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...

Hammerhead was generally a pleasant place. It wasn't a city, merely served as a garage first and a rest stop second. The best part about it for crown citizens was the fact that it was so close to Insomnian borders. Whether someone was coming or going, the convenience of the garage kept it busy. Another semi-pleasant feature of the place was its owner, Cid Sophiar. Some ten years ago the man went on an adventure with King Regis, Clarus Amicitia and Weskham Armaugh. Cor knew all about it, had been around long enough to befriend all of them and even fought alongside them on the Accordo front lines. It was one of the reasons he stopped here at the garage instead of continuing through all the way to Insomnia. The other reason was simply because it was dark out and travelling with an infant was not a good risk to take with daemons. That's what the man told himself anyway, not wanting to admit his reluctance to enter the Crown City after all this time.

The sun was setting just as he entered the safety of Hammerhead and Cor looked around for the garage owner. Thankfully the large steel door was open with the lights on. Cid himself was getting ready to close up for the day but the man never actually stopped working. Heaving a sigh, Cor approached in a near nervous manner. It had been a few years and he avoided Hammerhead because of its proximity to his former home. That didn't make anything easier.

"Well I'll be," Cid took notice of the man, "What do ya reckon we got here?"

"Cid," Cor nodded at him.

"Yer a sight for sore eyes. What brings ya 'round these parts?"

"Pit stop."

"Reggie know about this?"

At hearing the name of the King, Cor stiffened. It was almost like a blow, one that he deserved after the way he had been acting.

"He will," replied Cor, "I'm going home."

Cid raised a brow, studying the man carefully. Years had passed since the last time Cor was seen by a familiar face. He was sent away to get his head together but Cid remembered the look on the former soldiers face the day he came through here. There was no trace of that broken man here anymore, a new resolve seeming to shine in his light blue eyes.

"It's about damn time," Cid smiled wryly.

Cor nodded, coming into the garage as the old man clapped his friend on the shoulder. Lilium, who had been sleeping pretty much the entire journey from Lestallum, decided that this was her chance to make her presence known. She let out a cry, though it wasn't nearly as loud as the first time Cor heard it. The man was quick to check on her, pulling away the hood covering her to help keep her warm.

"She's not mine," said Cor quickly, catching the look Cid was giving him.

"Orphan?"

"Something like that."

Cid looked down at the infant in the other man's arms. Lilium ceased her wails as soon as she felt something in her hand. Grasping the man's finger tightly in her own fist, her calm hazel stare found his gaze and she smiled.

"Clean yerself up. I'll watch 'er," said Cid.

Lilium was placed in his arms carefully, allowing Cor a moment for his arms to rest. Evangeline had placed the child in his care and it wasn't until he got back to the hotel that he managed to actually figure out his next move. The drunken fog that took over his mind was lifted the moment he locked eyes with the baby in his arms. Somehow, that calm hazel stare managed to bring him back from the brink of insanity. It was a place that he didn't even know he was headed until the moment that he woke up. After he managed to tear his gaze away, he brought his hand toward her only to find that there was blood on it. Further inspection told him it wasn't hers, which meant that it belonged to Evangeline. The Imperials were responsible and Cor instantly regretted throwing her out of his room the night previous. Lilium sneezed and Cor sighed heavily. Now that he was clear-headed he knew that the only place to go from here was Insomnia. The man back on the street definitely saw the exchange and this child was in danger outside of the magical barrier.

That was how Cor ended up in Hammerhead. He managed to find a ride but since Lilium was given to him he didn't have anything he needed for her. So he was forced to hold her the entire time in the car until he finally arrived here at the garage. At least it wasn't much farther to Insomnia. Nodding at Cid and glancing one last time at the baby, he went to the bathroom in order to gather his thoughts further. Cor looked back at his own reflection, really seeing it for the first time in years. It was no wonder Cid insisted he clean up, he was a right mess. He was aware that his appearance was unrecognizable but this was just unacceptable. Haggard, scruffy and downright insulting, Cor knew that there was no way he could present himself in front of the King like this. Sighing, he took a razor to his face.

About an hour or so later, Cor emerged from the bathroom looking completely like his old self. Cid was sitting on the couch with Lilium, telling her a story it seemed. From where he was standing, the former soldier could see her arms coming up and hear her cooing at the words spoken to her. Cid had a son of his own, it wasn't really a shock that he was doing so well with the baby. The younger man cleared his throat a little in order to make his presence known as he came to the couch in order to sit down himself.

"Bit of a runt," said Cid, nodding down at Lilium, "But sure is spirited. Yer gonna have yer hands full."

"I'm not keeping her," replied Cor, his gaze on the child.

"Suit yerself."

Cid shrugged and offered the baby back to the other man. He then stood up, going to the door of his garage and jerking his head for Cor to follow. The two of them walked out and started to make their way to the diner. A clear sky greeted them once they got into the outside air, stars shining brightly alongside the moon. Cor didn't pay them any mind, holding Lilium closer since it was a bit too cool for an infant. The older man ordered them something to eat, Cor politely declining a beer. No sense in falling off the wagon, he had a job to do.

"I'll fix ya with some wheels and a car seat for the little lady by mornin'," said Cid.

"You don't have to do that," said Cor, taking a bite of his food when it arrived.

"I ain't lettin' ya walk back to the Crown City like this. Caravan's on me tonight. You just make sure ya take care of her."

Cor nodded, "Thanks."

There was nothing left to be said. After eating their meal, Cid went back to the garage and Cor took residence in the caravan. He wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do with Lilium since he didn't have a crib so he built a wall around the bed and opted to stay on the couch near her. The baby cooed and occasionally cried but for whatever reason, refusing to sleep. In retrospect, Cor probably shouldn't have let her sleep the entire day in the car but she had just lost her mother and with everything going on it was better to have her resting anyway. Hours passed and still, Lilium refused to even try sleeping. Cor wondered how the hell Evangeline had managed to make it work. Thinking back to everything that happened last night, the song she was singing came into his mind. There was no way that he could replicate it, but maybe there was another way to get her to rest.

Taking a quick look around the caravan, Cor's eyes came across a dusty old book that was lying on the table. Sighing before he picked it up, he came to sit on the ground beside the bed, leaning against it after turning on the closest lamp. Opening the first page, he began to read aloud to her with the hopes that she might quiet down. Her screams could almost shatter glass it seemed like and he wasn't about to owe Cid for repairs. So Cor read and the more he did the more she seemed to calm down. Glancing over at her for a moment he saw that she was hanging onto his every word.

"You like this huh?" he asked her.

She responded by blowing bubbles with her saliva and Cor had no choice but to chuckle at her. Going back to the book with a light smile occupying his face, he hardly noticed when she finally fell asleep nor when he managed to pass out himself on the floor with the book halfway read and left open in his lap.

...

Cor left Hammerhead first thing in the morning. As promised, Cid had a car waiting with a seat for Lilium to travel in safely. The two men shared a brief farewell and then Cor was on his way. It wasn't that far to the border of Insomnia, the line up to get in always longer than coming out. Over the years, Cor was lucky not to lose his identification, allowing him to pass through with ease. He did, however, have no phone to contact anyone. Seeing the Citadel in the distance filled him with all kinds of emotions that he thought he drowned in his own sorrows. Lilium was awake, cooing lightly and the sound of her voice reminded him of the resolve he managed to find thanks to her. Setting his jaw, he kept true to his path and didn't stop until he was finally at the gates.

"I'm sorry sir," the guard spoke as soon as Cor pulled up, "There are no visitors allowed in the Citadel today."

"Tell Clarus Amicitia that Cor Leonis is here to see him," replied Cor calmly.

The young man obviously knew the name, Cor's legend still circulating even after all these years.

"At once, sir," he said.

The Immortal pulled through without any more trouble. Once he stopped the car, he went to the back seat for the baby and up the stairs into the Citadel. Looking up to the top where the Crystal was still powering the magical barrier, he saw his purpose here like the day he first came clearly. All the fears and doubts that entered his mind from his defeat in the Tempering Grounds was no longer there. He was finally home.

Keeping a firm grip on the car seat, he walked up the stairs and into the front doors. No one paid him any mind, the building busy with people as it always was. The brightly lit hallways and polished floors almost sang to him with memories. Sunlight billowed in from windows and the noise of chatter echoed along the walls. Nothing had changed and that filled the man with relief. Had something happened during his time of absence, Cor was sure he wouldn't be able to live with the guilt. Glancing down at Lilium, she offered him a smile and he started the familiar path up to where King Regis would likely be. An elevator ride and two corridors later, he was finally able to see a familiar face walking briskly toward him.

"It's true," the King's Shield said, standing in front of Cor, "You've come back."

"I have," Cor nodded.

"You look well."

"Should have seen me two days ago."

Clarus sighed, "I had heard about your... adventures."

"Keeping tabs on me?" Cor raised a brow.

"Of course. The war takes many friends away and we are unwilling to lose another."

The Immortal nodded, feeling that familiar lump in his throat. Even after all this time, Cor wondered what his place would be if he ever returned. He knew that he would do whatever it took to get back to work the way he used to, only better. Clarus started to lead the way down the hall, Cor following in silence. There wasn't much to say right now, knowing that he had to pass on the information he learned about the baby he was carrying before they could go on to the next step. They came up the elevator, this time stopping on the floor of the royal apartments. Good, this would be a private conversation. Entering the King's quarters, Cor's nerves finally settled once the door closed behind him.

The last time he was here, it belonged to King Mors. When Cor was fifteen he was the bodyguard to the King, a prodigy. Taking things further, Cor went to the Tempering Grounds to challenge Gilgamesh, the Blademaster and become worthy to be Shield of the King. Clarus warned him that it was a fools attempt but Cor was hot-headed and stubborn, believing there was nothing that could stop him. It came as a shock to everyone, including King Mors that Cor lost and lived to tell the tale. Three years ago the older man had passed and his son, Regis, became King. Mors was the one to send Cor away, seeing the true depths of the defeat he sustained. While the Immortal was only actually gone from the Crown City for three years - leaving after the coronation - he considered himself lost the same day he lost in the Tempering Grounds. Having the King pass was the very thing that tipped him completely off the edge, especially when Cor was told he wasn't wanted. Out of respect, he stayed for the coronation and then left, never to be seen or heard from.

Until today.

King Regis didn't look much older since the day he was crowned. He even held a smile at his old friend, genuinely happy to see him. Cor immediately put an arm across his chest, bowing his head. The action was automatic and he hadn't forgotten it in the slightest despite being away. Taking a quick look around, it was almost the exact same as he remembered. The large room was lit with by the sun shining in through a massive window and skylight. Dusty old books lined the shelves behind where the King sat and not too far away from him was Aulea, the woman King Regis was seeing before Cor had left the Crown City. They were still together and Cor remembered seeing a week prior that they were engaged. That should have been a sign that he was to come back if there wasn't any other.

"Cor," Regis greeted.

"Your Majesty," Cor bowed his head again.

"Never mind that. How have you been? Are you back for good?"

Before he could answer, Lilium decided that she wanted to be apart of the conversation as well. The Immortal snapped his head toward her scream but was relieved that it was only to announce her presence. A small smile reached his face when she giggled at him, kicking her legs as she did so in excitement.

"A baby?" Aulea inquired in surprise.

She didn't exactly wait for an invitation, rushing over to the car seat to have a look.

"Congratulations," said Clarus, eyes a little wide.

"She's not mine," said Cor instantly.

Aulea had removed the straps and picked up Lilium carefully, cradling the infant to her body with a glow to her face never seen before. The Immortal kept his eyes on the scene, specifically the child as she interacted with someone else. It was only two nights ago that Cor had met the babe but he still felt a little uneasy watching someone else with her. Maybe it was because he knew the fate of her mother who very well might have bled out by now if she managed to escape the Imperials that were chasing her. It was a stroke of luck that they hadn't managed to see the exchange.

"What's her name?" asked Aulea.

The man frowned, "Lilium Aldercapt."

As soon as the words escaped him, the tension in the room thickened to the point that one could suffocate. A small gasp was heard from the Shield while the King looked over sharply. The woman still holding the infant looked down sadly. It was a shock and quite unbelievable in the first place. In fact, Lilium was the only happy person in the room, cooing without a care in the world.

"Care to elaborate how you came to care for the heir of Niflheim?" asked Clarus.

Briefly, Cor explained the exchange, the people in the room hanging onto his every word. While he recounted the tale, Aulea had sat down, rocking the child gently until she managed to fall asleep.

"The woman, Evangeline, disappeared. I found blood on Lilium's blanket, could only belong to her mother. If she didn't bleed out then the Imperials got her. There was nothing I could do," said Cor, a fist clenching at his side.

"You really believe that?" asked Clarus.

"I have no reason to doubt it. Evangeline was not human."

"All the more reason we should be cautious."

"She looks completely human," said Aulea, gesturing to the child in her arms.

"Could still be a setup, a way to invade inside our walls."

"And what do you propose we do about it?" asked Cor.

"My job is to stop potential threats."

"Clarus, she's just a baby," said Aulea.

"An Aldercapt baby."

"I agree with Cor," said Regis, finally chiming into the conversation. He held up a hand to stop whatever his Shield was about to say, "Lilium will be examined for anything that might have been planted to her in order to infiltrate the city. She will be tested - discreetly - to know the true nature of her origins. We will learn all that there is to know about her."

"Are you sure that's wise?" asked Clarus.

"We cannot condemn an innocent life, Aldercapt or not. Aulea, take her to the infirmary. The sooner we know the better."

"I'll take her," offered Cor.

Regis fixed him a steady look, "I was hoping the two of us could talk."

"I just want to stay with her a little longer."

His gaze didn't leave his King. The Immortal knew there were lots of things to hash out, especially with the way he had returned. The idea that this baby was a threat of any kind didn't sit well with him. If it turned out that he was being played then he had to find out. Cor was going to see this through until the end and that would ultimately help him decide where his real place in the world was. It was selfish he knew to basically demand more time but he knew that this was the only way for him to move on from his losses. After what felt like an eternity, Regis nodded.

"As you wish."

...

Cor stood by the bedside of Lilium in the nursery of the infirmary. Ordinarily, babies like her would have been taken to the hospital NICU, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, but this was a special case. There were only a few people that could perform the tests and keep the results to themselves. Hours passed by since they had first come here and it was well into the night that Cor remained. The man did not let Lilium out of his sight, extremely protective of her despite only knowing her almost three days. He just couldn't get the look out of his mind, the one Evangeline had given him before she disappeared. Everything she said was true, Cor had no doubt in his mind about it. Being cautious and skeptical is Clarus's job, the Immortal did not take that personally, but none of them were there. None of them saw what he saw and that calm hazel stare that bore into his soul told him that this was beyond his own understanding.

The baby began to stir and Cor kept his gaze on her. Whatever medications they had given her helped her sleep and she looked at peace while she did so. Reaching out his hand, he allowed her to curl her tiny fingers around one of his and hold on tightly. Lilium's eyes opened up lazily before she released a large breath and started to move her limps. She was always active while she was awake, always so calm. Cor didn't have much experience with babies but so far she seemed to be a very good one, easy to deal with so far.

"Lilium Aldercapt," the voice of King Regis sounded behind them. Cor didn't move, unsure of if he even wanted to see the look on the other man's face, "The tests confirm that she is indeed of Niflheim."

The King stopped walking as soon as he was on the other side of the baby. Lilium brought her gaze to him, still kicking her legs and cooing lightly. Cor was fixated on her while waiting for more of explanation as to what the next move for her was. A need to protect her was stronger than he ever felt, especially with talks of avoiding potential threats.

"She is also Tenebraen," Regis continued, "and there seem to be two pieces of her that are undefined. No one has ever seen them before."

"Because they don't exist," replied Cor, "Illume and moogles, gone from the world at the hands of Niflheim."

"Centuries ago, yes I remember. The inhuman blood confirms how any traces of Illume still manage to exist."

"That's what her mother believes."

"And what do you believe?"

Cor gripped the edge of the bed tighter, still keeping his eyes on the baby. Thoughts drifted back to the night that he met her, the surreal way that entire day felt. The dream he had before he ended up coming back to his room. Those words that Gilgamesh spoke to him before deciding to spare his life, they stayed with him all this time.

"That there's a reason I wasn't killed that night," replied Cor finally.

Regis nodded, "If she truly is the last High Priestess of Illume then you know what that means for our future."

"The wheels set in motion," the man sighed, "Never thought it would be in our lifetime."

"It is merely a theory. There's nothing that says she truly is the Betrayer. She will, however, need a name. There's no way she can grow up Aldercapt and live in peace, surely you know that."

"I know."

"So you're staying then?"

"For now. Once things are figured out for her then I'll work on myself."

"There's nothing to work on. I want you back as soon as you can manage it."

Cor frowned slightly in thought, keeping his gaze on Lilium. He was processing his thoughts quicker than he would have liked. Ultimately, he wanted to stay and be apart of the Crownsguard again but there was a small part of him that wished to return to the drifting hunter life he once knew. The calm hazel stare that woke him up again bore into him and he was trapped within it. Once again he knew his true purpose and was no longer going to run away from it.

"Fine," agreed Cor.

"Welcome back," replied Regis with a smile, "And as for this young lady, who is she?"

A smile tugged at Cor's lips, still keeping eye contact with the infant. The last few days seemed to go by so quick and yet, so slow at the same time. This young girl had absolutely no idea what happened nor who she truly was. She may never know, could easily just be a regular baby. For now, she was an orphan who needed a home and most importantly, a name. There was only one that came to mind, only one that would fit her.

"Athenacia Virum."

...

hey guys, just want to remind you that if things don't make sense then reading Terminal State will clear that up. alternatively, you can reach me pm or on Twitter: rain00205

thanks so much for reading!