Chapter IV. Reunion
Early morning sunlight poured through the windows that adorned the sides of the palace's royal dining hall, illuminating the brilliance and splendor of the room. King Regis and Prince Noctis sat at each end of the dining table, feasting on their breakfast. The rays of light pointed towards the young prince and brightened his rounded visage, the heat radiating from the beams causing him to narrow his eyes and shield his face with his arm.
"Noctis… Come on, please eat your vegetables. Don't you want to be a strong and valiant prince?"
"But dad, it's so gross! How can anyone eat this stuff?!" Noctis gave his peas and broccoli on his dish a once over then nudged his plate forward.
"Here watch... I'll eat it." Regis stabbed the broccoli with his fork and proceeded to consume the green vegetable. He chewed in an exaggerated manner, as if he was thoroughly enjoying every second of it. "See! So delicious. Now go on, eat your vegetables." Regis insisted, the corner of his lips lifting to form a gentle smile.
Noctis glanced at the dish in front of him, surveying the contents of his half-eaten meal. He looked up to regard his father with a displeased expression, but once he saw his father's beaming smile his own face began to soften. "Fine," Noctis conceded. He reached for the fork that was to the left to his plate and began to eat the remaining vegetables on his dish, trying his hardest to swallow the unpalatable greens. "Bleh!" Noctis stuck his tongue out at his father.
Regis gaped at Noctis for a moment and soon broke out into a thunderous laughter, clutching his abdomen in order to regain his composer. His laughter echoed throughout the dining hall.
The servants around him chuckled under their breath in response to their majesties reaction.
He wiped the tears that collected around his eyes and began, "Oh Noct, you truly are my son."
He rose from his seat from the opposite end of the dining table and strode towards Noctis. He stopped before him and kneeled to level himself with the dark-haired boy. A soft smile graced his aged features, each wrinkle adding character to his regal visage. Noctis eyed his father, curious of his actions. Regis quickly examined the future king of Lucis and ruffled the black tresses on top of his head and began, "Go on, eat the rest. When you are done maybe you can have some ice cream." He winked before turning to return back to his seat at the table.
Noctis' eyes glittered with delight, the prospect of enjoying ice cream delighted him to no end.
Noctis sat at the edge of his bed, his head lowered, elbows resting on his knees, and gazing towards his lap. The memory felt like a distant dream.
He has not been in his room for nearly seven years… or was it eight? He lost count by now. Everything was still in its place. His bed was still the centerpiece of his room, curtains draping around the sides of the bed. However, his childlike bedsheets were replaced by indigo, satin sheets with throw pillows of various shades of grey.
"Noctis," Ignis abruptly snapped the young prince out of his stupor, "listen, if you want to postpone the dinner today…"
"No, it's… I'm fine," despite Noctis' claim, he could not bring himself to look Ignis in the eye, for he'd break down and shed tears again, he was sure of it. For any ordinary person, it really would be too soon to engage in social interactions once more. But, Noctis was not an ordinary person. He was next in line for the throne and in these tumultuous times, he could not afford to appear weak.
After a moment of uncomfortable scrutiny Ignis inched closer towards where Noctis sat on the side of his bed. "Are you sure? I'm certain the others will understand if you couldn't make an appearance," he assured him.
"I can't sit here all day and wallow in self-pity," Noctis attempted to dig out the last remaining resolve he had left. He turned to regard Ignis and cracked a weak smile, "I will go, it is my duty. My father… he would have done the same."
"Very well, I shall request for our transportation to arrive shortly," the bespectacled man adjusted his glasses before promptly leaving the premises.
Noctis watched as Ignis departed from his room. The soft click of the door prompted an apprehensive sigh. He stood up from the bed and made his way to the door adjacent from his bathroom. He peered inside before stepping into the unlit room. He turned on the switch to reveal that it was his dressing room. Everything that had once been in his there had been replaced. His childhood articles had been replaced with suits, trousers, dress shoes, and dress shirts. Before he switched off the lights and stepped out, he caught a glimpse of a familiar red chest. He turned the lights back on and he walked into his closet and made his way towards the chest. Whilst kneeling to open the it he noticed that there was a thick layer of dust over the top surface; it has not been touched for quite some time. He opened the chest, making sure to whip his hand on the plush carpet beneath him.
Vivid memories of Noctis' childhood days resurfaced as he looked at the contents of his special, red trunk. Pictures of his friends in elementary school, a photograph of mother and father, and miscellaneous trinkets that once held a significant amount of value to him.
He grabbed the pile of photos and analyzed each individually. He singled out the photograph of taken of him when he was in elementary school. He remembered that his father had made a surprise visit to his school for his birthday. In the picture was Noctis, his father kneeling next to him with his arm around his shoulder, his teacher, and his classmates. There was a gleaming smile imprinted onto Noctis' chubby face. Memories of his classmates and friends brought forth a nostalgic smile, though mixed with an air of melancholy.
As he examined the image, he noticed the nervous, plump blonde next to him. "Plumpto?" Noctis chuckled. "I wonder how he's doing…" Noctis thought aloud.
He returned his memorabilia back within his trunk, making sure to put it back the way it was before. But, he could not make himself replace the picture. He pocketed the image and stood up right. He made his way to the bathroom to wash his hands that were covered in dust.
"Your grace," a servant knocked upon the door in a cautious manner, "your transportation awaits you."
"Of course, I will be there shortly!" Noctis yelled from his dressing room. He briefly examined his reflection in front of the mirror and noticed his puffy, bloodshot eyes, the consequence of lack of sleep. The sight of his dreadful appearance prompted an exasperated groan. "I hope no one takes pictures of me…" Noctis muttered to himself. He preened his hair, adjusted his tie, and smoothed the wrinkles on his button up dress shirt before heading outside the royal palace.
"You look like shit," Ignis gave the young prince a once over before ushering him into the vehicle, "but I suppose it will do."
"Thanks, you look good too," Noctis muttered sarcastically.
Ignis situated himself beside Noctis in the van and proceeded to hand him a pile of papers in a laminated file, "These are all the guests you will be meeting for tonight's feast, you would do well to remember at least half of their names."
"Really, you're giving this to me now," the young prince groused. He snatched the pile of papers from Ignis and shuffled through them.
"Well, you weren't exactly in the mood earlier."
"Whatever," Noctis grumbled under his breath, "where exactly are we headed?"
"We are driving towards the finest, most elegant restaurant in Insomnia," Ignis replied, eyes glued upon his phone.
"Uh… okay. What will they be serving?" Noctis asked as he surveyed the list
"Only the finest cuisine in Lucis, but of course, my cooking remains unrivaled" Ignis cocked his head up in a dignified manner.
"Ugh," the young prince grumbled, "I want a burger."
"You've had a burger for the past five days...," Ignis' patience was wearing thin with Noctis' food choices.
"Oh!" Noctis' eyes lit up as soon as he saw a familiar name, "My man Gladiolus! He'll be there too? It's been years!"
"Yes, the Amicitia family has loyally served yours for years, of course they are invited."
Noctis felt himself unwind at the thought of someone he knew being at the event. "How long until we get there?"
"I believe we will arrive in about an hour."
Folding his arms, Noctis leaned his head further into the headrest. The uncontrollable trembling of his hands betrayed his calm exterior. He busied himself by focusing his vision towards the dashboard, however, it only confirmed that time was moving by quickly, aggravating his uneasiness. He felt his pulse pounding in his temples, his breathing rapid and shallow. He really wanted to throw himself out of the moving vehicle at that moment. Noctis was never adept when it came to social events. Ignis usually did most of the flatteries and pleasantries for him. Nonetheless, he knew that Ignis could not speak for him forever, and that scared him. He feared messing up and not living up to people's expectations. He left for Niflheim as a child full of ambition and he came back a child full of doubt and apprehension.
Upon noticing the young prince's skittish demeanor, Ignis reached for the compartment under his seat for what appeared to be a bottle of pills and handed it to Noctis.
"Wha-"
"Your hands, they won't stop shaking," the sandy haired man said simply, though his face portrayed concern.
"How did… You still have those?"
"I kept them, in case."
Noctis contemplated the bottle of pills, the black lettering and rough texture evoking poignant memories, before handing them back to Ignis. "It's fine, I don't need them. Besides, what would people think of a king who relies on… medicine to keep sane."
"Fair enough," Ignis tentatively shoved the vial into his front pocket.
As the sun cast its golden rays upon the clouds, the skies resembling that of flames, silence lingered in the air. Succinctly, Noctis' eyes flickered towards the horizon ahead. Years ago, he would have marvelled at its beauty, the skies dyed in amethyst and scarlet. Nowadays, he cannot help but think that it is merely a prelude to the black despair of the night, indicating the adversity tomorrow will bring. "Dusk has been approaching sooner lately, don't you think?"
"I suppose." Ignis replied, not really understanding such thoughts that prompted Noctis to speak. "Ah, we have arrived. Prepare yourself, the journalists and paparazzi are awaiting your arrival." Ignis said, clearly vexed.
He sat unmoving, mentally preparing himself for superficial exchanges between himself and those attending the dinner. Before stepping out of the vehicle Noctis could see the cameras flashing, luckily the tinted windows did its best to hide his piqued features.
The chauffeur opened the doors for Noctis and Ignis, and they hesitantly stepped out. The flashing lights blinded him, each step approaching closer to the mob. He shielded his face with his arms, and hastily made his way to the entrance of the restaurant, avoiding the roar of questions from the journalists. Noctis' bodyguards escorted him and Ignis to the automatic glass doors on the ground floor of the highrise building.
A breath of relief escaped Noctis as he scurried into the building, "I guess I'm going to have to get used to that." Once the glass doors shut behind Noctis the uproar outside diminished into a mere whisper. The entrance was quite grand, to say the least. Geometric shapes, monochromatic colors, and minimalistic designs are the words that best describe the interior of such an upscale lobby. Noctis was not quite accustomed to this kind of design for he has been living in vintage opulence for almost all his life, but he knew that this particular style was becoming quite popular in Insomnia as the city evolves further in the direction of modernity.
A sudden slap on the back relinquished Noctis' attention from the impressive interior design. He turned his head to his right to determine who had interrupted his reverie.
"Did ya miss me? It's been awhile, huh." It was none other than Gladiolus. A wicked smile played on his lips, his palm resting upon Noctis' shoulder. His usually wild brunette locks had been pinned back for tonight's occasion. Though he was dressed formally, his rugged demeanor remained intact. New scars painted Gladdy's face, a commemoration of his past brawls.
"Hey man, long time no see!" Noctis and Gladiolus exchanged their usual high-fives, "I'm glad to see a familiar face. Head of the Crownsguard now…? Nice." Noctis pointed to his scar, "New addition to the collection I see." Noctis patted the larger man's arm as a kudo to his rise in ranks.
"Ya know me! The best fighter there is! No one would stand a chance against me." Gladdy pointed to his scar, "And this here? This is nothing!" He ruffled Noctis' head.
As they made their way to the lobby elevator Noctis looked back, staring at the entrance of the building. The crowd was still visible through the tinted glass door but they were less frenzied than before. Hopeless to get any information from the future King, some packed their things and left. He refocused his vision on to his reflection in the tinted glass. A dark mass was staring back at him, only an outline of his form. Noctis turned back and walked with his royal companions, something in the back of his mind was itching at him. He felt like he had forgotten something important, pieces of the puzzle were missing, but he could not put his finger on it.
"The restaurant is on the top floor, it has a great view of the city and an exceptional variety of cuisines that will satisfy your palate. I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy it, Prince Noctis" the lift attendant bowed and proceeded to pick the floor.
The elevator door closed and they ascended.
Man, there sure is a lot of people here today… What's going on? These people look like big shots too, fancy, designer suits and all… My manager definitely did not tell me that there was going to be an event today… Dammit, I hate my job. Prompto thought to himself as he was setting up the tables for the overwhelming number of guests for tonight. He knew the restaurant he worked for was one of the more famous, upscale restaurants in Insomnia, but the crowd tonight was ridiculous!
The guests were waiting by the entrance, schmoozing, charming, and networking amongst each other. Polished, pompous, and pretentious were the words that came to Prompto's mind, he could not help but pout. That world and that lifestyle was distant from his own. A twinge of jealousy hit him. Oh well, it can't be helped.
Prompto looked over at the guests one more time. Why haven't they been seated yet? Are they waiting for something? It seems like the entire restaurant has been rented out?!
Out of the corner of his eye he saw his co-worker walk towards the kitchen. He rushed through the seating area to catch his co-worker and inquire as to what in the hell was going on today. "Hey! Hey, what's going on?" Prompto asked.
"You didn't get the memo? The Royal family rented out the restaurant for dinner after King Regis' funeral. Prince Noctis is coming… Or should we start calling him King Noctis? But, isn't that exciting! I can't wait to see the prince up close. I hear he's extremely handsome!" Prompto's overly talkative co-worker said.
It was as if two boulders plummeted onto Prompto's shoulder. "WHAT!" Prompto screamed in a hushed tone. "Why didn't the boss tell me about this!? Crap!" he grabbed onto his co-worker's arm in an attempt to stablize himself.
"Uh... what's the big deal… aren't you excited to see the Prince?" she swatted his hands off her. "Hold up, the boss is calling me," she said as she hastily made her way through the kitchen.
"I mean… yeah…" Prompto whispered to himself. He stood in the kitchen, staring at the floor beneath him. Suddenly the clamor around him intensified. Every clash and bang of pots and pans pierced his ears. Crap. Crap! CRAP! What if he recognizes me? Or worse! What if he has no idea… What if he totally forgot about me. Prompto's usually cheerful and bright features were obscured under a mask of uncertainty, insecurity, and despondency.
He caught his reflection on the stainless-steel countertop and sauntered over to scrutinize his appearance. His usually wild hair had been tamed for the sake of his job in order to make himself appear professional and presentable. He was wearing his uniform, a white button up dress shirt tucked under fitted, black slacks, and on his feet a pair of black oxfords. Today he decided to wear his vest and tucked his tie underneath, and around his waist was a black apron. Will he… recognize me?
The commanding voice of his manager whipped Prompto out of his stupor.
"Prompto, can you go take care of table five near the balcony," his manager requested.
"Yes, sir." Prompto walked towards the swinging kitchen doors and peeked his head out to observe the main seating area. Table five, the blonde's gaze searched the room until it landed on a group of disturbingly familiar people, FUCK. As soon as Prompto's eyes caught the sight of midnight tresses, he knew he was screwed. "U-um, sir, perhaps I could take care of another table?"
His manager released a disgruntled sigh, "listen, today's guests are very important, I don't have the time or patience to humor your requests," he paused before giving the blonde a once over, "plus, you're easy on the eyes so that table is best suited for you."
Prompto merely nodded in response. His manager's tone immediately let him know there was no way he could escape this situation. Grabbing his tablet, he utilized it to obscure his face in a hopeless attempt to avoid recognition, the blonde nervously made his way to the table. The trip there felt like an eternity as each step only heightened his anxiety. One look at the young prince and the usually confident and cheerful man immediately catapulted him back to his young, insecure self. "Good evening, I will be your waiter for today, would you like any drinks to start off with," his voice wavering, making sure he spoke in a lower tone. The Argentum did his best to conceal his apprehension. Thankfully, no one in the group had looked up at him since they were busy perusing the menu.
"I would like to have some water, no ice," the bespectacled man ordered, eyes glued onto the menu, handling it as if it were some ancient relic.
"I'll have some beer," the man with the large stature requested. Prompto recognized him as one of the people Noctis and him used to play with. Speaking of the Prince, he still seemed deep in thought while observing the menu.
"A-and you sir?" Prompto mentally cursed at himself for stuttering.
"Do you guys have any coke?"
Leave it to Noctis to act so casually in a formal setting. He still acts the same. Before he could stop himself, Prompto's lips formed into a wistful smile behind his tray. "Sorry sir, we don't serve coke in this establishment."
"Ah, I see, what is your best red wine?" The young prince replied finally looking up at the blonde. Their eyes met, sapphire clashing with midnight blue, and Prompto's breath hitched in his throat.
After what felt like an hour, the blonde was the first to look away and cough in an effort to clear his throat. "We serve a variety of imported and local wines. I recommend the Chateau Margaux; it is a delicious vintage." He took his eyes off his tablet and refocused his gaze onto the Prince of Lucis. Noctis' deep, blue eyes were still glued onto Prompto's. The blonde was not able to decipher his expression.
What is that face hes making? Holy crap. Does he…. DOES HE KNOW? Prompto screamed internally at the possibility of the young prince recognizing him.
"Noctis, the Chateau Margaux is delicious. You should order it," the bespectacled man to the left of him said.
Noctis finally relinquished his gaze and returned it to the menu and said, "I'll take that. Thank you."
"Yes, I will return shortly with all of your beverages. If you would excuse me." Prompto fled from their table in great haste to make his way to the kitchen. Once he barged through the swinging doors he released the breath that he did not know he was holding. He quickly composed himself, or at least tried to, and returned to the task at hand. Nevertheless, all the blonde could hear was his heart pounding frantically in his chest. He grabbed two glasses, one for Ignis' water and the other for Gladiolus' beer, and a wine glass and proceeded to set them upon the tray. Ok, good, you got this Prompto. He searched for the Chateau Margaux in the wine room and grabbed the bottle of beer and the pitcher of water from the refrigerator and brought them back to the kitchen and placed them on the tray.
He placed the tray under the palm of his left hand and held the tray stand under his right arm and mentally prepared himself before stepping outside of the kitchen to make his way towards Noctis' table. I can't screw up. I can NOT fuck up right now. Gods! I am so nervous… He steadied his trembling hands and carefully made his way towards the table. He was able to reach the table without falling over and making a complete fool out of himself. He positioned the tray upon the stand and placed each glass in front of each respective man. He shakily poured the water into Ignis' glass and placed the pitcher towards the center of the table. He used the bottle opener to uncap Gladiolus' beer and filled his glass until the carbonation nearly overflowed.
Get yourself together Prompto!
After what felt like an eternity, Prompto was able to pop the cork off the wine bottle with the opener. The pressure of the situation was taking its toll on him. His hands were shaking and his concentration was wavering. He sweltered in his uniform, a sheen of sweat was forming on his brow. He did not notice the Prince's penetrating gaze.
He stood between Noctis' and Ignis' seats and began to pour the wine into the raven-haired man's wine glass. While pouring he dared to sneak a glance from the corner of his eye. Once again, he was met with piercing midnight blue eyes.
Prompto and Noctis' gazes were momentarily locked. Prompto was terrified, he did not know what to do. Without realizing it, the glass began to overflow and the expensive vintage began to drip onto Noctis' trousers. The commotion and gasps around him whipped him out of his muddled trance. It took him a moment to register what the hell just happened. Once it hit him, his expression was replaced with a face of horror. He quickly looked around the establishment and realized that all eyes were on him.
Fuck! I'm such a fucking idiot! Prompto internally berated himself. If he could he would have ran to the bathroom to sob hysterically, but he was confronted with the current situation. And, of course, his manager was already there. He prepared himself for what was about to come.
"I sincerely apologize," Prompto expressed deep regret. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the red liquid off the prince's dress pants, but a hand firmly snatched his arm away. He was forcibly jerked away from where the prince and his royal companions were seated. The manager's death grip on Prompto's forearm was sure to be bruised. Prompto just wanted to cry.
"Prince Noctis, I deeply apologize for the incompetence of my employee," Prompto's manager bowed down to the floor and signaled the blonde to do the same.
As soon as the Argentum got onto his knees, the prince interjected and placed a hand upon the blonde's shoulder to stop him from doing so, "No, it's really okay, in fact, I have a million of these dress shirts and pants back at the palace." Noctis crouched down at eye level next to Prompto, a gentle smile gracing his lips, "so please, there is no need to bow down. It was just an accident."
Prompto did not dare look up to meet the prince's gaze, but an outreached hand suddenly appeared in front of him. It was then he lifted his eyes to look at the dark-haired prince's eyes. He was met with a sympathetic and understanding smile. Prompto was in awe, his eyes wide. He has been yearning to see his friend Noctis for years, and yet there he was offering his hand right in front of him. He took Noctis' hand and stood up. Noctis followed the same gesture with Prompto's manager.
"A-ah, I see, we are incredibly grateful for your kindness young prince, or do you go by King now?"
"Prince Noctis is fine."
"Of course, Prince Noctis. Once again, we deeply apologize."
Noctis nodded his head and returned his attention back to the skittish blonde. "You, what is your name?"