I'd like to thank all the readers who reviewed:
Anon 'Flan'
Anon 'Athena': Who knows who the shooter is. Lulz. You'll see eventually. But you're right. Tetsuya is a cruel mofo who deserves all love (yet all the hate) in the world for creating the most beautiful face I've seen in FF thus far. Lightning Farron. *dreamy sigh*
Heartless Lotus
MaroonAngel of Darkness
nie261
Eel Nivek
MonsterKiwi
Komo Pineconeseed
anna-marie-diamondheart-900
Cam277
Divine-Etro
Anon 'snowlily'
Misoso
I once again thank you all for taking the time to review.
Note de l'auteur
Lemme quickly explain why Noctis's kingdom is named 'Nifelheim' in this story, for those who do not know and/or like to know. In the latest trailer, the one of January 2011, around three minutes into the vid, we hear a short conversation between Ignis and Noctis. They're talking about the crystal that everyone is fighting over, and Ignis says at some point – roughly translated, mind you – "It is the best way to make a good name for Nifelheim." I can't think of any reason why Ignis would talk about another kingdom than his own at that moment. So, Nifelheim it must be.
So, this is my first non-Naruto related fanfiction, so I'm pretty giddy about the outcome of this. I was browsing this crossover archive and I noticed there are so very little Lightis fanfictions out here to satisfy me.
Hit by inspiration, I decided to create this so I can motivate other authors to make Lightis fics that I can enjoy. You see, I try to make you guys scratch my back by scratching yours. So, get motivated and write for my pleasure, but above all, enjoy mine first.
Like the stars in the night sky…
A week after the conference, most of the hype about the shooting had calmed down. The following end of the week has arrived and like most occasions, the prince was invited to an event.
It had to be some random benefit to please the nobles from their kingdom and other countries. As prince and future king Noctis had to be a presence. Personally, he didn't even like these parties. And least, not anymore.
Ladies from all around the world would be flocking him like bees on honey.
It was still enjoyable when princess Stella was still on his side. She would smile and mingle with the other nobles like an expert.
She would be so beautiful; enrapturing the guests as she greeted them. He would proudly stand with her and sometimes even simply stare at her for a while, instead of having small talk with his father's acquaintances, because she would just light up the whole place with her smiles. Her giggles sounded like music to his ears and his stomach would clench whenever he caught her blush as someone complimented her on their engagement.
Stella, oh, his beautiful Stella.
Once they were together, the other women would back off. He may not be a saint; he had his fair share of females to warm his bed in the past, but the social climbing women who were introduced to him on these parties only wanted to catch his eye for one thing.
But in the end, so did Stella.
He should really learn to stop thinking about her or else he'll be spending the rest of the party with a permanent scowl etched to his face. And as an important guest, that wouldn't do.
He was quietly greeted by lots of the other party members. He hated how they looked at him with their knowing eyes. Their thoughts fueled by the stories that they've heard about his ex-fiancée and him. They didn't know anything.
Even the young debutantes stayed in their own circle as he passed them by, unlike any other time where they would be fleeing to him, trying to get him into their conversations. They were all meters away now, but he could practically hear the rumors they were discussing about him and Stella.
"Oi, Noctis!" The deep and playful voice of Gladiolus Amicitia chorused through the grand hall.
Noctis's childhood friend smirked him down from afar, the people opening a way for Glad and Prompto as they moved towards the prince. The latter blond would have greeted him just as zealously were he not flirtingly grinning at the ladies.
Noct loved his friends like the brothers he never had, but sometimes he could be embarrassed by them. They had to be reminded that at certain events they needed to keep to a level of decency.
"What's up man? Why the long face? T'is a party, lighten up!" Prompto was to slap Noct's shoulder, but the royalty caught his arm.
He kept his tone low. "I never mind your presence here," The Caelum stated all business like. "But try to keep it down. You're not even supposed to address me so informal in public in the first place. Gladiolus, you should know better."
Gladiolus shrugged a shoulder. If there was anything Glad disliked it was the stuck up attitudes of aristocrats. He may be one by blood and by birth, but his opinion of them in general wasn't very high.
"Sorry Noct – I mean, Prince Caelum." Prompto pulled his gaze from the girls and he bowed awkwardly.
Now the ebony haired prince just felt bad. He didn't want Glad to put him in that same category he thought so very ill of. Neither did he want Prompto to be like everyone else around him. Noctis soften his gaze. "I'm sorry. I really don't care, but if you guys don't want my father banning you from every gathering from now on, just behave a little." He liked them there. They were his only safety line in this ridiculous plastic world.
They smiled and relaxed more.
Prompto Argentum was, of course, the first to mention the women. "For a party this boring, there sure are some sweet girls around here."
"Yah, they are sophisticated ladies." Gladiolus neatly corrected. "And this is not one of your usual parties."
"Nope, it's not. My definition of a party is loud music, booze flowing, sweaty bodies grinding and so many hot chicks you'd lose count!"
Gladiolus patted the shorter man on the head patronizingly. "Of course it is, kid."
"I'm just glad the women aren't desperately throwing themselves at my feet." Noctis growled under his breath, taking a sip of the bitter, tasteless champagne.
"Wish we could trade places, buddy." The young Prompto whined with a frown.
A few hours later passed and the atmosphere stayed pretty much the same. Not a lot of people has approached the prince tonight, which was something odd entirely.
Prompto was looking about the place, seemingly bored. "I thought you said that you couldn't beat the women off of you at these places?"
"I usually can't."
"Usually?"
The young Caelum glanced away from his friend, unsure how to answer that. "With… with the end of the engagement and her betrayal still fresh, I am, for now, unapproachable to them." They both knew whose engagement was broken now, for he couldn't say her name out loud.
"Yeah, I think you're one cold hearted bitch if you try to hit on him now. I mean, who doesn't know what has happened by now?"
Noctis glared at the tall Amicitia. Though, glaring as he might, it was true. Everyone on the world Eos knew what happened between him and Stella. No matter how much he wishes that it never happened or that no one speaks about it.
~ǽ~
They had rejoiced too early. The party was in full bloom, about an hour or four going on, when Noctis got trapped by some Lord or the other.
"Prince Noctis, Your Highness," The unfamiliar man bowed by bending one knee but not yet touching the floor. "How do you do?"
He nodded. "I'm faring well." He couldn't remember the man's name for the life of him. His father knew so many counselors and lords of so many countries, even from other worlds, he wasn't interested anymore to learn any of their names.
"Excellent! I'd like to congratulate you on your wonderful speech of your coronation conference about a week or so ago. Just marvelous. You have made your kingdom proud."
Their conversation went on like that for a while. The man, Lord Seifer it turned out, complimented on each and every thing in his life, while Noctis thanked and nodded.
Though, the very point of which Noctis was dreading had arrived. "But I've also brought here with me, someone who has been out of the kingdom for a long while for work, is interesting for you to meet."
Of course, because they couldn't let such a chance pass.
Lord Seifer or whatever turned to look over his shoulder and beckoned with his head the person forward.
"Your Highness, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Jihl."
A long haired, blonde beauty with glasses came smiling to him. He resisted rolling his eyes.
α m βr Ø s ī u ŝ
by
sweet.crazy-dramaqueen
...
Episode II
...
ª Ita amicum habeas, posse ut facile fieri hunc inimicum putes. ª
...
"Whatever happens, things will work themselves out." Snow Villiers
"Prince Noctis." She slipped his name and title smoothly, like she was very familiar with him. "I am Jihl Nabaat. It is such an honour to finally meet you." She extended her hand with long, thin fingers.
He accepted her hand, and instead of kissing her knuckles as was customary, he merely brushed it passed his lips. There was never contact.
If she minded, she didn't show. Only after he let go of her hand did she curtsied for him shortly. Her brown-ish dress clung to her impressive figure like second skin and it made her breast – the first what he noticed of her – pop even more.
"The pleasure is mine." He replied with cold civility. It was a practiced response, and always staged. He would forget her as soon as their small talk was done.
However, she turned out to be a smart girl. She kept asking questions so he couldn't really end their interaction after an odd silence, that usually comes because other girls would be drooling too much to think of any intellectual statements. Though not Jihl Nabaat. No matter how short he kept his answers, she persisted with them continuing this conversation.
She wasn't oblivious though. She noted his distanced manner almost right away, and this annoyed her. It was like her very goal was to keep him interested, while he clearly showed that he wanted nothing to do with her.
It had to be some kind of way to pay him back for his cold attitude. She didn't like it so she decided to punish him by asking him this next question. "I heard that now that your engagement with that traitor Fleuret girl is a failure, you need a new lady."
The invisible distance between them was instantaneous.
A glare fierce enough had her silenced. She had the audacity to have her name on her lips. He seriously didn't need to hear that name now, not ever again. And especially not from some crawling social underling who thought flashing her boobs could win her a crown.
"I'm sorry." He stated, purely out politeness, while he felt everything but. "It is better if we end this conversation right now. I need not you enlighten me of any of those rumors. Have a nice night."
How he really want to say that she had to fuck off, but ever the prince, this could never be said in public.
With a sharp turn on his heel, he left the dusky blond gold sucker.
Damn. He needed air.
The veranda was quiet and no else was there to disturb him. Thank Etro for the silence. If it weren't for that infernal woman, he wouldn't be out here.
All he wanted to do was scream at Jihl Nabaat that she had no right to say any of that in his face. What, she thought that telling him those things would gain her his favor?
His favor was to the woman she called a traitor. Stella was it for him. And hearing someone bad mouthing her still made him want to summon his lances and kill them all. It drove him mad.
But what angered him the most was, at the end, no matter how angry he may be at them, they were telling the truth.
Stella Fleuret was exactly that. A traitor. A traitor to the country. A traitor to the king. A traitor to the people of Lucis. And a traitor to him.
A part deep inside him wished he could hate her. He wanted to hate her for it, so badly. She left him on this world broken hearted and miserable.
She was now returned from where she originally came from, with the evil of Chaos by her side.
Yet, how he wanted her back again. Back again in his arms, on his side, in his life. He would give his soul to hear her say that she loved him again. If only she was with him, she would undo the hurt she caused. She would kiss the pain away because life is too cruel without her there.
But, death. It suited her. She deserved it. For all intents and purposes, the things she had put him through – for all the things he was still going through, death was her most becoming.
Tch. Listen to him being a hypocrite. He couldn't hear others speak one treacherous word about her, yet here he was cursing her. Pathetic.
He bit his lip and closed his eyes. He let the sounds of traffic from far away soothe him for the moment. When he was roaming the uncivilized wilderness of Eos, he did not realize how much he had longed for the bustling of his city.
Give sorrow words, he thought to himself, the grief does not speak whispers to the over-fraught heart and bids it break.
"You must forgive me."
He whipped around. It was Jihl Nabaat standing a few feet away. She walked closer to him, however, as he turned back to watch the stars in the night sky. You couldn't see them as clearly, because of the thousands lights of Lucis. Outside of the city, there were millions of stars.
"I have hurt your feelings."
Well, that be a first.
"You don't care and you shouldn't." He snapped at her.
"I do. But I do care, my Lord, my prince. How could I live with myself, knowing that I have upset our very future king?"
She had not upset him. She only caused him to remember the woman who planted all of the anger inside of him. "You have done no such thing. You can sleep with a clean conscience now."
"I do not believe you." He frowned at her in return. "I saw that very face when you stormed away, Milord, and I have upset you."
He said nothing but only stared at her. Maybe she'll get the hint that he wanted her away.
"Let me give you a token of my regret."
Before he could move again, she had her arms around his neck and her head lay on his chest. She sniffed, and before he could pray for her not to cry, she had tears running down her face.
Noctis stood frozen and stone still in her arms. He wished not to touch her yet he wanted to push her away, but she was folded into him. And she was sobbing. What was he to do now?
How did he find himself in this predicament? And why couldn't he free himself? Like, come on. He could plan his escape out of a small space with countless of monsters, with one useless arm and a limping leg, but could not get away from this crying woman?
"Uh…" He patted her back hesitantly. "It is alright. You shouldn't be so sad. It was nothing."
She chocked on a sob and through watery eyes, she looked up to him. "Really? I do not have to feel guilty for my actions?"
"Absolutely not."
She smirked. "Good."
An unsettling, cold smile graced her closed lips. He wondered where such an unfitted smile could appear from.
"Noctis!" A familiar voice and an even more familiar shotgun rung through the air, and then the woman on his chest erupted a scream of agony.
The clatter of a metal object had Noctis looking down, and seeing it was a silver dagger, pushed the female off him.
Jihl Nabaat was clutching her arm. Though no blood was spilled, the dagger that was shot out of her grip must have hurt her wrist.
Prompto was still holding his position when the security men filled the veranda.
"She attempted to kill the Prince Caelum." Gladiolus pointed to the woman, directing the men towards her.
Noctis glared at Jihl Nabaat as she was nursing her hand while being dragged away by the securities. "There's also this so called father of her. Find him."
"Yes, Your Highness." One of the men nodded.
"Phew, aren't you lucky I was eavesdropping on you?" Prompto leaned his gun on his shoulder and grinned cockily.
"I can't believe I had my guard down."
Gladiolus laughed boisterously. The two could always find humor, no matter how grave the situation. "You should've been on high alert. Always, with a crying woman near."
He'd certainly remember that next time around. "Didn't know."
"Lesson learned, then."
The dark haired Caelum nodded before turning to his blond friend. "Why are you even at the party with your gun?"
"Well, with that shooting at your conference, I thought it's better to play safe. I smuggled the gun inside just in case something like this happened. And it did."
"Yeah, thanks. Nice shot, by the way."
Ah. He shrugged casually, smirking arrogantly. "Don't I always?"
~ǽ~
His father shocked him by appearing in his chambers that very evening when he returned from the disaster of that party. The king himself wasn't present there at the event, along with Ignis, who had business to take care of.
Noctis had looked surprised to see his father standing in the sitting area of his chambers, because usually if he needed the prince for anything, he would sent one of his royal man-servants to pick him up.
"Noctis, son." King Regis's tone was grave, and once again Noctis cursed the one who brought the news so fast on to his father.
His son raised an eyebrow. "Yes, father?"
"I'd like a word with you, tomorrow evening."
"Why tomorrow? Why not right now?"
Regis didn't directly answer him. "Unfortunately, it'll be a very important meeting. And it's quite late. Or early, depends on how you look at it. Even I like to turn in now."
"Sure." It would be one long walk from the prince's chambers to the king's personal ones. "Goodnight then."
His father nodded slowly and Noctis didn't like the expression on his face. He didn't want to ask what was wrong with him because he wanted his father out of his chambers. Not because he disliked his own father in this part of his castle, but because he still had the feeling that Stella could suddenly step out of his bedroom naked while his father hadn't quitted the room yet, and embarrass them all.
"Is it about what happened?"
He didn't specify exactly what. It could be about tonight. It could also be about the war. But it could also be about Stella, and he begged to Etro for it not to be.
The same Persian blue eyes gazed back to Noctis, before Regis closed the door. "You'll see tomorrow. Twenty-hundred hours. Be sharp."
~ǽ~
…You disappeared by the morning light.
Information
Aliases until further notice:
Yggdrasil & Nifelheim – Of the Norse folklore. It is the World Tree of Life. In Asgard lies Valhalla, Odin's hall. Asgard is one of the Nine Worlds. And the Nine Worlds are all connected by the World Tree 'Yggdrasil.' Asgard is the top world and with the world Nifelheim at Yggdrasil's roots. (Therefore the name I chose for Noctis's world; Yggdrasil.)
Lord Seifer – It's NOT the Seifer you know. Just a random OC that carries the same name.
Fin Note de L'auteur
That was the second episode then. It's one of the shortest of the story and possibly the shortest I've ever written, at least, for my doing. Plus, the chapter is a little late. I apologize.
No Lightning yet. Dammit. T_T Who knows how long it will take before she appears. O.o
I always thought Jihl as Dysley's little bitch he'd screw when no one's looking. But I didn't agree with how she ended. She deserved a more cruel death, if you ask me. *troll face*
See that Noctis's world is using military hours. In case you didn't know what twenty-hundred (20:00)- hours is, it's 8 o'clock p.m. Being from Europe, I'm lucky that we naturally use these "military hours" to watch time. Just want to add that to land & world culture of Noctis. Hee.
If you remember this line; "Give sorrow words; the grief does not speak whispers to the over-fraught heart and bids it break." Shakespeare wrote that, y'all.
Note how fanfictiondotnet has renewed that review button? I'd suggest you hit it and check how it works. Please?
ª Remember, a friend can quickly become an enemy. ª
III-VI-MMXII
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X-VII-MMXIII
