can only think ... Regardless, my body seems set on saving Noctis. I'm powerless.
Then, in a cruel twist of fate, my mother, who was at Ravus' side, jumped between the soldier and brother. Another plume erupts. Mother's withering silhouette in those flames, my brother's mouth wide in shock, and the knight who merely advanced …
"LUNA!"
I gasp as Noctis' voice tears me away from the horrific slaughter behind us. The cocking of several guns alerts me to the soldiers who now surround us. I glimpse one ready to pull the trigger …
The will of Etro be done, it was like a white blur flashed before both our eyes. The King Regis is running madly toward us, having disposed of the surrounding soldiers. Knight Glauca, having set his eyes on new prey, pounces before the king's path. Regis summons three broadswords to his command and blocks the titan blade, subsequently blasting Glauca into a nearby tree with lightning magic. He grabs Noctis, throwing him over one shoulder, and grabs my hand. We begin running amidst the chaos.
"Come on!" His eyes are fixated fiercely in the forest. To get away, to keep Noctis safe.
"KING!" I hear the beleaguered cries of my brother amid the many more descending soldiers and sounds of shots, screams of dying, feet marching to destruction... "KING REGIS, PLEASE!"
Oh, Ravus … I feel King Regis' hand tighten ever so slightly. The screams continue and every one of Ravus' pleas cut into my heart. Mother's dead … and Ravus, holding her dead, charred corpse …
So I let go.
My fingers slip out of the King's grip ever so smoothly. Our physical connection lost, the king looks back with the greatest surprise, but only so briefly. His hand, now free, seemed to flail a little painfully, now empty. In the small fraction of time our eyes connected, he apologized.
"LUNA! LUNAAAA!" Noctis screams, his hand outstretched and eyes teary, unbelieving, "LUUUNNNAAAA!"
I stand, numb, watching the king quicken pace, and disappear among the green trees. Niflheim soldiers run past me, in futile chase. That's right, you must get away, King Regis, Noctis … You must live...
My fingertips tingled with the lingering touch of the King's departing hand. I grasp reflexively at empty air. Mother's warmth, Noctis' vow, and the King's apology …
A metallic claw suddenly clamps on my wrist and wrenches it painfully upwards. I wince and look up at the helm of Knight Glauca. The magenta lit slits reveal eyes of such hate and scorn. He begins pulling me, wordlessly, towards where my mother lay, and thrust me onto the grass next to a weeping Ravus.
"Foolish choice, Oracle Lunafreya," The cold, harsh voice reverberates from within the armor. With a single rough motion, he tears off my cloak, instead throwing it onto my mother's smoldering body, "All you have done is delay the inevitable."
I stay silent. I can't cry in front of him. I can't show him weakness.
"Ravus … are you alright...?"
I gently pat his shoulder, speaking in a brittle voice. My fingers were trembling, and the chill, despite the fire and destruction, seems ever stronger with the death surrounding us. Ravus' shoulders heave in sobs.
"Mother … mother..."
"Sir Glauca," A soldier salutes the dreaded knight, "Regis and his son have regrettably escaped."
"... Burn the dead. Prepare a squad to welcome the Emperor Aldercapt at once. Tenebrae has fallen."
"No, no...!" A cry tears from my lips and I rise, turning at Glauca. A single cuff of his armored glove sends me sprawling back on the ground. I finger the spot on my jaw where his hit connected. It stings. Ravus is silent, only looking down at the covered body.
"Take these two inside."
We are roughly shoved to our feet and pulled away. I glimpse servants who survived and realize there was no sound of fire in the castle. Gentiana must have surrendered peacefully.
"King … Regis ..."
I swivel immediately at the sound of Ravus' torn voice. He clenches his jaw and tears squeeze out of his eyes closed tight.
"He didn't save us..." He says in a low, whispering voice, riddled with sobs, "He killed her … he killed mother...!"
"Ravus, no...!" I make a grab for his shoulder. I want to tell him not to lose hope, not to give up so easily, "It was Niflheim-"
"Shut up!"
Ravus did not meet my frightened, desperate gaze. His own eyes were misty and clouded.
We come to the main tower base in the palace. Outside is filled with the sounds of airships and soldiers. We simply stand there, until one sound louder than the rest rises. The emperor's ship.
All white noise suddenly tunes out. I can only focus on the striking steps of the descending conqueror. Beside him is Ardyn Izunia. Glauca bows deeply in his presence.
"Good work, Glauca," The emperor chuckles softly, "I suspect it all went smoothly?"
" … My apologies, your majesty … Regis and his son escaped."
"Ah," Ardyn rubs his chin in thought, "What happened? Maybe a certain someone … assisted them?"
The three eye me from the corner of their eyes. I feel my bowels twist as an iron grip closes on my heart. Fear, pure fear.
"The fair princess Lunafreya of Tenebrae, youngest Oracle," Ardyn waltzes over and mockingly bows, catching his hat, "You … do not seem pleased by the turn of events."
I do not look at him. He grabs my chin and positions my head so our eyes are level.
"Smile, all's not lost after all. Tenebrae will retain limited sovereignty under our merciful empire."
"... And who will rule?"
Ardyn smiles knowingly and backs off, his hands in mock surrender. His left arm is adorned with an ornament, making it resemble a crow's wing. Vile bird, you embrace none and hold no truth...
"Take the princess and lock her upstairs," Iedolas casts me a look of disdain. He then looks softer to Ravus, who's muttering incoherently, eyes downcast, "Are you alright, young man?"
"No … NO! Ravus, don't-" A soldier presses the point of his gun hard on my back and nudges me up the stairs to my room, "You can't … you can't-!"
The emperor looks up at me with a mocking sneer as I climb. He leans over my brother's shoulder and talks softly so I can't hear. The serpent's silver tongue planted a venom in the brother I knew …
"Stay here and shut up."
The door slams shut. I stand numb for a few seconds before trying to force the door down in futility. Then the loneliness descends, along with despair … and the dreading realization of what we feared most. My breath stops and I begin to sob. Tears begin cascading nonstop. I can only see it now: mother, burned to ash before Ravus; King Regis, running only to save Noctis and me; and I, who let go of salvation to be swallowed in the belly of the beast. The fleeting touch is but a memory. I clench my hand reflexively.
No … it's not all lost … not yet. As long as you remain free, Noctis. As long as you and your father are alive … Lucis will continue to oppose Niflheim. And even if Insomnia should fall … I will not waver. I have hope … that mother died not in vain. Ravus, I hope you won't succumb to the lies of the devilish serpent who now holds our land in a vice-grip. You don't have to blame yourself, or Regis for mother's death.
And thus, I make this solemn vow...
I clasp my trembling hands and will them to stop. I must stand firm and resolute if I am to make my stand against the Niflheim Empire.
"Noctis … may I see you again in this life, I wonder?"
What a foolish thought. I smile to myself, having entertained such thoughts. Even if we didn't meet again … our vow will have existed. If only for a brief moment in time.