AN:Sorry for not updating so long. My co-author was busy and, although, the chapter was ready for some time, I wasn't going to post it without her permission first, and without her taking look at the part and adding her own changes. Hope you will like it.


"Stella, not so early," Nyx yawned, throwing offended glances at the princess, who was already cheerfully packing her sleeping bag, not forgetting to periodically stretch his muscles." What hunt? When did you get to the outpost? Time... Six, half past five! I understand we have different time zones..." In the endless stream of information, coming from the glaive, there were many complaints about princess, who successfully ignored them, humming something to herself, and continuing the process of gathering their things.

"God forbid to go so early to the outpost," the blonde rose to her feet, and went to the side where descent from the haven was, to carry things to their newly purchased bike." And do you know about such a magical invention as a phone?"

"I once was told tales about it. They say that it overcomes the unthinkable distances, and speaks the voices of people from oversea countries..." the concentration of sarcasm in Nyx's voice had already exceeded all permissible norms, but Stella was rummaging in the trunk of their bike, ignoring her companion once more.

"Lucian folklore is rich!" the youngest Nox Fleuret inserted cheerfully, hearing a brief pause between glaive's speeches." And there is a deity, called Internet. Can answer any question!"

"I get it, get it," echoed the princess' words, sleepy and irritated voice.

Unexpectedly for himself, Nyx realized that not only Morpheus didn't loosen his grip in an attempt to drag him back to his kingdom, but seemed to have thrown him halfway to the poppy field, so to speak, 'since you couldn't defend your right to sleep, now suffer a lack of sleep, the whole day', and according to Nyx, he also, added with a smirk: 'You call yourself a man!Somebrat is ordering you around!'

"Brat," Nyx gritted through his teeth, looking through narrowed eyes at the ascending sun disc. "And by the way, how old are you?"

"Huh?" Stella reappeared over Nyx, who was still in no hurry to leave his cozy sleeping bag."And why it suddenly started to worry you?"

"I'm thirty-two, and the elders need to be respected..."

"If you won't listen to me, I'll tell Luna that you were harassing me!"

The glaive sighed heavily and crawled wearily from a warm, cozy sleeping bag. Why the hell he shared something with Stella yesterday? But then a plan of revenge appeared in his head, and the man, smiling sweetly, closed his eyes again, and settled himself more comfortably in his sleeping bag, turning over on his side.

"And I will tell Noctis that you harassed me!"

The deathly silence that had arisen was interrupted only by the cicadas. Nyx even opened one eye in order to see what was happening with the princess, for such a spontaneous silence, as he realized in two days, wasn't not only her trait, but also a sign that she would lose patience.

The glaive guessed right. The second princess of Tenebrae, having forgotten about manners, raised her index finger in his direction, silently moving her lips, which were about to give out the best language, and her face was so red as if the body for the last time in its life generated acetylcholine and with its abnormal volumes decided to bring every face cell to allergic delight.

"Fear, denial, humility," the man muttered to himself, watching as Stella was trying to overcome her inner demons and regain control of her emotions, without resorting to the murder of her companion. "And... speak!"

"And why did I share my secret with you yesterday?!" Ignoring the last joke, Stella was finally able to utter at least something not offensive to him, although language in her head was colorful. After all, she grew up with Ravus, who until he didn't get serious rank in imperial army and had been an errand boy, learned the most elegant turns of the national language.

"I ask myself the same question, "Nyx smirked, satisfied, seeing as youngest Nox Fleuret began to wind up again.

"Just try to tell him something!"

"Stella, have you heard, about such a magical invention, called phone?"

"Of course, I heard, I told you about it," the blonde sighed deeply. "Get ready, Garulas are popular as the easy target, and if you don't have a local printing house ready to stamp the red books with them, pick up your heroic butt and go with me to the hunt."


"No, Stella, I, of course, understand, Niffs, difficult political situation, but you are worse than Marshal!"

Stella just tiredly sagged her shoulders at Nyx's nagging, continuing to watch imperial soldiers from their hiding place. Goodbye Garulan steak for their dinner, because these guys also liked to eat it sometimes.

"Ah ... yeah, sure ... You're the sister of imperial High Commander ...

"Sorry for the bluntness, Nyx, but I think began to understand why Insomnia fell..."

"And why?" the man snorted with displeasure.

"Because you're a whiner!"

The suddenly descended silence was diluted only by the chirping of grasshoppers.

"You know, you offended me, "Nyx spoke, his voice a mix of anger and annoyance. However, the blonde was in no hurry to share his grief, and her attention was already successfully intercepted by another person.

"And who is this? Hmmm... Probably, it is a good idea to finally find another Garula... Oh... Look, like he is throwing magiteks around, he definitely wouldn't whine like someone."

Nyx reluctantly looked out of their hiding place, peering at the man, who had managed to arouse the interest of the princess.

"I know him, this is Libertus..."

"It turns out not all of you are whiners?"

"Oh, please shut up... Need help him...

"Look, he already started to kill the Garula... You can do that too?"

"Six ... why are you of royal blood and some strange feeling doesn't allow me to kick you in the... Libertus!"

At first, Libertus didn't understand where the voice came from and from whom. At first, he could swear that a stone spoke to him. Then, next to the stone, he saw the interested eyes of young woman, watching his actions. But the voice what called him was not female. After a couple of seconds, the ex-glaive distinguished a tired male silhouette, which appeared on the opposite side of the stone from young woman. He squinted his eyes and they reluctantly focused themselves, making it clear who was in front of him...

"Nyx! I see you survived, hero," happily smiling, the man went to meet Nyx, and firmly hugged him, so that Nyx was ready to swear, that just a moment, and his bones would sadly inform about their break.

"I'm tenacious," Nyx smiled, hugging his childhood friend in response.

"Yeah. By the way, what are you doing here?"

I'm looking for a prince and his retinue."

"What for? And what is she doing here?" Finally, Libertus recognized unfamiliar young woman as the youngest Nox Fleuret. Stella frowned, feeling discontent in Libertus' tone.

"Hello, Sir Libertus. Glad you're alive," still, she greeted him politely, coming up to them, from the hiding place, realizing that the danger wouldn't come to them from the man. He ignored her, focusing on Nyx.

"I'm looking for a prince, because it is my duty. And the princess travels with me because the king asked me to protect her."

"What duty, Nyx? Kingslave is gone, the king is gone. You have no duty. And you want to die like Crowe, protecting her?" Libertus asked angrily, pointing at Stella.

"Crowe was killed by Luche, not by Nox Fleurets. And King Regis asked, not ordered to protect her," Nyx said, stressing with voice 'asked' and 'ordered', annoyed by the childhood friend's stubbornness. How he doesn't understand?

"Still, if Drautos had not sent her to Tenebrae, she would have been alive!"

"I apologize for interrupting your interesting conversation, "the princess interrupted the argument and the men looked at her."Sir Libertus," she turned to Libertus, who looked at her with displeasure." I did not ask Nyx to travel with me, he followed me himself. Therefore, if you don't like him in my company, you can take him with you. I do not mind. I can protect myself and travel alone."

And with these words, she left the two men to continue the interrupted hunt.

For a couple of minutes, Nyx watched her go, being in a stupor, and then it wore off, and he ran to catch up with her.

"Hey, princess, wait!"


"Is it titan?!" Prompto looked in fear at daemons from his hiding place."And who are these?"

"Goblins ..."Ignis answered quietly. "The titan will not run after us, but they can..."

"Then maybe I'll distract the goblins?"Noctis glanced at Ignis, expecting him to say something about an idea. The latter nodded approvingly, materializing his weapon.

"And we deal with titan. Can you handle them?"

"They are low-leveled, although there are a lot of them, but I will manage."

"If anything, scream!" Gladio patted Noctis on the shoulder and rushed into battle. "Your turn, Noct!"

Getting out of the hiding place and throwing a pair of daggers in the direction of a shrewd, insidious enemy, Noctis made sure that their whole gang focused its attention on him, and rushed after him with wild enthusiasm. Following the plan, in the near coppice, Noctis could have finished them easily, just to avoid the intervention of the titan. But something went wrong. One of the goblins somehow ended at his legs, and the prince, having lost a balance, flew down the slope, that wasn't there before, and formed magically in front of him, and already flying up to its very base, he knocked down someone very big.

Opening his eyes, he prayed that it was not some necromancer, but his hopes melted as soon as he felt cold piercing metal on his neck.

"These stupid goblins!" Noctis heard a completely human, but extremely displeased male voice next to him.

"The cryogranate probably blinded me, but this is defective goblin. Don't you think?" After the previous voice, he heard a female and extremely familiar one. Noctis opened his eyes and saw blonde woman in front of him, holding a rapier at his neck." Did he die or what?"

The glaive, lying with his back to the prince, and patiently rubbing the bruised place, turned to look at the 'goblin' and his eyes widened, staring at the prince, who was also in shock because of this sudden meeting.

"Your majesty?" Nyx said.

"Noctis?" Stella still did not take the rapier away from the prince's neck, looking at him mistrustfully, like she couldn't believe it was him.

"Stella?" Noctis at least was able to say something. "You're alive?"