Feeling completely refreshed after a change of clothes and a much better night's sleep, turned out some padding over the top of the jagged surface of the rocks made a world of difference , Caramia pushed back the fabric door of her tent to greet the dawn.
"Good morning." Ignis' voice sounded from across camp and as Caramia looked in its direction, she saw him leant against a large rock that protruded into the campsite and sipping from a steaming mug. "I wondered if I would be seeing you this early. You struck me as the early-riser type."
Caramia smiled as she wove the long, free waves of her hair into a tight plait, securing it at the end. "The best of us are."
Ignis chuckled, walking over to the small table that extended from the portable stove and placing his mug down upon it. "Quite." He gestured to the cafetiere that was brimming with darkly coloured liquid. "Care for some coffee?"
"Please."
Grabbing an empty mug, Ignis filled it with a generous measure and handed it to Caramia who came to stand beside him as he returned to his position against the rock. She marvelled at the smell of the coffee before she had even tasted it; rich, earthy aromas floated up into her nose and as she lifted the mug to her lips she closed her eyes in bliss, letting the liquid linger on her tongue for a moment before swallowing. It was simply delicious.
"This is the best coffee I've ever tasted. Thank you, Ignis," she remarked, watching as the faintest hint of a smug smile graced his lips as he gazed out across the early morning desert.
"That's because it's Ebony. An exquisite blend of beans best enjoyed with the peace of the dawn and a good view."
Keen to enjoy the coffee to its fullest potential, Caramia said no more and the pair drank from their mugs in silence, content in their own thoughts as they watched the landscape below become alive with the rising of the sun. Once she had finished, Caramia placed her empty mug back on the table and walked out towards the other edge of the campsite. She interlaced her fingers, raising her arms above her head as she began to tentatively stretch out her injured shoulder. Satisfied she could use at least the majority of its full range of motion without any absolutely unbearable discomfort, she reached for her weapon and flicked the two blades into place. She twirled it round her wrists on both hands to start with, coaxing her muscles into performing the well known moves with calm but accurate execution. Placing both hands on the central handle, she increased the complexity of her routine, swinging her sword up and over her head in an intricate series of spins and slashes. She twisted her body round to follow the arc of the top blade only to suddenly feel resistance strike the metal and she looked upwards in shock to see her sword interlocked with the broad, serrated edge of Gladiolus' greatsword. The man himself was staring down at her, his amber eyes smouldering as they wordlessly challenged her.
"Morning," he said with a smirk, his deep voice rumbling in his chest.
Caramia scoffed in a mixture of annoyance that he had disrupted her morning practise and amusement as she wondered whether he was actually suggesting that they fight. "And to you," she replied, a smile of disbelief threatening at her lips as he pushed down a little harder on her sword, echoing his eyes' invitation and confirming her suspicions. "Am I to take it that while Ignis likes to start the day with a cup of coffee, you prefer a rousing spar to make up for all the time you've been asleep, not exerting that mighty strength of yours?"
Gladiolus raised an eyebrow at her daring words as she teased him. "Sometimes. I wasn't planning on one this morning but I can't let you practise without a partner, can I?"
"Be careful of her shoulder, Gladio," Ignis warned as he set about preparing their breakfast. "We could rather do with her in one piece."
"Oh don't worry Iggy, I'll go easy on her," Gladiolus replied without taking his eyes off Caramia, his smirk stretching even wider as he watched outrage flash across her face.
"You wouldn't dare..." Caramia growled, wrenching her sword free and settling into a low battle stance, signalling she was ready.
Gladiolus shrugged, casually resting the huge weight of his weapon across his right shoulder. "If you insist."
It quickly became apparent that both Caramia and Gladiolus were equally matched in skill but in markedly different ways. Caramia could never hope to compete with the incredible force that Gladiolus could continuously muster; she had learnt that the hard way after foolishly trying to parry one of his attacks and had narrowly missed being completely flattened. With that said, she had the advantage of being far smaller and quicker. Gladiolus could swing his greatsword with all the devastating strength he wanted but it meant nothing if he couldn't catch her. She ducked and dived time and time again, twirling round him and making the most of the brief moments after he had launched himself at her to try and get the upper hand.
They weren't trying to inflict any real damage of course but merely gain the honour of disarming the other. However as it became increasingly apparent that the battle was reaching a state of stalemate, they became even more daring with their advances, sometimes letting their blades graze dangerously along their opponent's skin, inches away from disaster.
Noctis and Prompto had awoken since they had been duelling and watched in amusement at both the fighting pair and Ignis' distress as he ran around the campsite in exasperation trying to save their camping gear from being destroyed by Gladiolus. One chair had already suffered after he had staggered backwards into it and it was now lying upside down on the dusty ground below the campsite. Luckily it wasn't the chair they had borrowed from Cid; Ignis had ensured that had been the first thing he had moved.
Caramia's muscles were screaming for rest, her shoulder on fire but her pride would not let her yield. The thought was utterly abhorrent. As the latest entanglement of their blades threw both Caramia and Gladiolus backwards, allowing a moment of respite as they caught their balance, Caramia suddenly felt a burst of determination flood her as Gladiolus flashed her a smug grin; he clearly could tell she was getting tired. If she was going to have any hope of wiping that arrogant smirk of his face she needed to be clever and she needed to do it quickly.
Snatching her eyes away from him, she rapidly scoured the surface that they were stood on, searching for something that would give her even the remotest advantage. Her eyes suddenly fell upon something that she had failed to notice before: a small but suitably deep crevice in the surface of the rock that currently sat between them.
Perfect.
Caramia launched herself towards Gladiolus who immediately reciprocated and just before their bodies crashed into one another, Caramia drove the lower blade of her sword into the crevice below her feet and gripped on tight, ducking sharply as Gladiolus' sword flew over the top of her head. Using her remaining forward momentum, she spun round on the handle of her sword, lifting her feet off the ground and planting them both on the small of Gladiolus' back with all her strength. It felt as if she had kicked the rock instead but she caught Gladiolus off guard and he stumbled forward, falling heavily to the ground. His weapon skittered across the ground as he let go of it so he could use both hands to protect his face from the impact of his fall.
As Caramia was completing her spin, she tugged forcefully on her sword, wrenching it free from the rock and breaking it apart at the centre. She landed directly on top of Gladiolus, who had managed to flip himself over onto his back, and she crossed the elegant blades over one another, pressing them against the rough skin just under the dark stubble that covered his jaw. The air erupted with cheers and whistles as their spectators celebrated her victory and Caramia permitted herself to smile; she had, after all, earned it.
"Do you yield?" she asked, satisfaction radiating through her as a conflicted mixture of disbelief and admiration flamed in Gladiolus' eyes.
"Did you just lose, Gladio?" Noctis called, trying extremely hard to suppress his laughter. Gladiolus twisted his neck as far as he dared to glower at Noctis and Prompto as they both proceeded to give up trying not to laugh and he sighed in reluctant defeat. He could easily push Caramia off, compared to him she practically weighed nothing, and call his sword back to his hand to continue the fight. But, there was no point. She had bested him, fair and square and if he wanted to preserve what scraps of dignity he had left, he would have to admit his defeat gracefully.
"You got me," he replied gruffly, holding his hands up in way of surrender. "Perhaps you should remove these blades from my throat though; I think you're severely shortening Iggy's lifespan."
Caramia looked up to see Ignis glaring at her, his grip so tight on the plate he was holding it looked like it could shatter any moment. He relaxed instantly the moment she stepped off Gladiolus and she rejoined her two blades before sheathing them and returning the sword to her hip. Gladiolus picked himself up and proceeded to jump down the retrieve the fallen chair while Caramia walked round to join Noctis and Prompto, the latter of which could barely contain his excitement.
"That was...incredible!" Prompto gasped, his blue eyes sparkling with awe.
"You've certainly punched a few holes in Gladio's ego," Noctis agreed, chuckling as the stray camping chair was suddenly launched into the air from below and as it landed noisily onto the rocky campsite they heard Ignis sigh loudly. "It was about time someone did," he added quietly.
Caramia laughed to herself. It seemed she had finally earned the respect of the Prince but at the expense of that of his shield's. Only time would tell if she'd actually done herself any favours or just made her life a hell of a lot worse.
"And here was me hoping you'd inject some sense into this group," Ignis said as he brought round a plate of toast, offering the plate out to Gladiolus as he climbed back up to join them.
Noctis scoffed as he took a piece. "And where would the fun in that be? Besides, you'd be bored if we didn't give you something to worry about, Specs."
Ignis resolutely pushed his glasses back into position on his nose. "Bored is not the word I would use." He gestured to the food in their hands. "Eat up, I think it's about time we stopped trying to kill each other and retrieved the Regalia."
The Regalia was sat waiting for them on the tarmac outside of the garage when they returned to Hammerhead, the midnight blues and rich purples of its chassis gleaming in the sun.
Cindy spotted them immediately and strolled over to greet them. "There y'all are!" she called cheerily, resting a hand on her tiny waist and gazing lovingly at the Regalia. "She's good as new and just look how she sparkles. Worth the wait, eh?"
"She's perfect, thanks Cindy," Noctis sighed as the others dumped the bags they had hauled back across the desert beside the car and Ignis began strategically placing them in the boot.
"I sure hope you've got my chair in with all that lot," Cid grumbled as he emerged from the garage, a scowl on his face as usual and Gladiolus dutifully picked up the borrowed chair, returning it to its rightful place.
Cindy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Typical Paw-Paw," she sighed fondly. "Now, before I forget. Good luck with your wedding, Prince Noctis. Lady Lunafreya is one lucky gal."
Noctis shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Ummm...thanks."
Gladiolus slapped Noctis heartily on the shoulder. "I think if anyone's lucky, Cindy, it's him. Shall we hit the road then?"
"Certainly," Ignis replied, adjusting his gloves before opening the left hand door of the Regalia and settling himself in the driver's seat. "Our sincerest thanks again, Miss Cindy."
"Don't sweat it. You folks take care now."
With everyone seated, Ignis started up the engine and the sound was like music to their ears. He pushed the button to fold away the roof and eased the car into motion, turning right onto the road and they all waved enthusiastically at Cindy until she disappeared from view. Caramia shifted slightly in her seat as they all lowered their arms. Cindy hadn't managed to make it any less cramped in the back but she relaxed into the drive as the road opened up before them. After a few minutes Gladiolus pulled out a book from under his seat and Caramia regarded it with interest; she hadn't taken him for a reader. Curious to know exactly what he was reading, she inclined her head to see if he could catch a glimpse but it was to no avail. The book was in his left hand, which was so large it completely obscured the front cover and he was leaning away from her so there was no way of seeing inside without making it obvious. She could just simply ask him but after their antics earlier that morning, Caramia wasn't entirely sure what sort of response she would be met with.
Prompto suddenly gasped, twisting round in his chair to face Noctis. "It's not that far to Galdin Quay, right? Iggy?"
"Not particularly. A few miles at most and if the roads remain as clear as they are we'll be there in no time."
"Whadya say to a slight detour then, Noct?" Prompto asked eagerly. "I've just seen a sign that says there's a Chocobo farm close! You know how much I love Chocobos..."
"I sure do," Noctis replied with a smile. "Why not, it'd be nice to ride again. Iggy, you know the way?"
"Leave it with me."
Prompto's excitement was explosive. "Woohoo!" he exclaimed, hopping back round to face the right way in his seat again.
Caramia was a little more reserved. "Chocobos?" she asked tentatively.
Suddenly, Prompto was twisting back round to face her, his face creased in mock horror. "Please tell me you know what a Chocobo is."
"Of course I do," Caramia snapped; she'd read about them and knew they were favoured modes of transport out in the wilderness where the terrain was unsuitable for vehicles. "It's just I've never seen one in the flesh before, let alone ridden one..."
"Well this should be interesting," Gladiolus murmured smugly to the side of her and Caramia felt her skin bristle with irritation. No doubt he was already planning to use this as an opportunity to nurse his punctured ego.
"Awww I'm sure you'll be a natural, Cara," Prompto said earnestly, suddenly becoming distracted by the scenery and twisting round to take a picture as they passed.
Caramia hoped for the sake of her sanity he was right. She didn't fancy having to explain to the King that the reason she had impaled his son's sworn shield was because he had gloated a little too much about being able to ride a Chocobo better than she could.
The trees thickened as they drove inland and they found themselves climbing into the hills, the air becoming slightly less warm and dry the higher they drove. Eventually they found themselves in a dense pine forest and Ignis took a sharp right at a sign labelled 'Wiz's Chocobo Post' which led them down a single dirt track and soon enough to the farm.
Prompto scrambled out of the car the second Ignis had pulled up, running straight to a man Caramia presumed was 'Wiz' and enquiring if they could ride the Chocobos. Wiz, as it turned out, was ecstatic to have some visitors.
"Of course, of course! Not seen too many folks round here lately, was beginning to worry people had forgotten we were on the map. Pick any birds you like and I'll get 'um saddled for ya."
Chocobos, as it turned out, were much bigger than they appeared in picture form and Caramia gazed up uneasily at one as she approached it hesitantly. They couldn't be vicious creatures since Wiz made a living out of renting them but Caramia couldn't help but wonder how badly it would hurt if one were to nip her with its large beak. It was a beautiful creature though, soft white feathers covered the majority of its body that were mottled with black and as Caramia finally plucked up the courage to touch it, her hands sunk into its thick plumage, instantly taking the edge off the slightly chilly mountain air.
Gazing round, it appeared that Ignis and Gladiolus had gone for the more common yellow Chocobos while Noctis had chosen a pure white bird. Prompto, in true comical fashion, had opted for a rather more ostentatious colour. He was looking very pleased with himself, already sat atop a bright pink Chocobo, a new breed Wiz explained that had been fed a very specific and more importantly, pink diet.
"This bird be alright for you, Miss?" Wiz asked as he came to stand beside Caramia, a saddle in hand.
"Yeah...yeah, thanks," Caramia answered absent-mindedly, the realisation suddenly dawning on her that she was going to have to somehow get on top of the bird that currently towered over her.
Wiz immediately set to work, tightly fixing the saddle to the Chocobo and handing the reins to Caramia. "Right, you're all set. Although I warn you, this one's trouble."
Caramia forced herself to ignore the glint of amusement that had suddenly appeared in Gladiolus' eyes.
Of course it is, she thought with a heavy sigh.
She would have much preferred to have attempted to mount the Chocobo without an audience, a very intently spectating audience at that, but she wasn't in such luck. Clenching her jaw, she placed her left food in the dangling stirrup and gripped on tightly to a fistful of grey feathers, using them as leverage to try and hoist herself into the saddle. It took a few attempts, turned out her feathered steed did not take too kindly to nearly having some of its precious plumage pulled out and Caramia felt her face grow hot as it became more and more likely that Wiz would presume he was being helpful and do her the mortifying dishonour of offering to bring out one of the steps used to aid children and those with shorter legs. She certainly wasn't that short, she was about the same height as Noctis and Prompto and they had had no issues getting onto their Chocobos.
Mercifully, she managed to get her right leg high enough and she swung into the saddle, suddenly feeling very high up and precarious as the Chocobo moved beneath her, twisting its large head round to look inquisitively at her. Caramia swallowed nervously; its beak really was huge.
Wiz came round to stand before them, gazing affectionately the Chocobos. "Well if you follow that trail over there it'll take y'all up through the woods and if you want, you can stop half way at the racetrack. Just set up a new course only the other day."
Excitement immediately rippled through the group and Caramia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes; it didn't take a genius to work out who would most likely be coming last.
Once she'd gotten used to the lurching gait of the Chocobo as it sped over the uneven ground, having nearly been thrown off immediately as they began to trek into the woods, Caramia concluded that it wasn't so bad after all. The forest was beautiful, it buzzed with life and the air was slightly damp, causing iridescent dew to sparkle on the leaves and grass. Sadly, however, the peace that accompanied them was only transient for soon enough a wooden shack came into view and the men hopped down from their Chocobos, enthusiastically informing the man sat within that they would like to race.
"How about you, Miss?" the man called to Caramia when she didn't join the others, remaining on her Chocobo.
"Sure," she replied with a half-hearted smile; there was no way she was going to get down for the sake of a minute or so. Climbing atop her Chocobo had been a fiasco that she would rather not repeat more than necessary.
They were led round to the racetrack, the start line marked by two poles sunk in the ground with colourful bunting draped between them and Caramia felt her heart kick up a notch in anticipation as they assembled along it. She knew almost definitely that she wouldn't win but her fierce competitive streak meant she would try all the same.
"Ready?" the man shouted as he came to join them, raising his hand into the air. Caramia tightened her grip on the reins.
"Three!"
Her heart sped even faster, flooding her body with adrenaline.
"Two!"
Her eyes flicked to the left to see Gladiolus flash her a grin before returning his gaze to the racetrack in front of them.
"One!"
Shoving all thoughts of him aside, Caramia narrowed her eyes, forcing herself to focus and listen intently for the one word that would end the agonising tension that surrounded them.
"Go!"
Caramia kicked her heels into either side of her Chocobo and it shot forward, steadily gaining speed along the straight of the track. The wind was brisk and silky as it flew across her skin and soon all of her nervousness fled, replaced by pure exhilaration. Her Chocobo seemed to delight in the chase and much to her amazement, she managed to keep up with the others who continually threw insults and playfully taunted each other. Caramia was enjoying herself so much, in fact, that she was surprised when the bunting marking the start of the course came back into view. Even more remarkably, she sped into first place as one by one her opponents' Chocobos slowed as their stamina dwindled.
Caramia felt a huge smile fly across her face as the finish line drew closer and closer; there was an actual chance she could win.
Without warning, her Chocobo stopped abruptly in the middle of the track, almost throwing Caramia over its head and onto the ground.
Caramia stared at it in outrage. "What the hell..." she cried incredulously, kicking her heels and tugging on the reins increasingly frantically as the bird remained exactly where it was. Laughter erupted around her as the others passed, first Gladiolus, closely followed by Noctis, Prompto and finally Ignis and Caramia's heart dropped as she watched her victory crumble before her eyes. She could only glare at them for a moment, however, for her Chocobo violently twisted its head to the side as if it had seen something and proceeded to dart off into the foliage.
"No, no...what are you doing?!" Caramia yelled, her shoulder slumping as the Chocobo proceeding to dip its head and begin heartily tucking into the leaves of a nearby bush. She pulled sharply at the reins only for the Chocobo to decide it had had enough and throw her from its back. Caramia landed heavily in the dirt and as she glared furiously at her steed, a deep voice rumbled beside her that sounded very much like it was trying to suppress laughter, badly at that.
"Need a hand?" Gladiolus asked, his hand outstretched as he towered above her. With a sigh of defeat, Caramia took it and let him pull her to her feet, bracing herself for his inevitable gloating. He looked her over in mock concern. "Anything bruised or is it just your pride?"
And there it was.
Caramia scowled darkly at him. "I think we both know that if that hadn't happened," she gestured in despair towards her grey Chocobo that was still munching greedily in the foliage, "I would have easily won."
Gladiolus shrugged, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "We'll never know. Unfortunately for you however, leaving the track mid race means automatic disqualification."
"Try not to enjoy that fact too much," Caramia retorted, storming off to try and drag her Chocobo out of the bushes. She was promptly joined by the man in charge of supervising the race course who was deeply apologetic.
"I'm so sorry Miss, are you alright?" he asked he coaxed the Chocobo back onto the track with handfuls of bright, green leaves. "This one seems unable to control his appetite. Did Wiz not warn you he was a bit of a liability?"
Caramia laughed humourlessly as she brushed the dust from her clothes. "He did but at that point it was a little too late."
"Bad luck, Cara!" Prompto exclaimed as he bounded over with the others, Chocobos in tow.
"You looked like you almost had it for a moment, not bad for your first ride," Noctis said in an attempt to console her.
Gladiolus clapped his hands together. "Who's up for another race? Shall we make it best of three?"
"I think I've had more than enough excitement for one day, I'll sit this one out," Ignis replied as the others prepared to race again. "Cara, care to join me?"
Whether he had genuinely had enough or he was kindly sparing her the trauma of having to race for a second time, Caramia felt warm gratitude blossom within her. "Absolutely," she sighed in relief and the pair walked to the side of the track, watching the others speed off for another lap. Much to his absolute delight, Prompto won the second race and he proceeded to celebrate his victory by running circles round the other two, singing at the top of his lungs the theme that had been playing continuously from the speakers all along the track.
Caramia chuckled and turned to Ignis. "That song is certainly catchy."
Ignis responded almost wearily. "You may not be of such a favourable opinion once you have been unable to get it out of your head for several days straight."
Gladiolus won the final race making him the overall winner and with that, they headed back through the forest to return their Chocobos. Caramia's had thankfully stopped eating and she even managed to swing into her saddle first time, much to her relief. After a quick spot of lunch, courtesy of Wiz, they piled back into the car and resumed their journey to Galdin Quay. They quickly descended out of the hills, the forest thinning out until the land in the distance disappeared altogether, replaced by a shimmering band of blue.
"I can see the sea!" Prompto remarked as it came into view, hastily grabbing his camera to snap the shot.
"Remarkable," Noctis stated dryly as he gazed at the scenery.
"It is rather convenient," Ignis added as he took a quick sip from the travel mug beside him, "especially since we were planning on catching a boat."
Little more was said after that although Caramia was relieved when Noctis suggested that they listen to some music; she could feel Ignis' warning about the Chocobo theme ringing true already.
Galdin Quay was beautiful, and hot.
Caramia gazed around in awe as they walked across a long wooden bridge suspended above the deep turquoise of the sea. Lofty palm trees grew out of the water, their leaves rippling slightly in the gentle breeze and in the distance a monstrous island rose into the sky, its two jagged peaks disrupting the continuous blue of the horizon. The bridge eventually became stairs that led to a large hut with a high ceiling which dangled many lamps over the restaurant it housed below.
Just as they made it to the top of the stairs, however, a man approached them.
"If you're looking for a boat, you're rather out of luck." His voice was deep and rich and had a certain charisma to it that was echoed in the layers of thick, expensive looking clothes he wore under a heavily embellished coat, with a dark red scarf at his neck. He had a thick head of hair that was a curious shade of purple and his amber eyes mocked them fiercely, despite his words seeming wholly innocent.
"Is that so?" Noctis asked warily, his eyes narrowing. There was something unsettling about him and about the way he swaggered up to them, almost as if he appeared to be enjoying himself.
"The ferries have mysteriously stopped running," he sighed in weary exasperation. "Perhaps this ceasefire isn't all it's cracked up to be." As he spoke, he began to walk through the middle of Noctis and the others and as he gesticulated with his right hand, Caramia felt something sharp slice the skin of her left arm and she cried out in shock.
"Hey, watch it!" she snarled and the man immediately whipped round to face her, his eyes darting to her arm as she grabbed it instinctively, spots of vivid crimson blood appearing on her fingers as she tentatively dabbed at the wound. Gladiolus was by her side in an instant although he glanced behind himself, making sure he was still standing protectively in front of Noctis.
"My sincerest apologies," the stranger said earnestly and suddenly his face lit up as he looked a little closer at Caramia. "That face..." he gasped, stepping a little closer, his lips twitching into the threat of a smile as Gladiolus reciprocated, his glare silently warning him to keep his distance. "Tell me girl, what is your name?"
Caramia frowned in confusion at his question and she had blurted out her answer before she had stopped to consider its consequences. "Caramia Alessia. What's it to you?"
The man did smile then, like he was enjoying a private joke. "Of course it is."
"Excuse me?" Caramia exclaimed incredulously.
The stranger seemed to regain his momentary slip in composure. "Oh forgive me, I fear I'm being rudely opaque. It's just such a coincidence to bump into you here. I used to know your mother, years ago. If I recall correctly, she was rather fond of a boat named 'The Caramia', allegedly meant to mean 'my beloved'. A charming story, I'm sure you'll agree."
Gladiolus proceeded to immediately demand the stranger's identity while Caramia stared at him in shock, her mind buzzing with questions. There was so much she yearned to know about her mother's past and while her adoptive parents had indulged her repeatedly with all the stories they could think of, her mother had spend a considerable amount of time away from the Crown City of which they knew little about. Perhaps this mysterious man could help her fill in the large gaps in her mother's past. Her excitement, however, instantly dissolved as he answered.
"A man of no consequence," he replied smugly, carefully enunciating each word. Before they could question him any further, he threw one last glance at Caramia as he turned and began casually walking away along the wooden bridge.
Prompto was the first to break the stunned silence.
"Well that was...odd," he said quietly as the stranger disappeared from view.
Gladiolus' dark eyebrows were knotted into a tight frown. "Are you alright?" he asked Caramia who was still staring into the distance in the hope she could see where the curious man had gone.
"Yeah...yeah I'm fine," she mumbled distractedly when Gladiolus gently nudged her arm. "It's just a scratch, from his ring or something." Tearing her eyes away from the bridge, she turned round to face the men who were stood looking at each other anxiously. "Although, it does mean that I now have another tear in my clothes. If it carries on like this I'll be left with rags by the end of our trip."
Ignis had his arms folded, his chin resting in his right hand as he stared pensively out to sea. "I wouldn't worry about that, I can see to it. I believe we should however, find out whether his information about the ferries rings true."
As it was, the port was indeed closed.
Noctis sighed deeply, resting his hands on his hips as he stared out across the undulating expanse of blue before them that was devoid of any ships as far as the eye could see. The sun was just beginning to set, its dying rays seeping through the water and turning it bloody. "Well, what do we do now?"
"'Closed until further notice.'" Gladiolus read from the sign in front of him. "Hmm. I guess we ask around and see if anyone knows when the boats will start running again?"
Ignis frowned as he looked towards the sun. "If that fails we'll just have to secure our own transport across to Altissia. As it is, we best stay here tonight regardless. I swear the nights are coming quicker with each passing day."
"That's alright by me, more time in bed," Noctis chuckled, walking back up the steps to the restaurant. "A soft bed at that," he sighed in pleasure as he caught sight of the formally dressed porter stood at his post outside the door to the adjoining hotel.
"And a hot shower!" Prompto groaned in bliss at the thought.
The hot shower was glorious and Caramia stood under the water for far longer than she needed, pondering all that had happened since she had left Insomnia. It had certainly been a turbulent few days, topped off by a complete stranger, who was shrouded in mystery, accidently cutting her and claiming he had known her mother. She considered trying to go after him but immediately chided herself; her place was with Noctis as his protector and besides, there was something distinctly disconcerting about that man that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Towel drying her hair the best she could, Caramia threw on some clothes and placed her dirty ones in the awaiting basket; apparently they had some sort of laundry service for guests. Walking to the next room along, for she had been given a small room to herself, Caramia knocked on the door, abandoning all hope of being invited inside as she heard raucous cheers and bellows sound from within. Rolling her eyes, she pushed the door open to see the men engrossed in a tense game of cards that rapidly came to its conclusion as Gladiolus threw down his hand onto the table and leapt to his feet, punching the air in celebration. Noctis and Prompto moaned in disappointment and slumped back into their seats, tossing their cards onto the table. Ignis however barely reacted, retaining his poise as he sat crossed legged in his chair and, pushing his cards together into a neat pile, he placed them down upon the wooden surface. He noticed Caramia first.
"Good evening. Perfect timing, we've just finished."
The others turned their heads to acknowledge her and Prompto shuffled up the bed he was on to give her room to sit. He picked up his camera that was lying to the side of him.
"Wanna see the pictures I took today?"
"Sure," Caramia replied, smiling warmly and Prompto immediately brought the screen to life, flicking through the images he had taken since the morning. He certainly had a knack for it; even when they had been moving in the car his shots were beautiful and crisp, capturing Lucis' lavish scenery in all its impressive glory. She mentally thanked him as he reached the pictures he'd taken at the Chocobo farm. He'd kindly not snapped any of her mishaps, in fact the only one she was in was the one the man there had offered to take of the five of them lined up on the racetrack's starting line.
Prompto giggled as he came to the final photo. "Managed to get a great shot of you flooring big guy over there. Never gonna delete this one, may even frame it and put it on my wall..."
"Thin ice, Prompto," Gladiolus warned in a growl and Caramia bit her lip to stop herself smiling; it appeared someone still had a chip on his shoulder.
A few games of cards and some relaxed conversation later they bid each other goodnight, exhausted from the day's events. After two nights sleeping on a rocky campsite, Caramia couldn't help but gasp in delight as she sank into the hotel's luxuriously plush pillows although she lay staring up at the dark ceiling for a considerable amount of time before sleep eventually fell over her.
In the morning she lay in bed until she heard movement next door and quickly got dressed, braiding her hair to just above her ears so the rest tumbled down her back in glossy, dark waves. Entering next door without bothering to knock she was suddenly confronted with a heavy and solemn silence. Everyone but Noctis was present and their faces were all lined with grief as they stared blankly at their feet or at the walls. Caramia caught sight of a newspaper clutched extremely tightly in Gladiolus' hand and just as she was about to ask what was wrong, Noctis walked back into the room.
He looked as confused as Caramia felt. "Is everything ok?" he asked slowly, staring in confusion at his friends' strange expressions.
"You might want to sit down for this, buddy," Prompto suggested, his voice quiet and wavering as he tried to sound supportive.
"What, what is it?" Noctis demanded, ignoring Prompto's advice and storming into the centre of the room.
Gladiolus sighed deeply, his voice gruff with emotion. "It's the King, Noct. He's dead."