A/N: To answer smart move's question, no… Noctis and Luna are not in an arranged marriage. Luna is a ward of the Lucian Kingdom. xD She and Noct are best of friends though, since they grew up in the same place and castle and all that.
Oh, and side note: :3 You know how Noctis acts mature and boyish in the game at times, well, in this fic, he's a bit more of the former, but he'll still trade snarky insults with the guys. And Luna is sooooo formal in both the movie and the actual game (probably because she's 4 years older than Noct), but in this fic, her interactions with the guys will be a bit more spontaneous, never missing a beat. Since she practically grew up with Noct and all.
And of course, thank you so much for the reviews you guys left on the Prologue, and I'm truly sorry that you waited at all for this chapter. I'm glad a lot of you want to give this story a chance. I'm enjoying writing it too. :D
Chapter 1: A Message
12 years later…
Rising tension and frustration permeated the atmosphere in the cramped room, clamping down like a vice on all the members of the Lucian Assassin Council convening at the long table. Despite the high ceiling of the underground vaults and the stone walls that ensured cool temperatures, the palpable taste of irritation and annoyance created a stifling heat that Sylva could feel slithering down her throat, as if it were sour ale.
They had not been here long, her and Ezio. Arriving a week earlier than the much anticipated Annual Peace Signing Ceremony, Niflheim Chancellor Ardyn Izunia had tasked Lord Ezio with assisting Lucian government in preparation for the main event happening in the grand capital city itself. The assignment included seeing to the needs of the Nif wards brought into Lucian territory eight years ago—a seemingly long stretch of time by the former queen's standards.
Sylva had promised her daughter that she would see the girl as often as she was permitted, thus her frequent visits into the capital city. A monthly trip to Insomnia would have had aroused suspicion, so the twice-a-year visits to the Lucian Kingdom's capital city had to be enough if she was going to stay under the radar. When Ezio had told her about his tasked entry into the city, it was without hesitation when Sylva packed her things, left the sanctity of Tenebrae, and accompanied her supposed-cousin on his political trip under the guise of Lady Elise de la Serre from Solheim.
Their arrival at Insomnia, however, was not without hidden agendas that involved the large-scale investigation the Assassin Order was seriously captivated with.
A decade without a single decisive action… Perhaps that was sufficient enough to call time on this fruitless scrutiny, surely. But with the way this Council meeting was proceeding, Sylva knew the Mentor of the Lucian Branch was far from surrendering the suspicions.
"A decade, my lord. Surely it is enough to nullify our suspicions regarding the last Crystal." A female member of the Council spoke up, giving voice to Sylva's own thoughts.
"A wild goose chase when we could be setting our sights on other things…" Another man agreed.
"Like senseless skirmishes incited by insignificant Templar loyalists?" The middle-aged man spoke up with a mocking lilt in his voice that suggested he wasn't going to let this suspicion go as well. "Their constant preaching of questionable ideals are worth discussing truly, but it is not nearly as important as eliminating conspirators who pose far greater dangers. And we must eliminate these conspirators if we are to achieve true peace this world hungers for; not whatever this farce of a truce is. Need I remind us, brethren, that it is against our Creed to harm the innocent?"
"These so-called 'insignificant loyalists' plant the seeds of discord that unknowingly thrive into weeds that choke men and kill them before they even know the cause of their own death." A younger man spat angrily, his tone verging on disrespect. "They are hardly innocent."
Voices rose and every Assassin began speaking all at once, until the Mentor who sat at the head of the table called for silence in a strong commanding voice that rose above the din. Vibrant green eyes turned to the Tenebraean Mentor sitting at the opposite end of the table, and Sylva caught the grim expression on Ezio's face. It was evident they needed his opinion, she could tell.
"We do not fight amongst ourselves." The Mentor stressed firmly. "Ezio, what would you propose? You are in the presence of the other treaty member on a day-to-day basis. Is this peace genuine?"
They were directly involved, whether Sylva wanted it or not. Her escape from Gralea and Aldercapt's sudden clamor for his missing heir was merely a branch in the grander scheme of things. The last thriving Crystal started this war, with Niflheim demanding legitimate ownership over it, and Lucis standing their stubborn ground. But the Crystal was but a mere object, a source of revitalizing energy given to man by the divine a millennia ago. Whoever had control and power over it was the Brotherhood's main concern. Someone had to be planting notions that the Crystal was needed, that it was life itself, that humanity could not exist without it. Though it was an absolutely preposterous idea to some, the majority of the people were swayed into believing it, participating in territorial skirmishes, and taking sides in the war; thus, eliminating the possibilities of narrowing down a target.
The Brotherhood's sworn enemy, the Templar Order, were the ones surely responsible for propagating such ideals, but which one? Every ruler in every kingdom were prime suspects, Aldercapt and Caelum included, even the name of Nox Fleuret was not safe.
Sylva reluctantly shared those suspicions once, but her resolve had slowly dwindled to a shred as her daughter's safety became her prime priority, and as her conscience slowly ate her mind in the years that followed. She never should have abandoned her son… No matter how hopeless it seemed. What kind of mother would sacrifice one child to save another?
This failure would haunt her forever… But she couldn't focus on that now. What was done was done, and her choices had been made. If she looked back, then she would be lost.
Ezio sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "My personal investigation in this matter has yielded no results. I've checked documents, found possible leads to a conspiracy, yet I kept coming to dead ends." He shook his head. "Anyone can agree this ceasefire is fragile, but few refuse to believe that it's a farce."
Clasping his hands together, the Lucian Mentor leaned heavily on the table, giving the Tenebraean's words a thought. "This peace has lasted twelve years. To some, that is more than enough, but few know the truth that a dozen years are nothing compared to the lasting peace this world was in before opposing nations shattered it with their cries for war."
"If any of the rulers and their prominent men exhibit suspiciously alarming behavior, are we free to lead a mission to liberate the world of his control and his influence?" A young woman inquired. "Such character is a defining mark on the ideals of the Templars."
Sylva cast a long curious glance on this one… The woman had shoulder length platinum blonde hair. It framed her ethereally pale face in a way that made her look fierce. She was young, that much the former queen could tell. Young, and full of vigor; eager to please. She has climbed the ranks quickly, no doubt, but the mentality of a novice remained.
Ezio spoke up as a rebuttal to the blonde woman's proposition. "Our individual traits do not mark our affiliation to the Assassin Brotherhood. Just because a man shows likely Templar behavior does not make him a member of their Order, but…" He gave a resigned sigh. "You are right in pointing out that this would-be behavior is not to be tolerated."
"We propagate freedom, not control. We are mere agents of constant change, not men who seek to rise above others and exert control to claim our selfish wants." The elderly man from earlier reminded the rest.
"Which leads us to the root of all this…" The platinum blonde-haired female spoke up again, undeterred even when one of the assassins stared at her questioningly. "I still reckon that the last Crystal should be surrendered to a neutral party."
"And dishonor the royal bloodline that has safeguarded it for centuries?" The Lucian Mentor cocked a curious eyebrow.
"If historians and religion scholars are to be believed, the Crystals are eternally bound to the bloodlines that have received it from the gods themselves. Aldercapt, Caelum, and all the others. Each nation had a Crystal, but had it destroyed for unknown causes and unknown reasons." Sylva spoke up, turning to each assassin as she spoke her next words. "Mine own family was a guardian of the Tenebraean Crystal. It had worn itself out."
The young woman adamant about recklessly declaring open defiance to the throne and waging war against Templars drummed her fingers against the table, a contemplative expression on her comely face. "It would not be dishonoring the royal family if we pitched the idea kindly."
Sylva shook her head. "It's not a matter of what your King wants. Even if he agreed, he cannot. The Crystal is a part of him. The divine object belongs to the throne, belongs to the Caelum family."
"A queenly prerogative from a noble lady." The woman smirked, and though her tone was light, Sylva easily discerned the mockery underneath.
"Enough, Aranea." The Lucian Mentor's tone was stern, blazing blue eyes trained intensely on the defiant young lady. At Aranea's reluctant nod, he turned to the rest of them. "We hold our speculations, and we have our caution. We will dutifully monitor this Signing Ceremony as we have done all these twelve long years. Should our suspicions be proven true, we take action."
"And if we are wrong?" Ezio prodded curiously.
"Then let's be thankful that this peace is being sustained."
"And the Prince?" One of the elderly men asked.
"Deliver a message meant for His Highness and his retinue to the Pigeon Coop."
vVvVv
"Hey buddy, you know I'm all for crazy plans and impromptu escapades, but are you really sure about skipping out on…your meetings, and that stuff?" Prompto muttered in an unsure manner, folding his arms across his chest as he tried to blend in with the car seat.
Chuckling with mirth at Prompto's sudden concern, Noctis shook his head and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Since when do you care about princely duties?"
"Since we got in trouble?" The blonde muttered.
"Last year." The Prince dead panned, cutting a right across a branching out highway.
"No thanks to you by the way." Prompto shot back good naturedly, nearly jumping out of his seat in protest.
An eye roll was the immediate response. "I've been participating in most of the preparations for next week. No one's going to miss me." He would have stuck out his tongue too if he was childish enough. Noctis just veered to another right instead.
"I can't believe you roped Luna into this too." Prompto muttered forlornly, still a little worried.
Noctis glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye, slightly perturbed that Prompto was actually being cautious. For once. "Never forced her into anything, and she has nothing on her agenda today. Anymore of that, Prompto, and you're going to convince me that I've somehow hallucinated and brought Ignis with me on this venture instead."
That made the blonde snicker, alleviating his fears just a little bit. Noctis was right though. Normally, Prompto was never the cautious one, especially when it came to escapades and breaking the rules. Out of the four them, Ignis and Gladio were the ones adamant about following protocol, but that was just because they constantly looked after the wayward Prince. Prompto, on the other hand, was Noctis' partner in crime, and if Iggy or Gladio weren't busting them out, Luna usually got them out of trouble just fine.
The car ground to a halt as Noctis slid the vehicle into a good parking spot, wedged between a cargo truck and a suburban van.
"You can't camouflage this thing no matter how hard we try." Prompto sighed, stepping out as a light city breeze tousled his hair.
Noctis blinked, looked up from his phone to give the flashy car a contemplative look. If the royal insignia on the hood wasn't a dead giveaway, the paint job and the superior sheen was. "No stealth mode today, then."
The Prince ignored Prompto's snort, and the muttered words under his breath. He needed to unwind, remove some of the stress all his royal duties had unloaded on him for the past few days. Noctis knew better than to skip out on things like this, but as long as he got back to his work fast enough and finished it on time, no real harm would follow. He only needed a little break, once in a while. And besides, it was past time he and the other guys checked a Pigeon Coop for updates. He would get to that after.
The arcade was one of his favorite places to hang out in, and at the moment, most of the kids were flocking around the newest consoles, arguing with each other over who got to play first because everyone had impatiently dropped tokens into the slots in advance. When he wasn't busy with playing games himself, Noctis liked to think their little squabbles were amusing. Whatever happened to getting in line?
But of course, he couldn't say he was a patient lad himself. He had been in this same arcade numerous times already, most of the time with Prompto during high school years, but he and Luna hung around here too. And one unforgettable childhood incident was when they were both twelve and he nearly got into a hormonal fist fight with another boy had it not been for one of the arcade staff members recognizing him as the Prince and stepped in to prevent the fist fight from happening right on time. He had had a lecture from his dad when he got home then, for putting himself and Luna in serious danger.
Luna was waiting for them, sitting alone in an empty booth, engrossed in reading another book, her blonde hair done up in a braid that hung over her left shoulder.
"What's that one called?" Noctis spoke by way of greeting as he and Prompto approached the dimly lit table.
Luna flashed the boys a warm smile, coyly tucking the novel under her hands as she marked her page and closed it. "You wouldn't like it."
"You're not worried about what Noct's getting himself into?" Prompto piped in, sliding into the cushioned seat across her before picking up the laminated menu.
Luna cocked an eyebrow. "Why, are you?"
Prompto sighed, finally relenting. If Luna wasn't worried, why should he be? One glance at Noctis and he looked away. His buddy loved giving him 'I-told-you-so' looks whenever situations called for it.
"Seriously, try me." Noctis insisted, referring to the book as he prodded Luna under the table with his foot.
Luna grinned mischievously as she jerked her feet out of the way before Noctis could get another lucky hit. "It's about bugs."
Noctis made a face. "Bullshit."
Luna waved him off, reaching out to tousle his spiky hair. He snatched her wrist before she could, and struck out with his other hand to poke her side, where she was undoubtedly ticklish. Squeaking a little as she barely evaded his fingers, Noctis released her wrist and made to block his head from her advances instead.
"What are you guys getting?" Prompto asked innocently, stopping the two from starting another childish war.
Realizing that a waitress was standing there, waiting patiently, the Prince awkwardly coughed into his fist as he made to compose himself. As if he hadn't just been caught goofing off with a noble lady. Luna was tittering quietly behind her hand.
"Same thing you're getting, Prompto."
Prompto raised an eyebrow. "Burger with TLC?"
"On second thought, hold the veggies. Just a plain cheeseburger would be fine…with fries and soda. Luna?" Noctis turned to his childhood friend, waiting for the moment when the spotlight would be off of him.
"The club sandwich, and a cookies and cream milkshake." Luna daintily closed the laminated menu as if she wasn't involved in Noctis' earlier antics, prim and proper when necessary as always.
The waitress bowed deeply. "The food will be served shortly, Your Highness. My lord, my lady."
"'My lord.' I like the sound of that!" Prompto grinned when the woman had taken her leave.
Noctis snorted, and began picking at the condiments arranged neatly inside the tiny tray in the middle of their table. The voices and sounds that usually pervaded the atmosphere of a diner adjoining an arcade filled the air, but the noise was easy to ignore once you got used to it.
"So, why are you skipping out on 'work' again?" Luna asked, switching to a more relevant discussion as she eyed him curiously.
Noctis sighed. "I needed a break. All that droning and supervising."
"And he dragged me out of another photography practice." Prompto grumbled playfully.
Luna shot Noctis an accusing look.
"Apparently, visiting dating websites constitute as photography practice nowadays." The Prince chuckled, fondly recalling his friend's befuddled face when Noctis caught him in the act.
"You caught me in the middle of my break!" Prompto insisted vehemently just as the waitress returned with all of their food.
"Right."
Luna watched as Noctis studiously checked his burger for any sign of greens. Shaking her head, she knew she would never completely understand why Noct never liked vegetables. Countless dinners with the royal family had familiarity ingrained in both her and Noctis. Though they would never share the same family name, she had come to see King Regis as a father. Noctis was the brother she wished for, though, judging from their interactions in recent years, the pure brotherly love was dissipating, and something else was taking its place.
A chime from her smartphone brought Luna out of her musings, and found herself eye to eye with Noctis. Had she been staring at him the whole time?
Shaking her head, she fished the device out of her jeans' pocket and found the screen blinking, the little mail icon vying for attention as it quivered on-screen.
"A text from Ignis, asking if you're here with me."
Noctis blinked at her. Figures Ignis would instantly puzzle out Noctis' whereabouts. He shouldn't be surprised though. Next to Luna, Ignis was raised alongside Noctis as well. The man knew his wayward tendencies.
"He can smell a lie, he's not an idiot. Tell him where we are." Noctis shrugged nonchalantly, sipping on his soda.
"Twenty gil says he's got Gladio with him, and they'll drag you back." Prompto commented, squirting a bottle of ketchup over the burger patty.
"They wouldn't be our friends if they didn't." Shaking his head, the Prince gingerly rose from his comfortable seat, intending on fulfilling the real reason behind his visit. "Bathroom break."
Things have been too quiet lately. In the midst of all the hype for the upcoming national celebration, there had been no word of action from the Brotherhood. Whether that was a sign of complacency or merely time biding, Noctis wasn't too sure, and they could never be too careful.
The arcade was made up of adjoining establishments. The diner adjacent to the gaming station, for one, and the restricted—for adults only—bar buzzing with activity at the very far corner of the diner. A hallway between the two led to the restrooms, but even as Noctis told his companions he was headed there, he had another destination in mind.
Island counters formed a wide circular barricade, and within it were three bartenders attending to the regulars, serving up their ordered drinks. The middle of the day, and still, there were people who were intent on getting themselves drunk. There were only a few though, so that canceled out the large potential for drunken brawls.
Inconspicuously, Noctis made his way through conversing men, rowdy teenagers clinking beer bottles, and giggling sorority college girls at a nearby booth. The sweet flavored smell of alcohol and other juices made the atmosphere come alive as the Prince approached a busy tender mixing up a cocktail for some random customer.
Noctis claimed an empty stool, sitting patiently and waiting for any untoward action. If messages were meant to be delivered, then someone would eventually initiate quiet contact. Coops were hubs of activity for assassins, a place where messages were traded day in and day out. Though it had admittedly bored the Prince to death when this lesson was drilled into him back in his novice days, the information served him well after initiation rites and he and the other recruits were loosed on the field.
Before industrialization took over Eos, the Brotherhood in the old days had their Pigeon Coops stationed in public and crowded places, hiding in plain sight, trading messages, taking missions. They retained the same practice nowadays, though the level of secrecy reached new heights. If anyone could be a listener or a watcher in the old days, anyone and anything could be an informant now.
"Oh, hey pretty boy."
The familiar greeting jarred Noctis out of his wandering thoughts. The owner of the sultry voice slunk her way in front of him as she claimed a seat. Giving a slightly dramatic sigh, Aranea let her fingertips glide across the polished counter top as those devious eyes of hers zeroed in on Noctis' suddenly wary face.
"You're here too…" Noctis spoke warily, inwardly berating himself for stating the obvious.
Aranea smirked, her pretty lips quirking up at the corner. "You have a gift for saying the obvious."
And there was the jab he had been expecting…
"You have impeccable timing." She chirped, signaling for the bartender to place an order. "Need a drink?" She cocked an eyebrow.
Noctis shook his head as he checked his wristwatch. He had five minutes. "It's barely an hour after noon."
He ought to have more respect for her, he knew. Aranea was a member of the Lucian Assassin Council, a superior though he was a Master Assassin himself. But there was always the laid back way Aranea carried herself that Noctis found it difficult to pay her the formalities that she was due. He had entered novice training only two months after she started her own. They rose through the ranks at a rapid rate at the same time, showing so much promise in the years of their apprenticeship. In the end, despite her young age, she was elected as a member of the Council. He wouldn't have wanted a ruling place in the Assassin Council though… Being an heir to the throne for one kingdom was enough responsibility to last a lifetime already.
Aranea shrugged and gave him a cheeky smile. "Never too early to start."
The bartender came by with an accommodating smile, nonchalantly sliding a folded piece of paper over to Noctis' idle hand. Aranea caught the motion and smiled up at the novice, placing her order before asking.
"How's your current post treating you?" She asked conversationally.
"It's all right…Ma'am." The young man stalled for a moment, unsure how to address Aranea in a setting like this.
Noctis allowed their conversation to drone in the back of his mind as he tucked the piece of parchment into the hidden sheath inside his motorcycle glove.
"I wouldn't give that thing too much thought if I were you." Aranea spoke in a low voice, addressing the Prince once again as she gestured to the piece of paper. "It only includes the details of the latest meeting. You won't need it, since I'm here. I'll just tell you." She shrugged as the novice slid her cocktail towards her.
Noctis regarded her warily as he watched her catch the thing in one fluid motion. She brought it to her lips and took a healthy sip. "Humor me then."
Aranea chuckled at her drink, swirling it around before setting it down. Briefly checking to make sure the novice was not listening, she muttered her answer under her breath. "As the Crown Prince, I know you have your responsibilities for next week's grandiose event." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "You are well aware that it still does not excuse you from fulfilling your duties to the Brotherhood you are sworn to. Every Assassin present in the ceremony must keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Templar ones mainly." She flashed him a warm smile. "Tell your friends, Prince Noctis."
Noctis resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he stood and made to head out. His time was up. "Yeah, I will."
He could still feel her eyes following him as he left the bar with its crazy regulars behind. When he was sure he was well away from his brief coincidental meeting with Aranea Highwind, Noctis slipped the parchment out of hiding and twirled it between his fingertips. Aranea's piece of information was not out of the ordinary. It would make sense for the Brotherhood to be on high alert in times like next week, when so many innocent civilians flocked in one place. Let it never be said that the Assassins would ever neglect one of their key responsibilities. Protecting the innocent was a vital factor of the Brotherhood, and not surprisingly, it was what every soldier in the Lucian army aimed for.
Unrolling the small piece of paper, Noctis' brow furrowed in confusion at the familiar handwriting etched on the surface, but he was interrupted from deciphering it at the sight of two equally familiar people standing at their booth.
"Damn it." He hissed under his breath as he tucked the parchment out of sight. He had wanted to be in the car when Ignis and Gladio would show up. The brunette was speaking with Luna, while Gladiolus and Prompto were busy throwing playful taunts at each other.
"Hey guys…" Noctis spoke by way of greeting, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
Luna was obviously trying to hide a wide grin as Ignis cast a wary glance at him. "Do I have to ask?" The older man raised a curious eyebrow.
The Prince rolled his eyes. "I needed a break."
"You're one lucky bastard." Gladiolus chuckled as he rested his elbow on top of Prompto's shoulder.
"I told you, Noct." Prompto huffed, clearly referring to something else.
"King Regis wishes a word with us apparently. You're being summoned, Your Grace." Luna was grinning deviously as she made to curtsy jokingly before her Prince right before Noctis snatched her purse from the table and tossed it at Gladio who caught it flawlessly. "Hey!" She exclaimed, aghast as Noctis snickered and poked her side again.
"I'll suck it up. We'll go." Noctis relented exasperatedly as he offered his arm to the only lady in the group.
"You're impossible, Noct." She retorted, sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow nonetheless. "Lead the way, Prince Charmless."
"You heard him. Move it." Gladio snorted, slapping Prompto's back hard enough to jerk him forward.
"Watch it!" Prompto complained as he nearly stumbled on his own two feet. "My camera's on me."
"Maintaining equilibrium is necessary for men of our station, Prompto." Ignis pointed out as they all made their way out of the diner and into the crowded arcade filled with noisy children and teenagers.
Glances were cast their way as the Prince and his retinue walked by, and though Noctis was peeved when being scrutinized at, he taught himself not to mind it as much. You had to have been living under a rock to not recognize the Prince, so it was normal that people would stare. On the odd days, there were even some who were bold enough to approach them and ask for pictures. And of course, when you're hanging out with a friend like Prompto, photos were never something your group would lack of.
"My mother is in the city." Luna spoke in a quiet voice, mindful of ears that might be listening.
Noctis tried not to let his apparent confusion show. "When did she get here?"
"Today. It's part of the reason we're being summoned."
Come to think of it, it wasn't that puzzling at all. Queen Sylva has made her presence known to the rest of Insomnia as Elise de la Serre, and had been seen entering the city gates by Niflheim envoy just this morning. Being the gracious King his father was, Noctis knew Regis had already welcomed the noble lady along with Lord Ezio.
But Sylva can't have arrived today. It was impossible.
He played along with his friends' spontaneous banter, even as they all crowded in Noctis' car. The engine thrummed to life in the background when Ignis turned the key, Prompto was playfully pestering Luna who was taking it all in stride, more than used to his antics, and Gladiolus was neutralizing most of the playful taunts, and Noctis was playing along. His thoughts refused to stay put though, it wandered and turned certain ideas over.
His brief run-in with Aranea in the Coop had established that the Assassin Council met last night, or yesterday, at the very least. How could Sylva have known the subject of the Council's meetings if she had supposedly arrived in Lucis today? No, she had to have been there last night.
Subtly checking if his other companions were still busy with their own business inside the car, Noctis gingerly slipped the folded piece of paper from its sheath in his glove. The creases and the slight rumples on the parchment only confirmed the idea that this message had been written last night, and delivered today. Aranea told him earlier on that it was just a piece of boring news, the cliched call to action, but Noctis knew from the moment that he read it that Sylva's message stood for so much more.
"I have met with the Lucian Assassin Council. I need to speak with you. ~SNF"
A/N: I'm sorry this took a while to push out… Met with trouble along the way. xD Feel free to ask questions about the story, or about anything really, in review or PM, it doesn't really matter. I'd be happy to answer your questions! xD As long as it won't spoil the plot, I'd gladly explain any confusion there might be.
This is AU, and ideologies and other whatnot crossover with Assassin's Creed, so I can understand if it's going to be confusing. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time~